Just for the record

2002-10-30 Thread Julia Thompson
I haven't been reading the WSJ editorial page much recently, but my
husband has, and he's seen a fair bit of the following as of late:

1)  Arguments that France shouldn't be a permanent member of the UN
Security Council.

2)  Arguments for a somewhat new set of permanent UNSC members:  US,
Russia, China, India and Japan.

Just so's anyone who might be interested knows.

Now, I probably could wade through all sorts of things at
opinionjournal.com and possibly post links for columns espousing these
positions, but there are other things I'd prefer to do with that time. 
If anyone else were to take the time and wanted to post links to such
columns, I would be interested.

Julia
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Just for the record...

2005-05-17 Thread Julia Thompson
All the posts I read that have someone dismissing someone else's 
words/arguments as "malarkey" or "hogwash", I'm automatically 
discounting some.

So if you are trying to persuade *me* of anything, me being a particular 
spectator of debate here, that tactic is costing you.

Just FYI.
Julia
p.s. I also consider it to be extremely rude to publicly announce who's 
in a killfile, so if you want my continued respect at the same level, 
I'd appreciate you not informing me of that on-list.  (And if it's 
someone else's killfile, that might be touching on my biggest pet peeve 
regarding legitimate e-mail, that of passing along what was in a private 
e-mail without the original sender's consent.)
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RE: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
> I haven't been reading the WSJ editorial page much recently, but my
> husband has, and he's seen a fair bit of the following as of late:
>
>1)  Arguments that France shouldn't be a permanent member of the UN
>Security Council.
>
>2)  Arguments for a somewhat new set of permanent UNSC members:  US,
>Russia, China, India and Japan.

How is Japan more important than the EU, especially security wise?

Jean-Louis
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Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Julia Thompson
Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
> 
> De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
> > I haven't been reading the WSJ editorial page much recently, but my
> > husband has, and he's seen a fair bit of the following as of late:
> >
> >1)  Arguments that France shouldn't be a permanent member of the UN
> >Security Council.
> >
> >2)  Arguments for a somewhat new set of permanent UNSC members:  US,
> >Russia, China, India and Japan.
> 
> How is Japan more important than the EU, especially security wise?

I think the argument went along the lines of, no *single* European
country has an economy as big as Japan's.  (As I say, I haven't read the
columns, just heard about them from my husband.)  Population has
something to do with the criteria, as well.

Now, various columns argue for the removal of France, but they don't
argue for the removal of the UK, the UK just gets left off of the new
suggested list.

I'm not sure that the columns are written by the same person, either,
but there is a trend that has been noted by one observer who reads that
page of the WSJ on a regular basis.

Julia
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Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Dan Minette

- Original Message - 
From: "Jean-Louis Couturier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 9:17 AM
Subject: RE: Just for the record


> De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
> > I haven't been reading the WSJ editorial page much recently, but my
> > husband has, and he's seen a fair bit of the following as of late:
> >
> >1)  Arguments that France shouldn't be a permanent member of the UN
> >Security Council.
> >
> >2)  Arguments for a somewhat new set of permanent UNSC members:  US,
> >Russia, China, India and Japan.
> 
> How is Japan more important than the EU, especially security wise?

The EU isn't a country.

Dan M. 

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RE: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
> De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
> > > I haven't been reading the WSJ editorial page much recently, but my
> > > husband has, and he's seen a fair bit of the following as of late:
> > >
> > >1)  Arguments that France shouldn't be a permanent member of the UN
> > >Security Council.
> > >
> > >2)  Arguments for a somewhat new set of permanent UNSC members:  US,
> > >Russia, China, India and Japan.
 
Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
>> How is Japan more important than the EU, especially security wise?

De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
> I think the argument went along the lines of, no *single* European
> country has an economy as big as Japan's.  (As I say, I haven't read the
> columns, just heard about them from my husband.)  Population has
> something to do with the criteria, as well.

That would be good argument for the WSJ where is it isn't the economy, 
it doesn't matter, but I think the Security Council is more about 
military might and conflict mediation.  Japan has neither the troops
to qualifiy for the first, nor the inclination to use its political 
influence to qualify for the last.

Jean-Louis
I get mixed up with latter and former.
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RE: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
>> > I haven't been reading the WSJ editorial page much recently, but my
>> > husband has, and he's seen a fair bit of the following as of late:
>> >
>> >1)  Arguments that France shouldn't be a permanent member of the UN
>> >Security Council.
>> >
>> >2)  Arguments for a somewhat new set of permanent UNSC members:  US,
>> >Russia, China, India and Japan.

From: "Jean-Louis Couturier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> How is Japan more important than the EU, especially security wise?

De : Dan Minette [mailto:dsummersminet@;houston.rr.com]
> The EU isn't a country.

Of course it isn't.  But it is enough of a political power that we
should have at least one of its members sitting on the Security 
Council at all times.  We could have a permanent seat for Europe 
where its members take turns.  Europe would be represented but a
country would be sitting on the council.

Jean-Louis
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Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Julia Thompson
Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
> 
> De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
> >> > I haven't been reading the WSJ editorial page much recently, but my
> >> > husband has, and he's seen a fair bit of the following as of late:
> >> >
> >> >1)  Arguments that France shouldn't be a permanent member of the UN
> >> >Security Council.
> >> >
> >> >2)  Arguments for a somewhat new set of permanent UNSC members:  US,
> >> >Russia, China, India and Japan.
> 
> From: "Jean-Louis Couturier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >> How is Japan more important than the EU, especially security wise?
> 
> De : Dan Minette [mailto:dsummersminet@;houston.rr.com]
> > The EU isn't a country.
> 
> Of course it isn't.  But it is enough of a political power that we
> should have at least one of its members sitting on the Security
> Council at all times.  We could have a permanent seat for Europe
> where its members take turns.  Europe would be represented but a
> country would be sitting on the council.

You also pointed out in another post why Japan might not be suitable.

I've been giving this a bit of thought in the past 16 hours, and what
makes more sense to me than the WSJ's proposal is just dumping France
and taking on India, instead.

If Europe were all one country, I'd argue that it ought to have a seat
on the UNSC.  But it would also only get one vote in the UN.

As far as the "rotating European seat" goes, there is a lot of rotation
of UNSC members, but there are 5 *permanent* ones.  If Europe were
guaranteed at least one, or at least two, of the remaining 10 seats
(where there *is* rotation), how would you feel about having no European
member in one of the 5 *permanent* seats?

Julia
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RE: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
De : Julia Thompson [mailto:julia@;zurg.net]
> I've been giving this a bit of thought in the past 16 hours, and what
> makes more sense to me than the WSJ's proposal is just dumping France
> and taking on India, instead.
>
> If Europe were all one country, I'd argue that it ought to have a seat
> on the UNSC.  But it would also only get one vote in the UN.

Indeed.  However, France would never agree to be removed while the UK 
stayed, and neither France nor the UK would agree to having no european
veto whatsoever.  (Neither would the Netherlands, Germany, or any of the
others I suspect.)

An accomodation would have to be found.

> As far as the "rotating European seat" goes, there is a lot of rotation
> of UNSC members, but there are 5 *permanent* ones.  If Europe were
> guaranteed at least one, or at least two, of the remaining 10 seats
> (where there *is* rotation), how would you feel about having no European
> member in one of the 5 *permanent* seats?

