07/14 -- Iranian scientist turns up at Pakistan's US embassy; LA: Six cops charged in post-Katrina shootings
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Thomas L. Knapp
Jul 14, 2010, 1:00:21 AM7/14/10
to Rational Review News Digest
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* RATIONAL REVIEW NEWS DIGEST
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* Volume VIII, Issue #1,961
* Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
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In The News:
0) RRND/FND 3rd quarter fundraiser
1) Iranian scientist turns up at Pakistan's US embassy
2) LA: Six cops charged in post-Katrina shootings
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 25 wounded
4) Afghanistan: Four occupation troops killed
5) France: National Assembly approves ban on face veils
6) US stocks end sharply higher on upbeat earnings
7) US criticises Jerusalem demolitions
8) Coalition eases up on Afghan airstrikes
9) BP delays test of new containment cap, awaiting government OK
10) List of 1300 alleged illegal immigrants [sic] sent in Utah
11) US may label Pakistan militants as terrorists
12) North Korea, US-led UN Command to meet Thursday
13) In Argentina, dueling protests over gay marriage
14) Twelfth Russian in spy ring probe deported
15) US transfers Gitmo prisoner to Yemen
16) TX: Robber shot during break-in
17) KY: Home invader shot in head
18) Hundreds of suspected mafiosi arrested in Italy, US
19) Gaza: IDF shelling kills woman
20) Court rejects FCC's ban on "fleeting expletives"
Everybody Has An Opinion:
21) The Shahram affair
22) It's Obama's war, all right
23) Libertarians -- support the two-party system!
24) Appeal to authority
25) Obama's immigration distraction
26) "I'm a saboteur"
27) What the CPC and the Free Tibet lobby have in common
28) Resetting spy scandals
29) A business solution to Haiti's poverty
30) Off PACE
31) The truth of the matter
32) Remote controlled killing
33) The Palin years, a history in newsprint
34) Democrats losing Wall Street fat cat support?
35) American sclerosis
36) Secessionists and fireworks at the National Mall
37) Increasingly unpopular airport body scanners may offer false
security
38) Tax credits: Often not the panacea promised
39) The Palin-ization of politics
40) Murderer ignores rules; people die in ABQ
41) Could Republicans take the House?
42) Enumerated Powers Act: Congress is still clueless
43) Libertarianism and deism: Intellectual bedfellows
44) The drooling beast of war is forever hungry
45) How to cut military spending
46) From the general's mouth
47) The French veil ban, force equality, and pollsters
48) Live Aid: 25 years later
49) The war on Arizona
50) Why don't we take the Russian spies seriously?
51) The virtues and vices of libertinism
52) How about a triple-dip recession
53) Anything but Orthodox
54) The self-defeat of the Keynesian cross
55) Cap-and-trade is a bait-and-switch
56) Leave them alone
57) Prosperity requires humility
58) Of maps and modernism
59) Let Congress sweat it out
60) Gulf crisis exposes failures of centralized power
See No Evil, Hear No Evil:
61) Robert Pozen: One on one
62) Sheldon Richman on Antiwar Radio
63) Individualist interviews: Joe Peacott, Boston anarchist
64) Constance Penley on porn, obscenity, & John Stagliano
65) Cato Daily Podcast, 07/13/10
What's Up In The Freedom Movement:
66) Today's events
***************
* In The News
***************
0) RRND/FND 3rd quarter fundraiser
Update, 07/14/10: Thanks to WW, MF, RM and HH! Their combined $100 in
contributions yesterday have us back on track, bringing our total to
$810 against our goal of $2,083. Go thou and do likewise, and we'll
have this thing wrapped up ASAP! - TLK
http://www.rationalreview.com/content/83890
-----
1) Iranian scientist turns up at Pakistan's US embassy
The Nation [Pakistan]
"Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri, who claims he was kidnapped
by US spies, surfaced at Tehran's interests section of Pakistan's
embassy in Washington DC on Tuesday to declare Americans 'losers' in
the long-running saga. Iranian state television's website said Amiri
had taken refuge at the interest section, which is overseen by the
Pakistani embassy in Washington, and added he had asked 'for a quick
return to Tehran.' ... It was not clear if Amiri sought refuge at the
interests section or had been handed over by US officials." (07/14/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26mypwa
-----
2) LA: Six cops charged in post-Katrina shootings
BBC News [UK]
"Six New Orleans police officers have been charged in connection with
the fatal shooting of civilians on a bridge in the days after
Hurricane Katrina. Four officers are alleged to have opened fire on
unarmed people on the city's Danziger Bridge. Two died and four were
hurt in the 2005 incident. Two supervisors are accused of joining the
four officers in attempting a cover-up in subsequent
investigations." (07/13/10)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10623960.stm
-----
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 25 wounded
AntiWar.Com
"At least 11 Iraqis were killed and 25 more were wounded as coverage
of attacks resumed in the media. The parliamentary stalemate dominated
the headlines, along with oil and Kurdish concerns, but the most
significant story of the day came from the United Kingdom where an
inquiry into the causes of the Iraq War continues to embarrass the war
hawks." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/37ol4jk
-----
4) Afghanistan: Four occupation troops killed
BBC News [UK]
"A Royal Marine has been shot dead in Helmand province, Afghanistan --
the fourth member of the British armed forces to be killed in one day.
The marine, from 40 Commando, serving as part of Combined Force
Sangin, was killed while on foot patrol in the Sangin district. ...
Meanwhile a hunt is under way for a rogue Afghan soldier who killed
three UK soldiers in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand." (07/14/10)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/10624523.stm
-----
5) France: National Assembly approves ban on face veils
Los Angeles Times
"The French lower house of Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly
approved a ban on wearing face-covering veils in a public place. The
legislation, part of an ongoing national debate on French identity, is
expected to have no opposition in the Senate, which is due to vote on
it in September. Once signed by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has
placed it high on his agenda, the ban would take effect next
spring. ... According to the legislation, covering one's face in a
public place will be subject to a fine of about $185 or community
service. Far stricter penalties are aimed at those who force others to
wear the veil: about $38,000 or a year in prison, terms to be doubled
if the wearer is a minor." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2bg3p9w
-----
6) US stocks end sharply higher on upbeat earnings
MarketWatch
"U.S. stocks finished Tuesday's session sharply higher to post their
sixth straight session of gains as investors cheered upbeat earnings
from aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. and railway operator CSX Corp. The Dow
Jones Industrial Average gained 146.75 points, or 1.4%, to 10,363.02,
about 65 points away from where the blue-chip average started the
year." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/237lbca
-----
7) US criticises Jerusalem demolitions
Al-Jazeera [Qatar]
"Israeli bulldozers have destroyed six buildings in occupied East
Jerusalem, resuming the demolition of Palestinian property after a
halt aimed at encouraging peace talks, provoking Palestinian anger and
US 'concern.' Tuesday's demolitions were the first since a halt in
October aimed at encouraging so-called peace talks, and Palestinians
said they proved the Israeli government was not committed to the
negotiations." (07/14/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26d4cm7
-----
8) Coalition eases up on Afghan airstrikes
USA Today
"Warplanes in Afghanistan are dropping bombs and missiles on
insurgents at about 25% of the rate they did three years ago despite
more widespread combat, reflecting commanders' emphasis on reducing
civilian deaths. So far this year, jets have dropped bombs on only 10%
of their combat support missions, compared with almost 40% in 2007,
Air Force records show." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/3xl4bvs
-----
9) BP delays test of new containment cap, awaiting government OK
Business Week
"BP Plc delayed testing a new cap placed over its leaking Gulf of
Mexico oil well to give scientists more time to study the procedure
used to measure pressure levels. ... The trial was scheduled to start
yesterday. It was postponed after BP met with National Incident
Commander Thad Allen, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and a government
team of scientists and industry experts, who decided more analysis
needed to be done before they proceeded, Allen said in a statement
last night." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2c5kqbm
-----
10) List of 1300 alleged illegal immigrants [sic] sent in Utah
MSNBC
"A list containing the names and personal information of 1,300 people
an anonymous group contends are illegal immigrants [sic] has been
mailed around Utah, terrifying the state's Hispanic community.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert wrote in a tweet Tuesday that he has
asked state agencies to investigate the list -- sent anonymously to
several media outlets, and law enforcement and state agencies. A
letter accompanying the list demands that those on it be deported
immediately." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29zk5yb
-----
11) US may label Pakistan militants as terrorists
MSNBC
"The new American military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David H.
Petraeus, is pushing to have top leaders of a feared insurgent group
designated as terrorists, a move that could complicate an eventual
Afghan political settlement with the Taliban and aggravate political
tensions in the region. General Petraeus introduced the idea of
blacklisting the group, known as the Haqqani network, late last week
in discussions with President Obama's senior advisers on Pakistan and
Afghanistan, according to several administration officials, who said
it was being seriously considered." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/22jj2ou
-----
12) North Korea, US-led UN Command to meet Thursday
Janesville Gazette
"Talks between North Korea and the American-led U.N. Command have been
rescheduled for Thursday after Pyongyang abruptly canceled a meeting
meant to discuss the sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on
Pyongyang. Military officers from the two sides now planned to meet at
the Korean border village of Panmunjom on Thursday morning, the U.N.
Command said in a statement Wednesday." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/35db6cg
-----
13) In Argentina, dueling protests over gay marriage
El Paso Times
"Thousands of demonstrators opposed to same-sex marriage have gathered
outside Argentina's congress ahead of a key vote by lawmakers.
Supporters of the measure also took to the streets in loud rallies in
the capital and other cities. Argentina's House of Deputies has
approved same-sex marriage and sent the legislation to the Senate for
consideration on Wednesday." (07/13/10)
http://www.elpasotimes.com/nationworld/ci_15508771
-----
14) Twelfth Russian in spy ring probe deported
ABC News
"The 12th person who surfaced in the final months of the FBI Russian
spy probe has been removed from the U.S. and is currently on a
deportation flight to Russia. Alexey Karetnikov, 23, had been living
in the Seattle area, according to federal law enforcement officials.
