Monday, February 28, 2005
Perhaps They're Smoking a Little Too Much
According to the report most Canadians don't understand the difference between legalization and decriminalization. Guess what folks, they're thinking about stopping putting people in jail for smoking, not make it legal. You will still get a fine if caught and it will still be illegal.
Bush To Kill Social Security?
While George is lauding the great success of the Galveston Social Security experimentt, many of those affected say otherwise. What it all means is George is going to attempt to kill social security to the great suffering of the less affluent portions of society. He's going to do so by misrepresenting the facts and getting the state run media, Fox News, to lead the charge.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
To the Moon, or Moons Rather
On a more pleasant note, Cassini has discovered more moons around Saturn! I hadn't thought this would be a very good possibility given our current levels of observation. In any case it's very good that we can keep learning new things about our own solar system in this age, especially something as simple as the discovery of new moons.
You See, We Don't Trust You George
So, it looks like the Yanks just about have this missile defense thing working. Five out of six recent test shots successful. Watching the news, the whole thing doesn't appear all that dangerous. They look like short range missiles. If in fact they are, then the offensive capabilities of the system is minimal and Canada shouldn't be so worried about their use. The problem is, we don't trust Bush or any of his staff. His entire Presidency has been filled with lies, mis-information, and the suspension of civil rights, not to mention the many thousands of dead Iraqis who were attacked for all the wrong stated reasons. Now that we've said no, we may have to wait for some future President who we have a little more faith in, the Americans are essentially sounding the dire warnings as to how this means we have surrendered our sovereignty. Ummm, I thought we said no to missile defense, in most part because we didn't want to hand the power over to Bush, preserving our sovereignty. The American response, we are going to do it anyway with no regard for your airspace. The violation of another's airspace used to be considered an act of war. Perhaps the Bush clan might stop and think about the concept of how Canada might react to this violation, especially at a time when they are being attacked with missile by another nation. Bush, your running out of friends, and the friends you do have might be better served by not being threatened by you and yours. Hopefully the people of America will recognize some of these facts before they have no friends left at all. What kind of nation is it where the only friends they have are ones who fear them, very much increasing the risk of betrayal by said friends. And this from the great defenders of democracy, hah!
Cane Toad Problem Grows in Australia
The problem with the toads is spreading and has been credited with causing the decline of many native species. The latest idea has been to use a genetically modified virus to target them. My reservation with this idea is the risk of damage to other amphibians. I admit though that in the end this may prove the only effective way of solving the problem without causing all kinds of other damage in the effort.
Beheadings in Syria
Have you ever considered looking at this crime from the reverse logic? Who has the most to gain from dissent in Lebanon over the presence of the Syrians. Who has been recently accusing Syria of being behind the executions in Iraq? Who would gain the most political distance from a general Middle Eastern anger at Syria? If your answers are the same as mine, then there is an altogether different suspect, American Black Ops. Now, I have heard no evidence at all to support or even suggest that this is the case. I am only saying, if I were an analyst looking at the incident without having any evidence, than the U.S. would be my first pick. Most dissidents don't set off remote control bombs choosing instead to use suicide bombers or random mine type devices. Remote control devices in the past have been used in Lebanon, 1975 or there about, comes to mind. It was the Americans who used that device killing many innocent civilians in front of a church. By the way, the bad guy they were trying to kill wasn't injured. Now I haven't heard what type of device this was, but I wonder. All of which brings us to the latest suicide bombing in Israel. Can we guess who they are now blaming for that one? You guessed it, Syria! What an incredible co-incidence, incredible being the operative phrase here! We haven't heard a whole lot out of Syria recently and suddenly we have not one but two bombings being blamed on them, and this just after the Americans name the Syrians as being behind the executions in Iraq. Hmmmmm. Do I smell yet another invasion in the wind? If I were a suspicious person I might come to the conclusion that the Yanks have decided to tackle the little Islam problem once and for all. It would appear that the strategy is to simply conquer half and intimidate the hell out of the other half meanwhile praying that God will continue to support his Christian Army, Boykin's words not mine, despite the growing list of crimes and abuses they are committing. Hopefully, the Russians, long allies of Syria, and/or other Islamic Nations will not take up the fight in earnest before the Bush cronies finish with their agenda. Did I mention China?
