Posts

Showing posts from February, 2010

Elect Juan Valdez!

The - let's call it - Supreme Court of Colombia has ruled decisively that President Uribe can't run for a third consecutive term, in spite of a law that was adopted overwhelmingly that would allow him to do so. Originally elected in 2002, in 2006 he managed to get a law passed that allowed him to run for a second consecutive term. In his third time at bat, he has struck out. But, wait a second. Isn't he the same guy that has had a running feud with Chávez, calling him all sorts of names and decrying his antidemocratic practices, including his attempt to perpetuate himself in power? This has to be one of the great hypocrisies of all time. While he was berating Chávez over everything - acting on behalf of his American "friends", I might add - Uribe was laying the groundwork to stay in power as long as his much-maligned neighbor. Through all this, the United States, so ready to condemn Chávez for everything, has said nothing about its Colombian "partner'

"...it's a hell of a [state]..."

Boy, it seems that New Yorkers are going to need a floodlight to look for an honest person to take over as state governor! First, it was Eliot Spitzer, who, for a while, came across as Elliot Ness incarnate, against the Wall Street Mob, and then disgraced himself by hooking up with high-priced hookers. Now, it's David Paterson, who not only is legally blind, but also seems to turn a blind eye at improprieties left and right. After having confessed to using drugs in the past and admitting all sorts of scandalous sexual behavior with and without his wife, apparently, he also pushed for special legal treatment for one of his aides in trouble with the law. So, this has signaled the end to the "Be Nice to Blind Black Public Officials" season. Although he has announced that he won't seek reelection, he has vowed to finish his term, showing that he is really blind, in the worst way.

"Moby Trick"

The thing about the "killer" whale in SeaWorld is that it had "priors" that were ignored. So, the management there was playing with fire, by keeping the animal in their show, in spite of its involvement in two incidents which resulted in the death of two individuals. Also, I hate to agree with PETA - which often takes lunatic-fringe positions - but keeping a whale in a tank, no matter how big, is courting disaster because depriving it of the freedom the open sea affords amounts to a form of cruelty. Maybe the only safe and humane way of appreciating the whales is by watching them in their natural habitat through powerful binoculars, not in a circus-like and unnatural environment, doing "stupid pet tricks."

Fixing Their Side of the Fence

It is only natural that Mexicans be wary of the U.S. presence within their borders, given the history between the two countries. Simply put, the United States stole a large chunk of Mexican territory in the 19th century, and established a number of southwestern states there. So, when U.S. law enforcement agents go south of the border to "help" Mexico fight the drug cartels, Mexicans are suspicious of their intentions. By their nature, Americans are prone to take charge of everything and anything, and, if left to their own devices, will soon be running whatever operation there is, ordering Mexicans around in their own country. What the U.S. needs to do is take care of their own business on their side of the border, cutting down the demand for drugs by their people and stopping weapons from crossing over to Mexico. There's plenty of work to be done on American soil, without "invading" Mexico again.

In "Good" Company

Once again, the world convenes, this time in Geneva, to discuss the death penalty, the last, worst example of man's inhumanity to man. Significantly, the holdouts in abolishing the ultimate punishment are Iran, China and the United States, which is constantly chastising the other two for their human rights violations and all sorts of wrongs. But, when it suits the U.S., it doesn't mind being in the company of "Communist" China and "evil" Iran. I suppose that, following the example of the United States in other matters, the rest of the world should ask that sanctions be applied to these three "rogue" countries that keep executing their own people or anyone else that commits a capital crime within their borders. As with other conventions adopted in Geneva, the U.S. will pick and choose which ones to obey. This is not one of them.

Elvis Lives!

It's now being revealed that a guy with a passport issued to "Elvis Presley", photo and all, got aboard a plane in Amsterdam in September 2008. The man did it just to show that these supposedly high-tech systems are easily fooled, and that we shouldn't rely on them blindly. Obviously, no one bothered to look at the picture of Elvis in the passport and at the man who was carrying it. Or maybe the security personnel there are part of those people who feel that The King isn't really dead...

