See Horta Run, Run Horta Run...
I'm not entirely sure why i chose that title, I dare say it has to do with not having any caffeine in the last 24 hours, and if you are wondering why I haven't had any caffeine in 24 hours you have obviously forgotten just how lazy I am...
In perhaps the most easily predicted political move of the century, Timor Leste PM, Jose Ramos-Horta, more affectionately refereed to as PMJRH, has announced his candidacy for the Presidency of his great little country...
Ramos-Horta, who promoted East Timor's rights while in exile after Indonesia's occupation, won the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize for his work to bring about a peaceful settlement. Xanana Gusmao, who led the independence struggle, currently holds the post of president and has said he won't seek re-election. ``I will continue, if elected president, to continue this same approach of institutional harmonization because I know that only this way will we manage to guarantee national independence and state unity,'' Ramos-Horta said, according to an e-mailed transcription of his speech. ``A country in which several institutions are dysfunctional is a country that cannot develop.''PMJRH, was promoted to PM after previously holding the posts of FM and DM. His promotion came after Mari Alkatiri was forced to resign amid speculation that he
'fomented unrest between civilian groups and security forces.' Australia's ABC network put forward a pretty good case showing that Alkatiri formed death squads, but no one really knows what is going on there...
The elections are being held in April, i am still doing my best to get over there, although the Australian Military isn't exactly helping the cause, shooting a civilian and raising their travel advisory...
My little spies at DFAT have informed me that the Australian Government and the Government of Timor Leste have signed an agreement on the Timor Gap, I'll check it out and get back to you, because there is nothing I enjoy more than telling people how good Australia is screwing over a developing country!
Labels: Australia, Jose Ramos-Horta, Timor-Leste, Timor-Leste Elections
ICJ clears Serbia of Genocide
But rules it violated international law by failing to prevent massacre at Srebrenica in 1995.
Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro)The Court finds that Serbia has violated its obligation under the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide in Srebrenica and that it has also violated its obligations under the Convention by having failed fully to co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Summary of Judgement:
Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and MontenegroCourt clears Serbia of genocide [BBC]
Labels: Genocide, ICJ, International Law
That's hot.
From today's Ottawa Notebook in the
Globe and Mail: "Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a interview on CTV Newsnet's
Mike Duffy Live this week that his wife, Laureen, thought billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates was the world's 'sexiest man'. "Laureen said, 'When a man has that much money, he's sexy.'" Mr Harper said. The topic came up because of Mr. Harper's meeting Tuesday with Mr. Gates about his foundation's support for the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative."
Labels: Crap
Oz *heart* DC
How many protests were there? Anyways, US conservative newswatch site Drudge Report puts it this way:
Update: Not your average protestor.
Labels: Australia-US Relations, Media
Extension of UN Mission in Timor-Leste
Security Council extends Timor-Leste mission for 1 year, boosts policeThe Security Council today extended the United Nations mission in impoverished Timor-Leste for another year until February 2008, while adding up to 140 extra police officers to help counter the increasing violence as the tiny nation gears up for this year’s elections.
...
The Council also expressed its “full support” for the International Security Forces (ISF) in Timor-Leste, and also urged the Government to continue working with UNMIT on a comprehensive review of the security sector.
...
The first round of the Timorese presidential election is scheduled for 9 April, with the parliamentary election to be held later. These will be the first polls held in the tiny nation since it gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
Labels: Timor-Leste, United Nations
Man Sentenced in Oil-for-Food Scandal
"NEW YORK, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tongsun Park, 71, a citizen of the Republic of Korea, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in connection with corruption of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia of the Southern District of New York announced. On July 13, 2006, Park was found guilty by a jury of conspiring to act in the United States as an unregistered agent of the government of Iraq, specifically to assist the former Iraqi government in the creation of the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program. Park was sentenced to 60 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Park was also ordered to pay a fine of $15,000 and to forfeit $1.2 million to the United States. The funds forfeited in this case, as with other funds recovered in the investigation of corruption in the Oil- for-Food Program, are expected to be remitted to the Development Fund for Iraq."New York Man Sentenced for Role in Connection With Corruption in Oil-for-Food ProgramLabels: Iraq, Oil-for-Food
Spank me!
