sparrow chat

US President George W Bush addressing the crisis in the world’s financial sector:

“Wall Street got drunk. It got drunk and now it’s got a hangover. The question is, how long will it sober up and not try to do all these fancy financial instruments?”

Later, an interpretation by the White House press secretary:

“He said that Wall Street was dealing with very complex financial instruments and that the markets didn’t fully understand the risks that those instruments posed to the system.”

I’d never have guessed.

Filed under: Pass the bottle

Posted under Sparrow Chat

One of the most frustrating aspects of the US presidential election campaign of late has been the lies of both candidates with regard to the situation in Iraq.

McCain smirks as he repeatedly affirms “the surge has worked. Violence in Baghdad is down…..”

Conversely, Obama doesn’t accept the surge has been a success, but still insists it’s fine to pull US troops out within sixteen months.

The truth of Iraq is somewhat different from the portrayal of the American media and politicians. McCain may well argue US military deaths have drastically reduced since the surge, and that alone constitutes success. Many Americans, those who don’t give a damn for Iraq or its people, would certainly agree. It’s hard to blame them when virtually every news channel in the US blatantly and deliberately ignores the continuing death toll of Iraqis, while rejoicing in the lower mortality rates of its own invading forces.

McCain is wrong when he states the surge has been successful. It hasn’t brought peace to Iraq, only subjugation. Many parts of Baghdad, and other Iraqi cities, are segregated into enclaves surrounded by concrete walls.

Europe once forced its Jews into ghettos. Almost six centuries later, the Americans have constructed ghettos in Iraq. Shiites and Sunnis are walled apart. Access in and out restricted to pass-holders only.

It’s a policy that has worked fine for the Israelis, confining and restricting Palestinians with concrete barriers and checkpoints at every turn. America has learned from Israel’s stratagems and employed similar tactics in Iraq.

Only, there weren’t enough troops in the country to deal with the insurgency and build the ghettos, so they invented ‘the surge’, and imported enough military manpower to ensure the job could be done adequately.

George W Bush was right to say it was only a temporary measure. Once the citizens were walled in, a lesser number of troops could maintain control, using US/Israeli style terror tactics as required. Tactics already used twice in Fallujah to devastating effect in 2004, leading “….to the destruction of approximately 75 percent of the city, thousands of civilian deaths, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people…..” according to an IPS report last Monday.

Is Fallujah about to experience yet another atrocity? Certainly, its citizens seem to think so.

Until quite recently, Fallujah was hailed as a model of security by the US media. A shining example of the success of the ‘surge’.

Two days ago, IPS reported:

“In the face of U.S. military claims of improved security, violence has been rising by the day this month. The city has now been placed under tight curfew while U.S. and Iraqi military forces prepare for a new offensive, according to the local Azzaman daily.

Iraqi security forces have established new checkpoints around the city and are forbidding movement of people and traffic. Pick-up trucks are roaming the city warning residents that al-Qaeda has once again infiltrated Fallujah.

Iraqi police officers insist that the situation is under control despite the “occasional incidents that take place all over Iraq.” The indications on the ground belie these claims………Iraqi police and troops from other areas are being deployed in the city in what police officials say is a build-up for a huge offensive. U.S. occupation forces are on the ready in nearby bases.

The government in Baghdad has made it clear that direct U.S. military involvement is critical for an “imminent offensive” in Fallujah, sources in the Iraqi military have been quoted as saying in Iraqi media…….everyone IPS spoke with in the city expressed fear of an impending attack.

There are meanwhile no signs of improvement of any other kind in Fallujah. Walls now divide the city into sectarian sections, with poverty, unemployment and suffering on all sides.”

The surge has not worked. McCain is wrong, and worst of all, he knows it. The American people are not being told the truth. Meanwhile, Obama spins the situation for his own political gain.

Fallujah remains America’s Gaza.

^{[1] “IRAQ: Fallujah Braces for Another Assault” IPS, July 21st 2008}

Filed under: Forgotten Iraq

Posted under Sparrow Chat

Motives are at the root of most actions. Often they are well-intentioned. Usually they are easy to figure out, blatant in some instances. Sometimes, though, human beings can take actions that defy logic, astound common sense, and leave the rest of us wondering just what the hell that person thinks they are playing at.

