Friday, February 10, 2012

Mark Rutte, the coddling Prime Minister

Mark Rutte is a wimp. As in the Republican Party in the United States, the Netherlands has its racists and bigots in political leadership positions, too.

From DutchNews.nl
Prime minister Mark Rutte has refused to comment on a website set up by the anti-immigration PVV to record complaints about central and eastern Europeans in the Netherlands, the Telegraaf reports on Friday.

Asked to react to the initiative during a Thursday evening debate on the European Union, Rutte said it is not up to him to comment on positions taken by individual political parties.

New poll up today at DutchNews.nl: "Should the prime minister distance himself from the PVV's anti-Pole website?"

‎"Distance himself..."?? Well, isn't that just nice and dandy. Rutte should denounce Wilders' and the PVV's bigotry from the rooftops of the Binnenhof and the Knight's Hall and not take these people seriously (no decent person would). He should have done it a long time ago. And the media (including DutchNews.nl) should not coddle these idiots, either, but they won't because they are enablers, too.

"Strumming my pain with his fingers..."

Roberta Flack was born 10 February 1937 in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

02.02.2002 - 02.02.2012 :)

Precisely ten years ago Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Argentinian-born Máxima Zorreguieta were married.


Here is a NOS TV special about W-A & M., watched yesterday by more than 2 million people (Dutch, English, and Máxima sings a song in Spanish at about 45 minutes.)

Get Microsoft Silverlight
Bekijk de video in andere formaten.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Animal devocalization is morally reprehensible

Just when I think the human race can't get any more loathsome, I learn of a new way we've figured out to torture and mistreat our fellow beings on this planet. This should be absolutely banned, vets who do this should lose their license, and dog owners who subject their pets to this maiming should be fined out the wazoo.
The Truth about Devocalization
How is devocalization done?
Vocal cord tissue is cut using one of two methods: through a surgical incision in the neck or by inserting instruments through the mouth. The veterinarian may use a scalpel, scissors, biopsy tools or laser. The result is the same: Soft tissue is cut, subjecting animals to surgical risks and potential complications that may compromise them for life or result in a terrible death.

If you want your dogs not to bark, spend time with them and train them properly - if you arent willing to do that, consider not having pets.
Devocalization is illegal in Massachusetts and Warwick, RI. Act NOW to ban it in NY State and protect animals from lifelong suffering or agonizing death—common outcomes no matter how skilled the vet or how the tissue is cut.

When will they ever learn?

Taylor Marsh has a guest piece at Informed Comment/Juan Cole, "The Party's Over": 'There’s a reason Obama reelect doesn’t have a slogan. All they’ve got is a question: Are you in?... Pres. Obama can’t find a reelection slogan because his 2012 campaign boils down to the reality that “hope and change” has been reduced to “Republicans are worse.”' (Read her explanation here.) I don't disagree with Marsh, but she's just now realising this? Doesn't she remember the Clinton and Kerry campaigns? Establishment corporatist Democratic Party politicos have used that fear slogan before and the stupid voters just fall for it. Fucking liberals and the so-called left have only themselves to blame if they do it again in 2012.