Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Yes it is. You could have said that in the first place. I think you have a problem making yourself clear. I'm not trying to offend, but had you said that in the first place, I would have agreed. The main problem is money. The DEMS, REPS have a national ability to raise money and support for their candidates. But at the local level, it is up to the people to rally for their guy. If you don't like the stranglehold the main two parties have, then do something about it. Organize an independant party for your area. It can build from there. I think the independant party is gaining on the other two but that is just my opinion and not based on any facts I have at my disposal.
Exactly. Perot lost and a lot of that was his own fault. I liked Perot but he didn't know a thing about winning a Presidential election. Maybe if he had ran for a lesser office, he would have won and been able to build on that.
Yes, the Guantanamo deal sucks. You should charge them or set them free. You may be right about the Bush admin but I think all the talk about oil is bogus. In about 10 years, we won't need half the oil we do now and 20 years from now, oil will be an afterthought. All to the good of the environment I might add but not giving credit to Bush for that. The environmintalists and associated companies will be the driving force behind the move to green fuel sources although we should give credit where credit is due. Bin Laden also played a major part by helping to convince Bush that there was a dual purpose for moving to green fuel sources ironically. That was the one thing I liked about Clinton/Gore. Environmentalism. As far as the last resort, I agree to a point but I am not sure that the Iraq situation could have been solved any other way. Force is the only thing that would get rid of Sadaam IMO and anything less is not a service to the Iraqi peaople. I have thought that we should get rid of Sadaam or remove the sanctions. The idea of containment is just punishing the innocent, just like the deal with Cuba. Maybe we should rethink our policy of not assaninating political leaders. As far as being the best example, you are completely right. We must lead by example and we have dropped the ball on more than one occasion.
The UN doesn't do anything. It just talks about it.
I think the media pushed the idea of a quick and easy war more than the administration did. Even so, it hasn't been very long yet and our troops have acomplished a lot. Basically every major city is under seige. I think the regime will fall in short order but there will be terrorist elements for a long time.
He had most of the southern vote until he quit the first time. Then he lost the minority vote by using the phrase "You People" in addressing the NAACP. Not a good idea. We could argue what could have been, but I know he had most of the southern states until the first exit. As far as the Northern states, I can't say. That is almost like a whole different country. The North and the South never really integrated after the cival war at least in ideaoligy(SP?).
The people vote. 20% is not enough to win the Presidency. Had he ran for governer, he probably would have won and been able to represent his state just fine. If you live in a locality that is ran by a democrat, then why should you care if there is a republican president? You are represented locally by the way you vote. It flows all the way up to the Presidency. Now if you want to talk about how the election itself is administered, we can talk. With our technology, we can do a better job of representing the peoples choices. Hell, with the proper technology in place, Gore may have won!
You may be right. I have often thought that we have evolved much faster than the Arab world. But that is where the problem arises. Most Arab countries depend on Oil for survival. In the next 10-20 years, the western world will be using mostly green sources for power, fuel, etc. Where does that leave the Arab world? They must evolve or die. That is a hard fact of nature. If they don't open their borders, open their economies, and don't evolve to a democratic type government, they will die. It is ineviable. Oil is dying and so are the oil dependant countries.
BTW- He should have ran for senator or governer first. He thought he could buy the Presidency and he turned out to be wrong. Had he not dropped out and came back so many times and been totally insensitive to minorities, he may very well have won.
I loved Perot but he dropped out, came back, dropped out, came back, etc. I wanted him to stay in and wouldn't have minded him winning. But if he had, we would have moved to an isolationist type policy. Not a lot of support for that today although I wouldn't be totally averse to such a policy. I have long thought that we should pull all our troops back home and concentrate on defense of our country and let everyone else fend for themselves. But I think that might be based on a selfish emotion. I hate to see people brutilized like they are in Iraq and other terrorist countries so it is probably good that I am not President and Perot too.
What do Native Americans have to do with anything? BTW- I have a good amount of Cherokee in my blood, just as a disclaimer. The Native American issue is a totally different subject IMO. If you want to discuss that, then I would say that the American government should all be lined up and shot for their crimes. Unfortunately, all that were involved are long dead and the biggest killer of Native Americans was not people but smallpox. I don't think we can blame those early explorers for not understanding that danger. Most still thought the world was flat.