In a recent article, I suggested the British prime minister, Gordon Brown, might do himself some good in the eyes of the British people if he had the balls to denounce the present US administration for its torture of prisoners from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Today, Gordon Brown revealed to the world his total lack of testicular organs, by groveling to the Israeli Knesset in a speech some Western journalists described as ‘gushing’. It was, quite obviously, an attempt to curry favor; more likely with Washington than Jerusalem.^[1]

Brown, overshadowed by his predecessor’s wile and cunning, has had problems vanquishing the specter of Tony Blair, still haunting the halls of Westminster. By addressing the Israeli parliament Brown has carved for himself a tiny niche in history, as the first British prime minister ever to do so.

It may prove a dubious honor.

The world’s press this week made much of the talks between Iran and European diplomats desperate to find a solution to the problem of Iran’s continuing uranium enrichment. The hype accompanying the talks was caused largely by news of a US representative sitting in on the meeting. It was viewed as a small step towards the thawing of Iranian/US relations. While no firm deal was forthcoming, both sides agreed to consider proposals and meet again.

Days after that meeting, Gordon Brown marched into the Israeli Knesset, and announced:

“”For the whole of my life, I have counted myself as a friend of Israel……to those who question Israel’s very right to exist, and threaten the lives of its citizens through terror, we say: the people of Israel have a right to live here, to live freely and to live in security…….to those who are enemies of progress we say: we condemn anti-Semitism and persecution in all its forms.

To those who believe that threatening statements fall upon indifferent ears we say in one voice – it is totally abhorrent for the president of Iran to call for Israel to be wiped from the map of the world.”

For a world leader to make such a statement at this time smacks not just of arrogance, but utter stupidity. By his actions and words, Brown has proved himself unworthy, both as leader and a representative of the United Kingdom.

It would seem that in Gordon Brown the UK has acquired a Scottish version of George W Bush, the only other national leader known for frequent blatant faux pas and political indelicacy.

Brown, like all other world leaders, knows full well that Iranian president Ahmadinejad never used the words “wiped from the map of the world” in reference to Israel.^[2] Western media hyped up a mis-translation that has been used repeatedly against the Iranian regime.

Yesterday, was not a time to resurrect it; the Knesset was certainly not the place.

We are left begging the question: what were Brown’s motives?

Gordon Brown knows he can never be another Tony Blair. He lacks Blair’s personality, style, and charisma. Most of all, he falls way short in intelligence and common sense. His principles are indoctrinal, rather than acquired through intellect and logic.

He longs for the adulation and stardom his predecessor commanded on the world’s stage, but knows he’ll never achieve it. As with George W Bush, his popularity ratings at home have reached an all-time low.

Personal recognition often comes at a price, and for Gordon Brown being the ‘first’ in Israel is perhaps the greatest recognition he will ever achieve.

The price he may pay, so far as the rest of the world is concerned, is to flop into the pages of history as “just another George ‘Dubya’ Bush.”

^{[1] “Brown issues Iran nuclear warning” BBC, July 21st 2008}

^{[2] “Representative Press” February 27th 2007}

Filed under: Political train wreck

Posted under Sparrow Chat

The British prime minister, Gordon Brown, has reached a new low in opinion polls. Instead of leading his country, he seems more inclined to follow slavishly the route of his predecessor, Tony Blair, in attempting international fame and recognition at the expense of the needs of his voters at home.

Brown has just been handed a perfect method to redress that balance, but it’s extremely unlikely he has the balls sufficient to do so.

Politicians can be thoroughly reliable when it comes to avoiding issues. By a process of pontification and verbal hedging they frequently sidestep specifics and leave one wondering just exactly where they’re coming from. Nevertheless, after reading a recent report of the British parliamentary foreign affairs committee, few can harbor doubt that the British government has reached the unequivocal conclusion that when George W Bush categorically stated to the world, “America does not do torture”^[1], he was lying.

No British politician, with the possible exception of George Galloway, would ever risk calling the American president a full blown fibber, of course. The US/UK ‘Special Relationship’ is far too politically sensitive for that, but this report comes as close as it’s possible to get without causing a serious rift, given George W Bush is fading gradually away into the twilight of his incumbency.^[2]

Unfortunately, even this damning report is unlikely to alter anything.

Special relationships are all well and good, but most of us at sometime in our lives have had a close friend, or lover, go sour on us. To do nothing and pretend all is well just leaves a festering resentment. Usually it’s better to make a clean break, walk away, even though the pain of separation may be hard to bear for a while.

