The movie Constantine tells the story of a supernatural detective, hell, and things like it, and was seen by 666 people in Bergen the day it opened. The number supposedly belonging to the devil himself (herself? itself?) only amused the marketing director at Bergen Kino. 'A coincidence' she says.
A priest commented "The number 666 is only mentioned once in the Bible and is not a very important concept in Christianity".
Shoot, I should have gone, I would have made it 667...
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Friday, February 25, 2005
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Iwo Jima
Today it's been 60 years since the battle of Iwo Jima started, February 19th 1945.
Now, I just read this and realized I don't have a clue what the battle of Iwo Jima was, I've heard about it, of course, but I don't know what it was. So I decided to do what I do the best, and love the most, - a little research.
First I wondered why I don't know anything about it. Do most people know what it was about? Apparantly, most young adults in Scandinavia know nothing about Iwo Jima - but we have seen the picture by Joe Rosenthal, said to be the most reproduced photograph in history. So what is it all about?
You may or you may not know that Iwo Jima is a tiny Japanese island south of the biggest islands that form Japan. During WWII, the Americans wanted to bomb Japan. I didn't know about that, all I'd ever heard about were the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Americans didn't have anywhere for their planes to land since Japan is in the ocean and their nearest bomber base was in the Mariana Islands (see link above) . The idea was that if they could get to the island of Iwo Jima, it would have the perfect location as a "fighter-escort station".
The US sent 110,000 marines in 880 ships sailing from Hawaii.
The Japanese, around 21,000 of them, were preparing to fight a war from beneath the ground, each soldier was expected to kill 10 enemy soldiers before he died and the strategy was "no Japanese survivors" - they didn't expect to survive.
February 19th, 1945. Between 2am and 8:30am the island of Iwo Jima was under heavy fire from ships and bombers. At 8:30 the Americans got the order to get on the island. Mt. Suribachi, a 550-foot volcanic cone on the southern tip of the island overlooked both landing zones. Here the Japanese were hiding as the Americans came. Unfamiliar with the terrain and not knowing what awaited them, they were easy targets for the Japanese soldiers, always under ground, watching every move the enemies made.
4 days into the battle, February 23rd, a flag was raised on Mt. Suribachi. Later, that flag was replaced by a bigger one, the one we've all seen in the photos. But the battle was far from over. It lasted 36 days. There were no foxholes, no frontlines, and, for the Americans; no enemy soldiers to be seen. They used liquid gas, napalm and hand grenades on the underground Japanese.
Basically it was deadly and the numbers show it. Easy Company, the company that raised the famous flag, started out with 310 men. Only 50 boarded the ship after the battle.
In 36 days, 6,825 American marines were killed. Practically all 21,000 Japanese soldiers disappeared.
All this so that 2,400 bombers could land on the island. That's 11 deaths for every plane that landed. Was it worth it?
So that's Iwo Jima, and that was 60 years ago.
Such bravery. Such courage.
Such a waste.
Check out IwoJima.com for more, that's where I learnt most of this.
Now, I just read this and realized I don't have a clue what the battle of Iwo Jima was, I've heard about it, of course, but I don't know what it was. So I decided to do what I do the best, and love the most, - a little research.
First I wondered why I don't know anything about it. Do most people know what it was about? Apparantly, most young adults in Scandinavia know nothing about Iwo Jima - but we have seen the picture by Joe Rosenthal, said to be the most reproduced photograph in history. So what is it all about?
You may or you may not know that Iwo Jima is a tiny Japanese island south of the biggest islands that form Japan. During WWII, the Americans wanted to bomb Japan. I didn't know about that, all I'd ever heard about were the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Americans didn't have anywhere for their planes to land since Japan is in the ocean and their nearest bomber base was in the Mariana Islands (see link above) . The idea was that if they could get to the island of Iwo Jima, it would have the perfect location as a "fighter-escort station".
The US sent 110,000 marines in 880 ships sailing from Hawaii.
The Japanese, around 21,000 of them, were preparing to fight a war from beneath the ground, each soldier was expected to kill 10 enemy soldiers before he died and the strategy was "no Japanese survivors" - they didn't expect to survive.
