07/01 -- MN: Franken wins Senate race; Coleman concedes; Iran: Six Mousavi supporters reportedly hanged
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Thomas L. Knapp
Jul 1, 2009, 3:45:21 AM7/1/09
to Rational Review News Digest
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In The News:
0) RRND/FND mid-year subscription drive
1) MN: Franken wins Senate race; Coleman concedes
2) Iran: Six Mousavi supporters reportedly hanged
3) Iraq: 40 killed, 97 wounded
4) Afghanistan: 40 killed in latest fighting
5) Detainees from 20+ nations still at Gitmo
6) Germany: High court delays Lisbon ratification
7) Firefox 3.5 downloads surpass 2 million within hours
8) North Korean ship changes course
9) Afghanistan: Stalemate in Afghan town shows task ahead
10) CA: Judge favors trial soon on marriage ban
11) Senate to hold hearing on college football's BCS
12) US resumes Pakistan drone flights
13) TN: Cities rush to ban guns in local parks
14) Survey: People hate to give up their phone
15) UK: Last rites for ID cards
16) UK "yet to embrace space tourism"
17) Gates seeks more "humane" ways to discriminate
18) CA: Mira Loma man kills home invasion suspect
19) NC: Homeowner wounds would-be burgler
20) AZ: Flat tax compromise adds to budget logjam
21) TN: Restaurateur sues vs. "guns in bars" law
22) Canada sees private healthcare boom
23) FDA panel warns about Tylenol overdose
24) OR: House votes to legalize hemp cultivation
25) Russia/Georgia border: War games or prelude to war?
Everybody Has An Opinion:
26) Pretty hate machine
27) History haunts Honduras
28) ABC: The Administration for Brain Control
29) Truncated "liberty"
30) Vietnamization in Iraq
31) Packing and the friendly skies
32) What if you turned on your light switch, and nothing happened?
33) Obama's statist ambitions
34) Watch lists, guns and government
35) Health care for idiots
36) China creates an Internet albatross
37) Iraq: What we leave as we withdraw
38) Israeli doctors collude in torture
39) Is a college degree worthless?
40) Five pathetic groups that people think rule the world
41) Inside the executive washroom
42) Inflation: What you see and what you don't see
43) Guantanamo: Charge or release prisoners
44) Obamacare: Do or die for America
45) Alice in Healthcareland
46) Why the Madoff sentence is too long
47) Real ID: A real warning on the danger of government
48) Undiversity
49) Groupthink as a political mental illness, part 2
50) The Ricci ruling's real message
51) Progressive blind spots
52) Exploring yin and yang
53) Ain't his money
54) Recession depression
55) Is ObamaCare the end of Roe v. Wade?
56) Privatizing fire protection
57) Tax oppression and Sweden's dirty little secret
58) The Supreme Court nominee who can't write
59) Reckoning with Ricci
60) Iraq: Another of its famous turning points?
61) Private contractors still lack adequate supervision
62) New boss, same as the old boss, chapter 26
63) Energy Leninism
64) Flat spin
65) Senator Al Franken
See No Evil, Hear No Evil:
66) Dan Proft on Freedom Rings Radio, 07/06/09
67) Free Talk Live, 06/30/09
68) Motorhome Diaries interview: Ian Freeman
69) "No Guns for Negroes"
70) Cato Daily Podcast, 06/30/09
What's Up In The Freedom Movement:
71) Today's events
WaYbAcK:
72) Lincoln's new tax
***************
* In The News
***************
0) RRND/FND mid-year subscription drive
Update, 07/01/09: Thanks to HW, who became final new subscribing
contributor to sign on during this drive! HW's $5/month commitment
brings our total recurring revenues to $412.50 against our goal of
$2000 (I've been accidentally misreporting our numbers $5 to the low
side for several days, and just caught it on the wrap-up).
This drive is now OVER, which means you'll stop seeing daily updates,
etc. Thanks to everyone who supports the freedom movement's daily
newspaper!
Here's what comes next:
- Because we didn't reach our goal of $2000 per month in recurring
revenues, we'll continue to run lower-impact monthly fundraisers in an
attempt to make up the difference between what's coming in and what
we're trying to bring in. Our July goal is $1587. You can see our
progress (and click through to help) at rationalreview.chipin.com.
- We'll also be focusing on how increasing advertising revenues. This
may mean that you see more ads, or that those ads are more prominently
placed. Once we get those ad revenues up to $100 per month, we'll
start reducing our fundraising goals by the previous month's ad
revenues.
Thanks again to all of you who continue to support RRND/FND! - TLK
http://www.rationalreview.com/content/64484
-----
1) MN: Franken wins Senate race; Coleman concedes
La Crosse Tribune
"Al Franken ascended Tuesday from the ranks of former 'Saturday Night
Live' comedians to an even more exclusive club, outlasting Republican
Norm Coleman in an eight-month recount and courtroom saga to win a
seat in the U.S. Senate. Franken's victory gives Democrats control of
60 seats in the Senate -- the critical number needed to overcome
Republican filibusters. When Franken is seated, which could come as
early as next week, his party will have a majority not reached on
either side of the aisle in some three decades." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nhljjb
-----
2) Iran: Six Mousavi supporters reportedly hanged
Jerusalem Post [Israel]
"As the Iranian authorities warned the opposition on Tuesday that they
would tolerate no further protests over the disputed June 12
presidential elections, a report emerged of the hangings of six
supporters of defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. Speaking after
Iran's top legislative body upheld the election victory of incumbent
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, sources in Iran told this reporter in a telephone
interview that the hangings took place in the holy city of Mashhad on
Monday. There was no independent confirmation of the report. On
Monday, witnesses said thousands of policemen and Basij militiamen
carrying batons were deployed in Teheran's main squares to prevent any
recurrence of the opposition protests. Drivers who so much as shouted
'Allahu Akbar' or beeped their horns had their windows smashed by the
Basiji and riot police." (07/01/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ldfvn7
-----
3) Iraq: 40 killed, 97 wounded
AntiWar.Com
"Today is the deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraqi cities.
Across Iraq, at least 36 Iraqis were killed and 97 more were wounded.
Four U.S. soldiers were killed in a combat incident shortly before
pullout yesterday in Baghdad. ... A car bomb targeting shoppers at a
market in a Kurdish neighborhood in Kirkuk killed at least 33 Iraqis
and wounded 93 more. ... In Mosul, soldiers at a checkpoint killed a
gunman. ... Gunmen killed two people traveling in a civilian vehicle
in Shurqat; one of the victims was an Iraqi serviceman." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nb53u6
-----
4) Afghanistan: 40 killed in latest fighting
Agence France-Presse
"Air strikes and ground battles killed three dozen Taliban and two
civilians while an insurgent suicide bombing on the border claimed two
more lives in Afghanistan, authorities said Tuesday. ... The Taliban-
led insurgency has intensified this year as Afghan and international
troops launch operations to clear them out of hotspots ahead of the
August 20 presidential and provincial council elections." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mvpfju
-----
5) Detainees from 20+ nations still at Gitmo
Agence France-Presse
"Approximately 229 detainees from 'about two dozen countries' are
still held in Guantanamo, according to the latest Pentagon figures,
provided to AFP. Of the remaining detainees, the largest group --
about 100 men -- is from Yemen. The next most represented nationals
are Afghans and Algerians, with about 20 from each country, according
to the US Department of Defense. In addition, the Pentagon said there
are roughly 10 Saudi detainees and 13 Chinese Muslim ethnic Uighurs
left at the detention facility in the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay
in southeastern Cuba. There are between five and 10 detainees each
from Libya, Pakistan, Syria and Tunisia, according to the
figures." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mupnph
-----
6) Germany: High court delays Lisbon ratification
Bloomberg
"Germany's highest court temporarily delayed ratification of the
planned European Union governing treaty, adding a new hitch on the
obstacle-strewn road to strengthening the EU's role on the world
stage. While declaring the Lisbon Treaty in line with Germany's
constitution, the Federal Constitutional Courtordered lawmakers to
modify the national legislation enacting it. Chancellor Angela Merkel
said she expects the law to be in place before German national
elections are held on Sept. 27." (06/30/09)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=a4vodTGzOJiQ
-----
7) Firefox 3.5 downloads surpass 2 million within hours
ComputerWorld
"Mozilla's Firefox 3.5 browser had been downloaded more than 2 million
times by late afternoon, Pacific time, according to a company counter.
The new browser, which was released earlier today, was being
downloaded between 30 and 63 times per second worldwide at about 3:35
p.m. Pacific." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/kowzmq
-----
8) North Korean ship changes course
MSNBC
"A U.S. official says a North Korean ship has turned around and is
headed back the way it came, after being tracked for days by American
vessels on suspicion it was carrying illicit weapons. The official,
who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, says it
is unclear whether the Kang Nam is going back to its home port in
North Korea or diverting elsewhere." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/n5stk5
-----
9) Afghanistan: Stalemate in Afghan town shows task ahead
MSNBC
"U.S. Marines patrol slowly along streets laced with land mines and
lined with abandoned shops, clinics and homes. As night falls over
this Afghan ghost town, the only sounds are the howling of coyotes and
the creaking of tin roofs in the wind. Three years after its residents
fled, the once bustling town of Now Zad is the scene of a stalemate
between a company of newly arrived Marines and a band of Taliban
fighters. The Americans have plenty of firepower. What they don't have
is enough men to hold seized ground." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/my9r7c
-----
10) CA: Judge favors trial soon on marriage ban
Philadelphia Inquirer
"A federal judge wants a trial on California's same-sex marriage ban
to proceed quickly but says he likely won't suspend the voter-approved
ban in the meantime. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Vaughn Walker
said holding a speedy trial on the merits of a lawsuit challenging
Proposition 8 would avoid novel issues that might be raised if he
issued a temporary injunction." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/llcceu
-----
11) Senate to hold hearing on college football's BCS
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The Senate plans to hold a hearing next week looking into antitrust
issues surrounding the Bowl Championship Series. It's the second time
this year that Congress is shining a light on the polarizing system
college football uses to crown its national champion. The hearing will
be held next Tuesday in the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on
antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights, according to a
posting on the committee's Web site." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l7hwna
-----
12) US resumes Pakistan drone flights
CNN
"The U.S. military in recent weeks has resumed flying unmanned
reconnaissance drones over Pakistan's tribal regions to help provide
critical intelligence to Pakistan's security forces, two U.S. military
officials confirmed to CNN Tuesday. The officials would not be
identified because the operation is not being publicly announced due
to security concerns and Pakistan's sensitivity to any involvement
with the U.S. military." (06/30/08)
http://tinyurl.com/nmv7p2
-----
13) TN: Cities rush to ban guns in local parks
WBIR News
"The handgun battle is heading from Capitol Hill to City Hall. Local
governments and advocates for firearms owners are gearing up for a
summer face-off over how far to take a new state law that lets people
with carry permits bring handguns into parks. City councils across
Tennessee ... are moving to reaffirm their bans on handguns in parks
following passage of a new state law. But people opposed to handgun
restrictions are mobilizing to block their efforts. 'I don't think
it's necessarily reasonable to close all of them,' John Harris,
executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association, said of
Metro's plans to keep parks closed to handguns. 'I don't think it's
necessarily reasonable to close any of them.'" (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mtg2ho
-----
14) Survey: People hate to give up their phone
United Press International
"Most Americans would rather give up alcohol for a week than give up
their cell phone for the same time period, a survey conducted for Best
Buy indicated. Nearly 60 percent of respondents said they'd rather
abstain from drinking rather than put away their cell phones for a
week, results released Tuesday of the survey by GFK Roper showed.
