Making Fun Illegal

Frisbees and footballs are now illegal on Los Angeles County beaches. Tuesday legislation was passed that prohibits "any person to cast, toss, throw, kick or roll" any thing other than a beach ball or volleyball "upon or over any beach" as well as "in or over the Pcific Ocean", during summer. It does also allow for water polo.

Anyone who is caught with the "illegal materials" could be fined up to $1000. Ball throwing areas will be created, and it would also be possible to purchase a permit so that you could carry a ball or other sports equipment on the beach, or in the ocean. And during the rest of the year, anything goes.

The bill also makes digging holes, on the beach, deeper than 18 inches, illegal unless you have a permit for filming a tv show or movie.

Nasheed Confirms Coup

The protests in the Maldives have continued and escalated despite the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed. In an interview he said, "You call it what you want. But when someone metaphorically and physically puts a gun at your head and tells you to resign, that's a coup in my mind."
He also stated that "it was nothing but a coup by Islamists" that took him from power, and he plans to put his name in for election. Former vice president Mohamed Waheed, the new president, denies that there was any kind of forced resignation and states that it was popularly demanded by the people.

However Nasheed's supporters have taken to the streets demanding that he be returned to power. Current reports would suggest that the majority of the country still supports the deposed president. The crowds do not appear to be going anywhere, only growing. With the police and military already split between the sides, it is unsure if anyone will be able to keep this from getting truly violent.

Maldives President Resigns

In a series of events which seem all too familiar these days, President Mohamed Nasheed, of the Maldives, has resigned. Vice-President Mohammed Waheed Hassan has been selected by the military to take power, and will serve until the regularly scheduled elections in 2013. President Nasheed, elected in 2009, had been the first democratically elected president in the history of the Maldives.

Disputes have been growing for some time between the ruling party and the opposition, but since January they've increased until they exploded recently.

In 2009 defamation was decriminalized by the government, ending a history of arresting anyone who criticized the government. But in early January the government asked police to begin investigations into opposition leaders who had been accusing the government of undermining the country's Islamic faith. Instead of investigating the opposition, the police arrested them. The ruling party, the Maldavian Democratic Party, started a legal policy that forbade "baseless allegations" against it. Clearly a return to the old ways.

In mid January, the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed, ruled that one of the detentions by police was illegal, and orderd the person released from police custody. In response the police asked the Maldives military to assist in apprehending the judge. Since January 16, the judge has been in military custody. That is what ignited the current protests, which have continued since. Many of the opposition parties and prominent lawyers have cited the military's act as unlawful, pointing out that the military has no right to detain citizens. At this time he still has not been charged with anything, prompting the United Nations and Amnesty International to ask for his release.

On Monday, the streets became filled with violence as what are being described as thugs from both sides began street fights, rioting, and looting. A mutiny of police officers joined the opposition and then stormed government buildings and the state TV station, demanding that the president resign. At that point the military went on the streets to "maintain order". Immediately after resigning Nasheed was taken into military custody.

It is unclear whether the resignation will have any effect on the protests. The military and Hassan have made no move to release Judge Mohamed, and have not stated whether they will do so. The possible coup could make things worse or better. Only time will tell how it will go for the nation of islands.

Massacre in Syria

The people of Syria have a clear message now, one of asking the world for help. More than ever the regime of Bashar al-Assad has been slaughtering the people who dared stand up to him. The violence has reached new levels as the regime has been emboldened by the veto of the Arab League's proposal in the United Nations, by Russia and China.

It is estimated that over 100 are now dying daily as Syrian army forces shell towns and cities that have opposed and protested against the abuses of the government. Not all the dead were civilians, but the great majority are. Some do belong to the Free Army, as the fighters call themselves, most of whom are defectors from the national army. Funerals in some towns are no longer possible, as anyone seen on the street is shot at by the military. The dead are buried in the dark of night, by daring volunteers, who even then must dodge bullets.

Tanks and other armoured vehicles have been seen encircling rebel areas, and troops were spotted near some of the fringes of shelled territory. It seems clear that Syria has decided to wipe out the rebels completely, before it can become a civil war. The Free Army has ordered all under it's command to not fire, to preserve what little ammo they have. Orders are to protect the civilians from a ground assault when, not if, it comes.

More Sanctions on Iran

President Obama signed an executive order today imposing even harsher sanctions against Iran, including ones against Iran's Central Bank. The sanctions require that companies trading on US stock exchanges release any information on any business with Iran and increase penalties on energy and uranium mining joint ventures with Iran. They also allow for penalties against financial institutions in other countries, who do business with the Central Bank. The United States and the European Union have been imposing strict sanctions against Iran's oil industries, and the EU is also considering striking against the Central Bank. A big shock was when long time ally China cut it's purchasing of Iranian oil in half. Only Russian vetoes have kept the United Nations from adding it's own sanctions.

The world sees the sanctions as the best way to break Iran into stopping it's nuclear enrichment programs, which Iran maintains are entirely for peaceful purposes. However, the latest reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency, state that they are convinced that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons. Israel, the US, the EU, and most of the world have been accusing Iran of just that, since they began the program.

In response to the sanctions, Iran has made repeated threats to close the Strait of Hormuz if the sanctions are actually enacted, which they are not due to, til this summer. Both Israel and the US have stated their willingness to attack Iran, if necessary, to keep it from gaining nuclear weapons. Russia has countered that by stating that any attack on Tehran would be considered an attack on Moscow. And just within the last week Iran restated that it would attack any country who allowed itself to be used as a base against it.

