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The Blogmanac: "On This Day" ... and much more
Think universally. Act terrestrially.
For in a hard-working society, it is rare and even subversive to celebrate too much, to revel and keep on reveling: to stop whatever you're doing and rave, pray, throw things, go into trances, jump over bonfires, drape yourself in flowers, stay up all night, and scoop the froth from the sea.
Anneli Rufus*
So do I. Chinese military expansion, and African oil politics are, IMHO, the two relatively unsung major dynamics of the shifting global scene.
"By steps big and small, China is changing the balance of power in the world.
"It is modernising its military and expanding its reach with mobile launchers that could fire missiles into the American north-west and a navy and air force that could operate well beyond its borders ...
"China, for example, has long possessed ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. But in the last few years China has developed a system to launch those missiles from trucks ...
"For the United States, the advent of such a system begins the shift in the strategic equation ..." Source: BBC
"YellowTimes.org has shut down due to funding issues. While this may be temporary, it also may be permanent. We appreciate your past support." Source: Yellow Times
This is very sad for anyone who used to read the excellent Yellow Times website. Our own Wilson's Almanac Yellow Pages for two years has beeen produced in association with our friends at YT, and will continue, but using news and current affairs material from other sources.
Congratulations, thanks, commiserations and all good wishes to the team that produced one of the best background briefing sites on the Net.
"ABUJA, March 9 (Reuters) - Nigeria must halt the growing violence and oil theft in its troubled delta region or risk major consequences for its national security and oil industry, a top U.S. defence official said on Wednesday.
"OPEC member Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, is the fifth largest supplier to the United States and has gained in strategic importance to Washington as its own oil production has declined sharply.
"But industry officials estimate up to 100,000 barrels a day of Nigeria's crude is stolen by armed gangs backed by powerful ethnic and political figures, who use the proceeds to build up their arsenals in an attempt to control access to oil facilities.
"Retired U.S. General Carlton Fulford, director of a U.S.-led international summit on oil and security being held in Nigeria, said gangs engaged in the theft of crude in the delta would have to be dealt with at the 'highest level'." Source: Reuters
[Like BushCo, we're keeping our eyes on Africa's oil.]
"The safety of news media in Iraq is again under the spotlight with calls for better investigation of recent journalist deaths in the war zone.
"Richard Aedy: We begin with Iraq. As you probably recall, last week an Italian intelligence officer was killed by US troops after securing the release of journalist Giuliana Sgrena from kidnappers. This tragedy has caused an understandable falling out between Italy and the US, and it’s also focused attention on the issue of the safety of news media in Iraq.
"Aidan White is head of the International Federation of Journalists, based in Brussels.
"Aidan White: One of the reasons why we were dismayed is because we see this as yet another incident of what appears to be very poor soldiering, and an incident involving a journalist where there’s no real clear explanation about the circumstances of why this attack happened.
"Richard Aedy: Because this certainly isn't the first time, is it, that there's been a death connected with a member of the news media and involving US forces?
"Aidan White: Far from it. And the sad truth is we've got around 13 incidents involving the killing of journalists at the hands of US soldiers, all of them since the invasion a couple of years ago, and I don't think in one of those cases has there been a satisfactory, exhaustive and independent investigation that has satisfied the victims' families of the victims’ colleagues and media. The problem is, is that in all of these cases, the US soldiers have essentially investigated themselves. What reports have been made have been pretty paltry, they’ve not been released in full, and they have all said exactly the same thing: there are a few words of regret, 'this was a sad incident', in most cases. But they exonerate themselves from any responsibility." Source: The Media Report
"We had no signal. We were just on the way to the airport. They started to shoot at us without any light or signal. There was no block, there was nothing. It was so immediate. I didn't know how I was alive after all that attack." Transcript: Giuliana Sgrena interview on BBC
What if soldiers and police weren't other people like you and me, but robots?
"This video gives us a peek into the future when our wars will be fought by our robots so we don’t have to get our hands dirty. I wonder what the insurgents in Iraq would think about us just sending a bunch of robots after them. We already have un-manned reconnaissance planes." Source
The astute Wilson's Almanac free daily ezine subscriber will have noticed that there was no ezine on March 6. Well, to make up for it, I posted the March 7 ezine on that day instead. And then on the 7th, I posted the March 8 one, and today ...
