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Libertarian
War on the News, 10 - 16 February, 2008
Presidential
Election Politics is boring: they call each other names, their followers
call each other names, they all vote, and someone gets knocked out of
the race, then they do the same thing over again. It’s like musical
chairs without the music, and being played by a bunch of whiny five year
olds.
Fortunately,
this week some other things were going on, and so we have some items of
interest to discuss. On to the news!
Afghan
front:
Extension of Afghan mission likely
Lexington Herald-Leader
“Canada’s minority Conservative government said Tuesday it
is closer to securing an agreement to extend the country’s military
mission in Afghanistan to 2011. The Liberal opposition party proposed
a motion allowing Canada’s 2,500 troops to be involved in combat
in the volatile south, but reflects the party’s desire that the mission
focus on reconstruction and the training of Afghan forces.” (02/12/08)
Good or
bad? For centuries, Canadian troops helped police and defend the British
Empire, not just their part, but now… Canadians pride themselves
in providing a good many peacekeeping troops, both through the UN and
NATO, so this will probably continue.
Afghan
front:
Gates: NATO survival at
stake in Afghanistan
MSNBC
“Survival of the NATO alliance, a cornerstone of American security
policy for decades, is at stake in the debate over how the United States
and Europe should share the burden of fighting Islamic extremism in Afghanistan,
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday. ‘We must not — we
cannot — become a two-tiered alliance of those willing to fight and
those who are not,’ Gates told the Munich Conference on Security
Policy, where Afghanistan was a central topic.” (02/10/08)
Although
the decision of NATO to help control Afghanistan was a welcome one, it
is still curious how a defensive alliance has ended up garrisoning a region
2,000 miles outside its defensive perimeter, especially while ignoring
greater threats closer to “home” and while Russia seems intent
on reestablishing its role as enemy of the West and its old Soviet empire.
Baboons
(state):
CA: Airline passenger “bill of
rights” filed
San Francisco Chronicle
“A bill that would require airlines to provide basic amenities
for passengers — including water, snacks, fresh air, sanitary restrooms
and lights — if their airplane is delayed on a tarmac in California
for more than three hours is heading to state legislators for consideration.
Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, is sponsoring what he calls the
Airline Passenger Bill of Rights, introduced Wednesday and modeled after
legislation in New York that survived an airline industry challenge in
federal court. ‘The status quo is really a tragedy waiting to happen,’
Leno said at a news conference at San Francisco International Airport,
referring to a long list of protracted delays at airports, including delays
of up to 11 hours for passengers on several JetBlue airplanes one year
ago at New York’s Kennedy International Airport during a snow and
ice storm.” (02/14/08)
If there
were a real free market in this country, there would be no need for this:
people would quickly get the word out that Fly-wrong Airlines abuses their
passengers and vote with their dollars. But “airline deregulation”
like most kinds of deregulation just means that the rules have changed,
not that government has stopped interfering.
Baboons:
Top
US accountability officer quits over job constraints
AF Press
The head of the audit and investigative arm of the US Congress announced
his resignation Friday, citing "real limitations" on what he
could do. David Walker, a respected voice on fiscal matters, said he was
making an early departure from the US Government Accountability Office
(GAO) to head a new public interest foundation.
The GAO
(formerly the General Accounting Office) for years had a reputation rare
among government agencies for honesty and forthrightly speaking out, but
in recent years it has become more and more controlled by the Congressional
leadership and therefore hamstrung in any attempt to make anyone accountable
for anything. No wonder he quit. Thanks to Scott for this tip.
Mama's
Note: It's actually good to know there are at least a few people like
this with enough integrity to do the right thing. One wonders, however,
if he will be forthcoming with details... probably not.
Baboons:
RI: Care, cost stressed in healthcare
initiative
Boston Globe
“Drawing lessons from Massachusetts, Rhode Island’s lieutenant
governor unveiled a healthcare plan yesterday that puts as much emphasis
on slowing soaring costs as it does on providing universal coverage. The
plan, which would need legislative approval, acknowledges that Rhode Island
cannot afford, financially or politically, to insure all its residents
unless it can deliver healthcare more efficiently and raise money through
a tax on businesses that do not provide coverage. … Healthcare specialists
say that Rhode Island’s proposal is part of a trend among states
to take a slower approach that addresses costs first, or at least simultaneously
with access.” (02/13/08)
More taxes
(theft), more meddling with the market, more dictates, and just because
it is moving slower doesn’t mean it is any better.
Baboons:
TCS: Clinton tops in earmarks
Boston Globe
“Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton helped secure more than $340 million
worth of special projects for her home state of New York in last year’s
spending bills, according to a new study by a government watchdog group.
The figure places her among the top 10 Senate recipients of what are commonly
known as earmarks, said the group, Taxpayers for Common Sense. Working
in nearly every case with New York colleagues, Clinton supported almost
four times as much spending on earmarked projects as her rival for the
Democratic nomination, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, whose $91 million
total placed him in the bottom quarter of senators who seek earmarks,
the study showed.” (02/14/08)
Of course,
if you think THIS is a lot, imagine what it will be like when she gets
to submit the budget in the first place. Notice that this $340 million
amounts to the average taxes paid by almost 100,000 Americans.
Mama's
Note: That will undoubtedly be a problem if she wins, but I suspect most
of us will be far more worried about a number of other horrible plans
this wicked witch has in store for us.
Baboons:
House holds Bush aides in contempt;
GOP stages walkout
CNN
“The House voted Thursday to hold White House Chief of Staff Josh
Bolten and former White House lawyer Harriet Miers in contempt in its
probe of the 2006 firings of U.S. attorneys. The House voted 223-23 to
hold the two Bush aides in contempt of Congress. White House spokeswoman
Dana Perino called the move ‘a partisan, futile act’ that would
not be enforced by the Justice Department.” (02/14/08)
Hey, if
the massa-wannabes are all acting like five-year-olds, that means these
baboons were acting like two-year-olds: “terrible two year olds.”
Mama's
Note: You are being a little hard on 2 year olds, actually. Babies don't
have any way to understand what is going on, but these cretins don't have
that excuse.
Baboons:
House passes higher-ed reauthorization
eSchool News
“On Feb. 7, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved
long-delayed legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Although
the bill’s primary focus is on containing college costs, it also
includes a controversial measure that would pressure colleges and universities
to take steps to keep students from pirating music and movies using campus
computer networks.” (02/11/08)
Well, you
know where at least some of the money in the baboon’s pockets comes
from. Funny how this sort of garbage gets tacked on to a pork bill. But
then, I guess it is all garbage.
