Libertarian Commentary on the News, 21 - 28 May, 2006 -- Page 2

Middle Eastern Tarbabies
Here, as usual, I present a brief view of some of the more interesting and critical events in the Middle East, especially involving the US but not limited to that. The threats posed to the rest of the world from this area are myriad and significant. (I generally don't get really excited about reporting the same-old, same-old: reporting the daily death toll in Iraq is as critical as reporting the daily death toll in California.)

Iraqi men executed for wearing shorts
BBC News
The coach of Iraq's tennis team and two players were shot dead in Baghdad on Thursday, said Iraqi Olympic officials. Coach Hussein Ahmed Rashid and players Nasser Ali Hatem and Wissam Adel Auda were killed in the al-Saidiya district of the capital. Witnesses said the three were dressed in shorts and were killed days after militants issued a warning forbidding the wearing of shorts.

I suppose that this will be blamed on the US, since if the country weren't occupied, these men wouldn't have even been on the Olympic team - instead serving in one of Saddam's troop units. This is particularly ironic since I'd just read this rousing defense of Arabs and Arab-Americans, talking about how Islam was the religion of peace - the peace of the tomb, apparently, in the views of these "militants." Mind you, this was done in broad daylight, in the middle of a traffic jam. In the middle of an armed city. And NO ONE attempted to stop these killers from pulling these men out of their car and gunning them down for their "crime."

First UK troops to leave Iraq 'within weeks'
The Scotsman
TONY Blair will use the restoration of a democratic government in Iraq to activate a pull-out programme that could see UK troops start to withdraw within weeks.

Good timing, of course. But I am sure many people will consider this to be nothing but a form of hanging the new Iraqi government out to dry.

Afghanistan: Airstrike kills up to 80
USA Today
"A U.S.-led coalition nighttime airstrike against Taliban rebels in a southern Afghan village killed up to 80 suspected militants, the coalition said Monday. The local governor said 16 civilians were killed and 16 wounded. At a local hospital, wounded residents of Azizi village described how helicopters bombed mud-brick homes where Taliban rebels were hiding, having fled there from a religious school after the airstrikes started. In a statement, the coalition said it had confirmed 20 Taliban killed in the attack on Azizi in Kandahar province late Sunday and early Monday, while there were 'an unconfirmed 60 additional Taliban casualties.' U.S. commander Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry told The Associated Press that the military was 'looking into' civilian casualties. The airstrikes brought the death toll of militants, Afghan forces, coalition soldiers and civilians to as many as 285 since Wednesday, according to coalition and Afghan figures." (05/22/06)

It sounds like the Taliban accomplished just what it wanted to in this case - create a situation in which they can maximize the number of civilians killed. As the next story reports, the Taliban appears to have succeeded in this case.

Afghanistan: Karzai requests airstrike inquiry
Tampa Bay Online
"President Hamid Karzai ordered an investigation Tuesday into the deaths of at least 16 civilians in one of the deadliest U.S. airstrikes since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Meanwhile, an additional 19 people were killed in new violence. Karzai expressed 'concern at the coalition forces' decision to bomb civilian areas' at the village of Azizi in Kandahar province, but he also strongly condemned the 'terrorists' act of cowardice' in using civilians as human shields." (05/14/06)

One of the strongest arguments against "4th Generation" war is that it is very, very hard on civilians, and in fact largely erases the distinction between combatant and noncombatant. This attack is a perfect example of that - especially since the US is using 2nd Generation tactics to fight against a 4th Generation enemy.

Iraqi PM vows "maximum force" to end attacks
San Francisco Examiner
"Iraq's new prime minister promised Sunday to use 'maximum force' if necessary to end the brutal insurgent and sectarian violence wracking the country, while a suicide bomber killed more than a dozen people at a restaurant in downtown Baghdad. Although he focused on the need to end bloodshed, Nouri al-Maliki also had to address unfinished political negotiations at a Cabinet meeting on the government's first full day in office." (05/21/06)

Perhaps he might see if "maximum force" is really the solution, or if something more difficult (like jettisoning certain "societal norms") might be better able to end the killing.

European nations draw up Iran compromise
Cincinnati Enquirer
"Key European nations put finishing touches Tuesday on a proposal meant to enlist the support of Russia and China for possible U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran should Tehran refuse to abandon uranium enrichment, diplomats said. The compromise -- which would drop the automatic threat of military action if Iran remains defiant -- is part of a proposed basket of incentives meant to entice Iran to give up enrichment, a possible pathway to nuclear arms. It also spells out the penalties if it does not." (05/23/06)

It does not appear that Iran is willing to listen.

Bush vows new look at Iraq military needs
USA Today
"President Bush, facing political pressure for troop cutbacks, said Tuesday he would make a fresh assessment about Iraq's needs for U.S. Military help now that a new government has taken office in Baghdad. Bush also said Americans should not judge what's happening in Iraq solely on the basis of the unrelenting violence. 'It is a difficult task to stop suicide bombers,' Bush said at a news conference. Bush said that 'we're making good progress' with the establishment of Iraq's new unity government, even though some of its most important ministries have not been filled." (05/23/06)

It sounds like wishful thinking, but I am not surprised - the pressure on the Administration is growing daily.

Bush: US would aid Israel versus attack
CNN
"President Bush said Tuesday that the United States would come to Israel's aid if it were attacked by Iran and welcomed the Jewish state's plan to define its borders. He made the comments at the White House during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after a meeting between the two leaders. It was Olmert's first official visit to the United States as prime minister. Bush also praised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and called on the Hamas-led Palestinian government to meet international demands." (05/23/06)

This is nothing more than a restatement of US policy towards Israel since about 1957. And continues to show that the US is trying to play both sides of the street: trying to suck up to both the Israeli and Palestinian lobbies.

Gaza: "Palestinian" gangs battle for control
Tracy Press
"Hamas militiamen and Palestinian police attacked each other with assault rifles and grenades in a chaotic firefight Monday that turned downtown Gaza City into a battlefield and killed an aide to the Jordanian ambassador. The shootout near the parliament building, which also wounded 11 people, was the worst fighting since the Hamas-led government sent its militia into the streets last week and increased fears the Palestinians were careening toward civil war." (05/23/06)

This is a "nation" that we must suck up to? Please.

Blair, new Iraqi leader discuss security
Salt Lake Tribune
"British Prime Minister Tony Blair agreed with Iraq's new leadership Monday that Iraqi security forces would start assuming full responsibility for some provinces and cities next month, beginning a process leading to the eventual withdrawal of all coalition forces. Blair and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declined to set a timetable for that withdrawal, but British media quoted an unidentified senior British official traveling with Blair as saying coalition forces should be out within four years." (05/22/06)

Like Bush, Blair is facing growing pressure.

