Libertarian Commentary on the News for January 15-21 2006-- Page 2

Our Right of Self-Defense
Problems are worse in many foreign nations, as we see from Sud-Afrika; but in the US, we still have troubles, and there is very clearly a need for self-defense almost everywhere.

South Africa: Red tape has gun owners up in arms
Independent Online [South Africa]
"Gun owners and traders have lashed out at government for the new gun laws and lay blame for delays in renewal of firearm licences and appeals for renewal of licences squarely at cabinet's door. At a ministerial meeting in Pretoria on Tuesday the South African Gun Owners Association (SAGOA) and South African Arms and Ammunition Dealers Association (SAAADA) accused the department of safety and security of not having its "house in order". They said unnecessary red tape and administrative bungling were the sole reasons for the massive backlog. By the end of March - the extension period granted by government for the renewal of licences for gun owners born between January 1 and March 31 - an estimated 600 000 gun owners will have to reapply for gun licence renewals, or face becoming illegal gun owners." (01/18/06)

I suspect that the owners and merchants are right - and for obvious reasons. The "democratic" "multiracial" government of Sud-Afrika of today doesn't WANT it's subjects to be able to defend themselves.

Ohio: No charges brought in fatal shooting
Zanesville Times Recorder
"A Fultonham man who was involved in a shooting last Thursday walked out of the county jail a free man after a grand jury declined to indict him. Kenneth H. Brown, 61, was held at the Muskingum County Jail since last Thursday evening after he shot and killed his 53-year old neighbor, Billy E. Dodson, both of 8815 "B" Maysville Pike. According to Chief Prosecutor Michael Haddox, Brown shot Dodson in the face with a 12-gauge pump shotgun after being attacked by Dodson. "I would say the grand jury felt the shooting was justified," Haddox said." (01/18/06)

As I often say, this seems to warrant a coroners inquest or jury and NOT a grand jury, but at least the grand jury used common sense.

Texas: One dead in shooting
KHOU News
" Police said a man was leaving the apartment complex and saw Torres standing in the parking lot and noticed that he was holding a pistol. They said Torres raised the pistol and fired at the man, striking his vehicle. The man returned fire and Torres suffered gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to HPD. The man left the apartment complex and drove to a nearby location to call the police." (01/15/06)

No doubt, Torres' action will be blamed on drugs, but he got what he deserved.

Arkansas: Intruder killed during home invasion
KATV News
"A Little Rock man was shot dead this morning after he and several other suspects broke into a residence. .... According to police, the men broke in to the trailer because they wanted to find out who was driving one of the cars parked outside. Authorities say four to seven men forced their way into this residence early Saturday morning, but by the time police got there, all the suspects except one had left.(Sgt. Terry Hastings, Little Rock Police) "They found a person lying on the floor deceased he was wearing gloves and a mask." Tremayne Beasley was shot after he entered one of the bedrooms. At that time, according to the police report, the owner of the trailer shot Beasley once in the shoulder and once in the stomach." (01/14/06)

Gee - caught dead-handed!

OK: Robbery suspect shot and killed
Fox 23 News
"It happened just before three this afternoon at Kathy's Treasure Trove in the 2400 block of East Virgin Street. Police say two black males assaulted the clerk inside the store. They implied they had a weapon and demanded cash. The clerk then produced a handgun, and fired five shots at the suspects, hitting one of them twice. The suspects then ran out of the store, and jumped into a four-door vehicle. The suspects then showed up at the Towne Square Apartments. Police found the suspects, after the mother of the suspect who was shot, called police. That suspect was taken to St. John's Hospital. He died from his injuries. Two females and the other male from the store are in police custody at this time." (01/14/06)

It sounds like the two women were helping the suspects to hide out. And it sounds like the clerk is NOT being arrested for defending herself and her store. Good.

