Bhutto Backlash

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto surprised me, although I can't think why that would be the case. The terrorists dominating the Northwest Province in Pakistan have been promising to kill her for a long time.

What al Qaida may have done, instead of eliminating a political enemy, is to create an invincible foe. A dead person can't say something stupid. A dead person can't make political miscalculations. A dead person can't get caught stealing or cheating. Benazir Bhutto has become a flawless symbol of the desire for democracy.

What Pakistan is looking at now is the unifying effect of Bhutto's assassination on the entire country. Knowing this, the purpose of postponing elections would be the hope that time would erode some of this effect. Let's hope they don't. It would be better to forge a new government when some unity can be fashioned out of this terrible event.

Real Immigrant Phobia

Fears of wild immigrants hiding in the forests of the Ukraine have led to a large upswing in gun purchases by Germans, Italians and Austrians for fear that the forest-dwellers will descend on them to commit crimes. The trusty old Baltic Times describes the issue in the article linked to this post.

The Schengen Agreement abolishes systematic border controls between the participating countries, according to Wikipedia. Will the ability to travel between European countries really lead to a roving mass of crime between the Ukraine, Italy, Austria and Germany?

The idea is so laughable it makes Pat Buchanan look rational.

Destroyed CIA Tapes and the Evil Truth

Nancy Pelosi was briefed on the use of torture and OK'd it. So now hearings are being held because CIA videotapes of waterboarding were destroyed. Granted, it probably was a crime. But destroying tapes is not the real issue here. It is Nancy Pelosi's lack of courageous leadership in a time of national crisis.

So Nancy Pelosi has feet of clay because she knew of the detainee abuses and tacitly endorsed them. That's why the Democrats have been lying down on the issue of torture.

They feel they can redeem themselves by screaming and moaning about some tapes being destroyed. How about the failure to uphold the Constitution? How about being a real leader and saying "This is not acceptable."

Speaker Pelosi's claims that she did not know waterboarding was actually being done instead of being talked about are ridiculous. As soon as you hear the mention of a torture technique created during the Inquisition, you should object to any prospect of its use. Why were they talking about it to begin with, anyway? Because they were intending to use it.

Nancy Pelosi, I am ashamed and disgusted by you.

What Guiliani Can Learn From Castro

The power of humility. Recently asked about the most influential person in the world, Guiliani said that he was that person. Does he have any idea of how he sounds when he says that? I guess that sort of bragging appeals to the NYC voter.

Now listen to the Castro rhetoric:

' "My elemental duty is not to cling to positions, or even less to obstruct the path of younger people, but to share experiences and ideas whose modest worth comes from the exceptional era in which I lived," Castro wrote in the final paragraph of a lengthy letter discussing the Bali summit on global warming. ' See MSNBC article linked to title of this post.

"I promise that I will be with you, if you so wish, for as long as I feel that I can be useful — and if it is not decided by nature before — not a minute less and not a second more," he said at the time. "Now I understand that it was not my destiny to rest at the end of my life."

Doesn't he make hanging on by his fingernails sound so noble? His power-lust is framed in terms of ideas of modest worth, crediting the exceptional era he lived in rather than himself. There's a lot to learn here.

It was not his destiny to rest at the end of his life? Poor guy. He is forced to be the tired leader of the country until his last breath. How he suffers!

Castro Won't Hold On to Power?!?!?

You're one hundred years old, bud! What do you MEAN you won't cling to power? Are you going to wait until you're middle-aged? When will that be? When you're 150 years old?

This guy is too hysterical. He is the architect of the parasite state, only the host he was feeding off of died.

But, to be fair, Castro did throw the pimps and drug dealers out of Cuba. So they could move to Miami and bless our shores. I am by no means a sympathizer with these rabid Cuban expatriates, as you can probably tell. So you were thrown out of Cuba. So what. How many other people came here with nothing? Do you see them buying airplanes and trying to create their own armies? Grow up.

And the literacy rate in Cuba is higher than in the U.S. And THEY have universal health care. What's our excuse?

Al Jazeera Cartoon About Secretary of State Rice

Clever, not terribly insightful. Depictions of foreign leaders is funny.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/05BB5499-0307-4327-A21C-DEF8E7F3DA94.htm

Leaking the National Intelligence Estimate

The National Intelligence Estimate revealed that the Bush Administration knew since September that Iran has not had a nuclear weapons program for several years. The Bush Administration could not suppress this information because it knew that the moment it did, it would be leaked to the press.

