ALTERNATE VIEWS AND NEWS

The Libyan debacle plus other News

2011-03-31T18:41:00.000-04:00

The drama really seems to be gaining steam in the Middle East and today is no different. Call me crazy, but it seems that we are actually at war with Libya. First we were hesitant to get involved, then we spent $100 million shooting missiles over the first weekend of bombing, and now the CIA is on the ground advising. Kind of sounds like Afghanistan to me, when are we going to learn? I understand the situation was bad in Libya before we got involved, but what about all the other countries in the Middle East right now? Should we go into Syria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, all those countries that have had innocent citizens die in protest for a chance at a better life?

With everything going on ,with all the debt we are in as a country, how is it even possible that we are this involved in Libya. What happens when Muammar Gaddafi does not leave and it's a stale mate ? What happens in ten years when the Libyan rebels we want to arm now turn against us like we are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan? We literally can't afford to fight these wars anymore and when are we going to get it?

We should have a poll, would you rather your Social Security age be raised to 70 years old or do you want to fight some more wars in the Middle East?

CNN - Arming Libyan rebels: Should U.S. do it?

CNN - Gates, Mullen face hostile Libya questions

BLOOMBERG - Libya-Owned Bank Drew at Least $5 Billion From Fed

ABC NEWS - Crews 'facing 100-year battle' at Fukushima

NPR - Revving Up For 2012, GOP Hits Obama On Gas Prices

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR - Radioactive milk found on West Coast, but levels are 'minuscule'

TPM - Tea Partiers Rallying In DC Praise Donald Trump's Birther Stance (VIDEO)

We just spent 200 million and counting in Libya, but don't worry The U.S. Government just figured out how to save 33 billion by cutting Education and Health Services.

2011-03-30T21:46:00.001-04:00

According to a source close to ABC News and Reuters News Agency, President Obama has authorized Covert help for the Libyan rebels. The President has authorized this new " Presidential Finding " within the last two or three weeks. By taking this step President Obama opens the door, legally, for covert ops and the CIA to work in Libya; if the President wants them too. This also opens the door for potentially supplying the Libyan rebels with Arms. When President Obama was asked by Diane Sawyer if he would send arms to the Libyan Rebels he replied, "We are examining all options to support the opposition ". President Obama also said that the objective was for Qaddafi "Ultimately, to step down " .

In late Breaking News Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa has defected to the U.K. and has rejected Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi. He flew in on his own free will from Tunisia and since has been talking at length with British officials.

Reuters - Exclusive: Obama authorizes secret help for Libya rebels

BBC - Libya foreign minister 'defects'

AP sources: CIA sent operatives into Libya

U.S. NEWS, VIDEOS & LINKS

President Obama pitch for Clean Energy

POLITICO - Budget deal close with $33B in cuts

BUSINESS WEEK - Stocks higher after payroll report, pharma deal

Is the U.S. hypocritcal when it comes to the Protesters in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain ?

2011-03-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

When the people protested and overthrew the government in Egypt, it was encouraged by the lack of intervention from the west, and the protests and revolt were all over the news.

When the Libyans; emboldened by what had happened in Egypt; attempted to do the same, France (who has heavily invested interests in Libya) stepped in to keep the Libyan military from squashing the uprising. Again, it was all over the news.

But somehow, when protests occurred in both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, not only did no one step in to ensure that the people had their say, but the media coverage of the events (at least in western countries) was scanty at best.

Why is it that the international community in general; and the United States in particular, are not encouraging the governments of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to let the people have their say? Indeed, when Saudi Arabia took matters into its own hand and sent troops to quell the uprising of the people in Bahrain, not one of the western countries so much as said “boo,” let alone spoke out about the injustice.

Why, you may ask, are Saudi Arabia and Bahrain handled with kid gloves when it comes to international relations? Could it have something to do with the fact that Saudi Arabia is the second largest producer of crude oil in the world? Could the fact that the United States has the highest consumption rate for crude oil of any other country on the planet and that over 17% of its oil is imported from Saudi Arabia have something to do with it?

Oil has given the Saudi Royal Family a unique position in a very volatile part of the world. In a country that is primarily Muslim and where the people are sympathetic to fundamentalist beliefs, the precarious alliance between Saudi Arabia and the western countries is one that is tolerated, but not smiled on by the populace, and it would take very little to upset that delicate balance.

