Phil to the Rescue! - Plane Crash in Kanazawa

Japan Today

A light single-engine plane made an emergency landing on a road construction site in Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Prefecture on Friday afternoon. The plane, which was piloted by a 60-year-old British man, was on a flight from Niigata to Hiroshima.



A friend of ours, Phil, saw the crash and searched online for information about the crash and followed an electronic bread-crumb trail to information about the pilot. Eventually he was able to contact the pilot and even assist him with his abrupt stay in Kanazawa. Apparently the pilot was a bit of a wanker, but perhaps I can get Phil to comment on that himself.

School Festival 2005

One of my students, Tomonori, just gave me some pictures he took from our school festival last month. The kids work really hard to put together exhibits of their work, entertainment, and lots of festival-type foods. I really love the weekend. It gives us a chance to see the students in a totally different context.

Back to work

- whip crack -

Well, so far so good. One more class left to go today, and thankfully it's with my M1 class - they're a great bunch of guys. We're starting the future tense in class. Yea! I almost forgot, Happy Thanksgiving.



What am I thankful for?

I'm thankful that (as things look so far) the wedding is still on for next summer.

I'm thankful that my back hasn't given out in the past year and a half.

I'm thankful for a great family back home (most of whom are having a killer dinner together).

I'm thankful that my G4 laptop is holding together.

I'm thankful for my job.

I'm thankful that our three newest fry (baby fish) haven't been eaten yet.

I'm thankful that my cold is slowly subsiding.

I'm thankful for having discovered Bittorrent this past year.

I'm thankful that the American public is waking up to the incompetence of George W.

I'm thankful for mikan (Japanese oranges).

Vacation! -?

Well, I officially have the next three days off... to do whatever. Hyun-joo and I went for a quick ride yesterday to Katya's for brunch.



Maybe I'll go for a long bike ride today. It's cold, but very sunny out. Then I'll have to go to work to get stuff finished for Thursday and Friday classes. Ugh.

Crashed after Brunch

No, not physically thank goodness.



I just finished vacuuming after I got back from Katya's. We went out this morning to have brunch over at her place. She made (lots) of whole wheat waffles. We brought stuff for strawberry-bannana smoothies and Sheryl brought the mimosas.



Mary Lynne, who also works at KTC, was there and we just hung out, ate, and chatted on a beautiful Fall Sunday. Strange, if I were back home in Vermont, I might have easily taken off for the woods to go hiking, especially on a day like today. Well, I'm still trying to kick this cold. Crap this thing had me whipped. I just gotta get rid of it before classes begin this Thursday.



And lots to do... get ready for the new term, finish a project for Bunch, digital errands, etc. But all's well... and I just found out that I CAN call my brother on his cell phone. Aside from the time difference, it's so easy to keep in touch with the VOIP phone lines. Yahoo for technology!

The Wedding Site?

Got up pretty early for a Sunday... 8am. But it was worth it. Hyun-joo had to get in touch with a wedding coordinator about our newest plans. Looks like we're gonna have the ceremony and reception at the Blue Sky Villa. It's a package deal that now requires lots of customizing to get it to our liking. Hyun-joo is doing a fantastic job and more than I'd imagined.

She really likes the feel of one of the weddings they showcase on their website.

Daily Yomiuri Newspaper Article on JALT 2005

Doreen found an article in the Daily Yomiuri Online website about the JALT 2005 Conference in Shizuoka.

I co-presented at the The Japan Association for Language Teaching Conference with Doreen Gaylord. It was my first experience presenting in front of fellow teachers and others related to the language education field here in Japan. Our presentation was titled "Karaoke in Your Classroom". Here is an excerpt from the article:

A unique presentation titled "Karaoke in Your Classroom" was given by Doreen Gaylord and Kent Matsueda of Kanazawa Technical College. They used karaoke-like song presentations to teach grammar, vocabulary and culture. They showed how they had made their original teaching materials using PowerPoint and demonstrated how to teach the present perfect using the song "Never Been to Spain." Another song, "Saturday in the Park," was used to explain Fourth of July traditions in the United States.

