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Libertarian
War on the News, 23 - 29 March, 2008
For some reason, this week, a number of prime examples of “stupid
cop tricks” have shown up, warning us that conditions on the home
front are NOT getting any better where cops or the nanny state are concerned.
Once again, this week, I am seeing that there is little coverage of oil
prices and gasoline and diesel prices, even though (despite a slight drop
early in the week) oil remains well over $100 a barrel, the average gasoline
price well over $3.00/gallon, and diesel gets nearer and nearer a $4.00/gallon
average. This is really, really killing our economy; far worse than the
greed of mortgage lenders and nearly as bad as the mad spenders in Congress
Assembled. But perhaps the idea is that if we pretend it isn’t happening,
it will all go away. Still, there is good news bubbling up… especially
for those of us committed to liberty in the West, which I’ll start
with.
Economic
news:
ND:
Bakken oil development underway
Kiplinger
A new black gold rush is under way, this time in North Dakota. The
potential payoff is huge -- up to 100 billion barrels of oil. That’s
twice the size of Alaska’s reserves and potentially enough to meet
all U.S. oil needs for two decades. Until now, the obstacles to production
seemed overwhelming. The crude oil is locked away in rocks that are buried
miles underground in the Bakken Play, a field that stretches into Montana
and Saskatchewan, Canada.
The Kiplinger’s
report is very understated: at least three reports indicate that the Bakken
shale has around 500 BILLION barrels: one small field on the Montana side
of the line has proven reserves of 5 million barrels per square mile:
comparable to the “sea of oil” in Saudi Arabia. And although
Kiplinger’s talks about years of development of infrastructure, the
truth is, the Williston Basin is an old and once-mature piece of the Oil
Patch and has much of the infrastructure necessary to get the black gold
flowing. As with other parts of the Rocky Mountain West, the drastic rise
in the price of oil and the weakness of the dollar is having a strong
positive impact on the region. Whether we can hold out against the depression
of the coasts is still to be seen, but there is a chance.
Afghan
front:
Afghanistan: 40 insurgents,
two occupation troops killed
MSNBC
“Afghan and NATO forces killed more than 40 insurgents in a joint
air and ground battle in southern Afghanistan, a security official said
Sunday. Separately, two soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition died after
hitting a roadside bomb. Troops seized dozens of weapons — including
rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns — after Saturday’s
battle in Dihrawud, a district in Uruzgan province, the Afghan Defense
Ministry said in a statement.” (03/23/08)
Unfortunately,
this is a typical day in Afghanistan today. Tribal rivalries (some existing
for millennia, and periodically interrupted by foreign involvement, from
Darius and Alexander right down to Brown and Bush) get caught up in religious,
trade, and international wars. Although most of us think of Afghanistan
as being a dry and desert like place, it has beautiful high mountains
that rival the prettiest parts of the Rockies and the Black Hills for
beauty, and warns us what a new War between the States would be like here
in the US. It is not pleasant, pretty as the views are.
Asian front:
Japan:
Okinawans rally against against U.S. military crimes
Reuters
“Thousands of Okinawans rallied on Sunday to protest crimes by
U.S. troops and demand a smaller U.S. Military presence on the southern
Japanese island after last month’s arrest of a Marine on suspicion
of raping a schoolgirl.”Crimes and accidents due to the bases have
happened over and over and Okinawa has protested with intense anger to
both the U.S. and Japanese governments,” Kyodo quoted Okinawa City
Mayor Mitsuko Tomon as telling a crowd gathered in heavy rain in the town
of Chatan, where the February incident occurred.”But each time, our
voices have been trampled and there has been no end to the heinous crimes,”
the mayor added. Organizers estimated about 6,000 people took part in
the rally.” (03/23/08)
This is
not at all uncommon, of course. Actually, crime rates by US military personnel
stationed in Okinawa are considerably below the rates for places such
as Colorado Springs (Fort Carson) or San Diego (Camp Pendleton and all
the rest), but it is more noticeable because (a) Okinawa is still essentially
“occupied” after 60+ years, and (b) the racial mix in the US
forces is so distinct from the Okinawan mix, making the crime seem to
be racially based. At the same time, the protesters and Mayor here are
playing to the mob – you never can eliminate crime, and they know
it. They also know that they have virtually no support from Tokyo, which
has a vested interest in the continued American “occupation.”
Asian front:
Taiwan: Opposition leader in landslide
election victory
Los Angeles Times
“Opposition party candidate Ma Ying-jeou won a landslide victory
Saturday in Taiwan’s presidential election, paving the way for greater
attention to the economy and improved ties with the United States and
China. ‘Taiwan will be a responsible stakeholder,’ Ma told reporters
at his Nationalist Party campaign headquarters. Analysts attributed Ma’s
17-percentage-point win to voter frustration with President Chen Shui-bian,
known for his policy reversals, pro-independence rhetoric and rapid-fire
staff changes.” (03/23/08)
This means
a lessening of efforts to get legal independence from the mainland, since
the Nationalist Party still considers ALL of China to be united.
Asian front:
CA:
Vigil protests China’s Tibet crackdown
Sign On San Diego
“About 150 people held a peaceful vigil in Balboa Park yesterday
to protest China’s continuing crackdown in Tibet. After last week’s
rioting and flood of Chinese troops into the region, the San Diego protesters
called for the international condemnation of the Chinese government less
than five months from the Olympic Games in Beijing. ‘We wanted …
to acknowledge that these people are suffering now,’ said Dorothy
Berger, co-chair of the International Tibet Support Network. Berger said
the group aims to raise awareness about the crackdown and to urge nations
to pressure China to cease the suppression of Tibet and let international
media back into the region. ‘ (03/23/08)
I seriously
doubt if the rest of the world will respond to Tibet’s plea and situation
and refuse to participate in the Chinese Olympics, but you can expect
a lot of people to use Tibet as an excuse to get as much press coverage
as they can. Like so many other parts of the world, the solution to the
Tibetan situation is first to establish that LIBERTY has priority over
government, culture, ethnicity, or loyalty to other humans. Of course,
just getting rid of the Communist Chinese government wouldn't be a bad
start, and not just in Tibet.
Mama's
Note: Indeed! All we have to do first is figure out how to get rid of
our own 8,000 lb. gorilla. Then we can export the method to China and
all the other countries of the world.
Asian front:
NKorea blasts US delays in nuke dispute
Defiance Crescent News
“North Korea says U.S. delays in resolving a nuclear dispute will
‘gravely’ affect ongoing disablement of its atomic facilities.
The North’s Foreign Ministry said Friday it was disappointed by the
attitude of the Bush administration. The country insisted it has cooperated
with Washington to address its concerns about a suspected uranium enrichment
program and alleged nuclear cooperation with Syria.” (03/27/08)
Time for
the North to start whining again, I see. Kim must have drunk up all the
money they got last time.
Asian front:
China: Surveillance “in accordance
with international norms”
Associated Press
“China dismissed a recent U.S. warning about surveillance on Beijing
Olympics visitors, saying it was ‘irresponsible’ because the
country’s security measures do not violate international standards.
The U.S. State Department last week advised Americans to be mindful that
all hotel rooms and offices are subject to ‘onsite or remote technical
monitoring at all times’ without the occupant’s consent or knowledge.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said privacy in China is guaranteed by law.
‘Foreign visitors do not need to be concerned,’ spokesman Qin
Gang said in a statement posted late Sunday on the ministry Web site.
‘In public places in China, such as hotels and offices, there are
no special arrangements beyond security measures widely employed in accordance
with international norms. The U.S. … is irresponsible in what it
said about China in the guidelines,’ he said.” (03/23/08)
Well, “international
norms” are just plain wrong, then. Examples over the past several
years of Chinese surveillance that have made it to the West indicate it
is all-pervasive and demeaning – almost as bad as the UK, in fact.