Baboons:
Only 18 lawmakers shunned pet projects
Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel
“Only a dozen House members and half as many senators declined
to play in Congress’ pork barrel playground last year by refusing
to ask for home state projects, a Washington-based watchdog group disclosed
Wednesday. Their more than 500 colleagues easily filled the gap, obtaining
more than $18 billion worth of these so-called earmarks, according to
a database assembled by Taxpayers for Common Sense, a budget watchdog
group that advocates sharply curbing the practice.” (02/13/08)
Gee, if
DC were Sodom, do you suppose that 10 of these 18 would really be righteous
enough to save it from fiery destruction? I rather doubt it, as there
are many more sins than just pork and earmarks, just as not everyone n
Sodom, surely was a homosexual. Abraham would have to argue much, much
harder. Still, do you realize that six percent of Senators didn’t
dip (directly, at least) into the barrel to spear a nice barbeque-smeared
piece of pork? Amazing. (The percentage of House-baboons was much lower,
though: only four percent: sad.)
Baboons:
US Senate votes to ban waterboarding
Richmond Palladium-Item
“Congress on Wednesday moved to prohibit the CIA from using waterboarding
and other harsh interrogation methods on terror suspects, despite President
Bush’s threat to veto any measure that limits the agency’s interrogation
techniques. The prohibition was contained in a bill authorizing intelligence
activities for the current year, which the Senate approved on a 51-45
vote. It would restrict the CIA to the 19 interrogation techniques outlined
in the Army field manual.” (02/13/08)
Although
the day before the Senate supported Bush’s eavesdropping and amnesty
plan, they decided against this: there is no principle involved her, only
expediency. They care no more about the morality of using something than
they do about its cost, as long as their political agendas are supported.
Although I’ve drawn flack, I say again, that waterboarding is not
intrinsically evil: it is a tool which may be used for evil purposes.
It is condemned by liberals and by the Democratic party baboons because
it demonizes the Bush administration and because they can get votes for
it: if it were a Democratic administration, waterboarding would be hailed
by these same people as a “humane alternative to actual torture,
and necessary to support the government.”
Mama's
Note: Be that as it may, this technique has been regarded as illegal for
at least 60 years and the US prosecuted those who used it in WWII as war
criminals. I have no confidence at all that the technique won't be used,
however. These baboons do not obey laws, theirs or anyone else's.
Baboons:
Ethics panel says Craig acted improperly
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
“The Senate Ethics Committee said Wednesday that Idaho Sen. Larry
Craig acted improperly in connection with a men’s room sex sting
last year and had brought discredit on the Senate. In a letter to the
Republican senator, the ethics panel said Craig’s attempt to withdraw
his guilty plea after his arrest at a Minneapolis airport was an effort
to evade legal consequences of his own actions.” (02/13/08)
The guy
is such a scumbag that his fellow baboons think he is one. Sadly, they
didn’t send him home packing. Of course, I wonder if the Minnesotan
legislature would have had the courage to recall him if they still had
that power.
Baboons:
Surveillance bill left in limbo as
House takes recess
USA Today
“Democratic leaders allowed House members to leave town for a
week-long recess Thursday without ending a dispute over a temporary electronic
surveillance law that expires Saturday. President Bush warned that inaction
‘could reopen dangerous gaps in our intelligence,’ while House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused Bush of ‘fear-mongering.’”
(02/14/08)
Ah, too
bad. Not that I necessarily agree with Pelosi: but this is the wrong solution
to a possible right problem.
Canaanite
front:
Hezbollah chief vows war in Mughniyeh
retaliation
NewsDay
“Hezbollah’s leader vowed yesterday to retaliate against
Israeli interests anywhere in the world for the assassination of one of
the militant group’s most notorious operatives, warning in his eulogy
of a war without boundaries. Israel officially denied involvement in the
killing, ordered its military and embassies overseas on high alert and
recommended Jewish institutions worldwide do the same, fearing revenge
attacks for the car bomb that killed Imad Mughniyeh, one of the world’s
most-wanted terrorists, in Damascus on Tuesday. The fiery speech by Hezbollah
chief Hassan Nasrallah, delivered via video to thousands of fist-waving
mourners at Mughniyeh’s funeral, signaled the Iranian-backed Shia
group was ending a years-long policy of battling Israel only on Israeli
or Lebanese territory, raising the specter of attacks in Western or other
countries.” (02/15/08)
Car bombs
are generally not the preferred method of assassination by western powers,
such as Israel, because they are a bit more concerned about innocent people
dying, but I can see where Hezbollah wants to take maximum advantage of
this to reinvigorate their war against the west.
Mama's
Note: It's sometimes hard to accept that so many people can actually be
so insane.
Canaanite
front:
Syria threatens war lawsuit against
US
Sheboygan Press
“Syria plans to sue the U.S. for supplying arms to Israel that
later killed Syrians in its 2006 war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon,
the Syrian foreign minister said Thursday, a day after Washington announced
new sanctions against Damascus. Speaking at a news conference with his
Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, Foreign Minister Walid Moallem
said Syria would retaliate for the U.S. decision to impose fresh sanctions
on Syrian officials.” (02/14/08)
This is
hilarious. Wonder what the Syrians were doing in Lebanon – preaching
and running relief missions, no doubt.
Chinese
front:
Beijing
boasts less spitting, better queuing
Yahoo! News
“Less spitting, better queuing and cleaner streets show Beijing
has become more ‘civilized,’ but the city still has to fine-tune
its etiquette to attain Olympic standards, Xinhua news agency said Friday,
citing a new study. … In the drive to reform behavior, Beijing has
instituted the 11th of every month as ‘voluntarily wait in line’
day, distributed millions of etiquette pamphlets and threatened to detain
boorish fans at sporting events. But city officials cannot afford to let
their guard down yet.” (02/08/08)
Hmm. The
Middle Kingdom has crass, crude, barbarian-like people who push and shove
and spit on the sidewalk? And 58 years of Communism has not removed this
trait from the population pool?
Culture
wars:
CA: UCSD speech code proposal shelved
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
“In the face of two letters from FIRE and vocal student opposition,
the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) has unceremoniously dropped
proposed revisions to UCSD’s speech code that would have been in
blatant violation of the First Amendment rights of UCSD students and faculty.
FIRE first wrote to UCSD President Marye A. Fox to express our concern
about the proposed changes to the university’s Policy on Speech,
Advocacy and Distribution of Literature on University Property back in
June of last year. Our letter pointed out several obviously unconstitutional
portions of the new code.” (02/08/08)
Obviously,
this story is NOT from an unbiased reporter, but from the very organization
which did the good work in cleaning things up. But their work is virtually
NEVER mentioned in the mainstream press.
