Dec 7th 1941, A Date Which Will Live in Infamy.

Happy Pearl Harbor Day everyone!

Seems strange to celebrate such an occasion, so perhaps instead of celebrating, we should just observe this one.

68 years ago, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor(US Navel base in Hawaii).

It was a devastating attack. There was very little warning. Over 2200 american soldiers were killed. Almost half of them (1177) died aboard the USS Arizona (which is pictured).

Before this attack, America was on the sidelines of WWII. But that all ended on Dec 7,1941. The very next day, President Franklin Roosevelt asked Congress for a declaration of war.

The rest, as they say, is history.

But as you fans of history know, that just means that we can learn valuable lessons from what happened. Here is an article that focuses on three lingering mysteries of Pearl Harbor.

And thanks to the National Parks Service, people can visit the USS Arizona Memorial. There they can paying tribute to the fallen and add some history to their vacation all at the same time.

"Tear Down this Wall!"

The Berlin Wall came crashing down 20 years ago today.

Not only did it it literally separate East & West Berlin, but it symbolized the divide between Democracy and Communism, during The Cold War.

After the Potsdam Conference, Germany was broken into four sections, Ruled by USA, Great Britain, France, & the USSR. USA, Great Britain and France combined their sections into West Germany, while Russia kept theirs as East Germany. The German Capital, Berlin, was also divided this way.

Tensions soon mounted...

The Berlin Airlift was needed after access to West Berlin was shut down by the Soviets in June of 1948. West Berlin needed to have supplies flown in. Over 270,000 flights were needed until the blockade was lifted in May 1949.

In one example of America's continuing support, JFK gave a famous address:

Trouble reared it's head again when the government of East Germany (with Soviet Support) decided to build a wall.

Just past midnight on the night of August 12-13, 1961, trucks with soldiers and construction workers rumbled through East Berlin. While most Berliners were sleeping, these crews began tearing up streets that entered into West Berlin, dug holes to put up concrete posts, and strung barbed wire all across the border between East and West Berlin. Telephone wires between East and West Berlin were also cut.

It started out as barbed wire, but eventually transformed into brick.

Obviously there were many attempts to circumvent the wall, something these were deadly. Between 100-200 people lost their lives attempting to cross The Berlin Wall.

As the Cold War played out, Berlin stayed in the center of attention. Here is President Regan delivering his famous challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev:

And 20 years ago day, the wall was torn down. The borders were opened once again and within a year Germany would be united again.

While this was a great and wonderful thing, it also helped make David Hasselhoff an international superstar.

Find more videos like this on HoffSpace

Not sure how history will judge that :)

The Flu

It's all anybody is talking about, in fact some people are going bonkers. To me that means one thing.

We're wee wee'd up about the flu!

And for good reason. H1N1 (Swine) Flu is making it's way around the country with a vengeance. There is a vaccine coming, but it's delivery has been delayed and people are panicked.

On the other hand some believe that there is nothing to worry about. They think the media is ramping up this cause like they do many others (killer bees, shark attacks, or David Spade).

Don't believe me? Maybe you'll believe Jimmy Kimmel:

But looking back on history there is good reason to take a serious look at the Flu.

The Spanish Flu hit less than a 100 yeas ago (right at the end of WW1). It killed 20 - 40 Million people. Click here for more information.

So clearly the flu isn't something to sneeze at. Get it, to sneeze at.

Sorry about that. Let me make it up to you by linking to a cool video of how the flu enters your body.

Here are some tips to stay healthy:

• Eat right
• Get plenty of sleep
• Wash your hands (often)

These may seem simple, but they could be the keys for you to miss the flu this year.

PS Right after I posted this, President Obama declared swine flu a national emergency.

The proclamation, which Obama signed on Friday night, will make it easier for U.S. medical facilities to handle a surge in flu patients by allowing the waiver of some requirements of Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health insurance programs as needed, the White House said in a statement.

It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine).

Next month Hollywood is putting out a film based on the idea that the Mayan calendar predicts that the world is going to end on Dec 21, 2012.

You remember the Mayans right? You probably studied them in your grade school social studies class along with the Incas and the Aztecs.

So, where did this crazy idea about the end of the world come from?

Rumor has it that an ancient Mayan calendar has predicted everything that has ever happened. And this magical calendar ends on 12-21-2012.

Duh Duh DUHH!

It probably also doesn't help that reputable sources such as the History Channel put out programs like the following:

Are you scared yet?

Don't be.

We will still be here on Dec 22, 2012. At least thats what Yahoo and Fox tells me.

But no story on Mayan predictions would be complete without consulting The Onion:

"On this date, near the end of the 13th baktun cycle, when the sun will converge with the centerline of the Milky Way, we will see the release of an overblown ensemble epic by the man responsible for Godzilla and 10,000 BC that could very well end John Cusack's career as we know it," said Thomas Haney, an independent researcher specializing in pre-Columbian cosmology. "At this point, all we can do is hope and pray that the high priests were wrong and the running time is less than 143 minutes."

I sure hope that the Mayans are wrong, I always liked John Cusack.

