FCC Approves Net Neutrality Rules: INTERNET VICTORY!

Internet proponents are, without doubt, familiar with the raging debate of Net Neutrality. The fight (more-so: defense) of Internet Neutrality has been one that has raged on for months, only gaining more traction and aggression. However, an important victory has been made for pro-open internet activists.

To simply explain what Net Neutrality is; there are particular philosophies that make up the entirety of what "The Internet" should be. One of these ideals is that every part of the internet should be equally accessible and open as every other part. This keeps large corporations humble in their online endeavors. It is the driving force that gives the Internet its knowledge-based, rebellion-esque attitude that has made it the power tool it has become.

Now, read the bias. As a Generation Z child, the Internet is my (just as it is many others') home. The Internet was the base in which our curiosity roamed wild while we longed for answers, despite our supposed lack of intelligent questions. It was where we played, learned, and thrived. So, yes, I'm in absolute favor of preserving the sanctity of its open-charisma and endless teachings from the segregational plan Verizon and Comcast (as well as other ISPs [Internet Service Providers]) would implement.

With all that said, an overwhelming victory has been claimed in the name of Net Neutrality. The Federal Communications Commission has just approved its long-awaited network neutrality plan, which classifies Broadband Internet under Title II Classification. This reclassification makes Broadband a public utility, which bans corporate (paid) prioritization and the purposeful slowdown of "lawful content" (for comparison, telephone service is also a "public utility" under the same classification).

"It [the internet] is our printing press; it is our town square; it is our individual soap box and our shared platform for opportunity," said FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel during today's open commission meeting. "That is why open internet policies matter. That is why I support network neutrality."

This means that the Internet, under these rules, cannot be packaged and segregated (much like cable is).

Now, this is all very promising, but does this mean that the fight for Net Neutrality will end here? No. As of now, Verizon has already made vague threats on the subject of suing the FCC if it enforces (which it has) utility (or Title II) rules. Tom Wheeler, of the FCC, has stated that he expects more lawsuits.

No, the Internet will never be completely safe for it holds the vast and unlimited knowledge of the human race in its grasps. Knowledge is power, and like all power there are those who would watch the world burn to control it. We will have to continue to fight for the freedom of information, just as the human race always has; from Nazi Germany, to the Chilean coup d'etat in '73; from the Isshi Incident, to Tiananmen Square; from Socrates, to Martin Luther. 

The people will always have to fight for the freedom of understanding and knowledge. However, we will be following in the steps of many of the greatest men and women who have ever lived.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back Monday.

"The sad truth is that societies that demand whistleblowers be martyrs often find themselves without either. And always when it matters the most." -Edward Snowden

Australia Shooting Was Forseeable

Throughout the days of December 9th and December 12th, a national security hotline in Australia received 18 calls about the potentially worrisome content on the Facebook page of one Man Haron Monis. Thankfully, that's what these call-lines are for.

Wrong. Three days after the calls went in, Monis took 18 individuals hostage and after a 17-hour siege was shot and killed by the police.

After his death, details were revealed about Monis that had citizens wondering whose flaw in logic had cause these events. He was recently out of prison and was not suppose to be in possession of a weapon.

The Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, stated that the system let the people down. HE went on to say that;

"Plainly, this monster should not have been in our community," Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney. [...] He shouldn't have been allowed into the country. He shouldn't have been out on bail. He shouldn't have been with a gun. And he shouldn't have become radicalised."

It does not seem overly-bold of the Prime Minister to say that this system has failed them. Monar was simply one of thousands of potential issues, and after each of the 18 calls was investigated, his position as a threat did not change, for their was no substantial evidence to believe he was a threat.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"Anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing. Moderation is for cowards." -Peter Berg

North Korea Wishes To Up Military Power To Fight U.S.

North Korea has undoubtedly been a source of political tension in the years following the Korean War. However, in recent years, that tension has heightened, following the death of Kim Jong-il and his son's rise to power.

As of February 23rd, 2015, Kim Jong-un called for full combat-readiness and the change in machinery of his military during his chairing of a Workers' Party of Korea meeting. He delivered his (*ahem*) "historical" speech during the extended meeting of the party's Central Military Commission.

Kim Jong-un called on the commission to prepare, and be ready for, any type of full-blown war. He went on to clarify that he, more specifically, meant war with the United States of America.

