Wednesday, March 17, 2004
political chaos
and no, i'm not just talking about the apathetic voting population of america (all 50% of the eligible adults who actually bother to show up), at least not yet. no, right now i'm just talking about how al qaeda is determining spain's foreign policy for them. newly elected prime minister jose luis rodriguez zapatero has said he plans on removing the spanish forces from iraq because he believes the whole thing was a mistake to begin with. whether that may be or not, can be addressed later, but i fail to see how abandoning the process of helping the iraqis set up a safe and stable democracy at this point is going to help the situation. it's not like we're all the sudden going to be magically transported back to a year ago, before the whole thing happened. dood is playing right into the bad guys' hands, as a document published on a message board used by al qaeda states that spain would be targeted in order to force a regime change that would be more reclusive and split it's support from the u.s. led 'war on terror.' it's actually kinda scary how things played out exactly they way al qaeda said it would in their post. classic divide and conquer, it's the oldest trick and the book, but since spain doesn't have a history major (like me, haha) running the country, they're doomed to repeat it.
so my question to spain is this: are you really so naive as to believe that simply pulling troops out of iraq is going to make you safe? you think they (meaning al qaeda & associates) wont come back and threaten you they way they're doing france, because they disagree with the nation's social, political or religious policies? (i do too, it's discrimination and a violation of human rights, but that's irrelevant) the point is this: you are not safe now, nor will you be until terrorist networks around the world are dismantled and their ringleaders caught, and that's not going to happen by abandoning iraq. instead it will become yet another breeding ground for militant islamic fundamentalists, and eventually they'll come back to haunt everyone. why do you think they already have an established network there, because ibiza is the hot party spot and they really like foam parties? methinks not. i am continually amazed at how shortsighted people can be.
also, south korea's president was impeached last week. how on earth did i miss that one? this all happened because he dared to stump for a political party he doesn't even belong to before upcoming parliamentary elections on april 15. i had no idea, but apparently that's illegal in south korea. public officials have to be 'politically neutral figures' or something to that effect. ok, i know it's not my country or anything, but is it really that serious? impeach him for the political corruption and acceptance of illegal donations to his campaign, or even for the poor economy (though i would consider that to be ridiculous as well, for any public figure. no one person can determine the economic direction of an entire country, the closest thing we have to that is alan greenspan). both of those reasons would at least slightly veil the obvious, which was that the political parties who opposed (currently in limbo) president roh moo-hyun simply wanted him out of office and they had the votes in parliament to remove him. i suppose it was a stupid move on his part, seeing as how he surely knew about this law before hand, but even the election commission didn't deem it to be anything more than a petty infraction. we'll see what the korean constitutional court has to say about the situation (they have 180 days to decide if this is legit or not). it does make me laugh to think about what would happen to an american president in roh's stead. i don't think we've had one freely elected head of state who wouldn't have been impeached for some reason or another with that kind of system in place.
elswhere in the world, australians are getting antsy as well, thinking that their support of the invasion has made the country a target for al qaeda. do you not remember bali? yes, it occurred on indonesian soil, but if you don't think it was targeting the many australians among all the other western vacationers who were killed (88 out of over 190 people, to be somewhat precise), then i probably can't reason with you. yes, aussies, you've been a target since before the war simply because you are not in line with the worldview that the perpetrators have.
how do i end this post without sounding bitter, depressed and defeated, because i certainly don't feel that way. there are definitely times when i look at this world, and all i can do is shake my head at the mess we've made, but that's why i do what i do. cuz God changed my life for the better, and i know He wants to do the same for everyone else if they would just take their hands off their ears, stop banging their heads against the proverbial brick wall and listen for a second. i know there are a lot of people out there who don't care. they know the truth, but they just don't want to deal with the ramifications of that truth. but i can't let that stop me, because i also know there are people out there who are like me, wandering through life not really knowing what purpose of it all is, but who want to know. and i want to share that with whoever will listen.
