Libertarian Commentary on the News, 1 July, 2006 -- Page 2

The 2006 Political Campaigns
Dirtier and crazier than ever! Don't you wish it were November already? As far as elections and campaigns, I surely do. Of course, here in South Dakota that would mean that the legislature is that much closer to again meeting to see how they can mess with us. July 1st is "New Law Day" in South Dakota when all the silliness from January and February (legislative session) catches up with us. Sigh.

Democrats seize on Iraq pullout report
CNN
"Democrats who have called for U.S. troops to start coming home from Iraq said a proposed withdrawal plan reportedly put forward by the top American general there shows their criticism has been on the mark. President Bush's Republican allies in Congress in recent weeks have criticized Democratic proposals for getting out of Iraq, accusing the opposition party of laying plans to 'cut and run' from the war." (06/26/06)

More posturing for the voters and cameras. Makes me sick.

AR: Greens, ACLU sue vs. ballot exclusion
Pine Bluff Commercial
"A lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday challenges Arkansas rules on third-party access to election ballots, arguing the state violates the Constitution by using different rules for independent candidates. The Green Party of Arkansas sued the state over its denial of signatures submitted to gain recognition in the Nov. 7 election. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, said the state unfairly uses a different standard for third parties than it does for independent candidates. ... The law requires third parties to submit the number of signatures equal to 3 percent of the total votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election. Independent candidates are only required to submit 10,000 valid voter signatures to get on the ballot." (06/28/06)

I'll reserve judgment on this entire court case - except to point out that virtually EVERY state discriminates against both independent AND "third-party" candidates, and Arkansas is not as bad as some.

Supreme Court upholds Texas gerrymander
Seattle Times
"The Supreme Court upheld most of Texas' Republican-drafted 2003 congressional redistricting plan Wednesday in a ruling that could prompt majority parties in other states to redraw political maps to their advantage. The court's 7-2 endorsement of the plan, conceived by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to tilt Texas' congressional delegation to the GOP, was not absolute. By a 5-4 vote, the court ruled that a sprawling West Texas district now represented by Republican Henry Bonilla violates the Voting Rights Act because it diluted the voting power of Latinos." (06/29/06)

This again makes me wonder if geographically-based franchise even makes sense. I'm not suggesting "at-large" candidates as that is even more of a mess. But the idea of having people nominate whom they want to represent them in Congress, regardless of where they live in a large state like Texas, surely has some merit to it: no more "34%" winners (in a three-way race, I mean), and having most, if not all of the people represented by someone that they really want to represent them, not the guy or gal that defeated the person they wanted.

Mama's Note: What about those of us who do not want ANYONE to "represent" them? I just want to be left alone to live my life. I don't need or want ANY politicians of any kind! No "government" is going to stand for that, you can be sure.

Feds accept Georgia voter ID law
Greenville Reflector
"Georgia's plans to require voters to show photo identification at the polls won federal approval Wednesday, clearing the way for officials to begin issuing free IDs to those who need them. But opponents of the law, who have sued in both state and federal court, are still hoping the courts will throw out the law before the primary election less than three weeks away. Approval by the U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday allows the State Election Board to move ahead with its plans to implement the law approved by the Georgia Legislature earlier this year. It requires voters to show one of six forms of government-issued photo identification prior to casting a ballot." (06/29/06)

Unlike all the demands for national ID and for showing ID at the airport, the bus station, and the courthouse, showing an ID for voting has never bothered me. Open or non-registration (North Dakota style) has never made sense to me - although I guess it would to Chicago-style political machines. Claiming that requiring ID cards is racist or homophobic or immigrant-phobic or hispanophobic or whatever has always seemed bizarre to me, and I'm glad this fight is over in Georgia. (Here in SD, I have, at least since 1992, ALWAYS shown an ID to vote unless the poll worker was someone who personally knew me.)

Our Right To Fight And Defend Ourselves
Who can best decide when we need to defend ourselves, or when it is best to turn the other cheek or even retreat?
As we'll see today, more and more states are saying that it is the individual person. Of course, not all states (one surprising one, to many, in fact) are willing to get on the bandwagon. And we should not forget that only a "well-regulated" person (that is, one who is able to make sound judgments and able to use a firearm well) is going to be able to make these individual choices in a responsible manner. To put it another way, I will very seldom force someone to put their gun on safety (although if you want to visit me in my house you better do it!), but I will preach loud and frequently that the proper and careful use of the safety is a key part of good defense and should be practiced by everyone - no matter how much they believe in the right to defend themselves!

GA: Off-duty officer kills gunman at sports bar
WTVM News
"Authorities say an off-duty Clayton County police officer exchanged gunfire and killed a 23-year-old man outside a sports bar last night. Clayton County Assistant Police Chief Jeff Turner says the officer -- who was not identified -- was visiting the Sports Emporium Cafe to honor the birthday of his son, who was killed by gunfire outside an Atlanta nightclub several months ago. Turner says the officer overheard an argument between four or five men. Turner says one of the men pulled a gun and shot one of the other men in the shoulder, which prompted the officer to pull his own gun. Turner says the officer identified himself as a police officer and told the shooter to drop the weapon. He says once the gunman turned and fired, the officer returned fire and killed him." (06/24/06)

This cop was somewhat smart, at least, but still it was pretty dumb to identify himself as a police officer. He might have been able to end the fight without more shots being fired if he had not boasted - what did he think, that the guy would faint from fear?

FL: Store owner shoots would-be robbers
Tampa Bay 10 News
"Friday night Rossi Henry and Alphonzo Tolbert attempted to rob the Dela Cruz Convenient Store on 16th Street in Tampa. The clerk Khaled Elkhayyat who is also the store owner armed himself with a gun and shot the two suspects who ran from the store with no money. Tampa Police officers arrested the suspects three blocks from the store. Henry and Tolbert were taken to Tampa General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries." (06/24/06)

Unfortunately, I bet the taxpayers are stuck with their hospital bill.

