Symbolism of statues, good sportsmanship, and good bye blackwater January 31, 2009

Hanama Bay

Sandys Beach

Waikiki at night

There is good sportsmanship after all!  American Shawn Crawford gave up his Olympic Silver sprinting medal to Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles.  Martina was disqualified for running out of his lane, but as Crawford stated  “I’m like, if a guy is 10 meters in front of me, I don’t care if he stayed in the middle of his lane…He was going to beat me anyway. He didn’t impede in anybody’s race.” To give up an Olympic medal is a huge gesture to the sport…even if a lane was violated. Kudos to you Crawford!

Whats in with a statue?  Well is can symbolize all sorts of things, from a national pride, to recognition of a historical event or figure, or just for visual stimulation…but the newest statue the world is obsessed with symbolizes an action of irrelevant figure.  When the US entered Iraq, there is the infamous picture of the Iraqis pulling down a statue of Saddam. It was the ultimate signal of freedom and hope for the population of a country. (Or at least thats what the US media wanted everyone to believe…propaganda anyone?) Now there is a different kind of pride being displayed in Iraq…this time the statue is of a shoe…the commemoration of the reporter and Bush’s ninja skills at shoe dodging.  The meaning of this is a sign of discontent, unhappiness, and a revolt against imperial oppression…wonder what statues will depict next!

The purple finger is back. Iraq had recent elections, but while violence wsa minimal, there is still complaints of people being rejected from voting, and the use of threats.  While the Iraqi government and the US president may be glowing at the success of the election, Iraq is still a long way off from being a stable and shining beacon of democracy in the Middle East.  Hopefully over time, and with minimal western influences, the Iraqis will unite or at least compromise, and a stable government will form…one that is non-discriminatory, whether democratic or not.

New blood has come to Gitmo.  An old classmate of Obamas from Punahou, Rear Adm. Coleman will be the next commander to oversee the detention center that has been fraught with scandal and a negative image in the US and the world.  Maybe some fresh blood is what is needed, but regardless, things need to change.

I apologize for the Iraq centered blog, but there has been alot of news on the region…including that Blackwaters contract with the State Dept is not being renewed!  Score one for the new government…sorry Mercs. (Or Private Defense Forces….whichever you prefer) It doesnt hurt that the new Iraqi government has denied Blackwater a license to operate in the country.

Well Hawaii is nice and warm, and I am still jealous that Im not getting to play in the snow back in Ohio.  Im getting eaten alive by mosquito’s yet again, and one bite on my big toe is driving me nuts!  Classes are good, but there is alot to do this semester.  I just hope it all goes relatively smooth!  I havent been doing anything too fun lately. I did go over to Sandys the other day for a short break, but ended up reading on the bus, at the bus stop, and again at the beach….at least studying outside is a nice break from my living room and bedroom.  I have a feeling Erik and I will be resuming our UH library sessions sooner rather than later…Fun! Well Im off to relax briefly before I jump into reading for counterinsurgency class.

Later!

ps: Happy Birthday Brat!

 

Serbian protests, a slick Judge, and the 155,000 dollar dog January 29, 2009

The Serbs go on protest…that is their parliament does.  No they are not fed up by the economy, lack of pay, work, or anything that should be important to them.  They were mad that a local network decided to air a tennis match instead of 2 hours of their legislative proceedings.  They were mad they didnt get their 15 minutes of fame.  Now Ive heard it all!

A judge denies the governments requests to halt the trial of a Saudi man who is suspected of bombing the USS Cole. Currently at Gitmo, the judge is satting that is violated the constiution to stall the proceedings.  It goes against the right to a fair and speedy trial.  Now I have to laugh at this, cause although his argument is based in fact, it makes me laugh that it is now that the Gitmo judiciary decides to uphold the constitution and a persons rights…when they are being halted to investigate human rights and make sure they are getting those rights!  Slick judge, slick.

Apparently the economy hasnt hit everyone.  A couple decided to clone their beloved dog to the price of $155,000.  Wonder where they live?  Hint…the mall is full of “plastics”.  I know Leenee will get that one!  The answer is Boca Raton, FL.

Well off to study!

Later!

 

T.O. tv?, even more Hugo?, and Japan goes to Somalia January 28, 2009

Reality TV has hit an alltime low. Apparently T.O. (Terrell Owens) is getting his own reality TV show on VH1.  Im not really sure what the premise of this show is, but considering that the network has brought you such shows as Flavor of Love and a Bret Michaels Rockstar love show, Im not expecting too high of quality!  It will just be full of T.O. antics like I get every sunday during football season, just this time it will be off the field.