NC: Homeowner shoots intruders
ABC 11 TV
"Two Orange County women are recovering from bullet wounds after surviving a violent home invasion. It began early Monday morning on Lipscomb Grove Church Road when two suspects kicked in the front door of a home, and shot the two women watching TV inside. Marjorie Whitted, 50, and her 27-year-old daughter, Vicky both suffered bullet wounds to their legs. Carlton Whitted, 62, was in the bedroom when the men broke in. They began saying 'I been shot I been shot.' The suspects tried to push their way into Carlton's bedroom but Carlton had other plans. 'I seen my rifle sitting in the corner I reached and grabbed it and I turned the door loose.' Whitted says he shot both men in the back as they tried to escape. 'I was going to shoot them in the head that's when the bullets gave out to clicking. I went in there and reloaded and I don't know which way they went.' The shooters got away. Investigators used K9 units to track them. The suspects turned up at Duke University Medical Center for their bullet wounds. Whitted is just grateful his wife and daughter weren't seriously hurt. 'I don't know what they were wanting.' (01/17/06)

This kind of bizarre home invasion is strong reason to make sure that you have multiple weapons available in various parts of a house.

Animal welfare workers seek stiffer airgun laws
The Scotsman
ANIMAL welfare campaigners are today launching a campaign for tighter controls on airguns, as a new report revealed the scale of their use in attacks on animals in Scotland.

Now that firearms are outlawed in the UK, and we are getting rid of knives, let us see what else: expect airguns to be followed by slingshots, wrist rockets, and mousetraps.

FL: Fatal shooting ruled justifiable
News4Jax
"Charges are being dropped against a man arrested last Thursday night after a fatal shooting in Brentwood. Deounce Harden, 27, was arrested after calling police to report he'd shot someone and an officer arrived to find him standing over the body of Stevon Mitchell, holding a gun. After further investigation, police said Harden was acting in self-defense and ruled the shooting justifiable under a new state law that allows the use of deadly force when a person is being threatened." (01/19/06)

It has ALWAYS been the right of an attacked person to use deadly force - even if it is only recently that Florida again recognized that fact. I still want to know why this man was arrested? A person who has been attacked should not be treated as a criminal, even if he or she had to resort to deadly force.

NC: Man dies after alleged car theft attempt
Sanford Herald
"Ashley Demetrius Gilliam, 21, of 805 Rose St., Sanford, died around 4:40 a.m. Tuesday after being shot outside 3415 U.S. 421, Lillington. According to the report, Gilliam was allegedly trying to steal a car from that address, which is the home of Gary Nolan and Raquel Patterson Jackson. Gilliam was approached by Gary Jackson and his father-in-law Derrick Allen Byrd, who lived next door. An altercation started and shots were fired. Gilliam was shot and killed. By Wednesday, deputies had not filed any charges, although they said the investigation was still ongoing. Deputies have not said whether they believe whether Gary Nolan Jackson or Derrick Allen Byrd was responsible for shooting Gilliam, or whether Gilliam was armed and if he fired any shots." (01/19/06)

Clearly, more information needed, but the time and circumstances indicate strongly it was a self-defense issue.

Stupid Guvmint Tricks
The Congress (see my opening quote) is always the best source of stupid government tricks, but not the ONLY source by any means!

Kennedy quits all-male Harvard club amid criticism
Washington Times
"Sen. Edward M. Kennedy [D-MA] has quit his more than 50-year membership in the Owl Club, an all-male group that he joined as a student at Harvard University, his office said yesterday. 'He has decided to be taken off their rolls, believing it is a mistake to continue to be affiliated,' spokeswoman Laura Capps said yesterday. The Massachusetts Democrat made the decision after several days of sharp criticism from conservatives accusing Mr. Kennedy of hypocrisy for grilling Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. over his membership in Concerned Alumni of Princeton (CAP). Judge Alito's '[affiliation with an organization that fought the admission of women into Princeton calls into question his appreciation for the need for full equality in this country,' Kennedy said last week. His own club -- the Owl -- was kicked off the Harvard campus in 1984 because university officials said it violated Title IX of the Education Act of 1972, a Kennedy-championed law against sex-discrimination on college campuses." (01/18/06)

Not only is he a hypocrite, but he doesn't have the courage of his own convictions, either. But then, what can we expect of someone as handicapped as this man?