The United States may have the most to lose were Saudi Arabia (and by default Bahrain) to cut off its oil supply. But the United States is by no means the only country that would not be willing to taking the chance that the people of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain might, if allowed to overthrow the Saudi Royal Family, replace them with a fundamentalist regime that would be hostile to western relations. We may not see eye to eye with the Royal Family, but at least we are able to negotiate with them. Throw a religious divide into the mix, and things could get very ugly very fast.

While this may not be the only reason that the protests in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have received only a minimal amount of media coverage; after all there are many factors to take into consideration when attempting to negotiate the labyrinth of pitfalls that comprises international relations with any country in the middle east; but it would go a long way to explaining why the United States is not taking an active part in encouraging democracy in these particular areas.

Who is Phylicia Barnes and why should you care?

2011-03-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

Phylicia Barnes, now 17 years old, disappeared when visiting family in Baltimore over the holiday season in 2010. She went missing on December 28th when visiting her newly found half-sister's house in Baltimore, Maryland. Phylicia Barnes was a very gifted and hardworking student, she graduated from High Sshool early and was getting ready to attend college. Soon after her disappearance, in addition to doing all the routine police investigating, Baltimore Police department spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi also tried to reach out to local media outlets to get Phylicia's face known to the public.

Mr. Gulielmi was not to happy with the response from local and national media outlets when he asked for their help with getting Phylicia's face on the news. Since it was unlikely that a great student who had never been in trouble before just got up and ran away, Guglielmi knew she might of been abducted out of state and wanted people to see her face as soon as possible. In Mr. Guglielmi's own words he said that the response from the news outlets where less then enthusiastic and anemic. At the time, the media was more concerned with birds dropping out of the sky mysteriously then a missing African American women in Baltimore.

I think it is important to point these stories out to everyone, not to cause tension, but to shed light on the facts. Without doing a google search, just off the top of your head how many African American women do you remember being acknowledged in the news for being missing? I do remember Natalie Halloway who went missing in another country was on the news everyday, I do remember that crazy bride with the bug eyes who ran away from her husband, but I can't recall any African American women in the News.

If Phylicia Barnes was a white girl who graduated early from High School, who was going places with her life and went missing in Baltimore, the news would of been all over the story. Now put your self in the shoes of Phylicia's family, because your daughter is black there is a good chance that that's the reason people don't care. Unfortunately missing black girls do not get the ratings, so they don't deserve all the resources available.

Daily Update News - Phylicia Barnes: Missing and invisible – Baltimore Sun

Weekend Update: Libya, Japan, and other important news

2011-03-26T21:29:00.000-04:00

To say the last few weeks have been anything but uncertain would be an understatement. Between whats going on with Japans earthquake and nuclear situation, plus all the protest in middle east you could say that the worlds stage has been pretty busy. After a while it gets tiring to listen to the same old news everyday, then you imagine what it would be like to live in those poor countries right now. On Monday President Obama will address the Nation and give an update on the situation in Libya. Major bombing operations have been transferred out of the hands of the U.S. and now is being taken care of by other members of the United Nations coalition.

Ny Times - Qaddafi Forces Pull Back as Rebels Retake Ajdabiya

ABC News - Air Raids Force Gadhafi Retreat, Rebels Seize East

Ny Times - Unrest in Syria and Jordan Poses New Test for U.S. Policy

CNN - Yemen president says he is 'ready to step down

Reuters - Japan nuclear crisis far from over - UN agency

CNN - Iowa Republicans eager for 2012 race to kick into gear

Fox News - Ohio Mom Claims U.S. Army Made 20-Year-Old Son Diet to Death

After 10 years in Afghanistan why are we still there ?

2011-03-22T17:18:00.002-04:00

As of March, 2011, the United States has spent over $455.5 BILLION dollars on the war in Afghanistan. DoD tallies (which differ from independent sources) report that again, as of March, 2011, 1,412 soldiers (including the 11 CIA civilians) have been killed and 10,468 wounded during Afghan hostilities.

If you break it down, this translates out to 2-3 lives and $796,328,671.00 in taxpayer money wasted every week on a war that nobody wants. That’s right; a recent poll revealed that 2/3 of the American public no longer thinks that the war in Afghanistan is worth fighting.

