Resurgent Insurgent

Arab Awakening

2012-02-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

Another gun-battle, another day. This time in el-Saadi district in central Tripoli, Libya. It could of also been in Baghdad, Kabul, and in the future, Damascus or Tehran.
So why do these loosely knit communities 'go at each other'?
Obviously, US/EU/Israeli foreign policy, scavenging Oil Companies, Christian fundamentalism and a pinch of colonialism are pretty big factors.
But, if one focuses past the greed, hate and capitalism that drives the West past their moral upbringing to interfere, one may realise that the Arab/Muslim nations currently bursting at the seams have several factors in common. Ethnic, religious, tribal, socio-economic and historical differences are ingredients that compliment such a wonderful collaboration of culture...but also unfortunately divide communities. That was the big Bush/Cheney mistake in Iraq.
For good or bad, such a mixture sometimes requires a strong ’somebody’...to mesh a nation together. Dictators, princes, sheiks, western puppets, strong men, gangsters, clerics and gosh knows who else...have lead these nations.
In pre-US Iraq, Saddam kept the peace between Kurds, Sunnis and Shites, Christians and others, much like the responsibility that has befallen on Bashar al-Assad when his father died. Gaddafi gave water, electricity and prosperity, making Libya a beacon of Africa.
Even the Taliban, accused women's and human rights abusers, brought peace to an endless civil war, an end to poppy cultivation and calm.
But most of these “strongmen” are also alleged to have suppressed freedom, tortured, renditioned, stole and generally fleeced their own citizens, often with western backing and encouragement.
The dilemma of alternatives is of which is worse; unpredictable bloody revolutions that could see western backed dictators return, military governments or even radical governments that could polarise the Arab world and threaten the West, or, like Libya, a Western policy of messy regime change? Does anybody really want another Lebanon or Iraq?
The Arab peoples need change, opportunity, education and a choice in who governs them, this is sure.

The Drone Murders

2012-01-30T22:16:00.000-08:00

President Obama admits he and his government are murdering people in Pakistan by blowing them to pieces, pretty much like car bombs are doing in Baghdad ."They have been very precise, precision strikes against al-Qaeda and their affiliates" he boasts.
Pakistanis say many civilians are murdered by the US bombers.
One wonders about the legality of such tactics?
Two points come to my mind. First, what right does the US have to carry out summary executions without a fair trial in the court of law.
Secondly, how can the US even confirm the people's identities they want to eradicate?
Even Obama says "al-Qaeda suspects who are up in very tough terrain along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," and "For us to be able to get them in another way would involve probably a lot more intrusive military action than the ones we're already engaging in."
So it looks like, just kill everyone and hope we get lucky...

Kill the raghead in the wheelchair!

2012-01-24T21:22:00.000-08:00

This one might make a few Iraqis a little angry.
A decision to not imprison Sgt Frank Wuterich by the judge at Camp Pendleton, California, (needing approval by the commander of the US Marine’s Central Command) for ordering his soldiers to massacre 26 innocent Iraqi civilians in what appears to be revenge for a fatal roadside bombing in Haditha was made.
No wonder Okinawan’s don't want US bases and want the right for US soldiers to face Japanese courts.

French Denial of Free Speech

2012-01-24T21:08:00.000-08:00

France, which some historians claim as one of the birthplaces of democracy, is in the process of passing a law that inhibits it’s citizens from expressing their right to free speech.
The bill, already passed by parliament will make it illegal to deny the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks nearly a century ago was genocide.
There is some speculation that the bill is being passed to gain the 500,000 votes of the French Armenian's in the upcoming elections.
Nobody can deny that deaths occurred. But to make people face one year prison terms and €45000 fines for discussing it?
Whatever the historical is, people died and it was disgusting. People need to learn from such atrocities.
But banning free speech and discussion has no benefit.
For example, one only has to look at the consequences of similar laws regarding "holocaust denial", which don't address the dreadful actions of the right-wing National Socialist movement of Germany during Europe's recent history adequately for all their victims.
Instead, such anti-free speech laws have only benefited the Jews, more correctly the Zionists. Using such laws, they have been granted special treatment above other victims. This advantage can be used as propaganda to allow Israel to continually commit crimes against humanity, war crimes and break international law.
These kinds of “denial” laws can set a dangerous precedent.
You can't force propaganda on the masses. Through education only, people will understand the unforgivable atrocities experienced by the innocent Jews and Armenians and Korean Comfort Women alike, and make up their own minds. Politicising such crimes will only negatively impact such causes and demean all victims.

Dire Straights

2012-01-23T01:49:00.000-08:00

It seems it is a time of violent threats in the Straights of Hormuz.
Israel wants to bomb Iran, USA needs oil, And the world will suffer from super high oil prices and disruptions in supply, maybe world recession again. And Iranian's wont take this lying down, with radicals threatening world security even more.
While the big five “nuclear weapon states", who apart from China have all recently attacked or invaded other countries, none have ever had sanctions put on them. And of the “nuclear club” that includes India, Pakistan and Israel, it seems that only North Korea is suffering from sanctions that have staved it's people and economy.
In fact Israel and Pakistan's military receive massive amounts of money from the United States of America, the main aggressor when it comes to who can have what.
Around 30 countries have nuclear power stations, which Iran should be perfectly entitled to do so and is claiming to build, and other countries like Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and Vietnam are also planning these post-Fukushima dangerous installations.
Israel has had no sanctions even though it violated international norms by scattering cluster bombs all over civilian locations in Southern Lebanon and chemical weapons on civilians at a UN school in Gaza.
Pakistan is a country fraught with corruption, military coups, radical religious elements and possibly illegal drone attacks, but still no sanctions there.
Iran, with around 9% of the world's proven oil reserves, seems to being bullied. For what reason could this be? Oil for the colonisers and regional supremacy for the Zionist state? Shame about the misery, suffering and destruction for the Iranian people?

Modern day human sacrifices

2012-01-22T23:20:00.000-08:00

Nature unleashed a catastrophe on the people of Japan on March 11th, 2011. But TEPCO (the Tokyo Electric Power Company) and the Japanese government, may have unleashed unimaginable suffering on it's citizens after Fukushima Daiichi and Daini Nuclear Power Stations we're damaged by the massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake. A devastating tsunami followed it, affecting the stricken reactors ability to cool down.
After the tsunami waters receded to reveal an estimated 20,000 dead and massive damage, the Japanese were clued to their televisions watching former Prime Minister Kan and party head Edano address the nation about the fated Fukushima Nuclear Power Station.
Don't worry, no need to panic, it will not harm your health...were the kind of messages repeated. They incouraged people to breathe contaminated air, eat contaminated food and continue life as normal. Any Japanese citizen who questioned the world's worst nuclear disaster in one of the worlds most technologically advanced nations was set upon. Worried mothers are branded spreaders of “baseless rumours”, researchers, bloggers etc were discouraged or even threatened.
With PMs Kan and Noda ignoring international advise, confused residents were evacuated from only 20 km away. The rest was stuck, and even encouraged to live in vast areas with higher radiation than Chenobyl's uninhabitable zone.
Still 10 months later, Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power station is crippled, unapproachable and spewing extremely high levels of dangerous ionising radiation into the sea, air and the water table.
Every day seems to see a new complication and a new scandalous political decision or cover-up.
Fears of compensation and relocation costs, and the prospect of mass panic (PM Noda’s announcement to the world about a “cold shutdown state”)have prevented the government from at least evacuating parts of Tokyo and it's surrounds, leaving large amounts of Japanese citizens living in irradiated habitats.
Lessons learned from Chenobyl seem abandoned, as people are exposed to low level radiation on a daily basis. Whether such exposure will inhibit immune systems, derange DNA and lead to infertility or lead to much more sinister effects is only to be revealed in time.
With nobody sure where the Corium (melted fuel) is and predictions of explosions when it melts through to the water table, coupled with the ongoing seismic activity around the fragile reactors and fuel pools, TEPCO’s prediction of 40 years to clean it all up seems very impressive.

Colonising Libya's Oil

2012-01-18T18:48:00.000-08:00

NATO claimed success as they flooded Libya with weapons and "special advisors" amid denials of blowing up civilians. Under UNSC Resolution 1973, they entered the sovereign nations airspace, waters and lands. Their remit was to "use all nessasary measures to protect civilians". NATO's 9,658 strike sorties were used not only to protect civilians, but to destroy infrastructure, and search and destroy the nations security forces. And assassinate Gaddafi and his family, much to the condemnation of Russia and China and international law. Civilian deaths are estimated at 25,000-30,000 civilians. Gaddafi was tortured and murdered and his corpse displayed like an animal carcass. Human rights were terrible under Gaddafi, but the Western-backed NTC(National Transition Council) also has a shocking record so far.
Libya has witnessed bands of rebels loot and pillage as they moved on Tripoli, with many residents still helpless to protect family and property. Lawless gun battles break out regularly and security for the so-called "protected civilians" is worthless. Tripoli is divided by opposing occupying rebel forces, reminiscent of Monrovia during Charles Taylor's civil war.
Gadaffi's once prosperous country, the beacon of all Africa, is now fractured, with the newly unelected, western-backed government appearing willing to seize Libya's resources and sell them off for their profit. I doubt oil money will be shared among the nation as before...
And the winners so far are...Repsol, Total, BP, Eni, Glencore , the Swiss-based trading giants Vitol, Gunvor and Trafigura, and China's Sinopec and Petrochina.

RECENT INACTIVITY

2011-11-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

Resurgent Insurgent was originally a group of three people who wanted others to share our thoughts and discussions. Unfortunately, nothing lasts for ever, and due to circumstances we couldn't continue as before. We are now two, and looking for others to join our group. Especially someone who loves graphics! If you are interested in this hobby discussion group, please let us know. Must have Skype.

