Mind in the Qatar II

I am back

2005-05-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

I am finally back from 131 days of fun in the sun in the desert.

Since the totalitarian sysadmin types at my base did not allow access to blogger or webmail, this blog has been latent since I left.

Until I figure out where I want to go with my blog hosting, please visit my original blog over at Mind in the Qatar.

Photo Ops v. Actions

2005-01-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

Here is Kofi at convenient photo op signing his condolences. I guess they don't allow you to hand out aid to refugees until you sign in. Nothing helps alleviate a crisis more than good intentions...except maybe a box of food or water. Maybe next trip, eh Kofi?

Wow, there are a lot of people there to help Kofi spread good intentions.

Here is Colin doing his best Kofi impersonation. At least hand her a bottle of water man! Perhaps he is after Kofi's job....

And here is Kofi getting back on his plane, after a quick look at the devastation. The US military appreciates all the hard work you put in handing out the relief supplies they brought in......not.

Speaking of the US military, lets check in on their photo ops. This one looks obviously staged....I mean who does real work when you can simply hold a press conference....

Wow, Kofi had more people than that. The US must be doing it all wrong. See what happens when you do things unilaterally?

Wait...there are more people. But what could be more appealing about handing out fresh water than signing a condolence book at an international airport?

Much has been made about how the UN flew in several days after the fact to "coordinate" the relief operations. well they can "coordinate" all they want, but here are some pictures of actual relief operations. See if you can notice a theme in the supplies that are being delivered....

Damn that US unilateralism. It will ruin the world!

The High Priest Vulture Elite

2005-01-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

Diplomad once again shines the bright light upon the rats in sewer.

Seeing these UNocrats perched at the table, whispering to each other, back-slapping, shaking hands, they seemed like a periodic reunion of old cynical Mafia chieftains or mercenaries who run into each other in different hot spots, as they move from one slaughter to another, "How are you? Haven't seen you since Bosnia . . ..".......They leisurely take flight toward the smell of death; circle, and then swoop down, screeching UNintelligble nonsense. They arrive and immediately force others, e.g., the American tax payer, to build them new exclusive nests in the midst of poverty, and make themselves fat on the flesh of the dead. My friends, allow The Diplomad to present to you The High Priest Vulture Elite (HPVE).

These genuinely repulsive, arrogant creatures survive only because the world's rich countries, the non-Turd World, allow them, too. We in the First World find it politically impossible to reveal their pronouncements as the cant they are. For many in Europe and among the New York Times crowd, helping maintain these mad vultures substitutes for genuine action, "The UN is on the job!"

This eerily reminds me of the late 80's John Carpenter classic "They Live", where Roddy Piper "discovers a pair of sun-glasses through which he can see the true face of people. Many persons in this city are in fact aliens and most of them are important members of our society. They keep humans in ignorance and they rule our world as they like."

Keep reading Diplomad for insight into this alien bureaucratic culture as it tries to run the world "as they like..."

Words v. Actions

2005-01-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

A lot of good blogging has been done concerning the 'response' of the UN to the Tsunami crisis, as well as some good blogerage about the immense efforts of the US military to help the victims.

But one does not need to look all that far to see the difference between the two efforts. It can really be boiled down to one simple phrase: "Words v. Actions".

The UN effort has been what President Bush might refer to back on the ranch as "All hat, no cattle..."

Lets look at some of headlines concerning the UN response:
UN COORDINATES AID TO TSUNAMI SURVIVORS
Annan convenes emergency meeting to oversee UN tsunami relief
UN Warns Tsunami Death Toll Could Double
UN planning meeting with member states on tsunami aid

Well it seems that the UN is real good at coordinating, convening, warning, planning, and a whole bunch of talking. For a more in depth look at this pathology, go visit Diplomad for some depressing reading. (Edit: If you don't believe me, believe the esteemed Powerline blog!)

For a look at actual relief in action, lets turn to the US military:
US Military Expands Tsunami Aid Effort
US military at forefront of tsunami relief effort
Hospital Ship Mercy Sails for Indian Ocean
More Ships, Helicopters Arrive to Aid Tsunami Victims

Hopefully you can see the difference here. Words v. Actions.....

And to drive this point home, I offer you some actual images of these two different philosophies at work.

UN:

US:

UN:

US:

UN:

US:

UN:

US:

UN:

US:

UN:

US:

Not to pour salt in the wound, but one can only show so many photos of the same UN "Relief Summit". One can however find a plethora of images of actual US relief actions in the region:

Truely a stark difference, wouldn't you say?

Playing in the Sandbox

2004-12-30T13:42:00.000-08:00

In about a week, I will be heading over to "Southwest Asia" to do my share.

If you want to support our troops that are deployed, I suggest you check out these websites:
Any Soldier.com
Wounded Warrior Project
USO

If you are interested in supporting me in particular (!), please send me something off my Amazon Wish List:
MAJCHAz' Wish List

Any gift will be appreciated!