Opinion News Review

Deanna Stillman: Let’s head off the horse thieves at the pass

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:07:10 +0000

This week, the Bush administration’s Bureau of Land Management dropped a bombshell: wild horses and burros, supposedly under its protection, may be euthanized. The rationale was familiar — financial problems and the difficulties of controlling wild horse populations . But independent researchers question whether horse populations in the wild are out of control, and the BLM budget for the wild horse and burro program is only $39 million per year, not much in the scheme of federal allocations: It ought to be increased. After all, you can’t really put a price on our heritage (for those who think you can, see my recent Newsweek interview, which offers an easy solution to the BLM’s alleged budget problem).

Should aspects of Sharia law be used in the UK?

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:07:20 +0000

The most senior judge in England and Wales has said that aspects of Islamic sharia law could be used in the UK, provided they don’t conflict with existing laws. Do you agree?

Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice, said that sharia and other religious laws could be used for mediation in disputes if both parties agreed.

But he added that any sanctions must be based on English and Welsh laws and severe physical punishments would not be acceptable.

Sharia is a set of principles which govern the way many Muslims believe one should live one’s life.

The Archbishop of Canterbury made similar comments earlier in the year, sparking a huge controversy which leds to calls for his resignation.

What do you think of Lord Phillip’s views? Could sharia law sit comfortably in the UK? Have you ever used sharia law for any dispute?

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The Fourth of July

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:07:30 +0000

WHEN DID the great American venture really get rolling? Was it in July 1776 in Philadelphia, as we tell ourselves this day to the accompaniment of fireworks and other patriotic noise? Or was it in fact nearly 40 years later, during a chill January in a swampy place in the Deep South? Daniel Walker Howe would argue that it was the latter. Mr. Howe is a historian, the author of a book, “What Hath God Wrought,” describing the country’s dramatic, nearly incredible, expansion, which culminated in 1848 when it completed its leap from sea to sea by taking California from Mexico.

U.S., North Korea change course (USATODAY.com)

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:07:00 +0000

John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, in The Wall Street Journal: “With much fanfare and choreography, but little substance, the administration has accepted a North Korean ‘declaration’ about its nuclear program that is narrowly limited, incomplete and almost certainly dishonest in material respects. In exchange, President Bush personally declared that North Korea is no longer a state sponsor of terrorism or an enemy of the United States. â¦ North Korea has consecutively broken every major agreement with the U.S. since the North’s creation. The Bush administration provides no reason why this one will not be added to that long list except the audacity of hope. Where have we heard that recently? Barack Obama and John Kerry announced support for the deal, and Obama said he intended to apply Bush’s policy to other rogue states, thus confirming the early start of the Obama administration. â¦ For many erstwhile (Bush) administration supporters, this is a moment of genuine political poignancy. Nothing can erase the ineffable sadness of an American presidency, like this one, in total intellectual collapse.”

Cook County voters are angry

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:07:30 +0000

Day after day, we’re continually reminded that business and politics are worlds apart. While many businesses today are struggling to maintain market share and profitability in light of the current economy, some elected officials seem to do business on another planet.

Perhaps the best example is Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and the band of nine Cook County Commissioners who earlier this year passed a 1 percent sales tax increase, which gave Chicago the notoriety of having the highest in the country at 10.25 percent. As if this $426 million sales tax increase passed in February wasn’t enough, we’ve already heard the Stroger administration issue threats about raising taxes again. This is an astonishing disregard for taxpayers and the people of Cook County can see right through this nonsense.

In fact, a recent poll commissioned by the Chicagoland Chamber shows that 95 percent of Cook County residents polled felt the overall tax burden is high and 92 percent said the current tax climate will impact whom they vote for in future elections.

Quite simply, voters are angry. They’re tired of the recurring headlines about cronyism, corruption and waste. They want their government to provide necessary services, while being efficient and cost-effective. Instead, taxpayers see Cook County officials maintaining the unfortunate status quo, refusing to streamline government or cut costs.

Go premium at the movies

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:07:10 +0000

I have started going to the movies again, just in time for the summer blockbuster season. I stopped going right around the time humankind lost all respect for public civility. I couldn’t take the gum-popping, cellophane-rustling, feet-sticking nightmare that most movie theaters had become. There was always the inevitable turf war over theater seats. People were always saving seats, and not just for one or two designated concession stand runners. They would save entire rows of seats. I would demand that my family sit down and then I was a man alone battling with both my family and other theatergoers.

I must admit that I also get a little freaked out by the grease stains on the backs of the so-called luxurious captain’s chairs found in most theaters these days. I don’t want to sit in someone else’s hair gel. I am using product on my hair too, but just a little for sheen and to keep my bangs out of my face. I have seen vermin scurry across the floor in movie theaters and even found a cockroach in my popcorn. Ever since the cockroach incident, I have been overwhelmed with the feeling that something was crawling on me somewhere. As you can imagine, that takes away from the moviegoing experience.

With the advent of home theater, I found myself getting about six or seven months behind the curve, and watching everything at home (sans vermin). With pay-per-view, a plentiful supply of DVDs, movies on iTunes and surround sound, I hardly ever found myself having to wait more than a month to see movies that are either still in or have just left the theaters. With Comcast’s On Demand service, I can literally see movies that are still in the theaters. It’s like going to a hotel and watching the in-room movies. Well, most of the in-room movies, if you know what I mean.

Then something strange and unusual happened. Muvico (9701 Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont; 847-447-1030) added premium (VIP) seating to 6 of its 18 new theaters. The extra-wide, super-comfortable seats are reserved and the theaters are immaculate. I just go online, click on the show I want to see and the Web site takes me right to an interactive seating chart. It’s like reserving a seat on an airplane.

Clark Haass declares his independence

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:07:10 +0000

He is at this time employing large Armies of Blackwater Mercenaries alongside Patriotic and Duty-bound Americans to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny in Iraq and Afghanistan, already begun in the name of Democracy with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation, these Fifty United States of America.

Do children get a broad enough education?

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:07:40 +0000

A large number of England’s children may be left “globally illiterate”, a charity claims. Do children get taught enough about world issues?

A survey of nearly 2,000 children for education charity DEA found one in five had not discussed problems or news stories from around the world.

The charity said the survey raised major questions about the need for changes to be made to enable children to learn about issues they would face in the world as adults.

Are you a parent? Do you think your child should learn more about world issues and events? Do you think children are “set up to fail” if they do not learn about world affairs?

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FISA Follies

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:07:10 +0000

THE CONTENTIOUS issue of whether telecommunications companies that participated in the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program should be granted retroactive immunity from being sued is a particularly disturbing example of the Internet tail wagging the legislative dog. The dispute snarled Senate passage of the latest rewrite of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before lawmakers left town for the July 4 recess. In the interim, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who indicated that he would support the compromise even with an immunity provision, is simultaneously being attacked as a flip-flopper — he had previously vowed to filibuster any bill that shielded the companies — and urged to flip again. An Internet petition drive is underway to pressure Mr. Obama to knuckle under. Mr. Obama should hold firm, along with other colleagues who support the underlying, painstakingly achieved bipartisan compromise.

Reclaiming America’s promise (USATODAY.com)

admin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:07:30 +0000

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