NATO to steal Libyan Oil

2011-05-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

After passing a vaguely worded UN resolution, NATO, initially led by USA, has been carrying out a massive bombing campaign to aid a minority of rebels to overthrow the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his government.
There is no doubt that Gaddafi is a rotten apple. He has been responsible for training such pleasantries as Charles Taylor and his militia in Liberia, Foday Sankoh and other leaders of the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone, Laurent Kabila in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Campaore's troops who assassinated president Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso, his examples go on. He has also been a critic of the US government.
And then there is OIL. Libya as the largest reserves in Africa and the ninth largest in the world(41.5 billion barrels (6.60×10^9 m3) as of 2007). Strange coincidence, especially so close to France, Britain and Italy. You can easily spot their planes dropping things over Libyan cities full of civilians. Rebels are selling oil to fund their attack against the government, NATO countries seem to be supplying weapons secretly against their own arms embargo.
So is this foreign attempt of regime change(and installing a rebel government without any democratic vote), really the way the international community should act, no matter how bad Gaddifi is? Can any country have the right to bomb another for regime change like the big mess in Iraq?
And if he is gone, who will control such a tribal and ethnically diverse land, surrounded by fundamentalists of all shades of bad??

Democratic Domino

2011-02-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

The recent peoples revolution that toppled Egypt's thirty-year “strong man” Hosni Mubarak , sent shock-waves around the world. First to feel the shock was the people themselves, inspired by events in Tunisia and oppressed to the state of rebellion. They did it!
Unprepared and off-guard was the USA, who pump vast amounts of money and support to oppressive regimes(Pakistan also receives billions) in expectation that they act in America's (or Israels)best interests. Great for US foreign policy, but terrible for these countries citizens.
However, American cries of democracy could prove fatal for the worlds current superpower, as was seen in Palestine when democratic elections led to the people choosing Hamas.
Israel, also with a vested interest in keeping Mubarak in power, were forced to sit back with eyes open and on full military alert. Their only utterances during the political whirlwind were “terrorist” and “Muslim Brotherhood”.
For the rest of the Arab world, events in Egypt(Tunisia) are a great threat. Oppression and iron-fisted rule has kept countries together where intricate tribal systems and Sunni/Shite divides threaten unity(Bush's invasion of Iraq) and power(Saudi royal family).
Rights must be a better thing for the peoples, but will the average person on the street really see reform and change. Or will a different face fill the seat of power for decades to come?

Who controls Facebook and Twitter?

2011-01-18T17:35:00.000-08:00

The popularity of social networking is having a profound effect on the current and future society we live in. This impact is not just felt in America(the origin), but has possibly been a valid contributing factor to the recent overthrow of the Tunisian government, the attempt to overthrow the Iranian government during the last election and anti-capitalism protests in London.
The political power this media wields is great for the freedom of information, but just how free is it?
The recent pogrom against Wikileaks is an example of how some governments do have the power to stymie the sharing of information and in effect, censoring what the world is allowed to know. China, America...who are the bad guys?

Can we trust our Journalists?

2010-12-09T19:19:00.000-08:00

The release of thousands and thousands of files by Wikileaks has opened the eyes of the World. The insights offered give every citizen the chance to delve(these files don't tell everything though) into what is going on. We have to do it ourselves.
SO WHERE ARE THE NEWS MEDIA?
It is their role in society to expose this information. It is understandable that they don't know everything that is going on, but we are talking about hundreds of thousands of files, each one with the potential to be an important revelation.
Shame, shame shame. These leaks are an embarrassment and a wake-up call for all Journalists.
Otherwise, some people my think that our news media is, well, controlled?

Wikileaks - Democracy in Action

2010-12-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

Wikileaks release of information is by far one of the important events in recent history. It allows members of the so-called "free world" to understand more about what we know about our governments who we elect, support and pay. Things revealed are our responsibilty.
What is most extraordinary is the reaction by governments to this whistle-blowing organisation. Starting with condemnation and aggressive attacks, the reaction by states has shown the ugly side of our "freedom". We have witnessed death threats against Wikileaks(especially it's founder), hacking against it's website, incredibly suspicious (politically motivated?)charges of rape against the founder,state harassment of businesses(banks and web hosts especially), and now talk of censorship.
This bizarre attack by governments is proof that they are hiding things. In an honest, free and transparent world, these leaks would be analyised, investigated and followed up. War crime allegations would be lead to charges. Bribery and corruption also would lead to the courts. This is the ultimate chance to clean up ourselves, our governments, companies and armed forces.
Is this happening? No...the opposite is unfolding! Time for change.

Nobel Prize must withdraw Obama's Prize

2010-10-07T21:45:00.001-07:00

In 2009, US President Obama received the most prestigious peace award "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".
He was given this, even though he hadn't earned it, with talk of it being in recognition of his coming work for peace.
In this past year, he has wrenched up the threats and covert attacks on Iran, supported Israel in it's oppression and land-grabbing in Palestine, committed murder of civilians in Pakistan(some view as terrorism), continued backing the Afghan government with bribes while killing any opposition, pulled half the troops out of Iraq while it's perched on the brink of civil war with no government formed, threatened North Korea into restarted nuclear weapon production, created a atmosphere of fear in Europe, increased conflict with China, sold billions of dollars of arms to Saudi Arabia(branded a oppressive nation), acted with total ignorance to Mexico's drug war that supplies the US with recreational drugs, created a culture of intolerance towards Islam in the US and it's allies...and this is just the stuff you read about in the papers. Of course there is Gitmo, continued torture and rendering, summary executions, abuse of homeland powers, etc, etc.
So, why should the Nobel Prizes be respected?
His prize should be retracted, as other recipients who didn't quite deserve it, got it for works in progress, Obama, got his for absolutely nothing!

Did you know...?

2010-09-30T17:51:00.001-07:00

US military aid to Israel = $2.55 billion in 2009. Increasing to 3.15 billion.

One in three Japanese men smoke cigarettes. Ten percent of women smoke. Japan is the forth biggest tobacco market.

Tony Blair was drunk when he was PM

2010-09-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

In his new book, Blair says he was drunk while in power and doesn't regret invading Iraq where over a hundred thousand civilians perished, the infrastructure smashed and is now being deserted leaving it on the brink of civil war.

Planning to attack Iran will end in Nuclear War

2010-09-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

Even Fidel Castro, 84, said a nuclear conflict was inevitable if the United States, in alliance with Israel, tried to enforce international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme this week. Ex-British PM Tony Blair, who sent his nations soldiers to illegally invade Iraq to find WMDs(without regret), said this week that the West should use force against Iran.
Surely such an attack would be the biggest mistake, especially for the 100,000 US troops retreated from Iraq after the US failed to win it's war or it's search for weapons of mass destruction. These soldiers, many of these young men of poor education or just desperate to get a US Green card, will face a nation trained and prepared, with chemical weapon stockpiles and modern missiles. This could all go very wrong, especially for Israel, surrounded by enemies who have an allegiance with Iran.

Running away from Failure

2010-08-26T02:25:00.000-07:00

As US troop levels drop to under 50,000 in Iraq, the whole country is plagued by a series of bombings. The recipe for Civil War still bubbles, and after democracy was forced on Iraq, the results 6 months the last election has left no government formed.
No Weapons Of Mass Destruction were ever found.
The countries infrastructure still fails. The region is unsafe. The land once ruled by the iron fist of Saddam Hussein is now fragmented and in ruins. The oil wealth has eluded the benefit of the civilians. Countless young American, British and other nations have lost the lives of soldiers, many of whom remain crippled or suffering from a range of mental disorders.
This is no victory. It is a sad defeat. And it seems sure to be copied in Afghanistan.

Is Bliar's bribe an EU Presidency bid?

2010-08-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Tony Blair, the shamed UK Prime Minister, has said he will donate the "blood money" from his memoirs to The Royal British Legion, an organization that, he is personally responsible for crippling and maiming many of it's members.
Blair, who has made over £12M since leaving office in 2007 with a string of directorships, including insurance giant Zurich and investment bank JP Morgan, speaking engagements and business consultancies.
He has also been the Middle East Peace Envoy, overseeing and allowing Israel's War on Gaza(Operation Cast Lead), expansion of illegal Jewish settlements, Israeli raid on Syria, the block-aid of Gaza and many more "successes".
It is no secret that this devout Christian is after the EU Presidency, and his relative silence while he amasses wealth may be an attempt is allow the public to forget his (war) crimes. But what he forgets, is that the world is still burning from the actions of Blair and Bush, people are still dieing, starving and oppressed; catapulting Bin Larden and his small band of merry nutters to become a force able to defeat the whole US military and security apparatus.
Can you imagine this white middle-class imbecile in charge of Europe, a mix of races and religions, blighted by historical division, unemployment and immigration???

Forest fires threaten Russian Nuclear facilities

2010-08-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

Russia is desperately fighting forest fires(Global Warming?)to stop them attacking nuclear sites and now Chernobyl is threatening to unleash radioactive dust in the smoke.
There are now some 438 commercial nuclear power reactors operating in 30 countries(61 new reactors under construction), 56 countries operate a total of about 250 research reactors and a further 220 nuclear reactors power ships and submarines.
Some countries have built reactors on fault lines prone to earthquakes(Japan) or plan to build on volcanoes(Indonesia).
The USA has over 100 reactors and it's wars of aggression in the Middle East and beyond may radicalize those targeted to seek revenge. In July 2000, two out of four war-games(Operational Safeguards Response Evaluation(OSRE)in Farley)to simulate protection of US nuclear facilities failed totally, with the third also failing. Don't forget on the 7th February 1993, an intruder entered Three Mile Island nuclear plant and damaged it.
The list of military nuclear accidents is long and often covered up(USA warship in Tokyo Bay).
So how safe is it to have these technologies? We all witnesses the world's richest advanced nation sit back helplessly, while one of the world's richest companies, allowed oil to flow freely for 3 months and destroy the Gulf of Mexico. How about nuclear accidents guys? Prepared?

Are Christians sacrificing Missionary Lives?

