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

The elephant in the world

I found an article about conservation efforts regarding elephants.  The Associated Press published an article regarding the efforts to maintain the African Elephant populations primarily in Kenya.  There are a few key elements that I see as predominantly driving this issue.  First, the elephants tusk ivory is considered economically valuable.   The economic value is driven first by the intrinsic value of the ivory, which is derived from its utility to society.  The illegality factor further modifies the economics, limiting the supply of the commodity, thus driving the base price of the ivory and thereby the economic viability up further.  However, there is a curious stipulation to this.  There is a regional aspect to the economic viability, which is mentioned briefly in the article: "Most cases involve ivory being smuggled from Africa into Asia, where growing wealth has fed the desire for ivory ornaments and for rhino horn that is used in traditional medicine, though scientists have proved it has no medicinal value."  This cultural statement suggests that the economic profit is considerably increased in Asia, due to the expanded uses for the tusk ivory.  The manner in which Western culture lives today would support this supposition.  Ivory is not as highly valued in most Western societies, hence why the tusk ivory is shipped to Asia where it fetches the highest price.  The second aspect of the ivory trade is that the organized crime organizations involved in this trade, hamper the ability of the African governments to control the poaching in their borders.

Based on the above reasons, it would be wise for the governments presiding over the nature preserves in Africa to utilize companies from cultural regions where ivory is not as valuable and places where the companies will not likely allow corrupt individuals to enter into their countries illegally.  It may be more expensive for African governments to execute construction projects, but such is the price of conservation efforts.

Epic Star Wars: The Old Republic guide

Hopefully, it doesn't kill your computer loading the guide.  It has about 100 pages of material in one load.

http://liberi-fatali.net/the-old-republic/star-wars-the-old-republic-guide-and-faq/

Russian oligarchy, meet Russian people

The Russian people are finally standing up and demanding to be heard.  I am betting that they have been inspired by the protests throughout the Arab world that have toppled several regimes.  These protests have the chance to effect a considerable change in the country that has been dominated by corruption and political strong-arm action for the past twenty years.

I for one, stand with the Russian people.  I hope they succeed in bringing down Putin's gangster-o-cracy.  Now, if we would only let capitalism deal harshly with America's bankster-o-cracy.

http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111210/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_protests

How Al Qaida takes a country

I found another fascinating article on Yahoo news, written by the Associated Press regarding the African nation of Mali.  The article describes the extreme poverty in which the people of Mali live with, and how Al Qaida comes into the region and begin to attempt to live as locals, passing out candy, cash, medicine, and calling on the locals to setup mosques and to pray.  The local herders and farmers in Mali are taken by the charm, and generosity of the Al Qaida fighters, but they are afraid of their extremist beliefs.  Hopefully, the Malian people will be able to walk a fine line of gracefully accepting gifts, without turning their sons and daughters over to be murdered on the alter of violence.

Candy, cash — al-Qaida implants itself in Africa

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to any readers.

Thanksgiving is here once more, and we have many things for which to be grateful.   I have had a most interesting year, and I oft forget things for which I may still be grateful.  First of all, I have to thank my God for his offer of eternal salvation for my spirit.  The sacrifice of His son on the cross paid for all of my sin and allows me to approach the throne of the almighty God.  Within the corporeal realm, I am extremely grateful for my parents, whose long-suffering and patience ensures that I will always have a home to return to when all else in this world fails.  I am grateful for the friends that I have, and new friends that I have found in the past few months.  I am thankful that I have found a lovely, (and single!) young lady in England with whom I have had the distinct pleasure of communicating with over the past few weeks.  I am sincerely hoping that our friendship will continue to develop and flower into something lasting.

Here is to the future, may it be brighter and more joyful than the past.

Occupy Poland

A spoof image on the Occupy Wall Street movement.  This is not exactly tactful, but it is definitely hilarious.

http://memebase.com/2011/11/02/internet-memes-hipster-hitler/

The Occupy Movement

I find this movement both appealing and disturbing.  I very much appeal to their overall message, that greed is destructive and that our nation and world are going down a long and slippery slope towards economic disaster, but I have a very difficult time comprehending what they plan on doing about this issue.  It seems in the current political environment, many people (ala Tea Party and now the Occupy movement) are extremely adept at pointing out the flaws in our society and economy, but no one seems to have any hint of a solution.  This lack of solubility makes the Occupy Movement a difficult thing to throw any real support behind, because they have no goal and no purpose other than protesting that which is inherently evil naturally.

Over the past few months, and Occupy Movement has begun adopting the Guy Fawkes' masks as a symbol of rising up against the tyranny of the wealthy bankers and corrupt politicians who propagate a system that favors their own personal gain.  The symbolism also holds some deeper and more troubling aspects from the past.

I didn't know much about Guy Fawkes until a year or so ago when the Anonymous online group adopted the mask.  The real Guy Fawkes has a very violent and unsavory past; and by all reasonable modern translation, he would be akin to an Osama bin Laden of the 15th century.  Although the imagery of the mask has shifted over time, this new adoption by the Occupy Movement could mean a move into a more violent stage of protest.   I am going to hope that the Occupy Movement continues to remain dedicated to peaceful protesting, as long as is required.  Sadly, I also cannot see any way that this protest, as dedicated as they may be, will actually effect any real changes to the system.  Maybe we will be able to evoke some fundamental shift in the politics of our nation, but I am not going to hold my breath.

