Nature reports today the discovery of a branch of the family of Man on the island of Flores in the Indonesian archipelago.
Believed to have lived into pre-historical times until a volcanic eruption 12,000 years ago, the adults stood about three feet tall.
Most cultures have within their mythology and folk memories tales of "the others" - little people, elves, forest dwellers.
There may have been something behind these memories.

 

I was saddened to learn this morning that John Peel had died suddenly while on holiday in Cuzco, Peru. For many of my generation, his was the voice from the static of the transistor radio in the wee small hours. Along with Dave Fanning of RTE, John Peel on the BBC introduced many to the edgy and innovative music that was such a contrast to the daytime menu of pop and disco.

 

In memory of John, R.I.P.

 

Teenage Kicks
by Undertones

Are teenage dreams so hard to beat
Everytime she walks down the street
Another girl in the neighbourhood
Wish she was mine, she looks so good

I wanna hold her wanna hold her tight
Get teenage kicks right through the night

I'm gonna call her on the telephone
Have her over cos i'm all alone
I need excitement oh i need it bad
And its the best, i've ever had

I wanna hold her wanna hold her tight
Get teenage kicks right through the night

I wanna hold her wanna hold her tight
Get teenage kicks right through the night
 

President Bush has unveiled a new speech today. In a couple of appearances he has used new phrases including this: "...America has sounded a certain trumpet..."
For those that can hear it, the reference is clear.First Corinthians Chapter 14, verse 8:  “For if the note of the trumpet be uncertain, who shall prepare himself for the battle?”
So stay tuned for more coded messages this week and next.

 

Today is the 150th anniversary of the Charge of the Light Brigade. This action took place during the Crimea War and was one of the many events of that conflict that were reported by correspondents and photographers in the first war to be covered by the developing mass media.
I won't stress the parallel with the more than 600 British troops that are today being moved towards Baghdad or the fact that the "cannon" are suspected to be there but won't be clearly seen until they are upon them.
I will note that the original charge has been differently viewed over the years. The Victorians saw it as a glorious muddle with the emphasis on the glory. By the 1960's - maybe in light of the half centenary of the First World War - it was being seen as the result of class divides with arrogant and incompetent leaders ordering the charge.
And, yes, there was a Heavy Brigade! And what a war for clothing: Cardigan, Raglan, Balaclava all entered the language.

 

Hear Tennyson recite his poem into an Edison recorder:

 

The AFP reported today that the listing of the nations participating in the "Coalition of the Willing" has been dropped from the White House website. The speculation was that after the Cheney/Edwards debate, where there was some discussion of the casualty percentages across the Coalition members, the listing may have been removed.

As a service, I have placed below several versions of the list as it evolved.

 

As of March 21, 2003 (Angola had been dropped since March 20 after they stated they were not a member; Costa Rica, Palau, and Panama added)

"Forty-six countries are publicly committed to the Coalition, including:

Afghanistan
Albania
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bulgaria
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Georgia
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Mongolia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Rwanda
Singapore
Slovakia
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Spain
Turkey
Uganda
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan

This number is still growing, and it is no accident that many member nations of the Coalition recently escaped from the boot of a tyrant or have felt the scourge of terrorism. All Coalition member nations understand the threat Saddam Hussein's weapons pose to the world and the devastation his regime has wreaked on the Iraqi people.

The population of Coalition countries is approximately 1.17 billion people.
Coalition countries have a combined GDP of approximately $21.8 trillion.
Every major race, religion, ethnicity in the world is represented.
The Coalition includes nations from every continent on the globe."

As of March 27, 2003 (Angola back in, Tonga and Ukraine jump on board):

"Coalition Members

Who are the current coalition members?

President Bush is assembling a Coalition that has already begun military operations to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction, and enforce 17 UNSC resolutions.

The Coalition will also liberate the Iraqi people from one of the worst tyrants and most brutal regimes on earth.

Contributions from Coalition member nations range from: direct military participation, logistical and intelligence support, specialized chemical/biological response teams, over-flight rights, humanitarian and reconstruction aid, to political support.