2010-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

The August 2010 death of 10 Aid workers in Afghanistan is sad. They were doing great work, especially in the field of eye care. But is there more to the deaths of these Christians in a Muslim country, well known for its strong adherence to the teachings of the Koran? The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killings, saying the workers had been carrying Bibles in an Afghan native language and were attempting to promote Christianity.
According to IAM statements "The International Assistance Mission is an international association of Christian organizations serving the people of Afghanistan with compassion and excellence in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ".
This is not just isolated behavior carried out by this Christian organization. South Korean churches for example, send indoctrinated North Koreans defectors to certain torture and even death, back to North Korea to preach. South Korean missionaries have also been sent to Afghanistan and Iraq. Clearly threatening their missionaries lives. Do Christians really believe a Bible made of paper and ink can protect them from bullets and bombs?
Surely christian teaching does not endorse sending missionaries on suicidal missions.

Clinton family Wedding

2010-07-31T23:54:00.000-07:00

31st of July saw the wedding of Chelsea Clinton who is Methodist and Marc Mezvinsky who is Jewish. Chelsea is the daughter of former U.S President Bill Clinton and current U.S. Secretary of State and former U.S Senator from New York Hillary Rodham Clinton. Marc Mezvinsky is the son of a former congressman and a convicted fraudster Edward "Ed" Mezvinsky, who was convicted of several dozen charges of fraud in 2001. He was released from federal prison in 2008. He remains on federal probation and still owes almost $9.4 million in restitution to his victims. His mother is Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, who is a journalist and served one term as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Wonder how this will effect US politics in the Middle East, having a Jewish family in such high places? After all, US politics tend to be a family affair.

Karzai wins and we pay

2010-07-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

The warlord and Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has just got endorsement from the international community at the Kabul Conference, 2010. He is a big winner.
Don't forget that this man who is boasted as being the first democratically elected president, with a mandate from about 10% of the population in what is agreed as interfered elections. He and his government also have one of the highest rates of corruption in the world. Afghan civilians are regularly killed and maimed by foreign invaders, the civil war has continued, and now it looks like his countries resources are the focus of international greedy mining interests.
What did he win in such a messed up land?
Well, he has US and NATO protection to keep him in power for at least another 4 years. Cunning man. Also, he is demanding the lovely Aid cash to come through his porous governments many hands and black holes. Don't forget we are talking about Billion$ of dollars in this poverty stricken(for ordinary citizens)country.
Also, he wants control of projects, in other words, he wants control of WHO he will give lucrative money to.
But what can the international community do? They have no reason to be there, that they can remember. They are losing a war against illiterate tribesmen. The world is definitely more dangerous, and all the voters of the West want out.
The international communities(the American ones) only choice is to pay all the bribes,fancy gifts, 5 star hotels, diplomatic visas, plush lunches, etc and pray that Karzai doesn't just give all the mining rights to China.

BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata's present from the Australian govt.

2010-07-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

Multi-national mining companies must be drinking champagne from gold cups with the new Australian government's gift of reducing their tax bill for their extremely profitable exploitation of the nation's bounty.
The destructive extraction of Coal and iron ore has far-reaching consequences way past the local communities and environments that host their greed. For example,Coal-fired power plants are responsible for the release of over 85% of total global carbon dioxide emissions. Some of the effects of this mining on the planet include: Carbon dioxide (CO2),Ozone Smog, Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), Particulate Matter (PM), Mercury (Hg) and Acid Rain.
A 40% Resource Super Profits Tax will not stop the destruction of the planet, or bankrupt these Swiss, British, Dutch and Australian companies that employ around 70,000 Australians.
Lowering it to 30% will however, deprive the Australian nation, and most important of all, the local communities, their right to also profit from the rape of the land.

Are the Pope and Church supporting pedophilia?

2010-06-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Pope Benedict XVI has criticised the "deplorable methods" of Belgian police who raided a meeting of bishops as part of a pedophilia probe.
Even though Bishop Roger Vangheluwe admitted sexual abuse of children and many priests and victims have made accusations, the interference of the head of the Vatican State is a direct move to protect the practice of child abuse among the church.
Belonging to some religious cult is no immunity to prosecution, investigation or arrest. It is time for a full-blown international, transparent investigation into the Church, it's practices of covering up crimes and it's funding and resources.

Poisoning the Sea

2010-06-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

A new report carried out by Ocean Alliance indicates a tremendous man-made tragedy is already well under way. 955 whales were tested during a 5-year study, in locations all over the planet and many far from human habitation.
The study found high levels of cadmium, aluminum, chromium, lead, silver, mercury and titanium.
“These contaminants, I think, are threatening the human food supply. They certainly are threatening the whales and the other animals that live in the ocean,” said biologist Roger Payne.
The fact that these toxins(many cancer-causing in humans and in dangerous amounts)are so widespread in the sea, is proof that we are destroying this planet. Deforestation, overgrazing, genetic modification, global warming, oil and radioactive material leaks, over-hunting, overfishing, factory farming and related diseases...the list goes on.
It is time that the environment becomes more of a concern of all nations.
Before it is too late.

Racism or Reaction?

2010-06-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

The recent shocking incident in Hanover where youths reportedly shouted Juden Raus (Jews Out) as they attacked the dancers of the Chaverim (Friends in Hebrew) dance troupe, is a reflection on the growing outrage experienced by many. The Jewish community of Berlin has even prodded local police recently to investigate increasing hate-filled anti-Jewish propaganda on the Internet.
Israel's constant war crimes, oppression and murder of civilians, land grabs, immunity within the UN and it's stockpiles of nuclear and chemical weopons, just add fuel and justification to these racist idiots.
If Israel allowed the state of Palestine is exist(1967 borders with East Jerusalem as it's capital), and with full control over it's borders, then the racists will have no case for sympathy. Remove their cause and they will be defeated. Cut this anti-Semitic tree at it's base, don't just trim the branches.

Hey United Nations...what about Kyrgyzstan???

2010-06-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

Rapes and killings against children and women are happening in southern Kyrgyzstan.
Ethnic violence has erupted. 200,000 displaced and at least 75,000 have fled their country.
What is the international body doing about it? It seems that pursuing certain countries interests in oppressing Iran, and helping Israel get off its massacre on the Gaza Aid Flotilla are more important. Or is it just bad timing for these civilians as it has to compete with the Soccer World Cup and Obama's failure in the Gulf of Mexico?
Time for action is NOW.

Israel tells the UN what can be done

2010-06-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Unfazed by any criticism about it's recent massacre of unarmed civilians in it's deadly hijacking of international aid ships in International Waters...Israel has turned down the UN request for an inquiry.
Not only did they kill, injure and beat the peace activists, but Israeli authorities also stole money, belongings and passports.
However, Israel will carry out an inquiry itself so they can bury the incident. They will even feature two international members in their inquiry. From one of Israel's closest friends Canada, Brig Gen Ken Watkin. He converted to Judaism in 2007. From Northern Ireland(which many Irish believe is occupied land) David Trimble, the man who lead the Orange Order marchers into a riot.
Nobody needs to wait for the inquiry to conclude. When Israel investigated the abuses during the last war on Gaza, all complaints were dismissed as "hearsay", and it was declared no problem to murder civilians, use chemical weapons, destroy the infrastructure, pollute the environment, attack UN buildings etc.
The Gaza Aid Flotilla inquiry has Obama's backing, so who are we to argue?

New Iranian Sanctions

2010-06-11T00:45:00.000-07:00

Bullying will always be done by big boys, but usually bullies are cowards. The new harassment of Iran, is a good way to keep the spotlight off Israel, an aggressive human rights violator that has immunity from the great list of UN resolutions and War Crimes it is accused of. And although Iran doesn't have any nuclear weapons, Israel does.
But all this bullying has not made Iran weak, rather stronger.
The bullies plan to steal Iran's oil is failing.

Clean it up yourselves, give us the bill

2010-06-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

BP, a very rich company, is NOT at all worried about the Gulf of Mexico(and spreading) oil disaster.
They are concerned with the oil that is being wasted. Their initial lies of about 5000 barrels a day, are peanuts compared withe real figure of between 20,000 and 40,000(that's 6,400,000 liters) A DAY!!!
How could they not know, they were pumping it out before the disaster, surely they can count how much they extract?
BP's failure to stop the disaster could in fact be related to their greed. Rather than wanting to stop it, which would leave the oil well closed for a long time while during investigations and inquiries, they want to keep it flowing so they can collect it all...and make money! Bastards.

Are US drone killings International Terrorism?

2010-06-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

Late 2009, a US cruise missile attack in Yemen that, with the indiscriminate use of cluster munitions, left 55 people dead. This included 14 women and 21 children according to an Amnesty International report. This attack was aimed at US enemies, but does the US have the right to go around killing people in any country they like for any reason they like. Is this by definition terrorism?
This murder and destruction of property and livelihoods is not a one off crime. Not just Yemen has suffered. Pakistan is frequently targeted, as well as the invaded countries of Iraq and Afghanistan.
These drone and cruise missile attacks are not just carried out by the USA. Israel also uses such terrorist weaponry also.
So why does the international community just stand-by and allow such war crimes?

Oil curse

2010-06-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

With over 100000 civilians murdered in Iraq, the low intensity war with Iran, and countless other examples of Oil threatening and destroying human life, it has now moved on to destroy nature. The Gulf of Mexico is the new killing field.
Not only is sea life death and destruction caused by this man-made Oil disaster, but who knows the effect of pumping large quantities of chemical dispersant into the sea as well.
This happened just 3 weeks after US president Obama gave his consent to expand off-shore drilling.
Let's just take a step back and look at this (approved)off-shore drilling. This catastrophe is proof that there is no preparation, technology or even ideas on how to prevent or contain disasters. This is tantamount to driving a car without brakes. It is great that the car can take you where you want, but it will eventually crash. This mentality is totally selfish, greedy and reaps mass profits for Oil companies.
Surely, the first thing that Obama(commander in chief) should of done was...shut down every single off-shore drilling venture in the US. Immediately! Every single one. Then, after the technology has been developed to safely extract oil, complete with emergency training and preparation, can they reopen.

