The World Through The Lens of My Eyes

When I look at the world through the lens of my eyes, there is a huge gap and resistance that lurks and is now spreading. The constraints of the city where I live, the call for immigration restrictions and its consequences especially technological changes have shifted our growth paths. The new wave of technology is a powerful agent of change since it can alter a city's location advantage turning a bad location into a good one. Multiculturalism and diversity also has become an agent of change. Our personal beliefs and values, diverse perspectives including intolerance are challenges of a global setting. There is a need for a deep immersion within different cultures to understand their values and specific context. Knowing other cultures deeply can effectively link the dots between countries and highlight meaningful differences between cultures that impact and connect the world.

The global community has an enormous opportunity all the time specifically our generation compared to previous civilizations. For instance, enculturation or group identification is an avenue for individuals to accept the culture, norms and values of the society where they live. Hence, this calls for a more culturally congruent atmosphere when addressing social context. Every country has its own distinctive characteristics, history and political realities and as a result, access to institutions across the world is mandatory.

From my perspective, many countries do not have similar goals and frameworks that enhance global performance in terms of per capita income. For better, for worse, the disparity has generated low quality of life of citizens and impoverished some economies. Even though every county has diverse set of experiences, I believe the global community can reach similar targets and policies that deepen universal connection. Moreover, no country would argue against it. Instead, each economy should claim that its goal is to participate in a heavy global investment that supports international connection. All countries are linked by international trade and as we live in a global village, there is no modern example of a country that has shifted itself from world affairs and yet prospered. In light of this, one country cannot ever know it since the acceleration of our connected world and its dynamic complex system.

Equally notable is the overall freedom and a country's standard of living. Greater freedom means greater performance. Freedom means diversity and mobility. People achieve higher income levels when the global world is barrier free. Both local and international barriers create distortion, bribery and extortion which eventually affect every part of our global system. Likewise, lack of integrity continues to impose high cost of illegal transactions in world market interaction.

In the same way, our lives are driven by fear that inhibits collaboration. Great by choice is a reminder of the strength of human spirit and the rewards come to those who are fearless and passionate.

All things considered, the opportunities and challenges of our connected world is an ongoing process and it plays a key role in our current relations. As a result, the ability to grow and minimize world trials in the years ahead depends on the size of the gap between economies. In essence, if the gap between the rich and poor is minimized, the bigger the room for long-run growth and sustainable global connection.

Moronke Oluwatoyin wrote this original article. You can learn more at http://www.susxtutor.co

Should The United States Move To Online Voting?

Why can't we vote online with a voting app? Is it really that tough to secure such a system? I mean we seem to be able to secure online transactions alright? If we could do this; should we? How would it change the speed of government? Would that change move too fast and catch people and the business community off guard? "The Only Constant is Change" but would this change be a bridge too far, too fast? Let's talk about it.

Our Think Tank is working on the concept of online voting using smartphone and online apps. We believe it is possible, but there are some serious issues to consider. Cody Hunt a think tanker type noted:

"While online voting will shorten the time span that people in the government would have to make decisions on the topics that they are bringing to the people, I think it would still be good because it would cause the politicians to fully create the policy before it is brought to the people for polls, instead of the idea being leaked and politicians flip flopping around because they know they have the time to do so while the American people argue about it for a couple months. Another thing about this idea that I really like is that it would create more jobs. If my job is to think about these topics and how it can best be resolved for the well-being of our society, than jobs are definitely something to look at. We will still have all the same people who help run the physical polls that are held at local high schools but this app will create a couple more jobs for programmers and for people to run the technology smoothly. "

All true statements aren't they? Indeed. Well here are some other thoughts I see. The challenges with voting in real-time I guess might be:

1.) Someone would rig the system to cause chaos, like social media manipulation during the Arab Spring riots in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, etc. Or just like the electronic voting machine rigging and software hacks.

2.) If everyone knew they could vote for free-stuff, they'd all vote yes; Free Obama-Phone, Free College Tuition, Free Health Care, Free Food Stamps, Free Pop-tarts, Free-BMW, Free Fuel. etc. Then we'd be bankrupt, whoops isn't that already happening? I guess we have a Republic so that we don't fall into that trap like a pure-democracy might, that way more prudent behavior can occur and better long-term planning than the chaos of switching directions at a whim due to the news cycle, what Paris Hilton's dog had for breakfast or what Kim Kardashian thinks of something that week.

And yes, you pointed to another challenge, how can we all be "equal under the law" which is provided in the constitution if some could not participate due to the "digital divide' - oh, BTW: FYI, the FCC has determined that the government should mandate $8.25 per month (under $25,000 annual income) subsidy to allow everyone Internet access, so that problem might be solved. Cite: March 8, 2016 article in the Wall Street Journal titled; "Fine-Tuning FCC Plan to Subsidize Web Access" by Cecilia Kang.

What if the people voted for leaders who could decide for them, Republic Concept, but those leaders were not allowed to take lobbyist money, yet would vote for the most prudent options based on viability and budget, not just the ever-ending whims of the mindless masses? Not to cut short or crucify the masses for being human, just to help illustrate that most people don't do a lot of thinking but do take in a lot of mass-media which they then internalize as their own decisions, desires, needs, and wants?

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

The Media: Does The Mainstream Media Edit Videos In Order To Control People?

When one wants to find out about what is taking place in the world, they can end up looking towards the mainstream media. This could be something that has taken place for as long as they can remember.

In the past, they might have listened to the radio, watched TV or read a paper when it came to fulfilling their need to be informed. This is something that can still take place, but they now have the option of going online.

On The Go

As a result of this, it is now easier than ever before for them to stay up to date with what is taking place. Through having some kind of device, they can go online no matter where they are.

All the information they need is right at their finger tips, and this means that they no longer need to go out of their way. Yet, even though this is the case, it doesn't mean that it will be any different to how it used to be.

A Preference

What this comes down to is that one is not going to be restricted when it comes to how they are informed. If they prefer to read, there is going to be plenty of content for them to consume.

Or, if they would rather have someone else tell them about what is taking place, they will be able to watch videos. There will also be the opportunity for them to listen to audio recordings.

The Best Option

When it comes to what option they choose, it can also depend on what is taking place in their life. If they haven't got a lot of energy, they may find that they would rather sit back and watch a video.

If one had to drive somewhere, listening to something might be the best way for them to stay up to date. Either way, by having so many ways to be informed, it is going to have a positive effect on their life.

A Choice

Therefore, if one is in a position where they don't know anything about what is going on in the world, it is likely to be a sign that they have chosen to be this way. At times, they might have other things that they need to focus on.

And while one is going to miss out during this time, it is unlikely to have a big effect on their life. In fact, one might find that they feel more at peace, and it could be said that this is to be expected.

Drama

What this comes down to is that most of what is taking place in the world is out of one's hands. It can then be normal for one to pay attention to what is taking place and to end up feeling hopeless.

One can then come to the conclusion that it is a good idea for them to limit the amount of time they spend going over what is taking place in the world. They could also think about how the media is more concerned with what is wrong with the world than what is right about it.

Well-Being

Limiting the amount of news they are exposed to is then likely to have a positive effect on them. This can enable them to have a more balanced outlook, and they can begin to focus on the things that they can change.

As if they were to allow their emotional state to be defined by an outside source, they are going to have very little, if any, control over themselves. The mainstream media is going to be in control of how they feel.

One Option

Through being aware of the effect the news is having on them, it will allow them to take a step back when they need to. This is going to be far better than to simply cut it out altogether.

