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April
10, 2006
Libertarian
Commentary on the News, 2 April to 8 April 2006
My warmest wishes to Mama Liberty for her new home. It is beautiful, and
located just outside a wonderful town that she (and others) will begin
to turn into Hardyville (actually, she's already started) and make it
a key part of the Free State
Wyoming project.
On to the
news, and the comments.
NYU
on Mohammed Cartoons: Discuss, but Don't Look
CNSNews.com
New York University administrators on March 29 banned the display of
cartoons satirizing the Muslim prophet Mohammed, but they did so during
a forum held to discuss the controversy over the cartoons. The president
of a free speech advocacy group calls the decision to censor the cartoons
"one of the most frustrating" arguments he has ever heard...
Gee, what
do you think? On top of the Borders/Waldenbooks chickening-out episode,
I start to wonder just how many people might imitate the French and urge
surrender if, for instance, Pakistan gave nukes to Iran and they showed
up in a military shipping container at some Chinese-run port, like in
the LA area?
AZ:
Duo arrested for aiding immigrants
Boston Globe
"On this scorching day -- in the hottest July in local history
-- Hidalgo-Solis seemed doomed to be among hundreds who died trying to
enter the United States from Mexico last year. He collapsed in a ditch.
He and two others among the 10 immigrants could go no farther. Then, from
nowhere, a truck appeared. On its side, in big letters, was the word 'Samaritan.'
Inside were members of a faith-based group called No More Deaths, offering
water, food and a ride to a doctor. They took the three to a makeshift
camp, and then set out for a church where a doctor and a nurse would meet
them. ... Strauss looked back and saw that they were being followed by
a Border Patrol vehicle. The officers trailed them for maybe 13 miles
before pulling them over; they stopped, shutting down their engine and
letting the heat outside creep in. ... the officer poked his head into
the car and asked the passengers: 'Do you guys speak English?' No one
answered. 'The officer turned to us and said, 'Those guys are illegal
and you know it!'' Two more Border Patrol vehicles arrived. They arrested
Hidalgo-Solis and his companions. But they also arrested Strauss and Sellz.
' Are you really arresting me?' Sellz recalls asking, in amazement. 'I
know you guys are good people but what you're doing is illegal,' she was
told." (04/01/06)
If the
US were to become serious about limited "illegal" immigration,
this would not even be news because it would be so common. What I find
interesting is that the bill now in Congress was supposed to make this
kind of help illegal (remember Hillary's complaint) - but the truth is,
this kind of help is already illegal. But never let the truth distract
a politician from a good line.
Two
GOP Congressmen Win Anti-War Group's Approval
CNSNews.com
It is no surprise that 66 members of Congress and the only independent
- U.S. Rep. Bernard Sanders of Vermont - were given high marks in an antiwar
group's congressional voting scorecard Monday. What is surprising is that
two Republicans also won praise. North Carolina Rep. Walter Jones and
Texas Rep. Ron Paul landed on the "honorable mentions" list.
Both representatives voted to reduce military aid to Colombia, develop
timetables for withdrawing troops from Iraq, prohibit torture, and restrict
the Bush administration's ability to initiate military action against
hostile nations. Paul also voted against an $82 billion emergency supplemental
appropriations bill in 2005.
I know
almost nothing about Jones, but Ron Paul is the exception that proves
the rule when it comes to LINO-R type folks, and this is just one example
of that.
Supreme
Court rebuffs Padilla appeal
USA Today
"The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a lower court's decision
that said the president could order a U.S. citizen who was arrested in
this country for suspected ties to terrorism to be held indefinitely without
charges and trial. The justices voted 6-3 to spurn an appeal by Jose Padilla,
a former Chicago gang member with alleged ties to al-Qaeda who was held
in a military brig as an uncharged 'enemy combatant' for 3 1/2 years.
The decision set no legal precedent." (04/03/06)
Certainly
I cannot understand how anyone reading the Constitution can come to this
conclusion. Yes, I know the Constitution is not a "suicide pact"
but forcing the government to file charges of some type in 42 months is
hardly a threat to the Republic.
Watchdog
laments FBI-Coast Guard tension
MSNBC
"Squabbling between the Coast Guard and the FBI could lead to
confused and potentially disastrous responses to terrorism incidents at
sea, a government investigator said Monday. Disagreements over the roles
the two agencies should take in responding to a maritime terrorism threat
or attack come as intelligence analysts continue to believe that al-Qaida
and other terrorist groups are likely to launch attacks on ports, warships,
cruise ships or ferries, said Justice Department Inspector General Glenn
A. Fine." (04/03/06)
Let's see,
we have the Border Patrol and the Minutemen; the FBI and the Coast Guard
- bureaucratic squabbles that make problems for them worse - and come
back rather quickly to haunt us. One possible solution to both problems
would be to merge the Border Patrol INTO the Coast Guard, and then have
the Coast Guard take over all intelligence functions related to border
and coast security. Although a uniformed force, the USCG has always, except
in time of all-out war, not been part of the military chain of command,
and yet has the better discipline and relatively less internal bureaucratic
fusses
AZ:
"Minutemen," border patrol feud
Mohave Daily News
"A U.S. Border Patrol spokesman said Monday he had not seen a
single report of any sightings of illegal immigrants by the Minuteman
border watch group, which began a monthlong operation in Arizona on Saturday.
