Computer Found

A smallish update:

I am composing this on a (relatively newish) desktop I had secreted away in my closet, after deciding to use my laptop all of the time. It is saving me, as not having the internet handy and having to use Kinko's, and the like is an utter pain. Fortunately, my Kindle has Basic Web so I was more or less able to follow the juicy Blagojevich scandal, but I refuse to check my email there due to security concerns.

So the good news is, so far, so good. I'll try to come back by week's end. Thanks for your patience, Sundries readers!

Sticky Computer

Guys, I must apologies for having left you with a dangling promise. I figured out this lead up to Christmas will be impossible for me to continue blogging daily.

When I went to boot up my laptop this morning, though, it gave me a sinister black screen message "Unable to find operating system". I will try to see what I can do -- in the meantime, I am accessing the blog publicly and do not feel at leisure to post, if you get my meaning. Not much I can do until this solved. Just please, hang in there! I will be back.

Cooking Up That Post

I got busy these past days, but I have a good post cooking for you all on Friday. You know what it is, especially commenter Peggy Gero DaValt (by the way, don't you love that name? It trips from the tongue like an incantation). I can't post it until I have watched all Top 10 films, and I'm nearly there. More soon!

Back In The Saddle

I have just returned, and pray Sundries readers' indulgence just a while longer.

Have you ever gone on holiday and (perhaps naturally) avoided watching the news?

That was largely my situation this past week. It's not that I wasn't shocked by the Mumbai attacks and didn't want to follow its sad drama unfold; it's just that I wanted a little peace of my own, albeit the cruel irony of being in a 5-star hotel just like the victims there were, didn't go unremarked by me, or my parents.

(I confess, though, that my cable news viewing has declined a full 50% since President-Elect Obama's victory. I suspect I am not alone amongst you in this)

If you have your own reasons for not having followed this mind-bending tragedy in India, I urge you to read this post on the police (non-)reaction by Neo-Neocon. The comments section, as usual, shines.

She wrote this below.

Having been to India, and having seen the overzealous attitude of the police, which often confused a high-handed dismissiveness with professionalism, I was left depressed. It was like watching the CNN reporter within a few feet of the Taj Hotel, as another explosion went off behind her. The police hadn't even bothered to cordon off the active crime scene and establish a perimeter, as even I would know to do.

It seems that in India, even “commandos” (which indicates at least some sort of specialized preparation) are not trained to face the chance that they might possibly inflict civilian casualties themselves in a situation like this. But such a risk is an inevitable part of dealing with terrorists willing and eager to fire into crowds. The police must be willing to do the same. The big difference is that the terrorists are aiming for the civilians, whereas the security forces are aiming for the terrorists.

In a dazzling documentary about a Rio de Janeiro hostage situation inside Bus 174, one elite SWAT team member, Rodrigo Pimentel, said the following:

Nothing exposes a nation's weaknesses more than a violent confrontration. If there is no training to overcome it, the culture allows the will to sag where it needs to be toughest.

We are all the victims and benefactors of our respective cultures. It is only through vigilance that we gain the upper hand and conquer it.

Sundries Vac And Media Turkeys

I am going to take a few days off, as Thanksgiving Day and family anniversaries interrupt my online activities. I will definitely be back for Thanksgiving, to wish all Sundries readers a very happy gobble-gobble day. Please keep checking for updates!

P.S.: Mmm. Turkey. I mean, ugh, David Shuster = Turkey.

I'm Back And I'm Raring To Go

There is no other way of putting it. Election Night 2008 was one of the worst nights of my life.

I'm not talking just of the psychological toll the near-certain win by Senators Obama and Biden, as polls closed and the results crept by, including the State I had gone on record saying would remain Red, my own -- Florida.

But perhaps somewhat prophetically, my body started collapsing.

At 5 PM, I knew something was terribly wrong.
By 6 PM, I was running a high fever.
By 8 PM, my throat was aflame.

By 9 PM (when it was almost certain McCain-Palin would lose), my body started shutting down; telling it to sleep and conserve its energies, so I did. I slept for a while, but woke up to post what I did on Althouse, and to post the four lowly little posts on Sundries.

I didn't want to leave you guys, who mean so much to me, without einen Punkt setzen.

Then I turned off every means of communication I had on me, from mobiles, internet, television, Kindle, everything and slept. I woke up at 4 AM covered in perspiration -- I touched the sheets, and it was like a swimming pool. I changed sheets, took a shower (which horrified my mother, raised in the deathly cold of more northern climes), and slept a further 12 hours after that.

All day Wednesday, I slept. I only woke up for the troika of O'Reilly-H&C-Greta (more about that later) and promptly turned everything off again.

Only a few hours ago did I wake up, slightly improved but still coughing and hoarse. If you were to talk to me, it would be like hearing a rather damped version of Harvey Fierstein.

Here I am, though. Fired up, and ready to take on all comers. My own life has been characterised by winning rather than losing. I have God to thank for that, my parents, but also my own resolve.

Life likes winners.

When Life gives me lemons, I don't make lemonade, I throw a parade. Balloons, band, clowns, the works. This blog has been the equivalent of me throwing a parade every day for the past two months. Maybe the frequency might be dimmed in the coming months, but never the intensity.

Above all I want to say this:

Let no American reading this feel down in the mouth should you feel forlorn today politically. The one good thing about this election, regardless of result, is that it allowed certain "Republicans" to be smoked out for the elitist, dismissive, vindictive human trash that they are.

Those of us who had to endure that, will never forget what they said.

Never mind the Democrats and their allies in media -- they are the opposition, and to think they would be kindly or even fair towards anyone who posed a threat to getting back power is childish.

We need to reinvent the wheel on the Republican side, having lost sight of what we feel is important:

- Small, capable government
- National security
- Decreased taxation
- Accountability and responsibility
- American values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Whoever comes closest to promoting these in their political careers in 2012 will have my support. The next four years of our lives will be wonderful. It always is when you have a GOAL.

So, are you ready to turn the page on history, Sundries readers?

Slow Down

Dear Sundries readers and friends,

As you might know, my personal situation has been fraught with health difficulties at home. I have been neglecting this side of my life for over a month. So I am going to step back for a while, to get my house in order, quite literally.

Don't think I will leave Sundries in the lurch; but I will not be blogging as profusely as I have in the past. Rest assured I am confident of the future, both personally and in other aspects too. Sometimes, though, you have to know where your priorities lie.

I am already composing Saturday's posts, so please check back a bit later for them!

Thank you so much to all for your continued understanding.

More Interruptions

Life has once again interrupted my blogging, guys, but I didn't want another week to go by, without word to my dear Sundries friends.

Fortunately, it's not a health-related interruption, which as you know, is always a concern in my family.

I shall return sooner than later, with bells on. Until then, I pray your continued indulgence and patience!

Pope Benny Is 80!

April 16, 2007 marks the 80th year of life of the current Pontiff atop St. Peter's Throne, and as such, I'm sure you and others will join me in sending Papa Benny many happy returns on the day.

As such, good Catlick that I am, I am declaring a legal holiday on Sundries for today!

Nothing glamourous awaits me, like champagne toasts either. It's just a heavy day of spring cleaning Chez Vic.

Tuesday brings a travellogue, though! Hopefully...