We had a great time presenting together. About 30 folks showed up including about 8-10 friends of ours from the Kanazawa area. We handed out printed and electronic materials on CD-R's so that everyone walked away with samples of the project.

The presenting process required a lot of preparation, but was a definitely positive experience. I look forward to presenting again.

What is time?

Hyun-joo and I were having an interesting discussion about the nature of time and the possibility of time travel. I found a couple articles on the subject...

Traveling Through Time

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Time

How Time Works

A Brief History of Time

A little something on Superstring Theory

Kent's Movie List

Updated 28 March 2007
Legend:
(mpg) - movie is in MPEG-x format, various qualities
(VCD) - Video CD, another MPEG format
(字幕) - movie is DVD quality and features Japanese Subtitles
(quality) - "Thailand Special" DVD
(PSP) - an MPEG-4 video formatted for viewing on the PSP
(PAL) - as opposed to NTSC, warning not playable on American TV's
* - not yet burned to archive

101 Things Removed from the Human Body (mpg)
2010: The Year We Make Contact
24 Seasons 1-2, 4 (mpg)
24 Season 3: Disks 1-9 (字幕)
28 Days Later (字幕)
40 Year Old Virgin (mpg)
A Bug's Life (字幕)
The Abyss (字幕)
Aeon Flux 101-310 (mpg)
Aeon Flux 2006 (mpg)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (字幕)
The Alamo (字幕)
Ali G In Da House (字幕)
Alien
Alien III
Alien: Resurrection
Aliens: Special Edition
Alive (字幕)
Alfie (mpg)
Amelie: Disk 1 & Disk 2
American Movie
The Amityville Horror 2005 (mpg)
Anaconda (字幕)
Anchorman (PSP)
Armageddon
Arrested Development: MTV Unplugged (jimaku)
Apocalypse Now (jimaku)
Apollo 13 (jimaku)
Asteroids - Serenity (mpg)
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (jimaku)
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers: Goldmember
Avalon (mpg)
The Aviator (PAL)
Babel (mpg)
Back to the Future (jimaku)
Back to the Future Trilogy (VCD)
Bad Boys 2 (mpg)
Bad Education (mpg)
Band of Brothers Series
Baraka
Barrier Reef Scuba Dive (PSP)
The History Channel: Battleships (mpg)
Battlestar Galactica 2003: TV Mini-series Parts 1-2 (mpg)
Battlestar Galactica 2004: 101-220 (mpg)
Battlestar Galactica 2004: Inside (mpg)
Be Cool (PSP)
Before Sunrise (VCD)
The Benchwarmers (mpg)
Best in Show
Bicentennial Man (jimaku)
Big Fish (jimaku)
Black Hawk Down
Blade (jimaku)
Blade II: Disc 1 & Disk 2
Blade Trinity (mpg)
The Blair Witch Project
Blood Diamond (mpg)
Blow (jimaku)
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch II
Boondock Saints (mpg)
Born from Ice
The Bourne Identity (jimaku)
The Bourne Supremacy (excellent)
Bride of Frankenstein (jimaku)
Brokeback Mountain (mpg)
Brotherhood of the Wolf (excellent)
Brothers Grimm (jimaku)
