hardtack wrote on Apr 2, 2008 7:58 PM:Realist, your 3:18 PM, Apr 2, is on target . . . sort of. Foremost: “The more money Americans have in their pockets,” the more LIBERTY they have. That’s the moral side of the equation. Spending is only half the picture. The crux of the economic side of the argument is: Who is better at spending, government or people? People, in the private sector, earn money and create capital. They spend what they earn – or save it, which means some bank will “spend” it by using it as capital investment. Government confiscates earnings and capital through taxation. Government bureaucracy consumes appr. 50% of what it confiscates before it spends it. It is even worse when government spends fiat money that it has not raised in taxes. That deflates all money value and amounts to an “invisible” tax on everyone, working and earning or not. That, in my opinion, is the economic lesson we need to grasp.

Oh Please! wrote on Apr 2, 2008 8:05 PM:Rules for print of articles: Go right ahead Robbie. Please cancel your subscription. I get a kick out the complainers who threaton to cancel their support as if their one subscription really mattered. Come back with say 100 signatures of subscribers. Then maybe the NCT will listen to you.

sdraoul wrote on Apr 2, 2008 8:55 PM:Amatuer historians on this page simply aren't trained historians or constitutional scholars of any sort.

The President of the United States may send in troops anywhere anytime because he is Commander-in-Chief. He is also the only person who can conduct foreign policy and negotiate treaties.

Congress can't send any troops anywhere.

He could and did order the invasion of Iraq and he did so with permission of the United Nations and the United States Congress. He needn't have "lied" to Congress for it had the exact same information he had.

Moreover, Clinton appointee George Tenent, CIA Director, assured the President of the United States that it was a "slam dunk" that WMDs were in Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

The British intelligence, the French intelligence, the German intelligence all agreed that Iraq has WMDs. In fact, much of the intelligence we received
came by way of German intelligence just as much of the intelligence we used in Afghanistan came from Iran, of all places.

We had to depend on these agencies because Jimmy Carter had emasculated out intelligence services in the Middle East to the point we had to depend on other countries.

And, yes, the people of Iraq are far better off than they were before March 2003.

Or, didn't you amateur historicans notice that the Iraqi people elected their own government for the first time in 5000 years.

And didn't you notice that young girls aren't being raped in front of their parents by Hussein's thugs any longer as was a daily occurance under Hussein.

Or, didn't you notice that Israeli schoolchildren aren't being murdered by killers paid by Hussein.

Ask the Kurds if they are better off today than they were when Hussein was gassing thousands of them to death.

Chris wrote on Apr 2, 2008 9:32 PM:Robert Boles letter is pathetic. Why doesn't he respond to the content in Chris Pulse's letter. Instead he just wants to bad mouth Pulse and threaten canceing his subscription just like he did to the Union Tribune. Of course he didn't say what his problem was with the Trubune. I think he just doesn't like what Pulse says so like a child he just stanps his feet and threatens to cnacel his subscription.

SOLON … wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:21 AM:… sdraoul (8:55 PM) is a poor researcher of recent history, which is rather inexcusable, given all the internet resources available from reputable sources. George Tenent, former CIA director, did indeed utter the words “slam dunk”, but they referred not to the certainty that Iraq had WMDs. These words were uttered by Tenent when asked if it were a sure thing that the public could be persuaded that Iraq had WMDs. Tenent stated that it was a “slam dunk” that the Administration could convince the American public of a lie -- not that the accuracy of the intelligence on WMDs was a slam dunk. This administration has always believed it is a “slam dunk” to get the people to believe its lies.

SOLON … wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:46 AM:… sdraoul perpetuates another lie in his statement “the French intelligence, the German intelligence all agreed that Iraq has WMDs.”
The technicians and top line scientists certainly did NOT believe Iraq had WMDs. In his February 7, 2003 report to the UN Security Council, Mohamed ElBaradei, the IAEA's Director General, said: "Based on available evidence, the IAEA team has concluded that Iraq's efforts to import these aluminum tubes were not likely to have been related to the manufacture of centrifuges." That was weeks before Bush launched his pre-emptive war.
The Institute for Science and International Security on March 10, 2003, issued a report stating QUOTE “The administration's case has been further weakened because the UN Security Council inspectors have so far found no evidence of an Iraqi nuclear weapons program. This result comes after extensive IAEA assessments of information from UN member states and many investigations in Iraq.” END QUOTE.
Crucial doubts about Iraq's ability to produce chemical weapons were withheld from two British inquiries which examined the Government's case for war.
Lord Hutton's investigation into the death of David Kelly and Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, which monitors the intelligence services, were not told that information which helped Tony Blair claim that Saddam Hussein posed a "serious and current" threat had already been discredited and withdrawn by MI6.
The British newspaper, THE INDEPENDENT reported QUOTE “The withdrawals fatally undermine the case for war and would undoubtedly have had a significant bearing on the Hutton report. But they were not revealed to Lord Hutton by any of the government witnesses, who included Mr Blair, Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence, Mr Scarlett, and Sir Richard Dearlove, the outgoing head of MI6. All stood by the claims in the dossier, although it is not clear how many were aware that the intelligence had been withdrawn.” END QUOTE.
British intelligence and Tony Bliar clearly knew the WMD line was a lie. Has sdraoul forgotten about the Downing Street memos? He needs to search documents, not his flawed memory.

