Some Real News
Even though (like everyone else) Fox News is featuring the CIA leak as its top story, it's good to see they aren't completely neglecting real news. They've been brave enough to bring to light possible trouble in Al Sharpton's presidential campaign. It's not all bad news, though - there's a birthday party fundraiser planned for the Rev. to be hosted by Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, and Puffy. With mad cash like that in the hizzouse, it should be no problem to double the $162,000 he raised through the end of June.
Respond
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Brit Terror: The Mars Bars Attack
The U.S. “obesity epidemic,” about which so many words have been written in the last few years is, amazingly enough, not confined to the United States. It turns out lots of people are getting fatter in the UK as well. The storied “special relationship” between the U.S. and the UK goes beyond transatlantic military cooperation and has now expanded to a shared interest in oversize packets of crisps. Instead of choosing to be fat and jolly together, however, Maxine Frith of the Independent is suggesting that supersize Britons sue their local saturated fat dealers for “aggressive marketing of extra-large food portions.” Marketing of unhealthy foods should assumably be unobtrusive and ineffective, confined perhaps to public restroom stall doors and billboards facing away from roadways.
Thanks to Andrew Stuttaford at The Corner for the link.
Respond
The U.S. “obesity epidemic,” about which so many words have been written in the last few years is, amazingly enough, not confined to the United States. It turns out lots of people are getting fatter in the UK as well. The storied “special relationship” between the U.S. and the UK goes beyond transatlantic military cooperation and has now expanded to a shared interest in oversize packets of crisps. Instead of choosing to be fat and jolly together, however, Maxine Frith of the Independent is suggesting that supersize Britons sue their local saturated fat dealers for “aggressive marketing of extra-large food portions.” Marketing of unhealthy foods should assumably be unobtrusive and ineffective, confined perhaps to public restroom stall doors and billboards facing away from roadways.
Thanks to Andrew Stuttaford at The Corner for the link.
Respond
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Chief Taking Cash
See John Fund's Political Diary from Monday for how Cruz Bustamante has become a wholly-owned political subsidiary of the California state Indian casinos:
A growing number of complaints about Indian casinos prompted Gov. Davis to hold each tribe to a maximum of 2,000 slot machines. He also slowed down the applications of 35 tribes who want new gambling licenses. By backing Mr. Bustamante, the San Jose Mercury News reports, "Indian tribes have anted up for a man who has pledged to loosen the reins that Governor Gray Davis has held since he signed gambling compacts with 61 tribes." Contributions to Mr. Bustamante are "a cheap bet" for the tribes, observes Nelson Rose, a Whittier College law professor who tracks gambling issues. "In return they get a monopoly on a casino industry that this year alone is going to make $4 billion or $5 billion." Indian gambling interests already represent the biggest political contributor in California, having plowed $122 million into state political races in the past five years. If their clout leads to a further expansion of their profits under a Bustamante governorship, they could become a force that no one in California would want to--or could--challenge.
Respond
See John Fund's Political Diary from Monday for how Cruz Bustamante has become a wholly-owned political subsidiary of the California state Indian casinos:
A growing number of complaints about Indian casinos prompted Gov. Davis to hold each tribe to a maximum of 2,000 slot machines. He also slowed down the applications of 35 tribes who want new gambling licenses. By backing Mr. Bustamante, the San Jose Mercury News reports, "Indian tribes have anted up for a man who has pledged to loosen the reins that Governor Gray Davis has held since he signed gambling compacts with 61 tribes." Contributions to Mr. Bustamante are "a cheap bet" for the tribes, observes Nelson Rose, a Whittier College law professor who tracks gambling issues. "In return they get a monopoly on a casino industry that this year alone is going to make $4 billion or $5 billion." Indian gambling interests already represent the biggest political contributor in California, having plowed $122 million into state political races in the past five years. If their clout leads to a further expansion of their profits under a Bustamante governorship, they could become a force that no one in California would want to--or could--challenge.
Respond
Thursday, September 04, 2003
The Fake Hispanic
The Democrats' stonewall campaign against Miguel Estrada, a display of Senate politics so rank and brazen it made Robert Bork's confirmation hearings look like an award ceremony, has finally paid off. Estrada has withdrawn himself from consideration for the slot on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for which he was ogirinally nominated two years ago. The minority party decided to make Estrada's nomination a heels-dug fight to the death, meaning that his qualifications never seriously came into consideration. Despite being a former Clinton administration Justice Department official and a Hispanic, the usual gang of Democratic Senators gave him no deference at all. The Congessional Hispanic Caucus (most members of which are Representatives and thus have no role in judicial confirmations) went to far as to publicly oppose his nomination despite the claim that their Hispanic Judiciary Initiative "promotes and encourages Hispanic representation at all levels and in every branch of government." Except when nominated by a Republican president, that is. The thumbs-down from the CHC is especially galling when one realizes that people born in Texas, like the current and immediate past chairmen of the Caucus are essentially saying that Estrada, who was born in Honduras, isn't Hispanic enough for them.
