Australian serial killer, the next Oscar nominated film, and a little OchoCinco drama July 15, 2009

Oh god damn it OchoCinco…I thought that after ast seasons horrible record, you were trying to be a team player(well verbally be one at least).  After all, you announced that yu were planning on living with the Palmer family to tighten that realtionship between QB and WR…and now you have to open youre big ole’ mouth and start blabbing about how you are planning to defy the NFL. Seriously? Why bite the hand that feeds you?! And for those of you who havent heard or read about his latest antics, he is wanting to Tweet during games, and the NFL said no. Seriously? Who cares either way…while I think it would be fun to see player tweets, its not necesssary or pertinent. What this all tells me is that 1) Twitter has officially become something truly obsessive and addictive (especially after we heard about Twitter going to space with the new NASA crew) and 2) that Chad needs to grow up!

Well I know what I want to see next in the movie theatres…Kim Jong Ils biopic…yep thats right…cause you know that North Korea will  just glamorize his every action, and whats more fun then watching some fun propaganda? Somehow i doubt I will ever see it, let alone in a movie theatre here in the US…but hey, maybe..a girl can dream cant she? (and yes I know im insane, but you have to admit it woud be freakin hilarious)…Oscars here it comes!

Australia has a serial killer on the loose..and so far 9 are dead…all had their stomachs slashed open…and for all of those around Sydney Harbor, it is a nightmare. The Penguins are being killed….but by what?!  Yes I know Im a dork, but when I read about these animal attack and the reactions of those around I couldnt help but play the comedic stupid drama card. After all, parks services actually hired 2 snipers to kill any foxes or other possible predator. Yes snipers. Extreme? Not so much. This is, after all, a country that’s considering building fences across chunks of Tasmania to help prevent endangered Tasmanian Devils with a contagious cancer from infecting the healthy population. And so now the enitre population is out to save these penguins, including telling the Mayor to do what ever was necessary…which obviously translates to snipers in Australian speak.

Later!

Rockets in Hawaii, the battle for Harry, and some Genki Sushi goodness! July 11, 2009

Well today was a nice day out. Selina and I headed over to Genki Sushi for lunch and of course had fun selecting our meals off the Sushi Merry-Go-Round…aka the Sushi conveyor belt. I think every restaurant should do that! Its kinda fun to sit and watch the one item no one wants circle around the restaurant, feeling all rejected…in this case it was the tofu…suchi tofu just doesnt sound appealing to me! And after being stuffed to the brim with sushi, we ventured Ala Moana and I was introduced to the likes of Betsey Johnson, et al…For someone who is as worldly as me, I am apparently a fashion idiot, because 1/2 the stores were new to me! And of course this is probably partly blamed on the fact that I grew up in BFE Ohio…literally its BFE or aka Miseryburg.  The best moment though had to be the Japanese Cowboy Hula dance that I oh so cleverly happened to catch on video…so if you want to see it head on over to my Facebook because for some reason the video doesnt like my blog! And after a nice day of window shopping, and falling in love with a Coach purse that is like $900, we satiated out sadness of not being able to afford anything with a stopover at Liliha Bakery for some Coco Puffs…which are da’bomb brah!  Sadly this is the extent of my social life at the moment. My days are spent reading…and not for fun either…

Hmmm…who said a a girl cant split up two gay guys…well at least two gay penguins that is…at the San Fransisco Zoo, two male penguins,(Harry and Pepper) who have been together since 2003 were home wrecked by a female penguin(Linda)…and now the couple is no more…Apparently the controversy even turned ugly at one point.  My only concern about this news is that of all the zoos in the world, the gay penguins are from San Fran…stereotype much?

Hmm…maybe the Hawaii economy will become even more stable in the future…cause right now the only stable sectors are the DoD contracts! But there are a few out there who envision Hawaii as being the next gen tourist destination, the place where people come high-end getaways, including someday being launched from the sand to the stars, taking island-hopping to new heights. The issues at hand are whether or not the state governor will agree to the funds for a spaceport…but for me the greater concern is that this whole idea was dreamt up by some one in Oklahoma! Has ever been to HI? Infrastrucutre isnt the best here, and Im gonna guess that since they are planning on using existing runwys on Oahu and the Big Island that Infrastructure will be key! Oh well, let the dreamers dream, cause Im definately a dreamer too….

Ahhh…finally a google search that actually hints at me! “naked body art metallic bodypaint”….although Im not sure where or when I blogged about anyof that but somehow I can see myself doing it!

Later!

