Friday, January 28, 2005

Calling All Scientists: Inventive Idea #1

In the place where I do all my best thinking -- the shower -- I came up with an idea for an invention. It started off as an image of me becoming a nurse via the United States Air Force. Then "me" became any woman in that position and that woman was whisked off to the Middle East to a combat zone where she was thrust into a tent, sometimes a building, where men were bleeding profusely from combat wounds or missing limbs or other parts of their bodies. The sites were gory, but at best always bloody. If ever there was a place where she could become an experienced nurse, it was here.

Then fast forward to a city hospital where she is working as an experienced nurse. Her time in combat has fashioned her into a respected and sought-after nurse. She has seen it all and the E.R. brings in urban combat wounds that have other nurses wanting to run out of the area to vomit. But she is strong, steadfast, and sees the patient through from beginning to end. Her time in combat has fashioned her into a disciplined, steady, and consistent worker. No time for weak stomachs when men's and women's lives are in your hands. The many thank-yous in the forms of cards, letters, and gifts tell the stories of those lives she helped save in war.

Now she stands at a podium during a meeting of E.R. nurses. She is a guest speaker who has been asked to give encouragement, provide training and advice for other nurses who are either starting out in the E.R. or have been working there for awhile and are still overcoming some hang-ups that prevent them from doing their job thoroughly and effectively. As part of her speech, she says: "I'm caught between feelings. On the one hand, I wish that I could impart to all of you the experience that I had been given when working in the combat field. It is invaluable experience and shaped me into the nurse I am today. However, on the other hand I would not wish that experience on anyone. It was a very difficult experience to have to witness so much pain, tragedy, and violence." As she speaks these words, her mind's eye replays images of the scenes she saw: Amputees, head wounds, tourniquets, and blood everywhere.

So there she is on the podium wishing she could somehow impart that experience to these inexperienced nurses who are working in emergency situations. Where time, and quick thinking applied effectively, can mean the difference between life and death.

Now the invention forms in my mind.
I see nurses placed in a virtual scenario. Bodies are coming in fast and in groups. Sometimes two will come in, then one, then another...non-stop. And each patient that comes in has to be triaged immediately. One look at the patient and a quick-assessment must be made. If the wrong assessment is made, it could mean the loss of a lot of blood and possibly death. So these nurses are in a combat scenario where the wounded are being brought in at a steady pace. The adrenaline runs high in the nurses as they rush about from patient to patient, assessing what needs to be done, grabbing bandages and wrapping tourniquets around thighs and arms to cut off blood flow.

It is all hands-on experience. The good news is that these are not real people. But they represent real flesh and blood situations. And the way the nurses handle them determines their results/output.

How?
How can this be hands-on, yet virtual simulation?

Good question. Thus the invention is needed.
Here are the ideas I played around with:

I thought of Star Trek and the hologram room. Captain Picard could go in there and act out his dreams. Once, he was in the hologram as a detective investigating a case. He danced with a damsel and later, lit up a cigarette and drank a scotch on the rocks. I saw a Klingon go in there and learn about Klingon rights-of-passage. He acted them out...went through the process. This required fighting others sometimes.

So how did they do this? Aren't they interacting with...ghosts? Images? You cannot touch them really. Your hand would go through them. In fact, you could walk right through them. So how can it be accomplished where medical students could gain a "hands-on experience" without actually having some tragedy strike such as a tsunami, mudslide, or war?

I gave it some thought - and this is really where the scientists would have to come in. One idea about this hologram experience...in order to create it...I thought about the TV set. Imagine being inside the TV screen. You're the only flesh-and-blood item within it. Everything else is just pixels and rays of light creating images. Ok, so what if we were to take a room and this room had billions of tiny holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling. Each of these holes were necessary to allow the light of the image rays to come through. All the rays of light gathered in the center of the room...whereas, on the TV screen, I think they direct outward toward the glass...toward the viewer. So if the rays of light produced images in the center of the room...then you could basically have Princess Leia standing in the center of the room looking at you saying, "Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi. You're our only hope." Just like on Star Wars...when R2D2 produced her tiny little image on the floor after Luke Skywalker batted the back of the droid's head...in the 4th episode (the first one that ever showed).

Ok forget the confusing stuff. But, think about Star Wars again. Remember when Chewie and C3PO were playing chess on the Millenium Falcon? Remember how the chess pieces were actually images of different creatures...and when they overtook a piece, they literally beat it up?

Ok - that's the way my mind is thinking. If there be a way to create a room where scenarios could be created...or even re-created...to allow emergency personnel to train, then that would give them experience they would normally not be exposed to. BUT in the event they are finally exposed to some unordinary emergency, then they have some training behind them to fall on.

The trick is to get the images to "respond" and "react" to whatever flesh and blood is doing to them. So if you have an image of a soldier on the ground, blood pouring out of his left leg where his calf used to connect to his thigh at the knee...but it's gone... how do you get the image to interact when flesh-and-blood (the student training) wraps a tourniquet around the images upper thigh to apply pressure to the artery to stop the bleeding...and then takes his vital signs...?
How do you get the soldier's image to respond adversely...in the case where the student doesn't apply the tourniquet appropriately -- or at all -- and he bleeds profusely to the point that all that loss of blood brings about his death?

So this internal computer voices out, "He has lost too much blood. The patient has expired." Then the internal computer proceeds to give instructions to the nurse as to what the nurse could have and should have done in that situation...and it re-plays the scenario, but this time the flesh-and-blood nurse is replaced with an image of a nurse. The computer shows the flesh-and-blood nurse what steps to go through. So not only does the student nurse get a "hands-on" experience, but is also trained by sort of watching a life-size, (un)real-event video.

What's the purpose of doing that? You may ask.

It would bring the student nurse into the situation with all his or her physical capacities. Tasking them. When the adrenaline begins to rush, then the true test is in how the student would perform.

Will their mind be so overwhelmed that they give up?

Will seeing the sites and smelling the odors cause too much stress on the student's physical senses that they fall short of performing a critical task under a critical amount of time that could result in life or death of the patient?

Will their senses be so overrun by adrenaline that it causes their brain to "scramble"...where they cannot think what to do next because they want to do everything all at once? (Meltdown.)

It would test the mind's capacity to think quickly and creatively in a situation.
It would test the discipline of the student - to perform steadily and consistently without being overrun by emotion or external stresses.

This is something I thought of could be beneficial to this world.
I used the war and soldiers as an example, but think of the tsunami...the landslides...wildfires...and other tragedies that this could be used to train emergency personnel. Or anyone who wants to help in the preservation of life.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Iraq The Vote

Sunday is the big day in Iraq. The big election day. For many Iraqis, this means a chance to exercise a democratic method: Casting a vote for who you believe is best suitable to run the government. For the first time in history, Iraqi women are running for offices although in secret. Because the terrorist tactics still exist. And lives are still in danger as a result.

A group of men have been passing out leaflets to all Iraqis giving them a warning:
"This is a final warning to all of those who plan to participate in the election. We vow to wash the streets of Baghdad with the voters' blood. To those of you who think you can vote and then run away, we will shadow you and catch you, and we will cut off your heads and the heads of your children."
These are the kinds of conditions Iraqi people have lived under for years. And it doesn't stop. But many of them are tired of the oppression and tyranny and are welcoming democracy because of the hope it provides: A fair and open way of filling government offices.

The Sunnis, a minority Muslim sect, have chosen not to participate in the electoral process. Yet they want to be involved in the politics AFTER the election. They want to take part in writing a permanent constitution. They say that the constitution is a matter separate from the elections and though this is true, they are both equally part of the governmental process... which is to lay down foundations and establish guidelines by setting up governing bodies and documents, and -- most importantly -- forming checks-and-balances systems. Checks-and-balances means that certain provisions have to be put into place in order for a government action to occur. That way, there are no one-man leaderships as in the past.

At any rate, these leaflets being passed out to Iraqis by these jerks (a.k.a. insurgents) is just pathetic. It appears to be the typical behavior that has come from that area of the world: We don't like it, therefore we will kill anyone who supports it.
"O brave mujahideen! O lions! O people of zeal! Go and fight and God will be with you."
That was written on an Internet posting by the Islamic Army of Iraq encouraging followers to disrupt the elections.

Islamic Army of Iraq... I have one flaw to point out to you: You're severely misled.

God will not only NOT be with you (spiritual technicalities involved)...but He is also AGAINST you.

Point #1? You are oppressive. You intimidate and you kill your brothers and sisters -- you kill not only men, but women and children. Their blood cries out for revenge. Your actions are very much inspired by the likes of Satan himself: maim, kill, and destroy. Truth hurts, I know. Offended? Well...again, truth hurts. And if it feels like salt to a wound, well at least we both know you have a sore and sensitive spot... and maybe you should deal with it on your face before God in repentance.

