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Showing posts from October, 2005

US Receives World Hypocrisy Award

Cuban scientist cannot travel to the USA to receive award BY ORFILIO PELAEZ--Granma daily staff writer THE San José, California Technical Museum has awarded one of its annual prizes in the health category to the team of specialists who worked on obtaining the Cuban vaccine against Haemophilus infuenzae Type B, the bacteria that causes meningitis, pneumonia and other infections in under-fives. The award ceremony is scheduled for November 9 at the museum itself, but Dr. Vicente Vérez Bencomo, the principal author of this important achievement, cannot attend it because the U.S. government has refused him a visa, arguing that his presence would be prejudicial to that country’s interests. When Granma asked him about that absurd decision, the likewise director of the University of Havana Synthetic Antigens Center said that it could be an attempt to minimize the impact of the vaccine in the context of U.S. public opinion. Its candidacy for the award dates back to an article in the prestigious

Egalitarian Finland

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Egalitarian Finland most competitive, too - Yahoo! News By Peter Ford, Staff writer of The Christian Science MonitorWed Oct 26, 4:00 AM ET Fifty years ago, Finland was known for little more than the wood pulp from its endless forests. A poverty-stricken land of poorly educated loggers and farmers on the edge of the Arctic Circle, few paid it any attention. Today, this small Nordic nation boasts a thriving hi-tech economy ranked the most competitive in the world, the best educated citizenry of all the industrialized countries, and a welfare state that has created one of the globe's most egalitarian societies. Envious policymakers from far and wide are beating a path to Helsinki to learn the secrets of Finland's success. "We have a saying here," chuckles Stefan Nygard, a university lecturer, as he swings his baby daughter gently, soothing her to sleep. "If you are Finnish, you've won the lottery." But as the leaders of other European countries desperately

My Little Corner Of The World

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Since I recently moved, I no longer have the space for my drawing table and other junk. This little corner in the bedroom is what I use now. I've found that I don't really need a large drawing table anymore so I can get away with just working on the light board. My biggest problem is the fact that I end up having piles of paper and other useless crap hogging up what little space I now have. Plus my wife absolutely hates having what she refers to as my "metal monstrosity" in the bedroom. You can imagine what she thinks about the rat's nest of wires under there. I have a lot more toys that are still in storage. I particularly miss my talking Lost In Space robot. Once I get all of the remaining embarrassments to my family into this apartment, I have no idea where I will be able to display them. What can I say? LIS's Robot makes me a squishy with nostalgia. I won't even mention how the design of the original USS Enterprise makes me all wo

Yet Another Indictment Of Capitalism

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Heavy flooding in the capital damag ed more than 2,000 homes, offices and other buildings and polluted potable water tanks with sea water. (PL) From Worker's World By Deirdre Griswold Published Oct 26, 2005 10:04 PM Once again, the great contrast in how authorities responded to a natural disaster has illuminated the social and class differences between the United States and Cuba. Hurricane Wilma hit Cuba twice. First, as it moved northwest through the Caribbean, it dumped an unprecedented amount of rain on Cuba’s western provinces. Then, after it hit Cancun in Mexico and swung toward Florida, it slammed the island’s north shore with more rain and high winds that drove huge waves into the capital city of Havana. The recorded annual rainfall in Pinar del Rio, a fairly dry western province, has never gone above 57 inches before. With Wilma and earlier storms, the province’s total rainfall for this year is already at 70 inches. Huge waves kicked up by Wilma breached Havana’s seawall an

Stop the Extradition of Sean Garland

Campaign Site I just became aware of this story today. I don't know if Mr. Garland is guilty of flooding the UK with high quality counterfeit US dollars. I really don't care. I don't believe any citizen of any foreign country should be extradited to the US until the US stops being the world's bastion of hypocrisy and ships the Cuban terrorist, Luis Posada Carriles , to Venezuela as was requested through legal channels. Make some funny money--BAD! Blow up a Cuban airliner, plan attacks on Cuban tourist spots and attempt to assassinate a foreign leader--no problem--especially if it is in concert with the CIA. About the Sean Garland case

Her Act of Courage Changed a Nation

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The Power Of Refusal Common Dreams The hate mongers are still chattering away today. I must laugh at the gutless wonders who hide behind anonymous keyboards. None of these pathetic bigots would have had the balls to do what Rosa Parks did back in 1955. They are like the white supremacists and neo-NAZIS who would never be caught walking alone wearing their glorious brown shirts and swaztikas. What strikes me most about the Rosa Parks story is the power of simply refusing to comply. We need some of that today. When gas prices become ridiculous due to greed, we should just stop buying any for as long as it takes. I know it wouldn't ever happen since most Americans will just continue complaining while filling their SUV tanks. We despise this Bushco war. No one should be adding their bodies to the cannon fodder. Let Bush, Rove, Cheney and Rumsfeld put on some worthless body armor, a brain bucket and man the turrets if this cause is so important. Yesterday, Bush said more sacrifice would

