Something About Canoes

Absolutely Shameful

2007-03-26T12:00:00.000+10:00

Having disappeared from the blog world for some time, I've finally decided to return. My absence was due to a mixture of insane workload and general creative malaise. Today though, I watched this video from Iraq and needed an outlet for the anger and sadness it made me feel.

The short video is about the impact the ongoing sectarian violence in Iraq is having on Iraqi children. An entire generation are growing up in an environment of violence, hatred, fear, and loss. The long term effects of this on the country are unknown.

You can find the video here.

After A Long and Unexplained Absence

2006-10-04T12:13:00.000+10:00

Some thoughts on moving house:

Looking for a new house sucks. While searching for houses on the internet be wary of the following terms:

Quint = small and poky.

Old Style Charm = cracks in the walls and an outside loo.

Quiet living = located in a back alleyway where people come to dump dead bodies and unwanted pets.

Realstate agents never return phone calls.

Why do I find it impossible to throw anything away?

While sorting though drawer number 1 of RANDOM STUFF I found:

1 pirate eye patch
1 pirate dagger
1 plastic compass
1 plastic telescope
1 small box of assorted Indian cotton, sugar cubes, saffron, a small jar of honey, and a large walnut.
1 packet of candy hearts at least four years old
1 fortune cookie message reading: Tonight Will Change Your Life
1 pink turtle pin cushion

I also found the dreaded box of high school letters. In amongst the letters declaring that all men are emotionally retarded, there was also some incredibly bad poetry. The kind that should never have been committed to paper and if read, induces bleeding from ones eyeballs. Why any woman in her right mind would choose to wander the grounds of a ruined castle wearing a flimsy and flowing white cotton dress weeping and wringing her hands is now beyond me. I find it worrying that at some point in my past this kind of behaviour made complete sense.

There were, however, some truly hilarious and heartwarming letters. One of them even managed to bring a tear to Jelly’s eyes, no mean feat I assure you. It was from the sentimental and big hearted friend who carried a little clay beetle around in his pocket named Stuart Sutcliffe and named his pet chickens Dear Prudence and Polythene Pam.

Some conclusions I have drawn from this experience:

House hunting should only be conducted under the influence of hard liquor.
Packing is wonderful procrastination.
I am truly thankful the melodramatic days of high school are a distant memory.

Because I'm Too Lazy to Write My Own Post

2006-08-11T12:35:00.000+10:00

Timothy Garton Ash has an interesting article in The Guardian discussing the issue of democratization as a sustainable long term foreign policy goal which is increasingly coming under fire.

Baghdad Burning talks about the fact that increasingly in Iraq it has become far too dangerous to step outside ones house without wearing a hijab. So much for bringing freedom of choice to the Iraqi people.

The Washington Realist reflects on some different assessments of the terrorist threat, quite pertinent in light of this morning's news.

That Pesky Thing Called the Geneva Convention

2006-08-10T11:10:00.000+10:00

Just warning you this post is mostly one long quote from the Washington Post. If you can't be bothered reading the whole thing I'll quickly summarise:

Pesky immoral foreigners are accusing freedom loving Americans of behaving badly and threatening to try them for war crimes. They are doing this just to REIGN IN AMERICAN POWER. This is bad. The Bush administration are therefore going to try and change the law so that things like torture, the rape and mutilation of non-combatants, and other acts of violence and inhumanity are acceptable behaviour for American soldiers.

"The Bush administration has drafted amendments to a war crimes law that would eliminate the risk of prosecution for political appointees, CIA officers and former military personnel for humiliating or degrading war prisoners, according to U.S. officials and a copy of the amendments. . .

'People have gotten worried, thinking that it's quite likely they might be under a microscope,' said a U.S. official. Foreigners are using accusations of unlawful U.S. behavior as a way to rein in American power, the official said, and the amendments are partly meant to fend this off.'

Smith explains: "The amendments would narrow the reach of the War Crimes Act, which now states in general terms that Americans can be prosecuted in federal criminal courts for violations of 'Common Article 3' of the Geneva Conventions, which the United States ratified in 1949. . .

"Common Article 3 is considered the universal minimum standard of treatment for civilian detainees in wartime. It requires that they be treated humanely and bars 'violence to life and person,' including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture. It further prohibits 'outrages upon personal dignity' such as 'humiliating and degrading treatment.' And it prohibits sentencing or execution by courts that fail to provide 'all the judicial guarantees . . . recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.' . . .

