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October
31, 2005
Libertarian
Commentary on the News, 24-28 October 2005
I present my eighth weekly summary. As Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) gets
back into the swing of things and The Price of Liberty spins up to speed
(or is that just inflation?), we'll continue the weekly effort for a while.
Please, your comments and even your flames are wanted! The news and views
presented herein are mine own selection from the cellar, and not necessarily
those of anyone else!
Rosa
Parks, 1913-2005
Detroit Free Press
"When Rosa Parks refused to get up, an entire race of people began
to stand up for their rights as human beings. It was a simple act that
took extraordinary courage in Montgomery, Ala., in 1955. It was a place
where black people had no rights white people had to respect. It was a
time when racial discrimination was so common, many blacks never questioned
it. At least not out loud. But then came Rosa Parks." (10/24/05)
A brave
lady, whose legacy was tarnished by blind liberalism, and who outlived
the true and honest civil rights movement she helped create.
Government-Ruined,
Theft-Funded Schools
A few good stories to remind us and help us encourage people to separate
school and state!
ACLU
of Southern California demands that school allow student to distribute
Flyers opposed to military recruiters
ACLU
"Acting on behalf of a South Bay high school student and his parents,
the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California today sent a
letter to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District demanding that school
officials allow the student to distribute counter-military recruiting
flyers without fear of punishment. Sixteen-year-old Joshua Goldman, a
junior at Mira Costa High School, was told in early October by a vice
principal that he could not pass out flyers titled "Questions the
Army Doesn't Want You to Ask" without prior approval. Goldman had
previously passed out leaflets and hung six posters on public and school
property. Goldman would like to distribute the same leaflets next week
when the military returns to the school for its monthly recruiting event.
.... Goldman and his mother Elaine contacted the ACLU after a meeting
with the vice principal in which Goldman was told he would face punishment
for distributing his flyers to classmates if he did not obtain prior approval.
.... The ACLU said that a policy of requiring prior approval would violate
Goldman's free speech rights." (10/28/05)
Get your
kids out, folks. Of course GRTF schools are going to support military
recruiting, and to expect them to look favorably on efforts to counter
that is to live in a dream world. And, there are far better places and
ways to present such information, anyway.
Parents
press for consent before school sex surveys
Boston Globe
"Some Massachusetts parents, outraged that schools quiz their
children about sexual behavior, are pushing the state to require parental
permission before posing questions like these: 'During the past three
months, with how many people did you have sexual intercourse?' 'Have you
ever given or received oral sex?' 'Which of the following best describes
you: heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian, not sure, or none of the
above?' Such questions -- posed in confidential, anonymous surveys conducted
by state or local school districts -- are meant to help public health
specialists and educators learn more about student behavior and uncover
dangerous trends, including the belief among youths that oral sex doesn't
count as sex. o some parents, however, the surveys represent another example
of schools reaching too far beyond the basics, delving into intensely
personal issues that are best left to families, not just sex, but suicide
and depression." (01/23/05)
Get your
kids out, people!
Texas:
Students suspended over paper gun
KGBTV News
"A piece of paper folded to resemble a gun led to the brief suspension
of three Dallas-area students. DeSoto Independent School District officials
later revoked the punishment. All were suspended after eleven-year-old
Destiny Thomas on Monday folded some computer paper to look like a gun.
The girl says another student at Amber Terrace Intermediate School had
showed her how to fold the paper -- flat. Thomas and two other students
were suspended and ordered to attend an alternative school for 30 days.
The DeSoto student code says no weapons or replicas are allowed, but officials
later reviewed the interpretation and dropped the punishment for the children."
[Editor's note: Well, at least the school officials had some common sense
... but still. Get your kids OUT of publik schools before they are permanently
damaged - MLS] (10/21/05)
Mary Lou
is right - get them out! This kind of insanity should be grounds for firing
teacher, staff, administrators AND recall of the school board who hired
such idiots in the first place. But all that will happen is that they
will be replaced by another set of idiots: find a private school or start
one of your own, parents.
Internal
American Problems and Unrest
This is replacing my "Gulf War III" section, since it appears
that things are starting more and more to drop off the headlines down
there. But we still have significant problems with preparation for, and
response to, natural disasters and panic in response to what might be
terrorism.
California:
Threat prompts airport closures
NewsDay
"Airports in Long Beach and Orange County were shut down early
Tuesday because of bomb threats, officials said. Bomb threats were made
by telephone, according to Long Beach airport spokeswoman Sharon Diggs-Jackson
and federal Transportation Security Administration spokesman Nico Melendez.
At Long Beach, all early flights were canceled, said police Nancy Pratt.
Police were searching the airport with bomb-sniffing dogs." (10/25/05)
Panic and
disruption: a small taste of what has been happening in the Gulf States.
Expect more, as people get more fed up with things.
Average
US gas price drops 25 cents
Tampa Tribune
"Retail gas prices across the nation fell an average of 25 cents
in the past two weeks as refineries in the Gulf Coast steadily resumed
production, according to a survey released Sunday. Still, prices remained
slightly higher than pre-Hurricane Katrina levels. The weighted average
price for all three grades declined to $2.69 a gallon on Oct. 21, said
Trilby Lundberg, who publishes the semimonthly Lundberg Survey of 7,000
gas stations around the country." (10/23/05)
Reports
indicate that in some places even in Arkansas and other states near the
Gulf Coast, regular unleaded prices have dropped to as low as $2.35 a
gallon. And many areas are showing even greater drops (Arkansas, for example,
has seen gas prices drop by over 50 cents in the last three weeks.) However,
in at least part of the nation, diesel prices have jumped dramatically
in the last week, in some cases from $3.09 to $3.49 a gallon. I suspect
this is due to the huge sucking sound of federal cost-plus contracts for
trucks to deliver construction supplies to the Gulf Coast. And spot shortages
continue to plague areas: for example, South Dakota gas prices are now
more than 30 cents below Colorado and Wyoming prices, when usually they
run about the same.
