Mixed Reports From Syria

Syrian government reports that they have begun pulling troops back from fighting lines. This comes as they approach one week of the UN deadline for a total ceasefire. At this point there is no confirmation from the UN or the rebel forces. Rebel forces had earlier stated that fighting had increased as the government seeks to annihilate the opposition before their time is up.

Kofi Annan's peace agreement requires the government forces to pull back to their bases, by April 10. Rebel forces are required to stop fighting once they are no longer under attack and to not advance in the absence of the troops.

There are many holes in the agreement, such as the lack of requirement for an immediate cease fire. The plan also fails to realize the lack of united front amongst the different rebel groups, not all of whom have agreed to the truce. Some of the rebels refuse to acknowledge any agreement that does not immediately remove President Bashar al-Assad from power.

The government may very well continue firing up until their dead line. And then use the actions of rebels, who haven't acknowledged the agreement, as reasoning to continue against all opposition. Especially troubling is the admitted involvement of al Qaeda amongst some of the rebel groups. Al Qaeda would have no reason to see the ceasefire be successful.

In March of 2011 protests against the rule of President Assad began. The government's swift violent crackdowns on the rallies only made them grow and spread. In some areas armed revolts took place, and government troops defected in some cases. Military forces had simply just tried shelling neighborhoods into submission. It's been a long and bloody year in Syria. Estimates of the dead range from 9,000 up to 15,000.

Remembering: The Falklands War

The Falkland Islands have a history of being traded back and forth between nations. Or they did until 1833, when the British took control of them from Argentina.

Since then the two countries have regularly had words of dispute over them again. In 1981, the Falklanders held a referendum and voted to stay British.

Then on April 2, 1982, Argentina invaded and occupied the British commonwealth of the Falkland Island and South Georgia, which comprise The Falkland Islands. The British public was outraged, and demanded action.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's government was quick to respond, and after seventy-four days the Falklands War ended with the Argentinians surrender on June 14, 1982. Six hundred forty-nine Argentine military personnel, two hundred fifty-five British military personnel and three Falkland Islanders died over the duration of the conflict.

Thatcher's government would rise further and stronger because of their success. While the Argentinian government would be toppled because of it's failure to win the war.

Remembering: The Battle of Okinawa

Cornerstone of Peace Memorial

April 1, 1945 fifty thousand US troops invade the Japanese island of Okinawa. The largest amphibious landing in the Pacific Theater during WWII, in it's eighty-two days it would go on to become the bloodiest battle of WWII in the Pacific.

Japanese troops relied very heavily upon kamikaze attacks, as well as dug out caves, that were nearly impenetrable to artillery, naval, and aircraft bombing.

Because of the ferocity of the defense, as well as the mass suicides amongst the native population, the US government decided to attempt the use of nuclear bombs on the Japanese mainland, instead of risking an even bloodier invasion.

In 1995, the Okinawan government erected the Cornerstone of Peace Memorial. The memorial holds the name of every one who died because of the Battle of Okinawa, whether they be Okinawan civilians, Japanese military, or Allied troops. Last updated in June of 2008, it holds 240,734 names.

Remembering: The Eiffel Tower

March 31, 1889 the Eiffel Tower is officially completed and dedicated. Gustave Eiffel supervised the completion of the project he designed not only under budget, but early as well.

Some critics had argued that his design would be unstable and could not last or reach so high. Others that it would be an eyesore, taking away from the charm of the Parisian skyline.

The nine hundred and eighty-four foot tall tower is made of an iron framework supported on four masonry piers. On each pier is a column, which unite to form a single vertical tower. Three platforms, at different levels, have observation decks. Glass caged, elevators ascend the piers on a curve.

On the day of dedication the elevators were the only thing not completed, so Eiffel and some determined companions took the stairs. Once at the top the let fly a huge French tricolor. At the signal fireworks were set off, on the second platform.

