Europe's Solution: Ban Freedom

News from: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jSvKwQU-w3j6Gp8PWHRzV2hnh54QD9C9EES80

Whether it is the Nazi, Fascist, Communist, or now Socialist movements that Europe is always in a race to the bottom when it comes to using failed philosophies as a basis for their legal code?

What brings me to this conclusion? Switzerland, the great neutral peace loving nation of Europe, has banned mosque minarets.

The catch? The current minarets won't be affected. How many are there? 4. In the whole of Switzerland there are four minarets. So my question is what do the Swiss people think they have accomplished by banning minarets?

They have angered the Muslims many would say. That part doesn't matter though. Simply making someone angry isn't a reason to not do something. However upholding certain principles should be a guideline of what one should or should not do.

Switzerland and Europe often do the one liners about freedom and liberalism, yet banning a minaret is an obvious restriction of two very fundamental elements of freedom:
Freedom of religion
Freedom of expression (architectural expression)

So I really don't care who is angered by a law banning something. I care that this law bans something which has other elements of freedom infringed by it.

Sure, Muslims shouldn't be discriminated against, but neither should Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism (as such symbols are destroyed by Muslims throughout the Middle East. At least they don't pretend to stand for democracy or freedom and come right out saying Sharia Law, so kudos for honesty).

So what do the Swiss believe they have accomplished? I want this answer but know approximately zero Swiss citizens. However, they have alienated and, to put it bluntly, pissed off their Muslim citizens.

You open a dialogue with those you disagree with, and if that doesn't resolve your issues there is one last step before stupidity must take over. Agree, as two entities of culture which can't seem to agree, to live and let live. Have a live and let live agreement where you don't attack their beliefs and they don't attack yours. This means don't go forcing your message on others by cornering people on the street with pamphlets, or other crazy stuff. It also means that during the holiday season let it be celebrated which whatever symbols (within civility) each culture feels represents them best.

Live and let live.

American Revolution

We are witnessing an American Revolution in this country. An American Revolution is all about changing the way people perceive the role of government in our lives. It is about saying we will not be enslaved by the government. The Tea Party movement across this country is Americans standing up and saying they will not be enslaved.

The first American Revolution was twenty years of changing how people in this country saw the rule of Britain, essentially a foreign government, over the colonies. It was changing the acceptance of the Mercantile system and standing up. Britain did not accept this, and a war broke out.

The civil war was slightly different, but the principle that the oppressors did not want to end their enslavement of a population was the same.

It is happening again. But this time violence is not necessary. Our founding fathers gave us a system in which we can say no to tyranny by voting it out of office before it begins. Well, it has begun, but we are not yet entirely helpless. We can still stand up, and we are. However now the question is will you as well?

Note on Cyber Warfare

It should be noted that the scandal revolving around the current climate scientist cover up regarding global warming was brought to us through the hacking of emails. Civil disobedience may be the hackers only defense if brought to court. Sure, they are still guilty, but hey, something good came of it right? Well, not if your Phil Jones, the scientist who was oddly "cheerful" at the news of a rival skeptical scientist in Tasmania being dead.

I have shortened the list of questionable things in the already short summary by the hackers:

1189722851.txt * Jones: “try and change the Received date!”
0847838200.txt * Briffa & Yamal 1996: “too much growth in recent years makes it difficult to derive a valid age/growth curve”
1225026120.txt * CRU’s truncated temperature curve
1062189235.txt * Osborn: concerns with MBH uncertainty
0926947295.txt * IPCC scenarios not supposed to be realistic
0938018124.txt * Mann: “something else” causing discrepancies
0939154709.txt * Osborn: we usually stop the series in 1960
0933255789.txt * WWF report: beef up if possible
0998926751.txt * “Carefully constructed” model scenarios to get “distinguishable results”
0968705882.txt * CLA: “IPCC is not any more an assessment of published science but production of results”
1075403821.txt * Jones: Daly death “cheering news”
1029966978.txt * Briffa – last decades exceptional, or not?
1092167224.txt * Mann: “not necessarily wrong, but it makes a small difference” (factor 1.29)
1188557698.txt * Wigley: “Keenan has a valid point”
1118949061.txt * we’d like to do some experiments with different proxy combinations
1120593115.txt * I am reviewing a couple of papers on extremes, so that I can refer to them in the chapter for AR4


Source: http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/hadley_hacked/

Warmest Year On Record

Just in case you were wondering it was 1934. Look at the actual temperature data yourself, not any analysis, but the actual core data and do the math yourself. You will be surprised. Use NASA, or any other statistical collection you wish, but 1934, not 1998 is the warmest year on USA records.

Climate Scandal Emails

They have been confirmed by the numerous sources I use, and I examined several myself. Quite simply, aside from the larger picture, my initial grasp of these scientists is how childish they all are. Not only is their willingness to communicate in proper English an issue for them, they can't hold back from insulting each other for one minute. The arrogance they have against "laymen" is astounding. If their jobs were based on getting elected by the populace, they would fail at even giving a basic conversation with the "laymen" of the would, never mind getting our vote. They are immature, childish, and the most pathetic people I have ever eavesdropped on.

Update: Even when making an appropriate and positively supporting reference from the book "1984" one engineer manages to add an insult to the person she is complimenting! These scientists are worthless as human beings as far as I'm concerned.

Recall Election

The madness surrounding the removal of Ed Barrett as Bangor's City Manager has prompted a recall petition. In order to do so the initial ten affidavits demanding the recall needs ten signatures in order to allow further gathering of over two thousand signatures for the recall to be approved. Tomorrow I am going to city council to sign my name to endorse a recall.

I encourage you to do the same.

They gave no reason other than wanting to go in a different direction. They have not yet said what direction that would be. In addition, they council is going to pay at least 15 thousand dollars to find a replacement. That is an expensive directionless change.

Change for the sake of change isn't efficient. However, change in order to end the mounting sequence of insane decisions from the council would work for the benefit of Bangor. A recall to end the madness and elect sane people. Our newly elected Cary Weston is among the sane, and electing more like him would be a step in the right direction for Bangor.

Right now getting the recall election moving forward is the task at hand and I fully support this effort.