'I have not seen one single report -- no reportable event as far as the
Minutemen are concerned,' said Johnny Bernal, a spokesman for the patrol's
Tucson sector, which encompasses most of the Arizona-Mexico border. But
Chris Simcox, national leader of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, called
that 'an absolute, blatant lie.' He contended that Minuteman volunteers
had called in sightings of 262 people to the Border Patrol's Tucson sector
between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning -- including 85 seen from
an airplane." (04/04/06)
Apparently,
from the administration's point of view, the fix is in.
Moussaoui
defiant after jury's verdict
Indianapolis Star
"A federal jury found al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui
eligible Monday to be executed, linking him directly to the horrific Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks and concluding that his lies to FBI agents
led to at least one death on that day. A defiant Moussaoui said, 'You'll
never get my blood, God curse you all.' After months of hearings and trial
testimony -- punctuated by Moussaoui's occasional outbursts -- he now
faces a second phase of the sentencing trial to determine if he actually
will be put to death." (04/03/06)
I wonder
if he is trying to establish an insanity defense against being executed?
The reports show a man who is indeed unstable and teetering on the edge
of madness. His action is not consistent either with fanatic faith or
with blind hatred, although elements of both are present.
A 'chasm'
in Congress deepens over immigration
Boston Globe
"The congressional fight over the status of 11 million undocumented
immigrants flared into even greater uncertainty yesterday, with a leading
Democrat saying there is a 'chasm' between the House and Senate, and Republicans
clashing over whether to embrace President Bush's approach on the issue.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, striving to repair the
split in the Republican Party, said he wants the Senate to vote by Friday
on a revised version of the proposal that has passed the Senate Judiciary
Committee. The committee's bill would enable undocumented immigrants to
try to earn legal status after meeting several requirements, including
payment of back taxes." (04/03/06)
12? 15?
20? It isn't just a chasm between the two houses, but between perception
and reality. And as is so often the case these days, the "solution"
proposed by BOTH Congress and the Executive Branch is completely divorced
from reality.
Frist
wants immigration vote this week
Cincinnati Enquirer
"Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday he wants a full
Senate vote on an immigration bill this week and believes that urgent
action is needed despite sharp divisions over whether proposed legislation
would amount to amnesty. 'There are 3 million people every year coming
across our borders illegally. We don't know who they are; we don't know
what their intentions are. We absolutely must address it,' said Frist,
R-Tenn. 'I hope by Friday that we will have a bill on the floor that is
comprehensive.'" (04/02/06)
Of course,
he didn't get it, and while he and Bush may blame Reid and the Dems, the
continued failure of GOP congresscritturs to find their way out of a ripped
open paper bag is as much to blame as anything.
CO:
DIA security roughed-up mom, 83
Rocky Mountain News
"Sally Moon had to cool off for the better part of this week before
she could see straight enough to write a complaint about a security agent's
treatment of her elderly mother at Denver International Airport. ... Anyone
could see that Bernice 'Bea' Bogart, 83, was a fragile woman, Moon said.
Bogart had breast cancer surgery in 1997, a total hip replacement after
a fall in 1999, a major stroke in 2004 that caused dementia, and is hard
of hearing. ... Bogart was holding an orthopedic card saying that she
had a metal plate in her hip. Having been assured that Frontier and the
TSA staff would not require Bogart to leave her wheelchair, Moon turned
her back to put her mother's bags through the X-ray screener. Moon said
she was horrified when she turned around moments later to discover that
her mother had been selected for additional screening and was out of her
wheelchair and hobbling through a large glass- walled corridor. 'There
were no grab bars,' Moon said. 'What I could see really was her fingers
trying to hang onto a little ledge.' Fearing another hip-shattering fall,
Moon instinctively reached out for her mother. 'Don't touch her!' Moon
says the screener barked. As the elderly woman shuffled along, Moon said
she continued to tell the screener that her mother was not to stand without
her four-wheeled walker. 'You'd better change your attitude,' Moon recalls
the screener saying. 'Or do you want me to make it so you don't fly today?'"
[editor's note: Is it TIME yet? - MLS] (03/30/06)
One more
case - but this one has gotten surprisingly good coverage. Perhaps the
growing discontent of many people with the Bush administration (at least
by people never really happy with Bush to begin with) is making this sort
of incident more "newsworthy" But incidents like this happen
daily across the nation in airports, courthouses, and federal office buildings.
It is time to end these farcical efforts at "security."
MI:
Judge rules video game ban unconstitutional
Fox News
"A federal judge has ruled that a state law that bars retailers
from selling or renting violent video games to minors is unconstitutional.
... Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed the law in September, and it was scheduled
to take effect Dec. 1. But U.S. District Judge George Steeh issued a preliminary
injunction in November, preventing the law from taking effect. Steeh's
ruling Friday made the injunction permanent. 'Video games contain creative,
expressive free speech, inseparable from their interactive functional
elements, and are therefore protected by the First Amendment,' Steeh said
in his ruling." (04/04/06)
So even
minors can't be protected from free speech? At least not by retailers
- schools are of course another thing.
