Hot News
After two days without a full blog, you might be forgiven for thinking I'm dozing - especially as we've been celebrating our first national "Nap At Work" week. Truth is that some essential file re-organisation has pre-occupied this wordsmith. For the most important stuff, follow the headline link at the top.
For now, it's the midnight hour here in the UK which means snoozetime-a-la-regular for me. Cunning linguistics can wait.
Later.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
A hornets nest descends on the Bush
Student Immigration Protests Continue
It may have started as a distraction, but with the immigration issue in Amerika it looks like the Bush administration have finally kicked a little too hard at a hitherto sleeping mass of people. Last weekend's demonstration has led to continuing unrest during the week, especially among students. As the full bill goes before the senate, the government faces a vast swathe of protest that better have been awakened earlier. By sheer co-incidence, we also see the Ape Emporer depart for Mexico to discuss matter relating to, you guessed it, immigration. Alternet even reckon the country may finally be on the Path back to normal as the neurotic-in-chief attempts to change course.
Exactly how the cost of enacting these policies equates with the massive US debt is also bewildering. Indeed, Al Jazeera reort that Asian businesses are be warned to prepare for an iminent collapse of the dollar whilst there's talk elsewhere of serious corruption in the world bank itself. As Britain too starts a descent into further debt, we note that China has now replaced Japan as the country with the most foreign reserves.
Talking of corruption, Jack Abramoff faces sentencing today - on which subject you may like this cartoon. Plus, a new superdrug to end all superdrugs is launched, as the US military find themselves "not guilty" thank you.
In the UK, our old pal "Willy" Clinton popped up yesterday to support Gordon Brown and was heard to ask some public service protesters "Is something wrong?" Belatedly, the US media have picked up on London's mayor Ken Livingstone's remarks about the Amerikan ambassador.
Yesterday in 1834, US President Jackson was "censured" by the senate. Those of us hoping for suitable celebration by way of a repeat performance were disappointed however. Today's anniversary is Three Mile Island - 27 years on and no lessons learned it seems, especially in the UK as the Prime Preacher presses ahead into his radioactive dreamland. We've also now missed our own emissions targets.
Heck - they're coming for all of us.
Later.
It may have started as a distraction, but with the immigration issue in Amerika it looks like the Bush administration have finally kicked a little too hard at a hitherto sleeping mass of people. Last weekend's demonstration has led to continuing unrest during the week, especially among students. As the full bill goes before the senate, the government faces a vast swathe of protest that better have been awakened earlier. By sheer co-incidence, we also see the Ape Emporer depart for Mexico to discuss matter relating to, you guessed it, immigration. Alternet even reckon the country may finally be on the Path back to normal as the neurotic-in-chief attempts to change course.
Exactly how the cost of enacting these policies equates with the massive US debt is also bewildering. Indeed, Al Jazeera reort that Asian businesses are be warned to prepare for an iminent collapse of the dollar whilst there's talk elsewhere of serious corruption in the world bank itself. As Britain too starts a descent into further debt, we note that China has now replaced Japan as the country with the most foreign reserves.
Talking of corruption, Jack Abramoff faces sentencing today - on which subject you may like this cartoon. Plus, a new superdrug to end all superdrugs is launched, as the US military find themselves "not guilty" thank you.
In the UK, our old pal "Willy" Clinton popped up yesterday to support Gordon Brown and was heard to ask some public service protesters "Is something wrong?" Belatedly, the US media have picked up on London's mayor Ken Livingstone's remarks about the Amerikan ambassador.
Yesterday in 1834, US President Jackson was "censured" by the senate. Those of us hoping for suitable celebration by way of a repeat performance were disappointed however. Today's anniversary is Three Mile Island - 27 years on and no lessons learned it seems, especially in the UK as the Prime Preacher presses ahead into his radioactive dreamland. We've also now missed our own emissions targets.
Heck - they're coming for all of us.
