Searchers believe they are nearing missing CNET editor

Ten days without much food, two days on his own trying to get help for his wife and kids (who have been rescued.) He’s probably half-crazed by now from hunger, exposure to the elements, and fear. Let’s hope they find him soon and alive.

Backpackers call them the ten essentials, things you should always have. I carry mine in a backpack in the trunk of my car for hikes, or if the car is disabled, or whatever.

They include a compass, headlamp, emergency food and water, extra clothes, a knife, first aid kit, cigarette lighters, space blanket, and most importantly, a whistle. Put the whistle on a string so you can wear it around your neck.

The sound of a whistle is unmistakable and travels long distances, much further than yelling can. Three blasts on a whistle is the universal back country distress signal. Any rescue team that hears it will immediately head towards it.

Did James Kim have a whistle? I don’t know. But rescues are made easier if the person does have one. Toss the ten essentials in your trunk, check the headlamp batteries every so often, and hope you never have to use it.

And if you’re lost or trying to find help, stay on the road or trail, it will eventually lead you somewhere, shortcuts will probably just get you lost.

More:

Google Maps apparently recommends the route they took, a route which is tricky most any time and mostly impassable in winter. Yikes.

Friends have set up a website, jamesandkati.com

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From email by film maker David Bradbury.

Next May/June will see Australia host the largest military exercises we’ve ever had in peacetime. Talisman Sabre 07.

Twelve thousand Australian soldiers and nearly l4,000 US troops and sailors will take place in bombarding our shores and fragile landscape, storming our beaches, gunning down ‘terrorists’ in the newly built urban guerilla warfare training centre, testing their latest laser guided missiles and ’smart’ bombs in some of the most pristine wilderness I’ve ever seen on this planet - and in 30 years of making films, I’ve seen a lot of this planet.

These military exercises and their coordination in both states will be beamed live via satellite from tiny cameras on the tanks, bombers, landing craft, army commanders’s lapels etc to the coordinating War Room at Newcastle where the US and Australian generals will call the shots of what is fired next. Son of Star Wars has arrived in Australia!

I don’t know how you feel about that, but I am still disgusted that Australia supports the US so sycophantically in this bullshit War on Terror. Our unholy crusade at the latest count had 653,000 innocent people in Iraq killed-even if its half this number comprehensively and methodically counted number, its still a national and immoral disgrace that we have lent our name and support to such a huge number of innocent people murdered in our nation’s name.

Peace Convergence is mobilizing to protest and stop Talisman Sabre.

And why do 14,000 US troops need to be practicing invasions in Australia?

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The Visting Forces Agreement the US has with the Philippines makes it difficult for Philippines authorities to prosecute US soldiers for crimes they commit. That Lance Corporal Daniel Smith got 40 years for raping a Filipina is unusual, and is one of the reasons the trial is getting so much attention.

While the trial was going on, the US insisted on keeping him in the embassy. Even after the verdict, they wanted him back there but the judge said no. Why should a convicted rapist get special treatment simply because he’s US military?

The US has a similar but even more draconian agreement in South Korea, which makes it virtually impossible for US soldiers to be prosecuted for anything. In 2002, two Korea school girls were killed when run over by a US armored vehicle, who then backed up and ran over them again. In a truly despicable move, the US whisked the drivers out of the country and they were never charged with anything. South Korean officials were powerless to do anything. Why oh why do they hate us?

Having said that, I oppose draconian prison sentences no matter who they are and what they did. Forty years in a foriegn prison for a 21 year old is too long. In some Scandinavian countries, I believe, the maximum you can get for any crime is 20 years, and that seems sane to me.

If Smith is put into the general prison population in the Philippines, he will unquestionably be repeatedly beaten, if not killed. His crime was grave, but sentencing him to a life that in effect will be torture is no solution either.

Yes, he should do time. No, I don’t know what the answer is.

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