8.8 Earthquake Strikes Chile

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake has struck Chile today resulting in at least 82 deaths and counting.  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has declared parts of Chile including the capital Santiago as in a "state of catastrophe".

In addition to the destruction that the earthquake has ravaged in Chile it is also the cause of a massive tsunami that has warranted warning is Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Central America, and Pacific island nations.

To put the strength of this earthquake in perspective we need to know that the earthquake that devastated Haiti a little over a month ago was only a category 7.0.  This one is nearly a category 9.0.

For more info on the earthquake visit the BBC.

Update on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 5:24PM by Barrett Holmes Pitner

The death toll has risen to above 200.

Honduras Has A New President?

Today Honduras has elected Porfirio Lobo to be their next president, yet that is only the start.  President-elect Lobo will be Honduras' first president after Manuel Zelaya who was ousted in a coup d'etat back in June of this year, and now many countries do not recognize Mr. Lobo as the next President of Honduras.  Most Latin American countries including Brazil do not recognize this election since they feel it took place after an unjust coup and therefore is null and void.  The United States on the other hand recognizes Porfirio Lobo since he won through a democratic process.  I can see both sides of this argument, but there is more to this than that.

On the one hand it is hard it makes sense for a country to disapprove of another country's military coup.  Yes, former Honduran President Manuel Zeyala attempted to amend the constitution in ways that many Hondurans disapproved of, he wanted to end the constitutional limitation on presidential term limits, but supporting coups can be risky.  It could foster a support for instability in the government, and could lead their own citizens or military to act in a similar fashion.  Most countries would not approve of this action despite how much the Hondurans wanted it.  However, if you are against coups then you should be for democratic elections.  Most democracies support democratic elections, yet ones that follow coups.  That is different.  However, all that matters is how Honduras feels about their new President.

Hondurans love him, and they love that America approves of him too.  See Honduras is a very poor country who sends most of its exports to the United States.  Additionally, the money sent back to families from the 1 million Hondurans residing in the United States is a valuable source of funds.  No other Latin American country has a comparable influence in Honduras to that of the United States.  Thus their disapproval only matters to them, so I hope that they like it.  America hates coups and loves democratic elections, and Honduras and their President-elect approves.

Go State Department

To learn more about the coup d'etat go HERE.

To learn more about the democratic elections go HERE.

The Sunday Sir - Leadership

This week was about leadership.  Leadership arriving and leaving.  Leadership being admired, appreciated, and respected.  Leadership being hoped and fought for, and leadership being questioned.  People across world spoke of leadership this week.  The discussion of leadership must start at home first.

Monday marked the day of Al Franken's official swearing in as a United States Senator, and I found this fitting.  No more than a couple of days after Sarah Palin quit as Governor of Alaska the Democrats earn a filibuster proof majority in the Senate.  I know that neither one of these truly effect each other, but it appeared as a changing of the guard in my eyes.  The Republican's had an individual who they buttressed up and placed on the national stage with the hope that she could energize their faltering party who could not take the heat, so she left the kitchen.  The idea of Sarah Palin was much greater than the actual Sarah Palin, and we have all seen that.  Al Franken on the other hand could not be more of the opposite.  The idea of Al Franken is far less than the actual Al Franken.  People attempt to ridicule him as merely a comedian, yet he is obviously much more than that.  If you had any doubt of that you must have overlooked the fact that he defeated an incumbent Senator in one of the most contested elections in modern history only to emerge as a proper Senator.  I must say the notion that anyone seriously thought that Sarah Palin could adequately serve as Vice President of the United States is now laughable to a degree beyond anything Al Franken has written in his entire life.  Now we all need to assess who is the comedian.  

