Sunday, May 08, 2005
Today is VE Day. Services and commemorations on the 60th Anniversary of the end of war in Europe will be conducted throughout most of Europe, for most of Europe was involved. The Russians take a particular interest, as it was Russian troops that took Berlin at the end.
Thousands of pages of historical analysis has been amassed, views and opinions by the millions espoused, and still it continues. Like Australia and New Zealand's observance of ANZAC Day, the countries involved will reflect on their national character, and where the last 60 years has taken them. For some, out of the ashes of history, a new beginning. No one could deny that without the Marshall Plan at the end of WW2, Japan would probably be on a par with Thailand or the Philipines. Instead, it is an economic powerhouse, home to some of the world's largest companies, with a democratic constitution and an appetite for consumerism surpassed only by the US.
France, once a mighty colonial power, is now a shade of it's former grandeur. Marred by internal cultural differences, and an economy that is deeply entrenched with those of it's neighbours, France seeks to regain lost prestige on the world stage, with political manouvering with Germany, to gain ascendancy in the European Union.
Germany as the protagonists of today's events, should be looking deep into it's national psyche and asking where the last 60 years has gotten them. With a reputation for efficiency and stoic nationalism, the German population are constantly looking backwards as well as forwards. Deep down, most of Europe probably still doesn't trust the Germans.
The Polish people are not fans of the Germans, or of the Russians for that matter. Interestingly, those countries that suffered under the jackboot of German and Soviet oppression post WW2 have now embraced the concept of democracy with open arms, and former members of the Warsaw Pact are now considered allies of NATO, if not actual member states.
The Baltic states, and the majority of Eastern Europe find themselves closer philosophically to the US than Russia. Russia's fate over the past 60 years has been a sporadic affair. Not 20 years ago, Russia was considered to be a super-power. The reverse side of the US's ideologies, Russia was determined to see communism spread throughout the region, by force if necessary. From the mountains of Afghanistan, to Estonia, and the northern steppes. Nowhere in the region was unobserved by Moscow, and now that power is crumbling too. Satellite states, once governed by proxy from Moscow, now want their piece of freedom too. Free peoples, able to choose their own destinies.
Which is what World War 2 was about. All the words written, all the speeches given, all the pictures shown. None can take away the fact that countries from afar afield as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada went to Europe to keep those countries being assaulted by the forces of evil from becoming serf states, bound to obey military dictatorships. When I see protestors write on signs 'Bush=Hitler', it raises my anger. If ever there was a day of reflection on what can happen when good men do nothing, it's World War 2, and in particular VE Day.
Lest we forget.
Cross-posted at A Western Heart
10:24:00 AM
Monday, April 18, 2005
The more things change...
Kym Beazley's maiden speech in Federal Parliament as the member for Swan, now Brand. This is from December 1980.
"On this occasion, electors in Swan recognised the real source of their difficulties and voted against a government which has presided over massive increases in tax evasion in high income brackets and a niggardly and ungenerous attitude to citizens in real need. They also voted against a government which still has no strategy for the economic resurgence of Australia but which follows a drab, half-baked form of monetarism — it is not really prepared to pursue a full monetarist policy but is incapable of making use of the many alternatives. The only changed direction evident in the Governor-General's Speech is that instead of belt-tightening homilies the Australian electorate is now to be the object of pseudo-erudite expositions of Liberal philosophy. I expect underneath the steady drum roll of Government hyperbole we shall hear a subterranean scratching as the nineteenth century liberal philosopher John Stuart Mill spins in his grave as he hears the views he popularised bowdlerised by his contemporary Australian disciples. That humane thinker — as do all rational men — became a democratic socialist late in life and recognised that political freedom, vital as that is, means nothing if the daily experience of the citizen is tyranny in the work place, exclusion from real knowledge of how he or she is governed, and inequity in terms of economic power."
Kym continues to this day to say in 100 words what 10 would achieve. The fact of the matter is, Kym Beazley struggles to get his message across. Rhodes Scholar or not, a voluminous grasp of the dictionary does not an effective communicator make. Read the rest of Kym's introduction to the Lower House. You'll find some familiar themes. See if you can find the Bomber's start on his 'government is mean and tricky' meme.
Speaking of familiar themes, 31 years ago the current Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, made his first speech to the House of Representatives. Is this the first seeds of the GST perhaps?
"Last Tuesday the Leader of the Opposition spoke tellingly of the impact of the progressive taxation system, and nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than in the field of financial relations between the Commonwealth and the State governments. It is now more imperative than ever that theState governments be given, as the Liberal and Country Parties offered during the last election campaign, access to a percentage share of income tax revenue. Unless this is done our basic federal structure will break down. Unless this is done it will always be necessary for State governments to introduce direct, punitive and inflationary taxes. They have no alternative. They are left with no other method of funding their responsibilities and their operations. Unless the State governments and the Federal Government can devise a scheme which protects State governments against the ravages of inflation, we will have a repetition of what has occurred in the past 2 weeks."
31 years ago. I wonder if the current state Premiers realise where the drive for Commonwealth funding to the states arose from? Not being an economist, nor a historian, I have no doubt someone could enlighten me to the origins of economic theories as propounded today. John Howard made reference to Snedden's comments from the previous election, sentiments which Howard still echoes today.
"The Liberal and Country Parties offer you an Australia built on deep respect for the individual. On his, and her, dignity and freedom. The right to succeed, to accept responsibility, to work harder if they wish and to be rewarded for it. The individual's success is the community's success. I repeat those words because they form the basis of my approach to the Budget: The individual's success is the community's success."
The more things change...
Crossposted to Bastards Inc.
9:45:00 PM
Monday, April 11, 2005
All the news about dead terrorists you wanted to know, but can never get from the media. Black Anthem.
