Syrian-Turkish Conflict leads to NATO discussions.

NATO will be holding “urgent” meetings today to deal with the problems that arose when Syria shot down a Turkish plane last Friday. Turkey is invoking “NATO’s Article Four” according to VOA presses. According to Yale Law’s website, NATO’s Article Four requires the meeting of all NATO parties to determine if, “in the opinion of any member”, there is a “territorial integrity, political independence, or security” threat.

The plane shot down last Friday was a Turkish F-4 reconnaissance jet flying in Syrian airspace. According to Reuters website, “Damascus described its shooting down of the F-4 jet on Friday as an act of self-defense.” While sending a second military transport plane into Syrian airspace to search for the wreckage of the shot-down F-4, the Syrian government fired on the second plane. The second plane remained airborne but Turkey stated “This kind of action [called harassing fire by officials] will not remain unpunished.” The second plane had no reported injuries to anyone on board.

Although both countries strongly oppose the idea of going to war Turkish officials states “Whatever is needed to be done will definitely be done within the framework of international law.” Turkey then cited NATO’s Article Four to determine if the actions of both parties constitute a direct threat to either nation.

According to VOA presses, the most likely response from NATO will involve sanctions on Syria and a plea to Turkey to remain “restrained in its response.” It is unlikely China and Russia would agree to authorize the use of force during the U.N. Security Council today but any military response could trigger a regional conflict with many nations, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.

Rocky Mountain Reptile Rescue

Brett Neilsen and the Rocky Mountain Reptile Rescue

Images of snakes and reptiles send a chill running through most people, but the Rocky
Mountain Reptile Rescue’s founder Brett Neilsen spends his time saving the poor misunderstood creatures. Brett Neilsen, the President of the Metro State Student Combat Club, has a cold-blooded hobby. After working for two years at Pet Co, Neilsen realized that reptiles in Colorado were being mistreated, malnourished, and stunted in their natural development. In 2010 Neilsen founded the Rocky Mountain Reptile Rescue. This provides safe homes to reptiles throughout Colorado as well as informing people about reptiles and their needs as pets.

Despite a growing number of anti-snake legislations, Brett defends the mistreated animals. “After working for years with these animals I realized the problems were 90% human instigated.” According to CDA Press “Nearly any animal can be potentially dangerous. Statistics on animal attack fatalities show encounters with bees/wasps (.18 deaths per million people) and dogs (.07 per million) are far more lethal than snakes (less than .02 per million).”

After accidents with snakes hit the news “the media took it to mean snakes are evil.” Brett states before citing the mistreatment of the snakes involved in the accidents. Denver’s own Kyle Dyer just underscores the reality that any mistreated or traumatized animal will fight back. The good news is that “like humans, animals that experience trauma can be helped.” According to Care2’s Make a Difference website. This isn’t stopping the movement of anti-snake legislation that prohibits taking snakes across state lines and bans the sale or trade of snakes in many states around the U.S. According to Neilsen even animal rights activist groups such as PETA and HSUS are promoting anti-snake legislation that would ban Burmese Pythons and Boa Constrictors from being allowed as pets. “These laws will cause worse problems globally.” According to Neilsen.


Neilsen, who has been featured on CBS-4 Denver, also performs educational kid-friendly shows for the Colorado Wildlife Experience. “I’ve established a name.” Neilsen states calmly when asked about his activism. “I like working with misunderstood animals. I’ve always been fascinated by animals.” Soon the Rocky Mountain Reptile Rescue might find itself facing its own skin shedding change. The Rocky Mountain Reptile Rescue will soon be renamed as Reptile 911 for the emergency services it provides.

Neilsen’s Wildlife Experience show can be seen every first Sunday of the month from 10a.m. to 2p.m.
The Rocky Mountain Reptile Rescue can be reached at RMReptileRescue@gmail.com.

