Could it really be possible? Is Iraq in a civil war? Or are they just playing? When is this administration going to wake up and smell the shit they've been shovelling? Don't answer that...Colin Powell, former Secretary of State, and before that, Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff (shouldn't that be cheives?) and he was also National Security Advisor to Reagan. Anyways, he has kind of been the voice of reason in the Republican Party. But that should not surprise anyone. He's the most moderate man in public service aside from John McCain, though McCain is starting to look a little too red. Regardless, he's one of those rare men: he can see both sides of the issue and look at things objectively. Now, if only we could get more journalists like him. He opposed going into Iraq as we did and has even been known to call Neoconservatives "fucking crazies" (I have a source). He's pro-choice and for affirmitive Action. When he resigned from his jpb as Secretary of State, one cannot help but wonder (at least, I can't) that it had something to do with his 1) dragging his heels on Iraq, 2)stating that we needed UN backing before going into Iraq not to mention the nation's support and 3) calling neocons "crazies" even if they are. They're crazy! What do you think they will do to you?
Yeah. That Guy. By the way, check out that cheesy grin. Sort of scary that a retired General can smile like that. (Note: Do not get the high resolution picture on Wikipedia. There is no reason to see anyone at a resolution of 2400x3000. NO ONE!)Colin Powell has come out and said Iraq'a in a civil war. Just admit and move on. Current NSA dude Stephen Hadley said "We're clearly in a new phase characterized by an increase in sectarian violence that requires us to adapt to that new phase". Well, I'm glad that cleared up. Since no one in the White House will say it. It might look bad. But even Iraq's government is shirking this detail. Hadley also said "The Iraqis don't talk of it as a civil war. The unity government doesn't talk of it as a civil war". Because there is no clear grab for power or territory, its not a civil war. What the hell was the British Civil War? They fought for power thereby control of the country, i.e. territory. Ugh...
Moving on because stupidity is depressing. Fiji might have another coup. Sweet! Lets have some action! Apparently, the Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase wanted to offer leaders of the 2000 coup some amnesty. He had two bills presented to the parliament proposing that. Commodore Frank Bainimarama, leader of the Fijian military forces, was a little ticked. He asked for the MP to resign in mid October. In return, Qarase tried to sack him. It didn't work. Now, New Zealand and Australia, both a bit concerned over possible instability in the region, have arranged talks, but negotiations have been unsuccessful.
The military began "practicing" in case of international intervention. But it looks more like preparation for overthrow. And the residents know it. They are stokpiling goods and cash. Even if there isn't a coup, they may destroy their small country's banking system. Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain have expressed concern about travelling there and Australia is pulling workers out of its embassy there. Wait and see!
The case of Alexander Litvinenko (the pictures at right are him: Before and After his poisoning) gets even bigger. Let me give a brief rundown on this man. Alexander Litvinenko was once a KGB (КГБ (Committee for State Security)) agent (as was Vladimir Putin). Later, he worked for the FSB (ФСБ (Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation)). In 1998, he began making accusations of killings, extortions and so forth. Eventually he'd spend some time in prison. While awaiting trial in 2000, he fled to Turkey and rejoined his wife, Marina, and son, Anatoly. He had no passport but he managed to make it into the United Kingdom on Political Asylum. He wrote a couple of books detailing how the FSB blew up apartments to further give rise to oppositition of the Chechen rebels and help Putin win election. He became a citizen if the UK in October of this year.He had received papers from Mario Scaramella concerning the killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. She was shot in the elevator of her apartment building on October 7th. On November 1st, the day he acquired the documents, he also met with two former KGB officers. But Oleg Gordievsky, a long time friend of Litvinenko's, believed the poisoning happened at the flat of a Russian friend. He had tea there before meeting Scaramella (who has since gone into hiding) at Itsu, a sushi restaurant, in Piccadilly.
He is believed now to have been poisoned with Pulonium 210. This is a highly rare substance that an only be made in a nuclear reactor. And the half life on it assures that it was not stolen from stores that the USSR had and were easily taken after the collapse. Yegor Gaidar, a former acting Primie Minsiter under Boris Yeltsin, was found unconscious in Ireland on Novemeber 28. His health is not good and raises even more suspicions after Litvinenko's November 23rd death. A Post Mortem examination is scheduled for today and there has evidnce of radiation has been found on two British Airlines planes.
