Saturday, November 3, 2007

This Comment Deserves the Full View


Life in Pakistan has become increasingly scary (perhaps that sounds ironic considering what has been going on there for so long, however, daily life can be "normal", maybe just not our normal. ). At any rate, even in cities such as Rawalpindi (a suburb of Islamabad) that normally are relatively safe, things are changing rapidly. I am not a Pakistani nor am I a Muslim, but I have family there -- I worry daily about the increased suicide bombings and the "disappeared". And now this, which will only strengthen the extremist element. It will get much worse before (or perhaps if) it gets better. Most of the Pakistani people are against the militant element -- most of the Pakistani people are smart enough to understand what the Taliban are doing. In the cities, Muslims are moderate and not fundamentalist. The Taliban make inroads through fear, they rule through fear. The corruption and lack of democracy in Pakistan allow the extremist element to flourish. What is their political future? -- Bhutto, who is not a particularly smart politician, is not liked or trusted in the Punjab (the most populace province) and her husband's corruption is well remembered. A possibility would be reinstated Supreme Court Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, however, he would need to resign from his government appointed position (for a two year period) before he would be eligible to run for office. Musharaf, if he wants to hang on to power, needs to have fair elections, not declare martial law.

New Link to Al Jazeera Video

Here is a better link for that Al Jazeera video, thanks to Robert:

http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=214&ar=1050wmv

Golden Oldie - Gene Vincent

Bartoli + Bellini = Heaven

Carole James, Social Engineer


"The consitituency will automatically be desdignated for women candidates..."


I've got a few ideas, Carole.


How about Jewish ridings only?


Chinese, Hindu, Nigerian?


Left-handed gay with a purple birth mark on the right cheek only candidates?


Go back to the eighties, Carole.


This kind of (non)thinking has been thoroughly discredited.


There are no silver bullets in life or politics.


You want women elected to office? Do all the usual hard ground work that is required.

Fennie Fudge


Mr. Fabulous Chef gets thrown out of his own eatery.


I'm supposed to care?
Go make another White Spot commerical, so I can really believe in you some more.

Chapters Valentine to Me


Chapters loves me.


They care deeply about my feelings.


How do I know this?


Well, they bought a full page ad in all the papers in the Canadian firmament to tell me.


Thanks, Chapters.


But here's my ungrateful response.


Stop the bull and the excuses and the rationalization and cut all the retail prices to reflect the Canadian dollar, period.


I don't need your baffle gab. I need reasonably priced books.

The Mom Song - Nutty Novelty Act du Jour

NEWS BREAK: Pakistan Under Martial Law


The NY Times reported early ths morning this recent development in the struggle between Gen. Musharraf and his own people.


Read the item here.