State of The Unions

A few days ago I had written "Mr. Reagan, Tear Down This Wall (Of Economic Blackmail)" about the illegal MTA Strike in New York. Then the union members rejected the very generous compromise offer from the MTA. Now the same rejecters are basically begging for that same rejected offer to be made to them again. Pathetic. But, their stupid and illegal strike may have struck one more nail in the coffin of unions as we know them.

News items in recent days mentioned that labor unions are looking at ways to save their falling fortunes. In my humble opinion, the days of Unions protecting truly exploited blue collar workers are long gone. We are ALL equally exploited.

Top executives get millions in paychecks (while companies are either being downsized, losing money and/or cooking the books!) while blue and now even white collar jobs go abroad.

Traditional "us against them managers" Labor Unions are not the right model for these times. We should probably outsource/offshore Unions.

All Americans, whether blue or white collar, need to hold our elected leaders accountable for making it easy for companies to make money off us but enrich only a few execs and other countries' workforces. We need some simple rules, really.

No offshoring to countries that do not meet certain standards of democracy and work conditions for their labor that competes with ours. AND, No US government contracts for companies that fire Americans to hire people abroad, or that hide their profits in Bahamas, Grand Cayman and other tax shelters. What do you think?

To Buy Or Not To Buy: Apple's .Mac Service - Definitely NOT

Everyone knows how I swear by my Apple Computers for more than 20 years. I absolutely love the Macintosh platform. It has always been far superior to Windows and just keeps getting better. The difference is just night and day, and when you compare Mac hardware to HP or Dell, it is like comparing a Mercedes Benz to a Toyota or Yugo. Apple's OS is a work of art, and its applications, even the free included ones, are a thing of beauty, and work together better than any symphony. I also LOVE the iPods.

BUT, there is one Apple service that I must say is a DEFINITELY NOT to buy - the so-called "dotmac/ dot mac / .Mac" service which they try to sell you for $99 per year (and more for a family pack).

Almost EVERYTHING that it includes you can get for free or MUCH cheaper online. Take this from a MacUser and Apple bigot - you would be wasting your money on .Mac and you are better off using free email (with tonnes more space) from Yahoo or Gmail or even that pathetic hotmail.

You can get web hosting with many other places for far cheaper - if you do not already have it with your own DSL or ISP. Photo hosting online free is so plentiful I cannot decide where to put my photos up. (I have my own web site with 10000GB of space but if I did not, I would use Picasa, Shutterfly, Flickr).

Your own blog is so easy to do FREE with Blogger, or MySpace, or almost every web service provider who wants to be taken seriously. If you want to Synch your Addressbook with different computers (one of the supposed values of .Mac) there are MANY ways to do it - FREE. Even Plaxo (plaxo.com) now has a free Mac client - which actually enables synching your Mac AND your PC AddressBook, Tasks, To Dos, etc.

So, the $300 for 3 years of .Mac you would spend, is money better spent buying a new iPod for someone in the family. Buy Apple (use one of the links below!), but don't waste your money on .Mac.

Shame All Around

News reports show that yet another terrorist car bombing has taken place in Iraq.

Shame on our (US) government for starting this mess with a war for oil. Shame on the Iraqis for not exposing the killers living amongst them. Shame on the "insurgents" for killing civilians. Shame on Muslims offended by some stupid cartoons for not rioting/protesting against these Muslim killers. Shame on Christians for not rejecting this murderous Bush regime that claims to be doing the Lord's work. And shame on us Americans for not stopping this God-forsaken crusading President spilling blood for oil and selling America's reputation to enrich Haliburton. Shame, shame, shame all around.

Let's Make New Cartoons Of The Prophet

WARNING: Read this fully before you pass judgement. Bookmark this web site, use one of the buttons to the side and please tell others.

