Annan close to quitting over UN scandals

Sean at Soundoff points out this article from the Sunday Times- Depressed Annan close to quitting over UN scandals. I don't feel a bit sorry for Annan. He got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. More interesting, however, will be the outright organized campaign of Bill Clinton to take his place. I think Clinton sees this as a chance to influence world affairs, and perhaps secure the legacy that may be lacking from his Presidency. Stay tuned...

Highway Patrol Priorities

Recently, a Missouri Highway Patrolman was shot dead outside his home in Van Buren, Mo. While this is certainly a tragic event, I have a problem with the way some of the troopers prioritize their jobs when something like this happens. Perhaps it's just what they say to the media that makes me mad.

One of our local TV stations was interviewing one of the investigating patrolmen, asking him how the work was going. He mentioned that the work was physically difficult, but more emotionally draining. Then came the clencher- he said something to the effect of: 'we keep working, the adrenaline kicks in, because now our work has a real purpose'.

Unbelievable. I thought that in their job as public servants, ANY murder would have 'real purpose' and meaning. That one statement, probably unnoticed by many, speaks volumes to me about where Missouri civilians rank in the food chain.

U.S. Congress Sends Schiavo Bill to Bush

This: U.S. Congress Sends Schiavo Bill to Bush is utter nonsense. Congress insists on wasting time on this and MLB steroids, when they should be working out the problems with our favorite National Ponzi scheme, Social Security.

From the Yahoo News article, first paragraph: "The U.S. Congress early on Monday rushed legislation to President Bush aimed at prolonging the life of a brain-damaged woman, Terri Schiavo, in an extraordinary intervention to move the Florida case into the jurisdiction of federal courts."
It seems like it's fashionable these days to try and move every controversial topic away from the states to federal jurisdiciton. Don't like your state law regarding this Schiavo woman's situation? Take it to federal court. Don't like your state's position on same-sex marriage? Create an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. What happened to the notion that each of the states would be an 'independent experiment' in democracy and capitalism? In the past, if you didn't like your own state laws, you could move to another state anytime you wanted. Now, what's the point?

Nathan Frampton beat me to the punch on this Schiavo business. From his post on Framptonia: "The government should not interfere with a husband’s right to insist that his wife be taken off of feeding tubes. When you get married, your spouse should have the right to make such a decision, not your parents or siblings." And: "Do we really think that it is the will of God to remain alive in such conditions?"

Well said. If you are incapable of making personal medical decisions, your spouse is the only logical choice to do so in your stead. Otherwise, you have the legal chaos we are witnessing.

As to the will of God, I'm getting tired of people presuming that they know what the will of God is. Any number of evil things throughout history have been done because they were the ' will of God.' 9/11 quickly comes to mind. I would add the interference into this family's situation by people who are interested in nothing more than political and legal grandstanding to the list.

The Iranians do Some Things Well...

THIS is a photo of a convicted rapist and murderer, being whipped before he was executed. Hard-core justice... I am unresolved on the issue of the death penalty, but I have to admit - it is refreshing to see something like that happen to a child rapist...

Let's Drill for Oil...

The Revolutionist has some interesting thoughts on drilling in ANWR. It ties in with recent comments I've made here and here. Go look.

Shaolin Kung Fu Master appeals to Legislators for Protection

THIS story was just too good to pass up, as it contains two subjects that are near and dear to my heart: the martial arts, and private property rights.

From the article: A top kung fu master from Shaolin Temple has urged China's legislature to enact a law to better protect the world-renowned martial arts centre's trademark rights, state press reported.
"China needs to make a law at an earlier date so that Shaolin kung fu and other intangible heritage are better protected within a legal framework," Xinhua news agency quoted master Shi Yongxin as saying.
The 1,500-year-old temple, known as the cradle of China's martial arts {probably the cradle of ALL martial arts- my addition}, is under siege from competitors taking advantage of its name, said Shi, a deputy to the National People's Congress, China's rubber-stamp parliament.
Also- "We have to wake up to the fact that some other nations might have already begun to capitalize on our traditional know-how to sharpen their own competitive edge and make profits amid fierce international competition in a globalised society," he said.

Please understand that private property rights, in my opinion, are the number one basis for a sound, free civilization. Number two would be the profit motive and free-market capitalism. The Shaolin Master is probably justified in asking that the Temple's rights be protected, even though the martial arts are now so wide-spread that it would be difficult not to consider them to be in the public domain. That being said, I find a few things about this article rather strange-

First, I would think that a true Shaolin Master, living according to his code of simplicity and lack of desire, could care less if every martial art school in the world called itself the Shaolin Temple, because he would know that his temple is the real deal and that would be sufficient. Second, and here's the clencher: How can anyone from China, the world hotbed of intellectual piracy, dare to ask that their intellectual property rights be respected? Has China not 'capitalized on the world's traditional know-how to sharpen its own competitive edge and make profits amid fierce international competition in a globalised society?' Sweep your temple floors first, before you complain that my house is messy...

A Little Humor

The Cranky Liberal has posted a great one about people and their newspapers... Go check it out.

What a shame!

John over at Arkanssouri points out a case where a lawyer has effectively sued himself. Hate to see that!

Perception is King

Isn't it funny how perception often trumps reality? You see it in so many facets of life... The stock market is a good example. It doesn't matter what your company earnings are, just convince the analysts that you'll have future earnings, and your stock price will climb... Midwest farmers are currently in a full-blown panic over something called Asian Soybean Rust, which may or may not become a big problem here as it is in other parts of the world. Certain agricultural manufacturers have created the perception that the problem already exists, so it does.

What interests me today, however, it perception and politics. Check out my post on Framptonia about the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and how certain senators are demanding that the administration release the oil so that prices will stay low for the benefit of 'working families.'

All this just in time for peak driving season. Food for thought.

Gangs Reach Out of Prison to Commit Crimes

I heard about THIS on All Things Considered (National Proletariat Radio) yesterday. Gotta give NPR some credit, they do have some fascinating stories from time to time.

It's amazing how complex the operations of this 'Nuestra Familia' gang are, as well as the extent of their reach into life outside the prison system...

How do you stop a gang like this, without completely isolating all their members while they're locked up?

For additional reading, check out this story.

Even I Get it Right Sometimes

Sean at Soundoff points out a Washington Post article about the massive changes going on in the Middle East. From the article: "It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq," explains [leader of Lebanese intifada Walid] Jumblatt. "I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world." Jumblatt says this spark of democratic revolt is spreading. "The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."

Well, well. As I said back in September of last year, the dominoes in the Middle East are beginning to fall: "Now that the Muslim world has seen that we are willing to do what it takes to destroy the terrorists, it seems the Muslim countries are jumping at the opportunity to publicly demonstrate their goodwill by making positive gestures to the world- some substantive, some token. The dominoes started falling with Afghanistan, then Libya. We all know what happened there, and it seems that Libya is serious about rejoining the civilized world in trade and peace. Fantastic. Next, Syria made a token gesture of loosening internet restrictions on its people... Sorry, but that won't cut it. Now, we have Yemen demonstrating true justice with the Cole terrorists. Chalk another one up for the good guys. Once we knock over the Iraqi domino once and for all, my view is that the Muslim world will have ample evidence that Bush wasn't kidding... It's time for Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Iran to start seriously thinking about their respective futures. I would much rather see the remaining dominoes fall on their own, instead of having to knock them over. We'll see more substantive gestures soon, just wait."

Now Lebanon is trying to rid themselves of the Syrians. Good for them. They can see the writing on the wall. More exciting changes are sure to come in the next few years, and on balance, they will be more for the good...