One might decide to only check up on the news at a certain point each day, as opposed to doing this throughout the day. And if they were to check out a video or to watch TV, there are going to be moments when they will end up being shown a video.

A Compilation

This could be a video where someone has been filmed saying or doing something, for instance. Along with this, there can be times when a news site on social media can share a video where lots of different footage has been put together.

When something like this happens, the video footage is likely to have been shared to support what they are talking about. And as the footage is there, it can be seen as a sign that what they are talking about is the truth.

Evidence

This is then similar to how CCTV footage can be used to prove that someone has committed a crime. There is going to be no doubt about what has taken place, or who has was involved.

However, just because the mainstream media uses video footage, it doesn't mean that this always proves that they are right about something. What it can show is that this is just another way for them to control people.

Video Editing

For one thing, they may have taken a video and removed certain parts of it. This can mean that the video is going to end up having a completely different meaning, and this is because they have changed the context.

If they were to put different footage together to make a video, it is likely to be used to prove something. Yet, if each of the videos were watched individually and in their original form, they could have a radically different meaning.

Conclusion

What this will show is that they are not always using this footage to inform people, there will be times when they will use it to condition people to develop a certain outlook. But unless one is able to take a step back, they can end up going along with what they are told.

Ultimately, this can be seen as a form of fake news, but the mainstream media is unlikely to hold their hands up. As far as they are concerned, this is something that the alternative media engages in.

Prolific writer, author, and coach, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over one thousand in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice. His current projects include 'A Dialogue With The Heart' and 'Communication Made Easy'.

To find out more go to - http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/

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The Shadow Masters

As the world continues to spin out of control there are explicit warning signs pointing to the greatest financial and economic collapse in history. Yet, there remains no mention of this impending disaster of epic proportions by either of our Presidential hopefuls, our elected officials or the media. But, to really understand how this lethal financial catastrophe is already knocking at our front door we first have to trace the root causes of where, why, and how such a economic disaster has come into being. Remembering Soylent Green where Charlton Heston set out to solve one crime only to find out that crime was related to a much more sinister and diabolical plot. A hidden secret so hideous nobody could believe what was actually happening. In the movie that secret was the hidden source of the world's food supply. We can use that type of scenario to uncover the largest cover up and hidden agenda in the history of the world.

Through-out history world events too many of which are engineered. And, by being perpetrated my man they always leave a trail that leads to the architects. These architects are the shadow figures who wield the power that control the destines of the multitudes. We also have discovered that there are only three cities around the globe that come under no national authority, they have separate laws, they pay no taxes, they have their own police force and even possess their own flag of independence. The cities of London, The District of Columbia and the Vatican control the economy, the military, the politics and just about practically every aspect of our lives. These cities are actually corporations. Combined they control politicians, the courts, educational institutions, food supply, natural resources, foreign policies, economies, media, and the money flow of most nations as well as over 85% of the world's entire wealth. Pretty hard to fathom, but in reality their ultimate aim is to build a totalitarian rule on a global scale. The scary part is that the Georgia Guidstones has already foretold of what is already occurring right in front of our nose all along. What we need to understand is that the world does not work according to what we have been led to believe. We are drowning not only in misinformation but being beguiled into believing all is well and good when in fact we are being forced into adapting the ever changing technologies that make it easier for those in power, those shadow masters to manipulate the masses.

In the United States where in every state over 200 million people have had their water supply contaminated with a known carcinogenic chemical, Chromium-6 only exasperates the ongoing health crisis across this country. We already know there still is an acute health crisis due to contaminated water in Flint, Michigan. It is this type of crisis that is part of an ongoing disruption of our society. Not only in the United States are we experiencing major health crisis but our whole financial and economic future as we know it today is being directed toward and agenda that is far removed from the hopes and dreams of people everywhere.

To take a look at how these three cities have gained so much control over our lives we first have to look at the City of London. The city of London is actually controlled by the Bank of England, a private corporation owned by the Rothschild's. The City of London directly and indirectly controls all mayors, councils, regional councils, multi-national and trans-national banks, corporations, judicial systems the IMF, and the World Bank. Digging deeper we find the City of London via the Rothschild's control the Vatican Bank, the European Central Bank, and the United States Federal Reserve which by the way is privately owned and believe it or not controlled by eight British-controlled shareholding banks. In total every major financial institution through-out Europe is actually controlled by the Bank of London via the Rothschild's. The amazing part is that the major players, those shadowy figures behind the scenes who manipulate the politicians and the rest of the financial markets and the economies of the world have been for years have been shaping events to their own advantage. In essence the City of London that corporation will become the "One World Earth Corporation". It has been their plan all along to subjugate the masses under their control. Talk about George Orwell's 1984 well it just might occur in the near future.

We have to look back in our own history to reveal what happened to America. This is when our congress cancelled the Charter of the First National Bank in 1811. Almost immediately afterwards 4500 British troops arrived and burnt down the White House, both Houses of Congress, the War Office, the US State Department and the Treasury. The British continued their onslaught and destroyed the ratification records of the US Constitution. This is where the cover up begins to come to light because the 13th amendment was established to maintain a clear dividing line that had been drawn between the three branches of government. Violation of this provision in our Constitution creates a direct conflict of interest because members of the BAR would be officers of the Judiciary Branch and members in the legislative branch as well. The Amendment was put in our Constitution to stop anyone receiving a Title of nobility or honor from serving the US Government.

For over 50 years the 13th Amendment was included in the publications of the Constitution for the United States. Many States, Territories, and even the Federal Government, itself, printed copies of the Constitution containing this Amendment. It was unlawfully removed by persons unknown for their own personal greed and aggrandizement even though it was properly ratified in 1810. Since this provision in our Constitution was never enforced we come to the conclusion that all laws, treaties, appointments of officers to government positions, and other acts and actions of the Federal government since 1812 are of questionable validity and may therefore be null and void. Yet, these shadow masters have kept this information hidden from the public for decades.

We can also conclude that various documents since 1810 prove conclusively the validity of the 13th Amendment. It should be noted that only the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th Articles of Amendment had numbers assigned to them at the time of their ratification. The reason behind this numbering was to insure that the removal of the validly existing 13th Amendment was fully hidden by the proposed, and wrongfully numbered new 13th Amendment. To have just numbered the new proposed Amendment as the 13th and then not number any others would have called attention to the facts surrounding the situation. Could it have been that since 1812 the shadow masters were behind the removal of the valid 13th Amendment and engineered our government to number the next few Amendments so as to further hide their unlawful actions?

By 1910 these shadow masters were quietly masterminding the establishment of the Federal Reserve. When the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 went into effect, passed by US Congress it handed over America's gold and silver reserves and total control of America's economy to the Rothschild's bankers. The Federal Reserve is a privately owned banking system. It's sole purpose is to make money by loaning money back to the government at considerable interest. The profiteering of these shadow masters have now gained control of the United States entire economy. Today, we have come to the conclusion that the United States has joined so many other countries that are really corporations owned and operated for the sheer benefit of the Shadow Masters. In reality the US has long since remained a crown colony that belongs to this hidden empire of the three city states of the City of London, The Vatican City and Washington D.C. With this Presidential election unfolding whoever is elected will be nothing more than a figure head for the central bankers from the City of London and the home of the global financial system. In essence the US is a corporation and the US President and officials in Congress are all working for that Corporation and not for the American people.