SOLON… wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:56 AM:… PETTY, petty, petty Robert Boles. A newspaper editor has to have liberty to edit. Twelve days, or 14 days or 18 days. An editor has to have general rules, not hard-clad rules, depending on available space, timeliness of message and many factors. But that is not Petty Robert Boles beef -- he just doesn’t want to hear a factual message that contradicts his own hard-clad attitude. Chris Pulse is definitely a thorn in the side of the pro-war maniacs. That the editor prints all views is commendable.

jvc wrote on Apr 3, 2008 6:18 AM:Oceanside police to fine kids who skip school? How is it acceptable to fine
truant students who are truant in some cases just because society has given up on them? In many cases, these truants come from very poor or broken homes
or do not feel accepted in the mainstream of the dominant culture! How can we morally justify these truant fines without first examining the socio-economic status of a truant student?
Student truancy should be used as an indicator of a student's societal
dysfunctional behavior that truancy fines do not address! It is the total lack of socio-economic considerations that these kinds of conservative ideals conservatives use to justify their
actions!

Oh, SOLON wrote on Apr 3, 2008 6:52 AM:You've been here long enough to have learned that sdraoul's "history" normally varies quite a bit from the real thing. Seriously, he is caught fabricating the way it was almost 100% of the time. I appreciate your posts, though, because without them (and the ones like them, time and time again, that show raoul for what he is as an historian) someone might think he's being truthful and accurate.

Greencinitan wrote on Apr 3, 2008 6:56 AM:I agree with Mr. Susi. Bilbray does not represent my interests. I am very excited about Nick Leibham, who is running against Mr. Bilbray. Nick actually lives in our district, and recognizes that until we end our involvement in Iraq's long-standing civil war, we won't be able to address real American priorities like education, health care, securing the borders, and protecting the environment.

Alf wrote on Apr 3, 2008 6:56 AM:Although there has always been truancy, "jvc" at 6:18AM, the causes are myriad, ranging from embarrassment of one's clothes to mere boredom to drug use to crime and everything in between. If a student does not know that truancy (ditching school) is both wrong and illegal, that student has not mentally progressed beyond 1st or 2nd grade. The only downside that I see to fining the student is that the parent(s) is (are) the one(s) who ultimately pay without regard to whether they are "good" or "bad" parent(s). Regards, Alf.

Ron wrote on Apr 3, 2008 7:48 AM:I take a slightly different approach than Cameron Curry, I don't believe the Budget crisis can be solved by voting. Voting for MORE GOVERNMENT is how we got into this situation. In our State, the voter pass Prop. 98 to ensure 1/2 the State's budget would go to education. Did that mkae our kid's smarter, help the graduation rates, or test scores? No. Look over the last few election cycles, bond after bond after bond was passed to build new schools. Did that help? No.
He is right about accountability, but saying that it's 18 year old's fault is just dumb. What do they know, except they are staring down a very large college loan, and they don't want to pay it. They want someone else to pay it, like Mommy & Daddy used to do.
He is correct about "...protests equal empty platitudes..."
I still chuckle about the protestors who went the night before the Escondido City Council held a meeting on homelessness, to light their candles, and "bring awareness" to that stiuation. Totally stupid. They could have used their time handing out blankets, sandwich's, and hot coffee to the homeless, while holding lit candles.
But hey... that's a lib for ya. They believe that by "bringing awareness" to something actually accomplishes something. It doesn't. All it shows is the mindlessness of their ideas.
One thing does bother me about the recent protests by teachers and students. Many news accounts wanted to give the idea that these student protests were "spontaneous" & student motivated. Bulloney! You know darn well they had these hack teachers telling them how their classes & favorite programs would be cut unless they got out their too.
Voting can bring accountability, but not when people are voting for MORE GOVERNMENT. Not when they are voting for more programs, and more government employees. The facts are in in California. While the State is second in Teacher pay & benefits nationally, only 31% of our 4th graders are able to read at grade level. By the time they hit 8th grade only 29% can do it.
Keep in mind, most school districts have reduced K-3rd class size to 23 students. Now, weren't we all told they'd be able to spend more time with each, and help them read better because of these reducations? Yes, We were!
Has it happened? No, it has not!
We were also told that Prop. 98 would help improve student learning. has that happened? No, it has not. Overall, the learning goes down between the 4th grade and 8th grade. We are regressing!
Every year, the budget's go up, and every year we do the same old thing. MORE MONEY! Has it helped? No, the results are in. So, now... what to do? Right? Can't continue to do the same old thing, we're not getting the results we have paid for. Here's what i suggest. The very next time you hear a politician tell you we need more money to bring up student achievement, you tell him/her your voting the other way.
In fact, if they have been in Government, adding to the education budget mindlessly, you axe them!
It's time for accountability, to call each and everyone of them into account. They are all running scared of the Teacher's Unions. The CTA, the NEA, and all the other little Stalin dictatorships around our State. If you've never been to a school board meeting, I encourage you to go. It will open your eyes, as to who really runs thes boards. And it anit you. I can assure you of that mistaken believe.

