Free Egypt!!!.

     How important will this day wind up being in world history?  I am happy for Egyptian people everywhere; especially the ones who wanted President Mubarak out.  This is a good example for other nations as far as running a generally peaceful protest on such a wide scale.  I followed this story but I never wrote about it because it was forever changing.  Hundreds of thousands of protesters in Cairo rejoiced Friday when vice president, Omar Suleiman reported that Hosni Mubarak had decided to officially step down.  There were chants of "Egypt is free! Egypt is free!"  The protest lasted for 18 days straight.  The vice president said that the military would assume power.  Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has taken control.  It was rumored that Mubarak would step aside but when he gave his speech Thursday, he was acting as though all of the protests hadn't taken place.  This confused many people.  I think that he just didn't want to give it up and initially thought he could just wait out the will of the people.  The protesters had demanded the departure of the prime minister, the parliament, the vice president, and the president.  They also said that thy didn't want a military-led government.  I guess four out of five isn't bad.  It will be interesting to see what comes out in the wash.  How quick will the people disperse and return to their homes?  Will they still wait it out until they have all of their demands met or will Mubaraks ousting be enough for now?  I hope that all of the hard work will pay off in the end.  The people have spoken and the whole world saw it unfold.  Will this prompt other Arab nations to action?

Super Bowl Fiasco...

     Americans are quick to file a lawsuit for the most trivial things.  Although some are warranted, most are just get rich quick schemes.  In this case, I will let you decide for yourself if it's a scheme or legit.
     After the Super Bowl XLV on February 6th, the NFL, owner Jerry Jones, and the Dallas Cowboys are on the receiving end of a major lawsuit.  Football fans bought tickets to the game and didn't have seats.  One man said some of the Cowboys' biggest fans were promised Super Bowl tickets and winded up sitting on metal folding chairs with a crappy view.  The way it went down was right before the game, the NFL announced that 1,250 temporary seats were found unsafe so they rushed to get seats for about 850 people.  The other 400 fans had to stand and watch the game on television monitors.  Now mind you these are people that had already paid full ticket prices.  In the lawsuit, it states that the Cowboys gave no compensation for the inconvenience.  The NFL said that about 400 of the fans have two options.  Either get a ticket to next years Super Bowl game and a $2,400 cash payment or a ticket to any future Super Bowl including airfare and hotel accommodations. Do you think that is fair?  It seems to me that it is except for the fact that it was Green Bay and the Steelers in this particular Super Bowl.  If either one was your team, they might not make it back in your lifetime.

     The way plans fall apart these days, we shouldn't be surprised when things don't go our way.  However, I am the first one to get what I paid for with no exceptions.  Some people say that these fans are making too much of this incident.  So far, I don't think that it has gone too far.  But, who knows what is to come out in the next several weeks.  I feel as though the Cowboys organization should take the brunt of the blame for this fiasco. That was piss poor planning that could have been easily avoided.  By the way, the Packers beat the Steelers 31-25.  What do you think about this mess?  Who's fault do you think it is?

Militants Kill Suspected Spies

     Here we go again.  Militants killed four men accused of spying for the U.S. Their bodies were dumped along a road in Pakistan's tribal region.  The area where they were found is thought to be a safe haven for al Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban militants.  There was a note affixed to one of the men that said, "This is the fate for whoever works for the U.S."  It also stated that they confessed to spying.  Dozens of men have been killed for aiding U.S. and Pakistani forces in Afghanistan.  Many believe that these killings are carried out because the U.S. is suspected in more than 30 missile strikes in Pakistan since August 2010.
     I took a moment to see just how I felt about all of this.  The proud American in me wants to suit up and go hunting; although, that would just add to the overwhelming ignorance in that region.  So the better man in me would just wish that those involved suffer 10 times as much humiliation and pain as the men who were executed.  Don't get me wrong, I know that actual spies are severely punished and killed. But, who determined that they were spies?  Did they have any kind of trial?  Or was it just a case of street justice?  Now, on the flip side, suspected terrorists and spies have a court trial if charged by the U.S.  Can you believe it?  I will give them spies to throw in prison but terrorists?  In Ricky's world, I would determine if the accused was involved and then, a la Samuel L. Jackson in the movie "Unthinkable", force them to tell on their buddies.  When I was done, they would have the right to a speedy death.  I know it's kinda harsh but is it though? How would you handle spies and terrorists?

