'Tis the Season -- Thinking of Christmas Past and Present
"Kalenderlys", a candle used to count the days to Christmas Photo:Malene Thyssen via Wikipedia
I used to leave my warm, modern, comfortable home and go to small, desolate-looking Oklahoma towns and rural areas to visit my parents, my wife's parents and other relatives who wear old cowboy clothes and chew tobacco. The quilts smelled like they had been packed away all year. The septic tank usually stopped up and the water well froze up. The little houses were so packed I thought the floors would collapse. I would go to a local mom & pop cafe where the cigarette smoke was suffocating. At the time I dreaded it. Now I would give all I have just for one more visit like that. Merry Christmas.
Read the article HUFFINGTO POST/I'm Single for the Holidays -- And Grateful for It
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Great read. I loved all my childhood Christmases so much that one Christmas I cried because the day had to be over and I wanted it to last forever. Even though it was forty years ago, I can still see as clear as day my first 2-wheeler bike in the hall on Christmas morning. I was ten. It was the most amazing feeling ever. I'd been asking for one since I was six. I rode it down a hill, pulled the front brake instead of the back, crashed over a curb and into a hedge. Luckily my lovely blue bike and me were both unscathed, apart from my bike having a scratch on the frame. But that was our secret, me and my bike
Read the article GUARDIAN/Celebrities' Christmas memories
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My favourite story was from my Mum who told me about the Christmas when she was a little girl. One year my Grandad decided it would be nice to dress up as Father Christmas and make a bit of a noise when delivering the presents.
He didn't fail.
My Grandad (may he rest in peace) decided to go for a Christmas Eve drink down the local before hand. Obviously, he got a little bit carried away with his friends and drank too much.
On returning back home, he put on the FC outfit and slowly climbed up the stairs with the presents in the sack. As he had drank so much he wasn't so sturdy on the feet. He did manage to reach the top of the stairs but lost his footing and tumbled all the way to the bottom causing much noise and waking my mum, uncle and a very disappointed Nan who then had a argument with "Father Christmas" about being drunk.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Celebrities' Christmas memories
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Saddest thing i ever saw: Working for a local paper on Christmas day, the photographer had come into work via the hospital thus saving me the Christmas babies name-check, so i buggered around the office for a bit then went home and changed. Walking to my mum's I passed this very old guy standing at the bus stop, alone, flat-capped and with a droplet of mucus dripping off the tip off his marvellous nose.
"You'll have a bit of a wait for the bus today," I said.
Confused look from old man.
"It's Christmas day," I said, continuing off up the road.
"Christmas day? Good lord, is it really?" he asked, stopping me in my tracks. I watched his receding back as he tottered off homewards where he presumably spent Christmas all on his own because his family, if he had one, had forgotten he existed.
By the time i arrived at mum's house i was feeling bad about not inviting him to our warm hearth for mince pies and some much needed joie de vivre, but then i got wazzed on cheap champers and forgot about him.
But i think i learned some important lessons. Plus i could concentrate on the books my gran gave me
Read the article GUARDIAN/Celebrities' Christmas memories
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My favourite Christmas memory was when I was four years old. My brother is 18 months older than me and he had a kilt of which I was envious. We were not well off and many of our presents were made (beautifully) by our parents. That year, I crept into the living room around 4am and found a parcel under the tree, in 'Flintstones' Christmas paper with my name on it - needless to say it was the kilt my mum had made for me. Thrilled just doesn't describe the emotion! My brother's reaction was quite funny - 'girls don't wear kilts!' - but I've got photos of the two of us in those kilts which I cherish.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Celebrities' Christmas memories
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I am 38 divorced and have no children and I am very happy with my life. I will see my sisters( the youngest doesn't speak to me) parents, aunts, nieces, and nephews. And I will enjoy every minute of the craziness at Christmas time. I realized a long time ago that crying and complaining about being lonely will actually keep you that way. Live your life whether single or with a bf/gf and stop worrying about the rest. Most communication is not verbal but attitude, mood, and body language and if all of those non verbal signals send out the oh poor me vibe people will, not out of meaness, avoid you. Be happy and positive live your life with meaning and purpose and you will never lack for people wanting to share in your glow.
Read the article HUFFINGTO POST/I'm Single for the Holidays -- And Grateful for It
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My family has always been an important part of my life. I knew I had met the one when I took him the extended family, pre-holiday celebration of deer hunting. He is city boy with a small, quiet family. I am a country girl, with an extended family totaling 45 if everyone can make it ages 7 months to 78 years. Usually someone falls in the river and has to dry the boots by the fireplace. As much as we overwhelmed him, he stuck with it and me. Come Thanksgiving he was talking football with my dad and brothers while I saw to the housework.
In exchange, I have went with him to visit his sets of grandparents and heard his grandpa's Navy stories and his grandma's gardening stories. By sharing in each other's families we have learned where the other is coming from - although we don't necessarily understand it. This Thanksgiving my large awkward family welcomed his small family with open arms to celebrate togetherness. For Christmas we will be rotating Christmas Eve and Christmas and it promises to be the best yet.
Read the article HUFFINGTO POST/I'm Single for the Holidays -- And Grateful for It
Moravian Stars in Dresden Photo:: Ulrich van Stipriaan/Wikipedia
I am a "real beard Santa" and have been doing it for 6 years now. I was battling depression years ago due to a medical condition. My wife made me a Santa Suit and convinced me to go to some hospitals and see kids in cancer ward and kids who wouldn't get out of the hospital for Christmas. It was fantastic for the kids and also for me.
I have now done it for six years, including schools, battered women's shelters (their kids are with them and normally men are not allowed there under any circumstances), senior and convalescent homes, doctor's offices, churches, business parties, and just walking down streets at night yelling "ho, ho, ho....Merry Christmas". Kids come to the windows and doors to see Santa walking by. I pass out stickers or small toys that I buy and pay for personally.
It's the best time of the year, and when it is over, I start thinking about next year. I don't make a dime at doing it. My payment is the look in the peoples faces, the glimmer of hope, and they joy I bring to them at the holidays. Sometimes it gets very tough, as I have been out of work due to a bad heart, and my wife was laid off 2 years ago Christmas and at 63, it's very hard for her to find another job in Nursing Administration. But as long as I can put on my suit and see the kids and seniors for a couple of hours here or there, I will do what I can to make it a memorable Christmas
Read the article CNN/Being Santa: 7 men share tales from behind the red suit
"Dear Leader Departed" -- On the Death of KIm Jong-il
"All Hail Kim Jong-il"- 2007 Games Photo Gilad Rom via Wikipedia
The realist in me says that I'll believe it when I see it.
Back in 1994, we all thought that Kim Il-Sung's death would herald the kind of changes that had already swept eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and South Africa.
Instead, the North Korean situation got very much worse - not least for the North Koreans themselves.
Obviously, much of the time we simply don't know the situation in North Korea, but there seems little incentive for reform from the point of view of the leadership and the military. From their perspective, just about the worst thing they could possibly do would be to create a more open society and let the people see how comprehensively they've been lied to - as demonstrated by the profound culture shock experienced when North Korean refugees made it to the supposedly desperately impoverished backwater of South Korea.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Kim Jong-il's death: an uneasy legacy
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This article fails to mention the impact on competitive golf, since Kim Jong-Il hit 5 holes-in-one the first time he played. It is also unclear how North Korean agriculture will survive without his magical ability to control the weather.
On a more serious note, it seems likely that North Korea is actually ruled by a military oligarchy, and this will not actually make much of a long-term difference. In the short term, we just have to hope that any internal power struggles do not spill over across North Korea's borders.
