Today’s Talk

October 31st, 2007 by CD

More than 100 monks have marched in central Burma, the first time they have returned to the streets since last month’s bloody crackdown on protests.

The monks chanted and prayed as they marched through Pakokku, the site of an incident last month that triggered pro-democracy protests nationwide.

The government said 10 people died during the crackdown, but diplomats believe the toll was much higher.

Thousands more - many of them monks - were thought to have been detained.

Separately, the Human Rights Watch organisation has accused the Burmese army of forcibly recruiting children to cover gaps left by a lack of adult recruits.

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October 29th, 2007 by CD

Jane Monheit was born in Oakdale, New York on Long Island. She began singing professionally while attending Connetquot High School. She graduated in 1995. At 17, she began to study at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City under the tutelage of Peter Eldridge. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in music in 1999. At the age of 20, as a senior, she won the first runner-up prize at the 1998 Thelonious Monk Institute Vocal Competition.

Monheit’s classically trained voice has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald, whom she lists as one of her influences. Even though she is often cited as a jazz vocalist, her recorded tracks range from jazz to MGM/RKO 1930s–1950s musicals and Latin American rhythms such as the song “Comecar De Novo.”

Her albums include Come Dream With Me (2001), In The Sun (2002), and a live album, Live at the Rainbow Room (2003) which also had a complementary DVD release.

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October 29th, 2007 by CD

The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Sunday he had no evidence Iran was working actively to build nuclear weapons and expressed concern that escalating rhetoric from the U.S. could bring disaster.

“We have information that there has been maybe some studies about possible weaponization,” said Mohamed ElBaradei, who leads the International Atomic Energy Agency. “That’s why we have said that we cannot give Iran a pass right now, because there is still a lot of question marks.”

“But have we seen Iran having the nuclear material that can readily be used into a weapon? No. Have we seen an active weaponization program? No.” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Iran this month of “lying” about the aim of its nuclear program. She said there is no doubt Tehran wants the capability to produce nuclear weapons and has deceived the IAEA about its intentions.

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October 25th, 2007 by CD

VIA WashingtonPost

Some Democratic lawmakers questioned on Wednesday whether a new Bush administration request for $88 million to fit “bunker-busting” bombs to B-2 stealth bombers was part of preparations for an attack on Iran.

The proposal was included as part of a nearly $200 billion request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that the Bush administration sent to Capitol Hill on Monday.

The request included $87.8 million for further development of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, a conventional bomb designed to destroy hardened or deeply buried targets.

Many of Iran’s nuclear development facilities are believed to be underground. The United States accuses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear bomb while Tehran insists its nuclear program is only for power generation.

A Bush administration summary said the request was needed for “development of a Massive Ordnance Penetrator for the B-2 aircraft in response to an urgent operational need from theater commanders,” but gave no details.

“My assumption is that it is Iran, because you wouldn’t use them in Iraq, and I don’t know where you would use them in Afghanistan, it doesn’t have any weapons facilities underground that we know of,” said Rep. Jim Moran, a Virginia Democrat who is on the House defense spending committee and intends to argue against the request.

“I suppose you could try to bomb out a cave (in Afghanistan), but that seems like taking a sledgehammer to a tack. A little excessive,” Moran said in a phone interview.

Another Democrat, Rep. Jim McDermott of Washington, said the bunker-buster request worried him because of the rising tide of criticism of Iran coming from the Bush administration. Last week, Bush warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could lead to World War Three.

“The drumbeats of war are beating again, this time against Iran and we have to step in while there is still time,” McDermott said through a spokesman.
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October 24th, 2007 by CD

A challenge for students but also can be a challenge for us all!  Please visit this site for further great videos and info on American politics that are forever shaping our country.

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October 23rd, 2007 by CD

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da96DgwM1ek[/youtube]

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Contact Congresswoman Musgrave

October 23rd, 2007 by CD

Iran would need three to eight years to produce a nuclear bomb, the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog said in an interview published today.

“I cannot judge their intentions, but supposing that Iran does intend to acquire a nuclear bomb, it would need between another three and eight years to succeed,” Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told France’s Le Mondenewspaper.

“All the intelligence services agree on that,” he said.

Dr ElBaradei said force should be used only when all diplomatic options have failed, adding there was plenty of time for diplomacy, sanctions, dialogue and incentives to bear fruit.

“I want to get people away from the idea that Iran will be a threat from tomorrow, and that we are faced right now with the issue of whether Iran should be bombed or allowed to have the bomb,” he said.

“We are not at all in that situation. Iraq is a glaring example of how, in many cases, the use of force exacerbates the problem rather than solving it.”

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October 18th, 2007 by CD

The newest video from the 35 Percenters.  Another great piece of work.  Share the video and spread the word!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVXI6QzLwDM[/youtube]