now i sound like the stereotypical (and i stress the word stereotypical, as in not real: a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment) overbearing, right-wing conservative christian who just walks around forcefully shoving my opinion down peoples' collective throats against their will, but i suppose that really can't be helped unless you know me, or take the time to get to know me (does anyone even read this?). besides, it's not an opinion if it's true. it's just the facts, hehe.
symphonic melodies: olive - beyond the fray
brain eats: cnn.com
and no, i'm not just talking about the apathetic voting population of america (all 50% of the eligible adults who actually bother to show up), at least not yet. no, right now i'm just talking about how al qaeda is determining spain's foreign policy for them. newly elected prime minister jose luis rodriguez zapatero has said he plans on removing the spanish forces from iraq because he believes the whole thing was a mistake to begin with. whether that may be or not, can be addressed later, but i fail to see how abandoning the process of helping the iraqis set up a safe and stable democracy at this point is going to help the situation. it's not like we're all the sudden going to be magically transported back to a year ago, before the whole thing happened. dood is playing right into the bad guys' hands, as a document published on a message board used by al qaeda states that spain would be targeted in order to force a regime change that would be more reclusive and split it's support from the u.s. led 'war on terror.' it's actually kinda scary how things played out exactly they way al qaeda said it would in their post. classic divide and conquer, it's the oldest trick and the book, but since spain doesn't have a history major (like me, haha) running the country, they're doomed to repeat it.
so my question to spain is this: are you really so naive as to believe that simply pulling troops out of iraq is going to make you safe? you think they (meaning al qaeda & associates) wont come back and threaten you they way they're doing france, because they disagree with the nation's social, political or religious policies? (i do too, it's discrimination and a violation of human rights, but that's irrelevant) the point is this: you are not safe now, nor will you be until terrorist networks around the world are dismantled and their ringleaders caught, and that's not going to happen by abandoning iraq. instead it will become yet another breeding ground for militant islamic fundamentalists, and eventually they'll come back to haunt everyone. why do you think they already have an established network there, because ibiza is the hot party spot and they really like foam parties? methinks not. i am continually amazed at how shortsighted people can be.
also, south korea's president was impeached last week. how on earth did i miss that one? this all happened because he dared to stump for a political party he doesn't even belong to before upcoming parliamentary elections on april 15. i had no idea, but apparently that's illegal in south korea. public officials have to be 'politically neutral figures' or something to that effect. ok, i know it's not my country or anything, but is it really that serious? impeach him for the political corruption and acceptance of illegal donations to his campaign, or even for the poor economy (though i would consider that to be ridiculous as well, for any public figure. no one person can determine the economic direction of an entire country, the closest thing we have to that is alan greenspan). both of those reasons would at least slightly veil the obvious, which was that the political parties who opposed (currently in limbo) president roh moo-hyun simply wanted him out of office and they had the votes in parliament to remove him. i suppose it was a stupid move on his part, seeing as how he surely knew about this law before hand, but even the election commission didn't deem it to be anything more than a petty infraction. we'll see what the korean constitutional court has to say about the situation (they have 180 days to decide if this is legit or not). it does make me laugh to think about what would happen to an american president in roh's stead. i don't think we've had one freely elected head of state who wouldn't have been impeached for some reason or another with that kind of system in place.
elswhere in the world, australians are getting antsy as well, thinking that their support of the invasion has made the country a target for al qaeda. do you not remember bali? yes, it occurred on indonesian soil, but if you don't think it was targeting the many australians among all the other western vacationers who were killed (88 out of over 190 people, to be somewhat precise), then i probably can't reason with you. yes, aussies, you've been a target since before the war simply because you are not in line with the worldview that the perpetrators have.
how do i end this post without sounding bitter, depressed and defeated, because i certainly don't feel that way. there are definitely times when i look at this world, and all i can do is shake my head at the mess we've made, but that's why i do what i do. cuz God changed my life for the better, and i know He wants to do the same for everyone else if they would just take their hands off their ears, stop banging their heads against the proverbial brick wall and listen for a second. i know there are a lot of people out there who don't care. they know the truth, but they just don't want to deal with the ramifications of that truth. but i can't let that stop me, because i also know there are people out there who are like me, wandering through life not really knowing what purpose of it all is, but who want to know. and i want to share that with whoever will listen.