Mama's
Note: The US has no business throwing stones in any case. If it were not
for the incredible (and welcome) level of sheer incompetence, there would
likely be no difference.
Asian front:
China reports riots in
Sichuan province
MSNBC
“One policeman was killed and several others injured in riots
Monday in western Sichuan province, China’s state media reported.
The official Xinhua News Agency gave no other details regarding the riot.
Xinhua also said that 381 people involved in protests in another Sichuan
county, Aba, had surrendered to police, according to local authorities.”
(03/24/08)
China is
starting to show some cracks, it seems. Tibet is not enough to worry about?
Canaanite
front:
Cheney hears Palestinian complaints
Berkshire Eagle
“Palestinian leaders [sic] asked Vice President Dick Cheney on
Sunday to pressure Israel to halt settlement construction and voiced other
complaints that deflated Cheney’s hopeful words about Mideast peace.
Palestinians had little expectation their meetings with Cheney, a strong
defender of the Jewish state, would produce anything concrete.” (03/23/08)
Pretend
leaders of a pretend people indeed. And the press is wrong, too; Cheney’s
interactions with people in Canaan in the past have resulted in a LOT
of concrete being poured: a wall, fortifications, highways, and more.
Crooks:
US suspends Afghanistan
ammunition deal
MSNBC
“A Florida company hired by the Pentagon to supply ammunition
to Afghan soldiers sent the troops Chinese gun cartridges that were more
than 40 years old, the U.S. Military said in documents obtained by Reuters.
The U.S. Army suspended the munitions contractor, AEY Inc. of Miami Beach,
from all government contract work. The government also has started an
investigation into the privately held company, its president and the ammunition
contract.” (03/27/08)
Sounds
like they did indeed get caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
Mama's
Note: Wonder what they did with it... There are a number of us who would
love a chance to get almost any kind of surplus type ammunition.
Culture
wars:
TX: Police say teen ‘madam”
lured girls into illegal sex
WFAA-TV [Dallas/Ft. Worth]
“She’s just 13 years old, a middle-schooler who is now facing
charges involving a serious crime. Police arrested the girl at a local
nightclub where she was allegedly bringing other young girls to dance
and to serve as prostitutes. Investigators said the 13-year-old lured
other girls to Club Metropolis, enticing them with the promise of money
and even forcing some of them to dance and sell their bodies for sex.”
(03/25/08)
As with
the next story, we are seeing the “benefits” of brainwashing
in schools and in the media on the children trapped in the culture today.
They are exposed to sex from near infancy on TV, on the streets, and in
the schools, and then when they take the lessons to heart, they are condemned
for doing so.
Mama's
Note: Some of this just won't wash. How did girls that young get into
the club in the first place, and how would a 13 year old "force"
other teens to do anything? Sounds very much to me as if there were adults
involved.
Culture
wars:
Survey: Leadership means little to
youngsters
Arizona Republic
“A new nationwide survey of girls and boys found that a majority
of children and youths in the United States have little or no interest
with achieving leadership roles when they become adults, ranking ‘being
a leader’ behind other goals such as ‘fitting in,’ ‘making
a lot of money’ and ‘helping animals or the environment.’
The study commissioned by the Girl Scouts of the USA and released Wednesday
determined that three-quarters of African-American girls and boys and
Hispanic girls surveyed already identify themselves as leaders, a much
larger group than White youths, about half of whom think of themselves
this way.” (03/27/08)
This seems
to say that the racism of people like Obama’s ex-preacher Wright
HAS made its impact on the culture. You can only demean people for so
long before it really starts to scar them. If your teachers, your preachers,
your peers, the media, and the government are all telling you how stupid,
how evil, how worthless you are – a fair number of people will start
to view themselves that way.
Mama's
Note: It also depends a lot on how they define "leadership."
If these kids were thinking "politician," it might not be so
surprising. I want to know a lot more about the location (all city or
mixed urban/rural), age groups and the exact questions. As with most polls
or surveys, they tend to get the answers they set out to get...
Euro-front:
Belgium:
Hundreds lay siege to NATO HQ on Iraq war anniversary
Agence France-Presse
“Hundreds of demonstrators from member countries of NATO laid
siege to the alliance’s headquarters on the outskirts of Brussels
Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war. Belgian police
said they had briefly detained about 450 demonstrators in and around the
headquarters located in the suburb of Evere. Demonstrators were removed
from the premises, identified and later released, Belga news agency quoted
police as saying. Minor damage was reported near the NATO building, police
said but added that no charges had been filed. ‘The police force
was huge and they didn’t hesitate to use dogs, horses, pepper spray,
clubs and water cannon,’ Belga quoted one demonstrator as saying.”
(03/24/08)
Sounds
like the early 1980s, when these sorts of protests were almost weekly
appearances. The Belgian gendarmes used all this stuff then, too. I suppose
it gives people something to do if they don’t like football (soccer).
Freedom
of information:
How the open
net closed its doors
BBC News
“A new book details the extent to which countries across the globe
are increasingly censoring online information they find strategically,
politically or culturally threatening. Access Denied: The Practice and
Policy of Global Internet Filtering challenges the long-standing assumption
that the internet is an unfettered space where citizens from around the
world can freely communicate and mobilise. In fact, the book makes it
clear that the scope, scale and sophistication of net censorship are growing.
” (03/25/08)
All this
means is that imaginative people must get more imaginative to find ways
to work around.
Mama's
Note: Indeed! Someone recently compared the attempts to censor and cut
off the flow of information to squeezing a handful of water. The harder
you squeeze, the more that leaks out. Adversity is the mother of invention.
Freedom
of information:
Suit could force disclosure of RIAA’s
methods
eSchool News
“An Oregon woman is suing the music industry trade association
in a case that could force the group to reveal how it targets people in
its campaign to curb illegal downloading and sharing of music online.
That knowledge could prove useful for higher-education officials, many
of whom have been critical of the highly secretive process by which the
group has singled out college students and demanded money from them—a
technique that leaves the students with an unpleasant choice: pay a few
thousand dollars right away, or face the prospect of an even more costly
lawsuit.” (03/25/08)
It will
be very interesting to see what is revealed.
Mama's
Note: Sounds like a wonderful chance for mass jury nullification.
Government-run,
theft-funded:
UK: Farewell to “predictable,
tiresome and dreary” women’s studies
Independent [UK]
“Women’s studies, which came to prominence in the wake of
the 1960s feminist movement, is to vanish from British universities as
an undergraduate degree this summer. Dwindling interest in the subject
means that the final 12 students will graduate with a BA in women’s
studies from London’s Metropolitan University in July. Universities
offering the course, devised as the second wave of the women’s rights
movement peaked, attracted students in their hundreds during the late
1980s and early 1990s, but the mood on campuses has changed. Students,
it seems, no longer want to immerse themselves in the sisterhood’s
struggle for equality or the finer points of feminist history.”
(03/23/08)
I don’t
suppose not being able to get a job has ANYTHING to do with this.
Government-run,
theft-funded:
He’s graduating, and didn’t
spend a day in class
Las Vegas Sun
“When 18-year-old Matt Sosa graduates this spring, he will do
so without having attended even one class at a bricks-and-mortar high
school. Instead, he’s spent the past four years downloading his teachers’
lectures onto his home computer, participating in group discussions via
live chat rooms and e-mailing his homework. Sosa will be the first graduate
of the Clark County School District’s Virtual High School to complete
grades 9-12 through the program. Virtual learning isn’t for every
student, Sosa said.” (03/25/08)
This young
man is in the vanguard of thousands nationwide who have found a way to
escape at least some of the evils of Government-run, theft-funded "school."
