ÿþ<html> <head> <title>Pego's Page of Reason</title> <meta name="description" content="Personal opinions on great many issues."> <style type="text/css"> .WBC { display: block; width: 700px; } </style></head> <body bgcolor="silver" text="maroon"> <h2 align="center">PERSONAL OPINIONS</h2><br> <p align="center"><font color="indigo"><i>As some search engines at times do not detect the title page of Pego's Page of Reason, this page may load up first. Page numbering is on the bottom.</font></p></i><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">1. YUGOSLAVIA</p></h3></font> <p align="left">Slobodan Miloaevi  is one of the five biggest mass murderers of this century (see My Humble Review of the Twentieth Century). This does not justify NATO brutal intervention in Yugoslavia. Atrocities committed are not corrected by additional terror. <br> <p align="center"><font color="green">Pego's Dictum: <i><b> "No civil war has EVER been permanently resolved by an outside intervention."</i></b></font color></p> <br> <p align="center"><i><b>Pego's word of caution to the mighty of the world! It's been 85 years</b></i> (this paragraph I originally wrote in 1999)<b><i> since <a href="http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/princip.htm">Gavrilo Princip's</a>, "Seven bullets in Sarajevo", ignited the biggest war in the history of mankind. Imposed peace, arteficially created countries with arbitrarily drawn borders led to an equally horrible conflagration just a generation later, while many regional conflicts continue to flare up intermittently to this day.</b></i></p> <br> <font color="red"><i><blockquote>GEORGE SANTAYANA:</font></i><font color="navy"><i> "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."</blockquote></font></i><p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">2. NATIONS SEEKING INDEPENDENCE</p></h3></font> <p align="left">These are the nations (or regions, if you please) that should get the independence under international supervision to avoid bloodshed.</p> <p align="left">A: Kurdistan<br> B: Palestine<br> C: Kashmir<br> D: Tibet<br> E: East Turkistan (Uyghuristan)<br> F: Nagorno-Karabakh<br> G: Nakhchivan<br> H: Texas (just kidding)<br></p><br> <br> <p align="left">Great autonomy within the present country:<br> <br> A: East Timor (1) (2) (7)<br> B: Kosovo (3) (6) (8)<br> C: Basque<br> D: Russian North Caucasus Republics (Chechnya, Dagestan)(3) (4)<br> E: Northern Ireland (5)<br> F: Transdniester<br> <br> (1) Evidently the East Timor residents don't know of Pego's Page and against my advice voted for independence instead. What followed? Bloodshed!<br> (2) Well, it seems East Timor will gain independence after all. Pego erred (oh, well).<br> (3) Pego's "favorite" leaders, Slobodan Miloaevi  and Boris Yeltsin are, (or have been), making every effort to lose the provinces. Shame on them. The destruction of Chechnya by the Russian might is unconscionable. (Now Yeltsin is gone - cannot say Pego is sad).<br> (4) We have a new Russian President. Well, gospodin Putin, you are continuing in the Chechnya genocide. Memento Afghanistan!!! You do remember Afghanistan, don't you? I know those mothers crying over their dead sons do.<font color="green"> Pego's Page is consistent in opposing brutality as a state policy EVERYWHERE and by EVERYBODY.</font><br> <br> ACT II. Recent acts of terrorism by Chechens targeting civilians (as well as their call for establishment of "Islamic Republic" under Shari'a law) have reduced Pego's sympathy for their cause rather significantly. Massacres of children removed any of my remaining sympathy for their cause.<br> ACT III. President Putin s consolidation of power brings to mind the reign of the czars. Can we expect Czar Vladimir coming soon? There has not been Vladimir for a long time. For those unfamiliar with the East Slavic history, <a href="http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/saints/vladimir_prince.htm">Prince Vladimir</a> established Christianity as Russia's state religion in the Xth Century.<br> <br> (5)<font color="green"> Pego salutes George Mitchell and leaders on both sides of the ancient conflict. There may be peace in Ireland after all.</font><br> (6) It is becoming apparent that the best solution for Kosovo might be its independence with some modifications of the borders and international assurances of the safety of the Srb (and other) minorities as well as precautions, so the province would not merge with Albania. This is, however, totally unacceptable to Serbia, primarily based on <a href="http://www.kosovo.net/kosbitka.html">historical and religious tradition of Kosovo</a> (just a reminder that the present Albanian majority in Kosovo is Muslim, legacy of the dreaded Turkish occupation of southern Europe for centuries).<br> (7) Continuous violence, assasination of high government officials makes one question the wisdom of quick independence. Perhaps Pego did not err that much, after all (2).<br> (8) Kosovo declares its independence without modified borders and many remaining questions for the future of its Serb minority's future. Pego has mixed feelings and many nagging questions about it. How, exactly, does Kosovo differ from Bosnia, Basque, numerous ethnic enclaves in the Caucasus, Sri Lanka, etc., etc.? How long can NATO maintain their "peacekeeping" presence there? What will happen after they leave?<br> </p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">3. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS</p></h3></font> <p align="left">The idea of economic sanctions (the way I understand it) is to bring down a despotic or otherwise disagreeable government.<br> Facts?<br> Fidel Castro is still in power after nearly 50 years of economic blockade, more than 10 years after the fall of the Soviet Union, while the country is in shambles. <i>(3)</i><br> Saddam Hussein is thriving after more than a decade of sanctions, while the country is desperate. <i>(2)</i><br> Slobodan Miloaevic continues to rule, while the country cannot rebuild from the devastation. <i>(1)</i><br> Do I need to say more?<br> <font color="green">Pego is asking the powers that be:<i> "Why, please, why?"