Well finally I am home and kind of settled. This is a funny year. For a bunch of reasons I am finding myself heading to Halifax now and again. Last Friday was the last time. But I'm really wanting to be home and settled and working in the garden.
Today was a lovely day and I wanted to tell you about it. It's a sunny day and the greenhouse is nice and warm. Frances and I had lunch in there. The tomatoes and onions are out in the greenhouse along with the small rosemary plant. The brassicas and just out on some flagstones as I don't want to overheat them.
I weeded a bed and I'm going to plant some red clover as a cover crop/green manure. This is the first time I've tried green manure. Then I planted a few hazelnut trees in the hedge that we are building next to the driveway. I'm easing into the season so I lay on the grass and snoozed before coming in to write this post.
As I relaxed, Buddy went into the baby barn and came out carrying a vole he had caught. I was half hoping he would help evict a squirrel that's taken up residence there.
Then a huge raven, flew over the house. The wing beats were something to hear.
Earlier a raven or crow, perhaps the same one, started cawing and flying up the drive toward the house. Frances and I were weeding and we hadn't really seen this from a crow/raven before. But then we got our answer. A bald eagle flew over our heads from behind us and cruised away. It seems that ravens and crows have the ability to push around bald eagles. I know they are very crafty.
So I'm sorry that I haven't been writing as much but I'm going to shift gears now and start focusing on the beautiful season to come.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Forgotten Bahrain
Libya is providing some cover for the continued brutal suppression in Bahrain. The people in Bahrain are demanding an end to the absolute monarchy that rules them. They have taken peaceful actions and are being met by force. Even worse, the militaries of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States have been welcomed into Bahrain to aid in the violence against peaceful protesters.
The following were uploaded to Facebook today. If you've ever seen American History X you'll remember the seen where the protagonist stomps on the face of a black man. The fucking pig in this picture is just as brutal. Gotta love that wind-up. Make it count fucker, you're next.
And if these images weren't bad enough our dear leaders tell us they are doing all they can. The following is an excerpt from a letter I received from Lawrence Cannon on Bahrain.
--
The Office of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, has forwarded to me your email of February 17, 2011, concerning the current situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain . . .
. . . Canada strongly encourages Bahraini authorities to continue their efforts toward building a sincere dialogue that addresses the concerns of the country's citizens. I believe an open national dialogue is the only valid option to resolve the current unrest. The Canadian government calls on all parties involved to show openness in this process in order to peacefully address the Bahraini people's concerns.
Canada hopes for a prompt and lasting return to calm, democracy and respect of human rights in Bahrain.
--
Huh! What democracy and respect for human rights? Is Lawrence Cannon living in a dream world? These are our dictators. They facilitate our privilege. We might as well recognize them as such. The delusion is so strong though that we assume that everyone lives with their rights guaranteed. Not so. Ask the cop in the pictures.
The following were uploaded to Facebook today. If you've ever seen American History X you'll remember the seen where the protagonist stomps on the face of a black man. The fucking pig in this picture is just as brutal. Gotta love that wind-up. Make it count fucker, you're next.
And if these images weren't bad enough our dear leaders tell us they are doing all they can. The following is an excerpt from a letter I received from Lawrence Cannon on Bahrain.
--
The Office of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, has forwarded to me your email of February 17, 2011, concerning the current situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain . . .
. . . Canada strongly encourages Bahraini authorities to continue their efforts toward building a sincere dialogue that addresses the concerns of the country's citizens. I believe an open national dialogue is the only valid option to resolve the current unrest. The Canadian government calls on all parties involved to show openness in this process in order to peacefully address the Bahraini people's concerns.
Canada hopes for a prompt and lasting return to calm, democracy and respect of human rights in Bahrain.
--
Huh! What democracy and respect for human rights? Is Lawrence Cannon living in a dream world? These are our dictators. They facilitate our privilege. We might as well recognize them as such. The delusion is so strong though that we assume that everyone lives with their rights guaranteed. Not so. Ask the cop in the pictures.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Mid-East Musings
A few thoughts on the so-called Middle East.
