What a JOKE!!! UN to Iran: Quit it!

What a JOKE!!! UN to Iran: Quit it!

The UN has comdemned Iran for having a secret nuclear program. Read the article and then subsitute the word Iraq for Iran. Then try to guess how many unenforced "resolutions" it will take to convince Iran to not do this. I would be laughing if I weren't crying. To think, some people actually have faith in this ineffectual and idiotic institution. Ugh!

CNN.com - Nuclear watchdog group warns Iran - Nov. 26, 2003

(CNN) -- The U.N. nuclear watchdog's governing board Wednesday approved a resolution condemning Iran's secret nuclear program, and sending what the agency's chief calls a "serious and ominous message" to Iran that future breaches "will not be tolerated.

"It clearly strengthens my hand in fulfilling our task in ensuring Iran's program is exclusively for peaceful purposes," said Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The resolution notes Iran's past breaches of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and calls on Tehran to cooperate with the IAEA. It also welcomes Iran's recent offer "of active cooperation and openness."

Dems Would Never . . .

Dems Would Never . . .

Seriously, when was the last time a Democrat punished a staffer for doing something unethical? Or punished one of their own (a la Trent Lott cf. Robert Byrd) for something unethical?

Senate Republican staffer put on leave for accessing Democratic files

Williams on Job Churn

Williams on Job Churn

Walter E. Williams: Jobs come and go

In 1970, the telecommunications industry employed 421,000 switchboard operators. In the same year, Americans made 9.8 billion long distance calls. Today, the telecommunications industry employs only 78,000 operators. That's a tremendous 80 percent job loss.

What should Congress have done to save those jobs? Congress could have taken a page from India's history. In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi attacked machinery, saying it "helps a few to ride on the backs of millions" and warned, "The machine should not make atrophies the limbs of man." With that kind of support, Indian textile workers were able to politically block the introduction of labor-saving textile machines. As a result, in 1970 India's textile industry had the level of productivity of ours in the 1920s. . . .

Those Americans calling for government restrictions that would deny companies and ultimately consumers to benefit from cheaper methods of production are asking us to accept lower wealth in order to protect special interests. Of course, they don't cloak their agenda that way. It's always "national security," "level playing fields" and "protecting jobs". Don't fall for it -- we'll all become losers.

And The Award for Wrong Place, Wrong Time Goes To . . . .

And The Award for Wrong Place, Wrong Time Goes To . . . .

This dumbass who (allegedly) raped a woman in a house with 24 HOUR VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.

NBCSandiego.com - Entertainment - Woman Says She Was Raped In 'Real World' House:

Thirty cameras are mounted throughout the house, recording images from every area except the home's two bathrooms. The cameras are monitored 24 hours a day, according to an MTV producer.

Do As We Say . . .

Do As We Say . . .

Financial Review: Euro zone in crisis after deficit deal

The European Union was plunged into bitter recrimination on Tuesday after finance ministers let France and Germany off the hook for repeatedly breaking the euro zone's strict budget rules.

The decision struck at all-night talks left the EU's Stability and Growth Pact - the set of rules underpinning Europe's single currency, ironically designed by Germany to restrain freer-spending countries - in tatters.

The European Commission refused to rule out legal action and the European Central Bank (ECB) issued a hard-hitting statement warning that the deal carried "serious risks".

The accord, endorsed by ministers from all 15 EU nations, suspended "for the time being" disciplinary measures against Paris and Berlin for failing to get their public deficits under 3.0 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

But in a separate declaration, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the pact as the bedrock of "sound and sustainable budgetary policies" in the EU, and pledged to promote "equality of treatment" under the pact's rules.

The deal was pushed through in the teeth of opposition from EU Economic and Monetary Affairs commissioner Pedro Solbes, whose normal geniality deserted him as he struggled to contain his anger.

And a clutch of member states that have worked hard to remedy their own finances - Austria, the Netherlands, Finland and Spain - voted against it.

UK to EU: Drop Dead

UK to EU: Drop Dead

We can only hope . . . .

Telegraph | News | Britain threatens veto on EU

The Government is clearly concerned that the latest draft treaty being prepared by the Italian government, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, could threaten Britain's "red lines".

These are:

Preventing European defence policy from breaking away from Nato;
Ensuring that the European foreign minister answers to governments rather than to the European Commission;
Preserving Britain's veto over taxation;
Fending off EU powers over areas of criminal law.
Britain is also objecting to any possible loss of control over North Sea oil and seeking to prevent a new Charter of Fundamental Rights giving European courts further powers over British law. Other countries have also raised objections. These include the demand by Poland and Spain to be given greater voting weight, and calls by the smaller states to preserve an EU commissioner for each country.

