No to Euro?

Well, following a sad week in Sweden, the referendum today saw a majority “NO” vote, to join the Euro currency. Citing all sorts of crazy and not so crazy reasons, slightly over 50 percent of voting Swedes did not want to become a part of the single European Currency. Despite the fact that they are members of the EU, they are part of the European labour and travel agreements, the common agricultural policy, they vote for their own EU parliamentarians, they benefit from EU trade and trade agreements. All this, but it seems, not the currency.

This puts them in the company of the United Kingdom, which has long kept one foot in Europe and one foot, well, somewhere else. And Denmark, another fair-weather EU friend.

While the values of democracy and choice are important ones, the neverending rhetoric by anti-EU conservatives is borderline apacalyptic – as if all the other 11 countries all ready using the currency have lost their welfare systems, trade volume, sovereignty or identity. By playing on people’s fears, you can get people to vote any which way.

Democracy is an interesting and valueable practice. But when it comes to economics and trade, what makes the average person a qualified expert?

Lucky for Sweden they can follow the British example by enjoying the benefits of the EU and making as few commitments as possible. Lucky for Sweden that Europe will still be there when they change their minds.

9-11 profiteering.

George Bush’s fine performance since 9-11.

– Invaded two countries, both still ravaged by civil war.

– Rejected international agreements on not-testing nuclear weapons.

– Rejected international enviromental accords (actually pre-911)

– Presided over the worst financial scandles in recent history: Enron, Worldcomm, Adelphi, etc.

– Worst economy in a decade.

– Unemployment highest in more than a decade.

– Cut Veterans benefits.

– Did nothing to solve energy crises in either california or the northeast.

– The Israeli-Palestinian conflict gets worse and worse.

– Cuts aid to organizations in developing countries that support planned parenthood or birthcontrol.

– Sets an all time record for vacation days as president.

– Highest deficit since Reagan.. spending money he doesn’t have.

– Tuitions are skyrocketing at universities around the country.

I could go on, but eventually you get numb. Maybe thats what has happenned, the nation has gone numb.

To re-elect this man would be the cruelest joke ever played on a nation and the world.

Looking at the calender, this week is the anniversary of Sept. 11th. And perhaps the only thing worse than that terrible occurance is the tasteless, offensive, insulting, ignorant, manipulative and just plain horrible tributes/commercializations that will take place this 9/11. If it isn’t showtime showing a rediculous and pathetic movie called 9-11 featuring GW Bush as the movie’s “hero”, it will be some corporate scheme on the part of NBC or CBS offerring hours upon hours if “tributes to America” with excessive uses of American flags and photos of people crying and troops marching. As one Village Voice reporter mentions this week, it reeks of soviet propoganda. Matter of fact, you can bet the American president will be on every television pan-handling for support for his failure of a war. 4 months ago he said fuck the UN, now he changes his tune, trying to paint himself as something other than the arrogant, ignorant, international-community disrespecting president we all know him to be.

All-in-all, it’s going to be a rough week. My heart especially goes out to New York, as once again America will invade the once autonomous and creative metropolis, and give it a red-white-and blue brain washing. Have courage New York, hopefully it doesn’t last more than a week.

It seems that the Bush administration, governor Pataki of New York State, and NYC mayor Bloomberg seriously pulled the wool over everyones eyes in the aftermath of the blackout. The press helped: from CNN to NYTimes they were producing “feel-good”stories about people waiting to get home or sleeping on the street and the “party-like”atmosphere. They dedicated plenty of pages to these fluff stories, yet practically no pages were dedicated to investigating the government’s role in power-grid mismanagement. They reported nothing on the de-regulation and underinvestment of the northeast’s power generating facilities. And the public has fallen for it hook-line-and sinker, they’ve long forgotten that someone could actually be held “accontable”in all this.

This was also true when Bush first forced his way into the presidency and held top-secret closed to the public meetings to plan energy policy. Apparently no where in those plans was the Northeast situation discussed. There were big promises following the California energy crisis about better mamagement and planning, apprently more lies. Just window dressing in hopes that people won’t notice. And the worst part is, it’s worked, people aren’t questioning… the media isn’t investigating… and the government is free to keep fabricating.

So what do I think of this Arnold for governor business? I thinks it crap. Typical crap. Hollywood is god. They produce our fantasies and a large part of our collective culture, so naturally people go nuts when some fool walks off the screen and into the state-house. Can anyone describe Arnold’s plans for Cali? NO! Do you know his experience, besides films? NO! All we know is films and magazine interviews filled with smiles and anecdotes.

By no means does a hollywood star represent the people of any state. What does he know about working as a temp, or not having health insurance, or paying a mortgage? HE DOESNT! He has plenty of houses, jobs, and money. A representative should not only understand, he should be totally familiar with what REAL LIFE is like. Arnold hasn’t lived a real life in more than a decade. This is just more political crap. The hacks in both parties realize they’re in trouble… people don’t vote — they don’t participate in the sham that is called a democracy. Some democracy… a guy who isn’t qualified might just get the job of running one of the most important state’s in the WORLD.

May as well vote Gary Coleman… he’s more fun.

Portugal, facing an uncontrolable outbreak of forest and fires and a scorching heatwave, has appealed to NATO for assistance. This assistance would come in the form of air support and heavy equipment to help fight the fires. But what is baffling to this journalist and European, is why the hell does Portugal have to ask NATO for such things? Has it gotten so bad that the European Union can’t organize itself to assist its member states in the face of emergencies? How is it that Brussels hasn’t already dispatched assistance in its various forms to Portugal, France, Spain and any other nations facing this hurrendous crisis. By not providing its member states with the necessary aid, it helps legitimize the military-industrial dinosaur also known as NATO. An organization who’s charter expired with the cold war, and tries its best to be important in world affairs, and constantly undermind EU initiatives in the areas of defence and conflict resolution.

If Brussels has in fact taken action, it should do more and be quite public about it. Don’t force your poor children to go begging the nearest scumbag just waiting to be called upon.

And while on the subject of crisis and record breaking-destructive heat, how about that… still think Global Warming doesn’t exist? Oh wait.. the only ones who didnt are in the air-conditioned white house. Maybe someday they’ll actually notice the world going on around them.