I think that Europe would object to not having a veto.  I'm imagining a 
Security Council with 4 permanent seats, 1 European seat (all five with
veto powers) and 10 seats for the rest of the world.

Of course, I'm speaking as an outsider.  What do Yurpeens thinks about
this?  Jeroen, Sonja?

Ritu, would you care to give us an opinion regarding an Indian permanent 
seat on the Security Council?

Jean-Louis
 
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-17 Thread Erik Reuter
* Julia Thompson ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote:

> All the posts I read that have someone dismissing someone else's
> words/arguments as "malarkey" or "hogwash", I'm automatically
> discounting some.
>
> So if you are trying to persuade *me* of anything, me being a
> particular spectator of debate here, that tactic is costing you.

Well, this statement is costing you. Since there are a number (which
has increased lately) of people here who ARE posting a heck of a lot of
baloney, some people are correct when they point it out. Since you are
apparently discounting people who are correctly pointing out nonsense,
as well as those who may not be, you are painting with too broad a
brush. So you lose points with me. Just for the record.

> p.s. I also consider it to be extremely rude to publicly announce 
> who's in a killfile, so if you want my continued respect at the same  
> level, I'd appreciate you not informing me of that on-list.  (And if  

If I did not consider it annoying to whine about things like this, I
might point out how annoying the above sort of whining is.

By the way, I have been deleting unread a number of whiners and nonsense
spouters' emails (not automated kill file, at least not yet). Guys (you
know who you are) feel free to pile on here and whine and exchange
nonsense. Maybe it will occupy you enough to stop distracting the few
remaining people who are interested in reasonable discussion. But
probably not.

--
Erik Reuter   http://www.erikreuter.net/
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-17 Thread Dave Land
On May 17, 2005, at 2:30 PM, Erik Reuter wrote:
* Julia Thompson ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote:
All the posts I read that have someone dismissing someone else's
words/arguments as "malarkey" or "hogwash", I'm automatically
discounting some.
So if you are trying to persuade *me* of anything, me being a
particular spectator of debate here, that tactic is costing you.
Well, this statement is costing you. Since there are a number (which
has increased lately) of people here who ARE posting a heck of a lot of
baloney, some people are correct when they point it out. Since you are
apparently discounting people who are correctly pointing out nonsense,
as well as those who may not be, you are painting with too broad a
brush. So you lose points with me. Just for the record.
Perhaps a price worth paying: some points are worth more than others.
If I act in a way that causes someone that I and the list hold in high
esteem me to discount, disregard or disrespect me, then I have lost
valuable points. I try to learn.
If I act in a way that causes someone that *I* discount, disregard or
disrespect to tell me that I have lost points with them, so what?
If I act in a way that causes someone that the list discounts,
disregards or disrespects to tells me that I have lost points with them,
then I consider that my overall list-worth has gone up.
I consider that people who point out the nonsense *in-an-argument* do us
all -- including themselves -- a favor, but that those who merely call
names or dismiss others or their arguments as stupid, inattentive, low
signal-to-noise, and so forth *** without addressing that which makes
the critic find them so *** do nobody a favor.
p.s. I also consider it to be extremely rude to publicly announce
who's in a killfile, so if you want my continued respect at the same
level, I'd appreciate you not informing me of that on-list.
By the way, I have been deleting unread a number of whiners and 
nonsense
spouters' emails (not automated kill file, at least not yet). Guys (you
know who you are) feel free to pile on here and whine and exchange
nonsense. Maybe it will occupy you enough to stop distracting the few
remaining people who are interested in reasonable discussion. But
probably not.
Of course not. I mightn't agree with your definition of reasonable
discussion, nor am I likely to classify the same things as whining and
nonsense that you do. In fact, I wouldn't classify anything that is
posted in earnest that way: It's just not how I think.
Dave
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-17 Thread Erik Reuter
How disappointing! Julia started a whining thread just tailor-made to
draw the nonsense-spouting whiners, like flies to shit.

My left middle finger is raring to go, it needs excercise. Come on,
where are the cry-babies when you need them? What happened to the
posturing pudding heads? Nick, Warren, Dave, Ronn, Gary, surely you
have something to cry about or some nonsense to spout? Here's your
chance. You might even be able to pull in Robert and JDG if you really
get going!

Come on, it will be healthy! My left-middle finger needs exercise!


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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-17 Thread Alberto Monteiro
Erik Reuter wrote:
>
> Come on, it will be healthy! My left-middle finger needs exercise!
>
You know, this is the kind of sentence that _begs_ for the
canonical reply:

  "Then why don't you stick it inside your ass?"

But since I am polite, I will not write this obscenety O:-)

Alberto Monteiro

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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-17 Thread Dave Land
On May 17, 2005, at 5:49 PM, Erik Reuter wrote:
Nick, Warren, Dave, Ronn, Gary, surely you have something to cry about
or some nonsense to spout?
Hey, Erik: PAY ATTENTION! I already replied, at length, to your reply to
Julia's message, not 30 minutes ago.
If your manual killfile already killed it, you can read it here:
http://www.mccmedia.com/pipermail/brin-l/Week-of-Mon-20050516/ 
014993.html

Happy whining,
Dave
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-17 Thread Robert Seeberger
Erik Reuter wrote:
> How disappointing! Julia started a whining thread just tailor-made 
> to
> draw the nonsense-spouting whiners, like flies to shit.
>
> My left middle finger is raring to go, it needs excercise. Come on,
> where are the cry-babies when you need them? What happened to the
> posturing pudding heads? Nick, Warren, Dave, Ronn, Gary, surely you
> have something to cry about or some nonsense to spout? Here's your
> chance. You might even be able to pull in Robert and JDG if you 
> really
> get going!
>
> Come on, it will be healthy! My left-middle finger needs exercise!
>
You don't mind if I cut ahead in line do you?

xponent
Razor Sharp Teeth Maru
rob 


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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-18 Thread Ray Ludenia
On 18/05/2005, at 10:49 AM, Erik Reuter wrote:
How disappointing! Julia started a whining thread just tailor-made to
draw the nonsense-spouting whiners, like flies to shit.
It sure worked. Here you are!
Hey, so am I. :(  or :)
Regards, Ray.
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RE: Just for the record...

2005-05-18 Thread Gary Nunn
 
> My left middle finger is raring to go, it needs excercise. 
> Come on, where are the cry-babies when you need them? What 
> happened to the posturing pudding heads? Nick, Warren, Dave, 
> Ronn, Gary, surely you have something to cry about or some 
> nonsense to spout? Here's your chance. You might even be able 
> to pull in Robert and JDG if you really get going!


Are we having a bad day Erik? 

You know, some bathroom time and a Playboy magazine (or a Playgirl,
depending on your personal preferences) will probably take care of some of
that pent up frustration, and if not, then try switching to decaf and
getting out and exercising more than just your left middle finger.

And by the way genius, if you are going to insult all of us cry-baby,
posturing pudding heads, use your damn spell checker... you spelled
"exercise" wrong.

