This is the ninety-fourth dog blog, but who is counting. And we are on a number theme. Sasha and Dexter have identity numbers that can be read by microchip readers, since most people do have these they also have the old name, address and telephone number on their dog tags.
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Unless something unexpected happens that denies rational calculation, the writing will be on the wall for Clinton after the primary voting on 20 May. The results are very predictable. If Washington is a guide, Oregon should go for Obama, and Kentucky, following Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia will give preference to Clinton.
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The earthquake in China and the cyclone in Burma are tragic events for the people involved, as they are a contrast in response. The BBC reports that the earthquake may have killed 12,000 people, but there is a major search and rescue operation under weigh. It is as they suggest, “Chaotic, yet organized”. As far as I know the Chinese have not refused international relief assistance and aid, whereas that is exactly what the Burmese Government has done. By delaying assistance they have effectively considerably worsened the situation. The scale of the disaster has clearly overwhelmed the national capacity to deal with it, and that could happen anywhere. Read more »
Karl Marx, since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1988, a defining moment whose significance is now in the realm of history, is now decidedly out of fashion. Season in season out, as the ancient Greeks observed generations go and go like the leaves of the trees, once green with promise they in their turn fall to ground. Fashions change, and each time with the expectation that something new and different is afoot. If only scientific discovery and innovation were fashion.
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An old story, but obviously if you do the same things you are likely to get similar results, so I am always searching for a new angle, to see things in a new way.
Of course, it never quite works out. The main thing is to be looking, and who knows what the camera may record. The familiar can be new when seen differently, not just with a different angle, but with a new understanding. Read more »
As the torment continues, for those discriminating Israelis with consciences and indiscriminately for the dispossessed Palestinians, there is sadly little to celebrate as Israel marks the 60th Anniversary. The die of this project was cast before the First World War, the rise of Hitler and the Holocaust. Read more »
There were some big ideas missing from the recent 2020 Ideas Summit among which are putting people over profits and communities (and human needs) over corporations. When we think globally in these terms it becomes more apparent what role that Australia should play in the world.
Amira Woods is but one voice in the gathering demand to reorder the world. Her video worth considering: Read more »
Obama has a poll lead of 7 percent in North Carolina, so he is expected to win there, leaving Indiana and his support among “Euro-Americans”, and particularly the working class as critical to his chance of finally clinching the nomination. Similarly, if Clinton win significantly in Indiana and possibily take North Carolina her chances are substantially improved. Read more »
All public service employees are required to sign a loyalty oath in California, but the rigor at which the oath is applied differs. For example, the California State Universities apply a stricter regime than the University of California
The oath is a follows: Read more »
In recent weeks the dog blog has been written around a photo challenge. The light in their eyes is probably just bad photography and the onset of more wintry gloominess. Sasha and Dexter still enjoy getting out, and Sasha in particular enjoys her time running free. Read more »
The war of terror carries on remorselessly, indifferent to the possibility of international law. The harsh sentences of the Nuremberg Trials seem in retrospect to victor’s justice. There is, at least in the minds of the US military, no immediate end in sight and implicitly the belief that somehow peace can be constructed without including the process of justice. Read more »
I am not familiar with the literature on opinion leadership, but I suppose public intellectuals who create and frame ideas would feature. For example, if a set of ideas such as neo-liberalism, or any other economic fashion, was considered, there would be a set of influential proponents. Most of us are not that well informed, or expert, or imaginative, and recognize it. Some of us tend to accept the plausible as given, and do not take the trouble to drive concept around the block and see whether the wheels fall off. Read more »
Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration and now at UCB proclaims on his blog his support for Obama. He writes:
I believe that Barack Obama should be elected President of the United States. Read more »
One of the long term effects of the Illawarra Ideas Summit is that it gave a sense of other people’s problems - the young, the old, the disabled, the unfortunate and the changing demographic profile of the population. There are, it seems, always exceptional individuals, and while perhaps they should not be taken as the rule, but they show what can be done. Now this bloke does even look like an 80 year old person, let alone act like one. Wendy Urguhart has the BBC video report. Read more »
A general election was held in Italy on April 13 and April 14, 2008 after the President dissolved parliament on February 6, 2008. Romano Prodi’s left-center coalition had been defeated in a January Senate vote. Now it seems that Berlusconi and his coalition, including the Northern League and the post-Fascist, National Alliance , have won a majority in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Read more »
“The idiot box” is not too far off the mark. There is just something about the presumption of television in particular along with its pervasiveness inclusiveness, and non-participatory nature that is inherently undemocratic. The normative values assumed by the presenters appear to have an authority that cannot seemingly be questioned. Read more »
Polls can be wrong of course, but in this case the margin appears too great. Clinton is leading Obama in Pennsylvania by 57% to 37% according to the American Research Group. The previous week their poll findings had the candidates tied at 45%. How can the volatility of the polling outcomes be explained? Read more »
