SUE OF A FLY: October 2010

There, then, is the long-awaited verdict: 40 years earned as a measure to deter other would-be jihadists. Not that this particular case will have much resonance as a deterrence to dedicated fanatics willing and eager to submit totally to a belief that divine will would have a complete personal sacrifice entailing martyrdom in the pursuit of mass slaughter. So the appeal to non-existent reason as opposed to fervent pious faith in a blood-thirsty god who commends followers to murder is a lost cause.

The cause for justice as seen through the lens of those who have been the target of violent Islam is another thing altogether. Excusing as absent in cerebral intelligence those apologists of the Liberal-left who espouse the humility of the guilt-ridden, that the West brings this abhorrent jihadist violence upon itself by its very existence. Insulting to Islam by the very fact that the strictures of the religion have ensured backwardness prevailed in those populations of the devout, while the world of the West has leaped ahead in economic, social, scientific, educational, medical advancement.

The 40 year judgement is a fiction, of course, since it will never be served, although it might have been had Omar Khadr not pleaded guilty to the charges laid against him at the Guantanamo Bay tribunal, and he had faced a full trial. As it is, the plea bargain he agreed to will impose 8 years of imprisonment; one year in a U.S. facility, and a request for transfer back to Canada where he has citizenship entitlements and where he will plan, with his lawyers, to sue for time off for good behaviour, as is customary in Canada.

Omar Khadr did murder an American medic, he was most certainly guilty of conspiring to commit acts of terror, he did train as an al-Qaeda recruit, he was taught how to build explosive devices, he did decide of his own volition to remain in the theatre of conflict rather than withdraw with other young people and women, and it was his choice to throw a grenade after a fire-fight had concluded, that ultimately killed an American medic. And it was American medics who worked unstintingly to put Omar Khadr back together when he was dreadfully wounded.

He did testify that he became aware of an $1,500 reward for the dispatch of Americans, and that it was his intention to attempt to kill "a lot of Americans to get lots of money". He was, therefore, motivated beyond his religious convictions. He was captivated also by the thought that he could earn a substantial cash reward in payment for successfully dispatching Americans, and he found that greatly appealing to his sense of materialistic advantage. Many would caution that this was the child speaking, the fifteen-year-old combatant, not the adult who stood trial for what the young man had done.

Those who are prepared to overlook his role as an al-Qaeda recruit dedicated to violent jihad are content to repeat infinitely that he was a child soldier and as such could not, should not be held accountable for what his father groomed him to accomplish in the name of Islam. They are prepared to give him more than the benefit of the doubt; to completely exonerate him of any responsibility for the choices others made for him, and for which choices he also exercised the free will that we are all endowed with.

It may indeed have been a show trial, as many contend it was. Hardly surprising, given all the attention it has received in the media over the years. But the evidence against "child soldier" Omar Khadr was solid, and it was damning. And his eventual personal decision to set aside his reluctance to participate in his own trial, and to turn it to his advantage by pleading guilty for the opportunity of returning to Canada and testing the assumption that in Canada he might stand a better-than-good chance of early parole, was yet another studied alternative which he chose.

That too, despite the impassioned contentions of his lawyers, was his own free choice. His apology to the widow of U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Christopher Speer was moving, and perhaps it was even sincere. How would we know? What we do know is that profound regret is always a fact and an often-expressed one reflecting an individual's plight, not necessarily that individual's heart-felt personal angst over poor choices. Choices seen in retrospect as having led to extremely uncomfortable personal circumstances. We seldom exercise the value of hind-sight before acting in spontaneous response, even as we know there are consequences for actions, for that knowledge exists dimly within our consciousness.

The trial was a fair one, and it took 7 military personnel close to nine hours of deliberation over a two-day period to arrive at their conclusion: 40 years' penalty for five confessed war crimes, inclusive of conspiracy with al-Qaeda, and murder in violation of the laws of war. Yes, it is ironic that the 'laws of war' are invoked at a time when many accuse the United States of contravening the Geneva Convention at Guantanamo Bay, but the rule of law is often twisted by those with the power to do so.

The circumstances are highly unusual; this is not a reflection of trained professional state armies facing off against each other. And thus the United States stands uniquely as the first country to prosecute a person at a war crimes tribunal for criminal actions committed as a juvenile, since the conclusion of the Second World War. Omar Khadr worked as a translator for al-Qaeda; he was groomed in every conceivable way to be a cog in the machine of violent, organized jihad. He voluntarily underwent combat training, built and planted bombs, and attacked U.S. troops.

He spoke of his father Ahmad Khadr, explaining that the combat training was to be used also "in attacks against the Jews because the Jews are always fighting." This slanderous legend has great cachet in the Muslim world. No, quite sincerely, we do not wish to have this "friendly and good-mannered young man" returned to Canada. No less than we would welcome "friendly and courteous" Osama bin Laden to visit Canada and settle down here.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are such horrendously dangerous places yes, but we do not feel comfortable in offering haven to the leaders of al-Qaeda, within Canada. Nor their ardent followers.

Labels: Canada, Conflict, Crisis Politics, Culture, United States

Yes on Prop. 25

Budgets reflect the priorities and values of a state. Public dollars dedicated to schools, safe communities, healthy kids demonstrate that a state is committed to creating a high quality of life for residents. California’s budget tells a whole different story. Because California has a two-thirds vote requirement to pass a budget, a small group of partisan legislators can withhold their votes to extract concessions from the majority. As a result, California’s budget process ends up full of corporate loopholes, special favors for the few.

California is only one of three states, including Rhode Island and Arkansas, that requires a two-thirds majority to pass a budget. The result has been gridlock, late budgets and backroom deals.

In the 2008 and 2009 budget negotiations, a deal was cut to get the required two-thirds vote that blew a massive hole in the state’s budget. The deal will significantly reduce the taxes that a small number of corporations pay, costing the state an estimated $2 billion a year. Once again, the budget “solution’ created an even bigger hole in the already tattered budget—all to get the votes needed to pass a budget.

The 2/3 rule means that a minority of legislators- as few as 8 Senators, can hold up the budget to demand what they want- such as more tax breaks for the corporations and more cuts to education.

The Solution.

Vote Yes. On Prop. 25. End the minority rule of the legislature. With majority rule the voters decide how to write the budget. You and I decide what the state’s financial needs are and how best to respond.

By voting Yes on 25 you can end significant government gridlock . We can bring some economic sanity to our state.

Or, we can continue with our current dysfunctional system.

So, what can you do?

Tell everyone you know to vote Yes on 25. This is not an issue that many are paying attention to.

Contact all your facebook friends. Ask them to vote yes. on 25.

Labels: Proposition 25, Yes

SCORES KILLED/SCORES INJURED: BLOODBATH ENDS BAGHDAD CHURCH HOSTAGE SITUATION

NYTIMES:Hostage Case at Baghdad Church Ends in Bloodbath

Iraqi police stormed a church where gunmen had taken close to 100 hostages, leading to a bloodbath that left at least 30 hostages and seven security forces dead and 41 hostages and 15 security force members wounded, according to a source at the Ministry of Information.

The police arrested eight gunmen, who are believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq, a militant organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The ministry source spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

For hours afterward confusion reigned in the area of the church, American military helicopters hovered overhead, and forces from the Iraqi Army, federal police, local police and the Badr Organization, the former militia wing of a leading Shiite political party, surrounded the church and closed the area to reporters. The killed and wounded were sent to three hospitals.

The attack began shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday when the gunmen attacked the Baghdad stock exchange in the Karada neighborhood, killing two of security guards and wounding four others, then taking refuge in the nearby Sayidat al-Nejat church. The gunmen also set off two bombs outside the exchange.