Zero Tolerance (ZT) Stories - Again

Zero Tolerance (ZT) Stories - Again

As usual, Wendy McElroy hit is right on the head in her commentary for FoxNews. Zero Tolerance has got to stop. THINKING, RESPONSIBILITY, JUDGEMENT . . . these words used to mean something in our schools' administrations and our governements. Time to bring them back.

FOXNews.com - Views - ifeminists - Zero Patience for Zero Tolerance

For most children, zero tolerance is experienced in schools with administrative rules that purportedly enforce safety and discipline. Arguably, the administrative rules are actually a reaction to federal threats to cut funds. For example, in 1994 Congress passed the Gun-Free School Act by which states had to implement zero tolerance on weapons or lose federal money. Many schools rigorously interpreted zero tolerance to include the prohibition of anything even looking like a weapon. They adopted broad definitions of dangerous behavior, which allowed for no exceptions.

Soon the media spilled over with stories of young children being suspended or treated like felons for playing with water pistols, paper guns or even for pointing their fingers at each other and saying "bang."

The punishment for possessing an obvious toy became the same as for possessing a real weapon because zero tolerance means zero distinctions. Zero tolerance takes discretion and evaluation away from educators and mandates responses that can be wildly inappropriate. Behavior that used to be corrected by detention or a trip to the principal's office now receives suspension, expulsion or even police involvement. What used to be the last resort has become the first and only option.

For further reading check out:

• http://www.thisistrue.com/zt.html
• http://www.thisistrue.com/zt2.html
• http://www.thisistrue.com/zt3.html
• http://www.ztnightmares.com/

Czech Leader On EU: Collectivism Threatens State

Czech Leader On EU: Collectivism Threatens State

Czech warns Europe of 'dream world' woes - The Washington Times: World

"We could see the scaffolding of a nation-state that would retain a president and similar institutions, but with virtually zero influence," he said "That's my forecast. And it's not a reassuring vision of the future."

Last week, the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg released a 400-page report that found "systematic problems, over-estimations, faulty transactions, significant errors and other shortcomings" in the EU budget.

EU auditors could vouch for only 10 percent of the $120 billion the bloc spent in 2002. It was the ninth successive year the auditors were unable to certify the budget as a whole.

Europeans have not yet faced up to such "serious underlying issues," Mr. Klaus said, because "they are still in the dream world of welfare, long vacations, guaranteed high pensions and cradle-to-grave social security."

Protestors Pissed at Patriotic sPeakers

Protestors Pissed at Patriotic sPeakers

Big Crowd at Military School Protest Gets Earful of Patriotic Music From Army - from Tampa Bay Online

The Army's loudspeakers, playing "The Army Song" and "God Bless the U.S.A.," were 50 yards away from where protesters were speaking to the crowd.

Leaders of School of Americas Watch, which has protested at Fort Benning every year since the early 1990s, said they planned to sue over the noise tactic and accused the Army of a "psychological operation."

"There's a lot of ill will being caused that's not necessary," said the Rev. Ray Bourgeois, SOA Watch founder. "The closer we get to closing that school down, the meaner they get." [emphasis added - Editor's Note: Gee, I wonder why they would get "mean" about someone trying to close them down. . . how very strange!]

"We figure if they can play their music, we can play ours," post spokesman Rich McDowell said. The Army said the music came from a tape made by the wife of a Fort Benning soldier currently serving in Iraq.

Proper Pay for Our Military

Proper Pay for Our Military

FOXNews.com - Politics - Bush Signs Huge Defense Authorization Bill

President Bush signed a $401.3 billion defense authorization bill (search) Monday, granting soldiers an across-the-board average 4.15 percent pay increase as well as hazardous service and family separation pay.

"In this time of war our military is facing greater sacrifice, our men and women in uniform are facing longer separations," Bush told defense officials in a speech delivered at the Pentagon.

"Our military is making America proud," he said.

Focusing on the personnel aspects of the bill, Bush pointed out changes in hiring and bonus pay. He said the bill allows civilian managers to be moved to areas where they can offer the most help, speeds up the hiring process and gives the defense secretary much greater latitude in the hiring and firing of 700,000 civilian employees.

Garden of Destruction?

Garden of Destruction?

If this is true, it is truly bad form from the US administration. Some evidence of their arrival and activities is to be expected and was surely cleared/discussed beforehand, but they could have either been more careful or offered to make amends for the damage.

Sunday_Mirror.co.uk - GROUND FARCE 1

Royal officials are now in touch with the Queen's insurers and Prime Minister Tony Blair to find out who will pick up the massive repair bill. Palace staff said they had never seen the Queen so angry as when she saw how her perfectly-mantained lawns had been churned up after being turned into helipads with three giant H landing markings for the Bush visit.

The rotors of the President's Marine Force One helicopter and two support Black Hawks damaged trees and shrubs that had survived since Queen Victoria's reign.