The Murphy Commission of Inquiry

2009-12-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

Pedophilia is a very serious crime. But if it is done by priests, it is, well, hush hush! These monsters are doing something even worse than raping children, they are abusing trust.
Not only should they be arrested and dealt with by authorities, but the very environment that these despicable crimes take place should be outlawed. Not only is the church raping children, it is also covering up such crimes. This report exposes abuse, but also exposes what some may view as encouragement of child rape.
For example, four former archbishops in Dublin – John Charles McQuaid, Dermot Ryan,Kevin McNamara and Cardinal Desmond Connell were found to have failed to report their knowledge of child sexual abuse to the Garda(police) from the 1960s to the 1980s. But the report added that all the archbishops of the diocese in the period were aware of complaints.
This is not just an Irish disgrace...four percent of all priests who served in the U.S. from 1950 to 2002 faced some sort of sexual accusation according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. And this is only the tip of an iceberg, how many go unreported???
Any member of "the church" who knew about such crimes and didn't report it should face a prison cell to pray in.

Blair talks before his Chilcot Inquiry appearence

2009-12-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

After lying to the British public about the definite eminent use of weapons of mass destruction which Saddam Husein definitively possessed, Tony Blair has recently spoke to the media.
This invasion and occupation of the sovereign nation of Iraq, which has killed over 100,000 Iraqis, has shattered the nation. Even after six years, the countries infrastructure remains shattered, it is constantly on the brink of civil war and it is rife with hidden killers like malnutrition, psychological trauma and depleted uranium.
Blair, a christian who converted to Roman Catholicism after his resignation in 2007, says "I think people sometimes think my religious faith played a direct part in some of these decisions. It really didn't."
He also insinuated that he did it because he wanted to, "I sympathise with the people who were against it for perfectly good reasons and are against it now, but for me, you know, in the end I had to take the decision."
Weather he will be sentenced to prison for lying and cheating the British public, invading a sovereign country, mass murder...well it is unlikely. This guy was mentioned as the possible President of the European Union???
I only hope, that every night when he goes to sleep, his God has a little word with him about his actions.

The Great Nobel Peace Scam

2009-12-10T04:55:00.000-08:00

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded for work in a wide range of fields including advocacy of human rights, mediation of international conflicts, and arms control.
The prize was awarded for..."for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples"...
The 2009 prize is given away to Obama(44th US President). His achievements are:
. Managing to keep Guantanamo Bay open(American detainment facility located in Cuba. It is highly controversial, it has been the target of numerous protests and media attacks due to its allegedly unorthodox treatment of captives). Building a new facility in Bagram.
. Fighting wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where civilian deaths are an almost daily occurrence.
. Going against about 170 countries and not signing the Landmine Ban Treaty.
. Supporting the 2009 presidential election in Afghanistan(characterized by lack of security, low voter turnout and widespread ballot stuffing, intimidation, and other electoral fraud).
. Backing the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands
In his acceptance peace speech, Obama said that war is sometimes justified.

Holocaust Denial

2009-03-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

There is now pretty much compelling evidence to suggest that the extent of the Nazi crimes perpetuated on innocent Jewish civilians was grossly exaggerated.

These despicable war crimes took place at a time when radical Zionist organizations had been carrying out terrorist/insurgent activities to fulfill their dream of creating a Zionist state in Palestine.

It is totally understandable that such radical organizations would use any means possible to achieve their ends. It is possible that by manipulating the horror of genocide, and the guilt of Europe, it would be a useful weapon to realize their Zionist goals.

Certainly in the absence of discussion and debate(illegal in many European states), and the Jewish influence on Hollywood and the US government and media...have kept the "myth" alive.

But before we correct the history books to the commonly theorized figure of 300,000 jews murdered and the displacement of the entire race, we have to insure that we do not fall into the trap of being exploited by anti-semitic, fascist elements.

War is not a hero-filled Hollywood adventure, where the good guys wear make-up and blow-dried hairstyles. Mothers scrabble through dirt and rubble to collect smashed bones and bits of bloody body parts of their loved children and unemployed fathers struggle to scavenge food for hungry families after losing everything, even limbs. Hidden under the omnipresent unpredictable atmosphere of fear looms dysentery and disease. Displacement offers a shattered future void of dreams. The line between sanity and insanity blurs with each memory and experience.

Even if the statistic of 300,000 is correct, this does not excuse genocide and displacement. Civilians in Rwanda, (DRC)Congo, Sierra Leone, Palestine, Yugoslavia, Daafur and others...are also dead. Shockingly tortured, raped and murdered. Fleeing for safety, mourning lost lives and homes. There is no excuse for the lose of any of these lives...not one, not three hundred thousand. Whether in Nazi-Europe or occupied Palestine or deepest, darkest Africa...the world must wake up and prevent this madness.

Israeli cash prize for Blair

2009-02-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

The Dan David Foundation (set up by Daniel Goldenthal, a Romanian, Zionist, businessman), gives a million dollars to three people every year. The prizes are for the most amazing current, future and past persons in the world. This years winner...Tony Blair!
And what on earth did the ex-prime minister of Britain do to deserve lashings of cash?
Was it his ability to move from the most popular British prime minister to the most unpopular one during his term?
Or his illegal invasion of sovereign Iraq to destroy weapons of mass destruction?
Or his support of torture in America's "war on terror"?
Or his unending support for Israel, which of course must be very helpful as the Middle East Peace Envoy?
No, it is because he is "one of the most outstanding statesmen of our era," ...It marks his "foresight", "exceptional intelligence" and "steadfast determination" to end conflicts.
"

"Tony Blair is a very well-appreciated figure in Israel," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

"I have never actually found it hard to be friend of Israel, I am proud to be a friend of Israel." Tony Blair, Labour Friends of Israel Annual Reception in September 2006.

UK's biggest killer drug

2009-02-04T07:15:00.000-08:00

It's the biggest cause of death in the UK.
It will kill one fifth of the population.
It makes up 40% of hospital illnesses
It takes 10 years of its users life
It kills 114000 people a year
It is the most addictive drug

Democratic Israel restricts press freedom

2009-02-03T01:25:00.000-08:00

After the BBC's sham over it's recent Gaza invasion reporting and it's failure to support innocent civilian victims of the slaughter, it lost it's position as one of the world's most impartial news agencies. That really only leaves Al Jazeera.
Now Israel is launching an attack to stop Al Jazeera from having axcess(not shooting and bombing them like the US did in Bagdad), to free and independant reporting within it's borders and those of Palestine.
A sad day for democracy...

Extermination of the Tamils

2009-02-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

Ski Lanka has the potential to be a stunning tourist destination...apart from the pools of blood and baby body parts.
The Sinhalese majority's use of fighter bombers, attack helicopters, modern warships, satellite imagery and technology, and of course...the support of interfering outside countries appears to be tipping the scales towards the destruction of the minority Tamil population. Tamil small arms and mortars are no match, and there is a limit to the effectiveness of suicide bombers.

It is hard to gauge the exact toll of dead, injured and displaced on both sides. Propaganda is an important weapon of war (just look at western media coverage of recent the Gaza massacre), and unfortunately it is played by both sides.

But as witnessed recently in Afghanistan and Iraq, give the boys bigger and smarter weapons and it is the civilians that will be blown to bits, as well as their houses, farms, infrastructure and livelihoods.

It is time for the international community to stop this madness. Even if Colombo completes it's ethnic cleansing, there is a massive Tamil diaspora ready to return armed and dangerous. It is time for a massive and lasting agreement between the Sinhalese, Tamils and the Buddhists. Weapon embargoes, disarmament, 'truth and reconciliation', in tandam with investment in education and health will heal the wounds.

For Colombo, losing land can be offset if they destroy the descrimination and hatred they have towards the Tamils. For the Tamils, becoming educated and assimilating will bridge the gap. Ski Lanka is a multicultural nation and its inhabitants have to live with that.
And the Buddhist have to stop interferring....

*ucking over the taxpayers

2009-01-21T02:36:00.001-08:00

Is it a recession or a depression? Who knows apart from those who lost their jobs, their businesses and/or their savings. Or those in far away lands that pay the price of the massive turmoil created by American 'free market capitalism'.
The biggest insult in this episode, is the governments of capitalism's use of tax payers money to pay off the captains of big business! A nice big fat present instead of a jail cell...
The are only two things that can be learnt from this global disaster that the Bush Administration bestowed on the whole world are:
1. Free market capitalism does not work in its current form. A total shake-up of the current financial market must be implemented. Not a band-aid on the seeping wounds, but a new, fair and robust workable economic system that has advantages for all the nations of the world. Fair trade and a move away from globalization are a good start...
2. Decentralization of the financial world. The world should not be dependent on the USA. If the US economy crashes (as can happen to any country from time to time when they borrow a billion dollars to invade a couple of far away countries), then the effect should be limited to that country. A possible idea would be to drop the US dollar for the Euro, as the currency of business.
Finally, an eye for an eye. Hold those responsible, responsible!

Israeli War Crimes

2009-01-21T02:20:00.000-08:00

Watching the Israeli Massacre in Gaza(2008) on the western-tainted television news, I thought for moment I was watching Lebanon. So-called Anti-American, Bin Laden-type, Islamic fundamentalist, Iranian-backed, TERRORISTS, starting a world war on poor little Israel before they take over the world! Get your bibles and your guns and hide in the bomb shelter!
(Strange how different these people are when you actually meet some of them like I have).
On television, these offensives looked the same. Total devastation of residential areas. Total destruction of infrastructure. Total destruction of farmland. Total obliteration of civilians. Starvation, displacement and grief.
But Lebanon had the cluster bombs, well still does, ask any one-legged kid you meet!
Is that Christmas lights raining from the sky in Gaza? Those burning phosphorus gifts, or those next generation DIME explosive munitions. Precision-bombing of babies.
The disgusting reality is that this massacre was one step worse than the war crimes committed in Lebanon. And the Israelis don't care, don't feel remorse. In their effort to drive the people, who once lived peacefully from the River to the Sea, over the other side of the river...the Zionist leaders are using more and more disgusting methods. Desperate carnage from a guilty nuclear power.
Gaza, the worlds biggest concentration camp currently ran by an occupying force, will suffer for years to come. Depleted Uranium-caused cancers, and who knows what other hidden suffering the new generation of Israeli weapons will unleash on the worlds most populated piece of land. They will undoubtedly go unnoticed in a population that is starved of food, medicine, fuel, technology, electricity, sewage treatment, social welfare, building materials...and peace!
It is time to get tough and stop these war crimes. If Israel wont sign to the International Criminal Court, then let it feel its wrath.
A second state is better than a third reich!

