Shameful

For the most part, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's columnists are bland purveyors of conventional wisdom. Their columns are neither really good nor really bad, but they are quickly forgettable. Then there's Eugene Kane.

Kane is the race-obsessed black columnist who was "nice" enough to compare President Bush to Tony Soprano. Last Sunday, a black girl fell into the rain-swollen Milwaukee River. Twelve-year old Temisha Warren jumped into the water in an attempt to save her six-year old sister, Tia Woodley. Both are missing and believed to have drowned.

On Monday, Kane wrote a column on how there's no barrier along that stretch of the river. He also noted that few of the residents of the condos around the site were there. Kane wrote,

Meaning the homeowners, the people who live in the expensive condos. All of the people gathered at the edge of the river were black, and most lived outside the area.

Perhaps the homeowners were all at work, earning the money it takes to live in a place like this.

In his next column Wednesday, Kane responded to some readers who wondered why no mention was made about the lack of adult supervision for the children. He wrote,

Some readers think I also didn't say nearly enough in my column Tuesday about the responsibility of the two girls' parents to watch over their children and keep them safe.

These critics questioned why the sisters were part of a group of unsupervised children - including a 1-year-old - playing at the river's edge. At 12, Temisha was in charge of the group.

According to reports, their mother believed the children were playing at a park closer to their home.

Some readers suggested that good parents know where their children are 100% of the time. That seems a bit unrealistic to me.

Then Kane has to throw out the race card:

But when a tragedy like this happens, I think it's proper to ask why none of the adults in these children's lives was watching out for them.

There was a time when neighbors watched out for everybody's children, even if they were black and poor.

When I visited the site Monday, grieving relatives were there in force, along with others from their neighborhood.

It was a workday, so many residents of the upscale condo district weren't present. Somebody in the crowd wondered aloud about that, because it appeared as if the people who lived here didn't want any part of the scene.

Also, the site had no makeshift tributes or commemorations, the kind of small gestures you see all the time after such tragedies, just to show someone in the area cared.

I talked to several Beerline residents after Tuesday's column; some of them said they thought I had needlessly injected race into the story by pointing out the mourners of the children were black and most residents in the upscale condo district are white.

In between the two columns, there was this e-mail exchange between Kane and a reader (emphasis mine):

-----Original Message-----
From: Karl Kukor
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:01 AM
To: Eugene Kane
Subject: Tragic yes but....

Where was mom ?

From: Eugene Kane
To: Karl Kukor
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:03 AM
Subject: RE: Tragic yes but....

Yep, best thing to do in a situation like this, blame the mother.
You don’t disappoint me.

Eugene Kane
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Columnist

From: Karl Kukor
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:25 AM
To: Eugene Kane
Subject: Re: Tragic yes but....

It was a tragic accident but on cue you blame some building contractor. Why not blame God for putting the river there ? Lets wall off the river, the lake and my God we better wall off all the streets so kids don't run after a ball and get hit by cars. I grew up 1 block from lake Michigan and I managed not to drown. Do you really think some sign would have halted their curiosity, be real.

From: Eugene Kane
To: Karl Kukor
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:27 AM
Subject: RE: Tragic yes but....

I live for the day when a bunch of white kids get killed in an accident and the first question from readers is “where were the parents?”
Because both you and I know, that doesn’t get asked unless it’s black people, poor black people in particular…

Eugene Kane
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Columnist

Karl Kukor: I find your statement detestful and will share it with every senior management and staff at your publication.

I don't know if this exchange is a hoax or not. I'm relying on the reputation of conservative radio yapper, Charlie Sykes. [Sykes is an employee of the Journal Sentinel's parent company.]

What can be said about this callous disregard for human life because of skin color? It's racism plain and simple. I hope he didn't mean this. I hope Kane was just having a bad day. I rarely agree with what Kane writes, yet I'm willing to let this pass if he apologizes. One thing is for certain, if a local white conservative talk show host or columnist (the Journal Sentinel has none) said something like this about black kids, he'd lose his job. The newspaper's editorial board would have published a scathing editorial lamenting such divisive language. There then would be weeks of news stories on the front page documenting examples of Milwaukee's racism.

Kane is safe because 1) he's black;and 2) he's a Lefty in a Lefty newspaper.

Milwaukee is a racially-divided city partly because of race baiters like Kane. Whites are afraid to connect with their minority brothers and sisters because any faux-paus, no matter how well intentioned, could be taken as evidence of racism's ghost. Kane mentioned that one of the condo residents told him he didn't yell at the kids because "he didn't want to do anything that might look bad." It's just easier to walk down separate paths. This time it might have cost two girls' lives.

If you think Eugene Kane said things that are beyond the pale for newspaper columnist in a big city, you can write a letter to the editor, e-mail Kane, e-mail, or e-mail the paper's editor, Martin Kaiser.

More MM Misleading

Republican pollster Frank Luntz means little to me. I ignore pollsters and have found him dull when he's done live focus groups for MSNBC. So why do I care about a Media Matters post on him? Because it's another example of MM's "gotcha" tactics that amount to little. Given the post's title, "GOP pollster Luntz revealed Limbaugh's role in new survey" you'd think Rush organized some evil plot. Let me summarize the post: Rush asked Luntz to do a poll to see if Democrats preferred Sen. Hillary Clinton over Sen. John Kerry as their Presidential nominee. Luntz did it and released the results. MM then notes that Luntz has a checkered history (because he refused to release his Contract of America data), and he has admitted to releasing favorable poll results.

My response: Who cares? MM provides no evidence that this poll was manipulated in any way. That would require real research. The easist thing to do would be to just do a poll. If there's evidence that Luntz cooked the books then I'd like to know.