Culture
wars:
AZ: Pols try again to get voters to
pass same-sex marriage law
PageOneQ
“Republican lawmakers on Monday proposed asking voters in November
to amend the Arizona Constitution to ban same-sex marriage in the state,
which was the first to turn down such a measure. The proposal was backed
by 16 of 30 state senators, and an identical proposal was introduced in
the House. Both chambers would have to approve the measure in a vote for
it to be included on the ballot. Under the amendment, ‘only a union
of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in
this state.’ The proposal comes after Arizona voters narrowly rejected
a similar measure in November 2006.” (02/11/08)
There are
some significant differences in the two proposals, several of which are
deemed to have contributed to its defeat in 2006, when it was the only
one of eight attempts that year to restore the old dictionary definition
in law.
Mama's
Note: Seems like there are a lot of things that would be much more worth
their time and effort. Everyone minding their own business also comes
to mind...
Economy:
UK supermarkets
set for shake-up
BBC News [UK]
“Supermarkets may be forced to sell land to allow rivals to open
in areas where there is not enough competition. The measure is likely
to be among the Competition Commission’s suggestions to remedy problems
it has identified in the UK’s grocery market. There could also be
a call for an ombudsman to protect food suppliers in any disputes with
the big four supermarket chains ” [editor’s note: The Competition
Commission? Now I’ve heard it all - MLS] (02/14/08)
When you
have written and enforced the laws that allow the big chains to ride roughshod
over the competition, I guess you have to come up with ways to fake a
free market, in order to hoodwink the public into thinking they have free
choice.
Euro-front:
UN urged to oppose Kosovo independence
Burlington Free Press
“Serbia’s foreign minister urged the U.N. Security Council
on Thursday to oppose Kosovo’s expected declaration of independence
and called on the secretary-general to order that any proclamation be
declared null and void. In his address to a closed council meeting, Foreign
Minister Vuk Jeremic warned that independence for Kosovo would set a precedent
that will echo around the globe, leading to ‘an uncontrolled cascade
of secession.’” [Editor’s note: He says that like it’s
a bad thing! - TLK] (02/14/08)
Sounds
like a better idea all the time!
Mama's
Note: You bet! And Bush has even recognized Kosovo as independent. I don't
think he would react that way if Wyoming or Montana made a similar declaration
of independence...
Euro-front:
Kosovo tries
to launch independence softly
Christian Science Monitor
“Albanians here have craved independence for nine long years of
loud tearoom debates. Now with a declaration expected as soon as Sunday,
Kosovo officials hope independence from Serbia will be so quiet it will
scarcely be noticed. The hallmark phrase repeated by Prime Minister Hashim
Thaci to local mayors all week is ‘independence with dignity.’
This means no bacchanalian outbursts, no in-your-face waving of Albanian
flags around Serb enclaves, no mass rallies — nothing to provoke
the incidents that officials here think Belgrade would like to see. Popular
expectations in the breakaway province are being scaled back by officials
— that independence can magically solve all the difficulties of this
sensitive Balkan flash point that has been overseen by the United Nations
since 1999.” (02/14/08)
Even the
CSM can’t help but admit that this is not “Kosovo” that
is severing its ties with Serbia, but “East Albania.” Still,
this really is good news: another (finally peaceful) secession that doesn’t
involve voting by foot (moving from one country to another). Yugoslavia
is almost dead: the final end to a failed experiment that began in 1918,
90 years ago.
Euro-front:
EU
targets online privacy fears
Financial Times
“European privacy regulators are set to impose tighter restrictions
on the way search engines such as those of Yahoo and Microsoft keep customer
data. Peter Schaar, Germany’s federal data protection commissioner
and chairman of the Article 29 working party that advises the European
Union on privacy policy, told the Financial Times that the search engines
were keeping data too long. Regulators are concerned about Google’s
practice of keeping information on individuals’ searches and ‘cookies’
— identifier programs on computers — saying the data could be
used to identify individuals or create profiles of their private preferences.”
(02/10/08)
While it
is a shame that these businesses don’t have ethical standards, this
is one of the few proposals I’ve seen in the EU that actually is
advocating a “legitimate” action by government: protecting the
rights of people. Too bad that government will prove (as usual) unequal
to the task.
Euro-Wars
UK
to send “last 1,000” troops to Kosovo
Daily Telegraph
Britain's overstretched Armed Forces are to send as many as 1,000 troops
to the Balkans in a move that will see the military's last remaining reserve
unit deployed on operations. The imminent departure of the 1st Bn Welsh
Guards to Kosovo has been ordered in response to fears that the newly
formed independent state could slide into "ethnic cleansing".
But last night MPs and former military chiefs described the move as "irresponsible"
and "demented", accusing the Ministry of Defence of being "bankrupt".
Ouch. And
if the Argentinos decide to try once again to steal the Falklands…
Wrong as the invasion of Iraq was, and despite the other evils, the Brits
at least are willing to honor their commitments. Too bad it isn’t
for better causes.
Mama's
Note: Hmmmm. This might be an excellent time for Scotland, Whales, Cornwall
and Ireland to declare total independence. Looks like the Brits couldn't
do a thing about it!
Government
run, theft funded schools:
Lawsuit challenges state special education
hearings
North County Times
“A federal class-action lawsuit filed last week on behalf of a
Fallbrook family alleges that state officials who decide disputes between
parents and school districts over special education services are unqualified,
inadequately trained and side with districts too often. The lawsuit asks
the U.S. District Court to prohibit the California Department of Education
from renewing its $29 million contract with the state’s Office of
Administrative Hearings to provide mediation and due process hearings
to resolve conflicts between school districts and parents. The current
contract expires in June.” (02/11/08)
The OAH
is nothing but another system of courts designed to circumvent proper
constitutional restrictions on the power of judges and to avoid such messy
things as juries and the rest of the Bill of Rights. Not that California
judges would be much better, I admit. The best way to handle this is to
get schools separated from the state and let parents hire teachers directly.
There are many organizations, and would be more if just education taxes
alone were ended, that would donate enough money to provide for special
education needs, just as the Shriners today provide many children with
medical treatment when parents can’t afford it and insurance won’t
pay for it.
Government
run, theft funded schools:
US bill specifies state higher ed
spending
Stateline.org
“New legislation being considered by Congress would force states
to spend a minimum amount on higher education based on their past spending
— or lose some federal funds. The provision is being called a ‘dangerous
precedent’ by critics, but is seen by supporters as a stopgap for
rising tuition at public institutions. ‘One of the biggest factors
driving tuition increases at public colleges and universities is states’
cutbacks in higher education funding,’ said Rachel Racusen, a spokeswoman
for House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.),
the bill’s primary sponsor. ‘With the federal government putting
money in at the top, it’s important that states not take money out
at the bottom,’ she wrote in an e-mail.” (02/11/08)
More government
mandates, to try and fix problems that Congress’s baboons in large
part caused by mandating more and more of state spending and budgets.
