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Showing posts from October, 2012

Halloween Horror Story

By now, it should be obvious to you that I'm not an animal lover. Nor hater, for that matter. I just have a clear understanding of their proper place in " the great chain of being." It's from this perspective that I find shocking that Americans spend $370 million on pet Halloween costumes . There is something irrational and obscene in such a figure, at any time, but especially at a time like this, when so many people are unemployed, sick and needy in so many ways. It's one thing to take proper care of your pet, and quite another to splurge on dressing it up for Halloween or some such occasion. This is a true Halloween horror story.

Garzón Lives On!

If some people thought that getting rid of Judge Garzón was the answer to their problems, they now know better. Taking a page out of Garzón's book, another Spanish judge has issued arrest warrants for six Chileans and an American, for the murder of a Spanish diplomat in 1976, during the heyday of Pinochet's regime. Although the indicted  were convicted of other crimes and served their sentences, they were never formally charged with this particular murder. It remains to be seen if the Spanish government under Rajoy will pursue this matter forcefully or -- latter-day Franco supporters that they are --  they will let it slide, claiming to be too busy with the economic crisis. Whatever the outcome, it's important that these people be, at least, fingered as conspirators and killers and shamed publicly for a crime committed 36 years ago that has gone unpunished.

Another Kind of Fanaticism

It has happened once again. A celebration of a sports victory turned ugly, when about 100 San Francisco Giants fans went on a rampage late last night. The sport may be different and the continent also, but, for some crazy reason, there are people who take to the streets in a frenzy over a championship and turn violent and go wild. Some of it may be attributed to excessive drinking or the use of drugs, but even factoring that in,  there seems to be a predisposition to violence in many sports fans all around the world. Come to think of it, the word "fan" is short for fanatic.

A Conservative Estimate

The poll that reveals that 51% of Americans hold negative attitudes towards blacks is clearly wrong. It should be closer to 81% , if truth be told. When Obama got elected, there were naive people who believed that this was some kind of watershed in race relations in the U.S. But, electing a qualified man like Obama -- especially when the other guy was McCain with Palin -- should not have been taken as a sign of the times. You may like a person of another race without liking the race as a whole, and this is what has happened. Racism dies hard or not at all. Four centuries of prejudice, including slavery that had to be fought over, won't just go away by an election or two. People in the U.S should not look to who is in the White House, but at who lives in the house next door, to see how they feel about them.

Hold Those Matches!

Not to seem facetious, but, if Tibetans keep setting themselves on fire to protest Chinese oppression, pretty soon there won't be any Tibet to fight for. At some point, political protest -- which I'm all for -- must be realistic. Sacrifice and symbolism are all right, but, needless to say, burning yourself up is self-destructive and accomplishes very little. There have to be more constructive ways to get your message across to the world. An irrational belief in the afterlife only leads to getting yourself there in a hurry, leaving behind the earthly problems you were trying to solve. I don't see Richard Gere getting in line to burn himself up... even if he hasn't much of a career now.

Celebrity by Death

What does it say about modern society, when famous dead people keep making millions of dollars solely on their celebrity? Now, Liz Taylor, a has-been movie star when she died, "earns" more money than Michael Jackson, whose career has been revived by death. The public fascination with dead celebrities is a sign of the times, when tragedy is an asset and people develop cult followings of the dead.

Money in the Bank

The U.S. Justice Department is suing Bank of America to try to recover $1 billion for the mortgage fraud that the bank engaged in. Significantly, some of the fraud went on while the bank was being bailed out by the Federal Government. This is the sixth lawsuit against a major U.S. bank filed by the Justice Department in the last 18 months. Evidently, the financial system is rotten to the core. Those people have absolutely no compunction in committing all sorts of white-collar crimes and irregularities, time and time again. When they're caught, they pay a fine, settle a lawsuit and still make a ton of money in the process. Business as usual.

The Will to Live

In 1934, Leni Riefenstahl, the great German filmmaker, made a stunning propaganda documentary called Triumph of the Will  about Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. It showed how Hitler's iron will was taking over Germany. Seventy-eight years later, another "triumph of the will" has just ended: the oldest survivor of the death camp at Auschwitz has died at 108. The man, a Polish teacher, not only endured that horrible experience for three years, but also went on to live 67 more years, an amazing feat, however one looks at it. A definite case of the "triumph of the will"...to live.

