"U.S. soldier in Afghanistan goes on a shooting rampage." If anything is surprising about this, it's that it took so long to happen. We have a culture that glorifies violence, and praises aggression as the American way to solve problems. Our educational system is completely devoid of tolerance and diversity instruction, has failed to equip students with adequate job skills, and completely down-plays the greatest of American traits, a overriding respect for the content of one's character. And then we fill the frontlines of our military, literally the faces of our nation to those countries who are at greatest ideological odds with us, with the most extreme personifications of these problems. We weren't surprised 10 years ago, and we're not surprised today. It's time we re-learned what it means to be American.
Best new comedy shows: - New Girl - Happy Endings - Suburgatory - StevieTV Oldies but goodies - Modern Family - Parks and Rec - The Office - 30 Rock What are your top shows?
Yesterday President Obama lambasted Republican presidential candidates for their vague, amorphous criticisms of weakness in his handling of Iran. While it's reckless, premature, and dangerous for these candidates to imply the need for war, they force the President into a sticky situation. While we support his desire for a diplomatic resolution, we do feel the President must take care to balance his political desire to point out the flaws in the Republicans' rehetoric, with the nation's strategic need to be extremely assertive with Iran. Specifically, he must craft his statements about Republicans not to signal to Iran that military force is completely out of the question. Otherwise, he can embolden Iran and ironically bring us closer to war.
More: http://www.nytim
Kudos to the Russian people for not going down under Putin's rule without a fight. The only way Putin can hope to be re-elected (a whopping six years from now due to constitutional changes in 2008) without resorting to all out fraud, will be to incite fears of "the West". It's now in his interest to drive relations with the U.S. into the ground, which won't help our ability to militarily confront terror threats. While on the one hand that is scary, on the other hand it may hopefully force U.S. foreign policy to be more bilateral.
For the second consecutive year China boosted their defense budget over 10%; now topping $100 billion. Buy "made in China" and we arm a soldier. Buy "made in USA" and we give our neighbor a job.
We're beyond grateful for this mild winter!
I just noticed in the workspace for the vox, it is hinted that I use "we" instead of "I" - as Americans, we need to shed some of our individualism in this iCulture.
What is necessary for the American mindset to lose it's hubris is opening itself to listening to and encouraging the criticism of the rest of the world. But, this also applies to the Western mindset in general no matter where on this Earth it is established systematically. This world may be controlled by money for now, but ideas are the currency of the future.
I believe that online we must seek out ways to dialogue with other world citizens in a more organized forum, and I feel like combining news and information items in a more collaborative, open and uncensored environmentalists is necessary. Without fear of reprisal or intervention of law enforcement. It's not about secrecy or privacy, but liability and freedom of expression.
I enjoy watching http://stream.al
hate it when the bread from pret-a-manger is super crusty!
It makes sense that the Afghans are irate at us. Even in the midst of this fallout, there's very limited coverage on the news, and practically no average Americans (or college-educated ones for that matter) has a clue what's going on over there, much less feels guilt or indignation. It's time for us to get a little integrity, from the bottom up.
