Endeavor shuttle sets off to space

At 8:56 a.m today, the space shuttle Endeavor, whose incursion into space had been delayed to an electrical problem, finally set off today to reach the International Space Station 200 miles distanced from our planet. NASA revealed that the astronauts are set to complete a 16 day program in which they will work to install the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a scientific tool used to find out more about dark matter, a substance that remains in the dark side of scientist's knowledge.

I am really surprised that technology and science is travelling at the light it is. As they would say in times past: "Godspeed". I am enlightened to know that everything went well for the operation and that the electrical problem was rendered invulnerable to the environment. NASA stated that everything went perfectly and that the only concern had been the unusual cloud concentration before take off. However, the clouds proved to be no threat at all, and it all went according to plan.

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I.M.F chief accused of rape

I.M.F chief, Mr. Strauss Khan who is widely expected to be the socialist candidate for the French presidency was arrested yesterday at 2.15 a.m in the first class section of the jetliner that was going to take him home. Apparently after being handed on to detectives it was said the Mr. Strauss Khan, 62, had attempted to rape a 32 year old suite chamberlain at the hotel he had been lodged at the previous days. After conferring with his lawyer, Mr. Strauss Khan said he would not be termed guilty. The man, who had been a finance minister in the French government and who was expected to run for president this year has received a stunning blow. It is clear that this event will decrease some of his popularity if not his chances to run and achieve the power of president in “La Republique”.

We hear this a lot in the news, didn’t the same thing happen with Berlusconi. I have another article on Berlusconi and him approving of underage prostitution. Is this so far off? Many times we hear of famous powerful people getting involved in sexual harassment or so. I only want the truthful person to be revealed and the culprit to put behind bars.

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The prospect of loosing your home

After the non-ending rain and the growing of the Mississippi river, the people of Louisiana are faced with a grim future. If the river that they love and have learned to live with keeps on bulging and becoming stronger they are in for a really bad prospect, they might be faced with the desertion of their homes and towns.

Last Sunday, the pressure on the huge river was such, that some of it had to be relieved. The Army Corps of Engineers opened of a spillway Atchafalaya Basin, and millions of cubic meters of waters started to rush into it. The Engineers hope to open up more of the spillway in the following days just to delay the growth of the magnificent but wild river. The Cajun that live near the river and have lived in the swamp for generations have no doubts about what is going to happen. Russel Melancon, a 55 year old whose grandfather was raised in the swamp and who is now raising his own son there, fears the worst. Snakes will probably slither into the rafters, or alligators will take residence in our homes and mosquito clouds will be as thick as cotton.

After such tragic news, a really hope that all these people get away from the river safely and that their houses do not get the bad end of the stick. A house that you build through sweat and tears does not deserve the fate of being torn apart by a raging river.

Sincerely, just send my best hopes to the Cajun.

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AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN BUILDS A MERCENARY ARMY

Erik Prince, a billionaire from the United States whose current budget stands at around 526$ billion, owner of the Blackwater Foundation which provides oil and petrol around the world; was hired last November by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi to build him an 800 man battalion of mercenaries coming from all around the globe.

The prince of Abu Dhabi have released that the troops will be expected to defend and guard different oil plants and pipe lines. They will also be set up to defend the company skyscrapers both from internal or external revolt. The government of the Emirates however, hopes that the troops will also be able to resolve external conflicts with the country’s greatest enemy Iran.

The mercenaries have their barracks somewhere in the desert of the Emirates and it is surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire. It is said they have rooms, a mess hall and a swimming pool.

I don’t really think that hiring mercenaries from all around the world is really a good idea. Although they are mercenaries and mercenaries will work for any man that pays them well, they will always the shorter route towards money and therefore, I wouldn’t trust them. However, I understand that the company and the country are in a shortage of soldiers and such drastic measures have to be taken.

