Throwing stones from the glasshouse

The amount of blog posts I have dedicated to the US Presidential election is more than I care to count. Through this prolonged battle, I have put myself firmly and unashamedly into Barack Obama’s camp. Why? Because I am a logical, clear thinking individual, with a brain in my head, and I know most Americans are the same. So why in God’s name are Americans even considering Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin as even a vaguely palatable option?

My dearest friend is American, and he is one of the greatest thinking minds I know. He is from the deep south of the United States and most people would assume that anyone from down there screws their relatives and if they had one brain cell, it’s a lonely one. To put it bluntly, Southerners=Stupid. And judging from the support McCain and Palin are getting from the south, many would have to agree with that patronising assumption. I however, do not agree.

I believe that the entire population of the southern states are a section of the American people who are just a more intense sample of what Americans generally are; patriotic and loyal. The American national anthem is fiercely patriotic, another of their national songs is God Bless America, and they put their hand over their heart when they sing their anthem. These people love their country, and they celebrate its greatness whenever and wherever they can. Southerners are the same as the rest of America, but with the volume turned up high! Their patriotism is to the point of blind obedience, and because they have such a heightened level of obedience, they will do and say anything their elected officials tell them. To a southerner, God is at the cornerstone of their life, as are guns, like Obama averted to earlier this year. This means that when someone comes along who opitimises all that, they will embrace that person with all the energy and passion that they can muster.

Unfortunately, they fail to do one simple, but very important thing; think. This week, during an interview with Katie Couric of NBC’s Nightly News in the US, Gov. Sarah Palin had the audacity to say she had foreign policy experience as her state of Alaska borders Russia and Canada! She has had no talks with either the Russian or Canadian heads of government, but hey, that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that her state is right next door. There. That’s all the foreign relation experience she will need. She was quite happy with that answer and smiled confidently.

Now, most right wing Americans will say, “That’s great. We knew she was quality.” Sean Hannity, the incredibly egotistical presenter on FOX news, continuously demonstrates his eloquent stupidity, praising Palin at every turn, and wondering what the fuss is all about. This is merely magnified in the south. To them, they see a woman they know is an evangelical Christian, and that’s enough for them. The stupidity from both ends of the intellectual spectrum demonstrates that they have not learnt a single thing over the last eight years. When Barack Obama took on John McCain in the first Presidential debate a few days ago, the excuses for the disastrous Iraq war and why we went in have now been glossed over. McCain wants to talk up the ’surge’ of troops that Bush sent in, and how successful that has been. Obama reminded McCain and the audience that if this war had never even begun, there would have been no need for a surge. He also pointed out that the only reason the surge eventuated was to fix up the bad strategies in all aspects of the war that lead to all hell breaking loose. Having to need a surge was proof of failure. Listening to right wing commentators, they didn’t see his point at all. They would rather be egotistical and stupid.

Let me remind all of you, especially my American readers, exactly what has happened since George W Bush has come to power. Call it my Top Ten.

1. Parts of the Middle East are in chaos.

2. Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise due to unneccesary interference in the Middle East, by the United States.

3. America is on the verge of not just a recession, but a depression, not seen in nearly 100 years.

4. America is laughed at.

5. World leaders have little or no respect for the office of President of the United States.

6. Bush has done nothing positive since coming to power, just like his father.

7. Over 3000 American men and women are dead due to a President who had no clue.

8. A fight was picked with a country that was not threatening the United States.

9. Bush lied about the Iraqi government having weapons of mass destruction.

10. Iraq is worse off now than it was under Saddam Hussein’s regime.

I have listened to enough podcasts from the United States, listened to enough logical clear thinking Americans, and read my fair share of fantastically brave, honest and perceptive American journalists to know that Americans ARE NOT STUPID. They are a proud nation who love their country more than life itself. And I plead with them to forget about the slogans and the nonsene that is political spin. I ask them to take one long look at Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and then take a long hard look at John McCain and Sarah Palin. There is something in us all. It’s called a ‘gut reaction.’ The American nation has had eight years of moving backwards and look where it has got them.

Americans have a very clear choice this November. Either they want to continue the march backwards, or they want to go forward. McCain is at the end of his political life. If he had any steam in him, it blew away many, many years ago. Palin is nothing short of a joke and I would be laughing if I didn’t think there are a lot of people out there who have failed to learn from the mistakes of the past, and simply swap a Texan idiot for an Alaskan one. She may be prettier, but she is just as reckless, ill informed, and totally unprepared.

If there was ever a time Americans needed to exercise the last line of their National Anthem, ‘…land of the free and home of the brave,’ it was now. Now is the time to be brave, and through that bravery, freedom will reign.

Enjoy your day

Many obituaries around the world have been written already for Paul Newman. Am I a fan? Not really. Have I seen all his movies? One or two at the most. But when I heard that Paul Newman died today at the age of 83, I was saddened. Saddened at the loss of yet another legendary master of that craft called acting, but reminiscent of one of the most powerful acting roles I have seen an actor perform.