now i sound like the stereotypical (and i stress the word stereotypical, as in not real: a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment) overbearing, right-wing conservative christian who just walks around forcefully shoving my opinion down peoples' collective throats against their will, but i suppose that really can't be helped unless you know me, or take the time to get to know me (does anyone even read this?). besides, it's not an opinion if it's true. it's just the facts, hehe.
symphonic melodies: olive - beyond the fray
brain eats: cnn.com
where's me pot 'o gold?
i'm mostly posting for the sake of doing so, since i made my pseudo st. patrick's day vow a couple of days ago, and i like to think of myself as a man of my word. and since it's technically already st. patrick's day, i'm feeling a little festive. i don't know why, but the irish in me has decided to express itself, and not a moment too soon. tomorrow i'm gonna head over to the local irish pub so i can't get a celebratory t-shirt commemorating this fine day, and maybe even have a pint or two. we'll see what kind of mood i'm in. either way, i can always use an extra shirt, even if it's based on a legend.
melodic soundwaves: john digweed - heaven scent (original mix)
feed your brain: God & health (november newsweek article) by claudia kalb
i'm mostly posting for the sake of doing so, since i made my pseudo st. patrick's day vow a couple of days ago, and i like to think of myself as a man of my word. and since it's technically already st. patrick's day, i'm feeling a little festive. i don't know why, but the irish in me has decided to express itself, and not a moment too soon. tomorrow i'm gonna head over to the local irish pub so i can't get a celebratory t-shirt commemorating this fine day, and maybe even have a pint or two. we'll see what kind of mood i'm in. either way, i can always use an extra shirt, even if it's based on a legend.
melodic soundwaves: john digweed - heaven scent (original mix)
feed your brain: God & health (november newsweek article) by claudia kalb
Monday, March 15, 2004
turning over a new leaf
i've always wondered what that really means. wouldn't it make more sense to say to the effect of 'turning over the leaf' or 'turning over a new side of the leaf' (though they technically only have two sides)? i mean, as it stands, the phrase implies that you're completely abandoning the metaphorical leaf you've already got in favor of a new, fresh start. as nice as this may sound, it is rarely the case, especially sense it's often referring to some sort of habit or vice that you're attempting to change. you don't completely abandon yourself (i'll not venture into the metaphysical mess that idea leads to), you just....change, for lack of a better term. thus, i submit that 'turning over the/my leaf' would better express the reality of the situation.
i find myself believing that this whole notion of abandoning something in favor of a 'new one' instead of taking the time and making the effort to fix what's wrong with the 'old one' is too closely related to our society's habit of doing the same thing for the occurrence to be coincidental. sure, i suppose i could be taking this beyond its logical end, but then again, maybe i'm not. one look at the land of instant gratification (america) is enough to make this a plausible theory, no? i'm sure there's a strong connection between the rise of 'convenience' and the ever decreasing attention spans of american citizens. you wonder why we can't stick to a coherent national policy, foreign or domestic? you wonder why everyone is ready to abandon the so called 'war on terror' when two years ago they couldn't wait to kick some al quaeda ass? the american public has already forgotten what happened sept. 11, the irrevocable changes that occurred in the fabric of our society and the implications of that day for the future. and that was probably the most significant single event in post wwII american history. it's like we've all caught a.d.d. or something....and we've found a way to infect those who have made it through a siginificant portion of their lives without being affected by it.
ok, i admit i haven't really always wondered about that. it really just came to me as i was typing the phrase itself, and if there's anything i like to do, it's to digress from whatever original point i was attempting to make while beating around the bush. moving on....
