12/10 -- US foreclosures to reach 3.9 million in second record year; Bank of America repays $45 billion in bailout funds
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Thomas L. Knapp
Dec 10, 2009, 2:09:29 AM12/10/09
to Rational Review News Digest
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* Thursday, December 10th, 2009
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In The News:
1) US foreclosures to reach 3.9 million in second record year
2) Bank of America repays $45 billion in bailout funds
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 28 wounded
4) NATO-led attack may have killed Afghan civilians
5) SC: Panel votes down Sanford impeachment
6) Spiral UFO puts Norway in a spin
7) Slim majority backs Obama regime's Afghanistan escalation plan
8) Taliban threaten South Korea over Afghan troops
9) Pakistan: Five men reported missing in United States arrested
10) House votes to extend popular deductions, credits
11) UK: Immigration camps "harmful for children"
12) Private contractor posted secret TSA screening manual online
13) Jewish settlers in West Bank building curb protest
14) Guns soon could be checked in on Amtrak
15) TX: Dry cleaner shoots robber
16) UK tax on #25,000 bank bonuses: Can it work?
17) Gallup Poll: Congress less trusted than ever
18) Important business? House bill challenges BCS
19) New drug conviction reversed, and US ruling is criticized
20) TN: Winds destroy Capitol Christmas tree
Everybody Has An Opinion:
21) US government policy: If it ain't broke, fix it until it is
22) Crime must have a consequence
23) The fallacy of public goods: Libertarians and national defense
24) Thoughts on libertarians and immigration
25) Explaining the latest version of ObamaCare
26) No-sama bin Laden
27) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
28) Understanding the code, part 2: Wheat and chaff
29) Suhprahs, suhprahs ... Many scientists disagree on GW
30) Dear Barack, spare me your e-mails
31) The curse of good government
32) Opportunity in Copenhagen: take on energy subsidies
33) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
34) Can Congress keep America storm resistant?
35) Averting a healthcare backlash
36) Closing time: the chaos of last call
37) The only cure for America's health-care illness
38) Policy implications of Climategate
39) Did deregulation cause the Great Recession?
40) The Bush-Obama war
41) MTV's wack morality
42) Recall the Maymin Plan?
43) Libertarian -- the definition
44) "If we do nothing"
45) TSA Operating Manual
46) Unchaining the human heart -- a revolutionary manifesto: High
times
47) The pee-nal code and sex crimes
48) The real fat-cat party
49) Sarah Palin's anti-science showdown
50) "What in the hell do they think is causing it?"
51) Negotiate to end war
52) The religious right's potty paranoia
53) Big blighters
54) Spinning out of control
55) Homeland Security embarks on Big Brother programs to read our
minds and emotions
See No Evil, Hear No Evil:
56) Tim Cox on Freedom Rings Radio, 12/21/09
57) Free Talk Live, 12/09/09
58) Freedomain Radio #1523
59) Cato Daily Podcast, 12/09/09
What's Up In The Freedom Movement:
60) Today's events
WaYbAcK:
61) "[R]ecognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world"
***************
* In The News
***************
1) US foreclosures to reach 3.9 million in second record year
Bloomberg
"Foreclosure filings in the U.S. will reach a record for the second
consecutive year with 3.9 million notices sent to homeowners in
default, RealtyTrac Inc. said. This year's filings will surpass 2008's
total of 3.2 million as record unemployment and price erosion batter
the housing market, the Irvine, California-based company
said." (12/10/09)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a6aLuu9zxbcM
-----
2) Bank of America repays $45 billion in bailout funds
USA Today
"Bank of America said Wednesday it has repaid the entire $45 billion
it owed U.S. taxpayers as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Bank of America (BAC), which announced its agreement with the U.S.
