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2.9.2002 11:46 PM Reporters at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel have their e-mail filtered for explicit content. It may stop a lot of annoying spam, but it also blocks messages containing useful information. "Make the World Go Away" (scroll down to second story) Sean Hackbarth | 11:37 PM Bill O'Reilly bought the spin from the anti-drug ads during the Super Bowl. This is from a man who claims to live in a No Spin Zone. O'Reilly bought the line that American drug users are funding the terrorist groups out to destroy the U.S. That isn't true. Sure, the Taliban used grew poppies to sell as heroin, but most of those drugs never make it to the U.S. Most illegal drug users smoke marijuana, and I've seen no evidence that Osama bin Laden was funding his jihad from selling weed. O'Reilly also doesn't realize that the Drug War is a reason why drug are more expensive than they would be if legalized. If the prices weren't so high, there wouldn't be as much money going to bad people. O'Reilly is saddened that so many people waste away their lives by taking drugs. I am too. I don't condone drug use just like I don't condone excessive alcohol use. What I do condone is a failed effort by government to lessen people's appetite for drugs at the same time distorting foreign policy and homeland defense. "Buy Dope, Fund Terror" "Terror Tactic" Sean Hackbarth | 10:47 PM Basketball is the most international of American professional sports (soccer's the most international, period). With lower ratings in the United States, it's no surprise that the NBA looks to outside the 50 states for growth. What is surprising is possible NBA expansion in Europe within the next eight years. Commissioner David Stern said that only preliminary discussion is taking place about what kind of expansion would happen. If economic conditions warrant, new NBA European teams would be the most lucrative. Owners would see big revenue growth from expansion fees and increased merchandise sales, and players would continue to see salaries rise at tremendous rates. On the downside, it would make for a hellacious road trip for the Lakers to head off to Berlin or Paris. "Stern: NBA Could Expand to Europe by End of Decade" Sean Hackbarth | 2.8.2002 1:46 PM I'm pulling for Rep. John Sununu to beat Sen. Bob Smith for the Republican nomination for New Hampshire's Senate seat. Both Smith and Sununu have good chances at beating Gov. Jeanne Shaheen. Smith is the same man who failed in his independent run for the Presidency, called his party "hypocritical," and came crawling back back to them from the political wilderness (Did the party suddenly change?). The purpose of a political party is to elected their candidates to public office. A substantial amount of party loyalty is needed to have any sense of coherence. Bob Smith may be a nice, but politically tone deaf man, but that doesn't mean he should get a free pass to the Republican nomination. "Race to Watch: Shaheen vs Smith in NH" Sean Hackbarth | 2.7.2002 1:27 AM It's bad enough that Milwaukee County Executive Tom Ament almost got away with lining his pockets with $2 million in pension money. When he was caught, he didn't have the decency to resign. Now, he's released his lawyers to stop a recall petition. Recall organizers say they have 85,000 signatures--73,000 are needed to force a recall election. Ament's lawyers claim that because one form wasn't filled out, all the signatures are invalid. Has Tom Ament no shame? Is he so lacking in self-worth that he feels the need to hold on to his job at all costs? All he has done is driven the county government he claims to serve deeper into crisis. "Ament Sues to Thwart Recall" Sean Hackbarth | 1:08 AM Yesterday was Ronald Reagan's 91st birthday. Peggy Noonan talks about him for NRO. "On Reagan?s 91st" Sean Hackbarth | 12:47 AM Andrew Sullivan's new book club (less introspective and more global than Oprah's) has pushed Robert Kaplan's Warrior Politics up to #20 on Amazon.com's bestseller list. Oh, the power of weblogs! Sean Hackbarth | 2.6.2002 11:20 PM If the IOC thinks they'll be able to quell American patriotism during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake, then they don't understand Americans. Like it or not, Salt Lake will be covered in red, white, and blue. There will be chants of "USA, USA" echoing at every event site. Love of country is deeply imbeded in the American Mind. The 9.11 attacks brought out heroes and made us realize that the values we hold are seen as threats to others. Our response to the attacks shows the world that we won't back down to threats on our freedom. Flying the flag, cheering our athletes, and chanting "USA" tells the world that we are a proud nation that will not fall. Many may call that American arrogance, but I call it American pride. We have plenty to be proud of and we should feel no shame in letting the world