Silent Running's two week long, blog terror-response exercise kicks off today. Called Sim Terror 05, keep an eye on Alan Brain playing the role of Oz PM, reacting in real time to terrorist incidents. Should be an interesting theoretical challenge.
On other matters, the loonies at Odd Print, out of Sydney, can do you quality T-Shirts with custom designs cheaply and quickly to pretty much anywhere.
My next tee.
Crossposted at Bastards Inc.
8:04:00 PM
Monday, December 13, 2004
Merry Christmas and a Happy New year from the Chief Bastard. Visit me at Bastards Inc
7:11:00 PM
Thursday, June 17, 2004
I'll be buggered. This thing still works.
10:50:00 AM
Sunday, September 07, 2003
Well, enough is enough. There are only so many times that you can ignore the fact that free shit on the internet isn't always good. In this case, Blogger. So, I'm off to Typepad.com.
Look to here, http://bastardsinc.blogs.com/ for my new blog.
9:55:00 AM
Thursday, September 04, 2003
NEWS.com.au | Ramos calls for judicial standards (September 3, 2003)
Oh my God! Tom Clancy is everywhere!!
In addition to judicial cooperation, Mr Ramos called for the creation of an international elite force to tackle terrorism. He said a small group of special operations forces under international command could make a real impact.
"We hope that the international community will join together in putting up a new legal framework for cooperation and military exchange and cooperative joint action," he said.
9:34:00 AM
Townsville Bulletin: Warning on horse flogging [ 04sep03 ]
Remind me to offer the choices of either wire or wood to the next little monkeys I see beating animals. Because I will beat them with their choice. I'm tipping the police will see either material as inappropriate and charge me with assault. However, wood is apparently OK to beat an animal with, not wire. Is it because it didn't break the skin? Maybe I can beat the little fuckers with phone books then. Apparently this didn't constitute crulty as the horse wasn't "tortured, maimed, injured or wounded by the actions of the girls".
Of course beating a defenceless animal, which has probably been beaten constantly before, is not torture.
Please, bring back public floggings.
9:22:00 AM
The Advertiser: Hinckley bid to shake home escort [04sep03]
Yeah, sure, the Judge allows Hinckley unsupervised access to his parents. The US Secret Service won't follow him at all. Nor the FBI. Or the local cops. Noooooo...he'll be allowed to roam the streets at will, of course....not.
9:09:00 AM
The Advertiser: Road map to peace dead, says Arafat [04sep03]
This truly staggering in it's myopic view of the world. The Palestinians just don't get it.
'Mr Arafat has blamed Israel's six missile strikes on Hamas militants in the past fortnight, which has also killed civilians, for the breakdown. "The road map is dead, but only because of Israeli military aggression in recent weeks," he said in an off-camera interview with CNN, says the network's website, in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
Of course, Hamas had NOTHING to do with those suicide bombers in Israel....
9:04:00 AM
The Advertiser: He's sorry, so Bali bomber cheats death [04sep03]
'Outside court his lawyer Suyanto said Imron already had been subjected to an extraordinary psychological punishment from his family and peers.'
But of course, 202 dead people weighing on your conscious are nothing compared to having "extraordinary psychological punishment" from his family and peers. So, if I read this right, a man who was complicit in a horrific act of barbarity, shows remorse and assists authorities, is then VILLIFIED BY HIS FAMILY? On, those grounds, round up the rest of them, because it is evident that they thought an act of religious terrorism against Western interests was a GOOD thing!
Fucking vermin.
8:59:00 AM
NEWS.com.au | Bond wants to join MCG parade (September 2, 2003)
Ahh, Alan, the Catholic priesthood's defence of previous crimes.
"And now it's important for people not to keep looking backwards, what is the point? Do they want to keep somebody down or do they want to say, `He's done that now, we should let him get on with what he wants to do'?"
Admittedly, drawing a parallel between pedophilia and embezzlement and fraud is difficult, but, I reckon in this instance, Bondy can "pull" it off.
No, Alan, the MCG doesn't need to see you in it's Australia II victory parade. 99% of Aussies DON'T back your "struggle". You may have funded the boat, you sure as hell didn't fight it like Bertrand and his crew did. Leave them the glory. Let your name sit in the history books, and in people's minds as something good. Sticking your mug back into our faces, just to get some more adulation for something you only partially contributed to, is un-Australian. Pitching yourself as the "little Aussie battler" who deserves a second chance just doesn't wash anymore.
Bond, who served almost four years' jail for stripping about $1.2 billion from Bell Resources, said he had been punished for his mistakes. So, where's the money Alan?
8:48:00 AM
NEWS.com.au | Afghanis turn back to Taliban (September 4, 2003)
What get's me in this story is the fact that the journalist can hook up with the Taliban, and get a story, and yet US/Pakistani forces are unable to find them at all?
Bastard Terrorist Finding Hint #45 - Torture the journalist for the information. It is clearly evident that this media mouthpiece of the Taliban is highly supportive of these religious fascists.
The story's source? Correspondents in Islamabad.
Personally I think that it is a crock of shi-ite....
8:31:00 AM
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
NEWS.com.au | France to host WMD talks (September 3, 2003)
Hahahaha...go figure...
7:59:00 AM
The Daily Telegraph | New drivers' drink ban: "l"
Interesting NSW concept. In QLD, drivers under 25 have to be BAC of 0%, which means a fully licensed younger driver can't drink at all. Example, young police officers and servicemen, able to serve their state and country, can't have even a light beer after work. I believe the NSW concept makes more sense, attributing BAC with driver skill, not just age based conclusions, regardless of crash statistics.
7:56:00 AM
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