Jailed killers to be freed one week a month
The Scotsman
MURDERERS and rapists will be allowed out of jail for up to one week a month because of a shortage of modern accommodation in Scotland's prisons.

Oh, Joy! Punishment Lite, no doubt coming to overcrowded jails near you. Compare to last week's idea of hot-bunking and ask which fulfills the purpose of government to protect people more.

SCREWING WAL-MART ROYALLY
CNS News
"Maryland on Thursday passed a law requiring large, private companies doing business in the state to spend at least eight percent of their payroll on employee health benefits. The Fair Share Health Care law is aimed at Wal-Mart. Although the state's Republican governor vetoed the bill earlier this year, the state House and Senate overrode that veto on Thursday, to the delight of labor unions and Wal-Mart foes."

Yeah, it sounds like something out of "Atlas Shrugged" but surely you don't think that an evil entity like Wal-Mart should be allowed to escape the righteous wrath of the people's legislators, do you?

States push tougher DUI breath test laws
CNN
"States are trying to toughen penalties for suspected drunken drivers who refuse to take a breath test, arguing motorists too often get a milder penalty than if they had provided evidence that could convict them. Bills to lengthen license suspensions or make it a criminal offense to refuse a test are pending in five states, including Ohio, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where the percentages of people refusing are among the highest in the nation." (01/19/06)

Creeping legal enforcement, as was often predicted and poo-poohed at the time these laws were passed.

Mama's note: Just remember that the alcohol level now considered "drunk" is so low it is meaningless. DUI should be related to impairment and endangering others on the road. The amount of alcohol needed to reach that state is different for each person. This test just creates more "criminals," a government goal at every level.

Senator can't even give it away
Arizona Republic
"Sen. Conrad Burns is redirecting a $111,000 donation he had given to the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council after members said the money was tainted because it originally came from lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his clients. James Steele Jr., the council's vice chairman, said the organization voted not to accept the donation, which was made up of contributions from Abramoff, his associates and his tribal clients. Julia Doney, president of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council and a member of the tribal leaders council, said Wednesday that some of the tribes are 'tired of being used' and do not want to appear as if they are helping Burns, R-Mont., with his political troubles. Burns' campaign chairman, Mark Baker, said Wednesday that the decision was 'disappointing' and that the senator would attempt to give most of the money to the tribes that originally donated it." (01/19/06)

Burns, like both Dems and GOPers, is trying to turn his Abramoff lemon into vote-getting lemonade, and I am glad to see Fort Belknap and other tribes aren't buying it. Most of the tribes and AmerInd NGOs have shown no pride whatsoever in accepting the sin offerings from the likes of Johnson (D-SD), Thune (R-SD), and others.

Stupid People and Business Tricks
As usual, lots of choice ones this week.

Disney to buy Pixar?
San Francisco Chronicle
"Steve Jobs is in serious talks to sell his Pixar Animation Studios to Walt Disney Co., according to a Wall Street Journal story that quotes unnamed sources. However, a deal is not certain, and a new distribution arrangement could also be reached instead of a sale, the sources said. For years, Pixar has partnered with Disney to distribute its films, although that arrangement is coming to an end, and speculation has been rampant about whether the two firms would extend their collaboration. If the deal were to go through at Pixar's current market value of $6.7 billion, the stock transaction would make Jobs Disney's largest shareholder and probably give him a seat on the media giant's board of directors, the Journal reported." (01/19/06)

Ironic, since Pixar was originally established to provide some competition to Disney in the feature-length animated film genre. It shows that the consolidation of the entertainment industry is continuing. Who will lose? As usual, families and those who do not subscribe to the "Hollywood" world view.