Respondents also said they'd rather give up television for a week,
33.1 percent; survive on bread and water, 11.5 percent; even have
their teeth drilled by a dentist, 14.5 percent, than do without their
mobile phone." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/klabjt
-----
15) UK: Last rites for ID cards
Independent [UK]
"Britons will no longer be required to register for identity cards,
says Home Secretary. The Home Secretary Alan Johnson killed off the
Government's cherished compulsory identity cards scheme last night,
promising that British citizens would never be forced to sign up for
them. Critics urged the Government to retreat further and scrap its
flagship £5bn policy outright." (07/01/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l3xrsv
-----
16) UK "yet to embrace space tourism"
BBC News [UK]
"The UK is ill-prepared to exploit the emerging commercial spaceflight
sector, says the president of Virgin Galactic. Will Whitehorn said
Britain lacked the regulatory framework that would help the industry
grow but which would also ensure the necessary safety standards.
Speaking at a space tourism conference in London, he said current
rules would prevent Virgin launches from the UK." (07/01/09)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8126934.stm
-----
17) Gates seeks more "humane" ways to discriminate
ABC News
"On the flight home from a day trip to Europe to attend the EUCOM
change of command ceremony, Defense Secretary Gates made some news
about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law. He told traveling press that
Pentagon lawyers are exploring ways to make the law more flexible
until it's changed, a challenge given that Gates said the law 'is a
very prescriptive law, it doesn't leave a lot to the imagination or a
lot of flexibility.' Gates told reporters that he talked with
President Obama last week about 'how to achieve his objective, which
is changing the policy' and making preparations for it while the
administrations moves forward with asking Congress to change the
law." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/kqap3q
-----
18) CA: Mira Loma man kills home invasion suspect
Inland Empire
"Deputies found a deceased male adult in the street. ... Investigators
learned the victim of the homicide and a female companion had
participated in a home invasion robbery. During the robbery, a
struggle ensued between the suspects and the homeowners. The male
suspect dropped his firearm during the struggle with the homeowner.
The homeowner retrieved the firearm and fatally shot the suspect
during the struggle for the weapon. The suspect attempted to flee the
residence after he was shot, but collapsed in front of the
residence." (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/n3v768
-----
19) NC: Homeowner wounds would-be burgler
Burlington Times
"A homeowner fired a shotgun after two people broke into his home on
N.C. 54 early Monday and hit one of the suspects in the arm. ...The
home owner, John Davis, told authorities that sometime after midnight
he and his girlfriend were awakened by the dog barking. They heard
noises outside the door of the home. When Davis got out of bed to
investigate, the two suspects allegedly shattered the door and entered
the house. 'The victim was then confronted by the suspects as they
proceeded through the kitchen of the residence,' the release states.
'At that point, Mr. Davis had armed himself with a shotgun. As the
suspects advanced toward him, he fired the weapon.' Both suspects left
the home." (06/29/09)
http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/suspects-26262-home-davis.html
-----
20) AZ: Flat tax compromise adds to budget logjam
Arizona Republic
"If Arizona shifted to a flat tax, there would be a seesaw effect on
tax bills: Down for high-income earners but up for some in the middle,
according to an analysis in response to a last-minute policy proposal.
Its effect on the state budget is less clear: Proponents say it should
come close to having a neutral effect, while opponents and even the
state's own tax-collecting agency calculate a hit to state coffers at
$450 million to $1 billion. The flat tax emerged four days ago from
the scrum over how to sell a compromise budget package to the
Legislature. ... The idea is that by permanently shifting to a single
income-tax rate, reluctant conservatives could be wooed into sending a
temporary sales-tax increase favored by Gov. Jan Brewer to the
November ballot." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/lb8q93
-----
21) TN: Restaurateur sues vs. "guns in bars" law
Tennessean
"Nashville restaurateur Randy Rayburn announces that he'll file suit
in Davidson County Chancery Court in an attempt to block the newly
passed state law that allows guns in restaurants that serve alcohol
and in bars. ... (from the press release: 'Rayburn, owner of the
Sunset Grill, Midtown Cafe and Cabana, along with 9 others is suing
the State of Tennessee (Attorney General as defendant) ... The suit is
asking for a temporary restraining order and temporary and permanent
injunction to stop the law from taking effect on July
14th.)'" [editor's note: Let's review now ... This fool wants to
prevent non-drinking patrons (who have BTW abided with the law by
getting permits for their firearms, and then agreeing not to indulge
while carrying) ... from mingling with his customers, drinking and
otherwise ... for fear that THEY might cause trouble (rather than
helping to stop it, should some NON-law-abiding scumbag decide to rob
or otherwise harrass the place?) - SAT] [additional editor's note: If
he was suing only to exempt his own restaurants as a matter of
property rights, that would be one thing; this guy wants to control
his competitors, too! - TLK] (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l6mtck
-----
22) Canada sees private healthcare boom
Fox News
"Private for-profit clinics are a booming business in Canada -- a
country often touted as a successful example of a universal health
system. Facing long waits and substandard care, private clinics are
proving that Canadians are willing to pay for treatment. 'Any wait
time was an enormous frustration for me and also pain. I just couldn't
live my life the way I wanted to,' says Canadian patient Christine
Crossman, who was told she could wait up to a year for an MRI after
injuring her hip during an exercise class. Warned she would have to
wait for the scan, and then wait even longer for surgery, Crossman
opted for a private clinic." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ks7qsy
-----
23) FDA panel warns about Tylenol overdose
Associated Press
"Government experts say the maximum dose listed for Tylenol and dozens
of other painkillers should be reduced to help curb deadly overdoses.
In a series of votes Tuesday, a Food and Drug Administration panel
endorsed lowering the maximum dose of over-the-counter acetaminophen
-- the key ingredient in Tylenol, Excedrin and other medications.
Acetaminophen is one of the most widely used drugs in the U.S. Many
patients find it easier on the stomach than other painkillers like
ibuprofen and aspirin, which can cause ulcers. But despite years of
educational campaigns and other federal actions, acetaminophen remains
the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S., sending 56,000 people
to the emergency room annually, according to the FDA." [editor's note:
Once more the FDA shows how wondrously competent it is in regulating
our choices. Vioxx, Celebrex, Avandia, and so many others ... and now
Tylenol is dangerous? - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529578,00.html
-----
24) OR: House votes to legalize hemp cultivation
Raw Story
"Oregon's House of Representatives voted Monday night to legalize the
cultivation of hemp, becoming the sixth state to do so just this year.
Oregon's Senate voted 27 to 2 in favor of the new law last week.
Monday's 46 to 11 House vote means that the measure will become law,
barring an unlikely veto by Governor Ted Kulongoski. The move is part
of a rapidly growing nationwide trend to liberalize laws relating to
marijuana. Hemp is a botanical cousin of marijuana, traditionally used
to make clothing, rope and other durable fiber goods." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l62rsq
-----
25) Russia/Georgia border: War games or prelude to war?
Christian Science Monitor
"Both Russia and Georgia claim to fear a fresh attack from the other.
That's why, each insists, they're staging war games and building up
military forces to levels unseen since last August's brief but brutal
war over the breakaway Georgian territory of South Ossetia. Some
experts suggest the Russians may be testing President Barack Obama,
who arrives in Moscow on Monday, the very day Russia's current
military mobilization is scheduled to end. Together with its new
allies South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Moscow is this week holding its
biggest post-Soviet army maneuvers amid the tense, mountainous
borderlands where last summer's war raged. Georgia has denounced the
Kavkaz-2009 games, which feature 8,500 troops and 200 tanks, as 'pure
provocation' and a possible prelude to renewed
hostilities." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/n44thy
*******************************************************************
* HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 07/01/09
*
* Reported Civilian Deaths in Iraq: Min - 92,435 ... Max - 100,911
* (source: www.iraqbodycount.org)
*
* American Military Deaths in Iraq: 4,323
* (source: www.antiwar.com/casualties/)
*******************************************************************
****************************
* Everybody Has An Opinion
****************************
26) Pretty hate machine
KN@PPSTER
by Thomas L. Knapp
"My first step toward Palin hate was the realization that she is not
(the assurances of people in that crowd, assurances I had made a
little blogosphere bank on notwithstanding), repeat not a 'libertarian
Republican' in any meaningful sense of the word. I have to take the
hit for that one. I fell for the hype of a known hypester there.
Beyond that early error on my part, though, it's all on her. Vice-
presidential nomination in hand, she proceeded toward every iceberg in
sight at flank speed, almost immediately making Tina Fey's impressions
of her superfluous. Her public rallies looked like some kind of mutant
offspring of the 700 Club and heyday-era Jerry Springer." (06/30/09)
http://knappster.blogspot.com/2009/06/pretty-hate-machine.html
-----
27) History haunts Honduras
AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo
"So what's the real story? Is the Honduran military destroying
democracy, as its critics claim, or saving it, as its mostly foreign
cheerleaders would have it? With both sides posturing as defenders of
liberal democracy, it's hard for anyone not immersed in Honduran
politics and history to come up with a halfway convincing answer. As
always, American commentators barge into these matters without any
real knowledge of the context in which they occur -- so let's educate
ourselves, first, and then take a position. (Gee, what a
novelty!)" (07/01/09)
http://tinyurl.com/lvjoon
-----
28) ABC: The Administration for Brain Control
Dallas Libertarian Examiner
by Garry Reed
"ABC Television, formerly known as the American Broadcasting Company,
has undergone rebranding and will henceforth be called the
Administration for Brain Control. This comes as a result of the
network's news department, having openly and explicitly jettisoned all
pretense of objectivity and neutrality, decided to throw in with the
Obama administration and voluntarily act as the Joseph Goebbels
Memorial Ministry of Propaganda." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ljo5oh
-----
29) Truncated "liberty"
Tibor's Space
by Tibor R. Machan
"Some people seem to believe that when they aren't being directly
oppressed, meddled with, intruded upon, interfered with and so on,
they are then free. Americans often have this conception of being free
because their various governments often leave them be. Only 40 percent
of their resources is being taxed! Their bars can be open until 1 AM
or even later in some places. Blue laws apply only here and there, on
certain days. So, hurray, we are free! And compared to people in many
regions of the globe and to most eras of human history it is
understandable that such relatively irregular forms of subjugation are
misunderstood as forms of liberty. And maybe one ought to count one's
blessings, given all this. Yet, it is very hazardous to mistake the
permissiveness of some governments -- of those who hold but may not
always exercise legally backed power -- for genuine
liberty." (06/30/09)
http://tibikem.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!B2FD693F4B9A5746!971.entry
-----
30) Vietnamization in Iraq
The Libertarian Enterprise
by Jim Davidson
"The retreat from the cities has begun, according to CNN. Their
reporter on the scene in Iraq did not use the term 'withdrawal' or
'strategic retrograde motion,' but 'retreat.' ... We are not
encountering the first USA military occupation of a foreign country
that has become completely unworkable financially and militarily.
Another example would be Vietnam." (06/29/09)
http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2009/tle525-20090628-03.html
-----
31) Packing and the friendly skies
LewRockwell.Com
by Deviant Ollum
"In 2002, privacy activist John Gilmore gained national press
attention when he attempted to fly to Washington, DC without showing
identification in the airport. It didn't go well. He was prevented
from boarding his aircraft, denied passage to our nation's capital,
and ultimately prevented from having a meeting with one of his
Congressional representatives. Thus, in one instance, this successful
businessman and noted critic of bureaucratic interference was denied
the full extent of protections afforded to him under the 1st and 4th
Amendments to our Constitution. In 2007, I began attempting to fly to
various destinations while in possession of firearms. I have faired
[sic] rather better than Mr. Gilmore in terms of my encounters with
government functionaries and am pleased to say that while many of our
freedoms have suffered unconscionable assaults in recent history, the
right to keep and bear arms has proven rather resilient ... even when
exercised in an environment that most people incorrectly consider to
be the pinnacle of a 'gun free' zone." (07/01/09)
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig10/ollam1.html
-----
32) What if you turned on your light switch, and nothing happened?
