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August
11, 2004
Comments
on Free Market Daily news items
from MamaLiberty.
1- U.S. gov 'unhelpful'
in Germany terror retrial
Turkish Press
Is it possible that the testimony of these two could cast an unfavorable
light on our own government?
2- Olympics
organizers keep out nonsponsors' goods
Chronicle Herald
If this event were strictly a private enterprise, they would have the
right to limit admission for any reason they chose, of course. Unfortunately,
it is only the subsidy of tax payer's money that makes it possible for
them to be so petty.
3- LifeSharers
members pledge to give in order to receive
NWI Times
"Is it fair to have a club whose members promise to donate their
body organs after death to fellow members first,
before being offered to a national waiting list? ....
Fair? To whom? By who's criteria? Life itself is not "fair"
by most people's reckoning, but since each person owns their own life
and body totally, nobody can make decisions for them, and the potential
use of organs after death is no exception.
4- Two
Ansari X Prize contenders fail
New Scientist
The price of progress is some failure. We all learn by trial and error.
It is amazing that they are still being allowed to make the attempt.
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5- Time
reporter jailed for not naming source
Houston Chronicle
No matter what the immediate gains might be, the loss of the right of
confidentiality harms all of society.
6- U.S.
hospitals limiting birth choices
Detroit Free Press
"[M]ore doctors and hospitals are refusing to offer VBAC procedures
because of fears they will be sued if a baby is born with a problem. ....
Both mother and infant mortality would drop like a stone if people would
insist on having their babies at home. Pregnancy is a condition, not a
disease. Indiscriminate surgery is bound to be more danger than to let
nature take its course. Surgery is for the rare emergency.
7- Florida
rep. tapped to become CIA head
Sun-Sentinel
Just another advancement for one of the 'good old boy's club". "Security"
and "intelligence" are both pathetic jokes in government.
8- GOP
facing platform battles in convention runup
Washington Times
"Immigration and homosexual 'marriage' [sic] are shaping up to
be the most contentious issues..."
They have to come up with some reason to spend all that money for a convention,
don't they? It isn't as if they need to choose candidates for office or
anything.
9- Delta
Airlines teetering on bankruptcy
Cincinnati Enquirer
The airlines all lost my sympathy, as well as my business, when they refused
to arm their pilots and crews. Their steady losses seem to indicate that
even more people are not happy being the animals in a petting zoo on top
of high prices. I love to fly, but I won't be treated like a criminal
and a nanny goat in order to do so.
10- Some
greenies going blue
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Another very good reason why "government" is dangerous to us
all. They are all vulnerable to takeover by such fanatics, who then use
the power of government to carry out their insane agendas - no matter
how much damage is done to the rest of us.
11- Type
of job may influence Alzheimer's development
Reuters
"People who spent most of their lives in jobs that involve little
brain work appear more likely to eventually develop Alzheimer's disease,
...
The old "use it or lose it" thing, I suspect. It's long been
known that folks who keep their minds active and sharp have less chance
to develop this disease.
12- TSA
takes over New York helicopter tour security
Boston.com
Oh yes, of course. It won't be long now before they take over all forms
of transportation. We are rapidly losing the right to travel at all without
special permission.
13- U.S. taxpayers
shell out bucks for Arizona's West Nile problem
Arizona Daily Star
And that will grow into another expensive monster, no doubt, with every
other state screaming for "aid". All they need to do is lift
the ban on DDT, and we'd have some chance of beating this problem as well
as so many others like malaria all over the world. Nah... makes too much
sense.
14- Ohio
county asks residents to snitch on deadbeat parents
Mansfield News Journal
And this will help them find jobs so they can pay it? This "child
support" thing has grown into a nightmare of wrong on top of wrong.
This is not the way.
15- Washington
agricrats wring hands over privatized advertising
Seattle Times
As with all government mandates and subsidies, these "marketing groups"
for various agricultural products do far more harm than good. Only the
free market can hope to give the best price to farmers while giving the
best value to consumers, a WIN/WIN situation. Forced "advertising"
doesn't work and many farmers are beginning to see that. Too bad more
of them can't see how harmful the subsidies are too.
16- Nichols sentenced
to life on state charges
Washington Times
Too bad the real criminals in the case are not being sentenced at the
same time.
17- Texas
county crime lab worse than expected?
