The "Score" of January 1, 2010

What could one call a blog series simply counting the death and capture of soldiers and militants in Afghanistan? At first I was going to use the "toll" but that sounded too depressing. I then chose the "tally" but that sounded too joyous.

Since the Taliban and pretty much anyone who hates the U.S. uses the death tolls as a form of victory, I shall be using the same approach except with a little additive: their death totals as well.

I am going to count daily the deaths and captures of forces in Afghanistan in 2009.
If you think there should be more options or a subdivision of factions just post a comment. Afghan civilian and military casualties will be counted the same. If you disagree just leave a comment. I will have details when I feel an incident (especially civilian casualties) should be explained further.

Y.M.D
2010.1.1
Captured
Afghanistan (military): -
Civilian: -
U.S.A. (and allies): -
Enemy (Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Haqqini, ect.): 8+
Wounded
Afghanistan (military): -
Civilian: -
U.S.A. (and allies): -
Enemy (Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Haqqini, ect.): 1
Killed
Afghanistan (military):
Civilian: 5
U.S.A. (and allies): 2
Enemy (Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Haqqini, ect.): 1

Detail:
Civilians: 5 killed by a roadside bomb.

2010 total:
Captured
Afghanistan (military): -
Civilian: -
U.S.A. (and allies): -
Enemy (Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Haqqini, ect.): 8+
Wounded
Afghanistan (military): -
Civilian: -
U.S.A. (and allies): -
Enemy (Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Haqqini, ect.): 1
Killed:
Afghanistan (military):
Civilians: 5
U.S.A. (and allies): 2
Enemy (Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Haqqini, ect.): 1

+ is representing a possibly higher number as rounding to the lowest possible is done when specific numbers are not given. If any totals are incorrect please leave a link to relevent information correcting the totals in the comment section.
In other Afghanistan related news if you are interested:
A new base for Afghan police opened in Herat.

Version: 1.2
Included British fatality in an IED attack and an American soldier who died of injuries from previous combat.

Unsustainable

I first heard that unsustainable would be the word of 2010 from Glenn Beck. Calm down this post isn't about him. It is about that very prediction. As you will see it was correct:

From Scotland:
Research by Citizens Advice Scotland indicated that consumer debt had increased by 40% in five years.
Highlands and Islands MSP David Thompson has called for the UK to have an interest rate cap, similar to other countries in the EU.
Mr Thompson said the consumer credit situation in Scotland was "unsustainable".
"The lending situation in Scotland is completely out of control right now."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8437288.stm

Las Vegas:
LAS VEGAS—Salaries and benefits being paid to Clark County employees are unsustainable in the weak economy and should be re-evaluated, according to a preliminary report by a citizens advisory panel.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_14101373

India:
Dec. 30 (Bloomberg) -- India’s stocks fell, snapping a four-day rally, after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the nation’s budget deficit, forecast at 6.8 percent of gross domestic product in the year to March 31, can’t be sustained for a long time.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aAlnw_1.zSug

Currency Trading:
Dollar May Extend Drop on Concern December Rally Unsustainable

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=axGlJ7Um7Gbs

United Kingdom:
The UK is suffering from a "growing addiction to alcohol" which is placing an increasingly unsustainable burden on the National Health Service (NHS), according to a new report.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/health/alcohol-burden-on-nhs-not-sustainable--$1350596.htm

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Inquiry-must-be-launched-into.5951245.jp

United States:
The Concord Coalition, Arlington, Va., a group of Democrats and Republicans who want to reduce the size of the U.S. budget deficit, has published those recommendations in a commentary on the major House health bill, H.R. 3962, and the major Senate health bill, H.R. 3590.
Bringing uninsured people into an unreformed, unsustainable health finance system could make the situation worse, and there is no guarantee that Congress could offset the proposed spending increases by making proposed cuts in Medicare and Medicare Advantage funding stick, the coalition says.

http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/News/2009/12/Pages/Budget-Hawks-Increase-The-Cadillac-Plan-Tax.aspx

Australia:
CommSec chief economist Craig James says the data shows home prices are rising at unsustainable rates in capital cities like Darwin, where prices are up almost 18 per cent and Melbourne up by 17 per cent.

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Finance/2010/01/01/Rates_may_rise_with_property_prices_412777.html

Business:
One of the United State’s largest trucking companies,YRC Worldwide Inc. may file for bankruptcy this weekend according to an analyst despite attempts to complete a debt-to-exchange offer.
The company would need to have funds available to make a $19 million interest and fee payment by Thursday. At present the liquidity position is unsustainable.

http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=152944&cat=8

Motives and Reality

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1139336.html

There. You know what this blog post is about. In an enlightened world you would immediately understand the title of this post and the news article's connection. Sadly, such an enlightened world does not and will never exist. So on with the blog.

Israel managed to conduct five attacks at one of the most densely populated places on Earth and managed to injure only five people. Israelis will say this is a retaliation for recent rocket attacks. Palestinians will say this is another act of violent aggression against the Arab peoples they claim to represent.

I say this was a message to stop the rocket attacks. If Israel wanted to inflict damage they have the capacity to strike quickly and deadly. They didn't. The Israelis used large explosives in one of the most populated places on Earth and hurt only five people in the process. That is a deliberate avoidance of casualties on Israel's part. The attack was deliberate. As was the Palestinian rocket attacks last week.

Yet now it is to see how this unfolds. If rockets continue to fall on Israel the war may be closer than anyone in America has even considered.

When one takes the oath to do no harm they should live up to that and never assist a suicide. The ending of a life is the greatest harm one can imagine. Due to the unexplainable unknowns beyond our current existence maintaining the present form of life is the best we can do. Yes one may be in pain and suffering but that is simply evidence of life.

In all its forms, even the pain of suffering before death, life is to be cherished.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8436777.stm