Later.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
The Mind Connection
Brain Cells Fused with Computer Chip
I'm both astonished and yet unsurprised at the same time, but it seems we may really be moving into the world of science-fiction brought to life, as the above link indicates. As communication technologies increasingly weave us into the surveillance planet, how long before the linkage extends into a very beings. The most important story I've read in quite a while, fears about cloning and the like look set to enter a whole new dimension.
In latest new it seems Bush's Chief-of-staff at the White House has resigned. Of course, Amerika is currently distracted from Iraq and the collapsing Bush administration by the controversy of criminalising illegal immigrants. Rob Kall offers an extended feature at OpEd News.
Later.
I'm both astonished and yet unsurprised at the same time, but it seems we may really be moving into the world of science-fiction brought to life, as the above link indicates. As communication technologies increasingly weave us into the surveillance planet, how long before the linkage extends into a very beings. The most important story I've read in quite a while, fears about cloning and the like look set to enter a whole new dimension.
In latest new it seems Bush's Chief-of-staff at the White House has resigned. Of course, Amerika is currently distracted from Iraq and the collapsing Bush administration by the controversy of criminalising illegal immigrants. Rob Kall offers an extended feature at OpEd News.
Later.
Striking a blow to the status quo
One and a half million out
The above leads to The Times report on todays walk-out by public sector workers here in the UK. Similar disruption is also happening across the channel in France today, hot in the wake of recent protests. A sign of the times?
In both cases the contentious issue is one of pay, but beneath the surface it is a symptom of capitalism becoming out of control. The present day inequality between nations and continental power-blocks and the exploitation of the poor by the rich is increasingly reflected in microcosm within the so-called "rich" countries themselves. Even governments who claim to have their roots on the left of the political spectrum have taken to servicing the needs of corporate globalism rather than addressing the local and international polarisation that system creates. The disparity of wealth and the sheer cost of social empowerment in an age where everything is "privatised" beyond civil accountability is shifting entire economic infrastructures toward a new world of "masters and slaves". The "duty of service" we expect of those we elect to power has been replaced by culture of a career-driven, money-hungry elite whose perception of reality is wholly corrupted by their privilaged postion.
Of such inbalance are revolutions made. It is not surprise at all that a mood of disaffection is returning to the social arena. If the so-called "leaders" don't wake up soon, what they may face may be better called "insurrection" - disruption beyond their power to manage at all!
Later.
The above leads to The Times report on todays walk-out by public sector workers here in the UK. Similar disruption is also happening across the channel in France today, hot in the wake of recent protests. A sign of the times?
In both cases the contentious issue is one of pay, but beneath the surface it is a symptom of capitalism becoming out of control. The present day inequality between nations and continental power-blocks and the exploitation of the poor by the rich is increasingly reflected in microcosm within the so-called "rich" countries themselves. Even governments who claim to have their roots on the left of the political spectrum have taken to servicing the needs of corporate globalism rather than addressing the local and international polarisation that system creates. The disparity of wealth and the sheer cost of social empowerment in an age where everything is "privatised" beyond civil accountability is shifting entire economic infrastructures toward a new world of "masters and slaves". The "duty of service" we expect of those we elect to power has been replaced by culture of a career-driven, money-hungry elite whose perception of reality is wholly corrupted by their privilaged postion.
Of such inbalance are revolutions made. It is not surprise at all that a mood of disaffection is returning to the social arena. If the so-called "leaders" don't wake up soon, what they may face may be better called "insurrection" - disruption beyond their power to manage at all!
Later.
Monday, March 27, 2006
The Rock 'n' Rolling News Man
Jon Snow
The above link is not so much news as about the news - or rather, one of Britain's major news presenters. The Independent pays tribute to Jon Snow - anchor of the acclaimed "Channel 4 News" and multi-award-winning journalist. Nice one.
The prime peacher and spouse are hanging out down under where Blair has admitted he has de-stabilised himself. All set to de-stabilise Britain's security too, plans are announced for the UK to host missile silos for the Ape Emperor's new "Son of Star Wars" project. Also, parliament's lone anti-war protester has been arrested. Shame.
