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October
28, 2005
covering the past week
Libertarian
Commentary on the News 17-21 October 2005 - Week #6
The news selected and views expressed in this commentary are those of
the author and do not represent the views or opinions of any organization
or anyone else. This continues the sixth weekly column, as Mama Liberty
settles in her new digs.
Rights
of Privacy
I'm doing a special section for this week's commentary on privacy and
security, because a lot of news regarding privacy has been reported this
week.
California:
GPS law stirs civil rights concerns
NewsDay
"California probation officials have gained broad authority to
latch global positioning system devices onto their charges under a new
law that critics call unprecedented for government surveillance. But for
now, cost, not civil rights concerns, will probably limit the use of GPs
bracelets or anklets. The bill, one of the public safety measures signed
into law earlier this month by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, will add county
probation chiefs to the list of officials who can strap GPs tracking devices
to offenders' ankles without court orders. The bill's purpose is to ease
legal concerns that might have otherwise barred use of the monitors on
probationers." (10/17/05)
The amount
of control will not be so great as they think - unless they can also increase
the staff available (which is as scary as the use of the equipment for
this purpose).
RFID
moves into new arenas, still raises privacy issues
Seattle Times
"As RFID comes of age, the technology is transforming large tasks
to small ones. It is moving into a wide range of applications, including
passports, visas, government-access badges, military supplies, prescription
drugs and children's school ID cards. It can help route supplies around
the world or keep track of vital medical information. Promising as it
is, however, the technology is relatively untested. Its ability to track
individual items, or people, wherever they go has raised privacy and security
issues." (10/17/05)
Tied closely
to GPs (previous story) is the use of RFID as described in this story,
and with an equal potential negative impact on our freedom and privacy.
Japan:
Wartime free speech verdict reconsidered
Japan Times Online
"The Yokohama District Court on Monday opened a retrial for five
people, now dead, who were convicted six decades ago in the so-called
Yokohama Incident -- often described as Japan's worst wartime case involving
the repression of freedom of speech. It is the first time a retrial has
been held for deceased defendants convicted under the now defunct Peace
Preservation Law, which was used to clamp down on communists. .... About
30 people were indicted on charges of violating the Peace Preservation
Law. Most were convicted shortly after the war ended. Four died in jail."
(10/18/05)
This smacks
of the reparation movement so common in the US and elsewhere: that we
must go back and "atone" for things that our ancestors or predecessors
did: a bizarre example of original sin that makes no more sense in Japan
than in the US. What a waste of money, when a simple apology and posthumous
pardon by the Emperor would have done.
San
Francisco: Wi-Fi plan raises privacy concerns
San Francisco Chronicle
"San Francisco's plan to offer affordable wireless Internet connections
may make it easier for computer hackers to spy on users and steal personal
information. That's the consensus of computer security experts, who say
that the city's ambitious effort to get all residents online -- potentially
for free -- could be more risky for users than traditional Web access.
The problem with wireless Internet connections -- called Wi-Fi -- is that
the onus is largely on consumers to protect themselves, they said. But
many Wi-Fi users fail to take precautions out of laziness or ignorance,
putting themselves in danger of their personal information being stolen."
(10/17/05)
The downside
of the booming WiFi explosion, and Google's (and others) attempt to offer
it to an entire city (see separate article in Tech section).
Mama's
Note: My hackles always start to rise when I read the words "affordable"
and "free." Nothing is really "free" and "affordable"
usually means that someone else gets to pay for it against their will.
If these people are too stupid or lazy to protect their information, that's
too bad. Anyone who uses the internet or anything else should be prepared
to both pay for it and protect their own property/privacy.
Privacy
groups question RFID use in medicine tracking
ComputerWorld
"As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers the use of
radio frequency identification tags to help fight counterfeit prescription
drugs, privacy advocates are cautiously watching to be sure consumer privacy
isn't lost in the process. Last year, the FDA called for the widespread
use of RFID tags to help ensure that drugs sold to consumers are legitimate
.... Under the FDA proposal, RFID tags would be used on cartons and pallets
of drugs throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain by 2007. The problem,
according to privacy advocates, is that the FDA is considering more than
just tracking large shipping containers or crates of medicines with RFID
tags; it could also use the tags to track individual medicine bottles
or even individual tablets." (10/14/05)
Another
example of how the RFID offers some very useful advantages to business
and individuals, but can be misused.
Mama's
Note: And what makes anyone think that the same people who counterfeit
drugs can't counterfeit the RFID tags too? The real danger here is that
people will come to depend on these tags and not take the normal precautions.
The increased cost of all this tracking will fuel an even greater black
market for the cheaper products. As with anything else, the more they
try to tighten the screws the less real control they will have, but everyone
will pay for it eventually.
UK:
Microsoft warns ID cards pose massive security risk
Silicon.com
"Microsoft has warned the UK government's national ID card plans
pose a huge security risk that could actually increase the likelihood
of confidential personal information falling into the hands of hackers
and criminals. A top security and identity management expert at Microsoft
said the current technology proposals are flawed and criticised other
IT suppliers for failing to speak out publicly about their concerns for
fear of damaging any future bids for a piece of the lucrative ID cards
contract." (10/18/05)
I am very
much surprised that it is Microsoft saying this - and even worse, I agree
with them! Arggh! But just as the ubiquitous use of the SSN in the United
States has made identity theft the hot enterprise it is today, so such
a standard card will do - and would here in the US as well.
Recruitment
tool targeted
Washington Post
"A national coalition of parents groups, privacy advocates and
community organizations is launching a campaign today to dismantle a database
of high school and college students built by the Pentagon to help target
potential military recruits. In a letter being sent today to Defense Secretary
Donald H. Rumsfeld, more than 100 groups charge that the database violates
federal privacy laws and is collecting demographic and other personal
information on young Americans that could be misused by the government
and the marketing firms handling the program." (10/18/05)
If it is
wrong even for the government to collect and use this data, and people
are pointing this out, why don't they think it is wrong for the government
to do so many other things that private businesses (or individuals) aren't
allowed to do?
