Look how well the US embargo of Cuba has worked. If it's such a good idea to embargo Communist countries, let's embargo China. We can't of course, they could destroy our country's currency at the drop of a hat.
Personally, if we want to get rid of Castro, probably the best thing we could do would be to flood Cuba with "Western" goods, ideas in the form of visitors, and communication. The embargo was and is a stupid idea. With regards to Iraq, Saddam managed to sneak quite a bit of money in during the blockade, and managed to build even more palatial residences for himself. The money went to the select Sunnis who supported the regime, and not to the Shia majority. As is usual in situations where the flow of money is limited due to displeasure with the leadership of a country, it's never the elites who suffer, it's the poorest, which makes one ponder the usefulness of blockades. That said, is there a pragmatic response to the North Koreas and Burmas of the world? What is the role of the UN? What is the role of this subset of people on the Biofuels lists - people who actually take time away from the big screen TV to ponder these questions - a rarity in the US. Many of us have decided NOT to buy into the oil-based economy for various reasons. I know why I have chosen to move away: political - I don't wish to support the interplay of our government and businesses that provide oil; environmental concerns; economic concerns - it's sustainable, and let's be honest, I'm cheap; and finally I often find kindred spirits among the folks that I meet and work with here. I wonder if there is a feasible way to expand this model and use it to extend what I perceive to be commons goals or beliefs among the members of this list? A global Moveon.org or similar? As anyone who reads my posts will notice, I have a hard time keeping my hopes up with regards to my country. The last five years have seen the almost wholesale dismantling of many of the things that have made this country great: a somewhat equitable tax system (gone); an active EPA (gone); a social safety net (gone); a flawed but not rigid rich/poor gap (going) affordable health care (gone); civil liberties (gone) - I could go on. Why do Americans buy into this? Or, why do roughly half of Americans buy into it? Why do we drive Hummers while the rest of the world drives Smart Cars? I hope we can go forward with a government that is able to acknowledge and face the global issues confronting us. Mike - "Sleepless in the SouthEast Weaver Garth & Kim Travis wrote: >Greetings Keith and Hakan, >I am not ignoring you or refusing to answer. My AC went down and my >computer does not like to work in 90F+. I have to use the cool of the day >to get the farm chores done. I will be back. >Bright Blessings, >Kim > >At 07:15 PM 9/2/2005, you wrote: > > > >>Kim, >> >>During the years between the first and the second Gulf war, a very >>large number of children died each year, something that Galloway >>picked up in his part of the US "oil for food" hearings. "..- who died >>only because the fact that they were born in Iraq at the wrong time". >>Many 1,000's more than anything from the hurricane. I still have the >>Galloway speech at, >> >>http://hakanfalk.com/msnbc_uk_galloway_blisters_us_on_iraq_050517-01b.wmv >> >>This was a direct consequence of the US led blockade. In this case >>it was not the parents, it was the "Americans". I did not see many >>Americans being upset about that. >> >>Hakan >> >>At 14:35 02/09/2005, you wrote: >> >> >>>Greetings, >>>No one but you has brought up any stereo types. If you honestly believe >>>that everyone who has been injured by this storm is an innocent bystander, >>>then enjoy your rose colored glasses. Most of us feel anger that children >>>died because their parents would not heed warnings. We never said that >>>every child's death was it's parents fault, or anything like >>>that. However, in the world I live in, there are people who expect others >>>to do for them, what they should be doing for themselves. It is sad that >>>their children have paid an ultimate price for their behavior. >>>Bright Blessings, >>>Kim >>> >>>At 09:32 PM 9/1/2005, you wrote: >>> >>> >>>>>Greg has not condemned anyone who tried to >>>>>help themselves, just those who don't. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>And precisely who's position is it to condemn anyone? And what right is >>>>it of their's to say that those whom they condemn or denigrate didn't do >>>>all they could within their means? >>>> >>>>An estimated 112,000 homes that lack transportation in the New Orleans >>>>area, with the government agencies fully expecting that 20% of the >>>>population would not be evacuated under circumstances similar to or less >>>>than Katrina. See "Hurricane Pam Exercise," >>>>http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/newsrelated/hurripamends.htm >>>> >>>>I wonder what it is that these agencies know that Greg and yourself don't? >>>> >>>>As for rants that you perceive to be acceptable? Well, it is quite out >>>>of line to rant when not holding all the facts. Even worse to rant and >>>>stereotype all who are enduring the same consequence when not all made >>>>decisions on the same basis. >>>> >>>>A bit like saying all Canadians who choose to live in Texas are as dumb >>>>as bricks. Or that all black single moms are sucking on the government >>>>welfare teat. Maybe there are extinuating circumstances that rip such >>>>rants to shreds under even the most simplified examination. >>>> >>>>Todd Swearingen >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>Garth & Kim Travis wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>>Greetings, >>>>> >>>>>I am wondering, are Greg and I the only ones that feel frustration with >>>>>people who don't care about their lives, then expect someone else to >>>>> >>>>> >>pick >> >> >>>>>up the pieces? >>>>> >>>>>Greg has not condemned anyone who tried to help themselves, just >>>>> >>>>> >>those who >> >> >>>>>don't. I can remember my parents being irate with a neighbor when >>>>> >>>>> >>we were >> >> >>>>>growing up for the same kind of behavior. There was a broken water main >>>>>and it flooded the basements of the houses. The one guy on the >>>>> >>>>> >>>street that >>> >>> >>>>>was always bragging about his new toys, was the one that didn't have the >>>>>money to fix his house, because he didn't pay his insurance premiums. I >>>>>mean, who expects a flood in Calgary, Alberta, Canada? I am afraid they >>>>>were not very polite when someone came canvassing for money to >>>>> >>>>> >>>help the guy. >>> >>> >>>>>How about: God helps those who help themselves? >>>>> >>>>>I don't see that a rant against people who have endangered >>>>> >>>>> >>themselves and >> >> >>>>>others is out of line. >>>>> >>>>>And yes, I have already donated help and I am working on more for the >>>>>people of Louisianna. >>>>> >>>>>Bright Blessings, >>>>>Kim >>>>>At 03:54 PM 9/1/2005, you wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>>I'm sure that there is a percentage of people who have exercised poor >>>>>>judgment. Who hasn't exercised poor judgment? The irony here is how you >>>>>>express less sympathy as the suffering from those mistakes gets worse. >>>>>> >>>>>>Mike >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>Biofuel mailing list >>>>>Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >>>>>http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists >>>>> >>>>> >>.org >> >> >>>>>Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >>>>>http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >>>>> >>>>>Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 >>>>> >>>>> >>>>messages): >>>> >>>> >>>>>http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>Biofuel mailing list >>>>Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >>>>http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org >>>> >>>>Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >>>>http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >>>> >>>>Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 >>>> >>>> >>>messages): >>> >>> >>>>http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ >>>> >>>> >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>Biofuel mailing list >>>Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >>>http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org >>> >>>Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >>>http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >>> >>>Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 >>> >>> >>messages): >> >> >>>http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ >>> >>> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Biofuel mailing list >>Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >>http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org >> >>Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >>http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >> >>Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): >>http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ >> >> > > > >_______________________________________________ >Biofuel mailing list >Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org > >Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > >Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): >http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
