More and More

    First views from the Ukraine and the Philippines! Thanks for stumbling!

Kosher and Halal: Too Immoral for the Netherlands

    The Dutch parliament is set to vote on a bill that would ban the production of Kosher and Halal meats. At first this may seem to be a slight against Jewish and Islamic communities but animal rights groups are pushing the bill on moral grounds. Animals slaughtered in the Netherlands must be stunned before slaughter in order to minimize the animals' suffering. However; religiously killed animals are forced to endure their throats being slit without any sort of stun or anesthesia. The horrific consequence of these ritualistic practices mean that an animal's death may last up to 5 minutes of extreme pain and agony.
    I fully support the bill and wish that such legislation could be passed worldwide. Religious freedoms should not extend into inflicting mass suffering. Is it not enough that other species across the world have to endure slavery and systematically sustained genocide? Let them at least die in the most painless way and not allow the sadomasochism that afflicts the most vulnerable in our society.

Wisconsin Ethically Liable for More the Abuse of Humanity

    The act of forcing animals to fight eachother has been illegal for a very long time (it has been committed ever since). However; universities in the state have continued to commit crimes against other species. The Republican run state has inserted anti-animal rights legislation in budgest bills recently. This would allow the atrocity of animal cruelty in scientific tests to continue not only unteathered; but completely legal. Brutality towards other Earthlings is the lowest form of evil. Hopefully humans are aware of what may become a reality.

Canada Post Confliction?

    The Conservative Party has just passed a bill that forces Canada Post union members back to work. A personal confliction concerning the news of this begins with the fact that the income of my partner is directly influenced by the strike. The immediate return from the bill is positive, but the entire impact may be less than so. The curbing of union rights is widespread in North America, especially in Wisconsin, U.S., where massive protests have ensued to challenge the slight against the middle class. I truly wish the bill, passed by the majority controlled by the conservatives, would at least give the union an ability to argue their point. Although strikes are disruptive, especially if there is not an integral incentive for all peoples in society, they are necessary.
    Strikes should be avoided at all cost in order to limit damage to other persons but perhaps nothing can be more decisive. Any sort of back-to-work bill should consider the rights of the workers and not just the employers. Canada and the United States of America are headed down a destructive road. Conservatives and Republicans seem not to understand the global market. Reducing taxes and worker rights can only go so far. No matter how much we decimate the rights of workers and the middle class, we will never be able to compare with nations such as Bangladesh. It is only education and health care (that Republicans are so eager to slash) that can save us from complete abandonment by the private sector.

Spain and Onwards

    Heading to Spain, Monaco and Italy with Vanessa (my partner) soon. I will try to post news and issues concerning each area I am in, internet willing. I am sure it will be an amazing experience and I can hardly wait. Once I am back I will get back into the regular posts inbetween my work week. Thank you to everyone who has been reading so far.

I would also like to thank my ongoing readership in Germany!
The Ideological Animal

Life for Speech?

    Eight activists in Bahrain given life sentences for their parts in the popular uprisings that have been primarily crushed; sparking protests. As I have stated in an earlier blog, four dozen medical staff are also on trial. This has all been made possible because of American and Saudi interests and actions. Apparently free speech means nothing if it is politically advantageous to quell it. Bahrain, the home of the largest US military base in the Middle East, has become known as a human rights violator.

World Cyber Warfare

    In an age of rapidly expanding technology the world of Internet hacking is becoming increasingly serious. The most recent attacks concern attacks against corporations such as Visa, Sony and Apple. The perpetrators of such attacks often seize information that violates the privacy of individuals owning their products and subsequently, in some cases, their credit card information. Some of the hacks are done as protests against companies' actions, such as; when Visa and Mastercard froze funds belonging to WikiLeaks. Other hacks are mere vandalism. The growing issue is, however, that states are using the Internet as a tool of warfare against other nations.
    Iran is no stranger to this issue. They have been the recipient of numerous cyber attacks on their nuclear power projects. Although these hacks have not claimed by nations, they are certainly not condemned (nor should they be). An article from Aljazeera, written by Sangwon Yoon, details a North Korean expansion of Internet related security. This includes over 3000 hackers serving the state at home and abroad. Yoon claims this is to combat the potential for South Korean dominance over the region's Internet. Canada has also been hacked by Chinese hackers on a few occasions over the past few years.
    Iran's solution as of yet is to invent an entirely new concept. Their idea is to make the Internet smaller. The project is underway to create a new Internet that would only be accessible from Iran and would be tightly regulated. The primary reason for this is to prevent against cyber attacks and to destroy social media like Facebook and Twitter in Iran that had helped organize uprisings across the Middle East. This would certainly help Iran enforce restrictions on freedom to speech and expression; to the detriment of their citizens.
    It seems that nothing on the Internet is safe these days. Will there come a time when the aspect of privacy on the Internet, however fake, is completely gone?
   