Mama's
Note: Hopefully, people are starting to actually think about this very
thing.
Tehran
seeking new ways to censor the Internet and track dissidents
Reporters without Borders
"Reporters Without Borders today accused the Iranian government
of seeking to increase its control of the Internet in recent measures
that have included contracting an Iranian company, Delta Global, to set
up a new online censorship system. While developing a woefully oppressive
model of Internet management, Iran is participating actively in international
talks about Internet governance that are being held as part of the World
Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the press organisation said."
(10/18/05)
It is very
easy for international organizations, especially those quasi-governmental
in nature, to use the various authoritarian nations to work out this stuff,
and then apply it to the rest of the world - and with the EU trying to
surrender the Internet to a UN organization, this timing is perfect (for
them - not for freedom).
Georgia:
Court temporarily bars voter ID enforcement
Southern Standard
"Comparing Georgia's new voting law to a poll tax, a federal judge
has blocked the state from requiring voters to show photo identification
to participate in elections. In a 123-page ruling Tuesday, U.S. District
Court Judge Harold Murphy in Rome, Ga., said the law is an undue burden
on voting rights and is not tailored narrowly enough to serve its stated
purpose of preventing voter fraud. Requiring voters 'to purchase a photo
ID card effectively places a cost on the right to vote,' he said, adding
that is the equivalent of a poll tax and is unconstitutional."
(10/19/05)
To me,
this is a difficult situation: I think that it is RIGHT to require a person
to demonstrate that he or she is who they claim to be in order to vote.
The problem is in demanding it be a government-issued ID card be used,
and not just because the voter might have to pay for it. There are other
ways to demonstrate who you are, and government IDs are not necessarily
the best.
Gulf
War Three
And a new storm on the way! I thought that I could drop the "Gulf
War Three" section this week, but obviously not.
14,500
Katrina evacuees in shelters past deadline
Houston Chronicle
"Roughly 95 percent of 270,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees were
cleared from shelters across the nation by Saturday, the federal government's
self-imposed deadline for emptying the refuges. But that relative success
comes amid continued frustration with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency and a whopping hotel bill." (10/16/05)
I feel
sorry for these people, and I think that they would be better off on their
own and with local community help than depending on the tender mercies
of the fedgov.
Chertoff:
I relied on FEMA experts during Katrina
Fox News
"Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff defended his actions
before and after Hurricane Katrina, telling lawmakers Wednesday he relied
on Federal Emergency Management Agency experts with decades of experience
in hurricane response. 'I'm not a hurricane expert,' Chertoff said several
times in responding to criticisms from members of a special House panel
set up to investigate the dismal federal response to Katrina, which killed
more than 1,200 people, flooded New Orleans and forced the evacuation
of hundreds of thousands." (10/19/05)
If FEMA
experts were so good and so necessary, then why was Chertoff continuing
his predecessor's action to dismantle the agency? Yet too many people
still promote the black-helicopter myth of FEMA or believe that the fedgov
should be the primary responder to disasters and emergencies. And let
state and local communities (and their governments) off the hook.
Mama's
Note: How is disaster relief the responsibility of any government unit?
It doesn't matter in the least if it is state or city government involved.
They are still using stolen money and in the most inefficient, wasteful
way, to do a job that rightly belongs to the individuals involved and
voluntary charity.
Lawmaker
makes waves over cruise-ship housing
USA Today
"Cruise ships being used as temporary housing on the Gulf Coast
are likely yielding a larger profit than Carnival Cruise Lines, their
owner, has let on, a Democratic congressman charged Thursday. Rep. Henry
Waxman of California said an internal financial review from the cruise
company suggests that the $236 million government contract is nearly 50%
more than the company would be earning if its ships were engaged in normal
cruising." (10/20/05)
Nice work
if you can get it! Of course, this means that Waxman isn't going to get
much in his Christmas stocking for next year's election from Carnival
or the other companies!
FEMA
official says boss ignored warnings
Detroit Free Press
"In the midst of the chaos that followed Hurricane Katrina, a
Federal Emergency Management Agency official in New Orleans sent a dire
e-mail to Director Michael Brown saying victims had no food and were dying.
No response came from Brown. Instead, less than three hours later, an
aide to Brown sent an e-mail saying her boss wanted to go on a television
program that night -- after needing at least an hour to eat dinner at
a Baton Rouge, La., restaurant." (10/20/05)
No fooling?
Gee, some of us know exactly how he felt. This is government as usual.
Mideast
Tarbabies
With elections past (but still not fully decided) and fighting continuing,
more fussing at home and abroad, we see no end in sight!
UK:
Are British troops at breaking point in Iraq?
Independent [UK]
"Fears that British forces in Iraq are reaching "breaking
point" grew last night as the first hard evidence of a crisis in
morale began to emerge. Army sources are warning that the mood among soldiers
of all ranks is at its gloomiest since the invasion in March 2003. The
outlook has become darker as the war proves increasingly intractable and
much more dangerous than troops had expected. A string of incidents in
the past week has contributed to the sense of crisis." (10/18/05)
Again,
the media continues its mantra of a "war" in Iraq, rather than
the occupation that it is. It is no surprise that Tommies are having some
of the same problems as GIs - facing similar circumstances in Iraq and
at home, and with the media the way it is in both nations.
Iraq:
Vote appears to go for constitution
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Iraq's landmark constitution seemed assured of passage Sunday
after initial results showed minority Sunni Arabs had fallen short in
an effort to veto it at the polls. The apparent acceptance was a major
step in the attempt to establish a democratic government that could lead
to the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Opponents failed to secure the necessary
two-thirds 'no' vote in any three of Iraqi's 18 provinces, according to
counts that local officials provided to The Associated Press. In the crucial
central provinces with mixed ethnic and religious populations, enough
Shiites and Kurds voted to stymie the Sunni bid to reject the constitution."
