Wow, Rumsfeld gone

I was going to comment earlier about the U.S. elections but honestly I was still hammering away what to say. Republicans loosing the House and the Senate while good will not change the U.S. that fundamentally. I mean Bush has 2 more years and unfortunately foreign policy where he affects us (the world) the most is still his domain. But wow, Rummy is gone.

Through the various books I've read on the Bush administration and Iraq, including "State of Denial", I've marveled at Rumsfeld. This man's arrogance and incompetence was astounding, he took the U.S. military and wow, crippled it for a least a generation in terms of operational ability and command structure. The details unfortunately are too long to get into now, but again one of the key things is his almost astonishing lack of respect for military personnel and the advice they gave. Also of course his lack of respect to the public during the horrible press conferences. During the last month he basically told Americans concerned about the war "It's complicated, back off"

But he held on, I mean Bush's wife wanted to get rid of him and HE STILL DIDN"T GET FIRED UNTIL TODAY. I was beginning to wonder if he had pictures of Bush snorting.
definitely the man should go on to give lectures about keeping a job while performing it incompetently. Of course he shouldn't be paid and he should have to do it Baghdad with a target on his back but I digress.

I know a lot of people will be ecstatic, I know if I go outside I could listen really hard and hear the cheers of service men and women in Iraq right now. Now some people might get there hopes up for more changes, but really the next one on the list isn't going to happen.

Cheney will be there for the duration. I mean he will step outside now with his shotgun to finish Rumsfeld off, but after that right back in. "I'll do it Mr. President, he was my mentor, click clack" Nothing stops the Dark one, remember people he had his heart removed.

Seriously the sad thing is Rumsfeld is 74, he'll most likely be dead in a few years much like Cheney when the hate and evil burn out. I would wish for him to live for a long time,much like Robert McNamara. Who you may ask? McNamara was Kennedy and Johnson's Secretary of Defense during the start and continuation of the Vietnam War. Eventually many years after the war had past, McNamara publicly admitted that the war was a mistake and horrible tragedy and that he held a large degree of blame. Now he didn't commit ritual suicide but still he seems haunted. Sigh, you would think, who knows these things for certain. I'd like to see an ancient Rumsfeld in twenty years admitting maybe it was an error and maybe he wasn't the best or well even qualified for the job. He just had the job twenty years ago.

I think there is one great thing here that we can find some joy in today. We can know that whatever else is going on George W. Bush is having a really, really shitty day.

A large portion of his country is unhappy with him, he no longer controls a vital organ of his government, and he was forced to fire a man he had an insane loyalty to. ("I can't quit you") and replace him with some who worked for his dad. All in all pretty shitty day, and by my watch his day still has eight hours left in it, I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that rocks! Later think happy thoughts!

Well It has been a while

Dust does gather on a blog doesn't it? I'd like to say that I have been immersed in a spiritual quest to find myself which involved monks, meditation and song, but alas I was lazy. Eid hit and I just crawled into my books and then some games. Since I've been gaming a bit mad in between work and homelife. Four games in the past two weeks. I know I know, losing it.

Life has been going well, coming up on the hardest holiday time I've had since I was in university. A month! In December, I'm excited yet frightened I haven't had a month off at that time in years. I mean as a teacher I usually get the summer of to squander and attend weddings but this is so different. A month, in December. Well the first week will be spend in Rome. Very excited about this, giddy if you will. Soak in the history, the art, the culture, then I return to Newfoundland. Hey put that down any Newfies reading, I love my homeland, I just well I get bored going there for more then two weeks. I mean the first week, "yea family aw missed you, yes, yes, good, good." Second week, well yeah Christmas, and shopping, but a lot of that will be done here with the exception being my wife and daughter. By that point though I'll start counting the days, thinking when we get back.