So, Andrew Seifter, the post's writer, has no argument against Luntz's poll. He just gives us some of the pollster's past with a few quotes from television and radio. But before calling it a day, Seifter has to mention that Luntz is an adjunct fellow with the Hudson Institute and did polling work for David Horowitz. In "progressive"/liberal circles, Horowitz's apostasy is unforgivable so linking Luntz to him smears him. Since Seifter really has nothing on Luntz he decides to do the guilt-by-association thing MM is becoming known for.

"GOP Pollster Luntz Revealed Limbaugh's Role in New Survey"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 09:00 PM | Comments (0)

Lambeau's House Found

A Green Bay father and son spent the better part of a year digging through old maps and records to find Curley Lambeau's birthplace. The lawn around the house has been re-named the "Original Lambeau Field." Expect rabid Packers fans from across the globe to make annual pilgramages.

"Lambeau's Home Found"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 08:23 PM | Comments (0)

Huh? 2

After watching some clips of AlGore's speech I don't know what he said or how he said it to get James Joyner to write,

I don’t know whether the bitterness of his narrow defeat in 2000 finally pushed him over the edge or if this is just the latest iteration of Gore’s never-ending quest for a personality, but I’m thankful this loon isn’t in charge of our nuclear arsenal.

AlGore was angry and full of righteous indignation, yes, where did he lose it? I disagreed with most of his speech, but didn't notice a Dean-like wacko moment. His bombast may be a change from the wooden, boring, Kerry-like personna he mostly displayed as a Senator and Vice President, but his book Earth in the Balance showed he could go off the deep end when it came to the environment.

Maybe after putting up with a few years of outrageous Bush bashing I've become inured to it. I guess I'm going to have to block some time and endure the entire speech if I can find it. But if you know of an incriminating video clip or soundbite, leave a comment, e-mail, or trackback.

P.S. Yes, you just experienced a mild defense of AlGore. No need to adjust your browser. Don't send the paramedics my way. I'm just fine.

"Al Gore Unglued"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 06:51 PM | Comments (3)

Huh?

Why the RNC bothers with Don King, I don't know. But to Oliver donating to the Republicans disqualifies you from being a part of black outreach (notice the scare quotes around the post's title). We shouldn't be surprised that a black Republican would help her party. What should the RNC have done, find a black Democrat to help them persuade blacks to vote for the GOP?

Maybe I'm missing something.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 05:58 PM | Comments (0)

Kerry's House of Ketchup #13

Kerry speaks.

[Welcome InstaPundit readers. Since Glenn was critical of the name of this weblog's periodic feature I've posted a response. After that, browse though all that TAM has to offer. 06.01.04]

With Memorial Day festivities approaching what better addition to the brats, hot dogs, Italian sausage, and hamburgers everyone will be grilling than a big, tomato-y edition of Kerry's House of Ketchup? Did you know KHoK goes great with beer? How do you think I can get through this every week?

First, some articles of note.

Kerry has a campaign theme: "Let America Be America Again." What does this mean? It must be full of nuance that only a French intellectual can understand.

Kerry thought about going to his party's nominating convention and not accepting his party's nod to be better positioned financially against the Bush money machine. That ticked off local Bostonians and threatened to turn the convention into an event only seen on C-SPAN. The idea got nixed yesterday. Another flip-flop?

Charles Paul Freund has an interesting piece on political intimacy and how Kerry used his war experience to give himself "a personal narrative sufficiently powerful to overcome his stylistic and rhetorical weaknesses."

His "personal narrative" might not be enough in Ohio. One local union president said, "There is some uneasiness there. He [Kerry] does not come across to working class people as well as some did." Another local union president points out that Kerry voters are the ABB (Anyone But Bush) type: "The enthusiasm may not be there for Kerry, but there is a great enthusiasm for getting rid of Bush, and that is going to send Kerry to the White House."

Enough of me. Let's see what other webloggers are saying about Senator Zoop:

• Paul at Wizbang wonders how Kerry's new wings will help him better relate to us little people. When showing off the plane to reporters he couldn't help himself and made a Vietnam reference. It's an uncontrollable tick for this man.
  

• Robert Garcia Tagorda finds Kerry lacking in his response to President Bush's Iraq speech on Monday. [via PoliBlog]
  

• Senator Kerry tried to use Truman and Wilson as examples of Presidential nominees who delayed accepting their nominations. Too bad, he got his history wrong [and here].
  

• Bill Hobbs notes Kerry's (and Reuters') ignoble replies to Bush falling off a bike.
  

• Glenn Reynolds compares Kerry to Nixon, and it has nothing to do with Watergate or scandal.
  

• Anti-Bushies want Kerry to win so badly they're urging people to move to "Bleeding Ohio."
  

• At Ipse Dixit, we have Kerry waffling on Supreme Court justices. Don't forget Steven Taylor's take.
  

• At Oscar, Jr., we have evidence of Kerry waffling on Cuba.
  

• At Viking Pundit, Kerry might waffle on the Patriot Act. [Somebody get me some syrup. Just not from this guy's "endangered" state.]
  

• Senator Kerry (at least technically since he doesn't seem to represent Massachusetts much in Congress) missed another vote.
  

• John Cole points out that Kerry's campaign is raking in the dough.
  

• Power Line looks at the weirdness of a Kerry-McCain ticket.
  

• Letterman helps Kerry with his VP pick.

• Erick Erickson, along with his take on the lame campaign theme ("compassionate conservatism" wasn't much better for Bush), has a Kerry-ketchup joke. That pretty much guarantees a link in the KHoK.
  

Join in the fun by linking to the House of Ketchup. If you have an MT-powered weblog, just trackback to this post, and it will appear below. If your weblog software is incapable of trackbacks use Kevin's Trackback Form.

[Thanks go to the John F. Kerry Media Relations Center for the Sen. Zoop's "voice."]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in John Kerry at 01:20 AM | Comments (3)

May 26, 2004

Next Target: Lomborg

Bjorn Lomborg joins Patrick Michaels in criticising The Day After Tomorrow and those who are using the movie's premise to affect public policy. Expect an attack on Lomborg's funding and other suspicious connections by Media Matters at any moment.