(10/16/05)
Will this
change things? Enough? We will have to wait and see. The problem is that
this constitution establishes a democracy, in preference to establishing
liberty - and the two are not always compatible. Without liberty for all
people, the various groups in this strange little country will continue
to fight, and the fighting in their new halls of the legislature will
be just an extension of the fighting in the streets, not a replacement
for it.
Student
ad triggers debate
Times Herald-Record
"Warwick - If creating a buzz is rule No. 1 in advertising, then
an anonymous Warwick Valley High School sophomore has a bright future.
Set on a backdrop of neat rows of tombstones, a full-page ad in October's
The Survey, Warwick Valley High School's monthly student-run newspaper,
reads: "You can't be all that you can be if you're dead. There are
other ways to serve your country. There are other ways to get money for
college. There are other ways to be all you can be. THINK ABOUT IT. Before
you sign your life away.'" (10/18/05)
Even people
who are very loyal to, and very protective of, the military, should support
this kind of debate and presentation of an alternative view and opinion.
But remember that this is also reported every day in the media: it is
no secret to teens that military service can lead to a closed-casket funeral,
any more than it is a secret that drinking and driving, or casual sex,
can lead to the same fate.
Iraqis
probe "unusually high" yes tally
Detroit Free Press
"Iraq's election commission announced Monday that officials were
investigating 'unusually high' numbers of 'yes' votes in about a dozen
provinces during Iraq's landmark referendum on a new constitution, raising
questions about irregularities in the balloting. Word of the review came
as Sunni Arab leaders repeated accusations of fraud after initial reports
from the provinces suggested the constitution had passed. Among the Sunni
allegations are that police took ballot boxes from heavily 'no' districts,
and that some 'yes' areas had more votes than registered voters."
(10/17/05)
First,
it is certainly to be expected that attempts to stuff the ballot box (for
OR against) are going to happen. Second, it is no surprise that people
would immediately cry fraud and call for the vote to be negated. These
are facts of any election around the world today - but how the current
Iraqi government responds to the challenges will be the basis for a future,
if any, of Iraq.
Spain:
US soldiers charged in journalist's death
CNN
"A Spanish judge issued an international arrest warrant Wednesday
for three U.S. soldiers, charging them with murder in the death of Spanish
TV cameraman Jose Couso in Baghdad, Iraq. Couso, who worked for Spain's
Telecinco network, died at the Palestine Hotel on April 8, 2003, as U.S.
forces advanced to take control of the city in April 2003." (10/19/05)
Spain's
continued slide into the Islamic orbit may be one of the reasons for this
delayed action. It hardly seems designed to repair Spanish-American relations,
and does not seem justified at all by the facts surrounding the man's
death.
US
probes Afghan body desecration charges
MSNBC
"The Army tells NBC News its Criminal Investigation Division is
looking into an Australian broadcast report with video that allegedly
shows U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan burning the bodies of two Taliban fighters,
then using the incident to taunt Taliban forces. SBS, an Australian public
broadcast network, aired the story Wednesday night. U.S. Army officials
confirm that a freelance cameraman working for the network was embedded
with the 82nd Airborne at the time of the alleged body burning."
(10/19/05)
If indeed
this happened, action has to be taken: it is again a case of people trying
to claim that the ends justify the means, and that American soldiers can
respond in kind to criminal acts by enemy forces. At the same time, knowing
the bias of the media, it needs to be carefully investigated to see if
all is as claimed.
Rice
outlines US strategy to rebuild Iraq
Houston Chronicle
"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today outlined a strategy
for helping Iraqis clear out insurgents and build durable, national institutions
as she sought to reassure jittery members of Congress about the path to
peace in Iraq. Rice said the United States will follow a model that was
successful in Afghanistan. Starting next month, she said, joint diplomatic-military
groups -- Provincial Reconstruction Teams -- will work alongside Iraqis
as they train police, set up courts, and help local governments establish
essential services." (10/19/05)
Of course,
many people question whether Afghanistan can be called a success. And
more question whether the nation of Iraq is capable of functioning, regardless
of the help provided.
Iraq:
Saddam's nephew arrested
Detroit Free Press
"Iraqi police on Wednesday arrested Saddam Hussein's nephew in
Baghdad, charging that he served as the top financier of Iraq's rampant
insurgency, senior Iraqi security officials said. Yasir Sabhawi Ibrahim,
son of Saddam's half brother Sabhawi Ibrahim Hasan al-Tikriti, was arrested
in a Baghdad apartment, several days after Syrian authorities forced him
to return to Iraq, the officials told The Associated Press in a telephone
interview from Cairo. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they
weren't authorized to deal with the media." (10/19/05)
One more
fugitive rounded up, but surely not irreplaceable in the "insurgency."
It is claimed that his capture will reduce the flow of money to support
the "insurgency" but I'll believe it when I see it.
Rice
won't rule out force on Syria, Iran
ABC News
"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday refused to rule
out U.S. Troops still serving in Iraq in 10 years or the possibility that
the United States could use military force against neighboring Syria and
Iran. Rice deferred to the decisions of President Bush and military commanders
as Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
pressed her for more specifics on the U.S. strategy in Iraq. ... At the
White House, spokesman Scott McClellan also would not rule out the possibility
of a U.S. troop presence that far in the future." (10/19/05)
Would not
a carrot work better than a stick in dealing with Syria and Iran? It may
not be possible to get the two to AGREE that the US should remain in the
area (after all, we in the United States certainly don't agree) but it
might be better to praise good behavior loudly and warn them softly. As
the next story points out, this is exactly the opposite of what is happening.
Outside
View: Another Scapegoat?
SpaceWar.Com
New York (UPI) Oct 17, 2005 - The increasing number of clashes between
U.S. and Syrian forces raises serious questions about the Bush administration's
intentions and the wisdom of its actions. It appears this escalation on
the American side is dictated not entirely by the urgency over the infiltration
of foreign insurgents from Syria into Iraq.
