One Man's Opinion

Hillary Clinton is attending Dilma Rousseff's inauguration as President of Brazil tomorrow.  Now, we all know that Obama is on vacation in Hawaii, so he sends his Secretary of State.  But, isn't it also a way to rub in the fact that Rousseff has achieved what Hillary couldn't?  It's impossible for Hillary not to think about it.  She couldn't beat a black man in one of the most racists societies in the world.  Yet, Dilma, a former guerrilla fighter and political prisoner will be sworn in tomorrow, while Hillary looks on. I suppose that, when the caipirinhas kick in, Hillary will ask Dilma: "How did you do it?"

If, as she vociferously claimed, Christine O'Donnell is no "witch", then the investigation of her campaign finances is no "witch hunt", as she now claims.  In the era of non-entities like Sarah Palin, O'Donnell had her "15 minutes of fame" and she came up short.  Apparently, she has taken herself seriously as a political candidate, and seems to think that there is a conspiracy by both Democrats and Republicans to "crush" her as a political figure.  Of course, this is an old tactic: play the victim and discredit the investigators or the accusers.  If, as there is some indication, she did use campaign money for her personal expenses, she has reason to be worried.  That is, if she understands the law, which, in her case, is a big "if." Either that or she really believes that persecution stuff straight from the Salem Witch Trials, in which case, she is really off her rocker.

Isn't it ironic that people who have been discriminated against or persecuted are, at the same time, intolerant of others?  This comes to mind now, when some members of the religious right in Israel are calling on Jewish girls not to date Arabs and landlords and owners not to rent or sell their properties to them.  What is striking is the number of well-known and influential people in the religious community that have signed letters that urge others to engage in these practices.  Although there has been widespread condemnation of these efforts, it is certainly a very disturbing development that bodes ill for the kind of understanding that would eventually bring peace between Arabs and Jews. I suppose that these "men and women of God" have as their God the vengeful and wrathful one that would kill, send plagues and cause all sorts of disasters to show his displeasure with mankind.

Ecuador has joined Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay as Latin American countries that have recognized a Palestinian state, a move that, although symbolic, is significant, both as support for the Palestinians and evidence of an independent world view from the one in Washington, D.C.  Time was when almost all of Latin America marched in lock-step with the U.S. in the international arena.  Then Cuba broke from that stranglehold by the Americans, and now, half a century later, there are other countries in this part of the world that no longer are beholden to the U.S. in foreign policy. The U.S. will continue to support Israel; the Jewish establishment owns the country.  But, our part of the world, which is much more sensitive to the abuses committed by a strong military such as the U.S. and Israel's, will increasingly side with the Palestinians, recognizing their plight as a people dominated by Israel with full support from the U.S., which has intervened and invaded our countries wantonl

The new U.S. Congress has made it abundantly clear that Obama's intention of closing the Guantánamo prison is just a pipe dream of his. It's not going to happen.  The Republicans are hardliners, and they want to keep the torture centers open for business and judge the prisoners in military tribunals where there is no chance in hell that any of them can be acquitted by legal niceties such as due process of law and other bothersome principles.  By making all of this part of a bill that funds the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, they force Obama to sign it into law, no matter what he may wish to do regarding Guantánamo.

At 84, Hugh Hefner has become engaged to marry a 24-year old.  Needless to say, she is a beautiful woman.  The man is to be admired for having led a life that others can only dream of.  It would be easy to dismiss Hefner as some sort of porno publisher and superficial "playboy", but the fact of the matter is that he has been a man of substance, engaged with the issues of the day, supportive of just causes and an articulate and effective advocate of many progressive ideas. So, if, at his age, he has the wherewithal to marry a woman 60 years his junior, more power to him.

Recently, the wanted ads section of a major newspaper in Puerto Rico has featured one by something called the National Clandestine Service , a part of the CIA.  Now, I'd always thought that "clandestine" operations were supposed to be...clandestine.  Well, apparently not anymore.  Mind you, this began before all the Wikilieaks revelations.  Which, of course, begs the question of how much is secrecy valued these days on the "cloak and dagger " front. Time was when this secret-agent stuff was "hush-hush", partly because spying was seen as a "necessary evil" and an embarrassment, when exposed, as it happens from time to time.  But, now, in this "brave new world" in which people share all their dirty little secrets on Facebook and other so-called social networks, the CIA can stop pretending, and advertise its illegal activities for all the world to see.

The more we find out about how the U.S. does business, the more we see its double standard and hypocrisy.  Although the government is forever announcing economic sanctions against  this or that country, the fact of the matter is that, at least, for the past ten years, it has allowed some American businessmen to sell its products and services in those blacklisted countries.  From the start, there have been exceptions to the ban on commerce with "the enemy"; mostly, medicines and other humanitarian aid.  But, the truth is that big agriculture and big business has "convinced" the government to expand those exceptions or interpret them in such a way as to allow a whole bunch of stuff that wasn't contemplated originally. Add political influence to that, and you have a very different policy from the one that is "officially" insisted on as part of the moral high ground from which the U.S. preaches to the rest of the world.

