Friday, July 8, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Filipinos afraid to take a stance in Spratly row?
I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the Philippine Left's relative silence over the issue of Chinese violation of Philippine sovereign territory in the Philippines. So-called "Nationalists" are wary of any excuse to increase US military involvement in the region, and rightfully so.
However, just because you don't want the US to have an excuse to intervene/occupy doesn't mean that it's okay for another imperial country to steal your resources.
That's what this issue is really about.
Both countries have been stealing Philippine resources for generations. Both countries are promoting civil war in the Philippines, from multiple sides. Neither country has the best interests of the Filipino people in mind.
However, the hardcore Philippine Left is dominated by maoists, who, for obvious reasons, seem to feel that China can do no wrong. In contrast, they will make all kinds of noise to protest whenever the United States steals oil from any other country.
I understand that people are afraid that taking a Nationalist stance on the Spratly issue plays into the hands of the western imperialists, but sitting on your hands while China steals your vital resources is an even worse strategy. China ain't run by Mao. China is runnin with the bankstas...even after getting slapped across the face with a Christine Lagarde appointment as IMF chief.
This is just another example of how blind devotion to ideology leaves you...well, blind.
On the other hand though, a series of protests is being called for today in front of Chinese embassies in the US. The protests are being organized by Fil-Ams that are not exactly nationalists. They will most likely be calling for US assistance/intervention. I don't agree with that either.
It's a complex issue that requires everyone to look at the big picture. The big picture is, China is stealing vital resources from the Philippines, and that ain't right.
However, just because you don't want the US to have an excuse to intervene/occupy doesn't mean that it's okay for another imperial country to steal your resources.
That's what this issue is really about.
Both countries have been stealing Philippine resources for generations. Both countries are promoting civil war in the Philippines, from multiple sides. Neither country has the best interests of the Filipino people in mind.
However, the hardcore Philippine Left is dominated by maoists, who, for obvious reasons, seem to feel that China can do no wrong. In contrast, they will make all kinds of noise to protest whenever the United States steals oil from any other country.
I understand that people are afraid that taking a Nationalist stance on the Spratly issue plays into the hands of the western imperialists, but sitting on your hands while China steals your vital resources is an even worse strategy. China ain't run by Mao. China is runnin with the bankstas...even after getting slapped across the face with a Christine Lagarde appointment as IMF chief.
This is just another example of how blind devotion to ideology leaves you...well, blind.
On the other hand though, a series of protests is being called for today in front of Chinese embassies in the US. The protests are being organized by Fil-Ams that are not exactly nationalists. They will most likely be calling for US assistance/intervention. I don't agree with that either.
It's a complex issue that requires everyone to look at the big picture. The big picture is, China is stealing vital resources from the Philippines, and that ain't right.
Independence Day weekend lawlessness
Our founding fathers would be proud.
Over the holiday weekend, vandals in Minnesota caused $35,000 worth of damage to a state park that is closed due to governmental shutdown.
Unfortunately, it wasn't just closed, unstaffed parks that inspired lawlessness over the Independence day weekend.
On Sunday night, a gas station/convenience store in Milwaukee was overrun by a mob shortly before midnight, and minutes later, a mob, possibly the same one, began attacking people in a nearby waterfront park. According to eyewitnesses, the attacks in the park were racially-motivated.
Cops and firefighters in Peoria, Illinois came under attack when they responded to a burning trash bin during a holiday fireworks display in the ghetto. Perhaps it was by a bunch of other city workers who got laid off after a career of paying into their own pension funds...unlike cops and firefighters.
On Monday night, a mob in Philadelphia attacked passengers on a 69th Street-bound El train full of passengers returning home after a fireworks show.
What's worse than a rampaging flash mob?
Gangster's with badges.
Ummmm, as a frequent BART rider, I'm not at all comfortable with a 2nd BART cop killing in four years.
Over the holiday weekend, vandals in Minnesota caused $35,000 worth of damage to a state park that is closed due to governmental shutdown.
"This is just exactly the type of thing we're going to be seeing repeatedly as the shutdown goes forward," said Steve Morse, former lawmaker and DNR deputy commissioner who is now executive director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership. "It shows once again how difficult it is to extricate the state from our lives, and the problems that are going to come to light once something like this happens."