It's a shame that we cannot hear what Christopher Hitchens would have said on this occasion.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Kim Jong-il, North Korean Dictator, Dies
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I would advise the U.S. government to do everything in its power to facilitate, if not initiate, a diplomatic opening with the government of North Korea. Since the 1950s, our relationship with North Korea has been extremely hostile and tense --and not entirely through the fault of the latter. Given our current engagements in the Middle East and South Asia, we hardly need another dangerously combustible stand-off in the world. History provides many instances where the son proves to be significantly different from the father. There exists at least a chance that Kim-Jong-Il's successor will prove a more reasoanble and pragmatic adversary than was his father, and we should explore that possibility at the highest levels and with the utmost seriousness.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Kim Jong-il, North Korean Dictator, Dies
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If you have ever studied North Korea or East Asian relations, you'll understand that although this is a significant event, it does not mean anything regarding immediate regime change. A lot of news perpetrated in American media is always over-dramatized. Kim Jeong Eun has not been groomed as an heir for no reason. Aside from Kim Jeong Eun he has the backing of the elites and generals of the military, all figures who control North Korea aside from its 'fatherly leader.'
If there were to ever be any revolutionary movement against this dictatorship, it would have to come from the elites and generals- the only few educated people in North Korea.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Kim Jong-il, North Korean Dictator, Dies
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I can only presume that those people whose comments express concern that he did not receive 'respectful' and 'humane' 'condolances' etc, haven't the slightest notion of what this man has done. A modern day Hitler is a fair comparison. He lived like a king with multiple mansions, and lived a life of such eccentric luxury, gorging on Cognac, and importing the finest foods and best chefs just to indulge himself. Meanwhile, millions have died of starvation and to this day people are starving, children are dying of malnutrition, the average adult is shorter than their counterparts to to the south due to a lifetime of malnutrition.....and that's just the benign part, he ran concentration camps where they gas families for experimental observation, and torture and starvation and the most horrific acts are carried out innocent people, many of whom are imprisoned merely because they are related to someone who has been 'accused' of a crime, sometimes so trivial as sitting on a newspaper with the 'Dear leaders' image on it.....public exectutions, mostly arbitrary, without trial.....taking a steamroller and rolling over people.....the list goes on and on and on. I suggest to anyone to do some research on this topic, there is plenty of evidence out there. The true tragedy is that the world basically ignores the plight of these people. As for the Chinese, they are probably the worst offendors, but so are the rest of the world's developed countries.
So, let us not despair if he isn't getting just condolences, for they were not due!....a barbaric, evil, horrific monster has died. I hope it will signal change for the N. Koreans!...and I hope people will take the time to research what is happening in these concentration camps and atrocities all over N. Korea and help somehow to make a change. At the very least, don't sit here bemoaning the fact that he didn't get a hearty send off!
Read the article CNN/World reacts to Kim Jong Il's death
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There will be no change. Kim Jong-un and any military seniors who might have a hand on his shoulder will not oversee any changes to the regime, constructive or destructive, from within or by the people, for two reasons:
1) They see no reason to change it. They do not serve the interests of their nation, only to leech off of it and build their little empire within it. Why promote true prosperity among the people when it will be of little benefit to them or possibly threaten them?
2) There will be no uprising from the people like we have seen in the Arab world. The nation is in thrall to the Kim dynasty. They genuinely believe them to be Gods. Any tears you will see in their mourning will not be crocodile tears. It's a personality cult, and no matter how crushed and starved the people will be, they wouldn't dare attack their Gods.
Will North Korea as we know it fall in the future? It's almost certain, but I fear the nature of it's collapse will not be a victorious moment like the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Kim dynasty will either run it's natural course until it bleeds it's people dry or their will be an external prodding too far that causes North Korea to snap back - igniting a war that everyone will lose.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Kim Jong-il's death: an uneasy legacy
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According to North Korean historical literature, Kim Jong Il was born in a log cabin inside a secret base on Korea’s most sacred mountain, Mt. Paekdu. At the moment of his birth, a bright star lit up the sky, the seasons spontaneously changed from winter to spring, and rainbows appeared. This contradicts way less interesting Western accounts of his birth, which state the dictator was born in a guerilla camp in Russia, while his father was on the run from the Japanese.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Kim Jong-il's death: an uneasy legacy
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Even as someone who likes to come here to be abused for (sometimes) voting Tory, I would like to state that making out North Korea was socialist is rather silly. You could stretch it to suggest that it shows planned economies don’t work, but we already knew that (see USSR). It was and is a brutal, horrific and also absurd dictatorship. In the interests of actually having a balanced and sane debate, anyone calling this a bad day for socialism needs to calm down a bit.
[And now the obligatory right wing trolling]
Its bad enough for socialists as it is without linking them to any dictator going. There hasn’t been a socialist government in the UK for over 30 years, but rather like Kim il-Sung and the North Korean populace, socialists haven’t worked out their beloved is actually completely stone dead.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Kim Jong-il's death: an uneasy legacy
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"One has to be born evil, be inhumanely insensitive, and be devoid of all human emotion to be able to cheer the passing away of another being."
Really? Hitler!? Yes, I know it's been done to death but Hitler (and the Nazis) is always a useful starting. One would say there are certain human beings one ought to wish death on - which isn't the same thing as making that wish come true.
"Western propaganda vilifies, demonises and dehumanizes all leaders opposed to Western influences and the gullible believe these lies unquestioningly."
Again, really? Such leaders often bring it upon themselves as they invite vilification. They condemn the West for the abuse of human rights that they don't even aspire to.
And you might have wondered why Gaddafi was lynched. it wasn't by the West or even its agents. It was by his own people who, he constantly claimed, loved him. Maybe it was an over-enthusiastic expression of their love?
Read the article GUARDIAN/Kim Jong-il's death: an uneasy legacy
Dmitry Medvedev and Kim Jong-il August 2011 Russion Presidential Press Offfice/Wikipedia
Out of Iraq After Nine Bloody Years
I personally served in Iraq. I was a convoy security machine gunner. At 22 years old I spent a year scared shitless waiting for a roadside bomb (remember how big those were in 2005? No amount of armor on a vehicle made you safe) to turn my body into goo. I've stuggled with depression and PTSD and my marraige is hanging by a thread. I see where Iraq is as a democracy and I can tell you it wasn't worth it. I am still an Army Officer and it makes me sick to keep "selling the Kool-Aid" to the younger soldiers. I keep doing this because I really have a belief in the honor of our profession, and feel a duty to the younger kids coming in. I'm so glad I won't be leading any more kids over there. Maybe this generation will get a worthy war (or maybe peace? Nah, that won't do, war makes waaaaay to much money to not keep at it!).
Read the article NPR/As U.S. Departs, Iraq Faces An Uncertain Future
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I wish you had remembered to count the private contractors in your body count. While some of them were cowboys and jerks, some of them, like my husband were explosive ordnance technicians who safely destroyed millions of tons of convention and chemical (yes I said chemical) weapons. by doing this they prevented them falling into the hands of militants who would harm others and children, who would harm themselves because so many of the small pieces looked like toys.
RIP my sweet. I hope it was worth it but I am still not sure...
Read the article DAILY BEAST/U.S. Lowers Battle Flag in Iraq
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Sure it is a victory for Iran. In fact, it is a spectacular victory.
They have been trying to remove Saddam to gain political control of Iraq.
Cheney and Rumsfeld did it for them and that was a free service to
Iran. Sooner than later Iran will dictate new weak Iraq and the USA will
be a sitting duck watching it from a distance. Such is the wisdom of
the dual adviser of president Bush, Jr.