Vin Suprynowicz
by Vin Suprynowicz
"Do the forces now in charge of our energy future prefer that the
American economy continue to grow based on the exploitation of
plentiful and less expensive coal and other fossil fuels -- or by
rapidly bringing on line new reactors to exploit plentiful and less
expensive nuclear fuel -- or, finally, by replacing those older power
sources with wind, solar, and other 'renewable' sources, regardless of
the cost? Based on developments here in the Southwest last week, the
answer would appear to be ... that it was trick question, to begin
with. Those in charge today have no intention of providing the
foundering American economy with the new energy resources it needs to
resume growing, at all." (06/28/09)
http://www.vinsuprynowicz.com/?p=260
-----
33) Obama's statist ambitions
Cato Institute
by Gene Healy
"'I am a firm believer in the power of the free market,' President
Obama told the Wall Street Journal recently. The 'irony' surrounding
his public image as a collectivist, the president insisted, was that
'I actually would like to see a relatively light touch when it comes
to the government.' Either Obama is as confused about the definition
of irony as pop singer Alanis 'rain on your wedding day' Morrisette,
or he was being disingenuous. Given the president's ambitious, state-
bloating agenda and longtime disdain for free enterprise, the latter
is more likely the case." (06/30/09)
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10321
-----
34) Watch lists, guns and government
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
by Bob Barr
"The secret government 'Terrorist Watch List,' reportedly already
swelled to more than 1.1 million names, will have an addendum, if gun
control advocates in Congress have their way. This new addendum --
also to be cloaked in secrecy -- would empower the U.S. Attorney
General to deny a person the ability to exercise their Second
Amendment rights to purchase a firearm. While it is not surprising
that some members of Congress are again using fear of terrorism to
implement a gun-control agenda, the openly unconstitutional
legislative language proponents are employing is
troubling." (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mmmvps
-----
35) Health care for idiots
Fairfield County Weekly
by Phil Maymin
"Last week, President Barack Obama tried to sell us on his plan for
fixing health care. The problem, as he sees it, is that the cost of
health care is high and getting higher. Only by some sort of
government action can we stop the costs from spiraling out of control.
He explained that his plan does not mean the government will run all
health care, but merely that people will have one more choice, a
public option, in addition to the private choices they will continue
to have. Obama frames the choice as trying to find the blessed middle
ground between 'socialized medicine' and 'a completely free market
system' (his words). He proposes we develop something 'uniquely
American.' We know what 'uniquely American' is. It's the collusion of
corporations and government." (for publication 07/02/09)
http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=13599
-----
36) China creates an Internet albatross
Asia Times
by Sreeram Chaulia
"Given Beijing's paranoia over Internet access and this year's
sensitive anniversaries, many feel China's pressure on Google to block
access to pornography is a pretext to gag political dissent. For
Google, China is a huge growth market with strong local competitors,
so it had little choice." (06/30/09)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KG01Ad02.html
-----
37) Iraq: What we leave as we withdraw
Common Dreams
by Jodie Foster
"Not long after the statue of Saddam fell in Firdos Square, several
CODEPINK women and I returned to Iraq. We'd first visited in February
during the time Bush proclaimed, 'The game is over' and announced his
plans for 'shock and awe.' We'd learned then how much Iraqis loved
Americans and did not want our disrupting their country; they asked us
to let them deal with Saddam because the change had to come from
within or it could be a disaster. We fell in love with Iraq and felt
totally safe there, taking cabs in the wee hours of the morning,
walking at 2 a.m. on the Tigress and driving to many parts of the
country. Returning a few months later, however, we found the country
devastated." (06/30/09)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/30-3
-----
38) Israeli doctors collude in torture
CounterPunch
by Jonathan Cook
"Israel's watchdog body on medical ethics has failed to investigate
evidence that doctors working in detention facilities are turning a
blind eye to cases of torture, so Israeli human rights groups
charge.The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) has ignored repeated
requests to examine such evidence, the rights groups say, even though
it has been presented with examples of Israeli doctors who have broken
their legal and ethical duty towards Palestinians in their
care." (06/30/09)
http://counterpunch.org/cook06302009.html
-----
39) Is a college degree worthless?
Money Central
by Jack Hough
"The four-year college degree has come to cost too much and prove too
little. It's now a bad deal for the average student, family, employer,
professor and taxpayer. ... Worst of all, bright citizens spend their
lives not knowing the things they ought to know, because they've been
granted liberal-arts degrees for something far short of a liberal-arts
education.I'm not arguing against higher learning but for it -- and
against the degree system that stands in its way." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/m9yvfs
-----
40) Five pathetic groups that people think rule the world
Cracked
by Fernando Espino
"Oh, look, they made another Dan Brown movie at some point. Angels &
Demons deals with the deep dark secret organization, The Illuminati,
and their attempts to control the world, which means you're probably
going to be hearing a lot about that in the next few months on
certain, paranoid websites. Yes, wide-ranging conspiracy theories
aren't limited to pulp novels reenacted by a terrible Tom Hanks
haircut. YouTube and Digg comments and countless blogs are full of
people ranting about the secret elite who are out to enslave all of
us. They have a lot of reasons for believing the following groups are
the guilty parties behind everything wrong with the world, and most of
those reasons are very, very retarded." (06/28/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mvqlc6
-----
41) Inside the executive washroom
Liberty For All
by Kevin Tuma
Cartoon. (06/30/09)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=2781
-----
42) Inflation: What you see and what you don't see
Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Thorsten Polleit
"In an attempt to fight the international credit market turmoil and
its effects on economic activity and overall prices, the US Federal
Reserve (Fed) keeps increasing the supply of base money -- which is
cash in circulation and commercial banks' money balances held with the
Fed. From August 2008 to May 2009, the monetary base in the United
States more than doubled. The bulk of the expansion reflects an
unprecedented rise in banks' excess reserves -- that is, banks' base
money which is available for additional credit and money
creation." (06/30/09)
http://mises.org/story/3522
-----
43) Guantanamo: Charge or release prisoners
Future of Freedom Foundation
by Andy Worthington
"So what's happening now? According to a joint Washington Post/
ProPublica article on Friday, 'The Obama administration, fearing a
battle with Congress that could stall plans to close Guantanamo, has
drafted an executive order that would reassert presidential authority
to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely,' according to 'three
senior government officials.' The administration moved swiftly to
refute the story, with the Justice Department maintaining that it
would not comment on specific plans until after July 21, when the
administration's inter-departmental Guantanamo Task Force is scheduled
to complete its review of all the Guantanamo cases, and an unnamed
official telling AFP that 'no such draft order existed, though
internal deliberations were taking place on how to deal with those
inmates who could not be released or tried in civilian
courts.'" (06/30/09)
http://www.fff.org/comment/com0906m.asp
-----
44) Obamacare: Do or die for America
Hawaii Reporter
by Christopher G. Adamo
"With so much coverage of the current debate on Barack Obama's attempt
to impose nationalized healthcare on America, it may seem that little
else can be said on the subject. Yet it needs to be discussed, and its
manifold dangers explained to the American people. It is impossible to
overstate the significance of this battle. If successful in
establishing this pinnacle of his socialist agenda, Obama will unleash
a 'change' on the country from which it may never recover. Clearly, he
is aware of the governmental power he has the potential to accrue with
the passage of this single atrocious new entitlement." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/krrboy
-----
45) Alice in Healthcareland
Freedom Politics
by Thomas Sowell
"Most political and media discussions of medical care have an air of
unreality reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. There is an abundance of
catch-phrases but remarkably few coherent arguments. Let's start at
square one. Why is there alarm about American medical care? The most
usual reason given is because its cost is high and rising. That is
certainly true." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mqso55
-----
46) Why the Madoff sentence is too long
Competitive Enterprise Institute
by Eli Lehrer
"Bernard Madoff is an evil con man. He should spend the nearly all the
rest of his miserable life in prison. But the 150-year sentence he
received is too long. In fact, the something close to 12-year sentence
his defense attorney recommended is pretty reasonable. Let's begin
with the basics. Penologists typically see three purposes for putting
people in prison: Protection of society, deterrence, and punishment.
Putting Madoff in prison, of course, does nothing to protect
society." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ln7lrb
-----
47) Real ID: A real warning on the danger of government
Campaign For Liberty
by James Bovard
"The REAL ID Act may be on the verge of receiving its final coffin
nails. Unfortunately, the Obama administration is pushing a
replacement bill that poses many of the same threats as REAL ID. The
history of REAL ID should inspire friends of freedom to once again
vigorously oppose any and every federal grab for their personal
information. The feds had sought legislation to create national ID
cards in the 1990s but were rebuffed by a Republican
Congress." (06/30/09)
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=125
-----
48) Undiversity
Adam Smith Institute
by Steve Bettison
"'Hang tradition.' In this modern climate where we all assumed to
share the mental capacity of a five-year old, the modern approach to
England's rich and varied cultural heritage is one where children, and
indeed the parents, are in need of protection. Having to explain
something to a child that the state hasn't sanctioned, or placed in
the curriculum, is tremendously tiresome. As the children of a primary
school in Kent found out when part of their 'cultural' event that
looked to bring a 'diverse and fragile' community together was
cancelled after the staff discovered that some Morris dancers
'blacked' their faces." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nkgj6q
-----
49) Groupthink as a political mental illness, part 2
Last Free Voice
by Rhys M. Blavier
"An awareness of what groupthink is, by political scientist, political
analysts and commentators, and by ethical political leaders might help
them to, if not prevent, then to make the public aware of occurrences
of groupthink within political parties and ideologies, as well as in
our various branches and levels of government. Those who actively work
to prevent or publicize groupthink and groupthink tendencies within
their spheres of influence, interest or study might also find our
political world becoming more responsive to the average citizens, as a
result." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l4qb3d
-----
50) The Ricci ruling's real message
Christian Science Monitor
by staff
"America's unsettled debate over race has too often been conducted
between judges writing alone in their chambers rather than in open
forums by the public or their elected representatives. That was true
again in a ruling on Monday by the Supreme Court that will set back
the use of race in employment decisions. In a case known as Ricci, the
justices revealed their heated arguments in separate opinions that
went beyond mere legal precedent and the Constitution. ... The days of
using quotas to fix the effects of past discrimination are over. And
more states are banning official use of race in hiring and school
admissions. With the election of an African-American as president, the
politics of race that is aimed at boosting diversity or widening
benefits specifically for minorities now faces an uphill
battle." (06/30/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0630/p08s01-comv.html
-----
51) Progressive blind spots
In These Times
by Ken Brociner
"Since its formation in 1997, the Campaign for America's Future (CAF)
has been one of the progressive movement's least heralded but most
essential organizations. Best known for its annual 'Take Back America'
conference, CAF has also been a key catalyst in the growth of the
movement's extensive infrastructure of grassroots organizations,
single-issue coalitions, think tanks, media watchdog groups and
polling firms. With Barack Obama in the White House and strong
Democratic majorities in both branches of Congress, CAF changed the
name of this year's conference (held in Washington D.C. in early June)
to 'America's Future Now.' ... The new conference name only heightened
my unease. After all, are progressives only supposed to be concerned
with America's future? What about the rest of the world?" (06/30/09)
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4526/progressive_blind_spots/
-----
52) Exploring yin and yang
Sunni and the Conspirators
by Sunni Maravillosa
"I've been thinking a lot about these concepts, especially since I
have adopted a modified yin–yang symbol as my avatar on a couple of
fora. In particular, I've mused over how to classify ideas and things
in my life into this duality; it's been an interesting exercise. It is
by no means complete, but I offer a few of my observations for your
amusement/consideration, and welcome any interested individuals to
play along, either in the comments here or on one's own blog. In the
latter case, please drop a link here so we can find your
thoughts." (06/30/09)
http://www.sunnimaravillosa.com/node/1663
-----
53) Ain't his money
Liberty & Power
by CJ Maloney
"In a perfect world, Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass) would not be
able to throw his weight around the financial markets, but an
imperfect world is the only one we know. So, therefore, I have to
listen to Barney Frank's ignorant blubbering almost every day on CNBC,
which insists on interviewing him despite his complete lack of any
knowledge concerning markets or economics." [editor's note: Last year
was supposedly a pretty bad year to play market ... but Barney Frank
pulled down a $42k profit on his $986k portfolio. Maybe he knows more
about markets and economics than Maloney thinks - TLK] (06/30/09)
http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/95682.html
-----
54) Recession depression
The American Prospect
by Dana Goldstein
"You can't always get what you want. Especially in a recession.
