The Government & The Media are Buying From the Same Costume Shop

How long do politicians think they can continue to pull the wool over the people's eyes?

I guess as long as the media continues to report with a straight face the politicians' transparent bullshit.

Today's case in point.

Wally Opaque says he's launching a taser probe.

But he has barely paused for breath before he admits that he has no jurisdiction over the R.C.M.P. and that the federal government is not interested in his enquiries.

In other words, this is another study, not a policy directive.

In other words, nothing will be done.

In other words, bullshit and spin.

Last Friday, the Province reported with mysterious glee that the Preem had dropped by for morning tea and told the editorial board everything it needed to know about sentencing.

What Campbell did, in fact, was toss out a round of mindless statistics and concluded that we can't really do much because sentencing in the criminal justice system is largely a federal responsibility.

In other words, another study, no change, no action.

Only more bullshit and more spin.

These kinds of announcements (hollow) and these kinds of media reactions (shallow, unquestioning, ass-kissing) go a long way to explain the rise of internet journalism.

Ruben Gonzalez Playing Solo in the Cuban Gymnasium

With the resignation of castro, I thought a little Cuban music was in order...

The Inexorable March of War

India is both the second largest country by population in the world and one of the poorest. It has enormous new wealth and staggering poverty.

So, how to greet the news that India has just signed a deal to buy $2Billion worth of fighter planes from Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed?

Less than two years ago, Bush signed a nuclear deal with India to sell nuclear fuels and technology.

War, as we have seen over and over again, is rarely about anything "honorable." It is most often about money, deals, commerce.

One hopes as one goes along that men will find wisdom and create an approximation of peace on earth.

But, at the age of 65 and looking at the evidence, one sadly concludes that we are mad limited creatures.

War slogs on to the chime of the till.

Castro Resigns

End of a era. What next?

Read this morning's late update from the NY Times.