To further their cause the shadow masters have for centuries spun their web of power over the Vatican and being a willing accomplice have continued to garnish more wealth with each passing decade. We also find that it is the Bank For International Settlements in Switzerland, which is British controlled, oversees all Reserve Banks around the world, the European Union and the United Nations. But, we also learn that the Vatican which is headed by the Pope owns American Express. The Vatican City is not part of Italy or Rome. The Vatican is actually the last true remnant of the Roman Empire.The Vatican's wealth includes investments with the Rothschild's in Britain, France and US and with oil and weapons corporations all around the world. Much of the Vatican's wealth is in the Rothschild controlled 'Bank of England' and believe it or not tied to the US Federal Reserve Bank. The money possessed by the Vatican is more than in banks, corporations or even some Governments. This raises questions of why this great wealth is not used to elevate at least the Christian poor when it preaches about giving and eliminating poverty?

What we are witness to today is an unprecedented shift not only in our financial system but a total positioning of global economies where this global plan of a totalitarian state will be finally realized. But, in order to felicitate this realization the powers behind the scenes have unleashed a financial juggernaut that will decimate practically every economy around the world. Is there something the United States can do to negate the after effects of an financial and economic Armageddon? Collectively we could. But, with the country purposely so divided the chances to band together to thwart this impending disaster and finally break free from the shadow masters tight grip on us all maybe just an impossible task. Only through education on a national scale to wake up and realize just what is occurring right now. We as a collective society can rise up and with combined efforts use National Economic Reform's Ten Articles of Confederation as the tool to stop a most diabolical plan from ever being realized. To do nothing only precludes that our future is already in the hands of the Shadow Masters and not our own.

By Dr. Tim G Williams

The Importance of Free Speech in the Growth of American Students

In the past few decades, there has been much debate over the role that free speech assumes in the lives of Americans. This debate has been especially prevalent with regards to the issue of freedom of speech on college campuses. From safe spaces, to microaggressions, to trigger warnings, a large vocabulary has developed around the issue of free speech on college campuses. These words have been accompanied by much discussion about the extent to which free speech should be allowed on campus to avoid the "harming" of other students.

Colleges are intended to be hubs of learning and growth during a student's life, a place where they can discover their own identities and test their beliefs and theories on the world through vigorous examination and discussion. However, recent restrictions on free speech have been suppressing this vital component of college campuses to the point where disagreement is looked at as bigotry, harmful, or backwards. Everyone is entitled to his or her own differences of opinion and is more than free to voice these differences, both verbally and written. However, when you create "safe spaces" and other concepts that hinder one's ability to exercise this right, you are undoubtedly depriving that person of their right of free speech, the first of our founding father's amendments and arguably the foundation of the constitution. These terms that are meant to make others feel more comfortable and safe are sheltering students from the realities of life and are creating unrealistic expectations for them as they enter the workplace. The notion that, "Since something makes me uncomfortable because it conflicts with my beliefs (or the beliefs of others which I readily came to accept without any thought), therefore you should change it" is flawed in nearly every regard and the antithesis of what makes America a prospering nation. It is these discomforting notions that test students' beliefs and lead them to intellectual growth. Without discomfort, there can be no room for growth. That is a standard which Americans cannot willingly accept as a nation.

So how do we solve this problem? For one thing, we need to do a better job of making students realize that there is no absolute answer when it comes to matters of opinion, and that each student is entitled to a different opinion. American students are so used to being taught that problems only have one "right" answer and this notion often carries over into the realm of social problems as well. We come to accept that our beliefs must be right, and if others conflict with those beliefs they are wrong. Rather than forcing students to re-examine their beliefs and the premises that they rest on, this way of thinking pushes them to create environments where uncomfortable situations and thoughts are eliminated altogether. Students become disconcerted with ambiguity and the idea that both sides may have valid theories that conflict with each other. Students need these unsettling ideas presented to them in college because it is part of their growth into citizenship and adulthood. These discomfiting conversations provide them a place to develop their own ideas through open discussion. If one eliminates this aspect of college, the potential for growth and independence are also eliminated. Only through the open discussion of uncomfortable topics and conflicting ideas can we reach common round and grow to respect each other as human beings.

Three Ongoing Trends That Are Changing Our Societies

There are many on-going changes we are currently witnessing in our societies, and three of them are the way technology and globalization are affecting the way we live, work and communicate.

1. Globalizing Industry

In the distant past, Europe, Japan and North America and to a lesser extent the old Soviet Union, were symbols of an industrial age, which produced and exported to a mainly agricultural World outside their borders. This brought great wealth and prosperity to the people who produced these goods.

Move on three decades later, the industrial leaders of our World have changed, with most industrialized products made in China, or outside the borders of these former industrial giants.

The wealth, and the jobs created have largely moved on too, although it's the companies that make the profits, whilst the people who produce the products we consume, that earn considerably less than their counterparts did in the former industrial powers.

This great change, has led to a new world, were the former farmers in the developing World are now urbanized industrial workers, and the landscape of these countries now producing the goods are changing forever.

2. The Mobile Phone Revolution

At the start of the new century, few people could perhaps envisage, that the mobile phones we use would become common place across our globe, and people would own one, even in the most remote and poorest parts of the world.

This revolutionary change in the way we communicate, has also affected the way we work and the perceptions we have of our World. This change has also created millions of job opportunities around the world in phone shops, kiosks and in the telecommunications industry.

In many ways, people still use these phones to simply chat to someone, whether its through a simple call or a message on a social networking site, but the offshoot of this activity, has seen a growth of businesses catering for the growing mobile phone community, and an awareness that we interact differently to the past.  Refill Prepaid Cell Phones

3. The Rise of the Robot

When the news that a factory in China had laid off tens of thousands of production line workers, replacing them with robots, many people were surprised, yet, this trend can be seen in many parts of our World.

Advances in technology just as during the industrial revolution in the 19th century, has meant that we can create factories, which produce goods with ever decreasing teams of staff to keep them running.

We have developed the technology to produce driverless cars, robotic production lines and drones that can deliver goods to our homes. It is almost inevitable that these technologies should at some point become more common, and create a new need to find alternative ways to employ people affected by this change.

We are probably witnessing some of the greatest changes seen since the industrial revolution to how we live, work and communicate with each other. The big questions are, how we ourselves adjust to these changes, and what the effect could be for the generations who follow us.

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Culture of Pakistan and America

The word "culture" holds different meanings for people who come from different cultures. Generally, culture refers to the traditions, values, lifestyles, customs and the heritage of an individual. Culture basically enlightens us about a person's way of life. Mostly people follow the culture of their ancestors as it is difficult to grow up with certain norms and values and then decide that you do not want to be a part of that culture anymore. Culture plays a vital role in a personality of an individual as during the primary socialization process, an individual grows up in the cultural environment provided by their family and people tend to internalize things quickly when they're young. For example, children watch cartoons and grasp whatever they can from those cartoon characters since young people are eager to learn and curious to know about their surroundings.

However, not everyone likes to stick to their cultural values given their situation. For instance, an individual might come from a harsh culture that does not take into account the aspect of respect. These types of norms in a culture might be the cause as to why people drift apart from their cultures. The idea that many people get derived away from their parent cultures is not offbeat. In this essay, we will discuss two cultures; the American culture and the Pakistani culture (Shamama-tus-Sabah and Gilani). Both cultures seem to be poles apart. Pakistani culture is often referred to as the eastern culture while American culture is known as western culture in many parts of the world.

