What is a war crime?

I found this article to be of interest. Perhaps it is time more people become a bit more educated on the definitions of war crimes in order to find if President Bush is guilty of them. If we are to impeach him we should understand what he has done. His desire for accountability statements show us that there is much room for him to stand and deliver on his promise for this. Only it is he who should be held accountable for the actions in Iraq.

I know this goes against the grain of where I have been heading lately with the previous entries, but as a society should we not close the door of ills such as these in order to heal the wounds to be able to move forward a more learned and civil people?

What is a war crime?

By Tarik Kafala
BBC News

The arrest of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his expected transfer to The Hague throws a renewed spotlight on the prosecution of war crimes.

But what exactly are war crimes? What body of laws do they refer to and who has the right to try a suspect for such crimes?

Radovan Karadzic is set to follow Slobodan Milosevic to The Hague

The concept of war crimes is a recent one. Before World War II, it was generally accepted that the horrors of war were in the nature of war.

But during World War II the murder of several million people - mainly Jews - by Nazi Germany, and the mistreatment of both civilians and prisoners of war by the Japanese, prompted the Allied powers to prosecute the people they believed to be the perpetrators of these crimes.

The Nuremberg trials in 1945 and 1946 led to 12 Nazi leaders being executed.

A similar process started in Tokyo in 1948. Seven Japanese commanders were hanged, though the Allies decided not to put Emperor Hirohito in the dock.

These trials were essentially the precedents for the cases that the modern-day tribunal in The Hague hears.

In addition, individual governments, feeling that justice has not been done, have acted on their own initiative.

At the heart of the concept of war crimes is the idea that an individual can be held responsible for the actions of a country or that nation's soldiers

This happened most famously in 1960, when Adolf Eichmann, a high-profile Nazi closely involved in the organisation of the concentration camps and the policies of the Holocaust, was tracked down in Argentina by Israeli agents.

He was kidnapped and taken to Israel where he was put on trial and subsequently hanged.

A more recent example was the 1987 trial of Klaus Barbie - a leading Nazi during the German occupation of France. Barbie was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Body of laws

At the heart of the concept of war crimes is the idea that an individual can be held responsible for the actions of a country or that nation's soldiers.

Prosecutors aim to get justice for the victims of Bosnian war crimes

Genocide, crimes against humanity, mistreatment of civilians or combatants during war can all fall under the category of war crimes. Genocide is the most severe of these crimes.

The body of laws that define a war crime are the Geneva Conventions, a broader and older area of laws referred to as the Laws and Customs of War, and, in the case of the former Yugoslavia, the statutes of the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague (ICTY).

Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention defines war crimes as: "Wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including... wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person, compelling a protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile power, or wilfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial, ...taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly."

This, international lawyers say, is the basic definition of war crimes.

The statutes of The Hague tribunal say the court has the right to try suspects alleged to have violated the laws or customs of war in the former Yugoslavia since 1992. Examples of such violations are given in article 3:

• Wanton destruction of cities, towns or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity
• Attack, or bombardment, by whatever means, of undefended towns, villages, dwellings, or buildings
• Seizure of, destruction or wilful damage done to institutions dedicated to religion, charity and education, the arts and sciences, historic monuments and works of art and science
• Plunder of public or private property.

The tribunal defines crime against humanity as crimes committed in armed conflict but directed against a civilian population. Again a list of examples is given in article 5:

• Murder
• Extermination
• Enslavement
• Deportation
• Imprisonment
• Torture
• Rape
• Persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds.

Genocide is defined by the tribunal as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group".

But the law on war crimes is continually evolving.

In February 2001, the tribunal in The Hague delivered a ruling that made mass systematic rape and sexual enslavement in a time of war a crime against humanity.

Mass rape, or rape used as a tool of war, was then elevated from being a violation of the customs of war to one of the most heinous war crimes of all - second only to genocide.

Spotting a war crime

It is not always easy to spot a war crime.

The displacement of civilians from their homes by an enemy army is not necessarily a war crime.

It can be argued that the displacement is being carried out for the protection of the civilians.

It only becomes a war crime if the expulsions can be proven to be part of campaign of ethnic cleansing or designed as a mass punishment of civilians.

Equally, is it a war crime for the air force of one country to bomb an enemy's television station because of the propaganda in the broadcasts?

Under the Geneva Conventions, this is not a war crime. Just about all aspects of a state's infrastructure - roads, bridges, power stations, factories - become legitimate targets if they might be put to military use.

Such attacks only become war crimes if the extent of collateral damage to civilians and civilian interests resulting from the attack would be excessive compared to the military advantage gained from the attack.

International court

International human rights groups have long called for a uniform and global legal system for dealing with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Apart from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, established in May 1993, an international tribunal was established in Arusha, Tanzania, for cases resulting from the atrocities carried out in Rwanda in 1994.

Another is trying former Liberian President Charles Taylor over war crimes committed during the civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

Although these represent significant further steps in bringing those accused of war crimes to justice, they are, like Nuremberg and Tokyo, committed to dealing with war crimes in specific conflicts.

In July 2008, Surinam became the 107th country to join the International Criminal Court, set up in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity.