The GoP administration allowed Pakistan, "our most faithful ally" to
build the first Islamic bomb that leached into other M.E. countries and
N. Korea. Now we want to stop Iran?
We all hope that next GoP president, if it happens, will not act to
dismantle the Saudi kingdom to make the stage clear for a powerful
middle east hostile to all non-Islamic cultures of the world.
Read the article CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR/Obama hails end of Iraq war, but is it a victory for Iran?
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After the Persian Gulf War George H.W. Bush put into place an effective policy to keep Sadaam in a box, while keeping Iran in check, with the "no fly zones".
When his son wouldn't allow Hans Blix to complete his work, I thought 1) Iraq would not want to let Iran know they had so little to defend themselves and all the "games" he was playing games with the weapons inspectors, Sadaam was hoping to disguise the fact that he didn't have much in the way of armament and 2) if we invaded Iraq, it would create necessity in Iran to up their military spending.
So here we are on the cusp of Iran having a successful nuclear program. Those who want to blame Obama for this turn of events just don't pay attention.
Read the article CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR/Obama hails end of Iraq war, but is it a victory for Iran?
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First, the world is safer with Saddam dead and his regime on history's ash heap.
According to statistics compiled by Professor Robert Pape:
No. of suicide bombings around the world between 1980-2003: 343.
No. of suicide bombings around the world between 2004-2010: 2000+
Gee, I wonder what could have happened in the meantime? It's a rhetorical question, of course. As any honest observer will tell you, the invasion of Iraq didn't make the world 'safer'. Rather, according to a 2006 U.S. National Intelligence Estimate (to cite one source among many), 'the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse', as the Bush administration was warned it would by the National Intelligence Council.
'Second, Iraq is a better place without Saddam and his dictatorship'.
I outline in this post, mainly using reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, just some of the things that have befallen Iraq since 2003, and which continue to the present day. Hundreds of thousands dead, millions displaced, continuing and severe torture and repression, 35% more people living in poverty than pre-2003, 50% unemployment, etc. Sad and shocking as it is to say, an awful lot of people - among those that are still alive - are actually now worse off than they were under the undoubtedly brutal and repressive Saddam. And this idea that Iraq has become some sort of stable, liberal democracy is sheer neo-con fantasy.
'Iran has already substantially increased its meddling inside Iraq'.
Says a former member of a regime which invaded and occupied the country for no good reason at all. That made any meddling Iran might be engaged in seem small in comparison.
'Those who say they want Iran contained should have supported a substantial, long-term US military presence in Iraq'.
I notice that John Bolton, that great supporter of democracy in Iraq, doesn't even mention what Iraqis themselves might want. Well, as is clear from opinion polling, most Iraqis have wanted the U.S. out of their country, and for years. This poll commissioned by the BBC, for example, found that only 16% of Iraqis wanted the U.S. to stay beyond 2011 (p.16). But then maybe he thinks the natives don't really know what's good for them, and should just shut up and do as they're told by the grown ups in Washington - although he'd never put it that bluntly.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Be warned, America's withdrawal from Iraq heralds a world of instability
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I disagree with everyone saying that the War in Iraq achieved nothing, it is
simply not true. Talk to the majority of Shiites and Kurds and ask them whether
or not they believe something has been achieved. Moreover the US did not invade
Iraq for oil. Get real. It was simple Real Politik. Iraq was a massive threat to
the U.S.A and its invasion had been on the neo-con agenda for years.
Read the article BBC/US flag ceremony ends Iraq operation
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I can't quite believe the BBC has neglected to mention it in this article, but
Obama fought tooth and nail to keep US troops in Iraq. The only reason they're
leaving is because the Iraqi govt refused to grant US soldiers complete immunity
from Iraqi law. Considering how often they shoot civilians, this was obviously
unacceptable to the US military, so they're leaving. This is no policy success.
Read the article BBC/US flag ceremony ends Iraq operation
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I find it ironic how some Iraqis are afraid of our departure because of the
potential violence that might ensue. Isn't indefinitely securing/governing a
foreign nation because they are incapable of doing so themselves the very
*heart* of imperialism? Saddam was a threat to the rest of the world, so we took
action because the Iraqis could not - now they can, so for better or worse, it's
their turn.
Read the article BBC/US flag ceremony ends Iraq operation
Russia Voters Deliver Setback to Putin's Progress
"As an American why is everyone so upset over this new poll? Putin still stomps the popularity of any current American politician and surely any of those in Western Europe."
Essentially, the answer to this question is rather simple. In this parliamentary election, Russians didn't really test the limits of Putin's power (that's currently undisputed and would remain undisputed for quite a while), but instead tested how far the ruling majority will go in order to show, or obtain, results they need, and whether the whole election system still works or not (even though there are no really viable alternatives to Putin at this moment, and at least two of the parties are essentially placeholders). I.e. it is clear that United Russia is irreplaceable; but can we please replace at least somebody?
In a response, Putin's group (not necessarily Putin himself) clearly showed that no, dissent is not an option, and, no, even though we know perfectly well that there are election irregularities at lower level, we're not going to punish anyone. This shows that the system is not responsive and can use excessive force or tear the social contract at its whim, if, say, one way or another Ramzan Kadyrov makes it to the top and starts exporting Chechen ways of running the show elsewhere.
I wouldn't overplay the role of Putin in the current outcome, however, since there must be internal party politics and frictions we're not aware of; however, unless there are relatively tough decisions made as a result, the whole thing starts looking interesting - a lot more interesting than, say, in 2009.
Read the article ECONOMIST/Losing their grip
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It seems Mr. Putin has some reassuring to do for his voters. Many people see the Russian regime as weakening because their supposed most powerful leader has someone who is in charge of him. If the head guy does not have the most power in the country than how is this country functioning? The way Vladimir Putin uses Dmitry Medvedev to behave similar to Putin is costing the country some self esteem. I guess people do not know who really has the full ability to run the country of Russia. Even though Putin is still bound to win, I think that once the swap in positions of the two leaders come, there will be some ease to everything. Putin should be able to keep his ratings up.
Read the article ECONOMIST/Losing their grip
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It seems inevitable that Russia will fall back into some form of dictatorship. It is ridiculous how corrupt the Russian political parties are. What is even more disturbing, is that Putin's whole political stance was to be anti-corruption. One should laugh at Russia's claims of being democratic.
Read the article ECONOMIST/Losing their grip
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I am Russian residing in Canada and have been following the developments through Russian blogs. There have been dozens of videos posted on YouTube of civil activists confronting violations. Examples of violations include people who were moved around in buses to put in stacks of extra ballots using fake voter cards in different voting locations ("carousels"); regular voters coming in later in the evening to find out that somebody already voted in your name; blocking the observers from being able to do anything, etc.
What's worse, several observers who were there during counting just leaked information about the real counts. United Russia, in reality, got half the votes they gave it, and Apple got over 10% crossing the barrier. There were captions and even a video of TV news reports with vote counts exceeding 100% from last night.
This is shame. However, there has been so much civil activity yesterday that I am naively hopeful for continued outrage.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Western Monitors Criticize Russian Elections
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One need only read Solzhenitsyn's Gulag Archipelego to obtain a clear understanding of the Russian system. Nothing really changed during and after the Revolution and the country has returned to it's usual thug-ocratic ways with the ascension of Putin, the new Stalin clone.
Russia will not change, nor will China for that matter. The blood spilled in governing these places with an iron fist is too deeply dyed into the national character, now.