"Former Justice Department lawyer John C. Yoo . . . said that U.S. soldiers and agents should 'not be beholden to the definition of vague words by international or foreign courts, who often pursue nakedly political agendas at odds with the United States.' . . .

"But [retired Army Lt. Col. Geoffrey S.] Corn, the Army's former legal expert, said that Common Article 3 was, according to its written history, 'left deliberately vague because efforts to define it would invariably lead to wrongdoers identifying 'exceptions,' and because the meaning was plain -- treat people like humans and not animals or objects.' "

Understatement

2006-08-03T10:03:00.000+10:00

From the Internationl Herald Tribune:

'Talabani and Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani played down accusations against army and ministry officers, suggesting that those who have been seen robbing armored cars and kidnapping dozens of civilians were not representative of the force as a whole.

"We've started to make real progress in establishing and training our employees despite well-known challenges," Bolani said.'

It's comforting to know that politicians the world over use the same fluffy, vague language to obfuscate reality. "Well-known challenges" would certainly get top marks.

'Origins of the Second World War' by My Local Mechanic

2006-07-23T18:29:00.000+10:00

"It was the Aussies who were fightin' 'im. He was just a unknown soldier in Germany and they shoulda killed im and there'd a been no war."

"And it was also the fault of the Jews. They controlled the money and the economy was bad and the Germans believed Rudolph Hitler could save 'em from economic ruin."

Rudolph. Hitler. Had a very shiny nose.

A Gray Morning

2006-07-14T12:00:00.000+10:00

I’m currently about three quarters of the way through a book about America’s role in World War 1. It’s called, rather aptly, “The Illusion of Victory”. It contains some truly horrific descriptions of war and some even more frightening descriptions of the incompetence of the leadership in America. Woodrow Wilson is so often revered as the man who set America on the path to Global leadership, making the spread of liberalism and democracy the cornerstone of American foreign policy. It’s curious that in all the criticisms of his arrogance, his isolation from Congress and from the American people, his vision of the US as the moral leader of the world is never questioned.

The idea that the US has both the right and the responsibility to morally shape the world is still at the heart of US foreign policy. While traditional interests and realpolitik still carry significant weight, most policy is still fashioned to fit within this ideological framework. This conflation of interests and values is what saw the US entry into the two World Wars, Vietnam and now Iraq.

The blogger at Baghdad Burning has written:
It's like Baghdad is no longer one city, it's a dozen different smaller cities each infected with its own form of violence. It's gotten so that I dread sleeping because the morning always brings so much bad news. The television shows the images and the radio stations broadcast it. The newspapers show images of corpses and angry words jump out at you from their pages, "civil war… death… killing… bombing… rape…"

With Iraq still crippled by unimaginable sectarian violence three years after “liberating” the Iraqi people, it seems absurd to speak of the progress of democracy and liberty as justification for the war. As the investigation continues into allegations of US soldiers raping a fourteen year old Iraqi girl, then killing her and her entire family, it seems grotesque to hear the Bush administration claim their country is the protector of freedom and human dignity across the globe.

And yet, while politically I’m a realist and generally a bit of a pessimist when it comes to human nature, I also truly hope that it is possible to limit this kind of suffering and conflict. It must be.

And Not Only That...

2006-07-13T09:49:00.000+10:00

In addition to the Director of Lessons Learned there also appears to be two Ethics Advisors and a Director of Fact Checking, all of whom earn over $US100,000 a year.

Over at AMERICAblog there's some pithy advice from Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) who suggests that to save money the White House should "consolidate these positions into a Director of Irony."

Things Which Are Absurd and Drive One To Drink

2006-07-12T13:05:00.000+10:00

Say hello to the White House Director for Lessons Learned.

Then grab your handbag and take a stroll through the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom. Spend time perusing the stated goals of the Centre:

"The Thatcher Center will study and assess the threat posed to U.S. and British national interests by supranational institutions including the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC). Drawing on the Heritage Foundation’s extensive expertise in this area, the Thatcher Center will play a lead role in shaping U.S. policy with regard to reform of the UN, and opposition to the ICC. The Center will champion the defense of the nation state in the face of efforts by America’s strategic competitors and opponents to limit American global power, and to restrict her ability to confront tyranny and advance freedom and liberty on the world stage."

And bask in the warm glow that is this Lady's legacy to the world.

Happiness Is...

2006-07-12T12:12:00.001+10:00

When the troubles of the world seem overhelming, don't let them get you down.

Instead:

When Love Goes Bad

2006-07-11T09:32:00.000+10:00

It seems there's trouble in paradise.

