Peace on earth, good will to men

I heard the Bells on Christmas Day

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,

and mild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

- -   Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Economics of Demographics

Below is an analytical letter regarding the effects of demographics on our country's economic health and well-being by Gary Halbert.  It is definitely a fascinating read.

  FORECASTS & TRENDS E-LETTER

by Gary D. Halbert
December 18, 2012

US Birth Rate Hits New Low – A Nation of Singles

IN THIS ISSUE:
1. US Birth Rate Falls to Record Low in 2011
2. Birth Rate Needed to Maintain Current Population
3. A Nation of Singles – Implications For the Future
4. How Did We Become a Nation of Singles?
5. Conclusions – How Do We Turn the Trend Around?

Overview

 

One of the issues I have been focused on for the last several years has been the trend in demographics in the US and in developed countries in general. Our populations are getting older – we all know that. But the reasons why our populations are getting older are not widely understood by many Americans. Those reasons include the falling birth rate, the falling fertility rate, the falling marriage rate and the explosion in singles – people who never marry.
The US birth rate fell to a record low in 2011. The marriage rate is tumbling as well. And the number of single Americans is now at a record high. The implications of these developments are troubling, not only for the economy, but also for the investment markets and the continual expansion of the federal government. Government debt has spiraled out of control in recent years, and the demographics suggest that this trend will continue as we care for an aging population.
Today, we will look at some new information on demographic trends in the US and in the West in general that should concern you – and all Americans for that matter. This will be a continuing theme in my E-Letters in the months and years ahead. Let’s get started.

Love and free will

I have heard people asking, "Why did this happen?"  Why, why, why?

Why would a young man walk into a school of children and gun down as many as possible?

Why would God allow this to happen?

The short answer is that God loves Adam Lanza (the shooter) enough to give him free will to not only refuse to follow God, but sufficiently free will to harm other human lives that God loves equally.

Could God have stopped this?

Absolutely.

In doing so, however, He would not only be overturning every ounce of authority that He has granted to human institutions, such as governments, but He would also be violating His very nature of love in the allowance of free will.  He would make impossible, in a singular event, the ability of mankind of choose His way or not.  He would overturn, by precedent, every moral consequence throughout all of human society, effectively eliminating the incentives for humanity to lean towards eternity.  He would be giving humanity a gift that we do not collectively deserve.

That said, I trust and hope that God will give special credence to the students who were truly innocent, or the teachers who gave their lives in defense of their classes.  Ultimately though, the ways of God are well beyond even the most meager attempt at understanding that I have presented above, and we have to trust that He will balance this atrocity out, not only in the immediate future but also in eternity.

Lethal Exhibitionism

We had a tragedy occur today.  A gunman named Adam Lanza, familiar with the school's security procedures, walked into an elementary school, shot the principal and others then proceeded to his mother's class, shot her and continued shooting until 27 people died before killing himself.

To continue to pretend that evil does not exist in our world is a lunacy of unfathomable depth.

All people are fundamentally evil.

What we do with this truth defines us as a society and world.  Do we stand up and take adequate measures to protect lives, or do we flail about in a futile attempt to control that which cannot be fully controlled?

If we do nothing, it will happen again; and it will be worse.  Each of these massacre-style shootings carries with it a thread.  Each successive event is an attempt at topping the last news-worthy event with an ever more horrific, shocking, and news-worthy action, and the creativity of mankind is seemingly infinite.  The next event will be worse unless tangible steps are taken to prevent this.

I introduce another truth.  People are afraid of death.  We must use this truth to reduce the likelihood of another event happening, or in the event of preventing it entirely reduce the consequences of such events to provide additional levels of deterrence.

You might argue that Adam Lanza did not fear death, but I will wager that he did.  People who commit these kinds of acts are highly deceived, but Satan will not simply leave it at deception.  He will remove the blinder from you once you are too far gone, leaving such guilt that suicide is the only recourse.

The first, and most obvious answer is more guns in school.  At least one person, preferably who knows how to use it effectively, needs to have a gun at every school.  This will lessen the impulse to become infamous for the next horrific act by providing immediate and tangible defense against a deceived person.  If you can kill the shooter before he can do significant damage, that eliminates, or at least complicates, the exhibitionist factor.  Even the social psychological factor alone will serve as a social deterrent.  This would be extremely similar to having Air Marshals that fly incognito on aircraft.  Every knows that they are there, and the effect of that knowledge produces a stronger deterrent against anyone weighing the success of such an event in terms of exhibitionist thought.