i suppose that whole intro was supposed to express that i'm going to make a renewed effort to update more often, if not for my practically non-exsitant (numberwise) audience, then at least to help me process things a little better and perhaps pull me a little closer to the right side of sanity. i always complain that no one ever updates their pages so that i'll have something to read, but it's really not legit when i'm one of those people who never updates as well. so enough of that. if nothing else, from now on i can complain with a clean conscience, heh. while i'm in leaf-turning mode, i think i'll start running more, and perhaps even join a gym. you'd think it's new year's or something, but we're closer to st. patrick's day, and since that's my middle name (sans the st., cuz we all know i'm nowhere near that), why not? i get to be different from everyone else, as usual, but that's something i enjoy.
on a side note, i seem to have managed to lose my archives sometime between now and who knows when in the past. doh! if you're a real techno-weenie (i'm really just a wannabe in most aspects) and you can help me find them, i'd appreciate that. i'm quite fond of most of the things i wrote here, though i'm sure there are a few foolish entries that would be better left floating in the cyber netherworld until the end of time.
a short recap of my last two and a half months:
jan 1-18: la falda, cordoba province (argentina) to staff the vida estudiantil summer camp and attend a week long theological institute (in spanish, no less!).
jan 20-27: five days vacationing in san carlos de bariloche, rio negro province (argentina) sandwiched by a 24 hour bus ride on each end. this place is absolutely gorgeous, and if you ever happen to be in argentina (don't laugh, i never thought i'd end up here either) this is definitely a 'must hit' spot. on the edge of a fairly large lake system at the foot of the andes mountains in the patagonia region, it's one of the most picturesque places i've ever seen, and it that was during the middle of summer. i can only imagine how awesome all those mountain peaks look when they're covered in snow.
february: reacclimating to la plata after a month of travel, recuperating, and lots of planning meetings for the ministry this year.
march: begin working on the medicine campus, meeting new students, etc.
march 13: uruguay for the day! it sounds cool, but really half my day was spent on the stupid boat. i don't know if there is a slower motorized vehicle on the face of this planet! now don't go thinkin' i've become some high society type that just travels on a whim....this was definitely a mission with a purpose. more explicitely, i had to leave argentina because my tourist visa was about to expire, but my new stamp allows me to stay another three months. honestly, i doubt the argentine government would know they difference. they have better things to do than searching out missionaries who have overstayed their visas and having them deported, but at the same time, i wouldn't put it past them. the day was capped off by dinner @ one of only two authentic mexican restaurants we've been able to find in the great metropoli of buenos aires and la plata. of course, they're located within two blocks of each other...you can definitely tell these people aren't capitalists. 4 americans eating mexican food in b.a. after spending the day in uruguay. one of the more surreal moments i've experienced recently.
march 9-14: vision team from the states visits and brings bags full of goodies from home, woot! now i have all the music from my old computer (8 cd's of mp3s) plus some bisquick, tortilla chips, and my 'princess bride' dvd. life is good :)
now i gotta go, cuz it's late and i still have to call home. good thing they're 5 hours behind. oh, and by the way, that christmas dinner was great, even if it was served in 80 degree heat. it was like christmas in july, very strange...chau!
melodic soundwaves: collective soul - run
feed your brain: the lord of the rings part II: the two towers by j.r.r. tolkien
i've always wondered what that really means. wouldn't it make more sense to say to the effect of 'turning over the leaf' or 'turning over a new side of the leaf' (though they technically only have two sides)? i mean, as it stands, the phrase implies that you're completely abandoning the metaphorical leaf you've already got in favor of a new, fresh start. as nice as this may sound, it is rarely the case, especially sense it's often referring to some sort of habit or vice that you're attempting to change. you don't completely abandon yourself (i'll not venture into the metaphysical mess that idea leads to), you just....change, for lack of a better term. thus, i submit that 'turning over the/my leaf' would better express the reality of the situation.
