Only one opposition option…

CARACAS, Venezuela (By Chris Kraul Los Angeles Times, quoted here from the South Florida Sun Sentinel) Eight candidates opposing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called off a primary election set for Sunday, saying they had unanimously agreed to support the front-runner and best financed among them, Gov. Manuel Rosales. Here we go again!

Rosales acknowledged in television and radio interviews Wednesday that he faces an uphill battle and that "time is short." But in an acceptance speech before supporters he hammered away at what some analysts say are Chavez's vulnerabilities: his massive foreign aid programs, the government-approved takeovers of land and buildings, and the perception that crime is on the increase."The government wants to be the owner of all private property," Rosales said. "We will distribute land to the peasants but we will buy it in such a way as to respect the principle of private property, just as we will respect those of human rights and social justice.

OK, but this is what happened before. The opposition, instead of campaigning on their own policies/ ideas/ whatever, all joined together and campaigned as Anti-Chavistas, that hasn't been good enough before, I can't see it being good enough this December.

The same story here: The pullout of nine candidates prompted the cancellation of Sunday's primary vote and cleared the way for Zulia state Gov. Manuel Rosales to face Chavez, who was first elected in 1998 and is seeking a third four-year term. The fact that Sr. Rosales is from Zulia State may help, at least in the west of the country. Zulia is the state that covers most of the frontier with Colombia, it along with Tachira, apart from being beautiful, are suffering increased breakdown in security, kidnappings, murder etc... from Colombian rebels, something Chavez seems to care little about, it has become an almost Lawless zone in Venezuela

Martínez had gone to police days before to report that he had been threatened and to ask for protection. He even brought along photos of the suspects he had taken with his cell phone. Martínez told other ranchers that he would rather die than be kidnapped, Vargas said. And he did just that, witnesses say, resisting a group of eight men dressed in the battle fatigues and knee-high rubber boots preferred by the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

"Our government is totally indifferent to the problem,'' Martínez said (Adonay Martínez, president of a ranchers' association) who went on to say "Our sovereignty is being violated, and the response we get is total complacency.'' Other ranchers, who after several kinappings and deaths, had asked not be identified, suggested that the Chavez run military had been "passive because it is sympathetic with the leftist rebels' cause."

Colombia and Venezuela, neighbours who share a history; one very pro USA and the other the complete opposite - how long before 'border incidents' become more widespread and/or violent.

Ows edit, 18/08/06: From AP News on Myway.com:

Manuel Rosales, the popular governor of Zulia state, said Venezuela's foreign policy has been skewed by President Hugo Chavez's antipathy for Washington and his close friendship with Cuban President Fidel Castro.
"We don't have to depend on either the (U.S.) empire or the bearded one," Rosales said, alluding to Castro.
Chavez this week said Rosales and every other presidential challenger were candidates of the U.S. "empire."

S.O.

Only one opposition option…

CARACAS, Venezuela (By Chris Kraul Los Angeles Times, quoted here from the South Florida Sun Sentinel) Eight candidates opposing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called off a primary election set for Sunday, saying they had unanimously agreed to support the front-runner and best financed among them, Gov. Manuel Rosales. Here we go again!

Rosales acknowledged in television and radio interviews Wednesday that he faces an uphill battle and that "time is short." But in an acceptance speech before supporters he hammered away at what some analysts say are Chavez's vulnerabilities: his massive foreign aid programs, the government-approved takeovers of land and buildings, and the perception that crime is on the increase."The government wants to be the owner of all private property," Rosales said. "We will distribute land to the peasants but we will buy it in such a way as to respect the principle of private property, just as we will respect those of human rights and social justice.

OK, but this is what happened before. The opposition, instead of campaigning on their own policies/ ideas/ whatever, all joined together and campaigned as Anti-Chavistas, that hasn't been good enough before, I can't see it being good enough this December.

The same story here: The pullout of nine candidates prompted the cancellation of Sunday's primary vote and cleared the way for Zulia state Gov. Manuel Rosales to face Chavez, who was first elected in 1998 and is seeking a third four-year term. The fact that Sr. Rosales is from Zulia State may help, at least in the west of the country. Zulia is the state that covers most of the frontier with Colombia, it along with Tachira, apart from being beautiful, are suffering increased breakdown in security, kidnappings, murder etc... from Colombian rebels, something Chavez seems to care little about, it has become an almost Lawless zone in Venezuela

Martínez had gone to police days before to report that he had been threatened and to ask for protection. He even brought along photos of the suspects he had taken with his cell phone. Martínez told other ranchers that he would rather die than be kidnapped, Vargas said. And he did just that, witnesses say, resisting a group of eight men dressed in the battle fatigues and knee-high rubber boots preferred by the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

"Our government is totally indifferent to the problem,'' Martínez said (Adonay Martínez, president of a ranchers' association) who went on to say "Our sovereignty is being violated, and the response we get is total complacency.'' Other ranchers, who after several kinappings and deaths, had asked not be identified, suggested that the Chavez run military had been "passive because it is sympathetic with the leftist rebels' cause."