I have quietly watched this mindless and unnecessary controversy stirred up by a dumb, controversy-seeking, "edge-testing" Jyllan-Posten Denmark Editor and some cartoonists. They are all now giving the explanation of "free speech" related to "current events" to cover their hateful speech so clearly created to inflame and hurt people - while they seek police protection. Nice going Mr. Editor. Try yelling "Fire" in a crowded theatre next time. It's free speech, after all.

Their choices to run cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad really poorly were designed to convey and spread hate. This is even more appalling as it is coming to light that the same people refused to print some anti-Christian cartoons because they would be would upset the local population! But, they went ahead and printed even more insulting ones targeting not even Muslims, but the Holy Prophet.

Muslim extremists, and many otherwise peaceful Muslims, predictable as they are, are playing right into what Islam-bashers say about their being intolerant, close-minded people - not "suited for democracy" or modern life. Nice going, Muslims.

So, let us examine this idea and the cartoonist/editor's excuse of "free speech" related to "current events". Please work with me in making some new and nasty cartoons of the Prophet....

But before you threaten me with death (which is in God's hands) and Hell (also in God's hands, not yours)... please read on.

The truly dumb analogy even intelligent people supporting the cartoonist deliberately make is that Arabs print cartoons about ugly, miserly, Jews - so they should not be upset at these cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. Sorry, totally wrong analogy.

Arab cartoonists caricature Jews no more than Jewish and American cartoonists make ugly fun of Arabs/Muslims. Arabs ridicule Jews even less compared especially to how Jewish producers of Hollywood comedies and action flicks ridicule Arabs and Muslims. Idiotic Muslim terrorists, stupid Sheikhs, ugly Arabs are all often shown as stereotypical characters in Hollywood movies. But, for now, we can call both sides even on that score of ridiculing each other.

The correct analogy related to the offensive, and actually pretty poorly drawn, cartoons of Prophet Mohammad being "free speech" related to "current events" would be this.

Would all these "fair and balanced" media and publications, from Denmark to France to the USA, publish cartoons (in the name of free speech if not on merit) showing Prophet Jesus Christ as a nasty, pedophile, Homosexual telling his homosexual apostles and followers to become Christian priests and rape little boys in Churches?

After all, this is a constant "current events" topic, especially in America and who knows in how many other countries, where the church is constantly hiding and protecting abusive priests who molest children. Even this week more scandals have been exposed of how priests have continued to be protected by the Church which KNEW of their molesting children. Talk about some Muslim leader calling Christianity an "evil religion" as Christian leaders call Islam all the time.

To be fair to the major religions, can we also have a cartoon of Prophet Moses teaching Jews to make miracles like "Jewish lightning" (when a failing Jewish owned business "accidentally" catches fire and the Jew gets insurance money)?

Come on. It's not bigotry or hate-speech, it is just a funny look at current events and topics that we read about in papers here every day. But, you are right. I also don't think either cartoon would get published - at least in America or Europe because they would be considered "offensive" or "bigoted" .... Sorry, free speech is not so free and it depends on what country you are in and what group you dare to attack. Shameful double standards!

Ironically, Muslims would dislike these cartoons as well, because we revere these same Prophets of God, and would consider all of these cartoons to be blasphemy. So much so that even though the Virgin Mary is NOT a prophet, no Muslim would accept a cartoonist showing her to be some sleazy prostitute who got pregnant and claimed God made her pregnant despite being a virgin. Would any paper that published the anti-Muhammad cartoons print this one? No, I didn't think so.

But, there is a difference. Many Christians/Jews would be offended if such cartoons were published. Many would try to drive such an artist out of business or out of work. Some would even send threatening notes, but there would NOT be violent, murderous, rioting by Christians or "Westerners". (That usually requires a soccer game in England or SuperBowl party in the USA).

If we, people of the free world, want to claim free speech as the issue, we should see how many of these papers would publish the cartoon examples I give. Free speech speeches will fly out the window free as a Big Bird with a rocket stuck on its back.

