“The Dance of Death”, in Iraq?

Today, I hear the terrible news that the USA has decided to escalate the conflict, by sending 20’000 additional troops. The situation in Iraq is horrible and seems to be going from bad to worse. The vacuum of centralized power has split the country into numerus factions. Irak is a war zone and in a state of civil war.

The Iraqis are without hope. Desperate at the situation, they see the American/Coalition presence as the cause of their inhuman life. The guerillas seem to have no problem in getting support from the population and even the local police. They are being helped with their silence, help, and ressources. The conflict will only worsen, unless the country is stable and find a person or idea to back behind – somehow to find a new common Iraki identity.

The parallels to the Vietnam War are horrific. There military are sending more resources and trying to delegate the military power to the local authorises. The question is how can conventional troops gain a military victory in a civil war, without support from the population? They are slowly getting deeper and deeper bogged down. They won the war but lost the peace. This it tragic for both parties, they are as now doomed to continue the dance of death. More dead troops, more dead Iraqis and pushing the country into further destruction.

The sending of further troops, are just making more potential targets for the disillusion population. Never underestimate the power of hate, it is far easier unite against someone with hatred, than to unite for a common good. I guess what Bush and the “neo-cons” where planing was some sort of nation building. But what do you do with a country that doesn’t have the institutions to handle democracy. Is there hope? There is all ready enough pain to go around and there has to be a solution! Saddam might be gone, but was is really worth it sacifice? Are the Iraqis better of now?

I hope that Iraq gets stabilized and that there can be some kind og peace. I might be grasping at straws, but maybe there is a Iraqi Atatürk? The founder of the republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, was able to reform Turkey to a secular democratic progressive state. His legacy has kept Turkey in the realm of the secular state. Maybe he could succeed where the Americans have lost? I know, i know - I am grasping at straws….

In going to end with a little quote and a picture…

 

“Oh rational creature,
who desires eternal life.
Here you have wisdom, worth noting:
to properly end your mortal life.
It’s called the dance of death,
which everyone will learn to dance.
For man and woman it’s natural,
Death spares neither small nor great [persons].
In this mirror everyone can read
that he will dance likewise.
Sage is he who mirrors himself well.
Death makes the living [one] advance,
You will see the greatest begin [= lead the dance]
for there is nobody whom Death does not vanquish.
It’s a pitiable thing to consider.
All are forged out of the same material….”

(Source: http://www.dodedans.com/Eparis.htm)

 

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Holbein-death.png)

The Elimination of Television?

Is TV evil?

I find a bit too much enjoyment in watching TV. It is so easy, to lul down in front of the fluorescent light of television – and time has a habit of flying by… I do not even dare to think of how much time I have spent in front of channels like DR2, NGC and Discovery. The temptation of television is a real problem, for me!

Now let’s just for the fun of it, say that you watch on average of 1,5 hours of TV every day (about average for most people).The tendency is, to watch more in the week-end than the week-day. This ads up to 10,5 hours a week! Try thinking about, what other activities you could be doing? Reading or what about talking with people dear to you. Is watching TV a so fulfilling and important activity for you?! Can this massive consumption of time be justified? Everybody complains that they are so busy: “well do they watch tv?”

I have tried to show moral strength, and various tricks to do something about it. But they did not work. But my last “trick” did the trick! When I moved in my current domicile, I decided to donate my TV to my dear sister. Since I had a tv-receiver in my laptop I thought it would be a hindrance for me thourds watching TV. Well, I still watched some of my favorite shows. The end result, was that I reduced – but still used too much time with the “TV temptress”. I did not go without, but it was a small obstacle. Three months ago, the darnest thing happend – my TV-receiver broke. I had a choice, live without or get the receiver fixed. And I chose the first option.

No, I have no TV problem. The only withdrawal symptoms was that all of a sudden, I had more time to do some of my projects. I am not going to exaggerate the benefits, but feel I more “sharp” and creative in my thinking. These benefits far outweigh the surplus of time. I believe that that far more people doing with out the “TV temptress”.

I suppose that TV ‘pro forma’ has some benefits. The main purpose should be to educate and inform the citizen. But I can’t see this happening – people want to be lulled. Soaps, game and reality shows – are what the people want. If I had a TV, there really isn’t that much I would like to watch (besides zapping from channel to channel)…

The question is, if the “use” of television is harmful for ones mental abilities? And if the answer is “yes”, than it should have some consequences. I believe that TV adherently causes improper and/or excessive use – could even be as negative as passive smoking and other abuses. I would call the “use” of TV, abuse.

If I can’t convince you, take a look on http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/. There is even have a great pod cast (http://turnoffyourtv.libsyn.com/rss), witch Ron Kaufman is the author. He has a very critical view of the influence that the TV-media has on the American society, and other topics like the Irak war, democracy, and current american affair… It’s great and has a sound, and positive message.

I used to have a TV, now I have not.

Reducing, and reducing…

For the last couple of months i’ve been busy trying to simplifying my goals and working hard trying to achive them. It’s just too easy being distracted by too many wishes and ambitions – this hits me hard! The end result is not getting anywhere.

One of  many possible reductions, was to discontinue with writing on this blog. I have not taken a final decision on the matter, but so far I’ll still write. The blog format is a bit weird, and you can’t help asking the question: “what is the purpose?” I can’t really justify it, and this nags me.

As long as I have fun writing, I’ll be hanging in there - but a bit doubtful at times and still asking myself “what are you doing with your time?”….

Clearwire problems and the resolution…

A week ago, I wrote a blogpost with the title “www.clearwire.dk = Crapwire!”. I have now, no longer any reasons to hold animosity/hatred agains Clearwire/Danske Telecom. I was angry, now happy…. I removed the post (24/10-06) from my site after I was able to cancel my contract with clearwire and offered a full compensation for my entire period (April/May 2006) to this date.

Reasons and a “short story”…

First and foremost – I removed my post of my own free will and as a sign of goodwill (def. : “An attitude of kindness or friendliness; benevolence”). As did the Clearwire company by offering me, far more than I asked for. For a long period (July/August 2006) onwards, I have had a unstable connection. Some of the time it worked, but repeatedly my access to the web was unstable and at frequent times modem speed (not 1024/128). To make a long story short, Clearwire was willing, but not able to fix it. I had repeatedly contacted to clearwire via mail. I felt that my problems were being (partially?) ignored and there was a too long time delay form the company.

Here in October I had had enough. I wrote a detailed mail (12/10-06) over my problems the last few days, demanded some kind of compensation for my longstanding problems or else… My mail was unanswered. I was to say it frankly “pissed of”. The results was a very harsh mail where I made my situation clear that i was going to make a case made against clearwire/danske telecom. Second, my post “www.clearwire.dk = Crapwire!”. I chose to express my grievances and annoyances by posting on my blog. Some people express there anger by beating old ladyes to a pulp - I wrote a blogpost and a mail.

The day after, I was contacted by Christoffer Castenskiold (Vice President Consumer…) and shortly after by Peter Jerry Sørensen – shortly after thing fell in to place. Here and now i am satisfied by the actions taken by the Clearwire company, especially the co-founder and CEO Peter Jerry Sørensen. Thet have proved by their actions that they are serious ISP. The resolution can be summed up as follows:

1) full compensation + “goodwill”.

2) able to get out of contract immediately.

3) taking my problems serious.

4) showing clear action – not only words.

5) not having to make a formal complaint, and perhaps a civil courtcase…

6) making my bad experience to a good one….

 The end…