There are many great acting scenes that we can all recall. For any five that I could retell, I am sure all of you could think of another ten. They are great performances for various reasons, and we recall them fondly. One of my favourite acting performances involved Paul Newman. The movie was one of his later ones; The Road To Perdition.

Newman played an old Irish mob boss who was as caring as a sweet grandfather, but as brutal as a sledgehammer. It was the perfect role for Newman at that time in his life. He was 77, and coming to the end of his lifetime of acting. The very handsome, blue eyed young man of decades past was now old, wrinkled, and gruff in the voice. I for one noticed how his mouth had become puckered and wrinkled. In a lot of ways, Newman did not age well. But there is something about people with amazing eyes. That twinkle is always there. For Newman, he didn’t have a twinkle, he had a spark. They called Frank Sinatra ‘old blue eyes’, but I think Newman walked all over Sinatra in the eyes department. And in Road To Perdition, those eyes now had an edge; a power. He used that power to perfection when playing the part of John Rooney. This was a man who spent his life murdering or giving orders to murder, and now was so soaked in blood, there was no way out for him.

This is the life we chose, the life we lead. And there is only one guarantee: none of us will see Heaven.

That line sent chills up and down my spine. Anyone could have delivered that line, but no one quite like Newman. He respected the craft of acting, and announced last year that he was not going to act anymore. He probably knew then that he was sick, but he also wouldn’t settle for giving a second rate performance.

“I’m not able to work anymore as an actor at the level I would want to,” the 82-year-old actor told the US network.

“You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention. So that’s pretty much a closed book for me.”

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/acting%20legend%20paul%20newman%20dies%20of%20cancer%20aged%2083_1081888

We always wonder how these successful actors survived the mayhem, madness and pressure of Hollywood. Like Charlton Heston, Newman had an extremely successful marriage of 50 years to Joanne Woodward. But I think it was his varied interests that kept him sane.

Paul’s Newman’s craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all,” Robert Forrester, vice-chairman of the Newman’s Own Foundation, said in a statement.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/28/2376099.htm

Craft, passion, love, heart and soul. We sometimes mix those things together, but for Newman, they were separate because he brought a different part of himself to each one of them. One was a job, one was a hobby and the others were his life. Pure and simple. We can all learn a lot from the way Newman lived his life.

Newman’s legacy will live on, through his many charities and through what he brought to the acting profession. Robert Redford, friend and former co-star summed it up:

I have lost a real friend. My life – and this country – is better for his being in it.”

But let Newman himself have the final word:

It’s been a privilege to be here.

May he rest in peace.

Enjoy your day.

Why I feel the urge to turn on to FOX news is beyond me, but it astounds me that whenever their candidate for President is criticised, the so called journalists on that network are the first to cry foul. But they have absolutely no problem heaping criticism on Barack Obama, and they heap that scorn abundantly.

FOX news is right wing, I know, I know. They will always cry foul whenever the ‘left’ say anything. But what blows me away is that they jump up and down about the most ridiculous things. Like finding the person who, according to them, “maliciously hacked into Gov. Sarah Palin’s personal, private emails.” One commentator even called it ‘a felony’, and was just shy of calling for the electric chair. God help the poor bastard who gets caught on this one. His nuts will be chopped off, and served to him on a platter in front of FOX news viewers! He’ll also be ordered to swear allegiance to The Lord and Saviour, Sarah Palin, and be forced to kiss her gold framed portrait! There are three words I would use here; get a life.

Now we find that Senator John McCain has decided to suspend his campaign in order to fly back to Washington and fix the country’s economic woes. Oh sure, John. There is just over a month to go and 2 days till your first debate, and you say that you’re going to suspend all campaigning? When do you intend to come back? What is Barack Obama expected to do? What good will you returning to Washington do? This is nothing but a cheap, underhanded political ploy to grab the headlines from Obama. It is cheap, underhanded, but downright clever. By him going back to Washington, it gives the impression that he puts the people of America before his own political aspirations. Unfortunately it will be seen as nothing more than bullshit. This is all about McCain’s political aspirations. McCain will be hoping that people will see him as a ‘doer’ who is almost starting his Presidential duties well ahead of time. What a guy!

FOX news of course, have spent their time saying it’s a great idea McCain is doing this. They see absolutely no problem with it. And instead of scutinizing McCain as to why he is doing this, and whether it is just cheap politicing, they gloss over it, say it’s fine by them, and go for the real important issue; David Letterman’s criticism of McCain cancelling his appearance. To them, McCain is doing something so important and cares about America, but Letterman is just seeing this economic crisis as a big joke.

