The recent shootings in the US, highlights the problems with gun control that are now on the agenda of lawmakers to control and prevent further incidents. Most of the shootings come out of one thing, cultural breakdown that these teens misinterpret as if the video games they play were to be played out in real life. Jealousy, deceit, suspicion and many other reasons for these heinous crimes are blamed but in many cases mysterious due to the deaths of the actual perpetrators who do the same to themselves as they have done with their fellow students.

Liberty without responsibility should be considered a crime for I am sure that the founding fathers of America and the many other states would be turning in their graves if they see the current state of the freedom and liberties they have fought hard for and even died just to enable the next generations to live in peace. There seems to be no bounds to the problems the world is experiencing to date, industrial espionage, bid rigging and many other corporate crimes go unpunished in spite of well publicized ones that do get discovered. The internet is no place for those who love privacy and freedom for people who are after for your possessions are always on the lookout for freebies. P2P sites that defy local and international laws promote piracy getting companies to seek for better control over their businesses and rights as with the founder of one P2P site says, ‘I Take Because I can’. People want freedom yet when they get it they can’t seem to make sense of it

We as members of this worldwide community must re-think our view of freedom and liberty. Liberty that should come with responsibility and respect. Kids nowadays have little respect for others only focusing on their own needs. We should re-educate the people of the world that freedom should be prized and valued as a pearl, nurtured and treated right to remain beautiful and alluring to all. Responsibility should be partner to liberty, children should accept the consequences of the choices they make and stand up for them where ever on earth they may be. I love my freedom but sadly the next generation might see it only as a word they learn in school and not know it’s true significance in daily life. Knowledge is power and power is knowledge, so let us all help the next generations and hopefully the many more generations to come that the freedom they have has been product of blood, sweat and live of their forefathers who fought for them to enjoy life as they are and not as they should.

On the Discovery channel, we get a glimpse on how the Chinese are unable to handle the new freedom that they are currently experiencing, sending their children to Military training camps for children (well actually brats who were born to an ever prosperous China which was never known by their parents). The parents hope the techniques that had worked for their parents and themselves might be able to change their children as well making them responsible and loyal to them as parents and their culture. Unbeknownst to them, that is one of the trade-off’s of liberty, or should we say too much liberty.

The effects of Westernization is felt all over the world, children and teens learning that their world is one wherein they can do anything they want. We see this all over the headlines in daily news, drugs, alcohol abuse, shootings and many other gruesome activities that shock even teens of the same age. Too much liberty without realizing that with liberty comes responsibility, and it is that responsibility that has been lost in the translation of today’s world the young generation is facing. Freedom is a good thing, or at least it is supposed to be and most cultures who grew up in the totalitarian rules of past are having to contend with the fact that they must make their children realize that the liberties they have today were due to the sacrifice of thousands if not millions who died fighting for it.

Many people are focused on China, as the 2008 Summer Olympic Games nears while asking tons upon tons of questions of how the said event would fare out. A huge success or a big flop for the billions of dollars of investments the Chinese government has spent the past few years creating another addition to its many tourist attractions. The event has been looked forward to by the communist state for it will open up China to the world as the premier place to be in terms of sports, tourist attractions and tourism is expected to boom even after the said games. The technological wonders of the new nest looking Beijing Olympic stadium, the ecological park surrounding it, the other venues that were put up just for the event that displaced thousands from their homes. Even the new Dragon shaped airport has been put up so fast that people are wondering why are the Chinese so engrossed with opening up their culture and borders to welcome foreign visitors which they have always eyed with suspicion and mistrust. 

China is still the communist state that was founded by Leader Mao when the Cultural Revolution swept the country and forged a solid Socialist state, so solid it has outlived it’s former partner and neighbor, Russia. The past posts have also discussed a rising problem with the Chinese, economy, industry and even the people itself, too much freedom at so fast a pace that it is defying explanation. Ever since Hong Kong was handed over by the British, the tight grip on the freedom of speech had to be gradually loosened so as to alleviate some of the criticism they receive from the rest of the democratic world. many generations of Chinese who have always lived under the wings of communism are now suddenly thrust into a world where they must decide their fate by themselves.

Both sides are finding it difficult to deal with each other’s very unique way of doing business. China used to control all aspects of business both internally and externally but they have been so used to cutting corners that they are finding it very difficult to follow the West’s strict rules and regulations with respects to product quality and materials. The huge amounts of goods that flow out of their borders, allows them to do so for they argue that everybody’s doing it so why not us. The recent increase of product recalls such as toys, toothpaste and contaminated drugs that led to human and animal deaths. It also got them a lot of scrutiny from other western nations shaking the Chinese way of doing business and forcing them to take note of quality instead of focusing on quantity.

