Archive for February 6th, 2006
 Former President Jimmy Carter, left, is seen with his son Jack, right, during a campaign kickoff in Henderson, Nev., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2006. Jack Carter announced Monday that he will run as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate representing Nevada.
Reuters: Jimmy Carter’s son running for U.S. Senate
Democrat Jack Carter, 58, the son of former President Jimmy Carter formally announced a run for the U.S. Senate on Monday in his first bid for elected office.
With his parents sharing a stage in the Nevada capital, Carter invoked many of the same themes his father used to rise from relative obscurity to win the Democratic nomination in 1976 and go on to become president.
“All we need is a return to our core American values and new leadership,” Carter said as his father smiled broadly and applauded with a receptive crowd of several hundred people. He criticized the Bush administration’s invasion of
Iraq as well as its domestic spying and drug prescription programs.
One of four children, Democrat Jack Carter was active in his father’s 1976 campaign for president but has devoted his professional life to business. He lived in Bermuda as an investor before moving to Nevada three years ago.
Carter is seeking to unseat Nevada’s junior Sen. John Ensign, a Republican who grew up in the state, but polls suggest newcomer Carter faces an uphill battle.
With Carter’s former drug use and general discharge from the U.S. Navy it is doubtful that his candidacy will go very far.
Flap handicaps an easy win for John Ensign.
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“Flashback†Jack Carter (Son of former President Jimmy Carter) Criticizes President Bush
Technorati Tags: JackCarter, JimmyCarter, Nevada, USSenate
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 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gestures as he speaks at a women’s conference in Tehran, Iran February 6, 2006. Ahmadinejad says the slaughter of Europe’s Jews is ‘a myth’
AlJazerra: Iran paper plans Holocaust cartoons
Iran’s largest selling newspaper has announced it is holding a contest on cartoons of the Holocaust in response to the publishing in European papers of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
“It will be an international cartoon contest about the Holocaust,” Farid Mortazavi, the graphics editor for Hamshahri newspaper, which is published by Tehran’s conservative-run municipality, said on Monday.
He said the plan was to turn the tables on the assertion that newspapers can print offensive material in the name of freedom of expression.
“The Western papers printed these sacrilegious cartoons on the pretext of freedom of expression, so let’s see if they mean what they say and also print these Holocaust cartoons,” he asserted.
Send them over Farid, Flap will print them.
But, Flap will also comment.
Mortazavi said Tuesday’s edition of the paper will invite cartoonists to enter the competition, with “private individuals” offering gold coins to the best 12 artists – the same number of cartoons that appeared in the conservative Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.
Flap will be waiting.
The E-mail address is fullosseousflap – at – gmail dot com.
Technorati Tags: Iran, Muhammad, Muhammadcaricatures, holocaust, holocaustcartoons
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 Araceli Torres, left, watches her daughter, Dayani Antonio, have her teeth cleaned Saturday by Pat Chang at Weideman Professional Dental Corp. in Citrus Heights.
Sacramento Bee: State’s kids face crisis of cavities
California is ranked near the bottom in survey on children’s dental health
The teeth of California’s children are decaying at epidemic levels, according to a report released today by the Dental Health Foundation. Painful cavities and abscesses are causing children to miss school and, in the worst scenarios, end up hospitalized. Nearly 6 percent of the state’s poorest children are in so much pain, or have such bad infections, that they need urgent treatment, the report says.
Of 25 states surveyed, California ranks 24th, second only to Arkansas in the frequency of dental decay among children. By third grade, nearly two-thirds of California children are affected by dental disease. The report’s authors say that makes tooth decay – not obesity or asthma – by far the most prevalent children’s health problem in the state.
Dentistry needs to better educate patients, patient’s families and the goverment as to this public health crisis.
California is a large state with diverse and diverse immigrant communities and in education lies the key.
Other stories:
Los Angeles Daily News: No. 1 kids’ epidemic: bad teeth
San Francisco Chronicle: Childhood dental problems epidemic
San Diego Union: California kids suffer country’s second-highest dental decay rate
Technorati Tags: dentistry, dentist, tooth, toothdecay, dentaldisease, California, dental
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 Susan Kennedy is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s chief of staff.
Los Angeles Times: Opposites Attract on Team Arnold
Though politically diverse, the governor’s new aides share one aim: their boss’ reelection.