The church, one of six bombed during an attack in August 2004, was filled for Sunday services, and the attackers held about 100 hostages.

THESE JIHADISTS ARE THE WORST ANIMALS IN HUMAN HISTORY:

TAKING CHURCHGOERS HOSTAGE; PLANTING DOZENS OF BOMBS ON JETS; COMMITTING GENOCIDE FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO LEBANON AND SOUTH TO THE SUDAN.

THERE IS NO REASONING WITH THIS SCUM.

THEY CANNOT BE APPEASED, AND WE SHOULD STOP TRYING.

THEY SHOULD BE ERADICATED - USING ANY AND ALL WEAPONS AT OUR DISPOSAL.

FASTER PLEASE!

Obama: Don't sit this one out.

Labels: Barack Obama, Election, Tuesday

Obama heckled in Connecticut | Mail Online

Obama loses his cool! Well, what a surprise! Because hope and change has not reached all the parts of the US body-politic that was expecting it, the hopers have turned on him!

Barak being barracked: what a change!

Obama heckled in Connecticut | Mail Online

Blogging pause

Following a prolonged power cut in our region of France during last Friday around midday our internet connection ceased to function.

Due to a national holiday in France on Monday 1st November normal blog activities will be unlikely to be restored until Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

NYTIMES: MANY LATINOS IN ARIZONA SUPPORT THE NEW ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT LAW

GOOD ARTICLE HERE.

PORTUGAL ENACTS AUSTERITY DEAL

BW:

Portugal's minority government and main opposition party agreed Saturday on a package of austerity measures aimed at steering the country out of a financial crisis that has contributed to investor unease about the soundness of the euro currency.

Portugal, like other eurozone countries Greece, Ireland and Spain, needs to slash a high debt load that is threatening to ruin its economy and could further weaken prospects for a European economic recovery.

The center-left Socialist government drew up plans to hike taxes and curb spending next year but didn't have enough votes in Parliament to get approval for its proposals.

Saturday's deal with the center-right Social Democratic Party ensured the plan will be enacted after a parliamentary vote next week on the government's spending plans for 2011.

The Social Democrats said in a statement that the deal "mitigated the most negative consequences" of the 2011 state budget. The government, it said, agreed to review major public works projects planned to be carried out in partnership with private companies. Those projects would drive up the national debt, it said.

Portugal is the latest of the 16 nations using the euro currency to adopt austerity measures amid continentwide economic woes.

IF THEY CAN ENACT AUSTERITY MEASURE, THEN WE CAN, TOO.

Due Caution Rewarded

Sounds peculiar does it not, that an Emirates flight would not respond to in-flight enquiries? As though the captain and crew had knowledge that something was not quite right, and that to open themselves to enquiries might result in embarrassment.

Not, though, if they suspected, one might imagine, that they were carrying in their cargo a lethal message of which they comprised the personally-lethal suicide component. Should the concealed explosives on board have been meant to be detonated while in flight, that is.

So NATO called Canadian CF-18 fighter jets into action from Canadian Forces Base Bagotville for tracking duty, more or less escorting the "aircraft of interest" as it negotiated the wide blue skies that the United Arab Emirates are so dedicated to opening even wider, on its way toward its destination within the United States.

Over American airspace, the tracking and escort duty was delegated to two U.S. F-15s from the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes International guard base in Massachusetts.

And as it happened, the cause for concentrated attention on the cargo aboard Emirates Airlines Flight 201 from the United Arab Emirates, carrying cargo from Yemen was soon enough unveiled, as packages of a suspicious nature were removed; one from the plane in question, another from a plane in Britain and yet another still in Dubai.

Destined for synagogues (or, as President Obama put it, Jewish places of worship), in Chicago. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been busy. From Yemen, which source it would appear makes the Saudis, due to unfortunate proximity, and lethal antipathies, extremely nervous.

Suspicious activity has since been reported as having been witnessed at Sana'a International (El Rahaba) airport in Yemen. Where unauthorized and uniformed boys were hauling bags away from X-ray machines, and porters were removing them to the personal baggage terminal. Further sourced information was that all women on the Yemen-to-Dubai flight wore full face coverings even as they moved through security.

It has also been reported that women in Yemen have been arrested, a mother and daughter, as being the source, if not the inspiration of the suspicious bags being moved onto various flights. With additional bags and explosives intended for other flights. All now in a state of apprehension.

U.S. intelligence was evidently alerted by their Saudi counterparts, of an explosives-plot emanating from Sana, Yemen. The intelligence data was complete enough so that American agents knew where to look and what to look out for. Which meant they were able to single out copier cartridges as having been transformed to explosives, to be detonated by cellphone.

Forensics examinations have thus far been successful in identifying the explosives, and in matching them with similar explosives used in an earlier, Christmas-day attempt to blow up an in-flight airliner. For which al-Qaeda earlier took proud responsibility.

American Islamist Anwar al-Awlaki must be chuckling to himself in utter delight. The plot may not have succeeded in its intent to destroy American synagogues and take the lives of accursed Jews, but it most certainly has caused an international furor and great consternation, let alone having succeeded in its foremost intent; to create an aura of terrorism.

His inspiring role for the Christmas Day plot and his encouragement and direction to the U.S. Army psychiatrist who succeeded in murdering 13 American Forces personnel at a medical facility at Fort Hood Texas must be another huge source of immense satisfaction to him.

On the other hand, he might not be quite so ecstatic about the failed plot were he to realize that Jews, regardless of where they live - Israel or anywhere in the diaspora - are so accustomed to being singled out, slandered, threatened and placed in danger that they have developed a different kind of attitude over the course of their recent history.

Ask the Jews in Chicago whose synagogues may have been among those targeted. Rabbi Michael Balinsky of the Chicago Board of Rabbis calmly asserts: "It's obviously disturbing, but certainly the Jewish community will proceed as it proceeds. We'll just exercise caution."

Come to think of it, perhaps that's also what Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Cabinet were exercising, when they refused to submit to the demand from Dubai that Emirates and its sister airlines of the UAE be allowed more frequent flight opportunities in and out of Canada.

Labels: Canada, Middle East, NATO, Terrorism, united nations

PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN PUTS TURKEY'S ISLAMIST AND ANTI-WEST CARDS ON THE TABLE: CALLS ISRAEL TURKEY'S CENTRAL THREAT

JPOST:

The Turkish National Security Council approved a few days ago significant changes in a document which contains threats against Turkey claiming that Israel is now a major threat to the country, Turkish media reported Saturday.

Israel was redefined as a "major threat" in the document called "The Red Book."

This is the first time that Turkey has defined Israel's actions in the Middle East as a threat towards it.

The document also stated that Israel's actions may cause countries in the region to begin an "arms race."

At the same time the Council decided to remove Syria, Bulgaria, Georgia and Armenia from the list of countries that pose a threat to Turkey.

Iran, which was previously a major threat to Ankara was also removed from the list of countries.

THIS PUTS TURKEY SQUARELY ON THE SIDE OF IRAN AND AGAINST ISRAEL - AMERICA'S BEST ALLY.

BY SIDING WITH IRAN AND AGAINST ISRAEL, IT PROVES - ONCE AGAIN - THAT TURKEY DOESN'T BELONG IN NATO.

ALLOWING TURKEY - WHO SHOULD NO LONGER BE TRUSTED WITH ANY MILITARY INFORMATION OF NATO'S OR THE USA'S - TO REMAIN IN NATO AND REMAIN IN THE COALITION IN AFGHANISTAN THREATENS NATO FORCES EVERYWHERE.

