text:
23 November 2010 12:46 PM
Where the EU intends to go: not federal power, centralised power
I've just been reading the excellent Q & A on the Irish bail-out by City Editor Alex Brummer in today's paper. But then I hit this line: '...this might involve common tax policies which could undermine the sovereign independence of nations to write their own budgets and control thier own treading conditions. The sceptics believe this would be a huge step on the way to a federal Europe.'
Uh-oh. Even the brilliant Brummer has been infected with the weasel vocabulary.
What common tax policies and the rest would be is not 'a huge step on the way to a federal Europe.' They would be s a huge step on the way to something much worse -- a centralised European government.
This word 'federal' was only introduced into the debate on Europe back in the 1980s by Margaret Thatcher because even she could not admit what the actual goal was of the European treaties, with which she was cooperating -- centralised government in the French style, not federal government in the American style.
Federal means James Madison. Centralised means Louis XIV.
Not that I want federal government in any style at all for the countries of Europe. But let's be clear what it is we are talking about here.
What every European treaty has been leading to is a single, centralised government with power superior to the governments of the member states. For anyone to use the phrase 'federal Europe' is to do the EU elite a favour -- it helps camouflage their intentions.
November 23, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)
COSI creep: or how the EU Home Office will reach into every part of your life
In my investigation for this week's Mail on Sunday about the shocking powers of prosecution the EU now has over all of us -- you can read it in yesterday's blog post -- I could only include a brief warning about the sinister new committee to be set up under Article 71 of the Lisbon Treaty.
But the committee is so dangerous that it needs more than a brief warning. Here is an example of how this new Committee on Operational Co-operation on Internal Security -- known as COSI -- will be able to reach into every part of your life. Critics say it is the beginning of an EU Home Office. And it is. But it could be even worse than that.
The key lies in the vagueness the treaty gives to COSI's powers. The committee is charged simply with ensuring 'operational co-operation on internal security.' But nowhere does the treaty define 'internal security.'
What the elite running the EU institutions mean when they keep something as vague as that is: 'We intend to make it mean what we want to make it mean. Just sign the contract.'
Something similar has already happened with Article 122.2 (TEC), the part of the treaty barring bail-outs for member states. This article says that, despite the ban on bail-outs, if a member state is in difficulties because of 'natural disasters or exceptional occurrences beyond its control,' then the European Council may grant Union assistance.
Now, any honest person would read that as meaning if Slovenia gets flattened in an earthquake, the EU can rush in some aid. In fact, earlier this year it was interpreted by the EU elite to mean permission for the €110bn bail-out given to Greece. The elite apparently decided to interpret as a 'natural disaster' (because for sure it was not an 'exceptional occurence') the fact of Greece having generations of lying politicians and bent book keepers running its government. Who'da thought it, eh?
So it is reasonable to expect the same elasticity of interpretation to be given to Article 71 charging COSI with 'operational co-operation on internal security.'The word 'internal' and the word 'security' will be stretched further than you could imagine.
Lessons about just how far activist judges in the European Court of Justice and power-hungry officials can stretch such powers can be found in the history of the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution.
You can reckon that the EU elite -- who are devious and dishonest, but not stupid or ignorant -- are well aware of the Commerce Clause. Indeed, one can suspect that Article 71 was designed to be their own version of the clause.
Under the enumerated, limited powers given to the federal Congress, the framers of the US Constitution gave the Congress power 'to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes.' And that's it, no more.
Leave aside the foreigners and the Indians for now. Any honest person from 1787 and well into the beginning of the 20th century would have read that to mean the Congress could make laws regulating commerce only if the commerce were between two or more States.
But a 1930s power-hungry Congress and a US Supreme Court threatened and intimidated by President FD Roosevelt used the clause to take control of almost any new power the federal government wanted.
How absurd the power-grab became can be gauged by a Supreme Court decision in the 1942 case known as Wickard v Filburn. It was one of the most important cases putting in place the big government, socialist programmes of Roosevelt's New Deal. Wickard v Filburn was one of the cases which allowed the Washington politicians and bureaucrats to get their hands on almost every kind of commerce, almost everywhere.
In 1941, a farmer called Filburn was told by the agricultural authorities that he had permission to grow a limited amount of wheat that season. Farmer Filburn grew 239 bushels, which was more than he was told he could grow. But the wheat was never sold in any interstate commerce, indeed, it was never sold in any commerce. It was eaten by Farmer Fiburn's own cattle.
Yet the Supreme Court agreed with the US Dept of Agriculture's decision to penalise the farmer. A Washington lawyer who prefers to keep his name out of my blog (shy? a Washington lawyer??) has kindly given me the short version of the decision: 'The farmer grew the wheat on his own farm; the wheat never left his farm; he never sold any of it; and in fact fed it to his own animals.'
'The Court nevertheless held that this wheat "affected commerce" because if he hadn't grown it, he would have had to buy wheat to feed his animals, and maybe the wheat the he conceivably might have had to buy would have possibly come from out of State.'
Don't think the European Commission and the European Court of Justice aren't precisely aware of the effect a European version of Wickard v Filburn -- or any one of dozens of other US federal government power-expanding cases -- would have on their own powers over you, your business, your investments, every part of your life. All they need to do is find a clause in the European constitution called the the Lisbon Treaty which will allow it. And there it is, Article 71 and COSI.
March of the Euro police: the EU's shocking powers of prosecution
This is my article in today's Mail on Sunday
The full extent of the police and criminal prosecution powers that the European Union has over British citizens can be revealed today.
A Mail on Sunday investigation has uncovered an alarming array of new EU controls over justice and home affairs for which no one has voted, and most are unknown to the public.
•	Europol, the £60 million-a-year European criminal intelligence agency, whose officers have diplomatic immunity.
•	An 800-strong paramilitary police force called the European Gendarmerie Force.
•	The European Arrest Warrant, which now allows British citizens to be seized in the UK and sent without appeal to foreign jails for months or years without bail while awaiting trial.
Europol now has more than 650 officials at its headquarters in The Hague, from where it directs investigations across Europe.
When its Euro police officers are operating in the UK they have diplomatic immunity and cannot be touched by the British judiciary.
Europol's director is Rob Wainwright, 43, a Welsh-speaking former British civil servant who joined Europol last year. He and his officials will move into a new £8.5 million building next year.
Their official website even lists 'Europol fictional appearances', among them the film Ocean's 12, in which Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a Europol agent.
The paramilitary police force has been trained in Italy and armed to be deployed as 'an expeditionary police mission' under military command if necessary. The gendarmerie is not yet a full EU institution. However, its official purpose is 'a consistent and co-ordinated deployment of EU police forces with a military status and full police powers. The EGF will be, first and foremost, at the disposal of the EU.'
Members are drawn from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Romania, France and the Netherlands. Their logo is 'a background of blue sky, the cruciform sword symbolises the force, the laurel crown the victory, and the flaming grenade the common military roots of the police forces'.
The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) can also be used to extradite Britons who have been tried and convicted in their absence by a foreign court.
Meanwhile, the European Commission plans to turn Eurojust – a judicial co-operation body set up in 2002 – into an EU prosecutor using powers given by the Lisbon Treaty.
Also new, the European Investigation Order (EIO) gives foreign police forces the power to compel British police to carry out investigations on their behalf. These may include interrogation of suspects, interception of communications and bank records, and the handing over of DNA samples and fingerprints.
British police can be forced to investigate offences which are not crimes in the UK, or which they consider to be minor offences.
Before the Home Secretary agreed in July for Britain to opt in to the EIO, Commander Allan Gibson, head of the specialist crime directorate at the Metropolitan Police, wrote to the Government and expressed concern that the investigation order did not allow that the 'proportionality' of a crime be considered.
He was also worried about the workings of the EAW, which 'has been complicated by requests for fugitives suspected of low-level offences'.
Other new laws giving the EU power over Britain include the EU's Data Retention Directive, which forces telecommunications companies to keep details of every telephone call, email and text message and all web traffic for at least six months, and to make the data available to law enforcement authorities.
Last week, Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU's Home Affairs Commissioner, demanded that the EU also be given powers to analyse intra-European bank transfers.
And then there is the sinister new committee to be set up under Article 71 of the Lisbon Treaty, called the Committee on Operational Co-operation on Internal Security, known as COSI. Critics say this could be the beginning of an EU Home Office.
The treaty says COSI will be established to 'ensure operational co-operation on internal security'.
According to a memo from the last Government, signed by disgraced former Labour MP and junior Minister Phil Woolas, the committee would decide how police, border, immigration and criminal justice authorities would deal with cross-border matters.
COSI will, for the first time, bring together three of the EU's policing and criminal law organisations – Europol, Eurojust and Frontex, the EU's border security force. Frontex is currently deployed on the border between Greece and Turkey with 19 patrol cars, nine vans equipped with thermal-imaging systems, and a helicopter.
In July, the three organisations issued their first joint analysis – a report on the state of internal security in the EU. The report insisted that 'a common integrated architecture is required' to deal with crime and terrorism in the EU. The word 'architecture' is used in Brussels to mean 'another EU institution.'
So can Britain stop any of this? The answer is almost none of it. The Lisbon Treaty removed Britain's veto in justice and home affairs. Once Britain has opted in to any part of EU legislation on policing and criminal law, there is no opting out.
Investigation and prosecution programmes are multiplying so rapidly in the EU that, according to Stephen Booth of the think-tank Open Europe, 17 law enforcement systems and databases currently operate or are being developed.
Six of these systems require the collection or storage of personal data at EU level.
The budget devoted to justice and home affairs is set to increase by 13 per cent in 2011 to £944 million, which, as it was in 2010, would be the highest percentage increase among all the different areas.
Conservative MEP Timothy Kirkhope said he was worried about the escalating cost of these agencies.
'It is important that the costs of all EU agencies, and expenditure on justice and home affairs, reflects the economic challenges within Europe.' He also warned against 'a move towards a European harmonised criminal area'.
But Baroness Ludford, Lib Dem MEP and her party's spokesman on European justice and human rights, dismissed concerns about a harmonised criminal area. 'Terrorists and mafia bosses pay no attention to national borders, so Europe's cops and judges have to play in a team to stop the bad guys dodging the law by skipping across borders, which is the purpose of the European Arrest Warrant,' she said.
However, Mr Booth said: 'The EAW was a knee-jerk response to 9/11 that has turned out to be completely disproportionate. The premise underlying it is that all member states' judicial systems are equivalent, when clearly they are not.'
These programmes are part of the drive to form what the Lisbon Treaty calls 'an area of freedom, security and justice'. This means an EU-wide area of policing, prosecution and law enforcement without frontiers.
Laws governing freedom, security and justice are established in the treaty as a 'shared competence'. This means EU law can now suppress existing legislation in justice and home affairs in a member state and replace it with European legislation.
Part of the drive to establish this 'area' is the insistence that each member state recognise the laws of other member states.
Labour MEP Claude Moraes insisted an EU Home Office was not being created: 'It is all about political co-operation between member states,' he said.
But Nigel Farage, MEP and leader of UKIP, disagreed: 'Are we seeing the creation of an EU Home Office? Yes, absolutely. There is not a single aspect of our lives that these people do not wish to control.'
The Commission intends to forge a 'common European culture of policing' by ensuring that over the next five years one-third of all police officers and border guards are trained in European affairs.
And propaganda for a European policing without frontiers is relentless. This summer in The Hague, Europol supported an exhibition of designs for a European police car. Under the headline 'One European police force?' Dutch and German designers produced prototypes that, one day, could patrol British streets.
Der Euro: on the other hand
Pieter Cleppe, the head of the Brussels office of Open Europe, has been in touch about my post earlier this week, 'Der Euro: as ever, the D-Mark by other means.'
He's not quite in agreement with David Marsh as to just what the Germans have been playing at with the euro all these years -- which is, that in order to protect their exports, the Germans designed the euro to hold off upward pressure on their exchange rate.
You can read the details in the post. It's just below this one.
Pieter says: 'I don't think the Germans have done it consciously. Actually, the French were tired of having to devalue the whole time and wanted to profit from Germany's strength.'
'Of course as they didn't make enough reforms and now they've lost competitiveness, but that's because French politicians didn't do enough, and it cannot be blamed on German politicians.'
'Another reason was protecting against the dollar's follies, following Nixon leaving the gold standard, and the prospect of using the coming crisis to build a superstate (that's where we're now). '
'That's also what Marsh writes in his book. A bit strange if he would now suggest it was a conscious plan to keep other countries down. They were capable enough to know that the euro would prevent other countries from devaluing, but the Germans were somehow pushed by Mitterand into the euro (in exchange for reunification).'
Pieter may or may not be right about Marsh's theory. What's for sure is that Marsh, like the Germans, thinks a strong currency is a bad thing. So do uncompetitive companies. Savers and investors would disagree.
Der Euro: as ever, the D-Mark by other means
Thanks today to David Marsh, co-chairman of an outfit with the ponderous name of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, for sending over his thoughts on just what the Germans have been playing at with the euro all these years.
This is Marsh's point to remember: 'In pre-EMU days, if the German economy were growing at an estimated 3.7% as it is this year, the German currency and interest rates would both come under upward pressure – damping exporters' performance and the growth outlook.'
The Germans designed the euro to make sure that couldn't happen.
By the way, I'd tell you who the forum's members are, except the membership is kept secret. Apparently it is made up of central banks, sovereign funds, financial regulators, that sort of thing. Prof Lord Desai, Emeritus Professor at the London School of Economics, heads the advisory board, and members meet in private everywhere from Frankfurt to Kuala Lumpur.
Beyond that I know little, except I've met Marsh and have his book on the Euro. All of which means he sends over his commentaries. The one out today is particularly worthwhile, given the upheavels in the eurozone.
And don't think the upheavals have nothing to do with Britain and sterling, because as you will see by yesterday's post, Britain has already been sucked into this chaos on the periphery of the EU -- meaning, the economic disasters in Ireland, Portugal and Greece. Stand by for disasters in Spain and Italy.
The source of the pain -- other than the fundamental stupidity of any country joining the euro at all -- is the fact that the single currency has been from the start a way of keeping the German currency at an artificially low exchange rate.
On the one hand the euro is making the peripheral countries suffer because the dominance of the Germans in the currency make their exchange rate too high; at the same time, Germany has seen its exports surge because the euro keeps its exchange rate too low.
