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Showing posts from December, 2012

Not So!

The NRA is so desperate after the Sandy Hook massacre, it has resorted to outright lying to support its untenable position on gun control. Israel has had to come out denying that their policy on the private ownership of weapons and the use of armed military or law-enforcement personnel in schools is anything like the one the NRA has put out. Quite the contrary, the Israeli gun laws are very restrictive, to a point that the American gun lobby would find unacceptable. That lie, and its unwillingness to accept any restriction on gun ownership, are so outrageous, given the present circumstances, that it deserves the strongest repudiation on the part of the great majority of the American public. Food for thought, until I get back from a Christmas break, on January 1, 2013.

Advanced Sex Crimes 401

With each passing day, we become aware of where Petraeus, Allen and all the other big shots in the U.S. military come from in terms of the behavior that has undone them. It has now been reported that the sexual incidents in the Army, Navy and Air Force academies have increased 23% over last year. These include rape, molestation and harassment. In other words, these schools for future military officers are a breeding ground for the sexual misbehavior that later on manifests itself in the U.S. Armed Forces both at home and abroad. What is most striking in all of this is the fact that there have been quite a few of these kinds of incidents, and, although there have been promises to take action against them, they continue to happen more frequently. Evidently, there is something in the organizational culture there that sustains that kind of behavior. All protestations aside, it's clear that these things are not taken seriously. If someone is a good officer or is on the way to become one

Hillary Drops the Ball

I don't know if the world ends today, but something short of apocalyptic has happened: the U.S. State Department has admitted failure in the Benghazi attack; so much so, that one official resigned and three others were relieved of their duties over this affair. You can  mark it on the Mayan calendar or any other, for that matter, when the Americans admit that they have screwed up. It's...well... un-American because it goes against the myth of American superiority in all things. Once they start admitting mistakes, people will get the wrong impression, that Americans are mere mortals and imperfect, and that won't do, if they are to maintain their status in the world as God's gift to mankind.

Poor But Happy

An international opinion poll has revealed that people in Latin American countries, though poor, feel better about themselves than those of well-off ones in other parts of the world. It appears that the poor value relationships with family and friends, and the opportunity to share the simple things in life, while those who are overly concerned with their economic and social status miss out on those things, and thus are unhappier for it. There's an important lesson there for all of us. Don't sacrifice your family to give them more material things than the ones they really need. Spending extra time to make more money is rarely worth it. You'll only make your loved ones miss you, and make yourself more tired and resentful; in other words, unhappier. Work to live; don't live to work.

A Beer Battle

For over a century now, a relatively small Czech brewery has been fighting in court to prevent the American giant from using the Budweiser label in several countries around the world. For the most part, it has been successful, but there are still markets in which the issue is hotly contested. The Czechs contend that the name in question properly belongs to them, having used it to designate a special brew made in a part of their country hundreds of years ago. Experts say that it doesn't matter too much because there is a distinct difference between both beers. I haven't tasted that particular Czech beer, but having drunk the American one, the Czechs have nothing to worry about...

Chávez by a Landslide!

Hugo Chavez's enemies have resumed his death watch, hoping and praying that he dies as soon as possible. They are betting that, with him gone, his party and the Bolivarian revolution will all come unglued. But, Chávez stubbornly keeps on living and his party keeps on winning, as yesterday's state elections clearly show. Out of the 23 races, Chávez's party won 20. Of course, his main opponent also won in his state, but the results are so overwhelming in favor of the government's policies, that the President's enemies must be disheartened by the fact that, even at death's door, he is able to beat them handily. Perhaps they should ask themselves why. Long live Hugo Chávez and his revolution!

The Pope and Protest

It should not come as a surprise to anyone. The Catholic Church has never been a democratic institution. It is a monarchy; an autocratic one, at that. Case in point: a protest at St. Peter's Square over the Pope's remarks against gay marriage was intervened with by police, who seized placards that alluded to this issue but were in no way disrespectful of the Pope. But, then again, when has the Church been respectful of those who disagree with its views? Time was when those who did were either killed or thrown into prison. Although it has tempered its treatment of dissent, the Vatican will still strike back at anyone who dares to oppose it in any way.