The United States has refused to sign the treaty, arguing the court could be used to pursue politically motivated prosecutions. Other major powers including Russia, China and India have also refused.

The question of whether international courts of this kind are political - as defendants like Slobodan Milosevic have argued - hangs over all international legal institutions.

In a sense it is true that the tribunals are political since the international political will to establish and fund them has to exist before they can get to work.

Critics of international courts often argue that international justice can only be truly legitimate when all war crimes, committed by any county, come under the jurisdiction of a single international court.

All in the mind?

I have discussed previously various books that relate to today's topic. There is much power in all of these books as to defining our relation with our life. Having all of this information is supposed to make things run smoother...perhaps if you have the keys to the car it will run...but you must put the keys into the ignition and turn the switch for things to work correctly...

Let's begin with Napolean Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich". This book expresses the energetic of positive thought. Not just positive thought, but that thought also backed by true belief. This is where the power lies. If one is to believe that something in one's life is to be they must feel it in their core. Be able to see one's self having already experienced what one is believing to be true and knowing what that feels like to one's own core upon completion. Feeling it, tasting it, smelling it, touching it, being it...

In more simple terms, we create what happens in our lives whether we like it or not. So, as we enter into times of turmoil, we manifested this turmoil through various means of action, interaction, and non-action. In order to break the turmoil one must recognize that one does not need this any longer. Let's say, we have found the pearl to which life was to show us through this turmoil and we can now move on...please...

In so, if it takes just as much energy to have a happy life as it does to have a crap experience, then why not focus on only good. As there is good in everything, this is a doable concept. Leave the negative out.

When you begin to have feeling of something that you do not like or makes your stomach feel not right, this is a good sign that your body is telling you to think differently. Change your thoughts to something good and let the other negative thoughts go.

"The Secret" is another book, taken directly from the Napolean Hill book. The concepts are nothing new in this regard. But, it puts things in different terms for different readers. This book was expressed on "Oprah" numerous times to which she expressed to her audience that she was living this. Hey, if it works for Oprah...

There is also a book called "Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets" by Bill Bonner. Part of the concept of this book explains how this same concept of self realization can get caught up and become huge fast due to the volume of people thinking and feeling the same things. Hence, the world can experience a Hitler, and Bush, just as a Ghandi and Martin Luther King. What we do with our information at the time is where this can go as a society. We manifest our life!

"Creative Visualization" is another book that takes these concepts and helps one find ways to make things happen into their daily lives. Through prayer, meditation, or yoga, and other means to silencing the exterior world and connecting to the power of ourselves.

"The Law of Attraction" is another book that helps one learn the process to creating what you want in your life. This works for love, happiness, money or anything. We have the power inside ourselves to make the life we live exactly what we want to experience.

In fact, what we experience happens whether we know this or not. The law of attraction is there whether we know it and follow it or not. Once we know and understand this, we can utilize the power of this law and help create the life we are all wanting.

One must want something first. To know what it is you are wanting is the first step to getting what you want. If you don't know what you want, you will still get something...

If you are wanting good health, happiness, success you must learn to separate these ideals and be able to focus on exactly what it is you are looking for. Since you have the power to manifest exactly what it is you are getting in life, whether you know it or not, it is best to be very specific in what it is you are looking for in life. Letting life know what your desires and boundry's are helps life give you exactly what you want.

We will leave things here for today. More tomorrow.

Join Kucinich in his impeachment cause!

Reward comes in many guises.
A just reward, the same.
You get what you give in life...
so think before you play the game.

It is our responsibility to act with purpose in life to make the world a better place than it was before we got here. Educating ourselves to do so is a lifelong task. It takes courage, humility, reserve, common sense, humor, and desire.

An education of life comes when these attributes are applied to your life for reasons beyond yourself.

Join now at Impeach Bush by Dennis Kucinich!

He is the only congressperson thus far with the balls to make something happen and hold the current administration criminals accountable for their illegalities!

Speak Up!!

The Declaration we need to love, honor, and respect...

I have a few responses to the Declaration of Independence as to how our Mr. Bush has decided to make his legacy in accordance to it...




The Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

(This simply means that we must respect what nature has created and allow for us the value in learning about eachother from a humanistic point of view rather than a political point of view. We must take eachother at the human core that we are the same and find and respect the differences in us all.)

We hold these truths to be self-evident,
(This is it.. This is the shit! This is what is real! Kay!!!...)
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
(We are all human with the same human rights as the other guy...)
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
(You rule only because we said so, in the legal process of independent voting)
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
(In other words, you do what we ask you to do to lead us to become a better country. If not, don't play these bullshit games that you're doing, get the fuck out!!!...Oh! and we have all legal right to make sure that this happens to the letter of the law as in the Constitution that you were supposed to be protecting....Kay!!!) Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. (It's time you take the back door, George! You've overextended your welcome, and hit the road Jack!)
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies;
(We've taken this shit long enough!)
and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
(Okay, Pelosi, where is your set of balls to take this administration on?!)
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.
(let the freedom of the press speak the true word and show what a tyrant you have been. Expose the truth to the murder, lies, and deception that you have conveniently been scamming to the average American!)