February 19th, 1945. Between 2am and 8:30am the island of Iwo Jima was under heavy fire from ships and bombers. At 8:30 the Americans got the order to get on the island. Mt. Suribachi, a 550-foot volcanic cone on the southern tip of the island overlooked both landing zones. Here the Japanese were hiding as the Americans came. Unfamiliar with the terrain and not knowing what awaited them, they were easy targets for the Japanese soldiers, always under ground, watching every move the enemies made.
4 days into the battle, February 23rd, a flag was raised on Mt. Suribachi. Later, that flag was replaced by a bigger one, the one we've all seen in the photos. But the battle was far from over. It lasted 36 days. There were no foxholes, no frontlines, and, for the Americans; no enemy soldiers to be seen. They used liquid gas, napalm and hand grenades on the underground Japanese.
Basically it was deadly and the numbers show it. Easy Company, the company that raised the famous flag, started out with 310 men. Only 50 boarded the ship after the battle.
In 36 days, 6,825 American marines were killed. Practically all 21,000 Japanese soldiers disappeared.
All this so that 2,400 bombers could land on the island. That's 11 deaths for every plane that landed. Was it worth it?
So that's Iwo Jima, and that was 60 years ago.
Such bravery. Such courage.
Such a waste.
Check out IwoJima.com for more, that's where I learnt most of this.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Happy days.
My neighbour here in our beautiful students apartment building has one of those electric wheelchairs. He and his friend (in a ordinary wheelchair) were at the shop at the same time as me today. They went out just before me and I saw them leave. The guy in the electric wheelchair (not sure if that's the right term..) was going first, and the other guy was holding onto the side and they where rattling along. Well, speeding along maybe, one guy pulling the other along, laughing as they went, avoiding cars and ice left from the snow and rain before the weekend.
It made me think about my uncle, he's been in a wheelchair since he was big enough to fit in one. He's one of my mother's brothers, the youngest of 10 siblings. Haven't seen him for at least a year and a half - he lives far away, up north, not on the island where he grew up but in the city on the mainland, a ferry ride away. I've got two other aunts and one more uncle in that city - only one of each (and their families) left on the island itself now.
My uncle's is... I don't know the politically correct term in English.. is mentally retarded still ok? He funtions as well as a six year old, most of the time anyway. Quite a temper but a nice guy. Always wants a hug.. I even seem to remember sitting on his lap when I was little, but that could just be something I wish I remembered. When we were on the island with my grandparents during summer we (my cousins, their friend Jim, my brother and I) used to play with my uncle's old wheelchair, it was in the garage (big garage, one car, lots and lots of fishing equipment) and we'd take it out on the road (no such thing as asphalt(?) anywhere near there) or the lawn, pushing each other around. Or if my uncle was out using his electric chair, we'd play with it after he'd gone back inside or moved to his regular wheelchair.
Then we'd go see the pigs or the cows or the hens laying eggs, the cat, the dog, go up to the barn or down to the sea, picking shells or going out in the boat to fish. Every time we came back from fishing my grandmother would have made cocoa and we'd have supper. The next day everybody (aunts, uncle, cousins, anyone who happened to be there) would come for dinner and we'd have lots of fish and vegetables, sitting by the long dinner table in the living room. My uncle would sit at the end of the table, my grandparents next to him. My parents, my brother and I (and my sister when she was born) would sit squeezed up against the wall on the other side on soft green chairs.
Today was four years since my grandfather's funeral. My grandmother died six years before him, almost ten years ago. I miss them.. Summer for me will always be summer on the island.
Happy days.
It made me think about my uncle, he's been in a wheelchair since he was big enough to fit in one. He's one of my mother's brothers, the youngest of 10 siblings. Haven't seen him for at least a year and a half - he lives far away, up north, not on the island where he grew up but in the city on the mainland, a ferry ride away. I've got two other aunts and one more uncle in that city - only one of each (and their families) left on the island itself now.
My uncle's is... I don't know the politically correct term in English.. is mentally retarded still ok? He funtions as well as a six year old, most of the time anyway. Quite a temper but a nice guy. Always wants a hug.. I even seem to remember sitting on his lap when I was little, but that could just be something I wish I remembered. When we were on the island with my grandparents during summer we (my cousins, their friend Jim, my brother and I) used to play with my uncle's old wheelchair, it was in the garage (big garage, one car, lots and lots of fishing equipment) and we'd take it out on the road (no such thing as asphalt(?) anywhere near there) or the lawn, pushing each other around. Or if my uncle was out using his electric chair, we'd play with it after he'd gone back inside or moved to his regular wheelchair.
