Remembering: Joan of Arc

In 1412, in the village of Domremy, France a baby girl was born. Little did her family know how she would help shape history.

The Hundred Years War had been raging between England and France, and since 1415 the English had been winning. By 1422 English forces, and their Burgundian allies, controlled most of northern France.

It was in 1429 that young Joan first heard the voices of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret. They commanded her to aid the French in reclaiming Rheims, and the throne of France.

She heeded their words and traveled first to Vaucouleurs, where she eventually was given passage to Chinon where the Dauphin was. When she got there, he hid himself amongst his court, but she picked him out of the crowd.

Charles VII, had her questioned by theologians. They told him to use her charismatic nature. On April 27, 1429 he granted her a small army, and she set out for Orleans. There she would help break an English siege and save the city.

Over the next weeks her army defeated the English everywhere it went. She reached Rheims on July 16, and the city opened it's gates to her. The next day Charles VII was crowned king of France.

Throughout the next ten months she would continue to lead her army to victories, but on May 23, 1430 she was captured by the Burgundians, who traded her to the English.

In March 1431 her trial began, in front of ecclesiastical authorities. Declared a heretic, she was turned over to secular authorities on May 29. On May 30, 1431 Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by British forces, in Rouen, France.

But Joan only became a martyr for the French. The tide she had helped turn, never stopped and Charles VII would reconquer all of France, except Calais, which the English eventually turned over. In 1920 the Roman Catholic church officially recognized Joan of Arc as a saint.

Obama's Rich Bashing Is Backfiring

President Obama and his team thought they could deliver a head shot to Romney with the grossly inaccurate Bain ad, that detailed how they closed GST Steel. Well, Romney left Bain in 1999 and GST Steel folded in 2001. Not to mention, Bain’s managing director, Jonathan Lavine, was still at Bain when GST closed its doors. Mr. Lavine also happens to be an Obama bundler raising between $100-200,000 for the president’s re-elect campaign. I’ve mentioned this in a previous post.

However,the president continues to push this anti-Bain narrative, which isn’t sticking and killing his chances at winning the affluent vote. Yes, bashing the rich may seem like the “cool” and “liberal” thing to do, but, as Michael Barone aptly pointed out, the last class warfare president that won was Harry Truman in 1948. The same could be said about Obama’s populist vein. The last populist president elected was Andrew Jackson. History seems to be against him.

Barone wrote:

Today there are a lot more affluent people. The 2008 exit poll told us that 26 percent of voters had household incomes over $100,000. Half of them voted for Obama. He needs those votes again. My hunch is that Obama’s attacks on Bain will strike most affluent voters as offputting and that Romney’s calm responses will strike them as reassuring.

If you want more jobs created, you don’t go around attacking job creators. Most affluent voters believe that free markets, appropriately regulated, tend to produce fair outcomes. They see investors not as vultures but as creators of jobs and promoters of innovation that increase national productivity and make everyone better off. They see class warfare as attacks on themselves.

Furthermore, Barone cites areas where the president is probably already doomed. Especially, in states he needs to win this November to continue his agenda of dependency and big government policies. Policies that have not reduced the high unemployment rate, gave us consecutive trillion dollar deficits, and added another $5 trillion dollars to the national debt.

The rich, and Americans in general, see Obama as ineffectual and totally antithetical to the values he promised to bring to Washington. This is starting to have an effect no matter how much Obama tries to pivot on the matter. Barone continues by listing how the president is losing his grip on this demographic that he needs to win again to ensure re-election.

Here’s evidence that Obama has already lost many affluent voters. The popular vote in House elections is a good proxy for presidential and party support, and voters with incomes over $100,000, evenly split in 2008, voted 58 to 40 percent for Republicans in 2010.

Northern Virginia, which Obama carried 59 to 40 percent and which provided 95 percent of his statewide popular vote margin, went 52 to 47 percent for House Republicans in 2010. Nine suburban Denver counties voted 53 to 46 percent for Obama but switched in 2010 to 54 to 42 percent Republican.

