workday blahs

Well, I didn't work over the weekend so now here I am at my desk on Monday with a million things to do. I don't even know where to start, so I am avoiding it by updating my journal. I have about 500 orders to do and on top of that the promotions need to be proofed and October items checked. Plus I got up too late to get coffee on the way to work. I don't like to face Monday unarmed.

From the Chronicle

To: San Francisco Chronicle Letters to the EditorI've been hearing a lot of talk about "bombing Afghanistan back to the Stone Age". Ron Owens, on KGO Talk Radio today, allowed that this would mean killing innocent people, people who had nothing to do with this atrocity, but "we're at war, we have to accept collateral damage. What else can we do?" Minutes later I heard some TV pundit discussing whether we "have the belly to do what must be done." And I thought about the issues being raised especially hard because I am from Afghanistan, and even though I've lived here for 35 years I've never lost track of what's going on there. So I want to tell anyone who will listen how it all looks from where I'm standing. I speak as one who deeply hates the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. My hatred comes from first hand experience. There is no doubt in my mind that these people were responsible for the atrocity in New York. I agree that something must be done about those monsters. But the Taliban and Ben Laden are not Afghanistan. They're not even the government of Afghanistan. The Taliban are a cult of ignorant psychotics who took over Afghanistan in 1997. Bin Laden is a political criminal with a plan. When you think Taliban, think Nazis. When you think Bin Laden, think Hitler. And when you think "the people of Afghanistan" think "the Jews in the concentration camps." It's not only that the Afghan people had nothing to do with this atrocity. They were the first victims of the perpetrators. They would exult if someone would come in there, take out the Taliban and clear out the rats nest of international thugs holed up in their country. Some say, why don't the Afghans rise up and overthrow the Taliban? The answer is, they're starved, exhausted, hurt, incapacitated, suffering. A few years ago, the United Nations estimated that there are 500,000 disabled orphans in Afghanistan--a country with no economy, no food. There are millions of widows. And the Taliban has been burying these widows alive in mass graves. The soil is littered with land mines; the farms were all destroyed by the Soviets. These are a few of the reasons why the Afghan people have not overthrown the Taliban. We come now to the question of "bombing Afghanistan back to the Stone Age". Trouble is, that's been done. The Soviets took care of it already. Make the Afghans suffer? They're already suffering. Level their houses? Done. Turn their schools into piles of rubble? Done. Eradicate their hospitals? Done. Destroy their infrastructure? Cut them off from medicine and health care? Too late. Someone already did all that. New bombs would only stir the rubble of earlier bombs. Would they at least get the Taliban? Not likely. In today's Afghanistan, only the Taliban eat, only they have the means to move around. They'd slip away and hide. Maybe the bombs would get some of those disabled orphans, they don't move too fast; they don't even have wheelchairs. But flying over Kabul and dropping bombs would not really be a strike against the criminals who did this horrific thing. Actually it would only be making common cause with the Talibanby raping once again the people they've been raping all this time. So what else is there? What can be done then? Let me now speak with true fear and trembling. The only way to get Bin Laden is to go in there with ground troops. When people speak of "having the belly to do what needs to be done" they're thinking in terms of having the belly to kill as many as needed. Having the belly to overcome any moral qualms about killing innocent people. Let's pull our heads out of the sand. What's actually on the table is Americans dying. And not just because some Americans would die fighting their way through Afghanistan to Bin Laden's hideout. It's much bigger than that folks. Because to get any troops to Afghanistan, we'd have to go through Pakistan. Would they let us? Not likely. The conquest of Pakistan would have to be first. Will other Muslim nations just stand by? You see where I'm going. We're flirting with a world war between Islam and the West. And guess what: that's Bin Laden's program. That's exactly what he wants. That's why he did this. Read his speeches and statements. It's all right there. He really believesIslam would beat the west. It might seem ridiculous, but he figures if he can polarize the world into Islam and the West, he's got a billion soldiers. If the west wreaks a holocaust in those lands, that's a billion people with nothing left to lose, that's even better from Bin Laden's point of view. He's probably wrong, in the end the West would win, whatever that would mean, but the war would last for years and millions would die, not just theirs but ours. Who has the belly for that? Unfortunately, Bin Laden does. Anyone else?In Peace,Tamim Ansary

tests

Loran was sorted into Hufflepuff. I don't know the Harry Potter teams. Teams is probably not the right word. In any case I don't know them. I don't like the word Hufflepuff, it reminds me of HR Pufn stuf--which I hated. Ravensclaw is intriguing and based on prejudices about the word--or rather my judgment of others' prejudices--Ravensclaw is probably populated by devious selfish manipulative Machiavellis. I wonder what the qualities of Gryffindor are. I like that name, it sounds Welsh. I can't recall the name of the fourth team.

