In “Eric Deggans Confirms Own Bias in Race Baiter Part I“, I detailed the premise of Eric Deggans book, Race Baiter: How Media Wields Dangerous Word to Divide a Nation, noting how it was more a treatise on attacking Fox News and Conservatives than an examination on how media affects public discourse. The arguments in the book had holes the size of tunnels. In part II I detail the authors response to questions I had for him during a presentation he gave about his new book.

My first question to Deggans was how he could go after Fox, but leave out MSNBC or other news outlets. His response was MSNBC does not fall into that category because they hired people and focused on a strategy that had helped increase their black viewership 60% in 2012; the implication being that MSNBC was targeting inclusion of blacks and therefore exempt from racism or divisive based journalism. This is a bit of jump in logic, considering most industry insiders know MSNBC has made a decision to be the Liberal network. Therefore, its increase in black viewership is a natural consequence of blacks being Democrats, not a secret plan to target black viewers.

I also challenged his assertion that Gingrich’s comment about President Obama being the “Food Stamp” president was racial code for blacks. Considering that Deggans is well aware that more whites are receiving food stamps and welfare than blacks, any conclusions that Gingrich meant blacks were only a sign of Deggans’ own bias, not Gingrich’s. His response was typical of liberals. He cited a scientific study by Princeton professor Tali Mendelberg that concluded whites more easily associated blacks with welfare than whites. This is a frequent tactic of left leaning writers and commentators. When in doubt, say it has been proved scientifically and therefore cannot be refuted. Ignoring the old adage statistics can be used to prove anything. Yet, if we accept the comments as coded language, what does Deggans call the statement by Obama, “They cling to their guns or religion.” Does he mean Americans who believe in God and have a gun to protect their family? Or does he mean those nasty, mean and bigoted white people?

The back and forth debate between myself and Deggans culminated in his final point of the day. The concept of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is when you have a conclusion you believe, but ignore facts that contradict your conclusions. It was an ironic point to end the presentation, considering that all 288 pages of Deggans’ book and the bulk of his presentation was an exercise in confirmation bias.

Absent from his book is any detailed discussion of liberal news sites or other cable networks. Deggans can talk ad nausea about what he considers racist commentary and segments from O’Reilly or Sean Hannity, but where is the discussion about MSNBC’s Perry asking four white guests to tell their favorite racial joke? Can anyone not imagine the hue and cry from the main stream media, starting with Deggans himself, if Hannity had four white males on his show tell racial jokes? How is O’Reilly calling Deggans a race baiter for obsessing over race all the time any different from Deggans, Chris Matthews, or Rachel Maddow calling someone a sexist, and hater of women, because they believe a woman with a job can afford to and should be responsible for paying her own $10, $20, or $30 dollar co-payment for birth control?

Deggans even ignores that the blog post on Fox Nation he was complaining about was actually written by Politico.com, a left leaning news site.

If Deggans wants to write a book attacking Fox news and conservatives he is entitled to that right. He is not, however, entitled to selective outrage. If it is bad or destructive for Fox News, or talk radio to report in a certain way, then it is also wrong for CNN, ABC, MSNBC, etc., to do the same things. Deggans has a journalistic obligation to hold them to the same standard.

This brings us to the crux of the problem with Deggans’ book and liberals generally. They suffer from chronic bouts of intellectual dishonesty and hypocrisy. In their world, calling George W. Bush stupid is a statement of fact, but calling Obama stupid is racist. Expecting a man engaging in sexual activity to use his own money to buy condoms as birth control is obvious, but expecting the same responsibility from an adult woman is sexist. Targeting a specific demographic is racist and destructive if the demographic is white men, but targeting the black demographic (if you believe Deggans’ assertion that MSNBC is purposely doing that) is enlightened. And creating a website dedicated to the Hispanic community who may one day be spun out into a dedicated cable news site like Fox News Latino, is to be ignored, because, as you know, Fox only caters to middle, aged white men.

If you are a critic of Fox news then Race Baiter will allow you to confirm your own thoughts about the network. If you were looking for a tome that examines the way media helps to contribute to the hyper partisan divide America is experiencing, then the book is a waste of time. You would be better suited looking for other books, or evening writing one of your own. That is how useful this book by Deggans is on the subject. The problem is not his campaign against Fox or conservatives. It is that Deggans purports his book as something else. A critique on how media is dividing the country, but he does not talk about the media. He talks about what he sees as racial demons at Fox and on the Conservative right, but ignores all-over media and the liberal left.

If that is subject matter you wish to engage in you do not have to fork out thirty bucks for it. You can catch it for free on MSNBC, CNN, the Huffington Post, or any number of other media outlets.

Image credit: Eric Deggans via Facebook

The article Eric Deggans Confirms Own Bias in Race Baiter Part II appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

When the Central Florida Association of Black Journalists (CFABJ) invited author and journalist Eric Deggans to discuss his new book, Race Baiter: How the News Media Wield Dangerous Power to Divide a Nation, at their monthly meeting, there was little doubt I had to attend. Deggans is a media critic for the Tampa Bay Times newspaper and commenter for NPR and the Huffington Post. He is a frequent critic of Fox News and all things conservative.

In preparation for his visit I read through his book and viewed a seventy-minute presentation of Deggans recorded by CSPAN. The title is a backward handed homage to Fox news commentator Bill O’Reilly that labeled Deggans “one of the biggest race baiters in the country;” hence, the title. The book can be summed up simply: Fox News, talk radio and conservatives generally use racism and racist rhetoric to appeal to racist white males to make money, and it is dividing (read: destroying) America.

A few chapter titles in his book include: “Fox News Channel vs. MSNBC: Downgrading all Journalism in a Race to Win a Political Fight,” “Fox News Focus on Scary Black People” and “Hate Radio Why Talk Radio May Not Be a Haven for Middle Aged White Guy for Much Longer.” Within his presentation Deggans used examples like the story about a White House barbecue posted on the Fox News Nation blog page titled “Obama’s Hip-Hop Barbecue Didn’t Create Jobs.” The story was accompanied with pictures of President Obama, Chris Rock, Charles Barkley and Jay-Z, prompting Deggans to complain there was only one rapper pictured, so it is not a hip-hop barbecue. In Deggans’ mind, this is a clear case of “racial code,” because, you know, only black people go to barbecues.

Other examples Deggans used to illustrate his point were the controversial remarks Rush Limbaugh made about birth control activist Sandra Fluke, Newt Gingrich’s charge of Obama being the food stamp President, and a Brookings Institute study that found Fox viewers believe whites are as discriminated against as blacks.

So his message is clear. Fox news is racist. Conservatives are racist. Fox commentators are mostly racist, and Fox News viewers are racist. Everyone else, however…wait Deggans does not really discuss anyone else. His book is a detailed diatribe against Fox news and Conservatives, but virtually ignores other news organizations, liberals or Democrats. This is quite odd given that the tag line of Deggans book is “How Media Wields Dangerous…” At what point did Fox become the media? It is true, their ratings are higher than CNN and MSNBC combined, but that’s hardly big enough to classify them as “the media.” Where was the discussion about ABC, CBS, or NBC? Deggans thinks Hannity and O’Reilly are dangerous; okay, what about Ed Schultz or Keith Olbermann? It is no stretch to assert that either are choirboys when it comes to divisiveness. If Deggans wants to attack Fox news and conservatives, and it is clear from the content he does, then why not call the book, “How Fox News Wields Dangerous Words…”

I questioned Deggans during his presentation on this and other points. Want to know how he responded? Be sure to read part II.

Image credit: Eric Deggans via Facebook

The article Eric Deggans Confirms Own Bias in Race Baiter Part I appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

It’s a fact: Google Adwords leads the market for content-sensitive web-based marketing solutions. However, as digital marketing becomes commonplace, lack of business competition and the intensification in competition for keywords, the cost of effective paid search has left many small to medium-sized businesses wondering; can I sustain the cost of keywords?

The issue is painfully clear. While the price of keywords has risen, the effectiveness of pay-per-click advertisement hasn’t changed. It is the same service, but there are more advertisers willing to pay and it has created a pressing problem for businesses with limited budgets. ‘Improve the quality of your ads’ says Google, but it is a weak guidance because let’s face it – everyone’s betting on quality in an environment where potential consumers are bombarded with advertisement no matter where they go.

It has hit the small businesses hardest. Those who initially found success in using Adwords have seen their expected investment in pay-per-click advertising efforts increase dramatically over the last 10 years, just to retain their spot at the top of search results. When you can end up paying $10 per click, in some cases an astronomical $20 for some keywords, no wonder some are desperate for an alternative.

But why this increase in cost per keyword? The main argument lies in the increased commonness of online advertising, a boom which owes much of its life and earnings to Google. With a reported 42 percent increase in paid clicks from 2011 to 2012, Google has been the main benefactor of the development. But the increased interest has driven up the price of keywords so radically that small companies need to reconsider their options. And this is despite the fact that an average of 96% of pay-per-click advertisers spend less than $10,000 a month, according to AdGooroo. What can a small online bookshop do to compete with Amazon’s $54 million pay-per-click budget – just in the first half of 2012?

Though Google’s services are popular, people should start realizing that it may not be the best solution for many of the small to medium sized companies. These businesses can really struggle to get their money’s worth through the Adwords program. Since the bid prices (Cost per Click) have entered a pay range labelled “absurd” by some observers, the cost of directing people to your website can almost be prohibitive of effective marketing.

Opening your mind (and wallet) to competing alternatives to Google Adword could significantly increase traffic for a lot less money.

Today, small and diverse ad agencies offer more affordable solutions through social media and new publishing tools to give any type of business a chance to market themselves online. The new type of advertisement works, for example, through 3rd party distribution of the advertiser’s message; the idea is for a business to supply the company a message in the form of a link or media content (image, video, text) and then the agency funnels the content across the web via a variety of channels, depending on who you go to.

The different ad agencies have different business models; some work with major publishers to find augment traffic or spots for ad-driven content while other use social networks and the power of ‘viral’ campaigning to distribute a message.

Besides having shown positive results, the service stands out in comparison to Google Adwords for its simplicity; in some cases, there is little delay between an advertiser uploading his or her content and setting a budget before the message is on its way through the channels. Compare this to Google, which has been blamed for taking up to 5 days to approve content.

The real-time advantage of some of these new agencies is an important step for advertisers and businesses who wish to ride the waves of time-sensitive ad opportunities in the media. One recent example that wooed analyst was the ‘Big Bird’-gate where PBS showed a fascinating resolve and response; one which would not have been achieved if they did not have easy access to purchasing the advertising keyword of their character on Twitter.

So, as the demand for organic search results increase, a new industry of optimization is potentially rocketing into the digital marketing scene. However, grand promises of improved Web site search ranking, more qualified search results and less money spend on pay-per-click, does not always calm the uncomfortable feeling of entering uncharted waters off the coast of the tried and trusted Google Adwords. There is going to be a confidence-building process before more companies will transition into a more hands-on, organic marketing effort.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) still suffers from a very flimsy job description; anticipating search patterns, associations and life-span of words in different context can come off as “black magic” because explaining the intricate workings of search engines often lies beyond the grasping realm of traditional businesses and laypersons.

Would-be competitors to Google Adwords enter a market place where they, under the right conditions, can ignite a new era of more creative digital marketing efforts. But they shouldn’t rely too heavily on businesses interested in saving money; the cost is only the initial motivation. These spawning digital ad agencies’ greatest challenge, by far, is to make sense of their product and deliver easily-understandable plans for their clients. We are not talking ‘dumbing down’ of the process, but if you cannot convince your clients that your initiatives really improve organic search volume and automate their marketing efforts, you have a slim chance of building the much-needed trust in your services.

