Orange Tower - Laying Jack to Rest

    On Saturday Jack Layton's body will be in Toronto where it will be laid to rest. As in Ottawa, it is expected that over 10, 000 people will attend the proceedings. Due to a great amount of lobbying the CN Tower will be lit orange that night. Certain areas of downtown Toronto have already been covered in chalk messages and images to Jack and to the people of Canada. Jack lived in Toronto; he is known for riding his bicycle at all possible times and retrofitting his modest home into a 'green home'. Layton's last public appearance was at a gay pride parade; once again showing his commitment to human rights.
    There are questions being raised surrounding the future for the NDP after Layton. He took over the party's leadership role in 2003 and since then has changed the Canadian political landscape forever. Layton headed what seemed to be a natural third place party and transformed it into the official opposition in the last election. His intent in the case that he died was for the party to choose a permanent leader by spring 2012.

    Jack was a passionate politician, activist and musician. The latter definitely shows the natural side of Jack. The link below offers that side:

Party for Sale or Rent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh_vsP0DJqc

    Hopefully there is a passionate politician to take up the helm of Canada's Official Opposition.

Take the Fight to Tripoli - Rebels Close in on the Gaddhafi Regime

    After months of fighting the Libyan rebels have advanced on Tripoli, the capital of Libya. Colonel Gaddhafi remains defiant, stating that the rebels are making orphans and widows. He also stated that they hate Libya and are destroying it. Perhaps the celebrations taking place below in Benghazi bust that claim. As well it was Gaddhafi that threatened genocide on his own people.

    They have beaten the odds and may soon put the Transitional Government into power in all parts of Libya. Hopefully what becomes of Libya is a free democratic society and not what Iran turned into after their revolution. Libya demonstrates that international aid, such as the NATO air strikes, are effective so long as there is a greater driving force from the national community. NATO cannot successfully force change on a country; this explains why Libya is succeeding and Afghanistan is failing.

   

$16 Billion Tax Payer Dollars a Year to Animal Testing in the US

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London Burning

    Riots in London, England extend into their third night. They have now spread to multiple cities across England. Countless cars and many buildings are now on fire as the civilian anger escalates. The riots began after police shot dead a young man. Another circumstance for widespread anger may be the state of the European economy. The British Prime Minister has cancelled his holiday to confront the violence.

    With the riots in England, fascists in Greece and overall European discontent; what was a tinderbox may be ignited.

US Loses AAA Loan Rating - Worldwide Depression?

    Standards and Poor's has decided to lower the US debt rating from its perfect AAA rating to an AA+ with a negative outlook. The Republicans have manufactured a crisis to achieve ideological ends but, along with that, have forever damaged the US economy. China has criticized the US for their addiction to debt and the downgrade has shaken the stock markets. Most economists agree that this will raise inflation and raise the prices on all goods and services in the US. US dollars are used to trade oil worldwide but this could change if another country seems more reliable.
    For what this means to Canadians; our largest trade partner is the US. Much of our remaining trade is to Europe. Both of these economies hang in the balance. There is a great potential for another worldwide recession that may be much worse than the one we were in the process of digging out of. We will have to see what the fallout will look like but so far it doesn't look good.

    Perhaps the Republicans have just put the first nail in the coffin of the American empire.

Countless Children Abused - 72 Charged in Child Pornography

    72 members of the child pornography ring Dreamboard have been charged. The US based site contains members across 5 continents and 14 countries. The illegal group abused children in many scenarios including the cause of intentional distress.
   Attorney General Eric Holder said, "Some of the children featured in these images and videos were just infants and in many cases, the children being victimized were in obvious and also intentional pain, even in distress and crying, just as the rules for one area of the bulletin board mandated. They had to be in distress and crying."
    Worldwide; about 600 individuals are members of the site. The officials have taken it down and confiscated its staggeringly numerous and disturbing materials. It is good to see that crackdowns target the right people. I am still waiting to see when those complicit in religious child abuse are brought to justice. (Hint: probably not until they are dead)

Free Birth Control for All - An Attempt to Reinstate Women's Rights in America?

    The Obama administration has just set out new health care guidelines. Health insurance providers in the US must pay 100% of the cost of birth control for their clients. This would give US civilians with limited funds the ability to get birth control with any insurance plan. This decision would help women living in poverty gain control over their reproductive rights in the face of Republican bigotry. Republicans in 48 US states have restricted women's rights surrounding reproductive health. These acts include shutting down all abortion clinics, slashing funding, creating unreasonable building codes and interfering with the doctor patient relationship. Some of the most absurd laws include reading each woman a right wing, anti-abortion, and politician written letter before each abortion. They have also increased waiting times, the distance between women and clinics; and also expect that a medically unnecessary ultrasound is conducted to show a woman her baby.

    The new guideline will not help to remedy what the Republicans are forcing upon women but will restrict the number of women put into a dire position.

Debt Ceiling's Last Hurdle

    A deal has been finalized between the Senate and the House of Representatives to raise the US debt ceiling and avoid an economic disaster. The bill must now go to Congress to receive approval. It is almost certain that it will pass congress, as the increase must be passed by tomorrow. The circus that Republicans have made this issue is coming to a close. At least they didn't call Obama's bluff.