While the current official stance is that troops will begin being moved out of Afghanistan in July of 2011 (with all troops to be removed by 2014), there is talk of what a post 2014 US Presence in Afghanistan should look like, which doesn’t sound as if the US plans on ever leaving completely. This talk was corroborated by Defense Secretary Gates who observed that the transference of security to Afghani civilian forces (which are currently being trained by the US military) may very well take longer than the 2014 deadline. It is a statement that is not sitting at all well with the American people, nor is the fact that it has been pointed out by sources outside the government that even if the number of Afghans being trained to take over security (the number is over 300,000 at this point) can be trained in time, the cost to Afghanistan (a notoriously impoverished country) to keep them trained and paid and supplied would be greater than Afghanistan’s entire gross domestic product

In spite of President Obama’s assurances that troops will begin to be withdrawn in July of this year, General Patraeus was recently quoted as saying he will “provide options and a recommendation” to the President regarding the number of troops to remove from Afghanistan this year. That caution is needed, and he went on to say that while steps forward in Afghani security are real, that they are “fragile and reversible.”

But it isn’t just the idea of a continued US presence in Afghanistan that is sticking in the craw of the American public; it is also the suspicion that there has been an organized effort by the government to hoodwink the American public into support of the war. Everything from the supposed ‘wikileaks’ documents which reports ties between the Taliban and Pakistan, to the 2010 announcement by pentagon officials (backed up by American geologists) that over $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits have been ‘discovered’ in Afghanistan (a fact which has been known to geologists for decades) make it clear that the US government is doing everything within its power to stall the withdrawal of troops.

Is the reluctance on the part of the US government to withdraw from Afghanistan truly a result over the concern for the Afghani people or is it, as some claim, a reaction to the 2010 agreement between Iran and Pakistan to create the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline? (which would give Afghanistan – given its border with Iran – a strategic significance in the world oil market).

In short, what began eleven years ago as a commitment by the American Government to find and bring to justice those responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on American soil (specifically Osama bin Laden, who was being harbored by the Islamic extremist Taliban government, headquartered in Afghanistan) has turned into a full-scale headache, complete with the responsibility of rebuilding Afghanistan (for whatever reason) within a democratic framework and maintaining an American presence in the country even after we have turned security over to the Afghanis.

Is it truly the security of America and Americans that is now at stake? Or is it something more?

Is Libya proving to be just another Parallel between the fall of the Roman Empire and the U.S. Empire ?

2011-03-21T17:46:00.001-04:00

If you have been folllowing my blog, you have an idea of how much I love my country and how I only want the best for America. That is why it alarms me that we still have not learned our lesson when it comes to over extending our powers around the world. From where I stand, it seems people just don't want to accept the fact that we have to become a passive aggressive super power if we want to remain a super power at all.

I think that some Politicians just don't get it, like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Now in full disclosure I have to admit that I actually like Senator Graham and agree with him on some issues. On Fox News Sunday Senator Lindsey Graham, who is a senior member of the Armed Services Commitee, said that the U.S. should be taking the lead role in the conflict in Libya. He was quoted as saying that " I am worried that we are taking a back seat rather then a leadership role " , he also said we need to, " Isolate , strangle and replace this man, this should be our goal " speaking of Libyan leader Col Muammar al Qaddafi. Now, is it me or does Senator Graham sound like he is speaking of an all out war? Can you remember the last time we just shot a few cruise missiles at a country and we accomplished everything we needed to? Because I don't, what I do know is that it just cost us over $100 million to shoot those cruise missiles at Libya over the last two days.

I also think President Obama backed himself into a corner when saying that Col Muammar al Qaddafi must leave power. How are we going to get him out of power unless we send in ground troops to do so ? I don't think any other countries are gong to send in troops to get him out. So in a few weeks when we spend over a billion shooting bombs at Qaddafi and he is still in power, then what? We will have lost more credibility, spread ourselves out even thinner, and we will have to cut more domestic programs in order to pay for the conflict.

My point is with all the money spent on the Iraq war, $2 billion a month in Afghanistan, and now a $100 million in two days imposing a No Fly Zone over Libya, what is it going to take before we Get It ? The French and the Arab League took the lead before we did in this conflict; why didn't we let them stay in front? I understand we are a Super Power, but do we want to remain one? During these times of uncertainty we have to be smart about the conflicts we get involved in. Especially when other countries are stepping up to the plate, let them drain some of their money and resources while we rebuild ours.

