Month: December 2006

3000

by

by hilzoy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx … Read more

Saddam Hussein Is Dead

by

by hilzoy CNN: “Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been executed, a witness said. “Saddam’s body is in front me,” said an official in the prime minister’s office when CNN telephoned. “It’s over.” In the background, Shiite chanting could be heard. When asked about the chanting, the official said “These are employees of the prime … Read more

Domestic Violence Drops — But Why?

by

by hilzoy

Here’s some unquestionably good news: according to the Washington Post, domestic violence has dropped significantly:

“Domestic violence rates in the United States dropped sharply between 1993 and 2004 but showed recent signs of a rebound, the Justice Department reported yesterday.

The number of domestic homicides fell 32 percent from 1993 to 2004, and the frequency of nonfatal violence between domestic partners dropped by more than 50 percent, from 5.8 attacks per 1,000 U.S. residents age 12 or older, to 2.6 attacks, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Men benefited from the decline more than women, and black victims more than white women. The number of women killed by current or former partners fell from 1,572 in 1993 to 1,159 in 2004, or 26 percent. The number of men killed dropped from 698 to 385, or 45 percent. (…)

The report did not offer an explanation for the trend, but experts said it continued a decline in domestic violence recorded since 1976 and mirrored a drop in violent crime overall in the past decade.

Other theories credit increased policing, neighborhood-watch and victim-assistance programs, and awareness raised by the 1994 Violence Against Women Act.

Analysts worry that declines may have bottomed out, however. Although overall rates remained unchanged between 2003 and 2004, violence against black women and white men increased slightly.”

More statistics and musings below the fold.

Read more

Our Soldiers Are Not Numbers To Add

by

by hilzoy The NYT has a headline that it could have used at any time throughout the last month and a half: “Bush Weighing Strategy Shift on Iraq”. He’s weighing something, but I don’t know that I’d dignify it with the term ‘strategy’. It’s an escalation in terms of a mission: “How additional American troops … Read more

A Brief Note

by

by von A general distrust of my natural enemy — trialius lawyerius — does indeed extend to one John "Two Americas" Edwards.  So I’ll take this opportunity to declare my lack of support for his candidacy. Although I’m looking forward to the day that his agenda of "economic populism" causes him to go Lou Dobbs … Read more

Say What?

by

by von Matt Yglesias — following post after post protesting our nominal assistance to Ethiopia in its intervention in Somalia — mixes it up with Josh Tevino .  Yglesias is capable of being both smart and witty, but he ain’t either here.  Conceding that Trevino is better informed and probably right on the facts (yet, … Read more

Not Waving But Drowning

by

by hilzoy From the Washington Post: “The Bush administration has decided to propose listing the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, putting the U.S. government on record as saying that global warming could drive one of the world’s most recognizable animals out of existence. (…) Identifying polar bears as threatened with extinction … Read more

Down In Flames

by

by hilzoy Reuters: “Just weeks after pledging a new approach in the Iraq war in the wake of his party’s defeat in congressional elections, U.S. President George W. Bush seems to be digging in his heels against any major change of course. (…) “He is now caught between admitting the war was a mistake and … Read more

Gerald Ford

by

by hilzoy From the Washington Post: “Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon’s scandal-shattered White House as the 38th and only unelected president in America’s history, has died, his wife, Betty, said Tuesday. He was 93. (…) He was as open and straight-forward as Nixon was tightly controlled and conspiratorial.” That … Read more

Still More Fiscal Discipline

by

by hilzoy From the Washington Post: “Determined to banish their old tax-and-spend image, Democrats want to shrink the federal deficit, preserve tax cuts for the middle class and challenge the president to raise money for the Iraq war when they take control of Congress next week. But it won’t be easy. The incoming Democratic chairmen … Read more

Merry Christmas! Plus Budget Statistics!

by

by hilzoy Merry Christmas! I just got back from having a wonderful Christmas (we do it early.) Friends, family, little nephews waking me up in the morning — all marvelous. Now, alas, it is raining in Baltimore, and Mr. Nils (my outdoorsy cat), who wanted desperately to go outside once I got back, took one … Read more

Open Thread (Merry Christmas!)

by

by hilzoy I’m going to be away for the next couple of days, and I don’t know whether I’ll have access to a computer, or the time to use it. So be well, and have wonderful versions of whichever holidays you plan to celebrate. Don’t burn down any Christmas goats while I’m gone.

More Evidence That The Air Is Thin In Denver

by

Tom Tacredo, idiot: Look at what has happened to Miami …. It has become a Third World country. You just pick it up and take it and move it someplace. You would never know you’re in the United States of America. You would certainly say you’re in a Third World country. When Miami Republican Rep. … Read more

Budget Deficit Pirouette: The Worm Turns

by

–by Sebastian I know I’ve written it somewhere before, but there are certain issues which are deeply important to a party’s leadership so long as they are out of power, but vanish with the wind when they win.  The ones I’ve identified are gerrymandering, voter fraud, and the budget deficit.  For a high level politico, … Read more

Fiscal Responsibility

by

by hilzoy Paul Krugman wrote an interesting column today. I am very much of two minds about it. Excerpts: “Now that the Democrats have regained some power, they have to decide what to do. One of the biggest questions is whether the party should return to Rubinomics — the doctrine, associated with former Treasury Secretary … Read more

