Things heat up in Myanmar

The military regime has now begun to crack down on the largely peaceful monks who've been demonstrating foe several days now in Yangon. Two hundred monks were arrested in nighttime raids in Ngwe Kyaryan. Other sources have the number at 600. The government has also turned violent in the past couple of days using tear gas and firing at protesters in an attempt to clear the streets. This has resulted in 9 dead and 11 injured including a Japanese journalist.

The international community has voiced its support for the activists. The United States has come out with a call for sanctions against the impoverished nation. Many within the United Nations agree including France with French President Sarkozy stating "France will not accept the gagging of Burma's opposition". An emergency session was held Wednesday with the UN calling for the government to show restraint. Earlier today, China also condemned the government of Myanmar. However, China and Russia have said that sanctions would not help. Furthermore, China has also said that it is an internal matter.

Protests against Myanmar's embassies has also occured. In Bangkok and Seoul, protesters have thrown rocks at the buildings and chanted. It is no coincidence that the junta has now cracked down on the monks and other citizens have joined into the protest. With the UN calling restraint, it merely begs to be defied.

It is also notable that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been silent. She can do nothing but be silent. She continues to be held in house arrest. During the march to Yangon, the monks were able to pass by her home that has been her prison for 12 years. The government won't let a repeat of her appearing at her gates. Security has been heightened around her home to discourage any demonstrators from contacting her. On this day in 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi was part of a rather violent protest that cost thousands of lives.

Back on this day in 1540, Pope Paul III founded the Society of Jesus. This highly organized religious order would be known as the Jesuits.

In 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain.

In 1886, Prophet John Taylor received a revelation that polygamy was no longer a viable practice within the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. To this day, the church is still devided on this divisive issue.

Back 102 years ago in 1905, the Annalen der Physik journal published an article called "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" by Albert Einstein. In this paper, Einstein postulated a famous equation E=mc². After this, Physics which was moderately assumed to be thoroughly complete in its study, was turned on its ear with the discovery of quantum physics. The world would be forever changed.

In 1985, Long Island, New York, was hit by hurricane Gloria.

In 1998, Google is founded.

Saffron Revolution

In Myanmar, there are now protests against the military regime that has been in place since 1962. Recently there had been smaller protests since August 15^th but now Buddhist monks are leading the charge. The instigation of this new wave of protests is the rise in fuel prices dictated by the junta. Prices are supposed to rise 500%. The numbers of protesters is estimated to be somewhere between 30,000 and 100,000 and growing, according to eyewitnesses. The Buddhist monks and also nuns have marched to Yangon (formerly Rangoon) to demand change. Riot Police have been deployed to control the protests. The monks have been chanting for Democracy.

Ordinary people are beginning to get involved in the biggest anti-junta protests in nearly 20 years. The remnants of two political parties: the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Burmese Communist Party which is largely defunct.

Today, is also the first day of the United Nations General Assembly with Ban Ki-moon presiding. President Bush spent a good deal of time addressing the recent spate of protests in Myanmar. Sanctions have been imposed on the country by the US. The President mentioned Iraq or Iran as little as possible. Myanmar provided an excellent new topic that no one can disagree with him on. Who is not in favor of new democracy in place of rule by fear? I will concede that Laura Bush, his wife, is deeply involved in the struggle for freedom in Myanmar.

Also in Eastern Asia, there has been recent upheaval in government of Japan. The Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigned on September 12^th taking his cabinet with him amid unpopularity. He was elected only last year and was the youngest, not to mention, the first to have been born after World War II. On August 27^th, he scrapped his cabinet after the suicide of the Minister of Agriculture on May 28^th by hanging himself. There had been an open investigation into impropriety involving his office expenses.

After getting a new cabinet, things still did not go well. In fact, problems continued with the same office. Norihiko Akagi was the replacement for the Minister of Agriculture and he resigned August 1st after disastrous elections on August 1st and allegations of funding discrepancies. The Liberal Democratic Party took particularly large losses. Three days after the new house was sworn in, Shinzo Abe and his entire cabinet resigned. For months the Prime Minister's popularity had not risen above 30%.

Yasuo Fukuda was chosen by the National Diet today. Word is, he will announce the new cabinet tomorrow, September 26^th.

Back on this day in 1066 the battle of Stamford Bridge occurred. The invading Norwegian army of King Harald Hardrada beat Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria. The Norwegian victory was shortlived... This is considered the end of the Viking age in England.

In 1513, Spanish Explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa found himself in the Pacific Ocean. Ferdinand Magellen, the Portuguese explorer, named it the Pacific Ocean.

