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Archive for March, 2003

March 31st, 2003 by Bret

So Much Drama In The NBC …

It’s kinda hard being Bret D-O-Double-G:

Geraldo Rivera was reportedly kicked out of Iraq, but he’s claiming NBC lied about that because they couldn’t compete on a “fair” (and balanced?) playing field. Meanwhile, NBC fired Peter Arnett for going on Iraq’s state TV.

March 30th, 2003 by Timothy

UDHR Update

Per a discussion at Flying Dog last Thursday with some other members of staff, I’ve found the entire text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The parts I think are useless/silly are below:

Article 12.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.(The part about privacy is fine, but not being libeled or slandered is a human right?)

Article 22.

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality. (Most of this doesn’t seem to mean anything, but state-sponsored retirement is a human right? Give me a break. Secondly, I take objection to “economic rights” if that means anything other than the right to participate in meritocracy without discrimination, which I would assume it does in this case, the assertion is certainly flawed.)

Article 23

(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection. (So, you’ve not only a right to be paid for your work, but you’ve also got a right to money from the government if you do not have the skills to get a better job?)

Article 24.

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay. (Paid vacation is a human right, I think not.)

Those are just a few of the bits that don’t seem to be “human rights.” Look up the rest, tell me what you think. I’d be interested to know.

March 28th, 2003 by Skeletor Ogboggle

Dear god, I hope you’re right, Tim. If the Halliburton thing is what it looks like, it’ll prove every goddamned one of those pansy-assed hippies right. Please, please let the conservative conspiracy be a myth…

March 26th, 2003 by Timothy

Because We Cannot Blog Fast Enough

If you’ve been under a rock for the past 18 months, there’s a war on. And we here at the Commentator cannot blog fast enough to keep up on everything. Also, our links are not on the front page of the website. So, if you’d like some good war-related, and non-war blogs, news and other pieces of miscellany, I’ve provided some links. Also, Mr. Rorick, I think the Halliburton thing is more the appearance of impropriety than impropriety itself, but I think we can both agree that it might not have been the best of PR moves. Anyway, to the links:

Instapundit

Andrew Sullivan

The Volokh Conspiracy

The Command Post

Jeff Jarvis Be sure to check out his Vlogs, they’re great.

Salam Pax

Armed Prophet

Drudge Report

Brunching Shuttlecocks

Tacitus

March 26th, 2003 by Skeletor Ogboggle

Halliburton got the Iraqi oil contract! Pete, Olly: I fucking told you. Dirty, dirty, dirty…

March 24th, 2003 by Brett

The brilliance of Tim.

The esteemed Mr. Dreier remarked to me, when i told him i was spending my break in the bay area, that i was leaving the insanity of Eugene for the only place on earth less sane than Eugene. It seems he was right. Since I’ve been down here the protests have been going wild. One person apparently wrote a peace poem and threw himself off the golden gate bridge. Happily, he died. No link for a story on this, although i’ll post one if i find it. Just thought it was an interesting tid-bit.

-Irish-

March 21st, 2003 by Timothy

Update

I got this from Sullivan: “You’re late. What took you so long? God help you become victorious… I want to say hello to Bush, to shake his hand. We came out of the grave.” – the words of a liberated Iraqi, reported by the Guardian..

Update Redux: This is from UPI: “A group of American anti-war demonstrators who came to Iraq with Japanese human shield volunteers made it across the border today with 14 hours of uncensored video, all shot without Iraqi government minders present. Kenneth Joseph, a young American pastor with the Assyrian Church of the East, told UPI the trip ‘had shocked me back to reality.’ Some of the Iraqis he interviewed on camera ‘told me they would commit suicide if American bombing didn’t start. They were willing to see their homes demolished to gain their freedom from Saddam’s bloody tyranny. They convinced me that Saddam was a monster the likes of which the world had not seen since Stalin and Hitler. He and his sons are sick sadists. Their tales of slow torture and killing made me ill, such as people put in a huge shredder for plastic products, feet first so they could hear their screams as bodies got chewed up from foot to head.'”

Update The Third: Then there’s this from the Jerusalem Post. It seems we’ve captured a chemical plant that Saddam didn’t have.