Virginia and Colorado are on everyone’s target state list. But Obama also hurt the Democratic brand among affluent voters in other states.

The four suburban counties outside Philadelphia voted 57 to 42 percent for Obama but 52 to 47 percent Republican in 2010. The six suburban counties outside Detroit voted 54 to 45 percent for Obama but 53 to 44 percent Republican in 2010. That means Pennsylvania and Michigan could be in play.

Affluent suburbs outside the South trended heavily toward Democrats in from 1992 to 2008. Now they seem to be trending Republican.

All we need is Romney, who finally clinched the nomination in last night’s Texas primary, to stay focused and hammer the president on the economy, the debt, deficit, high unemployment, and the rest of his dismal record. However, expect this 2012 election to be the dirtiest since 1824.

Englewood Police Offier Dies After Being Hit and Run

Englewood, Colorado lost it's first officer in the line of duty.

On Monday, Officer Jeremy Bitner, thirty-nine, and a man he had pulled over were both struck and sent flying by an SUV, which took off.

Bitner, died from his injuries. The other victim is in stable condition, and is recovering well.

The driver of the SUV was later arrested, and charged with a DUI and hit and run. Now vehicular manslaughter will at least be added, if not a murder charge.

Bitner, left behind two kids and a wife. He had been with Englewood PD for eight years, receiving several commendations. Before that he served in the US Army Airborne, in Bosnia.

For the Englewood PD, the loss is really hard. The department only has thirty-six officers, and they are a really close knit group.

Venus Passes in Front of The Sun on Tuesday

Next Tuesday, June 5, the planet Venus will pass in front of the sun, before sunset, and be visible for most of the United States.

The event was last visible eight years ago, but will not be so for another 105 years.

Venus travels in a pattern that makes it pass in front of the sun, from Earth's point of view in that pattern.

On the first of the two passes, it is visible to the southern hemisphere around Australia.

During the second of the set it is visible to North America.

The pattern is always the same, with the 105 years passing, then eight.

Johannes Kepler first predicted the first part of the pattern. Jeremiah Horrocks, an English astronomer found the second part.

Nine Countries Kick Out Syrian Envoys

In response to the latest massacre in Syria nine countries have given Syrian envoys seventy-two hours to leave.

The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria all announced the decision on Tuesday. Expectations are that more countries will join in on the expulsion.

The massacre by Syrian troops, firing artillery into a populated area, killed around one hundred. Somewhere around 15,000 have been killed since last March, when the uprising began.

Russia has continuously protected Syria, but as things continue they're finding that position harder to maintain. If Russia backs down, Syria will have no protectors left. 

Zombie/Cannibal Attack in Miami

On Saturday, Miami police were forced to shoot a man, who had attacked another man.

Officers found the man literally chewing off the victim's face.

He refused to stop, pausing only to growl at officers, with pieces of flesh hanging out of his mouth.

The first shot didn't even make him pause. They then shot him til he was dead.

His victim is in critical condition, pictures of him are beyond grotesque. Seventy-five to eighty percent of his face is gone.

Police believe the man may have been on drugs. They suspect a new form of LSD. Others suspect a virulent form of rabies.

Sixteen Year Old Solves 350 Year Old Problem

Shourryya Ray, a sixteen year old living in Germany, solved two problems first set, 350 years ago, by Sir Isaac Newton.

Ray has been awarded a research award for his work solving the two equations, that no one had been able to solve til now. Even computers had struggled to solve the equations.

His solutions allow exact calculations of a trajectory under gravity and subject to air resistance. In other words, an item's flight path can be calculated and predictions can be made about how the object will hit and bounce off a barrier.

Math experts are now throwing around the word genius in conjunction with Ray. He denies he is one, but his solving the equations definitely show that the title is earned.

