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Saturday, August 31, 2002
posted by gbarto at 12:35 PM:
Bjørn explains why the Muslims hate us:The answer that did come back, and did violate those taboos, was of course that they hate us because they're nuts. And also that they hate us because they love us, ('they' being, respectively, Islamic fascists and the common downtrodden Muslim).There's a lot more good stuff in the essay. Have a read.
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posted by gbarto at 12:29 PM:
Charles Johnson has info on the alleged hijacking plot in Europe that the Swedish government says is a non-story.He's impressed by the Earth Summit too.
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posted by gbarto at 12:25 PM:
'Pledge' Atheist Launches New FightAnd I thought I needed to get a life.
Maybe he needed a new avenue for attacking religion, however, since his pledge suit seemed less about Constitutional law than a custody dispute (Mom's a Christian and says her daughter is too; here's the SacBee story).
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posted by gbarto at 12:18 PM:
Israelis Fire on Car, Killing FiveTwo Palestinian children among dead; Hamas leader arrested
This is of course one in a series of tragedies and we hope and pray such things will be avoided in the future. That said, how's this for a summary?
These days the innocent are as much at risk for being near terrorists in Palestine as they are for being Jewish in Israel.
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posted by gbarto at 12:06 PM:
Officials Deny Hijack PlotContradictory reports emerge on plan to attack U.S. embassy, focused around man arrested for trying to bring gun onto plane
Wonder where this'll go. I like this tidbit:
On Saturday, the director of the national security police in Sweden denied reports that the suspect was planning to crash the aircraft into a U.S. embassy in Europe and that they were looking for four men connected to the plan.Where do such rumors get started? Well, in this case by a military official speaking on background. Which leaves us with a tough choice. Who do we believe? A faceless, nameless nobody whose credibility is in no way risked or a Scandinavian government minister? I'm leaning ever so slightly toward the first option.
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posted by gbarto at 2:22 AM:
This one and the one below for entertaining tales of chemistry projects gone bad at A Dog's Life.* * *
posted by gbarto at 2:19 AM:
WTO OKs Sanctions Against U.S.Rules Europe can impose $4 billion in penalties, the largest on record
Fair enough. The TurkeyBlog hopes this will encourage the president to drop the steel tariffs and push the steel lobbies to support him in getting the power to help sell their stuff overseas rather than shutting down competition here. I'd also like calorie-free pizza, but oh well.
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posted by gbarto at 2:14 AM:
French news round-up:Le Monde leads with "Earth Summit confronted with demonstrations." The demonstrators were opposed to the gap between rich and poor, a subject about which the UN loves endlessly to talk - except at moments where it may be highlighted that those voices of the poor are jetting in to stay at the nicest hotels in the best part of town while armies of security make sure the actual poor don't get too close.
Le Figaro fronts "Al Qaeda: New Concerns." The particular concern: while Al Qaeda's been dealt a mighty blow, ten days from the 9/11 anniversary, it still exists and it still has money which means that it continues to be a threat.
Libé says the French government is putting "School on a diet." That is, there's no money for new positions in secondary schools, 5000 school assistants (playground aides, etc) are being let go and more.
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Friday, August 30, 2002
posted by gbarto at 11:51 AM:
Be sure to fill out the Global Environmental Poll (I found the link in my Today's Papers e-mail) if you haven't already. We can't let only the activists vote.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:37 AM:
Keep Playing Ball'All streaks come to an end' as players, owners avert strike for the first time in nine rounds of baseball labor talks
Whew. The Republic survives after all.
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posted by gbarto at 3:54 AM:
Doctor Weevil with ideas to really help the homeless.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:48 AM:
Den Beste on the more offensive aspects of multiculturalism.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:27 AM:
Natalie Solent has some interesting thoughts on abortion. I think her final point is the most important one believers need to keep in mind. Have a look.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:24 AM:
The Hours Wind DownBaseball representatives struggle with luxury tax levels and revenue sharing issues as strike deadline looms
Oh no! How will the nation survive without baseball? How will anyone get to sleep Sunday afternoon?
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posted by gbarto at 3:21 AM:
French news round-up:Le Monde leads with "The Left in Fragments," in reference to the Left's inability to decide what to stand for in the wake of the presidential and legislative electoral debacles. Libé follows suit with "The headless left."
Le Figaro fronts the French President: "Chirac: the UN must resolve the Iraq problem." The President of the Republic condemns the idea of unilateral military action.