You Can't Speak That Here

Apparently Spanish is acceptable, but speaking your family's native language is not. A seventh grader Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in Shawano, Wisconsin found this out when a teacher over heard her speaking in the Menominee language. Not only did she get in trouble over this, but was suspended from a basketball game for her "attitude problem". Her "attitude problem" being that she was teaching a classmate some basic words in her language.

The girl is completely bilingual in English and Menominee. Her grandmother is the director of the Language and Culture Commission of the Menominee Tribe. And holds a degree in linguistics from the University of Arizona's College of Education-AILDI American Indian Language Development Institute.

The school, which is located just six miles off the reservation, has apologized, and stated that it will make a very public apology as well. Said apology will not just be to the student and her family, but to the whole tribe. Ironically, Sacred Heart, does have an option for Spanish on their phone system, but not for Menominee, which is spoken by over sixty percent of the student body.

Firing Range Funding

Democrat Senator Mark Udall, senior senator for the state of Colorado, has written the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, and is asking Coloradans to sign a petition in it's support. The bill does not grant states more federal funding, but rather would allow for a greater percentage of already granted federal money to be used toward the building, expansion, repairing, and reconstruction of public pistol, rifle, and or archery ranges in any state. Currently states are not allowed fund a project with more than ten percent federal money, the Act would move the maximum up to seventy-five percent.

In his petition, Udall said, "Hunting and recreational shooting are an important part of America's heritage. By improving the shooting experience, we can bring more Americans into the sport, thereby increasing the revenue generated for wildlife restoration. And by giving states greater flexibility over federal funds they already have, we can do so with no increase in spending while better managing designated places to safely use firearms."

Romania's PM Resigns

After most of a month of mostly peaceful protests, the people of Romania have gotten one of their demands, the resignation of Prime Minister Emil Boc. Their other demands include that President Traian Basescu also resign, and that new elections occur. Basescu's government has been unpopular since taking power in 2004. They opposition has gained in strength since 2009 when an agreement was signed with the European Union, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank for a loan of $27.5 billion. Part of the agreement was reducing wages by twenty five percent and increased taxes. The protests began over austerity moves made by the government, that were also a requirement of the loan.

Because of the austerity measures, many Romanians have been unable to find work, seeking employment in other countries. The measures have broken up the country's society, with too many leaving families behind and sending what money they can back to them. Also struck by the measures were pensions, leaving many retirees financially stranded. The Romanian economy has been all but crippled by them, with no change for the better really in sight.

Space Jumping Anyone?

Felix Baumgartner has found his next big challenge. Already the holder of multiple records for skydiving and base jumping, he is currently planning a jump that will set even more. The plan this time is to jump from a balloon at 120,000 ft, in August. If successful it would gain him four more records: the highest altitude free fall, the highest manned balloon flight, the longest distance traveled in free fall and the speed record for the fastest free fall; and he will also break the sound barrier during his fall to the earth. He also hopes that his jump will prove real scientific information and help open up space tourism and new extreme sports, like space jumping.

He will make his way up in an adapted weather balloon. The 400 ft wide scientific balloon will carry a pressurized capsule, with him in it. At 120,000 ft up 23 miles up, he will have to endure temperatures as low as -94 F as well as lack of oxygen and an air pressure that would make his blood boil. To protect him from these difficulties, a suit has been specially designed. The custom suit is also pressurized in a very similar way to the ones NASA astronauts use and carries a supply of 20 minutes of oxygen. His helmet was also specially designed to try and keep him from blacking out when he causes a sonic boom passing through the sound barrier. Due to the difficulties of reaching his parachute's cords whilst in the suit, it also had to be adapted to make the jump possible.

Once he jumps out of the capsule, and away from the balloon, it should take him ten minutes to reach the ground. Thirty-five seconds later he'll break the sound barrier. He'll be traveling close to 700 miles an hour, for the first five minutes, until he reaches 5,000 ft and opens his chute. Five minutes later he hopes to have reached the ground safely, hoping to land in a specific area of New Mexico, but even a slight breeze could cause him to drift 150 miles.

During his jumping blacking will be his worst fear, it would very easily prove deadly. Breaking the sound barrier, the sheer force of the fall, or going into a spin could cause it to happen. Baumgartner stated during an interview that, "I always feel the danger because you might always be subject to an unexpected or emergency event. One single mistake might cause a real catastrophe. You are worried about being where humans shouldn't be."

2011 NFL Awards

With a final vote of 48 to 2, Aaron Rodgers is the National Football League's Most Valuable Player for 2011. Rodgers led the NFL in passing with a 122.5 rating, 45 touchdown passes, six interceptions and a 68.3 completion percentage as the Packers went 15-1 and won the NFC North. He is the fifth Packer to win the award. Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung and Brett Favre have been given it previously. This is also the fifth year in a row that a quarter back has been voted MVP. Tom Brady of the Patriots won it in both 2007 and 2010, with the Colts Peyton Manning taking it the two years between.

Other awards went to the Saints Drew Brees for Offensive Player of the Year. Terrell Suggs of the Ravens received Defensive Player of the Year. Offensive Rookie of the Year went to Panther Cam Newton, while the Defensive Rookie of the Year was split between Bronco Von Miller and Aldon Smith of the 49ers. Lion Matthew Stafford won the Comeback Play of the Year and Coach of the Year went to Jim Harbaugh of the 49ers.