Murder for Hire, a little Body Paint, and the Pigeon vs Hummer Debate July 1, 2009

Well i have decided that pigeons are some of the stupidest birds alive. I sat on Bethel St waiting on the bus, watching this one pigeon trying to cross the raod during rush hour traffic. Instead of flying over the cars, it kept walking in front of oncoming cars, and then running out of the way. No it wasnt injured, in fact it eventually made its way 1/2 way across the street and discovered it couldnt run back to safety from an oncoming Hummer and finally flew to the sidewalk. The only problem? It flew back the way it came and then started the entire process over again. Either it is a daredevil trying to conquer one road at a time, or its brain has fallen out! Thats not the end of my pigeon stories for the day, but the other one is not as funny.

Since this day was full of oddities, I decided it was time to update everyone on the weird news from around the world…starting with news from Madrid. Spanish police arrested a man today who they suspect of hiring a contract killer to kill his boss to avoid being laid off.  Well, Im not thinking that this man thought the entire thing through. Now he no longer has a job and is facing jail time, rather then just being laid off.  yes the economy is hard right now, but seriously? Killing to maintain a lifestyle? Dang, who thought sociopathism was linked to Wall Street? (Oh and the killing actually occurred, it wasnt a failed hiring!)

Hmm…so if I asked you what Johnny Depp, Garfield, Paris Hilton, and roast pork have in common, what would you say? Go ahead, guess! according to China, they are all bad for your moral health. So, with the new internet filtering system coming online, the Chinese have effectively filtered the oddest array of things/people imaginable. (While arguably Hilton is bad for health, who couldnt stand a little Captain Jack?!)

Like many frequent flyers I tune out the flight attendents and videos during the takeoff check list. I figure if I cant figure out where the exits are or how to buckle a seat belt then maybe I shouldnt be flying…alone. Wel, Air New Zealand has come up with a new technique to keep passengers attention on them during this time..they are introducing domestic crew that are dressed only in body paint. Well, that should make for an interesting conversation with your 5 year old!

Later!

The overthrow of Zelaya, some Kang Nam action, and an uplifted C-Span? June 30, 2009

Well its been several days since I last blogged, and it is mainly due to the fact that the available news has been scarce except that revolving around Michael Jackson, Farrah, or Mays deaths…and honestly, we have been bombarded enough with news on the deaths within the entertainment industry that I couldnt bring myself to even regurgitate anything on the subject! So alas, Im back, and have some subjects to actually blog on!  How exciting!  Oh yes, and If Im typing and an x is left out, for some reason my x on my key board is sticking and when I type fast x has been removed from the alphabet!

Ahh..its nice to know that during all the MJ hoopla, the US military is still able to perform its duties! The Navy has been monitoring the North Korean ship, the Kang Nam 1,which  has changed its course.  The boat is suspected of carrying illegal weapons and possibly missiles, all which was banned under UN sanctions after the nucleur testing that North Korea did a few months back. The ship was heading south and was expected to dock in Hong Kong for fuel, but about 250 miles from HK, it changed course and is heading back north. I am reading a few things into that…and I tell you up front this is just my wild fascination with conspiracy theories running amuck with foreign relations thrown in! When the UN imposed sanctions on North Korea, allowing for any member state to request inspection and board a North Korean vessel that is suspected of carrying illicit materials, North Korea declared that any interception of its vessels and any attempts to board would be a declaration of war.  This leads me to two trains of thought. First, North Koreas declaration implys an interception more at seas then land, and thus docking in Hong Kong, and any  inspection carried out then may not have been upheld under their previous declaration. I say this in respect to them actually seeking a conflict with the US and other countries, and if they launch missiles first without any percieved violation of sovereignty then what little support they might have would disappear. This is also with a basis that they want to start a conflict. Secondly, the Kang Nam was a test of UN sanctions in that the North Koreans really wanted to see if member states of the UN would carry out the inspections that the Security Council approved. This is an apparent no. Well for now anyways. member states are walking a fine line between action and monitoring. There may come a day where action is needed, and that day will probably be soon, but the monitoring is the way to go for now. Now that North Korea knows that its unlikely in the immediate future that ships will be inspected, they can continue trading with Myanmar and all those friendly to Pyongyang. Either way I think this launching of this vessesl was a test on the international community and the sanctions. if North Korea is testing the waters so to speak, then it wont be long that any slight of hand by the UN or US or other Western ally will lead to what Jong il believes is valid reason to restart a war.

Also in the news, Al Franken has been officially declared Senator of Minnesota..making the Senate fillabuster proof for this term…Im happy with thi sresult, as I am hoping that Frankens appearance will at least liven up C-Span!

