The news media has swamped us all today with pictures of Barack Obama at the White House meeting with George W Bush. We saw the Obama’s arriving, watched as they were greeted by Laura and George on the front porch, dozed quietly on the sofa as they toured the inside of the house, then laboriously walked all around the outside.
So far as we’re aware, Barney was given no opportunity to bite the president-elect. Everything was kept very cordial.
In fact, too damned cordial. There has to be etiquette, of course. It’s how the rich and powerful behave when together at such times, but was I the only one who found the vision of Barack Obama, sat comfortably in a chair chatting amiably to George W Bush, somewhat frustrating?
It was never going to happen; to even expect it would be foolish. There was way too much at stake for the notion to, even momentarily, drift through Obama’s mind. But it did pass through mine.
Would it not have been the most wonderful image to carry through life to one’s grave, had Barack Obama stepped out of his limousine in front of the White House, walked over to the present incumbent, and punched him hard on the nose, saying:
“There you go, George, that one’s from the American people.”
The airline, British Midland (BMI), has just announced it is curtailing all long-haul flights out of Manchester, England, from January 2009. This will include transatlantic flights to and from Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Since 2001, BMI has operated one Manchester flight a day into, and from, Chicago.
The loss of this route means the only service between O’Hare and Manchester (non-stop) will be operated by American Airlines. British Airways advertise the route, but don’t operate any aircraft on it, instead diverting all their customers to the one AA flight.
The cost-cutting decision by BMI came as a direct result of a takeover of the company by the German airline, Lufthansa.
Once again we are seeing a degradation of service to the public. No longer is there a choice for passengers wishing to fly to northern Britain from Chicago, unless of course one is foolish enough to book via Vladivostok or Kazakhstan.
Throughout the world, as companies merge or are swallowed up by the huge corporates, choices for the consumer dwindle until options are no longer available. The western world makes such a fuss about communism – state ownership resulting in little or no choice for the consumer; literally, a question of take what you’re offered or do without – but is there any difference in real terms between state ownership and corporate monopoly? Both achieve the same result: total control over you and me.
It’s unlikely the demise of BMI’s service from Chicago will effect many who read Sparrow Chat. Only those like myself, who use the service regularly – though only once or twice a year. When I do travel back to Britain, though, I don’t wish to fly with American Airlines. I don’t like the way they do business; they’re more expensive; I don’t like their aircraft – there’s no individual entertainment system on AA’s Boeing 767’s, unlike BMI’s Airbus 330, and the food’s crap.
More importantly, I hate being told I have to purchase a product I don’t want, at an inflated price due to lack of competition.
In future, I’ll fly Virgin Atlantic to London, Heathrow, and then drive to my destination. So, stick that in your cold, stodgy burgers, American Airlines!
Unfortunately, as corporates grow even bigger and ‘small business’ is run out of town more often, lack of option will fast become normality for us all.
Risking accusations of anti-semitism (and, let’s face it, there are times when someone has to) it’s little wonder the Jewish people face constant criticism for their arrogant, high-handed attitudes.
Let me make it crystal clear, I’m not talking the ordinary Jewish man or woman in the street, whether that street be in America, Israel, or anywhere else on earth. I’m referring to the wealthy, powerful, Israeli-connected, Jews who will trample anyone’s sensitivities to get their own way.
Whatever one’s view of Simon Wiesenthal’s obsession with bringing to justice those responsible for the Nazi atrocities of WW2, it’s difficult to criticize him. If I’d suffered the pain and indignities he went through at Janowska, Plaszow, and Mauthausen concentration camps during World War II, I can’t say with certainty I wouldn’t have followed a similar course.
When ultra-wealthy American Jews build a center in Los Angeles and name it after him, however, one might expect it to follow a certain standard of ethics.
It doesn’t. At least, not in the case of its latest venture.
It’s reasonable to expect a $250 million dollar complex labeled, “The Museum of Tolerance”, to show a little of that tolerance when it comes to siting the building, especially when the city designated for its construction happens to be Jerusalem.
Not a bit of it. The super-rich American Jews of the Simon Wiesenthal Center responsible for the project are intending to build it slap bang in the middle of a Palestinian Muslim cemetery.[1]
Forgive me if I appear naive, but that seems a trifle in-tolerant.
In fact, its a degree of intolerance in keeping with the general intolerance of the Israeli government towards all things Palestinian, which leaves one with the distinct impression that Israeli and US politicians are hand in glove when it comes to not treating the Palestinians with any degree of fairness and humanity.
Could this have anything to do with human arrogance? After all, for God knows how many generations the Jews have been indoctrinated into believing they were the chosen ones of Jehovah. (Psst! It says so in the Bible, so it must be right). Americans, on the other hand, have only believed this about themselves for the last three hundred years or so, but long enough to have a very noticeable effect.
As both nations view the rest of the world from the top of very tall ivory towers, the culture and history of the peasants beneath obviously appear unimportant when God’s “Chosen” decide to erect their glorious “Museum of Tolerance”, as a permanent symbol of intolerance.
Frankly, not only would I not want it slap bang on top of my granny’s grave, but I’d rather it wasn’t even in my city.
