I am getting a little tired of Mr. McAfee scapegoating the Belize government.

McAfee (click here) was in the midst of recounting an incident earlier this month in which 42 armed Belizean officers allegedly stormed his compound, arrested him and detained him for 14 hours with no found or water, and then let him go without charges.

When CNBC reporter, Robert Frank, asked McAfee why he thought the police had done that, he said it was because he ‘does not play by the rules.

McAfee said that he has donated millions of dollars to the local economy, including police departments and homeless agencies, but not through the Belizean government itself....

Belize is not so organized it can actually run an efficient corruption ring from their police stations.

I know something about the country, I am a conservationist after all. You know, Howler Monkeys and all that. So, when Mr. McAfee states he is not a smart man, he is correct. But, not because he was blackmailed by the Belize government, but, because he won't cooperate to be questioned. 

There are no torture chambers in Belize. As a matter of fact the country is far less than two decades old and have very poor jails. The country can't support a lot of prisoners, so it is amazing the amount of dangerous characters actually stay in society there. 

Belize has problems, but, they are that of a young country left with enormous debt by Great Britain when it was a colony. I haven't figured out exactly how the British actually get away with that. Belize accumulated debt when it was still a colony and now that it is a sovereign nation, they have inherited their British debt from being a colony. That is bizarre. But, the debt causes the young country a great deal of problems. It is like it was started 'behind the eight ball.' So to speak.

But, that has little to do with McAfee, except, to realize the idea a small country with limited resources would go out of its way to blackmail a citizen is ridiculous.

Belize's greatest problem is actually its border with Guatemala. The drug smuggling was so bad in the area the main road in Punta Gorda was host to very nice private jets that would drop off shipments of drugs. There were locals involved and police were indicted when with one shipment a jet could not take off because it damaged its wing when landing. The locals were arrested, by the way. The Belize government didn't take kindly to their assistance to the smugglers in the matter. It was a matter of about six months when the USA offered its services after the incident to combat drug and guns from flowing into Mexico and Guatemala. So, blackmail is not a practice of the Belize government.

The government in Belize is trying desperately to stop violence in its streets, drug traffiking and seeking to find wholesome lives for their young men. I do believe Prime Minister Barrow has started a remedial program for young men in Belize City. Belize City is not the country's capital, but,it is the city with the highest rate of violence. The gang culture is an issue there and all too frequently innocent citizens are caught in the cross fire, so Barrow is seeking ways to dilute the gang experience in his young men and diffuse the problem.

Employment and a decent wage would be nice for anyone in  Belize, but, in time I suppose. Their tourism is picking up and they are being visited more often by cruise ships now.

So. I don't know what occurred to Mr. McAfee's neighbor. But, then neither do the authorities it would seem since they want to ask him questions. It would seem to me if Mr. McAfee could afford all the elaborate game playing for 'Real TV with McAfee' then he could afford a real lawyer to protect his rights.

Mr. Costas did a very brave act by standing up for non-violence in our society.

The American fabric has gotten to be woven with violent content at nearly every turn. We are a victim to it. Guns are the primary vehicle of it. There is only one reason there is a huge gun culture in the USA and it is money.

The gun culture in the USA is enormous. It reaches into every life no matter how much one might oppose it. It is pervasive.

I heard the statement about concussion. Okay. So, that means if football is going to continue to spin out concussion the players need to be banned from gun possession. Is that right?

There is nothing football can do about concussion. They can attempt to resolve it by padding helmets and seeking to insulate the head from such crashing to the ground after being tackled, but, there is absolutely nothing one can do about the fact the cranial vault contains a brain floating in fluid. No matter how much padding there is on the outside of the head, when a body slam results in sudden halt of forward movement, the brain is going to slosh around inside the cranial vault no matter what. It can't be stopped.

A person running down a field with as much speed as legs can carry him reaches sudden impact with another player there is going to be a movement inside the head of the brain floating in fluid. It is the way it is. 

So, if footballs wants to explain away the fact a murder-suicide occurred because of concussion they are backing the gun lobby, not their players. It is a way of exonerating the gun culture in the USA from its responsibility. There is no black and white here. There are no shades of gray either. Both the gun lobby and football have their responsibility. Not one or other.

Football causes player concussion. Guns are used in domestic violence. One is exclusive of the other. Players suffering from concussion which results in such violence could use other weapons. Guns in the USA are the weapon of choice. It is effective and quick and handy. Guns can be found everywhere these days. So, let's  not forgive the gun culture in the USA to focus on concussion in football players. There is no forgiving a gun. A gun is the most guilty of the entire scenario. It killed.

USA Senator Al Franken wants the Farm Bill made part of the legislation to protect the Middle Class Tax Cuts.

That's right. The 2008 Farm Bill expired in 2012 and there still isn't another one. The USA House of Representatives could not pass one. That's leadership? I don't think so.

By AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST
Published: SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

America needs a Farm Bill, and we need a Farm Bill now! (click here)

In a year when the rains stopped, the crops withered and the banker still calls, farmers and ranchers are the first to understand the value of conservation programs. The Farm Bill is where, every five years, American’s draw a compact to fight through drought, protect fragile farmland, restore our wetlands and keep our landscape healthy. It is where the nation comes together in the interest of a productive and sustainable farming industry. Agriculture is not a partisan issue. It’s not about politics; it’s about sound policy that benefits us all....

This was the rally (click here).

