Tensions in the South East and East Asia

Even though many would like to think that nations go to war for some moral issue, many times in the past and even now it is over territory. What is the importance of gaining territory, it could be resources on it, trading routes or to further your influence. Right now in East and South East Asia territorial disputes are happening between many nations. Two highly powerful and influential nations are clashing heads in the East China Sea over the Senkaku Islands or the Diaoyu Island in main land China. Both China and Japan claim these islands as theirs and tensions are very high regarding them. China is also caught up in another territorial dispute in South China Sea. China along with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia all have claims that conflict in the South East China Sea. These disputes have created high tensions, especially aggression pointed toward China and for now at least major military conflicts have been avoided between the nations.

The Senkaku Islands are claimed both by China and Japan and both sides what the other to back off immediately. Tensions between the two nations have in recent decades have been uneasy. China still condemns Japan for the atrocities the Japanese military committed during the Second World War and Japan unwillingness to fully apologize for these events. Japan annexed the islands in 1895, while China has stated that the islands have have belonged to them for centuries. Japan disputed this claim by stating that China did not show interest in the islands till oil was discovered near them in the 1970s. This dispute has sparked anti-Japanese protest in China. China has declared an Air Defense Identification Zone over the islands. An Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) allows any non-Chinese aircraft flying trough to identify themselves and keep contact with Chinese communications while in the area and if they do not comply, China will use jets to intercept the craft. The US has stepped in this situation acting as a mediator, but more then likely to help its close ally, Japan, but trying to reduce tensions between the two. Even though it may not seem like a concern for the US it is. By treaty the US is to come to the aid and defend Japan if it is attacked by any other nation. If it does escalate to war the US will be dragged in fighting with Japan, and the US is trying everything to not go to war with China.

China has found it self in more territorial disputes in the South China Sea over the Paracel islands and Spratly islands. This dispute isn't between just two nations but 4 other nations, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Vietnam. But why argue over these tiny islands. First natural resources are abundant near the islands and half the worlds merchants ship pass through this area. The US has interjected taking a stance that China's claim does not United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which outlines how far a nation can claim over the seas, but coincidentally the US is not a signer of the treat at all. Tensions are high between the nations, especially high between the Philippines, a close ally of the US and China. The Filippine President, Aquino, has publicly criticized China's expansion and has compared them to Nazi Germany's expansion into Czechoslovakia, which you can imagined did not go over well with China.

Going father in this year here is hope that Sout East and East Asia can solve or at least reduce the high tensions in the area. Looking through these disputes makes you wonder if it does escalate and if war could break out. 

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senkaku_Islands

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/20/world/asia/Territorial-Disputes-Involving-Japan.html?ref=territorialdisputes&_r=0

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1418122/beijing-considering-new-south-china-sea-air-defence-zone-says-japanese

http://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/12/how-a-tiny-island-chain-explains-the-china-japan-dispute/281995/

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/71374000/gif/_71374663_chunxiao_gas_624map.gif

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_disputes_in_the_South_China_Sea

http://pennpoliticalreview.org/wp-content/uploads/s.chiseaclaims.gif

http://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2013/10/27/south-china-sea/

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/02/08/scse-f08.html

Mexican Vigilantes

Near the ending of the January of this year Mexico's government legalized vigilante groups and integrated them into their police forces to help fight off drug cartels. The vigilantes or self defense groups have quickly mobilized since the government gave the okay. On the 8th hundreds of vigilantes, with the support of government troops and armored trucks occupied Apatzingan a city in the Mexican State of Michoacan. They have set up road blocks and have searched houses around the block looking for members and leaders of the drug cartel known as the Knights Templar. The government has stated that the self deference forces are in charge of the operations going on in Apatzingan. The vigilantes have already made some arrests in their crusade to get rid of the Knights Templar cartel.

If the vigilantes prove to be effective in the fight against the drug cartels, it will be interesting if other states in Mexico will legalize the formation of vigilante groups to fight the problem that has plagued the country in the recent years.

Source
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-26103464

Seven Wonders

World Wonders are impressive feats of construction and engineering that our ancestors built, and we are still in amazement today on how they were built.

The oldest and the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the Great Pyramid of Giza. A pyramid in southern Egypt was uncovered by archaeologist and uncovering of this ancient monument started back in 2010. The archaeologist found an old step pyramid that was built before the Great Pyramid of Giza, being older than the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and was built around 4600 years ago.