Will we see more Hugo?  Thats a good question. The Venezuelan President is petitioning for a constitutional change that would allow him to run for the office again.  Currently after his current term he would be required to step down from the office cause he’s “termed” out.  Feb 15 there will be a vote on whether to change the constitution allowing a President to run for office for a third time…even if it passses, what will happen when a third term is up Hugo? Gonna change the rules again?  Guess we’ll have to wait and see….

There has been a glitch in the ICC trial of Lubanga (a DRC warlord). Apparently after testifying, a witness recanted his statement, calling into question witness safety and threats.  Currently the proceeding have halted until an investigation can be made to determine if the witness was coerced to change his story. I hate to say it, but regardless if it was coerced or not, it is a blow to the ICC and its first true trial…and the world is already skeptical of its ability to survive. (ps…hes on trial for child soldiers)

In an interesting move by the Japanese government, ships were sent to Somalia. Hmm…so much for the national defense force. I wonder if they will be allowed to actually target pirates or if they will have to wait until fired upon.  Either way, I hope they dont approach the situation like the one in Iraq, where the Japanese soldieres require other troops to actually protect them since they dont have the capacity to fire at enemies. This should be interesting.

To everyone in Ohio who are snowed and iced in….hope you got the day off and were lazy!  I am sad Im not getting to play in the snow…so go make a snow angel for me!

Later!

Someone stole my burial plan, an old lizard, and when reality crashes down on religion January 26, 2009

Becoming a dad is always stressful but how about becoming a dad at the age of 111?!  Thats what happened recently to a centenarian tuatara named Henry (aka…a lizard from New Zealand).  111 may seem old, but for these reptiles, they can live well over 100…so gramps got his groove on….and now will be saddled with the burden of a baby for the next 100 years of his life…hope he has a good portfolio plan…j/k.

I love that the creator of Star Trek is taking his love of sci-fi and space to the next level.  His wife and him are planning on being launched into outer space in capsules to live eternally in space!  Its what I wanted!  How can he yank my dream of burial from me…ok, I realize I wasnt the first to come up with this plan, but I still like to claim it as mine!  Guess I can share the universe with a couple of more people…dang…so much for solitude after death!

Everyone always says im a scary driver…I never really see it…I may have a lead foot but Im cautious…unlike a man in Berlin. A German motorist missed a bend in the road, broke through a barrier and hurtled up a bank, crash-landing on a church roof.  Somehow im betting thats not what the pastor had in mind when he was talking to his parishioners about things raining down from the heavens above!

Well Im off to listen to the rain fall and hoefully get some sleep tonight…until then reading as usual…that will never end…but hopefully it will slow after I get done with grad school!

Later!

Lets support the War criminals!, When will politicians learn, and a night full of potential gut busting misery January 25, 2009

Ok…now Ive heard it all coming from the Middle East….Israel has stated that they will “back” any soldier that fouhgt in the 3week campaign against gaza that is acused of war crimes against the civilian population.  Gee, that going to win the hearts and minds of the international community, who you would like the support of in the future towards your campaign against Hamas!  Im a little concerned about this announcement. Its one thing to support your soldiers during a time of war, and most militaries have set guidelines in place that lays out “clearly” what is acceptable and unacceptable in a time of war…hello Geneva Convention?!?….so to pre-emptively state that you will support potential war criminals flags to the rest of the world that some not so cool things may/maynot have occured during that 3 week period of chaos.  Wow….and Israel is the main ally of the US?  Um…Im not saying we should ditch them, but I do think we need to seperate ourselves from them in some ways in order to preserve our own interests.  Here we are trying to give human rights to Gitmo detainees and Israel is defending potential human rights violators…time for us to move on…sorry Israel Lobby.

What is up with todays politicians?!  First Blagojevich decides to announce to the press that his ongoing corruption investigation, and the resulting pending impeachment proceeedings, are all a vast conspiracy against him…that hes the victim of a conspiracy to raise taxes. Seriously?!  Wow…and I thought Bush was creative on the excuses he made for his decisions, but he aint got nuttin’ on Blagojevich! And now theres some Mayor from Portland who has decided he won’t resign for lying about a sexual relationship with a teen (graned the boy was 18)!  Wow…please don’t tell me he’s taking a page from Illinois cause Im not thinking thats going to work out so well…one may be corrupt, but being a viewed through the lens of sexual scrutiny is no fun…just ask all the other politicians who have been busted for one sexual relationship or another!