Yokozuna re: college degrees wrote on Apr 3, 2008 7:55 AM:For obvious reasons college degrees in scientific disciplines are necessary for employment in those fields. (Let's not confuse employment with success, however, since some non degreed individuals have attained fortunes.) However, one of the most important aspects for an employer preferring applicants with college degrees.... the attainment of the degree gives an indication that the applicant has successfully attained a self imposed goal. That personal characteristic is valuable to a prospective employer. Post graduate degrees indicate an even higher standard of goal setting and accomplishment. Recently companies also have been requiring psychological testing during the interview process to evaluate if the candidate is a good fit for the company.

Oh Please! wrote on Apr 3, 2008 8:18 AM:sdraoul[-] wrote on Apr 2, 2008 8:55 PM: And maybe you did not notice that over 4,000 dead Americans and 20,000 wounded.
Maybe you did not notice that the elected government has minimal support and is unable to secure any new law in parliament in a timely manner. Maybe you did not notice the failure of the Iraqi Nationalist forces at Basara during the week. Maybe you did not notice the green zone being rocketed. Maybe you did not notice that all your statements about intelligence and Tenet have been proved false. Maybe you did not notice the 935 documented lies made by Bush and his administration leading up to the invasion of Iraq. When you do notice, take the time to call the families of the bereaved with your
ridiculous assertions.

Reality wrote on Apr 3, 2008 9:09 AM:Perhaps when a million Iraqis take to the streets to protest the American Invasion sdraoul will finally wake up. But then I am sure he is happier in his version of reality.

esteban wrote on Apr 3, 2008 9:22 AM:JVC...it's ALWAYS society's fault. Some else is always to blame. That's problem with the US today. That wacko liberal thinking is going to be the death of us all. People need to take responsibility for themselves.

Beth wrote on Apr 3, 2008 9:33 AM:To Bob Limpus of Fallbrook and Robert Boles of Rancho Bernardo.

I agree with your comments!
While illegals pilfer our resources and the public sector gladly passes them out, they expect us to just keep on paying. They ignore the open border with Mexico and the financial burden on the USA taxpayer

Yes esteban wrote on Apr 3, 2008 9:39 AM:It's always somebody else's fault, isn't that what you always say? It's those darn liberals you know. Certainly not YOU. You wouldn't want to take personal responsibility when it's actually the liberals fault would you? Didn't think so.

Ron wrote on Apr 3, 2008 9:44 AM:James Cogan is onto something here. How long has the Government regulated building? Anyone know? I don't know for sure exactly when the State began to tell citizens what kind of materials, paint, excavation, plumbing, electrical, insulation, etc., etc....
but as any building contractor will tell you, it is a nightmare trying to get a building permit, because of all the regulations you must build to.
Also, we have been lead to believe that State/Central planning is good for consumer protection, safety, and proper land usage. Right?
Well, what are the results?
Central planning has produced more houses than what the current infrastructure can support.
And here's why.
Politicians need money to run for office. Where does that money come from? Interest groups, special interest groups. The building industry is but one of these interest groups.
Now, if an area does not have the infrastructure to support additional housing, do you honestly think a builder will build if the buyer can not be assured they can get essentials like water, electric power, and the like?
Heck No! He will choose an area that does support those houses so he can then sell them quickly. The longer he holds onto them, the more it costs him.
What happens when you get a politician involved is this. They allow over growth, with vague promises of raising taxes to offset the growth. In reality, they allow the building, then try to figuire out how to fix problems that arise. Exactly the opposite of central planning. The disconnect is the politician. He/She is the weak link, and they are responsible for this mish-mash of building discrepacies we have today.
This new growth should be required to support itself. In that, if there is not enough electrical power, the developer should provide the power. No water, the developer should provide the water. It's really not rocket science. In the end, within the price of the new home, the consumer, the home buyer pays the frieght for adding his home. In Vista, for example, they are adding a new fire station with sales tax revenue throughout the city, when the station is slated for Shadowridge. Those Shadowridge home owners should have paid the fee's to not only man, but build that new station.
But, this stupid idea of central planning, giving government to right to regulate who can build when and where, if they give me some money for my campaign, is just stupid. It makes absolutely no sense. They build homes, then decide years later, to widen a road. Or to bring the sewer up to code.
And think about this. To bring the sewer up to the code THEY PRESCRIBE!
It's THEIR CODE! And they allow themselves to violate it. But, let you violate it, and the fines just keep on coming. This is a Government out of control. When they can exempt themselves from the very laws they enact, yet hold you to account. It have totally flipped over, where you are required to answer to them, and they answer to no one. And stupidly, people just keep voting for the same old tired people. It is insanity.

Marky Marx to Chris wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:02 AM:Worry not my bro what peeps like Robert Boles have to cry about. I live to read your anti-american stuff every two weeks. I wish it were every day; your getting the word out, right on! What I want to know is why aren’t you in the Sunday edition the way you used to be. Looks like the NC Times has already folded to the pressure by all the flag wavers! power to the peeps!

