So my Chair on the committee for my Master’s project is a real hard ass. This is actually good since there is no way he will let me get away with doing a mediocre job. Right now I’m using Stata (a statistical program) to merge data and create variables in order to get a good sense of what my data looks like. I’m getting progressively better at using Stata so I can format the data how I want it much faster than in the past.
It is nice to be back in school. I recently realized that I don’t have too many hobbies or at least ones that are somewhat productive. Maybe I’ve been going to school for too long. When I’m not in school I find myself constantly searching for things to do in my free time. I managed to read a couple books, study topics of interest and started writing a lot more. I guess that is something, but it really doesn’t give me the sense of accomplishment that school seems to. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I finish this semester. Go find a better job? Continue going to school? Both? While the prospect of finishing my degree is exciting, the thought of not going to school makes me a little sad. School gives me additional motivation that I seem to lack outside of it.
The rise in overt militarism and imperialism at the outset of the
twenty-first century can plausibly be attributed largely to attempts by the
dominant interests of the world economy to gain control over diminishing world
oil supplies.1 Beginning in 1998 a series of strategic energy initiatives were
launched in national security circles in the United States in response to: (1)
the crossing of the 50 percent threshold in U.S. importation of foreign oil; (2)
the disappearance of spare world oil production capacity; (3) concentration of
an increasing percentage of all remaining conventional oil resources in the
Persian Gulf; and (4) looming fears of peak oil.
The response of the vested interests to this world oil supply crisis was to
construct what Michael Klare in Blood and Oil has called a global
“strategy of maximum extraction.”2 This required that the United States as the
hegemonic power, with the backing of the other leading capitalist states, seek
to extend its control over world oil reserves with the object of boosting
production. Seen in this light, the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan (the
geopolitical doorway to Western access to Caspian Sea Basin oil and natural gas)
following the 9/11 attacks, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the rapid expansion of
U.S. military activities in the Gulf of Guinea in Africa (where Washington sees
itself as in competition with Beijing), and the increased threats now directed
at Iran and Venezuela—all signal the rise of a dangerous new era of energy
imperialism.
The huge increase in oil and other fuel prices over the last few years and a
concern that we have reached (or will soon reach) peak oil — after which oil
extraction begins to decrease — have created renewed interest in alternative
sources of energy. These include solar, wind, ocean wave and tidal flow,
geothermal, and biofuels. Sometimes lip service is given to the need for greater
energy efficiency, changes in lifestyles (including the ecologically irrational
over-reliance on automobiles and living far from one’s job), the need to
redesign economic activity from the factory floor to office buildings and homes,
and the need for affluent societies to move away from ever higher levels of
consumption. However, a radical analysis of actually putting these into effect
would lead to questioning the very basics of how capitalism works.
I'm sure the US government isn't thrilled, Obama included, who cares, fuck them
Top Salvadoran candidate would restore Cuba ties Associated Press
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- A leftist journalist favored by polls to win the presidency in El Salvador is vowing to reestablish relations with Cuba and tackle corruption.
Mauricio Funes said he would create jobs and give "preferential" treatment to the country's poor. He also promises to respect trade agreements and not end the dollarization of the economy despite some "negative impacts."
Funes presented his agenda Sunday at a convention of his Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, a guerrilla-group-turned-political-party.
His rival in the March 2009 election is Rodrigo Avila, a conservative, U.S.-trained engineer and two-time director of El Salvador's national police.
Avila's Arena party has controlled the presidency since 1989.I think ending Cuba's isolation is a critical step in bringing more progressive change while keeping the gains made through the Revolution. With the recent election of leftist president Fernando Lugo in Paraguay the US can't be to happy but as you can see I am. Oh and it gets better More Peruvians Favor Socialism Than Capitalism
The UN investigation has determined that there was compelling evidence of these deaths while the US military insists that 25 combatants and 5 non combatants were killed. Curious that they would know these numbers given US forces never actually entered the village.
Even if the US military does admit guilt it will be downplayed as an unfortunate mistake. You can’t bomb a village then pretend to be surprised when you kill a lot of people. The fact that the US military might say civilian deaths were unintentional is meaningless given that the tactics employed almost make it a certainty.
Would these deaths be acceptable to the American public if these were American lives? Of course not, but somehow we have convinced ourselves that these people lives are not as meaningful.
It is now 5:50 am and I have not been able to sleep. I am scheduled to get up in about 45 minutes. Looks like I am going to have to readjust my sleep schedule the hard way, through sleep deprivation.
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