Archive for the 'World' Category

Anthrax doesn’t kill people, people do

Published
by
Sarah Curran
on April 18, 2007
in Humour, News, Politics, U.S.A, World, gun control and nra
. 1 Comment
Anthrax bacteria

The National Anthrax Association (NAA) has reacted furiously to suggestions that the ownership of the cattle-related disease should be subject to regulation.

Following recent tragic events, in which the use of anthrax has resulted in the deaths of many people, there have been calls for the ownership of the carnage-causing illness to be limited. The chief spore of the NAA however, Ben Moses, has insisted that the demands are the result of lily livered liberal types, whose nannying will see us all back in communist Russia.

“Having dangerous materials and being able to use them to defend myself is my constitutional right, ” he cried in his best Mount Sinai voice. “I’ll tell you the only way they’ll take my biological agents away from me. From my cold, dead lungs!”

Moses also rejected suggestions that, as there was no other possible use for Anthrax nowadays other than killing things, it was reasonable to have some form of government regulation. “Anthrax has many peaceful uses, such as killing cattle, consarn it.”

“People kill people, not toxic spores. With personal responsibility and strong punishment of misuse, everyone can enjoy their animal diseases free from state interference.”

 

 

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed AKA Ron Jeremy

Published
by
Robyn
on March 15, 2007
in 911, Bush, Northern Ireland, U.S.A, blogging, geopolitics and mad dog
. 2 Comments

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

Who Shaves just the neck? cmon! Dude you were getting sloppy! Should never have done celebrity farm

Full Mental Jack-tit

Published
by
Robyn
on November 17, 2006
in Bush, Northern Ireland, Politics, U.S.A and World
. 0 Comments

President Bush in one of his “If we only knew now what we knew then” kinda speeches. Picks possibly the worst place in the world to talk about the failures of the Vietnam war!

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. President George W. Bush said Friday the United States’ unsuccessful war in Vietnam three decades ago offered lessons for the American-led struggle in Iraq.

“We’ll succeed unless we quit,” Bush said shortly after arriving in this one-time war capital.

Bush met here with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, one of America’s strongest allies in Iraq, Vietnam and other conflicts.

The president said there were lessons to be learned from the divisive Vietnam war — the longest conflict in U.S. history — as the United States wages an unpopular war in Iraq.

“We tend to want there to be instant success in the world, and the task in Iraq is going to take a while,” the president said.

He called the Iraq war a “great struggle” and said, “It’s just going to take a long period of time for the ideology that is hopeful — and that is an ideology of freedom — to overcome an ideology of hate.”

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/16/bush.hanoi.ap/index.html

The path to 9/11

Published
by
Robyn
on September 7, 2006
in 911, GOP, Humour, Iran, News, Northern Ireland, Toireasa Ferris, U.S.A, World and iraq
. 0 Comments

Watch this space President Bush is on message, Sadamists are taking over the asylum and the Fourth Reich of the Apocalypse is bering down on the free world (if you can afford the subscription). So where is the liberal media in it’s rebuttal or backing of the march for war? Well here it is ABC’s “THE PATH TO 9/11″ which the ever fair and balanced refers to as:

“the miniseries no one wanted to see”…”From the looks of it, the story is going to be about how stupid the government was: If only they’d listened to one man, all would have been right!”

A few shot well placed advertisements for small cash loans (small cash? classy place) later: (the bold letters are some shitty attempt at Googlejuice by fox )

O’Neill left the FBI in 2001 when he claimed his superiors wouldn’t listen to his warnings about Al Qaeda, and became the head of security at the World Trade Center. He was the subject of a PBS Frontline special called “The Man Who Knew.”

The miniseries seems to be based on the PBS show, which is outlined in painstaking and unintentionally humorous detail on the PBS Web site.

In the TV version, O’Neill is described as “Early 40s to early 50s, a New Jersey native, a tall, burly, no-nonsense man with a taste for the high life, he’s an FBI Special Agent, smart, determined, and tenacious in pursuing the big picture.

“O’Neill is known for his sharp elbows and Irish temper. He is on the trail of Usama Bin Laden from the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993. Hungry to make busts in the pursuit of those responsible for taking American lives, O’Neill becomes a bitter opponent of Al Qaeda along the way, and is loudly and impatiently angry with the State Department honchos who balk his investigations…”

Think Brian Dennehy.

