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August
18, 2004
The views
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Sunni has
a good selection today, and lots of interesting things are happening!
1- Feds
with guns bolster Air Marshals
Washington Times
What a great idea! Let's let those soldiers coming home on leave go ahead
and bring their weapons (well, individual ones - best leave crew-served
out) with them on leave - check out handguns from the unit armory if needed.
After all, these gals and guys have all been screened, and they are already
supposedly carrying weapons in defense of the state and our freedom -
let them demonstrate it to everyone. After that, pilots, stews, anyone
with a CCW (after all, they've all been screened by their states) can
be added. What a neat idea!
Mama's
Note: Do we really need more federal busybodies? The whole sky marshal
thing is like putting blindfolds on people, then saying they need seeing
eye dogs. There are plenty of people in this country who are educated
in the use of handguns (and more would be if they didn't have the nightmare
of getting the "permission slips" - where it's even possible).
There is no sound reason for anyone but passengers, in full possession
of the means to defend themselves, filling airline seats.
2- ID-for-flight
fight renewed
Wired
"[C]ivil liberties iconoclast John Gilmore ... relaunched his
legal campaign against the federal government's requirement that airlines
ask passengers for photo identification in order to board a plane."
Great news again - Go John! I sure can't find it anywhere. And neither
can the airlines, I betcha!
3- U.S.
'assault' weapons ban didn't reduce violence
Washington Times
Is anyone surprised? And as pointed out frequently, how often were such
weapons used in actual crimes? This should help keep the renewal dead
- 12 Sept. is coming!
4- Nanotech
improving internet speeds
Wired
Oh, how I wish. As I struggle along with 20 kbps or (right now in the
Hills, 53 kbps), I hope --- are you supposed to click your heels three
times?
Mama's
Note: As with electricity, telephones and many other modern wonders, it
may take a little while to get out to the more remote areas, but I'm sure
it will get there eventually. The town where I live only got internet
connections a few years ago, and we are less than 80 miles from the county
seat. Have patience.
5- Federal
Reserve computer upgrade sparks money fears
NY Post
As if it hadn't been open to such threats in the past? Sorry, but this
is one more technological improvement that spells the end of central banking,
and the end of government control of the money supply - a tool that a
freedom-based economy and monetary system will be able to use far, far
better than the dinosaur called the Federal Reserve.
Mama's
Note: I didn't read anything here to indicate that the Fed Reserve scam
was being replaced with anything, let alone something freedom based. It's
only the computers being upgraded. Frankly, I'm never happy with anything
that makes government more efficient. Do YOU really want ALL the government
you pay for? Not me.
6- 9/11
commissioners call for de facto national ID card
Arizona Daily Star
"Sources of identification are the last opportunity..." is true
only in a police state. And as history demonstrates time after time, ID
does not prevent terrorism, or most other crimes. This backdoor approach
is certainly more dangerous than converting the SSAN card into an ID though
- many people won't realize what is happening, and "standardization"
is the key.
7- U.S.
security-crats bungle border screening system
Houston Chronicle
This demonstrates one reason why the 9-11 commission claims are bogus.
8- Microsoft's
security firewall disables almost 50 apps
TechWorld
No kidding! One reason my son runs Win98 and we are trying to convert
to Linux. Just a sneaking hunch, though - who owns/sells the apps not
working, and is it "accidental?"
9- U.S.
taxpayers buy Missouri town a new fire truck
SE Missourian
Sunni is picking out some of the various grants - the point to keep in
mind is the timing. These grants are boasted of by the state's Congrus-critturs
and help in their upcoming reelection campaigns - they are tremendous
boosts to incumbency. There is only a minor effect on the presidential
election, since it is figured both GOP and Demo administrations will pay
out the pork. And it ties even the remnant of the old militia system to
the feds. A whole laundry list of bad results from this is available.
10- Arizona
gov. promises better youth prisons
Arizona Daily Star
I personally find it hard to imagine even the most hardened politician
can be "proud" of any juvenile criminal system - a stinking
edifice built up entirely in about a half-century, as parental authority
and responsibility was systematically dismantled and warped. Readers are
referred to R A Heinlein's monologue on "juvenile delinquency"
in STARSHIP TROOPERS.
11- U.S.
taxpayers fund gun-crime prosecution in Washington state
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
This kind of pork, of course, benefits both reelection campaigns (see
Item #9) AND anti-gun propaganda efforts - you usually don't see "truck-related"
or "computer-related" crime receiving such special attention.