The other drawback is always the spending. I don't want to go nuts at Christmas especially since I hate storing new stuff and over weight half way across the world sucks. I just find I get caught up in the consumerism of the holidays, Last year we stayed here and for that reason it was nice cause you didn't get Christmas rammed down your throat. Not all doom and gloom one thing I'm really, really, really looking forward to is .... Sweaters, jeans. I miss wearing a sweater or a jacket, and I can't wear jeans to work and I usually wear shorts when at home. Other night we went out to dinner, I wore jeans, it felt good and I looked good.

I also miss snow but well, the weather of my homeland could be fickle, I remember many a year where snow did not come until January. It's been over a year since I experienced snow. I'd like to see a snowfall, maybe play in the snow with my daughter who was too little last time we were home to do that in winter. Feel the briskness of the cold air. Don't get me wrong, I like the heat and well the constant sun burning down on me as it turns my hair grayer and grayer but snow, and hey maybe I'll wear a hat.

Well this has been a weird return to blogging. Hopefully I shall comment again in a day or so with what ever strikes my fancy. Later!

Yeah well I've been busy.

I kept meaning to update but things kept coming up. Stomach bug that didn't quite leave for a week, long week at work, Civ IV etc. All these things account for one week, maybe two. Possibly longer is this week has I've been getting new books left and right. First three boxes of comics and graphic novels. Always nice, I've got through most of it right now. If anyone who stumbles across my blog and likes comics, I'd recommend "52" and any thing by Ed Brubaker. As well Peter David's "X-Factor" is quite good, but buy it in trade.

Yesterday I recieved my Amazon order. Which is good cause there are some birthday gifts in there for my wife so I'm ahead of the game. Still four books in there for me. Right now I'm into "State of Denial" by Bob Woodward. Again yes I know, we all know the Bush administration is horrible but I find the internal workings fascinating. In one way it's comforting that office politics is something that occurs on every level, on the other hand it's massively distrubing that office politics can interfere with foreign policy on the most childish ways.


Games: Civilization IV has also been taking up my time. Again the quest to build the perfect world. I miss that they have taken out the diplomat unit. I still am not quite sure the use of missionary units.

Politics: Ah conservatives crumbling always pleasing. In my home country (Canada!)the Conservatives are well into imploding. 5 months ahead of when I pegged they would. I figured it would take the same sex debate to lead to full implosion but happily they seem to have exceeded my expectations. They toss out Garth Turner whose blog they claims violates cacus privacy. They then release clean air legislation that sets the target date for 2050 and is sadly so weak we can't full dissect it here. Polls show they are in a dead heat with the leaderless Liberals. But that Bob Rae would put them over the top. Again I've been saying that to anyone who would listen but hey what do I know. Wait that people who haven't lived in Canada for 30 years and supported an ilegal and ill-advised war should be the leader of the moderate party in Canada. Again just a thought, that I hope comes true.


Well I've established that I'm alive and able to blog so I'm going to sign off I'll post more hopefully in a day to week timespan if not check out the blogs on the side they update often and are well written. Except for Dups, he just puts up pretty pictures.

Sickness and Lego

I have to express my admiration for those bloggers who can do it on a daily basis. I'd love to be able to but there will always be factors preventing that. This weekend it was stomach bug infecting the family starting with the my daughter and working its way to me. We are all mending now with my daughter completely cured while I'm a day or two away.
The other reason for no blogs was due to the picture above. Lego Star Wars II, I picked it up for my PSP and I have to say I was hooked. I enjoyed the first lego game, but this one just captured all the coolness that was Star Wars in its prime. It also has a healthy dose of fun mocking. I can't help but wonder what the last three movies might have looked like if George had passed it on to his games department.

Incidently October seems like it will be game month with about 25 games that I want to play. "Justice League", "Marvel Alliance" and "Destroy All Humans 2" are just a few of them. Again looking forward to buying some for the X-box, some for the psp. Generally I buy for the psp, games that will keep me occupied on travel and that my daughter will look along as I play.

