Sandeep

Lieberman's loss? Or the Dems?

Sandeep — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 00:29:00 +0000

So long Joe, we hardly knew ye. Proving once again that the Democrats have no interest in governing the United States and putting an end to the worst government ever, they ate their own in Connecticut. Because Lieberman opted to support the quagmire that is Iraq, and then refused to repent, the Democrats opted to execute him in order to hand his seat, arguably one of the safest for the Dems, to the Republicans on a silver platter.

It's tempting to say that the Dems put principle over power, but quite frankly, what good is principle if you have no power. The Republicans are adept and sacrificing everything, including their country, for the sake of power. Were they to use that power for good instead of evil, this would be something we could overlook, but since they insist on bankrupting the country, demonizing dissent, cancelling civil liberties and the Constitution and breaking the American Spirit, something should be done, and quickly.

So what do the Dems do? Kill one of the moderates over a single issue, just like a Republican would. Against the GOP, this is a great election strategy, but against themselves, it looks childish and petulant, and ensures the pillaging of America's wealth can continue unabated.

Fade

Sandeep — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 01:00:00 +0000

While this has been a summer that had far more rain and heat than I can recall, it's still had its share of glorious summer days where one can enjoy hours and hours of sun and bask in the star of nature. Yet, as surely as winter yields to the spring, summer has started its swan song into autumn. I was enjoying a summer evening on the patio, reading the paper and watching various birds and squirrels tend to their business in the yard. Suddenly, I realized it was getting too dark to read, and was rather disappointed at that fact, but didn't give it too much thought.

Tonight, however, I realized that the darkness is now here by 830pm (at least for the purposes of reading on the patio) and, with that realization, I have to concede that the best (and longest days) of the summer are over. While there are, of course, many more beautiful days left to enjoy, my inclination is to hold on just a little bit tighter to the fading summer that I spend all winter waiting for.

Laziness in spam

Sandeep — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 03:07:00 +0000

I suppose that with an e-mail address that doesn't have an obvious gender in the name, I should expect this kind of thing, but it really starts to grate when I get spam from a "woman" telling me she wants to sleep with me, and then I get the same e-mail from a "man".

Or those winning days where I get offers to both enhance my penis and my breasts.

Make up your mind!

While Israel has the right to defend itself...

Sandeep — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 03:25:00 +0000

...quite frankly, if they haven't nailed Hizbollah by now, they probably never will.

Kind of like the US and the Taliban, or in Iraq.

Success!

Sandeep — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 01:08:00 +0000

Out of the many flowers bulbs I planted in April, the first two have made it out! One of them is already having its petals eaten, and the other one should bloom sometime tomorrow or Tuesday.

If only the weeds were intentional....I'm going to try the hot water and vinegar treatment to see if that works.

Questions

Sandeep — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 02:45:00 +0000

Did Israel deliberately target a UN obersvation post in South Lebanon?

Did Hizbollah deliberately launch rockets from positions next to the UN observation post?

Which question will ge asked more often, I wonder....

Teeing off

Sandeep — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 01:48:00 +0000

As the violence continues to engulf the Middle East, one would like to think that educated, or at least semi-literate, Americans are realizing just how awful their President is. It's a cliche to say at this point, but Bush is, without a doubt, the worst US president ever.

Consider, if you will, the following:

By starting a war with Iraq under false pretences, the US is powerless to stop Iran's real pretences to become a nuclear power;

By invading an Arab country under false pretences, the US has lost its moral authority to offer any meaningful intervention in the current Israel-Lebanon-Hezbollah war.

By bleeding the Treasury dry through repeated tax cuts (during a time of war!!!), the US has lost the financial strength to protect itself from the world's economic conditions.

By bitterly dividing the country with a never-ending campaign of "us versus them" and scare-mongering, the US is unable to even form a coherent foreign policy to deal with the mess its created.

This may very well be viewed by history as the beginning of the end of the US empire. I tend to be more optimistic because the US is the world's leader in re-inventing itself to suit the times, but Bush's disastrous foreign and domestic policies have left the US so far behind the eight-ball, it's hard to see how it could do so this time.

Enough already....Osama bin Laden will never be caught because Bush isn't even trying anymore.

If gas prices are so high...

Sandeep — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:09:00 +0000

...then why are people still accelerating hard from a stop, and flying well above the speed limit?

Could it be gas isn't that expensive after all?

What's My Name (Again)?

Sandeep — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 01:32:00 +0000

This whole business of no-fly lists are, in my opinion, in need of work. While it's intuitive that people who pose a risk to aviation should not be allowed to board a plane, is it really that much effort to give a full identification of these people so that others with the same name can travel in peace?

Someone close to me recently spent three hours being detained by US immigration because his name was very similar to someone who wasn't allowed to fly. Of course, this wasn't the same person, but do they really go with just a name and not bother with a date of birth, or physical description? Someone's brother has the same name as a wanted fugitive, but given how common the name and surname are, it seems odd that the police were going to go full SWAT team on a person who is 5'5" and 280 pounds, versus the actual fugitive who is 6'2" and fighting form 200 pounds. As the lawyer incredulously asked the judge "Have you even bothered to look at my client?!?"

