Monday, February 3, 2003

And still more A tapestry of Pablo Picasso's powerful anti-war tableau "Guernica" [which] has hung outside the U.N. Security Council since 1985... has been covered with a baby-blue banner and the U.N. logo.... U.N. officials said last week that it is more appropriate for dignitaries to be photographed in front of the blue backdrop and some flags than the impressionist image of shattered villagers and livestock. [Washington Times] It simply won't do to have the Security Council discussing war with a searing painting of war's impact in view. Just because it's been done for decades doesn't mean it's ok now. Wouldn't be prudent. 6:53:55 PM    comment []  trackback []

More from the Department of What You Don't Know Won't Hurt You Bush quashing unpleasant employment stats.. From Business Week, February 10, 2003 issue : Now, either by coincidence or by design, two agencies have taken actions that make the Administration's unremarkable record on jobs a little harder to spot....Labor officials say that the resulting savings of $6.6 million annually will be diverted directly to states for job training. By Peter Coy and Laura Cohn Something like $60 billion a year is spent by companies and workers making the labor markets work. $6.6m is a rounding error. Government stats are some of the cheapest planning tools you can trust. Government neutrality, longevity, and transparency make the data valuable. This kind of expense, centralized, creates value; spread among 50+ state agencies: paperclips. Shortsighted. Can you imagine any non-political reason for supressing the truth? Perhaps terrorists are involved? Just shrubbery. [a klog apart] 12:05:17 PM    comment []  trackback []

Do the funky chicken The McNugget of Truth in the Fast-Food Lawsuits. Fast-food litigation has been greeted coolly by the public and press, but customers may have a reasonable case. By Adam Cohen. [New York Times: Opinion] "It is at least a question of fact," the judge held, whether a reasonable consumer would know that a McNugget "contained so many ingredients other than chicken and provided twice the fat of a hamburger." Did you know that an order of chicken provided twice the fat of a hamburger? I didn't. I'm against frivolous lawsuits, and all for personal consumer responsibility. But if you want us to be responsible for our actions, don't hide the facts. Or the fat. 11:50:14 AM    comment []  trackback []

United Europe has more than one voice, it seems And Now: Op-Ed Diplomacy. Leaders of nine European nations showed their appreciation for America by issuing a historic op-ed article calling Saddam "a clear threat to world security." By William Safire. [New York Times: Opinion] And, Safire notably notes: departing [Czech] president, Vaclav Havel... unhesitatingly signed. Who is Havel? Read on... 6:58:48 AM    comment []  trackback []

Vaclav Havel Takes His Leave. When Vaclav Havel left Prague Castle on Sunday after 13 years as president, he took with him an exceptional individual moral authority. [New York Times: Opinion] Not as easy for the left to dismiss as Blair. 6:55:34 AM    comment []  trackback []