HOCUS PHUCKUS!

It is one of the pinciples of the 'magical' arts to mask ones actions with an exaggerated gesture, something to draw away the observers attention from the performance. In the grandest tradition of the romans who would give 'bread and games' to the populus of the empire to keep them pacified, so do the olympic games, noble endevour though they are are used by our dull-y e(l)rect(ed) leaders.

And so, we have a cursory list of the misdeeds ignored by the apathetic public with the Games an expensive mirror act.

1) An offensive by the US forces on the holy city of Najaf.
So much for the 'peace for the games'. To be fair though, the local administration called for the cease fire when the US has not managed to secure a decisive victory in time for the games.

2) 'The US-Australia Free trade agreement'. More correctly called 'The US-Australia we are going to roger you so hard you'll be walking bowlegged for the rest of your life' agreement. Was listening to parliament, a reasonable amendment was being proposed 'To impose tarrifs if a product to be imported would mean the loss of Australian jobs'. Simple and to the point. Both Labour and Liberals voted against.
In essence, and this was conceeded by a number of speakers, Australian sovereignty is being traded to the US Corporations. No, not Government, unelected corporations. The same people who run ELORN, WORLDCOM and other corporate disasters will now have a direct say in our economic and social policy. Please tell me its for our own good somebody. Convincingly this time.

3)180 refugees massacred in a UN refugee camp in Burundi. Shades of Bosnia and Rwanda all over again.

The wise ones say it is not important WHAT we are told or not, but HOW we are told what we are being told. As always, look alive, look around make up your own mind.

I close with a very special message; "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.". The world, would be a much better place globally and personally, if we only tried to live up to it.