Thus, as digital effort becomes more commonplace at an exhilarating pace, I predict more businesses will take the jump in the next year or two, and engage with the powerful world of SEO via new channels. Then hopefully, the future of digital content marketing for smaller companies will break free of the hands of Adwords – to everyone’s mutual benefit.

Image credit: marciookabe via Flickr.com

The article Breaking Free of Adwords: When Will Small Businesses Embrace SEO? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The average cost of an undergraduate education at an American four-year institution is a little under $100,000. Back in the day, when a movie was fifteen cents and you could survive off minimum wage, there was a joke among those paying their way through school. It went a little something like: When we have kids, the way the world’s going now, it’ll be a hundred grand just to get them through school.

Surprise, Mom and Dad! That’s just for a state school!

It is understandable that so many get sticker shock, but the ever-rising cost of a person’s right to education gets even more dastardly when you look forward.

Graduate school? Many ask, eyes wide. How could we pay for that when a Bachelors cost an arm and a credit score?

The cost of graduate school can be equal to or greater than undergrad, but there are a few magical aspects that can reduce costs down to zero, and even put cash back in your pocket.

Become a TA, or teacher’s assistant. Many Master’s programs offer applicants the opportunity to be a part of assistant programs at the University. For the price of being a department lackey, many schools will cover tuition, housing, and give you a free meal plan. Some will even slip you an infinitesimal paycheck to cover your Starbucks tab. When researching programs, be sure to check for this or options like it. Teaching intro or 100 level classes may seem frightening or demeaning, but it’s better than living out of your parent’s garage for the next five years.

Scholarships. Just like those that exist for undergrad, graduate programs and outside groups offer free money to those looking to better the world. If you have a decent GPA, participate in community service, or have the drive to write a few heart wrenching 500-word essays, then this is the route for you. Search graduate scholarships and you will come up with millions of results. Some are career specific, others are only offered through certain schools, but many are more open. Look through and find those that apply to you, even if it’s only for $400. There’s no limit on how many scholarships one person can have, and every cent counts. A great place to start is scholarships.com or collegeboard.org

Then there are grants. Similar to scholarships, they are free money given to winning applicants. The difference is that they are based on financial need rather than deeds or academic success. Basically, they are everything a financially struggling college student has been praying for. Because they are gifts, grants do not need to be repaid and, if given for a specific research aspect, are not dependent on the outcome of the research. The only way grants can be lost is if your financial status changes, in which case the grant may not be needed anyway.

If you’re already in the workforce and looking to further your interests, knock on your boss’ door and see if they will foot the bill. No kidding, many companies aren’t looking to hire new employees who already have the education, that would mean higher salaries. Instead, existing employees are often sent to graduate school on the company dime. This arrangement can come with conditions; with the company choosing your degree, your school, and possibly contracting you to work for a specific number of years, but hey! It’s free!

What all this boils down to is that the fear of an education’s cost is founded, but it should not be debilitating. Control your breathing and tap into the nearest search engine. Look around at all the programs near you, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Talk to professors and department heads, talk to your boss, and toss some pamphlets at your parents. The cost of an education is going up, but you have the ability to overcome that dollar-shaped obstacle.

Image Courtesy : Fordhamalumni

The article Why Pay for Undergrad When A Master’s Is Free appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Geopolitical chaos procreating a chaotic leaderless world is sucking the literal life out of human hope. The tentacles of austerity measures and quantitative easing are the primary catalyst of all the madness. One way or another every government financier around the world is determined to cultivate the appearance that the good times are still rolling. The only problem is that the natural rate of failure refuses to participate in the economic facade. Fiat currencies’ purchasing power dwindles, the pounding drum beat of war beckons, and an open ended hegemonic polarity struggle for commodities ensues.

While serving as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in 2002, current U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave the world a glimpse into the past, present, and future all at once. In his speech, entitled “Deflation: Making Sure ‘It’ Doesn’t Happen Here,” Ben Bernanke stated:

“Although a policy of intervening to affect the exchange value of the dollar is nowhere on the horizon today, it’s worth noting that there have been times when exchange rate policy has been an effective weapon against deflation. A striking example from U.S. history is Franklin Roosevelt’s 40 percent devaluation of the dollar against gold in 1933-34, enforced by a program of gold purchases and domestic money creation.”

Today the infamous 40 percent strikes again, as Cyprus agreed to the terms of a European Union bailout in which banks will seize 40 percent of uninsured bank depositors’ wealth.

Moody’s Investors Service was quoted in Bloomberg as saying, “The seizure of larger deposits may spark tensions with Russia, the source of an estimated $31 billion in holdings in Cypriot banks.”

Proxy wars have gone beyond the spectrum of arming rogue militants and allied nations in dispersed pockets of the globe, graduating to the realm of state sponsored economic terrorism. As “Gerald Celente” consistently and aptly states, “Currency wars + Trade Wars = Real Wars.”

All of the economic wheeling and dealing continues on as the “Arab Spring” explodes into a caballing year round inferno engulfing the entire Middle East. Daily at the United Nations, permanent Security Council members China, Russia, France, United Kingdom, and the United States spar over regional influence with each passing veto and resolution.

This is most apparent in Syria where Russia opposes any intervention as it struggles to prop up the government of its last remaining ally in the Mediterranean region. Russian naval forces stationed at Tartus, Syria may be the last line of repellent preventing NATO intervention.

The lines of frienemy engagement get blurrier with every passing engagement.

Simultaneously as the United States prepares to implement its own austerity measure policy that has carefully been repackaged and marketed to the public under the label sequestration, it is arming rebels in Syria. All claims of being in financial dire straits gets immediately lost within the noise of controlling key choke points around the globe.

One cannot forget less than two years after watching the Al Qaeda flag being proudly raised in the Libyan city of Benghazi, that America’s new found ally the Free Syrian Army are the protégés of Al Qaeda.

The life cycle of keyboards do not possess the durability to correctly and fully analyze threats posed by the uncontrollable Kim Jong Un ruled North Korea. The isolated peninsula nation even managed to startle its longtime ally China into voting in favor of U.N. Security Council resolution 2094. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang was quoted as saying;

“China supports the UN Security Council’s necessary and moderate response to the nuclear test of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).”

Barely beyond two weeks later newly appointed Chinese President Xi Jinping, warned the West not to meddle in Syria’s civil war while on his first visit to Russia.

Not even the mythical country of Chimerica can rescue the too big to fail world from the natural rate of failure. Governments around the world are taking sides now under the cloak of every global economic and geopolitical conflict, because nations know that a hegemonic storm is coming with no evacuation routes or shelter in sight. Once more, honesty of time is proving that which cannot last forever won’t.

Image courtesy: European Parliament

The article Battle Lines Drawn: Spheres of Survival appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Ray Lewis. There are few figures in sport who divide public opinion to the extremes which Lewis does. Love him or hate him, the Baltimore Ravens linebacker performance on the field, and his skills as leader, not only in the locker room, but also in the franchise, are unquestionable.

His announcement that this year’s playoff run would be his ‘last ride’ was something every Baltimore fan knew was coming sooner or later, but few, if any, had prepared themselves to truly accept this as a reality.

Super Bowl XLVII proved to be a fitting farewell for Lewis as the 17-year veteran collected his second Super Bowl trophy in what, barring a dramatic change of heart, was the linebackers last ever game.

Whilst losing a player of Lewis’ caliber could never be seen as a good thing, some of us hope to take a pragmatic approach to his departure, and give Ravens’ fans some positive aspects to focus on. Just in case winning the Super Bowl was already getting a bit old (…)

Most importantly, Baltimore are now an offensive-dominated team. With stars like Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Torrey Smith on offense, this team is now capable of going head to head with the league’s premier offenses and winning. This has not been the case in Baltimore for Lewis’ entire tenure at the franchise, and should help ease the pains that losing Lewis will cause.

The defense, despite not being at its vintage best this season, is also better equipped now to cope with the loss of Lewis, than it has been in recent years. Inside linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain are both good enough to start in most NFL teams and will minimize any potential drop off in playing ability on the field.

The loss in leadership cannot be underestimated, Lewis is a ‘once in a generation’ type player, but key players like Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata will be ready to step up and help fill the void. Flacco’s growth in ability and confidence will undoubtedly see him assume the mantle of the teams’ ‘general’.

The Ravens are also facing the challenge of retaining many of their players who are coming to the end of their contracts. The list is long, and includes the likes of Reed, Ellerbe, Paul Kruger, Cary Williams and Bryant McKinnie, not to mention recent Super Bowl MVP, Flacco, who is due a very big contract indeed. Lewis’ departure won’t free up a lot of cap room, but it may be enough to make room for a couple of new contracts for their upcoming free agents.

Having tried to remove as much sentiment as possible from this article, I have to be perfectly honest; the Baltimore Ravens will never be the same again. Lewis’ retirement won’t devastate the franchise, General Manager Ozzie Newsome is too smart of an operator to allow that to happen, but number 52 certainly cannot be replaced. He is one of a kind.

This marks the beginning of a new era for Baltimore. The last of the ‘original Ravens’ is heading off into the horizon. The time is ripe for a new group of players to cement their legacy in ‘Charm City’ and I for one cannot wait to see who steps up to the plate.

The article Ray Lewis’ Last Ride – The Pragmatic Approach appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The two championship rings on the hand of Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol has garnered him as a ‘winning player’ since L.A.’s banner-raising seasons of 2009 and 2010.

New York Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire, in stark contrast, is almost never pegged with such a label, and given the fact that he’s only made it as far as the wrong end of multiple Western Conference Finals outcomes during the course of his 11 year career, that isn’t some sort of outrageous injustice.

But upon hearing Gasol’s recent cries of reluctance to come off the bench for Mike D’Antoni’s free-falling Lakers (18-25), and comparing them with Stoudemire’s inelastic willingness to do just that for the Eastern Conference powerhouse that Mike Woodson has suddenly transformed the Knicks (26-14) into in 2012-2013, it’s about time we re-evaluate – and partially re-define – the term ‘winning player.’

Rewind back to the 2010-2011 regular season. The Knicks, for the first time in a long, long time, actually had realistic hopes of breaking their recent stretch of suffering and mediocrity, all thanks to the summer signing of Stoudemire to a five year, $99.7 million contract.

That year Stoudemire became the first Knick named to the Eastern Conference All Star team since franchise legend Patrick Ewing.

Yes, the same Patrick Ewing that led New York to the Finals all the way back in 1999, right before the pandemonium of Y2K. It had been a while, to say the least.

Stoudemire’s profound impact during the first half of that season provided the Knicks with an unfamiliar relevance, and he was thusly thrust into the top of the MVP conversation.

Then came the blockbuster trade that brought former Denver Nuggets All Star forward Carmelo Anthony to Madison Square Garden. From that moment on, Anthony has assumed the roles of New York’s number one scoring option. He became the overall leader and biggest credit to both the franchise’s return to the postseason over the last two seasons and its newfound perch directly below the defending champion Miami Heat as the East’s second seed just around the halfway mark of the season.

And here is Stoudemire, all but forgotten and even the subject of trade rumors as his return to the surging Knicks lineup following knee surgery became more and more imminent.

The proposal of an almost $100 million player coming off the bench initially seemed about as nonsensical and absurd as when his punching of a fire extinguisher box (following a first found Game 2 playoff loss in Miami the previous year) required several stitches and sidelined him for Game 3 back home.

Yet, when asked if he would accept that lesser role in advance of the emotional standing ovation he received from the Knicks’ faithful on his New Year’s Day comeback, Stoudemire didn’t echo the sentiments of a fading star with a boisterous ego.