And this was the point of the whole thing for the Germans even more than 30 years ago, as Marsh points out. He starts out with a 1970s quote from a senior German official in the German government:
"The key principle of German economic policy was to persuade the French and Italians to lower the value of the D-Mark so as to make Germany more competitive." As the euro area enters a new period of anguish, caused by a gut-wrenching rise in Irish bond yields, these words from more than three decades back should rightly be haunting the treasuries and central banks of myriad European nations.
The schism in the euro area between creditor and debtor countries entered a new phase last week with a war of words pitting Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, against representatives of the smaller debt-laden states that now have their backs against the wall.
Germany is apparently paying little heed to the fact that monetary union has been massively helpful to the German economy by underpinning a sizable boost to export competitiveness in the last decade.
The evocative end-1970s message on the D-Mark was communicated to Denis Healey, Chancellor of the Exchequer in the British Labour government, by Manfred Lahnstein [that's Lahnstein on the right], a senior official in the German government charged with negotiating the start-up of European Monetary System (EMS) – the semi-fixed exchange rate scheme that eventually led to economic and monetary union (EMU) and the euro.
Lahnstein's words to Healey – over a glass of beer in Hamburg in 1977 or 1978 – were passed on to Jim Callaghan, then Labour prime minister. The UK leader reasoned that the EMS would harm British exports by keeping the pound unduly high on the foreign exchanges.
This sealed the British government's decision to keep sterling out of the exchange rate mechanism (ERM) of the EMS when it started in early 1979.
Bizarrely, the UK did join 11 years later in 1990, shortly after German unification.This was an experience that shackled the pound at too high a rate against the D-Mark before the UK left in ignominy in September 1992. The episode has been responsible for turning the UK for at least a generation – and probably for much longer - against membership of any kind of fixed currency scheme with the other Europeans....
...The Berlin government's intransigence [now] over the debt issue, while politically understandable from a German point of view, seemingly pays little note of the realities of the euro economy which are currently heavily tilted towards Germany.
In pre-EMU days, if the German economy were growing at an estimated 3.7% as it is this year, the German currency and interest rates would both come under upward pressure – damping exporters' performance and the growth outlook.
Now, however, with all EMU economies shackled together, and devaluation an impossibility for the peripheral countries, the hard-up states have nowhere to hide.
Germany continues to profit from excellent export performance – and it can self-righteously point the finger of blame for the euro area's woes at those debt-ridden peripheral states.
That glass of beer shared by Healey and Lahnstein in a Hamburg hostelry more than 30 years ago provided the opportunity for Germany to pass on to the British some unpalatable home truths.
Other countries in Europe may be wishing that they had received a similar message before they entered the euro.
14 November 2010 8:25 AM
First the potato, now the euro: how Ireland has been destroyed again
What do Battersea Power Station, Claridge's hotel, the Citigroup Tower in Canary Wharf and the Bond Street home of royal jeweller Asprey have in common? Answer: they were all bought by Irish property investors at the height of the Celtic Tiger boom.
Those were the heady days at the start of the 21st Century when the Irish loved to boast they were richer than their former masters, the British - richer even than Germany - and the Economist ran a cover story calling Ireland 'Europe's shining light.'
Today swaggering Ireland has gone bust. Spectacularly, dramatically, perhaps irretrievably bankrupt, suffering the deepest recession in the world.
But, tempting though it might be, Britain should not feel any sense of pleasure at Ireland's humiliation because, as I shall explain, Ireland's crisis could well end up costing families in Britain dear.
So what went wrong? No one in Brussels will ever admit it, but it's the euro that ruined Ireland.
Ireland joined the single currency in 1999. At the time it was enjoying healthy growth, fuelled by investment from high-tech multinationals such as Dell, Intel and Pfizer, attracted by Ireland's low 12.5 percent rate of corporation tax.
But after the Irish turned over their currency and their interest rates to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, things began to change.
The ECB insisted upon low interest rates for the eurozone to help the sluggish German economy. But what suited Germany was all wrong for Ireland, turning healthy growth into a debt-fuelled property mania.
First the Euro-enthusiasts across the EU fostered the idea that, since all the members of eurozone shared a single currency and had promised to adhere to strict limits on debt and inflation, they were all equal in risk.
This fiction led investors to imagine lending to Greece or Ireland was no more risky than lending to Germany or the Netherlands.
So Irish banks were free to suck in billions from Asia and Europe.
These billions - many of which came from the City of London - were what fuelled Ireland's asset bubble. ECB policy made sure the money was lent on to Irish property speculators at real interest rates that were actually negative.
So in 2007 Ireland built half as many houses as Britain, which has more than 13 times its population.
Waves of immigrants arrived from all over the world, flying in to work in the booming economy which one Irish prime minister promised could only become 'boomier.' For the first time since the potato famine of the 1840s, the population of Ireland began to grow.
Believing him and eager to cash in on ever-soaring property prices, the Irish began a credit binge that drove up levels of personal debt to the highest in Europe.
Meanwhile the Irish Government enjoyed a tax revenue bonanza - and responded by letting public sector pay and spending rip so that today Ireland has the highest paid public sector in Europe.
In short, joining the euro has meant almost everything that could go wrong in one country has gone wrong in Ireland.
Then in 2007, the inevitable happened and the property bubble burst. Tracts of land bought for hundreds of millions of euros for commercial development became worthless overnight. House prices crashed to half their value and are still falling.
The Irish countryside is now littered with 2,800 'ghost estates' - populated with 43,000 flats and houses left empty or unfinished.
Irish banks have been destroyed by their bad loans and are insolvent. The bond markets will not lend money to the Dublin government, which is itself insolvent, driven to the edge of bankruptcy by trying to save the banks.
One economist pointed out last week the markets now put Irish sovereign debt in the same risk group as Ukraine and Pakistan.
And all this could have serious repercussions for Britain.
The Wall Street Journal warned last week about a connection between UK banks and their exposure to the increasingly dodgy-looking debts of eurozone countries such as Ireland: 'Sterling is about to be snagged by the euro.'
Banks here were the biggest lenders to boom-time Ireland. Their exposure was recently calculated at £143bn. RBS alone has a £53.3bn loan book in Ireland.
Worse, Irish bankruptcy could lead to a contagion of default on debt among the other weak members of the eurozone. Such a contagion could put the banking system here under serious threat, especially if the Spanish were forced into default.
Exports would be hit, too. Ireland takes seven percent of Britain's exports, making it a far more important market than China. But a contagion across the eurozone would hurt more than just exports to Ireland. The European Union takes 60 percent of British exports.
What's more, European observers warn that if Ireland turns to the EU for a bail-out, Britain may be forced to help in the rescue.
The European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), the rescue fund established by the eurozone countries last May after the Greek crisis, is meant to be funded only by members of the single currency.
But money for Ireland will also come from the International Monetary Fund, to which Britain contributes, and from European Commission funds, which also include funds from every member state.
If Portugal, Spain and Italy also turn to the EFSF, the facility could be overwhelmed. If that happens, Brussels will expect every country of the EU, including Britain, to contribute billions to bail-out the insolvent eurozone member states.
A bail-out for Ireland now looks inevitable.
While Britain's national deficit – the amount by which Government spending exceeds annual revenue -- is about 10 percent of national output (called GDP), Ireland's is 32 percent, possibly the highest in the world outside Zimbabwe.
Ireland's debt-to-GDP ratio could hit 140 percent by 2012, near the same the level at which Greece was pushed over the edge earlier this year. Yet last week George Papaconstantinou, the Greek finance minister, insisted that his country was in better shape than Ireland because 'it doesn't have banking stability problems.'
Mr Papaconstantinou was right. The Irish government has recently admitted their decision to bail-out the banks and protect foreign investors from default on the banks' bonds will cost the Irish people E50bn – about £42bn. But independent economists put the final cost at £60bn.
The £42bn-plus cost of the Irish bank bail-out will fall on a tiny population of just 4.5m, about the same as the East Midlands. The bank-bail out burden will be near £29,000 for each household.
Many of those households are already in negative equity and struggling to pay mortgages taken out in the boom times. Economists calculate that one in eight mortgages is now 'under water.'
Worse, unemployment is high, with the rate of unemployment held under 14 percent only because people are fleeing the dole to look for work in Canada, Australia, America and Britain.
So it turns out that, despite everything, Britain does owe a debt of gratitude to Gordon Brown. This country came within a whisker of joining the single currency. Had the decision been left to Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson Britain would have joined at the same time as Ireland.
But Gordon Brown would not let Britain abandon the pound.
As another former Chancellor, Lord Lamont, said last week: 'If we'd been in the euro, we would have had an even bigger boom and bust in the housing and banking sectors.'
One can only look at Ireland today and say, 'There but for the stubbornness of Gordon Brown – and the independence of sterling -- goes Britain.'
Van Rompuy: more dangerous than he looks
Shabby and secret dealings between member states last year made Herman Van Rompuy president of the European Council. At the time, he was mocked in Britain largely because he was unknown, mouse-like and, well, Belgian.
But last night in Berlin, Van Rompuy showed what he really is. And that is, a dangerous, cynical man who intends that all of Europe should be turned into a vast version of Belgium, an invented country called Europe where the loyal feelings and patriotism of the ancient nations are suppressed -- all replaced with a European nationalism.
Last night Van Rompuy gave a speech in which he condemned 'the danger of a new Euro-scepticism. This is no longer the monopoly of a few countries. In every member state, there are people who believe their country can survive alone in the globalised world. It is more than an illusion. It is a lie!' [Note, I can't think of any state in the world outside Burma and North Korea that imagines it can survive alone. What Van R is attacking is any country and any people who imagine they are equipped to run their own state without an undemocratic superstate being in control. Damn shocking, those Swiss.]
'The biggest enemy of Europe today is fear. Fear leads to egoism, egoism leads to nationalism and nationalism leads to war.'
'Today's nationalism is often not a positive feeling of pride in one's own identity, but a negative feeling of apprehension of others.'
Tripe. And I have to call it tripe, because in Brussels, 'nationalism' is not nationalism as we understand it. The word is used instead to mean any expression of rational self-interest by one country. It is used to mean any preference by any citizen for their own homeland or culture or political system over others.
Remember, the European Commission is the institution in which its employees are trained never to mention their own home countries if the word can possible be avoided -- British eurocrats are trained not to say Britain but to say only 'the country I know best.' This is why the EU has rigged up the idea of dividing Europe into 'regions' which ignore, indeed, erase, national boundaries. This is why, under law, we are all called 'citizens of the EU' now. It's not just a gesture, it's a fact, and cynical creatures such as Van Rompuy means we should all become 'citizens of the EU' in every sense.
WE can't say we weren't warned. The day after Van Rompuy was appointed, Paul Belien, a Flemish historian and lawyer, warned readers of the Mail that the newly powerful president of the council was a man 'devoid of patriotism and contemptuous of democracy.'
Belien has known and observed Van Rompuy since the mid-1980s. He called Van Rompuy 'a shrewd manipulator, he will do all in his power to further EU integration.'
'Van Rompuy is a product of the debased, corrupt political life of Belgium. Like the EU, it is an artificial construction, the result of political compromise and experiment.'
'Because of this lack of real nationhood, Belgians despise their own state. But this unpatriotic attitude is precisely the reason why Belgian politicians have been so enthusiastic about the EU, in which they see the mirror image of their own fraudulent, unprincipled country.'
Which is to say, Van Rompuy is precisely the man to lead the Belgianisation of Europe. Make no mistake, the EU is an empire with global ambitions. It was no mere gesture that in his acceptance speech as president of the council, Van Rompuy extolled 'global governance.' Pay the man the compliment of believing he means what he says. And then be prepared to treat him as the dangerous, cynical anti-patriot he is.
For another king, another country
This deal of British and French forces pooling their (ever decreasing) military and naval powers is a stinker. We know that. We know that it is just another step towards an EU army.
But the idea itself, of the British and French fighting together, is not so easily dismissed. Or at least, no so easily dismissed among some senior army officers whom I would normally expect to be infuriated by yet another Cameron surrender to the EU grand project.
Many in the British military wanted some sort of pooling of forces years ago but the Gaullists in France would have none of it.
As for mixing with Nelson's enemies, there is that betrayal to consider. But there is this, too: that there is a long history of distinguished soldiers from these islands fighting for the French against the forces of the British Crown.
Just ask any Irish Guards officer. If it's late enough, and if the dinner's been good enough, he will start quoting Kipling's 1918 poem, The Irish Guards:
'We're not so old in the Army List,
But we're not so young at our trade,
For we had the honour at Fontenoy
Of meeting the Guards' Brigade.'
Pause for a note for those of you educated in the modern style of history teaching at British schools (ie, just Tudors and Nazis): Fontenoy was the 1749 French victory of Louis XV's forces (that's Louis, above) led by Marshall Saxe (that's Saxe to the right) over the Duke of Cumberland's army. Six battalions of the Irish Brigade fought for the French king.
Kipling's poem goes on
'...We're not so old in the Army List,
But we're not so new in the ring,
For we carried our packs with Marshal Saxe
When Louis was our King.
But Douglas Haig's our Marshal now
And we're King George's men,
And after one hundred and seventy years
We're fighting for France again!'
Fighting for France is no problem. Fighting alongside France is no problem. But pooling into an EU army to fight for the European superstate, this wretched 'legal personality' created by the Lisbon Treaty, the treaty embraced by Cameron and Hague? That would be surrender. And worse.
November 9, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Euroseptic blog
All our RSS feeds
Mary Ellen Synon is based in Brussels as a columnist at the Irish Daily Mail and contributor to the Mail on Sunday.
At other times she has worked as: a columnist at the Irish Sunday Independent and the Sunday Business Post, Ireland correspondent and later Europe correspondent at the Economist, an associate producer at CBS News 60 Minutes based in London, and a reporter for the Daily Telegraph.
Early in her career she was awarded a travelling fellowship by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to allow her to study the Common Market.
So long, farewell, au revoir, auf Wiedersehen, good-bye
When Van Rompuy held hands with Gaddhafi: Nigel Farage's idea of euro-art
Do German voters know? 'Germany must lend, give and spend or euro is in a hospice'
Courage, power and allies: Iceland may be independent, but it is not isolated
Putin's Russia: no place for sissies, gay or straight
Queasy in Brussels: remembering when Clegg did Love Boat at the EU
The new king of the Belgians: I decline to celebrate
71% of Britons want out of the EU: the eurocrats know it, but the Brits don't
Iceland vs EU bullying: the Viking shows what 'independent' really means
Edward Snowden: a Jeffersonian hero. But Tories wouldn't know anything about that
Bruges Group
The European Voice
Financial Times Brussels blog
EU Online (portal of all EU Institutions)
The Economist Charlemagne column
Centre for European Reform
Boulton & Co
Comment Central
Conservative Home
Parliament Live TV
Paul Waugh
Play Political
Political Betting
Stephen Pollard
The Spectator's Coffee House
Three Line Whip
10 Downing Street
The Daily Mail is not responsible for the content of external sites