Public Eye Online calls it a 'carrot and stick' scenario, but it's almost closer to a damage deposit akin to renting an apartment. The Conservative Party's "behave or else you'll lose your deposit" approach to candidates is curious.... but I suppose when you have members of a party linking Iraqi insurgent killings to abortion* [the list of examples could go on and on] any measure to keep mouthpieces under wraps in a highly volatile political environment is perhaps wise.
According to the party’s nomination rules and procedures - which were distributed to riding associations this past June - candidates must make out a $1,000 cheque payable to the Conservative Fund Canada to "serve as a Good Conduct Bond." Those who follow those rules and procedures will get their cheque back. But it’s tough luck for those who don't. And the news is even worse for candidates who win less than 10 percent of the vote at a nomination meeting. They have to relinquish their $1,000 "Non-Frivolous Bond." Which means troublemakers who want to run for the Conservatives for shits and giggles are going to be out $2,000. Ouch!
*
MP Gallant compares abortion to Iraq beheading [CTV]
Labels: Canada, Conservative Party, election
Vancouver Sun: Research Bureau of the PMO
Oh, to be a Vancouver Sun reporter!!!
If I had known that PMSH's
new conservative government sole source of information used in the House of Commons was the
Vancouver Sun, perhaps I would have reconsidered my career path. Oh, the power, Kim Bolan!
For those who have been skipping their dose of
CPAC lately, the Government has a habit of replying to questions in Question Period with answers completely unrelated answers attacking the Liberal opposition. While PMSH may be the captain of this team, Minister of the Environment
John Baird is certainly the top scorer.
Anyways, yesterday was the supreme case in point, and a day of ruckus in the House political commentators have never seen. The Opposition was attacking the government for changing the process in which judges are chosen, and in reply, PMSH referred to an unrelated matter regarding the
Air India investigation, Canada's worst case of terrorism, killing 329 people:
Responding to unrelated criticism about the way his government chooses judges, Mr. Harper attempted to read from a newspaper report saying the father-in-law of Ontario MP Navdeep Bains would not have to testify at the criminal investigation into the Air-India bombing if the measures are allowed to die.
"Obviously, the Liberal Party opposes the change we have made . . ." he said of the judicial-selection process. "I am not surprised, given what I am reading in The Vancouver Sun today, when I realize this is how the Liberal Party makes decisions."
PM's attack on Liberal fuels bedlam in OttawaLabels: Canada, Question Period, Stephen Harper
"AIDS worse than 9/11"
In a timely addendum to my last post on Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's sudden awakening to the need for action by the Canadian government on AIDS, every Australian law students' favourite High Court Judge, Justice Michael Kirby, has questioned the perspective of continued fear-mongering of the 9/11 attacks.
"HIGH Court judge Michael Kirby yesterday accused America of being "obsessed" with September 11, 2001, saying more people died each day of AIDS than perished in the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington."AIDS worse than 9/11, says KirbyJustice Kirby played down the significance of the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon - in which 2900 people, including 10 Australians, died - after questioning claims by lawyers for the commonwealth that they had made Australia more vulnerable to terrorists.
He made his observation as the High Court considered an appeal against a control order imposed on "Jihad" Jack Thomas, the first man convicted under Australia's new anti-terror laws.
Federal police obtained the order last August after his two earlier convictions for terrorism-related offences were quashed by the Victorian Court of Appeal. The charges were reinstated in December, and he is on bail awaiting trial for allegedly accepting funds from al-Qa'ida and falsifying a passport. America obsessed with 9/11: KirbyLabels: AIDS, Justice Kirby
Harper Suddenly Pays Attention to AIDS
Bill Gates, Canada team up to fight AIDS
Ottawa will contribute 111 million Canadian dollars (95 million US) toward international research efforts and to build a Canadian facility to make vaccine candidates for use in clinical trials, while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will provide 28 million Canadian dollars (24 million US).
