Grip of Winter

It can be beautiful, but it's also deadly. From Alaska around to Russia, the northern hemisphere is in the grips of winter. European reports have at least 164 people dead from the cold. Thousands have been cut off as entire areas of Eastern Europe are no longer reachable, except by helicopter. Air drops have been made in many places, to supply cut off towns and villages. Temperatures have been dropping to the mid negative 30s F.

Record snows have paused in Alaska, where some areas have seen temperatures reach below negative 60 F. And as we speak Colorado and other sections of the Rockies and western plains are experiencing a storm that could plant up to two feet of snow in metro areas, with mountain regions expecting between one and four feet.

If you're anywhere in the cold and or snowy regions, please remember to dress in warm layers. This isn't just to avoid getting sick. Your life could easily be on the line throughout the cold and snowing areas, so take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Joe Coors for Congress

Joe Coors Jr. is running for Congress. He will be going up against longtime Democrat Ed Perlmutter, for Colorado's 7th Congressional District. In his speech he stated that there are "two distinct choices for voters this year. The first option is to continue the expansion of federal government both in size and scope, placing control of far too many decisions in the hands of bureaucrats. This is the voting record of the incumbent and the liberals in Washington, D.C. I believe the best option is the second option: Free enterprise with limited government that allows men and women to start and grow their businesses as large as their dreams will carry them. This formula has made our economy the largest in the world. This is what I will champion in Congress."

Liberal groups, as well as Perlmutter's campaign, have already begun the attacks against Coors. The focus so far is on his wealth, which is considerable thanks to the companies he owns, and those passed down through the family. Will be interesting to see how well he does. Unless another entry appears he will very likely have not just his Republican Party's backing, but the Tea Party as well as many independents.

Unrest in China

Unrest continues to strike nation after nation, and China is no stranger to it. The truth is hard to get out due to the total control of the media by the Chinese government, but some does get out. CNN reports that any articles written on the subject are quickly blocked out by the Chinese government, if they contain any information not being released by state media.

In Xinjiang province an extra 8000 police have been sent in to ensure "the lasting peace and social stability in the region." Xinjiang province is home to the Uighers people, who are mostly Muslim and do not even speak Chinese. The region has seen a rising tide of Han Chinese immigrants, and in 2009 was the scene of riots which killed at least 200 people. Very little is known about the current situation there, other than what state tv reports.

Sichuan province, home to large numbers of Tibetan communities has also seen a large crackdown. Both sides have confirmed deaths occurred, but the stories as to why are very different. The state media says that religious unrest is occurring and protesters attacked police with weapons, and places the blame on the Dalai Lama. Whereas, Tibetan rights groups are saying that police fired repeatedly into an unarmed peaceful protest. Any foreigners or press who attempt to enter the area are turned back well before they can reach the turmoil, with police stating that they can not let them in for their own safety.

No More Debt!

Back in 2008, Obama said, "The problem is that the way Bush has done it in the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion from the first 42 presidents. Number 43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome. So we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back. $30,000 for every man woman and child. That's irresponsible, that's unpatriotic." Yet even in April 2011, "When you're a senator, traditionally what's happened is, this is always a lousy vote. Nobody likes to be tagged as having increased the debt limit -- for the United States by a trillion dollars. As president, you start realizing, you know what, we, we can't play around with this stuff. This is the full faith and credit of the United States." Kind of a radical switch there Barack.

In his eight years as President, George W. Bush raised the debt limit seven times, for an amount of $4 trillion. President Barack Obama however, has in three years raised it five times for $7 trillion. No wonder he's had to change his rhetoric. I'm going to once again quote Obama, "raising the debt limit is a sign of leadership failure." It totally is! As Representative Paul Ryan, said Sunday, "We are not getting the kind of leadership we need. At the time when America needs it the most, we have a debt crisis on our horizon. The Senate hasn't budgeted for 1,005 days now. The president is not even proposing to tackle this fiscal crisis. So, what we need is a new president and a new Senate, and we need to give the country a very specific plan, a set of ideas of how we're going to solve these problems and let the country choose in November what they want America to become."

Raising the debt limit, should never have been an option. There's a limit for a purpose! Why bother even having one, if it is so easy to raise it. If America is ever going to recover from her financial and economic woes and tribulations there can be no more increases. None. As in zero. Nada. No mas. It should not even be something allowed for discussion by the government. To once again agree with candidate Obama's sadly empty words, raising the national debt is "irresponsible, that's unpatriotic".

Reducing the debt has to be the foremost objective of the United States government. Why? Because it is the government's debt. We The People are being held hostage by it. And anytime a government is using anything to hold it's own people hostage, that government becomes an enemy of the people, an enemy of the very country it supposedly is working for. Congress and The President need to receive this message. Are you working for us or against us? If you continue working against us, you are in violation of your oath's of office, and an enemy of the state.

This country separated itself from England due to taxation without representation. Now all of these members were elected, whether their voters were alive or dead. But I seriously doubt any member of congress was elected by their constituents with the expressed purpose of 'bankrupt us further'. In fact, many of the newer members were elected because they promised to not vote for further debt. Congress, let me be clear, you are either for us or against us. Compromise is the nature of politics, but on this issue there is no room for any. No more debt!