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Mississippi river crests in Memphis

This past Monday, the Mississippi river flooded on it's way to Memphis. Reports on the damage caused are many, but the truth is, that the wreckage was not extreme. Only some lowlife neighbourhoods were flooded and thankfully, the water did not reach record levels and left the main part of Memphis intact. According to Bob Nations, coordinator of Preparedness against adversity in Memphis the river crested at 47.8 feet falling short a foot and a half from record mark. The river is scheduled to stay at this same water level until later in the week and the water will recede slowly through the destruction it wrought. According to specialists, at least 3000 homes and properties were flooded, and there were no drowned or injured citizens.


It is my sincere opinion that raging rivers like the Mississippi right now, should be kept in check and be readied for. I wish to congratulate the Memphis Town Council for it's successfulness in not loosing one single life in such dangerous passings. Overall, great job done.

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Bin Laden death recap

Was he unarmed or not? Did he use his wife as a human shield or not? The inquiries about Osama Bin Laden’s death rise as fast as Obama’s support in the US. It has been affirmed by the president’s chief antiterrorism advisor, John O. Brennan that the suspect at hand was unarmed when encountered and shot through the head twice. Some account to the fact that Bin Laden used his wife as a human shield to protect himself from the SEALS’ searing and accurate bullets. Other sources claim that Bin Laden’s wife rushed the navy seals as they were going onto the compounds second floor and that the situation at that time demanded she be shot in the leg and silenced. Mr. Brennan has also revealed that the navy Seals encountered heavy fire on the first floor of the compound, and that Osama Bin Laden had been there when the American units had entered. It is under scrutiny and an inspecting eye, that the interrogators are trying to find out if Bin Laden got any rounds off or not.

Personally, I don’t really believe that Bin Laden’s death is such a big deal. I know the SEALS were under instructions of taking him alive if possible and that circumstances demanded his death, but all this talk about whether he was armed or not isn’t really necessary. I believe that the allied forces should now concentrate in eradicating Al Qaeda and forgetting about Bin Laden’s death.

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Bin Laden in eternal slumber in the sea

This past April 31^st, 2011, the arguably most famous hide and seek game has reached its end. With cooperation with the Pakistani government, US navy SEALS entered Osama bin Laden’s defense compound last night at 1 pm Teheran time and killed the perpetrator of perhaps the most world renowned terrorist acts in the globe. Apparently, the leader of the world’s most feared terrorist organization was residing in a heavily armed compound in Abbottabad, a garrison city two hours by road north of Islamabad. It has been made clear that the navy SEALS entered the compound under cover in the dead of night. Among the killed are Bin Laden’s son and one of his wives. The U.S government in cooperation with the Pakistani government and the SEALS dropped Bin Ladens deceased body somewhere in the middle of the Indic Sea.

I believe this to be a cause for world rejoice and happiness. Although it is true that every man has the right to live even after perpetrating foul acts, I think it more than clear that an exception had to be made in this case. Osama bin Laden, destroyer of the Twin Towers and mastermind of all the terrorist acts against countries like Spain and England has pade the prize with the ultimate currency, his life.

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Criminal attack in Cafe in Marrakech leaves 18 deaths

This past night, in Marrakech (Morocco) an organized criminal act left a building in the Argana district in smoking heaps and 18 corpses. Of all of the defunct people half of them were foreigners, although their nationality has not yet been revealed.

A forensic investigation is taking place as well as a search and capture warrant for any suspicious looking men or women who might have been involved in the planned attack. The bombing left the Argana café in a crumpled pile of stone and wood and it is very unlikely that it will be repaired. Even so, nearby witnesses claim to have seen employees and customers inside the café go down beneath the ceiling falling on them. It is a real foul act to commit such an act in a place like Argana. The Argana district was declared a patrimony to human culture by UNESCO in 2011.

I firmly stand by the belief that such foul acts should happen in this world regardless of where or why. It is not in a person’s or group of people’s right to commit such a inhuman terrorist attack on innocents having a drink in a local café. 

