Another insult to the Muslim world

It seems the Muslim world has a lot of pentup frustration. It is amazing that they have no central authority but they mobilize very quickly when their religion is insulted. I just don't understand why all the people of a nation would be held responsible for the publication of a magazinelet! If it was government sponsored or even a highly regarded magazine, maybe. But to hold the people of a country responsible for one cartoon seems odd. Especially from a "community" that doesn't even agree about things like suicide bombers! It would be cool if the WTO got involved, that should put the whole question of religious respect on trial. Religions in every way attack each other (like Japanese fighting fish) so why is it wrong for someone to insult Muslims when they call for the genocide of a people (for instance).

NOTE: I'm not pro-Israeli. I'm not pro-[ANY]religion. I just use the Jews since it conveys the message more directly in this case.

The Hamas question

As an outsider the Hamas victory is a fascinating development in world politics (except for those involved). A terrorist organization becoming the ruling party in a fair and democratic election is pretty interesting, but more so since they are economically dependent on the west and their enemy (Israel)! What a conundrum. If the west continues it's economic support it does legitimize the organization and is directly supporting terrorism. On the other hand not supporting them means the state will collapse and the people will suffer. But the people did *choose* there government, although it is clear why (the ruling Fatah party was super corrupt and inept). Hamas has complicated matter by asking for the money saying it would harm the Palestinian people and said that the money should continue to flow without condition and if it doesn't they will seek it from Arab countries without strings (like the acknowledgement of Israel's right to exist). The first question is why aren't these countries paying in the first place!?! Hamas hates the west but wants our money, how convenient. The problem is that if we do stop funding the Palestinians we lose all say and the money may tie them further to Iran or other negative influences. I wonder what will happen.

Stronger voice against stupidity

I've noticed recently that Scientific American has had a much stronger tone in regards to some political issues and especially religion. I don't know whether this is backlash from all the negative public attack on science but I do agree wit it to a certain extent. It is important that scientists and other highly educated rational people mock and discredit the religious and other nonsensical people and their "ideas" so that others get the facts and it discourages the next person form spewing bullshit since he'll know he'll be called on it! But it is also a little annoying to read 3 articles relating the stupidity of intelligent design. But the alternative is ignoring the problem and assume it will go away. We all know it won't! So I guess it is better to have these redundant articles in the hopes of making sure the scientific position is crystal clear. After all we apparently aren't as numerous as we thought. If someone had told me that I would have wagered... and lost!

Election Pondering

Oddly enough I'm happy with the election results. That may sound odd since we now have a more religious PM than before. For one thing I'm happy to know that Quebec voter aren't glued to the Liberals for federalism. Also I'm happy to know that elsewhere in the country there are enough people who do not vote mechanically to change the political landscape. Also I did think it is good to clean house every now and then and I think it's better that we did it sooner since if it was done later we may have been in a majority.

The current situation is pretty good. The conservatives are stuck between a progressive place and promises to church people. They can't do the real things they want to (on social issues) since they are too small, and if they try and muscle it through they will be wiped out in the next election and reconfined to the west. This will undoubtedly make the church people who supported Harper disappointed (since they see Bush doing well in the south) and so they will crawl back into their churches and maybe come out with a new, less prime time party, leaving the conservatives (hopefully) as a more fiscally libertarian party. That would be ok with me.

TV critics

There is a buzz (in the Czech republic) about a reality show that features gorillas. Oddly people are objecting saying that TV has sunk to a new low!?! Some of the money is funneled to an African gorilla reserve. I think it is a good idea. The main opinion I heard from the viewers was how similar gorillas act in comparison to us. To me, that idea justifies the program. As for the critics I fail to see why placing gorillas is lower than "stranding" idiots on an island and making them jump through hoops! Try making a 175kg gorilla do something stupid. I think the lesson is that TV critics are becoming an endangered specified due to lack of adaptability.