Friday, February 25, 2005
Missile Defense Heating Up
So Canada decides to not go along with the latest version of Star Wars. Canadians are pretty much agreed that they want nothing to do with it. So the American ambassador makes it clear that the U.S. will fire over our airspace whether we like it or not. P.M. Paul Martin replies that this would be a violation of our airspace and that we must first give consent. All of which is mute anyway as Canada already participates in Norad and therefore has access to the same information that the Yanks have. Fact is, when the missile does come if ever, there simply will not be time to consult with anyone. The decision to use counter measures is likely to be made by the commander on the spot, so to speak. They barely had time in the past to even consult with the President before having to commit on a response to a perceived threat, real or not. Another fact, the U.S. has long violated the airspace of anyone they liked or disliked, anytime they felt like it. Alas, I smell change in the wind, the speed of which, and manner of which is likely to be decided by the worlds response to their perceived threat from the Americans. Remember, I was one of the first to say it, Russia, China, and India as a major alliance in response to the new American Imperialism creating a whole new balance of power. Hell, India or China could achieve the same thing on their own in a few years. Frankly, judging from the recent Bush Era, I can't help but see this as a good thing for the world as a whole.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
He Just Doesn't Get It
So George just can't understand why we don't want to sign up for an as yet not working missile defense system. One reason might be the fact that we don't trust you George and likely never will. Another might be statements like the one you made recently outlining how you will destroy missiles aimed at Canada regardless but without our participation we will have no choice as to how this is accomplished. Hhhmmmm. And to think that we wouldn't come running to join up with your latest initiative. I guess we, like pretty much the rest of the world, are just a bunch of fools who don't see the error of our ways. Perhaps we just seek a more honest approach to democracy.
Canada's Budget
You mean they are actually going to increase the budget for the military. I want to believe it, I really do. The problem is, Canada's military has been underfunded for so long, it's hard to imagine a serious Canadian Armed Forces anymore.
And Speaking of Crazy Weather
The reports are coming at an all time record rate now. Everyday the stories come at a faster rate. Everything from avalanches in Kashmir to mudslides in Indonesia, California, and British Columbia, and record cold in South Asia. No, there's nothing strange going on, nothing at all!
Sunday, February 20, 2005
On the Ecology Front
From the size of the fish, to invading species, the reports on the environment keep coming in. On the whole, they are not good. Kind of hoping one of these days, the reports will start to indicate that we are holding our own, and the cycle of decline has been arrested. Well. here is to hoping!
Saturday, February 19, 2005
So What Are They Trying to Pull Now
I can't help but wonder about the huge difference in the budget estimates between the feds and the one come up with by the social activists. We're talking about forty or fifty billion smacks kids. Perhaps this little discrepancy merits much closer inspection?
They Call This Life?
One might think that when recently a scumbag was given a life sentence, that would have given the surviving family members some satisfaction. His crime... He shot a woman in the stomach with a shotgun three times, killing her. So here's the thing, he's eligible for parole in eight years! There you have it, another fine example of the Canadian Justice system at work. Be afraid, be very afraid!
Yet More American Abuse?
Now reports are coming out about widespread abuse along the lines of the Iraq kind in Afghanistan. Where are all the embedded journalists in Afghanistan? I can understand a little more aggressiveness as there actually were terrorists in Afghanistan. The question becomes how aggressive and under what circumstances?
More Evidence to Ignore
Some new evidence is in for the hard core, word for word, literal interpretation, of Genesis followers. They are now dating just the latest version of humans at a couple hundred thousand years. You know what I'd think might be really interesting is to be able to go back and look at the original documents in Greek or whatever and have them re-translated into English. There have been several major revisions in the Bible and I think people should keep this in mind when examining current doctrine. The current King James version was written by men and many years after the originals. Is it really that difficult to imagine men making mistakes?
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Israeli Policies to Change
Israel is stating that it plans to stop bulldozing the homes of anyone suspected of attackers. Probably a good idea in a country where so many people are suffering due to past Israeli policies. The picture of the Israeli Army destroying homes has likely not furthered their cause much at all among the Palestinians.
And Speaking of Stink in the American Media
The world outside of the U.S. has long regarded the Fox Network the official American State Run Media. The stench runs deeper than that. According to this report, the White House has been using a known prostitute in press conferences to deflect unwanted questions and passing him off as a legitimate journalist. Sound interesting? That's only half of it. To read the whole story, check this link out, Americans might be interested in the kind of con their government pulls on them everyday. Apparently, Bush's high moral ground doesn't extend to the running of the government on a day to day basis.
Missing Nuclear Material
So the C.I.A. is complaining about the missing nuclear material in Russia these days. What I find interesting about the complaint is the lack of American details. In other words, how much nuclear material goes missing in the U.S> every year? Or from American allies for that matter. Perhaps we might start with the British who also loose significant amounts of such material. I've read in the past that the Americans loose something in the order of 8 kilos per year of this material. I'm not sure of the accuracy of this number then or whether this reflects current numbers. Could this possibly some attempt to further scare the American people in order to further the support for the war on terror? No way, the government would never use the media in this fashion... See following post.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Canadian Politics Not to Be Left Out
So now we hear word of a mysterious foundation fund that the Liberals have. Something in the order of $50 Billion whose records the Auditor General does not have access to. It's time for a lot more openness in the way Canadian public funds are administered and accounted for. The first order of business is for us to change the way politicians can vote their own raises. That would be a damn fine start.
Things Just Keep Heating Up Over Iran
It's pretty much common knowledge that the Americans have been flying missions in violation of Iran's airspace for some time now. By definition this is a very aggressive move and it would be within Iran's rights to defend their airspace. If Iran was doing the same thing to the U.S., the Americans would declare war. It's that old tiresome double-standard, the U.S. just doesn't want to see the power balance shifts coming in the new world. In the next twenty years, their power will wane as the new powers of China and India as well as other alliances emerge. It's time to stop dictating to the rest of the world and start negotiating in good faith.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Weather Still Causing Havoc in Pakistan
A second dam had burst and the deaths toll keeps rising as the weather continues to pound Pakistan. Anybody starting to notice that the freak weather reports are pretty much daily now?