Below is linked another curious article from the Associated Press that touches on this topic also.
http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111104/ap_on_en_mo/us_occupy_vendetta

The new nature of war

I have discovered an absolutely fascinating article on STRATFOR.  Over the past few weeks, Anonymous has begun conducting operations against the state of Veracruz in Mexico in relation for supporting the Los Zetas drug trafficking cartel.  The cartels are used to dealing with typical forms of opposition, such as that from federal governments of various nations, and there is even evidence of Los Zetas being able to track online opposition, but the aggression from Anonymous introduces an entirely different dimension to this war.  Anonymous is, by nature, an amorphous collective which does not have any classical hierarchical structure.  This nature, combined with Anonymous near-legendary skills in cyber-hacking and internet security, fuse to ensure that this will be a conflict worth tracking.  It will be most curious to see how the Anonymous campaign fares, and if it does actually yield damaging information about Los Zetas or even directly interfere or hamper Los Zetas' operations in Mexico.  This may very well be the dawning of a new era in using online warfare to execute and affect real world conflicts.  If the Anonymous operation proves successful, this will be a critical lesson in all conflict to come.  The information age is truly here.

I, for one, hope that they are successful, as it will forever change the face of conflict in the 21st century.

I have posted below the full text of the article for people who have trouble accessing STRATFOR articles.

Tempo of life and language

Being in Spain is a curious experience.  Being my first time outside of the borders of my home country, it is a peculiar feeling to be in a country where the native tongue is not one of yours.  However, the most fascinating part of the Spanish language is not the blatant foreign attribute, but the sheer speed at which Spanish is spoken by most people.  I imagine that the average word per minute rate of spoken Spanish is very likely one and a half to two times that of the average rate of spoken English.  But a very distinctive property of Spain, is the tempo of the Spanish day and life.  Despite the rapidity and fluidity with which the Spanish speak, their lives exhibit a diametrically opposed tempo.  It seems that the Spanish people truly value strolling, rather than hurrying through the average day.  It is a property which I very highly respect, which I often do not exhibit myself.  The other striking element of Spanish culture is the sheer politeness of Spanish people, and particularly the men.  At the dinner table, they all wait until everyone has their supper before anyone takes a bite.  I feel like a boorish brute at the table, when I am beginning to wait on them like one pig waits on another.

But alas, my Irish friend has come to chat, so I must end for now.

Warp 1.002

Researchers at the CERN released results today that indicate that the abstract particle called the neutrino can, in fact, travel faster than the speed of light.  If this is proven true, it will be a momentous discovery, and quite possibly the beginning of a new era.  Faster-than-light travel has thus far been only extent in science fiction, but it appears that fiction is about to become reality.  Perhaps one day, we will fly across the galaxy in faster-than-light spacecraft that will make the Enterprise look like an artifact of bygone days, and it began today.

Roll over Einstein: Pillar of physics challenged

Remembering 9/11

I imagine that each of us who is old enough to remember this time, remembers exactly what we were doing when we heard the horrifying news of the 9/11 attacks.

I was in high school, home sick when a family member called and told me to turn on the television.  I was greeted with an image of the world trade center with one tower smoking from the impact of the first aircraft.  I sat transfixed by this curious image, wondering what it could possibly mean.  They said that a commercial airplane had struck the first tower, and that it was likely to be a terrorist attack.  No one mentioned that a second aircraft was en route, until it was too late.  The shock and horror seeped thickly in the reporters voice.  I continued to watch as both towers now burned and people streamed out of the base.. and fire-fighters and rescue workers streamed into it.  To say that confusion reigned supreme on that day is surely an understatement.   Chaos, confusion, grief, horror, disbelief, infuriation, selflessness, courage and these mixed emotions reigned the day.  It was a cocktail of emotions that no one can forget.  I continued to watch the television, now horrified at the thought of terrorists attacking our country.  How could this happen?  We are separated by oceans from the rest of the world.  It was absurd.  This was a day of unanticipated horrors though, and they simply continued piling up.  To lose one life is a tragedy, but to lose many thousands in the span of several minutes is an unfathomable tragedy.  That it was an act of pure malice made the whole ordeal all the more vile.  I watched the first tower fall, imploding on itself, floor-by-floor.  Then several minutes later, the second tower followed suit.  I do not typically cry, but that day was an exception.  I imagined the many people dying that day, and my heart simply broke.  I prayed that God would be merciful to those who were there, that somehow he would save some, and He did to my relief.  Yet many others died, and it was terrible.

To say that this was a day of pure evil is not accurate.  Many people died to save others, died selflessly, and without thought for their own life.  They truly exemplified Christ in this, "there is no greater love than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends."  Heroic and selfless deeds abounded on that day as well, and hope was borne out of tragedy.   Hope that our amoral slide into a godless existence would be stemmed.  Hope that people would truly wake-up, and many did.  And above the wreckage stood a cross, wrought by violence and death, shining as a beacon of hope.  Such an image yields hope to all who look at it, for unto all is given a savior who died for them, in order to redeem them from an eternal destruction.  It is this hope that we as humans need to cling to, as this life is short and eternity is but an unfathomable dream right now.  We have to believe that life is not meaningless and that God has a good and lovely end for us.  I hope that I will be able to communicate this to all of the people whom I interact with in the coming weeks.  Hope is here!  It is real, and there is a good future for us!  We will cling to this, even if we lose everything else, for nothing else matters aside from this hope and the love that we hold for one another.

I have transcribed below an article written by the Associated Press that details some of the events of that day and memorials of today.