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How is calling a halt to actions that provoke terrorism "taking the side of terrorists"? It simply means that you cease to take your side. i.e., You agree to stop slapping me round the head, I agree not to sucker punch you in the guts every now and then in retaliation. Situation over...

For what it's worth, Bells and hypewaders, it's people like yourselves who are, to my mind, the true Americans: living embodiments of the original - the old and respected - America, the America that we would love to be able to love again, peopled by citizens who recognize the fragility of...

This may be be a completely stupid question but I have to ask. What is it about "dying" as opposed to say, simply fainting, that effects this shift? Passing out ends the current "reality" too, doesn't it? If it doesn't, how do you know that - how do you know what the difference is between the two?

Nebula, You need to get a little perspective here. If you want to talk about burdens on society, talk about all the burdens including, for example, the huge law enforcement and other costs directly attributable to alcohol. And your right to clean air? What about the right to a clean and...

For a lot of kids, whether or not their parents smoke is the least of their worries, by far the lesser of many evils.

...and let's not bother with asking ouselves why they did, and whether such a response is likely to lead tomore of the same. Then too, there's the question of who, exactly, are "them"? US media has it neatly packaged, with faces and names - Al Qaeda. In the face of terror, a clearly...

Man needs an explanation of things beyond his comprehension so he invents one. Naturally he invents an explanation that "works", that has all the bases covered. (That's the whole point, after all.) He's so happy with this that he needs to believe that his explanation - his god - is not an...

Yes, yes, yes ... no need to tell us our own stuff. And that's one of the differences, if you must attempt a comparison - British people do know their own stuff. No need to wait for leaked photos or anything of that nature. Thus things change. Not always fast, but they do, hence the Widgery...

Sorry, you lose - courtesy of your prediliction for assumptions, about people for starters and, far more damaging, that you "see" it all already. What you see is one facet of life - mothers & motherhood - lived out by a certain people in a tiny subsection of the world. It's not...

Why don't you simply extract yourself form the normalities, banalities - whatever - that upset your dainty sensibilities so much? Get into some interesting, challenging, tricky situations that will give you a better picture of the scope of humanity, what it's capable of, yourself included.

otheadp: Validity of Chalabi's conviction - Some links Apologies for not giving links yesterday. Here are a couple, with excerpts. Take note that the Arthur Anderson audit/report formed the basis of Jordanian charges against him - he wasn't "framed."...

No, it's not. A year ago Arthur Anderson, among other independent international investigators, confirmed that $200 million had indeed disappeared from Petra Bank - co-founded by Chalabi, by the way - and that million of dollars of depositors' money had been transferred to Chalibi family accounts...

And the next one messes up? And the next? What then? Democracy is - or should be - about much more than the ability to act "after the fact". After what kind of facts? After their leader has taken away many if not all of their democratic rights? Or at best, squandered the wealth and well...

Remind me if you can. What's Iraq got to do with Al Qaeda, with 9/11?

Just wanted to point out that actually they did, notably Epicurus, Greek philosopher and teacher. Found this snippet for you: "There is no divine interference in the natural order of things, according to Epicurus. Far from having been created by the gods, he said, this world has endured for...

GuessWho: This "jealousy" theory is very well worn, and very convenient for you, isn't it? No need to think too deeply about anti-Americanism when you can simply say, "they're jealous, that's all." If you love your country because it's rich, powerful etc., fine. However, don't assume that...

I think a lot of the fascination with jerks has to do with delusion. Some women do like to flatter themselves that they have the capacity - the power - to get deep down inside of someone and see things that no one else can see, i.e. "niceness" in a person who, so far as everyone else can see...

Point taken. Thanks. Certainly the BBC article is more emotive, but I'd have to be reading a lot more Aljazeera for a better feel. Dip in now and then for an alternative perspective. CNN is good - for a laugh, that is. Have to check it out now and then when a particualrly challenging event - in...

I don't undersand your point. The quote in Aljazeera ("passengers") is by an Associated Press reporter i.e., not an Al-Jazeerra reporter. And as the sentence has already stated that it was a school bus there's no need to point out the obvious - that the "passengers" were children. Passengers in...

Actually, it's more like saying they want food but not MacDonald's. (In which case they might really rather starve.) Right now Iraqis are choking on the American idea of "freedom." They've never had it so bad but this is "freedom"? They need to be liberated from the choas of American...