NY: Woman slays armed ex
New York Daily News
"A Long Island woman shot her armed ex-boyfriend to death when he barged into her bedroom early yesterday morning, police said. Carol Lama, 50, of Evert St. in Huntington Station, told cops that she had kept a loaded shotgun beside her bed since breaking up with Robert Travers, who lived about 5 miles away. Lama shot Travers, 50, once in the chest after she was awakened by him entering her room about 1:20 a.m. and saw a pistol in his waistband, she told police. A handgun was recovered, cops said. 'She tells us that previously he had entered her home when he had been told not to, so she kept the shotgun for protection against him,' said Suffolk County Homicide Squad Detective Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick." (06/25/06)

At least she didn't go running to the court for that worthless piece of paper called a "restraining order." Better by far to spend the time wasted in a court or paying an attorney to work and buy the shotgun. Wonder when the cops will charge her with having an illegal weapon?

MT: Gun ownership not a partisan issue in rural America
Contra Costa Times
"Gov. Brian Schweitzer won't say exactly how many guns he owns, other than it's 'more than I need, but less than I want.' An unabashed shooter, hunter and gun-fancier in a state deeply in touch with its Old West heritage, Schweitzer is a member of the National Rifle Association and was happy to receive the NRA's endorsement for governor in 2004. He is also a Democrat. Like many Democrats, especially those beyond the nation's big cities and urban coasts, Schweitzer doesn't see gun ownership as a partisan issue. 'Republicans try to make the case that 'Democrats will take your guns away.' I say, 'Yeah, Democrats like Giuliani, Pataki and Schwarzenegger,'' Schweitzer said, naming prominent Republicans from New York and California. While leaders in urban areas, faced with a rising number of gun-related slayings and injuries, call for tougher gun laws, their counterparts in more rural states insist that criminals, not guns, are the problem." (06/26/06)

It may not be a Demo-versus-GOP issue in the West, but I can tell you that it IS a liberal versus conservative and libertarian issue: the more carpetbaggers that move into Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, the more the hoploclasts can influence elections, especially the primary contests that get people like Schweitzer elected (or Friedenthal in Wyoming).

IL: In East St. Louis, golden years lit by flashes of gunfire
St.Louis Post Dispatch
"After her 87-year-old next-door neighbor fatally shot a burglar trying to come through the front door, Eleanor Anderson -- herself an older adult living alone -- began sleeping with two items under her pillow: a cell phone and a gun. The grandmother was intent on defending herself in a neighborhood that has changed drastically since she was a young girl. Anderson's small, light-green childhood home is protected by security bars and an alarm system. She also has her gun. And when Anderson, 61, heard gunshots one recent night, she was ready. She called police and waited with her snubnose .38. 'Us being seniors, criminals don't think we'd do anything,' Anderson said, looking over her gold reading glasses and standing in a room filled with pictures of her four granddaughters. 'We don't play anymore. We won't take this lying down.'" (06/26/06)

Unfortunately, there are a lot more people who need to take her example to heart.

OH: Driver kills man hiding in back seat
KDKA News
"A motorist wrestled a gun from a suspected carjacker and fired three shots, killing the man who had sneaked into the back seat of the car while it was parked at a gas pump, authorities said. John Toubell, 44, of Antrim, had arranged to meet a detective at the gas station to turn himself in for robbing a restaurant, but he instead climbed in the car when the driver was inside early Sunday paying for gasoline and beef jerky, Guernsey County Sheriff Mike McCauley said. The shooting appeared to be self-defense because driver Brian Starr was shot in the thigh by the suspect before he took the gun away, McCauley said." (06/26/06)

Mr. Starr, wouldn't it have been easier if you'd had a gun of your own? Of course, I have to remember, this IS Ohio - if Mr. Starr hadn't been shot, I suspect that he would be in jail right now, the claim being that he shot the carjacker out of anger and malice aforethought.

MS: Would be burglar shot
WLBT News
"A would-be burglar was busted by a homeowner in Vicksburg in the early morning hours Monday. According to police, 50 year-old Mary Miller was shot in the neck as she tried to break into a house in the 700 block of 1st North. She underwent surgery at UMC, and then went back to Vicksburg with a relative. No charges will be filed against the homeowner. ... No word yet if Miller will face any charges." (06/26/06)

What, getting shot in breaking and entering (or at least trying to enter) entitles her to a "get out of jail free" card? Please.

AL: Homeowner shoots burglar
NBC 13 News
"A Birmingham homeowner shot a burglary suspect after finding the man hiding inside her home. It happened just after 1:30 a.m. Monday Police said Jason Kennedy broke into the house in the 300 block of 61st Street North. Kennedy hid when the woman and her companion returned home. When the homeowner discovered Kennedy, she shot him and held him at bay until authorities arrived, police said." (06/27/06)

At least there is no "suspected home invader" language here.

Password-protected bullets
New Scientist
"Safety catches do not always prevent firearm accidents and even newfangled biometric guns, which check the identity of a user by their fingerprint, cannot stop thieves from using stolen ammunition in other weapons. The way to make firearms really safe, says Hebert Meyerle of Germany, is to password-protect the ammunition itself. Meyerle is patenting a design for a modified cartridge that would be fired by a burst of high-frequency radio energy. But the energy would only ignite the charge if a solid-state switch within the cartridge had been activated. This would only happen if a password entered into the gun using a tiny keypad matched one stored in the cartridge. " [Editor's note: Be sure to read the comments. No, this is NOT a joke - MLS] (06/27/06)

Ah, well. Mary Lou was right, and after the first two or three, I had to read the whole thing (and there are a LOT!). Usually I don't read other people's comments on news stories, to try and keep a "fresh viewpoint" This time, I couldn't resist. One of many good ones: "I think every government agent should be forced to have this technology. Sadly, since it is such an improvement, we mere peons should not be allowed to have it." (Anon.) Either the word got out to a lot of libertarians, or New Scientist's readership is a lot more "right-wing" than I'd have thought! Another one: "There are three classes of inventions: Incremental improvements, the brilliant insights of the truly talented, and the fever dreams of the barking insane. This one falls into the third category. It's as absurd as preventing carjacking by having every car automatically detach its wheels every time it comes to a stop and require a password to reattach them."

FL: No charges in backyard shooting
NBC 2 News
"A North Fort Myers man will not be charged with murder thanks to Florida's recently-passed Stand Your Ground law. The victim's widow says she plans to challenge the law, to get justice for her husband and save other lives as well. ... On March 28, a masked Michael Frazzini was hiding in his mother's backyard. He was trying to videotape her neighbor, Cory Rasmussen, who he believed was harassing his mother. 'He's a very kind man who would have not hurt a single soul. He loved his mother dearly and he didn't want them harassing her anymore,' said Frazzini. But things went wrong when the Rasmussens spotted him. During a confrontation, Todd Rasmussen fired a single shot that ultimately killed Frazzini, a decorated military man and a father of two. The Rasmussens told detectives they didn't know who was under the mask and that they fired in self-defense." (06/27/06)

Sounds to me like Frazzini was nothing but a thug committing a crime (Peeping Tom) when he was shot - and that the man who killed him was fully justified in believing that a masked man with a large device, hiding in the dark and looking into their window, was trying to harm them.