Friends Helping Friends Who Cut Themselves

I know you are hurting because your friend or relative is in pain. However, you should focus on your friend's pain when talking about their cutting. Really it comes down to something they are avoiding or escaping. It might be as obvious as abuse by those they know, or less apparent such as stress from work or school. You need to ensure that you talk to them in an environment that will be safe for you and your friend. Most of all keep them talking, and don't be hostile. Your friend needs someone to not only listen to them, but understand and help them resolve the problem they are escaping. No matter how difficult it may get for you, remember you are helping your friend have one less scar.

From:
http://onelessscar.weebly.com/index.html

Quote

One person at a time will not change the world.
One nation at a time, now that is getting something done.
-RHK

Marriage

A difference with no difference is no difference. In the UK a straight couple is suing to have equal rights to gays and want a civil union. I do not know their reasons for not going to marriage directly, but I do know this simply highlights the insanity of the issue at hand.

Marriage granted to straights and gays, whether it is called marriage or not, is (in theory- but not in practice in Maine as I proved months ago) the same thing. The bureaucracy of having two names for the same thing (two consenting adults having their love of each other legally recognized) is pointless. Save paper and allow only one form of marriage to be available to everyone. Since love, not gender, decides the commitment people have towards each other so should a legal recognition of that commitment.

Afghanistan

A leak from the White House says we will be in Afghanistan for 8-9 years.

My gut reaction: Obama wants to anger his base and stir the anti-war movement to be more active than the Conservative revolution taking place so that he can say he was forced to compromise and pull out in two or three years taking the possible victory and leaving. If we don't actually have victory he can have the base explain it was impossible to win anyway.

I know one thing: Afghanistan could be a stable democracy allowing for our troops being removed in two years. We would need to fight the war like it was a real war, and not our current drive-by shootout strategy. Hold the line with 250,000 troops, build the infrastructure to support our troops, and when we leave allow the Afghan troops to continue using that infrastructure to use against whatever remains of an insurgency.

Utopia

The concept of creating an utopia is inherently a flaw of human existence as we all strive to achieve a better world. However, trying to make the leap from what we are to what we want to be sometimes defies nature. Communism and Socialism are two attempts at creating utopias, but they fail to recognize human greed, envy, and hatred will always exist. Not only that but humans will always be different than our neighbor in some way: if not our looks then by our thoughts.

The perfect society is one in which our differences are allowed to be as different as possible and still exist productively as a society with different interests yet also accepting others diversity. However, diversity for diversity sake is not logical, as all deserve the right to exist in their own diversity, one's diversity should not interfere in another's diversity.

Live and let live is the perfect world. When we can do that, then we will be as perfect as God or nature allows us to be.

The Truth Changes Everything

Remember when I said everything was about to change a while ago? Well it has. Today the beginning of what I see as a chain of events leading us through 2011 will alter what we know and understand of the world. The 1990s and 2000s had an increasing level of ignorance (I witnessed this first hand, at least in grade school everyone was on the same page. By the time I got to high school, people were claiming Republicans wanted to raise taxes....) However, the revelation of thousands of emails relating to the climate debate considering that science which showed data contrary to what was desired for a result was not only tampered with, but unpublished and censored. Scientists were threatened.

What is my source? You seriously need to become more self reliant and google it yourself. Mine was the New York Times, and my own further research to actually confirm it.

UMaine At Orono College Republicans

Long story short the forms to be recognized for another year have yet to be filled out so a message to the College Republicans was sent informing them to fill out the forms at a certain office time. So the VP of the UMaine college Republicans decided to parody it switching the references of Student Government to College Republicans and vice versa with office hours listed as never. Point is I am really leaning towards doubling my efforts for the College Conservatives. Anyhow, if anyone knows me they know I love to hate stupid people and wrote the following message in response:

Hopefully the forms will be filled out without further immaturity? In case you forgot the governor election is this election cycle and the GOP candidates would certainly enjoy having UMaine volunteers. Losing recognition would hinder the outreach opportunities and thus hinder the overall efforts on campus.

Susan Collins Update

One thing I like about being on Susan Collin's email update list is that I actually get updates. Mike and Olympia send something once every two months, Susan sends something it seems at least monthly or every two weeks and makes it relevant and has details. Today having a lot of news without the world actually changing gives me the opportunity to update you of how I view the day to day operations of Susan Collins lately.

I want to first thank Susan for recognizing Hasan's actions in the Fort Hood shooting as a terrorist attack. It shows some common sense on her part still exists.

Mostly she is doing a good job, some things I did take notice of. Such as:

U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriations and Armed Services Committees, today announced that the Senate has approved the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations spending bill which includes her request for nearly $50 million in military construction funding for Maine projects.

-28 million for a new Aircraft Hangar at the Bangor Air National Guard base.
-$7.1 million for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery to be used for security improvements at Gate #2.
-$2 million for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery to be used for the planning and design funding for the Consolidation of Structural Shops.
-$12.9 million for the Joint Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC) at Brunswick Naval Air Station.

The legislation also includes $53.2 billion in Department of Veterans Affairs discretionary funding, including $50 million for a new Rural Clinic Initiative for additional to provide for additional Community Based Outreach Clinic's in rural and highly rural areas, such as Maine.

Excerpt from a press release over. How about we put 50 million to making absolutely certain our border guards have memorized the terror watch list? I am not aware of nor concerned about terror plots against Maine. 9/11 proved our open border with Canada and lax security at our airports, not only in big cities but Bangor International as well, enabled several of the terrorists to conduct their attacks that day. I do not believe we need to improve our physical security and base capabilities in Maine, only the ability of those protecting us.

Sources (Bibliography) :
"SENATOR COLLINS SECURES MORE THAN $50 MILLION FOR MAINE IN SENATE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS BILL"
http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=092d0551-802a-23ad-4f8d-df4eb26dfaf0&Region_id=&Issue_id=&CFID=20904891&CFTOKEN=46174388

This is an interesting proposal:
"SENATOR COLLINS TO INTRODUCE BILL TO SUPPORT DEEPWATER, OFFSHORE WIND POWER RESEARCH"
http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=092e9c6c-802a-23ad-409d-b62eabb6decc&Region_id=&Issue_id=&CFID=20811960&CFTOKEN=67643797

U.N. Wants False Barrier In Climate Change Debate

That is how I interpret their focus on women in the debate over climate change. They use a person's emotion instead of the facts to support a cause, which actually means nothing about the cause. Prove it, don't personalize it. And don't allow yourself to be fooled by such a simple tactic. Use facts, not emotion, to support your various causes.

