One Man's Opinion

I will no longer maintain this blog.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: independence is an inalienable right. It cannot be denied. One cannot call oneself a believer in democracy, if one is unwilling to recognize the right of a people to vote for independence. Holding some people as part of a nation against their will is the most undemocratic thing to do. It does not matter that it is inconvenient for the rest of the country. The right to be sovereign must be respected. If Catalonia wants to form a separate nation-state, there can be no law, constitutional or otherwise, that can validly prevent it from doing so. Spain is ill-advised in trying to force a union that is no longer there.

But, of course! A U.S. study reveals that eating regularly at home lowers the risk of getting diabetes. Or makes it easier to manage it, once you have it. Eating out is fun and interesting, but it's also risky, because you tend to overeat and eat things that are not entirely healthy, especially if you have other risk factors for diabetes or other diseases. If you do go out to eat, you should avoid fast food establishments, as much as possible, and order smaller portions at regular restaurants. The trick is to not get to be overweight, much less obese. "Less is more"...of a healthy life.

It's simple, really. Or it should be. Women should be represented in government proportionately to their numbers in a given society; at the very least, with 50%. There a few countries that have done this, and it has worked very well for women in particular and society in general. Canada is the latest, with the new Prime Minister appointing women to half his cabinet posts. We should all celebrate this democratic development, and profit from its experience.

The Chilean government is inching towards recognizing that Pablo Neruda was indeed killed; poisoned, probably. His poems and his prose were just too powerful, and Pinochet could not let him live a day longer, even in exile. Even if his days were numbered by the cancer that afflicted him. The man had to be silenced, and the Americans were all too glad to help. It's been 42 years, but the cover up seems to be coming to an end. Neruda lives!

It's totally understandable that Doctors Without Borders insists on the unwarranted nature of the U.S. attack on its hospital in Afghanistan. But, I have news for them. No matter what the facts are, the U.S. will not hold itself accountable for it. That is not the American way. Obama has already apologized. That's as far as it is going to go. No American will get punished for this. Someone of another nationality, sure. But, those boys-next-door types can do no wrong. American lives are precious. Not so those of other people. It's a hard "truth", but that's the way life works in a world dominated by The United States of America.

I mean, really? Is the fact that McDonald's served no fries -- "greasy" is the way they are described in American media -- for 10 months that great a sign of Venezuela's economic troubles? It seems to me that the fried yuca they were served instead was way better on all counts. Either way, it's no big deal, except for the propaganda purpose of portraying the country in the worst possible way. That is, if you think that McDonald's menu should be taken seriously as an indicator of social progress.

The UN is an effective bully pulpit for major world issues, on which one can wholeheartedly agree. But, the recent statement of the Secretary General about the "indifference" of the world about certain crises is, I think, somewhat unfair. There is that, to be sure, but one must realize that there are far too many problems in the world for everybody to concern themselves with. Our first duty is to ourselves, our family and our country, in that order. People everywhere are struggling to get by, and , although one is sympathetic to other people's plights, there isn't that much time or resources to solve everybody else's problems, especially when they are huge and long-standing. At some point, helping others is a burden that cannot be borne. One must always remember that "charity begins at home."