Blog about politics (mideast and pro-Israel, Canadian and local Montreal), world events, and random thoughts.

""

The World I Know is updated on a semi-regular basis by segacs.

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Comments are open and unmoderated, although obscene or abusive remarks may be deleted. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of segacs's world i know.

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11:32 PM
Went to an amazing Bon Jovi concert last night.

I've always been a little bit of a closet Bon Jovi fan . . . it's one of those guilty pleasures, like eating raw chocolate chip cookie dough. I'm one of the only people I know who not only owns, but actually listens to These Days. My copy of Crossroad is almost entirely worn out, and my Keep The Faith CD isn't far behind.

The concert itself was great - the Goo Goo Dolls played an incredible opening set that was practically worth the ticket price on its own, and Bon Jovi's music is tailor-made for large arenas. Of course, with such a large repertoire of hits, disappointments were almost a guarantee. Notably absent from last night's setlist were such hits as Keep The Faith, Bed of Roses, Blaze of Glory, and the song that turned me into a huge fan at age fifteen: Always. Among others. The band played for two hours and squeezing in all their great songs would have taken at least twice that.

No political commentary, though. Just rock n' roll. Gotta appreciate that.

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6:36 PM
The roof collapsed at a Toys 'R' Us store in Maryland, injuring two people. That's just disturbing.

Update: Reports now indicate that at least 9 people have been injured. At a toy store! That's just so wrong!

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6:28 PM
A few years ago, Disney had a smash hit with the movie "Cool Runnings", about Jamaica's first bobsled team to qualify for the Olympics, in 1988.

Now it looks like Israel wants to follow suit.

The men hope their ambitious entry into winter sport will cheer the people of Israel, a country where snow is a rare and the newly formed Israeli Bobsled Federation was forced to invent a Hebrew word for bobsled: "mizhelet bob."

The team members so far, David Greaves, Adam Zeff, and John Frank, are Americans or Canadians who are in the process of getting their Israeli citizenship. So it's not as if they've never seen snow. Zeff and Frank are both expert skiers. John Frank is a former football player with two superbowl rings to his name. They're serious athletes and this isn't likely to be reminiscent of the Jamaican story.

They won't be medal contenders even if they do make it to the Olympics, but the notion of Israel entering the bobsled race is pretty neat.

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6:18 PM
Well here's a switch: a state-run Egyptian newspaper is blaming Saddam Hussein for bringing the middle east to the edge of war:

In an editorial entitled "The Iraqi Regime Drags the Region into a Destructive War," Mr. Saddam is condemned for his refusal to co-operate with the United Nations and for presiding over an "arrogant" and "ignorant" regime that remains the chief blockage to a peaceful solution.

[ . . . ]

"A peaceful solution to the crisis is still possible, but the main obstacle is the leadership that was cast upon the Iraqi people and the entire Arab region," the editorial said.

"The Iraqi leadership is characterized by great pride combined with total ignorance. When these two traits are joined, they cause the disasters and crises that Saddam Hussein's regime has brought upon us time after time.

"The only one who can stop the war wagon is Saddam Hussein.

"He must stop the games, co-operate with the UN, and answer this question: 'Where are the chemical and biological weapons that Washington knows Baghdad has?'

For once, someone who isn't blaming the Americans and the Zionists.

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10:27 AM
The Jerusalem Post has a very good special supplement section on the Palestinian Refugee problem. It's an in-depth look at the roots of the problem, the challenges, the competing claims and the future outlook. Worth a look.

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10:25 AM
Infamous Holocaust-denier Ernst Zundel's attempt to make a mockery of the refugee claims process by asking to be admitted to Canada as a refugee isn't fooling Immigration Minister Denis Coderre:

A tough-talking Immigration Minister Denis Coderre indicated yesterday he's prepared to act to thwart Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel's attempt to claim refugee status in Canada.

"Just watch me," declared Mr. Coderre when he was asked what measures are available to him to bar someone from getting access to the country's refugee system, a process that can last years.

The Canadian Jewish Congress is livid about the whole thing, as they well should be:

"Ernst Zundel is an unwanted hatemonger. We are confidant that Canadian refugee law will see through Zundel's charade and quickly send him back to Germany where he awaits possible jail and prosecution for his hateful activities in that country", stated Keith Landy National President of Canadian Jewish Congress.

My issue isn't so much with Zundel, who's a known hatemongerer and there isn't much question about what he is or what he stands for. But I really have to wonder at a legal mind that would come up with the twisted argument that Zundel is a refugee from Germany, beacuse if sent back there he would be jailed as a Holocaust denier.

Are we supposed to feel sympathy for this guy or something???