Whatever the team needed of him, Stoudemire obliged. At 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in an average of just over a mere 21 minutes in his first 10 games back on the floor, he’s certainly had a beneficial impact.

That’s what winning players are all about. The team comes first and foremost, and their heads quietly shrink.

Gasol, meanwhile, is on the completely opposite end of the spectrum.

The acquisitions of All Stars Dwight Howard and Steve Nash by Los Angeles this past summer had most Lakers fans ready to ask off work almost a year in advance so they could attend the championship parade that seemed like more of a sure thing than the Harlem Globetrotters against the Washington Generals.

Needless to say, things haven’t exactly gone the way they, the Lakers themselves and the front office, planned. Despite the abundance of talent in the starting lineup with Nash and Howard joining forces with Kobe Bryant and Gasol – a duo that had won their second of back-to-back titles only two calendar years prior – the Lakers would kill for any kind of win, and sit on the outside of the postseason picture wondering how they could’ve possibly ended up just hoping to sneak in at this point.

As one of the proudest franchises in the history of sports, they’ve been as disgraceful this year as their always entertaining small forward Metta World Peace was last year when he inexplicably concussed then Oklahoma City Thunder forward James Harden with a crushing elbow to the side of the head.

D’Antoni’s had a handful of games where the players executed his run and gun system to a tee, but overall it’s clearly been an atrocious marriage. He’s made a number of lineup adjustments throughout the year, including bringing Gasol off the bench after coming across a stat that Los Angeles offensively ranks in the bottom five in the league when he and Howard share the floor, and that when they don’t, they sit in the top five.

However, the significance of this stat means about as much to Gasol as the celebrities that attend the games at Staples Center mean to him. He’s openly acknowledged that he’s never been a role player coming off the bench, and that he’s always been a starter.

That’s about as selfish as it gets.

On a team that continues to plummet, the shine of the diamonds of championship rings past doesn’t make Gasol a real winning player now. The way Stoudemire’s team-first mentality in pursuit of his first ring truly does.

Image Courtesy : Keith Allison

The article What a Winnning Player Is Really About appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Ireland’s austerity measures and spending cuts is a model that all European countries should adopt – or is it?

About three years ago, Ireland was granted 85 billion Euros by the Eurogroup and the IMF. As a part of the deal, the government of Ireland was obliged to take over all liabilities of the country’s banks to prevent an economic collapse.

Later, on a panel of the premiers, the current Prime Minister of Finland Jyrki Tapani Katainen said: “The Irish model is the one we all need. I don’t see that we have any choice… there is no short cut to heaven.” For some time now, Ireland’s implementation of the austerity package has been considered a role model for the rest of the Eurozone.

By measures which include increasing the state pension age and cutting public sector jobs and pay, Ireland turned 10 years of budget deficits into a surplus. David Begg, the general secretary of the Irish Confederation of Trade Unions, says: “We were the poster child for globalisation. Now we are the poster child for austerity.”

Recently, the Financial Times called Ireland’s minister of finance one of the best in Europe. Irish banks can borrow again on the open market, and the interest rates on sovereign bonds are rapidly falling. Indeed, that can be an indicator of the faith international capital has in the country’s future.

Added to this, Ireland is still a heaven for international companies searching for low taxes. On one hand the austerity measures seem to be working. The country’s budget deficit fell, unemployment rate is also slightly down. What is even more important: Ireland has avoided downgrades by Fitch and S&P, unlike many others.

But despite S&P reaffirming Ireland’s ‘BBB’ rating, it did not change its negative outlook. The agency explained that negative outlook is justified by the high risks to the stability of the financial sector and “uncertain growth prospects.” At the same time, according to Fitch, negative outlook also persist in countries like Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and not least the United Kingdom.

So let us not forget that Europe is in deep need of a success story. The truth is, it is not all sunshine and rainbows. The economy is still weak, the growth the country is experiencing now is mostly due to the substantial fall in the labor cost.

Due to the small domestic market, almost all manufacturers are exporting to the Eurozone, the United Kingdom and the United States. Those destinations have the big problems of their own and probably even more to come.

Without further substantial economic growth, it will be impossible to reduce the government deficit and debt in the future. And without further reforms, the crisis could start all over again.

Image Courtesy :  Jpmpinmontreal

The article Ireland: Is There a Shortcut to Heaven? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Reported by CNN, a rape incident took place a month ago at a party in Steubenville, Ohio by two teenagers on the high school football team. The video posted by an anonymous young man at the party, presumably an eyewitness, told his version of what happened.

In the video the “eyewitness” shooting the video repeats that the girl is dead. He uses the word dead as a slang word for lifeless not literally dead. Another young man on camera then says, “She is deader than Andy Reid’s son… deader than OJ’s wife…” In the background with noise and boys’ voices someone yells the word rape. Someone says, “This is not funny,” only to be drowned out by laughter of the main speaker and those supporting him. When asked “What if that was your daughter?” the main speaker on camera answers, “If that was my daughter, I wouldn’t care. I’d just let her be dead.” “Besides,” he says, “Is this really rape because you don’t know if she wanted to or not.” An onlooking teenager says, “You are sick.”

CNN commented that what stands out from the incident is that it demonstrates a split in the boy rape-prone sexual culture. Some young men continue to believe that when a girl gets drunk, staging a sexual display for their buddies it is part of a night’s fun. They do not think of it as rape. Some of their friends, however, disagree. In their conversion to manhood, they are able to name rape when they see it.

The definition of rape in the United States is “a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without the party’s consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent; such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, or below the legal age of consent.”

But the U.S., India, Africa and other countries have been protesting recently to change the laws to expand the definition of what is considered rape. Many are protesting and pushing for the victims to be supported and the rapists punished. Especially after the recent gang rape incidents in New Deli, India.

According to an article by The Daily Beast, the arrest rate for rape in 2010 in the U.S. was 24 percent, which was exactly what it was in the late 1970s, when tracking such data began. New York City has tried to adopt better policies since 1999 when a policy of testing every rape kit booked into evidenced. The kits have resulted in at least 2,000 cold hits (when the DNA profile from the rape kit matched a DNA from a separate crime scene or offender in a local, state or national DNA databank) as well as 200 active investigations, arrests, or prosecutions. Since 2003, the NYPD has seen its arrest rate for rape increase dramatically, from 40 percent to 70 percent of reported cases.

According to The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, on average in 2010, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner. That equals more than 12 million men and women raped in a year.

More than 79.6 percent of female victims of completed rape are raped before their 25th birthday with 42.2 percent experiencing their first completed rape before the age of 18.

Yes, rape has been happening since the dawn of man and the view of women being second class citizens has been going on for centuries, but it is deplorable to know the view of women to some, most in the younger generations, has not changed especially since many women today have higher paying jobs than their husbands or boyfriends and usually juggle that along with housework, children, a family, a social life and so on.

It is sad to say that when asked about this particular incident reported in Ohio, most young men brush it off and said she probably wanted it or passed out on purpose. How could someone answer that? Why do some people think that way?

No matter if a person is drunk, conscience, dresses sexually reveling or not; every person deserves to be respected. No one has the right to violate anyone at anytime. Some men need to stop listening to what their friends and the media says and keep their hands, urges and egos to themselves.

It seems in this party, one night stand and drug crazed generation, men’s respect for women keeps decreasing. Our culture and society needs to change and stand up so that everyone is protected more than abused.

To see one of the videos described in the article or get more info go to CNN.

Image Courtesy : Eric.Parker

The article Do We Live in a Pro-Rape Culture? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Never has one man done more for a team than Ray Lewis has done for the Baltimore Ravens.

Since his arrival in Baltimore in the 1996 NFL Draft, Forbes have stated that Lewis’ tenure in the city has likely accounted for a $100-125 million increase in the franchise’s value, which according to a 2012 survey, sits at a very respectable $1.16 billion.

The experienced linebacker has missed the majority of the season after suffering a torn triceps injury in the Ravens’ Week 6 clash with the Dallas Cowboys. For most this would be a season-ending injury, but it should be evident to all NFL fans by now that Lewis is not just your average football player.

His dramatic return at the beginning of the playoffs, coupled with the momentous announcement that this would be his ‘last ride’ has been suggested by many to be the key reason behind Baltimore’s timely return to form.

It is hard to imagine anything more motivating for his teammates than helping Lewis go out on the best possible note. At this point of the season, one solitary mistake can mean the end of the journey, and to borrow a phrase from Bill Belichick, the Head Coach of the Ravens upcoming AFC Championship opponents, the New England Patriots, ‘Do your job’.

Let me put it another way. Would you want to be the person culpable for the end of Lewis’ last ride? The kind of determination, focus and concentration that this breeds can be just as important, if not more so, than any of the intangibles we regularly judge football players by.

Beyond the emotional and mental contributions that the return of Lewis brings the team, let us not forget, he can still play.

The traditional strength of the Ravens has always been their unforgiving defense, but unfortunately for the Baltimore fans, this has not been the case for much of the season, with the unit being far from dominant.

There are several reasons for this, not least so the fact that defensive standouts Terrell Suggs and Lewis were not on the field together at any point this season until Baltimore’s win over the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Throw into the mix the fact that both Haloti Ngata and Ed Reed have been playing hurt all season and the disruption that losing Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano undoubtedly caused, it is perhaps not too surprising that the Ravens defense has faltered.

This all changed two weeks ago however when Baltimore won their Wild Card round match against the Colts. The defense has finally started to get healthy with Suggs and Lewis both on the field together, as well as players such as Paul Kruger and Corey Graham continuing the form they were showing in the second half of the regular season. The Ravens’ defense is beginning to look vintage once more.

One factor which has been critical for Baltimore in both of their playoff victories so far has been the performance of their new-look offensive line. If the revival in the Ravens’ form could be attributed to one person, and one person alone (and that person cannot be named Ray Lewis), it could be Bryant McKinnie.

Michael Oher is a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive tackle. It is just that he is a Pro Bowl-caliber right tackle, not the left tackle position he has been playing at all season. Given time at the position I’m sure he would flourish, but the form and fitness that McKinnie has found has allowed the veteran to retake his spot at left tackle, pushing Oher back to his favored right tackle position. This in turn has pushed rookie Kelechi Osemele from his position at tackle to guard, and the young man from Iowa State has proven to be just as impressive in his new position as he was in his last.

This re-jigged offensive line has performed outstandingly, giving up just two sacks in their last two games (which includes facing the powerful defensive front of the Denver Broncos). If there is one pertinent criticism of the quarterback Joe Flacco, it is his lack of pocket awareness, and the improvements that the offensive line have made in pass protection have helped Flacco throw for five touchdowns and no interceptions in those two games.

Should Baltimore go on to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots in a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game, undoubtedly the vast majority of the praise will go to Lewis and the impact his return has had on the team. Given that he even now has me believing in fate, I will probably be adding my voice to that praise, but that being said, keep your eyes on the Ravens’ offensive line this Sunday, they are primed to continue their good form and I think a big night for Flacco could be on the cards.

Image Courtesy : Baltimore Ravens

The article The Ravens’ Resurgence – Who and How? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The acronym BRIC was coined by Jim O’Neill in his now-distant 2001 paper, but Brazil, Russia, India and China are still considered to be at a similar stage of economic development. The truth is, however, that the BRIC countries are not that alike. They have quite different economies – and quite different issues.

B is for Brazil

Brazil has in the last decade turned itself into a place where it is very expensive to do business. And government is to blame. Not only has the tax burden risen from 22% of GDP in the 1980s to 36% today, but the tax system is ridiculously complex. Unfortunately most of the money goes on pensions and wasteful spending on the unreasonably big government and not on the reforms and innovations.