BESIDES GEERT WILDERS, IS THERE A POLITICIAN ANYWHERE WITH THE COURAGE TO SAY AND DO WHAT MUST BE DONE!?

SADLY NO.

TO DATE IN EUROPE, SARKOZY AND MERKEL COME CLOSEST, BUT THEY'VE NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH.

PERHAPS THIS WILL BE THE STRAW TO BREAK THE CAMEL'S BACK?

I HOPE SO.

A COUPLA DOZEN PACKAGES GET SENT FROM JIHADO-THUG DOMINATED YEMEN TO SYNAGOGUES IN CHICAGO AND I'M SUPPOSED TO BE SHOCKED THEY TURN OUT TO BE BOMBS?

WHAT'D THEY THINK THEY WERE GONNA BE, CHOCOLATE COVERED MATZOS!? SHEESH.

THEY'RE STILL LOOKING FOR A FEW DOZEN MORE.

YEMEN IS WHERE THE COLE GOT BOMBED.

WE SHOULD HAVE RETURNED IT TO DUST AND ASHES THEN.

The MEMRI Blog - Full Blog Entry

Fatah "maintaining" links with Iranian exiled communist group, MEK and Hizbullah!

Al Qaeda ink cartridge bomb: Woman arrested in Yemen | Mail Online

And still muslims pour into the UK, unregistered, undocumented, free to create havoc and to spew hatred against native British people.

The enablers? The British government and Theresa May!!

BECK VERSUS STEWART = HONESTY VERSUS SARCASM, CYNICISM AND ELITISM

THE LEFT HAS DEVOLVED INTO A CHEAP SHOT MACHINE INCAPABLE OF STAGING AND MASS RALLY PROMOTING BASIC AMERICAN VALUES.

BECK'S RALLY WAS GREAT AND ITS VALUES GOOD. BY COUNTERING BECK, THESE LEFTIST COMEDIANS PROVE THAT THEY ARE SMALL AND BAD.

NOTHING GOOD CAN COME FROM THEIR SARCASM, CYNICISM AND ELITISM.

SARCASM, CYNICISM AND ELITISM CANNOT CREATE MORE BUSINESSES OR JOBS, NOR CAN IT DEFEND US FROM GLOBAL JIHAD OR CREEPING JIHAD.

IMAGINE THE NATION IS A CAR IN A DITCH:

THESE LEFT-WING ICONS --- WITH THEIR SARCASM, THEIR CYNICISM AND THEIR ELITISM --- ARE REALLY THE TYPE OF GUYS WHO - SEEING THE CAR IN A DITCH - STAND ON THE SIDE, SIP THEIR SLURPEES - AND CRACK JOKES, AS THEY WATCH US TEA PARTIERS WHO ARE TRULY THE ONES TRYING TO GET THE CAR OUT OF THE DITCH.

Canadian Mining Industry

Yep, it doesn't make one feel very good to know that Canada remains evasive about its responsibilities to the rest of the world. Fearful of impeding business initiatives, of making ill-thought-out decisions that will impact on already frail employment statistics in enterprises that should long ago have been abandoned because of their deleterious effects on peoples' health and the environment.

Tobacco, a case in point; while the wealthy countries of the world have undertaken domestic public relations drives to discourage smoking with the realization of its impact on vulnerable populations, and concomitant soaring health costs, there is no matching responsibility seen to alert people in developing countries of the world to the perniciously ill effects of smoking, lest domestic tobacco producers suffer a further loss in their manufacturing and profit margins.

Then of course, there's the problem of the federal government looking the other way while the province of Quebec insists it will do nothing to dissuade the asbestos industry in the province that its mendacious business, harming asbestos mine workers, is conscienceless, but far more so, an affront to the dignity and the human rights of third-world workers in countries like India which still use asbestos as a building material, while in Canada work is ongoing to remove the deadly carcinogen from elderly buildings.

Now a private member's bill, Bill C-300, introduced in the House of Commons to construct legal standards that all Canadian mining companies should observe has gone down to defeat. No single political party stood four-square with the premise that a wealthy, forward-looking and human-rights-observing country like Canada should logically pass legislation that would compel its industrial mining giants to operate internationally in a responsible manner with full respect for the countries in which they do business.

International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan had a legitimate concern when he voiced his concern that the bill - whose major contention was Canada's responsibility to ensure that its mining companies were not responsible for human rights abuses - might appear too strictured and stringent, impacting badly on Canadian jobs. Well then, if the bill as it was presented seemed too restrictive, then collaborate on presenting an altered bill that would address the industry's concerns, yet produce a set of useful guidelines.

Many Canadian mining companies already match their activities to the guidelines the bill represented. It is those companies who do not, and whose reputations reflect so poorly on their own operations, and that of Canada as a responsible government that should be requiring its industry giants observe certain acceptable standards, who sully the situation.

Canada's far reach and experience in mining, as a result of our own natural resources and extraction and refinement of minerals and metals resulting in 75% of the world's largest mining and exploration companies being based in Canada, places a special obligation upon the country and its mining industry to operate abroad in a manner that does justice to our internal values, which should match those which we practise internationally.

It is profoundly disturbing to know that Canadian companies have been deeply implicated in the past decade in abusive incidents and serious allegations including human rights violations, in supporting brutal regimes - in looking the other way when violence, civil war and corruption is occurring while they are engaged in mining and exploration in areas of the world experiencing great social turmoil.

It truly is incumbent on Canada to demonstrate, as a leader in mining activities around the world, that the industry should not be immune to practising leadership skills reflecting Canadian values in its interaction with emerging economies for whom the rights and safety and security of their populations is of lesser concern that it should be.

We are not disinterested onlookers, capable of neutral non-involvement, when we are ensconced directly within theatres of civil war, witness to atrocities we do nothing to ameliorate. Remaining there, operating as though nothing untoward is occurring when all around people are suffering, is not an option, or should not be.

It's too bad, in fact, that legislation must even be considered, and that industry leaders themselves do not produce a general best practises code of conduct that would represent best industry practise that all would willingly adapt to, in pursuit of an honest and respected bottom line.

Labels: Canada, Human Fallibility, Human Relations, Politics of Convenience, technology

THE RISE AND FALL OF SPEAKER PELOSI

THERE'S ONE GOOD THING I'VE NOTICED ABOUT CRITICIZING PELOSI - VERSUS CRITICIZING OBAMA:

WHEN YOU ATTACK ANYTHING PELOSI YOU'RE NEVER ACCUSED OF BEING A SEXIST, BUT IF YOU ATTACK OBAMA, THEN YOU'RE ACCUSED OF BEING A RACIST.

WHY IS THAT?

QUESTION: WAS OSAMA'S RECENT MESSAGE TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH THE INK-CARTRIDGE BOMBS?

JUST ASKING.

IT'S TIME TO QUARANTINE NATIONS WHICH PERMIT JIHADO-TERROR TO THRIVE

THIS IS WHY we need to disconnect SEVERAL nations from contact ANY & ALL with the West.

If flights, shipments, cellphone and internet connectedness were shut down, we'd be much safer.

Then we need to deal with the colonizing vermin who have sneaked in under the gates.

Ami Bera for Congress

Dr. Ami Bera is one of the few Democrats who might win a seat away from a sitting Republican Congressman. Photo is of Ami Bera and Professor Jim Shoch at a Progressive Alliance Election Forum on Thursday, October 28, in Sacramento.

The Democratic Congress as a whole is assault from the Republicans. There are several liberal and progressive Democratic elected officials who are likely to lose.