Update IV: Also, this account of a human shield who has seen the light.

March 21st, 2003 by Sho

Those Wacky Protesters

I’m all for using their right to freedom of expression to protest the war in Iraq; however, I’m not much for blocking traffic and assaulting police officers. When situations like these arise, I think the police are justified in using super-sized canisters of pepper spray to control crowds. Go to kgw.com for good video footage of the protests in Portland.

An Oregon Bapitist minister who has protested against abortion points out that stalling rush hour traffic and smashing windows are examples of how not to protest. Sure it’ll bring attention to your cause, but I’m fairly confident it won’t get you any sane supporters.

In other protester news, Evan Coyne Maloney of brain-terminal.com has another video about protesting the protesters.

March 21st, 2003 by Timothy

The “Peace” Movement’s Worst Nightmare

The Iraqi people that the ANSWER set have claimed to be so concerned about are celebrating in the streets as American Marines arrive. This Jonah Goldberg article analyzes the situation astutely.

Money Quote:

“If we had toppled Saddam in 1991, we would have improved both the lives of Iraqis and the security of the United States. It was the premature peace that prolonged the suffering. “Peace” was the moral horror these last twelve years. Giving peace a chance for the last twelve years cost more lives and caused more suffering –by a wide margin –than this war is likely to. Giving peace a chance by playing games in the U.N. and by dickering around with “proportionate responses,” emboldened and enraged Osama bin Laden and his cadres.”

I’m glad to see this happening, the Iraqi people will suffer no longer at the hands of a muderous tyrant. It should’ve happened 12 years ago, but better now than never. Here’s hoping the war ends quickly so that the Iraqis can start rebuilding their lives.

March 21st, 2003 by Bret

Today We Settle All Family Business …

This president reminds me of MIchael Corleone at the end of the first Godfather. Not only has Shock and Awe begun with a thunder, but NBC has reported explosions in Halabja, which is near the Iran/Iraq border and is known to be a major stronghold for al Qaeda-linked terrorists. It seems we’re unleashing all the dogs of war at once, as we’ve also been hitting al Qaeda in Pakistan the last couple of days. You gotta love how this president’s team works, since they seem to take a very broad view of what’s going on and take advantage of every opportunity possible. The notion to name Shock and Awe ahead of time for the media to vomit back ad nauseum and then negotiate for surrender talks is just a complete media success.

March 20th, 2003 by Skeletor Ogboggle

Nutty Professions Of “Peace”

Jerry Lewis has finally entered the France/Iraq diplomatic quagmire. It seems a L.A. based radio DJ called Chirac, impersonating France’s favorite celebright, and actually had a five minute conversation with Chirac. And now, Jerry Lewis is threatening legal action against the DJ. I guess that makes him an unofficial French diplomat. Chirac, during the phone call: ”I recognize your voice, no doubt about that”

March 19th, 2003 by wwb

Round-The-Clock War Coverage

Except for sleep and work, Armed Prophet will be providing news and commentary virtually nonstop — so long as there is news to be reported and commented upon. See you there.

March 19th, 2003 by Chris

Cronkite and Carter

Cronkite likes Jimmy Carter the most. THis article made me depressed. Very depressed.

March 19th, 2003 by jeremy

Behold the power of porn!

Finally, a solution for our economic woes. Instead of money featuring a bunch of old dead white men, we make pornography our currency. (Gives a new meaning to the term “money shot” eh?) Aside from the ideas mentioned at the website, there are countless other benifits to this change. Never again, would a father have to talk to his son about the value of money. A man could be carful with his money without being labled cheap. Pervert, yes. Cheap, no. Greenspan would be replaced by some guy constantly masturbating in his parent’s basement. Hell, the perverts of the world would be the best at saving money. The files on my computer alone would make me a billionare. I’m sure someone more versed in economics could provide interesting ideas (Tim, I’m looking in your direction.)

March 19th, 2003 by pete

Don’t Skip This Post

Straight from Andrew Sullivan… a peace activist is confronted by an Iraqi exile on live radio. Amazing! Let your leftist friends listen to this.