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15. februar 2003
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We the people?
Göring: "Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship."
Gilbert: "There is one difference. In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."
Göring: "Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
— Nazi leader Hermann Göring, interviewed by Gustave Gilbert during the Easter recess of the Nuremberg trials, April 18, 1946, quoted in Gilbert's Nuremberg Diary
9:04:36 PM 
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Man killed for laughing at small penis
"A 40-year-old Filipino man has been killed for laughing at his friend's penis - and then refusing to display his - during a drunken competition to find the longest member." (World Online)
He obviously hadn't seen the film "Unforgiven." If he had, he would have known that could be dangerous.
7:51:36 PM
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For Hans Blix
Click here to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
7:12:46 PM
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That just sounds plain wrong!
"Hooker Steve Thompson shows surprising agility and balance to stay on his feet and pirouette through France's defence." (BBC News, live commentary from a Rugby game between England and France, if you wondered)
6:46:37 PM
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Ivory Coast mass grave found
A suspected mass grave, reportedly containing bodies of hundreds of victims, has been found in the town Man in the western part of the Ivory Coast. Rebels allege that the bodies are those of civilians killed by the government forces when it briefly held the town.
And the French-brokered peace deal no doubt just went down the drain.
5:51:47 PM
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Have blog, need home?
There has been no shortage of announcements of Salon magazine's immediate demise. Here is another one.
I expect that even if the worst should happen, somebody would take over and run the site, including the blog hosting.
4:35:37 PM
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Does Genesis teach a local flood?
One of the most easily debunked absurdities of young earth creationism (YEC) is its reliance on so-called 'flood geology.' To account for the massive geological evidence for an ancient earth, YECists try to bring in Genesis chapters 7 to 9 to save chapter 1. The global flood in Noah's days can, they argue, explain the very evolution-friendly fossil record, and it can explain the evidence elsewhere attributed to ice ages. While this is probably very satisfying to the typical YEC, it is a total embarrassment for any thinking, or educated, Christian. The whole idea that this planet should have been totally covered in water any time in the last 5000 years or so is so absurd that thinking Christians who want to believe in the literal truth of the Bible have to use a different explanation. The flood account in Genesis, they say, only describes a local flood, perhaps some flooding in the Tigris-Euphrates valley or elsewhere in the Middle East. [Read more...]
4:22:56 PM
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Jazzin away the teenagers
At a bus station in Charlotte, North Carolina, the loudspeakers emit the howls of hawks and owls to frighten away pigeons. Taking a lesson from this, the officials have started playing classical music and jazz to scare away the teenagers, hoping that the 'adult' music will discourage teenagers from hanging around, and leave the place for those who are there to catch a bus.
3:22:37 PM
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Blair: 'There will be no march for the victims of Saddam'
Tony Blair responded to his critics with a passionate speech about the cruelty of Saddam Hussein's regime, arguing that that the inaction the marchers want would continue to see the Iraqi people starving, being tortured and killed. The humanitarian thing to do, he further argued, was to remove Saddam Hussein from power and commit to rebuild Iraq.
2:33:50 PM
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Momentum slipping for the US
Hans Blix' report to the Security Council today contained no real surprises. In fact, it was remarkably neutral, providing enough ammunition for both sides. Yet, at the end of today's debate, it was obvious that the hawks had lost spectacularly.
Colin Powell seems to have come unprepared, he delivered an impassionate, improvised speech that no doubt was the best he could do at the time, but his counterparts from France and Russia, who both got applause in the Security Council, a pretty rare occurrence, totally stole the show with a display of real rhetoric mastery. Jack Straw could not save the day for the hawks.
3:45:03 AM
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Picasso vs Matisse
 The Museum of Modern Art's exhibition "Matisse Picasso" promises an exciting look at the rivalry and communication between two of the 20th century's greatest artists.
Don't miss the great 'interactive' feature available on the NYT's review of the exhibit.
Picture right: Matisse's "Pink Nude" from 1935.
12:35:21 AM
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It's all in the timing...
Just saw an ad:
Great leaders resolve conflicts with words:
Words like: 'carpet bombing' and 'nukes'
In case you wonder: It was an ad for Command & Conquer: Generals
12:16:00 AM
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© Copyright 2003 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.03.2003; 00:14:59.
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