Gary



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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-18 Thread Warren Ockrassa
On May 18, 2005, at 4:59 AM, Gary Nunn wrote:
You know, some bathroom time and a Playboy magazine (or a Playgirl,
depending on your personal preferences) will probably take care of 
some of
that pent up frustration
Playgirl's draw is more for women, I think. Most of the men featured in 
it are flaccid, which seems to appeal to a woman's sense of the erotic 
more than a man's.

Given an evident digital fixation, I don't think Playgirl (or even 
Inches) would appeal in this case anyway.

(Ironic, ain't it, that the greatest complainant about s:n ratios is 
the greatest contributor to noise...)

--
Warren Ockrassa, Publisher/Editor, nightwares Books
http://books.nightwares.com/
Current work in progress "The Seven-Year Mirror"
http://www.nightwares.com/books/ockrassa/Flat_Out.pdf
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RE: Just for the record...

2005-05-18 Thread Andrew Paul


Warren Ockrassa wrote
> 
> On May 18, 2005, at 4:59 AM, Gary Nunn wrote:
> 
> > You know, some bathroom time and a Playboy magazine (or a Playgirl,
> > depending on your personal preferences) will probably take care of
> > some of
> > that pent up frustration
> 
> Playgirl's draw is more for women, I think. Most of the men featured
in
> it are flaccid, which seems to appeal to a woman's sense of the erotic
> more than a man's.
> 
> Given an evident digital fixation, I don't think Playgirl (or even
> Inches) would appeal in this case anyway.
> 
> (Ironic, ain't it, that the greatest complainant about s:n ratios is
> the greatest contributor to noise...)
> 

I think you are being unfair here Warren, surely Erik's left middle
finger constitutes some sort of signal, as long as he is using it in the
traditional manner.


It's the noise I worry about Maru



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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-18 Thread Warren Ockrassa
On May 18, 2005, at 8:46 PM, Andrew Paul wrote:
I think you are being unfair here Warren, surely Erik's left middle
finger constitutes some sort of signal, as long as he is using it in 
the
traditional manner.
You know his later post made me think it's actually a reference to the 
letter "d" on the QWERTY keyboard, which would fall under the left 
middle finger of a touch typist, and which would possibly be programmed 
for "delete".

If so I have to say the subtlety of the reference was clever, 
especially if the other possible meaning was meant to be understood as 
well.

Of course it was still noise. As is this. ;)
--
Warren Ockrassa, Publisher/Editor, nightwares Books
http://books.nightwares.com/
Current work in progress "The Seven-Year Mirror"
http://www.nightwares.com/books/ockrassa/Flat_Out.pdf
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-18 Thread Julia Thompson
Warren Ockrassa wrote:
You know his later post made me think it's actually a reference to the 
letter "d" on the QWERTY keyboard, which would fall under the left 
middle finger of a touch typist, and which would possibly be programmed 
for "delete".

If so I have to say the subtlety of the reference was clever, especially 
if the other possible meaning was meant to be understood as well.
I had an injury 8 years ago to one of my fingers.  At the time, my job 
involved doing a lot of stuff with the keyboard (lots of e-mails, doing 
up stuff in QuickBooks, etc.) and I described the injury to someone as 
having been to my "cde finger".  That put it in the proper perspective, 
I thought.  :)  (Of course, one of the people I was reporting this to 
didn't touch-type)

Wasn't the middle finger the one that was stiffened in the astronauts' 
gloves for pushing buttons, as well?

Julia
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-18 Thread Warren Ockrassa
On May 18, 2005, at 9:02 PM, Julia Thompson wrote:
Wasn't the middle finger the one that was stiffened in the astronauts' 
gloves for pushing buttons, as well?
Was it? Wow. I never knew. I just figured they were responding to 
riding on spaceships built by the lowest bidder.

;)
--
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http://books.nightwares.com/
Current work in progress "The Seven-Year Mirror"
http://www.nightwares.com/books/ockrassa/Flat_Out.pdf
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-19 Thread Ronn!Blankenship
At 11:02 PM Wednesday 5/18/2005, Julia Thompson wrote:
Wasn't the middle finger the one that was stiffened in the astronauts' 
gloves for pushing buttons, as well?

Yes.
-- Ronn!  :)
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Re: Just for the record...

2005-05-19 Thread Dave Land
On May 19, 2005, at 7:30 AM, Ronn!Blankenship wrote:
At 11:02 PM Wednesday 5/18/2005, Julia Thompson wrote:
Wasn't the middle finger the one that was stiffened in the 
astronauts' gloves for pushing buttons, as well?
Yes.
The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.
Dave
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UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread John D. Giorgis
A brief summary of the debate:

Just about everyone agrees that the UN Security Council is no longer
representative.   Although many people argue that there should be no veto
in the UNSC, there are five countries that are strongly opposed to that
concept, and they all have veto power over UNSC reforms - so that just
ain't gonna happen.   Likewise, any plan for dropping France and Russia is
similarly dead in the water. 

Most observers reckon that on the basis of contributions to the UN, Japan
and Germany are deserving of permanent Security Council seats.   Of course,
as the old Pakistani ambassador quipped - "That proposal simply makes an
institution that is representative of the world in 1945 representative of
the world as it was in 1939. :)"  Keeping with that line of thought, Italy
consistently argues that if Germany gets a permanent UNSC seat, then it
should also.

Moreover, this would make the Council which is already fairly heavily
weighted towards Western Nations (in the eyes of developing countries),
even moreso weighted in that direction.

Thus, in my mind, Security Council reform is a moot point until the
European Union finally completes their drive towards a common foreign
security policy.This would result in combining the UNSC permanent sea
of France with Germany, Italy, and much of the rest of the EU - perhaps
even including the UK.   

Once this happens, it then becomes possible to envision expanding the UNSC
to 25 members or so, with 7-8 of them as permanent members (pending whether
the UK joins the EU seat.)India is basically a done deal to be in the
next wave of permanent SC seat additions, especially since Pakistan and
Indonesia are no longer viewed as wholly respectable nations - India would
be the choice by virtue of its population, economy, and status as a
developing country.  The only fly in the ointment is that India needs to
settle the Kashmir dispute first - but since I have already projected a
future in which the EU has a single foreign policy, anything is possible.

The next addition as a permanent members would be Egypt.   It has he
advantage of being simultaneous Arab, African, and Muslim - thus appeasing
three key UN consitutencies.   In addition, it has a large population,a
peace treaty with Israel, diplomatic prestige, and the West can even
pretend that it is a democracy.

Once Egypt and India are added as permanent members, one Latin American
country will no doubt get a permanent seat as well.   The only problem is,
nobody knows which one, although Argentina and Venezuela have helped narrow
the field through their respective troubles.   Basically, it would be
either Brazil or Mexico, and I personally give the nod to Mexico based on
its current performance of standing up to the United States in its current
non-permanent SC membership, and the simple fact that Brazil speaks
Portugese, and the rest of Latin America will never concede Brazil as their
permanent representative.

So, there you have it.   That *is* how UNSC reform will end up - only the
professionals haven't figured it out yet.