When thousands of legitimate refugee claimants struggle daily to enter Canada, why is anyone even giving this guy the time of day, let alone a hearing? He should be tossed out on his ass where he belongs.

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10:11 AM
War in Iraq seems one step closer as it looks as though Turkey will allow its territory to be used to launch attacks.

The United States said it had massed enough troops in the Gulf to attack Iraq, even as Turkey appeared to come round Friday to letting its territory be used to launch part of the expected assault.

Washington pressed on with its drive toward war by working on a U.N. Security Council resolution that it hoped would secure support from an international community not convinced of the need to use force against Baghdad.

While many nations say U.N. inspectors must get more time to establish if Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, Washington, backed by its main ally Britain, says Iraq has already lost this argument and President Saddam Hussein must now be removed.

"If military force becomes necessary to disarm Iraq, this nation, joined by others, will act decisively in a just cause, and we will prevail," President Bush said. "For the oppressed people of Iraq ... the day of freedom is drawing near."

A new UN resolution may not include a specific call for force, in order to obtain a majority vote in the Security Council. From the point of view of Bush, Blair, and their allies, a weaker resolution that passes is politically preferable to a stronger one that fails, because it will play better in terms of convincing the world that most of the countries do indeed back a hard line against Iraq.

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10:07 AM
This is truly horrible.

Over 50 people are dead and over 150 injured at a fire that broke out at a nightclub rock concert in Rhode Island. The band was using fancy pyrotechnics in its show, which apparently caused the fire.

This comes only days after 21 people were killed in a stampede in a Chicago nightclub.

I suspect that in the coming days there will be a lot of talk of investigations into nightlife safety. People who go out for a few drinks or some dancing or live music should not have to risk their lives.

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11:46 PM
Night skiing is fun!

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11:35 PM
The Anti-Defamation League has been following the numerous conspiracy theories blaming Jews for the Columbia space shuttle disaster that have been floating around the Internet. And it's not a pretty picture:

The online hate speech, tracked by the ADL on Web sites, chat rooms, bulletin boards and e-mails, includes allegations the US and Israel destroyed the Columbia to divert attention from the Iraq conflict, that Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon was a spy, and that Jews and Israelis were complicit in the shuttle's downing in order to gain sympathy for Israel.

The extensive report includes examples of hate speech and conspiracy theories posted by Holocaust deniers, far-right-wing mailing list subscribers, terrorist groups, journalists from Arabic-language newspapers in the Mideast and in Europe, and even from journalists in Tokyo!

This stuff is disgusting but, unfortunately, not all that surprising. These nutcases, and the ones circulating conspiracy theories after September 11th, have been around for a long time. The only difference between today and 50 years ago is that the Internet gives them a forum and an audience for their views.

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11:27 PM
The town of Badger, Newfoundland suffered a flood, and the flood waters froze over leaving the whole town under a block of ice. The entire town was evacuated.

Relief efforts are underway to help, and Damian Penny is on top of the situaiton, having sent the link to donate to the Red Cross appeal around the blogosphere.

I apologize for not posting this up sooner.

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11:24 PM
Rumsfield named three scenarios that could avert war in Iraq:

1) Saddam Hussein leaves voluntarily and is followed by new leadership that abides by international law

2) Saddam leaves involuntarily

3) Saddam adheres to U.N. resolutions

It's a big game of chicken now. The only question is, will Saddam Hussein flinch first?

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7:32 PM
Well, looks like Chrétien finally got off the fence . . . but on the wrong side:

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien says Canada will not be part of the U.S.-led "coalition of the willing" in a war against Iraq unless the United Nations authorizes military action.

After weeks of dodging questions about Canada's position, Chrétien ended the fence-sitting. He told MPs yesterday that if the Security Council refuses to authorize a war, the United States will have to do without the help of its closest ally and largest trading partner if it decides to pursue a military campaign to remove Saddam Hussein.

"We have not been asked and we do not intend to participate in a group of the willing," Chrétien said in reply to a question from Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe.

"If (the Americans) want to go there all alone, they can go there all alone," Chrétien said. "But we say they must go with the authorization of the United Nations. If they don't, the international system of peace and security will probably be more destabilized than it need be."

There are three problems with this statement: Firstly, the United States will certainly not be alone if it attacks without UN approval. Secondly, the UN Security Council has been unable to resolve the problem or to propose a solution other than endless appeasement of Saddam. Thirdly, if the United States decides to attack, they won't exactly miss our military forces (or lack thereof). Three soldiers and a snowmobile aren't exactly crucial to the American war plans.

Popular opinion in Canada is largely anti-war, so Chrétien took the easy way out of this one. But while it won't hurt the United States or Britain or anyone else, it is likely to hurt the already-fragile relationship that Canada has with its largest trading partner and cohabitant of this continent. In the international scene, it is clear that Canada has no better friend than the United States . . . and there's only so long we can keep making our friends do the dirty work for us and then berate them for having dirtier hands than us.