Colombia and Venezuela, neighbours who share a history; one very pro USA and the other the complete opposite - how long before 'border incidents' become more widespread and/or violent.

Ows edit, 18/08/06: From AP News on Myway.com:

Manuel Rosales, the popular governor of Zulia state, said Venezuela's foreign policy has been skewed by President Hugo Chavez's antipathy for Washington and his close friendship with Cuban President Fidel Castro.
"We don't have to depend on either the (U.S.) empire or the bearded one," Rosales said, alluding to Castro.
Chavez this week said Rosales and every other presidential challenger were candidates of the U.S. "empire."

S.O.

Orinoco Oil overflowing…

Seems that Hugo Chavez is banking on Venezuela becoming more important as a nation on the world stage in the near future; it appears he may not be wrong: Oil reserves in the Orinoco area are estimated at 235 billion barrels which, added to the more than 70 billion barrels of light oil, would make Venezuela the country with the greatest oil natural reserve in the world.

Venezuela expects to confirm that it has reserves of 235 billion new barrels of crude, which would boost its reserves to 316 billion barrels - the world's largest oil reserves, ahead of even Saudi Arabia. (Let's wait and see if it's confirmed; if it is then this could cause a major change in the balance of OPEC and other oil-producing countries.

"The Orinoco river oil strip will become the world's greatest reservoir of petroleum for the next years". This may explain why Chavez seemed so cocky and triumphant as he strutted his stuff on his world tour in the last few weeks. In my opinion it only makes him more of a danger.

S.O.

Orinoco Oil overflowing…

Seems that Hugo Chavez is banking on Venezuela becoming more important as a nation on the world stage in the near future; it appears he may not be wrong: Oil reserves in the Orinoco area are estimated at 235 billion barrels which, added to the more than 70 billion barrels of light oil, would make Venezuela the country with the greatest oil natural reserve in the world.

Venezuela expects to confirm that it has reserves of 235 billion new barrels of crude, which would boost its reserves to 316 billion barrels - the world's largest oil reserves, ahead of even Saudi Arabia. (Let's wait and see if it's confirmed; if it is then this could cause a major change in the balance of OPEC and other oil-producing countries.

"The Orinoco river oil strip will become the world's greatest reservoir of petroleum for the next years". This may explain why Chavez seemed so cocky and triumphant as he strutted his stuff on his world tour in the last few weeks. In my opinion it only makes him more of a danger.

S.O.

Overcrowding or overreacting...

I will not cease from mental fight,

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,

Till we have built Jerusalem

In England's green and pleasant land.

Of course that wasn't meant to be taken literally but the UK government seem intent on building several Jerusalems in their haste to "Concrete over England 'The Government's plan to bribe councils into concreting over what remains of the prettier parts of England is of a piece with its partisan rule since 1997." So says the DT editorial for today's news.

No environmental conditions are placed on the scheme, which the Campaign to Protect Rural England described as "a bribe". It feared that it could introduce "a scary new temptation to corruption in local government and planning".

Henry Oliver of the Campaign to Protect Rural England said: "This idea seems to be a return to 'predict and provide', with a bribe attached - in the linked article with reference to Shrewsbury and the West Midlands - it's not just a problem for the South east of England.
More worryingly the article goes on to say "Government figures show that five million new homes are needed in England over 20 years, 1.5 million of them because of record levels of immigration."...record levels of immigration....more on that later.

All this is nothing new, for years the press have reported variations on the theme, this is just one example from the Guardian and there are small victories that give some communities hope:

"Councils are supposed to be the guardians of the countryside but I suspect what has happened in Dolton is a microcosm of what is happening elsewhere in rural communities,"..."If councils fail to follow their policies and procedures properly, they not only spoil our precious countryside but, in this case, they would also not have achieved affordable housing for local people."

