UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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Welcome to Jonas Rand's Personal Site

Hello. My name is Jonas Rand, and welcome to my little home on the web. I am a 15-year-old high school student from Las Vegas, Nevada. I am interested in politics, technology, music, culture throughout the globe, and helping to change the world. One of my hobbies is playing the game reversi. My political views, in case anyone wonders, are socialist, anti-war, and radical. At one time, I was an avid coin collector, but became bored with it and lost fascination with collecting coins. I am learning how to play harmonica, y estoy aprendiendo Español también!

I was a member of the Wikipedia Review (before being banned in late 2007), the only forum dedicated to criticism of Wikipedia, starting July 30, 2007. Wikipedia, while it still has its flaws (privilege to certain users, abusive bureaucracy, etc.), has improved a whole lot since 2007. Rather than being banned for my views or a violation of existing rules, the Wikipedia Review staff banned me for being under 13, then imposed a rule that 16 was the minimum age for posting. There is a long and convoluted story behind my ban from Wikipedia Review, which I will someday tell in full. One of the administrators on that Board described my history there as "peculiar", which is the best term that I can come up with.

A note about the news sources that I use: I read the news very frequently, mostly through web pages but sometimes in local newspapers when I find them; my primary source of news is Aljazeera English. Russia Today (it has now been renamed to simply RT, probably to reflect a more global scope of coverage, but I still know it as Russia Today), which posts its videos on Youtube, is another source that I use and trust; by and large, it seems impartial, except for when it comes to Russia. When Russia Today covers Russia-related events, it serves as Kremlin political propaganda, and so I don't pay it much attention; when the station covers events in the US and elsewhere, it provides many diverse perspectives.

Additionally, I am strongly against any kind of war and feel that militaries should only be used under extreme circumstances. It is among my basic beliefs that all war is unjust, and hurts everyone in society. Among my other interests are the cultures of Oceania and Africa, linguistics, and historical nonviolent resistance movements. Below are some essays that I wrote; this list will grow over time.

I am now using a game site called PlayOK, formerly called Kurnik. Here are my stats there. Note that I am not really 16 yet; the listed age is the difference between my year of birth and the current year.

Essays and Thoughts

The Injustice of Mandatory Testing. This essay was written on October 30, 2008 while I was in 7th grade, and criticizes the use of mandatory state testing, a controversial issue in Nevada and the United States.
A very short story that I wrote on January 29, 2010, and some notes that accompany it.
My answers to a quiz that was published as a political cartoon, which also answers some common questions about Palestine and the Palestinian people.
An American political prisoner is being held unjustly at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. This is to be expected in totalitarian states, but in democratic countries, it ought to be nonexistent.
Reversi strategy: White advantage in reversi (othello)
Too many people remain unjustly convicted, for racist or prejudicial reasons as well as serving sentences that are too long. The prisons are overpopulated. Nonviolent offenders should be freed to make room for people like this man, who should be in jail instead.
The West Memphis 3 Are Free !!!
On August 24, WikiLeaks revealed a court order from a Virginia District Court (dated January 4) demanding their web hosting provider, Dynadot, hand over private data.
The Fukushima Crisis is yet another reason why nuclear power is unsustainable.
The Climate Summit Was a Failure !!!

We Are The 99%Solidarity With the Occupy Movement

Dissent Is Patriotic. Power to the People! We have a voice at last. Change must happen soon. The corporate police-state that America has become is in desperate need of a liberatory revolution.