WHAT is Putin doing...And can the Ukraine financially last long enough to find out?

The Ukrainian conflict began exactly one year ago today; politicians and political analysts are still undecided about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s end goal. Whatever his plan, Putin appears to being winning.

 Only a few days ago in Debaltseve, Ukraine, yet another cease-fire fell through between Ukrainian forces and the Russian-backed rebels, this time lasting only 40 minutes, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It is not clear who first violated the cease-fire; both sides blamed the other. Putin demanded that, as the outskirts of the town were controlled by rebels, Ukraine retreat from the area; Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko disagreed, arguing that his forces were in control of the area, and called for the rebels to respect the cease-fire agreement.

Last week Putin won as separatists reclaimed Debaltseve.

 “Western officials said the continued fighting could indicate that Mr. Putin favors a simmering conflict – one that he can ignite at any time to impede Ukraine’s attempts to move toward the North Atlantic Treaty Association,” reported the Wall Street Journal.

However, the head of Russia's independent Council for Foreign and Defense Policy think tank Sergei Karaganov believes that Putin’s aims are more serious than simply preventing Ukraine from joining NATO.

“After winning the Cold War, the whole of Europe is losing it now….And it is entering the next phase of international relations disunited, again on the verge of confrontation or even a major war,” Karaganov wrote for the Russian newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

            What will Putin do? Apparently, only time will tell....Preferably before the Ukraine goes bankrupt.

Protect the Internet

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That could be the future of the internet. What? How? Why?

The Federal Communications Commission is voting to keep or limit “net neutrality” on February 26^th, 2015. Net neutrality is the idea that no company can pay, or be required to pay, an Internet Service Provider (I.S.P.) more to deliver their content faster to users like you and me.

For example, with net neutrality Youtube cannot pay an I.S.P., like Comcast or Verizon, to be in an “internet fast-lane” so that their video will load quicker than your tumblr. blog.  

            While on the surface the issue of net neutrality can appear trivial, but that is far from the case. Threatening net neutrality also threatens entrepreneurship and limits freedom of speech.

“Who gets to go fast and who gets to go slow? If my message comes to you really slowly, another person’s message comes quickly and directly. Who’s going to be heard? That has implications for democracy, for commerce,” said media columnist David Carr in a New York Times video.

            If net neutrality was taken away, start-up companies, non-profits and other small businesses would not have the money to pay for “fast-lane” access.

            Click here to sign the ACLU petition and make your voice heard to the F.C.C.