Bruce Almighty (jimaku)
The Blue Planet (mpg w/ jimaku)
The Butterfly Effect (full screen, excellent)
The Butterfly Effect 2 (mpg)
Cars (mpg)
Casino Royale (mpg)
The Cell
Charlie's Angels
Chicken Little (mpg)
Chocolat
Cliffhanger
Closer (jimaku)
Cold Mountain (jimaku)
Commando
Conspiracy Theory (jimaku)
Contact
Contact (字幕)
Control (mpg)
The Count of Monte Cristo (jimaku)
Cradle 2 the Grave (jimaku)
Crank (mpg)
Crash
The Crimson Rivers
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
CSI Episode 514 (mpg)
The Daily Show 10/4/05 & 10/6/05 (mpg)
Dawn of the Dead (jimaku)
The Day After Tomorrow (jimaku)
DaVinci Code
Deadwood Seasons 1-2 (mpg)
The Deer Hunter (jimaku)
Deep Blue (jimaku)
Deep Impact (jimaku)
The Departed (mpg)
The Devil Wears Prada (mpg)
Doctor Who Season 101 (mpg)
Dodgeball (mpg)
Dogma (jimaku)
Domino (jimaku)
Donnie Darko (jimaku)
The Doors (jimaku)
The Dark Crystal
Dracula
The Dream is Alive
The Dukes of Hazzard (mpg)
Dumb and Dumber
Dungeons and Dragons: 101-12
Eddie Murphy: Delirious (mpg)
Eight Below (mpg)
Electra (PAL)
Enemy Mine (mpg)
The Enforcer (Jet Li)
Enterprise Season 3-4 (mpg)
Envy (excellent, promotional copy)
Epoch
Equilibrium (jimaku)
Eragon (mpg)
Eternal Rays of Sunshine… (mpg)
Everest
Everest: The Death Zone
Excorcism of Emily Rose
Faith Rewarded
Family Guy 101-410 (mpg)
Fearless (mpg)
Fever Pitch
The Fifth Element (jimaku)
Final Fantasy: Disc 1 & Disc 2
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (jimaku)
Finding Nemo (excellent)
Finding Neverland (VCD)
Firefly Season 1 (mpg)
Flags of Our Fathers (mpg)
Flight Plan (字幕)
Four Brothers (mpg)
The History Channel: Forbidden Places (mpg)
Galaxy Quest
Garden State (jimaku & mpg)
Gattaca
George Carlin Clips Collection (mpg)
Gladiator: Disc 1 & Disc 2 (& PSP)
God & Diva (jimaku)
Gone in 60 Seconds
Gothika (poor)
The Green Mile
The Grinch (jimaku)
The Grinch (for classroom)
The Good Shepherd (mpg)
Groundhog Day
The Grudge 2 (mpg)
The Guardian (mpg)
Happy Feet (mpg)
Harry Potter: Sorcerer's Stone (jimaku)
Harry Potter 2: Chamber of Secrets (jimaku)
Harry Potter 3: Prisoner of Azkaban (jimaku)
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (mpg)
Heckler & Koch MP7A1 (mpg)
Hero (jimaku)
History of Violence (mpg)
Hitch (mpg)
The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy (screener)
Hostel (jimaku)
The Host (mpg w/ English subtitles)
Hotel (jimaku)
Hotel Hibiscus (jimaku)
Hotel Rwanda (mpg)
Howl's Moving Castle (mpg)
House of Flying Daggers (jimaku, excellent video, acceptable subtitles)
An Inconvenient Truth (mpg)
The Incredibles (PAL)
Indiana Jones 3: Last Crusade (jimaku & PSP)
Inside 911 (mpg)
Insideman (mpg)
The Interpreter (jimaku)
Into Thin Air
Iron Monkey
iRobot (jimaku)
Jackass: The Movie (excellent)
Jackass 2 (mpg & PSP)