The collaboration will "accelerate the pace towards the discovery of an HIV vaccine ... move vaccines to the clinical trial stage more quickly and improve access to an eventual vaccine," Harper told reporters.
The result would spare "millions of people from the horrific reality of HIV-AIDS," he said.
Harper, Gates announce millions for HIV vaccine research initiative
After Harper and his government were an embarassing no-show at the 2006 AIDS conference in Toronto, one wonders what has suddenly encouraged PMSH to get active on the file.
Labels: AIDS, Canada, Stephen Harper
WTF???
What is it with Tuesday mornings just being... well... Weird...
Priest gets 14 years' jail for crucifying nunTuesday Feb 20 09:31 AEDTA Romanian priest charged with crucifying a nun he believed was possessed by the devil has been sentenced to 14 years behind bars.Four nuns who were found guilty of being accomplices to the exorism-turned-murder were meanwhile sentenced to between five and eight years in prison at the end of a trial in Vaslui in eastern Romania.The five defendants were also, along with the Husi diocese in northern Romania, ordered to jointly pay 3,000 euros ($5010) in damages and interest to the victim's parents.The nun, 23-year-old Irina Cornici of the Saint Trinity of Tanacu monastery in northeastern Romania, died after being gagged, chained to a cross and left without food or water for several days. Her body was discovered on June 15, 2005......According to the indictment, "the defendants have confessed to the facts during the investigation but claim they were motivated by a wish to save the victim from the evil spirits that possessed her".
The prosecutor also charged that the five had "intentionally" deprived Cornici, who suffered a psychological illness, of medical treatment.The case sparked an outcry in Romania against the "mediaeval" practices tolerated by the Orthodox Church, to which a majority of the population belongs.See what I mean, ignore the slap on the wrist gaol term, it's just weird that they were fined 3,000 Euros... Doesn't that seem a little on the cheap side? I mean, they CRUCIFIED A NUN!!!!
Labels: Crucifiction, Priests, Romania, Weird
Howard/Iraq
Two random Monday stories. The first to amuse, the second, well....
2)
"Rudd did not mince words. He cited Howard's "false basis" for Australia's decision to join the invasion, his "misuse of intelligence material to justify" the decision, his "failure" to "articulate a clear cut mission statement" for Australia's "continued participation in the war", Howard's "failure" to develop a "clear cut exit strategy" from Iraq, his "refusal" to explain "his strategy for winning the war", his "attack" on the US Democratic Party as "al-Qaeda's party of choice", and "the Prime Minister's lack of guts and courage in refusing to accept" Rudd's challenge to a national television debate "on Labor's plan to bring our troops home" and Howard's plan "to leave our troops in Iraq indefinitely". The motion was worded as provocatively as possible to try to goad Howard and leave him little room politically to decline." [SMH]Labels: Australia, Iraq, John Howard, polls
PMJH May Loose Seat
Had a good laugh after reading this one...
It appears as the John Howard may not even be a part of the government post election whether he wants to or not...
A telephone poll of almost 400 voters in Bennelong, Sydney, found 55 per cent supported Labor on a two-party preferred basis.And 49 per cent said Kevin Rudd would be a better prime minister than Mr Howard, who scored 47 per cent......The poll found 40 per cent of Bennelong voters would give their first preference to Mr Howard - down 9.9 per cent since the last election.Forty-one per cent said they would cast a primary vote for Labor - up 12.6 per cent since 2004.
Mr Kerr said the poll confirmed that Bennelong would be a front line seat in this year's federal election.But, he said, there was one small silver lining for Mr Howard - 46 per cent of voters in Bennelong still think the coalition will win the next federal election - and the prime minister can choose when to hold it....Let's face it, you can't have too much faith in polls, especially when it is only 400 people, and it is conducted by the Roy Morgan Research Group and Crikey.com.au, not to slander either group, as I said, I just found this funny, and thought
I'd share...