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Gadafi launches new offensive to acquire Misrata

The state in Lybia has been like a roiling maelstrom, it has changed without warning, from supposedly having Gadafi bottled up and harmless to the same man controlling most of Lybia and looking to have it all.

The rebel troops in the port city of Misrata have reported that Muamar Gadafi’s new objective is Misrata itself. The former’s troops bombed the town this same day and caused 3 deaths and at least 10 injuries. The rebels stand strong in the face of battle and keep on training new recruits during these harsh times. Rebel representatives have reported the situation to be over the border of dire, with corpses of soldiers lying around in buildings and the street. This further endangers the common populace as fearful diseases take hold when rot and death are around. The Rebels are gathering for a push in the enemy line and be able to defeat Gadafi’s mercenary troops and soldiers.

My opinion in all of this, is that the war should be resolved as soon as possible. Citizens should not be expected to have to put up with such a dismal life quality as the one in Lybia right now. You can’t just have corpses of dead soldiers lying around in the streets, it just doesn’t happen.

I sincerely hope this conflict is solved soon, for the good of Lybia.

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Japanese nuclear crisis put on par with Chernobyl

As we all should know, a huge tragedy happened in Japan during March. The 9,1 seismic earthquake on the Richter Scale not only decimated buildings and killed people but it brought in one of the most dangerous of natures natural phenomenon: a tsunami. The tsunami all but finished the work the earthquake started destroying whole towns and killing more than 20,000 people. This would have been it, but to throw some more sauce into the triumvirate, the tsunami broke the refrigerating system of the nuclear plants in Fukushima creating a yet more alarming nuclear crisis in Japan. Yesterday, April 11 the Japanese prime minister asked his people and the world itself for some calm after the government raised the nuclear crisis state from a 5 to 7 out of 7, the maximum in an international scale.

Contrary to this the prime minister assures that the situation of the nuclear plants has improved, however Japanese regulators affirm that after assessing radiation leaks in one of the plants it was paramount to raise the level of alertness.

I believe it is of the utmost importance to send aid to Japan after the tremendous and horrific last month they have gone through. If they situation were to be even graver than before the world must fall in with Japan. 

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Mad ex-student kills 13 pupils and injures 18

On this past 7^th of April a horrid event took place in a small public school in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. A 24 year old, ex-student entered the school gun in hand and randomly started shooting pupils, travelling progressively from class to class. The shooting left 13 dead children and at least 18 injuries. The killing happened sometime between 8 15 and 8 30 in the morning. According to some sources, the killer arrive well dressed and insisted he was going to take part in an educational speech. After that, he briefly talked to some old acquaintances and teachers. Once he got to the intended classroom, he opened fire. The killer shot himself in the head while surrounded by a group of policemen. After he was searched the investigators found a letter with instructions for his burial which according to the head of the police department make no sense. It was later revealed that the killer had suffered from bullying in the school and decided to take revenge on innocents.

It is my firm opinion that these are the worst defilements of human nature. Killing young children, innocents with no relation to the killer’s bad luck is a very sad thing. The influence of this event does not go unnoticed to the other pupils who escaped. Many of them, very young will be traumatized for the rest of their lives. Overall, I am shocked and very sad for every family that had to suffer through such an unjust thing.

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Husband strangles wife after credit card affair

In Halifax around 5 years ago, a tragic murder occurred. Jason McCrae killed his wife with the aid of a two-by-four after an argument over a credit card. After a long arduous investigation, McCrae has finally admitted to the gruesome act.

This is a violation of the most basic and fundamental civil rights. Every person has the right to live and no one can take that away from them, it cannot be thrown away as a minor right, it is the right to live it is the keystone that keeps society together. Jason McCrae failed to fulfill his responsibilities morally and physically. There is no excuse for the killing of a human and it is your utmost responsibility to ensure such things don’t happen.

