AveryThrasher's blog

Well, I looked into a poll that was taken here in Nebraska, and here are the results:

What is the biggest issue facing the legislature?
Promoting business and growth  63.8%
School financing  26.8%
Budget shortfall  9.3%

Total votes: 611
 

Now, I really have to ask myself something.  Wouldn't financing the schools ultimately end up with the promotion and growth of businesses? I mean, the better educated as are as a society, the better our economic standings will be; it just makes sense doesn't it?

I was speaking with a friend of mine over MSN IM earlier today, when he asked me if I had seen the new GOP Political Ad that was going to be aired for the upcoming election. When I told him no, he gave me this link:

 http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=1FDF734B-7244-4D31-BAEA-EE84E842CBB3,3D95C810-E0AB-4A74-ACA4-43AF0A0DEC5A&t=s3&f=06/64&p=top_topnews&GT1=8618

To be honest, I really don't know what to put here, other than I completely agree with this campaign, and I think it is something worthwhile to check out.

"What is ONE?

ONE is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans – ONE by ONE – to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE is students and ministers, punk rockers and NASCAR moms, Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life, united as ONE to help make poverty history. ONE believes that allocating an additional ONE percent of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries. ONE also calls for debt cancellation, trade reform and anti–corruption measures in a comprehensive package to help Africa and the poorest nations beat AIDS and extreme poverty."

Something that has bugged me most of my life is why the US government tries to make life so hard for the poor, and so incredibly easy for the rich. I am going to use Education as an example, mostly because I believe most people here can relate to this example one way or another.

I have a friend whose parents recently got a divorce, which puts her in a hard place because she was about to start college, but instead of her parents helping her go through college, they used the money on the divorce. Her mother never worked; money was brought to her family by means of her father's job, which by most standards, was not a lot of money. Now she lives with her mother, and refuses to see her father and visa-versa. I am sure most people have seen this, gone through this, or knows someone that had these kinds of family issues. However, here comes the ticker:

This is clearly another example of where the US needs to learn from another country.

Germany has announced that three Universities in Southern Germany are to become 'Elite-Universities.' Those Universities are:

Munich University, Munich Technical University and Karlsruhe University.

Because of the new additions to the 'Elite-University' group, "the German federal and state governments plan to spend 1.9 billion euros ($2.3 billion). The elite universities would receive 13.5 million annually. Additionally, 40 graduate schools and 30 clusters of excellence are expected to receive funding." This will occur from now until the year 2011.

A well known British Army Chief says that the British should withdraw from Iraq as it is causing his country security problems, and making their international relations weaker.

 In the Daily Mail interview he said: “I think history will show that the planning for what happened after the initial successful war fighting phase was poor, probably based more on optimism than sound planning.”

I have to say that I am very proud to see this happening. This shows me that the United States and Germany are getting "closer" so to speak. Which is good for many things, especially economically. With Germany closer to us, other countries in the EU might lean towards us a little more as well. I am not saying they're not, but a little more would be nice.

My only real question now is, why not other countries? Don't get me wrong, I love Germany, and I will live there someday, but I'd like to see the United States become more friendly with other countries, and not just the ones we're already friendly with. Or at least strengthin our relationships with those countries that are starting to slip in diplomatic relations.

Ok, well I read an article about the number of wounded casualties in Iraq, and I have to say that I am rather disgusted, but at the same time, somewhat releaved (sp?).

 They're telling us that the total wounded is somewhere around 20,000 since the war first began. If you look back on history, this really isn't that much, especially when you compare it to things like WWI and WWII. However, I also have say that this number should be a lot smaller, as a matter of fact, there is no need for this number to even be here. If I remember right, this whole war began because of 9/11. However, didn't that lead us into Afghanistan, where Osama bin-laden supposedly was? So what are we doing in Iraq? Oh wait, don't tell me, I think I already know the answer to this one.