Labels: Australian Election, John Howard, Poll
New Iraq Strategy
As a form of procrastination I visited the BBC's news website. I was told of a new strategy for Iraq being employed by the Iraqi government...
Iraq says it will close its border crossings with Iran and Syria for three days as part of its new security plan for the capital, Baghdad. Top commander Lt Gen Abboud Gambar used a live TV address to unveil the plan which also extends the Baghdad curfew.The first thing one must ask themselves is why only three (3) days, surely it makes sense to just close them for a few months, allowing aid to be delivered by the "coalition of the willing", meaning that unless you are a part of the "coalition of the willing" you aren't going to cross the border. The reasoning for the closure...
Officials also said that after the 72-hour border closure, the crossing points with Iran would only be partially reopened. Gen Gambar said the new plan would give him sweeping emergency powers, combining the command of the police and armed forces. Weapons permits would be restricted to the Iraqi and US military.So the theory is, let's close the border for a few days, then reopen all of Syria's and just a little bit of Iran's crossing points, and then only allow Weapons permits to Iraqi and US military personnel...
I won't comment on the irony of issuing weapons permits to those primarily responsible for the violence, (like it or not, if the US military had no weapons they never would have invaded)...
I will however ask if anyone out there can tell me what difference three days will make?
I guess it may establish a supply line of weapons, only if the violence quells for three days, although that infers that insurgents don't have any stockpiles of weapons...
This is starting to hurt my head...
To read the article go
here.
Labels: BBC, Iran, Iraq, Syria
Australian Defence Minister Not Quite All There...
Last night Aussie Defence Minister
Brandan Nelson was on ABC's
Lateline, defending his
wife's, I mean the Prime Ministers honour when he concluded with something that made me hang my head in shame...
Nelson was quizzed over what would happen if
Obama's resolution was victorious and the
Americans were forced to withdrawal, would Australia stay on?
TONY JONES: But if the Iraqi Government said “Leave the Australians in place, even though there are no Americans here”, you'd do that, is that right?BRENDAN NELSON: What you're suggesting is essentially ridiculous, Tony, because, at a military level, and indeed at a political level, we negotiate what is in the best interests of Australia and then the interests of the Iraqis themselves and I certainly don't foresee any, if you like, situation whatever the colour of the administration in the United States, where we're going to be in any sort of situation like that. That's a hypothetical and I certainly don't think it will happen.First and foremost, I have no idea what colour has to do with anything, the entire interview was hilarious, especially when Jones mentioned that
Obama's plan was essentially that of the Iraq Strategy Groups which called for a phased withdrawal of US troops, a strategy which Aussie Foreign Minister Alexander Downer described it as a good piece of work, a useful contribution that "draws all the right conclusions about the ultimate objectives"...
Nelson was out of his league and struggled his whole way through, one has to wonder why Howard led this lamb to slaughter... For a full transcript go
here.
I'll try not to post on this issue again, unless of course it gets more funnier....
Labels: Alexander Downer, Australia-US Relations, Barack Obama, Brendan Nelson, Lateline
UK, Indonesia Closer Military Ties Despite Human Rights Concerns
TAPOL [Indonesian Human Rights Campaign] press release voicing concern over UK-Indonesian military deal.
Step change in UK-Indonesia military tiesThe controversial plans for stronger military ties were first announced during Prime Minster’s Tony Blair’s visit to Indonesia in March 2006 [2]. In November, BAE Systems attended the second Indonesia arms fair in Jakarta [3]. Last week, Defence Minister Sudarsono held talks with BAE Systems during a visit to London for the inaugural meeting of the UK-Indonesia Partnership Forum set up during Mr Blair’s visit to Indonesia [4].
Despite embarking on a process of reform, the Indonesian armed forces (known as TNI) continue to be implicated in human rights violations and to resist accountability for past abuses. The TNI has been notorious for its use of imported military equipment in conflicts in Timor-Leste, Aceh and West Papua.
TAPOL is particularly concerned about the possible use of Hawk aircraft in the conflict area of West Papua where Indonesian rule is strongly contested, human rights violations are routine, and
military expansion is under way.
