Still more flotsam

Obedience pays, as this recent ad from our local paper makes clear:
FREE TO LOVING HOME
Adorable little 10 lb female Mi-ki breed (similar to Maltese) who has proven incompatible with my violin practicing, and has been traumatized to the point of hiding, shaking uncontrollably, and retaliating with incontinence. My husband too has been traumatized but has exhibited appropriate patience, loyalty and commendable obedience, so he may stay. Call if interested...

Having been interested mostly in the Middle East situation for so long I confess to not following very closely events in South America. But watching Democracy Now today I was rudely awakened to certain developments there. I would never have guessed things could be so awful and absurd at one and the same time. Are you aware that the conditions for Ecuador to pay off their loans to their out of country bondholders stipulate that NINETY PERCENT of their oil revenue has to be paid to bondholers while only TEN PERCENT is earmarked for social services, etc., in that country. The bondholders bought the bonds very cheaply and stand to make such obscene profits as to make one gag, while the citizens of that unfortunate country are doomed to live in utter poverty probably forever. Think of it! Now you know why Argentina has said they simply will not pay. Ecuador is saying more or less the same thing. Bolivia, too, is revolting against a similar situation. Venezuela is leading the way. More power to them, I say. They should all tell the U.S. and the World Bank to go to hell and refuse to pay. This has been a gigantic con game for years and years. If you don't believe it read Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by Perkins, who was featured today on Democracy Now along with Greg Palast. So what will the U.S. and the World Bank do if they refuse to pay? Nuke them? Invade? Assassinate their leaders until they find one that will agree (the usual procedure)? I can see great things ahead if South America follows the lead of these countries and insists on having truly democratically elected leaders instead of the usual corrupt puppets of the past. If I was a praying man I'd pray for them.

There is an interesting situation developing in Florida. Posada, who has spent most of his life terrorizing and trying to assassinate Castro, has snuck into the U.S. and wants to claim political asylum. He is known to have been involved in terrorist activities against Cuba. In short, he is a known terrorist. Both Cuba and Venezuala want him extradited so he can be tried in their countries (he spent time in jail in Venezuala until he escaped). So, in our declared war on terrorism, what are we to do? If he is granted political asylum what will that tell the world about our much ballyhood war on terrorism? If he is not given asylum what will happen in the anti-Castro bunch in Florida? Stay tuned. This is as exciting as Bolton/DeLay and the "nuclear option."

I think (hope) that I am beginning to see major cracks in the present Administration. Their pathological lying may finally be catching up to them. They seem to believe you can fool most of the people most of the time. I don't think so. Bolton and DeLay will be interesting test cases. The Impeach Bush drive may be taking on more support. The media are being increasingly exposed for what they are - toadies for the Administration, and they are increasingly losing their audience. Corporate control for the media has to go - and if and when it does perhaps we can have our democracy back again.