Painful Irony

JasonMR — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:53:00 -0500

Australian immigration officials handed him over to Chinese immigration officials who returned him to his home city, where he was immediately arrested, beaten and tortured for "shaming" China by accusing its government of human rights abuses in articles he had written in the Chinese-language press in Australia.

Quoted from SMH article Tragedy of refugee Australia sent back.

2008 Olympics Logo Design

JasonMR — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:41:51 -0600

Ever wondered how the designers in China came up with the logo for the 2008 Olympics? Well, it seems they were inspired after witnessing a public execution.

Beijing 2008 Olympics Logo

China - Execution [3]

JasonMR — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:38:49 -0600

China - Execution [2]

JasonMR — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:37:48 -0600

China - Execution [1]

JasonMR — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:36:35 -0600

Beijing 2008 Olympics Logo

JasonMR — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:33:31 -0600

Taking Over The Planet

JasonMR — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 22:56:13 -0500

Photo by t_a_i_s.

The human race is slowly reaching total domination of this planet, as there is a difference between domination and total domination. While we already cover a few patches of this planet, there still seems to be too much nature around. And what has nature done for us, besides ensuring pain and suffering? Suggested by our apparent behaviour, and illustrated by the decisions we make in regards to development.

A proposal to build a tunnel from Russia to Alaska, will mean a far more radical change to the environment of Alaska, than most can currently envision. And I'm not only referring to the destruction of natural habitat. Having a direct link connecting the two continents, will radically change the economic significance of Alaska from a relative unimportant state to a power house.

Image of some nice art work
by Zhan Wang.
A creative depiction of Bejing.

Environmental concerns are going to be drowned by the calls for jobs, energy, and development. And I'm certain, that lessons learnt from past mistakes will surely be forgotten and repressed, as cost reduction is what drives profits, and profits drive social change.

Further drilling for oil in Alaska might have been stopped by the US Senate in 2005, but as all involved knew and know, that wasn't the last we were going to hear of such an enterprise. Too tempting are the siren calls of profit. Sustainable development takes time. More than elected officials have to ensure re-election. With the majority of us humans solely concerned with survival, especially at a comfort level regarded as common in the collective, the electorate will rather follow the "we need jobs and economic prosperity" argument. "We need to live in harmony with our environment" is just not sufficiently compelling, leaving an impression of putting nature before humans. And as a species we are determined to ensure our short term existence only. The future will be taken care of by adaptation and developmental progress. Which is not a belief, nor knowledge gained through experience, but our primal instinct.

Current concern for the environment, is nothing but a "global warming fashion". It will pass by, just as every other guilt driven polit-fashion has.