It's deja vu all over again

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. The recent tragedies in Iran and China have brought to mind memories of prior "revolutions" throughout recent history.

Tiananman Square, Beijing, China ,June 5,1989. This could be most closely related to the Iranian situation where people take a stand against their own government to have their voices heard and to bring about change and a more democratic view in government. On June 5,1989, as many as 2500 people were killed while protesting to have a more democratic government, to have more of a say in their own freedom. The Chinese government went and silenced them the only way they knew how, with brut violence. See Video here. Three years earlier, the ideas of freedom of speech and other democratic beliefs were being adopted by many universities in China. The students decided to pursue the teachings and were met by soldiers and military tanks to stop the protests with an ultimate violence.

Berlin, Germany, November 9,1989. After 28 years, the Berlin Wall was now being torn down as to permit free exodus to West Berlin and West Germany. The wall was erected on August 13, 1961 for the purpose of restraining many East German citizens to cross over and pursue a better quality of life in the West. In East Germany, a Communist system was established and as a result many suffered from the repression of the Communist party. As a result of the millions of people fleeing East Germany, the East was losing a significant number of skilled laborers and the economy was hurting. So the wall was built and those caught trying to escape frequently lost their lives. Although the demolition of the wall was non-violent, the situations leading up to that day were not, an estimated 200 people were killed by the wall gaurds trying to escape East Berlin. See Video here.

Although the uprising in Tiananman did not bring about the type of change as in Berlin, it was an eye opener to many whom felt the pain and sorrow for the people being surpressed in China. As for the current situations in China, Iran, and most recently Honduras, the year 2009, can become as important as 1989. The fight for freedom in these countries has captured the eyes and ears of the media in the world. Although some countries have banned all foreign media, the surge of civilian journalists and social networks has made it possible for us to see what is happening.

In an interview of Amir Akbari, born in Iran, and currently a local resident and convenience store owner in Westchester County, I seemed to have touched on a sensitive topic. I asked him how the current situation in Iran, his homeland compares to other significant events in history as Tiananman and Berlin. His response hit me hard...." I can only imagine what the citizens of Berlin were feeling when they were suddenly awarded the freedom to take a simple walk through the wall that seperated them from their own families for many years. As for the citizens of Beijing, they must have felt they were so close to the same freedom, but the force of the government was too much to overcome. Some people don't understand how Iranians have been in this horrible situation for longer than the United States of America has been in existense. The freedoms granted to the people of America have become unappreciated by many, and that hurts me most because I try to tell my family back home how I am so very gratefull to be given the freedom and oportunity to better my life here in America. Unfortunately, the elders back home refuse to think there is any other way but that in which they grew up in. They are certain that a move to a free country will not grant them freedom, but only despair, and they have had more than their share of that in their lives. In China, as in Iran, there will be a revolution of unimaginable proportions. We are all living in dangerous, but very exciting times. The voice of the people needs to be heard, and eventually it will, hopefully in a peacefull manner."

In all this coverage of the situation in Iran, China, and Honduras, it brings to mind a quote : "Dr. Martin Luther King
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter"

can we get back to business now?

So, after a week or so of media focusing on the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, Ed Mcmahon, and some others, maybee we can get a front page story in some newspapers and websites about something a little more important right now, such as, say, North Korea? I can't help but wonder what message the media is sending when the threat of nuclear missiles aimed towards Hawaii is not front page news. For those of us who lived through the cold-war, it was rightfully front page news every day. My how times have changed. The threat to deploy a series of short and long range missiles is a serious matter. But to read up on it on the 3rd or 4th page of a newspaper is just as serious. These times are dangerous times internationally, and as much as we might not think so, every action will affect our lives directly.
I don't want to believe that people are getting tired of hearing about something as historical as our governments plans on how to deal with this threat, and that they would much rather hear about what drugs were found in Mr. Jacksons autopsy report. Again, maybee its me being too serious about everything and I need to lighten up a little. Maybee thats what the media is trying to tell me by throwing insignificant news on the front page and headlines on the internet sites. North Korea sent warnings out that they will be testing missiles untill July 10th, so as I see it, the white house should be very, very busy right now preparing for anything.
Obama has been very quiet about all this, which makes me wonder how significant all this really is? Any thoughts?
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=8004245

" unleash the hounds "

Enough already!! I really don't find it necessary that we need to chase an ambulance carrying the body of a man who has just died so that we could get our grubby, greedy hands on the money that will be paid for that picture of his corpse!! Its amazing to see what lengths one will go to in order to get "the news" or "breaking news". Where the hell do we draw the line? For pete's sake, what if the man was still alive and those dumb asses wasted precious seconds by blocking the ambulance's path?
I'm all in favor of getting the news as fast as possible and I love it when something happens live on t.v.or when you get a breaking news story with a great video. But I'm tired of these stars and celebrities being chased by the blood hounds who've just spotted the fox!! Just put yourself in that persons family and imagine if you turn on the news and there it is, a shot of your brother, sister, cousin, daughter, husband or wife, mother or father, over and over again. While the family is trying to cope, the media is trying to enlighten the audience on just how many drugs he/she was on, how many times they were unfaithful to their spouse, just how dark of a life they led that we did not know about while they were in the spotlight. There's a time and a place for everything, and my opinion is that even the cause of death could wait a little while to be found out, after all, what good is that information once we get it? I'm not saying the media should not try their hardest to get the story, but exactly what did that scene at Michael Jacksons house do for us? Did it give us some unknown fact? Some case cracking piece of evidence? All it did for me was disgust me more. Is this what we want to see?
I would love to know what you think. Am i being to critical?
video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxkjpnLhQJ4

freedom is not given, it is earned

The Iranian election has spawned many demonstrations in Tehran. As I read and watch some breaking stories, one thing pops to mind. I realize that no matter what I see and read, I could never imagine what the people of Iran are going through. I was born into freedom, that right was already granted to me long before I was born. I have known no other way of life. And yes, I admit, I have taken that freedom and abused it in certain aspects of my life. As with a lot of things in life, you tend to abuse what you have not earned.