Mama's Note: This kind of thing shows how important your reputation is. If you have a good reputation in your community, they will be much more apt to believe you against a stranger or someone they know to be a creep. If YOU are the creep, the circumstances might not be enough to vindicate you if you don't have creditable witnesses.

CA: Three suspects shot in robbery attempt
San Francisco Chronicle
"Police are looking for a man who turned the tables on three would-be robbers and shot them early Tuesday in the Tenderloin. Police say the three first tried to rob a man at 3:30 a.m. at Turk and Leavenworth streets, but he was able to escape. The man then watched as the suspects confronted a couple and tried to grab a backpack from them, police said. The man with the backpack pulled a gun and shot the three, police said. One man was wounded in the leg and was quickly arrested, and a second man wounded in the arm and buttocks was found around the corner. The third man, wounded in the buttocks and groin, went to the Tenderloin Task Force police station for help. 'You've got to go somewhere,' Inspector John Peterson said. 'Where he was shot, he needed the help.' The three men each were charged with two counts of attempted robbery. Their names were not immediately released. 'It's rare to have a victim be armed and use the weapon successfully on all three perpetrators,' Peterson said. We would like to talk to that victim to hear the rest of the story.' (06/28/06)

This, to me, is just like when you are out in the woods and kill a puma or lynx with a collar on, after he jumps your wife or buddy. You don't tell anyone, you find a nice safe place to bury the carcass and bury the collar safely, and you thank God you survived. This guy would be nuts, especially in San Fran, to ever identify himself to the cops.

MI: Woman kills man in self defense
ABC 12 News
"A couple's fight turned deadly in the city of Saginaw overnight. It happened on the 2300 Block of Hanchett on Saginaw's west side around 1 a.m. This is not the first time police have visited the home. This is the city's 13th murder of 2006. But this one is not like any of the previous 12. One reason is that the prosecutor will not file charges against the woman who pulled the trigger. That woman turned herself into police after she admitted to shooting 27-year-old Damion West once in the chest, killing him. Prosecutor Mike Thomas says the woman acted in self defense and a source close to the investigation says West had a history of assaulting the woman." (06/27/06)

This is NOT a murder - killing in self defense is not a murder; but then, why think that the media understands the difference? At least, for once, the prosecutor DOES understand the difference.

SC: Store owner shots at robbers
WLTX News
"Mary Todd is the first to tell you -- she takes safety into her own hands. 'I don't keep a gun on me, but there's one always with hand's reach,' she says, nodding towards a silver pistol. Just a week and a half ago, the owner of Todd's Food Store in Beech Island was forced to put it to use. On the afternoon of June 16th, three masked gunmen walked into the store, while a fourth waited in the car. 'They started grabbing customers, putting them on the ground, sticking guns to their heads and so forth,' says Investigator Chuck Cain with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office. Investigator Cain says the crooks would have succeeded if it weren't for Mary. As one of the men tried to kick in her office door, she fought back. 'I shot my gun through my little office window,' she says. Adds Cain, 'Right then the boys were like, 'We're getting shot at, we're outta here.'" (06/27/06)

Another example of a woman using Mr. Colt's equalizer. Whether smaller, older, younger or some combination, without a firearm, it is very difficult for most women to be able to stand up to a male attacker - especially three at once.

MI: Homeowner surprises intruder
Detroit News
"Shots were traded this morning when a man returning to his home in Oak Park surprised an intruder in his home. According to police, the incident occurred at about 4 a.m. in a home on Moritz and Northfield streets. The unidentified home owner -- who was wounded in the shoulder, but is expected to recover -- drove himself to the police station after the shootout. The intruder escaped. Tracking dogs were brought in to try and locate the suspect, but at this time he remains at large." (06/26/06)

Too bad that the invader hasn't been found yet. At least Michigan is taking action to see that situations like this are more clearly defined for police, as the next story explains.

MI: House passes bill for deadly force
WLNS News
"Legislation that would allow the use of deadly force without retreat is one step closer to reality. The Michigan house passed a bill that would allow citizens using force when faced with imminent danger, whether on public or private property. The bill also protects those who have used self-defense from encountering lawsuits. Supporters of the bill say citizens should not be obligated to retreat when threatened, but critics argue the result could result in a dangerous 'shoot-first' mentality." (06/28/06)

It will be nice if Michigan joins many other states in this little positive fad - and only is restating what common sense and common law have said for centuries.

Mama's Note: About a month ago I spent three days at a campout with almost 100 other people, most of whom were armed at all times. Not one of them demonstrated any tendency to "shoot first" or other irresponsible behavior. Indeed, this was the most courteous, mannerly and pleasant crowd of people I was ever with.

There IS a grave danger, however, that people without adequate training in the use of their weapon will give us all a bad name. If you know someone who owns a gun, but has not had any real education or experience with it, you owe it to them and your community to invite them to go with you to a class or the gun range. Let's do our best to be sure that only the criminals are irresponsible users of firearms.

NH: Live free, but only if cornered
Boston Globe
"Gov. John Lynch prevailed Wednesday when the Senate failed to override his veto of a bill expanding the right to use deadly force. Current law requires people to retreat in public if it's safe to do so, before resorting to deadly force in self defense. Deadly force is permitted to protect against kidnapping, rape, or murder or when an intruder enters your home. The new bill would have allowed deadly force in public whenever someone felt threatened by any potential felony crime. With two senators absent, the Senate's 11-11 vote Wednesday fell four short of the two-thirds majority needed to override Lynch's veto." (06/28/06)

Strangely enough, just a day or two ago I got a long impassioned letter urging me and all my fellow libertarians in South Dakota to admit we made a mistake and immediately move to the paradise/haven/utopia-to-be of New Hampshire. But as this story shows, and as I pointed out in my own passionate defense of Free State Wyoming and other western movements, NH has a long ways to go to understand what liberty really means, and a few dozen-thousand libertarians won't change it very quickly, while here in the West, for all our problems, the situation is already better than it could be in NH in a decade..

