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January
09, 2006
Libertarian
Commentary on the News, 1-6 January 2006
Character counts for lovers of liberty as well as lovers of libraries
and lovers of blueberries, too! The character trait for this week is "Preparedness."
The old Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared" is a slogan for life and
for living as a free person, and nothing illustrates the need to be prepared
more than a few of this week's stories about our right to defend ourselves,
our families, our neighbors, fellow workers, and property. But preparedness
extends across many parts of life, as we shall see this week.
Our
Right to Defend Ourselves
The
first three stories should make us all sick, and remind us again how important
it is to be prepared. Too many people, particularly those who claim to
be Christians and Hebrews (in the religious sense), believe that weapons
have no place in places of worship, but there is NO prohibition on such
in any place in the Bible, and much to justify the bearing of weapons
for the protection of the innocent even in (or especially in) such places.
See my recent article on "Concealed
Carry and Churches". Are we prepared for whatever need to defend
ourselves exists? Not just our own personal weapons, and those of our
immediate family, but our neighbors, our relatives and friends in more
distant places, our community, and our churches?
Baltimore:
Unarmed Congregation Robbed At Gunpoint
Townhall.com
A gunman burst into a church service Sunday evening and robbed several
members of the congregation, authorities said. About 50 people were attending
the service at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Bel Air when a man
entered brandishing a handgun, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said.
No injuries were reported.
When will
we learn? Unless more people start going to worship services ARMED this
will become a weekly occurrence somewhere in the US, as robbers seek more
and more places to do their evil deeds. People, if you really love your
fellow worshippers, and are serious about the Golden Rule, you will make
sure that at least one person in your assembly is armed and ready for
trouble - yourself. Declaring church meetinghouses "gun-free zones"
is an invitation to this sort of thing. Compare to the other church story
from this weekend.
CA:
Knife-wielding man killed after disrupting church services
SF Chronicle
A man allegedly wielding a knife and who disturbed a church service
was shot and killed by police on Sunday, authorities said. Police said
they shot the man after he failed to turn over the weapon and charged
at them. A witness informed passing officers of the disturbance inside
a church with about 30 worshippers just before 11 a.m., said Los Angeles
County sheriff's Deputy Oscar Butao. The officers found the man outside
the church. He died at the scene, and a knife was later recovered.
This was
originally reported much differently on the news the first time I heard
it - that the members of a church had shot a man who attempted to attack
them with a knife. This published report (and several TV/radio reports)
say it was cops that killed the guy AFTER he left the building. Either
way, church buildings are NO sanctuary from violence.
Mama's
Note: Are you willing to post a big sign on your house or church that
proclaims you are totally unarmed? If not, why not? Might it be that this
would be an invitation to thieves? This "gun free" nonsense
simply advertises the fact that churches, schools, etc. are easy pickings.
VA:
LDS missionaries gunned down
Virginian-Pilot
CHESAPEAKE - A 21-year-old Mormon [sic] missionary died Monday night
after he and his partner were shot while going door-to-door in the Deep
Creek area. The other missionary, age 19, was in serious condition at
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Chesapeake police said. According to
police the two missionaries were walking in the 2600 block of Elkhart
Street off George Washington Highway about 6 p.m. when they were approached
by a man who shot them and fled on foot. One of the victims ran to The
Charity House, a nearby nursing home, to seek help. Police described the
suspect as a black male, about 5-foot-10, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt
and jeans.
Like too
many other religious groups, the Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (CJC) does not generally encourage its missionaries
to go armed, but this is hardly the kind of thing that might be considered
the usual martyrdom scenario. Of course, LDS missionaries have long been
the subject of murder: in the early years of the church more than one,
including many far higher-ranking in the CJC, were assassinated for their
beliefs and practices. Sadly, these two young men were unprepared to deal
with what happened - and it could happen again tomorrow.
IL:
TSA thugs target missionary
WXII News
"An arrest report shows that a North Carolina man arrested for
having a stun gun in his baggage at Chicago's main airport told police
he'd just returned from missionary work in Nigeria and had the weapon
for protection there. A screener at O'Hare International Airport found
the stun gun in carry-on baggage belonging to 35-year-old John Adegbenjo,
of Winston-Salem. Adegbenjo had flown into Chicago on a Lufthansa flight
from Germany and was planning to board a flight to Greensboro. He's charged
with unauthorized use of a weapon and attempting to board an aircraft
with a weapon. Adegbenjo's wife said her husband's missionary group in
Nigeria didn't want to depend on police protection. Authorities said in
court Thursday that Adegbenjo has no known criminal history. His bail
was set at $50,000." (12/30/05)
It sounds
like he forgot about it - but it is also bizarre that the German Bundesgrenzpolizei
did not find it. The charge of "unauthorized use" seems bogus
to the extreme. Helping support some missionaries (native Nigerians, like
this man appears to be) in Nigeria, they are speaking the truth about
needing to defend themselves - there IS no effective police protection
for Christian missionaries in Nigeria; although a stun gun is hardly enough
in my opinion. For TSA to do anything more than simply take the weapon
away (itself an insult) is pure tyranny. (History repeats itself: Lincoln's
thugs also disarmed thousands of Democrats and others in Illinois in 1864
on equally spurious grounds)
GA:
Intended victim shoots suspect
WSTB News
"A potential robbery plot turned deadly when the robbery victim
pulled a gun on the two robbery suspects. College Park police say a man
was invited to the Biscayne Apartments on Old National Highway in College
Park by two women. When the man arrived at the apartment, two men burst
into the apartment and demanded money, jewelry and clothing from the man.
The man refused and that is when the robbery suspects attacked him. The
man pulled out a gun and shot one of the robbers -- who died at the scene.
The other suspect escaped on foot." (12/30/05)
Sounds
indeed like the women might have been in on it. If this guy was stupid
enough to be picked up, at least he wasn't too stupid to go armed.
OH:
Intruder shot to death
TV 10 News
"A woman fires at an intruder in her home. A half a mile away,
a teenager dies from a gun shot. Police now say the dead teenager was
the intruder. The young man was 19 year old Kahlief Tye who was out on
bond, awaiting trial for another aggravated robbery just a few blocks
away. This time, Tye broke into a home and found a woman with a gun. The
intruders simply broke the glass on the side door of this Perdue Avenue
home and let themselves in. When they confronted the woman living there,
she shot at Kahlief Tye. They fled through back yards and Tye made it
about three fourths of a mile to an apartment building owned by Clinton
Crankfield Junior. Tye was still able to talk, and he asked Crankfield
to call his mother. But when Crankfield saw all the blood, he called 911
instead." (12/30/05)
I can hear
the bleeding hearts now, "oh, the poor child." This woman not
only saved herself the brutality of armed robbers and possibly worse,
but the cost of this thug's trial and imprisonment. She nearly deserves
well of the Republic, just for defending herself.
MO:
Intruder slain
Kansas City Star
"A 50-year-old Kansas City man died Friday when he was shot after
returning to the house of a woman who had a full order of protection against
him. Police said the shooter apparently acted in self-defense after the
man forced his way into a house in the 11300 block of Orchard Road in
south Kansas City and threatened several residents. According to police,
the man entered the home about 9:30 p.m. Thursday and threatened residents
with a knife. One of the residents began struggling with the man, and
a second resident shot the intruder in the leg. The intruder was taken
to a hospital, where he died Friday morning." (12/31/05)
I guess
he figured that they'd depend on the order and only try to call police
when he showed up. Too bad for him.
