News in 30

SHIPWRECK:  On Friday evening, the Costa Concordia ran aground in rocks near Giglio, a small island off the coast of Tuscany.  The ship was carrying 4,234 passengers and crew at the time of the accident.  The ship appeared to be showing off for tourists on the island and came an astonishingly 450 feet off of Giglio.  Six people have been confirmed dead and 16 are still missing.

Passengers gave accounts detailing panic and chaos that has been likened to what was described on the Titanic.  There have been several reports that the captain abandoned ship and left the passengers to their own devices.  Some crew member said that they too saw the captain leave before the passengers.

After the ship ran aground, it began tilting to one side, rendering the life boats on one side completely useless.  The boat eventually began listing so severely that the remaining lifeboats became stuck on the side and couldn't be used either.  Many passengers actually jumped off the boat and swam to shore.

The captain of the Costa Concordia has been held in connection with the accident and will likely be charged with manslaughter and abandoning his ship.  He was seen on shore by rescue officials who told him to return to the ship and he refused.

Yesterday, two passengers and a crew member were found by rescue personnel and taken from the boat.  The rescue operations continue, although they have had to be suspended several times because of the danger associated with the listing.

Officials are currently listening to the "black box" in order to figure out exactly what happened.

Editor's Note:  Yeah, that really stinks.  I've always wanted to go on a cruise....now I'm not so sure.


                                                                                                             

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST:  In a move that didn't surprise anyone, Jon Huntsman withdrew from the GOP Presidential race and has endorsed Mitt Romney.

Huntsman, the "other Mormon" in the race, hoped to take on President Obama on the economy and foreign policy.  With his own background as the United States Ambassador to China, Huntsman had firm opinions on foreign strategy.

Huntsman, as part of his withdrawal speech, asked candidates to stop attacking one another.  He also asked that voters get behind a 'non-extreme' candidate, in order to do what was best for the country.

Editor's Note:  November seems to far away....it gets even further when politics are involved.