A couple of pieces for your perusal.
1. Project Censored's list of top ten stories buried or simply ignored by the mainstream media for the past year. Get educated.
2. An interesting piece on what might happen to the Earth if humans disappeared - instantly. The conclusion is "that the Earth will forget us remarkably quickly". Read on.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Quote of the Day
This time from a good article looking at what could could happen if/when the U.S. starts a war with Iran.
From the article: "As a people we are enormously forgetful," Dr. [William R.] Polk, one of the country's leading scholars on the Middle East, told an Oct. 13 gathering of the Foreign Policy Association in New York. "We should have learned from history that foreign powers can't win guerrilla wars. The British learned this from our ancestors in the American Revolution and re-learned it in Ireland. Napoleon learned it in Spain. The Germans learned it in Yugoslavia. We should have learned it in Vietnam and the Russians learned it in Afghanistan and are learning it all over again in Chechnya and we are learning it, of course, in Iraq. Guerrilla wars are almost unwinnable. As a people we are also very vain. Our way of life is the only way. We should have learned that the rich and powerful can't always succeed against the poor and less powerful."
If you think a war isn't going to happen, why is "The aircraft carrier Eisenhower, accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio, guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage, guided-missile destroyer USS Mason and the fast-attack submarine USS Newport News, .... making its way to the Straits of Hormuz off Iran"?
The article says 3 weeks to war - minimum.
From the article: "As a people we are enormously forgetful," Dr. [William R.] Polk, one of the country's leading scholars on the Middle East, told an Oct. 13 gathering of the Foreign Policy Association in New York. "We should have learned from history that foreign powers can't win guerrilla wars. The British learned this from our ancestors in the American Revolution and re-learned it in Ireland. Napoleon learned it in Spain. The Germans learned it in Yugoslavia. We should have learned it in Vietnam and the Russians learned it in Afghanistan and are learning it all over again in Chechnya and we are learning it, of course, in Iraq. Guerrilla wars are almost unwinnable. As a people we are also very vain. Our way of life is the only way. We should have learned that the rich and powerful can't always succeed against the poor and less powerful."
If you think a war isn't going to happen, why is "The aircraft carrier Eisenhower, accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio, guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage, guided-missile destroyer USS Mason and the fast-attack submarine USS Newport News, .... making its way to the Straits of Hormuz off Iran"?
The article says 3 weeks to war - minimum.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Follow up on Burma
Aung San Suu Kyi has just passed 4,000 days under house arrest.
As far as I'm aware, Australia is still providing military training to the junta who are still in control of the country.
As far as I'm aware, the junta are also still seeking nuclear technology from North Korea.
As far as I'm aware, Australia is still providing military training to the junta who are still in control of the country.
As far as I'm aware, the junta are also still seeking nuclear technology from North Korea.
Today's moron
Courtesy of Time Asia, today's idiot is Michael John Koklich, 49, a U.S. citizen who was arrested and deported for having sex with children in Cambodia.
From the magazine: "He defended himself to reporters by saying that he only had sex with the children for "a very short period." "
Short phrase for you, Michael, go die in a fire.
Read the rest of the article though. It's a good summary about what Cambodia is trying to do to fix its image as a child-sex destination. Now what we need to do is start putting pressure on other countries that are destinations for child-sex tourists, such as the Dominican Republic, Bosnia and Guatemala.
From the magazine: "He defended himself to reporters by saying that he only had sex with the children for "a very short period." "
Short phrase for you, Michael, go die in a fire.
Read the rest of the article though. It's a good summary about what Cambodia is trying to do to fix its image as a child-sex destination. Now what we need to do is start putting pressure on other countries that are destinations for child-sex tourists, such as the Dominican Republic, Bosnia and Guatemala.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
More reactions to the NK test.
What to do?
Hope that good sense will prevail? (The 'Nobody Is That Stupid' notion)
Use U.N. sanctions and resolutions? (The 'Sternly-Worded Letter' approach)
Start an arms race? (The 'Here We Go Again' scenario)
Ask China to start leading sanctions against N Korea? (The 'Big Father Spanking Little Son' idea)
Don't forget who gave the North Koreans the technology to produce the plutonium needed to build the bombs in the first place. (The 'No Surprises There' revelation)
Failing everything, you canget together with your right-wing buddies and go and protest outside a pro-NK Korean resident's association, who most certainly have nothing to do with the test, and can't stop what's happening over there anyway. (The 'Blind Nationalistic and Racist Knee-Jerk Response' situation - thankyou Japan.)