More on the horses

Horse people are active and energetic. They got plenty of sex-appeal and know how to dress. Horses love to be in the crowd, maybe that is why they can usually be seen in such occasions like concerts, theaters, meetings, sporting occasions, and of course, parties.The horse is very quick-witted and is right in there with you before you have had the chance to finish what you are saying: he's on to the thought in your mind even before you've expressed it. In general, the Horse is gifted. But in truth he is really more cunning than intelligent - and he knows that. That is probably why, most of the horse people lack confidence. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chinese believe that because horses are born to race or travel, all Horse people invariably leave home young. The Horse despises being pressured to act for the good of the group or made to feel guilty. No matter how integrated he seems to be, a Horse's inner self remains powerfully rebellious. Although they have boundless energy and ambition, Horses have a hard time belonging. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Horse is hot-blooded, hot-headed and impatient. He is a bit of an egoist, well, selfish sometimes, that it is rare for him to interest himself in any problems except his own. And though this egoist works only for himself and for his own success, his work nevertheless benefits everybody. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Horse is a worker, adepts at handling money and a good financier. But unfortunately, he is also famous for suddenly losing interest on something. In his relationship with opposite sex, the Horse is weak. He will give up everything for love. Being born a Horse, there are many contradictions in his character. Horses are proud yet sweet-natured, arrogant yet oddly modest in their approach to love, envious but tolerant, conceited yet humble. They want to belong, yet they are burdened by their need for independence. They need love and crave intimacy yet often feel cornered, pressured. But the truth is, the Horse is an individual, who depends only on his wits and his labor to get what he wants.

Chinese Zodiac

The Productive HorseThe horse is an individual who uses his wits and his labor to fulfill his desires. They have boundless energy and ambition, are adept with money, and are hard workers. Active and energetic, horse people are good dressers and sexy. Horses love to be seen and are often out at concerts, sporting events, and parties. However, a horse loves to race or travel and often leaves home young. Individualistic and rebellious, horses despise conformity and guilt trips and often have a hard time fitting in to a group. They are more cunning than intelligent and tend to lack true self-confidence. Hot-blooded, hot-headed, and impatient, horses are famous for suddenly losing interest in something. Horses can also be somewhat egotistical and selfish. Horses have many contradictions in their character. They are proud yet sweet-natured, arrogant yet oddly modest in their approach to love, envious yet tolerant, conceited yet humble. They want to belong yet are burdened by their need for independence. They need love and crave intimacy yet often feel cornered or pressured. In relationships with the opposite sex, horses are weak and will give up everything for love. The best match for a horse is a dog, tiger, sheep, or snake. An ok match is a pig or another horse. Relationships with dragons are steamy, but do not last. Relationships with a rooster, rabbit, ox, monkey, or rat are not recommended. Pictures capturing the spirit of the productive horse