"Entertaining Discredited Ideas of a Climatic Catastrophe" [via Betsy's Page]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 11:41 PM | Comments (0)

Never!

I don't care if doctors determine that low-carb diets will let me live until I'm 300, I will NOT EVER buy a low-carb Krispy Kreme. Note I wrote "buy." If I'm in a store when the hot light is on and the smiling person behind the doughnut case hands me a hot, sticky just-fried sample, I guarantee I won't say no.

"Krispy Kreme Makes Plans to Meet Low-Carb Challenge" [via Betsy's Page]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Economics at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)

"Gotcha" Games

Laura Kipnis wrote this about Media Matters founder and ex-conservative David Brock:

So, what to make of his new role, once again flinging accusations at those loathed former accusers—including, incidentally, at another showy and annoying political apostate, David Horowitz, himself a frequent and acerbic critic of Brock's? Is there a political—or perhaps psychopolitical—lesson in all this? The most obvious one is that political apostasy has really gone downhill, intellectually speaking, if it's come to this. Consider the first generation of neocons: Whatever you think of their ideas, at least they had ideas. Brock, by contrast, has one tune on autoplay: Conservatives lie. OK, maybe they do, but this isn't a political idea, it's political melodrama, peopled by villains and heroes. And this same brand of black-and-white thinking has propelled Brock's journalism from the start—along with an alarming amount of projection to cap it off.

Kipnis "wishes Brock could finally move on, rather than mucking around in this endless circle of accusation and 'gotcha' games." The only thing that's changed about Brock is where he's tossing his bombs.

"Brock Attack"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 11:26 PM | Comments (2)

Happy Anniversary

Catallarchy.net is one year old.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 10:43 PM | Comments (0)

Ad Hominem

Has Oliver Willis or anyone at Media Matters even read any of Patrick Michaels' books on climate change? For a guy who's supposedly in bed with energy companies Michaels doesn't discount man-made climate change. Here are two passages from Michaels' and Robert Balling, Jr.'s (presumably another lackey of the "Trash the Earth" lobby) book The Satanic Gases:

For the record, we too believe that there is a human influence on the climate. But, to put it simply, the effect is just not all that bad. (p. 21)

and

One thing concerning global warming about which there is no debate is the notion that human activity has augmented the earth's natural greenhouse effect. The magnitude of this change, coupled with a deficit of predicted warming, is what fuels the core of the argument that global warming is an overblown issue. (p. 30)

Notice that neither Oliver nor Media Matters engage with Michaels' arguments. That would require doing more than some Google or Nexis searches. Instead, they just cynically throw mud the way many people of all ideologies do with opinions they disagree with. Being funded by energy companies doesn't mean Michaels is a public policy mercenary anymore than MoveOn.org can be accuse of being in George Soros' pocket.

"Stay Informed"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 10:31 PM | Comments (6)

Make a Commerical with This

While President Clinton used empathy ("I feel your pain") to connect with people, President Bush used his confident moral purpose with some of Saddam's terror victims--remember, the bad guy who ordered much more abuse in Abu Ghraib than some U.S. troops ever did.

"Bush Meets Iraqis Maimed under Saddam" [inspired by The Volokh Conspiracy]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 08:37 PM | Comments (2)

Bernard Lewis Speaks

Esteemed Islam scholar Bernard Lewis offered some wise words in a speech in Chicago Tuesday. Neil Steinberg was there and reported:

You might think George W. Bush is an idiot -- everyone seems to nowadays. But Bernard Lewis sure isn't an idiot. He's perhaps the most eminent Islamic scholar alive. I caught his speech Tuesday, and he said quite eloquently that we are battling for our lives.

"We are engaged in a life-or-death struggle,'' he said.

All that PC cant about fighting terror, not Islam, is just that.

"Terror is a tactic,'' he said. "We are fighting somebody using terror.'' That somebody would be the Islamic world, which has no reluctance to pour hatred on us. Lewis described the Saudi brand of Islam this way: "Imagine the Ku Klux Klan enjoying unlimited wealth and power, using it to establish schools and colleges to peddle their brand of Christianity,'' Lewis said.

They thought we'd cave in because we always have.

"The line about America is always the same,'' he said. They "have become degenerate and immoral, abandoning their own inferior religion. Hit them and they will run.''

The collapse of the Soviet Union was not seen as our victory, but theirs.

"It is hardly surprising they felt they were winning,'' he said. "Dealing with the soft and pampered Americans would be relatively easy.''

But we're not running now.

"What happened after 9/11 came as a shock,'' he said. The Americans did not collapse, but fought back, hard.

"One can see a sort of wavering now in their perception,'' he said. "Were they wrong? Do they really face a determined and dangerous adversary? Or were they right, and the interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq merely a flash in the pan that the weak and pampered Americans are incapable of maintaining?''

Next time Bush addresses the nation, I wish he'd send Lewis as a ringer.

This is a moral war, a war of civilizations. However, it's not a battle between Christianity and Islam. It's between the free West and an Islamist ideology grown from the same poisoned soil as fascism.

"President Sounds OK, Looks Even Better"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 08:23 PM | Comments (0)

They Can't Win

It hasn't even been a full news cycle and there's criticism that John Ashcroft's and Robert Mueller's news conference was an overreaction. If there are no U.S. attacks in the next few months, the Bush bashers will complain the administration used the threat of terrorism as an election weapon.