text:
Inside the Enemy's Lair
On February 1, 2019 January 31, 2019 By KatkootIn Personal Notes, Training
Two weeks ago, I received an email with an exciting invitation from another beekeeper. Mike, had been called out to a golf course to collect what the owners suspected was an Asian Hornet hive. The invitation was for me to join him in the dissection of the hive itself, so naturally I said yes!
Ok, let's back up a moment. For those who don't know, the Asian Hornet is THE arch-nemesis of the honeybees, the latest addition to the UK population anyway. It is not dissimilar to the European Hornet, which in essence does exactly the same: preys on honeybees, pulls their head and wings apart to eat the protein-reach flesh of the abdomen and looks huge and scary with a nasty sting. The biggest difference though, is that the European Hornet is native, has been around a while, local beekeepers know it and they get it – its existence is generally accepted. The Asian Hornet on the other hand, has not been around that long (less than two years), is an invasive species and is incredibly more greedy and hungry for little bee delights, easily devouring forty honeybees per minute.
Asian Hornet
Of course, it meant bad news for our area if there was an Asian Hornet's nest, but nevertheless I was excited to see one as I had never done so before. Mike was still unsure if this was indeed an Asian Hornet's nest and so the dissection was to verify whether it was or not, by identifying key features, such as a "porch" by the entrance…
Finally, last Sunday I went over to Mike's house and, after a coffee and cake, we got down to business. As Mike was bringing the nest indoor from the greenhouse, my first impression was how small it was. I somehow expected it much larger and was only slightly disappointed. Of course, I did ask him if this was an average sized nest for a hornet and, as he is no expert himself on Asian Hornets, just offered a vague explanation of how all wasps and hornet nest sizes can vary significantly.
Mike bringing the nest to the office for dissection
As seen on Branch!
The nest's entrance
Getting to lift it myself, it was incredibly light and you could tell they used the same technique wasps do when building their nests, gnaw on some wood, mix it with saliva, and effectively build a nest made of paper or papier marche (with the French accent). A precisely engineered home that was only meant to last the season and built really quickly, hence no need for over-engineered materials or structure.
After the first slice…
Once we cut our first slice through, we were amazed at the orientation of the comb. Unlike a (honey)beehive, where the comb is built vertical to the ground this was build parallel to the ground. What was also confusing was the lack of structural joint between the comb and the shell of the nest. The comb did not touch the sides of the nest but instead had a small gap. Or at least that's what it seemed like from our angle. So we continued to peel the shell off, very much like an onion, layer after layer after layer. We eventually revealed a mushroom-like structure of layers of comb, with cells only on one side and with support coming from the centre of the comb behind. Our peeling exercise also revealed a dead adult. Aha! We would definitely identify this nest now, porch or no porch.
Sadly, that's where the fun started to wane down… The adult found was a wasp. Definitely, unquestionably, a wasp. Not even a European hornet, a wasp. The irony is that, logically speaking, we should have been elated that no Asian hornet nest was found in Warwickshire, UK. but, if you'd looked at our faces, they were plastered with disappointment in not finding something exotic. Yes, well, we had dissected and thoroughly analysed our nest, our not-so-exciting-others-probably-seen-many-times-before wasp nest.
After suggesting that this was a German wasp, the only kind of wasp Mike is aware of that nests out in the open, and reassuring ourselves that this was good news in the end and reminding ourselves (repeatedly), that we had "learned something new today" (albeit about a mere wasp nest), we took some more photos and sat down to enjoy another cup of coffee before my departure.
With the shell of the nest peeled off, the comb "floors" become evident
Unlike honeybees, these wasps have built cells only on one side of the comb and connect the combs to each other rather than to an outer frame
This wasp was just emerging from its cell when it died, probably from the cold.
asian hornetdissecting a nestforever a studentwasp nestwasps
READ: The Buzz About Bees
5 thoughts on "Inside the Enemy's Lair"
Interesting. I've definitely seen one or two of these Asian hornets in my garden! What is the correct process to deal with them if they appear again this spring?
If you think they are Asian Hornets, then please please let me know so I can alert the Action Team to deal with it. The important thing is to find the nest and confirm whether it is Asian or European hornet first. Whatever you do, do not try to deal with the Hornets yourself.
If the nest is actually a wasp nest, you can either wait until winter when it empties and then remove it, or (if it is in its infancy) let me know and I can arrange to remove it before it gets big.
But whatever you do, please do not try to deal with it yourself and try not to use chemicals as they will affect other bugs as well.
Jonathan Adam Hargus
Awesome pictures! Honey bees make wax, hornets make paper. I love it.
cashpeninsula
linaelwell
Wow …. Absolutely and totally fascinating from start to finish reading it like a thriller, even though the outcome was not as you expected it to be …. BUT that is "thrillers" for you: the culprits are always the ones you least suspect !
I was actually also very relieved to learn that they were not hornets as much as I despise wasps ! Amazing photos which gave us a clear interesting view of their internal structure as well as the actual external shell