The truth of the matter is, the cartoons against Prophet Muhammad were meant to inflame and incite violence, knowing that Muslims do have a more "extreme" reaction to blasphemy. And, unfortunately, most Muslim societies are NOT the best examples of tolerance and free speech. (How the USA and the US government helps keep dictators in power in Muslim countries is another story).

A lot has to do with the greater (supposed) importance of religion in daily life to Muslims. Even though, just like other religion's believers, my fellow Muslims hypocritically continue to steal, rape, murder, smuggle drugs, evade taxes, steal from the poor, look the other way when people are killed in the name of Islam, etc. Shameful hypocrites.

The other problem is a more fundamentalist approach to religion among Muslims most do not recall was and is actually financed by George Bush's family friends, the Saudis and Wahabis.

Fanatic fundamentalist Islam (the kind that was created by CIA and George Bush Sr. / Reagan in Afghanistan - and not solved by Clinton, in case you think I will give him a free pass) is a threat to everyone. Like many other things, George Bush does not seem to get this. "They" do NOT hate "us/US for our freedoms".

They Type 1(AlQaeda types) hate everyone who does not follow them. They Type 2 (Muslim masses) want to be like us, but WE keep dictators over their heads while we ignore the issues important to these majority of frustrated and often illiterate Muslims. So, when Type 1 stands up to the the USA, Type 2 either sign up to burn flags, or looks the other way - even when fellow Muslims are massacred by AlQaeda. It is so much easier, after all, to burn American flags and loot a KFC or Citibank than fight extremists to liberate Islam from their evil clutches.

In case you have not noticed, more Muslims are being killed by Al-Qaeda than "heathens" or "crusaders". The shame is that few, if any, Muslims are going around protesting those killings.

I did not see any Muslims taking out processions against Zarqawi or even the people who caused so much Muslim-on-Muslim Shia-Sunni bloodshed. How exactly did the Jews and George Bush cause that, my dear Muslims? Did Ariel Sharon walk by the procession and detonate a bomb? Did some Zionist pig blow himself up inside a mosque in Iraq?

The problem is that many illiterate and frustrated, religious but NON-fundamental, Muslims are turned On to Bin Laden's message - that "the West is out to get us". Dumb Editors and cartoonists like these Danish guys simply add fuel to the fire while falsely claiming free speech. And of course the morons running Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay torture camps taking pictures of the Iraqis/Arabs/Muslims they torture are even dumber than dumb.

So, the question remains, would the nasty cartoons about Prophet Jesus and Moses be printed by their newspapers? I don't think so. I would love to be proven wrong by these papers.

For example, people cannot even openly discuss if the holocaust happened as much as the Jewish media claim - without losing their jobs. Try writing a test article sounding like you are supporting Adolf Hitler and his final solution and see how far free speech gets you in Europe or the USA. Even native born White Christian Americans are afraid to discuss Jewish issues - or even question US support for ISRAEL - lest someone accuse them of being "anti-Semitic". What nonsense and manipulation of society and media.

So, to my fellow Americans and writers of the world I say, Freedom of Speech is a double-edged sword. Hypocrites ensure that the sharp end cuts only others and not themselves. So, either use it responsibly, knowing the sword cuts both ways, or do not cut others and then hide under the guise of free speech when the blade turns.

If you have something hateful to say, say it as it is - and as you are, a bigoted hatemonger abusing the power of the pen. But, then, please don't go crying looking for police protection when some nut-jobs come looking for you.

After all, I have the right to wear a swastika-emblazoned "Time For A Final Solution For Jews" T-Shirt to a synagogue in Israel. I am just not sure if I will come out alive. Does that make Judaism a terrorist, murderous religion? I can easily wear a T-shirt saying "LetÕs Lynch Blacks To Prevent Crime" and walk into Harlem, New York. I do not know how many pieces you would find me, and my freedom of speech, in. Does that mean Blacks (sorry, African-Americans, though they have no idea what or where Africa is) are barbarians?