We are democratic. Just because things aren't exactly like you want them, that doesn't mean it's not a democracy. You can't please all the people all of the time.
I don't like the depleted Uranium bombs either but Sadaam has no problem with the death of his own people. Don't try to put a reasonable explanation to things he says. He doesn't care about his people at all. Only about his power.
I don't know. I think the world is trending towards a more consolidated leadership. I would rather have an American type system at the lead than a Chinese type system. If you think China is not interested in being the head honcho in a world government, then you are wrong. China has always had dreams of global domination and is still persuing that dream. Russian hardliners too. I think we should all be watching NATO. I saw an article today that said that NATO was looking to reorganise to better fight terrorism. That could get interesting. Guess they are tired of taking a back seat to the UN and I am certain that the US would like nothing more than to truly make the UN irrelevant by pushing NATO to the forefront. Only if they aggree with us, of course.
I believe that we are moving towards a conflict with all of Arabia and have been for some time. The terrorist groups are making sure of that. Even before Bush came into office. I also don't think that we were the ones pushing the envelope, at least up until recently. Bush has obviously decided to take the offensive but only history will be able to definitively say whether he was an idiot or a visionary. I am not one to pass blame on a single entity but facts are facts. A lot of Arab/Muslim countries breed terrorism. The rulers of these countries not only don't take action against them but in fact enable them. The funny thing is that these terrorists blame all their problems on Israel and the US. I think that poor living conditions are the chief cause of terrorism but the terrorists always seem to place blame on us instead of the very dictators that are oppressing them and causing the poor conditions in the first place. Instead of marching and screaming death to Israel and death to the US, they should be organising and fighting the oppressive governments they live under. But since they are focusing their hatred on us and Israel, I think that we have little choice but to fight back. Osama Bin Laden said he wouldn't rest until all the world bowed to Allah. Since we will never do that, what choice do we have but to fight? I have said on this board that I don't know the answer to the terrorism problem and that is a fact. But I really don't think anyone else does either. A lot of people critisize Bush for his policy but I am not convinced that he is wrong. I am also not convinced he is right. One interesting thing is that some of the Palestinian terrorist groups are supposedly sending fighters to Iraq. If this is true, then the Iraq conflict may very well prove to be beneficial to the Palestinian people. If we can take out a good portion of them in Iraq, there will be less to cause trouble in Palestine. I am very disgusted that grown men are the cause of so much suffering and hate war as much as the next man but if we can get a lot of the terrorists to crawl out from under their rocks and go to Iraq to fight, we can certainly reduce the chaos in the long run and I still think that an Iraq free of Sadaam will be a better Iraq.
LOL! You should file a counter suit for him slaughtering the English language.
You've been fatt matt for a long time now. I'd like to see him try to win that suit. Don't think the use of an alais on a message board would be grounds for a lawsuit. He'd have to prove that you're not fat and not Matt. LOL! Since you are definitely Matt and fat is a matter of perspective, I think you are safe.
You guys have too much time on your hands. LOL!
Matt and Bob have way too much time on their hands!!!
American, Unions Reach Tentative Deals
Tuesday April 1, 7:54 am ET
By Brad Foss, AP Business Writer
American Airlines Reaches Tentative Labor Deals, Key in Avoiding Bankruptcy
NEW YORK (AP) -- American Airlines' cost-cutting agreements with unions are a major step in the company's bid to avoid bankruptcy, but it still must overcome worries about terrorism, an ailing economy and the war with Iraq.
The company appeared Monday to have secured the $1.8 billion in concessions needed to avert Chapter 11, but the agreements require approval from members of unions representing pilots, flight attendants and mechanics. The ratification process will begin Tuesday, union officials said.
News of the tentative agreements lifted shares of American by 33 percent as investors considered a bankruptcy filing much less likely.
Company chairman Don Carty praised union leaders, saying they "have enabled us to avoid an immediate filing with the bankruptcy court."
But despite the tentative deals, the carrier is not guaranteed a smooth ride, analysts said.
"If the war lasts for many months or if there's another act of terrorism, then even these cost savings could prove insufficient," said Philip Baggaley, Standard & Poor's airline analyst.
Even if employees ratify the agreements, analysts said it will still be critical for parent company AMR Corp. to secure additional financing from lenders as well as better deals from suppliers and lessors.
