County rebuilds after quake

Zhangjiaping village in Yingxiu town, Sichuan province, hosts a free meal on Saturday for several hundred villagers who move back before the Spring Festival. [Photo/China News Service]

BEICHUAN, Sichuan - Three years after a deadly earthquake struck Sichuan province, once-devastated quake zones are regaining their vitality and residents are finding ways to continue their lives.

The catastrophic quake that occurred on May 12, 2008 destroyed the entire downtown area of Beichuan county. Rather than clear the ruins away, officials decided to reopen the site as a park. Chen Shimin, a 50-year-old Beichuan resident who used to sell pancakes with her husband outside the gate of Beichuan High School, recently became a staff member there.

But that job opportunity only arose after a long period of unemployment. Saddened by the death of her husband, who was killed during the earthquake, Chen didn't look for work for two years.

Read more here

Official Home Site of the Principality of Hutt River, Homepage!

The Home Site

Principality of Hutt River.
www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov

The Principality of Hutt River is situated 595 km north of Perth, Western Australia and is about 75 square km in area, consisting of some 18,500 acres of land.

Hutt River is an Independent Sovereign State having seceded from Australia on the Twenty First Day of April 1970 and is of comparable size to Hong Kong (not the New Territories).

The Principality consists of undulating farmland well covered in places with a wealth of shrubs and glorious wildflowers.

Read the local news here

Alaskan Independence Party seeks vote of secession

The Alaskan Independence Party was formed to promote Alaska’s secession from the union, which they claim should have been an option in 1958. Founder Joe Vogler said “I’m an Alaskan, not an American. I’ve got no use for America or her damned institutions.” Despite hating American institutions it’s affiliated with the Constitution Party and members included Sarah Palin’s husband Todd. Palin addressed the group via video message.

In 2006, Alaskan Independence Party members collect the 100 signatures needed to place the issue on the ballot, but were barred by the courts on grounds secession was unconstitutional. Wait, only 100 signatures are needed to put something on the ballot? Hell, let’s vote that all ducks must wear pants in Alaska.