Huttz World - My weekly selected posts

Sunday, December 28, 2008

A little blue pill for the Afghan warlord...

A little blue pill for the Afghan warlord...

First published at Qassia:

While the CIA has reportedly a long reputation in winning over fickle Afghan warlords, chieftains and other leaders with the usual variety of inducements: food, pocket knives, tools, mirrors, medicine and surgeries for family members, toys and school equipment, tooth extractions and, even pharmaceutical enhancement for an ailing patriarch with a limp libido - there is always the little blue Viagra pill!

In recent times an aging chieftain reportedly appearing even older than his 60 plus years, with a very well used look and bearded face of a tribal patriarch and husband to four much younger women, gave a regional CIA officer the opportunity to glean some vital local information regarding the possible whereabouts of Taleban, drug dealers, and agents infiltrating from Iran.

On returning to the area four days the CIA man gained the required information from a now fully rejuvenated patriarch who looked like he was literally jumping out of his skin, and also a request for more of those little blue pills! The newest weapon in the CIA arsenal?

This is not a paid advertisement!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Outgoing President George W Bush receives ultimate Arab insult in shoe throwing incident...

Outgoing President George W Bush received ultimate Arab insult with shoe throwing incident...

Outgoing President George W Bush received the ulimate insult in the Arab world when he had a pair of shoes thrown at him by a local journalist at a media conference in Iraq.

Despite the shoe-thrower being arrested, it is unlikely he will be severely punished because most Iraqis have applauded his actions. Shoes are the dirtiest things a person can throw at another because they are the closest to the ground. In Bush's case many Iraqis consider that he is responsible for dragging Iraqi society through the dirt. Interesting!

There was a distinct delay between the throwing of the two shoes - security guards appeared to be slow in reacting.
What if the Iraqi journalist's intentions had been more sinister?

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Key National government introduces fascist 90 day hire and fire law in NZ...

While this is not my political blogsite, this post deals with social issues which must be discussed.

The newly elected rightwing National Government in NZ has introduced under urgency and passed into law a '90 day hire and fire Act' giving small employers(under 20 employees) the legal right to sack workers without notice or grievance procedure within the ninety day period.

While the provisions of the new law are attacked, the worst aspect was the law being introduced under urgency a couple of weeks before Christmas. Under urgency prevents debate in the committee stages of law making.

The only protection workers will have are those under human rights legislation.

I understand a similar situation exists in the US, but it is not enacted in law, but through employers hiring procedures.

Critics claim that compliance costs will increase, as they did when a similar law was enacted in Britain.

I can't understand how it will assist the employment of more workers; it will just make those already at risk more vulnerable, especially the young, ethnic, or foreign workers on short term visas.

The largest union in the country,the EPMU, made the unparalled and unsuccessful petition to the Governor General to intervene.

In the 1990's the then National Government introduced the controversial Employment Contracts Act(ECA) which affected NZ workers in a number of negative and repressive ways and kept National out of office for nine years. There is genuine fear here that the new law may be the thin edge of the wedge!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Taleban promises Pakistan its support in any war with India...

The Taleban has promised Pakistan its support in any future war with India because of the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistan and India have become traditional foes over many years and have fought many wars against each other since partition in 1948.

However, analysts have claimed that the offer by the Taleban is a ruse to take the heat off the terrorist group and inflame anti-Hindu sentiments, and to draw support away from Islamabad's fight against Al-Qaida and Taleban militants in the tribal regions close to Afghanistan.

The US is proposing to negotiate withn those involved to come up with plans to avoid any future conflict in the volatile region.

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The world of factualTV - the world's number one destination for factual videos...

The world of factualTV - the world's number one destination for factual videos...

I discovered a new site which may or may not interest you, your family and friends or others here.

factualTV is described as the world's number one destination for factual videos. It has a vast library and a global community solely designed for fans of factual videos and documentaries.

