One Man's Opinion

All that gloating over Toyota 's and other foreign companies' troubles have come back to haunt American manufacturers big time.  Now it's Fisher-Price 's turn to recall 10 or 11 million toys for defects that have already harmed very small children.  American workmanship, once touted as the best in the world, has clearly gone down the drain.  Whether it's automobiles, drugs, food or toys, Made in USA  is  a seal of disapproval for shoddy manufacturing.  The assembly-line mentality of producing countless items cheaply and rapidly, without too much regard for quality, has finally failed all over the place. It's not cheap labor elsewhere or less regulations that have allowed other countries to out-produce the U.S.  It's the better technology and care put into the products, which even Americans recognize and prefer over their own products.  Whole industries or product lines have virtually disappeared from the American manufacturing landscape because their produ

Interrogation tapes that show how casually some American soldiers have killed unarmed and non-threatening  civilians in Afghanistan have surfaced.  The soldiers themselves have admitted that those killed were in no position to harm them.  They were picked at random, grenades thrown at them and then shot.  Just like that.  The "excuse" being that the soldiers were under a lot of stress and under the influence of illegal drugs and so forth. But, this is what Joseph Conrad masterfully describes in Heart of Darkness and Francis Ford Coppola shows in Apocalypse Now:  the dehumanizing effect of war, especially against people of color and ethnicity that is perceived to be intrinsically inferior to the white man.  So, much more of this savagery is to be expected from the perennial "good guys" from the USA.

In the "best" fascist and totalitarian traditions, the U.S. government has burned close to 10,000 copies of a book published by a former Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army about the war in Afghanistan, claiming that it contained sensitive information that would endanger "national security."  The author claims that he has consulted with the Army and had even deleted certain parts of his book, to make sure that there was nothing objectionable.  Apparently, that wasn't enough to satisfy the increasingly-secretive American government. I would bet that the book does contain embarrassing information to the U.S. government, and the "national security" issue is just a convenient excuse to censor it.  The more information that comes out of that war, the more it shows that there is very little heroism and a lot of criminal activity on the part of U.S. troops over there.  That and the corruption of private contractors paints a not very pretty picture.  So, book-burning

The rich keep getting richer, economic crisis or no economic crisis.  In fact, the crisis brought about the "bailout" to Wall Street, and we all know how that has turned out.  Case in point: Citigroup, who received $45 billion in government money went on playing fast and loose with its books, and now will pay $75 million to settle the case over charges brought against them by the Securities and Exchange Commission.  At the same time, it has been announced that the company will pay huge bonuses to its top 25 executives. Do the math, and then tell me if this isn't a sweet deal all around.

Cuba's move to increase self-employment while reducing the government payroll is not necessarily a bad thing from the socialist perspective.  What this and other measures adopted by the Revolution will do is test the resolve of the Cubans to stay true to the principles of the "new man" as espoused by Che Guevara.  The question to be answered is: Can you look out for yourself without being selfish, to the point of caring very little for your neighbor's well-being? If the Revolution has been truly successful, then it won't matter too much that a private sector exists within the socialist system, because people will do the right thing and greed won't rule in Cuba.

Now, I can understand the concept of "damage control" when something goes wrong.  But, what the makers of the Similac powder formula have done is simply outrageous and untenable; almost as bad as having beetle parts in their product.  To tell parents that there's really no cause for concern about this egregious health violation is to, literally, add insult to injury. This is another example of how the corporate world thinks nothing of its social responsibility; their only concern is the "bottom line."  They are worried about their image, so they would have us believe that this is a minor thing. Next thing will be the claim that it's actually good for babies.

ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is on the rise worldwide, or so they say.  Children are being medicated everywhere with Ritalin, at the drop of a hat.  There are skeptics who point out that, as a whole, people have become less tolerant of certain behavior associated with childhood, and doctors are much more inclined to oblige them by prescribing medication freely. Anyone who has had children knows that there's usually one who drives you crazy, but dealing with it comes with the territory, and more often than not, it's just a phase that the kid outgrows.  Being a good parent takes a lot of patience and stamina; it's not for the fainthearted.  Nor for people who are self-centered and see their children as a burden or something that prevents them from enjoying their individual "pursuit of happiness."