Then we'd go see the pigs or the cows or the hens laying eggs, the cat, the dog, go up to the barn or down to the sea, picking shells or going out in the boat to fish. Every time we came back from fishing my grandmother would have made cocoa and we'd have supper. The next day everybody (aunts, uncle, cousins, anyone who happened to be there) would come for dinner and we'd have lots of fish and vegetables, sitting by the long dinner table in the living room. My uncle would sit at the end of the table, my grandparents next to him. My parents, my brother and I (and my sister when she was born) would sit squeezed up against the wall on the other side on soft green chairs.
Today was four years since my grandfather's funeral. My grandmother died six years before him, almost ten years ago. I miss them.. Summer for me will always be summer on the island.
Happy days.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Saturday, February 12, 2005
What about later?
What if there is life after death? Or rather; Paradise after death. What if you 'wake up' on the other side and keep on 'living' into eternity. You are reunited with parents, grandparents, friends, everyone you used to know and love.
What then if you used to be married/engaged/have a boyfriend/girlfriend. What if this person passed away early in your lives, you spent two, five, ten years grieving before moving on. Then you fell in love again and built a life with another person, maybe you have children together, maybe you already have children. You grow old, you die, or maybe you don't even grow old before you die. Maybe your second love has already passed away. Maybe not.
What then when you come to Heaven, to Paradise? When you meet all the people you used to love; parents, grandparents, friends. And lovers. You will spend eternity with the person you love... but who is that?
Is it the first wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend you loved more than life, that you lost years ago?
Or is it the second that gave you your strength back and made you want to keep living after years of saddness?
How do you know? Isn't Paradise or Heaven supposed to be a happy place? One of these two people will 'live forever' with the love of their life. The other won't. How do you know?
I'm finishing The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields.
Guess it's put my 'pondering hat' back on :)
What then if you used to be married/engaged/have a boyfriend/girlfriend. What if this person passed away early in your lives, you spent two, five, ten years grieving before moving on. Then you fell in love again and built a life with another person, maybe you have children together, maybe you already have children. You grow old, you die, or maybe you don't even grow old before you die. Maybe your second love has already passed away. Maybe not.
What then when you come to Heaven, to Paradise? When you meet all the people you used to love; parents, grandparents, friends. And lovers. You will spend eternity with the person you love... but who is that?
Is it the first wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend you loved more than life, that you lost years ago?
Or is it the second that gave you your strength back and made you want to keep living after years of saddness?
How do you know? Isn't Paradise or Heaven supposed to be a happy place? One of these two people will 'live forever' with the love of their life. The other won't. How do you know?
I'm finishing The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields.
Guess it's put my 'pondering hat' back on :)
Friday, February 11, 2005
Gizoogle
Playa
There's a military pimpin' thing going on in tha ocean jizzust off tha coast droppin hits. Gangsta fizzle several countries is out there fo' a couple of weeks before mov'n gangsta N-to-tha-izzorth where they wizzy be joined by more motherfucka from hustla countries. They'll pretend ta be Trippin' tha peace' in a country called Utopia . It dont stop till the wheels fall off.
And this weekend I saw a pimp so bow down to the bow wow. Well, it looked more like a smizzay airplane, but it was a playa sho nuff. Wit four windows like in airplanes, biggest bitch I've ever seen. People star'n up into tha sky everywhere with the gangsta shit that keeps ya hangin. Today there were two more, normal sized though, strange green colour, fly'n over tha city.
That's the Gizoogle translation of my helicopter comment. Maybe I should writing like this...
There's a military pimpin' thing going on in tha ocean jizzust off tha coast droppin hits. Gangsta fizzle several countries is out there fo' a couple of weeks before mov'n gangsta N-to-tha-izzorth where they wizzy be joined by more motherfucka from hustla countries. They'll pretend ta be Trippin' tha peace' in a country called Utopia . It dont stop till the wheels fall off.
