Obama Speech on December First 2009

Barack Obama tonight will end months of uncertainty over his Afghanistan policy when he announces a military escalation in an attempt to prevent the war from being lost. Main points so far.

• Troops will start pulling out before the end of 2012
* Extra troops will be deployed in six months
• Obama will send about 30,000 more soldiers
• US wants an extra 5,000 to 10,000 Nato troops

Barack Obama, the Nobel prize winner, is sending 30 000 more troops to Afghanistan! Nobel for Peace? Obama? Very funny…

The issue on Afghanistan is that the Afghan people has never lost a war, even against 110 000 Russians troops. The contradiction is that USA(CIA) helped the Afghan people fight the Russians with modernized weapons and skills, which are now being used to kill American troops in the battle field.

Secretary of Defense, Mr. Gates's knowledge of how the Soviet occupation and its brutalities inflamed local anger contributed to his initial skepticism about a U.S. surge. "I worry a great deal about the size of the foreign military footprint in Afghanistan," he told a Senate hearing in April. "Soviets were in there with 110,000 troops, didn't care about civilian casualties and couldn't win."

Make no mistake, the regular American people areNOT the ones who gain from this war. Corporations and Corrupted Politicians are the ones and only ones who benefits from these actions.

Let’s make PEACE not WAR and come back to our origins of a great America. The American Lobby greedy for more power will be the sole reason for the destruction of the great American dream. Wake Up America!

BTW, Obama, bye bye reelection.

"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." -
-- Abraham Lincoln

July 22, 2009 Solar Eclipse Pictures & Photos

Today was the longest lasting total eclipse of the 21st century, lasting over 6 minutes and 30 seconds in some areas.

The event began just after dawn local time on India's east coast. Several cities including Bhopal and Varanasi will be plunged into complete darkness and the eclipse will passed over some of the most heavily populated places on earth, moving across India, towards China and eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean.

Cuba Joins Venezuela in Accusing US of Supporting Coup Leaders

Cuba has joined Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez in accusing the US of 'providing military support' to the de facto government in Honduras that removed the country's elected leader Manuel Zelaya in a coup.

While speaking in Nicaragua, the Cuban Vice President Esteban Lazo said on Sunday that Havana demands that Washington 'cease its intervention' in Honduras' affairs.

"President Zelaya should be restored to his office, as requested by the Organization of American States (OAS) and other international organizations," said Lazo who representing Cuban President Raul Castro who was in Managua celebrating the 30th anniversary of Nicaragua's Sandinista revolution.

Although the US has a military base in Honduras, Washington has repeatedly condemned Zelaya's ouster, called for his reinstatement.

California Finally Has A Budget

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined legislative leaders Monday night to tell reporters that a budget compromise had finally been reached to patch up the current $26 billion dollar budget gap. The budget will provide temporary relief for California if it survives in the two houses of the State Legislature.

"We are very happy to have a basic agreement," Schwarzenegger said outside his office.

"All around I think it is a really great, great accomplishment," added the Hollywood star turned politician.

Here are the details of the new budget according to PressTV:

Under the currently proposed deal, the state will enforce $15.5 billion in cuts in the education sector and in health and welfare services. Around $4 billion will be taken from local governments, and $2 billion will come from new borrowing.

The state will also employ accounting maneuvers to plug nearly $3 billion of the budget hole, around $1 billion of which will come from assigning end-of-year pay to state workers to the next fiscal year.

Controversial plans to release prisoners early, however, will not take effect even though prisons will be subject to budget cuts. State parks will stay open and an off-shore oil drilling project will get the go-ahead.

College students will also be temporarily shielded from the deteriorating economy as those who have been promised grants this year will be able to receive them.

The plan will not entail tax increases, according to Schwarzenegger.

Although the budget gap will be closed, at least for this year, not everyone is happy with the results.

"This is a sober time because there isn't a lot of good news in this budget," The Associated Press quoted Senate President Darrell Steinberg as saying. "We have cut in many areas that matter to real people, but I think we have done so responsibly."

Karen Bass, the speaker of the California Assembly, in a telephone interview with The New York Times termed the budget as one that would cause pain. "I would characterize this budget as shared pain and shared sacrifice."

"This is, of course, one of the most difficult economic times to face our state since the Great Depression, so none of these were easy choices," said Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee, a Republican. "I think we selected a path which will lead the state back to the point where we will be strong."

A vote on the measures to close the $26 billion deficit is expected on Thursday.

Black Scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. Victim of Racial Profiling

The Boston Globe is reporting that Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested Thursday afternoon at his home by Cambridge.

Gates is one of the nation's pre-eminent African-American scholars and director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard. Questions have been raised by some Harvard faculty that Gates was a victim of racial profiling after he was arrested by police investigating a possible break-in after he locked himself out of his house and was trying to get inside.

Cambridge police booked him for disorderly conduct after reportedly exhibiting volatile behavior.

Friends said Harvard Law School professor Charles Ogletree, who has taken on previous cases with racial implications, is representing Gates.

Iran Observatory to Broadcast Total Solar Eclipse Live Online - July 22, 2009

It is being reported that the Isfahan Kowsar Observatory in Iran will be providing live online coverage of the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century. Those people interested in watching the eclipse can register at universealive.com or isfahancht.ir, but it is recommended that you act fast, as their server can only accommodate a specific number of people.

"Technical limitations do not let more than 10,000 people use the links and astronomy enthusiasts should therefore register as soon as possible," said head of the IT department Mohammad Akouchkian.

