72 Rapid Fires

I have accumulated quiet a few stories upon which I'd like to comment. We'll do them in chronological order (at least according to my mailbox), starting December 23rd, 2005. Ready? Rapid Fire!

1. The troops moral in Iraq is high before Christmas, though they are thousands of miles from home and family.
2. Historians currently argue past eras more difficult than our current time. I couldn't agree more. Reference War W/O Citizen Sacrifice.
3. The Senate blocked drilling in ANWR and Ted Stevens nearly tore the Senate roof off in protest.
4. An influential economic advisor, Andrei Illarionov, offered Vladimir Putin his resignation hours after he said he "could no longer work in a government that had done away with political freedoms." The row began when Yukos Oil Co. was taken over by a state-controlled company and the former owner was jailed.
5. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad isn't the only one who thinks the Holocaust was staged. Mohammed Mehdi Akef of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said, "Western democracy has attacked everyone who does not share the vision of the sons of Zion as far as the myth of the Holocaust is concerned."
6. The United States is making weapons sales in India and Pakistan. By selling them the same weapons, they will hopefully remain in a stalemate regarding their Kashmir dispute.
7. POTUS had a rough 2005. With approval ratings hovering around 40% (helped by a seemingly endless string of bad news), POTUS failed to institute his two primary domestic goals from the 2005 SOTU; tax reform and social security reform. Where'd all that political capital go, Mr. President?
8. December 15 vote in Iraq was a fair vote. Results are available HERE.
9. In late December, the Iranians began weighing their option of working with Russia for access to a nuclear fuel cycle access to a nuclear fuel cycle.
10. China is growing, but the US still uses much of the world's energy. China is looking to ensure strategic energy availability.
11. Hybrid car buyers receive tax breaks. Unfortunately, the tax breaks don't offset the cost of cutting edge technology. Such is the price of leading the way.
12. Germany's GPD is expected to continue growing at about 1.5% for 2006. Their unemployment rate is over 11%.
13. Azerbaijan's oil exports increased 71.2% in January compared to last year.
14. The power of government while engaged in war is being debated in the US.
15. January begins with Iran rejecting Russia's nuclear energy offer.
16. John Kerry (D-MA) thinks he's still in position to win the presidency in 08'. Delusions of grandeur...
17. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has high hopes for 2006. After such a disappointing 2004 for Dems and a miserable 2005 for the GOP, Dems think We Can Do Better is a winner for 2006 (along with the 'culture of corruption').
18. Fidel Castro (Cuba), Hugo Chavez (Venezuela), and Evo Morales (Bolivia) are stroking internal discontent by blaming the 'Imperialist Empire' (read: The Great Satan, it's the same tactic).
19. POTUS is in a tough time for second term presidents. Congress is worried about mid-terms and after that, POTUS is seen as a lame duck.
20. Yahoo! News reports 5,736 Iraqis were killed in 2005.
21. SUVs are not safer than regular cars, especially for children. The old safety excuse...
22. Jack Straw (UK's Foreign Sec.) said a Syrian official's claim President Assad threatened Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri before his murder was "very serious indeed."
23. Violence in the Sudan, specifically Darfur, has begun spreading into neighboring Chad. Someone do something, ANYTHING, to help!
24. 1/5 - Dems weren't planning to filibuster Judge Alito. Some desperate Massachusetts radicals tried it (Kerry & Kennedy) and failed.
25. 1/5 - Iran's Ahmadinejad hopes for the worst regarding Ariel Sharon. What a nice man!
26. Democrats are favored according to an AP poll. Elections were still ten months away, the poll is mostly useless.
27. The GOP finally ditches Tom Delay.
28. The US is trying to bring those opposing us in Iraq into the political fold. Thanks for the scoop NYT!
29. The music industry enjoyed download sales of 20 Million songs the week following Christmas. In 2005, 352 Million downloads were sold.
30. Zero-Energy homes in California are starting to become reality. Doug Forrester missed the boat...
31. 1/15 - Iran decides to host a conference on the Holocaust. Maybe Burma can host a summit on political freedom.
32. The NFL says its officials missed an interception call. Refs are going to miss calls. They are human. Ever hear of a make-up call?
33. A human rights group (Amnesty International) claims the US is deliberately abusing prisoners. Take it with a grain of salt, the same group called Gitmo a gulag.
34. Abortion is playing out by state. The federal courts are leery of interdicting.
35. Sen. Obama (D-IL) is trying to jump on Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) coattails. He is beginning a political push and may be out of his league...
36. Legislatures are trying to influence politics in public classrooms. This is a slippery slope.
37. Cuba is preparing for Castro's eventual end. Will the US swoop into Cuba following his death for a peaceful transition (think Haiti) or abide by national sovereignty norms?
