The Lovegrove Lamentations!	Hell has no fury like a vested interest masquerading as a moral principle!

Lovegrove

Name: Lovegrove

Interests: Eternal and Essential Questions regarding injustice and ethics: But before I ponder what you say nigh, regarding great truths that you insist run, You must first tell me where your feelings lie, on the events in Numbers 31.
Expertise: The older I get, the more I realize that the vast amount of knowledge that has eluded me, has decreased not a visible wit.
Occupation: Pontificator extraordinaire.
Industry: Searching for meaning

Message: message me
Website: visit my website

Member Since: 9/26/2005

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Thursday, November 26, 2009

These wars off and on lasted for a century. I put this link here to assist the Americans, who I understand are trying to set up some sort of nation in the wilderness beyond Nantucket Island. So, if any son of a Brit calls you a bunch of imperialistic rascist murderers bent on expansion through genocide if necessary, just point them to this link.

Not that I would ever call you such names. Perish the thought, old chap. Toodle loo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xhosa_Wars

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My direct ancestor "Old Tom" was at Waterloo in the 23rd Royal Regiment of Foot, under the command of General Colville, so if Victor Hugo got his facts right, Old Tom witnessed this historic event.

But I do not only quote these two chapters for that reason. I do it to show the skills of Hugo himself, a masterly craftsman of the written word.

Victor Hugo “Les Miserables”

Chapter XIV “The Last Square”

Several squares of the Guard, motionless amid this stream of the defeat, as rocks in running water, held their own until night. Night came, death also; they awaited that double shadow, and, invincible, allowed themselves to be enveloped therein. Each regiment, isolated from the rest, and having no bond with the army, now shattered in every part, died alone. They had taken up position for this final action, some on the heights of Rossomme, others on the plain of Mont-Saint-Jean. There, abandoned, vanquished, terrible, those gloomy squares endured their death-throes in formidable fashion. Ulm, Wagram, Jena, Friedland, died with them.

At twilight, towards nine o'clock in the evening, one of them was left at the foot of the plateau of Mont-Saint-Jean. In that fatal valley, at the foot of that declivity which the cuirassiers had ascended, now inundated by the masses of the English, under the converging fires of the victorious hostile cavalry, under a frightful density of projectiles, this square fought on. It was commanded by an obscure officer named Cambronne. At each discharge, the square diminished and replied. It replied to the grape-shot with a fusillade, continually contracting its four walls. The fugitives pausing breathless for a moment in the distance, listened in the darkness to that gloomy and ever-decreasing thunder.

When this legion had been reduced to a handful, when nothing was left of their flag but a rag, when their guns, the bullets all gone, were no longer anything but clubs, when the heap of corpses was larger than the group of survivors, there reigned among the conquerors, around those men dying so sublimely, a sort of sacred terror, and the English artillery, taking breath, became silent. This furnished a sort of respite. These combatants had around them something in the nature of a swarm of spectres, silhouettes of men on horseback, the black profiles of cannon, the white sky viewed through wheels and gun-carriages, the colossal death's-head, which the heroes saw constantly through the smoke, in the depths of the battle, advanced upon them and gazed at them. Through the shades of twilight they could hear the pieces being loaded; the matches all lighted, like the eyes of tigers at night, formed a circle round their heads; all the lintstocks of the English batteries approached the cannons, and then, with emotion, holding the supreme moment suspended above these men, an English general, Colville according to some, Maitland according to others, shouted to them, "Surrender, brave Frenchmen!" Cambronne replied, “Merde”.

(Note: other reports say he added “The Guards dies but does not surrender”).

Chapter XV Cambronne

If any French reader object to having his susceptibilities offended, one would have to refrain from repeating in his presence what is perhaps the finest reply that a Frenchman ever made.

This would enjoin us from consigning something sublime to History.

At our own risk and peril, let us violate this injunction.

Now, then, among those giants there was one Titan,--Cambronne.

