I went out to the shipping area this morning. Each can with an engine or gearbox inside has stencils identifying it, and some have shipment destinations painted on them. One of them had “Austrialla” on the side.
I wonder if the Muslims have taken over Austria, or that was “Australia” misspelled.
Neal Boortz has an interesting topic on Nealz Nuze today. I had heard about this, but didn’t realize the meeting had taken place.
UNITED NATIONS CONTROL OF THE INTERNET?
Did you know that there was a little meeting last week at the UN? The quasi-public corporation in the United States that handles the assignment of Internet domain names (ICANN) was meeting with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. It seems that some UN members and “activists” are saying that the Internet is too closely associated with the United States, and they want their beloved UN to take a greater role in regulating the ‘net. Last week about 200 diplomats and others met at the UN to discuss just such a plan.
Danger, Will Robinson.
Look around the globe. The more despotic the government, the more that government tries to control the dissemination of all information within its borders. The United Nations is not an organization that is interested in freedom. It is an organization that is interested in one-world government and the international redistribution of wealth.
If you’ve listened to me for any time at all you’ve already heard my riff on the UN and freedom of speech. Sure, freedom of speech is “guaranteed” in the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights; but if you read a bit further, to Article 29 (3) to be specific, you will read that “These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.”
If the international community succeeds is making the Internet a UN operation it will just be a matter of time before the UN starts regulating content. It will all be done in the name of “world peace,” of course, but it will be done. Web sites will be scanned for material that might be “offensive” to various cultures …. calling Palestinians murderers, for instance … and will censor those sites.
The United Nations is no friend of freedom, and it is no friend of the United States. The Internet is an American creation. If people in other countries want to use it, fine. But operational control should stay here. We’ve had enough internationalism lately.
This really concerns me for the precise reason Boortz identifies. The UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights is, as he says, very pliable. Beyond that, I think the UN sees a way to enhance their income now that they no longer have Saddam’s money flowing in.
Is anyone but Neal talking about this?
And it comes on top of this over at InstaPundit:
Funny, isn’t it, that while people were accusing the United States of starving Iraqi children, it was actually the U.N. that was doing it? “Funny,” that is, in the sense that the crimes and hypocrisies of the international political classes are peculiarly unnoted, not funny in the sense of actually amusing.
Kofi Annan’s son had the contract.
I think I shall become an ardent “US out of the UN” advocate.
I put away Les Miserables for a while. It is a compelling novel, and the translation I have is great. But it is just too damn depressing to stick with, especially as a book to read just before going to sleep. I’ll get back to it.
So I journeyed to Barnes and Noble today to see what was on the shelves. I asked about Around the World in 18 Holes which a Bunker Mulligan visitor recommended. They didn’t have it, but offered to order it. I’ll check Half-Price books first (we really only have two bookstores here).
Last week I picked up several books to send to Slice in Afghanistan. One was a Victor Davis Hanson book I really wanted to keep for myself. So I got me a copy today.
I also got two golf books. One, Bernard Darwin on Golf, is a collection of essays by Charles’ grandson. It is one of those golf classics few people think about reading. I have also recently read several books on brain chemistry and physiology, and training the mind. When I saw On the Sweet Spot it looked like something more than your typical golf psychology book. It deals with brain function in words we golfers can understand.
With Teddy Roosevelt, Ralph Peters, and a Twain biography, my nightstand is pretty full right now!
Oh, I forgot! The entry display at Barnes and Noble hits you right between the eyes as you walk in: Clarke’s book. I don’t know if it’s selling, but they’re certainly pushing it.
I shot 80 today. So did John Daly. He had nine bogeys and two birdies. I missed my single legitimate birdie putt, but finished with a double bogey. All the rest were par or bogey.
My second shot on 18 was perfect when it left the clubface–straight at the left greenside bunker with 25 mph of wind blowing from the left. The ball should have tracked right to the hole for an easy birdie putt.
It didn’t. Straight into the bunker, semi-buried lie in damp sand. I got it out, but not onto the green. Poor chip and two putts. My only double of the day.