In Jehovah They Trust

A group of significant U.S. religious leaders has dared to call upon Congress to look into the aid to Israel, given that country's oppression of Palestinians and other human rights violations. I say dare because we all know that criticizing Israel is a no-no in American politics. Its tantamount to blasphemy or high treason. Israel, like the kings of old, "can do no wrong." As expected, Israel has come down hard on those mostly-Protestant church leaders, claiming that they are part of an anti-Israel lobby, and withdrawing from an ecumenical dialogue with Christian denominations. Of course, nothing will come of this; Congress won't even take a second look at this issue. Jews are too rich and powerful, and politicians know better than to upset big donors to their campaigns. You just don't mess with "The Chosen People."

Transportation [In]Security Administration

The U.S. law-enforcement community keeps getting into trouble . As if the Secret Service scandal wasn't enough, the Transportation Security Administration has been a nightmare of corruption and inefficiency. In the latest bad news, they are going to fire about 25 inspectors and suspend 19 others for not doing their job properly. Either they don't check bags or they fall asleep on the job and a host of other misdeeds. So, there is a false sense of security in the U.S. air travel industry because procedures are not followed and people who are in charge of making sure that everything is all right are distracted. There have been now enough incidents of this sort to show that this is a widespread problem at U.S. airports. Something to think about the next time you hear some American official boasting about their system and lecturing the rest of the world on whatever.

No Secret Any Longer

It was bound to happen. Once something like the Secret Service episode in Colombia takes place, more of the same is usually uncovered. The agent that was found drunk sleeping on the street has once again put the spotlight on the Secret Service misdeeds. It has become increasingly difficult to maintain that these are just atypical occurrences. There is something wrong there that fosters the drinking and the engaging in prostitution. It may very well be that the agents feel "special" or "entitled" to do as they damn please. Maybe they think of themselves as above the law and the moral code of conduct. Whatever it may be, it's something that seems to run deep in the agency, and denying it is no good because the truth will always come out, sooner or later.

Privatizing Stupidity

The U.S. keeps getting into big trouble in Afghanistan, either with its troops or the private contractors it uses to replace the military personnel. The video of drunken and stoned employees of one of those contractors is stunning in the way it shows how outrageous and dangerous the behavior of these guys was, including tossing ammunition into a fire. One of them has subsequently admitted that this wasn't just a one-time thing, but that it happened all the time. In another video shot about three years ago, employees of another private-sector company also engage in reprehensible behavior involving liquor and nudity. I think this explains why Afghans have so little regard for the American military and the U.S. presence there in general. As one of the former employees who blew the whistle on this pointed out, this behavior by Americans overseas is an example of the arrogance that they are known for.

Bad Timing

I don't know about you, but, to me, there is something unseemly about the Vatican exhibition of the Pope's cars and other modes of transportation through the years. This is the kind of superficiality that one associates with movie stars, rock stars and the like. Also, it reminds everyone of the luxury and the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, a man who had no use for the material things of the wealthy. So, as a public relations move, this is definitely a bad one at a very bad time, given all the troubles the Church finds itself in.

An Occupational Hazard

It reads like old news: two U.S. sailors have been arrested for raping a Japanese woman in Okinawa. Japan has protested before American authorities, but, as I said recently, Okinawa is doubly occupied, by Japan and, most importantly, the U.S. Regardless of the truth, nothing much will come of it. It's happened before and will happen again. Getting raped by U.S. military personnel is, pun intended, "an occupational hazard" wherever they are stationed. They have the guns and the bombs. "Might makes right", even when it's wrong. Okinawa is crucial to the national interest of the U.S., or so it says. What's a rape here or there, when the future of the free world hangs in the balance? The conquerors of old used to go by the motto of "rape, pillage and plunder." The tradition lives on.