His Facebook page indicates that he had worked at
Microsoft." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26f52x4
-----
15) US transfers Gitmo prisoner to Yemen
Bellingham Herald
"A Guantanamo Bay prisoner has been transferred to his homeland of
Yemen, the U.S. Defense Department announced on Tuesday, after a U.S.
district court ordered the longtime detainee's release. The release of
26-year-old Mohammed Odaini after eight years at Guantanamo Bay was an
exception to the Obama administration's freeze on prisoner transfers
to the turbulent country after the failed attempt to blow up a Detroit-
bound airliner on Christmas Day. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has
claimed responsibility for the failed attempt." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/395dnfu
-----
16) TX: Robber shot during break-in
WSAT News
"Police said a man accused of shooting 29-year-old Chris Lopez, who
was trying to break into his uncle's home on Longmeadow Drive, will
likely not face charges. ... Police said Lopez, a 2001 Texas Youth
Commission graduate, was trying to break into the back door of a home
when the homeowner's nephew warned him that someone was inside. Lopez
then tried to take off with a lawnmower from the the carport and
that's when the nephew opened fire through the kitchen window, hitting
the man in the chest, killing him." (07/12/10)
http://www.ksat.com/news/24229026/detail.html
-----
17) KY: Home invader shot in head
Louisville Courier-Journal
"Police are investigating a home invasion early Monday morning that
resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the homeowner and a
suspect. The suspect, a black male in his late teens, was shot at
least once in the head and was in serious condition at University
Hospital, said Officer Carey Klain, a Louisville Metro Police
spokeswoman. ... The incident happened about 3:30 a.m. in the 900
block of Marshall Street in the Phoenix Hill neighborhood when the
homeowner heard an alarm and found the suspect at the front door
trying to break in, Klain said. Gunfire was exchanged, but the
homeowner was not injured. ... No charges are expected to be filed
against the homeowner at this time." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2fk8cgp
-----
18) Hundreds of suspected mafiosi arrested in Italy, US
Newsweek
"It was the largest mafia operation in 15 years. In dawn raids 3,000
police officers in Italy and the US arrested more than 320 people they
suspected of links to the Calabrian mafia, known as 'Ndrangheta. Those
figures, charged with crimes including murder, extortion, arms and
drug trafficking and criminal association, included Domenico
Oppedisano, 80, reported to be the head of the family. The
organization is considered more powerful and ruthless than the
Sicilian mafia." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/269kmhm
-----
19) Gaza: IDF shelling kills woman
Haaretz [Israel]
"Israeli army shelling killed a Palestinian woman and wounded two of
her relatives in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday, hospital officials
said. Asked about the incident in the village of Johar a-Deek, which
is near Gaza's border with Israel, a military spokeswoman said forces
opened fire at Palestinians suspected of mounting an
attack." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/27j3g4f
-----
20) Court rejects FCC's ban on "fleeting expletives"
Courthouse News Service
"The 2nd Circuit has once again struck down the Federal Communication
Commission's indecency policy, calling it 'unconstitutionally vague'
because it creates 'a chilling effect that goes far beyond ...
fleeting expletives.' The dispute between the FCC and several major TV
networks appeared before the Manhattan-based federal appeals court for
a second time after it was sent back by the Supreme Court. In April
2009, the justices voted 5-4 that the FCC's ban on brief, one-time
utterances of profanities -- or so-called 'fleeting expletives' -- was
not 'arbitrary and capricious,' as the 2nd Circuit had ruled in a 2-1
decision." (07/13/10)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/07/13/28789.htm
*******************************************************************
* HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 07/14/10
*
* Reported Civilian Deaths in Iraq: Min - 97,077 ... Max - 105,850
* (source: www.iraqbodycount.org)
*
* American Military Deaths in Iraq: 4,412
* (source: www.antiwar.com/casualties/)
*******************************************************************
****************************
* Everybody Has An Opinion
****************************
21) The Shahram affair
AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo
"Confronted with the accusation that Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram
Amiri had been kidnapped by US and Saudi intelligence agencies while
on a trip to Mecca, and brought to the US for interrogation, State
Department spokesman P.J. Crowley averred: 'We are not in the habit of
going around kidnapping people.' To which the only proper response is:
Oh, really? ... Now that Shahram has shown up at the Iranian interests
section of the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C., claiming to have
been abducted by the US and Saudi intelligence services, and tortured,
Crowley may want to review his knowledge of US habits." (07/14/10)
http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2010/07/13/the-shahram-affair/
-----
22) It's Obama's war, all right
Cato Institute
by Gene Healy
"Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele caught grief
recently for suggesting the war was doomed to fail. Steele, who has
offended everyone from pro-lifers to Rush Limbaugh fans, truly has the
gift of gaffe. But he wasn't wrong to call Afghanistan a 'war of
Obama's choosing.' A recent National Journal graphic shows that under
the president's Afghan 'surge,' OEF deployments passed Iraq troop
levels in 'a strategic pivot point' earlier this year. Obama, Steele
suggested, had bought into the Democratic 'script' that has prevailed
since the 2004 Kerry campaign: Iraq's a distraction -- 'the battle
should really be in Afghanistan.' Obama's escalation of that battle
raises young John Kerry's question about Vietnam: How do you ask
someone 'to be the last man to die for a mistake?'" (07/13/10)
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=11975
-----
23) Libertarians -- support the two-party system!
Libertarian News Examiner
by Garry Reed
"Published on the Texas Secretary of State's website as part of
Project VOTE is a 'lesson' for teaching kids about our electoral
system titled 'Roles of Political Parties.' One lesson explains how a
'two-party system' is best for democracy since it will always produce
majority rule while politically unstable 'multi-party systems' give us
France with its 'sad story' of shaky and short-lived coalition
governments. In short, third parties are bad. But this is actually a
great opportunity for Libertarians." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2aynf3c
-----
24) Appeal to authority
Liberty For All
by Michael Badnarik
"I am often asked what people can do on an individual level to restore
Liberty in this country. My recommendation doesn't cost any money,
however it is very difficult for some people to do. My advice is to
start thinking for yourself. Stop asking the government for permission
to do everything in your life. We have been programmed all of our
lives to be submissive to authority. As children we are 'well behaved'
when we do what our parents tell us to do." (07/13/10)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=4556
-----
25) Obama's immigration distraction
Reason
by Shikha Dalmia
"Even advocates of immigration reform cringed at President Obama's
speech last month with its impressive juxtaposition of contradictory
vices: sophomoric and professorial; hectoring and plaintive; combative
and defensive. But above all it was one more thing: utterly and
completely beside-the-point. There is exactly zero chance that
Congress will do anything at all about immigration in the near future.
Of course, Obama knows that. The purpose of this speech had nothing to
do with immigration and everything to do with the approaching mid-term
elections. The true message of this speech was: Forget about the
dismal economy, stupid, and think about immigration and all the nasty
things Republicans are doing on this front -- which they undoubtedly
are." (07/13/10)
http://reason.com/archives/2010/07/13/obamas-immigration-distraction
-----
26) "I'm a saboteur"
LewRockwell.Com
"Charter schools -- publicly funded startup schools that operate
mostly free of regulation -- have boomed. In 1992, there was one
charter school in the United States. Today, there are more than 2,000.
The fastest-growing education movement is homeschooling. Today,
roughly 1.5 million children learn at home. Just as Internet startups
and free agents rattled big business, charter schools and
homeschooling are shaking up 'big schoolhouse.' Leading them is John
Taylor Gatto, education's most original (and perhaps most
controversial) thinker." (07/13/10)
Daniel H. Pink
-----
27) What the CPC and the Free Tibet lobby have in common
Spiked
by Brendan O'Neill
"Tourism is booming in Tibet, especially among the Chinese. In 1980,
only 3,525 tourists came here: 1,059 of them internationals and 2,466
of them Chinese. In 2007, four million tourists visited Tibet, around
370,000 of them internationals and a whopping 3.6 million of them
Chinese. The most striking thing is why these Chinese are traipsing to
this tough terrain, which for five decades has had a frequently
troubled relationship with China. It's for the same reason that
Westerners came to Tibet, or more popularly went to India and Nepal,
in the 1960s, 70s and 80s -- to escape the grime of modern daily life
and 'find themselves.'" (07/13/10)
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/9196/
-----
28) Resetting spy scandals
The Nation
by Katrina vanden Heuvel
"The cold war just isn't what it used to be. More Spies Like Us than
The Spy Who Loved Me, last week's Russian-American espionage exchange
had all the makings of a chilling Glienicke Bridge spy swap -- until
it didn't. At least in John Landis's comedy, Chevy Chase and Dan
Aykroyd were actually able to do some good with their limited training
and avert Armageddon. In contrast, the ten Russian spies, now duly
deported, have been ridiculed both in Russia and in the United States
for engaging in breathlessly surreptitious ineptitude." (07/13/10)
http://www.thenation.com/blog/37377/resetting-spy-scandals
-----
29) A business solution to Haiti's poverty
Christian Science Monitor
by Michael Fairbanks
"Celebrities, not-for-profits, and the multilateral banks have rallied
since Haiti's Jan. 12 earthquake. They saved lives and created some
order. They also reconnected Haiti to important networks of foreign
aid and charity. The question now is, how do we connect Haiti to
networks of prosperity?" (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/24dqrpy
-----
30) Off PACE
The American Prospect
by Alyssa Katz
"Oil is oozing onto Gulf Shore beaches at the height of vacation
season. The Northeast just got slammed with record-high temperatures.