He said he believed that, although the North's armed forces have done well in protecting North Korea's people and territory, it was time to build on their current combat capabilities. The Korean Central News Agency has said; 

“Emphasizing the need for the Korean People’s Army (KPA) to focus all of its efforts on rounding off combat readiness this year, he said it was necessary to simplify the machinery of the KPA and indicated the direction and ways for reorganizing the machinery in such a way to realize the strategic intention of the Supreme Command any time,”

This realization of North Korea's desired aggression against the United States is likely not an oversized epiphany for Americans, who are much aware of North Korean attitude toward America and its citizens.

However, this raises the question, should we be concerned? The debate over North Korea's potential security risk for America is long-running and, unfortunately, will not be solved on this blog, today. We must all form an individual opinion, based on our own potential-losses, and personal experiences on how it is America should handle this issue.

That's all I have to say, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"Ultimately, if people lose their willingness to recognize that there are times in our history when legality becomes distinct from morality." -Edward Snowden

UK Defense Secretary Says Cold War Is Heating Up

Russia's continual aggression against Ukraine has not, as of now, ceased and will not likely for any time in the foreseeable future. However, now it seems as though Vladimir Putin is toying with Great Britain to see how far he can push them. Micheal Fallon, the U.K.'s defense minister, has said;

"It is a very real and present danger, [Vladimir Putin] has been testing Nato all last year. [...] If you look at the number of flights, maritime activity… he flew two Russian bombers down the English Channel two weeks ago suddenly on a Wednesday morning. We had to scramble the jets very quickly to see them off."

Fallon has said that Russia's defense spending is very concerning, especially considering the recent modernisation of their nuclear forces. This kind of action would have been concerning from a militarily inactive power, but it isn't censored knowledge that Russia has had military force inside of Ukraine for months.

Russia, in order to annex Crimea, demanded that there was a large number of Russians in Crimea that needed protection by the Russian government (which, in retrospect, sounds awfully 1938-Germany of them *ahem*).

Now, there is concern that Russia would use a similar method of strategy to take the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

In response to Fallon's fears, the UK will be sending troops to eight different locations to create a spearhead force led by 1,000 British soldiers. Naturally, these troops would only act if presented with aggression, but there is a disturbing pattern to Putin's actions. It is hard to imagine a situation where Vladimir Putin built up his military to its current strength, and gained the land he has, only to say that that's all he ever wanted and regress.

That's all I have to say for today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist." -Dom Camara 

Google Warns of U.S. Government "Hacking" of Any Facility in the World

There have been a great number of internet giants who have spoken up against the recent rise in Internet surveillance, privacy violation, and data collection by the government (Which one? Take your pick. *Insert disgusted, cartoon-esque spittoon clank here*). These powers include Dropbox, Yahoo, Facebook, AOL, Microsoft, Apple, Reddit, Wikipedia, Twitter, LinkedIn, but not the least of which Google.

Now, with the social power to back their words up, Google has taken a strong opposing standpoint against the United States Department of Justice, who is attempting to further the already overreaching power of the government. This proposal would give the United States federal government the power to hack into any servers, no matter where they were located, giving them unlimited access to a vast amount of private information.

So, with the disciplinary tone of a mother scorning her child (We're not mad, we're just disappointed.) Google has sent an open letter to a particular Washington Committee responsible for said decision.

One of the most concerning aspects of the proposal, which Google has shifted attention toward, is the FBI's desire to "remotely" access any computer which has concealed it's location (either through IP obscuring programs or anonymity services such as Tor, a privacy-based internet browser.

Google's input on the matter will be considered by the Advisory Committee for Criminal Rules, a program of judges responsible for governing the actions of federal powers, like the FBI.

According to current policy, under a section known as Rule 41, in order for a federal agent to search any property, they must first request a warrant from a judge in the district in question. However, the Federal Government argues that in an age of cyber communications and informational globalization such rules are no longer reasonable.

This raises some obvious questions in the way of privacy-consideration (i.e. "Is there any?"). When the government has unlimited, unrestricted access to citizens' private information paired with the ability of a federal, unlocalized warrant they are prematurely set up for the definition of privacy-invasion.

This could pose a legitimate threat to the Age of Information that the United States has so gratefully flourished in.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"I no longer love blue skies. In fact, I now prefer gray skies. The drones do not fly when the skies are gray, and for a short period of time, the mental tension and fear eases." -Zubair Rehman

Islamic State Burns 45 People to Death

The Islamic State's brutality has long been a subject of discomfort for the West, following their recent rise to power (via fear-mongering). With their desecration of the Muslim religious societal identity while simultaneously destroying the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.