Treasury to repay TARP last week, financed the repayment through a
combination of cash on hand and the sale of $19.29 billion of
securities that would convert into common stock. The stock increase
remains subject to shareholder approval." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ycwxdqe
-----
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 28 wounded
AntiWar.Com
"In Baghdad, a roadside bomb struck in the Qahira neighborhood,
killing two people and wounded 11 others on a minibus. Near a library
in Adhamiya, two street sweepers were killed and as many as eight
others were wounded when a bomb hidden in garbage exploded. Gunmen
killed a police officer at a checkpoint, also in Adhamiya. A bomb on a
bus in Mahmoudiya left three dead and eight wounded. In Mosul, gunmen
wounded a policeman, while police mistakenly killed a civilian. Two
bodies bearing gunshot wounds were found in a northern
area." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yegc3yj
-----
4) NATO-led attack may have killed Afghan civilians
Chicago Sun-Times
"The Afghan government said NATO forces killed six civilians during
the pre-dawn operation Tuesday. NATO disputed the allegation, saying
seven insurgents were killed and four detained after the attack in
Laghman province on a compound of a militant leader responsible for
directing several suicide strikes in the region. Afghan and
international forces came under fire as they assaulted the compound,
sparking a gunbattle, the NATO statement said." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yddpzcg
-----
5) SC: Panel votes down Sanford impeachment
Politico
"A subcommittee in the South Carolina state House voted against an
impeachment resolution against Republican Gov. Mark Sanford on
Wednesday. The constitutional laws subcommittee voted 6-1 against the
impeachment resolution, which was introduced by the subcommittee's
chairman, GOP state Rep. Greg Delleney -- the only vote in favor. The
news means Sanford will likely serve out the rest of his term, as the
will to oust the governor has been waning in the months since he
admitted to an affair with an Argentine mistress." (12/09/09)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30409.html
-----
6) Spiral UFO puts Norway in a spin
The Sun [UK]
"A mysterious giant spiral of light that dominated the sky over Norway
this morning has stunned experts -- who believe the space spectacle is
an entirely new astral phenomenon. ... Theories ranging from a
misfired Russian missile, meteor fireball, never-before-seen type of
northern light, 'black hole' and even alien activity were all
proposed. ... The spiral spectacle -- which lasted for two minutes --
was seen by vast swathes of the Scandinavian country's almost five
million population, with sightings as far north as Finnmark to
Trondelag in the south." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ycpdztx
-----
7) Slim majority backs Obama regime's Afghanistan escalation plan
MSNBC
"A bare majority of Americans support President Obama 's plan to send
30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, but many are skeptical that the
United States can count on Afghanistan as a partner in the fight or
that the escalation would reduce the chances of a domestic terrorist
attack, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. In the
wake of the president's address last week explaining his decision, the
poll found a 10 percentage point increase in public approval of Mr.
Obama's handling of the war in Afghanistan since last month, to 48
percent." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yce26bk
-----
8) Taliban threaten South Korea over Afghan troops
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
"The Taliban have threatened to retaliate against South Korea for its
decision to send troops back into Afghanistan. A statement e-mailed to
media outlets late Wednesday said that South Korea's leaders 'should
be prepared for the consequence of their action, which they will
certainly face.' South Korea has pledged to send 350 troops next year
to protect its civilian aid workers." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yzhktrz
-----
9) Pakistan: Five men reported missing in United States arrested
CNN
"Five people arrested in Pakistan had been reported missing in the
United States, and police are confident they were planning terrorist
acts, a Pakistani police official told CNN. It is too soon to link the
men with any terrorist organizations, said Tahir Gujjrar, deputy
superintendent of police in Sargodha, Pakistan, but preliminary
investigations suggest they had sought to link up with the Jaish-e-
Mohammed and Jamaat ud Dawa militant organizations. Neither group
showed interest, however, Gujjrar said." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ycla4b7
-----
10) House votes to extend popular deductions, credits
Athens Banner-Herald
"The House voted Wednesday to extend $31 billion in popular tax
breaks, including an income tax deduction for sales and property
taxes, to be financed [sic] with a tax increase on investment fund
managers and a crackdown on international tax cheats. The 45 tax
deductions and credits for businesses and individuals are scheduled to
expire at year's end. The House voted 241-181 to extend them for a
year. The bill now goes to the Senate, which has rejected the tax
increase on investment managers in the past." [editor's note: Tax cuts
don't have to be "financed." Not taking money that isn't yours isn't
an "expenditure" - TLK] (12/10/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjnmwzf
-----
11) UK: Immigration camps "harmful for children"
Independent [UK]
"The detention of hundreds of children in Britain's immigration camps
is harmful and ministers should change the policy, medical experts
will warn today. The call for a new approach to the treatment of young