So a US F-15 has crashed due to mechanical failure today. The pilot was saved naturally. I'd like to continue the tally of cost on this 'mission'. So there are two models of F-15. I expect the more expensive one comes with air conditioning and power locks, possibly all-wheel drive. We can't tell which it is from the pictures.
The cost of this fighter breaks down like this. And don't forget inflation which I have calculated for:
F-15A/B: US$27.9 million (1998) = $37,880,497 in 2011 dollars
F-15C/D: US$29.9 million (1998) = $40,595,945 in 2011 dollars
So that makes a grand total of around $120,000,000 including those tomahawk missiles.
Just in: the Coalition of the Willing (now with Romania!) has fired 160 tomahawk missiles thus far. I'm going to stop keeping track of these expenses now as this is a stupid exercise.
Needless to say there's no cuts planned to the military but we are apparently broke.
--
Incidentally, can Libya box up that fighter and send it back to the US with a bill? Seriously arguably this is littering on a grand scale. And I'm sure that the fighter is full of toxic materials. I somehow doubt it.
--
I love these dictators holding meetings and ranting on. Just saw Yemen's decrepit 'President' barking and snarling at the head of a mammoth table. Imagine being there. Do these guys take themselves seriously? Oh yeah, the torture. They are serious.
So a US F-15 has crashed due to mechanical failure today. The pilot was saved naturally. I'd like to continue the tally of cost on this 'mission'. So there are two models of F-15. I expect the more expensive one comes with air conditioning and power locks, possibly all-wheel drive. We can't tell which it is from the pictures.
The cost of this fighter breaks down like this. And don't forget inflation which I have calculated for:
F-15A/B: US$27.9 million (1998) = $37,880,497 in 2011 dollars
F-15C/D: US$29.9 million (1998) = $40,595,945 in 2011 dollars
So that makes a grand total of around $120,000,000 including those tomahawk missiles.
Just in: the Coalition of the Willing (now with Romania!) has fired 160 tomahawk missiles thus far. I'm going to stop keeping track of these expenses now as this is a stupid exercise.
Needless to say there's no cuts planned to the military but we are apparently broke.
--
Incidentally, can Libya box up that fighter and send it back to the US with a bill? Seriously arguably this is littering on a grand scale. And I'm sure that the fighter is full of toxic materials. I somehow doubt it.
--
I love these dictators holding meetings and ranting on. Just saw Yemen's decrepit 'President' barking and snarling at the head of a mammoth table. Imagine being there. Do these guys take themselves seriously? Oh yeah, the torture. They are serious.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Hidden History
You have to wonder how much longer the US with their buddies in France and Canada want to punish the people of Haiti. I know they liberated themselves from slavery to France then defeated Napoleon's conquering army when it tried to enslave them again. They reached out to the United States, the supposed beacon of liberty only to suffer through 200 years of abuse at the hands of Americans, French and yes even Canadians.
But you know, all this has been said before.
And the important thing is that Jean-Bertrand Aristide is back in Haiti. No thanks to Barack Obama, he arrived this weekend to a riotous welcome. Anyway I was following the coverage on Democracy Now! and learned something that I never knew about his kidnapping in 2004. I wanted to share it with you today.
As President of Haiti, Aristide recognized that one of the major problems in his country was a lack of medical services. There are very few doctors serving the population and doctors have to go abroad to study, and many I would imagine, didn't return. In fact I have read that there were only 2,000 doctors in the whole country of 9 million. So working with Cuba (famous for the exporting of doctors) in 2001 he broke ground on a new facility to house a new medical school for his country. The University of the Aristide Foundation was opened in late 2003 and its primary goal was to train poor, rural doctors to return home and serve their communities. The school was training 247 doctors by the time of the second anti-Aristide coup, orchestrated by the United States on February 28 2004.
Outrageously the occupying US and UN forces kicked out the medical students and used the building as a barracks until 2007! Some students went to Cuba to continue their training but Haiti lost an important institution (happily the building survived the earthquake). Aristide is looking forward to continuing the work he started in 2001 now that he is back in Haiti.