After today'll be no more snuggling up on the couch in the evening to read over the budget. No, the partnership between these two soul mates has been torn asunder by betrayal and dishonesty.

"He promised. He crossed his heart."

"Stop snivelling Peter. I lied. I always lie. Deal."

Doesn't it just fill you with bright shiny happiness?

Again With the Crafty Procrastinating

2006-06-30T13:32:00.000+10:00

I am trying to write a thesis on stuff about America and nationalism and foreign policy. I also work part-time, teach part-time, and I sometimes work as a research assistant.

Each week there are precious few moments left where I can work on my own research and writing.

I treasure those moments.
In order to be as productive and time efficient as possible it is important to make my environment as conducive to scholarlyness as possible.
I make a pot of tea.
I put on the soundtrack to Waking Life (excellent writing music by the way).
I curl up on the couch with my blanket, books, pens, post-it-notes, journal, and laptop.

And then I start doing this:

I’ve also just taught myself to crochet. I figure when I finally crash and burn and don’t actually end up eradicating all global conflict, poverty, disease and violence, I will be able to support myself and my brood of chubby babies by knitting.

I’ll start like this:

You know, knitting for a cause. Perhaps not the cause in the above picture though, more like world peace. I'll start the

KNIT FOR WORLD PEACE campaign.

And then I'll probably end up like this:

For any and all who, in their search for more creative ways to procrastinate (and have already washed your entire collection of tea canisters) I heartily recommend you give knitting a go.

Attention Grabbing

2006-06-22T10:30:00.000+10:00

Amnesty International in Switzerland have just launched a new ad campaign created by Walker Werbeagentur with the tag line:

"It's not happening here but it's happening now."

Generally, when confronted with images of suffering and violence, the senses just seem to shut down now. We've seen similar images too many times before and generally they're too hard to really identify with. The use of these transparent billboards, however, seems frighteningly effective. The fact that the hooded, tortured Iraqi man craddling his child, who looks either wounded or dead, would appear to be sitting on the pavement next to you would, I imagine, make it very difficult to distance yourself from.

Gulag Tunes

2006-06-16T10:14:00.000+10:00

An article over at the Moscow Times has a piece about a new album that has just been released in Russia that blends traditional prison songs with Hawaiian style surf music.

The cover deipcts Stalin wearing a necklace of skulls in place of a more traditional Hawaiian lei.

The album's creator, Mikhail Antipov, was surprised this had never been done before, stating the idea

"is lying on the surface. It's an obvious thing."

Antipov did face some difficulties in trying to get permission to use some of the songs.

"He recalled that one songwriter, Iosif Aleshkovsky, who now lives in the United States, said, "Go to hell," and hung up the phone when he heard the name of the record company, which means "Union." "It brought up some bad associations," Antipov said."

Brilliant. Next I'd like to see an album that blends nationalist Iraqi songs of protest against foreign oppression with some good old fashioned yodelling.

The Art of Procrastination

2006-06-13T10:13:00.000+10:00

There really isn't any particular purpose for this post, except that I came across this:

a few days ago and decided that a hot woman on a pier with a pun was worth sharing.

A Good Book and a Hot Cup of Tea

2006-06-08T12:42:00.000+10:00

A little while ago Snaz and I were at my parents’ house for the weekend. We had taken Anne of Gables on dvd with us to watch while we were there. I hadn’t seen it since I was a young and impressionable teenager. As the first line was spoken Snaz and I both burst into tears and continued to cry through the entire film. I think we provided as much entertainment for my parents as the film did.

I can’t remember how old I was when I first saw the film but I do remember quite vividly that it was the first time I fell in love. I fell heart achingly, head over heels in love with Gilbert.

Watching the film again made me think that I had probably also had a bit of a girl crush on Anne. She was strong, and intelligent, and always followed her instincts no matter how hard it was. Often, it meant making decisions that were neither comfortable nor easy.

Over at Read Alert there has been an ongoing discussion about strong female characters in children’s books. It’s easy to forget how much children learn about life from the books they read. For young girls, reading about strong and independent heroines is immensely important. They can provide inspiration, but also refuge and solace. Recently, while reading Little Women with Jelly, Snaz, Lili, and Munkey, I realized that I wasn’t the only one who had felt this way.

These days, when I go to bed, I generally take with me whatever book I’m in the middle of reading for my thesis. Recently it was a book about WW1. After I dreamt I was drinking tea from fine bone china with Field Marshal Haig in the middle of a field full of dead soldiers, I thought I should probably change my night time reading habits. So I started reading The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery again.

