Focused Rambling

Thailand erupts

Thailand has erupted in bloody protests following calls from former Prime Minister Shiniwatra for "revolution". Looks like a bloody crackdown.

Same-sex marriage, and the murder of gays in Iraq

Here’s two opposite ends of the spectrum for you, both from today’s New York Times. First, there are many in this country that are celebrating recent legislation in Vermont and Iowa that allows same-sex marriage, and preparing to continue the momentum with legislation in nine other states. Hopefully the efforts of all in the gay and lesbian community are helping to educate people to the basic civil rights element of this debate, rather than the selective interpretations of specific biblical meanings and intents that has been used in the past. Regardless of what the “institution of marriage” has meant to individuals that have entered into it throughout the years, it is a recognized symbol of the love and commitment of two individuals at the end of the day, and any two individuals that wish to express that commitment should be allowed to. Of course, as soon as you read one story that gives you some hope that the world is rational and evolving, you read another from NYT on the “scorn and murder” faced by gay and lesbian Iraqi’s. This includes the recent discovery of the bodies of 25 men and boys in Sadr City that were believed to be gay. I am assuming that the religious leaders quoted in this article are not nearly as strict with other interpretations of Islamic law, unless the Iraqi’s (particularly the Shiites of Sadr City) are going the way of the Taliban and instituting Sharia law.

Slumdog Millionaire draws prizes and protests...

Wow, Slumdog Millionaire just won 8 Oscars , including Best Picture ... although there have been recent protests in India. That sounded cool until I realized that one main root cause of the protests is that the term "slumdog" is insulting to slum-dwellers. If this is truly a grassroots protest from the slums of India, then I guess I can't speak for their feelings, but that seems like a pretty low bar to set for being insulted. Slumdog actually doesn't sound that bad to me at all, it sounds kind of tough and hardened.

A terrible loss, but a genuine response...

Read this story.... A High School Basketball player's mother died on the day of a game, and he showed up to play amidst his own grief. But the reaction of the other people and players is the warm part of the story. Not much I can say to make it better, it always makes you feel something when people show compassion to others when they don't have to.

Iran using front companies to get bits of technology

Iran is purchasing technology through third-parties . It does seem a little much to call this "skillful flouting of import laws", however. The article discusses a deal in which an Iranian businessman uses a Malaysian importer to buy parts from a NJ company. That sounds like damn near anybody can buy parts used in building weapons from NJ companies. What was the elaborate cover-up given? Malaysian importer needs inclinometers for... airplanes? Well actually, I guess that's plausible. Inclinometers have about a hundred uses, so I'm assuming they can't just buy centrifuges from NJ companies. right? So Iran has mastered the art of front companies to purchase parts for weapons. I guess that's at least as clever as convincing large superpowers to give you billions a year to purchase weapons...

Somali Pirates in Perspective

I assume at this point that I'm being lied to about most everything... but it turns out that I am currently being lied to about Pirates , according to Johann Hari. The simple explanation that seems to predominate in our media is that these are "horrible, bad people doing illegal things". But I've thought this story was bizarre from the minute I first heard it, and then saw the pictures of 18 foot power boats attempting to overtake luxury liners...

There is something pretty impressive about seeing a down-and-out band of ne'er-do-wells succeed as a team in an inconceivable conflict. But it also seemed desperate in a way. As Hari notes in the article linked, Somalia has been devastated. And although this is illegal seizure of property, and weapons, and intimidation, the end result is normally ransoming, so it's a very twisted version of Robin Hood (sort of)...

Border Patrol in Pakistan...

News that Pakistan is removing troops from the Afghanistan border to redeploy them on the Indian border is not good for the war on terror, or the defusing of tensions between two nuclear powers. The U.S., of course, is calling for a timeout . The calls from India for Pakistan to step up investigations and actions into the involvement of groups and individuals in Pakistan in the Mumbai attacks have been steady, but have been growing again in recent days . But Pakistan has held firm that there is not enough evidence to act on at this point, and has repeatedly called on India to turn over whatever evidence they do have. India has recently submitted a letter from the lone surviving gunman in the Mumbai attacks , in which the gunman claims that all of the terrorists were from Pakistan. (Just as an aside, I would think you could probably get him to write a letter stating that he was a Christian from Tulsa, Oklahoma at this point, as I can only imagine that there has been some rather forceful interrogation...) But Pakistan remains unconvinced or unwilling, going so far as to pass a resolution in the Pakistani Parliament instructing India to back off of their unsupported claims (their assertion). Considering the three wars and numerous militant infiltrations and bombings between these two nuclear powers, here's hoping that someone is able to step in and help to negotiate out this most recent conflict. Here is a timeline detailing the creation of both Pakistan and India, and conflicts between the two before 2002. As is the case in Iraq and numerous other areas of conflict in the world, the partitioning of former British Colonies has helped to create the seeds of strife. Ah, Empire seemed like a such a good idea back in the day, eh?

A popular drug has been legalized in Switzerland...

But it probably isn't the first on your list of those you would think move to the front of the legalization line... good morning Heroin ! Yes, I guess with the booming supply still pouring forth from Afghanistan, it only makes sense to get in on what's hot. Somewhat baffling that you could make the distinction that heroin needs to be legal so you can better regulate it's use, despite the fact that you don't hear many people extolling the virtues of heroin for any purpose other than withering away and dying. But they vote down a measure to legalize marijuana, because they don't want to promote "drug" use. OK, is that kind of like saying you want to save unborn babies but can't bring yourself to accept contraception?