Jarhead (mpg)
*Junkyard Wars: The Catapult Parts 1&2 (mpg)
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World
Kikaida: Vol. 1-2
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (excellent video, poor audio)
King Arthur (full screen, acceptable)
King Kong 1933 (mpg)
Kingpin
Kiss of the Dragon
Koyaanisqatsi
Kung Fu Hustle (mpg & PSP)
Labyrinth
Lady in the Water (mpg)
The Ladykillers (jimaku)
Laputa (jimaku)
The Last Samurai (jimaku)
The League of Extraordinary Men (jimaku)
The Legend of Drunken Master
Leon, The Professional
Lethal Weapon
The Life Aquatic (mpg)
The Lion King Special Edition (jimaku & PSP)
Little Miss Sunshine (mpg)
Lost Season 1 (mpg)
Lost Season 1: Desinations (mpg)
Lost Season 201-22 (mpg)
Lost Season 2 Special: Revelations (mpg)
Lost in Translation (excellent)
LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring: Ext Ver. Disk 1 & Disk 2
LOTR: The Two Towers
LOTR: The Two Towers: Ext Ver. Disk 1 & Disk 2
Lord of War (mpg)
Lucky Number Slevin (mpg)
The History Channel: The M-16 Rifle (mpg)
MacGyver: 57 (mpg)
The Machinist (mpg)
The Matrix
The Matrix 2 Reloaded (jimaku)
The Matrix 3 Revolutions (jimaku)
Me, Myself & Irene
Meet the Parents
Meet the Fockers (mpg)
Memento
Memoirs of a Geisha (mpg)
Miss Congeniality (mpg)
Mission: Impossible (jimaku)
M:I2 (jimaku)
Mission: Impossible 3 (mpg)
Monster House (mpg)
Monsters, INC: Disc 1 & Disc 2
The Motorcycle Diaries (mpg)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (mpg)
Mt. Fuji 26K Longboard (mpg)
The Mummy (jimaku)
The Mummy Returns (jimaku)
Munich (mpg)
The Muppet Show Clips Collection (mpg)
The Muppet Show Season 1-5 (mpg)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Mythbusters Season 1-2
Mythbusters Season 302-12
Mythbusters Special Myths Revisited 2
Mythbusters Special: Jaws
Nacho Libre (mpg)
National Treasure (mpg)
Nausicaa: Disk 1 & Disk 2 (jimaku)
Nightmare Before Christmas (mpg)
Nil By Mouth (mpg)
Ninja Scroll (PAL)
Oceans Eleven (jimaku)
Ocean’s Twelve (poor)
October Sky (jimaku)
Office Space
The One (jimaku)
One Night with Blue Note (jimaku)
Onmiyouji (jimaku)
Onmiyouji 2 (jimaku)
Open Season (mpg)
Open Water (jimaku)
Orgazmo (mpg)
Out of Time (jimaku)
Outlaw Josey Wales (jimaku)
Over the Hedge (mpg)
Over There 101-113 (mpg)
Pale Rider (jimaku)
Phuket Homevideo (mpg)
The Pink Panther Collection (mpg)
The Pick of Destiny (mpg)
Pirates of the Caribbean
Pitch Black
Poseidon (mpg)
The Postman (jimaku)
Powaqqatsi
Predator
The Prestige (mpg)
Pride and Prejudice (jimaku)
Princess Mononoke (jimaku)
Promises (mpg, full screen w/ subtitles)
Pulp Fiction (jimaku)
The Punisher (mpg)
Raising Arizona
Ran (jimaku)
Ray (mpg)
Reign of Fire
Resident Evil (jimaku)
Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse (excellent)
The Ring