American Military Not All Bad
With all my past writing about the smelly parts of the Iraqi campaign, it's only fair to take a moment to view the other side of the story. For one thing, my problem is with George and his cronies not the individual people in the services, most of whom exhibit the finest qualities in the U.S. today. Despite the almost impossible situation that these men and women have to live with everyday over there, they continue to work in an effort to make the lives better for many Iraqis. They do this by helping to build schools and digging wells, by providing medical aid, by rebuilding roads and clearing mines, in short, much more than try to fight the insurgents. Their are a hundred heroes in the U.S. military or more for every one guilty of crimes against prisoners or civilians. So to those guys in the field I can only say, I know that you are not responsible for the policies of your government. I know that many of you are only doing what you have been taught to believe is defending your country. I strongly support the men and women of both the American military and the Canadian forces and have the greatest respect for them. Like any good soldiers, you are following orders. It is the nature of those orders with which I take exception.
Back to Our Fighting Forces
I received a comment on my ridicule of the Canadian Military not long ago. Words to the affect of how dare I say such things as we are one of the strongest forces in the world. Of course, I took this as a joke. How else could I have taken such a comment. My point remains that our forces have been done a great disservice by their current funding levels and as such, they can no longer perform the task with which they are appointed. That is, the defense of our nation and the support of our allies, the American Iraqi rape excluded. How anyone could suggest otherwise is ludicrous. But enough from me, perhaps one might be interested in the opinion of the head of the Canadian navy, check here if you are.
But Not To Leave Out Canada
Speaking of Justice, Canada has finally decided that this guy might better be locked up, for a long time. Unfortunately, it took more than thirty convictions before we arrived at this point. Even more than unfortunately, the latest two convictions were for brutalizing two different women. But not to worry, we're all safe now. I can't help but wonder why a criminal from another country would ever want to come to Canada when they could be facing such severe penalties as these?
Missile Defense
Meanwhile, George just doesn't seem able to get this missile defense thing working. Now there's a quandary, after all, the defense industry needs as much government business as it can get. I hope that sooner or later, someone's going to take exception to the American practice of invasion at whim. And when that happens, there are going to be unhappy faces in a few corporate boardroom. Solution, the race to militarize space. Research and development funds have no ceiling when it comes to defense. Many happy billions to be made by companies friendly to George. The benefits to society as a whole may be a little harder to establish, but hey, that never stopped anybody in Iraq, right.
More on American Handling Of Iraq
More and more information is coming out about the abuse of Iraqi funds by the Americans. The reports so far have been scathing in their criticism of American handling of the responsibility to date. 20 Billion in mismanaged funds, and estimated 10 Billion of which is untraceable at all. The Haliburton company has figured prominently in the reports. The part I like the best, contractors being paid by plastic bags filled with cash.... Yah Hoo.
Monday, February 14, 2005
And Yet More Weather
Another dam has burst in Pakistan due to the freaky weather the area has been getting hit with. The numbers dead and injured is unknown as yet. The climate seems to be deteriorating quickly as we see more and more of these extreme weather anomalies all over the world. Hasn't got your attention yet.... just wait until these changes cause a couple of major crop failures! In the last few months we've seen flooding and/or landslides in British Columbia, California, Venezuela, now Pakistan and most importantly my basement, just kidding about the most importantly part. And the season of fun is just getting started.
Justice
Have you ever considered a definition for the word justice? I have been thinking for awhile on it and I just can't come up with one. Perhaps one might look to the various legal systems in the world for guidance. Nope, not much there. Some might think that sentencing a murderer to death is justice. I think that for the innocent victim not to have died in the first place would be justice. I can't look to the Canadian system for justice, our system regularly lets violent criminals out on the street after a very light sentence. Often these same criminals go on to commit the same if not worse crimes upon release. Meanwhile in the U.S., one might serve a lengthy sentence simply for smoking pot, yet in Texas, the first murder is considered free. In other words, anyone could be driven to kill once, but should you make the mistake of doing it twice, then they'll kill you. Perhaps one might consider the old "an eye for an eye" thing as being just. Wrong again! That's revenge, not justice. In lesser crimes, the question becomes easier. Justice might be perceived as simply making right the crime one has committed against another, in other words, paying the debt. This can't be achieved in cases of violent crime, simply put, the damage done to another cannot be undone. So exactly what is justice and can there ever really be any? Perhaps we should just give up the concept as too abstract and not something that can ever be achieved. In which case our legal system might become more concerned with damage control. Once someone has proven that they have no problem performing violent acts on another, especially thrill or unprovoked acts, than we might consider them confirmed menaces to society and put them away for good. Of course the question comes up as to whether they can be reformed. I can't really see as how that matters at all. Just because a murderer can be reformed does not bring back the lost innocent life. I would think that the act of taking another's life would be enough to say that you had your chance, and we're not prepared to give you the chance to do it again, reformed or not. Then, forgiveness becomes a matter between the killer and their god. Perhaps the criminal authors great works of art, ethics, poetry, philosophy, etc. Again, that's wonderful for them, but it does not bring back the lost life. Certain crimes call for the loss of freedom, permanently. We owe it to the victims, we owe it to their families, we owe it to society, and no amount of post crime activities could ever make it right. Would that be justice, probably not, but it would be the next best thing.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
The New Mafia
What is going on with the mob these days? It appears that the long held code of silence has gone the way of the Dodo. Hell, it's one thing for the usual long held traditions to eventually fail, but this! What kind of a world do we live in when even the long held traditions of the mob won't last? I always thought that this was one tradition that would stand the test of time. One question remains, what will be the codes of the organized criminals who will replace them? At least with the old mob, the rest of us knew what to expect. Now?