Unemployment persists at unendurable levels. It seems like exactly the
wrong time for the Obama administration to shut down a promising and
increasingly popular way to make homes and other buildings more energy
efficient -- a model with so much possibility that Vice President Joe
Biden's Middle Class Task Force made it part of its 'strategic plan
for recovery through retrofit,' and the Department of Energy granted
more than $100 million to help implement it. Last week, the Federal
Housing Finance Agency dealt the strongest blow yet to property-
assessed clean energy (PACE) loans, which cities and towns across the
country have begun offering to help property owners caulk, insulate,
efficiently heat, solar-panel, or otherwise modify their homes to
reduce energy consumption." (07/13/10)
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=off_pace
-----
31) The truth of the matter
Strike the Root
by tzo
"Freeman finds himself within the borders claimed by a government.
This human being decides he does not want to participate in the
government organization anymore, so he quits. He then finds a nice
plot of 'public' property and claims it as his own. He is quickly
confronted with a government participant named Citizen, who informs
him that the land belongs to the government, and he is
trespassing." (07/13/10)
http://www.strike-the-root.com/truth-of-matter
-----
32) Remote controlled killing
CounterPunch
by Jonathan Cook
"It is called Spot and Shoot. Operators sit in front of a TV monitor
from which they can control the action with a PlayStation-style
joystick. The aim: to kill terrorists. Played by: young women serving
in the Israeli army. Spot and Shoot, as it is called by the Israeli
military, may look like a video game but the figures on the screen are
real people -- Palestinians in Gaza -- who can be killed with the
press of a button on the joystick." (07/13/10)
http://counterpunch.org/cook07132010.html
-----
33) The Palin years, a history in newsprint
the Libertarian Enterprise
by Neale Osborn
"Washington DC 2008 (NBC News) Tonight, in a surprise victory, the
ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin has won a landslide victory.
Garnering nearly 72% of the popular vote, and sweeping 37 states
electorally. In his acceptance speech, President-elect McCain
said. ... 'I knew Obamba, Osambo, You know who I mean, that black guy
ran a good campaign. But his godless atheists didn't manage to pull
the wool over the eyes of the American people, who decided a pair of
Mavericks were a better choice for president than Obimba, Osama, you
know who I mean. ... that black guy who ran against me.' Meanwhile,
Sarah Palin dropped to her knees and exhorted the entire convention
room to join her in prayer to: 'Jeeesus Christ, who told me to do
this!' They announced that they would both take a few days off to
consider anything they wanted Mr. Bush to do to help them prepare the
way for their assumption of power, and to begin the process of fixing
the current recession that is rearing it's head." (07/11/10)
http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2010/tle578-20100711-04.html
-----
34) Democrats losing Wall Street fat cat support?
Orange Punch
by Mark Landsbaum
"At some point when your enemy continues to bash you and hurt you and
cost you money, you reach the point of 'Enough's enough!' It seems the
power brokers on Wall Street are getting the message. Democrats aren't
their friends. ... There's a fine line here that Democrats in their
hubris clearly have crossed. Wall Street, like business interests and
taxpayers and any other segement of the population, can be bullied and
mollified -- to a point. At some point the pain inflicted exceeds the
bones thrown to appease, such as cutting special tax deals for
segments of the larger group, or handing out stacks of other
taxpayers' money. At some point the pain is plainly more than any
perceived benefit." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29vlpy9
-----
35) American sclerosis
John Stossel's Take
by John Stossel
"On Stuart Varney's FBN program this morning, they debated whether the
financial 'reform' bill will kill job creation. I can't see how a two-
thousand plus-page law ever avoids doing that. Politicians, many of
whom are lawyers, share the conceit that they can manage life with
paper and procedure. They don't understand that just the quantity of
their rule cause entrepreneurs to simply say: 'I won't even try.' Why
did German and Japan thrive after WWII? Because American bombs
destroyed years of accumulated bureaucracy. Well, that's probably one
big reason. Their new governments started from scratch. With fewer
rules, German and Japan prospered. America now moves in the opposite
direction." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2a7rfu7
-----
36) Secessionists and fireworks at the National Mall
Center for a Stateless Society
by Ross Kenyon
"At dusk on July 4th, I sat in front of the Lincoln Memorial at the
Capitol Mall in Washington, DC. Uncle Sam hats, a few hippie drums,
and lots of flags inadequately-disguised as shirts punctuated the
crowded and patriotic humidity. Spectators chanted 'U-S-A, U-S-A!' A
beach ball flew over my head. Before the festivities commenced, I
wanted to interview some people about how they viewed the secession of
the United States of America from Great Britain and how or if they
framed modern secession as different from the Revolutionary
War." (07/13/10)
http://c4ss.org/content/3127
-----
37) Increasingly unpopular airport body scanners may offer false
security
Disloyal Opposition
by JD Tuccille
"USA Today documents the growing resistance to the use of body
scanners at airports -- a resistance that's particularly marked in
Europe. Complaints about the devices include the expected concerns
about privacy, long lines, expense and potential health concerns from
even the relatively low levels of radiation emitted by the machines.
It should be noted in addition, however, that body scanners aren't
some kind of proven, super-secure technology that offers us a choice
between guaranteed safety and keeping our naughty bits under cover. In
fact, the machines may offer a false sense of security." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/294tj2y
-----
38) Tax credits: Often not the panacea promised
Show-Me Institute
by Audrey Spaulding
"The problems of using tax credits to encourage economic development
have been discussed at length: Tax credits often don't create economic
activity, but instead merely shift it to another location; tax credits
are a form of centralized economic planning, which has a bad track
record of encouraging economic growth, whereas lower tax rates do a
better job of stimulating the economy; government officials have no
special ability to predict future economic growth or success; and, of
course, tax credits allow elected officials to play favorites. In
addition to the list above, casual readers should be skeptical of the
future job claims made when state tax credits are doled out, because
they are merely promises and forecasts. Studies have shown that job
claims are often very different than what is ultimately accomplished
with taxpayer money." (07/13/10)
http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/07/tax-credits-often-not-the.html
-----
39) The Palin-ization of politics
Mother Jones
by Kevin Drum
"Palin is, in some sense, sui generis. And yet, I wonder if her press
strategy is really such a unique consequence of her celebrity-hood or
rather a sign of things to come? There's no question that she's pulled
off her particular schtick better than anyone else in American
politics, but there are others who have gone a ways down this road
too. One is Barack Obama, who restricted press access to a startling
degree during his presidential campaign. Keeping presidential campaign
reporters on a tight leash is a trend that's been building for years,
with every campaign more tightly controlled than the last, but still,
Obama pretty clearly took this to a new level. The other example who
comes to mind (since I live in California), is Meg Whitman, who just
ran a high-profile primary campaign in a big state with virtually no
interaction with the mainstream press. She gave speeches, she ran ads
(boy did she run ads), and she spoke to friendly reporters
occasionally, but that was about it. And guess what? It worked. She
proved that you really don't need the press anymore to run a
successful campaign." (07/13/10)
http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/07/palin-ization-politics
-----
40) Murderer ignores rules; people die in ABQ
Albuquerque Libertarian Examiner
by Kent McManigal
"The only effect a 'no guns' policy ever has is to make certain that a
bad guy, who by definition refuses to obey the rules, will have his
pick of unarmed targets to kill at his convenience." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2buwl9p
-----
41) Could Republicans take the House?
Slate
by John Dickerson
"When Robert Gibbs said on Meet the Press that Democrats could lose
the House of Representatives, Republicans jumped on the remarks. 'The
fact that the Obama White House is acknowledging that there is even a
possibility that Democrats could lose their majority in the House
should be read as a tacit admission that their economic policies have
failed in the eyes of the voters,' said Ken Spain, the Republican
Congressional Committee's communications director. Matt Drudge also
highlighted Gibbs' remarks. Did Gibbs let slip one of those truths
that everyone in Washington knows but that as the president's
spokesman is not supposed to admit? No. He merely articulated the
White House political strategy." (07/12/10)
http://www.slate.com/id/2260237/
-----
42) Enumerated Powers Act: Congress is still clueless
Downsize DC
by James Leroy Wilson
"You may notice the trend. As the letter below indicates, more and
more aspiring politicians talk about limiting government to the
confines of the Constitution. But the incumbents in Congress continue
to ignore the Constitution when they write and pass their bills. One
way to cure them of their cluelessness is to pressure them to pass the
Enumerated Powers Act. This short, simple bill will require that all
bills cite their authority under the Constitution. This requirement
will be a step in the right direction of rolling back the federal
government to its Constitutional limits." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/23q3ojl
-----
43) Libertarianism and deism: Intellectual bedfellows
Libertarian Minds
by James Padilioni, Jr.
"One of the many social debates that rages in America today is the
issue of deism, and to what extent the founders and framers of the
American Republic were deists. Most interesting is that each side
usually puts up the very same men in defense of their arguments. In
2007, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia hosted a
conference with noted historians entitled 'Washington: Devout or
Deist?' The end conclusion? Inconclusive. While the debate will never
be settled in a satisfactory manner for any of the interested parties,
this fact is indisputable: deism is no less a logical result of the
Enlightenment than classical liberal philosophy, or libertarianism
is." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29x8r9b
-----
44) The drooling beast of war is forever hungry
The Power of Narrative
by Arthur Silber
"Our ruling class is absolutely convinced that the U.S. is entitled to
world hegemony. Lord knows they've said so often enough. In their
neverending determination to have their way, they will utilize covert
operations, rebellions which they instigate, deadly economic
sanctions, and many other methods. And there is always, always the
threat of outright attack and war as the final card to be played.
Moreover, all those military contracts are worth countless billions
and billions of dollars and require huge numbers of people to fulfill.