Robots (screener)
Rocky Balboa (mpg)
Romeo + Juliet (jimaku)
Run Lola Run
The Running Man
Sahara (DVD & mpg)
The Saturday Night Live Clips Collection (mpg)
Saw (jimaku)
Saw 2 (jimaku)
Saw 3 (mpg)
School House Rock: Disk 1 & Disk 2
School of Rock (excellent DVD & jimaku)
Scrubs Season 1 (mpg)
The Score
The Secret of NIMH
The Sentinel (mpg)
Serenity (mpg)
Seven (jimaku)
Seven Samurai (jimaku)
Shallow Hal (jimaku)
Shark Tale (excellent, laptop playable)
The Shining
Six Feet Under Seasons 1-508 (mpg)
Shootout! Battle for Baghdad (mpg)
short6 (jimaku)
Sideways (mpg & VCD)
Signs (jimaku)
The Silence of the Lambs
The Simpson’s: Season 1-4
Sin City (mpg)
Slam
Snakes on a Plane (mpg)
Sniper (jimaku)
The History Channel: Snipers, One Shot, One Kill (mpg)
The History Channel: Snipers (mpg)
Solar Challenge Videos (mpg)
Something’s Gotta Give (jimaku)
South Park: Season 1-9 (mpg)
Spanglish (mpg)
Spawn (jimaku)
Spider-man: Disc 1 & Disc 2
Spider-man 2 (excellent, full screen)
Spinal Tap
Spirited Away (jimaku)
Spy Kids (excellent)
Stan - Eminem (mpg)
Stargate: Director’s Cut (mpg)
Starship Troopers (mpg)
Starship Troopers 2 (mpg)
Star Trek, The Next Generation: Season 1
Star Trek: Vol I-III
Star Trek Voyager Season 1-7 (mpg)
Star Wars 2: Attack of the Clones (PSP)
Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith
Starsky & Hutch (poor)
Stealth (jimaku)
StoreWars (mpg)
Stuck on You (excellent)
Sublime (mpg)
Super Size Me (excellent)
Superman & The Mechanical Monsters (mpg)
SWAT (jimaku)
Swimming Pool (jimaku)
Swordfish
Taking Lives (jimaku)
Talledega Nights (mpg)
Taxi (excellent, promo copy)
Team America (mpg)
Terminator 2 (jimaku)
Terminator 3 (jimaku)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (jimaku)
That 70's Show: Season 2 (mpg)
Thirteen Days
Titanic (jimaku)
To Maui (PSP)
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (jimaku)
Total Recall
Touching the Void (mpg)
Traffic
Trailer Park Boys Season 1 (mpg)
TransAmerica (mpg)
The Transporter (jimaku)
Troy (jimaku)
Typhoon
Typhoon (mpg w/ English subtitles)
The Twilight Zone: Vol 1, Disks 1-9
The Twilight Zone Movie (mpg)
U-571 (jimaku, no subtitles for spoken German!)
The History Channel: UFO’s, The Day After Roswell (mpg)
Ultraviolet (mpg)
Unbreakable w/ Special Features
Undercover Brother (jimaku)
Underworld (poor DVD & jimaku)
Unleashed (mpg)
V for Vendetta (mpg)
Van Helsing (jimaku)
Vertical Limit
The Village (excellent & mpg)
Wanted Season 1 (mpg)
War of the Worlds (jimaku)
Wasabi
Waterworld (jimaku)
Whale Rider
Whole 10 Yards (jimaku)
The Wizard of OZ
X-Men (jimaku)
X2: X-Men United
X-Men: The Last Stand (mpg)
The X Files: Season 7 (jimaku)
The X Files: First Person Shooter (mpg)
XXX (Vin Diesel)
Y Tú Mama Tambien (subtitled)
You, Me and Dupree (mpg)
Zatoichi (jimaku)
Zoolander