</i></font><br> <br> <i>(1)</i> Well, Slobodan Miloaevic has been removed from power. There is no doubt that the sanctions had nothing to do with his fall.<br> <i>(2)</i> Just like Slobodan Miloaevic, Saddam Hussein has been forcibly removed from power. Evidently, 13 years of sanctions had no effect.<br> <i>(3)</i> Fidel Castro has voluntarily given up power. What will happen next? The will of Cuban exiles or reason?</p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">4. NATIONALISM/PATRIOTISM</p></h3></font> <p align="left"><font color="red"><i><blockquote>SAMUEL JOHNSON</i></font> (quoted by Boswell): <font color="navy"><i>"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."</blockquote></i></font><br> A corollary question: <p align="center"><b>Who is a real patriot? The one who pounds his chest draped in the flag or the one who quietly works for the betterment of his community?</b></p><br> <br> Pego's ideas for a civilized state (obviously not original thoughts, just my concept of how DEMOCRACY should work):<br> <br> A. All citizens have equal rights regardless of their ethnic or national origin, religion, origin of birth or sexual orientation.<br> B. Free speech of individuals and the press. NO censorship by the State regardless how offensive the speech might be.<br> C. Separation of church and state. <i>(1)</i> <br> D. The language of the majority is the official language of the country. The minorities learn the language of the nation.<br> E. All instruction in schools is conducted in the language of the majority. Assistance in the second language may be offered by the State, but should not be a requirement (right).<br> F: "E" is equally applicable to the affairs and documents of the state. <i>(2)</i><br> G. Religious instruction in public schools is allowed to all students equally. It would be provided and financed by the appropriate religious institutions. There would not be a State mandate for the students to participate in such instruction, nor would such a grade be included in the official report card. <i>(3)</i><br> H. Protection of the rights of minorities is the bedrock of democracy. All minorities, ethnic or religious, have the right to form political parties, publish newspapers and books not subject to state censorship.<br> <br> <i>(1)</i>There is a lot of misunderstanding of what "separation of church and state" truly represents, even by people, one would expect to be better informed. Let me try to make a brief, simple outline. First of all, people assume, incorrectly, that the intent is for the State to be insulated from the church. That is not the case. Primary intent for the wall of separation is to protect smaller (weaker) churches from the tyranny of the majority church. There are many examples of that happening around the world. Below I shall list the three principal points of separation, as I understand it.<br> <blockquote><b>a.</b> <i>All religions are free to exercise their beliefs. Nobody is forced to adopt or have to participate in the religious activity they do not believe in. That includes no organized prayer of any denomination in public schools, no prominent display of religious symbols in State buildings (courthouses, city/state halls etc.).</i><br> <b>b.</b> <i>The State does not fund any religion, nor does it collect taxes on behalf of the religious bodies. These religious bodies would also be exempt from taxation by the State.</i><br> <b>c.</b> <i>The State stays away from internal affairs of the churches while the churches stay out of the affairs of the State. This means that the State does not prescribe how to pray, the church' pastors do not prescribe how to vote.</i></blockquote><br> People belonging to a majority religion commonly have difficulty understanding that the organized displays of their religion have chilling effect on the religious minorities. They are automatically excluded regardless how forceful (or gentle) the display might be. Remember, in many countries around the world, the minority religions are either supressed or outlawed entirely. <br> <br> <i>(2)</i> Generous accommodation of the minorities (ethnic, national, religious) by the State is highly recommended as it reduces frictions, prevents extinction of languages and promotes peaceful co-existence.<br> <i>(3)</i> I am aware that G. is not supported by strict separationists and has been held unconstitutional by US courts.</p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">5. RULES OF CIVILIZED CONDUCT</p></h3></font> <p align="left">A. <b>You shall not kill!</b> <br> (equally applicable to the State)<br> B. <b>You shall not steal!</b><br> (not with force, not with cunning)<br> C. <b>You shall not bear a false witness!</b><br> (not in the court of law, not in the street, not at work, not at home)<br> D. <b>You shall not abuse your spouse, your children, your parents or anybody else (physically or emotionally)!</b><br> E. <b>You shall not use slave labor!</b><br> (pay living/decent wages for honest work)<br> F. <b>You shall be a productive member of the society!</b><br> (everybody works according to his abilities)</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">6. TEENAGE VIOLENCE - MORALITY</p></h3></font> <p align="left">To all of you who preach that the absence of religion (removing organized prayers from public schools, crucifixes and Ten Commandments from public places) caused the tragedies at Paducah, Littleton etc. Those of us who lead moral lives without religion resent and reject the suggestion that morality is built on religion. Nowhere did I see mentioned that any of those kids were atheists. I don't know what religion they belonged to. Most likely a branch of Christianity. But even if they were Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Satanists, Wiccans or any New Age religions, (cannot name all religions here) they are still religions with established laws of conduct. Obviously, it did not prevent those kids from cold-blooded killing. Comparing different religions, one finds certain conduct immoral in one, moral or even commendable in another one. Many religious people are immoral, many irreligious people are moral and vice versa. More on <a href=Morality.html><font color="indigo">morality</font></a>.