Solution? End federal funding AND federal mandates, and get schools and
states separated.
Government
run, theft funded schools:
New report ranks nation’s 21
school choice programs
The Weekly
“A new report by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice,
‘Grading School Choice: Evaluating School Choice Programs by the
Friedman Gold Standard,’ grades the nation’s 21 existing school
choice programs based on how well they live up to the standard of providing
school choice for all. At the head of the class is Florida’s McKay
voucher program which earned top marks for providing options to the state’s
special needs students. The other top graded programs were in Georgia,
Arizona, Vermont, Ohio and Maine. Minnesota’s personal tax deduction
& credit received the lowest grade.” (02/12/08)
I find
it very hard to trust a foundation to do anything right, unless I personally
know them, so this FFEC report is hard to accept at face value. For all
their merit, voucher programs are a very good way for the state to extend
more and more control on private schooling and turn it into nothing but
a clone of failed state-run schools.
Government
run, theft funded schools:
CA:
1/10 of students may leave state education system
World Net Daily
Only months after a new state law effectively banned "mom"
and "dad" from California schools, 600,000 students soon could
be following them out the door because of what has been described as the
"repudiation" of 2,000 years of Christian morality, according
to leaders of a new campaign assembling education alternatives. The campaign
is called California Exodus and is being headed by Ron Gleason, pastor
of Grace Presbyterian Church in Yorba Linda, who said while the country
excels in social, economic, scientific and political accomplishments,
it "gets low grades on the education of its children."
600,000
out of a student population of 6 million is a staggering amount, but only
to be expected as the latest changes finally make people realize what
evil institutions these are.
Mama's
Note: The fact that Gleason believes the government is doing wonderful
things otherwise puts a big question mark on this exodus for me. They
will obviously continue to teach their children the socialist and fascist
mantra, and I'm sure they will be right up front demanding vouchers and
other state funded support for their school alternatives. Too bad.
Government
run, theft funded schools:
GE:
No tolerance for home-schooling
World Net Daily
A government bureaucrat in Germany says that nation demands all children
attend government-approved schools because they all must be "integrated"
into society the same way.
Sadly,
modern Germans view the Prussian development of public schools (which
the US gradually imitated) as a key step in progress to “democracy.”
If that were true, it is another charge against the evil concept that
everything can be decided by majority vote: popular tyranny instead of
liberty.
Home front:
Immigration
Facing backlog, Feds ease path to
green card
Arizona Republic
“In a major policy shift aimed at reducing a ballooning immigration
backlog, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to grant permanent
residency to tens of thousands of applicants before the FBI completes
a required background check. Those eligible are immigrants whose fingerprints
have cleared the FBI database of criminal convictions and arrests but
whose names have not yet cleared the FBI’s criminal or intelligence
files after six months of waiting. The immigrants who are granted permanent
status, more commonly known as getting their green cards, will be expected
eventually to clear the FBI’s name check. If they don’t, their
legal status will be revoked and they’ll be deported.” (02/11/08)
All the
safeguards in the world do not work if they are short circuited, which
happens, it seems, more often than not. And as usual, it is the law-abiding
that get penalized, both the law-abiding wanting to work in the US and
the law-abiding companies needing workers.
Home front:
Immigration
UK: “More
migrants needed” for curry
BBC News [UK]
“The Home Office is being urged to ease restrictions on migrant
workers entering Britain from Bangladesh, to avert a crisis in the curry
industry. Curry houses are struggling to fill thousands of kitchen staff
vacancies, says the Immigration Advisory Service. For years, many staff
in the UK’s 9,000 curry restaurants have been recruited directly
from Bangladesh. But restrictions on the workers have been tighter since
eastern Europeans were given employment rights.” (02/12/08)
Apparently
Vermont ski resorts face a similar problem. My heart bleeds for them:
they have been strong supporters of government restrictions, and now they
are hoist by their own petard.
Home front:
Immigration
RI: Illegal workers targeted
Boston Globe
“Rhode Island, facing a budget crisis that will lead to massive
cutbacks, is engulfed in the most intense battle over illegal immigration
in New England, with Republicans and Democrats alike calling for a crackdown
on unauthorized workers. In the past few weeks, state lawmakers and the
governor have proposed a battery of measures targeting unauthorized workers,
from expelling undocumented children from the state’s healthcare
system to making English the official language to jailing business owners
and landlords who harbor illegal workers. Even the father of the state’s
first baby born in the New Year was caught up in the issue. Days after
a beaming Mynor Montufar appeared in the news, the illegal immigrant was
picked up for deportation to Guatemala.” (02/12/08)
As with
the UK, these companies for decades have firmly supported increasing government
power by both the state and federal governments, and now they are suffering
the consequences: it is their own ox getting gored. More than 30 years
ago, I was told by many people in Rhode Island that if things got any
worse, they would be rebelling – now, 30 years later, things have
gotten immensely worse and where is the rebellion? Where are even a few
voices to be heard in the Hope State, that used to be a land of freedom
and is now nothing but a stinking little pocket police state where things
like this can happen and no one seems to care?
Home front:
Nonprofit
journalism on the rise
Christian Science Monitor
“The police chief’s rosy crime statistics were a lie, it
turned out. The councilman who urged water conservation was discovered
to use 80,000 gallons a month at his home, more than five of his colleagues
put together. And the school board president, according to an investigation,
spent a full third of his time out of town and out of touch. The Voice
of San Diego, a nonprofit online media outlet, doesn’t have enough
journalists to field a softball team. Yet it has managed to take on the
powerful with the panache of a scrappy big-city paper. It provides ‘the
best coverage of city politics that we’ve had in years,’ raves
Dean Nelson, a journalism professor at San Diego’s Point Loma Nazarene
University.” (02/12/08)
Gresham’s
law, fortunately, doesn’t always apply to the press.
Home front:
One
more merchant worry: Mall violence
CNN News
Retail trade groups, mall operators and retailers will meet next month
in a first-ever conference on the impact of mall violence on business
and community.
Simple
solution, right? Arm yourself, allow your employees and customers to carry,
put signs up “You are welcome to defend yourself if necessary on
our premises” and advertise every time a would-be bad guy eats lead.
Home front:
UK: Taser use on children okayed
Daily Mail [UK]
“Police have been given the go-ahead to use Taser stun guns against
children. The relaxing of restrictions on the use of the weapons comes
despite warnings that they could trigger a heart attack in youngsters.
Until now, Tasers — which emit a 50,000-volt electric shock —
have been used only by specialist officers as a ‘non lethal’
alternative to firearms. However, they can now be used against all potentially
violent offenders even if they are unarmed. It is the decision not to
ban their use against minors that is likely to raise serious concerns.