Lengthy sentences for chili finger couple
San Francisco Chronicle
"The Las Vegas couple who admitted planting a severed finger in a bowl of chili at a San Jose Wendy's in an attempt to extort money from the company were given lengthy prison sentences this morning by a Santa Clara County judge who said they were overtaken by greed and avarice. Judge Edward Davila gave a nine-year sentence to 40-year-old Anna Ayala, who initially alleged she had found the fingertip in a bowl of chili last March 22. Her husband, Jaime Placencia, 44, received a 12-year, four-month sentence for his role in the attempted scam, which included buying the finger from co-worker Brian Paul Rossiter, who had lost it when it got stuck in a truck hoist. Davila also ordered the couple to pay $21.2 million in restitution to Wendy's International, nearly $500,000 to JEM Management, which owns the Monterey Road Wendy's where the incident occurred and seven other Bay Area Wendy's, and $170,605 to Wendy's employees for lost wages." (01/18/06)

For once, justice is served, but I know that Wendy's, JEM, and the employees won't see a cent of these restitution charges.

Reports: Plot to kidnap Blair's son
CBS News
"A fathers' rights group said Wednesday that police had warned members they could be shot if they tried to breach security at Tony Blair's office, amid fears of a plot to kidnap the prime minister's 5-year-old son. A report in The Sun newspaper Wednesday claimed that extremist sympathizers of the Fathers 4 Justice group were hatching a plan to snatch Leo Blair and hold him for a short period, to highlight the misery of fathers denied access to their children. ... Nobody has been arrested in connection with the alleged plot. According to the newspaper, police foiled the plan at an early stage, and it was unclear whether the activists had even carried out reconnaissance of Downing Street. Fathers 4 Justice has a history of breaching security at the heart of the British government, in its campaign for better rights for fathers denied access to their children." (01/18/06)

This supposed plot has apparently served its purpose: the "Fathers 4 Justice" group has disbanded. A useful voice in a big debate has been silenced.

Gore assails Bush spy plot
Cincinnati Enquirer
"Former Vice President Al Gore called Monday for an independent investigation of President Bush's domestic spying program, contending the president 'repeatedly and insistently' broke the law by eavesdropping on Americans without court approval. Speaking on Martin Luther King Jr.'s national holiday, the man who lost the 2000 presidential election to Bush was interrupted repeatedly by applause as he called the anti-terrorism program 'a threat to the very structure of our government.'" (01/16/06)

This continues to strike me as sour grapes: he would be singing a very different tune if he were in office or if it were Kerry or a Clinton in power. I just can't accept anything he does as serious.

Canada: US soldiers tour, seeking asylum
Montreal Gazette [Quebec]
"One year ago, U.S. soldiers Darrell Anderson and Patrick Hart fled to Canada rather than face deployment to Iraq. Now, the pair are engaged in a much different tour of duty: crisscrossing Canada to win sympathy from the public and refugee status from the government. Anderson and Hart spoke at Concordia University last night in an event to raise awareness and support for themselves and other deserters seeking asylum. ... About 20 declared U.S. deserters have come to Canada in the last couple of years, and most have applied for refugee status, event organizers said." (01/17/06)

A very vocal, very VERY tiny minority that hope to make a big difference.

In goth we trust...
Ananova [UK]
"A Goth vicar is running services at his church featuring music from the likes of the Sisters of Mercy instead of hymns. Rev Marcus Ramshaw, 34, who is a Goth himself, is behind the special services at St. Edward King and Martyr Church in Cambridge. The candlelit Goth Eucharist services feature a specially written liturgy and music from bands like Depeche Mode, Joy Division and the Sisters of Mercy." (01/19/06)

Another example of how organized religion is decaying right before our eyes. Yes, I know people will claim that this is simply making the services acceptable to another marginalized group in society, but it is showing that accommodation is more important than truth, morals, or faithfulness.

Spying and Related Matters
Again this week I have this in a separate section, but it is clearly related to the 2006 Campaign stories and events above.

