Jasmin

I'm with Bob Baer on this; how did the vetting teams miss this one? xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Where's the "I'm ineligible to vote" button???? xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Mini nuke plants are by no means a new idea eg the SL series in the 50's. They're also not just the domain of US researchers eg PBMR's So why the surprise? xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

The 1995 incident & the one in feb this year were never the be all and end all, its just they galvanised opposition and became a rallying point for a multitude of concerns/opposition Eg the degree of immunity afforded US forces, disproportional deployment (Okinawa65% of US forces in Japan), the location of bases in built up areas, aircraft noise, nuclear weapons on the isles, decimation of civilian population in WWII leading to anti-(any)military sentiments etc etc etc And linking in to the OP's comments about agreements being signed, this wasn't strictly the case. It was a caveat of the 1971 agreement for Okinawa's reversion to Japan that the US retain 'use of facilities and areas'. The territory being ceded (Okinawa/ryukyu [& daito]) had no real say in it. And again, Governor Oto's reluctance to proxy sign the leases. I agree there are significant positives to having US bases in foreign territories eg security/defence, economic influx, literacy programs, aid entitlements etc This post and my other were aimed at those who don't understand that, while I'm rather ambivalent in my feelings towards US bases abroad, many others are not "generally ok with it". The communities most affected often have little say in decisions made at the strategic/national level and furthermore that the effects of US bases (both positive and negative) are not negligible to the communities they're cited in. Edited to add: Oh and thanks MG for the apology, while not strictly due, it speaks volumes of your character

Don't flame me for the comparison, I was just pointing out that in addition to e-mail, universities and shops we also have dz's! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

What, you think that we just go in and start building a base (combat areas excluded)? Fuggin ridiculous. The country signs a contract with the US for that base to be built and supported, so I'm guessing they're pretty ok with it in general. Okinawa is a good rebuttal for that concept. Referendum in '96 identified that over 80% wanted the number of US bases reduced or removed/relocated. Each Governor has petitioned both the US and Japanese Govt's and Gov Ota actually refused the sign the leases for over a year until a ruling by the Japanese high court (brought about by the Japanese Govt) forced him to. The State dept CRS this year outlines things are still tetchy: "Implementation of the plan to relocate 8,000 Marines to Guam and to replace the controversial Futenma Marine Air Station in Okinawa remains slow. Many of the agreement’s most controversial elements are likely to face continued obstacles, particularly from local Japanese politicians in the areas identified to host new facilities and troops...The reduction of marines on Okinawa seeks to quell the political controversy that has surrounded the presence of U.S. forces on the island for years.The recent charge that a U.S. Marine raped a young Japanese girl renewed public outcry against the bases that had existed since the 1995 rape of a Japanese schoolgirl by American servicemen." SACO recommended Futenma's return "Between 2001 and 2003". xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Heck you can even skydive here...stunning, I know! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Voting is compulsory here, but with great literacy and education rates and with free (and unbelievably less politically biased) media, is it really such a bad thing to ensure that every eligible voter does so? Is there not something good to be said for attempting to consider the votes and wishes of all our citizens, not just those for politicians who can motivate their followers to get out of bed and stand in the rain/snow/wind and wait to vote? ie Is it really such a bad thing to consider the votes of the majority, rather than just the majority who bothered to turn up? xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

When you say pay' do you mean 'by ensuring oil supply'? (LOL I know its bad etiquette to feed the trolls, but its just too much fun!) xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Don't bother Kallend, they're too busy debating the impartiality (and alleged lack thereof) of moderators to slip back into the usual partisan flaming matches! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Homer Simpson: "Its pronounced nuc-u-ler" LOL xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

LOL And here's the inevitable retraction by McCain: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/28/mccain-retracts-palins-pakistan-comments/ xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

I think there's some merit to the argument that one of the primary threats to the NNPT is relevance; but as South Africa has shown, its by no means a write-off and the NNPT does have one of the highest adherence and ratification rates of any treaty in existence. As for the Security Council, aren't there some temporary seats opening up in 2011 or 2012?? LOL xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

