The Diamonds of War

According to Al Jazeera, many dictators and warlords have taken advantage of the numerous diamonds to fuel their own avarice and greed. Their actions have caused civil wars and the abuse of human rights. Many of the mining expeditions to find such "blood diamonds" are located in Africa, as that is the locations of many unmined diamonds. The mining of diamonds in Africa has been used by corrupt governments to cover up the very corruption that had created the diamond trade in the first place. Conflict had and continues to erupt due to these very diamonds, no matter how minuscule they may be. This conflict is most known around the world in the West African country of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is a country that is abundant in natural resources, such as diamonds. From 1992 to 2002, Sierra had lain in the middle of a civil war. However, the war had been ended by Britain and the United Nations. Although, before actions were taken by such characters, approximately 17,000 foreign contractors, or soldiers for hire (for lack of a better term), went to the country to take part in the conflict and to play a role in the illegal diamond trade. Most did not care about laws when they received massive amounts of cash for their jobs of protecting the mining operations or other contracts they were given. The civil war in Sierra Leone was mainly funded by the trade and sale of "blood diamonds." To be honest, most African civil conflicts are funded by such objects. Sadly, no matter what laws and regulations are placed on the trade and passing of "blood diamonds," such beautifully devastating pieces of jewelry will continue to circulate. This truth was unfortunately demonstrated when Sierra Leone had placed laws on their diamonds, yet they still made their way out of the country and into numerous other countries, including the United States.



How "blood diamonds" are found in Sierra Leone.

Vigilantism Gone Terribly Wrong





A concealed carry holster under a jacket, similar to how
Clarence Daniels carried his handgun.

According to FoxNews, a man in Florida by the name of Michael Foster had seen another man enter Walmart with a handgun holstered underneath a coat. Foster proceeded to act in a manner that he thought would be heroic, but instead, he ended up being a fool. Foster followed the man inside the store where he commenced to tackle the man with the holstered firearm. While doing this, he was yelling, "He has a gun!" After the 62-year-old man named Clarence Daniels found himself on the ground, he repeatedly stated that he owned a concealed carry permit, legally allowing him to carry that firearm around public places in Florida. However, Michael Foster refused to listen, instead deciding it would be better to wait for Sheriffs to arrive. When Sheriffs arrived, however, Foster did not receive the result he had expected. Daniels was found to be carrying a permit that allowed him to legally carry the firearm, which in turn made Foster a criminal due to the fact that he had committed battery against a legal citizen. This entire situation could have been avoided had Michael Foster known of Florida's law which allows citizens to kill in the act of self defense without originally trying to flee from their assailant. The bill is called the "Stand Your Ground" law. Many critics stated that the law would create an all new "Wild West" in modern day. However, from the time the bill was passed in 2005 to today, everyday life in Florida and other states that have passed the law, have changed very little if at all. Actually, the critics' concerns were truly misplaced, as the crime rate in Florida after 2005 had dropped by 23 percent since the law was passed. Now, had Michael Foster known about Florida's pro-gun laws and the ability to carry a firearm, instead of being influenced by today's media, then Foster would not have been arrested and Daniels would not have gotten tackled. Am I the only one who just loves the pure idiocy of those who are not knowledgeable of firearm rights.



I could not agree more. More people should "Stand their ground"

"The Piano Man" Still Going Strong





Billy Joel today

According to USAtoday, Billy Joel had received two new awards for his music last year. At the age of 65, he had stated his sincere gratitude towards the rewards, but in a joking way, saying, "I'm starting to suspect that I have some kind of terminal disease. They keep giving me all these awards, and I'm thinking, 'Are you trying to tell me something I don't know?' I mean, I'm 65 — I'm supposed to be irrelevant. I keep trying to have a dignified exit, and getting pulled back in." The rewards he received were the ASCAP Centennial Award from New York's Waldorf Astoria and the Library of Congress' Gershwin Prize in Washington D.C.'s DAR Constitutional Hall. Of course, Mr. Joel does know he is getting up in age, however. He admits "[He] was a lot better when [he] was younger," but he will continue to perform "as long as there is a demand" and if he personally believes he is good. However, "The Piano Man" did have his fair share of mistakes throughout his career. As many famous and rich celebrities do, Joel had found himself performing substance abuse. After crashing his vehicle, he had decided to receive help from a rehabilitation center for substance abuse as a Father's Day gift to his daughter, Alexa, who was 16-years-old at the time. After a 10-day stay at the center, he had left the facility. Gladly, Billy Joel did not seem to stay on the path to self-destruction with drugs or alcohol and therefore we get to receive great music from an amazing artist that can actually make me enjoy the piano in a rock song.