From: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C11%5C20%5Cstory_20-11-2009_pg7_28

1984

Is knowing a lie any better than not knowing?
No.

The government should guarantee a number is accurate 100% before reporting it. No more estimates, no more fictitious jobs. No more campaign lies and an end to having three health care bills at once so you can say one claim isn't in one bill, even when it is in another one. One bill at a time. You want to get rid of pre-existing conditions, then have a bill banning pre-existing conditions. I don't care if it is only five lines because the size doesn't impress me. The benefit will impress me.

Update: No more public speaking by Joe Biden.

Climate Change Hurts Women More

The U.N. study released this week says that women produce less carbon emissions but are the most affected by climate change. Quote:

"Poor women in poor countries are among the hardest hit by climate change, even though they contributed the least to it," said the United Nations Population Fund Executive Director, Ms Thoraya Ahmed Obaid.

"The poor are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the majority of the 1.5 billion people living on $1 a day or less are women," she added.

The report shows that the fight against climate change is more likely to be successful if policies, programmes and treaties take into account the needs, rights and potential of women.

It reveals that women are more likely than men to die in natural disasters--including those related to extreme weather--with this gap most pronounced where incomes are low and status differences between men and women are high.

The report shows that investments that empower women and girls--particularly education and health--bolster economic development and reduce poverty and have a beneficial impact on climate.

Excerpt over. The contradictions are startling. First they declare the de facto cause of climate change wealth, and say wealthy nations' climate change affects poorer nations, particularly poorer women, more. Then it says making women wealthy will have a beneficial impact on climate change.

Remember my false barriers post? If not read it. Already, knowing how wealth and male-female reasoning is used in this report I can direct you to why the U.N. report means absolutely nothing and how we can really look for an actual solution:
http://rhkinc.blogspot.com/2009/11/barrier-manipulation.html

News Article:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200911191053.html

Economics

I take your dollar, promise to pay it back, and buy candy. I eat the candy and don't pay you back when you want me to. I just say I will, but not now. Meanwhile, every day I don't pay you back I take another dollar for more candy. You would get rather angry wouldn't you? You wouldn't let me take your dollar.

The government is doing very similar things. It is taking your dollars, creating jobs in fictitious districts, promises to give some of it back, and then says it is with holding your return in order to create another fictitious job as you are on the verge of losing your own.

America, our current situation with the spending levels topping the 12 trillion dollar debt mark is unsustainable. Many news reports then say how much that is per person. It doesn't matter. I didn't want that money to be spent, and sadly I was alive for at least 7 trillion dollars of that spending. I'm only 18 years old. However it doesn't matter how much that is per person because I am not going to pay that debt. I didn't spend that money. I just know I'm not giving the drug addict more drugs.

Just say no. I am not buying health insurance and I will not let the government pay my bill. Once you let the government pay for something you don't want or need they own you. I will not be a slave. On our current path in the next 18 years of my life I fear to see that not only will the government demand I pay, but tell me what job I will fulfill for maximum returns in order to pay.

We have already lost our freedom. It is time to take it back. You want change? Then actually change something and declare your independence and freedom from being controlled by the government. Respect the government, and understand you are the government. Any government operating against your wishes and controlling your life is one of tyranny.

To the human race, if you live under any government like this you must resist. Fight back before a global dark ages comes upon us.

Stupid Economics

Obama's advice was as follows: Speaking in the heart of America's biggest lender, President Obama told Fox News in an interview Wednesday that the piling on of U.S. debt could drag the country into a "double-dip recession," though he said he's still considering additional tax incentives for businesses to reverse the rising unemployment rate.

Excerpt over. If debt could cause the recession to worsen, one would presume the next statement would be about lessening the debt. Instead, he proposes to increase the boom before the next bust by increasing the debt even more. This is just ridiculous.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/18/obama-warns-double-dip-recession/

Afghanistan Solutions

From Reuters:
Most Afghans see not Taliban militants but poverty, unemployment and government corruption as the main causes of war in their country, according to a report by a leading aid group released on Wednesday.

Excerpt over. Well, since the same issues in our country aren't even being addressed by the Obama administration, I think it is a safe bet that Afghanistan will not improve in the coming years.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP426013

Fiscal Order for Maine

Some candidates for governor have been providing general ideas to get the budget in order. Here are three things which I see could save hundreds of millions of dollars:

End Dirigo Health.
Merge the overhead of Presque Isle and Fort Kent's universities.
Spend only on existing infrastructure before expanding within the bi-annual budget.
Disregard stipulations of further spending in regards to non-essential projects in the Stimulus.

Stop Foreign Aid Immediately

I demand this because of this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/17/millions-hungry-households-us-report

Yes, I am saying the hunger of an American is more important to me than the hunger of someone else. Deal with it.

Journalism FAIL

I rarely post a full article's text as some are ridiculously long, but if I didn't you wouldn't believe me on this one (because I wouldn't believe myself if I told myself this one) :

Poll: Half of Southern Democrats dislike outburst
The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- About half of the Southern Democrats responding to a poll say they were either opposed or outraged by South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst as President Barack Obama addressed a joint session of Congress.

The State of Columbia reported that the Winthrop University poll also showed large majorities of both independents and Democrats reacted negatively to Wilson's interruption of Obama's speech by shouting "You lie!"

More than 43 percent of Southern Republicans liked it when Wilson berated Obama as he spoke in September.

Winthrop's poll, which included questions asked exclusively for The State, showed almost 68 percent of independents said they were opposed to Wilson's outburst. Overall, 30 percent of independents said they were opposed to and outraged by Wilson's actions.

Far fewer Southern Republicans - just over 11 percent - said they were outraged by Wilson's remark. But another 36 percent of Southern Republicans said they opposed Wilson's outburst.

Just under 65 percent of all those polled said they opposed Wilson's actions.

Nearly 30 percent of all poll participants said they not only opposed Wilson's actions, but were also outraged by them.

"It was stupid," said Charles Marshall, a 74-year-old retired marketing and sales representative who lives in Bluffton and backed Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

"He acted like a redneck," Marshall said of Wilson. "And I'm no elitist by any stretch of the imagination. He was appealing to the emotions of his constituency, and that's dumb."