Cheney says domestic surveillance vital
Cincinnati Enquirer
"Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday defended the Bush administration's domestic surveillance program, saying it is an essential tool in monitoring al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations. But Cheney stressed that the program was limited and conducted in a way that safeguarded civil liberties. ... Four Democrats, in a letter to the vice president, asked that the administration consult with all members of the House and Senate intelligence committees on the program." (01/19/06)

Already the Democrats are compromising on this issue, as the VP continues to push the Administration theme that "'tain't nothing, really."

Indianapolis residents deemed 'suspicious' could be monitored
WISH TV
"Public officials want to create an "intelligence fusion center" to collect data on suspicious Indiana residents. Senator Thomas Wyss of Fort Wayne is sponsoring Senate Bill 247. It would allow a center to collect intelligence information on an individual if the person "reasonably" appears to have knowledge of terrorist or criminal activities. The center would be in the state government complex. Under the governor's direction, law enforcement officers across Indiana would work together and share information. State Homeland Security Director Eric Dietz said the center would be funded through federal grants. Under the bill, the Department of Correction would be able to read inmates' mail. " (01/18/06)

This shows why I say that people just don't care about the Bush administration spying; not if state officials are proposing things like this. Of course, this IS Indiana, where during the War Between the States, the Republican governor arrested and dismissed the legislature for two years, ruling as a warlord, with the full approval of the FedGov.

Specter: Bush has no "blank check" to spy
Chicago Tribune
"The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sunday reiterated his reservations about President Bush's legal authority to order domestic spying, noting that Congress had not given Bush a 'blank check' for warrantless eavesdropping. But Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said he is prepared to listen to the administration's case during the congressional hearings he intends to convene next month. If the hearings determine that the president broke the law, 'the remedy could be a variety of things,' including impeachment or criminal prosecution, 'but the principal remedy ... under our society is to pay a political price,' Specter told ABC's 'This Week.'" (01/16/06)

He talks a good line, but I don't expect anything to change.

Groups sue to break Bush spy ring
Detroit Free Press
"Two lawsuits were filed Tuesday in federal court that seek to end President Bush's electronic eavesdropping program, saying it is illegal and exceeds his constitutional powers. The lawsuits -- one filed in New York by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the other in Detroit by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups -- say the program bypasses safeguards in a 1978 law requiring court approval of electronic monitoring." (01/17/06)

So why did it take these groups so long? And why hasn't anyone else brought up this 1978 law? Nobody really seems to care what spying is done, as long as they can groan about it.

Cheney says domestic surveillance vital
Myrtle Beach Online
"Vice President Dick Cheney offered a robust defense of the Bush administration's domestic surveillance program Thursday, calling it an essential tool in monitoring the activities of al-Qaida and associated terrorist organizations. But he stressed the program was limited in scope and had been conducted in a way that safeguarded civil liberties. In a luncheon speech at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative public policy think tank, Cheney warned that the United States still faced significant threats from a network of terrorists intent on establishing a radical Islamic empire throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East." (01/19/06)

As with the Justice Department (next article) Cheney is playing the Administration's tune. But Cheney is wrong in several ways: liberties are NOT being safeguarded, the spying is NOT essential to our defending ourselves against Islamicists, AND the "radical Islamic empire" is NOT just in the Old World, but clearly aims for the entire planet.

Justice Department to claim warrantless wiretaps legal
Raw Story
"In a detailed 42-page legal memorandum set for release this evening the Bush Justice Department will defend the President's warrantless wiretap program as legal. A copy of the document was leaked to RAW STORY. "The NSA activities are supported by the President's well-recognized inherent constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and sole organ for the Nation in foreign affairs to conduct warrantless surveillance of enemy forces for intelligence purposes to detect and disrupt armed attacks on the United States," Justice Department lawyers write, referring to the President's order to wiretap Americans' calls overseas. It adds, "The President has the chief responsibility under the Constitution to protect America from attack, and the Constitution gives the President the authority necessary to fulfill that solemn responsibility.'" (01/19/06)

This seems nothing but an inappropriate (and unacceptable) analogy but don't be surprised if the Demos in Congress buy it so that Hillary (or whomever) can use it later.

