August 21, 2006

Libertarian Commentary on the News, 13 - 20 August, 2006
A short week's news again, as we try to get back on track!

GRTF Schools: States "fall short" on DC educrat standards
Forbes
"Having missed one deadline already, states still face an enormous challenge in putting qualified teachers in all major classes, a federal review says. Some states are in much better shape than others, the Education Department said Wednesday. Most meet only some criteria in required new plans. Four fail altogether. Under the No Child Left Behind law, states were supposed to have highly qualified teachers in every core academic class by the end of the last school year. None made it." (08/18/06)

I'm meeting more and more teachers who are being blocked for administrative errors and because they ticked someone off - even while states are claiming that they can't meet the provisions of the "No Teacher Left Unhindered" Act; they use it as a hammer to get what they want.

HOME FRONT: FBI: No terror groups in cell phone case
Houston Chronicle
"The FBI said Monday it had no information to indicate that the three Texas men arrested with about 1,000 cell phones in their van had any direct connection to known terrorist groups. Also, a prosecutor in a separate Ohio case said he can't prove a terrorism link between two men arrested after buying large numbers of cell phones and won't proceed for now with terrorism charges against them. In the Michigan case, authorities had increased patrols on the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge after local prosecutors said investigators believed the men were targeting the span. Local authorities didn't say what they believed the men intended to do with the phones, most of which were prepaid TracFones, but Caro's police chief noted that cell phones can be untraceable and used as detonators. The FBI issued a news release Monday saying there is no imminent threat to the bridge linking Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas." (08/14/06)

Two more wild hare chases - but grand excuses to crack down still more on the various methods of communication that are "untraceable" - if indeed ANY cellphone is such.

HOME FRONT: Report: X-rays don't detect explosives
Vineland Daily Journal
"X-ray machines that screen airline passengers' shoes cannot detect explosives, according to a Homeland Security Department report on aviation screening. Findings from the report, obtained by The Associated Press, did not stop the Transportation Security Administration from announcing Sunday that all airline passengers must remove their shoes and run them through X-ray machines before boarding commercial aircraft." (08/15/06)

Yeah, and what genius had to state the obvious? This ISN'T about explosives - it is about control.

Mama's Note: Just wondering how soon we'll see "Schedule Sun Tan" in reverse here, as all passengers are required to disrobe and be seated in the aircraft stark naked!! ...or clothes are banned altogether in public!! See Robert Heinlein's "The Puppet Masters" if you are not familiar with that reference. I also wonder just how far people will let this go before they refuse to fly at all. What a country! Countless "laws" against porn and related behavior, yet people still put up with being pawed and stripped at an airport!!

HOME FRONT: Katrina victims blamed for Houston crime
Racine Journal Times
"A letter to inmate No. 1352951 and a cell phone bill for $76.63, both found in a soggy New Orleans duplex ruined by Hurricane Katrina, led Louisiana bounty hunter James Martin to Texas. Again. It marked the seventh time since Katrina that Martin, whose pursuit of bail jumpers often begins with clues salvaged from abandoned New Orleans homes, has followed a trail to Texas." (08/14/06)

Clearly, a lot of New Orleans residents were criminals - as is the case of any big city and probably (looking at statistics) more likely in the Big Easy; so no surprise that they continue to ply their trade in new locations after having to abandon their preferred den.

Mama's Note: Not to mention the fact that most of their intended victims are unarmed and basically helpless to resist. Sadly, most of these people have been treated like cattle so long that they wouldn't know how to defend themselves and would probably not take advantage of it even if the "victim disarming" laws were repealed. It's going to take a long time and a lot of work for most people to be ready to defend themselves realistically.

HOME FRONT: Shots fired near White House; athlete arrested
Terre Haute Tribune Star
"Former NBA player Lonny Baxter was arrested by uniformed Secret Service agents on Wednesday after shots were fired from a vehicle about two blocks from the White House. Baxter, who played with the Charlotte Bobcats last season, was taken into custody around 2:30 a.m. after a witness flagged down a Secret Service agent and reported shots fired from a white sport-utility vehicle, said Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren. ... Baxter, 27, and the vehicle's passenger, 35-year-old Irvin Martin, were charged with carrying a pistol without a license and other firearms charges. It wasn't immediately clear why they were allegedly firing the gun." (08/16/06)

Sounds pretty bogus to me - even drunk, you'd think someone would have better sense than this in these times.

