I think you might have forgotten a link, richard

February 1, 2008 @ 12:27 am | Comment

“I think you might have forgotten a link, richard”

No he didn’t. I think Richard is just trying to say “nothing” in a very Zen way.

February 1, 2008 @ 12:53 am | Comment

perhaps this one?

Tainted Drugs Tied to [Chinese] Maker of Abortion Pill

February 1, 2008 @ 1:26 am | Comment

More likely this one:
downloaded and distributed a report on women’s rights

February 1, 2008 @ 4:27 am | Comment

Or maybe just a random thought in late night under the influence of alcohol.

February 1, 2008 @ 5:15 am | Comment

Or this one

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5244/is_200706/ai_n20967096

February 1, 2008 @ 5:52 am | Comment

the most telling part is how many articles people were able to cite that would make sense with the odd headline

(Richard: at first I thought you were referring to the banner ad for a tour company. very confusing.)

February 1, 2008 @ 7:59 am | Comment

brob gets the gold star. The link was there in the back-end, but I left out a space and didn’t have time to check. Apologies. And be sure to read the article.

February 1, 2008 @ 8:18 am | Comment

This story just shows that such an old society run by those fearful of change will not become the West anytime soon. And Karzai’s ability to come to the rescue may be hindered by the alliances he has to forge and maintain to stay in power. Even Dubai is not truly “liberal” by our standards, though it is millenia ahead of the rest of the muslim world.

February 1, 2008 @ 2:26 pm | Comment

ONCE AGAIN, Kebab boy MISSES the point.

February 1, 2008 @ 2:55 pm | Comment

A depressing read.

Sign the petition, everyone!

February 1, 2008 @ 5:40 pm | Comment

I think you’re mixing up the wars, Ivan. That was Iraq. This is Afghanistan.

February 1, 2008 @ 9:53 pm | Comment

Richard, is that TRUE? 3/4ths of the American people supported the invasion, and most of Congress voted to authorize funding, but I and most of my fellow Americans living in China, and therefore not bombarded daily by pro-war media messages, opposed the invasion of Iraq.

February 1, 2008 @ 11:34 pm | Comment

Sonagi, not sure of the question – was what true?

Ivan, sorry but I have a new policy in light of some recent events that you are well aware of: I am not giving a voice on my site to people who want to hurt me. Period. I respectfully request that you not comment here again. Okay? Thanks.

February 2, 2008 @ 12:10 am | Comment

It looks like you deleted Ivan’s second comment in which he accused you of posting an entry in March? 2003 expressing support for the invasion of Iraq. Is it true that you once supported the war? I’ll still respect you and read your blog even if it’s true. 🙂

February 2, 2008 @ 10:18 am | Comment

For several weeks before the war I thought that for humanitarian reasons it would be a good idea to get rid of Saddam Hussein – if we did it surgically and quickly. The butchering of tens of thousands of Iraqis and the totalitarian oppression were my reasons – it had nothing to do with the Bush talking points which I always said were bullshit. I held this belief back in 1991 and was disappointed when we didn’t finish off Saddam’s reign of terror. Only days after the fall of Baghdad, when I saw that we had no preparation, I said the invasion was one of the worst decisions ever and completely changed my point of view. I was wrong. We had an opportunity, I felt, to lift millions from tyranny. I regret that I thought it was achievable. I had believed that Bush would never have gone to war unless he had a foolproof plan in place for a speedy transition and exit. Yes, we all make mistakes in life and this was one of my worst. We should not have invaded. The world is not a safer place without Saddam and the people have seen little benefit. It was totally unjustified. And I made my feelings known here (this was way back in 2003, of course), that I was wrong and that Iraq was the greatest disaster in modern (post WWII) history. Sometimes flip-flopping is the best thing to do. When you realize you made a mistake, it’s best to say so.

Ivan is banned, and as with MAJ, whether I like or dislike his comments, they won’t be up for long. It’s one thing to disagree, another to take proactive steps to hurt someone because you disagree with them. Some of you know what I’m talking about. If you want to know more, Sonagi, please feel free to send me an email. As with MAJ, I don’t want any discussion about it on my site. Thanks for your understanding.

February 2, 2008 @ 11:53 am | Comment

MAJ, on principle I cannot let you comment here, even if you defend me, even if I fully agree with your comment. The fact remains, this is a tiny little blog, a hobby of mine, and if readers take it so seriously that they feel they must set up blogs or write public articles condemning me, I prefer not to pay for their platform here. To do that is so extreme, so downright insane that I can never trust you or your alter ego (and I choose that descriptor carefully) again. And I don’t want to argue about it. Thanks for your understanding and for respecting my request that you not comment here.

Richard

February 2, 2008 @ 12:05 pm | Comment

Richard, as someone who has been a regular reader of your blog over the last few years (albeit with occasional lapses lasting a month or two), and who has also occasionally contributed comments, I find myself bemused — and disappointed — that there’s been a falling out between you and Ivan. This is the first I’ve heard of it.

I’d always been under the impession that you and Ivan had a friendship founded upon mutual respect and shared sensibilities.

I can appreciate your reluctance to discuss this publicly, and maybe my curiosity is prurient, but I can’t help wondering what has led to this rift in the lute.

Like many here, I considered Ivan to be bloody-minded, cantankerous, imtemperate and sometimes even abusive. On the other hand, he was also witty, incisive, impassioned and even … warmhearted. For all his faults, the guy CARED.

I guess he must have just gone too far?

February 2, 2008 @ 1:12 pm | Comment

I thought we were friends too, and I am as disappointed as you are. And that’s all I’ll say.

February 2, 2008 @ 1:14 pm | Comment

I appreciate your candor, Richard. Our members of Congress had access to extensive intelligence on Iraq, and most of them were initially in favor, too. As for your fallout with Ivan, it’s between you and Ivan. I don’t wish to know, and I respect your right, as a blogger, to ban commenters for any reason.

February 2, 2008 @ 10:07 pm | Comment

There is absolutely no reason why you should run comments from people whose sole purpose in life seems to be to denigrate you and others. As a reader of your blog, I both expect and appreciate your filtering out crap. If those people whose comments you ban want a platform, they are certainly free to create their own. It’s your blog and you can do what you want to….do what you want to….

February 2, 2008 @ 11:59 pm | Comment

Thanks, CLB. It seems like some people out there have way too much time on their hands.

February 3, 2008 @ 10:51 am | Comment

Since heretofore I’ve respected both Richard and Ivan, I was intent to retain my usual position as fence-sitter in relation to this spat.

But then I tracked down the site where Ivan has been Richard-bashing, and left a lighthearted comment announcing my (doubtless egregious) neutrality, but pointing out that one of his video links could be construed as homophobic.

Within 15 minutes my comment was deleted. So fuck you, Ivan, you bloody hypocrite. Learn to practice what you preach.

He certainly helps people to choose sides.

February 3, 2008 @ 4:31 pm | Comment

HKS, thanks for sharing, but I don’t encourage anyone tracking down the site(s) or commenting there. Also, anytime someone references this situation here, the comments are copied and pasted on one of the accompanying sites and picked over as though we are plotting China’s takeover of the world. Enough said; let’s just forget about it.

February 3, 2008 @ 4:51 pm | Comment

Fair enough, Richard.

Peace.

February 3, 2008 @ 4:56 pm | Comment