<br></p><br>. <p align="center"><font color="green">Pego's dictum (obviously not original): <i><b>"An individual's morality has no basis in religion."</i></b></font></p><br> <p align="center"><i><b>I challenge anybody to demonstrate just one tenet of morality requiring religious conviction of any kind.</blockquote></blockquote></b></i></p><br> <br> ACT II: When Madalyn Murray O'Hare disappeared together with her son and granddaughter, the media loved to speculate about "those atheist embezzlers". Now their killer was found, tried and sentenced to life in prison. The media are silent. A one-liner in TIME was all I have seen. How is this for the supposed "hostility toward religion" in the media?<br> Follow-up some months later:<br> Now the bodies, charred and mutilated were found. Once again, with minor exceptions, the media are silent.<br> <br> ACT III: Pego wonders how many votes Al Gore lost after Senator Joseph Lieberman declared irreligious people immoral without the slightest support for such a charge. Shame on you, Senator! You did not lose my vote (the alternative was worse yet), but I did hold my nose while marking the ballot.<br> <br> Follow-up in the spring of 2003: The "alternative" was not only worse. Decisions of the past 2 years lead me to the conclusion that it was a <b>national tragedy.</b><br> <br> Spring of 2006<br> This is Pego's summation of this administritation: <font color="green"><b><i>"Deceitful, arrogant incompetence."</i></b></font></p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">7. AMUSING ABSURDITIES</p></h3></font> <p align="left"><font color="red"><i><blockquote>RENÉ DESCARTES:</font></i> <font color="navy"><i>"Cogito, ergo sum."</blockquote></font></i><p> <p align="left"> <img src="desc1.jpg" width="74" height="98"> <align="left"><font size="-1"font color="gray"><i>copied from www.philosophypages.com</i></font></p><br> <p align="left"><b><i>Ultimate oxymorons</b></i><br> <br> "Holy war"<br> "Humane execution"<br> "Friendly fire"<br> <br> <i><b>Elián Gonzales</b></i><br> <br> What amazes Pego the most is the fact that self-proclaimed protectors of "family values" want to prevent a child from being reunited with his father, just because the father lives in a "wrong" country.<br> <br> <i><b>Indianapolis ordinance</b></i><br> <br> In order to fight gun violence, the city government banned the sale (and I believe rental) of violent videos.<br> Assault weapons are still readily available.<br> <br> <i><b>Government corruption</b></i><br> <br> A high Russian government official (the name is immaterial) declared to the press (paraphrased): "Don't confuse taking bribes with corruption. There is a difference."<br> <br> <i><b>Response to religious fanaticism</b></i><br> <br> A religious fanatic commits an act of terrorism and many people including (at least) five last US presidents say: "Let's pray."<br> <br> <i><b>Iraqi transitional government</b></i><br> <br> After the newly formed Iraqi council met, some Arab governments issued condemnations, charging that it was not democratically elected.<br> Pego wonders:  How many Arab governments are there which have been democratically elected? None comes to mind. <br> (Before anybody bites my head off, Turkey is a Muslim, but not Arab nation.)<br> <br> <i><b>Muslim retaliation for "offensive" cartoons of the Prophet</i></b><br> <br> A newspaper (Jyllands-Posten) in Christian Denmark publishes cartoons of the prophet that some Muslims find offensive. So, in retaliation, they (the offended Muslims) mock the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, tortured and murdered by a Christian Germany. <br> Am I the only one who sees this ultimate irony?<br> <br> <i><b>Secularism denounced</i></b><br> <br> In the midst of sectarian violence around the globe, Pope Benedict XVI and the president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad almost simultaneously denounced secularism in the public life and education. Sectarian confrontation is evidently more suitable to both of these influential men than a rational inquiry. <br> While I am placing this observation among the  amusing absurdities , there is little amusing about it.<br> <br> <i><b>Ann "John Wayne" Coulter</i></b><br> <font color="navy"><i><blockquote>"I am more man than any liberal."</font></i></blockquote> Well, Madame (or, is it Sir?), this "sissy liberal" cried, when our old, sick cat was euthanized. You, on the other hand, obviously think that what this world needs is more testosterone. There evidently isn't enough violence already.</p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">8. NON-SENSE IN THE NEWS</p></h3></font> <br> <font color="red"><i><blockquote>H. L. MENCKEN:</font></i><font color="navy"><i> "There is always a well-known solution to every human problem--neat, plausible, and wrong."</blockquote></font></i><p> <br> <p align="left">So listening to the classical music makes you smarter!?<br> If this were the case, I would be a genius, my wife, children and a lot of friends idiots. Sadly, do I state, "this is not the case".</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">9. PROHIBITIONS</p></h3></font> <p align="left">For hundreds-to-thousands years governments as well as religious and other organizations have waged the war on drugs and prostitution. The only visible accomplishment has been creation of organized crime. Neither the use of drugs nor demand for prostitution has diminished, let alone vanished.<br> <br> <i>Pego's question: <b>"Why not progressively decriminalize/legalize it and eliminate the bottom feeders such as drug dealers and pimps?"</b></i><br> <br> <p align="center"><font color="green">Pego's Dictum: <i><b>"The more unreasonable the law is, the higher is the incidence of breaking it and more difficult the enforcement."</i></b></font></p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">10. TALIBAN</p></h3></font> <p align="left">Present rulers of Afghanistan imploring the Islamic Shari a law against idolatry destroyed ancient, 2500 year old statues of Buddha.<br> Does anybody need a stronger argument for separation of church and state as one of the essential requirements for civilized society?