Point #2? You not only kill your brothers and sisters, but you kill anyone. Wrong. God is not the God of vengeance from the Old Testament anymore people. Catch up with the rest of the world. God's commandments are to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. That includes the Western world folks. Yep - the good old United States. And Britain. And Australia. And basically everyone because we are all neighbors. Whether we like it or not. So try to get along with us. You're only hurting yourselves.

Point #3? Leave God out of it. He has nothing to do with your cry of hatred and destruction. When you start saying "god" is with you people, I have to wonder what golden calf you're talking about.

Point #4? Stop lying to your followers by telling them that God is on your side. Deceit and treachery appear to go hand in hand with you people. Why lie to them? Why encourage a false zeal? Are you not only looking forward to the deaths of innocent people trying to live a fair life, but also of those who support and work for you?

Point #5? You're not a martyr if you die over this. Your death will be in vain. And the lives you take will continue to mark you for judgment: The second death.

Point #6? If you people claim to be Muslim and read the Quran, then I have to tell you that you are totally going against your own book and teachings. Therefore, you're not only false by Christian (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus the Son of God's) ways...but you're also false by Muslim (Abraham, Ishmael....and Muhammad your prophet's) ways. (And yes, I will contend that Jesus is the Son of God. He was no slave. Not to Allah, not to God. There is no slavery with God. That is where you are mistaken heavily. We are given freedoms with consequences. And God hates oppression. Why do you think Satan is reserved for the Lake of Fire after the Day of Judgement? *sheesh* "My people perish for a lack of knowledge," says God.)

Point #7? You are in a prison. Your mind is your prison. It is where the lie -- the deceit -- exists. And it has tainted your heart. Those of like-spirit have grouped together. Together your wish appears to be to imprison others. If you cannot imprison them the way you are, then you kill them. You need serious help...from yourselves.

Point #8? Read points #1-7. I will reserve the rest. I think those are enough to go on. I tell you a truth: God does not approve of what you are doing. You kill, you imprison, and not just your own, but the world with you. This spread of hatred, strife, and envy has become like a disease that has plagued your lands. Now you have brought more heartache upon yourselves and those around you who have been trying to live simple, peaceful lives. It is your doing that this war has occurred. Even as Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, "You could have no power at all against me, except it were given to you from above: therefore he that delivered me unto you has the greater sin." The greater sin is upon you for the deaths you have brought about as a result of your unnecessary hatred.

Friday, January 21, 2005

Protestors

United, We Stand

It is, now that I think about it, amazing how we as a country can stand through some tough times together. I appreciate that we have the ability to display our displeasures publicly as long as they are not physically harmful to others or violating property or persons.

I watched the Inauguration procession yesterday morning, but I fell asleep before the President gave his speech. (Dad-gammit. It was that Nyquil tablet, I know it. And I tried so hard to stay awake. Why do those processions have to take so darn long? Kind of like when Princess Diana married Prince Charles...that was thee longest wedding procession I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. Ok I'm digressing...) So... where was I?

Oh yeah. So I got stuck with the news stories afterwards. I felt as if I had fallen asleep before Thanksgiving meal and was stuck with cold leftovers because I had not been awake to eat it when it was fresh and still hot. *sigh* So I only got portions of the speech and clips of some of the protests.

That's where I'm going with this: Protests.
But more specifically: Peaceful demonstrations.

The first time I ever witnessed a flag burning was when I was on Capitol Hill in Washington. Umm...not that Capitol Hill and Washington. The one in the Pacific Northwest. (Capitol Hill is a suburb of Seattle.) So I'm the passenger and my atheist, liberal friend is driving and we turn left on Broadway off of Pike when alla sudden I see three bums standing on the corner holding the United States flag and torching it. I was scrambling, trying to unbuckle my belt as I angrily and frustratedly blurted out, "Oh my God!" and the whole time I was fumbling I was saying, "Stop the car!" My non-dramatic friend thought I was the most amusing thing since discovering the Internet. She said calmly but a bit startled, "Why? What's going on?" I frantically answered, "I must stop them! They're burning the flag!"

I was truly incensed - you coulda held a candlewick to me in that moment and it would've lit.

She, in her most calming way that I'd learned to really admire and appreciate to this day, said to me, "They have the right to burn the flag." Woah. Paradigm-shift approaching. I felt as if I had been thrown off a horse. I had nothing to stay, but just stared at her as I soaked in the meaning of her words. Fortunately, she continued explaining, because truly I was dumb-founded and frozen in some kind of mental stupor.

"What do you think America is founded upon? They have just as much right to burn the flag as you have to believe in God. That is what Democracy is all about. They aren't hurting anyone. Do you see anyone else running at them to stop them? The police won't touch them."

I turned away from her and stared out my passenger window at those three b...ums. I was really irritated. And I could do nothing about it. The first thing I thought of was how many men had shed their blood for that flag. Because of that shed blood, it gave these three bums (they looked like homeless, shoddy, unclean guys) the right...the freakin' RIGHT to disgrace what that flag stood for. I thought to myself that nothing is sacred anymore. I truly was wrenched for the rest of that day at what I had witnessed.

Welcome to the outside world. No longer was I sitting in my cold cabin, hibernating with the bears, while watching these things on TV. Nope. This was not TV anymore. These things really happened in this world. What an eye-opener. The most I ever saw that came close to something on TV in good-ole' conservative Alaska was when my dad would drive down 4th Avenue on the way into Anchorage...and then my brother and I would ask him to drive us out of Anchorage via 5th Avenue. The reason being was that all the hookers would hang out on these two streets. They'd stand on the corners all painted up and dressed in ridiculous clothing...just like in the movies! We were little kids so we found it fascinating in a repulsive kind of way...equivalent to staring at a freak-show in a circus. Mostly the thought ran through my mind, "I can't believe there are really hookers." Like who would want to work in that field?

So...yeah. That was a traumatic experience for me: Watching the flag being burned.

But, today -- I'm six years older...no wait...*counts on fingers*...DOH! Eight years older! Well, I've grown much since then. Matured. Mentally. Living in liberal land was an experience all its own. Made me really miss "home". And I embrace my Republican, conservative, traditional values. I appreciate them more. I think absence made my heart grow fonder. Perhaps I think of class when I think of these values. Class in the sense of refinery, civilized behavior, and intellect. Battling involves a challenge of the intellect and wit. So then one must do some research to really study the subject in order to be better armed. When all is done and said, then gracefully the loser shakes the winner's hand thus making the loser also a winner because of this action. Yet that's an aside to my reason of leaning to the right.

So...yeah. But, I have a little bit of taint in me because I do tend to agree on some Democratic issues. (I voted for Clinton...for the second term.) I'm not a bleeding-heart liberal, that's for sure. And I'm not a hard-hearted conservative either. It is just that I embrace traditions and history. I respect certain traditions and I revere the flag as a sacred symbol of our nation. But I also like to think freely for myself and make my own choices. Not get wrapped up in someone's or some group's interests just because...just because I want to belong. I do not have that kind of desperate need to belong. I would prefer intelligence any day. I want to hear what my options are and research for myself, then make my own choice. That is what I want. I don't want to be ruled by some dictating government or leader. I don't want to live in terror or oppression of any kind. I understand the great lengths that the men and women went through who founded our republic. From breaking free of the strong-arm of mother England to battling off the French (giving them Canada); warring with one another (North vs. South) to agreeing in order to form a more perfect Union; then maturing to see that slavery was oppressive and contrary to our beliefs of freedom and liberty; fighting off pirates who attempted to make us pay tribute for use of the oceans...

I look at our current state of affairs and sometimes it appears bleak. But I am glad to know that we, as a whole, are still a civilized nation. That when we disagree, we do not resort to picking up stones and falling into the frenzy of a mob-mentality to assault authorities. (Only those liberal unintelligent idiots in Seattle would do something like that... like during a World Trade Organization conference.)

The news coverage of the Inauguration showed a group of people who came all the way to Washington D.C. just so they could "turn their backs on the President." I thought that was a very mature way of protesting. It was peaceful. It didn't hurt anyone - except maybe the President's feelings. (If he chose to care about that.) It made it's point. I thought it was a pretty loud statement anyway. If a bunch of people turned their back on me, I would get the point.

Then there was that condemning flag burning bit.

But this time, I was okay with it. Because this time, I appreciate that Democracy gives us the freedom to burn the flag in a peaceful protest.

And that's my point: Peaceful demonstrations.

We can have those and we have learned how to make the most of those. To make a point with them.
But more importantly, we have people in authority who care and watch what statements are being made by the public. They listen and even if we do not see things taking action in the forefront, someone is always in the background, behind-the-scenes, trying to make things happen. To make peace.

