There are five countries that matter in this world.

These five countries just happen to be the permanent five members of the United Nations Security Council. These countries are the five main victors of the Second World War, and the Security Council is their tool for ruling the world that they conquered. These five countries have also conveniently written themselves into the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty as “recognized nuclear powers”. They are allowed to have nuclear weapons, but no one else is.

The reason for all this is that no one can stop them, because they have strategic nuclear weapons.

All these countries have massively cut their nuclear arsenals. Britain and France have eliminated two legs of their strategic triad, relying entirely on submarine-based missiles. The United States and Russia have shrunk their strategic bomber forces down to very small levels but still maintain extensive missile and submarine forces. China has a modest strategic nuclear capability.

However, these nations all maintain the ability to deliver nuclear weapons to anywhere in the world. And they aren’t going to give that up anytime soon, because with nuclear weapons comes power. When you have the ability to wipe another country off the face of the earth, they listen to you. Even if they don’t think you will wipe them off the face of the earth, they still listen.

Power at its most basic definition is the ability to do work, that is, the ability to use force to transfer energy. Nuclear weapons transfer more energy than any other thing in the world. When you are extraordinarily powerful, people listen.

Yes, there are other countries which are trying to gain power. India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have all gained nuclear weapons. But none of these nations has yet attained the ability to deliver their weapons anywhere in the world. Their nuclear weapons are mounted on short and intermediate range missiles. These nations are regional powers, but they do not have the worldwide clout of the Permanent Five. Other nations such as Iran and Syria are trying to develop nuclear and missile technology, so they can gain power too.

And this is what so many people do not understand about national missile defense. We are only deploying a few missiles, nowhere near enough to counter the Russian nuclear arsenal. Many question whether North Korea would attack the US with a handful of missiles that could be intercepted by our few dozen interceptor missiles.

But that’s not the issue. Nuclear weapons gain a country power, even if they don’t use them. If we know North Korea has the power to take out Los Angeles, we treat them differently. But, if we know we have the power to shoot down North Korean missiles on their way to Los Angeles, all of a sudden the North Korean nuclear threat is neutralized. We no longer have to give rogue states such as North Korea or Iran such wide berths. Without us or the North Koreans ever firing a shot, we have restored the power differential back to where it was before North Korea developed nuclear weapons.

World power centers around nuclear weapons. Regardless of treaties, principles and agreements, world power is maintained through dominance in nuclear weapons. This might not sound very nice, but that’s the way it is.

A weekly column

Facebook, Facebook, Facebook. What is there to say about this marvelous turn-of-the-century piece of social technology? To hear some people talk you might think that God himself created this divine network in order that he may more fully bless us humans. Um, how about no.

In fact, it was man who created the evil that is Facebook.  And, like most human inventions, we have made it a god. I just don’t understand the whole hype that surrounds it. I mean, I realize that this will be a touchy subject for most of you as everyone and their grandma possesses a profile, but I just want to say something that you simply cannot deny: Facebook is a fad. Let me repeat that in case you’re skimming: IT’S A FAD. 

Does anyone remember MySpace? Is that ancient history or what?! But what has become of MySpace will soon be the fate of Facebook once something newer and better appears. Mark my words; it’s going to happen. Facebook will eventually go the way of the dodo.

I have a dream – no– a hope.  Or, maybe it’s a desire, I don’t know.  But in any case, what I would like to see is people simply conversing in the most traditional of ways. Sounds strange, I know. I can hear you now, “But hey, we engage in face-to-face conversations, we know how to interact with our peers!” Cut the crap.  The truth is, Facebook has brought undeniable changes to the way that social interaction is practiced. And, the differences are not all good either. 

For example, when I can overhear nearly any group of people metnion the word “Facebook” a million, bazillion times (that’s called hyperbole, folks) then yes, I would say that there has been a change for the worse. I mean, what has become of the notion of friendship these days? I don’t know about you but my idea of a friend has no correlation whatsoever to how many I have. Just because hundreds, possibly even thousands, are “friends” on your Facebook profile doesn’t mean crap about whether or not they are actually your friends. Come on! Are you really going to talk to your 473^rd friend? Really? I highly doubt that. Okay, maybe that’s a little harsh (Hahahahahaha!), but it is a force that is dominating the lives of our generation. Everywhere I go all I see and all I hear is Facebook, Facebook, Facebook.

Hey, I have an idea; its revolutionary! The next time you need to contact someone…write a letter.    

Oh, and BTW, be sure and check out the Angry Beard facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=47518861701  

Ironic, isn’t it?

By NCE

The publication of this column begins what will be a weekly feature.  “Angry Beard: A Weekly Fray” is written by me, an animated young man who happens to have a beard.  And I must say that I am rollicking at the opportunity to have a turn at posting on the hottest blog in town. 

If you have been reading the DTH editorial page recently you may have noticed that the blokes who run that monopoly have gone a bit overboard when it comes to christening their columnists.  Within the last two weeks they have had a “Race Columnist,” an “Identity Columnist,” and a “Linguistic Columnist” among others.  These specialists go on about a current issue and relate it to their field of study.  Well, consider me your “Anger Columnist.”  I will chronicle the unspoken irritating experiences of day to day life shared by us students here at UNC.  I’m referring to those incidents that exacerbate one’s attitude to become worse than that of Marie Antoinette’s.  But, for fear of being labeled uncouth you keep from mentioning the matter.  In this column I am constrained by no such phobia.

Just what you’ve always wanted, right?  A column that says, in a funny, enthralling way, the things you have been thinking all week.  In other words, my column will be a relation of the “little things” that, when understood collectively, combine to create the undeniable fraternity present among the student body here at UNC. 

Take, for example, the simple matter of exercise.  At UNC the process one must go about to simply run on a tread mill is more complicated than Math 630.  I mean I understand the need to check for One Cards, but surely a group of demented sea monkeys could come up with a better system for the use of the treadmills.  Currently, you must arrive in advance in order to sign up for a machine.  My first time at the SRC I arrived and, seeing number six was free, unknowingly commenced running.  Soon thereafter someone came along and not so subtly asked me to leave.  Learning my lesson, I decided to sign up for a later time, but the next hour or so was filled with wannabe track stars.  And so I left, alone and without a jog.  Whatever happened to the ol’ first come, first serve rule? 

Then, of course, there’s the dinning halls, the pit, life in the classroom…ideas for this weekly write-up are endless, so bring it on, life!  And as to you, join me here, each Saturday, in order that I may continue to write.