MA: Jury acquits veteran of shooting into crowd
The Boston Channel
"A jury deliberated just two hours Thursday before finding an Iraq war veteran acted in self-defense when he fired a shotgun into a group of club-goers outside his Lawrence home, injuring two people. ... Cotnoir's house, which is also his family's funeral parlor, overlooks a parking lot that sits across from two nightclubs. After the clubs let out at 2 a.m. on Aug. 13, 2005, revelers cranked their music and were singing and dancing. Cotnoir testified he felt 'under attack' after a bottle was thrown through his window minutes after he called police to complain. He said he was in fear of his family's safety when he grabbed a rifle and fired a shot into what he said was a clear area." (06/29/06)

Did he fire a rifle or a shotgun? Does this Boston TV station even know the difference? Do they care? This reporting shows clearly that the media thinks the jury was wrong, and this guy is dangerous. But to me, it sounds like he reacted responsibly and properly, against hoodlums who don't understand what private property means.

AZ: Homeowner fights off intruders with gun
Tucson Citizen
"Home invasion suspects this morning exchanged shots with a Southwest Side homeowner awakened by the sound of someone trying to break into his home, the Sheriff's Department said. ... In today's home invasion, on South Sparrow Avenue, near West Los Reales Road and South Camino de Oeste, the homeowner, whose name was not released this morning, was awakened about 3:20 a.m. by the sound of someone trying to break in through a wrought iron security door with a crow bar, Portrey quoted deputies as saying in an initial report. The homeowner yelled, 'freeze,' and got a pistol. Looking out of his house he spotted two vehicles, a car and a pickup, on a dirt road near his property ... Both vehicles started to leave, then stopped and the homeowner heard gunshots coming from the vehicles, Portrey said. The home owner fired three shots and [sic] the suspects, described only as two men ages 18 to 20." (06/29/06)

Good for the homeowner. Better luck next time.

Stupid Tricks: Government and People
From massive spending touted as "cost saving" to blind disobedience of the law to another attempt to prove that the Keystone Kops movies were all documentaries, we have this week's offer of fun and frivolity. Gee, isn't it wonderful that we have so many nice and intelligent folks working for us in government, and living around us? I am so glad.

MA: Romney vetoes $225 million in spending
Boston Globe
"Governor Mitt Romney, setting up an election-year battle with Democrats, yesterday vetoed $225 million from two Beacon Hill spending bills, eliminating dozens of pet projects, slashing pay raises for judges, and abolishing $10 million for research in the life sciences. The cuts were extensive and statewide, including $8.3 million for substance abuse treatment and $1.5 million for grants to community health centers, as well as smaller local projects, such as $200,000 to install Victorian-style street lights in Melrose and $100,000 to build a gazebo on Sunset Lake in Braintree. Romney said the state could not afford to fund all of the items, some of which he called 'pure pork,' by tapping into the state's $1.7 billion stabilization fund, as the Legislature had proposed. Together with two other spending bills currently pending in the Legislature, the total hit to the fund would be $700 million, he said." (06/25/06)

Gee, only a couple billion more in needless spending to go in Mass, eh? Looking at the list, it appears that it is ALL pretty much pork, and not the lean stuff, either. What is there about legis-gators that they let taxpayers' money burn holes in their pockets?

Bush ignores laws he inks, vexing Congress
LaPorte Herald-Argus
"Sen. John McCain thought he had a deal when President Bush, faced with a veto-proof margin in Congress, agreed to sign a bill banning the torture of detainees. Not quite. While Bush signed the new law, he also quietly approved another document: a signing statement reserving his right to ignore the law. McCain was furious, and so were other lawmakers. The Senate Judiciary Committee is opening hearings this week into what has become the White House's favorite tool for overriding Congress in the name of wartime national security." (06/27/06)

Seems to me that if this is the case, there ARE reasons for impeachment - unlike the bogus reasons given by too many propagandists all too often. Of course, McCain won't do anything except talk - the entire bill was a grandstand play on his part, just repeating many other US laws that the Administration can ignore just like this one, if it chooses.

TN: "Choose Life" plates may be issued
Tennessean
"The state may be able to start rolling out 'Choose Life' license plates for Tennessee drivers. The U.S. Supreme Court said today it would not consider appeals from abortion rights groups wanting to stop states from issuing car license plates bearing a 'Choose Life' message. The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee asked America's top court in May to review a lower court's decision that said Tennessee would be within its rights to issue the specialty plate. Production of the 'Choose Life' tags, which was approved by the state legislature in 2003, has been halted for years as the legal battle played out." (06/26/06)

States don't have "rights" but they may have "powers" (that we, the people were stupid enough to give them, I admit), and it makes no sense that abortion groups should have the power to delay something like this, however silly vanity plates and special plates are. Their problem (the abortion groups, that is) is that very few people want to have license plates that say "Choose Death" or "It's only a lump of tissue."

Senate rejects GOP's flag desecration amendment
Stamford Advocate
"A constitutional amendment to ban flag desecration died in a Senate cliffhanger Tuesday, a single vote short of the support needed to send it to the states for ratification and four months before voters elect a new Congress. The 66-34 tally in favor of the amendment was one less than the two-thirds required. The House surpassed that threshold last year, 286-130." (06/27/06)

Well, a lot of people can breath easier, for this time. And for now, millions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of man-hours won't be wasted on what is, at best, a truly worthless amendment to the constitution.

Mama's Note: There seems to be a lot of confusion on this, even among those who profess to love liberty. Many seem to confuse the symbol with the reality, especially some who served in the armed forces and were evidently brainwashed to believe that they risked their lives for this symbol. How pathetic! They risked their lives (hopefully) for the freedom to criticize the government and protest the wrongs being done in their names.

Senator wants IRS to chase after pimps
South Bend Tribune
"Pimps and sex traffickers could soon find themselves being chased by tax collectors, not just the vice squad. Sen. Charles Grassley, chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, wants the Internal Revenue Service to chase after pimps and sex traffickers with the same fervor it stalked gangster Al Capone for tax evasion. Grassley, R-Iowa, would hit pimps with fines and lengthy prison sentences for failing to file employment forms and withhold taxes for the women and girls under their command." (06/27/06)

I thought the standard model was "independent contractors" rather than employee relationships (except, of course, for those who are basically slaves, and who ever filed a tax return on slaves?). But think of the potential: the pimps could be busted for hiring illegal immigrants if they don't file an I-9 form, and if they are in tax court or federal court all the time, they can't work their girls very well, can they? Oh, and what about worker's comp? And health insurance? And retirement plans?