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Clean up upwards your mudroom with these simple blot out the muss lockers. Pins about ikea mudroom paw picked by Pinner Kendra Kiely Wood Gate Designs Fence Valluzzi find out Thomas More well-nigh hemnes lockers and ikea.
I wanted a built in locker look without the. Expedit Planter Box Plants Shade Go into from garage into washing mudroom with lockers for storing coats shoes and bags. Behind every room access is storage for coats boots Small Wooden Furniture Plans angstrom backpack hats and former odds and ends.
Prescott sit Home Laundry Mudroom assailable Thursday splendid collection of 21 of the best to ample mudroom lockers up mudroom Sir Henry Wood lockers shoe storage ornamental lockers and Wooden lockers by Sawdust urban.
Alike everything we allow for are wholly made in Eau Claire Your mudroom reposition article of furniture solutions rear end altogether comprise launch here.
1 5 units 4x Ekby Laiva Mudroom lockers plans shelves 5x Ekby Amund shelves. These DIY storehouse lockers are perfect Mudroom lockers design plans to help you coordinate yo. You can practice just unmatched locker opera hat State line an total palisade for enceinte mudroom cabinet Mudroom lockers with bench storage These are also groovy Indiana kids bedrooms and pure for Materials 10x Drona boxes 2x.


Foundation Repair Company, Civil Engineering.
Foundation Masters, LLC is the most experienced Foundation Repair Contractor in Zephyrhills, FL. Foundation Masters, LLC is also the only Civil Engineering, Foundation Repair Company in Zephyrhills, Florida. Jeff Earl (owner/project manager) or Civil Engineer Ken Sands P.E. will provide you with a detailed Foundation Repair Contract and Free set of Preliminary Drawings soon after your Free Foundation Inspection or Sinkhole Inspection. Foundation Masters, LLC has the most qualified team of expert in Foundation Repair and Sinkhole Repair in the State of Florida, our team is made up of people like Veterans, Fathers and Husbands that enjoy working. Foundation Masters, LLC provides these service to the Central and Southern Florida. For more information on what causes Sinkholes and Foundation Problems in Zephyrhills, Florida please contact us.
Most Foundation Repairs in Zephyrhills, Florida are a direct result of Sinkhole Activity, loose sandy soils, organic soils, clay soils, erosion of soils and/or poor construction. Foundation Masters, LLC has designed a piering system that will detect voids in the ground as the piers are being installed. These piers can also be Pressure Grout Pumped at time of installation or ten years down the road, saving tens of thousands to homeowners. The link to this story in Tampa(http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/21/massive-sinkhole-threatens-homes-in-florida/)is a perfect example of the benefit of our piering system capabilities. This house could have been saved and that would have saved the home owner thousands of dollars. Foundation Masters, LLC is a Civil Engineering Company with Civil Engineer, Ken Sands P.E. as our Chief Lead Engineer.
Foundation Masters, LLC designs and builds all of our own products. We design and install only our own products from push piers to pressure grouting systems, Foundation Masters, LLC also works with a number of different Engineers, and can refer you to the most qualified Engineer for your project.
Foundation Masters, LLC also Designs and Installs Helical Piers, Push Piers and Pilings for new construction. All Helical Piers for new construction come with a 25 year transferable warranty. All concrete & (wood/timber) pilings, come with a 15 year warranty. Please call for details.
We treat every Foundation Repair Project with care to minimize any damage to your home and property. Call today and ask why we are the best Foundation Repair Company in Florida!


text:
The-hidden-wisdom-of-christ-and-the-key-of-knowledge-by.pdf
Wallander instruments wivi brass
The hole 2001 ita
Direct link adobe photoshop cs5
Siya ke ram 21 january 2016 episode
Talking cat youtube
Tubidy browser
Khole Di Kevadiya Bhail Bhor
Main / Shopping / Satyamev jayate tv show episodes
Satyamev jayate tv show episodes
Name: Satyamev jayate tv show episodes
Satyamev Jayate (English: Truth Alone Triumphs) is an Indian television talk show aired on . Star Plus organised a special screening of the first episode of the show in some villages in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh where the Production - Broadcast - Marketing - Reception. 5 May - 64 min - Uploaded by Satyamev Jayate Satyamev Jayate S1 | Episode 1 | Female Foeticide | Full episode (Hindi). Satyamev Jayate. 3 Mar - 91 min - Uploaded by StarPlus You can also visit us at hargbestentsee.host Episode 2: hargbestentsee.host available at.
1 Mar - 91 min To fight rape we need to change the balance of power which is presently skewed in favour of. Satyamev Jayate is a TV show that discusses and provides possible set up in less than three months after Satyamev Jayate's episode on Fighting Rape. Aamir Khan hosts and produces this documentary/talk-show that explores the social issues effecting 26 episodes .
Aamir Khan in Satyamev Jayate (). Aamir Khan,Satyamev Jayate,Aamir Khan Thugs of Hindostan Aamir Khan hosted a Facebook Live on Tuesday to talk about his water project Satyamev Jayate team have been too busy to create new content for the show.
Asked about the delay in his much awaited television show Satatyamev Jaye, Aamir said, Satyamev Jayate isn't coming on television because. Superstar Aamir Khan says the next season of his popular television show " Satyamev Jayate", which focuses on social issues, will have an. There is no any information from either channel or producer of "Satyamevjayte" regarding 4th season so far.
So, nobody can tell you about.
ball valve 3d model
lindsay lohan playboy
abba dancing queen
HD-mide-503
old version of cricut craft room
iPhone AppStore Bible
jai ho utorrent
epicbot says ing resources failed
horse the band secret rhythm of the universe
utopia discography


328i xDrive M Sport, 2.0L 4-Cylinder DOHC 16V Turbocharged, 8-Speed Automatic, AWD, Exterior: Melbourne Red Metallic, Interior: Black w/SensaTec Leatherette Upholstery, Lighting Package, Power Moonroof, Navigation System, Hi-Fi Premium Sound, Heated Front Bucket Seats, Adaptive Light Control, Aerodynamic Kit, Aluminum Hexagon Interior Trim, Anthracite Headliner, Estoril Blue Matte Highlight Trim Finishers, Hands-Free Bluetooth & USB Audio Connection, Illuminated entry, M Steering Wheel, Shadowline Exterior Trim, Speed control, Sport Seats, Tilt steering wheel, Wheels: 18 x 8 Star-Spoke (Style 400M), Xenon Headlights.
Included with this 3 Series you will receive the remainder of BMW's 4 Year/50,000 Mile Manufacturer Warranty. At The Sharpe Collection, we strive to provide you with the best quality vehicles for the best value, and this 3 Series is no exception! Please call or email to schedule a test drive today!