If prime minister Gordon Brown is keen to remain in the position bequeathed to him by Tony Blair, and right now his chances of doing so past the next general election seem slim at best, he should act on this report in the only honorable manner possible.

Informing the US administration that the British people find its inhumane methods unacceptable, followed by an announcement that, until America recovers the honor and integrity once its proud heritage, the ‘Special Relationship’ is suspended, would not only show the rest of the world that Britain wasn’t afraid to stand up for its principles, but would engender sufficient support from the British people to ensure Gordon Brown a landslide victory in 2010.

^{[1] “US does not torture, Bush insists” BBC, November 7th 2005}

^{[2] ” UK ‘must check’ US torture denial” BBC, July 19th 2008}

Filed under: Principles

Posted under Sparrow Chat

“Thank you for calling the Power Company. Your custom is extremely important to us. Please listen carefully to the following menu……”

We’ve all had it happen to us. A sudden emergency; we reach for the phone, only to by stymied by an automated message that presents us with a menu we can’t remember full of suggestions that are of no use in solving our immediate predicament.

Last night, at exactly 9.09 pm, we were plunged into Stygian darkness when some plonker at the power company decided it would be fun to throw a switch and cut power to ‘Section 31′.

‘Section 31′ is a small group of residential properties on the outskirts of town, that just happens to include ‘chez Adams’.

The weather was balmy; the night was warm. There was no reason on the goddamn planet for a power outage, yet ‘Section 31′ was suddenly denuded of light, cast into the blackness, an outcast from the world of fluorescent joy and gay, twinkling, effulgence enjoyed by everyone else in this mid-Illinois conurbation, other than the unfortunate residents of ‘Section 31′.

You see, it’s not the first time. This was the third occasion in four days that power has suddenly died, only to be reinstated within a few minutes, or even a couple of seconds. Their excuse is always the same: transformer failure.

It’s what their automated voice tells you:

“Our engineers are aware of a problem in Section 31 due to a transformer failure, and are working to rectify the fault. Power restoration is expected within five minutes.”

Only, we ‘Section 31′ residents all know its not a transformer failure. Transformers don’t fail for a few seconds then repair themselves. Oh, no! We residents of ‘Section 31′ know we are the fall guys.

When the heavy industry to the east of town needs more power, and the densely populated areas to the south and north turn up their air conditioning, it places an enormous strain on a power grid dating from the era of Thomas Jefferson. Something has to give, and what gives is ‘Section 31′.

In the main power control room the cry goes out: “Overload!”

In a flash, the supervisor assesses the situation, sees the problem and barks the order, “Shut down Section 31.”

The switch is thrown and ‘chez Adams’, together with a couple of dozen other properties, finds itself transformed in a millisecond from a cosy, humming, domicile to a dead, dark, silent tomb.

Of course, the power company would argue – if the power company deigned to argue at all, which it doesn’t – that it’s most important to keep the industry and heavily populated business areas supplied, rather than a few old codgers watching television or playing video games on their computers.

I disagree. What’s more, I’d tell them so if I could only speak to something that actually drew breath. First of all, I pay the same rate for power as anyone else in this god-awful town, so I’m entitled to equal priority. Second, my computer is just as likely to corrupt its files during a power outage as those of the Archer Daniel Midland Corporation or the Tate & Lyle Sugar Refinery.

And third, it plays havoc with Arnold.

But can I get through to a human being at the power company? No, of course I can’t ……

What? Who’s Arnold?

Ah, well, during the summer Arnold lives and works in the backyard. He needs a constant supply of electricity in order to do his job. When the power goes out, Arnold downs tools and won’t do a tap till I go out and boot him into action once more.

Only, during a central Illinois summer, no-one ventures out into their yard after dark. A night out in the Amazon jungle is more appealing than even a minute or two outside in a central Illinois backyard mid-summer.

Consequently, if Arnold stops work after dark due to a power outage, it’s next morning before anyone risks booting him into action again.

Still, as I was saying, if I could only manage to contact someone down the power company other than that darned machine, I’d tell ‘em…….

What? What does Arnold do?