Resorting to their iron-fist strategies, Beijing executes the chief of the product quality board which was accused of accepting bribes and allowing tainted medicine to flow out from their borders. This was too much of a shock for the world which received a very shocking realization that China is still a Socialist state and that civil liberties are still quite suppressed and crimes are met with severe penalties.

This gave rise to much criticism from Western nations and Human-Rights groups that China, long after the Cold War still employs ruthless methods and tactics to suppress its citizens. Many question their ability to host the upcoming 2008 Olympics with their track record in human rights and other civil liberties, there is sure to be a lot of issues before, during and well after the games have commenced. This might be a turning point for the Chinese, for people from all over the world would be part of the Olympic Games that they may not be able to contain issues and questions about the way the government conducts its business. They have even tried to control the internet to and from China in hopes of banning illegal sites from their citizens and people outside the country access to their well kept secrets. Time will show if the country will be able to adapt to a rapidly developing world of international cooperation and co-existence and they themselves will be the judge if they have done their best in providing a games that upholds the true values of the Olympic Games.

There are many thoughts that come to mind when we hear the name China, from your mother’s favorite heirloom, to the great wall, to the best businessmen on earth, they all remind us of the country with the biggest population on earth. The country has long been under communist rule which applied the controls on its people similar to the previously great USSR. The break-up of the former Cold War US opponent has signified a loss of steam for the Communist ideal and many around the world are feeling the crunch.

The previously tightly controlled freedom of people who were born into the communist style of rule are getting a great big shakedown with many finding it difficult to grasp the thought of thinking and saying their thoughts. Tight controls over media and the expression of personal feelings has been the norm for so many a years that a whole generation is getting culture shock with respect to the influx of western ideals and thinking. Those who have suffered long under communist rule are suddenly left to fend for themselves unable to know which way to turn with freedom and capitalism knocking at their doors. The acceptance and better communication between the West and China has opened opportunities for both sides. Entry to the biggest marketplace on earth for the west and the influx of much needed funding and technology into China in terms of investments and new ideas. But even with the influx of information and technology into the Socialist state, allegations of espionage in terms of weapons systems and other technologies continue to come out. This is a grim reminder of how the Chinese have operated for the many years they were one of the most powerful nations in the world with their association to the former Russian superpower in their drive to get ahead of the opponent’s weapons and technology. They still are a world power for their huge population which takes up a sizeable chunk of the world’s population but only time will tell us if they would be capable of adapting to their rapidly changing economy and freedom

The drive in becoming the world’s policing force with the most technologically advanced and numerous military has become reality thought hey staunchly deny it which might be a classic case of “Biting off more that you could chew” for the US. How much more suffering of Americans and non-Americans alike would the government allow before choosing to take care of their own rather than become too obsessed with the spreading of democracy into the far reaches of the world (some of which don’t even have democracy in their vocabulary nonetheless understand the concept of the word). Heads will roll and they have been ever since the government started investigating why the country was thrust into a war that saw no concrete legal basis in local or international law. Sadly, they will continue to roll as they try to fix the already messy economy and lives will also continue to be lost…. Hopefully not in vain. We salute the many men and women who die for another’s troubles but they might be doing it in vain for the people at home are dealing with a more sinister culprit, politics. The upcoming result of elections will tell the mindset of Americans which can spell disaster for the current government. The changes they will make to their policy and government will tell the world who and what the country has become in the following years as they try to get out of the rut the economy is now in. [tags]American Economy, Recession, US Economic Woes[/tags]

Admission by the US President makes the US economic outlook very much uncertain? Nope, everybody has been saying that they (US Citizens themselves) have been feeling and seeing a recession right in their backyards. The Sub Prime economic trouble’s effects have gone around the world and Americans are bearing the brunt of the results. Economic slowdown which has been forecast and seen by many analysts have long since taken hold and the admission of the US president couldn’t make it any worse for it already is. 

The White House might be the last to admit that there is indeed great uncertainty regarding the future of the United States (ask the fed for they have had to decrease interest rates by how many points just to allow the white house the ability to say the country is doing good). But that might not be enough and the country needs to wake up from the many mistakes and economic blunders that has left them not only digging into their reserves but irking investors from other developed nations to slowly pull out shares due to foreseen economic uncertainty. They should have cut their losses when they saw the problems with Iraq, which by the way is still in shambles which could have spared many a lives (both Americans and Iraqis). The battle may be just beginning on the mainland and this recession would surely have global effects even on the battle fields of Iraq and the many other areas the US has to send troops and materials to for the machine of war to function which is eating up billions of much needed US dollars that could have been spent on Americans themselves.

