National Tragedies Can Be Avoided with Vigilance, Understanding & Guidance, says Novelist

For adults, high school is as near or far as the next or last reunion. But for thousands of teens, high school is a present hell of isolation, confusion and negativity, says novelist Ryan D. Pearson. “Think about the young men who live in infamy because they somehow couldn’t channel their energy in a positive manner – Adam Lanza in Connecticut; James Holmes, the ‘movie-theater shooter;’ the two Columbine shooters; Jared Loughner, who shot U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords – some were extremely intelligent, and they were passionate, too,” says Pearson. Precocious in high school, Pearson earned his law degree at age 21 and went on to write “The Element Series,” (www.theelementsseries.com), which follows a teenager blessed with wealth and fame who discovers he has the added responsibility of super powers. “One aspect I love about comic books and fiction is that the character arcs show how some become the villains, and those who stand by their values – the heroes.” Teens, who have experienced life only as children, suddenly find themselves in very adult circumstances in high school – that last step toward adulthood, he says.

For many gifted, talented, sensitive or otherwise misunderstood teens, he offers tips for surviving this last step toward independence:

• Embrace what makes you different: Perhaps the most important struggle a teenager faces is self-acceptance. Many may believe that that straight-A, all-star jock with a perfect complexion has it made. Meanwhile, he may be experiencing his own inner turmoil. If you care about things no one else seems to care about; if you’re better at chess than football; if you think you don’t fit the mold of “pretty” or “handsome” – you might just be on the path to happiness. A great example receiving plenty of attention is the It Gets Better project, which encourages gay teens to embrace their sexuality. However, the concept can be applied to anyone who feels like an outsider. “There is only one you; don’t be afraid of who you are,” Pearson says.

• Perhaps the greatest commencement address: While life is just beginning after high school and college, it’s rarely easy – that’s the thrust of George Foster Wallace’s 2005 speech to the graduates of Kenyon College. Wallace, a giant of contemporary literature, touches on some of the most important adult challenges: the potential loneliness of adult life, the importance of being well-adjusted and the difficulty of empathy – “Think about it: There is no experience you’ve had that you were not at the absolute center of.” Truthful, unflinching and humorous, the speech has since resonated online.

• You can change!: A depressing mindset for unhappy high school students involves the idea that nothing about one’s experience will change. “Everything changes – this is the one rule of life you can count on,” says Pearson, whose went on a worldwide adventure after college. “Teens who go the villainous route often have an attitude that nothing about them or the world is going to be different unless they intervene with extreme behavior.” In reality, one or two key shifts in thinking can change the course in a young person’s life trajectory. Friends, parents and educators have the best access for helping a troubled teen to “see the light.”    

Anyone with Information urged to call Kaufman County Crime Stoppers

KAUFMAN, Texas

Gov. Rick Perry today announced the Governor’s Office is offering a cash reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person or people responsible for the deaths of Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse, District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia. Kaufman County Crime Stoppers is also offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person or people responsible for the death of Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse. “Words cannot describe the shock and grief this community has suffered over the last several months. The criminals responsible for these murders will be caught, convicted and will pay the price for these horrific crimes,” Gov. Perry said. “I have full confidence that this investigation will lead to the conviction of whoever perpetrated these insidious crimes, and it is my hope and expectation that these rewards will help convince those who may be holding onto important information to come forward.” Anyone with information that could be helpful to investigators is urged to call Kaufman County Crime Stoppers at 1-877-847-7522 or email anonymous information to Kaufman County Crime Stoppers at http://kaufmancountycrimestoppers.org. This reward is funded through court fees distributed by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division to apprehend fugitives. Additionally, the FBI has launched billboards throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico encouraging tipsters to contact Crime Stoppers with any information. Billboards have been donated by the Outdoor Advertising Association of Texas, which includes Clear Channel Outdoor and Lamar Advertising, with additional space donated by Fairway and CBS. Texas Crime Stoppers programs provide a partnership between the public, law enforcement agencies and the media in order to speed identification and apprehension of criminals and the solution to unsolved crimes. Programs accept anonymous tips and provide cash rewards if a tip leads to an arrest or indictment.

Washington, Apr (EFE)

U.S. President Barack Obama announced an ambitious multidisciplinary program to create a map of the human brain that could help cure diseases such as Alzheimer's and epilepsy. "We have been a nation of dreamers and risk-takers," said Obama in the East Room of the White House before an audience including several of the scientists and businessmen taking part in the project. "Computer chips and GPS technology, the Internet - all these things grew out of government investments in basic research," the president said, before introducing the BRAIN Initiative as "the next great American project." The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative- Neurotechnologies. Initiative has been allocated somewhat over $100 million in the 2014 budget bill that the Obama administration will present this month. Among the objectives of the effort launched on Tuesday is helping scientists find ways to treat, cure and even prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's, autism and epilepsy and to repair traumatic damage suffered by the brain. "As humans, we can identify galaxies light years away, we can study particles smaller than an atom. But we still haven't unlocked the mystery of the three pounds (1.3 kilos) of matter that sits between our ears," Obama said. The president had already announced his decision to launch a program to explore the brain during his Feb. 12 State of the Union address. Among the scientists in the forefront of the BRAIN Initiative is Spaniard Rafael Yuste, a professor of biological science and neuroscience at Columbia University in New York. Yuste was the primary author of a June 2012 article in Neuron magazine in which he outlined the initiative on the basis of the work he has carried out over the past 16 years at Columbia.