And in other news from the world, there was a coup in Honduras…which of course left me wondering if all my vacations are doomed to some sort of curse! Im destined for Honduras come December, so lets hope that the country is at least stable enough to visit! But at the moment, it is looking like a long drawn out coup with no end in sight. The UN is backing former President Zelaya, but those who overthrew him vowed that if he returns to Honduras he will be arrested and tried for treason. And of course thicoup drew comments form Hugao himself…who suported Zelaya and is upset about the coup, and even called for the UN to use military force to intervene!  You wonder why? Well its because Zeyaya was pushing for Constitutional changes that would allow him to run for more terms, something Hugo himself has managed to do twice in Venezuala! The last hing he wants is a coup,  or even the thought of one, springing up in his country!

Well Im off to read for Cold War…

Later!

Election Annulments?, Kenya vetoes troops, and the Rassak case June 22, 2009

Well the Iranian leadership has made some decisive statements regarding the Election fraud allegations and has voiced today that the Guardian Council had found no major fraud and that there would be no annullment of the results, again backing Ahmadinejad as the victor. However, this statement came only a day after the Guardian Council announced that there had been voting irregularities in 50 districts, including local vote counts that exceeded the number of eligible voters.  With the final election result being 62.6 percent of the vote for Ahmadinejad and 33.75 percent for Mousavi and a record turnout of a 85 percent of Iran’s 46.2 million eligible voters, the turmoil is far from over.  Many analysts saw this election  as being much closer, and not a landslide victory for Ahmadinejad. Most saw Mousavi winning the election. But alas, like elections here in the US, things arent always what the pre-polling and analysts seem. Yet the shear magnitude of the victory does lead to validity questions, because even in the best of elections analysts get it wrong, but in those cases the vote is usually much closer, and the outcome much tighter. I do find it hard to believe that Ahmadinejad, who was behind in the polls, could make up such a voting gap when many Iranians were angered with him and his policies. I find it even more disturbing that the Guardian Council admitted voting irregularities of signifigance, and then a day later, towed the party line and ruled out fraud as a factor in the election. Now it is up to the people to maintain a voice.

In additional news…Kenya had refused military assistance to Somalia and stated that this operation should be an AU run operation which I agree with in part. Yes, any intervention needs to be a coalition operation, but the AU is not strong enough by itself to complete the magnitude of what is being asked. Heck the US went in to Somalia in the early 90s and got our asses handed to us on a silver platter. While admittedly we werent preparded for that sort of tactical warfare at the time, it still is a huge problem area that would require more than some AU peacekeeping forces on the ground. To even begin stabalization of that country would require diplomatic negotiations between Ethiopia and Eritrea (so that both would stop using Somalia as a battleground) and would require a huge counterinsurgency strategy with a huge emphasis on public relations. Because even if you can get in there and establish order in Mogadishu, you have a huge problem of Somali people historically not liking any outsiders on their soil and often taking up arms and uniting against said forces. Then after the outsider is dispelled comes the tribal rivalries and internal fighting again. Its a vicious cycle in Somalia and without a global campaign, nothing will dent the chaos in that country.

In Guantanamo news, a federal judge ruled in the Rassak case that he was to be freed. In case you havent followed the case at all, a video tape of Rassak was found among the Taliban showing him as a suicide martyr for Al-Qaida, however, in reality he was being held by Al-Qaida and was being tortured as a suspected American spy. A closer examination of the video showed he was being tortured during its making. The federeal government argued that he still held some loyalties to his captors and was still part of the terrorist network that had tortured, imprisoned and abandoned him. The Judge ruled that the federal governments logic defied common sense and has ordered his release. It is actually disturbing me that the government would make an arguement like this when the video was made while the victim was under distress…I wonder if this would have happened to any of the POWs of the Korean War should they have been tortured and taped, and then placed on trial too?

Later!

Freedom to Protest, Chaos in Somalia, and the 1 Billion… June 21, 2009

Well I didnt get around to blogging last night, which was just sad, cause it was World Refugee Day!  But I was watching the news, and researching things as usual…and there is plenty to discuss tonight!