The other problem is tiresome overregulation, even record low interest rates are of no use to the economy. Business leaders believe that uncertainty over regulations holding vital investment in infrastructure.

R is for Russia

Russia faces serious political problems and its economical structure may no longer be regarded as that of a BRIC country.

The major source of problems, of course, is the 2008 economic crisis. The Russian economy experienced the highest capital flight among the BRICs in the last decade. In August 2011 alone, USD 500 million was taken out of Russian investment funds, and the drop continues. The Russian Ministry of Finance estimated capital flight for 2011 to more than USD 80 billion, and that major capital investment cannot be expected before 2013.

According to Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, in one week in September 2011, investors withdrew 315 million dollars from Russian capital market, which is double the capital flight from China and India for that week.

Even the Russian press has noticed that the Goldman Sachs prognosis of a lower global growth rate for 2012/2013 has made Russia look like an outsider within BRIC.

Despite the fact that Russia is the largest oil exporter in the world and the second best in natural gas, it is not what is happening with the other BRIC countries.

I is for India

India lacks a big export industry. In this situation it is unlikely to see essential growth in exports in the near future. What is even more important that India has a substantial account deficit and to cover it $50-70 billion in investments is needed every year.

Unlike the other BRIC countries, India is still desperately poor. Widespread corruption and lack of jobs in the country with rapidly growing population are also the reasons to worry.

C is for China

China’s validity in BRIC has never been questioned. It is not only China’s rapid growth but also political weight on the international stage that put it ahead and above the other three.

And even though China’s economy may be slowing, it is still the best investment destination of the four big emerging markets. The thing is – market should stop thinking of China as a 10 percent galloping state. China is getting past being just about quantity. So the growth may be slowing but it is still at a very high rate.

The GDP of China’s economy has increased from $1.57tn to nearly $6.3tn, rising to number 2 in the world ranking. What is even more important, China has transformed into a state that exports capital and manufacturing from mainly agricultural country. And now it has more and more possibilities to strengthen further its influence on the international arena.

The magnitude of Chinese economy and Beijing’s ability to drive the economy away from troubles make it less sensitive than huge but less controllable states like India, the oligarchic Russia or overregulated Brazil. So is China just another brick in the wall? Not quite, not quite.

The article China: Just Another BRIC in the Wall? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

In the final hours of December 31, 2012, congress and the democrats agreed on a deal in the White House that averted the fiscal cliff in the US and saved the economy from slipping away into darkness. But for how long?

According to Forbes magazine, income tax rates up to $450,000 (for married couples) will be subject to older tax rates, but income above $450,000 will taxed at 39.6%. Tax-rates on long term capital gains and dividends will be hiked from 15 percent to 20 percent only for those taxpayers above; for everybody else it will be the same 15 percent.

Further, according to Forbes, the deal is composed of an extension of exemption on estate taxes at $500,000, but rates have been increased to 40 percent from 35 percent.

It seems rather uncomfortable to say that President Obama achieved victory on tax code debate since democrats were pushing top tax rates for income just above $250,000; nevertheless, tax revenues have been made somewhat stronger.

As reported in my last article, updating tax rates for the rich may strengthen the revenue part of the budget. Perhaps it is a good sign, but the deal barely mentions anything about chronic deficits.

Perhaps the most pivotal portion of budget is spending. Because spending and taxes are branches of the same tree, and there is a threat that the tree might lean to one side if the other branch grows too heavy.

According to the Heritage Foundation report, “Federal spending by the Number 2012,” federal entitlements are driving this spending growth, increased from less than half of the total federal outlays some 20 years back to nearly 62 percent in 2012.

Further report says that three major programs (Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security) eat up about 44 percent of the budget. Other programs such as anti-poverty program increased by 49 percent in the last 10 years, food stamps tripled since 2002, and housing assistance rose by 48 percent since 2002.

Debt Facts

The year 2012 marked $1.1 Trillion of deficits, the fourth consecutive year the deficit exceeded 1 trillion.

The 2012 Deficit. was estimated to be 7.3 percent of the GDP.

Over 2 decades, spending grew 71 percent.

In 2012, spending on entitlements was nearly 62 percent of total spending, while defense expenditure was 18.7 of the budget.

The US economy is drifting towards deeper deficits for two principle reasons: a dramatic shift in spending on the outset of recession, and a large chunk of financial resources diverted towards a host of social programs.

What’s happening in the US economy can be summed up as a fiscal fiasco. It is also economic uncertainty and political confusion over the fate of the tax code, massive spending and mountainous federal deficits, since this deal focused extensively on one side of the budget.

Ironically, what remains to be the most awful aspect of the deal is the extension of rapid spending cuts, generally known as sequester. The sequester problem should have been solved under this deal.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, ‘sequester’ is composed of mandatory spending cuts, hammering down $600 billion in defense and $600 billion in domestic programs, which have been extended to March 1, 2013.

Are we going to experience the same kind of frustration and confusion again in March as we did prior to this deal? Fiscal deficits are a jinx to growth and the whole of the economy because it forces us to cease off-spending.

But again a question arises whether welfare policies sometimes ask for more than what the economy can produce? Is this too much welfarism?

The article Fiscal Cliff Deal and Deficit Dilemma appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Let’s talk about James Buchanan. No, not the last American president born in the 18th century. About James McGill Buchanan. Why him? He was a Nobel Prize laureate and American economist who got recognized for his study on public choice theory, and who just recently passed away (January 9, 2013).

So why is his work still relevant today? Mainly because Buchanan initiated research on how non-economic forces and politicians’ personal interests affect economic policy.

His research includes extensive writings on macroeconomics, constitutional economics, the public debt, public finance and voting – all that is very important especially now, at the time of global economic crisis.

What is even more important, looking at the entire government “struggle against the economy,” is that in his studies Buchanan rejects “any organic concept of the state as superior in wisdom, to the citizens of this state.” This is where the interesting part begins.

Thanks to his philosophical position the basis of constitutional economics can be formed. According to Buchanan, every constitution is created for the time period of at least several generations and therefore, it should be able to balance interests of the society, state and each individual.

Unfortunately we don’t see this happening all around us. There are, of course, exclusions, but in whole we see just the opposite. The rich are getting richer or at least are well off anyways. And middle class is getting the full blow of the recession.

It is interesting that Buchanan’s ideas were always seen as a challenge to John Maynard Keynes. And Keynes is recognized to be one of the most influential economists of the last century and founder of modern macroeconomics. He was among those who advocated the use of monetary and fiscal measures to reduce the negative effects of economic recessions.

Once Keynes’s ideas became widespread, they were adopted by leading economies. Even though the outburst of the global financial crisis in 2007 caused degradation in Keynesian thought, the principals of Keynesian economics are still used to give response to the crisis. Unfortunately, neither the administration of George W. Bush or Barack Obama developed new approaches.

In his works Buchanan poses a question, “What do individuals seek in politics if they do not seek to maximize their own expected net wealth?” Which seems to make perfect sense, doesn’t it?

The main point is that modern politics can be adjusted only through the change to the constitution. In this way individuals will be able to act according to the long-term interest of the community and not their own short-term interests.

James M. Buchanan says, “Until and unless we begin to take the long-term perspective in our private and in our public capacities, including the adoption of new and binding constitutional constraints on the fiscal and monetary powers of government, we are doomed to remain mired in the muck of modern politics.”

The article Keynesian Economics Turned the Politicians Loose appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

It’s the business of engagement, of interpretation, of reaching people before they reach the product or service they love. Social media from an instrumental perspective has helped evolve a sub-class of new society based on their participation in online activities. It has changed the way we look around us.

Earlier it was considered a platform for socializing, a window that connects people, an auxiliary for leisure, a corner to share emotions and share ideas. Over a period of time it transformed into a major marketing pillar. From start-ups to local business and multinational corporations, all businesses recognized the need to expand their presence online using sites that connect and involve direct human participation.

Days of traditional marketing through newspapers, magazine advertisements, posters and television commercials seem to be fading. The size of human engagement online is greater than conventional marketing mediums.

Marketing, no matter conventional or technocratic, blows away barriers and distance between potential customers and the product. A real-time analogy tells us that online marketing through social media sites makes far-reaching interactions with millions of people at the same time easy.

Simple Facebook or LinkedIn user statistics are enough to support the view that, in comparison of conventional marketing, digital marketing through social media is powerful tool because it engages an unthinkably large number of people.

It all takes places beyond fun, games, status updates and tweets; an unimaginably vast playground filled with digitized thinking.

According to the Digital Marketing Ramblings‘ website release of statistics of the number of people using the most popular social media sites, Facebook is on the top slot with 1 billion users, followed by YouTube with 800 million users and 4 billion views per day, QQ with 700 million users, and the Micro-blogging platform Twitter has 500 million users.

Further, Sina Weibo has 400 million users and LinkedIn has 175 million users. According to Media bistro, in their social media marketing industry report, 83 percent of marketers believe that social media is important, and about 94 percent of marketers use social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter for business purposes.

A tally among the tools reveals that Facebook is in the top slot on the preference list of marketers, followed by Twitter and LinkedIn. This is testimonial information with an indication that social connectivity will be helpful for businesses based on customers’ presence.

However, some critics argue that as users gradually move to mobile phones from the computer, advertisements need to undergo technical renovation to keep the communication line alive, or else days are numbered for online marketers.

According to Mashable, Kleiner Perkins’ partner Mary Meeker illustrated the financial gap in her annual trend report that says mobile phones occupy 10 percent of people’s media consumption time and commands only 1 percent of advertising budgets.

It’s an indication that marketing will undergo change following consumer decisions; it means that as screen size expands or contracts (from personal computer to laptops, from tablets to mobile phones), advertisements will change to fit them.

But perhaps, no matter to what platform on-line marketing may divert, it is for sure days of digital marketing are greatly radiant.

The article New Marketing Order? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

There is a new kind of economic disorder in the United States taking roots in their fiscal policy. It has emerged in the system foreshadowing an economic apocalypse of the US economy, and is known as the Fiscal Cliff.

The implication of the Fiscal Cliff, if left unchecked, will be devastating in nature and highly toxic for the US and global economic stability. The term ‘Fiscal Cliff’ refers to a package of tax increases and spending cuts that may take place due to the expiration of certain laws dealing with tax code and state spending.

In other words, it refers to a stage where economic fortunes may slip down under a deep no-growth trajectory because of laws which will get activated automatically in January.

According to the BBC, on 31 December, a raft of temporary tax cuts is due to expire just as huge automatic spending cuts are introduced. Individuals and companies will be hit simultaneously with tax rises and reductions in government contracts, benefits and support.

BBC further says that some $607 billion of cuts and tax rises are planned, including reductions in the defense budget, the end of an employee tax holiday, changes to Medicare allowances and higher personal taxes.

The ideology of both Republicans and Democrats is asymmetrical when it comes to resolution of the fiscal mess: President Obama proposes a tax increase for the households that earn more than $250,000 per year, but Republicans tend to repeatedly torpedo that proposal. Republicans seem to favor a “no tax rate increase policy,” with some adjustments and corrections in spending programs.

According to Boston.com, Republican Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina said “No republican will vote for higher tax rates… We will generate revenue from eliminating deductions and loopholes, but we will insist our Democratic friends reform entitlements – something we’ve never done, and that’s where the big money is at.”

According to CBS News, about $1.2 trillion in federal spending cuts are scheduled to take place next year, and some state-run health care programs for the elderly, such as Medicare, will be affected by a 2 percent reduction in payments.

There come questions about how to jump-start job creation and fuel economic growth while still slashing away at federal deficits. Tax hikes to annihilate deficits may plunder the economy itself; tax increase arrests spending and investment but can positively correlate with a deficit reduction scheme.