It does not however, address the possibility of the single person with a gun becoming so deceived as to commit a similar act.  As such, a more broad-based social deterrence is necessary.  I would definitely go so far as to recommend that all teachers who wish to should be able to have a 0.38 pistol in their possession at all times under some manner of protection, and the principals and office staff should have access to something of a heavier and more deadly capability, say a shotgun.  If the firearms of sufficient power are equally spread amongst staff, and suitably protected as to prevent unauthorized access, this would provide an incredibly strong and broad-based deterrent against bringing lethal exhibitionism into our educational institutions.

This idea is akin to mutually assured destruction on a more global level.  Taking this step would apply the idea of mutually assured destruction on a broader and more social level.  The only other viable option that I see is to provide more security guards at schools to prevent this.

Either way, we need a significantly increased protection in our public places, and equal firepower in place seems to be the only adequate answer to this continuing problem.

21st Century Microsoft?

I am on a mailing list from Mauldin, that contained a curious article about this company:

This company has a potential development that could change the world.

The company profile quoted below is from Reuters.

NanoViricides, Inc., incorporated on April 1, 2005, is a development-stage company. The Company is a nano-biopharmaceutical (nanomedicine) company whose business goals are to discover, develop and commercialize therapeutics to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening viral infections. The Company has several drugs in various stages of early development. The Company’s drugs are based on several patents, patent applications, provisional patent applications, and other property held by TheraCour Pharma, Inc. (TheraCou), to which the Company has exclusive licenses in perpetuity for the treatment of human viral diseases: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Influenza including Asian Bird Flu Virus (INF), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), and Rabies. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had six drug development programs: Oral FluCideTM, against all Influenzas; a Piggy-back version of Flucide for hospitalized patients; nanoviricide eye drops against adenoviral EKC and herpes keratitis; HIVCide - I against HIV/AIDS; HerpeCide - I skin cream formulation for herpes cold sores and genital warts, and DengueCide, a broad spectrum nanoviricide designed to attack all types of dengue viruses and expected to be effective in the Severe Dengue Disease syndromes including Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHS) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). As of June 30, 2012, it had engaged in organizational activities, sourcing compounds and materials, developing novel compounds and nanomaterials, and experimentation with studies on cell cultures and animals. In September 2011, NanoViricides Inc's Inno-Haven LLC acquired a light industrial building.
The Company's product development programs are divided into three sectors: commercially important diseases, neglected tropical diseases (NTD’s) and biosecurity/biodefense, and advanced technologies. The Company has collaborations with KARD Scientific, Inc., MA. and Southern Research Institute, AL for influenza viruses; National (Central) Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) (Vietnam), for H5N1 avian flu; The Long Island Jewish Medical System, Feinstein Institute of Medical Research (LIJMS), NY and TheVac, LLC. for viral diseases of the eye (adenoviruses, herpesviruses - epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis (EKC), Herpes Keratitis); TheVac, LLC and Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) for herpes virus infections; University of California at Berkeley for dengue hemorrhagic fever viruses; Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National (Central) Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for rabies virus. The Company has developed lead drug candidates against a number of viral diseases.
The Company had consolidated all of its influenza drug programs into a single pan-influenza FluCide program. It is developing a single drug for all influenzas, whether pandemic, epidemic, seasonal, novel, emerging, human, swine, or avian. It is developing a nanoviricide against adenoviral EKC. The nanoviricide eye drug candidate is formulated as simple eye drops. It is developing an anti-HSV nanoviricide skin cream formulation for direct application to the lesions. It has designed the anti-HIV nanoviricides using rational drug design principles. The ligands it has designed in the case of HIV-1 are thought to be broadly neutralizing. In-silico modeling indicates that its ligands dock to the conserved CD4 binding site of gp120 of HIV-1. The Company is working on developing anti-Dengue therapeutics. Dengue is an important NTD. Its RabiCide program has resulted in candidates that have enabled survival of 20% to 30% of infected animals after disease has set in, using a particular animal model.
The Company competes with Roche, Glaxo SmithKline, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Gilead, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS), Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck), Valeant, Schering, Pharmassett, Vertex, Intermune, Achillion and Novartis.

