aMALGAMATED tHOUGHT

  • By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press Writer ...

    Posted: January 17, 2008, 3:48 pm by M. Scott Phillips

    By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press Writer 17 Jan 2008

    Excerpt:

    "We are fighting and dying for Raila and Kibaki and they don't even care for us," said Mary Atieno, 27, as she waited for protesters to stop throwing rocks so she could collect her children from school. "Only the ordinary man is suffering."

    The above is one of the most profound statements I have read in a long time. All of the nonsense from Kibaki and caterwauling from Raila, all of the gas from pundits & etc., is put into its proper perspective by the crystal clear common sense of a working class Kenyan.

    Fact: the ruling class exists for itself.





  • Running out of steam

    Posted: January 17, 2008, 9:50 am by M. Scott Phillips
    I watched Raila on the BBC's HARDtalk.

    I completely support a person's right to free assembly. The problem in Kenya is that demonstrations are never peaceful. Certainly, with morgues around the country overflowing with bodies - bodies which are the direct result of post-election chaos - its seems that the government's banning of further protestations is reasonable. Yet, the ODM continues to play the demonstrations card. This card is further augmented by incendiary statements regarding police actions against "certain communities [sic]."

    Thankfully, this strategy seems to wearing a little thin. Not enough people, not enough smoke and chaos were created yesterday. Therefore, the ODM is reading off of a new cue card. The new arm-twisting tactic is the calling for international sanctions against the government of Kenya, aka, withholding cash.

    Just like violent demonstrations, the withholding of aid from Kenya only hurts Kenya, and particularly, the poor.

    Raila's relentless media campaign is running out of steam. He took a couple on the chin on HARDtalk. He remained on his feet, but a little dazed.

    I was reminded of my grandmother and grandfather. Their relationship was a little contentious at times. Grandpa was a military man, an army engineer, and he had a repertoire of interesting military phrases. When Grandma was being especially irritating, Grandpa would say, "Hortense, you sound like a man with a paper asshole."

    I'm not sure of the origin of this phase, but I think I understand the meaning.
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Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes

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