Our World continues to be as tumulous as ever. In Afghanistan, the major offensive continues. A top British officer was killed in operations in Helmand--the first in over 27 years according to the reports I reviewed. I also saw reports of an American Soldier having been kidnapped and subsequently sold to a militant clan.
Moving on to South Asia, there is Burma. The UN Secretary General is going to Burma to press for the political opening that has elluded Burma so far. I think it is a risky trip for Mr. Ban because the thugs who run Burma seem not to want to listen to reason. In the meantime, Aung San Suu Kyi, is under detention and her trial was postponed yet again. The Secretary General seems to realize how tough a mission he has undertaken. What are the thugs afraid of? Why can't they just disappear like the thugs who ran Argentina and Chile?
As For California, the budget freak show continues. A local radio station featured an interview with a vendor supplying French Fries to California Prisons telling the world how things would be tough in a while if he did not get the money he needed. An estimated $ 53 Million in IOU's went out, paying 3.5% interest rate with a maturity date of October 2009. Apparently some banks will start accepting them. They'll make a cool 3.5%--not a bad deal at all? It is a good deal for the bank, but a bad deal for taxpayers. There have been reports that there may be something in the offing soon. But, the people of California have been there before and will not believe anything until something tangible is actually done. Now, according to the Sacramento Bee, the battle is now over school funding. The funding has been decimated already. Where else are they going to cut?
As for Iran, the struggle has evolved into a new phase. I saw a column (appearing in the Friday edition of the Financial Times) by Philip Stevens about advocating an engagement with Iran. But, right now, the official opposition in the country has rejected the official version of the election. The struggle has evolved into a civil disobdience campaign with subtle moves like wearing green, continuing the "Allah-O-Akbar" chants and spreading the world further around the world. The struggle is not over by any means.
Moving on to China, though, let's check off a win for Free Speech. The Chinese Government backed off a mandate to force Chinese Computer Makers to load its' computers with Green Dam to help control the flow of information through the interent. The Chinese seem to continue to learn and evolve. Although certain redlines will never be crossed by the Chinese Communist Party.
It is quite a world we live in. It is fascinating, exciting and fun to write about and reflect upon. May it ever be so as America celebrates another year of its' existence as a beacon of hope and opportunity for the world......The fight continues on......
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Comment by Mike Pouraryan
on A Little More Election Fraud
Outsider Views:
Smooth Political
Kitten Politics
As Ronald Reagan once said, there you go again.
You seem to forget that an automatic recount is triggered when the margin is less than 1%. They did a hand count. Although your consipracy theories are entertaintaining, they are not based on facts. You may not like the guy, but the guy is no dummy..and going up against one of the heroes of conservatism and win takes a lot of guts.
As for Norm Coleman, he stepped up to do the right thing..and for that he should be saluted..