Unfortunately, Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, network television
correspondents on a nationwide book tour and media blitz, haven't
gotten the memo. In their book, Womenomics, Kay and Shipman tell women
that all they need to do to fulfill their work-life balance dreams is,
well, ask. Want to work three days a week instead of five? Just ask.
Want to work from home? Just ask. Need to walk your dog every day at
5:15? Heck, march right into you boss' office and tell him it's
nonnegotiable! ... [T]he authors advise, 'Your company needs you more
than you realize and quite possibly more than you need them.' But as
the national unemployment rate inches toward the double digits, is
that true?" [editor's note: As usual. it depends on your perspective;
if you view getting laid off (from a job you only tolerated) as a
golden chance to start something new, or renegotiate a better deal
where you are ... it's not a barrier but an opening! - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=recession_depression
-----
55) Is ObamaCare the end of Roe v. Wade?
The American Spectator
by Jeffrey Lord
"Quite aside from the political acrimony the Roe decision has
generated from the day it was issued, the hot debate over President
Obama's health care proposal alters the abortion debate in a fashion
quite unintended. If passed, ObamaCare could instantly set up a legal
confrontation between the principle behind President's health care
system -- and the principle undergirding Roe v. Wade. Which in turn
would launch a political battle royal between proponents of government
health care and abortion rights." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mbcde6
-----
56) Privatizing fire protection
Boston Globe
by Peter Funt
"Californians are bracing for another dangerously dry season, with
high temperatures and increased risk of fire. Nationwide, there have
already been over 41,000 wildfires this year -- 10,000 more than the
10-year average. And as fire danger climbs here in the West, fire
protection is gradually being added to the list of essential services
for which the rich are better off than their less fortunate
neighbors. ... Privatization of fire protection, especially in the
Western United States, has emerged in several forms. In some
instances, private contractors are hired by state and local government
to deal with extreme fire emergencies. The National Wildfire
Suppression Association, formed in 1991, represents over 150 private
firms that employ firefighters and equipment to assist locally on an
'as needed' basis." [editor's note: And this scribbler is utterly
aghast at the possibility that "privatization" might actually improve
the coverage for fire-protection (hint: He's afraid public funding
will go down ...) - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ng8nw8
-----
57) Tax oppression and Sweden's dirty little secret
Classically Liberal
by CLS
"Consider the relative positioning of the United States to the so-
called 'third way' nations of Scandinavia. It has pretty much always
been a myth that the Scandinavian nations are the most tax oppressive.
It really depends on who you are there. Business itself is not so
highly taxed, but individuals are. I shall explain why shortly. But
the US ranks as more tax oppressive than Denmark, Sweden, Finland and
Norway. There is an assumption that the welfare states of Scandinavia
were high-tax regimes which tried to redistribute wealth from rich
businessmen to the average person. This is not the case at
all." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/meh5so
-----
58) The Supreme Court nominee who can't write
The Price of Liberty
by Carey Roberts
"Supreme Court opinions are words for the generations that can affect
the lives and welfare of millions. No one doubts that Supreme Court
nominee Sonia Sotomayor has a compelling life story. But more to the
point, we need to inquire about her aptitude to draft thoughtfully-
reasoned, well-crafted legal opinions. On this count, there is reason
for worry. Sotomayor herself has admitted, 'Writing remains a
challenge for me even today ... I am not a natural writer.' Reporter
Stephanie Mencimer has characterized Sotomayor's legal opinions as
'good punishment for law students who show up late for class.' A
cursory pass of Sotomayor's writings reveals them to be clumsy to the
point of being impenetrable." (06/29/09)
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/09/06/29/roberts.html
-----
59) Reckoning with Ricci
National Review
by the editors
"Today's ruling clarifies that the mere fear of being sued will not
justify an employer's intentional discrimination unless there is a
'strong basis in evidence' to believe the employer will be liable
under disparate-impact discrimination principles. But it won't make
such lawsuits much less frequent or less prohibitively expensive. And
for many of these suits, it won't make resolution any easier. It may
be straightforward enough when, as in Ricci, an employer appears to be
citing disparate-impact concerns as a pretext to avoid provoking a
powerful political constituency. But in other cases, the employer will
not be acting pretextually -- he will be motivated to take race-
conscious remedial action because he fears, in good faith, being found
liable." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nlllss
-----
60) Iraq: Another of its famous turning points?
Truthdig
by Marie Cocco
"As the media trumpets sound for the pullback of American troops from
urban areas in Iraq, the essential lesson of our involvement must be
recalled: Nothing about our entanglement in Iraq has ever been as it
seemed. We did not invade because Saddam Hussein was behind the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as Bush administration officials
repeatedly suggested, or even because Iraq threatened the United
States with stores of chemical and biological weapons. The 2005 Iraqi
election symbolized with images of purple ink stains on voters'
fingertips ... did not result in a flourishing democracy or an end to
the U.S. military occupation. The bloody insurgency intensified and
Bush belatedly deployed additional troops to quell it." (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nkxo74
-----
61) Private contractors still lack adequate supervision
Cato Institute
by David Isenberg
"The Army's acquisition work force is not adequately staffed, trained,
structured or empowered to meet the needs of the 21st-century deployed
war fighter. Notwithstanding a sevenfold workload increase and greater
complexity of contracting, the institutional Army is not supporting
this key capability. There are nearly as many contractor personnel in
the Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan theaters as there are U.S. military,
yet the operational Army does not recognize the impact of contracting
and contractors in expeditionary operations and on mission success. If
there has been one constant in the use of private military contractors
over the years, predating the U.S. invasion of Iraq, it is that
government oversight is woefully inadequate." (06/29/09)
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10319
-----
62) New boss, same as the old boss, chapter 26
Disloyal Opposition
by JD Tuccille
"President Barack Obama is actively considering issuing an executive
order authorizing the continued, indefinite detention of terrorism
suspects, without trial, according to the Washington Post and Pro
Publica. The news is widely being treated as a shocking about-face for
a president who has criticized his predecessor's harsh tactics in
dealing with alleged terrorists. But for anybody paying attention,
this is just one more step along a path the president has has already
traveled, with indefinite detention hinted at in a May speech and even
championed by the Obama administration in legal papers filed in
March." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/lfdl44
-----
63) Energy Leninism
Reason
by Ronald Bailey
"'The worse, the better,' Vladimir Lenin is said to have observed.
What Lenin meant was that the worse social conditions became in
Russia, the more likely he and the Bolsheviks could foment a communist
revolution. President Barack Obama's White House Chief of Staff Rahm
Emanuel recently updated Lenin's maxim, saying, 'Never allow a crisis
to go to waste.' Last Friday, the Democratic leadership in the House
of Representatives took those maxims to heart when they pushed through
their 1,200-page American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act by a
vote [of] 219 to 212. The bill is supposed to address the twin crises
of economic recession and climate change by creating millions of new
'green' jobs. Instead of an old-fashioned Soviet-style five-year plan,
ACES can be thought of as 50-year plan to radically transform how
Americans produce and use energy." (06/30/09)
http://reason.com/news/show/134443.html
-----
64) Flat spin
The Weekly Standard
by Reuben F. Johnson
"The biennial Salon International de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace,
Paris-Le Bourget -- otherwise known as the Paris Air Show -- is the
largest aerospace exposition of its kind in the world. The shadow of a
global economic downturn that has impacted only the automotive sector
to a degree worse than it has the aerospace industry gave this year's
48th biennial event one of the more subdued atmospheres in the past
two decades. Le Bourget 2009 should have been festive event as it
passed a major milestone in its history -- it has been 100 years since
the first Paris aerospace salon. But beyond the t-shirts, baseball
caps, etc. that marked the occasion there were few signs of
celebration." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l4pw5n
-----
65) Senator Al Franken
The Nation
by John Nichols
"The last barrier to Al Franken's election as U.S. Senator from
Minnesota crumbled Tuesday, as Republican incumbent Norm Coleman
finally conceded the contest. Coleman's concession came after the
Minnesota Supreme Court confirmed what everyone pretty much knew: The
voters chose Franken, the Democratic Farmer Labor Party candidate over
Coleman in last fall's U.S. Senate election. While the election result
was close, the court's decision was not. ... Under Minnesota law, the
court's decision gave Franken the right to occupy the seat that a
series of recounts and official reviews confirmed was won by the
satirist with a narrow but steady margin that ultimately expanded to
312 votes." [editor's note: And so "the Al Franken decade" commences
for real? B-R-R-R-R! - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nupe7b
*******************************************************************
* RRND MEDIA SHELF -- Tchotchkes from today's edition
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* See No Evil, Hear No Evil
*****************************
66) Dan Proft on Freedom Rings Radio, 07/06/09
Freedom Rings Radio
Dan Proft discusses his 2010 campaign for governor of Illinois with
host Kenneth John. 9-10am Central on WRMN 1410 AM, Elgin, IL or live
on the web. [live radio or stream] (07/06/09)
http://freedomrings.net/
-----
67) Free Talk Live, 06/30/09
Free Talk Live
"Renouncing Citizenship / Porcfest 2010 / Direct Knife Sales Scam? /
Walter Block / Dire Situations and Morals / CA Issuing IOUs / Big Box
Boycotts? / Teen Girls Paid for Avoiding Pregnancy." [MP3] (06/30/09)
http://media.libsyn.com/media/ftl/FTL2009-06-30.mp3
-----
68) Motorhome Diaries interview: Ian Freeman
Motorhome Diaries
"Last week the crew of the Motorhome Diaries was in New Hampshire to
visit our friends in Keene and to attend the 2009 Porcupine Freedom
Festival. While in Keene I was able to talk to Ian Freeman of Free
Talk Live, which bills itself as 100% Pro-Liberty Talk Radio." [Flash
video]
http://motorhomediaries.com/ianfreeman/
-----
69) "No Guns for Negroes"
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
"'No Guns for Negroes' exposes the racist history of American gun
control laws." [Flash video] (06/30/09)
http://www.jpfo.org/filegen-n-z/ngn-download-view.htm
-----
70) Cato Daily Podcast, 06/30/09
Cato Institute
"Hate crime laws are hater-aid," featuring David Rittgers. [MP3]
(06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/cato063009
*************************************
* What's Up In The Freedom Movement
*************************************
71) 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/
***********
* WaYbAcK
***********
72) Lincoln's new tax
Details, and the "quote of the day," from Leon's Political Almanac at:
http://perspicuity.net/cgi/hypercal.cgi
* RATIONAL REVIEW NEWS DIGEST
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* Volume VI, Issue #1,692
* Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
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In The News:
0) RRND/FND mid-year subscription drive
1) MN: Franken wins Senate race; Coleman concedes
2) Iran: Six Mousavi supporters reportedly hanged
3) Iraq: 40 killed, 97 wounded
4) Afghanistan: 40 killed in latest fighting
5) Detainees from 20+ nations still at Gitmo
6) Germany: High court delays Lisbon ratification
7) Firefox 3.5 downloads surpass 2 million within hours
8) North Korean ship changes course
9) Afghanistan: Stalemate in Afghan town shows task ahead
10) CA: Judge favors trial soon on marriage ban
11) Senate to hold hearing on college football's BCS
12) US resumes Pakistan drone flights
13) TN: Cities rush to ban guns in local parks
14) Survey: People hate to give up their phone
15) UK: Last rites for ID cards
16) UK "yet to embrace space tourism"
17) Gates seeks more "humane" ways to discriminate
18) CA: Mira Loma man kills home invasion suspect
19) NC: Homeowner wounds would-be burgler
20) AZ: Flat tax compromise adds to budget logjam
21) TN: Restaurateur sues vs. "guns in bars" law
22) Canada sees private healthcare boom
23) FDA panel warns about Tylenol overdose
24) OR: House votes to legalize hemp cultivation
25) Russia/Georgia border: War games or prelude to war?