Mama's
Note: How did he die of a wound in his leg?
TN:
Clerk fights back
WDEF News
"'He had fully intended on killing me ... when he asked for --
said open the register, he was coming straight at me with the knife just
like this,' explains American R-V Supplies clerk Henry Wooden. But Wooden
did not give in. Manning his son's shop by himself, he scuffled with the
robber, then reached for the gun he keeps just for this reason. 'When
he heard it rack, all he said was, 'what's that?'- and he seen it. He
turned, knocked stuff over and ran out the door,' he said." (12/31/05)
Didn't
even have to shoot - but why he didn't have a round down the spout is
a wonder to me. Sure, the racking sound scared off the guy, but that might
have been a few seconds too long.
Toronto
struggles with rising gun violence
USA Today
"A 4-year-old is wounded in a drive-by shooting. A teenager is
shot to death at the funeral of a friend, also a victim of gunfire. A
gunbattle between rival gangs kills a 15-year-old bystander and wounds
six others in the heart of the downtown shopping district. The violence
would be shocking anywhere, but it's especially so in Toronto, where Canadians
pride themselves on their city's safety and civility. The number of gun-related
homicides nearly doubled in the city last year." (01/02/06)
Although
the lead doesn't report it, many other stories make it clear that the
thugs in charge of Toronto (and the FedGov of Canada) blame the US for
their troubles. Yeah, the gangs are probably cross-border and the guns
go back and forth, too. But the lack of people's ability to defend themselves
is a mostly Canadian (and a few US states and cities) problem.
Mama's
Note: As is all too clear, the "gun free" places are magnets
to the criminals. Without the means to defend themselves, the honest people
there are sitting ducks.
IN:
McDonald's manager suspends heroic employee
WFIE News
"An employee of a New Albany McDonald's has been suspended from
his job for shooting at a woman who was robbing the place. Police say
Clifton Brown Junior violated no laws last week when he shot at the woman
who stuck up another employee outside the restaurant, then robbed the
drive-up window. Brown told police that he pulled his gun out and ordered
the fleeing robber to stop. She then raised her own gun and he fired two
shots, which apparently missed. The woman escaped on foot. Brown has a
permit to carry the handgun, but the restaurant owner says he considers
Brown's actions inappropriate. He's suspended Brown until the shooting
is reviewed." (12/30/05)
An idiotic
manager, and probably an idiotic district manager as well.
Mama's
Note: Not necessarily. Many companies have strict corporate policies against
armed employees. I have never yet worked for any company that did not
go to great lengths to prevent their people from being able to defend
themselves.
UT:
Gun sales shoot up on holidays
Salt Lake Tribune
"Tis the season of peace, good will, to be jolly and, in the case
of Utah gun shops, to sell 12,728 guns. And counting ... Utah will break
previous annual gun sales records for the year and for the holiday season,
when firearm sales are traditionally hotter than, well -- a Saturday night
special. Sales have been inching up nearly every year, reaching this year's
record of nearly 72,000 rifles, shotguns, pistols and revolvers sold.
That's 10 percent over 2004's 65,222. December sales -- guns apparently
make great gifts -- are up 17 percent over the same period last year with
two buying days remaining in the year." (12/31/05)
A friend
of ours, perhaps twenty-five, has more than a dozen different weapons,
because those have been his Christmas and birthday gifts from family for
several years -they ARE good gifts that say "I love you and want
you to be able to defend yourself and support yourself." Especially
if they are small and easily concealed, or nice and large bore with great
sights for big game!
FL:
Homeowner shoots, kills robber
News4Jax
"Police said 34-year-old Ronnie Ivory was shot and killed breaking
into a home on Brandemere Court, near the Arlington Expressway, just after
7 p.m. Saturday evening. Investigators said the homeowners shot Ivory
in what appeared to be an attempted home-invasion robbery. A second suspect
may be involved in the incident, and police are still investigating."
(01/01/06)
You would
think a 34-year-old would be old enough to learn what a stupid profession
he was in.
Mama's
Note: "Profession?" I don't believe criminals should be dignified
with the professional designation.
CO:
Attempted burglar hides in bushes after warning shot
Denver 9 News
"Deputies arrested an attempted burglar who was scared off by
a homeowner who fired a shot in the air on New Year's Day. An elderly
couple called police when the man tried to kick their door in at 4:15
a.m. on the 9100 block of Nelson Road. After telling the suspect to go
away several times, the man of the house fired a warning shot over the
suspect's head. The homeowner told police he feared for his and his wife's
safety. When deputies arrived they found 22-year-old Michael Gadbois hiding
in some bushes. He was arrested on charges of attempted burglary."
(01/02/06)
This is
in the heart of suburbia, and yet even here, burglars and home invaders
seek to ply their trade.
IN:
Suspect shot in robbery attempt
WNDU News
"A robbery suspect is in the hospital after attempting to steal
from an Elkhart County business. At around 12:30 Monday afternoon a teenager
tried to rob the Media Madhouse store on U.S. 20. The teen walked into
the store and pointed a gun at an employee. A second employee told the
robber he would meet his demands. Instead, he took a gun from behind the
counter and shot him in the chest. The robbery suspect was later dropped
off at Elkhart General Hospital for treatment." (01/02/06)
Robberies
of homes and businesses can be staged at any time of day - this one was
in the middle of the day! Are YOU prepared?
Ireland
falls under victim disarmament shadow
Examiner [Ireland]
"Gardai expect more than 3,000 illegal firearms will be handed
over in the upcoming amnesty ahead of tough new antigun laws. Automatic
minimum jail terms of between five and 10 years for a range of weapons
offences are set to be approved by the Oireachtas before the summer as
part of the Criminal Justice Bill. The move is aimed at cracking down
on Ireland's spiralling 'gun culture' which left 19 people dead last year
in gangland shootings alone. The offences to carry mandatory minimum sentences
include possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, with intent
to endanger life or while hijacking a vehicle, and production of a firearm
to resist arrest. The Government intends to offer a month long amnesty
in which people can surrender unlicensed guns before the new clampdown
comes into force. " (01/03/06)
The Gardai
is the Irish police, and like LEAs around the world, they seem intent
on reducing the people they supposedly serve to abject slaves. No doubt
a lot of people will be turning in their "illegal" weapons,
but I dare say it will be only a small fraction of the weapons in-country,
and I expect that the import trade will replace those quickly (if the
cops themselves don't funnel them back into the black market). Wise people
will NOT give up their weapons, registered or not.
Haitian
presidential candidate held on gun charge
Reuters
"A former Haitian police chief and ex-senator who is running for
president was arrested by U.N. troops and Haitian police on weapons charges,
police said on Monday. Dany Toussaint was held for questioning by Chilean
soldiers from the U.N. peacekeeping force after he was found with several
illegal weapons during a visit to the northern city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti's
second largest city, police sources said. The weapons included firearms
that Toussaint had obtained from Haiti's Parliament for his personal protection
when he was a senator from 2000 to 2004, a police commissioner in Cap-Haitien,
who asked not to be named, told Reuters on Monday. His authorization to
carry those weapons ended when his senate term ended." (01/03/06)
This sounds
very much like a setup, doesn't it? Haiti will soon be back under another
dictatorship, instead of international dictatorship. Of course, the government
which allows its legislators and officials to carry weapons while ordinary
people cannot is not worth keeping around, anyway.