Marines face courts-martial for alleged Iraq massacre
Marine Corps Times
"Marines will face criminal charges for a Nov. 19 incident that left 24 Iraqi civilians dead, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael W. Hagee confirmed Wednesday to Marine Corps Times. While not revealing who will be charged, or the severity of the charges, Hagee said the investigation shows mistakes were made that will result in courts-martial. ... He was visiting Capitol Hill in anticipation of the release of two investigative reports, which are expected to show that among the 24 civilians killed in Hadithah, 125 miles northwest of Baghdad, five of the victims -- all unarmed -- were shot in a car with no warning, according to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., who received a briefing earlier in the afternoon. At least seven of the victims were women and three were children." (05/24/06)

Oh? I thought a Congressman had already decided these Marines were all guilty, guilty, guilty. And it seems that Murtha, he who is so beloved by the anti-War movement, is in agreement. Fortunately, there WILL be court-martial (or several) and maybe there will be justice, not just a lynching. If these Marines DID do what is alleged, they need to be punished, and the death penalty would not be amiss if the circumstances are damning enough. But they need to be tried properly, not in newspapers by rogue congrus-kritturs.

Iraqi leader forecasts US troop reduction
MSNBC
"In his first interview as the new Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki tried to reach out to the American people. He said he has a new priority -- to get his own security forces ready soon, so American troops can go home. Al-Maliki's comments, made to NBC News, anticipate Thursday's meeting of President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who will confer at the White House on the violence in Iraq and the need for coalition forces. On Wednesday the White House said the establishment of Iraq's new government was an opportunity to reassess the need for American military forces but that any discussion of troop withdrawals would be premature." (05/24/06)

Notice that Bush, Blair, and al-Maliki are being very careful to coordinate what they are saying.

Abbas Says Palestinians Should Take What They Can Get Now
CNSNews.com
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas delivered an ultimatum to Hamas on Thursday, demanding that it agree within 10 days to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem as its capital -- or face a national referendum on the issue...

Well, who is he working for? The Palestinians, of course (according to them, a "nation" which is an integral part of the "Arab nation" - which is of course an "Arab nation" that includes only the "faithful" Arabs and in which everyone is a third-class citizen (except maybe for the Second-class Iranian Muslims). Of course, I'm sure a "national referendum" (is that a "Palestinian national" or an "Arab national"?) will be an honest and open election.

Israel Will Let More Weapons Flow to Abbas
CNSNews.com
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Israel said it has decided to allow Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to receive more weapons so his presidential guard can better defend him, Israeli sources said on Friday...

As a friend pointed out, this is scarcely being a Good Samaritan, on the part of the Israelis. With the chaos engulfing the so-called Palestinian state, they need to keep Abbas around, especially in light of the previous article's claim.

The 2006 Political Campaign
Fortunately, we now have only about five months of this nonsense left to go. I don't know if I can put up with the 2008 campaign, though, which seems to be in full swing already.

NY: Pataki defends Weld, Cons nominate Faso
New York Daily News
"Gov. Pataki did damage control for would-be successor Bill Weld yesterday after the candidate mocked the Ground Zero memorial design as 'a hole in the ground.' Stopping by the state Conservative Party convention in Manhattan, which Republican John Faso left with the nomination for governor, Pataki offered hints he is in Weld's corner. ... Pataki, while praising the design as 'very moving,' came to the aid of Weld, suggesting that even if others see the remark as a gaffe, 'I'm sure I've made plenty of them in my time.' Pataki also contended Weld, a former Massachusetts governor, remains a viable candidate even after being denied the support of the Conservatives." [Editor's note: So far, not a single article I've found about Faso's Conservative Party victory mentions Weld's receipt of the Libertarian Party's nomination. Wonder if that will change ... - TLK] (05/24/06)

Is this shaping up to a weird political campaign in NY or what?

Libertarians Offer 'Politician Removal Service'
CNSNews.com
The Libertarian Party, hoping to capitalize on the public's apparent discontent with incumbent members of Congress, is offering what it calls a "politician removal service."

Cute idea - and hopefully we can do a lot of this kind of thing this year.

Mama's Note: It might be a good time to think about just what these "Libertarians" propose to replace these politicians with. More politicians? Might they not also have a "wonderful plan for your life - and property - just perhaps a little less of it... at least at first. The only thing I want to see in place of the current politicians is NOTHING but liberty and self-government, not more politicians of any flavor.

Dean: Dem's Legal Woes Don't Compare to GOP Corruption
CNSNews.com
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Wednesday that there is no comparison between the ethical problems faced by U.S. Rep. William Jefferson (D- La.) and what he termed the Republican "culture of corruption" in the nation's capital. A GOP spokesman dismissed Dean's criticism...

True - Jefferson is so dumb that he could never be imagined doing some of the things they are calling the GOP on. And his was done on camera and was even more blatant. Delay and the others are bad, true, but this guy is so bad and stupid that he does make them look, if not good, at least competent.

Mama's Note: This kind of thing should silence the people who prattle about the "lesser of two evils" as some sort of legitimate choice. Unfortunately, it probably won't.

Gore Uses Religion to Attract 'Global Warming' Converts
CNSNews.com
New York (CNSNews.com) - Former Vice President Al Gore used religious references Thursday night in an attempt to convince a "town hall" meeting that human-caused catastrophic climate change is real...

Despite the headline, Gore pushed all the buttons he could - sounding more like Jim Jones or a really hyper Pat Robertson, and like a good many other tinpot or wanna-be dictators, twisted scripture around to suit himself. At best, he is not reading the same Bible that I am (and he provides no scriptural citations) - at worst, it is a shameless attempt to pander and use hypercritical proclamations to push his agenda, and possibly his bid for the White House in 2008.

Mama's Note: I do hope any true "converts" for Gore were also wearing a string of garlic around their necks - to ward off vampires, you know.

Our Right to Defend Ourselves
It is NOT only Americans who have a right to defend themselves, as the first story reminds us. All people, even dishonest people, have a right to defend themselves against unjustified (aggressive) attacks - just as NO ONE has a right to attack anyone.

Islamic "Justice" tries to kill acquitted man
AOL News
After spending half his life in a Pakistani jail, Tahir Mirza Hussain is scheduled to hang on his 36th birthday for killing a taxi driver - even though a court acquitted him 10 years ago. In Dec 1988, his taxi driver stopped the car, produced a gun and physically and sexually assaulted him. In the struggle that followed the gun went off and the driver, Jamshad Khan, was fatally injured. Hussain voluntarily reported the incident to police and was arrested. In September 1989, a sessions court sentenced him to death. The high court revoked the death penalty in November 1992 due to serious discrepancies in the prosecution's case and ordered a retrial. In April 1994 his sentence was reduced to life in prison; in May 1996 the high court acquitted Hussain of all charges. But a week later, while he was waiting for release, his case was referred to the Islamic, or Sharia, court on the basis that the crime he was charged of - "haraabah," or armed robbery - came under its jurisdiction. In August 1998, in a split 2-1 verdict, the Islamic court's judges sentenced him to death again, although the legal provision he was tried under required a confession or witness to the crime. The prosecution had neither.