Time was when people had the highest regard for accountants; they were thought of as honest to a fault, incorruptible and someone who could be relied on to give an objective, unbiased and professional assessment or opinion. Not anymore. Recent history has revealed that they are as corrupt as the next guy.  Probably more so, given the fact that some of the biggest financial scandals of the last ten years have been made possible by those great accounting firms whose reports were once quoted like some sacred texts. A case in point is Ernst & Young's involvement in the Lehman Bros. debacle. It now seems that those extremely competent accountants were either duped by their clients or they didn't do their job properly...or they just looked the other way while collecting $150 million in fees in a ten-year period.  Either way, they have a lot of explaining to do to the New York State Attorney General, who has filed a lawsuit trying to recover those fees. Another myth bites the

Once upon a time, the White Man - who we know "speaks with a forked tongue" - told the Native Americans in the U.S. that he would hold their land in trust and manage it for their benefit. Not so.  A century later, after 15 years of litigation, a court has ordered that $3.4 billion be paid as reparation for the mismanagement and outright stealing of the money due the "Indians" for the use and lease of their land.  Now, you have to remember that this was their land to begin with; holding it in trust was just a nice way of justifying the White man's illegal taking of it. This is why no one should pay any attention to the Americans when they lecture the rest of the world on their so-called values of democracy, freedom and human rights.  They have absolutely no moral "leg" to stand on, given the way that they have abused their indigenous population throughout their history.  The White Man is still sticking it to the Red Man.

As the U.S. economy has gone sour, slowly but surely, many immigrants are beginning to have second thoughts about the "American dream." Latin Americans, in particular, are starting to return to their home countries, where things are improving. It's being reported that several Latin American governments are actively encouraging and even helping their citizens to go back. Ecuador under President Correa has been particularly effective in fostering the relocation of his countrymen and women. I think that this is a development that should be celebrated. People should stay in their country and live life to the fullest. Only in the most desperate of circumstances should they consider leaving. The trade-offs between an assumed prosperity and staying in one's country with family and friends is too great. Being a permanent exile in a country that discriminates blatantly against people of darker skin who do not speak English well and all the time is a burden that's to

Being his usual disingenuous self, the Pope has called on the Church hierarchy to "reflect" on what has brought it here on the pedophilia issue, as if this was one of those "mysteries" that Catholics are so fond of.  Not only that but he has had the audacity to sort of blame the culture of the 1970s for making pedophilia kind of acceptable.  This, of course, is utter nonsense.  There has always been a lunatic fringe that advocates this relationship, going so far as calling it "love", but this in no way represents a major cultural trend nor has it ever been minimally accepted anywhere. So, the Pope is grabbing at straws, trying desperately to shift the blame for the Church's inexcusable behavior for the longest time. Here's a reflection, if he really needs one.  Sexual abuse of minors is a crime, pure and simple, and, as such, must be reported to the police.  It's morally wrong and a sin, according to religious beliefs, for Christ's sake.

Bank of America is being sued all over the U.S. for fraud and other illegal or improper practices regarding foreclosures and mortgages.  Some of these lawsuits have been settled with millionaire payments by the bank. Now, am I wrong or is this the same Bank of America that recently announced, with a holier-than-thou attitude, that it would not process any transaction related to Wikileaks? Could it be that, being in such hot water with the U.S. government, it's trying to earn itself some goodwill, by siding with the government against Assange?  In any case, Bank of America's reputation right now is no asset.  Not to itself nor to anyone or anything connected to it.

Ordinarily, "justice delayed is justice denied", but it's also true that "better late than never."  The French courts have convicted 13 of Pinochet's henchmen in absentia for the "disappearance" of four French citizens during the early days of that regime. Although it took some 35 years to accomplish - due in no small part to the unwillingness of  people and institutions in Chile and elsewhere to see that justice be done - the conviction sends a strong and much-needed message that such crimes will not be forgotten or go unpunished, no matter how long it takes.  It is also a rebuke of those who hold that, in the name of a so-called "reconciliation", we should let bygones be bygones.  This is a totally unacceptable position because it devalues human life and suffering tremendously.  No person of good conscience should subscribe to that notion.  Too many people died, disappeared or were tortured by Pinochet and his goons, for we to just swe

And the killing from drones goes on.  The use of these unmanned aircraft has become quite popular with the U.S. military, since there is no exposure of human life, that is, American human life, which is the only one that counts.  The fact is that the remote-controlled aircraft frequently misses its intended target and winds up killing innocent civilians in places such as Pakistan.  But, then again, to the Americans, there is no such thing as innocent civilians outside of U.S. borders.  So, it doesn't much matter who gets killed on the ground, as long as it's not some all-American boy.  Most of the time, they claim that "militants" have been killed, so that makes it all right.  Every once in a while they have to admit to civilian casualties, but not much of an apology is given.  After all, you don't apologize to inferior or sub-human people. So, this faceless and cowardly way of killing goes on.  "Might makes right." Right?