So lets jump into the madness, and begin with Iran. Im not sure how many people reading this blog have been following whats been going on in Tehran, but I thik we are truly witnessing something beyond protests, beyond, angry voters, I think we are beginning to witness a falling of a regime. The only downside is whether the Ayatollah will enforce a dictatorship. or whether there will be a coup. Either way its very dangerous for the Western nations and the Middle East as a Region. Right now Iran is one of the more stable countries in the region and has been for the past 30+ years. Thats not to say that it hasnt had its issues clashing with western human rights ideologies over the years, but economically and politically it was stable. If a coup or dictatorship occurs, there is bound to be more unrest in an already unstable region. An unstable Iran is the last thing the world needs right now.  But if for some reason, the Ayatollah is able to restabalize Iran without a coup or dictatorship…then these events lend credence to the Wests apprehension about Irans nucleur ambitions. If they cant control protestors (and Im not talking a freedom to voice opposition, but violence and chaos) then how can they effectively control weaponry responsibly? Regardless though, Ahmadinejad and Khamenei have been using this time to blame the US and other Western countries like England for the events in their country. My personal favorite is the US is paying terrorists in Iraq to come across the border and create violence in Iran. Hahahaha! Seriously?! If the US could pay the terrorists to do anything it would be to stop fighting the military so we could get out of Iraq and Afghanistan. I dont think the US has the sway with the militants to get them to attack Iran!  But sadly, there are people in Iran that probably believe the Ayatollah when he says it. There may not be many but they do exist.  Just like there are people here who still believe the Holocaust didnt happen. No amount of proof will disuade them which is sad, because for me, education is all about having your beliefs challenged so that you can grow as a person!  So, to all those protestors out there, keep challenging the beliefs, ideologies, assumptions…let your voice ring clear! Neda!

Also in the news, was Somalias request that Ethiopia send in troops to help them disband the militants…which Ethiopia rejected, stating that it would nee to be an interntaionally sanctioned course of action before Ethiopia aids Somalia. This is not surprising, but rellay the only backing Ethiopia is really looking for is the United States. It acted starting in  2001 with US support to aid the Temporary Somali government reestabligh control over Mogadishu…and with that backing came technical and military support since the US was also acting under a Global War of Terror mindset, and making that deal would allow the US to target Extremesit camps in Somalia and Ethiopia without compromising sovereignty.  Sneaky we are!  But I wouldnt expect to see the US so eager to support it this time without most of the European powers supporting it as well. The last thing the US needs is to be tied officially or unofficially to chaos in Somali (excluding Pirates). However, because of that pirate problem, its may happen that the world leaders decide to support AU and Ethiopian intervention under the right pretext…we shall see!

And in even more disappointing news, World hunger numbers hit 1 Billion. This is in part due to the economic crisis around the globe. Higher food prices=increased hunger.  Just in case you cant put that in perspective…that is 1/6 of the worlds population…1 in 6 are starving. Time to support Heifer International again!

Later!

High Rider, Just say no, and some IHOP madness June 16, 2009

Well its been awhile since Ive blogged on Odd news from around the world…so I will do just that tonight!

Did you know that Iowa has a joyride known as the Great Eastern Iowa Tractorcade…it obviously involves riding tractors on a 50 mile trek across Iowa…Thats one slow ride but I cant help but wonder if those John Deeres are decked out with coolers and all the accessories….just dont be drinking while driving or you will get a DUI!

Well there are a couple of things to learn from the next story…one, peer pressure can lead to stupid things…and two, look where you are going! A group of women decided to do a dine and dash in Detroit…so at the local IHOP they were chased out of the restaurant by the cashier and thats when the chaos ensued. One of the women lost control of the Mercury Cougar as the group drove away, crashing through the restaurant’s wall and smashing at least one large window. Um if you decide to dine and dash, then dont drive back into the restaurant!

There seems to be an identity crisis going on at a New York race track where a moose has decided that hes a horse and ready to race. Im all for Bullwinkle by a nose! But sadly, the moose didnt make it to the gate let alone the winners circle, because local wildlife officers came and tranqed him and informed him that there was no such thing as species-change operation and that Bullinkle had to go back to the wild…

Remember when you were told to just say no…well I think all owners of animals now need to teach this lesson to their pets. A black Lab that ran off from its owner in Seattle’s Seward Park found and ate some marijuana and got high. $1500 dollars later and some well deserved time of rest and relaxation and Jack the lab is fine….but during that time of rest and relaxation all I can imagine is a black lab lifting his leg to pee and falling over…oh Casey Binski how you will live forever in my mind!

Well Im off to relax myself!

Later!

The Akaka bill, skydiving Bush, and is it really a Pandemic? June 12, 2009

Ahh…another hot day in Hawaii. Living here has only confirmed that I am in fact a cold weather girl! Somehow Ill survive though.