For good
or bad, in a situation like this, troops will do what they are told, and
if told that their reaction to Syrian irritations (and certainly no one
would disagree that Syrian border troops can be VERY irritating) is to
be very strong, it will be. If this gives fuel to a Bush effort to strike
against Syria, the blame needs to be placed on the Administration. Congress,
are you watching?
Pentagon
fraud agency left Iraq "a year ago"
Christian Science Monitor
"The Pentagon agency in charge of investigating abuse and fraud
in the spending of Department of Defense funds in Iraq actually 'quietly
left' the country a year ago. The Knight Ridder Washington Bureau reports
that both government and public experts say this decision has left large
gaps in 'the oversight of how more than $140 billion is being spent.'
The revelation comes the same day that the annual Transparency International
Global Corruption Report was published. That index showed that Iraq is
the most corrupt country in the Middle East." (10/19/05)
It should
come as no surprise that Iraq is the most corrupt - but that condition
was NOT created by the Coalition invasion or the occupation. At the same
time, as in the last story, I think that the blame rests properly on Congress
and the Administration more than on the troops in the field: it is the
civilian side that should be working to deal with this issue, but they
are both failing to act.
Nixon's
Vietnam-era defense chief calls for Iraq exit plan
Boston Globe
"The defense secretary who served under President Richard M. Nixon
during the Vietnam War is warning that the United States is repeating
in Iraq some of the mistakes that led to public disillusionment and ultimate
defeat in Vietnam, including the impression that there is no clear goal
for victory or a detailed, well-described plan to bring US troops home.
Melvin R. Laird, who led the Defense Department in the final years of
the Vietnam War, writes in the next edition of Foreign Affairs magazine
that most Americans want to see a clearly defined exit strategy and will
not tolerate an open-ended military commitment in Iraq -- something that
he said would make the fledgling Iraqi government even more dependent
on US forces and hinder its independence." (10/19/05)
Laird's
track record hardly lends credence to his pronouncements 30 years later
- but maybe he learned from his mistakes. At the same time, to those who
do support the continued occupation, his words are meaningless - there
was no "exit strategy" for the occupation of Germany after WW2,
or really, even for the occupation of Japan - it took years to develop
a way to leave, and decades of "open-ended commitments" (for
good or bad) before the situation was resolved (if indeed it is, yet,
resolved).
Saddam
codefendant's lawyer kidnapped
Tampa Tribune
"The trial of Saddam Hussein took startling turns Thursday when
prosecutors said the first witness would be a bedridden cancer patient
who helped run Iraq's feared intelligence agency. In the first setback,
a lawyer for one of the dictator's codefendants was kidnapped. Iraq's
premier, meanwhile, said he was proud the court gave Saddam -- whom he
called 'one of the world's most hardened criminals' -- so much freedom
to talk at Wednesday's opening session. A defiant Saddam refused to answer
the chief judge's questions and said he did not recognize the legitimacy
of the proceedings because he was still president." (10/20/05)
And now
he has been killed, and the US is blamed for it, as if one would think
that the insurgents would attack the people defending their beloved ex-prez!
UN:
Syria, Lebanon involved in slaying
Cincinnati Enquirer
"A U.N. investigation concluded that high-ranking Syrian and Lebanese
security officials were involved in the assassination of former Lebanese
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, according to a report released Thursday.
The strongly worded report by chief investigator Detlev Mehlis said the
two nations' intelligence services kept tabs on Hariri before his assassination
by wiretapping his phone, and there was evidence a telecommunications
antenna was jammed near the scene of the car bomb that killed him and
20 others on Feb. 14." (10/20/05)
A smoking
gun, or as close as you can get.
Our
right to defend ourselves
As usual, we have a lot of interesting stories this week.
Alabama:
Area students can sign pledge to avoid gun use
Birmingham News
"High school students in Birmingham, Jefferson County and Hoover
public schools this month are participating in a national effort to reduce
gun violence. The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program
that encourages young people to take the lead by pledging to not carry
guns to school or use guns to settle disputes, and to influence friends
to do the same, said J. Brian Huff, the presiding judge at Jefferson County
Family Court. Family Court Senior Trial Referee Andra Sparks, who oversees
Jefferson County's juvenile gun court, urged parents to support their
kids who are willing to back the pledge. "The value of this pledge
can be taught at home," Sparks said. Huff agreed, and said parents
need to pay attention if their child doesn't want to sign the pledge."
[RND Editor's note: And pay particular attention if your kid DOES
want to sign this ... better yet, get your kids OUT of the publijk school
system!-MLS] (10/17/05)
So let
us just disarm ourselves, and all will be good and happy and no one will
ever get hurt again! Right. Then the bullies can continue to do what they
do in the already-disarmed schools outside and for the rest of their lives,
and all in the name of peace? Mary Lou has the right of it, definitely.
According to some statistics, weapons are used some 700,000 times a year
in the United States in self-defense and to prevent and respond to crime
- most often without a shot being fired.
Alabama:
Man critically wounded, shooter questioned
WKRN News
"A 36-year-old Mobile man was shot in the face after he reportedly
kicked down the door to his ex-girlfriend's home in Midtown. It happened
yesterday (Sunday) afternoon about 1:40 PM. Corporal Marcus Young, a Mobile
Police spokesman, said Toby Priest was wounded from a shotgun blast. He
said Priest is listed in critical condition at U-S-A Medical Center. The
alleged shooter, 24-year-old Jason Jefferson, was questioned, but he was
not arrested." (10/17/05)
Apparently
the circumstances were clear enough that an Alabama policeman (unlike,
say, a Florida or Ohio or Pennsylvania cop) can decide that no charges
are needed against the person defending a friend and that friend's house.
You don't suppose that the foolish GRTF-skool administrators in the previous
story might be bothered to read this and see why even teens need to know
how to defend themselves?
Alaska
gun laws take effect Wednesday
CNN News
" Starting Wednesday, handgun owners won't need permits to carry
concealed weapons in the seven Alaska cities where they're still required.
There also will be no more restrictions on keeping a firearm in a vehicle.