I guess I'm just feeling a lot more grateful about our country after watching the inauguration yesterday and then waking up to see on the news that a Shiite Muslim mosque was bombed by rebels on a Muslim holy day: Eid Al-Hajj. I find these kind of acts very violating to things sacred. Only an evil person could commit such an irreverent act. Killing children, women, and men. And what for?

Because they are protesting the elections coming up!

I could not imagine living in a country where uncivilized, uncaring, mindless idiots with weapons would be free to run through the streets bombing churches, hospitals, schools, and anyone they thought was a threat to their mentally dysfunctional mindset...terrorizing everyone and making just the simple act of living become an uncomfortable challenge.

I would not want that. I would rather see people burn the flag peacefully. I'm okay with that. A little.
I mean...in the light of what I just described above. If I had a choice between the two, then I'd choose to permit flag-burning. I could live with that. And am.

It's the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It's the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It's the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It's the soldier who salutes the flag,
serves under the flag
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who gives the protestor the right to burn the flag.


Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

Thursday, January 20, 2005

A Giant Is Born

The baby boy was born at 16.7 pounds to Francisca Ramos dos Santos in Brazil. He weighs about what a six-month old baby would weigh. She named him Ademilton...not Andre. The average weight in Brazil for newborn boys is 7.7 pounds.

Woman Gives Birth to 'Giant' Baby

Would You Like to Super-Size That?

Airbus has just about broken even on its new A380 superjumbo with 149 orders for the double-decker civil airliner. A figure of 250 is estimated to be the break even point.

UPS is one of the companies that ordered the new airplane that boasts it can hold 555 seated passengers, and could possibly include casinos and nurseries. The plane is as big as a football field and can park 70 cars on its massive wings.

Boeing's executives refer to the plane jokingly as "Noel's Ark". Noel Forgeard is the President and CEO of Airbus. The Boeing 747 is currently the only double-decker flight carrier in operation and the A380 is similiar except that the top deck extends all the way to the tail.

Singapore Airlines boasts being the "First to Fly" one of these superjumbo jets starting mid-2006. The airline bought 10 of the carriers and will use them on their routes to London, Sydney, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Paris, & Frankfurt.

"The A380 will enable us to increase our capacity at the world’s busiest airports where it is difficult to obtain extra slots. For this reason alone, the A380 is vital to our future development."
Emirates ordered 45 of the carriers and will enter the skies on November 1, 2006.

FedEx has ordered ten of the all-cargo versions, the A380-800F (a.k.a. A380F), due out in 2008. They have options on ten more.

Boasting 40,000 cubic feet, the A380F is capable of carrying a freight load of 150 tonnes over about 6,000 nautical miles (10,400 kilometres) offering an advantage over competitor freighters. For FedEx, the A380F will play a vital role in connecting the North American and Asian markets and meeting the company’s future growth requirements.
International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) ordered five A380 passenger aircraft and five A380 freighters. They are discussing leasing two of the passenger planes with Air China for use during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

References:

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Like Father, Like Daughter

I wonder where Sydney Simpson learned to behave disrespectfully to police officers?

Wednesday, January 19, 2005 Posted: 2:25 PM EST (1925 GMT) MIAMI, Florida (AP)Yale Galanter, a Simpson family attorney, said the dispute outside the game was a "cat fight" that Sydney Simpson had resolved by the time police arrived, but officers escalated the situation. He did not say what instigated the conflict, but said he believed Simpson acted appropriately.

"After the police were told that nobody wants to press charges ... Sydney is arrested for disorderly conduct?" Galanter said. "It doesn't take a legal genius or a great legal mind to figure out that the event was over and that it was the police who caused the charge to be had."
And of course, it's the police's fault.

It does not matter whether anyone spouted off "we don't want to press charges". The fact is, the police were called to the area for a reason. They are going to investigate that reason and determine for themselves if anything further needs to be done or said.

So when you have a loud-mouthed, brat of a kid -- who has learned to resist the arrest of police officers from none other than her very-highly-suspect and now damaged-goods father figure, O.J. Simpson -- yelling profanities while they are trying to find out whether they need to continue to be there or if they can leave because THINGS ARE CALM...

Then they are going to determine that they need to wait until THINGS ARE CALM. That means when they say THREE TIMES to shut your pie-hole...it means simply that, "Shut your pie-hole." Otherwise, they will remove you from the situation.

And they did.

Then to slap a police officer in any way, shape or form is nothing less than resisting arrest if not assault.

You don't...let me stress this clearly...YOU DON'T EVER EVER LAY YOUR HANDS ON A POLICE OFFICER EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU ARE JOKING.

(Was that loud and clear enough? How about you in the back?)

Even if you think they are the ones who are wrong. Be smart: Be very compliant and cooperative. Treat them with respect and show them you have a sensible, level-head on your shoulders, and they won't treat you like the piece of trash you would rather display to them. If they do something stupid, then you have witnesses and you can let their justice superiors take care of that. Especially, when you're the offspring of an acquitted murderer. Gotta bring some kind of good to the family name, eh? Not bring it down more.

Ok. *shakes head* Stupid mistakes get stupid people put into the stupid tank. In her case, possibly for 60 days.

Minorities at Risk

While looking up that information about the Sunnis being brought to Iraq by Saddam, I came across a Minorities At Risk report that was enlightening. Clicking on the View Group Chronology link was good reading too. Reading the allegations that Hussein used chemical and biological warfare methods on these people is eye-opening. It indicates, if the allegations are true, that this man was probably using them as target practice to test out these scientific weapons.

I think that I am going to discover that the information I'm going to find about "the Sunnis being brought to Iraq by Saddam" is not that at all. But rather that they -- as this Assessment Report suggests -- became an advantaged minority group because of his rise to power.

But learning about the Ba'ath party's ideals is interesting. It explains why Saddam drove out the Kurds: They didn't want to give up their heritage, culture, and language to adopt some national Arab identity. Probably the same with the Shi'i, whom I will study later.

Reading this history and that of Darfur's... I can only think to myself: My God, these Arab people just cannot get along with each other. They fight to occupy. And this fight started from before we were even born. From before Jesus walked the Earth.

And yet, I know the reason why.
But the world will not understand. And these fighting brothers will probably not accept it.
We live in the "today". Forget history. That's just for great reading. For inspiration or lessons to learn. Today has nothing to do with yesterday. Surely this did not happen because of that.
It's amazing what you learn. If you're willing.

Not all of them are fighting for occupation. Only a few. And those few wind up stirring the hornet nests of those peaceful settlers they impose upon. If they're not careful, they're bound to be stung...very badly.

Iraq the Model

Here's an Iraqi blog that is Pro-American. It is kept up by three Iraqi brothers. It has garnered a lot of suspicion, mostly from the left-wing bleeding-heart liberals. But here is a good write up from a woman at the National Review who actually met two of the brothers when they came to visit the U.S. Hopefully, this write up will curb some of those allegations.


Where in the world is...DARFUR?

DARFUR: Religious Cleansing; Genocide; Terrorism

That was my original title. As I read about the conflict in Darfur, I cannot help but think about the conflict in Iraq. In Darfur, the Arab world and its Islamic faith plays a very important and vital role in that region's way of existence. Again, this Islamic faith is brought to such extremes that have branched off what are known as radical Muslims. And again, these Arabs practicing this radical philosophy that "it is okay to kill people in order to gain...in order to occupy...in order to control" are doing what they do best when consumed with this mindset: Committing acts of terror.

gen·o·cide n.

The systematic and planned extermination of an entire national, racial, political, or ethnic group.
Why are villages of African tribal farmers being wiped out by the Janjaweed?

Why are the African men and boys being murdered and the African women and girls being raped and branded? Forced to serve as slaves and others as wives (read: "domestic servant") to these Arab militia men.

Washington Post, Jan 18 - Tens of thousands of people in Darfur have been killed and at least 1.85 million people forced from their homes since early 2003 when rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum. The government has backed Arab militiamen, known as Janjaweed, who have been massacring and raping the black African residents of the region.
Darfur. A region in Sudan. Sudan is located below Egypt and to the left of the Red Sea. The Nile River runs through Sudan.

It is a region rich with oil. According to this Washington Post article, a French oil company renewed oil agreements this past December that were abandoned in 1985 due to civil war between the Sudan People's Liberation Army, (SPLA) a black African insurgent group in the south, and the Sudanese government. A Houston-based oil company is also interested in Sudan. But China has half of the oil revenues from Sudan's current exports.
"China National Petroleum Corporation won an oil exploitation bid there in 1995, and when Washington cut ties two years later, the Chinese were ready to fill the void left by retreating Western oil companies," he reports. "Sudan, which was an oil importer before the Chinese arrived, now earns $2 billion in oil exports each year, half of which goes to China."

