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Showing posts from August, 2012

The Man With No [Brain]

My father, who was a very wise man, used to say that there comes a time when artists should no longer have their picture taken or appear in public. It's obvious that Clint Eastwood has overstayed his welcome in polite company. The man should no longer appear before the camera in any capacity. Maybe -- just maybe -- he could continue to direct films, but I'm not so sure. For a long time, Eastwood "made the day" for millions of moviegoers. Now, it is painfully obvious that his day has come and gone.

CIA (Central Impunity Agency)

Predictably, the U.S. Department of Justice has decided not to file any criminal charges for the deaths of two prisoners held by American forces ten years ago. It took them five years to conclude that the CIA operatives that were involved... were not involved...at least not in a way that can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Yeah, sure. So, it's business as usual. Impunity goes on its merry way.

Brace Yourself For This

Some outrageous news are only more so because there seem to be no explanations for what happened. A young man in Oregon has sued his orthodontist for having left him with braces during eleven years . Now, this guy and his parents never thought it odd that the treatment was taking so very long. Did they all think that this was normal? Why was this allowed to continue for such a long time? The doctor has a lot of explaining to do. So do this young man and his family. Patients should never accept blindly what their doctors prescribe. It's bad for one's health.

Hatred, USA

Although it's been downplayed, the plot to kill Obama by a group of U.S. soldiers is significant because it shows how deep is the hatred for this man solely based on his color. Make no mistake about it: all the other reasons -- his supposed un-American birth or socialist tendencies -- are just ways to cover up the real reason he's not wanted: his being black. It is also significant because just a couple of days ago, a county-court judge in Texas predicted that an Obama reelection would trigger a "civil war." Maybe the guy knows something we don't.

"[Dishonor] Comes for the Archbishop"

Jesus Christ! That's what they must be saying at the Vatican, as yet another thing goes wrong for the Catholic Church. The archbishop-elect for San Francisco has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The man has been a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and other items of the progressive agenda, so maybe it's all that bad karma that has finally caught up with him. It happens very frequently that those who pride themselves on being morally superior end up exposed for some fault of their own.

The World's Biggest Arms Dealer

What it all comes down to is business. The U.S. is the world's leading seller of arms: 77% of all weapons sold globally. Most of the business is done with Arab countries who "fear" an attack from Iran. Now we know why the Americans are always talking about how dangerous Iran is. By making it such a "menace" to world peace, the U.S. military-industrial complex, as Eisenhower so aptly put it, guarantees having steady customers for its extremely expensive weapons. Arms dealing is such a profitable business that the Americans are not to be taken seriously when they talk about peace. They have absolutely no interest in peace. War is too good a business.

A Monumental Task

There are things that are perfect metaphors for something else. Such is the case of the Washington Monument, which is still being repaired one year after the earthquake that damaged it. It's possible that it may take as long as 2014 to have it completely ready to receive visitors. Just as the Monument to the "Father of his country", the republic which he helped deliver is in full disrepair, and it doesn't seem like it's going to get fixed any time soon. American "exceptionalism", know-how or can-do attitude notwithstanding, it's going to take a long time for the Monument and "the Republic for which it stands" to see better days.

No Way, Norway!

I don't know about you, but a 21-year prison sentence for killing 77 people seems to me very disproportionate and mild, even by the enlightened penal standards of a society such as Norway's. There is something that sort of cheapens all those lost lives, by imposing a sentence that comes out as an average of  three months for every victim. I can understand that there be no death penalty or that for many crimes the sentence be shorter than those in other parts of the world, but, in this case, it is just too short, for the magnitude of the crime committed.

The Bold Couple

Fidel and Chávez, both of whom, by all accounts, should be dead by now not only are alive and well but are writing a book together. Adding insult to injury, the book will surely be an international bestseller. People are fascinated by these two leaders who have defied the world's biggest empire and come out unscathed from all kinds of plots against them and their regimes. Contrary to so many other politicians, especially in this hemisphere, they refused to take orders from the U.S., and went on to establish an order of their own making. Not only that but Fidel, at 86, has beaten the odds by living to such an advanced age, while Chávez hasn't rolled over and died from his cancer. For all this, I'm sure even their enemies secretly admire them.

The First Solution

Making an issue of circumcision in the Jewish and Muslim communities in Germany is, I believe, another big mistake by a country that hasn't quite lived down its awful past of discrimination and genocide. It's disingenuous, to say the least, to claim that this is being done to protect children from what amounts to "abuse" by their parents. Although one may be for or against circumcision on other grounds, it's almost silly to suggest that this age-old practice is a sort of barbaric ritual that must be stamped out. Germany has enough problems without trying to interfere in religious practices by the very people that not so long ago they did their best to exterminate. Let Jews and Muslims practice their religion as they see fit. As far  as I can tell, they are not going around trying to circumcise anybody else outside their communities.

