Mar 8, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From the AP:
Hundreds of thousands jammed a central Beirut square Tuesday....[T]wo huge banners read, in English: "Thank you Syria" and "No to foreign interference." The latter was a reference to U.S. and U.N. pressure on Syria--but not to the Syrian military, which the protesters made clear they were happy to have stay. "We're here for the independence of Lebanon but not for Syria to leave," said 16-year-old Esraa Awarki, who traveled to Beirut by bus with schoolmates from Sharkiya, in southern Lebanon...."We are demonstrating here against foreign intervention in our internal affairs, and we're supporting Hezbollah," said Maha Choukair, a 21-year-old Lebanese University student. "Here we are saying thank you to Syria, not asking them to leave."
Mar 6, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
CNN reports: Ex-hostage disputes U.S. account of shooting.An Italian journalist shot by U.S. forces in Iraq shortly after being freed from her captors disputes a U.S. account of the incident in which she was wounded and a security agent protecting her was killed.
In an article published Sunday in her newspaper, Il Manifesto, Giuliana Sgrena wrote, "Our car was driving slowly," and "the Americans fired without motive." She described a "rain of fire and bullets" in the incident.
The U.S. military said Sgrena's car rapidly approached a checkpoint Friday night, and those inside ignored repeated warnings to stop. Troops used arm signals and flashing white lights, fired warning shots in front of the car, and shot into the engine block when the driver did not stop, the military said in a statement. ...
Saturday, the left-leaning Il Manifesto accused U.S. forces of "assassinating" Calipari.
Sgrena's partner, Pierre Scolari, also blamed the shooting on the U.S. government, suggesting the incident was intentional.
"I hope the Italian government does something because either this was an ambush, as I think, or we are dealing with imbeciles or terrorized kids who shoot at anyone," he said, according to Reuters. [Emphasis added]
Updates: Dave Dilegge at Small Wars Journal (see "7 March 2005") has commentary and a compilation of articles illustrating how this incident is being exploited by that "anti-war" left to smear America. Little Green Footballs is also following the story closely. InstaPundit has more.
CNN reports: White House: U.S. didn't target journalist.Responding to Sgrena's statement that the car may have been deliberately targeted, [White House press secretary Scott] McClellan said. "It's absurd to make any such suggestion, that our men and women in uniform would target individual citizens. "That's just absurd," McClellan repeated.
He said the airport road "has been a place where suicide car bombers have launched attacks. It's been a place where regime elements have fired upon coalition forces. It is a dangerous road, and it is a combat zone that our coalition forces are in. Oftentimes, they have to make split second decisions to protect their own security."
Michelle Malkin gets results regarding a contradiction in a CNN story on the Sgrena incident. Davids Medienkritik finds that previous Sgrena reports indicate she knew the dangers. And The Jawa Report has many related links.Mar 3, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
Investor's Business Daily editorialized today under the title "Referendum Justice".Beneath the dust kicked up is the ugly fact that the ruling in Roper vs. Simmons wasn't based on the Constitution. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy cited not America's founding document and guiding law, but "national consensus" and "international opinion."
How is it that a majority of our Supreme Court justices, all with presumably first-rate intellects, can have such a fundamental misunderstanding of their duty?
That duty was made clear in Marbury vs. Madison more than 200 years ago, when Chief Justice John Marshall concluded that the court must rule on the constitutionality of legislated law.
In 2005, however, Kennedy, David Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens use "national consensus" and "international opinion" to interpret what the Eighth Amendment means when it says "cruel and unusual punishments" are not to be inflicted. ...
Justices must decide what the framers meant by "cruel and unusual." Reading today's mood using the "evolving standards of decency" test cited by the Missouri court that initially ruled against executing juvenile offenders is like putting a finger to the wind. If they and the "living document" faction don't like what they read in the Constitution, they have to change it through the process provided.
Mar 2, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From The Boston Globe (AP): Vatican decries 'religion of health'. (Hat tip Joe Wright via HBL email list)Vatican officials on Thursday [Feb. 17] held out Pope John Paul II's stoic suffering with Parkinson's disease as an antidote to the mentality that modern medicine must cure all, calling this a "religion of health" that is taking hold in affluent countries.
"While millions of people in the world struggle to survive hunger and disease, lacking even minimal health care, in rich countries the concept of health as well-being figures in creating unrealistic expectations about the possibility of medicine to respond to all needs and desires," said the Rev. Maurizio Faggioni, a theologian and morality expert on the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life.
"The medicine of desires, egged on by the health care market, increases the request for pharmaceutical and medical-surgical services, soaks up public resources beyond all reasonableness," Faggioni said. ...
