September 12, 2009 archive
Sep 12 2009
Friday Night at Eight: Perspective
Sep 12 2009
672,000 troops minimum needed in Afghanistan – U.S. Military Counterinsurgency manual suggests
The CS Monitor reports the Taliban is now operating in 80 percent of Afganistan. “Long considered one of the most stable and peaceful parts of the country, the northern provinces have seen rising violence as heavy insurgent activity has spread to 80 percent of the country – up from 54 percent two years ago.”
The article cites a recent map from the International Council on Security and Development (ICOS). The ICOS map is based upon data “gathered from daily insurgent activity reports between January and September 2009”. The ICOS believes their assessment is “conservative”.
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The U.S.-led coalition already has more troops and contractors in Afghanistan than the Soviets did at the height of their occupation.
Sep 12 2009
Random Japan
SIC TRANSIT
* A 27-year-old JR West train driver in Shiga Prefecture “released his hands from the brake handle for about seven seconds” so that he could snap photos of a pair of women sitting behind him-while his train was traveling at 120kph. The man said he took the pics because the women were “very attractive.”
* A group of 40 junior high and high school students on their way to class in Kyoto’s Sakyo Ward were attacked by a swarm of “angry” wasps.
* A German railway operator is deciding whether to seek compensation from a Japanese tourist who chained a piece of luggage to a train station bench before going sightseeing in Hamburg. The suspicious bag caused officials to evacuate the station, resulting in the cancellation of two trains and the delay of another 40.
* The Japanese government is demanding an explanation from China after a Chinese ship was spotted “conducting activities” in the Shirakaba gas field in the East China Sea.
* Tokyo subways temporarily halted service last month after an early-warning system predicted a strong earthquake would strike the city. Meteorological Agency officials were forced to apologize when the quake turned out to be much weaker than expected.
Sep 12 2009
Friday Philosophy: Change
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But when life gives you pickles, you’re screwed, because nobody likes pickleade.
The last few days have seemed to become days of reflection, at least for me. From the appearance of the recent diary list periodically today, I was not alone. But I don’t want to reflect on 9/11. That has never been the way I have operated.
Meanwhile I have to eulogize my colleague who died last May at a memorial service on Tuesday. That may seem to you to be an extremely long interim period between dying and memorial, but that’s the way stuff happens in a college. She died between Finals Week and graduation.