I have seen many things that I would regard as a ‘contradiction in terms.’ FOX news content and their slogan fits it perfectly. ‘Fair and Balanced’ is what they profess. But I defy anyone to watch even ten minutes of any of the selected ‘journalists’, and see quite bluntly that it is as far away from being fair and balanced as I am from having a wild night in a jacuzzi with ten of the world’s top models! If they were blatant about their views and had a slogan which said, ‘Voice of the Right,’ then I would have no problem with what they say. But they proclam to be fair. They proclaim to be balanced. They are not. They are sensational tabloid rubbish, and most decent people ignore them.

On the John McCain issue, you can’t just stop a campaign and say, “later.” People are off to vote in just over a month. This election cannot just wait around while some opportunistic loser of a Senator cooks up a quick and easy way to get votes. What made this event even more transparent was the fact that he said he had asked Senator Obama to suspend his campaign too, but Obama has refused to do so. This then makes Obama look like the political opportunist, and someone who does not care. If John McCain did really care, he would be doing whatever he could to help out, without the publicity. He doesn’t need to sing it from the rooftops, unless he wants ‘payment’ for the singing.

But then again, he does need to do this. His ratings are plummetting, and, like the $700 billion bailout proposal, if something drastic wasn’t done, McCain would have sunk heavier than if you declared your membership in the Ku Klux Klan at a black church carnival day.

This is as low as one can go, and it will come back to bite John McCain on the arse. He has gambled on this, and if he cannot back up that gamble with strong answers on the economy at the first debate, then he will be seen as the man who ‘chickened out.’

Enjoy your day.

When we think of world leaders who lean more to the authoritarian side, we think of them as mad, crazy, and stupid. When we think of George W Bush, we tend to simply think stupid. However, if we study dictatorial leaders from our past and our present, we find that some of these people are incredibly intelligent, and may even have a point on some issues. It’s just that their actions and words leave a lot to be desired.

Take for example Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran. We see a charismatic little man who is extremely articulate, and not short on words. Bush has done everything he can to pick a fight with Iran, and I am sure was hoping that he could stretch his time in office a bit longer in order to extend the ‘war on terror’ to Iran, and invade that country as well.

Now, let me put it plainly to you. Ahmadinejad is a loose cannon, but not simply because he has made explosive statements, and has nuclear capabilities. He is immensely intelligent, and does his homework. In an interview with Larry King, he calmly, but strongly, explained all that he believes in and gave logical reasons as to why he believes what he does. On the face of what he says, not too many of us could argue. There are only a few areas where I thought, ‘no, you’ve gone too far on that one.’

Let me outline for you Ahmadinejad’s main issues, and main points of reference, as stated by him.

1. He calls Israel the ‘Zionist regime’, failing to refer to it by name.

2. He believes the United States is a ‘bully.’

3. Refering to the US and its allies he said: ”They oppose other nations’ progress and tend to monopolise technologies and to use those monopolies in order to impose their will on other nations.”

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/09/2008923204537817894.html

Let’s take a look at these and see what we come up with. Firstly Israel is a recognised country and Iran needs to respect that. However, he did explain that the reason he calls Israel the ‘Zionist Regime’ is because the development of the original state of Israel was about politics, not religion.

Zionists are not Jews. They have no religion … they just have — wear masks of religiosity. How can you possibly be religious and occupy the land of other people?” (Ahmadinejad)

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/09/24/ahmadinejad.us.iran/index.html

While Zionism is based in part upon religious tradition linking the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, the modern movement was mainly secular, beginning largely as a response by European Jewry to antisemitism across Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionism

Many Palestinians were displaced. He argues like an old relative that doesn’t recognise a certain member of the family and never has. The comparison is the same. Yes, he doubts the existence of the holocaust, which is appalling, and he believes Israel should be annihilated, which is even more appalling. But his basic premise that Israel’s beginning contributed to the tensions in the Middle East, and displaced thousands of Palestinians who still have no state of their own is an accurate one, and one that he can explain with facts. As I said, he does his homework.

Secondly, he believes that the United States is a ‘bully.’ Under the present administration, how many Americans are too scared to own up to the fact that they are American? How much international bullying has gone on with George W Bush at the helm? The United States invaded a sovereign nation that had NOTHING to do with the World Trade Centre attacks. They, and countries who sided with them, have created more chaos in that country since 2003, than Saddam Hussein created in decades. The United States government is constantly telling the world what they think ‘democracy’ is, and dictating to the world how best they should run their countries, to ensure ‘freedom.’ So yes, they have been a bully under George Bush. It will be interesting how Ahmadinejad sees America if Barack Obama is the next President.

Finally, he talks about American monopolies, but more importantly, he states about the imposition of United States’ will on other countries. It seems to follow a theme, and that theme is the United States saying ’my way or the highway.’ None of us like one person hogging everything, or taking over. So it makes perfect sense that Ahmadinejad sees in the current American administration a culturally insensitive, ignorant group, hell bent on making everyone follow them.

