Zeitgeist Zephyr

Spirit of the Westward Wind

Archive for March, 2009

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Obama’s Message to Iran

Published March 20th, 2009 in A Global Perspective, Iran, President Obama | No Comments »

This is a step in the right direction. In reading some of the comments at the bottom of the YouTube page where this was posted, I was noticing that there were people insinuating this is effectively a surrender on the part of the United States.  How so?  We’re not in any state of armed conflict with Iran and this by no means undermines our position any more than it uplifts theirs.  What President Obama is suggesting is that only through mutual cooperation can both nations benefit from each other economically, culturally, and politically.  Either that or we eventually go to war with them and both sides are affected negatively.  Which would you prefer?  I’d rather take the moral high ground and actually talk to someone over being presumptuous and launching missiles and firing guns at each other.  

I think it’s funny and sad that those who oppose Obama take the stance that this is weakness.  Sure, going to war and thousands of people dying isn’t weakness, but talking and avoiding an armed conflict is.  Is this seriously your position if you believe that?  Come on!  That’s such an out-of-wack way of thinking - let’s just go to war with everyone who disagrees with us.  I’m sure that will solve ALL of OUR problems and THEIRS.   

A Day of Justice

Published March 12th, 2009 in Economy | No Comments »

I’m sure this has been on the mind of many as the news unfolded today, but today has been a “Day of Justice” for the recession.

First, Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 counts including fraud, perjury, and money laundering in perhaps the largest Ponzi scheme in American history, over $65 billion.

Next, the DOW continued a three day rally and saw a gain of nearly 240 points, making it over a 600 point gain over that period of time, reversing nearly a 1,000 point slide over the last month.

Finally, Jim Cramer appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  There, the feud that I first talked about last week that the media picked up on this week (haha, I beat them!) hopefully came to an end, but not before Cramer (representing CNBC mind you) conceded that some of the advice they gave in the past few years was misleading and Jon basically told them what’s up and how they should change things in the future to avoid it.  

It might have been that I don’t listen to Jim Cramer a whole lot, but I think I detected a whimper in his voice halfway through their “interview”, which was mostly lead by Stewart mind you.  The recession is probably far from over, but its good to see that some of the people who got us into (or didn’t help us much to not get into) this mess face the music. 

A day of justice indeed! :) 

If You Use Google Earth, You’re A Bad Person

Published March 11th, 2009 in Blanket Statements | No Comments »

It might be getting redundant that I take positions like this, but these kind of blanket statements irk me to no end.  

A California legislator, Joel Anderson, is proposing a law that would require Google to censor it’s Google Earth program for certain structures, like houses of worship or government buildings, so that details like air ducts aren’t visible on the top.The reasoning?  

Terrorists in the Mumbai attacks last year used Google Earth to help plan their attacks and it can reasonably argued that terrorists in the future will try to do the same.  But when asked in a CNET interview about about who would do that, he brings out this blanket statement:

Q: Isn’t the real threat here the motivation of people who look to commit heinous acts, rather than the technology they use?

Anderson: I’m not against the technology; it’s fantastic. But we’re in an evolving world and we have to change our course as it changes. I’m all for online mapping, but knowing where the air ducts are in an air shaft is not necessary for me to navigate in the city. Who wants to know that level of detail? Bad people do. 

Hear that America?  If you have eyes and you’ve used Google Earth, you’re a bad person and the further implication is that you’re a terrorist.   I like the idea and think it has good basis, but because Joel Anderson has called me a bad person for being curious about what my house looks like from above, I will never in my life support any legislation of this kind.  

Thanks Joel, you sure know how to rally support for your causes! 

(For future reference, I will blog about blanket statements like these, because they are very stupid and highly presumptuous and anyone in government or the media who makes them is probably a very pompous and pretentious individual and they should be called out on it. Already I rank former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and CNBC’s Rick Santelli in this category. Joel Anderson, welcome to the club!)

Flashback: China Tested Bush in Hainan Too

Published March 10th, 2009 in A Global Perspective, China, North Korea, President Obama | No Comments »

I may have been in 5th grade at the time that George W. Bush was starting his first term, but I do remember an event in his first year as president that got overshadowed after 9/11 and had many, including my 5th grade teacher, talking about he possibility of a conflict with the Chinese.  On 1 April 2001 near Hainan Island in China, a Chinese interceptor jet and a U.S. Navy surveillance plane collided and the Navy plane was forced to make an emergency landing in China.  The crew members on board destroyed all sensitive equipment and data for nearly 15 minutes after landing before being detained until 11 April by the Chinese military.  The nature of the event is still surrounded in speculation, but many view the Chinese response as a test towards George W. Bush and many feared during the event that it could have escalated into a military conflict between the U.S. and China. In their defense, China called the Navy flight a violation of their airspace in accordance with the UN Convention of the Laws of the Sea.  Sound familiar?

Over the past week, the U.S. Navy surveillance ship the USNS Impeccable has been repeatedly harassed by Chinese ships including Bureau of Maritime Fisheries Patrol vessel, a State Oceanographic Administration patrol vessel, a Chinese Navy intelligence collection vessel, and two small Chinese-flagged trawlers.  Mind you this is all occurred about 75 miles south of Hainan in the South China Sea.  The Chinese are claiming that the ship was in violation of the Chinese special economic zone in the South China Sea and is thus in direct violation of international and Chinese laws.  

Interesting coincidence?  Perhaps, but it is nearly a tradition of America’s rivals to test new presidents as they enter into their first term.  North Korea is prepping to test a missile, likely a Taepodong-2 akin to one tested a few years ago on the 4th of July, within the next week or so.  Whatever their intentions are, they have put their military on high alert and have warned they are prepared for an all out war should their missile or satellite be shot down.  

However President Obama responds to these crises, it is good to keep in mind these are largely tests on him to determine how he stands up under pressure on the international stage when faced with a crisis.  I don’t really expect much to happen as a result of these events (knock on wood) beyond figuring out how Obama does handle a crisis and how China and North Korea will respond, but anything is possible.  If Obama holds to his campaign promises of how to handle international diplomacy, everything should turn out just fine.  

Starving Granola II: Trek to Zion

Published March 9th, 2009 in Starving Granola | No Comments »

Here’s a general outline of the activities we are anticipating in the days ahead at Zion National Park and the area surrounding it.  These are subject to change and are posted so that there is a written plan that people can refer to in the event of an incident.  This will be updated in the days ahead with specific hikes and some of the alternative sites we might visit in the even of any contingency plan being initiated.

March 14: 

Noon - Arrive at Zion National Park after driving from Wichita all night.  Set up camp and do a series of small hikes through the afternoon.

March 15-17:

Explore Zion National Park with day hikes to attractions around the park.  If weather or trail conditions are such that mobility and movement around the park are restricted or limited, then a contingency plan will be initiated around the 16th and we’ll explore some of the other parks in the region in Utah or Arizona. 

March 18:

Leave Zion National Park and head out towards Monument Valley and Four Corners before going up to Moab to spend the night. 

March 19: 

Drive back to Wichita. 

    Journal entries and pictures will follow once I get access to a computer around or after March 20.

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