To make that reply and then perish, what could be grander? For being willing to die is the same as to die; and it was not this man's fault if he survived after he was shot.

The winner of the battle of Waterloo was not Napoleon, who was put to flight; nor Wellington, giving way at four o'clock, in despair at five; nor Blucher, who took no part in the engagement. The winner of Waterloo was Cambronne.

To thunder forth such a reply at the lightning-flash that kills you is to conquer!

Thus to answer the Catastrophe, thus to speak to Fate, to give this pedestal to the future lion, to hurl such a challenge to the midnight rainstorm, to the treacherous wall of Hougomont, to the sunken road of Ohain, to Grouchy's delay, to Blucher's arrival, to be Irony itself in the tomb, to act so as to stand upright though fallen, to drown in two syllables the European coalition, to offer kings privies which the Caesars once knew, to make the lowest of words the most lofty by entwining with it the glory of France, insolently to end Waterloo with Mardigras, to finish Leonidas with Rabellais, to set the crown on this victory by a word impossible to speak, to lose the field and preserve history, to have the laugh on your side after such a carnage,--this is immense!

It was an insult such as a thunder-cloud might hurl! It reaches the grandeur of AEschylus!

Cambronne's reply produces the effect of a violent break. 'Tis like the breaking of a heart under a weight of scorn. 'Tis the overflow of agony bursting forth. Who conquered?

Wellington? No! Had it not been for Blucher, he was lost. Was it Blucher? No! If Wellington had not begun, Blucher could not have finished. This Cambronne, this man spending his last hour, this unknown soldier, this infinitesimal of war, realizes that here is a falsehood, a falsehood in a catastrophe, and so doubly agonizing; and at the moment when his rage is bursting forth because of it, he is offered this mockery,--life! How could he restrain himself?

Yonder are all the kings of Europe, the general's flushed with victory, the Jupiter's darting thunderbolts; they have a hundred thousand victorious soldiers, and back of the hundred thousand a million; their cannon stand with yawning mouths, the match is lighted; they grind down under their heels the Imperial guards, and the grand army; they have just crushed Napoleon, and only Cambronne remains,-- only this earthworm is left to protest. He will protest. Then he seeks for the appropriate word as one seeks for a sword. His mouth froths, and the froth is the word. In face of this mean and mighty victory, in face of this victory which counts none victorious, this desperate soldier stands erect. He grants its overwhelming immensity, but he establishes its triviality; and he does more than spit upon it. Borne down by numbers, by superior force, by brute matter, he finds in his soul an expression: "Excrement!" We repeat it,-- to use that word, to do thus, to invent such an expression, is to be the conqueror!

The spirit of mighty days at that portentous moment made its descent on that unknown man. Cambronne invents the word for Waterloo as Rouget invents the "Marseillaise," under the visitation of a breath from on high. An emanation from the divine whirlwind leaps forth and comes sweeping over these men, and they shake, and one of them sings the song supreme, and the other utters the frightful cry.

This challenge of titanic scorn Cambronne hurls not only at Europe in the name of the Empire,--that would be a trifle: he hurls it at the past in the name of the Revolution. It is heard, and Cambronne is recognized as possessed by the ancient spirit of the Titans. Danton seems to be speaking! Kleber seems to be bellowing!

At that word from Cambronne, the English voice responded, "Fire!" The batteries flamed, the hill trembled, from all those brazen mouths belched a last terrible gush of grape-shot; a vast volume of smoke, vaguely white in the light of the rising moon, rolled out, and when the smoke dispersed, there was no longer anything there. That formidable remnant had been annihilated; the Guard was dead. The four walls of the living redoubt lay prone, and hardly was there discernible, here and there, even a quiver in the bodies; it was thus that the French legions, greater than the Roman legions, expired on Mont-Saint-Jean, on the soil watered with rain and blood, amid the gloomy grain, on the spot where nowadays Joseph, who drives the post-wagon from Nivelles, passes whistling, and cheerfully whipping up his horse at four o'clock in the morning.