HOME FRONT: CA: Cops suppress alleged prostitution operation
USA Today
"Two Israeli nationals were arrested on suspicion of running a massive Palm Springs prostitution ring that employed more than 240 women in several Western states and generated millions of dollars, authorities said. The men operated Elite Entertainment, which posed as an escort service in online and newspaper advertisements, according to court documents. For at least three years, the business managed more than 80 phone lines, where clients across California, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona could call an 800 number and request an escort." (08/15/06)

In a land supposedly filled with terrorists and terror plots, you might think that there are better things to spend "precious" police and law enforcement time on.

Mama's Note: On the other hand... the more time they waste with this kind of nonsense, the fewer midnight raids they can make on the rest of us, perhaps. It's all so sick and stupid.

HOME FRONT: Man pleads not guilty in Seattle case
New Bern Sun Journal
"A man accused of storming Seattle's Jewish Federation offices, killing one woman and wounding five others in a fit of rage over U.S. foreign policy, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and other charges. Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, had indicated in court last week that he wanted to plead guilty, but a judge continued his arraignment to give his lawyers time to determine whether their client was competent." (08/15/06)

No surprise - and watch the bleeding hearts run to his defense!

Mama's Note: And the JPFO Alert shows that even the victims are calling for more "gun control!"! Read the story for yourself: Another Liberal Jew Just Doesn't "Get It".

HOME FRONT: PA: ACLU, immigrants challenge Know-Nothings
Lodi News-Sentinel
"Hispanic activists and the ACLU sued Hazleton on Tuesday over one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal immigrants by a U.S. city. Hazleton, a city of about 31,000 people 80 miles from Philadelphia, voted last month to fine landlords $1,000 for renting to illegal immigrants, deny business permits to companies that give them jobs, and make English the city's official language." (08/15/06)

Hard to root for either side on this one, isn't it?

HOME FRONT: TSA concept video shows future airport
Spychips
"RFID-laced passports may be just the start of an Orwellian airport experience, warn privacy advocates and authors Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre as the nation braces for a rollout of the controversial technology in passports this week. They point to a U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) concept video created by CompEx Inc. that shows how citizens can be tracked and monitored throughout an airport terminal -- without their knowledge or consent. Theanimated flash clip is posted on the authors' website. In the video, citizen 'Bob' is remotely identified and tracked via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices as he enters an airport and navigates to his gate. The video ends with chilling frames of a government agent surreptitiously scanning Bob and his belongings as he sits in the waiting area. " [RRND editor's note: If this doesn't give you cold chills, I dunno what will - MLS] (08/14/06)

Mary Lou is right. Learn how to defeat RFID quickly, for your own sake and that of your family.

Mama's Note: I can see the same scene in any bus stop, train station, state (even city) border "inspection" stations on the highways, etc. If we don't stop it at the airport, we'll be eyeball deep in the little chips soon.

HOME FRONT: Judge orders halt to NSA wiretapping
Washington Post
"A federal judge in Detroit ordered a halt to the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program, ruling for the first time that the controversial effort ordered by President Bush was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor wrote in a strongly-worded 43-page opinion that the NSA wiretapping program violates privacy and free-speech rights and the constitutional separation of powers between the three branches of government. She also found that it violates a 1978 law set up to oversee clandestine surveillance." (08/17/06)

Perhaps the best news this week, even though the halt was itself immediately put into abeyance pending the urgent appeal by the NSA.

Mama's Note: Grandstanding at best. Since the government "owns" the courts, for the most part, it won't be any surprise for some other judge to toss out this decision. Do you really expect Bush and company not to take it all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary? Will the court that destroyed your private property rights hesitate to support Bush in this? I don't think so.