"Feds: Al Qaeda Plans to 'Hit the U.S. Hard'"

"An Overreaction?"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 08:11 PM | Comments (0)

May 25, 2004

Nice Hat

Michele almost bears it all again. This time for her hubby.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 07:38 PM | Comments (4)

Protest Pontential

In the next month, President Bush will be traveling a lot. Besides all the campaign stops he'll make he'll go to France and Italy to for the 60th anniversary of D-Day, he'll head to Turkey for a NATO meeting, and he'll go to Georgia for the G-8 summit. At the overseas visits there should be plenty of anti-Bush protesters. Steven Kull, director of the program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, thinks this will surprise much of the American public. What protests may do is rally them around the President. Knocking off Saddam in spite of world opinion took courage. Seeing crass and harsh displays of anti-Bushism/anti-Americanism could create a backlash with the American public. Think of it as a form of blowback. Oh, wouldn't that just tick off the anti-Bushies?

"Bush's Bid to Shape the Iraq Story"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Foreign Affairs at 07:33 PM | Comments (0)

Bad Fire

I met Jay McCarthy at BloggerCon I last fall. He's very smart and very inquisitive--the two usually go hand in hand. Tragedy struck him and his family when his home caught fire. No one got hurt, but the house will have to be rebuilt. Wish Jay and his family well, and say a little prayer for them.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Miscellaneous at 07:08 PM | Comments (0)

Newly Discovered

What a pleasant surprise to fine two Wisconsin current events webloggers. Dan Ray Barrington is a news editor and columnist for the Green Bay News Chronicle. He posts on Live Journal so most of his writings are diary-type entries. He did have the good sense to link to TAM.

Then the too good (because there's too much to read) Samizdata.net has fellow Wisconsinite Robert Clayton Dean as a contributor. His latest post is on the symbiosis of media and state.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 06:47 PM | Comments (1)

Up in Flames

British modern art was destroyed in a blaze of glory. Brian Micklethwait is correct that modern art connoisseurs shouldn't weep for the pieces weren't "lost." The fire "merely moved some objects from one state of being to another." There's enough material here to fill one or two Ph.D. dissertations.

"Fire Art"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture at 06:33 PM | Comments (0)

Go Get Some Marshmellows

Hooray! Laurence hosts this week's Bonfire of the Vanities. Through that I discovered Interested-Participant's post on naked roller coaster riders. I just hope they really hosed things down after the riders were finished.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 06:09 PM | Comments (0)

More Pink

It seems the pink fad has hit webloggers too.

"Pink: The New Business-Blue of Web Design?"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 01:06 AM | Comments (1)

May 24, 2004

Iraq's Future

The President has laid down the plan for Iraq's future. We all know the path this administration wants to go down. It continues the Islamist War by stabilizing Iraq and going after the terrorists and Saddam loyalists. It's multilateral both militarily, financially, and diplomatically (a new U.N. resolution has just been offered). And it's achievable. That's not to say Iraq won't fall down into a pit of chaos and civil war in the future. No one can be sure what the future portends. The best the U.S. can do is put Iraq on the path to creating a strong regime of liberty.

"President Outlines Steps to Help Iraq Achieve Democracy and Freedom"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)

Anti-Nader Ads

This is not a good sign for the Democrats. If a Democratic outfit feels so threatened by Ralph Nader that they have to run commercials against him what does that say about their confidence in Kerry?

"Concerned Democrats Launch 'Don't Vote for Nader' Ad"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in John Kerry at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)

Deep Freeze

New Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett is already having problems keeping his campaign promise to freeze the city's property tax levy. Wispolitics.com reports, "Just before being sworn in April 20, he was told it would cost $36 million more to operate the city next year at the same level of services as this year."

City Council president Willie Hines made this bizzarre statement:

I would hope that a budget is put forth with the greatest amount of integrity and isn't done to fulfill a campaign promise. It would be unfair to the taxpayers if that would occur.

So Hines thinks it would be "fair" to city taxpayers to have property taxes continue to rise? It's this kind of thinking that has driven thousands from the city, further exasperating budget difficulties.

"Barrett Camp Comes to Grip With The Meaning of 'Freeze''"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 06:41 PM | Comments (1)

Rand Ignored

Why isn't Ayn Rand taken seriously in academic philosophy? Keith Burgess-Jackson's explanation ranges from sexism to envy.

"Ayn Rand (1905-1982) and the Moral Philosophers"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture at 06:31 PM | Comments (1)

Pink Shoes for Men

No, it's not metrosexuality run amok. The latest hip-hop fashion craze is pink women's sneakers. A store in Milwaukee opened two hours early last Saturday to satisfy eager customers.

"Who'd Pay $115 for a Pair of Women's Shoes? Lots of Guys, that's Who"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture at 01:58 AM | Comments (1)

May 23, 2004

Severe Weather

I'm posting with a major storm headed for me with the possiblity of a tornado. Things are dark outside and the family is safe in the basement. I don't know if this is a first for the blogosphere, but it certainly is a first for me. I've got WTMJ's website on and am monitoring the storm. Hopefully, we're taken precautions for nothing.

UPDATE: So far, so good. The storm still hasn't reached town yet, but it looks like it wants to bear down on us.

UPDATE 2: Everything is still fine. Based on the radar a severe storm passed over us, but there hasn't been any rain. Everything is dark and calm.

UPDATE 3: All is well now. This was anticlimactic. No rain Some rain, no hail, and no winds. To the southwest there's clear skies.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 08:03 PM | Comments (1)

Sam Johnson, R.I.P.

Sam Johnson, one of the most successful businessmen in Wisconsin history died of cancer. He was 76.

"Concern for Business, Earth"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 12:19 AM | Comments (0)

On the Map

In the heart of what used to be called lovely Kablogh sits the TAM Hotel. At the TAM Hotel room service will never be interrupted. Plus, there's always an Imam al-Ron speech on pay-per-view. That's why all the journalists cringe when staying there. But where else would they stay? The TAM Hotel still has running water.