......
Timor-Leste’s Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) recently recommended that business corporations which profited from the sale of weapons to Indonesia during the occupation of Timor-Leste should contribute to a reparations programme irrespective of whether the equipment they supplied was used in specific violations. The British company that derived the most profit - mainly through the sale of Hawk aircraft - was BAE Systems (then known as British Aerospace) [5], but it has made no attempt to act on the CAVR recommendation.
Labels: Human Rights, Military, Timor-Leste
Paranzee Prosecution Unleashes...
I've been blogging about the Paranzee trial for a while now, whilst it is still under appeal, and still not getting any major press, the attention it is getting reveals that the prosecution is taking its role seriously...
American biomedical researcher Professor Robert Gallo appeared by video-link today in the South Australian Supreme Court of Appeal as a prosecution witness in the appeal case of Andre Chad Parenzee.Prof Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, was called to counter testimony of two Perth AIDS dissidents who believe the virus is not linked to AIDS or is sexually transmitted.......Prof Gallo was one of the scientists who discovered AIDS in the early 1980s and linked HIV as the cause of the disease......In cross-examination today, defence lawyer Kevin Borick QC questioned Prof Gallo on reports he had been charged with misappropriation following US government inquiries into his scientific work in late 1980s.Prof Gallo angrily rejected the questioning, saying he had been "found not guilty of nothing" and a draft report accusing him of misdealing with a virus sample given to him by Montagnier had been disavowed by the author."It is not fruitful and it wasn't needed and anybody who read the conclusions knows the story," Prof Gallo told the court from Bethesda, Massachusetts."My integrity is not on trial, Mr Borick."Prof Gallo said the mainstream scientific community had accepted that HIV existed and dismissed the claims of the defence witnesses – Eleni Papadopolous-Eleopolos and Dr Val Turner – as nonsense because they relied heavily on early studies that were now dated.
"It is no longer child's play – we quickly passed 1983 and 1984 with far more evidence than is given to the court," he said.
Prof Gallo said the defence evidence had made conflicting arguments and much of the research was inaccurately presented.
"Their statements are just all over the place," Prof Gallo said...All I can say is that you know you are in trouble when they pull out the old video link up!
Labels: HIV/AIDS, Paranzee, South Australia
Howard Government Attacks Democracy
The big news out of the House on the Hill today has been a failed censure motion against PMJH for his comments against Obama, the bigger news should be the plans for the Government to silence debate in 'That Place'....
Leader of the House Tony Abbott will today move a motion that will limit debates on matters of public importance (MPI) from two hours to one hour, Independent MP for New England Tony Windsor said. The MPIs, generally held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on parliamentary sitting weeks, give members a chance to bring up any issue of concern.Labor regularly uses the MPIs to criticise the Government over the issue of the day, while Mr Windsor said they were also a vital method for MPs to represent their constituencies. MPIs last week included water, climate change and education.Mr Windsor said the Federal Government planned to use its numbers in the lower house to silence debate in an election year. It's almost as if you couldn't tell it was an election year....
Labels: Australian Election, MPI, Tony Windsor
Obama Slaps Little Johnny
I've just been told that Aussie PM John Howard actually got some airplay in the US overnight, which is hilarious...
PMJH was being interviewed on Channel 9's Sunday program and was asked for a reaction to, potential US president and current US Sen. Barack Obama's Iraq withdrawal policy...
I think he's wrong. I think that will just encourage those who want to completely destabilise and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for an Obama victory,".
"If I were running al-Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory not only for Obama but also for the Democrats."
Obama has commented on our little Johnny, giving him what could best be described as a diplomatic bitch slap into line...
I think it's flattering that one of George Bush's allies on the other side of the world started attacking me the day after I announced," Senator Obama said in Iowa.
"I would also note that we have close to 140,000 troops in Iraq, and my understanding is Mr Howard has deployed 1400, so if he is ... to fight the good fight in Iraq, I would suggest that he calls up another 20,000 Australians and sends them to Iraq.
"Otherwise it's just a bunch of empty rhetoric."