Asylum in Australia

Ten members of a persecuted Chinese spiritual group, the Falun Gong, made plans to escape to New Zealand but the perilous journey ended in a desperate plea for help. The group consisting of men, women and two children made plans to land in New Zealand but were picked up in Australian waters. From there the persecuted spritual group filed for asylum in Australia.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, "Mr Bowen [The immigration Minister for Australia] said the government had not made any special deals to convince them to stay in Australia."

"They've come to their own decision," he said.
"I'm sure it wouldn't have been an easy decision for them; they weighed everything up."

This decision is only made difficult by the strange law that states asylum can be granted to those arriving by air, but not by boat. Thus the ten men and women have been detained in a holding facility despite numerous protests from Refugee Advocates.

A New Generation of Protestors

Tibetan Independence: PART III

A new wave of protests are beginning in Northern India against the dictator-like rule of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

When the Dalai Lama was exiled in 1959 he began preaching from a new base in Dharamsala, India along with over ten thousand supporters who helped him form a de-facto capital. According to the Voice of America website "Twenty-seven-year-old Jamphel Yeshi became the first of this year’s self-immolations to take his life on Indian soil. He ran through the streets of New Delhi ablaze on March 26, just days before the scheduled arrival of Chinese President Hu Jintao. Activist posters plastered around Dharamsala celebrate him as a “martyr.” "


With such a growing number of supporters for Tibetan Independence it becomes only a matter of time before China's President Hu Jintao is forced to release his hold on the small country.

Argentina's Still Born Lives

Child-birth is hard enough without the medical community making critical mistakes. In Argentina Analia Bouter arrived at the Resistencia, Argentina hospital to deliver her baby girl, only to be told her daughter was still-born. The grieving mother begged to see her child but hospital officials barred her from seeing her baby and transfered the tiny body to the morgue.

After hours of begging, pleading, and demanding to see their baby the Bouters were finally admitted to the morgue nearly 12 hours later. To the Bouter's surprise the little girl had survived 12 hours in the refrigerated morgue box and was still alive.

This miracle underscores the dire need of efficient and highly trained medical personnel in Argentina. According to CBS News, Bouter grabbed her child and rushed to the ICU ward of the hospital. Bouter said, that "it was like carrying a bottle of ice."

The child has survived and a week later is doing well in the ICU ward of the hospital.

A New Year of Hope for Tokyo

After the devestating earthquake and tsunami that killed over 18,000 people last March, Tokyo is embracing a new year and with it new dreams of the future. The Cherry Blossom Viewing at Tokyo's Ueno Park saw 1,200 cherry trees blooming and blossoms falling making it a memorable spot for Tokyo's population.
"The parties called “hanami,” or “flower viewing” in Japanese, are spring traditions held among families, friends and co-workers. Parties beneath the cherry trees can go on all day and night, especially on weekends." According to Travel International.

Travel International also states, "signs were erected encouraging visitors to show “self-restraint” out of respect." The festival, marred by the threat of powercuts and blackouts, was a huge success. The flower-viewing drew in thousands of tourists, natives, and international visitors.

According to interviews done by Travel International “During last year’s cherry blossom season we were in a mood of self restraint after the earthquake,” said Yui Nakayama, 24. This year however there was a feeling of hope and renewal that allowed the grieving city a chance to heal.
Nakayama said “Japan has become energetic again, so I’m happy to relax and enjoy myself with my colleagues today.”

It is indeed a time of hope and renewal for Tokyo.

Democracy

Egypt's new democratic elections are seeing a high number of applicants for presidency but a number of them are being turned away. Former Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman was escorted by police off the premises today April 7th after filing papers to run for the Higher Presidential Elections Committee.

According to the Seattle PI website ten others have been refused and barred from entering their names as well. This begs the question of whether it is really a democratic election if many candidates are barred from participating. Despite the fact that the candidates would still have to be elected after filing papers to run, the Egyptian Government is making decisions about who can run for what positions.

In America we have the ability to write in votes or vote for any party member we so choose, but it appears that this is not the case in Egypt. "An Egyptian panel has barred 10 presidential hopefuls, including ex-spy chief, key Islamists, from race." According to the Seattle PI.