A new state antigun control law that goes into effect will essentially
bar municipalities from passing gun laws that are more restrictive than
state law." (10/17/05)
Residents
and visitors to Alaska cities have just regained an important right.
Georgia:
Firearms ordinance on table
Macon Telegraph
" After distributing more than a hundred fliers at local hunting
and fishing shops, Walton Wood said he hopes residents will turn out in
droves to tonight's Houston County Commission meeting. That's when commissioners
will likely decide whether to ban the firing of guns within 300 feet of
a building. "If a bunch of folks show up that are opposed to it,
we got a chance of shouting it down," said Wood, who delivered letters
to county commissioners Monday morning outlining opposition to the proposal.
"If nobody shows up, then of course, they're going to pass it.'"
(10/18/05)
A good
illustration of the need to be able to organize quickly to respond to
threats to basic freedoms, especially when they are designed to harass
people and reduce the likelihood that they will be able to defend themselves.
And as the next story points out, they have won - so far.
Georgia:
Commission fails to pull trigger on gun rule
Macon Telegraph
"It's still legal for Houston County residents to fire a gun on
their property without their neighbor's permission -- for now. Houston
County commissioners held off on approving an ordinance Tuesday that would
ban residents from firing a gun within 300 feet of an occupied building.
The standing-room-only crowd broke into applause when the commission unanimously
decided to table the measure. 'That's politics at work -- public input,'
Commissioner Larry Thomson said after the meeting. About 50 people showed
up for the hearing, some speaking in favor of the ordinance and even more
speaking against it." (10/19/05)
It doesn't
end here, of course - the hoploclasts (gun-haters) will still press for
this or worse, but hopefully the people of the county will pay attention!
Mama's
Note: Nobody in the stories mentioned how they planned to get the robbers
and murderers to give folks time to "ask permission" or to stay
away from the buildings. Who is going to pull out a tape measure during
a mugging?
North
Carolina: Customer shoots robber
NBC Channel 17 News
"A customer at a private club shot and killed a man who allegedly
was trying to rob club patrons, police said. Brandon Brown, 18, was killed
at about 1 a.m. Saturday in a private club at 1505 Holloway St., police
said. Brown allegedly was trying to rob about a dozen club patrons when
one of them, Michael Henderson, fatally shot him, police said. No charges
have been filed in the case, which remains under investigation, police
said." (10/17/05)
It would
appear that the investigation should consist of a brief questioning of
the dozen other patrons as to the circumstances - a task certainly within
the capability of the newest police recruit or an assistant coroner -
or even the ambulance crew dispatched to drag the carrion away. (Of course,
burying the hoodlum under the front door of the club with a suitable plaque
might be more appropriate.)
Texas:
Homeowner shoots attempted robber
Click2Houston
"A homeowner opened fire Monday night and killed a man he said
was trying to rob him outside his southeast Houston home, KPRC Local 2
reported. The homeowner told KPRC Local 2 that he returned to his home
on North Carolina at Zachary at about 10:45 p.m. when he saw three men
unlocking burglar bars. Authorities said one of the attempted robbers
jumped out of a trash can and tried to rob him at gunpoint. "The
man had popped up out of his trash can sort of like a jack-in-the-box.
The homeowner had a gun on him also. The homeowner fired, striking the
suspect in the garbage can several times," Houston Police Department
Homicide Division Investigator Kevin Carr said. That suspect was pronounced
dead inside the garbage can. The other two attempted robbers fled the
scene on foot." (10/18/05)
Once more,
a quick response and a justified defense.
South
Carolina: Store Owner kills man in robbery
Orangeburg Times and Democrat
"A young man was killed by a store owner Monday when he walked
into a convenience store, brandishing a small-caliber handgun and demanding
money, Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams says. .... Longtime proprietor
Lacey Duncan, who is in his late 70s, was minding the store when the gun-wielding
man entered. As they struggled, the gun discharged, but the bullet did
not hit anyone, the sheriff said. Hearing the noise, Duncan's wife came
into the store from the residence that is attached to the store. Observing
the men fighting each other, she came to her husband's defense, the sheriff
said. Lacey Duncan then "discharged an unknown caliber weapon, striking
the (assailant) and causing his death," Williams said."
(10/18/05)
This is
exactly the kind of situation where firearms are needed, despite the foolish
posturing of the school administrators a couple of states over. Expecting
a 70-year-old man to defend himself and his (presumably equally-aged)
wife against some one much younger (and very unlikely to obey any prohibitions)
is crazy.
Ohio:
Intruder shot during break-in
WHIO TV News
"Authorities said a homeowner in Dayton shot an intruder after
the suspect smashed through the front window of the man's home. The home
invasion happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday on Kimberly Circle. The suspect
has been identified as 45-year-old Emmanuel Cain. Authorities said Cain
is at a local hospital with two bullet wounds and now faces criminal charges.
Police said Cain is accused of jumping through a plate glass window. The
couple who lives in the home said they have no idea who the man was or
what he wanted. Officers said in an effort to protect him and his wife,
the homeowner shot Cain twice. They said his wife called 911." (10/18/05)
This couple
has things in the right order. The time to call 9-1-1 is AFTER the situation
is at least under control enough to ensure that you will survive until
the "authorities" get to you.
Nation's
murder rate hits 40-year low
Tampa Tribune
"The nation's murder rate declined last year for the first time
in four years, dropping to the lowest level in 40 years. Experts said
local rather than national trends were mostly responsible. The rates for
all seven major crimes were down and the overall violent crime rate reached
a 30-year low, according to the FBI's annual compilation of crimes reported
to the police. There were 391 fewer murders nationwide in 2004 than the
year before. The total of 16,137 worked out to 5.5 murders for every 100,000
people." (10/17/05)
Despite
all the list of thugs and goons being shot we've seen in the last few
stories, crime is down - at the same time that more guns are on the streets
(and in the homes) of the United States than ever before. And notice the
numbers: 16K dead, although weapons are used for self-defense (not for
attacking) about 700,000 times a year.
