Open Your Eyes News - Edition 8

Yes there are things happening in the world other than Amy Winehouse getting arrested and Joe Calzage's boxing match.

Remember if you ever see any articles that you would like run in OYE News please do let us know (thanks this week to CM).

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

The World Food Crisis

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/world/39Perfect-storm39-food-crisis-grips.4000872.jp The Four Horsemen start rubbing their hands with glee

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7359880.stm Bio-fuels are not the answer to anything, except improving P&L's. Stop growing them NOW!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7362538.stm What is scariest is that the higher the prices go, the less food aid can be bought by NGO's and therefore yet more people go hungry.

http://nysun.com/news/food-rationing-confronts-breadbasket-world Just in case you were feeling complacent and thought this was only going to effect the 3rd world. Time to start stock piling?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/business/21crop.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/P/Pollack,%20Andrew&oref=slogin But on the plus side its all good news for some businesses - Is all this a case of Problem > Reaction > Solution? (explanation on side panel) Perhaps.



Health:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/17/the-whole-story-about-whole-foods-market.aspx Don't always believe the hype over the "environmentally friendly" food you are enticed to buy

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=64918ca1-7a11-46a1-8435-78874960112f Yet another reason not to pump kids full of mood changing drugs – not feeding them genetically engineered, steroid filled, mass produced processed food might help considerably too.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/22/2223802.htm not to mention the fluoride in the water too, which can hardly be of benefit to the unborn children

The key predictions from a Brave New World written by Huxley in the 1930's

- there are plenty of pleasure drugs available (referred to as ‘Soma’ pills in ABNW), so we can eliminate the desire for s*x;
- we can harvest and grow eggs, and it is theoretically possible to artificially conceive without the need for sperm (by combining DNA from two eggs), thus eliminating the basic instinct for procreation
- we can also manipulate the DNA to ensure that we have appropriate characteristics for each class of human (alpha, beta, gamma etc)
- so that just leaves the incubation of the fetus … how far away are we on that? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=560951&in_page_id=1774


Environment:

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/exposed-the-great-gm-crops-myth-812179.html So Monsanto's assertion that GM crops are the answer (except for them obviously) is a little light on the truth then?

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20000320&s=kitman Why legislation was needed to remove lead from petrol (from the people currently bringing fluoride to a tap near you)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/21/2222898.htm “.........just a considerable improvement in my bank balance”. Has this man no conscience? He’s thrown the green lobby a red herring whilst taking the entire media (and most environmentalists) spotlight off actual and very serious environmental damage & pollution taking place. The comments are interesting as there are a fair few skeptics out there still, despite the constant threat of ostracism. I particularly like the comment by Hillsong. “God won't let it happen.”

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23584524-11949,00.html Rather than put that new air-conditioning in you might want to invest in better central heating instead. But what the hell does a Geophysicist and Astronaut know about these things anyway?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7358868.stm So there was massive climate change early on in our human history? Damn our ancestors emitting all those fossil fuels from fires. And read the last paragraph to see just how close we came to not being here at all (because of another climate change event - the most recent ice age)



Technology

http://www.newscientist.com/blog/technology/2008/04/science-fiction-inspires-darpa-weapon.html The future face of war?



Politics:

http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11081878 The real rulers of the world (and they aren't elected)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/20/wirish120.xml Surprise, surprise the Irish people are being bought off so they don't threaten the creation of a European super-state that is the pre-cursor to one world government (essentially the eventual unification of EU, NAFTA, AU and ASEAN if you were wondering)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/24/nlevy124.xml Just in case you didn't believe me when I said that Governments have jumped on the "Man Made Global Warming" bandwagon as it is a great way of raising that most elusive of political things - a popular tax.



