A Turning Tide in Syria

As the death toll continues to ascend, now reaching over 140,000, Syria has entered its fourth year of war on a high stakes battleground. The distinction between the war’s dynamic three years ago and today, however, is stark. A once largely unified rebel faction has been reduced to infighting amongst radical Islamist forces and secular moderate elements. Whereas moderate tone and language initially defined the opposition in Syria, Islamist groups from neighboring countries seized the opportunity to implant their influence in the region. These groups then began to join rebel forces, offering supplies and strategy. After all, several of the Islamist fringe groups had already been involved in guerilla-style warfare in places like Iraq. Yet original members of the opposition cause, who also value the overthrow of Bashar Assad, part company with extremists when it comes to the system of government they prefer after Assad is removed. Fighting between rebel coalitions has thus become commonplace. Of all the potential setbacks for Bashar Assad, he has not had to worry about a unified opposition.

Firefox users: OKCupid asks you dump your homophobic surfer, dude

OKCupid members arriving at the site via a Firefox browser today are being asked to make a choice and stand up against anti-gay bigotry. At the center of the controversy is Firefox's new CEO, Brendan Eich, who donated money in support of California Prop 8 back in 2008. Visitors to the site browsing with Firefox received a special message from OKCupid stating, “Hello there, Mozilla Firefox user. Pardon this interruption of your OkCupid experience. Mozilla’s new CEO, Brendan Eich, is an opponent of equal rights for gay couples. We would therefore prefer that our users not use Mozilla software to access OkCupid.” Visitors were then offered redirect tabs to download alternatives to the Mozilla Firefox web browser. The move is a bold piece of activism in a tech industry becoming more willing to flex its political muscle.

Facebook, Google, Drones and the NSA

Recently Facebook has been on a media offensive. They have been touting their March 28 purchase of experimental Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV, called drones) manufacturer Ascenta. Ascenta has built a solar-powered extreme endurance drone that can remain aloft at high altitude for years. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg sees this as the key to his dream of expanding internet access in the developing world. Facebook's planned deployment of drone-based internet will compete directly with Google's planned use of high altitude balloons to expand rural connectivity in the developing world in what it calls Project Loon. Both projects have the leave the door wide open to the surveillance state in ways that neither advertise. Ascenta's connections to the defense industry are well documented.

Space weapons coming to a small Ohio town near you

Space weapons lurking beneath the Ohio countryside sounds like a sci-fi nightmare only the Pentagon can conjure up, but an on-going environmental impact study may find the Buckeye state a great place for shooting down Russian or Chinese satellites as they orbit the planet. World War III would have erupted if the US were shooting down Russian or Chinese satellites, but the recent events in the Ukraine certainly make the future as murky as ever. But when it comes to space warfare, this “mad” future is now, and licking their chops is the Pentagon and their super-rich defense contractors who are eyeing Camp Ravenna in northeast Ohio for a “Ground-based Mid-Course Missile Defense” site, better known in missile defense parlance as a “GMD” site. Like nuclear missiles, GMD “interceptors” are stored and launched from underground silos.

Why is there even a new TMNT movie?

Paramount has finally released a full trailer for the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, and the internet just wouldn’t be the internet if everybody wasn’t up in arms over it. But along with the cries of RUINED FOREVER there are a lot of seriously legitimate concerns about the latest take on TMNT.

You're Never Too Old

I was 83 last September and was wondering if you have any ideas on how to make my non­existent sex life better?

 About 5 years ago I had most of my prostate removed due to (lost word) it was enlarged, but not cancerous, OK? So at first I was still able to have erections, but not as hard as before, then gradually, less and less erect. I still had orgasms, but without any liquid, which is fine for me, but not sure how women will handle that one. I can still have orgasm, but it takes at least a week to get horny enough to start trying. My daughter tells me that when I find the right woman it will be different, but I don't know..... What do you think?

 

 

Parsons Avenue development gets zoning approval despite widespread community discontent Residents vow continued opposition

The Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) met on March 25 to consider a tabled proposal for zoning variances that would allow a massively-sized, massively-unpopular luxury apartment block at 122 Parsons Avenue. Developers rolled out the AstroTurf to give the appearance of support for the project despite opponents outnumbering supporters nearly 10-1 at the meeting. Further research by the Columbus Free Press suggests that the proposed development has the backing of powerful forces in city politics and business to move forward despite the wishes of Olde Towne East residents. Representing the development consortium, Brian Higgins of Arch City Development spoke first. Higgins had kept a low profile at the two previous meetings he had attended, appearing to be the guy who just holds the pictures while Michael Woods of Woods Development LLC put a public face on the project. Woods was not present for this meeting although the third partner, Timothy Galvin was identified as being quietly present, whispering to Higgins while other speakers were at the podium.

The IMPACT Community Action Poverty Summit

On Thursday, April 3rd, 2014, IMPACT Community Action is holding a Poverty Summit, as part of its recognition of the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty. IMPACT is in a unique position to hold this Poverty Summit, since the organization’s roots date to the early days of the War on Poverty. The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 – the cornerstone of Lyndon Baines Johnson’s vision for ending poverty in the U.S. – established community action agencies as a core element. Community action agencies are alive and well after half a century in the state of Ohio, with 50 different organizations – including IMPACT – members of the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies.

The Wedding of Pol Pot's Daughter

Pol Pot's daughter, who at age 10 saw her father's bloated corpse in a Cambodian jungle in 1998, has married her university sweetheart in a ceremony overshadowed by the late Khmer Rouge leader's murderous regime. Sar Patchata, 26, is the only child of Pol Pot, whose real name was Saloth Sar. Pol Pot's fanatic mix of Maoist and Stalinist communism and rush to create a rural-based society with "new people" starting at the "year zero," resulted in nearly two million Cambodian deaths from executions, torture, slavery, starvation, and disease. Ms. Sar earned her master's degree in English literature in Malaysia where, a few years ago, she met Sy Vicheka. The two Cambodians married in Kbal Spean village, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold in northwest Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province near Thailand's border. About 50 guests attended the two-day ceremony which began on March 15, according to Cambodian media. On March 16, the couple was blessed by four Buddhist monks and reportedly received cash, gold and other gifts worth thousands of dollars.

Thai Army's New Enemy: Controversial Northern "Separatists"

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's U.S.-trained military has a new enemy and is now hunting northern separatists who want to seize most of this Buddhist-majority country, create a Lanna People's Democratic Republic, and expel Bangkok to a shrunken South Thailand. The military is warning Thais not to demand independence in the north because such "treason" and "sedition" could spark a bloody civil war. "Separatism is a severe offense," said army deputy spokesman Col. Winthai Suwaree. "Expressing differences in opinion is permitted under the constitution, but expressing the need to separate the country is not," Col. Winthai said. "The separation talk is especially shocking because, for the first time, the idea the country can be physically hacked up...along the political fault lines has been openly discussed," said Atiya Achakulwisut, a Bangkok Post editor. Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, stung by allegations that she sympathized with the separatists, said on March 3, "We want to see Thailand as one and indivisible." Hoping to distance her government from the separatist issue, Ms. Yingluck met leaders of the armed forces on March 4 in her capacity as defense minister.

Pages

Subscribe to ColumbusFreePress.com RSS