...and I guess it's no surprise that Porker Prescott has been wasting more money "And the scandal has provoked Conservatives to demand that ministers should now also call a halt to Mr Prescott's environmentally unsustainable plans to build thousands of new homes in the crowded south-east of England, and demolish Victorian terraces in the north."
All political parties talk a good game but never deliver, I find myself agreeing with the Lib Dem's (shock-horror!) outline from their last manifesto:

"Liberal Democrats believe decent housing should be a right. We want to meet people’s aspirations to own their home whilst providing more affordable and social homes to rent. In our towns and cities, we aim to increase the number of affordable homes, cut the damage to the environment by energy inefficient homes and push down power over community issues to local residents. People also want more than bricks and mortar from their home. They want to live in safe, clean and friendly communities. So Liberal Democrats will give local people more say in running their neighbourhoods and put the environment at the heart of housing policy. "

Back now to the immigration side of things: Government figures show that five million new homes are needed in England over 20 years, 1.5 million of them because of record levels of immigration....I believe two things: 5 million is too many and more than 1.5 million will be due to immigration - Gov statistics show us that the UK has a growing population. It grew by 280,600 people in the year to mid-2004, and the average growth per year has been 0.4 per cent since mid-2001....amusingly the graph is a Janus, two-faced! Also, this from the UK Government Actuary department:

In the principal projection, the population of the UK is projected to grow by 7.2 million between 2004 and 2031. Some 4.1 million of this increase is directly due to the assumed number of net migrants. Natural change accounts for a further 3.1 million (the difference between 19.2 million births and 16.1 million deaths). Some 1.2 million of this natural increase would occur in the absence of migration. The remaining 1.9 million is the net effect of the assumed annual level of net migration on natural change (almost entirely the effect on births, slightly offset by a small increase in deaths).

Or in the words of Migration Watch. "The UK’s population is projected to rise by 7.2 million from 2004 to 2031 – 6.0 million (83%) of this rise is due to immigration" and "Net inward foreign migration has more than tripled since 1997 to 340,000 in 2004. Significant components - work-related migration and family settlement - are likely to continue at present levels or increase. Indeed, under present policies, they will continue at high levels indefinitely. Illegal immigration is additional."...so, 83% of the population growth will be as net immigration and the subsequent organic growth in immigrant populations...NOW, that to me suggests that nearly all of the proposed building, be it in the south-east or elsewhere, is to cater for the new (and set to continue) record-shattering immigration.
It's not this bad yet, I think the CPRE report -"Your Countryside, Your Choice" - that began with a their portrait of what could be England in 2035, "when the countryside has all but disappeared"...not yet, the photo above is one of several thousand beautiful views across England (this one isn't far from where my family live); when I fly home be it to Heathrow, Bristol or Bournemouth airports you can see the countryside as it really is - but how long will it last, how long will England be a green and pleasant land?
S.O.

Overcrowding or overreacting...

I will not cease from mental fight,

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,

Till we have built Jerusalem

In England's green and pleasant land.

Of course that wasn't meant to be taken literally but the UK government seem intent on building several Jerusalems in their haste to "Concrete over England 'The Government's plan to bribe councils into concreting over what remains of the prettier parts of England is of a piece with its partisan rule since 1997." So says the DT editorial for today's news.

No environmental conditions are placed on the scheme, which the Campaign to Protect Rural England described as "a bribe". It feared that it could introduce "a scary new temptation to corruption in local government and planning".

Henry Oliver of the Campaign to Protect Rural England said: "This idea seems to be a return to 'predict and provide', with a bribe attached - in the linked article with reference to Shrewsbury and the West Midlands - it's not just a problem for the South east of England.

More worryingly the article goes on to say "Government figures show that five million new homes are needed in England over 20 years, 1.5 million of them because of record levels of immigration."...record levels of immigration....more on that later.

All this is nothing new, for years the press have reported variations on the theme, this is just one example from the Guardian and there are small victories that give some communities hope:

"Councils are supposed to be the guardians of the countryside but I suspect what has happened in Dolton is a microcosm of what is happening elsewhere in rural communities,"..."If councils fail to follow their policies and procedures properly, they not only spoil our precious countryside but, in this case, they would also not have achieved affordable housing for local people."

...and I guess it's no surprise that Porker Prescott has been wasting more money "And the scandal has provoked Conservatives to demand that ministers should now also call a halt to Mr Prescott's environmentally unsustainable plans to build thousands of new homes in the crowded south-east of England, and demolish Victorian terraces in the north."

All political parties talk a good game but never deliver, I find myself agreeing with the Lib Dem's (shock-horror!) outline from their last manifesto:

"Liberal Democrats believe decent housing should be a right. We want to meet people’s aspirations to own their home whilst providing more affordable and social homes to rent. In our towns and cities, we aim to increase the number of affordable homes, cut the damage to the environment by energy inefficient homes and push down power over community issues to local residents. People also want more than bricks and mortar from their home. They want to live in safe, clean and friendly communities. So Liberal Democrats will give local people more say in running their neighbourhoods and put the environment at the heart of housing policy. "