Government-run,
theft-funded:
FL: School
security officer tasers 11-year-old girl
Fox News
“A Florida elementary school student was tasered Thursday after
punching a school security officer during an alleged fight. The alleged
incident began when teachers at the Moss Elementary School in Orange County
confronted an 11-year-old girl for allegedly attempting to push another
student into ongoing traffic outside the campus, MyFOXOrlando.com reported.
Authorities say the young female ignored the teacher and walked inside
the homeroom where she was again approached by teachers over her behavior.
The student responded by throwing a desk and chair and attempting to spit
on the instructor, according to MyFOXOrlando.com. Donna Hudepohl, a school
resource officer called to remove the troubled girl from the classroom,
was allegedly pushed and punched in the face during a struggle to restrain
her. Hudepohl responded by tasering the girl.” (03/27/08)
It seems
to me that a paddling would have been the preferred solution rather than
tasering – but then, paddling is illegal, isn’t it?
Mama's
Note: That must have been one BIG 11 year old, to overcome three adults.
Sadly, it's probably about 10 1/2 years too late to start the child toward
a self disciplined life. What a tragedy.
Government-run,
theft-funded:
MA: Boston schools will get a $10m
bailout
Boston Globe
“Averting imminent school closings and deep classroom cuts, Boston
will bail out the cash-strapped school system by giving it a one-time
infusion of $10 million from city reserves, school and city officials
said yesterday. The funds will help the district close a $30.7 million
budget shortfall and give its new superintendent some breathing room to
tighten operations. Dealing with her first budget since she arrived in
August, Superintendent Carol Johnson said she also has identified $18.7
million in cuts, mostly by reducing central office staff, deferring maintenance
on school buildings, installing energy-saving software on computers, and
limiting the number of teachers and principals who go through training
programs. While she tried to steer cuts away from classrooms, she said,
it was impossible to make ends meet without affecting students.”
(03/27/08)
This sounds
like a line to me – but then, this is what we’ve grown to expect
from Government-run, theft-funded administrators.
Mama's
Note: Hmmm, and how many teachers - real teachers - would be necessary
for the "virtual school" described above? Think of all of the
overhead eliminated alone!
Government-run,
theft-funded:
UK:
Students “lured” into armed forces
BBC News [UK]
“Teachers are accusing the Ministry of Defence of using ’sophisticated’
methods to lure youngsters, often in deprived areas, into the armed forces.
National Union of Teachers delegates in Manchester will debate a motion
later calling for an end to ‘recruitment’ in schools in England
and Wales. Teachers say pupils are not made fully aware of what they are
signing up to.” (03/24/08)
Yeah, right.
They are capable of making their own decisions, and is it any surprise
they want to get out of your clutches, teachers?
Government-run,
theft-funded: Nazgul:
Teachers
union to decide fate of homeschooling?
WorldNetDaily
A California court has asked a teachers' union to provide its opinion
on homeschooling, and the resulting decision will impact the rights of
parents in the state to determine their own children's education. As WND
reported one day ago, the California Court of Appeal for the 2nd Appellate
District granted a petition for rehearing in a juvenile case involving
the family of Phillip and Mary Long. The previous decision determined
parents have neither statutory nor constitutional authority to school
their children, causing a backlash of surprise and horror from homeschooling
advocates across the nation, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“I
don’t think so!” was my older son’s immediate response
to hearing this news. Money, power, and every other reason in the book
scream at what a stupid idea this is. Hopefully this is headed for a massive
confrontation, and hopefully (given economic conditions) the decision
will not result in a mass exodus of California families to other states.
(Not that I will stop encouraging homeschooling families and anyone else
who loves liberty to flee California for better places, nor will I stop
encouraging true Northern California’s ranchers, loggers, and farmers
from seceding from this evil state.)
Home front:
UK:
Privacy alarm over Heathrow fingerprinting
Times Online [UK]
“BAA and the Government are at odds over plans to fingerprint
passengers at Heathrow’s new fifth terminal. The Home Office denies
having told the Spanish-owned airport operator to use fingerprinting as
an extra security measure and the privacy watchdog says that the plan
may be illegal. The Information Commissioner’s Office is concerned
that taking four fingerprints and a photograph of passengers is another
step ‘on the road to a surveillance society’ and has warned
the airport operator that it might breach Data Protection laws.”
(03/24/08)
Sounds
like someone is trying to keep from admitting that they have done something
really stupid.
Home front:
UK:
Cigarette display ban considered
BBC News [UK]
“Displaying cigarettes in shops could be banned under government
plans being considered in a bid to reduce smoking and discourage children
from starting. Ministers are also considering tougher controls on vending
machines in pubs and restaurants. … Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo
said it was ‘vital’ to teach children that ’smoking is
bad.’ ‘If that means stripping out vending machines or removing
cigarettes from behind the counter, I’m willing to do that,’
she said.” (03/24/08)
The nanny-state
hard at work: Big Brother wearing a Mary Poppins mask, no doubt with a
billy-club inside the furled umbrella.
Home front:
Signs of possible “deal”
on Real ID
Associated Press
“There are signs of a potential compromise to end the Bush administration’s
standoff with states resisting new standards for driver’s licenses.
For people who live in those holdout states, the dispute raises the specter
of hassles at airports and federal buildings. … Unless holdout states
send a letter by the end of March seeking an extension, their residents
no longer can use a driver’s licenses as valid identification to
board airplanes or enter federal buildings beginning in May, Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has warned. They would have to present
a passport or be subjected to secondary screening. Only three states —
Maine, Montana and South Carolina — have not sought extensions or
already started moving toward compliance. New Hampshire has asked to be
exempted, but Homeland Security Department officials have not found the
state’s letter to be legally acceptable. But on Friday, the agency
granted Montana an extension even though state officials did not ask for
one and insist they will not follow the law. … The agency’s
approach to Montana could provide an easy way out for the remaining states
resistant to Real ID. It also suggests the government does not want to
go ahead with its plan to conduct extra screening on residents of certain
states.” (03/22/08)
Good news?
Maybe, but we shall see.
Home front:
Mukasey vows corruption crackdown
Vail Daily News
“Attorney General Michael Mukasey vowed anew Thursday to crack
down on crooked politicians and public officials, dismissing critics who
accuse the Justice Department of letting partisan loyalties interfere
with corruption cases. Mukasey’s comments came hours after prosecutors
charged Puerto Rico’s Democratic-leaning governor in a campaign finance
probe that began more than two years ago.” (03/27/08)
Do you
suppose we could start with the baboons in Congress assembled, and maybe
the White House?
Home front:
Homeland Security delays
border crossing rules
MSNBC
“American citizens won’t need a passport to cross the land
borders until the middle of next year, delaying that requirement by more
than a year. New identification document requirements, the Department
of Homeland Security and Department of State announced Thursday, will
take effect June 1, 2009.” (03/27/08)
So the
protests and opposition might have made some difference – as I am
sure that government inefficiency also played a big role.
Home front:
Pentagon: Inventory ordered of all
US nukes
CNN
“Defense Secretary Robert Gates has formally ordered the Air Force,
Navy and Defense Logistics Agency to conduct an inventory of all U.S.
nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon-related materials to make sure all
items are accounted for, according to a Pentagon memo released Thursday.
The order comes in the wake of the discovery last week that four nuclear
warhead fuses were accidentally shipped to Taiwan in 2006.” (03/27/08)
How many
can we lose before it causes trouble?