Germany: Roofer mistaken for jumper
Ananova [UK]
"A German roofer is facing a big bill after emergency services mistook him for a potential suicide jumper. Police sealed off a busy main road and called out the fire brigade and negotiators to talk to Dieter Holmblutter, 30, who was on the roof of a five-story building in Saarbruecken. But the roofer was so busy talking on the phone to his girlfriend he failed to notice the commotion below until she asked him what the sirens were for. Once the mistake was realized, emergency services left the roofer to finish preparing his estimate. But officials say he will be presented with the bill for wasting their time -- reported to be several thousand pounds." (06/27/06)

So now it is against the law, effectively, to sit and mind your own business. What goofballs the Saarland has for cops and public officials. (Of course, we have to remember that the Saar is right on the French-German border, and was ruled directly by France for a decade before the other allies forced a plebiscite and they Saarlanders voted to rejoin Germany. The Saar has the efficiency of the French public sector coupled with the gentleness and kindness of the German bureaucracy - a sure recipe for disaster.

Fed rate hikes beginning to pinch economy
MSNBC
"The Federal Reserve, which has been battling against inflation for two years, is beginning to take some casualties. The economy, while still healthy, is sagging slightly under the accumulated weight of 16 straight interest rate hikes -- with a 17th all but certain Thursday. Now it is up to Chairman Ben Bernanke, who is struggling to establish his credibility on Wall Street, to make sure the Fed does not overdo the rate-hike campaign and force the economy into an unwanted slowdown." (06/28/06)

Yup, they raised it.

Senate gives Paulson nod
CNN
"Henry Paulson's move from Wall Street to President Bush's Cabinet became official Wednesday, when the Senate confirmed him to be the nation's 74th Treasury secretary, succeeding John Snow. Paulson, 60, the CEO of Goldman Sachs (Charts), was nominated for the post last month by President Bush, replacing Snow, who announced last month he would step down after serving nearly 3-1/2 years as Treasury chief." (06/28/06)

An enviro-thug, but then, whatever their flavor, thugs are thugs.

CA: Berkeley council passes impeachment resolution
San Francisco Chronicle
"With overwhelming support from Berkeley residents, the Berkeley City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night to be the first jurisdiction in the United States to let the public vote for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. The measure will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot, at a cost of about $10,000. Among those who urged the council to approve the initiative were peace activists Cindy Sheehan and Daniel Ellsberg, as well as 500 Berkeley residents who sent supportive e-mails to City Hall. Only three residents said they were against the idea. The council agreed to drop a provision that would have set up a task force of Berkeley residents to monitor the President and Vice President." (06/28/06)

Gee, whatever will we do without these Berkley residents "monitoring" the most monitored people in the world? What a shame, that we are denied the enormous wisdom and insight of the denizens of this Soviet-wannabe city. By the way, I wonder just what Constitution that they are reading - impeachment by popular election? Last I heard, Bezerkley's US representative was already firmly in the Impeach Bush camp.

Halt! Or I'll shoot you with my pawn shop ticket!
Yahoo! News
"Six police officers may lose their jobs for pawning their guns in the southern Philippines, where underfunded and poorly paid security forces are fighting Muslim and communist insurgencies. German Doria, police chief of the central region of Mindanao island, said Wednesday the incidents of government-issued guns being pawned came to light when the National Bureau of Investigation raided shops selling stolen goods in Tupi town." (06/28/06)

In the land of bizarro, together with Equal Rights for Apes and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri - gee, wonder why their NCOs and officers never noticed?

China cracks down on blogs, search engines
Lincoln Courier
"China's Internet regulators are stepping up controls on blogs and search engines to block material it considers unlawful or immoral, the government said Friday. 'As more and more illegal and unhealthy information spreads through the blog and search engine, we will take effective measures to put the BBS, blog and search engine under control,' said Cai Wu, director of the Information Office of China's Cabinet, quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency." (06/30/06)

One more way China is showing that unfortunately, even geriatric Communist regimes can adapt somewhat to new technology and ways. Fortunately, the hackers and bloggers and tech geeks don't have to worry about bureaucracy and redtape and will quickly work their way around these actions, as always.

Rice, Lavrov quarrel on Iraq
Washington Times
"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking unknowingly into an open microphone, chastised her Russian counterpart yesterday for bemoaning the killing of five Russian diplomats in Iraq, saying it was wrong to focus on the deaths of diplomats when so many others are dying there. 'The implication that by somehow declaring that diplomats need to be protected, it will get better, I think is simply not right,' Miss Rice said during a closed luncheon as the foreign ministers from the Group of Eight leading industrialized countries negotiated their meeting's final statement." (06/30/06)

Sometimes I really do like this lady! Yeah, she's got LOTS of faults, but I'll take her over her boss any day. She is right - making diplomats a special protected class is just as bad as making it a "worse" crime to kill a cop than to kill a child.

Mama's Note: If she wants to stay in Washington DC, I suspect she'd better watch her mouth - especially around open mikes!

Buffett earmarks billions for charity
Boston Globe
"Legendary investor Warren Buffett, the world's second-richest man, with an estimated fortune of $42 billion, yesterday said he will give away most of his financial holdings to five foundations in annual gifts of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. common stock, starting next month. By far the largest recipient will be the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, launched by Buffett's close friend Bill Gates, chairman and cofounder of the computer software behemoth Microsoft Corp. Gates has said he will be working full time, beginning in 2008, to steer the foundation's investments in global health and education projects. Buffett, in a letter to the Gates foundation scheduled to be sent today, pledged 10 million Class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway, valued at $31 billion at the close of trading Friday. The donation will come in increments of 5 percent every year in July." (06/26/06)

What can I say? Unfortunately, the Gates Foundation has supported an awful lot of pro-government type things, and this will make it even easier. In addition, many of their non-governmental causes are just as anti-liberty: they are strong supporters of abortion agencies, dedicated to stomping our "piracy," and firm supporters of the welfare state. Like many other older foundations, these people will be able to undermine liberty for years to come with their contributions to various causes.