And can I suggest that no one move to Pennsylvania anytime soon…it seems like there is a serial arsonist on the loose…just an FYI.

Well im off to watch some more Man v. Food with the roomies…One thing we cann all agree on…one day we want to take a road trip across the US and visit all the food sites from the cable shows!  Food vacation…fun! (Plus Josh baked a cake…well kinda…he didnt have all the ingredients needed, and got creative…so if poison control is called later, just know its not my fault!)

Later!

The goat thief, the wonders of a solar eclipse, and the Pope on Youtube? January 24, 2009

I have survived the first week of classes!  Yay!  But i fear that by the end of the semester I may be bald as I foresee me pulling out my own hair out of a combination of exhaustion, stress(and I dont stress easily!), and a brain freeze from all the research and writing I will be doing!  I think I can, I think I can….its all in staying positive (which can be a challenge for me).

There is a list of things I want to do in my lifetime…call it a bucket list if you want…and everyday I seem to find something new to add to it…today is no exception.  I may have to wait for a long time to witness this one myself, seeing as its not something that can be bought or that can be done anytime…I want to witness a complete solar eclipse.  The Indian Ocean recently had one, and I think its just fascinating to see, how nature and the universe can create something so instantaneous, and awe-inspiring that it leaves people in amazement! 

Its Chinese New Years!  How do I know? Well there seems to have been an explosion in the Chinatown area in Honolulu, plus the fireworks kinda gives it away too.. Apparently its the year of the Ox, but Im not sure what that means…I think I was born in the year of the rat…or was it the monkey, oh well, nevertheless, its made for an entertaining afternoon in Chinatown!

Is anyone else finding it weird that the Pope is getting his own Youtube channel?  Im finding it strange that the Catholic Church has been so unwilling to come into the modern era in so many ways, and on so many issues, that to find him utilizing a “technological phenomenon” like Youtube is startling!  Im sure its an attempt to spread the ideological beliefs of the religion to the young and “hip” but Im over the religious “propaganda” so im not sure Ill be tuning into the Popes podcasts anytime soon… (Its one thing to be spiritual, but im not too into the religion thing)

And in my favorite news item for the day, a goat was detained by the local police on suspicion of burglary….in Nigeria. Apparently several people took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323.  Now this is not shocking to me in the least…Im use to the culture in Western Africa, and seeing people explain the bad things in life with accusations of ancestors being cursed and voodoo, but I am a little surprised that the police actually agreed to detain the goat! Maybe it was just easier to do this then tell the people that voodoo, and a goat, cant steal a Mazda 323.

Well Im off to watch UFC with the Roomies and then off to read some US foreign policy…

Later!

The price on virginity, a shocking arrest, and how hatred can ruin the world January 22, 2009

Where do I start…oh boy…some interesting stuff for tonight..so lets begin with the prostitution bidding out of Nevada! Yes you read right…apparently there is a 22 year old girl who has decided to sell her virginity through the Moonlite Bunny Ranch’s website…the current bid…$3.8 Million!  Um Im no expert on prostitution, but isn’t $3.8 million a little high for some random 22 year old?  I mean if it was Angelina Jolie, then I could understand, but dang!  And worse…what does this say about our society?  22 years old and selling her virginity?  Seriously?  Wow!

And on to another extreme topic….how about a DNA test for 16th century scientist?  Apparently Italian and British scientists want to exhume Galileo and run DNA tests to determine if his severe vision problems could have altered his findings.  First…im no longer shocked that science may actually be able to tell this from a pile fo bones. Second…I am a little weirded out by him being exhumed out of curiosity. And third…hello..if he had horrible sight wouldnt scientists accept that his findings might be flawed in the first place?!  I mean come on, science can be wrong…just look at Darwin…he never equated for the pink iguana!  Even if science is flawed, it still has value, so why cant the scientists just see Galileos findings for the value they entail, and move on?!

Apparently Bush decided to make a decision on his own for once…and now Cheney is upset. He firmly believes that Bush should have pardoned his buddy, Libby.  Im not surprised, but am actually happy with and agreeing with Bush for once…thankfully he did not!  If Libby had been pardoned it would have set a precedent for any government aide to follow orders or do as they please, even if it breaks laws… That isnt right!