Well that's a games, not much else I feel like writing about at the moment at least. TV/DVD wise, I finished the end of season one of "Prison Break", still highly enjoyable. Just picked up a new copy of season one of "Rome". I had bought it earlier but had to return it due to a duplicate cd. Again if you want a nice collectors box set this is the one to go for. Beautiful case and nice interior design. I know some people complain about the denseness of Rome but really I enjoy the setting and the characters despite some historical mistakes. Anyway not much else to say right now so I'll end there and hope anyone reading this is well and will leave something in the comments.

Wow, where was I

Well that was quite a gap. Sadly, it seems no one took me up on my rant and weak prize. Ah well, to those reading let us hope that Americans aboard are better behaved. Anyway, why no posts? Part of it was Ramadan week one blahs. While I'm not fasting, I'm not exactly eating as per usual. Which is proably good but still, I have my coffee before I leave the house come back after droping my girls off and have another. The reduction of coffee does hurt. At lunch time I scamper over to the designated lunch room have a cracker combo along with some diet coke and off again until I get home. It's not horrible but again my energy is lacking. So there you have reason one. Reason two bought a new desktop so spent some of the weekend fidling around with it, soon with the router we'll have two internet operational computers, because sharing sucks! Why yes I was an only child, and it rocked!

Anyway on to more serious thoughts. I finished the Suzuki biography, again enjoyable if some odd parts regarding his family and his relationship with them. While I did agree his rant that science gets short shrift in the news coverage, I thought that he came off as a bit whiny on that particular theme at times. But still a worthwhile read.

Right now gearing up for an Amazon book order. Bob Woodward's new book "State of Denial" looks appealing. I have read his books on the Bush presidency and while I can see that he was a bit neutral pro this latest effort seems to go for the jugular. Again if you are surfing around the yahoo home page has some clips from 60 minutes and the Washington Post is publishing excerpts. I think the most interesting thing so far is that Laura wanted to get rid of Rumsfield and still Bush resisted. My wife wants me to change my tie, I'll fold. Bush, gross incompetency from the Defense Secretary, wife thinks he should go, ignores her. Makes you wonder.

Another book I'm considering is Belinda, the biography of Canada's most shallow politican. Something about the Globe and Mail write up on it, just makes me think why not. I think the fact she is dating a Toronto Maple Leaf is just fascinating. As if Peter Mckay wasn't beaten down enough. I'm willing to bet as well their relationship will be the high point of Toronto's season.

Lest you think I'm just a boring book guy, picked up a new DVD boxset over the weekend. It's the second half of the Fox show "Prison Break". I must admit I was skeptical when I first heard the pitch but I picked up the first part two months ago and I was hooked. Again not as good a prison drama as "OZ" but in this case it's all about the breakout. There are some really clever bits in that just get me. It's proably my favorite Fox series next to "House", still ranks underneath "Battlestar Galactica", "Rescue Me" and "Veronica Mars". Anyway nothing else to write, have to go eat dinner, but hopefully I'll blog again tomorrow or some short time after that.

Hmm.. That's Disturbing and a Contest!!!!!

So really I had nothing to writing about today for the most part.

I thought of doing a post about Richard aridness supposed comments to the Pakistani intelligence chief after 9/11. But I don't most people know that Richard Armitage was Colin Powell's deputy right? And that he was an actively calling on Colin to be louder in his opposition to attacking Iraq. This of course can be found in found Bob Woodward's "Plan of Attack". Now I imagine everyone also knows that Armitage is currently being listed as the person in the Bush administration who leaked the name of a CIA agent. Did you know as well that Armitage no longer works for the Bush administration? But yet know he's accused of doing all these nasty things? Hmm odd.

Anyway just something to chew on. The really annoying bit of Americaness was closer to home today. My wife was telling me that a little boy in Emma's class made her cry. These things happen I know but I found the story annoying. This boy(who was being picked up by his mother at the time of the incident)starts yapping about how he's been to Disneyland to his teacher. Well Emma goes "yeah me too", in a friendly way as is my daughter's way. He starts yelling at her "No you've not, No you've not until she starts to cry. One of the teachers said something to the boy according to my wife but not the mother, whose name is, are you ready for this, Brittany. Sigh, this is the third incident I've seen in the past while of "Rude American" My previous post mentions the last big one. So I have an idea.

