I agree that this was necessary. However there is another perspective...

In financial reporting, the media is part of the story and can't be objective.

e.g.
If the media report on a fire - it doesnt change the fire.
But in Finances - if they report on even the 'potential' for a fire - the fire will start and rage out of control just because of the reporting. They create self fulfilling prophecy as the speculators react to their reporting.

This was a lose-lose situation:

If they report "Bear Stearns is tanking! the CEO is lying to me!" Then everyone pulls their money out and the value plummets. The slowest 50% of investors still lose their life savings.

If they report "Bear Stearns has dropped but it could recover" - maybe people invest thinking they'll make a profit and the stock stabilizes."

Regardless how this was reported - people were going to lose money. if the stock plummets because the company is hollow, or it plummets because investors panic from news reports - The result is the same.

The only real lesson from this is that the media should have a code of conduct to abstain from comment or 'advise' when their opinion could have an impact. Just admit - "We don't know".

Another perspective: http://www.videosift.com/video/Meteor-lights-up-the-west-Canadian-sky

I've been through Spokane several times and had noticed that railroad overhead. Neat to see it from another perspective.

Me upvoting it is done because I hoping someone looks it from another perspective, and 2nd of all because I actually want some progressive solutions, even though i might disagree with then vehemently. At least something is being done.

Let me articulate myself better then, I worked in the NGO field on programs to do with addressing poverty and lack of education in the developing world. In my experience I have learned a few things:

1) You help people from their stand point not your own, while the one laptop per child seems like a great idea from our stand point in the west, its not exactly what these kids need. The most essential thing they need is electrical power, they need something that will give them the ability to be able to study at night. They need food, books, and clothes.

2) The greatest asset to give them is simple solutions, that can be administrated and if need be repair by themselves. Can they repair a laptop? Can they repair a foot driven water pump?

3) Laptops need electricity and internet access to be really effective.

4) Lets teach Linux to people who will probably be using Windows 3.1 or 95.

I could go on but am tired. I have gone over this issue with others. I just believe there are better solutions and paths to take then giving a laptop. God just take all your books and send it there, books are so scarce in Africa. Most of all $100 dollars might not seem much to us, but $1 is usually what people survive on per day.

I'll have to cede to you on some of your points. I'm not quite passionate enough about the subject to spend the time and research needed to fully understand every detail of the history of the region. I'll have to dive into it a bit before I try and continue with this debate. And I'll admit I'm a bit biased. When I saw Palestinians cheering and parading in the streets on 9/11, let's just say it didn't win them any points. And that while America was at least making an attempt to get them "country" status back.

I've heard little of any offensive incursions other than those meaning to capture terrorists. I'll have to blame the media if I'm under-informed on that. and I don't trust most middle eastern news outlets to give honest news, so that's no help. Honestly I'm surprised that Israel has held back, seeing as how they have a massive military advantage and Palestine still holds complete control of Judaism's single most holy site on earth.

On Jews in Iran, well, first here's another perspective you can read, it's short:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/iranjews.html

And I mentioned getting jobs, because that is absolutely an extreme problem in the middle east and many other developing nations. When people, especially youth (and those countries are mostly youth), have nothing to do, they wind up getting into trouble. It's an oversimplification, but you get the idea. I don't wanna waste my time describing the stats for it.

As for Palestine's response to their treatment, bombings of civilians is never justifiable. Find another way.