It's good for the economy! You must realize how crucial that is,
especially in these perilous economic times. Think of the drive to
achieve and maintain world hegemony as a 'Full-Employment, Full-
Destruction, Widespread-Death Act.' You gotta admit that it's a
plan." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2fmnhor
-----
45) How to cut military spending
National Review
by Lawrence Korb
"If all of our recommendations are adopted this year, the baseline
defense budget for FY 2011 (excluding war costs) will be reduced to
about $480 billion. In constant dollars, this is substantially higher
(by about $60 billion) than the base FY 2002 budget that President
Bush sent to Congress in June 2001, which represented an increase of
11 percent (more than 7 percent real growth) over the last budget of
the Clinton administration." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26py4yr
-----
46) From the general's mouth
Salon
by Tom Tomorrow
Cartoon. (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2ajbref
-----
47) The French veil ban, force equality, and pollsters
Nolan Chart
by Dan Alba
"A band of legal plunderers calling themselves the French parliament
is soon to enact a law prohibiting the wearing of face veils in
public. The supposed intentions are to liberate women, promote
equality, and bolster security. In non-Orwellian reality, the ban will
imprison certain women inside their homes, denying them the liberty of
choosing to dress modestly in public. But it gets better. The
legislation especially targets the husbands and fathers of veil-
wearers, as The Associated Press reports: 'Anyone convicted of forcing
someone else to wear the garb risks a year of prison and a euro30,000
($38,000) fine -- with both those penalties doubled if the victim is a
minor.' In other words, for young veil-wearing girls in France,
'liberty' and 'equality' will mean going fatherless for at least two
years -- in addition to the household's being $76,000 poorer and, in
most cases, without a primary source of income. Ah, the beauty of
centrally enforced 'equality.'" (07/12/10)
http://www.nolanchart.com/article7846.html
-----
48) Live Aid: 25 years later
The Partial Observer
by James Leroy Wilson
"It's been a quarter-century since the dream of Band-Aid, USA For
Africa, Live Aid, and other celebrity-studded charitable means to stop
the famine in Africa generally and Ethiopia particularly. But one
wonders how one should send relief in an area where famine was caused
in part by civil war? The relief aid would become just another target
of the warring factions. Since then, little has changed on the
continent." (07/13/10)
http://partialobserver.com/article.cfm?id=3489
-----
49) The war on Arizona
Human Events
by Patrick J. Buchanan
"Why is Arizona under attack for simply trying to help enforce our
immigration laws? Because the Obama administration cannot, will not or
does not even wish to see those laws enforced. The U.S. government is
today derelict in its constitutional duty. And this is approaching an
existential crisis for America." [editor's note: Not only does the US
government have no constitutional "duty" to regulate immigration, it
has no constitutional AUTHORITY to do so - TLK] (07/13/10)
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=38034
-----
50) Why don't we take the Russian spies seriously?
The New Republic
by Adam Kirsch
"How can we explain this levity about what is, after all, a hostile
action by an authoritarian, nuclear-armed state? For one thing, there
is the failure of the 'illegals' to actually get any American secrets
-- indeed, they are not even being charged with espionage, only with
failure to register as agents of a foreign government. It is not just
the harmlessness of the spies that the media has focused on, however,
but the obsolescence of their techniques. The use of invisible ink and
money caches and garish code phrases all seem to come, in the words
that have become mandatory in reporting this story, like something out
of a Cold War thriller. When you think about it, this is a silly
observation: Real spies seem to act like fictional spies only because
fictional spies are modeled on real spies." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/27u7767
-----
51) The virtues and vices of libertinism
New Kind of Mind
by Chris George
"'Libertinism,' as I'm using it here, is very broad. It must be
understood that such ideas/behaviors are purely relative to the
context and in reference to social norms or emergent ethics. For
example, homosexuality in San Francisco is not too far out of the norm
when compared with Saudi Arabia. Likewise, interracial marriage in
modern America is far less controversial than it was fifty years ago.
The latter, in both cases, being 'libertine' relative to the more
modern, liberal time and place." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/296d4gg
-----
52) How about a triple-dip recession
Adam Smith Institute
by Dr. Eamonn Butler
"The politicians think they have discovered the magic cure. It's
called quantitative easing, or just plain printing money, but it's the
same the world over. When the economy looks bad, create more of those
greenbacks. Whip your interest rates down. Then suddenly, instead of
being strapped for cash, everyone's wallowing in the stuff, and the
low interest rates make it cheap to borrow for that new home, that new
machine or factory, and indeed just to go on a shopping trip. The
trouble is that, before long, people begin to realise that this is all
just funny money. As the spending boom goes on, shopkeepers, property
sellers and equipment manufacturers all put up their prices, so the
big spenders are no longer any better off. They're just deeper in
debt. So then you dip down again, and off we go." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2ewwjo7
-----
53) Anything but Orthodox
The American Spectator
by Doug Bandow
"[Russia] holds elections but, says Freedom House, 'is not an
electoral democracy.' Freedom House offers a similar list of human
rights abuses, including restrictions on the media, pervasive
corruption, limits on freedom of assembly and association, and a
subservient judiciary. Unfortunately, religious liberty also is coming
under pressure. The Russian constitution formally protects religious
freedom and equality, but, noted the State Department last fall, 'the
government did not always respect those provisions.'" (07/13/10)
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/13/anything-but-orthodox
-----
54) The self-defeat of the Keynesian cross
Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Predrag Rajsic
"The Austrian business-cycle theory, initiated by Ludwig von Mises and
further developed and elaborated by F.A. Hayek, is by many considered
the cornerstone of this school of thought. However, in 1998, Paul
Krugman plainly dismissed the theory as not 'worthy of serious study.'
More recently in his New York Times blog, Professor Krugman claimed
that the Austrian business-cycle theory fails to fully explain
fluctuations in output and employment between recessions and
booms." (07/13/10)
http://mises.org/daily/4552
-----
55) Cap-and-trade is a bait-and-switch
Heartland Institute
by James M. Taylor
"With opinion polls showing the U.S. public strongly opposes the
imposition of expensive cap-and-trade restrictions on greenhouse gases
in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression,
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is attempting to pull off a
deceitful bait-and-switch scam that would make the most ruthless used-
car dealer blush." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/25wjoyf
-----
56) Leave them alone
Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G. Hornberger
"I have a modest ten-part proposal for the federal government,
although some people undoubtedly will consider it radical. 1.
Immediately vacate Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. government has had
8-9 years to do as much killing, injuring, maiming, and destroying as
it wants in those two countries. Time's up. Enough is
enough." (07/13/10)
http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2010-07-13.asp
-----
57) Prosperity requires humility
FreedomPolitics
by Star Parker
"In August of 2005, Houston investment banker Matt Simmons predicted
in a New York Times feature article that the price of oil, then $65/
barrel, would soar. Simmons, who had written a book arguing that the
world is running out of oil, was predicting oil prices 'in the high
triple digits.' After reading Simmons' prediction, John Tierney, a
libertarian, who was then an op-ed columnist for the New York Times,
telephoned Simmons and called him on it." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/234bok2
-----
58) Of maps and modernism
Foundation for Economic Education
by Sandy Ikeda
"This year, for the first time since 1979, New York City has revamped
its subway map. A quick glance shows a change in the background tinge
from light tan to light green -- most pleasant. To my relief, however,
on closer inspection nothing essential has changed from the last
version. Thank goodness it still doesn't look anything like the map of
London's Underground." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26qh276
-----
59) Let Congress sweat it out
Competitive Enterprise Institute
by Iain Murray
"Many of the so-called solutions the green movement proposes consist
of turning back the clock and relying on technology we left behind
decades, even centuries ago: They want us to use windmills and
railroads, use more land for crops (and thereby less for forests), and
burn plants to make energy. Now, there has come along a fellow who
thinks air conditioning is a bane rather than a boon and hankers for
the offices of the 1940s." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29ogz2r
-----
60) Gulf crisis exposes failures of centralized power
Campaign For Liberty
by Brian Roberts
"Obama, the great centralizer, recently stated that he was looking for
the right ass to kick. With this now famous statement he hoped to
divert public attention from the failures of centralized power and
begin to set a public mood against the oil industry and for expanded
regulation and taxation. Other recent federal actions and statements
make it painfully obvious that the federal government has zero
interest in backing any plan to clean up the gulf in a timely
manner." (07/13/10)
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=1007
*****************************
* See No Evil, Hear No Evil
*****************************
61) Robert Pozen: One on one
Ideas In Action
"Now that the U.S. financial system has come 'back from the brink,'
what more should be done to re-structure our banking system?" [Flash
video] (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2fjzk6z
-----
62) Sheldon Richman on Antiwar Radio
AntiWar.Com
"Sheldon Richman, senior fellow at The Future of Freedom Foundation,
discusses the unsustainable expense of US empire, the 'political
transaction costs' that shield government from scrutiny and protest,
lack of emphasis on foreign policy at the Freedom Fest 2010 conference
and why defense spending is the trillion pound gorilla in the (budget
deficit) room." [Flash audio or MP3] (07/13/10)
http://antiwar.com/radio/2010/07/13/sheldon-richman-6/
-----
63) Individualist interviews: Joe Peacott, Boston anarchist
Rad Geek People's Daily
"interview with Joe Peacott, one of the founding members of the Boston
Anarchist Drinking Brigade (1986-1999), now of BAD Press and Anchorage
Anarchy." [Flash video] (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2ft7omv
-----
64) Constance Penley on porn, obscenity, & John Stagliano
Hit & Run
"Reason.tv's Hawk Jensen sat down with Penley to discuss the history
of pornography, obscenity laws, and the case against John Stagliano,
whom Penley has called 'the Woody Allen of porn.'" [Flash video]
(07/13/10)
http://reason.com/blog/2010/07/13/reasontv-feminist-constance-pe
-----
65) Cato Daily Podcast, 07/13/10
Cato Institute
"ObamaCare fails on its own terms," featuring Michael D. Tanner. [MP3]
(07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26qfecn
*************************************
* What's Up In The Freedom Movement
*************************************
66) Today's events
Check our sidebar calendar for this week's freedom movement events.
Don't see your event? Drop us a line at in...@rationalreview.com ... or
see:
www.rationalreview.com/add-your-event-to-our-calendar
... for instructions on adding your events directly!