IL:
New victim disarmament rules take effect
WQAD News
"Stiffer gun and drug laws are among hundreds of new Illinois
laws that take effect today. One law requires trigger-lock mechanisms
to be included with the sale of any gun. Another bars people from buying
stun guns or tasers unless they have a Firearm Owners I-D card. Some crimes
involving unlawful use of a weapon will now land offenders in jail, rather
than a probation sentence." (01/03/06)
Like Ireland,
Illinois is ill-served by those who claim to be public servants and leaders,
abusing the rights of their people to defend themselves.
NY:
Bloomberg vows to destroy freedom everywhere
New York Daily News
"Once content to rule the city, Mayor Bloomberg yesterday vowed
for the first time to go national -- with an all-out effort to crack down
on illegal gun sales. With the shooting deaths of two NYPD cops still
weighing on the city -- and with his confidence as a political player
clearly rising -- Bloomberg promised in his second term to fight the fight
over illegal handguns in every forum that matters. 'We will take our message
to Albany, to Washington and to every capital of every state that permits
guns to flow freely across its borders,' said Bloomberg." (01/02/06)
Speak of
hubris! Perhaps it is time for MORE guns to flow freely across borders
and restore freedom to New York City, as well as Illinois, Ireland and
Canada (next story).
Canada:
Gun plan could see innocents 'languish' in jail
CTV News[Canada]
"A legal expert says the prime minister's plan to jail gun crime
suspects until their trials is a contentious model already being used
in the Canadian legal system. "Reverse onus" bail rules -- already
used in cases of suspected murder and terrorism -- require the defence
to prove why the suspect should be allowed bail. In most cases, it is
up to the Crown to prove why the suspect should be kept in jail. Paul
Martin's weekend promise to expand reverse onus to those involved with
gun crime may leave more innocent people in jail for months, criminal
lawyer Steven Skurka told Canada AM Tuesday. "For example, there
is a distinction between someone having a gun in their possession and
actually using a firearm," Skurka said, adding it would be much easier
to legally justify the proactive detention of someone accused of using
a gun. "People charged with gun crimes will now languish in jail
for many months and even longer until their trial takes place," he
said. "Remember, they're still innocent in the eyes of the law. When
someone's on bail, they're still (presumed) innocent.'" (01/02/06)
In other
words, to end gun crime (or so they claim - we know it won't happen),
Canada's pitiful excuse for a government would tear down a key element
of a millennium of English common law and justice. And by the way, are
they competing with the US to see which nation can house more of its population
behind bars? This and the next story point out the idiocy of the current
Ottawa administration, and that of every provincial government willing
to stand for Ottawa taking away their freedom.
Canada:
Hand gun ban 'knee-jerk'
Mapleridge News
"Longtime gun owner John Parsons has the same opinion as the Conservative
candidate of Prime Minister Paul Martin's call for banning handguns: Knee-jerk.'
They're punishing the good guys because they're scared to punish the bad
guys," he said Tuesday. And while target shooters would be exempt
from a handgun ban, Parsons is worried the government is even considering
confiscating handguns -- even rifles at some point. "That could be
next," said the ex-corrections officer." (01/05/06)
And just
how do you get designated as a "target-shooter" and how is that
better than being someone who is trying to protect their family, their
business, or themselves? Hopefully this will be the issue to throw the
Martin government out completely.
Colorado:
Co-owner held in bar shooting
Denver Post
"The CO-owner of the Funky Buddha bar is facing a criminal charge
of first-degree aggravated assault in connection with the shooting of
a burglar earlier this week. Christakes Christou, 60, is being held at
the Denver County Jail on $50,000 bail. Denver police said he shot Dwayne
Stepp, 44, about 3 a.m. Tuesday during a burglary inside the bar at 776
Lincoln St. Stepp, who was shot in the abdomen, is expected to survive.
.... Police spokesman Sonny Jackson declined to say whether investigators
believe Christou acted in self-defense, but emphasized the charge Christou
faces indicates an aggravated assault. Business owners do not fall under
the protection of Colorado's "Make My Day" law that allows homeowners
to defend themselves if they encounter an intruder, Jackson said. "(01/05/06)
When first
reported, the "CO-owner" had not been arrested - which makes
this arrest very suspicious. It would seem that Colorado's "Make
My Day" law should be expanded to include business owners and employees
defending their businesses.
Wisconsin:
Robbery thwarted by shotgun
Rice Lake Chronotype
"A clerk at Trappers Crossing Bait & Liquor Store in the Town
of Chetek chased away would-be robbers Thursday, Dec. 29 by firing a shotgun.
Authorities are still looking for the two suspects. A 911 caller reported
to the Sheriff's Department at 12:33 p.m. that two white males had come
into the store at the intersection of 2534 8 1/4 Ave. and Hwy. D and demanded
money from the clerk while displaying a handgun. The clerk took a loaded
shotgun from beneath the counter and fired one round in the direction
of the first suspect. Both suspects fled the store without taking any
money and left in an older model dark green truck." (01/05/06)
No one
hurt, apparently, but still, a crime prevented by firing a weapon. Is
YOUR business prepared?
MI:
Burglar could get life
Citizen-Patriot
"Bryan Allen Cary and his girlfriend spent two nights looting
an unoccupied hunting lodge in Grass Lake Township before they returned
a third night, when they were chased off by the owner, guns blazing in
their direction. For the burglary crimes, as well as stealing a pickup
truck to haul the stash away, Cary, 25, could face life in prison. He
pleaded no contest Tuesday in Circuit Judge Chad Schmucker's court to
three counts of home invasion, a count of felony firearm possession and
a count of auto theft. 'All he does is steal,' said Assistant Prosecutor
Earl Poleski. 'He's just a menace.'" (01/04/
It sounds
like people are sorry that the owner missed.
MD:
Store robbery leads to shoot-out
WBAL TV News
"Two juveniles and a storeowner remain hospitalized Wednesday
evening after an apparent robbery and shoot-out. Baltimore police responded
at about 2 p.m. to Keeper's Market, located at the intersection of Brehms
Lane and Brendan Avenue. WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Lowell Melser reported
the convenience store was filled with students and other customers when
three boys under the age of 18 began robbing the store. Police said they
first received notification from a holdup alarm inside the store before
a flood of 911 calls came in reporting shots fired. 'The storeowner was
able to get to a weapon and gunfire was exchanged. Two of the suspects
were struck, as well as the owner; the third suspect got away,' Baltimore
police spokesman Donny Moses said." (01/04/060
As I said
in an earlier article, these things can happen anytime of day, and in
virtually any location. The owner was outgunned, clearly, but barely won
the day. Of course, if more of his honest, legitimate customers were armed
and used to carrying their weapons in public or concealed, he might have
had more help, or the robbery might not have even been attempted.