A friend of mine had to submit finger prints to the US Embassy in order to prove that he wasn't "that guy", and had to pay for the fingerprints himself! Does the US government not even realize that someone with the same name born *in a different country* may be different than the bad guy they are looking for?

To which US authorities would grunt: better to inconvenience innocent people than to let a guilty person get on the plane. Oddly enough, something similar was said about Gitmo detainees, but it's still the opposite of what was said a few centuries ago.

Justice indeed....

Dual citizenship, dual loyalties?

Sandeep — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 02:06:00 +0000

I have to admit to being a but surprised at the harsh comments that have been levelled at Lebanese-Canadians asking to be evacuated from Lebanon back to Canada. While these are citizens of the country, either through birth or immigration, many of them have become permanent residents of Lebanon, and haven't lived in Canada for years.

So a debate has emerged: should Canada be obligated to rescue citizens who no longer live in the country?

On a basic level, you would think that yes, simply because citizenship is granted and the rights follow the citizen regardless of where they go, or for how long they are out of the country.

Look at it another way though. If Canadians choose to, they can avoid paying taxes in Canada by cutting their ties to the country. The CRA has its rules and definitions, but it basically boils down to having two or less ties to the country, and you no longer have to pay tax in Canada.

If people have chosen to sever their ties to Canada (bank accounts, driver's license, owning property, etc...), then are their rights still in force? Many people in Hong Kong got some kind of status in Canada as an insurance policy in case things went badly after the Communist takeover. If they choose to live in Hong Kong until something goes wrong, does Canada have to rescue them from the Communists?

I would say yes, technically, but really, that person has also forfeited their obligations and duties as a citizen. They don't vote, they don't pay taxes, they don't make any meaningful contribution to the country. So if you choose to renounce your obligations to your country, why should your rights survive?

This, I think, goes back to broader issues I have written about before. People today are so fixated on their rights and freedoms that they have forgotten about their duties and obligations as citizens. In order for our country to work, we need to contribute our share towards making it such a great country. If people choose to not contribute anything, then why should they be allowed to take anything out of it?

On a pragmatic level, evacuating Canadian citizens out of Lebanon is a humanitarian issue rather than a civil issue (although who pays for this is perhaps open to debate), so Canada should be doing everything possible to help people get out of harm's way. Still, I hope that as people throw stones at those who carry the passport but haven't lived in Canada recently, they ask themselves what they, here in Canada, are doing to fulfill their duties and obligations to our country.

Yes, I'm still alive

Sandeep — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 02:51:00 +0000

The in-laws are in town, this is the best I can do until later this week. Much going on though, I'll try to get a few posts in a row this week-end.

And then the Mariachi band arrived...

Sandeep — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 23:46:00 +0000

An awesome night, it seems that everyone had a really good time. Lots of praise for the food, and everyone loved it when the Mariachis arrived, even though I had nothing to do with it (props to my bro, eh?! DC!!!)

Tremendously exhausted by the whole experience, but happy that everyone was happy. The dancing part was a bit quieter, probably expected given the age of some of the guests, and although I won praise for a brief speech (short is sweet), many wondered why I didn't let Juliana say anything. For the record, when I asked her earlier in the evening, she didn't want to say anything. It's only after the other speeches that she changed her mind, but she didn't tell me until we were going to cut the cake. Pido disculpas mi amor, no lo sabía....:(

Anyway, I'm recovering and my house is slowly starting to look normal again. It's going to be a busy next few weeks with the in-laws around, but so far, so good. Hopefully they are enjoying Toronto!

Thanks to all who made this special night come true, and shared it with us!

Big Day Tomorrow

Sandeep — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 01:14:00 +0000

I love parties, but man are these things a lot of work to set up. I long for a quiet week-end with absolutely nothing to do, but in the meantime, let's have a ball!

Weeds

Sandeep — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 23:11:00 +0000

So being a home-owner now, means that I have a yard. It's not a big yard and, if you look closely, not a very nice yard. Several owners ago, cars were fixed in the backyard, so there are parts of my backyard where not much grows because the soil is probably contaminated. Further back, there is actual grass, but also weeds.

Lots of weeds.

So many weeds that if I don't mow the lawn for a month, you'd think I had created a shelter for hobbits (or so my better half claims, referring to the backyard as "Hobbitland"). I've run them over with the lawn mower, and I've also spent a couple of hours uprooting them and throwing them out, but still they return.

So when I get the money, I plan to get rid of the whole back yard and replace it with flowerbeds, pathways or patio stones and a rock garden. Eliminates the need for a lawn mower altogether.

Unless there are non-pesticide ways to get rid of them easily and cheaply?

Just to be fair...

Sandeep — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 23:58:00 +0000

Since I was late with my Canada Day message, I figure it's ok to be late for my 4th of July message.

Happy 4th of July everyone! Never forget the principles on which the US of A was founded!