"Those who sign up will also be able to make use of a question-and-answer audio program in Persian while watching the event," he added.

The website will also post a video of the eclipse one hour after the event for those who were unable to watch live.

The eclipse is scheduled take place on Wednesday July 22, 2009, and will the longest lasting eclipse until it is surpassed in duration on June 13, 2132.

Totality of the eclipse will last for up to 6 minutes and 39 seconds, with the maximum eclipse occurring in the ocean at 02:35:21 UTC about 100 km south of the Bonin Islands, southeast of Japan. The North Iwo Jima Island is the landmass with totality time closest to maximum.

UK Prime Minister Says Iran Entitled to Civil Nuclear Program

British prime Minister, Gordon Brown, says that Iran, a signatory state of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, should be allowed to conduct a nuclear program aimed at peaceful civil purposes. He also said that in order to rid the world of nuclear weapons the international community must engage Iran with nuclear talks.

"We must work globally both to establish the security conditions that will enable a world free from nuclear weapons and to overcome the technical and policy challenges associated with the complete abolition of nuclear weapons," said Brown.

"All states, including Iran and North Korea, have a right to such access -- and we are ready to help, so long as these states reject the development of nuclear weapons," he added.

The British official went on to say that London is committed "to ensuring that nations have access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes".

Iran has repeatedly stated that there are no plans in the works to develop a nuclear weapon, although the US and some of its allies disagree.

There has been no evidence found by the United Nations that supports the claims of the United States.

Crazy Story of the Day - Upcoming Military Robot Could Feed on Dead Bodies

No your eyes are not deceiving you, a Maryland based company under contract to the Pentagon is currently working on a robot that will be able to consume dead bodies in order to power itself.

The bot, made by Robotic Technology Inc.'s, is called an Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot — that's right, "EATR".

EATR "can find, ingest, and extract energy from biomass in the environment (and other organically-based energy sources), as well as use conventional and alternative fuels (such as gasoline, heavy fuel, kerosene, diesel, propane, coal, cooking oil, and solar) when suitable," reads the company's Web site.

The robot won't only be able to consume dead bodies, which are plentiful in a war zone an full of energy, but it will be able to use any organic compound, such as wood, paper, and plants, to power itself for weeks, even years, at a time without having to be refueled or serviced.

EATR will be powered by the Waste Heat Engine developed by Cyclone Power Technology of Pompano Beach, Fla., which uses an "external combustion chamber" burning up fuel to heat up water in a closed loop, generating electricity.

Using the EATR platform, the Pentagon will have the potential build all sorts of things — a transport, an ambulance, a communications center, even a mobile gunship.

Robotic Technology is presenting EATR to the press and public as a benign artificial creature that fills its belly through "foraging," despite the obvious military purpose.

American has this technology already, yet I still hear chants of "Drill, baby. Drill!" ringing in my head. Why is it that the best technology is reserved for the military?

Introduce EATR to the general public and it will be like having a few million compost machines on the road. Not to mention the fact that it is being developed to run for years without service (good-bye quarterly oil changes!).

I can imagine myself throwing all of those worthless phone books that are constantly being delivered to me into an EART car, along with banana peels and last nights leftovers, then taking a nice fuel efficient drive up the coast (after all this thing essentially runs off of steam, that's right - good old H2O).


If you like what I have to say, or even if you hate it, follow me on Twitter (@WavesDream) and let me know!


...

Israel Troops Speaking Out About Gaza War Tactics

Israeli troops are coming out to tell the world the horrors of the war zone within the Gaza Strip - and what is being said is haunting.

Troops have been urged by their commanders to shoot first rather than worry about killing civilians, a document from an Israeli activist group shows.

"Better hit an innocent than hesitate to target an enemy," one soldier is recorded as saying, speaking about instructions given to him in advance of the 22-day campaign against Palestinians in Gaza, which ran from December 27 to January 18.

Another soldier interpreted the orders passed down to him from superiors as: "If you're not sure, kill ... In urban warfare, anyone is your enemy. No innocents."

Troops were told to proceed in this way due to the high occurrence of suicide bombers.

The document, published by Breaking the Silence, also gives an insight into Israel's policy of house demolitions and its use of white phosphorus, a controversial weapon that can cause chemical burns.

One soldier said that his unit had received orders to "ignite" an area.

"The way to do that was to actually fire phosphorus shells from above," he said.

"What the phosphorus does is to let out an umbrella of fire over the target and naturally that ignites the whole house."

Soldiers said that the use of white phosphorus bombardments was "upsetting" with one adding, "because in training you learn that white phosphorus is not used, and you're taught that it's not humane".

International law allows the use of white phosphorus only as an "obscurant" used to cover troop movements and prevent enemies from using certain guided weapons.

There were also reports of using human shields, called the "Neighbour Procedure" by soldiers fighting in Gaza. In this procedure civilians are forced to enter suspect buildings ahead of troops, with some cases citing civilians advancing in front of troops resting their rifles on civilians' shoulders.

Another report by rights-group Amnesty International accused Israel of "breaching laws of war" saying that it put children and other civilians in harm's way "by forcing them to remain in or near houses which they took over and used as military positions."

A four-member team is investigating the strike in Gaza as the United Nations is accusing Israel of possible war crimes during the 22-day strike that killed 1,3000 Palestinians (many of which were children) and 13 Israelis.

According to the UN, Gaza is just now beginning to clear over 600,000 tons of rubble, six months after the raid ended.