So not only do they have a law that is evil and wrong, they don't even follow their own law. And while attempted rape might not be a capital crime, it does not mean that a person should not be able to use deadly force to defend themselves against it.

Canada[sic]: Man shoots alleged robbers
Ontario Daily Bulletin
"A man who was attacked by armed robbers outside a home Friday pulled out his own gun and shot both men, sheriff's deputies said. The victim, who received a cut to his head in the attack, opened fire after the robbers shot at him and missed, said San Bernardino County sheriff's Sgt. Rick Swigart. The victim legally owns the firearm." (05/20/06)

Giggle. Hmm. How many more Canadians no longer can legally own the means to defend themselves? Seriously, I left this headline just as I downloaded it from a certain website which shall remain nameless. But the "Ontario" spoken of is a town in CALIFORNIA, NOT "Canada" as reported. It is even more disgusting that an American newspaper, even in CA, has to state that the man defending himself legally owns the gun: ALL people should be able to legally own a gun for their own defense and that of others.

Mama's Note: What is amazing is that this was dealt with reasonably by the cops. Ontario, CA - once a quiet little college town - has become one of the crime capitals of California and the "police" there are well known for their thuggish behavior. I used to see patients in Ontario at times and dearly wished I could carry my weapon for protection.

AL: Jewelry store owner fights back after robbery
Dothan Eagle
"They waved a gun in his face, emptied his safe and cleaned out his high-end jewelry cases. He, in turn, unloaded his shotgun into the getaway van as it drove away. 'I was a nice guy and shot at the tire and hit the van,' said Herbert Haar, owner of Interco Coin and Jewelry on Ross Clark Circle, which was robbed around noon Thursday. 'But next time, I won't be so nice.' The white van, which had been stolen from the Flowers Hospital parking lot, was found abandoned a short time later on Stadium Street with its back tire flat. But the three men involved in the robbery have not been caught and the possibly half million dollars worth of jewelry remains in their possession. They also took off with an undisclosed amount of cash and collector's coins." (05/18/06)

Another jewelry store robbery attempt. I report these fairly often, but now, I finally have an idea: wouldn't it be good if most jewelry stores also branched out and became weapons shops as well? This might make even the most stupid criminal stop and think.

OK: Elderly woman shoots intruder
KXII News
"An 81-year-old woman says she shot a man who was breaking into her home Thursday night, and now deputies in Choctaw County are looking for the two suspects. It happened around 6 p.m. just a few miles north of Hugo. Deputies are not releasing the woman's name, but say she was home alone when two intruders broke in. She shot one of them, but they both managed to get away." (05/19/06)

Too bad they are still on the loose. I hope that her neighbors are helping her in case they return.

Gaza bakery buys butter, and a gun
Christian Science Monitor
"Ala al-Ghazali was tending his tire-sized trays of Middle Eastern pastries when a man came into the shop demanding 4-1/2 lbs. of sweets 'on credit.' ... ''I can't do that,' I said,' recalls Mr. Ghazali, who owns the sparkling bakery specializing in baklava and kanafe. 'He said, 'You have to!' I said, 'I can't.' He said, 'If you don't, I'll make troubles for you.'' Frightened, Ghazali gave the desserts away. Only two weeks later, he says, police came in to tell him they had caught a car of armed men who were planning to rob the store. 'My father recommended that I get a gun, because crime is increasing,' says Ghazali, a man in his late 20s, as he gazes out the shop window at young men congregating in the street outside, watching his foreign visitors with great interest." [FND Editor's note: The reporter is obviously horrified at this self-defense story - SAT] (05/23/06)

As I said in the opening, even people in the most evil of societies have the right to protect themselves. And need it even more than most Americans do.

FL: Teen shoots when intruder breaks down door
Miami Herald
"With a man breaking through the front door, a Hollywood 15-year-old loaded his father's gun, waited for the intruder to come in and shot him, police said. Keil Jumper, 22, who police said has a long rap sheet, was later found bleeding in an area between two houses. Police said Jumper was seriously injured but his injuries didn't appear life threatening. The incident happened about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, when Jumper attempted to break down the front door, then picked up a bicycle to smash the window, police said. The sounds terrified a family of eight to 10 people who were asleep in the home, which is on South 61st Avenue in Hollywood, police said. Police said the teenager is unlikely to be charged in the case." (05/23/06)

"Unlikely" is not the same as "This kid deserves a medal and a write-up in Boy's Life for saving his family and friends." This is my week for beating up on cops - not all of them; just the 95% who make their comrades look bad.

IL: No firearms charges against woman, 87
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"An 87-year-old woman who fatally shot a would-be intruder will not be charged with a crime, even though she did not legally own the gun, authorities said Monday. On Feb. 7, Jacksie Mae King fired several shots through the front door of her house after she woke up about 2 a.m. to the sounds of someone trying to break in. One bullet hit Larry Tillman, 49, who was on the other side of the door, standing on King's enclosed porch. He lay dead on the porch in the 2100 block of Gaty Avenue for four hours before he was found by King's daughter, who came to bring breakfast about 6 a.m. Meanwhile, King stayed inside clutching the pistol. 'She was justified in using deadly force to defend herself against the threat of deadly force,' said Robert B. Haida, the St. Clair County state's attorney. King's daughter gave her the .32-caliber Colt revolver two months earlier after a man broke into King's house in December. That intruder beat her and stole some of her things. In both incidents, the telephone lines to King's house were cut, and security bars were removed from a side window." (05/23/06)

She may not have "legally owned" the gun by the illegal Illinois fiats, but by the Constitution and God-given rights, she has every right to own and use it. But her daughter had to break this stupid and illegal and immoral law to protect her mother.

States Signing on to "Deadly Force" Law
Las Vegas Sun
A campaign by gun rights advocates to make it easier to use deadly force in self-defense is rapidly winning support across the country, as state after state makes it legal for people who feel their lives are in danger to shoot down an attacker - whether in a car-jacking or just on the street.

I've commented on this often in the past few months: this unusual fad that might allow its enthusiasm be channeled into even more efforts to reduce and eliminate government. We'll see several stories this week that show how people are taking this seriously though.

LA: New Law Targets Gun Owners
Los Angeles Times
City Councilman Jack Weiss, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said he would introduce a city ordinance today that would call for the prosecution of gun owners who don't report stolen or missing weapons within 48 hours. Conviction would be a misdemeanor. "When your gun is lost or stolen, you report it in 48 hours or you can go to jail." Similar laws exist in the Bay Area cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley.

Abuse of power - abuse of citizens, yes, and abuse of the cops that have to enforce this. So we have Weiss the Abuser. Hopefully, this will change quickly.

Mama's Note: Don't hold your breath. The only intelligent thing for people to do is leave states like California and Illinois where they are forbidden to defend themselves properly. There are plenty of places where these people would be welcomed and much safer. Come to Wyoming!

