A Finnish commuter ferry captain has been suspended after forgetting to turn off the autopilot and crashing into a pier — twice.

I can understand once. But twice?

After running the same route for 10 years, last Tuesday he for some reason forgot that the autopilot was engaged. Two passengers and one crew member were injured when the ferry crashed into the pier. He was given a dressing down by the ferry company. But he was also given a second chance.

Back he went to his usual route. On Thursday, forgetting again that the autopilot was engaged, he headed for the same stop. This time nobody was injured, but the pier was totally demolished.

He was not drinking on either occasion. But the ferry company was unable to say when, or if, he would be returning to his job.

I think they’ll have to rebuild the pier first.

Check out this picture.

Apparently Bush had a radio receiver fastened to his back during the first debate so he could receive messages (see the bulge marked by the arrow). Perhaps this is why his campaign insisted on a “no camera shots from the back” rule? Perhaps this is why sometimes he stumbled over his words? I know he does that anyway, but it seemed worse than usual.

It will be interesting to see how tonight’s debate goes. Since the candidates can get up and walk around the stage, it will be harder to hide a receiver.

I notice that the Electoral Vote Predictor in the side blog is projecting Kerry-280/Bush-239. This is the first time for a long time that Kerry has had enough electoral votes to win. I think it’s still a pretty tight horse race. Tonight’s debate is important to both candidates.

I’ve been meaning to blog about why keeping the electoral college is important. Maybe I will this afternoon if I feel better.

I hate being sick. I take it very personally, as though the bug that got me was aiming for me and nobody else.

I’ve felt tired for the last couple of days. Yesterday, I felt really tired and out of it. Making the rounds of meetings, answering the normal 1,230,452 e-mails I get a day, etc., seemed almost more than I could do. And my cube was so cold. I was freezing by the time I left.

#1 Son hitched a ride home with me from downtown. When we got in the car, the first thing he did was open the window. “Oh, please close it, I’m freezing!” I said. If he hadn’t been in the car with me, I would have cranked the heat up to max.

At home, I huddled in my chair with a blanket and tried to watch TV. When I went to bed, I wore my warmest nighty and made up a hot-water-bottle for my freezing feet. By that time, it was beginning to dawn on me that maybe I was coming down with something.

Sure enough, I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever, muscle aches, etc. Blech.

And to think I just got my flu shot on Tuesday. That’s one wasted vacine. 🙁

Iraq had no stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons and its nuclear program had decayed before last year’s U.S.-led invasion, the chief U.S. weapons inspector said on Wednesday, in findings contrary to prewar assertions of the Bush administration.

[…] “The analysis shows that despite Saddam’s expressed desire to retain the knowledge of his nuclear team, and his attempts to retain some key parts of the program, during the course of the following 12 years (after 1991) Iraq’s ability to produce a weapon decayed,” Duelfer said.

Some chemical weapons were uncovered in postwar Iraq but they all predated the 1991 Gulf War, Duelfer said. His report said Iraq had destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile in 1991 and there was no evidence that it resumed production.

[…] On what has been a contentious issue, Duelfer’s report said there was no evidence that Iraq sought uranium from abroad after 1991.

[…] A shipment of aluminum tubes seized in 2001 had been cited by U.S. officials as key evidence that Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear program. However, Duelfer said, “those tubes were most likely destined for a rocket program.”

The WMD hunt uncovered labs run by Iraqi intelligence that showed production of small amounts of poisons, including ricin — but for use in assassinations, not military weapons.

The Duelfer report, which includes assessments based on FBI interrogations of Saddam, said the former Iraqi leader intended to rebuild his weapons capabilities once U.N. sanctions were lifted.

Saddam saw Iran as the primary threat, followed by Israel, the report said.

Do we all get it now? There were no weapons of mass distruction in Iraq. None. Zero. Since 1992, the weapons programs in Iraq had decayed, despite Saddam Hussein’s interest in keeping it alive.

So, tell me again why we’ve gotten involved in this war? Said President Bush in a speech to the party faithful in Pennsylvania today:

“There was a risk, a real risk, that Saddam Hussein would pass weapons or materials or information to terrorist networks,” Bush said. “In the world after September the 11th, that was a risk we could not afford to take,” he said.

Hmmm… a little fancy tap-dancing, there?

But, regardless of the numerous acts of prevarication coming from the White House, the fact remains that Dubya just doesn’t get it. Iraq was not an imminent threat to the US. He may have been somebody to keep an eye on and address in the future. But attacking Iraq took the focus off of Afganistan. And that, in turn, led to the escape of Osama bin Laden. And that has led to the regrouping and spread of al Qaeda more than Saddam could have.

It’s too bad that Dubya got out of serving in Viet Nam. If he’d actually had to fly a plane into battle, he may have had a different take on why war should be the last resort, not the first. Of course, as we all know from the first debate, this Presidentin’ stuff is hard work. Maybe just a bit beyond you, Mr. President?

Iraq — this generation’s Viet Nam. Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it.

It’s a weird news day this morning. From the side blog:

In Berlin, a drunk fell asleep in a sex shop until after the store was closed. He was picked up by police when he set off the alarms trying to get out. Police say he “provided evidence” that he was not a burglar. I’m not sure I want to know what that evidence was. 😆

Police in a wealthy Vancouver, British Columbia, neighborhood are looking for three female theives who only steal expensive wines.

Exeter, England, claims to harbor as many ghosts as citizens.

News of the weird must have risen to the top of the Reuters RSS feed this morning.

Or maybe it’s just that I haven’t had any sleep for a week, and after having the permanent crown put on my tooth yesterday I still feel like I’ve been kicked in the jaw several times.

This was yesterday:

Asked to describe the connection between the Iraqi leader and the al-Qaida terror network at an appearance Monday at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Pentagon chief first refused to answer, then said: “To my knowledge, I have not seen any strong, hard evidence that links the two.”

This was a few hours later, in a new statement, published on a Pentagon web site:

A question I answered today at an appearance before the Council on Foreign Relations regarding ties between Al Qaeda and Iraq regrettably was misunderstood.

I have acknowledged since September 2002 that there were ties between Al Qaeda and Iraq.

This assessment was based upon points provided to me by then CIA Director George Tenet to describe the CIA’s understanding of the Al Qaeda-Iraq relationship.

Today at the Council, I even noted that “when I’m in Washington, I pull out a piece of paper and say ‘I don’t know, because I’m not in that business, but I’ll tell you what the CIA thinks,’ and I read it.”

Rumsfeld goes on to cite various evidence from the CIA that links Iraq with al Qaeda.

So which is it Donald?

This must be tough on Dubya. Various of his administration keep telling the truth, only to have to retract the story later in order to fit the party line.