(photo: Dr. Jim Shoch and Dr. Ami Bera)

There is an energized, right-wing assault from the Tea Party Republicans.

Big Oil joined with Wall Street to rescue one of their staunchest allies: Dan Lungren. Under the direction of Karl Rove's shadowy organization American Crossroads, these two corporate special interests began pouring thousands of hidden dollars into the Sacramento media market.

"Karl Rove, Big Oil and Wall Street lining up behind Dan Lungren confirms what voters already know -- Lungren is looking out for himself and his corporate campaign contributors, not middle class families," said Lucinda Guinn, Bera for Congress campaign manager.

American Crossroads is funded and operated almost exclusively by Wall Street special interests, corporate lobbyists, and Big Oil executives -- including a former Enron lobbyist, the owner of the financial investment giant AIG, and the manager of one of the world's largest hedge funds. As of June, 97% of the money American Crossroads raised came from four billionaires, including two oil and gas billionaires.

Bera noted that his opponent Dan Lungren has taken over $84,000 from the oil and gas industry, over $248,000 from the financial industry, and in return is doing their bidding in Congress -- voting in favor of a $2.6 billion tax break for Big Oil and against limits on executive compensation for bailed out banks.

Recommend: read the Mother Jones view of the race and the issues.

Labels: Bera, Congress, Lungren

Cameron gives UK Assent to Lisbon II Treaty

CNBC TV is reporting that Cameron has conceded the principle that there will be an amendment to the Lisbon Treaty which must mean he has backtracked on every promise and statement he has made on the EU since becoming Conservative Party Leader, there can be no other interpretation of his actions.

David Cameron, as long predicted on my blog Teetering Tories, ever since the day he became the most likely leader of the Conservative Party, has thus totally betrayed Britain and particularly all those who voted for him and his party.

Labels: David Cameron MP

Cameron's "Vichy" style surrender to the EU

The following is this morning's blog from Lord Tebbit, quoted here in full just click here to view the Telegraph reader's comments! (Comments from Daily Mail readers to the same post are here):

There are reports this morning that the Prime Minister is preparing to retreat on pledges to cut the European Union budget and will accept a deal that would increase British taxpayers’ contribution by at least £435 million. My reaction is that if Parliament is indeed sovereign, then Mr Cameron should simply refuse flat to agree to any increase whatsoever in the EU’s budget.

He may find himself isolated in that position – as other European leaders fall into line with the Commission’s demands. But he would do better to go down fighting than to surrender in some Vichy-style arrangement, pretending to hold on to sovereignty by agreeing to what Europe demands.

The empty decks of the aircraft carriers will mock a decision to subsidise the ambitions of our masters in Brussels.

(Blog editor's emphasis added by Ironies Too. HEAR, HEAR, Well said Lord Tebbit!)

Labels: Lord Tebbit

2010 Chinese Spring Festival Magic Trick

Labels: China, Magic

Kung Fu biker wins in a traffic accident in China

Labels: Amazing, China, Videos

Seriously, Now...Peace!

Now that is absolutely wonderful. Another peace conference. One cannot conceivably entertain too many conferences devoted to the resonating subject of peace. And where else than in Ottawa, the nation's capital? Where concerned and considerate and not-too-well-informed, let alone -intentioned individuals have formed a quartet of dedicated concern to defuse misunderstandings between East and West. More specifically, perhaps, the world of Islam and that of the West. Since they seem, of late, to be at loggerheads, to put it mildly.

In that specific groups and individuals claiming to represent Islam have been violently attacking Western symbols, personages, institutions and populations in a not-in-vain effort to persuade those of the West that they are despised and hated. While the West, for their part, are taken aback, startled out of their complacency, and attempt to protect themselves, by routing the presence of the violent Islamists in Muslim countries as well as those who have infiltrated into Western countries. Thus the disaffection is mutual, but the methodology is quite opposite.

The stringency of the polarization of the two world views, ideologies, values and imperatives could not be more emphatically at odds. Yet it is the world of Islam that blames the West for the situation, insisting that "Islamophobia" is at the heart of the matter. While the West, given to reasonable discourse when all else fails, points out that it is not they who initiated and continue to initiate the bloody conflict, but those who represent Islam, and who quote zingers from the Koran and the Hadiths in support of violent jihad.

Now, here in Ottawa, there are four individuals, all of whom have been involved with one of Canada's (lesser-known and ballot-box-recognized political parties, the Greens) official opposition parties to the governing Conservatives, who have out of the goodness and breadth of their worldly perspective, mounted a conference on "just and sustainable peace", taking place at the Government Conference Centre. Three featured guests represent academia from Tehran University. With the keynote speaker being dean of the faculty of global studies at the university.

Panelist Davood Ameri is director general of the Islamic World Peace Forum, based in Tehran, a NGO with a website that reflects the worldview of the current Iranian administration. Who better to speak of peace and conciliation between peoples than Iranians? Particularly those who support Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the reigning Ayatollahs? It is a tragedy of immense proportions that the world misunderstands the intentions of the Islamic Republic of Iran which desperately desires peace and unification between diverse people, rejecting the misunderstandings that result from inadequately parsing the statements of Mr. Ahmadinejad.

No nuclear weapons, period. For peaceful, civil use, nothing more. The intention is to live in peace and harmony with its Middle East neighbours and the world at large. How could they be judged otherwise? The world has a frail sense of humour; standing in the United Nations addressing the General Assembly and introducing a few light words that sound like the intention of destroying 'the Zionist entity', just proves how gullible people are, how ready to accuse others of dangerously malicious intent. When nothing could be further from the truth.

The conference is a legitimate affair, an attempt for cool, rational and intelligent heads to reach a consensus on peace initiatives. Is not the highly respected Imam Zijad Delic, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress one of the moderators? Is not RCMP Constable Wayne Russett, aboriginal and ethnic liaison outreach officer scheduled to attend this momentous event? Despite the outrageous slur voiced by Public Safety Minister Vic Toews characterizing the Canadian Islamic Congress as an extremist group?

The entirely fallacious assumption that Iran is up to no good is untenable, has no relation to reality: for Tehran has no intention of expelling IAEA inspectors from its nuclear sites; has no intention of placing its ballistic missiles on a state of alert, along with that of the Syrian army. Nor is there any intention of developing nuclear weapons, and nor is Hezbollah standing by for further orders to initiate a large-scale military exercise. Perish the very thought of such dangerously provocative events ever occurring; not on their watch.

Just incidentally, it appears that Nigeria has intercepted an Iranian shipment of 13 containers, which held rocket launchers, grenades and other explosives which were camouflaged as building materials. The Nigerian National Security Adviser advised that his government intended to destroy the weapons.
It is speculated that this seized shipment was meant for transfer to Hamas in the Gaza Strip; a new attempt at a new smuggling route via Africa. Previous such arms smuggled through Sudan to Gaza have been detected through international supervision auditing the cargo of Iranian ships.

	an illegal arms shipment seized by authorities in Lagos, Nigeria.
	Photo by: AP

In early 2009 there was a news report that the Israel Air Force had attacked a weapons convey being smuggled through Sudan into Gaza. Later that same year the Israeli Navy boarded a vessel carrying tons of weapons from Iran to Syria, or Hezbollah in Lebanon. This September an arms shipment from Iran to Syria was intercepted in the Italian port of Calabria. Shortly after that an arms shipment headed to Syria from North Korea was captured in Greece.