Considering there is such a huge Muslim and Islamic section of Egypt this news is indeed troubling because it is cutting out a huge section of Egypt's population. This problem is once again silencing voices that have a right to be heard.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Egypt-s-barred-presidency-front-runners-appeal-3482364.php#ixzz1sE10napM"

21 Jump street

I have been hearing about the movie 21 Jumpstreet for the last few weeks and as it seems to be an integral part of society to consume new media. This movie starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum has promised to be a smashing success with hilarious government police official jokes that comment on the state of American freedom.

The pairing of these two actors gives the movie a dramatic realism that lend to the typical stereotypes. By the end of the movie the hunk is with the nerds and the nerd is with the popular kids. This juxtaposition allows for a commentary on modern public school systems and how quuickly they change over time.

This popular movie originated as a popular 1980s TV show starring Johnny Depp. Being an avid fan and owning every season I am really exicted to see who the female counterparts in the 21 Jumpstreet crew are.

Goodbye Johnny Depp and hello Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppw0hkeuSUw&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fresults%3Fsearch_query%3D21%2Bjump%2Bstreet%2Btrailer%26oq%3D21%2Bjump%2Bstreet%2Btrailer%26aq%3Df%26aqi%3Dg10%26aql%3D%26gs_sm%3D3%26gs_upl%3D201142l206289l0l206595l28l28l12l0l0l0l215l1964l0.14.1l15l0&ytsession=lLuZSD04P1RULPrih3BN6f6aK9aOh3mfFAM8qJ1kX1WF_1-nN6mA7aT8MK3xqPcPhBkmGXZo9D6pMVtH4Kx97NSHHa0_u7RXbF8uvYOae1eLF3wOJ6DcOXqtOd4Cjdf_Fr_VX8U8PQgACrWMP2QwiukA0rj1Uj0G14juDxdrdvqQsvVCAl2Onfekg1mPFyabGT1RH40CkEaQCCbR5ILfHk147jA0miILcn6rcsUZqjIYH_uWKVoMZdeVbiXkpBBY2aeElcjU5-fM5wU69E50E7pLOD_CNvq13Q0AanrUxV4&has_verified=1

Absolute Power Corrupts

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is remarkably true as time has proven over and over again. But what about idealistic companies whose foundation was built on a higher morality? Google has always held itself to a high moral standard but it seems those standard are slipping by the wayside as profits become the central concern.

There is now evidence that Google's transformation may include an illegal ad deal, altered privacy policies that do not favor the consumer, and a long train of privacy violations.

This growing company which now provides the world with email, search engine, and even social media site Google+. (Including this blog site)

According to Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land, a website that covers search engine news and networks. "I hesitate to think they've gotten 'evil,' because they never were that 'good' to begin with, but I do think it marks a much more aggressive company, a company that is not hesitant to do things."


So once again we are brought to the idea that knowledge is power and Google is holding that power. With power comes great responsibility but it seems that corruption is an inevitable conclusion to the attainment of such power.

So most of my posts have been about freedom and power, but the more I look deeply into the state of freedom and power I realize that they are not mutually exclusive concepts and do not function as ideally as they should.

Thomas Jefferson once stated that "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."

So I urge all of my readers to question themselves. Have we been vigilant?

Drunk American kills 16 Arabs

Sixteen dead Sunday after a brutal rampage by a drunken American soldier. More than half of those found dead were children. According to a neighbor Agha Lala, "They were all drunk and shooting all over the place." There are even reports that the soldier was laughing as he slaughtered 16 people in the Panjwayi district at two a.m. Sunday night.

Although the United States makes claims that the district is "the spiritual home of the Taliban and is believed to be a hive of insurgent activity." According to Nadem at Reuters.com.

Not only did the U.S. Soldier kill nine children, three women, and four men, but he "poured chemicals over their dead bodies and burned them" according to Hiji Samad relative to 11 of the deceased victims.

While the United States is promising justice to the victims, it is likely to cause a permanent mark against the U.S.-Afghan ties. NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) General John Allen stated that he was "shocked and saddened" and promised a "rapid investigation" according to Nadem at Reuters.