Accountability means prison

2008-11-24T01:21:00.000-08:00

Hitler paid the price. Hussein and Milosevic also paid for something. Charles Taylor is in the process...

How about impeaching/prosecuting the people responsible for the massive financial crisis originating in the US in the last few months of US supreme commander, Bush.

The effect of the bush administrations policies(not only the innocent victims of US-led wars which will cost over a trillion dollars of largely borrowed bucks), but the effect of it's American dominated global financial system.

Already the developing world has had to struggle with extremes in the price of oil, largely due to Americas' selfish domination and the the capitalist speculative system. These rich boys(and a few lasses)selfish money games, and the bullying and invasion of sovereign nations, has caused widespread hurt and suffering throughout the world.

Current events are proof that an unregulated free market, capitalist system is not a wholesome method to run this world. Just like National socialism of the Nazis or Maoism of Pol Pot, these systems may seem appealing on paper, but we all know their real effect. Putting the selfish desire of individuals to stash as much money in their pockets as possible, by whatever means, is essentially the "American Dream".

But, destroying the environment; exploiting workers; degrading food quality; removing species off the face of the earth; causing death, starvation and disease, really do happen as a direct result of free-market capitalism and globalization.
Is this really the best way?

paying off friends...one month to go

2008-10-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

In his last moments as "the most powerful idiot" in the world, Bush forces the American people to give $700 billion dollars to the CEO's and shareholders of financial companies he is associated with.
Meanwhile the rest of the "first world" suffers from his management of the economy; much the same as Somalis suffer from US foreign intervention, Iraqis suffer from the theft of their oil, Iranians suffer from sanctions, Palestinians have to die in tunnels to get flour and milk, innocent Afghan villagers get blown to bits for looking like...well, Afghan villagers, Zionists settlements grow, Oil companies make the largest profits in the history of mankind, AIDS spreads, Global warming increases, Dolphins and Whales perish from US military sonar, Polish people are made the direct target of nuclear annihilation, Japan's peaceful self-defense force is forced to fight and pay for USA foreign policy aims, a nuclear arms race is ignited by India getting US nuclear bomb-making support, American citizens (most of whom didn't vote for Bush) are hated in every country throughout the world, a large proportion of US black and minority people are put in prison, airline passengers world-wide are forced to be humiliated, searched and left inconvienianced and thirsty (at their own taxed expence), if they can afford to fly after oil prices rose from $20 when Bush took office...

Anyway, we can go on and on...the main point is...he bought the world two major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, has started a new one in Pakistan, and is well on the way to invading Iran. Well, I am sure McCain will do that one...

So, congradulations Mr Christian Bush...

thy shalt not kill, covert my neighbours goods, all that bullshit...George chapter 2, 2008

Weapons that really fuck up the little babies...

2008-09-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

Depleted Uranium
It is hard, cheap and can smash the faces off the enemy! Sounds great. It can penetrate tank amour too, no problem. and it can lie there on the ground and deform your enemies babies for many, many generations to come!
But how do you choose which babies to deform? America choose it's friends(liberate with democracy) in Iraq to deform, NATO used them on Yugoslavia, Israel choose it's host neighbor...to name a few.

Severe body deformity, with head formed at 90 degree angle to upper torso.

Background
Depleted uranium is chemically toxic. It is an extremely dense, hard metal, and can cause chemical poisoning to the body in the same way as can lead or any other heavy metal. However, depleted uranium is also radiologically hazardous, as it spontaneously burns on impact, creating tiny aerosolised glass particles which are small enough to be inhaled. These uranium oxide particles emit all types of radiation, alpha, beta and gamma, and can be carried in the air over long distances. Depleted uranium has a half life of 4.5 billion years, and the presence of depleted uranium ceramic aerosols can pose a long term threat to human health and the environment. Campaign Against Depleted Uranium

Want to know more...
More info...

Being US's best friend

2008-08-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Georgia, having around 2000 soldiers fighting for US domination in Iraq, decided to launch it's own little war of domination. They sent in tanks, planes, artillery and a ground invasion force into the Russian enclave of South Ossetia.
Now this must be suicide when you compare Georgia's small army (armed by Israel), to a colossal ex-superpower like Russia. Especially a Russia led by a very strong leader like Putin, full to the brink with oil wealth and concerned about it's own security with US missile poking into it's face. On top of this, Russia's army has recent fighting experience in Chechen and the North Caucasus.
Only a madman would attack a semi-autonomous region that was of no immediate threat(history aside). Or maybe he had the nod from a certain superpower. "You folks go ahead...we are with you in the fight against terrorism, blah blah, freedom, blah blah, democracy is at stake..."
But the calvary didn't come. The poor Georgian soldiers were sitting ducks for the Russians and all they managed to do was kill a few civilians and smash their houses. In only five days defeat fell upon the invasion and threatened their whole country. Thanks to Europe, a ceasefire of sorts happened.
After the bomb dust settled and the angry Georgians(still searching the skies and who could only mumble "where are the Americans?"), a load of boxes arrived
These star and stripe-covered boxes of biscuits and things had a reassuring messages of the love from USA.

Meanwhile, scared shitless, Poland caves in to US demands of becoming a military base for US missiles, troops and intelligence gathering. And maybe also nuclear death for it's citizens...

Olympic Sport - China-bashing

2008-08-10T23:16:00.000-07:00

All of a sudden the world is taking notice of the plight of minorities in the most populated nation in the world. Funny how for years nobody cared, but now that China has investments in Africa, owns the US debt and has modernized its army...the western media is acting as if it really cares about the plight of the oppressed in China.
Is it really just an all out attack on a country that is trying to be friendly to the world, changing from a staunch communist state to a emerging capitalist society?
Instead of criticizing, the west should embrace and steer this massive swing, and encourage it in a positive way.

The Great White (Jewish) Hope?

2008-08-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

So who is behind Obama...the only hope for change in the world?
The answer we will eventually find out when it is too late, but how about say...David Axelrod?

Who exactly is behind Obama?

2008-07-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

Most people have probably forgotton the national feeling of celebration and euphoria when a man named Bliar, delivered a victory from the conservative Tory party in the UK a few years back.
The advertising agency coined the name "New Labour" and together, they managed to con the British nation with the promise of CHANGE!
Sounds familiar?
Now, a new candidate for change is taking the world by storm.
Speaking from Israel, he confirmed his support for the Middle-Easts only hoarder of nuclear weapons(also a major arms dealer and UN resolution abuser), as well as making a 180 degree turn on policy.
No mention of peace from this man, probably the only man in the world powerful enough to deliver it. Just a load of threats to countries with major oil reserves...next he will be preaching drilling in nature reserves!

The great English Empire to Punish the Poor and Uneducated

2008-07-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Why educate and train the unemployed when you can just use them as slaves?

Benefit claimants could be forced to pick up litter and clean graffiti under plans to be unveiled by ministers. The Welfare Green Paper is expected to include proposals to force those unemployed for more than two years to work full-time in the community.
This shake-up will apply to all 4.5m people on out-of-work benefits, but is expected to impact most on those on Jobseekers Allowance.

In "New Labour's Britain", under unelected PM Brown (and probably the opposition idiot as well), it is a crime to not be able to find a suitable job.

Negotiation triumphs over bloodshed

2008-07-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Most people are oblivious to what is going on in the Muslim south of the Philippines. While most of the Philippines is Christian, most of the islands north and west of Mindano are Muslim and very poor.
And there is a war.
This clash of religions, imperialism and poverty has seen an uncounted number of deaths.
But, as in all wars; whether territorial, religious, resource-driven, tribal, political or power-based, it is always the same story.
The ordinary people suffer.
Displacement, violence, outside intervention and control, oppression, malnutrition and disease, destruction of livelihood, rape, loss of mobility, forced labour, relinquishment of education, inflation, lack of investment, theft of natural resources, arms dealing...even tobacco companies targeting the young and vulnerable...I have seen it all before.
SO...There are a bunch of farmers and fishermen, mothers and children, living on some islands and sometimes chatting at a local mosque.
Suddenly, night vision goggles, cruise missiles, advanced weapon systems, spy satellites, attack helicopters and jets, Navy SEALS...all of the USA's best counter-terrorism technology and trainers, are available to massacre these trouble-some Muslims and whoever is unfortunate to be standing next to them, related, or just fitting the profile.

Did I mention the money?
When I was in the Philippines, many a soldier told me they didn't like to posted in such a faraway place in a hostile role (some had wives and children there), didn't care if the local people had democratic control over their villages and farms...
but alas...if there was no war against terrorism...then they would not get the wads of cash, massive amounts compared with what ordinary Philippinos can receive...if there was no war!

But fially some good news comes.

Government and rebel negotiators in the Philippines have agreed to expand a Muslim autonomous region in the country's south.

The agreement follows secret talks in Malaysia between government officials and representatives from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Hermogenes Esperon, a senior adviser to the Philippine president, told reporters.

Under the deal the two sides agreed to expand the Mindanao autonomous region by more than 700 mostly Muslim villages.

Esperon said the two sides would meet again on July 24 to set a date for the signing of a memorandum of agreement, with formal peace talks to resume afterward...

Oil profiteering effects rich and poor alike

2008-07-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

(French fuel protests 2007)
Japan...200,000 fishing boats strike! That is a lot.

"Faced with a shift in eating patterns at home towards more meat, cheaper competition from abroad and stocks depleted by years of overfishing, Japan's fishermen say the government must step in."

Oil profiteering effects rich and poor alike...if you believe the developing world are the only ones bearing the effects of US foreign policy?.

But there are benefits. Oil companies are making the best profits in the history of the world("we want to spread democracy, capitalism and the american way" Bush), and well, in the case of Japan, increased (albeit politically-persuaded) imports of US beef (BSE) and the unending stream of Starbucks, KFC's, Mcdonaldsux etc. Surely a bonus to the US-elite economy at a time when the invasion of Iraq is costing more than 2 billion bucks a week.