Fires Continue to Burn Across The US

The Whitewater Baldy Fire in New Mexico continues to grow thanks to the help of dry, hot, windy weather. Already having burnt over 152,000 acres, it is expected to beat the record for New Mexico's largest fire, by the end of the day. That record was set just last summer by the Las Conchas fire, which burned 156,593 acres.

However firefighters are hopeful, as they've been able to prepare lines in advance of the fire. So far the fire has burned a dozen structures, most of which were summer cabins. Firefighting resources from all over the United States are being used to fight it.

Two fires are burning in Colorado. The Sunrise Mine Fire, near Paradox and the Utah border has forced evacuations of campers. Thanks to seven aircraft, six engines, and eighty fire fighters the fire is about thirty percent contained.

Another fire is burning near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. This one is not contained at all, but firefighters are preparing a fire line north of the fire. They are also lighting small fires in front of it to burn out any possible fuel.

In Michigan, the Duck Lake Fire is nearing 22,000 acres. Two hundred and thirty-two firefighters are battling that one. The fire is mostly contained, and expectations are for it to be over with soon. Michigan is learning a lesson from this fire, as they were extremely unprepared for any fires. The state had dropped from one hundred and thirty fire crews, down to seventy.

Arizona is dealing with several fires. The Sunflower Fire, near Payson, has burned over 17,500 acres.. Fifty firefighters have it eighty percent contained. Near Flagstaff, the Mormon fire is being spurred on by winds, but firefighters are hoping to knock it out today or morrow. Over 16,000 acres have been burned by the Gladiator Fire. In the middle of the Prescott National Forest, it has prompted evacuations of three communities, but it is up to sixty percent containment now. By Thursday, firefighters hope to have the Toadlena Fire completely contained. It burned about 1,000 acres in the Navajo Nation.

Thoughts on This Memorial Day

All weekend I struggled over what I should write about for Memorial Day. So many ideas came and went, but none of them felt quite right. An article reminding everyone about the importance of remembering? Yes, for far too many it's simply a day to mark the beginning of summer by eating barbeque and drinking. Could be good, but almost cliche.

I began to think of not writing one at all, just writing the other articles on my list. O, of course I would make some Facebook and Twitter status mentioning how thankful I am to everyone who has or is serving. But honestly that feels pretty hollow to me today. How can you seriously thank someone enough, in just a few words, who did things you could never understand? There's truly no way to.

A day of silence to honor them? Ooops, too late for that, and there's already too much silence about it. Silence is all that those who don't care have, and I already dismissed doing nothing. Silence, whilst golden, is also one of the evils of the world. If our soldiers had remained silent, what form of tyranny would we be under? And so I started writing my thoughts.

All this led me to thinking of my family that's served. Past my grandparents, a lot is just stories handed down. I don't know many specifics about who, when, or where; but as far back as can be remembered ancestors bled mostly fighting against and possibly whilst wearing British colors. We were present during the Revolution, the Texas war for independence, and in the south during the Civil War.

My dad's dad was Royal Canadian Air Force, career. He served before, during, and after World War II, Korea, and the beginning of Vietnam. I never got to meet him, not from war loss, but from death caused by smoking his whole life. From what I've been told John Sangster ended up the highest level of Chief Warrant Officer, the highest level of non commissioned officer there is. No one but high ranking officers actually told him what to do. O, others could, but they didn't. Grandpa ran bases, nothing happened without his okay. Officers checked with him before they did things. He was the power behind the Colonel, or sometimes General.

Mum's dad served in the US Army during WWII. He fought in the Pacific, on islands such as Okinawa. Bill Dodson would earn his stripes before being honorably discharged. I grew up with his stories, at first when we lived next door, and then later whenever we got to visit. Those stories taught me so much, and I treasure them. This past fall, I was able to do a road trip, the focus of which was a weekend with him at the family reunion. I'll be forever grateful for that trip, as he would die three weeks later at the age of 91.