Campaigns
2006
Electioneering is going to heat up for the next 11 months, sadly. We
all have to be prepared to put up with ever-increasing barrages of ads
and flyers and sound bytes passing for news. I suggest Tums, at a minimum,
and avoid spicy foods if you are subject to heartburn - you'll soon be
sick of the campaigning.
Texas:
Libertarians field record slate
KGBT 4 TV
"A record 187 candidates have filed with the Libertarian Party
of Texas to run this year for federal, state and district offices across
Texas. ... Libertarian candidates have filed to run in 30 of the state's
32 congressional districts, eleven of the 16 state Senate districts and
97 of the 150 Texas House districts. Libertarians also have filed to run
for all statewide elected offices except presiding judge of the Court
of Criminal Appeals." (01/04/
These libertarians
are prepared to take advantage of whatever events come their way, and
I expect that several of them will make a key difference in elections
that would otherwise be very close calls and perhaps influence politics
on a national scale. With libertarians and independents on the ballot,
Texans at least have a choice.
Texas:
Gubernatorial candidate bolts GOP
Austin Chronicle
"With her political campaign on the ropes, state Comptroller Carole
Keeton Strayhorn launched a Hail Mary pass Monday, declaring herself an
independent candidate for the governor's seat. While not altogether surprising
-- rumors of an identity switch had circulated for a couple of weeks --
Strayhorn's decision to sit out the GOP race against bitter rival Gov.
Rick Perry drew a mixture of scorn and praise -- and no shortage of jokes.
... Strayhorn has her work cut out for her. Like Indie candidate Kinky
Friedman, the comptroller will have just 60 days after the March 7 primary
to collect 45,450 signatures from registered voters to qualify for the
November ballot." (01/05/
Unfortunately,
her record in office and her views stated on the record appear to be no
significant improvement over Perry or the others seeking the nomination
and governor's chair. Still, if this and other candidacies can damage
the duopoly in Texas, that is a good thing.
PA:
Swann to run for governor
Cincinnati Enquirer
"Former Steelers star Lynn Swann declared his candidacy for Pennsylvania
governor Wednesday in the city where he made his name in professional
football. He told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday afternoon
that he made up his mind to run in the fall, after spending months weighing
support at events around the state. Swann, a Hall of Fame receiver and
longtime TV football commentator, faces three other candidates in seeking
the Republican nomination for governor -- his first run for political
office." (01/04/
He sounded
pretty good on the radio - a straight shooter and all. But don't most
of them? Yeah, he's a football player - and I guess, all things considered,
I'd rather have one of them in office than another lawyer. Still.
The
coming fall of Europe
A few news stories from the Old Country, reminding us that we are still
better off here in the USA. Are
we prepared for the collapse in Europe, and the flood of refugees once
again (they don't want to come here on vacations because of Iraq and Katrina,
but if things go bad in the Old Country, look at the lines!
Russia,
Ukraine to resume gas talks
Raleigh New & Observer
"Russian and Ukrainian officials agreed Tuesday to resume talks
on resolving a dispute over the price of natural gas that has reverberated
across the continent and left Ukraine cut off from its supplies. ... Gazprom
cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday after the country refused
to meet its demand for a fourfold price increase. Other European countries
also reported drops in their supplies and Gazprom accused Ukraine of siphoning
off gas bound for Europe -- a charge Ukraine denied. Russia supplies about
one-quarter of the gas consumed in Europe and 80 percent of that goes
through Ukraine." (01/03/06)
Ukraine,
like poor people in this nation (and even those not so poor), is being
hit hard by the gas price rises blamed on Katrina and Rita and continuing
pressures in Iraq and Iran. If it were strictly left to the open, free
market, the problems would not be nearly so bad, but government involvement
makes it very bad indeed.
Churchill
wanted to fry Hitler
London Sunday Telegraph [UK]
"Sir Winston Churchill, Britain's wartime Prime Minister, planned
to execute Adolf Hitler in the electric chair if the Nazi leader fell
into Allied hands. Declassified documents reveal that Churchill was opposed
to Allied plans for war crimes trials and wanted summarily to execute
leading Nazi figures including Hitler who he regarded as 'the mainspring
of evil' and a 'gangster.' They also show that he was willing, against
the advice of his Cabinet colleagues, to 'wipe out' defenceless German
villages in retaliation for Nazi atrocities in Czechoslovakia. The disclosures
are contained in notebooks kept by Sir Norman Brook, the former wartime
deputy cabinet secretary, who kept an account of proceedings in a form
of shorthand." (01/01/06)
Here we
see part of the reason for the coming fall of Europe: its past of big
government and a failure to truly believe in and support freedom and justice
- on the part even of those who claimed to do so. Considering Churchill's
own war crimes, this is not surprising. Churchill, though an excellent
writer, good administrator, superb orator, and phenomenal leader, was
as much a tyrant, imperialist, and statist as the pack he ran with: Stalin,
FDR, and De Gaulle; and as much as those he fought: Hitler, Mussolini,
and Tojo, to name a few. It is Sir Winston who authorized fire-bombing
of nonmilitary targets, nighttime bombing that was intended to be inaccurate
and kill massive numbers of civilians, the gunning down of pilots in parachutes,
and many other things. The difference between him and Hitler, had Hitler
won, is that Churchill did, on occasion, submit to the will of his cabinet,
party, king, and people.
General
Freedoms: Free Markets, Free Speech, etc.
A few items of importance this week. It
is very hard to separate freedoms, and this week we look at some around
the world. We also have to ask ourselves several questions, (1) are we
prepared to defend our freedoms? (2) are we prepared, when necessary,
to REGAIN our freedoms? And finally, (3) Are we prepared to take advantage
of our freedoms while we have them? Governments interfere with the free
market far more than they participate in them, and far more than they
should. Sooner or later, though, governments have to bow to the free market;
not just of goods (including "money") but of ideas and everything
else.
Dollar
slips as Fed hints it may halt rates rises
International Herald Tribune [France]
"The dollar fell Wednesday to a two-month low against the euro
and also dropped against the yen after the U.S. Federal Reserve suggested
that it is closer to halting an 18-month policy of raising interest rates.
For more than two years, the Fed has given investors explicit guidance
about future rate decisions, but the central bank admitted in the minutes
of its December meeting published Tuesday that officials were divided
about when to stop raising interest rates, creating a new period of uncertainty
as Alan Greenspan prepares to retire as Fed chairman." (01/04/06)
Meddling
with the markets ultimately does exact a payment - usually far more than
the politicians want. As usual, the Fed doesn't know what it is doing.
Discount
carrier to stop flying
Washington Times
"Independence Air will ground itself Thursday night because it
hasn't found a buyer or investor, marking the sudden death of the low-cost
carrier that made a rapid descent into insolvency. The demise of the airline,
which began flying less than two years ago and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection from creditors two months ago, will leave passengers scrambling
to change travel plans. Independence Air, based at Washington Dulles International
Airport, has canceled all scheduled flights that take off after Thursday
evening. The airline's final flight is scheduled to be a 7:26 p.m. departure
from White Plains, N.Y., to Washington." (01/03/06)
It appears
that the company did themselves in - but that IS the free market: the
chance to succeed implies the chance to fail as well. Governments can
try and bail some out, but this clearly isn't one of them. And it isn't
the first in 2005-2006, either; the carrier my family and I used to travel
to the UK this spring, EuroJet, closed its doors just months later for
similar reasons.