Israel accuses the UN branch carrying out the mission of bias against it.

There are also growing concerns for the health and well being of the people within Gaza because aid shipments have not been allowed to cross into the strip since Israel upped its blockade of the area.

Please, people, be aware of where your news comes from. Most US organizations have Israeli interests, either on a personal or conglomerate level. And wherever the media interests lie is where political interests lead to. Imagine if Barack Obama said something against what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people - he would be ridiculed by media outlets everywhere, which are owned in majority by people with Israeli interests. Obama, or anyone in the public arena for that matter, who would dare to speak out against what I believe is genocide, would be beat down into a pulp by the media which would then trickle down to us folks at home leaving any chance at real change (and re-election) at nil.

Do your own research and form your own opinions, because everything you hear on TV has a bias and has people looming in the background that stand to gain something from you acceptance of what they tell you is fact.

What is going on in Gaza is genocide, the systematic eradication of a specific people. And this is not to say that Jews or Israelis in general are bad people, they are not, and most want an end to the war just as much as any Palestinian. This is, however, meant as a reminder that the people in power use us as pawns in their game, and now is the time to get up and walk away.

US Hawks Want to Support Terrorists in Iran

Can't say I didn't see this coming.

Democratic Representative and Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Bob Filner and former House Speaker and leading Republican hawk Newt Gingrich (who is a paid spokesman of the Israeli Zionist movement, by the way) have called for greater efforts to topple the Iranian government.

They are suggesting greater support for so called "resistance groups" in Iran, emphasizing the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO), which is listed as a terrorist group in Iran, Iraq, Canada, and the US and is responsible for bombings, killings and attacks against Iranian government officials and civilians over the past 30 years.

The two also talked of a "sabotage" of Iran's oil and gas industry, which would then trigger an economic crisis bringing down the Iranian government.

"[We] should use covert operations to create a gasoline-led crisis to try and replace the regime," Gingrich was quoted as saying.

This wouldn't be the first time a known terrorist group would be supported by the US and the idea of attacking Iran's oil industry isn't new either.M any leading analysts and politicians have already explored its feasibility and effectiveness, but there is generally little outward talk of support for a terrorist group.

According to Presstv MKO has claimed responsibility for killings of such Iranian leaders as the late president Mohammad-Ali Rajaei, prime minister Mohammad-Javad Bahonar and judiciary chief Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti.

The MKO is also known to have cooperated with former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hossein in suppressing the 1991 uprisings in southern Iraq and the massacre of Iraqi Kurds.

The organization is also notorious for using cult-like tactics against its own members and for torturing and murdering its defectors.

In a report by Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh it was revealed that the US is already spending USD 400 million to fund covert operations inside Iran. Like maybe the post-election riots? Maybe?

More information on the subject via Presstv:

Other than the MKO, other terrorist groups, such as PJAK and Jundullah, are believed to be the beneficiaries of the US plan.

PJAK is an offshoot of the internationally-recognized terrorist group the Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK that carries out its deadly operations in Iran's Western Kurdish populated regions.

A 2006 article published by The New Yorker suggested that the US military and Israel provide PJAK separatists with equipment, training and intelligence to destabilize Iran.

A 2007 Sunday Telegraph report revealed that the CIA had created Jundullah and provided it with 'arms-length support' and 'money and weapons' to achieve 'regime change in Iran'.

Another report posted by ABC also revealed that US officials had ordered Jundullah to 'stage deadly guerrilla raids inside the Islamic Republic, kidnap Iranian officials and execute them on camera', all as part of a 'programmatic objective to overthrow the Iranian government'.

Anyone who is naive enough to think that the US government and the US media is interested in Iran for anything other than its own gain (read OIL) needs to turn off the TV and take a good look at the facts.

The US is fighting "terrorists" while supporting them at the same time? This makes no sense.

By the way the Webster definition of a terrorist is, "a person who uses terrorism (the use of violence and intimidation) in the pursuit of political gains." If the policies and practices of the US don't fall under the label of terrorism, I don't know what does.

So people, open up your eyes and look around! It is s different world once you leave the Western media bubble.

Obama Will Not Allow More F-22 Fighter Jets

Finally a president who makes intelligent decisions based off of reasoning!

US President Barack Obama said in a letter on Monday that he will veto a Senate defense spending bill for more F-22 fighters (which is the world's costliest fighter jet at $44,000 to operate for just one hour), urging lawmakers to redirect funding to maintain current wars.

The proposed bill requests $680 billion in military spending, but the president said he would veto it "if it supports acquisition of F-22s beyond the 187 already funded by Congress," wrote a Washington Post article.

"We do not need these planes," Obama said in letters to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., and ranking member John McCain, R-Ariz.

Obama felt that there was no need to spent the money on Cold War era weapons that would "waste valuable resources that should be more usefully employed to provide our troops with the weapons that they actually do need."

Critics have agreed with this stance for some years already noting that they are practically useless outside of the Cole War ear.

The Pentagon says that there is more need for unmanned aircraft used to gather intelligence in Afghanistan and maintain its war against insurgents (choosing who is and who isn't an insurgent is a whole other issue for me).

US lawmakers believe that they need the advanced warplane against China.

China? Really?

A Step in the Right Direction - Myanmar to Release Political Prisioners

Authorities in Myanmar (Burma) have announced that they are planning on releasing some political prisoners and allowing them to take part in the nations 2010 elections.

The move comes after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Myanmar's military rulers to free political prisoners to ensure a "free and fair" election in the country.