Mideast
Tarbabies
The lead news from the Middle East for most of the week was the results
of the election in Iraq on the proposed constitution, which appears to
have passed by the skin of the proverbial teeth. But the top billing belongs
to this first story. Second in US headlines, of course, was the passing
of the 2,000 milestone in US military dead in the war.
Iranian's
'Wipe Israel Off Map' Words Prompt Sharp World Response
SpaceWar.Com
Paris, France (AFP) Oct 26, 2005 - Widespread condemnation greeted
remarks Wednesday by Iran's president that Israel should be wiped of the
map, with Jerusalem seeing Teheran as a "clear and present danger"
and Washington renewing concern about the Islamic Republic's nuclear aims.
There you
are folks, so much for "moderate" Iranian fanatics.
2,000
Dead
Tampa Tribune
"The American military death toll in the Iraq war reached 2,000
Tuesday with the announcements of three more deaths, including an Army
sergeant who died of wounds at a military hospital in Texas and two Marines
killed last week in fighting west of Baghdad. The 2,000 mark was reached
amid growing doubts among the American public about the Iraq conflict,
launched in March 2003 to destroy Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of
mass destruction. None was ever found." (10/25/05)
At least
the irrational claims that thousands of US dead were being concealed from
the news and the people have dropped off, thanks to the efforts of many
people opposed to the war who are not willing to dream up imaginary boogies,
figuring we have enough to fight with real problems. At the same time,
more subtle propaganda persists, as this very story demonstrates.
Iraq:
Sunni leaders reject constitution
Reuters
"Arab Sunni leaders rejected a referendum which ratified a new
Iraqi constitution on Tuesday, saying 'fraudulent' results would discourage
them from taking part in December elections and fuel insurgent violence.
'Violence is not the only solution, if politics offers solutions so that
we can move in that direction. But there is very little hope that we can
make any gains in the elections,' said Sunni leader Saleh Mutlaq. 'I call
on the free world. I call on the United Nations to intervene. We will
not accept any referendum or election without international observers.'
Iraq's Electoral Commission released final results of an October 15 referendum
showing 79 percent approval for the constitution, a key part of the U.S.
strategy of deflating of Sunni Arab insurgency in Iraq by promoting peaceful
politics." (10/25/05)
No one
expected most of the Sunni leaders to accept the Constitution, and they
did not disappoint anyone, did they?
Iraq:
Sunnis seek US pullout as deaths mount
Wired News
"Iraqi Sunni leaders said on Wednesday they would focus on pressing
U.S. forces to pull out after failing to block a controversial constitution,
hoping a U.S. death toll of 2,000 will encourage Washington to withdraw.
'Our political program will focus more on getting the Americans out of
Iraq,' Hussein al-Falluji, a prominent Sunni who took part in talks on
the constitution, told Reuters. 'Our message to the American administration
is clear: get out of Iraq or set a timetable for withdrawal or the resistance
will keep slaughtering your soldiers until judgment day.' ... Insurgents
have resumed deadly attacks again after a relative lull in violence during
the referendum and the trial of Saddam Hussein last week. Gunmen opened
fire on a convoy of bodyguards for Iraq's minister of water resources
in western Baghdad on Wednesday, wounding two people. Police said that
the minister, Abdul Latif Rasheed, was not present. Gunmen also killed
an official at Iraq's Ministry of Culture, Nabil Moussawi, and seriously
wounded his driver in southern Baghdad. Insurgents, who struck in dramatic
fashion on Monday with a triple suicide bomb attack on a Baghdad hotel
used by foreign journalists, set off new blasts on Tuesday in Baghdad
and the normally tranquil city of Sulaimaniya, killing at least 15 people."
(10/26/05)
They talk
about killing American soldiers, but what they really kill are either
innocent passersby, or ordinary people trying to make a living, with the
occasional government official or bodyguard for spice.
Iraq:
Shiite coalition holds
Al Bawaba [Iraq]
"Roadside bombs killed two US troops in Baghdad and in Ramadi,
west of the capital, on Thursday, press reports indicated on Friday. These
latest deaths raised to 2,007 the number of U.S. military members who
have died since the war in Iraq began in March 2003, according to an unofficial
count. Meanwhile, the alliance of Shiite religious parties that swept
Iraq's election in January has ;decided to remain together to contest
the Dec. 15 parliamentary ballot, an official said Friday, according to
the AP." (10/28/05)
After moaning
and groaning and calling for UN intervention, they are still going to
play politics, it seems. So much for principle.
UN:
2,200 cos. gave Iraq illicit funds
Indianapolis Star
"In a scathing final report documenting massive corruption in
the U.N. oil-for-food program, investigators Thursday accused more than
2,200 companies, and prominent politicians, of colluding with Saddam Hussein's
regime to bilk the humanitarian operation of $1.8 billion. The 623-page
document exposed the global scope of a scam that allegedly involved such
name-brand companies as DaimlerChrysler and Siemens AG, as well as a former
French U.N. ambassador, a firebrand British politician and the president
of Italy's Lombardi region." (10/27/05)
Seems to
me like we heard this same kind of thing about the War Between the States,
WW1, WW2, and even Korea, the Spanish-American War, and many of the Indian
Wars: the various companies were supposedly subsidizing and dealing with
the enemy.
