Footprints in Steppes of Central Asia (washingtonpost.com)

I had thought that there would be a long-term US presence in Afghanistan, both to stabilize the country and to slip it some under-the-table aid (in the form of the economic boost a US base would provide). I'm surprised that we'd set up to stay in a former Soviet Republic, a place where the Russians are still very influential. And very close to China -- and the Chinese are paranoid enough already.

Ex-Enron Workers See Little to Believe (washingtonpost.com)

Best part of this article is the tease washingtonpost.com has for it on the front page:

Enron employees react to Skilling's words with disbelief, anger, sarcasm.

I believe those are also the three stages of warblogging.

Anyway, while I don't believe Skilling myself, I find it interesting that the four former Enron employees quoted are all women, and three are in their fifties, the fourth 46. The second part isn't that surprising; the older employees are of course more hurt by the collapse because of the lost retirement funds, plus it's harder for them to find new jobs. On the other hand, I have to think that WaPo is using women to play up the Enron-employees-as-victim angle; I keep expecting that Enron movie to wind up playing on Lifetime.

Chicago Tribune | Sheldon Allman, 77, songwriter, voice of singing Mr. Ed on TV

A corpse is a corpse, of course, of course...

I'm sorry. I'll try to do better.

EnronGate : OliverWillis.Com

Oliver Willis has updated his EnronGate page... I've been thinking we should call it "Enron-Contra" myself, but you stick a "-gate" on the end of anything and you immediately know it's a scandal. Eventually it will be an ordinary suffix, completely divorced from its origin. If that hasn't happened already.

Personally I love anything that embarrasses the Astros.

Media goofed on Antarctic data / Global warming interpretation irks scientists

A few weeks ago, a report came out showing that parts of Antarctica were cooling. This was interpreted by elements of the press as meaning that global warming theory was in trouble. Certain bloggers, especially those opposed to the Kyoto Treaty, picked up on this.

Well, guys, here's what one of the scientists who conducted the studies in question says:

"[G]lobal warming is real and happening right now... Our paper does not change the global (temperature) average in any significant way. . . . Although we have said that more area of the continent is cooling than warming, one just has to look at the paper itself . . . to see that it is a close call.

Bloggers are often critical of the mainstream press when they get something wrong and then refuse to correct it. Let's hold ourselves to the same standards, huh?

AU's eagle may fly at Olympics

Great. First Alabama goes on probation, now they're going to let Auburn's mascot put on a show in the Olympics. Great.

CNN.com - Venezuelan colonel arrested after blasting Chavez - February 7, 2002

Chavez is a bad guy, and needs to go down. He's fought with business and labor unions and the Church, but the military has been solid. If it breaks away, he's done.

Chavez was elected democratically, and I hate to call for the overthrow of a democratically-elected leader. But he's not ruling like a democratically-elected leader. Venezuela might be like Pakistan was a few years ago, where a military dictator might actually be the best thing for the people's rights.

CNN.com - India, Russia to sign arms deal - February 8, 2002

Oh boy.

Part of this agreement would include India's purchase of nuclear subs and tactical bombers. That's not good for the prospect of keeping India and Pakistan out of a nuclear war. One of the things holding that back has been that neither side seemed to have the proper delivery systems to attack deep into the other's territory. That would no longer be the case.

India and Russia have long been close; that's the major reason why the US was friendly with Pakistan in the Cold War. While Russia is in generally sad shape, their military technology is probably as good as anybody's but ours, and India is increasingly rich enough to buy weapons from them.

In Russia, Regions Curb Spread of Foreign Faiths (washingtonpost.com)

Religions/denominations that are having problems include:

Mormons
Salvation Army
Jehovah's Witnesses
Pentacostals
Catholics

This is ridiculous... but by no means confined to Russia. I've no truck with Scientology, but the Hubbardites are being mistreated in many areas. The problems of Christian denominations in China are well known. In Russia, the Orthodox Church is practically a state religion.

Former Mayor Sounds Like A Candidate for D.C. Council (washingtonpost.com)

Actually, this is impressive... Marion Barry is 65 years old -- who would have thought he'd make it there? But why can't he just go away already?

Yahoo! TV News & Gossip -- Enron Collapse Spawns TV Movie

Sounds thrilling.

MSNBC Apologizes for Misspelling

Niger Innis' name... They say it was "strictly a typographical error," but won't say if the typo maker was punished. You'd think he'd have noticed, don't you?

Audit: ADEM ineffective

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is weak and ineffective at inspections and cannot prove that its enforcement of pollution laws meets federal standards, according to a federal audit released this week.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is very high on the list of reasons why I'm in favor of strong Federal government.... It's a joke, a bought-and-paid-for front organization for the Alabama Business Council. When inspectors leave ADEM, they usually go right to work for the polluters. If the Feds didn't force the state, I don't know if there'd be any local environmental management agency at all.