But a story in the Crimes Of War Project gives light to the roots of the current genocide.

The black African Fur tribe makes up over half of the population, hence the name of the province Dar (home) of the Fur, and the rest is divided between over fifteen different ethnic/linguistic groups. All the inhabitants are Sunni Muslims.
The site tells the story of how the region of Darfur was annexed to Sudan in 1916. The northern part of Sudan identified with Muslims and the southern part identified with Christians. Apparently, at some point between the 1960s and 1989 -- which was the year that the National Islamic Front (NIF) radical Muslim organization took power in a military coup -- there began to be a realization from "African" Muslims that they were not socially equal to the "Arab" Muslims. Lo and behold, there was prejudice running through the middle of the Islamic Brotherhood.

There has been a mixing of Arabs and Africans in this region. There are no truly "pure" Arabs or Africans, so the Crimes of War page places quotations around the ethnic groups: "Arab" and "African".

The insurrection started slowly in February and March 2003 and went into high gear on April 25 when the SLM rebels attacked the provincial capital at el-Fasher, killing 72 troops of the garrison, destroying four aircraft on the ground and capturing General Ibrahim Bushra, the garrison commander. The reaction of the Khartoum government was a mixture of panic, unrealistic accusation (Israel, the United States, the southern Sudanese rebel movement the SPLA and Eritrea were all held responsible for the uprising) and denial of the political reality. The insurgents were either called “armed bandits” or else described as nomadic groups fighting each other in “traditional conflicts over grazing rights”. Although this last claim contains more than a grain of truth (the “Arabs” are nomads while the “Africans” are settled peasants and in a drought period part of the motivation for fighting is indeed related to grazing) it is far from a full account of the situation. Economic deprivation, cultural spite and administrative marginalization are the key causes of the conflict.
Even when the United States is minding our own darned business, we still get blamed. Funny what suspicious and guilty minds will come up with for a scapegoat. The other thing that came to mind when I read this was Abraham's and Lot's herdsmen arguing. I could imagine their herdsmen arguing over grazing rights until Abraham says to Lot, "The land is big enough for the both of us. We should not fight. How about we split up? If you go to the left, then I'll go to the right. If you go to the right, then I'll go to the left." Pretty simple resolution huh? Maybe these people should try it. "If you go to the North, then I'll go to the South. If you go to the South, then I'll go to the North."

But really, it's not that easy.

What's really going on?
Nobody wants to go to the left or to the right. Not the people who are being wiped out from their villages anyway. The reason is: They have thriving land. These people are living in the central region of Sudan in the best fertile land that Darfur could possibly offer to its inhabitants. The Jebel Marra massif is the richest and most stable area in terms of soil fertility and water resources and is located in this central zone. The Furs are splat in the middle, surrounded by Arabs. The Arab cattle herders to the north and the Arab camel herders to the east and south have waged a violent war on these non-Arab sedentary farmers so they can have the fertile land.

Well, this is how all these people -- Arab and non-Arab -- got their weapons for war:

In the 1980s, a political party called the Umma Party came into government and began arming the Arabs in the north and south. The tragedy is that the Furs also supported the Umma Party, but little did they know that the Umma Party preferred to be supported by wealthier citizens - not peasant farmers. So the "jallaba" merchants had more influence on the government. These merchants had a vested commercial interest in the livestock that the Arab nomads raised.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring country of Chad, an opposition on the Chadian government and its President, Hissene Habre, was being strategically operated within Sudanese territory. Kind of like the way the countries of Jordan, Syria, Iran and Afghanistan are being used to launch attacks into Iraq by certain of the Arabs in that region. But I digress. So anyway, the non-Arabs to the north...the Zaghawa...were given arms. They were in a unique position because their ethnic group straddled the border, so they supported the opposition to the Chadian government but yet they supported the Umma Party in Sudan. So they got weapons from both alliances. But Habre gave weapons to the Furs when this happened.

So now everyone was armed.

But then, the fight for the fertile region in the Jebel Marra area was encouraged and supported from an outside country...and leader. Twenty-seven Arab tribes formed an alliance together against the Fur: the Maraheel - which today have become called Janjaweed. The Janjaweed appeared to be backed by the Sudanese government.

Colonel Ghadafi of Libya encouraged the notion of an Arab "corridor" into central Africa, which lent at least moral support for the Darfur Arabs' incursion into the fertile Jebel Marra area hitherto occupied by the Fur. Arabs and Fur clashed bloodily around both Jebel Marra and the southwest of the region in 1988-89.
And then we are brought to the present-day war in that land where now the Arab militia is not only perceived to be backed by the Sudanese government but also encouraged to continue in their on-going slaughter of these Fur peoples.

As if it were their God-given right to deprive these people of their habitations and farmlands.
These acts are terrorist in nature.

Perhaps we need to stop turning a deaf ear to the cries of Darfur. Perhaps we should educate ourselves on that region and take the time to read and learn, as I did today, about what has happened to bring today's unchecked Nazi-like strategy to that land. We should not turn a blind eye to them simply because we do not know where Darfur is located on the World Map. Or because we cannot relate to the people of Darfur. Or because we just want to be left alone in this world. Or we don't want to hear anymore tragedies and heartaches because it seems the news has nothing good to report anymore.

There might be a reason for that last statement.
Could it be...there is hardly ANYTHING good to report anymore?
At least where World relations are concerned.

Notice how a lot of conflict in this world really revolves around this one single proponent in life:
RELATIONSHIP ?

First, it starts in the homes among families. Father and son fighting. Mother and daughter fighting. Siblings fighting. Husband and wives fighting.

Then, it spreads out into the community. This family and that family competing. (Because the daughter of this family married the son of that family and now the two don't get along. Holiday seasons are spent trying to forget there's another part of their family out there celebrating the same day.)

Then, it branches out into the world. This group of people fighting that group of people.

CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?

Anyone ever read the Old Testament? More particularly, the book of Genesis?
Really fascinating historical stuff, man. It's amazing to learn how these Arabic tribes -- along with their Jewish brothers in Israel -- are all related. Basically, it's brother fighting brother...all over this world.

But because they don't understand each others' languages (might have something to do with that tower of Babel situation, DOH!) and they all have their own way of worshipping God (remember Aaron, Moses' brother, and the golden calf? Double DOH! Oh and the tower of Babel again, Triple DOH!)...they don't get along. Here's a great story: Joseph. The one who got a coat of many colors from his dad. Then all the brothers turned on him. That's a great metaphorical story. Mainly because it puts ALL the brothers into ONE family and shows the disharmony, disagreement, jealousy, resentment, mockery, treachery, and betrayal...all in one bloodline.

Anyone remember when the Kurds in Iraq were treated the same way by Saddam Hussein's regime? In fact, Hussein had the Shah of Iran sign an agreement (Agreement of Algiers) to basically no longer support the Kurds. The Kurds were a group of pastoral tribes (kind of like the current Darfur tribes) who lived in an area where Turkey, Iraq, and Iran borders met. For years this area was known as "Kurdistan". They have their own language. They are mainly Sunni Muslim, but they welcome Jews, Christians, Yazidis, and other religious sects.

As a side note: Isn't it strange -- and true to form -- that Saddam Hussein, as a young boy growing up, was fascinated with the German Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler? Like spirits attract.

"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."
-- Edmund Burke


Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Sex Slaves

Forget your sci-fi fantasy stories like the Chronicles of Counter Earth. There is a sex slave market here on Earth. Cambodia probably is not the only country where this market exists.

2005-01-16 / New York Times / By Nicholas D. Kristof
We've had narco-trafficking states; Cambodia may be becoming the first sex-slavery state.
The good news:
One aid program continues to try to help these girls. It is called Afesip and is financially backed by Spain. They run a shelter that has attempted to house these girls. Last month, 83 girls were housed there after a police raid was made on the brothel, Chai Hour II hotel, where they supposedly worked as masseuses and entertainers - not prostitutes.

The bad news:
An attempt to run Afesip out of the country is being made by those who control the brothel. Death threats have been made on Afesip workers. A counter-raid was made on the shelter by men dressed in military uniforms & driving a vehicle with a military license plate to retrieve the 83 girls and return them to the brothel. An Afesip staff member was beaten up in the process.

The story explains that a top-ranking female police officer in Cambodia ordered the raid on the brothel to begin with. After the shelter was raided and the girls returned to the brothel, that same female police officer was not only reprimanded but also suspended from her post for a time period.

