Excerpt: "FactCheck.org also takes no position on whether private accounts (or "personal" accounts, as the President and Rep. McCrery prefer to call them) are a good idea or a bad idea. But the claim that they would be a bonanza for Wall Street is one that just doesn't square with the facts."

Just interesting information. Cheers, -Pk

False Attacks Over 'Windfalls' to Wall Street

Excerpt: "In a 5-4 ruling that cited the “overwhelming weight of international opinion,” the high court declared unconstitutional the death penalty for those under the age of 18 when they committed their crimes."

International opinion? Umm. Since when was international opinion a ~formal~ basis for the U.S. Supreme Court? I might just have to search LexisNexis for any prior rulings with that wording. Hrmm. Cheers, -Pk

US court closes world’s last juvenile death row

Excerpt: "The U.S. government has long used a strategic influence policy to promote its national security interests. The war on terrorism is no different. Conducting this war effectively requires our government to dissuade terrorists from attacking the United States, divert youths from joining terrorist groups, and persuade the leaders of states and nongovernmental institutions to withhold support for terrorists."

I read the summary (five meat pages) so far and I think it's worth a look. I just started reading the full paper's case studies and they provide historical perspective. Cheers, -Pk

Dissuading Terror

Excerpt: " The deal, signed at Iran's Bushehr atomic plant in the south of the country, calls for Russia to supply uranium fuel and for Iran to ship back spent nuclear materials. Observers say the agreement will facilitate the activation of Iran's first atomic power station perhaps in a matter of months."

So they'll just have FedEx pick it up and deliver it back. No problem. -Pk

International Reaction to Iran-Russia Nuclear Pact Varies

Excerpt: "Putin also made it clear to these countries that UN has lost its backbone and EU nations may stand pat."

I convieniently left out the intro to the article which concentrates on American interests. -Pk

Putin makes Russia and BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) alliance ready for military confrontation

Excerpt: "When U.S. foreign aid is measured on other scales, however, a different picture emerges. For example, the United States provided about $51 per citizen in official development assistance in 2002–03. That ranks it in 16th place among other major donors, behind Norway ($381 per citizen), the Netherlands ($203 per citizen), France ($96 per citizen), and the United Kingdom ($89 per citizen), among others. When aid is measured as a share of national income, the United States ranks dead last at 0.15 percent. Top givers include Norway (0.92), Denmark (0.84), Belgium (0.60), and Germany (0.28)."

Before you take either a positive or negative view read the whole five (and growing?) pages. It's interesting any which way. -Pk

Think Again: U.S. Foreign Aid

Excerpt: "The demonstration quickly turned into a mass rally and youths set fire to banners and poster celebrating the 26th anniversary of the revolution that toppled the monarchy and brought to power Iran's turbaned clerics, residents reported."

Mass rally in support, 'eh? Suurree. -Pk

Clashes in Iran between people and Security Forces

Excerpt: "The patience Venezuela displays to such groups as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) has increased the U.S. concern further, it is stressed in the statement, according to the Washington Times."

Interesting way of putting it. Cheers, -Pk

US protests against Russia plans to sell arms to Venezuela

Excerpt: "Studies on the effectiveness of gun laws are plagued by poor or missing data, confusion over which laws affect which jurisdictions and underreporting of violent gun-related crimes, the task force researchers say."

It's not a NRA position piece by any means. Just discusses the problems of trying to quantify the issue. -Pk

Not Enough Evidence to Say Gun Laws Reduce Violence

Excerpt: "In the post-9/11 rush to beef up intelligence, the government has outsourced everything from spy satellites to covert operations -- and well-connected companies are cashing in."

Woohoo! Lets off-shore this work to India, China, and Pakistan too. Cheers, -Pk

The Spy Who Billed Me