HappyHappyDonut

The Atlantic Monthly ran an article by Robert D. Kaplan, one of my favorite non-fiction authors, regarding the Kurds in Iraq. The articles looks at the history of the Kurdish people in depth and discusses the interests of Turkey, Syria, and Iran. It offers some additional historical perspective on Saddam Hussein as well as an idea of what awaits the US provided the war goes as planned.

Coming back to Kaplan, he is a prolific writer of books that combine travel, history, and politics. A self-described realist (1), he has written books on a number of the hot spots in the world before those same hotspots became headlines. I have read two of his books (Balkan Ghosts, which looks at the various components of the former Yugoslavia, as well as neighbours like Greece, Bulgaria and Romania; and An Empire Wilderness, which provides a look at the US and how it is in the process of balkanizing itself with the proliferation of racially divided suburbs and gated communities while leaving the urban core to rot away). A third book, The Arabists, sits on my bookshelf waiting for me to finish my MBA while many of his other books are on my wish list. One can also find many articles by Kaplan on web site of The Atlantic as well.

Today is election day in Quebec. In the next couple of hours, we will find out whether we get change (at least on paper) or the same-old same-old.

The Parti Québecois was nice enough to send us a reminder to vote for them. I didn't, but it's the thought that counts. :)

For the 15 years I have been in Quebec, I have always lived in heavily francophone, fairly nationalist ridings—even in Montreal. That meant a choice between, the PQ and nothing (on the provincial scene) and the Bloc and nothing (on the federal scene). Though I have never voted for the PQ, I did vote for the Bloc twice, which won each time by much more than my vote. (Who the hell else was I going to vote for ?!?!) When I run for prime minister, I will be able to say that I never smoked pot, but that I voted for the Bloc. hehe.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of seeing Bourassa, Johnson, Parizeau, Bouchard, and Landry. Parizeau continues to be the thorn in the side of the PQ (and the best paid LIberal booster you could hope for)—this time around he was still able to bring up his comment about "money and the ethnic vote" as the cause for the NO's win in the last referendum. Parizeau probably single-handedly sunk Landry in the leader's debate, though the latter's total lack of charisma could only be wallpapered over for so long. Consequently, word has it that it's time for the p'tit gars de Sherbrooke to take his place. I might even stay up to watch. 'Nuff said.

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PS: The funniest political slogan belongs to the Bloc Pot—the marijuana party if you will—which is: "on va les planter", a wonderful case of double-entendre. Read one way it means "we will plant it" (and grow it). The second way to read is "we will nail them"... hehe

In my Thursday morning class on the European Union, the professor asked who was in favour of trade liberalization.

I was the ONLY one who stuck his hand up.

The ONLY one.

I am starting to feel sorry for Samuel Huntingdon and others who go against the flow in the ivory towers.

In other news, La Presse offered profiles, yesterday and today, on the candidates for the leadership of the Parti Quebecois. On chappy's claim to fame is that, during those crazy 70s, he called for the imposition of one *unique* salary for all workers, irrespective of the type of work done.

Luckily, we still can choose between Pauline Boisclair, "the has been with an MBA" (who happens to be the only woman in the race), and the snobbish, coke-snorting gay former minister Andre Boisclair who never summoned the strength to finish his undergraduate degree but who went on to do a master's at Harvard. Thank goodness for us, he heard the calling, and chose to stay here rather than immigrate to the Switzerland of the North with the fine folks at McKinsey. At least he showed the moral fortitude to snort coke while he was minister and not before. Wouldn't be cricket, would it now ?

The coke sniffer was actually speaking at the University one day when I was there. I was tempted to spread a little liquid paper under my nostrils and go to his speech, but I had better things to do, like work. Something the cokesniffer knows little about.

So what exactly is the difference between Sarah Palin and Miss Teen USA 2007 contestant from South Carolina.

Not much. Read the excerpt from Palin's interview with Katie Couric, then watch the Q & A from the pageant. (Her answer is better explained here.)

Which one is the elected official and which is most qualified to be one?