There are 86400 seconds (approximately) in a day. If we are borrowing 4 billion dollars every day (which we must be if we are spending what we didn’t earn) then we are borrowing approximately $46,296.30 per second. I know this is nearly the entire yearly income of an average household in the USA. And the government is borrowing this amount every second!

I submit that this path is unsustainable. I don’t know what will happen to the people of the USA, but there is one thing that I’m certain of. It is this: The people of our government have sold us to someone as surely as the American Indians were sold out for a few shiny baubles by their leaders.

At this point I don’t know if there is anything that can be done to prevent the world from slipping into a new dark age as those who wish to oppress their fellow men have advanced in power in every nation of the world. This is especially true when the educators (or media) of the world present the masses of OWS who refuse to bathe as a reasonable alternative to the current way the USA is organized.

OWS seems (when they can present a cogent message at all) to be insisting that we have even more of what is driving the whole world into slavery (that is in a word: Government) by continually accruing more power which inevitably leads to more corruption. There is no nation on the earth that needs more government. We may need more enforcement of existing laws (though I’d argue that we have far too many laws) or rather an application of the existing laws to all levels of society (as much as is possible) so that fewer people feel like the laws are intended to disenfranchise them. If this can be accomplished them maybe we can avoid a new dark age, but at this moment I’m not very optimistic about that possibility.

© 2011 Vic Jones

Is this the way that we want to carry on? is this the way that we want to leave this world to our children, grandchildren, and future generations? we have all this new techonology where we can watch sky on mount everst on your apple ibrain or whatever new product is taking over now, but we still have a huge homeless problem all over the world, in every country, we have country that dont evern have a decent electrical grid and water system, but we have a wireless internet and 24 supermarkets. Does any of this really seem fair? What is there that says we are allowed these things yet other people in the world are not?

Ok a lot of people in diffrent countrys do migrate, but why cant there country be helped to improve their standard of life to a level where people wouldnt feel like they would have to migrate they would want to stay in the homeland. We have giant problems with natives and migrants in many of the developed countrys, But if people where given incentives to stay in their homelands by having a better quality of life I feel this could ease some of the problems.

I do not pretend to be an expert on any of these subjects, these are my insights into the world as an average man.

Under the Ink… Newsprint Lives

For some of us, the news becomes a way of life… not so much for the news and stories held within its pages, but rather a blanket wrapped around us, and as padding laid over the hard ground, as we try to stave off the chilly night air that descends like a waterfall for those of us facing life on the streets– living, breathing and feeling every nuance of Mother Nature.

Absorbing the news, in the deepest sense. Substituting the warmth produced by trees in place of the human connections were so readily deprived of. And in the process, learning more about the world around us, as well as around the world. Reading the news that covers our lives. Darkens our skin and the sheets provide cover from the elements… until it gets really wet and the papers stick to us and then disintegrates all over us, drying to you like it had been adhered with by glue.

Sometimes hiding things wrapped in newspaper as to give the impression we carry nothing of value, or allow for a brief time to store something where no one will think twice about it. People see trash everywhere, most don’t bother to clear it up, but pass the buck to others… having someone else clean their messes. And for those of us on the streets sometimes rely on this as a means to keeps things safe from being taken or thrown away.

People are often amazed that we are well versed in many topics and enjoy the stimulation that communication brings… welcoming the chance to connect with someone, however briefly that may be.

More often than not, we are regarded through the lens of indifference, hate and ugliness from all directions. So much so, that this is what overshadows love….

You feel as though huge parts inside you begin to corrode and disintegrate from the harsh words and remarks so cruelly tossed our way…

Cardboard Lives….

You’ll find us everywhere, but we seem to become invisible to others unless it is just to direct their brutality to… under bridges, on park benches, in doorways… trying to just be without being.

Our belongings, our very existence…. seen as nothing more than debris that needs to be cleared away. People believing that we could not possibly have anything that means something, nothing with heart value… after all, your life is disposable, so nothing you carry with you should have any meaning, perhaps this is why we are stripped of the very threads holding our lives together, as they try to destroy those very threads of our lives. It means nothing to them to strip us so bare of the barest essentials…. it only matters if you have that luxurious roof over your head.

Finding shelter, food, restroom facilities, clothing.. the barest, most basic essentials a person needs becomes an ever-increasing challenge to find (and use) when you are forced out on the streets. Breathing, warm water, hot fresh meals are things most of us take for granted, until those very things are taken from you and then they become out of reach, but deeply sought after, luxuries. Your existence dismissed as you find your presence is no longer accepted, much less welcome in society, readily cast to the wayside while people have been scripted, either consciously or unconsciously, to go out of their way to make our lives an ever-greater hell.

