Thoughtful Americans pause today — Pearl Harbor Day — not just to remember a landmark in world history but also to consider its meaning for us, now and in the future.
It was on Dec. 7, 1941, that Japanese naval aviators mounted a surprise attack on U.S. forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was among the most successful, stunning military victories of all time.
Since then, with the words “never again” in many minds, Americans have used each Dec. 7 as a day of remembrance and as a reminder of the need for us to be prepared for similar assaults on our liberty.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was not the only time in our history that we as a nation have suffered from an unexpected assault. Sept. 11, 2001 still is fresh in many minds.
What stands out about the attack on Pearl Harbor is that, but for the fact that the U.S. aircraft carrier fleet happened to be out of port that day, the Japanese might have gained a far more decisive victory than they did.
Our unpreparedness very nearly cost us even more than the horrible toll paid by this nation in World War II.
We simply must not delude ourselves into believing that, without extreme vigilance, such an attack — or worse — cannot happen again. “Never again” needs to be part of our thinking now and in the future, not just a phrase from the history books.
- By The Intelligencer
Original Article
Friday, December 7, 2007
Dramatic shakeup! Murdoch's youngest son given Europe, Asia operations
By Michael VincentThirty-four-year-old James Murdoch has been given control of News Corp's European and Asian operations. (File photo)
In a move that is set to shake up News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch appears to have anointed his youngest son, James, as his successor.
As part of the changes after he bought The Wall Street Journal, Mr Murdoch is reported to have given the 34-year-old control of News Corp's European and Asian operations.
Rupert Murdoch runs the largest media operations in the world, but embarrassingly, it was The Guardian newspaper in the UK which broke the story of Mr Murdoch's succession plans.
His newly acquired Wall Street Journal and his other newspapers were reduced to quoting the report, "That James Murdoch will stand down from his current position at BSkyB, but take a step up the corporate ladder".
Crikey founder and shareholder activist Stephen Mayne says Mr Murdoch tends to keep business matters within the family.
"Rupert Murdoch has run News Corp for 55 years," Mr Mayne said.
"He's a dynastic guy who wants one of his family members to succeed him. His daughter, Elizabeth, and his other son, Lachlan, have both had stints with the company and then quit as executive.
"This leaves his youngest adult child, James Murdoch, as the only one in the race, and it looks like he is going to be given the prize which will ultimately be as CEO of News Corporation, if he can fulfil the brief in this expanded role."
Not enough experience?
Mr Mayne says taking over the European and Asian operations of News Corporation is a significant new role for James Murdoch.
"It basically makes him number three in the company, behind Rupert, and then the chief operating officer, Peter Chernin," he said.
"But it gives him a very wide brief. Basically, Rupert and Peter Chernin will run America, and James Murdoch is being given the rest to run.
"Because the Asian operations, obviously Star TV, the big satellite business, and coming down to Australia, and the European operations is Sky in the UK, where James will replace his father as the non-executive chairman.
"The very big newspaper operations in the UK, where the current boss is moving across to run the Wall Street Journal in New York, and James will also have responsibility for the booming Sky Italia, pay TV business, which has been on of the star performers at News Corp.
"So it's a very, very big, wide-ranging brief for a young 34-year-old man."
At the age of 76, Rupert Murdoch is constantly asked if he is going to retire soon.
"I don't know. Whenever they carry me out," was his reply last month when he visited Adelaide, so it appears he will be carrying on for some time, and that means grooming his son.
Mr Mayne says James Murdoch has passed his first two tests: as chief executive of Star TV and then running BSkyB. But Mr Mayne has been rallying News Corporation shareholders to oppose Murdoch junior from taking on the top job anytime soon.
"We'll all back Rupert Murdoch, but we don't back his children, because there's only one Rupert Murdoch," he said.
"It's impossible to attempt to create a lifetime of experiences that he has had, since he took over control of the company on October 1952, after the death of his father, Sir Keith.
"It is impossible for anyone to gather that experience, and for poor old James Murdoch, at the age of 34, the notion that he would be given control of this incredible, sprawling empire, whilst in his mid-30s, I think is ridiculous, but Rupert Murdoch is a dynastic kind of guy.
"He's obsessed his family's power, prestige and influence."
Original Article
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