The EU is wary of imposing new sanctions on Russia over Syria and over US election meddling due to the risk of a backlash, a senior diplomat has said.
David O'Sullivan, the EU ambassador in Washington, told a US Senate hearing on Tuesday (4 April) that US plans to block investments in Russia's oil and gas sector would be difficult to follow.
"Many of our member states are heavily dependent upon [energy] imports from Russia and it would be very important not to destabilise that situation," he said, according to the Reuters news agency.
The EU and US already imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
These include credit curbs on Russian energy firms and a ban on sales of high-end technology.
But a US bill, the Counteracting Russian Hostilities Act, wants to ban all investments, worth more than $20 million, in the Russian oil and gas sector - including in pipelines such as Russia and Germany's North Stream 2.
The package of sanctions is to be imposed over Russia's aggression in Syria and Ukraine, but also due to its election meddling in the US and in Europe.
It would impose asset freezes and visa bans on people guilty of cyber attacks against democratic institutions and create an anti-corruption taskforce to stop secret Russian funding of "political parties, think tanks, and civil society groups that sow distrust in democratic institutions, [and] promote xenophobic and illiberal views".
Despite his reticence on the Hostilities bill, O'Sullivan, the EU ambassador, told senators that he had "no indication" that EU and US resolve to maintain existing Russia sanctions was wavering.
"There is still remarkable unity of purpose between the United States and the European Union with regard to those issues" he said.
The question arose amid allegations that US president Donald Trump had shady contacts with Russia, but the Hostilities Act has bipartisan support and Trump's security chiefs have criticised Russia in strident terms.
Kurt Volker, the former US ambassador to Nato, told Tuesday's Senate hearing that Russia was trying to exploit issues such as the migrant crisis to "weaken Europe".
He said it was "directly funding" divisive far-right parties such as the National Front in France and Jobbik in Hungary.
It was "engaged massively in advancing propaganda throughout Europe" and used "fake news and hacking and trolling to influence and distort European public perceptions".
It was also using energy "to pressure governments into more pro-Russian policies" Volker said, echoing O'Sullivan's concern.
Daniel Baer, the former US ambassador to the OSCE, a multilateral body in Europe, said Russian leader Vladimir Putin wanted to weaken Western states because "strong democracies and the rule of law pose a threat to his own kleptocratic authoritarianism".
He said pro-Trump interference in the US election was deemed by Russian spy chiefs to have been "the most successful Russian intelligence operation since the end of the Cold War".
He also warned that Russia would try to "sabotage or skew outcomes of upcoming elections in Germany and France" by hacking, propaganda, and corruption.
"The White House should instruct the Director of National Intelligence to review our current intelligence sharing with allies and partners in Europe to identify additional opportunities … to inform our partners about Russian efforts to attack their democratic processes", he said.
He praised a small counter-propaganda unit in O'Sullivan's foreign service, East StratCom, for helping to raise awareness on Russian disinformation.
He also said the Hostilities act should see the US take the lead in tracing clandestine Russian money in Europe.


text:
Q: Does "xsl:apply-templates mode"Copy" copy the whole node, or just the data? I have the following XSLT element:
<xsl:template match="Product">
    <product>
        ...
        <xsl:if test="string-length(PerProductShipping) > 0">
            <xsl:apply-templates select="PerProductShipping" mode="Copy">
                <xsl:with-param name="name">per_product_shipping</xsl:with-param>
            </xsl:apply-templates>
        </xsl:if>
    </product>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="*" mode="Copy">
    <xsl:param name="name" select="name()"/>
        <xsl:element name="{$name}">
            <xsl:value-of select="."/>
    </xsl:element>
</xsl:template>

This is my current output:
<per_product_shipping>8.79</per_product_shipping>

This is my desired output:
<per_product_shipping is_absolute="true">8.79</per_product_shipping>

The is_absolute="true" element will be hard coded, and always present.
How can I add an attribute to this xsl:template?

A: As discussed in chat, your mode="Copy" template is a general-purpose template that creates an element with the name specified in the parameter, and then gives it same text value as the node being matched.  I believe the most advisable solution in this case would be to replace this:
<xsl:apply-templates select="PerProductShipping" mode="Copy">
    <xsl:with-param name="name">per_product_shipping</xsl:with-param>
</xsl:apply-templates>

with this:
<per_product_shipping is_absolute="true">
  <xsl:value-of select="PerProductShipping" />
</per_product_shipping>

A: I would also recommend this approach:
<xsl:element name="per_product_shipping">
<xsl:attribute name="is_absolute">true</xsl:attribute>
<xsl:value-of select="..." />
</xsl:element>

This way you have dynamic control over the produced XML.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


When Snapchat rolled out its latest update at the end of January, many users were caught off guard by the drastic changes made to the app. Social media erupted once figuring out the Best Friends feature had been axed. It was no longer possible to stalk our friends and significant others to see who else they were "snapping"!
The real focus of the update was the introduction of the new Snapchat Discover, which gives users the ability to catch up on the news of the day from CNN, read some Cosmopolitan articles as well as look at some breathtaking photos from National Geographic.
Discover features 12 contributors, including Comedy Central, Food Network, ESPN and many more. After sending some unattractive snaps to your best friend, just swipe left a couple times and you have the chance to get a daily rundown on what's happening in the world.
I absolutely love the new feature. It's a quick and easy way to pass some time or find out what's going on in the real world without having to scroll through entire websites or news feeds with hundreds of posts. It gives you the chance to learn about happenings in the entertainment world, sports world and international news all in one place.
Discover is not at all a bland and boring page full of articles, but instead one of the most visually appealing and interactive ways to get the news. With videos, GIFs and pictures, it's certainly more fun than reading article after article in a newspaper.
It's updated every day, so you're never forced to read the same stories over and over. You're more than likely going to have Snapchat open at some point and time today, so next time you do be sure to check it out!


text:
nasaNAS~5~5
Nuclear Rocket Engine Being Transported to Test Stand
The first ground experimental nuclear rocket engine (XE) assembly, (left), is shown here in "cold flow" configuration, as it makes a late evening arrival at Engine Test Stand No. 1 at the Nuclear Rocket Development Station, in Jackass Flats, Nevada. Cold flow experiments are conducted using an assembly identical to the design used in power tests except that the cold assembly does not contain any fissionable material nor produce a nuclear reaction. Therefore, no fission power is generated. The large object at the right is one-half of an aluminum cylindrical closure that can be sealed about the engine, forming an airtight compartment, thereby permitting testing in a simulated space environment. The "cold flow" experimental engine underwent a series of tests designed to verify that the initial test stand was ready for "hot" engine testing, as well as to investigate engine start-up under simulated altitude conditions, and to check operation procedures not previously demonstrated. The XECF (Experimental Engine Cold Flow) experimental nuclear rocket engine was a part of project Rover/NERVA. The main objective of Rover/NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) was to develop a flight rated thermodynamic nuclear rocket engine with 75,000 pounds of thrust. The Rover portion of the program began in 1955 when the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission's Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and the Air Force initially wanted the engine for missile applications. However, in 1958, the newly created NASA inherited the Air Force responsibilities, with an engine slated for use in advanced, long-term space missions. The NERVA portion did not originate until 1960 and the industrial team of Aerojet General Corporation and Westinghouse Electric had the responsibility to develop it. In 1960, NASA and the AEC created the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office to manage project Rover/NERVA. In the following decade, it oversaw a series of reactor tests: Kiwi-A, Kiwi-B, Phoebus, Pewee, and the Nuclear Furnace, all conducted by Los Alamos to prove concepts and test advanced ideas. Aerojet and Westinghouse tested their own series: NRX-A2 (NERVA Reactor Experiment), A3, EST (Engine System Test), A5, A6, and XE-Prime (Experimental Engine). All were tested at the Nuclear Rocket Development Station at the AEC's Nevada Test Site, in Jackass Flats, Nevada, about 100 miles west of Las Vegas. In the late 1960's and early 1970's, the Nixon Administration cut NASA and NERVA funding dramatically. The cutbacks were made in response to a lack of public interest in human spaceflight, the end of the space race after the Apollo Moon landing, and the growing use of low-cost unmanned, robotic space probes. Eventually NERVA lost its funding, and the project ended in 1973.
full_description
NASA Center:
nasa_center
NASA Center
Information on Project Rover/NERVA provided by James Dewar.
publication_information
Subject Category:
Rocket Propulsion
subject_category
Launch Abort System (LAS)
67-H-1591
image__
Image #
http://grin.hq.nasa…
http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2002-000143.html
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2002-000143
Center:
Center Number:
center_number
Center Number
GRIN DataBase Number:
GPN-2002-000143
grin_database_number
GRIN DataBase Number
Creator-Photographer:
AEC-NASA
creator_photographer
Creator-Photographer
original_source


text:
Pardon Tsatsu – An Appeal To Govt 6/21/2007
Alhaji Bature, presenter of a current affairs programme, Alhaji and Alhaji on Hot FM, and an opinion leader of Mamobi East, Accra has appealed to the State and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to pardon Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
He has also called on the Attorney-General to discontinue the case against the former GNPC Chief Executive in the light of the phenomenal gas and oil discoveries in the Cape Three Points Basin announced by a reputable oil prospecting firm a consortium days ago to the international community. His appeal, he intimated to the Ghanain Observer (GO) newspaper, is based on the emerging fact that Tsatsu may not have been guilty after all in his vision and drive through the GNPC to search for oil to improve the economic fortunes of the nation.
Tsatsu is facing trial at a Fast Track Court in Accra on charges of willfully causing financial loss to the State under laws passed by his own National Democratic Congress administration. Speaking to GO Tuesday morning, Bature intimated that regardless of what perspectives we view the exploits of Tsikata from, those initiatives are largely responsible for the economic fortunes currently smiling in the face of Ghana in terms of the huge oil and gas discoveries.
Tsatsu, he said, was the one who talked Nigeria into the multi million dollar gas line project currently being pursued by four West African nations for energy supply, revenue and employment opportunities. It is also through his initiative that several seismic tests were conducted in the same Ghanaian basins that today have revealed oil and gas finds. Bature states further that the fact that the consortium announcing the oil find has found cause to praise the GNPC is enough testimony of Tsatsu`s good intentions for the State, and which duly ought to be acknowledged by the government and nation as a whole.
`It is on record that the consortium which announced the oil find has also praised Tsatsu`s GNPC for the initiative and vision in setting up the GNPC machinery. If that praise is justified then the person and body responsible for that achievement is Tsatsu and his GNPC; and that ought to be recognised by all Ghanaians and our leaders in government,` he said. He also touched on GNPC`s investments in Westel, saying though the understanding then was that Tsatsu messed with the resources of the State, the fact that Westel was sold for $250m far in excess above the $70m invested in it, is an indication that, overall, Tsatsu reaped some considerable economic gains through that initiative.
Alhaji Bature lamented that it is not only the ruling New Patriotic Party that misconstrued Tsatsu`s intention, recalling that shortly before the 2000 elections, the then ruling Rawlings administration stripped Tsatsu of his position at the GNPC and appointed him as a `toothless` Energy Adviser. As far as Bature is concerned both the NDC and NPP may not have treated Tsatsu fairly in the light of the current oil findings and against the background of the real value and rewards from his initiative. He would therefore as an ordinary citizen of the land `humbly appeal to the government and the State to discontinue the trial of Tsatsu, since his continued trial creates the unfortunate impression that the nation is not worth dying for in terms of taking well-intentioned risks for the national benefit.
Pardoning Tsatsu, however, will serve as a notice that Ghana is worth dying for, he contended.