The Story Girl is another example of an incredibly strong heroine who defies convention and continually expresses herself with honesty and confidence, and, like Anne, courageously weathers the criticism and misunderstanding of those less inclined to stand apart from the crowd.

In all my reading and research over the past few years I’d forgotten how insightful and uplifting books for children and young adults can be. It’s far too easy to become attached to one’s own cynicism and forget what it was like to just delight in beautiful prose, warm hearted story telling, and the thrill of falling in love.

Girls In the Israeli Army

2006-06-07T09:33:00.000+10:00

Snaz sent me a link to this site the other night. It is a collection of photographs taken by Rachel Papo of girls being trained in the Israeli Army. The images are beautiful and often quite sad. Rachel’s statement about her photography is here and articulates the mood and ideas she was trying to explore.

Again With the Past

2006-05-26T11:17:00.000+10:00

"Smile-man-smile. You're an American...free to speak...free to worship...free to work...free to live in your own way. Stay on the job. This is your America."

Feel free to live in your own way, unless of course you're a liberal intellectual, homosexual, African American, or Native American. Or if you're poor. Or if you're not Christian (preferably a Protestant but for the sake of solidarity we'll tolerate Catholics).

"Strong in the strength of the Lord, we who fight in the people's cause, will never stop until that cause is won."

And of course, we all know that the wrench and the gun are the true instuments of the Lord. Oh, and freedom and liberty.

"Don't waste a precious minute."

If you're ugly or lazy, bugger off back to where you came from.

Which was probably hanging about listening to Wagner with this guy.

"Dear God, keep them safe! Buy War Bonds and Stamps."

Don't apples represent original sin? Maybe it represents agriculture, and economic abundance? And doesn't your heart just bleed for the poor darlings? Forced to wear those hideous masks because evil in the world is threatening their freedom.

The posters came from the Smithsonian Institute. This was my way of pretending I was actually doing research. I use the same excuse when I should be working but end up eating pizza and watching the WW.

A Little Bit of the Past

2006-05-25T09:30:00.000+10:00

Thanks to Barrista I spent most of yesterday wandering around the US Library of Congress webiste looking at the Work Projects Administration Poster Collection 1936-1943. There are some incredibly beautiful examples of art work and graphic design.

Here are a couple of my favourites:

WARNING: Contains excessive sentimentality

2006-05-22T12:39:00.000+10:00

This morning I had one of those moments where the world seems slightly more in focus, where colours are brighter and images sharper and my heart beat a litter bit faster. It was one of those moments when an idea is articulated so simply and beautifully that one feels inspired and full of hope that ideas really can change the world for the better.

Ok. So it was a cold, grey morning and I was reading about American nationalism. Should have been depressing, but then I’m the kind of person who takes a comprehensive history of the Middle East to bed with me. There’s nothing like a good hard cover to keep you warm at night.

Anyway, the point is I’ve always loved ideas. I love learning. About anything and everything. I also spent a good proportion of my teenage years hating school with a fiery passion. There were, however, one or two teachers who were amazingly inspired and inspiring people. Teachers whose love of ideas shone through the often restrictive curriculum. My literature teacher was one of those people. Most people I know have a similar figure in their past who inspired them with a love of learning and knowledge.

I just came across this article in The Australian about the immense difficulties young women in Afghanistan face trying to go to school and have access to even the most basic education. While the situation is certainly much better now than it was under the Taliban, it is still horrendous.

“Although the Taliban were overthrown by a US-led coalition in 2001, the fundamentalists continue to close down secular education.

Most girls across the struggling nation are denied even basic education because their scared parents refuse to send them to school.

The insurgents have burned down up to 90 schools in the past six months, according to the parliament's education committee.

As many as 200 schools have closed. The insurgents have killed teachers and left threatening "night letters" on the doors of schools and teachers' homes.”

I know it’s a well worn cliché, but God it’s easy to forget how bloody lucky we are.

It's About Human Interest, Stupid

2006-05-18T12:17:00.000+10:00

Today in the world:

At least five people have been killed in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, when Islamist gunmen attacked a warlord, breaking a three-day truce.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed a possible European offer of incentives to induce Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme.
In Istanbul a man stormed a court in Turkey's capital Wednesday, shooting five judges in apparent anger at its ruling enforcing a strict ban on the wearing of head scarves.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson last night ordered an unprecedented independent review of his department after the latest bungle involving Private Jake Kovco led to a secret military report being broadcast on radio.
And this is just a tiny, tiny glimpse at the world today. Quite a lot going on one would think. Lots of juicy stuff for the papers to inform their discerning readers about.
And of course, that most discerning of all 'newspapers', chose the most controversial, most topical, most relevant news story of all to adorn its front page. A story that has far reaching consequences for the lives of every Australian man, woman, and child. A story that cuts right to heart of our national interest.

p.s. Credit for this post must go to the incomparable Jellyfish

UPDATE: Rant here by Mr Lefty that makes a damn fine point.