Later.
The above link is not so much news as about the news - or rather, one of Britain's major news presenters. The Independent pays tribute to Jon Snow - anchor of the acclaimed "Channel 4 News" and multi-award-winning journalist. Nice one.
The prime peacher and spouse are hanging out down under where Blair has admitted he has de-stabilised himself. All set to de-stabilise Britain's security too, plans are announced for the UK to host missile silos for the Ape Emperor's new "Son of Star Wars" project. Also, parliament's lone anti-war protester has been arrested. Shame.
Later.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Small beer for a poison plot
Qaeda Tested Poison Beer, Burger Plot
The above report from CBS concerns a trial that has received reasonably high profile coverage here in the UK. I've avoided commenting on the slow emergence of cases like this when arguably the greater issue is those who remain detained uncharged and with no recourse at all to a "court of law". There is however, something in this summary that gave me pause for thought.
Here we have a trial in Britain where a key witness is provided by the Amerikan FBI, escorted by US marshals and protected under armed guard by our authorities. We have defendants charged with very serious acts of plotting terrorism whilst some of the allegations made by this witness seem more like schoolyard fantasies.
I'm trying, for example, to image the laborious process of injecting thousands of beer cans with what must be a very slow-acting poison, stickering over each broken seal and then taking them to a football match for sale. In an age where terror threats come from committed suicide attacks by those duped into the pursuit of a false martyrdom, this seems like "small fry" indeed.
The ITN-produced "More 4 News" on British television has adopted a "watch" policy on news about "rendition flights" or other CIA misbehaviour. Although Jack Straw tells us that no such requests have been made in the post-9/11 era, the programme's pointed out this week that other documentation is routinely required that would indicate whether these flights did include prisoners on the passenger lists. If, as suspected, the US are arranging for their victims to be tortured, it is of grave concern.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of conducting torture, I've always held that it is pointless in its purpose. Under such conditions, a suspect will probably agree to anything and possibly fabricate evidence just to stop the pain. The reliability of information garnered this way is thus highly suspect and of little real value in intelligence terms. If anything, it could be so misleading as to have the opposite effect of the avowed intent.
If torture is going on however, it occurs to me that there is one instance where it may serve its purpose - albeit a highly corrupt purpose at that. It is in the creation of a false witness. Under threat of torture, it is easy to conceive of a victim who would resort to fabrication of facts and it takes little streach of the imagination to realise that, under present security conditions, such a person could be produced as a witness in a purposely- compromised court of law.
There is of course no evidence itself that this is happening, but the possibility raises questions that need to be addressed. I, for one, remain slightly cautious about the dubious evidence mentioned in the above article, particularly given that it appears to be comprised of annecdotes merely tangential to the gravity of the real issue.
Later.
The above report from CBS concerns a trial that has received reasonably high profile coverage here in the UK. I've avoided commenting on the slow emergence of cases like this when arguably the greater issue is those who remain detained uncharged and with no recourse at all to a "court of law". There is however, something in this summary that gave me pause for thought.
Here we have a trial in Britain where a key witness is provided by the Amerikan FBI, escorted by US marshals and protected under armed guard by our authorities. We have defendants charged with very serious acts of plotting terrorism whilst some of the allegations made by this witness seem more like schoolyard fantasies.
I'm trying, for example, to image the laborious process of injecting thousands of beer cans with what must be a very slow-acting poison, stickering over each broken seal and then taking them to a football match for sale. In an age where terror threats come from committed suicide attacks by those duped into the pursuit of a false martyrdom, this seems like "small fry" indeed.
The ITN-produced "More 4 News" on British television has adopted a "watch" policy on news about "rendition flights" or other CIA misbehaviour. Although Jack Straw tells us that no such requests have been made in the post-9/11 era, the programme's pointed out this week that other documentation is routinely required that would indicate whether these flights did include prisoners on the passenger lists. If, as suspected, the US are arranging for their victims to be tortured, it is of grave concern.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of conducting torture, I've always held that it is pointless in its purpose. Under such conditions, a suspect will probably agree to anything and possibly fabricate evidence just to stop the pain. The reliability of information garnered this way is thus highly suspect and of little real value in intelligence terms. If anything, it could be so misleading as to have the opposite effect of the avowed intent.
