Links and Minifeatures 05 16 Tuesday

Carnivals



Carnival of Liberty Recommended From My Position

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I've heard people say suicide is painless but I don't believe them. Case in point: Union Authorizes Strike Against Delphi.



The costs of making parts are so high, partially due to unions shaking down management, and partially due to simply bad management, that it's a miracle all those automakers haven't found alternative suppliers already. People gripe about industry moving to other countries, then pull stuff like this, where Delphi is in bankruptcy and just hoping to get enough in the way of concessions so that they are actually able to operate profitably again. Then the Union conducts a strike authorization because they're afraid the company will somehow bamboozle the court into modifying their contracts. Hello! Earth to UAW: Delphi is in bankruptcy. This means they are in trouble, and the plants are in danger of closing completely. Bankruptcies where there is no merit get tossed. Furthermore, only the deity of your choice knows what a bankruptcy trustee will do to management's attempts to pull the company out. The largest single reason Delphi is in bankruptcy is high labor costs. UAW has a choice. They can give a relatively small amount now, or they can lose the company entirely when the companies who buy from Delphi decide to get their parts elsewhere (by which I mean Mexico, Taiwan, China, Brazil, India or some lucky recipient to be named later). It's not like they have to buy from Delphi, much less Delphi plants in the US.



Unfortunately, union elections are conducted on the basis of "look what I did for you this time!" and "Look what my opponent did to you this time!" There's not a lot of room in there for looking at the situation dispassionately with an eye towards saving everyone's bacon.



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Dutch MP to quit amid asylum row



I'll believe this is motivated by principle when the Netherlands starts rounding up and deporting everyone else who lied on their asylum or citizenship application.



Most folks have feet of clay, something they've done in the past that would be cause for action against them. The Yahoo story makes plain that this was public knowledge quite a while ago. To quote, since Yahoo links are notoriously impermanent:

Hirsi Ali has admitted giving a false name and date of birth. She allegedly also claimed she was fleeing directly from war-torn Somalia instead of Kenya, where she was living with her family and enjoying refugee status. Hirsi Ali says she fled to escape an arranged marriage.



"I am astonished about how fast it all went. Within 48 hours my citizenship is revoked over matters that were public knowledge three and a half years ago," she said.

She has certainly been a productive member of Dutch society these last fourteen years, setting a beautiful example of courage in the face of real intimidation, death threats, and the need for around the clock protection. Holland has set a precedent that may be the critical nail in its own coffin as a tolerant pluralistic society.



Fear the people who fear your ability to speak.



Jihad Watch has her statement resigning parliament, as well as one possible explanation as to How it happened





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Research Fraud Rampant in China.



One of the many consequences of a lack of transparency. That these rip-off artists have the unofficial approval of the state is also fairly well known. I used to know a guy who had a simple medical patent. Amazingly enough, the vast majority of people infringing upon his patent were from Communist China.



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Panel Finalizes Access to Nazi Archive



It is important to remember. It is tempting to believe that people would never do that. People did. Ordinary people, not just the psychotic maniacs in charge. The youngest eyewitnesses are in their late sixties now, while those who saw as adults the barbarity of the concentration camps are in their eighties and up.



Denial sets the stage for it happening again.



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Iraq the Model notes that the Iranians are supplying al-Qaeda with Anti-aircraft missiles.



I do not want a fight with Iran. If we can hold off their craziest mullahs for a couple of years, there's going to be a revolution. Unfortunately, it's starting to look unlikely that we will be able to hold off.



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Those towards the right who are going full-bore anti Bush because the speech was only about 75% in line with your preferences might give Big Lizards a read. Calm down. Take what you can get now. If and when it works, chances are that you will be able to get more later. If you demand all or nothing right now, the american public is likely to give you nothing.



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Video of flight 77 hitting the Pentagon here at Judicial Watch



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Think the War on Terror has been botched? Read Victor Davis Hanson for a pale shadow of the article military historians could write about mistakes of past wars.