Human Rights Watch criticizes Hamas! When does THAT happen?

"Most of the rocket attacks on Israel hit civilian areas, which suggests that civilians were the target," said Bill van Esveld, a researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Deliberately targeting civilians is a war crime."

Van Esveld added that statements from Hamas leaders during the fighting made clear that they intended to harm Israeli civilians.

He said Hamas also committed war crimes by firing rockets from populated areas, which endangered the local population in Gaza by raising the likelihood of Israeli retaliation.

"Fighters intentionally fired rockets from near civilians in order to shield themselves from counter attacks," he said.

But I'm not terribly fond of Apple. I grow less and less fond of them as every day goes by because I really do think that their products are overpriced for what you get, especially with regards to hardware. I really have a hard time understanding why people gush over Apple's hardware design.

In today's Numb3rology bit on Portfolio.com, they're quoting something from Fortune saying that PC sales are up 40% YOY for the week ending 10/24, coinciding with Windows 7. This nugget of information puts the recent spate of Apple advertisements into a whole new desperation-tinged light.

I don't know that they are desperate. I don't think they should be desperate. But the ubiquity with which I see these ads make me think like they feel desperate.

But then, I'm a PC.

The Dallas Business Journal has a story about Texas Instruments' battle against three men that posted blog entries detailing how to install a different OS on TI calculators.

Ectophensis is endorsing Joe Mallahan for Mayor in the upcoming election between him and Mike McGinn.

Really, this should be more of an interesting contest than it is, but McGinn is being portrayed as having the opinion that his election would be a mandate against the deep-bore tunnel option for the Alaska Way Viaduct. Personally, I'm a fan of the viaduct, but McGinn wants to tear it down and replace it with an expanded waterfront boulevard. (NB: on McGinn's website somewhere, I have a rambling and incoherent response to someone else's response in a thread regarding the tunnel option. Sucks to be me; I'll get over it.)

People point to examples on why this would work -- in San Francisco, and Milwaukee and wherever else that have torn down elevated highway structures and not replaced them with a similar capacity roadway. As great as these examples are, none are on an isthmus.

I saw some endorsement somewhere say that Mallahan was an outstanding choice for Mayor. He probably isn't. But he's not Mike McGinn.

Sable Verity has some interesting thoughts on the mayoral race for our often-not-fair city.

Another sign of how crappy the commercial RE market has become.

Seattle Times; Iranian protester killed after opposition rally:

One man was killed and several others were wounded in the worst violence since the disputed election Friday.

Gives you the impression of restraint, somewhat, doesn't it?

An aside before we get to more press-bashing:

Although he said he had no way of knowing whether the election was valid, Obama praised protesters and Iranian youth who questioned the results.

"The world is watching and is inspired by their participation, regardless of what the ultimate outcome of the election was," he said.

Regardless of what the ultimate outcome of the election was? I can understand being noncommittal, which seems to have been the strategy up until this statement was issued. That isn't noncommittal, that's mealy-mouthed. I am rather disappointed.

Back to press-bashing.

There is a YouTube channel put up by ahriman46.

The paper tells us:

The dead man, wearing a white shirt and khaki pants, lay sprawled on the sidewalk with blood from a head wound spilling onto the pavement.

All in all, I am fairly impressed with the Shoreline Library. Best bathrooms of all the libraries around here, a nice, large airy feeling to it, and its open from 10 AM to 9 PM daily. For a guy that hangs around libraries as much as I do, you'd think I'd read more, but...

My 401k is 20% up on the year. I found out today that I sold $20k worth of work to a shipyard up north. My main competitor fired the guy on their staff that is my direct counterpart. I've got work booked well into June. The Dodge book is at 168 pages this week.

It still feels real tenuous, but better.