And this weekend I saw a pimp so bow down to the bow wow. Well, it looked more like a smizzay airplane, but it was a playa sho nuff. Wit four windows like in airplanes, biggest bitch I've ever seen. People star'n up into tha sky everywhere with the gangsta shit that keeps ya hangin. Today there were two more, normal sized though, strange green colour, fly'n over tha city.
That's the Gizoogle translation of my helicopter comment. Maybe I should writing like this...
Thursday, February 10, 2005
The last week
The net took a break on Friday and wasn't back up until Tuesday. I hate it when that happens during the weekend, they usually fix it on Monday but this time it took until Tuesday night. But I'm back (can't get rid of me) and I've listed a few things I wanted to comment on.
Helicopters
There's a military training thing going on in the ocean just off the coast. Soldiers from several countries are out there for a couple of weeks before moving further north where they will be joined by more soldiers from other countries. They'll pretend to be 'protecting the peace' in a country called Utopia.
And this weekend I saw a helicopter. Well, it looked more like a small airplane, but it was a helicopter. With four windows like in airplanes, biggest helicopter I've ever seen. People staring up into the sky everywhere. Today there were two more, normal sized though, strange green colour, flying over the city.
Dream 1
I dreamt I was wearing see-through underwear under see-through clothes. Not a good idea. Rather disturbing actually... :)
Dream 2
A dream about something I thought I'd remember but I've forgot.
Singing birds
The birds here are singing at night. We don't usually hear birds singing during the winter, they've all gone south months ago. But now they're singing at 3am. I know this because I'm awake at 3am, which I shouldn't be. But the birds are awake too... I wonder what's going on.
Dragon Mountain
After they've started tearing down the Student Centre where we used to have our lectures, we now go to the concert hall Grieghallen, and we've also had our first lecture at the law school, or the law department of the University. There are 850 of us and they have to split us between two auditoriums to fit us in. Most of us, anyway. The law school is affectionately, and officially, known as the Dragon Mountain. That's what it says in the papers we get from the University, that's what the professors say; "the next lecture is at the Dragon Mountain". Guess that says it all about our future lawyers.
Great professor
I love our Cognition professor! I do, I really do. We've had one lecture Monday afternoon. Entering the auditorium tired after lectures on Methods and Developmental Psychology, we all quickly woke up. The professor is from Switzerland and he's great. He takes a few seconds to get his Norwegian right every time, although we understand him perfectly (most of the time), but when he's the funniest guy you've met in ages, it's really really worth it. And it's not like some of the other professors who seem to struggle to put a joke in there, he just says something or does something and... I don't know, maybe he should be a comedian. He's a natural. Plus he really knows what he's talking about - I went straight home and started reading the book. Can't wait for the next lecture on Cognition.
Attachment
We talked about attachment in Development. Some kids don't get a strong attachment to their parents and can have problems getting attached to people later in life. They can grow up (and into) not needing intimacy or being close to others. As adults they are just like everybody else, they just have problems telling or showing people they care about them, or they just don't need other people. We learnt about a lot of different kinds of children and adults, but I noticed this one. I'm wondering if that's what happened to me. Not that my parents ever did anything wrong, it's not about that, but maybe I just... have that kind of personality.
What if I'll never be able to tell, or show, someone that I care about them? What if I'll never let myself need anyone? How would that work? That's the way it is now, maybe the critical and/or sensitive periods for attachment are long gone and I'm forever destined to... well it's not that I don't care about people, cuz I do. I guess it's just hard to see, and it must seem like I don't really care about anyone. But I do.
Dream 3
I dreamt I was drinking coke. Which is strange because I don't really like coke...
Dream 4
Started dreaming a lot lately... Dreamt a woman was paying for something at a shop and she had 20 øre (3.5 cents) less than what she had to pay (weird since our smallest coin is 50 øre). The person at the till said it didn't matter. Then the woman walked out and I found 20 øre. Suddenly I was that woman and I walked back into the shop and gave them the 20 øre coin I had found.