15
killed in Sunni-Shiite clash near Baghdad
Houston Chronicle
"Sunni Arab militants killed 14 Shiite militiamen and a policeman
today in a clash southeast of Baghdad - another sign of rising tensions
among Iraq's rival ethnic and religious communities. The U.S. Military
reported three more American soldiers died in combat. The Shiite-Sunni
fighting occurred after police and militiamen loyal to radical Shiite
cleric Muqtada al-Sadr raided a house in Nahrawan, 15 miles southeast
of the capital, to free a militiaman taken hostage by Sunni militants,
according to Amer al-Husseini, an aide to al-Sadr." (10/27/05)
As I said,
and will say again, the real fighting and killing in Iraq these days is
Iraqi on Iraqi, and Muslim on Muslim (though there is enough left over
for killing Americans, Iraqi Christians, and others they don't like).
Afghan
journalist gets two years in jail
Detroit Free Press
"A women's magazine editor has been sentenced to two years in
jail after being convicted of blasphemy for publishing anti-Islamic articles,
including one challenging a belief that Muslims who convert to other religions
should be stoned to death, a judge said Sunday. The case underlines the
fragility of press freedoms in the nascent democracy and highlights a
struggle between religious moderates and extremists over what form Islam
will take in Afghanistan as foundations are laid for its future."
(10/23/05)
We CANNOT
expect a culture of evil which has existed for 1100-1300 years to change
overnight, and this story reminds us of that.
Afghans
investigate body-burning incident
USA Today
"A team of top Afghan officials was in the country's south Sunday
to investigate charges that U.S. soldiers burned the remains of Taliban
fighters they had killed and then used the scene for propaganda purposes.
The four investigators were ordered by President Hamid Karzai to work
'urgently' amid warnings that the alleged desecration could spark anti-American
demonstrations, Defense Ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi said."
(10/23/05)
Whether
or not the US used this for propaganda purposes, certainly the Taliban
and other Islamicist groups are doing so, as is the antiwar movement in
the US.
Baghdad
bomb, attacks leave 20 dead in Iraq
Houston Chronicle
"An insurgent blew up his car in a Baghdad square today, killing
four people in the first significant suicide bombing in the capital in
weeks. More than 20 Iraqis died in a swell of violence, including a bomb
that killed a police colonel and four children. Still, with the toll among
American service members in the Iraq war approaching 2,000 dead, the U.S.
military said it has hampered insurgents' ability to unleash more devastating
suicide bombings with a series of offensives in western towns that disrupted
militant operations." (10/23/05)
Yet another
example of how the killing is really happening: butchers and murdering
madmen using the US presence as an excuse, but who will find other excuses
whenever the US does leave.
Coerced
confession allowed in alleged assassination plot
MSNBC
"A federal judge ruled Monday that prosecutors can use a confession
by a man charged with joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate President
Bush, despite defense claims that the confession was obtained through
torture. The ruling came after a six-day hearing in which Ahmed Omar Abu
Ali testified that Saudi Arabian security officers whipped his back, kicked
him in the stomach and pulled on his beard to obtain a confession."
(10/24/05)
Apparently
the judge doesn't believe the man - and that is not surprising.
DC:
26 arrested for "mourning Iraq dead"
Common Dreams
"Peace Action joined with other anti war groups in a day of action
on Wednesday around the 2,000th unnecessary death of an American soldier
in Iraq. Peace Action affiliates, along with allied antiwar groups and
coalition partners participated in nearly 2,000 events nationwide. At
the White House vigil, hundreds held candles calling for U.S. troops to
be brought home from Iraq and for Congress to provide leadership to bring
our troops home. Nearly fifty people laid head to toe on the sidewalk
in front of the President's home just like soldiers are laid to rest at
Arlington cemetery. Park police arrested 26 mourners at the 'die in' including
Cindy Sheehan -- the mother who lost her son in Iraq and camped at Crawford,
TX asking the President why." (10/27/05)
This kind
of "mourning" should be called what it is: political propagandizing
of the lowest kind - and despicable. At the same time, arrests are NOT
an appropriate response, unless they really did break the law, which doesn't
appear to be the case.
Iraq:
Insurgents step up attacks
Modesto Bee
"Stepped-up attacks by insurgents over the last two days have
killed at least 44 Iraqis, including 12 laborers -- five of them brothers
-- who were gunned down at a construction site, police said Monday. In
addition, the bodies of eight Iraqis who apparently were kidnapped and
killed in captivity were found in the capital on Monday, police said.
(10/24/05)
How many
times have we heard this: that they are stepping up attacks? Seldom do
we see a headline that says, "Relatively Peaceful Day in Iraq"
but they do happen. What I do notice is that more and more it is plain,
ordinary people being killed by murderous thugs.
Iraq:
Reporters' hotel attacked; six dead
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Suicide bombers including one in a cement truck packed with explosives
launched a dramatic attack Monday against the Palestine Hotel, where many
foreign journalists are based, sending up a giant cloud of smoke and debris
over central Baghdad. American troops and journalists escaped without
serious injury but at least a half-dozen passersby were killed. The deafening
attack triggered confusion and panic throughout the hotel, and sent cars
swerving wildly on a roundabout to escape the blasts. Inside the 19-story
hotel, the force of the blasts shattered glass, tore pictures off walls
and brought down light fixtures and ceilings." (10/24/05)
Oh, the
moans and cries by the media. Hundreds of Iraqis are killed by murderous
thugs, but this attack on journos is beyond the pale!
