IE5+ and box widths

I cannot understand why Internet Explorer insists on inconsistently adding 1-2px width to any CSS box elements which contain long stretches of italicized text, making precise alignment and layout impossible where italics appear. Box hacks don’t always work, and the fact that the problem even needs hacks is frustration all by itself. This is beyond sensibility or sanity. It’s just plain stupid.

Mozilla doesn’t do these things to me. Mozilla cares for me. Mozilla gives me a stable shoulder to lean on in my CSS layout woes. Mozilla loves me.