JDG


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People everywhere want to say what they think; choose who will govern
them; worship as they please; educate their children -- male and female;
 own property; and enjoy the benefits of their labor. These values of 
freedom are right and true for every person,  in every society -- and the 
duty of protecting these values against their enemies is the common 
calling of freedom-loving people across the globe and across the ages.
-US National Security Policy, 2002
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UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Jim Sharkey

John D. Giorgis posited:

>A UNSC made up of America, Russia, China, India, the EU, Mexico, 
>and Egypt as permanent members, and another 18 countries rotating 
>in and out.

This is a pretty interesting idea John.  It sounds fair and reasonably representative 
of the world at large.  Nice work.

Jim

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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Ritu Ko

John D. Giorgis wrote:

> Once this happens, it then becomes possible to envision 
> expanding the UNSC
> to 25 members or so, with 7-8 of them as permanent members 
> (pending whether
> the UK joins the EU seat.) 

How long a time frame are you envisioning here?

> India is basically a done deal 
> to be in the
> next wave of permanent SC seat additions, especially since 
> Pakistan and
> Indonesia are no longer viewed as wholly respectable nations 

I am not too convinced that India's inclusion is basically a done deal
[imo, that's placing just a bit too much reliance on India's diplomatic
strategy and practice] - and who knows how long before certain nations
start finding Pakistan respectable again, or at least important enough
to pretend that they think it's respectable enough.

> - India would
> be the choice by virtue of its population, economy, and status as a
> developing country.  

Let me add one more reason here, the one that is currently favoured by
our [mumble,mumble] government : the GAGC. 
Um, that would be the Great, Ancient and Glorious Civilisation.  ;)

> The only fly in the ointment is that 
> India needs to
> settle the Kashmir dispute first

Why 'needs' to?

> - but since I have already 
> projected a
> future in which the EU has a single foreign policy, anything 
> is possible.

I am still wondering about the time period you are thinking of -
hopefully it's long enough to afford some chances of the improbable
turning into possible. :)

Ritu
GCU Still Sleepy
GSV Is 9am Too Early To Call It A Day And Go Back To Bed?


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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-01 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
John D. Giorgis posited:

>> A UNSC made up of America, Russia, China, India, the EU, Mexico, 
>> and Egypt as permanent members, and another 18 countries rotating 
>> in and out.

De : Jim Sharkey [mailto:templar569@;excite.com]
> This is a pretty interesting idea John.  It sounds fair and 
> reasonably representative of the world at large.  Nice work.

Indeed it is, although I think that the Arabs' importance 
is a bit overdone.  I would rather see a permanent member be
from black Africa which is a sizable portion of the world
population.  South Africa is better respected on the 
continent and it is a democracy.

Jean-Louis
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-01 Thread Horn, John
> From: Jim Sharkey [mailto:templar569@;excite.com]
> 
> John D. Giorgis posited:
> 
> >A UNSC made up of America, Russia, China, India, the EU, Mexico, 
> >and Egypt as permanent members, and another 18 countries rotating 
> >in and out.
> 
> This is a pretty interesting idea John.  It sounds fair and 
> reasonably representative of the world at large.  Nice work.

Would all of these permanent members have a veto?  If not, which ones would?

  - jmh
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-01 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
> John D. Giorgis posited:
> 
> >A UNSC made up of America, Russia, China, India, the EU, Mexico, 
> >and Egypt as permanent members, and another 18 countries rotating 
> >in and out.

> De : Horn, John [mailto:JHorn@;healthlink.com]
> Would all of these permanent members have a veto?  If not, which ones
would?

And if they do, could we hope for a toned down veto where a veto could
not be used if all of the other permament members agree on a motion?

Jean-Louis
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-01 Thread Jim Sharkey

Horn, John wrote:
>>From: Jim Sharkey [mailto:templar569@;excite.com]
>>
>>John D. Giorgis posited:
>> 
>>>A UNSC made up of America, Russia, China, India, the EU, Mexico,
>>>and Egypt as permanent members, and another 18 countries rotating
>>>in and out.
>> 
>>This is a pretty interesting idea John.  It sounds fair and 
>>reasonably representative of the world at large.  Nice work.
> 
>Would all of these permanent members have a veto?  If not, which 
>ones would?
> 
Good question.  But as John said, none of the current permanent members are likely to 
give up their vetoes, at the very least.  I'm not sure if he intended to extend to the 
new members he suggests.  I think having *more* vetoes rather than less would make the 
UNSC more ineffectual, though.

Jim

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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-01 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 03:10 PM 11/1/2002 -0500 Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
>Indeed it is, although I think that the Arabs' importance 
>is a bit overdone.  I would rather see a permanent member be
>from black Africa which is a sizable portion of the world
>population.  South Africa is better respected on the 
>continent and it is a democracy.

South Africa could conceivably be considered for a permanent UNSC seat in
such a scenario, but the Arab bloc is huge at the UN.   Although they are
not formally an "official region", they Arab bloc has standing agreements
with the African and Asian blocs to ensure that there is always an Arab
nation on the UNSC.   It is virtually impossible to consider UNSC reform
without some sort of concession to begin formally representing the
Arab/Muslim world on the UNSC.

If Egypt is not given a permanent seat, then South Africa is indeed the
next-most logical candidate from Africa - although there is still quite a
bit of resentment for South Africa around the African bloc, in large part
due to its apartheid heritage, and also due to its comparitively large
size.   Such a scenario is possible, though, if Poland, the Czech Rep.,
Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and
Bulgaria (and maybe even the other former Yugoslav Republics) formally jump
ship from the "Eastern European bloc" to the "Western European and Other
bloc."This might cause the UN to scrap the EE bloc altogether and
create a new Arab bloc out of the African and Asian blocs.  Thus, the
addition of non-permanent seats that are formally reserved for Arab states
might still produce the necessary compromise.

JDG


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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-01 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 03:21 PM 11/1/2002 -0500 Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
>And if they do, could we hope for a toned down veto where a veto could
>not be used if all of the other permament members agree on a motion?

Not a chance.   The veto powers have veto power over all UNSC reforms (by
virtue of having veto power over amendments to the UN Charter) - and there
isn't even a single one of them that would agree to a watering-down of the
veto power.

JDG
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-01 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 02:07 PM 11/1/2002 -0600 Horn, John wrote:
>Would all of these permanent members have a veto?  If not, which ones would?

Virtually every country under consideration for a permanent UNSC seat in
the future has stated that they would decline the permanent seat if it did
not carry the same rights and privileges as every other permanent seat.  

In layman's terms: yes, they would all have a veto.

JDG
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread J. van Baardwijk
At 20:09 31-10-2002 -0500, John Giorgis wrote:


So, there you have it.   That *is* how UNSC reform will end up - only the
professionals haven't figured it out yet.


Given the absence of smileys, I take it that the above is to be taken 
seriously.

Well, in that case: sheesh, you really are arrogant!

None of the professionals have "figured it out yet"; the only one who sees 
it is a kid with an unrelated low-ranking and low-pay job in the Civil 
Service, who graduated so recently that the ink on his diploma is still wet.

Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds? Do you really believe 
that you are so intellectually superior to others that you can see things 
coming that trained professionals with years of relevant experience would miss?

Puh-lease!