Billy Joel's younger years

Apparently Schools Think Cans are as Effective as Firearms

According to Al Jazeera, due to the recent shooting of Sandy Hook, numerous schools have taken a great interest in the security of their students. One school in the state of Alabama had stated that, if the situation of a shooter or other harmful individual had intruded school grounds, students should attempt to disorient or even incapacitate the attacker with canned foods. Yes, you read that right, canned food. This decision has led many parents to become angry with the school, as they do not wish for their child to fight a harmful individual, they would much rather have them run and hide. However, the school assures the parents that they only wish to train the children if they should become backed into a corner with all their options exhausted, otherwise, they should attempt to run and hide. Many psychiatrists have stated that the training of children in the use of force against an attacker may cause trauma to the children's mental states. They also believe that the amount of metal detectors and other various security measures set in place at numerous schools create a sense of fear in students. Well, fear can also be created by a shooter, so I would rather have security in place. Of course, I would much rather have that security and teachers with firearms, just as many schools have put in place, one school in particular is Fairview School in West Plains, Missouri. In Fairview School, teachers have been trained to carry handguns concealed into their classes. This has been done so that the firearms can be drawn upon in case of an emergency, similar to the one faced by those in the Sandy Hook school, but of course, the situation would be very different since these teachers can defend themselves and their students. Now, I am only on board with this as long as the teachers that participate go through extensive training, a background check, and visit the range or tactical shooting classes regularly. I would definitely feel a lot safer in a school with armed teachers, that is for sure.

This is why firearms are necessary in schools.

The Death of a King

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz

According to BBC, the Saudi Arabian king, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, had passed away due to lung infection. Shortly before his death was announced, televisions throughout Saudi Arabia were changed involuntarily to Koranic verses, which are used to identify the death of a senior royal. Abdullah was 90 when he passed away. His 79 year old brother, Salman, had taken on his responsibilities when he was ill. However, now that Abdullah has passed on, Salman will take 100 percent of the responsibilities of the country of Saudi Arabia. Abdullah actually seemed like a decent man, as he was a reformer who believed that women should be allowed to have careers and government criticism should also be allowed. Abdullah was also the main authority in the corporation known as OPEC and he had even gone so far as to aid the United States in their conflict against Al Qaeda. Both President Barack Obama and former President George H. W. Bush stated their condolences to the country and to the family of the king. However, the fact that Abdullah passed away on a Friday, an Islamic Sabbath, is viewed as "a good omen" to many of those that live in Saudi Arabia. It can only be hoped that the new king is as good as Abdullah sounded.

The New Bonnie and Clyde

Dalton Hayes and his girlfriend, Cheyenne Phillips

According to BBC, a Kentucky couple, Dalton Hayes, 18, and Cheyenne Phillips, 13, had been captured and arrested by police in Panama City Beach, Florida. The two had allegedly committed crimes of burglary, theft, and criminal trespassing after disappearing from their homes and escaping custody in numerous states. While attempting to evade police, the two slept in a stolen pickup truck, among other vehicles that had been stolen. The two claim to have been deeply in love with each other, even though Dalton Hayes had not learned of Cheyenne Phillips' true age, instead thinking she was 19 until they began to know each other more. But at that point, "he was already done in love with her" according to the boyfriend's mother. When the two were caught and brought to court, however, I wonder if that love was tested, as Hayes had to face an adult court, while his girlfriend only had to stand in front of a juvenile court. Also, to avoid formal extradition processes, Hayes had said, "I'll sign the papers so I can go back to Kentucky." After a two week "crime-spree," it appears that the two will return back to their home state and face their sentences in my personal favorite state of this great country. The two are being likened to the legendary and infamous Bonnie and Clyde. However, if I may state a truth, the two are truly nothing like Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Bonnie and Clyde were legends in the world of crime and forever will be. That aside, I am glad that the couple was caught and their crimes did not turn violent, as many people seem to be turning to these days.





