Phyllis Bennis on Hussein's execution

Talking Points on the Execution of Saddam Hussein

Good, as usual. She's a fellow at IPS. Here first point, about how different this is from Nuremberg is very good, as is this one:

Some ask "if the trial had been fair, would the results have been different?" The conviction of Saddam Hussein for huge crimes against the Iraqi people would almost certainly be the same. The key difference would have been that a fair trial would have allowed -- insisted on -- including evidence implicating those who enabled those crimes: the U.S. for providing military, financial and diplomatic support for the regime, as well as providing the seed stock for biological weapons; the Brits for providing growth medium for biological weapons; the Germans for providing chemical weapons; the French for providing missile technology... etc.... Also, in a "new Iraq" the convictions after a fair trial would have led to life imprisonment -- not the death penalty.

my brief journey to the World of Warcraft

Katie was picking out which photos to print at the photo shop. Since the CD I burner her had hundreds of photos it was taking a while to load. I popped over to the video game store. I found Quidditch for GameCube for $8! Fun stuff. Then I saw this 2-week trial of World of Warcraft for $1.99. I knew better. I'd often said that the reason I never tried that game is the same as the reason I've never tried heroin--I knew I'd like it and I'd get hooked. (Clearly an exaggeration and I don't mean to belittle people suffering from chemical addiction by equating it to addictive video games). But I was curious and figured it'd be fun to try it out over vacation. So I played for a few hours today and what I found is that it sucks me in and it's hard to stop but I also don't enjoy it as much as other things I could be doing.

It also hurts my wrists to play for a long time. The bottom line is that my time is limited and how much I can do that taxes my wrists is limited and I'd rather do other things. So I uninstalled it and threw the DVD in the dumpster.

So many things that I have to do require sitting in front of the computer, plus it's how I keep in touch with friends and family. Together that gives me more than enough time in front of this bright screen. Which isn't to say I don't enjoy the occasional computer game, but not one that requires as much time as WOW.

For me games are mostly a social pastime. I really like a recent series of ads (see this example) for Dungeons and Dragons I've seen in comic books--it's just so much more fun to play with people in person.

my new MySpace page

I've uploaded two songs to my new MySpace page to provide a sneak peek at my new CD (out early 2007). The "A-side" is T.S.G.F.M. (That Sexy Girl From Mississippi). The "B-side" is "Away." I associate these songs with each other because I wrote them at the same time--summer 2001 when I was staying with my dad in Alaska.

Per mom's request I've brought back the links to my other blogs in the upper right hand corner of the sidebar. I've also added links to my other web locations, most of which I've mentioned in previous posts. I may do a post detailing what each of these sites is, but I've had enough computer for the moment.

Revolution Rock at Wendy's

I was eating lunch at the Wendy's in downtown Carrboro today (and, yes, I should know better) when The Clash's "Revolution Rock" came over their system. The absurdity struck me but also how few people would notice or care. It reminded me of this experience from earlier this year.

Life generally treats me pretty well

A while back I was feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, unhappy, and a bit sorry for myself. To put things back in perspective I looked at a postcard from Guatemala I have hanging above my dresser:



"Encuentro de dos Mundos" by Daniel Hernandez Salazar

Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words: it captures so many of the divisions in the world. For me it asks, in the words of the old labor song "which side are you on?"

It reminds me how much harder life is for most of the people in the world. Compared to walking for hours each day to carry water or gather fuel (as many women in Africa do) grading papers and reading political science, while not always fun, is a pretty good livelihood. It also reminds me why I'm doing this: because I hope that by getting my Ph.D. I'll be better able to stand in solidarity with people like the women in that photo.

Next to it I have a nice paper Willamette gave me with our motto ("Not unto ourselves alone are we born") and a greeting card from the Truman Foundation with an artistic rendering of a quotation from Robert Kennedy:

In the world and at home, you have the opportunity and the responsibility to help make the choices which will determine the greatness of this nation. . .

You live in the most privileged nation on earth. You are the most privileged citizens of that privileged nation; for you have been given the opportunity to study and learn. . .

You can use your enormous privilege and opportunity to seek purely private pleasure and gain. But history will judge you, and as the years pass, you will ultimately judge yourself, on the extent to which you have used your gifts to lighten and enrich the lives of your fellow man.

In your hands, not with presidents or leaders, is the future of your world and the fulfillment of the best qualities of your own spirit.

All good reminders of the values I try to live by. I should find something that represents the Lutheran Volunteer Corps.