Wilson apologized to Obama's chief of staff for his outburst. But he has made no apologies for the millions in campaign contributions that have poured in to him since he interrupted the president's speech with his shout.

"A lot of people have contributed because Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and MoveOn.org have raised money for my opponent," Wilson said. "It was an understanding that I had become a target."

J. Chester Gambrell, a 57-year-old salesman who lives in Florence and who voted for U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., didn't approve of Wilson's actions.

"I'm not sure if that was the right time to say that, whether you think Barack Obama is a great guy or not, out of respect for the president," Gambrell said. "The man is president.

The survey was conducted Oct. 24-Nov. 7 by telephone. There were 866 respondents, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com

Article over. Go back through and find the data for Democrats. It only mentions Independents. They seem to be getting confused. Just because Independents voted for Obama once, that doesn't make them automatic Democrats. While it can be inferred from the overall total, the actual figure for Democrats isn't even given in the article. Journalism FAIL.

Source:
http://www.thestate.com/statewire/story/1029538.html

Change the Majority of Fear

I want to leave an impact on the world. I want to do something that won't be forgotten in a generation. I do not want to be the name on the family tree that is remembered as the odd one that did nothing. I want to leave an impact.
I question college. I'm there now doing the essays and journals and tests and prelims and at first it was fulfilling, but now I see how pointless it all is. Every meal a person makes for their self is about survival. It leaves an impact because if you didn't eat, you would die. You take a test and fail, you can take another and pass. You go on whether you pass or fail for a month in college, yet if you didn't eat for a month you would die. You can fail a whole semester and still go on. Until you get that piece of paper.
I could die tomorrow and be remembered for nothing. I could die in four years with that piece of paper and be remembered for nothing. I could save someone's life tomorrow and be remembered. Should they not be remembered I wouldn't be remembered either, so I want a more direct approach. I want to be a name that no matter how many times history is rewritten, I will still be there for what I did.
It isn't enough to be a senator, or even a president. We remember some presidents because they are recent, but we really remember Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and Reagan. Why? Because they changed how the world thinks and sees itself. Egypt had many rulers, but we remember Cleopatra and King Tut, why? Because what they did changed how the world saw itself. King Tut changed how the world saw Egypt's past. Cleopatra changed how the Roman Empire existed.
You don't need to be a president or king to be remembered. Ben Franklin wasn't a positioned leader, but he is remembered. He has been dead for many generations but we know him. We know he was a patriot and diplomat and free thinker ahead of him just being a scientist. Why? Because anyone can be a scientist and figure out what he figured out. However, not everyone can sway the minds of people. Thoreau and Paine are remembered for changing how people saw government. I want to be remembered.
That piece of paper gained by college means absolutely nothing. The work put into something other than changing the world is worthless. Sure, you can gain pleasure from working for money and getting newer and shinier things, but your existence will have been wasted. Unless you change the world in a way that can be remembered more than two generations after you existed your life is worthless. That is why the Kaiser was just another leader of just another warring nation notable for it breaking records in number of dead. Hitler is remembered for changing the world. Good or bad, he changed the world.
I know you see this as true. Yet we do nothing about it. Why? It is that we don't want to change the world? I think we all would like to. Not being able to change the world is actually why voting is ignored by so many. So that can't be a reason, since we do want to change the world. Is it because although everyone wants to change the world we think only one or two people possibly can change the world? Are we afraid of the majority of fear?
I say we should rise above the majority of fear to change the world. We can see the benefits of our change in whether or not it reduces the fear of people and increases their willingness to strive to change the world. That would lead to more entrepreneurs, scientists, moral politicians, and leaders of all kinds than we ever dreamed of. The best part is this world of leaders can be formed by us all. We are the change we want to see. However, our existence will only be remembered if we take up the challenge and work to change the world. Otherwise, we will turn to dust just like that piece of paper.

City Mananger's Release

I've held back from making a statement on Ed Barrett being "encouraged" by the Bangor City Council to retire after 22 years on the job. I was hoping the council would either say why he should have gone or at least better explained the "disagreement" they had with his plan.

First, you do not fire someone who does their job and comes up with a proposal without having a plan of your own.

Secondly, someone in a respected position does not just go in the middle of the night from a job they had for 22 years. If wrong doing occurred, he did so with taxpayer money and taxpayer time. That alone deserves explanation.

I am going to leave the issue at that because the list of somewhat odd decisions and statements by the council since I started observing over a year ago have been growing and I am finding it hard to not just simply list every incident I've seen. A new councilor is there this year, so I will give Cary Weston time to shift the council's viewpoint of the intelligence of the residents of Bangor.

Should this shift not take place, you can forget the referendum on Obama next year because Bangor will be looking for new, transparent ideas.

Guantanimo Bay Prisoners Trial In New York

While I am certainly not happy about the decision made, I am not surprised by it. I am more surprised that people didn't know this was coming. America, wake up. This is the leadership we have in place. This is not a moderate administration. It just isn't. They will place other nationalities and minorities of any form, other than opponents, ahead of common sense.

I am not being a bigot of any kind, I am observing what has been happening. Perhaps if you did the same you would notice it as well. What to do about this other than make myself aware of situations and ultimately treat others as I want to be treated I do not know.

Yemen Situation Worsens

In the past week the situation in Yemen has escalated to levels worthy of accusations and counter accusations of responsibility for the Houthi rebel's success. Iran blames the U.S. for Houthi defeats, and demands Saudi Arabia stop getting involved. Saudi Arabia however can't really do this since the rebels crossed the border and started attacking Saudis. Yemen and Saudi Arabia are blaming Iran for arming the rebels, and the reason this matters is because the conflict has forced Saudi Arabia to evacuate 250 villages. Now, last I checked evacuating populated areas is a sign you are preparing for those areas to enter the conflict zone. So with yesterday's 250 and today's increase by 170 to a total 420 village evacuations the situation is worsening quickly. Pakistanis have also been fighting with the rebels which is something I just can't figure out a motive for other than the possible Taliban and Al Qaeda connection.

Why does this matter? Well, thus far Iran's involvement with Hamas and Hezbolla and the Somali Civil War has been ignored by the Arab world. Now, however, two clearly Arab nations are facing the end result of weapons and finance support by Iran to rebel and extremist groups. How the Arab nations unify or divide over this will be very indicative of the possible alliance system should war with Iran unfold.