Ironically, it all depends on how much importance we attach to ballooning deficits and interest service and how we see growth. If spending is slashed through different programs, like Medicare, it will adversely affect savings among the elderly as it will wipe-out state help, leaving them to rely on whatever means they have.

On the other hand, even if Bush-Era Tax Cuts were to be extended for the next two years, will they be helpful in opening the door for faster economic growth? For the last few years Bush-era tax cuts were in place in the economy along with the low interest rate policy adopted by the US Federal Reserve, but the economy is still coughing. What is needed is to increase taxes if deficit reduction is primary for the economy.

The argument is that it might drag the economy back into a recession, but again a question arises. Are these tax-cuts helpful in getting the economy back on a stable surface?

There is no magic wand that can drain out the federal deficits and growth rate with the same pattern of spending and bush-era tax cuts in place.

Ultimately what can be done to avert the crisis, to shield the US economy falling over the cliff? The resolution is in striking a deal that limits spending (to some extent) and increasing tax rates on households earning more than $398,350. Spending on defense should be lowered dramatically; further laws with sunset provisions must be avoided.

The article Fiscal Cliff: Serpent in US Economy appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

To say that the vast majority of people in the world did not expect the world to end last Friday would be a gross understatement. The 21st came and went with a whimper, not an explosion of super volcanoes, hidden rogue planets, or Pole shifting. The lesson to be learned here is best exemplified by a quote from the Bible repeated ad nauseam across social networks: “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the Angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows,” Matthew 24:36.

It is an understandable reaction. No one can predict the future. Not anyone today, and surely not anyone 2,000 years ago. It is very hard to take seriously the idea that a race of people could predict the end of the world thousands of years ago, but could not see the trouble coming for them when Cortez and the Spanish showed up. Yes, the dismissive attitude many people had that day is infinitely understandable. It is also troubling.

A closer examination, whether it is Facebook comments, news articles, comments made in television interviews, etc., reveals not a dismal of the Mayan prophecy, but of the idea that the world will end at all. That is the underlying emotion. Nothing will end. Nothing bad will happen. The biggest lesson to be gleaned from December 21, 2012 is not that no can predict when the world will end. The jokes, the dismissal of preppers, end of the world parties, all point to the sad fact that if something bad happens, no one is prepared.

The victims of Hurricane Sandy and Katrina are living examples of this sad fact. Both had days of warning. Everyone in the areas hit by the storms knew they were coming. Yet after the storms hit, the degree to which those affected needed help from the federal government and charitable Americans country-wide demonstrated that the residents were unprepared. The response by the federal government, and days it took power companies to get electricity up and running to all their customers, shows our institutions were not ready.

Neither of these events is world ending. However, there is an old saying, “If you lose everything you own, then it’s the end of the world to you.” Can anyone dispute that to a family who lost their home and everything they own in Sandy, Katrina, or even the tornadoes of Joplin that their world has ended? If you are snowed in your home resulting from the current winter storm sweeping across America with little food and no heat, does it matter that the state of Florida is fine? No. You are in an emergency that might not end the world, but could end your life.

So why do the eyes of most people roll in their heads if you mention prepping for an emergency? Why do they act like no big event is ever going to happen in their lifetimes? The answer is probably no more complicated than that people do not expect bad things to happen to them. It may happen to someone else, some other city, state, or country, but not to me. This is a very dangerous thought to have. Eleven years ago three thousand people had that same thought process, and then the building they worked in was hit by a plane. Some were in areas that negated any hope of survival. Others allowed themselves to be led back into the building. Some of those people did not make it out.

Life threatening emergencies can occur at any moment. The Bible verse, “No one knows the day or the hour,” means something bad could happen right now. If it did are you ready to handle it? If you get a call from your child’s school what is your plan? If you get into a car accident and your wife is gushing blood, do you have a kit in the car to save her before the ambulance gets there? If you live in the mid-west or up north, what is your plan for when your pipes freeze and the power goes out? A national emergency occurs, and your cell phone does not work because the lines are slammed. Do you know how to contact your loved ones? Do they know how to reach you?

Does the world actually need to end in order for you see the value of being prepared for an emergency?

The Mayans were wrong. No real news flash there. But here is a prediction that is absolutely certain and does not take an elaborate calendar to see; there will be future catastrophes. Not earth shattering (though that will happen one day too) just local, or regional. There will be storms, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, freak storms, and earthquakes. These things will happen. Will you be ready when they do? Or are you going to just brush them off in hopes that it will happen to someone else in some other place? The response from the government to Sandy has shown that even if the federal, state, and local governments work hard to respond the response is always slower than needed. People will have to take these things seriously, and ready themselves to protect their families and help neighbors, If that is not done, then even a localized event can have more serious consequences than necessary.

The article Lessons from Mayan Doomsday Failure appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

As the fiscal cliff approaches, the clock starts to tick louder. For those who have yet to understand: the fiscal cliff is a soup of expiring tax cuts scheduled for the end of the year.

The core of the fiscal cliff consists mainly of the cuts passed from 2001 to 2003 under then President George W. Bush. There are also across-the-board cuts: the expiration of measures delaying the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate, and the expiration of the 2 percent Social Security payroll tax cut, among others.

If the federal government allows this to happen, the effect on a still-weak economy may be drastic, perhaps even sending it back into a recession. On the other hand the fiscal cliff can significantly decrease the federal budget deficit. This brings us to the question of possible positive effects for the economy in the long run.

According to some surveys, about two-thirds of Americans do support reduction of the federal budget deficit, even if it means cutting Medicare and Social Security. Aside from this data, it is quite hard to believe that the majority will eagerly give away their money for seemingly no good reason. It is better to not take into consideration some quavering long-term improvement projections for the common citizen who is not keen on economic analysis.

Unfortunately according to the experts, if Obama and Congress do not avert these legislative changes, America may “fall over the cliff.” It will also mean that taxes will rise the most in the last 60 years or so. The Tax Policy Center reports that middle-income families will pay $2,000 or more in taxes in 2013.

In addition to this, the Congressional Budget Office predicts that about 3.4 million people will lose their jobs. The Unemployment rate of 7.9 percent in October 2012 represents a significant improvement over the October 2009 rate of 10 percent. According to research millions of jobs would be lost after the fiscal cliff. This could result in an unemployment rate of up to 9.1 percent or more.

Some say there is a bright side. The cliff would be a long-term positive, they say. Everybody understands that at some point the U.S. government should deal with the deficit. But in what way and when are the questions. The policy of kicking the can down the road may no longer be effective or will at least become so in the near future. So will the short-term disaster be worth the possible benefits? The truth is, it’s hard to tell.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that by 2022, the budget deficit would fall to $200 billion from $1.1 trillion now, in the fiscal cliff case scenario. But that is a pretty long shot and in order to get there, the economy would have to face certain financial difficulties.

The bottom line is the cliff will certainly result in the tax rate increases. But the problem is that increasing taxes won’t necessarily increase total tax revenue. The only right way to increase tax revenue is for the economy to recover.

So the bottom line may be that the fiscal cliff doesn’t matter that much any more. The U.S. may have passed the point of no return long ago.  For everyone with average income there is only one thing that can be suggested. Use everybody’s old favorite: cash, not credit. Congress will eventually have to learn this lesson also and finally cut back on a wasteful spending.

If you want to see what your tax life will look after the cliff you can try the links for experienced tax payers or those who want to get a simple answer.

The article Fiscal Cliff: Driving Over the Edge? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Firearms have always been a part of this country’s existence. Without them, the United States of America might not exist at all. They are a tool that has been used throughout history in order for people to protect themselves and the things that they own. But there are days like this past Friday, when 26 people, 20 of which were children, were killed in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, which shine light on a gun control debate that has been going on in the United States almost as long as firearms have been in existence.

Sadly, incidents such as the one that happened in Connecticut are far too common in our country. From the Virginia Tech Massacre in 2007 to the Columbine High School Massacre in 1999, we have seen plenty of incidents when the wrong people get their hands on firearms and use them to commit terrible crimes. But should we be worried about our state laws that allow these types of weapons to be purchased with ease? Or should we be working on a way to get those who are mentally unstable the help that they need in order to live a happy life?

Rules and regulations on how to obtain a firearm vary from state to state. In the state of New York, a handgun can be purchased by someone who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid registration and license. However, you can be 18 years old and purchase a shotgun or rifle; and neither firearm requires registration or a license in order to be purchased. A background check is performed at the time of purchase in order to make sure there are no outstanding warrants or past crimes which can prevent the person from owning a firearm. New York has the most strict gun control policies in the country.

In states like Alaska and Connecticut, neither shotguns nor rifles require a permit in order to be purchased. Handguns are the only firearm in Connecticut that requires a state permit. Alaska even allows anyone to openly carry a firearm without any form of documentation.

But what about the people that commit these crimes? Of course, background checks are performed, but many of the people that would perform such a terrible act on innocent people were never diagnosed with any mental illnesses. After the deinstitutionalization of mental institutions in the 20th century, many people are not being diagnosed for their problems, and are not receiving the help that they need in order to live a normal life. The transition from government-run mental hospitals to community-based alternatives are also preventing many people from receiving the amount of medical attention that they need.

President Obama has been trying to renew a ban on assault weapons in the United States. And after the massacre in Connecticut, it seems as though we will succeed in removing unnecessary firepower from free distribution. In the end, we need to take a step back and look at our country’s firearm laws to make sure they are as strong as possible for preventing weapons from getting in the hands of the wrong people. We also need to look at those who would do such a terrible thing, and make sure that they are receiving the help they deserve.

Hopefully, in our lifetime, we come to a conclusion that takes unnecessary weaponry off the streets, and also helps those who are in need of proper treatment.

The article Guns in the United States: Do the Guns or the People Need Controlling? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

“The eyes of the world are on Brazil” is an expression often used to represent the popularity of the country and its appearances in the media, for reasons such as the World Cup 2014 and the Olympic Games of 2016. The country’s image in regards to violence and poverty is still really strong, and the government is trying to prepare for these big upcoming events. Rio de Janeiro is the city where are lot of the events will take place, and what is often emphasized is the contrast between nature and the city. There is another contrast, the one between the upscale neighborhoods and the favelas, or slums of the city.

Because of the favelas’ factors, which involve a highly populated area with the poorest people of the city living on top of the Rio de Janeiro Mountains, for many years it has been the perfect place for drug dealers and criminals to hide themselves. The police has had a lot of trouble trying to get inside, and the government is trying to change this reality through “pacification” actions. Many favelas have already gone through this process and nowadays provide a safer life and better infrastructure. But this is not the case with the Maré Complex, formed by 16 slums and located between the main access routes to the city. More than 130,000 people live there. This makes up to 2.3% of the total population of Rio de Janeiro.

One big problem has to do with children and the youth of the community. They don’t see opportunities outside of the favela and crime is for them a chance to get some money or status inside the community. As the government still hasn’t brought the pacification process to the Maré Complex, one good initiative offering good possibilities for its inhabitants is created by non-governmental organizationsn such as CEASM (Centro de Estudos e Ações Solidárias da Maré, in english: Centre for Studies and Solidarity Actions of Maré). This NGO is focused on contributing to the value of the slums and poor communities as an expression of the plurality of the city, changing ideas and guiding public policy. Since 1998 the NGO offers support courses helping young people get into the public universities. Entrance is based on a highly competitive test that usually favors people who can afford a good basic education.

These days, CEASM offers 14 different projects involving education and cultural emphasis. The population faces low self esteem issues, and many people think that there is no way out of the violence. CEASM wants to change this.

