The Ministry of Shadows

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Is It Safe Yet?

Wednesday, Apr. 12, 2006 2:42 AM

Iran announced that it had successfully enriched uranium for use in nuclear reactors.

The question remains as to whether or not Iran plans to proceed with their research along lines that would foster the development of nuclear weapons, and, if so, how quickly might they achieve that goal. (The level of enrichment announced today is only 3.5 percent - far short of what is required for weapons development.)

To which President Bush only reiterated his stand against Iran gaining any technical knowledge that would make the latter possible.

"This is a regime that needs to be building confidence with the international community. Instead, it's moving in the wrong direction," White House Spokesthing Scott McClellan said.

Um ... so how, exactly, is one to pursue nuclear energy as a clean and safe power source without the United States wailing about nuclear proliferation? It occurs to me that this is the exact same problem as Hamas and Moktada al-Sadr are saddled with: the United States told them to sit down at the table and take part in the political process, but Hamas is being discounted as a terrorist organization, and al-Sadr is being frowned upon for his sponsorship of Shiite miitias.

Even though our own Bill of Rights affirms the necessity of a well-regulated militia as necessary for the security of a free state.

And if the bulk of insurgent attacks are, in fact, the work of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, then what, exactly, is the problem with al-Sadr's people?


In order to address concerns about sexual predators lurking on MySpace, the company announced that it is hiring a chief security officer.

Truth is, security begins at home. When I was growing up, there were basic safety rules that are no less valid or sensible when it comes to the internet. You don't give your phone number or home address to strangers; you don't accept gifts (links, free games or other software) from strangers; and you don't meet strangers without telling your parents.

Yes, it's a hassle to have to police your children, but parents - it's your job. Don't count on News Corporation, MySpace, or any other agency to take care of it for you, because their concerns are not necessarily your own, nor driven by the same factors.

And the addition of a security guru doesn't mean your kid can post whatever they want on MySpace or any other blogging/diary/community site. (In some cases, as with DHS' Brian Doyle, the predator is hidden within the agency you're trusting to make your world safer.)


Poor Dick Cheney got booed as he stepped up to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals game.

Maybe the crowd thought he'd accidentally bean one of the players.

Except that would probably be cause for laughter. Let us not forget that the Administration initially tried to brush off Cheney's shooting accident with some off-beat humor. ("Hahaha! That Dick, he's such a clown! Why, he shot ol' Harry in the face as a joke!")

The sad truth is, Mr. Vice President, that you got booed because people just don't like you.




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