Scotland Gets Mean on Knives
The Scotsman
Any person accused of carrying or using a knife who has a similar previous conviction will face prosecution before a judge and jury instead of a sheriff alone, meaning tougher sentences will be handed down. Police have also been instructed to arrest anyone caught carrying a knife and police will no longer be able to grant bail to someone arrested for such an offence - instead they will be kept in custody before their first appearance in court.

There is no limit to the constant theft of weapons and the constant drumbeat of more and more people made criminals.

Mama's Note: Criminals or victims. I wonder how soon the good people of Scotland will be restricted to chopsticks - properly licensed and registered chopsticks only, of course.

South Carolina students protest Confederate clothing ban
Fox News
"A 15-year-old girl led a small protest march Monday against her high school's ban on Confederate flag clothing, which she is also challenging in court. Candice Hardwick walked with about a dozen people, about half of them family members and some wearing Confederate T-shirts, a few blocks to her school. Hardwick wore a Confederate belt buckle and button and had the Confederate flag on her mobile phone cover. She removed those items before entering the school, where she is a sophomore. The battle flag was used by the Confederate pro-slavery states during the U.S. Civil War. While considered a symbol of heritage and pride for many southerners, it remains a symbol of racism and oppression for other Americans." [Editor's note: As a former New England native now Tennessean, I can comprehend (barely) such a ban up North, where racial tensions have always been fomented by the politicians who must keep us divided to maintain their own "power." However, why this symbol should be misread in South Carolina is beyond me! - SAT] (05/22/06)

Why did I put this in the self-defense section? Because, ultimately, the South's fight in the War Between the States WAS a matter of self-defense against Northern (Federal) aggression. And because even people who use "unacceptable" or "distasteful" political speech have a right to defend themselves - as well as to speak what they will. Without a right to defend ourselves, a right to speak freely means very, very little.

CA: Judge dismisses frivolous gun suit
National Shooting Sports Foundation
"Citing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act that blocks unwarranted lawsuits against firearms manufacturers, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charles W. Stoll today ruled from the bench ordering complete dismissal of all causes of action against defendants Beretta, Smith & Wesson, Colt and Turners Outdoor Sports, a California firearms dealer, in a case involving the gang murder of a Burbank police officer." (05/21/06)

From the Left Coast and inside the Beltway (below, next story) come two strange tales of judges applying a law as was intended.

DC: Catty judge throws out frivolous gun suit
Washington Post
"A lawsuit in the District against gun makers was dismissed today by a D.C. Superior Court judge who ruled that the suit was precisely the sort of claim that a new federal law was intended to block. In a 37-page opinion, Judge Brook Hedge wrote that the city and the federal government had two competing policies, and only one could prevail. The D.C. Council, she wrote, had determined that assault weapons have 'little or no social benefit but at the same time pernicious consequences for the health and safety of District residents and visitors.' But Congress, she wrote, 'has trumped local law by passing legislation to protect the profits of such manufacturers.'" (05/22/06)

And another one! Of course, both Congress and the DC Council are nitwits - committees of idiots with room-temperature IQs. I suppose that is why this opinion had to be so long - when you're writing in big letters on a Chief T tablet, it takes more space.

TN: Elderly man hurt as police arrest him
WBIR News
"Eighty-one-year-old Memphis resident David Bland is scheduled for surgery on his shattered right wrist today. Bland was injured Friday as three police officers arrested him in his apartment, responding to a loud music call. An internal affairs investigation is underway into the incident, in which Bland was charged with assault, disorderly conduct, resisting official detention and unlawful possession of a pistol. Bland says he's blind, nearly deaf and plays the radio loudly so he can hear it -- says he's a sports fan and follows the Cubs and the Grizzles. Bland says he'd left his door partially open for a service that brings him prepared meals and when he heard the police officers come in, he shouted, 'Bring it on.' A police affidavit says Bland became irate and scratched and punched the officer and the policeman was 'in fear for his safety.'" (05/24/06)

"Unlawful possession?" Is Memphis one of the thug cities? I know it elects thugs (the Fords) to the legislature and congress, but I didn't know they were hoploclasts as well. If more people were armed, these cops would have been less likely to be abusive.

AL: Neighbors fight back after multiple burglaries
WAFF News
There's been a string of burglaries in a Valley community and victims are ready to fight back. For safety reasons, the woman WAFF 48 News talked to didn't want to give her name, but she did show us the damage to her front door from one of several break-ins in the area. ... WAFF 48 News looked up the law. The Self Defense Gun Law allows greater legal safeguards for citizens who use a firearm to protect themselves against people breaking into their homes or vehicles. The new law, effective since April of this year, removes the wording 'avoid using force with complete safety' from the prior law. Assistant police chief Coy Blackwood says Henagar police are doing all they can to catch the person or persons responsible for these crimes." (05/22/06)

How many more times will it take YOUR neighborhood or town to figure this out - the cops aren't going to stop this sort of thing? And I wonder, how many dead robbers will it take in this little Alabama town before they stop being a target?

MS: Neighbors arm to protect against burglars
WREG TV News
"At least 5 burglaries in just a matter of hours. It's not what you'd expect on a nice, quiet street like this -- and that's why it shocked neighbors. 'When we came back from our walk on Thursday, BAM! There was 5 of 'em hit within 3 hours of each other.' said Finley Cox, who says he and his neighbors are uneasy. They try to look out for each other -- but now they worry about what might happen next. ... Neighbors have noticed suspicious cars here for weeks. They're on the lookout more than ever now and prepared to defend themselves as they wait for an arrest. 'What are you gonna be doing in the meantime?' 'Keep my eyes open and the pistol where I can get ahold of it' says Cox." (05/23/06)

Yet another example of true "community policing." Well, if it works in Baghdad, maybe it might work in the Deep South? Good for these people - it is time more of us stopped depending on cops.

IL: 78-year-old fends off teen burglar
CBS 2 News
"A teenager who tried to rob a house is recovering after being shot by an elderly homeowner who decided to fight back. But it's the life-and-death struggle that unfolded in south suburban Riverdale that stunned police. The victim is a 78-year-old ex-Marine, who is also a disabled former firefighter. The robbery suspect is 14-years-old. Police say the teen surprised the homeowner. He took a pair of pruning shears, hit him in the head and left him for dead. But, somehow, as the teen ransacked the house, the victim got up, got his gun and shot the suspect four times. 'This 78-year-old man today refused to be a victim. He was fighting for his life and today, he won,' said Police Chief Pete Satriano." (05/23/06)

Age over youth - and plain stubborn cussedness, too, it seems.

Mama's Note: A surprising reaction from a cop in Illinois, that's for sure.

Stupid Government Tricks, Stupid People Tricks
In addition to the news stories in "Home Front", I have a lot more examples of why government is so foolishly funny this week. And remember, folks, this Keystone Kops act exists because we allow it to. Though I have a few stupid people tricks to report in the stories below, the most stupid people trick to remember is the one that allows stupid government tricks to continue to harm us individually and as a society.