[tags]American Economy, Recession, US Economic Woes[/tags]

The elections of 2008 may have an impact on how democracy is defined for many years to come. The process has brought the good, the bad and the ugly in everyone. Candidates capitalizing on the other’s weaknesses digging up events of the past that would otherwise remain private and confidential, in hopes of getting the edge over the opponent. Candidates who run independently without backing from established political parties running out of steam even as early as the campaigning periods. Financial backing and the support of political allies is the key, without which no secrets could be kept from the public. At a time when media loves controversy, even to the extent of sacrificing common sense for being the first to bring a story to the world, shattering the lives of the unfortunate people under the headlines, everything goes.

Even the most kept and darkest secrets of people in the spotlight have been blown into the realm of common knowledge that even contemplating to run for elections would have to have prepared accounting and explanations in the form of statements and press releases to avoid having their campaign affected by them. Many politicians turn to these dastardly acts of employing black-op’s style surveillance, of opponents activities though not many have been documented they are sure to have been done and are continuing to be employed by the most powerful politicians on earth who have the power to dictate the future of an entire nation sending it either to prosperity or utter recession.

The economic outlook for the US is not good for they have become the policing agency of the democratic world. With resources spread all over the world in the form of military presence, aid and many other expenditures that should have otherwise been spent on the homeless of America, people have started to question the justification of their role on the world’s economic and political landscape. The future will show us if democracy truly is the key to global prosperity and peace but that may be too tall an order even for the most powerful militaries and richest countries of the world.

[tags]US Politics, US Economic Outlook, US 2008 Elections[/tags]

(Continued from the previous post)
Even in America which is the most powerful nation on earth, with the most technologically advanced army on this planet still suffers from terrorist attacks making them paranoid of everybody who is from another race or religious background. The land of the “brave and the free”, has been transformed into a land of checkpoints, wiretaps and background security checks making travel a very arduous one. The events of 9-11 have truly re-defined the meaning of the word terrorism but to what extent?

Security has a way of infringing on the privacy of its citizens and many have expressed disgust at the inability of the most powerful intelligence agency on earth to stop the events of 9-11, even with these so-called counter-intelligence measures. Wire taps, and other surveillance techniques which used to be widely known only to the spies of the cold war era were put into use in making dossiers of US citizens themselves. Everybody who was under suspicion of being associated, have dealt with even remotely and however trivially the association may be of known suspected terrorists were put under close surveillance.

Today, the many shortcomings of the days and even years before the attack have become apparent showing that they have relied too much on their superior technology and predictions not taking into the consideration the fact that for every up or down there is always a rogue that goes anywhere it wants. Terrorists from within, outside underside have existed within the walls of their very own intelligence, defense and government units without anyone even noticing. (Ending in the next post)

[tags]US Politics, US Economic outlook for 2008, US Elections[/tags]

The American Elections and what it means to the rest of the world – Part 1

The world of politics has again undergone many upheavals with democracies around the world having their constituents exercising their rights to suffrage. These right to suffrage has been the indicator of democracy which has swept the globe ever since the Cold War ended ushering in the era of free elections with people selecting those who are best suited to rule and determine the fate of the countries they were willing to die for as they fought against the dictatorships and ruthless tactics of past rulers. This has had so much effect on the world’s political stage that many previously communist countries now enjoy a form of democracy in one way or the other. But is democracy truly the key to self-governance and economic prosperity?

Many so-called liberated countries that have suffered long under dictators or military juntas have failed to improve their economic standing to the extent that they have ended up worse than when they began. Iraq, the so-called liberated country is still suffering from unjustified deaths and killings either by insurgents, foreign militia or terrorists which the biggest and most technologically advanced armies have failed to route out. Years after the invasion and liberation from the dictator Saddam Hussein there is still turmoil on the streets and the citizens still walk in fear from all sides of the political landscape. Afghanistan, another liberated country is still undergoing bloody transformation as the people learn to accept the reality of ruling their own country as a democracy. The Taliban have long retreated into the hills and mountains but they still instill fear into the hearts and minds of most Afghan’s. Africa is still undergoing ethnic cleansing where people kill other people who they say do not have the right to live just because they are of a different race. (Continued on the next posts)