America's Traitor for ISIS

Jonas Edmonds on the left and Hasan Edmonds on the right.

According to BBC, two individuals from America attempted to join ISIS. However, these two were different from the usual teenagers looking for something to do with their lives. One was a former Army National Guard soldier and the other was his cousin. The relatives had plotted against their home country in such a way that it seems like it could have only been thought up in some sort of movie. The two were going to obtain American military uniforms and use the National Guard soldier's identification to gain access into an Illinois military base. Luckily, the two had been caught and captured. After their arrest, they had been charged with the act of attempting to support a terrorist group. They were caught and the former National Guard was arrested at Chicago Midway International Airport before he could get on the plane and fly to his planned destination on Cairo, Egypt and his cousin was arrested at his home on the very same day. If they are found to be guilty, they will face approximately 15 years in prison and a 250,000 dollar fine for their treasonous action. When the FBI had found Hasan Edmonds and his cousin, Jonas Edmonds, when the two had, idiotically if I do say so myself, revealed their plan to an undercover agent. The two are expected to receive a case with the U.S. District Court next week on Thursday (4/2/15). Unfortunately, this is not the first time that American soldiers have allegedly join ISIS, and I am saddened to say that it will most likely not be the last. Another situation in which Americans had been accused of attempting to join the murderous and terroristic group that we all know as ISIS was when three Brooklyn men had been arrested and charged with attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIS. I personally cannot wrap my head around the fact that any American that has blood flowing through their veins would have any interest in joining ISIS. Everyone has seen their brutality and yet they still believe they are good people. I wish there were more people like Jordan Matson and Abu Azrael that would stand up to those monsters and put them in their place, even if that place does require a bullet to get there.

This is ISIS. They are not kind. They are murderers.



Firing Squads of Utah

The chair the soon to be executed would sit in.

According to BBC, the state of Utah has reintroduced the use of firing squads for the death penalty if the lethal injection cannot be obtained. Utah had abolished the use of the firing squad in 2004. There was one man in Utah, by the name of Ronnie Lee Gardner, who was executed by firing squad in 2010. He had only been able to be executed in such a manner due to the fact that he was sentenced to death by firing squad before 2004. Gardner had been convicted for the act of a double murder. While obviously many agree with the passage of the firing squad, as it did pass in the first place, there are many who disagree with the entire concept of such an act. Ralph Dellapiana stated that the adoption of would be "...a horrible and tremendous step backward to a more barbaric past." Utah decided to reinstate firing squads after there were a few failed executions with lethal injection. Similar to lethal injection, the soon to be dead would be strapped into a chair while the shooters aim their rifles through firing holes from across the room. This image was most likely the same image seen by Roberto Arguelles and Troy Michael Kell in 2003. Arguelles had been a serial killer and Kell was a white supremacist that stabbed an inmate until he passed away. All the while, he had been yelling "White power" as he stabbed the African-American inmate. Both decided to be executed through the use of firing squad over lethal injection. Kell did, however, attempt to file an appeal to postpone his execution, but it was denied. Arguelles had been sentenced to death in 1997, while Kell was convicted in 1996. Personally, I completely agree with the use of firing squads. While there have been botched lethal injections, there is no way to botch a death by firing squad, as there are five rifles, four of which have live rounds, while the fifth contains a black. This blank protects the minds of those in the squad, as no one knows who actually fired the shots that killed another human being. If someone manages to survive four rounds of what is most likely a .308 bullet, then I would be extremely surprised, as I have personally seen a 250-300 pound black bear downed instantly with just a single .308 round. The use of firing squad is actually the least "cruel and unusual punishment" out of all penalties of death. Besides, what ever happened to "an eye for an eye," as the people being executed did kill another human being after all.




Ronnie Lee Gardner himself.

