Each and every year conditions for journalists are getting more dangerous. So far this year, 44 journalists have been killed, making the year of 2012 potentially the deadliest year for journalists since the International Press Institute began tracking such deaths in 1997, according to the Neiman Journalism Lab. As of May 16^th there is one more journalist to be added to that list: Honduran Radio Journalist, Ángel Alfredo Villatoro.

Villatoro was found dead Tuesday night on a sidewalk in the city of Tegucigalpa. He had a red handkerchief covering his face and was dressed as a special operations police officer at the time he was discovered. He had been kidnapped from his car on May 9^th and had been shot in the head twice, according to police reports.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, also known as the CPJ, Honduran President Porfirio Lobo told journalists that the kidnappers had sent a “proof of life” video with images of Villatoro. However, it was later found out that the images were from Saturday, according to news reports. “News accounts said the journalist’s family had received a demand for ransom. Héctor Ivan Mejía, spokesman for the national police, told  journalists there were many possible theories but that nothing was confirmed and that police would continue to investigate.”

Police are suspecting that the murder of Villatoro was a result of a drug gang retaliation on the government from the recent crackdown on drug cartels. Security Minister Pompeyo made a statement to a local TV station saying, “(Drug gangs) are trying to frighten Honduran society.”

There is good reason for the government to be cracking down on local drug gangs  as Honduras is becoming increasingly used as a transit route to smuggle cocaine from South America into the United States. According to Gustavo Palencia, a reporter with the Huffington Post, “Honduras has the world’s highest murder rate – more than 80 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants last year.”

Police are continuing to investigate the murder of the beloved journalist, but have found no leads for a suspect thus far.

Villatoro was a prominent and well-know Director and radio personality for HRN radio, one of Honduras’s oldest and most listened to radio stations. As the investigation continues, those that loved him most, want to see justice served for the sake of Villatoro and his loved ones.

“We are saddened by the death of journalist Ángel Alfredo Villatoro and send our condolences to his friends, family, and colleagues,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “Honduran authorities must fully investigate this crime and bring those responsible to justice. The deadly cycle of violence against journalists and impunity for these crimes is endangering freedom of expression in Honduras.”

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It’s that time of year again for college students, the dreaded final exams. And with that usually comes a lot of stress, hitting the books, and not enough sleep. While many students have the misconception that pulling all-nighters will score them higher grades on their exams, research is showing that getting inadequate amounts of sleep can actually hurt your test scores.

It’s amazing what the human body is capable of but, in order for it to function to its utmost ability, it needs its rest. According to Dr. Robert Oexman, Director of the Sleep to Live Institute, “it is no surprise that college students are one of the most sleep-deprived demographics in our population.

What may be surprising is that sleep is as important to learning as exercise is to physical stamina. If you want to maximize your time learning you must sleep.” Dr. Oexman explains after extensive research that it is more beneficial for a student to sleep for a few hours before an exam, rather than to cram for a few hours right before the test, where much of the material is often forgotten.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “sleep deprived students have lower GPA’s due to the fact that it impacts memory and concentration.” Around finals time, students come up with every excuse in the book as to why it is more important to study than to sleep.

“I can sleep when my finals are over,” “I have pulled all-nighters before, so it’s no big deal” or “If I cram for my exam right before I take it then I will remember more information.” But what students need to know is that current sleep research findings show that getting enough sleep is actually smart, and according to Dr. Oexman, here’s why:

“Sleep is an active process where the brain works to heal the body by producing hormones beneficial for repair and growth. This is also the time for the brain to consolidate memories of what we studied and learned that day. Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM Sleep), which happens in the last part of the night, appears to be associated with learning and memory. This reinforces the mantra that you should be getting eight hours of shut-eye if you want the full benefits of sleep.”

Dr. Oexman points out that sleep and learning have one thing in common-a commitment, and that without enough sleep, your productivity level will not be at it’s utmost potential nor will it get you the grades you are striving for.

As a result, Oexman gives 8 crucial sleeping tips to land the grades you want:

• Turn Electronics Off: Make a commitment to turn off all electronics 30 minutes before bed. Blue light emitted from computers, smart phones, and tablets hurts natural sleep processes.

• Eight — Yes, Eight Hours: Set a routine and commit to getting at least 8 hours of sleep, but preferably more if possible.

• Smart Snacking: If you have to stay awake during finals try low-calorie non-caffeinated foods like sunflower seeds. This activity will keep you awake but will not interrupt sleep when you are ready to snooze.

• Say No to Stimulants: From caffeine to energy drinks — stimulants, both legal and non-legal, have been shown to impact sleep, and that will impact your ability to remember what you just stayed up late to learn.

• Remember to REM: If you have to stay awake before an exam get at least 6 hours of sleep the night before. This will allow you to get at least some amount of REM sleep, which occurs later in the night and helps consolidate your memories.

• Dorm Room Rules: If you sleep in a dormitory, use eye masks and earplugs to drown out the light and noise. You will be amazed how this can impact your sleep and your grades.

• Limit Naps: If you nap, keep it to 30 minutes or less. You are better off studying during this time and sleeping later in the night.