We Were Soldiers
This was the Sunday night movie last week and I decided to watch it. After having seen Full Metal Jacket a few days earlier, I guess I expected something like it. I liked the first part of FMJ but the second part was... well I can't really say, I've never been anywhere close to a situation like that, but it didn't seem real and the feeling just wasn't there. In We Were Soldiers, however, the feeling was there. Big time. I loved it. I sometimes hope the ending won't be a happy ending when I watch movies because happy endings... life isn't always like that. We want it to be, but it's not reality. That's a horrible thing to say isn't it? Not wanting happy endings? Anyway, I don't know if you've seen it or not, but in the last scene, when the taxi came, I was expecting a letter. And when it wasn't... I think everyone who has seen that movie must have felt the relief I felt. Even if it was just a movie. I hope real life has happy endings.
Helicopters
There's a military training thing going on in the ocean just off the coast. Soldiers from several countries are out there for a couple of weeks before moving further north where they will be joined by more soldiers from other countries. They'll pretend to be 'protecting the peace' in a country called Utopia.
And this weekend I saw a helicopter. Well, it looked more like a small airplane, but it was a helicopter. With four windows like in airplanes, biggest helicopter I've ever seen. People staring up into the sky everywhere. Today there were two more, normal sized though, strange green colour, flying over the city.
Dream 1
I dreamt I was wearing see-through underwear under see-through clothes. Not a good idea. Rather disturbing actually... :)
Dream 2
A dream about something I thought I'd remember but I've forgot.
Singing birds
The birds here are singing at night. We don't usually hear birds singing during the winter, they've all gone south months ago. But now they're singing at 3am. I know this because I'm awake at 3am, which I shouldn't be. But the birds are awake too... I wonder what's going on.
Dragon Mountain
After they've started tearing down the Student Centre where we used to have our lectures, we now go to the concert hall Grieghallen, and we've also had our first lecture at the law school, or the law department of the University. There are 850 of us and they have to split us between two auditoriums to fit us in. Most of us, anyway. The law school is affectionately, and officially, known as the Dragon Mountain. That's what it says in the papers we get from the University, that's what the professors say; "the next lecture is at the Dragon Mountain". Guess that says it all about our future lawyers.
Great professor
I love our Cognition professor! I do, I really do. We've had one lecture Monday afternoon. Entering the auditorium tired after lectures on Methods and Developmental Psychology, we all quickly woke up. The professor is from Switzerland and he's great. He takes a few seconds to get his Norwegian right every time, although we understand him perfectly (most of the time), but when he's the funniest guy you've met in ages, it's really really worth it. And it's not like some of the other professors who seem to struggle to put a joke in there, he just says something or does something and... I don't know, maybe he should be a comedian. He's a natural. Plus he really knows what he's talking about - I went straight home and started reading the book. Can't wait for the next lecture on Cognition.
Attachment
We talked about attachment in Development. Some kids don't get a strong attachment to their parents and can have problems getting attached to people later in life. They can grow up (and into) not needing intimacy or being close to others. As adults they are just like everybody else, they just have problems telling or showing people they care about them, or they just don't need other people. We learnt about a lot of different kinds of children and adults, but I noticed this one. I'm wondering if that's what happened to me. Not that my parents ever did anything wrong, it's not about that, but maybe I just... have that kind of personality.
What if I'll never be able to tell, or show, someone that I care about them? What if I'll never let myself need anyone? How would that work? That's the way it is now, maybe the critical and/or sensitive periods for attachment are long gone and I'm forever destined to... well it's not that I don't care about people, cuz I do. I guess it's just hard to see, and it must seem like I don't really care about anyone. But I do.
Dream 3
I dreamt I was drinking coke. Which is strange because I don't really like coke...
Dream 4
Started dreaming a lot lately... Dreamt a woman was paying for something at a shop and she had 20 øre (3.5 cents) less than what she had to pay (weird since our smallest coin is 50 øre). The person at the till said it didn't matter. Then the woman walked out and I found 20 øre. Suddenly I was that woman and I walked back into the shop and gave them the 20 øre coin I had found.
We Were Soldiers
This was the Sunday night movie last week and I decided to watch it. After having seen Full Metal Jacket a few days earlier, I guess I expected something like it. I liked the first part of FMJ but the second part was... well I can't really say, I've never been anywhere close to a situation like that, but it didn't seem real and the feeling just wasn't there. In We Were Soldiers, however, the feeling was there. Big time. I loved it. I sometimes hope the ending won't be a happy ending when I watch movies because happy endings... life isn't always like that. We want it to be, but it's not reality. That's a horrible thing to say isn't it? Not wanting happy endings? Anyway, I don't know if you've seen it or not, but in the last scene, when the taxi came, I was expecting a letter. And when it wasn't... I think everyone who has seen that movie must have felt the relief I felt. Even if it was just a movie. I hope real life has happy endings.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
I don't like this man!