CNN.com - Personal 'jetpack' gets off the ground - February 6, 2002

Cool... but I have to wonder if there's any point to this thing. I suppose it might have some value to the military, but if it doesn't there's no product.

Yahoo! Sports: MLB - Venezuelan president's speech booed at Caribbean Series

I've been thinking that Hugo Chavez needs to go on the list... Chavez decided that the celebration of his attempted military coup ten years ago wasn't getting enough attention. So he ordered the TV networks to cut into a Caribbean World Series game, in which a Venezuelan team was playing, so he could talk for a couple of hours.

Foreign-Born Americans' Numbers Rise (washingtonpost.com)

A nation of immigrants... still. 1 in 5 Americans are first- or (at least on one side) second-generation. As you'd expect, it's heavily Hispanic -- about half, and half of those of Mexican origin. And the rate of citizenship among immigrants is on the rise.

I think it's great. When I think of what makes America unique, this is near the top of the list -- that people from all over the world come here and can be, or their children will be, Americans. One of the most shocking things I ever saw was when I learned that in some countries -- some industrialized democracies! -- you could be born there and not be a citizen because your parents weren't the right type, or be born elsewhere and be a citizen anyway, because your parents were.

Pat Buchanan can kiss my *.

Typo of the Century

This is unbelievable. Republican consultant Niger Innis was on TV talking about Enron, and... Well, you can probably guess. Somebody at MSNBC is going to be fired, and quickly.

(From TvBarn.)

Plane down | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A light plane, with four passengers, has crashed on an access road to I-85 near Atlanta. I wonder if they were trying to land it there in an emergency.

(Update: Four people were on the plane; none survived.)

Lindh to Continue to Be Held in Custody

Boy, bail was denied? What a shocker.

Here's a fun email excerpt:

"Mr. Lindh suggested his mother should move to England. "I really don't know what your big attachement [sic] to America is all about," he wrote. "What has America ever done for anybody?"

Olympic Anti-Americanism Update

The NBC "bug" -- the peacock symbol in the lower right corner -- had been red white & blue since September 11. They're changing it back to its usual transparent version now. And why?

NBC executives didn't want to keep such a visibly pro-USA symbol on-air during an international event that's meant to promote global unity. Past Olympic broadcasts on NBC (and other U.S. networks) have been accused of promoting American athletes to the exclusion of those from other nations.

Enron CEO Felt 'Betrayed,' Panel Told (washingtonpost.com)

Imagine how all his employees felt.

Jackass.

al.com: Business
Marshall gets boost of 9% in '03 budget

Big money for the Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

To be perfectly honest, I've no idea why there's a Space Flight Center in Huntsville, but I expect that if I looked at Senate committee assignments in the fifties I could figure it out. At any rate, the research includes nuclear-powered spacecraft. (Ed? Edward Teller? Is that you?)

New technology will allow nuclear propulsion to be safer and more reliable, said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for space science.

"Right now we accelerate for five minutes or 15 minutes, and then we coast and coast and coast," Weiler said. "That's like exploring the west in covered wagons. We need to move to the steam engine age, and start building the railroads."

"Except that the steam is radioactive, and if you inhale it your lungs will rot," he didn't add.

Actually, I've no problem with nuclear power generally, or nuclear propulsion for space travel specifically. I'm just imagining the protestors.

I like the spaceflight budget. If there's one thing I like about Republicans, it's that they're generally more in favor of spaceflight. Even if I'm anti-missile defense.

Beelzebub | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | OPINION

"Be it known from this day forward that Satan, ruler of darkness, giver of evil, destroyer of what is good and just, is not now, nor ever again will be, a part of this town of Inglis. Satan is hereby declared powerless, no longer ruling over, nor influencing, our citizens."

Gosh, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

Fake $100 bills litter Korbut's residence

The Olga Korbut saga continues; now she's part of a counterfeiting ring, and her house is being foreclosed on.

Lindh lawyers want him released until trial

Yeah, and I want a pony.

Johnny the Rat is lucky that he wasn't lined up against a wall and shot; he's especially lucky that he's not at Camp X-Ray with the rest of the cretins, and that we can't prove treason. The gall of asking for his release... I mean, it's not like someone who actually fought against the United States in a foreign country would pose a flight risk, is it?

The Miami Herald | 02/05/2002 | Lawyer's affair may spring jailed ex-commissioner

I love Miami... You've got a notoriously guilty former city commissioner who's going to get out of jail because his wife and his lawyer were having an affair during a trial. (I've read that book, I think.) I suppose this sort of thing happens everywhere, it just seems to happen more in South Florida.

