Lost In Translation

Have you been as confused as me with what is the authentic, “official” spelling of Libya’s infamous enigmatic vitriolic unapologetic leader/ruler/cruel-yer and paid-for Muammar Gaddafi? You aren’t alone. Check this out: The Associated Press, CNN, and MSNBC spell it "Moammar Gadhafi." The New York Times spells it as "Muammar el-Qaddafi." At the Los Angeles Times, it's "Moammar Kadafi." Reuters, the Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Times and the BBC have chosen "Muammar Gaddafi." The Irish Times uses "Muammar Gadafy." ABC News – which spells it "Moammar Gaddafi" – has posted a list of 112 variations on the English spelling of the still-feared-and-yet-losing-his-grip Libyan “leader.” The translation confusion might explain "it all."

When one can’t determine how the eff a major force in the Middle East for over 40 years spells his name, it does point to a trust issue on every side of the Pond – or, if not trust, precisely, it does add to the fuzzy quasi-knowledge of what Libya actually does and stands for in the world other than produce a much desired high-quality oil, and bomb planes out of the sky.

No, no. I’m not against Libya as a group/nation/culture whatsoever. The almost otherworldly oppressive nature of Libya has been one of the quiet whispers of global shakedowns, deals - special handshakes. However, Gaddafi has now publically joined the Charlie Sheen 10 Mile-High Club and all anyone can do who is not close to the situation is sit back and cringe with each new deluded pronouncement.

“Crazy” is in the air these days. Brewing within world/nation leaders, certain celebrities for years, the time has come for all to show their madness at the same time. Poor Christina Aguilera is drinking her sorrows away and getting her sad self arrested for it, while Lindsay-Girl awaits her fate on March 10, and Charlie Sheen? Uh, what can one say? The guy has fallen like one of his cars into the deep canyon hillsides of lofty views while he feeds on his own Tiger Blood in a private horror-porn film.

It’s becoming too sad to watch the walls falling down around many of these once-talented train wrecks. After watching all of Sheen’s interviews of the last two days I’m speechless - in a way. Every time Charlie opens his gangsta’- sounding mouth he ends up flogging himself. Thus, I’ll get back to my primary focus……

If Gaddafi didn’t have the ability to wipe out an entire nation with military force, his public expressions of instability would be just another day in Hollywood scandals. But that isn’t how it works.

While we watch what’s next on the Libyan stage, the least I can do is be consistent in the spelling of a name.