But you have to wonder what kind of friend moves in and takes over an important medical school in a country that desperately needs medical professionals? We are reminded by the media and our dear leaders how poor and vulnerable Haiti is; how much better prepared for the earthquake would they have been with these doctors in the field?
I was shocked to read this hidden history. But it's nice to know that the US and UN don't give a shit about Haiti. Once you realize these things you can move on to the next logical step.
But you know, all this has been said before.
And the important thing is that Jean-Bertrand Aristide is back in Haiti. No thanks to Barack Obama, he arrived this weekend to a riotous welcome. Anyway I was following the coverage on Democracy Now! and learned something that I never knew about his kidnapping in 2004. I wanted to share it with you today.
As President of Haiti, Aristide recognized that one of the major problems in his country was a lack of medical services. There are very few doctors serving the population and doctors have to go abroad to study, and many I would imagine, didn't return. In fact I have read that there were only 2,000 doctors in the whole country of 9 million. So working with Cuba (famous for the exporting of doctors) in 2001 he broke ground on a new facility to house a new medical school for his country. The University of the Aristide Foundation was opened in late 2003 and its primary goal was to train poor, rural doctors to return home and serve their communities. The school was training 247 doctors by the time of the second anti-Aristide coup, orchestrated by the United States on February 28 2004.
Outrageously the occupying US and UN forces kicked out the medical students and used the building as a barracks until 2007! Some students went to Cuba to continue their training but Haiti lost an important institution (happily the building survived the earthquake). Aristide is looking forward to continuing the work he started in 2001 now that he is back in Haiti.
But you have to wonder what kind of friend moves in and takes over an important medical school in a country that desperately needs medical professionals? We are reminded by the media and our dear leaders how poor and vulnerable Haiti is; how much better prepared for the earthquake would they have been with these doctors in the field?
I was shocked to read this hidden history. But it's nice to know that the US and UN don't give a shit about Haiti. Once you realize these things you can move on to the next logical step.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Blast Off
So the bombing has begun. Of course there's no question that we would dare to bomb the other dictators massacring their people: specifically Yemen and Bahrain. Both of which would be pushovers, unlike Libya. And anyway that would mean that we actually stand for something and not just securing oil.
But I read that already the US and the new 'Coalition of the Willing' have fired 110 Tomahawk missiles at Libya in one day. So let's make some calculations as to the cost of just firing these missiles. Remember these are weapons whose job it is to create nothing but burn up and destroy and sew misery.
According to a US military site, in 1999 dollars each Tomahawk costs $569,000. So I had to figure out how much that would be in 2011 dollars. I found an inflation calculator which showed that the number for each missile increases to $755,851.27 or 32.8 percent (scary and shows how quickly our hard earned money is rendered worthless--basically in 10 years the one dollar you made is now worth two thirds its value when traded for goods and services).
So in one day the Coalition of the Willing blew up $83,143,639.70. Keep up the good work boys!
But I read that already the US and the new 'Coalition of the Willing' have fired 110 Tomahawk missiles at Libya in one day. So let's make some calculations as to the cost of just firing these missiles. Remember these are weapons whose job it is to create nothing but burn up and destroy and sew misery.
According to a US military site, in 1999 dollars each Tomahawk costs $569,000. So I had to figure out how much that would be in 2011 dollars. I found an inflation calculator which showed that the number for each missile increases to $755,851.27 or 32.8 percent (scary and shows how quickly our hard earned money is rendered worthless--basically in 10 years the one dollar you made is now worth two thirds its value when traded for goods and services).
So in one day the Coalition of the Willing blew up $83,143,639.70. Keep up the good work boys!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Great Analysis
Last week Naomi Klein was on Democracy Now! It was a really interesting discussion, one of the best I've seen. Her analysis touched on the deep transformations needed to dismantle the global economy. But we all pretend that we don't have to do this and we can just buy hybrids and change lightbulbs but it's not going to work. And this is the reason why people are starting to reject climate change (based on faith not facts) because it would mean that we have to reject the global economy. The funny thing is that really the global economy only benefits the few while leaving the planet with a legacy of destruction. Anyway check out the show below.
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