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/group/4042/
* RATIONAL REVIEW NEWS DIGEST
* The Freedom Movement's Daily Newspaper
*
* Volume VIII, Issue #1,961
* Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
* Email Circulation 1,895
*
* Published every non-holiday weekday
* by the staff of Rational Review
*
* On the Web: http://www.rationalreview.com/news
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In The News:
0) RRND/FND 3rd quarter fundraiser
1) Iranian scientist turns up at Pakistan's US embassy
2) LA: Six cops charged in post-Katrina shootings
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 25 wounded
4) Afghanistan: Four occupation troops killed
5) France: National Assembly approves ban on face veils
6) US stocks end sharply higher on upbeat earnings
7) US criticises Jerusalem demolitions
8) Coalition eases up on Afghan airstrikes
9) BP delays test of new containment cap, awaiting government OK
10) List of 1300 alleged illegal immigrants [sic] sent in Utah
11) US may label Pakistan militants as terrorists
12) North Korea, US-led UN Command to meet Thursday
13) In Argentina, dueling protests over gay marriage
14) Twelfth Russian in spy ring probe deported
15) US transfers Gitmo prisoner to Yemen
16) TX: Robber shot during break-in
17) KY: Home invader shot in head
18) Hundreds of suspected mafiosi arrested in Italy, US
19) Gaza: IDF shelling kills woman
20) Court rejects FCC's ban on "fleeting expletives"
Everybody Has An Opinion:
21) The Shahram affair
22) It's Obama's war, all right
23) Libertarians -- support the two-party system!
24) Appeal to authority
25) Obama's immigration distraction
26) "I'm a saboteur"
27) What the CPC and the Free Tibet lobby have in common
28) Resetting spy scandals
29) A business solution to Haiti's poverty
30) Off PACE
31) The truth of the matter
32) Remote controlled killing
33) The Palin years, a history in newsprint
34) Democrats losing Wall Street fat cat support?
35) American sclerosis
36) Secessionists and fireworks at the National Mall
37) Increasingly unpopular airport body scanners may offer false
security
38) Tax credits: Often not the panacea promised
39) The Palin-ization of politics
40) Murderer ignores rules; people die in ABQ
41) Could Republicans take the House?
42) Enumerated Powers Act: Congress is still clueless
43) Libertarianism and deism: Intellectual bedfellows
44) The drooling beast of war is forever hungry
45) How to cut military spending
46) From the general's mouth
47) The French veil ban, force equality, and pollsters
48) Live Aid: 25 years later
49) The war on Arizona
50) Why don't we take the Russian spies seriously?
51) The virtues and vices of libertinism
52) How about a triple-dip recession
53) Anything but Orthodox
54) The self-defeat of the Keynesian cross
55) Cap-and-trade is a bait-and-switch
56) Leave them alone
57) Prosperity requires humility
58) Of maps and modernism
59) Let Congress sweat it out
60) Gulf crisis exposes failures of centralized power
See No Evil, Hear No Evil:
61) Robert Pozen: One on one
62) Sheldon Richman on Antiwar Radio
63) Individualist interviews: Joe Peacott, Boston anarchist
64) Constance Penley on porn, obscenity, & John Stagliano
65) Cato Daily Podcast, 07/13/10
What's Up In The Freedom Movement:
66) Today's events
***************
* In The News
***************
0) RRND/FND 3rd quarter fundraiser
Update, 07/14/10: Thanks to WW, MF, RM and HH! Their combined $100 in
contributions yesterday have us back on track, bringing our total to
$810 against our goal of $2,083. Go thou and do likewise, and we'll
have this thing wrapped up ASAP! - TLK
http://www.rationalreview.com/content/83890
-----
1) Iranian scientist turns up at Pakistan's US embassy
The Nation [Pakistan]
"Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri, who claims he was kidnapped
by US spies, surfaced at Tehran's interests section of Pakistan's
embassy in Washington DC on Tuesday to declare Americans 'losers' in
the long-running saga. Iranian state television's website said Amiri
had taken refuge at the interest section, which is overseen by the
Pakistani embassy in Washington, and added he had asked 'for a quick
return to Tehran.' ... It was not clear if Amiri sought refuge at the
interests section or had been handed over by US officials." (07/14/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26mypwa
-----
2) LA: Six cops charged in post-Katrina shootings
BBC News [UK]
"Six New Orleans police officers have been charged in connection with
the fatal shooting of civilians on a bridge in the days after
Hurricane Katrina. Four officers are alleged to have opened fire on
unarmed people on the city's Danziger Bridge. Two died and four were
hurt in the 2005 incident. Two supervisors are accused of joining the
four officers in attempting a cover-up in subsequent
investigations." (07/13/10)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10623960.stm
-----
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 25 wounded
AntiWar.Com
"At least 11 Iraqis were killed and 25 more were wounded as coverage
of attacks resumed in the media. The parliamentary stalemate dominated
the headlines, along with oil and Kurdish concerns, but the most
significant story of the day came from the United Kingdom where an
inquiry into the causes of the Iraq War continues to embarrass the war
hawks." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/37ol4jk
-----
4) Afghanistan: Four occupation troops killed
BBC News [UK]
"A Royal Marine has been shot dead in Helmand province, Afghanistan --
the fourth member of the British armed forces to be killed in one day.
The marine, from 40 Commando, serving as part of Combined Force
Sangin, was killed while on foot patrol in the Sangin district. ...
Meanwhile a hunt is under way for a rogue Afghan soldier who killed
three UK soldiers in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand." (07/14/10)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/10624523.stm
-----
5) France: National Assembly approves ban on face veils
Los Angeles Times
"The French lower house of Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly
approved a ban on wearing face-covering veils in a public place. The
legislation, part of an ongoing national debate on French identity, is
expected to have no opposition in the Senate, which is due to vote on
it in September. Once signed by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has
placed it high on his agenda, the ban would take effect next
spring. ... According to the legislation, covering one's face in a
public place will be subject to a fine of about $185 or community
service. Far stricter penalties are aimed at those who force others to
wear the veil: about $38,000 or a year in prison, terms to be doubled
if the wearer is a minor." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2bg3p9w
-----
6) US stocks end sharply higher on upbeat earnings
MarketWatch
"U.S. stocks finished Tuesday's session sharply higher to post their
sixth straight session of gains as investors cheered upbeat earnings
from aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. and railway operator CSX Corp. The Dow
Jones Industrial Average gained 146.75 points, or 1.4%, to 10,363.02,
about 65 points away from where the blue-chip average started the
year." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/237lbca
-----
7) US criticises Jerusalem demolitions
Al-Jazeera [Qatar]
"Israeli bulldozers have destroyed six buildings in occupied East
Jerusalem, resuming the demolition of Palestinian property after a
halt aimed at encouraging peace talks, provoking Palestinian anger and
US 'concern.' Tuesday's demolitions were the first since a halt in
October aimed at encouraging so-called peace talks, and Palestinians
said they proved the Israeli government was not committed to the
negotiations." (07/14/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26d4cm7
-----
8) Coalition eases up on Afghan airstrikes
USA Today
"Warplanes in Afghanistan are dropping bombs and missiles on
insurgents at about 25% of the rate they did three years ago despite
more widespread combat, reflecting commanders' emphasis on reducing
civilian deaths. So far this year, jets have dropped bombs on only 10%
of their combat support missions, compared with almost 40% in 2007,
Air Force records show." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/3xl4bvs
-----
9) BP delays test of new containment cap, awaiting government OK
Business Week
"BP Plc delayed testing a new cap placed over its leaking Gulf of
Mexico oil well to give scientists more time to study the procedure
used to measure pressure levels. ... The trial was scheduled to start
yesterday. It was postponed after BP met with National Incident
Commander Thad Allen, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and a government
team of scientists and industry experts, who decided more analysis
needed to be done before they proceeded, Allen said in a statement
last night." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2c5kqbm
-----
10) List of 1300 alleged illegal immigrants [sic] sent in Utah
MSNBC
"A list containing the names and personal information of 1,300 people
an anonymous group contends are illegal immigrants [sic] has been
mailed around Utah, terrifying the state's Hispanic community.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert wrote in a tweet Tuesday that he has
asked state agencies to investigate the list -- sent anonymously to
several media outlets, and law enforcement and state agencies. A
letter accompanying the list demands that those on it be deported
immediately." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29zk5yb
-----
11) US may label Pakistan militants as terrorists
MSNBC
"The new American military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David H.
Petraeus, is pushing to have top leaders of a feared insurgent group
designated as terrorists, a move that could complicate an eventual
Afghan political settlement with the Taliban and aggravate political
tensions in the region. General Petraeus introduced the idea of
blacklisting the group, known as the Haqqani network, late last week
in discussions with President Obama's senior advisers on Pakistan and
Afghanistan, according to several administration officials, who said
it was being seriously considered." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/22jj2ou
-----
12) North Korea, US-led UN Command to meet Thursday
Janesville Gazette
"Talks between North Korea and the American-led U.N. Command have been
rescheduled for Thursday after Pyongyang abruptly canceled a meeting
meant to discuss the sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on
Pyongyang. Military officers from the two sides now planned to meet at
the Korean border village of Panmunjom on Thursday morning, the U.N.
Command said in a statement Wednesday." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/35db6cg
-----
13) In Argentina, dueling protests over gay marriage
El Paso Times
"Thousands of demonstrators opposed to same-sex marriage have gathered
outside Argentina's congress ahead of a key vote by lawmakers.
Supporters of the measure also took to the streets in loud rallies in
the capital and other cities. Argentina's House of Deputies has
approved same-sex marriage and sent the legislation to the Senate for
consideration on Wednesday." (07/13/10)
http://www.elpasotimes.com/nationworld/ci_15508771
-----
14) Twelfth Russian in spy ring probe deported
ABC News
"The 12th person who surfaced in the final months of the FBI Russian
spy probe has been removed from the U.S. and is currently on a
deportation flight to Russia. Alexey Karetnikov, 23, had been living
in the Seattle area, according to federal law enforcement officials.