Apollo wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:06 AM:Re: Ron (9:44 a.m.)
Poor Ron.
He complains about how hard it is to get building permits.
I have hired contractors on various occasions for construction projects, and my contractors never had any problem getting permits, but then I am careful only to hire competent professionals.
Look around you.
There is plenty of building going on. Maybe too much, considering the "water shortage."
Someone out there doesn't seem to be having trouble getting permits.
Must be just Ron.

Ron wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:11 AM:Some times, you don't need a college degree to get paid well in America, Nix Richardson. It really depends on what you do.
I think it's a crime we do not encourage some of our students into trades. Car repair, plumbing, electric, and many other essential jobs were need domestically each and every day.
Heck, most plumbers get $70 bucks just to show up!
I think it's pretty obvious that not all students are created equal, and some simply are not well suited for college, and higher learning. Quite frankly, they are better suited for trades, and other regular jobs. I don't think it should be a crime to say this out loud, for fear of hurting someone's self-esteem. Heck, I don't high jump well, I don't shoot basketball well, and I certainly don't write well. {Some people are critical of my skills}
I don't deny I lack some skills, but I adapt, I improvise, I overcome.
I use what God gave me to work with, strengthened the skills I do have, tried to help those I lack, but not let them hold me back from achieving my goals. One of the best lines I ever heard was O.J. Simpson talking about running for touchdowns. He said: "Running for touchdowns is not always a straight line shot."
Life is like that, not always a straight line shot. People seem to get themselves sidetracked by visualizing a straight line shot in their lives. First I will do this, and then I'll do that, and I'll get here. A plan is nice to have, but life changes many good plans. Being flexible is part of this process. For me, I never envisioned myself doing what I now do. I simply did not think it possible at the time, nor did I see a path for me laid out. I did this for awhile, then that, all the while accumilating skills & knowledge, which later I combined into what I'm now doing. Who'd a thunk it? I didn't.
You know what business still fascinates me? PetSmart. When PetSmart was founded by Jim Dougherty in 1986, his vision is to be admired. Seeing the demographic changes in the country, he began to cater to "dink's" (double-income-no-kids} who loved their animals. PetSmart secured the idea of Pet's being another family member. Bagels, muffins, birthday cakes for pets.
This is why I value critical thinking, Nix Richardson. Throughout your life, you'll be required to do any number of things that you don't believe contribute to your end goal. But you can learn something, from anything you do, if you apply yourself beyond simply collecting a paycheck.

Ron wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:21 AM:Man! I surely hope that Justin Thorp is not a teacher!
"...prisonlike tactics these tests require..."
This is part of the problem folks. In order to assertain progress of students, you must test what they know.
When you refer to "prisonlike tactics" in regards to testing, what are you actually advocating?
No testing!
Hey Justin, life is a test. And when you don't have the necessary tools to live it, you fail. ...

Reardon wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:31 AM:Obama continues to get meaningful endorsements. Today, it's Jane Fonda. Congratulations to Obama!

Alf wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:43 AM:Well, "Ron" at 9:44AM, did you know that the National Fire Protection Association publishes the National Electrical Code. I wonder why? When I wired my house I was far more than compliant with the N.E.C. AT THAT TIME. I built my own house and had NO problem, no "nightmare trying to get a building permit" at all. Although I am a Libertarian, I see the need for such things as codes, you see, MY right to build a substandard house, etc., exists ONLY up to the point that it infringes on YOUR safety. Your statement "And think about this. To bring the sewer up to the code THEY PRESCRIBE!" seems to forget that almost all codes change and the code to which something WAS built in the past MAY NOT BE the CURRENT CODE. When someone widens a street, THAT IS THE TIME to bring the underground services UP TO CURRENT code. Regards, Alf.

Mr. Originality wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:51 AM:Cameron Curry states that "Our inept legislators will still be in power, and we will see your face on the 11 p.m. newscast marching against the injustice of the education cuts."

While I agree with the legislator sentiment, the education cuts are being blown way out of proportion.

Look it up people. It's a cut to the increase, not a cut to what was last year's budget.

Just watch... Come September the same teachers and administrators will show up for the same jobs even if there is no change to the proposed budget. Education in this state is already too expensive because not near enough of the money makes it to the classroom. The unions are making sure that the money keeps increasing but the benefits to students don't.

Great plan if you can get it.