However, the Islamic State has truly out-villainized themselves this time, in the Iraqi town of al-Baghdadi. Last week, IS fighters captured the majority of the town near a local airbase last week.

This did not come as a particular surprise to the country, as al-Baghdadi had been under siege by the Islamic State until it finally fell on Thursday.

The local police chief came out with a statement that the Islamic State militants had burned 45 people to death in al-Baghdadi.

The issue that the Islamic State proposes to the humanity of the Middle East will be, without doubt, one of the most important issues of the coming year in politics. However, the sheer amount of disgusting brutality that the Islamic State has shown is not a debatable subject.

No religion, political standpoint, or personal quarrel is worth the kind of hideous persona that the IS has taken on. The politics will rage on ("SHOULD WE FIGHT?!" "THE CHILDREN?!" "WHEN WILL KING OBAMA TAKE ACTION?!" *smirk*) but there should be no ounce of sympathy for the monsters that call themselves the Islamic State. They have disgraced their religion. They have disgraced their species.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"The purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things." -Rainer Maria Rilke

Ukraine Treaty Violated 139 Times Within First Day of Signing

Russia has for months on end been making a military offensive (which they claim is not their doing) for months on end. Their violent actions have displaced millions and killed thousands. Thankfully, an internationally brokered ceasefire was drawn up.

However, not as thankfully, within 24 hours of the ceasefire going into effect it was broken 129 times, according to Kiev resources.

The Pro-Russian rebels have stated that the Ukrainian authorities broke the ceasefire 27 of those 129 times. Within those 25 hours, 5 Ukrainian troops were killed and 25 were wounded. After the shelling continued, a Ukrainian military spokesman stated that they would not withdraw, considering that 112 shelling incidents is not a ceasefire.

Due to the concentration of the offensive on the city of Debaltseve has left up to 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers stranded and surrounded by separatists.


It is more than presumable that this is a legitimate issue that needs to be taken seriously by every government involved and otherwise.

That's all I have to say for today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." -Michael Altshuler 

Indian Man Paralyzed by Madison Police

Police brutality has long been a rampant issue in the United States, where you are nine times more likely to be killed by police officers than by terrorism (who, as we are often reminded, are an overwhelmingly large threat to our freedom). 

There are many fingers to be pointed on the matter of police brutality, but regardless of fault it is an issue that Americans often struggle to swallow when confronted with its existence. Of course, it is only natural to feel dumbfounded when given the medicine that the protectors of the people are also acting barbarically.

Sureshbhai Patel, although not an American citizen, witnessed this brutality first-hand when he came to Madison, Alabama. Patel's son is attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville getting a degree in Electrical Engineering in order to better care for his wife and their newly-born 17-month year old child.

Patel was approached by police after a caller stated there was a "skinny, brown man" looking at people's garages. When approached by the police, 57-year-old Patel (who did not understand English well enough to explain himself) was thrown to the ground and partially paralyzed by the officer.

Following his admission to the hospital, a GoFundMe page was created to pay for the man's medical bills (as of February 15th, the page had raised near 162 thousand dollars). At the press conference on Tuesday, this video was released of the event:

The officer responsible, Eric Parker, was initially only suspended from the Madison Police Department. However, he was later fired and arrested on assault charges. The Madison Police Department has said there was no crime committed.

Although justice has been delivered (to the most available degree) on this matter, the issue is that these sorts of issues are taking place to begin with. This kind of incident is beyond too common for United States police officers. 

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"You have to be odd to be number one." -Dr. Seuss

Paris Is Suing Fox News

Fox News' slip up in the reporting of so-called French "no go zones" led to a brief amount of embarrassment for the network. They were forced to come on air and formally apologize for their mistakes when the Prime Minister of Britain came out and said that Fox's "terrorism analyst" was "a complete idiot".

However, these no go zones weren't just reported in England, but also in the City of Paris. Sean Hannity put it as;

"they have no-go zones. If you’re non-Muslim, you’re not allowed. Not police, not even fire department if there’s a fire. Sharia courts have been allowed to be established. Prayer rugs in just about every hotel.”