Houston Chronicle
This is getting to be all too common. Not that they were ever good, perhaps,
but we're just hearing more about it. Maybe that's good. Things might
get cleaned up if they are exposed to the light.
18- Indy
Supremes slap wrist of judge who played favorites
Indy Star
I'm SHOCKED, I tell you! Our court system playing favorites? Now who would
have thought that?
19- Alaska
state rep may be fined for campaign fund abuse
Anchorage Daily News
Another groaner here. Campaign fund abuse is the NORM, and the rules are
so stupid and complex that I'm sure the few who are honest can't help
but goof anyway. We don't need campaign reform. We need to eliminate campaigning
altogether.
20- Oregon
city to ban juror parking on streets?
Statesman Journal
Government just HAS to, well, govern! Is there anything they don't
think they can legislate? I guess we must just thank God that they spend
time on this kind of junk instead of working harder at messing up important
things.
21- Rhode
Island city mayor wants alligator ban
Boston.com
Ah yes, legislate it or "ban" it. That's the solution to everything.
Now, just how many people in Rhode Island even WANT to keep alligators?
Good grief.
22- Florida
city unveils approved paint palette for homes
Sun-Sentinel
And meddle in things that are this ridiculous. If anyone needs a reason
not to live in a city, especially in Florida, now you have a good one.
23- Nevada
pols opt against metal detectors for 2005 session
Las Vegas Review Journal
"[NV] Legislators decided ... that metal detectors will not be
activated for use at the 2005 Legislature because..."
But..! Those poor legislators! Aren't they terrified someone might get
into the building with a 2 inch pocket knife or something really lethal
like a bullet on a keychain?
24- Billings
city workers go on strike
Independent Record
Maybe if they stay out long enough, people will realize that they don't
need any of them. Of course, that would only work if private enterprise
was allowed to fill the holes... which it will not. Then people would
quickly learn what a rotten deal they've been getting all along.
25- New
Indian gov to repeal anti-terror law?
Hindustan Times
Read the fine print. Any repeal will retain the worst parts of it under
other names. You don't think any government is going to give up the perfect
excuse for increasing their own power and perks.
26- Swiss
gov's import duties target Israeli occupied territories
SwissInfo
Seems to me that if they had any real moral issues with Israel they'd
just not import anything from them at all. This sounds like another phony
excuse to manipulate the market and rake in more cash.
27- Putin
gets plea not to change Russian welfare system
Moscow Times
Ah, the sound of all those folks sucking at the government tit -- piss
poor as it must be in Russia. This doesn't sound like much of a change,
however. Just taking it from one pocket instead of another.
28-
Zimbabwe theatre unlikely last bastion of free speech
BBC
"Since the Zimbabwean government introduced tough media laws in 2002,
theatre has taken on a new and edgy role...."
Just watch while they "crack down" on the theater next. If it
is effective, they won't stand for it.
29- Pakistan
gov complains about 'mind-boggling' FBI sting
Daily Times
"Pakistan has lodged a formal complaint with the United States
embassy about an FBI sting operation involving a fake assassination attempt
on its UN envoy, describing it as dangerous and mind-boggling."
It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. The "FBI" is acting
like a bunch of idiotic buffoons. Unfortunately, they do so with the lives
and safety of people everywhere.
30- Iraq
gov 'on a knife edge'
Independent
"The new Iraq was on a knife-edge ... as violence and political
instability ..."
No kidding. Now who would have thought that? We'd have much better luck
teaching snails to be race horses. Just what is it going to take to convince
people that we are not wanted there and have no business there.
31- Will
any gov call Darfur atrocities genocide?
Globe and Mail
Do we need a fancy definition for this? If "government" doesn't
put this name to it, will it make the murder any less horrible or wrong?
32- Yukos
main production unit re-arrested
Moscow Times
Slippery little devil, isn't he? Of course, none of them have thought
about just leaving well enough alone and letting these people get back
to work so they can feed their families. Of course not.
33- German
supermarket launches RFID-enabled self-checkout
Business Wire
The bar codes work just fine. What is this madness over these chips? I
fail to see any real advantage, but if the retailers and manufacturers
want to put out the money for them, they must see some use for them. They
are not being received very well by the public, however, so there must
be more to the story we are not hearing yet.
Nathan must
be out on one of his long trips. We all hope he is careful and comes home
soon. MamaLiberty
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