"Kablogh - Holy City of Blogistan" [via Captain's Quarters]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 12:15 AM | Comments (0)

May 22, 2004

The Wind Cries Mary

Today around town, you heard the sound of chainsaws. The locals were cleaning up after yesterday morning's powerful storm ripped through. From my short tour of the neighborhood, I didn't see any damage worse than fallen trees some minor roof damage caused by 70-mile an hour winds. Yesterday morning, I was woken by rain hitting the windows so hard I thought it was hail. After getting my eyes to focus I peered out a window to see nothing but grey haze. It was raining so hard I could barely make out the shingles of the roof just outside the window.

This was easily the strongest storm I've been through in the almost 13 years I've lived in Allenton, and we seem to have missed the worst of it. This powerful yet fast-moving storm destroyed cars and a barn to the east and south of me. Fortunately there were no injuries.

To the north and south of Allenton this month's constant rains have brought flooding. I'm not worried about my place because we're on high ground, but I did go over the bridge that spans the Rock River. I saw nothing to worry about.

Since pictures are worth a thousand words (or do they inspire a thousand words a la Abu Ghraib?) here are the pictures I took just walking around the block.

"Powerful Storms Leave Trails of Damage"

"More Rain on the Way"

UPDATE: It's raining again. I wish someone would have told me I moved to Seattle.

UPDATE II: Mark Hasty is doing his Weather Channel impersonation but without a green screen, cool graphics, any video, or pictures of him decked out in a raincoat getting wet.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 09:40 PM | Comments (1)

May 21, 2004

Prison Blues V

The Washington Post has some abuse video from Abu Ghraib on their website. All I saw were some prisoners naked or stripping. Humiliating, to be sure. According to a Post story there are worse images.

The video begins with three soldiers huddled around a naked detainee, his thin frame backed against a wall. With a snap of his wrist, one of the soldiers slaps the man across his left cheek so hard that the prisoner's knees buckle. Another detainee, handcuffed and on his back, is dragged across the prison floor.

Then, the human pyramid begins to take shape. Soldiers force hooded and naked prisoners into crouches on the floor, one by one, side by side, a soldier pointing to where the next ones should go.

"Videos Amplify Picture of Violence" [via OTB]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 02:24 PM | Comments (1)

Legalize Incest

When will someone in the U.S. take up Professor Peter Munz's argument? I'm afraid to say that it won't be long.

"'Legalize Incest' Suggestion Shocks Lawmakers"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Culture at 01:55 PM | Comments (1)

"Compassionate" Lefties

Air America, the liberal talk network that's suppose to be the antithesis of mean, nasty, uncaring conservative talk radio never provided Chicago staffers health insurance while taking money out of their paychecks to pay for it.

"Air America's Slide Ignored by Liberal Press"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 01:48 PM | Comments (1)

It's a Good Thing

A Secret Service ink expert who testified in the Martha Stewart trial has been arrested for lying on the stand. Federal prosecutors accuse Larry Stewart (no relation to Martha) of giving eight false statements. U.S. Attorney David Kelley didn't think this news would help overturn Martha Stewart's conviction, but I'm sure Martha's lawyers disagree.

"Stewart Witness Charged With Perjury"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Economics at 01:37 PM | Comments (0)

Fad Fading Fast

There might be some relief for Krispy Kreme stockholders (here and here). The low carb craze is losing its craziness.

"Low-Carb Losing Steam"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Economics at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

May 20, 2004

Less Than Even Money

Paul at Wizbang notes that bettors give President Bush the edge over Kerry. Over at the Iowa Electronic Markets traders have been predicting a Bush victory since February with Kerry closing the gap in the past few weeks. When people have something on the line they have a penchant for using available information more efficiently. When to combine all the disparate, scattered knowlege from lots of individuals you end up with a form of collective wisdom. It's not infallible because individuals are fallible, but this market system is the same mechanism we use to allocate just about all our good and services in a fairly efficient manner.

For more on the importance of individual knowledge there's Friedrich Hayek's indispensable paper "The Use of Knowledge in Society."

"Forget Zogby"

UPDATE: James Carville and Stan Greenberg have a different prediction: "...the odds against him [Bush]. He is more likely to lose than win." Let's hope I can remember to go back to this post on Election Day to see who was correct two very smart political consultants or collective wisdom.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 07:27 PM | Comments (0)

Looking for Competition

Rosemary is looking for a Bush version of Kerry's House of Ketchup. For there to be one requires Kerry fans (and I use the term loosely) to have a sense of humor instead of anti-Bush shrillness. But if there is some linkfest out there I'm interested in it too.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in John Kerry at 06:45 PM | Comments (1)

"Grandstanding"

The NY Post has summed up the two days of hearings on the Sept. 11 attacks. Here's the opening paragraph:

The 9/11 Commission completed two days near the scene of the crime yes terday, doing what it does best: grandstanding.

Keep reading. It doesn't let up.

"A National Disgrace, Cont'd" [via Viking Pundit]

After reading that there's an essay left by SDH as a comment to a post that deserves a post of its own.

"An Attempt at Some Historical Perspective on the 9/11 Commission's Monday Morning Elways..."

The Spanish Empire fell with a cataclysmic crash after its armada sank off the coasts of The British Isles. Its infamous reputation lived for centuries and tarred generations of Hispanic people with an unfair reputation for duplicity, inhumanity and barbaric cruelty. This horrible reputation, known by historians as "La Leyenda Negra", or The Black Legend resulted primarily from the writings of a Catholic Monk; Father Bartolomeo De Las Casas.

De Las Casas observed the encomienderos and all of the misery which these people inflicted upon South and Central America. His account sickens any person with a rational mind. When rock singer Neil Young wrote his PC Jeremiad "Cortez Was a Killer", he riffed off the fundamental conceit posited by the writings of De Las Casas. Five hundred years after De Las Casas died his message of self-loathing and grief resounded across the ages and profoundly affected the thinking of a man who probably never studied Spanish Literature and History.