Amazing Stupidity

I've been reading about how people around the world are shocked at what happened in the school in Connecticut and feel sympathy for the victims and their families. I can understand sympathy, but shock, not really. As Obama tearfully said, this is a common occurrence in the U.S., so it should not come as a surprise to anyone. The only things that are uncertain is when and where it's going to happen, but there's no doubt that it will keep happening. When deranged people have such easy access to guns of all calibers, this is bound to take place, over and over again. What I am is amazed at how tolerant the American people are of this situation; how unwilling to adopt strict gun laws that would make it very difficult for everyday citizens to have arsenals at home and go on these killing sprees. As long as the American people hold sacred "the right to bear arms" and are hostage to the National Rifle Association, these massacres will continue like clockwork.

A God-Awful Embargo

Very often, people are unconcerned about an unjust situation, until it affects them directly. Then, and only then, do they become "aware" of how unfair something is, and demand that it be changed. The World Council of Churches has cried to high heaven over the U.S. decision to prevent it to use funds deposited in a U.S. bank to pay for the expenses of some 400 people who would have attended a meeting in Cuba. This, of course, is part of the infamous embargo on Cuba imposed by the Americans since 1961. The blockade has tried, unsuccessfully, to bring Cuba to its knees, but, nonetheless, caused great hardship on that nation. Not content with having nothing to do with Havana, Washington, in true imperialistic fashion, has done everything in its considerable power to prevent others from having normal relations with the island. Democracy and freedom, American style.

Panetta's Laughter

I'm just wondering. What is Leon Panetta smiling about in those visits to Afghanistan? I've just seen a photo of his arrival there, meeting with the American ambassador and the military commander John Allen -- who has nothing to smile about, neither personally nor professionally -- and Panetta is all smiles. And this is not the first time; in other instances the U.S. Secretary of Defense seems to feel good about the occasion.  From a purely public-relations perspective, such levity doesn't look right.  Although no one expects them to get teary-eyed, a somber appearance in public would be more appropriate, given the country's situation and the role the U.S. plays in it, especially in the killing of innocent women, children and old people. If they want to laugh it off, they should have the decency to do it in private.

Good and Bad Ideas

Uruguay keeps marching on, way ahead of most of Latin America and many other parts of the world in progressive social policies. In issues such as the use of marijuana and, now, gay marriage, it leads the way to enlightened public policy and equality across the board. In allowing parents to choose the order of surnames for their children, I'm not so sure. As far as I'm concerned, this is a non-issue; a "problem" that does not need fixing. Going against a well-established practice will, more than likely, cause quite a few problems and inconvenience a lot of people, just to score some points with well-meaning do-gooders who can't let well enough alone in their search for absolute equality of the sexes. In the end, I don't think that too many people will apply the new law to their family situation. There are more important things to be concerned about than fooling around with a custom that is neither demeaning nor does anybody any harm.

Wild Washington

What's with the State of Washington? It used to be that when you thought about liberal or progressive U.S. states, California and New York immediately came to mind. But, Washington? If truth be told, no one thought of Washington about anything. Period. Then, all of a sudden, people up there have voted for homosexual marriage and the personal use of marijuana. There's definitely something going on there that must explain this burst of iconoclastic behavior. Maybe they got tired of being ignored by the rest of the country, and want to get noticed. They certainly have gotten national and international attention. What next?

