BALANCE

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Heaven , God went missing for six days.
Eventually, Michael the archangel found him on the seventh day resting.
He enquired of God, " where have you been? "
God pointed downwards through the clouds. "Look Michael, look what I've made," said God.
Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, " what is it ? "
"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."
"Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused.
God explained, pointing down to different parts of the earth, "For example, Nth America will be a place of great opportunity and wealth while Sth America is going to be poor; the Middle East over there will be a hot spot and Russia will be a cold spot."

"Over there I've placed a continent of white people and here I've placed a continent of black people." God continued pointing to different countries.
"This one will be extremely hot and arid and this one will be very cold and covered in ice."
The archangel, impressed by Gods work, then pointed to another area land and asked,"what's that ?"
"Ah", said God. "That's Western Australia, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful people, impressive towns; it is the home of the worlds finest artists, musicians, writers, thinkers, explorers and sportsman. The people from Western Australia are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they're going to be found travelling the world.

They'll be extremely sociable, hard working and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as speakers of truth."
Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance God, you said there will be BALANCE!"
God replied very wisely, " Wait till you see the wankers I'm putting on the East Coast"

RUMSFELD RUNS AWAY

RUMSFELD FLEES FRANCE FEARING ARREST

"Rumsfeld must be feeling how Saddam Hussein felt when US forces were hunting him down," activist Tanguy Richard said. "He may never end up being hanged like his old friend, but he must learn that in the civilized world, war crime doesn't pay."

http://wor.ldne.ws/node/8596

Those who order the commission of war crimes, as defined by the Geneva and Hague Conventions in regards to conduct of war, 'shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for life or any term of years, or both, and if death results to the victim, shall also be subject to the penalty of death'
This may explain why the US Government is trying to block all torture lawsuits, because under US law, those who authorized the torture, which has resulted in deaths, are looking at the death penalty themselves.

US Code, Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 118, § 2441

UNACCEPTABLE COSTS

AUSTRALIAN troops, who feared many civilian casualties in an Afghan operation, refused to take part in the Dutch-led assault on advancing Taliban militia.
Almost 70 civilians died when Dutch forces fought a 500-strong Taliban assault in the Chora Valley

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22661193-23109,00.html


The army's Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy has reiterated Australia's commitment to avoiding civilian deaths wherever possible.

"Nothing undermines the credibility of our efforts more than the unintended killing of civilians," he said

GENUINE HERO

"The nation today has lost a genuine hero. The army has lost a gallant and respected soldier."

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/26/2071833.htm?section=world

Australias crack SAS regiment is based here in Perth, Western Australia. Sergeant Matthew Locke will be sadly missed.

A true hero, he was slain after exposing himself to enemy fire in a desperate effort to call for support, he was shot twice and still managed to make the call for help, probably saving his entire patrol. Sgt Locke died from his injuries shortly after.

The sooner Aussie troops are home the better.

Our Beloved Possilfossil

Possil, was loved by many and will be missed. He was a wonderful father of eight and was father, friend, brother to so many more in paltalk. My heart is heavy with sorrow that some think of his death as a way to play games and use it as a way to retaliate some imagined defloration of their precious nick on pal. Shame to you I say.

Most paltalkains are decent and caring people, no matter our different views on issues, to you all I want to thank you.

Possil, I know you are now with your lovely wife and look down upon the rest of us with well wishes for us all. Possil, I can't never put into words how much our chats meant to me or how much they helped me through some of my hardest times. Possil, thanks you so much for the time you shared with me.


When I come to the end of the road,
and the sun has set for me.
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room.
Why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little—but not too long,
and not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that was once shared.
Miss me, but let me go.

For this is a journey we all must take,
and each must go alone.
It’s all a part of the master’s plan,
a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart,
go to the friends we know.
Bear your sorrow in good deeds. Miss me,
but let me go.

ETHICS OF ALJAZEERA

Code of Ethics

Being a globally oriented media service, Al Jazeera has adopted the following code of ethics in pursuance of the vision and mission it has set for itself:

1. Adhere to the journalistic values of honesty, courage, fairness, balance, independence, credibility and diversity, giving no priority to commercial or political considerations over professional ones.

2. Endeavour to get to the truth and declare it in our dispatches, programmes and news bulletins unequivocally in a manner which leaves no doubt about its validity and accuracy.

3. Treat our audiences with due respect and address every issue or story with due attention to present a clear, factual and accurate picture while giving full consideration to the feelings of victims of crime, war, persecution and disaster, their relatives and our viewers, and to individual privacy and public decorum.

4. Welcome fair and honest media competition without allowing it to affect adversely our standards of performance so that getting a "scoop" will not become an end in itself.

5. Present diverse points of view and opinions without bias or partiality.

6. Recognise diversity in human societies with all their races, cultures and beliefs and their values and intrinsic individualities in order to present unbiased and faithful reflection of them.

7. Acknowledge a mistake when it occurs, promptly correct it and ensure it does not recur.

8. Observe transparency in dealing with news and news sources while adhering to internationally established practices concerning the rights of these sources.

9. Distinguish between news material, opinion and analysis to avoid the pitfalls of speculation and propaganda.

10. Stand by colleagues in the profession and offer them support when required, particularly in light of the acts of aggression and harassment to which journalists are subjected at times. Cooperate with Arab and international journalistic unions and associations to defend freedom of the press.