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Thursday, August 29, 2002
posted by gbarto at 11:40 AM:
Skakel Sentenced 20 Years to LifeKennedy cousin sentenced after crying, insisting he is innocent of 1975 murder of 15-year-old neighbor Martha Moxley; jury convicted him in June
Still not sure what I think of this. He was a minor at the time and would doubtless have been tried as a minor at the time. And certainly he did not continue in life as a seemingly murderous sort. That said, the punishment for murder isn't just about public safety; it's about social sanction for violations of others' rights, with the right to life at the top of the list (one need only look at the list of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to see why murder, hijacking, rape and kidnapping are the worst crimes).
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posted by gbarto at 1:21 AM:
French news round-up:Le Monde is leading with labor trouble for the government, which is in negotiations with everyone from workers to doctors over where the minimum wage, labor policies and the work week are headed. And after years of coddling from the Jospins of the world, they're not in the mood to see the tide turned.
Le Figaro hitting on the same themes with "The difficult return of Raffarin." After their vacation, the Council of Ministers are about to be back in session, and in addition to the labor problems mentioned above, there's the problem of balancing the budget, delivering the tax cut and avoiding a complete mess in attempting to do so.
Libé sticks closer to Le Monde's lead, noting the "double pressure" on the government with both the doctors and the labor unions in tense negotiations with the government.
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Wednesday, August 28, 2002
posted by gbarto at 12:32 PM:
The Dreaded Purple Master is now home though not yet writing.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:26 PM:
Tony Pierce with writer's block.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:19 PM:
The evil Saudis revealed. Welch has the latest, including praise for Dan Burton!* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:17 PM:
It's old, but the TurkeyBlog likes Doctor Weevil's suggestions for Simon campaign themes in the California governor's race.The TurkeyBlog has catalogued some of the sins and idiocies of the governor under the title "Shady Gray," the latest lead being that a high powered chemical company got permission to quintuple their release of dioxins into San Francisco Bay shortly after the environmental lobby's choice for governor cashed a big fat check from them.
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posted by gbarto at 11:54 AM:
Does Pataki have a convert?* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:45 AM:
Natalie continues on the compulsory purchase/eminent domain question. Have a read.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:37 AM:
And here we go again:Calif. Cops Searching for Boy
Police looking for two men in white GMC Yukon who allegedly broke into home, assaulted father and took 9-year-old Nicholas Michael Farber at gunpoint
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posted by gbarto at 1:46 AM:
Instapundit also unimpressed with the Earth Summit.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:41 AM:
French news round-up:Le Monde joins the NYT in the quest for the ultimate objectivity. Their lead? "Iraq: The American muddle." Apparently if you balance explanations of the need to use force with attempts to get ostensible allies on board, you're muddled. And we are. We should tell Europe and Saudi Arabia that we're pulling out our troops to use in Iraq and they can figure out what to do about it. Especially the Saudis.
Le Figaro leads with "Investigation into the 'Undocumented' scandal." We are first of all perplexed as to what to do with "sans papiers," inasmuch as it literally translates "without papers," terminology with perjorative connotations in American English. That said, the problem is that 600 people without papers have been holed up in a church since August 17 and now they've turned out to protest the French government's inability to figure out what to do with them - at a very big reception for the Interior Minister and other hotshots. Says Le Figaro, Sarkozy doesn't want a "remake," and no, that's not a translation.
And here's the Libé lead:
Les nouveaux temples marchands / The new merchant templesHallelujah!
L'ouverture du centre commercial Carré Sénart en région parisienne inaugure en France l'ère du «fun shopping». / The opening of the Sénart Square Mall in the Paris area inaugurates an era of "fun shopping" in France.
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posted by gbarto at 1:26 AM:
One little mistake...Airport Screening Supervisor Fired
Atlanta security official failed to detect loaded gun in woman's bag
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posted by gbarto at 1:20 AM:
West Nile in West MichiganDon't have a link but the TurkeyBlog's mother (we have sources everywhere!) writes to inform that a man was released from a Grand Rapids, MI hospital today, having been treated for West Nile symptoms. Apparently an outdoor worker; no other info is being released at this time.
Also, there's a reported case in Bay County (which is in the thumb) as well as earlier cases in Cass, Wayne and Oakland counties.
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Tuesday, August 27, 2002
posted by gbarto at 12:33 PM:
Here's Natalie Solent on libertarianism of various flavors.The TurkeyBlog reiterates his philosophy of pragmatic libertarianism: A pragmatic libertarianism recognizes that forces from within and without will seek to gain power over others if government of all forms is weak to non-existent. The trick is to turn government to its proper purpose, outlined in the American Declaration of Independence: Securing the rights of its people. This is tricky and potentially dangerous. Governments can draw those who seek power over others as readily as other institutions capable of exerting physical, fiscal or social force. However, if a government with strong but limited authority is formed with its authority lying in the people it governs, there is a fair to middling chance it will accidentally spend more time protecting people's rights than oppressing them while giving a framework for the protection of freedom which exceeds that offered by simple anarchy. For this reason, the pragmatic libertarian recognizes that the best way to protect liberty is not the abolition of government but government along a constitutional model such as that of the US or Great Britain.
