I know it is a modern sin, but I absolutely love to smoke. I love the taste, the way a cigarette’s aroma permeates my lungs, the chemical/sexual thrill of nicotine’s grasp as it envelops my sympathetic nervous system. The slow, subtle arousal of both the body and the mind, combined with the relaxation of the […]

Posted on February 28th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: The Past | 5 Comments »

It is beginning to look as if the western governments have come to the understanding that the United States and the United Kingdom are deadly serious regarding Iraq. While nothing is ever finished until the votes are counted it appears that the French were not quite as prepared to sunder the United Nations as I […]

Posted on February 27th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics | 2 Comments »

So, what will happen now? I do enjoy a mystery, but this hardly qualifies: why do so many have a hard time understand that the President of the United States was absolutely sober and deadly serious when he told the world that should the United Nations fail to fulfill its obligations the US and her […]

Posted on February 25th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics | 2 Comments »

It began with dreams. Every night, dreams of doom spreading over the land, darkening skies, spreading panic. At this point in my life I had stopped dreaming the way others do- dreams mean that at some subconscious level I have made a connection that my conscious mind has yet to grasp. Of course I did […]

Posted on February 21st, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: The Past | 2 Comments »

More politics, if I do ever become truly depressed it will be from the constant need to revisit this topic. The French are beginning to be subjected to the negative feedback inherent in any bold move upon the geopolitical front. I find it difficult to accept that Mssr. Chirac believed there would be no reaction […]

Posted on February 18th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics | 2 Comments »

I am generally able to avoid fits of depression– when I am taken by a mood it is usually more a mania than a melancholy. Still it can be very, very hard to remain blissfully optimistic and truth to be told it is likely quite unhealthy. I have noted before that it is important to […]

Posted on February 14th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Philosophy | 3 Comments »

This was simply delightful to read. I would take issue with certain points, but they would be minor. Kvetching as a comment in a previous post put it. The author manages to wrap up American anger and the angst of the anti-war movement in a neat package lacking any kind of acrimonious or disparaging language. […]

Posted on February 13th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: The Present | Comments Off on A Delightful Find

I am neither a fan nor a foe of the French though their political maneuvers over the past few weeks have done nothing to endear that nation to me; however, it is incumbent upon any person who seeks to comment on politics and current events to step back and take a long, dispassionate look at […]

Posted on February 11th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics, The Past, The Present | 8 Comments »

Looking over the displeasure on display over the past weekend reminds me of why I usually stay clear of day-to-day politics: my viewpoint is too far-reaching to make sense to most people. The impulse (which I indulged in the other day) is to react to every occurrence and shift in the political winds; however, this […]

Posted on February 10th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics | 3 Comments »

People certainly do become excited when something unexpected appears on the horizon. In this case it is the prospect of the reported Franco-German proposal for occupation of Iraq by a force of several thousand UN troops supporting 300 or more weapons inspectors. Forgive me my failure to be impressed. I do think it is a […]

Posted on February 9th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics | Comments Off on Developments