Not Making a Big Deal of It

As a rule, I'm on the side of the poor, students and workers on most issues. But, all of them can be unfair and wrong, from time to time, resorting to violence and other tactics that I, in good conscience, can't support. This is what seems to be taking place in Mexico, where students have taken over several university campuses, as a demonstration against various policies, including one that requires them to take English and computer courses, claiming that they are not relevant to the work they will be doing when they graduate. Although some of these grievances may have some merit, taking over the campus is not the way to deal with the controversy. At some point, one has to accept that things are not perfect or to one's liking, but one has to live with them and make the best of it. Students will come to realize that, in real life, much of what is taught or required in school and the university has very little to do with what you need to make a living. So, in spite of the s

Freedom Always

It's what comes naturally. It's what's normal. People want to be free to decide for themselves what is best for them. This is the fundamental basis for independence, political and otherwise. Finally, England has come around to the idea of allowing Scotland to vote on its independence two years from now. Things change. Catalonia is also pushing for independence, and should also be allowed to vote on it. One can't call oneself a democrat and not allow people to vote on these issues. The demand for independence must be respected, and if it's backed by a majority of voters, it must be granted. Otherwise, democracy is just a sham and a cruel joke on man's most noble aspiration.

A False Hero

There are people who find it hard to accept that Lance Armstrong cheated. Worse than that, there are those who don't care if he did. All they care about is that he won those seven Tour de France titles for himself and the U.S., while recovering from testicular cancer, proving that he was not just a hero but a superhero, a perfect specimen of the dominant American athlete able to do wondrous things. People want to have these icons so badly that they suspend all disbelief, even on the face of very suspicious circumstances. To do what Armstrong did was superhuman, and now we begin to know how he managed to do it. To think that it doesn't matter is to have your values all wrong.

¡Salud, Fidel!

Now that Chávez is not only alive but also triumphant, the enemies of the Left have turned their eyes full of hate to the Old Devil himself, Fidel Castro, renewing a deathwatch that  has been going on for decades. Every year, on January 1, coinciding with the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, there are predictions that this will be Fidel's last year on earth. And each year, just to spite them, Fidel lives on. Of course, he is 86, so, one of these days, he will die. But, he'll die when he's good and ready; not a day sooner, no matter how much ill feeling there is among the Cuban exiles, the U.S and its acolytes around the world.

Dumping Lesson

The U.S. is crying foul over the alleged dumping of Chinese solar panels on the American market, claiming that it's an unfair commercial practice. Of course it is. But, dumping is nothing new on the world market. In fact, the U.S. has practiced it during decades in places such as Puerto Rico and the rest of Latin America. With an industrial production more than enough to satisfy its internal demand, the U.S. floods overseas markets with their goods at a price that undersells the local production at such a level as to eliminate it as competition. Once that is achieved, prices go up. Americans are very adept at this game. Of course, they don't like it when they are at the receiving end of the dumping. I guess the Chinese, who are new to the capitalist game, are just doing what they learned from the Americans.

Postmen on Foot

According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the evidence against Lance Armstrong is "overwhelming." No wonder he gave up contesting it a short time ago. Most significant is the fact that they have uncovered a very sophisticated scheme to dope the athletes and cover it up. I find it intriguing that Armstrong rode with a team sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service, which has a lot of troubles of its own. We'll soon find out if the USPS had something to do with this doping scandal. It would really tick the U.S. Congress off, if it turns out that it has been supporting the Postal Service with American taxpayer money while it has been involved in such a shameful cheating scheme. Should this be true, postmen won't even be allowed to ride bicycles...

Latin America Leads the Way

By now, there is a growing consensus that the war on drugs -- a U.S. construct -- has failed. Latin America has largely followed the American dictates on this front, as in so many others. But, as things have gone from bad to worse, governments south of the U.S. border are beginning to go their own way, namely towards decriminalization and, ultimately, legalization of drugs. It's part of a bigger movement away from the subservient role to the United States that for most of the 20th century and these first dozen years of the 21st century "Our America", as José Martí called it, has played. Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Uruguay no longer feel that they have to adopt U.S. policy on this or any other question, for that matter. The U.N., predictably, has sided with the Americans in their stubborn refusal to accept that the war on drugs is a failure. So, Latin America is leading the way all by itself to a more enlightened policy for the rest of the world. Good for us!

Hail, Hugo!

In the end, all that negative wishful thinking about Hugo Chávez's death or defeat wasn't enough to stop him from achieving a resounding victory. Venezuelans voted clearly for him and his program. It was a clean and uncontested victory, in the democratic contest that so many of his enemies cry out for. He beat them at their game. If he is a dictator, as his adversaries claim, then he is one with the support of a majority of his people. For 14 years, he has been tested at the polls, and has come out ahead. Once again, that has been the case. God willing, he will serve another six-year term, which will give him the opportunity to expand on his socialist revolution, one that his people have once again embraced.

