Edition 7 (19th April 2008)

Yes there are things happening in the world other than the Pope's visit to the USA and Australia's 2020 talkfest

Remember if you ever see any articles that you would like run in OYE News please do let us know (thanks this week to SN & CM - your secrets are safe with me!).

Some interesting articles from the mainstream media over the last week (plus a little added sarcasm):

The World Food Crisis
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7349896.stm Add them to the 1.3 billion Indians in last weeks article and that is a good proportion of the world's population is beginning to feel this

http://news.scotsman.com/world/Global-food-crisis-looms-as.3996034.jp And here's another billion to add to the queue

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7344892.stm I particularly like the last sentence "the problem could lead to trade imbalances that may eventually affect developed nations, so it is not only a humanitarian question". Oh well if it's not just a humanitarian issue that's different

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7347697.stm A good gesture, but unfortunately historically less than 1/2 of pledges by governments ever get handed over. Look at the Tsunami of 2005. Good PR with the voters though.


Health:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080415.wtoxic15/BNStory/National/home Good on Canada. Shame it'll be back in products once the North American Union has eroded away Canada's sovereignty a bit more. I especially like the line "....industry-funded testing has been unable to confirm these findings" Well now there's a surprise!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7343229.stm Institutionalised alienation of fathers from their children from day 1, which contributes to many social problems later on.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13685-drug-giant-merck-accused-of-deaths-coverup.html Drug company plays fast & loose with the truth to make more profit! Surely not?

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23543399-5001021,00.html Early days with this story but after reading the previous article don't be too surprised if it is true.

http://www.naturalnews.com/019557.html Go figure. You are what you eat.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/19/shocking-facts-about-the-pharmaceutical-industry.aspx A brief summary on our friends in the pharmaceutical industry


Environment:
http://co2science.org/articles/V11/N16/EDIT.php So some species thrive when the climate changes? Preposterous! Oh, wait a second we did when the last ice age ended very rapidly during a period of global warming.

http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=42284&cat=1 Oh and polar bears are doing pretty well too despite what Al Gore said as he tugged at your heart strings

http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2008/03/27/blood-and-gore-veeps-firm-to-spend-big-on-vc/?mod=WSJBlog Talking of Al Gore, this old greenhouse gas thing has turned into a right little money spinner for him via his VC investment fund (which incidentally he set up before he did that fictional film for which he became very popular)

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7219&page=0 Another academic flushes his potential future funding down the toilet by articulately arguing against the "consensus"


International Relations:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23547135-31477,00.html Yes, because Australia thought all that lovely oil & gas would be all theirs for the taking and know someone else wants to steal it

http://english.eluniversal.com/2008/04/15/en_pol_art_venezuela-the-major_15A1516719.shtml Time to re-arm lads! But why is Greece the world's top arms importer? After a Turkey for Christmas?


Civil Liberties:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23535343-2702,00.html Yeah, sure they are. Nothing to do with creating a population who are used to a surveillance society then.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gK7uOAGLCXhfddcs8KiCgnObSQJAD901Q6CO0 It's funny how the terror threat always rises every time a new draconian law is being pushed for? Stop bombing other people and they might stop seeing you as the enemy!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7345932.stm Just in case you didn't think the above article was part of a concerted spin campaign to reduce your civil liberties.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3761056.ece And this is what lengths the foot soldiers will take things too if common sense, democracy and reason are smothered by bureaucrats

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080415.wbc-transit16/BNStory/National/home And another example from a different country

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=560235&in_page_id=1770 Even before it becomes mandatory, it isn't difficult to get your DNA put onto the national database

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h4IcrbiAmlAmrUqFpJqklYcbt9AgD9038TO80 Just in case you thought the DNA database was only going to happen in Britain. You will all be on it soon if you aren't careful. And don't forget that DNA evidence is not incontrovertible. Miscarriages of justice on innocent people can and does still occur.


Focus on South America
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/17/business/LA-FIN-Brazil-Oil.php Shhhh, keep your voices down. You know what happens to countries that have oil and try to profit from it themselves.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/3361 Defend South America from what? Oh yes from those countries that might want those newly discovered oil fields in Brazil and the existing ones in Venezuela

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/3360 A new 50% tax on foreign oil profits. You have to wonder why the Americans hate Chavez so much sometimes


Politics:
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208168223.65 Turkey's voting for Christmas? No it's the Irish voting (or not bothering in fact) for the end of Ireland and their democracy. A One World Government inches forward one more step.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23539446-7583,00.html Unfortunately history shows us that the more likely outcome will not be the harmonious and peaceful one suggested.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gZZxHXjDGnHX6RPjGY7PXm2JYa6Q As can be seen by what is happening in Britain (& the US & across the EU) right now. As planned therefore the sheep (on both sides) turn on each other thus resulting in the "need" for greater "security" which will be duly imposed to the detriment of all of our civil liberties & democratic rights. Problem > Reaction > Solution.


Finance & Economics:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7342923.stm One:Nil to the feminists. It is all men's fault apparently

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aN3CfG7wYMuI&refer=home The quote `It's comparable to the peak levels of (early 1980s and early 1990s), but my guess it will be the worst since the 1930s when it's all over,'' is particularly concerning. Funnily enough the few banks that own (YES OWN) the US Federal Reserve always come out of these crises richer than ever.


The War on Terror:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/17/AR2008041700657.html?hpid=topnews In Iraq democracy takes hold 5 years on

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/18/asia/18afghan.php And in Afghanistan too (talking of which have you noticed narcotic production has soared since we brought them democracy? Didn't the CIA have a nice little sideline in that once upon a time in a place called Vietnam?)

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/apr/14/striking-02/ Martial Law Training across three states in the US this week


The Next War:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/bush-brown-outline-steps-economy/story.aspx?guid=%7B90C6E5A8-F2D8-433C-AFD1-977E9E58C249%7D&dist=msr_1 Next stop: Tehran. My bet, while everyone is watching the Olympics.


Quote of the week:
"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good" - Thomas Paine