Historians should have a field day with this version of the decade-long terrorist plot. But why not? Screenwriter Cyrus Nowrasteh got his start on another soap opera, “Falcon Crest.” He also wrote the upcoming miniseries “Into the West” and was cited for “The Day Reagan Was Shot.” Marc Platt is the producer, and David L. Cunningham — who helmed the recent miniseries revival of “Little House on the Prairie” and several B-movies — will direct.

The remaining 15 characters needed to make this story of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history include former local New York TV reporter John Miller, who interviewed Usama in 1998; Richard Clarke (”soon finds himself at odds with high-ranking members of the Administration, even as he chairs meetings devoted to the extermination of Al Qaeda…”); Sandy Berger, national security adviser to President Clinton; a number of FBI agents such as Neil Herman and Bill Miller; some of the actual plotters, such as Mohamed Atta; as well as former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Barbara Bodine.

And there will be more to come, as the miniseries casts for just about everyone involved in national security and the plotting of the Sept. 11 tragedies. Who will play bin Laden? Or Saddam Hussein? Agents, consult your clients: History is going Hollywood.

Right wing mickies!

ABC has yet to comment on the affair, but it’s on BBC Sunday at 8pm for all to see. In the mean time Sandy Berger and Madeleine Albright have been getting their legal ores in trying to avoid the inevitable re-write of history. Wielding my trusty copy of the 9/11 report and having read the Bob Woodward books I tend to have some belief in though little empathy with the two. What I do realize is that if this was some heroic left wing targeting of the Bush administration’s dislike of swatting at flies (direct address of Bin Laden) Fox News would be staying shtumm, by reacting the lead their audience to a great piece of pro Republican propaganda.

Meanwhile with two years left President Bush should be well into changing the names in Tommy Lee’s Biography “I’m drivin but look who’s eating my Dick Chaney”

hey how’d they get that Saddam ref in there

Bush stares into the mirror and blinks

Published
by
Robyn
on August 24, 2006
in Bush, GOP, Northern Ireland, Politics, U.S.A and iraq
. 0 Comments

The Bush administration has drafted amendments to a war crimes law that would eliminate the risk of prosecution for political appointees, CIA officers and former military personnel for humiliating or degrading war prisoners, according to U.S. officials and a copy of the amendments.

The draft U.S. amendments to the War Crimes Act would narrow the scope of potential criminal prosecutions to 10 specific categories of illegal acts against detainees during a war, including torture, murder, rape and hostage-taking.

Left off the list would be what the Geneva Conventions refer to as “outrages upon [the] personal dignity” of a prisoner and deliberately humiliating acts — such as the forced nakedness, use of dog leashes and wearing of women’s underwear seen at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq — that fall short of torture.

Whats the problem, if President Bush and his advisors were telling the truth and not just overspending political capital then why are they worried about the repercussions of their actions?

Give Lebanon the Bomb

Published
by
Sarah Curran
on July 20, 2006
in Middle East, News, Politics, U.S.A and lebanon
. 0 Comments

Remember the kid who used to get bullied by everyone at school?  You know, the weedy one.  The kind of child who could do nothing right, and who everyone picked on to vent their own frustrations, even the teachers, who probably thought the same as you.  You felt sorry for them, and knew there must be some reason for it.  Bad home, mental health problems, both most likely.  Everyone knew no one would ever care you see.   But still, it was so easy.  Everyone piled in and made his life hell.  That poor wean is Lebanon. 

Its so easy for countries around the world to use Lebanon as the way to vent their frustrations.  Israel knowing its all Syria and Iran’s fault, but too afraid to send missles and bombs their way.  Oh no, those kids are far too big.  Much easier to pick on the weedy kid in the corner, Lebanon.  He’ll never fight back, and it’ll show everyone back home that Israel can handle itself.

Syria and Iran, they can bully Lebanon to do their dirty work.  Go there, steal those sweets, fire those rockets at the Israelis.  Do what we won’t, but don’t ever tout on us, cos we don’t want to get caught.  Easier to get schizo Lebanon, with its weak health and different personalities to do the job, and take the punishment.