In
Enron trial, a novel, even brash, defense
Christian Science Monitor
"Defense lawyers for Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling said two
months ago they would prove not only that the top executives did not know
about any wrongdoing at Enron, but that there was no wrongdoing, save
for the actions of a few bad apples. Monday in a federal courthouse here
they'll begin to try to build their case for that bold assertion -- one
never before used as a defense in a corporate corruption trial. The 'there
was no evil' defense is a high-risk strategy, but it may be born of necessity,
court watchers say. In other recent trials involving allegations of corner-office
malfeasance, the usual argument -- that corruption existed but that corporate
leaders were ignorant of it -- often didn't fly." (04/03/06)
Are we
seeing the beginning of a relation to the Martha Stewart and other show
trials of recent years? I hope so. Not that I think a cowed federal jury
can make the right decision. But you never know.
Mama's
Note: Not that these "laws" are all legitimate, but it would
be very interesting if people began to insist that politicians be held
to the same standards as business leaders. Wouldn't the fur fly then?
The double standard is truly nauseating and it's hard to understand why
so many people simply can't see what's going on.
MI:
Terror prosecutor indicted
Detroit News
"Richard G. Convertino, the one-time federal prosecutor who won
two convictions in the nation's first terror trial after September 11,
was formally indicted Wednesday on charges that he built that case on
perjury and deception. The four-count indictment alleges Convertino and
Harry Raymond Smith III, a State Department security officer in Amman,
Jordan, concealed photographs and lied under oath about a hospital in
that country that was supposedly a terrorist target. The pictures could
have helped the defense attorneys, authorities say." (03/30/06)
One prayer
that can never be asked too much is, "Lord protect us from those
who claim to be our protectors." This is a case in point.
Iraq:
8 US Marines, sailor among 40 dead
Daily Times [Pakistan]
"Eight US marines and a sailor were among at least 35 people killed
in the war [sic]-ravaged Iraq on Monday. The US Marines and sailor were
killed in action on Sunday in Iraq's western Anbar province, the US military
said on Monday. A military statement gave no further details. Five US
Marines were killed in western Iraq on Sunday when their seven-tonne truck
rolled over in a flash flood, the military said on Monday. ... A car bomb
killed at least 10 people near a Shia mosque in Baghdad on Monday, Interior
Ministry sources said. ... In Basra, six members of the Al Saadun family
were murdered in broad daylight in the middle of the city's main market
place. ... In Baghdad, gunmen burst into a Shia home late on Sunday and
killed four people, including three women ..." (04/04/06)
Again,
the casualties of the occupation forces seem to be incidental to the bloodletting
on sectarian grounds. Remember the Troubles in Northern Ireland? Celts
seem downright peaceful folks by comparison.
Mama's
Note: How in the world did a sailor get caught up in all this?
Iraq:
50+ Iraqis, 6 US troops killed in latest fighting
Concord Monitor
"At least 50 people were killed in Iraq yesterday in a catalog
of violence that that included a mortar attack, military firefights, roadside
bombs and other explosions. In addition, the U.S. military reported the
deaths of six soldiers and airmen yesterday, including two who were killed
when their helicopter apparently was shot down southwest of Baghdad. The
U.S. Military said in a statement that it had recovered the remains of
two pilots of a U.S. AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter that went down during
a combat air patrol southwest of Baghdad at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. ... In
the single deadliest incident, at least nine people, including three women
and two children, were killed in a mortar barrage on the south Baghdad
neighborhood of Dora ..." (04/03/06)
Downing
of the helicopter seems to be bucking the trend of more and more civilian
blood let, and you wonder if the aircraft happened to be in the way of
something else. (Of course, one could say that any US aircraft is in the
wrong place at the wrong time as they seek to restore domestic tranquility
in some other nation.)
Report:
Zarqawi "replaced" as Iraq leader
Daily Star [Lebanon]
"Iraq's resistance has replaced Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
as political head of the rebels, confining him to a military role, the
son of Osama bin Laden's mentor said Sunday in Jordan. 'The Iraqi resistance's
high command asked Zarqawi to give up his political role and replaced
him with an Iraqi, because of several mistakes he made,' said Hudayf Azzam,
who claims close contacts with the rebels. 'Zarqawi's role has been limited
to military action,' said Azzam, whose late father Abdullah Azzam was
bin Laden's mentor." (04/03/06)
Punishment
or just recognition that the job is too big for one person to handle?
Iraq:
Judge to file new charges against Saddam
Indianapolis Star
"An investigative judge will file new criminal charges against Saddam
Hussein in the next few days charging him in the deaths and deportation
of thousands of Kurds in the 1980s, a government prosecutor said Sunday.
Chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi said the new charges would involve
Saddam's alleged role in 'Operation Anfal,' which included the 1988 gassing
of about 5,000 Kurdish civilians in the village of Halabja." (04/02/06)
What a
farce - once more reminding us that Islamic (or Arab) justice is something
out of the dark ages: an "investigative judge" which files charges.
Not that these might not be valid - the butcher of Baghdad is a thoroughly
nasty character. (Which may be why so many of his former Arab subjects
and allies love him so.)
Rice
presses Iraqis to form government
Detroit Free Press
"Frustrated by Iraq's failure to form a government, the chief
U.S. and British diplomats told squabbling leaders on Sunday that it is
time to pick a governing coalition. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
was careful to say the U.S. did not want to interfere in the democratic
process, yet harped on Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's failure to
organize a unity government." (04/02/06)
Although
I'm sure I'll be in the minority, urging speed in getting your act together
is hardly "interfering."