Iraq:
Three US soldiers killed
Washington Times
"Two roadside attacks on military convoys in Iraq killed three
U.S. Soldiers and injured four others Thursday. Military officials say
one soldier was killed and four others injured when their patrol was attacked
by an explosive and small arms fire near Ashraf. Two U.S. Soldiers were
killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Baghdad, Voice of America said."
(10/27/05)
These deaths
are almost incidental, compared to the dozens of Iraqis killed by the
so-called insurgents.
US
commander tours Kashmir, pledges aid
Detroit Free Press
"U.S. Gen. John Abizaid, head of U.S. Central Command, flew over
the destruction in Pakistani Kashmir on Sunday, pledging the United States
would send more helicopters and keep up relief efforts for the 'long term.'
In a bizarre twist, al-Qaida's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri called on
Muslims to send aid to quake victims, despite Pakistani President Gen.
Pervez Musharraf's cooperation with the United States in the fight against
terrorism." (10/23/05)
How generous
of al-Qaida! The US continues to be generous with taxpayers' money too,
I see.
US,
Britain press for action against Syria
CNN
"The United States and Britain jointly criticized Syria on Sunday
and called for international action to be taken over a U.N. investigation
that implicated Syrian officials in the killing of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice didn't discuss
any specific actions that the United States might push for when the U.N.
Security Council considers the investigator's report Tuesday, but she
said the matter 'really has to be dealt with.'" (10/23/05)
Noise,
noise, and more noise.
UN
draft demands Syrian cooperation
CNN
"A draft U.S.-French resolution being circulated Tuesday among
the U.N. Security Council says Syria 'must detain' Syrian officials or
individuals suspected of involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The resolution also calls for freezing the
assets of and placing a travel ban on any individual named as a suspect
in a U.N. Investigation" (10/25/05)
UN demands
are like paper money drawn in crayon by preschoolers, they are honored
out of amusement and not to offend the offerers rather than because they
mean anything. Don't think Syria is buying, though.
The
Rush to the Fall of Europe
A few items this week, but enough to show that the disease of silliness
and bloated government is alive and well on the "mother continent."
Hard to believe these are the peoples that once nearly conquered the known
world.
EU
turns up its nose at attempt to trademark smell of strawberries
Independent [UK]
"A French perfume company specialising in luxurious cosmetics
and toiletries has narrowly failed in an attempt to trademark the scent
of ripe strawberries. The Paris-based Eden Sarl is the latest business
to have the EU turn its nose up at an attempt to lock down a particular
smell and turn it into a unique selling point. The rush of trademark claims
followed a successful bid by a Dutch perfume company that registered the
aroma of freshly cut grass in 2000. It used the patent to make tennis
balls smell as good as the courts upon which they bounce. But Eden Sarl's
claim to trademark the smell of strawberries for use in soaps and lotions
was quashed yesterday by EU experts, who ruled that, as the fruit "does
not have just one smell", its scent cannot be used as one company's
unique selling point." (10/28/05)
Like copyrighting
notes and letters, this is another attempt to use poorly written and often
obscene laws and regulations to take something out of the public domain
and gain a monopoly on something used everyday. Nothing prevents this
company from using the smell of strawberries to sell their products, but
they really want to prevent anyone else from using it - thus the trademark
attempt. For once, a EU bureaucrat seems to have done the right thing.
Rome
bans goldfish bowls
Yahoo! News
"The city of Rome has banned goldfish bowls, which animal rights
activists say are cruel, and has made regular dog-walks mandatory in the
Italian capital, the town's council said on Tuesday. ... The classic spherical
fish bowls are banned under a new by-law which also stops fish or other
animals being given away as fairground prizes. It comes after a national
law was passed to allow jail sentences for people who abandon cats or
dogs. ... The newspaper reported that round bowls caused fish to go blind.
No one at Rome council was available to confirm this was why they were
banned. Many fish experts say round bowls provide insufficient oxygen
for fish." (10/25/05)
I guess
Imperial Rome, all these centuries, with their goldfish bowls and casual
cruelty to dogs, cats, hamsters, other small furry creatures and various
untermensen, was completely uncivilized, instead of being the epitome
of world, classical civilization.
Mama's
Note: A little clue to the folks who worry about the oxygen for the stupid
fish... clean the bowl once in a while and change the water. That's all
it takes. Personally, I don't know anyone who has the time and patience
to keep fish this way anyhow. Goldfish are about the dirtiest fish on
the globe and I wouldn't have one as a gift. Perfect example of government
making laws that are meaningless and counterproductive.
UK:
Cabinet fight over rush to ban smoking
Guardian [UK]
"The health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, will face a cabinet-level
battle today to win support for a ban on smoking in public places, including
all private members' clubs, save for sealed rooms. She wants to get agreement
today with a view to publishing the bill on Wednesday. Ms Hewitt has been
facing resistance from some government departments who want a more readily
enforceable total ban without exemptions. ... In a clear hardening of
the government position since its election manifesto, Ms Hewitt is proposing
the ban should be extended from pubs, restaurants, workplaces to include
private members' clubs. She came up with the 'sealed rooms' idea after
all sides shot down the plan offered by her predecessor at health, John
Reid, in which smoking would be allowed in pubs that did not sell food.
The critics say the sealed room idea is too complex." (10/24/05)
Couldn't
happen to a better bunch of autocrats, really. Let the whole idea die
a well-deserved death - and let people take care of whether to go someplace
with smoke or not on their own. The free market will quickly do the job.