What is really scary and depressing is the fact that even as the Soviet-Russians and Red Chinese continue in same violent and obviously criminal methods of governing, that the USA is ever more moving down it's own road to perdition. We are an ever more divided, not diverse, country. We have not been able to agree upon almost anything since before the civil war except that everyone wants to be able to sell or purchase our allegedly "free" democracy.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Western Monitors Criticize Russian Elections
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Our criticism of Russia would be a lot more credible if ours was a better example of a functional democracy. We consider money to be speech. We allow corporations (even foreign ones) to participate in political campaigns. Our candidates use marketing slogans to sell their ideas rather than engage in real exchange of ideas. Our news media are engaged in 24 hour news talk, while real journalism is dying. The fact is that our own system isn't so inspiring to be modeled by others emerging from dictatorial systems. The functional incompetence of our democratic system (or that of the Europeans) is a horror show that actually makes dictatorships competitive systems of government.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Western Monitors Criticize Russian Elections
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I was an observer on one of the election points in Moscow. There were 8 of us and we kept an eye on everything, there were definitely no frauds on our point. Here's what we had there:
1. Fair Russia — 18,4%
2. Liberal Democratic Party — 12,5%
3. Russian Patriots — 1,3%
4. Communist Party — 25,8%
5. Yabloko Democratic Party — 19,8%
6. United Russia (Putin's Party) — 20,8%
7. Pravoe Delo (Rightwing party) — 1,3%
But on many other election points the were lots of frauds and that's the reason why UR has not 30% but just below 50%. less Read the article CNN/Opposition protesters arrested as Putin's party suffers losses
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Putin inherited a fledgeling democracy from Yeltsin who dismantled the Soviet Union...the structures built by Lenin and Stalin to control the populace to preserve the dictatorship were mangled but not destroyed.
Putin, an ex KGB officer, tried to piece together some of the pieces...he has had to play the democratic game...he has done his best to manipulate matters but it is evident that the bug of political freedom is now loose in the land...much like a genie out of the bottle...one hopes, for the sake of the Russian people, that they win.
One can expect Putin to try to galvanize his base by picking a fight with someone...to generate a crisis before his own elections to unite the Russian people behind him...he has already started the process with his attack the missile treaties with the USA and his recent placement of missiles etc., in Kaliningrad ( Old Prussia).
Read the article GLOBE & MAIL/In sobering setback, Putin's party barely retains majority in Russian election
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A most interesting event in Russia.
Normally we say the Electorate have spoken and have shown their displeasure with the party in power and its leader.
The United Russia with Putin received 49.54% of votes while the rest received the balanced.
Now Russia will learn what it is to have to deal with Political Parties who have diverse interest for themselves and their constituency.
This also says to the United Russian and other Parties that Corruption and Collusion will not be tolerated and if we catch you, you will be thrown out of Office.
For all of those Bleeding Hearts, ”ballot stuffing” is to be expected in elections especially in new democracies. As time evolves, “Checks” and “Balances” have to be set up by the chairman of the Central Election Commission in Russia to eliminate Ballot Box fixing. It takes time and a sophisticated society where the Intellectuals make their thoughts known..
Lastly always remember the OLD saying of all Political Parties in all elections across the world: Get up Early and Vote often.
When one knows the above saying, then it’s easy to justify the set up “check” and “balances”.
Read the article GLOBE & MAIL/In sobering setback, Putin's party barely retains majority in Russian election
Encouraging a Movement for Real Change in Myanmar
The only reason US has got involved is to try to gain more influence than China
which they see as a threat.
I'd rather focus on the fact that Daw Suu is
hopefully going to run in the by-elections and the progress that's being made in
regards to the release of political prisoners.
The country is pointing itself
in the right direction, now it's time to make steps towards a better future
Read the article BBC NEWS/Clinton pledges improved Burma ties if reforms continue
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As an American expat living/working in Myanmar for almost 5 years, I can suggest
to Mrs. Clinton and others that a first step toward honoring this nation would
be to use its proper name: Myanmar, not Burma; and using its largest city's name
as Yangon, not Rangoon.
And, scolding strongarm tactics of this regime while
implementing strongarm tactics back home (the USA) is very hypocritical.
Read the article BBC NEWS/Clinton pledges improved Burma ties if reforms continue
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"Strange that we do not use the official title, Republic of the Union of
Myanmar."
Actually, this the junta name for Burma. It is used by those
who kow tow to the regime. Most Burmese I have met both within the country and
outside insist on using BURMA.
If you want to imply support for that
brutal regime, then by all means keep on using it.
Read the article BBC NEWS/Clinton pledges improved Burma ties if reforms continue
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For a long time, the China has been urging the US to improve bilateral relations with Myanmar and North Korea. So when will Mrs Clinton be shaking hands with Mr Kim Jong-il? Unfortunately, the prospect for this is not good as South Korea President Lee Myung-bak would throw a dangerous tantrum as he has always done when prospects for US-North Korea relations brighten.
Better relations between Myanmar and North Korea with the US are beneficial to China as sinophobes could no longer charge that China is harbouring these two “pariah” states, apart from substantially reducing the risks of military conflicts at China’s peripheries. Any US aids to these countries would also lessen China’s burdens.
Would their relations with the US improve to the point where China’s interests become seriously threatened? After having seen what had happened to bad-boy-turned-good Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, his children and grandchildren, the leaders of Myanmar and North Korea would be wise to keep ample distance from the US. They would still need China to veto UNSC resolutions, just in case “peaceful protestors” inspired, organized, financed, armed and directed by the western intelligence services suddenly amass in their streets again.
Read the article CNN/THE DIPLOMAT/China fights back in Myanmar
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Myanmar is more like pre-1989 Communist Poland than South Africa. This is not about racism or prejudice. This is the struggle for an elected representative government that would bring individual rights and economic well-being towards the Burmese people and its minorities. Suu Kyi is pretty much following the footsteps of Lech Walesa, while President Thien Sein is more aligned with Wojciech Jaruzelski, a military man who became open towards democratic reform.
Read the article Read the article CNN/Comparing Myanmar to South Africa
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There is a real danger that closer economic ties will legitimise the current kleptocracy, putting Burma's potential for wealth creation beyond the reach of all but the military and their cronies. Worse even than Russia. It's hard to overstate just how grim life is for that benighted nation's citizens, stuck in a totalitarian dystopia that time forgot.
Still, Burma hasn't been a 'strategic asset' for a non-regional power since the British were there. We've seen what it's meant for Burma and its people to be in this political blind spot for the last 50 years. It may be that more diplomatic scrutiny will at least ameliorate the regime's worst excesses (stuff like systematic rape and complicity in drug production).
Burma is such a long-standing blot on the global polity it's enough to reduce one to tears. Decade after decade it's been the same. Even so, there's no reason why Burma should prove an exception to the optimist's logic that all dictatorships fall, eventually.
Read the article GUARDIAN/US faces down China with much-trumpeted Burma visit
Being from Burma, I can't help but be excited about Ms. Clinton's visit. For as long as I can remember, from stories from my parents, and relatives, the outlook was so hopeless, fearful, and suspicious for Burma. It's been this way for decades, isolated and so backward, it didn't have a chance, since the British occupying it.
Burma, myanma as pronounced in Burmese, is rich in natural resources. If it isn't Thailand, it's India, or China that wants to take advantage of having access. Despite the many negative perspectives on this blog, I can't help but be hopeful.
This is a chance for burma to open up, have access to the rest of the world, have a chance to better their daily lives. The people, language, food, culture, beliefs I'm deeply appreciative of these. If you have a chance to discover it, you'll gain more perspectives. HIllary Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi...two persons who stand for extraordinary courage and leadership.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Greeted Quietly, Clinton Arrives in Myanmar
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It's refreshing to see that U.S. foreign policy can be nuanced enough to respond to what is genuine, if incremental, progress. Painting offending countries with a broad "axis of evil" type brush gets us nowhere. Myanmar surely has a long way to go, but unless the U.S. engages with countries it disagrees with, the world will remain deadlocked. The perpetual cynicism of people who believe Obama is "coddling" dictatorships for financial gain is disappointing and unhelpful, yet totally predictable.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Greeted Quietly, Clinton Arrives in Myanmar
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Earlier this month, I returned from having spent two weeks travelling through Burma. There is no question but that there remains many fundamental reforms that must be implemented before one could say that Burma had indeed turned a corner and embraced a pluralistic polity and market economy. The military remains the dominant factor in the country's political order. There are still hundreds of political prisoners. And the economy is appallingly backward.