LOL No but I'm afraid I'll have to admit to being geeky enough to own a "Schrödinger's Cat is Dead." "Schrödinger's Cat is Not Dead." t-shirt xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

I didn't hear about the quads, that's bad news. We share the same cryo guys, its just that mine works at a comparatively warm 13K. Like I said, you'll get there, its just going to take time and funding and swathes of (likely unpaid!) overtime... We made it through the battles of construction and commissioning (finding a fault line, discovering major components manufactured against spec, sept 11, cryo issues etc) and were two and a bit months into normal operation, before finding a fault that required a component redesign that shut us down for a year. We got through it, but it was a heartbreaking moment for our team, to have that happen after 10yrs of hard work! So I feel you.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Yeah I heard and I know the feeling; we had a suite of fun bringing our baby online. But think of the bathtub analogy- the curve of incidents/setbacks vs time for any high-tech plant is shaped like a bathtub, with lots of big things at the beginning and the end and with flat-line bliss (ie normal limited-incident operation) in the middle... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

You're incorrect, only North Korea has withdrawn from the NNPT, Iran is still a a signatory but withdrew from the Additional Protocols. Also, the very text of the NNPT forbids India being recognised as a NWS; India's first test explosion was in 1974, so it can never meet the NNPT's (article ix) definition. China and France only joined the NNPT in 1992, but both were able to do so as nuclear-weapons states due to their having "manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to January 1, 1967." The NNPT has had clear cut failures, such as North Korea and its successes, such as South Africa. But then there's the nuances like the debate over whether R&D of nextgen nuclear weapons is in breach of article vi and the signatory/safeguards/sanctions conundrum of Taiwan. Edited to add:It reminds me of something a regulator once said to me: Regardless of whether you agree with them or not, there's always going to be others who see shades of gray.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

The only thing collapsing at CERN is some of the old buildings that the old maintenance boys won't stop the windows falling out of. And the only blackhole scientists are worried about is a financial one! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Edited to correct bad spelling: To keep it simple, the NNPT is designed to keep the status quo ie to not add to the number of nuclear-weapon states (NWS). So for India to join, it must do so as a non-nuclear-weapon state (NNWS). But India is hardly likely to disarm, given that it has two nuclear armed neighbours with which it has had skirmishes/stand-offs: Pakistan (not a signatory) and China (NNPT-NWS). Proponents argue that a safeguards advantage of this agreement being signed is that (off memory) 14 of India's nuclear sites are now designated as civillian and therefore fair game for inspections by the UN watchdog (the IAEA). But detractors argue it undermines the relevance and standing of the NNPT. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Prior to yesterday, those pre-approved by the ASX could short-sell here in oz. But they've banned all short-selling now. xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

You are missing what's happening here! The reason we're all ticked off, is that the World Youth Day Authority was established by (and is a branch of) our Government to organise WYD! I'd expect repression from the Catholic Church, but it grates when our own govt is doing the job for them, using our tax dollars! xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Sanity has prevailed!!!!! The federal court has just unanimously overturned the 'annoying clause' on the grounds that it was not the intention of Parliament to empower the World Youth Day Authority to "make such vague and extensive limits to free speech". http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24022955-5016937,00.html http://www.smh.com.au/news/world-youth-day/court-dumps-annoy-law/2008/07/15/1215887596459.html[url] xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Its not even a case of deliberately targeting them; if you're in the CBD and wearing a shirt of your own volition that happens to "annoy" a WYD pilgrim, that's sufficient grounds for the cops to detain you, search you and write you up for $5500! I'm guessing the authorities are still smarting from the Chaser boys' Bin Laden stunt during Bush's visit for APEC.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

I guess that depends on whether or not you think he's a member of the undead.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

Tell me about it I pay my taxes, so I can be charged and then fined up to $5500 for merely "annoying" a bloody tourist in my own damned street??!!! If I'm caught threatening them with a knife its only up to $1100 fine.....so all I can deduce is that maybe they're trying to inspire us.... xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."