Respond
The Democrats' stonewall campaign against Miguel Estrada, a display of Senate politics so rank and brazen it made Robert Bork's confirmation hearings look like an award ceremony, has finally paid off. Estrada has withdrawn himself from consideration for the slot on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for which he was ogirinally nominated two years ago. The minority party decided to make Estrada's nomination a heels-dug fight to the death, meaning that his qualifications never seriously came into consideration. Despite being a former Clinton administration Justice Department official and a Hispanic, the usual gang of Democratic Senators gave him no deference at all. The Congessional Hispanic Caucus (most members of which are Representatives and thus have no role in judicial confirmations) went to far as to publicly oppose his nomination despite the claim that their Hispanic Judiciary Initiative "promotes and encourages Hispanic representation at all levels and in every branch of government." Except when nominated by a Republican president, that is. The thumbs-down from the CHC is especially galling when one realizes that people born in Texas, like the current and immediate past chairmen of the Caucus are essentially saying that Estrada, who was born in Honduras, isn't Hispanic enough for them.
Respond
Monday, September 01, 2003
Twilight of the Drug War?
Jacob Sullum has good news from the front – more former drug warriors are re-assessing their support of prohibition. This includes people like Dr. Forrest Tennant, who at one time claimed that the Reagan administration wasn’t hard core enough.
Respond
Jacob Sullum has good news from the front – more former drug warriors are re-assessing their support of prohibition. This includes people like Dr. Forrest Tennant, who at one time claimed that the Reagan administration wasn’t hard core enough.
Respond
Friday, August 29, 2003
Taking Our Minds off of the Obesity Epidemic
The World Trade Organization is finally acting on the complaint by the U.S., Canada, and Argentina against the EU for unfairly banning the importation of foods that have been improved with agricultural biotechnology. Not only is it unfair to perpertuate a protectionist regime based on unscientific scare tatics about GM foods, as the Europeans have been doing, the global, down-stream effects are even worse. You may remember the spectacle of the government of Zambia refusing U.S. food aid on behalf of its starving citizens during a severe drought because they thought it might be "contaminated" with GM crop varieties? It wasn't just anti-GM enviornmentalist pressure that caused them to be suspicious, but the EU's agricultural trade restrictions. The government worried that if Zambian famers kept any of the (possibly) GM corn to plant the next Spring, their future crops could be excluded from exports markets in Europe, or anywhere else that shares the EU's excessive precaution. Thus we have a situation where European agricultural officials are starving sub-Saharan Africans with their protectionist trade barriers. The only reason millions more haven't starved to death throughout the Third World over the past few decades is because of exactly the kind of new technology Europe seems to unaccountably afraid of. If the drought-stricken Zambian famers of tomorrow want to be able to keep feeding their children, we're going to need even more men like this.
Respond
The World Trade Organization is finally acting on the complaint by the U.S., Canada, and Argentina against the EU for unfairly banning the importation of foods that have been improved with agricultural biotechnology. Not only is it unfair to perpertuate a protectionist regime based on unscientific scare tatics about GM foods, as the Europeans have been doing, the global, down-stream effects are even worse. You may remember the spectacle of the government of Zambia refusing U.S. food aid on behalf of its starving citizens during a severe drought because they thought it might be "contaminated" with GM crop varieties? It wasn't just anti-GM enviornmentalist pressure that caused them to be suspicious, but the EU's agricultural trade restrictions. The government worried that if Zambian famers kept any of the (possibly) GM corn to plant the next Spring, their future crops could be excluded from exports markets in Europe, or anywhere else that shares the EU's excessive precaution. Thus we have a situation where European agricultural officials are starving sub-Saharan Africans with their protectionist trade barriers. The only reason millions more haven't starved to death throughout the Third World over the past few decades is because of exactly the kind of new technology Europe seems to unaccountably afraid of. If the drought-stricken Zambian famers of tomorrow want to be able to keep feeding their children, we're going to need even more men like this.