If you are an Editor and have printed - or plan to print - these cartoons in a public newspaper, I will defend your right to free speech, as long as you will be fair and run the cartoons equally offensive to other groups as described here. Otherwise, you are a bigot, and just getting cheap publicity at the expense of one group.

My fellow Americans, and non-Muslim friends, please remember this.

The actions of these fanatic, idiotic, moronic Muslims destroying embassies represent Islam and Muslims as much as Christian priests repeatedly raping young boys represent Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him) or as much as the Nazi Germans Christians killing Jews (while the Church and the Pope looked the other way) represented Christianity.

And, my fellow Muslims, who are so upset about these cartoons, I say "So Bloody What?"

YOU and your actions are both giving the cartoons MORE exposure and media coverage than they would ever have gotten. Did you not learn a lesson from the stupid Salman Rushdie "Satanic Verses" controversy? How stupid is it to demand that Denmark (or Israel or America) apologize for the cartoons? So, if I make an offensive cartoon showing Jesus Christ raping little boys, and some Christians are upset, should PAKISTAN or SAUDI ARABIA have to apologize to Muslims for MY actions? Should Christians in America or Europe go out burning down Muslim-owned shops or Muslim embassies because I made fun of the Virgin Mary? How stupid IS that logic?

Even more importantly, Does the value of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) become LESS to you because someone made a cartoon about him? Is Islam so weak that if a cartoon is made or if some lesbian Muslim woman writes a book about it you lose yourgrip on your own faith? Then, I am sorry, shame on you. It is your weak faith in your Faith that is the problem and you do not deserve any sympathy or support, from me or anyone else.

Just remember, it was Prophet Muhammad himself who put up with far more hatred and violence when he went out with his message of ONE GOD, 1400 years ago. He is the one who forgave the very people who had not just insulted him but actually heaped filth and garbage on his back when he bowed down in prayer!

Prophet Muhammad forgave the poets who wrote against him and those who actually ridiculed and caricatured HIM, the HOLY PROPHET? And YOU, hypocrite in your actual practice of Islam's social lessons, too afraid to speak out against the dictators you live under, not even Muslim enough to stand up and save your/our religion from the violent extremists who kill your fellow Muslims EVERY DAY... you are the one the Prophet would need to defend his name?

Ha. He really must be shaking his head in Heaven at your not doing God's duties towards fellow man, but being violent in the guise of protecting his name.

Sorry, but he does not need you, or your kind to "defend" his name. You are an insult to him and to Islam. So, before you leave to blow up the next Embassy or Western office, ask yourself this.

How do your actions in every day life and in this issue compare to His actions and teachings?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Bush Burning (In) The Holy Land, And Adding Fuel

Sorry. I missed it. I watch all the major news channels, but I admit I still must have completely missed the news. I must have been sleeping. How else could it have happened?

It was only from follow up news reports in the media that I guessed how Laura Bush must have been elected to office, or perhaps been appointed a special envoy to the Middle East. Or something.

Imagine that. All this time, I merely thought she was a squeaky sounding teacher married to someone who can barely speak English, with daughters who can barely stay sober.

Yet, there she was, right on my TV screen, and in news photos, apparently on some God-given mission passed on by her crusading husband to go to the Holy Land. Forget about honoring a burning bush, this Bush went off – on whose advice, I do not know – to burn up the Middle East.

This is a time when the world’s 1.3 Billion Muslims are still reeling in anger at reports of desecration of the Holy Koran by US troops or officials. American foreign policy is looking more and more like a Crusade to Muslims. US soldiers guilty of murder and homicide of Muslim prisoners are getting away scot-free or serving meaningless 3-month sentences (shorter terms than people get for minor crimes even in America).

President Bush has turned decades-old American policy on Palestinian Occupied Territories on its head, showing how not to win friends or positively influence people around the world. We have clamored for “regime change” in Muslim countries that did NOT attack us, while protecting the most egregious examples of dictatorships, like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and even Pakistan.