Trifles, incidentals, meaning little. The "Ottawa Group of Four", as they have named themselves, current and previous candidates for the Green Party, Paul Maillet ,Qais Ghanem, Akbar Manoussi and Sylvie Lemieux, deserve to be recognized for the good peace-seeking souls that they are. Honouring Canadian soil and values by inviting Iranian scholars to speak on the subject so dear to the hearts of all of us. Peace in our time.

Labels: Canada, Mexico, peace, Politics of Convenience

Retain Him, Our Compliments

Trouble is, they have no wish to detain him any longer. Without the admission of guilt, which many claim was coerced, he might have stood trial, refusing to acknowledge his guilty status, so that if the prosecution was successful in finding him guilty on all counts brought against him, principally that of murder as an enemy combatant, he might have been sentenced to life in prison. Life in prison within the United States means just what it states. Quite unlike Canada, where a defined period of time is allotted, and the lifer still has the right to seek clemency through early parole.

It simply made far more sense for Omar Khadr, whom many describe as "intelligent", to take the other route available to him. To rejoin his extended family in Canada, citizens all, although they are also more familiarly acknowledged to be Canada's "al-Qaeda family". The father an avowedly high-placed member of al-Qaeda, and a major financier through the raising of 'charitable' funds to advance their cause, and the mother unreservedly supportive of al-Qaeda's mission to overturn the degraded West, and institute a global Caliphate.

Of course, under the global Caliphate it's doubtful whether they would still be able to collect social charity through welfare, assisted housing, universal medical care and education. Which is why they are avidly engaged, though they claim to despise this society, in grasping as much of these citizenship entitlements as they can, while they yet may. As for youngest son, Omar, he will be in more direct geographic contact with his family. And they can be proud of him, that he has not forsworn his dedication to jihad.

Young Mr. Khadr has a reputation to uphold, one he is very proud and conscious of; not only the legacy of his father's dedication to Osama bin Laden and his pathology of hatred for the despised West, but his star standing as a prize specimen of Islamism's finest; a youth well doctrinated into violent jihad and its twisted relation to Islam and the Koran - a high-value standard-bearer of the ascendancy of the inevitable.

The conscience of a Western society has been moved by the seeming misfortune of a youth whose values were sternly drawn by the example and the instruction of his father. As though none of us is born with free will, and the capacity to look beyond the obvious into our inner hearts and instinctive values. Omar Khadr passed the test of Islamist indoctrination, making his parents proud, and elevating his status as an example to other Muslim youth.

Israel, the singular state that has always, since its birth, been the recipient of Muslim hatred and revenge-wishing that would have it disappear off the face of the Earth, must also grapple with the issue of home-grown terrorists. Those with Israeli citizenship, reaping all the benefits that come with that citizenship, yet conspiring to destroy the state, and the lives of other citizens who happen to be Jews, not Arabs.

There are some within Israel, some lawmakers who have been musing within the Knesset that the time may have arrived when citizenship should be revoked from those who actively conspire to destroy the state. To many within Israel, and not only Arab MKs and Palestinian-Israelis, but Jewish Israelis who value the concept of equality and the sanctity of state sovereignty and allegiance to the state, and democratic ideals, this appears an unspeakable travesty.

But is it? Or is it a potentially practical solution to those citizens who conspire to destroy the very social and political conditions that allow them to aspire for their enlightened and socially advanced futures?

Instead of, for example, gently admonishing in a court of law and committing to short prison sentences, young Muslim men who have been nurtured within Canada, and who choose to turn their plans toward destroying Canadian society, perhaps they should discover they run the risk of becoming stateless, their citizenship revoked in exchange for planning terrorism against the country that represents their best interests.

It's a thought. Most Canadians have no wish to welcome Omar Khadr back into Canada. Nor are we particularly pleased to host his extended family whose values are clearly so different than our own. We generally do not make common cause, in any event, with those who literally spit in our faces. And this family has done that, and much, much more to demonstrate their contempt for Canada.

They should be cordially invited to leave, to return to Pakistan where they would be feted.

Labels: Canada/US Relations, Crisis Politics, Security

ALASKA: PHONY POLL ISSUED TO SET UP "VOTER FRAUD WIN" FOR MURKOWSKI

THERE'S A POLL THAT SHOWS MILLER IN 3RD WITH MURKOWSKI WINNING.

ROUND UP HERE.

THIS BOGUS POLL WAS ISSUED TO MAKE ANY IMPENDING THEFT BY MURKOWSKI SEEM LESS OUTRAGEOUS.

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO STOP THEM: GOTV!

Volunteer for Bera

The Progressive Election Forum was a success.

Bera For Congress Get Out The Vote! from BeraForCongress on Vimeo.

Labels: Bera, Congress

UNINTENDED WISE CRITICISM OF THE WEST FROM HAMAS

JPOST: The West has no right to tell Hamas how to govern Gaza'

Hamas official reportedly insists that Islamic tradition be respected, accuses Europe of promoting "promiscuity and political hypocrisy."

The West has no right to tell Hamas how to govern the Gaza Strip, Mahmoud Zahar, a senior leader from the Islamist group told Reuters in an interview published Thursday.

Zahar went on to say that Islamic traditions should be respected, and charged that Europe "promotes promiscuity and political hypocrisy," according to the Reuters report. "We have the right to control our life according to our religion, not according to your religion. You have no religion. You are secular," he was quoted as saying.

ZAHAR IS WRONG ABOUT THIS:

THE WEST DOES HAVE A RIGHT - BECAUSE WITHOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE WEST --- THE EU, THE UN, AND OTHERS - HAMAS AND GAZA WOULD TRULY BE IN A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

BUT WHAT ZAHAR SAYS REALLY PROVES THAT THE WEST SHOULDN'T BE SENDING A DIME TO GAZA.

THE WEST SHOULD LET THESE JIHAD-THUGS ROT TO DEATH! THE GAZA FLOTILLAS - MANNED BY LEFTISTS FROM THE WEST - ARE EVIL BECAUSE THEY SERVE HAMAS AND HAMAS IS EVIL.

BUT EUROPE WON'T STOP APPEASING HAMAS FOR THE PRECISE REASON ZAHAR OFFERS: EUROPE IS PROMISCUOUS AND HYPOCRITICAL AND SECULAR.

IOW: EUROPE IS DOMINATED BY THE POSTMODERN LEFT.

WITHOUT THEIR FIFTH COLUMN IN THE WEST, GLOBAL JIHAD WOULD COLLAPSE.

WHICH IS WHY I HAVE LONG ARGUED THAT WE NEED TO FIRST DEFEAT LEFTISM IF WE EVER EXPECT TO DEFEAT JIHADISM.

THE JIHADISTS NEED THE WEST'S MONEY AND TECHNOLOGY AND TRADE. THEY NEED ACCESS TO OUR CIVILIZATION TO DESTROY IT.

WE NEED TO CUT THEM OFF. QUARANTINE THEM - AND THEIR FINANCIAL BACKERS WHO GAIN WEALTH FROM THE WEST - LIKE THE SAUDIS.

THEN WE STARVE THE JIHADIS. SMOKE THEM OUT OF THEIR CAVES AND KILL THEM. ALL.

THAT'S WHEN WE SHALL ENJOY PEACE.

FIRST STRENGTH, THEN VICTORY. THEN PEACE.

MOHAMMED ONCE AGAIN RANKS NO. 1 IN BRITAIN'S NAMING STATS

For at least the second time in recent memory, Muhammed has come in first on the list of personal names given to boys born in the UK:

The most common name given to baby boys born in England in 2009 was none other than Mohammed, in its various forms.