Ahmadinejad is extreme, there is no doubt about that. Do I think he is dangerous? Absolutely. He has very strong views, and he won’t be swayed on them. Asked if he would sit down at the table with Palestinians and Jews and sort out a peace deal, he said he would, but not with Isreal there, as they are ‘the uninvited guest.’ He then went on to create an analogy to a dinner party you hold and someone comes along who has not been invited. They should simply not be there. He believes the same attitude should apply to Israel. I don’t agree, but I can see his point. That’s the scary thing.

The point I am trying to make here is that Ahmadinejad is not a crazed little Hitler, with world domination on his mind. What I saw in this interview was a thinker, a person who has an opinion and can pinpoint exactly why he believes what he does. He makes more sense in his argument than half of the right wing nutjobs that hate someone ‘because they don’t believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.’

When Barack Obama said he was open to sitting down with Ahmadinejad and having dialogue, what he was saying was our time for sending tanks in and watching our soldiers die is over. It’s time to talk. And weird as it may sound, Ahmadinejad may be the person Obama can talk to. And Obama would be clever to keep this little enemy very close indeed.

I’d still watch my back though.

Enjoy your day.

The one thing I like about blogging is the freedom I have to put my views out there without needing to be a journalist. I am anonymous to a point, and I don’t have to go through editors and the like to get my opinions published. So it does disturb me that one of my fellow bloggers, a Malaysian, has been jailed today for two years in Malaysia, without trial, for anti-government material he wrote on his blog. This is not only disturbing for the future of freedom of speech, but it exposes the use of a legitimate law to assist in creating mythical charges.

Raja Petra Kamaruddin was today sent to jail. End of story. No trial, no evidence that a law had been broken. The Malaysian government instead wish to refer us to The Internal Security Act as their way of justifying the unlawful jailing of Mr. Kamaruddin.

The Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) (Malay: Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri) is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was inherited by Malaysia after it gained independence from Britain in 1957. In essence, it allows for the arrest of any person without the need for trial in certain defined circumstances. Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world whose Constitution allows for preventive detention during peacetime without safeguards that elsewhere are understood to be basic requirements for protecting fundamental human rights.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_Security_Act_(Malaysia)

This means that if the government suspect that what you are saying or doing is against their best interests, then they will bring down on you the Internal Security Act. Malaysia may not be communist, or a country known for its harsh treatment of its citizens, but it does give less than equal treatment to its Chinese and Indian minorities. Discounts exist on all types of goods and services for Malays, or those belonging to the Islamic faith. This is well known and commonplace. So, it doesn’t surprise me that the government dusts off this obsolete piece of legislation from time to time and swings it like a sabre. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is currently creating a tidal wave of support in the country and the government of Abdullah Badawi is running very scared indeed. It is interesting to note that Anwar Ibrahim has been detained under this same act twice since 1974, and it is the second time Raja Petra Kamaruddin has been detained since 2001.

Now, many countries have these draconian laws that they wheel out from time to time. Until 1997, on the island state of Tasmania, off the coast of Australia, homosexuality was still a crime punishable by 14 years in jail. It was never used, but it was still there. The same with this outdated piece of Malaysian legislation. However, it has been used, and some say it is used for purely political means, and not to truly protect Malaysia’s security. This is the bit that scares me.

Let’s travel further north into Asia; to Thailand. ‘Lese Majeste’ is another draconian law that was meant to protect the status and good name of the reigning royal family.

Lèse majesté (French expression, from the Latin Laesa maiestas or Laesae maiestatis (crimen), (crime of) injury to the Majesty; in English, also lese majesty or leze majesty) is the crime of violating majesty, an offense against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lese_majeste

As absolute monarchies fade into oblivion, it is rarely used. But in Thailand, as with the law in Malaysia, it is being used as a tool to gain political advantage.

In September 2006, the leaders of a military coup accused prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of lèse majesté; the Thai military is thought to be highly loyal to the king. Although the King is held in great respect by many Thais, he is also protected by lèse majesté laws which allow critics to be jailed for 3 to 15 years. Politician Veera Musikapong was jailed and banned from politics for lèse majesté, despite the palace’s opinion that the remarks were harmless.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lese_majeste

We are under the impression that, apart from China, North Korea, and Burma, and to a lesser extent Vietnam, all other countries across South-East Asia are brimming with fairness and freedom. Wrong. What we witness in Thailand is total corruption that snakes its way though every government department you can find. And what we see in Malaysia is a ruling party who is losing its grip, and for decades has had the thorn of Anwar Ibrahim in its side. Dr. Mahatir began the iron grip and passed that onto Badawi. Unfortunately, Badawi can’t hold onto it much longer. So if one cannot stop the flood, throw anyone you can into it.

This blatant use of outdated laws in order to feather one’s own nest needs to stop and those of us in countries where laws are on the whole fair and equal, need to write to organisations like Amnesty International, and make our voices heard.