But it is, I think, important to recognise and acknowledge that some changes have taken place. I was quite surprised at The Lday's public profile - her photo was frequently prominently displayed in the media, and her image was shown throughout the country. Clearly, there are many reasons spurring the Obama administration to reach out to Burma at this time, including, yes, realpolitik factors as China becomes increasingly dominant in the region. But as the article noted, there is only so much the administration can do on its own; Congressional action will be required before US sanctions could be lifted.
It was just a few years ago that the military brutally put down the monk-led demonstrations and cruelly refused international aid to recover from the typhoon. It is proper to remain wary of the government. But I support what the US is doing. Establishing a high level dialogue ensures is the first step on what must be a long and difficult road for the Burmese people to return to some kind of normalcy. American recognition and engagement can support that process.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Greeted Quietly, Clinton Arrives in Myanmar
A Landmark Election in Egypt
Finding Meaning in Egyptian Elections
Egyptians need to be careful who they are submitting their country to. The dominant Islamic group of Muslim Brotherhood is expected to win a majority, thanks only to the absence of other political directions due to many decades of one dominant party.
Egyptians today will be making an ill-infomed decision responding to the only organised power: Muslim Brotherhood. One doesn't need to be a political expert to predict that religious ruling won't offer more freedom than that of the last few decades. And the US? The Administration keep supporting the winners.. .thinking that one day they'll be their good allies... a complete wrong reading to history and present...
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
In Egypt, Long Lines for a Vote Clouded by Army’s Role
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In Kirkpatricks piece titled “Egypt Braces for Fresh Clashes After Protester’s Death”, he informs us that…
“The Muslim Brotherhood, the popular Islamist group positioned to win a major role in the new Parliament, stepped up its own preparations for the possibility of mayhem around the elections. Its new Freedom and Justice Party said in a statement that it would form “protection committees of volunteers” to help secure polling places.”
I have no doubt that the MB has stepped up its preparations… in more ways than one. How nice of them… how altruistic. The benevolent Brothers will more likely secure votes for their party, than secure the polling places. Its like the KKK or the Black Panthers securing polling places… in the spirit of tolerance, inclusiveness, and fair-play.
If Egypt gets the MB and other conservative Islamist theocrats as their eventual Shariah rulers… then so be it.
That the foreign policy of the current administration enabled this outcome is a blundering travesty and will go down in US history as such.
In my opinion, it already has.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
In Egypt, Long Lines for a Vote Clouded by Army’s Rol
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The military removed Mubarak because he lost the confidence of the people and was, therefore, no longer useful as a figurehead. They put another one in place and will now do the same again. They will keep doing this until the people shut up and go home. They have the guns and the patience to keep going far longer than the protestors.
Egypt has never known democracy in its entire history going all the way back to the Pharoahs. The military have ruled since 1953, but are simply the latest version of the dictatorship.
What astonishes me is that intelligent people in Egypt really believe that the protests in Tahrir Square will achieve anything. There will be elections and results and a government will be formed. The government will require the military's support to survive and, therefore, will do nothing to bring the murderers of the innocent in Tahrir Square and elsewhere to justice. The people may protest, but their protests are not sustainable.
That's the problem with revolutions. To overthrow a dictatorship you need people who are more ruthless than the dictators. Who else would qualify but another dictator?
There is a strong case for arguing that a benign dictatorship is the best form of Government. China under Deng Xiao Ping and his successors is a prime example of what can be achieved. Of course, if you want political as well as economic rights, there's a problem, but having the vote won't fill your stomach. The problem is that most dictatorships finish up corrupt and self serving even if they don't start that way. As the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Tahrir Square:Police clash with protestors.
#1) The US has continued to provide 1.3 billion dollars in military aid to Egypts generals, or SCAF as the military is called, even though Amnesty International reported beforethe latest Tahrir uprising that the repression of Mubarak's dictatorship has continued.
#2) Combined Systems Inc (CSI) located in Jamestown PA http://combinedsystems.com/About_us.aspx, is selling that teargas you see in the fotos to the Egyptian police and military. The use of teargas alone (a "less" lethal chemical weapon) by Egypt against the protestors should be investigated by our do nothing representatives for violations of the Foreign Assistance Act and Arms Export Control Act and the State Dept should stop the sales & giveaways to the generals.
3) Though this article strangely makes no mention of it. One of the chief demands of the protestors that I read about at the beginning of the Tahrir uprising is that the military wants to have the power to keep its funding secret and out of control of the elected government, whoever they will be. In effect, this gives the military independent power above that of the government and creates a "state" within a state.
Please keep in mind that after Israel's 3 billion/year in US taxpayer provided military aid, Egypt comes in second with 1.6 Billion/year.
With every canister of teargas shot against the protester (2 dead from suffocation), every rubber bullet shot (numerous eyes have been lost) and every death from live ammunition, our government enables & provides political cover to a military that clearly wants to maintain the power of a dictatorship. The complicity of our government is deplorable.
Why would anyone in Egypt respect the US?
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Egypt Military Pledges Faster Handover to Civilian Rule
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We see photos of thousands of protesters, but there are...what? more than eighty million Egyptians? Most of those are very poor folk who probably don't care, simply can't afford to care, about Tahrir square protests. Egypt's economy, always in shambles, is now in mega-shambles. The country's population is unsupportably large and growing. Per capita income is pathetic; all kinds of young people graduate university just to find themselves without jobs, and to see zero new jobs, zero opportunities, lying anywhere on the horizon.
Many very brave people died in it, for it, but just what was the January "revolution"? Egyptians have torn down one rotten structure only to find another rotten structure, bigger and even more rotten, right behind it.
The masses weren't eager to move against what many saw as a national father figure, the billionaire thief Mubarak. Will they have the stomach to try to overthrow the replacement billionaire thief Field Marshall Tantawi-known to his own fellow officers as "Mubarak's poodle"? Tantawi controls enough weaponry to subdue an awful lot of protesters. Getting the military regime to back down and turn over their loot and privileges will be one heck of a trick. That will cost many more lives.
The army's already started to get tough, but maybe Egypt's soldiers won't follow Syria-style orders to obliterate the people. However, they may not have to. "The army and the people are one hand", as the Egyptians like to chant. So what if part of that hand is looting whatever funds happen to dribble into Egypt? For millennia, Egytpians have never had their votes count, have never controlled their country's destiny. It's likely not too much of a shock to most of them that they still don't, and most do not believe that they ever will.
Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/
Egypt Military Pledges Faster Handover to Civilian Rule
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It only makes sense that after you get rid of the dictator; you have to deal
with his dogs.
Egypt has amazing potential to become as successful as Turkey;
an Islamic country, but with free elections and a democratic government. Right
now they are in the throes of a painful birth as a nation, but as long as the
people remain resolute, they will someday breathe the fresh air of freedom. For
our part, we can only do what we have been doing, which is keep up the pressure
so that the people can have this win without sacrificing too much power to the
extremists.