Home front:
Feds charge Puerto Rico governor,
12 others
Salt Lake Tribune
“Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila indignantly denied wrongdoing
Thursday and gave no sign he would abandon his reelection effort after
being charged with campaign finance violations that carry a penalty of
20 years in prison. Acevedo, a superdelegate to this summer’s Democratic
convention, accused U.S. prosecutors of pursuing a politically motivated
indictment alleging that the governor and a dozen other people conspired
to illegally pay off his campaign debts.” (03/27/08)
Sounds
like he ought to fit right in with all the other good Demo delegates in
Denver. Sad, isn’t it?
Home front:
Detroit: Mayor, former aide charged
in sex scandal
Gainesville Sun
“Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a one-time rising star and Detroit’s
youngest elected leader, was charged Monday with perjury and other counts
after sexually explicit text messages contradicted his sworn denials of
an affair with a top aide. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy also charged
the popular yet polarizing 37-year-old mayor with obstruction of justice
and misconduct in office. Kilpatrick, who was to be arraigned Tuesday
afternoon, could face up to 15 years in prison and be expelled from office
if convicted.” (03/24/08)
As I mentioned
a couple of weeks ago, this reminds me very much of an old RoboCop movie
– unfortunately, in real life, the bad guys win a lot more often.
Home front:
Fox refuses to pay “arbitrary”
indecency fine
eFluxMedia
“Fox Broadcasting announced Monday it would not pay the $91,000
fine it received for broadcasting an episode of reality show ‘Married
in America’ which included graphic scenes at a bachelor party. A
statement issued Monday by Fox Broadcasting contests the Federal Communications
Commission’s fairness in fining the network fines totaling $91,000
for broadcasting a certain ‘Married in America’ episode that
included graphic scenes which depict sexual organs. Fox is also asking
the F. C. C. to reconsider the fines on the 13 owned and affiliated stations
that broadcast the ‘Married by America’ episode, the New York
Times reports.” (03/25/08)
Tasteless,
crude, obscene? People have off-switches and channel selectors –
and the ability to tell advertisers not to support garbage. We don’t
need government to nanny us.
Home front:
DOJ OKs merger of XM, Sirius; now
it’s up to FCC
USA Today
“The Justice Department gave its OK on Monday to a deal that would
put Howard Stern and Oprah Winfrey under the same satellite radio company
roof. Antitrust officials said that they saw no reason to block or put
conditions on Sirius’ acquisition of XM, (XMSR) leaving consumers
with a single satellite radio provider.” (03/24/08)
Could anyone
explain to me why government has a veto on this – let alone TWO government
agencies?
Islamic
imperialists or pirates?
US ship shoots at small
boat in Suez Canal
MSNBC
“An American cargo ship under contract to the U.S. Navy fired
warning shots at a small Egyptian boat while passing through the Suez
Canal, but at least one person was reported killed. A U.S. Military official
told NBC News late Tuesday that an Egyptian man was killed in the incident.”
(03/25/08)
This could
be a case of attempted piracy, which is far from uncommon from Suez on
south.
Islamic
imperialists:
Dutch
MP's anti-Quran film debuts on Web
WorldNetDaily
17-minute 'documentary' juxtaposes images of Islam's holy book with
terror attacks Defying the wishes of the government of the Netherlands,
a Dutch MP has posted his 17-minute documentary on the Quran, juxtaposing
images of Islam's holy book with terror attacks and bombings by Muslim
extremists. Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party, released "Fitna,"
an Arabic word meaning strife, on the political party's website today,
but it disappeared a short time later due to "technical difficulties,"
reported the London Times. The film is currently viewable on the British
video-sharing website, LiveLeak.com, in Dutch and English.
SEE ALSO:
Koran
Film: ‘Allah is Happy When Non-Muslims Get Killed’
CNSNews.com
It wasn't an April Fool's joke after all: Dutch politician Geert Wilders
has posted his short film on the Koran online, as promised, and within
hours, millions of people had accessed it. European authorities have warned
it may spark violence. The 16-minute film juxtaposes graphic images of
Islamist terrorism -- including bombings and beheadings -- with verses
from the Koran, footage of Muslim clerics endorsing violence, and newspaper
headlines dealing with various aspects of radical Islam...
Dutch
Gov’t Repudiates Koran Film
CNSNews.com
Bracing for reaction, the Dutch government late Thursday distanced
itself from a lawmaker’s newly-released film linking the Koran to
violence and terrorism, saying that the problem was “not religion,
but the misuse of religion to sow hatred and intolerance.”
Threats
force LiveLeak to take video off-line
Alternate site
for video
"Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and
some ill informed reports from certain corners of the British media that
could directly affect the safety of some staff members, LiveLeak has been
left with no other choice but to remove Fitna from our servers,"
the organization said. "This is a sad day for freedom of speech on
the net but we have to place the safety and well being of our staff above
all else. We would like to thank the thousands of people, from all backgrounds
and religions, who gave us their support. They realized LiveLeak.com is
a vehicle for many opinions and not just for the support of one,"
the site said.
GO
TO THIS WEBSITE AND WATCH THIS VIDEO!!! It is highly effective
and is not making anything up – although many will claim that Muslims
are not the perps of at least some of these attacks (although they have
certainly laid claim to them). As many of us have been pointing
out, the Quran (Koran) explicitly preaches killing and enslaving unbelievers,
and this video shows those verses, as well as modern Islamic leaders and
preachers affirming them and applying them to the present-day. There
is no way that this can be compared to the Gospels or the New Testament,
or indeed, the Torah (Old Testament). Our own economic woes (our
own fault, we have to admit) and our own political decline (again, our
own fault) just sets us up for this growing attack. The speakers
in this video make it clear that it is not our lifestyle or our intervention
in foreign affairs or our support of "colonial Zionism" in Israel
or our love of liberty that makes us the enemy - it is simply that we
are not Muslim. Yes, this is propaganda, and very effective propaganda,
just as the Declaration of Independence and Tom Paine's books were.
Our own problems of increasing government tyranny, the nanny-state, and
greedy bogus capitalists (and welfare junkies) should not distract us
from this evil - which is NOT waiting in the wings, but moving to take
advantage of us and is able to do so in large part BECAUSE of our weaknesses.
Our own failings do not make this way right, nor their aggression against
us justified. GO and watch this video.
Massa-wannabes:
Ruwart enters Libertarian
nomination race
Liberty For All
“Two months ahead of its national convention in Denver, the Libertarian
Party’s already crowded field of candidates grew by one on Friday
as Dr. Mary J. Ruwart announced her candidacy for the LP’s 2008 presidential
nomination. Responding to an informal draft effort conducted by party
activists, the author of Amazon.Com #1 bestseller Healing Our World in
an Age of Aggression launched her campaign web site and announced plans
to begin addressing state party conventions and other political events
with the intent of challenging Republican candidate John McCain and the
Democratic Party’s as yet unnamed nominee for the support of America’s
voters.” (03/21/08)
For the
purposes of education, Mary will certainly do as much or more than Harry
Browne did the first time he ran, but with as little result, I fear.
Mesopotamian
front:
Iraq [sic]: US death toll hits 4,000
Orlando Sentinel
“A roadside bomb killed four U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday,
the military said, pushing the overall American death toll in the five-year
war to at least 4,000. The grim milestone came on the same day that rockets
and mortars pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone, underscoring the fragile
security situation and the resilience of both Sunni and Shiite extremist
groups despite an overall lull in violence.” (03/23/08)
It has
occurred to a lot of us that the continued US and Coalition presence in
Mesopotamia, especially in places like the Green Zone, DOES have a beneficial
effect for a lot of people, who know that every rocket and mortar round
fired at the Green Zone is one less fired at a college, a market, or a
holy shrine everywhere else in the former country. It is hard to doubt
people who claim that the US presence has kept the place from dissolving
into complete chaos. But then, I suppose the same thing can be said for
Detroit or South Central LA, or Miami.
