new year cat blogging

[click picture]
I wonder how many Americans understand the abjection of the multitudes in Pakistan.... Just that awareness disqualifies any of their leaders from consideration for greatness, or even barely-sufficientness. It is said that maybe 30 million of its 165 million people have something approximating the average life here, and for every person dying, three or four new Pakistanis are being born. The median age of the population is 20. I guess what I want to help wedge in your frontal lobes is there are an absolutely stupefying number of Pakistani children who are completely hopelessly without prospects.

At least one Pakistani ex-official believed that getting nuked would be the only way to end the suffering of the children... the very largest demographic in the entire country. No education. Barely any shelter. Almost no food. No potable water. No jobs. No safety. No life. Seems to me anyone could come grab up as many of them as one wanted and they would very easily be trained to do WHATEVER was asked of them in exchange for shelter and meals... a sense of belonging... like gangs in our cities... cubed. I will very generously err on the conservative side and say there are a hundred million abjectly miserable kids in Pakistan right now... the number increasing wildly without slowing from the very inception of the country.

Benazir Bhutto already had two cracks at improving their lot, turning that evil tide, or even just nudging it part of a jot in a positive direction. It didn't happen... and it absolutely certainly was not going to happen this time either.

What in the hell are our politicians doing blathering about her? Telling everyone how well they knew her? Wouldn't you suppose they'd be ASHAMED to mention having personal contact with her... unless, maybe, it had been to declare her a posing old kleptocrat who should stay exiled? Oh, and, Musharraf to follow as directly as we can manage?

I keep thinking of Indira Gandhi having mobs of impoverished people bussed in to her "public appearances" with the promise of lunch if they would cheer. And people wonder if we're ready for a woman president. Pfeh.

Are Americans pretty generically boobs or what?

Fuck Benazir! Do any AMERICANS grok that democracy and dynasty DON'T MIX?



See, I'm really thinking maybe not! That's really the only reason Hillary is being considered at all... and heck if Chelsea wouldn't be the frontrunner if her mom got popped, wouldn't you agree?

What does any of this have to do with competence and fitness for the job? DON'T YOU THINK THAT ACTUAL FITNESS FOR THE JOB SHOULD BE A MATTER OF DEMONSTRATED QUALIFICATIONS INSTEAD OF EVERYBODY JUST CALLING IT THAT?

Or am I just being old fashioned again?

And is it me, or is Pakistan as close to out of anybody but maniacs to go for the job as we are or what?