Shame on Canadians

    People around the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa, are fighting for their freedom. These include basic freedoms including: free speech, the right to free movement, the right to self governance and the right to life itself. This is where I must say that Canadians need to reflect on their position in the world. The recent riots in Vancouver over a sports game make us look pompous and ignorant. Perhaps out attention should be placed on politics rather than simple athletic activities.
    It is amazing to me that Canadians, living in a mostly democratic society, can act in such ways concerning hockey but yet ignore the real issues. If people were remotely interested in politics, things such as the privatization of healthcare and prisons would cause quite a stir. There should be riots about the Conservative Party who choose to argue that certain Canadian citizens should not be able to marry and that gross amounts of GDP should be spent on military waste.
    If only a small amount of attention was spent on the real world, and what truly effects the us; change could be create. Until then Canadians will overturn police cars and set them on fire for sporting events. I`m sure we`ll all pay for the replacements with our tax dollars.

Always Amazed

    Views now coming in, give or take, from the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Hungary and Israel!

Women Driving? Controversial in One Nation

    Women in Saudi Arabia are carrying out a protest against the laws in their country banning women from driving by getting behind the wheel. The protest follows an activist who was recently arrested for posting a video online of herself driving an automobile. This is definately a cause worth supporting. Although driving may seem to be a small thing; it causes the restriction of many activities including women attending education.

Which Feminism?

    The potential for women in North American politics has been a very rocky road so far. Although it would be wonderful for a powerful and intelligent woman to become president or prime minister of the U.S. or Canada, most of them have lacked the latter (intelligence). Currently, in the United States of America, Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann are the only two with any potential for becoming president. It makes me deeply sad in that both of them lack basic intelligence.
    To start, Sarah Palin. As some other people may say, "nuff said". However, that is not where I stop. She failed to become John McCain's vice president and is known for scuttling his campaign. She's the one who recently said that an American historical figure, Paul Revere, warned the British, instead of the Americans, and has attempted to change history rather than admit she was wrong. Wikipedia had to freeze the page concerning Revere because her supporters were trying to change history. She's also the one, among many Republicans, who say that a mythological father figure protects the U.S. and at times speaks in tongues at Evangelical Churches.
    Michelle Bachmann on the other hand declared that the 'founding fathers' fought tirelessly to end slavery. Ignoring the fact that slaves were not banned for many decades after the U.S. Civil War; and that many of the founding fathers owned slaves. Her lack of basic knowledge, however; must be combated by her ego. At the recent Republican debate in New Hampshire she declared that incumbent president Barack Obama would for sure lose the upcoming election.
    It is indeed insulting to see what the Republican party has supported as perhaps the first female president. In Canada we sullied our first attempt at a female PM by forcing Kim Campbell into the position of a 'scapegoat'.

Cocaine and Dead Babies: Why North America is to Blame

    A new report out shows that over 70% of the weapons seized from the Mexican drug cartels originate from the United States. CNN reports that since 2006 these cartels have murdered more than 36, 000 people. This is ironic, especially since many Americans consider Mexico as being a source of violence in the U.S.. Where there is little substantial evidence to prompt any action against immigrants; politicians indeed act against immigrants. This is rapidly taking hold as seen in Arizona, where the police now have the ability to racially profile people and ask for their papers on site. What is most unlikely is any massive program to prevent U.S. arms from leaving the country.
    Currently it appears that the U.S., and to a lesser extent, Canada, are to blame for much of the sorrows in Central America. This includes the arms from the States that allow for mass killings to take place. In addition, America has promoted instability in the region by assassinating any social activist leaders for decades. However the problem will always stem back to the individual. The only reason the drug cartels exist is because of personal choices. The consumption of drugs that originate from Central and South America have caused countless deaths, massacres and other injustices. Anyone who uses such drugs in the current system are to blame. As Mexico puts pressure on the cartels they have been expanding further South. Weak nations such as Ecuador, Columbia and Guatemala are being invaded by cartels whose income is over the GDP of all three nations combined.

