(no subject)

Al-Qaeda jumps into the Iraqi mess: in creating this tape, bin Laden (or whoever is pretending to be him) just signed Saddam's death warrant. If it was only extremely probable that the U.S. would go into Iraq before, it is a dead certainty now.

I'm still not convinced that there's a connection between Islamic fundie Al-Qaeda and the secular-but-paying-lip service-to-Islam Iraqi government but I think many people will choose not to notice that :(

I'm not solid anti-war, I just think that there are greater priorities for the U.S. right now than going to a relatively-contained Iraq (and yes, it still seems to me that Iraq cannot attack the U.S. or its allies, pending actual information) - like addressing that leetle problem of N. Korea's nuclear capability, for one.

Also London is expecting something, which makes me worry as my friend L. moved over there last year.

fencing etc..

Went out to The Other Fencing Club as my usual was cancelled this week. I ended up borrowing equipment and fenced electrically the entire time.

It was.. er.. interesting. Again. Again I was stuck with the too-tight lamé (the vest that registers the electric scores), necessitating a "Scarlett O'Hara" moment where I sucked in and zipped up as fast as possible.

I don't like the drag from the electric line, and I don't like the incessant screaming whistle from the score boxes skewering my eardrums. Other than that, I could get used to it. I do notice that it's hard to fence the same way though, and even other fencers become more aggressive when "hooked up" than not - I got a couple of hard hits in the ribs that will almost certainly leave a mark.

Funny discussions on the way back regarding having live cannon in the yard and why it's important to make chain mail just a little too big.