Jeroen "Voting is so much easier with Iraqi democracy" van Baardwijk

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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Ritu Ko


J. van Baardwijk wrote:

> Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds? Do you 
> really believe 
> that you are so intellectually superior to others that you 
> can see things 
> coming that trained professionals with years of relevant 
> experience would miss?
> 
> Puh-lease!

Puh-lease!

A lot of us were speculating about what might be. 

Could you kindly read the mails in context of the thread and spare us
further demonstrations of the strong emotions JDG rouses in you?

I, for one, would really appreciate it. :)

And I would also really appreciate it if you could find a way to express
your objections without sounding quite so derogatory.

Ritu
GSV Easy To Please

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Julia Thompson
"J. van Baardwijk" wrote:
> 
> At 20:09 31-10-2002 -0500, John Giorgis wrote:
> 
> >So, there you have it.   That *is* how UNSC reform will end up - only the
> >professionals haven't figured it out yet.
> 
> Given the absence of smileys, I take it that the above is to be taken
> seriously.
> 
> Well, in that case: sheesh, you really are arrogant!
> 
> None of the professionals have "figured it out yet"; the only one who sees
> it is a kid with an unrelated low-ranking and low-pay job in the Civil
> Service, who graduated so recently that the ink on his diploma is still wet.

No, this is a "kid" who just got back from volunteering at a Model UN
conference, who has spent a lot of the past few years thinking about the
UN, and who probably understands about 10 times as much about it as any
of the rest of us here, yourself and myself included.  The analysis is
not arrived at in a vacuum, but in the context of discussion with an
awful lot of people who spend a fair amount of time thinking about and
discussing these things.

You're awfully dismissive of something someone's put a lot of time and
energy into.  Would you like it if someone dismissed all the work you'd
put into brin-l.com because you're not a professional web designer?  I
consider your dismissal above to be of the same caliber.

Julia
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 09:02 PM 11/2/2002 +0530 Ritu Ko wrote:
>J. van Baardwijk wrote:
>
>> Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds? Do you 
>> really believe 
>> that you are so intellectually superior to others that you 
>> can see things 
>> coming that trained professionals with years of relevant 
>> experience would miss?

Well, to back up my point, I did manage to correctly predict the outcome of
the NFL Realignment, several years before it actually happened.   Again in
that instance, I predicted the only possible outcome of negotiations - even
before the NFL Owners had actually managed to reach that agreement.

Thanks Ritu for pointing out that it was just a discussion.   

JDG
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Julia Thompson
"John D. Giorgis" wrote:
> 
> At 09:02 PM 11/2/2002 +0530 Ritu Ko wrote:
> >J. van Baardwijk wrote:
> >
> >> Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds? Do you
> >> really believe
> >> that you are so intellectually superior to others that you
> >> can see things
> >> coming that trained professionals with years of relevant
> >> experience would miss?
> 
> Well, to back up my point, I did manage to correctly predict the outcome of
> the NFL Realignment, several years before it actually happened.   Again in
> that instance, I predicted the only possible outcome of negotiations - even
> before the NFL Owners had actually managed to reach that agreement.

Did you successfully predict which AFC team went over to the NFC?  (Just
curious.)  Or was your prediction not as detailed as that?

Julia
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 01:20 PM 11/2/2002 -0600 Julia Thompson wrote:
>Did you successfully predict which AFC team went over to the NFC?  (Just
>curious.)  Or was your prediction not as detailed as that?

Yup, I made my prediction on the day that Houston was awarded the expansion
franchise.   The only error in my prediction was that I had Indianapolis
and Baltimore transposed.

JDG
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Julia Thompson
"John D. Giorgis" wrote:
> 
> At 01:20 PM 11/2/2002 -0600 Julia Thompson wrote:
> >Did you successfully predict which AFC team went over to the NFC?  (Just
> >curious.)  Or was your prediction not as detailed as that?
> 
> Yup, I made my prediction on the day that Houston was awarded the expansion
> franchise.   The only error in my prediction was that I had Indianapolis
> and Baltimore transposed.

Well, there are two ways you can go with the Indianapolis vs. Baltimore
thing:

1)  Once Cleveland got a new Browns team, the Ravens were a natural
rival.  So the thing to do is put Baltimore in the same division as the
Browns.

2)  Or you could go with geography; it makes a *lot* more sense under
those terms to put Indianapolis with the North, rather than the South,
and Baltimore with the South, rather than the North.

I think that in many ways, 2) makes a lot more sense.  I was practically
choking on Indianapolis being in a South division, myself, until I
analyzed the situation with who was in AFC North, and what rivalries
might want preserving.

But, given that you predicted everything *but* that as soon as the
announcement was made, I'm impressed.

Julia
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 10:32 AM 11/2/2002 -0600 Julia Thompson wrote:
>No, this is a "kid" who just got back from volunteering at a Model UN
>conference, who has spent a lot of the past few years thinking about the
>UN, and who probably understands about 10 times as much about it as any
>of the rest of us here, yourself and myself included.  The analysis is
>not arrived at in a vacuum, but in the context of discussion with an
>awful lot of people who spend a fair amount of time thinking about and
>discussing these things.

Thank you.  Just to clarify:
  -I have 12 college credits in "United Nations Studies", 
  -Have been an extremely active participant in the "Model United Nations"
programs of the United States for 11 years now, which runs simulations of
the UN to better learn how the UN actually works and functions
 -In particular, I have organized educational programs for hundreds of high
school students and college students about the United Nations, particularly
over the past six years. 
  -Am the author of the 30 page section entitled "Europe and the United
Nations" in the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA)
_Guide to Delegate Preparation_, published in August of 2002.

So thank you, Julia, for pointing out that I actually do know a bit about
what I am speaking thanks to the vast amount of reading, discussion, and
experience I have related to this topic.

JDG
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread J. van Baardwijk
At 10:32 02-11-2002 -0600, Julia Thompson wrote:


You're awfully dismissive of something someone's put a lot of time and
energy into.


I am not dismissing the work Giorgis put into studying the UN. What I am 
saying is that it sounds awfully arrogant when an amateur claims to have 
the One True Answer ("this *is* how " -- notice the emphasis on 
the word "is") and then add that the professionals "haven't figured it out 
yet".

He could easily have avoided coming across as arrogant, simply by stating 
that *in his opinion* "this is how the UNSC will end up", rather than 
making it look as if he knows better than all those professionals.


Would you like it if someone dismissed all the work you'd put into
brin-l.com because you're not a professional web designer?


There is one big difference here: Giorgis is not a professional, but 
implies that he is superior to the professionals. I am not a professional 
web designer, but you will never hear me imply that I am better at web 
design than the professionals.


Jeroen "Architectus Websiticum" van Baardwijk

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Ronn Blankenship
At 04:28 AM 11/2/02, J. van Baardwijk wrote:


Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds?



Do you have any idea how arrogant _your_ post sounds?



--Ronn! :)

I always knew that I would see the first man on the Moon.
I never dreamed that I would see the last.
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Ronn Blankenship
At 09:38 PM 10/31/02, Ritu Ko wrote:


GCU Still Sleepy
GSV Is 9am Too Early To Call It A Day And Go Back To Bed?



"Sunrise is Nature's way of telling you it's bedtime."