The Post-Election Economy

I am still debating writing up my thoughts on the ObamaCare bill and the other variety of entitlement programs that Congress seems intent on jamming down our throats, but for now, I am just going to post a link that my mother discovered.


http://www.postelectioneconomy.com/ by John Mauldin.

Christ-centered View of Your Job

I can't describe the myriad of experience that I have collected from various individuals in words, so I drew a picture instead.  This diagram heavily relies on experience from: my mother, father, Exceedingly Humble Most Excellent Super Pops, Uncle Darrin, and various friends and coworkers from my past jobs.

The key for Christian workers is to recognize when pride begins to turn to arrogance and to recognize that all of our talents, skills, and ability to learn and adapt is derived from the loving, caring God who created us.  This in turn, should help us to avoid arrogance, remain humble, and continue to thrive and serve God with excellence.

This is not the prophet you are looking for

I found a great story in the Bible, covered by Pastor Lutzer this Sunday.

Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans

⁸ Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

⁹ The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” ¹⁰ So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

¹¹ This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

¹² “None of us, my lord the king ,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

¹³ “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” ¹⁴ Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

¹⁵ When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

¹⁸ As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

¹⁹ Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

²⁰ After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

²¹ When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”

²² “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” ²³ So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bandsfrom Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

~ 2 Kings 6:1-23

Why does evil exist?

This has been a persistent question that people throughout the ages have had regarding the nature of the world.  This particular question serves as the primary stumbling block for many myriads of people trying to fully comprehend Christianity.  How can a loving, all-powerful, and all-knowing (as claimed by Christians) God allow horrific things like the Holocaust to happen?

After years of contemplation, I have arrived at an answer to the question of "Why does God allow evil in the world?"  He allows evil to exist in the world because loves us.

"WHAT!?", you say; that is absurd!

It is not so absurd if you think about it.  What is love but the ultimate and active respect for another being's existence; and in order for us to be capable of loving God in return, He must, by necessity, give humanity free will to be able to love Him.  Now, free will is a double-edge sword.  If we have the free will to be capable of love, then we also, by nature, possess free will to do other more vile things.  To stop or eliminate evil in the world, God would be required to destroy a person's free will, thereby destroying their ability to love Him and nullifying His ultimate goal for the world: to convince humanity to love Him as He loves us... freely and without direct incentive.

For those of you more inclined with Christianity, you may say, "But this violates the sovereignty of God!"

I would say that it does not.  God is still sovereign, of that there is no doubt.  Yet, He chooses not to do certain things (such as override our free will) such that He can guarantee that a path to His ultimate goal of humanity loving Him can be extant.

You may find this answer very unsatisfactory, but it is the best one that I have found that fulfills most of the obligations to doctrine, logic, and the nature of the world as I have experienced it.

Videos of Life, Pt 1

http://vimeo.com/32397612

I am posting this here to have easy access to this masterful movie.  It is a melancholic expose on the modern economic crisis, at least in my mind anyway.

State of the World, part 4

George Friedman from STRATFOR has published the fourth part of the State of the World series.

This series details the history of the existence of the German state from the geopolitical standpoint, as well as the geopolitical implications of the economic crisis currently gripping the European Union.  Another author has stated in the past that an economic union is not possible without a unified political body also, which in the current state of Europe is unlikely.  So, with the future of the European Union in jeopardy, where can Germany turn to for strategic security?  The answer has global implications for Europe, the UK, and even the US.


________________________________________________________________________________

In Defense of Christianity

I found a terribly unsettling article today on Space.com.  I have not yet decided what is most unsettling about it, that people at NASA/JPL would use budgetary constraints as a convenient excuse for firing someone who espouses Intelligent Design, (which is an absolutely valid scientific theory... albeit an unproven one), or that the person fired would bring a lawsuit against them.

Was it unfair for them to fire someone for this?  Absolutely, but if anything David Coppedge should be rejoicing that he lost his job for Christ.  There is no better reason to lose your job for.  He will be honored in heaven for this sacrifice.  The whole idea of the Alliance Defense Fund is unsettling to me, as it seems that one cannot be both Christian and a prosecutor at the same time.  The whole idea of Christianity is that our fundamental worth is founded in Christ; and as such, we can absorb anything that this faithless world throws at us with grace and dignity and still show love to them.