Technology and Medical Issues
Just a few stories this week:

FDA unveils new prescription drug inserts
USA Today
"A major makeover is coming for the little written inserts that accompany prescription drugs. The new versions are supposed to play up information that's useful to pharmacists and patients while paring down the small-print legal disclaimers. Confusing medical information is behind many of the estimated 300,000 preventable cases of death or injury that occur each year in the nation's hospitals, Surgeon General Richard Carmona said Wednesday in introducing the new drug labeling rules." (01/18/06)

I don't know many people who even bother with these, preferring to go directly to better reference materials. I always assumed that the medical professionals in hospitals did, as well.

Mama's Note: What a sick joke. Nurses and doctors in hospitals do NOT use the inserts (they are not provided to us anyway) and they do not get the printed materials given by pharmacies to home patients. Nurses and doctors are expected to KNOW about the medications they administer, or look them up in an appropriate reference book. They also can call the pharmacy for information if they are unsure. Far too often they just don't have the time!

Unfortunately, the information given to patients by pharmacies isn't very useful anyway. The "side effects" listed contain everything reported by the test groups and often have nothing to do with actual effects of the medication. The bogus information can, and often does, frighten people into refusing to take the pills at all. Sometimes that's good, but other times it can lead to further illness and even death.

Patients need to talk to the pharmacist about any medication they don't understand. The pharmacist usually knows more about it than the doctor does, and is far more willing to discuss it. Forget the stupid printout and talk to the pharmacist! Be sure he or she knows all of the medicines and supplements/ herbs you take. It can make a big difference.

U.K. cops look into face-recognition tech
CNet
"The U.K.'s police force is investigating how to incorporate facial-recognition software into a new national mugshot database so it can track down criminals faster. The Police Information Technology Organization is already working on a Facial Images National Database (FIND) project to deliver a national mugshot database for law enforcement agencies in England, Scotland and Wales. It aims to create a database of stills and videos of facial images, marks, scars and tattoos that'll be linked to criminals' details on the Police National Computer. The first FIND pilot is planned for the first quarter of this year, with police forces in the north of England. Now the IT agency wants to look at the business case for the national introduction of face-recognition technology by police forces." (01/17/06)

I suspect that virtually all of this software is amazingly easy to spoof, and has significant problems with false-positives. But coupled with the increased use of satellite and GPS surveillance and the vast presence of spy-cameras in the UK, this is an indication of how totalitarian the UK police and Home Office has become.

Mama's Note: Take a look at the review for "Out Of The Gray Zone," then read the book for a terrific story about a possible future (very near future) when this kind of thing will be common. The story shows how people adapt to foil such things faster than they can be implemented.

Pluto probe's plutonium fuel draws protesters
Fox News
"More than eight years ago, hundreds of protesters chanted antinuclear slogans before NASA launched a spacecraft to Saturn carrying 72 pounds of plutonium fuel. The noise before this week's launch of a craft with a similar payload has been more muted. Only 30 antinuclear protesters showed up recently to oppose a plutonium-fueled mission to Pluto. The most raucous it got was when protesters tied colorful origami birds to the fence of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. 'Folks tend to forget,' said protest organizer Maria Telesca of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space." (01/16/06)

My oh my, I suppose they'll be protesting nuclear fusion in the sun next.

Computer programs that react to speech gain real-world use
Boston Globe
"The man on the other end of the phone was angry -- very angry. A senior citizen, he had just received a bill for medical insurance that included a sizable increase in his monthly premium. He dialed up WPS Health Insurance and gave one of the telephone operators a piece of his mind. But the call center employee was not the only one listening. The outraged customer was also speaking to a powerful computer that analyzed his words and his tone of voice. A vocabulary database identified each insult, while an emotion detector sampled his rage. A couple of minutes into the call, the computer came to a decision. If WPS wanted to hang onto this customer, he had better be connected to a supervisor -- and fast." (01/16/06)

This example is good, but the other side of the coin is that the computer could decide that the customer was a threat and call the police to go and arrest the caller for "terrorist threats" as is done in classrooms today.