Mama's
Note: She can "urge" all she wants, but it is insane to think
that anyone in that culture will take her seriously for one moment. People
who cheerfully murder women over their sick idea of "honor"
are not apt to listen to her advise, no matter what she says.
Iraq:
Neighborhood militias form
Los Angeles Times
"When the 'black shirts' come back, the neighbors of the mosque
will be ready to fight. The Sunni Arab men of the district have posted
plainclothes spies on the corners to look out for suspicious strangers.
They keep their cellphones close at hand, waiting for the ring that will
call them to arms. When it comes, the men will pour from the surrounding
homes, guns blazing. Faced with the growth of Shiite militias such as
the black-shirted Al Mahdi army and deadly abuses by the Shiite-dominated
police forces, Sunnis in mixed-sect neighborhoods and cities throughout
Iraq are stashing guns in their mosques and knitting themselves into militias
of their own." (04/01/06)
One of
the few good things to be reported out of Iraq: voluntary cooperation-
not to attack and kill, but simply to defend. However, although this story
gives the impression it is only Sunnis doing this, people of ALL faiths
in Iraq seem to be more and more willing to do so, and NOT trust in government
forces, either local or coalition, to protect them.
Mama's
Note: Unfortunately, the US and what passes for "government"
in Iraq may take this as an excuse to begin the systematic disarming of
the people. I don't expect they'll get very far with it, but it could
add a whole new dimension of conflict and destruction.
Israel
bombards "Palestinian Authority" compound
BBC News [UK]
"Israeli aircraft have fired missiles into the Palestinian Authority's
Gaza City compound, near to the offices of President Mahmoud Abbas. The
two missile attacks wounded two Palestinians and left deep craters on
a landing strip close to the Palestinian Authority offices. Mr. Abbas
was reportedly at his offices in the West Bank at the time. The Israel
military confirmed the attack, but said it was targeting militants who
fire rockets into Israel." (04/04/06)
Sounds
like warning shots to me: "We have your range and coordinates - isn't
peace a good idea?"
Iran
tests second new torpedo in Gulf
Detroit Free Press
"Iran successfully tested its second new torpedo in as many days
Monday, the latest weapon to be unveiled during war games in the Gulf
that the military said are aimed at preparing the country's defenses against
the United States. A spokesman for the elite Revolutionary Guards suggested
the new, Iranian-made torpedo was more powerful and capable of going deeper
than others in its arsenal." (04/03/06)
Is this
one of the reasons for fuel prices taking big jumps this week? Unlike
most navies, the primary target of Iranian torpedoes might be seen more
as tankers than combatants. Oddly enough, several "exemplary members"
of the mainstream media reported this as a "missile test" -
once more reminding us of how much we should trust the press.
DeLay
announces resignation from Congress
Fort Bend Now
"In an 'address to the constituents of the 22nd District of Texas,'
conservative Sugar Land icon Tom Delay confirmed Tuesday the widespread
reports of the night before, and said he intends to resign from Congress.
... 'today, I am announcing my intention to resign my seat in the House.
I will make that resignation effective sometime before mid-June, but largely
dependent on the congressional calendar.' ... DeLay's decision to quit
the race comes just three days after his former deputy chief of staff,
Tony Rudy, pleaded guilty to a federal count of conspiracy related to
a Justice Department investigation into dealings by disgraced Washington
lobbyist Jack Abramoff probe. ... Indictments returned against him in
Travis County last fall, on conspiracy and money laundering charges, forced
Delay to give up his title as House majority leader." (04/04/06)
Another
example of GOP congressional weakness - but no different (despite what
some claim) from the weaknesses evident since they gained a "majority"
in the 1994 elections and continued to behave as a weak minority party.
For Delay personally, it is hard to tell whether this is weakness (he's
got to be tired of the whole business) or wisdom.
Feingold
divides Democrats, pollster says
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
"How do Russ Feingold, Hillary Clinton, Mark Warner and other
would-be presidential candidates resonate with Democratic voters in the
early battleground states of Iowa and New Hampshire? Frank Luntz, a well-known
pollster for both Republicans and the media, issued an early stylistic
critique of the Democratic field last week, based on focus groups in both
states. Luntz sat down with groups of 30 or so Democratic voters last
month and gauged their reactions to extended footage of nine different
politicians. According to Luntz, Feingold inspired the biggest divide
between liberal and moderate Democrats. 'Feingold absolutely appeals to
the left of the Democratic Party . . . (and) the moderates want just no
part of it,' Luntz said last week during a breakfast with reporters in
Washington." (04/03/06)
Feingold
is clearly a loose cannon even by Demo standards, and to me shows signs
of mental instability - no surprise given his background and the state
he represents.
McCain:
Russia deserves "harsh treatment"
MSNBC
"Sen. John McCain said Sunday the United States should respond
harshly to Russia's antidemocratic actions and suggested that President
Bush is reconsidering his assessment of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
After meeting Putin for the first time in June 2001, Bush said he had
been able to gain 'a sense of his soul' and had found Putin to be 'very
straightforward and trustworthy.'" (04/02/06)
McCain's
hypocrisy is astonishing, if not unexpected - as 2008 approaches.