Ron wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:05 AM:The Necessity of defending our country is costly, and Constitutional.. Bob Limpus.
While the Harold Weber’s of the world concern themselves about health care, and Medicare, as If the Government actually provided these services, they utterly fail to appreciate how the Government has become a parasite to the private sector economy.
It would be one thing if Government only took in what it cost to pay for Constitutionally mandated government systems. But, we are way, way beyond that. We now have a government seeking to equalize citizens, by taking from the pocket of one, and handing it to another. I don't know if anyone saw it the other day, but the Big Oil CEO's were on trial... I mean, testifying before a Congressional committee. Interestly, each Democrat refered to these great men as "witness's", instead of their name. They showed their utter contempt for these capitalists, questioning how much they made, how they made it, and was it "too much?"
For those who don't know, back in the 70's, Congress already addressed this growing difference in pay, between a CEO and an employee. They, in effect, capped what a CEO could make in salary. So, what happened? Well, being smarter than Congress, corporations did limit salary, but then gave stock options to make up the difference. The pay outs were huge, depending upon the corporation. So, like any regulation, they got outsmarted, and now they are again trying to catch up. Take any issue, campaign finance reform. Did it help? Did it reduce the amount of money in political campaign's? No, 527's hit the scene and there is more unregulated money now than there's ever been. How about insurance?
Well, again, government regulation prevents the sell of national insurance plans, and limits them to inside States, thus reducing the pool, and increasing costs.
No matter where you look,every time the Government tried to "fix" something, they create artificiality into the market. They create market abnormality's, and dislocations.
They always end up subsidizing bad markets, such as ethanol for political reasons, and not economic, nor even global warming reasons. So, my natural question to anyone who cries for MORE GOVERNMENT, is why? Take this current discussion about healthcare. People who advocate universal healthcare are advocating less insurance/less medical care for some, in order to provide healthcare to all. That math on this is quite simple. If an average family pays $9K a year in healthcare, to give another family healthcare, and keep the costs down, you are advocating $4500 to each family, out of fairness. $4500 is less than $9K, and it means less healthcare. This is defacto rationing of care. If the market were allowed to work properly, we'd have national insurance, thus enlarging the pool of patients, thus spreading out the costs, hence the price comes down.
That, and a Medical Saving Account {MSA} tax free, able to be rolled over from one year to the next, and later becoming part of that family's total wealth later, is the right direction.
To allow a top-down Central planning government run healthcare system will create a more expensive healthcare, and less healthcare. Plus, providing tax credits for those who buy health insurance will create incentive for those who currently do not.
But, not with Statists who decry private insurance as greedy money grubbers, and the only hope is bigger, more intrusive Government. Cause keep this in mind, if they can give it, they can take it. If they pay, they will tell you how much you will weight to have knee surgery, or what to eat, or what kinds of drugs they will pay for, regardless of what the doctor prescribes. Don't think it will happen?
Look to any.. any universal healthcare in any country. that's exactly how they contain the costs. They deny care.

To Reardon wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:07 AM:You have lots of time to bash a candidate that you aren't going to vote for but I wonder if you would take the time to promote the candidate you like? Who do you think will do a better job than Obama and why? Inquiring minds are interested.

So Ron wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:09 AM:I agree completely that the government is entirely messed up. Who do you support in the election and why? Or is your entire schtick to just complain and do nothing?

Oh Please! wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:09 AM:Reardon[-] wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:31 AM:
Thank you. Jane Fonda.

The Obama Camp wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:10 AM:To Reardon. Thank you! Every vote counts.

Apollo wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:23 AM:Re: Ron (9:44 a.m.)
Ron complains about how hard it is to get building permits.
I have hired contractors on various occasions for construction projects, and my contractors never had any problem getting permits, but then I am careful only to hire competent professionals.
Look around you.
There is plenty of building going on. Maybe too much, considering the "water shortage."
Someone out there doesn't seem to be having trouble getting permits.

Focal Point wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:43 AM:sdraul: "French intelligence services did not come up with the same alarming assessment of Iraq and WMD as did the Britain and the United States. "According to secret agents at the DGSE, Saddam's Iraq does not represent any kind of nuclear threat at this time…It [the French assessment] contradicts the CIA's analysis…"5 French spies said that the Iraqi nuclear threat claimed by the United States was a "phony threat."6

To Ron wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:52 AM:Why don't you go build in Mexico where they don't have permits or codes? Oh ya, I forgot, you are a defense contractor. Never mind.

Focal Point wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:52 AM:sdraul: "JACQUES CHIRAC: "I have no evidence that these weapons exist in
Iraq." February 2003
U.S.-Europe Rifts Widen Over Iraq
Washington Post FRANCE

Focal Point wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:54 AM:sdraul: "GEORGE TENET: "We do not have any direct evidence that Iraq has used
the period since (Operation) Desert Fox to reconstitute its WMD
programs..." February 2001

Focal Point wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:59 AM:sdraul: he German intelligence officials responsible for one of the most important informants on Saddam Hussein's suspected weapons of mass destruction say that the Bush administration and the CIA repeatedly exaggerated his claims during the run-up to the war in Iraq. Five senior officials from Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, or BND, said in interviews with The Times that they warned U.S. intelligence authorities that the source, an Iraqi defector code-named Curveball, never claimed to produce germ weapons and never saw anyone else do so.

Apollo wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:11 PM:Re: SDRaoul (8:55 p.m.)
There he goes again - SDRaoul confuses history with creative writing, repeating the tired old canard about how everyone in the world thought there were weapons of mass destruction.
Actually, most of the world knew there were no WMD's!
Remember when the Bush Administration's own weapons inspector Scott Ritter said there no WMD, and all the conservatives like Limbaugh and Hannity ridiculed him?
Then U.N. weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohammed El Baradei said the same thing, and more trash talk from conservatives. Our long time allies the Germans and French, who supported us after 9/11 and in the first Gulf War, were not fooled.
Do you remember all the ridiculing of the French?
Do you remember "Freedom Fries" and how they were later quietly changed back to "French" fries?
Twenty-three U.S. Sentaors and an even higher percentage in the House - you know, the ones who actually read the National Intelligence Estimate prepared by our own intelligence agencies - were not fooled.
And now we know that even the Bush Neocons were not really fooled.
They were lying.