Steve Emerson, the "terrorism analyst" that came on the program (however, his credibility is likely in question), said that;

And they’re places where the governments, like France, Britain, Sweden, Germany — they don’t exercise any sovereignty so you basically have zones where Sharia courts are set up, where Muslim density is very intense, where police don’t go in,”

Then, Brian Kilmeade of Fox and Friends decided to comment saying;

 “Nobody gets jobs, they don’t want to be French. They just want to live in Europe and take over the country.”

Following these outrageous (and unjustified) comments, Parisian lawmakers officially gave Anne Hidalgo (the city's mayor) permission to sue the U.S. based program. The mayor is taking up the Murdoch-owned program on charges of defamation. Dori Ann Hanswirth, who is representing Fox, told AP;

"The decision by the City of Paris to bring legal proceedings against a United States news organization is antithetical to free speech."

Although Fox did apologize for the "regrettable" factual errors, I cannot find myself feeling as though freedom of speech is at a huge loss over this lawsuit. Fox has been known to embellish the truth of stories (as have many other stations, ahem, Brian Williams). Perhaps it was far beyond time someone say that false stories and lying about the news in order to heighten view count is simply wrong.

The news is suppose to be a safe haven that the people can rely on. However, lately, it seems, stations are less and less concerned with the legitimate truth. This is a truly disturbing trend, and I hope that it end swiftly.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." -J.R.R. Tolkein

Obama Requests Congressional Permission To Fight ISIL

The horrific cruelty that ISIL has imposed on civilians and middle-eastern military personnel since it gained the recent spotlight. More than often, the Islamic State has shown the world that it will thrust any vile that it can cling it's childish hands around.

Now, however, U.S. President Barack Obama has asked approval from Congress to authorize the use of military force in the war against ISIL. This request is the first of its kind by the president in over 13 years.

Yesterday, lawmakers received a draft for the Authorization of Military Force which would go into effect for a six month period. This proposal would limit the President's authority to wage any legitimate Military campaign and would not authorize "enduring offensive ground operations.

"The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) poses a threat to the people and stability of Iraq, Syria, and the broader Middle East, and to U.S. national security. It threatens American personnel and facilities located in the region and is responsible for the deaths of U.S. citizens"

The Republicans in Congress said that the proposal did not give enough power to the president. John Boehner, the House leader, said that in order to defeat ISIL, the United States would need a comprehensive military strategy, not one that limits their options.

Although violence is a hard evil, sometimes, in order to protect much more innocent people, we must turn to fighting. ISIL has shown its enemies on several occasions that it is not willing to settle on non-violent measures. However, no matter how necessary, we must remember that war is an evil. It should never be taken lightly.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"We spend the first years of a child's life teaching it how to walk and talk and spend the rest teaching it to shut up and sit down." -Neil deGrasse Tyson

Brian Williams Suspended From NBC

Press credibility is a necessary part of journalism so that people can properly receive information in this era where information means so much to the public, after this so-called Information Revolution.

However, how is it that without a sense of honor toward journalism, and the ideal that they should be truthful in all that they report. The breach of integrity to the facts is something that could never be stood for. Or, in recent event's case, should never be stood for.

NBC host, Brain Williams, has now been suspended by the network without pay after his credibility has been completely trashed.

It all started when over twelve years ago, a much younger Brian Williams visited Iraq where a Chinook helicopter that was in front of the one carrying the newscaster was shot with a Rocket Propelled Grenade.

However, years later, on the Letterman show, Brian Williams said that two of the four helicopters he was in were shot at with RPG's and AK-47 fire.

Now, recently, the story transformed into the team's helicopter being shot down by an RPG and they had to be rescued by a mechanized platoon of the 3rd Army Division.

Over the past few days, more of Williams' stories have been uncovered as more inaccurate, such as his story of being mugged while selling Christmas trees and saving one (or two, depending on which story) puppy from a fire.

Brian Williams has disgraced the very idea of press credibility. Does he deserve another chance after such disgustingly fabricated "facts"? The simple answer is no. If Brian Williams cannot speak of his own life with 100% accuracy and integrity, how could anyone trust him on events like a bombing in Gaza, or a hostage situation in South Africa.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"I don't want to speak too despairingly of my generation (actually I do, we had a chance to change the world and opted for the Home Shopping Network instead)." -Stephen King

Russia Will Take U.S. Arming Ukraine As Declaration of War

Recently, in a speech given by President Barack Obama, it was said that the option of giving Ukraine, to fend off Russian invading forces and Russia-backed Ukrainian rebels, lethal defense weapons is an option being "considered". According to the president, Russia has violated "every commitment" made in the Minsk Agreement, which settled a ceasefire in the city of Donbass in 2014.  Evgeny Bruhinsky of the Moscow-based PIR Center told the press that in this case;

 "Russia would reasonably consider the U.S. to be a direct participant in the conflict."