I have to question: Who controls who?
Sounds like dirty policemen exist higher up in the ranks. Dirty policemen who either accept bribes to be bought off or get "free services" when they attend Chai Hour II themselves.

What needs to happen first before these sex traffickers can be quashed is to remove the dirty officials from their posts. Weed them out. That'll be a chore all on its own and would require some espionage work. Probably entice them with certain dark luxuries and see who bites. Once they've bit, they're caught on camera or documented somehow. Then remove them.

Promote that top-ranking female officer and have her involved in the hiring process of some new clean and sound police officers.

But nothing will happen unless we get higher-level outrage in Washington and other foreign capitals.

U.S. President George W. Bush has done more than his predecessors in making sex trafficking an issue, and his State Department has done a first-rate job exerting pressure - but there's so much more that we could do. The Bush administration could put a real dent in sex trafficking if we were to treat it as firmly as we do, say, pirated movies.
Get the work started in-country. Teach Cambodia's officials how to deal with this kind of garbage within their own country. The United States has its hands full with Iraq and North Korea right now. Other countries need to stand up and take a stand against the deprivation of people's liberties - whether they be man, woman, or child. Sexual abuse, assault, force, and exploitation should be an international crime involving all nations. The United States plays "international police officer" to many crimes around this globe. It's time that other countries stand up to do good and get rid of crimes like these.

Besides AIDS, who knows what other viral diseases and unsanitary conditions breed within walls like the Chai Hour II.

If you feel compelled to help AFESIP, click here for information on how to donate or here on how to be a volunteer.

AFESIP exists to combat trafficking in women and children for sex slavery; to care for and rehabilitate those rescued from sex slavery; to provide occupational skills and to reintegrate those rescued into the community in a sustainable and innovative manner. AFESIP also seeks to combat the causes and effects of trafficking and sex slavery through outreach work in AIDS prevention; through advocacy and campaigning; through representation and participation in women’s issues at national, regional and international forums.


Monday, January 17, 2005

North Korea wants a change in leadership

Not everyone in the secretive communistic country is happy with the state of affairs.

(01-17) 19:59 PST SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- A man is heard, but not seen, reading a statement, demanding Kim Jong Il be removed from his post. "The North Korean people are suffering from hunger and poverty because of Kim Jong Il's dictatorship and dogmatic politics," the man says.
This was on a video tape and it indicates that North Koreans want democracy and freedom. It was given to the Seoul-based Citizen's Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees.

Still a Holy War

This war in Iraq started as a jihad on the side of the terrorists and their followers. It continues to remain true to its theme.

As Casey outlined plans for additional security, the Vatican confirmed that Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa, 66, a leader of the ancient Syrian Catholic Church, an arm of the Roman Catholic Church, had been kidnapped Monday in Mosul.

Casmoussa reportedly was seized as he walked outside his church in the largely Sunni city, which has become a hotbed of violence in recent weeks, authorities said.

The kidnapping was the latest assault on Iraq's small Christian minority, which has been the target of church bombings, assassinations, abductions and other acts of violence since the U.S.-led overthrow of Hussein helped embolden religious extremists in this overwhelmingly Muslim nation. Tens of thousands of Christians have fled Iraq and many more plan to leave the land where their ancestors have lived for a thousand years, community leaders say.
This article is actually reporting on the attacks as the election draws nearer. This information about the kidnapping was throw in because it represents an incident in the types of attacks we are witnessing as each day passes.

Muslims in this country are divided. I don't know if anyone cares one way or another, but there are different Islamic sects and they don't all agree. It must be difficult to be raised in a religious environment like that - where you are literally forced to be a Muslim. Forced to say "I know/serve God, like this". I would rather a person came to know and serve God on their own accord. I would rather they had been an atheist all their life until they hit their thirties or forties or fifties or sixties...however long it took them...when they finally came to the realization of God for themselves. Why? Because it was their free will they made the choice to know and serve God. Not some national constitution.

The Shiites and the Sunnis are two major Islamic sects. From what I have been reading, it appears that the Shiites are looking forward to the elections, but the Sunnis do not want it. The Shiites have been facing many assassinations and attacks. I don't know if it makes any difference (I have a feeling it might), but this article says that Sadam Hussein is a Sunni.

I'm sure I've read somewhere that the Sunnis came into that country because they were brought in by Sadam. Originally, that was not their "home", but basically came in and began occupying the land. I've got to find that information again, but it could explain a lot about the reason for all the conflict.

I'm really hoping for the best for these elections in Iraq because I know there are many Iraqis who are going through a lot of hell and heartache to see this through. For the first time in Iraqi history, women are running for positions in government office...but they are doing so secretly because of the attacks. These people deserve a better way of life.

References:

Babylon damaged in war

I just mentioned that Sadam had been rebuilding this city as a pet project in the previous entry. This article makes mention of that fact at the end.

At any rate, the United States and Poland are being blamed for damage to this historical city. Allegations are that we crushed 2,600-year-old pavements with our military vehicles.

January 18, 2005 - 8:17AM "If it wasn't for the Americans, Babylon would have been looted like all other museums in Iraq ... and we would now be buying back Babylon artefacts on bazaars and markets," he said.
Polish Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski made that statement in our defense. It's very likely a true statement.

"Babylon is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and the damage caused by the military camp is a further blow for the cultural heritage of Iraq," John Curtis, keeper of the museum's Ancient and Near East department, said in the report.
I think this guy needs to chill out. I agree that it is a very prestigious site. It proves biblical history and is an amazing testament to early civilization. However, this comment of his becomes personal - as if we intend to deal blows to Iraq's cultural heritage. This city not only belongs to Iraq's cultural heritage since it happens to be located in their present-day country, but it is a heritage in art, story-telling and knowledge to biblical scholars, historians, and archaelogists...to name a few.

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Prison Guards & War

I speak up about things in this world. I have been watching like the rest of the world. And there are some things I have kept quiet about while events unfurl because I am not sure about the details involved. Or I may lean one way, but my belief system says I should lean the other way.

This topic is brought up to make people think differently than what we are spoon-fed by media and the pacifists who cause division and discord to the U.S.of A. I am going to take a rather bold step here in defense of the Abu Ghraib soldiers...who are now on trial for allegedly mistreating the prisoners. (At the original time of this writing they were on trial, but now one has been charged.)

I do not agree to abuse. I will say that right out.
  • I do not agree to parents abusing their children.
  • I do not agree to children abusing their parents.
  • I do not agree to husbands abusing their wives.
  • I do not agree to wives abusing their husbands.
  • I do not agree to people in authority abusing people or animals within their care or hire.
  • I do not agree to spiritual leaders abusing souls.
  • I do not agree to law enforcement officials abusing people, and suspects are people,...UNTIL it has been proven -- key word with emphasis: PROVEN -- beyond a reason of a doubt that the people are truly criminals.
If someone is caught with their hand in the cookie jar per se, then I'd reason that's a good solid stamp of "PROVEN".

Of all those abuses, the last one is separate & unique. I should add to that last one: "in times of war." Yes, it is true that law enforcement officials are placed in a capacity of authority so it is possible they could fall under "I do not agree to people in authority abusing people or animals within their care or hire."

Within the large group known as law enforcement officials is a small group called Prison Guards. They get the glory job *sarcasm* of being housed in a den of dragons and are responsible for making sure those dragons are tame and accounted for. This means they must make sure the dragons are well-behaved, not up to "no-good", following instructions/directions, abiding by prison rules, and visibly present.

Imagine, being in this glorious position: Prison Guard.
Within each cage under your care is some form of snake or dragon.
The following are among the list of each of their histories:
  • One killed 20 separate women and had intercourse with their dead bodies before disposing of them.
  • One had drug connections in foreign countries where he imported them and then sold them to the poor, the homeless, the runaways, the children, & the naive in the slums of the cities knowing they will become hooked and seek his mules to feed their addiction.
  • One was part of a group of men who abducted children and sold them to slavery on the black market, abusing them as they saw fit.
  • One stabbed a man in a grocery store, turning the knife to make sure the wound was grievous, so the witness to the robbery would be dead - unaware he was caught on video camera.
  • One seduced children into trusting him and then violated their trust, taking advantage of their innocence by perverting it with photographs of their nakedness and uninvited touching of their genitals.
  • One found himself powerful by seducing women into a Master-Slave relationship, then turned sadistic after the consentual agreement was made, binding & gagging them, having his way with them, tormenting them with cuts and lashes, and videotaping it like a documentary to the point of commenting on where he stashed their dead broken, beaten, and bloodied bodies.
I don't think it's necessary to go on with their histories. I think it's pretty clear that these are men of moral turpitude. Their way of life is to gain for their life by destroying others' lives. And always that gain is to feel some sense of power...a sense of control...in their own lives.