Mama's
Note: Not to mention the fact that a congenital liar like Bush wouldn't
know straightforwardness or trustworthiness if he fell in a vat of it.
MoveOn
targets 4 GOP House candidates
Raw Story
"MoveOn.org is targeting 4 Republicans in a $1.3 million ad buy,
blasting the Representatives for voting in the interest of big oil, RAW
STORY has learned. The campaign, which MoveOn calls the first in a series,
will target four Congresspersons in competitive districts. Representatives
Chris Chocola (IN-2), Thelma Drake (VA-2), Nancy Johnson (CT-5) and Deborah
Pryce (OH-15) will be the first hit. All four voted against giving the
U.S. Department of Justice authority to prosecute oil companies for alleged
price gouging. According to the National Republican Congressional Committee,
NBC affiliates in Columbus, OH and Hartford, CT have refused to air the
ads." (04/03/06)
So the
attack campaigning swings into full gear!
U.S.
studies differ on ID-theft specifics
Arizona Republic
"An estimated 3.6 million U.S. households, or about three out
of every 100, reported being victims of identity theft, according to a
government study that counted misuse of someone else's cellphone, credit
card or personal information. The figures released Sunday by the Justice
Department differ from findings of a previous Federal Trade Commission
study that estimated 9.3 million victims of the crime for the same period.
The department said the most frequent victims of identity theft were households
headed by people ages 18 to 24; those in urban or suburban areas; and
those with incomes of at least $75,000. The study was based on interviews
with members of 42,000 randomly selected households over the last half
of 2004, said Katrina Baum, a statistician with the Bureau of Justice
Statistics." (04/03/06)
Exactly
how the Justice Department will be able to do anything to help those of
us who have been victims, when they can't even accurately define the crime,
is beyond me. We are seeing (personally) the incompetence of the USDJ
in dealing with these crimes. It is pitiful.
Venezuela:
Mayor aims to arm the people against crime
Daily Journal
"As if there weren't enough guns out there in the capital, Metropolitan
Mayor Juan Barreto plans to dole out pistols to local neighborhood security
groups. The guns were originally used by the Metropolitan Police (PM),
who are now being rearmed with more powerful Glock pistols made in Austria.
Barreto, a key figure in the ruling Fifth Republic Movement (MVR), argues
that it would be better to make use of the old guns rather than decommission
them. His critics say he's giving up and encouraging vigilantism, and
warn that anything up to 2,000 guns could end up in the wrong hands."
(03/31/06)
Is there
hope for Venezuela, or is this just a way of expanding a nascent totalitarian
police force?
48
states now have CCW
Ohioans for Concealed Carry
"The sweep of gun rights reform in this country is nearly complete
as Nebraska prepares to join the 47 other states who have some provision
for citizens to carry firearms for their personal protection. The Nebraska
legislature passed a concealed carry bill Wednesday, which Republican
Governor Dave Heineman has said he will sign into law. Only Illinois and
Wisconsin continue to ban concealed carry, and Wisconsin has narrowly
failed to override their governor's veto on two separate occasions."
(03/31/06)
It appears
that there may be fewer of us criminals roaming Nebraska's highways after
this. Please note that DC does not have any intention of "allowing"
such a thing, however, and that many cities routinely ignore their own
state's laws making CCW explicitly legal.
State
Government Tax Collections up $57 Billion in 2005
Spatial News
According to data from the 2005 Annual Survey of State Government Tax
Collections, taxes on individual income were $221 billion, up 12.6 percent;
and general sales taxes were $212 billion, up 7.2 percent.
So the
next time you hear moaning about the poor financial condition of state
governments, give a hearty Bronx cheer. Gee, inflation and COLA (cost
of living allowances) averaged about 2%, supposedly, last year, and I
sure don't know a lot of people who got either a 12.6 OR 7.2 percent pay
hike.
CA:
Bipartisan plans look to cut greenhouse gas
Sacramento Bee
"California would become the first state to require power plants
and other heavy industry to reduce emissions linked to global warming
under bipartisan plans released Monday. Recommendations from Republican
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's environmental advisers and a companion bill
introduced by Democratic legislators would require a 10 percent cut in
current levels of climate-altering gases by 2020." (04/04/06)
If you
thought it was expensive to live in California now, look out. Of course,
the "unintended consequences" of this silly little law will
be to export more and more California power production to Arizona, New
Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
Mama's
Note: Not to mention the fact that more and more people will vote with
their feet and leave California as I did.
Capitol
Police go after congresscritter
CNN
"U.S. Capitol Police on Monday asked a federal prosecutor to approve
an arrest warrant for Rep. Cynthia McKinney after she tangled with a uniformed
officer last week. A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein
said he was reviewing the merits of the case. 'We are working with Capitol
Hill police to fully understand and appreciate the incident,' principal
assistant U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips told The Associated Press in
a telephone interview." (04/03/06)
Sorry,
but this stupid woman is probably not going to get what she deserves.
If she refuses to play the game, she still did not have to do something
so incredibly stupid as cellphone-whip the security guard. But she is
nowhere near as stupid as the people who sent her to Congress, I would
say.