12- Florida
court rules against school voucher program
Bradenton.com
Because state constitutions usually do vary quite a bit on the subject
of taxpayer support for "non-public" schools, this ruling applies
strictly to Florida, except for the psychological affect it has on the
voucher movement. At the heart of the matter are a few definitions: religious,
church, and education. By definition, humanism is NOT legally a religion,
however many similarities it shares, and so it can be taught in GRTF-schools
while its competitors (Christian, Jewish, etc.) cannot. The degree to
which religious (or moral) matters are integrated into other subjects
(such as math, history, English, etc.) makes this often a judgment call
- can some activities in a school be state-funded while others cannot?
Best solution? Get rid of taxpayers supporting educrat and education welfare
- create a true private market.
13- Little
Rock to sweep homeless for Clinton library opening?
Bradenton.com
It is hard to imagine a city like LR as HAVING 27 homeless camps (of course
some people (including some current and former residents of the place)
might say the entire city/metro area looks like a homeless camp). While
there will be much moaning and groaning about how society is abandoning
its marginal members to the ravages of homelessness, the true cause of
virtually all homelessness in the US is the consequences of government
ACTION (not inaction) at all levels - the intense regulation of boarding
houses (including, frankly, flophouses), soup kitchens, shelters, and
the imposition of minimum wages and all the mechanisms of modern "enlightened"
labor policy have driven people entirely out of the job market and left
them without any hope of resources.
Mama's
Note: Numerous solid studies have proven that most of the "homeless"
who stay that way for more than a few days do so because they prefer that
lifestyle. There have always been gypsies and nomadic souls in every culture
and nation on earth, and the US is no exception. All of the government
garbage just makes life harder for them than it needs to be.
14- U.S.
gov seizes CA grant money to scandal-plagued charity
San Francisco Chronicle
While "direct" subsidies to various campaigns is illegal, "indirect"
subsidies are, of course, both allowed and encouraged (see item #9 and
#11 above). But notice the time it takes to respond even to blatant welfare
fraud like this.
15- Montana
marijuana grower gets stiff sentence, property stolen
Independent Record
These sorts of travesties of justice will continue as long as states actively
aid and abet hungry federal prosecutors and drug-warriors. We must not
forget that too many big-gov, big-biz type gangsters make their profits
from both sides of the street: the direct profits from sales to users
and retailers, AND the indirect profits from the spending and forfeiture
associated with the War on Drugs.
16- Ohio
county property owners may get storm-water tax
Cincinnati Enquirer
And OH is not alone in this - storm water "fees" are an up-and-coming
thing, driven equally by federal mandates and by state/local pirates seeking
to build their "eco-" public works empires. Most taxpayers are
hit multiple times: the programs are often started and subsidized by federal
grants (of taxpayer money), businesses have increased costs resulting
in higher prices to taxpayers (owners and customers), and finally the
homeowner or renter is hit as well. In addition to the buro-rats themselves
benefiting, so do construction companies and beltway-bandit engineering
firms who profit from the pouring of all kinds of concrete, and other
construction, usually because some of those same firms made greater profits
in developing the areas in the first place, by ignoring commonsense and
NOT providing for safe, adequate discharge of storm water.
17- Illinois
gov starts importing prescription drugs
Chicago Sun-Times
Illinois is cheered for ignoring federal law in this, while it continues
to slavishly claim "we have to obey the law" in such issues
as medical mj, "homeland security" and other matters. Sadly,
such hypocrisy does not seem to bother most voters and citizens.
18- Berkeley
to semi-legalize prostitution?
San Francisco Chronicle
While certainly not out of character for authoritarian-liberal Berkeley,
some of my friends familiar with the People's Republic questioned how
a "legit" prostitute could make a living in a city so well known
for giving away their commodity free.
Mama's
Note: "Semi-legal"? Isn't that like being semi-pregnant? I suspect
it will be "legal" for those who give the proper bribes and
kiss the right fannies - not for those who prefer to keep their earnings.
Sounds like a phony deal to me.
19- Boston
redistricting fails to bring more minority candidates
Boston.com
"Although voting rights groups forced a major redrawing of Boston's
House districts to increase minority political clout, no candidates of
color have emerged to challenge the incumbents in any of the targeted
districts this year."
