As I Was Saying...

..not so long ago:

The Senate will begin hearings next week on a new treaty with Russia that would reduce the two countries' arsenals of long-range nuclear weapons by about a third....

Obama and his advisers consider the treaty a major step toward the president's goal of a nuclear-free world. The pact would help reduce the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy.

But critics say the Russians bested the Americans in the negotiations.

Stephen Rademaker, assistant secretary of state for arms control in President George W. Bush's administration, said last week it was likely the treaty would be approved. But he said, he hoped senators would "ask questions" first about Russian development of new weapons.

"Every hard issue in the treaty is favourable to the Russians," he said.

Read the bolded parts again.

A fairly recent court ruling on the death penalty reflects a still-prevalent feeling in South Korea:

The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday in favor of death penalty for the second time in 14 years, judging that it is still too early in this society to abolish the system. However, it shows that the public opinion is changing slowly towards abolition of the penalty.

In its Thursday 5-4 decision, the Constitutional Court ruled the capital punishment constitutional, saying it is a "necessary evil" to safeguard innocent people and deter crime.

I was shocked to hear that one could be hanged for bank fraud in South Korea. One must also remember that North Korea reserves the right to kill on a whim.

North Korea has been caught smuggling weapons yet no one listens:

The North Korean weapons seized in Bangkok in December were destined for the Hamas and Hizbullah militant groups via Syria, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday...

It is the first time that any government officials have publicly talked about the destination of the 35 tons of North Korean arms seized at the Bangkok airport in December, although Dennis Blair, U.S. director of national intelligence, has said the cargo was bound for the Middle East.

U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said he did not want to comment on the announcement by Israel.

What the hell?

Is your favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal worn down by the daily grind and desperately in need of a vacation?

Finnish firm Teddy Tours Lapland Oy (http://www.teddytourslapland.com) has come up with one solution: holidays in northern Finland for that special stuffed friend costing from 110 euros to 170 euros ($140-$216).

It's just too much!