Thank you Jane Fonda wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:18 PM:CHICAGO, IL—Senator Barack Obama’s campaign announced today that more than 442,000 contributors across the country gave more than $40 million in March. More than 218,000 donors contributed to the campaign for the first time, and the average contribution level was $96. “Senator Obama has always said that this campaign would rise or fall on the willingness of the American people to become partners in an effort to change our politics and start a new chapter in our history,” campaign manager David Plouffe said. “Today we’re seeing the American people’s extraordinary desire to change Washington, as tens of thousands of new contributors joined the more than a million Americans who have already taken ownership of this campaign for change. Many of our contributors are volunteering for the campaign, making our campaign the largest grassroots army in recent political history.”

Ms M wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:23 PM: Senior Army and Marine Corps leaders said yesterday that the increase of more than 30,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has put unsustainable levels of stress on U.S. ground forces and has put their readiness to fight other conflicts at the lowest level in years. In a stark assessment a week before Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, is to testify on the war's progress, Gen. Richard A. Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff, said that the heavy deployments are inflicting "incredible stress" on soldiers and families and that they pose "a significant risk" to the nation's all-volunteer military. "When the five-brigade surge went in . . . that took all the stroke out of the shock absorbers for the United States Army," Cody testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee's readiness panel. "I've never seen our lack of strategic depth be where it is today," said Cody, who has been the senior Army official in charge of operations and readiness for the past six years and plans to retire this summer.

And McCain wants to stay until we win.

To Letters Editor wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:30 PM:The Letters Editor owes the readers, letter writers other than Pulse, and those that participate in this forum an explanation of why the NCT continually violates their own policy of a at least two weeks between letters. He is entitled to his opinion and I don’t have issue with the NCT publishing his letters. However, in light of the caustic nature of his letters which he claims is based on his awakening to U.S. policy thanks to his beloved Democracy Now, your favoritism could be interpreted as support for his positions. In combination with your attendance at functions of the North County Forum, a self-proclaimed group of liberals who through volume letter writing periodically hijack the Letter section, your status as part of a free press is called into question. Please explain yourself, this isn't the first time you have done this and it has been questioned.

Cluck wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:42 PM:yeah Esteban. Way to contradict yourself in your post. You say take responsibility for yourself and then whine that the wacko liberals are gonna be the end of us. Typical conservative "personal responsibility". Oh so typical. Not wanting to pay taxes does not mean you are taking personal responsibility. Conservatism has almost been the end of us, but thank the lord it is dead.

Focal Point wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:43 PM:sdraul: ITALIAN INTELLIGENCE FORGERIES
"As you can see, Italian intelligence seems to come up quite a bit in this story. It was Italian intelligence that first got the United States atwitter over possible uranium sales from Niger to Iraq. And those reports were written transcriptions of the forgeries — strongly suggesting that the Italians had either come into possession of copies of the forgeries or were being fed information by their author. The documents surfaced in Rome when an Italian journalist delivered copies of them to the U.S. Embassy. And the man who tried to sell her those documents says his copies came from a SISMI agent."

re:Obama wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:55 PM:I suggest that you vote for Hillary Clinton. Obama is young, inexperienced, and has a flimsy record as a Senator. At least in the case of Mrs. Clinton, she will have the added experience of her husband on hand. I may not like the habits of her husband but no one can deny that the economy was much better under his administration. What is wrong with getting the benefit of his experience?

Two Week Letters wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:59 PM:To all the whiners: the policy about submitting letters once every two weeks refers to just that, SUBMISSIONS.
Sometimes letters get printed in a few days, sometimes longer.
If one letter is submitted and is printed a week later, then another letter is submitted exactly two weeks later but gets printed in only five days, then the print dates would be 12 days apart but no rule would be broken.

sdraoul wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:10 PM:How funny my detractors are. One million Iraqis hitting the streets to protest our presence? When did that happen? Of course, it hasn't, nor will it. Ask the Kurds.

As for WMDs, I didn't say nuclear. I refer to the use of poison gas. Hussein used it against the Kurds and Iranians and could have used it again.

As for the Iraqi government proceeding slowly, so what?

I haven't noticed our pumping oil out of new Alaskan oil fields lately or the building of new oil refineries by the government or even permitted by our government.

As for Scott Ritter, don't you know that he took $300,000 of Hussein's money to "produce" a "documentary" supporting Hussein?

Oh Please wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:11 PM:To Letters Editor[-] wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:30 PM The preponderance of evidence shows that conservative letters outnumber liberal letters on the average. Darrel Beck used to have his letters published before the time limit had expired as well. He is hardly liberal.

OBAMACAN wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:12 PM:The person writing about Obama at 12:55 supports Hillary due to experience.
Obama has more experience of his own in elective office, and has done more to actually get legislation passed at the state and federal level.
Hillary exaggerates her experience, and even lies about the dangers she was exposed to.
If she was so rattled by a peaceful stroll down the tarmac in Bosnia with her then-15-year-old daughter that she obsessed about it to the point that, in her mind, she turned it into a harrowing run through sniper fire, then I doubt she has the courage to be answering that 3:00 a.m. phone call.
Oh, she said she was sleep-deprived.
That doesn't bode well for 3:00 a.m. either.
When the real 3:00 a.m. call came, Obama got it right.
Where did all Hillary's vaunted "experience" get us on health care?
She alienated so many people on both sides of the aisle she couldn't even get it passed when the Democrats controlled the Congress!
Obama is a conciliator who can actually get stuff passed.