"The (Myanmar) government needs to deliver on the promise to make the 2010 elections inclusive, free and fair and to take the necessary steps on my specific proposals in the very near future," Ban said Monday in a briefing to the UN Security Council on his recent two-day trip to Myanmar.

Myanmar's UN ambassador Than Swe said that his government "intends to implement all appropriate recommendations that the secretary-general had proposed."

Sixty-four year old Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is among one of the estimated 2,100 prisoners that may be freed by Myanmar's junta, although it is not clear how many of the prisoners the government intends to release.

Ban called today's announcement by calling it "a good sign" but said he will continue to pressure the country's military leaders on the issue.

"This is encouraging, but I will have to continue to follow up how they will implement all the issues raised during my visit in Myanmar."

Israel & Egypt Aligning Against Iran via Suez Canal

Two Israeli warships have been spotted traversing the Egyptian owned Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea. This is fueling speculation that the waterway will play a part in a possible attack against Iran.

The two ships, the Hanit and the Eilat, crossed from the Mediterranean Sea into the Red Sea on Tuesday.

Israel's Yediot Aharonot said "Egypt and Israel wanted to show their coordination in the face of Iran pursuing its nuclear program."

This crossing was intended as a message to Iran.

Previously, Israeli submarines took weeks to round the whole of Africa and arrive at the Red Sea. Israeli vessels generally do not use the Suez Canal due to intelligence reasons.

Israel, the only country in the Middle East that possesses a nuclear arsenal, has routinely accused Iran of using its uranium enrichment program to develop nuclear weapons, with the intent of attacking Israel. The US and other Western allies back this claim.

Iran continues to deny these charges and says that under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of which the country is a signatory, it is entitled to conduct a nuclear program for civilian purposes.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, operated by the United Nations, has conducted numerous inspections of Iranian nuclear activities and has not found and evidence proving Israel's claims. There is no proof suggesting that Iran is indeed pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.

Wedding Bouquet Crashes Plane in Italy

File this under random occurrences.

In Italy a bride was throwing her bouquet to a group of single women when it got sucked into the turbines of a plane. The engine of the plane, which was hired by the couple to fly them out after the ceremony, caught fire and exploded.

After the engine exploded the plane took a nosedive straight into a youth hostel. Thankfully none of the 50 hostel residents were injured and the pilot of the airplane came away unharmed. The bride, Sidoro Pensieri, suffered multiple fractures and head injury.

San Diego, Did You Feel the Earthquake Today?

I hail from NorCal where earthquakes are pretty much a given. The earth shakes much less in SoCal, and generally living down here I can feel the slightest shake. But not today - I was too busy singing out loud in my car!

There was a 4.0 magnitude earthquake off the San Diego coast this morning at 7:34am. It was centered 19 miles southwest of La Jolla and 22 miles west of the coastal town of Coronado.

There were no reports of damage.

Weeklong Oil Leak Devastates Iran River, Kills 30,000 Animals

I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area when the COSCO Busan oil tanker ran right into the Bay Bridge spilling 53,500 gallons (200,000 litres) of bunker fuel into the San Francisco Bay. I remember the response it got - anger, disgust, sadness, and a reminder of the terrible effects oil spills present.

In Iran it was just discovered that a crude oil pipe has been leaking for weeks, or even months, into the Kashkan River. Authorities still don't even know where the leak is coming from.

“The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) officials have not been able to stop the leakage in the Serkan-Makuh pipeline since last Saturday,” head of the Environmental Organization for Luristan Province Abdolrahim Kakavand told ILNA news agency on Saturday.

“The leakage might have been active for weeks or months since it is an underground pipeline. Therefore it is difficult to locate the leaking point,” he added.

“NIOC has been digging about 100 meters around the leaking pipe but the exact location of the leak has not been found yet,” he explained.

The leak was detected Thursday morning in the 10-inch (25.4 cm) oil pipeline along the Serkan-Makuh axis, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the town of Pol-e Dokhtar in Luristan.

The leak continued for 19 hours after it was discovered and polluted about 45 kilometers (28 miles) of the River Kashkan, resulting in the death of some 30,000 marine animals. In comparison, the COSCO Busan oil spill is known to have killed 2,519 birds: 1,084 birds were collected alive (664 of which died; 421 of which were rehabilitated and released) and 1,856 were collected dead.

Kakavand described the damage to the region's ecosystem as "irreparable".

Oil leaks like this routinely occur throughout the Middle East, destroying ecosystems and wrecking havoc on local communities and fisheries. The COSCO Busan oil spill was all over the news for weeks but I'm sure few people will ever hear about this spill in Iran and others that occur throughout the region, which are often ignored for huge periods of time.

We need to hold oil companies and the governments that support them accountable for the damage they cause outside of normal public viewing. The COSCO Busan spill was attributed to many factors such as the crew, the Japanese government, and local Coast Guard authorities, all of which received heavy fines (for killing protected birds), punishment (jail time for the captain), and criticism. I can almost guarantee that nobody will pay for the spill in Iran, and I wonder if there will even be a cleanup crew sent out.

Restricted Calorie Diet Decreases Effects of Aging

According to a study published in Science, a diet that restricts calories by 30% delays the aging process, which in turn reduces the risk of death from age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and brain atrophy.

Adopting a restricted calorie diet reduced age-related diseases by a factor of three.

Animals on a restricted diet were also reported to have more brain volume in certain regions, suggesting that diet may affect brain health as well.

Scientists are optimistic that a long-term calorie-restricted diet would result in similar results in human studies.