Updating the entry of Wednesday 8, it now seems that Halliburton has agreed to pay Nigeria $250 million to drop the bribery charges against it and former Vice President Cheney, then its CEO. No one pays such a huge sum, if not guilty as hell.  Remember that Halliburton has already paid $177 million in a civil suit and more than $400 million in the U.S. for its shenanigans.  One can only imagine how much it made during the 1990s, to be able to afford paying these fines and settle these lawsuits.

Not that it matters that much, but Time Magazine's choosing of Mark Zuckerberg as "Person of the Year" over Julian Assange is, questionable, to say the least.  I can understand the "importance" of Facebook,  but, when you compare the impact that Wikileaks has had and will continue to have with the so-called social network, in my opinion, there is no contest.  This isn't a question of numbers, but of substantive value of what one thing represents compared to the other.  Most people post things on Facebook that have very little, if any, "redeeming value": personal stuff, gossip, anecdotes, etc.   Wikileaks has exposed diplomacy and international politics like never before, revealing how governments have lied to and cheated their own people and other countries. Either Time has fallen under the spell of the Facebook world-wide idiocy or it balked at choosing a controversial figure that has come under a vicious attack of the U.S. government.

The U.S. Navy has fired the two top commanders - a man and a woman, both married to somebody else -  aboard a minesweeper, for "fraternizing" or being "unduly familiar."  Although the man has maintained that there was no sex involved, he admits to having made a "mistake."  Opinions are divided on whether it was the right thing to do or the punishment was too harsh.  There are some who say that this is what happens when you put men and women together in such close proximity. Human nature being what it is, I'm inclined to believe that there was sex involved, but the man wants to protect her reputation.  Even if there was no sex, he must have been "unduly attentive" to her, for this to have become an issue.  Or else, why would he admit that he made an "error"?  If all that happened was that they had a good working relationship, there wouldn't have been a problem. During WWII, there was a saying: "Loose lips sink ships"

I suppose that the U.S. and its cronies are already trying to find some dirt - or create it - on the people behind Openleaks , a sort of spinoff from Wikileaks.   The cat's out of the bag, and it seems that it's going to be impossible to stop the leaks of classified information from now on.  I think that most of the world welcomes the opportunity to find out what has really been going on while they have been lied to by their own governments.  People are fed up, and they are rallying to support Assange and any other group that will tell them the truth. No matter how hard they try, the U.S. and its accomplices won't be able to stop these "leaks."

As if the Catholic Church wasn't in deep enough trouble with its mishandling of the pedophile issue, now the money-laundering by the Vatican bank, once again comes to the fore. This is something that is not new; the Vatican has been involved in, to say the least, questionable financial dealings for a long time, even to the point of having a relationship with people tied to the Mafia. You would have supposed that the Church had learned its lesson the first time this was uncovered, but, instead, it chose to deny any wrongdoing, and went back to doing "business as usual." This time, though, the Church has lost a lot of its mystique and prestige, and civil authorities are not that willing to let it be. The Vatican seems to have gone too far in its arrogance, claiming privileges and a secrecy that no longer apply in a world that demands accountability for everybody's actions. Criminal activity should be punished, and the Cross should not shield the guilty from their jus

I find it encouraging that there is growing support for Assange and Wikileaks around the world.  The man and his website have done a tremendous service to the international community, by posting all those documents and exposing the lies we have been told by the powers that be.  It would have been sad and tragic if, in his hour of need, no one would stand by him.  All persons of conscience must support him, as he fights for his freedom and his life.  Because, make no mistake about it,  Assange is in mortal danger.  One way or another, he will be eliminated.  He will get "sick", committ "suicide" or have a tragic "accident", sooner or later.  Only a massive international pressure will give him a fighting chance in this campaign against him.

Nothing will come of it, of course, but the mere fact that Nigeria has formally accused Dick Cheney of bribery, in connection with his position as CEO of Halliburton is significant.  More so, considering that the company has already paid a tidy sum -  $177 million -  to settle some lawsuits that sprang from these allegations.  Even his lawyer has issued a statement whose wording is not a flat-out denial of wrongdoing.  So, there is definitely something there.  Halliburton has been involved as a contractor in Afghanistan and Iraq, where charges of profiteering have been leveled against it.  That the former Vice President of the United States is directly related to such an unseemly organization speaks volumes about the man, none of it very good. I suppose that some of this is part of what Wikileaks has made or will make public.  Which is why the U.S.is so anxious to shut it down.