A New Trend
What is up with this one. Another woman tries to kill a pregnant woman and cut the baby from her. This is one fad that I haven't foreseen, that's for sure. I've heard of a lot of ways to get a child if you can't get one of your own, I just would not have thought that someone would seriously consider this method. There is something fundamentally wrong with a society that counts this trend among it's current problems.
Free Tuition if You Don't Find a Job
Now here's something that I haven't heard before. A school offering free tuition to those not getting a job within one year of graduating. Of course, this only applies to select programs, but an interesting idea none the less.
Canada Needs Heavy Helicopters?
That may very well be true, but the need for helicopters is hardly an isolated need. The Canadian Armed Forces is in a shambles. It has gone down hill for a number of years now. If memory serves correctly, I seem to remember the little problem of providing proper uniforms for our guys going to Afghanistan. So while I agree that we may need new helicopters, we need a lot more than that to be able to defend our own country much less contribute to the U.N. forces. In any case, it does appear that the forces are at least getting a bit of attention. Long overdue, if you ask me, and just perhaps, this time, there will be more than just talk and cancelled orders to come out of it.
Another Hero Killed
Yet another international hero has been killed for their efforts to help the less fortunate. This time it's Dorothy Stang who has paid with her life for her efforts. Despite having been highly regarded by pretty much everyone in Brazil, she was still shot in the face. It is people like her who are the true heros of the world and the planet and especially the poor of Brazil will be less without her.
Another Side Of Cocaine
One Columbian dead for every gram of coke used in the U.K. At least that's what the article reports. Actually, I don't have much problem believing this number although I had not really considered this before. The report hits the nail on the head in several regards. One of which is the concept that coke use is becoming more socially acceptable, at least for occasional use. I generally don't feel too bad at the reports of the deaths of people involved in the business as I feel that they should know the risks before starting down this path. The deaths that this report refers to are innocent bystanders for the most part. In other words, innocent people are dying because of one particular western pastime, coke. Probably the best reason I've ever heard to reduce, if not eliminate, the use of this drug in North America and elsewhere.
Konqueror
I can't help but be a little curious about the Konqueror web browser. I've noted it's steady climb upwards in the browser share of people who visit this blog. While Firefox and Netscape have remained fairly steady, Internet Explorer has gone down and Konqueror is now almost 10%. I think I just may have to check this one out to see what is so popular about it.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
And When Things Aren't too Busy In Iraq
There appears to be more than myself who can foresee this Iran thing quickly getting out of hand. The article in question goes over alot of the relevant points. Anyway judge for yourself but the world is becoming much less stable by the new American proactive stance to world politics. It's really too bad that more American presidents haven't been elected for their intelligence. I believe the median seems to be about average. Unfortunately the problems of today may take people of superior intellect to find our way through, and Bush ain't it folks.
Iraqi Election Not Good for the U.S.?
According to at least one report the election did not turn out as the Americans had hoped. The party favored to win opposes the U.S. presence. The point being that the election is a good way of showing the opinions of the Iraqis to the American occupation. There are so many ways that the Iraqi thing could have gone so much better. I have been opposed to this action from the very beginning.. Simply put, no nation should be able to occupy another simply for economic reasons. The Iraqi were not, and are not, any kind of threat to the U.S. The U.N. may not have chosen for many years, if ever, to take any military action against Iraq. They may have chosen instead to continue with sanctions which by all reports were working despite some of the dirty aspects of it, especially by the U.S. One of the great problem with the current world situation is the fact that there is not a clear right and wrong side to the Western verses Islam debate. Islamic nations seem very united about one thing, they don't want to have to kowtow to the U.S. Western nations are no where near as united on anything. The actions of the U.S. have made this problem worse not better. An awful lot of people in the world have died in the last 50 years because of U.S. economic interests and the Americans belief that this is an acceptable way of becoming, and remaining, the worlds economic and military leader. This is not the way Kwai Chang! We must follow a more subtle path to enlightenment. Hey George, you might want to learn a lesson from Ontario's Dalton Mcguinty, your lies will catch up to you. Your actions may very well be judged by history as criminal and monstrous
New Riots in L.A. ?
