What I'm looking forward in 2007

The first event I'm looking forward to in the New Year is the 2007 US Congress. With the Democrats finally took control of both Houses, we hope they have the decency of booting Dubya out. The second event I'm looking forward to is the Maryland General Assembly. Yes, it's short but it's a lot work for a short session.

The MDP will cover both of these sessions begining on Jan. 4 for Congress, and January 10th for the General Assembly. Not to mention the Prince Georges County Council mettings and the College Park City Council mettings once I resume my studies on UMD on January 21, 2006.

Yes, 21 days away until renetry. You can expect many things from me: Videos, investigative reports, original reports, and daily umd life and photos that I could not regulary blog on.

So from your's truely, I wish everyone a Happy, Safe, and Healthy New Year! You will not be seeing any new posts until New Years Morning. But there will be a New Year's Surprise.

Sick of Republicrats? Here's a real Democrat for President.

I've beem to Dennis Kucinich's website before and I can tell that he's a real liberal. Here's a few positions he takes.

Universal Health Care:

We must establish streamlined national health insurance, "Enhanced Medicare for Everyone." It would be publicly financed health care, privately delivered, and will put patients and doctors back in control of the system. Coverage will be more complete than private insurance plans; encourage prevention; and include prescription drugs, dental care, mental health care, and alternative and complementary medicine.

Media Reform:

I believe the people should be involved in the maintenance of their airwaves, creating public media outlets controlled by community boards similar to the model of Pacifica Radio. Funding for public broadcasting channels on television and radio should be greatly expanded, assuring the existence of media outlets free of the influence of advertisers.

I aim to promote knowledge of the public process through which citizens can challenge the licenses of local broadcast outlets failing to provide local coverage and coverage directed at the whole community, or outlets airing excessive violence.

Not-for-profit groups should be allowed to obtain low-power FM radio-station licenses. The development of new, community-based, noncommercial broadcasting outlets should be encouraged.

Real Homeland Security:

In a time when homeland security is of utmost concern, it is perplexing why anyone would not wish to keep guns out of the hands of those who might do us harm. This is why I would support legislation to require background checks, identical to the background checks currently required for transfers by licensed gun dealers, for firearm transfers by unlicensed gun dealers at gun shows. Sensible laws to prevent guns from winding up in the wrong hands do not infringe on any constitutional rights.

I believe the only way to stop these unconstitutional infringements on basic American freedoms is to revoke the exorbitant powers the PATRIOT Act has granted the government. I voted against the PATRIOT Act. I am working to repeal it.

Living Wage

The federal minimum wage is $5.15 and would be over $8.50, had Congress adjusted it for inflation over the past 35 years.

We must make it a top priority to restore the value of the federal minimum wage, bringing it up to at least its 1968 level and indexing it to automatically keep pace with the cost of living. This will allow workers to quit their second or third jobs and spend more time with their families.

And Finally: DC Statehood

We need to fully restore DC to financial health. We must provide for increased infrastructure, jobs, education, and health care spending. I have a broad-based plan to promote this. DC residents pay enough annually in federal taxes to support a state. In fact, they pay more federal taxes than several states and have a per capita tax payment that is above the national average. Because it belongs to the federal government, approximately 50% of DC's real estate is exempt from taxation. Over half of all sales in DC are to the federal government or other tax-exempt organizations, and this produces no revenue to the DC government.

I like this guy and as soon as I find an chance to voluteer for his campagin, I'll go after it. Tell your friends about him, he's probally the real choice between him and sHillery.

3,000 troops dead.

We have now reached the shameful mark of three thousand. Three thousand american troops dead. But Dubya thinks it's all worth it:

Asked about the 3,000 figure, deputy White House press secretary Scott Stanzel said Sunday that the president "will ensure their sacrifice was not made in vain."

"We will be fighting violent jihadists for peace and security of the civilized world for years to come. The brave men and women of the U.S. military are fighting extremists in order to stop them from attacking on our soil again," Stanzel said.

In a statement Bush released Sunday to wish the troops and all Americans a happy new year, the president said the nation depends on the men and women in the armed services and are mindful of their dedication and sacrifice.

"Last year, America continued its mission to fight and win the war on terror and promote liberty as an alternative to tyranny and despair," Bush said in the statement released from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he and first lady Laura Bush are spending New Year's Eve with friends.

"In the New Year, we will remain on the offensive against the enemies of freedom, advance the security of our country, and work toward a free and unified Iraq," he said. "Defeating terrorists and extremists is the challenge of our time, and we will answer history's call with confidence and fight for liberty without wavering."

Remember this from two-days ago?

I promise you that the number of military dead will reach 3000 by New Year's Eve.

It's New Years Eve, we already lost. It's time to get out of Iraq, NOW!

Done with leveling, now onward to Rank 5!

Finally got Jkid out of Jueno with the help of a WHM teleporter. From then on it's a seven minute Chocobo ride to the nearest outpost to teleport myself again Bastok. Bought myself four Christmas trees and a dream hat. Now all I need to do is:

1. Reach level 5
2. Leveling my fishing skill
3. Unlocking my Palidian Job

But I finally working back intot the FFXI routine.

While you at it, extend it all the way to Greenbelt.

It's a good thing that WMATA or the Washington Metropolitian area Transit Authorty has extended Yellow line to Fort Totten during off-peak and weekends.

"We listened to what community asked and needed," said Jim Graham, Metro Board Member who represents the District of Columbia. "During a Town Hall meeting last year, customers of the Columbia Heights, U Street and Petworth neighborhoods told us they wanted more train service because their neighborhoods were experiencing rapid development. Now, the Yellow Line extended service to Fort Totten will help support the area's development and urban lifestyle," he said.