A Modest Proposal

by

by von Don’t know whether it’s something Brian Boitano would do, but Erick Erickson (of RedState) reveals a surefire way to deter future visits  from Jehovah’s Witnesses. UPDATE, AND ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT:  Just don’t forget the little people, Jonathan, when you go on Nancy Grace.  (Jonathan Polak, Goldman’s attorney in the most recent … Read more

Tsongoid

by

by von And now we learn that he voted for Tsongas!  Who didn’t love the deficit hawkin’, mind your own business talkin’, let’s grow business larkin’, never mind the comments ’bout his speedo snarkin’ former presidential candidate?  I mean, aside from Democratic primary voters.  (And, likely, most Republicans not from the Northeast.)    Why is … Read more

Too Little? Too Late?

by

by von It seems that President Bush is finally coming around to my views regarding the need for an expanded military and more troops in Iraq.  One would expect rejoicing among the vonanites of greater vonistan.  One would be mistaken.  I get no sense from President Bush that he has any idea how to work … Read more

Another Death I Find It Hard To Get All Broken Up Over…

by

by hilzoy From the NYT: “Turkmenistan’s President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov died suddenly on Thursday after 21 years of iron rule, raising a risk of political instability in the energy-rich country that some feared could have an impact on Europe’s gas supplies. Niyazov, 66, who crushed all dissent in his reclusive state and basked in a unique … Read more

Carrying Water

by

by hilzoy When I was in Mozambique, I went to a very small village in the middle of nowhere. UNICEF had built a well there a few years back, and people kept talking, almost with reverence, about what a difference it made. Eventually, we left to drive back to the nearest place that passed for … Read more

One More Screwup

by

by hilzoy From the Washington Post: “Federal health officials yesterday scuttled the largest piece of the Bush administration’s two-year program to counter bioterrorism, canceling an $877.5 million contract with VaxGen to develop an anthrax vaccine after the company missed a deadline to begin human testing. The decision, delivered in a one-page letter, ends a troubled … Read more

Call The Waaahmbulance!

by

by hilzoy This is just too funny not to comment on. John Derbyshire: “My health insurer has just notified me, in a brief form letter, that my monthly premiums are to rise from $472.33 to $857.00 on January 1st. That’s an increase of 81 percent. ***E*I*G*H*T*Y*-*O*N*E* *P*E*R*C*E*N*T*** Can they do that? I called them. They … Read more

OMFG.

by

by hilzoy Via TPM, this: ““ ‘Terrorists’ can’t be God-believing people,’ ” Richard Joel, president of Yeshiva University, quoted Bush as saying.” Can we all admit that it’s not enough for a would-be President to be someone we’d like to have a beer with? Please?

Possibility Sub Bush

by

by hilzoy Atrios reads this: “Iraq Study Group member Leon E. Panetta believed that his panel’s unanimous bipartisan recommendations about a new way forward in Iraq would give President Bush the political cover needed for a dramatic policy shift. So the former chief of staff to President Clinton has watched with alarm as Bush this … Read more

Dying For Denial

by

by hilzoy From the Washington Post: “The Bush administration is split over the idea of a surge in troops to Iraq, with White House officials aggressively promoting the concept over the unanimous disagreement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to U.S. officials familiar with the intense debate. Sending 15,000 to 30,000 more troops for … Read more

Sweet Scent Of Service Sours For Citizens

by

by hilzoy From the NYT: “Partial returns from Friday’s Iranian elections suggested today that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had experienced a major setback barely over a year after his own election. The victory of a pragmatic politician, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, over a hard-line candidate associated with Mr. Ahmadinejad gave one strong indication that voters favored … Read more

Tenets for a Useful Military

by

by Andrew Continuing the series begun here and continued here, this installment looks at the characteristics the United States should desire in the Army it builds for the 21st century. I see seven critical tenets for a successful military force: deterrence, deployability, flexibility, scalability, support, deference, and minimizing temptation. Let’s take a look at each. … Read more

Earmarks And Irresponsibility

by

by hilzoy From the Washington Post, an article with more details on the Democrats’ plan to cut earmarks: “Among the casualties will be $3 million for AIDS and homelessness programs in San Francisco pushed by House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and $3 million to establish the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City … Read more

Irony Is Dead. Long Live Shame.

by

by hilzoy From the NYT, h/t Matt Yglesias, comes an article entitled: “Military Taking a Tougher Line With Detainees”. Really. “Security procedures have been tightened. Group activities have been scaled back. With the retrofitting of Camp 6 and the near-emptying of another showcase camp for compliant prisoners, military officials said about three-fourths of the detainees … Read more

Literary History

by

by hilzoy Apparently, Frank J. at IMAO wrote a tongue-in-cheek post saying, satirically, that we should kill all Arab kids. Then Vilmar at Right Wing Howler quoted it (Google cache here), with further commentary: “Makes sense to me. After all, if Muslims are raising their little crumb-snatching, curtain climbing, ankle biting rug rats to strap … Read more

Women’s Liberation

by

by hilzoy George W. Bush: “In the last four years, we have also seen women make great strides in Afghanistan and Iraq — countries where just a few years ago women were denied basic rights and were brutalized by tyrants.” George W. Bush: “The advance of freedom in the greater Middle East has given new … Read more

Open Thread

by

by hilzoy William Arkin, the Washington Post’s normally sober military/security blogger, has written a Rumsfeld Christmas song: “Snowflakes roasting on an open fire, Rummy’s in his final throes, Useless memos being fed to the pyre, Hosannas sung by GI Joes. Everybody knows the voters said you have to go, Iraq has got to be made … Read more