<br> <br> ACT II: Taliban is removed from power. Destruction of centuries of cultural heritage is irreversible.</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">11. ART "CONTROVERSY"</p></h3></font> <p align="left">It amazes me how an old, smart lawyer such as Mayor Rudy Giuliani does not understand that government censorship of the arts defeats the purpose (see above-Nationalism/Patriotism B.). Throughout history, churches called an objectionable art "heresy", the communist state called it a "bourgeois decadence", the Nazi's called it a "judo-bolshevik" abomination. Censorship of the arts creates a state-sponsored "art by commission".<br> <p align="center"><font color="green">Pego's Dictum: <i><b>"The State funding of the arts is BLIND - or none."</i></b></font></p><br> Book burning has been a time-honored tradition of censorship by political, religious or military entities. There is an undeniable historical pattern established (I am certain, somebody has observed this before, but I am not aware of it being published anywhere to give credit).<br> <p align="left"><font color="green">First, they burn the books<br> Second, they burn the authors of the books.<br> Third, they burn the readers of the books.</b></font></p><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">12. FEMINISM</p></h3></font> <p align="left">The notion of  romantic feminists" (I believe, they prefer the term ecofeminists) that women as world leaders would make this a gentler world has been proven a fantasy in the world where women have had an increased role in leadership. Margaret Thatcher, Madeleine Albright, Condoleeza Rice have not been shining stars of gentility. The basic foundation of feminism is gender equality, which is good enough for me.</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">13. MOTHER TERESA</p></h3></font> <p align="left">The saintly nun loved to humble the mighty of the world and the world's mighty loved to be humbled by her.</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">14. ANTI-GLOBALIZATION PROTESTS</p></h3></font> <p align="left">Ever since the dawn of the Industrial Age (roughly 250 years ago) people have rioted against technological advances in vain. Technology and globalization means progress. One needs to adjust to it instead of treating it as an enemy. Primitive living condition and anarchy instead of the XXIst century civilization with its technological advances, food resources and a structured State is a rather unattractive fantasy. Riots with the associated destruction of the property will not eliminate poverty or hunger in the world.<br> <br> <blockquote><blockquote><font color="navy"><i>"Dogs bark and the caravan moves on."</font></i> <i><font color="red">Bedouin proverb</font></i><br></blockquote></blockquote> <br> ACT II: As much as Pego disagrees with the goals and methods of the protesters, he abhors the use of deadly force by the police even more. The use of live ammunition by the police in Göteborg and Genoa against the demonstrators is unconscionable.<br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">15. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS</p></h3></font> <p align="left">After all moral, rational, emotional and theological arguments are debated, one principal question remains: <b><i><blockquote>"Who is the ultimate arbiter of pregnancy? Is it the pregnant woman or the State?"</b></i></blockquote></p><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">16. MARTYRDOM</p></h3></font> <blockquote><blockquote><font color="navy"><i>"Many people would rather die than think. In fact, they do."</i></font><i> <font color="red">by BERTRAND RUSSELL</font></i></blockquote></blockquote> <p align="left"> <img src="russell2.jpg" width="94" height="109"> <font size="-1"font color="gray"><i>copied from www.edinformatics.com</i></font></p> <p align="left">The greatest thinker of the 20th Century, (see <a href="review.html"><font color="indigo">My humble review of the Twentieth Century</font></a>) said it all. No additional commentary is required.</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">17. CULTS</p></h3></font> <p align="left">Can anybody explain to me the difference between a cult and religion other than the degree of its public acceptance?</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">18. SACRAMENTS</p></h3></font> <p align="left">Based on the statements of high-standing clergymen of the Catholic Church; this would be the Church's position.<br> <br> <i>Priests known to have molested children not only can receive sacraments, but also are allowed to dispense them. Murderers receive them. A politician who never harmed anybody, but votes to prevent the State from forcing women's reproductive choices is unworthy of such sacraments. The faithful who vote for such a politician are equally unworthy.</i><br> <br> Is it too unreasonable to consider this attitude absurd?<br> <br> ACT II: It seems that a priest with history of child molestation is being prohibited from administering sacraments. He can still receive them.<br></p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">19. TERRORISM</p></h3></font> <p align="center"><font color="black"><b>SEPTEMBER 11 2001</b></font></p><br> <p align="left">Ever since Herostratos burnt the Temple of Artemis in Efezos in 356 B.C.E., fanatics of all causes (mostly political or religious) have been committing wanton acts of destruction against people as well as products of civilization. All of them are on the garbage heap of history. <p align="center"><font color="green"><i><b>CIVILIZATION PREVAILS!</i><b></p></font><br> The sight of an airplane plunging into the South Tower of the World Trade Center and exploding must be the greatest single horror scene I have ever encountered.<br> <blockquote align="left"><font color="navy"><i>"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."</font></i> <font color="red"><i>by BLAISE PASCAL, theist French mathematician-philosopher of the 17th century, author of the famous "Pascal's wager".</font></i></blockquote><br> <p align="left"> <img src="pascal.jpg" width="81" height="106"> <font size="-1"font color="gray">copied from www.classicistranieri.com</font></p><br> <p align="left">ACT II: See Wrath of God in <a href="conclusion.html"><font color="indigo">Pego's Hall of Shame</font></a>.