YakimaGulagLiteraryGazett: January 2007

Molly Ivins died today, it was announced on NPR, for those of you who live overseas and haven't heard of her, she was a very funny woman who wrote satire about Texas and the United States political scene.
I had the privelege of meeting her when she spoke for a dinner the Washington State ACLU held. Because I do not have a credit card and back then you could not use your bank debit card like a credit card to reserve things like dinner tickets, I had to stand in line and pay $10 to get in. A number of people were in the same fix, anyway she had to go to the ladies room before speaking and went by us, and a couple of us girls decided she needed pumping up before the speech,so when she came back we began doing this typical cheerleader jumping around deal shouting at the top of our lungs 2 4 6 8 Who Do We Appreciate ?!! MOLLY MOLLY YEAH MOLLY!
To fully appreciate this, let me describe the attire, one woman in sort of Punk New Wave attire, myself in a silk sari, a guy in a Pink Floyd T-shirt, Molly Ivins came up to us and shook all our hands, and patted me on the head, and we all told her, 'We all love you Molly!'
She was suffering from cancer, and had suffered a relapse. She had to cancel out on the yearly cruise held by The Nation. A friend of mine always goes, that's how I know she'd taken a turn for the worse.

Tribute to Molly Ivins

http://www.creators.com/opinion/molly-ivins/molly-ivins-tribute.html

sorry for the pop-ups

# posted by Katja R. @ 4:39 PM 0 comments

Interview With Schwarz-Schilling

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,463163,00.html

Croatian Opposition Politician Could Step Down Due to Illness

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Illness_could_force_Croatian_opposi_01312007.html

DelPonte Urges E.U. to Stick to it's Guns on Serbia Talks

DelPonte Warns Against Resuming Cooperation Talks With Serbia

"http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Del_Ponte_warns_EU_against_resuming_01312007.html

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070131\ACQDJON200701310732DOWJONESDJONLINE000370.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

Anti-Corruption Body Asks Sanadar for List and Origins of Watches

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/31/europe/EU-GEN-Croatia-PMs-Watches.php

BBC Story on Serbian Radical Party

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6296601.stm

13 CGermany Orders Arrest of 13CIA Agents

http://www.upi.com/AfricaMonitoring/view.php?StoryID=20070131-193086-8058-r

Bulgarian Must Have Excise on Alchol Produced for Home Consumption

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n104701

This particular E.U. regulation really is annoying to people in the Balkans. People in the region have for centuries made their own alchol, and even in Muslim dominated areas this custom has been little interfered with.

Recognition of Independant Kosovo Raises Problems

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070131\ACQDJON200701310500DOWJONESDJONLINE000211.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

Kosovo's Future The Path to National Independence

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,463122,00.html

We Probably Gave Powell the Wrong Speech

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,462782,00.html

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:18 AM 0 comments

Author Argues that 'Christian' Right Endangers Democracy

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7020219

# posted by Katja R. @ 6:57 PM 0 comments

Before anyone gets all pissed off at me, I did not check this out much, it looked interesting so I thought I'd share it.

Megalith

http://www.bosnian-pyramid.com/downloads/secrets.pdf

and a story from NPR about Stonehenge

Stonehenge

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7079585

# posted by Katja R. @ 4:49 PM 0 comments

Sascha Baron-Cohen to be Sued Again!

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/0130cohen.html

Anyone remember the Great Migration?

Serbian Government to Provid Financial Support to those who Return to Kosovo-Metohija

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/YAOI-6XW4ZB?OpenDocument

N.A.T.O. 'Prepared for North Kosovo Domino Effect'

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=L30433351&WTmodLoc=World-R5-Alertnet-4

Via 'A Fistful of Euros'

Coal in Kosovo

http://fistfulofeuros.net/archives/002830.php

Record Numbers of Moldovans Want Romanian Citizenship

http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8619468

DelPonte Announces Retirement Officially

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/30/europe/EU-GEN-War-Crimes-Prosecutor.php

Kosovo Business Heaven for Macedonians

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n104625

# posted by Katja R. @ 10:07 AM 1 comments

Anti-E.U. Parties Form Bloc in Croatia

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Croatia_s_fragmented_anti_EU_leader_01292007.html

Romanian

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6303371.stm

Talks in Serbia to Form New Government

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070129\ACQDJON200701291028DOWJONESDJONLINE000399.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

This has been covered by someone else on my blogroll, Seesaw over at Red Pen, (also of Jugoslavija) a couple days ago but I think it needs wider discussion. This story has some legs in the Middle East and South Asia. I think it's really bad if such a thing is under consideration. The Balkans doesn't have a lot to do with the Middle East, and it's unfair to use the people there who have frankly suffered enough as if they were human shields. I can predict that the good will the U.S. has in the region would suffer, and that is a shame because the Balkans region is one of the regions where U.S. influence has been in many ways positive. I really don't want to see such a thing going on, it's not like the U.S. doesn't have aircraft carriers and such to use if it were neccessary to attack Iran. I question whether it's neccessary, or advisable, or cute or funny or in any way a good idea.

U.S. may be planning to strike at Iran from Bulgaria, or Romania

http://mathaba.net/0_index.shtml?x=549545

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:49 AM 0 comments

# posted by Katja R. @ 10:00 PM 0 comments

I spent today mostly with my daughter, son-in-law and grand-kids, and then came home and did some of the sorting I have been doing. I'm getting rid of some things I don't need any more. It was cold and there were a few flakes of snow but no actual snowfall. It's still pretty icy out at my daughters. Among other things we went to Mass together at St. Joe's. My daughter is considering putting her daughter in Catholic school. She's realized that the way I raised her, and the prevailing culture are at odds. Kindergarten has been fine, my little grand daughter has an EXCELLENT teacher, but I guess that my daughter has seen the way the bigger kids look and behave. She has come to value the way she was raised. I have to say that I appreciated today's homily quite a bit, things I've said for years were stated very clearly, and it was as well good to see old friends, people who have been friends of my family since we came to live in the Yakima Gulag.Then my daughter grabbed some hamburgers, and rented Curious George, which was very pleasant watching. I thought it would only amuse the kids, but it amused us all.
Then my son-in-law dropped me home. My daughter worked on 4 hours of sleep and was at work something like 1 am, and went until something like 8:30 am, the typical hours of a baker. So she fell asleep as soon as she was home. Mojo was in to have a break from the cold. He's a very good dog, he's settled down a lot. If I'm there he likes to sit by me, I'm not much of a dog person but this dog doesn't care! He likes me anyway, so he's irresistible. I'm listening to some good Breton music, and music from Galicia (Celtic Spain for those of you in Rio Del!) on Thistle and Shamrock.

Today's very late news links.

Building a Future for Heathrow's Lost Children

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070129/lf_nm/britain_asylum_children_dc

This is just so NationStates

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/004109.html

Slovenia sends Croatia a diplomatic note

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n104478

A lot of Europeans feel the same way I do about the Euro

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n104495

I remember when I was in Ireland, even for a significant price reduction I didn't use Euros. I figured it wasn't what Pearse and Conelly fought for, and I liked the beauty of the Irish currency anyway.

There was a raise in prices for at least some things after the Euro was adopted. That isn't cool with me. I hope that trend doesn't continue. That's probably behind some of the annoyance and skepticism about the E.U. and the Euro currency. The upside is not having to go change currency all the time. As for migration issues, well fair wage standards in the Euro-zone would make a difference, and that's going to take some time too, because different countries have had different wage systems and work systems, and different costs of living.