--Ronn! :)

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I never dreamed that I would see the last.
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Erik Reuter
On Sat, Nov 02, 2002 at 10:41:57PM -0600, Ronn Blankenship wrote:
> At 04:28 AM 11/2/02, J. van Baardwijk wrote:
> 
> >Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds?
> 
> 
> Do you have any idea how arrogant _your_ post sounds?
> 

Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to make a
really good chocolate chip cookie?


-- 
"Erik Reuter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>   http://www.erikreuter.net/
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread Medievalbk
In a message dated 11/2/2002 10:17:43 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

<< 
 >Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds?
 
 
 Do you have any idea how arrogant _your_ post sounds?
  >>

"Judy, Judy,---"

Thipht.

 "Jud---"

Swith..THUNK!

"Argh."

Do you have any idea how arrow Grant this post tries to sound?

William Taylor
---
"Ninty two"
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Jim Sharkey

Erik Reuter wrote:
>On Sat, Nov 02, 2002 at 10:41:57PM -0600, Ronn Blankenship wrote:
>>At 04:28 AM 11/2/02, J. van Baardwijk wrote:
>>>Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds?
>> 
>>Do you have any idea how arrogant _your_ post sounds?
>> 
>Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to 
>make a really good chocolate chip cookie?

No, but my wife does.  Every year on the day before Thanksgiving, she and her father 
spend the evening making about a jillion chocolate chip cookies for the holidays.  The 
best part is that I get to sit next to the cooling rack with a large glass of milk 
and, um, weed out the weak and unfit from the herd.  ;-)

Jim

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Jim Sharkey

William Taylor wrote:
> "Judy, Judy,---"
> 
> Thipht.
> 
>  "Jud---"
> 
> Swith..THUNK!
> 
> "Argh."
> 
> Do you have any idea how arrow Grant this post tries to sound?
> 
Sorry, William, but you tried *waay* too hard for this one.  Gonna have to 
ding you for it.  ;-)

Jim

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Julia Thompson
Erik Reuter wrote:
> 
> On Sat, Nov 02, 2002 at 10:41:57PM -0600, Ronn Blankenship wrote:
> > At 04:28 AM 11/2/02, J. van Baardwijk wrote:
> >
> > >Do you have any idea how arrogant your post sounds?
> >
> >
> > Do you have any idea how arrogant _your_ post sounds?
> >
> 
> Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to make a
> really good chocolate chip cookie?

I might have a good recipe.  I made a bunch of cookies for fellow
dorm-mates around final exam time one year, using the kitchen at my
fiance's apartment (this was about 6 weeks before the wedding) and I was
given a few recipes by someone whose grandparents had a bakery.  If I
still have that paper, I could give you a good recipe.

Tell me if I ought to look.

Julia
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
Erik Reuter wrote:
Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to
make a really good chocolate chip cookie?



Le Dimanche 3 novembre 2002, à 08:58 , Jim Sharkey a écrit :
No, but my wife does.  Every year on the day before Thanksgiving, she 
and her father spend the
evening making about a jillion chocolate chip cookies for the 
holidays.  The best part is that I get
to sit next to the cooling rack with a large glass of milk and, um, 
weed out the weak and unfit from
the herd.  ;-)

It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it.  Let me know if ever you 
can't handle it anymore and
need some help.

Jean-Louis, Cookie culler extraordinaire

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
Erik Reuter wrote:

Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to make a
really good chocolate chip cookie?



Le Dimanche 3 novembre 2002, à 11:39 , Julia Thompson a écrit :
I might have a good recipe.  I made a bunch of cookies for fellow
dorm-mates around final exam time one year, using the kitchen at my
fiance's apartment (this was about 6 weeks before the wedding) and I was
given a few recipes by someone whose grandparents had a bakery.  If I
still have that paper, I could give you a good recipe.

Tell me if I ought to look.


Hello?  You're telling us that you have a good chocolate chip cookie 
recipe
(damn, I still read that word as ree-SIPE) and you think we might not 
want to
know it?

If that's not worth a ding I don't know what is!  :-p

In other words, yes please, I would like to know your recipe.

Jean-Louis
Gourmand

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Julia Thompson
Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
> 
> > Erik Reuter wrote:
> >> Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to make a
> >> really good chocolate chip cookie?
> 
> > Le Dimanche 3 novembre 2002, à 11:39 , Julia Thompson a écrit :
> > I might have a good recipe.  I made a bunch of cookies for fellow
> > dorm-mates around final exam time one year, using the kitchen at my
> > fiance's apartment (this was about 6 weeks before the wedding) and I was
> > given a few recipes by someone whose grandparents had a bakery.  If I
> > still have that paper, I could give you a good recipe.
> >
> > Tell me if I ought to look.
> 
> Hello?  You're telling us that you have a good chocolate chip cookie
> recipe
> (damn, I still read that word as ree-SIPE) and you think we might not
> want to
> know it?

I *might* have it.  Tell me if it's worth my time *looking* for it.
 
> If that's not worth a ding I don't know what is!  :-p
> 
> In other words, yes please, I would like to know your recipe.

OK, then, I'll take the time to look for it later today.  Right now, I
need to shower, dress, and get Sammy dressed into something a little
more appropriate for watching the Cowboys game.

Julia

running on < 5 hours' sleep, BTW
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier

Le Dimanche 3 novembre 2002, à 12:00 , Julia Thompson a écrit :


Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:



Erik Reuter wrote:

Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to 
make a
really good chocolate chip cookie?


Le Dimanche 3 novembre 2002, à 11:39 , Julia Thompson a écrit :
I might have a good recipe.  I made a bunch of cookies for fellow
dorm-mates around final exam time one year, using the kitchen at my
fiance's apartment (this was about 6 weeks before the wedding) and I 
was
given a few recipes by someone whose grandparents had a bakery.  If I
still have that paper, I could give you a good recipe.

Tell me if I ought to look.

Hello?  You're telling us that you have a good chocolate chip cookie
recipe
(damn, I still read that word as ree-SIPE) and you think we might not
want to
know it?


I *might* have it.  Tell me if it's worth my time *looking* for it.


If that's not worth a ding I don't know what is!  :-p

In other words, yes please, I would like to know your recipe.


OK, then, I'll take the time to look for it later today.  Right now, I
need to shower, dress, and get Sammy dressed into something a little
more appropriate for watching the Cowboys game.

	Julia

running on < 5 hours' sleep, BTW


In that case, I guess it can wait until later this week.  I will be
looking forward to it as the increasingly cold weather is perfect
out-of-the-oven-cookie waether.

Jean-Louis
P(l)ushy Monster

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Erik Reuter
On Sun, Nov 03, 2002 at 10:39:18AM -0600, Julia Thompson wrote:
> given a few recipes by someone whose grandparents had a bakery.  If I
> still have that paper, I could give you a good recipe.
> 
> Tell me if I ought to look.

Yes! Never turn down a good chocolate chip cookie recipe!


-- 
"Erik Reuter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>   http://www.erikreuter.net/
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Ronn Blankenship
At 07:58 AM 11/3/02, Jim Sharkey wrote:


Erik Reuter wrote:
>>
>Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to
>make a really good chocolate chip cookie?