The Hill - Sen. Graham: US should take the lead on Libya

Ny Times - Qaddafi Forces Hold Strategic Town as Allied Attacks Continue

Andrew Dice Clay tells Charlie Sheen how he really feels about him

2011-03-18T17:59:00.000-04:00

Wow I think this is awesome, I just found it and thought you should have a laugh too. Whatever you think about Andrew Dice Clay you have to admit that he is speaking the truth in this video. I think the Charlie Sheen road show is over and he has to realize it too.

The Weekend is here

2011-03-18T17:43:00.000-04:00

The Weekend is finally here, Thank God. So what are you going to to be worrying about this weekend The crisis in Libya, The Nuclear Meltdowns in Japan or How your going to spend your valuable time in this great spring like weather ?

With all the troubling news around the world sometimes you need to take a step back and take a breather. It's always good to clear your head and take a break so you can recharge.

Interesting Facts about California and Earth Quakes

2011-03-15T19:07:00.000-04:00

Is California ready for the next big Earth Quake ? Listed below are some facts on Earth Quakes that have happened in California. Over the last few years we have had Major earth quakes all around the world in Chile, Haiti, New Zealand, Japan, Sumatra and the list goes on. It seems as if mother nature is trying to get our attention to tell us something.

California hasn't had major earth quake since the North Ridge earth quake in 1994. All the experts say that California is due for a big one. Thomas O' Rourke of Cornell University who is a Geo technical Engineer said that it's " very very serious " the odds of California having a major earth quake in the near future. The tsunami from Japan reached the shores of California and caused around $20 million in damage. Will California be ready for a tsunami caused by the Cascadia Subduction Zone ? The Cascadia Subduction Zone is where experts say the next big earth quake to hit California will come from not the San Andreas Fault.

Major Earthquakes in California

Though few records are available, the first major earthquake for California is believed to have occurred in 1769, probably near the San Andreas fault. It occurred in the Los Angeles area of California in which four violent shocks were felt. Some of the major earthquakes that occurred in California in the 20th century are:

• The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

On the morning of April 18, 1906, San Fransisco and the northern coast of California were shaken by a severe earthquake of a moment magnitude of 7.8. Dubbed as one of the worst natural disasters of its times, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake ruptured the San Andreas fault for over 296 miles. The epicenter is believed to have been somewhere close to Mussel Rock on the coast of Daly City. The earthquake caused around 3000 deaths and left 225,000 to 3000,000 people homeless. The earthquake and the ensuing fire destroyed over 80% of the city. By the 1900s San Francisco had developed as the financial and cultural center of the west. Although the city recovered quickly from the destruction, the earthquake diverted trade and population towards Los Angeles.

• The 1952 Kern County Earthquake

The Kern County Earthquake of 1952 occurred on the White Wolf fault that lies to the north of where the San Andreas and the Garlock faults intersect. It measured 7.5 on the moment magnitude scale and was the second strongest earthquake of the century after the 1906 San Fransisco earthquake. It killed 12 people and caused damage to property worth over $50 million.

• The 1971 San Fernando Earthquake

Also known as the Sylmar earthquake, this earthquake hit the San Fernando Valley near Sylmar in the early morning of February 9, 1971. The earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.6, caused 65 deaths and damage to property worth over $500 million. Most of the deaths were caused due to the collapse of Veteran's Administration Hospital at San Fernando and the Olive View Community Hospital in Sylmar. The earthquake caused a total surface rupture of 19 kilometers and a dip of up to 2 meters.

• The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake

The Loma Prieta earthquake was a destructive earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989. It measured 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale and destroyed property worth $6 billion. It killed over 3000 people and rendered 8,000 to 12,000 people homeless.

• The 1994 Northridge Earthquake

On the morning of January 17, 1994, a strong earthquake measuring 6.7 on the moment magnitude scale hit Los Angeles. The earthquake that lasted for 20 seconds produced the strongest ground motions ever felt in urban America. Major freeways and office buildings collapsed. The earthquake injured as many as 8700 people and caused loss of $25 billion to property. Although the epicenter of the earthquake was in Resada, it is referred to as the Northridge Earthquake due to the large scale destruction it caused in that area.