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

If you had the opportunity to change careers, would you? What would you choose?

Updates: I am working on improving the following text, so any suggestions for improvement will be welcome and replied to here briefly, whether accepted or not.

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How would I change Career? Well, I may have misinterpreted the intention somewhat as is my wont …

Both regimes would be declared defunct and the peninsula declared a united socialist democratic commonwealth. Temporary revolutionary government would be formed until the emergency period is over (that is, the inevitable chaos of the initial revolutionary period and armed opposition is subdued). Revolutionary forces will move to sensitive locations and all points of entry in case of foreign intervention. All previous regime regular military forces will be granted amnesty if they join the revolution, exceptions being certain declared culpabilities.

The Reign of Terror will begin. Kim-Jong-il will be declared an outlaw, guillotined in the main square of the capital and his remains thrown into shark infested waters. The Reign of Terror will then end.

As soon as sufficient military officers and senior NCOs have joined the revolution, local revolutionary militias will be brought under regular military command and discipline for the duration of the emergency.

All national debt payments will be put in abeyance until studied publicly as to their moral legitimacy. All private movement of monies or valuables abroad would be forbidden during the revolutionary period.

Refugees will be given humanitarian assistance and examined as to identity. Those permitted to leave will be assured of welcome return on declaring loyalty as due from any citizen.

The Republic of Cuba will be invited to advise on how to formulate and finance essentials such as free universal health care, education, accomodation, sustenance, power utilities and citizen defence, as guaranteed by full right of citizenship.

Friendly nations may be requested to assist in the struggle against counter-revolutionary forces (contras); and in maintaining civil order and distributing humanitarian aid.

Contras captured will be treated as POWs. Excepting certain culpabilities, lower ranks and junior officers will be given the opportunity to publicly declare for the Revolution. On doing so, they will be pardoned. Contra senior officers will be examined as to culpability and kept imprisoned for the emergency.

Once civilian government is established, Contra forces will be given a specific date to surrender or leave the country. After that date, active contra units will be declared outlaws.

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The United Nations would be approached to confirm neutrality and non-intervention as well as to provide necessary assistance to the civilian population during the revolutionary chaos.

Forces of neutral nations will be ordered to remain in barracks and to avoid contact with contras. Foreign neutral civilian workers may continue and be accorded all safety and assistance. If they prefer to leave and there are no national replacements, they will be offered attractive remuneration to stay and train national replacements.

Where neutrality and non-intervention is refused or ignored, such nations will be declared hostile. Hostile forces within the country will strictly remain in barracks or on embassy compounds and avoid contact with contras. No interference will occur if that directive is heeded. Disobedience will be considered an act of war and an attempt to manoeuvre in preparation for battle and reacted to accordingly.

Civilians of hostile nations will be escorted to their national forces barracks or their embassy compound. Hostile forces will be approached to surrender to be accorded POW status and treatment as to the Geneva Convention and under Red Cross surveillance.

When agreement is reached as to neutrality and non-intervention, assistance will be given to evacuate foreign nationals en totum as required.

An exception will occur whether hostile or not. American forces guarding nuclear weaponry will be requested to remain in situ in order to protect them during the chaotic revolutionary period. Regular revolutionary forces will be assigned to assist in protecting such sites. Agreement will be sought to remove such weaponry once national stability has been attained.

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Internationally recognized human rights will take precedence over personal or group conviction. The state is secular but freedom of religion will be guaranteed within clearly defined legal limits. Examples of existing religious or cultural practices that will conflict with lawful limits include:

(a) Ritual slaughter of animals not in conformity with national methods of slaughter.

(b) Covering of any part of the face in public will be strictly forbidden.

(d) Enforced marriage, concubinage or other practices involving sexual activities.

(e) Taking a minor abroad for any reason without special state permission.

