Syria just changed over to the euro: I want to change to euros too!

Syria just changed over to the euro: I want to change to euros too!
By Jane Stillwater http://blogspot.com

Almost everyone in the world is really pissed off at George Bush. That man has managed to completely alienate almost the entire population of this planet -- with the possible exception of a handful of Republicans who listen to Rush Limbaugh and/or watch Fox News.

But despite all their anger, most of the people in the world aren't doing anything about Bush's pissy attitude toward common sense, diplomacy and enlightened self-interest. But now Syria has stepped up to the plate and is actually attempting to do something to stop Bush's maniacal foolishness. According to Reuters, "Syria has switched all of the state's foreign currency transactions to euros from dollars...."

Wow, this is revolutionary news! Syria is really going out on a big limb on this one by challenging Bush's death-grip on the world. Syria is putting its money where its mouth is. Syria is fed up with Bush and is actually DOING something about it.

The last country to challenge Bush by moving their currency from dollars to euros was Iraq in 2003. And look what happened to them!

In the revolution against George Bush's idiotic and self-centered foreign policies, Syria's action is a major shot across the bow. And apparently Iran plans to fire a second shot soon. And what if Latin America fires a third shot and switches to the euro too?

Put me down for shot number four! I want to convert my $285-a-month Social Security check to euros too!

George Bush had better watch out.

PS: There are other reason to go on the euro -- ASAP! According to my friend Juli, the dollar is pretty much worthless. "Holy crap!" Juli wrote me last week. "I just got a copy of the 2005 independent auditor's report on federal finances. According to him, after the GOP took over Congress in 1997, there has been no financial record-keeping and no one really knows who is spending what or how much. He says this much however, that it is illegal. He also says that the cost of operating the government has risen to $46 trillion from $20 trillion a few years ago. The IRS reports revenues at only $1.2 trillion. HAAHAA HAAHAA HAAAAA...."

Whoa. We got 46 trillion dollars going out and 1.2 trillion dollars coming in? "I call that one whopping deficit. And then they report that $300 billion has been given back in refunds. The auditor claims that much of the problem comes from no oversight and nobody keeping records. Wasted money essentially." And Bush ran on a platform of cutting down on bureaucratic government spending? Yeah right. "And another problem is that the defense department is purposefully not keeping records to hide their spending too."

Let's put it in terms everyone (even me) can understand. If the auditor's report is true, this is like finding out that your boyfriend just stole the family heirlooms. And cleared out your bank account. And maxed out your credit card. And loaned your car to a guy who runs a chop-shop. And sold your niece to a sweatshop in Belize!

We're screwed.

Maybe California should save itself from the sinking ship and seriously consider joining the EU.

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From Juli: Syria has switched all of the state's foreign currency transactions to euros from dollars amid a political confrontation with the United States, the head of state-owned Commercial Bank of Syria said on Monday. "This is a precaution. We are talking about billions of dollars," Duraid Durgham told Reuters.

...."It looks like a kind of pre-emptive action aimed at making their foreign assets safer, preventing them from getting frozen in case of any conflict," said a Middle East economist who requested anonymity. http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060213:MTFH51136_2006-02-13_22-31-29_L13432231&related=true

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Juli is also a blogger. Here is her blog address: http://justabridge.blogspot.com/2006/02/americans-need-liberation.html

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From Robert [Pakistan is potentially an even bigger shot across the bow to Bush!] Paking it in: The coming fall of Pakistan. The fall of Pakistan to militant Islam will be a strategic disaster greater than anything possible in Iraq, even losing an army. It will be a greater disaster than a war with Iran that costs us our army in Iraq. Osama and Co. will have nukes, missiles to deliver them, the best conventional armed forces in the Moslem world and an impregnable base for operations anywhere else. As North Korea's Dear Leader has shown the world, nobody messes with you if you have nukes. Uncle Sam takes off his battle rattle and asks Beijing, or somebody, if they can possibly sponsor some talks. http://www.counterpunch.org/lind02242006.html

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From OpEd News: Iran’s Oil Exchange threatens the Greenback, by Mike Whitney: The Bush administration will never allow the Iranian government to open an oil exchange (bourse) that trades petroleum in euros. http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_mike_whi_060123_iran_92s_oil_exchange_.htm

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From Amadou: I know this is a trial from Allah to all of us. First let's not point fingers at each other. From history we all know that those that hate Muslims and their messenger want us to be divided; but inchalla we will overcome this, and bring peace in this world. I know all eyes are on Muslims, but don't forget it was the same over 1400 year ago. After every calamity there is peace. To Allah we belong and to Allah we will return. Be patient, make lot of prayers....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11515193/

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From the GAO [all 154 pages of the report]: The federal government did not maintain adequate systems or have sufficient reliable evidence.... http://www.gao.gov/financial/fy2005financialreport.html

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From me: Global Exchange has a Reality Tour leaving for Afghanistan on July 8, 2006. I want to go. The only way one can find out what is really happening in Afghanistan is to go there. Please help fund my "investigative journalism" trip by joining Global Exchange ($35 tax deductable) at https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=2192. Type "Jane Stillwater" on the line that says "on behalf of". And sign up to go to Afghanistan yourself too!