Mama's Note: I sure hope a lot of businesses (dream on if you think government is going to bother) will take this to heart and start using it. The "automated" answering insanity we must deal with almost daily certainly doesn't win very many good customers if you can't talk to a person. I've noticed that several now give an option for a real person, either by voice or pushing a button. Some of them have you leave your name and phone number on a recording. So far, all of them have called me back very promptly. Sure beats waiting "on hold."

I've changed banks, insurance companies and so forth for no other reason than that I could not talk to a person on the phone. Maybe they are starting to get the message.

Report slams USDA biotech experiments
CNN
"In a report released quietly just before Christmas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's investigative arm disclosed that the department failed to properly monitor thousands of acres of experimental biotechnology crops. The report by the department's inspector general said USDA didn't thoroughly evaluate applications to grow experimental crops and then didn't ensure the genetically engineered plants were destroyed after experiments." (01/17/06)

"Quietly" apparently means that they didn't schedule a press conference and have a full-fledged dog and pony show with officials properly beating their breasts over it. In other words, the reporters had to WORK to find out what this report meant, instead of having it spoon-fed to them. Just because a plant is a genie doesn't mean it has to be destroyed; after all, the crops aren't grown under glass!

Mama's Note: Just as with the global warming/cooling/etc. nonsense, there is no scientific proof of ANY harm or danger in any genetically modified food. Genetic modification is simply taking a shortcut to the same kind of modification that farmers have been working toward since the dawn of recorded history. There are abuses of this possible, of course, with some really bizarre results, but none have proven harmful so far and pose no threat whatsoever to the world's food supply. Indeed, modifications are necessary to help produce enough food to feed the world's growing population. An attempt to return to so-called "organic farming" worldwide would guarantee the starvation of millions of people. Read this for some sobering information about the myths and lies about "organic farming."

World Wars and News
This week, we see "hope" touted in Africa, but messes everywhere.

Liberia: Leader sworn in, stresses rebuilding
Washington Times
"Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female head of state, was sworn in yesterday and promised to make a break with Liberia's violent past and rebuild the war-ravaged nation. 'It is time for us, regardless of our political affiliations or persuasions, to come together, to heal and rebuild our nation,' Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf, 67, said in her presidential inaugural speech. The inauguration was witnessed by dignitaries from around the world, including first lady Laura Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the presidents of Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, Sierra Leone and Senegal. Also on hand were representatives of China, Egypt, France and Finland." (01/17/06)

It may be "brave new order" time, but don't expect Liberia to overcome nearly two centuries of evil just because a woman is "in charge."

Nigeria: Attacks threaten oil flow
The Age [Australia]
"Ethnic militants have stormed a Nigerian oil platform, killing several people as a three-week spate of attacks hits output by the world's eighth-largest oil exporter. ... A diplomat said recent attacks and kidnappings targeting Nigeria's oil industry appeared to be coordinated by a group that has demanded more oil revenue for the Niger delta and the release of two ethnic Ijaw leaders. It has threatened to halt Nigeria's 2.4 million barrels a day of oil exports. A previously unknown group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, said in a message to Reuters on Sunday that it had 5000 active fighters." (01/16/06)

The chaos of Nigeria, where Islamist aggression has been expanding for decades, is seldom in the news, fifty years after the horrors of the Biafran War for Independence.

Pakistan: Ruling party demands US apology
Detroit Free Press
"Pakistan's ruling party on Monday demanded an apology for an alleged CIA airstrike that killed at least 17 people, but the country's prime minister said his trip to the United States this week would go ahead as planned. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q on Monday condemned the alleged U.S. airstrike on a village near the Afghan border, which intelligence officials have said targeted al-Qaida's No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahri." (01/16/06)

This appears to be eyewash, on the face of it - since it is in Pakistan's best interest to cooperate in getting rid of as many Pashtun and Al Qaida types (that aren't working for Pakistan) as possible. Of course, maybe these WERE working for Islamabad.

