|
July 26,
2004
Some opinions
just HAVE to be expressed, especially when you see some of the bad news
that is all too frequently out there about the future of freedom. These
opinions aren't necessarily yours, but feel free to share yours and these
with others. These views, opinions, and spellings, are those of the writer,
and may (or may not) express the position of FND, FMN, TPoL, or your ISP.
AND THEY'RE WORTH EVERY PENNY YOU PAY FOR THEM! So there!!!
For the best daily news source,
click here.
1- U.S.
fedgov bureaucracy expanding
No kidding. It's amazing that a publication like GovExec is showing any
signs of worry about this trend!
2-
Federal judge okays free speech zone for convention protesters
"A federal judge ... upheld a fenced 'free speech zone' for protesters
near the FleetCenter during next week's Democratic convention .... Though
he ruled against the protesters, Woodlock called it "irretrievably
sad" that post-Sept. 11 security threats and raucous antiglobalization
protests in recent years have made tight restrictions necessary."
I cannot
in any way understand how this man can reconcile his oath to uphold the
Constitution with this absurd and authoritarian ruling. If we can have
free speech only inside the confines of a concentration camp, then like
Canada, free speech is dead in the USA.
3- 9/11
report urges more data sharing, biometrics
This is as predictable as it is foolish and stupid. Can anyone explain
to me how biometrics would have prevented Bloody Tuesday - or a repeat
today, based on what has happened since then as far as stupidly allowing
clear threats to go on board aircraft? It wasn't false ID or anything
like that which allowed these guys to hijack four aircraft. What we see
is actually just an excuse for nearly total control over public transportation
by hired thugs.
4- U.S.
prisoner abuses 'an aberration'
I've no doubt it is an aberration, just not isolated incidents. I question,
however, the claim that training was inadequate. The Army's training on
proper treatment of prisoners (and fellow soldiers) has always been very
good - but the soldiers must first have had moral behavior taught at home.
These "boys" and "girls" obviously didn't. [For more
info, go read Heinlein's Starship Troopers - the book NOT the movie.]
5- FBI
holds 'chats' with Muslim, Arab-American leaders
"Making friends" is an approach for the simple-minded, if indeed
this isn't a not-so-subtle attempt to intimidate. But will being friends
keep someone from striking at the Great Satan? Hardly. The problem is,
the senior management of the FBI and other federal agencies, being nonbelievers
themselves, are unable to relate to sincere believers of any faith: hence
Waco and many other things.
6- U.S.
military running low on ammo
This news has come up frequently in the news, especially in the "professional
press" - Army Times and the like. It is coming up this time, I suspect,
in preparation for the next round of FedGov budgeting - getting a claim
in early!
Mama's
note: There have been many articles available about the chronic
shortages of equipment and basic supplies, including food and water
for our troops! Where are all of the billions of dollars that have been
spent for this insane "war"? In contractor's pockets, of course.
The soldiers and marines often get to buy their own food and even ammunition
- when it is available at all! How can anyone justify leaving our children
and loved ones in such a situation?
7- Taxpayers
to keep paying and paying for Everglades 'restoration'
What disgusts me about this one is that it was taxpayers that got stuck
with the bill for turning the Everglades into an environmental basket
case in the first place.
Mama's
note: As I keep saying, it isn't about the environment or what's good
for the land. It's about power and control. The one who has control is
the actual owner of anything. That's why land ownership by individuals
is a myth in this country. You don't really 'own' anything because the
government (at any level) can and does tell you what you can do with it
and collects the rent. You can call it 'property tax' if you want to,
but it amounts to the same thing.
8-
Heads roll (kind of) over nuclear lab security breach
The typical AEC/DOE blame game? And two years from now, it will happen
yet again. Americans are well-known worldwide for our inability to keep
secrets, and this just demonstrates it again.
9- U.S.
army to get serious about recycling?
I have a bone to pick with "New Scientist" on this - Natick
(the Army lab that does this kind of thing) has been working very hard
over decades to keep people alive, fit, and in reasonably good condition
(mentally and emotionally) in combat and under unbelievable conditions,
and anyone who compares 1940s style K-rations with 1970s C-rats with 1990s
or modern MREs knows what miracles have been wrought. It is no joking
matter, however crude the joking is about it - like little boys in the
backyard.
10-
Bush blames 9/11 intel failures on Clinton
Do you expect anything different? It is campaign season - of course, it's
ALWAYS campaign season!
11- New
Jersey appeals court upholds asset theft law
I hope the IJ is able to continue fighting this, as only lawyers can see
in the Constitution how such attainder and forfeiture can possibly be
legal. And only the power-hungry can't see how asset forfeiture is corrosive
to what few morals most police forces and prosecutors offices have left.
12- New
York AG lets 'spam king' off with slapped wrist
Of course, AG Spitzer will claim this as a victory "for the people"
of New York that he claims to represent. It appears the price of justice
in NY had dropped just a bit, no?
Mama's
note: As annoying as spam is, we can't lose sight of the fact that it
is just as much a free speech issue as any protest at the Democratic convention
or anything else. What one man calls "spam", another calls advertisement.
If we let the government make the definition and allow them to suppress
one, we have no leg to stand on to protest when it is OUR free speech
that is suppressed next. Liberty and justice has to be for EVERYONE -
or NOBODY has any.