HOME FRONT: WA: Watada hearing puts war on trial
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"The issue before an Army officer Thursday was whether Lt. Ehren Watada ought to face a court-martial for refusing to go to Iraq. But the war itself and whether it is based on deceit or defense of a nation was on trial. And so was Watada and whether he acted out of courage or dishonor. In a cramped courtroom on this Army base that just sent thousands of its soldiers to Iraq, three witnesses for Watada called the war illegal. The four-hour hearing is likely a prelude to what could occur at a court-martial. The decision on a court-martial will be made later." (08/18/06)

This should be a very interesting case, assuming everyone is allowed to address all the issues. Honor demands that these things be addressed.

HOME FRONT: WV: "Suspicious liquid" found at airport
Washington Examiner
"A West Virginia airport terminal was evacuated Thursday after two bottles of liquid found in a woman's carryon luggage twice tested positive for explosives residue, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said. Chemical tests later Thursday turned up no explosives in the bottles, said Capt. Jack Chambers, head of the State Police Special Operations unit. The airport was reopened after nearly 10 hours." (08/17/06)

I suppose right now would not be a great time to launch a new scent based on gunpowder or cordite - Hunter's Lust, anyone?

Mama's Note: ROFLOL!!! I love it! I'll buy some, just for the hell of it... and I know a few guys who would probably love to have some too.

Our Imperial Courts: Judge: Reporters must snitch on sources
Richmond Palladium-Item
"A federal judge told two San Francisco Chronicle reporters they must comply with a subpoena and tell a grand jury who leaked them secret testimony of Barry Bonds and other elite athletes ensnared in the government's steroid probe. The decision by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White means reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada must appear before a grand jury investigating the leak unless a higher court blocks the ruling." (08/15/06)

Sounds familiar - yet again press privilege is being attacked by the court system.

Our Imperial Courts: Jury: Merck failed to warn docs on Vioxx risks
Fox News
"Merck failed to warn doctors about the risks of its painkiller Vioxx and must pay a retired FBI agent $50 million to compensate for the heart attack he suffered after taking the drug, a federal jury found Thursday. The jury also found that Merck & Co. 'knowingly misrepresented or failed to disclose' information about the drug to retired FBI agent Gerald Barnett's doctors. The same jury was to deliberate later in the day on possible punitive damages for Barnett." (08/17/06)

Whose duty is it to warn? Why isn't the FDA one of the defendants in this trial?

Mama's Note: This kind of thing is far from new either. Remember the thalidamide disaster? The government told everyone THAT was "safe" too, and thousands of babies were born with severe birth defects as a result. How many such disasters will it take before people quit trusting government for their health and well being?

Mideast Tarbabies: Afghanistan: Afghan violence leaves at least 18 dead
Salt Lake Tribune
"Insurgents targeted NATO patrols with bicycle-rigged bombs that wounded four alliance soldiers Monday, while gunbattles and a suicide bombing killed 12 suspected militants and six policemen across southern Afghanistan. The latest fighting comes amid Afghanistan's deadliest surge in violence since U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban regime in late 2001 for harboring Osama bin Laden. Southern and eastern provinces have witnessed most of the ambushes, suicide bombings and military operations since early this year." (08/14/06)

As long as attempts are made to hold together the country with outside glue, we'll see this happen - and as long as Afghanis are not taught that freedom is individual and NOT based on clan or ethnic or religious loyalties, the country has no future.

Mama's Note: No future as a free country, most likely, but they have a right to any kind of society they want. But they might have a better chance at freedom if the US and others now meddling in middle eastern affairs actually WERE "free countries" and let the free market do their talking for them.

Mideast Tarbabies: Afghanistan: Ex-CIA contractor guilty in Afghan death
Weatherford Democrat
"The first American civilian charged with mistreating a detainee during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was convicted Thursday of assaulting an Afghan man who later died. Prosecutors said the verdict against former CIA contract worker David Passaro sets a precedent for bringing others accused of such wrongdoing overseas back to the U.S. to stand trial. Human-rights advocates, however, noted that no other U.S. civilian has been charged publicly with abusing detainees in the two years since Passaro's arrest." (08/17/06)

Good- and the punishment should be significant.