The archaeologist do not now what the purpose of the pyramid was and believe it is part of seven other pyramids found in the area that might have just served as monuments. The step pyramid is not in all of its glory now. When it was built it was around 43 feet tall or 13 meters, but now the pyramid only stands about
14.33 feet tall or 4.33 meters tall. It is amazing to find these monuments that are older than the Great Pyramid, even though a dwarf when compared to it, it still is an impressive feat.

Even more impressive is the fact the Great Pyramid is the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the only one still standing. The other six have been lost, destroyed or demolished. It is depressing to think that us today can only visit one of the wonders. for some you can see the foundations of them like the Temple of Artemis. But for one it is not known is the wonder ever existed. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are only recorded by ancient Greek writers and there are no records from ancient Babylon describing the gardens.

 On July 7th, 2007, a poll was released asking people what should be the new Seven Wonders of the World. The results were released. The new seven wonders became Christ the Redeemer Statue in Brazil, The Great Wall of China, The Colosseum of Rome, The Petra in Jordan, Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichén Itza in Mexico, and the Taj Mahal in India. These monuments like the Ancient Seven wonders bring the feelings of wonderment and awe when visited or even pictured.

But having only seven is a very arbitrary number. I understand why seven is chosen. Seven is traditionally a lucky number. There are many other wonders around the world that bring the same feelings of wonderment as did the new and old seven do. These wonders are not things that people come get together to decide it worthy of the title of wonder. It is all in what someone like me or you visiting these monuments and if they inspire us or make us wonder how is it that this was built or how people like us could accomplish this, then that is enough to give it the title of Wonder. The step pyramid found recently may not be tall as its cousin, but it still is impressive that thousands of years ago humans had the ability to construct that monument.

Sources
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/4600-year-old-step-pyramid-uncovered-in-egypt/
http://rt.com/news/ancient-step-pyramid-egypt-617/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/photogalleries/seven-wonders/

Scarlett Johansson, Palestine, and Israel

One of the commercials that will play during the Super Bowl will feature the famous actress Scarlett Johansson sponsoring SodaStream, a company that sells products that allow you to make your own soda at home. But who knew cause a boycott on SodaStream and opposition to Johansson herself.

Scarlett Johansson used to be an ambassador for Oxfam, an international humanitarian aid organization, but stepped down after she announced her relationship with SodaStream. The reason she stepped down was because of where SodaStream is based. SodaStream is an Israeli owned company and has a large factory located in the West Bank, land claimed by Palestine. Oxfam does not conduct business with Israeli settlements because of Israeli-Palestine conflict. Oxfam told Johansson to cut her relationship with the soda company, but instead Johansson cut her relationship with Oxfam, who she was an ambassador for. Johansson said she left because the two have a difference in opinion.

Now a boycott is happening against SodaStream, but the Palestinian workers who work at SodaStream support Scarlett Johansson's move to support SodaStream. For many of them it is the best job they can get paying well and the company providing free transportation, breakfast, and lunch. The workers say by supporting the boycott they will be hurting Palestinian workers.

Regardless, its fascinating how much an actress and soda company can cause so much controversy.

Sources
http://mondoweiss.net/2014/01/johansson-relationship-sodastream.html
http://www.680news.com/2014/01/29/scarlett-johansson-stepping-down-as-oxfam-ambassador-over-sodastream-deal/
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/2014/0130/Palestinian-workers-back-Scarlett-Johansson-s-opposition-to-SodaStream-boycott-video

Vigilantes Legal in Mexico

On January 27th the Mexican government legalized vigilante groups fighting drug cartels and on the same day the government announced that they captured one of the top leaders of the Knights Templar drug cartel, a cartel that vigilantes have been fighting with over a year. At the moment over 20,000 civilians have taken up arms against the cartels and they rose up last February in the Mexican state of Michoacan after the Knights Templar became a bigger threat to residents. When vigilantes rose up in Michoancan, the vigilantes told authorities that they would not lay down their arms until the Knights Templar were arrested.

The vigilantes have been given the term "self-defense forces" and will integrated into Rural Defense Corps. Before this law enforcement and military forces have worked and cooperated regularly with vigilante forces. These vigilantes are not the most law abiding citizens themselves. Many of the vigilantes own assault rifles which are illegal under Mexican law, but with the government legalizing vigilante forces, vigilantes will be able to keep their weapons as long as they and their members register them with the army. Many vigilante leaders are ready to make an agreement with government officials but are still not sure what the agreement will imply. 