Mama's
Note: Unfortunately, the full story on this is seldom told. Most people
I've talked to about the lower crime rate believe it is lower BECAUSE
of all the gun restrictions and laws, not because more people have and
use guns to protect themselves.
Ohio:
Man shot during home invasion
Dayton Daily News
"The man pounded on the front door of the home on Kimberly Circle,
terrifying the couple inside. Then he smashed the front window, climbed
inside and went to the living room where he met the male homeowner, who
was holding a gun. '(The homeowner) told him to stay back, but he didn't
listen,' Lt. John Huber said. The 62-year-old man then shot the intruder
several times." (10/19/05)
Yet another
example of an older couple being prepared, where if guns were illegal
or hard to obtain, they might not be able to be prepared. Too many people
believe that a "gun-free" home is a safer home, but day-by-day
experience shows that is NOT the case: a safe home is one in which (in
my opinion) there is at least one loaded and ready-to-hand weapon for
EVERY person in the house over the age of about ten. And everyone from
age two on up has had basic firearm training, and knows what to do (and
NOT do).
Congress
OKs gun industry lawsuit shield
Indianapolis Star
"Congress gave the gun lobby its top legislative priority Thursday,
passing a bill protecting the firearms industry from massive crime-victim
lawsuits. President Bush said he will sign it. 'Our laws should punish
criminals who use guns to commit crimes, not law-abiding manufacturers
of lawful products,' Bush said in a statement. The House voted 283-144
to send the bill to the president after supporters, led by the National
Rifle Association, proclaimed it vital to protect the industry from being
bankrupted by huge jury awards. Opponents, waging a tough battle against
growing public support for the legislation, called it proof of the gun
lobby's power over the Republican-controlled Congress." (10/20/05)
What this,
and virtually every other story, does NOT say is that this bill contains
a poison pill provision that mandates the sale (and may require, depending
on your interpretation, the use) of gunlocks, a provision added supposedly
to get antigun legis-gators to vote, but seems of a kind with the Bush
administration's ersatz conservatism. See also this story:
Gun
Maker Shield Bill Has Antigun Provisions
(CNSNews.com)
Legislation passed Thursday to protect the gun industry from liability
lawsuits includes antigun amendments that could have been blocked in the
House, according to one pro-gun organization. The group believes failing
to block those amendments could haunt gun owners in the future...
Brazil:
Gun ban likely to be shot down
South Asian Women's Forum News
"The government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, rights
groups and the Roman Catholic church believe the argument for the ban
cannot be shot down. ... But the public is cynical and polls show support
for the measure slumping. Fifty-two percent of the 122 million Brazilians
eligible to vote in the referendum will oppose the ban, according to a
survey by Toledo and Associates released on Wednesday. Before the campaign
started on October 1, other polls had shown up to 76 percent of the public
in favour. But the pro-gun lobby -- arms makers and even some victims
of violence -- has aired aggressive campaign adverts against a ban, one
using the image of South African leader Nelson Mandela linking his fight
for freedom to the argument that people should be allowed to own firearms."
(10/20/05)
IF true,
good news. And if the DA Silva administration allows the vote to be honestly
counted - not always the case in Latin America.
Mama's
Note: ... or anywhere else.
Georgia:
Marine in right place at right time
Statesboro Herald
"Cpl. Kevin Doncaster, a 29-year-old Marine reservist from Tucker,
Ga., was in the right place at the right time Friday night when he stopped
a man who attacked a woman in a Wal-Mart bathroom, holding him at gunpoint
until police arrived. What was Doncaster doing in Statesboro's Wal-Mart?
What was he doing with a gun? And why did he chase Stephen Mark Hall into
the parking lot after Hall sprayed him and a store manager with pepper
spray?" (10/17/05)
Although
this sounds a bit on the flaky side in the first paragraph (What was he,
etc.) it is actually quite a folksy but good analysis of how a man who
was prepared stopped a real nutcase from doing more harm than he had already
done, risking his own life for the sake of people he really didn't even
know because he was a good Samaritan.
Stupid
Government Tricks
A few choice items this week!
Kentucky:
School districts turn to random drug tests
Lexington Herald Leader
"There's not much cramming students can do for this kind of pop
quiz. As school districts grapple with keeping illegal drugs from students,
some are turning to random drug testing. At least two have added random
tests this fall, and more could be on the way. "It's not such a radical
movement right now," said John Akers, executive director of the Kentucky
Center for School Safety. "But it's a slow moving, steady moving
trend right now toward drug testing.' There is no exact count, but education
officials think at least 36 of Kentucky's 176 school districts require
drug tests at some level. .... Mark Cleveland, superintendent of Owen
County Schools, said his district conducted its first random drug test
at its middle school Tuesday. "Seven or eight" students took
the tests, along with three district administrators and the principal,
Cleveland said .... "You don't want to violate someone's civil rights,
but at the same time you want to make sure that the schools are safe,"
Cleveland said." )10/17/05)
Strange,
isn't it? Teen and student drug use has dropped, yet the draconian measures
necessary to "fight" the menace keep getting, well, more draconian.
Cleveland's hypocrisy is worse because he apparently really believes this
1984-like propaganda he parrots.
Tennessee:
State Supreme Court upholds lethal injection method
Nashville City Paper
"The state Supreme Court has upheld the state's lethal injection
method of administering the death penalty, striking down challenges by
death row inmate Abu-Ali Abdur'Rahman. 'We conclude that the petitioner
has failed to establish that the lethal injection protocol is cruel and
unusual punishment under the United States or Tennessee constitutions,'
Justice E. Riley Anderson wrote in the unanimous ruling filed today. The
state's high court sided with lower court rulings that have allowed the
state to continuing using a combination of sodium pentothal, pancuronium
bromide (Pavulon) and potassium chloride. The Tennessee's legislature
authorized the use of lethal injections beginning in May 1998. Abdur'Rahman,
formerly known as James Lee Jones, is being held on death row at Riverbend
Maximum Security Institution for the first-degree murder of Patrick Daniels
in 1986." (10/17/05)
The sad
thing about this case (and the reason it is a "stupid government
trick" is that this man killed someone 19 -NINETEEN- years ago, and
is still alive to play these games. Considering all the alternatives,
if a killer is too dangerous to be allowed to wander around and too likely
to escape to kill again, lethal injection must be perhaps the LEAST cruel
way to execute someone of the various methods traditionally used.