Internationally, we American's need to be proud that we have a much envied President.  A President who many countries would in a heartbeat would gladly swap for their own.  First the President visited Russia and quickly reached a miraculous agreement with Russian President Medvedev to reduce both countires nuclear stockpiles.  At this point, the strength of Obama's diplomatic and foreign policy skills were on full display and ready for the G8 summit being hosted Italy's controversial President Silvio Berlusconi.  President Obama's first major visit to Europe a month ago served as an introduction.  It was a chance to charm, impresses, and allow for authority to grow.  This trip however was all about authority, and he impressed in doing so.  When the European public witnessed the young, vibrant and intelligent American President on this occasion many wished he was their president.  Italian's would have quickly swapped him for their philandering, billionaire President with a year around tan.  The British appear to already want to exchange the dour Gordon Brown for someone else, so President Obama could be ideal.  The German's appear to be growing tired of their scientist Chancellor Angela Merkel.  The French have even developed a love affair, only rivaled by their addiction to the Kennedy Family, to the Obama's that pushes their own Sarkozy-Bruni family out of the limelight.  In Europe our President was the envy of all nations, yet I doubt he gets the same admiration domestically.  This is something worth noting.  Eventually he left Europe, but not after the leaders of the G8 agreed to reduce carbon emissions to decrease the affects of global warming.

After Europe President Obama then made his first Sub-Saharan Africa visit when he visited Ghana, and he received a heros welcome.  All of Africa clamored to catch a glimpse of the first African-American President of the Untied States.  The prodigal son came home, and he knew that this is where he came from.  He may have gone away under horrific circumstances, and while he was gone he struggled but eventually he carved a place that he could call his own.  No one was his master.  No one could dictate what he could do with his life.  He was a man.  He was a proud man with a great family who never forgot where we came from.  The life he had built was a good one, and he still had work to complete in his new life, but he knew at some point he must come home so that his family could see him.  That is what President Obama did and that is why this was so important.  When he said he has "African blood running through him" he meant it.  It is true and need not be forgotten.  He took his family along and the toured fortresses that were part of the slave trade.  He spoke to the Ghanaian parliament and declared that Africa must stop their corruption if they want to improve.  Homecomings do not need to be only hugs and celebration.  Sometimes harsh words need to be spoken in a cordial manner, and this is a sign of good diplomacy.  Eventually, America's President returned home as the envy of the world.  This is the leadership that I enjoy.

However, when one ventures out into the world despite all the good that may occur you would be insane to ignore the bad, the different, or the fascinating.  Thus this Sunday Sir cannot be just about America.  That would go against the goal of proper international diplomacy.  Despite the fervor that surrounds President Obama and the improving example of leadership that he is we must not ignore those going through a transition.  Honduras is still going through the aftershocks of their coup d'etat, and the international community remains undecided about how they stand.  Countries obviously cannot support military coups, but they equally should not support amendments to constitutions that could allow dictatorships to form.  This is a tough call, yet we all hope for a more peaceful outcome.  At the same time, Iran remains in a constant struggle between the people and the government.  No one knows what the future will bring, but we all know neither side will go away without a fight.  China recently had a riot that erupted from tensions between their ethnic muslim minority of Uighur residents and the majority Han residents.  In all over 157 people were killed in the fighting.  137 of those killed were Han, and 46 were Uighur.  All of this stemmed from the death of two Uighur workers in a toy factor after an altercation between Hans and Uighurs.  Lastly, but certainly not least, Kim Jong-il of North Korea according to reports coming out of South Korea and China is suffering from pancreatic cancer and is very ill.  Very soon North Korea may have another Supreme Leader.

These foreign and domestic events are all about leadership in the present.  President Obama attempts to lead the world.  The Democrats attempt to lead America.  The Hondurans attempt to define and contain their leadership.  The Iranians similarly fight to have more control over their leadership.  That fight may eventually result in a change of leadership.  Only time will tell.  The Uighurs of China fight to gain some significance or influence with their leadership.  The frustration may have been poorly placed or lacking structure, but it is there for all to see.  Hopefully, the Chinese government may take notice.  The government needs to fear their own people to a certain degree.  I do not know if the Chinese do.  North Korea hopes to have more of the same leadership, but the world wonders what this new leader will bring.

I will end this Sunday Sir with a mention of leadership past and present.  Attorney General Eric Holder is considering appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the Bush Administration's torture practices.  President Obama does not support this according to most reports, but he must support his Attorney General.  He must allow him to do his job.  The next couple of weeks will show if President Obama's knack for leadership internationally can be equally applied domestically.

That was the week that was and this was your The Sunday Sir

The Sunday Sir - Dizzying Days

This week in news made my head spin. More things occurred than one could count, yet it was nearly impossible to say one was more important than the others. Here is a quick rundown of the week that was.

Bernie Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison. The United States started withdrawing troops from Iraq, and the Iraqis celebrated. The Obama administration launched its first real military foray by sending troops into Taliban infested parts of Afghanistan. Al Franken was declared the winner in the Minnesota senate race. There was a coup d'etat in Honduras. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad still maintains the legitimacy of his victory in Iran, and the protests still continue. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited Burma. Sarah Palin resigned. Roger Federer won Wimbledon. President Obama is visiting Russia and meeting with President Medvedev.

That was a week of much news, and for most part all the events are fairly interconnected. All the events except the celebrity ones, Sarah Palin and Roger Federer, have a similar theme. They are trying to establish more freedoms for others. They are all democratic news, and not headline catching, sensational news stories. I do not think this is common.

Bernie Madoff going to jail should aid in the likelihood that everyday citizens can invest without being cheated out of thousands of dollars. Troops need to leave Iraq to see if the country can survive on its own. Democracy is an internal struggle that each country must do one their own. America's failed policy of promoting democracy with the barrel of a gun must be aborted so troops need to leave Iraq, and the Iraqis need to struggle to make their country how they want it to be. At the same time, America has a policy fighting terrorists, so we need to ensure that the Taliban does not increase their influence in Afghanistan. Thus we need to fight them. This is in the best interest of America and the Middle East, a Middle East that all can see is growing tired of being under the rule of dictators and religion. The Middle East appears far more inclined to fight for democracy now than ever before, so I find it appropriate that America's democracy took a positive step by confirming Al Franken the winner in Minnesota. Regardless of whether you like Al Franken, you must appreciate that in this situation votes count for more than money and lawyers. Al Franken did not win by much, but if you believe that every vote counts then you do not need to win by much to win. This is good for America.

In Honduras their coup has received great disapproval throughout the world, but I am not sure how I stand on this situation. Yes the military overthrew the President, but that President was also trying to amend the constitution in a manner that had received widespread disapproval. This may not have been the ideal answer to their problem, but hindsight is 20/20. I can understand way most countries do not approve of this act, but their reasoning I suspect is based more on their own interests instead of those of Honduras. Basically, it would be unwise of other countries to support the forceful change of government of one country considering that it may eventually provide a similar impetus to its own citizens. Especially, if you consider that the coup d'etat was cause by a proposed piece of legislation. (Honduras deserved its own paragraph.)

Ban Ki-moon visited Burma and a bunch of nothing happened, but at least he got in the country and got out without any major issues. If would have been nice if the ruling military junta allowed him to see Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition who has been under house arrest for numerous years, but no one should be surprised that he was not allowed to see her.

Overall, there appears to be something in the air right now that is worth fighting for.  Much work needs to be done around the world, and while everyone may not be perfect in their actions at least they are trying to increase the freedoms of others and the stability of democracy.  At least the events of this week were newsworthy.

I know I probably left off some other important events of the week, but frankly my head is still spinning.

This was your Sunday Sir.

The Sunday Sir - What is News?

This week was very eventful, but eventful in many not connected ways. The week could have been focused mostly on Iran, yet Iran fell to the background this week. First Mark Sanford disappeared and then reappeared crying with an Argentine mistress. That was going to be the news story of the week, and I was dreading it. Someone's private life is just not important enough for me to talk about for more than a day. However, due to the tragic deaths of Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson the news took another turn. Mark Sanford became a relative nobody again, and the news shifted. Despite the careers and the love that these people generated, and this might be cruel, but I do not want them to take up my entire week. I already own Off the Wall and Thriller and I do not feel the need to find out what we already knew. Michael Jackson was a genius and crazy. I got it. Yet the week was not done. The House of Representatives passed a very important bill concerning climate change. Honduras had a coup d'etat and threw out their President, and Iran still fought for their freedom. All of this news, made me wonder what is news or what should get priority in our news.

I, for example, posted almost exclusively about the events in Iran a week ago because I felt its importance. The importance of the issue is not solely based on a dislike of the present government, but instead out of respect and admiration of the protesters. They are fighting for an advanced level of freedom of expression and an increased degree of influence over their surroundings. This can be obtained through a more democratic society. This is a struggle everyone can relate to. This is a fight that everyone should be able to understand, and be able to learn from to hopefully improve their lives. I feel this is newsworthy. However, I did not blog much about this event during the week. I felt I needed a little break, I needed something nice and light. That may not be ideal, and that may not be newsworthy, but that was part of my week. This need for a break should not be something the mainstream news requires. That happened this week.

Mark Sanford's infidelity should not be news. We may not want to admit this fact, but infidelity happens everyday. The fact that it happened to someone who opposed adultery on a national stage is just sad and funny, but not news. People make this news because for the most part the Republican Party advocates "family values" issues, and therefore advocates making private personal issues public issues, so that everyone can be subjected to ridicule in public on top of all of their conflicting emotions. I have grown past pointing my finger at someone and laughing at them. I was told that it was wrong at a very young age, and that I should be able to find better things to spend my time with. I chose to follow this advice. Additionally, to make this lack of news even less important we all must consider that the Republican Party has little to no influence over the government at this point. If they have little influence, why should we care about the mistakes of the powerless? This story was a waste of time.

Secondly, the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson were both sad, and should be reported on, but in this country we have an abundance of television. Shouldn't the E! channel be allowed the responsibility of reporting this news? These are stories about entertainment and not pertinence. They need to be placed in the proper categories. I could careless about what they find out from Michael Jackson's autopsy report. Most likely it will be something unexpected. Throughout his life you never knew what to expect out of Michael Jackson, and I doubt the element of surprise will end now.

The most important issue of the week could turn out to be the House's passing of an important Climate Change bill. This is an issue that should not be left for the margins. The issue of how human beings find ways to generate energy, yet still allow for clean air to breath should be one of the most pressing issues of the day. People need energy, and clean air to breath much more than they need to hear about a scandalous affair or purchase three copies of an album they already have. You can read more about the bill HERE. The bill still has to pass through the Senate and be approved by the President to become law, but this is a good first step.

Honduras this week should have made more headlines after its coup, but at least it was not totally ignored. Over the weekend Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was forced out of office by the military and exiled to Costa Rica after he proposed a referendum to amend the constitution to allow for the president to serve beyond the currently established non-renewable four-year term. Honduras' Supreme court said the referendum was illegal. Additionally, the majority of the Congress and the military opposed this plan, so the military instead removed him from office before the votes could be cast.  Roberto Micheletti is the new interim President.  This should be nearly as newsworthy as the events unfolding in Iran.  These are two groups of people fighting over how they would like to be governed instead of focusing on how they would like to be entertained.

Entertainment is the issue at hand, and this invades the news.  We care about stuff that we can have no control over.  We decide to care about someone's marriage when we find out it is having problems.  We decide to care about someone's career when it is no longer possible for them to have one, yet we push to the margins the issues that can have an influence over our lives.  Iran was not the main topic of the week, yet it should be in everyone's mind.  We can learn about our democracy by watching people fight for theirs.  This lesson on spreading democracy could easily be applied to our failed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We ignore how Honduras overthrew the President because they felt he was extending his range of power to a degree they were not comfortable with, yet we can allow for the Bush Administration to break the law and then question whether they should be prosecuted.  We, the people and the news, can quickly overlook the importance of the environment despite if being our source for life, and if done right our economic freedom and security, for the opportunity to read some gossip or point the finger.  Additionally, we have made very little progress with regards to national healthcare and this literally is a life or death issue.  This week left me disappointed.  

This week the news gave people what they feel the people wanted, and not what the people needed.  If I only wanted to watch what I want, then I would never look at TV and would spend most of the day watching DVDs.  The news needs to be better than what it was this week.  Otherwise it is just gossip.

This was your Sunday Sir and I hope it was newsworthy.