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Venezuela is leading the latin American move to euros: Chavez, Oil and American anxiety: ...Chavez has endeavoured to reduce American influence over the nation's oil and economic affairs. The revenues from high oil prices and taxes collected have helped the government run a budget surplus while maintaining a high level of social spending. Currency controls imposed in 2003 have also stemmed capital flight, and now by approving the use of the euro, Chavez is taking one more step toward asserting the independence and sovereignty Venezuela seeks and deserves. As a result of these efforts, the nation's public and foreign debt are moderate, and over $30 billion of reserves have been accumulated, and are likely to rise.

By undertaking such measures Chavez has not only managed to claw back some control over the country's oil but has also ploughed back billions of dollars into social welfare initiatives thereby increasing his popularity amongst the masses. In the 28 years before Chavez was elected, Venezuelan per capita income fell 35%, the worst decline in the region and one of the worst in the world. Since the Chavez government took office in 1999, the decline has been halted and per capita income has been flat through early 2004.
http://www.latinpetroleum.com/article_5270.shtml

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From Jude: We have been invested in Euros for some years now and they are lucrative. Invest and make a few dollars. We are buying ours through our broker.

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From MA Dark: Shoot First, Avoid Questions Later By Sidney Blumenthal: The White House's secretive response to Cheney's misfire cannot be understood apart from the society of Texas royalty. The curiosities surrounding the vice president's accident have created a contemporary version of "The Rules of the Game" with a Texas twist. In Jean Renoir's 1939 film, politicians and aristocrats mingle at a country house in France over a long weekend, during which a merciless hunt ends with a tragic shooting. Appearing on the eve of World War II, "The Rules of the Game" depicted a hypocritical, ruthless and decadent ruling class that made its own rules and led a society to the edge of catastrophe. http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,401260,00.html

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From Bob regarding what the Cheney shooting has taught us: This is a post from Yahoo: Conservatives have chimed in regarding this story and from their comments I've learned the following:

1. Every conservative on the internet is an avid hunter and they've all
been shot multiple times.

2. Shooting other members of your hunting party is normal, common, and all just part of the experience.

3. Shotguns aren't really guns, just toys. You can't really hurt people with them, only animals.

4. It's standard hunter etiquette to yell and scream at your fellow hunters as they're stalking their prey.

5. The most dangerous place to be is BEHIND the people with the guns.

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From Robert [a sadly long list of the Bush bureaucracy's failures]: Who's Counting Bush's Mistakes? Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best, "The louder he spoke of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons." And no administration in U.S. history has spoken louder, or as often, of its honor. So let us count our spoons. http://www.alternet.org/story/32382/

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From me: "Life is a competition. The winners are the ones that do the most good deeds."

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From "Amy wants to go to Washington DC": Someone needs to find a publisher who will give poor sweet Mary Straitwell mstraitwell [at] yahoo.com a big cash advance so she can write this chapter. It involves going to our nation's capital. "Why would you want to do that?"

"So I can go see my Congressperson and tell her to keep up the good work!" You can do that? Just drop in on your Congressional representative or Senator and chit-chat? "Sure. In fact the office staff is usually all happy to see you. Someone from their home town came to visit? It lights up their day." And while you are there, tell your Senator to start impeaching President [sic] Bush. http://travelswithamy.blogspot.com/

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I have become shocked and amazed lately at how bitter and cynical and mean my e-mails are becoming -- but ever since Bush, Rove, Rumsfeld and Cheney bombed several defenseless countries into rubble, failed to protect my country on 9-11, scalped our treasury and blatantly STOLE two national elections, I've just not been the same. I WANT to be a kind and loving and caring person but the example being set for me by America's "leaders" has precluded that from happening. My apologies.

In defense of my country, I must fight fire with fire. Those people in the White House are NASTY.

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If you like getting my outside-the-box essays but your in-box is too full and you need a break, that's okay. Just e-mail me, say "Dear Jane" on the subject line and I will take you off my list. Thanks.

And if you get more than one copy of this, blame it on my jankity old computer!

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"Imagine a world where EVERY child is wanted, nurtured, protected and loved: World Peace in one generation!"



http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ImpeachGeorgeWBush