Happy Halloween!

Well it's a little late, but here's a great site Chieko linked me to for making your own virtual jack-o-lantern.

Hokuriku Robocon 2005

Kanazawa Technical College just hosted the Hokuriku region Robocon 2005. It's a competition for Technical Junior Colleges in the area.

• I believe each school is allowed to enter two teams.
• Each team had to make two robots.
• One was designed to pass through an obstacle course and the other was designed to climb a wall.
• The competition was a head-to-head round-robin single elimination format.
• The races were a relay format so that the first robot had to "hand" off a baton to the second robot.
• The robots' goal was to insert the baton into a hole at the top of the wall.
• The first robot to achieve that goal or make it closest to finishing the goal would win.
• The winner would move on to the National Robocon in Tokyo this December.
• Three additional teams would be chosen to advanced based on votes from a panel of judges.

The English department went to join a small number of genki students to cheer on the robot teams. It was a fantastic event. All of the teams obviously worked very hard to create unique robots to accomplish the tasks.

KTC's "B Team" was lucky to make the cut because they had the only robot to successfully climb the wall and insert the baton into the hole.

Gotta get organized for the wedding...

I spoke with my folks this past weekend. I had more pent-up stress than I knew about. They offered some great advice. I gotta remember my place in this whole thing. My priority is to support Hyun-joo with her decisions and to make the planning process easier - no matter what. We also can't hope to make everyone happy at all times. We just have to plan something that we'll be happy with and hope will be fun and let folks do their own thing. Ultimately, there's not much to be worried about. I know both families well enough that I'm confident that nothing psycho will happen. And as long as Hyun-joo and I are there for the ceremony, it'll happen.



There is a lot to think about, but we just have get things prioritized and organized. The wedding planner is next. I was saying that we'll have to try and find someone who can be sensitive to the fact that we're not tourists and we don't want a tourist's wedding. But I think that'll prove to be difficult.



Ultimately the distance and time zone differences are the most difficult right now. I wonder how that'll play out over the next few weeks.

Get ready for the winter!? (with a snowball fight)

Bring it on! This little Shockwave-powered game let's you run around in the snow and kick some a$$, no matter what season it is!

Tateyama

(click on the pix above to see more!)

Adam, Katya and I went hiking this past Thursday. We had the day off, but it felt like playing hookey. We left fairly early in the morning to try and beat the traffic and get a head start. We were headed to an area that Adam likes to go off piste. Tateyama is listed in the Lonely Planet Hiking guide and there's a full-day loop that traverses a wonderful ridgeline that's entirely above tree line. We lucked out with some fantastic weather. We even caught a rare glipse of Mt. Fuji. I highly recommend the hike in good weather.

The Wedding Planner

What do we want of a wedding planner?

• getting photographer & videographer, justice of peace, flowers, musicians, translators
• pre-wedding activities: tee times, suggestions for acommodations for other guests
• arranging the rehersal dinner
• arranging reception and setting up, caterers, etc...
• formal wear shop for guys, HJ will take care of bridal shop stuff
• wedding ceremony: getting place and setting up
• wedding: be there to handle immediate needs
• legal stuff: marriage license, public use permits, etc.
• some one who can handle an "international" wedding planning

How much for a wedding planner?
What "special things" do we want for the wedding?

• bi-lingual justice of the peace
• translators to be around before and during the wedding
• a "Korean" segment of the wedding that we'll arrange
• Korean food in a buffet setting

Where will the wedding and reception be? Outdoors preferably and until when?
How many people? 60 people at Hale Lele.
Yon-ju

Wedding: Found a Place?!!

Good news! Hyun-joo and I might have found a place for our families, wedding, and reception! It's called the Hale Lele and it'll sleep everyone in our families (we hope) and will acommodate up to 60 people in the reception. We're considering the idea of having a follow-up "wedding party" for those who can't be fit into the reception. Jury's still out on that one.



Now we just need to book the dates with a deposit, call the wedding planner, and so forth. Whew. Keeping our fingers crossed.

Maui Vacation Home Rentals for the Wedding

Well, it's been a pain in the a$$, but we've found a couple of nice places that we might be able to rent for our families during our wedding week. Above, is a picture of the Lahaina Travis Home (link removed) which looks pretty good... except for the bedcover pictured on the website.




This one looks great too! It features a main and guest house! The Lahaina Breakwater Estates (link removed) looks big enough for all of us. Another link to the Lahaina Breakwater Estates.




This one is the Hale Kuau Sunset Estate (link removed), in Kuau... which I've never heard of even though I've been to Maui over a couple dozen times. It looks like it's right next to Kahului on the very small map provided. This one is big enough but not as fancy as the Travis Home. Another link to the Hale Kuau Sunset Estate.


So who are we trying to make space for?

• My parents


• Hyun-joo's parents


• Lynn and Cole


• Kent and Chase


• Hyun-Jung and Scott


• Hyun-Joo and Na-Young


• Lee and Elise

There are still so many things in flux. NONE OF THIS IS SET IN STONE. We're just trying to get some ideas down.