Mesopotamian
front:
Iraq: Violence spreads as army, militias
clash
Telegraph [UK]
“Iraq was facing the prospect of nationwide revolt after followers
of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr rose up in anger against a government-led
strike on militia strongholds in Basra. Violence spread across southern
Iraq and into Baghdad after 12 were reported killed in Basra fighting.
Major Tom Holloway, a spokesman for British forces at Basra Airbase, said
that the Iraqi army had mounted a cordon around two districts of the city
and the police were raiding known militia positions. Five districts of
the central Iraqi city of Kut fell to Sadr followers during a demonstration.
A police spokesman said the authorities had asked for US military intervention.”
(03/25/08)
“Someone
has flipped the switch.” Whether it is al-Sadr or someone else calling
the shots, this is not some spontaneous uprising, but has all the marks
of an orchestrated bloodbath. It remains to be seen if it is a very short,
violent spike, the opening action of a massive religious civil war, or
something else. First reaction of a lot of Americans is to back off and
instead of aiding the Brits and the “Iraqi” government with
conventional weapons, to use something a lot worse and “send them
all to Allah to sort it out.” Others liken it to cancer which must
be excised before it invades the whole body – except that it is too
late.
Mesopotamian
front:
Bush: US deaths in Iraq “laid
foundations for peace”
CNN
“President Bush expressed sympathy Monday for the families of
the 4,000 Americans killed in the war in Iraq, promising to make sure
their loved ones ‘were not lost in vain.’ ‘One day, people
will look back at this moment in history and say, ‘Thank God there
were courageous people willing to serve, because they laid the foundations
for peace for generations to come,” Bush told reporters after a meeting
at the State Department.” (03/24/08)
Forget
about “peace,” Mr. President. Let’s talk about liberty
and freedom, instead. And upholding the Constitution – those are
perhaps what are worth dying for – not peace.
Nazgul:
Supreme Court backs Texas in dispute
with President
Frankfort Times
“President Bush overstepped his authority when he ordered a Texas
court to reopen the case of a Mexican on death row for rape and murder,
the Supreme Court said Tuesday. In a case that mixes presidential power,
international relations and the death penalty, the court sided with Texas
6-3.” (03/25/08)
Good!
Nazgul:
Law requiring airline passenger rights
overturned
Detroit Free Press
“A federal appeals court has rejected a law requiring airlines
to provide food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers trapped
in a plane delayed on the ground. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
ruled Tuesday that New York’s new state law interferes with federal
law governing the price, route or service of an air carrier. It was the
first law in the nation of its kind.” (03/25/08)
This is
really bizarre – does that mean that if my business is regulated
by some federal law or agency, I can then thumb my nose at whatever state
laws on public health and safety I want to?
New religions:
global warming:
EPA signals caution on global warming
Associated Press
“The government made clear on Thursday it will not be rushed into
deciding whether to regulate emissions linked to global warming, as the
Supreme Court directed nearly a year ago. Such action ‘could affect
many (emission) sources beyond just cars and trucks’ and needs to
be examined broadly as to other impacts, the head of the Environmental
Protection Agency wrote lawmakers. Stephen Johnson said he has decided
to begin the process by seeking public comment on the implications of
regulating carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas, on other agency rules
that cover everything from power plants and factories to schools and small
businesses. That process could take months and led some of his critics
to suggest he was shunting the sensitive issue to the next administration.”
(03/27/08)
Well, you
know the word about this bogus threat is getting around when the EPA balks
at regulating something. The problem is, NO government agency should have
to power to regulate all this and dominate the lives of us all this way.
North American
union:
Mexico sends troops to US border
CNN
“The Mexican government has ordered 2,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico
border in response to a wave of drug-related violence that is blamed for
200 deaths since January, officials announced Thursday. The troops are
expected to depart Friday. The majority will be near the northern border
of Mexico, in Juarez.” (03/27/08)
Should
we view this as a threat? I am curious about what other border the US
has with Mexico, except for Mexico’s “northern border”
– do we have another state hidden south of Mexico, perhaps? Or did
Atlantis join the Union? Good old mainstream media – such lovable
idiots.
Our British
cousins:
UK: Revenge of the Romanies
Daily Mail [UK]
“Gipsies [sic-British spelling?] set up camp close to £1m
home of Tessa Jowell, the minister who evicted travellers from Olympic
site …. Although the gipsies claimed yesterday to be unaware she
has a home so near until after they moved in, there is an undoubted irony
in their choice of location. For Miss Jowell was involved in the controversial
eviction of Gipsies from Newham and Hackney, East London, to prepare for
the 2012 Olympics. The 30 gipsy caravans swarmed on to the two-and-half-acre
field, along with three diggers and a fleet of lorries, vans and four-wheel-drive
vehicles, on Good Friday. By their own admission, they hatched a plan
over five months to outfox the local authorities who have moved them on
from other sites hundreds of times over the last few years. They clubbed
together and secretly bought the plot a year ago for, according to them,
£12,000, but waited until Easter to move knowing council enforcement
officers would be on holiday and no one would be there to stop them.”
(03/25/08)
Neat! Of
course, if they had been arrested for being “trespassers” on
their own land, what a day they might have had in court!
Our right
to defend ourselves:
SC poised to
close public access to concealed carry permits
Charlotte Observer
“South Carolina is poised to become the 28th state to keep secret
the list of residents allowed to carry concealed weapons, a move favored
by gun owners but opposed by advocates of open government. South Carolina
is among six states with legislation pending that would close the information
to public scrutiny, according to the National Rifle Association, which
has advocated the measures that represent a battle between privacy and
principle. Gun enthusiasts such as Rep. Mike Pitts, who sponsored the
South Carolina bill, call the publishing of the gun owners’ names
an attack on the Second Amendment.” (03/23/08)
Frankly,
I guess I don’t see where being on a public list or not makes a whit
of difference. People who know me, even for a short time, are going to
know I’m armed (or probably armed) at any given time. The same is
true for most people with CCW, I suspect. Frankly this sort of legislative
battle distracts from more important ones, like getting Vermont (or Alaska)
carry and keeping the hoploclasts from introducing registration and confiscation
bills, taking weapons away from the “mentally ill” and “unstable”
or “protecting the children” by limiting locations where weapons
are available as needed.
Our right
to defend ourselves:
CO: Man shot to
death
Pueblo Chieftain
“A 19-year-old Pueblo West man was shot to death at a duplex early
Sunday in The Blocks neighborhood. Investigators said the the shooter
acted in self-defense and have found preliminary evidence to support his
claim. …. Sgt. Eric Bravo of the Pueblo Police Department’s
Crimes Against Persons unit said Sandoval was hosting a small party when
four men arrived and “badly” assaulted him. A relative of Sandoval’s
girlfriend invited the men there, he said. The men left the party and
later returned. One of the men again confronted Sandoval, who then drew
a 9mm Glock handgun and shot the victim four times in the chest and once
in the hip, Bravo said.”We’re looking at more of a self-defense
kind of a deal. Sandoval was assaulted pretty good - he might have a broken
nose - and some of the evidence inside corroborates his story. We don’t
even know what they’re fighting about,” Bravo said. McCarty
was pronounced dead at the scene.” (03/23/08)
No matter
if Sandoval was engaged in something stupid (which is likely, in The Blocks),
he has the right to defend himself. We all do.
Mama's
Note: Indeed... one less damned fool underfoot. But I did wonder about
the "Crimes Against Persons unit." ...As opposed to what? Do
they have a "Crimes Against Property unit?" How about animals?