If we don’t, then we are simply saying to our own politicians of the future that it’s ok to condemn us on a whim.

Enjoy your day

It is easier to say to someone else, “Be happy with who you are”, than to actually be happy with ourselves. All of us, in some way, shape or form, are unhappy with our physical appearance. Whether that be our big nose, big behind, or general lack of shapeliness, we do whatever we can to make it better.

With a positive or healthy body image, a woman has a real perception of her size and shape, and she feels comfortable with her body. With a negative body image, a woman has a distorted perception of her shape and size, compares her body to others, and feels shame and anxiety about her body. Being unhappy with your body can affect how you think and feel about yourself as a person. A poor body image can lead to emotional distress, low self-esteem, dieting, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Developing a positive body image and a healthy mental attitude is crucial to a woman’s happiness and wellness.

http://www.4woman.gov/bodyImage/

When we think of Hollywood, we think of bodily perfection. We never think of reality, as the search for perfection in this part of the woods creates results that are far from perfect, and creates a look that is as far away from ‘human’ as one can imagine. Take a look at the likes of Kenny Rogers, Joan Rivers, and actor Mickey Rourke. It is not known as the place where you can be comfortable to just ‘be.’

Enter fashionista Carson Kressley, one of the five gay men from the series ‘Queer Eye for a Straight Guy.’ This man is flamboyant, but not the most attractive little stick insect on the planet. However, he knows his stuff, and he has brought to television the most extraordinary show. The show is ‘How to Look Good Naked.’ Unusual name for a program, I know, but what it achieves is remarkable. Throughout the course of the program:

These women hate to look at themselves in the mirror. One woman doesn’t even own a full-length mirror. Without any diet or exercise, Carson helps them get through their image crises and feel good about themselves and how they look. Just a little bit of encouragement, the right clothing and a good hairstyle can make all the difference in the world. And their final test is a photo shoot – naked! But tastefully so.

http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEppvttqBnIxsy

Now, you might think this is just typical hollywood trash, but what this man does for women who think they are less than perfect could single handedly lower depression amongst overweight woman, and drastically lower the levels of bulimia and anorexia amongst woman who feel hideous because of the way they look, as stated in the earlier quote.

Yes, he is like the ‘gay best friend’, who thinks you are fabulous, no matter what. But in the episode I saw, he brought an attractive young lady out of a twenty year cycle of depression and hatred of herself, to a point where she was in a naked photo shoot. This part did surprise me and made me think that he may have gone too far, but it is an incredibly tasteful shoot, and not really naked at all. It also allows the women to feel that they are so sexy, that they can achieve a level of attractiveness and desirability that they never thought possible.

Remember, these women hate themselves. And because they hate themsleves, there is no way they think anyone can love them. What Kressley does, is go beyond just putting them into a nice dress, putting on some makeup and doing their hair. He gets them to see the good parts of their bodies before all that happens. He affirms them and affirms what parts of their body are beautiful and sexy. He destroys the myths that our minds can create, and doesn’t just give the woman lovely sweet words to ‘make her feel better.’ Case in point was when the girl I watched thought she had huge hips. Kressley got together a line up of woman with a variation of hip sizes from smallest to largest. He got this girl to stand where she thought she should be. She of course put herself at the largest end. Kressley then informed her that she was actually at the smallest end of the scale, thereby destoying a myth, and making the girl wonder whether all the other assumptions she has made about herself were true. He did these kind of ‘mythbusting’ experiments throughout the whole show. Take a look at this experiment:

 What I was so impressed with, was Kressley’s decision to do this. He is a gay man in Hollywood, and he knows about image. Even if this is just a great career move for him and he doesn’t believe a word of it in real life, it is immaterial. What he will do for thousands of women with negative body image is to be praised. I wrote a very popular blog post some months back about British TV presenter Louise Redknapp and her experiment to get into an American size 0, and the appalling techniques of her personal trainer. Because of the money he makes, he is willing to destroy the health of his female clients. For me, Kressley has gone completely the other way, and through positive suggestion, affirmation, and sensible tips, has allowed women to feel they are sexy, they are desirable, no matter what their shape.

With more shows like this, eating disorders and depression among many women may well be a thing of the past.

Enjoy your day.

As the Vice-Presidential debate fast approaches, all eyes are on both the Democratic and Republican candidate to make a good show of it. It could be make or break for either party. Senator Joe Biden has to come at Gov. Sarah Palin without seeming patronising, or sexist. Gov. Palin has to show some meat on her very thin bones of experience if she is to take on the likes of Senator Biden. She may have said the only thing different about a hockey Mum and a pitbull is lipstick, but she is going to need more than sassy, tough talking remarks like that to stump Biden.