If torture is going on however, it occurs to me that there is one instance where it may serve its purpose - albeit a highly corrupt purpose at that. It is in the creation of a false witness. Under threat of torture, it is easy to conceive of a victim who would resort to fabrication of facts and it takes little streach of the imagination to realise that, under present security conditions, such a person could be produced as a witness in a purposely- compromised court of law.
There is of course no evidence itself that this is happening, but the possibility raises questions that need to be addressed. I, for one, remain slightly cautious about the dubious evidence mentioned in the above article, particularly given that it appears to be comprised of annecdotes merely tangential to the gravity of the real issue.
Later.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
The leaders that pray together prey together
Bipolar Blair
Earlier in the week I commented on the Prime Preacher's foreign policy speech. Today in Counterpunch above, Michael Carmichael delivers a far more biting critique which suggests a kind of Islamophobia is enamating from Downing Street. They also have a piece of how greater war spending and increased debt is actually making Amerika less secure.
In an attempt to further mix up the issues, the Bush administration seeks to further confuse our perception of George Orwell's work - in a hybrid of "1984" and "Animal Farm". Plus, denial is a force more powerful than faith whilst the undying human need for truth can give us hope yet.
In the UK, more news on the surveillance state as Scotland will be the first to introduce satellite tracking of sex offenders.
A revealing new portal is World Citizen Guide. Check out the "100 people" tab which tells much about the disproportionate balance in our planet today.
A report here also suggests that a cannabis legalisation party may make inroads in next week's Israeli elections as they are promoting other policies that appeal to the disaffected young and Arabs alike. On the same theme, the British pot campaign held a conference in Norfolk last week which co-incided with the anti-war events. Speeches, music and a record of proceedings can be found via this link.
Later.
Earlier in the week I commented on the Prime Preacher's foreign policy speech. Today in Counterpunch above, Michael Carmichael delivers a far more biting critique which suggests a kind of Islamophobia is enamating from Downing Street. They also have a piece of how greater war spending and increased debt is actually making Amerika less secure.
In an attempt to further mix up the issues, the Bush administration seeks to further confuse our perception of George Orwell's work - in a hybrid of "1984" and "Animal Farm". Plus, denial is a force more powerful than faith whilst the undying human need for truth can give us hope yet.
In the UK, more news on the surveillance state as Scotland will be the first to introduce satellite tracking of sex offenders.
A revealing new portal is World Citizen Guide. Check out the "100 people" tab which tells much about the disproportionate balance in our planet today.
A report here also suggests that a cannabis legalisation party may make inroads in next week's Israeli elections as they are promoting other policies that appeal to the disaffected young and Arabs alike. On the same theme, the British pot campaign held a conference in Norfolk last week which co-incided with the anti-war events. Speeches, music and a record of proceedings can be found via this link.
Later.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Flashbacks - An annex
Bring the Sixties Out of the Closet
Last week I mused a little on similarities between today and 40 years ago, which met with some approval. The link above leads to a piece at Alternet where Don Hazen is thinking on similar lines.
In Washington, it seems judges are leaving their day job to get down to a bit of rock & roll. Weird. Also, a white paper by the bush adminsitration qualifies under "a definition of insanity".
Later.
Last week I mused a little on similarities between today and 40 years ago, which met with some approval. The link above leads to a piece at Alternet where Don Hazen is thinking on similar lines.
In Washington, it seems judges are leaving their day job to get down to a bit of rock & roll. Weird. Also, a white paper by the bush adminsitration qualifies under "a definition of insanity".
Later.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
No budge yet in a budget called debt!