i find myself believing that this whole notion of abandoning something in favor of a 'new one' instead of taking the time and making the effort to fix what's wrong with the 'old one' is too closely related to our society's habit of doing the same thing for the occurrence to be coincidental. sure, i suppose i could be taking this beyond its logical end, but then again, maybe i'm not. one look at the land of instant gratification (america) is enough to make this a plausible theory, no? i'm sure there's a strong connection between the rise of 'convenience' and the ever decreasing attention spans of american citizens. you wonder why we can't stick to a coherent national policy, foreign or domestic? you wonder why everyone is ready to abandon the so called 'war on terror' when two years ago they couldn't wait to kick some al quaeda ass? the american public has already forgotten what happened sept. 11, the irrevocable changes that occurred in the fabric of our society and the implications of that day for the future. and that was probably the most significant single event in post wwII american history. it's like we've all caught a.d.d. or something....and we've found a way to infect those who have made it through a siginificant portion of their lives without being affected by it.
ok, i admit i haven't really always wondered about that. it really just came to me as i was typing the phrase itself, and if there's anything i like to do, it's to digress from whatever original point i was attempting to make while beating around the bush. moving on....
i suppose that whole intro was supposed to express that i'm going to make a renewed effort to update more often, if not for my practically non-exsitant (numberwise) audience, then at least to help me process things a little better and perhaps pull me a little closer to the right side of sanity. i always complain that no one ever updates their pages so that i'll have something to read, but it's really not legit when i'm one of those people who never updates as well. so enough of that. if nothing else, from now on i can complain with a clean conscience, heh. while i'm in leaf-turning mode, i think i'll start running more, and perhaps even join a gym. you'd think it's new year's or something, but we're closer to st. patrick's day, and since that's my middle name (sans the st., cuz we all know i'm nowhere near that), why not? i get to be different from everyone else, as usual, but that's something i enjoy.
on a side note, i seem to have managed to lose my archives sometime between now and who knows when in the past. doh! if you're a real techno-weenie (i'm really just a wannabe in most aspects) and you can help me find them, i'd appreciate that. i'm quite fond of most of the things i wrote here, though i'm sure there are a few foolish entries that would be better left floating in the cyber netherworld until the end of time.
a short recap of my last two and a half months:
jan 1-18: la falda, cordoba province (argentina) to staff the vida estudiantil summer camp and attend a week long theological institute (in spanish, no less!).
jan 20-27: five days vacationing in san carlos de bariloche, rio negro province (argentina) sandwiched by a 24 hour bus ride on each end. this place is absolutely gorgeous, and if you ever happen to be in argentina (don't laugh, i never thought i'd end up here either) this is definitely a 'must hit' spot. on the edge of a fairly large lake system at the foot of the andes mountains in the patagonia region, it's one of the most picturesque places i've ever seen, and it that was during the middle of summer. i can only imagine how awesome all those mountain peaks look when they're covered in snow.
february: reacclimating to la plata after a month of travel, recuperating, and lots of planning meetings for the ministry this year.
march: begin working on the medicine campus, meeting new students, etc.
march 13: uruguay for the day! it sounds cool, but really half my day was spent on the stupid boat. i don't know if there is a slower motorized vehicle on the face of this planet! now don't go thinkin' i've become some high society type that just travels on a whim....this was definitely a mission with a purpose. more explicitely, i had to leave argentina because my tourist visa was about to expire, but my new stamp allows me to stay another three months. honestly, i doubt the argentine government would know they difference. they have better things to do than searching out missionaries who have overstayed their visas and having them deported, but at the same time, i wouldn't put it past them. the day was capped off by dinner @ one of only two authentic mexican restaurants we've been able to find in the great metropoli of buenos aires and la plata. of course, they're located within two blocks of each other...you can definitely tell these people aren't capitalists. 4 americans eating mexican food in b.a. after spending the day in uruguay. one of the more surreal moments i've experienced recently.
march 9-14: vision team from the states visits and brings bags full of goodies from home, woot! now i have all the music from my old computer (8 cd's of mp3s) plus some bisquick, tortilla chips, and my 'princess bride' dvd. life is good :)
now i gotta go, cuz it's late and i still have to call home. good thing they're 5 hours behind. oh, and by the way, that christmas dinner was great, even if it was served in 80 degree heat. it was like christmas in july, very strange...chau!
melodic soundwaves: collective soul - run
feed your brain: the lord of the rings part II: the two towers by j.r.r. tolkien