The real Bonnie and Clyde

Harley-Davidson: The True American Motorcycle

According to USAtoday, the shares in the classic motorcycle company, Harley-Davidson, were much greater than expected in 2014. The company's shares had a quarterly increase of 19% from last year and a 7.5% increase in midday trading. Also, the company had planned on exporting approximately 284,000 "HOGs" overseas, which was a 9% increase from the previous year. I bet the original founders never expected their company to become this large when they were inside a 10x15 foot shack in 1903. However, in the year 2009, the company was not so lucky when it came to sales. In 2009, profit had been down 91% compared to the previous year. The year 2008 had seen a profit of 228 million dollars, while 2009 had only a profit of 19.8 million dollars. Due to this major plummet in sales, Harley-Davidson had cut approximately 1,000 jobs from the line of manufacturing America's classic motorcycles. Also, along with the plummet in profit, there was also a great decline in shipments of the motorcycles in 2009. Only 212,000 to 228,000 motorcycles were expected to be shipped out, as opposed to 303,479 motorcycles that had been shipped out in 2008. However, the company is playing another gamble in recent years. Harley-Davidson is planning on manufacturing electric motorcycles to their line-up of bikes. Harley is planning on taking a number of riders on a 30-city ride. The company will take the information received by the ride to craft their electric bike. I personally do not understand Harley-Davidson's interest in electric motorcycles, as the image of Harley is a rumbling, all metal, icon of American freedom. No matter what path Harley-Davidson decides to take, however, I will always love the Sportster and most other motorcycles by America's classic motorcycle company.

Harley's new electric motorcycle

The Attack on Paris: Free Speech was Crushed That Day

Cherif and Said Kouachi: The Murderers of Paris's Free Speech

According to Al Jazeera, the anger that caused the attacks on the French magazine publisher, Charlie Hebdo, killing 17 people, had pre-existed the issue where the cartoon of Muhammad had been in circulation. Due to the United States invading the country of Iraq in the year 2003, the two brothers that are suspects, Cherif and Said Kouachi, felt as if Westerners were attacking Muslims. However, when Charlie Hebdo published the cartoon, the two felt that their previous feelings were affirmed and that they must fight back. During the U.S. fighting in Iraq, Cherif had attempted to join the fight against America and its allies, but was caught and imprisoned. After this incident, his older brother, Said, had attended training sessions from Al Qaeda in the country of Yemen. Cherif had attempted to break out of prison in 2010, but was unsuccessful and was given life in prison after the action. Also, due to the attacks in Paris, many other European countries are on alert. The country of Belgium has posted a number of soldiers to protect Jewish civilians and locations that pose a great deal of importance. Other countries, such as Britain and Italy, have attempted to protect against anti-Semitism and even expelled nine jihadis out of the country. In the midst of all of this mass hysteria, France continues to search for suspects in the attacks. The country's police had recently released three female suspects, while retaining nine others in custody. There have been violent protests throughout various Muslim countries due to the continuation of the Charlie Hebdo's anti-Muslim cartoons. The Kouachi brothers had been killed by police and later were buried in secret places in France. The need for secret graves is so radicals do not create a shrine out of their graves. It just saddens me to see people slaughtered with no way to protect themselves. I only wish that the "good-guys" had a firearm that could have been used to defend themselves, but instead France is a gun control "utopia," so the mad men get a free shooting ground until the police arrive. The only things that people had to shoot the attackers with were their cameras, and that sickens me. I am sorry to say, but taking guns away does not take the guns out of the hands of the criminal, only the law-abiding citizen, and that is demonstrated here perfectly. The black market just made the Kouachi brothers two very happy murderers, but had the people of Charlie Hebdo and on the rooftops filming the whole thing had firearms to defend themselves, the situation would have been entirely different.

I could not have said it better myself Mr. Noir.

Police Body Cameras: Can't Police Do Their Job Anymore?

According to USAtoday, the city of Los Angeles had purchased 7,000 body cameras for police officers to wear. The cameras were purchased after the events that took place in the city of Ferguson, Missouri. Due to the actions to prevent more "police brutality," $1.5 million were donated and grants had been raised by the Police Commission for the cameras. Los Angeles' city council member Mitchell Englander wishes for LA to be the first city with every police officer to possess a body camera. Many advocates say that body cameras will deter criminal acts, as everything is recorded and there is no disputing what truly happened at the event. However, a single camera can cost from $100-$1000, causing a major cost to police departments and states. This appears to be a serious issue, at least in my eyes. Also, many pro-body camera individuals turn to the incident of when a police officer had to open fire upon a woman wielding a knife. His body camera gave him an edge in the case to see if the shooting was justified or not. Many cities also state that claims of force against police have declined since the use of body cameras has been implemented. Deputy Chief James Brook of Maryland had said that the public awareness was the biggest reason why. To be honest, I do not know how I feel about body cameras, as I feel that police should be able to do their jobs without any interference or worry of public perception and the cost is always a concern, but I also understand the usefulness of such devices. Only time will tell how such body cameras will affect police in the future.



