Outside the Perimeter

U.N. scandal, what U.N. scandal?

Does the Atlanta Journal Constitution ever have any, you know, news in it's newspaper? The reason I ask is that the AJC has had exactly one piece of any kind on the ongoing United Nations Oil for Food scandal, the ironically titled William Safire column Cover-up of oil-for-food scandal continues. Now, this story has been treated as serious news by even the New York Times (if only to present Kofi Annan's defense of the U.N.), but so far nothing in the AJC. The possible answer to the question of why the AJC does not either think it has to cover the story could be that they see the scandal as some kind of conservative conspiracy to discredit the U.N.
But I have an alternate theory - The AJC has so invested itself in their opinion columns of turning Iraq over to the U.N., that they cannot present any information that would discredit their faith in the altruistic intentions of the United Nations.
For example, how about this opinion column, which ran in the "Our Opinion" section of the editorial page, titled Let U.N. take lead in reshaping Iraq. In the column, the AJC editorial board blames the Bush Administration for American reluctance about the U.N.:

There's admittedly a lot of skepticism about the United Nations in this country, much of it fed by the Bush administration's own past rhetoric.

Yeah, like that whole part where President Bush gave that speech in front of the U.N. that resulted in Security Council Resolution 1441. That resolution, if you remember, was the one that said Saddam Hussein would face "serious consequences" if he did not immediately and fully comply with previous U.N. resolutions. I mean, good Lord, President Bush said he would go to the U.N. and get a resolution, and he did. It's the mark of a truly reprehensible politician who actually does what he says. I mean, if you can't trust a politician to not do what he says he is going to do, then really, how is that going to make the rest of the politicians look bad.
But I digress.
So it's pretty clear to me that, after licking the boots of the U.N. for so long, that the AJC will probably not offer any news coverage of this any time soon. I plan on writing a letter to the public editor asking about this, but I don't expect a response. We'll see.

Update: Well, no response from the AJC, as expected. It seems, though, I am not the only one who is frustrated by lack of response from local newspapers on covering the Oil for Food Scandal. chaitealatte(original link from Instapundit) is going me one better by writing a letter a day to the public editor of her newspaper (though I don't know which one), asking them questions like:

To whom it may concern: Great article on Friends in the Arts and entertainment section. Very cutting edge. Now how about (Oil for food scandal).........

Kidnapped Italians

I don't know if you remember (though you damn well should) the story of Fabrizio Quattrocchi, on of the four Italians who were recently kidnapped by Iraqi terrorists. Fabrizio was the hostage who proclaimed "Let me show you how an Italian dies" to his kidnappers as he attempted to take off his hood before his execution. A brave man.
You also might remember that the kidnappers were demanding that Italy remove all of her troops from Iraq. Well, since that did not work (and since Fabrizio showed them the meaning of courage) they are now moderating their demands for the release of the three remaining hostages (from Reuters reporting on an Al Arabia broadcast):

"We tell you, we will show good faith and free them...if you sympathize with our cause, show solidarity with us and publicly reject the policy of your prime minister by staging a big demonstration in your capital to protest against the war and call on your government to withdraw from our country."

The Italian government, to it's credit, has also rejected his demand.
I have a couple of suggestions for the Italians. First, I think they should have a protest in Italy - a protest against terrorists generally and kidnapping as a terrorist tactic specifically. Show these scumbags that the only thing they are going to achieve is to piss off a whole boot-load of Italians. Second, they should issue there own threats to the terrorists: Release our hostages or we will make sure that, wherever you go, an Italian is going to come after you. And, just for the fun of it, we will make sure your dead body is eaten by pigs.

Kerry's Secret Plan

John Kerry has a plan to win the war in Iraq. Okay, so it not a plan to win the war, but it is his "Iraq Plan for Peace". The key to the plan, as John Kerry stated on "Meet the Press" a couple of weeks ago:

"If I'm president, I will not only personally go to the U.N., I will go to other capitals. I will immediately reach out to other nations in a very different way from this administration. Within weeks of being inaugurated, I will return to the U.N. and I will literally, formally rejoin the community of nations and turn over a proud new chapter in America's relationship with the world."

What is unsaid is exactly how he will manage to convince France and Russia to play along.
But then followed more and more stories on the U.N.'s Oil-for-Food program, and the massive amount of bribes and kickbacks generated through the program. From The Daily Telegraph:

At least $1.1 billion was paid directly into UN coffers, supposedly to cover the cost of administering the $67 billion scheme, while Saddam Hussein diverted funds intended for the poor and sick of Iraq to bribe foreign governments and prominent overseas supporters of his regime.