Another right that was violated that day was that of their baby daughter. Every child has the right to a good and firm set of parents, and Jason McCrae violated that by killing and disrupting the family union.

I believe that killing for no reason and in retaliation for a minor fact, e.g a credit card, is one of the lowest levels to witch a human being can morally fall. Murders like this should be punished severely, and they already are.

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THE COLONELS LAST STAND

Back in 2003, when the deal that has possibly saved so many lives was struck, not even the U.S espionage department had imagined that so much nuclear equipment could be exported from Libya. With the growing unrest in the later country, its ruler, Colonel Qadaffi makes ready for a military siege of Tripoli, the capital city of Libya. What happened those 8 years ago; Libya agreed to hand over all its nuclear equipment and its program in exchange for economic reimbursement on the U.S part. Lately, with the Colonel and his son loosing grasp on the country they have expressed their unrest and enragement at Washington’s slowness to repay them. It has also come to light, that the Libyan government still holds a stockpile of mustard gas to the further discontent and fear of the population. With pentagon planners preparing a no-fly zone to neutralize the Libyan air force, some action will soon be taken.

I believe that the U.S struck a great deal and saved the world a big amount of pains thanks to the fact that the stopped and took out the nuclear program out of Libya. This could have been very dangerous as the Colonel would have used anything to stay in grasp of his depleted regime.

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UNEMPLOYED MANIAC WITH MENTAL DISTRESS ATTACKS HOSPITAL WITH AN AXE

This past week, in a small hospital in Madrid, the Capital city of Spain, a mentally disoriented civilian entered the building and attacked 3 of the nurses at reception. Right after that, he exited and was pursued by a person waiting to see his wife at the hospital. After being secured by Roberto, the person who was waiting to see his wife, the police showed up and arrested the maniac.

From witness description, the man from apparent North African origin entered the vicinity at around 12:30 p.m. As soon as he set foot in the hospital he took out an axe that he had been concealing beneath his jacket and pounced on the nurses at reception. He injured 3 of the 7 nurses that worked at the hospital and they are in emergency status. 2 of the injured nurses suffered the loss of their right arm at wrist length and the hospital is working on reinstalling their appendixes. All 3 of the victims suffered cranium fracture and hair tissue damage from wild axe swings to their heads.

The fugitive is now in jail waiting to be judged. On his interrogation by the police, he calmly explained what he had done and his reasons for it. He said that he was unemployed and had too many problems in his life.

I am astounded by this piece of news as I realize how the malfunctioning of one persons brain can affect so many other people around them. I cannot place myself in the nurses’ mind because I cannot conceive the idea of being injured because of someone else’s problems.

I believe that this person should be severely judged and should spend at least a good amount of time in prison.

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China passes Japan to become the second most prominent economy of the world

After more than 30 years of spectacular and stunning economic growth, China has finally passed Japan and has become the world’s second economy after the United States of America.

Although expected, the news has been received with awe and amazement around the globes due to the fact that China’s evolution is being imprinted in reality and that it is not just a myth. China’s economy, valued at around 1.33 $ trillion surpassed Japan’s 2 days ago, which was valued at about 1.28 $ trillion.

It is with even more amazement that economists report that China will pass the United States as soon as in 2030 as an economic power. China far from being a developed, established country; having a per-capita rate of 3,600 $, developed countries like Germany or the US have a per-capita rate of 40,000 $. In Japan, the news was received with grave reluctance. Japan’s population known to have been dramatically aging has hindered the country’s development and has made Japan fall short of its expectations as it had been forecasted that Japan would be the 1^st world economic power in around 2000.

Me personally, I think that China has a bright future ahead of itself and that undoubtfully the communist party has done a good job of bringing the country towards the light of money. However, with growing power comes growing responsibility and who knows if the people will be satisfied with a communist regime when there is more money to make in a capitalist government. We will have to wait a decade or two to find out.