Nuclear power plant accidents in the U.S. with more than US$140 million in property damage

March 28, 1979 Middletown, Pennsylvania, US Loss of coolant and partial core meltdown, see Three Mile Island accident and Three Mile Island accident health effects

March 9, 1985 Athens, Alabama, US Instrumentation systems malfunction during startup, which led to suspension of operations at all three Browns Ferry Units

April 11, 1986 Plymouth, Massachusetts, US Recurring equipment problems force emergency shutdown of Boston Edison’s Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant

March 31, 1987 Delta, Pennsylvania, US Peach Bottom units 2 and 3 shutdown due to cooling malfunctions and unexplained equipment problems

December 19, 1987 Lycoming, New York, US Malfunctions force Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation to shut down Nine Mile Point Unit 1

February 20, 1996 Waterford, Connecticut, US Leaking valve forces shutdown Millstone Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2, multiple equipment failures found

September 2, 1996 Crystal River, Florida, US Balance-of-plant equipment malfunction forces shutdown and extensive repairs at Crystal River Unit 3

February 16, 2002 Oak Harbor, Ohio, US Severe corrosion of control rod forces 24-month outage of Davis-Besse reactor

February 1, 2010 Vernon, Vermont, US Deteriorating underground pipes from the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant leak radioactive tritium into groundwater supplies

Weekend Update : Japan and the Nuclear Meltdown

2011-03-13T13:47:00.000-04:00

On March 11th Japan was hit by a devastating three punch combination. They were hit by the 5th largest Earth Quake in recorded history a 9.0 which was followed by a devastating Tsunami with waves up to 30 feet high. If that is not bad enough, now they are dealing with a partial meltdown on 2 nuclear reactors. This is the very latest Information on the crisis going on in Japan as of 12:30 eastern.

***Plus a bonus for those who are down from all the bad new out of Japan. Who better then Michele Bachmann to lift our spirits and put a smile on our faces. You can always count on Michele Bachmann to make you feel better when you listen to her and realize if she can do it ANYONE CAN. I also wrote a post a while ago with the Greatest Michele Bachmann Quotes by now she has a lot more I need to add.

Ny Times - Partial Meltdowns Presumed at Crippled Reactors

Ny Times - Death Toll Estimate in Japan Soars as Relief Efforts Intensify

LA Times - With earthquake, Japan faces toughest crisis since WWII, prime minister says

Ny Post - Volcano sends columns of ash into Japanese airspace

LA Times - Libyan rebels flee Port Brega as Kadafi forces advance

CNN - Shooting, tear gas reported at Yemeni protest

Politico - Michele Bachmann fails political geography 101

The Latest Update on the 8.9 Magnitude Earth Quake that has devastated Japan

2011-03-11T17:45:00.001-05:00

This is the latest News and all the Updates on the 8.9 Magnitude that has hit Japan earlier Today. The Earth Quake registered 8.9 and was the 5th largest Earth Quake in recorded History. As of 5 pm Eastern time 184 souls were confirmed dead and over 700 still missing. Japanese Government officials said that the death toll will certainly rise. There have been reports of 200 to 300 bodies on the shore line near the Epicenter of the Killer Quake in the town of Sendai, Japan. Japan also had to shut down one of it's Nuclear reactors for safety concerns that the reactor was not being cooled and could cause a Melt Down if not addressed right away.

Lets all hope and pray that the people of Japan get everything they need to help them.

Ny Times - Quake and Tsunami Leaves Wake of Destruction Across Northern Japan

Ny Times - Japan Expands Evacuation Around Nuclear Plant

ABC News - California Man Swept Into the Sea By Tsunami

Lindsay Lohan is going for broke against the Feds and other important stuff like Libya

2011-03-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

Enough about Charlie Sheen lets talk about a real Super star, Lindsay Lohan. She was in court again this morning for a chance to accept the District Attorneys plea deal for the alleged necklace she stole. Lindsay Lohan was offered 6 months in jail for the alleged felony necklace heist but she denied the offer and decided to go to trial to fight the charges. If found guilty she will also be in violation of her probation terms and could face more then 3 years in the BIG HOUSE. Read the entire Update right here from E Online !

The next country in the Middle East that I am worried about is Saudi Arabia. When the citizens of Saudi Arabia start uprising then all bets are off and the shit has hit the fan. There have been reports of the Saudi Arabian authorities stopping all protest and punishing those who are protesting severely.

All the updates on Libya and Much More :

CNN - Gadhafi likely to survive revolt, U.S. intelligence chief says

Ny Times - Qaddafi Forces Take Back Strategic Town From Rebels

Bloomberg - Qaddafi ‘Will Prevail’ Over Rebels in Long War, Clapper Says

Bloomberg - Saudi Arabian Security Forces Break Up `Day of Rage' Protest in al-Qatif

The Washington Post - White House guarded on King's Muslim hearing

Another Record Deficit of $223 billion, do you really care anymore ?