Language Skills Predict Alzheimer's Risk

Individuals with superior language skills are placed at a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in the long run, a new study finds.

According to the study published in Neurology, individuals with good language skills are less likely to develop memory problems even in the presence of signs pointing to dementia-related brain damage.

Plaque formation in the brain leads to the development of dementia symptoms only in certain individuals, which has puzzled scientists for years. But a new study revealed that women with brain damage but no memory problems had higher language scores.

The study, which was reported on presstv said,

Women who retain a normal memory in the presence of brain damage are also reported to have larger brain cells, indicating that these cells grow as the body's early response to the onset of dementia, with the aim of preventing the condition.

Scientists concluded that the mental and intellectual abilities in the early 20s may predict the risk of developing dementia in the next five or six decades.

Obama Tells Africa "Yes You Can" During Historic Visit

US President Barack Obama made a historic visit to Ghana on the African continent. His choice to stop in Ghana reinforces his previous statements of praise for the nation that is trying to rebuild peacefully from the ground up towards a new future.

Obama began his impassioned speech by telling Africans to battle tyranny and to understand that history takes the side of the brave who fight for change.

"We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans. I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world," said Obama.

"I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story," he continued, after which he denounced corruption and laid out his vision of a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Africa.

"You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities," he continued. "You can conquer disease, end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move."

Obama praised numerous African nations for taking the initiative and "controlling their destiny" through peaceful means, saying that history will redeem such "brave Africans" for their suffering but would not forgive "those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power".

"Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions," he said

Although Obama focused on change and his view for a prosperous future for Africa, he also touched on militancy in Somalia and genocide in Sudan's Darfur region, describing the issues as "global security challenges" which need the attention of the international community.

Hopefully this will be the kick in the ass we all need to concentrate our international actions on a suffering Africa rather than oil fields in the Middle East. While people across cyberspace are protesting the post-election results in Iran, hundreds are dying of starvation, malnutrition, and lack of water throughout Africa. The situation is being further exasperated by governmental corruption and greed, as well as deteriorating environmental conditions.

Iran Works Out New Nuclear Proposal to Present to the West

With hopes of ending the nuclear standoff between Iran and Western nations, Tehran is working out a new proposal package. The plan will address issues pertinent to politics, security and the economy. It is also expected to suggest ways in which Iran will prove that it does not pursue hostility with its nuclear program and foreign policy approach.

"We are formulating a new package, which covers a range of political, security and international issues and can be a basis for talks on regional and international affairs," said Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

Iran has already provided several packages in response to Western proposals, which offered Iran certain economic incentives in exchange for Iran halting its uranium enrichment activities.

Although Iran is a member of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which enables the nation to use nuclear technology for peaceful civilian purposes, UN resolutions have called for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program.

At the end of the recent G8 summit US President Barack Obama said Iran must understand that world countries are "seriously concerned" over its nuclear work and that they would not wait "indefinitely" to allow Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon.

Obama also made it clear that he and other G8 leaders want to work out a solution to the standoff that will benefit all nations involved.

G8 Leaders Enjoy 5-Course Meal Before Hunger Talks

Hypocritical much?

On the eve of a G8 summit that will focus on world hunger and food shortages, diplomats enjoyed a five course meal.

"A hunger emergency looms and the world must act," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, because having a five course meal surely helps the hunger emergency.

The dinner, which was hosted by the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, started with a warm tomato salad with cheese followed by hand-made macaroni with ragu sauce, roast lamb with beans and summer truffles with eggplant, green beans and roast potatoes, cheese and a sweet pizza dessert made with almonds.

Also, on a separate menu the spouses of the leaders' dined had their choice between four starters before lamb with warm potato salad for the main course and hot and cold chocolate with fennel for dessert, prepared by two-star Michelin Chef Nico Romito.

Non-governmental organizations, such as Oxfam, have lobbying at G8 because of their lack of focus on African nations. The developing nations of Africa are being faced with increasing poverty and inequality that is being exacerbated by global economic crisis. Poor families are eating less, being evicted from their homes, and having to pull children out of school.

According to Oxfam, the situation is deteriorating further due to high food prices, the failure of rich countries to deliver on their aid promises, and the growing harmful impact of climate change.

Humanitarian Aid Supplies Expire While Awaiting Entry to Gaza

Egyptian officials announced that they will destroy a large shipment of humanitarian aid that has expired while awaiting permits to enter Gaza. The shipments included food items, pesticide and medicine all of which expired while the shipment awaited Israel's permission at the al-Quja border crossing.

Authorities also announced Friday that they uncovered four tunnels Egypt and Gaza in the Salah Al-Deeb. Other goods - including clothes, blankets and a number of large vessels filled with food - that were said to be smuggled into Gaza were also confiscated from a warehouse nearby.

Israel has toughened its blockade to the populated Gaza strip ever since Hamas took the control of the area. Aid agencies have warned that the area, home to almost two million people, is facing a humanitarian crisis.

UN Call for Israel to Tear Down Apartheid Wall

Richard Falk, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, called on Israeli leaders cease construction of the 7-year old Apartheid Wall in the West Bank. He requested that Israelis tear down the wall because it is illegal under international law.

"Tear down that wall, Mr. Netanyahu," said Falk on Thursday addressing the Israeli prime minister.

"There will be no peace between these two peoples until Israel shows respect for Palestinian rights under international law," added Falk. "And a good place to start would be with the wall."

In response to Falk, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement claiming that the ICJ's "attack" was a result of "a politically-motivated maneuver."

