Attention XBLA users

Anyone having trouble connecting to xbox live right now?

ETA: Why yes, XBLA is down for system updates. They should be down for a few hours. Huh. I wonder if they announced that, and I missed it? Or did they just have a severe system failure?

Bob Denard and an interesting World History Lesson

I was intrigued to read this article about the death of Bob Denard.

I had been woefully unaware of the nature of these coups and how many have gone on over the years. And it is interesting to hear that this fellow was convicted, but never jailed for his activites.

Reading his biography according to Wikipedia is also an interesting read.

He engaged in 4 coup attempts over 20 years against Comoros. What the hell. Four times? How many people can boast stalking a nation? There is some indication that the French government was behind these coups, which is why the French courts found Denard guilty but suspended his jail time. Comoros itself has an interesting history, with three official languages, and an Islamic Democracy. At least for a few years so far.

And through all his mercenary ways, he also converted to Islam, had 7 wives and 8 children.