Experts said the talks were probably affected by last week's agreement between United Airlines and its pilots' union on $1.1 billion in cuts.
"I think that has helped focus their minds," said Peter Cappelli, a professor of management at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business.
United, which is restructuring under Chapter 11 protection, has said deep cuts were needed to avoid liquidation. American, meanwhile, had indicated it would file for bankruptcy protection soon unless it reached tentative agreements with its major labor groups Monday.
Other major airlines also are pushing employees to accept wage and benefit cuts as the industry suffers huge losses, and analysts said the momentum at United and American could spread.
After the war in Iraq began, carriers laid off thousands of employees, cut flights and reduced the frequency of others. But even with the new labor contracts, analysts say major carriers still need to cut capacity further, which would likely allow them to raise ticket prices.
During the weekend, American reached tentative agreements with 2,500 ground workers. The company previously reached a tentative deal with 16,300 baggage handlers. However, there were still no deals with the three most important labor groups in its work force of 99,000.
The Allied Pilots Association, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and the Transport Workers Union reached separate deals throughout the day Monday.
AMR has lost nearly $5.3 billion the past two years and has faced increasing competition from low-fare carriers.
Also Monday, Carty, the chairman, said he would cut his base salary by a third, decline a bonus for the third straight year and ask the board of AMR to reduce the compensation of other senior officers. Carty had a base salary of $585,813 in 2001. He took a pay freeze late in 2001 and in 2002.
Shares of American rose 52 cents to $2.10 on the New York Stock Exchange.
AMR: http://www.amrcorp.com
Funny, but I am having log in problems. Don't know what the problem is.
I don't believe it. I think they are nervous and want to remind us that their missles still work. I don't know about our administartion, but as far as I'm concerned, point taken. I wasn't very pleased that our administation chose to point out publicly that they thought Russia had supplied military gear to Iraq. Even if it is true, it should have been dealt with privately. We were finally building a friendship with Russia. I hope we can repair the damage when all this is over. Same thing applies to Syria and Iran. The Arab world already thinks that we are going to expand this war when the Iraq operation is completed. If that is not our intention, accusing Syria and Iran publicly didn't do anything to help. I think it may be our intention though.
Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.
Albert Schweitzer
I especially like this one. Thanks for posting it!
Q2 starting with data, earnings and war
Economic data, earnings season overshadowed by war
By Steve Gelsi, CBS.MarketWatch.com
Last Update: 4:49 AM ET Mar 29, 2003
NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- The second quarter dawns under the cloud of war next week, as the conflict with Iraq darkens key economic data and corporate earnings due out in the coming days.
The malaise that has gripped the stock market shows no sign of ending as Wall Street braces for a sustained conflict to oust Saddam Hussein.
Banc of America Securities' Thomas McManus said stocks moved from cakewalk into quagmire in the past week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DJ) finished out the week at 8,145, down 376 points, or 4.4 percent, from its week-ago close of 8,521. The index is now down about 2.27 percent so far in 2003.
The Nasdaq ($COMPQ) ended the week at 1,369, off 52 points, or 3.7 percent, from its week-ago level of 1,421. It's still up 1.47 percent for the year.
The S&P 500 ($SPX) closed Friday at 863, down 32 points, or 3.6 percent, from its week-ago level of 895. The blue chip index is off 2.37 percent this year.
"The stock market rally ran into heavy resistance this week, as high hopes for a lightning-quick conclusion to the conflict in Iraq gave way to a more pessimistic assessment," McManus said in a note to clients. "We sense that sentiment has again become too downbeat -- just as it did a year ago in Afghanistan."
He's forecasting a prolonged struggle with external volatility generated by geopolitical discord.
Jeffrey Kleintop, chief investment strategist, PNC Advisors, said earnings preannouncements from companies have been running bearish, but the market is expecting bad news because of higher oil prices and soft consumer sentiment tied to the war.
"The longer the war drags out, the more of an issue it'll be," he said.
Despite the bearishness overall, Kleintop said markets may move up on Monday as mutual funds use their sidelined cash to snatch up big name stocks as the quarter ends.
Next week marks the release of key economic data as well as the start of earnings season as the second quarter officially kicks off on Tuesday.
Wall Street will be watching for any signs of an economic recovery even as most eyes will be trained on the war with Iraq.
