11. november 2003

— Europeans are sissies Mark Steyn has a message for Europeans, even the British, on the American Veterans' Day, and I'm sure it will not go over very well. The EU has done a grand job of trumpeting its weakness as strength, but the fact remains that there's something hollow at the heart of European identity. You can't be a great power without great power: Slobodan Milosevic called the EU's bluff on that a decade ago. [...] In our time, mass slaughter occurs only in places where the West refuses to act - in the Sudan or North Korea - or acts only under the contemptible and corrupting rules of UN "peacekeeping", as at Srebrenica. In Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere, technological advantage changes the moral calculus: it makes war the least worst option, the moral choice. It's good to be provoked once in a while, and I have to say Steyn makes a few good points. At any rate, insulting an entire continent in one go is pretty impressive, but then again, Europeans know how to do that, too. 11:32:42 PM    comment []  trackback []

Holy marriage consultant Running a dating agency in Tehran seems to line up there with selling refridgerators on Greenland or pork in Tel Aviv, but that is exactly what Jaffar Savalanpour Ardabili, a Shiite cleric, is doing for a living. 11:26:58 PM    comment []  trackback []

Report: London is top terror target Control Risk Group, a consultancy group assessing risks for the commercial market, now lists London as the #1 terror target in the western world, even above New York and Washington DC. Jake Stratton, research director for the 2004 RiskMap report, said the Muslim extremist aim had previously been "vague, undefined war against the West", but added: "In the last year Britain has reinforced its position in the eyes of the Islamic world as the major ally of the US." The involvement of two British Islamic extremists in a suicide-bombing mission in Israel this year indicates militants are operating in the UK. There is no doubt there are Islamists in Britain, and that some would be willing to commit atrocities. London had a major test of its civil defence capabilities a few months ago. 7:40:06 PM    comment []  trackback []

Saudi terror attack: a mistake? Some Saudi officials believe that the deadly terror attack on the housing compound in Riyadh was a 'mistake.' An interroraged previously captured terrorist has given the security forces reason to believe al-Qaeda operatives believed it housed Americans. Now we're just waiting for a new Bin Laden tape saying "oops, sorry!" I don't think so. However, if this should be true, it means the attack can be classified as an operational and not a strategic blunder. But the consequences are likely to be the same. 9:07:14 AM    comment []  trackback []

IAEA: Iran hid nuclear programme An IAEA report on Iran says there is "no evidence" that the country has tried to build nuclear weapons, but it also chides the country for trying to hide attempts to enrich uranium and plutonium as part of a hidden nuclear programme for 18 years. The UN body says there were deliberate attempts to hide these activities from inspectors. And why do that, if Iran didn't have plans to make nuclear weapons? 5:32:10 AM    comment []  trackback []

Investigation into baby deaths caused by formula milk Israeli police and security services are launching an investigation into the deaths of three infants, dying because the kosher formula baby soy milk lacked B-1 vitamin dispite listing it on the label. B-1 vitamin dificiency is a cause for beriberi. The baby food is produced by German firm Humana GmbH, 51% owned by American company Heinz. Boaz Lev, the director general of the health ministry, raised the possibility of sabotage saying "it is impossible to know if this is intentional or not". [...] The ministry said tests had revealed that the formula of the Israeli company Remedia did not contain Vitamin B1, even though the package said the product included the essential nutrient. Two lawsuits were filed against Remedia yesterday, seeking more than £130 million in damages, local reports said. Neither company has yet explained why vitamin B1 was listed as an ingredient, or why it was not included in the milk substitute. A baby in New York is also in serious condition in hospital after eating the formula. The kosher product is now taken off the shelves. 4:48:14 AM    comment []  trackback []

Headline of the day "Porn Mag Sales Going Limp" (Wired) 1:55:38 AM    comment []  trackback []

Report: US Army had 'no plans' for post-war occupation This is definately not good: An official US army review leaked to the US NGO globalsecurity.org has revealed that the army had no plan for the occupation of Baghdad. Officially titled the Third Infantry Division (Mechanised) After Action Report, Operation Iraqi Freedom, the study provides the first formal internal view of the Iraq war from the point of view of the soldiers who brought down Saddam Hussein. The report provides official confirmation of a complete absence of high-level military and political planning to manage the aftermath of victory and indicates some key problems that continue to hamper US army effectiveness to this day. Check out the rest. It's almost hard to believe this is true. 1:00:56 AM    comment []  trackback []

Study: the pub is good for your brain Dr Archana Singh-Manoux and his collegues at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London set out to find out how various off work activities influence your brain. They found that gardening and painting didn't do much for your thinking, but going to the pub to have a few pints and socialising with your friends worked wonders. The researchers found that the best way to help the mind was by regular cultural visits to theatres, art galleries and stately homes. This was closely followed by reading and listening to music. Involvement in clubs and voluntary organisations were also highly beneficial, as were taking part in courses and evening classes. But, perhaps controversially, the study, which will be published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, found that even lesser social activities, like going to the pub, could be good for the mind. The authors, however, emphasise their study looked at social aspects alone and not the effect of beer on the brain. Glad to hear that about the pub, but how about blogging? 12:06:42 AM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2003 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.12.2003; 12:12:08.