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12.15.2001 1:10 AM A novel dealing with the clash between East and West would be enlightening during times like these. Nadine Gordimer's The Pickup may touch upon that theme, but it seems to be more about people looking beyond their surroundings for something more fulfilling. "Nadine Gordimer's 'The Pickup': How the Other Half Loves" Sean Hackbarth | 12.13.2001 11:51 PM Enron executives misled investors with their complex methods of removing debt from the company's balance sheet. Who shouldn't be forgotten is Arthur Andersen, their accounting firm. They signed off on Enron's books and helped the company mislead investors. Joseph Berardino, chief executive of Arthur Andersen, said the accounting profession is suffering a "crisis of confidence." Maybe a big fine from the feds will nudge the firm to act like the independent professionals they claim to be. [NOTE: I'm still an Enron owner.] "The Distorted Numbers at Enron" Sean Hackbarth | 11:40 PM Nicholas Kristof offers a real hand up for Afghans and Pakistanis: he wants a free trade zone among the U.S., Afghanistan, and Pakistan. People too busy going to work, filling orders, and thinking of new ways to make money will have less time grumbling over how the evil West is oppressing them. "Give the Afghans a Hand" Sean Hackbarth | 11:28 PM The U.S. leaves the ABM Treaty to Cold War history books. "I have concluded the ABM treaty hinders our government's ability to develop ways to protect our people from future terrorist or rogue-state missile attacks," said President Bush. Critics of missile defense argue that it would lead to a new arms race with Russia and/or China. Well, Russia is tolerating the move while calling it an "erroneous" decision. If China wants to get into an arms race with the U.S. the Chinese Communists only needs look at the former Soviet Union as an example of a nation failing to win such a race. "Bush Offers China Talks on Arms as U.S. Pulls Out of ABM Treaty" Sean Hackbarth | 11:16 PM The Palestinian Authority (in name only) can't stop Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Fine, then get out of the way and let Israel get the job done. Here are some interesting quotes from this NY Times article:
and
According to the story, Arafat can't control what happens in the Palestinian Authority. He's impotent and probably has been for some time. It's time for him to fade away. If his goal was really peace in the area, then he's failed miserably. "Arafat Halts Crackdown; Israel Breaks Links to Him" Sean Hackbarth | 10:12 PM Israel has abandoned Arafat saying he's "directly responsible" for recent terrorist attacks. It's spooky that I recommended something like this only yesterday. Do pundits like Chris Matthews or even Glenn Reynolds ever get that weird feeling when something they recommend actually happens? "Israel Cuts Off Ties With Arafat" Sean Hackbarth | 12.12.2001 1:39 PM On a lighter, and sweeter note, yesterday, my doughnut cravings were fulfilled when the first Krispy Kreme store in Milwaukee opened. I arrived at 11:30 and waited eagerly for 30 minutes to pick up my two dozen golden glazed goodies to take to work. These round bits of heaven were everything I expected and more. The hot ones I ate just melted in my mouth and the sugar glaze coated my tounge. Behind me in line were a couple who were in a five-year Krispy Kreme drought and drove 90 minutes just to get 5 dozen. She told me to buy one dozen more than I was planning because I would eat 12 as soon as I got into the car. I can understand the reaction after my first bite. These things are so heavenly and addictive. I have now dubbed them the "crack cocaine of junk food." "Getto Dips into Local Doughnut Scene" Sean Hackbarth | 1:24 PM Today there were two more terrorist attacks on Israelis by Palestinians, yet the State Department urges Arafat to "act immediately and undertake all possible measures to pursue and apprehend those responsible for those horrific actions." This has to be the 300th time the State Department has asked Arafat to do this. All the others times were for naught. How about trying something new? For instance, admit Arafat is incapable of governing a nation-state since he can't stop terrorists in land under his jurisdiction. Then start looking for a new Palestininan leader that really wants peace with Israel. Or let Israel know that it has U.S. backing (unofficially, through back channels if necessary) for stepping up its attacks to destroy terrorist threats. "U.S. Blasts Mideast Violence, Tells Arafat to Act" Sean Hackbarth | 12.11.2001 3:21 AM Ev might be on to something with his micro ads. Amazon.com bought some ad space. Sean Hackbarth | 2:04 AM The BCS just doesn't cut it. While Stephen Moore makes the case for Oregon taking on Miami in the Rose Bowl, you can't forget Colorado. They flattened Nebraska (who will play for the national title) and are the hottest team in college football. This situation just screams for a playoff system. This should be a no-brainer. The schools would rake in millions for the games, players would play more games and would be more conditioned to a longer NFL season if drafted, and this silly arguing over who the best team really is would cease. A playoff system works for every other level of college football, why not for Division I? "Bowled Over" [via Reductio] Sean Hackbarth | 1:44 AM A Congress (particularly a Dachle-led Senate) that has bogged down any economic stimulus bill found a way to make sure they got their scheduled pay raise. It's stuff like this that adds to public cynicism towards politicians. Not a good day for our leaders. "Congress Gives Itself A Pay Raise" Sean Hackbarth | 12.9.2001 11:50 PM In a free market, companies will fail. The Enron case shows that such failures can be spectacular. What company failures don't prove is that the free market is fundamentally at fault. Calls for more regulation or slowed deregulation of energy markets because of Enron are a poor idea. Bernard Weinstein explains that Enron and other energy middlemen "lower power costs across a wide geographic market in the short-term" while they "reduce risks for utilities and ratepayers by providing price certainty." [NOTE: I am newly proud owner of Enron stock. It's reckless speculation, but it would be fun story to tell if they come out of bankruptcy as some competent business.] "Country's Power Markets Will Still Need Dynegy, Reliant -- and Maybe Even a Reborn Enron" [via Reductio] Sean Hackbarth | 11:16 PM U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered "all computers within the custody and control of the Department of the Interior, its employees and contractors that have access to individual Indian trust data" be disconnected from the Internet. This comes from a lawsuit dealing with mismanagment of Indian trust funds. This means that the websites of national parks, the National Weather Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey are unavailable to the public. Interior Department employees also are unable to use e-mail to communicate internally and externally. Why Judge Lamberth's decison was so wide in scope, I don't know. Why should the public be unable to get information from agencies they pay for? Why should the public suffer because Interior Department employees not involved with Indian trust funds be prevented from using the most productive tools available? I wonder if Judge Lamberth realized what consequences his ruling would produce. "Interior Dept. Blocks Web Access at Judge's Order" Sean Hackbarth | |
ABOUT When I'm not pondering the fate of the universe, I'm reading, writing, or selling books. Here you'll find comments on politics, culture, books, and music. Not necessarily in that order. MAILBOX sean--at--theamericanmind.com  Support democracy and human rights in Iraq! 
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