What Goes On

2006-05-05T09:40:00.000+10:00

Last night I was listening to ABC radio and the news came on. The reporter announced that at least six people had been killed outside a courthouse in Baghdad. The next news item was about rising interest rates.

It's odd that that particular security incident was reported in the news, implying that it was the major event of the day in Iraq, when in reality it was just one among many such incidents.

Today In Iraq, a comprehensive and increadibly sobering blog that reports on the daily situation in Iraq, illustrates just how misleading it is to single out one act of violence and ignore all the others. Apparently, between 30 and 50 bodies are brought to Baghdad's main morgue every day, most of them with gunshot wounds. This is one morgue, in one city.

That statistic alone should give some small indication of the herrendous situation, one that is not adequately being reported. This is not from lack of trying, however. A recent article in the New York Review of Books painted a fairly disturbing picture of the risks journalists faced if they dared to venture outside the American controlled security compund known as the Green Zone in the centre of Baghdad. Orville Schell makes a poignant comparison of the relative freedom the press enjoyed in 2003, to the extremely limited and restricted environment many journalists now work in:

"In the summer of 2003, you could walk out of the Al Hamra and get a cab or even drive to Falluja for dinner, chill out, or go to a CD shop," I was told by the Los Angeles Times's Borzou Daragahi, whose bureau is in the Al Hamra. "Now, the AP won't even let its people leave the city."
"It's amazing now to think back to November 2003 when the insurgency was starting to gain momentum, and all we had were a few sandbags in front of our house and a few guards," Ed Wong, who is on his seventh rotation at the New York Times Baghdad bureau, later recalls. "Back then, you might have met a few angry people, but you didn't fear for your life. Then, things started to change. At first, a few civilians became targets, but not journalists. Then, in the spring of 2004, we started changing our security protocols, using two-car convoys and guards. It felt very weird. For the first time I confronted that barrier between me and the people I was supposed to be reporting on...

It may well be that the besieged American press in Iraq will find that the main story is not about Americans fighting Iraqi insurgents, but Americans standing powerlessly aside in their armed compounds, Green Zone, and military bases, watching as Iraqis kill other Iraqis and the country disintegrates. It would be all too ironic if this were the result of the invasion of March 2003, which was promoted as a critical step in bringing peace to the Middle East."

Democracy, freedom, liberation. These words increasingly have little real meaning in the face of so much suffering.

The Face of Georgia

2006-05-02T10:34:00.000+10:00

In an effort to lift the struggling state's profile, the Georgian Government has reportedly asked J-Lo to help them celebrate the state's Independence Day by travelling to the capital Tbilisi and taking part in the celebrations.

Apparently though, despite being offered $A658,000, J-Lo has refused, demanding a higher fee and "unrealistic" conditions.

In a country that usually only has a few hours of electricity a day (and that's on a really good day) one can only imagine what those conditions were.

A Little Bit of Muscle Goes a Long Way

2006-04-24T11:43:00.000+10:00

In an effort to restore confidence in the White House, Georgie has been doing a little bit of spring cleaning. It seems, however, that some poeple still aren't satisfied, and are once again calling for the resignation of Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld.

I'd like to get in nice and early with a sugestion for a suitable replacement. Of course it needs to be someone who will project an image of strength and confidence. Someone who can inspire terror in the hearts of enemies, and trust in the bosoms of allies. For the man in charge of the most powerful army in the world, I'd like to offer up for your consideration:

I know I'd sleep better at night knowing he was defending me and mine.

Optimism Drops In for a Fleeting Visit

2006-04-21T11:35:00.000+10:00

There's an interesting article in the International Herald Tribune from the Boston Globe about the shared interest Iran and the US have in preventing Iraq from collapsing in on itself. The article suggests that if they're going to have any hope of working together on this issue, both states will have to compromise or offer something meaningful in return for the support and cooperation of the other.

An issue close to my heart is the role of morality in foreign policy. Morality is a slippery concept and one that cannot easily be defined. Hans Morgethau said one of the smartest things regarding this issue:

"There can be no political morality without prudence; that is, without consideration of the political consequences of seemingly moral action."

