February 2003 Archives

Saddam Hussein and his followers are undoubtly quite pleased with themselves. They are playing the International community like a fiddle as evidenced in this latest article on the Reuters' wire. Hussein's every public move is calculated for its affect on the world community for delaying the US effort to enforce the UN resolutions by use of military force. It seems clear that Saddam Hussein has no intention of complying with the UN resolutions. It seems incredulous that anyone actually believes that anything short of military force is going to bring Iraq into compliance with the demands set forth by the United Nations. France, Germany, Mr. Blix and the world press are Saddam Hussein's instruments with which he is orchestrating the master piece of his continuance in power.

It is my opinion that the United Nations and especially the UN Security Council need to fish or cut bait. There is little doubt that Hussein wields just as much power today as he did at the end of the Gulf War. Some would argue that he has managed to increase the power at his control. The sanctions that the UN has had in place for twelve years have done exactly nothing to undermine Hussein's power base. The United Nations has succeeded in punishing innocent Iraqis for the actions of a leader they have no ability to remove.

Saddam Hussein is motivated by one thing and one thing only. His continued accumulation of power. Saddam Hussein cares not one wit about the Iraqi people save their contribution to his power. Saddam Hussein has used lethal gasses outlawed by the Geneva Convention on his own populace [dead link]. Hussein's son routinely tortured Iraq's Olympic athletes to the extent that a torture chamber was built in the training compound where the athletes lived and trained. The human rights record of the government of Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein is well documented by Amnesty International and other similar groups.

If the UN and its Security Council are not going to allow the enforcement of their resolutions by the use of military force then they should withdraw their resolutions, lift the sanctions and make some kind of an honest effort to help the Iraqi people. Current UN policies are doing nothing to bring Saddam Hussein into compliance and are extracting an extremely high cost from the Iraqi people. The United Nations at this point appears incompetent to resolve world issues and too ignorant, arrogant or naive to realise its own ineffectiveness.

Aloha

Mr. Rogers has moved on to another neighborhood. I believe that this neighborhood does not have enough people like Mr. Rogers. Goodbye, Mr. Rogers. We will miss you.

Aloha

So, you gotta go look at the picture first.

Note where the caption says, "...seen to be a sign of weakness."

I'm not sure what the Albanian definition of weakness is but if that woman gets into a contest of strength with that man, I got fifty bucks say the lady wins handily.

Aloha

First there was Want to Marry a Multimillionaire? Multi-Millionaire, mind you. Most recently there was Joe Millionaire.

Why do people submit themselves to this kind of publicity? I guess there are people out there who enjoy it but I must confess, I do not understand it. It's kind of like wanting to be a guest on the Jerry Springer Show. I mean like, if you're walking onto the stage and see Jerry Springer and you don't know why you're there, you can be real damn certain that what is about to happen is not going to be good. I often wonder why everyone doesn't simply turn around and walk out of the studio as soon as they see Springer standing there.

The other part I don't get - and this bothers me a lot more than the first 'cause it probably means I'm getting old - is why people watch these shows. What entertainment value these shows offer is completely lost on me. Now, I can remember hearing my Grandparents say that. I always thought they didn't get it because they were too old.

Aloha

I'm sure there is a good reason but I still have to ask the question. Why do these people continue to work in these places?[dead link] I simply cannot comprehend having my pay docked for going to the bathroom. Wow!

Aloha

North Korea, not wanting to be out done by Iraq, issued its own utterly laughable statement today. The headline reads, "N.Korea Says Sure of Winning Nuclear War with U.S."

Excuse me? Is this the same North Korea that is currently having trouble feeding its people? The same North Korea that does not have enough fuel oil to keep the country running? What are they planning to use for fuel in their aircraft? What will they eat their soldiers?

But the scariest part is that someone, anyone, in North Korea thinks there will be a winner once the war has gone Nuclear. Once the Nukes fly, all of humanity is the loser. There are no winners.

Aloha (we need all we can get)

Many people and nations are proposing that we wait. That we give the inspectors more time. That we delay military action as long as possible. If we only wait long enough Iraq will be brought into compliance with the UN requirements without the use of force.

How do we know when we've waited long enough? What will be the indicator that we can wait no more?

Aloha

My wife & I really like this British TV SitCom called As Time Goes By. Stars Judy Dench and Geoffrey Palmer. Very cute story. Hilariously funny or at least we think so.

Anyway, NetFlix (did I mentiond that NetFlix is cool!) has most of the As Time Goes By series on DVD. We got the first DVD of the series, watched it, return it and were suppose to get the second. Well, NetFlix sent the DVD but it never arrived at our house. I went to NetFlix web page thinking I was now going to have to pay for the DVD or something. Nope. NetFlix even has it all set up. You can tell them that the DVD was lost in the mail and to send you a new one in about three clicks. It's awesome.

So, one DVD lost in the mail, a second one is sent on the same day as another DVD (Ice Age, also a great movie). Ice Age arrives but no As Time Goes By (what the heck?). Back to the NetFlix web page. Click, click, click. Another one is on its way. As the title of this entry indicates, we got the third DVD.

NetFlix wins my vote for First Class customer service. Rock on, NetFlix!!

Aloha

My friend has a blog. He always comes up with these witty, funny things to put in it. Comes with practice I hope. Otherwise no one will ever read this thing save me.

Finally got to watch Snow Falling on Cedars. Good movie. Gets off to a bit of a slow start in my opinion but the movie is still a good one. Offers an interesting perspective on life as a Japanese-American immediately after World War II. I would recommend it.

Aloha