A recent international assessment of academic achievement has put China way ahead of the class. As a whole, the East has made tremendous progress, while parts of the West lag far behind.  Anyone remotely linked to the educational process in this neck of the woods will agree that, as time goes by, students are increasingly ignorant and do not have the basic skills that schools are supposed to provide. Learning is a very personal thing, fueled by self-motivation.  Young people in this part of the world seem to be very distracted by all the latest gadgets and communication technologies.  Virtual reality has become their reality. It's a fantasy world in which it's all play and no work.  They live for the weekend, when they go out to party and just hang out.  School is a chore and an interruption of the life of leisure that they want to lead.  People who are serious about learning are "nerds", to be mocked and ridiculed. Hence, the state of our education.

For all his golfing greatness, Tiger Woods seems to be headed for the "has been" bin.  In the last 14 years, this is the first time that he has not won a single tournament all year.  Those five months off and the personal turmoil in his life have taken a toll on him and his game. Athletic ability is sometimes very fickle; it diminishes or disappears altogether quite unexpectedly. Two examples come to mind.  I remember when John McEnroe took some time off to be with his family when his wife gave birth.  A few months went by, and when he came back, he wasn't the same tennis player.  So much so that he retired soon after, frustrated that he no longer had it.  The other case was Dale Murphy, the great Atlanta Braves outfielder.  From one season to the next, that is to say, in a six-month span, he completely lost his ability to hit, as if he had never hit at all on a consistent basis. So, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Woods never wins another tournament.

On the so-called home front, Obama is doing just as badly as in the rest of the world.  Although he keeps repeating that things are getting better, the 9.8% unemployment is three times what it should be, and nothing he has done has improved the situation significantly.  As long as 10% of the population is unemployed and countless others have temporary, part-time and low-paying jobs, no amount of public relations efforts can change that reality. The fact that he has lost Congressional support so quickly in his term is a sign that people are unwilling to keep waiting for things to get better. The only way that he is going to get reelected is if the Republicans choose Palin or some other moron for 2012...

In his own watered-down version of "mission accomplished", Obama has claimed significant progress in the war in Afghanistan.  Unfortunately for him, the U.S. military has admitted recently that violence there is on the upswing, something that is evident from daily news reports.  So, as other presidents before him, Obama has put himself in the untenable position of cheerleader for a lost cause.  Time will prove him wrong, and he should have the common sense to know that.  Although he has tried to do the right thing in this and other issues, in the end, he doesn't want to admit failure.  So, against his better judgment and the reality of the situation, he refuses to see the writing on the wall and continues to be optimistic, when there is nothing to be upbeat about.

In the never-ending saga of the Catholic Church's troubles over priest abuse of children, a German Cardinal has acknowledged their collective guilt and begs for forgiveness.  In this case, there is evidence that documents were destroyed or tampered with, in an obvious attempt to cover up these crimes.  Once again, this proves that this was a concerted and world-wide effort to conceal these crimes and protect their perpetrators.  Those involved in the actual criminal behavior, as well as those who protected them, must be brought to justice.  Forgiveness sounds great in the moral sphere, but the culprits must be held fully accountable according to the law of man. Or there is no God in Heaven.

Not that this should come as a surprise to anyone but the most naive, but the revelations about how the U.S. government wanted to size up Argentinean President Cristina Fernández border on the absurd.  The State Department seems to have assumed that there was something wrong with her emotional or mental makeup, that she was unstable and on medications; in short, a crazy, hysterical Latina, out of one of those Hollywood films of the 30's and 40's in which women south of the border were stereotyped to American screenwriters' content. The problem with the U.S. view of the rest of the world is that Americans have seen too many of their own movies, which, by and large, are full of bigotry and prejudice against everybody else.  So, they naturally assume that others are inferior, bad and stupid, because that's what they have seen on the big screen all their lives.  They are genuinely surprised to find foreigners who are capable, good and intelligent human beings, especially

There is a "lynch mob" out to get Julian Assange. The Swedes have agreed to do the dirty work for the Americans, who, as usual and now undeniably revealed, are behind this persecution.  INTERPOL has just gotten into the act, proclaiming Assange as a sort of international public enemy number one and sending an all points bulletin for his capture.  The official story is that the man is a rapist and all-around sex criminal  that must be stopped at all costs.  You have to wonder how he finds the time to disclose all that embarrassing information about the U.S. between his sex crimes.  The Americans want him prosecuted for some kind of "high treason", for revealing all those sordid little secrets of their diplomacy.  Once again, the official excuse is that he has put their people in the diplomatic service in mortal danger. Personally, I think that Hillary Clinton, the woman that suffered the worst public humiliation in recent memory, is taking all that anger on Assange