I try not to dwell on the Catholic Church's troubles, buy they're just too many and too serious to ignore.  Now, it's the Vatican Bank that's being investigated for money laundering.  Somehow, I find the phrase "Vatican Bank" incongruous with the man who lashed out at the moneylenders at the temple, but, then again, I left the Church a long time ago. This is not the first time that the Vatican has gotten in trouble over its banking deals.  Witness the Banco Ambrosiano affair, in which there was even a suicide or murder - depending on how you look at it - involving top Vatican officials.  So, it seems that, just as in the sexual-abuse cases, the Church is a recidivist. Maybe they're banking on the "70 times 7" times for the pardon of sins against your brother.

If truth be told, except in the United Kingdom and its former colonies, cricket is a minor sport on the world's playing field.  So, it's a shame that its moment in the sun has been clouded by the scandal surrounding the Pakistan team, involving betting and fixed games.  A second allegation has been made in this regard, and a preliminary investigation seems to support the finding of some sort of irregularity, to say the least. Were this to be confirmed, it would show that mens sana in corpore sano is just wishful thinking.  Athletes are no better than the rest of us, subject to the same temptations to make money the easy way.  They just have a better physique and great opportunities to cash-in on their athletic talent.

When I started this blog, it was a sort of "message in a bottle" thrown into cyberspace kind of thing; a way of connecting with non-Spanish-speaking people from around the world.  I also wanted to give it more of an international flavor, as opposed to my other two blogs; one on law and language ( Derecho y escritura) and the other on a potpourri  of subjects ( Medinadas ).  Little did I suspect that people from different parts of the globe would read it. So, it was a big and pleasant surprise to find out that I have readers in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, China and Vietnam, among other countries.  I suppose that they are somewhat curious about this blog from a place that is just a dot on the map to most of the world.  It could very well be that they find it amusing and - I hope - an interesting departure from other points of view on the Internet. In any case, I'm grateful to have all of you as my readers, even if you choose to remain silent.  Should yo

The obviously mentally-disturbed young woman who falsely claimed that someone had splashed acid on her face needs to receive psychiatric treatment...in jail.  This is a person who concocts a story in which a black woman is the culprit of a despicable act.  The story would've been bad in any case, but by casting a black individual as the guilty party, she deliberately appealed to the ever-present bigotry and prejudice against black people in the U.S. and could've caused tremendous harm to some innocent person. So, this is no prank gone wrong; this shows a meanness of spirit and a reckless disregard for the truth and the well-being of others.  She is 28 years old and, although there's something wrong with her, evidently, she had enough presence of mind to fabricate this story, for which she shouldn't go unpunished.

The whole world is painfully aware of Mexico's current situation; the lawlessness and savagery on its streets.  But, going so far as to question the bicentennial celebration of its independence on that account is, in my estimation, uncalled for.  Freedom, independence and liberty are values, in and of themselves, to be celebrated regardless of unfavorable conditions at any point in time.  Would those who question the celebration prefer that Mexico still be a colony of Spain? It's just downright silly to criticize this or any other celebration of a country's independence based on how well the nation may be doing.  Mexico has enormous problems, especially in the public safety area, but this is no cause for reneging on its independence.  As a Puerto Rican who longs for our own independence from the United States, I salute Mexico's freedom from colonialism.

Here's one of those studies that conclude the obvious.  In Norway, they studied the link between very bad acne and depression, and found that those who suffer from the skin condition are significantly more depressed than those who have clear complexions. Who wouldn't be? What is troubling is the fact that the researcher behind this study then goes on to recommend that acne sufferers keep taking Accutane, a medication which, among other things, may cause depression, has been ordered off the market by the FDA and is the subject of lawsuits there.  So, this may very well turn out to be the proverbial cure that kills the patient.

The Catholic Church must have a death wish. A German Cardinal who worked in the "outreach" effort to other religions has compared England to a "Third-World country" and made other disparaging remarks about the country that will host the Pope for a rare visit by the Catholic pontiff these past 500 years. These outrageous statements come amidst a general feeling in the British population that the Pope is unwelcome, given the Church's role in the sex and other abuse scandals all over the world. Needless to say, the Cardinal's comments are nothing short of incendiary. I would hazard a guess that the man, besides being supremely insensitive, must be senile, a not uncommon condition among Church prelates. I would also look into his background, especially what he or his father did during WWII...

