The View-Point

Fuel price hike sparks fresh unrest in Nepal NewKerala.com
"The government headed by King Gyanendra last week approved an increase of Nepali Rs.5 per litre in kerosene, diesel, petrol and air transport fuel prices in a bid to bail out the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the state-owned monopoly importer and distributor of petro-products... Fuel prices in Nepal remain lower than international prices, causing the state exchequer a loss of millions of rupees monthly on subsidies..."


What would happen if every time prices are raised at American gas pumps, people rioted in the streets, throwing rocks and other burning stuff?

This price increase in Nepal is the equivalent of a $0.27/gallon price increase. For sure, that is quite a big jump to happen overnight, but prices here in the US have risen about $0.90/gallon since January!

Are price increases in small increments easier to take? Or are some people in this world ungrateful for how good they have it, government fuel subsidies and all?

Labels: commentary

Face of the "Religion of Peace"

"Palestinian militants from the Hamas movement march during a rally in the early celebrations for Israel's imminent pullout from Gaza ... in the southern Gaza Strip August 16, 2005. (Suhaib Salem/Reuters)"

While watching video of these "peaceful" young men my attention was drawn to the images of them waving their AK-47'S in the air and parading around with mortar launchers and RPGs in their bare hands, while black hoods covered their faces.

In contrast to this, I was reminded of the precision movements of an organized military drill team, making very precise and coordinated movements with their rifles while marching in lock-step.

The latter an example of controlled civility; the former a brutal image of savage instability and chaos.

Look very carefully at the pictures of the "men" in the image above: Can we still refer to them as human beings? Or have the choices they've made in their lives degenerated them into inhuman instruments of evil?

All men and women were created in the image of God, but how can we rectify the actions of these young men? Should we still think of them as 'human', or are they now, by virtue of their own choices, cold-blooded animals?

One thing is for sure: The "Religion of Peace" it is not. Rather, the "Religion of Fear, Hatred, and Oppression".

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Women's rights to be safeguarded in Iraq Telegraph.co.uk

One can only hope that the new Iraqi government will protect women's rights.

I'm no feminist, but I recall a TV news story broadcast last week about a young Iraqi woman who was hacked to death by her male family members because she sought help from these abusive men. Unfortunately, what we would consider to be an extreme over-reaction here in the West is normal and acceptable under Islamic law. Now that's scary.

Some "Religion of Peace"... Peace for the abusive male-scumbags, and terror for the women...

Labels: commentary

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L.N. Smithee has a funny pictorial compilation of how the truth can come back to bite you:

One Finger Pointing at Me, Three Back at You: Then and Now

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[Point]
“I promise I will become a spokesperson, if you allow me to, a spokesperson on your behalf. I will defend you and try to get rid of an stereotypes.”
Ricky Martin, saying he will try to change negative perceptions of Arab youth in the West



[CounterPoint]
Stereotype #1 to get rid of: Arabs and Hispanics look alike.

Note to Mr. Martin: It would be more beneficial for you to work to change negative perceptions of the West in the minds of Arab youths...

Labels: commentary