There were many major news events in 2011 but here are the three that I think were the most important to America and the World.
1. The Arab Spring. I think the term Arab Spring might be a little out dated now as protests continue on, but these protests have the chance to create major changes. Three governments are going to drastic changes thanks to the protests, and protests continue in Syria. How these governments will continue to evolve is going to be something to watch in the future. The balance of power in the Middle East probably will continue to shift as these new governments come into power and grow. Plus the protests could continue to spread and Syria could get a break through.
2. The Death of Osama Bin Laden. This is going to be one of those moments that everyone in America remembers where they were. Especially those kids who went down to the White House to party until 4 in the morning. On a more serious note, the death of the head of Al Qaeda, was a major victory for the American foreign policy and for the Black Ops community. While Bin Laden's more recent role in Al Qaeda was apparently lessened before his death, it was still the death of the founder of the organization.
The death of Bin Laden also foreshadowed another series of problems that America would run across. The problem of Pakistani sovereignty. Bin Laden was deep in Pakistan so the American intervention into Pakistan came with some serious problems. And the American's continued excursions into Pakistan are continuing to create some friction between the two countries.
3. The Euro Crisis. The Euro is in trouble. That much has been a constant for most of 2011. A group of countries in Europe are having a debt crisis and it is bringing down the Euro. A large group of countries are going through major crises and it has caused some protests throughout Europe. Some of them violent. How the Euro problem turns out is anyone's best guess. Hopefully the Euro manages to ho hold together, and if it collapses, hopefully it does not have global repercussions to send the global economy back down.
Honorable mentions: Occupy Wall Street, The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami, The Presidential Race, The Death of Kim Jong Il
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
2011 Recaps: Winners and Losers in Sports
Here are the 2011 Winners and Losers in Sports according to me.
Winners:
Playoffs: The Playoffs in 2011 were great. The St. Louis Cardinals won the wild card the last day of the season, then continued to win in dramatic fashion all the way through their eventual World Series Championship. The Mavericks improbable NBA Finals win brought basketball to a new level of popularity. The Super Bowl win of the 6 seed Packers over the Steelers in a match up of two of the classic franchises was another playoff success. Even the BCS championship game was exciting.
Major League Baseball: Baseball was the sport that was able to undergo a major collective bargaining agreement with no lock out and no major drama. Baseball was able to reorganize it's leagues, institute more instant replay, and raise the minimum salary, all with little to no trouble. Compare this with the ordeal of the NFL and the fiasco that was the NBA lockout and the MLB looks like a large group of professionals.
The St. Louis Cardinals: As much as it pains me to say this I think the Cardinals came out as big winners in 2011. They won the World Series, in the most improbable fashion with some heroics from some home town players. They then managed to not get sucked into over bidding for Albert Pujols. While they may have lost the face of the franchise, but a World Series title and sticking to their guns on the Pujols contract qualifies them for a win.
US Soccer: We may have lost the Gold Cup, but we managed to finally get the coach that they have been trying to get for a while. While the success of the team has not been great in 2011, the team is building up towards a big Olympic qualifying and World Cup qualifying. Do not forget about the US Women's team. Finishing second in the Women's World Cup to an inspired Japanese team. They managed to get the American people energized about Soccer for a short while.
Losers:
Ryan Braun: Seriously, this was one of the silliest things that I have hear in a while. Braun tests positive for steroids immediately following his MVP season and the season where he lead the Brewers to their first division title in 20 years. Not to mention he signed a huge contract extension to be the face of the Brewers. If the positive test were not bad enough, his excuse while seemingly plausible is even more embarrassing. That he tested positive for steroids because he has an STD and the medicine for the STD caused the positive test. So he has now become linked with performance enhancing drugs regardless of the outcome of the appeal. Not to mention he is not the second most famous athlete to admit having an STD now.
The NBA: The NBA had one of their most popular seasons in recent memory. They had a new villain in the form of Lebron James. Then they could not agree on revenue sharing and lost half the season. The season finally restarts on Christmas day, but they appear to be losing on a lot of money and a continuing fan base.
