Mike Pouraryan
OV Week-End: Wow!!!
:
Truly Never a Dull Moment!!!
It has been a very busy week-end. There is of course Burma and the fact that Jim Webb got to see the Pro-Democracy Leader and the Chief Thug who runs Burma today. There is the burning debate over healthcare that dominated the airwaves over the week-end on U.S Sunday Talk Show Circuit. There was of course Afghanistan and the upcoming election. And last, but no tleast, there is of course Iran.
Here was a sampling of the debate over healthcare:
As I listened to this broadcast, I was laughing as I saw Rachel Maddow go after Dick Armey in a big way. She did quite a job to expose the extent of the hyprocacy that has gone on behind the attempt to derail healthcare reform. I also continue to be very surprised at Chuck Grassley's pronoucements about "pulling the plug on grandma". Not withstanding the "joke of the day", the fact does remain that healthcare reform will be substantially watered down and the only ones winning will end up being the Insurance companies. This is an unfortunate tragedy, especially in light of all the misnformation about the British National Health Service and the Canadian Health Service which was used as a strawman by organizations like American For Prosperity and others. Healthcare will continue to be a privilege, not a right until such time as the courage is mustered to overcome it.
Moving on to halfway around the world, there is Afghanistan. I wrote on the attack in Kabul near the US Embassy and ISAF headquarters. It shows the extent of the reach of the Taliban. Elections are on Thursday. I would be keen to see who wins. As for Iran, The new Government is slated to be announced. But the repression continues. Mehdi Karoubi's Paper, Eteemad Meli, has been temporarily suspended by Tehran's Prosecutor. The question that has to be asked from the Government is this: What are they afraid of? Why can't they tolerate any opposition? The formal rollout of the Government on Wednesday should be quite a show in the Parliament, though.
As I write this, South Africa is marking Jacob Zuma's 100 Days in Office. I have had my doubts and have written about it. There are profound challenges that Mr. Zuma has to deal with. South Africa is important because it is the key country is Africa and as goes South Africa, so goes the continent. Between Crime and the continued challenges with the economy, it remains to be seen as to what he will navigate through the challenges of the global financial crisis. There is of course the continued instability in Southern Russia. A suicide bomber attacked a Police Station in the Russian Republic of Ingushetia. So, this facade of stability that Putin worked so hard to create continues to be shattered by the day. As the new work day began, there was some good news: Japan has emerged from its' recession. Earlier, Germany and France emerged from their recession as well. But it is still very early to break out the champagne, though.
There was also another piece of news that is quite bothersome. An analysis of banknotes in Washington D.C. shows that 95% of all the currency have had some traces of Cocaine. If this is not an indicement of the scourge of drugs in America, I don't know what is. China had the lowest: 12%.
This was just the week-end. I can't wait to see what the week has in store.
Here was a sampling of the debate over healthcare:
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As I listened to this broadcast, I was laughing as I saw Rachel Maddow go after Dick Armey in a big way. She did quite a job to expose the extent of the hyprocacy that has gone on behind the attempt to derail healthcare reform. I also continue to be very surprised at Chuck Grassley's pronoucements about "pulling the plug on grandma". Not withstanding the "joke of the day", the fact does remain that healthcare reform will be substantially watered down and the only ones winning will end up being the Insurance companies. This is an unfortunate tragedy, especially in light of all the misnformation about the British National Health Service and the Canadian Health Service which was used as a strawman by organizations like American For Prosperity and others. Healthcare will continue to be a privilege, not a right until such time as the courage is mustered to overcome it.
Moving on to halfway around the world, there is Afghanistan. I wrote on the attack in Kabul near the US Embassy and ISAF headquarters. It shows the extent of the reach of the Taliban. Elections are on Thursday. I would be keen to see who wins. As for Iran, The new Government is slated to be announced. But the repression continues. Mehdi Karoubi's Paper, Eteemad Meli, has been temporarily suspended by Tehran's Prosecutor. The question that has to be asked from the Government is this: What are they afraid of? Why can't they tolerate any opposition? The formal rollout of the Government on Wednesday should be quite a show in the Parliament, though.
As I write this, South Africa is marking Jacob Zuma's 100 Days in Office. I have had my doubts and have written about it. There are profound challenges that Mr. Zuma has to deal with. South Africa is important because it is the key country is Africa and as goes South Africa, so goes the continent. Between Crime and the continued challenges with the economy, it remains to be seen as to what he will navigate through the challenges of the global financial crisis. There is of course the continued instability in Southern Russia. A suicide bomber attacked a Police Station in the Russian Republic of Ingushetia. So, this facade of stability that Putin worked so hard to create continues to be shattered by the day. As the new work day began, there was some good news: Japan has emerged from its' recession. Earlier, Germany and France emerged from their recession as well. But it is still very early to break out the champagne, though.
There was also another piece of news that is quite bothersome. An analysis of banknotes in Washington D.C. shows that 95% of all the currency have had some traces of Cocaine. If this is not an indicement of the scourge of drugs in America, I don't know what is. China had the lowest: 12%.
This was just the week-end. I can't wait to see what the week has in store.
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