A break for Afghanistan?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/world/asia/18mines.html

Depending on your perspective, this might actually be a good thing...

Yes, from just one report, Afghanistan went from a place where just about nobody cares to mineral heaven. This of course means that countries in the West will undoubtedly try to take advantage of these materials. It's what the West does, and has be...en doing it for a very long time. The most salient current example is probably the oil in Iraq, and that American companies like Haliburton are trying to make profit off of Iraq's oil.

While it is obvious that no one likes to see their own country's natural resources being exploited by foreigners, in the Afghans' case, this might not be the worst idea, seeing as most parts of the county doesn't even have roads. According to the article, companies that are eager to exploit the minerals would have to invest billions of dollars to basically build an infrastructure from scratch, everything from mines to roads (possibly railways). This could potentially mean jobs, and a way for Afghans to finally end their dependence on poppy farming.

It is certainly not the best approach to nation-building, and certainly contains an air of colonialism, but it might be the fastest way for Afghanistan to develop itself as a country.

I suspect that Secretary Gates and General Petreus would welcome this news, as recently they were being grilled on Capitol Hill by legislators who have grown impatient with the lack of progress in Afghanistan. The discovery of minerals perhaps would give the Pentagon, as well as the White House, a new cause to stay in the country.

On a side note, the article mentioned two mining / mining assessing companies situated in Canada (one in Toronto, one in Vancouver). It seems like our involvement with Afghanistan lies beyond our government policies. Perhaps it is not a bad thing.

Democrats Challenge Pentagon On Afghanistan

This isn't really the Democrats challenging Pentagon on the war in Afghanistan. This is more like the Democrats whining and asking why they have to keep supporting a war they despise, other than obvious political ramifications if opposed.

The entire American foreign policies institution, whether it be the State Department, Defense, the White House, or the Senate, were slapped in the face months ago when Hamid Karzai was 'elected' as President, in an election that was almost certain to be fraudulent. America's credibility in the international community regarded Afghanistan lived and died with Karzai, and with this election, the US has demonstrated its pathetic inability to really change the region.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Senate Accepts Expanded Fed Audit

You know one is at least somewhat jaded when, upon reading the title "Senate Accepts Expanded Fed Audit", I immediately thought about the ways in which the Fed will be able to find loopholes in the process and continue its semi-secretive antics.

Then there's Chris Dodd, the supposed leader of financial reforms. The man made a lot of money prior to the financial crisis, and how he is trying to 'fix' the system. But seeing as he is not running for reelection, I guess he really is trying to change things now.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Arizona's Next Immigration Target: Children of Illegals

Arizona's Next Immigration Target: Children of Illegals

Jan Brewer and Russell Pearce are crazy. They are nuts. They are irrational ideologues who, driven by demented xenophobia, are using what political powers they have to deny rights to American citizens.

As a result of the American Civil War, in July 9, 1868, the 14th Amendment was adopted to the United States Constitution. The first section states that:

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of live, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

This amendment provides a broad definition of citizenship, and overrules the decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1859), which held that blacks could not be citizens of the United States.

For this particular post, the key point to be taken from the above statement is that ANY person born in the United States is naturally an American.

Some Republicans in Arizona are trying to change this fact.

As you can see from TIME's article, Russell Pearce, the architect of the bill passed several months ago which would permit random inquiries into a person's citizenship status in the state of Arizona, is now planning to introduce a bill that will deny citizenship to children born in the United States with illegal immigrant children.

Not only do I think this is unconstitutional, it is also a sign of the establishment trying to prevent change, and to confront a world in which their kind (Conservative, white) is increasingly becoming the minority, with hostility.

The article says that 58% of Americans polled by Rasmussen think illegal immigrants whose children are born in the United States should not receive citizenship. One has to wonder how this polling process functioned, and should ask this question: were the people polled aware of the fact that the 14th Amendment specifically states that anyone born in the United States is by definition an American citizen?

A large percentage of (perhaps even majority) Americans still have, in broad terms, conservative-leaning views, whether it be social, political, or fiscal issues. Because of this, Americans are often reluctant to make drastic changes towards its foundational values (as we recently witnessed in the brutal battle for a slightly better, but in no way good enough, health care system). I'm sure that if those polled were all aware of the existence of the 14th Amendment, many of them would change their minds and allow children to become Americans.

But of course, this issue regarding citizenship is just the latest installment of a long, tedious immigration debate. Inevitably, discussion regarding illegal immigration usually reverts back to the question of 'why are they (Mexicans) coming here in the first place?' Part of, but not all, of that blame goes to poor governance on the part of the Mexicans. American multinational corporations have long used Mexico for cheap labor, which severely undermines the spending capacities of Mexicans.

It's time for both the United States and Mexico to find a solution to this immigration issue by building an honest, efficient economy, on both sides of the border.

Violent Video Games Touted As Learning Tool

TAKE THAT, non-gamers! ....

"He added that students who played "pro-social" games that promote cooperation were more likely than others to help out in real-life situations like intervening when someone is being harassed."
REALLY!? I don't normally associate nerdy-gamers with helpy-helpers

"Bavelier said playing the kill-or-be-killed games can improve peripheral vision and the ability to see objects at dusk, and the games can even be used to treat amblyopia, or lazy eye, a disorder characterized by indistinct vision in one eye"
Is it just me or do other people also think that these professors are being 'sponsored' by the video games lobbyists?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

4G Apple iPhone, Sprint EVO: Worth The Hype?

I don't think the companies are investing too much time and money to hype their latest 4G phones. They can sense it themselves that the new models are nothing revolutionary, but are instead improvements of the previous generations of phones.

The new iphone, which just about everyone speculates will make its debut in the summer, will likely be better than the iphone 3GS in every aspect, but most owners of the iphone 3GS (the non-'geeks') are unlikely to upgrade because of the new features in the new iphone.

I don't own an iphone 3GS, and my current phone, the LG Viewty Smart, is beyond disappointing. Perhaps a '4G' phone will be my choice.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Merkel Acknowledges 'Bitter Defeat' At Polls

Oh Angela. Perhaps it's time for the dreaded two words: Raise Taxes. But of course, you can't, because you are in a coalition with the Free Democrats. But if you cut spending, you might lose the next election. What to do?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost