As few may know yesterday was the tenth anniversary for the columbine shootings. Where two young men stormed the high school wounded 20, killed twelve students, and one teacher before killing themselves. April 20 1999 was a trying day for hundreds of students and families connected to the school. Sunday hundreds came back to the high school to remember those that were lost.Everyone knows about the stress that students of forms go through. There are many that bear the strain and get through, some who go up,down,back,and forth motivation wise; Then there are those that break down completely, and either get depressed beyond all help, or lash out inducing physical harm to themselves, or others. The truth of the matter is that some people are truly crazy. I understand how this may sound harsh or rude to some, but it must be said.
Many times post horrific tragedy, the authorities investigate why this happened. This so they can have a better understanding of the cycle people go through to reach murderous ends towards themselves and others. Well, in many of the investigations authorities find that there were slight hints and events that engaged thoughts of murder.
For instance look at the columbine incident, the two boys were caught by their parents .with explosives and gun barrel sights. The family found the video of them practicing right out in the open of one of the two boys. Another example, the Virginia Tech shooting, the man involved with that stopped talking to everyone, and sent a hate note to his own parents.
To me these are all obvious signs that something is wrong. The fact that no one saw these signs astonishes me. I feel horrible for the families wronged and all the victims of the events I speak of, but in truth I think that both instances could have been stopped preemptively.
There was a massive earth quake in the the region of L'Aquila which is a city next to Rome. Today a 6.5 quake spread destruction and terror around the whole area. Tremors earlier could be felt, and many came out to see what was happening, as they watched many of their own buildings and structure crumbling apart in front of them.
There are estimates of up to ninety people killed, as well as hundreds missing. Rescue workers and the army are making an effort to get all civilians to safe places. Many reporters called the procession of people in the sleep wear and blankets refugees, these people have been gathered and taken care of at the red cross stations set up all around the suburbs of L'Aquila.
Italy sits on two of tectonic plates that cause earth quakes, these are not unheard of, but usually occur in the southern part of Italy.
What are tectonic plates, you ask...
Tectonic plates are large masses of land that basically float on the lava, or core of the earth. They are in constant motion and follow a set pattern in movement. As plates move they some time release massive amounts of energy causing an earth quake. These quakes and plate movement are key reasons for volcanoes, mountains, and basically the structure of the planet's landscape.
A fault line, or plane is mainly where an earth quake can be expected to occur. These are the unsupported parts of earth on the plate, they can sometime break apart or sink in. In Italy many buildings were destroyed because of this.
The plates were once all together hundreds of thousands of years ago. These plates have been in motion since then. We have come to understand much about geology and how the earth works, but there is much we do not understand.
In Lahore today a police academy on the outskirts of the city was taken by terrorists.this is an officer of the elite armed forces of Pakistan, right after taking back a police academy.
In the early morning while many of the young cadets and officers did their morning drill.
Terrorist suspected to be involved with al-queada threw grenades and rushed in the small fortress.
Pakistani forces came to drive the terrorist out.After ten to fifteen minutes of speratic gun fire and helicopter support. the academy was retaken. This comes weeks after Obama's pledge to root out terrorist from their safe zones in Afghanistan, as well as in Pakistan. 
In this map(to the left) you can see where Lahore is as well as where the academy in question is. The space is more traveled than it looks. although it is very far from the city, many people use it to get back and forth from their villages.
Pakistan was made independent on the fifteenth of august, in 1947 by the British. You should know that the British had a monopoly of sorts on almost all of middle east. The reasons for this were oil, and quick travel to India and Australia. Pakistan was not made a country until after the second world war and the fall of the ottoman empire(an empire ruled by Turks and Kurds). Where it became a mandate state of Britain. Pakistan was added to Iraq and Kuwait. The Pakistani people were very empowered to make their own government and rules of state. The problem was that many of the British influences were made directly. Meaning there were "Brits"
in office actually ruling and making decisions, later they saw that this form of ruling would not work and started to appoint people from Pakistan to rule over their own people. The British still had an influence of indirect controlled because they were funding so much of Pakistan's economy and infrastructure.
Now the country of Pakistan is running its own semi- democracy with some monarchical traits. The U.S is involved in rooting out the terrorism and having Pakistan as a great ali.
In recent news we have heard of Obama getting some arguments and conflicts with Iran. Saying that the Iranians are tiered of the unman drones that come in and attack certain terrorist occupied areas. These drones are the new age of war fare. They can go as far as some maned jets can and destroy the enemy with no casualties. The air force as well as the navy and marines are using these new weapons to cause destruction and chaos in the enemies lines.
I have an interest in this technology because on of my friends is actually learning to fly and repair these machines of war. He has always been interested in this type of thing and I'm glad he is doing what he likes.
The Predator-qr is an awesome piece of equipment that can use the lower atmosphere orbit to stay in the sky up to three weeks. This allows our forces to take important pics and get enemy locations in seconds. With a small unmanned air craft in the air radar is virtually useless. Also the air craft is very quiet and small so hard to destroy , in the right hands can dish out a lot of trouble for the other side.
The reason I brought up Iran, because we are discussing about Iran in my history class. We were talking about the new and modern weapons that the Iranians had in 1975. The dangerous weapon of hostage taking. In 1975 the most unprecedented happened. Some Iranian students charged the American embassy and took all inside as hostages for four months. This was Americas first globally staged hostage situation.
The hostages were released and everything was resolved, but as we have seen and history has shown is that if you bring some new type of warfare to the equation you have a better chance at a better out come.
random sayings from onetruth......
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Yeah this week I really have absolutely have no idea what I'm going to write about. I mean really, I have no freaking clue. Have you ever had moments when you just totally space out, you have no what to do first so you get nothing done at all... Well I have that but it has lasted for three days, I bet it lasts the rest of the week too though.
When I get like this it is bad, cant finish work, nor can I effectively think or sleep. Its a real problem. I wonder if this will be a problem latter in life because if it is then my future boss is in for a horrible surprise.I mean if I get a week like this I most likely will be fired.
No I doubt that any of that will happen, I m just stalling so I can get this assignment done. Wow I haven't made any progress on this at all.
Oh... I got my camera fixed and had a new focal plane shutter put in. Its the shutter that sits right in front of the focal plane, or viewing area of the camera. With a focal plane shutter i am able to take a clear and pristine picture, my focus increases by twenty percent, and my camera is a little lighter.
I usually listen to the news on t.v. and hear about whats going on in our country and around the world. I would call what I see on the television the worst pack of P.R. lies, pro government propaganda. Aside from that I found that the Internet net has a little more truth. One of my favorite sources of news is NPR(National Public Radio). They have many interesting stories as well as a streaming feed of news talks and podcast from all over the world. Tuesday after class I found that I could become a border police deputy if I so chose.
Virtual border patrol... that's right the United States of America is calling for you, to sit at your computer and watch one of about eleven cameras all along the border. When, or if you actually see someone you are to report this by email to an office in Texas that goes and investigates the problem.
This is our new solution to protecting our borders. I would call it minor vigilantism, if that's a word. Basically the government has put the protection of our borders in the hand s of anyone who wants to help. Yes there are still, regular police who handle these matters, but now they can have more eyes on more of the popular crossing sites of our border.
(By clicking the link you hear the the short podcast on the NPR website. )
While listening to the guest who called din on the program I was amazed... and I do mean truly amazed when he said" I enjoys sitting at my computer for hours at a time after work (he's a truck driver mind you) I don't think that it is in any form being a vigilant, but I think that I am helping to protect my country's borders.
While I sat there, wondered if any one else would do this another guest was on (chief patrol officer), he said that they once got an email that stated... "hey mate we've been watching the border for ya from the pub." These people were watching our border in Australia!
There are a couple of people that think that this is a total waste of money and time; especially in the state our economy is in, we need to stop wasting it on this. I guess this has the potential to be a good resource, but there would need to be some form of training I would suggest.
Just having random people on the Internet looking when ever they want is just a waste if time and money that, and as of now we cant afford to be wasting either. Some of the people working as virtual patrols believe that they are making a difference. I think that they are doing something good for their country yes, but my question would be is this really what we want our citizens to be doing in their spare time.
What do you think about this situation and new form of patrolling our nations borders?
Matt Kelley, a student in my dorm says " I think that it is sort of a good thing, because those people could be out there doing things themselves. " I think that he made a legitimate statement
there are those who take extremes and would be out there with there own arms trying to do the right thing the wrong way.
All in all this is both a waste of time and money, but there are also a few benefits. some of the vigilantist can be occupied with something that will keep them out the way.