Forty-nine countries are publicly committed to the Coalition, including:

Afghanistan
Albania
Angola
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bulgaria
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Georgia
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Mongolia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Rwanda
Singapore
Slovakia
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Spain
Tonga
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan

This number is still growing, and it is no accident that many member nations of the Coalition recently escaped from the boot of a tyrant or have felt the scourge of terrorism. All Coalition member nations understand the threat Saddam Hussein's weapons pose to the world and the devastation his regime has wreaked on the Iraqi people.

The population of Coalition countries is approximately 1.23 billion people.
Coalition countries have a combined GDP of approximately $22 trillion.
Every major race, religion, ethnicity in the world is represented.
The Coalition includes nations from every continent on the globe."

 

The old site can be seen through the Internet Archive:

In October 2003, there was an interesting development in the composition of the "Coalition of the Willing". President Bush had stated that the Cuban government was involved in sex slave trafficking.

 

The White House Press Secretary followed up on that in the following exchange:

 

Press Briefing by Scott McClellan October 10, 2003 (excerpt)

 

Q On Cuba, the President mentioned today that he was going to toughen enforcement of the travel restrictions to Cuba. Many Americans who go there for purposes other than the purposes allowed either go through Canada or go through Mexico. Is the administration planning to pressure those governments to be more stringent in keeping tabs on Americans who might be going to Cuba for tourism?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we think it's important to step up enforcement at all agencies. And what our focus here, today, that he was talking about, was focused on travel restrictions for Americans. But we obviously work at that level, as well, to communicate our message, as well. We want to hasten the day when democracy and freedom arrive in Cuba, for the Cuban people. The President has stood firmly on the side of the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom and democracy, and he will continue to do so.

Q To a follow up on the Cuba question. The President said that the government of Cuba encourages the illegal sex trade. What's the evidence to back that up?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we can get you that evidence. I didn't bring that with me, but I can get you that.*

 

*www.state.gov   Trafficking in Persons Report 2003
 
The State Department report referenced divides the world into four categories: Tier 1 - countries with a good record of suppressing trafficking; Tier 2 - those with problems but dealing with them; Tier 3 - those countries with problems where the State Department believes no remedial action is being taken. The other category was "Special Cases" - failed states, occupied countries or other embarassments - like Iraq, Afganistan and Egypt.

 

But, lo and behold, when the list of "Tier 3" countries is overlaid on the "Coalition of the Willing" we find some "allies" who are not being tonguelashed by the President - then or since!

 

TIER 3

Belize
Dominican Rep. 
Kazakhstan
Suriname
Bosnia & Herzegovnia
Georgia 
Liberia 
Turkey
Burma
Greece 
North Korea 
Uzbekistan
Cuba

 

SPECIAL CASES

Afghanistan
Iraq
Somalia
Algeria
Tunisia
Egypt
Iran
Haiti 
Sudan

 

Coalition of the willing:

Forty-nine countries are publicly committed to the Coalition, including:

Afghanistan
Albania
Angola
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bulgaria
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic (Tier 3)
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Georgia (Tier 3)
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Mongolia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Rwanda
Singapore
Slovakia
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Spain
Tonga
Turkey (Tier 3)
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan (Tier 3)

Four coalition countries also on Tier 3 listing!

 

One of the things to strike me in this election campaign is that there are areas in this country where people feel comfortable living openly Republican lifestyles. There are sometimes entire neighbourhoods where the realtors, the counter help in the cafes, the police, the passers-by, the building contractors - in short, everyone you deal with - espouses the Republican lifestyle. Bush-Cheney banners are draped from the windows and balconies. Bumpers stickers reflect the spectrum of Republican life issues from the soft edges of the "Arnie" crowd who could pass for liberals in some areas to the hard core Tom Delay/Grover Norquist tax fetishists. Clothing and lapel pins are often used to identify favourite positions.
Alongside all this, the debate still rages as to whether Republicanism is a lifestyle choice, as some would have it, or something the individual is born with. "Nature versus Nurture". Some groups strongly take the former position believing that Republicans can be "cured". A related belief is that Republicanism is "catching" and that the lifestyle could be pressed on others through schools and various community organizations. They seem threated by what they see as a "Republican Agenda" in the media. Historically, the media has often provided a refuge for creative and committed Republicans. Others believe that being "Right" is an inherent part of the individual's makeup and should be acknowledged and not discriminated against in any way. Indeed, support groups exist for families dealing with an openly Republican member.