No, but my wife does.  Every year on the day before Thanksgiving, she and 
her father spend the evening making about a jillion chocolate chip cookies 
for the holidays.  The best part is that I get to sit next to the cooling 
rack with a large glass of milk and, um, weed out the weak and unfit from 
the herd.  ;-)


My mother always made a batch of bon-bon-type candy, with coconut inside 
and chocolate coating.

Arguably a better use of the dining room table than as a support for 
computer equipment.

Sigh . . .


--Ronn! :)

I always knew that I would see the first man on the Moon.
I never dreamed that I would see the last.
--Dr. Jerry Pournelle


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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Medievalbk
In a message dated 11/3/2002 7:07:50 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

<< Sorry, William, but you tried *waay* too hard for this one.  Gonna 
have to ding you for it.  ;-)
  >>
Well I did say "tries"

I'll go back to trying to win the Eatin' an Arrow contest.

William Taylor
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Horn, John
> From: John D. Giorgis [mailto:jxg9@;po.cwru.edu]
> 
> At 02:07 PM 11/1/2002 -0600 Horn, John wrote:
> >Would all of these permanent members have a veto?  If not, 
> which ones would?
> 
> Virtually every country under consideration for a permanent 
> UNSC seat in
> the future has stated that they would decline the permanent 
> seat if it did
> not carry the same rights and privileges as every other 
> permanent seat.  

As Jim said earlier, wouldn't that make it next to impossible to get
anything done on the UNSC?  I can't imagine almost any even remotely
controversial proposal not being vetoed by one of that group?

 - jmh
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Jim Sharkey

Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
>>Le Dimanche 3 novembre 2002, à 08:58 , Jim Sharkey a écrit :
>>No, but my wife does.  Every year on the day before Thanksgiving, 
>>she and her father spend the evening making about a jillion 
>>chocolate chip cookies for the holidays.  The best part is that I 
>>get to sit next to the cooling rack with a large glass of milk 
>>and, um, weed out the weak and unfit from the herd.  ;-)
> 
>It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it.  Let me know if ever 
>you can't handle it anymore and need some help.

hehehe, should I ever find myself sudenly diabetic or something, I'll drop you a line. 
 Are you willing to take a trans-Atlantic flight though?  :)

Jim

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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 03:47 PM 11/3/2002 -0600 Horn, John wrote:
>As Jim said earlier, wouldn't that make it next to impossible to get
>anything done on the UNSC?  I can't imagine almost any even remotely
>controversial proposal not being vetoed by one of that group?

There is a bit of game theory involved.   Obviously, if everyone had a veto
than everyone would lose, but nevertheless, individuals still want the veto
power.

JDG
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Dan Minette

- Original Message -
From: "J. van Baardwijk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, November 02, 2002 4:17 PM
Subject: Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record


> At 10:32 02-11-2002 -0600, Julia Thompson wrote:
>
> >You're awfully dismissive of something someone's put a lot of time and
> >energy into.
>
> I am not dismissing the work Giorgis put into studying the UN. What I am
> saying is that it sounds awfully arrogant when an amateur claims to have
> the One True Answer ("this *is* how " -- notice the emphasis on
> the word "is") and then add that the professionals "haven't figured it
out
> yet".
>
> He could easily have avoided coming across as arrogant, simply by stating
> that *in his opinion* "this is how the UNSC will end up", rather than
> making it look as if he knows better than all those professionals.

John is a lot subtler than you give him credit for.  I didn't quite
ROTFLMAO when he wrote "This is how it will turn out", but it is a pretty
good example of dry wit.  BTW, dry wit depends on the humor being subtle,
so a smiley is out of place with dry wit.

I think it is ironic that you fault John for making a joke at his own
expense.

Dan M.



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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-04 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
Jim wrote:
>>>Le Dimanche 3 novembre 2002, à 08:58 , Jim Sharkey a écrit :
>>>No, but my wife does.  Every year on the day before Thanksgiving, 
>>>she and her father spend the evening making about a jillion 
>>>chocolate chip cookies for the holidays.  The best part is that I 
>>>get to sit next to the cooling rack with a large glass of milk 
>>>and, um, weed out the weak and unfit from the herd.  ;-)

Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
>>It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it.  Let me know if ever 
>>you can't handle it anymore and need some help.

Jim wrote:
>hehehe, should I ever find myself sudenly diabetic or something, 
>I'll drop you a line.  
>Are you willing to take a trans-Atlantic flight though?  :)

Hmm, maybe not.  But then again, Thanksgiving is a North American 
holiday so I'm guessing you're from the States.  I'm in Montreal, so
I could probably drive.

Jean-Louis 
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RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-04 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
De : Horn, John [mailto:JHorn@;healthlink.com]
> As Jim said earlier, wouldn't that make it next to impossible to get
> anything done on the UNSC?  I can't imagine almost any even remotely
> controversial proposal not being vetoed by one of that group?

That's the way the UN is now.  Everyone wants the UN to work, as
long as it doesn't meddele in one's business.  When the UN was
created a lot of effort was put in finding ways to prevent the UN
to meddle in the major powers' business.  

Since the same state of mind prevails today, not only will we not
be able to get the UN to work properly, we will not be able to 
replace it with anything better.  Just look at how the US has 
reacted to the International Court.  Americans, like others that
don't make it in the papers as often (mostly because for the others
it just figures that they wouldn't go along), will not under any
circumstance let go an ounce of their sovereignty.

Jean-Louis
Canadians, on the other hand, have little sovereignty to begin
with, so they are usually at the forefront when it comes to
promoting supranational organisms. 
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-05 Thread J. van Baardwijk
At 18:57 03-11-2002 -0600, Dan Minette wrote:


> I am not dismissing the work Giorgis put into studying the UN. What I
> am saying is that it sounds awfully arrogant when an amateur claims to
> have the One True Answer ("this *is* how " -- notice the
> emphasis on the word "is") and then add that the professionals "haven't
> figured it out yet".
>
> He could easily have avoided coming across as arrogant, simply by
> stating that *in his opinion* "this is how the UNSC will end up",
> rather than making it look as if he knows better than all those
> professionals.

John is a lot subtler than you give him credit for.


Oh, I am familiar with the subtlety of Giorgis -- he is about as subtle as 
a sledgehammer.


I didn't quite ROTFLMAO when he wrote "This is how it will turn out",
but it is a pretty good example of dry wit.  BTW, dry wit depends on
the humor being subtle, so a smiley is out of place with dry wit.


Dry wit also relies heavily on body language and tone of voice. These 
things are difficult (if not impossible) to convey in e-mail, that is why 
emoticons were invented.

His post did not contain such an emoticon; now, other people I might have 
given the benefit of the doubt, but given Giorgis's history on this list, I 
had (and still do not have) any reason to see his post as anything other 
than yet another display of his usual arrogance.


Jeroen "The only good Giorgis is a silent Giorgis" van Baardwijk

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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-08 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 06:57 PM 11/3/2002 -0600 Dan Minette wrote:
>> What I am
>> saying is that it sounds awfully arrogant when an amateur claims to have
>> the One True Answer ("this *is* how " -- notice the emphasis on
>> the word "is") and then add that the professionals "haven't figured it out
>> yet".
>>
>> He could easily have avoided coming across as arrogant, simply by stating
>> that *in his opinion* "this is how the UNSC will end up", rather than
>> making it look as if he knows better than all those professionals.
>
>John is a lot subtler than you give him credit for.  I didn't quite
>ROTFLMAO when he wrote "This is how it will turn out", but it is a pretty
>good example of dry wit.  BTW, dry wit depends on the humor being subtle,
>so a smiley is out of place with dry wit.