The 9/11 Commission will compose the primary source historical document that will inform future generations of historians, school children and pop culture entertainers of what happened on 11 September 2001. These men and women seem too shortsighted to recognize what they have in their hands. They are the ambassadors that will introduce our society and our traditions to the world of the future. These commissioners are writing the American History that people five hundred years hence will gripe about having to read in high school or college.

Like Bartolomeo De Las Casas, the 9/11 Commission presents an antiheroic picture of our people and our society. Their description of the NYPD and the NYFD does not even remotely give these men and women credit for valor and initiative. The Monday Morning Bart Starrs cast their aspersions on these officers and firefighters from the overfed and very comfortable perspective of The Inquisitor's Chair.

They portray the rescue workers who toiled in desperation amongst the fires of Gahanna as bumbling caricatures of Henry Blake and Frank Burns in a profoundly sickening and distasteful episode of MASH. My grandchildren may never see the heroism of these people because a bunch of retread, hack politicians have usurped the mantle that should have been given to people vastly better. The shortsighted and duplicitous are writing the first draft of the history of our age.

I have read Bartolomeo De Las Casa and took a very light lunch after doing so. I have no objective way of knowing whether his history is a fair and accurate account of how Spaniards behaved in The Caribbean Islands. Enough other people support his version of events that this seems likely. Thus, what I learned about Latin American History heavily reflects De Las Casas' appraisal of Spanish imperial policy and society. Judging from Neil Young's musical protest, a lot of other people learned the same version.

Some historian 500 years hence will read the report of the 9-11 Commission. They will then read a few editorials from The New York Times. After that, our notional historian will plug America's own low-budget Sergei Eisenstein, Michael Moore into his DVD player. Amazingly, David Ben Veniste, the respected and widely read New York Times and Jabba the Haw Haw, Michael Moore all corroborate one another.

The historian will write a moving and elegant text that plants this revisionist view as the axiomatic view of ancient and corrupt America. The author will win tenure and go on to renown and acclaim.

My point is simply this. We have to start paying attention to who writes that first rough draft of Post-Modern American History. The authors thereof can do for our nation what Virgil did for Rome or they can do to our culture what Bartolomeo De Las Casa did to the Hispanics. Nothing would prove more tragic and wrong than allowing the despicable Michael Moore to proceed through the eons as the legendary historian of our corrupt and immoral age.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 06:29 PM | Comments (1)

Kerry's House of Ketchup #12

Kerry speaks.

Behold, another cache of links about my favorite condiment candidate. Not everything John Kerry says or does is bad. He is wise enough (politically and practially) to support President Bush's request for $25 billion for Iraq. It's part of his strategy to ride the Iraq hurricane into office.

Now, find some fries (I'll wait) and dip into some of the best in Kerry posts.

• The Onion introduces John Kerry to America.
  

• McGhee writes, "For such a tall guy, he sure is a small man" because of this incident in Topeka.
  

• Speaking of Topeka, that's where Kerry echoed John Edwards.
  

• John McCain still isn't going to be Kerry's running mate.
  

• Even if McCain says he doesn't want to be a VP candidate it isn't stopping Democrats from yapping about the possibility. David Cohen thinks this is a sign the Dems are panicking.

• Joe Territo thinks the poorly run Sept. 11 commission will hurt Kerry. "Bob Kerrey may lose the presidential election for John Kerry."
  

• Steven Taylor can't figure out where Kerry stands on gay marriage.
  

• Zombyboy found a funny, French, and fake Kerry commercial. The best line: "He's like Ted Kennedy only thinner." Oh, those funny French.
  

• Roger Simon points out that as of last week Kerry was barely leading Bush in California. His explanation: "it's the media."
  

• Rosemary has Kerry's first commerical endorsement. It sure beats Bob Dole and Viagra.
  

• Here's another cartoon and some commentary on the political rumor that won't die. Hillary Clinton WILL NOT be nominated at the convention.
  

• Kerry's constant Vietnam drone is old hat.
  

• Kerry was in favor of higher gas prices until he could use them as a weapon against Bush.
  

• In a rare HoK double dip, Viking Pundit gets another link for this story on Kerry's more than two-to-one edge in campaign contributions from professors.
  

• Vietnam vets are organizing an anti-Kerry rally in Washington, D.C. for September. [via Country Store]
  

• Power Line notes the work National Review's Mackubin Thomas Owens is doing to illuminate Kerry's anti-war record. Kerry's past is why many vets are so upset with him.

• Kerry's 10 million jobs claim has no economic theory and little history supporting it.

• Finally, we have Alexandra Kerry. John may want to think of taking her on the campaign trail to court the soft porn/Howard Stern vote.

Join in the fun by linking to the House of Ketchup. If you have an MT-powered weblog, just trackback to this post, and it will appear below. If your weblog software is incapable of trackbacks use Kevin's Trackback Form.

[Thanks go to the John F. Kerry Media Relations Center for the Sen. Zoop's "voice."]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in John Kerry at 12:20 AM | Comments (0)

May 19, 2004

Accountability

Some people besides grunts are taking responsibility for the abuses (not atrocities, that was Saddam's "fun") at Abu Ghraib. However, Bush bashers won't like it because Rumsfeld and the President aren't falling on their swords. Instead, Gen. John Abizaid, commander of Persian Gulf forces, told Senators, "We have a real problem with ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] reports and the way that they're handled and the way that they move up and down the chain of command," Abizaid said. ". . . We've got a problem there that's got to be fixed." He also said, "And we should have known. And we should have uncovered it and taken action before it got to the point that it got to."

From this testimony, we see that while the Iraq War was a stunning achievement in its quick victory with a small force, occupation requires more manpower. Rumsfeld proved that invasion could be done with high tech and highly efficient troops. The problem was with the aftermath. Paul Wolfowitz conceded that the post-war insurections are more intense than the Pentagon predicted. Maybe Rumsfeld had plans to transform post-war and peacekeeping efforts, but Sept. 11 put a wrench in the works for continued transformation. I do doubt that because until Sept. 11 President Bush gave short shrift to messy stuff like nation building.