2011-03-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

Well the United States of America Broke a record last month and the final tally is still not in. In February 2011 we had the Biggest record Federal Budget deficit in the History of the United States of America, we were short $223 billion. Yes we did it, we were able surpass 2010's record deficit of $221 billion. We are breaking records but they are going in the wrong direction, we need record surpluses do the politicians in Washington D.C. know that ?

Gas prices are soaring, interest rates are about to go higher, inflation is popping it's ugly head up and oh yea we ran a $223 billion deficit last month. I am not trying to be a wise ass here but the facts are the facts, when are we going to get that we need to make big changes and everyone is going to have to sacrifice. We are spending $2 billion a week in Afghanistan how about we start there for a quick injection of some capitol. Then we need politicians to grow some balls and tell the truth to the American public about Entitlements like Medicare and Social Security. Enough is enough lets start acting like what adults are supposed to act like and sit down make some hard choices and get our country at least in the right direction.

New American - February Set New Record for U.S. Deficit

Did Bill O'Reilly really ask the Hard questions with Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ?

2011-03-07T15:42:00.002-05:00

When Bill O'Reilly interviewd President Obama he was criticized for what some say was talking down to the President and also asking ridiculous questions. When Bill O'Reilly interviewed former defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld he could of seen it as an opportunity to look more " fare and balanced " lol . A lot of commentators on both sides of the isle are saying that Bill really gave it to Rumsfeld in this interview, that he asked the hard questions. At one point during the interview Bill wants to know why Rumsfeld did not let the citizens of the United States know all the potential problems with a war with Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Rumsfeld just answers back that we the citizens knew everything that we had to know and that was good enough.

Is it me or does Rumsfeld seem like he is not in touch with reality ? I think people in high positions should have psychological reviews if that's already not happening. Rumsfeld looks like a bit from "Saturday Night Live" but it's not an actor it's him playing him. Take a look at the Interview tell me what you think.

U.S. Gas Prices Soaring Again. Is Libya to blame or are we ?

2011-03-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

The average price for U.S. gasoline as of Friday 3/4/11 is $3.51. The price of gasoline increased .33 cents in two weeks the second largest increase in the history of the U.S. gasoline market. The biggest increase was .38 cents and was in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana and the oil refineries. According to the latest Lundberg survey this newest spike in gasoline prices is due to the unrest in Libya. The prices of gasoline have risen a staggering .82 cents since September 2010.

Hurricane Katrina , The Gulf Oil Spill , the conflicts in the Middle East and who knows what's next. This is getting to become really old, when are we going to realize we need energy Independence ? We need the big Corporations like General Electric ( GE ) and private investors like T. Boone Pickens to really step it up and take charge. How is our economy going to recovery if you can't afford to leave your house and afford anything because prices on everything are going up ?

The facts are the facts and our country and the wrest of the world are not in good shape right now. Technology is advancing to fast and resources are running out faster. Those are to combinations that do not equal anything good. I feel like we are all going crazy we keep repeating the same mistake over and over again. Unfortunately you only get so many chances at anything before their are consequences.

CNN - Libya crisis sends U.S. gas prices up 33 cents in two weeks

Ny Times - Obama Said to Consider Tapping Oil Reserves

CBS - Libya forces try to halt rebel move toward capital

Who's Crazier the Westboro Baptist Church or Charlie Sheen ?

2011-03-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

The Westboro Baptist Church is a church that is gaining popularity in the news and not for good reasons. The church is known for being against people that are Gay or Lesbian. The church is located in Topeka, Kansas. The church was started on November 27, 1955 with the first sermon held in front of the congregation. In 1991 the church started making its opinion heard about being against homosexual people as they went to funerals and other public areas to picket or protest against this lifestyle. Recently the church was in the news for their protests against gay military members funerlas. They also won a big victory in the Supreme Court which ruled that it was acceptable for the church to protest out at these funerals.

The Westboro Baptist Church is currently headed by Fred Phelps. He is considered a controversial person due to his strong views against minority groups, religions, and homosexuals. Fred Phelps has been the leader of the church since it was founded in 1955 and used to be a lawyer in the past.