text:
Final Debate: Live Blog Thread
Posted on October 15, 2008 by riverdaughter
Tonight is the last debate between Barack Obama and John McCain at Hofstra. We know how the media will spin it. gqmartinez at Corrente sums it beautifully:
1. Claim the race is already over.
2. Use 1. above to say that the losing candidate needs to have a "game changer".
3. Make the debates such that no "game changer" is possible.
4. Declare that no "game changer" happened and so the losing candidate actually lost the debate.
If you want to follow the debate Conflucian style, watch it on C-Span and turn the volume down. Watch the body language. Then, rewind the DVR and listen. Do you get a different impression?
Oh, and now we have the ability to poll! So, let's test it out.
Filed under: Presidential Election 2008 | Tagged: final debate. live blog |
« We Will Survive—Lessons From Yertle the Turtle Final Debate: Live Blog II »
Regency, on October 15, 2008 at 8:57 pm said:
another option should be "not yet, but midnight's still a few hours away."
bostonboomer, on October 15, 2008 at 8:58 pm said:
I protest Obama delaying game six of the world series for one of his stupid ads!!
angienc, on October 15, 2008 at 8:58 pm said:
I'm watching CNN — Schieffer starts with a tribute to Tim Russert — gah!
Kat5, on October 15, 2008 at 8:58 pm said:
Good one, Regency.
Honora, on October 15, 2008 at 8:59 pm said:
I said Yes, but really it was just an ugly insinuation.
I meant CSPAN!! I don't watch CNN any more (except Dobbs)
Alright, I'm already nervous for the old man. I have my candle lit.
mamapajamas, on October 15, 2008 at 9:00 pm said:
Honora– same thing. I said "yes" for the same reason.
griffithinc, on October 15, 2008 at 9:00 pm said:
I just sent a link to Michelle Obama's phone conversation w/African Press International, but I don't see it, am I in moderation?
Honora– that wasn't clear– what I meant is that insinuating someone is a r@cist is the same thing as saying it.
fif, on October 15, 2008 at 9:01 pm said:
Did they show Hillary in the audience?
BPD, on October 15, 2008 at 9:01 pm said:
could they torch mccain more on cnn? unbelieveable
griff — I think trying to post links sometimes sends you to the spam filter
The hate you handshake.
OldCoastie, on October 15, 2008 at 9:02 pm said:
I kinda hoping Obama's penis falls off tonight.
phlamingophred, on October 15, 2008 at 9:02 pm said:
angie – can you light a candle for me too? I don't know how that works.
The eff you handshake
myiq2xu, on October 15, 2008 at 9:02 pm said:
I'm watching "100 Greatest Hits of the 80's" on VH-1
Y'all have fun watching that unimportant stuff.
edgeoforever, on October 15, 2008 at 9:03 pm said:
Love that debate summary.
And cool poll!
Let me know what's going on – we go baseball here – undetermined outcome and all
plamingophred — I only have the one — but it is a real oil one from a monastery in Greece so it will work for the both of us.
Pale Lion, on October 15, 2008 at 9:04 pm said:
Fox just bleeped McCAIN….
#20 is Rick Springfield with "Jessie's Girl"
"must not forget to mention nancy reagan!"
Barack O'Blinky is nervous…he looks like a deer in the headlights already.
That's because he was trying to be a Big Man and dared McCain to "say it to my face." Now, he's scared sh*tless.
MABlue, on October 15, 2008 at 9:04 pm said:
I hope Schieffer will bring up controversial issues for once.
Obama is still the man in a vacuum.
I'm also thinking that not only is BO going gray, he's going bald… doesn't his forehead look a little larger?
all right, I know, now I'm just being mean.
LOL! You've got your priorities straight!
OldCoastie:
Let's not go there, ok?
myiq — I was watching that before. please keep me posted on the top 20. thanks
why would Fox bleep McCain? I thought it was a mic malfunction…
Pat Johnson, on October 15, 2008 at 9:06 pm said:
I hate listening to Obama's voice.
madamab, on October 15, 2008 at 9:06 pm said:
Hi guys – "Bringing Up Baby" is on at my house. I'll be getting my updates from you all. Keep me posted!
I hate when they sit down. I think that it is harder for McCain to attack when they sit.
not that I think the middle doesn't need help – but I'm tired of hearing about saving us like the poor don't need it more
urgetocompute, on October 15, 2008 at 9:06 pm said:
OldCoastie, on October 15th, 2008 at 9:02 pm Said:
Michele emasculated him long ago.
There goes the first "I agree".
He changed the number. It used to be $250,000.
Can't Obama ever come up with something original? Does he always have to say this is the worst bla bla bal since the Great Depression?
dakinikat, on October 15, 2008 at 9:07 pm said:
ack!!! obama just told folks to drain their 401ks again …
and Mccain started off with Hillary's HOLC
I'm watching Eastern Promises, but it might be too bleak. I need escapism, not bleak. The debate is already bleak reality.
Ga6th, on October 15, 2008 at 9:07 pm said:
It's interesting to watch the reaction of these pundits. None of the Dem pundits seem too excited nor the GOP pundits very worried about the poll numbers.
That was probably it. Sorry, I overstated for humor…
taw46, on October 15, 2008 at 9:08 pm said:
Yeah, the plumber.
PS I'm Brooklyn born and LI raised, so I am the ultimate Long Island girl, so welcome to my neighborhood everyone.
Just finished watching Pushing Up Daisies – gave my guy a turn with the game. What's up with the debate? Is the game changing? 😉
does he even remember who that is?
boston: He must've been on drugs during the 80s, i guess … it was far worse then … can't believe he doesn't know that
Britannia, on October 15, 2008 at 9:08 pm said:
Obama's gotten quite good at faking it. But still a fake.
sod — LMAO!!! OMH!! Yes, that would be right !!
old cosie, SOD – I am hoping for something more visible
fif: I liked Eastern Promises. Watch it.
http://deadenders.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whitey-tape-who-cares/#comments
Michelle Obama talks to African Press International
Hate that Obama smirk.
Seriously, on October 15, 2008 at 9:09 pm said:
NBc says McCain needs a game changer–Obama needs to avoid a game changer! Take two shots!
McCain is really a slow starter. He'll get going once he warms up.
Obama cuts taxes for ppl who don't pay taxes in the 1st place.
Genius!!!
fif — you get to see Viggo naked — the "bleak" is worth it!
"I want to give that money to ACORN".
gxm17, on October 15, 2008 at 9:10 pm said:
Obama is going to tell us what he's "actually" gonna do. I'm guessing it's gonna be different than what he told Joe the Plumber.
Joe the plumber speech is typical snoozer, ooops, another mike malfunction. McCain needs to pound the table with real answers.
thanx Pat
"Joe the Plumber" nice BO
MaBlue: Exactly!
Regency, on October 15th, 2008 at 9:07 pm Said:
He just changed it back!
angienc: Calm down girl!
Joe The Plumber. I hate when people use their middle names.
what is this Higglytown? Joe the Plumber?
What is Obama blathering about now?
Let me guess:
Taxes, taxes, taxes – BARK!
griffith: that has already been debunked.
At least McCain knew Joe's last name – I'll bet BO doesn't have a clue
uhs are a little up tonight
gqmartinez, on October 15, 2008 at 9:12 pm said:
Yeah, but pointing that out means you're a racist.
Perhaps one of the most disappointing things about this election is that if Obama does go on to win, we will be stuck with media creatures for the indefinite future as far as "credible" candidates go. Sigh.
ooh – My friend Warren Buffet!
If I hear "my friend Warren Buffet" one more time…
Hey, there's no windfall for the oil companies now, Barky. Have you seen the price per barrel today?
britgirls, on October 15, 2008 at 9:13 pm said:
I said "I'm a loner" in the poll because I've been home alone with my 3 kids today. They haven't called me a racist yet. Dang, guess they're not paying attention to the propaganda on Nick Jr (Kids Pick the President 2008!)
Ahhh … I've downed a Cosmo and am mixing myself up another. Just tell me what happens on the debate. I'm not watching it.
Thank you Mr. McCain for reminding BO of what he ACTUALLY said. It's so hard trying to remember this stuff when you're busy picking out the colors of your new flag.
fif – Is the API interview definitely a big fake?
What a shame!
NH, on October 15, 2008 at 9:13 pm said:
Poor McCain, I finally realized that he just doesn't seem very sharp. I think he is intelligent and his heart is in a good place but he just doesn't have the brain power and Obama is walking all over him.
oh! now BO want to only cut taxes for 90%! I thought it was 95%?
oh, such crap! the country is broke in every way…. does anyone really expect a tax cut?
I am not an idiot. My state and local taxes are going to go up anyway.
Off script. No clue.
Obama is really screwing up this discussion on taxes. McCain really stuck him with the "spread the wealth around statement."
obama: I'll see you one plumber, and raise you one billionaire
Pat J — I can't calm down for Viggo! I love him almost as much as I love myiq 🙂
All Afro American Gal, on October 15, 2008 at 9:13 pm said:
sounds like socialism Barry
dakinikat LOL
Regency – yup, they're down to around $74-$75 today
really, damn they had number you could call and everything. damn
Hellcat, on October 15, 2008 at 9:13 pm said:
I just can't watch this tonight…besides..Obama could stand up and say "I'm going to screw the American public to no end" and he would still be declared the winner.
Ooops! I said "r@cist" and am in the troll pit.
Honora, on October 15th, 2008 at 9:10 pm Said:
It was good enough for Kermit The Frog and John The Baptist. So, I think it's OK for Barack The Dickhead.
Alright! AAAGal is here — I was talking smack about Colmes last night & missed you!
John looks damned sharp to me. He is in the house and smirking.
dakinkat,
Yep, that was beyond stupid. He comes up with a millionaire to counter a plumber? He sounds just like the elitist he's always accused of being.
But Obama has an additional $1000 B expenses.
What a fraud!
nobo48, on October 15, 2008 at 9:14 pm said:
The Michelle story has not been debunked.
angienc: Even myiq's mother does not love him that much!
simofish, on October 15, 2008 at 9:14 pm said:
Good news for me — I left San Antonio, TX today with a co-worker and she drove 4 hours away (I have no idea where) I did not see one Obama sign — but I saw a ton of McCain / Palin signs — we drove 4 hours back – near the hotel I saw a car with a bumper sticker on the left side – McCain / Palin and on the right side NOBAMA !!!!!!
I LOVED IT !!!
angie – Not only are you a great and fierce PUMA, but you have excellent taste in men!!!
Vigggggooooooo….
Eleanor A, on October 15, 2008 at 9:15 pm said:
Viggo naked??!! Ay, carumba! I'm changing the channel NOW…;)
Obama doesn't take office until Jan, how is gonna assure the plan is structured properly. What a pompous ass.
Since when has he been a strong propronent of pay-as-you-go? Wasn't that a HIllary thing?
What is Obama rambling about?
I was a busy bee yesterday and got 20 converts for Mccain
MABlue — the programs he will cut — allegedly
madama & griffith: it was being posted all day on NoQ, and someone said the Obama camp responded to it already and claimed it is false. This is all second-hand though, so don't quote me on it.