Home Office Police Minister Tony McNulty said medical assessments had
confirmed the risk of death or serious injury from Tasers was ‘low.’
But he failed to mention Government advisers had also warned of a potential
risk to children.” (02/14/08)
Minors
are NOT always children, I should point out. But the question is, why
should the coppers be GRANTED ANY authority to taser anyone who is not
actively violent? Or indeed, why should bobbies be allowed to Taser ANYONE?
Actually, why do we need peelers in the first place, if we recognized
the God-given right of private citizens to defend themselves?
Home front:
BlackBerry
service out intermittently across North America
Fox News
“A major service outage afflicted users of the popular, addictive
Blackberry smart phones across the United States and Canada on Monday.
Officials with AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless said Blackberry maker
Research in Motion Ltd. told them customers of all wireless carriers were
affected. It was not immediately clear how many of the 12 million worldwide
Blackberry subscribers had problems, as some users reported being able
to access their service normally Monday afternoon. But Garth Turner, a
member of the Canadian Parliament, said during a caucus meeting that the
incident — the second widespread disruption in 10 months — was
having a big impact.” (02/11/08)
Ouch. Why
and how is still to be answered, but we are so dependent on technology
these days that we rightly fear things like this.
Home front:
DHS, FBI
warn of “pregnant women” as bomber risk
Fox News
“The growing use by terrorist groups of women — some disguised
as expectant moms — to deliver deadly homicide bombs has prompted
the Department of Homeland Security and FBI to issue a rare warning that
such attacks could take place on American soil. The joint security assessment
cited recent female homicide bomber attacks in Baghdad — in which
two women who appeared to have Down syndrome delivered a deadly explosion
that killed 99 — as well as in Sri Lanka, Chechnya, India, Pakistan
and the Palestinian territories as reason for the warning. ‘Female
suicide bombers may have an advantage over their male counterparts in
accessing targets,’ the analysis cautioned. ‘The means to conduct
a suicide attack vary widely, but a key element in maximizing the lethality
of a suicide bombing is the bomber’s ability to get close to the
target.’” (02/12/08)
As long
as people depend on government action to defend them from things like
this, the terrorists have it easy. Even with armed and alert citizens,
such evil tactics can often succeed, but it is much harder.
Home front:
HI: Baby dies in immigration thugs’
custody
Honolulu Advertiser
“A 14-day-old infant traveling here for heart surgery died at
Honolulu International Airport on Friday after he, his mother and a nurse
were detained by immigration officials in a locked room, a lawyer for
the boy’s family said. … It is unknown why immigration officials
detained the mother, the nurse and the child. Scott Ishikawa, a spokesman
for the state Department of Transportation, said the child went into respiratory
failure while in the customs office, which is located near the baggage
claims area of the overseas terminal.” (02/12/08)
And isn’t
this wonderful? Do you suppose any of the thugs have any remorse about
the blood on their hands?
Mama's
Note: I'm sure they will repeat the excuse of all the goons and gestapo
over the ages, "We were just following orders!"
Home front:
Pentagon official, others
charged with spying
MSNBC
“A Defense Department analyst and a former engineer for Boeing
Co. were charged Monday in separate spy cases for allegedly handing over
military secrets to the Chinese government, the Justice Department said.
Additionally, two immigrants from China and Taiwan accused of working
with the defense analyst were arrested after an FBI raid Monday morning
on a New Orleans home where one of them lived.” (02/11/08)
How much
more of this is going on without being caught? Sadly, we may know in a
few years, as our ability to defend ourselves is wasted in the Sandbox
and elsewhere around the world.
Home front:
CDC tests confirm FEMA
trailers are toxic
MSNBC
“More than two years after residents of FEMA trailers deployed
along the Mississippi Gulf Coast began complaining of breathing difficulties,
nosebleeds and persistent headaches, U.S. health officials announced Thursday
that long-awaited government tests found potentially hazardous levels
of toxic formaldehyde gas in both travel trailers and mobile homes provided
by the agency.” (02/14/08)
If I forced
a client to wait two years for testing a potentially dangerous chemical
leak or spill, I’d be out of work. At the same time, the length of
time brings into question whether there really was a problem at all two
years ago, or it has just developed since then.
Mama's
Note: I've got another question. If those places were that terribly toxic,
why would people stay in them at all? I wouldn't wait two years to find
a better place, let alone wait for government to do anything. To me, this
just sounds like another way to continue - and expand the welfare.
Home front:
OH: Mayor
kicks Marines out of Toledo
NBC 4 News
“Mayor Carty Finkbeiner on Friday ordered some 200 members of
Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines from Grand Rapids, Michigan, out
of Toledo just before the unit was supposed to start a weekend of urban
warfare training downtown. The mayor’s spokesperson, Brian Schwartz
said, ‘The mayor asked them to leave because they frighten people.
He did not want them practicing and drilling in a highly visible area.’
Toledo police said they knew about the training and had approved the unit’s
use of the Madison Building and the Promenade Park area. The training
was scheduled to start Friday afternoon and last until Sunday. Police
said the unit’s presence would have a minimal impact on the city.”
(02/09/08)
I suppose
the mayor has also fired the police chief? On top of Berkeley (next story),
this is adding insult to injury.
Home front:
CA: Row erupts over Berkeley’s
anti-Marine stance
Reuters
“Officials in the famously liberal California town of Berkeley
have stirred a national fuss by telling U.S. Marine Corps recruiters they
aren’t welcome anymore and by aiding those protesting against them.
That stance is too much for some Republican lawmakers, who are threatening
to retaliate by stripping the counter-culture city of about $5.3 million
in federal and state dollars. ‘If the U.S. Marines are not good enough
for Berkeley, neither are taxpayer dollars,’ Sen. John Cornyn, a
Texas Republican, said in a statement.” (02/10/08)
Gee, how
they back water! But then, how few anti-war types have any moral conviction
is seen not just in this case but in their support of Clinton, Obama,
and far too many others. For every somewhat principled supporter of Paul
or truly consistent and principled opponent to the attack and occupation
in Mesopotamia, there are a dozen others that use it solely for political
gain: they are opportunists without any real convictions except those
that facilitate their power, ability to be elected, and of course, their
hatred.
Mama's
Note: Oh yes, I suspect they'll jump into line if their cash cow from
Washington is threatened. They are already crying about $93,000.
in overtime for the cops because of this disturbance.
Home front:
Government lists worst nursing homes
USA Today
“After initially resisting their disclosure, the Bush administration
on Tuesday published the names of 131 nursing homes with poor inspection
records and said some were already showing signs of improvement. The list
released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services represents
troubled facilities cited as a ’special focus facility,’ a designation
used to identify those that merit more oversight. For these homes, states
conduct inspections at six-month intervals rather than annually.”