20,000 Aussie troops would erode an Reserve ADF members (19, 275 as per 2004/05), then again that is just the reserves, if Howard was to deploy from the permanent ADF, currently at 51,189 reduced to 31,189 personnel...
Regardless, Howard can't follow through on Obama's challenge as...
The latest ACNielsen poll in Fairfax newspapers today has the Labor party 16 percentage points in front of the governing coalition on a two-party preferred vote while Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd also leads Mr Howard in the preferred prime minister stakes.
This is all very reminiscent of Dick Armitage telling Australian politicians what they should do... Howard rebuked the ambassador then, it is now time for the Australian people to rebuke Howard, tell him to concentrate on this country, and not comment on his superiors!
Edit: I didn't realise just how big of a story this was going to be, the news bulletins tonight have been coming thick and fast... Perhaps the most well thought out response comes from Michael McKinley from ANU...
Foreign policy experts doubt the episode will do any long-term damage to the alliance.
Dr Michael McKinley, an international relations expert from the Australian National University, described the Prime Minister's comments as stupid but doubted they'd have any long-term impact on relations between Australia and the US.
"If the Democrats win, some of them will remember this but it's quite likely that John Howard will not be prime minister for very long, if at all, when it happens," he said.
Labels: Australia-US Relations, Barack Obama, Iraq, John Howard
Blogging Losers
Running negative attack ads in the run-up to the run-up of an election campaign is, well, fine I guess. But just don't forget to keep the troops motivated with these
spunky screensavers and wallpaper! Courtesy of
Blogging Tories, they're fresh, hip, and sure to increase your confidence. Stop laughing.
Labels: Canada, election, Tories
Those Crazy Cat's!!!
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has announced, what has been deemed a victory by dog lovers the world over, that Cats or Genus Felis if you know Latin, have the ability to become infected by the current strain of H5N1 (Bird Flu).
As a precautionary measure, FAO recommended that in areas where the H5N1 virus has been found in poultry or wild birds, cats should be separated from infected birds until the danger has passed. On commercial poultry premises cats should even be kept indoors. The agency advised against killing cats as a virus control option because there is nothing to suggest that cats are transmitting the virus in a sustained way. Removing cats could lead to a surge in rodents such as rats, which are an agricultural pest and often transmit diseases to humans.This is not the first time that cats have been infected as previous incidents in Thailand, Iraq, the Russian Federation, the European Union and Turkey show. Cats can become infected by feeding on sick domestic or wild birds; they can develop severe to fatal disease and excrete the virus from the respiratory and digestive tracts. Perhaps highlighting that the FAO has a sense of humour, they posted their story along with this picture...
I'm almost afraid to ask why the file was saved as "Turkish Cat", regardless, felines of the world take note, if you bring about the end of the world as we know it, well, I don't know what I will do, but it won't be friendly towards cats!!!
Labels: Bird Flu, FAO, H5N1, United Nations
Queensland Parliament takes Stupidity to New Level
I had to laugh during the week when QLD (State) opposition leader Jeff Seeney was ejected from parliament for essentially being an idiot and taking parliament to a whole new low. Last night however, I was ashamed to called a resident of Queensland, when news came out about, quite possibly the most irrelevant being on the planet, and yes I realise the irony of posting about something that is irrelevant, Nationals' MP Rob Messenger, took the parliament to a scene more reminiscent of some f-grade talk show from the US.
While debating extra protection for whistleblowers, Mr Messenger on Wednesday night likened the Premier in a dinner suit to "watching a prostitute dressed in a ballgown talking about celibacy". Mr Beattie yesterday demanded an apology, which he initially appeared to be getting. "I have had this morning to think about my comments and reflect on my behavior. I have decided that the Premier is right. My comments were unparliamentary and I should apologise. So I wholeheartedly and sincerely apologise to the prostitutes of Queensland," Mr Messenger replied, sending the house into uproar.The dis-honourable Messenger went further, professing Premier Peter Beattie to be
"one of the most disgusting and contemptuous (sic) people to have ever drawn breath in Queensland".... Obviously we shouldn't expect much from Messenger, he was the baffoon who led a one man protest against Premier Pete during the recent election, where he (Messenger) invaded a hospital with a megaphone and continually berated the Premier, no doubt disturbing patients in recovery...