You guessed it. I goofed. I've made the same mistake before. By way of flagrant self-justification, I would like to explain that when I prepare, say, the March 6 edition, I'm doing it on March 5, but it is still March 4 where half of my readers live in the Western Hemisphere. I send it on March 6 as early as possible so that my readers in the Eastern Hemisphere, such as those in Japan, Australia, South-East Asia and so on, will get it at a reasonable time. I like to think most of my readers can have it with their morning coffee. It doesn't always work out that way, but it's a goal.
But on March 6 it's still March 5 for my other readers in the West ... the Europeans, Africans, Americans ... especially those USA readers on the West Coast who are about 18 hours behind the Centre of the Universe (no offence). So, on March 5 I am trying to juggle in my admittedly inadequate brain, three days: March 4, 5 and 6.
On March 5 I thought I would be really smart and get one day ahead in my prep because of a busy week ahead. And obviously my brain blew a gasket, just like my good monitor has (warranty expired 7 days ago). That's what happens. That's how I goof sometimes. It's happened before, but I hope not again. Humble apologies.
Anyway, the March 6 info is all there for the taking, at this page in the Book of Days. Enjoy, belatedly.
On February 24, Australian media reported the bizarre (not to mention extremely disturbing) story that Cui Yu Hu, a 104-year-old woman, is being forced by Australia's draconian immigration regime to return to China.
"Mrs Hu arrived in Australia in 1995 on a visitor's visa and could not return home 12 months later because no airline would take her because she was too old and frail."
Now the latest news is that the Department of Immigration (headed by Amanda 'Amandatory Detention' Vanstone) has rejected her appeal. Mrs Hu is now stuffed, unless Vanstone makes a media opportunity out of it with a 'compassionate' last-minute reprieve.
One of the things that really gets up the noses of people living in the other 190 countries is when George W Bush says that America is "the greatest country in the world".
Not because America isn't a great country, but because it is. Because if the head of a really lousy country said it, it would be risible, but when the President of a great country says it, it's arrogant. And because most people in all the other countries, who make up the vast majority on this planet, probably also think their country is the best. I think Australia's the best, even if it isn't, and even though I can't stand a lot of it. It's natural to have love of one's country, but it's not nice to rub other people's noses in it.
Bush should read this article, America by the Numbers, written by one of his fellow Americans. Then we would like him to get off his high horse and maybe stop thinking empire. We don't want it, and I don't believe most Americans want it either.
Just three snippets:
"The United States is 49th in the world in literacy (New York Times, Dec. 12, 2004)."
"The U.S. and South Africa are the only two developed countries in the world that do not provide health care for all their citizens".
The United States is 41st in the world in infant mortality. Cuba scores higher (NYT, Jan. 12, 2005).
"An urn with someone's ashes, packets of Viagra and a shed – these are things Australians either lost, threw away or left to be cleaned up today by thousands of volunteers.
"Each year the volunteers spend Clean Up Australia Day collecting other people's rubbish.
"And every year the dedicated volunteers find weird things. However, some of what was found this year must qualify as the strangest on record. Among them are items which may help police solve crimes.
"Queensland volunteers found an urn used to carry ashes after cremation ...
"More than 670,000 volunteers took part in the nationwide tidy up, collecting more than 8,450 tonnes of rubbish ...
"In [the State of New South Wales] more than 300,000 people turned out to help in the massive tidy up, which is actually run over three days, and collected about 3,607 tonnes of rubbish." Source: Brisbane Courier-Mail
Clean Up the World "CUW inspires communities around the world to clean up, fix up and conserve the environment. CUW weekend 2005 is held on 16-18 September." Source: Clean Up Australia
In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.
Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.
And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14. So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.
God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.
God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food." God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.
Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.
God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good."
Pages
of Days
Almanac
US watches China warily
Nigeria: US General's warning
Giuliana Sgrena incident
Durrr ... What day is this again?
Cui Yu Hu, 104, must return to China
Dear Emperor Bush
In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.