Pixels and Bits

Well as usual, I've been completely lax about writing anything lately. It's the usual combination of ennui, laziness, and too many higher-priority things going on. I'm beginning to wonder whether or not I should carry on with this blogging thing, since it's pretty obvious that I have neither the time nor the inclination to write on a regular basis. It kind of makes doing this a bit pointless, since I write so infrequently that hardly anyone ever reads what I write. It's like shouting into a bottomless pit, or perhaps like that whole "falling tree, empty forest" deal. If no one ever reads anything I write, did I actually write anything at all?

Oh well, I suppose I'll keep posting stuff every now and then and not worry about how many readers I get. I'm not really doing this for any purpose other than to comment on things going on in the world and to practice writing, so I don't expect many readers, anyway. If someone reads something I write, and it makes them think a little, then bonus. If not, well, I'm still doing what I wanted to do here, so no loss.

So, having said all of that, then: Man the keyboard! Full steam ahead!

Syria Blinks

News media is reporting that Syria handed over Saddam Hussein's half brother, Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan al-Tikriti, along with 29 other members of Saddam's Baath party that were taking refuge in Syria and funding the Iraqi insurgency from there. This is excellent news, and further vindication of the U.S. strategy in the Middle East. From the reports, it sounds like al-Hassan was a nasty piece of work - number 36 on the original list of 55 members of Saddam's government that were wanted by the coalition (the "deck of cards"). He ran Saddam's General Security Directorate, the regime's internal security branch, which was known for brutal repression of political dissent.

In recent weeks, since the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, the U.S. and the Europeans have been pressuring Syria to withdraw from Lebanon, so Syria apparently handed over the Iraqi Baathists as a gesture of good will.

It's clear that Syria can see the handwriting on the wall. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Syria, with its long border with Iraq, its history of attacks against Israel, wretched dictatorial government, support of terrorism, occupation of Lebanon, and production of weapons of mass destruction is a possible next target in the War on Terror. My hope is that the U.S. administration and the E.U. will not accept tokens of appeasement from Syria as adequate. Getting Syria completely out of Lebanon, and supporting the development of a secular, liberal democracy there is the only acceptable resolution. For too long, Syria has exported terror - supporting Hezbollah, kidnapping and killing Lebanese politicians that rejected Syrian domination, attacking and destroying Lebanese Christian villages, and on and on.

It's clear that Syria is starting to get the message. We need to keep the pressure up.

A quick update: There are pro- and anti-Syria protests planned tomorrow in Lebanon. There could be violence. Pray for peace and that Syria will do the right thing and withdraw completely from Lebanon, without any more blood spilled. [Hat tip: Instapundit]

Winston is Rolling in His Grave

[I'm really late on commenting on this, but I'm going to anyway. Nyah!]

I've always been an admirer of Sir Winston Churchill. In my book, he was an amazing person: quick-witted, extremely intelligent, tenacious. His leadership during World War II, I believe, was essential to the Allies' eventual victory. His deep understanding our need to fight for freedom and democracy was inspirational, not just to the British, but all of the free world.

So, I have to think that he wouldn't be happy at all to be sharing his fine name with someone like Ward Churchill, a charlatan and fraud of the first order. I noticed today that he has resigned as chair of the Ethnic Studies department at the University of Colorado at Boulder. That's a good thing. The guy doesn't have a PhD, his speeches and writing are unadulterated crap, and beside all that, he's a jerk.

Ward Churchill is really nothing more than a pathetic left-over of the 1960's, spouting the same tired nonsense that was bunk back then and is even more so now. If you ask me (no one has asked me, but I'm telling you anyway), American academia is in a sad state if guys like this are not only tenured, but made chair of their departments. Don't universities have standards anymore?

Free advice from Pete: If any high school students or college freshmen read this, beware of any university department that has "studies" in its name (e.g. Ethnic Studies, Women's Studies, Cultural Studies, and so on). Avoid, if at all possible, taking any classes in those departments. Real academic departments don't need to fancy up their names by adding "studies" to them. You know, those boring ones like, "chemistry," "physics," "psychology," "mathematics," "philosophy," and so forth and so on. Can you imagine calling chemistry, "chemical studies" or physics, "physical studies?" It's ridiculous, and those university departments that do that are typically nothing more than refuges for leftists pushing their particular agenda. If you major in any of the "studies," you won't learn anything useful, and you'll end up with a job at a drive-in after you graduate. Major in something real, and get a degree worth something in the real world. Your college years are so important; don't waste them on the "studies" nonsense.

The Oscars

Right now, the Oscars are on. Mrs. Pete and Only Son are watching. I can't deal with it. I enjoy watching movies, but Hollywood pretty much disgusts me. Of course, I don't know anyone from Hollywood personally, but most of the people involved in the film industry strike me as self-important, self-centered, egotistical fools. I care nothing for their political views, their morals or their narcissism. Thus, I would much rather sit here and type than watch Hollywood congratulate itself on another year of making films with bankrupt values that are little more than two hour advertisements for corporations willing to pay for prominent placement of their products in movie scenes. Pfeh.

Wow! Do I ever have a burr under my saddle today.. And I went to church this morning.

And so, on that sour note, I leave you for today, with "That's All Folks!" See you next time.

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