Relying on Mother Nature for the basic necessities of life… turning to her beautiful creatures for love, comfort and the warmth to soothe and heal your heart, body, mind, and soul….Finding Nature at once both accepting and rejecting, sometimes stripping your soul completely bare, other times embracing you and lifting you higher than you thought possible. The songs of Her Chorus… filling your heart, the beauty, the calm and peace that surrounds you and fills your senses that the crisp air of the mornings bring, the colors exploding all around you…. Letting Her become fully absorbed in your bones and reaching the deepest levels of your soul.

Watching and learning from the Masters in Nature on how to survive, opening your heart more, your senses come alive at Nature’s touch.

By Renee Bowen

Homeless since Sept. 1, 2000

© 2011

     As of today around 16,000 officers will be out on the streets to help control the rioting and violence in the streets. Over 500 arrests have been made so far in London alone, and dozens have been made in surronding cities. At the moment police are using plastic bullets to help controll the rioting but, they might need to step it up. Some say that it is comparable to race riot’s in the 1980’s due to the looting and excessive violence.

     Even though there is such political unrest Parliment is planning on returning to duty on Thursday. This event is a big test for Cameron’s Conservative-led coalition government, including Liberal Democrats who had predicted that their strict budget restraints would cause much unrest in the people of London.

       Most of the active rioters are teens! And have been rioting for three nights straight now, they are setting buildings, cars, and dumpsters on fire causing a huge upset in throughout the Country. These rioters are also assulting officers with fireworks and bottles. This could be just a hint of what might be to come during the 2012 Olympics which are less than 12 months away.

Ateneo de Manila University(ADMU), second in the Philippines, follows UP at number 68.

University of Santo Tomas(UST) ranks 104th in Asia.

Last University to make it to the Top 200 is the De La Salle University(DLSU). DLSU ranks 107th.

Unfortunately, 11 schools didn’t make it to the Top 200. Nevertheless, they are in the 201+ rankings.

These schools just proved that the Philippines’ Education System is conducive for learning.

http://www.usatoday.com/video/index.htm?bctid=1023405639001#/Rochester%20woman%20arrested%20while%20videotaping%20police/1023405639001

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/22/emily-good-arrested-videotaping-police-rochester_n_882122.html

Now, to begin, I have every respect for law enforcement officers and the law enforcement community. My father was a former state policeman, my uncle, a former corrections officer, and a good friend of mine worked for a local law enforcement agency, before recently retiring. It is, in fact, because of this respect for the law, and the officers who enforce it, that I am writing this article. I feel that this is an important issue that needs to be discussed and resolved before it gets too far out of hand.

Now, some background for those who didn’t want to visit the links. On May 12, 2011, Emily Good of Rochester, NY was arrested and charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration. Her crime? Videotaping a traffic stop, first from the sidewalk in front of her property, and then from her lawn. In the interests of fair justice, I will not here discuss any more about this particular case; however, the issue involved, one of police misconduct, is one that I feel should be examined.

Over the years, an unofficial crime has come to the forefront of law enforcement debate. So-called “contempt of cop,” a take on contempt of court in the judicial system, has been colloquially defined as someone who either displays disrespect, hostile (but not threatening) attitudes towards police officers, or in some cases, even disagreeing with officers. This has been often associated with recording of arrests, traffic stops, and the like. These actions are not illegal given current laws, and, in my opinon, they are another civic duty, such as serving on a jury, or voting, but ones that go unsaid. These recordings offer both an extra viewpoint for the jury or judge to view the incident from, as well as a means of public check on the power of the day-to-day actions of the local, county, state, or federal executive branches.

I would again like to point out my own respect for law enforcement officers, and that this article is meant, not to demean or disrespect them, but to facilitate discussion and debate on the causes of such issues, and possible solutions. In part, the actions of police officers are monitored by their respective office’s Internal Affairs Bureau (whatever the division might be called). However, each citizen is also responsible for taking a hand in the oversight of their government, as the government’s actions, both important and everyday, affect each and every one of us.

In that note, as a closing remark, I would like to extend an invitation to each one of you to consider these actions, and their impcats. I propose several questions for discussion on the topic. First, what are the reasons behind such arrests? Second, how can we help to prevent such abuses of power? And third, should this matter be taken to a higher level of government for review?

Thank you for reading my discourse on this matter. Please feel free to contact me and comment on this article at the following link:

http://www.triond.com/users/stephan.daniels

            Many may make the argument that we have more important things to spend our money on, or that 10% of our military budget is simply far too much to be giving away. But this simply isn’t true. Negative speakers will come up here and give examples of how many military programs we’ll have to cut, or how much the livelihood of our troops will suffer. However, the solution is not to simply take away much needed supplies from our troops. This bill provides a shift in the United States’ paradigm of the world. Rather than simply taking away supplies or reducing funding for certain programs, what we need to do is reduce our military presence in other nations.

