In the early 1970s, Scheer joined the Red Sun Rising commune which was devoted to "armed struggle" and the teachings of *Kim Il-Sung*. In the three decades that followed, he rose to influence at the L.A. Times (in part through his marriage to Narda Zacchino, one of the Times' top editors), became a friend of *Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda and Warren Beatty* […] Indeed in June 2000, Scheer crowed jubilantly about *Kim Jong Il*'s declaration that he would work toward the peaceful reunification of North and South Korea.What a set of friends!
Fertility rates across Europe are now so low that the continent's population is likely to drop markedly over the next 50 years. […] Combine a shrinking population with rising life expectancy, and the economic and political consequences are alarming. In Europe there are currently 35 people of pensionable age for every 100 people of working age. By 2050, on present demographic trends, there will be 75 pensioners for every 100 workers; in Spain and Italy the ratio of pensioners to workers is projected to be one-to-one. Since pensions in Germany, France and Italy are paid out of current tax revenue, the obvious implication is that taxes will have to soar to fund the pretty generous pensions that Europeans have got used to. The cost is already stretching government finances. Deutsche Bank calculates that average earners in Germany are already paying around 29% of their wages into the state pension pot, while the figure in Italy is close to 33%. […] the EU, the report gloomily concludes, faces a “slow but inexorable ‘exit from history' ”.
The FBI blew repeated chances to uncover the 9-11 plot because it failed to aggressively investigate evidence of Al Qaeda's presence in the United States, especially in the San Diego area, where two of the hijackers were living with one of the bureau's own informants, according to the congressional report set for release this week.