JJ -- does she sound bored to you????

Andrea for VP. Ooooohhhhh!

I think JJ should be Chairwoman Wow, given where she is living.

And Al can be Justice Minister.

How about you, Chick?

She's not Bored Chick! She's Just Another Chick. But what another!

Al -- come join the new club, brother!

Well!

President of the Paris Non-Fan Club!

Awwwwwwww, what did I do to merit this honor.....aw shucks <<digs toe
into dirt>>

Well! No time to waste. Let's start recruiting!!!! Chick is back down.
Wanna join Chick. This is the best and latest club in the whole world.

Yup, I understand Daniel, and generally agree.

The question of accountability is there though? Historians will write
the history books, and in the end they will control how he is perceived
decades from now.

But do the tens of thousands of people he has hurt -- the people
illegally 'detained' on his orders have a right to sue him personally?

We pursued the leaders of Nazi Germany and Japan on a personal level,
and are doing so for Serbian and other people we judge guilty of war or
humanitarian crimes. Would we pursue one of our own? Maybe he will
pardon himself before leaving office!

Why was the effort to look at the candidates shot down?



Ocenas

Toronto -- to the north....

Isn't the world a fine place?

Ummmm....I am surrounded by the time zones of two beautiful ladies. Um,
um, UM!

I'd better go see where Chick is from, just in case she's on her way
down.

JJ, maybe we could start a Paris Non-Fan Club?

We could have our first meeting not in Paris....

She IS from across the street.

It's just not our street....

We can let Chick do the jumping...she'll float for days before landing.

Hi JJ! Hi Andrea!

Awwww....no compassion for the poor thing....

Chick, I do hope your plastic surgeon has malpractice insurance!



Oceans

Mike, great decision on being able to see the last post when one is
rplying to a thread!

Don't want to admit how many times I've started a Reply and then had to
click away to the page to reread what I was replying to before going on
with my reply!

And many thanks for working on the thread tarcking for oneself and other
users.

Hurrah for JSH!



Oceans

Daniel,

There are a lot of decisions that will be taken between now and the end
of the Bush presidency, and so there is a LOT of fighting that is going
to go on. Assessing Bush will continue to be important, in an effort to
minimize the further damage that he and his neocon/Rovian officials do.

And you are right, in my opinion: we need to start thinking about who
will come up next, and perhaps more importantly, what kind of government
we want, based on what kind of moral foundation?

Thanks for the reminder!

So, what is your assessment of the candidates? Do they have a clue about
what the country needs?



Oceans

Miles, I understand now. You don't care about the information that
newspapers convey.

But then, where do you get your information from?

DaVinci, what is TPTB?

Thanks.

Oceans

The nuclear bomb used at Hiroshima was about 15-17 kilotons. Today's
'suitcase' bombs are about 1.5 kilotons.

Too many people are still thinking in WWII and Cold War strategic terms,
like MAD, state-controlled weapons systems, and the dominance in
international affairs of national governments.

Instead we are entering a world in which sub-national groups can have
powerful weapons, and have the means to deliver them to their enemies.

One of the consequences of recent US activity overseas is to stir up the
anger of ordinary people, and this sooner or later will translate itself
into action against what is perceived as US bullying.

If this happens, the US CANNOT protect itself against counter-attack:
there are too many targets and too many weapons available. Yet our
leaders and large portions of our citizenry still think in WWII and Cold
War terms. Military force, even if it were intelligently missioned and
deployed, cannot stop this new reality.

The only sane and effective response will be international ties,
friendship and cooperation.

A lot of American cowboys won't like it, and the neocons won't like it,
but this is the reality. So much as some might distrust international
cooperation, we had better relearn how to do it. The US used to be
preeminent in the world as a peaceful, cooperative and admired country.
We need to regain this status and fast, not because it is 'nice,' but
because it is necessary for our security and that of our children.

We are coming full circle with AB's remarkable thread: "Are Weapons
Obsolete?" IIRC.




Oceans

Philosopher

1. HAMAS government spokesman has just repeated today that they do NOT
want to establish an Islamic State in Gaza. What is your source for
saying that they do?

2. OK, you insist you are talking about Taba. So, what is the "generous
offer" that you say the Israelis offered? And what led to the
unsuccessful conclusion to the Taba talks? What is the source you are
citing?

3. Women in Iran do not wear the burkha. Perhaps you are confusing Iran
with Afghanistan, where some do?

4. What is your source for burkhas being stapled to a woman's forehead?



Oceans

I just checked: the "Topic Review (Newest First):" temproary heading
shows up in other Categories and threads, too, including this one.

Mike

I've just noticed that when I reply to a thread (at least in the Current
Events Category) that the thread OP has a heading "Topic Review (Newest
First):" instead of the thread title.

When I post my reply, the title reverts to the correct title.

Not a serious problem.

Cheers,

Oceans

DaVinci -- corporations that care about us...

Key point!

Our major US corporations have gone global, that is, they have no
particular allegiance to the US. They view America as just another
market place.

The US government has in part let this happen through slack regulation
and permissive tax codes.

About 30 years ago I wrote a paper arguing that there was a great
showdown to come between national governments and globalized
(multi-national) corporations, and that new domestic and international
laws whould be required to handle the challenge. Of course, I was
ignored -- I was a young whipper-snapper then....

So now I look at the battle, and I am half-persuaded that it is already
lost.

A friend sent me a forecast today that predicts that 1 in every 4
American jobs is going to be lost.

We are in for difficult times.



Oceans