British
mail goes private
Consumer Postal Council
"Great Britain opened its postal market to full competition on
Jan 1. It did so three years ahead of the European Union goal of full
postal liberalization by 2009. At least 14 firms are now licensed to deliver
mail in Great Britain, among them TNT and Deutsche Post, the privatized
former mail monopolies of the Netherlands and Germany, respectively. Competition
is primarily affecting business-to-business and business-to-consumer mail."
Thanks
to Chuck for this one. Good news for Brits and for Europeans in general,
in order to start breaking down a stupid and expensive monopoly (although
the Royal Mail itself is raising rates to the equal of 55c in April).
We need this here in the US, before the USPS completely destroys itself.
More and more I pay and do all my work by e-mail as much as possible,
reducing the stamps I buy by about 50% each year for the past several
years. I'm sure I'm not alone. But the time is coming when even the USPS
will have to become part of a free market: are you prepared?
Turkey:
Speech suppression moves from writers to barkeeps
Gulf Times
"After writers and intellectuals, bar owners have become the latest
targets of a controversial Turkish law limiting freedom of expression,
the daily Hurriyet reported on Friday. The owners of nine Istanbul bars
and restaurant have drawn the wrath of the authorities for staging a protest
last month over what they called frequent and arbitrary police inspections
which they said harmed their business, the mass-selling daily reported.
The protesters closed shop for a day, hanging banners denouncing 'arbitrary
and unlawful practices and pressure by the police, conducted under the
guise of inspections.' Police removed the banners and filed complaints
against the bar owners, leading to their indictment under Article 301
for 'openly denigrating the police force,' Hurriyet said." (01/01/06)
Once you
strip away the right to defend yourself against anyone, but especially
tyrants, there is no limit to what can be taken away: advocates of free
speech in this nation who hate guns and don't want our right to defend
ourselves to exist should take note.
Iraq:
cyber-dissident has been on hunger strike for more than a week
Reporters without Borders
"Reporters Without Borders wrote today to the president of the
Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq, Massoud Barzani, asking
him to intervene in the case of an Austrian citizen of Kurdish origin,
Kamal Sayid Qadir, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison on 19 December
for libelling him in articles posted on the Internet. .... Qadir was arrested
on 26 October by members of the Parastin, a security service operated
by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, one of the region's two ruling parties.
He is currently held in a prison in Erbil, one of the region's main cities.
A lawyer normally based in Vienna, Qadir, 48, is accused of libelling
and insulting Barzani in web articles. He has written dozens of articles
for websites such as Kurdishmedia.com and Kurdistanpost.com in which he
has been very critical of Barzani's policies. He was reportedly convicted
on the basis of Kurdish customary law and not the law approved by the
regional parliament." (01/05/06)
This shows
that the interim government of Iraq still has the same problems as virtually
every other government in the region: it is opposed to basic human freedom.
This is based as much on Islamic doctrine (the Quran and other works)
as on the example of its peers and Western nations. Islam does not believe
in free speech or many other freedoms.
AZ:
The challengers
Arizona Republic
"An increasing number of Native American [sic - they mean "American
Indians" or AmerInd-NAB] young people living on Arizona reservations
are taking charge of their futures. Those using drugs, abusing alcohol,
boiling over with anger or falling behind with schoolwork are finding
hope in a hard-knocks program in the Valley that shows them their lives
are worth more than a future filled with crime and violence. Project Challenge,
a voluntary National Guard-funded residential program for high school
dropouts, has seen a sharp increase in Native American enrollment over
the past five years, in part because of a pointed recruiting effort on
the state's reservations that began three years ago. Class 25, which began
in July with 152 enrollees and concluded in December with 91 graduates,
had the highest Native American enrollment the program has ever seen.
'We're up there recruiting and recognizing that they do have high unemployment,
alcoholism, substance abuse,' said Col. Charles McCarty, director at Project
Challenge. 'This offers them a really great opportunity to beat the odds
on the rez.'" (01/01/06)
These people
are, for all intents and purposes, jumping from one frying pan into another.
The one major part of the nation which for more than a century has had
the GREATEST FedGov influence and involvement has been the nation's reservations,
and the Big Rez (Navajo Reservation, or Dinetah) is very much a massively-government
impacted area. Seeking to protect the Indians, seeking (or at least claiming
to) to fulfill treaty obligations, and seeking to centuries of warfare
and ethnic cleansing have led to today's modern mess of unemployment,
rampant alcoholism, all kinds of abuse, and an unnatural "governmental
Darwinism" in which those who are successful are those who are most
adept at getting government grants and loans and fitting into the federal
bureaucracy or the tribal (federally-funded) bureaucracy.
PA:
School board rescinds "intelligent design" policy
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Dover's much-maligned school policy of presenting 'intelligent
design' as an alternative to evolution was officially relegated to the
history books Tuesday night. On a voice vote, and with no discussion beforehand,
the newly elected Dover Area School Board unanimously rescinded the policy.
Two weeks earlier, a judge ruled the policy unconstitutional."
(01/03/06)
No freedom
for teachers here, or for students, except freedom to leave (and I hope
they use it!). This school district rejoins the ranks of those schools
where it is not only legal, but MANDATED to teach one religion (evolutionism
and humanism) while forbidding all others. Go figure.
CA:
Phys ed teacher busted for filming students
San Francisco Chronicle
"The San Carlos Police Department arrested a middle-school physical
education teacher who allegedly made secret videotapes of female students
as they changed clothes, according to Cmdr. Sandra Spagnoli. Neal Sato,
34, of San Bruno was arrested Tuesday on six counts of lewd acts with
a child after investigators found in his computer 100 deleted files and
images of girls changing into uniforms, Spagnoli said. Some of the files
date to October 2004, and not all the victims have been identified, according
to Spagnoli. Police said Sato was a teacher and athletic director at San
Carlos' Central Middle School when he allegedly hid video cameras in rooms
where students changed into sports uniforms. Police also believe he used
his position as a teacher to direct certain students to change in rooms
and offices where he had secreted cameras." [FND editor's note:
One more example of exploitation of children having almost no relationship
to "Internet predators" ... - SAT] (01/04/
Another
reason to stay out of these places? I think so - they attract the sickies.
The
Home Front
Battles of all kinds continue in the United States. Are
we prepared for all the various battles we may face? We see a few today.
TX,
OK, NM: Wildfires destroy communities
AOL News
Weary fire crews kept up their fight Monday to contain major grass
fires across Texas that had burned dozens of homes and apparently destroyed
a couple of tiny towns. Other fires across the drought-stricken region
had charred thousands of acres in Oklahoma and New Mexico, forcing hundreds
of people to evacuate. Officials warned that the dry, windy weather and
extreme fire danger would continue.
Although
this is hitting Texas west of Dalworthington Metroplex, it is still a
poor way to end a year with the hurricanes and other problems, or to start
a new year. Once more, we are seeing that local communities must be prepared
to defend themselves and NOT depend on either state or federal authorities.