Right to Be Mad

A just-published book claims that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is anything but phlegmatic in his dealings with his staff. The PM is charged with being rather rude and subject to temper tantrums. There is one instance of intemperate behavior that I find quite interesting because it has to do with what could be construed as a sort of plagiarism, on his part, of speeches by Al Gore and Bill Clinton. It seems that he had employed the same ghostwriter as the American politicians, and the man cut corners by quoting himself. Having been a ghostwriter myself for quite some time, I can understand the temptation to repeat oneself, especially when you have to address the same or similar issues over and over again. And yet, professional ethics demands that you try your best to be original and not resort to formulaic language used previously for another client. You may work in the shadows, but he or she has to stand in the spotlight.

No Popes on the Potomac

A man I admired used to say: "I don't believe in Popes; neither the one in Rome nor anywhere else." Since I also subscribe to that thesis, I see nothing wrong in Obama's voicing his opinion on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on corporate political contributions. Judges - the higher the judicial echelon, the worse - get to regard themselves as more than mere mortals and to resent any criticism. But, the simple fact of the matter is that they are public servants and need to held accountable for their actions. Woe the day when people are afraid of calling into question a judicial decision. Those robes and all that marble makes judges think that they are kings and queens, to be obeyed by their subjects. This is precisely why lifetime appointments to the bench is a very bad idea.

"Going Dutch"

The fact that the Dutch coalition government has disbanded over their policy on Afghanistan signals that they really take this issue seriously. After several years of postponing the withdrawal of their troops, the Dutch seem to be getting close to drawing the line on the sand. Occupying and fighting the native people of another country can't be an indefinite proposition. Sacrificing young lives, in pursuit of some dubious purpose that, at the end, is seldom achieved, is utterly immoral. It takes courage and wisdom to know when to quit and not worry about your world image. And if that means that you lose elections and political power, so be it. Who said that doing the right thing was easy?

"It Takes Two to [Tangle]"

There's trouble brewing anew between Argentina and England over the Falkland Islands or, as they should be known, the Malvinas. The last time they clashed heads over this issue, it was a "no contest" for the British, a world power no more, but still strong enough to humiliate the Argentinians. This new round of saber rattling seems to be spurred by oil reserves around the islands. I guess it's tremendously naive on my part, but the world would be a better place if countries such as Great Britain recognized that faraway lands that they once conquered or took possession of by whatever means really belong to those countries closest to them. Holding on to them is really an act of anachronistic colonial or imperial aggression. Nationalism can be good or bad. This is a case in which ego should yield to common sense between men of good will.

"All the News That's [Un] Fit to Print"

The New York Times has embarrassed itself yet again, when it has had to admit that one of his writers used material from The Wall Street Journal and other sources without giving them due credit. Of course, the "original sin" here is that the writer used the material at all, begging the question of why one of the world's great newspapers would resort to use material from another. That it did so without acknowledging it only compounds the transgression of journalistic ethics. This is not the first time in recent history that The Times has been caught with its journalistic pants down, which goes to show that there's dishonesty everywhere, even in the hallowed halls of print journalism. It also should make us wary of what is published, no matter where or by whom; it is best to regard news with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Every Man for Himself!

I've often wondered how is it that police forces around the world constantly claim that they've dismantled drug trafficking or terrorist organizations, but they keep on operating "business as usual." Either the operation wasn't that successful or there are more drug traffickers and terrorists than those accounted for. I don't think there has been a single case of these criminal organizations that has been put out of business by raids or prosecutions anywhere in the world. The sad truth is that crime is a very profitable business, and therefore, it is extremely attractive to many people. It would take a large-scale social and spiritual transformation to keep people from engaging in a life of crime. The fact is that there is so much corruption and corporate crime at the highest levels of government and in the business community, that it is almost impossible to make the case for moral restraint among the "lower classes." When people who have so muc

Keeping Tabs on Crazies

The Amy Bishop case is beginning to look like a "comedy of horrors" by the justice system. This is a woman who is clearly disturbed, got away with, at least, homicide 25 years ago, then was a suspect in a bombing plot, and finally, killed three people and wounded several others. The system failed to recognize her potential for violence, and so, let her slip by, until she became completely deranged. This case points out the important distinction between being " not guilty" and being the "perpetrator." In cases such as this one, even if she was found "not guilty" of killing her brother, she was indeed the perpetrator, and there were enough signs to prompt some state action, to prevent her from just walking away blamelessly, to kill again down the road. Once the system is made aware of someone like Bishop, there has to be some sort of surveillance mechanism to keep tabs on them, and act on any sign of erratic behavior. Anyway, any woman who looks