Psychiatrist Manfred Lutz, a Vatican academic, hailed John Paul, who for years has struggled with Parkinson's, as "the living alternative to the prevailing health-fiend madness." ... "Precisely in the handicap, in the disease, in the pain, in old age, in dying and death one can, instead, perceive the truth of life in a clearer way," Lutz said. "The pope's message is 'suffering is part of life and has meaning," the doctor said.
Mar 2, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
Conventionally, most people believe that morality can only be based in religious faith – that in a world without God no principles of right and wrong could exist. Related to this, philosophers have long held that no objective, fact-based, rational code of values is possible. Regarding both points, this talk shows that the exact opposite is true. The purpose of morality is to guide human life on earth – and religion is utterly incapable of it. Flourishing life requires a code of secularism, rationality, egoism and freedom. Religious faith clashes with every principle of a proper moral code, and, as such, has led, and can only lead to, hell on earth.
Details: Wednesday, March 2 at 8PM, SGM-123 (Seely G. Mudd), University of Southern California, 3667 Mc Clintock, Los Angeles CA 90089Feb 28, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
CNN reports: Oscar ratings sink with Rock.Hollywood is now 0-3 in the world of major league awards shows. Following in the footsteps of both The Golden Globes and Grammy Awards, ratings for Sunday night's 77th Annual Academy Awards were down this year. ...
Oscar producers had high hopes that the comedian Chris Rock would, as the Oscar host, have a broad enough appeal to boost ratings. Based on the results, "I don't think (veteran Oscar hosts) Billy Crystal and Steve Martin have anything to fear," said Brad Adgate, the senior vice president of corporate research at Horizon Media, a New York marketing firm. Still, Adgate noted that Rock didn't exactly flop.
Charles Johnson made a good observation: Theo Van Gogh Forgotten on Oscar Night.Feb 28, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
Reports Yahoo News:
With shouts of "Syria out!," more than 25,000 flag-waving protesters massed outside Parliament on Monday in a dramatic display of defiance that swept out Lebanon's pro-Syrian government two weeks after the assassination of a former prime minister. Cheering broke out among the demonstrators in Martyrs' Square when they heard Prime Minister Omar Karami's announcement on loudspeakers that the government was stepping down. Throughout the day, protesters handed out red roses to soldiers and police.
... Many in Lebanon accuse Syria and Karami's government of being behind the slayings of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 16 others in a huge Feb. 14 bombing, pressing hard in the two weeks since for the government to resign and for Syria to withdraw its roughly 15,000 troops positioned in Lebanon. [Lebanese Government Resigns Amid Protests]
Feb 27, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From the Seattle Post Intelligencer: Canada opts out of US defense shield, insists on missile consultation.A day after opting out of the U.S. ballistic missile defense shield, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin reiterated Friday that Washington must get permission from Ottawa before firing on any incoming missiles over Canada. ...
Martin made his comments to reporters as the fallout from Canada's decision to not take part in the development and operation of President Bush's nascent anti-ballistic missile shield continued to roil relations between with Canada.
Stockwell Day, the Conservative Party's foreign affairs critic, laughed off Martin's demand that Washington would have to alert Ottawa before taking out an incoming missile.
"These missiles are coming in at 4 kilometers ( 2.5 miles) a second, and if the president calls the 1-800 line and gets: 'Press 1 if you want English, press 2 if you want French, press 0 if nobody's there ...' I mean, it's crazy."
Feb 24, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
Robert Tracinski at TIA Daily has been closely following the Lebanese protests against Syrian occupation and the implications for America. Today he noted a Washington Times article (Tent city rises to pressure Syria) and wrote:When I saw references in reports from the past few days to anti-Syria protesters modeling themselves on Ukraine's "Orange Revolution," I thought at first that might just be the opinion of the reporters. Now it is becoming clear that Ukraine is the explicit model for Lebanon, with the Lebanese calling their movement the "Cedar Revolt" to evoke the "Rose" and "Orange" Revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine.
The political leaders of the Lebanese protests are not necessary our friends (Walid Jumblatt, for example, has a history of anti-American statements) -- but they are far less hostile to our interests and far less likely to support terrorism against the US or our ally, Israel, than the Syrians and their Iranian backers. That's why the new Cedar Revolt -- which is gaining momentum -- is such a positive development for US interests.
What interests would the U.S. have in putting pressure on Syria? Tracinski noted another Times/AP article: Terrorist claims Syrian training. From the article:Iraqi state television aired a video yesterday showing what the U.S.-funded channel said was the confession of a captured Syrian officer, who said he trained Iraqi terrorists to behead people and build car bombs to attack American and Iraqi troops. He also said the terrorists practiced beheading animals to train for decapitating hostages.