However, the reason the situation may be worsening could be due to the effectiveness of the Saudi forces:

Meanwhile Saudi's armed forces arrested a sorcerer attempting to plant magic spells in the conflict zone in support of the Houthis, the Saudi newspaper Okaz reported.
The man was initially believed to be a refugee fleeing the conflict but security forces searched him and found amulets, animal remains and scrolls containing symbols.

The detainee admitted he was planning to plant amulets in the conflict zone to help the Houthi rebels sneak across the border and win their war against Saudi Arabia.
When asked why he had long nails, he claimed that he is obeying the order of the jinns, or spirits.
“The jinns will be infuriated and will kill me if I trim or clean my nails,” he told his interrogators.

Excerpt over. So as the Houthi rebels (an ethnic, traditional, and Shi'ite minority) are gaining ground, Saudi Arabia is cracking down on animists.

http://www.kippreport.com/2009/11/fighting-forces-mass-evacuation-in-saudi/
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/11/15/91350.html

What to do when your son is a racist?

I saw that question recently. I have the answer: beat them yourself.

Update: Two minutes after I first made this post, I already got several annoying emails. I simply want to clarify that after you are done beating them, you should beat yourself for teaching them such hate. Thank you.

Update 2: You people are way too sensitive. Seriously there is no justifiable reason for blind hatred in the modern era. You have a child with blind hatred? They deserve a just punishment. The reason you should be conducting the beating is because instead of having his/her hatred reinforced by having the beating come from those they incite to defensive violence, you should show them the equal evil in your own (insert false barrier here).

Venezuela Perspectives

This video was recently brought to by attention by Stephanie. I was quite impressed with references by sources which approached the issue with common sense. Enjoy.




If you enjoy this form of news presentation I encourage you to look at other reports from newsy.com.

Common Sense 3

"The US ambassador in Kabul has written to the White House arguing against sending thousands more American troops to Afghanistan.

In a leaked cable, Karl Eikenberry expressed doubts about the competence of President Hamid Karzai's government."

Excerpt over. You have an enemy, the Taliban, who need to be defeated. Send the troops. If the Afghan government isn't functioning as needed, replace it. Having us not only oversee but run the election process to ensure minimal fraud is a possibility. One can not say we don't have the resources for it. If we have the resources to place ourselves trillions in debt, we can conduct a fair election.

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8356094.stm

Giddy Republicans?

I think Republicans are becoming more popular because they have become more Conservative in fiscal and political issues, instead of emphasizing social issues. They have not, by my observation, become giddy at all.

More Angry Catholics

From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111116943.html

The article states:

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it would be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city won't change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care.

Under the bill, headed for a D.C. Council vote next month, religious organizations would not be required to perform or make space available for same-sex weddings. But they would have to obey city laws prohibiting discrimination against gay men and lesbians.

Fearful that they could be forced, among other things, to extend employee benefits to same-sex married couples, church officials said they would have no choice but to abandon their contracts with the city.

"If the city requires this, we can't do it," Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Wednesday. "The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem."

After the vote, the archdiocese sent out a statement accusing the council of ignoring the right of religious freedom.

Excerpt over. So much material in this one.

So because they won't be allowed to discriminate they will stop being charitable?
Isn't it ironic that a religious entity operating in the capital of a secular nation has trouble acting in a secular manner with secular funds?
Isn't it ironic that religious freedom, protected by the Constitution, sometimes claims to be able to over ride the other freedoms granted by the Constitution?

Questions are such a non-violent way of expressing anger don't you think?

Health Insurance

I will not purchase health insurance under three conditions:
1. I do not have the money I will not buy health insurance.
2. I am able to afford to pay for regular doctor visits and am considered quite healthy, I will not purchase health insurance.
3. If I do have the money, but am mandated to do so by the government, I will not buy health insurance.

The flaw in requiring people to purchase health insurance is that there are some who simply can not afford it, and the fine is also not going to be paid. The sentence to prison means the entire existence, health care included, of a person will then be the cost of the government.

Should that provision of the health care bill become law, it will be time for civil disobedience against an unjust law.

Freaky Origins

My blogging aspirations had a predecessor, and I've found it after three years and eleven months of completely forgetting it existed. Back then I was more focused on the alternate realities floating around in my head so I started a site on writing. Here was my first post then (I was such a nerd, then again, I still am) :

I am Randy Hughes-King. Hughes is part of my last name so don't think it is my middle. I go to high school and do a lot of homework. I like to write stories in my spare time and am considered a geek. I also wish to take over the world but my plan is only eight percent finished. My favorite television shows are Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica. My favorite books and movies are the Harry Potter series. I will often post ideas for stories that you can post replies to and hopefully they will be nice. When you make a complaint, tell what the complaint is, why it matters, compare it to another story and no vulgarity or lewd comments please.

Message To Friends, Fans, Family, Foes

I will be shifting things soon. It will not be a "major" life shift, just moving things from stale and old accounts to a new, revitalized, and more "me" style. I've been putting this shift off for a long time but the current system is not going to work at all with my coming project. So, this blog may change to a new website, my various social networking sites will most likely all be altered but for the time being things stay the same as I prepare my new system. I'm saying it now so nobody does a double take and suffers shock when I unveil my upcoming project.

Interview With Bruce Poliquin

I recently interviewed Bruce Poliquin, a candidate for governor.

Of these two statements, which represents your thinking best: you can't spend without taxing, or you can't tax without spending?

(There was an initial confusion regarding the question, and it was eventually resolved as follows.)

We will tighten our belts before taxing. We can not predict a revenue stream accurately and so we have to be able to respond as best we can bi-annually. There are all kinds of prudent things to do, so if your able to have reserves then you're able to weather the storm during a two year budget better than you can in a one year budget. The problem is last year we depleted our reserves and added the stimulus budget with rules preventing reform. When you are insolvent you can't take on more debt-

So do you believe the federal government to be insolvent?

I am focused on Maine issues and that being said, the federal issue is that it is imprudent and reckless to commit 9 trillion dollars of spending without having a way to pay for it and that is just what the fed has done. They are either going to tax or print money which is unacceptable.