L.A. Police have shot and killed a 13 year old black boy. Suffice to say that the situation has become a little tense. The problem with this story is the fact that we are getting very few relevant pieces of information with which to assess this story. There are several factors which may make a great deal of difference in this story. One such factor might be the question of whether the car was stolen or not. Another might be whether the car was being driven at the officers car. They usually call that attempted murder. What is interesting is the fact that after 5 days we are still not getting these details. That suggests error on the police part. If in fact the police were acting within reason, why haven't these details been made known. One might think the police would want to release this information before ignorance starts another riot. Of course, if this does turn out to be a case of police wrongdoing, then there may be no stopping the unrest to come.
Dalton's Legacy
Ontario Leader Dalton McGguinty's past is coming back to haunt him. Voters in Ontario are remembering all the lies from the last election and they are showing it in the polls. Hopefully their memory will last to the next election. It's high time people start looking beyond the massive media campaigns that go along with politics these days and go back to looking at the man and his integrity before electing them to office. Brian Mulroney taught us very well that a great smile does not for a good leader necessarily make. He will be remembered as the biggest outright liar in Canadian political history.
Friday, February 11, 2005
Virginia's Fashion Law Falls Flat
Looks like saner heads have prevailed in Virginia over the new fashion laws. The law has not made it through and has been tossed out. Hopefully this is the end of this nonsense, but you never know.
Iran Continues to Heat Up
The tension continues to build over Iran and it's Nuclear ambitions. I can't help but wonder whether George has any idea about the limits of America's capabilities. Exactly how many countries does he think he can invade and control at one time? My estimate, one less than the number created by the war on Iraq.. This doesn't appear to be slowing Bush down much as he threatens even more countries. Iran, Syria and North Korea are the current favorites. What are the odds that the U.S. will attack Syria or Iran or both? Unknown, but I suspect that the odds are directly proportional to the value of the oil and other resources that the country has and that can be liberated from the evil terror states. It's my favorite term again... U.S. National Interests. The use of which precedes every new American blunder. It may very well prove that in a few years this term will be held with the same reverence as another favorite term... Final Solution. No it can't be you say. One might be interested in books like "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by Shirer. You might find that what is going on in the U.S. today is a whole like what was going on in Germany prior to full conflict breaking out. Hell, one is scorned in the U.S. for even suggesting that perhaps the Iraqi campaign may be misguided. You will be labeled as an enemy of the state and unpatriotic. American liberals must be very wary, in a couple of years you may have the Gestapo, I mean Homeland Security, at your door with a boarding pass for the next train to oblivion.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Freak Weather in Iran.
That's it, George Bush and his " Army of God", Boykin's words not mine, have put the whammy on Iran. After having the unmitigated gall of talking harshly to U.S. delegates at the terrorism conference, God has struck back at the Iranians by bringing down a curse of snow. Stay tuned for further updates on any new biblical acts of punishment being summoned upon the Iranians.
Canada's Long Lumber Dispute
So Canada has finally decided to return the favor of the U.S. levies placed against Canadian lumber. We've already won every court fight we've tried but the U.S. has steadfastly refused to follow the court orders. Hard to imagine this new ploy doing any more good than all the other attempts have. What it comes down to is that the Americans will do whatever they damn well please and they don't care how many international laws of trade or otherwise they break in the process. It's that old big bully attitude coming back to haunt us again. I would have to put it this way, just because your the biggest and toughest guy on the block, doesn't mean you have to act like it. In fact, I would respect the guy who doesn't act likes he's so tough much more. The non-tough acting guy would be much more prone to using his intelligence for conflict resolution, then saving the tough guy attributes for when he really needed them.
Virginia Goes Crazy
With all the crap going on in the world today, I can't believe the Virginia government would have wasted one second on this one. I guess they never saw the movie flashdance. Not to mention a couple other little things like the constitution, and the fact that most bathing suits are more revealing than most underwear. This is definitely a case of politicians appointing themselves as fashion police and in the process causing this fad to gain much more life than it would have because now it will be taboo as well. Great thinking guys. Oh, just for the record, I hate this particular fad also, but as long as someone's not flashing their bits in my face, I don't care what they wear. It's their business not mine.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
These Iraqi Insurgents Just Don't Get It
So they killed another woman in Iraq, this time an Italian journalist. What these guys just don't understand is that their monstrous acts are what makes the careers of men like George Bush possible. They are committing crimes not only against innocent foreigners but also against their own people. They are not soldiers, they are not human, they are abominations of nature who should be treated as the criminals that they are. The problem is that as many of the Iraqi people fear them as fear the Americans. Kind of hard to get any co-operation from the civilian populace in restoring civil order under those conditions. Meanwhile when the Iraqi people aren't getting the hell bombed out of them, American businessmen are robbing them blind with the full help of the American Administration as my last post referred to.