Top Net providers fight kiddy porn with database
Fox News
"Five leading online service providers will jointly build a database of child-pornography images and develop other tools to help network operators and law enforcement better prevent distribution of the images. The companies pledged $1 million among them Tuesday to set up a technology coalition as part of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They aim to create the database by year's end, though many details remain unsettled. The participating companies are Time Warner Inc.'s AOL, Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp., EarthLink Inc. and United Online Inc., the company behind NetZero and Juno." (06/27/06)

It sounds like a pedophile's dream, if you ask me - a database of everything that they want? The hackers will soon be after this, I'm sure. But at the same time, it can easily become a tool for tyranny, which does, really, make it a bad idea.

A call for curbs on CEO pay
San Francisco Chronicle
"Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charles Munger was true to form during his annual 'curmudgeon's breakfast' at the Stanford Law School Directors' College on Monday. He took potshots at the accounting profession, hedge fund managers and overpaid CEOs, including the previous night's keynote speaker, Pfizer chief executive Hank McKinnell. On Sunday, McKinnell defended his pay package, which has been criticized by labor unions and shareholder advocates as a glaring example of the disconnect between CEO pay and performance. Since taking over Pfizer in 2001, McKinnell has earned $79 million in pay and earned pension benefits worth an estimated $83 million. Yet the drug giant's stock has fallen by more than 40 percent." (06/27/06)

To put it bluntly, it is their money and they can do whatever they want to with it. If stockholders are unwilling to revolt successfully and change this situation, I suggest that they "secede" - that is, sell out and go buy stock in a company that has the business practices they are willing to support. As long as stockholders are willing to let the "professional" managers run their companies, and continue to separate ownership from management, they will get what they deserve - just as we do with the professional politicians we elect to office.

AL: Former governor, CEO convicted of bribery
Houston Chronicle
"Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman and ex-HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy voiced confidence they will be vindicated on appeal, despite a jury finding them guilty of government corruption charges. ... Scrushy was convicted of six counts and Siegelman seven -- mostly concerning what prosecutors said was a scheme in which Siegelman promised Scrushy a seat on a state hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's 1999 campaign for a state lottery." (06/30/06)

Can one trust even an ex-politician? Hardly, most of the time. This kind of stupid action shows why government needs to be starved - if it were not for the power of government to make people rich (by taking from others) this would not have happened. But no one made Siegelman or Scrushy do it - and they should be punished.

Tech, Health, and The War On Some Drugs
Just a few items this week in this category. I'll start out with some good news, though some people are going to disagree.

NM: Feds license uranium enrichment facility
Wired News
"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its first license for a major commercial nuclear facility in 30 years Friday, allowing an international consortium to build what would be the nation's first private fuel source for commercial nuclear power plants. Construction of the $1.5 billion National Enrichment Facility, under review for the past 2 1/2 years, could begin in August, and the plant could be ready to sell enriched uranium by early 2009, said Jim Ferland, president of the consortium of nuclear companies, Louisiana Energy Services. The southeastern New Mexico plant would be near the small community of Eunice, where support for the project is strong. Critics say it would pollute the environment, guzzle scarce water and leave the town with tons of radioactive waste and nowhere to put it. Gov. Bill Richardson, a former U.S. energy secretary, said Friday that although the state was largely excluded from the licensing process, he expects that an agreement state officials reached with LES will protect New Mexicans and their environment.(06/24/06)

Eunice is a nice town, and I wish them the best, together with Hobbs and other nearby areas that will benefit from something that only makes a great deal of sense: using a God-given energy source that does NOT create air pollution, water pollution, or kill miners the way mining coal for centuries has. Of course, this struggling new industry will need "government protection" from foreign competitors, which means that the Administration must continue to try and prevent Iran from competing with Eunice. (Yes, water is scarce in the Permian Basin, but that has been the case since long before my relatives moved down there to steal horses, about four hundred years ago. But water can be recycled, if you have enough power to do it, and this plant will certainly have enough power.

Study: Sexuality of men determined before birth
CNN
"A man's sexual orientation appears to be determined in the womb, a new study suggests. Past research by Dr. Anthony F. Bogaert of Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario, and colleagues has shown that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he is to be gay. But it has not been clear whether this is a prenatal effect or a psychosocial effect, related to growing up with older male siblings. To investigate, Bogaert studied 944 gay and straight men, including several who were raised with adopted, half- or step-siblings or were themselves adopted. He reasoned that if the relationship between having older male siblings and homosexuality was due to family environment or child-rearing practices, it would be seen regardless of whether a man's older brothers were biological or adopted. Bogaert found that the link between having older brothers and homosexuality was present only if the siblings were biologically related -- this relationship was seen between biological brothers who were not raised together." (06/27/06)

Another example of a politically motivated and scientifically-politically-correct study. For one thing, the sample population is way too small to make this kind of broad claim, and simplifies a very complex situation far too much. If the study had involved 944,000 men, it might be worth paying attention to.

Mama's Note: It would be very interesting if thousands of old Catholic and Mormon families were included in the survey. They tend to large families with lots of boys. I doubt you'd find any large number of homosexuals in those groups, but I could be wrong.

Net neutrality amendment dies
San Francisco Chronicle
"In a dramatic tie vote Wednesday, a U.S. Senate committee rejected an amendment that would have preserved the status quo of equal pricing for all Internet traffic, an issue known as network neutrality. Although the net neutrality amendment did not prevail in the committee, the issue could be revived. The amendment that failed was part of a larger telecommunications bill that passed the committee and now heads to the full Senate. A similar amendment could be reintroduced into the larger bill before that vote." (06/29/06)

May it rot in peace. Although originally I was totally confused by the issue and actually leaned towards some of the claims made that "net neutrality" was essential (many of them made by libertarians), I finally saw that this would have become yet another way for government to control yet another part of life, and created the very regulation of the Internet that we all fervently hope will never happen. "Net neutrality" as I now understand it, would be the same thing as saying that I have to pay the same price to go from the Black Hills to the Four Corners whether I go by plane or by car or by bus, and whether I take 1000 pounds of junk with me or just the clothes on my back. That is stupid, to think that, and so, I have become convinced, is "net neutrality."