Firearm Owners Targeted: That is Truly Disheartening

According to FoxNews, a firearm shop owner by the name of Mike Schuetz claims to have been targeted by the federal government's "Operation Choke Point." What Operation Choke Point did was allow government officials to tell banks to stop funding "dangerous" investments, such as businesses that sell drug paraphernalia, pornography, tobacco sales, and, unfortunately, firearms, as well as many more. Mr. Schuetz had also been a private investigator, as well as a firearm salesman, so once his bank had ceased connections with him, he instantly began his investigation. He was shocked at what he found. Many other companies across America had faced similar situations as his. While this is clearly more backdoor gun control, the Department of Justice (DOJ) argues against this, stating, "We do not target businesses operating within the bounds of the law & we have no interest in pursuing/discouraging lawful conduct." Again, clearly this statement is just a way to cover their backs, as I have never seen or heard of a single federally licensed gun shop across this country that was not "operating within the bound of the law." I know that the DOJ knows this and they just wish to make things more difficult for firearm salesman and owners. Schuetz is not the only one to have difficulty with a bank due to firearms. Eric from the YouTube channel "iraqveteran8888" was actually asked in the middle of a conversation if he was a firearm owner. The bank had no right to ask him for his personal information, as it is of no concern to the bank. Luckily, Florida realized that people had the right to privacy. Before the state of Florida had passed a ban on doctors asking their patients if they owned firearms along with other health questions, such as if the patient smoked, consumed alcohol, used drugs, and their exercise and eating habits. Patients that refused to answer were turned down for later visits. Eventually, there was a court case for this very situation. The case became known as the "Docs v. Glocks" case. While many were in favor of the law that banned the doctors' infringement on their patients' privacy, but of course, as with all laws involving firearms, there were many critics. The lawyers who represented the doctors had stated that they had the First Amendment right to ask about the firearms. Also, many others said that the bill was pushed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to aid in the prevention of more gun control. Luckily for all firearm owners in the state of Florida, their privacy has been protected. Hopefully this will set a precedent in other states to protect the privacy of firearm owners.

Iraqveteran8888 rants on Operation: Choke Point.

A great watch if you have some time.

Language used once: 

Viewer discretion advised

(If you take offence to those kinds of words).

Haven't I Been Saying This the Whole Time?

More of this will save many more lives.

According to FoxNews, a man who was carrying a firearm legally had stopped a possible homicide before it could end the lives of innocents. At "Falah Barber Shop" on North Preston Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the barber and a customer had gotten into a heated argument. In the middle of the exchange, the barber said something to the effect of "Chill out" according to Yusaf Mack, one of the other customers who witnessed the shooting. After this, the angered customer had decided to pull a firearm and open fire at the barber. Luckily, the barber was not hit nor was the other eight to ten individuals that were occupying the building. Not so lucky for the shooter, however, a man with a legal carry permit had just so happened to walk into the shop at the exact same moment the shooting began. This man had responded not by ducking for cover, but instead with bravery, as he reacted by drawing his legal firearm and firing a round into the shooter's chest. The deserving recipient of the round had later passed away in a hospital. Not only did this brave and Good Samaritan save the life of the barber and who knows how many others inside, but he also decided to turn himself in to the police station, just in case he had actually committed a crime. Happily, this man will most likely not face charges for his heroic actions. Also, a woman living next door to the barber shop was interviewed on her opinion of the man. Her exact words were "Well, I take my hat off to him. Thankfully he was there 'cause it could have been a lot worse. Could have been a lot more people dead." I could not agree more with this woman. Had he not been there, or lived in a state like New York of California that greatly prohibits firearm carry, that man may not have been able to stop the criminal from shooting. Had the original customer that opened fire not been stopped, not only would the barber most likely be dead, but possibly other customers as well, some of which were children. But that reality will luckily never be seen, thanks to the actions of one brave individual. This is also not the only time a civilian carrying a firearm has put an end to a criminal's reign of terror. Of course, the pro-gun control government does not want their civilians to know this, however, so they just tell them that "guns are bad" and give each other high fives when another anti-gun law is passed. Obviously gun control does not work though, as Chicago, one of the cities with the toughest gun control, continues to have one of the highest murder rate in the nation. Also, there were approximately 7,000 illegal firearms confiscated in 2013, and yet the murders still continue to skyrocket. Maybe it is just me, but would it not be smart to realize that tough gun laws do not work when there continue to be tougher and tougher laws, yet more and more murders. Chicago should take a hint from the man at "Falah Barber Shop" and allow its citizens to carry firearms, then they would realize that firearms can save lives just as easily as they allow individuals to take them.

Mild language used: Viewer discretion advised

eSports: The World's Oddest Sport

 