From the original land of the Gerrymander (a term sadly out of fashion)
we have this moral tale - the true reforms necessary to get minorities
more involved in the political process other than as victims or excuses
are beyond the ability of any modern American legislature to accomplish.
Coupled with the immense power of incumbency (usually the same people
doing the "reforming"), it is no surprise to learn that New
England continues to abide by its majority tradition of suppression of
minorities of all kinds, a situation which dates back to about 1621.
20- Court
boots Ashcroft's challenge to Oregon assisted-suicide law
Oregon Statesman Journal
I'm surprised the 9th Circuit doesn't have its own comedy show on TV -
or a whole cable channel devoted to them. This latest farce is made worse
by Ashcroft's involvement - there are very good reasons to object to Oregon's
kill-at-will law, as discussed by several excellent libertarian writers
- but Ashcroft hasn't discovered any of them, and instead uses a bogus
"moral" justification for federal domination.
21- Tennessee's
child-snatching agency offers self-improvement plan
Tennessean.com
Many "could" but don't hold your breath. Like a convention of
foxes touting a new cookbook of mutton recipes, these guys can very much
be trusted to keep their meal-tickets in the horrible state of life they
are now in - just calling it something different.
22- Security-crats
delay thousands as man slips through LAX gropefest
San Diego Union-Tribune
Well, Denver isn't the only airport to go through this kind of goat-rope,
I see. In Denver once, it was a lady with a bladder problem. As this shows,
the opportunity for "wasps" to sting the system (or if you prefer
another author, Stainless Steel Rats to burrow) is greater than ever.
In the past one man might inconvenience a plane load of 100-200 people
- but now we see he can do it to 5,000 (probably a low count when you
look at the effect on other airports) - tomorrow, with "improved"
security systems, that could be 50,000 or even 500,000!
23- Bush
targets eastern Europe (sort of)
Arizona Daily Star
About fifteen or so years ago, a number of folks predicted that we'd have
US troops garrisoned in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union within
twenty years -AND WE WERE RIGHT! This and the next article are the legacy
of the end of the Cold War, coupled with a refusal by DC to admit we don't
need to be the world's policeman, then or now. In today's world, the benefits
of an American garrison won't be the same in the East as Germany, the
Netherlands, and Belgium enjoyed from the 50's to the 90's, by any means.
24- German
gov handwrings over U.S. troop withdrawal
Reuters
"The German government said ... U.S. plans to pull out 30,000
troops were a sign of Europe's divisions being healed, but communities
hit by the decision warned they were headed for economic disaster."
You actually have to feel sorry for the local burgomeisters and their
communities - still suffering from the bungled reintegration of the Ostzone
after 40 years of communism, racked by dropping population and gastarbeiter
troubles, and suffering under the growth of Euro-bureaucracy, they now
lose one of their best meal-tickets. Sadly, the temptation for Berlin
may be to replace US troops with more German professional troops, to "offset"
the loss - a situation which no one, least of all freedom-loving Germans,
should like.
25- UK
cops to target homophobic songs
Independent
Considering the UK post-gun-ban crime rate is soaring, you'd think the
bobbies would have better things to do. But then, remember, the UK doesn't
really HAVE a bill of rights - just a parliament which has eaten every
other branch and level of government and is still hungry.
26- Chinese
relic thief sentenced to death
XinhuaNet
An interesting bit of news, having just recently watched the 2nd Lara
Croft movie, featuring such relic "thievery" as this guy is
accused of. I find his loss of "political rights" to be amusing
in a depressing sort of way - he loses his right to vote for a one-party
ticket and cheer on his "servant-masters"? Right.
27- Quebec
separatists mull new sovereignty tactic
Globe and Mail
A number of experts on secession indeed say this is the best course to
follow- de jure secession virtually always follows de facto secession.
It may also give Ottawa (the Federal government) a chance to save face
by never actually having to admit that Quebec is no longer a part of Canada
- just "there." And in turn, that might mean hope for the Prairie
Provinces to reduce Canada's parliament to an expensive but useless way
to sell news advertising.
28- Kenyan
gov denies Masai land rights
BBC
Although the Brits are long gone, the Kenyan government seems happy to
pick and choose how they claim the mantle of their colonial past. How
convenient that they can do so!
The author
is a libertarian engineer in the West, and welcomes comments on his commentary.
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