The Quadrangle

Issue date: 1/26/05 Section: News

FCC Chairman Resigns

After four years as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Michael K. Powell resigned last Friday after a term rife with controversy and deregulation of America's media.
Michael Powell, the son of former Secretary of State Colin Powell, was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2000 and sought to deregulate facets of broadcasting in the country. Under Powell's guidance, the FCC eased ownership limits on radio stations within certain distances, allowing for large companies like the Clear Channel broadcasting company to buy several radio stations in cities nationwide. While Powell eased ownership regulations, he was also responsible for a policy of stricter censorship after the fallout from the 2003 Super Bowl Halftime Show. After Janet Jackson's flash of partial nudity on national television, the outcry from Americans who saw the act as indecent prompted Powell to expand and increase fines for such acts.
Powell is to be replaced by either Kevin J. Martin or Becky A. Klein. Martin, a former commissioner and White House official, is considered more likely to assume the position since he is currently the sitting Chairman of the commission. Klein is a former regulator from Texas who was appointed by Bush during his term as the governor of the state.


One Dead, One Injured after Stabbing over Pitbull Puppy in the Bronx


A dispute over the training of a 4-week-old puppy turned into violence as Mr. Samuel M. Encarnacion critically stabbed his lover Ophelia Torres, and murdered her cousin John Torres, in the Bronx River Housing Projects early last Friday.
Munchie, the Pitbull puppy owned by Mr. and Ms. Torres, was cited as the reason behind Mr. Encarnacion's actions in a signed confession signed later that day. Encarnacion was scolded by Ms. Torres after touching her puppy, telling him that he could not interfere with the dog's training. In a supposed fit of rage, Encarnacion came back to the apartment shared by the two cousins and stabbed Ms. Torres over a dozen times, and killed her cousin.
Citing relationship issues after six weeks of dating, Mr. Encarnacion threatened to stab Ms. Torres if she ended their relationship. Relatives and neighbors claim that the stabbing had little to do with the dog, rather that it was over their troubled relationship. Jason Alicea, Samuel Encarnacion's cousin, said, "For him to snap out of nowhere is surprising. He just didn't seem like that kind of person."

Medicare Changes in Effect, Organizations Wary of New Program


After a period of redistribution of copayment and coverage, the White House-initiated changes to the Medicare program came to completion last week. Guidelines for companies willing to participate in the program were released, and few companies are willing to accept the changes without scrutiny.
Signing a law in 2003, President George W. Bush allowed the Medicare program to offer partial monetary contributions towards prescription costs for many elderly Americans. The previous federal health insurance plan covered nearly 41 million elderly Americans, covered very little drugs in their plan. In 2004, controversy erupted as the Bush administration attempted to stop the importation of less expensive prescriptions from Canada and Mexico, citing them as possible health hazards.
The completion of changes to the Medicare program ends what many considered a confusing method of prescription coverage. Where the changing program offered coverage for very few pills, third parties offered additional coverage at a cost. The White House asserts that the new Medicare system will eradicate the need for third party insurance providers with their program, and hope that many companies offering health insurance to their employees will adopt the once confusing system.

Iraq Veterans Organize to Oppose War
By: Courtney Roy

A small but growing number of Iraq veterans are joining groups such as Operation Truth and Veterans Against the War in response to their experiences in the battlefield.
Though membership in these groups is relatively small-about 300 and 150 respectively-they are quickly growing in numbers. Operation Truth, which is based out of New York, has a mailing list of 25,000 people in addition to its 300 official members. It does not address the necessity of the war, but instead serves as a place for soldiers to exchange stories and provide support, and also rallies for issues affecting Iraq veterans. Operation Truth aims to take a nonpartisan stance on the parts of the war that can be changed realistically, rather than attempting to alter all of US Middle Eastern policy.
Corporal Sean Huze, a member of Operation Truth, enlisted with enthusiasm, but left disenchanted with the war, saying "By sometime in December 2003, I came to the conclusion that W.M.D.'s weren't there and that Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11, and now I'm left with all that I'd experienced in Iraq and nothing to balance it." Huze says that feels a responsibility to speak out against the war, and for other veterans, taking a lesson from the struggles the veterans from past wars had to overcome before changing government policy.

Information courtesy of the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com

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