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.

Global Cultures Reacting to Terrorism

            While across the globe terrorist activities are prompting pro- and anti-Islam protests, Australians alone have reached out to support its Muslim community.

            In France, Parisians have come together in a show of solidarity after the terrorist attack in early January. “Je Suis Charlie” posters were everywhere after Al Qaeda jihadists killed 12 people at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo headquarters in Paris.

            “They’ve killed 12 people, maybe more, but they haven’t killed the French soul or the French people,” Isabelle told the Wall Street Journal.

            The attack encouraged a different reaction in Dresden, Germany. An anti-Islamic group, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (a.k.a. Pegida), say the attack supports their position (bloomberg).

            Since October Pegida has called for “limiting asylum rights and says radical Islam threatens to overrun Western culture” (WSJ). The German government is has asked for Germans to not join Pegida; “Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeatedly condemned the movement as hateful” (WSJ).

This week in Chechnya, a Russian province with a Muslim majority, “Hundreds of thousands rallied in the capital of Chechnya on Monday after the Kremlin-backed leader there declared a holiday to denounce the French magazine Charlie Hebdo’s caricatures of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad” (WSJ).

According to Russian officials, the rise of the Islamic State and other Islamic terrorist activities can be blamed directly on the West. The Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has even accused the CIA of controlling the Islamic State (WSJ).

Only in Australia has the populace actively reached out to the Muslim community. After a terrorist that may have been affiliated with the Islamic State held 17 hostages in a café in Sydney, Australia, thousands of Australians offered to accompany Muslims in traditional clothing. “The hashtag #IllRideWithYou was used more than 250,000 times on Twitter” before the hostages were rescued by police (New York Times).

What can we do to encourage Australia’s response worldwide?

Iraq & Afghanistan: Did We Do Well?

The U.S. government experiments in Iraq and Afghanistan are fragile and slowly improving but violence is rising as American and NATO troops are recalled in the two countries.

After toppling Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, the U.S. redesigned the country’s government, even rewriting the Constitution. Some things have improved under the disputed democratically elected governments. Others have not.

“Since the 2011 U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq, sectarian and ethnic divisions have widened,” according Kenneth Katzman, a specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs.

These divisions have created fertile ground for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and also for the return of sectarian militias that plagued Iraq in 2006 and 2007, according to The New York Times and Katzman.

The Iraqi military has struggled to successfully confront ISIL as the country grows continually more divided.

After the September 11 terrorist attack, the U.S. government launched what would become a 13 year war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. On Sunday, December 28th, President Barack Obama officially ended that war.

During those 13 years NATO forces successfully cast down the Taliban regime and, with the help of the United Nations, reformed the Afghani government.

Despite lacking a leader of the Defense ministry, high desertion rates and “an unprecedented terrorism campaign in the capital” by the Taliban, The Washington Post reported that the majority of Afghans have confidence in their national army.

Foreign Policy reported that “the Taliban is poised for a comeback with a recent surge in violence in Kabul and around the country. There are concerns that Afghanistan’s military and fragile political institutions will crumble as the United States leaves.”

You decide; was the U.S. successful in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Snow and Santa Claus

By Megan Trawick

Snowballs were flying and carolers were singing in Stevenson Ranch today during Mr. and Mrs. Claus’ visit to the neighborhood, sponsored by the Stevenson Ranch Home Owners Association.

With only 19 days left until Christmas, kids lined the street to tell Santa Claus what they wanted for Christmas. Katie Cochran, 5, enjoyed throwing snowballs at her dad and asked for princess Barbie clothes.

Aside from tree lighting and visits with Santa Claus, the event also ran a toy drive. Roughly 150 toys will be delivered to the Sheriff’s station and Highway Patrol officers, who then give the toys to local charities, said event coordinator Wendy Ash.

The Holiday Tree Lighting and Winter Wonderland celebrated its 12 year anniversary, according to Ash. 

            

Thanksgiving and Black Friday is Synonymous Now?

By Megan Trawick

Thanksgiving, as you can probably guess, is a day devoted to being thankful. Black Friday, ironically, focuses on buying more, more, more!

Stores are not opening at 2 a.m. anymore; now those sales have been extended, reaching into prime Thanksgiving dinner time.

Target opens at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and online sales will be held all day.

Best Buy, in true holiday spirit, is having a 3day sale this week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. They are open on Thanksgiving from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. 

The Westfield Valencia Mall will also open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. When asked about their Black Friday hours, store clerks at Francesca’s, JcPenney and Teavanna all said the store was open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Many chain stores claim they want to make shopping easier for the customers or reduce the number of Black Friday accidents. But is this the best way?

"When you're forced to come into work and leave your family on that one day of the year, it really strikes at basic family values," Rep. Matt Lesser of Connecticut told the Hartford Courant.

So this year, next year, or ten years in the future, remember: Thanksgiving is a time for family. The only thing you should be shopping for is a turkey and some pumpkin pie.

Fight Voter Apathy!

2014 Midterm Elections

Americans love to complain about government, particularly politicians. So why do so few Americans vote?

California was expecting record low voter turnout for 2014 Midterm Elections, according to The Field Poll. Santa Clarita was not about to mess with that prediction.

At one Santa Clarita polling place roughly 150 of 450 registered voters had cast their vote by 7:50 p.m., said a polling place organizer, Tim Pluma.

Historically, Santa Clarita voter turnout has fallen even lower than California’s disappointing average of 55.47 percent. In the November 2013 elections Santa Clarita voter turnout was less than 7 percent, according to The Signal.

Clearly voter turnout is a problem in our city.

Many political scientists attribute American’s lack of voting to disinterest caused by an overload of negative advertising, lack of education, or feeling that their vote does not count. So how can a community counteract this disinterest?

“People are motivated by their own self-interest,” said Pluma.

For local campaigns, he suggested local debates between candidates, wine and cheese parties, or even get out the vote events by corporations to draw more voters.

Voter-apathy has infected America, but you can help break the cycle.

“The government you elect is the government you deserve,” said Thomas Jefferson.

Your vote counts.