And the right wing base…ie…Rush Limbaugh…has actually made one of the stupidest comments Ive heard in a long time…He honestly wishes that Obama will fail!  Now, I dont care if you are Republican, Democrat, Red, Blue, Liberal, or Conservative…or undecided…the idea that you want a President to fail is horrific!  Failure is detrimental to everyone!  Not just a particular party or affiliation!  If anything over the last 8 years shoulda been learned, it was that!  Failure hurts everyone and is definitely something that should never be wished upon anyone! Wow…is Limbaugh in elementary school again? That is so childish!  I can’t believe anyone actually listens or agrees with him if these are the comments and opinions he wields!

And now im in utter shock!  I seriously am!  Chills down my spine and the whole deal!  Apparently the Rwandan military forces who entered the DRC to help combat the militia groups have just arrested Nkunda!  Now I realize many of you have no clue what Im talking about but since this surround my potential Masters thesis Im in shock, awe, and utter astonishment!  I didnt actually foresee him being arrested anytime soon, let alone it being done by his “ally” Rwanda!  Now the ICC will have to finish their investigation of him and issue a warrant of arrest for war crimes, and crimes against humanity, among other things…The only problem I see, is who is going to fill the vacuum left behind in North Kivu, and is it only going to get worse?  Will the LRA move into the region now that Nkunda’s gone?  That may be even worse for the Congolese…we’ll see.

Well class was interesting…and for the first time Im actually worried about writing my Master thesis…this semester may be a little more than I bargained for!

Later!

Lying theif, expanding the PCVs, and an HPU update January 21, 2009

Well its official… Hilary Clinton has been confirmed…and her first mandate…to “step up diplomacy” and to “repair America image abroad”  both rather vague and hard to accomplish! We’ll see how she does. I wonder if they will step up the amount of Peace Corps Volunteers overseas?  The finest use of American propaganda machine that ever could be, especially considering us PCVs join not out of loyalty but out of a desire to help…what could be purer than that?  (Im having flashbacks of sitting in Asselins class and having the stunning realization that as a PCV I was in fact part of the propoganda machine form the US…it was a sad day for me).

In funny news today, a German teen who was caught shoplifting decided to try and outsmart the police and gave a phony address…the only problem was the address that was given ended up being the address of a police investigator…nice try though!

Well my first class went well…its going to be super demanding though!  It is my Disaster Command, Communication, and Coordination class…and apparently I have to find a local business, etc that has a disaster plan and basically tear it to shreds…and make suggestions.  That is one task that will be intersting but not really enjoyable!  We’ll see.

Later!

All things Obama and two days of laziness January 20, 2009

Well, its day one of the Obama presidency. There was much fanfare and glitz and drama…Sennator Kennedy had to be taken to the hospital, there were slip-ups during the oath, and many many balls…but somehow in the midst of all the first day of chaos, he found a way to order a 120 day halt on all pending cases for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay…Yay!  Go ‘Bama!  And might I add, that was fast!  Now onto proper trials and actual human rights for detainees!

And more on the Obama front, apparently the Japanese are taking full advantge of the Obama Town madness and now actually have Obama English text books…wow…and here President Bush thought invasion and overthrowing a dictator would bring American culture to the world, I guess all we really needed to do was elect someone who didnt piss everyone off!

Well tomorrow is the first day of Spring classes, and might I say it was nice to have two days of pure laziness…it was glorious! Now it wont happen for oh….another 5 months at least…yay grad school! Well Im off to relax for the rest of my evening and cover up…cause all though it is slightly chilly for Hawaii weather (68 degrees) the misquitos are still out in force!  Ahhh…and Ive been bit on everypart of my body!

Later!

The shock and awe of Sunday football, and WWI has ended January 18, 2009

Yay!!! Im finally done with the winter semester!  My final paper has been written and I am super excited that military history requirements have been fulfilled (well as long as I actually pass the class).  Ahhh…a sigh of relief.  I can safely say that I am no fan of studying WWI.

In better news…Arizona made the Superbowl.  They beat Philly!  Yay!  Even though Fox’s pre-game bird battle cartoon was a little disturbing…Im not sure a war of the birds with blood and all was the way to go, but hey…to each his own.  My roomie Josh, who is from AZ, is in shock…dethly shock…he keeps saying Arizona is actually in the Superbowl?!  Seriously?!  I guess it would be like if the Bungals actually made it, eveyone in and around Ohio would be in shock too.  Im sorry for Stella, who was really looking forward to a possible superbowl becoming the battle of Pennsylvania; Pitt v Philly.

Well Im off to relax a little and maybe watch Family Guy with Josh…

Later!