Update, 5.13.10

Update. Personal circumstance preclude commentary for the time being.

Apologies.

Health News, in Today's News 04.05.10

Health News. It didn't take long for the cryptocracy to find a new health concern to scare the American public, after the cryptocracy's swine-flu fiasco. Today's Wall Street Journal has a page A3 major spread titled, "Risk of New Virus Probed".

The first paragraph: "An infectious virus linked to two diseases is drawing the attention of public-health officials, who are investigating the potential threat to the nation's blood supply."

And so here we go. There is no evidence that there is any danger. But the 'public-health officials' are sounding the alarm anyway.

It seems to be part of the cryptocracy's on-going efforts to intimidate the public to always have something to cause people to be fearful. When there is a health danger, the public has no ready means to combat it. Of necessity the public has to look to government agencies. And thus, the fear mechanism is a very handy little device to keep the public under control.

Some day the public will begin to see through such methods. But, until then we are at the mercy of the power-hungry.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 04.05.10

Afghanistan. Today's Wall Street Journal headline (pg A14): "Karzai Slams the West Again". 

The Journal writes that Karzai "accus[ed] the U.S. of interfering in Afghan affairs and saying the Taliban insurgency would become a legitimate resistance movement if the meddling doesn't stop."

The immediate background is Karzai's attempt to take over the Electoral Complaints Commission before the September parliamentary elections. The US resists this move. Karzai is fighting for his political life by trying to ensure the US doesn't affect the elections.

The US has been trying to get rid of Karzai for some time. They tried to oust him in the Presidential elections last year, but failed when the US designee decided not to pursue a run-off election. The US then let Karzai have the presidency, but has put unremitting pressure on him to become what the US wants or to get out of the way.

Karzai is becoming more and more militant as he realizes the extent to which the US is willing to go to remove him. He has even suggested that he would support the Taliban as a legitimate opposition. He is being courageous, but he faces a powerful opponent.

As for Obama: it is not a good sign for one's war policy when the ruler of the country your are supposedly helping attacks you. Obama's only real alternative is to step up efforts to remove Karzai. But such a step would have significant negative consequences among the Afghans.

 

Bishop Williamson

Bishop Williamson. Michael Hoffman has another must-read. He writes of the Society of Saint Pius X's refusal to offer prayers on behalf of its own Bishop Williamson. Hoffman's article may be read here.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update No 62, in Today's News 04.02.10

H1N1 (Swine) Flu. Reports surfaced this week that a little more than half of the swine flu vaccines have been used. The remainder will soon expire and must be destroyed.

Thus ends the cryptocracy's major effort to stampede the American people into a semi-mandatory vaccination program. It's failure can be attributed to the common sense of the public. They saw very early that the whole enterprise was a fraud constructed around a minor heath threat.

The vaccine supply cost $1.6 billion, a terrific wind-fall for drug companies. But now a significant proportion of the cost will be for nothing, never used and finally destroyed. 

If an employee of a normal corporation made an error of this magnitude, he or she would be shown the door. Not so, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, which were the principle planners and initiators of the swine-flu-fear campaign. They won't be fired. Instead, excuses will be made, the tax payer will swallow the loss, and the CDC will be enjoined to try again.

And so the final lesson is: be prepared for the next cryptocracy health machination.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 04.02.10

Afghanistan. One week after a visit by President Obama and about a month after the initiation by the United States of their much-heralded military offensive against the Taliban, Afghan President Karzai has shown his support by blasting the US, its allies and the United Nations. 

Today's Wall Street Journal, Karzai "...charged Western officials and embassies with fraud in last summer's presidential elections..." Karzai accused the US of bribery and death threats. He said the US efforts also included offers of cash and armored vehicles.

What prompted this outburst?

The United States has been trying to oust Karzai for some time. The US did just what Karzai alleges in an effort to remove his government, perhaps overthrow it, but at least force him into a coalition government in the last elections. The whole effort failed only because the US-sponsored candidate got cold feet and declined to participate in the run-off election.

WSJ: "Associates of Mr. Karzai say he was deeply wounded by what he considered Western treachery against him." The WSJ journal does not mention it, but it should be remarked that Senator Kerry played a key role in the treachery, when he flew to Afghanistan to pressure Karzai into accepting a run-off election.

Karzai took his time after the election, but when he felt he could, he issued a decree taking control of the Independent Election Commission, which had played the central role in trying to influence the election against Karzai.

Today's outburst occurred because parliamentary elections are scheduled for September and already Karzai has detected the manipulations of the US. In short, Karzai is fighting for his life. It doesn't worry him that his remarks might cause the US to undermine him. The US already is, and has been for some time.

One final note: Obama might be asked how his offensive is going? The Afghan government is providing very little support. Karzai, after much prodding of his staff, had to be awakened from a mid-day nap to hear of the plans for the offensive. It took a major effort to force Karzai to go to the initial military target, Marjah, to listen to the residents there. He also showed his support by appointing a thug to preside over the newly 'liberated' area. Karzai has also repeatedly accused the US of needless killing of civilians.

The media will never mention it, but Obama's efforts in Afghanistan are a little short of disastrous.

Catholic Church, in Today's News 04.02.10

Catholic Church.  In a jaw-dropping homily near the end of Holy Week which is the remembrance of the persecution of the Son of God and His resurrection, the preacher to the Pope, Father Cantalamessa, declared that the recent attack on the Pope in the molestation scandal was similar to the persecution of...the Jews. (!!!!)

If ever there was a sign of what is on the minds of at least some of the leaders of the Vatican, this is it. At Easter time, their only point of reference it would seem is the Jews. How far the Church leaders have traveled from authentic Catholicism.

Michael Hoffman has a must-read commentary on Cantalamessa's message. It may be read here. 

It probably doesn't occur to Cantalamessa that Judaics around the world are chuckling over his foolishness. The New York Times article on his homily questioned a Rabbi: "Rabbi Riccardo di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome, who hosted Benedict at the Rome synagogue in January on a visit that helped calm waters after a year of tensions, laughed in seeming disbelief when asked about Father Cantalamessa’s remarks."

And one might well ask, where are all the Judaic friends that the Pope has developed now that the Pope is under attack? So far, there has not been a peep out of them. Cantalamessa mentions receiving a letter from a Jewish friend. But, the letter is nothing more than remarking that the writer is reminded of attacks on Jews. As such the letter provides cover for the lack of response by Judaic leaders. And the theme of the letter is then picked up by Cantalamessa for this homily.

One other point. It shouldn't matter, but one cannot help noticing that Cantalamessa's robe is always extremely well-tailored and that his beard and hair are always immaculately coiffured. Not quite the example one would expect from a leading Vatican figure in regard to humility and lack of pride.