Textile Town Dying

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/29/world/europe/29serbia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

This is pretty typical in the whole of the Balkans, that industries go away and so do those young people who can.

# posted by Katja R. @ 6:09 PM 2 comments

The usual slogan about the Holocaust is 'Never Again!' but the fact is that genocide did happen again, in many parts of the world. There isn't a lot I can say about it other than genocide should not be happening, as human beings we should have outgrown such evil behavior, but it seems that as human beings we have not.

# posted by Katja R. @ 10:49 AM 11 comments

Qaddafi's Son says Bulgarian Nurses to be Spared Death,

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Gaddafi_s_son_says_Bulgarian_nurses_01272007.html

The article doesn't say what will happen to the Palestinian doctor in this case.

Serbia Boycotts U.N. Kosovo Envoy Ahtisaari

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1252505.php/Serbia_boycotts_UN_Kosovo_envoy_Ahtisaari

NPR Story on Kosovo

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7048818&ft=1&f=7

Rift Widens between U.S., Europe, Russia over Kosovo

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17771772&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=213511&rfi=6

# posted by Katja R. @ 10:44 AM 0 comments

The Christian Right is Built on Despair

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/10339/the-radical-christian-right-is-built-on-suburban-despair/

From NPR, while I do not agree with everything here, Dinesh D'Souza raises some valid points, check it out.

Iraq is Iraq Vietnam is Vietnam

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7043113

# posted by Katja R. @ 5:27 PM 0 comments

The Big News this morning is of course Kosovo.

Kosovo Plan Presented

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6300999.stm

Romania Fears More Illegal Border Crossings From East

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Romania_fears_more_illegal_immigrat_01262007.html

Russia Said to Seek Delay in Kosovo Plan

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/01/a61e806c-551c-4df0-8bf9-e1e8959005ab.html

N.A.T.O. Girds for "Hot Spring" in Kosovo, Afghanistan

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070125/wl_nm/nato_dc

In the Yakima Gulag it's cold and the freezing fog is everywhere. The frost is quite lovely really. Not good driving weather, not good flying weather, the perfect day to be home and have some coffee. I made fried apples with raisins for breakfast. Yesterday's headache has lifted, and despite it I got a lot done yesterday. Today promises to be better. There is a corner with lots of boxes I am dealing with. I am getting rid of a lot of books I don't need anymore. Once they are separated from books I will keep, I intend to call someone who deals in old books and magazines and sell the ones I don't want. Whatever he doesn't take I'll give to charity. I found a couple of really cute books that used to belong to my children, Puff the Magic Dragon, which believe it or not was a favorite with Ivan the Terrible, and Mud Pies and Other Recipes, a favorite of my daughter the baker.

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:23 AM 0 comments

File under 'Global Warming My Ass!' It's really cold here. Yesterday I noted that there's still piles of snow although it hasn't actually snowed and in fact it's been sort of nice outside, cold but sunny. It's been awhile since our last snow. I think the fact that my snow shovel is right by the door, and the ice melt is handy to the door is part of this. If I didn't know just where they were, there'd be some fresh snow.

Tomorrow there's supposed to be some sort of announcement on Kosovo.

One thing that happened recently that hasn't anything to do with the Balkans upsest me very much.

Altercation between Palestinian Students, Football Players at Quaker College

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7015138

This isn't the sort of environment one expects such an altercation. The three Palestinian students all suffered concussions.

I woke up with a mild migraine, this is a day that I must try not to push myself too much.

If I take it easy, maybe it will be possible to avoid a full blown headache. Obviously the fine print job of going after news needs to wait. There isn't much out there anyway right now. There will probably be more news later.

# posted by Katja R. @ 7:21 AM 0 comments

Ptice Gripe u Dalmaciju

http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20070124/novosti01.asp

For those of you who do not speak Croatian, the headline is that bird flu is back in Dalmatia.

Croatia Halts Imports from Hungary due to Bird Flu

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Bird_flu_scare_forces_Croatia_to_ha_01242007.html

Ex Prostitutes Create Haute Couture in Rome

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75791

This is good news.

and so is this! hat tip to NPR

Some manufacturers are realizing that it's not always wise to out source, there ARE downsides.

"We had a truck hijacked by Mexican bandits before it got to the border," Sapienza recalls. "And we lost an entire shipment of 4,000 suits and disappointed our retailer, who subsequently said he couldn't trust us and moved the production to a different brand."

Suit Maker Goes Lean to Keep Jobs in U.S.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6968780

I had to be outside to take the garbage out, I forgot to take care of it last night, so I bundled up to do it, the grass out back was covered in a hard frost, it was so hard it didn't even break under my feet. I had to walk very slow so as not to slip, and was glad I was able to arrange it so that I only needed to make one trip.

NPR has the yearly fact check on the President's State of the Union speech.

Fact Check on Speech

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6994676

As someone who has known a bit of hardship and who has been an insurance agent, I have to say that the insurance part of the speech doesn't make any sense at all. It's actually a totally inadequate response. It only will work for a very narrow demographic and the solution is needed for basically everyone. Even a rich person can be ruined by health costs, and we are all vulnerable to health problems, because even if you come into life with good health, and take good care of yourself, (remember what that is gets changed all the time with new studies etc), some diseases are contagious some are the result of accident, and those can happen to anyone.
Financially for the whole country I think it makes the most sense to cover basic health care with a national system. There is no reason some private practice can't exist side by side, and there is no reason people can't have extra coverage if they want it, and there's no reason health insurance s houldn't cover foreigners just to name a few opportunities to leave to the private sector, but to have the health of the people of the United States left at the mercy of an industry hasn't worked well. Too many people can't afford any coverage since it is expensive, and too many people cannot get coverage at all due to pre-existing conditions, too many fall between well off enough to be disqualified from the occasionally available state sponsored programs for the working poor, and not well off enough to actually pay for decent coverage. HMOs or health maintenence organizations are not entirely effective or affordable, if someone needs a particular drug or procedure, it might not be covered.
The trouble with insurance companies is that they exist to make a profit. This means to some extent they have to deny some services. It would be more efficient to have one entity negotiate the best price for everyone, on drugs and procedures. The U.S. doesn't necessarily have the best health care in the world. There's a lot of high-tech medicine, a lot of pioneering in medicine and we do have excellent doctors and health care workers in general, but the system of getting care to people is not working well.
In some parts of the country the problem is the system is burdened by the presence of illegal immigration. I don't blame anyone for coming here to better themselves or to escape persecution. That is what America is all about.
I think the immigration system is a mess still and needs work.
The first place to start is with our neighbors in Mexico. I think that we need to re-negotiate the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. As a treaty it's inadequate to modern conditions. It serves neither the United States nor Mexico. There is no foreign aid that is going to build up Mexico if we don't help them deal with the terrible corruption in Mexico, and that can't happen when a lot of their best and brightest are tending crops in the United States because it pays more and miserable as their conditions are, it's often safer than to stay home. Mexico is on the verge of civil war. They have had a way too close election and a huge number of Mexicans contest the legitimacy of the last election.
If there is a civil war, or even widespread unrest short of civil war, then Mexicans will come north in increasing numbers. They will be in time really productive members of our society, but be lost to their home country. I do not favor closing the border as some do, in fact I think we should make LEGAL entry easy enought that the illegal way of coming in will be less attractive, and we should physically tighten the border. I'm not against putting up a fence if that's what it takes. Right now under current passport regulations an American needs a passport to return from a weekend in Tijuana, but a Mexican can walk right across with no questions asked, simply by walking or wading accross in the right place. An American who is OBVIOUSLY an American will need to go to a secondary examination. That is silly.
One thing I experienced in Bosnia Hercegovina was the trip to the police station to register with the police. This is actually not a bad idea to adopt here. This way the police know who is a foreigner in their country, they can if need be send that person back home, or if that person needs help they know where that person is. It's not a fool proof system. BiH has an illegal alien problem. Mostly this is people who bypass the system because they were trafficked. Probably some form of the same problem would persist in the U.S. particularly with people coming here from Mexico, but at least making immigration easier, and having people register where they are would make it easier to get a handle on who is here legally.
In the case of Mexico, we really should look at ways to tie tightening our border with helping Mexico to be more prosperous, and safe. If we did that then maybe a tighter border would be more acceptable. It would have to be done with great sensitivity because 1. a huge part of the American West used to be in Mexico, there is truth in the saying that 'We didn't cross the Border, the Border crossed us!' 2. It might behoove Americans to realize that some sensitivity over Mexican illegal aliens might be the result of guilt. There was a scheme for the settlement of Texas that Mexico had whereby Catholic married men could bring their families to settle and get land very cheaply, guess what, Texas soon became part of the U.S.

