There seems to be a consensus among UN Inspectors that some form of chemical aggression had been used by the Syrian Government on its citizens. This is in violation of international law and treaties and yet the world response is.... interesting.
The American President declared a red line (not too sure why the colour is important but anyway) was crossed and must be dealt with. The British Prime Minister agreed.
And yet...something different happened. Maybe we are seeing a massive change in the collective opinion of people worldwide in matters such as these. Maybe the overdose/or/ lack of media coverage has resulted in apathy or dismissal.
The British parliament rejected all calls to action.
The American President, unlike Mr. Bush in conflicts before, has vowed to ask permission from Congress to commit armed forces to a form of intervention, otherwise he may not proceed at all.
The Canadian Prime Minister, has promised moral support and no logistical support at all.
Indeed, the French Government has said it will support action – a sure sign that any action is doomed for failure.
Indeed, as the failed American politician, Ms Palin has stated – in so many words - “let Allah decide”. In other words, since it is an “Arab” conflict between Muslims – let them finish the conflict themselves. In saying this, she illustrates what many people are thinking and that is – where is the rest of the Arab world in this and other conflicts in the region? They ask, why was it America and other westerns countries shed blood and spent incredible amounts of money in places like Iraq and also in the conflict in Kuwait to name just two? They ask, if the religion of Allah is about peace, then why are the nations that follow those teachings, not helping those nations of similar beliefs in their times of need and strife instead of the so-called “unbelievers?”
A good question indeed.
Are we seeing through the incredible visual and audio barrage of 24/7/365 news an apathy of the citizenry of the planet?
Are people now so inured that they just do not and cannot care and react anymore?
I dunno but if this is the case, then that is a troubling portent for the future I believe.
Speaking of France, once again we see an example of the the French zeal in pursuit of the purity of all words French. Champagne producers are set to go to war with Apple if they attempt to release their new iPhone 5S in a ‘Champagne’ colour, it emerged this week. It wouldn't be the first time the French government language watchdog has taken a company to task for co-opting the iconic label. I suspect that there are some companies in the world that applaud this move. For example, those like Kleenex and Xerox whose tissue and photocopier product name became synonymous with the product thereby causing the word to become generic and lose all commercial value to the company.
Showing that stupidity knows no boundaries, an Ecuadorian in the village of Beniaján, Spain, fell off the balcony of his second story apartment to his death while blundering about trying to find a WiFi signal for his cellphone.
Really?
But, it is not surprising is it? You see it all the time these days where people wander almost in a fog while keeping their eyes focused on their cellphones, completely oblivious to other pedestrians or motor traffic. Add to that the large numbers of people with earplugs for the music players playing at such loud volumes that they cannot hear external sounds, say like car horns, sirens and the like, then the carnage that happens daily in cities is understandable. Not to infringe on personal freedoms but how about a law where people who do use headphones while out and about or cellphones on the same premise, then if they are involved in an accident, then insurance will not be provided?
The same for using a cell phone while driving for either calls or texting – if caught, confiscate both the phone and vehicle and sell the vehicle. If an accident is a result – no insurance for the person at fault and also have the person responsible for all costs.
And please, no excuses for using these devices because how the heck did people manage to drive before cell phones?
I thought so.
The flag of sacred personal freedom is being abused to promote and excuse just plain wrong excesses-period and maybe the time is coming when this will be changed.
It is similar to the astonished cries of horror from people when they discover that their governments are looking at things like e mails. Like duh, who said e mail privacy is a human right anyway? Anything posted on line, whether an e mail or like this blog, lose all privacy just by being posted – period.
And that is just the way it is.
Despite a diminished amount of media coverage, reports of continued protests by Egyptian supporters of the imprisoned ex President Morsi keep occurring with predictable violent confrontations with police and military with attendant injuries. Even though the 5 second attention span of the media has wandered away, definitely the story here is not over by any stretch and may explode again on the world scene soon. As mentioned earlier, where the heck are the other Muslim countries in this anyway? Oh, one forgets, they sit mutely on the sidelines, and the majority have no problem in asking for and collecting international (read mainly American) aid do they? One never hears of the oil rich countries helping others out do you?
Ireland lost a great person this week. Seamus Heaney, the winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize for literature, and widely recognized as the greatest Irish poet since William Butler Yeats died Friday at the age of 74.
Poets and writers are a rare and special form of individual and their works should be revered. It is a wondrous gift that so few have and those that share it with the rest of us deserve our gratitude. I feel so fortunate to have helped authors in the production of their work during my working career and feel honoured to call some my friend.
In a world where it seems that the political agenda has been seized by what some term – “whole earth gestalt tree hugger greenies”, a sad example of calculated neglect emerges on my Island here. A few decades ago, the provincial government, driven by the incessant shrill demands of those folks, introduced the Canada Goose – in essence an invasive species. Well, now there is an overwhelming amount of these filthy poop spewing avians in the Capital city, fouling (pun here) lakes, waterways and lawns. Of course there can be no cull of these birds – man has to live side by side with them now. But what about the other bird species that were native here and now are displaced or even extinct as a result? Hmm, no answer to that at all from those folks. The same with the introduction of deer on the Island – or Bambi as all those folks like to trumpet. No cull, no hunting for these folks as these nonnative animals flourish and devastate local fauna and also foul land where people, especially children walk/crawl upon.
One wonders what will happen when the pendulum of public opinion and action swings the other way? And it will as history always shows the old axiom of “ for each action there is an equal and opposite reaction” happens.
Logic and compromise seem like forgotten arts don't they?
And the world is poorer because of that.
Sooooo..... I have been “home alone” for almost 2 weeks now as my better half has travelled east (hmm, east to western Canada - how is that possible anyway? but as before, I digress) to visit friends and family in Saskatchewan and Ontario. I have gained poundage as a cabal of aged ladies have invited me over on different days to have a “light” evening meal – dear lord, “light” is so wrong a word to use in this context, the meals were more like a Bacchanal feast! Now in our abode the floor boards creak, groan and shudder when I traverse them. That being said, it is sobering to see and feel how quiet a house becomes when there is only one person there. Soon I will be at the local airport to greet the better half and horrify her with tales of mountains of laundry, loads of dishes, plugged drains, dead plants and the like awaiting her immediate attention on the slow drive home – all the while knowing the opposite is true - as it is a fool who lets the house get dirty before the return of the other – for her wrath is terrible to incur!
Take care out there,
flatlander52
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