Growth
in federal spending unchecked
USA Today
"Federal spending is outstripping economic growth at a rate unseen
in more than half a century, provoking some conservatives to complain
that government under Republican control has gotten too big. The federal
government is currently spending 20.8 cents of every $1 the economy generates,
up from 18.5 cents in 2001, White House budget documents show. That's
the most rapid growth during one administration since Franklin Roosevelt."
(04/02/06)
Actually
most true conservatives have already been making this complaint for a
decade and more, ever since the elections of 1994. (Libertarians and libertarians
have been saying this since at least 1972, if not 1932!)
Loophole
weakens lobbying reform bill
Boston Globe
"Almost half of the special-interest 'pork' projects targeted
in the Senate's highly touted lobbying-reform bill could still be slipped
quietly into spending bills without public scrutiny, because of a glaring
loophole in the bill's language, according to analyses by The Boston Globe
and budget watchdog groups. The package, passed last week as a way of
curbing the influence of high-powered lobbyists such as the disgraced
Jack Abramoff, is meant to control the spiraling number of earmarks --
local projects designed to help a specific industry -- that are often
put into bills with no public debate. The measure would not ban such projects,
but it would require lawmakers to disclose any earmarks at least 24 hours
before debate begins." (04/02/06)
Only the
Boston Globe and similar mainstream media would say that a loophole "weakens"
a bill which never amounted to more than used, cold dishwater in the first
place. And while there is no doubt that lobbying and earmarks are related,
even adding this amendment to a supposed lobbying reform bill makes a
joke of the legislative "deliberative" process.
Mama's
Note: The only real "reform" possible would involve the elimination
of their power to confiscate our property. They are not going to do anything
on their own to endanger that, no matter what they say. The fact that
they are too stupid to see how they are killing the golden goose is just
that much more tragic.
OH:
"Drugged driving" law set to pass
Raw Story
"After approval by the State Senate and House, a bill that bans
'drugged driving' is set to become law in Ohio, RAW STORY has found. Activists
groups that focus on the decriminalization of marijuana are outraged that
the almost-certain-to-become law will also target individuals found with
trace amounts of tetra-hydro cannabinol or THC -- the active ingredient
in the drug -- still in their system, even if they weren't 'drugged' at
the time. Marijuana can remain in a user's system for up to weeks afterward.
According to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law
(NORML), Ohio will soon be joining Nevada and Indiana as 'zero tolerance'
states that handout DUIDs (driving under the influence of drugs) to motorists
for detectable trace amounts of THC." (03/31/06)
Once more,
a new fad is gaining strength and seeking to use another excuse (highway
safety - it's for the chilluns.) to crack down still more in the War on
Some Drugs.
MA:
Short of cash, towns turn to overrides
Boston Globe
"Spring brought blooms of yard signs to the broad lawns of Wrentham,
where a vote Monday on raising property taxes is dividing the town. On
one block were signs of revolt -- 'No $1,100,000 tax override' -- while
signs in nearby yards scattered with small bikes and toys urged their
neighbors to vote yes. 'People that got kids in the school want the override
and those that don't, don't,' said Richard Campbell, 56, who lives along
a row of modest homes tucked into the woods off Wrentham's Creek Street.
'We get all these people making all this kind of money and they want everything
they want, and they want everybody to pay for it.' With another season
of tax overrides in cities and towns, anxieties over property taxes are
front and center in this year's race for governor, as candidates tap into
voters' worries about rising taxes and high expectations for schools,
police and fire service, and public works projects." (04/01/06)
Local government,
as I am fond of pointing out, can be the most abusive and most tyrannical
form of government. Coupled with government-run, theft-funded schools,
the burden becomes intolerable. Of course, if this were an issue on the
ballot of a similar Iraqi town, the signs would be backed up with bullets
directly. Still, this is clearly nothing but tyranny by democracy.
Praising
"Doctor Doom"
The Citizen Scientist
Dr. Eric R. Pianka at the University of Texas at Arlington following
a recent speech before the Texas Academy of Science in which Pianka endorsed
airborne Ebola as an efficient means for eliminating 90 percent of the
world's population. Pianka received an enthusiastic and prolonged standing
ovation. Later he received more applause from a banquet hall filled with
more than 400 people when the president of the Texas Academy of Science
presented him with a plaque naming him 2006 Distinguished Texas Scientist.
Does this
strike you as just a bit odd, especially in a day when we suspend or expel
eighth graders for accidentally carrying a Swiss Army Knife to school
and voluntarily turning it in at the door, and arrest and hold without
bail other kids for writing "unspecified death threats" like
"Kill the M*****F*****s" on bathroom walls, that a man with
the ability to militarize Ebola is allowed to get away with this kind
of talk in a public meeting, on the dime of the long-suffering taxpayers
of Texas (and probably the whole US)? I don't know Citizen Scientist as
far as a reputable source of information, but the photos and other documentation
seem legit. Thanks to Scott for this tip
Child
porn investigators raid NASA
The Register [UK]
"NASA's Washington headquarters was raided last week by investigators
searching for evidence of child pornography. James Robinson, a NASA manager,
came to the Feds attention when he responded to online ads for child pornography
last year, Smoking Gun reports. He used the name Jim Saron and sent pictures
and videos to several undercover investigators. He told investigators
the pictures were from P2P networks like Kazaa. His IP number was quickly
tracked to NASA and his home computer. Investigators contacted NASA, which
used Web ConText to monitor Robinson's web use. The software picked up
67 images of 'apparently minor females.'" (04/03/06)
Hmm. Do
you suppose that NASA will have its entire computer system subject to
forfeiture?