So, as a consequence,

Pope graces Australia with his presence

2008-07-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

What is he doing there?
He says he, his advisers, page-boys, bodyguards and his very heavy pope-mobile are flying in environmentally-damaging planes to Aussie...to save the world from Global Warming!

So why all this "environmental pope" bullshit?

Shouldn't he instead be standing trial for covering-up(and his organisation creating) the disgusting child sex abuse that appears prevalent in his religion????
Or also indicted for murder caused by his organizations active condemnation of the use of condoms in countries ravaged with AIDS???
Or how about prison for harassment, prejudice and incitement of violence to gay people???

He may only be a dottery-old man, but he causes a lot of misery around the world...cuff him and let the world watch his trial !

World's Best Businessman Award goes to...

2008-06-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

...US vice-president, Penis Cheney!

As the price of oil pollutes through the roof, and oil companies make the biggest profits ever know in the history of mankind, oh and...the world suddenly discovers we can't afford to feed the poor as a result of the knock on effect...Mr Dick is wandering around the safe streets of picturesque Baghdad...doing what he does best...

"Iraq is preparing to allow four of the biggest western oil companies to renew exploitation of the country's vast reserves for the first time in almost four decades.
Iraq's oil ministry stepped up talks with BP, Exxon Mobil, Shell and Total after the US vice-president, Dick Cheney, visited Iraq in March..."

Bush Oil Inc. fucks up the world, now their own country

2008-06-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Renowned for its wildlife, Arctic Refuge is inhabited by 45 species of land and marine mammals, ranging from the pygmy shrew to the bowhead whale. Best known are the polar, grizzly, and black bear; wolf, wolverine, Dall sheep, moose, muskox, and the animal that has come to symbolize the area's wildness, the free-roaming caribou. Thirty-six species of fish occur in Arctic Refuge waters, and 180 species of birds have been observed on the refuge.

Eight million acres of the Arctic Refuge are designated Wilderness, and three rivers (Sheenjek, Wind, and Ivishak) are designated Wild Rivers. Two areas of the refuge are designated Research Natural Areas. Because of distinctive scenic and scientific features, several rivers, valleys, canyons, lakes, and a rock mesa have been recommended as National Natural Landmarks.

Perhaps the most unique feature of the refuge is that large-scale ecological and evolutionary processes continue here, free of human control or manipulation. A prominent reason for establishment of the Arctic Refuge was the fact that this single protected area encompasses an unbroken continuum of arctic and subarctic ecosystems. Here, one can traverse the boreal forest of the Porcupine River plateau, wander north up the rolling tiaga uplands, cross the rugged, glacier-capped Brooks Range, and follow any number of rivers across the tundra coastal plain to the lagoons, estuaries, and barrier islands of the Beaufort Seas coast, all without encountering an artifact of civilization.

The refuge encompasses the traditional homelands and subsistence areas of Inupiaq Eskimos of the arctic coast and the Athabascan Indians of the interior.

Image: Dec 14th, 2007, local residents try to remove dense crude oil at a beach in Taean, South Korea

Official..Afghanistan is about to invade Britain!!!

2008-06-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has revealed Afghanistan's intention to invade the United Kingdom.

"We have resolved ... it is in the British national interest to confront the Taliban in Afghanistan, or Afghanistan would come to us," Brown said at the conference.

India - ode to the motor car!

2008-06-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

More than 100,000 people died, and an estimated 2,000,000 were seriously injured in Indian road accidents! These are the latest available figures from 2006.
Cars kill more people in India than malaria, TB and AIDS combined!
Add this to the release of the new super-cheap Indian car, which will only increase deaths, the cost of rising fuel impacting family budgets and food costs, global warming...etc, etc.
Surely the 100,000 deaths is enough to wake up this fast-growing nation to invest NOW in alternatives to the personal motor car.

Becoming your own enermy

2008-06-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

Gordon Brown (unelected prime minister of the UK) has pushed through his proposal to increase the time that terrorism suspects can be held without charge. If the measure becomes law, Britain will have the toughest anti-terror laws in the Western world.
What is a terrorist? What is civilized behavior, the Geneva Convention, International Law etc?
How can you win the supposed "war on terrorism" when you become as bad as the very people you are fighting?
This is a sad day for British history...

Just who are the "Taliban" that we murder?

2008-06-12T03:57:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time in a war-torn country, there was a revolution of the popular masses that sided with the Taliban, who brought some peace to the land.
This country was very poor, the environment very hostile, enveloped in clan warfare, recovering from a Soviet and American proxy war and flooded with small arms, an economy dependent on opium, a population addicted to opium, corruption, undeveloped health systems, a 1999 literacy rate of 36%, isolation from the outside world...to put it in a nutshell, a nation that comes close to living in the middle ages.
Then a super modern army lead by Bush, invades their land. Being mostly Christian and English-speaking, they use high tech weapon systems, super-sonic stealth bombers, cruise missiles, chemical weapons, night/heat vision sensors, satellite imagery, and big mutha-funking bombs!
They trample through villages and homes, destroying cash crops and insulting culture, bribing locals and officials who are approachable and detaining those who are not.
A large portion of the people who are resisting the foreign invasion are just ordinary tribesman protecting their family and their land. If they are Pashtun people (who populate Afghanistan and bordering Pakistan) they have become targets by ethnicity.
Unfortunately, the foreign soldiers and their pin-point weapons have been largely unsuccessful. Almost half the bodies blown apart are civilians. Also a large number of the killed "taliban", are most probably uneducated locals given an AK and told to defend their homeland and culture(religion).
This foreign invasion (Bush's one)has a catalysis effect. It radicalises the local populace, and draws "outsiders" to defend their cause. These outsiders have other agendas; be it a product of their own radical religious brainwashing, or the desire to justify the continuation of their own bloody misguided cause...the end result is that it is the ordinary civilians of this historic land are the ones who pay the price.

What Afghanistan needs is the slow lifting of the standard of living for the country, with health and education at the forefront. Not missionaries with bibles and Korans, McDonald's and Starbucks, genetically modified seeds and gasoline guzzling motorcars...Afghans need the means to empower themselves and chart their own destiny...free from the bullet and the bomb!

The Military Industry Top 100

2008-06-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

For a taster, the Top 10 for 2006 with country and Arm sales 2006

Boeing (USA) $30 690 000 000
Lockheed Martin (USA) $28 120 000 000
BAE Systemsd (UK) $24 060 000 000
Northrop Grummane (USA) $23 650 000 000
Raytheon (USA) $19 530 000 000
General Dynamics (USA) $18 770 000 000
EADSf (W. Europe) $12 600 000 000
(BAE Systems Inc. (USA) $11 280 000 000
(BAE Systems, UK))
L-3 Communications (USA) $9 980 000 000
Finmeccanica (Italy) $8 990 000 000
Thales (France) $8 240 000 000

(view this web-link for the Top 100!)
The SIPRI Top 100 Arms Producing Companies (excluding China) 2006

Red, White and Blue...and Black...

2008-06-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama

In one of his first acts after he secured the Democratic nomination for president of the US, Senator Barack Obama told Aipac, America's most powerful pro-Israel lobby, that he would do everything in his power to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. He repeated the word "everything" several times.

John McCain
During the campaign for his party's nomination, he once sang "bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boys' classic "Barbara Ann".

The US election is not looking good for the world. Good for Oil Companies and the Military Industry.

Israels Right To Exist

2008-06-09T16:16:00.001-07:00

In theory, Israel has no right to exist.
But in reality, Israel does exist and it is impossible to ignore this fact.
While Israel has UN seats, billions of dollars of yearly US Aid, nuclear bombs, high-tech weapons and delivery systems, armies of bullet-proof bulldozers, seemingly unlimited and an unchallenged right to torture, oppress and starve....WHAT DO THE PALESTINIANS HAVE?
So if Israel exists, then it must also give that right to the Palestinian people, whose houses and land the Israelis now live in.
You can't change what happened, but you can fix it...

Sticks and stones may...

2008-06-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

On Iran...
Dr Rice says..."violent and extremist"

Sen John MaCain says..."continued pursuit of nuclear weapons" posed an "unacceptable risk"

Olmert says..."The Iranian threat must be stopped by all possible means,"

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says..

"Look at behaviour of the US president and members of his team, their words are like those of the mentally ill, sometimes they threaten … and sometimes they ask for help – it's like mad people staggering to and fro."

Iran - Let's scare the fuck out of voters

2008-06-02T17:35:00.001-07:00

With the US election coming up(bored already!), the Republican choice(who so far hasn't had a fatal heart attack, yet) Sen McClain is swinging the bat at Iran.
It seems that 9/11 proved that if you scare the US public, you can get away with anything. Invading Iran would make the Oil administration(Iran has so much oil), Israel(major power in US politics), and well...the Christian Zionists happy (believe that by strengthening and supporting the state of Israel, they are more likely to bring about the "second coming" of Jesus as prophesied in the Bible).

Invading Iraq was easy (apart from all those WMDs), but Iran is a much different kettle of fish. And of course it will be the innocent masses on both sides that will pay the price.
With oil reaching over $500 a barrel, food will become too expensive for most of the developing world. At this price, the Oil administration will also become so rich that they will be able to own the world. The Middle East will explode. The war will spread across Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Iraq (Jordan probably will sell supplies to all sides and get very rich). The US-backed governments of Saudi and Egypt could face a rebellion from their angry oppressed masses that would further complicate the region. China would would have their say about the ownership of the world's oil being stolen by the US...

So to get the ball rolling...how about the new president using the tried and tested WMD line which worked well in Iraq...what about...Iran is getting a nuclear bomb!

Al Jazeera journalist released after more than 2500 days

2008-05-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

"Six years and seven months were stolen from my life in Guantanamo camp under torture and inhuman treatment by those who call themselves a democratic people,"

Sami al-Hajj

China's other oppression - Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang

2008-05-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

While the eyes of the media are focused on the oppression of Tibet, far away to the northern reaches of the worlds greatest nation(population over 1.2 billion), lies the province of Xinjiang surrounded by Mongolia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, India, Tibet, Chinhai, and Gansu.
Once backed by the US to rebel, the situation in this harsh land is dire.