Well, I need to do some back on this day stuff. There were a lot of important things that happened through out history on this date. For example, The November Uprising of the poles against the Russian happened November 29, 1830. In 1890, the Meiji Constitution took affect in Japan. Yugoslavia became the Federal people's Republic of Yougoslavia in 1945 (aka they became Commies).
In 1967, Robert S. MacNamara resigned as Secretary of Defence amidst bungling of that era's quagmire, Vietnam.
And finally....You see that map at the top? that is the United Nations Partition as devised in 1947 for Palestine. Today, in 1947, the UN voted to go forward with partition. A month later, the Arab League met in Cairo to devise their own military solution to partition. We now have Eretz Israel (ארץ ישראל) and Palestine (فلسطين ). Someone actually asked me where the name Palestine came from. Its from the Phillistines. They have long since been gone but their name still continues.
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Yep. He went there. After Pope Benedict XVI quoted inflammatory remarks made by a 14th Century church theologian about Islam and its connection to violence, there was violent outrage in the Muslim world asking for everything from apologies to his head on a silver platter. That was only two months ago.Besides that, he's never been kind to Turkey. He is German and therefore, some of his attitude toward Anatolia may be suspect. The two territories have never had a good relationship despite seemingly being far from each other. In the19th Century as Germany developed into an Industrial power (albeit late relative to the US and Great Britain) with a large focus on finance and banking, it came into conflict with the far-flung and long-lasting Ottoman empire. It would not take a leap in insight to understand that animosity was high. In modern day Germany, there is a large Turkish community in Germany. For the most part Germans have opinions about the Turks both within the German state and without. Its like trying to find an American who hasn't thought about Mexican Immigrants and Illegal Immigration. For good or bad, everyone has an opinion.
In the past when the current pope was the Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, he also made a comment specifically about Turkey. He basically said that allowing Turkey to enter the European Union would be "a grave error against the tide of history". So than the Holocaust was....? That statement makes it sound like adding Turkey is tantamount to Thermo Nuclear war! If you think its bad just say "Hey, uh, I think letting Turkey in would be bad. All those earthquakes. The funds needed to constantly rebuild their antiquated and crumbling infrastructure would be draining. Not to mention, depressingly repetitive." Or: "Turkey has a long dispute with many of its close neighbors. Greece for one has an ongoing hostility with Turkey over the small island of Cyprus. And they can't admit they commit genocide on Armenia."
He has been called the "anti-Turkish Pope" and I suppose its understandible. And with the recent uproar, he will not be welcomed with any zeal or happiness. He is being received as a visiting political leader: leader of the Vatican, that is. His presence is being handled on a secular basis. He has also now reversed himself on his belief about Turkey. He now thinks letting Turkey into the EU would be a grand idea. Who the hell does he think he is? Oh, yeah.... He's also quoting two other guys: Pope John paul II and Pope Gregory of the 11th Century. Oy Vey!
Is there a civil war in Iraq? Sure as hell seems like it. Last week one of the worst attacks since this whole debacle began occured in Sadr City. President Bush claims it isn't a civil war. National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley claimed the reason it is not a civil war is it is "less aimed at gaining full control over an area than expressing differences and also trying to destabilize a democracy". Well, isn't that a civil war?
Well, civil war existance debate aside, lets also remember that we will be stuck in this quagmire unless we can, well, GET OUT! We need an exit strategy. In other words, we need to begin using tactics that will slowly enbale us to leave the God-forsaken place. I cannot remember who said this (it may have Henry Kissinger or Spiro Agnew): "There is only one acceptable exit strategy: Winning." Stay the Course is a great political slogan. You could even use Lincoln's fabulous illustration: You don't switch horses while crossing the stream. However, after the election has been won, we all start scratching our heads and ask "What's the course?" I'm not going there....
In Ecuador, it appears that Economist turned politician, Rafael Correa may have won his country's presidency. The opponent has yet to concede defeat but with Correa owning 63% of the vote, it would be difficult for Billionaire Alvaro Noboa to make up the margin.
Correa is a leftist who has been politically close to Venezuela's Hugo Chavez (you know, the guy who called Bush the Devil.) and has also promised to build 300,000 homes ofr the country's poor every year. He has also said he'd refuse to pay the "illegitimate" foreign debt and to nix a free-trade deal with the US. With all their economic problems, the nation has not a lot of success with presidents in the recent decade. Let's hope for the best. Whatever that is.