(f) Mutilation of the body of a minor or an adult. The strict exception will be male circumcision which would require the appropriate medical staff in attendance.

(g) Refusal of general medicinal practices for infants or otherwise dependent persons.

(h) Refusal of subjects in the national curriculum to minors due to personal belief.

(i) Making personal or orgnisational financial gain for any reason on the basis of uncertifiable promises.

(j) Making uncertifiable mudane claims, eg, one may claim that certain belief will earn eternal life but not that one will gain earthly riches.

Private organisations will be required to produce a constitution of belief and intent and be registered. No Registered Private Organisations (RPO) will be tax exempt. All remunerations and other finance paid to any RPO will be declared and taxed if applicable. Specific changes may be applied for within the law from national practices, such as peculiar holy days or extracurricular studies for children.

Secret societies will be illegal. They will be required to register and be open to scrutiny. RPOs with international branches or headquarters will be forbidden to send finances abroad as will all citizens, unless special permission has been obtained.

Existing RPOs such as churches and political parties will be permitted to meet openly as usual but preaching against the revolution will be illegal. Where suspicion emerges as to possible fraud or coercion of RPO members or others, the state will retain the right to withdraw registration. All reception of monies by RPOs from members or otherwise will be declared to the authorities.

An RPO is open at any time to lawful scrutiny. In the case of suspected fraud, this may be carried out at any time on a judge’s warrant.

Any promise given in exchange for finance or its equivalent in act or product, must produce certifiable results.

Any promise than involves medical related issues must be certifiable and registered, which registration would involve scientific review under scientific method.

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All schooling within a national curriculum will be free up to and including the highest level attainable by the individual. Higher education will be allowed some freedom as to direction but will be according to national need as decreed. Study beyond national requirements will be permitted but state financial support may be limited.

Individual talents will be sought and encouraged. Those showing particular talent in any subject will be assigned to specialised schools and colleges from an early age.

The predominant national language as well as one other major world language of choice will be compulsory. In designated indigenous minority areas, the minority language and culture will also be designated subjects. Study of immigrant languages and culture will not be supported by the state but will be permitted as extracurricular studies.

Minority cultures with specific educational problems, such as travellers (“gypsies”) will have their peculiar problems dealt with sympathetically. For example, travellers (“Gypsies”) will be assigned either teachers from their own culture to travel with sufficiently large groups, or boarding schools will be established for Traveller children at normal schooling age to learn the basic compulsory subjects. Where possible, minority children will be provided teachers from their own culture. Traditional traveller sites will be maintained or replaced as national need requires.

Those graduates successful at higher education will be obliged to remain in the country and work at their profession for a designated number of years to repay the nation for their education.

Additional subjects such as specific religions, other minority languages and other cultural practices may be taught as extracurricular subjects and will be paid for by the state up to a clearly defined limit.

Private schooling for children will be permitted on a part-time basis, such as the weekend.

Sport will be encouraged according to choice.

Adult studies will be permitted for any subject as long as the subject and intent is not to subvert the national peace. Further adult education will be free at source.

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Excepting certain catagories of criminal culpability, in the tradition of the revolution fo South Africa, previous regime members will be granted amnesty on public confession and the return of ill-gotten gains.

All trials and treatment of prisoners during the revolutionary period will be open to international observation. All members of the political, commercial and security elites suspected to be in possession of ill-gotten gains would be arrested and invited to share their financial information. Violence towards prisoners will be forbidden. Each will be placed on trial to ascertain the truth of such suspicions. Even if found guilty, they may obtain pardon if they return their ill-gotten gains.

Amnesty will be given to contras if they surrender to revolutionary forces under international observation. They may accept the revolution or be expelled from the country.

Arbitrary revenge and punishment by local militia will be declared "mob rule" and a crime. Previous regime members arrested for serious political or social crimes will receive fair trial under the observation and guidance of respected international courts. The existing code of law will be examined and raised to international standards.

