the cost
of the cowardice of old europe’s politicians
55% + non!!! The web and the people heavily defeat the fossil media and the
political establishment.
Schroeder on the way out....
Chirac on the way out...
Bliar re-elected....
Bush re-elected....
Howard re-elected....
emu under ever increasing pressure...
euroeconomy stagnant....
euro unemployment continues to grow...
UK/US economy still moving ahead...
such is the inevitable wage of cowardice....
such is the wage of foolishness...
such is the wage of hubris.....
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#no_290505 |
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as france
votes on their eu referendum.....
- mis-named
constitution not socialist enough
There is only one solution to failing socialists’ policies ever
proposed by the cultists - more socialism!
“Government sources are braced for the French president to round
on the Prime Minister and blame him for making the constitution too
"Anglo-Saxon" on economic issues and for plunging Europe into
crisis as a result.
“The French people go to the polls on Sunday They also expect
Mr Chirac to launch a fresh assault on Britain's £3 billion rebate
from the EU budget.
“British diplomats believe that Mr Chirac will call for France,
Germany and other nations to form a "core Europe" in which
they can push ahead with integration without being held back by laggards
such as Britain.”
- ever
more isolated old europe calls for a neverendum
“The latest French opinion poll, published last night in La
Tribune de
Geneve, showed 52 per cent will vote No, down from 55 per cent on
Thursday.
“But the French "godfather" of the treaty said that
such a result would not be allowed to stand.
“ "Those who did not vote for the constitution, we will
ask them to re-vote," said Valery Giscard d'Estaing, the former
French president who led the Constitutional Convention that wrote the
treaty.
“The European Commission said the treaty must live on because
of those countries that have already ratified it. So far, nine of the
EU's 25 members have done so, although only Spain has held a referendum.
“Other nations have ratified the text in parliamentary votes.
Germany yesterday become the latest to do so.
“ "We now have nine member states, representing 220 million
citizens, which have approved the constitution," said Margot Wallstrom,
the Commission's vice-president. "The voice of nearly 50 per cent
of the EU can't be ignored." ”
The dishonest notion that a few politicians can
force the end of sovereign countries, without reference to the populations
of those countries, moves the governments of those countries another dangerous
step towards the illegitimacy typical of socialist dictatorships.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#referendum2_290505 |
|
views
of guantanamo
“ I am talking about the war-on-terrorism P.O.W. camp at Guantanamo
Bay. Just shut it down and then plow it under. It has become worse than
an embarrassment. I am convinced that more Americans are dying and will
die if we keep the Gitmo prison open than if we shut it down. So, please,
Mr. President, just shut it down.” [Quoted from nytimes.com]
“Among 167 detainees freed from Guantanamo, the Pentagon has identified
"about 12" who have resumed terrorist operations. Last October,
two Chinese engineers were kidnapped in Pakistan. "Former detainee
Abdullah Mahsud, their reputed leader, ordered the kidnapping," the
report states.
“ "Another released detainee assassinated an Afghan judge,"
the document continues. "Several former GTMO detainees have been killed
in combat with U.S. soldiers and Coalition forces." ” [Quoted
from nationalreview.com]
amnesty
idiocy and laws of war
“In light of this record, suggestions, like those made by Amnesty
International and its U.S. executive director, that American officials should
be prosecuted for war crimes are gratuitous, and show
the left at its very worst - at its most willing to criminalize political
and policy differences. This is especially true with respect to Amnesty's
claims that the "US administration had sanctioned interrogation techniques
that violated the U.N. Convention against Torture." In fact, the administration
has "sanctioned" only the use of stressful interrogation methods,
such as standing, hooding, and sleep deprivation, at a level which does
not constitute "torture," under either the U.N. Convention or
U.S. law.
“As Amnesty International knows, the U.N. Convention defines "torture"
as "severe pain or suffering." That means that there is some level
of pain and suffering, which is not severe, that does not constitute torture
[...].”
