If you can't rely on ancient Mayans, who can you rely on? Researchers have recently discovered that the 'end of the world' event as predicted in the Mayan calendar may have already happened. That's really not funny as I was hoping to get the last laugh on Republicans. They take over the White House in 2012, and the world ends. Sweet irony....
Of course, if it has already happened, what are we still doing here?
The Mayans may have been off by as much as 50 - 100 years, which cast doubts on their celestial milestone of events predicted in the Dresden Codex. This manuscript,which was only one of four to survive the burning by conquistador monks in the middle ages, detailed astrological events in great detail.
The Mayan calendar ends 23rd December, 2012 which was theorized to be the end of the world. It looks like the end-of-the-world theorists will have to find another ancient calendar to pin their apocalyptic hopes on. I get the feeling that the Mayans just gave up compiling a calendar.
Getting back to reality, we have a lame-duck session in Congress until 3rd Jan 2011. Representatives who failed to get re-elected have until then to make last minute changes before they turn over their offices to the newly elected, and head back home. This is a time when unpopular legislation can be proposed, passed or ignored. Whichever makes it more difficult for the incoming Congressman.
Rep. Joe Barton who famously apologized to BP for contaminating their oil with our Gulf water, compared the new Speaker of the House, Rep. John Boehner to President Eisenhower. Mr. Boehner spent (8) weeks in the Navy before being discharged, so with that background, I can understand why he could be compared to a four star general.
Speaker Boehner is instrumental in selecting chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which Joe Barton is drooling to serve on. Blatant self-serving flattery, to secure a position which enables Barton to better serve the large corporations and Wall Street bankers who finance the Republican Party.
Country singer, Willie Nelson was busted for 'pot' possession this week in Texas. This earth shattering news was on the same news page as the North Korean artillery strike on Yeonpyeong. Rattling their rusted swords, the North Koreans are taking advantage of the US being otherwise occupied, saving Democracy in other parts of the globe.
Just like Willie Nelson, the North Koreans will accept a sharp rebuke with a promise to behave in the future. Sometimes I think the North Korean leadership is smoking the same stuff as Willie, or perhaps they should be.
Intelligence services are anxiously sifting through the new revelations from Wikileaks.org. What a surprise! What kind of blabbermouths do we have running our Intelligence or Diplomatic Corps? I have my own theory on why we have, and what Wikileaks actually is.
Getting a message to your enemies through non-diplomatic or official channels, particularly if it makes them nervous, is called 'disinformation'. The CIA used this strategy during the Vietnam era Paris Peace talks. Articles planted in the New York Times citing 'close sources' made the North Vietnamese uneasy and I am sure a few suspected 'sources' ended up in a firing squad, just to be on the safe side.
If the government can shut down or control Napster, Bootleg File Share dot com, Pirate my Software etc, they could quite easily shut down Wikileaks. So why does the government give precedence to closing bootleg file sharing sites while allowing pseudo-intelligence leaks to continue?
The obvious answer is of course - I have no idea. However, they must have a good reason for it.
Can we trust the government? Of course we can... Just ask any Indian.
Across the Pond Follow 'Across the Pond' on Twitter: www.twitter.com/fraefife
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