According to Vice (Not the same as ViceNews), there is a new international sport that has taken the world by storm. This new sport is known as eSports. In the world of eSports, gamers from around the world compete in various computer games for cash prizes. This is not the same multiplayer mode that most people are used to. The gamers that compete in such games find themselves fighting in games for $1,000,000 or more. One 21 year old gamer owns sports cars and is a millionaire because of video games. These gamers are not just the normal stereotypical "nerds" that most people think of when they think about gamers. Many are considered athletes and even given sports scholarships and athletic visas. These "athletic gamers" have coaches and agents that make them train (play games) for 18 hours a day. This great amount of playing does come with great reward. The gamers that play in such competitions have thousands of dedicated fans and even cosplayers that follow the competitions around (for more information on cosplay, you can read my blog on the topic here). One such cosplay group is known as the "Spiral Cats" from the eSports capitol of the world, South Korea. Their cosplay is nothing like that from America, as most Asian cosplay goes above and beyond, practically making the character jump out of the screen and into the real world. Also, cosplay is a full time career for those in places where eSports are popular. In South Korea, the country is covered in various gaming stadiums that allow gamers to become celebrities just for playing video games extremely well. One such gaming stadium hosted the "League of Legends World Championship" in 2014. That gaming competition was the largest competition as of yet. At the "League of Legends World Championship" various teams, such as "OMG," "Star Horn: Royal Club" (Both Chinese teams), and "Cloud 9" (An American team), are considered celebrities. Also, each team throws their "swag" to the crowd. This swag has nothing to do with the idiotic rap "swag," but instead, it is miniature figurines that basically act as advertisement for the teams. However, as the teams are considered celebrities, they most certainly act as most Hollywood celebrities do. The team leader of the American team "Cloud 9" is one such "Hollywood celebrity." When Matt Shea from Vice asked for an interview from the leader, he cut Mr. Shea off to take a selfie with one of the Spiral Cats. Later, when Shea was attempting to look for the Cloud 9 leader for the interview that he was promised, he was nowhere to be found and was later found to be hanging out with the Spiral Cats in some other location. I personally cannot see how these people can act in such a heartless manner, as I could never act that way, no matter how much of a "celebrity" I became. Plus, how could these people act like that, as they are extreme nerds when it comes down to the hard facts. Even if they do act in a "holier-than-thou" manner, these "athletic gamers" (I cannot get over than name) do have numerous sponsors. Such sponsors include Coke, Red Bull, T-Mobile, and Samsung. Many of those who cannot pay the cash to go see the competitions in person still have the opportunity to view the competitions on the live streaming website known as TwitchTV. I am personally glad that gamers are becoming "cool" now, as I personally am a gamer myself, but the whole concept of gaming being a sport still makes me laugh a little. This is not all the information on eSports, as Vice had created a five part series on the topic. I will continue to write about this in weekly segments until I have covered everything I can, so look forward to that in the very near future.

Mild suggestive language used: Viewer discretion

advised.

Can We Just Kick Anti-Gunners Out of This Country?



The inside of the fake store. If you want to aggravate a sane
pro-gunner like myself, just perform an idiotic anti-gun
act such as this.

According to FoxNews, a group of anti-gunners decided that they would spread their lies in New York City. They decided that the best way to do such a thing would be to open a fake gun shop, complete with realistic looking replica firearms. However, the anti-gunners decided to target those who do not know much about firearms. Not only was the targeted audience individuals who live in the city (cities, especially NYC, is known to be predominantly anti-gun), but they were also first time buyers. The anti-gunners targeted first time buyers because they knew that they would not know as much about firearms, as well as the fact that, even though more Americans are buying firearms, violent crime is at a 43 year low. The anti-gun schemers also decided to spread their agenda through the means of fear tactics and the not telling of the whole truth. While they did tell of true events, they did not tell of all the other events where firearms have been used to save the lives of thousands of innocent lives. Just one event where people were saved was in the LA Riots when numerous Korean merchants and shop owners began arming themselves in an attempt to protect themselves. The LA Riots had all began due to the simple fact that the police had been videotaped beating a black man named Rodney King. During the riots, approximately 54 people had been killed and around 1 billion dollars in damage was caused to the city. Due to the great amount of violence that had broken out, as stated above, various shop owners realized the potential for self-defense and collected firearms. One shop owner by the name of Kee Whan Ha was one such person. He had rounded up many of fellow shop keepers and they all decided to protect what was theirs. Sadly, a security guard was killed in the riots, but their business was kept intact and so was the rest of the merchants' lives, due to the fact that the rioters were wary of the firearms. Not to mention the hundreds of lives that are saved everyday by a law-abiding citizen with a concealed-carry handgun, but that does not make the news because it does not push forward the media's anti-gun agenda. I wish I could have been inside that fake gun shop to prove to them how idiotic and wrong they are. More people are saved by firearms than killed. The next time someone tells you that firearms are "evil," take a word of advice from me, either prove them wrong with facts or just ignore them, because their foolishness will most likely come back to bite them in the end anyway.

Thank you Mr. Colion Noir. This could not be

more true.

This is exactly why I cannot stand anti-gunners.

The ATF Did Something Smart... For Once. Oh Wait, Hold That Thought.