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posted by gbarto at 12:22 PM:
The Dreaded Purple Master is doing better but still has a ways to go. The TurkeyBlog again encourages you to keep him in thoughts and prayers.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:19 PM:
The Mercury News is doing a series on what it's like to teach in today's environment. I'll give you Joanne Jacobs for the link since this is her beat.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:01 PM:
Bush Holds On to Clinton Pardon PapersBush is a fairly sharp guy. Probably has some papers of his own he wants to keep quiet - wouldn't any president? And frankly, if missing the chance to add a few more details to the sordid bio of the clown who preceded him is what it takes for Mr. Bush to assure that presidents can take actions that are necessary but may not seem grandiosely presidential, it's a small loss.
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posted by gbarto at 11:57 AM:
Congress Wants the Last WordLawmakers say president must seek their approval to attack Iraq
It sounds like they'd better vote then before it's too late. It does seem to me reasonable to say that the president ought get Senate approval. But it also seems reasonable to me to say that Tom Daschle should not a partisan ass who puts setting up roadblocks to presidential action and embarrassing the president before national security. Sometimes the shoulds just don't obtain.
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posted by gbarto at 11:53 AM:
The Gospel According to YodaThousands of Australians claim 'Jedi' as religion in official census
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posted by gbarto at 11:49 AM:
Back at the RanchBush welcomes Saudi Ambassador Bandar to Crawford; two expected to talk about Iraq, Israel, war on terror
-Saudis Ban Attack on Iraq From Their Soil
-Report Calls Saudi Friendship Into Question
Saudi what? Let's face it. It's time to send Bandar and friends packing with a little note that the "with us or against us" table doesn't have a third column for "indifferent to our cause but still our friend" and we hope they'll like the choice they've made.
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posted by gbarto at 1:58 AM:
Let's add to the chamber music in Greg's recommendations:Shostakovich's Piano Trio (with a violin and cello) and the 11th String Quartet (he also did a piece for piano and cello that's worth a listen)
Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1 (It seems to me he only did one piano quintet; if he did more than one the first is delightful)
Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time
For keyboard, I'd add Shostakovich's Preludes and Fugues and Debussy's Preludes. And where is Chopin?
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posted by gbarto at 1:45 AM:
Natalie's back on the anti-compulsory purchase soapbox, and right she is. If this stuff is so important, business and industry will come up with the money to satisfy those from whom they'd purchase land, not rely on the state to force the acceptance of a price more desirable to big business or big government.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:42 AM:
Yosemite Killer ConvictedCary Stayner found guilty of first-degree murder of three park tourists
Next comes the penalty phase. From the testimony I've seen in the Mercury News, it sounds like there's a pretty good case that he's nuts; whether that will be enough to avoid the death penalty is less clear.
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posted by gbarto at 1:34 AM:
French news round-up:Le Monde leads with "Iraq: The US set on war." This time the reference is to a speech by Cheney underlining that Saddam Hussein must be taken care of before, not after, Iraq gets nuclear weapons.
Le Monde's second lead takes us back to the Sustainable Development summit, where South African president "Thabo Mbeki denounces poverty." There were also to be denunciations of governmental incompetence deepening poverty, disease, etc., but too many attending nations would be implicated which means we'll probably just get a communiqué denouncing the US for not spending more money to take care of same. Le Figaro, by the way, runs the story third, with the title "Johannesburg, moroseness from the start."
Le Figaro leads with "Inflation and the Euro: Who's to be believed?" Effectively, one organization sees modest inflation, another rapid price growth in consumer staples. The implications for policy are important, and it comes down to the question, do Europeans feel a tightening of the wallet? The question does not seem to be addressed but if I were a Socialist hoping to regain power or a conservative hoping to keep it, this is the one I'd want answered.
Libé, meanwhile, leads with the misfortunes of Batasuna, the political arm of the terrorist Basque separatists in the ETA (kind of like Sinn Fein and the IRA). The group has been banned by the Spanish parliament.
