shimajiro said...

shimajiro at 02:16 PM JST - 22nd June

Whatever else it may accomplish it has been a successful mission. It will be interesting to see what's suspended in the ice.

Posted in Phoenix lander confirms presence of ice on Mars at 02:16 PM JST - 22nd June
shimajiro at 12:58 PM JST - 20th June

Thanks, Taka.

Posted in Obama says he won't take public campaign funds at 12:58 PM JST - 20th June
shimajiro at 12:22 PM JST - 20th June

I'm not bothered by the fact that Obama is forgoing the public funds and seeking to fund his campaign privately or by the allegedly "obscene" amount of campaign cash he expects to raise - more power to him. [I don't like McCain's advocacy for contribution limits and he has shown…

Posted in Obama says he won't take public campaign funds at 12:22 PM JST - 20th June
shimajiro at 01:08 PM JST - 19th June

Madverts:

Indeed, my friend.

Cool. Hey, buddy.

Indeed - I think they're simply waiting out the surge which is already - well, un-surging, to get back to their antics.

I don't think the recent improvements are solely attributable to the surge so I think there is some basis to hope…

Posted in Car bomb kills 51 in Baghdad at 01:08 PM JST - 19th June
shimajiro at 10:47 PM JST - 18th June

sailwind:

They blamed THEIR government not America...

Yeah, I found that noteworthy as well.

Posted in Car bomb kills 51 in Baghdad at 10:47 PM JST - 18th June
shimajiro at 10:46 PM JST - 18th June

**Madverts **= Adverts of yore?

Shima,

"This blast would have been relatively unremarkable a year ago."

That in itself speaks volumes about the state of Iraq. Yesterday, aside from this horrendus bombing, Iraqi state TV journalist Muhieddin Abdul-Hamid was shot and there were two other seperate suicide bombings targetting the…

Posted in Car bomb kills 51 in Baghdad at 10:46 PM JST - 18th June
shimajiro at 10:37 PM JST - 18th June

Some rights should never be up to the ballot box and that is why we have a judiciary to balance state and citizen interests.

I disagree. The judiciary should interpet and apply the law as it was intended by the lawmakers, not as they might wish it to be.

Some…

Posted in Gay, lesbian couples rush to get married in California at 10:37 PM JST - 18th June
shimajiro at 03:05 PM JST - 18th June

These are the same guys who helped to engineer the distraction of the war in Iraq at a time when we could have pinned down the people who actually committed 9/11,”

Obama should not assert speculation as fact. What's more America's best chance to secure or kill OBL would seem…

Posted in Obama rebukes McCain; says bin Laden free due to GOP tactics at 03:05 PM JST - 18th June
shimajiro at 02:43 PM JST - 18th June

This blast would have been relatively unremarkable a year ago. The fact that it is especially noteworthy for having shattered a comparatively peaceful stretch is the only silver lining to the tragedy. I don't think any serious observer thought that Iraq had seen its last bomb attack. The key question…

Posted in Car bomb kills 51 in Baghdad at 02:43 PM JST - 18th June
shimajiro at 02:30 PM JST - 18th June

Welcome symbolism but the cut in troop strengh is the real news and that is to be regretted. Taken together with the limitations many European nations place on their soldiers' ability to actually wage war, cuts in troop strenght and spending endanger the alliance. It is becoming ever-more lopsided.

Posted in Sarkozy announces French return to NATO command at 02:30 PM JST - 18th June