But corporate earnings, dampened by the war, are expected to be weak.
Right now, Thomson First Call is tracking 2.9 negative preannouncements on corporate earnings for every positive.
That's the worst ratio since the third quarter of 2001, when the markets were still reeling from the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
The S&P 500 is expected to show 8.3 percent profit growth in the second quarter, but without the advances from the energy sector, it'll come in at only 1.8 percent growth.
The profit performance of big energy sector players such as ExxonMobil (XOM), ChevronTexaco (CVX), Halliburton (HAL) and others has been strong amid higher oil prices.
Economic data
A full plate of economic data is expected, with economists focused on Tuesday's reading on the ISM index on manufacturing sentiment; and the latest unemployment report on Friday.
A payroll loss of 27,000 is expected vs. a loss of 308,000 jobs reported in February. The U.S. jobless rate is expected to edge up to 5.9 percent from 5.8 percent.
On the ISM index, a figure of 50 percent or more would indicate that manufacturing is growing. Economists surveyed by CBS.MarketWatch.com expect an ISM index of 48.6 percent, down from 50.5 percent in February.
Also on the economic calendar:
Monday will see the latest Purchasing Managers Association of Chicago survey of manufacturing activity. It's expected to show a decline from February.
Along with the ISM Index on Tuesday, fresh data will come on construction spending and car sales.
Wednesday will see the latest factory orders data.
Thursday will yield weekly jobless claims data as well as the ISM non-manufacturing survey.
Profit picture
The second quarter officially begins on Tuesday with corporate earnings season not far behind.
Five companies from the S&P 500 will post earnings.
Among them will be Alcoa, the first component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average to post second-quarter results.
On Tuesday, Best Buy (BBY) is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.08 per share.
Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY: news) is slated to report earnings of 33 cents per share, and Circuit City (CC) is expected to report earnings of 36 cents per share, both on Wednesday.
American Greetings (AM) is due to post earnings of 60 cents per share on Thursday.
And on Friday, Alcoa (AA) is expected to report earnings of 22 cents per share.
Contrarian indicators
Mark Hulbert of the Hulbert Financial Digest said newsletters have been tracking more bullish in the last couple of weeks.
The contrarian slant on the positive bias suggests that stocks may actually become more bearish in the weeks ahead, he said.
"People have been too quick to jump on the bullish bandwagon," Hulbert said. "One has to question the longevity of the rally."
The upshot is the current environment is not as low-risk a buying opportunity as one might like, Hulbert said.
At the same time, newsletters tracking the gold sector have been more bearish lately. The gloomy view may signal a time
Seasonally, the stock market in the second quarter will be wrapping up the traditionally strong part of the year from November to April, and into the weaker period from May through October.
So far that trend has held up as the most recent five months have been much stronger than the previous six months as the market bottomed in October and stayed roughly flat since then with a couple of rallies thrown in.
First quarter sectors
The auto sector, with a gain of 11.68 percent, has been the best performing among the Dow Jones industry indexes in the first quarter.
The Dow Jones U.S. technology index is up 3.99 percent, and the Dow Jones U.S. retail index is ahead 2.03 percent.
The Dow Jones U.S. media index rose 1.38 percent in the first quarter.
The worst performing sector is the Dow Jones telecommunications sector, with a decline of 12.83 percent.
The Dow Jones U.S. basic resources index has given up 8.98 percent, and the Dow Jones U.S. construction index ended the first quarter down 8.23 percent.
Since President Bush issued an ultimatum on March 17 for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq, the U.S. auto sector is down 14.19 percent, the U.S. telecommunications sector is off 12.5 percent, and the Dow Jones U.S. construction index is off 8.23 percent.
S&P 500 wrapup
The total value of the S&P 500 at the end of March 2000 was $12.7 trillion. By March 27, it had fallen to $8 trillion, noted S&P analyst Sam Stovall.
"Ouch!" he said. "No wonder equity mutual funds have suffered a similar fate, seeing their assets tumble from $4.4 trillion on March 31, 2000 to $2.5 trillion as of Feb. 28, 2003."
Bond funds, however, have expanded their assets under management to $1.2 trillion from $793 million as investors park their money in Treasury funds and other fixed income instruments to wait out the bear market.
Friday action
In Friday action, U.S. stocks fell deeper into the red after fighting their way up to the flat line as war-related malaise pushed the market down for its third straight day Friday.
