[north korea] move over usa, here comes china

Although President George W. Bush has delivered a stern warning to North Korea over the consequences of its nuclear test, analysts say the US has few options but to rely on its international leverage, which has been severely weakened by the war in Iraq. Sad to say but the other world to that with American influence is now beginning to thumb its nose, to mix analogies, at the leader of the pack. Iraq has certainly reduced America’s options and the sad truth is – America has virtually no influence beyond economic sanctions. In Bush’s own words – we’ve sanctioned them until – we’ve – we’ve run out of sanctions. But nourishing their obscurity in the wings is China. Was there ever a less trustworthy country – gun-running behind their smiles, giving tacit approval to North Korea through their inaction, then a light slap on the wrist to the tin-gods. I’m sure China is sure the hegemony is shifting.

[james bond] politically incorrect internal memo

Quite revealing little snippet: Eon went looking for a younger replacement and several successful actors were ruled out, according to a leaked Eon memo, which stated that Eric Bana was “not handsome enough”, Hugh Jackman “too fey”, Colin Farrell “too sleazy”, and Ewan McGregor “too short”. Now that last is not politically correct. Shouldn't that be: ‘libidonously challenged’, ‘not of this world’, ‘non-elevated’ and the already established ‘vertically challenged’? Just so they wouldn’t feel sad?

[canada] minister says europe has the cushy job in afghanistan

Canada's Defence Minister, Gordon O'Connor, said Sunday that those NATO countries with troops deployed in relatively stable parts of Afghanistan — including Germany, France, Spain and Italy — must lift the restrictions that prevent their soldiers from taking on the more dangerous tasks being shouldered by Canadians. It's a problem that one former Canadian military leader says threatens the future of the 57-year-old North Atlantic Treaty Organization — an alliance founded on the principle that an attack against one of its members is an attack against all. Some of the large European countries with troops in the safer northern and western regions will not allow their soldiers to move into the danger zones when they are needed, even on a temporary basis. And some are not permitted to fight at night. I always thought the Canadians were a little too open-hearted and naïve - they actually go to fight, rather than to say they have a 'presence' there.

[new caledonia] sure looks like an island to me

HHS took exception to my calling New Caledonia an island: New Caledonia is an archipelago, and the main island is called "Grande Terre". New Caledonia is not as island, as your question stated. So there. To HHS: the Concise Oxford defines archipelago as: Sea with many islands, group of islands. Now for a start, no one would define New Caledonia as a sea and secondly, most know New Caledonia as an island nation, in the same way as New Zealand. That doesn't mean they don't know there are other islands scattered about and these were mentioned. Would you define Australia as an island or as an archipelago? Most would accept Indonesia as the latter but in the case of Australia and New Caledonia, the main island dominates too much to be defined other than as an island. So as stated above: sure looks like an island to me. Having said all that, I do agree with HHS's sentiments to the extent that it would have been better to have called it an island state.

[anna politkovskaya] sorry but it simply isn't so

Ellee Seymour wrote yesterday about Anna’s killing. I prefaced my remarks by indicating that I felt it was terrible. However, as a journalist, does she want a blogger to tell it as it is or should I ride a wave of incorrect information? The Washington Times wrote not long ago: Slaying of Russian reporter jolts nation The slaying of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya sent shock waves across Russia yesterday and raised fresh doubts about press freedoms under President Vladimir Putin. Rubbish! I’ve lived here all day today, went to the uni, spoke with Russians all day in Russian and not one – not one – raised the issue. This is not correct what the western press is saying. And Putin's assurance to Bush was more a response to the west than to his own country who largely know it wasn't him.

[north korea] the inevitability of it all

North Korea's was underground but the result was similar

The Telegraph* called it this act of madness by North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il. It’s not madness – it is cold, it is calculated and it’s like a group of little boys wanting to see what an explosion looked like; it is like a group of driven men bereft of concern for the world at large; it is like every homeboy who wants ‘respect, man’. It is like a group of intelligent morons. They will not be dissuaded. Like Stalin when he was asked to be careful not to offend the Pope: ‘Oh, how many divisions does he have?’ The Telegraph continues: So Mr Kim - beloved of his badly misled people - can expect to find himself even further isolated from the community of world nations in the immediate future. Does anyone seriously think he cares? [* Sorry, went to put in the link and suddenly they'd taken the story away.]