Suicide in the American military is on the rise, and the main cause is - no surprise here - that the troops have been stretched too thinly for too long a time.  Fighting in both Afghanistan and Iraq has forced  the Army to deploy the same troops more than once, and the men and women who serve have been taken to the breaking point, with an increasing number of them snapping. I suppose that most of those who commit suicide have realized that they were duped into believing that they were fighting for a worthy cause.  Maybe the shock of seeing the war for what it is and what they as human beings have become has been too much to bear. If only they had had the moral fortitude to stay away from all that horror, they would still be alive.

Felipe Calderón is to be commended for rightfully placing a big part of the blame for Mexico's security woes at the American doorstep.  Both drugs and arms, the two major factors in the savagery on Mexican streets, are mainly an American byproduct. Americans are, at the same time, the biggest drug consumers and arms dealers in the world, so having them as next-door neighbors presents a formidable challenge to any country.  This is not to say that Mexico is completely blameless.  Canada is also a next-door neighbor to the U.S. and is light years from Mexico in this regard. Although the U.S. has begun to accept its share of responsibility for the Mexican situation, a lot more than lip service is needed to put things to right with Mexico.

The fact that the trapped Chilean miners are being supplied with cigarettes can be taken to mean either of two things.  First, that things are going so well in their rescue effort that we can all pause for a smoke.  Or, that this is the proverbial last wish granted to the condemned.  Obviously, at least some of them are heavy smokers, given the fact that they had been requesting cigarettes insistently.  Which goes to show everybody how strong the smoking urge can be.  I suppose that this also proves that they have more than adequate ventilation down there, or else that they have an enormous death wish and want to add secondhand smoke to their already dire situation. In any event, I would bet that the tobacco company would love to be able to use this as part of their publicity.  Imagine, "smoking is so good that you enjoy it even in the worst circumstances..."

The Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal won't go away; instead, it keeps growing every day.  Take the story out of Belgium, where a report has been issued that details what went on, including more than a dozen suicides linked to the abuse perpetrated by priests and  a cover up that continues to this day, when a Belgian bishop suggested that a complaint be withheld until 2011, when the bishop who covered up for the offending priest will retire.  With each passing day, it becomes more and more difficult to hold that this behavior was just the work of a few rogue priests.  There are just too many cases all around the world, for anyone to believe such a thing. This is clearly a major problem which the church tried to hide from the authorities and recklessly let it continue, without any regard for children elsewhere, by transferring priests.  There is no excuse for this unpardonable sin.

The U.S. Army acts "surprised" at the murderous and otherwise outrageous conduct of a group of soldiers in Afghanistan, who not only killed civilians, but did so in a particularly savage way and even went so far as to dismember corpses and keep body parts as "souvenirs."  The Army is being disingenuous, given the fact that the father of a soldier who knew what was going on repeatedly warned it about this practice. On the other hand, this is what happens when a racist country invades a land populated by people who are seen as inferior beings, almost non-human.  Then, anything goes because those people have no feelings; they are less than animals, fit only to be tortured and disposed of as waste.  This is why those "all-American boys" who are so decent at home, and whose death is mourned so much, find it so easy to go abroad to kill, maim, rape and torture Afghans and Iraqis or any other "sub-humans", for that matter.

We in the West, where there is a tendency to condemn anything and everything done in the East, especially in Islamic countries, should take a step back in the Iran case of the proposed stoning of a woman. Granted that the punishment smacks of a barbaric practice associated with biblical times. But, unlike the adulteress whose stoning was stopped by Jesus, there seems to be more to this one than meets the eye. Murder, for example. It seems that she had, at least, some prior knowledge that her lover was planning to do away with her husband. In fact, she has admitted that he told her so, although she claims that she thought he was joking and didn't take him seriously. Could be, but, given the fact that she would benefit directly from her husband's death, one has to wonder about her explanation. At best, the woman may not be guilty, but she certainly is not "innocent", a distinction worth a stone or two.