California:
Video game industry sues to toss new ban
San Francisco Chronicle
"California's newly signed law banning the sale of violent video
games to minors was challenged in court Monday by the video game industry,
which said the state has no evidence that virtual violence causes real-life
mayhem. The suit was filed in San Francisco Federal Court by the Video
Software Dealers Association and the Entertainment Software Association,
which represent the nation's $24 billion home video industry. They argued
that the law, scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, is 'content-based censorship'
that violates the First Amendment guarantee of free expression. The Legislature
had no credible evidence that 'exposure to such expression is directed
to and likely to cause imminent violent action,'' said attorney Theodore
Boutrous in the lawsuit. He said courts have overturned similar laws in
Indianapolis, St. Louis County and Washington state. The measure, AB1179
by Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, prohibits selling or renting
a violent video game to someone under 18. Violations are punishable by
fines of up to $1,000." (10/18/05)
And where
are the parents? And where is the parental control of the checkbook (or
credit card)?
$704m
penalty for drug maker
Boston Globe
"Swiss drugmaker Serono SA has agreed to pay $704 million to settle
criminal and civil charges that it illegally promoted its AIDS drug, prosecutors
said yesterday, in one of the biggest sums collected in the government's
growing scrutiny of pharmaceutical firms. The company's Serono Labs unit
of Rockland agreed to plead guilty to charges it conspired to market Serostim
by supplying doctors diagnostic software that was not fully approved by
the Food and Drug Administration. The software, prosecutors said, led
to an increase in demand for the drug prescribed to treat wasting in AIDS
patients. The company also agreed to plead guilty to offering doctors
all-expense-paid trips to a medical conference in Cannes, France, in return
for writing prescriptions of Serostim, an arrangement that US Attorney
General Alberto R. Gonzales blasted as ''The 'Cannes Kickback' campaign."(10/18/05)
Now if
the company had offered the free software and the free trips to Cannes
to Congrus-critturs, they'd be getting invitations to dinner parties in
DC.
Mama's
Note: And, of course we can't let these patients use a simple weed that
does the job without most or any of the side effects of the manufactured
drug. That would be just too simple and make too much sense.
"Annual
hypocrisy day" in Senate
Fox News
"Senators on Tuesday agreed to give up their annual pay raise,
saying they need to do their part to save the government a little money
in light of the huge expenses from Hurricane Katrina and the growing budget
deficit. Congress is looking for ways to rein in spending, said Sen. Jon
Kyl, who sponsored the pay freeze proposal. ... It passed 92-6. Under
Kyl's amendment to a spending bill covering federal workers, senators
would forgo the estimated 1.9 percent cost-of-living increase that would
otherwise have automatically gone into effect unless the Senate voted
to reject it. ... Not every senator saw the vote as totally selfless.
'It's the annual hypocrisy day in the United States Senate,' said Sen.
James Inhoffe [R-OK]. ... He said the vote has always allowed members
seeking reelection to "go home and say 'look what I've done, I've
stopped us from having a pay raise."'" (10/18/05)
Big deal.
But I disagree with Sen. Inhoffe: EVERY day is hypocrisy day for the US
Senate. When it comes to morals at least, the old joke about determining
the IQ of a committee is true ("The IQ of a committee is determined
by finding the IQ of the most intelligent person on the committee and
dividing that by the number of feet of members of the committee.")
Senate
panel to vote on ANWR drilling
MSNBC
"The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has released
legislative language that will be voted on Wednesday to open the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil drilling. Giving energy companies
access to the refuge's billions of barrels of crude oil is a key part
of the Bush administration's national energy plan to boost domestic production
and reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. The legislative proposal,
which is expected to be cleared by the energy panel and then folded into
a much bigger budget bill to fund the federal government, calls for opening
ANWR's 1.5 million-acre coastal plain. . Environmental groups and many
Democrats oppose drilling in ANWR, saying Congress should look at ways
to reduce oil consumption with more fuel-efficient vehicle standards instead
of threatening the habitat of wildlife in the refuge." (10/17/05)
It will,
of course, be years before any drilling and production can actually be
done, because of the various environmental regulations and other requirements
to be met - both current and whatever is added to "sweeten"
the bill. But psychologically it could make an immediate $5-$10/barrel
difference in crude oil prices. Now, if we could just be allowed to build
some more refineries in someone's back yard.
GAO:
Medicare video is propaganda
Free Market News Network
"The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has reportedly ruled
that at least part of a recently produced government video about Medicare
violates a government ban on propaganda. The segment in question is a
brief news report produced by the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) with an accompanying script intended for local TV stations to use
as a lead-in. Yet nothing in that script acknowledges that both it and
the video were produced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,
the agency that oversaw the project. Anthony Gamboa, GAO general counsel
is in The Hill, as saying, 'Neither the story packages nor scripts identified
[the Department of Health and Human Services] or CMS as the source.' The
Hill also notes that 'the content of the news reports was attributed to
individuals purporting to be reporters, but [were] actually hired by an
HHS subcontractor.'" (10/16/05)
Most of
what goes on the TV nightly news shows is propaganda, of course, but this
is DIRECT government propaganda, which I guess is worse than the normal
kind. Heaven forbid the media have to broadcast someone ELSE's garbage!
US
Attorney eyes Williams propaganda deal
MSNBC
"Investigators at the Education Department have contacted the
U.S. attorney's office regarding the Bush administration's hiring of commentator
Armstrong Williams to promote its agenda. The action was disclosed by
Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., who has pressed for a criminal fraud investigation
focused on questions about whether Williams actually performed the work
cited in his monthly reports to the Education Department." (10/14/05)
Another
example of direct government-funded and -directed propaganda.