Mideast Tarbabies: Iraq: Iraq: 15 killed in bombing, fight
Sky Valley Journal
"A suicide bomber killed nine people at the party headquarters of the Iraqi president Tuesday, and fierce gunbattles between supporters of an anti-American Shiite cleric and Iraqi forces left at least six people dead, officials said. At least five civilians and four Kurdish security personnel, known as Peshmergas, were killed, police Col. Abdul-Kareem Ahmed al-Jibouri said. He said 41 people were injured in the blast, which damaged the one-story office building and set 17 cars on fire. In the southern city of Karbala, Shiite gunmen and security forces exchanged gunfire for several hours Tuesday near one of Iraq's holiest shrines containing the mausoleum of Hussein, a revered figure in Shiite history." (08/15/06)

Although a decline in daily bloodletting (to an almost political campaign level), this was not to remain the case.

Mideast Tarbabies: Iraq: July death toll highest since war [sic] started
Bismarck Tribune
" Deputy Health Minister Adel Muhsin said Wednesday that about 3,500 Iraqis died in July in sectarian or political violence nationwide, the highest monthly death toll for civilians since the war [sic] started in March 2003." (080/17/06)

The vast majority of these deaths are Iraqi-on-Iraqi; and many are nothing to do with the government supposedly running the country, nor directly with the occupation. It is a murderous and evil land, indeed.

Mama's Note: Indeed... so, tell me again just why the US is involved at all?

Mideast Tarbabies: Iraq: Baghdad: House-to-house arms raids
The Peninsula [Qatar]
"'Do you have a gun? Do you mind if we check around?' says the polite but firm US soldier as he conducts house-to-house searches for illegal weapons in Baghdad's western Ghazalia neighbourhood. Iraqi and US forces have launched what amounts to an operation to recover Baghdad from the grip of sectarian death squads and insurgent groups, whose reign of terror has left thousands dead in the past few months. The house-to-house sweep is not designed to disarm the neighbourhood entirely, but to limit residents to weapons held for self-defence." [RRND editor's note: When foreign invaders are busting into your house, anything up to and including a tactical nuke is a "weapon held for self-defence" - TLK] (08/15/06)

Word is that the soldiers themselves are very unhappy about this - seeing it as serving no good purpose and putting them into danger as a result. And apparently many (most?) of them are ignoring anything that doesn't appear to be a wholesale operation or a major weapons stockpile. Hopefully, this IS the case - for American soldiers to disarm anyone except captured enemy soldiers is just plain wrong.

Canaan and vicinity: Gaza: Terrorists kidnap Fox crew
USA Today
"Masked Palestinian gunmen ambushed a car carrying a Fox News crew in Gaza City on Monday and kidnapped two journalists, including one American, witnesses and Fox said. 'We can confirm that two of our people were taken against their will in Gaza,' Fox News said in a statement. A Fox employee in Gaza, who declined to give his name because he was not authorized to release information about the incident, said American reporter Steve Centanni and New Zealand cameraman Olaf Wiig were kidnapped." (08/14/06)

I wonder how much CNN had to pay them? Seriously, maybe Fox had to pay, instead. No, really, seriously, this is a normal part of reporting in the Middle East, and happens a dozen times a year - and each time, it is front page news. Of course - the mainstream media is never happier than when they are on all sides of the cameras.

Canaan and vicinity: Bush says Israel defeated Hezbollah
Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel
"President Bush said Monday that Israel defeated Hezbollah's guerrillas in the monthlong Mideast war and that the Islamic militants were to blame for the deaths of hundreds of Lebanese civilians. Bush admonished Iran and Syria for backing Hezbollah, which captured two Israeli soldiers on July 12 igniting the conflict. Both sides claimed victory Monday, hours after a U.N.-brokered cease-fire took effect, while Bush said Israel prevailed." (08/14/06)

You would hardly think he'd say anything else, do you?