Some have raised eyebrows to several figures reported by your campaign. Specifically the claim that the State spends 6.8 billion each year, when it is 5.8 billion every two years. What is the plan to prevent such innacuracies in the future?

They are not innacuracies, we have a tremendous ability to make sure we have good data, and we do. If you really look at those numbers it includes federal money.

What are your thoughts on the recent election?

Clearly disappointed about the results on Question 4. Sometimes folks have to stand up for what is right. I am thrilled to have been part of the effort and would do it in a heartbeat. I still believe passing it would have been the right thing for the state and given us a new fiscal tool. It didn't turn out that way and makes it even more important our next governor has skills in management because we don't have the tools in the lawbook to have it done as a process.

Why do you believe Question 4 failed?

We were outspent 14 to 1 and that money came out of state. When you look at where the money came from it came from unions and those that have a vested interest in protecting the status quo. It is what it is. If you are unable to get your message out which is expensive.

So would you say the message or the finances of a campaign matters more?

Both, you have to have both. Very closely linked and you can not seperate the two. As governor I will be on the side of taxpayers of maine with my message.

Would you end the Dirigo health program?

Let me give you a longer answer than you were expecting. Dirigo health is a classic example of the problems we have in Augusta. In 2003 when it was signed the goal was to enroll 130,000 Mainers who were uninsured. The goal was to not cost Maine anything and reduce premiums and increase care to the citizens. Now 8 years later, we've enrolled 10,000 and only 4 thousand were uninsured and cost us 150 million dollars. The care has not gotten better. It should have been shut down years ago. However, we need to make sure the people in that program have a place to go.They are in that program based on their own good will and judgment. We can't just throw them on the street.

I give you that answer because a short answer would be an incomplete explanation. Knowing these facts Dirigo should be shut down.

What would your replacement for Dirigo look like?

Well we have to be careful and wait to see what is coming down from DC and just be ready when it comes if it comes. We know we need to increase competition and have to have a program that is patient centric. What we know that doesn't work is the public option which is Dirigo. We have to make sure they are being successful.

Will you support a federal public option?

I can't answer that because I don't have the details. Our public option was a failure.

Would you support a 9th and 10th amendment guarantee to the State Constitution?

I would have to look into more deeply. What matters to the people of Maine is whether they have someone in the Blaine house who makes sure the 10th amendment is respected. I support federal intervention only when the people and state can't do the job.

Let me give you an example of this. When the state accepted 300 million dollars to our medicare program we couldn't reform the broken program. There is no way I'll accept federal money if in the long term it will hurt the people of Maine. It is just another sign of gross fiscal mismanagement in Augusta.

Aside from yourself, who do you want to see from the Democrat side?

I don't know. We are focused on our efforts and have no idea who is coming up on the other side. I am completely of the belief that the voters of Maine are pragmatic and will say "do we want someone from the private sector and the real world managing businesses with great acumen, or someone who has created the mess we are in? We already have one of the worst business climates in the country with people leaving. We have retirees leaving because of taxes. The type of candidate they [Democrats] will put up will be a problem creator.

Do you include Mr. Mills in that description?
Mr. Mills in an Attorney who has been part of the Augusta beuracracy for two decades. I'm sure he is a nice man but the difference between his background and mine is very stark and I'll leave it at that.

Have you been looking to anyone for Attorney General yet?

We are working non-stop 7 days a week and have been for 6 months reaching the voters of Maine. We've been to Aroostook and Washington county. We are reaching out to all corners of Maine to make sure the next governor gets it right and in order to do that we have to listen to the voters of Maine. In 6 months of doing this and listening to thousands of Mainers at parades and fairs and political events and town hall meetings they are saying two things: first they want the next governor to be a proper manager of our state. Second: they want the next governor to have the management skills to get our fiscal house in order and I expect that they will hire someone who has that skill set and the experience and courage to address these issues head on.

[Poliquin intended to say his focus right now is on the people of Maine, and selecting a cabinet will come later.]

What is next in the coming months?

We are continuing to do what has been successful for us in the past and that is recruit volunteers. We have a small and growing army of volunteers. We are going to continue to build coalitions: folks that have a vested interest that this state be governed more effectively. Raise money so we can get our message out. We're going to make sure we have the financial resources to make our message get out and we are going to directly reach out to the voters in Maine through the tools in our campaign with email updates, online connection, and our ten year old mobile home... ten year old mobile home, we do more with less, that we converted into a campaign bus and are going all across the state.

Now I might add one more thing, I want to be direct, but also clear in my comments, and it comes with the 3rd point of my last remark. As you know our campaign is traditionally funded, we are going out to the voters of Maine making our point to them, answering their questions, and asking their support. There is no purer form of support than someone giving their 5 or 50 or 500 dollars to get our message out. The first reporting deadline for the candidates we raised six times as much money from six times- I misstated, three times as much money from three times as many donors as our closest competitor in the primary. We are hopeful and expect that by the end of the year we will also demonstrate that we have a grassroots movement.

To expand on that a little further, I think it is unconscionable that a candidate for the governor to accept tax payer money for their campaign. We are in a recession and low wage state, high taxed state, and some candidates for the governorship are simply sitting back and accepting tax payer money for their campaign. "Well you either need to be wealthy or take public money for your campaign" - that is an excuse and untrue. You need to work hard and get off the sofa. Anyone can do the hard work to build a grassroots network, a professional team. My background is blue collar Waterville, it is hard work and being prepared, and the people of Maine respect hard work and Mainers are getting that message and we will work just as hard as governor. You don't have to take taxpayer money- just work hard for support. That is a huge contrast between myself and one of my opponents in the primary.



I will point out that my requests for interviews with other candidates have either been declined or have no response.

Obama Speaks (Not to Me)

From the New York Times:
Mr. Obama, during his private pep talk to Democrats, recognized Mr. Owens election and then posed a question to the other lawmakers. According to Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, who supports the health care bill, the president asked, “Does anybody think that the teabag, anti-government people are going to support them if they bring down health care? All it will do is confuse and dispirit” Democratic voters “and it will encourage the extremists.”

Another freshman Democrat from New Mexico, Representative Martin Heinrich, said the president’s comments overall were reassuring. “If you want to see a recipe for failure,” Mr. Heinrich said, “don’t do the things you talked about in your campaigns and turn your back on your base. All the independent voters in the world don’t matter if the Democrats don’t turn out.”