Of course China's opening up, as evidenced by the media coverage of the 2008 earthquake allowed to be seen by the world...nobody is watching what goes on in their back yard.

The idiot in power

2008-05-31T03:46:00.000-07:00

In one of the world's most proudest democracies (one that helped invade a sovereign nation, decimated it's infrastructure and murdered it's people so they could also become a democracy), it is bewildering to see a Mr Brown in power.
The idea of a democracy is...well, I was told...that the PEOPLE vote for their leader.
Who exactly voted for Brown???

AI Report 2008: State of the World's Human Rights

2008-05-27T23:26:00.000-07:00

Read the report (especially US and China)...

2008: State of the World's Human Rights

Wake up everybody.
We are all humans.
We can chose a life of love, peace and harmony if we really want.

SOFA - Status of Forces - forced on Iraq's people

2008-05-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

IMAGINE...you are from a western country and your government allows an invading Islamic army to smash down your door any time, and take you away for "interrogation" without trial, for an indefinite period?
You would have no rights, no free movement...even though it is your country. You can't even speak the language of the invaders or understand their Muslim culture...
But your government signs a deal to allow these Islamic invaders to legally occupy your country.
I think there would be protests in the streets of London, Washington and Paris!
So, do you think the SOFA deal is really fair on the innocent Iraqi people?

Former US president Jimmy Carter said...

2008-05-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

"The US has more than 12,000 nuclear weapons, the [former] Soviet Union has about the same; Great Britain and France have several hundred, and Israel has 150 or more,"

Did he say Israel?
A prolific UN resolution abuser, collective punisher, right-wing apartheid military state with active plans to expand it borders...possessing...150 or more, nuclear weapons???

Where are the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)? Has anybody told them?

Of course we all know about the severe threat to world peace posed by Israel. And there is probably only two solutions:

1. nuclear arm Israels threatened neighbours(a Cold-War policy commonly know as "nuclear deterrent")
2. force Israel to reliquish it's arsenal of weapons of mass destruction that obliterate women, children and well, everything.

Some facts about (US) animal factory farming

2008-05-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

Wingspan of average leghorn chicken: 26 inches
Space average leghorn chicken given in egg factories: 6 inches
Number of 700 plus pounds pigs confined to space the size of a twin bed in typical factory farm: 3
Reason today's veal is so tender: Calves never allowed to take single step
Reason today's veal is whitish-pink: Calves force fed an anemia-producing diet
McDonald's brags: 60 million sold McDonald's doesn't brag about: 50 million butchered
McDonald's clown, Ronald McDonald, tells children: Hamburgers grow in hamburger patches and love to be eaten.
McDonald's clown, Ronald McDonald,doesn't tell children: Hamburgers are ground up cows who've had their throats slit by machetes or their brains bashed in by sledgehammers
Original actor to play Ronald McDonald: Jeff Juliano (diet now followed by Jeff Juliano: Vegetarian)
Number of animals killed for meat per hour in U.S.: 500,000
Occupation with highest employee turnover rate in U.S.: Slaughterhouse worker
Occupation with highest employee rate of injury in U.S.: Slaughterhouse worker
Cost to render an animal unconscious prior to slaughter with captive bolt pistol so that process is done humanely: 1 penny
Reason given by meat industry for not utilizing captive bolt pistol: Too expensive

John Robins

Tax the fuck out of the oil companies!

2008-05-21T16:17:00.000-07:00

"as repetitive and uninteresting as it may sound, the fundamental laws of supply and demand are at work".

John Hofmeister, President of SHELL oil, who were making a staggering profit of $75million (£38million) a day in January 2008, when oil was a mere $100 a barrel.

It was $20 a barrel when Bush and his oil friends started his presidency.

Stay out of Palestine Mr Bin Laden

2008-05-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

Mr B-L, Your fight is with US troops in Saudi. NOT Palestine. The Palestinian people are firstly Palestinian, secondly Muslim(although not all of them).
Don't use their oppression as an excuse for your existence.
What has happened to them is a concern for all free-thinking intelligent people. Don't use it as your public relations exercise.
Justice will eventually come to the Palestinians and bad karma will eventually come to the Zionists. It doesn't need your help to solve the injustice...what can you possibly do? Can you provide the Palestinian freedom fighter with state-of-the-art rockets and anti-aircraft systems to defend themselves? I don't think so...SO STAY OUT!

$127 for oil

2008-05-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

Speculation that China will use oil is to blame for the latest rise.
Oil is still there under the ground just like it always. So...who is making so much money? We must pay whatever price they ask.

And, in the future when all the oil has run out...it will be the same for water.

Nakba - 60 years of disaster

2008-05-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

As the world turns it eyes away from the world's biggest concentration camp, Israel celebrates it's creation on Palestinian land.

The Palestinian people, victims of illegal collective punishment, suffer a day-to-day existence of Israeli rocket attacks, checkpoints, closed borders, starvation, power outages, lack of fuel and medicine, disrupted education, insecurity and uncertainty.

While the Nakba(catastrophe) commemoration is being held across Palestinian towns and cities, Mr Bush is speaking at the Israeli Knesset.

Mr Bush said: "Israel's population may be just over seven million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307m strong, because the United States of America stands with you."

Does Mr Bush not understand the "terror and evil" that the Palestinian people are facing every second of their lives?

Cyclone Nargis vs Hurricane Katrina

2008-05-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

America, an admitted aggressor with plans to overthrow the Burmese military junta, suddenly wants to send it soldiers into Burma with aid.
When the worried government refused the US soldiers entry, America shouted all sorts of insults.
But what about Katrina? Did the US Marines rush there to stop the looting, rapes and human misery?
A coincidence...Burma does have oil and resources...does New Orleans?

Or is it the "Christians" that the US is trying to get inside? Throughout history, imperialistic nations have sent in the Christian foot soldiers to convert the natives into submission. Image you have lost your husband and your starving children are crying in the ruins of your abode. A rich white missionary showers you with food and gifts...all you are obliged to do is attend their church.

I would welcome a change in Burma. It is one of the most oppressive nations in the world. I have met many Burmese during my years in South-East Asia and traveled the entire length of Burma's border, and visited Burmese refuge camps. These are a desperate people.

But America is not the solution. With America's track record, and the complicated ethnic patchwork, awash with weapons, it will leave a mess.

My heart goes out to the suffering people of Burma.

Jesus of Nazerth was Black

2008-05-13T01:05:00.001-07:00

The pope, church of england et al...are a bunch of liars.
The convicted radical activist they revere was dark-skined, not Aryan-like as they would have the world (especially developing world former colonies).

A sensible warning about Iran

2008-05-01T01:24:00.001-07:00

Ever wondered what might happen if the US decided to inflict carnage on the sovereign nation of Iran? The Neo-conservatives say that Israel will be safer and are probably already counting how much oil profits they will make as well as the control they will have on the worlds energy. Just like Iraq???

Although the Neo-cons have massive influence on the western media, they don't control it. Check out a down to earth account of the likely consequences of an attack on Iran at this link:

Attack on Iran: A Looming Folly By William Rivers Pitt

Bush and Iran - The idiot is still at the helm

2008-04-25T01:19:00.000-07:00

His time as god-equal is running out...what devestation can he inflict before his term finishes(not including up to 1000000 Iraqi civilian deaths already)...?

The US military has troops in over 800 locations around the world and in 70 per cent of countries 1.6 million troops available for active duty in the US and abroad 546,000 troops in total deployed around the globe Biggest single deployment is in Iraq with 161,000 In Europe, more than 57,000 are in Germany and more than 9,800 in the UK Ecuador hosts the only US military base in Latin America Sub-Saharan Africa becoming a greater focus for deployment with over 2,400 troops stationed across region.Source: Pentagon

Palawan, Philippines

2008-04-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

How is it possible to have such a wonderful, fresh, clean, underpopulated, safe, beautiful island...so close to the tragic confusion, corruption, gangland, beggerland...of cities of the likes of Manila and Cebu?
While there is communist rebels in places like Luzon, and separatists in Mindanao and the south; compared to all this, Palawan is a paradise.
Paradise if you can accept the poverty, lack of electricity, sanitation, a livable working wage...but smiles are big here, and it has escaped the sex-tourism taint that is a viral infection covering all of the Philippines.
Don't go there, come here. Palawan is a rural seaside paradise, where you don't need a clock. Just sit, watch and eat when food arrives.........the pace of life is, well, the pace of life here.

Philippines - a Christian country

2008-03-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

Conversations so far in Manila..."How many kids do you have?"..."Do you want to marry my sister, mother, wife?"
"How much money do you earn?" ..."Can I have some?"

Vanila Manila...without the icing

2008-03-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank the Philippines for hosting my visit!
Unfortunately I can't comment on Manila, as I have only just arrived and have really only seen chaotic fuming traffic, street begger children and dingy dodgy bars.
Tomorrow should provide more insights into this metropolis...stay tuned!

Oil hits $110

2008-03-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

So who is benefiting from these record oil prices?

The world's biggest publicly traded company by revenue posted net earnings of $39.5 billion on revenue of $377.6 billion last year, topping its previous profit record of $36.1 billion in 2005, which at the time was the largest for any U.S. company.

Shell smashed all-time British company profit records today, posting 2007 earnings of $27.5billion (£13.9billion).

I wonder how the Indonesian boatman, Kenyan taxi driver, Egyptian minibus driver, Australian single parent...all manage to survive with such high consumer end prices?

Luckily oil companies are not greedy, otherwise they would invade oil-rich countries...

Dolphin saves beached whales

2008-03-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Moko, a dolphin living around Mahia beach in NZ, rescued two stranded Pigmy Sperm whales after local residents efforts failed!

$105 for Oil

2008-03-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

Bush asked OPEC to save his arse by pumping more oil. But OPEC told him there was already a good supply.
So why do we all have to pay so much?
Chakib Khelil, Opec's president, blamed the rise in oil prices on speculation associated with the weakness of the US dollar. "What is happening in the oil market is due to the mismanagement of the US economy,"
So...who is the commander in charge of the US (clue=former oil executive) who is making you and me pay extra for everything?