This resulted in it being hard for foreigners to own property or have resources in Mexico, and it resulted in resentments of Americans by Mexicans.

Meanwhile a Mexican need not be a citizen to own property here, or a business here,and need not even be legally here to have a job here or get emergency medical care here. A lot of Americans resent that, especially since it's virtually impossible for an American to work legally in Mexico. I don't blame Mexico too much, jobs are short there, but I resent that you can't take their jobs but they can sure take our jobs. I think we ought to be able to take each other's jobs. :)

I think that it stinks that there is such an unequal set-up about such rights. Either Mexico needs to loosen up on these issues or we need to tighten up.

NAFTA hasn't improved that imbalance either, which is the main reason I opposed it and still oppose it. If it had addressed this imbalance I personally would have felt differently.

Another thing, Americans realize on some subconscious level that they crossed into another sovereign nation and made part of it so American that it could not be governed by Mexico. So our fear of foreigners, particularly Mexican foreigners comes from our own deeds.

A lot of Americans think that we should get rid of citizenship by birth. I do NOT agree with that for one moment. Citizenship by birth was part of the 14th Amendment of our Constitution, it's the amendment that got rid of slavery. The 14th Amendment is sacred, and anyone suggesting a change to it is suggesting something utterly un-American. The countries that do not have citizenship by birth can do w hat they like, they didn't have slavery like we did.

There are so many talk show hosts talking about the issue of so-called 'anchor babies'. I notice that the same guys and it is mostly guys are all about how precious babies are and individual rights, but not in the case of these babies.
Actually it's not unusual for parents to be deported while children remain behind, or for entire families to get deported although there is a baby who was born here.

Brazil doesn't allow the father of a Brazilian child to be deported or extradited for criminal prosecution. One of the men involved in the Great Train Robbery was able to live out in the open in Brazil by the simple expedient of having an affair with a Brazilian woman, and fathering an illegitimate child with her, he didn't even have to marry the mother! Now THAT'S an anchor baby!

Back in those days, there wasn't the DNA testing, he could have just SAID some kid was his and stayed! I don't even want to hear that term. Brazil feels that the presence of a child's father is important enough to risk the possible abuse of their law.

Again re-negotiating the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and making aid to Mexico conditional on anti-corruption measures is a better way to go. It would be in the interests of all concerned. It's now not very safe for Americans or Canadians to visit Mexico due to the crime and unrest, and it's not safe for Mexicans to live there for the same reasons.

The other option that I would favor would be to make ownership of property, businesses, and resources in the U.S. conditional on citizenship, and to make employers accountable in real ways if they employ people here illegally. In other words have the same laws about foreign ownership and employment of foreigners that Mexico has.

I think a smart president would set up a Border commission and real talks with Mexico to re-negotiate the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and that if it takes five years or ten years, fine, it would take that time, but the treaty doesn't work for either side any more, and it needs to change. A lot of what can or cannot be done about our ex tremely porous southern border has to do with that treaty.

# posted by Katja R. @ 7:07 AM 0 comments

Ptice Gripe u Dalmaciju

http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20070124/novosti01.asp

For those of you who do not speak Croatian, the headline is that bird flu is back in Dalmatia.

Croatia Halts Imports from Hungary due to Bird Flu

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Bird_flu_scare_forces_Croatia_to_ha_01242007.html

Ex Prostitutes Create Haute Couture in Rome

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75791

This is good news.

and so is this! hat tip to NPR

Some manufacturers are realizing that it's not always wise to out source, there ARE downsides.

"We had a truck hijacked by Mexican bandits before it got to the border," Sapienza recalls. "And we lost an entire shipment of 4,000 suits and disappointed our retailer, who subsequently said he couldn't trust us and moved the production to a different brand."

Suit Maker Goes Lean to Keep Jobs in U.S.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6968780

I had to be outside to take the garbage out, I forgot to take care of it last night, so I bundled up to do it, the grass out back was covered in a hard frost, it was so hard it didn't even break under my feet. I had to walk very slow so as not to slip, and was glad I was able to arrange it so that I only needed to make one trip.

NPR has the yearly fact check on the President's State of the Union speech.

Fact Check on Speech

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6994676

As someone who has known a bit of hardship and who has been an insurance agent, I have to say that the insurance part of the speech doesn't make any sense at all. It's actually a totally inadequate response. It only will work for a very narrow demographic and the solution is needed for basically everyone. Even a rich person can be ruined by health costs, and we are all vulnerable to health problems, because even if you come into life with good health, and take good care of yourself, (remember what that is gets changed all the time with new studies etc), some diseases are contagious some are the result of accident, and those can happen to anyone.
Financially for the whole country I think it makes the most sense to cover basic health care with a national system. There is no reason some private practice can't exist side by side, and there is no reason people can't have extra coverage if they want it, and there's no reason health insurance s houldn't cover foreigners just to name a few opportunities to leave to the private sector, but to have the health of the people of the United States left at the mercy of an industry hasn't worked well. Too many people can't afford any coverage since it is expensive, and too many people cannot get coverage at all due to pre-existing conditions, too many fall between well off enough to be disqualified from the occasionally available state sponsored programs for the working poor, and not well off enough to actually pay for decent coverage. HMOs or health maintenence organizations are not entirely effective or affordable, if someone needs a particular drug or procedure, it might not be covered.
The trouble with insurance companies is that they exist to make a profit. This means to some extent they have to deny some services. It would be more efficient to have one entity negotiate the best price for everyone, on drugs and procedures. The U.S. doesn't necessarily have the best health care in the world. There's a lot of high-tech medicine, a lot of pioneering in medicine and we do have excellent doctors and health care workers in general, but the system of getting care to people is not working well.
In some parts of the country the problem is the system is burdened by the presence of illegal immigration. I don't blame anyone for coming here to better themselves or to escape persecution. That is what America is all about.
I think the immigration system is a mess still and needs work.
The first place to start is with our neighbors in Mexico. I think that we need to re-negotiate the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. As a treaty it's inadequate to modern conditions. It serves neither the United States nor Mexico. There is no foreign aid that is going to build up Mexico if we don't help them deal with the terrible corruption in Mexico, and that can't happen when a lot of their best and brightest are tending crops in the United States because it pays more and miserable as their conditions are, it's often safer than to stay home. Mexico is on the verge of civil war. They have had a way too close election and a huge number of Mexicans contest the legitimacy of the last election.
If there is a civil war, or even widespread unrest short of civil war, then Mexicans will come north in increasing numbers. They will be in time really productive members of our society, but be lost to their home country. I do not favor closing the border as some do, in fact I think we should make LEGAL entry easy enought that the illegal way of coming in will be less attractive, and we should physically tighten the border. I'm not against putting up a fence if that's what it takes. Right now under current passport regulations an American needs a passport to return from a weekend in Tijuana, but a Mexican can walk right across with no questions asked, simply by walking or wading accross in the right place. An American who is OBVIOUSLY an American will need to go to a secondary examination. That is silly.
One thing I experienced in Bosnia Hercegovina was the trip to the police station to register with the police. This is actually not a bad idea to adopt here. This way the police know who is a foreigner in their country, they can if need be send that person back home, or if that person needs help they know where that person is. It's not a fool proof system. BiH has an illegal alien problem. Mostly this is people who bypass the system because they were trafficked. Probably some form of the same problem would persist in the U.S. particularly with people coming here from Mexico, but at least making immigration easier, and having people register where they are would make it easier to get a handle on who is here legally.
In the case of Mexico, we really should look at ways to tie tightening our border with helping Mexico to be more prosperous, and safe. If we did that then maybe a tighter border would be more acceptable. It would have to be done with great sensitivity because 1. a huge part of the American West used to be in Mexico, there is truth in the saying that 'We didn't cross the Border, the Border crossed us!' 2. It might behoove Americans to realize that some sensitivity over Mexican illegal aliens might be the result of guilt. There was a scheme for the settlement of Texas that Mexico had whereby Catholic married men could bring their families to settle and get land very cheaply, guess what, Texas soon became part of the U.S.