The Westboro Baptist Church has been involved in numerous protests and pickets at funerals and in other public arenas. Some of the notable ones include protesting plays, they protested The Laramie Project, because it is a play that talks about a homosexual, Matthew Shepard that was killed for being gay. The church has picketed funerals for people that served in the military. A notable picketing was for Carrie French who had fought in Iraq. Another picket was of a funeral for Matthew Snyder who was serving in Iraq and had died there. The church protested at Michael Jackson’s funeral. The church also was going to protest at the funeral of the young girl who was shot in Tucson, fortunately they were not allowed to protest at this function.

The Westboro Baptist Church has strong opinions on various topics. The church believes that if you are of a different Christian sect or of another faith you are practicing your way to an eternity of fire and brimstone. The church also believes that homosexuality is not to be tolerated and is the cause of all problems in the world. The church is also against the President of the United States of America stating he is a character of evil.

References:

http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/WBC/default.asp?LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=3&item=WBC

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/228401_westboro14.html

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14183549

Charlie Sheen Quote of the Day and a Picture from Platoon

2011-03-02T18:34:00.000-05:00

I bet Charlie Sheen Wishes he was back in the this Picture from Platoon

I think in this quote Charlie is basically telling us that he is .... Violent. lol

Let's hope Charlie Sheen and others who have addiction problems are able to get the help and Will Power they need to stay sober.

Charlie Sheen Quote :

“If you're a part of my family, I will love you violently. If you infiltrate and try to hurt my family, I will murder you violently.” -- Sheen on his critics during an interview on "The Alex Jones Show." Feb. 24, 2011

Charlie Sheen Quote of the Day

2011-03-01T20:42:00.000-05:00

“You have the right to kill me, but you do not have the right to judge me. Boom. That's the whole movie. That's life.”-- Sheen on his critics during an interview on "The Alex Jones Show." Feb. 24, 2011

I wrote a very popular post a few Months ago when Charlie Sheen was acting crazy in New York City. Things for Charlie seem to have only gotten worse for him since then. I love Charlies Free spirit and his F you attitude but I don't want him to pull a Anna Nicole Smith, River Phoenix, John Belushi or Chris Farley and lose his life to a drug over dose.

Breaking U.S. & World News Today, First day of March 2011. Plus Lady GaGa's New Music Video

2011-03-01T19:15:00.000-05:00

We have all the important News that you need to know today. We have updates on the Middle East Situation with Libya and other important things like Lady Gaga's New Music Video "Born this Way". Compare Lady GaGa's video with Rihanna's S&M video and tell me who's video you think is better ?

In what could be more Good News by circumstances, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is seeking an interim agreement with the Palestinians. He probably wouldn't propose anything at all if not for the instability in Egypt and the Middle East. So, lets hope more good might come out of the tumultuous situation in the Middle East right now.

Ny Times - Powerful Cleric Joins Protest to Urge Islamic Rule in Yemen

ABC News - Rebels beat back Libyan special forces

ABC News - Gaddafi forces fail to take back Zawiyah

CNN - Israeli official: Netanyahu may seek interim accord with Palestinians

Politico - House passes bill to avoid shutdown

Fox News - GAO Report and Government Waste -- Can You Spell O-U-T-R-A-G-E?

Anthony Bourdain Eats with Sean Penn in Haiti

2011-02-28T19:29:00.000-05:00

Anthony Bourdain, the Host of the Travel Channel's " No Reservations " was taken around the post Earth quake streets of Haiti, by Movie Actor and Activist Sean Penn. In this video, Sean Penn showed Anthony the different types of street food in Haiti. Sean Penn has been living in a tent in Haiti among the refugees. Penn started an aid organization called JPHRO to help support the refugees with basic necessities.

It's amazing that even despite all the hardships in Haiti, the one thing that always unites people is food.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates WARNS against Land Wars in Asia and the Middle East.

2011-02-28T14:04:00.004-05:00

Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke very candid to the Cadets at West Point on Wednesday. Secretary Gates is known to be a well thought out Defense Secretary who has served under both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. Secretary Gates reminded the Cadets that since the 9/11 attacks 80 West Point Graduates have fallen in the line of duty. They were serving our Nation in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

In what could be considered a slight jab to former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Secretary Gates gave a word of warning to our future leaders. He quoted what General MacArthur said to President Kennedy in regards to the build up to the Vietnam War “Any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should 'have his head examined,'. I guess you can say that Secretary Gates made it pretty clear about how he feels about deploying our troops in these areas of the world.

