(no subject)

I think I might actually get this thing done this weekend.

*crosses fingers*

it will take a very big bunny to ever get me to write supernatural again.

very very very big.

*bangs head at the stupidity of it all*

Nuclear option to prevent Nuclear proliferation in Iran

Yep, you read that right. About the only thing that this article does do is provide a little bit of reassurance that right now strategy is leaking out of the White House rather than being quite as hidden prior to the Iraq war. (And let me say, I support the troops and admire them, but I don't agree with many of the stategic decisions being made for their use).

Scariest quotes from within the article:

A government consultant with close ties to the civilian leadership inthe Pentagon said that Bush was “absolutely convinced that Iran isgoing to get the bomb” if it is not stopped. He said that the Presidentbelieves that he must do “what no Democrat or Republican, if elected inthe future, would have the courage to do,” and “that saving Iran isgoing to be his legacy.

One former defense official, who still deals with sensitive issues forthe Bush Administration, told me that the military planning waspremised on a belief that “a sustained bombing campaign in Iran willhumiliate the religious leadership and lead the public to rise up andoverthrow the government.” He added, “I was shocked when I heard it,and asked myself, ‘What are they smoking?’ ”

A senior Pentagon adviser on the war on terror expressed a similarview. “This White House believes that the only way to solve the problemis to change the power structure in Iran, and that means war,” he said.The danger, he said, was that “it also reinforces the belief insideIran that the only way to defend the country is to have a nuclearcapability.”

He went on, “Nuclear planners go through extensive training andlearn the technical details of damage and fallout—we’re talking aboutmushroom clouds, radiation, mass casualties, and contamination overyears. This is not an underground nuclear test, where all you see isthe earth raised a little bit. These politicians don’t have a clue, andwhenever anybody tries to get it out”—remove the nuclearoption—“they’re shouted down.”

The attention given to thenuclear option has created serious misgivings inside the offices of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, he added, and some officers have talked aboutresigning. Late this winter, the Joint Chiefs of Staff sought to removethe nuclear option from the evolving war plans for Iran—withoutsuccess, the former intelligence official said. “The White House said,‘Why are you challenging this? The option came from you.’ ”

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My question to all this: Why the hell does the administration not employ a qualified advisor on Arab, Islamic, and Iranian culture? All you have to do is look at the past 20 years to see exactly how the current Iranian (president and clerics) leadership will respond to strong arm tactics. And the Iranian people aren't going to be too appreciative of it either given that they have a front row seat to Iraq.

Insane. I keep looking at the calendar and praying that today is April 1. No such luck. Instead it's just another day in the current administration that we have to survive for another three years...unless legal occurences actually manage to take down the whole one-brained administration and prevent a Delay-ite from assuming power.

Supernatural Fic Rec

The Language of This Foreign Country by ignipes.

I admit it, I'm jealous. I don't know how she does it, but I swear ignipipes has the boys whispering in her ear as she writes. She completely nails their personalities, their relationship, and has the nuances of their speech down pat. Add in the ability to weave in plots and themes perfectly, and you have fanfic gold.

Question: How do we get her hired on as an SN writer?

whoa is...

Well, I missed having to pay a penalty for my federal taxes by eleven dollars. This is thanks to the fact that the stupid business office decided to stop taking any taxes out of my check when i switched out of a university lab to a lab affiliated w/ the children's hospital (which has no direct university affiliation.). *rolls eyes* Which yes, if i'd gone and gotten my pay stubs every month, i would have noticed that a year ago. As it is, i'm glad I paid in the 900 dollars w/ the intent ofnot having to pay anything in this april. Oh well.

And now I get to remember to pay in 2000 before the end of the year. So much of using that monetary award to pay off my credit card or anything fun. I get to go back to living like a poor grad student instead.

No writing was done today since apparently the turkey sausages I bought reacted badly even though there's nothing I can see that should...though the fake smoke taste was very very strong. Nothing bad reaction wise except some mild cramps and me passing out for two hours despite waking up at 11 am. Siiigh, so much for doing laundry today either.

But Phil Mickleson won the Masters...so that's something. Though it was rather a very boring round, and four days, of golf for some reason. Just none of the energy of past years and everyone struggling with the lengthened course as well as dry greens. I think they've gotten rather too used to playing on water logged courses these past two years.

No Grey's Anatomy tonight makes me sad.