"Bon Vivants"

For the fifth year in a row, France has been chosen "the best place to live in the world" by International Living magazine, according to a set of criteria that measures quality of life based on major elements. High among them are health care and leisure time from work. In other words, the French take very good care of their people, both medically and from the standpoint of rest and recreation, with plenty of time to "stop and smell the roses." Although I've never lived there, my daughter does live in Paris with her French husband, so I have it on the best of sources. The rest of the world would do well to take a few pointers from the French on how to enjoy life to the fullest. While the U.S., the richest country in the world, keeps debating whether they should have a decent health care system and how much it's going to cost, France is light years ahead of it, and enjoys fine food and wine, to boot.

Gotcha!

The American media has, as expected, reported the Toyota troubles extensively, gloating on the Japanese misfortunes. But, coincidentally, another news item, much more disturbing, has surfaced, although with very little attention paid to it. The Federal Aviation Agency has been found at fault for failing to act promptly in the case of faulty electrical wiring aboard 290 American Airlines aircraft. The double standard at work here is obvious. Let's highlight the Japanese mistakes, while barely mentioning the American ones. They will keep harping on any and every problem with Japanese cars, and nary a mention of the unsafe conditions in American planes. Let's hope that there won't be a major news item connected to these airplanes.

Just Deserts

It may very well be that the sentence of 1,000 lashes and five years in jail imposed by a Saudi Arabian court on a man who went on television to talk about his sex life is excessive, but the West would do well in taking some measures against people who appear on television "sharing" the most embarrassing and intimate details of their lives. Enough with the practice of exposing all the gruesome and salacious details of everyone's private lives! The usual excuse is that, by talking about these things publicly, people are made aware of certain problems or they are encouraged to put a stop to certain practices or to seek help to solve them. Yeah, sure, as if all those talk show hosts that exploit them really care about these people's problems. Let's get real; all they care about are the ratings that such programs get. And, for that, they ought to be whipped.

The "Bottom" of the Barrel

I'm sure they mean well, but the Ohio strip club that featured Lap Dances for Haiti as a fundraising event crossed the line of common decency. In typical American fashion, they must've thought that anything goes, if the bottom line is getting things done, especially when money is involved. What they failed to realize is that the Haitian situation is too serious, for someone to be engaging in such publicity stunts, no matter how much money is to be made by them. Resorting to tasteless practices such as this one is an insult to the people of Haiti, and should be condemned by the community in which it takes place. I know that "the business of America is business", but this is outrageous, and no decent human being should take part in something like this, either as performers or patrons.

Probably, Had Dandruff Too.

On top of everything else, thanks to some new research, now we know that Hitler had bad breath and rotten teeth. No wonder all those field marshals kept plotting against him; they couldn't stand being in the same room with him discussing strategy for a losing cause. Imagine those in his inner circle, not daring to tell him, for fear of being shot right then and there. Eva Braun must've been relieved, when they committed suicide right after their wedding in the bunker. Of course, the man was a basket case, both mentally and physically. He was clearly insane, some say from syphilis, which, in turn, may have been brought on by having only one testicle, feeling sexually inadequate and thus, not being too picky about sex partners. We also know that he had Parkinson's disease and stomach problems. In short, he was not a "happy camper", and made the rest of the world pay for it dearly.

The Real Story

I suppose they are unaware of it - being the dumb people that they are - but the Tea Party historical reference is not all that flattering. Uninformed people - that is, most people - think of the Boston Tea Party as a great patriotic event, something to celebrate. The truth of the matter is that there is very little to be proud of. The act of dumping all that tea into Boston harbor may have been a grand gesture, but dressing up as Indians was a cowardly act, if there ever was one. Not only did they conceal their identities - which, to a certain extent, was understandable - but they chose to put the blame on Native Americans, who had nothing to do with it. This is what I find truly despicable about the whole thing. The Boston Tea Party's cowardice and "dirty trick" foreshadowed worse things about the struggle for independence in the Thirteen Colonies and the "birth of a nation." Stay tuned...