"System Failures Cited for Delayed Action on Abuses"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)

Streak Over

Brewers first baseman, Lyle Overbay, failed to get a hit ending his hitting streak at 18 games. Milwaukee did beat the Expos in rain-soaked game San Juan.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)

More NYC Insanity

Rudy Giuliani testified before the Sept. 11 committee today, and victims' families were again showing that they care more about embarassing personal public displays of displeasure than finding answers to better prepare for future terrorist attacks. The committee, not learning from yesterday's fiasco, allowed an audience to view the proceedings.

Jeff Jarvis "ended up shouting at the shouters."

Michele writes, "Every clap and every hoot and holler makes this whole thing look like nothing more than a partisan sham presented with the intent to discredit people and get Bush out of office."

"Families Heckle Giuliani at 9/11 Hearing"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 10:43 PM | Comments (2)

May 18, 2004

Gone Off the Deep End

As if the Sept. 11 committee could stoop any lower they bashed NYC police and fire chiefs. It sounded like a lot of "coulda' shoulda' woulda'" Monday morning quarterbacking. All the while familes of Sept. 11 victims hooted and hollered.

Why should we take this inquiry seriously? Commissioners have plopped themselves in front of a television camera any chance they've gotten. They let Richard Clarke practically sell his book in front of them. They ignored the obvious conflict of interest of Commissioner Gorelick. And now they let the victims families act like they're watching a witch trial.

The Sept. 11 commission was suppose to help the public and the government learn what went wrong and what can be done to prevent future attacks. What it has ended up becoming is a disgraceful example of how not to run an investigation.

"9/11 Panel Scolds Ex-Police, Fire Chiefs"

"Hearings or Spanish Inquisition?"

UPDATE: Jeff Jarvis isn't happy either. [via InstaPundit]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Terrorism at 10:15 PM | Comments (3)

Flames, Glorious Flames

Some Great Reward hosts this week's Bonfire of the Vanities.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 09:42 PM | Comments (0)

27 Up, 27 Down

Tonight, Randy Johnson tossed a perfect game against the Braves. More on this at SportsBlog.

"Perfection"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 09:12 PM | Comments (1)

Hersh Disputed

Major General Geoffrey Miller, the new commander of the Iraqi prison system, flatly denied Seymour Hersh's claim of a "special access program" run out of Abu Ghraib.

James Joyner has links to some other stories about new developments in the prison abuse scandal.

"General Says He Backed Interrogation Limits"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 08:24 PM | Comments (0)

Who'd Have Thunk?

As of today, the Milwaukee Brewers are only three games out of first place in their division. It's not just a case of being in a weak division because if the team were in either the east or west they'd still be in the thick of things. After coming into this season with a very low team payroll few thought the Brewers would amount to much. However, they're actually competitive. They've won more than they've lost, and they're fun to watch.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)

Wanted: Strongman

Good news for those who want to be Saddam's replacement. Jordan's King Abdullah II wants a strongman put into power. "I would say that the profile would be somebody from inside, somebody who's very strong, has some sort of popular feeling," said the king. I guess he'd feel more comfortable with another autocrat for a neighbor. Then there's that little problem that Jordanians might want an elected leader of their own after seeing their Iraqi neighbors pick one.

"King Abdullah: Iraq Needs Strongman"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 07:03 PM | Comments (1)

May 17, 2004

Wise Words

The leader of the Fallujah Brigade, Retired Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abdul-Latif, had plenty to say about U.S. troops in his country:

We can make them (Americans) use their rifles against us or we can make them build our country, it's your choice.

He went on to tell Fallujah leaders,

They were brought here by the acts of one coward who was hunted out of a rathole — Saddam — who disgraced us all. Let us tell our children that these men (U.S. troops) came here to protect us.

As President Bush said, they did not come here to occupy our land but to get rid of Saddam. We can help them leave by helping them do their job, or we can make them stay ten years and more by keeping fighting.

He also had this to say about the insurgency:

Those bullets that are fired will not get the Americans out, let them finish their job here so that they can return to their country.

Our country is precious, stop allowing the bad guys to come from outside Iraq to destroy our country.

Few war backers want U.S. troops to be in Iraq any longer than needed. However, troops can't leave to allow Iraq to implode. That would only turn the country into a place where Islamist terrorist could plan attacks against the U.S. Stability is necessary, but planting the seed of freedom in the Middle East is paramount. For the sake the people there and the future security of the U.S. regimes of liberty must be given a chance.

The CPA should plaster Latif's words on billboards and buildings. For fed up Iraqis it's realism with a foreseeable end to the occupation.

"Iraqi General Urges Support of U.S. Troops" [via The Command Post]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 11:07 PM | Comments (0)

Demonstrating in the Rain

If the weather would have been better I would feel bad I had to work instead of stand up and support my President. LisaS has pictures from last Friday's rainy fun.

"A Day In The Rain"

"Bush Challenges Concordia Graduates"

"President Delivers Commencement Address at Concordia University"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Wisconsin at 10:19 PM | Comments (1)

Stock Fallout

Krispy Kreme's stock has been in the toilet along with the rest of the market. Yappers on stock message boards are calling for management's heads. All because management believes the low carb craze will slow profit growth. Note that CEO Scott Livengood didn't say the company would lose money. Profits just won't meet company expectations. In the same statement, Krispy Kreme pointed out that "Krispy Kreme experienced a 26.3% increase in systemwide volume in U.S. packaged doughnuts, predominantly through the addition of new accounts, while all other brands in the doughnut category combined experienced a 7.2% decrease in volume." KK store sales continue to grow which means the low carb fad is only effecting grocery store purchases. People continue to buy Krispy Kremes. They're just not considering it an add-on purchase while buying other groceries. Instead, they consider it a treat to go to a KK store, watch dough become golden glazed goodies, and savor a hot, soft doughnut.

