From the Beeb, news that a nasty old Guatemalan strongman has gone to his just deserts…in Venezuela:
Guatemalan former President Romeo Lucas Garcia, whose 1978-1982 government was accused of rights abuses, has died aged 81 in a hospital in Venezuela.
Under his rule in 1980, police raided the Spanish embassy which had been occupied by student and labour activists, killing 37 people.
Spain unsuccessfully applied for his extradition from Venezuela to try him.
“The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall. He frees himself and shows the way to others. Freedom and slavery are mental states.”
–Mahatma Gandhi
“Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.”
Matthew 25:40
It appears that some people in Russia, who call themselves “Orthodox Christians”, have forgotten who said what in the Gospels. Or at least, they’ve forgotten what it meant…
More than 70 people have been arrested in Moscow after activists tried to hold the city’s first gay rights rally, despite a ban on the event.
About 50 gay rights supporters were held, as well as 20 people from religious and nationalist groups opposed to the march.
Poor Kenny Boy. What a fall from grace the man has had. Once, he thought he was on track to be BushCo’s energy secretary. Then, his gravy train mysteriously went off the rails. (Well, all right: NOT so mysteriously. Haha.) And then Georgie-boy pretended not to know his #1 corporate moneyman…
Now, he’s crying us a veritable Amazon of crocodile tears:
The former bosses of collapsed US energy giant Enron have expressed shock and disappointment at being found guilty on fraud and conspiracy charges.
“Certainly we’re surprised,… we’re shocked, this was not the outcome we expected,” Kenneth Lay told reporters after the verdict.
“I’m disappointed,” said Jeffrey Skilling.
In honor of Hugo Chavez’s recent flurry of shuttle diplomacy and friendly visits, and the corresponding media circus and propaganda offensive against it, I feel inspired…to bring you satire. Since everyone from the stodgy old London Times to the wingiest of the wingnuts wants us to believe that Hugo Chavez is both a hopelessly inept buffoon and a force of Evil to be feared, I must oblige.
So, Gentle Readers, welcome to this Friday’s festive blog entry: Everyone Hates Hugo!
Hugo claims he’s ugly. Yeah, I can see why. I mean look at him, wearing camouflage. He must be trying to blend into the landscape so no one sees how hideous he is.
No, I’m NOT talking about the latest “Grand Theft Auto” porno-fest. Check THIS out:
Venezuelan politicians have complained about a forthcoming “shoot-em-up” computer game that simulates an invasion of the South American nation.
In production by Los Angeles-based Pandemic Studios, Mercenaries 2: World In Flames is based around the overthrow of an imaginary Venezuelan “tyrant”.
They’re full of shit. Take a look at what’s happening in Colombia and THEN talk to me about Venezuelan journalists who are allegedly being muzzled:
Exposing outlaws — be they drug traffickers, leftist rebels or right-wing militias — risks assassination.
Over the past decade, 28 journalists have been killed in Colombia, making it the second-most dangerous country to report from after Iraq, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of the crimes against Colombian journalists, committed by all sides of the country’s civil conflict, are never solved.
Only one journalist has been slain over the past two years, a decline President Alvaro Uribe has attributed to the success of his strong-handed security policies. Yet several journalists say there are fewer killings because their work has never been more muzzled.
A CPJ report last year entitled “Untold Stories” found more than 30 radio, TV and print journalists who acknowledged soft-pedaling or turning a blind eye to important news.
And while most people have no use for stinging nettles, I do. It goes with the territory of being German; we find a use for what many others just call weeds. With rubber gloves, foraging for this stuff is no problem. Right now it’s at its peak of potential usefulness.
Actually, I have a couple of recipes. One is for beauty, the other is food.
I see Condi’s desperate to do SOMETHING to revive her flagging credibility:
Unfortunately, it’ll only work on the Republican pervert crowd. Who are already sold and think she can do no wrong.
Too bad for all of them; Chavecito is still not interested!
And what is that, you ask? Let the Beeb answer…
The Church of England has criticised Madonna’s appearance on a cross to kick off her latest tour in Los Angeles.
“Why would someone with so much talent seem to feel the need to promote herself by offending so many people?” said the church in a statement.
Madonna performed the ballad Live To Tell while suspended from a giant mirrored cross on the opening night.