Scare
story: Man took ecstasy, 40,000 times
The Independent [UK]
"Doctors from London University have revealed details of what
they believe is the largest amount of ecstasy ever consumed by a single
person. Consultants from the addiction centre at St George's Medical School,
London, have published a case report of a British man estimated to have
taken around 40,000 pills of MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, over
nine years. The heaviest previous lifetime intake on record is 2,000 pills.
Though the man, who is now 37, stopped taking the drug seven years ago,
he still suffers from severe physical and mental health side-effects,
including extreme memory problems, paranoia, hallucinations and depression.
He also suffers from painful muscle rigidity around his neck and jaw which
often prevents him from opening his mouth. The doctors believe many of
these symptoms may be permanent." (04/04/06)
Like anything
else (too many cheeseburger - too many cups of coffee - too many vitamins
- even too much water), this does not necessarily prove anything about
the dangers of the substance in small doses. But it makes a wonderful
scare story, doesn't it?
Horses
still can be killed for food
San Francisco Chronicle
"For years, horse advocates have tried to shut three foreign-owned
plants in the United States that slaughter horses and ship the meat to
France, Belgium, Italy and Japan, where it is served in restaurants as
a delicacy. Congress amended an agriculture spending bill last fall to
ban using taxpayer funds to inspect horse meat, which would stop horse
slaughter in the United States because federal law requires the inspection
of all meat. But the Department of Agriculture, lobbied by the owners
of the plants and their allies in Congress and in the horse and cattle
industries, issued new rules last month allowing the plants to keep operating
by paying the $350,000 annual cost of the inspections. Animal welfare
groups and the legislation's backers in Congress were stunned by the administration's
reversal." (04/03/06)
Do-gooders
and Mrs. Grundys and such folks are more and more a burden on the rest
of the world, and this is the classic case. They don't want us to eat
Bambi, they don't want us to eat Thumper, and they don't want us to eat
Trigger or Silver, either?
Mama's
Note: No, they'd rather have the otherwise useless "wild" horses
contribute to the destruction of the range land and die of starvation
and disease. Of course, these are city people who have never even seen
a "wild" horse and have no idea of the true conditions - and
unfortunately don't care to educate themselves. They are too busy trying
to force everyone else to go along with and finance their fantasy.
Shock
as Microsoft supports Linux
vnunet.com
"Microsoft dropped something of a bombshell yesterday at the LinuxWorld
Conference and Expo in Boston. The Redmond giant shook the server virtualisation
market with the revelation that it will now provide technical support
for Linux running on Virtual Server, and would make Virtual Server 2005
R2 available free." (04/04/06)
On this
tech note, I just quote the FND editor's note: "Not as surprising
as it might seem -- personally, I expect an upcoming release of Windows
-- say, circa 2008-2010 -- to be a faux Linux distro. If you can't beat'em
(and Microsoft can't beat the open source movement), at least nominally
join'em." Tom Knapp has a better grasp on this than I do. But like
him, I still don't trust 'em.
Lab-grown
bladder hailed as transplant breakthrough
Sydney Morning Herald [Australia]
"The world's first organ grown in a laboratory has been successfully
implanted in humans, heralding a new era in transplant surgery. Seven
patients given new bladders grown from their own cells have functioning
organs that have performed as well as those conventionally repaired but
with none of the ill effects, scientists reveal. Experts hailed the 'stunning'
development, which marks a new frontier in the search for replacement
body parts. Scientists behind the breakthrough are now trying to grow
up to 20 other organs and tissues." (04/04/06)
Hmmm -
and apparently no babies (excuse me, fetuses) had to be used to do this?
And no condemned Chinese prisoners? And no little African babies stolen
by evil westerners? Mmmm. Must be propaganda to make the West look good.
Mama's
Note: Here
is a link to a site that lists a large number of companies engaged
in tissue regeneration. There are many other interesting things available
on this subject. Just type "tissue regeneration" into a search
engine and you'll come up with dozens of things. None that I saw reported
this level of success, but I hope it's just a matter of time before they
do. The implications are truly staggering, even considering the incredible
cost of such treatment. That cost will come down, and the use of this
procedure will increase just exactly in proportion to how much we can
PREVENT government from getting involved.
A
pretty good way to foil the NSA
Wired News
"How easy is it for the average internet user to make a phone
call secure enough to frustrate the NSA's extrajudicial surveillance program?
Wired News took Phil Zimmermann's newest encryption software, Zfone, for
a test drive and found it's actually quite easy, even if the program is
still in beta. Zimmermann, the man who released the PGP e-mail encryption
program to the world in 1991 -- only to face an abortive criminal prosecution
from the government -- has been trying for 10 years to give the world
easy-to-use software to cloak internet phone calls. On March 14, Zimmermann
released a beta version of the widely anticipated Zfone." (04/03/06)
As I often
(but not recently) point out, technology can be a decisive aid to the
cause of liberty. Yes, terrorists can use this (and so the government
will claim as it tries to ban this), but more free people can use it better
than totalitarians of left OR right, Muslim or other.