<br> <br> ACT III: Some people including President G. W. Bush have been saying (paraphrased) that "God is on our side because ours is the just cause". Pego has two questions:<br> <font color="green"><blockquote>1. How many wars have been fought where the righteous side lost (is it even possible to count them)?<br> 2. Why wasn't God on our side on<font color="black"> 9/11</font>?</font></blockquote><br> <br> A corollary question: <p align="center"><i><b>Is public religiosity an equivalent of righteousness?</b></i></p><br> <br> <p align="center"><font color="green">Pego's dictum:<b><i> "Few things are so dangerous as when people pretend that God is on their side."</font></i></b></p><br> <br> ACT IV: Ever since <font color="black">9/11</font> we have been hearing voices of "who is not with us is against us". Throughout history, the totalitarian regimes have conveniently equated <b><i>dissent with disloyalty</i></b>. How shameful that an administration proclaiming its aims to be "democracy and freedom" would use such tactics.<br></p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">20. LIBERATION  OCCUPATION</h3></font> <p align="left">As the war in Iraq looms on the horizon (this is entered on 2/16/03), just one observation. History has shown that after a triumphal welcome to the army of liberation and a short period of quiet, the occupation ALWAYS creates resentment regardless of the occupational power s motives or methods.<br> <br> Act II: After a few months of the occupation, it seems that even the above cautious scenario was too optimistic. There was no triumphal welcome, nor was there a "period of quiet".<br> ACT III: Following surprisingly successful elections, it appears that contrary to the assurances of the Bush administration, Iraq is sliding not toward the democracy, but a theocratical dictatorship.<br> ACT IV: It is November 2006 and all signs point to the nationwide civil war with multiple factions that could result in a break-up of the country.<br></p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">21. TERRI SCHIAVO</h3></font> <p align="left">Pego has two questions for all the people that raised their voices in a "rightous indignation".<br> <br> <blockquote> <font color="green">1. Would you like to live like that?</font><br> <font color="green">2. If you or your loved one is in this predicament, would you want the government make those hard decisions for you?</blockquote></font></p><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">22. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION</h3></font> <p align="left">There has been a lot of fiery rhetoric used on the subject. Tenor of those voices has ranged from extremes of people demanding relaxation of the rules to the point of essentially asking for an open border, to the hardliners promoting total elimination of immigration from the south of the border. The latter seem to favor all means necessary to achieve their goal, including deadly force. <br>Being an immigrant myself (legal, I d like to add), the subject is close to my heart. I humbly propose a few simple things that might help (perhaps mostly eliminate) the problem. It would require a lot of political will and plenty of compromise that has not existed in large supply lately.<br> <br> 1. Amnesty for the current illegal aliens, meaning: <blockquote><b>a.</b> <i>Step forward, say, within 6-12 months, get registered.</i> <br><b>b.</b><i> Get a legal permanent residency status (unless you are wanted by the law in either country).</i><br> <b>c.</b> <i>While a permanent resident, you can work legally, you are entitled to obtain health (life) insurance like anybody else; your children would be considered for any university like anybody else. NO welfare including Medicaid considerations before a full citizenship.</i><br> <b>d.</b><i> Citizenship in 5 years or so from that point after you passed the residency requirements like everybody else.</i></blockquote> 2. Relax immigration policies for Mexican citizens (multitude of options).<br> <br>3. Intensive efforts to industrialize Mexican northern states, from where most of the illegals come, so they have an opportunity to make a living at home.<br> <br> While the specifics of the above is a narrow issue of the Mexican immigration to the United States, with modifications this could, in principle, be applied to just about any country s immigration problems. Regarding the integration of multinational countries, see<font color="olive"><b> 4. NATIONALISM/PATRIOTISM</b></font> above.<br> <br> <p align="center"><font color="green">Pego's dictum:<b><i> "Quality of the society suffers and inevitably declines when ideology trumps reason."</font></i></b></p><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">23. SECOND AMENDMENT TO US CONSTITUTION</h3></font> <p align="left"><font color="blue"><i>A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.</i> </font><br> <br> I can fully understand how "a well regulated militia" would be important to secure a young republic towards the end of the eighteenth century. I have great difficulty understanding its importance in the twenty first century. The only "well regulated militia" that I am aware of today are the National Guards. They are certainly well regulated and armed. The others? Anti-government, anti-tax, armed-to-the-teeth hate groups that all decent people could do just as well without.<br> <br>As there is no chance of getting rid of the Second Amendment and I am against tinkering with the Constitution anyway, I just present this as an empty rant.<br> </p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">24. PALESTINE</h3></font> Pego's humble suggestion for possibly resolving the Israel-Palestinian endless conflict.<br> <br> 1. Peace treaty with Fatah to establish an independent Palestinian State on the West Bank.<br> 2. Negotiate with Egypt the return of Gaza to Egyptian control, just as it was prior to 1967 war.<br><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">25. TEA Party</h3></font> Of what I have seen so far, this appears to be their position. <br><br> 1. Too much government, when it comes to paying taxes.