Random Thoughts.
Base10 had another hard day today. Although it's not as if I'm being whipped to perform manual labor, brain work can be hard. What's worse is that after staring at a computer screen for most of the day, my eyes are killing me. For that matter, it is becoming increasingly difficult to focus. But how can I refrain from the blog?

The things I did today: a powerpoint presentation for the commanding officer (which I'm told went very well), laying out a personnel allocation model to a prospective "client" in another unit, using job control language to pull some personnel information off the mainframe, pestering a more experience programmer when the aforementioned JCL didn't work (curse that language), spending the better part of the day wrestling with GIS software to create some specialized maps. (GIS stands for "geographical information systems" and you should count yourself lucky if you've never heard that phrase). Lunch was a fleeting memory of lunches past. I shouldn't complain though. There are lot of people that work their heart out every day for the Department and get little if any credit. I just never thought I'd be one of them.

Random thoughts for the day:

(1) The blogs are all over Senator/National Disgrace Ted Kennedy and his awful comparison between the United States and the torture chambers of pre-war Iraq. Way to go Senator! We all know how railing against our troops on the Senate floor does such wonders for morale. What's the matter, couldn't you find any state secrets to pass on to Osama? How about some aid and comfort?

(2) Speaking of Osama, his right-hand man Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and a group of Iraqi insurgents filmed and released on the web a depiction of them beheading a US civilian held prisoner in Iraq. The appalling act included severing the man's head with a large knife and holding it up for the camera claiming it was retribution for US prisoner abuses. What, no apology? The Democrats are really pushing for al-Zarqawi's resignation after such atrocities were committed on Osama's watch.

(3) In another ghoulish event, Palestinian militants attacked an Israeli armored vehicle using a very powerful roadside bomb. The explosion killed six Israeli soldiers and destroyed their vehicle. Their remains were scattered over a wide area. Now up until this point, you can't condemn the Palestinians--they attacked a military target in Gaza. But some time later, Hamas members were shown laying out pieces of the soldier's remains for cameras. Press coverage also showed an individual with a burlap bag containing body parts. In addition, Al-Jazeera reportedly showed video of the head of one of the soldiers on a table apparently taken as a prize by the militants. It sure is nice to hear that Kofi Annan was concerned about "the heavy fighting in densely populated neighborhoods, which is exposing more Palestinian civilians to death and injury," while apparently avoiding any condemnation over the body parts thing.

(4) Isn't it wonderful to hear that Iran has finally passed a law prohibiting torture? It only took them, what? Thirty-five years? I guess it was getting increasingly ridiculous to condemn the Great Satan for prisoner abuses when Iranian law allows even worse. But don't be too disappointed, Iran has not turned into a nation of pansies. After all, Iran is still willing to impose the death penalty for blasphemy on those critical of the regime. The sentence against liberal Iranian history professor Hashem Aghajari not only includes the death penalty but in addition, he could face further sentences of a 10-year ban on teaching, eight years in jail and 74 lashes for lesser offences. At least he won't be tortured! (Base10 hopes Mr. Aghajari makes it through okay).

- posted by Base10 @ 9:06 PM