"Israel cannot accept this politicization of the Court... If there were no terrorism, there would be no fence," said the statement. "Israel calls on the international community not to lend its hand to the ongoing Palestinian attempts to use international forums to avoid fulfilling their own commitment to fight terrorism."

In 2002, the Israeli Zionist regime began building the barrier in the West Bank village of Ni'lin, cutting off a vast expanses of Palestinian land under the pretext of "protecting" Israeli settlers from "terrorist attacks" from Palestinian resistance movements.

In comparison, the Berlin wall was only 155 kilometers in length versus the Apartheid Wall's 723-kilometer (449-mile) length.

Chavez Says CIA Has Hand in Honduras Coup

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has been very vocal about his disapproval over the military coup in Honduras, is pointing a finger at the US for not taking swift action over the ousting of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.

"The United States is supporting it," said Chavez, "I'm not saying it's Obama [the coup in Honduras]. It's a challenge to Obama," the Venezuelan President reiterated.

Washinngton has been criticized for not removing its top envoy to Honduras, as many other European and Latin American nations have done, in protest of the coup."Why don't you give an ultimatum to the coup plotters, like we did?" questioned Chavez, "Up until now, there are contradictions."

Hugo Chavez has also gone one step further and halted all oil shipments to Honduras.

The military coup is against all political and diplomatic practices as well as every democratic principle. There are legal channels that should be taken if a president has abused power, as other Honduran leaders, such as interim president Roberto Micheletti, claim.

There have been no coups in Central America since the Cold War. But during the Cold War era the US backed a number of coups. The US still has several hundred troops stationed in Honduras. And although Washington has stated that it only recognizes Zelaya as president Chavez believes the CIA most definately has some involvement, "They will have to get to the bottom of how much of a hand the CIA and other imperial bodies had in this," he said.

Man Regains Sight After 12 Years, Sees Wife For First Time

In an amazing, and somewhat bizarre, medical procedure Martin Jones, who lost his sight 12 years ago when a vat of molten aluminum exploded on his face, got his first glimpse of his wife of four years.

"When I found out there was a chance I would get my sight back the first person I wanted to see was her," he said. And that is exactly what he did, "The doctors took the bandages off and it was like looking through water and then I saw this figure and it was her. She's wonderful and lovely. It was unbelievable to see her for the first time."

"Getting my sight back has changed my life. It is such a precious gift and you don't really appreciate it until it is taken away," Jones explains.

Here is how the amazing procedure was accomplished (via presstv):

The procedure involves removing a tiny section of the patient's tooth, reshaping and carving it to grip the manmade lens which is then placed in its core.

It is then implanted inside an eyelid until it becomes covered in living tissue.

The doctors opted to use a segment of one of Jones' teeth, as they feared a plastic implant could be rejected by his body.

A tissue of skin is then taken from inside the cheek of the patient and placed in the eye for two months, where it gradually grows its own blood supply.

The segment of the tooth - a canine - is finally transplanted into the eye socket, and the patch of grafted skin is then partially lifted from the eye and placed over its new secure base.

The last step is for the surgeons to cut a hole in the grafted cornea to allow the light through.

And what is it like gaining sight after 12 years in the dark?

"I feel fantastic getting my sight back," he said. "I can't really describe it - it's beyond words. I was blind for 12 years and when my sight came back everything had changed."

Western Nations Regretting Harsh Iran Stance Post-Elections

Imagine that... Top law makers in nations throughout Europe are recanting their harsh criticism on Iran after the June 12 presidential elections and the ensuing riots.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband recently phoned his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki and apologized for the irrational words and actions against Iran.

The Presidential Elections in Iran drew a record number of voters to polling stations with the result being a victory for incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Many Western nations had been rooting for Hossein Moussavi, a moderate, who had made clear that he was more willing to engage with the West than President Ahmadinejad.

No Proof of Iran Nuclear Bomb

Surprise, surprise. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) incoming Director - General Yukiya Amano announced today that there is no evidence of Iran possessing nuclear capabilities or enriching nuclear bomb grade uranium. He did go on to say that Iran should follow the guidelines set out for them by the UN Security Council.

'Iran and other countries are under obligation to implement these Security Council resolutions," Amano said in his first press conference as the newly elected Director. "I hope the implementation by Iran and other countries will further help the agency to discharge its responsibilities."

The US and its European allies have routinely accused Iran of enriching uranium to levels of bomb making capabilities. Iran has held its ground, though, that its enrichment program is for peaceful civilian purposes and is entitled to these technologies.

I agree that Iran should be allowed to enrich uranium to be used peacefully. Iran is still far from having the knowledge or ability to enrich uranium to the levels that are needed to make a nuclear bomb. Beyond that, its centrifuges rarely are in working condition, moreover, they rarely work all together at the same time, which is necessary to attain high levels of enrichment.

Again I point to the similarities between Iraq and what is now happening in Iran. There is no conclusive evidence of foul play going on in Tehran. Additionally, further sanctions against Iran will serve to alienate the people of the Middle East more so than they already are.

Open up you eyes and smell the black gold - that is the only reason Western nations are interested in the Middle East.

The Similiarties Between Iraq and Iran are too Obvious to Ignore

After the post-election riots in Iran many nations sternly criticized the actions of the Iranian security forces. But early this week it was revealed that the rioters emotional flames were stoked by outside terrorists.

I really am convinced that the UK and the US had a hand in stirring up the emotions of the Iranian people - not that the Iranians didn't have a reason to feel upset - and manipulated what was actually going on there, via the media. Our government wants us emotionally involved.

