"we all need Uncle Sam..." oh dear...
Friday, May 19, 2006, 11:08 AM - General, Politics
Oh dear, I wish Johnny would shut his mouth, in fact to have him permanently removed would be a fabulous idea.
This was lifted from The Sydney Morning Herald.
We all need Uncle Sam: PM
By Phillip Coorey Political Correspondent in Chicago
May 19, 2006
THE Prime Minister has launched a tirade against anti-Americanism, saying the world needs US influence as much as it ever did, if not more.
In an address to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations John Howard aimed his comments at those inside and outside the US unhappy with the Bush Administration's foreign policy direction.
"To the voices of anti-Americanism around the world, to those who shout 'Yankee, go home', let me offer some quiet advice: be careful what you wish for'," he said.
"None of our global challenges, from defeating terror, to widening economic opportunity, to building a world order based on mutual respect, can be secured without American power and American purpose.
"It is vital, for America's interests as much as those of the rest of the world, that America not retreat.
"No dominant power in history has brought to bear the righteous force or generous countenance of the United States of America."
His speech followed a theme he had been warming to during his five-day visit to the US. He was to leave yesterday for Canada, and was then to travel to Ireland.
His talks with the Bush Administration reaffirmed Australia's solid support for the US in Iraq and Afghanistan and its desire for a United Nations-brokered solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. He also backed the US push for Europeans to drop their farm subsidies and embrace global free trade.
Mr Howard said that if the US retreated into its shell, darker and more sinister forces would start influencing the world.
"Without American leadership, the trials and tragedies of recent years could be but a prelude of darker days to come," he said.
Reasserting the value of free and open societies was the most effective response to terrorism and tyranny, and this was why Australia had joined the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without hesitation, he said.
"I share your President's resolve to prevail in Iraq. Australia is with you. We will stay the course. We will finish the job."
To critics of the Administration, he said its effort had led to Libya renouncing weapons of mass destruction and Syria backing down, including reducing its influence in Lebanon.
Other concerns - the Taiwan Strait, the Korean peninsula, Kashmir, South-East Asian terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction - all needed US leadership and engagement to be resolved, or even managed.
The rapid emergence of a global middle class, as evidenced in China and India, was "history's vindication" of US leadership.
"A global middle class would not have been possible without American power and purpose in the last 60 years," he said.
Mr Howard said the US was leading the way again in helping those still impoverished by promising to cut its own trade barriers, and he urged the Europeans to follow suite or the forthcoming world trade talks would collapse.
oh dear, we have been brainwashed haven't we!
"Not me" says the monkey!
Something along the same lines, if you are worried about the way the government thinks they can behave, especially concering anti-terrorism, this is a really good program: Writers at Como: "Global Justice" (All those "Writers at Como" programs are a reall interesting listen, you just need a little time).
My favourite quote out of this program was about "why hasn't the American government not appointed an ambassador? ... Because they don't need to".
I would like to point out I have nothing against Americans per se, it is just their bullshit president and his evil ways.
| permalink
ok, I can be converged on by pirates...
Monday, May 15, 2006, 08:12 PM - General
I admit it, I didn't finish updating the glossary.
oh well, I got half way! I'll try harder.
Looking out for pirates now...
| permalink
this story pushed me over the edge
Sunday, May 14, 2006, 11:48 AM - General, Food
Last year I was listening to Earth Watch Radio , and this story is what pushed me over the edge to eating more organic veges. I finally moved my butt to find it, so I could share. The link at the bottom of the page, it is also interesting for more information.
A Helpful But Hazardous Harvest
Scientists clean up chemicals like PCBs with help from vegetables like pumpkins and zucchini.
By Richard Hoops
Earthwatch Radio
Some toxic chemicals that were taken out of production during the 1970s are extremely persistent and still linger in the environment. In North America, some places are still tainted by the pesticide DDT and industrial chemicals known as PCBs. Scientists are testing plants to see if they can clean up these places, and they say pumpkins and zucchini do the job pretty well.
Ken Reimer is an environmental scientist at the Royal Military College of Canada. Reimer is testing different kinds of plants as tools for cleaning up contaminated soil. He says pumpkins and zucchini are exceptionally good at dislodging chemicals that are bonded to soil particles. The plants pull the chemicals out of the soil and absorb them into their tissue. Over a period of time, they might be able to clean up some contaminated sites and make them safe to be used again.
Reimer says this use of vegetables is still experimental. But he says it's drawing attention from people who envision new uses for land that is now off limits.
"We've had a lot of interest from developers who are looking at buying brownfield sites -- former industrial sites that aren't being used right now -- and they're looking at long-term development, perhaps 10 or 15 years into the future. And so if they had a means of relatively passive remediation that may take that period of time but is not very labor intensive, not very cost intensive, this is ideal."
Reimer says this kind of garden variety clean-up would still require precautions to protect people and wildlife. The plants would need to be fenced off to keep anybody or anything from wandering away with zucchini and pumpkins that might be ripening into industrial-strength hazardous waste.
Script for Monday, October 03, 2005
| permalink
donuts and cage beds
Friday, May 12, 2006, 08:25 PM - General
Someone just did a donut right under my window while playing loud douf douf music, as you can see from the photo, doing a donut here while it is full of cars double parked (including on the footpath), kids, animals and prostitutes... it really isn't an appropriate place to do that. (I sound old!) I thought they hit someone from the thud as they stopped.
Why was the BBC world service so depressing today, and yesterday. The highlight being the the report on "cage beds" still being used in asylums in Eastern Europe and how a 30 year old woman died in one recently because she ate her own faeces, (even though they are supposedly banned and not in use because people are generally left with no food, no water, no release). Revolting.
I spoke to the woman who runs the gallery down the road who has my work in it this afternoon, she has her own work in the gallery at the moment, it is really beautiful... they are having a signing tonight with Alain Buyse and another artist. Even though I know them, I am too scared to go alone. I don't want to answer any more questions about what I do for money at the moment.
I have already eaten two dinners: one at 6:30pm (to make up for the lunch I didn't eat) and second dinner at 7:30pm. I also put some strawberries in the freezer at 6:30 that I shall take out in about half an hour, and will blend with soymilk and a little maple syrup...
oh, such an exciting life!
| permalink
a bit of sunshine
Tuesday, May 9, 2006, 09:23 PM - General, Relationships, Work (The Man)
So I thought I might add a little bit of Sydney sunshine from when we were there. This was taken
off the side of a boat, this is my man under the water, swimming just off Lady Jane's Beach (yes, the nudist beach)... nothing against nudists, but some of them do some strange stuff while prancing up and down the beach...
ANYWAY, I digress.
I drove, caught the métro and walked for a total of 3.5 hours today. It really wasn't nice, considering 2.45 hours of that was actually driving. AND considering I am not paid to drive to teach some bugger English.
Plus, to make it worse, I was horrified with the smoggy looking sky as I drove back to work to give them back their stinking car. It rained all day yeterday! How could it still look that bad!?
| permalink
Back Next
