The Canadian Senate has approved a bill legalising same-sex marriages, following a similar decision by the lower house of parliament last month. So Canada becomes the fourth country in the world to do so. Oh well, four down, only another 189 to go before common sense prevails universally. Mind you, I suspect that some countries, such as the Vatican, are likely to resist until Hell freezes over. 

Eric, meet Mohammed.

 

I hope they will both be behind bars for a very, very long time. I doubt though whether they will ever flush the poison out of their minds.

While I’m on the subject of the Internet Archive (see the previous entry), I also must mention that it holds a copy of one of the most riveting political documentaries I’ve seen in recent years: Adam Curtis’ "The Power of Nightmares".

 

This film (in three parts) explores the origins in the 1940s and 50s of Islamic Fundamentalism in the Middle East, and Neoconservatism in America, the parallels between these movements, and their effect on the world today.

 

Curtis delivers a powerful polemic, with some arresting images and ideas – I won’t forget that of the Taleban fighters dancing (apparently) to "Baby, it’s cold outside" for a long, long, time.

 

The film, financed by the BBC, has (I believe) never been shown on the US TV networks. Why am I not surprised?

Jarndyce, over at The Sharpener blog, makes an eloquent point about the G8 and the Price of Protest. Go and read it. Now.  I’ll wait until you get back.

 

So, I hope it’s made you think. Particularly the closing argument:

It got me thinking. I donate on a fairly regular basis to AIDS charities, and, like millions of others, was shocked into donating to the Tsunami relief fund. But it’s not enough. Perhaps the answer is, as Jarndyce suggests, to sponsor a child – and contribute to his or her education and healthcare. He suggests World Vision‘s scheme. But the way that it works – in exchange for your money, you get letters and photos from some poor unfortunate child in some far-off land thanking you – always struck me as slightly icky. I much prefer the anonymous benefactor route. I’d personally also prefer to be giving my money through a non-religious agency. So, time for some research into how to do more, and do it more effectively, preferably without religious trappings. Fortunately, I see that the practical Dutch have set up an organisation (the Donateursvereniging) that has already measured the charities and aid organisations missions and effectiveness against a plethora of attributes, to help undecided donors, such as me, make up their minds.

 

The G8 leaders, as Jarndyce predicts, almost certainly won’t do a damn thing of any practical value. I really don’t know how they square it with their consciences. It’s that thought that spurs me on to take direct action via the aid agencies.

Via Dare Obasanjo’s blog comes this link to an intriguing commercial for Coca-Cola made for the Chinese market. I could understand if this had been made for the Japanese market, because the the mixing of cultural mores and leitmotifs between East and West has been going on for years, but I confess it surprised me to realise the extent to which this must now be happening in China.