Bin Laden tape won't raise security level
Detroit Free Press
"The United States has no plans to raise the security threat level because of a new tape of Osama bin Laden saying al-Qaida is planning attacks, counterterrorism officials said Thursday. The White House firmly rejected bin Laden's suggestion of a negotiated truce. 'We don't negotiate with terrorists,' Vice President Dick Cheney said in a television interview." (01/19/06)

Getting blasé, are we? And heaven forbid that we even bother to talk to them. We even talked with Soviets, National Socialists, and Japanese Imperialists, all of which were as much terrorists as this gang, but not any more.

U.S. Army raises maximum age for enlistment
Reuters
"The U.S. Army, which missed its fiscal 2005 recruiting goal, said on Wednesday it has raised the maximum enlistment age for new soldiers by five years to 39, greatly expanding its pool of potential recruits. Army officials said the move did not reflect desperation to reverse recruiting shortfalls, noting the Army had achieved seven straight monthly recruiting goals despite coming up 7,000 short of last year's target of 80,000 recruits. The Army has blamed recruiting shortfalls in part on reluctance by some potential recruits to serve in the Iraq war. Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, an Army spokesman, said older recruits must meet the same physical standards as the younger ones and attend the same basic training. The new age ceiling applies to recruits without prior military service." (01/19/06)

While there is clearly a need for more recruits, this is an issue that has been debated for quite some time and considered for implementation for years. It is based in large part on the improved health care and potential physical condition of older adults, as well as the poorer actual physical condition of many "prime-age" recruits (fresh from high school or college).

US plans to shift diplomats to developing countries
Boston Globe
"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced yesterday that she plans to dramatically restructure the US diplomatic presence around the world, redeploying hundreds of diplomats from Europe and Washington to developing countries including China, India, Lebanon, and Nigeria over the next five years. Rice said the State Department would make a 'down payment' on the new strategy by moving 100 diplomats this year to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East as a first step toward achieving her larger vision of a State Department that is able to meet the needs of the 21st century. Rice's speech was part of an effort this week to unveil her strategy for 'transformational diplomacy,' creating a new kind of diplomatic corps that can do hands-on work with foreign citizens -- as they are doing now in Iraq and Afghanistan -- to help transform developing countries into democracies and to fight terrorism. Rice portrayed the changes as a move away from the outdated vestiges of the Cold War." (01/19/06)

This really does make sense. We don't need the kind of official presence in the UK or Ireland or even Poland or Greece that we might need in Zambia or India today, as ties of commerce and travel expand. At the same time, how many of these countries will view these new diplomats as just proconsular staff to extend American power to their interiors?

Mama's Note: The devil is in the detail: "to help transform developing countries into democracies and to fight terrorism." What we do NOT need to do is expand US meddling in the affairs of other countries, especially to spread the deadly disease of "democracy!" Terrorism will best be fought by minding our own business, trading freely with all, and being prepared to defend ourselves as individuals and communities. The "diplomatic corps" has been a spy organization, for the most part, since the dawn of history. We sure don't need more of them.

Social Unrest In China On The Rise
SpaceWar.Com
Beijing (AFP) Jan 19, 2006 - The number of "public order disturbances" in China rose by 6.6 percent to 87,000 last year, the government said Thursday, providing further evidence of the nation's growing social unrest.

This is starting to seriously impact on the "China Miracle" and reports from various observers indicate that China may be more short-lived (under its current regime) than even the European Union. The social unrest is largely caused by the bizarre warlord-capitalism being practiced in China: a mix of Maoism, traditional Chinese government, and perverted capitalism in which rapacious bankers and "entrepreneurs" (actually neo-warlords) are running wild. Peking (excuse me, Beijing) is being increasingly ignored by its local governors and military commanders.