(02/12/08)
Of course,
as you might expect, a good many of these places are on the list because
of political considerations and not because they are poor facilities.
As with any institution, if you WANT to find something wrong, it takes
very little to find it.
Mama's
Note: You said it. And even worse, the "rules" are contradictory
and often vague, so those doing the inspection have vast power of interpretation.
I've worked in these places and the word wasn't "that's the rule,"
but "that's what the inspectors want to see."
Islamic
imperialists:
Saudi Arabia
bans Valentine’s Day roses
Ananova [UK]
“Religious police in Saudi Arabia are banning the sale of Valentine’s
Day gifts including red roses. The Saudi Gazette quoted shop workers as
saying officials had warned them to remove all red items including flowers
and wrapping paper. Black market prices for roses were already rising,
the paper said. Saudi authorities consider Valentine’s Day, along
with a host of other annual celebrations, as un-Islamic.” (02/13/08)
There is
worse than just banning these things, as the next story reports.
Islamic imperialists:
Pleas for
condemned Arabian ‘witch’
BBC
Human Rights Watch has appealed to Saudi Arabia to halt the execution
of a woman convicted of witchcraft. The illiterate woman was detained
by religious police in 2005 and allegedly beaten and forced to fingerprint
a confession that she could not read. Fawza Falih was arrested and interrogated
in the northern town of Quraiyat two years ago and was sentenced to death.
Among her accusers was a man who alleged she made him impotent.
Oh, yes,
the religion of peace: the peace of the grave. I would suggest that the
accuser be tested to see if the spell really worked.
Mama's
Note: Not to mention that their standard of proof seems a bit thin. Say,
I've got an idea! Can't we spray the whole area with something to make
ALL of them impotent - or at least sterile? Then they'd have other things
to worry about.
Islamic
imperialists:
Turkey votes
to lift head-scarf ban, but battle continues
Christian Science Monitor
“With its vote Saturday ending a decades-old ban on wearing head
scarves in public universities, Turkey’s parliament may have marked
a historical moment in the ongoing struggle between religion and secularism
in this predominantly Muslim country. But concerns remain in Turkey that
the government’s zeal for lifting the ban could undermine other reforms,
particularly those relating to democratization and the country’s
ongoing European Union membership bid. ‘Some intellectuals [who support
the government] are starting to have second thoughts about whether [it]
has a well-defined strategy for change for Turkey, and what triggered
this doubt is the priority that the government has put on the headscarf
issue,’ says veteran Turkish journalist Yavuz Baydar, a columnist
for the English-language newspaper Today’s Zaman.” (02/11/08)
For once,
CSM raises some good questions.
Islamic
imperialists:
UK: Archbishop could be forced to
quit over sharia uproar
Daily Mail [UK]
“The Archbishop of Canterbury is expected to face calls for his
resignation when the Church of England’s general synod meets today.
Senior colleagues, MPs, bishops and the head of the Roman Catholic Church
in England have all poured scorn on Rowan Williams’s views on Islamic
sharia law. In a lecture last week, he said the establishment of sharia
in Britain ’seems unavoidable’ and it would be better if Muslims
could settle marital disputes or financial matters in a sharia court.”
(02/10/08)
What will
he suggest next? How about druidic law and lore being taught in the CoE’s
cathedrals? Or letting nutcases offer human sacrifices in bogs? Or allow
ancient Saxon and Angle polygamy?
Mama's
Note: Aside from the expected noncooperation of the human sacrifice, I
don't see that it matters except in so far as government has some power
to "allow" or forbid. This Williams guy is a certifiable mental
case, for sure, but why should it matter to anyone what laws or religion
anyone wants to bind themselves with? If the Muslims want to have their
own courts, they certainly should be able to do so. What they shouldn't
and can't be allowed to do is impose that on anyone else, of course.
Local tyranny:
UT: Woman takes plea deal in lousy
lawn case
Yahoo! News
“When 70-year-old Betty Perry was accused of neglecting her lawn,
she became defiant. Perry was arrested, handcuffed and briefly jailed
in July for declining a ticket for failing to water her lawn. She agreed
on Friday to resolve her case by pleading guilty to a disorderly conduct
charge and paying a $100 fine. She also faces six months of probation.
Perry was scheduled to go to trial Monday on a more serious charge of
resisting arrest for refusing to give her name, accept a citation or allow
herself to be handcuffed on her front steps. ‘She ends up with a
sentence that is very minimal and shouldn’t intrude terribly on her
day-to-day life,’ prosecutor Andrew Peterson said. ‘For our
part, it accomplishes what we set out to accomplish from the very beginning.’”
[Editor’s note: What “they” set out to do, of course, was
show the serfs who’s in charge - TLK] (02/09/08)
Got to
go with Tom on this one, certainly: this kind of abuse should result in
the POLICEMAN being arrested, handcuffed, and convicted of violating the
public trust, the Bill of Rights, and just plain abuse of the elderly.
Massa wannabe:
McCain forgoing matching funding
Arizona Republic
“Sen. John McCain, a passionate advocate of limits on campaign
finances, is turning down government matching funds for the primary to
free him to spend more money as he prepares for a general election contest.
McCain, who appears headed to win the Republican presidential nomination,
sent letters to the Federal Election Commission and the Treasury Department
notifying them of his decision to withdraw from the presidential election
financing system. McCain had asked to participate in the public system
last summer when his campaign, his fundraising and his poll numbers hit
a low point that threatened to unravel his candidacy.” (02/12/08)
Can you
spell “HYPOCRITE”?
Massa wannabes:
Obama, McCain sweep “Potomac
primary”
Baltimore Sun
“Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain swept the Potomac
primaries yesterday after voters endured ice-slick roads and snow flurries
to cast ballots in the most competitive presidential primary contest in
decades. For Obama, the triumphs extend the momentum built after last
week’s Super Tuesday contests. The Illinois senator has earned consecutive
wins in eight contests since then, eclipsing Sen. Hillary Clinton of New
York in the chase for delegates for the first time. … The McCain
victories solidified his position as the presumptive nominee, despite
a strong showing by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in Virginia, which
illustrated continuing concern about McCain’s conservative credentials.
McCain’s campaign received a further boost when President Bush’s
top fund-raiser agreed yesterday to join the Arizona senator’s effort.”
(02/13/08)
I think
that Obama now has more than Clinton, not counting the “superdelegates”
that will ensure that the “purity” of the party is preserved
– totally contrary to the supposed “democracy” of the Democracy.
Mama's
Note: Actually, counting delegates is much like counting snowflakes. You
can take an estimate, but it's only a guess until the conventions are
over and the "back room" deals are still very much in control
anyway. Unfortunately, more than ever, there isn't even a "lesser
of two evils" to choose from.