According to BBC, the ATF's attempted ban on M855 ball ammunition for 5.56x45mm rifles had been declined. Once the ATF had proposed this ban, "in the name of police safety," there was great opposition to the bill, as all firearm owners instantly recognized what the bill was truly for: backdoor gun control. Over 50 United States senators had written to the ATF in protest to the ridiculous ban that stated the M855 round was "armor piercing." The argument is that any rifle round, whether it has a steel core, such as the M855, or not, it will punch right through a police officer's Level IIA body armor. A man named Tim, the host of Military Arms Channel on YouTube, created a video to prove this. In the video, he had shot a Level IIIA ballistic plate (that is one level of protection above Level IIA) with a standard 5.56. He's even passed through Level IIIA with handgun ammunition. If you are interested in this topic or in firearms in general, I highly recommend his videos. Tim was one of the average citizens who had written to the ATF in an attempt to repeal the ban. All those who disproved of the unjust ban had stated that the whole point was not to protect police, but instead to limit the law-abiding citizens' ability to use firearms. If someone does not have ammunition for their firearm, what is the point of having it? Due to the fact that the bill was backdoor gun control, it was quite clearly an attack on the Second Amendment, and therefore unconstitutional. Of course, the anti-gunners, the ATF in this case, claimed that when the original law that banned "armor-piercing" handgun ammunition was created in 1986, handguns that shot rifle rounds were not manufacture, but this is a lie. Anything with less than a 16-inch barrel is classified as a handgun, unless there is a stock on it, then it is a short barreled rifle (SBR), and there were handguns shooting rifle rounds as far back as 1967, possibly sooner. While all these wins for the pro-gunners may be great, the best was definitely when the ATF backed off on their attempt to ban M855. However, according to Alex Jones, who I personally do trust for reliable information, in less than a week, the ATF has already begun its second assault on M855, trying once again to ban it. This second ban is not simply going after the M855 ammunition, but all 5.56x45mm rounds. There is no possible way that this ban could pass if the first one did not, but anti-gunners will try anything they can to get rid of the law-abiding citizens' ability to protect themselves.

Killing ISIS: "The Father of the Archangel of Death"

According to BBC, there is a man who stands out from all of the "This person tried joining ISIS today" headlines that can be read practically every day. Instead of joining ISIS, a man named Ayyub Faleh al-Rubaie has been found in Iraq wielding either an axe, sword, and/or an M4A1 rifle. This man even has his own Facebook page, where he has approximately 300,000 likes and pictures of his can be seen always with a smile inside his large beard, no matter what is around him. This happy demeanor with such a terrifying looking soldier has given him an equally terrifying name: Abu Azrael, "the father of the archangel of death." He is a man who has seen conflict before his fighting with ISIS as well. Abu Azrael was one of the soldiers who fought against the Syrian rebels who wished to take President Assad out of office. This previous fighting must have hardened him to his enemies. Abu Azrael told the news agency AFP that he was a father of five and "You see [him] go to school to drop off [his] children and [he] is peaceful. But [he] show[s] another face to them (ISIS)." Oddly enough, this man was not a soldier to begin with. His original career was as a physical education teacher, which obviously helped him in the fitness aspect of fighting. One of the reasons why this legendary fighter came into the light and chose to start fighting ISIS was due to the "Desert Lion." This murdering terrorist had been filmed by ISIS without a mask and had killed three Syrian truck drivers. The sight of such murders had caused Ayyub Faleh al-Rubaie to become Iraq's savior by become the fearsome warrior that would become known as "the father of the archangel of death." Abu Azrael is a man to be respected and should be given all the support that can possibly be given to him. Similar to the American named Jordan Matson who flew to Iraq to fight ISIS, they both need all the support they can receive so that they have more of a chance to make it home to their families. Anyone who goes out of their way to combat terrorists and murderers receives all of my respect, bonus points for those who do it with style (such as an axe or sword).

The Arms Race Continues

According to Al Jazeera, as the international arms trade continues to thrive, America reigns as the number one exporter of arms. From 2010 to 2014, America accounted for approximately 31 percent of all arms exports across the world, with Russia a close second, exporting 27 percent. One reason for America's supremacy in the arms race is that the country's main marketplaces, particularly the Middle East, have become very strong. One-third of America's exports go to American friendly Middle Eastern countries, such as Israel, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Also, the United States ships great amounts of armament to South Korea, Australia, and, newly, India. While American exports may seem to be a driving force in the international arms trade, the country that places third in the race is China. Germany had been third for numerous years, but recently that title had been taken by the Chinese, due to its arms market rising 143 percent from 2010 to 2014. Before this rapid increase in exportation, China had mostly imported armament from formerly communist countries such as Russia and Ukraine. However, now that China is rising in prominence, the country trades armament with approximately 35 different countries around the world. As the war on international terrorism continues to flourish, I fully understand why many industrialized countries that cover the globe would freely trade weapons and armaments between each other. I personally am glad that America is the number one country to export arms because that aids to keep the country's economy afloat and help our allied countries to protect themselves from our common enemies. 



A Chinese Polytech AK-47. A common exported firearm from
China to America.