International Relations:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/our-reign-of-terror-by-the-israeli-army-811769.html If it was any other country (bar maybe the US) doing this, there would be massive international reaction to stop it

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4705539&page=1 And you can be pretty certain that if any other country had been caught doing this there would be hell to pay & "aid" would dry up



Civil Liberties:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7356993.stm As I mentioned last week tensions ("problem") between communities worldwide are being encouraged by Governments so to create the need to further reign in civil liberties so to "keep law & order" between the communities.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7351225.stm And here is the "reaction" to the previous articles "problem".

http://www.theiacp.org/research/rcdcuttingedgetech.htm The company that makes these lovely devices is advocating that you cannot take a flight without wearing on. But then why stop there? Why not get everyone to wear then all the time and then no-one will "step out of line" - watch this story as if it gets adopted then you will lose a very large chunk of your freedom. And if you don't believe me just watch their promo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7yJXhxF1mM

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=61984 Just in case you thought the eugenics movement died out with the Nazi's

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=560727&in_page_id=1770 Big Brother needs Bin Men to do his dirty work too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/22/nbins122.xml And if you upset the Bin Men, woe betide you

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23590518-2703,00.html But not everyone gets a criminal record when caught fare dodging on the train....mass murderers seem to get to travel for free these days

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5huD-prJZMULtWwYR8-3FLsJk-h3g Irrespective of your thoughts on the particular legislation what is illuminating is that it became law without any proper Parliamentary debate...just like hundred's of other laws each day in the USA, Australia, Canada and the UK



Focus on Africa

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/world/africa/21zimbabwe.html?_r=2&ref=africa&oref=slogin&oref=slogin Democracy Zimbabwean style

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7361979.stm When was the last time you heard a high profile news report about the slaughter in Darfur?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7360979.stm Zimbabwe on the brink and yet no-one does anything

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7364573.stm A rare piece of good news from Zimbabwe, or simply China just not being able to find a port to export their weapons through.......yet?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/apr/23/somalia.ethiopia British foreign policy in Africa "counter-productive. By accident or design?



Finance & Economics:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7357509.stm Discrimination alive and well in the work place even today

http://www.theage.com.au/news/book-reviews/the-three-trillion-dollar-war/2008/04/21/1208742833891.html Just in case you were wondering what was the root cause of the inflation stalking the world. Just like the cost of Vietnam largely caused the 1970's inflationary boom, so Iraq is repeating the process. Just imagine how much good mankind could do with $3 trillion.



The War on Terror:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/17/fyi/main4025042.shtml The American victims of Dick Cheney's war

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080424.wafghancanada24/BNStory/Afghanistan/home Afghanistan is a war plain & simple (to secure an oil pipeline primarily). Not "peace-keeping", "humanitarian assistance", "tracking down Osama" etc



The Next War:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/washington/20generals.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1208689421-TZiKAoZH6DkPNLF7T7PORw&oref=slogin The unbiased team that is going to sell you the idea that war on Iran is a good idea

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8uptD1-xxWKIJiK7hpLKtgW7olA So let's get this straight Hillary would "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked the country that this week was caught spying on the US? (see International Relations section). Sounds measured and fair enough. Not sabre rattling, and preparing us for the worst, in any way.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7364269.stm Or perhaps Syria or North Korea's lucky number will come up next?


Quote of the week:

"About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who used to work for me, and one of the generals called me in. He said, "Sir, you've got to come in and talk to me a second." I said, "Well, you're too busy." He said, "No, no." He says, "We've made the decision we're going to war with Iraq." This was on or about the twentieth of September... So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, "Are we still going to war with Iraq?" And he said, "Oh, it's worse than that." He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, "I just got this down from upstairs" (meaning the Secretary of Defense's office) "today." And he said, "This is a memo that describes how we're going to take out seven countries in five years."

— General Wesley Clark, February 27, 2007 (from Where to Invade Next?" by Stephen Elliot - if you are wondering this includes the usual suspects of Iran, Syria, North Korea and Venezuela)

But wait a second, I thought that we only made the decision to go to war with Iraq after they repeatedly failed to give back the WMD that we'd sold them? That means that our Governments LIED to us! Who'd believe it?

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