Canada
scraps plan to end failed war on pot
Fox News
"Canada's new conservative prime minister said Monday that Ottawa
does not intend to reintroduce legislation to legalize small amounts of
marijuana. Speaking to the Canadian Professional Police Association about
his crime policies, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the legislation
drawn up by the previous Liberal government would not be reintroduced
when the new Parliament sits Monday. The bill, which had alarmed law enforcement
officials in Canada and the United States, died on the floor of the House
of Commons after the Liberal Party lost elections in January. Harper,
who was to later address the first Conservative-led Parliament in 13 years,
told the police association that fighting crime was one of his top five
priorities. 'We are going to hold criminals to account,' said Harper.
'This government will send a strong message to criminals: If you do a
serious crime, you're going to start doing serious time.'" [editor's
note: Okay, but WHAT does "serious crime" have to do with smoking
a little weed? - SAT] (04/03/06)
With the
mess the Liberal government left, it is no surprise that the baby is thrown
out with the bathwater.
Pentagon
releases new Gitmo transcripts
Cincinnati Enquirer
"In 2,733 pages of declassified documents released Monday to The
Associated Press, men accused of helping terrorist groups or Afghanistan's
former Taliban regime pleaded for freedom while U.S. military officers
often painstakingly tried to find holes in their stories. The previously
classified transcripts were the second batch of Guantanamo Bay detainee
hearings released by the Pentagon in response to a lawsuit by the AP.
They identified more of the prisoners who have been secretly held without
charges for up to four years while the U.S. Military determines how dangerous
they may be." (04/03/06)
Unfortunately,
short of reading much of this huge volume of transcripts, there is no
way to decide whether or not this supports the claim that these people
are essentially troops in an enemy army captured and properly detained,
or victims of paranoia and delusions of power.
Mama's
Note: And probably no way to determine that even if you DID read all of
that crap. Just as with the story above, a big part of the problem is
the definitions being used for these "crimes." As human beings,
they deserve due process of impartial law and should be liable for crimes
of aggression only. Unfortunately, I suspect that most of them are being
held primarily for their thoughts and words, not deeds of aggression.
If we allow our government to do this to anyone, nobody is safe because
there is then no limit to what they can call "crime."
Australia,
China sign uranium deal
CNN
"Australia has agreed to sell uranium to China for power generation
as part of what Australian Prime Minister John Howard called a 'remarkable
transformation' of bilateral ties during the past decade. The uranium
deal was concluded Monday in Canberra during a visit by Chinese Premier
Wen Jiabao. Two agreements -- one on uranium transfer and one on nuclear
cooperation -- were signed by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
and his Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing." (04/02/06)
This smells
of Danegeld.
India
cracks down on gender abortions
Christian Science Monitor
"In October 2001, when Dr. Anil Sabhani told a pregnant patient that
she had a 'female fetus and it would be taken care of,' he wasn't talking
about prenatal nutrition or health checks. He was talking about abortion.
With his conviction on Tuesday, Dr. Sabhani now faces two years in jail
in the first-ever conviction under a 12-year old Indian law that forbids
doctors from revealing the gender of a fetus to its parents. The law was
aimed at preventing the all-too-common and growing practice of sex-determined
abortions, which have left India with far more boys than girls. Women's
rights activists welcomed the convictions, but added that it will take
more than a few high-profile trials to change India's centuries-old cultural
preference for boys." (04/01/06)
And that of much else of the world, apparently. And too many young men
in a culture or society all too often destabilizes that society, leading
to internal and external violence. Or I should say, MORE violence, since
the root cause is often this - killing off girl babies.
Update:
Angel's day in court
Montana Shooting Sports Association
"Angel
Shamaya, [founder of KeepAndBearArms.com] had his day in court today.
His attorney and the prosecutors had worked out an agreement, which the
judge accepted. Here are the results." (04/07/06)
Mama's
Note: I'm adding this late breaking news. The results are about as good
as we can expect, but should illustrate clearly the need for all of us
to continue the fight for our God given rights. Don't let the recent increase
in "no retreat" or CCW laws lull you into thinking the job is
done. We don't need anybody's permission to exercise our rights, and we
can't give up the fight until everyone understands that.
Pentagon
admits more spying on activists
Reuters
"The
Pentagon said on Wednesday a review launched after revelations that it
had collected data on U.S. peace activists found that roughly 260 entries
in a classified database of possible terrorist threats should not have
been kept there.
But the review reaffirmed the value of the so-called Talon reporting system
on potential threats to Pentagon personnel or facilities by international
terrorists, said Bryan Whitman, a senior Pentagon spokesman. He said the
Pentagon was putting in place new safeguards and oversight intended to
prevent improper information from going in the database." (04/05/06)
Mama's
Note: If you believe that last sentence, I have some oceanside property
in Wyoming you might like to buy...
Nathan
Barton is writing from his secret bunker complex on the eastern slopes
of the Paha Sapa, swilling Doctor Pepper (and gallons of water each day,
milady) and plotting to reelect Gaius Julius Caesar dictator of the Republic
- or was that Senator Palpatine? Granville James Corbin? W? Q?
Be sure
to visit my blog, Liberty's
Outpost.
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Feature! Add your signature to the NEW
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By Robert Greenslade
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Tread on Me flags used by the June 23d Movement and other Property Rights
Organizations: you
can get them for $10.00 plus shipping here.
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