The Modern "Wild West"?- Anti-Gunners Irk Me

According to Al Jazeera, Tennessee has begun proposing a bill that would allow for open and concealed carry of firearms in areas such as parks and playgrounds. While the local governments of the state had the right to block access of such locations to those who carry, the new bill would allow all parks to be open to firearm's owners. The old bills that were proposed had been opted out by numerous towns and communities, causing great confusion pertaining to which parks were banned to firearms. This bill was proposed do to the fact that the state of Tennessee has "...had seven years of people with gun carry permits all across the state — in state parks, local parks, Little League games — and there's not been any problems. So this would just make it consistent across the state." Of course, with every sane firearm law that is passed, there just has to be a group of anti-gunners to rain down on the sanity with their ignorance. Kathleen Chandler Wright, one of the numerous members of the ridiculous "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America," had stated "It's going to be allowing people to carry guns into playgrounds and places where we take our children. It doesn't seem right to have them come in and override the community's decision on whether to allow the guns." While she may seem like she is looking out for the children, she is simply trying to push an anti-gun agenda, plus, the fact that there are more firearms being held in one area by law-abiding citizens protects the children. What criminal who wishes to kill the largest amount of people is going to go where there is a large amount of firearms and people willing to protect themselves with said firearms. Chandler had also said, "We don't need any of these extreme gun bills. They would turn our city and our state in the Wild West." I wonder how many times anti-gunners will say that gun bills will turn states into the "Wild West," before they realize that not a single one has, yet they continuously say it will. Can they get a new saying to aggravate pro-gunners yet? Oh well, people like Chandler are simply a product of Obama's and the media's false statements about firearms. I mean, "It's easier for you to buy a handgun and clips than it is for you to buy a fresh vegetable." Really Obama, I did not know that I had to wait until I was older than 21 to buy a fresh vegetable, because that is how it is for a handgun. Plus, they are not called "clips," they are "magazines." If you are going to preach about firearms, at least get the terminology correct. Oh yeah, "...machine guns in bars." Is it even necessary for presidents to understand the laws of America when they are sworn in? The National Firearms Act (NFA) pretty much made common ownership of machine guns impossible, so this whole "...machine guns in bars" thing is simply ridiculous and nothing more than a statement to push an agenda. I agree with law-abiding citizens carrying firearms everywhere they go, because the criminals and murderers surely are not going to take their gun off when they walk into a park full of children.

Proof that the media and government only wishes to influence
citizens' thoughts on firearms.

Less Firearms... That is a Stupid Idea

According to CBSnews, there was a study that showed there has been a decline in the amount of households in America that possess a firearm. The study showed that individuals owning at least one firearm in a household had decreased to an all-time low. It also revealed that this decline is a result of the decrease of individuals hunting. The study displayed that there were only approximately 32 percent of Americans who possess a firearm themselves or live in a dwelling that has a firearm or firearms on the premises. However, just because there are less households obtaining firearms, this does not mean that there are less firearms being purchased. According to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check system, there has actually been more background checks, which implies that there have been more firearms purchased, however, it has been by the same people that bought previous firearms. Also, the gender percentage has decreased from 50 percent in 1980 to 35 percent in 2014 for men, but women have stayed relatively the same at 12 percent owning firearms. Another statistic of firearm ownership has to do with the political parties. Two times more Republicans live in a house that possesses firearms compared to Democrats. Race is also a major factor in firearm ownership. Four out of every ten Caucasian Americans occupy households with firearms, whereas two out of every ten Hispanics or Black Americans live in homes with firearms. It has also been proven that the latter two of the three groups were more likely to support permits for firearm use. However, I personally believe that the decline in American firearm ownership also has to do with the numerous anti-gun politicians and media spewing incorrect nonsense, such as Senator Diane Feinstein and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and influencing most citizens. Bloomberg has used 50 million dollars from his own personal savings to create an anti-gun campaign that tackles the issues of background checks for private sales of firearms, the funny thing is that he does not realize criminals are not going to go through a background check in a private sale, they will just buy an illegal gun and go on with their day and then shoot someone later. Anti-gun laws do nothing except create criminals out of the previously law-abiding citizens. Due to the shootings that have taken place in recent years, many individuals have formed activist groups to also help the anti-gun cause. One sign held by one such individual read "My Kids' Safety Trumps Your Gun Rights." The thing is, many of these women (most of the activists are women) do not realize that firearms protect the lives of their children, so while most people get stumped to respond at that statement, I say "My gun rights protect your kids' safety." Also, more firearms mean more lives saved, it has been a proven fact. The fact that there are less people owning firearms truly disappoints me.

Life After the Knights Templar Cartel

"Papa Smurf" a vigilante who now wears a rural police force
uniform.