His Facebook page indicates that he had worked at
Microsoft." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26f52x4
-----
15) US transfers Gitmo prisoner to Yemen
Bellingham Herald
"A Guantanamo Bay prisoner has been transferred to his homeland of
Yemen, the U.S. Defense Department announced on Tuesday, after a U.S.
district court ordered the longtime detainee's release. The release of
26-year-old Mohammed Odaini after eight years at Guantanamo Bay was an
exception to the Obama administration's freeze on prisoner transfers
to the turbulent country after the failed attempt to blow up a Detroit-
bound airliner on Christmas Day. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has
claimed responsibility for the failed attempt." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/395dnfu
-----
16) TX: Robber shot during break-in
WSAT News
"Police said a man accused of shooting 29-year-old Chris Lopez, who
was trying to break into his uncle's home on Longmeadow Drive, will
likely not face charges. ... Police said Lopez, a 2001 Texas Youth
Commission graduate, was trying to break into the back door of a home
when the homeowner's nephew warned him that someone was inside. Lopez
then tried to take off with a lawnmower from the the carport and
that's when the nephew opened fire through the kitchen window, hitting
the man in the chest, killing him." (07/12/10)
http://www.ksat.com/news/24229026/detail.html
-----
17) KY: Home invader shot in head
Louisville Courier-Journal
"Police are investigating a home invasion early Monday morning that
resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the homeowner and a
suspect. The suspect, a black male in his late teens, was shot at
least once in the head and was in serious condition at University
Hospital, said Officer Carey Klain, a Louisville Metro Police
spokeswoman. ... The incident happened about 3:30 a.m. in the 900
block of Marshall Street in the Phoenix Hill neighborhood when the
homeowner heard an alarm and found the suspect at the front door
trying to break in, Klain said. Gunfire was exchanged, but the
homeowner was not injured. ... No charges are expected to be filed
against the homeowner at this time." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2fk8cgp
-----
18) Hundreds of suspected mafiosi arrested in Italy, US
Newsweek
"It was the largest mafia operation in 15 years. In dawn raids 3,000
police officers in Italy and the US arrested more than 320 people they
suspected of links to the Calabrian mafia, known as 'Ndrangheta. Those
figures, charged with crimes including murder, extortion, arms and
drug trafficking and criminal association, included Domenico
Oppedisano, 80, reported to be the head of the family. The
organization is considered more powerful and ruthless than the
Sicilian mafia." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/269kmhm
-----
19) Gaza: IDF shelling kills woman
Haaretz [Israel]
"Israeli army shelling killed a Palestinian woman and wounded two of
her relatives in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday, hospital officials
said. Asked about the incident in the village of Johar a-Deek, which
is near Gaza's border with Israel, a military spokeswoman said forces
opened fire at Palestinians suspected of mounting an
attack." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/27j3g4f
-----
20) Court rejects FCC's ban on "fleeting expletives"
Courthouse News Service
"The 2nd Circuit has once again struck down the Federal Communication
Commission's indecency policy, calling it 'unconstitutionally vague'
because it creates 'a chilling effect that goes far beyond ...
fleeting expletives.' The dispute between the FCC and several major TV
networks appeared before the Manhattan-based federal appeals court for
a second time after it was sent back by the Supreme Court. In April
2009, the justices voted 5-4 that the FCC's ban on brief, one-time
utterances of profanities -- or so-called 'fleeting expletives' -- was
not 'arbitrary and capricious,' as the 2nd Circuit had ruled in a 2-1
decision." (07/13/10)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/07/13/28789.htm
*******************************************************************
* HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 07/14/10
*
* Reported Civilian Deaths in Iraq: Min - 97,077 ... Max - 105,850
* (source: www.iraqbodycount.org)
*
* American Military Deaths in Iraq: 4,412
* (source: www.antiwar.com/casualties/)
*******************************************************************
****************************
* Everybody Has An Opinion
****************************
21) The Shahram affair
AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo
"Confronted with the accusation that Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram
Amiri had been kidnapped by US and Saudi intelligence agencies while
on a trip to Mecca, and brought to the US for interrogation, State
Department spokesman P.J. Crowley averred: 'We are not in the habit of
going around kidnapping people.' To which the only proper response is:
Oh, really? ... Now that Shahram has shown up at the Iranian interests
section of the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C., claiming to have
been abducted by the US and Saudi intelligence services, and tortured,
Crowley may want to review his knowledge of US habits." (07/14/10)
http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2010/07/13/the-shahram-affair/
-----
22) It's Obama's war, all right
Cato Institute
by Gene Healy
"Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele caught grief
recently for suggesting the war was doomed to fail. Steele, who has
offended everyone from pro-lifers to Rush Limbaugh fans, truly has the
gift of gaffe. But he wasn't wrong to call Afghanistan a 'war of
Obama's choosing.' A recent National Journal graphic shows that under
the president's Afghan 'surge,' OEF deployments passed Iraq troop
levels in 'a strategic pivot point' earlier this year. Obama, Steele
suggested, had bought into the Democratic 'script' that has prevailed
since the 2004 Kerry campaign: Iraq's a distraction -- 'the battle
should really be in Afghanistan.' Obama's escalation of that battle
raises young John Kerry's question about Vietnam: How do you ask
someone 'to be the last man to die for a mistake?'" (07/13/10)
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=11975
-----
23) Libertarians -- support the two-party system!
Libertarian News Examiner
by Garry Reed
"Published on the Texas Secretary of State's website as part of
Project VOTE is a 'lesson' for teaching kids about our electoral
system titled 'Roles of Political Parties.' One lesson explains how a
'two-party system' is best for democracy since it will always produce
majority rule while politically unstable 'multi-party systems' give us
France with its 'sad story' of shaky and short-lived coalition
governments. In short, third parties are bad. But this is actually a
great opportunity for Libertarians." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2aynf3c
-----
24) Appeal to authority
Liberty For All
by Michael Badnarik
"I am often asked what people can do on an individual level to restore
Liberty in this country. My recommendation doesn't cost any money,
however it is very difficult for some people to do. My advice is to
start thinking for yourself. Stop asking the government for permission
to do everything in your life. We have been programmed all of our
lives to be submissive to authority. As children we are 'well behaved'
when we do what our parents tell us to do." (07/13/10)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=4556
-----
25) Obama's immigration distraction
Reason
by Shikha Dalmia
"Even advocates of immigration reform cringed at President Obama's
speech last month with its impressive juxtaposition of contradictory
vices: sophomoric and professorial; hectoring and plaintive; combative
and defensive. But above all it was one more thing: utterly and
completely beside-the-point. There is exactly zero chance that
Congress will do anything at all about immigration in the near future.
Of course, Obama knows that. The purpose of this speech had nothing to
do with immigration and everything to do with the approaching mid-term
elections. The true message of this speech was: Forget about the
dismal economy, stupid, and think about immigration and all the nasty
things Republicans are doing on this front -- which they undoubtedly
are." (07/13/10)
http://reason.com/archives/2010/07/13/obamas-immigration-distraction
-----
26) "I'm a saboteur"
LewRockwell.Com
"Charter schools -- publicly funded startup schools that operate
mostly free of regulation -- have boomed. In 1992, there was one
charter school in the United States. Today, there are more than 2,000.
The fastest-growing education movement is homeschooling. Today,
roughly 1.5 million children learn at home. Just as Internet startups
and free agents rattled big business, charter schools and
homeschooling are shaking up 'big schoolhouse.' Leading them is John
Taylor Gatto, education's most original (and perhaps most
controversial) thinker." (07/13/10)
Daniel H. Pink
-----
27) What the CPC and the Free Tibet lobby have in common
Spiked
by Brendan O'Neill
"Tourism is booming in Tibet, especially among the Chinese. In 1980,
only 3,525 tourists came here: 1,059 of them internationals and 2,466
of them Chinese. In 2007, four million tourists visited Tibet, around
370,000 of them internationals and a whopping 3.6 million of them
Chinese. The most striking thing is why these Chinese are traipsing to
this tough terrain, which for five decades has had a frequently
troubled relationship with China. It's for the same reason that
Westerners came to Tibet, or more popularly went to India and Nepal,
in the 1960s, 70s and 80s -- to escape the grime of modern daily life
and 'find themselves.'" (07/13/10)
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/9196/
-----
28) Resetting spy scandals
The Nation
by Katrina vanden Heuvel
"The cold war just isn't what it used to be. More Spies Like Us than
The Spy Who Loved Me, last week's Russian-American espionage exchange
had all the makings of a chilling Glienicke Bridge spy swap -- until
it didn't. At least in John Landis's comedy, Chevy Chase and Dan
Aykroyd were actually able to do some good with their limited training
and avert Armageddon. In contrast, the ten Russian spies, now duly
deported, have been ridiculed both in Russia and in the United States
for engaging in breathlessly surreptitious ineptitude." (07/13/10)
http://www.thenation.com/blog/37377/resetting-spy-scandals
-----
29) A business solution to Haiti's poverty
Christian Science Monitor
by Michael Fairbanks
"Celebrities, not-for-profits, and the multilateral banks have rallied
since Haiti's Jan. 12 earthquake. They saved lives and created some
order. They also reconnected Haiti to important networks of foreign
aid and charity. The question now is, how do we connect Haiti to
networks of prosperity?" (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/24dqrpy
-----
30) Off PACE
The American Prospect
by Alyssa Katz
"Oil is oozing onto Gulf Shore beaches at the height of vacation
season. The Northeast just got slammed with record-high temperatures.