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. (looked us all in the eye, lied, cheated, killed, stole without any regard to our laws and system...)
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
(You have negated the processes of the check and balance system of our government...)
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.
(Consciously sides with the voice of the corporations and not the people. Rearranged the voting areas to the betterment of the Republican party in order to get elected slighting the voice of the people in the district...)
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
(You have held secret meetings without all necessary parties involved in order to make your policies work. You have also stated to the legislators regarding Iraq as truth and gave the legislators false and doctored information in order to make your claim as truth...)
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
(You have struck down with the tyrannical voice of politics against the voice of the people)
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
(You must know when it is time to get the fuck out, since you are doing way more damage now than if you were not here...get the fuck out!)
He has endeavored 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.
(You have made things difficult for new voices of the human cause to reach their place into our open and free society due to rules and regulations banning the freedom to enter this great land...)
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
(You have enboldened the power of the Supreme Court on to your viewpoints to sway the views so that you will never have to be held accountable!!)
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
(You're quite off-shore payments to the judges to which you have placed onto the Supreme Court should be noted and you need to be held accountable, as well as the judge.)
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
(You ave created a bigger, more costly government which is creating a massive debtload to the United States tax system...)
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
(Through your extended stay system of continuous call backs to duty you have created a faux draft...)
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
(By creating a "war on terror" you have instilled the executive privilege over our troops without the people's consent. )
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:
(You have lied, misrepresented facts and construed the system to on fake that you were protecting our rights...)
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
(Overextending the military...)
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
(By falsifying the courts to benefit your cronies...)
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
(You have reduced our respect for business throughout the world to the detriment of our economic expansion...)
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
(You have raised taxes without our consent...)
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
(You have created new laws allowing for detention without representation....)
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses.
(You have held us in secret prisons throughout the world for your benefit to be tried through manipulated systems of jurisprudence.)
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring 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:
(You have begun to arbitrarily change the laws of the state to become precident...)
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
(You have changed the rules of the political game...you can't do that...)
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
(You bypassed the need for acknowledgment of the necessity for a congressional approval for the invasion of a sovereign country...)
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
(You have monitored our phone calls and made it permissible to now do so, without our consent is just the beginning to the invasions of our privacy...)
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
(Your lack of attention to New Orleans and the Katrina victims is just an example of the lack of attention to the needs and victims of our nations disasters to which we pay taxes for this government to help assist those in need....)
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. (Your acts of waterboarding, and other means of interrogation...)
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
(Holding men without reason is a bad thing, simply to get information on the "other guy"....)
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
(You have egged on the people to which you are hoping to stop in order to maintain a "war on terror"! Simply to keep your profitable campaign moving forward.)

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. (You have listened to the people with a deaf ear throughout your reign on terror...Despite the fact of what we as a populace might state, you have done otherwise...)

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
(Despite how you have mis informed the allies of this country we must maintain that you are an idiot and we the people don't truly follow this kind of stupidity...)

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War,
(You have maintained that you have the right to rule the world as you see fit...) conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
(Your dedication to the Repugnicant party is unmatched as is your dedication to amassing such wealth through the power vested in you for your position as supposed elected ruler of the free world...)








Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry, Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery, Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott, William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris, Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark, Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross, Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean, Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton, William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn, Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Born Free!? Have we lost our "Right to Think"?!

As Americans we are supposed to be the beacon to human rights. This is why so many continue to flock here from their previous countries. To be free people. But, are they? Are we? Is it simply a great facade? Perhaps, in comparison to where the new immigrants come from, yes, we are "free". And this is good. But, are we "free" anymore? Has this Administration gone a bit overboard, by "protecting" (through their breeding of fear) us so much it is stifling our freedom?

I think YES! As Voltaire said, "Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too."

Although, this video below dates back to Sept. of 2006, because the President continues his path of righteousness, it is that much more relevant today!




Freedom is a fine line. It is delicate and a right that is or should be for every person on this planet. Here is the United States, have we been taking things a bit for granted? Has our complacency blinded us?

Born Free is a fight that is still alive and well!!

After Christian the Lion Reunion...

After the reunion with his previous roommates that saved him from the small cage he was in as a cub, and sent him to Africa to live his life...the story continues...

For those that recall the 1966 movie called "Born Free", the husband wife team that be friended Elsa the lion, was that of Kenyan Game Warden, George Adamson and his wife, writer, Joy Adamson. Joy's 1960 book on the topic became an international best seller which became the Oscar winning film that followed. George served as technical adviser to the film. The screenplay was written by then blacklisted Hollywood writer Lester Cole using the pseudonym "Gerald L.C. Copley". John Barry created the award winning soundtrack. The making of the film was a life-changing experience for actors Virginia McKenna and her husband Bill Travers who became animal rights activists and who were instrumental in creating the Born Free Foundation.

The foundation has two big cat sanctuaries in South Africa at the Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. Several lion and leopard have been rescued from appalling conditions all over the world and returned to their rightful home - Africa. The two sanctuaries also serve as education centers for school children from all over. Up to 500 scholars visit the centers each month.

You can visit the Born Free Foundation!

here is what followed...

Love holds no boundries!

