B-16

Pondering my earlier article in which I attacked the pope, the following entered my mind:

The RCC proclaims that all popes are ordained by g*d, Christ, both, whatever (and having a "free" vote amongst the cardinals is contradictory). If you haven't heard B-16 was in the Hitler Jugend, then you've either avoided the whole thing more successfully than I or you live under a rock. I'm irritated no end by the fact that this is trumpeted about endlessly, not because I care about B-16, but because it's downright anti-German.

What you may have heard less in the Tabloid "newspapers" is that membership was compulsory after 1938 - refusal could land one in a KZ, and ultimately, perhaps, death. Thus, in order for Ratzinger to become pope, G*d must have intended for him to join the HJ. If I wanted to draw a logical fallacy, I'd say that G*d was a Nazi. However, as a militant atheist I never acknowledge the supposed existence of G*d nor ever utter the word. I've thus nullified any reason I had to write this article :D

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Japonic Economics

I can't remember how a Napoléonic History class managed to go on a tangent about Japan, but it got me in a mood to write an essay... or be lazy and blog the main points *cough*... The premise was that Japan used to be a backwards feudal society completely isolated from the world except for a small artificial island open only to some European traders. Today it is the second most important economy in the world. What some economists are wondering is whether the same magic that turned Japan around can improve Africa's economic state.

NS: Delegacy

This blog is many things - it's also being used to shoehorn in some Delegate work from NS.

This week has been quite busy (in terms of actually being on NS, rather than offsite forums). My time has been divided into argueing on the CvHQ, and discussing relations with the PRP - oh, and I was mentioned in a longtime player's farewell letter. Before the end of my term, I also want to organise the prefecture structure for the future so as to maintain a population spike of 300+.

Wipeout 2060

If I and the entire generation born between the years 1981 and 2002 were to be wiped out, well wouldn't that be a tragedy? Perhaps.

There are two important effects this would have. Firstly, and my reason for stating this premise, is that the workforce for the years 1999-2062 would be severely crippled if not non-existant (I derived this from a radical Trotskyist theory that a nuclear Third World War would offer revolutionary possibilities). 2015 would probably be the beginning of the end for pre-1981 people to have children naturally.

The drawback would be the absence of a liberal generation, which could damage future generations sense of morality, etc.

Our parents, are abominations who about-turned, kept the bomb, became Blairites and continue to insist capitalism is a force for good. Ours is the generation that does not remember the deformity that was Eastern Europe. Tabula Rasa.

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Free Thought?

Via BBC News

People choose what they like, and some are even able to make a profit from it. But religion constructed on a 'do-it-yourself' basis cannot ultimately help us, help people to discover the true star which points out the way to us: Jesus Christ.

How dare people choose what they like. He then:

demonstrated his emphasis on cross-faith relations, by addressing Muslim leaders and visiting a synagogue.

even though he's just told us Christianity is the one true faith. He

has warned of the dangers of secularism and of "do it yourself" religion, on the final day of his visit to his native Germany... Young Catholics should point people towards Jesus Christ in a Europe turning away from g*d, he urged.

Europe being secular and being the most advanced continent obviously doesn't ring bells in the pope's head. The Vatican should relocate to a banana republic somewhere. I sum up my thoughts with two words for the pope: Fuck Off.

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Caricatures

I watched the final episode of 24 last night on BBC1 for the first time since it was originally broadcast. When I first saw my dear Nina being dragged away, it was much more depressing (I had been listening to The Smiths - before I found the comedy in Morissey).

Yes, Nina was a trigger-happy backstabbing bitch, but I still love her. And when it comes to American cinema and television, I side with the baddies. Sideshow Bob form The Simpsons jumps to mind, as does The Galactic Empire from Star Wars (thought the rebels had Leia, mmm). This stems from the fact that America, being a cultural wasteland, has a habit of making its heroes two dimensional and whiter than white. But aside from American media, I also did this when I went to a pantomime when I was 8 with a friend. We hissed the goodies and cheered the badies - which annoyed and confused some of the other children. Of course, pantomime is the epitome of 2D media.

I want heroes with questionable morals - that's why I like Film Noir (and by extension, Blade Runner). I recognise that modern media has its roots in Greek theatre and is a form of escapism, but story-telling is also about reflecting the world, making people think and getting them to question their assumptions. American media can produce modern works of genious, but too often things are dumbed down or cut-down by poor ratings because the idiots don't get it - modern Star Trek being the prime example.

