SOPA & PIPA?

Did someone "set fire to the rain"?

Wikipedia joins blackout protest at US anti-piracy moves?
Read More...

(█ ) ███ ██████ ██ ██ click "Share" ██ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██ ████ ██.
This posted blog comment has been found in violation of H.R. 3261, S.O.P.A and has been removed.

SOPA/PIPA Update:
Before Google's and Wikipedia's Blackout on January 18th, only 31 Congressman were against these specific pieces of legislation. On January 19th, with a firestorm building around the halls of Capital Hill, 101 Congressman quickly issued statements against SOPA/PIPA. 

Welcome to the new political world order?

Predictions for 2012?

Television, radio, and newspaper journalists (from all shades of the political spectrum) engage in Ambulance Chasing. Basically, when deciding which major news stories to cover, "if it bleeds, it leads".

Inevitably, WARS and natural disasters top the list of major world events actively covered by the media. Raw human suffering naturally creates powerful images which help to remain us of our own inevitable mortally.

Beyond the so-called end-of-days predictions about the Mayan Calender or Radio evangelist Harold Camping's continued incoherent ramblings about The Rapture, a laundry list of news worthy possibilities makes forecasting world events for 2012 (pause) predictable.

This year, this 3rd Rock from the Sun will experience one or more of the following natural events: avalanches, earthquakes, famines, floods, heat waves, hurricanes, lightning strike, tornadoes, Tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and wildfires. It's not complicated. While it's possible some future government funded, technological advancements may take the mystery out of forecasting recurring biblical events, in 2012, this blogger can confidently predict natural disasters around the world will change the lives of millions of people.

So, what about the future prophecies of Nostradamus' quatrains?

This French Apothecary recognized one important thing about human nature: Man is a politically motivated sexual animal.

There will be at least one SEX scandal in 2012?

Speaking of politics, 59 countries will hold national elections, referendums or plebiscites. Democratic elections will take place in the United States, Russia, Mexico, India and France. The People's Republic of China will hold it's 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people will experience an already predicted change in it's top leadership. Additionally, Egypt and Venezuela are slated to hold elections.

Next month, the United Kingdom will observe Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the throne. This summer, London will host the Games of the XXX Olympiad.

There will be monthly stories about Internet Privacy, Facebook and Google. And finally, somebody, somewhere in the world will upload a cute baby video to YouTube.

If you enjoyed 2011, fasten your seat belts. Using my politically neutral Magic 8-Ball, this blogger can write with confidence that the events of 2011 were just a prelude to what's in store for our wonderful world in 2012.


Ten 100-year predictions that came true?
Read More...

#Occupy Wukan?

Violent political clashes in Egypt? London burning? A nuclear crisis in Japan? Military tanks crushing government protesters in Syria while American troops leave Iraq? The Libyan people rising up against Muammar Gaddafi? #Occupy Wall Street protests in every major American city? Russians marching again on the streets of Moscow?

And the year 2011 is not quite finished...


Analysis: Democracy is like a rice cooker. When too much pressure builds up inside, excess steam is released so the cooker (i.e. society) doesn't EXPLODE. How strong or mature is a government which is afraid of the peaceful words and ideas of one man?
Read More...

Update:
Wukan protesters end action after Chinese government offers concessions
December 21, 2011
Read More...

Rebels offer a $1,000,000 bounty for Ka-Da-Fee?

The World Press Battles Spell Checker?

If you've been following the latest news reports out of Libya, you may have noticed that the media has been using different variations of the former dictator's last name:

   CBS News - Qaddafi
   AP & CNN International - Gadhafi
   BBC & Time Magazine - Gaddafi
   The Guardian (U.K.) - Gadafy
   U.S. News & World Report - Qadhafi
   The Boston Globe - Khadafy
 

Confused? According to NPR (National Public Radio), back in 1986, a Minnesota's school teacher's 2nd grade class wrote a letter to the Libyan leader. He actually wrote back and signed his name Gad-ha-fi. Until recently, that letter was the Rosetta Stone for spelling his name.

However, over the years, the Libyan Embassy in London has issued press releases with the spelling Qadaffi. So, who is right? Well, don't ask the French or the Italians. The AFP (Agence France-Presse) uses Kadhafi and AGI (Agenzia Italia) spells it Gheddafi.
Libya: From Colony to Independence (Paperback)

Gadhafi on the Ropes?

During the first GOP Presidential Debate in New Hampshire (June 13, 2011), Congresswoman Michele Bachmann questioned President Obama's actions over Libya. Last week on the campaign trail, Bachmann hammered President Obama on his so-called delay in taking action against the Syrian Government. 


Can you say political double-speak?
Why Libya? It's not complicated. America's NATO allies (who directly supported the U.S. in Iraq and/or Afghanistan) were afraid of a FLOOD of refugees landing on Europe's doorstep (i.e. hundreds of thousands of BOAT people). In the case of Syria, because of its geographic location, Turkey is the main regional player. The Turkish military is protecting the refugees crossing over its southern border. For folks who forget, the invasion of Iraq in 2003 damaged this country's relationship with this important NATO member. This time around, President Obama is working with the Turkish government in formulating actions against the Syrian regime.

NATO's continued military actions in Libya is/was intended to create & maintain safe havens WITHIN Libyan borders. President Obama supported the political leaders of France, Spain, the UK, and Italy to meet this specific military objective. Welcome to the reality of our geopolitical world! Prior to direct US involvement in Bosnia (i.e. with boots on the ground), it's how the Europeans (under a failed United Nations mandate) responded to the fighting (and genocide) in the Balkans. Unlike 1995, this time around, NATO (not the UN) brought enough firepower to the party which PREVENTED a Srebrenica-type massacre in Benghazi.

Former Defense Secretary Gates' public frustration with NATO was in response to the organization's continued inability to do the heavy lifting to meet a European specific military/political/economic objective without DIRECT U.S. support. 
Anyhow, could somebody PLEASE plug in Bachmann's brain? It's one thing to create some mythical fairy tale about the original intent of this country's founding fathers, it's quite another to create revisionist history from recent current events.

If you're an American against this country's continued membership in NATO, here are two regional issues which continue to have global implications: North Korea and the South China Sea. Confused? The United Nations is a paper tiger. Basically, folks need to remember that NATO's geopolitical influence reaches far beyond Europe's own borders.
Read More...

Arab Spring Update
October 20, 2011:
Moammar Gadhafi killed in Sirte.
Read More...

Photo of American Soldier on M-42 Duster, Fort Bliss, Texas (Summer 1982).