John didn’t have any doubles, but never got on track. His birdies came late, with one of them finishing his round and this tournament. He appeared to have a Masters invite all rolled up as of Friday. After today, there is some doubt. I’m hoping he holds his position on the money list and gets in. I think this is the year. His game fits Augusta well, as long as he doesn’t panic. And he hasn’t panicked so far this year. I’d like to see him get the green jacket.
UPDATE: John Daly is in. Adam Scott passes him on the money list, but John is #10, and that puts him in Augusta in two weeks.
I went to Best Buy today to check on a scanner and CD-RW for my dad. While there, I saw Life of Brian on DVD for ten bucks. I bought it, and just finished watching it. There are many tremendous scenes that reflect the current state of culture in the Middle East. But one scene really hits home regarding the UN. Brian has been taken to be crucified, and his girlfriend wants the People’s Front of Judea to do something about it.
REG: Right. Now, uh, item four: attainment of world supremacy within the next five years. Uh, Francis, you’ve been doing some work on this.
FRANCIS: Yeah. Thank you, Reg. Well, quite frankly, siblings, I think five years is optimistic, unless we can smash the Roman empire within the next twelve months.
REG: Twelve months?
FRANCIS: Yeah, twelve months. And, let’s face it. As empires go, this is the big one, so we’ve got to get up off our arses and stop just talking about it!
COMMANDOS: Hear! Hear!
LORETTA: I agree. It’s action that counts, not words, and we need action now.
COMMANDOS: Hear! Hear!
REG: You’re right. We could sit around here all day talking, passing resolutions, making clever speeches. It’s not going to shift one Roman soldier!
FRANCIS: So, let’s just stop gabbing on about it. It’s completely pointless and it’s getting us nowhere!
COMMANDOS: Right!
LORETTA: I agree. This is a complete waste of time.
[Sound of Door Opening]
JUDITH: They’ve arrested Brian!
REG: What?
COMMANDOS: What?
JUDITH: They’ve dragged him off! They’re going to crucify him!
REG: Right! This calls for immediate discussion!
COMMANDO #1: Yeah.
JUDITH: What?!
COMMANDO #2: Immediate.
COMMANDO #1: Right.
LORETTA: New motion?
REG: Completely new motion, eh, that, ah– that there be, ah, immediate action–
FRANCIS: Ah, once the vote has been taken.
REG: Well, obviously once the vote’s been taken. You can’t act another resolution till you’ve voted on it…
JUDITH: Reg, for God’s sake, let’s go now!
REG: Yeah. Yeah.
JUDITH: Please!
REG: Right. Right.
FRANCIS: Fine.
REG: In the– in the light of fresh information from, ahh, sibling Judith–
LORETTA: Ah, not so fast, Reg.
JUDITH: Reg, for God’s sake, it’s perfectly simple. All you’ve got to do is to go out of that door now, and try to stop the Romans’ nailing him up! It’s happening, Reg! Something’s actually happening, Reg! Can’t you understand?! Ohhh!
[slam]
REG: Hm. Hm.
FRANCIS: Oh, dear.
REG: Hello. Another little ego trip for the feminists.
LORETTA: What?
FRANCIS: [whistling]
REG: Oh, sorry, Loretta. Ahh, oh, read that back, would you?
Typical UN “action.”
Stryker has set up a news site for the military over here, and it is funded with bolgads.
I have mixed feelings about the ads. I understand people using them to pay for bandwidth, and maybe a buck or two for beer. I just don’t visit those sites as often as I once did simply because if a single ad holds things up, I’d rather press on to someplace else.
I have the same problem with Sitemeter on my site. I’ve considered getting rid of it. But the traffic report often gives me entre to another blogger who visited, and allows me to check out their thoughts. I’m not overly concerned about how many hits I get, the links are what matters.
So…check out the new military news page, and if you have a recommendation on site activity tracking, let me know.
Saddam’s family have hired Jacques Verges to defend the poor old man. Surprise, surprise, surprise! I never would have dreamt they’d want someone French.
He is known for representing such luminaries as Klaus Barbie and Carlos the Jackal. He is also counsel for Tariq Aziz. I guess you could call him the Mark Garregos of Europe. He’s already playing the role:
Verges decried U.S. treatment of Saddam since his capture and said he feared the former dictator could be killed before he had a chance to stand trial.
Powered by WordPress