A case of leadership battle-lines
The above link leads to the Independent where it examines yesterday's financial decrees from Britain's chancellor, Gordon Brown. Brown is of course the "leader-in-waiting" for the day Blair steps down and with Blair's withdrawl from the stage in yesterday's Common, thre possible future triumverate of Brown, Cameron and Campbell got the chance for a dry run. It was all a bit flat, although Cameron's literal "bellow" was an impressive retort.
I question whether anything really happened at all. A few minor tweaks, a raise in the usual duties and a large amount of self-congratulation does not a budget make. The only thing apparant beneath the cosmetics was a plan to increase Britain's debts by billions over the next few years. Nothing like the mega-trillions "borrowed" by the Bush administration, but incriminating nonetheless.
I will now pay 9p more for a packet of cigarettes. By my reckoning, if only one in every 50 smokers give up the habit as a result of the new government campaign, the income from this increase will be wiped out completely. If 2 in every 50 smokers give up, the exchequer will suffer a loss in actual income. But will the improved health of those who quit actually allow the Health Service to make savings? One hopes so but doubts it - yet no new money was aanouced for the NHS in the budget at all. An odd PR omission if nothing else for a prospective Prime Minister.
The much hailed "green" tinge to taxation was both a farce and an insult. Gas-guzzling vehicle drivers will pay a few pennies more from their inflated pocket-money whilst those who can afford to invest in new low-emission technologies will be exempt. This means nothing to the average person. No attempt was made to implement a levy on aircraft emissions, even though this could have been done without affecting internationally agreed aviation fuel prices. A rise in airport taxes and a new draconian VAT band for environmentally damaging products could have brought in more money and re-enforced the "green" agenda.
We also need legislation for compulsory self-sustainability in all new homes and commercial buildings to reduce the drain on the national grid and other commercially distributed energy sources. Micro-technology for wind, solar and hydroelectric power is now available and the government could swell its coffers a little more by imposing penalties on fuel and energy wastage. Not wholly the chancellor's job of course, but integral to his remit.
In declaring how much we will need to borrow for the forseeable future, no mention was made of the military cost of following the Amerikan imperial agenda. This expenditure alone overshadows the cost of just about everything else the government spends money on. Getting out of the colonisation business would allow more to be spent on aid and overseas development, with enough left over the seriously dent the amount of borrowing we need to do.
The economy is indeed a loaded gun. What now, Dear Prudence?
Later.
The above link leads to the Independent where it examines yesterday's financial decrees from Britain's chancellor, Gordon Brown. Brown is of course the "leader-in-waiting" for the day Blair steps down and with Blair's withdrawl from the stage in yesterday's Common, thre possible future triumverate of Brown, Cameron and Campbell got the chance for a dry run. It was all a bit flat, although Cameron's literal "bellow" was an impressive retort.
I question whether anything really happened at all. A few minor tweaks, a raise in the usual duties and a large amount of self-congratulation does not a budget make. The only thing apparant beneath the cosmetics was a plan to increase Britain's debts by billions over the next few years. Nothing like the mega-trillions "borrowed" by the Bush administration, but incriminating nonetheless.
I will now pay 9p more for a packet of cigarettes. By my reckoning, if only one in every 50 smokers give up the habit as a result of the new government campaign, the income from this increase will be wiped out completely. If 2 in every 50 smokers give up, the exchequer will suffer a loss in actual income. But will the improved health of those who quit actually allow the Health Service to make savings? One hopes so but doubts it - yet no new money was aanouced for the NHS in the budget at all. An odd PR omission if nothing else for a prospective Prime Minister.
The much hailed "green" tinge to taxation was both a farce and an insult. Gas-guzzling vehicle drivers will pay a few pennies more from their inflated pocket-money whilst those who can afford to invest in new low-emission technologies will be exempt. This means nothing to the average person. No attempt was made to implement a levy on aircraft emissions, even though this could have been done without affecting internationally agreed aviation fuel prices. A rise in airport taxes and a new draconian VAT band for environmentally damaging products could have brought in more money and re-enforced the "green" agenda.