In Iran, the demonstrations in which Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has publicly condemned and sworn to avenge with bloodshed, have slowed to a mostly non-violent type. I wonder if this is just the calm before the storm. In my opinion, one thing is obvious, the people in Iran want change, they want to break from the usual leadership and its values. They don't agree, so they protest. Don't they have that right? It must be very emotional to actually take a stand for change, to take a stand against all that is oppressing you and your freedom to live as a free man/women. I'm not talking about signing a petition, or writing a blog for change, I'm talking about taking the streets amid a violent chaos and knowing full well you could be killed just for wanting your voice to be heard!! The men and women of Iran who are protesting against what they feel was a rigged election are willing to sacrifice their lives to show the world, just how lucky we are because our fight for freedom has already taken place, and I, for one, have taken extreme advantage of it. Seeing the situation in Iran helps me put things back in perspective. Do a little less complaining, and a little more appreciating.

So the next time you want to complain about how life is not going your way, about how much gas is going to cost you this summer ($4.50-$5.50 a gallon maybe), about how due to the economic crisis, you have to do without your 3 Starbucks lattes every day, please slow down a bit and be a little thankful you don't have to risk your life to simply earn the right to live a free one. We have had that done for us.

Big Tobacco in small trouble

I always wondered why the most dangerous things in this world were always the easiest to get your hands on. Guns, Alchohol, Cigarettes. If your gonna play with fire, sooner or later you'll get burned. Like the saying goes, everything I love is killing me.
When cigarettes first started advertising, the companies were making their product very appealing and acceptable. See an old B&W movie from the 50's, you'll actually feel how cool it was to be a teenager in that era with the cars, the music, the innocence, the cigarettes. The 1950's brought about the biggest influx this country would see for tobacco use and sales. Unexplainable, right? Maybee it was a fad?
With age comes knowledge. As the Tobacco Companies saw how much more profit they could be making by selling more, they began to come up with ideas and schemes to make an extra buck at the expense of their fellow human beings health. Being a bearer of this bad habbit, I remember when I quit once for nine months cold turkey. I remember the initial withdrawal, I remember whenever I became aggravated, upset, or even after a meal, I craved them. But Big Tobacco knew that way before anybody. The addition of addictive chemicals and ingredients in their products was a quick way to have smokers take the bait and become gauranteed customers for life.
As recent news of the senate bill being passed to increase FDA power over tobaco products, I think to myself finally, this next generation might have a chance to kick the habbit. This new bill can force the FDA to restrict tobacco advertising, require graphic health warnings, ban the claims of light and low-tar, regulate health claims, and most importantly require disclosure of the contents of tobacco products and require changes in them. Senators from Virginia, a tobacco producing state, supporting the bill. Even the tobacco producing states, we should all hope, will eventually take the same route as Virginia.
Too early yet, but maybee, just maybee, this will turn into some small trouble for Big Tobacco. Wouldn't it be great to see Big Tobacco leaders, being ordered to have a bowl full of the same ingredients they had americans put into their bodies for years upon years, such as : rat poison, rocket fuel, paint thinner & stripper, ammonia, and every other toxin.
Buon Appetit.

What are we possibly thinking?

I don't understand why we as people in a society seem to be so complacent with accepting inferior social behavior due to technology. For example, I was purchasing a new printer for my computer. I was well informed and prepared , and knew exactly what model number I wanted. Then I saw another model that caught my eye, I asked one associate if he could help me and he said he would be there shortly. I waited for him for 20 minutes watching him as he spoke and laughed with fellow employees, was texting, or instant messaging, or facebooking, myspacing, or whatever on his blackberry.
Now, I love to have a great time just as anyone else. But there is a time and a place for everything. I don't know what has changed, work ethic?, me?, jobs in general? Whatever it is that has changed, do I have to just accept it? Was I wrong in asking for help? Just because there is a wealth of information available to everybody, does that mean that we, as consumers are to make decisions solely on whatever information we can get online? The lack of knowledge shown and the attitude given by some employees I've interacted with has left me no choice but to believe that they are there solely to pass time. Some have no interest in anything, others have no knowledge of anything, and some are so miserable to be where they are, it shows. To those people I say, " If you don't want to be in the situation you are in, then do something about it." Even as I was stuck in a job I hated, while I was there, I did it to the best of my ability and I did it to the best of my knowledge. Hell, I was even nice about it. It just made it easier for me to accept my current situation, and easier to change it.
For the past few years, I have made it a point to leave the place of business if I do not like the service I am receiving. What else can we do as consumers in this society? Hit them where it hurts!! I make my displeasure known to the managers or supervisors, tell them exactly why they lost my business, and leave. I find that by doing this, it probably won't change anything, but at least it won't change me!!!