UFOs? Of course, it wouldn't be so complicated if a "crime"
was harming another's person or property - and nothing else.
Our right
to defend ourselves:
AZ: 74 year old
woman shoots at persistent intruder
East Valley Tribune
“A 74-year-old woman twice shot at a man after he made repeated
attempts to break into her home, extort money from her and threatened
to set fire to her garage. Hugh Turner, 52, was arrested by Scottsdale
police about 2 p.m. Friday on suspicion of threatening and intimidation
and other offenses at a residence in the 27800 block of North 94th Street.
Turner allegedly threatened to burn the woman’s house down after
pouring gasoline in her garage about midnight on Thursday if she refused
to give him money, police said. After the woman complied with his demands,
Turner fled but later returned to the home about 4 a.m. Saturday and tried
to break into an upstairs door using a ladder. The woman fired two shots
from a handgun, but the man was able to get away unharmed, police said.
Officer’s from the parks and preserve unit on All-Terrain Vehicles
found Turner in a desert area near the home and arrested him.”
(03/24/08)
This strikes
me as having a lot of the story missing. Why didn’t she call for
help after the first business with the gasoline? Or did she, and they
didn’t respond? What triggered Turner’s attack in the first
place? Was he high or drunk? Or just mean?
Mama's
Note: The lady desperately needs some training with her gun, as well as
some serious information about how to defend her property. This cretin
should not have been able to get INTO the garage in the first place, and
certainly should never have managed to threaten her twice! I would certainly
love to know the whole story myself.
Our right
to defend ourselves:
WI: Gun paint company taunts Bloomberg
New York Daily News
“A Wisconsin company that disguises deadly firearms with bright
paints and camouflage has a new target: Mayor Bloomberg. Lauer Custom
Weaponry, whose products were banned in the city in 2006 because they
make dangerous guns look like innocent toys, is taunting the antigun mayor
with a line of paints named ‘The Bloomberg Collection.’ The
company … is peddling a rainbow of candy-colored paints for each
of the five boroughs. … Gun owners also can plunk down $129 for a
‘Bloomberg Collection EZ Camo Kit’ to pimp out their semiautomatics
and rifles with a brick wall and graffiti decoration.” (03/21/08)
Hey, this
is a pretty neat company, with a little imagination. Custom-colored handguns
might be just the ticket to break into some markets on a large scale:
you could really have “pink pistols,” for example. And maybe
a “Little Red Book” version for the Maoists (hey, even Maoists
have a right to defend themselves) complete with an image of the Chairman
himself, would be a best selling version in San Fran and Berzerkly.
Mama's
Note: Hmmm... well, I thought about it, but decided that I like my big,
black XD .45 exactly the way it is. I'm not sure it would have the same
impact on the bad guys if it was sky blue, and pink certainly doesn't
appeal to me. :) But, each to his own. Cell phones and iPods come in all
colors, so why not handguns?
Our right
to defend ourselves:
NY: Resident shoots at burglars
NewsDay
“Gunfire was exchanged between a Ridge homeowner and two burglars
yesterday after he discovered them in his home at 4 a.m., police said.
No one was believed injured at the Kastal Court house, and the burglars
escaped, Suffolk police said. The men, one armed with a rifle, climbed
through a front window, confronted the homeowner and chased him down a
hallway into a bedroom, police said. The homeowner shut the bedroom door,
but the barrel of the suspects’ rifle was wedged between the door
and the door frame, police said, and the gunman fired the weapon. The
homeowner was able to get to his own rifle and fired through the closed
door, police said, and the intruders fled.” (03/21/08)
I guess
these must have been “law-abiding” criminals, since they were
using a rifle and not an evil handgun. If I were the homeowner, I’d
get a pistol for next time.
Mama's
Note: I guess! One of the problems with using a long gun inside a house
is the noise. Bet all of their ears are still ringing like mad. I'd hate
to have to shoot this .45 indoors without ear protection. Roars like a
Mack truck.
Our right
to defend ourselves:
FL: Intruder
shot, killed
Local 10 News
“A resident might have shot and killed one of two intruders who
tried to break into his southwest Miami-Dade County home early Tuesday
morning, police said….. Miami-Dade police said it appeared two men
tried to burglarize the home when the resident fought with them outside
and fatally shot one of them. The second intruder fled the scene but was
later found west of 118th Avenue, police said. He was detained and is
being questioned by police.” (03/25/08)
“Might
have shot”? Please.
Mama's
Note: I have noticed that the "journalists" in Florida seem
to be a bit challenged in both the English and the logic departments.
Our right
to defend ourselves:
AL: Man shoots,
kills gas thief
WSBTV News
“Authorities in Russell County have not filed charges against
a homeowner who said today he shot and killed a man who was siphoning
gasoline from his truck in the middle of the night, only to discover the
victim was a cousin. Robert Lee Warren of Hatchechubee said the man identified
by the coroner as 40-year-old Henry Moses made a threatening move toward
him after being confronted, so he pulled the trigger in self-defense.”
(03/25/08)
Criminals
don’t make any better relatives than they do neighbors.
Our right
to defend ourselves:
MA: Police limit searches for guns
Boston Globe
“Boston police officials, surprised by intense opposition from
residents, have significantly scaled back and delayed the start of a program
that would allow officers to go into people’s homes and search for
guns without a warrant. The program, dubbed Safe Homes, was supposed to
start in December, but has been delayed at least three times because of
misgivings in the community. March 1 was the latest missed start date.
One community group has been circulating a petition against the plan.
Police officials trying to assuage residents’ fears have been drowned
out by criticism at some meetings with residents and elected officials.”
[Editor’s note: The mere fact that this incursion on the Second
Amendment (not to mention several others?) is even being considered is
an affront to all lovers of human liberty - SAT] (03/25/08)
They are
surprised? Well, I guess I am, too – Massachusetts “citizens”
have been some of the most docile I have ever met in years of traveling.
I hope the opposition grows more and more strong: there is hope even in
Mass!
Our right
to defend ourselves:
TX: Woman
shoots robber
Click2Houston
“A woman shot and killed an intruder and accidentally wounded
her husband in a northeast Harris County home invasion, …. According
to deputies, a couple found themselves staring down the barrel of a gun
in their apartment in the Northshore Meadows complex in the 300 block
of Audrey Lane shortly before midnight. A man had just broken into their
apartment and was making demands. According to investigators, he wanted
cash and drugs, and made the couple remove all their clothing. ….
“The husband got into a physical altercation with the suspect,”
Harris County Deputy A.J. Kelly said. “The wife was able to retrieve
a handgun that they had up in the room and she fired shots, striking and
killing the suspect.’ ” (03/27/08)
In a close
combat situation like this, I think I can understand why she took the
risk – and I hope her husband forgives her for the wound! It must
have been quite a sight, though!
Mama's
Note: If the robber wanted money and drugs, I'm having a bit of a struggle
with the idea he wanted them to take off their clothes! A fetish, or ????
I'll just bet that was one hell of a fight! And, once again, I wonder
if the robber actually "broke in" or if they even had the doors
locked. If he actually had to break in, they would have had time to arm
themselves before he could confront them.
Our right
to defend ourselves:
OH:
85-year-old opens fire on thugs
Journal News
“Raleigh Hensley’s trip to “town” Tuesday ended
with men taking his wallet with $5,500 and roughing him up, but the 85-year-old
didn’t give up his money without a fight and even shot at the fleeing
car. Butler County Sheriff’s detectives announced today, March 27,
they have the culprits, both of Hamilton, behind bars who allegedly robbed
Hensley. …. “I didn’t notice them following me home,”
Hensley said. “When I got out to get the mail, the red car sort of
blocked me and they shoved me, trying to get my billfold. I told them,
‘you ain’t going to get it.’ Eventually, the men were able
to swipe the wallet and jumped back in the car speeding away toward McGonigle,
Hensley said. “I got my gun and shot a couple times at the tires,”
Hensley said. He added he has been told today he may have hit his mark.