[abelard’s emphasis]
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#guantanamo_290505 |
on the
growing panic in the eussr nunnery
The ‘European Constitution’ is no constitution.
It is another step towards a EUSSR, a single country ruled from a socialist
centre.
Great consternation as the opinion polls show that the
French may even dare to vote against their political masters. Suddenly, ‘them’
are in a tizz, throwing everything they can at conning the sheep (the electors)
back into line.
It may interest some to realise that the referendum on
the Maastrict treaty was lost in France. There, it was only passed by virtue
of an alleged massive positive vote in outre-mer, that is the French
colonies and dependencies outside mainland France. These areas have 1,400,000
voters and now the pols are beating the drum, trying to tell them and any
who will listen that it is not French to vote against the treaty.
A useful read from weeklystandard.com:
“NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV ONCE COMMENTED WRYLY that the only trouble with
free elections is that you never know who's going to win. The old shoe-banger's
words have been echoing around Europe these last few weeks, as the continent
prepares for a democratic exercise that could alter the entire political
construct and direction of Europe. Nobody has a clue what is going to happen.
And European leaders are as terrified of voters as the ever-smiling Khrushchev
was.
“The occasion is not strictly an election, but a referendum, or a
whole series of them, beginning Sunday, May 29, in France, on whether or
not to approve the E.U.'s first-ever constitution, created last year by
an inter-governmental treaty signed by the union's heads of government.
The constitution, a prolix, rambling document at least ten times the length
of the U.S. Constitution (with amendments) and infinitely less inspiring,
is an attempt to set out in detail the relations between European governments
and the people they govern.”
Some
indication of the growing EU political panic - vote, vote and vote again:
“France and the Netherlands should re-run their referendums to obtain
the "right answer" if their voters reject Europe's constitutional
treaty in imminent national ballots, Jean-Claude Juncker, the holder of
the EU presidency, said on Wednesday.
“The Luxembourg prime minister said all 25 EU member countries should
continue their attempts to ratify the treaty whatever the outcome of the
French and Dutch votes.”
related material
elections - French
style
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#referendum_250505 |
diplomacy
and change in backward states - uzbek
“Let me re-phrase: moral posturing may be good for one's soul, but
it doesn't make a dictator change his tune; engagement produces results.”
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#diplomacy_240505 |
socialism
continues to rot france and germany
“Looking back at the 1960s and 1970s, when I grew up in Germany,
one of the most striking things was that everyone talked about work and
money. The country was infuriatingly materialistic. The old West Germany
felt more like an economy than a country. It used to have a proper currency,
the Deutschmark, but it lacked a proper political capital. At a time when
the British believed in incomes policies, capital controls and state ownership,
Germany was as laissez-faire an economy as you could find anywhere in Europe.
The Germans were the Americans of Europe, as a friend remarked at the time.
Everyone was brimming with confidence and the superiority that comes with
the belief that you are running the world's most superior economy. The 1970s
were the heyday of Germany's social market economy, the economic equivalent
of having your cake and eating it.
“Unification was supposed to make Germany even stronger. The opposite
happened. The country's political leadership mismanaged unification through
forcing monetary union too early, at the wrong exchange rate, and on the
basis of West Germany's high social costs and bureaucratic rules. When I
returned to Germany in the 1990s, what surprised me most was not the poor
performance of the economy - this I expected. I was most shocked by the
extraordinary loss of self-confidence among the political and business elites,
combined with a poisonous cocktail of the three big As: anti-Americanism,
anti-Semitism and anti-capitalism.”
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#france_germany_200505 |
on
prison
"[...] More than half of those entering prison have been using Class
A drugs. In some inner- city local prisons as many as eight out of ten men
are found, on arrival, to have Class A drugs in their system. Most of these
have never received any treatment. Most of the crimes they have committed
are connected with the need for money to buy drugs. Each afternoon as the
vans arrive from the courts the prison service is confronted, immediately
and dangerously, with the failure of society to deal effectively with drugs.”