Read the article NPR/Egypt's Military Promises To Speed Up Power Transfer
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The Egyptian military, like the Pakistani military, is a creation of US Defense
and State Department, creations of our tax dollars really. They would not exist
as such if it were not for decades of pumping our money into building them. Or
rather, if they did exist, they would have a much more Soviet heritage. They are
products of the Cold War, but now are autonomous entities, looking for a new
reason (besides US defense needs) to exist. But of course, there is no
legitimate reason for them to exist, save perhaps to squelch Muslimist political
aspirations, which of course is no good reason at all. Might we, just one time,
find out who are the "good guys" in Egypt, as in Lybia, and put our support
selectively, systematically, and sustainably behind those good guys? Who really
stands for elective democracy in these countries? If nobody does, then let's
just stop supporting anyone there.
Read the article NPR/Egypt's Military Promises To Speed Up Power Transfer
Syria Faces an Autumn of Anger
President Bashar AL-Assad's ruthless regime has led to the unrest and public protests demanding a democratic transition and an end to the Assad ruling family regime that dictates 'the people have no rights' is now engaged in the early stages of a revolution in Syria. The deaths of 34 soldiers today is not the first, but illustrates a growing strength of arms in the hands of Syrian citizens in revolt. The numbers of soldiers and security forces killed in Syria are expected to rise significantly as increasing numbers of soldiers and security forces defect.
President Bashar AL-Assad may bring peace to Syria, by stepping down, as an interim transitional Government prepares for elections that ushers in democracy. Assad remains steadfast in his intended belief that his regime will prevail, while the revolution within Syria grows in strength and lives are lost on both sides. Assad may remain resistant to the public's demands, but ultimately Assad will lose.
Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/Syria: Wave Of Violence Kills 90 In 1 Day, Activists Say
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Although the Syrian leadership is nominally Arabic, the ruling minority of Alawites is theologically more aligned with Iran. After the Iraq war, Syria transformed into an Iranian proxy, and the middle east became more polarized. The Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia would love nothing more than regime change in Syria. In fact most gulf state owned media, including Aljazeera have been beating the war drums for some time now. As for Turkey, I'm not sure what their angle is, but I suspect the turmoil in their southern neighbor has them worried, especially given the delicate Kurdish issue
Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/Syria: Wave Of Violence Kills 90 In 1 Day, Activists Say
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LEST WE FORGET
Assad apologists have no compunction about the abuse of the Syrian people's human rights: let me remind you - dictatorship in itself is evil. Assad Junior's father was a bloody dictator, and now it looks as if his son is trying to beat him in the killing game.
Let's not forget: they are supporting an illegitimate regime that does not have a mandate form the people; they are supporters of a dictatorship! In other words, they are morally bankrupt! Incidentally, what sort of person who has any ethical values could possibly support a dictator? Perhaps the Assad apologists could answer this one!
Read the article GUARDIAN/Syria reacts to Arab League suspension
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Following the eccentric activity of the Arab League secretariat during the most recent events of the 'Islamic awakening' - an ongoing process from 1920 Turkiye (Turki) to 2010 Tunisie; where a desire for a major societal change shares the same secular roots as that of the earlier medieval European revolution for the Christian Reformation movement - and it is today the forerunner of this process.
But the League's recent inability to act coheriently with regard to its own mandates to seek peaceful outcomes and resolutions in Libya and Syria, and its latter contrary acts to side wtith the League's Saudi-Qatar military block in their USA-orientated policy(s) is a very grave matter of more that just regional interest?
While any reader of the global Islamic press today ( a world-wide press covering all religious interests, regional sectors and covering all political ideologies ) can gather what appears to be of the generally held opinion; that to act against the Republic Arab of Syria ( a key founding-member of the League) would be an 'act of suicide' for the League itself?
As for the USA its Africa/Mediterranean plans, are based as always upon, the State Department's Foreign policy, based as that is upon an offensive agenda of commercial and exploitative goals,
As in Libya and in Syria in particular, the implementation the USA's current plan which requires contradictory methods in relationships with it's military alliances, such as Britain, France and Italy to reinstate to them their post-Otterman mandates; leading to the division of Libya into its three UNO mandated parts?
And as for the Suriyan Republic, its re-integration into the former Otterman caliphate lands will certainly un-leash an explosion of religious and political dissonance, and territiorial disputes for future generations,and all such possibility(s) would also be inimitable to the league's founding charter?
Read the article GUARDIAN/Syria reacts to Arab League suspension
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Syria must be devastated that they have been suspended from a league they are so proud to have founded. The Arab League countries may be busy with their own problems, but they are clearly still capable of agreeing upon needing to take action against some things. Assad should know that people are serious about the wrongdoings of Syria when a League that hasn't always been but so powerful or active, or have had but so much of a collective voice, has begun to take action. Assad needs to end the violence now or step down if he doesn't want outsiders coming in to fix things for him.
Read the article ECONOMIST/Even fewer friends
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This is really amazing to see the Arab League finally starting to work together to better the Middle East! For the first time since it's formation the group is not standing for the severe problems going on in some Arab countries and is voting together to make positive changes. The first time they did this was to vote against Gaddafi and approve NATO helping the rebels to take over. Now in the Syria situation they are recognizing the atrocities that Assad is committing and are working together to help Syrian citizens. This news along with Syria losing support of other previous supporters like Turkey is encouraging that possibly there will be a complete regime shift sooner than expected in Syria. Coupled with many of the military defecting and Assad and his Shi'a regime losing power, it might finally be time for the Sunni majority population to start having a say in the countries decision making process.
Read the article ECONOMIST/Even fewer friends
Silvio Berlusconi Resigns Ending 17-Year Era in Italy
Berlusconi has been the downfall for Italy in the past couple of years and has done nothing to help Italy at all.
"For the moment, then, Italy is in crisis, with a government that cannot get anything done..."
The Italian government can't get anything done because Berlusconi is still in office and will continue to be in office until he is voted out. Italy has reached a new low in the world economy and it is going to take a lot of borrowing or restructure to get the G20 country out of the hole Italy has dug itself. One of the definite first things the country has to do is get Berlusconi out of office and as soon as possible.
He isn't going to go quietly and he knows that if he leaves office, his fame and riches will leave as well because he earns all of his money through politics and through being in office. Once he has been removed from office the rebuilding process can begin and the country can move on from the disaster they are in right now.
Read the article ECONOMIST/Now What?
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Just out of curiosity, who is going to replace Berlusconi? Will the Italian people actually get a vote, or will some IMF friendly politician be placed in the post in an undemocratic process?? (Bit like what is happening in Greece).
Honestly, I am flabbergasted at what is happening in the name of saving a corrupt and rigged financial system.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Eurozone debt crisis: Berlusconi to resign after austerity budget passed
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In spite of telling myself to stop holding my breath re looking forwards to a bright new dawn in post-Berlusconi Italy, this time I can’t help being all aflutter with burgeoning hopes. Yesterday morning, when even Giuliano Ferrara (one of Berlusconi’s most obedient lackeys) wrote "It’s over" in the Berlusconi-family owned "newspaper" he "directs", I did something very daring: I rang my husband at work and said: "Hon, we need to celebrate in grand style!" Have a street party for 48 hours in a row, book a table at our favourite restaurant and buy everyone a drink... anything that’s cathartic, and joyful! I wanted to make sure my husband remembered we need to find someone to look after our two young kids while we’re out partying.
I’m an Italian in her late 30s but have lived in the UK for a decade before moving back to my native Rome in 2002. What is really, really painful to a not so inconsistent number of Italians (pretty much half, which is just over 30 million of us), is that a man so antithetical to our mindset, ideals and way of life is masquerading as THE only, and most representative category of Italian in existence. I know this is the best way to attract supercilious remarks on the Guardian website, but I just needed to get this off my chest: just you try abhorring everything that a man stands for, and being labelled as being fundamentally like him, somehow. I have no idea why the entities in charge of our karma want to keep rubbing our noses in frustration and paradox, so here’s to hoping this question will become outdated very soon.