Everybody Has An Opinion:
26) Pretty hate machine
27) History haunts Honduras
28) ABC: The Administration for Brain Control
29) Truncated "liberty"
30) Vietnamization in Iraq
31) Packing and the friendly skies
32) What if you turned on your light switch, and nothing happened?
33) Obama's statist ambitions
34) Watch lists, guns and government
35) Health care for idiots
36) China creates an Internet albatross
37) Iraq: What we leave as we withdraw
38) Israeli doctors collude in torture
39) Is a college degree worthless?
40) Five pathetic groups that people think rule the world
41) Inside the executive washroom
42) Inflation: What you see and what you don't see
43) Guantanamo: Charge or release prisoners
44) Obamacare: Do or die for America
45) Alice in Healthcareland
46) Why the Madoff sentence is too long
47) Real ID: A real warning on the danger of government
48) Undiversity
49) Groupthink as a political mental illness, part 2
50) The Ricci ruling's real message
51) Progressive blind spots
52) Exploring yin and yang
53) Ain't his money
54) Recession depression
55) Is ObamaCare the end of Roe v. Wade?
56) Privatizing fire protection
57) Tax oppression and Sweden's dirty little secret
58) The Supreme Court nominee who can't write
59) Reckoning with Ricci
60) Iraq: Another of its famous turning points?
61) Private contractors still lack adequate supervision
62) New boss, same as the old boss, chapter 26
63) Energy Leninism
64) Flat spin
65) Senator Al Franken
See No Evil, Hear No Evil:
66) Dan Proft on Freedom Rings Radio, 07/06/09
67) Free Talk Live, 06/30/09
68) Motorhome Diaries interview: Ian Freeman
69) "No Guns for Negroes"
70) Cato Daily Podcast, 06/30/09
What's Up In The Freedom Movement:
71) Today's events
WaYbAcK:
72) Lincoln's new tax
***************
* In The News
***************
0) RRND/FND mid-year subscription drive
Update, 07/01/09: Thanks to HW, who became final new subscribing
contributor to sign on during this drive! HW's $5/month commitment
brings our total recurring revenues to $412.50 against our goal of
$2000 (I've been accidentally misreporting our numbers $5 to the low
side for several days, and just caught it on the wrap-up).
This drive is now OVER, which means you'll stop seeing daily updates,
etc. Thanks to everyone who supports the freedom movement's daily
newspaper!
Here's what comes next:
- Because we didn't reach our goal of $2000 per month in recurring
revenues, we'll continue to run lower-impact monthly fundraisers in an
attempt to make up the difference between what's coming in and what
we're trying to bring in. Our July goal is $1587. You can see our
progress (and click through to help) at rationalreview.chipin.com.
- We'll also be focusing on how increasing advertising revenues. This
may mean that you see more ads, or that those ads are more prominently
placed. Once we get those ad revenues up to $100 per month, we'll
start reducing our fundraising goals by the previous month's ad
revenues.
Thanks again to all of you who continue to support RRND/FND! - TLK
http://www.rationalreview.com/content/64484
-----
1) MN: Franken wins Senate race; Coleman concedes
La Crosse Tribune
"Al Franken ascended Tuesday from the ranks of former 'Saturday Night
Live' comedians to an even more exclusive club, outlasting Republican
Norm Coleman in an eight-month recount and courtroom saga to win a
seat in the U.S. Senate. Franken's victory gives Democrats control of
60 seats in the Senate -- the critical number needed to overcome
Republican filibusters. When Franken is seated, which could come as
early as next week, his party will have a majority not reached on
either side of the aisle in some three decades." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nhljjb
-----
2) Iran: Six Mousavi supporters reportedly hanged
Jerusalem Post [Israel]
"As the Iranian authorities warned the opposition on Tuesday that they
would tolerate no further protests over the disputed June 12
presidential elections, a report emerged of the hangings of six
supporters of defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. Speaking after
Iran's top legislative body upheld the election victory of incumbent
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, sources in Iran told this reporter in a telephone
interview that the hangings took place in the holy city of Mashhad on
Monday. There was no independent confirmation of the report. On
Monday, witnesses said thousands of policemen and Basij militiamen
carrying batons were deployed in Teheran's main squares to prevent any
recurrence of the opposition protests. Drivers who so much as shouted
'Allahu Akbar' or beeped their horns had their windows smashed by the
Basiji and riot police." (07/01/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ldfvn7
-----
3) Iraq: 40 killed, 97 wounded
AntiWar.Com
"Today is the deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraqi cities.
Across Iraq, at least 36 Iraqis were killed and 97 more were wounded.
Four U.S. soldiers were killed in a combat incident shortly before
pullout yesterday in Baghdad. ... A car bomb targeting shoppers at a
market in a Kurdish neighborhood in Kirkuk killed at least 33 Iraqis
and wounded 93 more. ... In Mosul, soldiers at a checkpoint killed a
gunman. ... Gunmen killed two people traveling in a civilian vehicle
in Shurqat; one of the victims was an Iraqi serviceman." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nb53u6
-----
4) Afghanistan: 40 killed in latest fighting
Agence France-Presse
"Air strikes and ground battles killed three dozen Taliban and two
civilians while an insurgent suicide bombing on the border claimed two
more lives in Afghanistan, authorities said Tuesday. ... The Taliban-
led insurgency has intensified this year as Afghan and international
troops launch operations to clear them out of hotspots ahead of the
August 20 presidential and provincial council elections." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mvpfju
-----
5) Detainees from 20+ nations still at Gitmo
Agence France-Presse
"Approximately 229 detainees from 'about two dozen countries' are
still held in Guantanamo, according to the latest Pentagon figures,
provided to AFP. Of the remaining detainees, the largest group --
about 100 men -- is from Yemen. The next most represented nationals
are Afghans and Algerians, with about 20 from each country, according
to the US Department of Defense. In addition, the Pentagon said there
are roughly 10 Saudi detainees and 13 Chinese Muslim ethnic Uighurs
left at the detention facility in the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay
in southeastern Cuba. There are between five and 10 detainees each
from Libya, Pakistan, Syria and Tunisia, according to the
figures." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mupnph
-----
6) Germany: High court delays Lisbon ratification
Bloomberg
"Germany's highest court temporarily delayed ratification of the
planned European Union governing treaty, adding a new hitch on the
obstacle-strewn road to strengthening the EU's role on the world
stage. While declaring the Lisbon Treaty in line with Germany's
constitution, the Federal Constitutional Courtordered lawmakers to
modify the national legislation enacting it. Chancellor Angela Merkel
said she expects the law to be in place before German national
elections are held on Sept. 27." (06/30/09)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=a4vodTGzOJiQ
-----
7) Firefox 3.5 downloads surpass 2 million within hours
ComputerWorld
"Mozilla's Firefox 3.5 browser had been downloaded more than 2 million
times by late afternoon, Pacific time, according to a company counter.
The new browser, which was released earlier today, was being
downloaded between 30 and 63 times per second worldwide at about 3:35
p.m. Pacific." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/kowzmq
-----
8) North Korean ship changes course
MSNBC
"A U.S. official says a North Korean ship has turned around and is
headed back the way it came, after being tracked for days by American
vessels on suspicion it was carrying illicit weapons. The official,
who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, says it
is unclear whether the Kang Nam is going back to its home port in
North Korea or diverting elsewhere." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/n5stk5
-----
9) Afghanistan: Stalemate in Afghan town shows task ahead
MSNBC
"U.S. Marines patrol slowly along streets laced with land mines and
lined with abandoned shops, clinics and homes. As night falls over
this Afghan ghost town, the only sounds are the howling of coyotes and
the creaking of tin roofs in the wind. Three years after its residents
fled, the once bustling town of Now Zad is the scene of a stalemate
between a company of newly arrived Marines and a band of Taliban
fighters. The Americans have plenty of firepower. What they don't have
is enough men to hold seized ground." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/my9r7c
-----
10) CA: Judge favors trial soon on marriage ban
Philadelphia Inquirer
"A federal judge wants a trial on California's same-sex marriage ban
to proceed quickly but says he likely won't suspend the voter-approved
ban in the meantime. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Vaughn Walker
said holding a speedy trial on the merits of a lawsuit challenging
Proposition 8 would avoid novel issues that might be raised if he
issued a temporary injunction." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/llcceu
-----
11) Senate to hold hearing on college football's BCS
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The Senate plans to hold a hearing next week looking into antitrust
issues surrounding the Bowl Championship Series. It's the second time
this year that Congress is shining a light on the polarizing system
college football uses to crown its national champion. The hearing will
be held next Tuesday in the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on
antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights, according to a
posting on the committee's Web site." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l7hwna
-----
12) US resumes Pakistan drone flights
CNN
"The U.S. military in recent weeks has resumed flying unmanned
reconnaissance drones over Pakistan's tribal regions to help provide
critical intelligence to Pakistan's security forces, two U.S. military
officials confirmed to CNN Tuesday. The officials would not be
identified because the operation is not being publicly announced due
to security concerns and Pakistan's sensitivity to any involvement
with the U.S. military." (06/30/08)
http://tinyurl.com/nmv7p2
-----
13) TN: Cities rush to ban guns in local parks
WBIR News
"The handgun battle is heading from Capitol Hill to City Hall. Local
governments and advocates for firearms owners are gearing up for a
summer face-off over how far to take a new state law that lets people
with carry permits bring handguns into parks. City councils across
Tennessee ... are moving to reaffirm their bans on handguns in parks
following passage of a new state law. But people opposed to handgun
restrictions are mobilizing to block their efforts. 'I don't think
it's necessarily reasonable to close all of them,' John Harris,
executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association, said of
Metro's plans to keep parks closed to handguns. 'I don't think it's
necessarily reasonable to close any of them.'" (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mtg2ho
-----
14) Survey: People hate to give up their phone
United Press International
"Most Americans would rather give up alcohol for a week than give up
their cell phone for the same time period, a survey conducted for Best
Buy indicated. Nearly 60 percent of respondents said they'd rather
abstain from drinking rather than put away their cell phones for a
week, results released Tuesday of the survey by GFK Roper showed.
