Filed under: Politics | Tags: Accountability, Al Qaeda, America, American, Bill Delahunt, CNN, David Addington, Democrat, Dick Cheney, George W Bush, Guantanamo Bay, Homeland Security, Human Rights, Hurricane Katrina, Lee Anne McBride, Politics, President, Republican, Steve King, Terrorism, Torture, United Sates, Vice President, War on Terror
Coming from the country that gave us George W Bush and his colour coded scare chart, news such as this CNN story should no longer come as a surprise. It is an excellent example of politics at its worst. I’ll give you a snippet from the story:
During a contentious House hearing on harsh interrogation techniques for terror suspects Thursday, Rep. Bill Delahunt, D-Massachusetts, was pressing David Addington, the vice president’s chief of staff, about meetings he attended while serving as Cheney’s chief counsel.
Delahunt asked repeatedly whether the topic of waterboarding, a controversial interrogation technique that simulates drowning, ever came up.
Addington replied that he could not discuss that because “al Qaeda may watch C-SPAN.”
“Right,” Delahunt responded. “Well, I’m sure they are watching, and I’m glad they finally have the chance to see you, Mr. Addington.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re pleased,” Addington shot back.
“Given your penchant for being unobtrusive,” Delahunt said of Addington’s ability to stay behind the scene.”
Apparently there is some political mileage to be gained here. The Republican’s believe Delahunt wished to make Addington a target for al Qaeda. (more…)
Filed under: Journalism | Tags: Crime, ethics, Journalism, Macedonia, Murder, Rape, Vlado Taneski
I’m not sure where I heard it, but apparently arsonists are often firemen. I would love to provide some statistics to support this wild claim, but my google search came up short. Who needs facts right? I did find this story from the US’s Staten Island and this American study on “Firefighter Arson”, so I’m not making it up. Apparently 33 firemen were charged with arson in 1993, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. I think that is only in South Carolina, which makes it all the more surprising. So I imagine these deranged firemen (Reader’s Digest’s most trusted 2008), walking around with cans of gasoline and boxes of matches, lighting bush fires and setting letter boxes alight. 10 minutes later they turn up with the boys in red, on the back of a firetruck, ready to douse out their earlier handiwork.
I don’t know how prevalent the problem is. And I don’t know why these guys do it. Are they bored? Do they not already have enough to do? Aren’t they just making more work for themselves?
Do other professions do a similar thing? What about journalists? What if it is a really slow news day? Should you just run another real estate story as your lead? Should you make a story up? Or, should you do as this Macedonian journalist did, and really make the news? (more…)
Filed under: History, Journalism, Politics, religion | Tags: Afghanistan, Anti-Semitic, Ayatollah, Custer munitions, Der Speigel, Ehud Omert, Ervand Abrahamian, Europe, Gaza, George W Bush, Hillary Clinton, Human Rights, IAEA, Ideology, Independent, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Islamic Revolution, Israel, Israeli, Jimmy Carter, Lebanon, Mahmood Ahmadinejad, Matan Vilnai, Media, Middle East, Mordechai Vanunu, Nazi, Nazism, Non-Proliferation Treaty, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, Palestine, Palestinian, Persia, Propaganda, Racist, Robert Fisk, Shah, Terrorism, Theocracy, United Nations, United States, War, Zionism, Zionist
In the Western corner, nestled between the Mediterranean and half a dozen hostile neighbours, with a population of over 7 million, now 60 years young, with a nuclear arsenal believed to number 150 warheads, defender of Zionism…. ISRAEL!!!
In the Eastern corner, wedged between terrorist havens of Iraq and Afghanistan, with a population of over 65 million, with controversial nuclear programme claimed peaceful, defender of Theocracy… The Islamic Republic of IRAN!!!
Let’s get ready to RUMBLE!!!