The Russian Defense Ministry's public advisory board has said that if the U.S. took this route, they would be in great danger in Washington, and their allies would have problems as well. Speaking in anonymity a member said that Russia would not only push harder within Ukraine but;

"also respond asymmetrically against Washington or its allies on other fronts."

So, within the past 24 hours, nine Ukrainian soldiers and 7 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in this act of imperialistic violence. However, the moron still insisting that Russia has not sent troops or supplied arms to rebels in the area also says that he will attack Washington if the United States gets involved in anyway.

This conflict has claimed the lives of over 5300 people all so King Vlad can try and retie the Soviet Union back to its former glory. It disgusts me to the lowest depth it possibly could.

I hope that the civilians of the great country that is Russia will one day see the absolutely horrifically corrupted figure they have put into power. Maybe then this horrifying war can come to a close.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings." -Nelson Mandela

The Rabbis for Human Rights Takes Arms Against Israel and Netanyahu

The ongoing feud between Palestine and Israel is a subject that is all too familiar to the world of politics. The fighting between the countries has been constant and bloody for years on end. Now, however, Israel has illegally destroyed the homes of over 77 Palestinians (over have of them children) over the span of 3 days. 

In a recent letter (following Netanyahu's announcement of destroying 400 Palestinian homes in Israeli-controlled West Bank), a large group of Rabbis and Cantors have all mutually signed a letter demanding that Israel put an end to the destruction of people's homes. This letter states;

"Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu, 

In 2005, over four hundred rabbis wrote an open letter to then Prime Minister Sharon expressing concern about the administrative demolition of Palestinian homes. We are extremely disappointed that the Government of Israel is opposing a High Court petition offering a constructive solution for alleviating this issue. Please use your authority to end this opposition.  

Part of the 2005 letter read: "The homes that were demolished were not demolished for any security reason. None of the people in these homes engaged in violence or harboring terrorists. They were demolished because of a violation of zoning regulations in a context where it is almost impossible for Palestinian families in those parts of the West Bank under Israeli civilian control or in Jerusalem to legally obtain building permits… " The context referred to was the fact that planning and zoning laws severely restrict the ability of Palestinians to build homes, even on the lands that the State recognizes as belonging to them. There has been no representation or true ability for Palestinians to determine how to properly plan for their communities since local and district planning committees were abolished in 1971. The army plans for them. 
Back in the 19th century, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch warned in his Torah commentary about the disastrous consequences when, even with the best of intentions, those with the power in their hands try to appropriate for themselves the task of determining how to be just to others. The current discriminatory planning process exemplifies this, and violates the Jewish prohibition against acting "איפה ואיפה." 

Civil Administration (Army) planning officials have acknowledged that they don't really have the ability to adequately plan for Palestinian communities. Currently, the failure of the existing system is clear. Thousands have been forced to build without permits, and great human suffering is caused when hundreds of homes are demolished each year in Area C alone. 
We are therefore disappointed that the Government of Israel has decided to oppose the High Court petition submitted by Rabbis For Human Rights and partner organizations to restore local planning committees. In the hearing on the petition on April 28th of this year, the judges said clearly that the current situation is unacceptable, and gave the State ninety days to come up with a proposal to truly involve Palestinians in planning their communities. While the judges indicated that they would not force the State to restore the local and district planning committees cancelled by military order in 1971, they indicated that there was no legal reason for the State not to do so. 
However, the State's response was a proposal to institutionalize consultations that are already taking place in many cases. These consultations have not significantly altered the situation because the Civil Administration has no obligation to take into account what they hear. We also saw in the spring that consultations were suspended in response to moves by the Palestinian Authority.  

Human rights must not be politicized. The State of Israel has an obligation to ensure that every human being under her control, each created in God's Image, has a fair chance to build a home for him/herself and his/her family, irrespective of the current state of the peace process or differing opinions about what areas will be under Israel's control in a future final status agreement. We urge the State of Israel to withdraw its opposition to RHR's petition."