Now, keep in mind that we haven't set a date yet and we're "negotiating" the possible size of the wedding. International weddings are complicated! So many different traditions to honor. It's hard for me when I know so little about American weddings to begin with. Well, my goal is to just have fun doing the planning and not to get stressed out. Well, I already blew one goal... guess I can just focus on the "having fun" part, right?


Already, I want to thank our parents and Heather for giving some ideas and passing on information.

Defending Human Rights in Iraq!/Defending Human Rights in Iraq? (You choose, I can't)

Someone shared with me the position that one of the more important aspects of the war in Iraq was in defending the Human Rights of Iraqi citizens. So, I'm going to look for some of my own answers.



My pre-disposition: this statement was downright silly, because of the well publicized and weekly (if not daily) violations of basic Human Rights of the greater Iraqi population.

• Which Human Rights are we talking about?


• What's Bush's stance? What's the dissenting stance?
  
  President Bush Discusses Iraq Policy at Whitehall Palace in London
  
  The deepest beliefs of our nations set the direction of our foreign policy. We value our own civil rights, so we stand for the human rights of others. We affirm the God-given dignity of every person, so we are moved to action by poverty and oppression and famine and disease. The United States and Great Britain share a mission in the world beyond the balance of power or the simple pursuit of interest. We seek the advance of freedom and the peace that freedom brings. Together our nations are standing and sacrificing for this high goal in a distant land at this very hour. And America honors the idealism and the bravery of the sons and daughters of Britain.
  
  
  Since the liberation of Iraq, we have seen changes that could hardly have been imagined a year ago. A new Iraqi police force protects the people, instead of bullying them. More than 150 Iraqi newspapers are now in circulation, printing what they choose, not what they're ordered. Schools are open with textbooks free of propaganda. Hospitals are functioning and are well-supplied. Iraq has a new currency, the first battalion of a new army, representative local governments, and a Governing Council with an aggressive timetable for national sovereignty. This is substantial progress. And much of it has proceeded faster than similar efforts in Germany and Japan after World War II.
  
  
  
  US ignors Human Rights Lessons
  
  International security depends on containing these conflicts, and doing so requires clear rules about whether, when, and what type of "humanitarian intervention" may be justified to protect human rights. Here are four:
  
  
  
  • First, large-scale genocide or crimes against humanity are being committed.
  
  
  • Second, the conflict is creating major regional instability, which the neighboring countries want to contain by supporting a multilateral intervention sanctioned by the United Nations or a regional organization like NATO.
  
  
  • Third, intervention is not likely to lead to wider conflict -- for example, by stimulating increased terrorism or provoking other countries to enter into the hostilities.
  
  
  • Fourth, the planned scale, duration, and intensity of the intervention are sufficient to achieve the objective of saving lives and rebuilding the country.
  
  
  
  Bush's preemptive regime-change invasion of Iraq failed to meet these criteria. The military operation was conducted unilaterally by the United States and Britain and was strongly opposed by countries throughout the region, the Muslim world, and beyond. Despite Saddam Hussein's appalling history of human rights abuse, there was no evidence last spring that his regime was engaged in continuing genocide that required immediate military action. (Saddam's genocide against the Kurds and Shi'ite Muslims following the Gulf War should have been prevented by international forces in 1991.) In fact, Saddam's human rights record was used by Bush largely as an afterthought to make up for his administration's failure to produce evidence of weapons of mass destruction. [continues...]


• What signs does the Iraqi government show with their regards to defending Human Rights?
  
  Amnesty International deplores the removal of a key human rights provision from the final draft Constitution
  
  Amnesty International is concerned that an important human rights provision contained in previous versions of Iraq's new draft Constitution was excised from the final draft, which was handed to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in Baghdad this week for printing and distribution.


• Which Human Rights were Saddam and his regime voilating?


