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 Gifts
for all occasions in the Galleria!September 3, 2006 Astonishing Surprises By Jan A. Larson Sometimes an event occurs that is so incredibly astonishing that leaves one speechless. At other times, the course of events is so predictable that only the densest among us is surprised. This week featured a number of such "astonishing surprises." The U. N. imposed deadline for Iran to stop enriching uranium came and went with no discernable change in behavior from the rogue state. I am shocked beyond belief. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, stated that Iran will not be "bullied" to give up its nuclear technology. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran had not given up its enrichment program and, after three years of investigating, cannot determine if Iran's nuclear program is peaceful in nature due to "lack of cooperation" from Tehran. Well, duh! Now the U. N. membership is left to wring its collective hands and wonder what new resolution it can come up with that will really mean something this time. I'm not holding my breath. Hurricane Ernesto swept across Florida and then headed north bringing along with it wind and rain. Not exactly a jaw-dropping event, but you would never know it from the televised coverage. Various news outlets found saps in raincoats to stand outside and tell us that it was windy and raining. Sadly for those in the media that (apparently) would have preferred another Katrina, for the newsworthiness if nothing else, Ernesto turned out to be one your run-of-the-mill hurricanes that people that live in the paths of hurricanes have come to expect. Those most surprised by this year's hurricane season must be those global-warming alarmists whose dire projections of Katrina-like hurricanes on a weekly basis haven't materialized. Robert Novak reported that long-time Democrat contributors have stopped giving money to the DNC as long as Howard Dean is chairman. Now that's a real shocker. CBS distributed a digitally altered promotional photograph of Katie Couric. On the heels of doctored photos being distributed during the Israeli - Hezbollah war, can anyone be surprised? Since the day the first digital photograph first appeared on a computer screen, the authenticity of photographs has been forever compromised. That CBS would use available technology to present their new evening "talking head" in a favorable light (or weight)? I'm simply flabbergasted. Critics are claiming that President Bush's recent speeches emphasizing the importance of staying the course in Iraq are political in nature. Well, gee whiz, do you think? While clear-headed Americans understand that bailing out of Iraq prematurely would be a recipe for disaster, the timing of the President's speaking tour a couple of months before the election is certainly not mere coincidence. Some of the most surprised people in the country right now must be all of those, including Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly, who have been lambasting the oil companies for "price gouging." With gasoline prices down anywhere from 30 to 40 cents per gallon from recent highs, just what could it have been that changed the oil companies from evil and greedy to righteous and benevolent? Certainly it couldn't be that supply and demand in the world oil market is at work here, could it? Incredible. -- Send feedback to the author. The "What is the Deal?" column will appears weekly on the Pie of Knowledge website. Guest submissions are welcome and encouraged. To submit an article to "What is the Deal?" click here. To subscribe to the "What is the Deal?" mailing list and receive early notification when a new column is available, click here. The Pie of Knowledge will never, ever divulge email addresses to any third party for any reason unless so ordered by a court of law. Contributions to the Pie of Knowledge are greatly appreciated. 
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