CNNSN 2011-09-23 CNN Student News

(CNNStudentNews)--September23,2011CARLAZUZ,CNNANCHOR:It`sFriday.I`mCarlAzuz,andyou`rewatchingCNNStudentNews.Theeconomyleadsofftoday`sheadlines.SomefinancialexpertsthinktheU.S.economyisn`tgrowingfastenough,thatit`snotgrowingveryfastatall,andthatnewsisnotgoingoverwellwithinvestors.Thestockmarketisonethingpeoplelookattoseehowtheeconomyisdoing.AndtheDowJonesIndustrialAverage,acollectionof30majorstocks,isusedtodeterminehowthewholemarketisdoing.Theansweryesterday:notgood.TheDowdroppednearly400points.Atonepointduringtheday,itwasdownmorethan500points.OnethingthatseemedtospookinvestorsandtriggerthisdropwasactiontakenbytheFederalReserve,andyouhearalotabouttheFed.Whoarethey?Whatdotheydo?cnnmoney.com`sPaulLaMonicaisherewithsomeanswers.(BEGINVIDEOCLIP)PAULLAMONICA,CNNMONEY.COM:Thanks,Carl.TheFederalReserveisthenation`scentralbank,anditsmainjobistotryandkeeptheeconomyafloatbydoingtwoessentialthings.One,ittriestomakesurethatinflationdoesn`tgetoutofcontrolsothatyoudon`thavetobepayingalotmoreforthingslikegasandfood.Andthenwhatit`salsotryingtodoismakesurethattherearethemostamountofpeopleworkingaspossible.Itwantstotryandkeepunemploymentlow.AndhowtheFederalReservedoesthisisitmanagesinterestrates.Ithasakeyinterestratethatitcanraiseorlowerthatisveryimportantbecauseithelpsdictatehowmuchconsumerspayforthingslikestudentloans,mortgagesandcreditcards.TheproblemtheFedhashadinthepastfewyearsisthatit`sloweredthiskeyratetozero,prettymuchzeroinDecemberof2008,becauseofthefinancialcrisisafewyearsago.Soit`shadtotryabunchofotherkindofquirky,creativethingstogetratesevenlowerthanwheretheyarenow.AndalotofpeoplethinkthattheFed,really,isjustgraspingatstraws,theydon`thavemuchleftthattheycanactuallydotohelptheeconomy,becauserateswerealreadylow.It`snotasifpeoplearecomplainingabouthighratesontheirmortgagesorstudentloans.Theycan`tgetthatmuchlower,andalotofpeopleinthefinancialmarketsthinkthattheFedjustcan`treallydomuchtohelpthejobmarketatthispoint.(ENDVIDEOCLIP)(BEGINVIDEOCLIP)UNIDENTIFIEDFEMALE:Justthefacts:capitalpunishmentmeanstobeputtodeathforacrime.It`salsoknownasthedeathpenalty.Capitalpunishmenthasbeencarriedourforcenturies,andinU.S.prisonssincethe1800s.TheU.S.SupremeCourtsuspendedthedeathpenaltyin1972,andreinstateditfouryearslater.Today,capitalpunishmentislegalin34U.S.states.(ENDVIDEOCLIP)AZUZ:Aswespeak,there`salotofinternationalattentionfocusedonthedeathpenalty.TwoexecutionswerecarriedoutintheUnitedStatesonWednesdaynight.Onewasforthisman,LawrenceRussellBrewer.Hewasconvictedofmurderin1998.Itwasaraciallymotivatedcrime,thebrutalkillingofthemanyouseehere,JamesByrd.LawofficerswhovisitedBrewerbeforehisexecutionsaidheshowednoremorse.ItwasadifferentstoryinGeorgia,though.That`swhereTroyDaviswasputtodeathonWednesday,justaftertheU.S.SupremeCourtdeniedhisfinalappeal.Daviswasconvictedin1991forkillingMarkMacPhail.MacPhailwasapoliceofficerwhowasoffdutyandtryingtohelpahomelessmanwhenhewasshotseveraltimesinaparkinglot.For20years,Davissaidhedidn`tdoit.Andthat`swhathetoldthevictim`sfamilyagainbeforehisexecutiononWednesdaynight.Themurderweaponwasn`tfound,therewasnofingerprintorDNAevidencethattiedDavistothekilling,andsince1991,severalwitnessestothemurderchangedtheirstory,somesayinglateritwasn`tDaviswhokilledOfficerMacPhail.Therewereprotestsagainsttheexecutioninseveraldifferentcitiesandcountries.PopeBenedictXVIandformerpresidentJimmyCarterwereamongtheleaderswhotriedtogetDavis`executionstopped.ButthoughmanydoubtedDavis`guilt,thecourtsystemdidn`t.AllofDavis`appearswererejected.AdistrictjudgesaidnewinformationDavisbroughtlastyearwasnotcredible,andthedistrictattorneyinthecasesaidtheverdictwastherightone.DaviswasalsoconvictedofanothershootingearlierthesamenightthatOfficerMacPhailwasshot,andthebulletshellcasingsintheearliershootingmatchedtheonesfoundnearthemurderedpoliceman.AfterDavis`execution,OfficerMacPhail`smothersaidjusticewasserved.Atcnnstudentnews.com,wewantyoutoshareyouropiniononcapitalpunishment.Areyouforit?Areyouagainstit?Andwhy?Giveitsomethought,thenlogontocnnstudentnews.com.We`relookingforwardtoreadingwhatyouhavetosay.Allright.WhenyoupostsomethingonFacebookorTwitter,youknowyourfriendswillseeit,maybeyourparents,too.Butthere`sanothergroupofpeopleyoumightwanttokeepinmind:collegeadmissionsofficers.Accordingtoarecentsurvey,morethan80percentofadmissionsofficerssaidtheyconsidersocialmediawhenthey`rerecruitingstudents.Nowthisdoesn`tnecessarilymeanthatwhatyoupostonlinewillbepartofthedecisionaboutwhetherornotyougetintoacertaincollege.Butitdoesmeanthatmoreadmissionsofficersarecheckingoutsocialmediatolearnmoreaboutapplicants.Oneexpertsaidthiscanactuallyworktostudents`advantage,forexample,usingablogorsocialmediasitetodemonstrateatalent,ortomakeavideoapplicationthatcouldhelpyoustandoutfromotherapplicants.(BEGINVIDEOCLIP)Today`sShoutoutgoesouttoMr.Williams`TexasHistoryclassesatCanyonVistaMiddleSchoolatAustin,Texas.Whatmythologydoesthewordherocomefrom?Youknowwhattodo.IsitJapanese,Greek,NorseorEgyptian?You`vegotthreeseconds,go.Thesedaysaheroisanyonewhoshowsgreatcourage.Butthewo