 To summarize, the rabbis have asked the State of Israel to meet in High Court and propose a more constructive method of solution. However, Israel has came out in opposition of this proposal, and thus, the Rabbis and Cantors are less than pleased.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"I suppose they put Socrates to death because there is something terribly unattractive, alienating, and non-human in thinking with too much clarity." -Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Gay Marriage and Its Ongoing Battle in Alabama

Alabama is known as being the 49th state in almost every category including job growth, quality education, child protection, and several other categories, usually placing just ahead of Mississippi. However, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals officially denied the state of Alabama's request to stay same sex-marriage laws until the Supreme Court hears the official case this upcoming Summer.

However, since the court denied this stay, homosexuals in Alabama can now be married. This change came when a judge ruled that Alabama's Marriage Protection Act and Sanctity of Marriage Amendment were unconstitutional by the state and federal constitutions.

This ruling makes Alabama the first state in the traditional deep south to allow same-sex marriage (although it would be a stretch to say most Alabamians are too happy with it. It is still Alabama.).

Naturally, it is presumable that the typical hecklers on the issue are against the issue of gay marriage. Although this is an extremely controversial subject, the moral right is more than clear in this situation. The fact is, the United States of American does not use the Christian Bible or religion as a primary source while creating laws

If there is an instance where it was then that law is in the moral wrong. These so-called "Sanctity of Marriage" Amendment and "Marriage Protection" Act are clearly in that category. The names of these laws alone show the hard-headed, one-sided ideology of the south on this issue. The fact that outlawing gay marriage is grouped in as "protecting" marriage, and preserving it's sanctity is in itself disgusting.

Also, using a religious source as a method of creating political law is precisely the way that societies end up with horrific traditions, like flogging a blogger weekly over insulting Islam. (Not even considering the fact that Leviticus 18:22 is now actually thought to be on the subject of rape not homosexuality.)

Also, the argument that this is a matter of states' rights (being that states being forced to accept gay marriage is unconstitutional) is also not quite sound. It is thought, by those who support gay marriage, that having "equal protection" includes marriage considering the social and economic benefits marriage comes with. By that logic, these laws would be violating the state's and federal government's constitution, and is therefore is not a matter of states' rights.

The fact of the matter is, this is a social issue that needs to be swiftly handled once and for all. It is no longer acceptable for a human being to be denied the right to marry who they love. There is nothing else to it. It does not matter who it offends or who disagrees with it.

Love is love.

That's all I have to say for today, but I'll be back Monday.

"Never allow the poor access to education if you want to keep your grip of power. When you have to rule by telling everyone there is a monster under the bed, the worst thing you can do is give them a flashlight to see if it is true." -Tynghedfen Anreese

Does Vladimir Putin Have Aspergers?

There is no doubt that the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has never been one to make well-organized and carefully constructed decisions. Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, put it lightly when she was overheard telling Barack Obama that Putin was out of touch with reality.

Putin has shown the world his rather irrefutably strange behavior over the past year, for example when he stormed out of the G20 summit after Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper told him;

 "I guess I'll shake your hand, but I have only one thing to say to you: you need to get out of Ukraine."

There is that, and not even mentioning the fact that he did invade a small, defenseless country and demand that he was not actually invading it. Naturally, the Russian-speaking, Russian-uniformed, soldiers who claimed they were Russian, were not his Russian soldiers.

So perhaps it was not as surprising as it may have otherwise been when USA TODAY acquired a 2008 study conducted by the Pentagon which theorized that Putin has Aspergers. Aspergers is an autistic disorder that would, if he actually had it, cloud every decision (socially and morally) that he made. Brenda Connors, who is an expert in movement pattern analysis at the United States Naval War College in Newport, R.I. Studies of his movement, Connors wrote;

"His neurological development was significantly interrupted in infancy, so much so that the Russian President carries a neurological abnormality."

Naturally, researchers cannot prove this kind of accusatory theory without the direct consent of Vladimir Putin (which they will never receive). So, thus, it is just a hypothesis, and one that may or may never be proven or disproven. However, there is, without doubt, something strange going on within the skull of Vladimir.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"Fairy tales are more than true. Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten." -G.K. Chesterton

The Islamic State Will Never Release A Prisoner

The Islamic State, who is known for their disgustingly brutal methods and tactics, has released their most recent video in which the Jordanian pilot, Muadh al-Kasasbeh, was burned alive while held hostage inside a metal-barred cage.