Eye glass style of police camera.

Johnny Cash: The Man in Black

According to USAtoday, in the year 2013, Johnny Cash had been inducted into the second Memphis Music Hall of Fame. Along with the legendary "Man in Black," other music legends such as Albert King, Carla Thomas, the Memphis Jug Band, Kay Starr, The Bar-Kays, Phineas Newborn Jr., and six others had all been inducted. Johnny Cash had actually been a proponent for prisoners' rights during his lifetime. When he was a radio operator in the Air Force, Cash had watched the watched the film "Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison." This film had caused him to become inspired to compose his extremely popular song "Folsom Prison Blues." Johnny Cash became known for his concerts that he had played inside prisons. His biggest two being in Folsom Prison and San Quentin. However, he had played in prisons across the country. Ironically, and slightly funny, is why prisoners were so attracted to Johnny Cash and his music. A common misconception was that Cash had been a prisoner himself, but he had only been arrested for such acts as drunken stupor. Although, he did not do very much to let people know that he had not been a prisoner, aiding in his "tough guy" image. This image had stayed with him throughout his life, mostly in his music. His music had reached great levels of success, with "Folsom Prison Blues" reaching number four on the country charts in 1956 and his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" receiving an award from the MTV Video Music Awards. Johnny Cash was a man of legend and will go down in history as such. His music was played by my father to me and will most certainly be played by me to my children in the future.

US Gun Raffles: What is the Issue, Honestly?



The Ruger SR-556 the had been raffled by the Police Chiefs.

 According to CBSnews, many different groups of individuals will raise money for their organization by raffling off collections of firearms. A Ruger SR-556 piston operated AR-15 platform rifle was raffled off, along with other various firearms every day in May of 2013, by the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police. A hockey team by the name of West Fargo's Youth Hockey Association had even raffled off 200 different firearms, including handguns, shotguns, semi-automatic rifles, and various other firearms, and an ATV the month after. While many people may see these raffles as a simple means to make money, there were many anti-gunners that viewed the situation in a completely different manner. One anti-gunner by the name of John Rosenthal had claimed that the raffles were "insane" and "criminally irresponsible." What Rosenthal fails to see is that these are not the only raffles where firearms are obtained, plus, all winners must receive a background check before being rewarded their prize. In Indiana, a man by the name of Steve Wagner had been running for Sheriff in Hendricks County. To promote himself, he had raffled off five shotguns, four being pump-action and one being an over-and-under double barrel. The winners were all responsible firearms owners and all received a background check. I personally do not find an issue with a raffle for firearms, as all safety precautions were met. Anti-gunners just need to back off firearms, since more people are killed by motorized vehicles than firearms every day, yet I still do not see any "assault car" bans.

The information left out by the media. Just thought I would add that in.







The Gun Show Loophole: Just Another Anti-Gun Lie

According to Al Jazeera, the firearm that was used to kill the two Brooklyn police officers by the man named Ismaaiyl Brinsley was purchased by another person and given to him, which is known as a straw purchase, and is illegal. Brinsley had been convicted of numerous felonies, which banned him from purchasing a firearm legally. Also, firearms can be purchased through what has become known to anti-gunners as the "private sale loophole." This "loophole" does not require a background check when purchasing a firearm from another private individual, unless in New York state. California has banned this act of private sales. All other states permit this action, however. One major argument that almost all anti-gunners make is the "gun show loophole" statement. According to them, anyone can walk into a gun show and purchase a firearm without a background check. What most people do not realize, though, is that gun shows contain both private sellers and licensed firearms dealers. All licensed dealers must perform background checks, just as they would any other day. It is the private sellers that use their own consciences on whether or not to perform a background check. So the whole "gun show loophole" saying is just another lie that anti-gunners like to use to make firearms purchasers look despicable and evil. Oddly enough, people who wish to ban all firearms (Diane Feinstein, I am talking to you), do not seem to realize that criminals will obtain firearms no matter what. More gun control will only limit the ability for the law abiding citizen to protect themselves, while the criminal gets a free shooting gallery until the police arrive. I do not know about you, but I would much rather carry fifteen rounds of .45 than wait 15 minutes for the police to arrive and stop the criminal because I did not have a firearm with me.

The "gun show loophole" summed up in about

three minutes by the awesomely pro-gun Colton Noir.

