Random Observations about...
April 2003

Sudan: France's Latest Human-Rights Example

How can we Americans learn to shed our simplesse and adopt a more vigorous, moral international role? Today we look to France for much-needed guidance in this area! (I've never been more proud to be an American. Or at least not someone who voted for Chirac.)

"A Matter of Emphasis"

Did Bush know there was no WMD all along? Apparently, some argue he did, citing a report from ABC News. But just how reliable is the source?

A Ready-Made Theocracy for Bush

Remember the debate about JFK's Catholicism: you know, will he listen the Church and thus give the Pope executive influence over the U.S.? As far as we know, the Pope never took the bait. But guess who has?

Kids who play by themselves learn to think for themselves

From Canada's National Post: Parents anxiously arranging play dates for their children and schools intent on building social skills might...

It's My Metabolism...

Diet advice from the WSJ via Jane Galt: Doctors have long been fascinated by people who claim to eat very...

The Show About Nothing

Seinfeld proved conclusively that you could write a successful show about absolutely nothing. The series thesis statement could be: Jerry and friends hang around together while and failing to learn anything of signficance.

James Lileks and Stupid Old Laws: Privacy and Sexuality

Quoth Rick Santorum: If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual (gay) sex within your home,...

Arab News on Journalistic Bias

Of course, we're not the only ones who think our reporters are biased. Arabs do too -- but in a completely different way. Tim takes a bit of time to "deconstruct" an Arab News op-ed regarding Western journalistic bias. Pot and kettle time, boys and girls.

All the News Which Wasn't Fit to Print (or Broadcast)

From CNN: For example, in the mid-1990's one of our Iraqi cameramen was abducted. For weeks he was beaten and...

Securing a Hotel

The American soldiers entered the hotel to search for Ba'athist soldiers. As they entered the lobby, we could see the...

More "Arab Street" Unreality

FoxNews interviews an Abu Dhabi reporter who says: (a) he was completely surprised that the crowds were cheering, and (b)...

The UN's Solution to Racism

Are you concerned about what happens with the University of Michigan case? Just wait until you see what the United Nations has in store for us!

Underground Iraqi Nuclear Complex

WorldNewDaily reports: "I've never seen anything like it, ever," said Marine Capt. John Seegar. "How did the world miss all...

Liberating Iraq

It's early in the morning, and I'm seeing Iraqis jumping up and down in the street. The expressions on their...

The Newest Threat: Global Cooling?

Harry points to this article which indicate the Middle Ages may have been warmer than tody. "According to the researchers,...

Affirmative Action Before the Supreme Court

Is affirmative action constitutional? Is the goal of a specific racial diversity at U Michigan a 'compelling reason' to set aside constitutional protections against racial discrimination? (Notes and observations on the debate as broadcast on C-SPAN.)

The Overtreated American

The Atlantic asks: Do Americans receive too much medical care? "Recent studies are beginning to show that excess spending in...

Bodyguard: I Know Where the WMD Is

DebkaFILE: One of Saddam's former bodyguards describes where Saddam's WMD is allegedly located, and gives a prediction (months ago) of...

The Mosque Incident

I keep hearing what appears to be inaccurate spin on the mosque story, and just wanted to throw in my two cents for any readers who are hearing the redacted version...

Generals and Journalists

A thought: It's been said that generals always fight the last war. From what I'm seen, journalists cover a war...

CNN: Human Shield Thomas Cahill

"I just tuned into CNN for several minutes. Why do I keep doing this?" CNN interviews one of the human shields who stayed, and we learn an important lesson... about human shields who don't mix with the locals very much.

NY Times: Please Trash Bush

NewsMax reports: Former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger revealed late Wednesday that the New York Times recently asked him to...

Why Did Chirac Say 'No'?

Jane Galt asks what Chirac's motivations were for threatening to unconditionally veto any use of force against Iraq by the U.N. Why indeed?

The U.N., France, and Oil For Food

The U.N. seems to be typical big government: inefficient, sluggish, unaccacountable, and often immoral. The "Oil for Food" program being revived exemplifies this...

'Embedding' Alters Reporters?

Glenn Reynolds thinks embedding has been 'a disaster' for the media since it will cause reporters to bond with the...

The French in Rwanda

Is the French government truly opposed to what's going on in Iraq because, as they maintain, they are committed pacifists, or is it rather because Paris is adopts a military approach when it's convenient French economic or political interests, and flaunts a cynical pacifist or humanitarian veneer otherwise? A look back at French involvement in the Rwandan massacre five years ago sheds some light on this question.

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