The Houston Astros: I think this one might be even harder for me than admitting the St. Louis Cardinals were winners. The Astros were the worst team in baseball record wise. They were then forced into the AL West where there is little doubt that they are going to get their butt kicked for a year or two. Then to top it all off, Albert Pujols, the man who has been tormenting them for the last 10 years is moving to the AL West a year before them, to get accustomed to the AL West. Oh the Astros.
Winners:
Playoffs: The Playoffs in 2011 were great. The St. Louis Cardinals won the wild card the last day of the season, then continued to win in dramatic fashion all the way through their eventual World Series Championship. The Mavericks improbable NBA Finals win brought basketball to a new level of popularity. The Super Bowl win of the 6 seed Packers over the Steelers in a match up of two of the classic franchises was another playoff success. Even the BCS championship game was exciting.
Major League Baseball: Baseball was the sport that was able to undergo a major collective bargaining agreement with no lock out and no major drama. Baseball was able to reorganize it's leagues, institute more instant replay, and raise the minimum salary, all with little to no trouble. Compare this with the ordeal of the NFL and the fiasco that was the NBA lockout and the MLB looks like a large group of professionals.
The St. Louis Cardinals: As much as it pains me to say this I think the Cardinals came out as big winners in 2011. They won the World Series, in the most improbable fashion with some heroics from some home town players. They then managed to not get sucked into over bidding for Albert Pujols. While they may have lost the face of the franchise, but a World Series title and sticking to their guns on the Pujols contract qualifies them for a win.
US Soccer: We may have lost the Gold Cup, but we managed to finally get the coach that they have been trying to get for a while. While the success of the team has not been great in 2011, the team is building up towards a big Olympic qualifying and World Cup qualifying. Do not forget about the US Women's team. Finishing second in the Women's World Cup to an inspired Japanese team. They managed to get the American people energized about Soccer for a short while.
Losers:
Ryan Braun: Seriously, this was one of the silliest things that I have hear in a while. Braun tests positive for steroids immediately following his MVP season and the season where he lead the Brewers to their first division title in 20 years. Not to mention he signed a huge contract extension to be the face of the Brewers. If the positive test were not bad enough, his excuse while seemingly plausible is even more embarrassing. That he tested positive for steroids because he has an STD and the medicine for the STD caused the positive test. So he has now become linked with performance enhancing drugs regardless of the outcome of the appeal. Not to mention he is not the second most famous athlete to admit having an STD now.
The NBA: The NBA had one of their most popular seasons in recent memory. They had a new villain in the form of Lebron James. Then they could not agree on revenue sharing and lost half the season. The season finally restarts on Christmas day, but they appear to be losing on a lot of money and a continuing fan base.
The Houston Astros: I think this one might be even harder for me than admitting the St. Louis Cardinals were winners. The Astros were the worst team in baseball record wise. They were then forced into the AL West where there is little doubt that they are going to get their butt kicked for a year or two. Then to top it all off, Albert Pujols, the man who has been tormenting them for the last 10 years is moving to the AL West a year before them, to get accustomed to the AL West. Oh the Astros.
Monday, December 19, 2011
2011 Recaps: Winners and Losers in the News
Since I am on the editorial train I might as well keep it going with my winners and losers of 2011 and what I think were the most important events. I just focus on news and sports because that is pretty much all I follow with any sort of regularity. The first segment is the news.
2011 Winners:
Twitter: Did any one piece of technology have any larger affect on the world than Twitter did? Twitter was used effectively in protests throughout the Middle East and helped to over throw regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, and Lybia. Besides its use in protests, Twitter is now being used by all sorts of people and groups. Many US Congressmen and Women are constantly tweeting to get their constituents more involved. In world news the Somalian group Al-Shabaab is now tweeting and using Twitter to boost their legitimacy as a group.
Barack Obama: The Economy may not be the strongest still, but in my book President Obama seems to have had a successful year. In 2011 alone Osama Bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi, and Kim Jong Il are all gone. While the President may have only had a direct impact on one of those three being gone, I can only imagine that having those three gone could alleviate just a little bit of the stress of the job.