“This is an opportunity to do something as big as Social Security,” he added. “And me, personally, I don’t want to be on the wrong side of history.”

Excerpt over. So if health care does not pass, the extremists will be encouraged. Extremists huh? Would he mean Islamic extremists such as the one which attacked Fort Hood? I think he prefers to focus on his own twisted view of an extremist: someone who doesn't support him. As for Heinrich, apparently appealing to 30 percent of the nation is more important than appealing to 50 percent of the nation. Then, mentioning Social Security, just quite simply, and children look away, wtf.

As for the last sentence he said: We all know the victors in war write the history. Who writes it during peace?


Link: http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/lawmakers-detail-obamas-pitch/

Chavez Threatens War

Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has deployed 15,000 troops to the border with Colombia. Colombia is taking a liberal's approach and going to the UN and OAS. These are the same two organizations which took the side of Zelaya after he was removed for trying to rewrite the Honduran Constitution illegally (along with most South American leaders in that region, including Chavez and Uribe). Don't believe me? Read earlier posts on this blog for the Honduras situation, and the links after several quotes for the current news stories. Here is the first news story from Reuters:

During a Sunday television address, Chavez ordered his military to prepare for war as the best way to preserve peace in the region.Colombian President Alvaro Uribe shot back with a statement rejecting Chavez's remarks.

"Considering the threats of war enunciated by the government of Venezuela, the government of Colombia proposes going to the Organization of American States and the Security Council of the United Nations," the statement said.

Excerpt over. First, you only prepare for war for war. Slow down and read that sentence again. Absorb it. You only have a military if you are going to war. Costa Rica, keep up the good work. Now to the next news story from the AP:

President Hugo Chavez's government is sending 15,000 soldiers to the border with Colombia.
Repeating a frequent charge by Venezuela, Vice President Ramon Carrizalez accused Colombia on Thursday of intentionally allowing violence to spill over the border as a means of "destabilizing" Chavez's government.
"Colombia has been creating a pre-war atmosphere," Carrizalez said. Chavez has also called an agreement giving U.S. military personnel expanded access to Colombian bases a threat to Venezuela's security, but the Venezuelan troop buildup on the frontier has nothing to do with the pact signed last week, officials said.

Excerpt over. Lets pause and compare the last segment of that excerpt to the Reuters article:

For months Chavez has said that a military cooperation pact signed last month between Bogota and Washington could set the stage for a U.S. invasion of Venezuela from Colombian territory.

Excerpt over. Alright, so, the "not connected" and "connected" sentiments of Venezuela over the U.S. bases is going to be reported or not reported depending on which news source you read from.

On to a more important issue, why is Chavez doing this? Well, he has almost total control of his country and formed a new nation wide armed militia in the past few weeks, so when you have everything you want in your nation, what do you do? Well, actually, it turns out he doesn't have everything he needs in his country:

Severe shortages of electricity and water pose a growing risk to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Bolivarian revolution that is powered largely by the country's petroleum revenues.
Analysts who contest that interpretation and point instead to government sector mismanagement, a prolonged drought and rising demand cannot easily express themselves, because the media that aired their views have shut down.Chavez himself went on air to warn industries they would have their utilities cut off if they did not check wastage. For citizens fumbling in the dark due to power cuts, Chavez advised the use of a torch.

"If you get up at three in the morning to use the toilet, use a torch instead of turning the light on; that's enough light, you don't need more. Just leave the torch by the bed, it's that simple," Chavez said during an emergency Cabinet meeting, broadcast live.

He advised Venezuelans to get into the habit of showering for no more than three minutes.

Industry sources said that power generation plants nationalized by Chavez in 2007 needed not only new infusions of capital but also better management and due diligence to ensure their performance was competitive and made the best use of resources.

Chavez plans to personally make random surprise visits to factories and has warned those found wasting electricity or water will be punished summarily with closures.

He has also offered advice to shopping malls to save on power or generate their own.


Faced with the shortages, the government has reacted by targeting business, accusing industries of wasting resources through inefficient management of energy and water.

Excerpt over. There has been a theory that when the Soviet Union was about to collapse, a war with the West would have saved them. Clearly this was faultly logic because a war with Afghanistan helped send them over the edge. However, perhaps the thinking for this theory was that it would allow a better excuse for people's problems than "we're slaughtering your family because they blinked without our permission".

Considering Chavez's rationing of such obviously critical resources one can see that invading Colombia and blaming sabotage of their water supply is a much less harmful excuse for their popularity than saying either it is out of their control (which people believe is since they are moving to control everything else) or they can't fix, which both of those leads to anger and removal in favor of those who will solve the problem.

I would suggest Colombia pursue the diplomatic route, but for the sake of logic match the mobilization of Venezuela (do not go above it, just equal the forces) so you won't be entire defenseless if he attacks. We do not need a Barbarossa of South America to unfold. By we I mean the U.S. because you and I both know who will come to save the Colombians should there be war and a chance they would lose. However, with Obama, no guarantees.



The three news sources used in today's WW4 Reality Check:
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5A80B020091109

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hCIKDzMk3thB2iiP8uhH7lXThSCQD9BPNVDO0

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2009/11/06/Shortages-pose-a-risk-to-Venezuelas-Chavez/UPI-83391257525813/

One Republican Who Will Not Return

Anh Cao, I truly believe, has guaranteed the end of his GOP career tonight.

Question to the World

How did I ever end up on Al Franken's email lists?

Economic Systems Simplified

Socialism: x + you = What we say its value is....
Progressive: What we say your value is... = 1 product
Ordoliberalism: x hour = 1 dollar
Capitalism: x product = 1 dollar

Bruce Poliquin Speaks Again

I have his words (not word for word for word, but pretty accurate) coming to a blog near you very soon. For what I have polished in my typing translation of the interview here is one of the first completed answers:

Me: Would you end the Dirigo health program?

Bruce Poliquin: "Let me give you a longer answer than you were expecting. Dirigo health is a classic example of the problems we have in Augusta. In 2003 when it was signed the goal was to enroll 130,000 Mainers who were uninsured. The goal was to not cost Maine anything and reduce premiums and increase care to the citizens. Now 8 years later, we've enrolled 10,000 and only 4 thousand were uninsured and cost us 150 million dollars. The care has not gotten better. It should have been shut down years ago. However, we need to make sure the people in that program have a place to go.They are in that program based on their own good will and judgment. We can't just throw them on the street."