Publicly the actions of the US have been anything but prudent. One hopes, however, that the need to stabilise Iraq is of such national importance to both the US and Iran that it could promote some degree of prudence in their dealings with each other, despite public hot headedness. And name calling. And the waving of nuclear weapons in each other's face.

I know I'm being slightly naive here. I do have occasional moments of wordly optimism before I beat it back down with a stick called Realism and trundle off to kick another wall.

More Worms Than You Can Poke A Stick At

2006-04-18T09:52:00.000+10:00

It seems the research paper critiquing the Israel Lobby's influence over American foreign policy, which I briefly mentioned here, is continuing to cause tempers to rise and nostrils to flare. There's an opinion piece in The Australian with some interesting comments on the relationship Australia has with Israel.

Over here is a response to the paper by Michael A. Ledeen, that much needed voice of informed and dispassionate reason (note the words dripping with bitter sarcasm). He helpfully describes the research paper as "really dumb..."

It's a highly entertaining read.

Now I will stop procrastinating and go and mark those damn assignments. Bah!

Walks off slowly dragging feet.

Michael Franti

2006-04-12T12:56:00.000+10:00

Recently Michael Franti travelled through Iraq, Israel and Palestine and has made a documnetary called I Know I'm Not Alone that will be screening at Cinema Nova in Melbourne from April 13. Here is the description of the film from the nova website:

Armed with an acoustic guitar and a video camera, world-renowned musician, poet and activist Michael Franti takes us on a musical journey through war and occupation in Iraq, Israel and Palestine. Along the way he shares his music with families, doctors, musicians, soldiers and everyday people who in turn reveal to him the often overlooked human cost of war. Told in their own words, this film provides a rare glimpse into the lives of those who are affected by the war the most. Michael’s story-telling and songs masterfully weave the film into a visual and musical tribute to the resilience of the human spirit. The documentary captures beautiful imagery of humanity and the terrible destruction war brings, incorporation musical montages and a soundtrack written during and after the experience performed by Michael Franti.

Here is the link to the official webiste.

Am curious to see what this is like. Am also immensely jealous. When I casually mentioned to my mother the other day that I'd love to go to Iraq to do research on the democratic transition there she threatened to lock me in the spare bedroom of the family home and never let me out again. Ever.

WARNING: Walk On Water At Own Risk

2006-04-07T12:40:00.000+10:00

It seems some pesky scientists have come up with a scientific explanation for how Jesus may have managed to walk on water. Understandably, this has caused some distress among the faithful.

Personally, I've never managed to understand what all the fuss was about. Faith, by its nature, transcends everyday mundane phenomena, so surely it should be able to withstand the prodding and poking of scientists.
Not being an overly faithful person myself, I tend to trust the laws of science and am mindful of Jeff Goldblum's tragic end. With this in mind I like to get around as nature intended. In a canoe. When it comes to aquatic activites one can never be too careful.

(Picture courtesy of the wonderful Munkey)

On the subject of faith I'd like to leave you with some words from the brilliant and highly underrated film, The Favour, the Watch, and the Very Big Fish:

"I mean, I've got my doubts. I'm not totally convinced about God. If He's there, He's there. If He's not, He's not. In fact, if He is there at least I can say I've done more for Him than He's done for me. He's performed no miracles for me, my friend. "Cast thy bread upon the waters and it shall be returned to you a thousand-fold." But what can you do with a thousand loaves of wet bread?"

Can of Worms

2006-04-06T10:47:00.000+10:00

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt have recently published a working paper titled: The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy. It makes for some pretty fascinating reading.

Their main conclusion seems to be that the powerful Israel Lobby in America has influenced US foreign policy to such an extent that most policy decisions are centered on unconditional support for Israel, often at the expense, and sometimes in direct opposition, to actual US interests.

This paper has, of course, sparked widespread controversy. One critic described it as:

"A classical conspiratorial anti-Semitic analysis invoking the canards of Jewish power and Jewish control..."

This accusation, and many others of a similar nature that have been leveled at the authors, are to be expected where any criticism of Israel is involved. The problem is that any reasonable and informed debate about the US/Israel alliance and its implications for US foreign policy has largely been eclipsed by the more emotional and vitriolic response. Surely research that raises such serious questions deserves more than this.

Or we could just continue kicking each other in the shins.

A Fine Romance

2006-04-05T12:41:00.000+10:00

Jack Straw and Condoleeza Rice are currently in Iraq pressuring Iraqi leaders to form a unity government.