This debate would be much easier for Senator Biden if Palin was not a woman. He could go on the attack much more. He can still do that, but considering that the right wing are misconstruing just about everything at the moment, anything that Biden says will be seen as sexist. However, if Gov. Palin wants this very important job, she needs to take the tough questions, and answer them.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting a sense of deja vu when it comes to Sarah Palin. The clip I just showed was of Dan Quayle, former Vice President, and Llyod Bentsen, then Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate in the 1988 Presidential Election. Quayle talked big, but then cried foul when he was questioned on what he said. Biden too, has to be careful. Palin may very well do the same. Bentsen handled Quayle extremely well, but if Biden does that to Palin, it’s all over, and he may get a response similar to this:

Palin is a dimwit, there is little doubt about that. But dimwits get into high office on the back of the Republican party. Look at Quayle, George W Bush and now Sarah Palin. They have little or no real experience, and for some reason, when we pick on them and call them on their mistakes, misquotes, and downright inaccuracies, the general public get annoyed. It’s like fighting for the underdog. We want the dumb kid to do well, so we throw him or her every bone we can.

I do not envy Joe Biden. If he was ever to rehearse anything in his political life, it would be this. The Republicans are going to use every trick they can to make Palin look vulnerable and Biden look like the old fox ready to pounce on an innocent, God fearing family woman. See, I know what some of the spin is already. This is a Republican party who is desperate to win. Already they are blaming Barack Obama for the financial woes of the endless stream of finance companies that are going under in the US. Obama has laughed the criticism off, and accused the McCain camp of double standards, when they say he is inexperienced and then say he has contributed to this mess. It is getting desperate, and it is getting nasty.

I personally think Biden will come out fine after the debate. He has the experience. Many around him say he has a great respect for women and it would not be in his character to patronise Palin. People forget that he was part of all those debates that involved Hillary Clinton, who was a woman who could hold her own. I personally believe that even though the Republicans are going to throw everything at Biden, the voters will be watching carefully to see if Palin is the next Hillary Clinton. Hillary was loud, Hillary was brash. But Hillary knew her stuff, and she could hit back with facts. From what I have seen of Gov. Palin, she answers questions very generally, and in a way that will get patriotic Americans onside. They will be answers that contain no substance, no details, and no evidence to prove that she has what it takes to enter the political arena at this level. Biden needs to stay factual, throw her a bone and be genuinely courteous thoughout the debate, but hit back with fact, and show her up for the inept small time politician that she is.

Cross your fingers. Senator Biden will need all the help he can get as he walks through the thin ice minefield, with Palin sitting patiently, fishing rod in hand, chomping down on a mooseburger.

Enjoy your day.

Not one to take on a learned Professor, let me start now, by beginning this post with a quote I read today:

The Australian Crown is important not so much for the power it wields, but the power it denies others. This is our crowned republic, one which ensures we have Australians as the constitutional head of state and constitutional heads of the Commonwealth, as the High Court has affirmed.

-Professor David Flint, national convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/19/2368692.htm

Unfortunately Professor Flint is wrong in this instance, and let me tell you why. Having just returned from five years working overseas, predominantly with citizens of dear old England, I can assure you that they do not see our Head of State as an Australian. Professor Flint, of all people, should know that. Australia’s Head of State is a monarch of another country, and all she symbolises for us and for many other countries is colonisation. She symbolises the British Empire, an era that sends shudders through those same countries who saw their culture and way of life squashed by a superior group hellbent on subservience and domination. You may think I am sounding too dramatic here, but if we are to look at Australia’s status within the world, we are still seen by the English as a country that was once one large prison, and our race is descended from thieves and lowlifes. As one Englishman stated to me, “We sent our shit to your country.”

So, Professor, I find it incredible that you state that Australia’s present constitutional arrangement ‘…is important not so much for the power it wields, but the power it denies others.’  When my country was being ridiculed and laughed at because of our lack of independence, I didn’t feel I had the power. When my flag was laughed at by the English because it is dominated by the flag of the United Kingdom, I didn’t feel I had the power. And when I had to stand at the Australia Day Ball in Bangkok, Thailand in 2006 and raise my glass to ‘Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia’, I didn’t feel I had the power, especially with a dear English female friend of mine giggling quietly to herself at the sight of us forced to raise our glasses to an English monarch. So, Professor Flint, where, when and how is our current constitutional situation denying others power, especially the English?

With the election of Malcolm Turnbull as the leader of Australia’s opposition party this past week, we see the final stumbling block to Australia becoming a republic removed. Turnbull is a republican, as is Prime Minister Rudd. However, Turnbull is now stating that Australia will never be a republic during this Queen’s reign. This is an absurd statement to make, as the current monarch is 82, and her mother lived till she was 101! Can, and will Australia wait twenty years? Not a chance. With our two leading politicians being in favour of Australia becoming a republic, the agenda for it to happen will be brought forward.

