Far East

The Noble God

           Surreal watching the unfolding disaster in the Gulf states while going through a typhoon here.  Add this to the horrific tragedy in Baghdad today and one certainly has an impending sense of doom.  All the while the fiddlers just keep on fiddling, high and dry in their palaces.
            Every time there has been a typhoon to hit Taiwan this year we have had work and school cancelled for a day; this time around it's two days.  Three typhoons, four days off.  In the past if we got one day off during the entire typhoon season it was remarkable.  No longer.
            The incredible destruction and loss of life in Mississsippi and Louisiana are due in part to the unpreparedness of the government, particularly in the New Orleans area, failing to fund the levee construction so that the money could go to Homeland Security and the war in Iraq.
            The bridge calamity in Baghdad was apparently due to someone shouting that there was a suicide bomber in the midst of that huge crush of people, causing them to stampede others, buckle a guard rail and plunge many to their deaths in the Tigris river.  Nearly seven hundred dead so far.
            Truly the Noble God is in charge now.  Global warming?  Science inconclusive we're told.  Money for disaster preparedness?  Sunk into the sands of Iraq.  Why we're in Iraq?  To ensure those already killed will be honored or avenged or have their deaths made "noble".  When that'll be nobody will say.
          Just tune up the fiddle and play another heroic song.  Stay the course in the river of blood.  Stay the course.  Anything else just wouldn't be noble.

Fiddling Away

           Louisiana and Mississippi are so screwed.  Let's see how fast reconstruction goes in two of our very own United States; I can imagine that after not too long people are going to start getting pissed that billions are being spent to reconstruct Baghdad while nothing of substance is spent on them.
            There finally seems to be some recognition in DC about how truly awful the situation is down there and that staying away on vacation is no longer a viable option.  Martial law in parts of New Orleans?  Seems reminiscent of Iraq.  I'm wondering if that whole 'freedom is untidy' thing goes for the looting that is apparently happening now in the Big Easy.

Pulling Together

            Interesting how politics seems to stop when something really dire threatens the US.  All left/right red/blue patriot/traitor talk just goes out the window.  So when people are in high dudgeoun castigating their political opposites, it must be a sign that there is no (perception of) a threat against the nation.
            I pray for the victims of Katrina, be they solid red, solid blue, or solid purple (or pink).  They're fellow Americans, and I hope they don't suffer too much from this calamity.  It's looking really bad at this time. Let's all hope that it doesn't turn out as bad as the predictions forecast.

Accelerando

            Just finished reading it.  Excellent space opera from Hug0 award winning author Charles Stross.  Plus it's a free e-book download!  No reason to delay.  Read it now!

Absolutely Brilliant

            Iain M. Banks is an amazing writer.  Just finished  Look to Windward, one in the series of Culture novels.  I had previously read  Excession, which got me hooked.  His character development, story lines, and wry humor all make his books must reads.
          In  Look to Windward  he gets into some quite deep (from my perspective) philosophical issues, which I think is kind of unusual for a space opera/sci-fi writer.  He reminds me a lot of Isaac Asimov in terms of his ability to get you into characters' minds.
            At one point in the novel one of the characters is talking about romantic mindsets, saying in effect that romantics don't really want to know others or themselves, as that will spoil the whole illusion and mystery they're trying to build up around themselves and their loved ones.  I thought that was spot on.  Avoiding anything that breaks that precious romantic bubble, no matter how many crises result.  Sticking to a kind of monomaniacal mindset, and damn the facts.   Highly recommended author.

Rattlesnake Mean

           Hard to understand people who get off on (i.e., enjoy) aggravating others.  Especially when you're trying to be helpful to them.  Guess it gives them a feeling of power, knowing they can upset you.  Best to steer clear of such folks, as they're unlikely to give up their ways for a kinder, gentler approach.  Had a relative like that once, who would pretend she didn't understand if she didn't like what you were saying, or if the way you said things didn't accord to her exact wishes.  She would force us to slowly explain things like five times before she finally agreed to comprehend.  Don't know if that qualifies as sociopathic, but it sure was annoying as hell.  And you could see clearly that she got absolute glee out of pushing others around.  Finally figured out that she just didn't want to communicate much at all with others. 

Day One

            The Iraqis have settled on a draft constitution.  As our president said today, now there will be vigorous debate on the final form the constitution will take.  Congratulations, Iraq!  You're on your way to being a fully democratic nation.  Senator Pat Roberts said today on Late Edition (CNN): "there is no sharia (Islamic law) in this constitution". Women's rights and human rights are fully protected. We've done our job, the mission is complete.  Time to bring our troops home now.  The rest is up to the Iraqis themselves.

Blecch

            Andrea Koppel (of CNN) defending Pat Robertson's remarks.  Or rather, completely ignoring his remarks, and running a piece showing what a horrible menace Chavez is.  The Network of Fubar.  Some say silence is acquiescence....

Podcast A Go-Go

            Got all the requisite stuff to start podcasting:  Soundflower/Soundflowerbed, Line-In, built-in mic, headphones, and GarageBand.  Just have to think of something to podcast about.  No clues there.  Will give it a whirl in a couple of days, either here, or elsewhere (haven't decided on that one yet).  Category is a tribute to Scifi writer Iain M. Banks.

Drum Major

            So it looks like Kevin Drum called it right on what would happen if skippy won a second term: terrible scandals dragging the whole edifice down.  I was pulling for the one where everyone went to Canada and left the country culturally high and dry, but this way is okay, too.