It is a lesson the people of Eastland County and nearby counties in Texas
have had to learn over and over again for 150 years: the woman who should
have been my great-great-grandmother died in a raid that "should"
have been stopped by state or federal troops but wasn't.
Bush
pushes for Patriot Act renewal
USA Today
"President Bush fired the first shot in the renewed battle over
the USA Patriot Act, hosting on Tuesday a group of federal prosecutors
who said the soon-to-expire law helped solve major crimes. ... Bush-appointed
U.S. attorneys from 14 states and the District of Columbia said the law
has helped them crack cases involving terrorist finances, weapons exchanged
for drugs, and child abductions. Senate Democrats who blocked renewal
late last year, such as Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said they support the
law but want to make sure civil liberties are protected. Four Republican
senators joined Democrats in blocking renewal of the law: Larry Craig
of Idaho, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Chuck
Hagel of Nebraska." (01/04/06)
As I pointed
out last week, the battle has been drawn out, but will continue. Notice
the change in tactics, though - it is no longer enough for the administration
to claim the Act helps in the "war on terrorism" for which it
was passed. It is also now key "for the children" and the "war
on some drugs." Don't hold your breath while this gets fought out,
and DON'T expect the USA Patriot Act to go away.
Bush
ICE appointment an end-run around Senate
Houston Chronicle
"President Bush on Wednesday appointed a 36-year-old lawyer to
head the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Homeland
Security Department despite critics' concerns about her qualifications.
Bush's recess appointment of Julie L. Myers was an end-run around the
Senate, where her nomination to lead the massive, troubled immigration
and customs operation had been stalled." (01/05/06)
This is
clearly a key appointment, and the need for someone flexible (and presumably
a younger person is more likely to be flexible) is clear: she must be
able to get everyone to believe she is doing something about controlling
the borders while continuing to follow the president's wishes and keep
the borders wide open. Of course, anything Bush (or anyone appointed by
him or associated with him) does will raise "concerns" by all
kinds of critics, so this is no different. And considering how the Senate
is slow-tracking everything (except for the critical concerns about sports
teams' standing and use of steroids), I am surprised Bush isn't making
more recess appointments - otherwise this woman might not get to run the
agency until sometime in 2007.
Project
to track Katrina victims
Yahoo! News
"The struggles and stories of some 2,000 Hurricane Katrina survivors
across the country will be documented regularly over the next two years
in a project that aims to track their recovery. Their tales will be published
and their advice sought for government policy makers, researchers said
Thursday. .... More than 1 million people were displaced from their homes
by Katrina. The effort to find out what is happening to them is being
financed with an initial grant of $1 million from the National Institute
of Mental Health. Next week, 250,000 randomly chosen households across
the country will be contacted by phone to find what Kessler called "those
needle-in-the-haystack-people" who now live well away from their
homes." (01/06/06)
This "study"
will be just another excuse for tracking more and more people continuously,
and will waste more taxpayer money.
Guard
paying bonuses for enlisting others
Boston Globe
"It's one way that phone companies and health clubs attract new
customers. Now for the first time in its history, the Army National Guard
is taking a similar approach to recruit soldiers: If Guard members get
a buddy to join, they can earn cash rewards of $2,000. With combat deaths
mounting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Guard's traditional recruiters are
running into resistance from people increasingly wary of slick sells and
star-spangled television ads, Guard officials say. But a soldier talking
to a friend, coworker, or cousin can offer a credible, powerful, and personally
tailored message, soldiers say. 'Word of mouth is the holy grail of marketing,'
Major Winfield S. Danielson III, a spokesman for the Massachusetts National
Guard, said yesterday. 'It's like when your friend says, "Hey, that
was a really cool movie." There's a lot of believability in that.
You look at it as an unbiased source, or at least biased to what your
friend likes or your friend's interests are.'" (01/05/06)
Not only
does the Mainstream Media slant everything it writes, not only does it
make up things, not only does it bury facts and events, but they are also
as slow as molasses. This particular news was discussed in detail in the
Army Times and other weekly newspapers the beginning of December, and
only now is the Globe (and AP) waking up to it? Give me a break. No wonder
the Guard is tired of wasting its advertising recruiting budget on buying
ads and supporting these dinosaurs!
Our
Imperial Courts
As Alito's nomination continues to languish, other issues come up. Like
the other two branches of government, the Judicial branch deserves a good
cleaning-out, but I see no signs of one.
Roberts
urges pay raises for judges
CNN
"Chief Justice John Roberts picked up where his late predecessor
had left off, declaring in his first year-end report that the problem
of pay for judges 'has gotten worse, not better.' The remarks came in
a nine-page assessment of the federal judiciary, a tradition for chief
justices begun 30 years ago. Roberts, who took over leadership of the
high court in late September, used strong language to urge Congress to
boost judicial salaries." (01/02/06)
And as
for the rest of us - we can eat cake, no doubt.
Groups
start final push ahead of Alito hearing
Fox News
"With the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Samuel
Alito less than a week away, his critics are making every effort to whip
up opposition to Alito's joining the court. But ever since the defeat
of Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork a little more than 18 years ago,
conservative activists have vowed not to let such critics go unanswered.
... Progress for America is spending about $500,000 on a television ad
that quotes the writings of legal analyst Stuart Taylor, a columnist for
The National Journal [in support of Alito] .... Meanwhile, a coalition
of groups opposed to the nomination are preparing their campaign. Ralph
Neas, head of People for the American Way, a liberal-leaning group, compares
the coming battle to the 1987 fight over Judge Robert Bork."
(01/04/06)
The garbage
being slung around by both sides smells very bad. While Alito may be marginally
better than O'Connor, I see little chance for significant change, and
no hope for all the pro-lifer folks who are pushing so hard.
WY:
Court upholds random searches
Casper Star-Tribune
"The Wyoming Supreme Court has ruled that probation orders allowing
defendants to be searched at the whim of law enforcement officers are
permissible under the U.S. Constitution. The decision stems from the arrest
in December 2003 by Cheyenne police of Colin McAuliffe for refusing to
consent to a random search. Such searches were authorized in a probation
order handed down by the Laramie County Circuit Court because of an earlier
drug violation. The state's highest justices, in a 4-1 vote, ruled that
police did not violate McAuliffe's Fourth Amendment right to be secure
against unreasonable searches." (01/03/06)
Apparently,
this does not apply to all arrests, but only to arrests of people who
are on parole or probation. Admittedly that sometimes seems like two-thirds
of us, but we haven't completely overturned the Bill of Rights in Wyoming
- yet. Now we need to have people who are NOT on parole or probation refuse
these stupid searches.
Missouri
county plans mental health court
St. Louis Today
St. Clair County, Mo., is planning to create a mental health court
that will handle criminal cases involving mental illness issues. According
to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the court could help the county divert
mentally ill inmates away from the crowded county jail and toward more
suitable locations.
Thanks
to Local Government Update for this news item. This smells so much like
Haven's mental hygiene police (a fictional organization) or its real-world
historical counterparts in the Soviet Union that it is scary.