COMMUNISTS SPACE BRANCH

China has ambitious plans for manned space missions, including setting up a permanently manned space station and eventually a base on the moon.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/240026BF-3DD9-47F5-AE64-3AE0E8A871CF.htm

While we embroil ourselves in disasterous wars of conquest, China is getting on with it. Stephen Hawking has warned us that humanity should strive to inhabit other worlds, for the survival of humanity and perhaps life itself.

AUSTRALIAS POVERTY SHAME

Despite unprecedented economic growth, largely fuelled by demands forresources by countries like China, there remain some two million Australians who live in poverty. There is also evidence to suggest that a significant portion of this group -nearly 10% of Australians- are being systematically excluded from the benefits of prosperity by government policy driven by big business interests and narrow electoral horizons.

http://www.acoss.org.au/upload/publications/papers/3393__Paper%20151%20Towards%20a%20fairer%20Australia.pdf

It's a dry document to wade through (Australian Council Of Social Security report) but the facts and figures are all there and verified.
A handy resource if you intend to QUESTION the candidates in the Nov.24th election.

YEAH RIGHT, OY VEY!

"Our extensive six week investigation found that this was an isolated incident and that the weapons never left the custody of airmen, were never unsecured,''

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22617893-401,00.html

Another complicit press whitewash... When are you going to DEMAND THE TRUTH?

COMICAL AD OPTICIAN

AUSTRALIAN FIRM IN COALITION OF THE KILLING

AN AUSTRALIAN-RUN security company responsible for shooting dead two innocent Iraqi women on a Baghdad street on Tuesday could be prosecuted by the Iraqi Government as it seeks an end to legal immunity for foreign security firms.
The shooting comes amid rising anger at actions of foreign-owned, heavily armed private security companies, which operate with immunity from prosecution as they provide protection for diplomats and aid groups working in the war-torn country.
Iraqi Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told The Age from Baghdad yesterday that Iraqi police were investigating the incident involving the Australian-managed security company, Unity Resources Group.
He said the Iraqi Government wanted the legal immunity rule implemented by the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority in 2004 overturned and the company to be held accountable.
"There is anger among the Iraqis about the behaviour of such companies. They are not respecting all the Iraqis here … we are losing human beings," Mr al-Dabbagh said. . "We do understand they are subjected to a high level of stress and they are doing their job to protect diplomats. But this does not entitle them to be immune from questioning and justice. They should be accountable."
It is not known if any Australians were involved directly in the shooting.
Last month, 17 Iraqi civilians were killed in a chaotic shooting carried out by US security firm Blackwater USA. The incident has increased tensions between Iraq and the US, with the Iraqi Government demanding the US Government cut all ties with the firm and ensure the families of those killed receive hefty compensation.
A spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Australia would respond to any Iraqi requests for co-operation in investigating the shooting.
According to reports from Baghdad, two Unity Resources Group guards opened fire on a car in the city centre on Tuesday afternoon, killing the driver, Marou Awanis, 48, and front-seat passenger Geneva Jalal, 30.
Witnesses said masked security guards threw a smoke bomb and fired a warning shot towards the car to warn that it was too close to their convoy. However, it failed to stop in time and and the guards unloaded 19 bullets into the car. The convoy then sped off.
Unity Resources Group was guarding an American non-government organisation, RTI International, which is carrying out work on behalf of the US State Department and the US Aid agency. It is unclear if the guards were actually protecting any clients when the shooting took place.
Australian Securities and Investment Commission documents show the Unity Resources Group was established in New South Wales in 2000 by former SAS commander Gordon Conroy.
However, both the United Resources Group and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday stressed the relevant part of the company responsible for its security guards in Iraq is run out of the United Arab Emirates and registered in Singapore.
The company employs many former Australian military and police personnel and special forces veterans from the US, Britain and New Zealand.
The company has been operating in Iraq since 2004 and last year made headlines when its guards shot and killed a 72-year-old professor from Adelaide who was teaching in Baghdad. The man's vehicle had failed to stop at a checkpoint.
In a statement released yesterday, United Resources Group chief operating officer Michael Priddin said: "We deeply regret this incident … The first information we have is that our security team was approached at speed by a vehicle which failed to stop despite an escalation of warnings including hand signals and a signal flare. Finally shots were fired at the vehicle and it stopped."
Reports last night suggested the Unity Resources Group had contacted the Iraqi Government to apologise and offer compensation to the families of those killed.

http://http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/australian-firm-involved-in-fatal-shooting/2007/10/10/1191695993799.html

I have posted this article in it's entirety because it won't be available for very long on "the age" website. They will try and tough this one out, hoping the gullible public will let it slide.

COMICAL DOGS

SPREADING DEMOCRACY WHERE

If 100,000 people were marching the streets of Baghdad or Riyadh, or if thousands of Catholic priests were lying dead in Vatican City, you can bet there would have been a little bit more action by now.

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/6491?source=cmailer

UPDATED 8 Oct '07:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, at the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said, “The United States is determined to keep an international focus on the travesty that is taking place.” Keeping an international focus is essential, but should not distract from one of the most powerful supporters of the junta, one that is much closer to home. Rice knows it well: Chevron.

Fueling the military junta that has ruled for decades are Burma’s natural gas reserves, controlled by the Burmese regime in partnership with the U.S. multinational oil giant Chevron, the French oil company Total and a Thai oil firm. Offshore natural gas facilities deliver their extracted gas to Thailand through Burma’s Yadana pipeline. The pipeline was built with slave labor, forced into servitude by the Burmese military

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20071002_chevrons_pipeline_is_the_burmese_regimes_lifeline/