It was the fourth day of losses out of the last five sessions on Wall Street, amid signs of an extended conflict in Iraq and weak data on consumer spending.
Stocks retreated across most sectors as a litany of appearances from the U.S. Commander in Chief George Bush on down revealed no positive breakthroughs in the war.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DJ) fell 55, or 0.7 percent, to close at 8,145.
The Nasdaq ($COMPQ) trimmed 14, or 1.1 percent, to close at 1,369.
The S&P 500 ($SPX) slipped 5, or 0.6 percent, to 863.
About 1.2 billion shares traded hands on the New York Stock Exchange, below the average of about 1.4 billion.
Jeffrey Kleintop, chief investment strategist at money management firm PNC Advisors, said volume was light as investors await fresh developments in Iraq.
"There's a lot of interest in what's the next major event in the war and that'll probably have to be a move into Baghdad," he said. "The market's entirely focused on that."
Economic data and earnings have not been movers in the market, he said.
"We're engaged in a conflict that'll certainly take a few more weeks," Kleintop said. "If we see a sign of increased momentum in the war, that's a good sign for stocks."
Equities were pressured in Asia and Europe after President Bush and British Prime Minister Blair made clear the war in Iraq is not likely to be short. See full war coverage.
The latest economic data provided little encouragement for sidelined bulls.
Consumer spending fell for the second straight month in February, the first back-to-back declines since the recession began two years ago, the Commerce Department said.
Real disposable income fell 0.2 percent in its biggest drop in seven months. The weakening in both incomes and spending could stall the economic recovery. See full story.
Crude for May delivery closed at $30.16 a barrel, down 21 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange, but it remained above the $30 level after one of the steepest price rises in the past three years. See Futures Movers.
The dollar eased 0.7 percent versus the euro at $1.0768
Options trader Bernie Schaeffer said Wall Street continues to be confused over its path in the face of war.
"The market is in for a difficult consolidation (or sideways) movement at best," he said. "A major rally is out of the question until the confusion is resolved."
Stocks briefly perked up on the latest consumer sentiment data, which bounced back as soon as the war started, according to research at the University of Michigan.
The reading suggests that consumers are ready for optimism if the war goes well.
But overall, traders continue to chip away at gains that came as the U.S. launched operations in Iraq, said Richard Nash, chief market strategist at Victory Capital Management. Hear interview.
Now drained is the optimism over a quick and decisive war that helped push up stocks in the week ending Wednesday, according to Trim Tabs.
Funds investing primarily in U.S. stocks took in $3.7 billion in new money during the week, said Carl Wittnebert, director of research at Trim Tabs. The week before, the same funds had suffered outflows of $500 million.
Meanwhile, international funds saw outflows of $800 million, reversing inflows of $1.4 billion the prior week, Wittnebert said.
Bond funds had inflows of $2 billion, the mutual-fund tracker said, adding to the $1.7 billion they'd taken in a week before.
In sector action, investors briefly nibbled on computer services, health care, natural gas, oil services, and semiconductor stocks before selling once again resumed.
Oil service ($OSX) stocks rose 1 percent. Airline stocks ($XAL) gave up 2.4 percent. Gold and silver shares ($XAU: news) added 7.3 percent.
In individual stock action, Altria (MO), parent of Philip Morris, fell 3.5 percent to $32.13 after Standard & Poor's said its 'A' corporate ratings of the Dow component remain on CreditWatch with negative implications. The agency said it may lower these ratings in the near term.
S&P credit analyst Nicole Delz Lynch said Standard & Poor's "believes PM (Philip Morris) USA might have to consider bankruptcy as an option if it can't post a $12 billion bond to cover punitive damages in recent court cases."
Conagra (CAG) shed 8.5 percent to $19.55. A Friday article by the Wall Street Journal said the food giant could be looped into an investigation into an accounting scandal at Ahold (AHO.)
ImClone Systems (IMCL:) tacked on 5.6 percent to $18.36 after Germany's Merck KGaA said an independent panel confirmed its positive assessment of a trial of its cancer drug Erbitux.
Coca-Cola Co. (KO:) fell 13 cents to $40.73 after the Dow component wrapped up the majority of about 1,000 job cuts in its North American operations and its corporate headquarters, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The soft-drink giant had announced the cost-cutting move two months ago.