It already offers a library, computer rooms, journalism rooms and classrooms. Everything was built with the support of donations and community help. CEASM has about 100 volunteers, both paid and unpaid. Lourenço Cezar da Silva (pictured above) is the oldest brother of five siblings, and was one of the first students who was able to get into one of the most competitive universities of Brazil: PUC-Rio (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro).

The economic support is based on donations and funding, but in the past year help has been cut for different reasons. The NGO is facing many problems to keep offering a better chance to the community. The CEASM volunteers usually try to apply to get some help from the government but say that lately many has been direct to culture and not to education.. He started as a student of the support course for university applications and today is proud and eager to help others starting out like he did.

Of course, the eyes of the world cannot easily see everything that happens in the daily life of poor communities in the big city of Rio de Janeiro, but maybe looking inside it will make it possible to change from the outside, instead of trying to hide the problems. CEASM and the Maré Community Complex need help in order to change from inside; it needs eyes to look where it matters. The number of young people who cannot benefit from the services is increasing, and consequently, so is the number of them who engage in crime and violence.

The article Eyes on the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Israel-Gaza Conflict has existed for almost a decade and while there are many sides to this tumulus relationship, one young man took a stand when he posted a message on his Facebook page.

Waheed Elsamra is an Egyptian supporter of the Palestinian city of Gaza, wanting to do his part in informing people of the truth behind Israel’s plight with Gaza and dared them to respond to the Massacre.

“The destruction of Gaza is not about stopping Hamas, it’s not about stopping rocket fire in Israel, it’s not about achieving peace, the Israeli decision to rain death and destruction on Gaza by the use of lethal weapons of the modern battle field on a large defenseless civilian population is the final phase of the decades long campaign to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians,” Elsamra said.

The battle between Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian militants is not a level playing field. “Israel uses sophisticated attack jets and naval vessels to bomb densely crowded refugee camps, schools, apartment blocks, mosques, and slums. They attack a population who has no air force, no air defense, no navy, no heavy weapons, no army, no ground defense, no artillery units, no command, and they call it a war,” Elsamra said.

There is an ethic to war; this ethic states that one army is battling another army. “These people (Palestinians) have no army, so you target busy neighborhood streets and kill innocent civilians and pedestrians,” Elsamra said.

The reason that Israel has so much military power at its hands is because they are using American weapons. Elsamra noted that America gave Israel 300 billion dollars for the Gaza Massacre a few years back.

According to Congressman Paul Ryan, in an interview from 2009, he clarified the level of support the Bush administration has given Israel. “Certainly, the president has said nothing to diminish it. As a matter of fact, he justifies it on moral grounds, saying, oh, they have a right to do this, without ever mentioning the tragedy of Gaza.”

As far as the monetary support, Cong. Ryan had no issue speaking on that, “ you know, if Israel has a problem, they have to deal with it. I don’t think it should be any of our business. It’s just that it’s our business and we will be blamed because we support Israel blindly, so. And we give them the money and we give them the weapons. That should be the contention that we approach here and Congress should know about it and the American people should know about.”

The same battle that Israel and Gaza were facing three years ago are no different than what is going on today. Elsamra has been trying to do the Palestinian people justice by spreading the truth via social media and recently speaking out at a “Free Palestine” protest rally that took place in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“My duty right now is to educate the people that lack these facts and try to let them understand that I am an American and I’m not against them but I’m not for, what they are for, and what they are for is proven in these facts that I have stated,” Elsmra said.

The efforts to achieve a truce, as the attacks have ceased between Israel and Gaza,  have been somewhat successful but this is only the end of one battle, the war is still going on and it seems as if there is no end in sight.

Image Courtesy : Derivative work: Adambro (talk):Brocken Inaglory [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

The article The Israel-Gaza Conflict: The Truth Hidden Beneath the Destruction appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The National Football League Draft is one of the most highly anticipated events on the sporting calendar as the 32 NFL franchises select the best young American Football players from the collegiate leagues to replenish their ranks. Predictably, a large portion of players who go on to become stars in the NFL are selected in the first round, where selections can make or break teams for years to come.

Names such as Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich and JaMarcus Russell should serve as cautionary tales to NFL General Managers, but the sheer amount of quality available in the Draft arguably makes it easier to hit, rather than miss, on a player in the first round.

On the flip side, for every Leaf or Russell, there is a Tom Brady or Kurt Warner, players who fall to the later rounds of the Draft or even fail to get drafted at all, but who go on to have stellar careers within the NFL.

With that in mind, we have examined which current NFL rookies (non-first and second rounders) have the potential to stand in the lofty heights created by the likes of Brady and Warner.

1) Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson was selected in the third round by the Seahawks, presumably to learn from the duo vying for the starting jersey, Matt Flynn and Tavaris Jackson. Not even the most optimistic of Seahawks’ fans would have predicted that their young rookie would oust the highly paid acquisition that was Flynn, but he did just that.

Wilson has thrown for 2,051 yards and 17 touchdowns so far this season, despite playing behind an inexperienced offensive line and without an elite receiving corps. With a few decent additions to Seattle over the coming years, Wilson could, and perhaps should, develop into an elite quarterback.

2) Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins.

Understandably, headlines were focused on another Redskins pick at the start of the season, a certain Robert Griffin III but fast forward a few months and, well, they’re still focused on RG3, but running back Morris is also earning some time in the spotlight.

Selected in the sixth round, Morris has perhaps offered more value for money than any other rookie currently in the NFL. Morris has 982 rushing yards (fifth in the NFL), with an average of 4.7 yards-per-carry, further proving that excellent running back prospects can be found towards the end of the draft (honorable mentions also to Daryl Richardson and Bryce Brown).

3) Vontaze Burfict, LB, Cincinnati Bengals.

The former Arizona State University player went undrafted this year, despite entering the 2011 NCAA season as one of the most highly rated prospects in the country. A poor combine workout, personality concerns and testing positive for marijuana all ensured that Burfict slipped off of most teams’ radars.

He has already collected 76 combined tackles this season and would perhaps have more if he had not been moved from inside to outside linebacker. More importantly, Burfict is repaying the faith shown in him by Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis by training hard, playing well and avoiding any off-field controversies. Providing he can continue in this vein, we could well be witnessing the first few steps of the next Ray Lewis.

4) Alfonzo Dennard, CB, New England Patriots.

There was little fanfare in New England when Dennard was selected in the seventh round. Fans were far more focused on defensive counterparts Chandler Jones and Don’t’a Hightower, both of whom were selected in the first round, whilst the secondary was also strengthened in the second and sixth rounds with the acquisitions of Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner. Although it was safe to say Dennard flew in under the radar, there is nothing under the radar about his play since.

Dennard has three interceptions — one of which was returned for an 87-yard touchdown — in just seven games and already looks at home in the Patriot’s defense. His form has also allowed for Devin McCourty to move back to safety, with a potentially dominant secondary forming among the young defensive backs for New England.

5) Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens were faced with a conundrum at the beginning of the season: stick with veteran kicker Billy Cundiff or roll the dice on the undrafted Justin Tucker? Tucker eventually won the battle in preseason and neither Tucker nor the Ravens have looked back since.

The kicker has missed just two of his field goal attempts, has 100 percent success rate on extra point attempts and has broken the franchise record with a 56-yard field goal. Although Baltimore was criticized by some for going with the rookie at the start of the season, they have proved their critics wrong as Tucker has arguably outshone all the kickers drafted above him, with perhaps the exception of Greg Zuerlein.

Image Courtesy : Seattle Seahawks

The article NFL: Late-Round Picks Make Names for Themselves appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The U.S. educational system has been lacking in preparing and teaching our students for some years now and it seems not to remain a high priority.

“Education is the key to our future success as a country and the cornerstone of our democracy. Yet, we have allowed our students to fall behind,” according to the mission statement on the website NBC Education Nation.

According to the U.S Dept. of Education, “Sixty-eight percent of our eighth-graders can’t read at grade level. One-third of our students drop out of high school, and another third aren’t college-ready when they graduate.” The American education system has been failing, where it was once at the top globally in science, math and reading, primary and secondary education in the United States is not even in the top ten as of today.

According to NBC Education Nation reports from Rehema Ellis, “Among 30 developed nations, we rank 24th in Math, 17th in Science and 10th in Literacy.” It seems that America has put education on the back burner and in the long run it will impact the future workforce and thus the economy.

It is important to look at the quality of education students are receiving; most young people aren’t getting the necessary skills and education in the arts and sciences to keep competitive. “We teach things, subject matter, but we don’t teach how to think, that is, to analyze and synthesize and to handle novelty,” says Dr. Robert F. Duvall, president/CEO of the Council for Economic Education.

Despite technological innovations and the progress of modern resources and tools, it seems as if the American educational system has not changed much over the years to fit the developing minds of the children who are learning using this technology.

In the United States a major benefactor is the condition of the poor economy which affects the financial aspect of education in concerns to funding.

According to the Department of Education the United States puts about the same amount of money into the system as most countries; it is about how the money is placed in the educational system. “It is States and communities, as well as public and private organizations of all kinds, that establish schools and colleges, develop curricula, and determine requirements for enrollment and graduation.”

The federal government initially does not have much power or gives much funding, which probably helps account for the failing education system. In order to remedy the failing system of the United States there are many things that could be done.

America has diversity in the classroom, which can be used by students to teach each other. American students, business leaders, and entrepreneurs can succeed in this global economy, yet they must have the proper education and knowledge of the world.

Pendoley argues in the article “World’s Apart” that the most important change should be cultural.

“We need to move beyond the culture of education as a political football and students as repositories of math and grammar rules,” he says, explaining that this includes paying teachers well, requiring students to learn new languages and about new cultures, encouraging foreign travel, rewarding accomplishments in science and technology, and most of all, giving them a competitive edge by using to an advantage the vast diversity of the United States.”

There is plenty of potential in the U.S. education system but the right people have to be placed and the focus on education has to become a top priority along with the student as an individual, not a building that can be sent finances to attempt to fix a problem. Students are no longer competing with their peers across the campus, but across the globe and if their education doesn’t prepare them for it, they’ll lose.

While there are steps being taken to change the path our value in education has taken, there is still much to do and people must get involved to save their children’s future.

The article The Ties that Bind: Education Coming Undone appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Tottenham Hotspur has had a week that many who consider themselves soccer fans would not like to remember.

Although they came out on top in a 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday, Tottenham left the stadium feeling uncomfortable, after spending a good portion of the match receiving anti-Semitic chants from a small portion of West Ham supporters.

These anti-Semitic chants come days after Tottenham took a trip to Rome to face Lazio fora Europa League match, which came with a large amount of anti-Semitic abuse and one Tottenham fan being stabbed in a confrontation at a local bar in Rome shortly after the match.

West Ham fans were reportedly found chanting “Viva Lazio” throughout a portion of the match, and were also found mocking the gassing of Jews during the Holocaust.

The Football Association, along with West Ham United, plans to look into these chants and  punish those found guilty, which could involve lifelong bans from the grounds.

But the questions still remain: Why is Tottenham such a common target? Why has the abuse increased now? And why do these types of chants still exist in today’s game?

Being from the North London area, Tottenham has a large Jewish fan base. And being one of the oldest clubs in England, founded in 1882, their fans have gone through many years in which anti-Semitic abuse was sadly common.

Tottenham supporters joined together to nickname themselves “Yids,” not because their rivals called them this, but because they believed that accepting the name would take the negative connotations out of it, and later help stop the unnecessary abuse. Other fans disagree with taking the nickname as their own; many believe that accepting it would lead to more and even worse abuse from rivals.

It is not just Tottenham that are receiving abuse from their rivals.