There is a coincidence that this year Pennsylvania will decide the presidency and the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but more importantly the decisive demographic may well be the white industrial working class. Will they decide that a black man is less likely to sell them down the river? Read more »
Normally violence is thought of as an overt action or threat. Yet violence can be present in other forms. We can speak violently. We can think violently. Of course, we should recognize the violence inherent in the situation, either as institutional violence or structural violence, and then there is cultural violence. Read more »
Of course, I know it is against the rules, but in this case I do not have an understanding of the relevant history so I will give an extended quote from David Kaiser at History Unfolding. This takes us back to the First World War and the sacrifice of our forebears: Read more »
In the aftermath of the “cartoon controversy” this is the cartoon we had to have (via Truthdig):
I am no writer of any description, but for what is worth here is my personal take on the Illawarra Ideas Summit organized by our local MHR’s Sharon Bird and Jennie George held today at the University of Wollongong. In this report I will start with some general observations, for example in relation to attendance, my brief synopsis of the presentations, which may not do them full justice, and conclude with what for me was the take home value of the meeting. Read more »
“So I was happy he’s a good writer”. Said softly with a smile. Alice Walker endorses Obama:
via The Root. Read more »
Without exception, establishment religion have inevitably been co-oped by State power to support war, despite the fact that the fundamental tenets of their religions almost always propose peace. Marginal and small Christian religious bodies, such as the Quakers, the Mennonites and some others, have maintained their adherence to conscientious objection to war. I do not understand how the process develops through time and circumstances for the major Abrahamic religions, but it is interesting to witness it in action. Read more »
We have seen much about the statements of Reverend Jeremiah Wright who was Obama’s pastor, but nothing about those religious leaders of mega-churchs that endorse McCain. In the case of Wright it was necessary to troll through hours of video to turn up the controversial bits, which the media hands dutifully did. The extremists say things straight out and nobody, least of all the media, bats an eyelid, let alone replaying them over and over on cable television. Read more »
When our leaders sit down to negotiate on our behalf it comes down to the personal qualities, especially interpersonal skills, regardless of the expert support staff. In this sense, Rudd will be tested on his 17 day jaunt overseas, and inevitably bring a different personality, background and agenda to the table. Read more »
Sasha has continued to enjoy her moments of freedom, and Dexter remains remarkably tolerant of staying on the lead. I am tempted at times to let him off, but the status quo is the best outcome. Read more »
On Unleased at ABC Online, writer Bob Ellis considers the increasing number of male suicides in Australia: Read more »
On its face this is a strange position for a politician to adopt, even more so a democratic politician. It would not be strange to R Cheney, for example, if his recent repudiation of the role of public opinion is taken as evidence of his frame of mind. The “don’t ever talk”proposition advanced by the President of the United States, since that is appeasement.
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They are just folks in West Virginia, and they would like Clinton to be president, or at least those voting in the Democratic primary have supported her by an overwhelming margin. Clinton gained a 66.1% to Obama 26.7% overall, and the best results I could see for Obama were in Wheeling which Clinton won convincingly by 59% to 37%, At least there is no candidate sexism in West Virginia. Kool Aid and country songs maybe:
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I have to admit I am ignorant about attitudes. I have never really got down to a bedrock understanding of how they develop and what they signify, except that I consider they are important in relations to other people. It is, I think, a common skill that people are able to pick up attitudes stated and implied, perhaps using different cues. My take, to misquote David Bohm is that attitudes are “frozen emotions”, as distinct from “frozen light”. Read more »
Such is the enduring glory of Australian Parliamentary Democracy and the the bipartisan consensus that even basis questions defy answers. According to ABC News:
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) says Taliban forces in Afghanistan have adopted a new tactic of falsely accusing Coalition troops of mistreating detainees.
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As we have witnessed elsewhere, it is not just the force of a natural disaster, but the inaction of government that adds to the problems. Cyclone Nargis hit Burma six days ago, but the damage assessment and relief supplies have been held up by an autocratic, self serving military junta. Estimates of the death toll is now believed to be over 100,000 people. The priority in these situations is to get help to the people affected as soon as possible. No doubt in the aftermath of this tragedy the danger of disease must loom. Read more »
The North Carolina Democratic primary was a clear cut win by Obama by 12%. In a two candidate contest that seems very decisive. Some in the Clinton camp thought they had a chance of doing significantly better, and even winning. It is interesting to speculate as to how that misperception can occur. Good polling can be the necessary antidote to seen enthusiasm of the crowds. While, in my opinion, Clinton was phony, her play acting was good enough to work with the target audience who presumably identified with that persona. Read more »
There are seemingly no boundaries for US missile attacks. In Dusamareb, I000 residents protested a US missile attack on a house in the Somali town, that killed at least ten people, including Aden Hashi Ayro, whom the US suspected was a leader of a group related to Al Qaeda. Prima facie such an attack would appear to constitute a war crime.