This resulted in it being hard for foreigners to own property or have resources in Mexico, and it resulted in resentments of Americans by Mexicans.

Meanwhile a Mexican need not be a citizen to own property here, or a business here,and need not even be legally here to have a job here or get emergency medical care here. A lot of Americans resent that, especially since it's virtually impossible for an American to work legally in Mexico. I don't blame Mexico too much, jobs are short there, but I resent that you can't take their jobs but they can sure take our jobs. I think we ought to be able to take each other's jobs. :)

I think that it stinks that there is such an unequal set-up about such rights. Either Mexico needs to loosen up on these issues or we need to tighten up.

NAFTA hasn't improved that imbalance either, which is the main reason I opposed it and still oppose it. If it had addressed this imbalance I personally would have felt differently.

Another thing, Americans realize on some subconscious level that they crossed into another sovereign nation and made part of it so American that it could not be governed by Mexico. So our fear of foreigners, particularly Mexican foreigners comes from our own deeds.

A lot of Americans think that we should get rid of citizenship by birth. I do NOT agree with that for one moment. Citizenship by birth was part of the 14th Amendment of our Constitution, it's the amendment that got rid of slavery. The 14th Amendment is sacred, and anyone suggesting a change to it is suggesting something utterly un-American. The countries that do not have citizenship by birth can do w hat they like, they didn't have slavery like we did.

There are so many talk show hosts talking about the issue of so-called 'anchor babies'. I notice that the same guys and it is mostly guys are all about how precious babies are and individual rights, but not in the case of these babies.
Actually it's not unusual for parents to be deported while children remain behind, or for entire families to get deported although there is a baby who was born here.

Brazil doesn't allow the father of a Brazilian child to be deported or extradited for criminal prosecution. One of the men involved in the Great Train Robbery was able to live out in the open in Brazil by the simple expedient of having an affair with a Brazilian woman, and fathering an illegitimate child with her, he didn't even have to marry the mother! Now THAT'S an anchor baby!

Back in those days, there wasn't the DNA testing, he could have just SAID some kid was his and stayed! I don't even want to hear that term. Brazil feels that the presence of a child's father is important enough to risk the possible abuse of their law.

Again re-negotiating the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and making aid to Mexico conditional on anti-corruption measures is a better way to go. It would be in the interests of all concerned. It's now not very safe for Americans or Canadians to visit Mexico due to the crime and unrest, and it's not safe for Mexicans to live there for the same reasons.

The other option that I would favor would be to make ownership of property, businesses, and resources in the U.S. conditional on citizenship, and to make employers accountable in real ways if they employ people here illegally. In other words have the same laws about foreign ownership and employment of foreigners that Mexico has.

I think a smart president would set up a Border commission and real talks with Mexico to re-negotiate the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and that if it takes five years or ten years, fine, it would take that time, but the treaty doesn't work for either side any more, and it needs to change. A lot of what can or cannot be done about our ex tremely porous southern border has to do with that treaty.

# posted by Katja R. @ 7:07 AM 0 comments

Chinese Cars for BiH, Other Balkans Countries

Brand new cars for the prices people were paying for used, this is good news for many people in BiH.

Winnie Brady you will recall was the pilgrim to Medjugorije who was missing and found dead by hunters not too far from her hotel.
Behind a partial subscription+/or paywall.

Removal Service for Winnie Brady

R.S. Govt cuts ties with BHT1

and Whatever Happened to Greater Albania? Inquiring minds want to know!

# posted by Katja R. @ 2:01 PM 0 comments

Not the Kosovo We Know About!

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/220/544915

# posted by Katja R. @ 1:36 PM 0 comments

Barak Obama Story Debunked

http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?pmmsid=1824451

This story is out in a very timely manner. The worst of it is the Byzantine, or maybe Soviet method of trying to set a rift that would cause problems within the Democratic party. I think the people who started the whole thing at Insight Magazine need to be canned like the ones at Time who got canned for putting ME on the cover!

# posted by Katja R. @ 7:03 AM 2 comments

Good Morning Fascist Serbia

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/01/22/jasmina_teanoviae_go.html

Draskovic 'Biggest Loser in Serbian Elections'

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/22/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Election-Losers.php

Serbian Election Upsets Western Hopes

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/22/news/serbs.php

Serbia Could Starte E.U. Accession Talks Soon

http://www.eubusiness.com/Serbia/eu-serbia.62

Albania Wakes Up to Environmental Issues

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6274189.stm

Again really cold here.

# posted by Katja R. @ 6:26 AM 0 comments

S&P to monitor Serbia Following Elections

http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2007-01-22T155525Z_01_WNA4392_RTRIDST_0_SERBIA-ELECTIONS-SANDP-URGENT.XML

Serbian elections dash modern hopes

http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-01-22T011245Z_01_TZO062639_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SERBIA-COL.XML&archived=False

Ceku demanded immediate independance

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n103903

Kosovo Albanians uncertainty disappointment prevail, as they await status decision

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/22/europe/EU-GEN-Kosovo-Uncertain-Future.php

Rajastani officer to be honored for book in Kosovo

http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=83629

Don't these people know how lucky they are not to be working in some P.A.L. run subsidiary of Wal*Mart? well maybe they are in a housing facility near to Glod. . .Another thing aren't there enough Romanians who have no work? Why are the bosses importing more people? Train some locals maybe in some of the orphanages, and pay them decently. It's not rocket science!

Chinese Garment Workers in Romania Protest for Higher Wages

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/January/theworld_January635.xml§ion=theworld&col=

Serbian President calls for quick formation of coalition government

http://www.eecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=207945946&p=zx794665z&n=207946706

Snow in Arizona

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070122/ap_on_re_us/winter_blast

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:47 AM 2 comments

Serbian Election Early Results

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/January/theworld_January612.xml§ion=theworld&col=

Earlier reports were that the results indicated a coalition government would be likely. Of course the results are not final. It was a close election and as an American, I have come to absolutely hate close elections.