The Italian election system, AKA "Porcellum" (Dec 2005), which we have a Northern League MP to thank for, is one of the major causes of Berlusconi’s longevity, as it makes our electoral system only partly democratic. We don’t actually directly vote for those who end up in Parliament, and Berlusconi won his elections also as a result of the votes his coalition partners got - not him directly. What many who’re now eager to overturn Berlusconi are aiming to overwrite is precisely that "Porcellum" law, which unfortunately also suits many in the opposition (it’s complicated, I realise).
All this, in addition to the more obvious fact of our media being in every sense less free than in a considerable number of African nations, will be anything but detrimental to the success of a would-be dictator. Another problem is that the major left-wing opposition party have long had an identity crisis, which does wonders for our Psychopath PM’s stability in power. Our opposition, which even a virulent anti-Berlusconian like myself hates HAVING to vote for as it currently is, wants to be sort of left-wing one day, then maybe a tad more right-wing the following day. It wants to keep everyone happy, from the more Socialist-inclined to those more politically middle-of-the-road (such as the Catholic community). It would be so nice to see our opposition party make up its mind and grow a spine for a change. Who wants a party which, policy-wise, is like a slightly watered-down version of Berlusconi’s? Well, obviously to people like myself and most Italians I’m likely to associate with, pretty much anything is preferable to our pocket-sized, sleaze-ball mafioso.
But to "politically neutral" people, such as anyone who’ll respond in the desired knee-jerk manner as soon as you throw an empty promise of lowered taxes, or purple rinse grannies who’ll be reminded that if they don’t vote for Berlusconi, Prodi in person will come to their house and rob a consistent portion of their pensions to fix the wobbly national finances... or better still, to anyone in Italy who’s the Italian equivalent of a Daily Mail reader... is it really so difficult to imagine why Berlusconi has lasted this long? Many more people in Italy than non-Italians think find the sex scandals squallid and sad, but alas, are willing to write it off as irrelevant "gossip", when faced by the weakness of the opposition.
Italy has a way of often overdoing things, because essentially this is a country with (culturally speaking) a big contrast between shadow and light - we give the world beautiful, special, cultured and celebrated things, then we give the world Berlusconi and the mafia. But the way that events have unfolded in this country in the last 18 years ought to serve as a warning to all countries wishing to remain democratic. It probably won’t happen in your country the same way that it did in Italy, but I wouldn’t take for granted one’s rights as a free citizen at this time in history. Berlusconi, who cannot be booted out of office soon enough, is paradoxically also a victim of the financial dictatorship that the entire world currently lives under. I hasten to add I’ve never been big on rabid socialist slogans, but the fierce, survival of the fittest extremism of the modern capitalism has totally lost touch with any form of humanity (obviously I’m not referring to humanity for Mr B!)
Read the article GUARDIAN/Eurozone debt crisis: Berlusconi to resign after austerity budget passed
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The Greek' politicians can't get enough unity to form a unity government, dictated by the Troika and the markets, and Italy's democracy, such as it is, can't face the PM staying or going, also dictated to by the Troika and the markets. Democracy and sustainability are lost questions that only the ordinary people of Europe care about. This is a great lesson in who actually controls our democracies, and over its relevance in global capitalism.
Is it possible that a new united Europe could emerge from this, brought into being by debt, through the power that a creditor has, from above? No. because it leaves the masses out of the equation. Because at each stage in this process the masses suffer because of Europe, rather than gain. The gains that Europe was supposed to bring have been purely ideological, but the cuts are real. At what stage in all this do the people demand a united Europe from below? Only a Europe created by the people can succeed in uniting Europe, and this will have to be against the rule of debt, exactly the opposite of what is happening.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Eurozone debt crisis: Berlusconi to resign after austerity budget passed
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Is it possible that a new united Europe could emerge from this, brought into being by debt, through the power that a creditor has, from above? No. because it leaves the masses out of the equation. Because at each stage in this process the masses suffer because of Europe, rather than gain
That might be a bit too simple. I'm not sure the masses in Germany are suffering, nor in France where I'm living at the moment. I'm not taking about the poor here -- they always suffer to more or less the same extent.
The masses in Greece are starting to suffer -- and will suffer a lot more if they are forced to stay in the euro -- because of the country's crippling indebtedness to the very financial institutions whose crazy gambling caused the world financial crisis in the first place. These debts are in one sense a fabrication because they have no basis in reality. The American constitution, as Ron Paul has pointed out, insisted that all money should be based on the government's holding of gold in order to ensure that banknotes couldn't be printed off like supermarket vouchers -- it had to mean something. Modern money is a fantasy, but a fantasy administered by real police.
At what stage in all this do the people demand a united Europe from below? Only a Europe created by the people can succeed in uniting Europe, and this will have to be against the rule of debt, exactly the opposite of what is happening.
I'm not sure how you do this. I don't believe the Occupy movement has the focus or the muscle to do more trhan protest. It's true that we need a new system of barter, but this will have to imposed on the financial institutions by governments, with the consent of the governed. This means electing governments with the guts to control the financial system rather than serve its interests. Any politician who comes up with that platform will get my vote, so long as he or she doesn't believe in ethnic cleansing as well.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Eurozone debt crisis: Berlusconi to resign after austerity budget passed
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Sixty one governments since WWII. Socialists and communists enter the scene in
the 1960's. More parties than I care to count. A government structure that does
not lend itself to stability, and a great deal of compromise is required on
everything, to get anything done. Little wonder Italy is in dire straights. The
entire government is to blame, not just the PM, but I doubt the people will
recognize that, and the fact that their parliamentarian form of government is
seriously flawed, perhaps fatally so this time.
Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Berlusconi to reisgn after new budget is approved.
Baby Number Seven Billion Born on October 31
What's Your Number? BBC
1) We've been at "peak oil" for decades apparently...and yet funnily enough,
every time chicken little starts croaking again, our technology manages to find
more oil in more places and more ways to recover it. Oil is not limitless, but
we do have plenty, and we have enough to get us to the point when REAL
alternative energies - rather than liberal pipe dreams - will be viable.
Synthetics and third generation biofuels are the way to go. Oil from Algae,
etc.
2) It seems beyond the realm of comprehension for liberals and
environmentalists that people might WANT to have children. Yes, our birth rate
has fallen. But did it ever occur to any of you that maybe people enjoy having
offspring, and not just the one trophy child?
3) A declining population means an irreversible (as long as population
continues to fall) economic contraction...fewer jobs, less production, a falling
GDP, etc. A falling population is a disaster. Today, most developed areas of the
world have far too few children, not too many.
4) We have the resources, technology, and knowhow to provide for a population
even much larger than today's. There are vast - otherwise habitable - areas of
the globe where there simply aren't any people. Go walk through Montana or the
Dakotas. What we really need is the infrastructure to support the large populations in Africa and Asia...not fewer people.
Read the article CHICAGO TRIBUNE/ 7 Bilion? Hold the celebrations!
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It is disappointing that those of us who believe keeping the population at
sustainable levels are now being tarred with the colonial or even racist brush.
Earth's resources are not infinite. Until we develop the technology to colonise
beyond this planet (neo-neo-colonialism?) wouldn't it be better for humankind as
a whole if we grew more trees and fewer people?
Read the article BBC/the world at seven billion
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In the early days of Friends of the Earth, circa 1972, we tried to popularise
recycling, use of urban land for growing food crops, energy saving, using
bicycles rather than cars, etc etc. Then as now, we did not dare tackle the
"elephant in the room", which we were quite aware was the runaway growth of
population, from which all the symptoms we were addressing originated. We should
have dared.
