How America became a superpower, in case you ever wondered.

Courtesy of Vox:

The United States is the world's most powerful country by far, with a globe-spanning network of alliances and military bases. It's practically unrecognizable from the way the country began — and, indeed, what many early Americans thought it would be. The above video tells the story of how America changed from an insular former colony to a globe-spanning superpower. 

Expansionism was always in America's DNA, as a country founded by the expulsion and slaughter of American Indians. But after America reached the Pacific coast, there was a real debate as to whether it should go further — whether the US should continue its growth as an imperial power beyond North America's shores.

Of course we know who won that argument.

Personally I really enjoy this kind of video which attempts to educate Americans about who and what we are, and how we may evolve in the future.

However I have to say that I felt some of this was a little whitewashed and did not accurately present some of the reasons for our interventionist attitude.

Still it was a little mind numbing to be reminded that many of our past decisions, including the creation of NATO, were directed solely by a desire to contain and deal with the Soviet Union, and that a product of the USSR, a former KGB agent, has now chosen America's next president for us.

At any minute I expect Rod Serling to step out of the shadows to say "Imagine if you will, a nation which spent decades attempting to control the actions of a foreign government, now led by a man chosen for them by that self same foreign government. An event which surely could only happen in.....the Twilight Zone."

Alaska Republicans are planning to spend $450,000 of tax payer money to stop Governor Walker from expanding Medicaid.

"No seriously, what in the hell is wrong with you people?"

Courtesy of Alaska Dispatch: 

The Alaska Legislature on Tuesday said it will sue Gov. Bill Walker to block his move last month to expand the public Medicaid health care program without lawmakers’ approval. 

Following a private discussion Tuesday morning, a Republican-controlled House-Senate committee voted 10-1 to spend up to $450,000 on two law firms to represent the Legislature in a suit against the governor. 

In a news conference after the committee vote, Republican leaders framed their decision to challenge the governor as a constitutional one. They’re seeking an injunction to stop Medicaid expansion from going into effect Sept. 1. 

“This is not a policy issue — we’re not discussing whether we should or shouldn’t expand Medicaid,” said Senate President Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage. “This is a question of authority and process and our constitution.”

Okay that last part is complete bullshit.

The Republicans, originally lead by ex-Governor Sean Parnell, have been trying to keep Alaskans from receiving the benefits of Obamacare ever since the program was initially put in place.

So here is Governor Walker finally helping those of us who cannot access affordable health care any other way, and the Republicans are going to spend OUR tax dollars to stop him.

You know sometimes I really hate living here.

We are all Africans.

If image does not expand click here.

All of us, every single one of us, well except those people still living in Africa, are descendants of immigrants who bravely left their homeland to explore the world.

And yet today immigrants are the most vilified group on the planet.

Borders, territories, state lines are all the creation of man, and an attempt to lay claim to that which can never be owned and which should be open and accessible to every human on the planet without regard to their place of origin.

Because ultimately let's face it, THEIR place of origin, is OUR place of origin.