The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
The human race seems to be going through a rough patch right. I mean look at the issues... terrorism, climate change, oil and water shortages, food prices skyrocketing, wars in the Middle East and Africa, collapsing stock markets, the American automotive industry falling apart at the seems and a global recession. Gee, how stressful can it get?
We look to our leaders like George W. Bush, Stephen Harper and the newly elected Barack Obama and we would hope they have the solutions for these problems, or at very least know people who can come up with solutions and delegate the problem solving appropriately. When they fail or turn out to be incompetent we get more stressed and bitter about the status quo because it feels like we gave these leaders a chance and instead they squandered it. Stress, frustration and outright anger compound the issue.
And I am not just talking about adults stressing about these things. I have seen teenagers and kids panicking about the issues too. Unless you're the type of person who doesn't care about the issues I guess you don't care. Some people care more about who wins American Idol, who's dating who and what to wear on a Friday night.
And who can blame them? Who wants to worry about the fate of the planet 24/7? Worrying about these things all the time would drive a person crazy.
I also wonder if it would give most people an ulcer. I even went and checked some statistics. In the United States ulcer rates have gone up 27% between 1999 and 2006 according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. But that can be misleading because ulcers are not stress induced. Ulcers are more closely tied to bacteria infections, diabetes and obesity. Stress just lowers the immune system, and thus stressed out people are more likely to get sick from common colds and a variety of ailments.
So the best solution is to relax. Have a spa day, go read a book or see a movie, maybe the new James Bond movie... oh wait, that has an environmental theme. The Day the Earth Stood Still? No wait, that has a war/terrorism theme. A lot of movies these days have something to say about the issues. How you relax will really come down to personal preference.
You can't help save the world if you're stressed out too much.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
PS. I give Quantum of Solace 4.5 stars out of 5. And the old 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still is also worth seeing.
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Stephen Harper: Biography & Quotes
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A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming
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Feminist Fashionista
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Water: A Human Right
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The Philosophy of Atheism
November 9th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
We are dedicating this issue to George W. Bush, the outgoing president of the United States of America.
Mr. Bush, the staff at the Lilith eZine (and indeed many people around the world) have made fun of you for 8 years or more now. Your quotes and antics are, to say the least, amusing. We may not approve of the stupid things you do, and we question your level of intelligence, but we've managed to deal with your mistakes and inadequacies during a troubling time in the world's history.
Some of us would like to blame you with the world's problems. We could saddle you with problems like global warming, climate change, terrorism and war, but that would not be fair. You didn't create the war, or the terrorism or environmental problems. You didn't create the credit crisis facing the United States either, or the corporate crime. There is a convincing argument for blaming you for high oil prices, but we cannot make you solely responsible.
As much as we hate your guts, you are just one person of many who deserve the blame for a variety of problems. We humans created these problems with our greed, our laziness and our unwillingness to change. It is mankind that will be punished for our mistakes, not you. You had the opportunity to change things for the better, but you wasted it just like the rest of us regularly do. C'est la vie.
That said, there is also the issue of your alleged war crimes, torture, imprisonment. You could be held responsible for those actions, and we won't have much sympathy for you in that situation. Barack Obama will no doubt be faced with the prospect of giving you a presidential pardon, but that will not protect you from the International Criminal Court should they decide to arrest and charge you.
We're also taking bets as to when someone will attempt to assassinate you Mr. Bush. Somehow, it seems highly plausible that someone out there is feeling trigger happy. Will we shed tears should it happen? Maybe, but they will be tears of joy. Your controversial methods are not universally liked.
My colleagues and I have created a comprehensive biography of George W. Bush's life and his time in office. We think it is a fitting end to Bush's career in politics. What will he do next?
If his father's post-presidential career is any sign George W. will be serving on the board of directors for the Carlyle Group and helping the Saudi Royal Family with their investments. Considering the price of oil quadrupled during Bush's time in office that seems like a fair bet. The Saudis must be rolling in cash by now.