Senators
say Miers' answers inadequate
Tampa Tribune
"The senators in charge of Harriet Miers' confirmation are demanding
more information from her before hearings begin, with one lawmaker describing
the Supreme Court nominee's answers so far as 'incomplete to insulting.'
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Arlen Specter, and
the top Democrat, Sen. Patrick Leahy, agreed on Wednesday to begin Miers'
hearings on Nov. 7. Specter, R-Pa., and Leahy, D-Vt., also sent a letter
to the White House counsel asking her to more fully answer a questionnaire
she submitted Tuesday." (10/19/05)
Even more
than last week, the call for Miers to withdraw her name has grown louder,
and a few (too few, still) conservatives are standing up on their hind
legs to refuse to do what the false-conservative Bush administration has
demanded. Democrats are crowing about "disarray" in the GOP
and "conservative" ranks, but what we are finally seeing is
the inevitable split between the neo-cons and true conservatives. The
seeming heavy-handedness of the administration is making this split more
apparent.
Fed
chief nomination in November?
USA Today
"The White House plans to nominate a successor to retiring Federal
Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan in early to mid-November, an administration
official with direct knowledge of the search process said Tuesday, speaking
on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject.
That means lawmakers could have to act quickly to get any nominee approved
by the Senate Banking Committee and the full Senate before it adjourns
for the year, assuming the White House meets that schedule. And the process
threatens to be complicated by a growing battle over tax and spending
policy." (10/19/05)
So, many
people are predicting yet another "close personal friend" to
be appointed to this critical position. Based on past actions, the very
person speaking anonymously might be the nominee! Put your resume in,
folks! It pays well, and boy, the media exposure is great!
Senate
axes minimum wage increase
Detroit Free Press
"Senate proposals to raise the minimum wage were rejected Wednesday,
making it unlikely that the lowest allowable wage, $5.15 an hour since
1997, will rise in the foreseeable future. A labor-backed measure by Sen.
Edward Kennedy would have raised the minimum to $6.25 over an 18-month
period. A Republican counterproposal would have combined the same $1.10
increase with various breaks and exemptions for small businesses."
(10/19/05)
While I'm
glad this died, this story points out that the GOP is still, 11 years
after the "Republican Revolution" still practicing "me-too-ism"
- willing to accept the goals of the liberals with a few (very weak) strings
attached, or with a slower rate of acceptance, instead of stating the
truth: minimum wages hurt people and hurt the economy.
China:
Mao hyped as hero for the tourist masses
Independent [UK]
"Since China's State Council designated this year as the year
of Red Tourism, an initiative designed to rekindle faith in the present-day
Communist Party (CCP), a booming Shaoshan has become an unlikely must-see
on the tourist trail. Legions of holiday-makers are flocking to the town,
eager to learn more about the roots of the man who in his homeland is
still regarded as having done more than any other to unify and form contemporary
China. ... Mao's reputation has taken a battering in the West this year,
following the publication of Jung Chang's long-awaited biography, Mao:
The Unknown Story. But Jung's book is banned in mainland China and her
portrait of a master manipulator who regarded ordinary people as expendable
and was interested only in maintaining his iron grip on power, would be
greeted with shock and disbelief by most Chinese." (10/20/05)
The cult
of the powerful personality continues, and not just in the Communist World-minus:
we have our own Presidential Libraries, Graceland, and Mount Vernon, to
name a few.
Senators:
Bloggers may not be true journalists
CNet
"Politicians indicated on Wednesday that a proposed law offering
journalists special privileges might not be extended to Web loggers. 'The
relative anonymity afforded to bloggers, coupled with a lack of accountability,
as they are not your typical brick-and-mortar reporters who answer to
an editor or publisher, also has the risk of creating a certain irresponsibility
when it comes to accurately reporting information,' Sen. John Cornyn,
a Texas Republican, said in a statement prepared for a Senate Judiciary
Committee hearing on reporters' privilege legislation. The hearing came
as politicians are weighing the Free Flow of Information Act. The current
wording of the measure, proposed in identical form in the U.S. House of
Representatives, offers protection of confidential sources for anyone
who 'publishes a newspaper, book, magazine, or other periodical in print
or electronic word.'" (10/19/05)
As if hard-print
media can't be anonymous and ALWAYS answer to editors and publishers?
Right.
Mama's
Note: And politicians are the best judge of this kind of thing...
Grandma
arrested for trying to enlist
San Francisco Chronicle
"Betty Brassell, 75, is placed in a police wagon after her arrest
during an antiwar rally in Times Square, New York. Brassell was among
17 members of Grandmothers For Peace arrested when they attempted to enter
the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station and enlist in place of soldiers
deployed in Iraq." (10/18/05)
If you
notice the age, this lady would have been 30 at the beginning of the Vietnam
era and 10 at the end of WW2 - one of the many antiwar liberal activists
who were raised during WW2 and after.
House
GOP sets $50 billion target for budget cuts
Boston Globe
"House Republican leaders are pushing a plan to slice $50 billion
from federal programs and enact a 2 percent across-the-board cut to all
government accounts under congressional control, as they seek to quell
conservative worries over runaway spending in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina. Though the details will be worked out in the coming weeks, the
budget ax is likely to fall heaviest on programs such as Medicaid, food
stamps, and federal student loans, with smaller trims to environmental,
housing, and education programs. President Bush met with Republican congressional
leaders yesterday at the White House to discuss areas where spending can
be cut." (10/20/05)
Only? If
they are serious, they'd increase that by a factor of 5 or even 10 - and
then people might believe that pork is no longer the priority.
Nathan
Barton is a libertarian writing from the Four Corners.
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Nathan Barton is a libertarian engineer and writer, enjoying the cooling
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the views of anyone else, including the sources of his news and other
libertarians! Be sure to visit my blog,
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