know about our national confidence. The USA is a great and good nation. The petty jealousies of weasely Europeans shouldn't stop us from showing off that fact. "Olympic Committee To Allow Americans to Use WTC Flag" Sean Hackbarth | 2.5.2002 11:14 PM Critics have at it over those government anti-drug ads during the Super Bowl. "White House Anti-Drug Ads 'Super Bowloney' Say Critics" Sean Hackbarth | 11:08 PM Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX) opposes President Bush's USA Freedom Corps, calling it "obnoxious." "Armey Opposition to Freedom Corps Not Threatening, Bush Says" Sean Hackbarth | 2.4.2002 2:03 PM After reading Matt Labash's report from Camp X-Ray, I have little sympathy for the detainees. As for the reporters... "Guantanamo's Unhappy Campers" Sean Hackbarth | 1:33 PM Yasir Arafat stakes his claim to wanting peace. In his NY Times op-ed, he writes, he wants "a warm peace between two equals enjoying mutually beneficial economic and social cooperation." One problem with Arafat's vision is that democratic Israel isn't "equal" to authoritarian Palestine. Arafat is the political power. He isn't challenged because there isn't a real political opposition. Israel uses force to defend its people. Palestine uses force as a political tool to force Israel to capitulate. Israel (with all its socialist tendencies) is a growing free-market economy. Palestine is an economic quagmire. Arafat may want the world to view Israel and Palestine as morally equivalent, but the facts speak for themselves. What I noticed the most about Arafat's piece is no mention of the arms ship. He doesn't explain who was behind the shipment of 50 tons of weapons, where they were headed, and if he was cracking down on those behind it. That ship is serious business. To Israel it looks like the Palestinians want to arm themselves for a wide-ranging war. Nothing about that ship speaks to a Palestinian vision of peace. "The Palestinian Vision of Peace" Sean Hackbarth | 1:00 PM The New England Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVI. (Can't we just start using Arabic numerals? Consider it reaching out to the Islamic world.) Few thought they could win--including me, but not NR's John Miller. I was right on how the Pats could win: they controlled the ball and scored on Rams' turnovers. The Rams' problem was they didn't run Marshall Faulk enough. A stronger running game could have eased the pressure on Kurt Warner. It was a fun watching New England quarterback, Tom Brady right himself into football history with that game-winning drive, and I can't be upset that a team called the "Patriots" won the whole thing. Kudos to New England. "This Story is One for the History Books" Sean Hackbarth | 12:48 PM NRO's Ramesh Ponnuru asks, "Was I the only one who was appalled by the drug-war ads during the Super Bowl?" No, I was also shocked that the drug czar would blame American drug users for helping terrorists. The reason terrorists can fund their evil acts on drug money is because prohibition artificially raises drug prices. If the government was really serious about lowering drug prices, they would consider legalization. Also, when looking through terrorists' finances, we will discover many legal sources of their money. There may be plenty of plain, regular widget factories that fund terrorists. Will the feds make commericals trying to make widget buyers feel guilty for financing terrorists? Sean Hackbarth | 2.3.2002 12:55 AM Ron Cuzner, newly retired Milwaukee jazz DJ on why he won't do his show on public radio:
I guess I'm not the only one who thinks the musical interludes in between stories on NPR's All Things Considered are rather lame. "Cuzner's 'Dark Side' Retires into the Night" Sean Hackbarth | 12:41 AM Kurt Warner may have found the Lord, but that's not why his St. Louis Rams will beat the New England Patriots. No, the Rams will win because they're better on both sides of the football. The offense isn't nicknamed "The Greatest Show on Earth" for nothing. With weapons like Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and Marshall Faulk, they can score on any play anywhere on the field. The Philadelphia Eagles held them down for a while, but still gave up 29 points. The Patriots' defense isn't as good as the Eagles. For the Patriots to win, they'll have to control the ball by pounding Antowain Smith and take advantage of any Rams' turnovers. That strategy will keep the Rams' offense off the field, and keep the score close where special teams or a defensive score could tip the balance. It won't happen, but that's what the Pats have to do. St. Louis is the best team in the NFL. They'll prove it today in New Orleans, but it won't be the blowout oddsmakers think. Let me pick some numbers: 27-17 St. Louis. "Warner Has Faith in a Higher Authority" "Patriots' Dream Run Ends Here" 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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