DNA
to be retested for man executed in '92
Cincinnati Enquirer
"Gov. Mark R. Warner on Thursday ordered DNA evidence retested
to determine whether a man convicted of rape and murder was innocent when
he was executed in 1992. If the testing shows Roger Keith Coleman did
not rape and kill his sister-in-law in 1981, it would be the first time
in the United States a person has been exonerated by scientific testing
after his execution, according to death penalty opponents." (01/05/06)
This will
be grist for the mills of both sides of the death penalty debate, regardless
of what is determined. Meanwhile the courts continue their often-expensive,
generally fruitless actions to go back and literally dig up old history.
I am not saying that exonerating an innocent man is not important, BUT
there are higher priorities.
Supreme
Court: US can "launder" Padilla kidnapping with charges
Indianapolis Star
"The Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to let the military transfer
accused 'enemy combatant' Jose Padilla to Miami to face criminal charges
in at least a temporary victory for the Bush administration. The justices
overruled a lower court, which had attempted to block the transfer as
part of a rebuke to the White House. The high court said it would decide
later whether to consider the inmate's argument that President Bush overstepped
his authority by ordering Padilla's indefinite detention in 2002."
(01/04/
Speaking
of higher priorities, this shows one of them - and points out that the
Bush administration is having its cake and eating it too. Either a person
is an enemy or he is a potential criminal, but he can't be switched back
and forth between the two categories at will - except in the current United
States.
Mideast
Tarbabies
The killing continues, and although Americans are sometimes victims, usually
it is Iraqis who are dying. Two
weeks after the election, the increased tempo of criminal operations is
picking up still more. And to add insult to injury, proposals to withdraw
US troops as Iraq is apparently able to take care of itself is seen as
an "Islamic victory." To me, it increasingly looks like the
only true "Islamic victory" is when the next to the last living
Muslim is killed by the last living one.
Iraq:
Seven die in suicide blast
CNN
"Two assassination attempts against officials in Baghdad failed
Monday, but a suicide car bomber killed seven people in an attack on a
bus carrying police recruits. The suicide bomber struck early Monday in
Baquba, about 35 miles north of Baghdad .... Those assaults came a day
after a 7-ton truck slammed into a bus and killed four U.S. civilian contractors.
Authorities are investigating what caused the accident at the Al Asad
Air Base in Anbar province. The fatal crash also injured 18 people, including
a U.S. Marine." (01/02/06)
The failures
of assassination attempts, and the failure of many bomb attempts which
are NOT reported in the media, show that there is at least some preparation.
Just as we prepare for automobile accidents like this one, we have to
prepare for attacks.
More
soldiers trying to get out of Army
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"Increasing numbers of men and women in uniform are seeking honorable
discharges as conscientious objectors. Others are suing the military,
claiming their obligation has been wrongfully extended. Many have simply
deserted, refusing to appear for duty."(12/31/05)
Those who
are opposed to the continuing occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan should
not get their hopes up in the least - this article is making mountains
out of molehills, as the few numbers they provide in the article itself
shows. And the examples they give are NOT for the most part of young men
and women who are courageously standing their moral ground, but people
who are first breaking their promises and contracts and THEN deciding
they were antiwar all along, or some other such excuse. No one should
be surprised when some people break their solemn promises and contracts
- look at the divorce rate; but to turn them into heroes because they
are using a war as an excuse is a bad idea.
Iraq:
US airstrip kills 14 family members
MSNBC
"A U.S. Air strike killed 14 members of one family in the oil refining
town of Baiji in northern Iraq, an Iraqi security force spokesman said
on Tuesday. The air raid destroyed one house, said the spokesman for the
Joint Coordination Center, which handles information and coordinates between
U.S. and Iraqi forces. Another four houses were hit and three people were
injured in the raid on Monday night, he said. ... The U.S. military had
no immediate comment." (01/03/06)
This kind of thing happens all too often in war, and is sickening. There
is little the Coalition forces can do but apologize for the mistake. Which
they did, later in the week.
US says
bomb hit wrong house in Iraq
CNN
"A bomb that killed six civilians Monday near Baiji, Iraq, missed
its target by 65 feet (20 meters) and hit the wrong home, military officials
said. The bomb, which was dropped by a U.S. fighter plane, was aimed at
a building that three men entered after planting a roadside bomb as an
unmanned surveillance plane watched from overhead, the officials said.
A U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter jet strafed the building before the bomb
was dropped, according to a U.S. military statement released after the
nighttime attack." (01/05/06)
As I said,
an apology, not that saying "I'm sorry" does much. But notice
also the death tool: originally reported as "14," the later
news stories (both from the mainstream media, please note) reduced the
count to only 6 - and that was not a government change: the media got
it wrong in the first place.
Iraq:
Dozens dead in suicide bombings
Washington Times
"A series of suicide bombings, including a blast during a funeral
in northern Iraq, claimed dozens of lives Wednesday in Iraq. At least
30 people were killed Wednesday by a bomber who set off a device during
the funeral for a local politician in Miqdadiya, the BBC said. ... Elsewhere,
a car bombing in Baghdad killed five people and injured 15 others, while
a drive-by shooting killed an Iraqi oil official and his son." (01/04/06)
So much
for the war against the evil Western occupiers of the country - the murdering
thugs who claim to be patriots and insurgents are too busy murdering innocent
people.
Murtha
says he wouldn't join military now
Reuters
"Rep. John Murtha, a key Democratic voice who favors pulling U.S.
troops from Iraq, said in remarks airing on Monday that he would not join
the U.S. military today. A decorated Vietnam combat veteran who retired
as a colonel after 37 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Murtha told ABC
News' 'Nightline' program that Iraq 'absolutely' was a wrong war for President
George W. Bush to have launched. 'Would you join (the military) today?,'
he was asked in an interview taped on Friday. 'No,' replied Murtha of
Pennsylvania, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives subcommittee
that oversees defense spending and one of his party's leading spokesmen
on military issues. 'And I think you're saying the average guy out there
who's considering recruitment is justified in saying 'I don't want to
serve,'' the interviewer continued. 'Exactly right,' said Murtha, who
drew White House ire in November after becoming the first ranking Democrat
to push for a pullout of U.S. forces from Iraq as soon as it could be
done safely." (01/03/06)
I agree
with Murtha that the invasion of Iraq was wrong, but his entire approach
leaves a bad taste in my mouth, anyway. He certainly came to the table
late - his voting record and support for our imperial adventures around
the world in the past is clear.
130
Iraqis, 7 US soldiers killed in bombings
MSNBC
"In one of the deadliest days in Iraq since the U.S. Military
overthrew Saddam Hussein, bombs killed at least 130 Iraqis and seven U.S.
soldiers on Thursday - shattering hopes that last month's election and
the new year would herald a more peaceful era. Nearly 200 people were
wounded in the attacks on Iraqis in two cities. Another three bombs exploded
in Baghdad, two of them detonated by suicide bombers. And insurgents sabotaged
an oil pipeline near the northern city of Kirkuk, causing a huge fire."
(01/05/06)
I don't
know of anyone who has paid the slightest attention to the situation in
Iraq (and is honest) who claimed "hopes" that the election would
usher in an era of good will - in fact, most observers (both supporting
and not supporting the occupation) stated exactly the opposite. But as
is so often the case, the Mainstream Media seeks to make everything as
bad as possible.