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Monday, August 26, 2002
posted by gbarto at 5:11 PM:
What is the perfect diet? We don't know. But we're finding out that it's probably not what we always thought it was. Time has a nice article on the newest research. Read through to the end.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:12 AM:
Dean (see below) seems to be everywhere. The aforementioned Mr. Stærk also has a write-up in response to one of his postings.As to the question of why ideological diversity is allowed in the blogosphere, unless and until Ev, the MT people and InterNic start putting on official restrictions, anyone with an opinion has a megaphone at ready. And since one's web site need never mention anyone else, there's no way to shout someone down. The only thing one can offer is better commentary in order to try to attract a bigger following. However, says Dean, the bulk of the commentary is conservative. That's one term. I'd prefer to say that we've seen a surge in pragmatic libertarianism. The Epicureans understood that some pleasures denied cleared the way for greater pleasures. The pragmatic libertarian recognizes that the fundamental value ought be liberty and that sometimes the seeming encroachments upon liberty that come from allowing government can lead to greater liberty in the long run. So long as the government is held accountable for protecting liberty. This is the view I see in the blogosphere, where military victories are celebrated but Ashcroft comes in for questioning, where the capture of Johnny Taliban brings cheers but new airport security measures bring jeers. It is a world where government is trusted to protect liberty, and is roundly booed when it fails to do so. The conservative movement, suspicious of a government long run by a bureaucratic elite with liberal sympathies, is an important part of this chorus. But whether it is the dominant part depends on whether you think National Review is conservatively anti-government or pragmatically libertarian in thinking the government ought get out of the anti-drug business. The reader can decide where to go with the argument from here.
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posted by gbarto at 11:09 AM:
Remember, remember...Dean Esmay apparently saw the stanza posted at Bjørn's site and asked for permission to run it. You can see all three stanzas at his link. And visit Bjørn while you're at it.
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posted by gbarto at 1:07 AM:
French news round-up:Le Monde should sound familiar. The first two sentences of the summary are just about as quoted last night. But we're going to do it again because I want to show you the new picture. Here we go:
Summit of the Earth: The StakesNow here's the picture:
Is strong economic growth compatible with the global ecology and the needs of the world population of tomorrow? This question is at the center of the World Summit for Sustainable Development of the UN, which opens Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa. It joins together the delegates of more than 100 countries, NGOs and businesses. Centered on "sustainable development," a concept seeking to reconcile economics and ecology, the conference is to adopt a plan of action in 153 articles. Ten years after Rio, the means of growth in the countries of the South (read the "developing world") remains a vital issue.
Pretty festive, eh? As a capitalist running dog, this question might not have occurred to me, were I not feeling cynical, but I am, so let's ask: How many starving children or sufferers of AIDS (provided the backward President Mbeki acknowledged the disease's existence) in South Africa could have gotten help for what it cost to put on the opening ceremony and put these folks in fancy digs instead of having everyone get together at a Ramada Inn outside New York (since numerous mucky-mucks are there under the auspices of the UN anyway) ? The next time that we hear about the US being in arrears for its UN dues, have this picture ready. And ask yourself, did my tax dollars help pay for that pretty globe? How'd that help fight world hunger?
The Turkey Blog likes Le Figaro's lead better. Ready?
What purpose is served by the Earth Summit?The article wraps up with a note on the extreme security measures surrounding the summit, including the use of stun grenades to shut down a protest against the conference.
A ceremony filled with tom-toms and traditional dances served as the preamble, yesterday evening, to the biggest meeting ever organized by the UN, which opens this morning in Johannesburg, South Africa. Over the course of ten days, until September 4, the World conference on sustainable development will bring together tens of thousands of delegates and around one hundred heads of state and government. All the same, the American president will not be there, preferring to send his Secretary of State, Colin Powell.
This second Earth Summit - after Rio, in 1992 - will focus its work on the best means of making economic growth coincide with the needs of peoples and respect for environmental equilibrium in years to come. Such is at least the vast and ambitious definition proposed for "sustainable development." Concretely, the Johannesburg conference must surmount strong divergences of opinion in order to put together a plan of action...
Le Figaro also has an article which promises to tell us "Why George W. Bush won't be attending the conference." In reading the article, one wonders if it's the correct link, for in lieu of Mr. Bush's deliberations, one reads about the mess in the making the summit promises to be. In the third paragraph, it becomes clear: Mr. Bush doesn't wish to spend his time on a sure political loser. Once again, Mr. Powell will get sent to make sure the US doesn't promise to much or get caught in more unwanted commitments than necessary. And Mr. Bush will make sure his auspices aren't lent to the inauspicious summit.
Libé is elsewhere: They lead with "The Undocumented: the movement overwhelmed." At issue, hundreds of immigrants claiming to have gotten their papers in order have shown up for assistance with a movement trying to help them. And the folks running the operation are running out of resources and energy.
Libé's second lead is "The battle of the dikes at Dingting," concerning efforts to control the floods in central China.