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A constitution will be drawn up in public debate by national and invited international intellectuals, using international historical examples. Freedom of thought, expression and conscience will be declared human rights. Immediate equality under the law will be declared for all citizens regardless of race, age, gender, sexual preference, beliefs or cultural minority. Special needs, such as for the handicapped or minority cultures and languages will receive national assistance. The vote will be a birth right of all citizens over 18 regardless, including convicted felons and the declared insane.

Non-citizens within the national borders will be granted all human rights ascertained by international accord.

Government will be developed according to international standards of trias politica: the separation of powers into executive, legislative and judicial branches.

The executive will be divided into two independent elected offices: president and prime minister. The president will be chosen by national election for ten years, the Prime Minister elected by his or her legislative colleagues for four years. Any citizen who can gather 100,000 signatures may also apply to be a presidential candidate.

The president will be head of state and the prime minister head of government. Each will have the power to dismiss the other and call for a relevant election within a set time period. The president will also have the power of executive decision over impasse between the upper and lower house.

The prime minister will form a cabinet of ministers with portfolios and responsibility for specific tasks. The cabinet ministers will only be chosen from amongst elected legislative members. The legislative will be known as the Elected or Lower House.

An Appointed or Upper House will consist of all High Court judges; twenty respected long-term legislative members who will forego their seats in the Lower House; twenty senior professors of law, ethics and social philosophy as elected by their peers; the nominated head of each major religious group and a nominated member of each minority group over a designated number; One member directly elected from each designated national region.

All laws passed by the legislative will pass through the upper house for approval. If refused, the reasons will be declared publicly and the law returned to the lower house for reconsideration.

Socialist council democracy and aforesaid public ownership of nationalised properties and other revolutionary changes will be declared the unalterable basis of government.

Soviets (local elected councils) will replace previous local authority. Local representatives will be elected to soviets of ever greater regions until a national soviet legislative is formed.

The legislative will then nominate at least three candidates for president for a ten year period in a national presidential election.

The legislative will then choose from amongst themselves a Chair who will preside over business and maintain order in the chamber. No member of the executive or the judiciary will take part in the choice of Chair. The Chair will remain in post for five years and may only be removed by majority vote strictly within the legislative alone.

In the judiciary, courts will exist in the local districts, regional districts and the High Court. High Court decisions will be made according to interpretation of the constitution and previous judicial decisions and will consequently pass into law. Lower court judges will be elected from amongst and by the legal fraternity. High court judges will be elected by lower court judges.

An application may be made to the judiciary by any citizen to dismiss any elected official or manager. In the case of that accused official being a member of the judiciary, the application may be made to either the executive office or the legislative. All such applications will be registered and kept on public file to any citizen enquirer.

The right to grant immunity from prosecution will only be held by high court judges and only in criminal cases where satisfactory confession is made and the individual can satisfactorily turn state evidence against other culprits.

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All property and assets in excess of reasonable personal or group use, the means of “production, distribution and exchange” will be nationalized. The latter grouping will include medium to heavy industry; all land; transport except personal vehicles; the essential energy sources of gas, electricity, water and oil or oil products; supermarkets; all banks and insurance companies. The stock exchange will be closed.

Ownership of any national property by international interests, beyond that of personal use at the same level of citizens will be illegal.

Compensation for nationalised assets will be considered where moral previous ownership is agreed. Precise records will be kept of all affected assets for possible compensation.

Nationalised assets will be placed under the control of existing, appointed or elected managers whose positions will depend on their success. Managerial independence of action will be guaranteed under normal circumstances and central government interference kept to a minimum. Results will matter.

Entrepreneurship will be encouraged supported and guaranteed profits after accrued government debts to a mutually agreed ceiling. From that point, the entrepreneur will become a paid senior manager of his enterprise under normal limitations and expectations.

Foreign industrial and agricultural managers and farmers will be invited by attractive remuneration in order to train national replacements.