You can search among thousands of titles, well indexed by category, keyword, popularity etc, and find those videos that specifically match your niche interest.

factualTV allows you to download videos for a small fee and sometimes even free of charge.

factualTV is a place where you and others with niche interests can share the same interests on a global scale. Pretty awesome if thats your cup of tea, so to speak!

If this interests you, perhaps you would like to pop over for a visit Here

Sunday, November 2, 2008

This post is to provoke comment - how old's a teenager...

I'll ask you this question fellow bloggers. How old really is a teenager?

New research that has emerged questions the way society puts the various age groups into little pigeon holes: babies, toddlers, infants, children, teenagers, young adults, middle aged, seniors, geriatric etc.

There is now much thought being put into the classification of "teenager". So how old really is a teenager? Thirteen to nineteen?

The research I mentioned above is in relation to the maturation of the prefrontal cortex lobe: the part of the brain that determines our reaction to complex situations, cognitive behaviour etc. Scientists now believe young adult brains may not be fully matured up to 22 years of age, or in some cases 25 years of age.

This is a real concern considering what pressures society puts on young adults and expects them to succeed. We let them drive motor vehicles and drink alcohol in their mid-teens and send them off to war as soon as they are 18 years of age. Even the voting age has been reduced in many western countries. When they stuff up we are ready to jump on them , condemn them, threaten them with violence and prison, but fail to realise they may not actually be mentally mature enough to succeed at the tasks we give them as a society in the first place; mentally they are still young teenagers, even if physically they are fully mature adults!

Think back to an earlier generation who didn't let their older children(teenagers were unknown then) drive motor vehicles, drink alcohol or go off to war until a later age? The pre-world war two generation didn't need research scientists to tell them that young adults didn't fully mature mentally until their early twenties, did they?

What do you think of that fellow blogger?

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Friday, October 24, 2008

This Monday 27 October is Labour Day in New Zealand...

This Monday 27 October is Labour Day here in NZ.....

This Monday is Labour Day here in NZ and most workers wouldn't know the history behind it. Oh yeah, its something to do with a holiday for workers, some would say!

I know you celebrate Labour Day in the US too. I'll tell you a little about ours.

It's 165 years since an English carpenter, Samuel Parnell, arrived at Wellington's Port Nicholson in 1840 determined that life would not be a continuation of the work-slavery he and his fellows had previously endured back in the England of those days. After all what would be the point of travelling 12,000 miles down to New Zealand if conditions were to be the same?

On his arrival, a fellow passenger reportedly asked Parnell if he would set up a store for him. He agreed, but as a condition he made his famous and historical statement that is the ethos behind Labour Day here in NZ: He would work only eight hours a day, because his philosophy was that in any 24 hours,eight were for work, eight for sleep and eight for recreation.

Parnell knew he couldn't change things on his own; he needed a movement for change behind him. So he made it a mission to meet incoming ships to the new British colony here and explain to tradesmen just how things were and should be in New Zealand.

According to nzhistory.net.nz a workers meeting was held in October 1840 on Lambton Quay in Wellington at which workers resolved that any tradesman breaking the eight hour rule would be thrown in the drink - would get a dunking in the harbour!

Oh how times have changed, so much for the ethos behind Labour Day, now just a holiday reminding us all of the intestinal fortitude of one Samuel Parnell who started a movement for change in the interests of workers rights, long before there were established trade unions(labor unions)or any inclination for establishing any.

Since the arrival and establishment of Labour Day, and the changes made to workers rights with the advent of the Employment Contracts Act here by the previous right wing National government in 1991, many workers now work in excess of 50 hours a week, and many are paid minimal overtime rates or none at all, levels exceeded only by South Korea.

There was a time in NZ when our trade unions were strong enough to ensure we had at least minimal rights and we considered unions overseas including the US with a little derision, and even more with stronger advocacy from the more militant unions here. So much has been lost during the last 17 years that we need another Samuel Parnell to make some determined decisions. Well lets enjoy Labour Day at least, while we still have it!

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