Borat Banned in Russia

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/10318.html

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:05 PM 0 comments

This cat is playing a guitar, look how she's investigating things to see how it works, it's amazing.

# posted by Katja R. @ 2:31 PM 0 comments

Today the elections in Serbia took place, with N.A.T.O. troops in Kosovo on high alert and plenty of international buzz.

Putin Rejects Kosovo Solution Under Pressure

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Putin_rejects_Kosovo_solution_under_01212007.html

The Lighter Side of the Elections

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/The_lighter_side_of_the_polls_twin__01212007.html

The Darker Side of Tourism

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=5f23d584-4b11-4159-b4a3-8dcc4d2a53aa

Kosovo Albanians Vote in the Serbian Election

http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=32479

40 Frenchmen on trial over Bulgarian Baby Trade

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75648

Aren't a lot of these babies Roma babies? Maybe not all of them, but a LOT of them, at the same time that persecution against Roma persists. It's just wierd.

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:37 AM 1 comments

Pope concerned over construction near cathedral in Bucharest

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/20/europe/EU-REL-Vatican-Romania.php

Milošević 'invited to vote in election'

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/01/e4e2967f-1f2c-48e5-bcf3-0b7c4b86fa62.html

The guy must be a vampire. I've thought that was a possibility for some time now.

Carla del Ponte doesn't want the job anymore

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n103724

Bomb like device discovered under Serbian politicians car

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/01/695ca633-1c91-46e6-8b47-d914e0edb93a.html

Lindh's killer faces uncertain future

http://www.thelocal.se/6149/20070120/

Last night it was supposed to snow. I'm glad it didn't snow, and very glad there was no freezing rain. It's hard work shifthing it. It did however get really really cold last night. I was really grateful for the Hudson's Bay blanket.

Day before yesterday the story of Barak Obama's education as a Muslim broke. He has said in his autobiography that he wasn't raised in a religious atmosphere, an atmosphere of anyone's religion, just exposure. It looks like the Clinton team have uncovered different information.

I was very annoyed with all the igonorant callers to radio talk shows and the hosts who refered to him as 'Barak Osama' and all that sort of happy horse-shit. This however is a different matter. For what ever reason, Obama has concealed his religious education and affiliations. I personally do not have a problem with someone Muslim holding high office in the United States or anyplace else, provided they take care of the national interest, and don't expect others to follow their religion if they are in an area where the Muslim faith doesn't constitute the majority.

I can see why he might have downplayed his background, Muslims were even long before Sept 11, not well liked in the United States. This was the case before there was the issue of Israel and Palestine, non-Christians especially non-Protestants have always had a hard time in the United States. There is complete freedom to practice your religion here, the only constraints are not legal, but matters of the popular culture, which in my opinion make it as difficult for serious Christians and Jews as it is for Muslims. One's peers will try to pull one into aspects of the popular culture which are actually not good from the point of view of either Judaism, Christianity or Islam.

There are a lot of good ways to work around these difficulties in private life, but in politics, that is another matter.

Still I personally am acquainted with a Washington State rep who is a Democrat, he serves in the state legislature and he's Muslim, and he doesn't conceal this fact, there's the case of Congressman Ellison who hasn't concealed his faith, and who has really shown the way for defending his faith in the public forum, I do not believe the American people are so biggoted that a Muslim can't serve in public office and be open about his or her faith. Quite the contrary, I believe that it may be a point in the person's favor, because Americans tend to respect religious people on General Principle, again so long as they aren't extremist in their views.

Obama was educated for four years in a madrasa in Indonesia. He probably was exposed to extremist views. I doubt very much he holds such views at this point in his life. He also was in the care of his grand-parents who took him to Methodist church. He attends some sort of Protestant type church now.

Mostly what concerns me is that Obama didn't take advantage of the opportunity to control the discussion of his religious education.His book would have been an excellent place to do it. I personally would have done something like that if I were in his shoes.

There are ways he could handle this question that would make him a stronger candidate against the steamroller that Hillary Clinton is.

1. State the fact that he was a CHILD when he was sent to the madrasa by his step father in Indonesia. Children don't get to decide these things.

2. State what his beliefs are now, at this point in his life.

3. Point out that having this education is an ASSET! He can understand the point of view of very strict Muslims. Right now we need someone in office who can understand this worldview, not yet another mono-culturally mono-religiously raised person.

4. Point out that he has flexibility going for himself, or have someone in his immediate circle point this fact out. People raised with different worldviews are very flexible. They can't help thinking outside the box, they've never been IN the box.

During my English class last quarter I learned that I am what is called an 'Adult Third Culture Kid' What this means is I was raised outside the culture I was born into, and that is what happened to Barak Obama growing up, he was raised for part of his childhood in Indonesia, although he was born in the U.S. This trait is a good trait, America has to deal with the world, and since no President of the United States can be born abroad, we don't have another way to get the perspective of other kinds of people. Adult Third Culture Children have that perspective but are American.
In the times we are in this is a valuable perspective. Don't just throw it away.

My advice to Barak Obama would be to handle this issue directly, forthrightly and point out that he had his personal reasons to downplay his upbringing. Of course now that he's running for President of the United States of America, this has become everyone's business, not just the business of those Americans who choose to choose, but of the world.

# posted by Katja R. @ 10:19 AM 6 comments

Submerged Albanian Town Rises Again

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the+World&month=January2007&file=World_News2007011981912.xml

Romanian Gypsies in Italy have a hard life

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=reutersEdge&storyID=2007-01-17T104355Z_01_NOA738285_RTRUKOC_0_MIGRATION-MILAN-GYPSIES.xml&WTmodLoc=HP-C12-Editors-3

Current Policy Towards Serbia, Russia,Kosovo

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0701/S00213.htm

Serbs Prepare to Shrug off Milosevic

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2165478.ece

Serbs Court Strange Bedfellows

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/18/wserbia18.xml

Slovenian policy will focus on Western Balkans

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/17/europe/EU-GEN-EU-Macedonia.php

U.S. troops stage exercises in Kosovo prior to Serbian elections

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070119\ACQDJON200701191202DOWJONESDJONLINE000785.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

Montenegrin Premier Diagnosed with Rare Lung Tumor

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-01/19/content_5628407.htm

Please people people....Do Not Listen to the voices in your head! It's probably NOT God!

Albanian Man Convicted of Arson

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article2167400.ece

Gotovina Challenges Jurisdiction of ICTY

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/19/europe/EU-GEN-War-Crimes-Croatia.php

Please, that tactic has been tried before, it doesn't work.

BiH not a model for Iraq

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/19/opinion/edjoseph.php

I don't agree with all the opinions in this piece, but it's worth note that Iraq and BiH are VERY different places and what works alright in one situation isn't necessarily the answer in another situation.

Interesting perspective on Holocaust Denial

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/19/opinion/edsokol.php

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:40 AM 1 comments

The foreign man, from some exotic place as a figure of fun has been around awhile, I have posted some of my favorites, my personal favorites for many years have been the Elbonians. I'm sure Scott Adams was up to something here. I like when Wally had to go do a job in Elbonia, still have all that little series.
Balki B. of 'Perfect Strangers' was the most 'Balkans' of the lot, what with the pet sheep named Demetrios, the funky vests, and the dance is really like a production on 'Pink T.V. before there even WAS a Pink T.V.