The name Mohammed is spelled 12 different ways. The most popular spellings were Mohammed and Mohammad, which were the given names of 3,300 and 2,162 babies, respectively. Other spellings include Muhammed, Mohamed, Mahamed, and even Mohmmed. In total, the name was given to 7,549 British baby boys in 2009 - 185 more than were named Oliver.

Regardless of the spelling - if the primary origin of the name is the same, that tells all we need to know, that something is wrong over there.

Cameron capitulates immediately agreeing 2.91% EU budget increase with France and Germany!

David Cameron's first spat within the EU Council resulted in his immediate capitulation. Now we wait for him to concede no referendum on a new treaty!

Labels: EU Budget, Lisbon II Treaty

Yes on Prop 24

YES on Prop 24 – The Tax Fairness Act

Prop 24 prevents $1.3 billion in tax breaks to big corporations that would impose further budget cuts to schools, public safety and critical services. Prop 24 would save thousands of much needed jobs.

· Why Proposition 24 should get your vote:

o The Tax Fairness Act will prevent another $1.3 billion in cuts to our public schools

o It will save 22,000 jobs for teachers, nurses and firefighters

o It will keep corporate taxes as they are today and prevent $1.3 billion in tax giveaways to 2% of California’s wealthiest corporations from kicking in next year

Labels: Prop.24, tax

Laughing at Barbara Boxer's inadvertently pro-Fiorina ads

She's for risky new oil drilling that could threaten our jobs....

Really? It's oil drilling that is destroying California's economy? Not the state's draconian restrictions on oil drilling?

Fiorina couldn't ask for better publicity. She'll actually uncork our energy resources? Lowering gas prices and bringing jobs to the state? Some attack ad:

All of Boxer's attacks are like this: assuming that voters are too stupid to see how ass-backwards her insinuations are. The first line of the above ad says:

She's against banning assault weapons, and that's reckless and dangerous...

What a hoot. She actually thinks pushing gun control is going to win her votes. Increased gun control polls terribly even in California, and in these hard times, not letting people defend themselves can only grow less popular. With every level of government going broke, people are smart enough to know that they will face a greater need to take care of themselves.

That won't jar California's legions of the politically correct, but calling oil drilling a job killer could be a real preference cascade initiator. Even Boxer's leftist base has to do a double-take, and anyone at all middle of the road will certainly revolt at the sheer cognitive dissonance of it, setting them up to question Boxer's other talking points as well.

Fiorina want's to "slash Social Security" and other government entitlements? Maybe not such a bad idea, when faced with trillion dollar deficits. "She'd make abortion a crime"? It is doubtful anyone could actually believe that, even if they didn't know that Fiorina's "pro-life" stance explicitly rejects imposing her abortion beliefs on others.

Fiorina is "Endorsed by Sarah Palin." Wait a minute. How can this be an appeal to the middle, when the Tea Party has much higher positives than either Democrats or Republicans?

I get it. It's not that Boxer thinks other people are that stupid. This is an honest expression of Boxer's own stupidity, as she tries to rally other like-minded (stupid) people. She is throwing what she regards as red-meat to her leftist base, and is too clueless to grasp that her logic-free attacks will alienate the middle.

Blaming Fiorina for jobs lost to the Democrats' anti-business climate

My favorite Boxer ad is her recounting of Hewlett-Packard's California job losses during Fiorina's ten year stint as HP's CEO (half the length of Boxer's tenure as senator from a state where Democrats have dominated the state legislature forever):

Again, Boxer just assumes that viewers are too stupid to grasp the obvious, even as she rubs their noses in it. As the litany of HP's California job losses is recounted the listener is forced to wonder why. What was the context? Why wasn't it good business to keep jobs here? Isn't someone else a part of this story too? Then with perfect timing, "I'm Barbara Boxer, and I approve this message." Hilarious.

It's not like California's anti-business climate is some big secret. It takes the willful blindness of Boxer and her minions not to get it. This and the pretense that oil drilling is a job killer both starkly peg Boxer as a paleo-leftist dinosaur: not just dishonest, but fabulously and sincerely stupid, the absolute last person you'd ever want making decisions for you. Just a brutally incompetent woman. And she puts it neatly on video for all to see. Awesome.

An open query to Sir John Sawers head of MI6

In a complete break with all past precedent the head of Britain's secret services today went public and made a televised speech as reported here by Sky News.

One quote struck me particularly and it also appeared on the linked website, it was this:

He added he is confident that all of his staff "act with the utmost integrity and with an eye on basic decency and moral principles".

I have been active and sometimes worked alongside and within various groups dedicated to withdrawing the UK from the non-democratic European Union. There is a widespread belief among many most closely involved in democratically working to restore our Parliament's sovereignty that some in the intelligence services have worked to politically frustrate this objective. This belief appears to have begun during the John Major era but it necessarily must have been agreed by both (if not all three) main political parties, determining that remaining within the EU was a question of national security and instructing the heads of the intelligence services to proceed accordingly.

As it is now perfectly clear that the policies followed by these three main parties insofar as the Common Market, European Community and today's EU are concerned, have proved an economic and democratic disaster for the country. I therefore address the following open query to the now more open head of MI6 as follows:

To Sir John Sawers, MI6

"As present head of MI6 and clearly unafraid of publicity, can you please confirm that no UK intelligence activities will be directed against those seeking the withdrawal of Britain from the EU"

Labels: MI6

Cameron already defeated on EU Budget

The report is in The Guardian linked here.

Labels: EU Budget

Open Europe, Bertelsmann and Millennium Blitzkrieg

Open Europe has become an excellent monitor of the encroachments of the EU against democracy but should be wary of those who may wish to distract it from what should be its objective which I believe should be the restoration of democracy to the former nations of Europe by a return of indivisible sovereignty to their Parliaments.

My novel Millennium Blitzkrieg, written in the mid-nineteen-nineties supposed a fictional German Chancellor plotting the subjugation of Europe from the beginning of the new millennium to triumph and be announced on the centenary of the assasination that sparked the First World War in the summer of 2014. This plot is thwarted by a youthful but vain British Conservative Prime Minister mostly contrived and aided by a craftier and much more subtle political side-kick.

The novel was accepted for publication by Macmillan's the one time British family publishing firm connected with former Conservative Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan. Bertelsmann aquired the firm and unsurprisingly the offer to publish Millennium Blitzkrieg was withdrawn! Such is life. Copies of the book are still available from Amazon, link or somewhat cheaper by e-mail to the author in new condition dedicated as you may wish although supplies are limited.

The joint event by Open Europe and Bertelsmann held this week is covered on this link.

Labels: Bertelsmann, Millennium Blitzkrieg

EU Budget only one of seven ways the EU gets our money

Much hoo-haa will no doubt surround the EU budget being slightly reduced over the next two days by the Council of Europe where Britain will be represented by the snake in the grass David Cameron who has since becoming Prime Minister shed his eusceptic skin and now sports his true eufanatical colours. In exchange for obtaining some small savings he is reported to be ready to agree a new treaty for the Euro Currency members, on the grounds that it cannot apply to Britain thus once again avoiding a referendum while conveniently ignoring the fact that the Lisbon Treaty eventually requires us to join. When France and Germany, now owning almost our entire infrastructure and utilities, decide the time is ripe they will squeeze, we will capitulate - join the Euro and thus be bound by all Eurogroup treaty provisions, we will have no choice - defeated nations never do!

The EU Budget is in any event a complete side-show, as it is only one of seven ways in which the corrupt EU siphons our cash to waste in the craziest ways while neverthess destroying growth and any chance of Europe re-gaining prosperity. An EU working paper published in May of this year and written by Alain Lamassoure, linked here, from which I quote the following:

III. The vast complexity of funding European policies

12. Contrary to what people might think, the Union budget is far from being the only instrument for financing European policies and, by extension, actions related to common European objectives. In fact, there are no less than seven categories of sources, each of which obeys different rules. (Read the rest from page 4 of 8 on the link above).