13-
Pennsylvania securicrats roll out snoop-encouraging campaign
While there is nothing wrong with such Neighborhood Watch programs, the
temptation to turn them into Nazi-style block-warden programs is great
and requires constant attention to what is going on to prevent that from
happening. One of the key things, to me, is (1) WHO you report the "suspicious
characters" to, and (2) whether participation is voluntary or not,
both for those on the lookout and for those whose property is being watched.
14- Albuquerque
mayor pushes Scooby's law across the country
A city with a crime rate like Albuquerque's certainly has more important
things for their mayor to do than go on a rampage across the country promoting
another law to make something that is already illegal (improperly disposing
or allowing release of antifreeze) "more illegal." In fact,
if the town's dogcatcher (excuse me, animal control officer) is spending
time pushing or enforcing such a law, he's probably ignoring more important
duties - maybe encouraging people to do a better job of preventing antifreeze
leaks might be more appropriate for a Cub Scout Pack to take on as a project
- even Boy Scouts have more important things to do!
15- Denver
police report makes them appear less violent than they are
This "mistake" is especially smelly in the light of earlier
RMNews reports about how Denver Police are killing more and more people
every year, and how many multiple-kill police officers are still on the
force. The DPD is getting so trigger-happy that even the US Justice Dept.
is having to investigate, so maybe there are more "mistakes"
to try to divert the investigators?
16- Houston
pols behind push for tweaked term limits?
Oh, just a bit of conflict of interest here, no? Think of all the money
that law firm (what's a law firm doing in the collections business, anyway?)
will save if they don't have to keep buying off new guys every four years!
17- Indiana
marine gets Bronze Star -- for WW II bravery
Great news, as it always is when someone gets recognized after being long
overdue for recognition. When this happens, you usually don't have to
worry about someone getting "over"-rewarded for their good deed.
18- Cinci
taxpayers to pay $3 million to move a fountain?
Forget the $3 mill - why does it take 25 million to "renovate"
a public square? This isn't Red Square, is it?
19- Piggly
Wiggly offers fingerprint payment in two SC cities
1984, here we come! It is not just the privacy issue that bothers me about
this marketing idea, but the fact that after two hundred people have smeared
the reader with body oils and everything else, expecting the silly thing
to work and debit the right account is very iffy. And then, there is just
something "yukky" about touching that same little piece of glass
a hundred people just have touched. I know we do it with money (FRNs)
all the time but there is just something kind of stomach-turning. At least
when you touch the bathroom door handle, you can pretend that everyone
else washed their hands first.
20- California
supremes rule against zero tolerance in poetry case
Can it possibly be that the CA Supreme Court has made a good decision
for once? Of course, their other comment is frivolous - there has never
been any argument from libertarians (civil or otherwise) about direct
threats.
21-
Seattle monorail boondoggle may go before the voters
As with so many of these battles against local government stupidity and
waste, most of the fight is getting the issue on the ballot and recognized
as legitimate - because much of the time the buro-rats know the "unwashed,
uneducated rabble" will vote it down.
22-
Waikiki residents protest unwanted city-funded construction
Surely another example of "unwashed, uneducated rabble" who
don't really know what is good for them until the Mayor tells them. Who
could possibly NOT love all those construction bucks?
23- Texas
inmate files suit over lethal injection composition
Odd, isn't it, how the definition of "cruel and unusual" keeps
changing - it used to be in Texas that just strangling in the noose instead
of getting your neck snapped cleanly was the difference between "cruel"
and "merciful." But as those few who have survived broken necks
can tell you, it certainly isn't painless. And a claim that it must be
without pain seems a far stretch - whether you support a death penalty
or not.
24- Yukos
bankruptcy warning sends shockwaves through markets
Now, the Yukos saga is getting to be quite a soap-opera - too bad the
ex-Soviets ruining the company (and apparently their entire economy at
the same time) aren't soap-opera actors instead of having any power whatsoever.
25- French
gov 'allows' home use of morning-after pill
You would think even the French would get fed up with this kind of pussyfooting
around. However, I don't think I need to ask if this was a scientific
decision, or a political decision, do I?
26- Bangladesh
gov confirms increasing corruption in Dhaka gov
Today's example of news that really isn't news - as I am sure that any
lower-income resident of Dhaka could confirm. And my, my, government agencies
don't provide services as promised? Humph! You'd think they had sovereign
immunity or something.
27- Brit
health-crats urge 'keep it zipped on holiday'
Oh, oh, oh - there oughta be a law! Of course, if government hadn't started
nannying and supplanting parental responsibilities and authority, there
might not be as many "young people" going out and doing stupid
things.
28- Canadian
gun registry program a model of incompetence
And from what I understand, they would have to look a long way to find
a better model to use to teach about incompetence, at least not without
getting in trouble with Uncle Sam. I've been following the Canadian C-85
(gun control) for years, and know how hard a lot of liberty-minded Canadians
have worked to "monkey-wrench" the whole thing. Of course, it
turned out to be easier than they thought, and I must admit it was a labor
of love.
Well, the
sarcasm is a bit thick on this one, but it is Friday, and sometimes the
buro-rats just get rat unner mah skin, eh? Oh, and a belated 25th Lunar
Landing Day to all. (This comment was written Friday about Friday's
News)
For
more News Reports
click here!
Nathan A. Barton is a libertarian who usually writes technical documents,
but is trying to learn how to write the "good" stuff. He's writing
just now from under a big dark thundercloud in the Four Corners.
(Use
feedback form below to contact Nathan. If you want an answer, please include
an email address. Only serious questions and comments will be considered.)
Subscribe
to the Free Market News Daily digest. Click
here!
Visit the
Rational
Review News Digest
|