Respondents also said they'd rather give up television for a week,
33.1 percent; survive on bread and water, 11.5 percent; even have
their teeth drilled by a dentist, 14.5 percent, than do without their
mobile phone." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/klabjt
-----
15) UK: Last rites for ID cards
Independent [UK]
"Britons will no longer be required to register for identity cards,
says Home Secretary. The Home Secretary Alan Johnson killed off the
Government's cherished compulsory identity cards scheme last night,
promising that British citizens would never be forced to sign up for
them. Critics urged the Government to retreat further and scrap its
flagship £5bn policy outright." (07/01/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l3xrsv
-----
16) UK "yet to embrace space tourism"
BBC News [UK]
"The UK is ill-prepared to exploit the emerging commercial spaceflight
sector, says the president of Virgin Galactic. Will Whitehorn said
Britain lacked the regulatory framework that would help the industry
grow but which would also ensure the necessary safety standards.
Speaking at a space tourism conference in London, he said current
rules would prevent Virgin launches from the UK." (07/01/09)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8126934.stm
-----
17) Gates seeks more "humane" ways to discriminate
ABC News
"On the flight home from a day trip to Europe to attend the EUCOM
change of command ceremony, Defense Secretary Gates made some news
about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law. He told traveling press that
Pentagon lawyers are exploring ways to make the law more flexible
until it's changed, a challenge given that Gates said the law 'is a
very prescriptive law, it doesn't leave a lot to the imagination or a
lot of flexibility.' Gates told reporters that he talked with
President Obama last week about 'how to achieve his objective, which
is changing the policy' and making preparations for it while the
administrations moves forward with asking Congress to change the
law." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/kqap3q
-----
18) CA: Mira Loma man kills home invasion suspect
Inland Empire
"Deputies found a deceased male adult in the street. ... Investigators
learned the victim of the homicide and a female companion had
participated in a home invasion robbery. During the robbery, a
struggle ensued between the suspects and the homeowners. The male
suspect dropped his firearm during the struggle with the homeowner.
The homeowner retrieved the firearm and fatally shot the suspect
during the struggle for the weapon. The suspect attempted to flee the
residence after he was shot, but collapsed in front of the
residence." (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/n3v768
-----
19) NC: Homeowner wounds would-be burgler
Burlington Times
"A homeowner fired a shotgun after two people broke into his home on
N.C. 54 early Monday and hit one of the suspects in the arm. ...The
home owner, John Davis, told authorities that sometime after midnight
he and his girlfriend were awakened by the dog barking. They heard
noises outside the door of the home. When Davis got out of bed to
investigate, the two suspects allegedly shattered the door and entered
the house. 'The victim was then confronted by the suspects as they
proceeded through the kitchen of the residence,' the release states.
'At that point, Mr. Davis had armed himself with a shotgun. As the
suspects advanced toward him, he fired the weapon.' Both suspects left
the home." (06/29/09)
http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/suspects-26262-home-davis.html
-----
20) AZ: Flat tax compromise adds to budget logjam
Arizona Republic
"If Arizona shifted to a flat tax, there would be a seesaw effect on
tax bills: Down for high-income earners but up for some in the middle,
according to an analysis in response to a last-minute policy proposal.
Its effect on the state budget is less clear: Proponents say it should
come close to having a neutral effect, while opponents and even the
state's own tax-collecting agency calculate a hit to state coffers at
$450 million to $1 billion. The flat tax emerged four days ago from
the scrum over how to sell a compromise budget package to the
Legislature. ... The idea is that by permanently shifting to a single
income-tax rate, reluctant conservatives could be wooed into sending a
temporary sales-tax increase favored by Gov. Jan Brewer to the
November ballot." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/lb8q93
-----
21) TN: Restaurateur sues vs. "guns in bars" law
Tennessean
"Nashville restaurateur Randy Rayburn announces that he'll file suit
in Davidson County Chancery Court in an attempt to block the newly
passed state law that allows guns in restaurants that serve alcohol
and in bars. ... (from the press release: 'Rayburn, owner of the
Sunset Grill, Midtown Cafe and Cabana, along with 9 others is suing
the State of Tennessee (Attorney General as defendant) ... The suit is
asking for a temporary restraining order and temporary and permanent
injunction to stop the law from taking effect on July
14th.)'" [editor's note: Let's review now ... This fool wants to
prevent non-drinking patrons (who have BTW abided with the law by
getting permits for their firearms, and then agreeing not to indulge
while carrying) ... from mingling with his customers, drinking and
otherwise ... for fear that THEY might cause trouble (rather than
helping to stop it, should some NON-law-abiding scumbag decide to rob
or otherwise harrass the place?) - SAT] [additional editor's note: If
he was suing only to exempt his own restaurants as a matter of
property rights, that would be one thing; this guy wants to control
his competitors, too! - TLK] (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l6mtck
-----
22) Canada sees private healthcare boom
Fox News
"Private for-profit clinics are a booming business in Canada -- a
country often touted as a successful example of a universal health
system. Facing long waits and substandard care, private clinics are
proving that Canadians are willing to pay for treatment. 'Any wait
time was an enormous frustration for me and also pain. I just couldn't
live my life the way I wanted to,' says Canadian patient Christine
Crossman, who was told she could wait up to a year for an MRI after
injuring her hip during an exercise class. Warned she would have to
wait for the scan, and then wait even longer for surgery, Crossman
opted for a private clinic." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ks7qsy
-----
23) FDA panel warns about Tylenol overdose
Associated Press
"Government experts say the maximum dose listed for Tylenol and dozens
of other painkillers should be reduced to help curb deadly overdoses.
In a series of votes Tuesday, a Food and Drug Administration panel
endorsed lowering the maximum dose of over-the-counter acetaminophen
-- the key ingredient in Tylenol, Excedrin and other medications.
Acetaminophen is one of the most widely used drugs in the U.S. Many
patients find it easier on the stomach than other painkillers like
ibuprofen and aspirin, which can cause ulcers. But despite years of
educational campaigns and other federal actions, acetaminophen remains
the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S., sending 56,000 people
to the emergency room annually, according to the FDA." [editor's note:
Once more the FDA shows how wondrously competent it is in regulating
our choices. Vioxx, Celebrex, Avandia, and so many others ... and now
Tylenol is dangerous? - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529578,00.html
-----
24) OR: House votes to legalize hemp cultivation
Raw Story
"Oregon's House of Representatives voted Monday night to legalize the
cultivation of hemp, becoming the sixth state to do so just this year.
Oregon's Senate voted 27 to 2 in favor of the new law last week.
Monday's 46 to 11 House vote means that the measure will become law,
barring an unlikely veto by Governor Ted Kulongoski. The move is part
of a rapidly growing nationwide trend to liberalize laws relating to
marijuana. Hemp is a botanical cousin of marijuana, traditionally used
to make clothing, rope and other durable fiber goods." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l62rsq
-----
25) Russia/Georgia border: War games or prelude to war?
Christian Science Monitor
"Both Russia and Georgia claim to fear a fresh attack from the other.
That's why, each insists, they're staging war games and building up
military forces to levels unseen since last August's brief but brutal
war over the breakaway Georgian territory of South Ossetia. Some
experts suggest the Russians may be testing President Barack Obama,
who arrives in Moscow on Monday, the very day Russia's current
military mobilization is scheduled to end. Together with its new
allies South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Moscow is this week holding its
biggest post-Soviet army maneuvers amid the tense, mountainous
borderlands where last summer's war raged. Georgia has denounced the
Kavkaz-2009 games, which feature 8,500 troops and 200 tanks, as 'pure
provocation' and a possible prelude to renewed
hostilities." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/n44thy
*******************************************************************
* HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 07/01/09
*
* Reported Civilian Deaths in Iraq: Min - 92,435 ... Max - 100,911
* (source: www.iraqbodycount.org)
*
* American Military Deaths in Iraq: 4,323
* (source: www.antiwar.com/casualties/)
*******************************************************************
****************************
* Everybody Has An Opinion
****************************
26) Pretty hate machine
KN@PPSTER
by Thomas L. Knapp
"My first step toward Palin hate was the realization that she is not
(the assurances of people in that crowd, assurances I had made a
little blogosphere bank on notwithstanding), repeat not a 'libertarian
Republican' in any meaningful sense of the word. I have to take the
hit for that one. I fell for the hype of a known hypester there.
Beyond that early error on my part, though, it's all on her. Vice-
presidential nomination in hand, she proceeded toward every iceberg in
sight at flank speed, almost immediately making Tina Fey's impressions
of her superfluous. Her public rallies looked like some kind of mutant
offspring of the 700 Club and heyday-era Jerry Springer." (06/30/09)
http://knappster.blogspot.com/2009/06/pretty-hate-machine.html
-----
27) History haunts Honduras
AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo
"So what's the real story? Is the Honduran military destroying
democracy, as its critics claim, or saving it, as its mostly foreign
cheerleaders would have it? With both sides posturing as defenders of
liberal democracy, it's hard for anyone not immersed in Honduran
politics and history to come up with a halfway convincing answer. As
always, American commentators barge into these matters without any
real knowledge of the context in which they occur -- so let's educate
ourselves, first, and then take a position. (Gee, what a
novelty!)" (07/01/09)
http://tinyurl.com/lvjoon
-----
28) ABC: The Administration for Brain Control
Dallas Libertarian Examiner
by Garry Reed
"ABC Television, formerly known as the American Broadcasting Company,
has undergone rebranding and will henceforth be called the
Administration for Brain Control. This comes as a result of the
network's news department, having openly and explicitly jettisoned all
pretense of objectivity and neutrality, decided to throw in with the
Obama administration and voluntarily act as the Joseph Goebbels
Memorial Ministry of Propaganda." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ljo5oh
-----
29) Truncated "liberty"
Tibor's Space
by Tibor R. Machan
"Some people seem to believe that when they aren't being directly
oppressed, meddled with, intruded upon, interfered with and so on,
they are then free. Americans often have this conception of being free
because their various governments often leave them be. Only 40 percent
of their resources is being taxed! Their bars can be open until 1 AM
or even later in some places. Blue laws apply only here and there, on
certain days. So, hurray, we are free! And compared to people in many
regions of the globe and to most eras of human history it is
understandable that such relatively irregular forms of subjugation are
misunderstood as forms of liberty. And maybe one ought to count one's
blessings, given all this. Yet, it is very hazardous to mistake the
permissiveness of some governments -- of those who hold but may not
always exercise legally backed power -- for genuine
liberty." (06/30/09)
http://tibikem.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!B2FD693F4B9A5746!971.entry
-----
30) Vietnamization in Iraq
The Libertarian Enterprise
by Jim Davidson
"The retreat from the cities has begun, according to CNN. Their
reporter on the scene in Iraq did not use the term 'withdrawal' or
'strategic retrograde motion,' but 'retreat.' ... We are not
encountering the first USA military occupation of a foreign country
that has become completely unworkable financially and militarily.
Another example would be Vietnam." (06/29/09)
http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2009/tle525-20090628-03.html
-----
31) Packing and the friendly skies
LewRockwell.Com
by Deviant Ollum
"In 2002, privacy activist John Gilmore gained national press
attention when he attempted to fly to Washington, DC without showing
identification in the airport. It didn't go well. He was prevented
from boarding his aircraft, denied passage to our nation's capital,
and ultimately prevented from having a meeting with one of his
Congressional representatives. Thus, in one instance, this successful
businessman and noted critic of bureaucratic interference was denied
the full extent of protections afforded to him under the 1st and 4th
Amendments to our Constitution. In 2007, I began attempting to fly to
various destinations while in possession of firearms. I have faired
[sic] rather better than Mr. Gilmore in terms of my encounters with
government functionaries and am pleased to say that while many of our
freedoms have suffered unconscionable assaults in recent history, the
right to keep and bear arms has proven rather resilient ... even when
exercised in an environment that most people incorrectly consider to
be the pinnacle of a 'gun free' zone." (07/01/09)
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig10/ollam1.html
-----
32) What if you turned on your light switch, and nothing happened?
