On the Road Again...

Loose ends are becoming tied at an alarming rate here at Hot Seat headquarters (hereafter to be referred to as HTHQ 'cause it's better).

Grades are in and good enough, employment for the summer looks secured.

Oh, and I got a car.

I know that those of you who live in metropolitan areas with highly fuctional mass transportation can contain your enthusiasm. For the rest of America, getting a car (used '99 Malibu as it may be) is roughly the equivalent of being reincarnated as a vastly more powerful being.

It's a good thing.

I should be headed up to New York for a short vacation soon, I might try the Audioblogger deal from there just for kicks. I'll be sure to stay in touch.

What's New?

Were have I been you ask?

Busy.

Cementing my academic future, seeking gainful employment, reading and greatly enjoying "The End of Poverty."

If a book gets me to put down Heinlein, it's gotta be good.

News is middling, new "Amnesty International" report pretty upset over Gitmo and prisoner abuse.
America's Debate is all over it as usual.

A new Iraqi-led offensive in Baghdad which I wish all the best for.

I might be going to New York soon, which should provide me with fresh material, that would leave LA as the last trademark American metropolis I've not been to I figure.

Suggestions?

Galloway Uncut

C-span has finally made streaming realvideo of MP George Galloway's testimony before a Senate committee. It makes for highly interesting viewing whatever your political leanings.

Go check it out.

Also, I found the link to a new blog by the name of: Doc's Rant.

New News and New Blogs!

How do people?

First up we've got new blogs to add to our list, the newest of which is a blog by a fellow AD'er and Canadian commentator by the name (as far as these netnames go) of UltimateJoe.

It's new, if its anything like his debate posts it'll be good... go read it.

What do ya' need, directions?

Yes? Well here: Joe's Blog

Another blog to add to that list soon as I find the link both will be in the listing on the sidebar soon.

The "new news" you ask!

Whip out the offering plate fellas, we dun landed a convert.

Economic development key to ending tyranny - US' Wolfowitz

Welcome to reality, brother!

"The End of Poverty"

Well I finally gotten hold of Jeffrey Sach's long awaited (hey I waited a long time) explanation of why millions of people don't really have to die every year due to poverty and what we as nations and individuals can do about it.

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time
by Jeffrey Sachs

For the cash-strapped like myself check out your local large library and see if they've gotten copies in just yet

It's easy to find just searching for ISBN: 1594200459 on any web catalog, or just search the normal way.

For those interested in a buy Amazon has some in stock.

Less that $20 which by what I've read so far is one heck of a bargain.

Required reading for those interested in international affairs and economic development.

.

Galloway Follow-up

As promised I have a transcript of Galloway's opening tirade and a link to a video that should be pretty enlightening. Neither is full, but they have the important bits.
Transcript
Video Link

The man may not have all his facts straight but you can't fault him for gumption.

"Senator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies.

Atlanta Shooting Gets an Interesting Twist...

What, in the name of all that is holy, is going through this man's mind?

Brian Nichols pleaded not guilty Tuesday to multiple counts stemming from a deadly March shooting spree that began in an Atlanta courthouse.

Link

Correct me if I'm wrong, but these muders were committed in a crowded courthouse while the man was surrounded by witnesses including several law enforcement officers.

I suspect this is merely a poorly disguised insanity plea ;)

Kuwaiti Women Get Voting Rights

Kuwait's Parliament granted full political rights to women on Monday, making way for them to vote and run for office in parliamentary and local elections for the first time in the country's history. The surprise amendment to Kuwait's election law ends a decades-long struggle by women's rights campaigners for full suffrage, and promises to redefine the city-state's political landscape.

Link

Galloway on the Offensive

News is finally picking up with one the more interesting stories being the appearance of British MP George Galloway before the Senate committee on the "Oil-for-Food" scandal.

Galloway was, to understate things is a most dramatic fashion, quite feisty in his own defense. I'll get a transcript or, even better, video or audio up as soon as possible because this is not to be missed.

Mr Galloway, who traveled to Washington in a bid to clear his name, went on the offensive from the beginning of his testimony.