Mama's
Note: Sealed rooms? What an idiotic idea. Talk about lack of oxygen! How
were the smokers supposed to breathe at all? Or maybe that was the idea...
kill them off faster.
Rape
that never was sparks a riot
The Scotsman
POLICE are investigating 80 crimes - including the murder of a man
- in the wake of racially charged riots that erupted in Birmingham over
the weekend: Key points . One man dies as 50 riot in Birmingham over alleged
rape of 14-year-old. Riots erupt after Afro-Caribean and Asian communities
hold meeting. No evidence that young Caribbean girl was raped by Asian
gang, say police.
Well, another
case of where any excuse for a riot is welcome, at least to the people
who like to riot.
Privacy
Issues
More and more privacy issues are popping up on the headlines.
Arizona:
Traffic violators face ID theft check
Arizona Republic
"Motorists cited for criminal traffic violations will have to
give their thumbprint to Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies or go to jail.
'This will be mandatory. No exceptions,' Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Wednesday.
'If they don't want to give the print, they're going directly to jail.
Period.' Arpaio launched the new policy Wednesday across the Valley, expanding
and toughening a pilot program in which motorists pulled over for routine
traffic stops were asked to voluntarily provide a thumbprint. The goal
was to catch people who took the wheel with stolen or phony driver's licenses
and ultimately to combat identity theft in Arizona, which ranks top in
the nation for the crime." (10/20/05)
This Sheriff
has a reputation for wild acts, and this is just another. But unlike many
of his actions, this is very much anti-freedom, and needs to be fought.
Let us see how many people he is really willing to put in jail for minor
traffic violations, who believe that their rights are worth being locked
up for.
California:
Software glitch reveals private student data
San Francisco Chronicle
"The personal information of tens of thousands of California children
-- including their names, state achievement test scores, identification
numbers and status in gifted or special-needs programs -- is open to public
view through a security loophole in dozens of school districts statewide
that use a popular education software system. ... The problem occurs when
the districts issue a generic password to teachers using the system. Until
the teacher changes to a unique password, anyone can type in a teacher's
user name and generic password and gain access to information about students
that is supposed to be guarded as closely as the gold in Fort Knox. ...
San Francisco administrators immediately shut down access to the service,
called OARS -- Online Assessment Reporting System -- after a reporter
phoned and said she had been able to access student information for all
the children in two middle-school classes where the teachers had not yet
changed their passwords." (10/21/05)
One of
the major problems with government having vast volumes of information
about citizens of any age: they are so easily compromised.
China:
Trouble cracking down on Internet
Nashua Telegraph
"Two new Internet bans may offer insight into the Chinese government's
biggest fears. One bars Internet news services from inciting 'illegal'
assemblies, marches and demonstrations; the other prohibits activities
on behalf of 'illegal' civil groups. Together, they evince the communist
regime's concerns over growing civil unrest -- and particularly technology's
role in fostering protests and strikes. ... Although the Chinese government
encourages Internet use for education and business, it keeps a tight watch,
blocking material it deems subversive or pornographic. Online dissidents
who post items critical of the government, or those expressing opinions
in chat rooms, are regularly arrested and charged under vaguely worded
state security laws. Authorities also have clamped down on popular discussion
forums, barring non-students from university chat rooms and banning anonymous
postings. But newer outlets such as text messaging are even more difficult
to control." (10/24/05)
What China
is doing today, western governments will be trying tomorrow. It seems
to have become a testbed for such efforts, and hopefully, for the means
to work around them and defeat them.
FCC
expands Net spy rule to educational institutions
Oregon Daily Emerald
"The University has less than 18 months to revamp its telecommunications
systems so law enforcement agencies will have easier access to information
if given a court order to investigate, according to a new order from the
Federal Communications Commission. The FCC announced on Sept. 23 that
the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act now applies to facilities-based
broadband Internet access providers, including higher education institutions,
K-12 schools and libraries. The act was first implemented in 1994 to require
telephone carriers to make their systems open to federal surveillance
with the permission of a court order. It was expanded to account for the
increase in broadband Internet usage." (10/27/05)
Now that
universities are involved, we might finally get a serious movement established
to fight this kind of government intrusion. Keep in mind that they may
start it, but any organization dedicated to this must expect the universities
(dependent as they are on government money) to drop out later.
Our
Right to Defend Ourselves
Another week with good news about people defending themselves, their homes,
property, friends, neighbors, and even relatives, but a few sour notes,
too.
Arkansas:
Police investigate home invasion
Hometown Channel
"Shots rang out in a Fort Smith neighborhood Thursday, part of what
police now say was an attempted home invasion. According to police, a
man who just got out of jail tried to get back into a home where he once
lived. About 1 p.m. Thursday, police said Marvin Wilson, 42, showed up
at a home on the corner of 46th and Kinkead. Wilson's brother and another
woman who lived inside would not let him in the home. That's when, police
said, he got angry, which caused Alonzo Wilson -- Marvin's brother --
to use force to keep him out. Officials said they believe he fired one
shot at Marvin Wilson, who was not hit. Marvin Wilson reportedly took
off in his car but did not get far." (10/27/05)
Sometimes
the stupidity of the criminal class is hard to believe.