National managerial staff, police, security and military will remain in situ and assured of amnesty if not criminally culpable. Members of essential services will remain in post for the duration of the emergency.

Salary levels will be publicly legislated by and categorised. Salaries will be deliberately low and there will be no income tax. The number of categories and the differences of reward between categories (established at 10%) will remain static. If one category changes, so does every other category. National legislators will be in the highest category and forbidden to change their own reward except by national referendum. Salaries will match the cost of production of essentials.

Placement within category will depend on the essential and difficult nature of the post as well as the length of education required. For instance, miners will be included in the same category as doctors and engineers.

The lowest level will be at least the long term healthy unemployed and convicted felons. The second level will consist of at least the short term unemployed, unskilled workers and students. The unemployable such as the severely handicapped or long-term sick will be placed within a special middling category and receive all necessary assistance to health and mobility as a right of citizenship. Another special category will be the self-employed, whose reward will depend on personal success but not rise about the highest category.

Agricultural establishments over a certain size ("farms") will be required to focus on traditional local crops for two reasons: to make the country as independent as possible on essentials; and traditional local foods are known to be successful. Agricultural managers can experiment with other crops up to a designated percentage of farm land.

Agricultural establishments under a certain size (" plots") may do what they will as long as the rent is paid. Such will be considered as entrepreneurs as mentioned elsewhere.

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All media will be independent at editor level. Information to the public will be divided between News and Entertainment. Each will be strictly divided. Media aimed at adults will be completely without censorship but open to libel. All media will be divided between that for adults and children. Media aimed at children will be strictly regulated. Newly created media by individuals will be treated on the level of entrepreneurship as mentioned elsewhere. No more than one media source can be owned by an individual or any company associated with that individual.

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An amnesty will be granted immediately to all prisoners of conscience and to petty felons convicted of victimless crimes. Remaining prisoners plus all inmates of psychiatric wards will have their cases re examined under international observation. All inmates of prisons and psychiatric institutions will be declared wards of the court and ill-treatment declared a crime under international standards, torture being specifically forbidden.

Corporal punishment will be introduced, primarily as “short, sharp, shock” treatment for first offenders for relatively petty crimes as an alternative to prison. It will be clearly and nationally set as to precise crimes affected, the exact type and level of corporal punishment and according to age, gender and infirmity. Local police and judges will have discretion as when to utilise the facility.

Prison confinement itself will be considered sufficient reward and specific punishments for misbehaviour etc will be according to strict legislation. Healthy outlets, re-education and viable job training will be considered essential to assist felons to be released as useful citizens. The protection of vulnerable prisoners from other prisoners will be the responsibility of the state. The Red Cross will have carte blanche to interview inmates at will and report publicly on perceived abuses.

Capital punishment will be restricted to legally sane adults over a defined IQ level, committing:

* Clearly defined treasonable activities in time of declared war or national emergency.

* Committing, ordering or intentionally assisting in premeditated murder.

* Dealing in illegal dangerous narcotics or derivatives thereof over specific amounts.

The status of “outlaw” would be introduced regarding:

* Individual habitual violent criminals (aka bandits).

* Members of recognised crime organisations (aka gangsters).

* Members of recognised organisations utilising indiscriminate civilian attacks (aka terrorists)

* Fugitives involved in crimes drawing capital or mandatory natural life sentence.

* Causing death or permanent serious disablement in the course of illegal activy for financial gain.

Outlaws, clearly recognised, may be shot on sight by security personnel. If captured, they will be accorded lawful treatment as ordered for captured criminals and delivered for trial.

Foreign groups or individuals known to be targeting nationals or in time of peace for whatever reason will be declared outlaws and hunted down by Special Forces.

Natural life imprisonment will be mandatory for specific crimes such as:

* Banditry (habitual violent financial crime).

* Being an established member of a recognised serious crime organisation.

* Terrorism - being a member of an organisation attacking civilians in peace time.