We also need legislation for compulsory self-sustainability in all new homes and commercial buildings to reduce the drain on the national grid and other commercially distributed energy sources. Micro-technology for wind, solar and hydroelectric power is now available and the government could swell its coffers a little more by imposing penalties on fuel and energy wastage. Not wholly the chancellor's job of course, but integral to his remit.
In declaring how much we will need to borrow for the forseeable future, no mention was made of the military cost of following the Amerikan imperial agenda. This expenditure alone overshadows the cost of just about everything else the government spends money on. Getting out of the colonisation business would allow more to be spent on aid and overseas development, with enough left over the seriously dent the amount of borrowing we need to do.
The economy is indeed a loaded gun. What now, Dear Prudence?
Later.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Forked tounge methinks
Bush Battles Back On Iraq
The above link leads to more information and video on the Bush speech. Now my regular linking engine seems to be working again I'll try to recreate what went missing earlier.
For news about Richard Neville's attempt to create a satire site based on his recent script=writing for the Australian premier, he writes ...
"STORM IN TEACUP
The domain name, johnhowardpm.org, is hosted by Melbourne IT. In less than 36 hours of its launch, following 10,500 visits to the site, the plug was pulled. By who? On what grounds? It took three days for Melb IT to make contact with me and help lift the veils of confusion. After receiving a phone call from Greg Williams of the People, Resources & Communications Division at the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet, Melb IT put the domain name on HOLD, where it remains. This domain cannot be transferred to another, more resilient host, for 60 days. In addition to the complaint from John Howard’s office, Melbourne IT said they had received calls from THREE Federal Police, and provided the name of an agent from the Australian High Tech Crime Centre. As far as I know, my passport has not met the same fate as my domain name."
For more, see Richard's Website.
Here, it's a return to the news for HRH His Dissidentness Prince Charles. He feels the pain of terrorism as he is awarded for promoting Islam in Egypt and reckons his predictions have come true. We are also warned of a looming constitutional crisis as the House of Lords reject the government's ID card proposals for the 4th time!
In the US, thousands turned out for the anti-war concert in New York at the weekend while in strangely hidden news, Congress have put a stop to building permanent bases in Iraq. Maybe there's still spunk in them yet.
It seems that looted valuable relics from Afghanistan have been turning up in London antiques markets. Some other shady trading is revealed as nude photos of unsuspecting members of the public are being sold after being culled from surveillance tapes by police personnel.
For a whole bunch of other items, see "Latest Clicks" on left. For now, it;s ...
Later.
The above link leads to more information and video on the Bush speech. Now my regular linking engine seems to be working again I'll try to recreate what went missing earlier.
For news about Richard Neville's attempt to create a satire site based on his recent script=writing for the Australian premier, he writes ...
"STORM IN TEACUP
The domain name, johnhowardpm.org, is hosted by Melbourne IT. In less than 36 hours of its launch, following 10,500 visits to the site, the plug was pulled. By who? On what grounds? It took three days for Melb IT to make contact with me and help lift the veils of confusion. After receiving a phone call from Greg Williams of the People, Resources & Communications Division at the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet, Melb IT put the domain name on HOLD, where it remains. This domain cannot be transferred to another, more resilient host, for 60 days. In addition to the complaint from John Howard’s office, Melbourne IT said they had received calls from THREE Federal Police, and provided the name of an agent from the Australian High Tech Crime Centre. As far as I know, my passport has not met the same fate as my domain name."
For more, see Richard's Website.
Here, it's a return to the news for HRH His Dissidentness Prince Charles. He feels the pain of terrorism as he is awarded for promoting Islam in Egypt and reckons his predictions have come true. We are also warned of a looming constitutional crisis as the House of Lords reject the government's ID card proposals for the 4th time!
In the US, thousands turned out for the anti-war concert in New York at the weekend while in strangely hidden news, Congress have put a stop to building permanent bases in Iraq. Maybe there's still spunk in them yet.