• Which Human Rights are being voilated now?


• Can voilations of Human Rights be measured to the degree that we can say that Iraq is better or worse off now?

In a few hours of research, I'm having a very hard time finding people talking about America's beneficial contributions to Human Rights in Iraq. I retract my previous statement, "downright silly". I do think that my friend's statement was unfounded, and much to his credit I didn't take the time to hear more about his views. And this I do regret. Thankfully, I still have time to find out.


An unrelated article I wished to link for future reference:
Democracy cannot coexist with Bush's failed doctrine of preventive war

Iraqi Blogs pt. 2

Neurotic Iraqi Wife

This woman lives in the Green Zone and she sees the reconstruction going forward. She shares and defends her position that what they need is safety, a sound infrastructure, and a caring government... not ongoing politicizing of the constitution. She doesn't feel that anything is better than when Saddam was the one murdering people. And yet, she deeply appreciates the freedom that she and her husband now have.



I don't think I'll be keeping up with posting direct links and thoughts on journey through Iraqi blogs. I'm finding that even within a particular blog there are so many different emotions and stances on the horrible-hopeful situation there. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface. After a couple days, I'm left with an overall appreciation for the struggling hope of the bloggers of Iraq.

Iraqi Blogs

Hyun-joo and I spent and evening last night with friends and we got to the subject of a very controversial topic, the war in Iraq. I'm respectfully leaving our friends anonomous.



If I understand his position correctly, it was morally obligatory for the US to invade Iraq on the basis of human rights violations. The ongoing war is necessary to hopefully plant the seeds of democracy that has the potential to spread through out the region in a stabilizing effect.



He asked whether I had actually read any Iraqi blogs. (My friend is an avid blog reader.) I admitted that I hadn't. So this post is about just that. And what have I begun to find?



First off, I am suspect of the bias of any blog that I am able to read. Of the Kurds, Shiia, Sunni and vast number of others, how many of them are able to communicate the thoughts of the average people in their communities?



Secondly, it is essential that I understand my own pre-judgements and level of awareness of those involved in Iraq.

• I believe those that we label as terrorists or act with violence against the western aggressors are islamic extremists and do not represent the majority or essence of islamic teachings.


• I believe that I war was improperly initiated. I also believe it is impractical to argue the premises of the war to a degree and focus on the immediate and future needs of those involved. I believe that it is right for Americans to fight a war in Iraq until they are able to build up enough internal security forces to protect themselves.


• I believe that there is a difference in democracy that is chosen by the people and one that is established for them on the basis of the readiness of the people. Like tragedies at high altitudes with climbers using guides to take them to places they could not go on their own is a situation fraught with potential disaster.

Upon the recommendation of my friend here is the breadcrub trail of my blog journey:

1. Where is Raed ? I wanted to know first "who is Raed?"


2. Iraq the Model begins with praise for the overthrow of Saddam. A blogger who honors the Americans fighting in Iraq and dislikes the protestors of the war. I was surprised by the optimism of the birth of the "New Model" in Iraq but found it difficult to assess credibility of the posts being unable to determine some basic information about the posters.

Here are some useful resources I've found along the way:

Establishing a Stable Democracy

Iraqi History

Democracy in Iraq?



Previously I thought it was overly optimistic to think that the democratic model that is forming in Iraq today is the key to peace in the region. There are too many parties involved in Iraq with so many deep scars from the many years of war and oppression. And yet, the Israelis have pulled out of Gaza and Zarqawi may be struggling to fight the elections... perhaps there is more to be optimistic for in the distant future of Iraq. Whether America can live up to its future as "non-occupational, non-exploitive" force of guidance still remains to be seen and in that I have little belief.



The present danger is excess of benevolence; we might undertake yet another selfless mission of mercy, failing to understand that "there are limits to what outsiders can do" and that "the armies we dispatch to foreign soil for humanitarian reasons" may not be able "to save people from others or from themselves." -Noam Chomsky, 1994