"Fear and Loathing in [New York]"

About six years ago, the New York Police Department started to spy on Muslims in the city, for no other reason that their ethnicity and religion. This went on secretly, until the cover was blown and it all came to light. Then, the mayor and his police commissioner first said that this wasn't true; later on they tried to justify it by claiming that it was a legitimate practice as part of the "war on terror." But, as it turns out, in response to a lawsuit by the Muslim community, they have had to admit that, in all this time, all that spying has not turned up a single clue, lead or evidence of any illegal activity by the people that were being monitored, watched and recorded in their everyday lives. So, the abuse of power, the fascist practices, the crass violation of privacy has been worthless. Xenophobia strikes out.

"You're Not in Kansas Anymore..."

Oh, God, this is so easy, that I'm almost embarrassed to take a shot at it. A Kansas congressman has gone skinny dipping in the Sea of Galilee. What was he thinking? Forget that a public official such as himself should only be naked in the privacy of his own home or a hotel room, this guy has done it in a place that is held to be sacred by Christians, given the biblical account of Jesus walking on water. Come to think of it, maybe the congressman thinks that he too can "walk on water", that is to say, get away with anything. Once again this is a Republican, people who claim to be morally superior and standard bearers of family values, hell-bent --pun intended -- on saving the rest of the world, but end up in all sorts of scandals, especially of the sexual kind.

Tango and Therapy

Argentina is, in many ways, an amazing country. Its size, history and culture make it truly remarkable. Its music and literature are part of the world's greatest cultural achievements. Now, we become aware of another interesting feature of Argentinian life: the importance of psychoanalysis in the lives of everyday people. Argentina has the highest ratio of psychotherapists to the general population in the world. Not only that, but people there avail themselves of these mental health services at an unprecedented rate, without the stigma usually associated with it. Therapy is largely affordable for Argentinians from all walks of life, be it through health plans or even free of charge as part of a barter arrangement between therapist and patient. In any case, Argentinians have made analysis a part of taking care of their health and well-being on a regular basis. Something to think about for us in the rest of the world.

For Good Food

It's certainly good news that the lawyers who went after the big tobacco companies on behalf of smokers and the states that had to take care of them when they got sick from smoking are now taking on the big food companies who put out so many questionable products on the market.  A lot of the things that are on the supermarket shelves are either bad for you or are not what they are supposed to be. This goes way past being just false or misleading advertising -- no small matter in itself -- and hurts people who may be allergic or have a health condition that makes them particularly susceptible to some ingredients. In short, there is quite a lot of dishonesty in the big food business, and these lawsuits may help clean up some of these bad business practices, for the benefit of consumers worldwide.  

Once an Empire...

No one really believes that all that interest in extraditing Julian Assange has anything to do with the sexual aggression charges brought against him in Sweden. One would have to be extremely naive to think that all this mobilization has nothing to do with the Wikileaks revelations. The fact that Great Britain has actually considered assaulting the Ecuadorean embassy in London is the ultimate proof that this manhunt's only purpose is to capture Assange, in order to turn him over to the Americans, so that they can try him for espionage and sentence him to death. And they will stop at nothing to do just that. International diplomacy, law and sovereignty be damned!

Four Tin Stars

Contrary to all that propaganda, the U.S. military is just as bad and corrupt as the rest of American society. Case in point: a four-star general assigned to lead troops in Africa until recently is being investigated for misusing public funds, overcharging for expenses and all kinds of improper use of money allocated to his command post. Although he has since been relieved of his duties there, he continues to be in the military, pending the investigation. It is still uncertain if he will be demoted to a two-star rank or criminal charges be brought against him . The mere possibility that he will be allowed to retire at a lower rank and not be prosecuted shows just what the problem is. People in high places, basically, get away with things that the rest of us would pay dearly for. This is why time after time, especially where money is concerned, there is an incentive to be dishonest in its handling.

High Road Down Under

Australia has really taken a stand against smoking, by mandating that cigarettes -- which are quite expensive -- be sold in what amounts to brown-paper packs with very disturbing pictures of the effects of smoking on the human body. With over 80% of people who don't smoke already, it's to be expected that that number will grow, as the shock value of this move sinks in throughout the country.The High Court's decision has come down on the side of public health and against the money and power of the big tobacco companies around the world. We'll soon see similar laws enacted elsewhere, and how the Supreme Court in other countries react to the legal challenges that they will surely be faced with. Let's hope that they have the same moral courage the Australians showed on this issue.

The Dust Bowl Revisited

The extreme drought in the American Midwest, long hailed as the world's biggest grain supplier,  is cause for concern in terms of food availability and prices.  That and the wildfires that ravage countless acres of farmland signal a crisis in the food supply that is coming faster than anyone thought. Global warming is here and is here to stay. Skeptics will soon have to revise their position and accept the reality of a world that will increasingly suffer a "longer, hotter summer" year after year. Mother Nature got fed up with human stupidity. Now, her sons and daughters won't be able to feed themselves...

