So, what’s been going on lately? Aside from looking for a thesis subject and a little bit of work on the side, I’ve been sucked into the depths of Half Life 2, a pretty amazing game (the physics engine is unbelieveable). Go get it now.I refrained from talking about the elections in the USA and the disappointment of most of the rest of the world with the results (not only here in Germany) because it seems that anyone with a head on their shoulders can figure
out what this means for the future of the USA. And as much as I miss some things about living there, I’m glad on another hand that I’m not in the middle of the mire that it’s becoming.

If I was living there still, I’d be pissed about how our government has shrugged off its former allies and made the UN irrelevant.

I’d be angry about the newly introduced government ability to circumvent the rights of its citizens (with the misnamed PATRIOT act), while claiming that the loss of liberty is the cost of freedom and very patriotic.

I’d be angry about the lies that were used to maniplulate the people into acceptance of clearly wrong acts (Iraq war using WMD as the basis for the invasion).

I’d be angry about how the elections were a marketing ploy of gigantic proportions, aimed directly at the emotions of the people on both sides, to ensure that the elected official would be one based on emotion and no facts.

I’d be angry that I couldn’t have faith in the election results of any presidential election.

I’d be angry that my country no longer has a foreign policy, and that my country’s leader is no diplomat by any means.

I’d be angry that the rest of the world thinks my country is a screaming child that will always get its way, since noone else can control it yet.

I’d be angry that my government only thinks about the short term, unless it involves acquiring more power via oil control.

I’d be angry about manipulation of common people through the media. This has been shown in the past to be very effective.

I would be angry that people from my country have died by the thousands, followed by the deaths of tens of thousands, all planned out by my government and said to be done in the name of freedom.

I would be angry that the “war on terrorism” has only created more terrorism than ever existed before, and on a worldwide scale.

But, even as a citizen, I don’t live there. So I don’t have to be all angry. To all you who are living there: are you?

If you care about the future of your country and those around you, you should be.