Australia:
Gun owners to have storage facilities inspected
ABC Queensland [Australia]
"Western Queensland gun owners will face a safety audit to ensure
their weapons are being stored correctly. The six-month statewide audit
will see police make appointments with randomly selected licenced weapon
holders to inspect their storage facilities. Weapons licencing branch
Inspector Mike Crowley says the move is all about positive reinforcement."The
legislation is very clear on how firearms are to be stored, and this is
purely put in place to act as a safety guideline, for not only the individual
but the community at large," he said. "It's very important that
people who have firearms secure them so they do not fall into the hands
of inappropriate people or those people not authorised to possess them.'"
(10/27/05)
You would
think that the cops would have better things to do - but gun control is
such a high priority in Australia that this is no surprise.
Mama's
Note: Do they require the robbers and home invaders to make an appointment
too? Most of the time this "proper storage" renders the weapon
totally useless in an emergency.
Gun
possession now OK at FEMA temporary housing
USA Today
"Following complaints from gun-rights groups, FEMA said Monday
it is lifting a ban on firearms at emergency housing parks built in the
wake of Hurricane Katrina. Under the new federal policy, residents can
possess and store firearms. Use of weapons is still prohibited in the
parks, said Butch Kinerny, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management
Agency. Gun rights groups had sought the change, saying the original policy
violated Second Amendment protections for gun ownership." (10/24/05)
Finally:
but don't expect anyone who makes known that they are keeping their weapons
to have an easy go of it: FEMA and local officials will make life miserable
for them - and what good is a gun if you can't use it to defend yourself
or your family without committing a crime - very, but the risk is greater!
Indiana:
Man shot in robbery attempt
WISH TV News
"A man is recovering after he was shot in what Indianapolis police
say was an attempted robbery. A security guard called police around 12:45
a.m. Saturday morning after finding a man shot in the side, at the Campus
Apartments on West 10th Street. Medics took the man to Wishard Hospital
while police discovered he was a suspect in an attempted robbery that
had happened just minutes before. Police say the man and another suspect
attempted to rob a business across the street, but a delivery driver stumbled
onto them and shot one of the suspects." (10/22/05)
An alert
and prepared delivery man! Great!
Nevada:
Man shoots 1 of 2 people police say tried to rob him
RGJ
"A 38-year-old man with a permit to carry a concealed firearm
shot one of two men accused of trying to rob him at a car wash late Monday,
Reno police said. Luis Alfredo Aguirre, 18, of Reno was booked into the
Washoe County Jail on suspicion of attempted armed robbery. His cousin,
Jorge Aguilar, 21, of Reno, was treated Tuesday at Washoe Medical Center
for a bullet wound in his liver .... Police said the the cousins are known
gang members." (10/26/05)
Good for
him.
Mama's
Note: And what would have happened if he had not been able to get the
"permit?" This would be a whole different story, for sure, and
the intended victim might well be dead. The only real purpose of any "permit"
system is exactly the same as any other gun registration: eventual confiscation.
Ohio:
Home invader shot,killed
NBC 4 TV News
"Police said that a resident shot and killed one of three men
who were apparently trying to break into his home early Tuesday. ....
According to police, between four and six men were attempting to break
into one of the apartments when at one point one of the men was shot."
(10/25/05)
More would
have been better, but at least the family and home is safe.
Texas:
2 intruders shot in 2 days by homeowners
WFAA News
"Some homeowners have taken the law into their own hands. In the
last couple of days, two people have shot burglars they said were trying
to get into their homes. The first incident happened Saturday morning
in Grand Prairie. A homeowner shot and killed a suspected burglar in the
2800 block of Lake Park Drive. It happened again Sunday night in Dallas
when Clyde Buchanan said he shot an intruder in the 2800 block of Arizona
Avenue." (10/25/05)
It does
say, "we the people" and we have every right to enforce the
law on our own when it comes to defending our homes and ourselves, friends,
and families.
Thailand:
Queen urges self defense for locals
Bangkok Post
"Her Majesty the Queen has suggested that self-defence training
be provided for local residents living around a Buddhist temple in Pattani
where an elderly monk and two temple boys were brutally murdered on October
16. Gen Napol Boonthap, the deputy aide-de-camp, has been asked to coordinate
with the army to provide the training in self-defence to locals living
near Wat Phromprasit in Panare district. .... The applicants, including
10 women, were aged from 16-66. They will undergo training for six days,
said Lt-Col Pakorn. Afterwards, the trainees would be responsible for
guarding their communities. Around 15 shotguns would be handed out to
the villagers. ''Her Majesty the Queen wants locals to be trained so they
can use weapons in self-defence and to protect their villages and temple,''
Lt-Col Pakorn said." (10/27/05)
Renewing
her previous calls for people to defend themselves, she is running counter
to the policies of Royally around the rest of the world. Good for her!
And for the people who are volunteering to do this.
Michigan
considers change to self-defense statute
Times-Herald
"Several years ago, William 'Dick' Turner and his wife came home
to find people robbing their Kimball Township home. The thieves stole
several guns and were going through jewelry when the Turners interrupted
them, he said. The robbers ran out the back door. 'I felt violated,' Turner,
73, said. 'My wife still doesn't feel safe at home alone.' Since then,
Turner has taught his family how to load guns in the home in case they
need to protect themselves. Legislation introduced in the state House
would allow residents who feel they are being threatened to use force
against an intruder without facing criminal or civil prosecution. Reaction
to the proposed law is mixed." (10/24/05)
No law
should be required for this, which is embedded in the national and virtually
every state constitution - at best, a simple resolution to clearly and
forcefully enforce the state constitution's recognition of the God-given
right to defend ourselves should be needed.
