On The Mark -- Random Thoughts

• Newspaper photographs showed Bill Clinton and Bush 41 visiting tsunami victims. Predictably, Clinton was wearing a blue shirt and Bush a red shirt. Wouldn't it have been nice to see them switch colors for this event? All of the victims were wearing red hats, which told me that Rove's PR team was hard at work.
• I try to be open-minded about all things, including religion. But I just don't get this Islamic atonement tradition of slicing and beating your body with knives. And how come it's only men who do it?
• I found it disturbing that a former president, Jimmy Carter, who has worked so hard for peace in the world, had the latest and most sophisticated U.S. attack submarine named after him. He had a big smile on his face at the ceremony. I guess ego overpowers everything.
• There are some op-ed writers (including a former senior adviser to Pres. Clinton) who are already saying that Secretary Rice could win the Nobel Peace Prize and could go down as the best Secretary of State ever. After less than a month. Also that Europe is again beginning to see America as the persuader, not the enforcer. Rhetoric over substance yet again. Let's see Israel and the Palestinians at peace for 4 years. Let's see the troops come home from Iraq and the people there vote without guns protecting them. Let's see Iran and Syria give up terrorism and nuclear ambitions. Let's see North Korea give up its nuclear weapons and Stalinist ways. Let's see...I mean, come on already. Enough is enough. A big smile and carefully crafted words are just that, a big smile and carefully crafted words. Nothing more. Like the little kid who finally got his way, until the next time...
• How ironic would it be to see Chalabi become the Prime Minister of Iraq. Talk about revenge best served cold...