Former top White House official goes to trial
MSNBC
"After five guilty pleas in the influence-peddling investigation of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the first criminal trial is set to begin Monday. David Safavian, the former chief of staff of the General Services Administration, then the top White House procurement officer, and a longtime friend and associate of Abramoff, is charged with five counts of making false statements and obstructing investigations into a golfing trip to Scotland he took with Abramoff and U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, in August 2002. If convicted, Safavian faces up to 25 years in jail and more than $1 million in fines." (05/21/06)

I knew that the greens fees in Scotland were high, but this is kind of steep, isn't it? Now, how many years and fines will the Congrus-krittur face?

Attorney: Loophole possible in NSA spy plot
ZDNet News
"An AT&T attorney indicated in federal court on Wednesday that the Bush administration may have provided legal authorization for the telecommunications company to open its network to the National Security Agency. Federal law may 'authorize and in some cases require telecommunications companies to furnish information' to the executive branch, said Bradford Berenson, who was associate White House counsel when President Bush authorized the NSA surveillance program in late 2001 and is now a partner at the Sidley Austin law firm in Washington, D.C. Far from being complicit in an illegal spying scheme, Berenson said, 'AT&T is essentially an innocent bystander.'" (05/17/06)

As I think I said last week, the ultimate blame for this mess lies at the feet of the people screaming loudest about the evil horrible thing - the Congress of the United States. Even AT&T is going to be reluctant to buck a federal law when so many people are just itching for the chance to bring them down.

Hastert protests raid on congressional office
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"House Speaker Dennis Hastert complained directly to President Bush on Tuesday about the FBI's unprecedented raid on [Louisiana Democrat] Rep. William Jefferson's office, while officials said senior Democrats worked to ease the Louisiana lawmaker out of a powerful committee assignment, at least temporarily. 'My opinion is that they took the wrong path,' Hastert, R-Ill., told reporters after meeting with Bush in the White House. 'They need to back up, and we need to go from there.'" (05/23/06)

Our imperial congrus-kritturs - rallying to each other's defense. It is okay to rail against a colleague who once supported segregation, but heaven forbid we speak ill of a thief and corrupt liar.

TN: Legislators weigh uses for revenue windfall
Tennessean
"Whether millions of dollars in surplus state revenue should go into the state's rainy-day fund or pay for a tax rollback is one of the big questions legislators must resolve in the next three days. As the legislature winds up its work for the year -- lawmakers could head home at the end of the week -- they must first pass a state budget and decide what to do with the unexpected windfall of cash, which could range from $37 million to $88 million. Some Republicans on Capitol Hill want to use the money for some form of tax relief, such as cutting the state sales tax on food. Meanwhile, Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, has made it clear to House and Senate leaders that he wants the money saved in the state reserve fund." [RRND Editor's note: According to reliable sources, the actual surplus is already more than $225 million, and is likely to top $300 mil by fiscal year-end (June 30). [Editor's note: Arguing over how to spend the "found money" instead of cutting the high taxes that created it is both irresponsible and flat-out WRONG! - SAT] (05/23/06)

The more money you give them, the more they have to spend. It is more than burning holes in their pockets, it is an addiction more vicious than crack or contaminated meth.

Iranian Prez Ahmadinejad's love of soccer worries World Cup host
Boston Globe
"German security forces are ready to deal with hooligans, right-wing protesters, and even suicide bombers. But the possibility of Iran's president making a surprise appearance at next month's World Cup soccer championship is giving the country's leadership a collective case of angst. The prospect of such a visit started to emerge last month after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- the world's best-known Holocaust-denier, despiser of Israel, and alleged wannabe wielder of nuclear arms -- expressed his passionate love for soccer. Iran's national team is one of 32 that have qualified for the championship, and it will play its first game at Nuremberg. Suddenly, it seems possible that Ahmadinejad and his entourage might show up to cheer Iranian players in a city where Adolf Hitler set the stage for the Holocaust with massive Nazi rallies and passage of the Nuremberg laws, which stripped citizenship from German Jews." (05/23/06)

Suitable place to visit, really. I know that there are claims made that Ahmadinejad's speeches are being misinterpreted about denial of the Holocaust, but there is NO doubt that he would love to see Israel and all Jews, worldwide, disappear, if not go into ovens. And that Iran will continue to support efforts to achieve that goal.

Clinton Seeks 'Energy Revolution' Fueled by Higher Taxes
CNSNews.com
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) Tuesday called for an "energy revolution" based on greater fuel efficiency as well as a $50 billion research fund financed largely through higher taxes on oil company profits. A GOP spokesman responded that the plan is just "partisanship, political pandering and yesterday's mistakes."

And the GOP is probably sorry they didn't think of it first - after all, the oil industry is fair game for both sides of the aisle. But her attitude is typically statist: "there ain't nothing we can't pretend to solve using enough of your money."

Retiree benefits grow into "monster"
USA Today
"Taxpayers owe more than a half-million dollars per household for financial promises made by government, mostly to cover the cost of retirement benefits for baby boomers, a USA TODAY analysis shows. Federal, state and local governments have added nearly $10 trillion to taxpayer liabilities in the past two years, bringing the total of government's unfunded obligations to an unprecedented $57.8 trillion. That is the equivalent of a $510,678 credit card debt for every American household. Payments on this delinquent tax bill must start soon if financial promises to the elderly are to be kept. The cost of retirement programs will start to soar when baby boomers -- 79 million born between 1946 and 1964 -- begin collecting Social Security in 2008 and Medicare in 2011." [FND Editor's note: Has anyone seen my signature on a promissory note as the borrower of that amount or as guarantor for the borrower? No? Well, then, that settles that - TLK] (05/24/06)

Notice that this is more than 7 times the published "Federal Debt" figure. Supposedly, this is what all that nonexistent"Trust Fund" money is for, and if it had been invested in even fairly-mediocre mutual funds it would not be a debt but a huge credit. As Tom points out, USA Today's assumption is wrong in its entirety. Even those of us who voluntarily raised our hand to subscribe to "defend and uphold" the Constitution sure didn't sign on the dotted line for this loan.

Mama's Note: I would think it was terribly incorrect to add the Social Security and Medicare costs to the "bill" against the veterans benefits. Don't the people in the armed forces pay the SS and Medicare tax on their earnings? At least they do when they leave the military. My husband certainly did after he retired from the Navy.

As the widow of a Viet Nam Vet, I have paid my share of those taxes and won't be claiming benefits paid for by someone else when I retire. Seems we need a little clearer detail of these "benefits" before we get excited.