Rosa Parks

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Much has been written about the death of Rosa Parks . I am finding amusing material by Right-Wing fanatics who are making much about her (possible) Communist Party affiliations. I have no idea if she was actually a member. It doesn't matter. It shouldn't be a surprise since the CPUSA was at the front of the push for equal rights. This seems to surprise the Righties. Well, they aren't big into the civil rights thing anyway. That evil subject is left to us radicals. I found this hysterical post from a couple of years ago: http://www.originaldissent.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-4575.html "Happy Hacker 01-23-03, 11:33 One could guess that Rosa Parks wasn't a "tired woman". A tired woman wouldn't want to get in a fight over a seat but would have moved to the back of the best to rest and avoid a hassle. That it was a staged event makes much more sense. Deliberatly breaking the law to call attention to a law is a common method of protest. Still, Rosa

FromThe Seoul Train Website

Life in the Hermit Kingdom Since 1995, North Korea has suffered from a devastating famine induced by the nexus of climatic events (primarily floods) and overzealous agricultural and economic policies. Since inception, the famine has killed upwards of 2 million North Koreans, or roughly 10% of the aggregate population. Confirmation is difficult, however, because of the exodus of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from North Korea, stymied in their efforts and too frustrated with the government’s corrupt and inhuman practices. In 1998, Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) withdrew from North Korea, followed by Oxfam in 1999 and CARE in 2000. In 1998, the World Food Program (WFP) conducted a study of child malnutrition in North Korea. The results showed that 15.6% of children were wasted and 63.8% were stunted. In its current report on North Korea, the WFP estimates that approximately 55% of North Koreans are malnourished, with the heaviest concentration in the Sino border provinces.

Seoul Train

Seoul Train I am of the opinion that, just as law enforcement people should be held to a higher standard, so should governments claiming to be Communist. North Korea is a vile excuse for a people's state. This is not Socialism, Marxism or Communism. It is a disgusting dictatorship ruled by a megalomaniac who deserves to be strung up from the nearest tree. Let the suffering citizens of North Korea beat this pig until the flesh falls from his bones. If you have an opportunity to see the film "Seoul Train" do so. If not, I suggest joining the new independent film club, " Ironweed Flms ." It will be one of the DVD's offered in the coming months. I see that Frederic Back's "The Man Who Planted Trees" is to be offered soon also. This is a must have. I think it's one of the most beautiful animated films ever made. You can purchase the DVD directly from the Seoul Train web site . A Frederic Back collection can be purchased also

Bush Bombed Merchandise

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I've placed this cartoon on some items available at Cafepress. If anyone is interested in checking the merchandise out go to Bush Bombed .

It has begun. The McCarthy rehabilitation commences

HUMAN EVENTS ONLINE :: George ClooneyÂ’s Clueless Movie by Allan H. Ryskind Yeah. You convinced me. McCarthy is the true hero here. These twits still miss the big picture. People were persecuted because of their affiliations and beliefs. Is that a true American trait? I submit that today's Republicans have damaged the USA more than any Communist ever contemplated. They also exemplify everything that directs people to Socialism in the first place. Greed at the cost of the well being of the masses.

People's Weekly World Newspaper Online - ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ — a must see

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Good Night, And Good Luck http://pww.org/article/articleview/7956/1/291 A couple of months ago, when I first found out this film was coming to theaters, I was amazed that it ever got made. The very thought of how this will probably cause near epileptic spasms among the Right adds an extra dimension of anticipation for me. According to this review, only 20 percent of test audiences knew who Ed Murrow was. To me, that is horrifying. It certainly is an indication of why someone like Bush and his gang of thieves managed to roll into to absolute power the way they have. When a society lacks historical memory, they can be easily manipulated. I will expect Ann Coulter to scream the loudest over "the Left demonizing poor Joe McCarthy once again." She has tried to vindicate McCarthy's extra-Constitutional witch hunt tactics by proclaiming that he was right about the commies. Were there Communists in the US government? You bet. Were there any Soviet spies? That is certainly a fact

Cat & Mouses

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I carried this cartoon around in my head for a long time before I finally got to to drawing it. The idea is that the mice are keeping the cat occupied with fish so he ddoesn't take an interest in them. The coloring is crude and I think I can do a better cat. I may end up redrawing the whole thing eventually.

Remnants

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I was really happy with the way this one turned out. I think my computer coloring looks pretty good. I don't have Photoshop but I have a copy of Photoshop Elements that came with my Epson scanner. Some capabilities are missing but I managed.

The Smog Garden

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I had this idea that after the corporate world was done having its way with the environment, the only plant life that could be enjoyed would be synthetic or made of metal.

A view from my apartment complex

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Sky 1 , originally uploaded by davidbdr . I've been so bored lately. I guess i've been feeling kind of trapped in the apartment. With gas prices the way they are, we don't take off for rides anymore. I've been passing this scene every day as I take my son to and from work. Today, the sky was great. There is a briskness about the air and the wind was rather strong. I particularly like the cloud formation that zig zag into the distance.

JD

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JD , originally uploaded by davidbdr . One of my favorite images

Me For To Post

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Moi A quick doodle to have a profile image

Outrage And Futility

This is my second attempt at this blogging fad. Whether or not I have much to write will remain to be seen. If I use this for anything it will be to post new cartoons since Tripod is starting to get obnoxious with pop up ads. Since I'm too damned poor to own my own site, I'm stuck.