The militant group has been negotiating with Jordan for a great deal of time over the hostage exchange of the pilot in turn for the release of a female member of ISIL, however, it is thought that the hostage being killed could have been conducted and filmed even as early as January 3rd.

I will not be showing the video on this post, as I have seen it myself and was taken back by the sheer (obvious) gruesomeness of it. However, a quick Google search will satisfy that curiosity if it truly fits your taste.

Kasasbeh's F-16 aircraft crashed on December 24th, 2014 in an Islamic State-controlled Syria where he was then captured by the extremist group. Then, in the video, a trail of gasoline can be seen leading to the captive's cage. Once the trail was lit, the captive was engulfed in flame. After a brief struggle hanging on between life and death, the man was killed.

As a result, the captive woman belonging to the group being held by the Jordanian government was set to be executed "within hours".

This disgusting group regularly leaves me absolutely speechless. Pacifism should always be the preferred method of solving problems, as violence is never a pleasant friend to be welcomed. However, this group's horror films remind us, once again that we should not be scared of them, but see them as the cowards they are. Although violence is never ideal, it seems that in situations such as this, the option lies between sparing the lives of innocent people, or taking the lives of evil people.

However, never forget exactly what these men are, and that is cowards. Extremism is a poorly-constructed mask that they set on themselves to defend their out-of-date, unbelievably weak ideology and leadership. They spark fear in the hearts of innocent people so that they may push them into submission, where they will continue to rule with fear.

They are monsters. Nothing more. Nothing less.

That's all I have to say, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"I've always loathed the necessity of sleep. Like death, it puts even the most powerful men on their backs." -Frank Underwood

Vaccinations: The Ongoing Debate

There has been an ongoing debate for quite a while over one question: should people be vaccinating their children. Now, this may seem like a strange question, but it's safe to say the answer is more or less obvious.

The primary vaccination in question is the measles vaccination. Who argues the pro? Well, the people insisting on getting vaccinated are doctors, scientists, and medical personnel. The con is argued by naturalists and conspiracy theorists.

President Obama commented on the matter recently during an NBC interview:

"There is every reason to get vaccinated - There is no reason not to. [...] I just want people to know the science and information here. And the fact is that a major success of our civilization is our ability to prevent disease that in the past have devastated folks. And measles is preventable."

The fact is that these beliefs that vaccinations are dangerous (or, at least, more so than the actual disease) are (relatively) unsound. As a matter of fact, the disease was all but entirely wiped out by the vaccination in 2000.

The Center for Disease Control has recently advised that an unprecedented change in people not being vaccinated could lead to an uncontrollable outbreak of the measles.

So you really should get your children, or yourself, vaccinated. Although it may go against your personal beliefs (which would be unsound regardless), not getting your kids vaccinated is dangerous and selfish.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"A reader lives a thousand lives. A man who never reads lives only one." -George R. R. Martin

Burning Books: A Barbaric Atrocity

Throughout history there has always been one characteristic, (whether in literature, film, or reality) that defines a disgustingly authoritarian power, and that is the party's willingness to burn books.

Whether it was in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 or Hitler's Nazi regime, book-burning has always been one of the dominant oppressive actions of a leadership who must use force to inflict its ideals. Using this sort of tactics is, naturally, one of the first signs of a ideologically weak cause.

Therefore, there should be no surprise to the people when extremists have turned to the horrific practice. When the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took control of the Central Library of Mosul last month, their natural first target was the sound ideas of other groups. With that mission in hand, they began to burn over 2,000 books from the library, including children's books, philosophy books, science texts, and any other area they could find.

The only books they left: Islamic texts. They stated that all the books they took promoted infidelity and insulted Allah, and as a result had to be destroyed.

The very idea that any ideology that does not align with your own personal belief system must be destroyed is a disease in and of itself. Although in more developed countries we tend to see ourselves above this sort of practice, no culture is innocent of this crime. Every country has its own difficulties accepting outside beliefs, and although it may not be to as extreme of a degree as the Islamic States', it is still existent.

This fear of other people's beliefs is an issue that will inevitably have to be addressed by the people. It is important that we as a society learn to accept other's cultures. Each system has its own benefits and flaws, and we must see them as such.

That's all I have to say today, but I'll be back tomorrow.

"I wear a mask. And it is not to hide who I am, it's to create what I am." -Brian Azzarello, Batman