U.S. General Says It Is 'Fun to Shoot Some People'
By Will Dunham
Thu Feb 3, 2005 03:08 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. Marine Corps general who said it was "fun to shoot some people" should have chosen his words more carefully but will not be disciplined, military officials said on Thursday.
Lt. Gen. James Mattis, who led troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, made the comments at a conference Tuesday in San Diego.
"Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling," said Mattis.
"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said during a panel discussion. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."
In a statement, Gen. Michael Hagee, commander of the Marine Corps, praised Mattis as "one of this country's bravest and most experienced military leaders."
"While I understand that some people may take issue with the comments made by him, I also know he intended to reflect the unfortunate and harsh realities of war," Hagee said.
"I have counseled him concerning his remarks and he agrees he should have chosen his words more carefully," Hagee added.
Maj. Jason Johnston, a Marine spokesman at the Pentagon, said Hagee did not plan any disciplinary action against Mattis. Johnston declined to provide details of how Hagee had counseled Mattis, calling it a private matter.
At a Pentagon briefing on Thursday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he could not comment on the remarks, but Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the general as having set a stellar example for troops in his service abroad.
Mattis is commander of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico, Virginia, south of Washington.
© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
Yeah alright, I get what he's saying. When you're out there it's probably a whole lot different than sitting at home thinking about it. But this was said at a conference. A "lets sit down and talk about stuff" place, not an enemy in sight.
"So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them"
Fun? FUN???
Now that is where the understanding me stops, blinks twice and goes "excuse me??"
"Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the general as having set a stellar example for troops in his service abroad."
He could have meant that Lt. Gen. Mattis had set a great example in general, how he's fought for his country and been a good soldier. But here we read that Rumsfeld couldn't comment on Mattis' statements, Pace did instead, and said Mattis had set 'a stellar example'. Now I'm just hoping Reuters took this out of context and Pace actually did mean what I wrote above. Otherwise... well, should people go around saying it should be fun to kill others?
Even if there's a war? Even if you're a general?
I'm just asking....
By Will Dunham
Thu Feb 3, 2005 03:08 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. Marine Corps general who said it was "fun to shoot some people" should have chosen his words more carefully but will not be disciplined, military officials said on Thursday.
Lt. Gen. James Mattis, who led troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, made the comments at a conference Tuesday in San Diego.
"Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling," said Mattis.
"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said during a panel discussion. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."
In a statement, Gen. Michael Hagee, commander of the Marine Corps, praised Mattis as "one of this country's bravest and most experienced military leaders."
"While I understand that some people may take issue with the comments made by him, I also know he intended to reflect the unfortunate and harsh realities of war," Hagee said.
"I have counseled him concerning his remarks and he agrees he should have chosen his words more carefully," Hagee added.
Maj. Jason Johnston, a Marine spokesman at the Pentagon, said Hagee did not plan any disciplinary action against Mattis. Johnston declined to provide details of how Hagee had counseled Mattis, calling it a private matter.
At a Pentagon briefing on Thursday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he could not comment on the remarks, but Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the general as having set a stellar example for troops in his service abroad.
Mattis is commander of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico, Virginia, south of Washington.
© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
Yeah alright, I get what he's saying. When you're out there it's probably a whole lot different than sitting at home thinking about it. But this was said at a conference. A "lets sit down and talk about stuff" place, not an enemy in sight.
"So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them"
Fun? FUN???
Now that is where the understanding me stops, blinks twice and goes "excuse me??"
"Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the general as having set a stellar example for troops in his service abroad."
He could have meant that Lt. Gen. Mattis had set a great example in general, how he's fought for his country and been a good soldier. But here we read that Rumsfeld couldn't comment on Mattis' statements, Pace did instead, and said Mattis had set 'a stellar example'. Now I'm just hoping Reuters took this out of context and Pace actually did mean what I wrote above. Otherwise... well, should people go around saying it should be fun to kill others?
Even if there's a war? Even if you're a general?