"I give you that answer because a short answer would be an incomplete explanation. Knowing these facts Dirigo should be shut down."

Common Sense 2

A person has taken the lives of others today. My sympathies to those victims as well.

However yesterday a person took lives as well. The questioning of why he did so naturally began. Some revelations, not just questions, were avoided for the sake of avoiding, instead of panic, offense. To avoid panic would have not only been sensible but acceptable. However, with holding the truth on the basis of not offending someone is an insult. To presume the populace incapable of behaving in a civil manner upon gaining knowledge is not the purpose of the government nor the media.

To justify either as actions for the common good is a display of ignorance. A democracy of any form, especially one where individual action is encouraged, requires it's populace to be fully informed to function best. The common good is best achieve when the populace is informed enough to have individuals act under motivation from awareness as opposed to obedience.

Terror Attack in Fort Hood

I don't understand the justification that he didn't want to go to war. If you don't want to go to war, why do you turn your home into a war zone? Hasan also did this representing himself as Muslim instead of an American. As far as I am concerned, this was a terrorist attack. Sure he was not affiliated to any group, but he used the same tactics in a randomized fashion as the terrorists in the Middle East.

A Radical Islamist

My definition may not matter to anyone other than myself, but I consider it any Muslim who considers two things:

1. Violence over peaceful action.
2. Considers themselves Islamic first instead of American when they are serving in our armed forces.

Sentiments

I send my sympathies to the victims and their families of today's tragedy at Fort Hood.

301st Post A New Beginning

For those looking for the election information: Question 1 passed. TABOR failed, and Marijuana for medicinal purposes is legal. The rest, look it up yourself.

I support same-sex marriage while supporting straight forward sex education basics (protection, abstinence, the birthing video to scare them from doing it anyway) to students only after parental permission. I oppose abortion as a form of birth control but accept it in the case of rape, incest, or medical necessity for the life of the mother. I oppose the personal use of drugs, but will let someone stupid enough to want to use them simply go ahead and use them. I will not, however, be cleaning up the mess afterwards unless they show commitment to helping themselves clean up. I support a balanced budget and reduction of the national debt. I oppose government interventions into our personal lives including finance. I support a strong military and believe voting to be a civic duty. I agree that guns are a protection against tyranny and should not be banned. I recognize a higher power as the source of my rights but do not believe an interpretation of that power should be the basis of any government. I oppose corruption at every turn especially if it involves someone I know.

I am a moderate. I am a conservative. The two are not contradictions, but the same thing. It is time Conservatives stood up and let the country know that no longer will we be divided from a political party because one side wants Socialism and the other wants Theocracy. It is time Conservatives stand up to politicians claiming to represent us and say we represent ourselves from now on as a true Conservative should. Religious Conservatives fail to recognize the seperation of church and state well enough to control themselves from ignoring it when in power. They also often fail to uphold other forms of conservative thought when they lose grips on their church and state barriers. George Bush represents that exactly. He was not a conservative when he left office: he was a religiously inspired lame duck. I officially declare my personal definition of Conservative thought to lack an organized religion as a source of ideals. I declare we use common sense and our observations to move forward in a rational manner. I say it is time for Conservatives to no longer look away when someone they know does wrong but instead bring them to justice and let the world be better for it. Stand up because our voices are being lost and our values being destroyed by all sides. Being in the middle means a squeeze on both sides in enevitable, and that squeeze is happening. So it is time to push back and let ourselves be heard!

Election Results Part 1

Tonight I wanted to wait for Maine results to come in to do my report on the results but Question 1 is going back and forth within 5 thousand votes as the reports come in. So nationally Republicans kicked donkey today sweeping Virginia and it is projected they won the New Jersey gubernatorial race. New York's 23rd is facing numerous reporting issues among them a town that is not going to post their results online. My thoughts are this town must be Amish. TABOR seems to have failed at first glance, and the Bangor Daily News site I was using was posting voter turnout at 108 percent so I am not sure the numbers for them add up anymore, but it will all be sorted out later. More to come.

Governor Race Fielded

So far, with hopefully the field set for primaries and the run to the ballot, here is a list of all candidates for Governor:

Democrats:
Donna Dion
Dawn Hill
Eriq Manson
Libby Mitchell
Steve Rowe
Rosa Scarcelli
Peter Truman

Republicans:
Matt Jacobson
Paul Lepage
Peter Mills
Les Otten
Bruce Poliquin

Green Party:
Patrick Quinlan
Lynne Williams

Independent:
Sam Bailey
Beverly Cooper-Pete
Eliot Cutler
Augustus Edgerton
Alex Hammer
John Whitcomb

Personally to choose who I would prefer to see in the final election would include Bruce Poliquin for the GOP side and Rosa Scarcelli for the Democrat side. The other candidates do not have platforms I see as winning over more than half of Maine and Scarcelli as an underdog has her work cut out for her.

Barrier Manipulation

As a human being you and I are priceless. Upon conception or birth, which ever occasion you choose, we all have equal potential. Nothing of our existance at that time seperated us from our equal helplessness and potential. Our race, orientation, culture, faith, bloodline, and wealth are things our inherent innocence leaves us ignorant of. Growing and learning of these things in society today forces the raising of a false barrier to success in society. A false barrier is one where a person can benefit without overcoming it. These barriers work against and for you depending on circumstance. I believe that a problem in America is the manipulation of these barriers instead of their removal. False barriers rely on the acceptance of many to be susceptible to manipulation. The only real barrier is that of the work and effort required for success. Being a true barrier it can not be manipulated for benefit; you either over come or you don't succeed.
These false barriers, I believe, are being manipulated on a scale never seen before in history. This is not specifically because there are more manipulations, but because of the source of these manipulations. The U.S. government has manipulated the false barriers across all levels of society for at least the past six years. On numerous instances the race and wealth barriers have been manipulated for the benefit of a political leadership in a Democratic Republic hoping to get elected by a populace they believe is as ignorant as a baby.
A solution to this problem is to challenge only the real barriers to your success and not allow the government to tell you which barriers you care about most.