During Vietnam, my mum's brother and dad's brother both served. My dad volunteered, but was rejected by the USAF, based on his Canadian citizenship. Garth Sangster fought in the USMC at the beginning of the conflict. He was there at the very start, when they weren't even allowed to carry their weapons. Dennis Dodson served as a mechanic in the Army. Though I've not had the chance to hear many of their stories, they both have shared stories of being under fire without ways to fight back.

I've friends who served as far back as Nam, and others who currently do. I'm thankful beyond measure for their sacrifices. Their stories are as varied as their backgrounds, but the one thing that is the same between them all, they fought for their country. Most in the hopes, that they could keep the world's troubles far from the shores of the USA. Some simply because they were drafted, and had no other choice.

I was not allowed to serve, a rare genetic liver disorder, that's on the military's lists, keeps me out. But that does not mean that I'm not grateful for everything that our soldiers, as well those of our allies, have done. Given the chance I would've fought by their sides, but that was not meant to be. Instead I'm left with writing about them.

In their eyes you can see the pain, and sorrow. Innocence lost, friends to mourn. They suffered, saw greater yet, and still feel the pain in the memories of what happened and was seen. Some is too painful even to share. Regrets they may have, wishes to change things here and there definitely.

And let us not forget all those who have died in service. So many have died, in so many far away places. Our country still scours the earth for those lost in wars over the last century. Their families have not gotten back someone at all. Often receiving only a box and a flag. It is called the ultimate sacrifice for a reason.

Soldiers doing what needed to be done, fighting for in many cases simply survival, are what has kept us from having to fight ourselves. They are the reasons we get to have a day in the summer where we can simply sit around and eat that barbeque and drink. Their struggles have maintained our freedoms.

Don't just remember them, honor them.

Oil Throughout The Americas

Companies from all around the world are putting money and resources into the search for oil in Argentina. They're finding so much, that the country could become one of the world's top producers of oil.
However, production is being hampered ever since last month when President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's government took control of the largest energy company, YPF. A company which had not just been a public one before then, but owned by a Spanish company.

Since then, production is actually down, despite all the new finds. Companies continue to be willing to search for the oil, but very few are willing to work the fields and risk having Argentina take over their sites. Argentina had already been a slightly unfavorable place for energy companies due to price controls and restrictions on imports and exports.

Analysts warn that Argentina may be headed the way of Mexico and Venezuela. Both of those countries had started to see booms in oil production, but they nationalized any successful finds. That led to a pull out by all foreign oil companies, and their money, which all but ended the industry. Some point with hope to the Mexican presidential election on July 1, as well as the illness of the Venezuelan leader.

Canada, Brazil, and Colombia seen as bright spots for oil production in the Americas. All of them are encouraging the growth of the industry. Companies are much more willing to produce there, where there's no threat of nationalization. Colombia has some security issues, but with more money coming in, stability seems to be following.

The Falkland Islands is another area being searched heavily for it's possible oil resources. Unfortunately, Argentina has seen that as reason to start up their old threats against the Islands, which are part of the United Kingdom. Thirty years ago the two countries fought a war over them, after Argentina invaded. British soldiers won back the islands.

Many questions surround the United States, and what it will do with it's own oil resources. The Obama government has repeatedly blocked companies from using the fields, which may very well be the largest in the world. In fact, several states alone could have more than Saudi Arabia.

Perhaps the most famous blocking of oil was the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have brought oil from Canada and North Dakota down throughout the US to Texas. The Obama administration blocked it and the project died. Or maybe not, as several states have gone ahead with the sections that go through their own lands.

Other states are going their own ways as well. North Dakota continues to increase production, despite efforts by the national government to stop it. Colorado, another state that has huge amounts of oil and natural gas available, is working on ways to encourage production within it's borders.

All of this, combined, leads to a possible future where the Americas replace the Middle East as the center for oil production. Companies want to promote this, as the Western Hemisphere is a much more stable region. And with all the finds through out, it would seem that the resources of the West dwarf those of the Middle East.