Way back about 900 years ago (in 1095, to be exact.... 911 years ago for nitpickers), Pope Urban II appointed Bishop Adhemar of Le Puy and Count Raymond IV of Toulouse to lead the first Crusade to liberate the Holy Land. Oh the Irony! (see above)
Two big reasons why November 28 is a really big day in Albania: First, in 1443, Skanderbeg, aka, George Kastrioti, liberated (all this liberating...) Middle Albania (is it big enough to have a middle?) with the capture of Kruje. He raised his standard which eventually became the flag of Albania. He has been quoted as saying "I have not brought you freedom, I found it here, among you." The second reason is far less poetic and epic: Albania declared independance from the Ottomans (finally!) in 1912. Again, Turkey hating... Albania is now the only officially Atheist nation in the world. Despite this, according to the CIA World factbook, Albania is 70% Muslim, 20% Albanian Orthodox and 10% Catholic. These are only estimates. There are no churches or mosques in Albania and private practice is allowed only.
Back on this day, in 2000, the eigth drop fell on the Pitch drop experiment in Australia. I shit you not. This experiment was initiated in 1927 when Professor Thomas Parnell of the University of Queensland in Brisbane wanted to demonstrate that some substances though appearing solid were really highly viscous and truly flowed. Pitch is one such substance. Glass is another. Over that last 79 years, 8 drops have fallen very, very slowy. Wanna watch it live? It's like watching grass grow or paint dry but more exciting!✡
Today it seems the world has returned to its nominal behavior: Violence.Yesterday a standoff began in Chicago. It ended with the gunman, Lance Johnson, 21, killing himself and his two female hostages apparently. He took the two women hostage early Thursday morning.
An armed man in Miami stormed into a Spanish language newspaper called El Nuevo. He believed the paper was not properly run. some people were evacuated before he peacefully surrendered.And in Sadr City in Iraq, Sunni men have been burnt with kerosene by militant Shi'ites as the Sunnis emerged from Friday services. THere has also been a spate of mosque burnings.
If you're like me, you're wondering why today? Is there something in the air? The stars? Who knows. I hope you gave thanks yesterday for your live and its relative peacefulness.
On this day in 1859, Charles Darwin published his earth shattering and agitating book The Origin of Species. To quote Darwin from the text itself: "A grand and almost untrodden field of inquiry will be opened, on the causes and laws of variation, on correlation of growth, on the effects of use and disuse, on the direct action of external conditions and so forth."
Also, on this day, and of local import, the show Mystery Science Theater 3000 (aka, MST3K) premiered on a local UHF band station called KTMA. That was in 1988.
Also, Lee Harvey Oswald was shot today after being apprehended for the possible culpibility in the assasination of John F. Kannedy. If you can't recall the year it was 1963.
I, and my family, had a rip roaring thanksgiving. We spilled beer all over, woke the dead and lit things on fire. But, like all holidays, we must return to the mundane world known as real life.For starters, did you check out the ads? My paper, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, left something to be desired. There were seriously only a handful of ads. It was pathetic! Besides that, there is an interesting change in store policies. Some stores are remaining open and then others, will open for abbreviated hours this evening. Comp USA will be open tonight from 9 till midnight. I think this is shitty. These retail employees usually bask in the joy that at least they ain't working on Thanksgiving. Tomorrow they will work in the hell known as Black Friday. I feel they are being cheated. But that's just me.
Earlier this week I posted that an article about an ailing former Russian Spy was a complicated story. It is, but it is further complicated by the fact that the spy, Alexander Litvinenko, has died. At about 3.30 CST, he passed away in a London hospital. It is believed Litvinenko may have been poisoned by the Russian Government whom he is also quite critical of. Anyways, I feel bad that he has passed away. He was an upstanding guy who was holding firm on his principles. There are few who would take the path he did and I totally respect that. I offer my condolences to his family.
And CNN finally wrote an article about him that didn't need rereading.
Back on this day in 1954, the DOW finally got above its previous peak set before the crash of 1929. It only took 25 years to do it. We have recently accomplished a similar feat but in a much shorter period.
Also on this day, in 1963, Doctor Who, one of the best Science-Fiction television series (and stories... its always about the stories), ever, premiered on the BBC.