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6:23 PM
Spent the day in Ottawa in meetings . . . didn't get any time to post. Everything's ok, but I'll get to everything a bit later tonight.

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11:22 PM
Well, while I was busy running around like a chicken with its head cut off, a lot happened in the world. And under normal circumstances, I'd treat you readers to long rants and tirades about the latest from Bush on Iraq, the latest threats from North Korea, the crazy weather causing snowstorms in the U.S. and an entire town to freeze under water in Newfoundland, the federal budget, and the zillion other stories. And I will. I promise. I'll get to everything in time . . . but I need to deal with my hectic schedule first.

The good news is the comments seem to be working again!

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5:15 PM
Too busy to eat . . . sleep . . . think . . . breathe . . .

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4:45 PM
Speaking of the London Daily Telegraph, Barbara Amiel gets it right when she asks why the anti-war demonstrators weren't also demonstrating against Saddam Hussein: (link requires registration)

The most revealing aspect of the anti-war march in London was what you did not see. You did not see any messages to Saddam Hussein or criticism of Iraqi policy.

These earnest seekers of peace, with so many signs denouncing George W Bush and Tony Blair, had nothing to say to Saddam Hussein; no request to please co-operate with the UN inspectors. Not one small poster asking Saddam to disarm or destroy his weapons of mass destruction. Perhaps somewhere in that million people there were some bravely asking him to "Leave Iraq and prevent war", but I could not find them.

If this were a genuine anti-war demonstration, why, along with demands on the British and Americans, would there be no demands of the other party to the conflict - Iraq? Commentators on the march were taken by the good order of it. I was taken by the sheer wickedness or naivete.

[ . . . ]

In the end, under the guise of peace, this march was essentially an anti-America, anti-free enterprise, anti-Israel display. A similar approach appeared to have taken hold in the various other "peace" marches in Tokyo, Athens, Paris, Berlin and Madrid.

I agree with Barbara Amiel. While a great many people who protested over the weekend are genuinely anti-war - any war - on principle, the movement has been driven largely by interest groups who are vehemently anti-American, and especially anti-Israel. The motive isn't to prevent war, but to bring the focus away from Iraq and its many violations of international security, back to Israel, the eternal scapegoat. Because as long as the anti-Israel rhetoric gains momentum, no real probelms in the mideast will ever have to be addressed.

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4:18 PM
The Canadian Jewish Congress has been granted intervener status in Hillel's lawsuit against the Concordia Student Union:

A Quebec Superior Court Judge has granted Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) leave to intervene in the action filed by Hillel students against Concordia University's Student Union (CSU). Since the outbreak of the current Middle East violence, the CSU has abetted a climate on Concordia's campus that became increasingly hostile and intimidating for Jewish students.

In December, the CSU, with no prior notice, abruptly withheld its funding of the Hillel group at Concordia. Hillel initiated legal action against the CSU and CJC sought the intervention to support the Jewish students fighting the discriminatory disenfranchisement of their campus club.

I have no doubt that within minutes, we'll hear some snide comment about the "powerful Zionist lobby" attacking the CSU. Good. Let them spew. The important thing is that this lawsuit a case of Jewish students at Concordia saying Enough! and it's great that organizations like the CJC are getting behind them. They need all the support they can get.

To express your support, you can write to [email protected].

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3:59 PM
The London Daily Telegraph's cartoon is a great example of a picture speaking a thousand words:

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3:48 PM
Couldn't get hired as strippers, eh?

Two women, wearing only bikini briefs, skates and leopard-coloured body paint, braved -25 C wind chills Monday on the famous Rideau Canal to protest the fur fashion industry. The pair, members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, covered up their freezing assets by holding up a banner reading: We'd Rather Bare Skin Than Wear Skin.

They said the use of fox, mink, raccoon and other animals for clothing is cruel and unnecessary.

I bet they wear leather shoes, though.

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2:07 PM
I'm getting really tired of this cold weather. Coke cans keep exploding, water mains keep breaking . . . and last night a pipe broke in our house. Fun stuff.

The good news is the weather forecast is predicting warmer temperatures starting tomorrow, when it will go up to a practically tropical minus 3! By Wednesday, we're supposed to be above the freezing point. I may even get my night skiing in on Thursday!

At least we're not in the midst of a blizzard like the Eastern United States, or under water like Badger, Newfoundland.

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9:43 AM
Comments seem to be down on the site . . . again. I'm getting a bit fed up with Haloscan. In the meantime, sit tight, hopefully they'll be back soon.

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11:51 PM
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it." - Ferris Beuller's Day Off

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