The Central Asian Republics are on the verge of exploding into their own versions of Taliban like fundamentalist revolutions. Muslims in Kashmir, Thailand, and many other countries are ripe for falling into the arms of Bin Laden and his henchmen.

In this geo-political situation, the White House has sent the wife of the most-hated recent American President (which in itself is no small feat) worldwide right into the most sensitive spot, Jerusalem. A crusader’s Christian wife going in with Jewish Israeli troops into an internationally recognized disputed territory would be bad enough. Sending her off, black headscarf notwithstanding, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque seemed almost like some White House lackey’s answer to “How can we make things even worse?”

What amazed me next was Laura Bush, apparently now an “instant expert” on Middle East and world affairs, commenting on the pace of democracy there, ironically Egypt in particular.

Apparently someone asked a rhetorical question, “How can we show the world and Muslims how transparently hypocritical we are?”

Laura Bush, and the White House answered in unison.

In the same time period the US is condemning Iran’s fundamentalists for disqualifying some moderate candidates in their upcoming elections.

Yet, the wise and all-knowing Laura Bush, unelected and un-appointed representative of the United States government, Americans and good people around the world, praised the “pace of democracy” of pro-American Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak.

This was praise for his announcing elections towards a sham democracy - where his appointees will basically get to choose the candidate who can run against him!

I wondered what is next? How can we make things even worse?

Perhaps Laura Bush can hold a press conference and commend Pakistan’s General Musharaff, who, it is said, plans to remain in power well past any false promised dates for free and fair elections there?

While she is at it, why not go all the way, and commend the rulers of Saudi Arabia for being the beacon of democracy, religious freedom and especially women’s rights? That ought to ensure every bush in the Middle East is burning – just not the way that will help light the path to democracy, world peace or religious reconciliation.

My flippant question was, unfortunately, answered. ‘Second Lady’ Lynne Cheney has declared that Laura Bush should be our next President!

I really should be careful asking rhetorical questions considering the answers our government is capable of giving.

What do I know? I am not an expert like Laura Bush, I mean, President (unelect) Laura Bush.

Since this piece was written, here is progress on Democracy, Laura & George Bush style:

In reality, Saudi Arabia continues to export fundamentalism but remains safe from democracy as long as the royal family remains friends with the Bush family. Egypt has actually fomented some of the unrest related to the Danish cartoons about Prophet Muhammad that have caused so much unrest. Pakistan's dictator says he will remain Army head even after 2007, meaning, for life.

These were three countries that we could easily have had real democracy.

But, these are the ones the Bushes like, and one can only imagine how Laura and George see, hear and speak no "evil" of democracy to these tyrants.

In the meantime, Hamas has actually won an election in Occupied Palestine! And, the White House is surprised, and now unhappy. So, we have democracy that we do not want, while we prop up tyrants and Laura beams and George.. well, George Bush just "be's" George Bush.

Editorial Cartoon By Peter Welleman

Bush Makes World Safer - For Bin Laden!

Terrorists were driving around in the USA prior to 9/11 and nothing was done. Bush was informed 9/10 of such a possibility, nothing was done. 3000 Americans were killed by Bin Laden, nothing was done to focus and at least get that one man.

Instead, US troops are STILL in Afghanistan. Cost $1 BILLION Per month.

We attack IRAQ, no relation to Bin Laden. Cost $5 BILLION Per month.

North Korea makes a nuclear weapon while Bush wrings his hands and his oil friends wring our necks with $36 BILLION profits and nothing's done.

Now Iran had a choice. Be like Iraq, do nothing and be attacked, or be like North Korea, and make the bomb. Guess what they chose to do.... ?

They know that the US can't send in troops and start a 3rd World War from that region and that the US does NOT have enough troops or patience in the American public for such a stunt.

The US can't just bomb the place either. We would see a Pandora's Box of terrorism explode worldwide AND we would see the oil price shock wipe out our economic recovery.

So, Bin Laden must be sitting laughing in his cave.

Bush makes the world so much safer - for Bin Laden.