In Pakistani culture, families traditionally tend to stay together. The family structure that is most common in Pakistan is the extended family structure as most of the households comprise of two or more than two generations. This means that grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts live under the same roof typically. There are many reasons as to why extended family structure is widespread among Pakistani culture. Many families tend to stay together due to financial issues. As there is a lack of employment opportunities for the working class families in Pakistan, there is usually one person who earns and supports the family. There tends to be a tremendous amount of pressure on that one earning individual as there are a lot of people dependent on his earnings. Therefore, kin in Pakistani culture are strongly integrated and stay close for most of the time.

Typically, fathers hold the stronger position in the family as they are the earning individuals who run the family. Thus, they are more likely to take important decisions or all decisions of the family, for that matter. Also, since Pakistan is known for its patriarchal culture, it is not bizarre that male members usually hold a dominant status in the family. In the modern world, education has notched up a step and people are encouraging education for women in Pakistan. In the past, females were mostly discouraged to be educated as the patriarchal society believed that if women were given education rights, they would knock down the patriarchy and break all the traditional norms and values (Fazal). However, women are still bound to their country and not many of them are allowed to go abroad or away from their families for higher education. There are some exceptional, liberal families that do not put limitations on their children and let them do what they are passionate about.

Another stereotype of the Pakistani culture is that any profession other than becoming a doctor or an engineer is frowned upon. Artists, musicians, actors, poets, authors and other such professions are not encourages at all, even by their families. If an individual tells their family that they want to become an artist, for instance, their family's response would most probably be, "you are a disgrace to the family". Pakistani culture is not as liberal as the American culture but it has come a long way from its traditional form and has a long way to go until every individual feels liberated and has a sense of their free will.

Pakistan is an Islamic state thus; religion plays a significant role in Pakistani culture. Religious occasions such as Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, the 9th and 10th of Muharram are announced as public holidays in Pakistan. Other public holidays include the Independence Day, the defense day, the birthday of the founder of Pakistan (Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah) and many more. Eid ul Fitr is one of the most celebrated holidays in Pakistan as it is the celebration of Ramadan coming to an end. Eid is a joyous holiday as the whole country celebrates it exuberantly and with so much enthusiasm. People go an extra mile to help the poor and hand out as much Zakat as they can in the way of Allah. Eid and Ramadan are truly two occasions that bring the whole country together.

Families in the American culture tend to be mostly apart. Even if a family lives under the same roof, they do not share a bond that holds a family together. The high rate of divorce and second marriages is a proof that families in the American culture tend to breakdown or fall apart due to many reasons. One reason why families do not stick together in the American culture is because children are given freedom at a very young age (Spindler and Spindler). For example, children above 13 have the right to call the child services if they feel like their family is being oppressive. Teenagers usually do not have a clue about what is right and what is wrong for them. However, they still tend to claim that they know it all. This confines their parents therefore, parents do not get to hold onto their young ones for long. On the other hand, if not the children, one of the parents leaves the other due to an affair, psychological problems etc. Single parent families usually end up leaving the parent alone in a foster home or on their own.

Extended families are not conventional in the American culture as grandparents usually retire to foster homes and families pay them a visit on holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving. Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween are holidays that are celebrated with zeal and zest in American culture. Halloween is a public holiday where people dress up in costumes, go out and mingle with their loved ones. Trick or treat is one of the things that children are most enthusiastic about since it is a tradition to knock on doors around the neighborhood and ask for as much candy as you like. Holidays like these brings the families together. Many different religions are followed by people who live in America (Brauer). For example, Muslims, Jews and Christians and many other people from different religious backgrounds live in the same country and follow their religious values freely. As a lot of people from different religious backgrounds live in America, they are free to do whatever they want to.

Public display of affection is something that is not at all tolerated in Pakistani culture due to the religious background. However, in American culture, physical contact between two people, whether they are in a martial relationship or not, is not frowned upon. Parents of some young people might not encourage it but it is not entirely bizarre. Compared to the Pakistani culture, the youth is given more liberty in the American culture. Teenagers are given multiple opportunities to explore themselves and reach their maximum potential no matter what steps they might have to take in order to get there. Parents are more supportive of their children in the American culture and provide them with all the care they might need.

Bullying is one of the main issues in the American culture. A lot of students at schools believe that they can get their way through bullying other students. Targets of bullying are usually fat, dark or students from another race. Bullying has been a major reason behind students changing schools, developing mental illnesses such as depression, complexes, anxiety etc. Racism is also witnessed in the American culture and is not unfamiliar at all. The worst part about living in the USA has to be the stereotypes set up against the minorities by bullies. However, the best part about living in the USA is that there is always an opportunity to stop the bullying and racism and step out of whatever bothers you or stops you from moving forward as it is a free country, full of new doors that lead to greater things.

It is clear as crystal that the Pakistani and American culture differ in so many ways. While families in the Pakistani culture are closely knit, families in the American culture draw apart as they grow older. However, Pakistani culture is not as liberal the American culture. Pakistani culture places boundaries on the youth to a certain extent while the American culture provides its youth with as much opportunity it can to go beyond their limits and achieve what no one else could. However, both cultures have their distinct attributes; both the cultures provide the people living there with a sense of belonging and an identity.

Works Cited
Brauer, Jerald C. "Regionalism and Religion in America." Church History (1985): 366-378.
Fazal, Tanveer. "Religion and Language in the Formation of Nationhood in Pakistan and Bangladesh." Sociological Bulletin (1999): 175-199.
Shamama-tus-Sabah, Syeda and Nighat. Gilani. "Household Chaos and its Association with Maternal Education, Family System, and Children's Academic Achievement in Pakistani Culture." Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research (2010): 19-30.
Spindler, George D. and Louise Spindler. "Anthropologists View American Culture." Annual Review of Anthropology (1983): 49-78.

By Bilal Zafar

The Imperialistic State

Webster defines imperialism as a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. It can be arguably said that by the turn of the 20th century the United Sates began to stretch it's rule of democracy to the far corners of the globe. In truth the election of William McKinley edged the United States closer to that lofty pinnacle of dominance, regime change and nation building that we are seeing today. The global reach of our policies and military actions from the past 116 years has gained the United States the recognition as the most prolific imperialistic nation since Great Britain was during the late 17th and 18th century.

Since the beginning of the 20h century the United States has only continued playing into the hands of the power elite. It has been this power elite who have and are the movers and shakers that have steered the United States into too many needless wars costing trillions of dollars and millions of lives while at the same time recklessly endangered the economic stability of this once great nation. In too many instances policy decisions for the last hundred years whether military or not only continued filling the coffers of those who wield the real power. It was Major General Butler that quoted "I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to Major General. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. I suspected I was just part of the racket all the time. Now I am sure of it." Today, our military continues to be just a tool used by government, and the power elite. We may think that our elected officials do the bidding of their constituents but in truth they are only figure heads in an never ending ploy to beguile the public into thinking that their concerns really matter.

We have to go back to 1898 when President McKinley following the sinking of the USS Maine declared War against Spain. This war even though it lasted only a few months was the start of Americas imperialistic agenda that continues today. The sinking of the USS Maine was not sabotage nor an act of war perpetrated by Spain but was an accident brought about by the extremely hot weather which accelerated the temperature of the ships boiler to the point that the munitions stock piled right next to it set off the explosion that sank the ship. A convenient cover up to capitalize on what was really an accident. But the hysteria that followed by the mass publication of the Hearst's newspapers convinced the public that the United States was justified in going to war with Spain. This was just the first instance in along line of ploys to induce public sentiment to act without knowing the real truths behind what is really a hidden agenda. Who knows what the United states would be like today if we had elected William Bryant instead of McKinley or in 1944 if the people's choice for Vice President Henry Wallace was the nominee instead of the Democratic establishment's choice candidate Truman. But, in the end the power elite behind the scenes managed to secure the United States place as the imperialistic nation we have today.