—
“What is it all for? The slogan 'prison works' is often used as if
locking up offenders provides the answer to crime. Yet there is something
odd here. The number of prisoners has hugely increased. In 1986, when I
was home secretary, there were 44,000 in England and Wales; when Labour
came in 1997 the figure was about 60,000; it has just reached a record total
of 75,550. If 'prison works' in reducing crime, then obviously a sensational
increase in the number of prisoners should produce a sensational reduction
in crime. But it hasn't. It is precisely those who argue most fiercely that
prison works who go on to argue that crime has increased - at a time when
magistrates and judges have been slamming offenders into prison as never
before.”
—
“ [...] Three out of five prisoners are reconvicted within two years
of being released. The reconviction rate for young male adults under 21
over two years is 73 per cent. Three quarters of imprisoned burglars reoffend
and are reconvicted. These figures are not surprising when you consider
the kind of people we are talking about. By their own stupidity or worse
they find themselves in a hopeless position even before they enter prison.
Their levels of literacy and numeracy are awful [...].”
“You may judge a civilisation by the way it treats its prisoners.”
Winston Churchill as home secretary, about 1913 (from memory)
Just perhaps David Davis [UK Shadow Home Secretary/Interior
Minister] is beginning to catch on:
“And, at the same time, only an unshakable commitment to the rule
of law buttressed by traditional institutions - jury trials, habeas corpus,
presumption of innocence - can make the citizen both free and secure.”
Will he dare talk of conditions in British prisons, or will he also run in
fear from civilised standards in order to appease the daft old fogies?
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#prison_180505 |
fossil
media screws up again - 16 killed so far
An apposite cartoon and independent reporting at the provided
link.
Of course, the primitive mobs and murderers are those primarily
responsible, which does not remove responsibility from the fossil media.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#koran_170505 |
kasparov
on putin and russian politics
“Khodorkhovsky is in prison for doing things that other oligarchs
are still doing in Russia, it's quite amazing. It's still being practiced
by those who are loyal to the Kremlin. He's not being punished for not paying
taxes, but for wanting to pay taxes. He wanted transparency and wanted to
pay taxes to the treasury while Putin and his cronies wanted the money to
be delivered to the Kremlin in suitcases. Khodorkhovsky's plan to make Yukos
transparent was a deadly threat to Putin's entire corrupt regime.”
[Quoted from chessbase.com]
“A noisy rally by supporters of Mikhail Khodorkovsky outside the
court ended in a brawl Monday, with police detaining 28 people, including
Yabloko deputy head Sergei Mitrokhin, and beat former chess champion Garry
Kasparov with batons.” [Quoted from times.spb.ru]
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#kasparov_putin_160505 |
| la
pentecôte [whitsun] - are the french working, striking or on holiday?
or how to create chaos without thinking
During August 2003, 15,000 people above normal - yes,
that’s right 15,000 - died in France during the
heatwave [le
canicule]. For the most part, the victims were
old people, in nursing homes, alone in their homes, in
hospitals - many abandoned by families during the summer
holiday.
At first, holidaying ministers did not believe there was a problem. Then,
a fortnight after the deaths started, the Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin,
impulsively made a “manly resolution”. All working French would
work on one public holiday out of solidarity with the old. The day’s
wages would contribute to improving the old people’s lot and their care.
A law was passed in June 2004. The holiday chosen was Whit Monday - Pentecôte
in France, to start in 2005.
“Two years later, what is the result? A considerable mess and a social
uprising. [...] Jean-Pierre Raffarin is accustomed to the great certainty
that the French do not work enough and that it is time to remedy that. Simple
detail, he forgot to consider a paradoxical situation: by asking workers
to work on a national holiday he is also removing the work from those who
service all those on holiday, on a day which provides them good income.