Even if I didn't think any of the above, Nina was still the most attractive ;D.

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Utopia Planitia

You might not know I'm a Star Trek fan, but there's been one thing that's annoyed me for quite some time (unless you include Enterprise and sometimes Voyager, which makes it 2.5 things).

I've been reading this from which I've taken two quotes:

"[Avery Brooks] said he took the role of Sisko in Deep Space Nine in order to "keep in front of children the ever-changing horizon. To let the children know that there is possibility, to let the children know that someone is not going to take away or destroy this world before they have a chance." He added, "That's not altruistic. Somebody has to keep the horizon happening. Let us not acquiesce or fall down or lie down for somebody else's desire to destroy the world."

"At the conclusion of his time on stage, Shatner followed up on the thought: "Those of us who love Star Trek know that there is a future. It's just taking a pause right now. We don't have anything to worry about. Paramount Studios has made ... in excess of $2 billion? From the franchise of Star Trek? They aren't gonna let that die! There's too much money there! So, there will be another Star Trek, I assure you."

I take Brooks' quote to mean he believes in the future depicted in the Star Trek franchise (regularly attacked as a Socialist future by reactionaries), and I and many fans certainly do.

Then Shatner only goes and highlights the problem: that Paramount is happy to rake in billions thanks to a TV series about a utopian future where there are no corporations and no money and people are motived by faith in humanity. Does no-one else see the contradiction? The people in paramount obviously have no problem knowing that 2+2 is both equal to 4 and 5.

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Solidarity... not

The workers at Ferguson's shipyard in Port Glasgow are remembering 25 years of Solidarity by claiming the workers of Remontowa, Gdansk aren't showing solidarity to them because they won a contract which could have assured the future of Ferguson's. Aside from the fact that solidarity or lack of has nothing to do with the people who work in whatever yard - because they are a *BUSINESS* and they only care about money (the controversy being Remontowa hired some cheap Russian migrants to do the work, screwing the Poles over possibly against EU law), Solidarity was an organisation (but they weren't fighting for better pay, so not a trade union) backed primarily by the Church and the CIA - so obviously it was a great worker's movement. Of course, what is Solidarity (ASWP) now? Why, it's a liberal-conservative-christian democrat coalition - quite the bastion of change. And Lech isn't a popular politician anymore.

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Dethrone Television, All Hail the Internet!

I don't watch TV news (not even C4 News, but that's more because I can't get out of bed for lunchtime) but I wanted to watch 'Deep Impact' on BBC One and they've inserted a bloody 30 minute break in it. Now I'm reminded why I don't watch much TV - The 10 O'Clock "News" consisted of, "these people have missed their holidays, all this little girl ever wanted was to lie in the sun... this elderly woman's friend died at home in Canada whilst her flight to see her for the last time was cancelled".

First of all, that's not news. That's the pish I expect from the popular/ist magazine 'The Sun' (I don't fucking love it) rather than some actual journalism. Secondly, I've seen this before - some people demanding others should be banned from striking so they can have a hassle-free holiday. Who cares what Thatcherite employment practices these out-sourcing septic-tanks think are "economically sensible"? I just want to read about how these commies are terrorist-sympathisers in 'The Sun' on the beaches of the Iberian colonies.

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Why, Oh Why?

To begin, dear readers, let me explain the name of this blog:

On Sunday 7th August 2005, BBC One broadcast a program entitled 'Hiroshima' which followed the movements of several people on the 6th August 1945. During one segment, the program follows a Mother in the hours immediately after the bombing, as written in her diary. The scene I refer to depicts the Mother, having exhausted herself trying to rescue her child from under the rubble, listening to her child being burnt alive- to which I thought... "The Horror of One's Child Screaming In Flames Within Earshot".

I continue to try and keep the subject of Hiroshima and Nagasaki alive in the public conscience (and unconscious, via my two email addresses).

But to the purpose of this blog: Firstly I intend to post some of my thoughts that don't quite make it to essay stage. Secondly, I'll also be posting in relation to events over at NationStates (credit to Para) and, finally, anything I generally feel like dumping on the world.

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