VA's delay in reporting data theft questioned
Arizona Republic
"Veterans Affairs officials waited two weeks to call in the FBI to investigate the theft of sensitive personal data, delaying a warning to 26.5 million veterans now at risk in one of the nation's largest security breaches. Lawmakers from both parties demanded answers. Burglars struck the Maryland home of the VA data analyst in early May, taking government-owned laptop and disks containing the names, Social Security numbers and birth dates of veterans discharged since 1975. But the FBI wasn't notified until late last week, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, said his panel would hold an emergency hearing Thursday because '26 million people deserve answers.' VA Secretary Jim Nicholson is expected to testify." (05/24/06)

Not going public is one thing - not reporting it is another.

Senators Will Question Veterans Affairs Secretary Today
CNSNews.com
"Outraged," that's what Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson says he is, following reports that his agency waited three weeks to inform 26.5 million veterans that their personal data was on a computer stolen from a home in suburban Washington. Senators on Thursday were scheduled to convene a joint hearing, entitled, "VA Data Privacy Breach: Twenty-Six Million People Deserve Answers."

So we'll get to listen to everyone mindlessly prattling about how they really care about the people who potentially face disasters. And about how they'll "fix it so it won't EVER happen again, cross our hearts and hope to die." While I'm not expected a public telecast of Nicholson's seppuku ceremony (entertaining as it might be), at least he wouldn't be profiting from it, the way these "conscript fathers" (senators) are. Note the disgusting cutesy name - just as military operations have to be named by the PR folks, and stupid laws have to have catchy names, so now even HEARINGS have to be "advertised" - selling the sizzle even when there isn't any food at all producing the noise and smell.

Mama's Note: The link to this story could not be found, even after an extensive search. The transcript of the hearing, however, can be found here.

CA: $750,000 for women boss screamed at
San Francisco Chronicle
"Three women who were screamed at by their boss were awarded $750,000 in a settlement announced Monday in San Francisco. The women, all employees of the National Education Association in Alaska, complained in a sexual discrimination lawsuit in 2001 that they had been abused, berated and spit upon by their boss, the interim assistant executive director of the office, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said. The complaint, filed by Carol Christopher, Carmela Chamara and Julie Bhend, was originally rejected by a federal judge because the abusive behavior by the women's boss, Thomas Harvey, was not sexual in nature and thus not sexual harassment. The complaint was reinstated by an appeals court that ruled abusive sexual discrimination does not have to be motivated by lust or misogyny." (05/23/06)

For once, the original judge was right - but then, the EEOC is notorious for this kind of overreaction. What a stupid action! Notice that the bad guy is a supervisor in a union! This should be an insult to women - and is itself is discriminatory: they cannot be expected to stand up to screaming, just because they are women.

NJ: Robber threw cash as he fled
Ananova [UK]
"A US bank robber escaped after throwing some of his haul over his shoulder as he fled from a security guard. The guard stopped to pick up the $20 bills and the robber escaped after his raid on a bank in Jersey City, New Jersey. The robber had walked into the bank and handed a note to a cashier, demanding $10,000 and a bag to put it in. The teller filled the bag with $20 bills. As he walked away, the teller pushed the holdup alarm and shouted: 'We've been robbed!' The security guard managed to grab the thief by the arm, but the robber wriggled free and then threw the cash behind him as he fled on foot. The robber got away with $4,217 -- not including the $1,425 he dropped to slow down the guard's pursuit, reports said." (05/23/06)

Gee, the security guard sounds like the stupid one here, not the crook.

Mama's Note: Hmmmm... If the teller filled the bag with $20. bills, how did the total he tossed come up with an odd number? Must have been a stray five dollar note in there somewhere...

India: Bounty on 'Da Vinci' author's head
Raw Story
"Some Indian Christians are so incensed with the fictional blockbuster 'The DA Vinci Code' they want the government to ban it and one Roman Catholic has offered a bounty of US$25,000 on the head of author Dan Brown, leaving other members of the faithful embarrassed by the reaction. The Mumbai Catholic Council has threatened to stop the screening of the movie if the government fails to ban the recently released movie of the book. Another group called the Catholic Social Forum has said if the shows go ahead it will launch a death fast from 12 May. Nicolas Almeida, a Catholic and former Mumbai municipal councilor, offered a reward of 1.1 million rupees ($25,000) for the head of author Brown, leading a Catholic journalist to compare Almeida to the Taliban." (05/23/06)

This kind of insane action makes anyone "Christian" look bad. This guy is worse than the Taliban or Al Qaeda, because he is breaking the commands of his religion.

Bernanke: Comments to reporter "lapse of judgment"
Fox News
"Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Tuesday he suffered a 'lapse of judgment' by talking to a CNBC reporter recently, a conversation that caused the stock market to tank when his comments were reported. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., asked Bernanke about the episode during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on financial literacy. Bernanke, who took over the Fed job on Feb. 1, rattled financial markets when his comments were reported, and the May 1 incident raised questions about his communications skills. CNBC reported that day that Bernanke said investors had misinterpreted his recent congressional remarks as an indication the Fed was nearly done raising rates. Stocks -- which had been up for most of the day -- slumped." (05/23/06)

Ah, youth! Inexperience! Nobody remembers what it was like when Alan Greenspan was young and immature, and advising President Lincoln and President Washington on monetary policy. Change is hard.

Gore's "Truth" turns up the heat
Boston Globe
"Al Gore's new film opens in the United States today carrying the same scary message that he's been spreading for two decades: that the world is facing catastrophic climate change because of the negligence of mankind. But 'An Inconvenient Truth' is debuting with a sort of exquisite timing that Gore has rarely been accused of possessing in his long career in public life, according to members of Congress of both parties. A convergence of factors -- including soaring gasoline prices, devastating hurricanes, and growing Evangelical concern about environmental degradation -- is slowly moving global warming to the forefront of political debate. After years of inaction in Washington on climate change, the Senate last year adopted a nonbinding resolution acknowledging a 'scientific consensus' that global temperatures are rising because of increasing carbon dioxide emissions. It called for 'mandatory, market-based limits and incentives on emissions of greenhouse gases,' something the Bush White House opposes in favor of voluntary programs." [Editor's note: One of the very few cases where Bush seeks voluntary compliance instead of forcing it, and of course it is denigrated here - SAT] (05/24/06)

The environists seem to be winning, folks. Hope we can all live in their granola and natural fiber world.

Mama's Note: We'd all better be prepared to grow our own - and survive temperature extremes - if these morons succeed. Transportation uses at least as much energy as heating and cooling our homes. If the most radical elements prevail, we'll live without heating or cooling either. They're sure not going to allow us to go back to heating with wood, so I don't know how the folks in New York and the north east are going to survive the winters.

CA: Town Steals Land from Wal-Mart
SF Chronicle
The Hercules City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to take the unprecedented step of using eminent domain to prevent Wal-Mart from building a big-box store on a 17-acre lot near the city's waterfront.

How do you spell "S-T-E-A-L"? No matter what one might think of Wal-Mart (and apparently the residents of this little town equate Wal-Mart with Satan - except that seemingly Satanists are more welcome), this stinks.