And thus, in one swoop, he has upset two parts of society and set off an
unanimous civil protest, while giving citizens every reason for scorning
government decisions.”
—
“The situation is Kafkaesque, absurd and creating great confusion.
The Council of State has confirmed that the 16 May is a national holiday,
but has said people can work. Thus court bailiffs will open their offices,
but may not serve documents. A national holiday has special tarifs for certain
services, such as taxis and doctors. Family doctors have been strongly advised
to join in this day of solidarity, like the rest of the nation, as a normal
work day. Not what the doctors’ union thinks. They have ordered that
the doctors charge holiday rates.” [Loosely translated from Sud-Ouest
Dimanche]
Already, hotels, which were full last year, have but one guest; while the
huge regional festival in Nîmes is down by 10,000 visitors, as are the
accompanying receipts. Of course, all this disruption will lower tax receipts
for the French exchequer.
And on Monday, the 16 May.....
- Government-run services should function more-or-less efficiently despite
strikes - the military are being made available for the railways
- government-run offices may or may not open, depending on the local political
whim
- Schools will open but most teachers are striking, so there will be no
one to supervise the children while parents are at work (school canteens
will also be disrupted)
- It is not clear whether the first of the school examinations due to take
place on Monday the 16th will or will not go ahead - the Minister of Education
has not clarified
- Family doctors may or may not work.
And how are the working French, the 16 non-governmental workers and 5.2 million
government-paid workers, going to handle this day of solidarity and “manly
resolution”?
- Many independent professionals are taking the day off for no pay - but
also nothing for Raffarin’s fund of solidarity
- Many better-off people have taken a foreign holiday to avoid being in
France and so being obliged to work.
- Other workers are often going on strike. And here French law makes its
contribution:
- If a worker strikes on the 16 May, they will receive their strike
pay from their employer - it will not go to the old people
- but if instead the worker takes a day off sick, the employer will
not have to pay their portion of the sick pay
- Some companies are digging into their pockets to pay this new tax, or
have included the day as part of the 5 weeks of paid holiday already received
by French workers
- The seven hours of solidarity owed by railway staff is being spread over
the year by working an extra 1 minute 52 seconds a day
Have a jolly Whitsun Monday!
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#pentecote_150505 |
| effects
of the modern world on the middle east 
A useful read.
“It was at that time that the ideological foundations of what later
became the Baath Party were laid, with the adaptation of Nazi ideas and
methods to the Middle Eastern situation. The nascent party's ideology emphasized
pan-Arabism, nationalism, and a form of socialism. The party was not officially
founded until April 1947, but memoirs of the time and other sources show
that the Nazi interlude is where it began. From Syria, the Germans and the
proto-Baathists also set up a pro-Nazi regime in Iraq, led by the famous,
and notorious, Rashid Ali al-Gailani.
“The Rashid Ali regime in Iraq was overthrown by the British after
a brief military campaign in May-June 1941. Rashid Ali went to Berlin, where
he spent the rest of the war as Hitler's guest with his friend the mufti
of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini. British and Free French forces then
moved into Syria, transferring it to Gaullist control. In the years that
followed the end of World War II, the British and the French departed, and
after a brief interval the Soviets moved in.
“The leaders of the Baath Party easily switched from the Nazi model
to the communist model, needing only minor adjustments. This was a party
not in the Western sense of an organization built to win elections and votes.
It was a party in the Nazi and Communist sense, part of the government apparatus
particularly concerned with indoctrination, surveillance, and repression.
The Baath Party in Syria and the separate Baath Party in Iraq continued
to function along these lines.
“Since 1940 and again after the arrival of the Soviets, the Middle
East has basically imported European models of rule: fascist, Nazi, and
communist. But to speak of dictatorship as being the immemorial way of doing
things in that part of the world is simply untrue. It shows ignorance of
the Arab past, contempt for the Arab present, and unconcern for the Arab
future. The type of regime that was maintained by Saddam Hussein -- and
that continues to be maintained by some other rulers in the Muslim world
-- is modern, indeed recent, and very alien to the foundations of Islamic
civilization. There are older rules and traditions on which the peoples
of the Middle East can build.
