Morning (yawneroos)

Yes, another morning in the legal racket, with all its splendour and glory. A sexual harassment brief awaits my attention. It's almost done, so not half as interesting now as when I got started on it, but I suppose I should get to it and finish.

All kinds of things to comment on, which I hope I'll have time to get back to. Most interesting news out there (besides the assassination attempt on your host, El Jefe Maximo, by an unknown Lexus in my kiddo's car pool line), is the bombing of the Hilton hotel at the Egyptian resort at Taba (on the Red Sea, near the Israeli border at Eilat). Taba, with its hotels and casinos, is a favorite Israeli tourist destination, and important to the Egyptians as a source of foreign exchange. Possibly Hamas, but I doubt it. Hamas is too beat up, and the Egyptian police have them penetrated. Some previously unknown group is taking responsibility. Smells like Al Qaeda to me (recall that they have lots of Egyptian connections). Lots of dead Israelis, but it really hurts the Egyptian government too, because of the lost income from tourism.

The King of Cambodia has abdicated. What a guy. Ol' Norodom Sihanouk has been a player since the 50's and has fingers in all the pies in southeast Asia. The king's been on good terms at one time or another with the North Vietnamese, the South Vietnamese, the Cambodian royalists, the Cambodian anti-royalists, the Khmer Rouge. Tool of the French, the Russians, the Chinese...you name em, he was on their side, and always knew when to jump ship. Supposedly it's for reasons of health (well, he is 81). His Majesty is staying in China...which seems like a good way to keep the royal fundament in (relatively) good health, given that the present Prime Minister, Hun Sen, formerly a Vietnamese stooge, doesn't like him much.

Big debate tonight. Spartan mommas used to tell their sons, when they'd head off to war, to return "with your shield or on it." Meaning, win, or have your friends bring your body back using your shield as a stretcher. It's that time for Bush's re-election hopes...he cannot afford to lose.

Oh well, time to work.