And since its Thanksgiving, with football games and all, on this day, Doug Flutie, when he was a quarterback for Boston College, threw a Hail Mary against the University of Miami with 6 seconds on the clock. He succeeded and Boiston College won the game 47-45. Flutie also was awarded the Heisman Trophy that year. What year was it? It was 1984.
That's all. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was good and safe. Have a good start to holiday shopping. And remember to buy me something for Chanakah! Or Christmas depending on what you believe...
I swear to God, I woke up and found myself in the news of the 80's. It just sounded like the average news of like say 1986. Here's a run-down!Lebanese Christian Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel was assasinated. This can only be bad news for the already politically fractured nation. To top it off, he was a part of the anti-Syrian majority. President Bush has declared this a further act by Iran and Syria to promote instability in the unstable nation.
A school bus went off an overpass in Alabama, Monday. Up to now, four people have died, all teenage girls. The bus was carrying 40 students from Huntsville' Lee High School. THe accident may have been caused by another Lee High student driving a Toyota Celica that drifted into the School bus' lane and forced the bus into the barrier where it drove for 100 feet before dropping off. The Celica had two flat tires but it is unclear whether these caused the accident or were caused by the accident.
Political News: As if President George Walker Bush needed more bad news.... In a recent poll, only 1 in 4 respondents felt he was a better president than his father, George Hebert Walker Bush (Where do they get Walker anyway? Is it a Texan thing?).
UCLA, the conspicuous new Ivy out there near the San Diego Freeway (how I miss you LA!), has had an interesting incident involving tasers, a library and an Iranian-American student. No joke! Mostafa Tabatabainejad, 23 and a student using the Powell Library on campus, was tasered 5 times by UCDP officer Terrence Duren. The incident in question occured late, around 11:30, on November 14th when Duren asked to see Tabatabainejad's student ID. At 11 the libraries close to the public and only staff, faculty and students are allowed to use the facility. It is a common practice to assure that those remaining in the building have the right to be there. Apparently, Tabatabainejad was singled out and told to leave. Whether he was able to produce proper ID is unknown. There is a video of the incident here. Tabatabainejad has filed a lawsuit against the school and an investigation is underway.
If you do go to the YouTube site keep in mind these facts when reading the comments: 1. It is public property, thereby a collective good. This means all can use it without directly contributing to its upkeep (though Californians do through high taxes). At certain times however, access is restricted to staff, faculty and students only. 2. At most colleges, particularly state schools here in the US, a student ID is required and security or campus police may ask for it when ascertaining whether you are a student or faculty or whatever. 3. We do not know if the UCDP were requesting to see other patrons' IDs at the time. Racial profiling may have occurred. It also may not have. 4. Tabatabainejad is not a Muslim, contrary to popular belief. He is of the Bahá'í Faith. If your knowledge of this cool religion is meager, please go here. 5. the Police officers are in the University of California Police Department, not the Los Angeles Police Department. 6. The type of Tazering used was the Drive Stun which uses direct contact rather than electrodes that shoot out and attach themselves to the victim. It is incredibly painful but shocks a body part rather than the whole body and nervous system. It is possible to remain standing upon being tazered in this manner. Keep these facts in mind when viewing the clip.Winner of most complicated article that cannot be understood on single reading: Ex-Russian spy 'may have radioactive poisoning'. Go CNN!
Traffic: It will suck. 83% of Thanksgiving travellers are predicted to drive rather than fly, take the train or steamship. We like our cars and global warming has now made November snowfalls obsolete. Enjoy!
TomKat: please go away. They were married in LA and then flew to Italy to have their religious ceremony there. Brooke Shields, despite Tom Cruise's allegations that her use of anti-depressants to combat post-partem depression was ludicrous on national television, was in attendance. As was most of the starry-eyed Italian public and papparazzi the world over. Now, can we stop paying attention to them? Or do we have to convert to Scientology?
For all you nerds out there, Peter Jackson will not be making "The Hobbit". New Line Cinema has decided to go in a different direction and it will not be with the Oscar-winning New Zealand director (who is looking quite a bit better these days). There is an ongoing dispute betwixt NEw Line and Jackson over salary. He reportedly was shorted a cool $100M in payment over the Lord of the Rings and the subsequent DVD grosses. Its kind of sad because he'd at least keep a consistent style.
Sad Note: Robert Altman, the guy who made M*A*S*H* (I even got all the asterisks in there!) died yesterday in Los Angeles. He was 81.
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