Odds and Ends, Mostly Odds

This is Wednesday, which means it's time for some odds and ends: mostly odds.

Now that's a paddy-wagon!....Iran's Islamic government has decided that its occasional crackdowns on the opposition have been ineffective and inefficient. Consequently, they have decided to arrest the entire population of the country.

Arrested Development.... China has vetoed a UN resolution condemning Iran's national arrest. In its statement, China said that it had been able to make huge economic leaps after arresting its entire population twice: in 1949 and 1989. China sees no reason why Iran could not make similar post-arrest leaps, especially if it continues buying arms and nuclear equipment from China.

You may need it!....Nigeria's new Acting President's name? Goodluck Jonathan. True.

Qat got his tongue....Thomas L. Friedman reports from Yemen in the Times that he "took part in a qat chew" with Yemeni officials, referring to a mild halucinogenic. The resulting qat column proposes that the US " build 50 modern schools" for Yemeni boys and girls for every Predator missile we fire at Al Qaeda targets in Yemen. Perhaps this strange man could also chew some qat with some Wash. D.C. officials and get the Pentagon to build 50 modern schools for DC boys and girls. Did Yemenis spike that qat? Calling Dr. Leary!

Speaking about luck....The New York State Senate has expelled Senator Hiram Monserrate of Queens for his domestic assault conviction. Reportedly, the expellee took in all in stride, using his generous severance and pension package to form a new gaming company. Monserrate and his partners will apparently bid on the troubled Aqueduct "video gaming" (wink-wink) center, as a result of questions surrounding the current bid by Gov. Paterson's friend, Floyd Flake.

Gaming Center? What Gaming Center?....Speaking of that $200-300 Million video slot machine center at the site of the former Aqueduct racetrack: does anyone remember who came up with this idea, how it passed in the first place and why we need it?  Were these guys/gals in the Senate and Assembly sitting around with Friedman and Paterson chewing on the qat again! Meanwhile, St Vincent's Hospital has to close and Yemeni boys and girls are sharpening their pencils. Does the concept of a mass arrest in Albany appeal to anyone?

The early worm gets the bird....Finally, on those rumors about Gov. Dave's party habits and pending resignation. The Gov has reminded people that he doesn't need to sneak women into the Governor's Mansion; he's the Governor, for goodness sake, he can invite anyone at anytime he pleases without sneaking. Give the guy a break, have you ever tried to live in Albany? No elected officials actually live in Albany. It's a place you go to pick up a pay check and another and another and one more, until you, your sister and your cousins  get your pensions. Singling out one guy up there for unethical or immoral behavior is like identifying one particular cornstalk in Iowa for having a worm.

Note: please remember our lifestyle/design blog, http://rareburghers.blogspot.com/  and don't forget cousin Adam Haslett's new novel, Union Atlantic (Nan Talese/Doubleday), which is now in stores/online.