Millennium Falcon at Bottom of Baltic?

Representative West's Message

Occupy Mob Violence

Occupy Oakland went completely violent last night and brought out nothing but a rioting mob. They began by attempting to break into the Henry Kaiser Convention Center, tearing down fences and destroying equipment. When asked by police to disperse they responded by attacking police with bottles, metal pipes, rocks, spray cans, fire, improvised explosive devices, and at least one bicycle. Several police officers were injured in the assault. Occupiers continued to break into the Oakland City Hall and a YMCA building, causing thousands of dollars in damage and stealing US flags to burn on the steps. In defense of the city, and their own lives, police were forced to use tear gas, pepper spray, batons, flash bangs, rubber bullets, and bean bag guns. At least 400 occupiers were arrested over the course of Saturday alone.


Ironically most of the occupiers are not even from Oakland, but from all over the country. They consist mostly of anarchists and communists who are using the protests to promote their own agendas, cause chaos, and simply destroy things. Occupy Oakland has also threatened to attempt closing the airport as well as the shipyards, again. In ridiculous attempts, the occupiers have tried blaming the city and the police for their own actions last night. They have already filed law suits, claiming that they were peacefully protesting when attacked. "Their intent is to commit vandalism and cause problems," interim police Chief Howard Jordan said of the protesters. "Their intent is not to be peaceful."


Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is seeking "stay away" orders against occupiers that have been arrested repeatedly. These would basically act as restraining orders, making it illegal for the repeat offenders to enter into Oakland city limits. Police were kept so busy with the violence that they couldn't respond to over 200 other calls. This even despite help coming throughout the day from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and other city's police forces, including Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, Pleasanton, Union City and Newark.

MOP Not Enough

It seems that the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is no longer enough. The Pentagon, despite seeking massive cuts elsewhere, has asked Congress for funding to build the "mother of all bombs" (MOAB). Pentagon experts state the need for one, by noting that certain countries have built bunkers housing nuclear facilities that the MOP may not be able to reach, and the MOAB could. Both the MOP and MOAB are attempts to avoid the use of nuclear weaponry.

Iran's Fordo facility for nuclear enrichment is built at least 200 feet below ground, and has been further strengthened with concrete and steel. Fordo is likely the foremost target in the mind of the military thinkers. A MOP likely would not be capable of destroying that site.

Tensions between Iran and the world have been at all time highs due to the continuation of Iran's nuclear program. While the US is joined by the EU, and most of the world, in placing sanctions against the belligerent country; Russia has stood by their ally vetoing any UN resolution that would place sanctions on Iran. Even China has cut down it's purchasing of Iranian oil, to put pressure on Iran's government, over the nuclear program. Iran's response to the sanctions has been to repeatedly threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping lane for a fifth of the world's oil travels through. The US, France, and UK have all maintained and increased naval forces near the strait to ensure it stays open.

The Mothership

The USS Ponce is to be converted into a "mothership", where special operations forces can be kept and deployed from. Capable of housing helicopters, rapid deployment troops, speed boats, and some aircraft she would prove an extremely useful mobile base for the United States Navy. She would be very helpful asset against pirates and could be used as a commando station against hostile groups such as Al Qaeda.

Naval technicians are already working on full on motherships, which they hope to begin building in 2013. These would be capable of carrying a lot more troops and equipment. As they will be specially designed, rather than retrofitted, they would likely be much more capable as well.

The USS Ponce and it's successor will likely be sent to the Persian Gulf or Arabian Sea, as counters to the aforementioned pirates, but also as a message to Iran. Iran and the United States have been increasingly hostile over Iran's nuclear program. While the US is joined by the EU, and most of the world, in placing sanctions against the belligerent country; Russia has stood by their ally vetoing any UN resolution that would place sanctions on Iran. Even China has cut down it's purchasing of Iranian oil, to put pressure on Iran's government, over the nuclear program. Iran's response to the sanctions has been to repeatedly threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping lane for a fifth of the world's oil travels through. The US, France, and UK have all maintained and increased naval forces near the strait to ensure it stays open.

Renewed Egyptian Turmoil

Protesters in Egypt have now begun turning on the Muslim Brotherhood, which was elected to a near majority in the elections last week. They blame the group for selling the revolution out and for supporting the military's continued control of the country. Military rule is set to end in June, and their timetable has been completely supported by the Brotherhood. The protesters did not turn to violence against them, but did send them the worst of insults as well as some thrown plastic bottles. Chants of,
"No Brotherhood, no officers! Down, down with military rule!" were heard. Members of the Brotherhood, that were present, seemed shocked by the turn of events, and did not really seem to know how to react.

Meanwhile, a mob broke into the Syrian embassy, with little to no resistance from Egyptian security forces. The attack lasted about fifteen minutes, mostly included ransacking the building, and then the group left with out any problems. The embassy had been empty at the time, so none were hurt. This is the fifth attack on an embassy in Cairo over the last year, the last was the Israeli embassy in September. Syrian ambassador, Youssef Ahmed, saw no relation in the attacks stating, "The Israeli Embassy was attacked by the revolutionaries of Egypt because Israel is the first enemy of the Arab nation," where as, "barbarians moved by money provided by Persian Gulf countries bent on Assad's ouster" had attacked the Syrian.