Jean Chretien Still up for the Fight
I can't say I'm really surprised that Jean has not laid down yet. It's one of the reasons I liked him. He was always ready to stand up for himself and his country. He even defied the almighty George over Iraq. What the Adscam thing comes down to is this, the liberals at the time were facing a very tight vote in Quebec over separation. They had to do something dramatic and do it fast. Normal procedure would not have met these purposes so they decided to slide the money through the back door to the tune of 2 Billion dollars. Whether their decision met the rules of the time or not it worked. Canada has remained together because a huge media campaign was launched in Quebec in order to essentially say to the Quebecois that the rest of the country wanted them to stay and that there really would be no Canada without them. I think on this one, we might just want to overlook a few transgressions.
American Occupation of Iraq Filled with Corruption
A report from the ex-chairman of the federal reserve bank has shown a great deal of unlawful conduct and misuse of funds. Many of the largest American corporations have been accused of fraudulent practices and breaks in procedure the awarding of contracts. The amount of money misused is immense, over 8 Billion is known to be unaccounted for and the number is likely larger. The missing funds are all from Iraq. Is it any wonder the Iraqis feel the Americans are only there to rape their country? The report contains much more, so if your interested in the dirty business part of the Iraqi campaign, you should check it out.
Iran is Talking Tougher
Iran is returning the tough talk to the U.S. by now stating that their Nuclear facilities are not vulnerable to attacks. Whether they really are is doubtful but it does demonstrate that the situation continues to become more serious.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Religion in the Schools
To further the pursuit of the proper Christian mentality be taught in the schools, some states are currently re-examining their policies on the teaching of the Genesis rendition of the history of the world. In other words parents are complaining that their kids are being taught evolution and not Genesis. Personally, I think that Genesis has no place in the studies of anthropology of any other science simply because their is very little in the way of proof of said theories where there is a great deal of proof of evolution. Teachers and scientist should be restricted to the teaching of theories that are supported by firm evidence. We can teach the other theories if we want but said teaching needs to be put into the proper perspective and identified as a religious belief and not something supported by scientific evidence. The teaching of anything other than accepted fact should be grouped as fiction, and frankly American history books contain all the fiction that any student actually needs, much more so in fact.
Meanwhile, George keeps Pounding the Poor
Continuing in his previous display of caring for the normal people in the U.S. by granting tax breaks to the top 1% of income earners there, Bush has just announced the latest in his plans to lower the staggering deficit that he is creating by said tax break combined with the war in Iraq. Of course we could have guessed who would get hit the hardest, yes that's right, the poor. Massive cuts to many programs from food stamps to housing and more. I just can't believe that the Americans are so scared that they would keep electing this guy.
And Back To Iran
If the atmosphere between the Americans and the Iranians at the Saudi Conference is any indication, things are certainly not improving real quick. I think more than the concept of what makes a terrorist, which is the current difficulty, is the concept of what level of proof we are going to accept as a result of the recent falsehood along these lines by the American Administration. Simply put, I wouldn't believe a damn word that comes out of any of their mouths. Under Bush, the Americans have started down a very dangerous path, the results of which will not be known for many years to come. Under Bush, the Americans have committed more international crimes than at any other time that I know of. I can say these things because I live in Canada, if I had these views and lived in the U.S., half my neighbors might very well want to kill me. I can only say to this concept that perhaps one might save such thoughts for your real enemies. In a democracy people are free to differ on politics. This is a concept that George keeps saying is the guiding force behind Iraq and yet anyone who disagrees with his policies is not real welcome in the U.S. these days. Hell, liberals are being described by Ann Coulter as the enemy. Again, I say to you, this is not democracy. Just because I don't agree with a policy, doesn't mean I consider the people in the military as criminals, they are simply following the orders of their leaders in good faith. It is George and his pals that are pulling the great Houdini on the citizens of the U.S. He is using their fear and patriotism combined to crush all others voices of reason and very possibly leading the world to doom in the process. I wonder what would be the result of a general vote in Iraq over the presence of U.S. forces there. I suspect it might be overwhelmingly one-sided in the desire for the Americans to leave. This very fact in itself suggests that the American Plan in Iraq is a terrible failure. Simply put, the Americans are not viewed as any great liberators but rather as conquerors. This does not for a democratic country make!