38. Most students entering college do not possess the skill needed to succeed.
39. Sen. Clinton (D-NY) compares Congress with a Plantation (the GOP as the master, Democrats as slaves) in a tactless analogy. Had a Republican used her words, there would have been quite a brouhaha. Ah, hypocrisy!
40. With almost two years before any votes are cast, Jon McCain (R-AZ) is a favorite among GOP presidential hopefuls. This is fluid, of course.
41. President Chirac (France) said if terrorist hit France, they would be ready to retaliate with nuclear weapons. And Dems think GWB is dangerous!
42. 1/21 - President Assad (Syria) pledges reform, but offers no specifics. Instead of clarifying the Hariri situation, Assad raises questions about the death of Yassar Arafat which occurred over a year ago.
43. Sen. McCain (R-AZ) steals some presidential thunder prior to the SOTU, saying the US can't be held hostage to foreign oil.
44. Russia claims Britain is spying through NGO's. It helps fuel Russian suspicion of all NGO's and allows President Putin to tighten the screws.
45. Sales of Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower skyrocket on the recommendation of Osama Bin Laden. The 320-page book by William Blum is critical of US foreign policy, saying the war on terror is doomed to fail. While not condoning them, Blum has called the 9/11 attacks "an understandable retaliation against US foreign policy."Quite a shock OBL would give a such a stiring testimonial.
46. Cuba is angry because the US has broadcast messages inside Cuba. The messages include quotes from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
47. 1/25 - The US tells India an ambiguous position concerning Iran would result in the US rethinking the sale of nuclear energy technology and equipment to India. India later voted with the majority, referring Iran to the Security Council.
48. Google is helping the communist Chinese government censor information.
49. An Iranian general speaking on the possibility of Israel preemptively striking Iran's nuclear facilities, "Zionists should know that if they do anything evil against Iran, the response of Iran's armed forces will be so firm that it will send them into eternal coma, like Sharon," Gen. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar.
50. Hamas (who is partially funded by Iran) comes to power in Palestine. Israelis are understandably nervous.
51. China is worried about social unrest. The police are getting their batons ready...
52. China gets onboard with Russia's enrichment plan for Iran. Iran initially shows optimism but then recants.
53. Mexico's government stops handing out maps with border crossings, not because it was helping break US law, but because it showed Americans the popular routes taken by illegals.
54. The last dictator in Europe (Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus) warned there will be no tolerance for demonstrations during the upcoming presidential election. "If there are provocations, we'll give them such a going-over they won't know what's hit them," Lukashenko said.
55. People surveyed say 2-to-1 things have gotten worse in the United States over the past five years. No kidding? The worst foreign attack EVER on our soil, two ongoing wars...
56. The 2006 SOTU was intended to outflank Democrats on bipartisanship.
57. 2008 presidential candidate Chuck Hagal (R-NE) challenged to POTUS on warrantless wiretaps. "If in fact the president does believe that our current laws are restricting him because of new technologies ... then he should come together with Congress and say we need to amend it," Hagel said.
58. John Kerry (D-MA) raised over $5 Million in 2005 from myopic liberal hangers-on. It's over John...
59. Almost 70 nations and international bodies reiterated their financial support for Afghanistan, nearly four years after the start of reconstruction.
60. Nepal appears to be slipping into a deep crisis one year after the king dismissed the county's elected government and seized total control.
61. "America is addicted to oil," President Bush, 2006 SOTU.
62. Mexico's President Fox ended 70 years of one-party rule when elected in 2000. Hopefully multiple parties will continue to thrive south of the border.
63. A man is suing Apple over his hearing loss. Beware rock bands, my hearing is poor!
64. "Israel is a solid ally of the United States, we will rise to Israel's defense if need be." President Bush.
65. 2/2 - Cartoon anger starts to spread...
66. Alan Greenspan, former US Federal Reserve Chairman, will offer economic advise to Gordon Brown of the UK's Labour Party.
67. In a shocking turn of events, House Republicans elected Rep. John Boehner of Ohio as the new Majority Leader. Roy Blunt of Missouri was expected to win the leadership position.
68. Venezuela expelled a US naval officer accused of spying and collaborating to overthrow President Hugo Chavez.
69. The West has demanded certain requirements of Hamas (ex. renounce violence and recognize Israel) in order to continue their funding. Arab states have stepped in with accelerated payments. The EU and US combined to provide $1 Billion in aid during 2005.
70. The 'free' US press has been hesitant (to say the least) to reproduce cartoons raising a stink in the Muslim world. For fear of a backlash? Probably. The Dutch have already been attacked...
71. States struggling with budgets are considering leasing their toll roads.
72. 27 of 35 IAEA board members voted in support of reporting Iran to the Security Council. Cuba, Syria, and Venezuela voted against while Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Libya and South Africa abstained. The resolution states "Iran's many failures of its obligations ... constitute noncompliance."