The Barron Blog
Thursday, 14 October 2004
Vacation Spot Of The Week
This is from Ahmad Al Jobori, the Iraqi tourist minister. "Don't come. I understand all about wanting to have an adventure, but Iraq could be a one-way trip."
Maybe a trip to this guy's planet would be more fun.
Posted by qualteam
at 5:09 PM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 14 October 2004 10:06 PM EDT
Wednesday, 13 October 2004
Canada's Color Coded Security System
What?.. me worry? The FLQ hasn't been around for thirty years.
What Is The FLQ?
Posted by qualteam
at 10:08 PM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:12 PM EDT
Tuesday, 12 October 2004
I'm Back. It's Back.
Finally, I managed to view and edit my own websites. This could be a miracle and I hope it's a lasting one.
Thanks for helping me out in cyber-weblog land.
Thanks for visiting my blog even though it hasn't been updated in weeks.
Posted by qualteam
at 5:07 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 12 October 2004 5:13 PM EDT
Thursday, 30 September 2004
Dave And Irene's Weblog
We also have another weblog which contains the best websites in our cybertravels. It's located at Xanga. This is our "Beavers'" homepage. We work for a living and we live in Canada: We're the big bad beavers.
Posted by qualteam
at 11:51 AM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 30 September 2004 12:21 PM EDT
Wednesday, 29 September 2004
Overcoming Spyware
Again, this is at the library because I can't get on my Tripod websites with my home computer. Yes, I tried spyware, but it didn't work. I have to call in a technical specialist who knows how to handle these kinds of problems.
In the meantime, I've started another blog at "The Barron Blog #2. Please visit sometime.
A weblog is a great thing. Take care of it.
Posted by qualteam
at 1:46 PM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 29 September 2004 1:49 PM EDT
Thursday, 23 September 2004
I'm Creating This Blog From The Library
I couldn't get onto my blog at home so I took it on the road. If anyone knows why a particular website doesn't come up on a particular pc please contact me at irenef@rogers.com. This is a drag, but I'll find out why. Thanks for visiting.
Posted by qualteam
at 3:31 PM EDT
Sunday, 19 September 2004
Wins And Losses Against Al Qaeda What Is The Score?
A section of this article on the "War On Terrorism" is reproduced from Toronto Star columnist, Linda McQuaiq:
"It's long been forgotten, but in the weeks immediately following 9/11, the Taliban government in Afghanistan actually offered to hand over bin Laden if the U.S. provided proof of his involvement in the terrorist attacks.
Washington instantly rejected the offer. What right did that primeval, two-bit country have to demand proof from America?
But the Taliban had a point, as Michael Mandel, an Osgoode Hall law professor, points out in a provocative new book, "How America Gets Away With Murder". Mandel notes that the Taliban's request for evidence was simply standard practice that any nation would follow when asked to extradite a criminal to another country. Oddly, then, it was the primitive leaders of the Taliban who, in this case at least, were following the rule of law.
Mandel also insists that the U.S. had an obligation under international law to seek a non-military solution. And the Taliban, for all its well-known defects, was keen to negotiate.
By the following month, with U.S. bombs falling on them, the Taliban leaders even dropped their demand for proof of bin Laden's guilt, and offered again to hand him over -- for trial in a country other than the United States. Clearly, the U.S. could have negotiated whatever terms it wanted.
But again Washington flatly rebuffed the offer, and all hopes of a non-violent solution.
Instead, the U.S. decided to go get bin Laden itself, launching a war that killed thousands of Afghans, including civilians who simply happened to be in the wrong place or be the wrong height. Mandel argues that this was illegal under international law. "(O)ne is not allowed to invade a country to effect an arrest."
And, of course, the U.S. failed to get bin Laden. Which brings us back to the question of whether following international law would have been such a bad option.
Of course, it's possible that the treacherous Taliban would never have surrendered bin Laden. On the other hand, maybe it would have. If so, the world's most apparently dangerous terrorist might have been behind bars and out of commission these past three years. Such an approach would have also sent a message that the U.S. respects international law, which, ironically, would have undermined Al Qaeda's recruitment efforts.
Nothing would dampen Al Qaeda's campaign to turn the Islamic world against America more than an American government that not only preached democracy and the rule of law, but was also seen to practise these things."
In the realm of power politics, threat of force can often be more successful than the actual force itself.(e.g. When JFK threatened Krushchev with nuclear annilation during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, he started pulling missiles out of Cuba. Similarly, when threatened with coalition forces from 1995-2002, Saddam Hussein dismantled his weapons of mass destruction.)
It isn't enough to engage in anti-terrorist rhetoric and platitudes about democracy. One has to actually succeed against the enemy(Al Qaeda).
You fight terrorists smart and you win. You fight stupid and you lose.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Posted by qualteam
at 10:30 PM EDT
Updated: Sunday, 19 September 2004 10:55 PM EDT
Saturday, 18 September 2004
Beatles' Humor From 1964
As well as the music, one of the most refreshing things about George, John, Paul and Ringo was their sense of humor. Here are some highlights from 1964:
Reporter: "How did you find America, Ringo?"
Ringo: "We turned left at Greenland."
Reporter: "What do you call your haircut, George?"
George: "Arthur."
Reporter: "What are your own views on your group?"
John: "We're like a bunch of %&#*$ budgies. We'll all end up like performing fleas in suits."
Many pop psychologists at the time offered their opinion as to why the Beatles were so popular. Here was one interesting viewpoint:
Derek Taylor: "I always saw the Beatles in certain circumstances as a bit like Tom Thumb, who in Victorian times was wheeled around like a freak---a cute freak, but a freak nonetheless. The Beatles were seen like that, as novelties or freaks, like a panda with five legs."
The Beatles In 1964
Posted by qualteam
at 6:11 PM EDT
Updated: Saturday, 18 September 2004 6:13 PM EDT
Friday, 17 September 2004
Movie Review 81: Pleasantville
Mood:
down
Pleasantville may be someone's perfect world, but it isn't mine.
Two teenagers are sucked into a black and white 50s sitcom where existence is very small indeed. It's like living on a postage stamp.
Most of the characters act like they're out of some boring and stupid cartoon comic strip(e.g. "Gasoline Alley"?). Even a bad episode of Gulligan's Island looks good in comparison. Wouldn't you agree little buddy? One and a half stars.
Pleasantville Reviewed
Gasoline Alley
Posted by qualteam
at 10:22 PM EDT
Updated: Friday, 17 September 2004 10:29 PM EDT
Thursday, 16 September 2004
Congratulations To Kalan
Mood:
a-ok
He's sweet. He sings well, but not great. He rocks sometimes. He's cute. He's the new Canadian Idol.
Can you imagine being a star without a hit record? Well, Kalan Porter is just that. He's won the biggest karaoke contest in the country and his prospects are excellent.
Hopefully, he'll have a few(many?)memorable tunes. Even 50s idol, Fabian Forte, had that, and he still gives concerts at 61 based on a handful of good songs.
Kalan's Fan Club Page
Fabian's Homepage
Posted by qualteam
at 10:46 PM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 16 September 2004 10:50 PM EDT
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