Religious Fanatic Heads American Military Intelligence
The man famed for his comments on the special status under God of the American military is back in a major way. Oh where to start with this one. The problem goes back to the C.I.A. in the days following the 9/11 attack There were many in the Agency that would not go along with George's assessment of the situation. In short, they outright stated that the conclusions that Bush's team came up with were flawed and without merit. The result was for some major changes to take affect. The first such was to rid the C.I.A. of these dissenting voices. Many have resigned or quit since. Another step was to create a new military intelligence without the restrictions formerly placed on the military. In other words, the military now conducts intelligence ops within the U.S. My understanding is that this is a violation of the American constitution. Now for the really good part, the new head of this intelligence unit is non other than Lt.Gen. William Boykin. Boykin gained fame for his inspirational comments on the role of the U.S. military. Islamic insurgents were labeled "agents of Satan" and the U.S. Army called the "House of God". Call me crazy, but the one place on Earth that seems to be getting more difficult to find God is the U.S. military. Another phrase he is credited for is the comment " my God is bigger than your God, which is an idol". Can the situation in the U.S. really get any scarier than this? Military Intelligence being led by someone who is either completely crazy or just seriously deranged, all with the blessings of mighty George. I can't help but wonder if he met up with Ann Coulter in closed doors sessions to hammer out their strategy for further confusing the ignorant masses. After all, Ann has been quoted for saying such things as we need to attack all our enemies, kill their leaders and turn them into Christians. Damn scary stuff in my books, primarily due to the fact that these types of statements are being so well received by a nation who continue to state that Noah took the dinosaurs on the Ark about six thousand years ago. The way George, and the rest of the country with him, is headed, in fifty years we will be looking back on these days and calling George one of the world's great war criminals on a par with Hitler. So much for democracy, so much for freedom, so much for freedom to practice one's faith in a manner which we see fit. These days, in the U.S., you are either a Christian religious fanatic, or you are the enemy. My question, how is this any different than the Islamic fanatics who are actually killing a whole lot less people than those crazy Americans?
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Back to the Environment
This time it's the Tasmanian Devils. The thing is they are dying from some cancer like affliction of the face and neck. The problem is nobody knows why this is happening. There are just too many possibilities to make an accurate guess. Everything from ozone to water contamination, to chemical poisoning, to... well you get it. Hopefully, someone will figure it out while there is still time to save these creatures. In this day and age, it's hard to imagine that people have not played some role in this, but you never know. Perhaps this is an actual case of nature dealing the blow without the aid of humans.
The Coming Flu Pandemic
Canada is stocking up on flu shots in preparation for the big coming pandemic. Of course the question remains as to whether this will do any good whatsoever. Someone must think so to go through all these expenses and preparations. In any case it should prove interesting as the next few years unfold.
Yet More Dead Kids
Is it just me or are we reading a lot more about these kind of things lately? Another parent has decided to kill all their kids. This time in Alabama. What could possibly bring a parent to do this? The reports are not stating any reasons as the police have not released this information if they have it. It doesn't really matter to the kids but it might to some other children. The authorities were apparently powerless to stop it as there were indications that there was a problem. Indications such as the kids stopping going to school. The youngest child was reported to be 8 years old so the post-partem excuse doesn't seem to apply here. It can't be the old world is such a terrible place excuse as I noted that the woman is still alive and didn't choose death along with her kids. One things for sure, the system definitely failed these kids.
Saudi's International Terrorism Centre
At the Saudi conference on terrorism they have proposed a new terrorism centre as a means of bringing the global community closer together in the fight on terrorism. This could be a good plan even though such a centre would probably duplicate a lot of the work being done by Interpol. Many people in the Muslim world might trust a centre based in the Muslim world more than the European or American variety. A multinational organization working from this perspective might be much better received and not be thought of simply as an American puppet. Could be interesting.
The War in Iraq
I read an good article in the Star Tribune on the ethics of war in Iraq as it currently stands. They make you go through one of those registration things to read it however, a pain in the ass if you ask me. The article is worth the effort though so you might give it a read. The piece deals with several issues that I have discussed hear before. One of them is the fact that the war is considered illegal by the U.N. and by most legal experts outside the U.S. Another issue is the incredible number of civilian deaths there and the fact that this is so systematic that it can be considered the result of policy rather than fortunes of war or accident. The killing of the wounded soldier in the mosque is also mentioned. All the world was horrified by these images but the article points out that this is a very common practice in the marines and should not come as any great surprise. My question would be what where the conditions surrounding this action? There are many times in combat where you don't have the luxury of taking prisoners. At such a time leaving them behind alive would threaten the safety of your men. Under such circumstances you might have no choice but to finish the job, so to speak. This is especially true of special operations groups and recon forces. They simply do not have the time and manpower to take prisoners or treat wounded enemy soldiers. So judging a soldier who has taken this actions really comes down to whether the situation he was in afforded the possibility of taking the injured prisoner into custody? If not, then he really had no choice. I am much more concerned with the welfare of all the women and children who were not attacking and who have been killed due to the American's liberating them. The author also deal with the little problem of trying to criticize the government or the military in the U.S. these days as being viewed as unpatriotic or outright the actions of the enemy as Ann Coulter so intelligently put it. In any case, I found it to be a good piece much worthy of a read.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
The Little Problem of Humans
Once again I read about a pair of real prize human specimens. In this case it's a husband and wife team who seem to enjoy horribly torturing children. Reading the story is like reading about the Hanoi Hilton of past infamy. I can understand how people can be driven to commit some of the horrors we read about in war zones and such but I just can't get my mind around how people in North America could bring themselves to do this shit to kids. Not just in North America for that matter. Wars and starvation can seriously dement the mind of man, but how can someone justify hurting kids under any circumstances. It's almost enough to make one believe in capital punishment. However the U.S. is a world leader in state sponsored child executions so I suppose it shouldn't come as any great surprise that some citizens might take the matters into their own hands and enjoy themselves a little along the way, but this problem is most certainly not an American one, it's much more universal than that. Humans all over the world enjoy the sport of hurting, torturing, sexually abusing, and killing people, especially kids. What the hell is it about humans and life that makes people do things like this? More important yet is the question of whether with all the skills at their disposal, the authorities are going to be able to help heal these kids one bit of all the suffering that they have endured, and are these kids ever going to be able to trust another human being again?