Tech and Medical/Health News
Campaign 2006 is being guided, in part, by the cost of fuel. At the same time, all sorts of folks are running around making claims and touting miracles. We'll see a few here this week. Technology can help solve this problem, but government can too, by stepping aside to let people work and solve problems.

Vehicle Alternative Fuels Analysis
Thomas Net
In theory and in the lab, many petroleum substitutes make sense for personal vehicles. On the road, though, things are of a different matter. With gas prices at $3. a gallon, there is broad public and bipartisan political agreement that the case exists for revisiting the viability of our investment in alternative fuels. Settle in for a long ride. See also: "New Life for the Old Still: DIY Ethanol"

This is a good, quick summary of the various fuels, and explains why gasoline remains the fuel of choice for engineering reasons, to say nothing of the vast infrastructure created and constantly expanding to supply it. But it does prove some legitimate alternatives DO exist - but not necessarily everywhere. Imagine if your vehicle's fuel were only available in the state you live in and the three nearest states, but everywhere else, they use something different?

Did Verizon block US e-mail?
Wired News
"Verizon, which blocked e-mails emanating from parts of Europe and Asia en masse between October 2004 and May 2005 (as first reported by Wired News), has agreed to pay damages and change its e-mail-filtering policies. But plaintiffs' attorney Michael Boni of Kohn, Swift & Graf said new information that Verizon may have also blocked domestic e-mails could delay finalizing the settlement agreement." (05/22/06)

Something else for Verizon to worry about. Man, I'd hate to be in their shoes.

E-Mails: Administration pressured ICANN to nix .xxx domain
Fox News
"Newly released e-mails allege U.S. government officials pressured a leading Internet authority into voting against creating a kind of red-light district for adult Web sites. The apparent involvement of the U.S. Department of Commerce, President Bush's chief political operative Karl Rove and others is significant. If true, it means the U.S. Government violated terms of a complicated arrangement it has with ICANN, the Internet authority that voted 9-5 two weeks ago not to OK the Xxx proposal. What ICM Registry, the company that proposed the top-level domain, wanted was permission to distribute Web addresses that ended in Xxx to be used exclusively by adult entertainment sites." (05/24/06)

Now the question would be, WHY would the USG do this? Is it because it would result in fewer political contributions from operators who would get shut out more easily?

For telecoms, a storm of lawsuits awaits
Christian Science Monitor
"The forecast for major US phone companies this spring: continued heat, with a 100 percent chance of gathering lawsuits. From New York to Kentucky to Texas, lawyers specializing in class-action litigation are lining up to sue phone firms alleged to have handed over customer records to the National Security Agency without a court order. On Monday, for instance, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois filed suit against AT&T, charging that its actions in the NSA program violated customer privacy." (05/24/06)

Sounds like a bunch of lawyers are gonna make a bundle, doesn't it? And after all the money is spent, all the judges
heard from, we will still most likely have AT&T and the other companies, including Vonage, turning their records over to government beancounters who will examine (and lose) the data and probably not directly implicate or catch a single
real spy or terrorist. Why? Because for the cost of a $29.95 calling card purchased at a convenience store or a truck stop, all of this can be sidestepped. Terrorists, supported by American addiction to oil and drugs, aren't on much of a constrained budget when it comes to communicating, folks. Nor is North Korea with their genuine counterfeit $100 bills (which are flogged in part to other countries like Cuba and China and Vietnam with their own anti-American agenda).

The War on Some Drugs
Gee, remember this - governments trying to stop the growing, manufacture, sale, and use of some drugs, while encouraging or at least tacitly supporting the use of others. I know, I can include this in Stupid Government Tricks, but once in a while a story stands out and begs for more attention.

Colombia: $4 billion later, drugs still flow
Boston Globe
"Six years and $4 billion into the US-backed campaign to wipe out cocaine at its source, Colombia appears to be producing more coca than when the campaign started, according to US government estimates. As Congress opens debate this month on another $640 million for next year for Washington's most ambitious overseas counternarcotics effort, a growing number of critics say the costly program has neither dented the cocaine trade nor driven down the number of American addicts. Two of the program's major missions -- to dramatically reduce coca growing in Colombia and provide alternative livelihoods for drug farmers -- have fallen far short of hoped-for goals. Onetime supporters, including some Republican lawmakers who championed the plan at its creation, are now demanding to know why the most expensive US foreign aid program outside the Middle East and Afghanistan is not winning the war on drugs." [FND Editor's note: And libertarians (of all stripes) have been answering that question for decades: Prohibition does NOT work for things people want! -SAT] (05/21/06)

Think of these as the equivalent of price supports for other crops. The waste won't hurt as much then, will it? As Douglas Casey once said, "Foreign aid might be seen as transferring money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries." (Who was Douglas Casey? Apparently, a classmate of Bill Clinton.)

Mama's Note: Remember, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. He's right about foreign aid. And a note to Steve at FND: prohibition doesn't work for anything.

US study sees no marijuana link to lung cancer
MSNBC
"Marijuana smoking does not increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer, according to the findings of a new study at the University of California Los Angeles that surprised even the researchers. They had expected to find that a history of heavy marijuana use, like cigarette smoking, would increase the risk of cancer. Instead, the study, which compared the lifestyles of 611 Los Angeles County lung cancer patients and 601 patients with head and neck cancers with those of 1,040 people without cancer, found no elevated cancer risk for even the heaviest pot smokers." (05/23/06)

An interesting bit of trivia, right now, but it does lend force to those who claim that tobacco is worse than pot. And it makes a lie out of an awful lot of anti-drug ads I've heard or read.

World Wars in General
Just as we have our Home Front, and just as the Middle East is a mess, so the rest of the world has their own problems, a few of which I touch upon here. For more, see the section above on Europe.

Australia Invades East Timor
Christian Science Monitor
Australia rushes to troubled East Timor: "Australian and other foreign troops were preparing to head for East Timor Wednesday after the former Portuguese colony issued an urgent appeal for help to quell weeks of unrest. Intense fighting between government forces and renegade soldiers in the tiny island nation left two people dead and at least nine injured in the latest clashes. The government in Dili asked Australia and New Zealand to send soldiers, and for Malaysia and Portugal to send police. Canberra will shoulder the lion's share of the deployment, and was planning to send a battalion of up to 1,300 troops as well as helicopters and armored vehicles. Three warships already on standby in northern Australian waters will also be deployed." (05/25/06)

Like a person asking someone to kill them instead of committing suicide, the East Timor government has begged for invasion. Australia is the "Little Policeman" to the US's "Big Cop" but just as distasteful.

Mama's Note: You don't suppose those "rebels" in East Timor would rather be free from all government, now do you? Is it possible there would be NO fighting and killing if government left them alone? What a thought!

Iran Dismisses Badge Law Report As False
SpaceWar Daily
Washington (UPI) May 22, 2006 - The Iranian government and a number of experts dismissed reports that a new law had been passed in the Islamic Republic to force Jews, Christians and other religious minorities to wear color-coded badges in public.