A referendum on Australia becoming a republic was voted down in 1999, but only just. With a monarchist Prime Minister at the time, John Howard, it was never going to get enough traction to be a free and fair fight. Howard called a ‘Constitutional Convention’, which was the predecessor to Rudd’s 2020 Summit held earlier this year. It was a talkfest, which achieved little. All the debate did was confuse people even more and cause a split vote on the day of the referendum. There was even the ridiculous situation of republicans voting no for a republic, because of the model that was put forward. John Howard, as a monarchist, was generally seen as someone contributing heavily to the defeat of the referendum. At the time, Malcolm Turnbull was head of the Australian Republican Movement, and said:

“Whatever else he [Prime Minister Howard] achieves, history will remember him for one thing. He was the prime minister who broke this nation’s heart.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_republic_referendum,_1999#Analysis_of_results

It’s time now for Malcolm Turnbull to mend that broken heart and work with Kevin Rudd to make sure the David Flints of this world stop sabotaging this debate. The next attempt at a Republic should simply be a single question on a ballot accompanying the next General Election ballot in 2010/11. It should simply be, ‘ Should Australia become a Republic?’ If that is defeated, then the issue should be dropped indefinitely.

What I cannot understand is why Professor Flint needs to justify a constitutional system and flag which celebrates a bygone era. India has been independent for decades, as have many other countries that were colonised by the British. We celebrate when our children leave home and go it on their own. We are scared for them, sure, but we hope that we have taught them enough that they will be fine on their own. The same too with Australia. ‘Mother’ England wants to let us go. I am sure the Queen herself is wondering why the hell we’re taking so long. We have no legal or judicial links to Britain, and we stand proudly in our own right in many circles, ranging from the arts, to sport, literature, science and medicine. Why, then, must Professor Flint, and people of his ilk, feel the urge to cling ever so tightly onto the coat tails of ‘mummy?’ What are they afraid of? The romaticisation of retaining the monarchy reminds me of former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, referring to a young Queen Elizabeth II, when she visted Australia back in the late 50’s/early 60’s:

“I did but see her passing by and yet I love her ’til I die”

http://jonjayray.tripod.com/sayings.html

The quote sounds pathetic now, but so does Professor Flint.

Enjoy your day.

I remember back to 1992, when Australian singer Anthony Warlow was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was enormously successful at the time, and was most noted for his role as ‘The Phantom’ in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s ‘Phantom of The Opera’ during its time in Australia. He recalled a few years after being cleared of all cancer that the doctor used to say to him, “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel”, to which Warlow replied, “Please God, don’t let it be a train.” We all have those times when we put in the hard yards and we hope like hell that the effort is going to pay off.

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe’s new Prime Minister, under the power sharing deal with Robert Mugabe, has struggled for many years to get a better deal for Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans. He was asked in an interview whether this new deal will work, and he basically said that he has to at least give it a try. Is he suspicious of Mugabe? Of course he is. But Tsvangirai needs to at least throw everything he can at this, otherwise he will live the rest of his life wondering ‘what if?’ I am sure he is hoping that the light is not going to be a train, and that somehow he can find a chink in Mugabe’s armour and achieve some sort of positive result.

I feel that same feeling when I look at the US Presidential election. People see a great hope in the future of the United States, but they are afraid to take it, thinking it will be that ‘train.’ The United States has had a pure and utter fool at the helm for the last 8 years, and even the most logical people think that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the only mature, sensible choices for their respective positions. But, they may just vote for McCain because, with the current financial crisis happening in the US, more people are likely to go for the kindly old guy brimming with age, wisdom and experience, rather than the new kid on the block. However, watching snippets of FOX News on cable television today, I am astounded at the way they have embraced Gov. Sarah Palin, and literally wash over every flaw she has. McCain could have picked Dolly the baboon and Sean Hannity off FOX news would have interviewed the ape with stars in his eyes. I sat with my mouth open through Hannity’s interview with Palin. It was like he was talking to royalty.

Obama is very strong, and no-one has been able to find any real flaws in his campaign. I said that months ago, and that still stands today. But what the right wing are doing is talking up Palin, and talking her up incredibly. The United States, and the world for that matter, have been waiting 8 years for normal decent government to be in Washington. There is absolutely no hope for the United Sates of America if McCain and Palin take over. It’s interesting to note that at the recent Republican National Convention, none of the party faithful wore buttons or even mentioned George W Bush. By not acknowledging him and praising his government, they are basically saying that he has failed them. But then, they cheer on a man whose claim to fame is being a war hero, and a woman who has popped out 5 kids, been a small town mayor, and is now Governor of the most boring, nothing state in the entire union.I see that light that Anthony Warlow’s doctor saw. I can see it in the horizon and I can almost smell victory. However, I know the stupidity of a large section of the American population, and I can also see the train.