On the flight to Iraq, it seems forien diplomacy was already in full swing when Rice gave up her bed to the English gentleman and slept outside in the corridor.

In the face of growing criticism of the US led war and the deteriorating situation in Iraq, the trip has served as a symbol of the close and intimate relationship between the two Western powers. As two high profile representatives of these two countries, it is reassuring to see that that intimacy is not just public window dressing.

Apparently the two countries policies are so in sync that:

"by the end of trip, [Rice and Straw] would sometimes finish each other's sentences and even had begun to rub off on each other."

See, that's the real secret to successful American foreign policy - rubbing off on other countries.

Disgruntled Toy Maker

2006-03-24T15:15:00.000+11:00

I know I'm a little late off the mark with this story, considering it broke several days ago, but it was too intriguing not to post about.

Danish Company LEGO has expressed anger at a poster launched by the United Nations in their Campaign for International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The company claims the image links racist behaviour directly to the company LEGO and by association, to Denmark.

The UN has subsequently withdrawn the poster and apologised.

I can't decide whether the reaction to this is overly sensitive, similar in nature to the time I cried hysterically when the chocolate cake I baked deflated like a balloon the second I took it out of the oven, my mother assuring me over the phone that this did not mean I was a failure at being a grown-up.

On the other hand, given the fall-out from the publication of the cartoons depicting Muhammad, perhaps the reaction is actually quite reasonable.

I think the saddest aspect of this is that given current world events, this kind of hyper-sensitivity is only likely to increase.

Sing Me A Song

2006-03-23T12:07:00.000+11:00

A new musical depicting horrific scenes of suffering and torture in North Korea has just opened in a theatre in South Korea.

Musicals have often been used as a vehicle to raise awareness about controversial issues. Recently my wives and I re-watched this:

and I was once again reminded of how powerful and effective musicals can be. I think I might have even shed a tear or two.

Following on in this noble tradition I can’t wait for:

“Operation Iraqi Freedom – The Musical”

Featuring the well loved musical numbers:

"I Have Confidence In Me"

"Edelweiss"

"Favorite Things"

"Lonely Goatherd"

"So Long, Farewell"

And finally:

"The Sound of Freedom"

All In the Name of Freedom

2006-03-22T11:30:00.000+11:00

The US military is investigating allegations that US soldiers executed a family of 11 people. The soldiers claim only 4 people were killed. It is claimed that all those killed were shot in the head.

Iraqi police claim the people executed were:

Turkiya Muhammed Ali, 75 years

Faiza Harat Khalaf, 30 years

Faiz Harat Khalaf, 28 years

Um Ahmad, 23 years

Sumaya Abdulrazak, 22 years

Aziz Khalil Jarmoot, 22 years

Hawra Harat Khalaf, 5 years

Asma Yousef Maruf, 5 years

Osama Yousef Maruf, 3 years

Aisha Harat Khalaf, 3 years

Husam Harat Khalaf, 6 months

Reality Lite

2006-03-21T09:55:00.000+11:00

Georgie has just released the laughingly titled 2006 National Security Strategy of the United States of America. I won't review the whole document because William Pfaff has helpfully summed it up thus:
"The only actualy 'strategy' that can be deduced from it is that the Bush administration wishes to rule the world."

I would, however, like to draw your attention to several points of interest in the introduction.
It begins:

“My Fellow Americans,
America is at war.”
How insightful.

“America also has an unprecedented opportunity to lay
the foundations for future peace.”

Where? In Iraq?

"We have focused the attention of the world on the proliferation of dangerous weapons – although great challenges in this area
remain."

Such as reassuring the public that the new nuclear deal signed with India is not meant to undermine years of non-proliferation policies. (Sshh, we're trying to balance China, it's a good thing. Really!)

"We have stood for the spread of democracy in the broader Middle East – meeting challenges yet seeing progress few would have
predicted or expected."

Like the election of Hamas to the Palestinian Parliament. Jeez, that was inconvenient.

"And we are fighting alongside Iraqis to secure a united, stable, and democratic Iraq – a new ally in the war on terror in the
heart of the Middle East."

And a helpful breeding ground for the recruitment and training of terrorists.

"We seek to shape the world, not merely be shaped by it; to influence events for the better instead of being at their mercy...America must continue to lead."

I don't know quite how to respons to this. Considering the bang up job they've done so far it would be cruel to make them stop now. On the other hand, reading this I get the same feeling I did when I heard Steven Spielberg was going to remake Mary Poppins.

It was not a good feeling.

