Haiti - The New Cold Front

Headlines are screaming of the aftermath of an earthquake in Haiti! I heard this morning that a natural disaster has now turned into a humanitarian crisis, that is always true. But what pisses me off about this situation is that Haiti has always been a 'humanitarian crisis'. All this attention is transient and superficial.

Where was the media when US clinical trials tested contraceptives on the women in Haiti? Where have they been in all these years of exploitation that has left an entire nation destitute? Now they want to send aid because of the devastation caused by the earthquake. There is something so very wrong with all of this. It makes me angry.

The people in Haiti have needed help for a long time, and now the 'world' will intervene, help them find the bodies, bury the dead, feed the folks on the street and all until they next cold front hits our cities. Haiti will be forgotten again, until another earthquake or tsunami.

Stuffed

I just got back from a talk on the global food crisis...it has been all about a crisis of one form or another lately. That's the reality I guess. And as I write, I am drinking tea (probably not fair trade) and eating a slice of cake from a local supermarket. Perhaps I should feel guilty, but I don't. The only way to ensure that the food I eat is not harming anyone else or me for that matter is to grow it in my own backyard. The corporate bastards have had control over the food industry for over a century. What am I going to do? Well, Dr Raj Patel, says we must be proprietors of democray, and that is how we can change things, because the world we live in is not democratic. Yay, so that is what we must do, change the world! Is it really that simple?

He is an accomplished academic and has seen more of the consequences of the free market economy on farmers in most developing countries than most people I know. I am humbled by his knowledge, but like most scholars he pointed out all the reasons why the world is the way it is: why India has a rapidly increasing rate of type II diabetes; why the rate of suicide among farmers is on the rise the world over; why billions starve, while the rest are stuffed...the title of his book. I am going to read the book. I want to understand better, why this is happening. I know knowledge is power. But would the power I gain from the knowledge suffice to take on the power of the corporate world that controls nation states, the governments that we elect in a so called democratic manner? Who ultimately governs us? The corporations or the 'government'?

Well, I am going to have to read the book and draw some conclusions. In the meantime, I am not sure I can afford to purchase fair trade or organic foods. I don't earn enough to pay for that, and my taxes, which are being used to bail out stupid corporations. And this means, while we arm ourselves with the power the poor farmers all over the world may continue to take their lives to keep us fed.

Economic crisis! Really?

Global markets are a mess with stock prices plummeting like it is the end of the world. To some people it will be the end of the world. It is largely because the average person invests his or her retirement savings in the stock market. But what is annoying is that once again the world pays for American stupidity. Stupid banks lend with no security whatsoever and are going bankrupt all over the place and the government is using tax payers' money to bail them out. And as a consequence the markets crashing around the globe.

I blame the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. They are the chief of all money launderers out there. I am of the opinion that the WB set the precedence for what is happening world over and most importantly in America. The institution, contrary to its name is all American. Who knew that the world's most indebted country is the United States of America. I wonder how they get away with it, while third world countries auction public estate to pay off their loans. This is part of the so called debt-relief plans offered to most countries, so eventually American corporate idiots will own half the world.

It is going to be interesting, yet depressing to watch how the crisis turns out. The last global recession was followed by a World War. Here's hoping that is not how it turns out this time. I only hope Obama, who acknowledges the plight of the economy comes to power and works to turn things around, in fact he has to, or he will remembered as the President who took the country to damnation. Because another World War will not be so kind to America. The rest of the world is ready to take on the super power of yesterday.

The election

I have been following the US federal election alot more closely than ever before. Only because it is so much like a Jeffrey Archer novel...the first female, or even better, the first ever Black President for the US. Sounds like fiction to me.

Everyone knew that it would either be Obama or Clinton, and Obama it is. McCain was certain to lead the Republican from day one, but Palin, oh boy, now that was a surprise, or should I say shock? Some claim that McCain has handed the Presidency to Obama. But I beg to differ. We are speaking of the United States of America...they stand 'united' on issues such as the BigMac and NFL, not so much issues such as choosing a leader for their nation.

Obama has a tough fight ahead. It does not help that McCain's team is taking every opportunity to veer away from real issues at hand and create silly diversions about lipstick and pigs and dogs and what have you...although I wonder if the new polls are evidence that their tactics are working. The two fellows are tied in the, so this election could go either way. I cannot wait.

On an interesting turn of events, Canadian PM Harper, clever bugger, has called for Federal elections on October 14th. With all that is going on south of the border, Canadians are not likely to pay close enough attention to what is going on at home, and may earn Harper the win he desires. Regardless of that, I doubt he has any competition in Dion.

What?

So Radovan Karadzic wants a new judge appointed because he believes that the presiding judge is not likely to be impartial and will likely convict him. If you ask me, anyone of sane mind would want this man behind bars. It is no secret that he was behind the 1990s genocide in the Balkans. It is this talk of 'democracy' and 'right to a free trial' that even allows guys like this to talk. Urrgghh!

"American" Idol

I have been watching the American Idol beyond the auditions this year, perhaps because the final 24 were quite talented and when it came to the top ten, they were brilliant. There are a couple of singers I don't care for, but for the most part, it is a talented line up. But I wondered if America would vote for an Australian, Irish, Filipino or a Japanese singer for that matter. All of them reside in the US and obviously qualified to be on the show, but the cynic in me was doubtful.

The Japanese singer was first to go, can't remember his name, and his Filipino friend followed shortly after (in all fairness, the others were way better than her and I was not surprised, but she was cute and did a great job while on the show). Last night the Australian, Michael Johns, was eliminated and he is very very talented. The Irish girl, Carly, was also in the bottom three. She will go soon. I hate to put a political spin on a show like American Idol, but it is through programs like this you sometimes get a feel for what is really going on in people's minds. Some may argue the song choice...I disagree, Kristy Lee Cook who really doesn't belong in that show has managed to stay on. Perhaps there are more men (and lesbians) voting.

If Americans cannot vote for a foreign born pop idol...what are the odds that they will vote for a President who actually tans rather than turning red in the sun?