Senator Franken says fiscal cliff deal needs to include comprehensive farm bill (click here)

By Site Editor

November 30, 2012 at 11:31 am

Washington, D.C.  – In an effort to help farmers across Minnesota who are facing uncertainty because a new Farm Bill hasn’t been passed by the House of Representatives, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) urges Senate leadership to include the bipartisan, Senate-passed Farm Bill in any deal brokered to address the nation’s fiscal challenges.

“Minnesota’s farmers, livestock producers, and rural entrepreneurs support one in five jobs in our state, and they need a new Farm Bill so they can plan for next year,” said Sen. Franken. “The Senate has passed a comprehensive Farm Bill that will give our farmers the stability they need, but the House simply hasn’t taken action. As we work to address our nation’s fiscal challenges, it’s critical to remember that our farmers need a new Farm Bill—that’s why I urged Senate leadership to make passing this legislation a top priority.”...

Here we go again with WMD. We are not putting in Syria. NOT !

Syria's outcome is on the shoulder of Russia. If Russia wants to condone WMD by Assad of his own people, then he is no worse than Donald Rumsfeld when Saddam did the same thing. The Syrian people need to seek asylum elsewhere. I am sure Assad is so obsessed with ethnic cleansing he will do exactly what he pleases. 

The most the USA can do is place sanctions against Syria and ultimately Russia, but, there will be no USA troops on the ground. Perhaps the global community needs to move for a No Fly Zone with Syria. Russia is in control of the outcomes with the Syrian people. Russia has been in control of their outcomes. There should be no diluted ideas that the USA is going to war with Russia because Assad is committing war crimes against his own people. We are not going to war with Russia. 

Putin Reassures Turkey that Syria Is No Threat (click here)
23:10 03/12/2012

ISTANBUL, December 3 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin (click here) on Monday reassured Turkey that Syria is too busy dealing with its internal conflict to plan any attack on its neighbors.

“It’s common sense, you don’t have to be an expert or use intelligence reports to see that Syria is far from plotting an attack on its neighbors – it is absolutely unrealistic,” Putin said at a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul.

He said that Russia shared Turkey’s concern over recent incidents on the Turkey-Syria border, but urged both sides to show restraint in dealing with the volatile situation....

Congratulations. William and Kate are pregnant.

Well done!!!!

Very exciting.

...“They’re planning to make an announcement (click here) in December,” Jessica reveals. “I have this on the highest authority, and it’s not to be taken lightly. It’s going to be wonderful, happy news when it’s announced.”

Jessica, who attended the exclusive Marlborough school with Kate at the age of 14 and was a guest at the couple’s wedding reception last year, tells Life & Style that with the queen’s Jubilee celebration over, Kate, 30, “was told to put on weight by the palace in May and that 2013 would be the year they have a baby.” Jessica continues, “The royal family have been talking about William and Catherine having children for quite some time.”...

Kate is in the hospital with morning sickness. Not fun, but, it can be difficult for some. It can be intractable at times. Fluctuating hormones is rough stuff. Be well, Kate.

I told you so.

Overall, it is not an enhanced experience. Movies are fantasy and the filming is not suppose to remind you of that. I would never recommend this technology for children.

10:45 AM Monday Dec 3, 2012

...But not everyone (click here) was impressed with the new technology.

Some viewers told the Sunday Times that the filming technique made them nauseous and dizzy, with some even complaining of migraines.

One "avid Middle-earth fan", who had flown to New Zealand from Australia for the premiere, said their eyes couldn't take everything in, the Sunday Times reported.

Another viewer commented on Twitter that the technique worked well for the snowy mountain shots, but close-up pictures strobed....

I can't believe they are allowed to experiment on people like this.

These people are going to die. They are primarily women and children without men. They have no status.

And NATO wonders why these turn to the Taliban and carry out violence. Isn't it obvious? What happens to US Aid to the Afghan people? This is outrageous. The West actually believes they are going to have good outcomes with poverty this deep in Afghanistan?

These people are refugees. They are within the borders of their own country, but, they are refugees to any form of civilization.

There is no delivery of food, clothing, shoes or blankets? What the hell is going on over there? We have drones for aircraft carriers, but, we can't even see to the basic needs of the people where we are trying to stop extremists from having influence? 

Excuse me? 

I wouldn't want Karzai as a President either. He has the nerve to ask the people why they keep killing each other? It is better than dying, that's why.

Without shoes

( Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times / November 18, 2012 )

Many children (click here) living in the camps around Kabul are without shoes. Night temperatures are already dipping to freezing or below.

By David Zucchino, Los Angeles Times

December 1, 2012, 7:38 p.m.

PARWAN-A-DUH CAMP, Afghanistan — Winter is descending on the Shakur clan.

In the pale gray twilight of late autumn, a sharp wind slaps at the scraps of plastic that Abdel Shakur, the clan patriarch, has installed on his mud hut walls in a futile attempt at insulation. The thin tarpaulins that serve as a roof are held fast by round patties of cow dung and worn auto tires.

Already, night temperatures are dipping to freezing or below. The 10 children of Abdel Shakur pad across the packed-clay floors in bare feet or plastic slippers. He pulls his wool wrap close around his bony shoulders.

"The snows are coming soon, and I'm afraid for the children," Shakur says. "When the snows come, people die."

During last year's exceptionally brutal winter, at least 42 people died of exposure or starvation in Parwan-a-Duh and other makeshift camps on Kabul's shabby fringes, according to the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations. Almost all were children or elderly....