Other well known rivalries have led to harsh abuse over the years. For example, Liverpool and Manchester United are always having issues: some Liverpool fans reference the Munich Air Disaster in their chants, and some Manchester United fans can be found chanting about the Hillsborough Disaster.

The reason why such racial and anti-Semitic abuse has increased in recent weeks is not quite clear. There is always tension between fans, and with international championships like the UEFA Champions League underway, teams from different countries travel to one another, and often travel straight into the firing line of racial and anti-Semitic abuse that goes far beyond the soccer pitch.

Something that has made soccer into the beautiful game that everyone has come to know and love, is that the long histories that each club has with its fans is well known by all. Although hooliganism has decreased a considerable amount in the past couple of decades, many of the older supporters from past generations have left a somewhat disfiguring impression on modern day supporters, and on what they consider to be morally correct actions. This explains how many of these chants and songs have stood the test of time, and are still used today.

Unfortunately, much of the old ways of being a fan have found their way into modern day. Even though the racial and anti-Semitic abuse is considered wrong and immoral, it is still used and could be considered common banter. In the end, we as supporters need to look at ourselves and ask if it is necessary. Only then will supporters who choose to chant these insults realize all they’re doing is hurting their own club, and themselves.

Image Courtesy : Tottenham Hotspur

The article Why Tottenham Are a Common Victim of Chant Abuse appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

At the time of writing this Israel and Gaza have declared a ceasefire. By the time this article has been published this may no longer be the case. Already there are reports on Twitter that rockets are being fired out of Gaza. How long the ceasefire will last, we do not know. However, unless further steps are taken both groups will be at war again soon.

On the 20th peace talks were held in Egypt, with the press saying that a truce deal was to be announced later that day. That time never came however. Talks were resumed on the 21st and it was announced by Hilary Clinton and Mohamed Morsi. Following the announcement there were celebration’s in Gaza, where civilians are celebrating surviving the conflict. While in Israel there were protests with Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to agree to a ceasefire proving to be very unpopular.

While a ceasefire has been called by both sides, it is not be enough. This is simply a calm in the fighting while both parties attempt to reach a longer agreement. Until such an agreement could be reached any ceasefire will be short lived and it is likely we will soon find ourselves in exactly the same position again.

What is needed now is a way to stop this completely. No half measures.

Simply agreeing to a ceasefire and hoping that this time it lasts will not work. For a few years, maybe more, the peace would last, the amount of rockets fired by both sides would die down, for a while. But all that would happen is that both sides would quietly lick their wounds and restock their armories. Then another event would stoke the embers and cause all the old tension and anger to rise up again. Then we would find ourselves in the exact same position yet again.

Hamas have been firing rockets at Israel for over 10 years. The Israel Defense Forces has entered Gaza already with Operations Summer Rains and Cast Lead. If, like last time a ceasefire is announced, and nothing more, then both these things will happen again. These two groups are locked in a perpetual war that can only fully end if one of them was to be totally destroyed, or if they were to compromise and sort out their disputes over the region.

Which way would we rather the endless fighting end? With the destruction of Hamas or Israel? Obviously this way would result in many more people dying, soldiers and civilians. It would also take a very long time to happen. Already this war has gone on for years with no end in sight. Hamas are not strong enough to wipe out Israel, much as they might wish to. While Israel have the military strength to wipe out Hamas, they can not do so without angering the international community and possibly dragging other countries into the conflict.

But if an agreement could be made where both groups were happy, perhaps if Jerusalem was to be made an International city, with independent Jewish and Arab states established like was proposed many years ago. Then finally this war between Hamas and Israel could end properly, rather than endlessly going on punctuated with the occasional short lived ceasefire.

Image Courtesy : Rostislav Glinsky / Shutterstock.com

The article A Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas is Not Enough appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Superman quit his job at the Daily Planet. At least that’s how the story read; Superman did something. Clark Kent didn’t quit. That didn’t happen. The omnipotent superhero decided to go for broke and become omniscient: “I was taught to believe you could use words… But facts have been replaced by opinions. Information has been replaced by entertainment. Reporters have become stenographers.” And he quit reporting as Clark Kent to investigate fulltime as Superman.

You see, Clark Kent is just a reporter. And like most reporters, he has an all-knowing boss who looks over his shoulder and tells him what to do and yells at him. But then again, Clark Kent is also Superman and omnipresent – potentially – all over the world – thanks to his sparkling reputation as a vindicator and rectifier. What does he need a boss for? He can blog now. He can get his own resources and follow his own stories. Google Translate opens up parts of the world Mr. Kent never thought he could help, and he can become, faster than ever, an international voice of reason instead of just some run-of-the-mill overworked and underpaid Metropolis reporter.

Or so you might think. But Clark Kent is Superman, and his job is to respond to violent situations, shocking situations: situations that require a savior. Mr. Kent should do good business ringing the alarm of injustice as a blogger that insights outrage and celebrates American principles of justice for all. But what of journalism? Of patience and respect and cultural barriers, and, dare we say it, linguistic barriers, in this field by the people, for the people, and about our peoples? How can anybody ever trust a machine to report human affairs? Easy: if the writer’s position is to expose humans rather than exhibit them.

Google Translate doesn’t turn reporters into journalists; it convinces bloggers that they are editors and, even worse, investigative reporters – international whistleblowers and wordsmithing policemen. It provides increased job security – sure – but it also wipes the Daily Planet of valuable cultural diversity and even diplomatic potential. Writers, busy writing under mastheads and behind closed doors, are too busy to report on the fringe and exotic and difficult. They are too busy to debase their audience with shocking and counter-culture truths. They, the writers, are too conservative to report on regions and instead journalize their never-ending struggle to integrate with a world passing them by phenomenon by phenomenon.

Superman has suddenly become just like Spiderman.

Any sensible adult roots for Peter Parker (Spiderman) to grow up and become a reporter who doesn’t have to chase his own shadow and sell pictures of Spiderman – the crime fighter. But that’s what makes the Spiderman comic book so interesting. It’s like Superman. All the power in the world cannot save the hero from having to have a job where he learns to act as a team member by taking orders and doing what he’s told by older exasperated people who must rely on the ignorance and naiveté of the candid superhero.

And that’s what internet-based publications will always be: ignorant and naive. Indeed, the best newspaper men would say that about the oldest, most respected, newspapers with the best contacts and the longest resources, because the writer is always ignorant and naive in comparison with the hero of the story – the real person. And yet, as newspapers and magazines slowly retire in the hype of electronic data platforms, newsrooms are slowly becoming more and more isolated as their writers think that they can cover more, know more, be responsible for more than ever before by using technology and literacy well.

But the fact is that the technology is reliant on literacy and the business of the fourth estate, relationships, has turned more into a business of linking and leaking. The world becomes more dangerous as the number of people delivering international news dwindles. As whistle-blowing increases, the media leaves less people in the know before the pressure cooker breaks and front-page ink is spilled. The omnipresent media is hedging on tragedy and vindication rather than on culture and regionalism.

Pairing exhaustion with ignorance, Superman is stressed, but valiant and perhaps more intrepid now than ever.

To just about anyone, international news means war or unfair labor practices or strikes – injustice – war standing in the way of tourism. To some, international news presents indicators of future trends as markets shift, leaders change and economies continue to meld regionally and globally, informing all who attend how they may profit off all that occurs. International journalists, English writers who count among their expertise foreign affairs, are not necessarily a scarce commodity as any college student who has spent a year abroad probably considers themselves international.

However, with Google Translate, for the first time, writers are counting on fame for writing and nothing else. These authors who sit everyday in newsrooms Google Translating their way to cushy domestic positions are unable to build qualities such as discretion, foresight or taste while pillaging foreign soil for exciting English language stories because they don’t actually live abroad. Why should they? They speak English – Superman’s language – their job is to listen and relay to their fickle faraway public.

And yet somehow the defeatism and humility celebrating stenography reads as arrogant. Suddenly a journalist’s greatest heroism is collecting a check to learn the basics of some foreign language so that they don’t get too embarrassed when socializing.

At least some reporters are beginning to cite Google Translate when revealing a source. Which is at least a sign of diplomacy if not an outright invitation to diversify. They might also try citing the foreign language publisher that they unwittingly work for.

But the poets bridging societies who have real challenging stories to tell beyond any basic ability to translate foreign news are getting a cold shoulder. The Daily Planet newsroom that should have the world by its ear instead contents itself with republishing the published. With the internet, the published word has become more sacred, replacing the written word as writing replaced the word. And the exciting world of journalism, a delicate rubric of tenuous relationships, shatters to leave a harrowing world of pen-pals agreeing on the happenstances of our brutal co-existence.

Those who follow regional opinions and controversies and live a double life with multiple adopted cultures get shuffled in and out of newsrooms like old links to popular stories. They’re accounted and politely swept under the rug. The multilingual reporter is unskilled labor now: surely an asset to the fabulous writers in the newsroom but not a need. The English language media doesn’t seek cultural prognosticators who smash future headlines and internet traffic by focusing the public’s attention on building conflagrations; instead, we want publishers who reify publishing.

If push comes to shove in the news cycle, Google Translate will handle it or our name isn’t Superman.

The article Google Translate: Superman Gets the Picture appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Pakistan has found a new cause to fight for – girls’ education rights. The people of Pakistan have been intimidated and suppressed for long time under the Pakistan Taliban. But Malala Yousufzai, a 14-year old girl, has the courage and determination to stand up to them. Her BBC Diaries shook the rest of the world when the story of her struggle and fears came to light.

She was an ordinary girl. Unintentionally, under their brutal control, the Taliban have made Malala a global icon of peace. November 10 was declared Malala Day and the Global Day of Action for Malala campaign began. A petition was signed by citizens of over 100 countries in support of Malala and her fight for girls’ education rights.

Gordon Brown, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari announced a new program, “Waseela-e-Taleem”, under which the three million poor children who are out of school in Pakistan will help their families financially in a small way. Families will be paid $2 a month if their child is in school. The deadline for revamping Pakistan’s education system and ensuring that every girl and boy will go to school is 2015. The Accelerated Millennium Development Goal Framework process will allow Pakistan to assess the state of its current education system and develop strategies, in consultation with international organizations, to overcome roadblocks, leading the country on the path of prosperity.

The Taliban’s attack on Malala on October 9, 2012 seems to have woken up Pakistan’s people, who live in fear each day, and the global millions who are outraged at the country’s inaction against the culprits. Malala is one girl in Pakistan who still has the fire to pursue her cause. But the country needs many more girls like her. “Thousands of Malalas are needed to lead the country to progress.”

Educating the nation’s 3 million poor is a long-term commitment and one that requires strict enforcement. Can Pakistan’s politicians deliver on their promise? Where “parts of Pakistan are among the most dangerous places in the world to go to school today”, the issue is not only about protecting Pakistan’s girls but also investing much more in the country’s education system. Ziauddin Yousufzai, Malala’s father, actively supports his daughter in her fight for an education. But how many men in Pakistan can speak up for their wives’ and daughters’ rights without a trace of fear in their eyes? Can the men understand that opportunities have to be equal for the men and women; that women are not second-class citizens? In an Islamic country that places religion and tradition above everything else, can women get their rights?

Gordon Brown says, “No bombs, bullets, threats or intimidation can deter the international community, working in partnership with Pakistan, to ensure we build the schools, train teachers, provide learning materials, and ensure that there is no discrimination against girls.” But can the collective determination of Pakistan’s millions help achieve this goal? Can the government eradicate the threat of the Taliban from people’s lives?

Extremist armed groups like the Taliban are trying to rob Pakistan of its future. In 2012 alone, there were 96 attacks on schools in Pakistan. Politicians will have to deliver on their promise with stricter action against the abusers. Demonstration of anger needs to be accompanied by equally stronger action.

