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| Volume 19: April 19, 2010 |
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Notre Dame Player Lost to Alcohol: Dead at 17 | |
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On his first day of spring break in Panama City, Florida, promising Notre Dame player Matt James fell to his death off of a balcony.
One of the nation's top high school recruits, James fell five stories at 6:30 p.m. Witnesses said he was drunk and belligerent prior to the fatal fall. He was traveling under the supervision of six adults.
The 6-foot-6, 290-pound, offensive lineman was signed to play here in Indiana in the fall.
St. Xavier High School's Matt James in Cincinnati. | You may wish to believe this was an extraordinary and rare circumstance, but those of you who deal with community consequences know the results are too real.
And it wasn't the first death due to alcohol reported over spring break. Just two weeks earlier, a 19-year-old man from Georgia, also under the influence of alcohol, fell and died.
One of our favorite newspaper columnists, Mitch Albom, pointed out the awful truth of tourism, drinking and youth:
"If anything, alcohol is the real story here. Between March 11-28, police said they arrested 985 people in Panama City Beach for underage possession of alcohol. Read that again. Nine hundred eighty-five kids. And I call them kids, because when it comes to drinking, they are."
If you believe alcohol should remain a regulated and strictly controlled product in Indiana, speak up. And speak loudly.
The black and white print of a newspaper headline is a stark reminder that Hoosier politicians and Hoosier voters need to be aware of all the facts in the ongoing alcohol debate. Let's make sure that those pushing for the "convenient" sale of alcohol on Sundays in Indiana are also paying attention to the tragedies of convenience. |
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Checking on Emails and Web Sites: Are they Legitimate? | |
Project RAD is continuing its occasional series on public records issues for its partners. Because we often field queries about records, meetings, and more, we hope you find this particular topic of interest. We were recently asked about the "legitimacy" of a blog and found the poster was using false information to route ownership and identity. It's not ethical and it can be reported to the appropriate authorities. If you ever want to check out online sources, here's a primer on how to make your own quick and simple investigation.
Q: Why do I need to know where email comes from?
People often have several email accounts to separate business and personal communications or social networking needs. Gmail, for example, is a popular and free email service offered by Google. While most businesses use naming conventions that often include first names, last names, and company names, individual emails are often nicknames or special personal addresses that list hobbies, family, or other information. Most people like to know where email is coming from and want to know the identity of the sender. Phony and untrackable email accounts are considered unethical, but it is becoming more and more commonplace.
Q: How do I track an email?
The quickest way is to copy the address into your Browser window. Many emails show up in very public places, thanks to social media and search engines.
Q: What is an IP address and how do I track it?
The Internet Protocol (IP) address is unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, such as 217.247.84.89. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number. This address is unique throughout the Internet.
Q: How do I check on an IP address?
1) Visit a reverse IP look-up site like http://ip-lookup.net/
2) Copy and paste the IP address (a series of numbers) into the "Lookup" bar and hit "Enter"
3) Look for the IP owner (Whois) info on the next page. Larger corporations often identify their servers. Individuals and small businesses will often use an Internet Service Provider such as a local cable company or telephone service.
Q: How do I check on a domain name and determine who owns a Web site?
A domain name is your Internet identity and a unique online brand. For example, the domain name ProjectRAD.com represents the ProjectRAD.com Web site. When you type it into a Web browser or send email to someone at that address, the Domain Name System (DNS) translates ProjectRAD.com into the Internet Protocol (IP) numbers used by the Internet to locate destinations and connects you to Project Responsible Alcohol Distribution.
Q: Why do people check domain names?
- Individuals check domain names for expiration dates
- Registrars check domain names when transferring ownership
- Law enforcement authorities check domain names when investigating criminal activity
For additional information on domains: click here.
For additional information on IP addresses: click here.
(Tip: It may not be possible to pinpoint a precise location for an IP address especially if a Web site or ISP is registered privately. Web sites can be registered as private domains for extra fees, which makes tracking difficult-but not impossible.) |
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Project RAD is hosting the first in what we hope is a series of community dialogues on alcohol regulation. Our primary question: What do we have in common? On the invite list are neighborhood groups, elected officials, researchers, addiction specialists, law enforcement officials and more. The event is April 29 and we will post our outcomes and action items to the readers of our newsletter. |
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