We were having a B-Day dinner for my mother-in-law Saturday night when the family began to talk about a video that had been circulating about on the Internet about a lion that was rescued.

My wife sent me the link yesterday and I watched the video.

I found it amazing! You must watch it! It just might make your week!

Words of Sun Tzu, or Bush...Sun Tzu, or Bush...

"The Art of War", considered one of the greatest books ever written, was written 2,300 years ago by Sun Tzu, a great Chinese military genius, during the era (476 to 221 B.C.). During this time there were a few hundred wars (equal to 150 years of World War II) fought non-stop between the separate warring states of China. At this time, it is clear, that war was done by the primary means of men on the ground. Thousands and thousands of lives were lost during these violent, face to face, hand to hand battles.

The difference today doesn't seem to be much. The United States has a policy to think that our technological defense weapons are all it takes to win wars. If this were the case we would be done and complete in Iraq, and Afghanistan, or what about Vietnam. Strategy, is what wins wars. Due to the fact that our current Administration had none when going into this situation except revenging "daddy's attempted assasin", we are now left with our young men and women running around wondering why they are there. Why are they being called back for the fifth and sixth time. This is exemplified daily at the end of MSNBC News program "Countdown with Keith Olbermann", "...this is now the 1078th (or whatever) day after the declaration of victory in Iraq!" And the saga continues.


****************************
In the (translated) words of Sun Tzu:
Using a huge army in battle makes success very expensive
Long delays create a dull army and sharp defeats.
Attacking enemy cities drains your forces.
Long, violent campaigns that exhaust the nation's resources are wrong.

Manage a dull army and you will suffer sharp defeats.
Drain your forces and your money will be used up.
Your rivals will multiply as your army collapses and they will begin against you.
It doesn't matter how smart you are, you cannot get ahead by taking losses.

You hear of people going to war too quickly, still, you won't see a skilled war that lasts a long time. You can fight a war for a long time, or you can make a nation strong, you cannot do both!

****************************

I reflect on these words from his second chapter. Profound thoughts of Sun Tzu's time that are in direct relation to today. We have found ourselves in a "quagmire" to use their own words. Such a throwback to the 60's. Can our leaders ever learn from history and their mistakes? The same people that helped run the Vietnam war (Rumsfeld and Cheney) have done the same thing all over again. Only this time they have the Bush family juggernaut behind them. Money is the forefront of this war. As the times have changed since the sixties, the money is more focused to a handful of participants and a small global group of white men.

Perhaps they should read Sun Tzu's book. It's pretty clear to me, and it's only in chapter two. One could get to it in a few minutes. and save us all a lot of shit!

I know, though, that when I watch Keith Olbermann on Monday, another day will be added to his tag line and more lives will be lost for naught.

Take a listen to this most recent turn of events from the Keith Olbermann Countdown!

I love this guy!!

The Wealth of Nations is upon us!

Has the philosophies of Adam Smith, author of "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" better known as "The Wealth of Nations" and "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" reached its moment in time? He is credited with being the first to examine the importance of the division of labor and worker productivity, and for advancing the idea that free markets thrive on the basis of mutual self-interest. Although Smith warned against monopolies and mercantilism, his notion that markets are driven toward the public good by an "invisible hand" has made him a venerated figure among free market doctrinaires.

There seems to be a revolution among many small businesses, and some revolutionary big business to make a better world through creating a more environmentally or spiritually conscious business. Finding the need of the customer for a longer term relationship, rather than simply trying to close the next deal on the newest product or service and leave the customer out.

GM is seeing its stock reach levels it hasn't seen since 1954 due its denial of the desires of the buying public. They did not listen and refused to see the writing on the wall, instead trying to tell the consumer or convince them of what they wanted and manipulating those desires through legislation assistance by passing tax bills to help the consumer when they bought big trucks. Now, no one wants a big truck due to rising fuel pricing. All the while we would watch the true desires of the consumer increase with small economical imported cars.

As the new emerging economies of the world give rise to people and their desires for a more healthy and prosperous life we are able to see hints of Adam Smith's quote, "The average man and woman along with the society in which they lived, should be the primary beneficiaries of a wealthy nation." And goes on to say, "...every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way, and to bring both his industry and his capital into competition with any other man." His argument follows that the benefits of the free market should accrue not just to individuals but to society as a whole.

With Google's slogan "Don't be Evil", are we seeing an emergence of a global phenomenon of spiritual capitalism? With the revolution of environmental capitalism and the Green Business rage it seems that a new capitalistic consciousness is developing.

Let's look also at another entrepreneur named T. Boone Pickens. This billionaire has an idea, called Pickens Plan, is now being marketed on television and you can see his ideas on his website at T. Boone Pickens. My wife and I were watching MSNBC and his commercial came on. It sounded familiar, as I have been developing real estate and building homes in the state of Texas now for the past three years I have come to hear about this topic a bit. I have also heard a bit about T Boone Pickens. I think he is on to something quite substantial. As an entrepreneur he is far forward in natural gas, wind, solar, land conservation, water conservation, wildlife conservation and more.

The Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro area has discovered under it a natural gas field called The Barnett Shale formation. This is the worlds largest find of its kind. This find has been being drilled now for a few years and brings $8B to the local community each year now. This is partly why this and the overall Texas market is still going very strong even in this down market today.