Massa wannabes:
Romney endorses McCain, releases delegates
Honolulu Advertiser
“Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney yesterday made a Valentine’s
Day endorsement of Sen. John McCain, ending a bitter, yearlong rivalry
and handing over almost enough delegates to guarantee McCain the Republican
nomination. Romney released the 280 delegates he had won from their pledge
to support him and urged them to back McCain, calling him a ‘true
American hero’ and saying the party needs to unify behind him. …
McCain has accumulated 843 delegates, while former Arkansas Gov. Mike
Huckabee has gathered 242 in his ongoing long-shot campaign. One of them
must get to 1,191 delegates to become the nominee when the Republicans
gather for their convention in Minneapolis.” (02/15/08)
More than
one commentator has pointed out that this is more to prevent Paul from
having a chance in Minneapolis than to assist McCain in sewing things
up. But even if every one of these do switch to McCain, there is still
a slim chance to have a brokered convention. In the meantime, conservatives
are apparently pinning their hopes on a charismatic VP candidate who is
a closer simulacrum of a conservative, or hoping that McCain is the Ford
before a Reagan.
Massa wannabes:
With
losses mounting, Paul downsizes campaign
Houston Chronicle
“Ron Paul, the Lake Jackson GOP lawmaker whose Internet-driven
presidential campaign has smashed fundraising records but failed to garner
substantial voter support, is scaling back his White House efforts and
is focusing on the primary race to retain his House seat. In an e-mail
message sent to supporters Saturday, Paul said that while he will remain
in the presidential race, he must place a priority on his congressional
contest, where he faces Friendswood accountant Chris Peden. … Paul
repeated earlier pledges that he will not make a third-party run for president.
In 1988, he was the Libertarian Party presidential candidate, and thousands
of his grassroots backers have encouraged him to continue his national
fight through November.” [Editor’s note: Actually, this
is the first time that Paul has said “no third party campaign”
without any reservations, evasions or demands for “wiggle room”
- TLK] (02/09/08)
The end
is near, especially if people want his voice to remain in Congress (for
whatever good that does: if Abraham failed, can Paul do any better?) As
for his revolution, hopefully it will turn to nonpolitical efforts to
prepare people for their own liberty and what to do when the all-but inevitable
collapse of American “democracy” is here.
Massa wannabes:
Groups ask candidates to
sign gun rights pledge
Liberty For All
“The Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the
Right to Keep and Bear Arms today are transmitting to each of the Republican
and Democratic presidential candidates the ‘2008
Presidential Gun Rights Pledge.’(pdf) In a letter to the candidates,
SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb and CCRKBA Executive Director Mark A. Taff
note, ‘It is not enough for a candidate for this nation’s highest
political office to merely mouth ’support’ for the Second Amendment.
Whoever occupies the presidency must be someone who holds the Second Amendment
to be as important to individual liberty as all the other tenets of our
Bill of Rights.’” (02/11/08)
Yeah, right,
of course they’ll all sign up, But SAF and CCBKBA are right in pressing
them to do so.
Mesopotamian
front:
Iraq: Baghdad
car bombings kill 22
All Headline News
“At least 22 people were killed after Islamic extremist penetrated
a high-security apartment compound in the western Anbar province in Iraq,
housing Sunni tribal heads and blew up two car bombs, as the al-Qaida
terrorist network focuses its attacks against U.S. allies. The blast tore
offices of one of Iraq’s most influential Shiite politicians, ABdul-Aziz
al-Hakim. Authorities believe the twin bombings were targeting Sunni tribal
chiefs residing in the compound.” (02/12/08)
Al-Qaida
clearly has felt the pang of losing key Muslim allies in Iraq, and is
seeking to punish them and convince them to return to the fold.
Mesopotamian
front:
Iraq [sic]: Lawmakers
set date for elections, allot budget
Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Iraq’s parliament on Wednesday passed three key pieces of
legislation that set a date for provincial elections, allot $48 billion
for 2008 spending, and provide limited amnesty to detainees in Iraqi custody.
The three measures were bundled together for one vote to satisfy the demands
of minority Kurds who feared they might be double-crossed on their stand
that the budget allot 17 percent to their semiautonomous regional government
in the north.” (02/13/08)
Well, for
a bogus government of an effectively-nonexistent country, these guys are
doing better than the US Congress in things like passing budgets. Fortunately,
the Constitution specifies when we have elections; if we depended on Congress
to set election dates, we’d never have one.
Nazgul:
NE:
Electric chair is torture, judges say
CBS News
“A year ago, Carey Dean Moore wrote a short letter to the Nebraska
Supreme Court from his cell on death row. ‘Appellant wishes to be
executed,’ it said. On Friday, the court said electrocution is unconstitutional,
a stunning response to Dean, nine others on death row and those who question
whether the electric chair constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. ‘Condemned
prisoners must not be tortured to death, regardless of their crimes,’
Judge William Connolly wrote in the 6-1 opinion for the court. The decision
erased Nebraska’s distinction as the only state with electrocution
as its sole means of execution. State courts are left with the ability
to sentence people to death but no way to carry out the penalty.”
(02/09/08)
Okay, so
now what? And why did it take the Nebraska supremes 85 or so years to
decide this? Justice? Faugh!
Mama's
Note: When
"capital punishment" is administered by the intended victim,
it is 100% appropriate. Otherwise, great care must be exercised. Funny
how a prolonged episode of simulated drowning is not considered "torture,"
but an almost instantaneous electrocution somehow is. We have our values
and objectives so screwed up that justice cannot be served by either of
them right now.
Nazgul:
UK: Thoughtcrime students freed
Independent [UK]
“Five Muslim students who were said to have become ‘intoxicated’
by extremist propaganda were freed yesterday after the Court of Appeal
declared their convictions unsound. In a case described as a victory for
the Muslim community, the senior judges declared it had not been proved
that they had planned to use downloaded material in an act of terrorism.
… the young men all denied having extremist views. The material they
had downloaded from internet sites was not intended to encourage terrorism
or martyrdom but simply to research ideology. They were nevertheless convicted
and given sentences ranging from two to three years. But yesterday, Lord
Chief Justice Lord Phillips, sitting with Mr. Justice Owen and Mr. Justice
Bean, quashed their convictions and ordered their release.” (02/13/08)
MAYBE justice
has been done in this case, but what is being done to keep the Home Office
from continuing to do stupid tricks like this?
Nazgul:
TX: Ban on sex toy sales overturned
Salem Statesman Journal
“A federal appeals court has overturned a statute outlawing sex
toy sales in Texas, one of the last states — all in the South —
to retain such a ban. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that
the Texas law making it illegal to sell or promote obscene devices, punishable
by as many as two years in jail, violated the right to privacy guaranteed
by the 14th Amendment.” (02/13/08)
The only
bad thing about this is now prosecutors are freed up to go do stupid things
enforcing other stupid laws.