Drones Drown the Voice of Conscience

The widespread use of unmanned planes or drones as the weapon of choice by the U.S. in the Middle East has gotten to the point that even Americans of good conscience have begun to protest against it. Drones kill civilians -- mostly women and children -- indiscriminately in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. There being no pilot, there is no accountability for the "accident" "error" or "mistake" that happens in this sort of impersonal or robotic warfare. Of course, the aggressor, with its superior technology, is perfectly content with this modus operandi . There is no risk to human life -- the one that counts, that is -- and the worst that can happen is the loss of a plane, now and then. Although "all is fair in love and war", it has never been that way, really. There are things that are so unconscionable that are not allowed under the rules of war. The use of drones should be one of them.

Dying to Kill

Americans are quick to blame others for anything that is bad or goes wrong in the U.S. The latest example is the death of a Border Patrol agent in Arizona, which they naturally assumed Mexicans were guilty of. Now, there are strong indications that it was the result of the so-called "friendly fire", an euphemism used when you kill one of your own. More than likely, the agents were playing at "cowboys and Mexicans" and got a little trigger-happy, killing one agent and wounding another one of their own. This isn't just an isolated incident. Fourteen agents have been killed since 2008. It makes you wonder how many of those have really been victims of these "accidents."

Bond and The Beatles

By an extraordinary coincidence, today marks the 50th anniversary of the release of both Dr. No, the first James Bond movie, and Love Me Do , the first Beatle hit. Popular culture and, in some ways, life hasn't been the same after that day in 1962. There has never been a character as popular as Bond in the history of cinema: half a century later, there are still Bond films. The Beatles lasted together only eight more years, but they are truly immortal, and changed music forever. I was 12 years old when both things happened, and I can still recall how exciting it all was. Bond was my hero, and The Beatles provided the soundtrack for my teenage years. It was great to be alive at the time, and the memories of it are priceless.

"♪ It's Impossible...♪"

The latest assessment on the situation in Afghanistan comes as no surprise: by, 2014, when the U.S. pulls out completely, its mission won't be accomplished. The Taliban will still be there, and the country will still be as fragmented and fragile as it has always been. No matter; to remain there past that date is not a real option. It is simply too costly, and it won't make any difference. Afghans will have to sort things out by themselves, as it should be. The so-called "nation-building" is a presumptuous and, ultimately, failed strategy. The invasion and lengthy occupation of Afghanistan was a doomed proposition from the start. History should've taught the Americans that lesson. You can't bomb the hell out of people, and then expect them to work with you towards a goal of your own. Only imperialistic alienation will lead you to believe that.

Legal Cruelty

I had no idea that spanking, let alone paddling, was permitted as a form of "discipline" in schools. I supposed that that sort of thing was a thing of the past; of a time when we didn't know any better. But, the case of  the girl in Texas who was beaten so severely that she was bruised came as shocking news to me. Initially, the controversy dealt with the fact that a male teacher had done the paddling, a questionable practice, to say the least. The gender issue aside, the mere fact that paddling is an acceptable punishment in school in 2012 is an outrageous notion. No child or grandchild of mine is going to endure such a barbaric practice with or without my consent. There is simply no place for that kind of abuse anywhere, least of all at school.

The Right Position, Proposition and Preposition

I agree with the U.S. Secretary of Education's characterization of the fundamental difference between Obama and Romney on education. Romney wants to cut spending in entitlements and social programs, and he sees education as an expense, while Obama sees it as an investment not to be cut in difficult economic times. Therefore, Secretary Duncan rightfully says that the election is a "fork in the road" for the country. Shouldn't it be a "fork on the road", Mr. Secretary of Education?

Abuse of Power in the Pacific

The American Empire goes around the world imposing its will on every other country which, of course, it considers inferior and, therefore, subservient to its interests. In many ways, Japan is still an occupied country, and Okinawa is a double colony; first to Japan and then to the U.S. The Americans have pretty much done what they please on that island, in spite of the strong and vocal opposition of its citizens over decades of abuses by U.S. troops stationed there. (Sounds a lot like Vieques, doesn't it?) The latest "insult to injury" is the deployment there of a military helicopter with a proven track record of accidents and malfunctioning.Concern over the safety of the population has been overridden by the "needs" of the American strategic plans and the Japanese government's complacency. Okinawans would do well to take a page out of the Vieques lesson book: only unrelenting civil disobedience will deliver them from this colonial nightmare.