It's a shame that it is not an election yet in QLD, I am sure that you would likely see either Premier Pete become Australia's first dictator, taking all seats from the opposition, or at the very least, the demise of the National party in QLD state politics. Their actions over the last week or so have been deplorable and bought the entire parliamentary process into disrepute. I feel sorry for all those members of parliament who purely desire to do the right thing and represent their constituents, yet now fall into the same boat as the likes of Seeney and Messenger!
You can decide for yourself the title of that boat!
Labels: Peter Beattie, QLD Parliament
Ban extends Timor's Ability to Survive
New UN Sec-Gen has had a shakey few weeks start at the "loneliest job in the world". A number of gaffes over the Hussein execution, and a few other minor mishaps, has had a few members of the trio slightly concerned.
Now it's time for Ban-Ki Moon to step out of the shadows and take the lead...
Ban has drafted a report to the UN Sec-Council recommending the extension of UNMIT (United Nations Mission in Timor) for 12 months."The long term commitment of the international community to Timor-Leste (East Timor) remains critical to enabling the return of this new nation to the path of stability and development in a climate of democratic, accountable and responsive governance," Mr Ban said."In my view, an extension of the UNMIT mandate for a period of 12 months would send an important signal of the willingness of the security council to sustain its commitment to East Timor," Mr Ban said. "In order to strengthen security for the critical electoral process, I support the government's request that an additional formed police unit be deployed," he said.The elections in Timor are taking place on April 9th with current President Xanana Gusmao opting out of the race, but talking about a run as PM. For those of you questioning why the Timor mission should be extended, last time the UN pulled out...
This happened...
Not to mention the thousands displaced, the hundred of homes burnt, for Timor to remain Timor, the UN must provide it the support it requires. Unless, of course, certain members of the Security Council would prefer to see Timor Leste to no survive...
Labels: Ban-Ki Moon, Timor-Leste, UN Sec-Gen, United Nations
Paranzee Update
For those of you that have forgotten, Paranzee is the twit in Adelaide who has been charged with intentionally infecting women with HIV. Disturbingly it seems to be an ongoing trend around the world with cases in both Italy and in Canada...
In Canada it's a former CFL football star, my memory is failing me to remember about the Italian... The point of my post is that Paranzee's appeal is underway, and after 3 weeks of the denialist jumping up and down saying HIV doesn't exist and isn't sexually transmitted, it's the prosecutions turn to rebut the case...
For the full version go
here...
Some snippets for your educational pleasure...
The Perth Group, led by medical physicist Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos has for more than three weeks given "expert" testimony claiming HIV has never been isolated in the laboratory and is not sexually transmitted.
The claims came in the appeal of Andre Chad Parenzee, 36, who is attempting to get a retrial on charges of endangering the lives of three former girlfriends by having sex with them knowing he was HIV-positive. ...Professor Moore's comments are part of his pursuit of AIDS denialists, on the internet and with opinion pieces in The New York Times and a letter to Harper's Magazine. He said the Perth Group were "not in the mainstream of AIDS denialism", and were considered a "joke" by HIV and AIDS researchers. Professor Moore, who has written and co-written more than 200 peer-reviewed articles on HIV and AIDS, said: "They are not experts except in their own minds. They have never worked on HIV, with HIV patients, or studied it first-hand. It is the equivalent of me saying I'm an expert in astrophysics because I've read some books on it." ...Perth Group member Val Turner said on Friday he was walking in the footsteps of scientific mavericks such as Galileo, who was imprisoned by the Catholic Church for his espousal of the sun-centred solar system. Professor Moore said this was "bullshit".Bullshit indeed...
Labels: Denialists, HIV/AIDS, Paranzee, South Australia
A special Announcement from the Onion
I laughed... Then Cried... Then Laughed Again...