It is time for change, both in Zimbabwe and in the United States. It can happen, but the politics of fear have to land on deaf ears. The MDC party in Zimbabwe have to battle through the Mugabe nonsense and not only achieve a change in Zimbabwe, but also in Mugabe. And it’s time for the people of the US to go into those polling booths in November, and forget the nonsense. Forget George W Bush’s politics of fear that got him re-elected in 2004, and see in Barack Obama a man who can really make a difference. ”We’re going to shake up Washington,” is the McCain/Palin catchcry but they want to keep and agree with everything George W Bush has done over the last 8 years.

To use the title of Brack Obama’s book, let’s hope the American people have the ‘audacity to hope.’

Enjoy your day

We’ve all met people who have that certain ’something’. Sometimes we know exactly what that certain something is, sometimes we can’t quite put our finger on it. But we know they have ‘it’. We want it, we possibly even crave it. But for some weird reason, some people are blessed with it and some are not. Today saw one of those people rise to one of the peaks of his political life, and it made me think of how many of these people I have come across, and how this mysterious ‘gift’ bestows itself on some, but not all of us.

For those of you who are not Australian, bear with me for a moment as I fill you in on this particular individual. His name is Malcolm Turnbull, and he is no different to every other person that you would come across in your day to day life. He was brought up by a single parent; his father. Times were tough when he was young. However, he is now a multi-billionaire, thanks to three successful careers in Law, Business and Media. He today won a leadership ballot and became the leader of the national Liberal Party, who are the conservative party here in this wide brown land. Liberal=conservative? Yes, I know, and trust me, one day I will write a blog purely to explain this weird twist on words, but not today.

Turnbull is now Australia’s Opposition leader, and, if an election were to be called and if he were to win, he would be this country’s next Prime Minister. Listening to commentators all over the radio and television today, Turnbull’s character was put under the microscope, as it should if he is the alternative PM. He was described as someone who had ‘it.’ He was charming, and drew people to himself. A moment was described where he walked into a room with two other very prominent politicians with much more profile than he, but he got the attention. He was the magnet, everyone else in the room were the metal filings.

It makes you think of all the people that we meet who have that certain something. We stand back, sometimes scratching our heads, and wonder how they get the attention, or clinch the deal, or get away with everything, and we don’t. We can also, on the other hand, know exactly why, and can pinpoint their attraction straight away.

I had a friend like this. He was a tall, goodlooking Asian American man who had a beautiful speaking voice, a strong build, and a real ‘presence.’ I used to say to him, “You have the ability to draw people to yourself. Use your powers for good, not evil.” Unfortunately, he was manipulative, and was such a compulsive liar that, in Australian slang terms, ‘couldn’t lie straight in bed.’ He knew his talent; he knew that he had ‘it.’ He knew what it could get him.

What comes with having this amount of raw charisma comes power. If you believe in what you have, the lure of power can be overwhelming. ‘Absolute power corrupts absolutely’ rings so true here. Some people with this level of attraction to others love what it can do for them. But there are others who have no idea they have this magical aspect to them. I am sure we have seen the extremely goodlooking woman or man who have no idea how goodlooking they are. They seem totally oblivious to that quality that lurks within them. They are usually extremely nice, very warm and friendly, and wouldn’t dream of manipulating, lying, cheating or betraying. I am sure we have all met at least one person like this, too.

So what is the healthy balance? I think that people who have that certain something need to harness it, and use it in a way that not only benefits them in the long run, but also others around them. Malcolm Turnbull has that chance from today to show what he is going to do with it. Barack Obama will be given that same chance. Magaret Thatcher had it, and abused it, as did Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky affair. Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi, and former Singapore PM and founder, Lee Kuan Yew, all leave positive legacies behind, after harnessing their charisma and charm, and making their respective communities better off than they were before.

Although, I don’t know who is more dangerous; a person who has it and abuses it, or the person who thinks he or she has it and doesn’t. In High School we called them the ‘try hard’. We always knew they were around, because they hogged the limelight so much we couldn’t not notice them. We see evidence of these people in our world now and in history. Hugo Chavez of Venezuala, Pope Benedict XVI, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Kim Jong Il of North Korea, Abdullah Badawi of Malaysia, Whitney Houston, just to name a few. In this small sample of history’s ‘try hards’ we see people who want to be the magnet in the room, but have never been, and can never be. It is only through their position that they receive notoriety; nothing more.

Can we get ‘it’? No, of course not. You either have it or you haven’t. My best friend will always pick up in a bar better than me because he has that certain playful charm, not to mention the twinkle in the eye. That’s ‘it.’ If I tried to capture that essence, I would either look stupid or desperate, or both.

But don’t despair. I believe we all have a certain something.  We just have to find out what that ‘it’ factor is for us. Will most of us walk into a room and command attention just because we are there? No. But if we listen to others when they say, ‘You have a great laugh,’ or, ‘Love what you’ve done with your hair,’ then we can be comfortable in the knowledge that at least we haven’t totally blended in with the wallpaper.

Enjoy your day.