Month: January 2004

The Scotsman had an excellent writeup of the Columbia shuttle tragedy yesterday.

On another note, if anyone has a great idea for the implementation of a pseudo-dynamic column level security scheme, I’d love to hear it. 🙂

From CNN: Bush campaign manager criticizes Kerry’s votes.

So, there really wasn’t anything in Iraq after all. Even David Kay, the head of the U.S. inspection team supports that view. And while being rid of Saddam is without a doubt good for the world, Robert Mugabe, Kim Jong Il, and other unsavory characters still run their countries and are free to do as they please.

Wondering what the number of casualties in Iraq has been? Or the number of wounded? Lunaville.org privately provides the kind of numbers the Department of Defense doesn’t.

Alright! In another sign marketing has taken over the world, the idea of taking what may be a bad project and re-spinning has taken hold in Israel. The West Bank fence is now being referred to as the “Terror Prevention Fence”. They’re adopting the American way–don’t debate the idea, just the name!

Slate, as usual, provides a nuanced look at the issues that have led to the adoption of the fence. The key dynamic is one of population, as territory controlled by Israel will eventually become Arab majority unless Israel “disengages” from the occupied territories.

Those with a taste for more can see the proposed route here. For my unfamiliar eyes, I found I had no concept of geography in the region.

Today’s Idiot of the Day Award goes to American Airlines pilot Dale Robin Hersh, who decided to tempt the Brazilian authorities by giving them the finger while he was being processed by immigration. Oddly enough, this US citizen didn’t appreciate being treated by Brazilian immigration officials…in the same way US immigration is treating Brazilians!

NJ became the fifth state to recognize domestic partnerships with limited benefits for same-sex couples. Voting was surprisingly painless, no doubt because nobody was even paying attention, at least in the media.

The typical response was quoted: Mr. Tomicki said the law, in applying only to gays and lesbians and people over age 62, was constitutionally flawed because it gives same-sex couples benefits not allowed opposite-sex couples in the same circumstances.

Of course, I could apply his own logic to deny the validity of marriage since it only empowers opposite-sex couples.

According to The NY Times, Saddam wrote a letter to the leaders of the Iraqi resistance arguing against inviting non-Iraqis in to Iraq to resist the American occupation.

Officials said Mr. Hussein apparently believed that the foreign Arabs, eager for a holy war against the West, had a different agenda from the Baathists, who were eager for their own return to power in Baghdad. As a result, he wanted his supporters to be careful about becoming close allies with the jihadists, officials familiar with the document said.

I also have a report bookmarked that I haven’t read by an independent group that analyzed the Weapons of Mass Destruction claims and concluded that there wasn’t much there.

At least the team admits it too.

“Yes, it was a letdown,” said junior guard Ricky Shields. “We should have blown this team out. I don’t know why we keep playing to the level of our competition.”

A political look at the Matrix movies compared to the Lord of the Rings movies irritated me a little bit, as it took some of my joy out of the Lord of the Rings series. This was an idea that was also in the back of my mind but reading the article only brought it more to the forefront.

The “Rings” films are like promotional ads for those tired old race and gender paradigms that were all the rage back in author J.R.R. Tolkien’s day. Almost all of the heroes of the series are manly men who are whiter than white. They are frequently framed in halos of blinding bright light and exude a heavenly aura of all that is Eurocentric and good. Who but these courageous Anglo-Saxon souls can save Middle Earth from the dark and evil forces of the world?