Respond
Mark Steyn on the humanitarian culture of New Europe and the heat-related death toll in France:
"In Paris this spring, a government official explained to me how Europeans had created a more civilised society than America - socialised healthcare, shorter work weeks, more holidays. We've just seen where that leads: gran'ma turned away from the hospital to die in an airless apartment because junior's sur la plage. M Chirac's somewhat tetchy suggestion that his people should rethink their attitude to the elderly was well taken. But Big Government inevitably diminishes its citizens' capacity to take responsibility, to the point where even your dead mum is just one more inconvenience the state should do something about."
Respond
"In Paris this spring, a government official explained to me how Europeans had created a more civilised society than America - socialised healthcare, shorter work weeks, more holidays. We've just seen where that leads: gran'ma turned away from the hospital to die in an airless apartment because junior's sur la plage. M Chirac's somewhat tetchy suggestion that his people should rethink their attitude to the elderly was well taken. But Big Government inevitably diminishes its citizens' capacity to take responsibility, to the point where even your dead mum is just one more inconvenience the state should do something about."
Respond
Sunday, August 24, 2003
Kagame vs. Twagiramungu vs. Nayinzira
That troubled land of Rwanda is, finally, after nine years of genocide and unrest, preparing itself for a national election. The incumbent President, Paul Kagame, is heavily favored to win, as many African presidents are at election time. Former Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu is the main opposition, trailed by mysterious opponent Jean Nepomuscene Nayinzira. One wonders what good will come of this election, given that the last struggle for power left 750,000 men, women, and children in the country dead. Or without their extremities. Hacked off by machetes, for the most part, in case you had forgotten. The orphans are still waiting. We in the West can hope for the best. Given recent history, Rwandans would do better to chart the nearest road to the border. Best of luck, Mr. Kagame.
Respond
That troubled land of Rwanda is, finally, after nine years of genocide and unrest, preparing itself for a national election. The incumbent President, Paul Kagame, is heavily favored to win, as many African presidents are at election time. Former Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu is the main opposition, trailed by mysterious opponent Jean Nepomuscene Nayinzira. One wonders what good will come of this election, given that the last struggle for power left 750,000 men, women, and children in the country dead. Or without their extremities. Hacked off by machetes, for the most part, in case you had forgotten. The orphans are still waiting. We in the West can hope for the best. Given recent history, Rwandans would do better to chart the nearest road to the border. Best of luck, Mr. Kagame.
Respond
Saturday, August 16, 2003
The Return of the Sniper Killings
Residents of Charleston, West Virginia are getting jittery these days, after a string of three (and possibly four) sniper-style killings. The killings obviously echo the ten deaths which John Lee Malvo and John Allen Muhammed are currently charged with causing last year slightly farther east in the DC metro area. The only lesson available to West Virginia residents so far seems to be to avoid the Go-Mart chain of convenience stores, where two of the three confirmed killings have taken place. The police do have a lead however – they’re looking for a heavyset white man driving a pickup truck. With a rifle. In West Virginia. On second though, it might be easier to assemble the people who don’t answer that description.
Respond
Residents of Charleston, West Virginia are getting jittery these days, after a string of three (and possibly four) sniper-style killings. The killings obviously echo the ten deaths which John Lee Malvo and John Allen Muhammed are currently charged with causing last year slightly farther east in the DC metro area. The only lesson available to West Virginia residents so far seems to be to avoid the Go-Mart chain of convenience stores, where two of the three confirmed killings have taken place. The police do have a lead however – they’re looking for a heavyset white man driving a pickup truck. With a rifle. In West Virginia. On second though, it might be easier to assemble the people who don’t answer that description.
Respond
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
You Come a Long Way, Benazir
A Swiss judge has scored a blow against gender stereotypes by finding former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto guilty of money laundering. Her husband, Asif Zardari, was found guilty as well, but who ever heard of him (other than the family of the man he's been accused of mudering)? Just when you thought it was only testosterone poisoned A-type masculine personalities of the world who craved political power for personal gain, along comes Madame Bhutto to teach us a lesson. Not for her the traditional female role of profligate wife to the stern dictator - she got in there with kickbacks from international corporations like the best of them. Not since Jiang Qing lef the Gang of Four has there been such a refreshingly counterintuitive example of female political leadership.
Respond
A Swiss judge has scored a blow against gender stereotypes by finding former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto guilty of money laundering. Her husband, Asif Zardari, was found guilty as well, but who ever heard of him (other than the family of the man he's been accused of mudering)? Just when you thought it was only testosterone poisoned A-type masculine personalities of the world who craved political power for personal gain, along comes Madame Bhutto to teach us a lesson. Not for her the traditional female role of profligate wife to the stern dictator - she got in there with kickbacks from international corporations like the best of them. Not since Jiang Qing lef the Gang of Four has there been such a refreshingly counterintuitive example of female political leadership.
Respond