Vin Suprynowicz
by Vin Suprynowicz
"Do the forces now in charge of our energy future prefer that the
American economy continue to grow based on the exploitation of
plentiful and less expensive coal and other fossil fuels -- or by
rapidly bringing on line new reactors to exploit plentiful and less
expensive nuclear fuel -- or, finally, by replacing those older power
sources with wind, solar, and other 'renewable' sources, regardless of
the cost? Based on developments here in the Southwest last week, the
answer would appear to be ... that it was trick question, to begin
with. Those in charge today have no intention of providing the
foundering American economy with the new energy resources it needs to
resume growing, at all." (06/28/09)
http://www.vinsuprynowicz.com/?p=260
-----
33) Obama's statist ambitions
Cato Institute
by Gene Healy
"'I am a firm believer in the power of the free market,' President
Obama told the Wall Street Journal recently. The 'irony' surrounding
his public image as a collectivist, the president insisted, was that
'I actually would like to see a relatively light touch when it comes
to the government.' Either Obama is as confused about the definition
of irony as pop singer Alanis 'rain on your wedding day' Morrisette,
or he was being disingenuous. Given the president's ambitious, state-
bloating agenda and longtime disdain for free enterprise, the latter
is more likely the case." (06/30/09)
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10321
-----
34) Watch lists, guns and government
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
by Bob Barr
"The secret government 'Terrorist Watch List,' reportedly already
swelled to more than 1.1 million names, will have an addendum, if gun
control advocates in Congress have their way. This new addendum --
also to be cloaked in secrecy -- would empower the U.S. Attorney
General to deny a person the ability to exercise their Second
Amendment rights to purchase a firearm. While it is not surprising
that some members of Congress are again using fear of terrorism to
implement a gun-control agenda, the openly unconstitutional
legislative language proponents are employing is
troubling." (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mmmvps
-----
35) Health care for idiots
Fairfield County Weekly
by Phil Maymin
"Last week, President Barack Obama tried to sell us on his plan for
fixing health care. The problem, as he sees it, is that the cost of
health care is high and getting higher. Only by some sort of
government action can we stop the costs from spiraling out of control.
He explained that his plan does not mean the government will run all
health care, but merely that people will have one more choice, a
public option, in addition to the private choices they will continue
to have. Obama frames the choice as trying to find the blessed middle
ground between 'socialized medicine' and 'a completely free market
system' (his words). He proposes we develop something 'uniquely
American.' We know what 'uniquely American' is. It's the collusion of
corporations and government." (for publication 07/02/09)
http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=13599
-----
36) China creates an Internet albatross
Asia Times
by Sreeram Chaulia
"Given Beijing's paranoia over Internet access and this year's
sensitive anniversaries, many feel China's pressure on Google to block
access to pornography is a pretext to gag political dissent. For
Google, China is a huge growth market with strong local competitors,
so it had little choice." (06/30/09)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KG01Ad02.html
-----
37) Iraq: What we leave as we withdraw
Common Dreams
by Jodie Foster
"Not long after the statue of Saddam fell in Firdos Square, several
CODEPINK women and I returned to Iraq. We'd first visited in February
during the time Bush proclaimed, 'The game is over' and announced his
plans for 'shock and awe.' We'd learned then how much Iraqis loved
Americans and did not want our disrupting their country; they asked us
to let them deal with Saddam because the change had to come from
within or it could be a disaster. We fell in love with Iraq and felt
totally safe there, taking cabs in the wee hours of the morning,
walking at 2 a.m. on the Tigress and driving to many parts of the
country. Returning a few months later, however, we found the country
devastated." (06/30/09)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/30-3
-----
38) Israeli doctors collude in torture
CounterPunch
by Jonathan Cook
"Israel's watchdog body on medical ethics has failed to investigate
evidence that doctors working in detention facilities are turning a
blind eye to cases of torture, so Israeli human rights groups
charge.The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) has ignored repeated
requests to examine such evidence, the rights groups say, even though
it has been presented with examples of Israeli doctors who have broken
their legal and ethical duty towards Palestinians in their
care." (06/30/09)
http://counterpunch.org/cook06302009.html
-----
39) Is a college degree worthless?
Money Central
by Jack Hough
"The four-year college degree has come to cost too much and prove too
little. It's now a bad deal for the average student, family, employer,
professor and taxpayer. ... Worst of all, bright citizens spend their
lives not knowing the things they ought to know, because they've been
granted liberal-arts degrees for something far short of a liberal-arts
education.I'm not arguing against higher learning but for it -- and
against the degree system that stands in its way." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/m9yvfs
-----
40) Five pathetic groups that people think rule the world
Cracked
by Fernando Espino
"Oh, look, they made another Dan Brown movie at some point. Angels &
Demons deals with the deep dark secret organization, The Illuminati,
and their attempts to control the world, which means you're probably
going to be hearing a lot about that in the next few months on
certain, paranoid websites. Yes, wide-ranging conspiracy theories
aren't limited to pulp novels reenacted by a terrible Tom Hanks
haircut. YouTube and Digg comments and countless blogs are full of
people ranting about the secret elite who are out to enslave all of
us. They have a lot of reasons for believing the following groups are
the guilty parties behind everything wrong with the world, and most of
those reasons are very, very retarded." (06/28/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mvqlc6
-----
41) Inside the executive washroom
Liberty For All
by Kevin Tuma
Cartoon. (06/30/09)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=2781
-----
42) Inflation: What you see and what you don't see
Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Thorsten Polleit
"In an attempt to fight the international credit market turmoil and
its effects on economic activity and overall prices, the US Federal
Reserve (Fed) keeps increasing the supply of base money -- which is
cash in circulation and commercial banks' money balances held with the
Fed. From August 2008 to May 2009, the monetary base in the United
States more than doubled. The bulk of the expansion reflects an
unprecedented rise in banks' excess reserves -- that is, banks' base
money which is available for additional credit and money
creation." (06/30/09)
http://mises.org/story/3522
-----
43) Guantanamo: Charge or release prisoners
Future of Freedom Foundation
by Andy Worthington
"So what's happening now? According to a joint Washington Post/
ProPublica article on Friday, 'The Obama administration, fearing a
battle with Congress that could stall plans to close Guantanamo, has
drafted an executive order that would reassert presidential authority
to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely,' according to 'three
senior government officials.' The administration moved swiftly to
refute the story, with the Justice Department maintaining that it
would not comment on specific plans until after July 21, when the
administration's inter-departmental Guantanamo Task Force is scheduled
to complete its review of all the Guantanamo cases, and an unnamed
official telling AFP that 'no such draft order existed, though
internal deliberations were taking place on how to deal with those
inmates who could not be released or tried in civilian
courts.'" (06/30/09)
http://www.fff.org/comment/com0906m.asp
-----
44) Obamacare: Do or die for America
Hawaii Reporter
by Christopher G. Adamo
"With so much coverage of the current debate on Barack Obama's attempt
to impose nationalized healthcare on America, it may seem that little
else can be said on the subject. Yet it needs to be discussed, and its
manifold dangers explained to the American people. It is impossible to
overstate the significance of this battle. If successful in
establishing this pinnacle of his socialist agenda, Obama will unleash
a 'change' on the country from which it may never recover. Clearly, he
is aware of the governmental power he has the potential to accrue with
the passage of this single atrocious new entitlement." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/krrboy
-----
45) Alice in Healthcareland
Freedom Politics
by Thomas Sowell
"Most political and media discussions of medical care have an air of
unreality reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. There is an abundance of
catch-phrases but remarkably few coherent arguments. Let's start at
square one. Why is there alarm about American medical care? The most
usual reason given is because its cost is high and rising. That is
certainly true." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mqso55
-----
46) Why the Madoff sentence is too long
Competitive Enterprise Institute
by Eli Lehrer
"Bernard Madoff is an evil con man. He should spend the nearly all the
rest of his miserable life in prison. But the 150-year sentence he
received is too long. In fact, the something close to 12-year sentence
his defense attorney recommended is pretty reasonable. Let's begin
with the basics. Penologists typically see three purposes for putting
people in prison: Protection of society, deterrence, and punishment.
Putting Madoff in prison, of course, does nothing to protect
society." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ln7lrb
-----
47) Real ID: A real warning on the danger of government
Campaign For Liberty
by James Bovard
"The REAL ID Act may be on the verge of receiving its final coffin
nails. Unfortunately, the Obama administration is pushing a
replacement bill that poses many of the same threats as REAL ID. The
history of REAL ID should inspire friends of freedom to once again
vigorously oppose any and every federal grab for their personal
information. The feds had sought legislation to create national ID
cards in the 1990s but were rebuffed by a Republican
Congress." (06/30/09)
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=125
-----
48) Undiversity
Adam Smith Institute
by Steve Bettison
"'Hang tradition.' In this modern climate where we all assumed to
share the mental capacity of a five-year old, the modern approach to
England's rich and varied cultural heritage is one where children, and
indeed the parents, are in need of protection. Having to explain
something to a child that the state hasn't sanctioned, or placed in
the curriculum, is tremendously tiresome. As the children of a primary
school in Kent found out when part of their 'cultural' event that
looked to bring a 'diverse and fragile' community together was
cancelled after the staff discovered that some Morris dancers
'blacked' their faces." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nkgj6q
-----
49) Groupthink as a political mental illness, part 2
Last Free Voice
by Rhys M. Blavier
"An awareness of what groupthink is, by political scientist, political
analysts and commentators, and by ethical political leaders might help
them to, if not prevent, then to make the public aware of occurrences
of groupthink within political parties and ideologies, as well as in
our various branches and levels of government. Those who actively work
to prevent or publicize groupthink and groupthink tendencies within
their spheres of influence, interest or study might also find our
political world becoming more responsive to the average citizens, as a
result." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l4qb3d
-----
50) The Ricci ruling's real message
Christian Science Monitor
by staff
"America's unsettled debate over race has too often been conducted
between judges writing alone in their chambers rather than in open
forums by the public or their elected representatives. That was true
again in a ruling on Monday by the Supreme Court that will set back
the use of race in employment decisions. In a case known as Ricci, the
justices revealed their heated arguments in separate opinions that
went beyond mere legal precedent and the Constitution. ... The days of
using quotas to fix the effects of past discrimination are over. And
more states are banning official use of race in hiring and school
admissions. With the election of an African-American as president, the
politics of race that is aimed at boosting diversity or widening
benefits specifically for minorities now faces an uphill
battle." (06/30/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0630/p08s01-comv.html
-----
51) Progressive blind spots
In These Times
by Ken Brociner
"Since its formation in 1997, the Campaign for America's Future (CAF)
has been one of the progressive movement's least heralded but most
essential organizations. Best known for its annual 'Take Back America'
conference, CAF has also been a key catalyst in the growth of the
movement's extensive infrastructure of grassroots organizations,
single-issue coalitions, think tanks, media watchdog groups and
polling firms. With Barack Obama in the White House and strong
Democratic majorities in both branches of Congress, CAF changed the
name of this year's conference (held in Washington D.C. in early June)
to 'America's Future Now.' ... The new conference name only heightened
my unease. After all, are progressives only supposed to be concerned
with America's future? What about the rest of the world?" (06/30/09)
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4526/progressive_blind_spots/
-----
52) Exploring yin and yang
Sunni and the Conspirators
by Sunni Maravillosa
"I've been thinking a lot about these concepts, especially since I
have adopted a modified yin–yang symbol as my avatar on a couple of
fora. In particular, I've mused over how to classify ideas and things
in my life into this duality; it's been an interesting exercise. It is
by no means complete, but I offer a few of my observations for your
amusement/consideration, and welcome any interested individuals to
play along, either in the comments here or on one's own blog. In the
latter case, please drop a link here so we can find your
thoughts." (06/30/09)
http://www.sunnimaravillosa.com/node/1663
-----
53) Ain't his money
Liberty & Power
by CJ Maloney
"In a perfect world, Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass) would not be
able to throw his weight around the financial markets, but an
imperfect world is the only one we know. So, therefore, I have to
listen to Barney Frank's ignorant blubbering almost every day on CNBC,
which insists on interviewing him despite his complete lack of any
knowledge concerning markets or economics." [editor's note: Last year
was supposedly a pretty bad year to play market ... but Barney Frank
pulled down a $42k profit on his $986k portfolio. Maybe he knows more
about markets and economics than Maloney thinks - TLK] (06/30/09)
http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/95682.html
-----
54) Recession depression
The American Prospect
by Dana Goldstein
"You can't always get what you want. Especially in a recession.