What Is Going To happen Here?

  I knew it was just a matter of time before I got around to writing about Egypt.  I have been following this compelling story since it started.  I will make a separate post on the topic.  Do you wonder if something like this could ever happen here in the U.S.? And what would it take to spark off such a revolution?  I am a proud American by birth, by allegiance, and in spirit.  It would definitely be a sad day but could become one of the most defining moments in history.  I served in the military so I have been on both sides of the spectrum.  What I want is for Congress to put aside egos and to work with President Obama to help strengthen this country back to prominence.  Americans need to act like Americans.  Why not buy American and start supporting more stateside causes instead of the overseas causes until everything is good here at home?  We tend to use patriotism as a knee jerk reaction after the fact.  After something terrible has happened.  Use all of your energy constructively instead of becoming part of the problem.  I see the "Tea Party" as a joke.  They have a good premise but no substance.  The people that represent them have crazy agendas.  Not to mention all of the negativity that has surrounded gatherings and protests.  They have changed the atmosphere of politics but not in a positive way.  The whole vote with your guns kind of mentality has no place in this society.  Just take a good look at what happened in Arizona.  I strongly feel that, due to the volatile atmosphere in politics, this event happened.  Not everyone is strong enough mentally to handle the in-your-face style of politics without taking it a step further.
     The events that have happened in Tunisia and Egypt might end up being a precursor to what's to come over there in other countries. Hopefully, we can all come together without taking it that far in the U.S.  What do you think is to come here in the states?  What do you think about the way things are going here?

Acid Rain Update

     This is an "Acid Rain" update. Since Bethany Storro has been accussed of throwing acid on herself and claiming that she was attacked by a black woman, she has appeared in court before a judge to agree to postpone her trial date. The new date is March 9th and she had to waive her right to a speedy trial in order to do so. The trial was postponed due to ongoing negotiations.
     Her face is realluy jacked up! It looks like someone drug her by her face accross uneven pavement. One of the things I can't believe is that people are still using "the black person did it" excuse. I mean come on. Well, let's just hope that she gets what she deserves in March.

Nothing But Net...

Another crazy video that I just had to share with you. I will get back to my usual thought provoking topics after this video. How many points do you think he should get for this amazing shot?  Please comment and let me know.

Rat On NYC Subway Crawls On Man

This video is crazy! I saw this one the other night and I had to make sure that everyone has seen it. Just a little somehing to laugh at and change the pace a little. Please feel free to comment.

Politics Gone Crazy?

    


A gunman shot a semi-automatic weapon, during a public gathering for Representative Gabrielle Giffords, into the crowd. He shot her in the head and killed Arizona's chief federal judge and five other people. The shooting was aimed at Representative Giffords and left her in critical condition. Twelve other people were wounded including a 9 year-old girl and a U.S. District Judge. The 9 year-old was later pronounced dead in the hospital. People were angry because Giffords supported President Obama's health care plan. They expressed their anger by vandalizing her office in March and, at an earlier event, someone showed up at her rally with a gun. The suspected shooter was identified as Jared Loughner and his motive was not known. He as been described as mentally unstable and may have been acting with an accomplice. His former classmates described him as a pot smoking loner. At one point, he had tried to enlist in the army but was rejected for reasons not disclosed.
     What contributed to this tragic event? Was it all of the hostile political rhetoric that has become associated with the Tea Party and some Republicans? For example, Republican challenger Jesse Kelly urged his supporters to help remove Gifford from office by joining him to shoot an M-16 rifle. Also, Gifford was among 20 Democrats that were posted on Sarah Palin's facebook page with the cross-hairs of a gun scope over each of their districts. Did these events help some devoted supporters go over the edge and act out these threats?

     I feel that all of the threats have contributed to a very hostile political environment. Some of the things that have been said, like all of the racial slurs that were blurted out, anti-gay speech, and anti-semitism rhetoric, makes you wonder what exactly is the agenda of the "Tea Party." Since the Tea Party has gained some steam, more radical Republicans have even jumped on the band wagon. Democratic Congressmen and women had their offices windows smashed and have received threatening phone calls. Is it gonna get worse as the Presidential election is coming up? I thought that everybody claims that it is all for the people. How does further separation in Congress and this senseless violence help the people?