 Certain things must be accomplished to stop what is currently happening:

-tighter gun control in the U.S.
-border control aimed at both sides, not just South to North
-individual decisions to decrease the consumption of drugs from the region
-an understanding that our actions effect others in the global world

Cheating on Family Values? When Republicans Unbutton

    Republican politicians must stop running on platforms of family values until the majority of family value Republicans stop having sex affairs. These range from simple affairs all the way to Larry Craig of Idaho attempting to arrange gay sex from an undercover police officer in an airport bathroom. More recently, John Edwards of North Carolina used donated campaign funds to pay off his mistress. Edwards faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.5 million. Other than his illegal actions, his mistake is much more forgivable than many Republicans. This is due to the fact that he does not espouse family value policies and chooses to promote human rights instead. This means he is not a hypocrite, just a criminal.
    If you are unaware, the main precepts of family value politicians include not cheating on a spouse, being radically anti-abortion, anti-women's rights and anti-homosexual. So until they can at least live up to their beliefs they should be adults and end criticizing others. This is not to say they are moral beacons, but more to say they should practice what they preach. Then, when they fully believe and act in such ways, I can reject their philosophy. Until then it is off the table; and they must keep it to themselves!

Witch Trial? Bahrain Tries 48 Medical Staff

    Bahrain, the U.S./Saudi backed regime in the Middle East, has begun a second wave of passive crackdowns against pro-democracy protesters. The monarchy has begun the trials of 48 doctors, nurses and medics accused of attempting to topple the government. Under torture and extortion they have sign documents that, as reports show, they were not even allowed to read. The allegations and forced confessions range from treating protesters, to falsifying injuries, to murdering protesters to make the regime look worse. Human rights organizations, who were present at the hospitals during the waves of violent crackdowns, say the accusations are false.
    What it comes down to is creating a sense of total control. It is to create an atmosphere of dismay and deter anyone from helping or joining protests. Therefore public support for such demonstrations, as far as the regime is concerned, will decline. It is also to say that if you are injured and/or dying from state brutality you will not receive medical attention. Recently the military has taken over multiple hospitals and witnesses say their colleagues and injured people are being dragged away at random by masked officers. One of the doctors on trial was arrested in the during a surgical procedure; that alone demonstrates the kind of trial Bahrain is undertaking.
    We must also not forget what is making this possible. Nearly every arm used by Bahrain to attack its civilian population is U.S. made. Just before the crackdowns began, $200 million (beyond the regular purchases) was spent on U.S. military equipment. Bahrain also houses the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East. As well, Saudi Arabia who aided in the brutal suppression of Bahrain is also U.S. backed and funded. There must be a ban on the sale of military equipment to non-democratic and any state that violently cracks down on peaceful protesters.
    This is a perfect case in which the international community must put pressure on a regime to release innocent individuals.

Unreal

It hints upon the insincere when NATO and the U.S. have the power to obliderate Gaddhafi, but yet seem to always miss him. If there is a true belief that he is a tyrant, then stop playing games.

The Account - 12:40am, June 11th, 2011

The Account consists of the top headlines made incredibly fast for those on the go. Sources consist of, but are not limited to: CBC, Aljazeera English, CNN, NPR and MSNBC.

Today's are:

-Syrian troops invade Northern city
    -Syrian ally Turkey accuses Syria of massacres
-leak reveals that U.S. arm sales to Bahrain surged to 200 million just before massive crackdowns on peaceful protesters
-protests in Tokyo against nuclear power
-Harper speech: Canada must use its power to pursue its global interests
-Air Canada may strike
-17 year old male in Pakistan beaten and shot repeatedly on camera by security forces
    -protests followed
-U.S. politician Anthony Wiener refuses to step down
    -admitted to sending nude photos to women on Twitter
-Republicans continue to wage battles over killing medicare, ending abortion, restricting birth control and limiting sexual health for women.