Some may claim that this would leave our nation exposed and weak, or more susceptible to terrorist attacks. But to fully understand the logic behind this claim, we must first look at the reasons that terrorism occurs in the first place. Terrorism is often a back lash from underdeveloped parts of the world who believe that the western world is oppressing or imposing their values upon them. It is a violent response to a perceived threat to their culture and traditions. So by waging a war against this group and withholding our abundant resources from the underdeveloped world, we’re only proving them right. Responding to violence with more violence won’t solve the problem unless we can completely eradicate the world of anyone who disagrees with us, and then we’re no better than the terrorists we’re in a war with. What we need to do is limit our violent tendencies and show compassion to the rest of the world. If we want to end violence and terrorism in the world, we need to help bring the rest of the world to our level and treat them as our equals. You cannot achieve peace by waging war. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

If we wish to end our own suffering, we must also seek to end the suffering of the rest of the world.

The banks and stores are starting to reopen, and most people are getting back to their normal lives. But there are still some protesters who have been living in the Square, in tents or tarps, since the beginning of the protest. CBC’s David Common said of the mood in the Tahrir Square:

“Those protesters are still very exhilarated. The moment you walk into the square, people are cheering you on. Music is being played. There’s a real sense of trying to get the energy up and trying to keep people motivated.”(http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/02/07/egypt-anti-government-protests.html#ixzz1DLZh9oST

Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak has offered some concessions to the protest. He dismissed several long standing cabinet ministers, offered a 15% raise to the country’s six million public servants, and he says he will resign when the next elections are scheduled in September. In addition, the Egyptian government has pledged to investigate official corruption and election fraud.

But the persevering protesters say that this is not enough. A student in the square told CBC news,

“Our main objective is for Mubarak to step down. We don’t accept any other concessions.”

 24-year-old Ismail Syed, a hotel worker who struggles to live on a salary of roughly $50 a month, said:

“This is the first time I am protesting, but we have been a cowardly nation. We have to finally say no.”

So…the world looks on and wonders what will happen next. I am personally astounded that the revolution has gone from peaceful demonstration to civil war and back again in only two weeks. It may be true that most of the pro-Mubarak forces were fighting as mercenaries of the state, and have now been called off. I am also amazed that Mubarak is still alive. I thought that he might have been assassinated by now.

Two names that have come up as possible candidates to lead a post Mubarak Egypt are Ahmed Mohamed Shafik, who was appointed by Mubarak to the position of Prime Minister of Egypt on January 29, 2011; and Mohamed El Baradei, Egypt’s pro-democracy leader.

The events in Egypt and Tunisia in these next days could prove to be a tipping point in the Middle East. Is peaceful democracy possible in nations oppressed for generations by family dictatorships? Or will we see more leaders who overthrow  governments and take control, only to form more oppressive governments than the ones who are ousted?

For now, we can only watch and wait.

See also:

Sticks and Stones, and Molotov cocktails

After the Twitter Revolution: Democracy?

Tunisia’s Facebook Revolution: The Canadian Connection

Twitter and Facebook Revolutionize the way we do Revolutions

Speech and Debate

The First Amendment and Current Events

            Recently, the first amendment has been in question with issues pertaining to burning the Koran and protesting at funerals. If these topics are endangering the security of our nation then they should be restricted. The question is; how much can the government intrude while still upholding the first amendment?

            Burning the Koran is an act of freedom of speech. Though I don’t agree that a preacher should partake in such activities, it is not against the law in the United States. Where the issue becomes a problem is when Islamic leaders see people of the United States burning Korans. They get angry and retaliate with acts of terrorism. The United States should not allow these Islamic people to see what we are doing. Freedom of speech is a right in the United States, not the rest of the world. When the rest of the world sees us doing offensive things they don’t understand that we have the right to make statements. If the Islamic people are offended enough to take action, it a national threat. They obviously had to be pretty angry to come up with a plot to destroy the world trade center.

            When it comes to funerals, no one should be yelled at during such a tragic ceremony. When at a funeral, it is a time of mourning that doesn’t mix well with protesting against gays. I believe that the propose situation by Elena Kagan is ideal. If protestors are kept at least 500 feet away from the funeral it will keep the private targeted nature of the speech out of the situation.

            In conclusion, I believe that freedom of speech should be contained in the country where it’s right is protected. If Islamic people find out about our disrespect they will surely act again and again. We need to be careful what we share with the world. As for funerals, protesting should not be taken place near them. If protesting, you must not be within 500 feet of a funeral. I believe this will solve the problem of possible targeting of individuals during their private ceremonies.