Butler County Detective Jason Rosser said a car believed to have been
driven by the culprits has been located and is being processed. Hensley
also tried to follow the getaway car, but lost them.” (03/27/08)
Hopefully
they recovered his stolen money, too. He did not try to kill or injure
his attackers as they fled, just tried to stop them: a justifiable use
of force, in my opinion.
Mama's
Note: Unfortunately, he was not well enough aware of his surroundings
to avoid being robbed. I'll bet he'll pay more attention from now on.
Russian
front:
US-Russia deal possible on missile
plan
Watertown Daily Times
“U.S. negotiators said Thursday they had made progress in drafting
a document with Russian counterparts that could include a deal on the
divisive U.S. missile defense plan. The U.S. officials said they hope
to complete the document laying out areas of agreement before a meeting
between President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled
for April 6 in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. The two days of talks
with the Russian delegation began Wednesday.” (03/27/08)
This might
be the beginning of good news – it should be in the best interests
of both powers to cooperate on the missile defenses against third-powers.
Slavery:
Ex-slave
works to free others from West African tradition
Christian Science Monitor
“Boubacar Messaoud, the son of slaves who toiled in the fields
of Mauritanian landowners, remembered stopping one day when he was 7 to
see what was going on. Local children being signed up for school. He asked
a cousin of his family’s owner to help him enroll. ‘I can’t,’
the man replied. ‘What will your master say?’ Messaoud put down
the watermelon he was carrying and cried. The ancient tradition of slavery
endures in the West African nation today, although it was officially abolished
in the 1980s. There are roughly half a million slaves among a population
of 3.3 million, and at least 80 percent do not have access to a formal
education, Messaoud said during recent visit here. Messaoud founded the
antislavery group SOS Slaves in 1995.” (03/26/08)
More than
140 years after the evil, racist, hideous United States of America ended
slavery in its own land (at the cost of half-a-million dead), Mauritania
is one of a dozen nations in which slavery is still practiced and condoned.
Instead of trying to force states like Florida to apologize for slavery
that ended over a century ago, don’t you wish the activists would
do something about this country and the other of the dozen – everyone
of which is Muslim? But heaven forbid if Jackson, Farrikkan, or Wright
condemn an “African” nation for its evil, when America is so
much closer and such a nice big target.
South Asian
front:
India tests military power
near Pakistan border
MSNBC
“The Thar desert boomed with artillery guns as tanks kicked up
dust and fighter aircraft flew on bombing runs. It may have looked like
war, but it was actually an elaborate simulation to demonstrate to international
observers that India has become a major military power.” (03/20/08)
And tell
Pakistan to be VERY VERY respectful and careful. The cold war between
the Soviet Union and the West ended almost twenty years ago and only lasted
forty-five years. The one between India and Pakistan is now in its sixty-first
year.
South Asian
front:
Pakistan: Prime Minister frees judges
Watertown Public Opinion
“The deposed chief justice emerged from house arrest Monday after
Pakistan’s new prime minister ordered police to pull back razor-wire
barricades and release judges ousted last year by President Pervez Musharraf.
The judge’s appearance on the balcony of his Islamabad villa drew
cheers from hundreds of flag-waving, drum-beating supporters and dramatically
underlined how power is slipping away from a stalwart U.S. ally.”
(03/24/08)
I would
hardly call Musharraf a “stalwart U.S. Ally” the way the WPO
does – indeed, he is a most reluctant U.S. Ally who would turn enemy
if he dared. And really, is releasing a bunch of black robed judges an
action in support of liberty?
Stupid
cop tricks:
Radioactive
cat mistaken for bomb
Ananova [UK]
“A US driver was stopped on suspicion of being a terrorist after
his radioactive cat was mistaken for a bomb. Anti-terror cops using specialist
radiation detectors on motorway traffic flagged down the man. But a search
of his car revealed only his cat who had undergone radiotherapy for cancer
three days earlier.” (03/25/08)
This is
the first of a whole series of “stupid cop tricks” this week.
Obviously, the paranoia is getting really, really thick for these guys
in blue, as this and the next four stories relate. This is from the UK,
which tells you what kind of a Big Brother society has developed there
– if they can detect residual radiation from a three-day-old treatment
– on a cat.
Stupid
cop tricks:
CA: Molestation case against music
teacher dropped
San Francisco Chronicle
“Contra Costa County prosecutors dropped child-molestation charges
Monday against a Lafayette music teacher who had been accused of assaulting
three teenage boys, after a judge ruled that an investigator in the case
had shown a ‘reckless disregard for the truth.’ Prosecutors
dropped the case against James Toland, 63, after Superior Court Judge
John Sugiyama granted a defense motion to throw out evidence obtained
under a warrant to search Toland’s computers. … The investigator
reported that one of the alleged victims, a 15-year-old boy who took singing
lessons from Toland, said the teacher had ‘grabbed his penis and
buttocks and moved it around.’ … But Toland had simply touched
the boy’s lower back and abdomen to adjust his posture, a standard
technique in voice lessons.” (03/25/08)
This is
a hideous example of the way that so-called child protection laws have
become the hammer-of-choice when someone is out to get another person
– even when the hammer grabber is a student.
Stupid
cop tricks:
Woman says TSA forced piercings removal
DC Examiner
“A Texas woman who said she was forced to remove a nipple ring
with pliers in order to board an airplane called Thursday for an apology
by federal security agents and a civil rights investigation. ‘I wouldn’t
wish this experience upon anyone,’ Mandi Hamlin said at a news conference.
‘My experience with TSA was a nightmare I had to endure. No one deserves
to be treated this way.’” (03/27/08)
Ouch! Nipple
rings are now a criminal device, and wearing them is a crime. But then,
now that we have given up all rights for the “privilege” of
flying (at our own cost, of course), why should we not expect this? After
all, the aircraft is private property and the airline which owns it is
the one which can decide that its customers have to give up every possible
right that they can think of, in order to be allowed to be a customer…
Stupid
cop tricks:
TN: FBI investigates spray painted
racial slurs on houses
Tennessean
“The FBI has joined an investigation into racial slurs spray painted
on two houses in Cleveland and whether the acts are a hate crime. Margaret
Arnold said her neighbors told her Tuesday the outside of her house was
sprayed with what she described as ‘bad words,’ KKK and other
symbols. The blue paint was also sprayed on the house next door. Police
say it appeared the same paint was used to write racial slurs on the two
houses. Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland said at a Thursday news conference
he considers the painted words to be a hate crime, although not directed
specifically at the residents.” (03/27/08)
Ah yes,
now vandalism on private property is a federal crime, eh? Tell me, if
a BLACK person wrote the KKK on the wall, is it still a hate crime because
they are obviously trying to frame some WASPs, or only if a WHITE person
writes it, because they are obviously trying to intimidate some black
people?
Mama's
Note: I have not yet heard any rational explanation of the supposed difference
between a "hate crime" and any other kind. No such thing as
a "love crime."
Stupid
cop tricks:
CA: Suspicious
conversations with children cause arrest of Folsom man
Loomis News
“After an El Dorado Hills mom reported observing a strange man
speaking with her two children at each of three children’s story
events, deputies arrested the man at his Folsom home. Victor Emmer, 49,
was arrested March 13 on suspicion of loitering where children gather.
“It’s an odd charge,” said sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Byers,
noting the statute intends chiefly to protect school-grounds neighborhoods.