In 1909 the lease on the land expired, and plans began to tear it down, but it served a great purpose as a radio tower and so was saved. It remained the world's tallest structure until 1930.

GM Pulls Funding of Heartland Institute, Backing The War on Thinking

Under pressure from groups such as Greenpeace, GM buckled under and embraced climate change as truth. GM CEO Dan Akerson said his company is running its business under the assumption that climate change is real.

This news was of course rabidly applauded by groups like Forecast the Facts, Huffington Post, the Center for American Progress, 350.org, Greenpeace, the Pacific Institute, Think Progress, and other such havens.

Once again thinking outside the liberal view point is the last thing you want to do, if running a company, let alone a think tank. Government forbid that people think for themselves and see a truth other than what you've crammed down their throats.

It should be noted that GM gave a resounding $15,000 a year. Yes, that's the right amount of zeros. GM, barely gave anything anyways. They used to give a lot more. Oddly that all seemed to change around the time GM was bought out by the government. Even despite that they were the last auto maker to do anything. But if any single one is, then they must be stopped! Or at least so says the plant that Greenpeace worships.

Maybe it's time for some hard data. How about the repeating cycles of global climate? The world has warmed and cooled repeatedly, before industry. And to attack American companies for it, is well ridiculous. American companies already are some of the cleanest in the world. Growing industry nations like China and India case the majority of the pollution. Comparing US industry to Europe isn't fair either, as there is so much more US industry. Of course the US pollutes more than Lichtenstein or Belgium.

What's worse is that global warming (or I'm sorry we don't say that anymore do we?), is being used as just another excuse to tell us how to think. Just like evolution, you can't dare to disagree with the system's decisions. Thinking for yourself would be illegal, but they can't pass that law (yet). So they discourage you from thinking by threatening your job, career, sometimes even more.

The building tyranny isn't just about keeping us from doing things. It's about keeping us from thinking.  Remember what we are really fighting for is simply the right to think what we want to. To decide what we believe, off of what we see going on around us. We should seek truth in everything, not just what the government or their paid drones tell us is correct.

Real totalitarian power comes if you control not just people's jobs, healthcare, wages, lives, or even bodies. Total power comes from controlling thought. If you control what they think, then they won't care what else you control.

In the end, remember, to Just Think for yourself.

Tweet Deck's Latest Issue

Twitter was forced to take Tweet Deck down, again after a bug allowed people access to other people's accounts. To make it better, Twitter didn't even notice. Users noticed that they could do it.

It is unknown how long it was running that way, but if you have tweets on your account that you didn't put, now you know why.

Since Twitter purchased Tweet Deck, last May, problems have become much more common. Recently a flaw made it look as if people weren't following people they actually were, causing great distress amongst the masses.

Long time users are quite familiar with Twitter's own "Fail Whale" but as Twitter grows it is no longer a joking matter. With over 100 million active users, including businesses and government agencies tweeting more than 250 million times a day, a problem on Twitter literally can effect the whole world.

Olbermann Pink-Slipped. Again

Friday afternoon, the New York Times reports, Keith Olbermann was humiliated... and fired. In an open letter to the viewer(s) of Current TV:

We created Current to give voice to those Americans who refuse to rely on corporate-controlled media and are seeking an authentic progressive outlet. We are more committed to those goals today than ever before.

Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

Current TV says that Olbermann will not be given an opportunity to sign off. Ex-Governor Elliot Spitzer, who resigned his Governorship after admitting to his involvement in a prostitution ring, will be taking the 8 pm slot effective tonight. Spitzer worked a short stint at CNN before being let go.

NY Times online:

With those words — “on a daily basis” — the founders of Current hinted at one of the reasons for Mr. Olbermann’s termination. It was the culmination, at least in part, of months of infighting between the famously temperamental Mr. Olbermann and his bosses at Current, including Mr. Hyatt, and David Bohrman, the channel’s president.