ISIS: The Most Terrifying Topic of 2014

According to CNN, the terrorist group known as ISIS had originally begun its journey in terrorism by aiding Al Qaeda. The two fought alongside each other. Al Qaeda started out fighting the Russians and the other fought Americans. But after many years, ISIS broke off and became their own, more violent organization. ISIS is a much more difficult group to fight than Al Qaeda, according to an American official. This difficulty comes from the fact that they are a much more organized group that has much better training than Al Qaeda. Due to this greater ability to fight, ISIS has obtained much more land than Al Qaeda and performs like a government in the territories in which they seize possession. The organization imposes taxes and even steals and performs bribery to obtain what they want. ISIS has even managed to gain support around the world. People from Australia to Europe and all the way to America support Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. ISIS claimed to have approximately $2,000,000,000 to spend for budget and 10,000 soldiers in Iraq and Syria alone in 2014. One can only imagine how large an organization like this can get if they are not stopped quickly.

Ferguson: The Most Controversial Topic of 2014





Protestors in support of Michael Brown.

According to CNN, the 2014 Ferguson, Missouri case about a police officer by the name of Darren Wilson that had opened fire and killed a black teenager by the name of Michael Brown was not the easiest case to settle for the grand jury. Among the witnesses were a number of false testimonies. The false "witnesses" admitted their only wish was to disrupt and confuse the grand jury into believing their particular side, whether it be pro-Wilson or pro-Brown. There had even been some that had changed and warped their story while being questioned. This was a big mistake, as this is one of the most obvious ways to tell someone is lying. However, in the midst of all the rioting and violence, President Barack Obama decided to speak out. He stated that, when he took office in 2009, the violence between races was much worse. Yet, as people seek revenge for police just doing their jobs, Obama just reads headlines and makes statements based on that. I would not call someone murdering two police officers in their vehicle due to "race violence" a drop in such violence. Maybe it is just my view with most police situations, but I will almost always side with the police. I do not believe that Michael Brown had his "hands up" and I do believe Darren Wilson made the right decision. The people of Ferguson most certainly had an incorrect response to a situation that had nothing to do directly with their lives.

The statistic the media does not want to tell the public.



Israel and Gaza: The Most Argued Topic of 2014

According to CNN, the conflict between Israel and Gaza had a three-day truce, but that would not be the case for very long. One day, Israel attacked Gaza and left Gaza in a state of shock. However, Israel states that this action was necessary as they claim the weaponry moving into Gaza must have been stopped at all cost. Gaza had faced up to 1,900 fatalities due to the attacks, 70% being civilians, according to the UN. While their retaliatory attacks had managed to kill at least 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians. The Israeli Defense Force, or IDF, stated that when they attacked Shujaiya, they had warned civilians to evacuate, but Gaza had told them to stay. Israel had no choice but to attack in a location with civilians present, as the location was a Hamas terrorist stronghold according to the IDF. It is estimated that there were approximately 7,000 artillery shells launched at Shujaiya by the Israelis. Hamas had actually been removed from the list of terrorist organizations kept by the EU, but Israel was disappointed by this action and the Israel Prime Minister demanded that they be put back on immediately. I personally side with Israel, as they are America's allies. Plus, Gaza has attacked Israel many times, yet that does not get media attention, but when our allies decide to retaliate, they become the bad guys it seems. I do not understand this mentality of the good guys are now bad, while the bad are sided with.

Ebola: The Number One Most Talked About Topic of 2014

According to YahooNews, the Ebola breakout was the number one most searched news story of 2014. For those who have been living under a rock (most likely to avoid the Ebola virus), the disease originated in Guinea and had spread throughout West Africa. The virus's spread had caused over 5,000 people to lose their lives. However, America's interest took a major turn once there became a case of Ebola at a hospital known as Texas Presbyterian Hospital. The man with the virus was named Thomas Eric Duncan. He had been a citizen of Liberia, but when he took a flight to America, Ebola had also taken a flight to America. Two of the nurses treating Mr. Duncan had received the disease from him, but they have recovered from their affliction, but not without the disease spreading to other places in America. Due to the death of Duncan, the first to bring Ebola to America, many were calling for a closing of flight borders to infected and disease stuck countries. However, others claim that would have been a treacherous action, as it would have caused Ebola to develop even greater in the areas where the disease was already located. Due to the always changing aspects of diseases and cures discovered, only time can tell what is in store for Ebola and those with Ebola.