So put the two together and it becomes clear how Kerry might be planning to get the U.N., France, Russia, Germany, and the other miscreants in line with the United States - some nice, fat bribes to the right people apparently work wonders.
It's either that or Kerry must be planning to kiss some serious ass. Really, though, I would go the cash route. Saddam Hussein apparently proved it's the best way to get the U.N. and these countries on your side.

Sure, we need a draft

In last Sunday's Atlanta Journal Constitution, Editorial Page Editor Cynthia Tucker came out in favor of the draft in an article titled "Military out to draw all income levels" saying:

It is unconscionable that this republic could be so cavalier about duty and sacrifice, sending its poorer sons and daughters off to defend liberty for the rest of us.

And then today comes sad news about a soldier dying who did not exactly meet Tucker's definition of one of our "poorer sons and daughters", former NFL player Pat Tillmann.
Tillman gave up a 3 year contract to make over a million dollars a year playing professional football.
Now, I am not saying that Tillman's death is any more or less tragic than any other soldier's death, just because he played professional football or becuase of the amount of money he gave up. What I am saying is that columns like Tucker's insult all of the volunteers in our military, because she implies that they are somehow inferior to an all-conscript military.
We should celebrate the sacrifice of those that defend us. And not make some kind of stupid political point at their expense.

Secrecy Issues

With all of the obsession with the Bush Administration's secrecy (uh, stupid liberals, I don't know if someone has told you - but there is a war on), you have this (link from the Drudge Report) from the Boston Globe, where they sent a reporter to examine Kerry's full military record, and then were rebuffed. Why did they send a reporter? Because Kerry said the day before on Meet the Press that he would release all of his military records.

So Kerry will not reveal his full military records (unlike President Bush), his full medical records (again, unlike President Bush) or his wife's tax returns (you guessed it, unlike President Bush), but President Bush is obsessed with secrecy? Yeah right.

I am not going to be hold my breath for the liberal media to start demanding that Kerry come clean.

Hamas' New Leadership Selection Method

CRCT in Georgia

Boy, I love my local paper, the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Whenever I go to paint a room at my house (at the direction, of course, of my lovely bride) it's great for putting under the roller pan to make sure I don't get any drips on the floor.

Their editorial opinions, though, are somewhat lacking. In today's paper, for example, I find this editorial, all about ongoing testing for third graders in Georgia schools. The story is this: In Georgia this year, all third graders are currently taking the CRCT (Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests). The tests judge a third grader's competency on reading and on understanding what they read. If a child does not pass the test, then they have to go to summer school, and then get a second chance to pass. A second failure means the child has to retake third grade.

The bottom line of the editorial (emphasis mine):

Supporters of retention counter that holding children back is at least better than promoting children who can't do the work, the dreaded "social promotion." But retention and social promotion are not the only two choices; they're just the easiest and least complicated responses to children who aren't performing at grade level.

What works best for struggling learners is smaller class sizes and individual attention. Ideally, if they receive one-on-one attention at summer school, many Georgia third-graders may be able to move ahead with their classes when school resumes in August.

Even without the results from this week's reading tests, most teachers can predict the one or two students in their class who will not pass. They knew these children had fallen behind months ago, but they couldn't take time away from the other 24 kids in the class to give the slower-progressing students the concentrated help they needed to catch up.

Gee, so students who receive one-on-one attention have a higher likelihood of moving forward with the rest of their class. Teachers in a class don't have the time to concentrate on the students who are falling behind. The solution the AJC seems to be promoting is smaller class sizes and hiring more teachers to help those students that are falling behind. In other words, throw more money down the education sewer hole in the hopes that those students will improve.

I have a better idea. Why don't the parents of those children who are not doing well in school get off their lazy asses and take an interest in what and how their children are learning? In other words, if your child is failing in school, then you are failing as a parent.

I've talked about this before, but I am a parent of a third grader in Georgia. My child is currently taking the test. Am I worried? No. I have been reading to my kids since before they were old enough to babble. I take an interest in what they are doing in school, talk to them about it every day, and help them with their homework and lessons. For my Georgia third grader, I have gone over a sample version of the questions she will face on the test, and discussed with her any questions that she has. In other words, I give both of my children the one-on-one attention that just about any student needs in order to succeed.

My second child is a kindergartner at the same school. I've seen her flourish too this year, becoming a prolific reader. Her kindergarten teacher, for crying our loud, told me that she wants my six year old to start writing five paragraph sentences with an opening idea, three supporting sentences, and a closing sentence. Nine months ago, pretty much all this kid could write was her name and a few basic words. Six months ago, all she could read were very basic books.

So while I am happy with the job the school is doing, all I believe they are doing is giving her the opportunity to succeed. Her mother and I do our jobs by getting her ready to learn, emphasized the importance of school, and most importantly, give her and her big sister the one-on-one time and attention that every child needs - but not that every parent provides.

So parents, if you are worried about your child's education, then put down the remote control and take an interest.