Unemployment persists at unendurable levels. It seems like exactly the
wrong time for the Obama administration to shut down a promising and
increasingly popular way to make homes and other buildings more energy
efficient -- a model with so much possibility that Vice President Joe
Biden's Middle Class Task Force made it part of its 'strategic plan
for recovery through retrofit,' and the Department of Energy granted
more than $100 million to help implement it. Last week, the Federal
Housing Finance Agency dealt the strongest blow yet to property-
assessed clean energy (PACE) loans, which cities and towns across the
country have begun offering to help property owners caulk, insulate,
efficiently heat, solar-panel, or otherwise modify their homes to
reduce energy consumption." (07/13/10)
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=off_pace
-----
31) The truth of the matter
Strike the Root
by tzo
"Freeman finds himself within the borders claimed by a government.
This human being decides he does not want to participate in the
government organization anymore, so he quits. He then finds a nice
plot of 'public' property and claims it as his own. He is quickly
confronted with a government participant named Citizen, who informs
him that the land belongs to the government, and he is
trespassing." (07/13/10)
http://www.strike-the-root.com/truth-of-matter
-----
32) Remote controlled killing
CounterPunch
by Jonathan Cook
"It is called Spot and Shoot. Operators sit in front of a TV monitor
from which they can control the action with a PlayStation-style
joystick. The aim: to kill terrorists. Played by: young women serving
in the Israeli army. Spot and Shoot, as it is called by the Israeli
military, may look like a video game but the figures on the screen are
real people -- Palestinians in Gaza -- who can be killed with the
press of a button on the joystick." (07/13/10)
http://counterpunch.org/cook07132010.html
-----
33) The Palin years, a history in newsprint
the Libertarian Enterprise
by Neale Osborn
"Washington DC 2008 (NBC News) Tonight, in a surprise victory, the
ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin has won a landslide victory.
Garnering nearly 72% of the popular vote, and sweeping 37 states
electorally. In his acceptance speech, President-elect McCain
said. ... 'I knew Obamba, Osambo, You know who I mean, that black guy
ran a good campaign. But his godless atheists didn't manage to pull
the wool over the eyes of the American people, who decided a pair of
Mavericks were a better choice for president than Obimba, Osama, you
know who I mean. ... that black guy who ran against me.' Meanwhile,
Sarah Palin dropped to her knees and exhorted the entire convention
room to join her in prayer to: 'Jeeesus Christ, who told me to do
this!' They announced that they would both take a few days off to
consider anything they wanted Mr. Bush to do to help them prepare the
way for their assumption of power, and to begin the process of fixing
the current recession that is rearing it's head." (07/11/10)
http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2010/tle578-20100711-04.html
-----
34) Democrats losing Wall Street fat cat support?
Orange Punch
by Mark Landsbaum
"At some point when your enemy continues to bash you and hurt you and
cost you money, you reach the point of 'Enough's enough!' It seems the
power brokers on Wall Street are getting the message. Democrats aren't
their friends. ... There's a fine line here that Democrats in their
hubris clearly have crossed. Wall Street, like business interests and
taxpayers and any other segement of the population, can be bullied and
mollified -- to a point. At some point the pain inflicted exceeds the
bones thrown to appease, such as cutting special tax deals for
segments of the larger group, or handing out stacks of other
taxpayers' money. At some point the pain is plainly more than any
perceived benefit." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29vlpy9
-----
35) American sclerosis
John Stossel's Take
by John Stossel
"On Stuart Varney's FBN program this morning, they debated whether the
financial 'reform' bill will kill job creation. I can't see how a two-
thousand plus-page law ever avoids doing that. Politicians, many of
whom are lawyers, share the conceit that they can manage life with
paper and procedure. They don't understand that just the quantity of
their rule cause entrepreneurs to simply say: 'I won't even try.' Why
did German and Japan thrive after WWII? Because American bombs
destroyed years of accumulated bureaucracy. Well, that's probably one
big reason. Their new governments started from scratch. With fewer
rules, German and Japan prospered. America now moves in the opposite
direction." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2a7rfu7
-----
36) Secessionists and fireworks at the National Mall
Center for a Stateless Society
by Ross Kenyon
"At dusk on July 4th, I sat in front of the Lincoln Memorial at the
Capitol Mall in Washington, DC. Uncle Sam hats, a few hippie drums,
and lots of flags inadequately-disguised as shirts punctuated the
crowded and patriotic humidity. Spectators chanted 'U-S-A, U-S-A!' A
beach ball flew over my head. Before the festivities commenced, I
wanted to interview some people about how they viewed the secession of
the United States of America from Great Britain and how or if they
framed modern secession as different from the Revolutionary
War." (07/13/10)
http://c4ss.org/content/3127
-----
37) Increasingly unpopular airport body scanners may offer false
security
Disloyal Opposition
by JD Tuccille
"USA Today documents the growing resistance to the use of body
scanners at airports -- a resistance that's particularly marked in
Europe. Complaints about the devices include the expected concerns
about privacy, long lines, expense and potential health concerns from
even the relatively low levels of radiation emitted by the machines.
It should be noted in addition, however, that body scanners aren't
some kind of proven, super-secure technology that offers us a choice
between guaranteed safety and keeping our naughty bits under cover. In
fact, the machines may offer a false sense of security." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/294tj2y
-----
38) Tax credits: Often not the panacea promised
Show-Me Institute
by Audrey Spaulding
"The problems of using tax credits to encourage economic development
have been discussed at length: Tax credits often don't create economic
activity, but instead merely shift it to another location; tax credits
are a form of centralized economic planning, which has a bad track
record of encouraging economic growth, whereas lower tax rates do a
better job of stimulating the economy; government officials have no
special ability to predict future economic growth or success; and, of
course, tax credits allow elected officials to play favorites. In
addition to the list above, casual readers should be skeptical of the
future job claims made when state tax credits are doled out, because
they are merely promises and forecasts. Studies have shown that job
claims are often very different than what is ultimately accomplished
with taxpayer money." (07/13/10)
http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/07/tax-credits-often-not-the.html
-----
39) The Palin-ization of politics
Mother Jones
by Kevin Drum
"Palin is, in some sense, sui generis. And yet, I wonder if her press
strategy is really such a unique consequence of her celebrity-hood or
rather a sign of things to come? There's no question that she's pulled
off her particular schtick better than anyone else in American
politics, but there are others who have gone a ways down this road
too. One is Barack Obama, who restricted press access to a startling
degree during his presidential campaign. Keeping presidential campaign
reporters on a tight leash is a trend that's been building for years,
with every campaign more tightly controlled than the last, but still,
Obama pretty clearly took this to a new level. The other example who
comes to mind (since I live in California), is Meg Whitman, who just
ran a high-profile primary campaign in a big state with virtually no
interaction with the mainstream press. She gave speeches, she ran ads
(boy did she run ads), and she spoke to friendly reporters
occasionally, but that was about it. And guess what? It worked. She
proved that you really don't need the press anymore to run a
successful campaign." (07/13/10)
http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/07/palin-ization-politics
-----
40) Murderer ignores rules; people die in ABQ
Albuquerque Libertarian Examiner
by Kent McManigal
"The only effect a 'no guns' policy ever has is to make certain that a
bad guy, who by definition refuses to obey the rules, will have his
pick of unarmed targets to kill at his convenience." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2buwl9p
-----
41) Could Republicans take the House?
Slate
by John Dickerson
"When Robert Gibbs said on Meet the Press that Democrats could lose
the House of Representatives, Republicans jumped on the remarks. 'The
fact that the Obama White House is acknowledging that there is even a
possibility that Democrats could lose their majority in the House
should be read as a tacit admission that their economic policies have
failed in the eyes of the voters,' said Ken Spain, the Republican
Congressional Committee's communications director. Matt Drudge also
highlighted Gibbs' remarks. Did Gibbs let slip one of those truths
that everyone in Washington knows but that as the president's
spokesman is not supposed to admit? No. He merely articulated the
White House political strategy." (07/12/10)
http://www.slate.com/id/2260237/
-----
42) Enumerated Powers Act: Congress is still clueless
Downsize DC
by James Leroy Wilson
"You may notice the trend. As the letter below indicates, more and
more aspiring politicians talk about limiting government to the
confines of the Constitution. But the incumbents in Congress continue
to ignore the Constitution when they write and pass their bills. One
way to cure them of their cluelessness is to pressure them to pass the
Enumerated Powers Act. This short, simple bill will require that all
bills cite their authority under the Constitution. This requirement
will be a step in the right direction of rolling back the federal
government to its Constitutional limits." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/23q3ojl
-----
43) Libertarianism and deism: Intellectual bedfellows
Libertarian Minds
by James Padilioni, Jr.
"One of the many social debates that rages in America today is the
issue of deism, and to what extent the founders and framers of the
American Republic were deists. Most interesting is that each side
usually puts up the very same men in defense of their arguments. In
2007, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia hosted a
conference with noted historians entitled 'Washington: Devout or
Deist?' The end conclusion? Inconclusive. While the debate will never
be settled in a satisfactory manner for any of the interested parties,
this fact is indisputable: deism is no less a logical result of the
Enlightenment than classical liberal philosophy, or libertarianism
is." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29x8r9b
-----
44) The drooling beast of war is forever hungry
The Power of Narrative
by Arthur Silber
"Our ruling class is absolutely convinced that the U.S. is entitled to
world hegemony. Lord knows they've said so often enough. In their
neverending determination to have their way, they will utilize covert
operations, rebellions which they instigate, deadly economic
sanctions, and many other methods. And there is always, always the
threat of outright attack and war as the final card to be played.
Moreover, all those military contracts are worth countless billions
and billions of dollars and require huge numbers of people to fulfill.