In 1789, the US Congress passed twelve amendments: The Congressional Apportionment Amendment, Congressional Compensation Amendment and the Bill of Rights. The Congressional Compensation Amendment was not ratified until the 1990's as the 27^th. The first Amendment still has not been ratified. Only 11 states ratified it Georgia, Connecticut & Massachusetts not doing anything. Under modern ratification rules, 27 more states need to ratify the amendment. The Bill of Rights went into affect on December 15^th, 1791. Again, Georgia, Connecticut & Massachusetts did not ratify. They did however, do so in 1939.

In 1962, Algeria becomes free & independent.

And in 1976, soon to be pretentious rock band U2 was founded in drummer Larry Mullen, Jr.'s kitchen in Dublin, Ireland.

erin go bragh

People come. People go.

I missed posting more on Friday and posting at all on Saturday due to the arrival of a friend long since gone to the Army. Due to my own choices, he was still in high school the last time I saw him. He's now 26 and on working on his second marriage.

Anywho, where was I? Ah, yes: the News.

A bomb explodes in Catak, a town in Eastern Turkey near the border with Iran. There was reportedly a suspicioud package in a tea garden (really an outdoor cafe) and the police were summoned. The package exploded as police arrived killing one of the officers as well as a bystander. It is believed to be the work of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Turkey has been pressuring the United States and the UN to erradicate hideouts in neighboring Iraq.

Over 200 Taleban and 4 Canadian soldiers die in Southern Afghanistan. NATO has begun Operation Madusa since taking over the area near Kandahar in July. They also are working with Afghan troops.

Lieutnenat James Daniel of the United states Army has reccomended that three soldiers face the death penalty. Army Staff Sgt Raymond Girouard, Spc William Hunsaker, Pfc Corey Claggett and Spc Juston Graber admitted to killing detainees during Operation Iron Triangle in Tikrit in May. They also threatened another soldier if he told anyone about the killings. The last US soldier to be executed was in 1961. Even though there is precedent, it is rare.

The beleagered nation of Myanmar (Burma) has not had a constitution in a long time. It has actually been run by the military since 1962. Aung San Suu Kyi and her political party won election in 1990 by a very large margin but she has never been allowed to govern. Apparently things may be changing... for the better. At various times there have been talks to building a new constitution in an effort to create a democracy. The US has put pressure on the UN to put this in their security council agenda. We'll see if this makes a difference.

Another news item related to Myanmar: Karen refugees livingi ncramped camps in Thailand have finally been given the greenlight ot live somewhere after nearly 10 years. The United States is taking them. There was a clause in a National Security Act that banned people who had contact with Rebel forces. This has been waived. THe cloause is set up to get those who were in the armed forces, not those who happen to live amongst the hotspots they came from. It would be like banning the Irish because the PIRA came from Dublin. There may be 130,000 coming to live here in the US. Welcome!!!

Europe's first spacecraft to the moon crashes after its three year mission. And they were happy about it. It crashed in the Lake of Excellence and sent debris kilometeres into space. They hope that the behavior of the debris will help them study the geology and composition of the moon. Wouldn't getting moon rocks back be better?

This should not be considered news. The American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that those who live in extreme poverty tend to have more chronic illnesses. In other words: you poor, you sick. It does not take a great stretch of the imagination to notice that those who cannot affored to eat well and by extension, live well, will not be well. If a large part of your caloric intake comes from nutritionally poor substances because its affordable then your diet does not help you either. This is news?

Tom Cruise apologized to Brooke Shields. Its been some time since he's made some dubiously sane remarks on the Today Show about Brooke Shields and her treatment for post-partem depression. She decided to anti-depressants to help with extreme symptoms of the depression. In his conversation with Today Show host Matt Lauer, he slammed Shields for her decision and used her as an example of those that should seek help from Scientology, a religion he espouses. He also heralded himself as an expert on psychiatric pharmaceuticals though he is only a highly (over)paid movie star. Cruise, though sincere according to Shields, may be motivated by Paramount dropping his production company and features that he was working on. At the time, he, his associates and his represesntatives waved it off like it was nothing. But it may heve made Cruise think twice about being such a jerk.

Lastly, Andre Agassi ended his 21 year career Sunday after losing to Benjamin Becker. Becker, ranked only 112th, beat him in three sets to move past the third round of the US Open, in New York. As Agassi left Arthur Ashe Stadium, he waved to crowd and was honored with a four minute ovation. He will now be able to spend more time with his wife, Tennis champion Steffi Graf, and their two children.