From CNN: Lebanon protesters defy ban.With Lebanon's pro-Damascus government facing a possible vote of no confidence, tens of thousands of demonstrators defied a ban and poured into Beirut's city center Monday to protest against Syria's military presence in Lebanon. Opposition leaders want the pro-Syrian government to resign -- and for Syrian forces to go home.
Perhaps pressure on Syria is beginning to work; CNN reports: Syria hands over Saddam half-brother.Iraqi officials said Sunday that Syria captured and handed over Saddam Hussein's half brother, one of the blood-soaked insurgency's most wanted leaders, ending months of Syrian denials that it was harboring fugitives from the ousted Saddam regime. Iraqi authorities said Damascus acted in a gesture of goodwill.
Blogging about Lebanon: Across the Bay. (Via InstaPundit)
Also from CNN: Lebanon's pro-Syrian PM resigns.The Lebanese government abruptly resigned Monday during a stormy parliamentary debate, prompting a tremendous roar from tens of thousands of anti-government protesters in central Beirut.
The demonstrators, awash in a sea of red, white and green Lebanese flags, had demanded the pro-Syrian government's resignation -- and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon -- since this month's assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Feb 22, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From FoxNews: Bush Dines With Chirac, Scolds Russia.
President Bush scolded Russia for backsliding on democracy Monday and dined on lobster risotto and filet of beef with French President Jacques Chirac.
Three days before seeing Vladimir Putin in Slovakia, Bush admonished the Russian leader to "renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law." Putin has raised alarms in the West by consolidating power, rolling back democratic reforms and curbing press and political freedoms.
Bush said the United States and all European countries "should place democratic reform at the heart of their dialogue with Russia." The president suggested that Moscow's entry in the World Trade Organization could hinge on whether it changes course.
Feb 22, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
The Moral Case for Supporting Israel by Dr. Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute. (Tuesday, February 22, 2005 University of Chicago, Social Sciences 122 8:30 PM)
Since its founding in 1948 Israel has been under siege, courageously fending off hostile neighbors while defending itself against Arab terrorists. In a Mideast dominated by Arab monarchies, theocracies and dictatorships, Israel is a free country standing as the lone bastion of Western civilization in that region. Yet for decades Israel has faced growing international pressure--often led by the United States--to compromise with its enemies, and act against its self- interest. In this talk, Dr. Brook argues that the United States should unequivocally support Israel's effort at self-defense; that allowing Israel to rid itself of terrorist and foreign military threats is in America's best interests. Israel is our only true ally in the Mideast, and supporting it is the only moral thing for the United States to do.Feb 21, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From FoxNews: Bush Calls for U.S., European Unity.President Bush on Monday appealed to the people of Europe to bury their differences over the war in Iraq because he said there is work to do that requires close cooperation between the United States and Europe.
Even as protesters in Brussels prepared to take to the streets, Bush called the U.S.-European divide over Iraq a "passing disagreement" that must be put behind because the world can't afford to let democracy fail in Iraq, he said. ...
He ... planned to dine privately here with French President Jacques Chirac, one of his most outspoken critics on the Iraq war. After a closed-door meeting, Chirac and Bush told reporters they were committed to patching up differences and restoring good relations despite their disagreement over the war in Iraq.
"I'm looking for a good cowboy," Bush joked when a French reporter asked him whether relations had improved to the point where the U.S. president would be inviting Chirac to the U.S. president's ranch in Texas.
Chirac said that U.S.-French relations have been "excellent for over 200 years now." Chirac added, "That doesn't necessarily mean we agree on everything at every time." The two leaders made the comments before they sat down to dinner.
Feb 21, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
The Founders of America all viewed George Washington as their leader, and many of them, including Jefferson, Adams, Madison and Hamilton, held him in awe. Washington was indeed a man of heroic courage and unbending integrity. In this lecture John Ridpath presents the struggle behind America's founding, the intellectual context of the time and the central role in that struggle--exemplified in the life and career of Washington.
"George Washington: Integrity and the Founding of America" By John Ridpath (Monday, February 21, 2005) This event is free to the public. Hyatt Regency Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92614. Bookstore opens: 6:30 PM, Presentation: 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM, Q & A: 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM. For more information: http://www.aynrand.org/ari_eventsFeb 20, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From AP: USS Jimmy Carter is ready for underseas endeavors.The USS Jimmy Carter entered the Navy's fleet Saturday as the most heavily armed submarine ever built, and as the last of the Seawolf class of attack subs that the Pentagon ordered during the Cold War's final years.
The $3.2 billion Jimmy Carter was commissioned Saturday, the first submarine named after a living ex-president. Carter, a submariner during his time in the Navy, was on hand for the ceremony signaling the end of an era in submarining.