-The Star-Tribune
Unfortunately, it wasn't just closed, unstaffed parks that inspired lawlessness over the Independence day weekend.
On Sunday night, a gas station/convenience store in Milwaukee was overrun by a mob shortly before midnight, and minutes later, a mob, possibly the same one, began attacking people in a nearby waterfront park. According to eyewitnesses, the attacks in the park were racially-motivated.
Cops and firefighters in Peoria, Illinois came under attack when they responded to a burning trash bin during a holiday fireworks display in the ghetto. Perhaps it was by a bunch of other city workers who got laid off after a career of paying into their own pension funds...unlike cops and firefighters.
On Monday night, a mob in Philadelphia attacked passengers on a 69th Street-bound El train full of passengers returning home after a fireworks show.
What's worse than a rampaging flash mob?
Gangster's with badges.
On Sunday evening, two officers responded to reports of a drunken man on the platform of the Civic Center station. Exactly what happened is unclear. What we know is that the man had a knife out and was also using a bottle as a weapon; that some sort of confrontation ensued; that, with passengers on the platform, at least one of the officers fired at least three shots; that one of the officers had a Taser but never used it; that the man was shot in the torso from unknown range, and that he's dead.
Chief Kenton Rainey says he doesn't know if deadly force was the only option. But, asked whether the officers followed protocol, he said Sunday morning, "From what I know at this point, yes, I'm comfortable with what has occurred."
-Inside Bay Area
Ummmm, as a frequent BART rider, I'm not at all comfortable with a 2nd BART cop killing in four years.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Cell phone safety documentary
"This could become the most important public health threat of our generation."This is a great video that isn't getting very much run. This subject is not getting enough run. Cell phones are arguably the most important technology of our era. We should be asking questions about how safe it is to use them.
County Supervisor calls for secession by 13 counties in Southern California
"I am a Northern Californian by birth. No one I know in Northern California would oppose getting rid of Southern California."
-SoCal Economist John Husing
Fed up with high taxes and continued raids on local government funds, Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone proposed on Thursday that his county should lead the way in getting the counties of Riverside, Imperial, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Kings, Kern, Fresno, Tulare, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa and Mono to secede from California to form the new state of South California.
"We have a state Legislature that has gone wild. They just don't care. Their goal was to get a balanced budget so they could continue to get a paycheck," Stone said by telephone late Thursday. "There is only one solution: A serious secession from the liberal arm of the state of California. I know the state of California can do better."
The proposal came the same day Brown signed budget legislation that will divert about $14 million in 2011-12 vehicle license fee revenue from four new Riverside County cities: Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Menifee and Wildomar. Officials said the cut would cripple the new cities and possibly force them to disincorporate.
The Press-Enterprise
Not many people think the suggestion has a chance of success. Without Los Angeles county added to that mix, the new state of South California still wouldn't have any money.
Friday, July 1, 2011
DSK accuser admitted that she lied
So much for that case.
Obviously, this doesn't prove that DSK didn't rape her, but it does mean that her credibility is shot, and that's more important in this legal system.
He can't sue to get back his frontrunning political clout back though.
The accuser initially told prosecutors and the grand jury she fled to the hallway after the incident and waited for Strauss-Kahn to leave, and informed a supervisor of what happened shortly after, prosecutors said.
"The complainant (accuser) has since admitted that this account was false and that after the incident in Suite 2806, she proceeded to clean a nearby room and then returned to Suite 2806 and began to clean that suite before she reported the incident to her supervisor," the letter said.
-Reuters
Obviously, this doesn't prove that DSK didn't rape her, but it does mean that her credibility is shot, and that's more important in this legal system.
If charges are eventually dropped, Strauss-Kahn, 62, may be motivated to bring a civil suit against New York City police officers or prosecutors in the District Attorney's office.
"He lost his position at the IMF," said Michael Joseph, an attorney who specializes in malicious prosecutions. "His economic damages are potentially huge."
-Thomson Reuters
He can't sue to get back his frontrunning political clout back though.
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