A Banana Peel

How interesting! It seems that Chiquita Brands International , the company that gave rise to the "banana republic" moniker, had paid the FARC in Colombia for protection and, incidentally, was involved in the deaths of American missionaries about 15 years ago. So, while representing capitalism - at its worst - it subsidized its sworn enemies, the Colombian guerrillas, even in actions against its own countrymen. Now, the relatives of those missionaries have sued the company, in what is just the latest of legal actions brought by both American citizens and foreigners, claiming redress for damages suffered at the hands of Colombian groups that have been supported economically by Chiquita. Politics -and money - make strange bedfellows, indeed.

Winter Woes

People from the Northern Hemisphere often have the notion that the Caribbean is a somewhat dangerous region to live in, due to its exposure to hurricanes and other weather phenomena. The truth of the matter, though, is that, although we have our share of tropical troubles, they are not as constant, prolonged and severe as the winter season up North. True, once in a while, a storm will batter us badly, but, sometimes, years go by without any significant damage. Not so in North America and Europe, where, every year, the end of the year and the beginning of the next one are blanketed in snow, ice and freezing cold, and Spring is increasingly delayed, making everybody miserable with all kinds of hardships. The sick and the elderly are especially vulnerable to this extreme weather, and any ailment is made worse by the conditions that have to be endured for months. So, I'll continue to take my chances in mostly sunny and warm Puerto Rico, my blessed homeland and the land that I love.

They Bleed Too.

It hasn't been explicitly said, but I suppose that the reasons for not wanting homosexuals in the military are that they are perceived as weak and/or promiscuous, especially the latter. I imagine that the top brass is concerned that all those "homos" are going to be looking for a "close encounter of the worst kind" in the showers. Of course, this is ridiculous. You can't equate homosexuality with promiscuity, anymore than with heterosexuality. Homosexuals are not sex fiends, waiting to pounce on the nearest male or female, as the case may be, and ravish them. The truth is that, by simple logic, homosexuals have been in the military since the beginning of time. They must've participated in all those glorious battles of the past. They've won their right to march proudly as what they are alongside everybody else.

Obama and the Lama

I've never really understood all this fuss over the Dalai Lama, unless you're a Tibetan monk or Richard Gere. The man is a non-entity, and plays absolutely no significant role in anything. If heads of state want to meet him and treat him as royalty, so be it. Now, Obama wants to meet with him, I suppose to spite China for its treatment of Tibet and other human rights violations. And China gets sore at the U.S. and threatens with all kinds of retaliations. This is very silly on both parts. Let the man keep doing what he has been doing for the past 50 years: touring the world speaking a bunch of platitudes and grinning incessantly. Some say collecting a check from the CIA or the NSA, having made political persecution a career. It really doesn't matter that much. At bottom, the U.S. cares very little, if anything, for Tibet. It's just a photo opportunity for Obama and the Lama.

"Love Thy [Straight] Neighbor"

The Pope has done it again! In some remarks announcing his plans to visit England later this year, he has chastised the British for being nice to gays, instead of putting the screws on them, I suppose. It seems that the Fuehrer of Rome believes that homosexuals shouldn't enjoy the same rights and privileges as the rest of God's creatures. At least not in His Church or any other lesser one, in which, "in the name of the Father", clerics of all garbs should be allowed to do what they do best: act on their prejudices and claim to be doing God's will. So Herr Ratzinger isn't so much opposed to equal opportunity laws for gays, as to their applying to His flock. This is one time in which the Church really likes the doctrine of separation of Church and State. It's the next best thing to the good old days of the Third Reich, when homosexuals and other "undesirables" could be gotten rid of without much fuss.

An "Impossible Dream"

Baltasar Garzón, the Spanish judge/prosecutor who went after Pinochet, much to the dismay of the spiritual heirs to Franco, is at it again, brandishing the "universal jurisdiction" spear, in the name of decency and human rights. But, now, he may be tilting at windmills, going up against the U.S. government for torture at Guantánamo. The unwritten law that the United States lives by in the international arena is that it won't submit to any other country's jurisdiction no matter what, since that would go against its superpower image and practice. So, it is not surprising that it hasn't answered Garzón's initial queries, and will not do so. The only universal jurisdiction that it regards as valid is its own. To the U.S., Spain is a minor player in the international chess board and, therefore, not to be taken seriously in its attempt to play with the "big boys." I'm afraid that, this time, Garzón's legendary dogged determination won't do