According to Al Jazeera, the most wanted drug lord in Mexico, who also served as the leader of the Knights Templar Cartel, named Servando "La Tuta" Gomez, was captured in the city of Morelia on a Friday, February 20, 2015. Oddly enough, "La Tuta" was captured without a single round of ammunition being expelled from the barrel of a firearm. Even odder, however, is the fact that Gomez was originally a school teacher who was extremely disappointed by his low pay. He left the school system and began founding numerous drug rehabilitation centers. Now, this may seem like the wrong story for the most wanted drug lord in Mexico, but it was at one of the rehab centers that Gomez met numerous gang members and founded his first gang, "La Familia Michoacana." After running with La Familia for a few years, Gomez left the gang and the Knights Templar Cartel. As leader of the Knights Templar, he reigned in the trade of the illegal drug methamphetamine. Mexico's federal government was unable to stop his domination of the underworld. The Knights Templar were only foiled once Mexican vigilantes began to get involved. Once the "self-defense forces" began to get involved, the Knights Templar's control diminished, eventually leading to the capture of "La Tuta" and others that were aiding his attempts. However, the capture of the cartel's leader does not guarantee peace, as another is likely to take his place. Many of the previously mentioned "self-defense forces" have also realized this and have combined with the federal government to become "rural police forces." These rural forces are supplied by the government and patrol heavily populated areas or event locations. Many have begun to worry that these forces will become corrupt, too powerful, and/or out of control, as has been the case with other self-defense forces in countries such as Columbia. The thing is, these men and women are still the same ones that fought in the old vigilante forces, they hold the same moral values. The only difference is that they are now in government regulated forces. Most do not trust the government anyway, so they will probably continue to follow their own moral code and will not fall to the corruption of Mexico's federal government. I do not have all the information at this time and I will continue to make updates as more information is made available to me.

Cordyceps: A Disturbing, Yet Beautiful Killer

A disturbing, yet oddly intriguing insect covered in fungus caused
by cordyceps.

According to BBCWorldwide, there is a parasitic fungus that is known as the cordycep. The cordycep is not a normal fungus such as a mushroom, however. It reproduces through the use of spores that enter the body of an insect and infect its entire being. The most commonly known insect to be infected, the ant, loses control of its own bodily functions and instead, the cordyceps take control, moving the ant upward on a stick, most likely to get the best radius of spores when it explodes after the fungus grows out of the insect's head for a prolonged period of time. If the other ants are lucky enough and notice the ant's peculiar behavior before it's too late, then one of the ants collects the infected ant and takes it to a secluded location, away from the original colony. Once the ant dies and the cordycep has fully taken control, the fruiting body of the fungus begins to protrude from the insect. After about three weeks, the end of the cordycep explodes with spores, infecting any and all ants that dare to approach the previously infected insect. While I did use the example of the ant to describe the cordycep, that is not the only insect to be affected by the fungus. As a matter of fact, there is a single variation of the cordycep for each separate species of insect and they each affect every insect differently. While the parasitic fungus may seem like a dangerous and deadly being that can do nothing but harm, the cordycep actually aids in the balance of jungle ecosystems, as they do not allow one species of insect to become "king of the jungle," so to speak. Oddly enough, there have been those in Asia who have made a living off of the sale of "caterpillar mushrooms," which is a form of cordycep that is sold on the black market. In 2009, there was a batch of caterpillar mushrooms that weighed approximately 200 pounds and had a value of around 300 dollars. The caterpillar mushrooms are sold as an aphrodisiac and are occasionally used in Chinese medication. Now, there is no need to worry, as cordyceps do not affect humans in the same manner as insects. However, Jake from Vsauce3 had produced a video that asked the question of what would happen if cordyceps were to begin affecting human beings. The concept comes from the game "The Last of Us," which portrays a world that has been torn apart by cordyceps, resulting in 4.25 billion people perishing or being turned into mindless zombies due to cordyceps. Now, this may not seem like a viable fear until you realize that approximately 60 percent of all modern diseases originated from animals. When Jake had used a program to test how quickly the infection would spread across the globe, it only took 60 days to infect most of the world. Personally, the fact that humans are not prepared for such an event terrifies me. Call me paranoid, but I would rather not end up looking like a "Clicker" from "The Last of Us." Oddly enough though, I find the fungal masses that are created on the insects from the cordyceps to be quite interesting. I would even go so far as to call some of them beautiful. Yet the way that the fungus is created disturbs me and I cannot help but shiver at the sight of the cordyceps, but that might just be my insectophobia (fear of insects). Cordyceps are some of the most terrifying, yet intriguing and beautiful killers that nature has just waiting to explode.

Could We Be the Last of Us?