Nazgul:
CA: State high court OKs salmon-coloring
suits
San Francisco Chronicle
“The state Supreme Court breathed new life today into a consumer
complaint about the chemically induced orange coloring of farm-raised
salmon and ruled that private citizens can sue to enforce California’s
food labeling laws. The unanimous decision reinstated lawsuits filed in
2003 and 2004 that accused supermarket chains of misleading customers
by failing to disclose on the labels that the fish had been fed chemicals
to give their flesh the orange color of wild salmon. Salmon raised in
fish farms are naturally grayish but take on the orange hue of their free-swimming
kin after consuming the chemicals canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. …
But the suits contended that the stores induced some customers to pay
higher prices for salmon and led others to buy fish they normally would
have shunned because of the artificial coloring.” (02/11/08)
Oh, right!
It seems to me that a simple enforcement of truth in advertising laws
would be enough; information is the lifeblood of the market. If the dye
is an attempt to defraud people, it clearly does require a court action,
but supposedly not by a lawsuit: it should be a public prosecutor.
Mama's
Note: I must disagree. In a free market, the buyer must beware, and educate
themselves to make informed decisions. It is not hard to tell between
real wild fresh salmon and something that is dyed, for pity sake. This
is just more state nannyism either way.
Nazgul:
Judge OKs White House e-mail probe
USA Today
“A federal judge agreed Monday to allow a private group to delve
into the operations of an office at the White House as part of a controversy
over whether large amounts of e-mail have disappeared. Permitting any
private organization to inquire into White House functions is an unusual
step, a point U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly underscored in
her six-page order.” (02/11/08)
Hmmm. Don’t
you think the rule for ANY government office should be “look but
don’t touch” when it comes to internal or external correspondence,
as far as the public is concerned?
New religions:
WY: House OKs carbon bills
Billings Gazette
“The House passed two bills that would give Wyoming landowners
rights to the space below their property and implement regulations on
how carbon emissions are to be stored below ground. The bills advance
to the Senate. Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette, said the proposals would protect
citizens and the environment from potentially harmful carbon emissions.
[Stringer’s note: Of course, nobody has yet proven any harm from
Co2. Buy warm clothes and find alternatives NOW. This is just the beginning
- ML] (02/16/08)
The bill
makes sense, IF you buy into the environist religion, which is nothing
but an excuse for new laws, for new tyranny, like this.
North American
union:
Venezuela exit takes Exxon ‘07
reserves below 100%
CNN
“Citing the loss of Venezuelan oil reserves, Exxon Mobil [sic]
Corp. (XOM) Friday became the latest oil major to fall short of 100% reserve
replacement in 2007, posting a 76% reserve replacement for the year. The
Irving, Texas oil giant said it replaced 1.2 billion oil-equivalent barrels
in 2007, compared with production of about 1.6 billion barrels, a ratio
of 76%. The result is the latest sign of the growing challenge the private
oil majors face in replacing production. … Exxon said its 2007 ratio
would have reached 107% if it had still included reserves from Venezuela.
Exxon announced it was leaving Venezuela last summer after rejecting a
change in fiscal terms amid a nationalization of heavy oil assets. The
company recently launched a spate of legal challenges to try to force
Venezuela to compensate Exxon for its loss of assets.” (02/15/08)
This is
a “challenge” brought on by government interference, and for
once, NOT US government interference.
North American
union:
Chavez threatens
to cut off oil sales to US
Fox News
“President Hugo Chavez on Sunday threatened to cut off oil sales
to the United States if Exxon Mobil [sic] Corp. wins court judgments to
seize billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets. ‘If you end up freezing
(Venezuelan assets) and it harms us, we’re going to harm you,’
Chavez said, directing his words to U.S. President George W. Bush. ‘Do
you know how? We aren’t going to send oil to the United States. Take
note, Mr. Bush, Mr. Danger.’ Exxon Mobil [sic] has gone after the
assets of Venezuela’s state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA,
in U.S., British and Dutch courts as it challenges the nationalization
of a multibillion dollar oil project by Chavez’s government last
year. A British court has issued an injunction ‘freezing’ as
much as $12 billion in assets.” (02/10/08)
The man
outright stole the property, just like New London stole the Kelo and other
properties, but at least ExxonMobil has a lot more attorneys than Kelo
and company did. Of course, since Venezuela’s economy would collapse
overnight if it couldn’t sell drugs (excuse me, oil, this isn’t
Columbia) to the US, the threat is probably a hollow one. But not totally
certain: his demeanor is crazy enough that he might then use that as an
excuse to declare some kind of war against the Colossus of the North and
enlist the aid of Islamic (and even Russian) America-haters to really
try and damage the US.
North American
union:
Calderon decries anti-immigrant tone
on US trip
Imperial Valley Press
“Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Monday decried anti-immigrant
perceptions in the United States and argued that Mexican immigrants complement
American workers. On his first trip to the U.S. as Mexico’s president,
Calderon said he is working to combat anti-Americanism in Mexico and to
improve job prospects there to reduce migration. He said he hopes that
Americans resist anti-Mexican sentiments.” (02/11/08)
Perhaps
if his own country were run more like a decent place of liberty, with
free markets and the rule of law, instead of a private socialist plantation
for a few families, he wouldn’t have to worry about his people trying
to escape to a land of opportunity. Of course, since the country’s
entire economy would collapse overnight without the billions sent back
home by immigrants, he doesn’t want to build a Berlin Wall (or have
the US build anything). His efforts to have government “create new
jobs” will work about as well as the “free money” Congress
voted to give this week.
North American
union:
Calderon seeks US, California
cooperation, aid
MSNBC
“Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Wednesday acknowledged tensions
between the U.S. and Mexico over illegal immigration but stressed that
both countries have an interest in ensuring their citizens can cross the
border legally and safely. ‘Our nations will never find prosperity
by closing their doors,’ Calderon told a joint session of the California
Legislature in his first U.S. visit since winning office in 2006.”
(02/13/08)
Simple:
open the borders both ways, AFTER getting rid of the welfare state in
the US.
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And if
you'd like to physically ship us checks, money orders, wampum, bullion,
Federal Reserve Notes, used bottles that can be returned for deposit refunds,
or pieces of toast with images of the Virgin Mary on them that we can
auction on eBay, just drop me a line for instructions on how to do that.
(Seriously: We're always looking for computer hardware -- if you've got
a reasonably recent desktop or laptop that you're looking to unload, let
me know).
THANK YOU
for your continuing support!
Yours in
liberty,
Tom Knapp
Publisher
Rational Review
[Please
note: The Price of Liberty is a non-commercial website and does not derive
any income from the support of RRND or anything else. ]
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