It will be interesting how well the vigilante forces will do against the drug cartels. I have seen some fears others have pointed out. One is that Mexico's government is known for having corruption with in and that the wrong person could get a hold of the vigilante list and sell it to cartel leaders. But overall this another way Mexico has found to help deal with their fight with the drug cartels.

Source

http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-legalized-vigilantes-arrests-knights-templar-drug-cartel-2014-1

Puerto Rico Should be the 51st State

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States of America and as an unincorporated territory they handle all of their internal affairs, while the United States handles the foreign affairs, military, trade and law. The island was under rule of Spain since 1493, but was put under American rule in 1898 after Spain seceded the land after the end of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Rico now as unincorporated territory of the United States receive no voting rights in the federal government even though they all receive American citizenship. Puerto Rico should receive the status of statehood so that its citizens can receive the full benefits of American citizenship and stop being treated like second class citizens or gain complete independence.

Giving statehood to Puerto Rico would also be beneficial for Puerto Rico and the United States. Right now Puerto Rico cost $22 billion a year for the US government, but if it were to join the Union, it is predicted that the new state would generate an extra $2 billion a year. Puerto Rican statehood would also allow the creation of new jobs there, because of right now around 45% of the population lives under the poverty line. In 1917 the Federal government of the United States granted American citizenship to all the residents of Puerto Rico. Since 1952 Puerto Rico has been allowed to elect their own governor. Even though the people of the territory are American citizens and have their own governor, like any other state in the Union, the people are not allowed to vote in presidential elections. They also get no voting rights in the US congress and they have no voting members in the House or in the Senate. The people their have been American citizens for almost 100 years and yet they have little to no say in the Federal government. Puerto Ricans have also served in the United States military and have died in combat serving under its flag. It doesn't make sense to treat treat them as second class citizens, even though they are American citizens and have fought for the US military.

There are some difficulties to Puerto Rican statehood. The people of Puerto Rico are divided on what they want for the country. In the most recent poll 44.07% Puerto Ricans want to remain as a territory, while 44.4% want statehood. This is a very slim majority and Congress has agreed that they would only want to make Puerto Rico a state if it was a clear majority of the population who wanted it. People on both sides of the issue have concerns about what would happen if Puerto Rico became a state. In the US, or mostly congressmen and politicians are afraid that Puerto Rico gaining statehood would unbalance the political environment of the US because then they would have to compete for another state to win the vote in. Puerto Ricans also have their own concerns. If admitted into the Union Puerto Ricans would have to begin paying Federal taxes. There is also fear the Puerto Rico would loose its identity. If they became a state Puerto Rico would have to go under the US during the Olympics and the Miss Universe pageants, instead of going on their own, which they have done in the past. Puerto Ricans also fear that will loose touch with their Spanish heritage and culture if they gain statehood.

There are some real concerns people have about Puerto Rico becoming a state, but they can all be overcame. Puerto Ricans should not be worried about losing their cultural identity. There are many communities in the US that still keep ties too their cultural and heritage, while at the same time adopting things from other cultures. Puerto Rico gaining statehood could help Puerto Rican culture mix into American culture, because isn't that what the US is about, the mixing of multiple cultures.

In order to stop treating Puerto Ricans as second class citizens one of two things need to happen. One Puerto Rico becomes an independent nation that is separate from the United States, or two Puerto Rico takes the next step and becomes the 51st state to join the Union.

Sources

Gov of Puerto Rico - http://welcome.topuertorico.org/government.shtml

Puerto Rico Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico

Recent Statehood in favor poll - http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/195439-playing-with-the-numbers-to-push-puerto-rican-statehood - http://guardianlv.com/2013/05/puerto-rico-could-become-51st-state/

http://queenscourier.com/2010/pros-and-cons-of-statehood-for-puerto-rico-27144/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/statehood-remains-an-uneasy-question-for-puerto-ricans/2013/12/01/443c7c20-5acb-11e3-a49b-90a0e156254b_story

http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/the-stream/the-latest/2013/9/12/should-puerto-ricobecomethe51ststate.html

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/194994-make-puerto-rico-the-51st-state