Japan's Military in a New Age



Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

According to ViceNews, Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, had been trying to change Article 9 of the country's constitution. Article 9 has been in the country's constitution since it was written in 1945, after Japan was defeated in World War II, and it states that Japan may not go to war. Due to the recent executions of two Japanese hostages by ISIS, Abe has stated his wish for the re-militarization of Japan's culture. While numerous people oppose the change, there are those who do support such a change. Many of the right-wing individuals are nationalists, reactionists, and even people who act in the underworld. The right-wing groups practically all agree that Japan needs to have the ability to protect themselves. One right-wing activist by the name of Shinichi Kamijo disagrees with the left-wing members so much that he even stated that "[he's] not surprised at all that they were killed." This statement was in reference to the two Japanese men that were murdered by ISIS. Kamijo blames the two for their own deaths, saying that they went to the Middle East of their own will. He even goes so far as to say that he does not think of the two dead as fellow Japanese, as they leaned toward the left-wing. In 2014, Prime Minister Abe's Cabinet had managed to pass the reinterpretation of Article 9, which was met with mixed results. Again, there were many who protested the reinterpretation of Article 9, but one man seemed to stand out against the crowd, as his story allows his right-wing views to have more relevance. His name is Koshiro Tanaka, but he has become known as the Afghan Samurai, due to his time fighting the Russians alongside the Mujahidin. Mr. Tanaka holds traditional Japanese values, and therefore he finds Kenji Goto (one of the two to be beheaded by ISIS) to be a disgrace to Japan, as he had forgotten "How to die." Oddly enough though, Tanaka had only gone to Afghanistan alone to fight the Soviets simply to see is he was "truly prepared to die by going to face the enemy in a place where [he] could actually die." He also agrees with the changing of Article 9, as he says "Protecting your homeland with your own hands is completely natural." Mr. Tanaka's views are joined with members of the Yakuza and other right-wing activists. While Japan does have a joint security treaty with America, many Japanese individuals feel that America will not protect Japan if the country should come under attack. Many individuals wish that Japan could create an army so that they could join for situations such as this. However, even with all the right-wing activists, there is a great amount of left-wing protestors that object to the change of Article 9. One man even went so far as to light himself on fire to protest the reinterpretation of the Article. This kind of protest is extremely rare, however, and most simply hold posters that say "Don't Destroy Article 9," "We're Against War," Etc. Personally, I agree with the right-wing groups, as I do believe a country should have the ability to both protect themselves if attacked and be able to wage war against those who wish to do harm against a specific country, such as America did with Afghanistan. I also do not believe that Japan should rely on America's protection. America may not be able to protect Japan if America's resources are stretched too thin from its own wars in the Middle East or various other locations. I do believe that America should support and possible even supply Japan in its efforts to create a military, though. Japan may have been a country that attempted to conquer the world's nations in WWII, but times have changed and they are America's allies and require all the aid they can, with a bit of help from their own people.

 Minor language used. Viewer discretion advised.

The Central African Republic: A War of Questionable Background

Anti-balaka rebel

 
According to BBC, in the African country known as the Central African Republic, or CAR, there has been a religious civil war between Islamic forces called Seleka and a Christian self-defense militia known as anti-balaka, which translates to anti-machete. Many of the CAR's Christian citizens have expressed great anger toward the Seleka and one even said, "I want to become a rebel and kill members of Seleka. We suffered too much. Muslims are our enemies." There was violence in the African country, but there was a lot less before the Seleka leader named Michel Djotodia seized control of power in March 2013. He was the first Islamic leader in the CAR and claimed that his government would set democratic practices in place. The Seleka government acknowledges the rise in violence, however, they refuse to state that they are attacking any group. The CAR government claims to have disarmed the Seleka militia members and been placed into the CAR's army. However, even with the disarmament of the militiamen, the violence has not decreased. One town where violence broke out had left approximately 75 deceased and around 1,000 buildings destroyed. After such events, French soldiers have been sent to the country to quell such violence between anti-balaka and Seleka forces. The French soldiers act as both a deterrent and as a force to put an end to violence if it should break out, sometimes by the use of greater force. Many French soldiers have spent time disarming militiamen and rebel fighters, occasionally having to fight when some refuse to lay down their arms. Personally, I do not understand the circumstances that led to the eventual all out civil war between the two religious factions. As I researched the conflict, I came across numerous articles that stated that the anti-balaka were at fault, slaughtering many Seleka member and causing them to even flee the country. Yet from other articles I read, such as the BBC, seem to make it appear as if the Seleka are at fault. Vice News also does an amazing video on this topic, but it displays some very violent images, so if you wish to know more, you can look that up, but viewer discretion advised.

Seleka forces

Why Can't Gun Lawmakers Actually Understand Firearms?



The new 3-D printed Liberator.