Latke

Balki

Ivan Hrvatska

Ali G.

Borat

Maher, that guy in Turkey, you know the 'I kiss you guy' Sorry no film of Maher, but he's out there and he's a real person as opposed to these acts that have preceded.

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:09 PM 0 comments

ADL Honors Albanians Saved Jews

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467764289&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Tatars vs Ukranians Riot

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Moslem_Tartars_and_Christian_Slavs__01182007.html

The title given this article was a bit deceptive. I think it's closer to being a pogrom called by the oligarchs.

Four Members of an NGO Killed in Iraq

http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/005468.html

U.N. Seen Recommending Limited Independance for Kosovo

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070118\ACQDJON200701180832DOWJONESDJONLINE000657.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

Grenade Explodes in Serb Classroom in Kosovo

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=L21799158

E.U. to review ties with Libya over nurses case

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070118-0457-bulgaria-libya-eu.html

Maybe this will save time but I think it's an open invitation to corruption....

Bulgarians to pay traffic tickets on the spot

http://www.washtimes.com/upi/20070118-075659-3521r.htm

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:08 AM 2 comments

This is a really cool show, and I enjoyed it. Of course the flame wars are in full swing over at youTube, but that's normal.

Actually to comment, Muslims may not be known to non Muslims for their humor but some damn funny people I've known along the way have been Muslims.

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:07 PM 0 comments

Bosnia Vault Jan 17 2007

http://bavault.blogspot.com/

I had forgotten the date, but I remember well about the event, seeing it on the news made me angry. I began lobbying actively for intervention in BiH somewhat before that time. I remember being really angry with people who accused the Bosnians of shelling themselves etc.

BBC story on Markale Massacre

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3459965.stm

Article on Markale Massacre

http://www.haverford.edu/relg/sells/indictments/GalicConvictedSentenced.htm

An interesting source of films, Markale isn't the only little film in this set, they are not watchable, there's reviews of them I think one sends for them.
Markale

http://www.sagafilm.com/markale.html

# posted by Katja R. @ 2:16 PM 1 comments

Update: 3 Croat Generals to be Tried in May

http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=564947547274479330

Bosnian Serb pleads guilty to rape of Muslim women and girls

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20070117-101847-6754r

Plavsic seeks pardon from Sweden

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Former_Bosnian_Serb_president_Plavs_01172007.html

Same Story, Swedish Source

http://www.thelocal.se/6125/20070117/

Ethnic Albanian Arrested Last Month in Vienna Airport

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/16/europe/EU-GEN-Austria-Kosovo-Bomb-Plot.php

Unease but no violence in Kosovo

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/17/europe/EU-GEN-Kosovo-US.php

Montenegrin Bishop Calls for Help

http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=101243

I could have said this but didn't...

http://www.firstrungnow.com/news-Montenegro+could+be+%27next+big+thing%27+for+property+investors

Independant Kosovo could destabilize Balkans

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n103448

Romania Reiterates position on Kosovo

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n103518

And this bit was good for giggles and mirth

http://thecep.org.uk/news/ViewItem.asp?Entry=1471

Litvinenko Case Update

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20070117-112829-7308r

Tennis Riot Update

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21071883-23216,00.htm?from=news

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:36 AM 0 comments

This is going way the Hell tooo far!

Penalty for Adultery could be LIFE in Michigan

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070115/COL04/701150333&&imw=Y

Pakistan is under a fairly strict form of Shari'a law, and the prison term for adultery is only FIVE YEARS, Pakistan is an oppressive Islamic state ruled by a dictator, this law in Michigan is in the supposedly 'loose' 'immoral' and 'free' West, where matters like Adultery are a matter not usually of criminal law. I think the criminal law needs to concern itself more with rape, spousal abuse, child abuse, burglery, than with adultery which is the problem of the adults involved! jebiga!

# posted by Katja R. @ 5:57 PM 2 comments

I felt like yesterday's march really deserved a separate posting. It was a good march.

I noted a couple of interesting things. One, a defector from the ranks of the Democratic party here in Yakima was present, namely Sherriff Irwin. He was marching close to the Democrats. I ended up not able to keep up with them so I made a good thing out of a difficulty, I observed people around me and encountered new people.

i noted something disturbing, there was a young man I kept my eye on, since he looked to me not to be the usual type of fellow to attend a march of this kind.

He had a beard, a red bandana around his head, he was thin, and had a beard, reddish brown hair. I didn't get close enough to see his eyes, he had torn, tight, grubby jeans and from the hole in the back pocket, I could see he had a can of chaw. He was on a cell phone and I caught a definate Southern accent. He was talking on his cell phone in kind of a disparageing way about the march. I immediatley felt a sense of unease. I am old enough to remember marches and demonstrations where an immediate exit from the vicinity was neccessitated by provacateurs starting violent behavior. I felt relatively safe since the sherriff was in the march too, with his family members, but I was twitchy. I kept my eye on this young man, I'd say he was in his 20s. I'm pretty sure he was some sort of White Supremicist, just from his whole demenor. I was relieved when we got into the downtown area because I know the area very well and I knew in case of trouble where to go. I want to be clear with you, I wasn't neccessarily expecting trouble, just antsy cuz of this guy. I am not sure if the Black folk nearby heard him he was at one point near to some Mexicans. The thing about the march here is that it's a very diverse event, nearly all Black folks show up for it, and of course a lot of Whites, and increasingly the Mexicans and Native Americans show, the Native Americans even wore articles that identified them, some wore feathers, or beadwork, and the type of shawls Yakama people wear, they plainly had arrived as a group and stuck together. The Union Gap school band supplied music at the front of the march, and a sound truck supplied music at the end of the march. At the moment I noticed the young man who made me nervous the sound truck was playing the UFW hymn 'Des Colores' and the young man who came to spy, made some crack on his cell phone about not knowing that Martin Luther was involved with Mexicans. Well he wasn't directly involved with Mexicans, at least not in a huge way, BUT he cared about all people, and all human rights. He would not have had a problem with a Mexican presence at the march. In fact it would have delighted him!

One of the sad facts of the situation of minorities in the United States is that people who should be standing shoulder to shoulder on these issues often do not. The reason for this is that people who are members of minority groups are all too often, competing for the same crappy, and scarce low end jobs. We aren't friends with people we compete with until we see the bigger picture. It is sad that there was a person who came to spy on the march with the attitude of this young man, he too is a member of a minority, poor Southern Whites don't have it easy either. Some react by joining White Supremecist groups, some by becoming devotees of Rant Wing radio, and some retreat into drug use. None of these are helpful behaviors. None of these reactions will lead to improvement in the situation of anyone.

What would work would be refusing to be divided on racial grounds over what are essentially economic interests.

I'm not saying that everyone should marry everyone. That's an individual choice. I am saying though, that fighting people who are Mexican, Black, Native American, immigrants from other places isn't helpful to poor whites. The smarter move would be to insist that economic needs be met for the whole society. No one should have to live badly in a country with the resources the United States has. Definately no one should be deprived on racial,ethnic, religious or political grounds.

The speaker was a judge here in Yakima, a very good speech he gave about the day that Martin Luther King was assasinated. This was Judge Schwab. Judge Schwab was a student in Washington D.C. and went to class the day after the assasination, and he described how his usually rather boring instructor reacted, and seeing the begining of riots which affected Washington D.C. His speech was very touching and brought back my own memories from those sad times.
Not directly related to Martin Luther King Day, but DEFINATELY related to integration.

