Hugo Chávez died of cancer this week in a military hospital in Venezuela (International Herald Tribune, March 5, 2013). After 14 years of “revolution” and fomenting opposition against the U.S., the charismatic national figure leaves behind a nation in turmoil and a mourning family. Venezuela has been in political crisis as its leader suffered with cancer. Now, many supporters are saying “‘With Chávez everything, without Chávez nothing” (ibid.).

The United States and China have drafted strong sanctions against North Korea as a reaction to a recent nuclear test by the North Koreans (CBS News, March 7, 2013). In retaliation, North Korea has threatened a “pre-emptive nuclear strike” against the U.S. Although China is North Korea’s strongest ally in the region, the U.S. is blamed for the resolution.

The world is coming to realize the drug war is failing because of an ever-resilient enemy: the consumer who fuels the drug business.  Where there is a demand, there will be a supply. “In 2010, about 200 million people took illegal drugs… 40,000 tons of marijuana, 800 tons of cocaine, and 500 tons of heroin” (Der Spiegel, February 22, 2013).

A recent sobering headline reads: “Young minds are being conditioned by the violent sex they easily access online. Parents have ignored the peril for too long and must act fast” (The Sunday Times, February 24, 2013). Recent research suggests that the average age of first exposure to pornographic images is now age six! In fact, “…the largest consumers of internet porn are the 12-17 age group” (ibid.).

Last Friday a meteor entered Earth’s atmosphere and broke up, “raining fireballs” over central Russia. About 1,200 people were injured, most by shards of glass from windows shattered by the shockwaves. It created a flash of light described as making the night sky look “as bright as if it were day” (Reuters, February 15, 2013).