Thursday, April 19, 2007

silence

I just realized that it has been a long time since I have actually written anything here. I suspect that the universe is conspiring against me. For the past few weeks I seem to have been plagued with an endless stream of very minor, but annoying medical problems: a minor head injury, a cold, a pulled shoulder, a tooth problem . . . Coupled with my obsessive reading and writing and teaching, I have not given my opinion to the world. Sorry world. I hope to resume my regularly scheduled posts in the very near future.

7 comments:

John Byrnes said...

Karl as a philosopher you should know the universe does not conspire. The universe simply acts, no intentionality required. But like Kissinger, or Nixon, or was it Stalin? said just because you're paranoid...

karl said...

John, a good departed friend (C. E.) once said to me that he has a great proof for God's existence: "Things can't be this bad by accident."

When too much goes wrong all at the same time, I think of that argument. Someone is conspiring.

Hope all is well with you. (And good job keeping on top of the Lozano case. We do not see enough commentary on that. It is all pretty scary. What penalty is he realistically facing, and what are the odds he will actually be convicted? What are the pundits saying?)

Lucy said...

There used to be a saying the salt containers that read "When it rains, it pours." I find that to be true only when bad things are happening to me they all pile on(or maybe we just pay attention more when too many things all go wrong at the same time bec we think it's a conspiracy...)
Feel better... "this too shall pass..."

Re: Lozano according to customary international law countries are not supposed to try the soldiers of other countries. (It's a courtesy thing - I will prosecute my guys for the crimes they commit you prosecute your guys) This trial is a sham of the new anti-American government in Italy. If he is "convicted" (as this is a phony trial) he will not be able to visit any of the EU countries. With friends like the EU, who needs enemies? Shame on Italy...

Anonymous said...

I know how you feel...get well soon.

Anonymous said...

totally irrelevant to the post

chag sameach!

John Byrnes said...

Lucy, it goes beyond courtesy. Italy is party to at least two treaty conventions that delineate jurisdiction in cases like these: The Geneva Convention, and NATO. Aside from that it is a unilateral extension of national sovereignty to claim jurisdiction over second party nationals operating in third party territory. While international courts have been known to support such claims it has generally been to remedy cases where no other competent legal authority has proceeded. The US military is considered a competent legal authority.

Lucy said...

John, while Italy has passive personality jurisdiction over an individual who harms an Italian national; this does not usually apply to military personnel. International courts just issue advisory opinions which are not binding to anyone unless they are party to a treaty which the US is not. The US knew this would lead to political prosecutions as it clearly has in Italy.