Russia, the USA, and the EU are against each other again. Russia as part of the Soviet Union and the United States were in a Cold War for 50 years in the latter part of the twentieth century in a political war between Capitalism and Communism. The Iron Curtain fell but the USA and Russia are still in competition for European economic dominance. Today, they are fighting primarily over energy resources.

According to a Washington Post article by Adrian Karatnycky,Russia has a history of using its Natural gas and oil resources to put political pressure on European countries like the Ukraine and Belarus. Therefore the USA and the EU are trying to find alternatives to the Russian monopoly and thus diversify the market. Central Asia is caught up in the middle of this economic battle.

Russia is working with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to expand Russian control over their energy resources. At the same time, Turkmenistan is working with Western companies like Chevron and allowing the company to operate.

Azerbaijan is working with the EU along with Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania to find new ways to deliver gas and oil bypassing Russia. There is a propsed project called Nabucco, which would link Azerbaijan’s oil with Turkey and then all the way to Austria. Eventually they could use these new proposed pipelines to bring in oil from other Central Asian nations.

Russia has come up with their own plan. On June 23, Russia and Italy agreed to build a pipeline from Russia to Southern Europe via The Black Sea. That is why it is so important that Russia does not lose its Caucasian territory.

Energy diversification is important to many former Soviet Block nations who no longer want to give Russia political power. It is coming up in EU meetings and will be an important issue in the upcoming presidential election. Central Asian nations, rich with energy resources will play a huge role in this battle for energy power in the European market.

Another great article here

I just though this was too interesting not to post. I looked up claims to the North Pole on Wikipedia.

“In 1925, based upon the Sector Principle, Canada became the first country to extend its boundaries northward to the North Pole, at least on paper, between 60°W and 141°W longitude, a claim that is not universally recognized (there is in fact 770 km of ocean between the Pole and Canada’s northernmost land point). In addition, Canada claims the water between its Arctic Islands as internal waters. Denmark (Greenland), Russia and Norway have made similar claims. The United States of America is one of the countries which does not recognize Canada’s, or any other countries’ claims, and has passed nuclear submarines under the ice near Canadian islands without permission.” (ahh junk!! Those evil imperialists!! Wah ha haaaaa! :-))

Well. . . Americans were the first to explore there. . . We planted our flag first.

Just for fun!!!!! Who do you think has the most claim? I think that it shouldn’t belong to anyone, kind of like what they do with Antarctica.

Another funny quote, ” According to Sergei Priamikov, of Russia’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute “the Lomonosov ridge is part of the Canadian shelf, which means Russia should in fact belong to Canada“ 

Watch out Santa Claus!! Putin is now claiming the North Pole as part of Russia!

He is making the claim based on a ridge that connects Russia to the North Pole. Right now Denmark, Canada, USA, Norway, and Russia are in a treaty that gives each of those nations a 200 mile economic zone from their coasts.

THe North Pole may not really be the home of Santa Claus, but has much to offer in oil and other natural reserves. Merry Christmas. There are even maps being made showing the North Pole part of Russia.

I doubt seriously that the other countries bordering th North Pole will allow Putin to make his claim.

More Protestants are being arrested iUzbekistan. Either deporting Christians, arresting them, or kidnapping them. Sometimes Christians even receive beatings. They are thrown in jail until they renounce their faith. Most of the Christians belong to the Pentecostal or Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Uzbekistan is still very unsafe if you are a missionary or work for a Christian non-profit. Christianity (and Islam for that matter) is banned. The government is cracking down harder on Christians.

Is Karimov the Uzbek Stalin? Banning Christianity is a stupid move as Christians would less likely allow the country to become an Islamic government. He is a puppy of China and Russia.

Things are just so stressful right now. My husband is still unemployed and my heart just aches for him. I don’t understand how someone so talented and smart could have such trouble finding a job. If you don’t have tech and science skills, it is near impossible to find a job. My husband fortunately knows some computer languages and is trying to expand on his knowledge. Jobs are just so specialized nowadays that it makes it more difficult for a person to get a well paid job. Science and technology are the future.

It is amazing how much technology is in our lives. I see it as both a blessing and a curse. A blessing is that the world is a smaller place. I can see people in countries all over the world. It can also be a curse because we become to attached to technology so if there were some sort of disaster, we would be totally lost. Also, too much emphasis on technology can dehumanize things and create problems militarily. An example of this is in the US government. The government during the 1990s cut down on human intelligence and focused more on technology. We know the results of this now.

In the book, From Dawn to Decadence by Jacques Barzun, he describes a future world where technology and science are our Latin and the scientist elite are our learned clergy in a world of dumbed down masses. A study by Jonathan Huebner, physicist, believes we are heading towards a dark age!

With all of the technology we have today, and the ability to cure so many diseases, how on earth could we be headed towards a dark age? The height of technological innovation was from 1873-1915. We are entering an age of fewer patents and inventions. Now that completely makes sense as innovation today is in danger of lawsuits or not being PC or “green”.

I heard the other day that “greenies” are merely watermelons. They are green on the outside and red on the inside. Red as in Communism. These Greenies are using science to promote their political goals, to take away freedom and innovation. Even Thomas Edison’s light bulb is not “green” enough. If Thomas Edison lived today, we wouldn’t have the light bulb. Not safe for the environment.

I think a dependence on technology can be bad and we should try to be more self reliant. We need to live our lives the best way we can to avoid government help so that the government can help those who TRULY are destitute and needy. I think someone with two cell phones and cable television should not receive food stamps for example, or government health care. Government health care should be saved for those who truly need it, like cancer patients or heart transplant patients who have lack of insurance or little insurance.

We have become a selfish, dependent culture. Maybe if people weren’t spending all of their money on technology, they would have money for health care and food. At the same time, technology could be an investment. The poor could use their technology (internet) to make money or to take online courses to gain more skills so that they could make more money.

Until government steps in and controls the internet, the internet is the only place where innovation and capitalism can thrive. Think about the political bloggers, the creativity on You Tube, and the internet entrepreneurs!!!

I guess technology isn’t so bad after all!! It is the world’s free market. As long as we control it. . .