Give Peace a Chance

As if being President wasn't cool enough, Barrack Obama is now a Noble Laureate. On Friday he was award the Noble Peace Prize.

Here is the explanation of the award:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

President Obama joins an illustrious group: Martin Luther King Jr. Mother Theresa, The Dali Llama, Nelson Mandela, just to name a few.

As with almost anything now days, controversy soon followed this announcement. And anytiem there's controversay on a subject, you can't go wrong with the Colbert Report:

President Obama acknowledged himself that he is not the typical prize winner:

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.

This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.

So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.

So, what do you think?

Happy Birthday China!

There's so much going on right now, Natural Disasters (Earthquakes in Indonesia & Tsunami in Samoa), Olympic Fever (Pres Obama plugging Chicago), and The Vikings hosting the Packers on Monday night.

With all the choices, I didn't know what to post about. Guess that makes me Wee Wee'd Up!

But then I heard that today marks the 60th anniversary of the Peoples Republic of China. And my mind was made up. Afterall who doesn't like a good birthday bash?

(Every party has a pooper)

As a kid all I knew about China was that if I dug down deep enough I'd eventually get there. I didn't know a thing about communism or their way of life. Every once in a while I'd get my hands on a fortune cookie, or hear on the news that McDonalds opened a sore there and I'd think, "cool."

I'm not sure if kids today have any greater grasp on things than I did, but I bet they at lest know that China is where their toys come from.

If the 2008 Beijing Olympics taught us anything, it's that China knows how to throw a party. Here's a slideshow of their big birthday bash!

Is this something to celebrate, or should we spit on the candles when we help blow them out? What do you think?

What to do about Afghanistan?

It's been over 8 years since the tragic events of 9-11 took place.

Very quickly we targeted the terrorists(Al-Qaeda) and their sponsors(Taliban) and launched an invasion of Afghanistan. At the time I'm sure most thought it would be a one-sided battle.

But 8 years later, Bin Laden is still hiding in caves sending out his messages. And the Taliban is still in control of large portions of Afghanistan .

In addition to those blackeyes, we now have reports that military leaders are asking for even more troops to be sent, otherwise failure is a real possibility. It seems that not only are we dealing with the dangerous insurgency but also a corrupt government.

Which leads to the all too familiar question of "stay the course" or "cut and run"?

What do you think?

Is this a conflict that is worth fighting for, or should we get out while we can?

P.S. If you can hardly find Afghanistan on a map and think that you don't know much about it, Don't despair. Instead, GO TO THE MOVIES!

Here are my favorite Afghan films:

Charlie Wilson's War - Shows how one congressman helped fund a secret war with Russia.

The Kite Runner - Tells the story of two friends and their war torn country.

After you watch these films, not only will you not be able to say you don't know anything about Afghanistan, you will also be entertained.

Economic Recovery - Then & Now

September 15th marked the 1 year anniversary of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers which was a key point in the financial meltdown of 2008-09. Like an episode of Ripley's Believe it or Not, in the last year we've seen:

• Millions of jobs lost, doubling the unemployment rate to 10%
• Thanks to the TARP program, the Government bailed out/tookover many powerful financial (AIG) & auto firms (GM & Chrysler)
• Huge dip in stock market - gobbling up retirement accounts in no time

It was the start of what has been called the worst recession since the Great Depression.

Ouch!

President Obama wasted no time in asking congress to pass an almost $800 million recovery act. Since it became law in Feb, the government has doled out plenty of stimulus money. Here is a nifty chart showing where it has gone:

And if this chart doesn't do it for you, maybe you like to have some good clean You Tube fun!

Here is an oddly edited message from President Obama on his economic recovery plan (I guess they didn't want any network anchors to feel left out).

Here is a message from FDR talking about the progress of his recovery plan.

So you can see we've been down this road before. Hopefully this time it doesn't take WWIII to recover.

What are your thoughts on our economy and government's role in the recovery? If you were President, what would your recovery plan look like?

"You Lie!"

It's been quite the week for presidential speeches. On Tuesday President Obama gave a controversial speech to school kids, where he told them to stay in school and study hard.

Then last night he delivered a rare address to both houses of congress. The topic, as I'm sure you know by now...Health Care Reform.

If you missed it, click here to check out the speech for yourself (But bring some popcorn, because it runs around 50 min).

One of the most talked about parts of the speech wasn't the details that the President gave, but instead was when Rep Wilson (R-SC) yelled out "You Lie!"

While not entirely impartial, here is a nice little summery of the debate:

What did you think of the speech? Do you think health care reform will be passed? Do you think we need it?

Summer is over

Congress is on recess, the President just got back from vacation, and NSU has started classes.

It must be SEPTEMBER!

Before we delve into any of the important topics that face our nation, let's take a second to pay tribute to Ted Kennedy.

Senator Kennedy was able out live his more famous brothers and end up earning the title "The Lion of the Senate." The Kennedy clan has been to referred to as "Camelot" or "America's royal family". They've no doubt played a major role in shaping modern America.

What is your favorite Kennedy moment/sphere of influence?