“There are, of course, several obvious hindrances to the development
of democratic institutions in the Middle East. The first and most obvious
is the pattern of autocratic and despotic rule currently embedded there.
Such rule is alien, with no roots in either the classical Arab or the Islamic
past, but it is by now a couple of centuries old and is well entrenched,
constituting a serious obstacle.”
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#modern_world_110505 |
| uk
election is a massive endorsement of the police action in iraq
... despite a misnamed Liberal Democrat Party commitment
to appeasement in the Middle East. They ended up gaining about 2% in the election.
Tony Bliar, who utterly refused to back away from his commitment
to Iraq, and Michael H*****, who firmly nailed his flag to the same mast days
before the election, ended with nearly 70% of the vote against the would-be
appeaseniks’ 20+%.
Bush in the USA, Howard in Australia and the main parties
of Britain have all much more than survived their backing for democracy and
freedom in the Middle East.
In each case, the appeaseniks and vacillators have
been heavily rejected.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#uk_election_080505 |
| the
core of a new replacement un is gathering:
“
the community of democracies”
“"To advance our democratic consensus, all free nations must
insist that upholding democratic principles is the surest path to greater
international status. The Community of Democracies is one of a growing number
of international organizations that make democracy an actual condition for
membership. In the Western Hemisphere, the Organization of American States
has adopted the Inter-American Democratic Charter. And here in the Southern
Cone, Mercosur is helping to bolster democracy. In Europe, only democracies
can belong to the European Community. And democratic principles have always
been the cornerstone of NATO.
“ The democratic character of states must become the cornerstone
of a new, principled multilateralism. The real division in our world is
between those states that are committed to freedom and those who are not.
International organizations like the Community of Democracies can help to
create a balance of power that favors freedom.” [Quoted from speech
by Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice.]
The UN treats unrepresentative international criminals
as the voice of nations when, in fact, the masses of those nations’
people are held hostage imprisoned by such dictators. The illegitimacy and
corruption of the UN has been made obvious by recent refusal to remove the
mad socialist dictator of Iraq. It has been made obvious by the corrupt oil
for bribes regime.
For such a gathering to be vaunted as a source of international
‘law’ is far worse than comedy. Little wonder the USA rightly
refuses to be party to such pretence.
Under any sane international law, no criminal may
consider themselves above the law merely by virtue of capturing the levers
of some entrapped state. Only a world court that will post such people as
international outlaws and declare open season upon them can gain any serious
credibility from civilised communities and nations.
Lead from the
auroran sunset.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#community_of_democracies_030505 |
even
the socialist bbc start to tell the real story of iraqi freedom
“Then the moment of salvation came. Perhaps I shouldn't use the
phrase "moment of salvation", for to do so implies we were expecting
such a moment when in truth we were feeling hopeless.
“Call it what you will, it happened and it was a magnificent thing.
“Iraqis are feeling better. They are breathing the air of freedom.
They read, watch and say what they want.
“They travel, work and receive a living wage. They use mobile phones,
satellite dishes and the internet, which they did not even know before.
“The negative side, which is transient, is that some here are trying
to force others to accept their way and even using force to achieve that.
“As for terrorism, we are now beginning to unite against it and to
defeat it.
“I say to you: Wait two or three years and you will be pleasantly
surprised.”
Unfortunately, all but one of the respondents are reported
as living in Baghdad.
For much better, more comprehensive and regularly
updated reportingon Iraq, look to
Arthur
Chrenkoff’s blog.
Here
is his latest resumé.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#bbc_iraq_020505 |
vatican
elects night-watchman to delay difficult decision
This is probably a foolish choice, but is obviously intended
as stand-in, by people who are not practiced in independent decisions.