Read the article BBC/the world at seven billion
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If you look at countries which have reduced their birth rates, it's clear that
you need a combination of factors including:
A secure retirement system so
people don't depend on their children to take care of them
Universal
education so families don't see more children as more workers for the
family
End to religious/cultural value of making "our" group bigger than the
others
- amongst other things
Read the article BBC/the world at seven billion
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As David Attenborough and Population Matters say, "Every environmental problem
will be harder - and ultimately impossible - to solve with ever more people."
With a projected population peak 40% above current levels, the future will be a
scary place unless we act now to slow population growth.
Read the article BBC/the world at seven billion
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Yes, sometimes, population control has been a political tool - both by
authoritarian rulers and colonising powers. However, it has more often been used
to try improving quality of life. But, population control is just one brick in a
far larger wall. Other factors like mass education, abandonment of violent
sectarianism and tribalism and true democracy are also needed, but all too often
are absent.
Read the article BBC/the world at seven billion
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There are still vast amounts of earth's resources that have not yet been used. Those that are being used are often wasted or used in an inefficient manner. As humans, we have always figured out how to provide for ourselves so much so that food production does outpace the population growth
Distributing food is a big problem - enough food is not a problem. Artificially slowing population will only temporarily seem to solve 'overpopulation' concerns.
When there are not enough people to work in the economy to pay for the welfare state, what do we do then? Japan is experiencing this now and we are beginning to see in other parts of Asia and Europe. China's workforce is projected to shrink 21% by the year 2050. America is grappling with future solvency of Medicare and SS.
Mr. Walker's solution will spawn new problems that will need to be solved.
Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/7 Billion and Climbing: The Population Challenge
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Some people, notably George Monbiot, argue that western over-consumption is the sole culprit, so criticising expanding population means "blaming the victims". Of course he is right that our self-indulgent lifestyles are grossly inequitable, and must become much more modest – each additional Briton has the carbon footprint of 22 more Malawians, so the 10 million more UK people the ONS projects for 2033 would equate to 220 million more Malawians. But all poor people aspire to become richer; if they succeed, their numbers will matter immensely.
Whilst I totally agree with the above, the rainforests are being depleted as we speak. Rainforests are as we all know their own mini ecosystems yet do not occur in the West. After a certain point of depletion a rainforest will lose its natural ability to provide that mini ecosystem which will seriously impact the surrounding area.
Many in the West are very aware of climate change and how it is linked to our population explosion. We need to concentrate on CO2 emissions but the developing world must address their population explosions too.
More education for women will halp here.
But many barriers stand in the way of educating women worldwide, many barriers.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Why current population growth is costing us the Earth
This issue has been ignominiously overlooked by the Green movement and yet as more and more people accept that only a holistic approach to the current global problems will really offer a long term solution this very issue has to be debated and addressed as seriously as possible.
Our Lord David Attenborough has remarked that during his many travels to just about every corner of this planet he has never seen an environmental problem that wouldn´t be solved more easily if there were less people.
Unfortunately as any demographer knows you cannot refer to overpopulation without referring to resources and therein lies the rub because until the wealthier nations are prepared to live more simply so that others may simply live, population debate will be a non-starter.
New York city consumes in one year the same amount of electricity as the entire population of sub-Saharan Africa (http://www.summitenergy.com/blog/2011/02/energy-and-the-global-poor/)
where natural population increase is highest and from where our minds conjure up the mental images associated with "over-population".
There are huge moral and ethical questions that cannot be avoided if this debate is to go very far.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Why current population growth is costing us the Earth
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"Malthusians: do you have any idea what this means for your (current) world-view?" -- From what I've read here, those who bash others as "Malthusian" haven't actually bothered to read what Malthus actually said, and instead just argue from a attempted ridicule emotional straw-man of "Malthus said we're in for a dystopia". No he didn't. He argued the more overpopulated we become, the more resources would be diverted to trying to cure it which some would react to by having more babies, etc, which would amplify the problem, which in turn may result in a downward cost vs improvement spiral to the point of stagnation, or at least reduced innovation due to reduced resources. And this is absolutely correct and clearly observed in several countries.
Where are all the technological innovations from Ethiopia or Somalia? There are hardly any. Why? Because as Malthus predicted, all available resources have been swallowed up by over-population induced subsistence social "distress", slowing the rate of progress. Far from being proven wrong, he's already been proven right by the continued ongoing state of Africa. He may not have proven right on a global level, but then he never predicted a global dystopia of all countries being like Somalia / Mad Max, just that "the dangers of population growth would preclude endless progress" in some societies (which they already have). In fact, that's exactly what "the Third World" is a label of...
Here's what he said in his "An Essay on the Principle of Population":-
"The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man".
This is technically correct as most people can potentially have +6-10 kids, yet the quantity of arable land will not go up anywhere the same rate. This is basic maths and a prediction that's been proven right. If it were wrong, people wouldn't be starving in Africa which better technology obviously hasn't solved or there wouldn't be a need for permanent multi-billion aid packages.
"This constant effort as constantly tends to subject the lower classes of the society to distress and to prevent any great permanent amelioration of their condition" - Chapter 2, p18.
Meaning "The poorest people suffer the most during famines". Which is proven right every day in Sub-Saharan Africa.
"The way in which these effects are produced seems to be this. We will suppose the means of subsistence in any country just equal to the easy support of its inhabitants. The constant effort towards population... increases the number of people before the means of subsistence are increased. The food therefore which before supported seven millions must now be divided among seven millions and a half or eight millions. The poor consequently must live much worse, and many of them be reduced to severe distress"
Sub-Saharan Africa in a nutshell...
"The number of labourers also being above the proportion of the work in the market, the price of labour must tend toward a decrease, while the price of provisions would at the same time tend to rise."
"This is, in fact, a real fall in the price of labour; and, during this period, the condition of the lower classes of the community must be gradually growing worse. But the farmers and capitalists are growing rich from the real cheapness of labour."
Which is exactly the same economic wage deflation effect that over-populated China is having on America and Europe because there's an over-supply of labour, and why we can no longer kick start our economies with a domestic competitive manufacturing industry in non-overpopulated "flat worker supply" countries... Again that's yet another prediction proven correct, and is virtually the current economic crisis of falling real wages in the West due to abnormal "over-competition" from supply-overpopulated countries like China, nailed in one paragraph.
"This is simply wrong: there are vast swathes of Britain which are rather sparsely populated."
Over-population is more than just concreting over every blade of grass and destroying the non-human ecosystem. The UK imports half its food already. If the population doubled, 75-80% of food would have to be imported, the price of food would soar (due to both increased competition and increasing cost of oil-dependent transport). Famines with 90m starving Brits would also occur in the event of a long-term food transportation network failure. Hardly the "sustainability" or "Green" politics most people understand...
For a man who supposedly "didn't predict anything right", Malthus seems to be bang on target with regards to his predictions of modern 1st vs 3rd world wage deflation and resulting economic stagnation, reduced technological progress in 3rd world countries, and the ongoing distressed state of Africa's poor...
Read the article GUARDIAN/Why current population growth is costing us the Earth
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Dickens had the population control enthusiasts right:
"Man," said the Ghost , "if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant [of 'decrease the surplus population'] until you have discovered what the surplus is, and where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be that in the sight of Heaven you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child. O God! to hear the insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!"
It's amazing that the spirit of Malthus persists: how many times does he have to be wrong? It's also worth remembering how deeply unpleasant he was, blaming the poor for their poverty because of their own fecklessness and opposing any kind of state welfare. A curious hero indeed.
Read the article GUARDIAN/Why current population growth is costing us the Earth