<br> 2. Too little government, when it comes to services we cherish and suppression of activities we disapprove of.<br> <br> A corollary question: <p align="center"><i><b>What exactly is a fiscal difference between a stimulus and cross-the-board tax cuts? </b></i></p><br> <br><br> <blockquote><blockquote><font color="navy"><i>"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross",</i></font><i> <font color="red">by SINCLAIR LEWIS</font></i></blockquote></blockquote> <br> <p align="left"> <img src="lewis_tease.jpg" width="250" height="190"> <font size="-1"font color="gray"><i>copied from lrts.stcloudstate.edu</i></font></p> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">26. WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH</h3></font> Reverend Fred Phelps and his flock, including children, have been picketing military funerals with chants, singing and banners such as <b>"God hates fags"</b> or <b>"God hates America"</b> for example. Their case is about to be reviewed by the Supreme Court on the principles of the First Amendment. Civil liberties organizations, so despised by Rev. Phelps have attested to the Westboro's First Amendment rights. While I am waiting for the Supreme Court's ruling and its justification, I do have one question for Reverend Phelps and his lawyer daughter Margie, representing Westboro.<br> <p align="center"><font color="green"><b><span class="WBC"><span class="WBC"><i></span></span></font></p> <p align="center">&nbsp;</p> <p align="center"><font color="green"><span class="WBC"><span class="WBC"> "Had the USA constitution been modified to reflect your interpretation of "God's law", would there be room in it for the First Amendment, defended so vehemently by those "fag-loving" civil rights organizations that you so conveniently hide behind when faced with a potential judgment of millions of dollars?"</span></span></font></i></b></p> <br> ACT II: The Supreme Court upholds Westboro's free speech rights while holding its nose.<br> ACT III: Reverend Terry Jones in Gainesville, Fl decides to burn the Quran in spite of almost universal protests, creating inevitable &nbsp;violent reprisals against innocent people by fanatical Muslims. Pego wonders, how does this differ from crying "Fire" in a crowded theater.<br> <br><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">27. WISCONSIN GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER</h3></font> There has been considerable debate of the newly elected Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker s apparent frontal assault on public unions. After observing the past two months of subsequent events, I am changing my mind. I no longer see it as an attack on the unions, but as a concerted effort to ruin Wisconsin s public education, as we know it. Facts listed below are hardly in dispute. Judge for yourselves.<br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. The only unions targeted were the teachers' ( K-12 as well as the colleges) and those of the municipal employees. Supporters of the Governor s candidacy (police, firefighters) as well as private unions were exempted.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Massive cuts to all public schools in the state.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Persistent push toward a breakup of the University of Wisconsin system. (1)<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. While severely cutting most facets of the budget, Governor Walker maintains (or possibly expands  on this I am not sure) public funding of the vouchers for private (primarily sectarian) schools, ignoring their failure to outperform public schools.<br><br> Considering the progressively increasing efforts in many states to modify public education from the principles of science and reason toward the sectarian views of natural history as well as history, the Governor seems to be motivated less by a frugal, conservative fiscal policy than by his ideology.<br><br><br> <p align="center"><span class="WBC">A friendly reminder to voucher advocates<br><br><b><i> "If you prefer sectarian over public education, please look at some Moslem countries (Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan) and compare results of their net of religious schools (madrassas) with the industrial West."</span></i></b><br><br><br> <p align="center"><span class="WBC"><font color="green">Pego's dictum: <b><i> "The best measurement of country's level of civilization is the quality of its public education."</span></font></i></b><br> <br><br> <p align="left">(1) Segregation of the Madison campus from the system is apparently not going to happen. That does not negate the Governor's attempts to do so.<br> <br><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">28. OCCUPY WALL STREET</h3></font> While Pego sympathizes with the frustration of the protesters and their criticism of the financial practices, I have yet to hear a workable suggestion for a change. Parallels with the Tea Party abound, no matter how much will each side deny it. No reasonable solutions for unsustainable status quo from either side.<br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">29. TORTURE</h3></font> In the post-9/11 world, there has been an endless debate on the use of torture, euphemized by some as "enhanced interrogation."<br> <br> Since we have a few thousand years of history of torture of all kinds with at least a millenium of good documentation of such practices, we have learned that:<br> 1. Under torture, majority of people will say anything, even when it results in their death.<br> 2. Nearly everybody confesses everything the torturer wants them to.<br> <br>Here is a brief story. As a young physician drafted to serve in Armed forces of communist Czechoslovakia, I made an acquaintance of a barely older fellow, who turned out to be an ex-spy for the West. He told me how after being captured by the Soviet counter-intelligence, he was shown a particular torture device that involved rats.<br> "Without hesitation, I told them all I knew as well as some things I did not."