Another reason to see the President as a winner is the Republican field that appears to be running against him. Just see the blog post that I wrote directly blow this one if you want more details.
Iraq: Depending on your political views this was either a major win for the Iraqi people or a loss for the American people. I am going to call this one a win for everyone. The American government kept their signed deal with the Iraqi government to get all of the troops out. The Iraqis get to run their country with an American intervention. We shall see how 2012 plays out, but I think we can call 2011 a win.
Drones: They were everywhere this year. They seem to be a fairly efficient use of military technology. They are small and allow for there to be no pilot deaths should one crash or get shot down. Other than the recent fiasco with the drone in Iran, the drones had been overall positive in the effectiveness in 2011.
2011 Losers:
Syrian People: The Syrians appear to have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to the Arab Spring. The Syrians have received no outside military help and no major help from the military. Their government continues to brutally crack down against them, and there appears to be no signs of it slowing down any time soon.
Nuclear Power: In a time where countries all over the world are looking for ways to become more energy independent Nuclear Power was becoming a much more solid option. Now with Nuclear disaster that happened in Japan following the Earthquake and Tsunami, all of the momentum that Nuclear Power had been building has now been lost.
The US Congress: Congress has become the model of ineptitude recently. They struggle to pass anything more than the most basic legislation, and even that proves to be ineffective at times. Twice the government has avoided a shut down by just a few days. Do not even begin to start on the Super Committee to fix the deficit. That appears to have been a giant waste of everyone's time.
2011 Winners:
Twitter: Did any one piece of technology have any larger affect on the world than Twitter did? Twitter was used effectively in protests throughout the Middle East and helped to over throw regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, and Lybia. Besides its use in protests, Twitter is now being used by all sorts of people and groups. Many US Congressmen and Women are constantly tweeting to get their constituents more involved. In world news the Somalian group Al-Shabaab is now tweeting and using Twitter to boost their legitimacy as a group.
Barack Obama: The Economy may not be the strongest still, but in my book President Obama seems to have had a successful year. In 2011 alone Osama Bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi, and Kim Jong Il are all gone. While the President may have only had a direct impact on one of those three being gone, I can only imagine that having those three gone could alleviate just a little bit of the stress of the job.
Another reason to see the President as a winner is the Republican field that appears to be running against him. Just see the blog post that I wrote directly blow this one if you want more details.
Iraq: Depending on your political views this was either a major win for the Iraqi people or a loss for the American people. I am going to call this one a win for everyone. The American government kept their signed deal with the Iraqi government to get all of the troops out. The Iraqis get to run their country with an American intervention. We shall see how 2012 plays out, but I think we can call 2011 a win.
Drones: They were everywhere this year. They seem to be a fairly efficient use of military technology. They are small and allow for there to be no pilot deaths should one crash or get shot down. Other than the recent fiasco with the drone in Iran, the drones had been overall positive in the effectiveness in 2011.
2011 Losers:
Syrian People: The Syrians appear to have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to the Arab Spring. The Syrians have received no outside military help and no major help from the military. Their government continues to brutally crack down against them, and there appears to be no signs of it slowing down any time soon.
Nuclear Power: In a time where countries all over the world are looking for ways to become more energy independent Nuclear Power was becoming a much more solid option. Now with Nuclear disaster that happened in Japan following the Earthquake and Tsunami, all of the momentum that Nuclear Power had been building has now been lost.
The US Congress: Congress has become the model of ineptitude recently. They struggle to pass anything more than the most basic legislation, and even that proves to be ineffective at times. Twice the government has avoided a shut down by just a few days. Do not even begin to start on the Super Committee to fix the deficit. That appears to have been a giant waste of everyone's time.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
I'm no Expert, but this Does Not Make Any Sense
This is my first attempt at an editorial blog. I am no expert, this is just my opinion, so please bare with me.
Last Saturday I watched the Republican Presidential nominee debate that took place in Iowa and could not help but be perplexed. Coming into this nomination season President Barack Obama seemed easily beatable. The economy was still in the tank, the Afghanistan War continued to drag on, and Congress could not seem to pass a bill about anything. Obama's popularity was in the mid forties and seemed stalled there. All the Republicans needed was a strong, electable nominee and the Presidency seemed easily winnable for the Republicans.
