No Money for Anything.

We don't have enough money to maintain roads. Our school are doing horribly. Our infastructure is falling apart around us, and we don't have the money to do anything about it. Europe on the other hand can support its roads better and it has a better rail system. How do they do it? There are a few ways:

1. The rail system makes many roads unnecessary. Imagine if we had high-speed rail covering the nation. Our airports would be less crowded, the roads would be in better shape (due to less traffic), and we would be able to go places at 200 mph at a relatively cheap price. Too bad we just don't have the money to start this project.
2. Higher population density, but lower taxes. Europe has reached the pinnacle of its population. It cannot accomodate more people, and its numbers are starting to decrease little by little. Imagine how that would be here. Our taxes would be lower and we would be forced to build rail to get us out of traffic.

It all comes down to this, our population is growing and we will need to deal with these situations sooner or later. Let's do it now while it's cheap and before the traffic becomes unbearable (and people start leavinig).

Global wa wa?

Yeah, the big topic, global warming. So now we here that a scientific organization claiming that there is a more than 90% chance that humans are responsible for Global Warming. Okay, I'm fine with them saying. Just one thing, PROVE IT! I'm against pollution of course, I'm tired of breathing crap all the time, but to say that it will cause the extinction of humans is ludicrous. The Earth goes through temperature shifts, and we just came out of the little ice age. Of course the temperature will warm up, the climate is just shifting like it always does. There is no way that humans are causing enough pollution to create a greenhouse of all the Earth. It is just a crazy idea.

My response? Let's stop using global warming as an agenda. If it is fact, present it as fact, but don't let environmental groups scare with claims of global warming. Let's get rid of pollution because we know for a fact that it's not good to breathe. We should protect our environment, but not because of fear of our demise, but for the respect of our dependance on it.

WW3, or just another tussle?

Earlier this week, I was listening to Ron & Fez on XM, and they were talking about their predictions for the Middle East. Some were claiming that this would lead to World War 3 and Armageddon, while others were predicting that this was just another fight. Let's just think about this: there has never been peace since at least the Ottoman Empire. Israel only adds to the violence.

Some have asked if Israel even belongs there. Palestinians were living there, but no Arab countries like them either. It does not really matter who inhabits the area, the Arab community will not accept them. The Arab countries are filled with hatred toward this area of land, so what is the point in predicting what will happen? Wars have gone on, are going on, and will continue to go on there.

When Israel was created, all of the neighboring Arab countries declared war on it. This is just more violence between the countries. The violence may spread to other countries, but everyone will just get tired of the fighting and go back to temporary peace with sporadic terrorism. That is the way it has been, and that is the way it will be.

Israel now extends attack into a suburb.

Sure, I need to know a lot more about what just happened to make an accurant assesment of the situation, but right now it looks extremely bad. All of the U.S. news agencies are against Israel. I have heard no diction such as, "Israel tries to retrieve a captured soldier" or "Israel retaliates for the kidnapping of a soldier." All I have heard is, "Israel raids air fields" or "Israel prepares to invade Gaza." Is everyone just out against Israel?

Like I said before, I support what Israel is doing in order to get their soldiers back, but I will have to wait to pass judgement on this most recent action. It looks very bad right now, but I do not know if there was any strategic value to the suburb. Just let the situation play out, and I will judge when I know what the intent was.

The Growing Conflict in Israel.

An Israeli soldier is captured and held hostage. Israel then decides to retaliate, but everyone gets mad at Israel. Let's look at this in more detail.

Hamas is a government that wants to destroy Israel and take the land for itself. Israel gave up the Gaza Strip to Hamas, but this was not good enough for the Palestinians. They decided that this was a place for them to launch rockets from and attack Israel. It has become obvious that the Palestinians will not be happy until they destroy Israel. Why then is everyone getting mad at Israel? Because they are trying to get their soldiers back with no compromise?

Now the violence has spilled into Lebanon. Terrorists there have captured a soldier. Why then is Israel's violence against the country justified? Lebanon does not even try to look for these terrorists and detain them. Remember, if you harbor a terrorist, you are just as bad as a terrorist. This is why Lebanon is being attacked.

Many have noted that Israel would not go to negotiations to get the soldier back. They should not have to go to those negotiations. There should be no compromise on the issue; Israel should get the soldier and not have to worry about that.

The situation in the area will get worse before it gets better. Now that Iran is looking to get involved, we may have a bigger war on our hands. The UN has sent representatives to the area, but let's not fool ourselves. The UN has been useless ever since it decided that it cannot go to war no matter what. With no action, what is the point of it as a peacekeeping agency? Anyway, to get back to the subject, we cannot get mad at Israel for attacking Palestine and Lebanon. The country was attacked, and it is trying to defend itself. When you are surrounded by countries that want to destroy you, what can you do besides show force?