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Sunday, August 25, 2002
posted by gbarto at 7:05 PM:
Gore Unleashed 'the Dogs of War'Katherine Harris book says aggression former veep's undoing
Yep. By fighting for the presidency when it was out of his hands, Gore gave the impression that the "I'd do whatever it takes to be President" quote was true and that he couldn't be trusted with stewardship of the republic. Too ambitious. The lean and hungry look, you might say. As a result, the harder Gore fought the more Bush seemed like the safer choice, so that Bush's people could fight for him with the public behind them while Gore's people were perpetually backtracking.
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posted by gbarto at 6:59 PM:
Armed Woman Boards PlaneAllegedly arrived in Philly aboard a flight from Atlanta with a handgun
But don't you worry. The guy behind her in line will never see his nail clippers again.
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posted by gbarto at 6:58 PM:
Oregon Girl's Remains ID'dFBI says body found Saturday is that of Miranda Gaddis; investigators find a second set of human remains on the grounds of Oregon man's home
It is sad to see the way this is unfolding, but as for the person under investigation: Does it make a difference who they're finding? I'd say when the cops start finding bodies in your home, you've got some questions to answer.
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posted by gbarto at 6:55 PM:
Oops. The TurkeyBlog's mother writes to note Cass is in southwestern Michigan, not southeastern Michigan. So the West Nile is still in the south part of the state, but a little more widespread.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:04 PM:
Police: Fla. Doctor Had FirepowerTAMPA, Fla. — A doctor suspected of hatching an elaborate plot to blow up dozens of mosques and an Islamic education center had enough expertise and firepower to carry it out, police said Saturday.
It's good to see this nutjob off the streets, as he could have made a real mess of things. And the fact of the matter is, the overwhelming majority of America's Muslim community had nothing to do with the blowing up of 3,000 people on American soil last September. Which is to say that people like the doctor are extremely misguided in thinking this is the way to deal with the 9/11 attacks. That said, it would be nice to see America's Muslim community going a little further toward telling off Farakhan and friends and avowing that the problem with 9/11 is not merely that it made life more tense for American Muslims but that it killed 3,000 innocent people. FNC offers us this:
The director of an Islamic society whose mosque was found on Goldstein's list said worshippers will increase their vigilance.True enough. But one of the ways they should be opening their eyes is to thank an America that, far from declaring open season on Muslims, put its police officers in the line of fire going through a booby-trapped home in order to protect them. That is, the US goes out of its way to disavow loonies like Goldstein and keep America focused respecting everyone's humanity. It would be nice if the Muslim community put the same emphasis on rooting out its "Goldsteins" -those who would murder in the name of their beliefs - instead of decrying their arrests as evidence on anti-Muslim tendencies. I don't think we'll see Americans protesting Goldstein's arrest.
"We have to open our eyes," said Mohammad Sultan, director of the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay.
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posted by gbarto at 12:44 PM:
Russia: It's About MoneyGov't defends itself against U.S. criticism of Iraq relationship
Of course it's about money. I don't think that was ever in doubt. The problem with Russia helping Iraq is not that it suggests an anti-American conspiracy. The problem is that it helps Iraq and Iraq is a country that the world sorely needs to see not helped.
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posted by gbarto at 12:28 AM:
French news round-up:Ordinarily, we're briefer, but today we're going to do the whole summary for Le Monde's lead as well as the headline:
The Stakes of the Earth SummitThat's right. They're suggesting that for the world's ecology, the recession in the US, Europe and Japan may have been just what was needed and may it continue so that the third - er, developing - world can grow without an increase in overall pollution. Of course, the developing world doesn't seem to have been developing much of late and up-and-coming nations like Argentina seem to be doing worse, not better. Which leads to the question, is a meddling UN with anticapitalist tendencies and a fondness for impoverished tyrannies compatible with a politically, socially and ultimately climatologically healthy planet?
Is strong economic growth compatible with the global ecology and the needs of the world's population for tomorrow? This question is at the center of the Earth Summit for Sustainable Development of the UN, which is to open Monday, August 26 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Le Figaro is down, Libé is unchanged. More French news tomorrow.
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posted by gbarto at 12:12 AM:
Ashcroft Appeals Privacy RulingDOJ fights court decision tossing out guidelines for FBI terror probes
Bottom line, Ashcroft and friends don't seem to have been playing straight with the courts. And considering that this involved secret courts, hence public outcry couldn't protect against abuses, shutting them out looks to be the only way. Too bad for Ashcroft, and maybe too bad for US security (though I doubt it) but you can't protect a system like ours by trashing it.
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