The original story: Iran May Force Color-IDs On Non Muslims
It appears that what actually happened is that several lawmakers (is such a term proper to use in an Islamic republic - after all, is there not just ONE law?) have suggested or wished for such a thing as an amendment to a law passed to urge more "Islamic" clothing be worn. However, Shari'a (Islamic Law) does expressly allow such a thing. And what exactly is "More Islamic"? Is that thicker veils and chadors? Bigger turbans? Curled toe shoes instead of jackboots?

Montenegro: Quest for independence
The Scotsman
MONTENEGRO referendum could lead to the creation of a new sovereign state. The head of the country's electoral commission said 55.4% of voters had voted to secede from Serbia, just above the 55% required for victory. The result is set to erase the last vestige of the former Yugoslavia.

End of an experiment which blighted the Balkans for nearly a century, despite good intentions. Following a deadly series of wars which finally engulfed much of the world in the "Great War" (World War I), the Kingdom of the South Slavs - Yugoslavia, was created by the victors in 1919, forcing anywhere from six to twelve (depending on how you count them) nations into a single superstate.

Mama's Note: This "independence" is strictly a matter of state, however, and has nothing to do with giving the people involved any real liberty. They are now slaves to their own brand of government, that's all.

A second baby? Russia's mothers aren't persuaded
Christian Science Monitor
"Cash for babies is the Kremlin's offer to women in its latest bid to reverse a population decline that threatens to leave large swaths of Russia virtually uninhabited within 50 years. President Vladimir Putin last week defined the crisis as Russia's most acute problem, and promised to spend some of the country's oil profits on efforts to relieve it. He ordered parliament to more than double monthly child support payments to 1,500 rubles (about $55) and added that women who choose to have a second baby will receive 250,000 rubles ($9,200), a staggering sum in a country where average monthly incomes hover close to $330." (05/19/06)

Of course, Russia is not alone in this, and it has vast stretches of border that make our own with Mexico look like a virtual Great Wall of China - without a stable population, the vacuum may well be filled with hordes of (take your pick) Chinese, Muslims, Mongols, Muslims, Armenians, Muslims, or Muslims.

Mama's Note: Obviously, state theft to provide this subsidy only makes the situation worse. People usually produce more children when they are happy and free.

Rice says US faces dilemma over Guantanamo prisoners
USA Today
"The United States would be delighted to close the Guantanamo Bay prison but cannot until settling the fate of 'hundreds of dangerous people' held there, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday. 'We cannot be in a situation in which we are just turning loose on helpless populations or unprotected populations people who have vowed to kill more Americans if they're released,' Rice said. About 460 suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters are incarcerated at the Cuban prison camp; most have been held for more than four years without charges." (05/21/06)

To even talk about releasing people who have not given up their fight against the US would be the equal of allowing thousands of captured German or Japanese POWs return home in 1943 for Christmas. IF these are really soldiers/combatants (even if not according to the laws of War) - which is still a question to be resolved. Yeah, the paper makes a deal about "without charges" but we've discussed that before: it isn't a crime to go to war against an enemy nation, and it isn't right to charge even non-de jure enemy troops with crimes.

Burma: Will Aung San Suu Kyi finally taste liberty?
Independent [UK]
"The outside world has had its first direct word from Aung San Suu Kyi in nearly three years. The next week could mean everything or nothing for the imprisoned democratic leader of Burma. The Burmese junta's surprise decision to grant a senior United Nations official access to the 1991 Nobel peace laureate has revived hope she may be released. This week, the generals who crushed Ms Suu Kyi's democracy movement will decide whether to extend her house arrest beyond its present term, which expires on Saturday. That day will mark the 16th anniversary of her overwhelming election victory. The military dictatorship ignored that and she has spent 10 of the past 17 years imprisoned." (05/21/06)

Freedom, maybe, but not liberty.

565 arrested in fraud probe
Rogalands Avis [Norway]
"Authorities in five countries have arrested 565 people in fraud schemes that netted more than $1 billion ($780 million ). Many of those arrested are west Africans who were attempting variations of the notorious Nigerian Internet scam, the Justice Department said. ... Alberto Gonzales called the 14-month investigation, dubbed Operation Global Con, 'the largest enforcement operation of its kind.' It has so far resulted in 139 arrests and 61 convictions in the United States and another 426 arrests in Canada, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Spain. The scams were carried out through telemarketing, mass mailings and the Internet and also included bogus lottery, prize and sweepstakes offerings, invitations to pour money into nonexistent investments and supposedly legal enticements to avoid paying taxes, officials said." (05/24/06)

I, for one, would like to peruse the various methods and examples of their work to see how many I recognize from my own spam folder and mailbox. And seeing as how this was a multi-government program, I wonder how many innocent people got scooped up, and how many of the 565 will really result in convictions. The 61 of 139 rate (well under 50%) is hardly encouraging.

Pentagon warns over China buildup
CNN
"China's rapid military buildup could throw off the balance of power in Asia and threaten other countries in the region, according to a Pentagon report on China's military power. The Pentagon's annual report to Congress says the country's consistent defense spending on aircraft, missiles and ships means China is ever closer to a longer-range military reach. 'Several aspects of China's military development have surprised U.S. analysts, including the pace and scope of its strategic forces modernization,' the report says." (05/23/06)

Is this just being proactive, or is this excessive promotion of their services? But it is true, from numerous reports and sources, that China is continuing a buildup and modernization unlike any other nation. And it is not at all repentant of its revanchism, still claiming to own Indochina, Mongolia, Korea, and large chunks of Siberia. Nor has its evangelistic communist fervor declined the way it might be hoped.

Singapore to install hundreds more surveillance cameras
SpaceWarDaily
Singapore (AFP) May 22, 2006 - Singapore will install hundreds more surveillance cameras on its streets, including around a central district where the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings will be held in September, a report said Monday.

The snoopers' full employment act, no doubt.

Israeli Diplomats, Holocaust Survivors Planning to Sue Iranian President
CNSNews.com
Jerusalem - A group of Israeli diplomats and Holocaust survivors hope to bring Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad before the International Court of Justice in the Hague on charges of inciting genocide...

For all the good this will do, they might as well hold a worldwide betting pool on when he will die - say a billion to the person who most accurately predicts the date, method, and timing of his death, provided it is in the next sixty days. The ICJ is a worthless little "feel-good" institution that would not risk a pocket nuke in Den Haag to seriously consider such a charge.

Rebel Leader Seeks Truce to Escape War Crimes Indictments
CNSNews.com
Nairobi, Kenya (CNSNews.com) - Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony, famed for amputating the arms of his abductees, cannibalizing them, and kidnapping children, has appeared in public for the first time in a decade, saying he is ready for a peaceful end to the war he's fomented...

Hmm. Did he/dose he eat just the amputated arms, or everything BUT the amputated arms? Are the children also on the menu? It would make me think that his "peace" is that of the grave.