New US foreign policy?

2008-03-04T22:50:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, it seems nothing will change. Obama (the candidate of change) says he is a staunch supporter of Israel. How can there possibly be peace....

You are as good as your handbag!

2008-03-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

This handbag is a bargain! It is reduced to below $7000!!!
It does look like a piece of crap, but if you have this much money to waste on a bag...then I guess you don't really realize you own a shitty looking handbag.
In Japan, the label is more important than the looks.

US jail population reaches 1.3 million

2008-02-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

1,300,000 US citizens in prison!
Highest in the world. This is only those in prison. There are people on parole, and people who don't get caught...Is this a scary place to live?

Canada won't attend the United Nations Follow-up Conference on Racism

2008-02-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

It is a shame that Canada has decided not to participate in the upcoming United Nations Follow-up Conference on Racism in Durban, South Africa.
The UN says "racism is too important an issue for member states not to work out their differences."
The issue is centered around Israel. Unfortunately, Israel's over-use of the term "anti-Semitism" to describe any discussion of the activities and policies of the nuclear-armed nation (which is the subject of numerous UN resolutions), smothers free speech.
Only through discussion can an end be found to the disgusting existence of racism and bigotry. Ignorance exists beside racism, and if all nations can sit down and resolve their differences then the world will be a better place. What did conflicts like World War 2 and Rwanda achieve, apart from a historical example of what happens when societies don't talk about their differences?
Shame on Canada to become hostage to the Jewish lobby.

Lets love everyone!

Anybody care for Udo?

2008-02-24T02:47:00.000-08:00

I found this veggie(called Udo) in a market stall in Takastuki. It was the first time I have seen it.

Udo is a vegetable grown for its tender, etiolated spring shoots, which are a bit like asparagus. The plant is a strong growing perennial, producing the edible shoots from the roots each spring.
Before eating, the shoots are boiled in salt water, or are sliced and soaked in cold water, to remove a turpentine like resin. They are then eaten raw as a salad or cooked.

How about Blair?

2008-02-21T20:23:00.000-08:00

The truth slowly emerges that he lied about US Renditions(torture?). As well as illegally invading Iraq against the will of the people who voted for him, attacking the BBC for freely reporting criticism about Iraq, he also deliberately brought the UK to the forefront as a target of terrorism. He went from being the most popular Prime Minister to one of the most hated.

His new job "middle east peace envoy" has seen the expansion of Israeli settlement building, no dismantling of West Bank checkpoints, collective punishment wrought on the suffering Palestinians in Gaza, and continued Israeli bombardments on Gaza which of course solicit reprisals and the continuation of stupid violence.

Now he wants to be the President of EUROPE!

The only way to get ahead in life is to start your own business!

2008-02-21T01:40:00.000-08:00

Someone has the right idea to make it big and make a million.
Selling BEETLES!
Why didn't I think of it!!!!

Menu
- Rich beetle soup with croûtons
- Roasted beetle on a bed of grass
- Beetle with hot chocolate sauce

There must definitely be a demand...

Rubbish in the sea

2008-02-19T19:19:00.000-08:00

I love nature and I love the sea. So I am absolutely disgusted at the state of many coastlines in the world. In Japan, at beaches from Toyama to Okinawa, I have witnessed masses of pollution. Whether from China or Korea(easy to blame) or from Japan(especially the Japanese fishing industry) there is absolutely no excuse for throwing rubbish in the sea.
This is not just a problem in the Sea of Japan. I have witnessed disgusting litter on scenic Thai islands, the Mediterranean, North Sea...it is a worldwide problem and there is no excuse for this. Please do your bit...let's keep this world clean.

About 15,000 plastic containers have washed ashore on the Sea of Japan coast since January, with one third of them carrying Hangul characters, Environment Ministry officials said Tuesday. The containers have washed ashore in 11 prefectures, and the ministry plans to ask the South Korean government to investigate the cause and to take preventive measures, the officials said.
By prefecture, 4,662 containers have washed ashore in Nagasaki, 3,738 in Shimane and 2,078 in Fukuoka, the officials said. The plastic tanks have a capacity of about 20 liters. Some of them carry Hangul characters for "hazardous" or "oxidizing agent," while others carry chemical formulas for hydrogen peroxide solution and nitric acid, the officials said.

Japan Today

Who killed Diana?

2008-02-18T15:30:00.001-08:00

If it wasn't a murder, why are there so many ambiguities?
If it was just an accident, why would so many "suspects" be hiding in the background?
And, what use is it caring about this one murder? Surely we should trust the motives of the alleged conspirators as it is their job to lead Great Britain and it is not up to us to question their methods . Or is it?

Mohamed Al Fayed claims:

The car crash in which Diana, Dodi and their driver, Henri Paul, were "murdered" was orchestrated by MI6 on the instructions of the Duke of Edinburgh

Britain is not really a democracy, but is controlled from behind the scenes by Prince Philip, the Lord Chamberlain and an organisation called the Way Ahead group "who decide the destiny of this country"

The murder was carried out at the behest of the security services by photographer James Andanson, who has since died, by using a strobe light to blind Mr Paul

Mr Andanson was later murdered by British security services

The then-prime minister, Tony Blair, was part of the plot

British and French security services employees may have been part of the ambulance crew that took Diana to hospital to ensure she bled to death. A hospital which could have treated her was 10 minutes from the site of the crash, Mr Al Fayed said, but she was not taken to another medical building for an hour

Robert Fellowes, the Princess's brother-in-law and at the time the Queen's then-private secretary, was at the British Embassy in Paris prior to the accident and took control of the building's communication centre to contact GCHQ

Sir Michael Jay, at that time the British ambassador to France, was also involved in the conspiracy

The CIA also took part by tapping mobile phones

Princess Diana told Mr Al Fayed personally that "she knew Prince Philip and Prince Charles were trying to get rid of her"

Prince Philip was a "Nazi" and a "racist", and his real name "ends with Frankenstein"

Diana's divorce lawyer, Lord Mishcon, wrote a note in October 1995 outlining her fears that there was a plot to kill her in a car crash. Lord Mishcon passed this to police after the crash

But it was only after the princess's ex-butler, Paul Burrell, produced a note from the princess making similar allegations in the Daily Mirror in October 2003 that the Metropolitan Police agreed to hand over the note to the inquest

Diana and Dodi told Mr Al Fayed one hour before the crash that she was pregnant and that the couple would announce their engagement days later. Mr Burrell was also told

Dodi told Mr Al Fayed: "I bought the ring"

But once the security services - who were bugging their phones - learned of their plans, the decision was taken to have them assassinated

Diana told Mr Al Fayed that she had kept a wooden box, and if anything were to happen to her the contents of the box must be made public

Mr Burrell and Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, had promised to keep this box safe, but failed to do so

Mr Paul was in the pay of MI6, as was Diana's close friend Rosa Monckton

Blood supposedly taken from the body of Mr Paul in a Paris mortuary after the crash - which appeared to show the driver had been drinking - was not really his

Professors Lecomte and Pepin at the mortuary were employed by French intelligence to switch the samples and assist the cover-up

In addition, mortuary staff took Diana's "guts out to really completely falsify the body" and conceal that she was pregnant. She was embalmed to "corrupt the body"

The former home secretary, Jack Straw, was acting on the orders of "dark forces" when he refused Mr Al Fayed a passport

Bodyguard Trevor Rees - the only survivor of the Paris crash - was "turned against" Mr Al Fayed by MI6, as were his colleagues Kes Wingfield and Ben Murrell

Journalists working for the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, The Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph - acting on the instructions of MI6 - have all been engaged in a campaign to destabilise Mr Al Fayed's businesses as a punishment for speaking out against the conspiracy

Diana's relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan was "not serious". Mr Al Fayed said she would never marry someone who "lived in a council flat and has no money."

(source BBC)

Deer surprise

2008-02-17T21:00:00.001-08:00

Cars, motorbikes and buses pass by oblivious to two diners enjoying the abundance of food along the Kamogawa riverbed. First time I have seen deer so close to the centre of Kyoto!

Toxic raindrops a-falling on our heads

2008-02-17T20:30:00.000-08:00

"President George W Bush has directed a U.S. warship to shoot down an out-of-commission spy satellite..."
The US lead worldwide protests after China shot down a weather satellite in orbit January 2007.

UN says 1 billion could die from smoking

2008-02-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

Congradulations to Kyoto and all the other cities in the world for making an effort to limit the damage done from tobacco. The implementation and enforcement of the No Smoking Zone in the centre of the city is a great step forward towards ending the pain, misery, and cost to society of such a harmful, addictive drug. But it is only a start...

The World Health Organization estimates that there are around 1.3 billion smokers in the world, of which almost 1 billion are men. This represents about one third of the global population aged 15 and over. The consumption of tobacco is changing - from the developed world to the developing world. The vast majority of smokers, around 84% or 1 billion people live in developing countries. If current trends continue by 2020 tobacco will kill 10 million people each year, with 70% of those coming from the developing world.

USA owns Lebanon?

2008-02-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

"There is no excuse for foriegn influence in Lebanon..."
Bush

(Currently the US-backed government in Lebanon is unable to elect a new prime minister against a backdrop of political violence)

I was wrong. They do eat all OUR fish so lets wipe em all out!

2008-02-14T08:37:00.000-08:00

A whales diet

All cetaceans are carnivores and do not consume plants or algae as food. The large Baleen whales eat schooling organisms that range in length from minute drifting mollusks, copepods(1 cm or less), krill(1–5 cm), and small fish and squid up to about 40 cm. All these are consumed by whales in vast quantities with each concentrated mouthful. Certain smaller baleen whales, such as the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), also pursue individual fish up to 1 metre long. Toothed whales, which range in length from about 1 metre for the finless porpose (Neophocoena phocaenoides) to 20 metres for the sperm whale, eat an enormous variety of prey ranging from small shrimp, fish, and squid to bluefin tuna(3 metres long) and giant squid.