Mandatory vaccination for preteens?
Raw Story
"An influential government advisory committee Thursday recommended the routine vaccination of 11- and 12-year-old girls against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices also said the shots can be started for girls as young as 9, at the discretion of their doctors. And it recommended a 'catch-up' vaccination for women 13 to 26 who have not been previously vaccinated. The committee's recommendations usually are accepted by federal health officials, and influence insurance coverage for vaccinations. Gardasil, made by Merck & Co. (MRK), is the first vaccine specifically approved to prevent cancer. Approved earlier this month by the Food and Drug Administration, it protects against strains of the human papilloma virus, or HPV, which causes cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers and genital warts." (06/29/06)

This is another example of nanny government at its worst. It assumes that ALL women will be sexually active at a very early age, and that it will be with partners that themselves are sexually active, and it forces everyone to go through an expensive and still relatively unproven process, regardless of risk factors.

Mama's Note: There's only one sure fire way to prevent pregnancy and STDs: keep your pants on. Period.

Big hurdles in bid to curb a potent heroin
Christian Science Monitor
"Jimbo tries to be cautious these days. The middle-age heroin user says he buys only from dealers he knows -- a hedge against getting heroin mixed with the pain-reliever fentanyl, a concoction that has killed at least 150 people in recent months. Many of his friends, though, seek out fentanyl-laced heroin for its potent high, swapping information about where the latest overdose victim got his dope. 'They always say, 'It's gonna be different with me, 'cause I'm not going to use so much,' but it's still too much,' says Jimbo, as he exchanged used needles for clean ones at a mobile van run by the Chicago Recovery Alliance. 'It's a whole new ballgame.'" [FND editor's note: It sure is! Those who take this synthetic-morphine by prescription -- for legitimate chronic pain -- know better than to disregard the warnings, against crushing those time-release granules to increase their power, and risking sure overdose-death. The only thing positive about this trend is that it may be "thinning the herd" of its stupider junkies! - SAT] (06/29/06)

Once again, Steve just doesn't get it, in his comments. If the drugs themselves weren't illegal, responsible people would be making and selling them, and subject to legal action by those they harmed through false advertising, adulterated products, and poor manufacturing processes - thus having an incentive to keep their product pure. And there would be no stigma attached to getting accurate information about the risks - rather than constantly having to sort out the government propaganda from the truth, and all too often wrongly assuming that it is all government propaganda. Instead of blaming the junkies entirely (although I agree that many are pretty stupid), look to the government that made the mess in the first place.

Mama's Note: Most people are not interested in taking medications they don't need, and are very cautious with those they take. Unfortunately, there is a lot of unnecessary hype about how "dangerous" all of these things are, and sometimes it causes people to avoid the pain medication they really do need.

House continues war on patients
Washington Post
"The House on Wednesday voted to continue to allow federal prosecution of those who smoke marijuana for medical purposes in states with laws that permit it. A year ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government can prosecute medical marijuana users, even when state laws allow doctor-prescribed use of the drug. By a 259-163 vote, the House again turned down an amendment that would have blocked the Justice Department from prosecuting people in the 11 states with such medical marijuana laws." (06/28/06)

This annual ritual should remind us that Congress speaks with forked tongue on a lot of things.

GOP eyes UN for budget cuts as ill will grows
Washington Times
"Republicans in Congress moved yesterday to cut U.S. contributions to the United Nations budget just one day before the world body is scheduled to lift a budget cap imposed by the United States and other donors and to resume spending as usual. At least $17 million has been sliced this week from the Bush administration's appropriations request for the U.N. regular budget, as frustration with the United Nations continues to fester among conservative lawmakers." (06/30/06)

I've got a suggestion, guys. Zero this line item out! I know, they may kick us out - and who would THAT hurt?

The World Wide Wars
No matter what we are doing in the Middle East or on the Home Front, we need to pay attention to events around the world. This week, North Korea remains in the news - almost as exciting as seeing if Apollo 11 was really going to take off. But there are other items of importance as well.

Protest letters against gun meeting swamp UN
World Peace Herald
"U.N. officials have received more than 100,000 letters, many of them generated by a National Rifle Association campaign, protesting a U.N. forum on illicit small arms that starts Monday and runs through July Fourth. ... Mr. Kariyawasam, who sought to allay American concerns at a press conference this week, said he had received more than 100,000 such letters 'from the U.S. public, saying you're having this meeting on the Fourth of July, and you will not take our guns away on this day.' Mr. Kariyawasam insisted that the timing of the two-week Small Arms Review Conference was purely coincidental and that the conferees would not discuss the legal possession, manufacture or transfer of weapons." (06/23/06)

I am getting daily reports on this little tête-à-tête, and it sounds like these poor peace-loving representatives of kind and gentle regimes around the world are being run ragged by all this protesting. Mr. K is as good a liar as anyone in any government - the daily reports make it clear that "legal" is not intended to apply to any possession, manufacture or transfer, unless a government goon is involved on both sides.

US official: Tough to shut Guantanamo
Red Bluff Daily News
"The United States wants to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay but needs assurances that detainees won't pose a security risk or face torture when they're sent to other countries, a senior U.S. State Department official said Monday. 'It really shows the conundrum that we're in,' said John B. Bellinger III, the State Department's legal adviser. 'We want to get out of the Guantanamo business while continuing to protect ourselves and protect others.'" (06/27/06)

No fooling? Well, I am sure that even in the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, most federal officials would have liked to have closed all the EPW (Enemy Prisoner of War) camps scattered across the US - but not so much that they wanted to give the Third Reich half-a-million rested and fresh troops (well, maybe not that many - a lot would have begged for asylum, and I'm sure the very low problem with escape from the camps would have turned into a torrent about like Hogan's Heroes, as they tried not to go back home. Unfortunately, these people, who are willing to kill themselves and anyone else that they can, have a faith that Hitler never really sustained in the German people, and until we fix the things that are making the Islamists our enemies, they are going to remain our enemies.

Wars force Army equipment costs to triple
Pensacola News Journal
"The annual cost of replacing, repairing and upgrading Army equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to more than triple next year to more than $17 billion, according to Army documents obtained by the Associated Press. From 2002 to 2006, the Army spent an average of $4 billion a year in annual equipment costs. But as the war takes a harder toll on the military, that number is projected to balloon to more than $12 billion for the federal budget year that starts next Oct. 1, the documents show. The $17 billion also includes an additional $5 billion in equipment expenses that the Army requested in previous years but has not yet been provided." [RRND editor's note: Exercise for the student: Figure out how much of the increase the wars are "responsible" for due to wear, tear and operational needs, versus how much of the increase is graft or pork for which the wars provide a nice excuse - TLK] (06/26/06)

War is very expensive (even if fought "on the cheap" and not as an all-out effort to win), and so is a contested occupation, so this is no surprise. A big part of the monetary cost of war is the pork that Tom refers to, and yet another reason to avoid all-out combat: the price hikes in wartime aren't just due to a greater demand, but to conditions that let unscrupulous arms merchants jack up prices and get lots of stuff under the table.