Do we destroy the foundation of Christianity in order to defend it, or do we trust that Christianity will defend itself?  Those who truly espouse it can take anything that this world throws at us, and still love them.

State of the World, part 3

George Friedman from STRATFOR with the third portion of his State of the World series:

I have been convinced by his previous articles that China is not nearly as strong as it seems.  The geopolitical framework that he lays out below further clarifies why.

The soul of Christianity

These verses speak more to the soul of Christianity than John 3:16 ever does. 

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group  and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  The Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"  They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.  When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."  Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.  Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

--  John 8:1-11

Every true Christian, comes to the point of the woman caught in adultery and falls at the feet of God for mercy, with nothing to bring but our sin and our heart.  After that, the struggle not to become the Teacher of the Law begins.

Move over James Bond

Quantum satellites may be replacing your secret phone technology.

State of the World, part 2

I have posted below the second portion of the "State of the World" series by George Friedman from STRATFOR.  It heavily focuses on the US foreign policy after 9/11.  It is a fascinating read.

Burning of the Quran

There was another news article regarding the demonstrator violence in Afghanistan today.  I can understand their anger.  As a religious person, I would be incredibly offended if someone burned the Bible, but I wouldn't go marching out in an armed gang to kill them.  This is the difference between Islam and Christianity.  Islam teaches hatred and death on their enemies, while Christianity teaches to "love your enemies, and do good to them."

Regardless of the motives for the violence though, we cannot simply excuse the actions of American military personnel in Afghanistan.  There is a certain amount of discretion that our military personnel need to use when operating in foreign lands.  Do your First Amendment rights still exist in Afghanistan?  Well, yes, but there is a certain amount of wisdom in a volitional act of your will not to exercise your right to free speech out of respect for other people.  Not only would it avoid inciting a barbaric and insane people group, but it would show love to them with the hope that they would one day see the error of their ways.

Twelve Killed in protests in Afghanistan

STRATFOR: State of the World

Stratfor periodically produces material of astounding insight.  As to the truth of these insights, we cannot really know for certain at this point, but it is fascinating to see how George Friedman views the world through the lens of geopolitics.

Regardless of the veracity of the article, it is brimming with curious ideas and is definitely worth the read.

A prayer to renounce fear

This is a prayer that I stand by.  Few things in this world are worth clinging to with all of your strength, but the hope that is found in Christ is one of those subjects.

DateFebruary 12, 2012

AuthorDr. Erwin W. Lutzer

Father, help me to agree with You that I am not subject to fear, but am a child of Your love.

I reject fear of the future, for I believe that the future is in Your Hands.

I reject fear of evildoers, for Your Word says, “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident…For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock.” 

I renounce fear of rejection, for David wrote in Your Holy Word, “For my father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.”

I renounce fear of witnessing about Christ, because as Your Word warns, “The fear of man brings a snare.”

Therefore, I choose to fear You more than I do any human being. I affirm, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

I renounce the fear of losing my property and possessions, for Your Word says, “I have learned in whatever situation I am, to be content…I know the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need; I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”

I renounce fear of Satan, for Your Word says he has already been conquered “by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.”

I renounce the fear of saying “goodbye” to a terminally ill loved one, for Jesus promised, “Let not your heart be troubled…In my Father’s house are many rooms; I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also.”

I renounce fear of death, for I affirm with the Apostle Paul, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Thank You for the promise, “Death is swallowed up in Victory.”

I renounce fear of martyrdom, for Your Word declares, “Do not fear those who are able to kill the body, but fear Him rather who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

I renounce fear of loneliness, for we are promised, “Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” And also, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  And again, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

I renounce fear of intimidation, for Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world.”

I renounce fear of false accusations. I accept this promise, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  

I renounce the fear of being treated unjustly, for of Jesus we read that, “When He was reviled, He did not revile in return, when he suffered, He did not threaten but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.”

I renounce fear of radical Islam and its desire to intimidate us.

I renounce fear of political correctness.  

