Is it because I'm black?

It is clear that the comments of Geraldine Ferraro when she claimed that Barack Obama was "...only successful because he was black", have been heavily criticised, and have resulted in her having to resign from the Clinton campaign team.

However, doesn't this signify progress in a world that has too much discrimination? (whether on the grounds of race, sex, sexuality, disability etc etc).

When Ferraro said "If he was a white man, he would not be in this position", the implication was that he was "lucky" to be black.

Now I'm not sure that luck had a lot to do with it. More a case of genetics and black parents I would have thought.

But "lucky" to be black? It's not long ago that such a comment would have been inconceivable. To suggest that somebody was at an advantage because they were black, would have been considered (if there were such a word) oxymoronic!

Maybe, and I realise this is a controversial thing to say, just maybe, he is ahead in the polls because he is better than the opposition! Or would such a comment be considered to be sexist?

Bush Calls Surveillance Bill an ‘Urgent Priority’

The New York Times today reported that: -

"...Using some of his toughest language in weeks, President Bush prodded Congress on Thursday to pass his preferred version of surveillance legislation, asserting that every day of delay could put the country in danger..."

Now, call me a cynical non Republican (& therefore slightly democratic) Brit, but I was sort of assuming that "every day of delay" between now and the Presidential elections was putting the country (sorry your country - the USofA) in danger. Can't you folks just break tradition (it's not as though you haven't broken things before, nor for that matter, is your tradition very long standing) for once and bring the elections forward?

Dublya also said that: -

• "...Without the cooperation of private companies, we cannot protect our country from terrorist attack,” and
• "...Big new taxes on the major oil companies would backfire, driving up energy costs"

Now, clearly I am not an expert on these matters but, am I not right in thinking that: -

1. despite the atrocities and war crimes carried out by Iraq in the Iran:Iraq war between 1983 to 1985, the Reagan administration went to great lengths to gain Saddam Hussein’s favor.
2. Their goal at the time was to have built a gas pipeline from the Euphrates River, in Iraq, to the Gulf of Aqaba, in Jordan. The company planning to gain this contract for the billion dollar pipeline’s construction: Bechtel Corporation.
3. Over two decades later, and after a small falling out with Saddam, it is the same companies Bechtel and Halliburton, which benefited from the post-war reconstruction contracts in Iraq worth upwards of $900 million.

and that the common denominator in each of the above three issues is Dick Cheney, the former CEO of Halliburton and current VP. So when Dubblya talks of needing to keep private companies & specifical private major oil companies on side, it is simply so that his friends and colleagues, Dick & Donald can benefit financially!!

(Please note new legal disclaimer where I have disassociated myself from all the comments that I have written about anybody)

So when Dubblya also said that it was “dangerous, just dangerous” for the legislation to be delayed, and pledged to continue speaking out about the issue until the American people understand, I think it is about the most hypocritical thing that I've ever heard.

For Dubblya to continue speaking about anything is likely to reduce, not increase the understanding of the American people. For example, as he has previously said: -

1. "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."- August 30, 2000
2. "And there's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail."- October 4, 2001
3. "Teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test."- Feb. 21, 2001
4. "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"- January 11, 2000
5. "One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."- January 3, 2000

Not wanting to rub George 's nose in it, nor am I saying that it is necessarily a good thing (actually I think I am saying it is a good thing - unless you ever do something wrong) but, the Big Brother nightmare of George Orwell's 1984 has become a reality - in the shadow of the author's former London home.

It may have taken a little longer than he predicted, but Orwell's vision of a society where cameras and computers spy on every person's movements is now here.

According to the latest studies, Britain has a staggering 4.2million CCTV cameras - one for every 14 people in the country - and 20 per cent of cameras globally. It has been calculated that each person is caught on camera an average of 300 times daily.

Use of spy cameras in modern-day Britain is now a chilling mirror image of Orwell's fictional world, created in the post-war Forties in a fourth-floor flat overlooking Canonbury Square in Islington, North London.

On the wall outside his former residence - flat number 27B - where Orwell lived until his death in 1950, an historical plaque commemorates the anti-authoritarian author. And within 200 yards of the flat, there are 32 CCTV cameras, scanning every move.

Walk like an Egyptian....blog like an Egyptian

Researching Egyptian culture before we left home I referred to one of the most up to date pieces of research that I could find, namely the Bangles hit (?) from 1985 - Walk like an Egyptian.

All the old paintings on the tombs

They do the sand dance don't you know

If they move too quick (oh whey oh)

They're falling down like a domino

All the bazaar men by the Nile

They got the money on a bet

Gold crocodiles (oh whey oh)

They snap their teeth on your cigarette

Foreign types with the hookah pipes say

Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh

Walk like an Egyptian

Having been here for 3 days now, most of the Egyptians that I've seen, actually walk quite normally.

Whilst 'normal' is a relative term, (and I have plenty of relatives who aren't!) in comparison to most of the holidaymakers at this resort hotel - normal is the way that they walk.

The rest of us, walk somewhat gingerly, not being used to this summer sun, in February, and suffering somewhat from sunburn.

However, give George Dublya and his cronies a few more years to speed up global warming and we'll all be walking like Egyptians!

This isn't just science....it's M&S science!

In a previous blog I have made reference to some of the products that this British institution sells, and have been somewhat critical at times.

However, one should not let it go unnoticed that they have great plans to reduce the level of waste that they produce by 2012.

Their to plan is to "change beyond recognition" the way M&S operates. Initiatives within the 100-point plan include transforming the 460-strong chain into a carbon neutral operation; banning group waste from landfill dumps; using unsold out-of-date food as a source of recyclable energy and making polyester clothing from recycled plastic bottles."

In this way they hope to play their part in the fight against climate change.

All of this is extremely laudable, and demonstrates the seriousness with which they are addressing the issue.

Or so I thought...

Yesterday on visiting the store I noticed the sale of a product that is either: -

• an attempt to avoid having to implement the above plan, or
• possibly a less than full understanding of what needs to be done to tackle the issue

I am referring to the fact that M&S now sell -

Blue Harbour °Climate Control Pure Cotton Stripe Polo Shirt
£15.00
Product Code: T285563B°

It is attitudes like this that have helped to enable leaders such as George Bush defend America's "gas-guzzling" economic strategy, with the implication that this most important issue of all time can be resolved by wearing a particular kind of T-shirt!

Even the description of the item may confuse those with a less than average IQ -

"The Outlast technology behind this innovative fabric was originally developed for astronauts and is recognised by NASA as Certified Space Technology"

When did you ever see an astronaut wearing a T-shirt in space?