Al Qaeda vision
ABC News
"Al Qaeda's strategic vision involves challenging the United States and its allies overseas using small- to medium-scale attacks, according to an online book available on extremist websites that has become the seminal jihadi textbook. The first English translation of the text is being circulated this week among DOD and government policy circles. The translation is being released by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. As ABC News reported last month, the Center has been translating thousands of declassified insurgent and extremist documents that were seized in Iraq and Afghanistan." (06/27/06)

Gee, this is news? My fifteen-year-old figured this out when he was about thirteen.

"Experts" say US is losing war on terrorism
Greenville Reflector
"The United States is losing its fight against terrorism and the Iraq war is the biggest reason why, more than eight of ten American terrorism and national security experts concluded in a poll released Wednesday. One participant in the survey, a former CIA official who described himself as a conservative Republican, said the war in Iraq has provided global terrorist groups with a recruiting bonanza, a valuable training ground and a strategic beach head at the crossroads of the oil-rich Persian Gulf and Turkey, the traditional land bridge linking the Middle East to Europe. 'The war in Iraq broke our back in the war on terror,' said the former official, Michael Scheuer, the author of 'Imperial Hubris,' a popular book highly critical of the Bush administration's anti-terrorism efforts. 'It has made everything more difficult and the threat more existential.'" [FND editor's note: As it happens, I agree with Scheuer, but I'm suspicious of the whole "terrorism and national security expert" (usually self-) designation. Being paid to address one's self to an issue doesn't magically make one into an "expert" on the issue - TLK] (06/29/06)

I am in the middle of reading this book, "Imperial Hubris" so I will have to reserve full comments until I'm finished. He does make some good points, but there is a lot more that smells very fishy. If all the other experts are like him, though, this is just another example of poll-turned-publicity and making people experts when they ain't (as Tom points out). I'm not saying we are winning the "Global War on Terrorism" but the reasons for not winning involve a lot more than our occupation of Iraq. First off, you don't go to war against a tactic. A war on terrorism makes as much sense as a war on bombing or a war on land mines or a war on combined armor-infantry tactics. Second, we AREN'T being attacked by terrorism or by terror, we are being attacked by enemies who USE terrorism - enemies who for the most part are Islamist and opposed to the West not only for what we have done (or not done) to them or to specific nations or peoples, but because of what they THINK we are doing and because of their blind faith in evil men and false religions. But as I said, more later when I get Scheuer's book read.

Japan: US to deploy Patriot missiles
MSNBC
"The U.S. plans to deploy advanced Patriot interceptor missiles in Japan by the end of the year, a Japanese newspaper reported Monday, amid concerns that North Korea may be about to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile. The U.S. government notified Tokyo earlier this month that it will deploy Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles -- designed to intercept ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or aircraft -- on its own bases in Japan for the first time, Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported." (06/25/06)

Unbelievably, people on Okinawa are protesting these, even though they are likely to be the first victims of any North Korean attack against the US and Japan, and with inaccuracies and nukes, civilians will be much more likely to die than the US or Japanese troops stationed there. People are so thoughtless sometimes.

Mama's Note: Maybe I'm wrong, but aren't these the same "Patriot missiles" used in the last "Gulf war" that were so inaccurate and ineffective - at almost a million bucks a pop? I don't think the Japanese should feel too safe because of them if that's the case.

Is Iran studying North Korea's nuclear moves?
Christian Science Monitor
"There may be no such thing as a North Korea playbook for would-be nuclear proliferators. But many Western leaders suspect Iran of trying to emulate North Korea's secretive development of nuclear weapons. And as both nations continue to command international attention for their nuclear programs, it's clear the two countries watch each other for 'how to' lessons in nuclear diplomacy. This week, each of these nations has demonstrated its ability to command attention. North Korea said it might disregard past commitments and test-launch a new intercontinental missile, and Iran set a timetable of mid-August for replying to the US and other countries about their package of incentives -- later than the US wants. For each of the besieged regimes, experts say, an underlying goal is to establish a level of international respect, especially in relations with Washington. To help achieve this, these experts say, the powers of Tehran are no doubt studying the more experienced Kim Jong Il for dos and don'ts, and vice versa." (06/25/06)

I really don't think North Korea is so much into nuclear weapons as they are into milking the world welfare state for every bag of rice and nice crisp $100 bill they can. Iran, on the other hand, screams out a lot more threats than even Kim Jong IL does, and unlike him, have two brain cells to bump together. They also have a lot clearer goal than Korea's grasshopper regime does: they want to dominate the Islamic world, the Umma, and in turn lead the Dar-al-Islam to world conquest. If their people go hungry or a few get killed from Israeli or US attacks, they are martyrs to Mohammed (pbuh) and the greater glory of the world's oldest empire.

Japan: North Korea missile test could bring sanctions
Arizona Republic
"Japan said Sunday that 'all options' would be considered against North Korea, including oil and food sanctions, if the communist country tested a long-range missile that could reach the United States. Later, the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the U.S. government notified Japan this month that it will deploy Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles -- designed to intercept ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or aircraft -- on its bases in Japan for the first time. The U.S. military would deploy three or four batteries of the surface-to-air missiles on the southern island of Okinawa, where it also plans to send an additional 500-600 troops, Yomiuri Shimbun said, quoting an unidentified official. Intelligence reports say fuel tanks have been seen around a missile at a launch site on North Korea's northeastern coast, but officials say it is difficult to determine from satellite photos if the rocket is being fueled." (06/26/06)

As I have done in the past, I ask you, what is unreasonable about Japan and the US doing this? If your next door neighbor, or the next door neighbor of your friend keeps screaming threats at you, and sits in his living room glaring out at you as he cleans his weapon and periodically sights in on your kids playing in the front yard, at the very minimum you need to be ready to defend yourself against the nutcase.

Mama's Note: We all know that "sanctions" worked so well with Iraq and several other places. Self defense is one thing, but the murder of children is quite another.