Back now to the immigration side of things: Government figures show that five million new homes are needed in England over 20 years, 1.5 million of them because of record levels of immigration....I believe two things: 5 million is too many and more than 1.5 million will be due to immigration - Gov statistics show us that the UK has a growing population. It grew by 280,600 people in the year to mid-2004, and the average growth per year has been 0.4 per cent since mid-2001....amusingly the graph is a Janus, two-faced! Also, this from the UK Government Actuary department:

In the principal projection, the population of the UK is projected to grow by 7.2 million between 2004 and 2031. Some 4.1 million of this increase is directly due to the assumed number of net migrants. Natural change accounts for a further 3.1 million (the difference between 19.2 million births and 16.1 million deaths). Some 1.2 million of this natural increase would occur in the absence of migration. The remaining 1.9 million is the net effect of the assumed annual level of net migration on natural change (almost entirely the effect on births, slightly offset by a small increase in deaths).

Or in the words of Migration Watch. "The UK’s population is projected to rise by 7.2 million from 2004 to 2031 – 6.0 million (83%) of this rise is due to immigration" and "Net inward foreign migration has more than tripled since 1997 to 340,000 in 2004. Significant components - work-related migration and family settlement - are likely to continue at present levels or increase. Indeed, under present policies, they will continue at high levels indefinitely. Illegal immigration is additional."...so, 83% of the population growth will be as net immigration and the subsequent organic growth in immigrant populations...NOW, that to me suggests that nearly all of the proposed building, be it in the south-east or elsewhere, is to cater for the new (and set to continue) record-shattering immigration.

It's not this bad yet, I think the CPRE report -"Your Countryside, Your Choice" - that began with a their portrait of what could be England in 2035, "when the countryside has all but disappeared"...not yet, the photo above is one of several thousand beautiful views across England (this one isn't far from where my family live); when I fly home be it to Heathrow, Bristol or Bournemouth airports you can see the countryside as it really is - but how long will it last, how long will England be a green and pleasant land?

S.O.

One-on-one...onanism.

...one on one because "there can be no touching of other participants nor are people allowed to fake orgasms." Ahem. Well in this Owsblog post last year I explained the 'true' Biblical meaning of Onanisn, or "Onan's Sin", but these days it's just about pleasuring yourself.
Photograph: copyright CSC 2000

LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of Britons are being urged to attend what is being branded as Europe's first "Masturbate-a-thon", a leading reproductive healthcare charity said on Friday.

"We want to get people talking about safer sex, masturbation and to lift taboos."

From the Guardian "More tossers on TV" (giggle) "Prizes will be on offer for those who clock up the most orgasms and those who can masturbate the longest - the current record, according to the organisers, is a chafing eight-and-a-half hours.

To qualify for the record, the organisers say "at least 55 minutes of every hour shall be spent self-pleasuring by manual or sex toy stimulation" with participants getting just five minutes to "replenish and renew".

Two other programmes will also air as part of the week, which has been commissioned by the Channel 4 factual entertainment commissioning editor, Andrew MacKenzie.
"Following on from the success of 'Penis week' (you couldn't make it up!)

Will any of you London dwellers be paying a visit - or participating? I'd like to come over myself but not sure I could keep it up for long and there's sure to be some right wankers there.

That was the full post! I couldn't resist!

Edit, 14:46 (in Spain) 5th August 2006: Actually not quite the full post: I have just edited the picture-link to go to the UK and not the US site.

S.O.

One-on-one...onanism.

...one on one because "there can be no touching of other participants nor are people allowed to fake orgasms." Ahem. Well in this Owsblog post last year I explained the 'true' Biblical meaning of Onanisn, or "Onan's Sin", but these days it's just about pleasuring yourself.
Photograph: copyright CSC 2000

LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of Britons are being urged to attend what is being branded as Europe's first "Masturbate-a-thon", a leading reproductive healthcare charity said on Friday.

"We want to get people talking about safer sex, masturbation and to lift taboos."

From the Guardian "More tossers on TV" (giggle) "Prizes will be on offer for those who clock up the most orgasms and those who can masturbate the longest - the current record, according to the organisers, is a chafing eight-and-a-half hours.

To qualify for the record, the organisers say "at least 55 minutes of every hour shall be spent self-pleasuring by manual or sex toy stimulation" with participants getting just five minutes to "replenish and renew".

Two other programmes will also air as part of the week, which has been commissioned by the Channel 4 factual entertainment commissioning editor, Andrew MacKenzie.
"Following on from the success of 'Penis week' (you couldn't make it up!)

Will any of you London dwellers be paying a visit - or participating? I'd like to come over myself but not sure I could keep it up for long and there's sure to be some right wankers there.

That was the full post! I couldn't resist!

Edit, 14:46 (in Spain) 5th August 2006: Actually not quite the full post: I have just edited the picture-link to go to the UK and not the US site.

S.O.