The 18-month pilot costs $5.75 million and will be paid by the District of Columbia.

But I got a better idea: Extend the entire line to Greenbelt. Since sometimes I head down to Greenbelt Plaza Mall for window shopping and arcade games. But the trains on the green line on weekends sometimes reaches 10-12 minutes per train. The pilot's is going to be successful anyway by eight months at the most, so metro ought to buy more trains for the extended line.

If they're really the liberal media, they should show the full monty.

If the corporate media has the balls, they should show the entire hanging:

Though it was not known whether images of the execution would be released, the news divisions at ABC and CBS said that, should video become available, they will show some visual documentation of Saddam’s death but will not use overly graphic images or show complete execution.

Seriously, if I were to run a cable tv news network, I would run the footage. This is the public interest and a bloody civic duty. Yes, there should be warning about the footage but there would be no cuts at all. Uncut, uncensored, that's what I like the "mainstream media" to show the execution. If they can sensentionalize a sex scandal or Natallee Hollyway they should have the balls to show the entire execution of Saddam.

Saddam Hussien Executed! (Fatality!)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti is dead:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Iraqi television station Al Hurra said
Saddam Hussein had been executed by hanging shortly before 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Saturday.

Arabic satellite channel Arabiya also reported the execution had taken place.

The former Iraqi president ousted in April 2003 by a U.S.-led invasion was convicted in November of crimes against humanity over the killings of 148 Shi'ite villagers from Dujail after a failed assassination bid in 1982.

And you know what's worse, his next trial will be tried in mortina:

During his three decades in power, Saddam was accused of widespread oppression of political opponents and genocide against Kurds in northern Iraq. His execution means he will never face justice on those charges.

Now Dubya, you got your wish. NOW CAN WE LEAVE!?

GUNz the Perspective

I heard about a game called GUNz the Duel for a while. I reseached the game on Wikipedia and it's a Korean Massively Multiplayer Online Shooter (MMOS) or MMO Third Person Shooter, with a RPG twist. (South Koreans, they seem to know how to make PC Games)

For the record, I hate PC gaming for two reasons:

1. Keyboard and mouse controls. I have been using game consoles since the NES. Using a keyboard and mouse to me is awkward since you're not using a controller you're seems to be actively use your hands alot. A whole lot. Not to mention that in many games there can be more than 15 or 30 keyboard buttons that can be used for a PC game, while a controller has a small amount of buttons to use.
2. Mininum requirements. This is what turned me off to PC gaming. It's a long story, but sometimes when you install a PC game, it may not even run or run slowly.

But I can safely say that GUNz is one of the good games I've played this year. The controls are simple to use, if you've played a first person shooter before. Not to mention the acrobatics the players perform.

If you want to try it for yourself, you can download it on ijji, you have to register but it's free. Not to mention it has plenty of games that I did not have a chance to play yet.

I'll write more about the game and may post a few videos of me playing it soon. But if you see a Jkid wielding two submachine guns, say "hi" for me.

Getting close to the big three-zero-zero-zero

Can feel it? It's the sound of horrible atangonizing. The fact that the War in Iraq will reach 3,000 military dead. The body count is currently 2,996. While that is the unofficial count, I promise you that the number of military dead will reach 3000 by New Year's Eve.

How many more troops will die before Dubya withdraws his troops?

Saddam Must Die! (While Iraq will disintergrate further.)

From what I heard from the mainstream media that saddam will be executed by Iraqi authorities around 10pm EST. Yet as much as we all want to die, I rather have him rot away slowly in prison. The Progressive offered a editorial against it:

In a country like Iraq that is being torn asunder right now by revenge killings, the execution of Saddam will serve only to further enflame the Sunni population, leading to yet another round of sectarian violence. The cycle of murder will spin ever faster after Saddam hangs lifeless.

Basically, if Iraqi's execute Saddam, it would seal the fate of Iraq towards the Gates of Hell, and the country would be nothing but another mounument of Imperial Americana's sin. May the Gods of Abraham forgive Dubya. (And even that will not save him from impeachment, if it ever comes)

Ehrlich's Swan Song: 17 Pardons

Outgoing Governor Ehrlich did one of his final acts as Governor by granting seventeen pardons to various convicts. The crimes are minor with one serious one. What he could have done is to grant clemancy to all Death Row immates currently residing in Maryland prisons.

An Apology Message

I must apologize for the extreme lack of posts over this month. I had a backlog of assignments that for some reason got lost on transit or on due to the professors. Sometimes, things like this happen, especially for a college student. But here’s what I did while AIA (Absent in Action).

1. I went to Spike Lee’s lecture and shoked his hand!
2. I finally finished The Culture of Fear, the first volume of Last Fantasy (a good Korean spoof of Japanese RPGs), MegaTokyo vol. 4, 10 Steps to Repair American Democracy, and The World is Flat,
3. Finished Need for Speed Most Wanted
4. Survived my first finals week,
5. Found an nice PC game called Gunz: The Duel (It’s a freebie and works well on my laptop), and
6. Went to the mall to buy myself a few Christmas gifts.

Hopefully this will all change either today or tomorrow. But there are many things I’m looking forward to:

1. Covering Harford County Council meetings,
2. Covering the Maryland General Assembly meetings,
3. Getting towards blogging special topics (Such as the Advertures in Video Gaming),
4. And finally, reentering the UMD in the spring semester(And this time it’s all year-round) Not to mention I’ll be sporting an all new look.

So, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, a Solemn Ramadan, and Happy Holidays from the Modern Day Prophet