“Cardinal Ratzinger, who suffers from ill-health, has said in recent
interviews that he was looking forward to retiring in order to write more
books. [Quoted from ft.com.]
“Ratzinger was the oldest cardinal to be named pope since Clement
XII, who was also 78 when he became pope in 1730. He is the first German
pope since Victor II (1055-1057).” [Quoted from reuters.co.uk.]
However, the cardinals also did this with John XXIII,
and he gave them the fright of their lives by telling catholics they were
allowed to think. The old fools have been trying to slam the door shut again
ever since. Ratzinger was one of only two cardinals in the conclave not appointed
by the last pope, the ultimate system of patronage.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#ratzinger_200405 |
for
those who believe democracy can be purchased - or how to run a real country
“Despite a stable economy and campaign spending 10 times higher
than any of its rivals, the MPRP suffered a shock loss in the poll, two
weeks ago. The British-educated prime minister, Nambariin Enkhbayar, saw
his party's presence in the 76-member parliament slip from 72 to 36.”
—
“So far, despite frequent street protests by both sides, the political
drama has been largely peaceful and has not interfered with people's lives.
“Most Ulan Bator residents are now far more concerned with preparations
for Naadam, the country's biggest festival. Modern democratic values may
be cherished, but they still take second place to the four-day celebration
of horse racing, wrestling, archery and the traditional nomadic life.”
So much for the Chumpsky
tendency whining about rigged elections, as lately
in Afghan and Iraq.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#mongolia_190405 |
| on
the near insuperable strategic difficulties facing china
Quoted from belmontclub,
complete with linked maps showing the vulnerability of china's sea lanes:
“But even if the United States could be persuaded not to intervene
in any dispute with Taiwan, China's peculiar geographic
vulnerability to maritime disruption means that even Taiwan's small
submarine force could pose a major threat. This
map from Global Security underscores how vital the South China Sea is
to China's economy. Virtually all VLCC traffic to China, Japan and South
Korea pass through the Lombok and Malacca Straits. Traffic bound for the
cluster of ports (run your mouse along the Chinese coast and the ports will
pop up as circles around Guangdong - Hongkong
and related ports) can stop 600 km west-southwest of Taiwan, but traffic
bound for the port clusters around Shanghai must pass east of Taiwan, through
the Luzon straits before berthing 600 km due north of Taipei -- right past
the Bonins -- including Okinawa. Should Taiwan respond to a Chinese threat
by deploying its Zwaardvis class diesel electrics along the Bonin littoral,
the northern Chinese ports would be blockadaded. Both the Guangdong and
Shanghai ports themselves are well within range of the 9,000 nautical mile
ranged Taiwanese diesel-electrics.”
And a follow
up from belmontclub.
Obviously China would be wise to seek cooperation with
the West rather than contention. Moving towards democratic government would
be far more effective than constant prickliness and sabre rattling.
There are increasing amounts of news now leaking out of China, including
various reports of unrest:
“According to government statistics, protests increased by 15% last
year to 58,000, with more than 3 million people taking part. In many provincial
capitals, roadblocks occur more than once a week. Last weekend, anti-Japanese
demonstrators rallied in three cities, including Beijing." [Quoted
from guardian.co.uk.]
“Though it is experiencing one of the most spectacular economic expansions
in history, China is having more trouble maintaining social order than at
any time since the Tiananmen Square democracy movement in 1989.” [Quoted
from International
Herald Tribune.]
This last article includes a comment that, in China
“[...] it's better to be rich than poor, but that being an official
is even better than being rich.”
Links from various correspondents, with thanx.