The man interviewed is someone famous back in the '60s, when there were OTHER riots in Paris.
Comments on Paris Riots

http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,384092,00.html

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:16 AM 0 comments

House Resolution in Support of Independant Kosovo

http://www.prleap.com/pr/62013/

Russia Says Kosovo Settlement Must Have Serb O.K.

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070116\ACQDJON200701160931DOWJONESDJONLINE000381.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

Ex Bosnian Serb Policeman Pleads Guilty to Torture, Rape

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20070116\ACQDJON200701160900DOWJONESDJONLINE000331.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

U.S. Rules Out Lockerbie-Nurses Connection

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75446

And the wires are buzzing with this story. It was bount to happen sooner or later. The first story has a photograph of the skull in question. So my mother and I are vindicated, and to my beloved proffessors back in the old days when I took some physical anthropology, njah nana njah njah!

Inter-Specis Love

http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,459992,00.html

Skull found with Neandrathal, Modern Characteristics

http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_5022748

Remarkable find in Russia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6253121.stm

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:05 AM 0 comments

The march usual in Yakima on this day is different, the route is from 6th ave to the Convention Center, it used to be from downtown to Davis High. This means I can more easily walk to the begining of the march and therefore will do so.

It's been really cold but there hasn't been more snow yet. I imagine we'll get some, it was like 8 F or something else ridiculous last night. I am grateful for the Hudson's Bay blanket! The Hudson's Bay blanket is not in a particularly 'Indian' design, it's in a strange aquamarine color, and has the label. I've known people who don't know what a Hudson's Bay blanket is, those people don't know how to
This is my crappy lead in for a story about this strange fact....

No Snow in Moscow

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6858248

Snow a disaster in mid America

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6836291

and there was a brief story on Northwest Public Radio about the fact that Russian Thistle, Tumbleweeds for all my readers in Rio Del, the winds around Eastern Washington have been herding the tumbleweeds into fences, walls, etc. People have needed to burn them, they are thorny so you need a metal pitch-fork and something to set them alight. The tumble weeds caused an oil spill at Hanford, the place America stores nuclear waste. The tumble-weeds piled up against the tank and their weight tipped the tank over. How is that for wierd?

I include this because it's just too wierd not to include.

Hey you boss type people out there, I am not sure all that many bosses read my blog, but if you do...there's a study out there that a more diverse workforce will make more money for you! I could have told them that from my experience working various places. It's not just diversity of race, ethnicity and customs, it's also not forcing people into the corporate box. When I was forced into such boxes, I was just annoyed enough that I probably didn't do my best, even when all other things were equal.

Diversity Story

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6858215

for those of you worried about KARNIVORE, this is an Iranian news source.

Bosnians help rebuild school in Bam, Iran

http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0701153957173346.htm

Sarajevo War Crimes Trial

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070111/wl_afp/warcrimesbosnia

Leader of Party in Serbia Ready to Sign Independence of Kosovo in Certain Circumstances

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n103298

Croats Serbs rumble at tennis match

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21061803-1243,00.html

Melbourne has an ethnic hate problem

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21061150-2,00.html

Extreme Right Solidarity

http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,459793,00.html

A couple stories I want are behind a paywall, I'll get to them when and if they cross the payline.

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:41 AM 3 comments

When you aren't roasting here, you are freezing here. When you aren't freezing you are roasting.

The Human Be-In

http://60sfurther.com/HumanBe_In.htm

This weekend is the anniversary of the 'Human Be-In' an event at which my family was present. My mother, step-father, sister and I had gone to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood because there was a very nice bakery run by a couple of older Russian ladies, for borscht, and piroshkis. We actually were about halfway there when a young girl who was leafleting the people on the sidewalk handed each of us a brightly colored handbill, which said 'Human Be-In' and named the time. Well we went to have our piroshkis and borscht, and and discussed together whether we should go or not. None of us looked like 'hippies' I had a new pants suit sent to me by my grandmother for Christmas, it was plaid, and in the 'mod' style, and I was wearing white go-go boots, then all the rage. My sister had an outfit rather similar, these outfits came with a choice of skirt or pants, and she was wearing the skirt that went to hers. My mother was wearing a conventional sort of dress, my step father had his work clothes on actually, he never wore jeans in those years unless he was doing some sort of heavy work. That was rare, he was a civil servant, a social worker. Anyway my mother had noticed the selective way this girl handled the crowd, "There were 'hippies who were not given a leaflet, there were only a very few 'straighties' given a leaflet" she remarked. So that was the deciding remark. We headed for the polo fields. There was an absolutely enormous crowd, it was peaceful and everyone seemed to have food or wine, it was well that we took some extra piroshkis with us. We ended up sharing piroshkis, and drinking wine with some people seated near us. They also shared some grass with us. We each took a quick puff and passed the thin joint back around. It may be that it was too little to get anyone high, but none of the events warned of in 'Girls Hygiene and Physical Education' class came to pass. I was not inclined to suddenly rip my clothes off and dance or anything else, everyone in our near vicinity was acting very calmly, enjoying the music and poetry. Some members of the at that time new Society for Creative Anachronism rode into the Polo Field on horses, wearing Viking like clothing. It looked natural on them. Other cool stuff happened. I'd forgotten it was the anniversary, but they had a brief note of it on N.P.R. this morning.

NastyRakija distilling accident

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75351

Much as I am in favor of people having the right to make their own rakija at home, the process is not without dangers.

U.S. Film Maker Accused of Exploiting Child Labor in Bulgaria

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75353

Bulgarian Nurses Relatives Given Rude Treatment in Libya

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75352

The whole mess with the nurses in Libya is more and more sureal, more and more disgusting.

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:49 AM 5 comments

It is really cold in the Yakima Gulag, as it is all over the Soviet of Washington. One town, I forget just where, has a temperature of -2 Farenheit. I got up and dealt with some household chores around here, and will be doing more of those today. This winter paradoxically hasn't been that expensive in terms of gas expended.

# posted by Katja R. @ 10:55 AM 3 comments

# posted by Katja R. @ 10:01 PM 2 comments

Officially it was between 8-14 Farenheit last night. I think in fact the wind chill factor meant it was colder.
O.K. I gotta get snarky on those people on K.apitalist I.diot T.ransmetter. They can't say the name of the governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevic. Alright the needs a vowel crack is normal for Americans, but I thought that the 'J'='Y' concept had made it into our benighted Gulag by now, I mean seriously, there are people who have those kinda names here! People with those kinda names have been in our general vicinity for like 100 years. For once I got through to the station and explained how to correctly pronounce Blagojavic's name, and they were actually NICE, that hasn't happened in like YEARS! I wasn't on the air.