Well for all of you back in Ohio who heard all about the sovereignists here in Hawaii….you will enjoy this. Currently in Congress there is a bill known as the “Akaka bill” which would create a process for Native Hawaiian self-governance. Yes the sovereignists attempts to retake Hawaii by breaking into Iolani Palace’s throne room seems like the idiots guide to overthrowing a government. Wait, it was the idiots…oh well.  This new legislation though is smart, working from within the system. Hmm…wonder if they read my anarchy paper? What this bill intends to do… in addition to the political future of the Native Hawaiian people, is control over some 1.8 million acres of land that many Native Hawaiians believe was taken from them illegally in the United States’ annexation of Hawai’i in 1898. Passing the bill would provide for negotiations on the disposition of Native Hawaiian land, natural resources and other assets. Although some of the sovereignists here would love nothing more than to see the US and its people leave the island alltogether, at least this bill seems to be making an attempt to realign the native rights with modern issues. We’ll see how it all pans out.

In other news, the first President Bush spent his birthday crossing off another item on his bucket list…he went skydiving…at the age of 85.  I so would do this at any age, so good for him!

Hmm…i havent been paying that close of attention to the Swine flu drama..but after WHO upgraded it to a pnademic earlier this week, and now with almost 18,000 confirmed cases in the US, im taking a look again. Ok lets see…with 303,824,640 people in the US and 18,000 people with swine flu, that means that there is a 0.00005 percent chance that you will get swine flu. Now if you live in proximity to someone who has been diagnosed or know someone who was diagnosed, then your chances rise, but Im still wondering why WHO decided to raise it to a pandemic.  I know they argue that its spread to enough countries, but there is probably a greater chance of dying in a car accident then getting swine flu…yet everywhere i go, i see people wearing masks. Oh well, maybe doctors masks will be the next fashion trend and will be seen on the Paris runways.

Well Im off to watch random comedy central tv shows with Josh…

Later!

 

Todays travels, let there be heat, and where is my AC? June 10, 2009

Well I have discovered that blogging while on vacation in Ohio is non existent as is evident by 1 blog post over the past month. Bad me! Oh well. I am back in Hawaii and it is frickin’ hot! No tradewinds! And that is bad especially since there is no AC either! Stupid Hawaii weather….wait…thats kinda wierd, im usually saying that about Ohio…hmmm.

Well the roomies are happy to have me back. They even bought me beer! Ill take it! And our Tv is working again which makes me happy too! I am exhausted though. I have spent the last 20 hours traveling on planes and lounging about airports…and i only had 3 hours of sleep the previous night. Oh well…im use to being sleep deprived! All in all my travels this trip were relatively uneventful…aka no problems! My flight to HI this time was delayed but I didnt care since it was my final destination! And of course I ran into people I know at the airport…this time it was Russ as he was flying in from the mainland too.

All in all its good to be back. Im dreading the walk to the bus stop tomorrow cause its going to be a bitch after not walking miles for a month! Oh well, ill survive, lets just hope theres wind tomorrow though!

Well im off to finish laundry and head to bed…at least thats the plan…

Later!

The differences between Ohio and Hawaii…. May 12, 2009

Well I made it to Ohio…and for once in my years of traveling, I had noe issues, no delays, no cancellations, no mechanical failures of planes, etc…Its almost like my curse was lifted! Almost.  Im not holding my breath cause I bet the return flight will be full of such problems!  But the flight home went smoothly.  19 hours of travel time and i finally touched down in Dayton.  In fact I touched down early! And once I departed the palne (and waited for my sis to pick me up) I got to sit and people watch at the baggage claim area.  And guess who I saw?!  Dave Chappelle!  Its kinda a weird thing to see someone famous in Dayton, OH, but then again he is from the Springfield area.

There are several oddities about living in Hawaii and then coming back to Ohio. Like for example, the fact that when I went to the grocery store when I got back, I went and bought a “normal” amount of groceries for me for a week, and as I watched the cashier ring things up, I was started that she was almost done scanning everything, and the price was so low!  Im use to paying 3x the amount then what I ended up paying! Also…at night in Hawaii, Im use to watching where I step so that I dont step on the geckos running around my house…and when I got up in the middle of the night, I was watching where I walked…although there was no need!  Old habits die hard. Finally…I didnt miss Ohio…and I was reminded why not the first hour off the plane. In Hawaii, my allergies are virtually non-existent…but here, i rely on allergy meds to breath!  It so sucks! 

Well Im off to see Em and get some much needs TLC of my hair.  Im not sure which color I will be when I leave, but it will be different then what I currently have going.  No more red.

Later!