Chinese zodiac

According to the website I amThe Wood HorseThe Wood Horse, male or female, distinguishes himself from his astrological brothers and sisters mostly by his great vulnerability to emotionalism and depression. Very often he has to hide his temperamental instability under the cover of irony, causticity, and cynicism which, of course, are not an inescapable component of his character. If he is not to be bogged down, he will have to strive all his life for an adequate degree of self-mastery. The task will be all the more difficult as he is likely to suffer from many trials and reversals despite his deep love for life and keen interest in the business of living. The Horse of this combination is graced with much more talents than the average of mortals. Possessed of an extremely keen intelligence, he understands very quickly and has the ability to take the right decisions at the right moment. However, every time he is confronted with something new, he cannot fail to feel somewhat skeptical of his own worth and displays some hesitation; but this never impairs his precision, efficiency, and organizational wizardry. His most important weakness lies in his relative lack of patience and concentration. A project involving long periods of time and sustained efforts may not come off so well as could be expected of such a brilliant individual. As a writer, for instance, he had better think to produce short stories or essays instead of tackling sagas. Despite his outraging egoism, this Horse can prove a likeable and benevolent person when he wants to. But he is not inclined to sentimentality and demonstrativeness, considering them a sign of weakness. Self-expression under all forms comes hard to him.However, every other calculation made tells me I am The Fire HorseMost authors delight in giving the Fire Horse an oversized treatment, thereby implying wittingly or unwittingly that he (or she) is the most important or noteworthy figure in Chinese astrology. In fact, this Horse is only one of the sixty main astrological combinations and should be viewed as such. This does not mean, however, that the native holds no specific interest. No one could remain indifferent to reports of thousands upon thousands of abortions in Japan alone during 1966, a year of the Fire Horse. (There is only one Fire-Horse year every 60 years.) Japanese prospective parents were so much afraid of begetting Fire Horses that they preferred nipping them in the bud even though their action was illegal. The same might have been true in other Asian countries. Why is the Horse of this combination held in so much contempt and awe? Because, it is believed, he (or she) cannot fail to bring misfortune and drama to his own family. His exacerbated individualism, monstrous egoism, and utter disdain for the virtue of family loyalty and tradition tend to substantiate such a belief. In any case, all the qualities and defects inherent to the sign are brought to an apogee in the Fire Horse. No one, not even the Fire Tiger, can surpass him in optimism, enthusiasm, blind faith, and courage. If anyone is able to move mountains, it must be he. Extremely brilliant and terribly efficacious, he detests mediocrity and failure, and his achievements are generally equal to his inordinate dreams. Good luck often seems to be on his side. He is capable of the best as well as the worst deeds. If most Horses can be sentimental when they choose, the Fire Horse is almost totally devoid of tender feelings. He attaches no importance whatsoever to qualities of the heart and therefore can sometimes display an inhumane and ruthless attitude. He does lend a helping hand every now and then, but it is for the sake of a show, not out of a sincere concern for the next fellow's welfare. His self-pride is legendary, and his violent outbursts of anger cannot be easily forgotten by those whom they are aimed at.Horses are...Adventurous, charismatic, eloquent, skillful, quick witted, athletic, entertaining, charming, independent, powerful, hard working, frank, sensualHorses make great explorers, traveling merchants, or generals. Horses can also be...Selfish, weak, hot headed, ruthless, rebellious, tactless, pragmatic, impatient, predatory, restless and HORSE/LeoLeos are ruled by fire. So are Horses. Leos are of noble stature. So are Horse people. Leos adore being applauded, respected and revered. Horses enjoy the same pleasures. This Horse person will be a monster of egotism and a sure winner of any race he sets his fancy footwork to. Living with a Horse/Leo is a tough job. If, by some chance, this Horse does not succeed in life, the blow to his pride will be too much to bear. Anger will ensue, then bitterness and self-pity. He will leave the paddock at a young age and gallop away to conquer the world. Don't try to stop him. Failure to achieve his goal could lead to a mental breakdown.

the end

I have worked here for a long time. Almost 25 years if you count all the incarnations. I don't know what else I will do, but it is clear I can't stay here. I'm going to ask Ali to help me with the resume--she's been working on her own for a while :) and should be up on all the details. I hate to leave when things are going poorly, but I can't ignore all the messages. I hope it doesn't kill me. I hope there is something else for me and that I will find it. I hope I can be ready. I hope I can recognize it.

Nepthysthe friend of the dead, rides the night boat of the underworld meeting the deceased's spirit and accompanying it into Lightland. What a strange coincidence that I selected that name, and chose today to begin updating my journal. Sept 11, thousands of people dead. Are there coincidences? I hope those who died today find their way into the Light. And that the guides of the underworld are not overwhelmed by the sheer number of newly dead. So many people calling for vengeance. I want it to end, the cycle of violence, revenge, more violence. It has to end. Maybe smashing those who did this is the way to end it--if so I am behind it all the way. I have no compunction against killing per se. But we must be thorough to make sure that no phoenix of terror rises from the ashes and that leaders are not turned into martyrs to inspire a new contingent of zealots.