“The family was at the Folsom Borders Books storytelling time, where
he (spoke to one of the children), and for lack of a better term, he creeped
the mom out. …. “He is not a registered sex offender in Folsom
or California and we have not found any information to indicate he has
any prior offenses,” said Lt. Sheldon Sterling of the Folsom Police
Department.” (03/19/08)
So now
it has become illegal to talk to someone else’s children if you are
“strange” and “creep” their parents out. What kind
of an idiot sics the cops on a guy for speaking to her children?
Mama's
Note: The sick people all over California (and other places) who have
allowed themselves to be terrified of everything and everyone, thus demanding
that the state "protect" them at all times.
Stupid
government tricks:
Inquiry begins in Taiwan
missile parts incident
MSNBC
“Taiwan notified the United States in early 2007 that it had been
sent potentially hazardous material instead of the helicopter batteries
it had ordered, but the U.S. Military did not respond until this year,
Pentagon officials told NBC News on Tuesday. The equipment was electrical
fuses for intercontinental ballistic missiles, and the revelation has
triggered an investigation of the security of U.S. weapons and raised
concerns over U.S.-China relations.” (03/25/08)
Hey, if
the Post Office can, at least once or twice a month, deliver someone else’s
mail into my post office box, a few fuses hardly should be a surprise.
Stupid
government tricks:
UK:
Couple evicted by newts
Ananova [UK]
“A couple have been barred from returning to their £1m home
wrecked by last summer’s floods - because newts have moved in. John
and Margie Histed have been forced to live in a caravan since their 18th-century
house flooded, reports the Daily Express. Repairs were almost complete
to their home at Dauntsey, Wiltshire, when a blocked drainage ditch caused
it to flood again. And now they have been told they cannot unblock the
ditch because the Environment Agency suspects great-crested newts might
be living there. Officials have ordered a three-month survey to look for
the protected species and it could take several more months to relocate
them if they are found.” (03/27/08)
Obviously,
we know who is more important, don’t we?
Mama's
Note: My family once lived for four months in an friend's old cabin while
we waited for escrow to close on the house we bought. The bathtub and
kitchen sink drained out onto the ground in back, which sloped to a wooded
area. Each night, tiny green frogs climbed up the pipe and played in the
bathtub. (I have no idea what else they might have been doing in there!)
It was a shock the first night, but thereafter one just made sure to put
a light on because, once in a while, a frog would jump extra high and
land on the floor. Ah, the good old days when one could SHARE a house
with the newts.
Stupid
govt tricks:
US proposes new rules on student privacy
Inside Higher Ed
“The federal law designed to protect the privacy of students’
educational records has been under scrutiny and stress from a variety
of angles in recent years, most recently from those concerned (in the
wake of last year’s shootings at Virginia Tech) about whether the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act gives college officials sufficient
latitude to report their fears about mentally ill students. Responding
to the issues raised by Virginia Tech, by laws like the Patriot Act, and
by several recent court decisions, the U.S. Education Department today
proposed new regulations to govern the educational privacy law known as
FERPA, which restricts disclosures by educational institutions from a
student’s records.” (03/24/08)
As with
HIPAA (for medical records), all this seems to do is make it harder for
families and the people themselves, and give administrators the right
to play god with people’s information.
Stupid
govt tricks:
College gossip site subpoenaed
eSchool News
“JuicyCampus is in hot water yet again. JuicyCampus, a web site
that publishes anonymous, often malicious gossip about college students,
has come under fire from student groups at several colleges and universities
who say it is ruining reputations. Now, state prosecutors in New Jersey
have subpoenaed records from JuicyCampus in an investigation into whether
the site is committing consumer fraud.” (03/19/08)
When you
hate something or someone enough, look for a good hammer to hit them with
– and in the tens of millions of pages of laws that infest this country,
sure enough – you will find some!
Stupid
govt. tricks:
Major NASA projects over budget
USA Today
“Two-thirds of NASA’s major new programs are significantly
over budget or behind schedule, according to the agency’s latest
report to Congress. NASA’s nearly stagnant budget requires the agency
to cut projects to make up for unexpected expenses, and cost overruns
nearly shut down one of the rovers on Mars — until it got a reprieve
Tuesday. They also threaten completion of a climate-change satellite called
Glory.” (03/25/08)
Gee, NASA
sounds like the public schools – constantly whining for more money
and never accomplishing what they claim only they can do.
Theft by
government:
Paulson: Social Security fix needed
CNN
“Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, saying that Social Security
is ‘financially unsustainable,’ called Tuesday for quick action
to keep the system strong and released a report detailing the program’s
funding shortfalls. The federal government will have to start paying back
what it owes the Social Security trust fund in 2017 so the program can
continue paying 100% of benefits.” (03/25/08)
He expects
the FedGov to PAY BACK anything? Like this? Or the 900 billion that a
judge has decided was made to disappear from AmerInd trust funds?
Mama's
Note: Well, of course it's not the government that has to pay for this
at all. The money was stolen and replaced with the worthless IOUs, so
the taxpayer will have to replace it. Double taxation, in the raw. See
" Your
Debt - Taxpayers Only" for the full story.
Theft by
government:
Government benefit programs in trouble
Salisbury Daily Times
“Trustees for the government’s two biggest benefit programs
warned that Social Security and Medicare are facing ‘enormous challenges’
with the threat to Medicare’s solvency far more severe. The trustees,
issuing their once-a-year analysis, said the resources in the Social Security
trust fund will be depleted by 2041.” (03/25/08)
This must
be an alternate meaning of “trustee” since it is clear the one
thing they are NOT doing is keeping funds “in trust” for anyone
– perhaps these are PRISON trustees? If so, even the people in the
slammer are worried and realize that the Ponzi scheme is rapidly coming
to a close.
War on
some drugs:
CA: Pot candy producer pleads guilty
San Francisco Chronicle
“The owner of an Oakland factory that produced marijuana candy
with names like Buddafinga and Mr. Greenbud has pleaded guilty to conspiring
to manufacture and distribute marijuana, authorities said today. Michael
Martin, 33, of El Sobrante entered a guilty plea at a hearing Wednesday
in U.S. District Court in Oakland. He is scheduled to be sentenced July
2 by Judge Claudia Wilken. Martin is the owner of Tainted Inc., which
started as a boutique business that made chocolate truffles and grew into
a large marijuana-candy maker that bought chocolate by the ton, authorities
said.” [Editor’s note And the nature of the “offense”?
Providing more palatable ways of ingesting a substance that the voters
of California (and later on, several other states) have decided is a legitimate
medical aid for nausea and other ailments, allowing the chronically ill
to survive a bit longer - SAT] (03/27/08)
How long
must this sort of travesty of justice continue?
World wars:
FARC acquired
uranium, says Colombia
Christian Science Monitor
“Weeks after the dust settled from the Colombian bombs dropped
on a clandestine rebel camp in Ecuador, the information found on three
laptop computers found in the rubble continues to reverberate in the Andes.
On Wednesday, Colombian military officials said that they recovered 66
pounds of uranium that, they say, was acquired by the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC). Colombian Gen. Freddy Padilla tied the uranium
to the seized laptops, saying one of the computer files mentions attempts
by the FARC to buy uranium, apparently to resell. Earlier this month,
Colombian officials claimed the rebels were seeking uranium to make a
‘dirty bomb.’” (03/28/08)
All of
these things could be true, but it would be good to get an independent
verification. If FARC has refined uranium, even if not weapons grade,
the question of who else has it is much harder to answer. I wonder just
how much of a coke addiction you have to have to be willing to trade uranium
for it. Or is it just an addiction to money?
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