Cartoon by StudioBendib

If only he could take it back….

On January 29, President Bush used his State of the Union address to inform the American public of Iraq’s active nuclear weapons program.

“The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. ”

One month ago, Bush complained about the political pundits and congressional members who were expressing doubts that the allied forces would ever find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

And today, the administration acknowledged that Bush never should have stated in his address that Iraq was seeking uranium for it’s nuclear weapons program.

I’m not saying Saddam isn’t a very bad man. I’m not saying that I disagree with taking him out of power. But I do believe the United States went about it the wrong way and in doing so, has lost the goodwill of nations and confidence of the United Nations.

Any thoughts?

Going off the deep end

I couldn’t agree more with Alex Beam.

I’m back from 8 heavenly days spent in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I have an obscene number of emails to get through before I consider reporting on my vacation.


I hope everyone enjoyed a memorable holiday weekend!

Two reasons why I love living in DC….

Going Home

For the first time in eight years, I’m spending the Fourth with friends and family in Rhode Island.

I’m haunted by images of lazy summer days spent skimming dog-eared paperback novels. Memories of rushing out of the house to find the perfect spot on the sand, where conversations with lifeguards, trips to the slush truck and refreshing dips in the ocean marked the passing hours.

And then, of course, there are the bars with the pulsating music and throng of bodies crowding onto the postage stamp dance floor. Late nights spent flirting with strangers, getting into embarrassing situations and then, the silly hijincs that become legend over time as the stories are retold.

That was then.

I’m sure I’ll drive back with some new stories – but I’m looking forward to quiet (a sign of maturity?), to catching up with old friends, spending some quality time with family, sitting through the oldest Independence Day parade in the country and watching the fireworks display.

I don’t think I’ll miss the heat, the tourists, the security, and craziness of the National Mall at all.

Sex is in the news today

British researchers at the University of Hull announced yesterday that men have biological clocks too. They reported that it took five times longer for men over the age of 45 to father a child.

In February, CNN reported on this biological discovery, focusing on a study that appeared in the British Journal of Human Reproduction, that “found genetic damage in sperm starting as early as age 35, might play a role.”

And, of course, all the experts agree that men and women should avoid environmental toxins like smoking and alcohol if they’re waiting to start a family.

Statistics released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the U.S. birth rate fell to its lowest level since records have been kept. Teen birth rates are down but the number of births are at record-high levels for unmarried women.

Looks like we won’t be seeing a baby boom in our future.

Which brings me to our last item. The Supreme Court ruled on two cases dealing with sex: striking down both a gay sex ban and a law that allowed prosecution for old sex crimes.

Any thoughts from the peanut gallery on the Court’s rulings?

A force greater than myself – I succumbed to the phenomenon


I had to find out what 6,000,000 people were going bananas over. On Sunday morning I strolled into a bookstore and picked up Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Sorcerer’s Stone was sold out).

So far so good. The story is entertaining, the plot moves along rather quickly…..

But what is the big deal? I still prefer Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Tolkein’s Hobbit/Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Have I dated myself?

Around the world: UNICEF reports that 55 children in Mozambique die each day

Unsafe water and poor sanitation is killing almost 55 children every day in Mozambique, a country plagued by one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Cholera – which thrives where filthy water stagnates – is endemic in parts of the country. Over the past nine months, 12,433 people were treated and 109 people died from the disease.

According to UNICEF, of every 1,000 children born in Mozambique, 246 die within their first five years, with 13 percent of these deaths directly attributable to a lack of access to clean water, proper sanitation and poor hygiene practices.

“This translates into 55 children under five years of age dying every day from diarrhea. Thousands more are at risk because of cholera, infections caused by dirty water, and inadequate sanitation conditions if conditions are not improved and work is not speeded up,” UNICEF warned.

A survey conducted in November 2002 showed that 25 percent of households surveyed were spending more than an hour every day to reach their water source. Efforts to obtain fresh water place enormous strains on family members, particularly women and children.

“These chores fall heavily on children, particularly girls, preventing them from attending school. Furthermore, many schools have no latrines. The lack of privacy spells a powerful deterrent for parents to keep their daughters out of school,” UNICEF said.

In rural areas, only 26 percent of the population can get clean water, while 29 percent have access to latrines. UNICEF has responded by providing the government’s public works department with funds and chlorine for emergency water treatment, and has implemented massive hygiene promotion campaigns.