Sharon
kept in medically induced coma
Detroit Free Press
"Doctors said Thursday that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will be
kept in a medically induced coma for up to three days to prevent further
damage from a massive stroke. His sons held a bedside vigil and state
media broadcast mournful songs. Hadassah Hospital's switchboard was flooded
with get-well messages and the nation's top rabbis called on Israelis
to rush to synagogues and pray for the 77-year-old ex-general, whom many
saw as the best hope for peace with the Palestinians." (01/05/06)
An era
has ended: there is no way that anyone expects him to return to duty after
this - and his new party's future is up in the air. While many urged prayers
for him, others said they could not pray for his full recovery in good
faith, because they believed he was destroying the State of Israel.
US
plans Afghan jail for terror suspects
Financial Times [UK]
"The US government has plans to build a high-security prison in
Afghanistan to hold terror suspects, including some who would be transferred
from the controversial US naval base at Guantánamo Bay. The site
selected for the jail is Pol-e-Charki, a rundown prison near Kabul dating
from the Soviet era. Some of the base's prison facilities have recently
been refurbished as part of a European Union-financed criminal justice
reform program backed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
The transfer of prisoners of Afghan origin from Guantánamo to Afghanistan
is intended to take pressure off the US administration, which continues
to face strong international criticism for holding detainees without trial
or other legal recourse. " (01/05/06)
I honestly
don't know if this is a good thing or not. If I were a prisoner at Gitmo,
knowing what third-world prisons are like (built by the US or not), I'd
rather stay in Gitmo if just my own comfort and well-being were at stake.
But on the other hand, this appears to be a stupid government trick: like
building a large POW camp for Wehrmacht (German) prisoners in a part of
Occupied Germany while fighting was still going on in Germany itself.
Afghanistan:
Blast kills ten during envoy's visit
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
"A suicide attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body
during a visit by the U.S. ambassador Thursday, killing 10 Afghans and
wounding 50, Afghan officials said. Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann and other
American officials were unhurt, U.S. Embassy spokesman Lou Fintor said.
A purported Taliban spokesman said the Americans were targeted. The attack
occurred about a quarter-mile from the governor's house in the central
Afghan town of Tirin Kot in Uruzgan province, said Abdullah Khan, the
governor's spokesman. The Americans were inside the building at the time."
(01/05/
At least
this wasn't apparently an intentional attempt to kill fellow Afghanis
and Muslims.
Saudi
Arabia: 23 killed in Mecca hotel collapse
Terre Haute Tribune
"A hotel outside the Grand Mosque in Islam's holiest city collapsed
Thursday as millions of Muslims converged for the annual hajj pilgrimage,
and Al-Jazeera TV said at least 23 people were killed and 60 injured.
Rescue teams pulled bodies from beneath the rubble of the five-story Al
Ghaza Hotel. Most of the victims were Arabs from Egypt, Tunisia and the
United Arab Emirates, security officials said on condition of anonymity
because they were not allowed to speak to the media." (01/05/
Still no
word on whether this was a terrorist attack or "just" a building
failure. The death toll continued to climb as the mess was cleaned up.
And Saudi Arabia began a crackdown on pilgrims, imposing strict deadlines
for arrival.
Privacy
Issues
Again this week, we see a few more items showing that we must be vigilant.
Are you prepared if someone in government, other criminal organizations,
or just plain business gets interested enough in you to violate your privacy?
For those interested, I recommend Boston T. Party's acclaimed "Bulletproof
Privacy" very much.
UK:
Satellite to spy on your home
Independent [UK]
"John Prescott has told tax inspectors to use satellites to snoop
on householders' attempts to improve their homes. Images of new conservatories
and garages taken from space will be used to hike up council taxes and
other property levies, official guidance obtained by The Independent on
Sunday reveals. Mr. Prescott's department is overseeing the creation of
a database containing the details of every house in Britain to help tax
inspectors to assess new charges. Even minor improvements, invisible from
the road, will be caught by 'spy in the sky' technology that uses a mix
of aerial and satellite images taken over time to spot changes."
(01/01/06)
And you
thought GoogleMap and Terraserver-USA were good things? They are, just
not when the cops use them.
Cameras
may be looking
Alleghany Times
"Whether you're at the mall, the automated teller machine, or
driving down the highway, a surveillance camera may be stationed somewhere
nearby, monitoring your every move. Cameras are stationed all over the
place as property and business owners, along with police and schools,
attempt to deter theft, crime and other mishaps by keeping a watchful
eye through a hidden lens. Following the recent extension of the U.S.
Patriot Act, debates over secret phone tapping, illegal spying and trampled
civil liberties have begun to emerge. Although some may say it's nothing
more than Big Brother paranoia, hidden cameras are in places you might
least expect. Putting cell phone cameras and pocketsize cams into the
mix stirs concern from some who see it as an escalating privacy issue.
Wal-Mart has cameras pointed in and outside its store. PennDOT has cameras
observing traffic on the highway systems. Even homeowners are installing
cameras." (01/02/06)
In the
UK, they are everywhere, and that is going to be the case here in the
States, at this rate. Wal-Mart's cameras do NOT bother me - it is their
property, after all. DOT cameras and other government and private cameras
in public places and highways DO, without a very good cause. A camera
at a rest area building often vandalized makes sense, but just to observe
parks or city streets is "Big Brother" indeed.
MO:
ACLU provides cameras to tape police
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"St. Louis police officers often say they feel as if people are
looking over their shoulders. That feeling isn't likely to let up this
year. The local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, a frequent
critic of the city police, says it plans to arm residents of the city's
north side with video cameras to record officers' dealings with the public.
The activist group says the department often mistreats and unfairly targets
blacks and said it hopes the presence of cameras will act as a deterrent
to police abuse and result in smoother dealings between residents and
police. The group said the cameras will start rolling in the summer, after
a series of workshops near Fairground Park where blacks can learn about
how to protect their rights during dealings with police. The program is
called the Racial Justice Initiative." (12/31/05)
Of course,
this is the other side of the coin from the previous article. Oddly, now
we have cops claiming that their privacy is being violated. Tough. If
I want to video tape my employees, I can do so as the employer. And these
guys are working for the taxpayer during their shifts. I'll fight to make
sure they aren't taped off-duty, but on-duty, they are fair game.
US
military "shuts down" soldiers' blogs
Newsday
"Letters home filled with tales of death and danger, bravery and
boredom are a wartime certainty. And now, as hundreds of soldiers overseas
have started keeping Internet journals about the heat, the homesickness,
the bloodshed, word speeds from the battlefront faster than ever. More
and more, though, U.S. Military commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan are
clamping down on these military Web logs, known as milblogs. After all,
digital photos of blown-up tanks and gritty comments on urban warfare
don't just interest mom and dad. The enemy, too, has a laptop and satellite
link. Nowadays, milbloggers 'get shut down almost as fast as they're set
up,' said New York Army National Guard Spc. Jason Christopher Hartley,
31, of upstate New Paltz, who believes something is lost as the grunt's-eye
take on Tikrit or Kabul is silenced or sanitized." (01/02/06)
I fully
expect the pendulum to swing back and forth insanely several times on
this entire issue. Even this limit on blogs (which I expect to be only
temporary, in part because it is unenforceable) is a far better situation
than that in WW2 when EVERY letter written by a soldier or sailor was
censored in a way that should shock us today.
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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