As Bette Davis said in 'All About Eve', "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!"
Hope that good sense will prevail? (The 'Nobody Is That Stupid' notion)
Use U.N. sanctions and resolutions? (The 'Sternly-Worded Letter' approach)
Start an arms race? (The 'Here We Go Again' scenario)
Ask China to start leading sanctions against N Korea? (The 'Big Father Spanking Little Son' idea)
Don't forget who gave the North Koreans the technology to produce the plutonium needed to build the bombs in the first place. (The 'No Surprises There' revelation)
Failing everything, you canget together with your right-wing buddies and go and protest outside a pro-NK Korean resident's association, who most certainly have nothing to do with the test, and can't stop what's happening over there anyway. (The 'Blind Nationalistic and Racist Knee-Jerk Response' situation - thankyou Japan.)
As Bette Davis said in 'All About Eve', "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!"
Today's moron
And I quote, "It will be better for the Security Council of the United Nations to congratulate the DPRK scientists and researchers instead of doing such notorious, useless and rigorous resolutions or whatever,"
Come on down Pak Gil Yon, North Korea's U.N. ambassador.
More American and Japanese reactions to the test are pouring forth.
No action yet but just wait... "The United States ambassador to the world body [the U.N.], John Bolton, said that Washington sought action under Chapter Seven of the UN charter, setting in motion a process that could lead to sanctions and eventually the use of force."
Living here, I haven't had the chance to talk to many people about what's been happening, but if the press reaction is anything to go by, a lot of people are worried that this could get out of control. Prime Minister Abe's response has been stern but not inflammatory. He's having to tread a very precarious path very early on in his tenure as P.M. - hopefully he'll do a good job.
But what to do exactly? I don't know. Part of me thinks that N. Korea should be shut out or bombed. Part of me feels that China and Russia need to do more to get N. Korea back to the negotiating table. Part of me feel feels that an arms race is inevitable since the nuclear genie is out of the bottle in this part of the world.
I know there are some politicians here who are calling for the Japanese SDF to develop nuclear weapons as a deterent. Now, if the only country who has been bombed by nuclear weapons is calling to go nuclear itself (and it still has a pacifist constitution at the moment) you know things are very serious indeed. There's no question about Japan's ability to go nuclear quickly. It has many nuclear power stations, has very close military and economic ties with the U.S., and is paranoid about North Korean influence and the dangers it poses to peace in this region. All make for a recipe for , if not disaster, then certainly very 'interesting' times ahead.
Come on down Pak Gil Yon, North Korea's U.N. ambassador.
More American and Japanese reactions to the test are pouring forth.
No action yet but just wait... "The United States ambassador to the world body [the U.N.], John Bolton, said that Washington sought action under Chapter Seven of the UN charter, setting in motion a process that could lead to sanctions and eventually the use of force."
Living here, I haven't had the chance to talk to many people about what's been happening, but if the press reaction is anything to go by, a lot of people are worried that this could get out of control. Prime Minister Abe's response has been stern but not inflammatory. He's having to tread a very precarious path very early on in his tenure as P.M. - hopefully he'll do a good job.
But what to do exactly? I don't know. Part of me thinks that N. Korea should be shut out or bombed. Part of me feels that China and Russia need to do more to get N. Korea back to the negotiating table. Part of me feel feels that an arms race is inevitable since the nuclear genie is out of the bottle in this part of the world.
I know there are some politicians here who are calling for the Japanese SDF to develop nuclear weapons as a deterent. Now, if the only country who has been bombed by nuclear weapons is calling to go nuclear itself (and it still has a pacifist constitution at the moment) you know things are very serious indeed. There's no question about Japan's ability to go nuclear quickly. It has many nuclear power stations, has very close military and economic ties with the U.S., and is paranoid about North Korean influence and the dangers it poses to peace in this region. All make for a recipe for , if not disaster, then certainly very 'interesting' times ahead.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Today's dose of common sense
Thank God there are still intelligent Americans out there. Pray for all of us since none of them are in government.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Found it!
Yep, you always wondered if there was really someone who did it - and now I've found the guy who gets paid to do exactly that!
All hail Keith Jackson - the man who watches paint dry! (great action pic too!)
All hail Keith Jackson - the man who watches paint dry! (great action pic too!)
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Not all smiles and sunshine...
Some fun and games in the morning papers today.