Michigan:Sentencing
upsets victimized couple
Michigan Live
"After hearing a rapid succession of doorbell rings and with a
previous burglary in the back of her mind, she wasn't going to greet unexpected
visitors to her Saline Township home while her husband was out. But she
didn't have that choice. Within a minute, she heard the door being kicked
down and the mother of two did what came instinctively - she called 911
and grabbed the family pistol. Randy Fraley, the man she confronted in
the kitchen, bolted out of the house with his arms in the air, yelling
for her not to shoot, police reports said. Determined to stop him without
inflicting a mortal wound, Sharp fired into the getaway car where his
female accomplice awaited. Four of the nine shots pierced the vehicle,
leaving it disabled a few blocks away on Braun Road. .... On Monday, Sharp
and her husband, Michael, watched with some relief but largely in frustration
as Fraley, 36, was sentenced to 7 to 20 years in prison. He pleaded guilty
earlier to first-degree home invasion and conspiracy to commit home invasion
in two separate Washtenaw County cases. They were frustrated, in part,
because it was at least the sixth prison sentence that Fraley, an admitted
crack addict, has received since 1989 for property crimes." (10/25/05)
One reason
why the above law is needed.
Zaire:
Gun owners refused licences set to sue
Independent Online [South Africa]
"A gun lobby group is suing Minister of Safety and Security Charles
Nqakula for R3,2-billion for compensation to its members whose appeals
for gun licence renewal applications were turned down. In addition, those
who have not yet applied say they will defy the law and not apply after
seeing how the other members were treated. Black Gun Owners' Association
(BGOA) president Abios Khoele said the association's legal team were busy
preparing court papers to be served on Nqakula after 15 000 of its members
had their firearm licence renewal applications refused." (10/23/05)
A warning
to us all that licensing exists only for the sake of later denying the
permits, and sooner or later, rounding up the guns (and usually, their
owners).
Brazilians
reject proposed gun ban
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Brazilians soundly rejected a proposal to ban the sale of guns
in a national referendum Sunday, striking down the bid to stem one of
the world's highest firearm murder rates following a campaign that drew
parallels to the U.S. gun control debate. Brazil has 100 million fewer
citizens than the United States, but a staggering 25 percent more gun
deaths at nearly 40,000 a year. While supporters argued that gun control
was the best way to staunch the violence, opponents played on Brazilians'
fears that the police can't protect them." (10/23/05)
Great news!
64% to 36%. The best thing to reduce the gun-killing rate is to make sure
that more and more peaceful and honest citizens are able to defend themselves!
Brazil:
President says access to guns won't help citizens' security
Bloomberg
" Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Brazilians'
vote in favor of keeping access to handguns won't make them any more secure.
Brazilians voted 64 percent to 36 percent in a referendum yesterday to
reject a proposed ban on retail sales of guns and ammunition, the national
elections authority said on its Web site. The balloting marks the first
time a country put a gun- control measure to a popular vote, according
to the human-rights group Amnesty International. 'Common people having
guns won't provide security,'' Lula said after casting his ballot in favor
of the ban, according to Estado de S. Paulo newspaper." [RRND
Editor's note: Heaven forbid that 'common people' have the means to defend
themselves-MLS](10/25/05)
Mama's
Note: Given the almost total corruption of government in most, if not
all the countries of the Americas, the very fact that this was put to
a vote is pretty incredible. I highly suspect that government corruption
is responsible for much of the murder rate there too. Unfortunately, they
will still have the man and fire power to overwhelm the "common people"
most of the time. But I hope that the people won't allow the government
propaganda to overcome their good sense and will keep their guns permanently.
Stupid
Government Tricks
A juicy selection today!
Councilman
questions tax financing for stadium
Nashville City Paper
"Metro Councilman-at-Large David Briley Wednesday expressed concern
about the amount of tax increment financing the city has offered to partially
fund the proposed downtown Sounds stadium and accompanying mixed-use development.
He believes it is disproportionately high, given the project's price tag.
The project would be smaller than the roughly $230 million developer Struever
Bros., Eccles & Rouse proposed this summer. Sounds General Manager
Glenn Yaeger said the stadium would cost $43 million and the mixed-use
buildings about $40-$60 million. Yaeger and Mayor Bill Purcell announced
Tuesday that Metro would provide the Sounds an upfront $17 million payment
to help fund the stadium through a tax increment financing (TIF) loan,
which the Sounds would repay in the form of future property taxes. Briley
said he believes this amount is roughly five to six times greater than
what would be provided for a normal project." [Editor's note:
They've removed everything but the city's investment in paying for it,
but it still isn't a private deal. - SAT] (10/27/05)
Tax revolters
are still pushing just as hard as ever in Tennessee, especially in Nashville,
where thousands of signatures on a TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) initiative
are already collected, and though not needed until Spring, may be sufficient
by Thanksgiving to force a vote and help get rid of sweetheart deals like
this.
Administration
drops "bunker-buster" plan
Tampa Tribune
"The Bush administration has abandoned research into a nuclear
'bunker-buster' warhead, deciding instead to pursue a similar device using
conventional weaponry, a key Republican senator said Tuesday. Sen. Pete
Domenici, R-N.M., said funding for the nuclear bunker-buster as part of
the Energy Department's fiscal 2006 budget has been dropped at the department's
request. The nuclear bunker-buster had been the focus of intense debate
in Congress, with opponents arguing that its development as a tactical
nuclear weapon could add to nuclear proliferation." (10/25/05)
Or at least
it has gone into the black portion of the budget, due to the fuss caused.