* Premeditated permanent serious disablement.

* Causing death or permanent serious disablement by neglect (eg., speeding or drunken driving).

* International arms trade without government approval.

* Serious corruption in high-level political or national life.

* Fraud that hinders the scientific medical treatment of a person, resulting in death or serious illness.

* Slavery - serious coercion and confinement of persons without due process of law.

* Participating in acts that infect others knowing one has a fatally infectious disease.

* Repeated serious sexual crimes.

* Rape and Grievous Bodily Harm will be accounted the same offence and receive ten years on the first offence. Second offence will receive Natural Life imprisonment.

* Those found criminally insane, violently unpredictable or offending paedophiles will be placed in secure institutions for the remainder of their natural life or until found sane or harmless by relevant tribunal after relevant sentence has been served.

All sexual acts between consenting adults will be declared legal with the exception of causing serious harm. Prostitution will be declared legal and designated as self-employed and subject to tax. Any coercion for any reason that includes financially gain will be considered slavery.

Assisting in a suicide will be a crime. Intending suicides can apply for assistance from the state under strictly defined medical reasons, e.g., incurable painful illness, and the decision will be made by the high court.

Abortion will be free by the state as a medical procedure. Mothers-to-be will be encouraged to go to full term and the child will be adopted by the state if the mother so deigns. However, on the second abortion or adoption, if not for clear medical reasons, the woman will be sterilised. Illegal abortionists will be charged with infanticide which will incur a life penalty.

All practitioners of medical related activities must first be licensed by the National Medical Council.

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Other nations as well as respected aid agencies such as the Red Cross and Medecins sans Frontieres will be invited to offer humanitarian assistance during the revolutionary crisis and the aftermath. The agencies will be granted carte blanche to move and report to the authorities and the international community as to perceived abuses of human rights.

All existing international treaties will be examined as to their benefit to the people.

Commerce will be offered to all nations who accept the revolution and agree to mutually agreed fair trade practices.

Nuclear development for military purposes will be declared illegal but the development of nuclear power for national consumption will be approached within the guidelines set by respected international bodies.

Anyway, that is what I would do if I had the opportunity to change Career.

I just answered this Featured Question; you can answer it too!

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This is an excellent post that in a nutshell, supports the notion of index linking a maximum wage with a minimum wage. It has my vote and always has. Have a read of the post concerned:

http://eccentrique.xanga.com/716088534/a-new-approach-to-economic-equity/

Sunday, 08 November 2009

A new approach to economic equity

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Monday, November 09, 2009

The following is the first clip of twelve clips on youtube, as the title says, refuting the Zeitgeist "documentary" comparing bible stories and claims to other ancient pantheons.

Zeitgeist Refuted Final Cut (Part 1/12)

It is by a self confessed Christian but it is not done with that irritating young earth approach and so far, has not claimed that therefore Christianity is correct. It is just pointing out the often childish errors in Zeitgeist, revealing a lack of nous to say the least. My favourite error in Zeitgeist is mentioned at the beginning of this piece, and that is the amusing comparison of homophones "sun" and "son" to "prove" the comparison of Jesus to ancient sun gods that cannot be made in other languages. That claim in Zeitgeist brought tears to my eyes and cheered me up no end.

If this refutation makes ridiculous claims on the "sun , son" level, I'll let you. However, so, far, this refutation is carried out on a higher level of research than Zeitgeist revealed, quoting for example, present-day Hindu scholars regarding the story of Krisna.

I recommend this series of clips to Chriistians, to show that their militant opponents can be as ignorant as field mice as to the facts of what they attack. I also recommend this series to atheists to show that they must take care not to believe something just becasue their premise is similar to what they believe themselves. After all, one main argument against religion is the lack of facts, so be consistent.

All in all, it is an interesting refutaion, stating in some cases the obvious, such as the "sun" "son" comparison, but which need to be revealed to order to show the drastic lack of scholarship in the original.

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