As this years Presidential election opened up it took one lone Senator from Vermont to awaken the public to the ills that have plagued this nation for years. Ills that were really brought on by and for the entrenched power elite. What Senator Sanders started turned into a national phenomenon. In doing so the public became aware of the many inconsistencies between what our governmental policies should have been doing and what they are actually doing. The public has been seduced by a controlled government and are just now beginning to realize what has been going on right under their nose. In embarking on a Presidential campaign Senator Sanders almost single handily united the public to rise up and be counted as a collective entity to use their influence through the power of Democracy and usher in a nonviolent revolution to bring about the needed changes that will bring back the power to the people. But, what actually happened sounds all to familiar to what happened to Henry Wallace in 1944. The establishment in the democratic party who are controlled by the power elite conveniently engineered the positioning of Clinton over Bernie Sanders.

What has happened though in this definitive moment in politics is where the rule of law was never enforced, forever compromised and in many cases corrupted to the point that drowned out the voices of the public. Too many times when the public became aware of what was happening the outcome only further entrenched a political system that has been all along corrupted. The United States today is faced with the real possibility of a historic revolution where the social breakdown along with the collapse of the rule of law will send this nation down into the abyss. The last time a revolution of the scale of what could actually happen was during the Bolshevik Revolution. But, in this case the greed of some has overwhelmed our whole society. We have already begun to see that our government whose love affair with our fiat paper money, a regime drunk on money printing, that by the way never ended up elevating the incomes any one of the struggling 99% of the population has transformed this nation into a shadow of it's former self.

It is in motion now and many are becoming alert. But, millions of people are still embarrassingly naive about the most obvious breakdown of the United States. Our way of life that our grandfathers knew has already begun to perish. What comes next? Just imagine currency controls, a coming value-added tax, constant debasing of the currency, martial law, food riots and tanks in the streets, holding camps for "terrorists," rationing of paper money at the banks, food rationing, no Medicare for seniors, and no Social Security except as means tested and no elective surgery. Already the banks have been putting restrictions on the amount of currency one is able to withdraw. As a worse case scenario develops hyperinflation or depression evolves and millions become destitute, being stripped of their financial security and political illusions, they may begin to think of retribution. All along the public has been led like sheep to the slaughter. Led by arrogant politicians and bureaucrats who have morphed America into chaos and poverty.

Today, by some estimates there are as many as 300,000,000 private firearms in the U.S. and no telling how much ammunition. No matter what attempted firearm controls the government tries to evoke it will make no significant difference. It is plain too late. We can see where this will lead to, armed rebellion against a tyrannical rule that has perpetuated the imperialistic state and forever extinguished the American Dream for millions of Americans. Riots and revolutions are not new to America. Once sufficient anxiety surfaces any small incidental occurrence can trigger hostilities.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is approaching social breakdown and revolution. The trouble is that failed leadership in the U.S. is no different from many failed regimes throughout history. From Caesar and Nero to Hitler and Mussolini they were sure that their tenure would last. United States leaders today also believe that they are appointed for life no matter what they do or how much they steal. The corrupt political system has perpetuated the corruption in government all the while the power elite continue their reign over all.

Make no mistake the United States since the beginning of the 20th century has become the world's most ruthless imperialistic nation undermining the stabilities of nations all for the purpose to garnish more power, wealth and control for the corporate state of America. The public has long since fallen right into the hands of a corrupt government that has no desire to implement change that would diminish the authority and the wealth of the oligarchy established government. Soon the groundswell of revolt will come crashing down on a system that is self destructing. Remember the French Revolution?.

We also have to remember that our power elite ushered in sanctions against Russia and in doing so undermined the delicate relationship that really is essential for both countries. The United States in it's zeal of conquest blatantly continues to inflict policies that have only crippled our effectiveness in brokering new alliances, forge treaties that would actually benefit the population of the United States. For the past 116 years it has been the profiteering of our industrial and military complex that has driven the United States domestic and foreign policies. In doing so we have continued to force our will on other nations all over the world. When Russia who has their own priorities the United States has only continued to further antagonize that country setting the stage for more hostilities. It has been all along the imperialistic state of the United States that is responsible for most of the worlds hot beds of instability. Yet, we continue to impose and even force our imperialism on others. Not only are we faced with the very high probability of an open revolt here in the United States but a far more horrendous and devastating confrontation on a global scale. This is all a result of the Imperialistic state of the United States.

By Dr. Tim G Williams

The Bewildering Facebook Experience

One's contact group on Facebook begins with a modest circle of family and friends but after several years it grows into a vast and diverse group of people with many of whom one has very little in common. In the writer's case, although English continues to dominate, the polyglot community posts also in Arabic, Vietnamese, Tagalog and smatterings of African languages. And while the initial group discussed familiar issues and expressed views with which one was generally in sympathy, the larger eclectic group that evolves over time promotes strange and sometimes offensive opinions, often expressed in imperfect or unsavoury language. One wonders how a group that is designated as friends can mutate into such a sprawling and largely alien community.

One's core Facebook community always had a few special interests in addition to family matters. These included books and farming, motorcycles, model making and current affairs in Ghana. To this were soon added houses in Spain, Germany and later France, with a strong pro-European Union bias. As the circle of contacts grew, a major input began to appear from pro-Democratic Party organisations in the USA with highly partisan posts rapidly increasing in number as the presidential election approached.

How US politics came into the ambit of a group of British citizens is hard to explain but the furore over Britain's referendum on EU membership could not be avoided. While the family core is strongly European, its Facebook experience is dominated by three extreme right-wing organisations who are pro-Brexit and vehemently opposed to Muslim immigration. One group is struggling to revive a crusading military order dissolved in 1312, after accusations of abuses and neglect, and another expresses pride in reporting every scrap of news that portrays Moslems in a bad light. One wonders if one is seeing a sort of pseudo-Christian revival.

Equally strange, but far less sinister, is a lady posting garish childish daubs, claiming artistic merit, while less controversial are pictures posted by a gentleman with passions for old classic cars and young glamourous women. The posts in Vietnamese are mostly sponsored commercials, while those in Tagalog seem biased in support of the new president and his extrajudicial slaughter of drug traders and abusers. Ghanaians have recently been commenting on their own presidential election, now peacefully concluded, with all posts in English but with a few interjections in Twi.

If the Facebook experience is strange and unexpected it does have a message to impart. The great human family is now connected more directly than ever before and there are only a few links between those we know, and those who they know, and so on to the ends of the Earth. It also brings a warning about the dangers of the spread of extreme religious and political views, at the same time as providing a forum in which these might, perhaps, eventually be reconciled.

John Powell is the author of several books, the latest being: Saint George, Rusty Knight, and Monster Tamer is a series of nine self-contained historical short stories which introduces George, a hapless knight who has an unusual skill for monster taming, and which, with wit and delightful aplomb takes the young reader on an adventurous journey though some significant moments in history.

Historical Novel Society, February 2016.

http://www.amazon.com/Saint-George-Rusty-Knight-Monster/dp/1910508195/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saint-George-Rusty-Knight-Monster/dp/1910508195/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1EEZ4CA5ZNVKJ0ZZNGTN

Water Crisis in Malaysia

I was sitting on the bench with my family close to the poolside toting a water bottle in hand. Glancing at the men and women and children going down the basin tubes from the slimy conveyor to the shallow depth at the Sagar restaurant situated in the midst of the Sunway Lagoon in Malaysia. Holding the water bottle for not too long, but keeping it over the table with a resolution that I now felt I was to follow-up on.

