The Dalai Lama is Honored

On October 16, the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. Despite this great honor, China’s government has protested it, accusing the Dalai Lama of seeking independence for the Himalayan region of China.
Before, the leaders of Germany, Canada, Australia, Austria, and the US have been cautious about meeting with the Dalai Lama and upsetting China. However, currently the leaders have met with him or have said they will. This is partly because of the pressure for their electorates and it’s also politically correct that leaders should meet with a holy, honorable, and respectable man. But China opposes the high honor given to the Dalai Lama because it considers the US using the Dalai Lama as a way to interfere in China’s internal affairs.

There are a couple current events that have been happening in China. Currently, there has been a flare-up of unrest in Tibet. During a weeklong festival, a man climbed up on stage and called for the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet, and was later arrested. China originally thought it had unrest under control; however, this was proven obviously incorrect.

I agree with the US awarding the Dalai Lama with the highest Congressional honor. I think it is important to recognize people who do good deeds in the world. It is important to show support for a man who represents freedom, democracy, and independence.

The Sad Truth is revealed: Political Cartoons

While on the internet, I found these hilarious Bush political cartoons. One is entitled “Proof of Bush’s Torture Program”, the other is “Fiscal Irresponsibility”, and the last is called “Children’s Health Veto” (the links to these cartoons are inserted at the bottom of this post because I couldn’t put them into the text). However funny they are, the cartoons reveal a sad truth about the health care in our country, as well as the Iraq war. As you will see in the cartoons, dumping health care money into a hole (the Iraq war) sadly illustrates our country’s top priorities. Obviously, to the current administration, winning a war is more important than expanding health care coverage to millions more children.

The thing I love most about political cartoons is the truth they show through over exaggeration and humor. Hopefully, you will see the truth in these cartoons. What do you think about the message conveyed in these cartoons?

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ig/Political-Cartoons/Proof-of-Bush-Torture-Program.htm

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/bushcartoons/ig/Bush-Cartoons/Fiscal-Irresponsibility.-0Ta.htm

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/bushcartoons/ig/Bush-Cartoons/Children-s-Health-Veto.-0TV.htm

Putin Putting Russia and Iran in wierd situation

As you all know, Iran has been stressing the international community, especially America, by its dedication to it nuclear program. However, Putin, the leader of Russia, just had a meeting with Iran, discussing ways to work together with their nuclear programs.
Russia's involvment in Iran firstly hurts the UN's ability to intervene in Iran. With Russia holding a seat on the UN security council, it makes a tough resolution against Iran almost impossible.
Also, Russian's involvement with Iran hurts American's ability to intervene in Iran as well. Having an ally such as Russia really deters military action against Iran.
However, something must be done to help the situation.
There is one solution.
Russia is building Iran's nuclear plants - however, they are very behind schedule. Iran says this is due to the pressue on Russia from the international community to stop, while Russia says Iran has been late paying their $1 billion.
While the pack between Russia and Iran may be weakening, is it a risk we can take to just sit back and hope that the partnership does fall apart? What if it doesn't? What should/can the international community and America do with a powerhouse such as Russia backing Iran? Just how important do you think it is for Iran not to get nuclear weapons?

For some good info about the whole Iran nuclear weapon program and the past resolutions and the impacts of Iran getting a weapon, check out
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4031603.stm

Busted For Steroids!

Even though this happened a week or so ago, I feel this is an important topic. Marion Jones pleaded guilty to illegally using steroids in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In addition, she has said that she will retire from track and field. In the past decade, Jones has won several championships, gold metals, and other metals at Olympic Games. In 2004, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency began investigating her and her possible steroid use, but Jones kept denying it.
I guess she felt it was about time to face the truth, and do so before she was found guilty and get a long prison sentence. It’s really easy to say sorry once you’re caught and found out. In the past years, she vehemently denied using any steroids, but I guess the truth caught up with her fast pace. When I first heard this story, I felt bad that she had to give her metals back. But then again, she didn’t earn them honestly. She cheated. As someone who looked up to her, I feel cheated. During the 2000 Olympics, I was really proud that an American runner won first prize at the Olympic Games, but now, it’s all a joke.
This relates to currents events now, including the Barry Bones and Landis (the 2006 American Tour d France winner) steroid allegations. From fighting dogs to steroid use, athletes seem to think they can get away with anything, including cheating and illegal activities. I am personally saddened by this deterioration of morals displayed by athletes that so many people look up to in our society because it shows the decreasing integrity in our society today.