I'm just asking....
Breakfast at Tiffany's
I just finished watching Breakfast at Tiffany's. It was nice but I wish they'd kept the ending from the book... I think they've changed it, haven't they? Apart from Holly herself, the ending was the best part of the whole book... They must have changed it. Didn't feel the same.
I wonder who that Paul guy is... Of course, if I really wanted to, I could find his name in five seconds but I don't want to know his name. He just seemed nice... Blonde hair, blue eyes... he didn't smile a whole lot, come to think of it... And he wasn't a rat. Or a super rat. Just a pussycat, really. Like Cat.
I wonder who that Paul guy is... Of course, if I really wanted to, I could find his name in five seconds but I don't want to know his name. He just seemed nice... Blonde hair, blue eyes... he didn't smile a whole lot, come to think of it... And he wasn't a rat. Or a super rat. Just a pussycat, really. Like Cat.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Annoyed
Yeah, that didn't work... I don't even remember hearing the alarm go off this morning. I think I'm thinking too much about it. No more thinking. If I don't think about not sleeping then maybe I'll sleep. Some people have so much to do they don't have time to sleep, others aren't allowed to sleep and then there's me; I can sleep all I want. If only I fell asleep. And woke up.
Am I going a little crazy here?
Anyways, I got the movies this club sent me, Full Metal Jacket and Breakfast at Tiffany's, today. I'll watch the first one later, I think...
There are fireworks outside...
Am I going a little crazy here?
Anyways, I got the movies this club sent me, Full Metal Jacket and Breakfast at Tiffany's, today. I'll watch the first one later, I think...
There are fireworks outside...
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Haircut anyone?
Here's an article in Norwegian. I found it in English on BBC and Ananova but BBC sounded too angry and "we're right, you're wrong" about it, and Ananova just quoted BBC. If you don't read Norwegian just click either of the links above (the BBC one is long, the Ananova one is short).
Here's the reason I'm posting it:
"Kampanjen informerer samtidig om at langt hår begrenser hjerneaktiviteten fordi oksygentilførselen til nervene i hjernen blir redusert."
"The campaign also informs us that long hair limits the brain activity because the oxygen to the nerves in the brain is reduced."
Til kamp mot langt hår
(VG Nett) Det totalitære styret i Nord-Korea krever at alle menn kvitter seg med sine anti-sosialistiske frisyrer. Maks hårlengde: fem centimeter.
Av ERLEND FERNANDEZ STEDDING
Den statlige TV-kanalen som kjører kampanjen skyr ingen midler i kampen mot den minimale, men økende vestlige påvirkningen i det til nå svært lukkede landet.
Lederen klippet seg
De som ikke klipper seg blir hengt ut med navn, adresse og bilde. Selv den totalitære lederen Kim Jong Il har trimmet lokkene for å gå foran som et godt eksempel, melder nyhetsbyrået AP.
I tillegg blir det til stadiget repetert på TV-sendingene at personer med langt hår er uhygieniske anti-sosialistiske tullinger.
I et av innslagene viser de bilde av en langhåret mann ved navn Ko Gwang Hyun samtidig som TV-seerne blir konfrontert med problemstillingen:
- Kan vi forvente oss at en mann med dette tildekte hodet er i stand til å utføre sine plikter?
Begrenser hjerneaktiviteten
Makslengden på håret er satt til fem centimeter, men de som begynner å dra på årene og har behov for mer ull til en hentesveis for lov til å strekke seg til syv centimeter. Kampanjen informerer samtidig om at langt hår begrenser hjerneaktiviteten fordi oksygentilførselen til nervene i hjernen blir redusert.
Men det kommer ingen forklaring på hvorfor kvinner fortsatt får lov til gå med langt hår.
Og navnet på kampanjen?
- La oss klippe oss i tråd med den sosialistiske livsstil.
(VG NETT 01.02.05 kl. 11:44)
Here's the reason I'm posting it:
"Kampanjen informerer samtidig om at langt hår begrenser hjerneaktiviteten fordi oksygentilførselen til nervene i hjernen blir redusert."
"The campaign also informs us that long hair limits the brain activity because the oxygen to the nerves in the brain is reduced."
