George Friedman, geopolitical author and founder of STRATFOR has released his most recent book: The Next Decade. In the “Author’s Notes,” Mr. Friedman makes the following observation, contrasting America as a Republic and an Empire: “I have spent a great deal of time thinking about the relationship between empire and republic, and the only conclusion I have reached is that if the republic is to survive, the single institution that can save it is the presidency.

Flour and salad oil prices have doubled in Algeria in the last couple of months. Although official government statistics place unemployment in the nation at about 10%, independent organizations place it closer to 25%. The result of increasing unemployment and increasing food prices has been rioting. Hundreds of people throughout the nation, mainly youth, have clashed with police and damaged government buildings (Guardian, January 7, 2011). Riots have killed several and injured hundreds of people.

Rapidly developing events in the Middle East have placed Israel  in a precarious position.  On January 12, the pro-Western government of Lebanon collapsed, when ten Hezbollah ministers and the State Minister resigned.  Subsequently, a Hezbollah-backed Prime Minister was selected who is said to be a proxy for Iran (Associated Press, January 26, 2011). This places an avowed enemy on Israel’s northern border.

Recently, the New York Times ran an article on a topic that I, like many IT professionals, have been following for several months. The article discussed the likely origin, destination and purpose of a computer virus that the Times called "the most sophisticated cyberweapon ever deployed."

Right on the heels of record rains and widespread flooding that swamped much of Queensland in northeast Australia, Cyclone Yasi—“the worst cyclone in a century” to hit the state of Queensland—tore through the same region causing widespread destruction (telegraph.co.uk, February 3, 2011).  In the United States, “a vast winter storm… blasted much of the nation” with several feet of snow, ice, high winds and freezing temperatures from Texas to Maine.