This horrible and tragic event has caused unbelievable suffering and damage to the international relations that have been strenuous at best.

The likelihood of a revenge attack is higher than ever. With such high levels of stress it seems that Sunday's attack will be the first of many events to come.

Big Brother?

The more I write about Freedom the more I wonder if even in America we are truly free.

I just read an article that says the Department of Homeland Security will be monitoring Twitter and Facebook language. Is this a sign of the American movement toward government madated morality or another step in a long line of injustices that invade American privacy?

According to the February 2011 Electronic Privacy Information Center there is a surveillance program that now monitors all social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. With over 250 million people around the globe using Facebook and 600 million daily visitors to Twitter this seems to be an overstepping of boundaries. With a list of 500 words that are being monitored by "Big Brother" the issue of Freedom is becoming an important one even in American society where we have freedoms many people around the globe can only dream of.


But as many people around the world use facebook what legislation allows them to spy on people who are not even citizens of the United States?

Dean Obeidallah, who writes for CNN Opinon, states
"Two questions jump out regarding this surveillance program. How effective is it? And more importantly, is this an invasion of our privacy?
The effectiveness question is hard to answer. When you look at all the words on the watch list, it's hard to believe that any terrorist or criminal would tweet or post them unless they wanted to get caught. For example, the watch list contains words such as dirty bomb, hostage, al Qaeda and ammonium nitrate. What terrorist in his right mind would tweet, "Looking for ammonium nitrate, please direct message me if you have leads?"


He has a good point, with the rise in figurative language and double entendres, is it really even an effective tool?

Tibet the 53rd Anniversary.

I know this is the second article I've written about the Tibetan struggle but as the death toll climbs I feel that it is freedom's obligation to protect those whose independence is threatened and suppressed.

Today marks the 53rd anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule. Protestors marched across the Brooklyn Bridge today and gathered outside the United Nations office.

This is just another in a series of political crusades that advocate for freedom. As Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.” But will China actually let go anytime soon?

China is attempting to discredit several Tibetans that have self-immolated in protest calling them “Criminals, outcasts, and mentally ill people manipulated by the exiled Dalai Lama”. This is among many of the procedures being used by Chinese officials to get the Tibetan crisis under control. The protests have been focused on the Chinese government’s censorship of Tibetan religion and culture. The Chinese government even arguing that the Dalai Lama “orchestrated and supported the self immolations. This is despite the fact that the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has advocated against self immolation because it could lead to harsher restrictions on those in Tibet.

As many of those who have self-immolated come from the Buddhist monastery in the Sichuan province the Dalai Lama did praise the courageous efforts of those who gave their life to the cause of Tibetan independence.

Schools backing Candidates.

Knowledge is power. Information is power. The secreting or hoarding of knowledge or information may be an act of tyranny camouflaged as humility.- Robin Morgan

If knowledge is power then authority figures in education have the keys to unlimited power. All Hitler needed was to educate the youth of Germany and his Third Reich was born in the minds of his students. Schools are the temples for higher education in a global society. So how are some schools misusing their power as authority figures in the lives of students? Well Mapleton School District in Adams County abused their power as authority figures by bankrolling a candidate. Even though Colorado laws prohibit schools from bankrolling candidates the Mapleton School district chose a bond underwriter in 2010 that allowed them to shower money on candidates of their choice.

What does this mean for students? Well this is simple, if the school advocates for specific candidates then a students own personal beliefs will be subjected to the discretion of the educational authorities. In Mapleton School district this means that they scratch a candidate's back and their own is scratched in turn. Government officials should be concerned with the tax payers not the schools that are assisting their campaign. According to the Denver Post, "State lawmakers had a chance to stop the practice in 2005 through a bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Hillman, R-Burlington, but it failed to get out of committee."

It is a sad remark on the sale of values in Colorado.

http://www.denverpost.com/carroll/ci_20141774/carroll-how-school-boards-are-skirting-law

Heart Sore on Valentine's Day.

