I don't trust the World Bank - especially when crazy man Paul W is at the helm

I am reading a book called "Confession of an Economic Hit Man" (by John Perkins) and it's an interesting read. Don't know yet if I think it's fully accurate or not, but of the bits of history I am aware, and of the places it touches upon that I have personally travelled to - I have to say, it has captured a lot of detail and the history and detail I know match very closely to the points in the book. So - maybe the more diabolical elements of this tome are also correct.

With that said, I have issues in general with the WTO and the World Bank, the IMF and several other organizations that claim to be helping 3rd world less developed nations but yet, year after year, time in and time out, seem to leave places worse off than they found them, leave them in as dire or more dire straights, but also manage to saddle them with back breaking debt to the western world as well.

Here's an article I read today. And below that are a few older articles on the topic still available. It paints a picture much less on the side of the World Bank, and much more in line with the assertions presented in "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man". {Link to Amazon if you want to buy it}

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4568640.stm This one is from today.

Excerpts:

"World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said the law was a deciding factor in the
bank's financial support for a massive oil pipeline project in 1999."

"The government wants to use the $36m (£21m) held in the fund to deal with some
of the country's financial problems, which include months of unpaid salaries."

Further reading -
This is a telling article from Oct 8 2004:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3728340.stm
Excerpt:

"The government of Chad has accused a US-Malaysian oil consortium of cheating it
out of oil royalties."

And this one from September 7, 2005:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4219804.stm
Excerpt:

"The Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline contract may impair the countries' ability to
protect farmers, fishermen and others affected, Amnesty International says."

"The governments face cash penalties if they interfere with the ExxonMobil-led
project, according to Amnesty. "

For the Holiday Season

From the Net.Org web site - a new Holiday Carol

"America's Endangered Species"
(To the tune of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer")

America's Endangered Species
Have a very special Act
Industry wants to gut it
By trying to claim its whack

There's just a little problem
The freakin' ESA works great
Ninety-nine percent of species
Haven't gone extinct to date

They may say it doesn't work
But we're here to say:
Bald eagles you once had a fright
But today you're still in flight

My how the species love it
And they're shouting out with glee
Dear ESA we love you
Now we won't be history!

Hear it sung and many more too at:
http://www.net.org/esa/crittercarols.vtml#1

Saw on Web - "Believe Your Own Eyes"

http://bigpath.net/politics/Bush/Believe_Your_Eyes/Believe_Your_Eyes_60.jpg

no additional commentary necessary.

gw bush : The Constitution is "just a godd*mn piece of paper!"

Has anyone heard anything about this latest (to me) gw scandal? About him saying the "constitution is just a godd**n piece of paper"?

It seems to be hearsay, at the very least, it's attributed in the originating article on Capital Hill Blue as from an Anonymous Source at the meeting. This might explain why it hasn't been picked up by any mainstream media, at least, that I have heard about. But - just wanted to check to see if anyone else has heard anything supporting, refuting or even mentioning it.

Congress.Org Reference (Where I first came across it)


AmericanDaily.Com Reference <-Subsequent Searches : Revealed Capital Hill Blue as originator.


Political Cortex Reference <-Subsequent Searches : Revealed Capital Hill Blue as originator.


Capital Hill Blue Reference1 (original source of claim)


Capital Hill Blue - Follow Up 1


Capital Hill Blue (original source of claim) Defending it's Anonymous Source Policy



Anyway - just want to find out if anyone else has heard about this item and it's validity or lack thereof.

On the Topic of the Death Penalty

In a BBC Article from Dec 9 2005 titled "Gang Boss Sparks Death Row Debate", the BBC discusses the growing opposition to the practice of executing criminals that is allowed in this country.

At the end of the article, the readers were invited to comment on their position regarding the death penalty. I wanted to post the comments I submitted to the BBC on this topic.



On general principal, I am opposed to the death penalty. Murder is a terrible crime and if he committed murder, then he should face the consequences, but one can evaluate a society's ethical development by how it treats it's criminals. Murder for murder is not civilized. Also, mistakes are often made, and once someone is executed, if an error was made, one can't un-execute them. It's not even a deterrent to crime. There is no upside to executing people.

The USA is the only western (and so-called developed/civilized) nation that allows a death penalty. Clearly that says something about the underlying barbarism that has infected this once proud Nation. Punish criminals, put them in jail. We don't even need to give them Cable TV, or Internet Access, or all the other luxuries that are afforded to criminals in prison. But - the death penalty is barbaric... and usually it's most strongly supported by those who would deny a woman's right to manage her own body on claims that a blob of cells hardly more complex or developed than a tadpole is a "human" with a so-called "soul" and that aborting that brainless, nervous system-less little collection of cells which would possibly, eventually, some day, after many months, if brought to full term, become a baby that can be birthed, that that is murder. How insane is that? Murdering a full fledged adult as punishment for crimes is ok, but excising an undeveloped mass of cells that might some day become a person is murder? It makes me ashamed, ASHAMED to be a citizen of this insane country.

Bravo Walgreens

Email I just sent to Walgreens:
Just found out that your organization suspended 4 pharmacists who refused to supply women with the morning after pill. Here Here! I am happy to hear that at least one company is not caving in to the hysterical religious right wing anti-liberty totalitarian bigots who are on the war path out to attack and eliminate any citizens who choose not to conform to their dogma. This country promises freedom from religious persecution, yet the christian right wing and the conservative fundamentalists are trying to impose their religion upon everyone else. They spread lies, and the use all kinds of strong arm and scare tactics to bully the ignorant masses into following them.Thank you thank you thank you, BRAVO for standing up to these criminal ruffians.
Sincerely,
{My Name}
I was only an occasional shopper, but after hearing about this, I'm going to become a regular shopper to show my support.