Hilton Hotels (HLT:) gave up 5 cent to $11.74 after the hotel chain said it expects first-quarter earnings of breakeven to 1 cent a share, due to a revenue-per-available-room decline of about 4 percent, compared with the same quarter a year ago at hotels it has owned at least a year. Hilton cited uncertainties and declines related to the war.
Cisco Systems (CSCO:) declined 28 cents to $13.22 after UBS Warburg cut its April- and July-quarter revenue forecasts on the networking giant in anticipation of weaker February and March results.
Corning (GLW:) dipped 2 cents to $6 after the leading fiber-optic-cable maker said it reached an agreement to settle all asbestos claims. It'll take an after-tax charge of about $200 million.
Household International (HI:) rose 3 cents to $28.28 after shareholders at London-based banking giant HSBC Holdings OK'd a proposed $13 billion all-share takeover of the U.S. finance company. See full story.
Airlines
Airlines are expected to remain focus stocks as the markets seek to price in the current industry risks. American parent AMR (AMR) may file for bankruptcy as early as next week, sources told CBS MarketWatch. See full story.
Shares of AMR fell 21 cents, or 11.7 percent, to $1.58, adding to Thursday's 18 percent drubbing, as Chapter 11 speculation continues to mount.
Meanwhile, the United Airlines (UAL:) will be delisted by the New York Stock Exchange as of April 3, it was announced after the bell on Friday.
Earlier, shares rose 1 cent to 85 cents after the pilots union OK'd a tentative labor agreement with the bankrupt carrier.
Steve Gelsi is a reporter for CBS.MarketWatch.com in New York.
Copyright ©1998-2003 MarketWatch.com Inc.
We have all seen a lot of the American perspective and I thought it was prudent to get an Arab perspective.
I thought this was worth a read.
Will Anyone Answer?
Suraya Al-Shehry, Special to Arab News
http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=24383
I don’t know what the title of this article will finally become or in what section of the paper it will go. It is a series of questions that have been left hanging but they are questions which we ask ourselves. Some are spoken loudly and others are whispered, while looking to the right and left. I can stand it no longer; I need answers. Who will respond?
I am an Arab Muslim woman who is concerned about the Arab attitude. What has become of it? Where has it gone? Is it just a word or a feeling or is it no more than history? What is happening around us?
Please don’t take my questions lightly. Yes, I know very well that what is happening did not come about suddenly or while we were sleeping. We have kept abreast of events as they unfolded and yet, weren’t we asleep? Aren’t we still? What is required of us? Can we object? In front of whom and for whom?
We say that Saddam Hussein is an oppressor and his regime must end. Do we wish for the war to be won as quickly as possible so that there will be the fewest losses — let the winner take what he wants and leave Iraq and its people in peace? Is that an impossible dream? How will this dream come about if the Americans actually win? What has happened in Afghanistan? Then resistance is the answer. But wait; I don’t support Saddam and wish that he had long ago fallen from power. Each time resistance to his regime surfaces, violence against the population increases.
We say that the Arab nations are oppressed. Will someone explain to me then what is happening in the land of democracy, freedom and the American way? Are the voices of citizens listened to there? Do their opinions matter? Has their right to live or die been protected? Let us stop playing to our emotions — there is no justice on earth — it is humans who rule and they have not taken to heart the justice that is called for in all religions.
I am sick and tired of these power games. I am a woman whose concern is to get a good night’s sleep without worrying. I want to see my children grow up without fearing they will be shot. I don’t want to open the newspaper and see pictures of the dead or have to hear about wars and horrors. I want to live in peace, to raise my children in peace and live to see my grandchildren. I don’t want my life to be stolen from me or for my simple dreams to be destroyed. I cannot bear to watch the news anymore or read official statements or Security Council minutes or reports of disarmament. France is with us. Or is she simply on the side of her own interests? Germany, Belgium and even that country many of whose roots are Arab — is Grenada falling again?
Why do we Arabs always argue? Every time we come together, we disagree, shout and threaten. We do not allow a different opinion to be heard. That opinion is wrong and mine is right; that is always the way it is. Who decides the right and the wrong? Are there really any absolute truths? Why do we always give ourselves the right to declare that those who argue with us are wrong and try to shut them up? And if the other person speaks with some logic, we look for holes in that logic in order to disprove him. Do you want to convince me that we Arabs are special creatures with minds and wills unlike those of others?