Cameron is a smooth talking confidence trickster who should not be trusted one inch, watch him over the next few days, his treachery over Europe is approaching levels not seen in the Conservative Party since Edward Heath and Geoffrey Ripon.

Labels: David Cameron, EU Budget

Cameron turns his back on Parliament

Britain's Prime Minister yesterday had the chance to break with the precedent of his predecessors and listen to the people's elected representatives in the House of Commons before heading to Brussels to cede more of their sovereign rights. The fact that he chose not to speaks volumes on his clear lack of character and preference to relish the powers of becoming yet another little tyrant, in reality just a mere pawn in the hands of the European Union. Read the Hansard report from 12:33 pm from here.

Labels: Lisbon II Treaty

Desperately Migrating - Or Conveniently

The world is a horribly unsettling and hostile place for many of its inhabitants. People who live in countries where civil strife, poverty, internecine warfare, tribal animosities and inter- and intra-country belligerence makes life a misery for its inhabitants. Everyone would prefer, if at all possible, to escape the misery of social, political and economic uncertainty and the very real prospect of being maimed or slaughtered, raped and humiliated, looted and made homeless by events beyond one's capacity to either understand or to protect oneself against.

As matters now stand, the migration of desperate people away from war zones, from starvation, and deprivation, leaves millions of human beings eking out horrible lives of suspended normalcy in countless refugee camps. Advanced countries of the world have a recognized obligation to absorb as many of these homeless people whom hope has passed by, as practically possible. The process of recognizing and absorbing refugees is a long and involved one; to ascertain the legitimacy of claims and the suitability of claimants, and to begin them on the long voyage to reclaiming their lives.

It is an arduous, heart-breaking situation, where discouraged and miserable people eventually find haven in one country or another. Not all countries have the capacity to absorb, to pay for the upkeep of people new to a country, to learn a new language, establish themselves, find employment and feel comfortable in their new surroundings. Canada has a well-earned reputation as a compassionate country, with social programs that are designed to aid refugees until they become capable of aiding themselves.

To escape persecution, drudgery, fear and misery represents an immense alteration of life's fortunes. Canada's reputation as a safe, reliable and pliable haven for families anxious to begin new lives ensures that there will be many instances where people claiming to be refugees take advantage of the generous opportunities available within the country. Many genuine refugees as well as quasi-refugees seek out the services of people-smugglers, paying unconscionable sums of money to be conveyed into the country where they can then declare themselves.

Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board currently has a 60,000 backlog of asylum seekers. It takes years for a hearing before the Board to be conducted. In the interim, refugee-status entrants to the country are able to take advantage of generous social welfare. They may seek paid employment, apply for free housing and medical/dental care while waiting their appointment before the IRB. Approximately 30,000 to 40,000 asylum seekers arrive in Canada annually.

Canada's costs for processing, for legal fees, welfare, housing, medical care, outstrips what the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees budgets in their care for the millions of refugees under their recognizance. And there is this to consider: some 60% of claimants are discovered not to represent genuine refugees at all. So even if they are refused asylum, refugee-seekers may, under Canadian law, seek a review of the negative findings by the IRB.

Failed refugee claimants may simply disappear, and not be heard from again, becoming part of Canadian society, rather than meekly accept an order to leave. Alternatively, they may seek and receive approval of immigrant status. And with that status comes the potential to sponsor other family members to Canada. Refugee claimants such as the Tamils who have recently arrived by boat off the B.C. coast have sought the quick and easy way to attain status, shoving aside the long lineups that other claimants must legally pursue.

The refugee claims of Tamils in particular may be found to be questionable; the Sri Lankan government no longer actively persecutes their Tamil minority as they once did, in response to the violent activities of the Tamil Tigers - which terror group, it is well known, found financial support from Canada's large expatriate Tamil community. Their status can be seen in the very fact that Tamils, settled comfortably in Canada, return to Sri Lanka for holidays.

The world has more than enough genuine refugees who are languishing in squalid misery in countless refugee camps throughout the world. It is to these people that opportunities should be given, not those who have the wherewithal to further their bogus claims, taking illicit and immoral precedence through the illegal use of human smugglers.

Labels: Canada, Conflict, Poverty

Enthusiasm and voting- Bill Fletcher

There has been a lot of discussion about the apparent enthusiasm gap between Democratic voters and Republican voters. While it is beyond question that the Obama administration has accomplished significant reforms in its first two years, the manner in which these have been accomplished, combined with the fact that they were generally not deep enough, has led many liberal and progressive voters to despair.

So, what should we think as we quickly approach November 2nd? First, there were too many magical expectations of both the Obama administration and most Democrats in Congress. Many of us forgot that while they represented a break with the corrupt Bush era, they were not coming into D.C. with a red flag, a pink flag or a purple flag. They came to stabilize the system in a period of crisis. President Obama chose to surround himself with advisers who either did not want to appear to believe or in fact did not believe that dramatic structural reforms were necessary in order to address the depth of the economic and environmental crises we face. They also believed, for reasons that mystify me, that they could work out a compromise with so-called moderate Republicans.

The deeper problem, and one pointed out by many people, is that the Obama administration did not encourage the continued mobilization of its base to blunt the predictable assaults from the political right. As a result, many people sat home waiting to be called upon to mobilize. Instead, we received emails or phone calls asking us to make financial contributions, or perhaps to send a note regarding an issue, but we were not called upon to hit the streets.

Unfortunately, the main problem rests neither with the Obama administration nor the Democrats in Congress. It rests with the failure of the social forces that elected them to keep the pressure on. Too many of us expected results without continuous demand.

Ok, so now that we have gotten this out of our system, we have to face the immediate challenge. I am not going to list the positive things that have been produced by the Obama administration. I am also not going to list the bad calls or stands with which I disagree. I am focusing on those on the right attempting to move in, and frankly they are an unsettling bunch. You see, my enthusiasm for voting rests on the fact that I am not interested in people who worship ignorance, intolerance, war and the strengthening of a plutocracy increasing their grip on power and pulling this country any further to the right than it currently is. In other words, the challenge for progressives is two-fold: one, to beat back the irrationalist right; and, two, to move against the right-wing of the Democratic Party and to push for real change.

Liberals and progressives get called out every election cycle to defend the Democratic Party against the barbarians at the gates. We often do that and then turn away in disgust. Rarely do we either take on the right-wing in the Democratic Party or build up social forces that are energized about keeping elected leaders accountable. We keep talking the talk, but we do not follow through with the walk. When we get angry we talk about creating a third party, but we don't move a strategy to put the heat under the Democratic Party.

Well, we are now facing a moment of truth. This is not the boy who cried wolf. In addition to the Democratic Congress as a whole being under assault from the Republicans, there are some liberal and progressive Democratic elected officials who are under siege, and about whom we should be concerned. There is an energized, right-wing army waiting to turn back the clock. So progressives should be enthused right now; enthused to defend our friends, but also to defeat our enemies. But we should also be motivated to put into practice a different set of politics. We have got to get off the defensive and promote a different sort of vision, an inspiring, progressive vision. That may mean that we part company with some elected leaders who call themselves Democrats, but the time has come when we cannot afford to simply push the button because we see a donkey. Frankly, I am tired of being kicked in the ass.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum and the co-author of "Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and A New Path Toward Social Justice". The views represented in this essay are his and do not necessarily represent those of any organization. He can be reached at papaq54@hotmail.com.