• Everyone Should Exercise: Exercise helps students in two ways — making you more alert when it’s time to study and helping you to relax when it’s time to fall asleep.

Happy Studying!

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The movie “Taken” released in 2008 brought to light and grabbed the attention of millions across the world as the movie raised awareness about one of the fast growing industries in the world: Sex trafficking.

While the movie revolves around girls being smuggled as traveling tourists in western European countries, then addicted to drugs and forced into prostitution, there is one thing that the movie doesn’t recognize; this is not something foreign that is going on. It’s not just in Europe or Asia or Africa. It’s happening right here in the United States, in our very own backyards.

According to Sarah Vardaman, Senior Director of Shared Hope International, “the majority of the victims that we’re finding who are child sex-trafficking victims are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.” And According to the U.S. Department of Justice, sex-trafficking is growing at an alarmingly fast rate.

“In 2005, the Department of Justice reported there have been an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 sex slaves in the U.S,” reported International Crisis Aid on their website. They also pointed out that “in 2009, a University of Pennsylvania study estimated nearly 300,000 youth in the United States were at risk of being sexually exploited for commercial uses.”

One of the youths that represent this statistic is 16-year-old Brianna (her real name was changed for her own protection), who was 12 and living in New York City at the time that she was captured.  Brianna had gotten into an argument with her mother one evening and decided to leave the house for the night with plans to stay with her friend’s older brother.

Her plans of returning home in the morning changed in an instant when she found out her friend’s older brother was a pimp and she was now his property. From that point on, Brianna’s life changed forever and her childhood had been taken from her.

The first thing the pimp did was lock her in a room where he took several provocative pictures of her and then posted her on Backpage.com. This website is known to be the most advertised and popular website in America today for sex trafficking. According to AIM Group, “Backpage accounts for about 70 percent of America’s prostitution ads.”

Brianna  was repeatedly beaten and advertised on Backpage.com. After three years of living in fear, bearing sexual and physical abuse and being demoralized by men willing to pay to watch her perform sexual acts on the web, Brianna managed to escape. She ran away to a place called “Gateways,” which is a treatment center for girls ages 12-16 that have been victims of the sex trafficking trade.

New York Times’ Reporter, Nicholas Kristof claims Brianna, who is now receiving the therapy and support she needs, is one of the “lucky few.” According to the Huffington Post, “Brianna is one of one hundred thousand American girls exploited through commercial sex.”

Kristof believes that this is a growing epidemic, similar to that of the AIDS virus. The sex and human trafficking industries keep growing and if more people aren’t informed soon, or willing to raise awareness and learn about what’s going on right before their eyes, then many more young girls’ childhoods will be swiped out from under them and they will be robbed of having any future at all.

If you are interested in helping putting a stop to this rapidly growing industry and want to learn more about sex/human trafficking please join or check out the campaigns at:

WWW.HumanTrafficking.org & WWW.NotForSaleCampaign.org.

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Jagermeister, a brand as deeply rooted in music as it is in mythology and lore, is proud to announce an upcoming tour with headliner Alaskan rock band Portugal. The Man and supporting act, The Lonely Forest. The live shows kick off April 3rd and will be in 26 cities across the nation.

Jagermeister, the #1 selling imported liqueur in the United States, has a long history of supporting bands, both from a local level to national amphitheater acts. The brand has spent almost two decades developing artists and has seen many go from obscurity to the top of their fields. John Gourley, lead singer of Portugal. The Man said, “We were planning on taking a short break from the road, but Jagermeister presented an opportunity for us to visit a handful of cities that we have not been to in ages, so we jumped at the chance to play these shows.”

Last year, Atlantic Records artist Portugal. The Man released In The Mountain In The Cloud, the sixth album in six years from the Wasilla, AK-via-Portland, OR-based band. The critically-acclaimed album garnered inclusion in several notable “Best of 2011″ lists, including MTV, Huffington Post, and KCRW. Produced by John Hill (Santigold, M.I.A.) with co-production from Portugal.

The Man lead singer/guitarist/songwriter John Gourley as well as longtime band producer Casey Bates and mixed by Grammy Award winner Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Jeff Buckley), In The Mountain In The Cloud marks the first recording to truly harness the band’s exhilarating live show. From the dramatic “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” to the sprawling vision of “Sleep Forever,” the album captures a truly distinctive band evolving in real time, revealing their singular sonic vision in its purest and most powerful form thus far.

The Lonely Forest, an American indie rock band discovered and signed by Chris Walla from Death Cab for Cutie, who launched their debut album Arrows for his imprint label Trans via Atlantic Records, will serve as the supporting act.

Tickets will be on pre-sale starting Monday, January 23rd at www.portugaltheman.com and on sale to the public beginning Friday, January 27th. The 2012 Jagermeister Music Tour will feature Jagermeister custom tour prizes from Schecter Guitars and Peavey Electronics. For more information on Jagermeister, visit www.jager.com and for additional information on Portugal. The Man, visit www.facebook.com/portugaltheman, twitter.com/portugaltheman, and http://youtube.com/portugalthemanband.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/portugaltheman

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