Susan Kennedy is a former abortion rights activist and protege of Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Steve Schmidt is a political strategist who helped put Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. on the Supreme Court over the protest of Democrats, including Feinstein, who feared he would outlaw abortion.
But Democrat Kennedy, the governor’s new chief of staff, and Republican Schmidt, his freshly arrived campaign manager, say they are airtight on one thing: Whatever their philosophical differences, Schmidt said, “We’re focused on what we both have in common, which is reelecting” Schwarzenegger.
And this is what the conservatives of the California Republican Party must decide: Do they want Arnold reelected or NOT?
Will a reelected Arnold Schwarzenegger be better for California than either Phil Angelides or Steve Westly?
The top tier of Schwarzenegger advisors also includes Matthew Dowd, who helped engineer George W. Bush’s two presidential wins, and Democrat Daniel Zingale, a longtime gay rights advocate and the chief of staff to First Lady Maria Shriver.
While Schwarzenegger, a Republican, reached out to hire Kennedy, it is Shriver, a Democrat, who helped lure Schmidt, Dowd and Adam Mendelsohn, the governor’s new communications chief, to Sacramento. Mendelsohn is another Republican with close ties to the Bush White House.
And Maria Shriver, the First Lady of California’s involvement:
Ever since Schwarzenegger’s drubbing in the November special election — which Shriver opposed — she has been heavily involved in his reelection effort, according to inside accounts. She has canvassed friends in the media and national political circles in search of political talent, and sat in on some conference calls among his new strategists.
“She is in charge of the rescue committee,” said one Schwarzenegger advisor, referring to the governor’s sagging political fortunes. “Maria has a number of I-told-you-so chits from last year that she is cashing in.”
Shriver’s direction has been to drive the Governor toward the independent California voter. Schwarzenegger has never been a conservative but neither has he embraced the very liberal left wing agenda of the California Democrat controlled legislature.
Dan Walters has in today’s Sacramento Bee a logistical and demographic rationale for Shriver’s actions.
California’s 15.8 million registered voters now divide themselves into 6.7 million Democrats (42.68 percent), 5.9 million Republicans (34.68 percent), 2.9 million independents (18.8 percent) and a smattering of minor party adherents.
Governor Schwarzenegger already captures the majority of Republican voters. They have NO place to go but stay home and allow a liberal Angelides win. The votes Arnold MUST win are the independent voters – all 2.9 million of them.
Independents may be frozen out of legislative and congressional elections, but they dominate statewide contests. The narrowing of the registration gap between the two major parties means that both have similarly sized bases of loyal voters, giving the independents, now nearly 20 percent of likely voters, the final word. They have leaned Democratic on social issues such as abortion and gun control over the last decade. But Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s win in 2003, as well as the rejection of his ballot measures in 2005, demonstrate that independents are not to be taken for granted by either party. His decline in popularity is largely explained by the defection of independents. As he tries to rebuild his centrist image, he’s trying to regain traction among moderate independents – which also explains why the Republican right has become somewhat antagonistic.
Will a politically diverse professional reelection team be the recipe for success for Governor Schwarzenegger’s reelection?
Stay tuned………
 Matthew Dowd
Technorati Tags: California, ArnoldSchwarzenegger, SusanKennedy, MatthewDowd, SteveSchmidt, DanielZingale
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 Stephen Harper takes the oath of office as his family, daughter Rachel, son Ben and wife Laureen look on as he is sworn in as Canada’s 22nd prime minister at Government House in Ottawa, Monday Feb. 6, 2006.
ASSociated Press: Harper Sworn in As Canada’s 22nd PM
Stephen Harper was sworn in as Canada’s 22nd prime minister Monday, marking the first time in more than 12 years that the Conservative Party will rule this traditionally liberal nation.
The 46-year-old economist has pledged to cut taxes, clean up government corruption and reconsider such hot-button issues as gay marriage. He takes over for outgoing Liberal Party leader Paul Martin, whose 18-month government was marred by indecision and the inability to rise above an ethics scandal that outraged many Canadians.
And Harper’s new government ministers:
 Prime Minister Stephen Harper (bottom row, second from right) gives the thumbs as he and members of his new cabinet pose for a photograph with Governor General Michaelle Jean (bottom row, far right) after a swearing-in ceremony in Ottawa, Monday, Febuary 6, 2006. Front row (left to right) David Emerson, Minister of International Trade and Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Prime Minister Harper, Governor General Michaelle Jean. Back row (left to right) Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, Peter MacKay, Foreign Affairs Minister and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Loyola Hearn Minister of Fisheries and Stockwall Day, Minister of Public Safety.