refugees and their families follows a report which found that their
detention in the asylum system was linked to serious physical and
psychological harm." (12/10/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yamnt76
-----
12) Private contractor posted secret TSA screening manual online
ABC News
"While insisting the security of the public was never placed at risk,
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said
Wednesday that her department is conducting a review to determine how
the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) air passenger
screening manual ended up online. Napolitano also confirmed that a
private contractor had posted the manual online. The most sensitive
parts of the Standard Operating Procedures manual were redacted in a
way that computer-savvy individuals easily overcame, revealing sample
CIA, Congressional and law enforcement credentials, and that only 20
percent of checked bags at airports are to be hand searched for
explosives." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yhsy2kt
-----
13) Jewish settlers in West Bank building curb protest
BBC News [UK]
"Thousands of Jewish settlers and their supporters have staged a rally
in Jerusalem in protest at a curb on settlement building in the West
Bank. Demonstrators gathered outside the residence of PM Benjamin
Netanyahu, days after he ordered a 10-month lull in permits for new
settlement homes. The order followed US calls for a total freeze in
settlement building." 912/09/09)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8404850.stm
-----
14) Guns soon could be checked in on Amtrak
Washington Times
"Gun-toting Amtrak passengers are one giant step closer to being
allowed to travel with firearms in their checked luggage, as lawmakers
included a measure to lift a railroad gun ban in a catch-all spending
bill .... The omnibus spending bill ... is considered must-pass
legislation, and that makes the new Amtrak gun rule as close to a sure
bet as there is on Capitol Hill. Travelers with firearms have long
faced disparate treatment on trains and airplanes. Airline passengers
can transport firearms in checked baggage, but Amtrak currently
prohibits guns anywhere on its trains. This is an important victory
for sportsmen and gun owners across the country, and it affirms
congressional support of the Second Amendment." [editor's note:
"Considered must-pass legislation" by whom? -TLK] (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yhpqdfy
-----
15) TX: Dry cleaner shoots robber
KPRC News
"Nam-Duong Nguyen, the manager of the $1 Cleaners in the 18600 block
of Kuykendahl Road, saw two people approach the store at about 6:35
p.m. Monday. Nguyen said the two were wearing all black and he saw
them pull masks over their faces. The two crouched down and approached
the front door, Nguyen told investigators. Nguyen said he saw the two
reach into the waistbands for an object. Nguyen, who has a concealed
handgun license, pulled out his gun and fired toward the men about
three times, investigators said. The two tried to get away, but only
one of them actually did. One of the men collapsed and died behind the
northeast end of the strip center where the dry cleaning business is
located, deputies said." (12/08/09)
http://www.click2houston.com/news/21895165/detail.html
-----
16) UK tax on #25,000 bank bonuses: Can it work?
Christian Science Monitor
"British Treasury boss Alistair Darling announced a one-time, 50
percent tax on hefty bank bonuses on Wednesday, in a reflection of
both the increasingly ugly mood over the large annual payouts made to
bankers and of the budget hole that the UK is falling into. Mr.
Darling told Parliament that the measure, a tax on bonuses over
#25,000 ($40,500), would raise about $890 million and slow the growth
of Britain's ballooning budget deficit. The global financial collapse
of the past two years has hit the UK hard, and Darling estimated that
the British taxpayer remains on the hook for about $16 billion in bank
bailouts. The banks, not their employees, would pay the charge. The
employees will then be taxed as normal on their bonuses." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjs5nk2
-----
17) Gallup Poll: Congress less trusted than ever
Frum Forum
"Cracking jokes about Congressional thievery is something of a
national past-time. But the results of the newest Gallup poll will
likely startle even the cynical news dorks that have read enough of
these polls to know that the American people don't think highly of
their government. For the first time since Gallup began conducting its
annual 'Honesty and Ethics of Professions' poll, a majority (55%) of
Americans responded that they believe the honesty and ethical
standards of 'members of Congress' are 'low' or 'very low.' The
American people don't think senators are particularly upstanding
citizens either: 49% said Senators have 'low or very low' ethical
standards." [Hat tip -- Raw Story] (12/09/09)
http://www.frumforum.com/congress-less-trusted-than-ever
-----
18) Important business? House bill challenges BCS
Associated Press
"A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing
college football to switch to a playoff system to determine a national
champion, over the objections of some lawmakers who said Congress had
more pressing matters on its plate. The bill, which faces long odds of
becoming law, would ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I
football game as a national championship unless that title contest is
the result of a playoff. The measure passed by voice vote in a House
Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, with one audible 'no,'
from Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. 'With all due respect, I really think we
have more important things to spend our time on,' Barrow said before
the vote, although he stressed he didn't like the current Bowl