Check out the Youtube interview regarding Solidarity Divided: http://www.youtube.com/user/afgeonline#p/a/u/1/ek9Sz5R6lgU

Labels: Bill Fletcher, Democrats

Blazing Cat Fur: Richard Warman Sues Blazingcatfur For Linking To "Far Right" Mark Steyn

Lawful Outrage

In Canada's largest, most populous and most ethnically diverse city an absurd situation has arisen whereby the law as it is written and applied offers twisted "justice" to petty thieves who make the lives of merchants utterly miserable by the thieves' penchant to haul away shopkeepers' goods sans payment, while holding shopkeepers to a standard of behaviour that would make sense only in a society that welcomes pilferers and looters to help themselves.

Shopkeepers who witness slippery-fingered thieves at work and who immediately contact the police can wait a half day before busy police manage to respond. In the interim, the thief has made off with goods, diminishing the return on hard work, long hours and merchandise-sales for the shopkeeper. Common sense allied with practical solutions would have it that the shopkeeper could detain the thief until the arrival of the police.

After all, as it was pointed out during the trial of David Chen, owner of the Lucky Moose Food Mart, this is exactly what large merchandise emporiums like The Bay and Home Depot, for example, do themselves. These large enterprises have the monetary wherewithal to hire private security firms to vet and audit clients' behaviour, and to detain them - even run after them outside the store to detain them, until the arrival of police.

Why then should it be different for a small shopkeeper, frustrated beyond mere irritation that the same thief, well known by neighbourhood merchants in Toronto's downtown Chinatown for his purloining ways? Having witnessed Anthony Bennett, the bane of Chinese merchants for far too long, hauling away goods without paying for them, and then returning to compound the situation with another theft, Mr. Chen and two of his employees gave chase.

They apprehended the thief who himself was violently abusive toward Mr. Chen, and refused to pay for what he had stolen. Toronto police who did show up after being called through a bystander's call to 911, took grave umbrage at citizens taking the initiative out of maddening exasperation, to do what the police should have done, and treated Mr. Chen, his employees Qing Li and Jie Chen as though they were the criminals.

Charges were laid of forcible confinement and assault against the shopkeeper and his two assistants, and the thief plea-bargained a break in exchange for testifying against Messrs. Chen, Li and Chen. During which time he admitted to being a habitual thief, a perjurer and an unreliable witness.

While the trial is ongoing, set to be concluded on Friday, Mr. Bennett finds himself back in jail. Seems like a second home to the man.He simply was unable to refrain from his life-long habit of lifting other peoples' property, yet again.

The Crown prosecution, however, insists the shopkeepers have broken the law. Mr. Bennett's ongoing theft opportunities are irrelevant, as he would have it. Perhaps it is this particular law which has broken the covenant between the property owner and the state to ensure security of private property through due diligence on the part of security agents, such as municipal police?

"A man was accosted, pushed against a fence, pushed to the ground, and hogtied", expostulated the Crown prosecutor. True, true, certainly true. The thief defied the lawful property owner's request for payment for his purloined goods, and he also kicked him repeatedly, initiating the violence that the Crown so deplored.

Under the circumstances, a violet thief whom police and the law have done little to deter, suffered the brief indignity of having to answer for his crimes. The combined anger of the Toronto Chinese merchants and purveyors of foodstuffs has been aroused in this absurd case. The Crown is quite correct in stating: "There are a number of points that beggar belief", in pursuing his case against Mr. Chen.

Foremost among those points, from the perspective of the Chinese shop owners in Toronto is that the law is diligent in its defence of a committedly bold thief, and appears quite disinterested in the affairs of lawful, hard-working shop owners. That's what beggars belief.

Aaron Lynett/National Post

Storekeeper David Chen poses for a portrait outside of the Lucky Moose Food Mart on Dundas Street West in Toronto's Chinatown, Friday afternoon, Oct. 1, 2010. Chen, who was ironically charged after apprehending a shoplifter, will have his case go to court next week.

Labels: Life's Like That, Security, Society

Lighten up, Doc!

A letter to editor in Kompas today is a reflection of blatant anti-competition by an Indonesian medical doctor, a member of the Indonesian Medical Doctors Association (IDI). He complains about a doctor from Singapore who keeps advertising himself in Indonesian news media.

He argues, had local doctors been allowed to do the same, all media would have been full of private doctors selling themselves. Some might even offer promos like car or free ticket to go abroad. All sounds sinful to his ear, as the letter implies.

I wish the opposite is true. If Indonesian doctors advertise themselves in the media, that would lessen my search cost. And yeah, I want the prize.

Oh by the way, the complainer, by sending such a letter to the (biggest) newspaper in the country, is, urgh, advertising himself, too. No?

5 days until the election

There are just 6 days until the election: This is not a time when progressives can stand on the sidelines.

Participate in the Progressive Election Forum by the Progressive Alliance on Oct.28.

Can the student vote make a difference ?

Is there a difference between Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman on jobs? On tuition?

Is there really a marijuana initiative on the ballot? What about Propositions 23 and 25? and more.

Progressive Election Forum; Oct.28, 2010. Orchard Room. U. Union 12 -2PM.

Professor Jim Shoch, Dr. Ami Bera, students, and more.

If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.

Sponsored by the Faculty Progressive Alliance, Sacramento Progressive Alliance. www.sacramentopa.blogspot.com, the Sac State Coalition, CFA-Capitol Chapter, and Capitol Area Progressives.

In a week most pundits are predicting massive Republican victories in the mid-term election. These poll-based predictions assume a model of a very different electorate than turned out in the 2008 election. What the pundits don't tell you is that if they are wrong about who turns out to vote next week, their predictions will also be wrong.

Frankly the stakes could not be higher. A Republican takeover of the House of Representatives or the Senate would put an end to any chance of meaningful reform until after the 2012 election. More over the limited gains of the last two years would be put at risk. Republicans have made it perfectly clear that their primary goal is to repeal all of the legislation --from health care reform to student loan reform to the modest reforms that were intended to rein in the Wall Street speculators who were the primary cause of the economic crisis that we still suffer from today-- that the current congress passed and the president signed into law.

Such a result would further diminish the prospects of restoring the economy and would legitimize the campaign of obstruction, vilification, and mendacity that they have carried out for the last two years. Further, a Republican wave would bring into political office a new class of political extremists representing the worst elements of the right-wing fringe.

This group would immediately join with other Republicans and Democratic deficit hawks to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. Some think that nothing can be done, but each of us can take steps between now and the election to change the character of the electorate and push back against the right.

4 things you can do now!

Friends don't let friends forget to vote

We are counting on you to spread the word far and wide that getting up early or staying late at the polls on November 2 matters. Make sure all of your friends and associates know that you are not standing on the sidelines in this election and they shouldn't either. You can use the forward to a friend button at the very bottom of this email message to let others know what you think.

Use your FACE BOOK page (or other social media) and friends list to spread the word. Here is a link to some ICONS that you can post on your page to let others know why you are voting.

Join with others in local efforts to turn out progressive voters.

In most communities there are progressive and labor efforts to get the progressive vote out. In states where early voting has begun there are efforts to get progressives to the polls early as well.

Participate in the Progressive Election Forum by the Progressive Alliance on Oct.28.

Work from your home to help turn out progressive voters in other areas.

VOTE

Labels: CSU-Sacramento, election forum, Vote

SUE OF A FLY

October 31, 2010

Fail Compilation October 2010

Best of Curious Photos October 2010

BUSH 41 AND 43 OUT PITCH OBAMA

Back To Canada? Please, No!