With any luck Barack Obama will be able to fix the mess Bush left us with and finally catch Osama bin Laden. Bush couldn't even get that one right, could he? Oh well, he's only human.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
The Canada eZine
You Know You're A Canadian When...
The Environmental eZine
Seven Environmental Problems That Are Worse Than We Thought
The Feminist eZine
Whose Slut?
The Politics eZine
George W. Bush
GEORGE W. BUSH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Family & Personal Life
Education
Dodging the Vietnam War
Business Career
Governor of Texas
The Republican Primaries
Election 2000
The Bush Administration
Domestic Policy
Economic Policy
Environmental Policy
Foreign Policy
The Anti-Bush Movement
Alleged War Crimes
Re-election 2004
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Hurricane Katrina
Stock Market Collapse & Recession
Letter from the Editor
We are dedicating this issue to George W. Bush, the outgoing president of the United States of America.
Mr. Bush, the staff at the Lilith eZine (and indeed many people around the world) have made fun of you for 8 years or more now. Your quotes and antics are, to say the least, amusing. We may not approve of the stupid things you do, and we question your level of intelligence, but we've managed to deal with your mistakes and inadequacies during a troubling time in the world's history.
Some of us would like to blame you with the world's problems. We could saddle you with problems like global warming, climate change, terrorism and war, but that would not be fair. You didn't create the war, or the terrorism or environmental problems. You didn't create the credit crisis facing the United States either, or the corporate crime. There is a convincing argument for blaming you for high oil prices, but we cannot make you solely responsible.
As much as we hate your guts, you are just one person of many who deserve the blame for a variety of problems. We humans created these problems with our greed, our laziness and our unwillingness to change. It is mankind that will be punished for our mistakes, not you. You had the opportunity to change things for the better, but you wasted it just like the rest of us regularly do. C'est la vie.
That said, there is also the issue of your alleged war crimes, torture, imprisonment. You could be held responsible for those actions, and we won't have much sympathy for you in that situation. Barack Obama will no doubt be faced with the prospect of giving you a presidential pardon, but that will not protect you from the International Criminal Court should they decide to arrest and charge you.
We're also taking bets as to when someone will attempt to assassinate you Mr. Bush. Somehow, it seems highly plausible that someone out there is feeling trigger happy. Will we shed tears should it happen? Maybe, but they will be tears of joy. Your controversial methods are not universally liked.
My colleagues and I have created a comprehensive biography of George W. Bush's life and his time in office. We think it is a fitting end to Bush's career in politics. What will he do next?
If his father's post-presidential career is any sign George W. will be serving on the board of directors for the Carlyle Group and helping the Saudi Royal Family with their investments. Considering the price of oil quadrupled during Bush's time in office that seems like a fair bet. The Saudis must be rolling in cash by now.
With any luck Barack Obama will be able to fix the mess Bush left us with and finally catch Osama bin Laden. Bush couldn't even get that one right, could he? Oh well, he's only human.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
The Canada eZine
You Know You're A Canadian When...
The Environmental eZine
Seven Environmental Problems That Are Worse Than We Thought
The Feminist eZine
Whose Slut?
The Politics eZine
George W. Bush
GEORGE W. BUSH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Family & Personal Life
Education
Dodging the Vietnam War
Business Career
Governor of Texas
The Republican Primaries
Election 2000
The Bush Administration
Domestic Policy
Economic Policy
Environmental Policy
Foreign Policy
The Anti-Bush Movement
Alleged War Crimes
Re-election 2004
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Hurricane Katrina
Stock Market Collapse & Recession
November 2nd 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
In two days Americans vote on the future of the world.
That is just how powerful the United States presidency is. Regardless of the advances of China's economy, the USA still has the most influential economy and the current economic slowdown in America is effecting markets around the world.
Americans have to make a choice: Do they want change or more of the same. If they do vote for change it will send a fundamental message to the world that America is turning a new page in its history books, that the Bush era is coming to an end and the philosophy of "attack first, ask questions later" will be over.
That isn't to say Barack Obama won't lead America into war. This is the United States we're talking about. They average a major military engagement every 4 years. Every president since the birth of the United States has been involved in some kind of military incursion. What will change is the reasoning behind how Americans go to war, if and when they go to war.