His Mesa Vista Ranch, in the Canadian River Valley of the Texas Panhandle, is a model for wildlife resource management. The 68,000-acre ranch would be odd shaped to a cattleman, but then cattle don’t roam there.

With Pickens’ first land purchase in Texas he found that the bluffs and creek beds there suffered from consistent overgrazing. He immediately began a program to help the land recover, over time investing in overall wildlife management strategies and facilities, installing substantial water sources, feed plots and native grass replanting, and power infrastructure.

In his 68,000 ac Mesa Vista ranch, located in the north texas panhandle offers premium wildlife cover. Thirty-five miles of buried water lines with outlets feed small waterholes at 1,000-foot intervals, benefiting all natural local of wildlife.

His vision is sound as far as retreating from foreign oil. His decisions to follow through with natural gas, wind, solar and hydro power are sound and he has put his money forward for his vision and causes. By doing so he has created hundreds of thousands of acres of natural lands that are now being conserved as they are future developments for these resources. Natural gas takes much less resources and land area to mine for. Wind and Solar are other resources to which take only land mass, natural existing weather systems and sun. I have driven by the area of his spread on my way through and see they are exemplary areas for wind and solar fields. He has already begun the worlds largest wind farm to be online in 2011. His natural gas company formed in 1997 called Pickens Fuel Corp. has become the nations largest Clean Energy distributor of Natural Gas for transportation.

It is discussed, at the diners in Texas, that his vision is strong, economically sound. He is known as the man that has been buying up ranches from Colorado, Oklahoma, and throughout Texas. In this “red” zone he discusses. Much of the land he is unable to purchase he is partnering with landowners to create one of the nations largest landhold leases in history. His vision for this land is not only for wind and solar farms, but the worlds most expensive and rarest natural resource, water. He has been negotiating to create a 300 mile pipeline to come to the Dallas/Ft. Worth region for water due to the known population increase this region of the country is participating in. This water pipeline, on the land he has purchased or leases, can also be used for wind and solar farms. He will be creating the worlds largest clean natural resource conglomerate.

I say all the power to him,(no pun intended) as Rockefeller, had done with Standard oil in the late 1800’s, Pickens is poised to be the leader of clean natural resources in the near future. His vision is not solely to one resource, which I think is brilliant. He has broadened his risk as well as his return by spreading his resource options. Through exponential growth in these resources he is looking at some great returns.

Moreover, Pickens devotes much of his enterprises to bringing environmental and wilderness awareness to his projects. Thus fullfilling Adam Smith's philosophy that the benefits of the free market should accrue not just to individuals but to society as a whole. Perhaps we should add not only society, but the world and its ecosystems as well!

As Adam Smith also says in his dialogue on the observations of value, "Nothing is more useful than water."

Click this pic to view the Pickens Plan!!

Hallelujah...

One of my favorite songs is a piece called "Hallelujah" that was originally written by arguably one of the greatest American songwriters of the 20th century, Leonard Cohen. For those that may not know of him, his songs are most familiar with when other people have covered them, but he in his own right is a performer as well. A bit on the side of Tom Waits in that his style is rough and bare. For some it can take a bit to get used to.

Most people are now familiar with the song that Rufus Wainwright did as a rendition in the movie "Shrek". Also, Jeff Buckley has a quite popular rendition that has been on the radio for quite some time now. It has been covered by over 100 artists that I am aware of and I have included a few links here for your enjoyment.

The lyrics are pure and profound to say the least. This is a testament to simply trying your best and rolling the dice at the holy gates that you will be seen as truth.



Hallelujah
by Leonard Cohen


Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this: The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

There was a time you let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light in every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah



Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
KD Lang - Hallelujah
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Rufus Wainwright - Hallelujah
Brian Melo - Hallelujah

Clean air is good for you...

We’ve long been aware that fine particles in air pollution are destructive to respiratory health. These microscopic bits, composed of dust, soot and a poisonous potpourri of chemicals come from burning fuel in cars, trucks, power plants and factories. They get lodged deep in the lungs, promoting inflammation and raising the risk of all sorts of respiratory ailments.

Now a new study conducted in part by the University of Washington suggests that “fine particulate matter pollution” also dramatically elevates the risk of heart disease. The worse the pollution is and the longer your exposure to it, the greater the risk, says lead researcher Joel Kaufman, MD, MPH, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington.

BAD AIR IS BAD FOR THE HEART
To examine the connection between air pollution and heart disease, Dr. Kaufman and his colleagues analyzed data from the long-term Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). Participants included more than 65,000 postmenopausal women with no prior history of cardiovascular disease in 36 cities across the US. Researchers compared the women’s health against the air quality in their communities. They found that women living in metropolitan areas highly polluted with fine particulate matter had a 76% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than women in areas with cleaner air, after taking into account known risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and smoking.

Although this study analyzed data only from women, there is no reason to think things are different for men, says Dr. Kaufman. Pollution is clearly a negative for everyone’s health.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Short of staying indoors with windows and doors closed or moving to a less polluted area, there’s little you can do to control your exposure to outdoor air pollution. Currently, some state and local air pollution agencies provide information on small particle levels by the hour at airnow.gov.