<br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">30. OBJECTIVE KNOWLEDGE</h3></font> For years now, some post-modernist/deconstructionist philosophers have been offering their critique of reason, just as has been done for centuries by prominent philosophers, or theologians such as Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Immanuel Kant or Ludwig Wittgenstein among others. With all due respect to these great thinkers, in Pego's humble opinion, it is all mental gymnastics without substance. Eloquent, elegant mental gymnastics, but mental gymnastics nonetheless.<br> <p align="center"><span class="WBC"><font color="green"><i>"Objective reality exists and it is knowable by a rational inquiry."</span></font></i></b><br> </p><br> <br> <hr> <br> <p><h2 align="center">SPORT</h2><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">1. INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE SCANDAL</h3></font> <p align="left">The entire <a href="http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp">International Olympic Committee</a> (including and foremost its president Juan Antonio Samaranch) should have resigned. Their unwillingness to do so is an act of aristocratic arrogance. Baron de Coubertin is turning in his grave.<br> <br> ACT II: So now, the worthiest recipient of the 2006 Winter Games is Torino. Perhaps the money of Fiat? Perhaps the influence (and money) of Tomba la Bomba? Or Primo Nebiolo's (Turin lawyer turned an athletic dictator) authority?<br> Sion, Switzerland? After the Swiss Marc Hodler blew the whistle on the IOC corruption?<br> Poprad-Tatry, Slovakia?<br> Zakopané, Poland? They have no means to corrupt us. We will just applaud them for the good presentation they made and go with wealth. Olympic ideals may go to hell.<br> Pego is disgusted, to say the least.<br> <br> ACT III: And now we have a "reform" of the IOC, which is supposed to eliminate corruption. Pego will believe it when he sees it.<br> <br> ACT IV: Just before his resignation as the IOC President on July 16 2001, His Majesty Juan Antonio Samaranch I. elevated Le Dauphin Juan Antonio Jr. to the ranks of the IOC member. "Appalling" is the kindest word Pego can think of.</p><br> <blockquote><blockquote><font color="navy"><i>"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely"</font></i> <font color="red"><i>by Lord ACTON</font></i></blockquote></blockquote><br> <p align="left">ACT V: Pego applauds election of Dr. Jacques Rogge, a true Olympian to the IOC Presidency. Finally, a breath of fresh air.<br> <br> ACT VI: <a href="http://www.olympic-usa.org/">US Olympic Committee</a> scandal.<br> As the scandal unravels and additional information surfaces, Pego has one observation. I do not recognize any names. It seems that the USOC is loaded with the business types who know how to find money and sponsors, while the athletes (real Olympians) are nowhere to be found. Sad, indeed.<br> <br> ACT VII: Jim Scherr, a former Olympic wrestler is named temporary executive director of the USOC. Do I smell a breath of fresh air, perhaps?</p><br> <br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">2. NCAA</p></h3></font> <p align="left"><b>Basketball Tournament - March Madness (Mayhem)</b><br> <br> This is one of the best (if not the best) annual sporting events in the USA. There is just one flaw. Only 64 Division I schools are invited. This is Pego's suggestion: INVITE EVERYBODY. This is the "big dance", after all. High schools and Division II-III schools are doing it already.<br> There is a few more than 300 Division I schools. The preliminary round would have roughly 120 bottom-seeded teams compete for the field of 256. From then on, it would take two extra rounds as compared to the current system. If it makes the season too long, shorten everybody's regular season by a few days. This concept eliminates hard feelings. The teams still could be seeded. The extra regional centers would attract many viewers. It is a win-win proposal.<br> <br> <b>Sanctions</b><br> <br> The sanctions imposed on about half of the <a href="http://www.wisc.edu/"><font color="red">University of Wisconsin</font></a> football team (as well as some athletes competing in other sports) are not only harsh but also absurd. The NCAA's insistence on "pure amateurism" brings back memories of Jim Thorpe's Olympic disqualification for having played semi-professional baseball and years of Avery Brundidge's despotic rule (see parallels below). College football, basketball and hockey are no longer "friendly games between students". These athletes should be paid. Not by schools, they give them the education. The maximum benefactors are the NFL, NBA and NHL. Start paying them as soon as you start scouting. Major League Baseball does not directly benefit of the college athletics that much. What about funding inner city track clubs, Golden Gloves and similar programs that truly need it instead of paying those mind-boggling salaries to even the mediocre players?</p><br> <p align="center"><font color="green">Pego's dictum:<b><i> "Nothing ruins a professional athlete's performance as much as a new, big contract."</font></i></b></p><br> <p><h3 align="left"><font color="olive">3. GENERAL SPORT</p></h3></font> <p align="left">6/16/99<br> <b>MAURICE GREENE</b>- 9.79<br> Salutante, iubilante. After 11 years, the ghost of Ben Johnson has been exorcised. No more asterisk in anybody's mind.<br> <br> 9/14/2002<br> <b>TIM MONTGOMERY</b> - 9.78<br> ....in case there was still a question in somebody's mind.<br> Summer 2004: Recent revelations regarding Tim Montgomery bring back a lot of suspicions (sigh).<br> Spring 2006: Additional information leads to an impression of total disgrace.<br> <br> 6/13/2005<br> <b>ASAFA POWELL</b> 9.77<br> <br> 5/12/2006<br> <b>JUSTIN GATLIN</b> 9.76<br> The time is subsequently adjusted to 9.77<br> <br> 8/22/2006<br> Gatlin tests positive for a banned substance and receives an 8 year ban, later reduced to 4.<br> <br> 9/9/2007<br> <b>ASAFA POWELL</b> 9.74<br> <br> 5/31/2008<br> <b>USAIN BOLT</b> 9.72<br> <br> August/2008 <br> At the Olympic Games in Beijing, <b>USAIN BOLT</b> runs an astonishing 9.69/19.30 combo, crowned by participation in the Jamaican 4X100 relay of 37.10. <b><i>Pego's Page</b></i> is declaring him the most awesome sprinter in history despite his, as yet, short career and young age. <hr noshade> <br> <br> 11/13/1999<br> <b>RON DAYNE</b> - <a href="http://www.wisc.edu/"><font color="red">University of Wisconsin</font></a> - 6397 career yards - The greatest college running back of all time.