The Decreasing Number of Deaths from Cancer

There is a report in the journal Cancer that shows that Americans are getting cancer less often, according to NPR. In the past few years, there has been a dramatic drop in cancer deaths. According to physicians, this is due to early detection, treatment, and earlier testing for cancer. However, not everybody has been acting proactively against cancer or benefiting from treatment and prevention. Because of cost, healthcare, or availability, many people still aren’t getting the help they need to find and treat cancer early. According to Dr. Norton, a physician in the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, for every person getting mammograms or quitting smoking, there are people who do not go to the doctor’s and there are people who start smoking.
Of course, there are other reasons. If people live in poverty stricken areas, there is a high chance that there are fewer opportunities for good health care. Also, for poorer people, it is harder to find money to pay for cancer detection tests.

There are certain tests everybody should be able to get for health reasons. Early detection and treatment saves many lives each year. Perhaps if there were open clinics for routine testing for breast, colon, and prostate cancer, many lives would be saved.

Middle Class Squeeze

This post really pertains to a lot of you guys, so I think it's a good one.
I'm sure that all of you guys have heard your friends or parents complaining that the middle class gets screwed. The poor gets aid, the rich get the tax cuts, which leaves the middle class paying for everything.
However, I was really surprised to find that there are two sides to this story.
On one hand, there is the side that the middle class gets squeezed and pressured. The middle class, in order to stay middle class, is working 20% longer than the middle class of 30 years ago, and the minimum wage has not kept up close with inflation. There are many stories of middle class families not being able to afford to buy houses, which has become the American dream.
Yet that is the second, flip side of the story - the American dream. Both Arthus B. Laffer and Bob McTeer, two famous economics, argue that the middle class is actually better off than it ever has been - it's just that the middle class wants more. 30 years ago, it is true that people worked less, and only 1 parent brought in the income. However, back then, the middle class just wanted a microwave, maybe an airconditioner, and maybe a color tv if they were splurging. Now, the middle class seems to have expectations of many tv's, many vcr's and computers and air conditioners, and going to college is a must.
Instead, the economists believe that the middle class, or you and your parents, have been brainwashed in believing they are worse off because the upper class is gaining expenentially. However, the economists believe that this jealousy doesn't transfer into the middle class being less well off - it just means that the middle class has more to want.
So what do you thing? I mean, is your family feeling the middle class squeeze? Or is it just an illusion? Think about what you have and how much that really is, and then think about what you want, and how little you need it. It's an interesting question - I know many still believe that the middle class still, as always, gets screwed.

Aging Baby Boomers: Social Security is Finally Paying Off

Kathleen Casey-Kirschling is the first baby boomer, born one second after midnight on January 1946. As she turns the age needed to collect social security, so will 80 million others in the near future. But many workers and government officials are wondering if Social Security will be able to support them because of the retirement of the baby boomers and the rising health costs. Also, in just 10 years, “‘we will no longer be collecting enough payroll taxes to pay Social Security benefits’”. What is causing this Social Security money crunch? Well, “when Social Security gets payroll taxes it pays out most of the money in benefits. The rest is supposed to go into a trust fund”. But, the catch is, the government has been spending this money on other programs, causing a deficit of Social Security money. And once money is taken out, it is hard to put back in. That means that Social Security and other federal programs (that are funded partly by the Social Security money) will be financially in trouble. There have been many proposals to save Social Security, but so far, most are unsuccessful.

The bad part about all of this is that when it is our turn to retire, there might not be any money left for us. This is a huge problem because the whole system might crash and burn and then we will be left to fend for ourselves.

(I heard the story from Fox News)