My blog has moved.

Without javascript, redirect goes to
main Acid Test page in 15 seconds.

Links to previous posts are
in the right sidebar.)

New site is http://www.molvray.com/acid-test/.
Please update your bookmarks.
I don't want to lose you!

"What is the difference between a realist and a dreamer? The realist thinks that someday a UFO will come down and hover over the UN building, and that the aliens will come out of the UFO and offer to share their technology and solve all our world's problems.

The dreamer thinks maybe we can get our act together and do it ourselves."

Russian joke [It's a joke?] cited in William K. Hartmann, A Traveler's Guide to Mars.

05 December 2006

Fiji's military coup: it's not so simple

Please see my current blog (at molvray.com/acid-test) for this post. It's filed under the same name and date in the Archives.

The material here is being stolen by a cheesy marketer as filler for a linkfarm.

posted by quixote at 12/05/2006 11:02:00 AM

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

well, I'm still going there on holidays.
flying out of melbourne on the 16th :-D

12/05/2006 9:32 PM  
Blogger quixote said...

Major envy here. Sounds like your timing is very similar to mine in 2000. I hope the checkpoints will be at the same stage of party spirit as they were for me. Leave a comment when you come back! Let us know how things were. Have a great trip!

12/06/2006 1:40 PM  
Blogger laminar_flow said...

Don;t you mean a cracker? Ask the one who started the Iraq war and those who remain silent.

12/06/2006 9:06 PM  
Blogger quixote said...

panda: "Cracker" is definitely the word you were looking for. It describes the mentality I was talking about even better than "redneck." Obviously, you don't have to be poor, or white, or from the US South to be a cracker, just as there are plenty of rednecks with every possible color of neck. I assume that's what you meant by your expression as well, i.e. that you don't have to be either black or in a woodpile to cause trouble. (And wouldn't someone in a woodpile be throwing logs rather than spanners?)

12/07/2006 11:39 AM  
Blogger user said...

quixote, your comments are right on the mark. The Qarase crew wanted to give control of Fiji's coastlines to the chiefs through a "Qoliqoli Bill" which would have ruined Fiji for travelers. Imagine the hassle of having to worry about being charged a "custom fee" every time you went swimming, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, etc. At least the Bainimarama coup has put a stop to that nonsense. I think this would be a great time to visit Fiji as all of the chicken-hearted tourists will have been scared off and real travelers will have the place to themselves. Fiji me.

12/08/2006 5:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bula from Fiji! Good to know that people are still interested in coming here. Just an insider info- RESORTS ARE CHEAPER NOW! ;)

There are other things the government was going to to apart from the bills that would free Speight and cronies from their island prison and charging people from using the beautiful natural resources- There's VAT (value added tax from 12.5% to 15%) on essential food items and everthing which is really going to affect everyone especially the poor (we have a lot of people in this category because the govt did not manage things properly from their end. Both sides were not treated fairly by the government and was showered with gifts bought by mismanaged funds near election time

Its quite friendly coup here- soldiers waving to everyone, smiling- no rioting.

Your blog article was quite on target.

Cheers!

12/12/2006 7:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are right by saying Qarase did nothing but before becoming the PM he emptied Fiji development Bank. ha! ha ! I got you.

1/08/2007 5:42 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home