Unfortunately, Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, network television
correspondents on a nationwide book tour and media blitz, haven't
gotten the memo. In their book, Womenomics, Kay and Shipman tell women
that all they need to do to fulfill their work-life balance dreams is,
well, ask. Want to work three days a week instead of five? Just ask.
Want to work from home? Just ask. Need to walk your dog every day at
5:15? Heck, march right into you boss' office and tell him it's
nonnegotiable! ... [T]he authors advise, 'Your company needs you more
than you realize and quite possibly more than you need them.' But as
the national unemployment rate inches toward the double digits, is
that true?" [editor's note: As usual. it depends on your perspective;
if you view getting laid off (from a job you only tolerated) as a
golden chance to start something new, or renegotiate a better deal
where you are ... it's not a barrier but an opening! - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=recession_depression
-----
55) Is ObamaCare the end of Roe v. Wade?
The American Spectator
by Jeffrey Lord
"Quite aside from the political acrimony the Roe decision has
generated from the day it was issued, the hot debate over President
Obama's health care proposal alters the abortion debate in a fashion
quite unintended. If passed, ObamaCare could instantly set up a legal
confrontation between the principle behind President's health care
system -- and the principle undergirding Roe v. Wade. Which in turn
would launch a political battle royal between proponents of government
health care and abortion rights." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/mbcde6
-----
56) Privatizing fire protection
Boston Globe
by Peter Funt
"Californians are bracing for another dangerously dry season, with
high temperatures and increased risk of fire. Nationwide, there have
already been over 41,000 wildfires this year -- 10,000 more than the
10-year average. And as fire danger climbs here in the West, fire
protection is gradually being added to the list of essential services
for which the rich are better off than their less fortunate
neighbors. ... Privatization of fire protection, especially in the
Western United States, has emerged in several forms. In some
instances, private contractors are hired by state and local government
to deal with extreme fire emergencies. The National Wildfire
Suppression Association, formed in 1991, represents over 150 private
firms that employ firefighters and equipment to assist locally on an
'as needed' basis." [editor's note: And this scribbler is utterly
aghast at the possibility that "privatization" might actually improve
the coverage for fire-protection (hint: He's afraid public funding
will go down ...) - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ng8nw8
-----
57) Tax oppression and Sweden's dirty little secret
Classically Liberal
by CLS
"Consider the relative positioning of the United States to the so-
called 'third way' nations of Scandinavia. It has pretty much always
been a myth that the Scandinavian nations are the most tax oppressive.
It really depends on who you are there. Business itself is not so
highly taxed, but individuals are. I shall explain why shortly. But
the US ranks as more tax oppressive than Denmark, Sweden, Finland and
Norway. There is an assumption that the welfare states of Scandinavia
were high-tax regimes which tried to redistribute wealth from rich
businessmen to the average person. This is not the case at
all." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/meh5so
-----
58) The Supreme Court nominee who can't write
The Price of Liberty
by Carey Roberts
"Supreme Court opinions are words for the generations that can affect
the lives and welfare of millions. No one doubts that Supreme Court
nominee Sonia Sotomayor has a compelling life story. But more to the
point, we need to inquire about her aptitude to draft thoughtfully-
reasoned, well-crafted legal opinions. On this count, there is reason
for worry. Sotomayor herself has admitted, 'Writing remains a
challenge for me even today ... I am not a natural writer.' Reporter
Stephanie Mencimer has characterized Sotomayor's legal opinions as
'good punishment for law students who show up late for class.' A
cursory pass of Sotomayor's writings reveals them to be clumsy to the
point of being impenetrable." (06/29/09)
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/09/06/29/roberts.html
-----
59) Reckoning with Ricci
National Review
by the editors
"Today's ruling clarifies that the mere fear of being sued will not
justify an employer's intentional discrimination unless there is a
'strong basis in evidence' to believe the employer will be liable
under disparate-impact discrimination principles. But it won't make
such lawsuits much less frequent or less prohibitively expensive. And
for many of these suits, it won't make resolution any easier. It may
be straightforward enough when, as in Ricci, an employer appears to be
citing disparate-impact concerns as a pretext to avoid provoking a
powerful political constituency. But in other cases, the employer will
not be acting pretextually -- he will be motivated to take race-
conscious remedial action because he fears, in good faith, being found
liable." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nlllss
-----
60) Iraq: Another of its famous turning points?
Truthdig
by Marie Cocco
"As the media trumpets sound for the pullback of American troops from
urban areas in Iraq, the essential lesson of our involvement must be
recalled: Nothing about our entanglement in Iraq has ever been as it
seemed. We did not invade because Saddam Hussein was behind the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as Bush administration officials
repeatedly suggested, or even because Iraq threatened the United
States with stores of chemical and biological weapons. The 2005 Iraqi
election symbolized with images of purple ink stains on voters'
fingertips ... did not result in a flourishing democracy or an end to
the U.S. military occupation. The bloody insurgency intensified and
Bush belatedly deployed additional troops to quell it." (06/29/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nkxo74
-----
61) Private contractors still lack adequate supervision
Cato Institute
by David Isenberg
"The Army's acquisition work force is not adequately staffed, trained,
structured or empowered to meet the needs of the 21st-century deployed
war fighter. Notwithstanding a sevenfold workload increase and greater
complexity of contracting, the institutional Army is not supporting
this key capability. There are nearly as many contractor personnel in
the Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan theaters as there are U.S. military,
yet the operational Army does not recognize the impact of contracting
and contractors in expeditionary operations and on mission success. If
there has been one constant in the use of private military contractors
over the years, predating the U.S. invasion of Iraq, it is that
government oversight is woefully inadequate." (06/29/09)
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10319
-----
62) New boss, same as the old boss, chapter 26
Disloyal Opposition
by JD Tuccille
"President Barack Obama is actively considering issuing an executive
order authorizing the continued, indefinite detention of terrorism
suspects, without trial, according to the Washington Post and Pro
Publica. The news is widely being treated as a shocking about-face for
a president who has criticized his predecessor's harsh tactics in
dealing with alleged terrorists. But for anybody paying attention,
this is just one more step along a path the president has has already
traveled, with indefinite detention hinted at in a May speech and even
championed by the Obama administration in legal papers filed in
March." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/lfdl44
-----
63) Energy Leninism
Reason
by Ronald Bailey
"'The worse, the better,' Vladimir Lenin is said to have observed.
What Lenin meant was that the worse social conditions became in
Russia, the more likely he and the Bolsheviks could foment a communist
revolution. President Barack Obama's White House Chief of Staff Rahm
Emanuel recently updated Lenin's maxim, saying, 'Never allow a crisis
to go to waste.' Last Friday, the Democratic leadership in the House
of Representatives took those maxims to heart when they pushed through
their 1,200-page American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act by a
vote [of] 219 to 212. The bill is supposed to address the twin crises
of economic recession and climate change by creating millions of new
'green' jobs. Instead of an old-fashioned Soviet-style five-year plan,
ACES can be thought of as 50-year plan to radically transform how
Americans produce and use energy." (06/30/09)
http://reason.com/news/show/134443.html
-----
64) Flat spin
The Weekly Standard
by Reuben F. Johnson
"The biennial Salon International de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace,
Paris-Le Bourget -- otherwise known as the Paris Air Show -- is the
largest aerospace exposition of its kind in the world. The shadow of a
global economic downturn that has impacted only the automotive sector
to a degree worse than it has the aerospace industry gave this year's
48th biennial event one of the more subdued atmospheres in the past
two decades. Le Bourget 2009 should have been festive event as it
passed a major milestone in its history -- it has been 100 years since
the first Paris aerospace salon. But beyond the t-shirts, baseball
caps, etc. that marked the occasion there were few signs of
celebration." (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/l4pw5n
-----
65) Senator Al Franken
The Nation
by John Nichols
"The last barrier to Al Franken's election as U.S. Senator from
Minnesota crumbled Tuesday, as Republican incumbent Norm Coleman
finally conceded the contest. Coleman's concession came after the
Minnesota Supreme Court confirmed what everyone pretty much knew: The
voters chose Franken, the Democratic Farmer Labor Party candidate over
Coleman in last fall's U.S. Senate election. While the election result
was close, the court's decision was not. ... Under Minnesota law, the
court's decision gave Franken the right to occupy the seat that a
series of recounts and official reviews confirmed was won by the
satirist with a narrow but steady margin that ultimately expanded to
312 votes." [editor's note: And so "the Al Franken decade" commences
for real? B-R-R-R-R! - SAT] (06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/nupe7b
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* See No Evil, Hear No Evil
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66) Dan Proft on Freedom Rings Radio, 07/06/09
Freedom Rings Radio
Dan Proft discusses his 2010 campaign for governor of Illinois with
host Kenneth John. 9-10am Central on WRMN 1410 AM, Elgin, IL or live
on the web. [live radio or stream] (07/06/09)
http://freedomrings.net/
-----
67) Free Talk Live, 06/30/09
Free Talk Live
"Renouncing Citizenship / Porcfest 2010 / Direct Knife Sales Scam? /
Walter Block / Dire Situations and Morals / CA Issuing IOUs / Big Box
Boycotts? / Teen Girls Paid for Avoiding Pregnancy." [MP3] (06/30/09)
http://media.libsyn.com/media/ftl/FTL2009-06-30.mp3
-----
68) Motorhome Diaries interview: Ian Freeman
Motorhome Diaries
"Last week the crew of the Motorhome Diaries was in New Hampshire to
visit our friends in Keene and to attend the 2009 Porcupine Freedom
Festival. While in Keene I was able to talk to Ian Freeman of Free
Talk Live, which bills itself as 100% Pro-Liberty Talk Radio." [Flash
video]
http://motorhomediaries.com/ianfreeman/
-----
69) "No Guns for Negroes"
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
"'No Guns for Negroes' exposes the racist history of American gun
control laws." [Flash video] (06/30/09)
http://www.jpfo.org/filegen-n-z/ngn-download-view.htm
-----
70) Cato Daily Podcast, 06/30/09
Cato Institute
"Hate crime laws are hater-aid," featuring David Rittgers. [MP3]
(06/30/09)
http://tinyurl.com/cato063009
*************************************
* What's Up In The Freedom Movement
*************************************
71) 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/
***********
* WaYbAcK
***********
72) Lincoln's new tax
Details, and the "quote of the day," from Leon's Political Almanac at:
http://perspicuity.net/cgi/hypercal.cgi
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