Freedom Crusade

2006-03-20T11:29:00.000+11:00

It has been three years since the war to ‘liberate’ Iraq. After the supposed threat of Saddam’s WMD, the fabricated links to Al Qaeda, his brutality towards his own people, and the threat his regime’s continued existence posed to the security of the ‘West’, the Bush administration has finally settled on democracy promotion as the raison d'etre for the war.

The arguments for bringing democracy to an oppressed people ranged from the reasonable (a democratic government is more desirable than a brutal dictator) to the farcical (a democratic Iraq will act as a beacon of freedom and liberty, prompting a democratic transformation across the entire Middle East). Far from bringing stability and freedom to the Iraqi people, the Bush administration’s policy of democracy promotion has divided the country along ethnic/sectarian lines and threatens to push the country into civil war.

Aside from the fact that the recent elections and the constitutional process are further cementing the ethno/sectarian split, some other benefits from the war include:

Between 33679 and 37795 civilian deaths as a result of military intervention.
Daily insurgent attacks, Feb 2004 - 14
Daily insurgent attacks, July 2005 - 70
Daily insurgent attacks, January 2006 - 75
Trained Iraqi Troops Needed by July 2006 - 272,566
Trained Iraqi Troops Able to Fight Without Major US Support, in Feb 2006 - 0
Iraqi Unemployment Rate - 25 to 60%
Average Daily Hours Iraqi Homes Have Electricity - 10.0
Average Daily Hours Baghdad Homes Have Electricity - 5.2
Number of Iraqi Homes Connected to Sewer Systems - 37%
Percentage of Iraqi Homes with Access to Piped Water - 78%
Hepatitis Outbreaks - 2002, 100; 2003, 170; 2004, 200.
Children Enrolled in Primary School - 2000, 3.6 million; 2004, 4.3 million
World Bank Estimate of Iraq Reconstruction Costs - $55.3 billion

Results of Poll Taken in Iraq in August 2005 by the British Ministry of Defense (Source: Brookings Institute)
Iraqis "strongly opposed to presence of coalition troops - 82%
Iraqis who believe Coalition forces are responsible for any improvement in security – less than 1%
Iraqis who feel less secure because of the occupation - 67%
Iraqis who do not have confidence in multi-national forces - 72%
Iraqis who rarely have safe, clean water - 71%
Iraqis who never have enough electricity - 47%
(Statistics taken from here and here.)

The difficulties in forming a unified national government, the continuing insurgency, the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, and the horrific wave of retaliatory violence have convinced many that Iraq is on the brink of a civil war.

The fact that Iraq is in this state, not six months after the war but three years after, is an appalling and tragic policy failure.

The naïve and hubristic attitude of Bush and his cabal in the face of this is embarrassing and irresponsible.

2006-03-16T12:09:00.000+11:00

It’s Too Darn Risky

Sex is not just fun kids.
Sex is serious.
One must be responsible about sex.
One must be responsible about who one has sex with.
Sex should only be had between a husband and wife.
Sex is for making the babies.

The Sexual Revolution ignored these timeless truths with horrific and tragic consequences for the WHOLE WORLD. Sex is not a private choice but a public responsibility. Sexual liberation has been responsible for:

An increase in the percentage of single parent families;
An explosion in welfare dependence;
Crime;
Wrecked cities and public schools;
Violence and abuse;
Endless human misery.

And all this because we as modern, secular, liberated, individuals’ have recklessly wandered from traditional sexual norms. “And this has hurt us badly.”

*Non-traditional sex is also responsible for global warming.*

2006-03-09T12:09:00.000+11:00

Dress Sense

A member of the Dutch Parliament recently stated:

“The burqa is hostile to women, and medieval. For a woman to walk around on the streets completely covered is an insult to everyone who believes in equal rights.”

Our inalienable rights are being eroded at every turn.

So let's outlaw this:

And instead dress like this:

Update:
Courtesy of the redoubtable Snazz

you could also choose to dress like this:

2006-03-03T10:28:00.000+11:00

Cultural Diversity At its Best

Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi, the former second foreign affairs spokeman for the Taliban, has recently been granted a special student visa by the US State Department and is happily enrolled at Yale university, studying, among other things, 'Terrorism-Past, Present, and Future'.

No doubt he is a shining example of the University's Multiultural Recruitment Program.

As top universities like Yale and Harvard compete to attract 'high profile' students, the man who came to the west on a PR exercise to defend blowing up the Buddha's of Bamiyan is now adding to the rich, cultural diversity of Yale's student population.

I love it!