On August 28, 2008 Russia’s General of Staff stated that “Despite the apparent strength, the NATO naval group in the Black Sea is not battle-worthy,” adding that Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is capable of destroying NATO’s fleet “within 20 minutes”. Rising tensions between the US and Russia have diverted most of our attention to the Georgia/Russia conflict despite the fact that tensions are still incredibly high in the oil-rich Black Sea. For some time, US ally Turkey has been conducting extensive research with BP to explore the possibility of investing great sums of money within the region in its pursuit for greater energy independence. Security within the region is obviously a high priority.

In a recent report conducted by the General Accountability Office (GAO) it was found that roughly two thirds of US corporations found ways to avoid paying federal income taxes between the years 1998 and 2005. Additionally, it was found that 68 percent of foreign companies doing business in the United States partook in the same exercise. The report was initially requested by Senators Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND) and Carl Levin (D-MI). Many people believe that it is unfair for these corporations to avoid such a tax but considering the complexities and time spent on complying, why wouldn’t they?

The words we have all feared for so long are increasingly becoming a reality day after day. As forewarned at the 08 Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference by Stanford Law Professor Lawrence Lessig, “There’s going to be an i-9/11 event which will act as a catalyst for a radical reworking of the law pertaining to the internet”. Change is in the wind, and several key legislators are busier than ever thinking of new ways on how to use legislation as a tool to regulate the only true free frontier for media we have left.

The word “change” has become one of the most paramount and beaten to death aspects of the 2008 Presidential Election. Given the average American’s view of President Bush and the War in Iraq, for most people it is no wonder that such a simple slogan could literally be the one-word brand that reminds everyone of Barack Obama – a man of many firsts.

It was glamorous, stylish, and even sexy. Photos portrayed beautiful women and men as an advertised: Try it and you’ll be like us. Popular celebrities were walking advertisements as well, influencing their adoring public. Today, the affects of this addictive substance on health is well known. Where long ago it was once looked upon as cool, many people now view it as disgusting and repulsive. The substance is known as tobacco, which is contained in products such as cigarettes.

Mark Twain once said that “[m]any public-school children seem to know only two dates – 1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don’t know what happened on either occasion”. The education of our youth should be top priority. Education paves the way for future leaders, great philosophers as well as a better world and better opportunities. It opens up pathways that many may have not known existed.

Known as one of the worst humanitarian disasters in Africa, the Darfur Conflict has destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives. House Resolution 1351 portrays support and a call for the international community to come to the aid of the people of Darfur and the humanitarian efforts made by peacekeeping troops.

As a young American in the 21st century, I have never known oppression. I have never longed for freedom because I was born free with the ability to make my own choices and be whoever I want. Thousands every day live in fear of just speaking their own minds. As Americans we look on to those nations of tyranny half-way across the world. We sympathize, but never truly realize. One such nation lives in our very own backyard just 90 miles off the tip of Florida. That nation is Cuba.

This video by the Nader 2008 campaign slams Obama and McCain for their vote of support for the FISA bill. Nader’s video makes the connection between HR6304’s wiretapping section and Big Brother from 1984.

We’ve all been warned by our parents time and time again as children that talking to strangers is bad. Of course, there are the exceptions. Your friends at school had once been strangers. In a time where technology has brought us the computer and then the internet, one of the scariest things that parents may face is their child ignoring the “Don’t Talk to Strangers” advice and making online “friends”. Sometimes, these so-called friends are not who they said they were. When a child decides to meet their online “friend”, there are times when that child goes missing.