To to Letters Editor wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:13 PM:Chris Pulse is a true patriot. This is your excuse to silence him. Go cry somewhere else.

Oh Please! wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:14 PM:re:Obama[-] wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:55 PM:
LOL. Now we have conservatives or Republicans advising Democrats or Independents to vote. LMAO. As if they are qualified to judge the value of our candidates for our convention. "Get off my cloud." Rolling Stones.

Too Funny wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:16 PM:"sdraoul [-] wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:10 PM: How funny my detractors are. One million Iraqis hitting the streets to protest our presence? When did that happen? Of course, it hasn't, nor will it." I see you haven't been watching the news. No surprise. They are already organizing, expect to see this happen very soon. I'll get my "I told you so" in now.

Apollo wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:18 PM:Re: SDRaoul (1:10 p.m.)
SDRaoul is still determined to get that elusive "A" in creative writing.
There was no poison gas. There were no weapons of mass destruction, PERIOD, and everyone knew that, including the ones who lied about it.
We knew all about gassing the Kurds.
That happened when Reagan was president, using the gas we gave to Saddam to fight the Iranians.
After that, Rumsfeld went to Baghdad and made all kissy-face with Saddam.
We did not care about that when we knew about it.
We only suddenly cared when we needed an excuse to invade.
By then we knew he didn't have WMD, because he had been neutered in the first Gulf War (remember that?) and kept in check through strict enforcement by Clinton of the No-Fly Zone.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” (George Santayana - thank you, Beverly Jacoby).
What about those who invent their own?

Oh Please! wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:18 PM:sdraul: Read all the posts. WMD reply refers to more than nuclear. So the government is taking its time and you say so what? I'll tell you what. It is about another 5 dead Americans per week. Alaskan oil has nothing to do with the subject. You are just trying to deflect, a nice world for weaseling out. We probably paid Ritter as well. After all, Saddam was our guy for so long.

To re:Obama wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:20 PM:Quit getting your news from the talking heads at Faux News. That is so yesterday. Try educating yourself. You have not read Obama's book, you have not read his website, you have not listened to his speeches. When you have an informed opinion, please come back. By the way, it's obvious you haven't been paying attention to Hillary and Bill either. Disgusting.

Asteroid wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:29 PM:To Letters Editor
[-] wrote on Apr 3, 2008 12:30 PM: AMEN!! We're waiting for your answer NC Times.

Asteroid wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:42 PM:I’ve brought up this topic on numerous occasions, but as this is predominately a liberal intellectual vacuum, I’m usually just shouted down. I stopped submitting letters to the Times years ago because it usually took more than 2 weeks to get to print and was irrelevant by then. Also, it’s become abundantly obvious that the Times barely even qualifies to be called a “newspaper” and does itself a disservice by printing “every” letter. The Times has no duty or responsibility to cater to the communities fringe kook elements (NC Forum) or their silly contests and functions, but it does so with alacrity, marginalizing it’s credibility as a legitimate institution of journalism.

A True Patriot wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:47 PM:AUTHOR: Carl Schurz (1829–1906)
QUOTATION: The Senator from Wisconsin cannot frighten me by exclaiming, “My country, right or wrong.” In one sense I say so too. My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.
ATTRIBUTION: Senator CARL SCHURZ, remarks in the Senate, February 29, 1872, The Congressional Globe, vol. 45, p. 1287. The Globe merely notes “[Manifestations of applause in the galleries]” but according to Schurz’s biographer, “The applause in the gallery was deafening.” This is “one of Schurz’s most frequently quoted replies.”—Hans L. Trefousse, Carl Schurz: A Biography, chapter 11, p. 180 (1982). Schurz expanded on this theme in a speech delivered at the Anti-Imperialistic Conference, Chicago, Illinois, October 17, 1899: “I confidently trust that the American people will prove themselves … too wise not to detect the false pride or the dangerous ambitions or the selfish schemes which so often hide themselves under that deceptive cry of mock patriotism: ‘Our country, right or wrong!’ They will not fail to recognize that our dignity, our free institutions and the peace and welfare of this and coming generations of Americans will be secure only as we cling to the watchword of true patriotism: ‘Our country—when right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right.’”—Schurz, “The Policy of Imperialism,” Speeches, Correspondence and Political Papers of Carl Schurz, vol. 6, pp. 119–20 (1913).

foolednomore wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:50 PM:Anyone who believes any sdraoul's assertion including the one about Scott Ritter taking 300K from Saddam is needs a court appointd guardian. sdraoul continus to be factually challenged in every post. All I hear from him are the same baseless charges and outright lies that permeate the AM radio spetrum of right wing cons. He regurgitates their cons without adding anything new. The radio cons are good at only one thing--conning gullible listners like sdraoul.