{Un}funny Business

The trouble with playing practical jokes or pranks, especially of a disturbing or shocking nature, on strangers is that you have no way of knowing what their reaction is going to be. The person you involve in the joke could have a health problem -- say, a heart condition -- or may be mentally unbalanced, making him or her particularly vulnerable to a stress created artificially by the situation concocted by you. So, there is a great risk in submitting people to extremely embarrassing or humiliating circumstances, or simply annoying them greatly, just to get a laugh at their expense. There are other ways of being humorous, without involving others in an outrageous comedy routine which may put them over the top, physically or mentally. Hoping against hope, maybe the prank on the hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated for acute morning sickness will make people think twice before trying to be funny insensibly.

Secret Service?

The Secret Service isn't so secret after all. Ever since the Cartagena scandal, the U.S. Congress has been taking a closer look at the agency, and what has come out is not a pretty picture. Besides other instances of bad behavior involving alcohol and prostitutes, now we know that, at least in 2008, a private contractor left sensitive information on the Washington, D.C. subway. In typical "cover-your-ass" fashion, this was not reported, and now is being downplayed by the Secret Service. Hey, maybe all that partying, boozing and whoring has been going longer than is being admitted, and is the cause of distractions such as this one, which more than likely, is just one of who knows how many more that have been kept secret.

West [Sore] Point

The West Point cadet that quit just five months before graduation has exposed another one of those enduring American myths: the military education as something almost mystical. Now we know that the Academy discriminates against people who are not religious. So much for separation of Church and State. The young man couldn't take the hypocrisy any longer, and had the courage to walk away, even if it meant that he would be reviled by many. To his credit, he has chosen to go public with his experience, thus allowing us to  find out what the truth is inside those walls that have been so built up with legend. U.S. military education is not what it's cracked up to be. No wonder all those generals and colonels are running around like frat boys behaving badly. They've been led by bad example.

"Take Five" Forever

I must've been about ten years old when I bought Time Out . I see myself that night playing it on our record player. If truth be told, I found it odd, not having heard anything quite like it. But, as time went on, I started to appreciate what Dave Brubeck had done on that record. My father, who had a good ear for music, didn't care for Brubeck's playing, which he found too strong on the piano keys. But, to me, it opened my ears to a whole new sound and style in jazz, one that was challenging and very engaging of the listener. Brubeck was until the very end a great musician, who made his mark on jazz and music in general.

A Gross Inequality

All this whining about Alan Gross, the American "businessman" convicted in Cuba for "crimes against the State" is a classic example of the U.S. double standard with regard to the incarceration of foreigners by the Americans  vis a vis the one of American citizens by other countries. Putting aside the issue of guilt or innocence in these cases, the fact is that, whenever an American is convicted in another country, doubts are invariably cast on the fairness of the proceedings and there are immediate calls for that person's liberation, given the supposed hardship endured in a foreign jail. And yet, when it's the other way around, the U.S. has no compunction in letting a foreigner rot in jail under terrible conditions. Take the detainees in Guantánamo, Cuba, some of which have been there for years, without having been charged even. Or the "Cuban Five" imprisoned in the U.S. for trying to thwart Cuban exile plans against Cuba from American territory.

Bad Lesson from Chicago

I suppose it's the desperation caused by the rising crime rate, especially the violent one, and the fact that something must be done to curtail it, but good money is spent on questionable ideas, programs and projects. Like paying young people to be good or do good. Sort of rewarding them for staying out of trouble, which is what a $55 million program in Chicago has been doing. It's the American way: throw money at a problem, and hope it will go away. Except, it hasn't. The crime rate is on the rise, and a lot of people question the assumptions behind the program. First of all, you can't buy virtue. Once there is money involved, the motivation is not the right one. Furthermore, paying someone for a make-shift job is also a bad idea because that person perceives that it's an artificial thing that is being done just to help. What people need are real jobs that pay decent wages, so that they can feel that they are not receiving a handout by another name. You don't

The Killer Fields

A mortar shell left over from the Vietnam War has exploded, killing four children and wounding other five people. According to government figures, more than 42,000 people have died from un-exploded bombs and shells since 1975, when the war ended. This is another reason that war is so terrible: it keeps on killing innocent people decades after the actual fighting has stopped.