Canaan and vicinity: Israel's verdict: We lost the war
Independent [UK]
"Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, was obliged to admit 'shortcomings' in the 34-day-old conflict in Lebanon yesterday as he launched what may prove a protracted fight for his own political survival. Mr Olmert's admission in a stormy Knesset session came in the face of devastating poll figures showing a majority of the Israeli public believes none or only a very small part of the goals of the war had been achieved. Adding insult to injury, the leader of Hizbollah, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, crowed on television that his guerrillas had achieved a 'strategic historic victory' over Israel." (08/14/06)

Again, what else do we expect to hear from Olmert? Clearly the public perception is just the opposite: Israel did not come out ahead in very many ways. Israel is facing a moment very much like the US faced in the post-1975 period after the fall of Saigon: there is no more invincibility myth.

Canaan and vicinity: "The best guerilla force in the world"
Washington Post
"Hezbollah's irregular fighters stood off the modern Israeli army for a month in the hills of southern Lebanon thanks to extraordinary zeal and secrecy, rigorous training, tight controls over the population, and a steady flow of Iranian money to acquire effective weaponry, according to informed assessments in Lebanon and Israel. 'They are the best guerrilla force in the world,' said a Lebanese specialist who has sifted through intelligence on Hezbollah for more than two decades and strongly opposes the militant Shiite Muslim movement." (08/14/06)

The headline quote shows that neither the specialist nor the Media understand the evolution of war - this is not a "guerilla" force but a force created to wage a new kind of war in which states (nations) are not the only players.

Canaan and vicinity: Lebanon: Israel begins giving positions to UN
Florence Times Daily
"The Israeli army began handing over positions to the U.N. early Thursday, stepping up its withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Hours later Lebanon's army moved south and began deploying below the Litani River, a senior military official said. The rapid developments aimed at ending 34 days of fighting came after Lebanon's government agreed to deploy troops near Israel's border for the first time in 40 years." (08/16/06)

Even so, over the weekend there were significant doubts that the ceasefire would hold.

NORTH AMERICAN UNION: Mexico: Protesters, police clash over recount
Santa Fe New Mexican
"Blood spilled from the head of a newly elected member of Mexico's Congress on Monday as politicians allied with leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador joined protesters clashing with police in riot gear outside the legislature. Supporters of Lopez Obrador demanding a full recount of last month's tight presidential vote also picketed the Federal Electoral Tribunal as it met to resolve election disputes, and maintained around-the-clock tent camps across large swaths of central Mexico City. Lopez Obrador has told his supporters to dig in for even years of demonstrations amid signs that a partial recount of the presidential race is not going to reverse the slim lead of his conservative rival, Felipe Calderon. ... Shouting 'Vote by vote! Polling place by polling place!' the protesters briefly broke through a barrier and scuffled with police. Later, officers were filmed beating several congressional Democratic Revolution representatives who tried to prevent tow trucks from hauling away three vehicles protesters had parked out front." (08/14/06)

The violence is gearing up more - expect more in the near future.

NORTH AMERICAN UNION: IL: Woman claims church sanctuary
Yahoo! News
"Immigration activists around the country are taking up the cause of a single mother who invoked the medieval principle of sanctuary and took refuge in a Chicago church rather than submit to deportation to Mexico. Elvira Arellano, 31, was holed up for a second day Wednesday at Aldalberto United Methodist Church with the support of the congregation's pastor. With her was her 7-year-old son, Saul, an American citizen. Federal officials said there is no right to sanctuary in a church under U.S. law and nothing to prevent them from arresting her. But they would not say exactly what they planned to do, or when. The protest raised the spectacle of agents barging into a church and dragging her out." (08/16/06)

Sanctuary is very much a common-law principle, as I understand it; so there is no US law actually required to invoke it. It will in large part depend on how forceful the church (not just the preacher) is willing to be to protect it - and whether they keep the issue of immigration out of it or not.

Mama's Note: I read other reports of this that said the "legal" immigrants in the area were not in support of this woman. It is a surprise that she chose a Methodist Church for her sanctuary, since the Catholic Church is far better known for support of this ancient practice. A tangled and difficult issue, for sure.