Til kamp mot langt hår
(VG Nett) Det totalitære styret i Nord-Korea krever at alle menn kvitter seg med sine anti-sosialistiske frisyrer. Maks hårlengde: fem centimeter.
Av ERLEND FERNANDEZ STEDDING
Den statlige TV-kanalen som kjører kampanjen skyr ingen midler i kampen mot den minimale, men økende vestlige påvirkningen i det til nå svært lukkede landet.
Lederen klippet seg
De som ikke klipper seg blir hengt ut med navn, adresse og bilde. Selv den totalitære lederen Kim Jong Il har trimmet lokkene for å gå foran som et godt eksempel, melder nyhetsbyrået AP.
I tillegg blir det til stadiget repetert på TV-sendingene at personer med langt hår er uhygieniske anti-sosialistiske tullinger.
I et av innslagene viser de bilde av en langhåret mann ved navn Ko Gwang Hyun samtidig som TV-seerne blir konfrontert med problemstillingen:
- Kan vi forvente oss at en mann med dette tildekte hodet er i stand til å utføre sine plikter?
Begrenser hjerneaktiviteten
Makslengden på håret er satt til fem centimeter, men de som begynner å dra på årene og har behov for mer ull til en hentesveis for lov til å strekke seg til syv centimeter. Kampanjen informerer samtidig om at langt hår begrenser hjerneaktiviteten fordi oksygentilførselen til nervene i hjernen blir redusert.
Men det kommer ingen forklaring på hvorfor kvinner fortsatt får lov til gå med langt hår.
Og navnet på kampanjen?
- La oss klippe oss i tråd med den sosialistiske livsstil.
(VG NETT 01.02.05 kl. 11:44)
It's February!
This month only has 28 days. Four weeks. January is long gone and spring is a little closer. The word February probably comes from the name on a Roman god, Februs, or the word 'februa', meaning the festivals of purification celebrated in Rome. In Ukranian, the names of the months actually mean something a little more... normal (I hate that word) than this; the name for February means 'the angry month'. The reason I know this is that I read this blog, and I remember this post from a while back.
I just joined this 'rent-a-movie' site. You can try it out for 10 days without paying and I thought it seemed like a good idea because then I should be able to see about four movies that I've wanted to see but can't find anywhere. I'll probably have to be a member for a month, something always happens, the movies are late or I have to let them know before I send them back and then I have to send them back before the ten days... They design these things to trick you, but being a member for a month isn't too bad if I get to see some good movies.
The reason I mentioned that was this: do you know any good films? Old ones, new ones, films everyone should see? I know there are so many out there I haven't seen but should, I just can't think of them right now... I just checked the page and they've sent me two of the films on my list (I have to make sure there are 10 titles on there so they always have something to send me); Full Metal Jacket and Breakfast at Tiffany's. I read the book 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' a while ago, found it at Gibert Jeune (I miss that place..) and I can't wait to see it. Can't believe I never have...
Oh, and I still can't fall asleep. I can sleep alright, but not until the morning. I'll probably stay awake until 7am again tonight...tomorrow, tossing and turning, but if I do, I'm gonna pull myself out of bed at 9am no matter what. I just love sleeping...
I'm gonna make soup.
I just joined this 'rent-a-movie' site. You can try it out for 10 days without paying and I thought it seemed like a good idea because then I should be able to see about four movies that I've wanted to see but can't find anywhere. I'll probably have to be a member for a month, something always happens, the movies are late or I have to let them know before I send them back and then I have to send them back before the ten days... They design these things to trick you, but being a member for a month isn't too bad if I get to see some good movies.
The reason I mentioned that was this: do you know any good films? Old ones, new ones, films everyone should see? I know there are so many out there I haven't seen but should, I just can't think of them right now... I just checked the page and they've sent me two of the films on my list (I have to make sure there are 10 titles on there so they always have something to send me); Full Metal Jacket and Breakfast at Tiffany's. I read the book 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' a while ago, found it at Gibert Jeune (I miss that place..) and I can't wait to see it. Can't believe I never have...
Oh, and I still can't fall asleep. I can sleep alright, but not until the morning. I'll probably stay awake until 7am again tonight...tomorrow, tossing and turning, but if I do, I'm gonna pull myself out of bed at 9am no matter what. I just love sleeping...
I'm gonna make soup.
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