Afternoon Updates:

Hajj film produced By and for Bosnian Muslims

http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=941775

BiH orders retrial in war crimes case

http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2756/html/politic.htm#s202407

Serbian Police Replace Serbian Military on Borders

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/19602.html

Dutch Train Roma Health Mediators in Bulgaria

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75324

Internet Sex Popular in Croatia

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070112/tc_afp/croatiasexinternet

Bosnian Serb Convicted of War Crimes Sent to France to Serve Sentence

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/12/europe/EU-GEN-War-Crimes-Bosnia.php

Ethnic Albanians in Serbia Urged to Participate in Elections

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/12/europe/EU-POL-Kosovo-Serbia.php

Slovenia Will Not Recognize Unilateral Kosovo Independance

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n103154

Woman gets wierd rare illness in Bulgaria

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=158315&command=displayContent&sourceNode=158804&contentPK=16397780&folderPk=87659&pNodeId=158795

Yushenko Visits Romania

http://www.ukranews.com/cgi-bin/openarticle.pl?lang=eng&id=844227&lenta=po

In the event of independance, Serbia would continue trade with Kosovo

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Serbia_would_continue_trade_with_Ko_01122007.html

Albanians Recieving Text Messages to Boycott Election

http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/798151/serbia_ethnic_albanians_receiving_mobile_phone_messages_to_boycott_elections/index.html?source=r_technology

Yugoslavia Lives on in Kosovo Time Capsule

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=featuresNews&storyid=2007-01-12T145858Z_01_L12571668_RTRIDST_0_LIFESTYLE-KOSOVO-ASYLUM-DC.XML&src=rss

330 Citizenships in BiH Revoked

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=126988&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21

Car of Bulgarian Ambassador Stolen

http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n103153

Bulgarians Discover Atrophy Causing Gene

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=75292

# posted by Katja R. @ 9:39 AM 2 comments

Check this out, probably you should not check it out at work if you have a Corprathug(c) Neolithocon (c) type of employment situation, perhaps even if all they are is some kind of New Age+/or Magikal Thinking type of people who insist on everyone being grinning monkeys...oooops, having a 'positive attitude' all the time. Maybe Micheal Moore carries it a little far, but I don't really think so...it's not that off the wall. ... . . . You KNOW we are in a problem if some of the things Micheal Moore is saying is coming close to some remarks Michael Savage has said. . .You know your country is in Real Trouble if I can't decide which of the two guys is saying it better. I am going with Micheal Moore, for Old Time's Sake. It's funny cuz I was about to see if there's any old T.V. Nation clips on youTube.

Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:39 PM

Subject: Dear Mr. President: Send Even MORE Troops (and you go, too!) ...from Michael Moore

Dear Mr. President: Send Even MORE Troops (and you go, too!) ...from Michael Moore

1/10/07

Dear Mr. President,

Thanks for your address to the nation. It's good to know you still want to talk to us after how we behaved in November.

Listen, can I be frank? Sending in 20,000 more troops just ain't gonna do the job. That will only bring the troop level back up to what it was last year. And we were losing the war last year! We've already had over a million troops serve some time in Iraq since 2003. Another few thousand is simply not enough to find those weapons of mass destruction! Er, I mean... bringing those responsible for 9/11 to justice! Um, scratch that. Try this -- BRING DEMOCRACY TO THE MIDDLE EAST! YES!!!

You've got to show some courage, dude! You've got to win this one! C'mon, you got Saddam! You hung 'im high! I loved watching the video of that -- just like the old wild west! The bad guy wore black! The hangmen were as crazy as the hangee! Lynch mobs rule!!!

Look, I have to admit I feel very sorry for the predicament you're in. As Ricky Bobby said, "If you're not first, you're last." And you being humiliated in front of the whole world does NONE of us Americans any good.

Sir, listen to me. You have to send in MILLIONS of troops to Iraq, not thousands! The only way to lick this thing now is to flood Iraq with millions of us! I know that you're out of combat-ready soldiers -- so you have to look elsewhere! The only way you are going to beat a nation of 27 million -- Iraq -- is to send in at least 28 million! Here's how it would work:

The first 27 million Americans go in and kill one Iraqi each. That will quickly take care of any insurgency. The other one million of us will stay and rebuild the country. Simple.

Now, I know you're saying, where will I find 28 million Americans to go to Iraq? Here are some suggestions:

1. More than 62,000,000 Americans voted for you in the last election (the one that took place a year and half into a war we already knew we were losing). I am confident that at least a third of them would want to put their body where there vote was and sign up to volunteer. I know many of these people and, while we may disagree politically, I know that they don't believe someone else should have to go and fight their fight for them -- while they hide here in America.

2. Start a "Kill an Iraqi" Meet-Up group in cities across the country. I know this idea is so early-21st century, but I once went to a Lou Dobbs Meet-Up and, I swear, some of the best ideas happen after the third mojito. I'm sure you'll get another five million or so enlistees from this effort.

3. Send over all members of the mainstream media. After all, they were your collaborators in bringing us this war -- and many of them are already trained from having been "embedded!" If that doesn't bring the total to 28 million, then draft all viewers of the FOX News channel.

Mr. Bush, do not give up! Now is not the time to pull your punch! Don't be a weenie by sending in a few over-tired troops. Get your people behind you and YOU lead them in like a true commander in chief! Leave no conservative behind! Full speed ahead!

We promise to write. Go get 'em W!

Yours,

Michael Moore
mmflint@aol.com
www.michaelmoore.com

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:29 PM 0 comments

Afternoon Updates:

Swedish Terror Convict to Appeal Sentence

http://www.thelocal.se/6069/20070111/

Democracy in Danger in Serbia

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16563736/

The Erased, Ethnic Cleansing Slovenian Style

http://www.motherjones.com/news/update/2007/01/vanishing_act.html

Gentle Readers, you will recall I mentioned last night that this information was behind a paywall last night. I only could see the headline. It's one thing to have to subscribe but there are paywalls out there. I don't post such links.

Body Definately Identified as Winnifred Brady

http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=79195&pt=n

Investigation Resumes into 1999 Murder of Journalist who Opposed Milošević

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/11/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Slain-Journalist.php

Milošević Trial Begins in Sarajevo, no not THAT Milošević

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/UN_trial_of_general_accused_of_shel_01112007.html

An Idea Who'se Time Has Come

http://www.mlive.com/mbusinessreview/oak/index.ssfSo?/mbusinessreview/oak/stories/20070111_language.htmla

If you never heard Bosnian type bagpipes, this isn't a bad introduction.

# posted by Katja R. @ 8:54 AM 0 comments

YakimaGulagLiteraryGazett

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Molly Ivins is dead

Freezing as usual in the Yakima Gulag

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

An interview about Christian Extremism in America

More to do with that pesky 'pyramid' this time it's a megalith

Tuesday

Monday, January 29, 2007

Monday and it sure feels like a Monday..

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Really Crazy Bollywood Version of 'Thriller'

Sunday, and yes Way Very LATE for Komrad Katjuša !

Saturday, January 27, 2007

International Holocaust Day

Friday, January 26, 2007

From MetaFilter: MUST READING

Good Morning Yakima Gulag!!!

Thursday, January 25, 2007

It's freezing cold here and there's freezing fog

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Brrrrr!

Brrrrr!

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Updates

There's another Kosovo!?!

I need to make a retraction, appologies to Barak Obama and of course Hillary Clinton!

Good Morning Comrade Zeks

Monday, January 22, 2007

Today's news

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Serbian Election Early Results,and Borat Banned in Russia

Smart Cat!

Serbian Elections

Saturday, January 20, 2007

At the end, a word of advice to Barak Obama

Friday, January 19, 2007

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Fake Foreigners Presented for your 'Edification'

More snow too....

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Pilot Episode of 'Little Mosque on the Prairie'

A Sad Anniversary

The news is nuts today but what else is new?

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Look we're all against sin....but....

Yesterday's March

But Wait! More! It's really cold here, but at least we don't grow oranges here...

Monday, January 15, 2007

Martin Luther King Day

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Freezing as usual in the Yakima Gulag

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Sort of a low level of news today...

Friday, January 12, 2007

Some nice music in the Klapa style

Freezing my dupa off in the Yakima Gulag

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Time to Live Up to the Whole NSFW Concept, just not the way it usually is meant!

Windy again and very cold in the Yakima Gulag

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