Why, Arnold’s a Mosquito Magnet. You see, that’s the reason most central Illinois residents won’t step outside their yard door after dark: mosquitoes. We’ve got mosquitoes bigger than bald eagles flying around out there, and Arnold does a great job of vacuuming them up. Well, that is, so long as the power keeps flowing. As soon as it cuts out, so does Arnold. It means a trip down the yard to boot him up again once the power’s back on, and there ain’t no-one’ll do that after dark.

Still, eventually, I’ll succeed in getting through to one of them bigwigs in person down the power company, and when I do he’ll get a right piece of my mind. We folks in ‘Section 31′ have as much right to power as anyone else in this town and…….

What? Why’s a Mosquito Magnet called Arnold?

Geez! Are you dumb! Because it’s an Exterminator. Right? You know – Arnold, the Exterminator……?

And that’s what I’ll do to that bigwig down the power company, one of these days……if I can ever get past that bloody automated machine……

Filed under: Customer disservice

Posted under Sparrow Chat

Way back in March of this year, in a small town in Kansas, it was discovered that a woman had been sitting on her boyfriend’s toilet seat for two years, without ever getting off.^[1] I mention it because it’s a story I’ve only just noticed, and while reading the facts one thought that recurred was, “Did the boyfriend have his legs crossed all that time.”

It’s difficult to find much in the news that’s worthy of comment these days. Perhaps one of the most obvious titbits has been the New Yorker’s cover cartoon of the Obamas, with its resultant public and media furore, but even that is hardly worthy of serious discussion.

Was the New Yorker right to publish? Yes. Was it in bad taste? Well, that would depend on your taste.

Perhaps the greatest indictment should not be of the New Yorker, but of ourselves, for taking it and twisting it into a political event. After all, this nation is supposed to be all about freedoms, but whenever anyone exercises those freedoms it seems the whole nation is consumed by wrath and indignation.

There’s an equal outpouring of disagreement over the International Criminal Court’s decision to charge Sudan’s dictator president, Omar al-Bashir, with genocide. While most sane people don’t argue his guilt – Bashir’s government makes the Saddam Hussein regime look like followers of Mother Theresa – the contretemps is over the timing, and whether Sudanese repercussions might endanger UN peacekeepers.

Perhaps the UN should have considered that back in 2005 when it originally referred the matter to the ICC? Since when has justice been something to be deferred until more convenient?

Still, we can rely on the great U.S of A. to swing its political muscle behind the ICC. Oh…. no, we can’t. George W Bush and his merry band refuse to recognize international justice – unless it’s dispatched from the bomb bay of an A10, of course.

I think we’ve all had enough of this economy business. It’s time to turn it off and get back to normal. After all, it isn’t real. Phil Gramm said so, and he should know, he’s a senator. We’re all just whining over nothing. So what if gas is over four dollars, Fanny Mae refuses you that loan for a Big Mac, and cows have set up their own Milk Marketing Board to cut out the middlemen?

There’s one positive note to the economic downturn: we’ve all learned not to blame anyone. No-one’s pointing a finger. It’s true the FBI are feeling the collars of a few small-fry businessmen for shady practices, but in the true spirit of pulling together for the good of all, no-one in America is asking, “Who’s responsible?”

Perhaps the reason no-one’s asking is because the answer is so obvious. All you have to do is look back at the figures. In March 2002, the economy was doing fine. Oil was under $23 a barrel^[2]. Then, in early 2003, something happened that caused the price to jump by ten dollars a barrel. Over the next few years it climbed steadily as the dollar weakened against international currencies, driving the price of oil higher and higher.

Now, let me see, what did happen in early 2003……….. nope, blowed if I can remember……

Finally, the best news item of the week for me – and one that provides a (very) weak and tenuous hook to my leader paragraph – was last Tuesday’s BBC report claiming that the ‘Presidential Memorial Committee of San Francisco’ was preparing to honor President George W Bush on his retirement from office, by naming a sewage works after him.^[3]

Committee organizer Brian McConnell said:

“It’s important to remember our leaders in the right historical context.”

Occasionally, you read something that just makes you feel better.

^{[1] “Woman sits on boyfriend’s toilet for 2 years” MSNBC, March 12th 2008}

^{[2] “Historical Crude Oil Prices (Table)” InflationData.com}

^{[3] “Group seeks Bush sewage ‘tribute’” BBC, July 8th 2008}

Filed under: Shit by any other name

Posted under Sparrow Chat