Off Account:

-Mit Romney claims he can create public sector jobs; made fortune by cutting jobs

War Against Peace

    Anna Hazare, an Indian social activist, has begun a mass hunger strike in India to protest against corruption in the government. This comes days after a similar event was broken up by police with anti-riot gear and weapons. Hazare's actions stem as a throwback to the anti-British movement started by Mahatma Gandhi. It seems ludicrous that a state, in which their entire reason for existence is non-violent disobedience and protest, would crush such events.
    It is one thing for police to break up groups of protesters; these may include vandals, looters and violent groups. It takes another type of human being to attack peaceful demonstrators. This can be seen in the ongoing Arab Spring (where the majority are peaceful), the G20 protests (where the majority were peaceful) and now in India where nothing can be more non-violent than a hunger strike. Peaceful protest and civil disobedience must be held as infallible rights in a democratic state (as well as something to be upheld by democratic states in non-democratic states), and an obligation of any citizen when authority becomes corrupt.

"In a democracy, everyone has a right to stand up for a cause and no government can stop us from doing so." Anna Hazare

Protest Harper

    Unless you've been living in the cave of materialism and self indulgence, you'd know that a page in the Canadian Parliament peacefully and quietly protested against Harper. During a ceremony, Brigette DePape stood from her seat, where she worked as a page (basically a servant for ministers), and held a sign stating "Stop Harper". This was her way of gaining attention around the fact that Harper espouses damaging policies that (with great evidence) most Canadians oppose. These include corporate tax cuts and the purchase of obscene military jets. Perhaps the most unpopular of which, if Harper chose to enact it, is his promise in 2005 that if elected he would privatize Canadian healthcare.
    Film maker Michal Moore has offered DePape a job since she was, as one can guess, fired for her protest. Although an argument can be made that DePape should have chosen a more appropriate time to do what she did, I do not believe that free speech can be left at the door.

New Agenda?

    Today the Conservative Party will lay out its agenda for the upcoming year and perhaps beyond that. What can be expected at the very least is a continuation of the privatization of prisons and the militarization of Canada (far more than we can afford). However; I suspect it will be much softer than what will come in actuality. I speak for the majority of Canadians, based on numerous polls and studies, when I say that I hope Harper ceases his attempts at banning gay marriage and privatizing healthcare. Those who voted for Harper, just made all of this a possibility. Inequality and potentially a broken healthcare system like the U.S.

Racist Religion

    Mit Romney, American politician, just announced his bid to seek the Republican nominee to run against Barack Obama. Romney is a 6th generation Mormon and could become the first Mormon to become president. Hopefully he doesn't believe in the parts of Mormonism that claim African Americans are cursed people and the black skin is a punishment from God!

Police Brutality: A Potential Police State

    A year ago Toronto hosted the G8/G20 summit. Dorian Barton, photographer, was standing apart from the protests and was beaten by police leaving him with a black eye and a broken arm. The evidence against the officer included multiple eye witnesses and a clear photograph of the officer's face. The authorities have closed the case twice, and have finally reopened it a third time. 11 officers were unable to identify the officer. It was later disclosed that one of the officers, unable to identify the accused officer, was his roommate during the G20 summit. It is being argued that an arrest cannot be made so long as the witnesses do not know the name of the officer. This is absurd, and would not be a factor in a case against a civilian.

    My speculation is that the police are seeking to cover themselves and deny that police state crimes were forced upon Canadians. If the case was that a civilian beat an officer a conviction would have already been made. This is a partially democratic society and brutality against innocent citizens should not be tolerated.

    Credit must be given to reporters and pundits of CBC who have not let this issue die. It is only with public outcry that such horrors can be brought to justice.

The Account - 10:15am, June 1st, 2011

The Account consists of the top headlines made incredibly fast for those on the go. Sources consist of, but are not limited to: CBC, Aljazeera English, CNN, NPR and MSNBC.

Today's are:

-a new poll claims that a majority of Canadians do not support the two most important Harper policies
    -the purchase of F-35 fighter jets (cost of over 30 billion) and corporate tax cuts
    -I am among those who oppose the plans
-Conservatives meet to discuss Quebec and their party's future in the province that doesn't want them
-Mubarak (former dictator of Egypt that was overthrown during the Arab Spring) and sons will stand trial in August for killing protesters.
-E-coli cases rapidly expand in Germany
-NATO extends Libyan air strikes until September
-NASA, Shuttle missions almost completed, Shuttle Endeavour lands for the last time.
-El Salvador is being invaded by drug cartels
    -cartels joining with local gangs to secure power and shipping lines
-a study shows that cell phones may cause cancer once again, conflicting with other studies

Off Account (more than just puns!):

-Palin begins a 'facelift' campaign as she considers running for President
    -the 'cleaning up her image' campaign begins after the go ahead of plastic surgeons!