It seems that looted valuable relics from Afghanistan have been turning up in London antiques markets. Some other shady trading is revealed as nude photos of unsuspecting members of the public are being sold after being culled from surveillance tapes by police personnel.
For a whole bunch of other items, see "Latest Clicks" on left. For now, it;s ...
Later.
Ghosts of old rhetoric
Old Forecasts Come Back to Haunt Bush
Well, he came, proclaimed and ... dunno - exactly why Bush called his press conference is a bit vague, nothing much new and hot on the heels of yesterday as covered in the above link. I suspect today had something to do with desparation - trying to keep up the pretense of authority in the face of declining approval ratings. It all came sadly unstuck when he took questions afterward - too much indecision in the answers, a couple of close calls on mixing up Iraq with Iran and an awful lot of attempted humour and snickering to cover up the goofs. Gawd help Amerika.
The questions were interrupted as my UK feed switched to East London where the Prime Preacher was delivering his own speech on Britain's foreign policy. It was, I begrudgingly admit, a rather compelling oratory which saught to say that long-term objectives were modernise political globalisation in line with the infrastructure of economic globalisation that has already stabilised. Very oddly, given his own religious persuasions, in an attempt to distinguish militant Islam from the moderate faith itself, Blair referred to "protestant bigots" creating obsticles to the peace process in Northern Ireland and insisted that most Muslims want to live in a contemporary democratic world. In this regard he also displayed telling knowledge of the history and tenants of Islam itself.
None of this changes the reality of the fact that Blair seems unable to see beyond his own urge toward evangelical patronage in the affairs of others, nor his conviction that the current model of economic globalisation is the right one. In an age of rampant consumerism and a market-driven capitalism that accelerates the divide between rich and poor, he has clearly given no thought to the fact that a "modern" world so defined is in serial decline. He views "terrorism" as a contemporary threat to drag so-called civilisation back into a fundamentalist dark age but never considers that it may also sometimes be motivated by disenfranchisement. Whilst there continue to be those that suffer within the new global economic hierarchy, his words remain framed by an opposing fundamentalist stance and will continue to lack the integrity he tries so hard to employ.
Later.
Well, he came, proclaimed and ... dunno - exactly why Bush called his press conference is a bit vague, nothing much new and hot on the heels of yesterday as covered in the above link. I suspect today had something to do with desparation - trying to keep up the pretense of authority in the face of declining approval ratings. It all came sadly unstuck when he took questions afterward - too much indecision in the answers, a couple of close calls on mixing up Iraq with Iran and an awful lot of attempted humour and snickering to cover up the goofs. Gawd help Amerika.
The questions were interrupted as my UK feed switched to East London where the Prime Preacher was delivering his own speech on Britain's foreign policy. It was, I begrudgingly admit, a rather compelling oratory which saught to say that long-term objectives were modernise political globalisation in line with the infrastructure of economic globalisation that has already stabilised. Very oddly, given his own religious persuasions, in an attempt to distinguish militant Islam from the moderate faith itself, Blair referred to "protestant bigots" creating obsticles to the peace process in Northern Ireland and insisted that most Muslims want to live in a contemporary democratic world. In this regard he also displayed telling knowledge of the history and tenants of Islam itself.
None of this changes the reality of the fact that Blair seems unable to see beyond his own urge toward evangelical patronage in the affairs of others, nor his conviction that the current model of economic globalisation is the right one. In an age of rampant consumerism and a market-driven capitalism that accelerates the divide between rich and poor, he has clearly given no thought to the fact that a "modern" world so defined is in serial decline. He views "terrorism" as a contemporary threat to drag so-called civilisation back into a fundamentalist dark age but never considers that it may also sometimes be motivated by disenfranchisement. Whilst there continue to be those that suffer within the new global economic hierarchy, his words remain framed by an opposing fundamentalist stance and will continue to lack the integrity he tries so hard to employ.
Later.
Intellectual Poverty
If Bush ruled the world
I've just writeen a long blog that has gone totally astray so this is a short replacement. The above link to the International Herald Tribute suggests that Bush's new National Security Policy is both incoherant and a case of intellectual poverty. CBS report that the Ape Emperor is to make an emergancy adresss about now (10am EST, 3pm UK) so I'm off to tune in.