After watching the debate I was utterly baffled as to the nominees that were up for election. Newt Gingrich, the current front runner, is running for the nomination of a party that wants a political outsider, and yet he is the former speaker of the house and a former lobbyist. Some of his views are rational (see immigration) and some of his views are extreme (see Palestine). Yet through all of this, he remains the front runner to challenge President Obama. Mitt Romney, the candidate who seems stuck in second place, managed to put his foot in his mouth during the debate. While the $10,000 debate bet seems like a nice joke, but it has become the punching bag for both parties. Mitt Romney seemed like the nominee who had the best shot at defeating President Obama. Yet the moderate businessman continues to track downward through a combination of personal gaffes and what appears to be distrust from the Republican establishment.
This being said I do not understand what the Republican party is doing. They had a chance to take the momentum from their 2010 election and push it on through onto the White House. However the Republicans seem to be doing the exact opposite. The candidates are attacking each other and themselves and none of them can statistically beat President Obama as the status-quo currently stands.
It is still December so things have the potential to change drastically between now and November, but as things currently stand consider me confused.
Last Saturday I watched the Republican Presidential nominee debate that took place in Iowa and could not help but be perplexed. Coming into this nomination season President Barack Obama seemed easily beatable. The economy was still in the tank, the Afghanistan War continued to drag on, and Congress could not seem to pass a bill about anything. Obama's popularity was in the mid forties and seemed stalled there. All the Republicans needed was a strong, electable nominee and the Presidency seemed easily winnable for the Republicans.
After watching the debate I was utterly baffled as to the nominees that were up for election. Newt Gingrich, the current front runner, is running for the nomination of a party that wants a political outsider, and yet he is the former speaker of the house and a former lobbyist. Some of his views are rational (see immigration) and some of his views are extreme (see Palestine). Yet through all of this, he remains the front runner to challenge President Obama. Mitt Romney, the candidate who seems stuck in second place, managed to put his foot in his mouth during the debate. While the $10,000 debate bet seems like a nice joke, but it has become the punching bag for both parties. Mitt Romney seemed like the nominee who had the best shot at defeating President Obama. Yet the moderate businessman continues to track downward through a combination of personal gaffes and what appears to be distrust from the Republican establishment.
This being said I do not understand what the Republican party is doing. They had a chance to take the momentum from their 2010 election and push it on through onto the White House. However the Republicans seem to be doing the exact opposite. The candidates are attacking each other and themselves and none of them can statistically beat President Obama as the status-quo currently stands.
It is still December so things have the potential to change drastically between now and November, but as things currently stand consider me confused.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Real World=Less Blogs
After a 3 week vacation of sorts between Spain and Thanksgiving it was back to the real world. Well as real as it gets for me.
The first big event back in the real world was a fundraiser for Holmes Osborne the person who I am campaign managing for. The fundraiser went well with the campaign being able to raise some money and get our face out there. The next day the biggest news of the campaign finally came out. The new districts for the State of Missouri came out and since then it's been getting down to work. Finding places to fundraise, people to support Holmes, and all sorts of other fun activities. The campaign is beginning to pick up pace and I love it.
I also got called to substitute teach again. This time I substitute taught Auto Collision Repair. Which basically meant pop in a movie and sit. Since the class was over two hours long, it then meant find something to watch on TV. Oh the real world.
Christmas is coming up soon so that's the next big excitement in my life!
The first big event back in the real world was a fundraiser for Holmes Osborne the person who I am campaign managing for. The fundraiser went well with the campaign being able to raise some money and get our face out there. The next day the biggest news of the campaign finally came out. The new districts for the State of Missouri came out and since then it's been getting down to work. Finding places to fundraise, people to support Holmes, and all sorts of other fun activities. The campaign is beginning to pick up pace and I love it.
I also got called to substitute teach again. This time I substitute taught Auto Collision Repair. Which basically meant pop in a movie and sit. Since the class was over two hours long, it then meant find something to watch on TV. Oh the real world.
Christmas is coming up soon so that's the next big excitement in my life!
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