The US and its European allies accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons - a charge continuously rejected by Iran. The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also says it has not found any evidence to support the US's claims.

Does this sound familiar yet? Think back to the months prior to the invasion of Iraq. Remember being told how Saddam Hussein was a terrible dictator (he was, but is it really the place of the US to oust him, we don't do it for other countries like Burma) followed by the claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) The claim that Iraq had WMDs was shot down repeatedly by the United Nations but was ignored by the US. It was only later that the American people were told that we had been mislead - after hundreds of American deaths and thousands of Iraqi deaths. Now, the same day that the US began its withdraw from Iraq, the first oil fields went up for auction. Coincidence?

If you can't see where this is heading by now, then you probably have the same IQ as Sarah Palin (South Africa is a country, not a continent? What countries are in North America?). Iran has huge oil reserves and the US has the nation surrounded on all sides. Just on Monday US forces attempted to hijack an Iranian oil field near the boarder with Iraq, which also coincidentally occurred the same day that the troop withdraw began.

There a lot of people out there that may call me a conspiracy theorist, hell sometimes it is from my own family. But I challenge you, turn off your TV for a week or two and get your news somewhere other than CNN, MSNBC, or FOX (I like presstv.com). You will find that suddenly, without all of the hypnotic advertisements and media correspondents that bombard your household more often than not, you will see that there are more questions that need to be asked. Questions that the media outlets love to quickly hurdle over, or ignore all together.

Don't ignore the similarities between what happened (and still is happening) in Iraq to what is beginning in Iran. To do so would be asinine.

Iran Will Support Those Effected by Riots

The Iranian government announced Wednesday that it will be supporting the families that were effected by the post-election riots in Terhan via the Martyrs Foundation. At least 20 people were killed in the riots.

The news was announced after officials in Iran were informed that terrorists had infiltrated among protesters to provoke unrest.

I wonder what their definition of a "terrorist" is. I'm sure it is probably very different than the picture that comes up in the American mind, and actually, for them, may very well be a picture of an American.

US Pulls Out of Iraq, BP Heads In

The US began pulling troops out of Iraq yesterday. Today Iraq held its first oil and gas field auction. The field up for grabs was for the biggest field al-Rumaila, which presently produces 950,000 barrels per day and has 17.8 billion barrels in crude reserves. The giant UK company BP won the auction and will increase its output production to 2,850,000 barrels per day.

Saddam Hussein's removal was supposed to open the flood gates for Iraq's oil potential, and that potential was finally realized today.

The fact that the oil fields were opened for auction one day after the US began its troop pull-out further solidifies my belief that the war in Iraq was for oil. Period.

Cap and Trade Vote Today in US House of Representatives

There is still debating going on to decide if a cap and trade system will benefit the environment at the cost to the economy. Soon, though, debates will be finalized with a vote by the US House of Representatives to either accept or reject the bill, which was endorsed by President Barack Obama.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on the bill between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST today, and the Democratic party needs at least 218 from the 435 seats in Congress. The bill proposes, for the first time in the U.S., to set national limits on emissions of greenhouse gases from power plants, refineries and factories.

The cap-and-trade system will be set up as an incentive program for companies to find less polluting ways of generating power. The government will give companies permits to pollute but they will have a capped limit. When a company exceeds the permit amount it has the option to buy additional permits from other companies or would be forced to find ways to reduce its pollution.

A better system for controlling pollution and green house gasses has been a top priority for the Obama Administration, which cites increased national security as a major factor - alternative energies reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

The Ark of the Covenant to be Revealed in Ethiopia

There have been movies and books dedicated to the topic of, and quest for, the Ark of the Covenant. Although theologians have never been able to agree on the Ark’s fate, many believe Menelik I, son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and first Jewish emperor of Ethiopia, brought it to Ethiopia.

The Ark of the Covenant is a sacred container that was written about in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is said to contain the original Ten Commandments tablets, as well as some manna, the mythical food that the Israelites ate while wandering through the desert. It is said to be made of wood, but covered in pure gold. Two cherubim face each other, their wings outspread to forming the “throne of God” on top of the Ark.

The head of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia, Abuna Pauolos, announced that the Ark of the Covenant will be revealed to the world tomorrow. He made the announcement while visiting Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican, confirming its presence in Ethiopia: “Soon the world will be able to admire the Ark of the Covenant described in the Bible as the container of the tablets of the law that God delivered to Moses and the center of searches and studies for centuries.”

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church says that the Ark sits under lock and key in the Chapel of the Tablet, near the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion. “The Ark of the Covenant is in Ethiopia for many centuries. As a patriarch I have seen it with my own eyes and only few highly qualified persons could do the same, until now," said Pauolos.

The Ark is considered the greatest of all hidden treasures and many argue that its discovery would provide indisputable truth that the Old Testament is hard fact.

The 2010 Census - Now Open to Gay Marriages

We don't know where the order came from within the White House, but the order has in fact been made to include gay marriages in the 2010 US Census, which is conducted every 10 years. This is the first time gay marriages will be included in the census count.

In my opinion, this is a great move on the part of the Obama administration. It gives the gay community some much needed acknowledgment from the federal government and it will give Obama a better understanding of just how many gay couples there are in the US, which I'm sure will figure into his run for re-election in 2012. Also the numbers that come out of the census will justify programs, illustrate the need for certain bills, and give a sense of size for a particular voting bloc. The census will also help counter a general tendency toward simply ignoring the existence of gays.