The fighting spilled out into public view in January after Mr. Olbermann declined Current’s requests to host special hours of election coverage, apparently out of frustration about technical difficulties that had plagued his 8 p.m. program, “Countdown.”

Fourteen months ago, Olbermann was fired by MSNBC after alienating staff members and violating his contract by donating to Democrat politicians.

UPDATE: Olbermann responds via Twitter:

My full statement:
I'd like to apologize to my viewers and my staff for the failure of Current TV.
Editorially, Countdown had never been better. But for more than a year I have been imploring Al Gore and Joel Hyatt to resolve our issues internally, while I've been not publicizing my complaints, and keeping the show alive for the sake of its loyal viewers and even more loyal staff. Nevertheless, Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt, instead of abiding by their promises and obligations and investing in a quality news program, finally thought it was more economical to try to get out of my contract.

It goes almost without saying that the claims against me implied in Current's statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently. To understand Mr. Hyatt’s “values of respect, openness, collegiality and loyalty,” I encourage you to read of a previous occasion Mr. Hyatt found himself in court for having unjustly fired an employee. That employee’s name was Clarence B. Cain.

In due course, the truth of the ethics of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt will come out. For now, it is important only to again acknowledge that joining them was a sincere and well-intentioned gesture on my part, but in retrospect a foolish one. That lack of judgment is mine and mine alone, and I apologize again for it.

UPDATE 2: Spitzer responds to Keith Olbermann getting fired from MSNBC in November of 2010:

Follow me on Twitter.

Dodgers Bought for $2 Billion

A group of investors led by investment banking firm Guggenheim Partners and championed by Magic Johnson have agreed to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 billion. The group will also spend $150 million to buy Dodger Stadium and the surrounding property.

"I am thrilled to be part of the historic Dodger franchise and intend to build on the fantastic foundation laid by Frank McCourt as we drive the Dodgers back to the front page of the sports section of our wonderful community of Los Angeles," Johnson said in a statement.


The Dodgers had landed in bankruptcy court after former owners Frank and Jamie McCourt filed for divorce. Since then the Major League Baseball association had taken over running the team.


"This agreement with Guggenheim reflects both the strength and future potential of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and assures that the Dodgers will have new ownership with deep local roots, which bodes well for the Dodgers, its fans and the Los Angeles community," McCourt said.

$2 billion is the highest amount ever spent on a professional US sports team. In 2009, real estate developer Steven Ross spent $1.1 billion to purchase the NFL's Miami Dolphins. The Ricketts family spent $845 million to take ownership of the Chicago Cubs, in 2009.


A big question remaining around the Dodgers is who will have broadcasting rights. News Corp's Fox Sports and Time Warner Cable are expected to duel it out for them. That deal could cost around $3 billion.

Anchorman 2

Just when you thought Hollywood was out of original ideas, Will Ferrel has confirmed that Anchorman 2 has been given the go ahead.

Ferrel will reprise his role as San Diego's top newscaster. He'll be rejoined by Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner. It is unknown if Christina Applegate or Fred Willard will return.

Adam McKay is back as director, and he and Ferrel will write the sequel.

About the most notable thing of the first movie was that it helped launch Seth Rogen's career.

Congress Asked to Give More For Iron Dome

The Pentagon is asking the US Congress to allow more funding to help Israel build more Iron Dome batteries. Last year $205 million was targeted specifically for it. This year's request would be for at least $500 million, or enough for ten of the batteries.

Iron Dome is a state of the art missile defense system, that has been over ninety percent effective in defending Israel from incoming rockets. Batteries cost about $50 million a piece.

So far three other batteries are all that protects a small part of southern Israel. Monday saw the spread of the batteries, so that one covers Tel Aviv now as well. More are in the production stages. South Korea, NATO, and the US Army have all expressed interest in buying future batteries.

President Obama has taken lots of heat lately for not supporting Israel as much as other Presidents have. This is a clear sign that he doesn't want to be looked at in that way, and so is rushing to plug that hole in his reelection campaign.