| SNP gathers forces to fight Trident missile replacement
The Ministry of Defence wants the £20 billion replacement for Trident to be based on the Clyde. Ultimately, the decision is up to UK MPs because defence is a reserved issue. However, the SNP-led government has pledged to use every power available to stop the nuclear warheads being based north of the Border. Following a summit involving politicians, unions, environmentalists and church leaders in Glasgow yesterday, Bruce Crawford, the minister for parliamentary business, announced a working group to look at the various devolved powers that could be used to stop Trident's successor being brought to Scotland by 2025. He said the group would look at international law, transport, planning and the environment as possible obstacles to the UK government's plans. The Scottish Government, for example, could refuse planning permission for a dry dock to service the nuclear submarines or use international law to prevent "war crimes" being committed in Scotland.
Democrats Are Hocking Their Agenda As If They Were at a Fire Sale
At the weekend, well over 100,000 anti-war protesters gathered around the country to protest about the occupation of Iraq. The demands of the demonstrations chimed with the views of most Americans. Polls show a consistent and substantial majority oppose the war and want the troops withdrawn immediately or soon. Indeed, at 34%, the proportion of Americans who support the war is identical to the proportion polled last week who believe in ghosts and UFOs. Despite Iraq remaining the number one priority among voters, none of the leading Democratic presidential contenders appeared at any of the marches. Primary season is an ideal moment to examine the relationship between the different parties and their core supporters. Come the presidential elections, both sides will have to tack to the centre in a bid for coveted swing voters.
'High School Musical 2' takes its blockbuster status seriously
This takes place amid songs, dancing, cute clothes and cutting loose during a summer when all his school's Wildcats work together at a scenic desert country club.
That moral-of-the-story springs from a discovery by Disney's "HSM"-meisters after the original became a blockbuster sensation. Their "Grease"- for-a-new-generation turned out to have a substantial impact on high school culture they hadn't anticipated from the simple tale of a hotshot basketball player who decides to try out for, yes, his high school musical.
Surprising response
"We just set out to do a fun story," scripter Peter Barsocchini said at the press tour, "but the feedback we're getting is it's having an influence of being inclusive, rather than exclusive, between athletes and drama kids." When the movie's athletes sang and danced with their round balls, it made such "artsy" activity seem, well, macho.
Do you people even understand the issue?
Every government has failed with this portfolio. But Harper and crew have made the worst mistakes of all of them. Setting aside any issues of negligence and dereliction of duty, Harper's making this into a purely partisan attack on a civil servant - and the wrong one at that - is what makes the whole issue so foul. This is driven by pure ideology. But here's the best part: Harper's ideology and pettiness has cost him a tremendous opportunity to make his government look really good, the previous adminstration look really bad and present himself as a protector of the public interest. And he could even have built up some goodwill with the public service. This failure demonstrates that Harper and the CPC are unfit to govern. Anything. Posted 17/01/08 at 5:21 AM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment .
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