It's good for the economy! You must realize how crucial that is,
especially in these perilous economic times. Think of the drive to
achieve and maintain world hegemony as a 'Full-Employment, Full-
Destruction, Widespread-Death Act.' You gotta admit that it's a
plan." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2fmnhor
-----
45) How to cut military spending
National Review
by Lawrence Korb
"If all of our recommendations are adopted this year, the baseline
defense budget for FY 2011 (excluding war costs) will be reduced to
about $480 billion. In constant dollars, this is substantially higher
(by about $60 billion) than the base FY 2002 budget that President
Bush sent to Congress in June 2001, which represented an increase of
11 percent (more than 7 percent real growth) over the last budget of
the Clinton administration." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26py4yr
-----
46) From the general's mouth
Salon
by Tom Tomorrow
Cartoon. (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2ajbref
-----
47) The French veil ban, force equality, and pollsters
Nolan Chart
by Dan Alba
"A band of legal plunderers calling themselves the French parliament
is soon to enact a law prohibiting the wearing of face veils in
public. The supposed intentions are to liberate women, promote
equality, and bolster security. In non-Orwellian reality, the ban will
imprison certain women inside their homes, denying them the liberty of
choosing to dress modestly in public. But it gets better. The
legislation especially targets the husbands and fathers of veil-
wearers, as The Associated Press reports: 'Anyone convicted of forcing
someone else to wear the garb risks a year of prison and a euro30,000
($38,000) fine -- with both those penalties doubled if the victim is a
minor.' In other words, for young veil-wearing girls in France,
'liberty' and 'equality' will mean going fatherless for at least two
years -- in addition to the household's being $76,000 poorer and, in
most cases, without a primary source of income. Ah, the beauty of
centrally enforced 'equality.'" (07/12/10)
http://www.nolanchart.com/article7846.html
-----
48) Live Aid: 25 years later
The Partial Observer
by James Leroy Wilson
"It's been a quarter-century since the dream of Band-Aid, USA For
Africa, Live Aid, and other celebrity-studded charitable means to stop
the famine in Africa generally and Ethiopia particularly. But one
wonders how one should send relief in an area where famine was caused
in part by civil war? The relief aid would become just another target
of the warring factions. Since then, little has changed on the
continent." (07/13/10)
http://partialobserver.com/article.cfm?id=3489
-----
49) The war on Arizona
Human Events
by Patrick J. Buchanan
"Why is Arizona under attack for simply trying to help enforce our
immigration laws? Because the Obama administration cannot, will not or
does not even wish to see those laws enforced. The U.S. government is
today derelict in its constitutional duty. And this is approaching an
existential crisis for America." [editor's note: Not only does the US
government have no constitutional "duty" to regulate immigration, it
has no constitutional AUTHORITY to do so - TLK] (07/13/10)
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=38034
-----
50) Why don't we take the Russian spies seriously?
The New Republic
by Adam Kirsch
"How can we explain this levity about what is, after all, a hostile
action by an authoritarian, nuclear-armed state? For one thing, there
is the failure of the 'illegals' to actually get any American secrets
-- indeed, they are not even being charged with espionage, only with
failure to register as agents of a foreign government. It is not just
the harmlessness of the spies that the media has focused on, however,
but the obsolescence of their techniques. The use of invisible ink and
money caches and garish code phrases all seem to come, in the words
that have become mandatory in reporting this story, like something out
of a Cold War thriller. When you think about it, this is a silly
observation: Real spies seem to act like fictional spies only because
fictional spies are modeled on real spies." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/27u7767
-----
51) The virtues and vices of libertinism
New Kind of Mind
by Chris George
"'Libertinism,' as I'm using it here, is very broad. It must be
understood that such ideas/behaviors are purely relative to the
context and in reference to social norms or emergent ethics. For
example, homosexuality in San Francisco is not too far out of the norm
when compared with Saudi Arabia. Likewise, interracial marriage in
modern America is far less controversial than it was fifty years ago.
The latter, in both cases, being 'libertine' relative to the more
modern, liberal time and place." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/296d4gg
-----
52) How about a triple-dip recession
Adam Smith Institute
by Dr. Eamonn Butler
"The politicians think they have discovered the magic cure. It's
called quantitative easing, or just plain printing money, but it's the
same the world over. When the economy looks bad, create more of those
greenbacks. Whip your interest rates down. Then suddenly, instead of
being strapped for cash, everyone's wallowing in the stuff, and the
low interest rates make it cheap to borrow for that new home, that new
machine or factory, and indeed just to go on a shopping trip. The
trouble is that, before long, people begin to realise that this is all
just funny money. As the spending boom goes on, shopkeepers, property
sellers and equipment manufacturers all put up their prices, so the
big spenders are no longer any better off. They're just deeper in
debt. So then you dip down again, and off we go." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2ewwjo7
-----
53) Anything but Orthodox
The American Spectator
by Doug Bandow
"[Russia] holds elections but, says Freedom House, 'is not an
electoral democracy.' Freedom House offers a similar list of human
rights abuses, including restrictions on the media, pervasive
corruption, limits on freedom of assembly and association, and a
subservient judiciary. Unfortunately, religious liberty also is coming
under pressure. The Russian constitution formally protects religious
freedom and equality, but, noted the State Department last fall, 'the
government did not always respect those provisions.'" (07/13/10)
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/13/anything-but-orthodox
-----
54) The self-defeat of the Keynesian cross
Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Predrag Rajsic
"The Austrian business-cycle theory, initiated by Ludwig von Mises and
further developed and elaborated by F.A. Hayek, is by many considered
the cornerstone of this school of thought. However, in 1998, Paul
Krugman plainly dismissed the theory as not 'worthy of serious study.'
More recently in his New York Times blog, Professor Krugman claimed
that the Austrian business-cycle theory fails to fully explain
fluctuations in output and employment between recessions and
booms." (07/13/10)
http://mises.org/daily/4552
-----
55) Cap-and-trade is a bait-and-switch
Heartland Institute
by James M. Taylor
"With opinion polls showing the U.S. public strongly opposes the
imposition of expensive cap-and-trade restrictions on greenhouse gases
in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression,
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is attempting to pull off a
deceitful bait-and-switch scam that would make the most ruthless used-
car dealer blush." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/25wjoyf
-----
56) Leave them alone
Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G. Hornberger
"I have a modest ten-part proposal for the federal government,
although some people undoubtedly will consider it radical. 1.
Immediately vacate Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. government has had
8-9 years to do as much killing, injuring, maiming, and destroying as
it wants in those two countries. Time's up. Enough is
enough." (07/13/10)
http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2010-07-13.asp
-----
57) Prosperity requires humility
FreedomPolitics
by Star Parker
"In August of 2005, Houston investment banker Matt Simmons predicted
in a New York Times feature article that the price of oil, then $65/
barrel, would soar. Simmons, who had written a book arguing that the
world is running out of oil, was predicting oil prices 'in the high
triple digits.' After reading Simmons' prediction, John Tierney, a
libertarian, who was then an op-ed columnist for the New York Times,
telephoned Simmons and called him on it." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/234bok2
-----
58) Of maps and modernism
Foundation for Economic Education
by Sandy Ikeda
"This year, for the first time since 1979, New York City has revamped
its subway map. A quick glance shows a change in the background tinge
from light tan to light green -- most pleasant. To my relief, however,
on closer inspection nothing essential has changed from the last
version. Thank goodness it still doesn't look anything like the map of
London's Underground." (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26qh276
-----
59) Let Congress sweat it out
Competitive Enterprise Institute
by Iain Murray
"Many of the so-called solutions the green movement proposes consist
of turning back the clock and relying on technology we left behind
decades, even centuries ago: They want us to use windmills and
railroads, use more land for crops (and thereby less for forests), and
burn plants to make energy. Now, there has come along a fellow who
thinks air conditioning is a bane rather than a boon and hankers for
the offices of the 1940s." (07/12/10)
http://tinyurl.com/29ogz2r
-----
60) Gulf crisis exposes failures of centralized power
Campaign For Liberty
by Brian Roberts
"Obama, the great centralizer, recently stated that he was looking for
the right ass to kick. With this now famous statement he hoped to
divert public attention from the failures of centralized power and
begin to set a public mood against the oil industry and for expanded
regulation and taxation. Other recent federal actions and statements
make it painfully obvious that the federal government has zero
interest in backing any plan to clean up the gulf in a timely
manner." (07/13/10)
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=1007
*****************************
* See No Evil, Hear No Evil
*****************************
61) Robert Pozen: One on one
Ideas In Action
"Now that the U.S. financial system has come 'back from the brink,'
what more should be done to re-structure our banking system?" [Flash
video] (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2fjzk6z
-----
62) Sheldon Richman on Antiwar Radio
AntiWar.Com
"Sheldon Richman, senior fellow at The Future of Freedom Foundation,
discusses the unsustainable expense of US empire, the 'political
transaction costs' that shield government from scrutiny and protest,
lack of emphasis on foreign policy at the Freedom Fest 2010 conference
and why defense spending is the trillion pound gorilla in the (budget
deficit) room." [Flash audio or MP3] (07/13/10)
http://antiwar.com/radio/2010/07/13/sheldon-richman-6/
-----
63) Individualist interviews: Joe Peacott, Boston anarchist
Rad Geek People's Daily
"interview with Joe Peacott, one of the founding members of the Boston
Anarchist Drinking Brigade (1986-1999), now of BAD Press and Anchorage
Anarchy." [Flash video] (07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/2ft7omv
-----
64) Constance Penley on porn, obscenity, & John Stagliano
Hit & Run
"Reason.tv's Hawk Jensen sat down with Penley to discuss the history
of pornography, obscenity laws, and the case against John Stagliano,
whom Penley has called 'the Woody Allen of porn.'" [Flash video]
(07/13/10)
http://reason.com/blog/2010/07/13/reasontv-feminist-constance-pe
-----
65) Cato Daily Podcast, 07/13/10
Cato Institute
"ObamaCare fails on its own terms," featuring Michael D. Tanner. [MP3]
(07/13/10)
http://tinyurl.com/26qfecn
*************************************
* What's Up In The Freedom Movement
*************************************
66) Today's events
Check our sidebar calendar for this week's freedom movement events.
Don't see your event? Drop us a line at in...@rationalreview.com ... or
see:
www.rationalreview.com/add-your-event-to-our-calendar
... for instructions on adding your events directly!
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/group/4042/
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