More
articles by Watts on the Far East beat giving ‘on the ground’
sketches.
related material
china and india
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#china_strategic_difficulties_180405 |
china
and india
The current yearly per capita GDP in
- India is approximately $3000
- China approximately $5000
“We are using too many raw materials to sustain this growth,"
said Pan Yue, China's environment minister, in a recent interview with the
German magazine Der Spiegel. "To produce goods worth $10,000, for example,
we need seven times more resources than Japan, nearly six times more than
the United States and, perhaps most embarrassing, nearly three times more
than India.”
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#china_india_110405 |
new
report by arabs on arab problems
Summaries from link.
The report bows to its audience, but the increasing admissions
and discussion of the real problems in the area is advancing, even if the
hiding behind victimhood remains unseemly.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#arab_report_100405 |
ukraine
invited to prepare to enter nato
Excellent news.
“The United States supports expanding NATO to include Ukraine, a
former Soviet republic now trying to loosen historic ties to Russia, but
membership in the Western alliance is not guaranteed, President Bush said
Monday. ”
—
“NATO membership is by invitation of the member states, and requires
guarantees of political, military and economic openness. For Ukraine, joining
NATO would mean taking more decisive steps away from Russian influence and
cleaning up systemic corruption [...].”
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#ukraine_nato_070405 |
1983
- false alarm
“The warning system was by now showing five missile launches in the
U.S., headed toward the Soviet Union. The "START" command Petrov
was expected to give would have started an irreversible chain reaction in
a system geared to launch a counter-strike without human interference.
“The main computer wouldn't ask me [what to do] - it was made so
that it wouldn't even ask. It was specially constructed in such a way that
no one could affect the system's operations." All that was up to Petrov
was analyzing the available information and either saying the alarm was
false or giving the computer the go-ahead, as per the directive he himself
wrote.”
Note the similarity to Dr
Strangelove’s doomsday machine.
Link from braden
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#1983_050405 |
“democracy
is not a potato” - kyrgyz report
“In the broad geopolitical game being played out across the former
Soviet Union, Washington is cast as the propagator of "freedom"
- free markets, cheap trainers, no terrorism - and Moscow as the defender
of "order" - state-dominated markets, import duties on trainers,
no terrorism. The choice between these two camps often revolves around voters'
view of the 90s. Did that decade bring chaos to an orderly society or, instead,
a glimpse of self-determination that the country's old leaders quickly extinguished?”
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#potato_040405 |
| five
successive french polls now put the nons ahead - panic in the nunnery
The French government is stepping up its campaign in support of the proposed
EU constitution after five consecutive opinion polls suggested voters might
reject it in a referendum in May.”
—
“ One French Socialist MP is threatening legal action against the
British Minister for Europe, [oldnewoldlabour] Denis MacShane, for calling
French opponents of the EU constitution "neo-cretins".”
Note: in French, the word‘con’, used
by anglo-saxons in the phrase ‘neo-con’, means something like
“bloody idiot” or “stupid jerk”.
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#eu_referendum_010405 |
| a
more sane line of attack on bush
“We need a gasoline tax that would keep pump prices fixed at $4 a
gallon, even if crude oil prices go down. [...]
“We need to start building nuclear power plants again. The new nuclear
technology is safer and cleaner than ever. [...]
“And we need some kind of carbon tax that would move more industries
from coal to wind, hydro and solar power, or other, cleaner fuels. [...]
“It's smart geopolitics. It's smart fiscal policy. It is smart climate
policy. Most of all - it's smart politics! [...]
“Imagine if George Bush declared that he was getting rid of his limousine
for an armor-plated Ford Escape hybrid, adopting a geo-green strategy and
building an alliance of neocons, evangelicals and greens to sustain it.
His popularity at home - and abroad - would soar. The country is dying to
be led on this. Instead, he prefers to squander his personal energy trying
to take apart the New Deal and throwing red meat to right-to-life fanatics.
What a waste of a presidency. How will future historians explain it?”
[quoted from Geo-Greening by Example By
Thomas L. Friedman]
the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics0504.php#freidman_010405 |