Brazil:
Rio discourages sex tourism with postcard ban
Independent Online
"The "Girl from Ipanema" may soon have to cover up,
at least if she wants to appear on a postcard in Rio de Janeiro. Postcards
of bikini-clad beauties frolicking on Rio's famed beaches could be banned
from sales in the city's shops and newsstands in an attempt to discourage
sex tourism. The Rio state assembly approved the ban on Tuesday night,
and state governor Rosinha Matheus has 30 days to ratify it. "These
postcards ... attract to our city the wrong kind of tourist and promote
deplorable sex tourism," said the bill's sponsor, deputy Alice Tamborindeguy."
(10/26/05)
Postcards
are such a recruiting tool? Really. I don't suppose the thousands of feet
of video tape and hundreds of web-sites about Mardi Gras have anything
to do with it.
California:
Governator's initiatives lag in poll
ABC News
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'year of reform' initiatives are
proving a tough sell to California voters despite a multimillion dollar
advertising blitz, according to a poll released Thursday. None of his
measures on the Nov. 8 ballot has majority support, and two are opposed
by wide margins. The bombardment of radio and television ads from Schwarzenegger
and his opponents have generated voter interest in the election, the Public
Policy Institute of California poll found. So far, that interest has failed
to translate into support for the governor's agenda. ... Telephone interviews
were conducted with 1,079 likely voters over seven days ending Oct. 23.
There was a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Voters
also remain skeptical of the former action star turned politician, with
a majority disapproving how he has handled the job. Only 38 percent approve
of his performance in office, while 57 percent disapprove." (10/27/05)
Schwarzeneggar
may have to face the truth that California is too far gone for ANY attempts
at reform to work, as the electors of the state have learned the same
lesson the citizens of Rome did: buy the government they want and deserve.
Mama's
Note: This should be a major wake up call for people who think all our
problems would be solved if we could just elect some Libertarians to such
positions. Schwarzenegger is as much a socialist as any governor in the
country, and if he can't get a few very modest reforms carried out, you
can just imagine what would happen to someone who tried to turn loose
the real free market or make serious reductions in government size and
theft. They'd be run out of town on a rail fast - or impeached. Real reform
won't happen until government manages to completely destroy itself. Unfortunately,
it will take our economy and most of our society down with it.
California:
Tax law casts doubt on stem cell royalties
San Francisco Chronicle
"The billion dollars in royalties that voters were told could
flow to the state if they passed California's $3 billion stem cell research
funding initiative in 2004 may turn into an empty promise. Researchers
and business groups are raising a host of reasons the state should claim
no portion of the revenue from inventions produced under the stem cell
program created by Proposition 71. For one thing, they say, requiring
that the state get a share would hinder work toward disease cures by removing
some of the incentive for private investors. But perhaps their strongest
argument is that the state might actually be forbidden from sharing royalties
by federal tax laws -- that is, if California chooses to finance the program
by the cheapest possible route: tax-exempt bonds." (10/25/05)
Surprise,
surprise: the politicians lied again to get the voters to do what they
want.
China
cuts income tax for low wage earners
The Raw Story
"China's legislature agreed Saturday to cut income taxes on the
country's poorest workers amid official concern that the country's growing
gap between rich and poor could fuel unrest. Chinese who make less than
1,600 yuan a month ($198) will no longer need to pay income tax, up from
the previous cutoff point of 800 yuan ($98), the official Xinhua News
Agency reported. An earlier government report said the cutoff point would
be 1,500 yuan a month ($185) but it was amended upward in response to
public opinion, Xinhua said. The amendment to China's tax law was submitted
to the legislature for deliberation in August." (10/22/05)
The People's
State is taking care of the people again, I see. By Western standards,
none of these people would be expected to pay taxes, of course.
Clinton:
Oil firms should pay energy fee
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
"Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed on Tuesday that oil companies
be required to use some of their profits over the next two years to pay
for new tax incentives to spur development of cleaner, cheaper energy.
Officials at the American Petroleum Institute, the trade group for the
oil industry, decried Clinton's proposal, which they said appeared to
be calling to reinstate the windfall profits tax imposed on the industry
during the 1980s." (10/26/05)
In this,
Hillary has proven both that she does not understand economics AND that
she is willing to do anything she can to cater to the whims of those she
wants to vote her back into the White House.
Colorado:
Telluride icy to pot issue
Denver Post
"'This is a pretty antiestablishment community. You fit in here
by being abnormal,' said resident John Albertson. But that doesn't mean
that a ballot issue to ease marijuana enforcement in this high-altitude
hamlet is a big hit with the locals. Even residents who might be expected
to champion the measure, which calls for ranking possession of small amounts
of marijuana by adults the lowest priority for the Telluride Marshal's
Department, are refusing to back ballot Question 200. 'To me, it's a bad
idea,' said San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters, who has made national
waves as a libertarian critic of drug laws he calls ineffectual. The complaints
about Question 200 center on who is backing it, whether it is necessary
and what kind of outside drug-enforcement cross hairs it might place this
town in if it were to pass." (10/28/05)
Sometimes
you need to leave well-enough alone, and this appears to be the attitude
of many people in this yuppie-hippie town high in the mountains.
More
News and Commentary on Page 2
Nathan Barton is a libertarian engineer and writer, enjoying the cooling
evenings in the Rockies and the Four Corners, where "monsoon"
rains cause some creeks to overflow their banks, but nothing like the
mess down in the South. His views are his own and do not necessarily represent
the views of anyone else, including the sources of his news and other
libertarians! Be sure to visit my blog,
Liberty's Outpost.
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