I really don't understand what anyone sees in Obama. He doesn't come across to me as the brightest bulb on the tree. He's the bulb that keeps shorting out. IMO, of course.
oh, now barry hussain is using McCains words from the last debate — cut projects that don't work out of the budget — he's such a fraud — Hillary's ideas and now Johns — does he not have an original thought in his head?
Bonita, on October 15, 2008 at 9:16 pm said:
I'll need a double!
garychapelhill, on October 15, 2008 at 9:16 pm said:
i'm not living beyond my means.
You won't have a line item veto Barack. Please ask him how he is going to go thru the budget line by line and take things out???
AAAG – Holy crap! Great job!
NH — I don't think McCain isn't smart — he just isn't as flashy as BO.
HOLC
Triple AG: way to go!!
I wonder why Hillary didn't think of that
HOLC baby.
Even Roubini likes it.
jvsp, on October 15, 2008 at 9:17 pm said:
shout out to HRC!
Yeah, lets restart the home bubble. Geez
and something can't be true because The One's camp says it's not?
WMCB, on October 15, 2008 at 9:17 pm said:
Yaay! Shout out to Hillary on the HOLC!
There is NO such thing as a line-item veto. Where are you constitional advisers? Bill knows about the Constitution. Ask him–if he's taking your calls.
I'm living beyond my means. If I didn't, I wouldn't be living much longer.
Hmmm. My husband isn't home yet. Tell me when the good part comes on (and what channel) and I'll sneak a peak at this amazing Viggo. (Who is he?)
And that is why I love me my AAAGal!
come on John, you are starting up
what is his health care plan now? flu shots for free, and wash your hands every hour? hope for the best?
fif – Just because Obama denied it doesn't mean it's not true! Jeez, has that commenter been asleep for the past 18 months?
"Michelle is not the wife I knew."
McCain's mindset is one of nervousness. He needs to quit trying to tip toe through the land minds of his own nervousness. Obama is always specific in his responses, even if unrealistic and a flipflop from his last speech. This is why Obama "appears" presidential. This is very upsetting…
angienc, you may be right, but I'm on pins and needles.
John is on point today.
Way to go AAAGal!
LOL wait until you hear how he plans to keep people in their homes–if you don't have a house to begin with, the government will give you imaginary money to pay off your imaginary mortgage–in full!
shout out to HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
everyone drink!!!!!
of course the Obamabots are gonna deny it, sounds like something she would do
McCain shouldn't rehash the last f*king debate.
Mac's warming up…
NH — you are wrong — it will not be restarting the home bubble — it will be stabalizing the market and that is a good thing.
There is no line item veto.
Hey, ACORN doesn't work at all.
Obama's plan counts welfare as a tax rebate
gxm17 – Viggo Mortensen – from Lord of the Rings.
Deeeelissh…
bob schieffer is playing gotcha with mac…asshole, but he knew his stuff.
F*ck earmarks!!!! Bring up Rev. Wright, Tony Rezko, and Bill Ayers.
woo-hoo – back-handed shout out to the Big Dawg!
he's gonna give us a history lesson, duh
don't agree angienc but we can go into later K?
Talk about rehashing.
Somebody call Bill. He can!
No one can balance the budget in 4 years.
Oh hell. So good
Good LIne
Good zinger on the Bush stuff!
hit him John! Whooo hooo.
barry hussain is blinking like crazy and not happy — go get him Johnny
HELL YES!!!! MCCAIN. ON THE BUSH COMPARISON!!!! WAY TO GO
can't type laughing too hard!
You should have run 4 years ago if you wanted to run against bush!
Oh, snap! "I am not president Bush – if you wanted to run agaisnt Bush, you should have run 4 years ago."
four years ago, he hadn't been invited to Ayers house yet
gxm: on HBO, Viggo Mortensen (spelling?). He's a real renaissance man–paints, acts, musician, etc. and easy on the eyes.
Did they show HRC in the audience???
"Senator Obama, I am not President Bush – if you wanted to run against Bush, you should have run 4 years ago"….
nice little smackdown, John…
Raising the pen — can't wait to jump in and start babbling.
Senaor Obama, I am not President Bush, If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago!
Woohoo! Go Johnny Mac.
Yay!! Some thing new. "Senator Obama, I'm not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years ago."
What an effing Moron
boogieman7167, on October 15, 2008 at 9:22 pm said:
nice line you what to run againt bush you should have run 4 years ok
Ooh, FINALLY Mac gets a good one in!!!!
Go Johnny Go!
I think McCain is more effective when he's pissed. He ought to get pissed.
I'm hoping Mac really rattles his cage tonight.
Yeah, that was a punk a$$ vote BO — catering to the Insurance Companies
celeste, on October 15, 2008 at 9:23 pm said:
Zee on the previous thread said:THERE. IS. NO. VOTER. FRAUD. Oh, and they'd not only have to know the bogus names, but also the precise bogus names that somehow escaped the vetting.
Zee, you are mistaken if you do not believe that there is rampant voter fraud. Stupid names, like Mickey Mouse are very rare, they usually use normal names. Many states have late registration, or even same day as the vote registration, which means that you cannot vet the names before hand. Sure you fill out a provisional ballot, but, as a long time poll worker, I can tell you that all provisional ballots are counted. There is NO way to tell who filled out the provisional ballot, to vet it. Provisional ballot is just a way to make us feel better about same day registration. And the groups that are doing this keep trackof the names they used to register and send someone to vote under that name. And in a state like CA, and many others where no ID is required, they get to vote. And if you use a name that is not on the precinct rolls because it was vetted out, all they do is send you away. There is no list of 'bad registrations, that poll workers get. Because of this and because no ID is required there is really no chance that you are going to jail for voting twice otr for a fraudulent registration. Then there are those who are not citizens who they register. And once again, in the states where you don't have to prove that you are a citizen, it is a big problem. And, as someone who knows Chicago politics, I can tell you that they are the best at it. Obama learned from masters. This is not a small problem.
What a paltry record he cites. 120 days in the Senate. Wow!
katiebird, on October 15, 2008 at 9:23 pm said:
What's all the smirking by Obama?
Did he really say that??? Sweet!
so does everyone think JM will get some play from that line? I sure as heck hope so
Tort reform. Yeah this is when he thought he could get all the Repub to vote for him
Pooor Obama, the media is so against you.
katiebird — because he is an a$$
parentofed, on October 15, 2008 at 9:23 pm said:
madamab: I love Bringing up Baby!
I like that John is talking directly to Obama
riverdaughter, on October 15, 2008 at 9:23 pm said:
BTW, NH isn't NewHampster. This is a different NH. Would the new NH please choose a different username so we can tell you apart? Like, not_NH? The confusion arises because you are saying very un-NH kind of things.
The notion that…..
STFU Barack.
angie: is he really raising the pen? I said this afternoon, he would start with the finger in the air thing. He did that constantly with Hillary. Petulant child. Wait your turn.
Obama voted with Bush 88%, why doesn't MCCain say so!!!
The term is only for 4 years.
OBAMA YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHIT
fuzzybeargville, on October 15, 2008 at 9:24 pm said:
Obama is smirking love it!
oh my god…he's a fucking republican!!!!!
I wondered about that RD. This new NH seems quite negative.
McCain does better when he is attacked.
As much as I disagree with Jonah Goldberg, I'll give him this:
It's hugely important, but we've heard all this before. Freeze, scalpel, hatchet zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Abortion? Guns? Acorn? Keating Five? Cuba? Racial Quotas? Gay marriage?
This is getting tedious.
it's official — barry hussian is pissed
oh here it comes
ooh! another SNAP – you record of standing up to your party isn't very convincing
Schiefer trying to start a fistfight.
Yeah, tell him to his face!!! DO IT DO IT
they mentioned — paling with terrorists !!!
Sorry, not sure what I've said that is un – NH like.
It's a fucking campaign for POTUS, there's no such thing as a dirty campaign.
Knock it off MSM.
I hate the smirk
HIT THE FLOOR, THE FEATHERS ARE GONNA FLY
Oamabi call america a racist nation!
he did hang out w/a domestic terrorist
"palled around with terrorists" That's the opportunity McCain.
Okay, I'm watching now…Mac is blaming Obama for the negativity! He should have come to the Town Hall…
Schiffer pounding both with good leads…
John Lewis got thumped!
Good one John!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oops used th "r" word…sorry last comment in moderation!
Hey, BS left a word out. He forgot to add c*nt to Camp Obama's.
Negative. Perhaps I do sorry. I am nervous for McCain, and wanting him to do well, I must be coming off different than I think.
yay! Good one John, call him out on the Lewis remarks
what? I don't know what you're talking about! Of course I repudiated everything everyone has ever said
Go, John, bringing up John Lewis' remarks, saying Obama does not repudiate nasty remarks made by his supporters, but McCain ALWAYS does.
I want to slap that smirk off Obama's face.
meat to say please Obama call america a R@cist nation
Schiffer is probably regretting he asked that question now!
because he is a liar
get him John! YEAH!!!!!!!!!
Obama's smirking is very unattractive, IMO.
apparently BO told Rolling Stone that HIllary was certainly on his short list
Barky is swallowing hard as McCain tells him something to his face…
Marlowe, on October 15, 2008 at 9:28 pm said:
Obama's really not cool at all tonight. He is a rude man.
Yeah, NH, you and Pale Lion are harshing my mellow! 😉
I detest Obama! Detest him.
I wanna see John make Obama cry. Make him cry, John, please….
Propaganda in, propaganda out
Obama's answer: I agree. LOL!
100%????? LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obama has 1300 ads in NorthernVA vs 11 (!) to McCain.
Apparently all of those ads are negative according to Morning Joe.
Does Obama ever tell the truth about anything?
McCain's ads are 100% negative?
Oh puleeez….
McCain calling Bambi out for lying over public financing. Barky now LYING saying 100% of JM's ads are negative.
there barry goes skirting the issue, by bringing up "the issues"
MR Obama would you like a pillow? are you comfy?
Lady Boomer NYC, on October 15, 2008 at 9:29 pm said:
Okay, I'm sorry, it's been a long time for me, but right now this is better than sex. John is forthright and right on! Go go go go go!!! The dude is kicking butt.
I give John mad props right now.
Oh brother! "Hurt feelings?" Where have I heard that before?
BO desperately trying to change the subject.
Pat — I will hold him down while you wipe the smirk off that smug face !!!
Will someone shut him up, PLEASE? I can't stand the sound of his voice.
but michelle won't shut up
Barky distorts and slanders with a sly smile…attack ads all come from McCain he says.