Put a group of these kind of characters together in the same den, separated once in awhile by cages, and you can witness the ego, headstrong, challenging, rebellious demeanor exchanged between each other from the eye contact to the puffed chest, clenched fists and stiff jaws. These are arrogant men. Each have done a crime and each want the other to know "I'm badder than you, so back off." Whether it is incredible arrogance or a pretense to mask their latent fears, it doesn't matter: The pride is still there. The ability to commit the crime already manifested itself.

Prison guards are placed in these dens that house such evil. These dens are nothing more than structures built to simply punish these immoral men by depriving them of their liberties. And why not deprive them of their liberties? Are they deserving of freedoms? In their greedy act to destroy another's pursuit of freedom & happiness, I would say they made a choice to destroy their own pursuit of freedom & happiness as well. To rob another (or others) of life, liberty, or happiness in order to corruptly gain riches, fame or power is not the kind of stuff we applaud in our society as a whole.

Here are the kinds of dangers prison guards face as a result of their glorious position:These stories are just a few showing accounts of attacks on prison guards.
Who is the goaltender to the door of freedom? Who is the last line of defense for these evil men to break through in order to get back into society?

The Prison Guard.

Now forward to Abu Ghraib. This won't be a popular sentiment and certainly one that human rights activists would put down, but I'm willing to speak up about it. From another angle.

The purpose of a terrorist: To maim, kill, and destroy. By whatever means. Whoever it may be - man, woman, child. To them, death knows no boundaries. They don't believe in mercy. They believe in their cause. They want to make a statement. They have a mission. And they are willing to die for that mission. They are willing to take many lives with them in order to make their statement loud and clear; bloody and merciless; painful and obvious.

Now round up a bunch of these men with this type of mindset together and house them in the same den. Could you imagine? Arrogance beyond arrogance. That's what you'd find. If not - then you'd smell a strong stench of unbelievable fear. Fear so deeply rooted that even they cannot recognize it themselves. They would presume they were driven by the strength of their cause...or their god. But the truth is, they are more likely driven by their deepest, darkest, unspoken, uninvited, and unwanted fears.

Fear of not having control of their own lives.
Fear of not having control of their own destinies.
Fear of not being able to protect their loved ones.
Fear of not being able to call a place "home".
Fear of not knowing what will happen tomorrow.
Fear of being controlled by someone else.
Fear of being taken advantage of.
Fear of showing weakness.
Fear of being occupied.

These are men who wielded various weapons - guns, rocketlaunchers, bombs - freely and without check. These are men who held the power of fear over citizens who simply wanted to be left alone by them. These are men who have known war as a way of life - constantly warring against Israel on a day-to-day basis, other surrounding nations that set them off, and other tribes or other Muslim sects that do not believe as they do. Their mindset is to occupy or be occupied.

These are not men who were raised in a country that recognizes a Justice system; has organized school districts where education can be taught to pre-schoolers as young as three years old; allows for a variety of religions to choose from and the acceptance of that; believes and stands for liberty and democracy; believes that God has given certain unalienable rights to men that cannot be taken away and so was founded by earlier forefathers who were not only believers of God, but who believed that Government and its leaders are not there to prevent liberty, but to protect it.

These are men who were raised in uncivilized, barbaric, fend-for-yourself countries. Where if you were not the scorned, then you were the scorner. If you were not the tortured, then you were the torturer. If you were not the destroyed, then you were the destroyer. If you were not the occupied, then you were the occupier. Sometimes, you were both. Depending on what side of the line you happened to be on at the time.

All they've known all their life is oppression, tyranny, the strong hand of rule, lack of government, various zealous speeches spoken by various religious leaders who cannot even agree on the Islamic faith's principal doctrines, and unmerciful treatment by their own leaders. They cannot trust themselves let alone anyone else around them.

Round up these kind of men. Put them in a den together. Then guard them as prisoners.

If we thought the prisons of this country were filled with evil/savage men, then I don't think you or I have seen anything yet.

Let us be reminded that this war is about quenching terrorism. Putting an end to it. Stopping it.

I do believe in God and I do believe in forgiveness, but there is a time when mercy runs out.

Oh?

You didn't know that?

Doesn't anyone read their Bibles? Doesn't anyone have faith in God?
Even if they didn't have faith in God, doesn't anyone read one of the most popular history books known as The Bible? The pages of the Old Testament are even lined with historical facts about the Middle Eastern countries and their inhabitants.

Babylon is now known as Iraq. Medes or Median is now known as Saudi Arabia. The Chaldeans inhabited mostly what is now known as Kuwait and part of Iraq. Armenia is what is now known as Turkey. Just some fascinating historical knowledge. The city of Babylon was being rebuilt by Sadam Hussein as a pet project. Did anyone know that? Well, I digress...

Mercy ends for the one who has done wrong and refuses to repent (show a willingness to make restitution; show a turning away from their former behavior; show a sincere apology).
Mercy ends for the one who, to their end, will show no mercy to others.

Yep. These are Biblical.
If any of those men (that claimed to terrorist acts) claimed to have any kind of faith in God, then they would know these things. They would know that even God's mercy can run out. But then, they would know about the Cross too...which would be a beginning to the end of their hatred, slaughter, and suicide.

Ok so where am I going with this?

We've got a war going on and there are men at large who are out there aiding, abetting, and acting as terrorists. These are fiercer dragons than what we have holed up in our nation's prisons. And these criminals are being rounded up and placed into prisons for the purpose of:
  • punishment
  • confessing plans
  • confessing key figures/people
  • confessing locations
But because of their fend-for-yourself mentality and their combined fear and arrogance, they cannot bring themselves to an ounce of humility to even say "Sorry"... in any way, shape, or form. Why? Because they are not remorseful. They are not going to give away their cause. They believe some god is rooting for their cause. (I can point out Biblically that it is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob who is for their cause.)

"So kill me." They would rather die and taunt a prison guard with this kind of speech. If they die, then guess what? They get to be known as... a MARTYR. And this gives them great fame in their culture/mindset/religion. To be a martyr is of great importance to them. They've heard they can have so many virgins on the other side of life. Probably a palace too. (I hope they don't think they will have golden toilets and see storage houses full of body parts for people who are missing limbs.) I still think they're in for a burning surprise.

But at any rate... if the goal in harboring these criminals who are, would-be, have been, harbored, aided, or abetted terrorists... if the goal is to get them to CONFESS and their answer is KILL ME...then what measures are left?

They aren't afraid of dying.

So how do you make someone who is not afraid to die and would take you down with him...confess?

There is the question.
How do you soften that steel exterior?
How do you humble that stiff arrogance?
How do you bring a proud man to crawl on his knees?
How do you convince a suicidal killer to talk freely?

Yeah this kind of conversation is a hard pill to swallow. But we're having it. We NEED to have it. We're facing critical benchmarks in history that are going to make or break us. We're facing division in our very own country over many things. The myriad of lawsuits is just becoming ridiculous.

We need to have this conversation.

How do you propose to make an incredibly arrogant man (or group of men) who is not afraid of dying, who is ready to kill you, and who strongly believes in his group's cause... how do you propose to make him break down and talk openly, willingly?

Perhaps those of us who are not familiar with wielding a gun and witnessing firsthand the heads and bodies of our fellow teammates riddled with gunshots or blown off by a rocketgrenade or severed with a sword or splattered by a bomb...

Perhaps those of us who are not familiar with bullets literally zinging by our heads until you can almost feel them or ricocheting off of building walls nearby or the street in front of you...

Perhaps those of us who have never opened a sealed door to discover a cache of stored weapons that would make our mouths drop in awe and horror with the thought racing through our mind, "What in the world were they going to do with this?"...

Perhaps those of us who have never faced an unfamiliar language shouted at us as the person yelling the obscenities begins firing in our direction with only one thought: To kill us...

Perhaps those of us who have never been put in a position to witness children - CHILDREN - who don't look but twelve or thirteen years old or even younger wielding weapons to shoot at us...

Perhaps those of us who have never witnessed our buddy -- whom we were just talking to and laughing with about some of the things we missed from "back home" and with whom we expressed certain things we didn't like about this war -- suddenly snuffed out and shredded into a mangle of body parts because of a mortar that had been planted in the ground by these psychotic enemies and he just happened to step in the wrong place at the wrong time...

Perhaps those of us who have never watched a man of another skin color, language, and nationality -- whom we're not sure whether he is friend or foe -- walk into our living quarters where we dine together "as a family" away from our real families, stuck together on a mission and having bonded for a united purpose, suddenly explode into a million pieces, taking some of our friends' and teammates' lives with him, maiming others in the process, and destroying our "safe" harbor...

Perhaps we are lucky and perhaps we cannot understand why these prison guards would torture these men in this fashion.