By the way, the new Miami.com site is dreadfully ugly and seems to have bad coding as well. I guess I'm one to talk.

Powell, in a Possible Shift, Calls U.S. Willing to Sign Nuclear Pact

"Does someone here know somebody on the other side named... Ivan, Igor... I'm getting the idea of a name like that..."

Bush Report Optimistic About Economy (washingtonpost.com)

In other news, Water Is Wet.

Has any President ever been pessimistic about the economy, at least once they've been in office over a year? Ignoring the political repercussions of this -- I doubt consumers or Wall Street would be really happy to hear from the Chief that the economy is in the toilet.

Prosperity is just around the corner.

Democrats Criticize Bush on Budget

In other news, Dog Bites Man.

Muslims Feel Sept. 11 Chill as Mecca Plays It Safe

"Hey! This one has blue eyes!"

"STONE HIM!"

In Bush Plan, a Return to a Golden Era (washingtonpost.com)

It's an ill wind that blows no one any good:

The wartime budget unveiled by the president yesterday promises to return the Washington region to the economic boom times of the 1980s, when major increases in military spending fed the growth of scores of Beltway area contractors. Only this time, the defense industry will not be alone in leading the way.

I seem to have missed another memo. Apparently, Republicans like spending these days.

Smithsonian Benefactor Cancels $38 Million Gift (washingtonpost.com)

There's nothing quite as inspiring as an exhibit of the achievements of demographic groups.

The Increase in Chip Speed Is Accelerating, Not Slowing

10 GIGAHERTZ?

Anyhoo, it appears that Moore's Law is getting broken and the chipmakers are doubling speeds faster than every 18 months. Eventually, they'll run into the laws of physics, I suppose, but right now they're on a roll. Competition does wonderful things.

My boss: "Why do you need a new computer? Your (two-year-old IBM with a 433Mhz Celeron) runs everything, doesn't it?" He said, as he watched CIS put in his new computer.

Yes, but I WANT a new computer.

Senate Panel Will Subpoena Lay to Testify at Enron Hearing

Well, that was inevitable. Did he really think he was going to get out of talking? I doubt it.

Scientific Report Roils a Salmon War (washingtonpost.com)

Before the property-rights crowd gets all excited, the report doesn't actually say that there wouldn't be any harm to the salmon, only that there's no scientific justification. Basically, until the salmon start dying, you can't say that the lack of water will kill them....

I'm going to ask my sister, the Communist Trial Lawyer, what she thinks; she knows environmental law and used to live in Oregon.

My personal philosophy is that People Come First. But (there's always a but) I can't see destroying an ecosystem, or kill off an entire species, for mere short-term economic benefit. For one thing, there's usually a long-term economic benefit to keeping the ecosystem running. Ask Atlantic fishermen if they wish their ancestors had fished a little more carefully. Exploit the world, but cautiously.

MEN DO NOT CLICK HERE

Bin Laden's Trail Is Lost, but Officials Suspect He Is Alive

Even if he escaped Tora Bora, he could very well have died since. Supposedly, he is (or was) in ill health... It's not about him. I mean, we want him dead, but breaking his organization was more important, and we're on the way to doing that.

(I messed up this post before, probably by not properly closing brackets below on the next post. I can't figure out how to fix it, though.)

A Leftist City Makes Money to Its Own Drummer

Welcome to the Commie Davos!

I think it's possible to be socialist and thrive. For awhile, anyway. But (as this story indicates) this city -- if it's really as prosperous as it's claimed to be -- survives largely because of global capitalism. As long as there are capitalist markets around to buy their stuff, and they don't get too caught up in restraining corporations, they can play at being lefties.

I've got no problem with taxes and reasonable regulation. Social services, great. But let's not forget what pays for those social services.

Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2003

You can download the whole thing,

Even if he escaped Tora Bora, he could very well have died since. Supposedly, he is (or was) in ill health... It's not about him. I mean, we want him dead, but breaking his organization was more important, and we're on the way to doing that.

Radio station's signal creates unwilling listeners

Suburban white people forced to listen to gangsta rap!

Airgun regulation runs afoul of NRA

Damnit, the Second Amendment clearly states that the access to potentially hazardous weapons by middle schoolers is not to be infringed!

The law looks too strict to me; I figure if kids have parental supervision that they shouldn't have to actually go to a range to use a BB gun. (Heck, if they go to a range, they might as well have real guns.)

Enron Specter Haunts World Forum

Enron Specter is, of course, Arlen's brother...

One problem mentioned in this story is that developing nations might look at Enron and generalize from it, and decide that capitalism is more fragile than it really is. The US loses some of its authority for making economic suggestions this way, even though our economy is far more successful than anyone else's has been of late, Enron or no.