Assuming someone is out there and is reading my posts, in the comments, tell your "Rudest American" story and you can win a prize. A genuine Doha camel! It's small and like a paperweight but I will send it to the person by mail I promise. Enter Now! You can tell us who is the rudest American!

All I wanted was a drink!

Yes, the above picture is an insane amount of alcohol. I'm stocking up.

Ok, time to back up and explain. In Qatar, alcohol is a banned substance with the exception of hotels, nightclubs and the Distribution Centre which is the only place allowed to sell alcohol. In order to buy alcohol there you must get a letter from your employer and then you are give a card and limit based on your salary. I'm not a young twenty something who lives for drinking. Sometimes I just like a drink while I'm watching a show or reading a book, one or two pints of something. Usually puts me to sleep. My wife likes coolers, I like them as well but really it's girly to admit to it.

Now since coming back from vacation, I hadn't made my way out to the centre. First, I was on Stage one of South Beach, which you are not permitted alcohol. By stage two you can have wine. I believe from reading the book stage three is about moderation and varying between the stages. Anyway I knew I needed to go purchase some stuff because at some point I would like a drink and Ramadan was coming up and they would be closed for a month. So after work on Thursday, I decided to drive out to the centre. I thought I'll nip in and get a few things and head home right in time for supper. FOOL!

Nope, the place was packed. Never leave stuff for the last minute. The first challenge came in getting a shopping cart. Hey you see that picture no way could I lug all that around. Basically you could stand at exit door and beg for one as people were coming out with their carts. People were doing this using the same tone as you'd ask someone to save a dying relative. Again this was a popular and time consuming method. The more effective but longer way was to go in and ask someone in the long checkout line if you could have their cart when they were done. After about an hour and trying the first method I decided to use the second method.

Then comes the fun as you slowly go through the line picking out what you want and making your way to the checkout. This I believe took about 2 hours. The thing that struck me while I waited in line was what a gathering of nationalities. You had Pakistanis,Indians, Japanese, Irish, Australian, German, British, Canadian and American.

Sadly a lot of Americans there were jerks. Before you come into the store you have to show your distribution id to the guards. Well some people(Yankees!) just didn't like having to do that. One decided to ask the guards about if they would be open on Saturday. The guards could only say that they might be not be open Saturday as the start of Ramadan is dependent on the moon. Well, that American was disgusted. " Well that just sucks". Yes it's sad that 1. You have no idea about the customs of the country that you are in. 2. That by acting this way you reinforcing the stereotype the world has of your people as ignorant louts.

But there was a much worst incident then this. An Australian/British couple tried to bring their 7 year old in to the store. In big letters outside the entrance it says "no children allowed". The father starts to disparage the guard by commenting on his English. "Speak English will you"was his rebuttal upon hearing that he could not take his child inside. It was as this point as a group we grabbed him and beat his ignorant ass half to death. Sigh, no we didn't but we should have. These guards had a thankless job, making sure westerners behaved orderly in getting their alcohol. Really why do you want your kids to see you act like an ass is beyond me.

But it wasn't all bad, people joked and laughed and talked as the line moved on. You could tell a lot about a person in the line by how helpful they were. "You mind if I just reach over and get that case of Coors". "Sure, here." It's the little things. People united in their quest to get alcohol, maybe next year at the U.N. they could try something like that.

When you shopping on an ordinary day in this store, you occasionally consider items that you know you would never drink. "Scrumpy Jacks" Hmmm looks good, the name is quirky. Wow it costs half as much as my phone bill, I'll pas. Wow what a scotch section very posh, despite the fact scotch makes you shake in disgust whenever you have had in the past possibly one of the culprits of the "Burst Capillaries" incident. Certain people will know of this incident. If curious ask in "comments" and I'll tell. In the end I got way more then I needed, but hey I'm stocked up to 2007.

Hmm another long post, but hopefully someone enjoys it well I'm off, I'm thirsty, time for a drink .... of coffee.