If you really want to know the place of off-site sales in Krispy Kreme's plans read Making Dough. It's a bit on the hagiographic side, but it does mention that the company treats sales in grocery stores, gas stations, and convenience stores as a form of marketing. KK doesn't buy commericals on television or the radio. By offering doughnuts off-site the company gives you a taste of what they have to offer. Because of word of mouth potential buyers think there has to be something more at a KK store than an above average doughnut. The well-branded displays are the closest thing the company has to traditional commericals. Once someone goes into a store to have a hot doughnut off-site sales keep that experience in the consumer's mind.

I have to mention that I asked Prof. Bainbridge for his take on the KK lawsuits. He was kind enough to reply.

"Krispy Kreme Woes Take Cyber-Focus"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Economics at 09:36 PM | Comments (0)

Hammering Hersh

Sasha Castel Al Maviva takes on Hersh and find him wanting.

Four, this Sy Hersh hitjob does a smashing job of conflating abuse with torture and tough (but legit) interrogation techniques, and of using unnamed sources to impeach nameless badguys for the MP prison abuses, which they apparently had nothing to do with.

Hersh talks about three or four things. He talks about the MP abuse – and abuse is what it was. He talks about the open system intelligence unit that did interrogation at the prison, 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, and it’s commander, Colonel Pappas, who sought permission from General Sanchez in a number of cases to use one or two tough interrogation tactics. Then Hersh talks about some Special Access Programs run out of the Department of Defense using Rumsfeld-approved tough interrogation methods.

Hersh’s main failure, is he talks about all this stuff as if it is of apiece. It isn’t.

"On Seymour Hersh’s Latest Hitjob"

UPDATE: Give me a moment to wipe the egg off my face. Sasha was nice enough to correct me. The post wasn't written by her but by Al Maviva.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 05:14 PM | Comments (1)

Prison Blues IV

Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, the person formerly in charge of Iraqi prisons has been blamed for the abuse that took place inside Abu Ghraib. For someone who is the third-ranked perpetrator (so far) behind Lynndie England and Charles Graner you would think she'd be bitter at those high up on the totem pole. Nope.

Washington, D.C.: Do you think Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld should resign?

Brig. Gen. Janis L. Karpinski: No. I think that he has to be a participant in this investigation. Sec. Rumsfeld is the equivalent of a CEO of the largest organization in the world and he can establish policy -- which he does -- and he can promulgate policy but you have to trust the people who are disseminating that policy and enforcing that policy because he can't be everywhere all of the time.

Success at any level is directly connected to the effectiveness of communication and trust of the people you have working for you.

"Transcript: Prison Abuse Scandal"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)

Chaplain Yee

After all the hoopla that Capt. James Yee might have been a Muslim spy inside Guantanamo all charges and reprimands have been removed from his record. Unfortunately, we don't know much about what happened because Yee has been ordered not to talk, and the military won't say anything either.

"The Ordeal of Chaplain Yee"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)

18 Sheets to the Wind

Ben Sheets struck out 18 Atlanta Braves and allowed only three hits in a complete-game victory yesterday. It was Sheets' best game ever as a pro, and it's arguably the greatest pitching performance in team history. The closest comparison is Juan Nieves' no-hitter in 1987. For more, there's Baseball Musings and Cheesehead Sports.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Sports at 02:01 AM | Comments (1)

May 16, 2004

Let's Meetup

There still aren't enough people yet for the next Milwaukee-area Weblogger Meetup. So far it's just me and Jay Bullock, Iron Blog Democrat, who have decided to come. Let's show that SE Wisconsin is full of fun, interesting webloggers. Here are the gory details:

WHO: SE Wisconsin webloggers and readers.

WHAT: Milwaukee Weblogger Meetup

WHEN: Wednesday, May 19 @ 7:00PM

WHERE: Pizza Shuttle, 1827 N Farwell Ave., Milwaukee, WI (map)

WHY: Because I said so. And to carouse with local webloggers and readers.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Weblogging at 11:32 PM | Comments (1)

Hersh's Falibility

Not to dismiss Seymour Hersh's latest accusation against Donald Rumsfeld, the Bush administration, and the U.S. military (his previous Abu Ghraib stories seem to have held up), realize that this prize-winning investigative reporter isn't perfect. Last year in a story accusing the administration of misusing intelligence, he maintained the myth that President Bush claimed Iraq was an "imminent" threat. The closest critics came to proving this was an encounter between Rumsfeld and Tom Friedman on Face the Nation, and that was a stretch.

Next, we look at Hersh's book on John F. Kennedy, The Dark Side of Camelot. Hersh almost "proved" a JFK/Marilyn Monroe affair based on evidence proven to be a forgery. That didn't stop him from making his claims which amount to "unsubstantiated celebrity rumors" in the words of Edward Jay Epstein. Hersh then bases claims that JFK was a bigamist and was in cahoots with the mob to kill Castro on witness memories that appeared only recently.

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in War at 11:15 PM | Comments (2)

May 15, 2004

Wack the Prez

That's what would "work" for Air America's Randi Rhodes.

"It Works for Her"

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Politics at 03:49 PM | Comments (0)

May 14, 2004

Tit-for-Tat

Dell is tossing in a flat-panel monitor with their desktops. You can know get a new computer with an LCD for under $1000. They're trying to match the sweet HP-Compaq deal I snagged. Now, Dell just has to boost the size of RAM and the hard drive.

I wonder what the next "wow" thing computer makers will include: a Wi-Fi router? a portable music player? a good digital camera?

[AD] Dell Dimension 4600 Desktop Computer [/AD]

Posted by Sean Hackbarth in Tech at 02:31 PM | Comments (1)

Krispy Kreme Sued

My beloved doughnut maker i