Republicans wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:52 PM:I find it quite interesting that no one on this thread has come out in favor of McCain. Are you too embarrassed to admit it? What's up?

Read the policy wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:52 PM:Verbatim from the letters policy, “Individual writers are limited to one letter every two weeks. Priority is given to North County writers.” I don’t see anything about submissions, And to what preponderance of evidence? As for any particular letter writer, the point is not to silence anyone; it is to make sure that if the NCT is exercising freedom of the press it really is about freedom.

RWE wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:52 PM:TO: Beverly Jacoby
Great letter. Go get 'em. Thanks.

Focal Point wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:53 PM:sdraul: LOL you blaim our lack of intelligence on Jimmy Carter. What was Ronald Regan doing as President? What was George Bush doing as President? You are trying to tell us that American intelligence allegedly was in an inferior position under these Republican Presidents?

To Asteroid wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:55 PM:You are perhaps confused from lack of sleep or perhaps you just "misspoke". There was indeed a Letter to the Editor from you published, oh, a few weeks ago, mebbe a month. It was noted and remarked upon in the thread here. But you didn't get a very good response, perhaps that is why your memory is, um, faulty.

Oh Please! wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:58 PM:Asteroid[-] wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:42 PM:
If this is true, why do you care about this blog or newspaper? You sure use its facility to complain. Mike America lacks veracity. He states he doesn't care but then Mike bothers us with his complaints.
Don't compute-seems incongruent. There are plenty of other blogs to voice your opinion and a host of other papers to read. Please go read a legitimate institution of journalism. Go somewhere els and pout.

Not Trying to Silence Chris Pulse? wrote on Apr 3, 2008 2:03 PM:Yes isn't it odd that Chris Pulse's name was mentioned and no one elses. You can split hairs, you can challenge NCTimes on their policy, but it still only came up because of one of Chris's letters. Just sayin'. No credibility, sorry.

OH PLEASE! wrote on Apr 3, 2008 2:04 PM:Read the policy[-] wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:52 PM All you have to do is go to the arhives and peruse the letters for the last three years. Do we have to hold your hand. Who says the NCT has to neutral? Newspapers across this nation are not neutral. Freedom of the press is that the press has the right to publish without government interference. The content of the newspaper is up to the owners and the majority of the people who buy it and of course the advertisers.

JustinThorp wrote on Apr 3, 2008 2:31 PM:Hey there, Ron @ 10:21am.

Tests are fine and dandy, please don't get me wrong. But when a campus is forced into extreme paranoia, for example, at the mere thought of discussion of problem #11 over at the water cooler or with a parent... things are a little out of whack.

Why bother, raoul? wrote on Apr 3, 2008 2:31 PM:We know that you love war, raoul. You've made that clear often. So why bother with all this invented history, these phony "justifications" for military action? It's been well established that if have any sense of morality about war, you go to war as a last resort, when all other means have failed, and when you are directly threatened. I know that you don't share this morality, that you think war is just a good thing to do with anyone who doesn't like you or that has something you want. OK, then, that's your morality. So please, spare us all the bogus history and political diatribes. They don't matter. You don't really care about them. Just tell your truth as it is: them bad, we good, they have oil we'd like to have, so we want to kill them all (when we're done torturing them). Simple.

Little Bo Peep wrote on Apr 3, 2008 2:51 PM:Looking for her sheep. Where are the McCain Supporters? Where are the Hillary Supporters? Is Obama the only candidate running? The silence here on the other candidates is deafening.

Journalistic Standards wrote on Apr 3, 2008 3:09 PM:Good journalist and their media outlets should strive to be both thorough and unbiased. The freedom of the press was set forth to encourage a press that kept the people informed and thus aided citizens in their responsibilities as members of the republic. If a media outlet fails in that mission they should cease to exist, along the lines of the early federalist and republican mouthpieces that have long since ceased operations. If the people fail to hold the media accountable, then they deserve what they get, but I am not ready to abrogate m the responsibilities that go with my rights.

Reardon wrote on Apr 3, 2008 3:22 PM:"Freedom of the Press belongs to those who own one." A quote from the late A. J. Liebling of the New Yorker. While it is not newsprint, anyone can start their own electronic newspaper, or their own Blog, for FREE. I have my own, which I have been neglecting for many months because the problem is "readership" -- which is what this newspaper and Blog brings to the table. It’s free. Be thankful, because the Democrats have been pushing for “pay per click” tax on the Internet for YEARS.

Ms M wrote on Apr 3, 2008 3:34 PM:Obama received over $40,000,000 in contributions for March - yes his worse month, the month with Rev. Wright. Hillary raised $20,000,000 and we haven't heard from the McCain group. But since money talks, I wonder just who is the ELECTABLE candidate. And the best part of the contributions, they came from everyday folks. The people are talking LOUD. Than you W!

Okie Dokey wrote on Apr 3, 2008 3:36 PM:Let's talk about Hillary... last week she compared herself to Rambo, a few days ago it was Rocky Balboa, and today she says she feels like "Paulette Revere". Tomorrow she will be Daffy Duck. McCain? 100 Years of War and won't support the G.I Bill? What really, is there to say that won't be laughed off these pages. I see now why our Resident Republicans can only bash Obama. Too bad so sad.

Rear