When the United States went into Afghanistan it made sense to remove the Taliban from power and hunt down Al-Qaeda members. But when the Bush Administration went into Iraq it was based on phony charges of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Behind that the belief that Iraq would somehow be better off without Saddam Hussein, who had brutally stamped out religious violence between the Sunni and Shia sects. With Hussein's authority gone and the USA's authority tarnished that violence has returned.
What will also change is the idea that America's economy can just rumble on without regulation or supervision. Bush has been so focused on his war on terrorism that he has virtually ignored the failing American economy, an economy that is like a central cog to the world economy and when it slows down the whole world slows down. Bush's approach to economics has been to do nothing. Just let the market regulate itself.
And so it has, with disastrous results. Banks gave out too many sub-prime mortgages, the economy faltered, houses lost their value, people defaulted on the mortgages and the banks ended up owning properties they couldn't sell because the housing market had collapsed. So now the banks own a lot of land they paid too much for and don't have the money to pay for other investment opportunities. Hence the current credit crisis.
A president who had paid attention to the economy could have spotted the warning signs and pushed for changes to the banking/mortgage industry, could have stimulated and boosted the economy and staved off a housing market collapse.
So the question for Americans on Tuesday is: Who do you think will keep a watchful eye on the economy? John McCain or Barack Obama? The world awaits your answer.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Tomma Abts
The Fashion eZine
Escada
Fendi
Firetrap
Gsus
The Feminist eZine
The Beauty Myth
The Health eZine
American Obesity Rates
The Politics eZine
Malcolm X Speeches - December 1962
Malcolm X Speeches - June 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - December 4th 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - February 14th 1965
Letter from the Editor
In two days Americans vote on the future of the world.
That is just how powerful the United States presidency is. Regardless of the advances of China's economy, the USA still has the most influential economy and the current economic slowdown in America is effecting markets around the world.
Americans have to make a choice: Do they want change or more of the same. If they do vote for change it will send a fundamental message to the world that America is turning a new page in its history books, that the Bush era is coming to an end and the philosophy of "attack first, ask questions later" will be over.
That isn't to say Barack Obama won't lead America into war. This is the United States we're talking about. They average a major military engagement every 4 years. Every president since the birth of the United States has been involved in some kind of military incursion. What will change is the reasoning behind how Americans go to war, if and when they go to war.
When the United States went into Afghanistan it made sense to remove the Taliban from power and hunt down Al-Qaeda members. But when the Bush Administration went into Iraq it was based on phony charges of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Behind that the belief that Iraq would somehow be better off without Saddam Hussein, who had brutally stamped out religious violence between the Sunni and Shia sects. With Hussein's authority gone and the USA's authority tarnished that violence has returned.
What will also change is the idea that America's economy can just rumble on without regulation or supervision. Bush has been so focused on his war on terrorism that he has virtually ignored the failing American economy, an economy that is like a central cog to the world economy and when it slows down the whole world slows down. Bush's approach to economics has been to do nothing. Just let the market regulate itself.
And so it has, with disastrous results. Banks gave out too many sub-prime mortgages, the economy faltered, houses lost their value, people defaulted on the mortgages and the banks ended up owning properties they couldn't sell because the housing market had collapsed. So now the banks own a lot of land they paid too much for and don't have the money to pay for other investment opportunities. Hence the current credit crisis.
A president who had paid attention to the economy could have spotted the warning signs and pushed for changes to the banking/mortgage industry, could have stimulated and boosted the economy and staved off a housing market collapse.
So the question for Americans on Tuesday is: Who do you think will keep a watchful eye on the economy? John McCain or Barack Obama? The world awaits your answer.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Tomma Abts
The Fashion eZine
Escada
Fendi
Firetrap
Gsus
The Feminist eZine
The Beauty Myth
The Health eZine
American Obesity Rates
The Politics eZine
Malcolm X Speeches - December 1962
Malcolm X Speeches - June 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - December 4th 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - February 14th 1965
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