He said he had met Saddam Hussein on two occasions - the same number of times as US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

"The difference is Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell him guns and maps - the better to target those guns. I met him to try to bring about an end to sanctions, suffering and war," he said

.

Link
just a sample....

In other news, efforts to expand the UN Security Council are under way, with Germany, Japan, Brazil and India eying permanent seats and veto power while China and the US stand in their way.
Germany Starts UN Reform Resolution

Updates on both as soon as information becomes available.

Education Denial

This Just in... Underfunded schools do in fact exist.

If it weren't so serious it would be funny. For millions of Americans the fact that many rural and urban public schools are woefully underfunded is a blindingly obvious fact everyday life....

...but when the ideological politicians get word the cries are loud and predictable.

"Throwing money at the problem is not the solution!"

"We already spend too much on education!"

and the even more mind-boggling

"We should leave education to he private sector!"

Some of my best friends are libertarians, but every once in a while one has to wonder what planet people who say such things are living on. On my Earth, the difference between a well-funded and underfunded school is abundantly clear, I've seen both up close and personal.

The minute some of those in power catch on fiscal conservatism is called forth like some ancient demon from the netherealms.

Does is rear its ugly head when the time comes for political perks, porkbarrel spending and the like?

Why good heavens no! Stinginess is reserved for less important concerns....

Our nation's children.
Equalization of City Schools Is Abandoned

More on Somalia

...well that didn't take half as long as I thought. Here's the info on the canadian soildiers tried in the murder of Shiadane Arone.

From "Maclean's" 3/27/95, Vol. 108 Issue 13, p27

Capt. Michael Sox, the last Canadian soldier tried in a series of courts martial stemming from the March, 1993, beating death of 16-year-old Shidane Arone in Somalia, was found guilty of negligent performance of duty after a trial at the Canadian Forces Base in Petawawa, Ont. The charge carries a maximum penalty of dismissal with disgrace, followed by imprisonment for up to two years less a day.

5/9/94, Vol. 107 Issue 19, p21

The main figure in the vicious torture and beating death of a Somali teenager last year will probably never stand trial for his actions. The Canadian Armed Forces judge advocate in the case, Col. Guy Brais, said that Master Cpl. Clayton Matchee, who was charged with second-degree murder, torture and negligent performance of duty, was unfit to be tried..[...] Matchee is unable to understand the nature and purpose of the court martial because of the severe brain damage he suffered after attempting to hang himself in a holding cell at the Canadian Airborne Regiment compound in Somalia[...] Sgt. Mark Boland. After Boland pleaded guilty to negligent performance of duty in relation to Arone's death, a statement of facts was read into the record. Among other things, the statement said that Matchee ``systematically beat'' Arone with a wooden baton, a metal bar, his fists and his boots, and that he ``burned the soles of Arone's feet with a cigar or cigarette.''

That is, of course, in addition to Kyle Brown who was mentioned in the previous post. He is the only soldier to recieve a significant sentence.

Prisoner Abuse Perspective

I've taken up another unofficial research project, this time on the scope of prisoner and other military abuses. After hearing a report on the CBC about the murder of a Somali prisoner back in '93 by Canadian soldiers I started to look into what other recent examples of prisoner abuse to see if I could get some perspective.

There are plenty of unanswered questions here. In the Somalia case (the torture and death of Shidane Arone) the first peacekeeper convicted on charges of manslaughter and torture served three years of his five year term before getting out on parole. I'm looking in to the others, I'm not sure if they were even imprisoned.

Senior officers and government officials tried to cover thing up. Belgian and Italian were also accused of torture.

A sample of what I've got so far.
Photo's Reveal Belgian Paratroopers' Abuse
Somali Inquiry (Canada)

There is also the current furor over sex abuse by peacekeepers in DR Congo and Liberia as well.
Shuffling through newspaper reports in going to take more time, I'll probably go with the larger question of prisoner abuse to America's Debate soon enough...

Which way did he go, George?

I Live!!

In all honesty I've been alive for a while yet, but the blog has not seen much activity and I promise to change that rather soon. I could blame the slow news spell, the fact that last week was finals week at school.

Although both have played their part the laziness of summer rears it ugly head as well.

..but that shall soon be over, the time for rapid-fire posting is nigh!