All public service employees are required to sign a loyalty oath in California, but the rigor at which the oath is applied differs. For example, the California State Universities apply a stricter regime than the University of California
The oath is a follows: Read more »
Three peace activists in Marlborough, New Zealand have created some headaches for the American system of international listening posts known as Echelon. Echelon in turn is part of the American strategy, including control of space, cutely known as “full spectrum dominance”. Read more »
Or is the Wright frame-up? As Paul Woodward says at The War in Context it is remarkable how little attention is actually paid to what Rev. Jeremiah Wright actually says at the National Press Conference in Washington or in pulpit. Everybody is supposed to be in awe of the way the right wing media circus will do with the latest opportunity. Snippets aplenty, and much like the Clinton campaign with motives as pure as snow their’s is not a racist campaign. But could any candidate run against the corporate media and win the election? Read more »
Susan Milligan in The Boston Globe points out the Republicans as much as the Democrats are running into problems after a long drawn out campaign. As Obama said the other day babies have been born and have learnt to speak in the fifteen months he has been campaigning. Read more »
We experienced heavy rain this week, which meant that on a few days we did not get out. It is easy enough to take digital photos, but putting them together is another story. Read more »
The activities of human beings have reached the point some time ago when they threatened the life support systems of the earth. To quote Dr Michael Molitor, via Deltoid: Read more »
Colleen at Simply Coll has started a meme, at least with me and a few of her other readers. There is a Myers-Briggs personality test and multiple intelligence test as per Howard Gardiner. My problem is that I cannot answer the questions. It is not as it I am lying. So these tests do not really work for me.
As you might expect they reveal - if that is the word I want - the person that I might be: Read more »
The Iraqi government army, backed by American and British airpower and firepower, is according to this report from ABC Online attempting a second, and more successful, push against the Mehdi army, although that description is contested by other sources. Read more »
They have turned into the final straight, and this poll describes the outcome as too close to call. Preferring to believe this polling as more realistic, I will disregard a previous suggestion that Clinton is ahead of Obama by 20%. Read more »
Much has been made of supporting the troops. As we should have known this is just a slogan for political purposes, and not a commitment. The treatment of the veterans and the conditions at Walter Reed are evidence. Leaving aside questions of definition or measurement, 20% of all suicides in the US in 2005 were current or former members of the armed services, making them the most likely or among the most likely people die by suicide. Read more »
No sooner is the first Queenslander elected to be prime minister than we are told another Queenslander is to step into the position of Governor-General.
Not a real decision of course, but another of those symbolic political actions that previously we were told were without substance. ABC News Online seems quite chuffed about it all, as do the Queenslander principals, and certain others in the broader Australian community: Read more »
The full reality of the loss of government is finally sinking in, helped by the opinion polling. Leadership polls also seem to yet oppositions harder than governments. Still it has to said that B Nelson has obtained extraordinary low ratings from the punters.
Nothing about this was unexpected, but it is a reminder what a ruthless game our political process is, especially for those with leadership aspirations. ABC News Online reports: Read more »
“Heroes” was Abbey’s foto challenge for this week. And as David Bowie sang:
“We can be heroes for ever and ever,
What d’you say?”
Nah!
“We can be heroes, just for one day,
“We can be us, just for one day.” Read more »
Cooper was out again this week enjoying his freedom, and seeking out friendly humans who effect of reinforcing his desire for freedom. I noticed on Wednesday that he was wearing a collar, so that was the opportunity to join Sasha and Dexter. Cooper was hesitant at those times I had him tied up with the others, but seemed happy enough be part of the group. Read more »
Dr James Hansen (via Deltoid) has written an open letter to the Prime Minister suggesting there is a window of opportunity, a tipping point, that if Australia abandoned the use and export of coal for energy that that it could imitated so that a turning point would save the future of the planet. Tim Lambeth quotes the following paragraphs from the letter: Read more »
Apparently the man of plans, NSW Premier Morris Iemma, intends sending the parents of school age children who wag school to prison. Predictably, according to The Sydney Morning Herald the grand plan has run into a storm of protest, and not it seems in the first instance from the parents or the children who miss class.
Reporter, Alexandra Smith, quoted Iemma speaking in State Parliament as saying: Read more »
ABC News Online carried a report today relating to Prime Minister Rudd’s speech to the Brookings Institute in Washington. The speech included the following topics: Read more »
The dogs bark but the caravan moves on. Rudd has moved to a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. I have to admit that when I saw the picture, I did not have a clue who he was. No doubt Ambassador to the UN, Robert Hill, and his staff, were heavily involved in the Prime Minister’s visit to the United Nations in New York. Read more »
Sasha has continued to enjoy her moments of freedom, and Dexter remains remarkably tolerant of staying on the lead. I am tempted at times to let him off, but the status quo is the best outcome. Read more »
Sasha has continued to enjoy her moments of freedom, and Dexter remains remarkably tolerant of staying on the lead. I am tempted at times to let him off, but the status quo is the best outcome.
Sasha and Dexter continue to enjoy the outing, but I wonder what they really make of their walk: Read more »
They might not be the brightest jewels in the shop window, but who would have thought sixty years ago that Jaguar and Land Rover would be owned by an Indian Company. I wonder whether Tata have made a wise buy, but I suppose they know what they are doing, and they would not be doing it for symbolic reasons. Read more »
According to this article in Asia Focus by John McGlynn (via Empire Burlesque), the American Government unilaterally declared financial “shock and awe” on Iran from 20 March using UN sanctions and provisions of the Patriot Act. Read more »
