I'm back!!!!! I didn't fall off the face of the earth I've just been lazy. I wanted a bit of a break from writing but now I'm back and chattier than ever.

The cause of Yasser Arafat's death is being blamed on a stroke. However, the cause of the stroke or why Arafat got sick is still up for debate and his medical records are heavily guarded and his widow refused an autopsy. A report by the New York Times said that Arafat had disseminated intravascular coagulation (D.I.C.), a blood disorder. The times also said that the stroke was a result of the DIC from an infection that was not identified. The report rejected that the infection was AIDS or poison. However, Arafat's personal physician, Dr. Ashraf al-Kurdi, said that Yasser did have AIDS and was given AIDS to cover the poison. I don't understand why it has to be such a damn mystery. The man is dead; it's not like he can be hurt or harmed anymore.

Pause for the passing: William Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was laid to rest yesterday. He served on the nation's highest court for 33 years and the dirt was barely covering the casket when talk was that John Roberts would succeed Rehnquist as C.J. My spouse has never had a bad feeling about Roberts and I think Roberts might not be a bad choice. His resume is impressive and while he was brash and controversial in his youth, he seems to have mellowed and grown up. I really think there could have been much worse choices.

Movie minute: Something light; my Oscar video pick of the week. A 1964 crime caper starring Maximilian Schell, Melina Mercouri, and Peter Ustinov in his second Oscar winning role. The film Topkapi is campy, fun, intriguing and suspenseful. It follows six thieves as they set out to steal an emerald dagger from a Turkish museum. Schell is the dashing and sexy Walter, Mercouri as the obsessed with gilt Elizabeth, and Ustinov as the hapless schmo Arthur. It's in the same vein as the caper Ocean's 11, the big budget movie with George Clooney, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts. Topkapi, however, is more exciting and better acted. They make very few movies like this anymore. Ok, it did come out AFTER the original Ocean's 11 with Frank Sinatra but it was four years and the film is still fun and worth watching. I didn't think I would like this movie when I started watching it because it's not the type of movie I usually enjoy or get into. I was very pleasantly surprised. The movie is mostly set in Turkey but for some inexplicable reason the music is all Greek. How fun! It is also obvious that the film was made in the 60's. The climax when the thieves steal the dagger is truly breathtaking in the sense that I found myself holding my own breath for fear I would set off the alarms if I breathed too hard. I didn't quite understand the ending but, hey, no movie is perfect.

Enjoy your day,

paul