Today the gay community has a reason to celebrate - they will no longer be invisible. And hopefully this small step by the federal government will lead to more progress for equal rights for all Americans.

Tape Reveals Nixon's Abortion Views

A tape was released today that was recorded in the Oval Office by President Nixon after the Supreme Court's 1973 decision legalizing abortion. The tape details his private reaction to the decision. In it he stated that he believed some abortions were necessary, as in cases of rape or interracial mating.

The tape was released 36 years after it was made and it really shows you how the times have changed - abortion should only be ok for interracial mating, what is that?

Solano and San Diego County Joining Medical Marijuana Card Club

Welcome friends! Solano and San Diego Counties will soon be joining the majority of California counties by adopting a medical marijuana card system after years of hold-out.

In 1996 Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, passed in California allowing seriously ill people access to medical marijuana. In 2005 medical marijuana cards started to be issued throughout the state but in 2006 Solano and San Diego counties challenged the law, claiming federal law superseded state law. Since this court action ten other counties have held out on issuing ID cards while they waited for the ruiling to come back.

Solano and San Diego counties lost the appeal in the California courts, and in May 2009 the case was thrown out of the Supreme Court. This means that there is now a statewide minimum guideline of 6 mature plants OR 12 immature plants AND up to 8 ounces of processed cannabis flowers. Cities and counties have been given the power to set guidelines that are greater than those amounts, but not less.

Check out city & country specific medical marijuana guidelines.

5.4 and 4.0 Earthquake Strike Alaska

Monday has been quite a wild ride for the folks over in Alaska where there have been a series of earthquakes since this afternoon. The first earthquake was at 11:28 a.m local time 88km outside of Anchorage.

"This event was felt widely in the Anchorage area and as far away as Fairbanks," the Alaska Earthquake Information Center said in a statement.

Several aftershocks followed the main 5.4 quake, including a 4.0 magnitude one near the epicenter of the first earthquake.

The Alaska Earthquake Information Center also said that another earthquake occurred at11:55 a.m. with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6. This earthquake took place in the state's Andrean of Islands region.

For more information and maps check out the US Geologica Survey's (USGS) page on Alaska.

Extremely Odd Weather in Botswana

This time of the year in Botswana it is very dry, but something extremely rare happened - a June thunderstorm.

This time of the year (which has opposite seasons from the Northern hemisphere) Botswana goes through a long winter drought until the summer life-giving rains arrive.

This week, however, the weather went a bit crazy as clouds appeared and mounted into thunderstorms, drenching the dry Botswana which lies mainly in the Kalahari Desert.

By Wednesday, rainfall nearby 4 inches at the capital, Gabarone. Even more rain, 5.3 inches of it, washed over Orapa, well north of Gabarone. Every area of the nation reported over at least 1 inch of rain, with the hardest-hit spots getting about 8 inches of rain since the start of the week. This is compared to normal rainfall throughout Botswana that ranges from virtually unknown to about 0.25 of an inch.

Rare June rain also hit a few areas of northern South Africa, western Zimbabwe, western Zambia, eastern Namibia and southeastern Angola.

Seattle, Washington Eathquake

Today an early morning earthquake shook the people of Seattle and the Puget Sound area awake. The earthquake, reported by the US Geological Society as a 4.5, occurred at 5:25am Friday morning. There were no reported injuries or structural damage.

Obama already delivering change

Already, as I have mentioned, the White House website has gotten a makeover. Now President Obama (how good does that sound?) has frozen the pay of White House employees that make over $100,000. He is also cracking the whip on lobbyists that work in government.

As for his promise to close Guantanamo Bay? Well there is already an unsigned draft for the executive order to close Guantanamo circulating the Oval Office.

Today Obama has made it clear to the US and the world that he was serious about bringing around a huge change from the Bush administration.

The New White House Website!!!!

While the outgoing George Dubbya was enjoying his last hour as President, change was occurring at the White House. At 11am today, Inauguration Day, the White house website got a makeover. Out went to old, boring Bush site and in came an advanced and good-looking site.

The new Obama White House website is easy to navigate and full of information about the new administration's policies and plans, as well as a blog and weekly video addresses. The hope is that the site will make government more transparent, allowing the general public to communicate to and participate in their government.

Personally, I am going to love the weekly video addresses. Now I will be able to hear what he has to say without media interpretation. I am so excited! Day one of the presidency: Success

Michelle Obama's Inaguration Dress: they call her mellow yellow

Michelle Obama made a splash in the fashin world today. The First Lady wore a yellow dress and matching overcoat made by Cuban-born Isabel Toledo with a crystal necklace and green leather gloves and shoes.

Yellow, which symbolizes optimism, was a bold choice but Michelle made it work and I think it went well with the overall theme for the day. Today the minute I stepped out into the sun I felt refreshed and optimistic. I don't know if that feeling was because of Barack's swearing in or his wife's standout dress - but either way, I like it.

More than 50 thousand were left homeless in Gaza, says UN

The UN (United Nations) announced Monday that an estimated 50.8 thousand people were homeless in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli offensive the past three weeks.

According to estimates, some 400 thousand people are without access to piped water.

The government of Israel, which announced a ceasefire on Saturday, continues withdrawing troops from the territory and announced it will allow the entry of 143 trucks with humanitarian aid, in addition to 60 thousand liters of fuel.

The current situation of the Gaza strip continues to exist. This situation will need great care and attention from the Obama administration.