The USA, the UK.  They’re the teachers.  They feel sorry for Lebanon, but they can’t be bothered to get too involved.  It must be Lebanon’s own fault.  Surely it can help itself, control that side to its personality that’s causing all the trouble.  Yes, that’s the simple answer, so it must be right.  And if it can’t, then it deserves everything it gets.  They don’t blame the Israelis.  Lebanon annoys them so much, they can see why Israel lashes out.  They encourage it.

Looking back now, I’m sure you’d love to do something different, to give that kid something to stop all the bullies.  Something to ensure that no one would pick on it again.  Well, lets do it. 

Lobby your elected representative.  (Note to readers in the Occupied Six Counties/Our Wee Ulster:  Lebanon is a place outside of here.  If your elected representative wants more info, tell him/er to look at something other than their picture in the local rag).  Write to the US, the UN, Putin, Bush, Chirac, Blair.  Set up websites.  March.  Set up online petitions.  Lebanon needs a way to tell the rest of the world to leave it alone, to stop fighting their ancient battles on its ground.  Well, North Korea has shown them the way.  I’m serious.   Lets give Lebanon the H-bomb.

The Orange story :: YU

Published
by
Robyn
on July 10, 2006
in Human Rights, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Orange Order, Politics, U.S.A, assembly, geopolitics, irish politics and love ulster
. 0 Comments

There is a good retrospective, somewhat introspective piece over at “The Young Unionists’” Website by Brian Crowe about the Orange tradition and it’s place in history. The Young Unionists website is a good one and while some of it will make some readers blood boil and others cheer they should all still read it.

Coming from the American Republic tradition and understand it’s ideals and failures, but I can’t help but acknowledge the irony of praising the Declaration of Independence written in the good republic (rather then the neighbor republic). Viewed through the eyes of time and the lens of Northern Ireland it’s a wonderfully relevant piece. What I see as a new found embracing of the American revolution by Unionism and The Orange is little more then a straw man.

It is human nature to distance ourselves from the nipple of our mother and make our own way in life. What relevance does a Monarch or a Pope have in any of our lives? This question can only be answered by the respublica, république other wise know as the people.

Highlights of the Declaration of Independence

The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies\

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Belfast Blogger - first with insulting stories

Published
by
Sarah Curran
on March 9, 2006
in Humour, Middle East, News, Northern Ireland, World and blogging
. 4 Comments

An article in the Belfast Telegraph tells of The Blanket and its plans to publish the infamous Muslim Cartoons.  According to the Tele, Ulster Muslims are outraged.

We linked to all the cartoons a few weeks ago, when the story was hot, so anyone who wants to get offended quicker can check out our post on the subject.

Belfast Blogger - insulting you first!

Hypocrisy Special!

Published
by
Sarah Curran
on March 3, 2006
in DUP, IRA, Ireland, Northern Ireland, PSNI, Policing, Politics, Sinn Fein and U.S.A
. 12 Comments

So a new round of talks have started, focussing once again on attempts to get Sinn Fein and the DUP in the same executive.

In many respects, of course, there’s nothing between the parties.  They’re both strongly nationalist with a small n, they’re suspicious of the European Union and they believe they’re both on a great crusade with right on they’re side.  They also both revel in hypocrisy with the best of the them. Continue reading ‘Hypocrisy Special!’

Show some restraint fellas, eh?

Published
by
Sarah Curran
on February 6, 2006
in Middle East, News, Northern Ireland and World
. 1 Comment

So when does freedom of expression cross the line and become offensive?  The Danish cartoons story has been mushrooming over the last few days, sadly leading to some deaths.  The fact that these particulary unfunny cartoons were published in a newspaper originally showed a lack of editoral judgement and a misunderstanding on the purpose of cartoons.  They should either make a point, or amuse.  The best cartoons do both, but these did neither.  Instead they tried to offend, and the point seemed to be how offensive they could become.  The decision of other newspaper editors throughout Europe was slightly more defensible in that the cartoons had become a news story and people, at this stage, should be able to see and make their minds up.  The fault goes back to the original decision.  No culture should delibrately push its boundaries to the point of offending others just because it feels it can.  Any similiarities to a Northern Irish organisation with penchant for wearing sashes and trying to put their culture where it isn’t wanted, or with Northern Irish groups who show righteous indignation at other’s culture, is of course coincidental.