Update from the Heartland
No.572
26.11.12 – 2.12.12
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
The follow-up news items:
-- “The
double standard in affairs”
by Kathleen Parker
Washington Post
Published: November 27, 2012; posted: Nov 28, 2012 01:56 AM
EST
Spot on, sister.
Appropriate commentary regarding L’Affaire
Petraeus [569, 570],
it seems to me. One of these days,
we will mature and abandon the Madonna/whore syndrome of The Box.
-- The editorial
staff at the Old Grey Lady wanted to voice her opinion regarding drone strikes
[135, 170, 335, 401, 490] as the administration considers more formal rules. So, here we go . . .
“Rules for Targeted Killing”
Editorial
New York Times
Published: November 29, 2012
The only judicial pronouncement so far has been Aulaqi v. Obama [USDC DC case 1:10-cv-01469-JDB
(2010)] [479], which is a long
way from being resolved. The
debate shall continue.
In the realm of bizarre but true . . .
“Germany to Ban Sex with Animals”
Der Spiegel – Evolution
Published: 11/26/2012; 26.11.2012
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/germany-plans-to-outlaw-sex-with-animals-a-869402.html
As noted, zoophilia was legalized in Germany in 1969. The Kinsey Report indicated 5-8% of men
and 3-5% of women engaged in zoophilia.
There is even an affinity group – Zoophile Engagement for Tolerance and
Information (ZETA). A fellow by
the name of Michael Kiok is ZETA’s chairman. Most of us lead such sheltered lives.
On Thursday, the UN General Assembly voted 138-9 (41) for
passage of Resolution 67/19, to elevate the status of the Palestinians from
“observer entity” to “non-member observer state”. Among the votes, the Russian Federation, France, Spain,
Italy and Switzerland all voted yes; Israel, Canada, Palau, Panama, Micronesia and
the United States voted no; the United Kingdom and Germany abstained. The move
was requested by and pushed for by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas, and celebrated by the Palestinians and other Arab states. The talking heads forecast the UN vote
will destabilize the region even more, if that is even possible. I have mixed feelings. Like the experts predict, the
recognition could calcify the opposing positions even further, which is
difficult to fathom; or, the resolution might just give both sides sufficient stimulus
to negotiate a permanent peaceful solution. Time shall tell the tale.
News from
the economic front:
-- At a meeting in Brussels, finance ministers from the
17-country euro zone and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) apparently
reached a deal to reduce Greece's debt ratio below 124% of GDP by 2020. The deal should allow Greece to receive
long-delayed loan payments of about €44B to be paid in three installments. This roller coaster ride is far from
over; hang on.
-- The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) has slashed its forecast for the world’s advanced economies in 2013 to
1.4% growth, down from 2.2% in May.
The OECD also warned that the risk of a serious global recession remains
and called for several member states to increase their policy response.
-- India’s Central Statistics Office reported the nation’s
annualized 3Q2012 growth dropped to 5.3% from 5.5% in the previous quarter.
Comments and contributions from Update no.571:
Comment to the Blog:
“Laura Cannon (War Virgin) writes more clearly and
engagingly than most others you link. I will endorse the “silly” qualifier to
the rules she addresses; any lawmaking body that thinks it can prevent healthy
young people from having sex by making rules is silly. Now would be a good time
for Congress to give up this particular silliness. As for ‘scandals’ such as
that entangling General Petraeus, they are pointless nonsense, relevant only to
the participants and their spouses, if any. Petraeus even found a partner with
a decent security clearance. I had not been aware either of General Sinclair or
of the op-ed piece you mentioned. Let’s move on to some worthier news.
“I had to look up ‘coverture’ to understand that paragraph.
Your point, as best I understand it, is that this was ended in the late 1970s
by the Supreme Court. I also supported the Equal Rights Amendment and would
heartily recommend its revival.
“We may hope that the sovereign immunity to creditors stands
on appeal. I would not like to see any government placed on the level of
someone who bought a fancy car knowing he could not pay for it.”
My response to the
Blog:
Re:
“silly rules.” You are correct;
however, it will take an enormous political action to get Congress to move
those rules to a more reasonable and rational state.
Re:
move to worthier news. Yea verily!
Re:
coverture. Yes, the Supremes
negated a significant element of coverture with their Feenstra ruling [1981],
but they hardly put a dent in it.
For example, women still relinquish their family name and take their
husband’s family name – a traditional custom from the days of coverture. Non-heterosexual, polygamists, and
other non-traditional citizens are even farther from freedom and equal rights. We have not reached equal rights yet.
Re:
sovereign immunity. Indeed, a
breakdown of sovereign immunity will lead to other negative knock-on
consequences. Yet, what are we to
do when the governments of sovereign states spend borrowed money beyond their
sustainable revenue?
. . . follow-up comment:
“I said Congress making rules about sex was silly; I never
said that was new or changeable. The two-party system has lacked sensible
voices fairly often over the centuries, as it does today.
“I would like to know more of the current state of coverture
laws. I certainly agree that non-traditional couples still suffer from marriage
laws. The silliness that applies to Congress infects State legislatures even
more.
“What are we to do about sovereign immunity costing the big
banks money? Nothing. You seem eager to hold borrowers accountable but not
banks. Those bankers knew about sovereign immunity when they made those loans,
and they apparently assumed they could overturn the law if they so desired. I
hope not.”
. . . my follow-up response:
Re:
Congress. Spot on, brother. However, Congress made the UCMJ rule
about adultery (and others), so Congress must repeal that law.
Re:
coverture. Most of the legal
elements of coverture have been removed, although adultery laws still exist in
some states but are rarely prosecuted, apparently; and, the Defense of
Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA) [PL 104-199; 110 Stat. 2419;
21.September.1996], specifically §3 Definition of Marriage = “. . . a legal
union between one man and one woman . . .” [110 Stat. 2419], is a reflection of
coverture. Legislating private
conduct or matters is an affront to our freedom of choice, beyond the sheer
inequality of it.
Re:
sovereign immunity. First, it is
the borrower that seeks action.
The millennia old adage “caveat
emptor” remains valid for individuals or nations. I am not favoring the banks. I want sovereign immunity protected and maintained; frankly,
I say screw the banks; they have certainly screwed us. My question goes to the irresponsible
nations. We have recourse against
individuals, even corporations and banks, but we have little recourse against
rogue nations.
My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)
2 comments:
As you and your linked story noted, the time for the “Madonna-whore complex” is past, if indeed it was ever realistic or appropriate.
On the effort in Germany to ban sex with animals, one must admit that farming harms the animals more than sex with them. After all, farm animals become meat.
I don’t favor any side or faction in the Middle East, and I fail to understand why the US feels obligated to support Israel no matter what Israel does. The various parties already defend their positions by means of guns and bombs. Those positions could hardly become more calcified than that. Any productive result from participating seems unlikely given thousands of years of regional history. Even the Romans could not make peace there.
Calvin,
Re: “Madonna-whore complex.” The concept was neither realistic nor appropriate, but it is not past. The complex is alive and well, but hopefully a dying artifact of a bygone era. The complex is one of a myriad of means society uses to defend The Box – the status quo ante, the way we were. We have a long way to go to undo the inequality of the past.
Re: zoophilia. Interesting point.
Re: Middle East. History is on your side. Yet, I am not quite so pessimistic. I do not believe the United States defends Israel no matter what they do. The pressure we apply on Israel is predominately done in private. Like you, I favor neither side. I have exactly the same opinions of the Middle East as I did of the USSR-US conflict – it is the governments (and the clerics) who perpetuate the conflict, NOT the people.
Cheers,
Cap
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