I was watching it rather than just seeing a demonic hand robbed just as the slender bottles, and before I could look any deeper the demon and the infernal fire feared by those who fear fire or death of any kind given to them only by "demons" and I bowed my eyes like any other outsider who I could pick from the streets and ask him to lay down his purse to my locker by telling him to do so without making him know how I did that.

I spoke no further because it showed a lot more than the empty bottle that never revealed the real cost of itself concealing a truth in the name of deceiving someone at least to the ones who weren't from the same state or country or anywhere near and never had anything to do with the place.

Where there was ample water to be drowned into there were empty glasses that still had Malaysian Ringgit to drink, put them brass over the Istana Negara gardens and what lays inside and say no more we are here to fill the King's gunny backs and these tourists are idiotic wanders. Let a man be sent to see, hear or learn anything or possibly everything before he moves out or be ready to be fooled at the place time and the person he chooses for because we have no control and I think someone sitting at the top may also have no control over that. If we can get their dry throats craving for water and remove all the water dispensers large hail to you gentlemen, we will build a palatial Kingdom out of their thirstiness.

I had doubt about the future of Malaysia as I had first heard it from a tour guide "they love their king more than the God" but if the king if the plunderer what can become of the nation is something I to doubt for as the future of Malaysia remains unknown to the people.

Republicans Plan to End Medicare Immediately

As soon as Donald Trump is sworn into office, the first thing Wisconsin Republican Congressman Paul Ryan is going to do is sponsor a bill to end Medicare. He calls it "privatizing" Medicare and "modernizing" Medicare. What that means is that he'll end the Medicare program and give it to private health insurance companies. If you're over 65, remember how you were just trying to endure, to make it to 65 so you could finally breathe a sigh of relief when you got Medicare? If you're under 65, you've probably been hanging in there and looking forward to the huge relief of not being at the mercy of health insurance companies with their huge deductibles and co-pays.

Health Insurance Companies are Not There to Provide Health Care

Medicare and the Veteran's Administration health care system are the only health insurance systems in the country whose mission is to make sure people get access to health care. That's all they do. The main mission of private insurance companies, on the other hand, is simply to make money for their CEO's, top executives and share holders. Their goals are to provide the least amount of health care for people at the least cost to themselves. That's why, before ObamaCare, we had "pre-existing conditions," where, if you had the slightest health issue, insurance companies could refuse to take you on. They also decreed that, if they had paid out a certain maximum amount for your healthcare, you'd be cut off for the rest of your life.

Medicare has never done any of that. We've had it from the time we reach 65 until we die. We would always have health care paid for. That's all going to end if the Republicans have their way. Your Republican Senators and Congress people will say that our country can't afford Medicare and that this will make sure people have affordable health care on into the future.

Republicans Say We Can't Afford Medicare

They're going to say that our country can't afford to take care of its elderly anymore; it's too expensive; it's an "out-dated" system. (This is not true; Democrats have a plan to expand Medicare.) Republicans' plan is to give each person a voucher for a certain amount of money that they can use toward private health insurance. That amount will cover only part of the cost of an inferior health insurance plan. That amount also will not keep going up as health insurance premiums go up, so you'll be paying for more and more of the premiums yourself, instead of having Medicare. You'll also be paying huge deductibles and you'll be paying co-payments. Under Medicare as we've known it, monthly premiums are low, the deductible is tiny and there are no co-payments for the best plan, which is Plan F.

If you're 65 or older, you might think you can breathe a sigh of relief, because the Republicans will say they'll keep you on Medicare--it's only the younger people who won't get it. But that's not true, because they'll stop funding Medicare so that over time it will run out of money and when we're at our most fragile, in our older years, we'll be thrown to the "mercies" of the for-profit health insurance business who, remember, has the main goal of making money for its CEO's, executives and shareholders and providing the least amount of services for the most amount of money.

The suffering that will be caused by dismantling the Medicare program and giving it to private insurance companies is close to unimaginable. Tens of millions of seniors and the elderly will be left without health care. Many will lose their homes and be left destitute trying to pay for health insurance and health care.

What You Can Do

What can we do? If you're living in a state with Republican Senators and Congress people-especially in Paul Ryan's state-write, call, go to your state capitols and demand that Medicare be left alone. For a directory to find your Representative's phone number, see http://www.house.gov/representatives/. For a directory to find your Senators, see http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan's phone number is 202-225-3031. Leader of the Senate Mitch McConnell's phone number is 202-224-2541. You can also email them by googling their names and sending an email through their websites.

It's important to do this right away, before Donald Trump is sworn in as President, before Paul Ryan has a chance to sponsor the bill.

Also keep in mind, getting rid of Social Security is next.

Zoe Zimmermann is a licensed psychotherapist living and working in Boulder, CO. She would like to help create a more humane and caring country where everyone feels they belong.

The Global Health Crisis

In no other time in the history of the United States has our population attained the dubious distinction that as a nation we spend the most on health care and yet are one of the least healthiest of all the industrialized world. It can be arguably said that the greatness of a nation and it's ability to leave a lasting legacy lies in the health of it's people. For over two hundred years the United States achieved greatness not just because of it's military might but on the health and well being of it's citizens. Since the last quarter of the 20th century there has been a major assault on the health of this nation. It can't be more evident when we look at what is actually happening to too many citizens of the United States.

In the last 60 years we have seen many marvels of technology, medicine, and science come into play. But, with all the marvels of the age too many people are succumbing to too many preventable diseases and ailments. It seems along with Global Warming every year there continues to be a steady increase in preventable diseases and ailments. There has been steady increases in all forms of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, dementia, obesity and even birth defects. Let's not forget all the other ailments that many are associated with these diseases. Almost all of these illnesses and inflictions can be prevented.

One has to question why this is happening with all the medical technologies and marvels there are. It is as though there is a full scale assault on the health and stability a country that is considered to be the most advanced country on earth. If we take a close look back at the way things were 60 years ago especially with the food we ate you can't help come to the conclusion that as a nation the United States was a much healthier nation compared to today. The biggest factor to consider even though life expectancy was a little lower than today generally speaking we actually were healthier. Sure, people developed cancer, people had dementia and Alzheimer's, and yes many had diabetes. There were overweight individuals as well. But, all of these developments whether they were full blown diseases, aliments or conditions or not the numbers don't even come close to the skyrocketing increases we are seeing today.

One of the biggest culprits in contributing to the steady decline of the nations health comes from the industrialization of the food we consume. Sure, there have been strides to improve the quality of food sources, but it is the corporate farming industry that continues to mount an aggressive campaign to corner the markets sort of speaking in regard to the supply of food available for the overall populations consumption.

Not too many people even realize that the FDA has been an unwitting accomplice in contributing to the deteriorating health of the population of the United States. The scientific community has found that many additives, preservatives and supplements that are injected or added to many of the foods we consume are cancer causing carcinogens. One supplement in particular is Folic Acid. Let's not confuse this supplement with the natural Folic Acid found in many of the fresh foods. But, this supplement that is added to so many of the process foods is a detriment to everyone's health. This is just one example of the monumental amount of supplements, additives, and preservatives that are processed and not natural that is purposely put in the foods we all consume.