China, India, and the U.S.
I read a pretty good article on the new emerging global political situation today. The piece doesn't go into any great depth on the issues but it does present the highlights. A force to oppose the U.S. will certainly arise. Even under the best of circumstances this would be the case when we have one power which has such a one sided status on the global scale. Sooner or later, a country, or group of countries, will take a stand against them. Under the current circumstances I can't help but to think this can be a good thing. Not because of any great love of the Chinese way of doing things these days, but rather because the U.S. has shown too great a lack in leadership capabilities to be entrusted with future of the whole planet. This results in the need for some opposition in order to soften the American bootprint, so to speak. Can we say democracy on a global scale? Any way you cut it, the next fifty years are going to be a real hoot.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Meanwhile, on the Pandemic Front
The situation with the bird flu virus appears to be getting worse. Vietnam is now asking for the international community's help in containing the disease. It looks to have jumped from person to person in some cases and has spread beyond Vietnam's borders. Last I read, they were saying two years before any vaccine could be developed. I can't say whether this is going to be the big one, so to speak, but I don't think that really matters. Has anyone noticed that the normal flu we get every year seems to be getting worse with each passing season. I caught one last month that was the grand daddy of all so far in my life. I think they are going to get worse yet, for whatever reason. The problem with the regular flu shot is it's always giving you a shot for last years flu, not necessarily the one you are going to get this year.
George's Big Speech
Anybody catch the State of the Union bit a couple of nights back? Once again George, now even more emboldened by his recent re-election, has thrown out the threats to Syria and Iran. Something along the lines of fighting terrorism from Damascus to Tehran. I hope we can all remember that the last war he started was justified first because of the non-existent weapons of mass destruction and later by the still-unproven links to terrorism. Perhaps he feels that with the results of the election in Iraq he will soon be able to direct his military energies elsewhere. Has anyone noticed the increased activity between Russia and Syria lately? Or the new friendly status between russia and China? Bullying can only carry the U.S. so far. Other powers in the world are now starting to form alliances against the U.S. They do this because of the Americans attitude that they can force their version of democracy down the throats of any nation that they have an "economic interest" in. This very act in itself is un-democratic but a great many Americans seem unable to see that. Further American unilateral military action in the area, I suspect, will prove to be a grave mistake, and not because of the terrorists. This danger comes from all the countries who are now in fear that they will loose their autonomy as a result of the various pressures that the American machine can bring to bear. Many will consider alliances that they would not have in the past in the face of the American threat. The solution... The U.S. must start working within the U.N in order to exact the kind of changes in the world that they seek. I recognize that this is not an ideal solution by far, the U.N. has shown it's lack of purpose to save lives in the past, Rwanda comes to mind. That, however, is a problem for the international community to address, one which they must solve in order for the U.N. to gain and hold any kind of credibility whatsoever.
Progress is being made but the U.S. is threatening that very progress by its actions. Some good has come out of Iraq. I share in the celebration that the elections has created. The look on the faces of the people voting for the first time in a long time almost makes it all worthwhile, almost. The many thousands of dead innocent people overshadows this celebration. I suspect that this could have been achieved without so much innocent loss of life had only the U.S. been more patient and worked within the U.N. Of course, it is entirely possible that had the U.S. waited for the U.N. we may not have seen these semi-free elections for many years yet, if at all. That fact must change.
Progress is being made but the U.S. is threatening that very progress by its actions. Some good has come out of Iraq. I share in the celebration that the elections has created. The look on the faces of the people voting for the first time in a long time almost makes it all worthwhile, almost. The many thousands of dead innocent people overshadows this celebration. I suspect that this could have been achieved without so much innocent loss of life had only the U.S. been more patient and worked within the U.N. Of course, it is entirely possible that had the U.S. waited for the U.N. we may not have seen these semi-free elections for many years yet, if at all. That fact must change.
Today's Climate Reports
The news coverage of the climate damage seems to be increasing by the day. Regardless of whether we believe humans are responsible for the damage, we can't ignore the fact that somethings sure as hell going on and we better figure out what to do about it mighty damn fast. Everything from the Antarctic Ice to Arctic Ozone to Britain's new colder climate to the devastation to come in Africa. It's getting just a wee bit difficult to ignore and will become much, much more so. Hang on folks, looks like we're in for a ride! Anybody want to wager on when the damage will cross that magic threshold level when the domino affect takes over and the changes start to compound and the damage starts to go up exponentially? I know most of the predictions are saying fifty to one-hundred years, I somehow suspect by the rate of current change being documented, that the real date is going to be something like twenty before it becomes a very serious inconvenience to all but the richest of us.