We can only hope that these new research results will spur stricter government control of pollutants, as recommended in an editorial accompanying the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the meantime, Dr. Kaufman suggests trying to stay as healthy as you can by focusing on factors within your control — eat sensibly, stay active, maintain an optimal weight and don’t smoke. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol, see your doctor to make sure you are managing these conditions well. Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, also suggests purchasing a HEPA filter or other air purifier for use in the home to minimize risk. These health-promoting measures keep your body fit and battle-ready for its fight against environmental assaults.

Note: To determine the annual concentration of fine particulate matter where you live, visit the EPA’s Air Trends Web site at http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/factbook.html.

Source(s): 

Joel Kaufman, MD, MPH, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

a sigh...

I have decided to stay on more positive issues for a while. What those are right now I have not yet come across or decided to comment on, but when I find them I will bring them forward. Staying in the negative does not do much good so I am changing things up a bit and work from the positives...

Kiva is amazing!

Kiva is an organization that lends money to entrepreneurs around the world. They receive their money to lend through donations from grateful and giving people throughout the world. These budding businesspersons, in mostly enterprising third world countries, are given a chance to better themselves, their families, and their communities by using their small loans to help build their own small businesses, develop housing, and much more.

I gave to a woman in Cambodia who's name is Mrs. Pich Soleab. At age 45, she works selling fish at a busy market, making on average around $3.30 each day in revenue. Her husband is employed as a trailer driver (a motorcycle attached to a trailer to transport passengers). They have one child who is a student. She requested and received a loan of $1000 in order to build separate rooms and rent them to people in her area to make additional profit for her family.

She received these funds on Feb. 15th, 2008. Since this disbursement she has paid back 28% of her loan. For someone who makes $3/day this is quite impressive to me.

I applaud the efforts of the Kiva Organization and look forward to helping more people with their needs and lives in the near future.

If you wish to help please visit KIVA today!

Zuzu's petals, Zuzu's petals...

All I can keep saying to myself is, "Zuzu's petals, Zuzu's petals."

Just as I thought things might be coming to the end of a bad dream regulators came in on Friday and closed the doors of IndyMac bank creating the third largest bank closure in U.S. history after the second being the collapse of First Republic Bank Corp. in 1988 and headed by the 1984 collapse of Continental Illinois National Bank & Trust Co. IndyMac was founded in 1985 by David Loeb and Angelo Mozilo, who also founded Countrywide, another big mortgage lender whose loans helped fuel the housing boom. Countrywide was taken over last week by Bank of America Corp. Reminiscent of the crash in 1929, depositors had a run on the bank these past few weeks on word that IndyMac did not have enough liquidity to stay afloat.

I would state that nearly all of the working people today have NEVER experienced this before as the people of the Depression who may remember clearly enough are now quite retired or dead. With all of the regulations, or shall I say de-regulations that have been instigated to our system since the 20's, and most recently through the Clinton and Bush administrations, we are in uncharted territory.

Getting back to my post yesterday, are we going to be seeing the government takeovers of more financial institutions? Are we going to see the government takeover of 50% of the loans in the United States? Where is this money to save all of this mayhem going to be coming from? The Repugnicants keep stating that there will be no more taxes, and the democants will be needing to begin to really sharpen their pencils. Perhaps China, Europe and other countries will come in and buy the low grade bonds at a discount to help salvage the debacle that has been created here. This will mean that, although the government touts it is coming to the rescue, the rest of the world will be owning the United States.

We are coming to the edge of an abyss that has never been seen before in the history of this world. The world being so interconnected like never before we are seeing just how much now and we will be shown just how in depth it really is in the near future.

Will this cloud cover that comes to rain on the fire be good for the U.S. or will it become the demise of this country? As our administration is not creating any solutions and only grabbing what they can from the top down, I am hesitant to say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Although, (as tribute to my friend Chuck) there is a light at the end of a tunnel, but this time it could be that train!

With no Clarence around, and as Zuzu's petals are drying up and crumbling in our pockets, things can ONLY get better...Right?

This too shall pass, this too shall pass...

Commnism and consumerism become one...

I chuckled as I saw an article from Reuters, in The New York Times this morning. It was based out of Hong Kong. I thought this was so fitting. In the article, by Kevin Plumberg, the U.S. government is considering taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That is if their funding problems worsen. As the shares of these two agencies continue to plunge, who doesn't feel, at this time, that their shares won't worsen? Fannie and Freddie are government-sponsored entities generally viewed as having the implicit backing of Washington, and considered the last bastions of support for a U.S. housing market in its worst downturn since the Great Depression.

The firms are having extreme difficulty raising capital and investors on Wall Street are leaving in droves. The government is considering a plan that would place the companies into conservatorship. This would mean their shares would become worthless and the losses on the near 50% of ALL homes in the United States to which they guarantee would be paid by tax payers.

