Category: Uncategorized

This is interesting, this morning at the gym, earnestly rowing hard burning off the three kilos I gained in the last couple of months I saw on the TV that:

• The Iraq election results were posted today. And as I see on the web, the results are of course not without controversy.
• A whale is caught up the river Thames.

Comfortable flights. The Frankfurt to Kuwait flight was on a newer style plane layout with pretty high tech seats.

I didn’t sleep on the first flight Calgary to Frankfurt, as I tried and couldn’t much. Usually I do lots on the first one. It may be due to my first movie choice and then the second.

The fist one was Lord of War about arms dealing and violence in Africa. A strong movie, it said a lot, particularly for Hollywood and probably didn’t help my attempt at sleep after the movie.

The second movie was again about Africa, The Constant Gardner, with Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weitz which just won some awards. It is a very good movie about the problems in Africa. There was an interesting line by the character Brandt about the drugs “donated” by the drug companies that are useless as they are over their shelf life and in the African heat are no good for long anyhow. “The safest thing to do with the expired drugs is incinerate them. The big pharmaceuticals are right up there with the arms dealers. This is how the world f’s Africa.
”

Then the reply is, “Blood on their hands.” And Brandt agrees, saying, “This is how they expediate their guilt, the pharmaceuticals, aid agencies, everybody. The whole machine is driven by guilt.”

Interesting link between the movies. And no wonder I didn’t sleep well.

So after arrival I had at midnight dinner and then slept in to 1:00 pm.

Then shopping for some basics and a washer and dryer.

Saturday is mattress purchase time.

Here is the latest news on Cleo’s happy life in the country:

—–Original Message—–
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
To: Ian Butterworth
Subject: RE: Cleo

Hee hee, no, In Scotland if someone is very clever, they’re called a Clever Clogs! Not sure where it comes from! But its true!

—————

—–Original Message—–
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
To: Ian Butterworth
Subject: RE: Cleo

Hee hee, no, In Scotland if someone is very clever, they’re called a Clever Clogs! Not sure where it comes from! But its true!

liane :-)Thanks, I’m leaving tomorrow and the rest of the family are leaving on Saturday now as their flights got cancelled into Kuwait due to the death of the Emir of Kuwait. Though Marja is happy with this slight delay as she’s not quite done all her paperwork needed before leaving.

Thanks for the update. It will be good to get them now and again. She’s getting along with Boo and you all better than any of us could have imagined and the children (and adults) are pretty happy about this.

I remember reading a while back that when selecting a dog, even a working dog, that the key factor is their urge to please people. In Cleo’s case, she’s overboard on the people pleaseing. They test this with puppies by throwing a toy and seeing if they come back with it. Certainly Cleo Clogs with return with the goods.

How did she get “Clogs”, her big feet?

— Ian

—–Original Message—–
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
To: Ian Butterworth
Subject: RE: Cleo

Hi there

I just wanted to wish you all the very best in Kuwait. Feel free to email any time (that’s the kids too) and I’ll give a progress on report on young Cleo (Clever) Clogs!

She is now our morning paper fetcher and this has become a part of her morninhg routine. Long walk then pick up paper on return home tail wagging all the way. She drops it on the door mat! Cute or what? Boo just looks a t her like’s she’s lost her marbles! heehee. They are getting on great guns, and Boo even ran to Cleo’s side during a ‘disagreement’ with a dog in Cochrane over who the ball really belonged to. Ahh, ran to the side of his sister, much barking. It all ended peacefully enough with the discovery of another ball!

She’s an angel. We love having her.

A good home computer. Get a Mac mini?

Here is a review.

And here is a Google search for more reviews.

In Canada Futureshop sell it. On their web page is the loaded up version.

WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: China, India, and the ‘State of the World’

Among the realities: China has only 8% of the world’s fresh water to meet the needs of 22% of the world’s people. . . . China and India have both just started to build what are slated to be two of the largest automobile industries in the world . . . If Chinese per-capital grain consumption were to double to roughly European levels, China would require the equivalent of nearly 40% of today’s global grain harvest.

The Counterterrorism Blog: CENTCOM, Afghanistan and Drugs

Interesting analysis. What can be done?