European Union Follies: UK: Police want new powers of "instant justice"
Guardian [UK]
"Police are pressing ministers for radical new powers to dispense instant justice, including the immediate exclusion of 'yobs' from town centres at night, and bans on street gang members associating with each other, the Guardian has learned. Senior officers say the powers would be the 'modern equivalent of a clip round the ear from the local bobby' and would ensure the introduction of neighbourhood policing across England and Wales has 'bite' and meets public expectations. ... But the proposals have alarmed human rights campaigners. Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty said: 'This looks like instant police justice and a return to the infamous sus laws. Surely the many officers who are proud of our consent-based policing tradition will resent the idea of being legislator, judge and jury on the cheap?' Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said he was not sure that he was in favour of the police imposing any form of sentence: 'The enforcement of the law and then a form of punishment should be two separate processes.'" (08/14/06)

It sounds to me more like medieval times when the sheriff (shire reeve) was both law enforcement AND judge.

Mama's Note: It happens frequently right here in the US... the door crashing in, the black suited "ninja" figures pouring inside, shooting at anything that moves... and there isn't too much worry about whether or not a "crime" has taken place, of course. That's what they carry the extra guns and drugs for - as "evidence."

European Union Follies: UK: A new law a day for nine years
Independent [Uk]
"Tony Blair's government has created more than 3,000 new criminal offences during its nine-year tenure, one for almost every day it has been in power. The astonishing tally brought accusations last night of a 'frenzied approach to law-making' that contrasts with falling detection rates and climbing levels of violent crime. The figures emerged as police chiefs disclosed they were considering asking ministers for a set of new measures to allow them to impose 'instant justice' for antisocial behaviour." (08/15/06)

This is amazing, isn't it? Let me propose a 3,001 - it shall be a criminal act to allow an Act of Parliament to take away any liberty of a single of Her Majesty's subjects for any cause except as punishment for threatening, the life, liberty, or property of another human being.

European Union Follies: UK police probe terror money trail
CNN
"British investigators believe some of the money raised to help victims of last year's earthquake in Pakistan may have been used to fund the alleged airliner terror plot. In a separate development in the case, another man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the alleged plot to blow up commercial jetliners over the Atlantic, bringing the number in custody to 24, according to London's Metropolitan Police." (08/15/06)

I'm hard pressed to see exactly how this plot required large amounts of money except to purchase plane tickets - which they apparently had not yet done.

Mama's Note: Ah, but I'm sure the whole idea was to get their hands on that money themselves! Governments keep inventing more and more clever ways to steal from the people.

European Union Follies: UK: "People are definitely sceptical"
Guardian [UK]
"It was not in horror or panic that thousands of ordinary people contacted the BBC or posted points on the Guardian's Comment is Free website in the hours after last week's terror plot. The mood of many seemed to be one of profound caution, even skepticism, over the allegations of a murderous scheme in which 50 people would try to bring down up to 20 planes between Britain and America. Almost a week later, and after a downgrading of the terrorist threat, what do ordinary voters now think of those excitable early briefings by John Reid, the home secretary, and Scotland Yard's dramatically voiced belief that it had foiled 'mass murder on an unimaginable scale?' Are people still sceptical?" (08/15/06)

Apparently they are still skeptical, more and more people are questioning what really happened.

European Union Follies: UK: Executed WWI soldiers to be pardoned
Guardian [UK]
"All 306 British first world war soldiers executed for desertion or cowardice are to be pardoned, Des Browne, the defence secretary, will announce today. For 90 years, families, friends and campaigners for the young soldiers have argued that their deaths were a stain on the reputation of Britain and the army. In many cases, soldiers were clearly suffering from shellshock but officers showed no compassion for fear that their comrades would have disobeyed orders and refused to go 'over the top.' Mr Browne decided to pardon them mainly on moral grounds, defence sources said last night. He will say a grave injustice was done at the time given the 'horrific circumstances' in which they were shot." (08/15/06)

This wasteful little exercise is a case of too little too late - if justice was to have been done, it should have been when the brass-hats could still be punished for killing these men. This costs the government nothing but a tiny bit of time and paper.