To further understand why as a nation we are faced with a full blown health crisis is to take a look at pharmaceutical industry, Monsanto Corporation, to the medical community and health care providers all are getting rich at the expense of the health of our citizens. Sixty years ago we still had local independent family farming communities which supplied the local population with abundant fresh nutritious food. Farms back then practiced crop rotations thereby giving the soil enough time to replenish the nutriments that are a vital source of the nutritious food we all consumed.

What we are experiencing here in the United States is part of a global health crisis. This global health crisis is all attributed to fresh water shortages, lack of sanitation and decreasing nutritious food sources. Every country rich or poor is affected by this growing health crisis. Today, the whole world is faced with the reality of a global nutritious food shortages along with depleting supplies of fresh water. In many parts of the world already are facing acute food and water shortages. Even here in the US a growing number of people face horrific starvation, lack of fresh water and poverty everyday. Just this past year the humanitarian catastrophe in Lake Chad where conflict has left over 8 million people facing acute starvation failed to get everyone's attention. In Yemen famine is already a harsh reality. In that part of the world the UN Secretary-General has stated and fears that genocide will take over through-out the region. All because of the lack of potable fresh water and acute shortages of food. With civil wars raging in Syria and Iraq along with the global refugee crisis the disaster in Lake Chad is said to be on an epic scale of biblical proportions with terrifying rates of child malnutrition.

The greatest concern is that around the world at least 80% of the earths farmable land is already under productive, and of this 80% 40% is so severely depleted due to extensive chemically based farming practices. Compounding this dilemma is the increasing dependence on hybrid varieties. In actuality they don't have nearly the capacity to self-replenish due to the fact that these hybrid food sources were designed using chemicals. Added to all of this is the continuing escalation of energy prices. The rotation of crops a direct link to enriched food sources really haven't been used for the past 60 years. This leaves the land so worn out whatever food is harvested is extremely weak if not completely void in vitamins and minerals that are essential for the bodies overall health.

With corporate farming where the bottom line is all that matters here in the United States and it can be said all around the globe the available soil that is the base for our food sources has been steadily over cultivated for the past 60 years. Over farmed to the point that the nutrients and minerals that are essential for healthy crops are completely missing. Consequently, the Honey bees are dying off because the soil hasn't had time to replenish itself. This is devastating to the Honey Bees and to humanity. The Honey bees are now more susceptible to viruses, mites and pesticides. This is the greatest cause as to why the Honey Bees are vanishing.

With the decline of the Honey Bee and the farming practices that corporate farms continue to use along with the GMO food sources that Monsanto produces the health of nations remains in jeopardy. And until we realize that local independent farming where proper techniques are used like crop rotation and put in place fresh water transfer technologies where everyone has abundant fresh water the health crisis we are facing today will only get worse.

Just this past year over 45% Honey Bee colonies were killed off. Millions poisoned by insecticides spraying for Zika. Other insecticides such as Bayer and Syngenta keep flooding our farmable land here in the US with toxins that have been known to wipe out bee colonies. They are still the most widely used pesticides in the country. Many other parts of the world also continue to use these bee killing pesticides.

The future of humanity rests with the action to protect not only the survival of the Honey Bee but action to stop the horrific carnage that is sweeping terror all over the world. As for the future of the Honey Bee if our newly elected President continues to ignore science the health of not only this nation but that of the world is in grave danger. Again, like Global Warming to ignore it's existence the health crisis facing the world today will only get much worse. And that is a scenario to horrific to contemplate.

How Did Trade With China Get So Messed Up?

How come our trade deficit with China is so unbalanced? Currently, starting out in 2017 before Donald Trump takes office is hovering around $460 to $500 Billion annually. Interestingly enough, either the Obama Administration doesn't want to be embarrassed by the real numbers or no one actually knows just how bad it really is. We don't have free or fair trade with China and hopefully some of that will soon change. China is such a powerhouse of manufacturing that they could produce enough products for 5 planets with the combined global GDP.

So, where are we today? Well, we've allowed ourselves to get to this place, it's time to right this ship and sell it full of products back across that Pacific Ocean full of our goods and wares for the growing domestic consumption of China, and they'll have to oblige if they want continued access to our markets and peace in the world.

You know the worst of it? We have globalist billionaires, many went over to set up in China, they stole technology, information, and sell things back here bypassing all the rules, many of these internationals business entrepreneurs didn't care, and they influenced our politicians to institute stupid regulations to purposely slow companies here that compete with them around the world. It's a giant shell game to them.

Sure, they go where it makes sense, but many left the US because we were treating them so crappy. Do I blame them? It's hard to, you should see how my government treated me in my business, I am still a little pissed about that. The system is rotten to the core at so many levels.

Did you know the CEO of Blackwater is actually running a company out of Hong Kong now guaranteeing safe convoys in Africa for Chinese state-run companies extracting resources? We can hire them too, The Carlyle Group does, so do our oil companies there. We cannot keep screwing over the best and brightest US loyalist entrepreneurs and then expect them to be here for team USA when the 'fit hits the shan'.

One thing great about Americans is that we love everyone everywhere around the world and for the most part when traveling we are treated very well, Americans also come together for our team as almost a sense of responsibility, every executive of every company, every small business person too, but yet we crap on these people, that's so wrong. We've practically told half of the Fortune 500, you aren't welcome here anymore, no wonder they set up abroad, why wouldn't they?

Look what we are doing. The simplest thing we could do is to Change Our Attitude, say we are sorry, and tell them, promise them we won't ever treat them like that again. You watch what would then. We really need a leader who cares, speaks out, and stop this class warfare nonsense. See, now you got me fired up! Ha ha ha. Hoorah - Team USA!

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Innovation in America. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net.

Trump's Wall Will Never Happen

Listening to the raving and hateful messages he announced in his speech yesterday was enough to know that the wall Trump promises to build if elected will never happen. He is a potential dictator who assumes he will run the government if elected president. That simply cannot happen in the USA as it is not a one-man show. Unlike countries where leaders such as Assat, Gudafi, Hussein, and others came to power they did so with extreme violence.

Trump is forgetting the Senate and Congress. While President Obama has had many of his promises knocked back and become obsolete in the Senate there are lessons to be learned there for other aspiring leaders.

Trump states that from the first hour in office illegal migrants will be targeted and sent out of the USA. The facts are, however, that he has no authority to do that. The Constitution is clearly in favour of supporting people from all countries irrespective of their circumstances and that is not about to change just because one man says so.

To build a wall of the magnitude and cost he proposes will solve nothing. We live in a different world to even that of a few years ago when a massive fence was erected. Sophisticated tunnels have since been built that sees not only illegal migrants gaining free passage into the USA but drugs and other things as well.

Mexico is a poor disorganised and poverty-stricken country. No matter what measures he could put in place the ingenuity of humans will see it outdone. People are fighting for their lives in many cases and fleeing from inhumane and often murderous gangs. You can't stop their survival instincts from wanting better. No wall of any size or cost will stop them.

Norma Holt writes articles on many issues including Current Affairs.

Putin's Teddy Bear Military - A Cardboard Cutout

Who's afraid of the big bad bear?