Now that John McEnroe is opening a tennis academy in New York, I think we should all remember that, despite all of his talent, he was, for most of his career, a bad example on the court, due to his rude and disrespectful behavior all over the world.  McEnroe's performance was too often punctuated with tirades against umpires with whom he disagreed.  He was loud and outrageous in his insults, constantly complaining about everything when things didn't go his way.  He was never graceful in defeat.  I remember one time, towards the end of his career, when frustrated by the fact that Ivan Lendl was the dominant player in the world, he remarked that he had more talent in his little finger than the whole of Lendl. If this is what he's going to teach his pupils at the academy, we can expect nothing good to come out of it.  I'm afraid that age hasn't give him any wisdom.  He has said that he sees himself as a Vince Lombardi figure.  You know, the guy who said that "wi

In the proposed Quran burning by a "church" in the U.S., to somehow mark September 11, the proper question to ask  is not whether this act will further endanger troops in Iraq or Afghanistan, but whether this is the right thing to do.  By posing the question on the former terms, the moral issue does not get the proper consideration; instead, it is subordinate to the safety of American troops abroad.  This would mean that, if there were no soldiers that could be put in a worse position by the book burning, then it wouldn't be so bad. If this is the real cause for concern, then, those who hold this view really care very little for other people's religion and human rights.

The so-called "run" on Kabul Bank, Afghanistan's major financial institution, seems to be a direct consequence of the "run" made on it by the Karzai family and its cronies.  The crisis of confidence by its depositors is just part of the general one about the country.  In this regard, the U.S., with its own experience of a failed banking system, should be of help to Afghanistan.  Rumor has it that Karzai's brother, who is the major shareholder in the bank, has requested that the U.S government bail out his bank. This is what happens when a country such as the U.S. meddles in another country's affairs so deeply and for such a long time.  People expect that they will continue to take care of things, and that solutions applied in the U.S. will be also applied over there.  If you go around "nation-building", then you have to deal with all of its consequences.  Bank failures included.

There must really be something wrong with Arizonans: not only do they have McCain as their perpetual Senator in the U.S. Congress, but also Jan Brewer as their Governor.  Both are, obviously, in some sort of dementia stage.  Brewer's performance in the recent debate, when she became almost catatonic, and then seemed at a loss on how to answer the question about the claimed beheadings speak volumes about her mental condition.  And yet, both of them continue to have the support of the majority of the people in Arizona. Frankly, with people like that, I wouldn't dream of going to Arizona illegally...or legally.

Burger King has fallen on hard times, but now Brazilian businessmen have come to the rescue, buying the company.  That could be great news, if they can put their own stamp on the burger business.  Anyone who has been to a churrascaria or a rodizio restaurant knows how wonderful Brazilian meat and its preparation can be, so the hamburger chain could see a big improvement in quality in that regard. That and Brazilian music in the background, and the competition won't stand a chance...

Germany's Central Bank President has written a book in which he, essentially, warns his countrymen about the deleterious effect of immigration from Islamic countries, mainly,Turkey.  According to him, "those people" are a bunch of ignorant, ne'er do wells, that in a few years will end German civilization as we know it.  Now, if this reminds you of someone who made these kinds of arguments some 70 years ago, you're not that far off. Luckily, it appears that, except for the usual lunatic fringe, the German people have denounced this type of racist and bigoted statements.  Still, it's significant that such a major public figure would dare to express  these views publicly.  Fascism and, in this case, Nazi ideology are always a threat and must be taken seriously, especially in a country such as Germany.

The Irish Cardinal Brady defiantly refuses to step down from his lofty throne, after having admitted his involvement in the cover up of sexual and physical abuse by, at least, a priest. It seems that the monsignor feels that he has been absolved of all wrongdoing, by the simple expediency of saying that he is sorry. I suppose that this comes from the Catholic belief that, if you confess your sins, you can go on your merry way. So, he has said that he has "moved on", and doesn't want to be bothered with this thing anymore. Meanwhile, the Pope has given him the cold shoulder, by planning to visit Great Britain but, pointedly, staying away from Ireland. Of course, the Pope needs to do much more than that. But, then again, his own record in the handling of pedophilia in the priesthood is nothing to be proud of.

The coincidence of the guy behind Wikileaks being investigated for rape and all sorts of sexual crimes is too much for me to believe.  It may very well be that he is a sex fiend, and if so, he should be dealt with through the criminal justice process.  But, there seems to be some doubt about this, and the Swedish authorities have been rather inconsistent in pursuing the matter. I would bet my bottom dollar that the U.S. is behind this.  Just a few weeks after the U.S. cried foul over the revelation concerning Afghanistan, calling this "high treason", all these accusations surface.  Obviously, they want to put him away, so that he doesn't embarrass them anymore by revealing other secrets about how the U.S. really conducts its affairs at home and abroad. If they can't silence him this way, they will probably do it in a more permanent fashion.