Thursday, June 24, 2010
Democracy in action
If you've ever wondered who's running Australia, events of the past 24 hours make it clear—the mining companies.
Labels: Australia, news, politics
Monday, December 01, 2008
I'm not there
Friends, please do not worry. I am not in Mumbai. As it happens I have already moved on from India and these blogs are being posted after the event.
Nor am I in Bangkok. Please don't worry I've reached my next destination and feel very safe.
Nor am I in Bangkok. Please don't worry I've reached my next destination and feel very safe.
Labels: Asia, communication, India, news, politics, terrorism, thailand, travel
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Do we need a miracle worker?
Congratulations to Barack Obama on his decisive win in the recent US presedential election.
To the rest of us I say: Please be patient. Barack Obama is an intelligent man. Hopefully he also has integrity and seeks what is best for the US and the world. But he is not a miracle worker.
The US (and through it, the world) has been badly mismanaged for the past eight years, perhaps longer. It has been exploited by bankers and others with more money than they need but not enough to satisfy their greed.
What can this man do? I don't claim to know.
What can we do? First, let's not put Barack Obama on a pedestal. He alone can not fix the problems of the world. Perhaps he will make mistakes. He is, after all, human. But if his intentions are good and he is prepared to acknowledge and correct his mistakes, we can all learn and move forward.
The world can only move ahead if we all work together. That doesn't mean we have to agree with each other. I'm talking about intention. What are your goals? Are your goals about working towards making the world a better place for everyone? Or are they about making it better for you? I believe the world has got where it is because too many people chose the second option. I hope Barack Obama is choosing the first option. And I hope you are too.
To the rest of us I say: Please be patient. Barack Obama is an intelligent man. Hopefully he also has integrity and seeks what is best for the US and the world. But he is not a miracle worker.
The US (and through it, the world) has been badly mismanaged for the past eight years, perhaps longer. It has been exploited by bankers and others with more money than they need but not enough to satisfy their greed.
What can this man do? I don't claim to know.
What can we do? First, let's not put Barack Obama on a pedestal. He alone can not fix the problems of the world. Perhaps he will make mistakes. He is, after all, human. But if his intentions are good and he is prepared to acknowledge and correct his mistakes, we can all learn and move forward.
The world can only move ahead if we all work together. That doesn't mean we have to agree with each other. I'm talking about intention. What are your goals? Are your goals about working towards making the world a better place for everyone? Or are they about making it better for you? I believe the world has got where it is because too many people chose the second option. I hope Barack Obama is choosing the first option. And I hope you are too.
Labels: Barack Obama, news, politics, US
Friday, May 30, 2008
China and Tibet
China is like a man who rapes a woman, claiming it is OK, they are married because he already raped her years before. He moves into her house and invites members of his family to come stay and rape her too. He rebuilds her house his way. She says she doesn't like it. He says she is ungrateful because her life is much better than it was before.
He abuses this woman for fifty years. Now he decides to let the world see how good he is by staging a big celebration. Finally she has had enough of his hypocrisy and retaliates publicly attacking members of his family. He says 'Look at how violent she is', as he beats her into submission.
*****
Please note: when I refer to China I am referring to the Chinese government not the Chinese people. Chinese people are individuals who may or may not agree with their government. Whatever they think about it, the have very little say in who forms the government or in its policies.
*****
No doubt the Chinese government sees the Tibet issue differently from the way I do. You can read their viewpoint on the Xinhua News site (in English).
For example Xinhua reports on the publication of a book on Tibet's past and present: 'With abundant persuasive data and pictures, the book truthfully depicted the miserable lives of Tibetans under the feudal serfdom system before 1951, the publisher said.
'The reading also displayed the historic progress in the new Tibet's economy, politics, culture and social construction under the leadership of the Chinese central government, and local people's current happy life, it said.'
China depicts its attitude to Tibet as being humanitarian. If the Chinese government is so caring, why is it that they support the corrupt and abusive military government in Burma?
He abuses this woman for fifty years. Now he decides to let the world see how good he is by staging a big celebration. Finally she has had enough of his hypocrisy and retaliates publicly attacking members of his family. He says 'Look at how violent she is', as he beats her into submission.
*****
Please note: when I refer to China I am referring to the Chinese government not the Chinese people. Chinese people are individuals who may or may not agree with their government. Whatever they think about it, the have very little say in who forms the government or in its policies.
*****
No doubt the Chinese government sees the Tibet issue differently from the way I do. You can read their viewpoint on the Xinhua News site (in English).
For example Xinhua reports on the publication of a book on Tibet's past and present: 'With abundant persuasive data and pictures, the book truthfully depicted the miserable lives of Tibetans under the feudal serfdom system before 1951, the publisher said.
'The reading also displayed the historic progress in the new Tibet's economy, politics, culture and social construction under the leadership of the Chinese central government, and local people's current happy life, it said.'
China depicts its attitude to Tibet as being humanitarian. If the Chinese government is so caring, why is it that they support the corrupt and abusive military government in Burma?
Labels: Asia, Burma, China, Myanmar, news, politics, Tibet
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Getting the news about Burma
Where do you get your news? I don't have a TV set in my room and I don't buy newspapers these days as I get my news on the internet. I've been exploring and comparing many of the news sites on the web and hope to make a few comments in future blogs. Right now I want to point out something about information you may or may not be getting about Burma/Myanmar.
Yes, on Western news sites there is some coverage of the plight of the Burmese people since Cyclone Nargis. Today I discovered, on a site created by exiled Burmese journalists, allegations of the constitutional referendum being rigged. Some Western news sites are saying that the referendum has received a 92% yes vote. But so far I haven't noticed anywhere, other than Asian sites, claims of blatant vote rigging.
Assuming the allegations are true, government officials stayed up all night before the election, under orders, voting 'yes' on most of the voting papers. When citizens arrived to vote the next day they were simply told to sign to say they'd voted and were sent home.
It seems the generals may have simplified democracy. What a wonderful idea—don't bother to vote, we'll do it for you.
Yes, on Western news sites there is some coverage of the plight of the Burmese people since Cyclone Nargis. Today I discovered, on a site created by exiled Burmese journalists, allegations of the constitutional referendum being rigged. Some Western news sites are saying that the referendum has received a 92% yes vote. But so far I haven't noticed anywhere, other than Asian sites, claims of blatant vote rigging.
Assuming the allegations are true, government officials stayed up all night before the election, under orders, voting 'yes' on most of the voting papers. When citizens arrived to vote the next day they were simply told to sign to say they'd voted and were sent home.
It seems the generals may have simplified democracy. What a wonderful idea—don't bother to vote, we'll do it for you.
Labels: Asia, Burma, censorship, Myanmar, news, politics, ripoff, scam