We are not them. We do not serve in their shoes. We are not purposed with a duty and facing the same dangers they do. We get to sit back at home and watch all these casualties and reports of war from the comfortable positions of our sofas and dining room chairs. We can read about it in the paper or on the Internet from our plushy cushioned office chairs.

We have no idea what it is like.
We have not been there. And trust me, we don't want to be there.

But there are instruments designed for a purpose. People who are placed in positions to do their jobs. And whether we think it's humane or not to torment a dragon who has destroyed one or millions...to humble him...to make him soft...to get him to willingly tell us what their plans are, where they are hiding, what locations are harboring weapons or key figures, and how they communicate with each other...

That is none of our business.

We are not serving in this war. We are watching it from a comfortable distance.

We are not the terrorists. We should not grieve for their inhumane treatment. People who do evil to other people should expect nothing less than evil done to them. The tormentor becomes the tormented.

So from our far, safe, comfortable distance... what do we propose that these battle-weary and emotionally-scarred soldiers should do to deal with the terrorists and their aiders/abetters/providers/harborers/etc...who are placed under their guard?

What do we propose to these soldiers that will be an effective means of "breaking" these terrorist-criminals to the point they will talk freely? About where key figures are located? About where stashes of weapons are located? About locations of where meetings are held? About countries, names, places, plans...anything that will help us to win the war on terror so these men will stop killing people around the world to get their point across - whatever that point may be?

Am I condoning the prison guards' actions?
In times of war, when these kinds of criminals and terrorists are found with guns in their hands and either in the act of committing a crime or ready to commit one for an evil cause such as what we have been witnessing, then I have no problem with men and women carrying out their assigned duties to "break" such men by whatever means of humiliation.

Personally, I would prefer not to see the designs of these duties. The world was not ready to see it either. We just cannot stomach it. It's not the world we live in. There are people assigned to certain tasks and that's a task I would not be able to carry out. Assign me to guard the front doors of the prison and I'll be a better soldier. But assign me to do the breaking...and I'll ask for re-assignment. Nobody should be placed in an environment that they cannot handle. They should never be forced. The criminal & terrorist prisoners have no choice, but the staff and anyone entering that facility for whatever reason should not be forced to be exposed to that process. It puts them in a bad position. It puts the facility and those who are assigned to carry out their duties, in a bad position.

Had these criminals & terrorist prisoners been a bunch of men whose only crime was that they had been begging in the street because they were poor and had no food...then succumbed to stealing because they could not find the food they needed to stay alive...maybe aid workers were forcing them to have sex with them before they could get the food & that was a degradation they would rather not suffer, but would rather die first or steal first before bowing to that option...and then were rounded up and put into prison... If that were the case and then they were humiliated in this disgusting fashion, then I see no point for it and it's now evil on the side of the prison guards.

So what I am saying is, in light of the crimes committed by the prisoners and if the reason for these humiliations was indeed to "break" or "soften" the hardened men, then that is the purpose that should not be punished. The humiliation is justified. It serves a specific purpose. There is an end to it. When that end is met, then the humiliation will cease.

The fact that someone published some pictures is disgusting. Yes. That was just idiotic. To even take pictures... I mean this day and age of technology can be a great tool or a great destruction. There should be common sense or some kind of courtesy protocol invented for technology. Like the common sense courtesy protocol of "Respect Your Elders"...there should be one like "Don't Drive With Your Cell Phone Stuck in One Hand Up Against Your Ear" or "Turn Off Your Cell Phone in Church" or "Don't Take Pictures When You are Torturing Prisoners".

That last protocol should be a humane common sense approach. A moral common sense approach. But then, war brings out the worst in men... and women now we see.

Well, the thing is, we should not record the violence we do to others. We should not commit that violence to begin with...but in the matters of war where violence is a given, we should just not record that kind of stuff. Why commit to memory the things of pain and heartache and loss? If, in war, one wants to document buildings, places, and maybe people who are involved... just use common sense if you have any and try to find an ounce of morality within to judge rightly what would be edifying to remember later in history. For yourself and for all of mankind.

If these soldiers should be punished for anything, they should not be punished for doing their job. Even if their job description was to torment the criminals to "break them". That is a common war practice. It's even been done to our own Prisoners of War, except worse - not to break us, but to treat us like dogs. Just to do it. I find it disturbing to see that the soldiers/prison guards (I should say "prison guards" more because I believe there were reports that not all of them were soldiers, some were contracted) actually got a thrill out of their duty. It's a little twisted to think that when someone coined the phrase "I love what I do", there would be a time in history when that would apply to a job like this.

If anything, they should have been punished for allowing someone to document the events. To take pictures and then to publish them. That merits punishment. Lack of common sense.

FORT HOOD, Texas Jan 14, 2005 — Army Spc. Charles Graner Jr., the reputed ringleader of a band of rogue guards at the Abu Ghraib prison, was convicted Friday of abusing Iraqi detainees in a case that sparked international outrage when photographs were released that showed reservists gleefully torturing prisoners.

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Michael Chertoff for Secretary of DHS

"Judge Mike Chertoff has the résumé to be an excellent Homeland Security secretary, given his law enforcement background and understanding of New York's and America's neglected homeland security needs," declared U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).
This is one shout of good news. Democrats agreeing with the President's choice. It is good to see that the President does not always make poor choices in the eyes of the Democratic Party. He does make errors now & then. He is, after all, human.

Some things going for Chertoff are:
  • He's already been through the congressional approval process - confirmed three times by the Senate

  • He led the U.S. Justice Department's criminal division from 2001 to 2003

  • He is a federal appellate judge with the 3rd U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia

  • He has a good reputation that even Tom Ridge has heard about

Here is a sad, uninformed comment posted by someone on an internet newspaper called Japan Today about Chertoff:
And he is better than Kerik?!
Enemy of tha Enemy (Jan 12 2005 - 11:01)

Ha ha ha! This new administration just gets better. Chimpus is now surrounded by nodding partisan hacks, and I am going to be laughing at all those idiots that voted for this as they take the US down with them deeper into the cesspool they are now wading in.

Tak: He makes ze perfect choice alongside ze other nazi, Herr Gonzales, ja! Sieg Heil, Fuhrer Bush!

Fortunately, someone with intelligence countered with this response:
redman (Jan 12 2005 - 12:09)

You guys have no clue about what you're posting. Chertoff is a well-respected lawyer known for his professionalism and hardwark.
He rose up through a Talmudic education to be admitted into Harvard Law (so,Tak, your Nazi comments are particularly inappropriate and offensive).
It is sad that so many on the loony left resort to ad hominem attacks to hide their lack of knowledge and their shallow intellectual abilities.
Nazis? *shakes head* Talk about comparing apples to oranges. Until President Bush goes on an ego-trip, forcing our country's military to commit genocide/ethnical cleansing in the name of whatever mental abnormality, draws up a litter of concentration camps within our borders to round up the targeted race, and not only tortures them but commits them with the purpose of death until mass graves are found with their bodies... then I think the rash talk of Nazis and all the innuendos with it can cease.

Don't even dare to try to compare that to seeking out terrorists. People who have terrorist ties should not be surprised if they are taken into custody and questioned or even treated as a suspect. That should be a given to anyone who talks to/interacts with/lives with/harbors/provides for any terrorist.

There is a wise saying that goes: "Stay away from evil. Don't even make it look like you're doing evil."

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people can do your life damage. That's a fact, Jack. You can take that to the bank.

references:
Forbes
ABC News

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Shut Your Pie-holes!

How many Bush-voters want to yell that to the cry-baby losers of the 2004 Presidential Election now that it's over?

Well I just did.

Look at this ridiculous story:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 - Congress officially ratified President Bush's election victory on Thursday, but not before Democrats lodged a formal challenge to the electoral votes from Ohio, forcing an extraordinary two-hour debate that began the 109th Congress on a sharp note of partisan acrimony.

It was only the second such challenge to a presidential race since 1877. Even the bitter contest in 2000 between President Bush and Al Gore did not produce a formal challenge to the results from Florida, the site of a 36-day standoff. Although House members objected, no senator joined in, as is required under federal law.

But on Thursday, a single senator - Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who was sworn in Tuesday for a third term - joined Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Democrat of Ohio, in objecting to Ohio's 20 electoral votes for Mr. Bush, citing voting irregularities in the state.
LET IT GO!!!
DEAR GOD - FOR THE SAKE OF SANITY AND STABILITY - JUST LET IT GO PEOPLE!

Ok? You lost! Get over it!
It wasn't rigged. It wasn't juked. It wasn't flawed. It wasn't anything you wanted! And THAT my dear Kerry-voting friends is WHY you're still CRYING! It wasn't anything you wanted.