European Union Follies: UK: 5-year-old's passport photo rejected
Telegraph [UK]
"A five-year-old girl's passport application was rejected because her photograph showed her bare shoulders. Hannah Edwards's mother, Jane, was told that the exposed skin might be considered offensive in a Muslim country. ... Mrs. Edwards, a Sheffield GP, said: 'I was incensed. I went back home and checked the form. Nowhere did it say anything about covering up shoulders. If it had, I would have done so, but it all seems so unnecessary. This is quite ridiculous, I followed the instructions on the passport form to the letter and it was still rejected. It is just officialdom pandering to political correctness.'" (08/14/06)

How foolish and how bizarre. But for once, there apparently are a lot of government officials agreeing that this buro-rat went way overboard.

European Union Follies: UK: Plane-plot suspects to remain in jail
Orlando Sentinel
"A district judge ruled Wednesday that British investigators have until next week to investigate the suspects arrested in an alleged plot to blow up as many as 10 trans-Atlantic jetliners, saying they could be kept in custody without charge. Scotland Yard later said a person arrested on Tuesday as part of its investigation into the foiled plot was released without charge. Another detainee was released without charge Friday." (08/16/06)

As I have stated before, it makes no sense whatsoever not to charge these people - they are clearly suspected of several crimes.

European Union Follies: EU plans vetting of air passengers
Guardian [UK]
"A system for the 'positive profiling' of European airline passengers is to be urgently explored in response to last week's alleged airline terror plot, European interior ministers meeting in London agreed yesterday. The home secretary, John Reid, insisted that the new system, which would affect all domestic and international flights in and out of Europe, would not involve screening by religion or ethnic background but would be carried out well in advance of flights based on biometric checks -- electronic eye or facial scans." (08/16/06)

Reid is getting his way. This MIGHT make some twisted sense if they had a database of all "terrorists" but as it is, all it does is further reduce privacy - and won't stop another plot.

Mama's Note: How convenient is the whole situation to promote the national ID scheme, however. But I don't think it's having quite the effect on the citizens as they hoped, if the reports of increasing skepticism are true.

European Union Follies: UK: Long service awards are "ageist"
Ananova [UK]
"Council bosses in Norfolk are planning to axe long service awards for staff -- in case they are accused of being ageist. New laws that come into force in October will make it illegal to discriminate against someone on the grounds of how old or young they are. Bosses at Broadland Council say they are 'reviewing' their policy of handing out awards to employees, in case they breach the rules." (08/16/06)

A stupid government trick indeed - and an example of how political correctness goes off into bizarre ends.

European Union Follies: UK: More As in math as courses dumbed down
Guardian [UK]
"The sharp rise in students getting the top grade in maths A-level was welcomed last night in spite of concern among some teachers that the subject had been dumbed down. Yesterday's A-level results revealed that 43.5% of candidates got an A grade -- up almost 3% on last year. The subject, traditionally seen as the preserve of the brightest students, also witnessed an increase in the number sitting the exam -- up almost 6% for maths and 23% for further maths, although there were still fewer candidates than in 2000. ... However, a report from the government's exam watchdog this year found that the changes had left some teachers 'shocked and appalled' at the 'unacceptable dumbing down' of the course." (08/17/06)

A wonderful example of how government-run, tax-funded schools can play games with numbers - it happens in every state in the Union, as well.

European Union Follies: UK: Police uncover "suitcase bomb-making kit"
Independent [UK]
"Police investigating the alleged terrorist plot to blow up transatlantic flights found a suitcase yesterday containing items which could be used to make a bomb. The BBC reported that the discovery was made during a search in King's Wood, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The corporation reported a police source as saying the suitcase contained 'everything you would need to make an improvised device' .... Meanwhile, the police are continuing to question the 23 men and women arrested last week, while searches go on at about 14 locations for evidence of a plot to destroy up to 10 transatlantic airliners in three attacks." [Editor's note: If you have all the stuff together for a purpose, how is using it "improvisation?" - TLK] (08/17/06)

I wonder what they would make of my briefcases and toolkits?

Mama's Note: They'd have a whole herd of cows if they saw what I carry in my car. Not only do I have everything necessary to "camp out" for a few days, I also have an almost complete field "hospital." I'm sure that would be sufficient to charge me with practicing medicine without a license...

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