Feb 18, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
Microsoft has a free "powertoy" that improves the readability of screen fonts called Clear Type Tuner. Comments usability expert Jakob Nielsen,
PCs do not need to be commodities: a focus on quality can differentiate both products and services. Software has great potential for getting better, as shown by an under-appreciated feature in Windows XP that can save users $2,000 per year...
...Much has been made of the flat-panel display on the new iMac, but the use of anti-aliased typefaces in Windows XP is the true revolution in screen design this year. The new ClearType technology that is included in XP probably increases reading speed by somewhere between 10% and 15% for users with flat screens. Going beyond simple anti-aliasing (which has been available for a few years), ClearType provides approximately three times the rated monitor resolution by directly addressing the sub-pixels for each of the three colors.
ClearType is off by default, but you can turn it on by going to the Windows XP Control Panel and clicking Display, and then Appearance, and then Effects. Tick the checkbox for smooth edges of screen fonts and make sure that ClearType and not standard is selected. Then use the Tuner PowerToy to fine tune how it displays text.
Feb 18, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From the self-professed slashdot.org site:
"Fed up with increasingly obnoxious click-through "agreements" embedded in the retail software I buy, I've posted a very simple script to remove them before clicking "I agree". Without the EULA, I am free to use my software within the bounds of copyright law. Courts have been very inconsistent on the enforceability of EULAs, and I hope this will strengthen consumers' side of the battle. The script is a symbolic gesture as much as anything else, and I want to get people thinking about how ridiculous it is that software companies try to force these one-sided contracts on you after you have paid for something. Also worth a look is cexx.org's Software Vendor License Agreement, which reverses the typical EULA and puts the burden back on the software manufacturer where it belongs."
The EULA ("End User License Agreement") is made before one purchases the software. In the case of Microsoft Windows, it is included as a printed contract with the software CD. Typically, if one does not accept the agreement you are free to return the software for a refund.
One is morally free to use the software property under the terms of licensing set by the software creator. The above gesture is little more than a symbol of anarchism and theft, not so-called 'consumer rights' (which is typically defined as rights that go beyond invidividual rights, i.e., 'rights' that require on principle the violation of the actual rights of producers). As Ayn Rand noted, any right that requires the violation of the rights of others is not a right. The rights of producers and consumers do not need to be 'balanced'; they need to be objectively defined and enforced.Feb 17, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
FoxNews reports: Iran, Syria Partnership Raises Eyebrows.Iran and Syria on Wednesday said they would unite against any challenges or threats to their nations' livelihoods, a move that could raise the stakes in the ongoing international dramas involving both countries. ...
Observers said an alliance of any kind between the two nations wouldn't be good.
"They feel the ground shifting under them" as democracy begins to take root in neighboring Iraq, Robert McFarlane (search), who served as national security adviser to President Reagan, told FOX News.
"It's a very misguided effort, this idea of cooperation between Iran and Syria," McFarlane continued. "They've wreaked years and years of devastation to Lebanon and the sponsorship of terrorism."
Syria was invited into Lebanon in 1976 to quell that country's nascent civil war. The war did not end until 1990, and Syria has loosely controlled Lebanon ever since.
Iran has been the main provider of funding and weapons to Lebanese Hezbollah, the fundamentalist Shiite militia, terrorist group and political party that forced U.S. and French troops out of Beirut in 1983 and the Israeli army out of southern Lebanon during the 1990s.
"[Iran and Syria] have been joined for a long time in creating terrorism in the region," Air Force Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Tom McInerney told FOX News. "That shouldn't be any surprise to any of us, they've just now announced it publicly."
Feb 17, 2005 | Dollars & Crosses
Have more then 6 dead pixels on your Dell laptop screen? From notebookreview.com:
LCD screens are generally the most expensive part of a laptop computer. They're also the most likely part to contain noticeable flaws in the form of the dreaded dead pixels. Each notebook manufacturer has their own policy on how many dead pixels warrants a return and replacement. The problem is, most people are not aware of this policy before they get their notebook and falsely assume that one dead pixel is good enough to ask for a replacement, but this is generally not the case.
...Sometimes it is quite obvious as to whether you have a dead pixel on your screen, but sometimes it might take a little while for you to notice. It's best that you run a test on your screen right when you get your notebook to determine if you have dead pixels and then take the further step of deciding whether you want to try and return the laptop if there are an excessive amount of dead pixels. Download a free application called Dead Pixel Buddy to test for dead pixels on your screen. Please be sure to donate via PayPal to the developer of this application if you can spare the money!
CNN reports: 
Investor's Business Daily editorialized today under the title "Referendum Justice".
From The Boston Globe (AP): 
CNN reports: 