According to Al Jazeera, there is a 3-D printed firearms known as the Liberator. The firearms is a single-shot .22 caliber handgun with a one inch barrel and no sights. It is an extremely primitive firearm. Even the name is dated, as it was first heard in the 1940s during World War II in France when America would drop the smooth-bore, .45 caliber handgun that would be pressed against a Nazi's back to "liberate" them of their firearm, so that the French rebels would then have a better weapon. Now while the modern Liberator is not seeing the front lines of combat, it is seeing a political battle. The 1988 Undetectable Firearms Act banned any and all firearms that could not be detected by scanners such as metal detectors and X-ray machines. Due to the Liberator's plastic construction, the question of the firearm's possible threat was asked by numerous politicians, mostly anti-gun ones, of course. The 1988 act's effective ban was scheduled to terminate on December 9, 2013, so multiple New York Democrats banded together to reinstate the ban for another 10 years, effectively banning the Liberator unless various metal components were included to the final production. Of course, due to the fact that only anti-gun Democrats were involved in the voting, the bill was reinstated with absolutely no opposition. What I wish to know, is how many of the actual politicians that took place in the voting of the reinstating of the bill actually know a single thing about firearms, and I am not talking about what the biased media or movies teach them. I can almost guarantee that those politicians do not even know what the velocity (speed and power) of a .22 caliber bullet fired out of a one inch, smooth-bore barrel. Any criminal who wishes to use such a firearm is not only an idiot, but also will not be able to hit their target if they try to shoot from a distance or it is unlikely that the target would be killed due to the limited velocity. Not to mention, any caliber larger than a .22 would cause the plastic material to crack or explode altogether, causing damage to the user. Those anti-gun Democrats are not banning the Liberator and firearms like it because they are worried for the safety of individuals that may possibly get shot by one, they just want to ban anything involving firearms until the Second Amendment means nothing. How easily they forget that the Second Amendment is what protects all the others.

The original Liberator made of stamped steel.

To Train the Best There is the Fuerzas Comando

According to ViceNews, Columbia hosts a competition for all the special operation units from around the globe. They call this competition Fuerzas Comando, which roughly translates to command force. The competition was created by the United States military in 2004 to train various special forces to combat drug trafficking and terrorism. Much of the actual combat scenarios require the soldiers to traverse over water and then pass over land to reach their destination. This is to replicate the difficulty to find and locate the hiding places of most drug traffickers, as vehicles are too loud and occasionally too large to fit in the confined spaces of jungles. Also, the scenarios can replicate anything from drug raids to hostage rescues. Not only does this competition aid in honing the skills of those who compete in it through repetition of their own tactics, but also simply watching others perform their tactics can help different units become better through "mixing and matching" various tactics and techniques. The host country, Columbia, specifically trains to fight the Farc and ELN, two guerrilla units that have fought Columbian forces for over five decades now. However, there are possible peace agreements between the two opposing forces. The Farc had been founded in 1964 when it had intended to replace the existing government with a Marxist, or Communist, government instead. However, 24 years later, the Farc decided to branch into the world of drug trafficking. In 2001, the guerrilla group had approximately 16,000 members, but in just 12 years, that number is believed to have dropped to half. Now, with the peace talks, the number of members may drop from 8,000 to zero. The Farc was not the only rebel group in Columbia that was inspired by Marxist principles. The National Liberation Army, or ELN, was formed in 1964 and inspired by the Cuban revolution. Unlike the Farc, the ELN stayed out of the drug trade, that is, until recent years. Even after all the combat between ELN and Columbian forces, the rebels have also joined the peace talks. I personally find the Fuerzas Comando to be an extremely great competition, as it aids Special Forces to stop the flow of drugs and criminal activity, as well as terrorist activity by helping train and hone their skills. While the issues of drugs and terrorists will never end, that does not mean that forces around the world need to stop training, it just means that they should train even harder to make the criminals have a more difficult time to perform their jobs.

The Ukraine Cease-Fire: A Rocky Bridge

According to USAtoday, the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, has claimed to be excited and hopeful for the possible cease-fire between Russian and Ukraine forces. The conflict between the Ukrainians and Russians has caused an approximate 6,000 deaths on both sides combined, so I can almost guarantee that Kerry is not the only one who wishes for the battles to end. Both sides have been pulling weaponry out of conflict zones to further solidify the concept of a cease-fire. However, both the Ukrainians and Russians have claimed that the other have been violating the cease-fire, resulting in a prolonged conflict. The Russians have denied all claims of supplying the rebels that support the idea of creating a Russian-backed Ukraine. Of course, in combat opposite factions will not believe the other combating force, so therefore, the concept of a cease-fire has become shaky. One event that resulted in the break of the cease-fire for a period of time was the moment when a mortar shell struck and exploded on a civilian bus, killing at least 10 people. Both sides refuse to take responsibility for the incident, resulting in the Russian-backed separatists blaming the Ukrainian forces and the Ukrainian forces accusing the Russian-backed separatists. Also, many believe Vladimir Putin will refuse to leave the Ukraine unless he has something to show for his country's fighting. Personally, I do not believe that the conflict will end very easily. Even if a cease-fire is signed and the countries do agree to no longer fight, there will be those with so much pent up anger and frustration, plus the added feeling of not getting your point across, that small, rebellious conflicts would continue to persist. The Ukrainian crisis is a terrible incident that I do hope can be resolved as soon as possible.