First comes the rather astonishing revelation that the Australian Government is providing military aid to Burma. This is the same Burma which has been a military dictatorship for the past 16 years, denying its people the leadership and freedom they voted for in 1990.
The aid is in the form of training for Burmese government officials to assist in counter-terrorism activities. Exactly what constitutes 'counter terrorism' for a military junta these days? This is the same leadership that is currently trading in opium as well as trying to acquire weaponry from North Korea - not to mention the human rights abuses against the people of Burma.
Absolutely bloody disgraceful.
While we're on the subject of North Korea, it seems like they're itching to set off a nuclear weapon as soon as they can getone to work. That is causing quite a ruckus over here in Japan - the only country to have been attacked by nuclear weapons in war. It could lead to all sorts of repercussions - from immediate sanctions to another arms race to the delightful prospect of nuclear fallout blowing over here if the test goes awry.
Wonderful...
Lastly, a piece on the Australian Government's new system of immigration tests and criteria for citizenship. It really hurts me to see that the Australia I knew and loved is now becoming known worldwide as a largely right-wing, conservative and (at times) rascist country. It has always been there simmering underneath to some extent (White Australia policy, Stolen Generation, the Chinese in the goldfields, Vietnamese boat people, etc.) but the kind of policy is just going to backfire on the country and its people in the end.
A real shame.
First comes the rather astonishing revelation that the Australian Government is providing military aid to Burma. This is the same Burma which has been a military dictatorship for the past 16 years, denying its people the leadership and freedom they voted for in 1990.
The aid is in the form of training for Burmese government officials to assist in counter-terrorism activities. Exactly what constitutes 'counter terrorism' for a military junta these days? This is the same leadership that is currently trading in opium as well as trying to acquire weaponry from North Korea - not to mention the human rights abuses against the people of Burma.
Absolutely bloody disgraceful.
While we're on the subject of North Korea, it seems like they're itching to set off a nuclear weapon as soon as they can getone to work. That is causing quite a ruckus over here in Japan - the only country to have been attacked by nuclear weapons in war. It could lead to all sorts of repercussions - from immediate sanctions to another arms race to the delightful prospect of nuclear fallout blowing over here if the test goes awry.
Wonderful...
Lastly, a piece on the Australian Government's new system of immigration tests and criteria for citizenship. It really hurts me to see that the Australia I knew and loved is now becoming known worldwide as a largely right-wing, conservative and (at times) rascist country. It has always been there simmering underneath to some extent (White Australia policy, Stolen Generation, the Chinese in the goldfields, Vietnamese boat people, etc.) but the kind of policy is just going to backfire on the country and its people in the end.
A real shame.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Going Pink For October
Yep - the site is pink! PINK!
Why, you ask? Well, as it turns out, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S.
Why would I be interested in that? Well, I have a grandmother and aunt who died as a result of breast cancer, so I think I have two very good reasons to support it.
What can you do? You can also turn your website pink - if you like. This site is collating all the websites who are doing it for this month. You can click for free here and the money raised provides free mamograms for those who can't afford them themselves. (You could click for free on the other sites there as well and help out some other causes.) You can read more about breast cancer here and raise your awareness.
Great idea. I just hope I can get past the un-manliness of having a pink page! Ah, what am I thinking? It's all for a good cause. :-)
Why, you ask? Well, as it turns out, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S.
Why would I be interested in that? Well, I have a grandmother and aunt who died as a result of breast cancer, so I think I have two very good reasons to support it.
What can you do? You can also turn your website pink - if you like. This site is collating all the websites who are doing it for this month. You can click for free here and the money raised provides free mamograms for those who can't afford them themselves. (You could click for free on the other sites there as well and help out some other causes.) You can read more about breast cancer here and raise your awareness.
Great idea. I just hope I can get past the un-manliness of having a pink page! Ah, what am I thinking? It's all for a good cause. :-)
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Websites As Graphs
Found another interesting site today. This one takes webpages and displays them in a graphical form. As you can see, this site looks a bit like a fragile blossom. (well... I think so anyway!)
Included below is an internet monster site, www.fark.com for comparison. As you can see, the bigger the site, the more spectacular the graph. Bigger sites also take a lot longer for the software to work - Fark took about 10 minutes to finish!
Included below is an internet monster site, www.fark.com for comparison. As you can see, the bigger the site, the more spectacular the graph. Bigger sites also take a lot longer for the software to work - Fark took about 10 minutes to finish!
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