<br> <br> <br> Hey, <b><a href="http://www.skslovan.com/"><font color="blue">Slovan Bratislava</font></a></b> is the 1999 Slovak champion in football (soccer) - as it should be.<br> ...and in hockey '99 - '00 season.<font color="blue"> <i>Modrá je farba naaa!</font></i><br> ...and in hockey again '01 - '02 and '02 - '03 and '04 - '05 and '06 - '07 and '07 - '08<br> 2004 - <a href="http://www.skslovan.com/"><font color="blue">Slovan Bratislava</font></a> football team is relegated to the Slovak second division and the the club is on the verge of disintegrating. What a shame!<br> 2006 - back in the CorgoH Extraliga, where it belongs.<br> 2009 - Slovak champion again.<br> 2011 - ...and again. <br> <br> 7/10/1999<br> Congratulations to the <b>US women football (soccer) team</b> winning the World Cup. A great performance, indeed.<br> <br> 5/14/2000<br> Slovakia wins the silver medal in hockey World championship. The mighty six, (Canada, USA, Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland), watch out for Slovakia in Salt Lake City in 2 years.<br> <br> 2002 Olympic Games: Slovak hockey team bombs out at the Olympics. While the playing format had the tables tilted against them, their performance was, to be charitable, rather forgettable.<br> <br> 5/11/2002: The Slovak hockey team wins the World Championship. This time it was with the team they should have had at the Olympic Games. Pego's whole-hearted congratulations. This kind of triumph is something Slovakia badly needed.<br> <br> November 2002<br> Slovakia wins the women's tennis Federation Cup (<b>HANTUCHOVÁ</b> and <b>HUSÁROVÁ</b>). This, in essence, is the second world championship in one year. Combined with an excellent showing of the white water Canoe/Kayak team at the world championship this past summer is clearly an unprecedented sporting triumph of this country.<br> <br> <br> 7/22/2001<br> <b>LANCE ARMSTRONG</b> wins the third consecutive Tour de France. This places him in a select company. In addition, unlike many contemporary athletes, Armstrong never preached that a divine grace would prefer him to his competitors.<br> 7/28/2002<br> ....and now the fourth. Pego is hoping for more yet to come from this remarkable athlete.<br> 7/27/2003<br> Five is a charm! Is six possible next year?<br> 7/27/2004<br> The sixth one may have been the most impressive. WOW!<br> 7/24/2005<br> How about seven? Incredible!<br> <br> <br> 3/ 23/2002<br> <b>Figure skating  controversy .</b><br> First, the Canadian pair is robbed, then they are awarded  gold medals . Then the Russians protest the outcome of the ladies results (I am unsure why  it was rather obvious that Hughes outperformed Slutskaya), then at the World championship the Lithuanians cry foul, citing corrupt officiating once again. All of this has been going on for at least 80 years (together with the gymnastics and boxing). Contrary to what some people may suggest, it is possible to have clean judging in subjectively judged sports  just look at diving which has been quite clean and free of major judging scandals.<br> <font color="green">Pego s solution? <i>Get rid of all the present corrupt leadership of figure skating and gymnastics and then -only then- change the rules.</i></font><br> <br> ACT II. The rules are changed with no change in the leadership. Let's see what happens. Pego remains skeptical.<br> ACT III. At the Beijing Olympic Games, the judging of gymnastics and boxing remains atrocious despite the rule changes. <br> <br> 6/30/2002<br> <b>FIFA World Cup 2002</b><br> The best: Goalkeeping<br> The worst: Referees<br> Officiating of this World Cup brings back memories of the 1966 tournament when the referees calmly allowed the likes of Zhechev and Stiles brutally eliminate the true masters of this game (Pelè and Eusebio) as well as England's victorious goal, which clearly wasn't. A possible solution? FIFA has a membership of 204 countries, the majority of them having a solid long-standing tradition of the game. Only 32 of them qualify for the World Cup. Why not choosing the best referees from the non-qualified countries and prevent most of the incompetence as well as suspicion of motives.<br> <br> <br> 4/13/2003<br> <b>PAULA RADCLIFFE</b> runs Marathon in 2:15:25<br> Mind boggling!<br> <br> <br> 4/2006<br> Men and women of the <b><a href="http://www.uwbadgers.com/"><font color="red">University of Wisconsin Badgers</font></a></b> hockey team win the NCAA championship.<br> While not completely unique, it is still a rare accomplishment for one school to win the championship in the same sport in the same year.<br> <br><br> 10/14/2009 <br><blockquote><font color="blue"><b><i>SLOVAKIA QUALIFIES FOR 2010 WORLD CUP</blockquote></i></b></font> ...and in June 2010 advances to the second round. A 2:1 loss to the finalist Netherlands is nothing to be ashamed off.<br> <br> Pego's brief assessment of <b>FIFA World Cup 2010.</b><br> In contrast with the Cup of eight years earlier, play of the goalies was atrocious. Performance of the officiating remains poor. Not calling an obvious goal of England against Germany defies tolerance. Goal line technology for an instant replay is imperative.<br> <br> 7/28/2010<br> At the European Championships in Athletics, <b>LIBOR CHARFREITAG</b> wins the first Slovak major championship gold medal in athletics (Track&Field) since the independence.</p><br> <hr> <a href="mailto:pegospageofreason@yahoo.com"><font color="dark blue"><i>click here to e-mail me your comments</i></a></font></p><br> <hr noshade> <hr noshade> <br> <br> <a href="Pego's Page of Reason.html"><font color="indigo">Page 1 - Introduction</font></a><br> <a href="review.html"><font color="indigo">Page 3 - Review 1</font></a><br> <a href="conclusion.html"><font color="indigo">Page 4 - Review 2</font></a><br> <a href="Christmas.html"><font color="indigo">Page 5 - Christmas</font></a><br> <a href=Morality.html><font color="indigo">Page 6 - Morality</font></a><br>