This was where I thought the Hong Kong connection was a bit funny. Through this current administration we have seen our rights and constitution be stripped away and manipulated to where this country is quietly becoming a government run system with less and less freedoms to its people. This, plainly stated, is communism. Government control for nearly everything. Yet, the Republicants continue to tout "less government"...Like China or North Korea. As our elections are becoming more and more jaded and meaningless we get closer to this every day. When elections reach a point to which our partisan politics keeps voters from casting viable votes through fraud, payouts, jurisdiction manipulations, hanging chads and such, our government gets closer and closer to being selected by its judicial branch to which was selected through the power mongers themselves.

What I found equally funny was how government officials told NYT that no action by the administration is imminent, and that Fannie and Freddie were not considered in crisis. With their stock plummeting over 80% in the past few weeks and the dollar balancing on the edge of nowhere, I wonder what the term crisis means anymore.

Of course the spokesman for Freddie Mac declined to comment and that Fannie Mae and U.S. officials could not be reached for comment.

The fate of Fannie and Freddie has ramifications far beyond the United States. This government rescue would mark the second time that Washington has stepped in to support the financial system since mounting U.S. subprime mortgage defaults swelled into a global credit crisis a year ago. The first, which I spoke about previously, and in more detail at the blog "A Day in the Life", found through this link, in response #1 when I discussed how in March, the Federal Reserve backed a plan for JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) to buy investment bank Bear Stearns Cos for a cut-rate price. Although, this cut rate pricing is also to be backed by taxpayers. Giving the financial institution no risk on their investment.

How do we little guys get in on some of that action!

The Bush administration has considered calling for legislation to give an explicit government guarantee on the $5 trillion of debt owned or guaranteed by the companies hereby doubling the size of the national debt. Where does Bush seem to think, along with McCain as he continues to tout no new taxes (sounds like Bush #1), where are we going to get the money? I mean between the invasions, I mean wars, and now this...

There has been no movement forward for accountability to the mortgage firms or the financial institutions, but the accountability is certainly being held to the homeowners.

I do believe that homeowners need to be held accountable for some of this. Not all of this! Try calling a bank and discussing your issues to solve a mortgage problem today. They are not responding to solutions at this time. We continually hear in the news, though, that the banks are receiving huge influxes of money and having huge write downs on their debt.

Since were really going to travel down this road, let's have the government simply take over responsibility of the mortgages in the United States. This would then relieve all responsibility to all mortgage holders. Since we are all soon going to be living in government housing let's really go the distance. And since the laws in the past few years on Eminent Domain have made some headway, I say let's forget it all and releive eachothers debt load. This way we will all have more money to spend on other items that help keep the global economy turning instead of just the Wall Street fuck ups. Since after 9-11 Bush told us immediately to "go shopping" it seems his interests lie in consumerism. Since the global economy has tanked, mainly due to the ZERO regulation with mortgage and financial institutions let's complete this "bandaid". We can't seem to come to any point of regulation for the mortgage and financial institutions to really get to the root of this problem so let's simply resolve all debt. This is what could possibly take place anyway if the government steps in to guarantee all of these loans.

The evolution of Intelligent Design...

We have seen through the Bush Administration, due to baby George's beliefs and religious followings, the constant barrage of mis and disinformation to the public regarding science and its study of evolution and religion and its beliefs of creationism. There is a difference between theories of science and beliefs of creationism. Theories are many facts that have been studied and cross examined by scientists from around the globe independently to reach a common truth. Religion is a common truth given to people through dogma, time, and repetition of discussion and thought of a topic and information to which no other new evidence has been discovered or delivered in over two thousand years. Also, these beliefs are hearsay, at best, as they are so old and no true tangible evidence exists.

By this I am not stating that Jesus, for example, did not exist. He is on record as a man in Galilee and was a carpenter and great public motivational speaker. I am simply posing that there is no tangible evidence that he is the son of god. I am not saying that god does not exist, but there is no tangible evidence to state otherwise...Or is there...

I must state that through a recent discovery of a new galaxy we must keep things into a perspective. Where did this come from? How did it create itself so quickly. To read more on this issue you can visit Sweteno response #2 from TAO, and the subsequent blog entries following this one and see that there is a god. Does this god have any preference to the human specie? Does this god have a preference to ANY specie or is there simply an ideal that is being experienced and monitored. Would there be any type of interference on god's part in any way or does life play itself out, such as Darwin suggest. This is to say that there may certainly seem to be a being, or beings, that are far greater than anything that we can imagine doing some amazing things out there, but evolution also exists. Period!

This blog information I am referring to is just a valid as the belief of Intelligent Design, as well as, creationism. Although, some that will read through this blogs information and comments to find the basis of my point in fact may state otherwise. I would ask why?

Again, back to topic...Darwin, through historical, scientific, paleontology and genetic research and discovery we have found his theories to be right on. There is verifiable proof of his initial discoveries through fossils, carbon dating, and genetic data that show an evolution of thousands of various species to another over a period of millions of years on the planet earth. We have also found much evidence and proven theory of the 13 odd billion years of age of the universe and 4.5 billion years of age of our earth.

But, this doesn't bode well with George's beliefs of Intelligent Design. Which, all in all, is a contradiction of terms to think that President Bush could first of all understand or see Intelligence or Design. Let alone the combination of the two. His own intelligent design of the Iraq war has shown us that he is not as intelligent or creative as he would like us to think he is...