I have heard about what is called modern dialogue. It is quite rare to see this here or even abroad. Why do you suppose that is so? Do they not disagree? Do they have no important issues and principles that they believe in and stand up for? Definitely not — but they do know how to manage their differences and argue so that they reach a common ground without having to air their dirty linen. As for us Arabs, we slander and backbite and our logic is too often twisted or non-existent.
My belief is that what we suffer from today began in our homes with our way of life. We can only blame ourselves for Saddam and his ilk. Look inside yourself — lest a person planted on good soil err from the path of good as Saddam and Bush have done. Please forgive me if I seem mixed up.
I am no more than an example of the confusion in every person.
***
(Suraya Al-Shehry is a Saudi writer. She is based in Riyadh.)
I see support at 2 and accumulation/distribution has been very positive since January. I think your stop loss at 2 is O.K. AMEX is different in runs as you said. Still in an uptrend since mid Feb. with up trend line support at about 2.03. Resistance is obviously at about 2.60. As far as net operating loss carryforwards are concerned, you need to see how much they have left. Some companies have a lot. Best to just contact the company and ask how much net operating loss carryforwards they have left. Accumulated deficit can sometimes give you a clue but you would have no real idea when it would expire as there is a finite life span involved.
I have found more inspiration from that book than all the other books I have read combined but I think that it is a personal thing. The Gita is very deep and difficult to grasp for some.
I first read it in the preface of the book "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway, a book a highly recommend. I believe the author of the poem was John Donne but again, I am quoting it from memory and it has been many years since I read it.
Here is a thought of mine. I don't know if it is something I read somewhere or something that comes from inside me. In either case, I think it is relevant to this board.
You know that you have become enlightened when you can love your enemies as well as you love your friends
The general theme is stated in the Bhagavad-Gita which I read everyday. It was also one of the books that Gandhi treasured. Below is a quote from Ghandi about the Bhagavad-Gita.
"When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagavad-Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it everyday."
Mohandas K. Gandhi
A peom about peace and the interconnected nature of humanity. I am writing this from memory so please forgive me if I get a couple of words wrong.
No man is a land entire of himself
Each man is a piece of the main
A part of the whole
If a clod be washed away by the sea
Europe is the lesser
As well as if a promentorie were
As well as if a manner of thy friends or of thine own were
Each man's death diminishes me
Because I am involved in mankind
Therefore, never send out to know for whom the bell tolls
It tolls for thee
The peace board sounds like a good idea. And the paragraph on tolerance was excellent. It reminds me of the "For Whom the Bell Tolls" poem. Each man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind. It doesn't matter whether they are friends or enemies.
I think there are still some details to be worked out before he takes power.
If they had a Ghandi, they would have peace and their own state already I think. He was truly a great man of peace.
Voted for but not confirmed is the last word I heard although this could be dated as the Iraq war has dominated the headlines. Please provide confirmation of his confirmation, if you will parden the pun.
It is up to the Palestinian people to pressure Arafat into not standing in the way of peace. If Arafat does veto an agreement that the majority of the Palestinian people want, then I think it would be a useful development as it would show his true colors. The past is the past. Until everyone involved looks to the future, we will continue to watch people dying in the streets.
Thanks for the support. The resistance to placing blame on both sides of the conflict I am encountering on this board is the very thing that has kept this conflict going. None of us are directly involved and even so, many cannot see the situation clearly. Just imagine how biased the Israelis and Palestinians feel when it is their children dying.
Both he and Tony Blair say as soon as the PM is confirmed, it will be released. If it isn't released then, we should all call him to task. Until then, we should just wait to see.
So you and Integrivest destroy the peace process before it even begins? You say Bush won't release the roadmap and Integrivest says the Palestinian PM is a puppet of Arafat. Thinking like this is why the conflict continues. From what I understand, the roadmap to peace will be released as soon as the new PM is properly confirmed. This according to Tony Blair. Everyone should wait until then to see. If everyone discounts the process before it even begins, then what hope can there be?
Well, Bush just said that he would release the roadmap to peace for Israel and Palestine, that he was committed to two states living side by side in peace, and that both the US and Britian were firmly committed to implementing this roadmap.