President Putin has masterfully crafted a program to provoke the West into a hissy-fit about a former military superpower seeking to recapture its past Soviet era glories and domination through military adventures that challenge NATO and American might. During Russia's recent aggressive thrust close to and beyond the Near Abroad, Russia engaged in battles that were guaranteed public relations victories, not military ones notably: Crimea, eastern Ukraine and Syria. Each encounter had limited downside risk because Russia's military faced inferior, if any, opposition. Consider the following:

Eastern Ukraine has a large ethnic Russian population and Ukrainian government forces in effect felt like it was fighting on foreign soil. Although Russia denied utilizing its ground troops in this campaign, they still had to be clever to minimize the burials of "little green men."
Crimea was a lightning invasion of an island whose Russian population heartily welcomed them. Ironically it was a Pyrrhic victory because Russia now assumes Crimea's burdensome economic responsibilities.
Syria is exclusively an air campaign (a cost savings on body bags), a reinforcement of long-established military installations and access to a deep-water port at the behest of longtime ally, the Syrian government. As a de facto intensive training exercise Russia has been able to test their new high-tech toys under battle conditions against an opposition that didn't have advanced weaponry to threaten them.
In each case Russia engaged their military where the West was not legally compelled nor threatened to intervene because neither Ukraine nor Crimea are NATO members and Syria is a Russian ally. Additionally each territory conquered had a sizeable Russian population. In the meantime Russia has continued their incursions over the tiny Baltic States and small nearby NATO countries.

Militarily thin Russia is like a former world-class prize fighter who gets himself back in decent shape though far from his peak fighting years. He then buys some cool-looking boxing trunks, gets a good promotional manager and proceeds to beat up drunken beer-bellied toughs in a local dive bar and avoids battle-hardened fighters. It's all a clever measured risk that maximizes Russia's image and minimizes their military's short-comings. Any significant Russian ground battlefield losses regardless if it's a skirmish would spell doom for Putin's strongman political image. The question is whether Putin push his military too far in future ventures.

Russia is a bully in its neighborhood casting a long and dark shadow over smaller nearby countries. To these small countries Russia is a big, hungry bear seeking easy morsels. Though it seems implausible that Putin will risk any military offensive maneuvers in Europe because of potential world condemnation and sanctions, Putin's thirst to gain respect may supersede better judgment.

On the other hand, election victories by European ultra-conservatives in 2017 in France, Germany and other countries may provide Putin a level of respect he desires and will cease his military threats. Nonetheless Putin is keeping his worst-case options open in case the European ultra-conservative parties fall short in the elections and decide change their pre-electoral rhetoric to engage with Russia with respect and as an equal. Taking the non-NATO small countries "hostage" militarily may provoke, in the eyes of the Russians an aggressive military NATO reaction, a confrontation Putin is guaranteed to lose badly.

So I ask again, "Who's afraid of the big bad bear?"

Copyright Indo-Brazilian Associates LLC 2016. All rights reserved.

Indo-Brazilian Associates LLC is a NYC-based global advisory service and think tank with connections at the highest levels specializing in international investment, political and security risk assessments. International business is increasingly complex featuring a highly mobile professional class in all corners of the globe. We provide you the tools to successfully negotiate cross-culturally in your global business endeavors. Tell us about your challenges. We'll get you on the "Short List".

We provide executive coaching, speaking engagements, speechwriting and workshops. Contact us at http://www.indobrazilian.com

The Need for an Impartial International News Service

The history of 2016 will be very hard to write. There have been so many false bulletins repeated by every news outlet, and with commercial and political pressures behind every medium, the news is rushed out in fierce competition to be first. Falsities were often corrected, but corrections are always less sensational, and hence less memorable, than the first scandalous pronouncement. Then both in connection with the Brexit referendum in the UK, and the presidential election in the USA, individuals were contradicting themselves and making unsubstantiated statements at a rate that left both the media and the public confused and floundering far behind the facts, where facts were able to be discerned.

The news media must share a good proportion of the blame for the disastrous outcomes of the UK Brexit referendum and the US presidential election. In both cases, emotion was allowed to overwhelm reason: the perceived need for strict controls on immigration was trumpeted much louder than the opposition could voice the consequences of undefined social and economic policies. In both cases, it was the opposing social and economic arguments that were based on fact, the benefits of the huge European free market in the one case and the extrapolation of the successful Obama policies in the other, yet linked to more liberal policies on immigration they were destined to be lost in the media clamour.

There was a time when the BBC World Service was regarded as a relatively impartial news medium but funded by an annual grant from the British Foreign Office it could not be said to be entirely free of political bias. Since this support ended in 2014, the BBC has proposed limited commercial activity which suggests a move out of the frying pan into the fire. Anyone experiencing the incessant commercial breaks on alternative news services knows the pernicious influence of big business, overt recurrent boredom imposed by the have-plenty on the have-nots and concealed political manipulation.

While the BBC World Service could serve as a useful model for an impartial international news medium, the new organisation cannot be associated with any one national government. It must be under the aegis of the United Nations. Issues like Brexit and the US presidential election have complex international ramifications and must be seen and reported from a global perspective. A nucleus already exists to distribute news of UN activities, but this needs to be greatly expanded to provide a fully global news service. Freed from competition, it would have no need to rush, and could take its time checking facts to ensure accuracy. Freed from the need to take commercial breaks, it would have time to fully consider current issues, consulting leading experts in all fields and at all locations. The need for UNIVOX may have existed for a long time, but it is perhaps only in the confusion of 2016 that it has become an urgent necessity.

My novels set in Ghana: The Colonial Gentleman's Son and Return to the Garden City, as well as my children's book: Saint George: Rusty Knight and Monster Tamer, together with many pictures of Ghana are featured on the website http://www.ghanabooksjwp.com and the books are available on amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Garden-City-John-Powell/dp/184624949X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442856892&sr=8-1&keywords=Return+to+the+Garden+City and other booksellers.

The Pride of a Nation

However, you only need to take a quick look at YouTube to unearth the uncomfortable tensions that exist between nations and their citizens when it comes to their national pride. For each war or skirmish there are clips on You Tube which pitch one country against another and claim that their own armies, navies or air forces are better than the next. These flag waving movie clips, along with rousing and inspirational music accompaniment bring out the worst of people in terms of the comments left by visitors.

In any war or battle, in any cause or revolution, there are casualties. For every glorified military success there are failures in terms of the mothers of sons who never return home. How interesting then that we shout about the glory of our military and the pride of our nations whilst brushing the debris and destruction of war under the carpet.

Please, do not think that I am not proud of my country. I am. In fact I am proud of the two countries that I have been fortunate to spend most of my life in. As I have become older and more mature I have become wary and nervous of misplaced pride. Yes, I am proud of the achievements of my countries. I am proud that the people have stood up for their beliefs.

What I am not proud of is citizens of those countries who taunt, deride and spread hate by waving the flag of our nations in an inappropriate manner. Why would you do this? Why is it so important to you that you shout from the rooftops about how your countries armed forces will destroy the armed forces of countries that you just happen not to like for whatever reason you have not to like them?

What a shame then that this passion for your nation could not be put to better use by engaging with citizens from other nations and befriending them. People are people wherever they may come from. The fact that you are a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim is something that happened by default. If you were born in the USA you might be Christian and if you were born in Tunisia you might be Muslim. Where then is the logic behind your hate for your fellow mankind?

We only need to take a look at what is happening in Syria and in Iraq to realise that the deep seated hatred between the warring parties stems from a major flaw in our human nature. In the same way that we feel comfortable with our own people, and our respective countries, we have a deep mistrust of other countries whose languages, culture and religion are different to our own.

Perhaps it is time for us all to grow up and accept that our governments, the respective governments of other nations and those that are supposed to represent us are told in no uncertain terms that we do not want our nations to go to war for any other cause than for the ultimate defence of our own respective lands and peoples, and that this would only take place as a last resort when every other negotiation and avenue has been explored and ultimately failed.