Harper’s Cabinet ministers also were sworn in by Governor-General Michaelle Jean in a ceremony at her residence, Rideau Hall, in the federal capital of Ottawa. The new team had been kept under wraps and was made public only minutes before the ceremony.
Peter MacKay, deputy leader of the Conservative Party, was sworn in as minister of foreign affairs and Stockwell Day became minister of public safety, an important post that works closely with Washington on matters of national and continental security.
Gordon O’Connor was sworn in as minister of defense. Harper declined to name a deputy prime minister, doing away with the post under him.
The 27-member cabinet, which includes six women, is much leaner than the 39 positions the Liberals had. They arrived at Rideau Hall in cars and taxis — an apparent effort to show they are closer to the people than the Liberals, who used limousines.
Best of luck to the NEW Canadian government. And here is to better American-Canadian relations.
Technorati Tags: Canada, StephenHarper, ConservativeParty, PeterMacKay, GordonO’Connor
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 IAEA flag in front of the International International Atomic Energy Agency headquarters in Vienna. Iran said it had formally notified the UN nuclear watchdog of its decision to restart sensitive nuclear work at the centre of concerns the hardline regime could acquire nuclear weapons.
ASSociated Press: Iran Tells Nuke Agency to Remove Cameras
Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency to remove surveillance cameras and agency seals from sites and nuclear equipment by the end of next week, the U.N. watchdog agency said Monday.
Iran’s demands came two days after the IAEA reported Tehran to the Security Council over its disputed atomic program. The council has the power to impose economic and political sanctions.
In a confidential report to the IAEA’s 35-member board, agency head Mohamed ElBaradei said Iran also announced a sharp reduction in the number and kind of inspections IAEA experts will be allowed, effective immediately.
The report was dated Monday and made available to The Associated Press.
So, Iran has another tantrum and orders out the inspectors and instruments of remote inspection. Does this sound familiar?
How about Saddam Hussein and Iraq……..
The moves were expected. Iranian officials had repeatedly warned they would stop honoring the so-called “Additional Protocol” to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty — an agreement giving IAEA inspectors greater inspecting authority — if the IAEA board referred their country to the Security Council.
A diplomat close to the Vienna-based IAEA told the AP that Iran had also made good on another threat — formally setting a date for resuming full-scale work on its uranium enrichment program, which can make either fuel or the nuclear core of warheads.
The diplomat, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the matter was confidential, refused to divulge the date set by Ali Larijani, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, in a letter received Monday by ElBaradei.ran’s demands came two days after the IAEA reported Tehran to the Security Council over its disputed atomic program. The council has the power to impose economic and political sanctions.
In a confidential report to the IAEA’s 35-member board, agency head Mohamed ElBaradei said Iran also announced a sharp reduction in the number and kind of inspections IAEA experts will be allowed, effective immediately.
The report was dated Monday and made available to The Associated Press.
The moves were expected. Iranian officials had repeatedly warned they would stop honoring the so-called “Additional Protocol” to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty — an agreement giving IAEA inspectors greater inspecting authority — if the IAEA board referred their country to the Security Council.
A diplomat close to the Vienna-based IAEA told the AP that Iran had also made good on another threat — formally setting a date for resuming full-scale work on its uranium enrichment program, which can make either fuel or the nuclear core of warheads.
The diplomat, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the matter was confidential, refused to divulge the date set by Ali Larijani, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, in a letter received Monday by ElBaradei.
Of course, the moves were expected.
The entire referral to the United Nations Security Council is an attempt by the world to acquire a backbone and to stand up to Iran.
But, they ultimately won’t….. and the United States and Israel will.
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Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Warns Against Iran Conflict
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Ends Cooperation With IAEA and Resumes Uranium Enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: IAEA Reports Iran to United Nations Security Council
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Threatens Full-Scale Enrichment Work
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Says BACK OFF Or…
Iran Nuclear Watch: Bush – United States Will Defend Israel Against Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Will Resist “Bully Nationsâ€
Iran Watch: Bush: Iran ‘Held Hostage’ by Clerical Elite
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Documents Point to Nuclear Warheads
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Threatens End of Diplomacy
Iran Nuclear Watch: Permanent Five Say IAEA Must Report Iran to U.N. Security Council
 The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan, AliLarijani, CondoleezzaRice, JohnBolton, RezaVaidi
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