I understand why we first got into Afghanistan but we have to figure a way out of there soon. I guess the older you get you realize that history does just repeat itself over and over again. First it was the Russians and now it's the Americans in Afghanistan. We just pulled out of the "Pech Valley" that was supposedly critical to our success in Afghanistan. We are pulling out of the Valley because it's consuming to many resources.

Look what happen to the Roman Empire, they spread themselves out around the world fighting needless battles and depleting there resources. Then internal politics became corrupt and they could not satisfy the needs of the Republic. Then society began to break down from within and no one cared anymore. Does this sound familiar ?

Ny Times - U.S. Pulling Back in Afghan Valley It Called Vital to War

Christian Science Monitor - Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and Africa

The Middle East, Solar Flares & 2012; is it all coming together?

2011-02-17T19:25:00.010-05:00

Ok, so that might be a little bit of a stretch. However, you have to admit that things seem to be literally heating up around the world in more ways then one. The Middle East is on the verge of turning into "Mad Max" and even Union Workers in Wisconsin are storming their state Capitol in protest.

Over 1000 Teachers called in sick today in Madison, Wisconsin in protest of R. Gov. Walker's new proposal restricting Public Unions. Then to show how serious they are 25,000 public Union Workers Stormed the Capitol in Madison to protest.

The Egyptian Government and Hosni Mubarak's 30 year reign was brought down by Face book. Now, almost every country in the Middle East is protesting. It's apparent that a lot of people are stirring things up in the world. Is the turmoil in the Middle East better for radicals like Al Qaeda or better for those who love Freedom and Democracy?

So, what do you think is going on? Is 2012 coming? Has the advance in technology ultimately caused our demise?

CNN - Reports of deaths and injuries surface in spreading Libyan protests

NY Times - Pentagon Watching Unrest in Bahrain

MSNBC - Egypt, Bahrain protests differ in key ways

CNN - States, GOP go after teachers in budget crisis

Mail Online - Wisconsin Democrats flee in protest as 25,000 state workers storm the capitol opposing union-blocking legislation

AP - Tea party out to defeat 3 longtime GOP senators

The Christian Science Monitor - Solar flare wreaking havoc on Earth's radio communications

Charlie Sheen gives advice to Lindsay Lohan + what Hosni Mubarak had for Breakfast Today

2011-02-16T17:19:00.007-05:00

I really don't know what to say about this story other then run Lindsay run. Nothing against Charlie Sheen, but he wouldn't be the first person I would ask for help if I had a drug problem. Charlie was on the Dan Patrick show today and said he never showed up drunk or high to the set of "Two and a half Men". He said he was never drunk on set but might of asked the director from time to time to keep him close to furniture so he would not fall over. Charlie chalked this up to being a seasoned actor who knows how to keep his composure. Charlie said that he is due back on the set of "Two and a Half Men" February 28th to start shooting again. Good luck Charlie if you were a cat I think you surpassed your 9 lives by now.

Check out other very Important News, like where is Hosni Mubarak now and how was his breakfast on the Beach.

ET - Charlie Sheen gives Lindsay Lohan advice

Ny Times - Fed Forecasts Faster Growth as Economy Gathers Steam

Ny Times - Bahrain protest expand to third day

Reuters - Rioting hits Libyan city of Benghazi

ABC News - Hosni Mubarak Not Dying, Had Breakfast on the Beach

The Middle East seems to be Exploding with Freedom and Fear

2011-02-15T18:07:00.012-05:00

The cries for Freedom started in Tunisia and spread threw Egypt like a fast moving Tsunami. Now many citizens in Middle Eastern countries are protesting and letting their voices and concerns be heard. Protesting has been reported in the following Middle Eastern countries Bahrain, Iran, Libya, and Yemen as of right now with more to come possibly. With all of this unrest comes security concerns for the entire region especially Israel. Egypt's army as of right now has said they will honor all peace accords with Israel.

Read all the links plus U.S. news

BBC - Iran protest are "going nowhere" says Ahmadinejad

Ny Times - The very latest on the all the protest in the Middle East

Ny Times - Unrest in Bahrain Grows as police kill two protesters

Huffington Post - Was there Cocaine in Coke?

Sun-Sentinel - Dalai Lama's nephew is killed in walk for freedom in Florida

Christian Science Monitor - Obama: I didn't punt on entitlement reform in federal budget