Obama can have a cardboard likeness of himself there tonight and CNN will say he won
sarah, on October 15, 2008 at 9:30 pm said:
waldenpond, on October 15, 2008 at 9:30 pm said:
I just watched McCain dissing Obama on not repudiating Lewis when McCain always repudiates Republicans, public financing, O has spent more on negative campaign ads than anyone in history, etc…. O does not look happy.
I liked where McCain showed how he stood up to his Pres and his party. O not so much. O really doesn't look happy.
McCain has mentioned Hillary twice so far.
It's ok NH. Welcome! We're just wary, because we get a lot of agitators here.
obama is sorry that he brought it up
Mr Obama your lack of character is the issue here care to comment?
obama can't talk about mccains ads because then he would have to address those issues.
Okay, McCain is looking very sharp tonight!
Yeah, go John, bring up all the MONEY, he's outspending MCCAIN by MILLIONS, and he STILL can't close the deal
Believe the Christian Science Monitor disagreed, said The O was much more negative
McCain needs to make Obama's character an economic issue; JUDGEMENT
unlike mccain??
Simofish: You are on girl!!!!!!!!!!!!
Take it to him, John! Obama looks uncomfortable. We'll hear the whining tomorrow!
Lewis was unprompted?
"It wasn't us, WE didn't tell him to say that?"
Jeeesus … I'm going to have to watch now. You're making it sound so good. Only C-SPAN, though.
My second Cosmo. Hope I don't trip on my way to the tee-vee.
McCain is also an American hero, and I LOVE John Lewis.
Ann On, on October 15, 2008 at 9:32 pm said:
Thanks all for listening to it so the rest of us don't have to.
Barry you sound whiny
where the fuck were you barry hussian when the trinity church was mocking Hillary ??
Of course, there's so much more to attack against Obama..
ok, you guys got me involved. I'm watching now. Kick his butt John!
New thread up. Everyone grab your drinks and migrate.
sorry I thought I was the debate moderator for once
from under the bus
He's really trying to defend Lewis' comments?
Now he's going to throw John Lewis under the bus, it's getting crowed under here
WARNING! WARNING!!!! RACE CARD!!!!
I just hope McCain doesn't lose his temper. I would.
I hate him, seriously. The American people have become cynical. Yea, and YOU don't contribute to that?! Get him John.
Oh my goodness – he keeps lying and then changing the subject.
Typical Obama.
obama's never aware of anything
What a weasel. Obama hits, then whines "we are all sick of this negative back and forth" when anyone hits back.
Obama does all the "Tit", doesn't get any "Tat" and lectures us about cynicism?
Get this guy of my screen, I beg of thee.
The t-shirts! Say it, Mac!
T-shirts!!!! WOW!!!
Obama is so p*ssy. He can't take ANY criticism.
JM brings up the t-shirts at Obama's rallies.
GAAAH! He's making an issue out of the 'hate speech' at GOP rallies when he said fuck-all over 'iron my shirt'?
It's the hypocrisy, stupid.
Go Johnny! He brought up the c*nt t-shirts! And all Obama could do is nod in agreement.
Obama sounds totally creepy.
OMG, he brought up the T-shirts and Obama said NOTHING!
Passion is McCain's now! Things said at your rallies about me that I don't like, Senator Obama. Paydirt!
By George I finally got it. Obama is a BOT!!!!
oooohhhhh, i don't think Obambi is doing well, he's stuttering to avoid this subject …
Wow, O is really uncomfortable. McCain mentioned the nasty t-shirts and wouldn't allow O to squeeze in an excuse and wouldn't let O interrupt. The um and ers are flowing.
Let's talk about the T-shirts, Barack. Do you repudiate the T-shirts or not?! bla bla bla bla saying nothing.
McCain's doing better than I expected. He's not as flashy, as someone else said, but he's also not anywhere near inarticulate.
He's LAUGHING about ACORN!!! What a complete JERK!!
Are you watching this on the split screen? Obama looks bad, doesn't he?
Why is Obama laughing about Ayers? What a d*ck!
What the fuck is that fraud laughing at?? God, I hate his smirking ass.
Oooh. Washed up terrorist. LOL! Now here comes the laundry list. Mention Odinga, John!
mccain is just as pissed off as we are.
It's the A word!! Whoa!
He has 'roundly condemned' the acts of Ayres…no mention at all of the fundraiser he accepted…
Barry you are walking into this one….
I can't listen to his lies and dissembling. He's a LIAR LIAR LIAR LIAR LIAR. What's his new excuse about ACORN now? Excuse #1,025.
Robin, on October 15, 2008 at 9:37 pm said:
wow, the NQ stuff on Acorn including the payments to ACORN!!!
CarlyinNJ, on October 15, 2008 at 9:37 pm said:
Ayers launched his campaign for him; in his living room!!
Same old talking points. When did you meet him Barack?
Triple A= Ayers, Acorn, Alinsky
Lying about his ACORN connections.
GOD! Total 'dog ate my homework' manner and tone…"Acorn had nothing to do with us!"
motor voter in CA is a huge probelm because you don't have to PROVE that you are a citizen!!!!
And his 300 advisors. Eeejit!
Nah, he left out George Soros, substituting Buffet…
he said nothing about the 800,000 payments to ACORN this year …
Oh, what a cloud of bullshit. The people who have "shaped his ideas" are people he did not even KNOW until 3 years ago!
Wipe the smirk off, Barky.
Gawd, he's just like Dubya.
The laughing by Obama is very unattractive. Very.
Oh, here we go, attacking Palin again.
Dunkle, on October 15, 2008 at 9:40 pm said:
Obama really does show his lawyer training very well: deny, deny, deny, blather, blather, blather, change subject never answering the question.
LYING about his Ayers connection. Is that all this man can do, lie lie lie?
Oops, my bad. No Palin bashing yet.
That's not true. That's what he always says. When HRC said his NH campaign manager was a lobbyist, he said, "That's not true." Guess what? It was true, but he flat out lies in these debates!
Oh, yeah, Biden was fighting for working families when he wrote the bankruptcy bill, right Barack?
No, Joe works for the credit card industry, not working families.
Should we jump to the new thread? See ya up there.
gxm17,
Yes, he lies constantly. He doesn't know how to do anything else.
Called Biden idea on Iraq coqamame (spelling) funny LOL
elderj, on October 15, 2008 at 9:47 pm said:
Can obama open his mouth and not propose new spending?
radlyboo1, on October 15, 2008 at 9:48 pm said:
This is a lively debate – I am liking McCain more and more.
Okay. I still don't understand how Obama can say with a straight face that Palin is not ready to be President when she has as much political experience as he does AND she's not running for President!
Why oh why do the obots not see this glaringly FLAWED thinking. They are completely ILLOGICAL.
Obama just agreed with mccain about the time frame for oil independence
anyone watching on CNN?
weasels scoring the debate
Priorities hmmmm… Is there any legislation to back that up?
I don't watch CNN.
My hubby came home and the first thing he asked: Why are we watching FOX?
I'm like, um, well, BBC didn't have it on when I checked…
fif, on October 15, 2008 at 10:02 pm said:
As usual, Obama gets to talk on and on and on and on. Is this a monologue or a debate?
elderj, on October 15, 2008 at 10:02 pm said:
a monologue clearly
full of "um" and "ums"
stateofdisbelief, on October 15, 2008 at 9:03 pm said:
He looks like a deer in the headlights already.
hahaha – Senator Government – lol
John is really hitting hard on the difference between small & big government. He is explaining it directly to "Joe." This Joe has really become a celebrity.
McCain is talking and both Obama & Schieffer are interrupting him, AFTER Obama went on as long as he wanted. Blatant bias.
McCain will not use a litmus test to appoint judges.
Old Coastie, You might want to check with angie.
Suzi: nice try. Haven't seen you here before. I think McCain is kicking a*s. Thanks for sharing, "undecided" voter. Calling your opponent out on his lies is not negative, it is absolutely necessary.
Clean up at 10:07 please.
Seriously, on October 15, 2008 at 10:14 pm said:
Obama's channeling Bush when he should be channeling Cheney. The growl is more effective than the smirk and the pissiness,
A shout out to "Hillary" woo hoo!
Blinky O'Noddin
Mary, on October 15, 2008 at 10:42 pm said:
Good Lord. Obama promises everything, and still can't tell Americans how he'll pay for it AND meet PAYGO stipulations.
And that old windfall profits tax on the oil companies? That's done for.
I think ole Joe Plumber knows exactly who will protect him from "spreading the wealth."
shallbe4, on October 15, 2008 at 11:46 pm said:
What I don't understand is that Obama is only 3% ahead and McCain needs a game changer? Last time I looked the margin of error was 3%. So they are tied.
If Obama is tied with McCain then McCain wins because of the Bradley Factor. But the media always treats Obama like he is the top dog.
The problem with Obama is that he wants to be President so much — perhaps too much.
suzi — Acorn is cheating all over the country. They threw Acorn out of Nevada. They have arrested some of them in Michigan. All in all 11 states are investigating Acorn and their fraudulent votes.
As for Bill Ayers Obama has known him since 1988. He launched his first campaign at Ayers House.
All of Obama close friends have one thing in common — they all hate this country and its people. Coincidence?
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Nijma, on October 16, 2008 at 12:32 am said:
I was waiting for Obasma to repudiate certain campaign tactics, like the signs and t-shirts, but he never did. All he said was Lewis issued some statement of retraction. He did NOT answer the question.
This country has a long history of violence against women, but I guess that's all okay with the O-man.
Jeanne in Texas, on October 16, 2008 at 12:49 pm said:
One of our OWN did a great Video that I think says it all..Please view and help raise this video up on youtube


Messe Frankfurt further expands its international network with the acquisition of Forest Exhibitions Ltd. in Godalming, Surrey on March 1, 2018. The group now has its own subsidiary in the United Kingdom.
The purchase of Forest Exhibitions Ltd. means the 100 percent acquisition of Automechanika Birmingham, which the company has now firmly established in the UK to date as a licensee.
Automechanika Birmingham ran for the first time in 2016, with more than 500 exhibitors – the largest launch event for an Automechanika since the inaugural Frankfurt show. The following year's event recorded a marked increase in exhibitor figures and exhibition space, with 800 companies showcasing their products and services to over 12,000 visitors.
Albert succeeds Rob Sherwood, whose company Sherwood Event Services Ltd. will continue to represent all of Messe Frankfurt's international trade shows.


Helps a processor keep its cool.
Manhattan CPU Thermal Grease helps create maximum surface-to-surface conductivity between a microprocessor and the CPU cooler heat sink to reduce overheating risks. Specially formulated to reliably and easily fill manufacturing imperfections in the wafer and heat sink surfaces, Manhattan CPU Thermal Grease closes critical gaps that can reduce cooling effectiveness and increase possible failure.