The other problem with dry wit is that you can't exactly come out and
explain it to someone yourself once they don't get it.Oh well, I'm glad
that *somebody* got it at least... :)

JDG
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them; worship as they please; educate their children -- male and female;
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freedom are right and true for every person,  in every society -- and the 
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Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-08 Thread Ronn Blankenship
At 12:49 PM 11/8/02, John D. Giorgis wrote:

At 06:57 PM 11/3/2002 -0600 Dan Minette wrote:
>> What I am
>> saying is that it sounds awfully arrogant when an amateur claims to have
>> the One True Answer ("this *is* how " -- notice the emphasis on
>> the word "is") and then add that the professionals "haven't figured it out
>> yet".
>>
>> He could easily have avoided coming across as arrogant, simply by stating
>> that *in his opinion* "this is how the UNSC will end up", rather than
>> making it look as if he knows better than all those professionals.
>
>John is a lot subtler than you give him credit for.  I didn't quite
>ROTFLMAO when he wrote "This is how it will turn out", but it is a pretty
>good example of dry wit.  BTW, dry wit depends on the humor being subtle,
>so a smiley is out of place with dry wit.

The other problem with dry wit is that you can't exactly come out and
explain it to someone yourself once they don't get it.Oh well, I'm glad
that *somebody* got it at least... :)




As I tell my students or others when a joke fails to go over, some people 
are very lucky in that they get to laugh _three times_ at a joke:

The first time -- when they hear it,
The second time -- when it's explained to them,
The third time -- when they finally get it.


-- Ronn!  :~)

"Humor...it is a difficult concept."
--Lt. Saavik (Kirstie Alley) to Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) in _Star 
Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn_

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Aside Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Julia Thompson
Ritu Ko wrote:

> Ritu
> GCU Still Sleepy
> GSV Is 9am Too Early To Call It A Day And Go Back To Bed?

No, but 10AM is a perfectly acceptable hour to begin a nap.  :)

Julia

trying to gauge when to haul someone upstairs, plunk him into pajamas
and start the just-before-bed routine -- probably should have been 15
minutes ago
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Re: Aside Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Dan Minette

- Original Message - 
From: "Julia Thompson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 9:50 PM
Subject: Aside Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record


> Ritu Ko wrote:
> 
> > Ritu
> > GCU Still Sleepy
> > GSV Is 9am Too Early To Call It A Day And Go Back To Bed?
> 
> No, but 10AM is a perfectly acceptable hour to begin a nap.  :)
> 
> Julia
> 
> trying to gauge when to haul someone upstairs, plunk him into pajamas
> and start the just-before-bed routine -- probably should have been 15
> minutes ago

You still do that with Dan?  How sweet. :-)

Dan M. 

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RE: Aside Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-10-31 Thread Ritu Ko

Julia Thompson wrote:

> > Ritu
> > GCU Still Sleepy
> > GSV Is 9am Too Early To Call It A Day And Go Back To Bed?
> 
> No, but 10AM is a perfectly acceptable hour to begin a nap.  :)

Okay. I can survive these 35 minutes just by making sure all the
children, dogs and puppies are involved in a *long*, extremely
captivating project. A possibility, I'm sure. :)

Ritu, who favours idea of asking them to build a sand Taj in the
backyard - it ought to take a few hours at least.

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NFL Realignment Re: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record

2002-11-02 Thread John D. Giorgis
At 02:45 PM 11/2/2002 -0600 Julia Thompson wrote:
>Well, there are two ways you can go with the Indianapolis vs. Baltimore
>thing:
>
>1)  Once Cleveland got a new Browns team, the Ravens were a natural
>rival.  So the thing to do is put Baltimore in the same division as the
>Browns.
>
>2)  Or you could go with geography; it makes a *lot* more sense under
>those terms to put Indianapolis with the North, rather than the South,
>and Baltimore with the South, rather than the North.
>
>I think that in many ways, 2) makes a lot more sense.  I was practically
>choking on Indianapolis being in a South division, myself, until I
>analyzed the situation with who was in AFC North, and what rivalries
>might want preserving.

You actually missed it.   Despite Maryland's reputation as being something
of a "Southern State", it isn't particularly more "southerly" than
Baltimore.   In fact, Indianapolis is a better geogrpahic rival for
Nashville than Baltimore is.

The reason I projected Indianapolis to the North division, however, is that
Art Modell is one of the oldest and most-respected NFL Owners, and given
the pure vitriol flowing towards him in Cleveland, I figured that he would
want to ahve to return to Cleveland as little as possible.I definitely
did not anticipate the NFL to actually revel in the developing
Cleveland-Baltimore rivalry that the whole Browns-moving debacle produced.
I figured that they would actually want to bury the situation.   As it is,
Baltimore and Pittsburgh are natural I-70 rivals, Baltimore and Cleveland
are "realignment rivals", and the deal that permitted the Browns to move to
Baltimore requires that the NFL keep Cleveland in the same division as
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.   So, that's how it all happened.

>But, given that you predicted everything *but* that as soon as the
>announcement was made, I'm impressed.

Thanks. :)

JDG
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Cookies (was RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record)

2002-11-04 Thread Jim Sharkey

Jean-Louis Couturier wrote:
>Jim wrote:
>>hehehe, should I ever find myself sudenly diabetic or something, 
>>I'll drop you a line.  
>>Are you willing to take a trans-Atlantic flight though?  :)
> 
>Hmm, maybe not.  But then again, Thanksgiving is a North American 
>holiday so I'm guessing you're from the States.  I'm in Montreal, so
>I could probably drive.

Oops!  Got caught in the old ass-u-me on that one.  I figured a native French speaker 
had a good chance of being from France.  In that case, New Jersey is not all that far 
from you after all!

Jim

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RE: Cookies (was RE: UN Security Council Reform Re: Just for the record)

2002-11-04 Thread Jean-Louis Couturier
Jim Sharkey [mailto:templar569@;excite.com] wrote:
>>>hehehe, should I ever find myself sudenly diabetic or something, 
>>>I'll drop you a line.  

and later:

>In that case, 
>New Jersey is not all that far from you after all!

It isn't far, but I'll turn around and hassle my own mother in law
rather than hope for a diabetic Jim.

Jean-Louis
Madame Drapeau, avez-vous une bonne recette de biscuits aux brisures
de chocolat?
(translates to)Misses Drapeau, do you know a good chocolate chip
cookie recipe?
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Re: More silliness, was Re: UN Security Council Reform was Re: Just for the record

2002-11-03 Thread Ronn Blankenship
At 11:21 PM 11/2/02, Erik Reuter wrote:


Do you have any idea howudo you have any idea how to make a
really good chocolate chip cookie?




No, but I know where to go to buy them . . .


M . . . chocolate chip . . .



--Ronn! :)

I always knew that I would see the first man on the Moon.
I never dreamed that I would see the last.
--Dr. Jerry Pournelle


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