Around the world lovers embrace and come together in peace and harmony on Valentine's Day, but this year is another in the twelve-year cycle of grief for one Denver family.

On Valentine's Day 2000, two sweethearts Stephanie Hart-Grizzell and Nick Kunselman, were brutally gunned down in a Subway Sandwich shop in Littleton, CO. Twelve years later the killer has yet to be found. Kelly Grizzell, my aunt, will be hosting a press conference to ask Jefferson County Police Officers about the still open case. This seems to be merely a formality as there is still no new information about the open case or any developments that may effect the outcome of this case. According to Jacki Kelley, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, “There have been a number of times we’ve worked leads that seemed very promising,” Kelley said. “When a tip comes in, it goes in a file.”

As the years pass by however, the file may be getting larger but the criminal is still at large.

This heinous crime occurred less than a year after the violent and brutal murders at Columbine High School, also in Littleton. According to the Jefferson County Police it is considered as a part of the Columbine tragedy. This is due to the fact that the Littleton Subway Sandwich shop is located just three blocks south down Prince St. from Columbine High School.

According to an anonymous source it used to be a drug stop for many of the students and people living in the area, this did not however cause the police to increase drive by protection or surveillance in the months after the 12 student deaths associated with Columbine High School. Knowing that the Jefferson County Police made many mistakes during the hostage situation at Columbine on April 20, 1999 did not apparently cause them to step up their efforts. Increasing surveillance of the neighborhood or increasing protection of businesses in the area could have saved the lives of Nick Kunselman and Stephanie Hart-Grizzell who were just 15 and 16, respectively, when they died.

As Stephanie was my cousin this story comes a little closer to home and I hope anyone who reads this blog would see the pain and devastation families suffer when there are no answers. So tune in at 5 p.m. on Feb. 13, as Channel 9 News talks with Kelly Grizzell and Teresa Kunselman and they collaboratively question Jefferson County Sheriff's Office about the murders of two ill-fated lovers.

(This photo is of my dad and me, my cousin Stephanie, my older sister Heather, and my identical twin Jessica at Christmas when we were little.)

World-wide Protest for Human Rights

The spiritual community of Tibet gathered on Wensday, Feb. 8, for a vigil in hopes of showing the lack of civil rights occuring in Tibet. This enmasse prayer hour was surrounded by Chinese armed forces in case the situation ended in a violent revolt or disbute. This show of affulence and violent authority over Tibet was unnecessary as the inumerable innocents lives that have been taken have already shown the international community China's authority over Tibet. Addressing listers worldwide, the Tibetan Prime Minister in exile, Lobsang Sangay, advocated for the day long prayer on Feb. 8th to show the "Chinese government that violence and killing of innocent Tibetans is unacceptable." This is according to the Tibetan Post International.

For too long now the Tibetan people have been oppressed, abused, and murdered. But perhaps worse than this, the Tibetan people have been separated from their holy spiritual leader and his guidance and today also bears a sad reminder of this news as in Ngaba another monk has lit himself on fire in protest to this bitter tyranny. This is the 21st case of self-immolation in the last year.

China's control over the small country since 1950 "has brought modernity and development to the region." According to Voice of America presses. But this development has come hand in hand with a dictatorship-like rule. According to further data by VOA, China has been slowly "flooding the region with non-Tibetan Chinese," and "often discriminate against Tibetans in matters of governance and employment."

These were just some of the issues that brought people flooding into the Nangchen county for a full day of prayer and spiritual protest. It was not just a Tibetan occuarnce either. In London over 150 demonstrators marched in protest of civil rights for the Tibetan people. According to The Tibetan Post International, "Black ribbons were worn over the mouths of many participants to highlight how Tibetans are being forcibly silenced in Tibet".

It is distressing to realize as I write this out, with the freedoms given me by my forefathers, that in Tibet even this blog could be considered an act of treason or terrorism. So I dedicate this first post to showing the events just as they occured and being an advocate for freedom.

First Post

Here is my first post! :)