Through the constant misquoting and dis informative rhetoric of this administration we now have a society that nearly 50% do NOT believe that Darwin and the theory of evolution are real, true and proven. There BELIEF in Intelligent Design or creationism still stands firm even though there is NO basis for their belief. To think that the earth was literally made in seven days with all the living entities as they are is preposterous and unbacked by any proof. As carbon dating and genetic research shows us this is not the case. But what this administration is best at is convincing people through constant mis and dis information of a "new truth" because they say so.

McCain has been cornered recently in a town hall forum as to his negative voting record toward Veterans. He countered these accusations with blatant lies as to his impeccable voting record in support of our troops and their health and financial needs. The Vietnam veteran making the accusations pulled out a paper containing McCain's voting history on Veteran issues and asked if he should read them off to him and the audience. McCain countered with his desire that other Senators would help him by voting for more Veteran support on upcoming issues in order in the future and went on to another question. His thought was that despite his failed voting efforts in favor of veterans he could brainwash the public by simply stating that he was behind them and voting on their behalf. This is NOT the case.

The public believing McCain's lies would fall in line with Intelligent Design as they refuse to look at the evidence in front of them.

I do believe that there is something bigger than any of us that certainly plays a part in the continuing saga of our universe. But, this is not to say that this entity has any doings with anyone on a daily level and involved with the micro management of our lives. This is where Darwin comes in. Whatever and whenever this entity creates, its creations are then left to make the truth as they may hope to see it become on their own. And with billions of other planets in billions of other galaxies we are left to only hope that this entity will have the time to come back around our way at a point when we are around to experience them. For proof or for validation? Whichever your beliefs follow...

A New World Order...?

As world order is based on the sovereignty of states, can we say that in today's global political and economical situations that we have the "new world order" that our administration is trying to have us believe exists.

The United States is still the dominant power in the world and has been since the end of World War II. As we all know, at least those of us that learn from history, that there has been NO dominant world power that has sustained itself. What must rise will fall. This is simple physics. China was once the dominant power in the world, and is positioning itself once again to become that.

As the current dominant power, the U.S. sets the agenda to which the rest of the world responds to. In the past seven years President Bush has set the wrong agenda. This administration has been driven by the belief that international relations are set and controlled by power. The rule of law need not apply, as the United States is the sole superpower, Bush decided to impose his will wherever he saw fit. His illegal invasion of a sovereign country, murder of millions of innocent people, illegal wire taps, illegal imprisonment are just a few notable items to which he, and staff, needs to be held accountable for. As he preaches the need for accountability, we will soon find as the future unfolds that he will manipulate the presidential power position and his misrepresentation of the Constitution through his positioning of Supreme Court judges so as that he will not have to be held accountable for any of his actions. On top of all of this our Congress has sat by rather idle. Idle enough to confirm these judges that will free this global tyrant.

In the French Revolution the people overthrew King Louis XVI and the people have seized their sovereignty. Since, at least in principle, they have had it ever since.
Through our own revolution in 1776 we did the same with England, through the help of the French, and in principle have had sovereignty ever since. Yeah, like all men are created equal at a time when blacks and women had no rights whatsoever...but I digress.

There was a time when the United States acknowledged its superpower dominance and tried to uphold its new and unique responsibility. Not Since the Marshall Plan, as Churchill once stated as "the most unsordid act in history" has there been another time that the United State has held the magnanimous view of its place in history. The Germans and Japanese became democratic societies, after being enemies of the world and United States due to the examples set through this action. Through admiration and imitation the world showed its respect to the superpower.

We have since become a country that feels, and is exemplified through many of the past administrations since, that the common interest is best served by people pursuing their own self interests.

Our current administration is a prime example of this. I also feel, albeit to a lesser extent, that John McCain will continue this self serving policy further into the future if elected. This is NOT the policy that is needed to make the United States the admiration and imitation of the world. We need to set examples and take huge steps forward, as we did in 1948, for the world to see once again what a superpower should attain to.

We need to create and implement strategies that show our dedication to not only our own self interests, but those of the world as well. We need to be the instigators of global clean energy, global food initiatives for the poor, global peace, and preserving the global market mechanisms and more.

It is time for Change!!

busy, but with thought...

I have been so busy lately that I have neglected my readers, and I apologize for this!

I have been thinking though as to the "brilliant" means in which our current administration has been working to help stave off the future actions of radical Muslim terrorists throughout the world, that do not like our freedoms and capitalistic way of life.

I have wondered if President Bush actually knows what the hell is really going on in the world and have come to realize this man is brilliant! I now understand his process and can possibly come to a place to which I can see why...

If the global radical terrorist community has issues with all of the freedoms that we have here in the United States and Europe, I think that Bush has taken great efforts and huge steps in removing so many of those freedoms. In doing so he has begun to help bring our differing societies to a more closely related way of life!

Also, by ruining our global economy through ignorance and greed he has helped bring our differing societies more close economically. By refusing for so many years to do anything to help the "little man" he has greatly created the chasm that exists today thus helping bring our global economy to ruins and bringing us back closer to the stone age to which the radicals seem to want to reside within.

Amazing....!