All right, enough hype. Let us be serious for a moment. Iran versus Israel. Both are religious states, both have substantial military capabilities, and both are guilty of crimes against minorities in their population. Yet both are viewed very differently in the eyes of the Western media and politicians. Let us look at both countries, and how the media depicts them. (more…)
Filed under: New Zealand Election 08, Politics | Tags: 2008 Election, ACT Party, Alliance, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, democracy, Direct Democracy Party, Family Party, Green Party, Jim Anderton, Kiwi Party, Labour Party, Libertarianz, Maori Party, National, New World Order, New Zealand, New Zealand First Party, Pacific Party, Political Parties, politicians, Politics, Progressives, Republicans, United Future
I’ve added political parties’ websites to the side of this blog. This is to make it easier for readers to refer to the political parties’ websites I have just skewered, to get their side of the debate. As much as I despise many of the ideas some of these parties have (in fact I find only a handful at all savoury), I believe it is important in a democracy to have their voice heard. And it is important for us all to listen, no matter how pathetic their reasoning is. And it is also important for us to critique their policies, pointing out weaknesses and strengths. It is also important we debate the issues with those we disagree with, keeping discussion as civil as possible. That is the beauty of the blogosphere I suppose.
I encourage everyone to have a look at all the websites. It is fascinating to look at the ideas of parties that you did not know existed. Obviously someone believes in the ideas, otherwise there would be no party! Some parties haven’t yet got websites, so will be put up when available. I could not find ones for New World Order Party, which sounds interesting, and Taito Field’s Pacific Party.
Is it worth noting that when I had thought I had finished putting down all the parties, even some of the most obscure, I realised I had forgotten United Future! Is Peter Dunne’s Party doomed to be forgotten come election time? Time will tell.
Here’s a list of all the parties currently registered for the 2008 election. (more…)
Filed under: Philosophy, Science | Tags: atheism, Avian Transportation Theory, Ben Stein, Creationism, Evolution, Expelled, God Delusion, Intelligent Design, Logan Craft, Mark Mathis, Richard Dawkins, Science, Sex Theory, Sexpelled, Stork, Walt Ruloff
When something is as ridiculous as Expelled, it deserves only ridicule. The absurd claims that film makes can be countered with rational and reasoned arguments till the cows come home, but if people are going to opt for faith over facts, there is no reasoning to be made. Having dealt with ID proponents sufficiently in The God Delusion, and other essays and interviews, and considering the ID peoples complete inability to engage in the debate, Richard Dawkins knows how futile it is to take them on with science. Turning his hand to satire, Dawkins shows in this brief clip how the ID position can be adopted by other creation myths, illustrating how the scientific community has completely shut out the theory that babies are not created through sexual intercourse, but are delivered by a stalk.
Here is the great synopsis that was included with the clip on the Richard Dawkins website: (more…)
Filed under: Journalism, New Zealand Election 08, Philosophy, Politics | Tags: ACT, Conservative, democracy, Dictatorship, Envirnmentalists, Environment, Environmentalism, FPP, Garth George, Green Party, Islamo-fascists, Labour, Maori Party, Media, MMP, New Zealand, New Zealand First, New Zealand Herald, Political Correctness, Politics, religion, Society
Garth George’s columns often get me fired up, and not in a good way. To put it simply, almost everything he has to say runs completely contrary to my own view. Often I find myself wondering why the Herald would even print his rants, as I find them either misinformed or needlessly offensive. It seems to me many commentators revel in causing offense, as if to them it is confirmation they are telling the cold hard truth. Garth and I likely sit on the poles of most issues, from religion to politics. If he were to read my blog I assume he may feel similar to the way I feel about his column, although he may note I do try not to cause offense.
So imagine my initial shock when I read a column that I actually agreed with. (more…)
Filed under: History, Journalism, New Zealand Election 08, Politics | Tags: Aotearoa, AUT, culture, Don Brash, Election, Hoani Waititi, Hui, Journalism, Journalists, Maori, Marae, Media, New Zealand, Tikanga, Treaty of Waitangi, values, waiata, Winston Peters
If you stay on a Marae you may realise a few things. Firstly, there are some traditional Maori values Pakeha could do well to adopt, such as hospitality, respect, appreciation and a sense of community. In our individualistic society such values have been long forgotten. Secondly, our media does an adequate job depicting Maori as lazy, violent and corrupt, which is unfair and cruel. Finally you should marvel at the tikanga, the art and traditional waiata, which are worth all efforts to preserve, as promised in article two of the Treaty of Waitangi. To the red necks and racists who turn there nose up at any reference to the treaty and stereotype Maori, I can only pity your ignorance. (more…)