You wanted a new President. Understood. You had your vote. Move forward.

At the very last minute, on the day the President is to be ratified, one lone soul who cannot let it go has to cry wolf one more time.
Instead of holding a courteous joint session to certify the election, lawmakers were forced to retreat to their separate chambers for two hours of debate and a vote on the challenge. Democrats, nearly all of whom conceded that Mr. Bush was the rightful winner, said the move cast a needed spotlight on voting rights. Republicans called it waste of time.
Can I just say a VERY BIG THANK YOU to the House of Representatives & Congress for not dragging this on again?
In the end, the House voted 267 to 31 against the challenge. In the Senate, where the vote was 74 to 1, Mrs. Boxer stood alone.
Here's a box of Kleenex. Now move forward like a big girl.
In many ways, the debate came about because of the relentless efforts of a small group of third-party activists, liberal lawyers, Internet muckrakers and civil rights groups, who have been arguing since Election Day that the Ohio vote was rigged for Mr. Bush.

In the weeks since, those groups have organized rallies and public hearings in Ohio protesting the vote, filed lawsuits contesting Mr. Bush's victory and demanded a statewide recount that resulted in Mr. Bush's margin of victory shrinking by 300 votes, to about 118,450. They also protested in Washington on Thursday.
In the words of Officer Barbrady, "Move along folks. Nothing to see here."
But even Democratic officials in Ohio said that while they wanted improved election practices, they worried that the party was wasting time and money refighting the last election.
There ya go! A bunch of smart Democratic officials - using their God-given intellect. You're wasting time - mine, the public's, the House of Rep's, the Congress', lawmakers'... you're just wasting time. We have devastation in Asian regions that needs attention. We have war in the Middle East that needs attention. We have health care issues that need attention. And you're still freakin crying about the election!?

MOVE ON.
But Ms. Jones, a former prosecutor and judge, said she was bringing the challenge "on behalf of those millions of Americans who believe in and value our democratic process and the right to vote."
Here's a better solution, Ms. Jones ... how about, go to Ohio, and fix it.

Problem solved.

Go to Ohio and fix the voting process. There is well spent time...for everyone. You have four years to fix the problem. In the words of Starsky (Ben Stiller) in the 2004 Starsky & Hutch movie, "Do it. DO it."

Oh I know, I know. You don't want to right? Because... because... what? Bush won't be able to run in 2008? Is it all about Bush? Is there no other good reason for you to personally go to Ohio and fix the voting system? Don't use the smoke-screen excuse that their voting system bites-the-big-ballot-box only for this particular election because...because...Bush won. We have four years to the next election. Go fix it before then.

Oh my. Do I sound...irritated?
Gee. What gave that away?
Probably because...I am.

If she'd just go to Ohio and help fix the problem, then hey - we won't have to go through this headache again. Look at Washington State. I stopped reading about their ridiculous count, re-count, re-count of the re-count because it gave me a headache. There are other ways of fixing a flawed local system. Beating the dead horse over and over is not one of them. The little "ray of hope" you saw in the dead horse was just a muscle spasm. It's dead. Bury it.
The last time such a thing happened was in January 1969, when a North Carolina elector designated for Richard M. Nixon voted instead for George Wallace. Before that, the contested 1876 election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden prompted the convening of a special commission that gave the election to Hayes.
Awww. And Nixon still was made President. And Hayes still was made President. And...guess what? Bush still was made President.

But - it's ok. You can cry. All of you. You're allowed to cry if you lose. Just don't waste our time in the process. The world is moving forward. People like me want to move forward with it. Stop hanging us up.

As for the rest of the Kerry-voters who have moved forward, let go, and are taking this very maturely... Thank you. This irritation is not expressed at you.

Monday, January 03, 2005

Oh B.S.

...a Bachelor in Science, that is.

The challenge: How do you interest small, growing, curious minds in the field of science?

Apparently, there has been no advancement for the youngest of learners in the last 10 years within Arizona and across the nation, according to an Arizona writer who happens to be a member of the National Science Board.
Why should we care if 6-year-olds take science or not? Simple: Future innovations in science, technology, engineering, defense, national security and a whole lot more could be at stake.
She claims that baccalaureates given in global science & engineering dropped from 3rd place to 14th in the span of years from 1975 to 1999.

I had the coolest science teacher for Biology in high school. His name was Mr. Weaver. In fact, he was sent to NASA & Disneyworld in recognition of being such a cool teacher. He made the process of learning science FUN. Honestly, I wish I had been given a headstart in the knowledge of the field of science at a younger age. Other than the microscope & slides my parents bought me as a pre-teen & the butterfly collecting kit, I wish my grade schools had introduced me to the field of science. There is so much to be explored. And just tapping into this field can produce many innovations that our nation really could benefit from. Rather than relying on the skilled innovations from overseas, we could tap into the resources of our nation’s wealth and produce effective scientists.

For example, during the SARS outbreak in Japan, it was interesting to discover that Japanese taxi cabs have doors that are “automatic”. The fare never has to touch the door handle because the driver pulls a lever and the door automatically opens. The driver also closes the door. (You can view this here.) For a country that is so conscience of cleanliness & hygiene, this is one progressive step. How many times have we touched door handles, money, and paperwork that has been in the hands of others – not knowing where it has been before – and then turn around and touch our lips or put food to our mouths without washing our hands?

Something to think about.

With health care being an “always needed” profession & security taking on new definitions, we’re going to need scientists. Besides, other nations could rely upon our country for fulfilling these needs. Already, a Middle East country has called upon American Science & Engineering Inc. to fulfill a $3.7 million dollar order that involves installing, training, & one year warranty on parts of a sophisticated x-ray screening system built into a common delivery van. (Not sure who the client is.) It’s called the Backscatter Van and is supposedly going to be used for counterterrorism.

Doh! Nuts!

Could it be that the American public is no longer thrilled about the tempting-to-your-tastebuds donuts that everyone raved about? Are cops (& other law enforcement officers) turning to OTHER means of sugar-highs? Are these fad diets and revelations into obesity (more & younger) making people think twice?
At the same time, three top officers named in the lawsuit - chief executive officer Scott Livengood, former chief operating officer John W. Tate and former chief financial officer Randy S. Casstevens - "unloaded more than 475,000 shares of Krispy Kreme stock for proceeds of $19.8 million," the suit charges.

Well, the financial reports indicate a decline in the sales, but Krispy Kreme officers didn’t want that information out…at least until they had a chance to pull a “Martha Stewart” on their shareholders.
The suit alleges that between January 2003 and last May, when Krispy Kreme issued a profit warning, "the company issued false and misleading statements, including false financial results" and "repeatedly ratcheted upward its public quarterly and fiscal year revenue and earning projections ... all in the face of slowing sales and market saturation."
If you bought any shares between January 2003 & May 2004, then you’re part of the class-action lawsuit.
Krispy Kreme has blamed its problems on popularity of low-carbohydrate diets and high oil prices. But critics have argued that the company expanded too quickly and saturated its market by making its product available in grocery stores and convenience stores.
I’m not so sure about that. Hmmm. Starbucks has been able to provide a grocery store/convenience store coffee product and they continue to expand internationally. Perhaps Krispy Kreme officers can get a better vision of their company’s future by getting some education from Starbucks.

Who knows? Maybe together they can collaborate and sell a…*cough*…coffee & donuts package to cops! (No – please – I can’t possibly turn down my LEO position to become a marketer. But thanks for the offer.)

Forbes has the story.

US Flag at Half-Mast for Five Days

CRAWFORD (Texas): President George W. Bush on Saturday ordered the US flag to be flown at half-staff for five days to honour victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami as a White House delegation prepared to visit devastated areas.

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Osama in hiding, still making statements

President Bush addressed reporters from his home on questions about the tsunami and Iraq. The following quote is the reason Osama needs to be found swiftly & brought into justice. This kind of thinking comes only from an oppressor.
Now, Osama bin Laden issued a statement, as you know, which made the stakes of this pretty clear to me. His vision of the world is where people don't participate in democracy. His vision of the world is where people kill innocent lives in order to affect their behavior and affect their way of living. His vision of the world is one in which there is no freedom of expression, freedom of religion and/or freedom of conscience.

And that vision stands in stark contrast to the vision of by far the vast majority of Iraqis and leaders like Prime Minister Allawi and President Yawer, whose vision includes the freedom of expression, the freedom of the right to vote.

And so, the stakes are clear in this upcoming election. It's the difference between the ability for individuals to express themselves and the willingness of an individual to try to impose his dark vision on the world, on the people of Iraq and elsewhere. It's very important that these elections proceed.
The Chicago Tribune has the full article here.