No Crying For Them, Argentina

Argentinians, of late, find fault with almost everything that their government does, so I suppose that the awarding of pensions to aging writers in Buenos Aires will send many through the roof. Likewise, the possibility of extending the benefit to the rest of the country's writers. And yet, Argentina is to be commended for such a bold step, recognizing in a truly meaningful way what writers really represent for a country. The history of Latin American and world literature cannot be written without the names of the great Argentinian writers. This gesture is all the more significant at a time of economic hardship, when the temptation is to cut social programs and assistance of all kinds. The government may have made mistakes in other areas, but this time it has set an example for the rest of the world. Instead of "crying for them", Argentina has come to the rescue of its writers, an essential part of their culture.

Forced Sex in the U.S. Air Force

I keep saying it: the American myth continues to implode every day. The U.S. Armed Forces, which in Hollywood fashion come to the rescue of democracy all around the world, bringing with them "truth, justice and the American way of life" are a hotbed of abuses of all sorts and sex scandals, hardly the stuff that "officers and gentlemen" are made of. The latest incident at Lackland Air Force base has cost the commanding officer his post as overseer of airmen recruits for the entire Air Force. About three dozen female recruits were sexually molested and even raped by their superiors in the chain of command. Too many for too long for it to be just an episode of illegal or improper behavior. Evidently, it was tolerated by the top brass. As I've said before, if this is what these guys do to their own comrades-in-arms, imagine what they are inclined to do to women overseas, especially in countries which they deem inferior on account of race. The history of sexual abu

Another American "Success Story"

The Fareed Zakaria fiasco is a prime example of someone who got too big for his own good. Evidently, the man is so full of himself as an international pundit, that he began to cut corners, in order to maintain his several positions with CNN, Time, The Washington Post , etc. In short, the Indian in him was promptly superseded by the American he has chosen to become. Even intelligent and talented people can do so much without resorting to cheating to get results. Thus the plagiarism scandal in which he finds himself, after so much pontificating on all things under the sun.

Ticking Bombs

Increasingly, the Afghan population has turned against the occupying forces, be they American or NATO ones. With each passing month, more attacks against them by Afghan nationals, either in uniform or as part of the insurgency, take place. It is particularly significant that members of the Afghan army or police take part in these attacks on what have been their liberators and comrades-in-arms. There must be something profoundly wrong in the relationship between them, so as to produce these frequent violent outbursts. I would hazard the guess that the Americans and NATO forces underestimated the resentment of the Afghan people at having been bombed and invaded for such a long period of time. Having all these soldiers there for such a long time taking over their country and their lives must have had an enormous impact on the national psyche, especially on those who have to take direct orders from the arrogant foreign invaders.

Bitter Orange

The U.S. is very reluctant to admit any of its many episodes of wrongdoing in the international arena, much less repair the damage done. So, when it does, it's big news. It has taken the Americans 40 years to come around to start cleaning up the Agent Orange mess they left in Vietnam. All this time the American government refused to acknowledge its responsibility for the legacy of contamination and death left by the tons of the toxic defoliant spread there during a ten-year period. Here in Puerto Rico, we do have some experience with the use of Agent Orange by the U.S. Armed Forces. It was here, in the El Yunque rainforest and other places, where the U.S. military tried the defoliant, given the similar natural conditions of the rainforest and the Vietnam scenario. Puerto Rico, -- its land and people --  being the U.S. colony that it is, has always been used as a guinea pig for all kinds of experiments by the Americans. So, if the U.S. really wants to make amends on this issue,

PDF (Public Display of Faith)

Whether for or against it, religion has a way of making people behave stupidly, even in small and inconsequential ways. For example, A Canadian man has gone to court claiming that as a member of a city council, he is greatly distressed by the practice of saying The Lord's Prayer before meetings. Really? Although he may be right in his position that this is a violation of the principle of the separation of Church and State, it's more of a "technical' violation which doesn't amount to a significant transgression. It's very difficult to take him seriously when he claims that this is something that is a burden on him. On the other side of the question, Missouri voters have overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to establish the "right to pray" in school and other public places. As if there had been a ban on that or it had been particularly difficult for people to do that. The trouble with laws like this one is that they encourage and embolde

The Way We Were

When you get to be my age, you start to look back at your life, yes, to "the way we were." Marvin Hamlisch has died. He will forever be remembered for his music, especially that 1974 song for the movie. Like so many others, I loved it from the very first time that it was sung onscreen by Streisand. It was played at my wedding in church that same year. It has a haunting quality to it, and the lyrics tell a story of a deep love that, ultimately, is unable to save a relationship. Now, after all these years, the words resonate like never before: "What's too painful to remember, we simply choose to forget. So, it's the laughter, we will remember, whenever we remember the way we were." I will never forget the way we were; the song and in my life.