Lamentations that in the old days such things would never happen were a source of mirth to many. When an Administration scapegoats an agency, what is it expecting? Loyalty? It's more like they were expecting stupidity. What happened the last time? Intelligence information was misused and the country was led into war with Iraq.

Poor President Bush. It seems those civil servants make a difference after all.

U.S. War with Iran: It's Not Over

Many people heaved a sigh of relief when the Washington Post reported last week that the Bush Administration learned in September that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program several years ago.

The thinking was: "They can't possibly justify a war on Iran now. Whew!"

They would be wrong.

When a zealot hasn't had a new idea since 1986, they don't let go of it easily. Mere facts do not impede a well-fantasized plan of glory. So we have observed the concept being floated that Iran's uranium enrichment is enough of a reason to intervene in Iran. Watch out for that one, it is not going to die an easy death.

Iran is here to stay. We need to learn how to work things out. What the last forty years SHOULD have taught us is that the United States cannot control the government of another country without long-term grief. The purpose of government is talk to other governments to get business done. Beating a drum and calling for blood has its appeal, but is not governance. Nor is it leadership.

Lori Drew and the MySpace Suicide

So what kind of adult would OK the idea of creating a false identity and then plaguing her daughter's former friend with it? She claims that she told her daughter to "only say nice things." Are we supposed to believe that? That she told her daughter "OK, create a false identity and pretend to like your former friend, even though you don't anymore, but only say nice things." It's absurd.

It seems that the entire Drew family is being shunned by their neighbors. And that's the least of their problems. There are death threats and ominous cars driving by their house.

Good! There should be some kind of feedback mechanism to online behavior. You can't just do anything or say anything without facing the results. The problem is that in the United States, people often express themselves through violence. Letting them live in shame is worse than a hail of bullets.

It seems Lori Drew ran an advertising agency out of her home she has had to shut down. Hooray! I hope they lose everything. And if they do decide to move, it won't make a difference. What that family did, and what Lori Drew sanctioned will follow them everywhere.

It has taken a while for our sense of morality to extend to the effects of what we say online. But that's part of what I see going on here. It's an important shift.

Sex Tips for the Young Woman

The marketplace rules on this one.  You are the supply and he is the demand.  Don't just hand out your goodies.  Make him work for it.

Think of it this way:

One egg a month  - millions of sperm a month.

Those damn sperm are competing and competing for that egg of yours.  Even if conception is not the goal, it is the driving force behind the desire for sex.  You look at a potential partner and think: " - he make good baby."  He thinks the same about you.

This whole "hooking up" thing is really bad for you.  Your potential mate needs to show he's a good catch by:

• Calling when he says he's going to call.
  
• Showing up when he says he's going to show up.
  
• Doing what he says he's going to do.
  
• Taking care of you when you are sick.
  
• Caressing and adoring you.
  
• Singling you out to spend time alone with you, not with you and Spanky and the Gang, but alone with you.
  
• Bragging about you and your accomplishments to his friends.

Relevant old wives tales:

1. Look at his shoes, if they are not nice and clean it shows that he is not a person of substance but only puts his efforts into appearances.
   
2. How he treats the waitress is how he's going to treat you in ten years.
   
3. Stingy with the wallet means stingy in bed.  Generosity is not about money.  It's about time and consideration.
   
4. Masturbate before a date if you really think you might jump in the sack too soon.
5. Don't commit for a few months.
6. Try to wait six months before intercourse.  That's a tough one.  You probably won't get there, but try.  
7. Men aren't the only ones who think between their legs.  You do, too.

Talking to Jesus in my Backyard

Many times when I am troubled or confused, I find comfort sitting in my
backyard having a cold beer, along with a quiet conversation with
Jesus.

This happened to me recently after a particularly difficult day. I said
"Jesus, why do I work so hard?"

And I heard the reply: "Men find many ways to demonstrate the love they
have for their family. You work hard to have a peaceful and beautiful home
for your friends and family to gather."

I said, "I thought that money was the root of all evil."

His reply was, "No, the love of money is the root of all evil. Money is
a tool; it can be used for good or bad."

I was starting to feel better, but I still had that one burning
question, so I asked it. "Jesus," I said, "what is the meaning of life? Why am I
here?"

He replied: "That is a question many men ask. The answer is in your
heart and is different for everyone. I would love to chat with you some more,
but for now, Senor, I have to finish your lawn."