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Berlusconi will be prosecuted for prostitution of minors and abuse of power

Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy, 74 years of age will be tried for prostitution of minors and abuse of his state of power. If nothing impends it, the trial will be held on the 6^th of April at 9:30 in the morning in Milan.

The charges against Berlusconi are many, of which the most striking one is the prostitution of Karima El Maghour, nicknamed “Ruby”, who was known to have visited Berlusconi’s house when she was under age. Another of the crimes the prime minister is said to have committed is that of exerting his power as prime minister over others in a threatening way when he had no right to command that certain group of people. This, happened in April last year when the prime minister ordered the national police around to do his bidding. Many people claim for his resignation in order to save the country from worldwide humiliation of having a prime minister that delves in prostitution of minors.

From my point of view, the trial should be held as soon as possible since the fact that Berlusconi could still be innocent lies in the air. Who knows what the future will bring to Berlusconi and Italy? I for one, will wait and watch.

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BARCELONA REQUESTS DRASTIC MEASURES TO REDUCE POLLUTION

With the approving of the Environmental 2011-2020 plan in Barcelona, the government has asked for new measures to reduce the pollution in the city and the sea. Some of the measures that will be taken are the following: More taxi stop zones will be built in order to reduce roaming and idling cars, the amount of fuel and residues spilt into the Mediterranean will be regulated and taxed more profoundly and the loading and unloading of goods onto vehicles will be performed by electric engines. Another big project in the plan includes the total electrification of the Barcelona Bay. As it is, big ships like cruises spill tons upon tons of litres into the Mediterranean. With the electrification of the bay, these huge ships would be able to run on electricity while they are docked in town. This would highly reduce the pollution of the sea surrounding the Catalan area, as Barcelona is the major port city in Cataluña.

I believe that Barcelona should not be the only city taking measures and formulating plans to reduce pollution. It is a complicated problem indeed, but problems are there to be solved and therefore every city, or better, every country should be trying to reduce pollution.

If we don’t start now, the consequences on the environment will be irreversible and then we shall regret not have doing what had to be done in the right time.

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"DOWN GOES MUBARAK, EVERYONE AGAINST MUBARAK"

According to the Al Arabiya Egiptian TV Channel, the president of Egypt: Hosni Mubarak will address the people of Egypt today, giving in to the huge gatherings of people in Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

The populace claims that they shall not move until Mubarak resigns and leaves the country; some, more radical, shout to the heavens for the death of the president, who has manipulated the country and bent it to his will.

In Tahrir Square, Cairo, thousands upon thousands of people reside, putting up tents or setting up shops; apparently, they will follow through the threat of not leaving until Mubarak presents his resignation. The president, on his part, stands strong and voices that he shall not resign his position and that the people will have to wait until the next elections.

The United States has already showed its support for the 2 million people that are revolting in Egypt, but hopes for a peaceful transition. The United Kingdom has also voiced its concerns exclaiming that Egypt’s government would do well in listening to its people.

The situation is complicated at best and we are sure to hear more about the government that brought 2 million people to the street and united them under the motto: “Down goes Mubarak, everyone against Mubarak.”

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Rob Ford VS 5 cent plastic bag fee

Back in 2010, in the time when the general election for Mayor in Toronto was going on, candidate Rob Ford was asked what he thought about the 5 cent fee on plastic bags. He said he was decided to stop it. After some bumps and bruises and a sort of rollercoaster ride, the Mayor is back on track in 2011 and decided to quash the fee, or “tax” as he calls it.

Technically, it cannot be called a tax since the money goes to the enterprises and not the government. The journey to quash the plastic bag fee, might very well result impossible, since the government has no control over what the retailers do about it and the later may very well stand up to customers about it.

It is possible that customer outrage may end up beating the retailers’ perseverance in keeping the fee, but it is not likely.

Both discontent and appreciation are present among the public, some view the erasing of the fee as positive, while others believe that the bag fee is a great way of reducing waste.

Others are indifferent, and believe that this is only one of the mayor’s grand ideas.

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