The international community lends its unflinching support but it is the men and women of Pakistan who have to speak out for their children – the future of Pakistan. The men have to heal themselves and change their perceptions about women; that women are more than home-makers. They have the right to an education too. They can work too. Gender gaps exist in Pakistan’s orthodox society and in many such societies of the world. Narrowing the gender gap is a critical need for prosperity. The road ahead is filled with obstacles and it is a long journey before Pakistan can achieve its dream of “education for all”. Malala Yousufzai is only the beginning.

The article Malala’s Message Spurs Big Promise for Educating Pakistan appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

It is only two weeks into the NBA season, meaning that it’s definitely way too early to be discussing potential MVP candidates. Right?

Of course it isn’t. In fact, no one would blame you for pondering who has a chance at taking home the league’s most prestigious individual award in the upcoming season as soon as the winner of the current one is handed that unmatched piece of hardware.

That is just the nature of the ever – and sometimes overly – analytical fan; they have no problem moving onto the next one before the dust of what’s just occurred has even any resemblance of a chance to settle.

There are always the obvious choices, which include the likes of Kobe Bryant, who has one MVP to his name as he begins his 17th season; Kevin Durant, who is still seeking his first despite winning the last three regular season scoring titles; and LeBron James, who is the reigning MVP, has won three out of the last four, and even added a Finals MVP trophy to his collection in June when he silenced all his critics with one of the more dazzling championship performances ever witnessed.

Then there are also the likes of Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony - you get the point.

These are the types of players that everyone expects to be in that conversation towards the end of the season. They are the superstars that at times make the game look easier than opening a door.

But there is someone else out there who has a very solid chance of not only finding himself right in the middle of the discussion, but also of going home with the award if he does.

His name is James Harden.

Essentially a household name after last year, a year in which he won the Kia Sixth Man of the Year award, Harden was traded before the season opener to the Houston Rockets after three seasons complementing Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City as both an early backup and deadly threat late in games with the Thunder.

Harden, only 23, has shown gradual improvement with each passing season, and proved during 2011-2012 while averaging 16.8 points per game that he could be flat-out unstoppable whenever he desires to be.

He did have monumental struggles in The Finals against James’ Miami Heat, but it’s easy to remember that that was the same exact case with James himself in the previous Finals. And as we can easily remember once again, James was just fine the next time around.

While Harden may not be James, A.K.A. the best basketball player on the face of the Earth, that doesn’t mean that he does not possess the skill necessary to be the league’s Most Valuable Player. In Houston he is finally part of a team where his experience, combined with an abundance of youth around him ill allow him to be the go-to guy every time out, as opposed to being a third option if Durant or Westbrook are being hugged like boxers that are pummeling their opponents.

The Rockets also expressed this same superstar faith in Harden, immediately locking him up and making him the franchise player with the max five year, $80 million contract that he was eligible coming out of his original rookie deal.

He did not give anyone a chance to question whether or not he was worth those kinds of figures, dropping 37 points in his Rockets debut and setting a new career high with a 45 point encore two nights later. Obviously he won’t average those types of numbers throughout the season, but anywhere between the 25 and 28 point per game mark, along with leading a young Rockets squad to their first postseason appearance since the 2008-2009 campaign, could be enough for Harden to be awarded the honor of MVP.

Having a point guard with the vision and keen passing ability of the also newly acquired Jeremy Lin will add some more edge to Harden’s game as well. Westbrook, as was a huge topic of discussion throughout last year’s Finals, was not and is not the prototypical point guard whose first option is to set up his teammates. Lin has made it clear that he’s the night to Westbrook’s day in that regard.

Keep an eye on James Harden. The sun may only still be rising on the 2012-2013 season, but the MVP discussion is just too fun to wait around for.

Image Courtesy : James Harden

The article Could Harden Make An MVP Run? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Barack Obama won re-election, and America lost its future. Many would call that statement a sign of sour grapes the words of a poor loser. Yet, it is neither. It is the simple conclusion for anyone who has a calculator and has done the math. The national debt for the United States is 16 trillion dollars. That’s 101% of the Gross National Product. It would be like someone making $50,000 a year owing $5,000,000 dollars. Now that Obama has been reelected, the country is projected to reach 20 trillion in debt by the time he is out of office. The only thing that could change that path is if the President were willing to cut the spending spree, something he has shown he does not want to do.

Our debt is unsustainable at its current level. Now that we are guaranteed to have Obamacare written in stone and the two to three trillion dollars it will cost, by 2016 the country will be on a path that cannot be altered: insolvency. It is simple math. It has nothing to do with being a Republican or Democrat. Issues of racism or classicism makes no difference. It is zero’s and one’s. The income either adds up or it does not.

Greece is learning this lesson now. They spent too much on social programs, guaranteed state and country wide union wages, infrastructure built to provide “jobs” and higher taxes. The net result is a country that went running, hat in hand to the European countries for money to keep their country alive. The loans came with strings attached, as most loans do, and the string was a total restructuring of Greece’s spending. The result has been civil unrest, labor strikes, and riots. If you ask the rioters why they are doing these things, they will tell you because of the cuts to wages, and social programs. The very things that made them have to go begging for loans to stay afloat. It is like a person who buys the exotic sports car, and then gets mad at the person who comes to repossess the car, because they cannot make the car payment.

America is on that path, and has been for quite some time. Like the minor tremors that portent a large earthquake, little signs have been appearing: polls that show most people wanting those that make more than they to pay more in taxes, backlashes against any plan to slow down the spending and cost of medicare, men and women alike defending the idea that others have an obligation to pay for the birth control of women, support for fiscally dubious high speed rail projects across the country. Little by little, inch by inch, the mindset of the government spending the viewpoint of entitled thinking has been creeping into the psyche of the American populace.

Tonight’s election was the seismic event that was building. It signals that America has turned toward a social democracy like Europe. This has occurred not because of Barack Obama, but because people chose him. America’s populace chose tonight. They did not choose Romney because he was a bad candidate or ran a bad campaign. They chose Barack Obama, because they want the freebies, and they want someone else to pay for it. There are more people that embrace class warfare, than shun it. The days when President Kennedy said, “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” is dead and gone.

We want the healthcare, we want the free birth control; we want the government to take care of us. The only problem is we cannot afford to do it. We cannot do it at 16 trillion in debt, and moving to 20 trillion in debt will not make things better. More debt never does.

American lost tonight, make no mistake about it. America died tonight. What the country that now occupies its space on this planet ends as is pretty clear. We become Greece on steroids, and the collapse will be televised.

Image Courtesy : WCHI News

The article The Republican Opinion, America Loses Election appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

This is the question the Republican Party has been waiting to ask for four years as part of its strategy to undermine President Obama and his reelection. It began as a group of sore losers after the 2008 election, and ever since there has been every attempt to prevent President Obama’s success. Congress has behaved like a bunch of two-year-olds having an ongoing temper tantrum, screaming, “no, no, no” to everything the President has put forth to solve our nation’s problems. We must send a clear message to Congress and the Republican Party, that obstructive government is no government at all and tell them, emphatically, that we will not have it.

Has President Obama failed you? I think not. He inherited a huge national debt, two wars, massive Wall Street and corporate corruption, wide-scale unemployment, a severely depressed housing market amid mounting foreclosures, a dying American automobile industry, uncontrolled health care costs with the burden of care for the uninsured, plus an era of baby boomers reaching retirement age and straining the already stressed Social Security and Medicare systems.

No, he hasn’t done it all in four years. How could anyone? He said in his 2008 campaign “We can do it,” not “I can do it,” and it will take all of us to do our part. Have you done yours? Vote! Don’t let Big Money buy us, or their lies sway us, or allow them to get away with suppressing votes. Tell the Republicans we have had enough of their BS!

What President Obama has done is miraculous. Thanks to the Affordable Health Care Act, I, as an RN, can get back to caring for patients instead of charge slips and insurance companies.

Osama Bin Laden is dead. The war in Iraq has ended. Our soldiers are pulling out of Afghanistan. If your soldier came home alive, you no doubt know that you are better off.

Thanks to President Obama the auto industry is alive and well. The stimulus has kept capitalism alive. Unemployed workers got extended unemployment benefits. Programs were developed to prevent foreclosures and offer down payment assistance to make homes affordable to those in need and to stimulate the plummeting housing market.

President Obama is fighting to save Medicare and Social Security so our retirement money and care do not become resources for private investors to risk. Thousands of undocumented students will benefit from the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He is committed to protecting the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for all of our people, not just the top 2 percent.

Voters I ask you: Who would Martin Luther King Jr., Caesar Chavez, Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelt vote for? Would they let anyone take their vote away? Go to the polls.

Save yourself. Save your country. Save us all. Vote Barack Obama!

The article Are You Better Off? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Last Sunday Wembley stadium in London, England played host to its sixth Regular Season game as the New England Patriots blowout the St Louis Rams, 45-7. Although mentions of a potential franchise being based in the UK were tentatively whispered back in 2007, those whispers are now being echoed by some of the most prominent figures in the sport.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of the most outspoken persons on the issue, claiming “it’s time for you [UK] to have your own NFL franchise”, based in London and cited the way London handled the recent Olympics as proof that the city could host a permanent franchise.

The NFL has also taken significant steps towards finding out if a permanent franchise would be viable in the UK. By securing the Jacksonville Jaguars to repeated appearances from 2013 through 2016 at Wembley, the league will be able to evaluate whether or not a fan base can be built to a level that would sustain a franchise. They have also arranged a second Regular Season fixture in 2013 to be played in London, when the Minnesota Vikings will host the Pittsburgh Steelers. As well as rewarding UK-based NFL fans with an extra game, it will also go a long way to finding out if the consistent sell outs of Wembley are due to novelty, or if it can occur on a more regular basis.

Whilst things are progressing as well as could be expected in regards to the NFL’s international ambitions, there are a number of obstacles which first need to be tackled. League commissioner Roger Goodell has put his weight behind growing the game in the UK over other potential markets such as Germany and Mexico, but feels that the sport needs to be in the top five viewed sports before a franchise could be considered. Given the congested sports market in the UK, American Football will first need to overcome the likes of golf and motorsport, before it sits amongst the national sports of soccer, rugby union and cricket.

Another potential problem is logistics. The distance, and time required, to travel to and from London 16 times a year, not to mention preseason or possible playoff appearances, would certainly be an issue for some teams and owners. It is, however, not an unthinkable proposition. There is not a large difference in distance between London and the NFL teams based on the East Coast than there is between East Coast and West Coast based teams. The Patriots also proved last week that a team can fly into London on the Friday, perform to a high level on the Sunday, and be back at their training facility by the Monday.

Concerns have also been raised over the desire college players would have of joining an overseas based franchise in the NFL Draft, the primary resource NFL teams have for acquiring new players. Whilst this may limit a London-based franchises pool of players to select from, it is not a death sentence to the prospect of an overseas franchise. The creation of a London-based team would do miracles for the game at college level in the UK, something which is currently miles behind their American counterparts, and thus create a larger pool of players who would be willing to play in the UK. In addition to this, London would likely be a desirable location for free agents, as the city could likely rival anything that a New York or Chicago for example, could offer.

For arguably the first time since the inception of the International Series, a franchise in London within 10 years actually seems a realistic option. Many experts have even said that London could likely get a franchise before Los Angeles, given that the infrastructure is already in place, and the huge potential fan base the UK offers if the sports profile can be grown. With television audiences growing swiftly every year in the UK, and the continued success of the International Series, it may be time to start thinking of some potential franchise names. I’m going to put the London Bulldogs on the table.

Image Courtesy : New England Patriots

The article London’s NFL Aspirations Within Reach appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.