Later.
I've just writeen a long blog that has gone totally astray so this is a short replacement. The above link to the International Herald Tribute suggests that Bush's new National Security Policy is both incoherant and a case of intellectual poverty. CBS report that the Ape Emperor is to make an emergancy adresss about now (10am EST, 3pm UK) so I'm off to tune in.
Later.
Monday, March 20, 2006
The furies down under
Powerful Cyclone Devastates Australia
Some breaking mainstream news here - the northwest of Australia has been hit by a major cyclone. News at the above link via CBS.
Also at CBS is a photo-record of Israel's recent incursion into Palestine and the Save Amerika from Treachery test.
A commendable new portal called Freecycle is a worldwide resource via Yahoo Groups. It allows you to support recycling constructively by by-passing capitalism. Give unwanted studd away and claim what you want for free. Nice one!
My own links have extended into Yahoo's "360" facility and will no doubt be connected to my main site shortly.
A curious item in Washington Post tells that most Egyptians went to the cinema rather than endure Condi Rice's appearances during a recent visit. Why? Her lookalike was performing sexual antics in a hot local film release.
That great law-making body called the US congress is seemingly so redundent that it will "only bother" to meet for 97 days this year. Is this what Amerikan government has come to? An article at Counterpuch asks Where is the resistence on the Home Front?
John Reid, the British war minister insulted us all on Saturday by describing those who attened the anti-war demonstrations as "supporting terrorists". Now he's gone a step further by joining those in denial about Iraq's Civil War. Those who are more inclined to recognise this truth are, it seems, themselves (you guessed it) "supporting terrorism". All in all, it seems like Chaos Accomplished.
Here at home the financial total of Blair's secret loans increases day by day and his ratings are down to 33% - something else he has in common with the Ape Emperor. This is all of minor consequence however as we learn that, in this supposed age of nuclear non-proliferation, his hypocritical attitude to Iran is re-enforced by Britains secret development of new nuclear weapons.
The cost of all this will also no doubt hit us hard when the chancellor reveals his budget later this week. Just as energy price rises come home to roost.
For latest clicks and more, see links at left.
Later.
Some breaking mainstream news here - the northwest of Australia has been hit by a major cyclone. News at the above link via CBS.
Also at CBS is a photo-record of Israel's recent incursion into Palestine and the Save Amerika from Treachery test.
A commendable new portal called Freecycle is a worldwide resource via Yahoo Groups. It allows you to support recycling constructively by by-passing capitalism. Give unwanted studd away and claim what you want for free. Nice one!
My own links have extended into Yahoo's "360" facility and will no doubt be connected to my main site shortly.
A curious item in Washington Post tells that most Egyptians went to the cinema rather than endure Condi Rice's appearances during a recent visit. Why? Her lookalike was performing sexual antics in a hot local film release.
That great law-making body called the US congress is seemingly so redundent that it will "only bother" to meet for 97 days this year. Is this what Amerikan government has come to? An article at Counterpuch asks Where is the resistence on the Home Front?
John Reid, the British war minister insulted us all on Saturday by describing those who attened the anti-war demonstrations as "supporting terrorists". Now he's gone a step further by joining those in denial about Iraq's Civil War. Those who are more inclined to recognise this truth are, it seems, themselves (you guessed it) "supporting terrorism". All in all, it seems like Chaos Accomplished.
Here at home the financial total of Blair's secret loans increases day by day and his ratings are down to 33% - something else he has in common with the Ape Emperor. This is all of minor consequence however as we learn that, in this supposed age of nuclear non-proliferation, his hypocritical attitude to Iran is re-enforced by Britains secret development of new nuclear weapons.
The cost of all this will also no doubt hit us hard when the chancellor reveals his budget later this week. Just as energy price rises come home to roost.
For latest clicks and more, see links at left.
Later.
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