I declare that “The truth shall set me free,” and I choose to live as a free person in Christ Jesus.  I shall speak and not be silent.

I renounce fear of curses, either known or unknown, spoken against me and my family.  

I renounce fear of manipulation and control.

I renounce the fear of being involved in public or political activity.

I declare that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.       

I submit to Jesus as Lord of every area of my life. Jesus Christ is Lord of my home. Jesus Christ is Lord of my relationships. Jesus Christ is Lord of my city. Jesus Christ is Lord of my nation. Jesus Christ is Lord, above all false gods and religions. Jesus Christ is Lord over all the nations of the earth.

I commit myself to be a living witness to Jesus Christ as Lord. I am not ashamed of His cross. “God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of Christ.”

I ask now that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and pour upon me all the blessings of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Grant me the grace to understand the truth of Your Word clearly, and to apply it in every area of my life. Give me words of hope and life, as You promised. Open and bless my lips so that I can speak to others with authority and power in Jesus’ name. Give me the boldness to be a faithful witness for Christ. Give me a love for all people, and a passion to share the love of Christ with them.

Grant that I shall carry Your cross as a badge of honor.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

The War on Christians

Throughout the Middle East there is a brutal war on Christians going on.  Christians are beginning to be driven from their homes, kidnapped, attacked, and killed in ever greater numbers in Muslim-dominated nations.  Those of us who yet retain the freedom to pray to God, beseech him to grant greater faith and grace to the Christians who suffer at the hands of wicked men.  May God grant them a double portion of faith and grace, showing mercy to them in their suffering, and that they would have the courage to show love to those who persecute them.  May He reveal a way for each of us to help them in some fashion, for they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Voice of the Martyrs News
The Global War on Christians

Russian oligarchy, meet Russian people, Pt 2

The Russian people are still at it.  Protesting the government run gangsterocracy.  This short article from the Associated Press has a fascinating picture of a few of the protesters that braved the -4-deg F temperature to protest in Moscow.

I am still definitely rooting for them; Russia would be better off with a change of government.

Faces of Protest

One small step for Lego man

Yesterday, two Canadian high school students sent a Lego man carrying a Canadian flag into the stratosphere on a balloon and parachute system that they had created.  The balloon had a camera attached to the superstructure of the device, capturing some stunning images of the Lego man in space before the balloon burst sending him hurtling back to the Earth.

Teens Put Lego Man in Space

This is an awesome achievement, and something that I would love to try to do sometime in the future.  Kudos to Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad for this technical achievement.

Peace in Afghanistan

Here is an incredibly insightful article regarding the future of the war in Afghanistan.

Reality Checking Obama on Afghanistan: Five Questions on Ending the War

A Victory for WE

The great WE have spoken, and WE say find another way to control piracy.

After protest, Congress puts off movie piracy bill.

A guide to the online browser-based game: Lord of Ultima

Introduction

For my non-Lord of Ultima readers, Lord of Ultima is a browser-based empire building game that steals a lot of the same dynamics from the real world of global strategy and politics and smashes it into a browser-based, empire-building, massively multiplayer, online, long-term, real time strategy game. I am playing through this game, as a leader of an alliance, as this grants me some valuable experience in leading large groups of people, and learning how to drive people towards a goal without dissolution of the team.

Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect Intellectual Property Act

Okay.  I understand, you are unhappy that people are jacking your the stuff that most people pay for.  Find another way to deal with it than censoring of the internet.  This will bring America down a dark and unpleasant path that we DO NOT want to go down.  The internet is what it is today because of the freedom that has been allowed.  Stifling this freedom is not going to advance any great cause, or champion any rights without sacrificing a lot more than you gain.

I hope Congress bats this down, or I will ensure that I vote to get everyone replaced in the next elections.

Iran and Pirates

I found an awesome article today, about the US Navy rescuing a group of Iranian fisherman who had their ship hijacked by Somali pirates.  This action speaks volumes about the character of the US navy and even the US as a whole.  We should always seek to be compassionate to people, whether they are members of a hostile and dangerous nation or not.  The meekness of the US Navy today heaps burning coals on the heads of Iranian leadership and reassures the people of Iran that we can distinguish between the tyrants in power and the innocent people who are trapped under their dictatorship.

US Navy rescues Iranian fishing boat from pirates