Championship Series, either." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ylabezn
-----
19) New drug conviction reversed, and US ruling is criticized
Boston Globe
"At least a dozen drug and gun convictions have been overturned in
Massachusetts as a result of a controversial US Supreme Court ruling
six months ago that criminal defendants have a constitutional right to
cross-examine forensic experts who prepare laboratory reports,
according to prosecutors and defense lawyers. The most recent reversal
occurred yesterday, when a state Appeals Court panel overturned the
2007 conviction of a Boston man for trafficking cocaine in a school
zone and ordered a new trial. The panel ruled that Deniz DePina's
lawyer should have had a chance at trial to question state laboratory
analysts. Those analysts had certified in writing that police seized
more than 14 grams of crack cocaine from a Roxbury apartment where
DePina allegedly sold drugs." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yz4rv7a
-----
20) TN: Winds destroy Capitol Christmas tree
Tennessean
"The Christmas tree at the state Capitol will be replaced after being
toppled by high winds overnight. The blue spruce, which had stood on
Charlotte Avenue between the Capitol and Legislative Plaza, fell
sometime before 4 a.m., snapping off the top, said Kenny Crowson,
facilities supervisor at the Capitol. The tree fell to the sidewalk,
damaging some lights and ornaments, but no one is believed to have
been injured. Capitol staffers are now looking for a replacement for
the tree, which had been donated to the state, Crowson said. Vandalism
is not suspected. Officials believe the tree was blown over by high
winds." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yf4cd8d
*******************************************************************
* HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 12/10/09
*
* Reported Civilian Deaths in Iraq: Min - 94,554 ... Max - 103,162
* (source: www.iraqbodycount.org)
*
* American Military Deaths in Iraq: 4,367
* (source: www.antiwar.com/casualties/)
*******************************************************************
****************************
* Everybody Has An Opinion
****************************
21) US government policy: If it ain't broke, fix it until it is
Liberty For All
by Donna Mancini
"Governments run up the cost of essential goods and services, by
making them so called 'rights' or entitlements. When something is
'free,' people overuse it. When it is paid for by other people aka
third parties or insurance, the people using the goods and services
don't care what they are charged because they aren't paying for it,
which ultimately raises prices for all. Service providers are
guaranteed payment by the government or insurance company, and not
wanting to or having to deal with delinquent accounts like others in
the so called 'free market' -- (we cannot in reality say we have a
free market in America because almost everything is Regulated by
bureaucrats) -- providers hesitate or refuse to give care to those who
do not have the insurance or government coverage." (12/09/09)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=3494
-----
22) Crime must have a consequence
Last Free Voice
by Donald Meinshausen
"One of the reasons that crime is punished and the criminal so
dramatically humiliated is so that others who might consider such acts
are warned by the consequences of criminality. This is accepted as the
basis of any society that holds to a theory of justice. For if it
becomes relatively easy for a person to do crime and enjoy the fruits
then what happens to the general mores of society? How do we uphold
the standards of non-coercion, honesty, thrift and work? How do we
instill a sense of guilt to the perpetrator? If we don't then soon it
will be regarded as foolish to work honestly. The country then can
become a war of all vs. all where more and more assets are based on
stealing and protection against rather than being engaged in
productive behavior. A poor, frightened society ripe for tyranny
emerges after such times. This goes in spades when we are considering
the greatest theft in the history of civilization. The current
international regime of Bush/Obama has orchestrated bailouts,
nationalizations and inflationary debt that have run into trillions of
dollars." (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ydztj2g
-----
23) The fallacy of public goods: Libertarians and national defense
LewRockwell.Com
by Per Bylund
"For some reason free market libertarians, Ayn Rand included, tend to
fall for the public goods unlogic and therefore dismiss anarchism as a
viable social order. Nothing could be further from the truth. Public
goods are not a problem in a free market -- they are only a problem in
a regulated such. In fact, the logic emanating from identifying the
existence of public goods is based on false assumptions." (12/10/09)
http://www.lewrockwell.com/bylund/bylund28.1.html
-----
24) Thoughts on libertarians and immigration
Free Advice
by Robert Murphy
"Again, it might make sense for the standard Republican to care about
tax payments, but I don't see why a libertarian would get worked up
about immigrants failing to fund the government. I conduct my own
consulting business in full compliance with tax laws, if only because
I am a worrier and want to be able to sleep at night. But I know many
libertarians who celebrate tax dodgers, at least when it comes to tax
dodgers who hold American citizenship. Why then should this be a
strike against people who also broke an arbitrary immigration rule
laid down by the people collecting the unjust taxes?" (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yfhardf
-----
25) Explaining the latest version of ObamaCare
KN@PPSTER
by Thomas L. Knapp
"Simply put, it's like this: If you're a member of Generation X or Y
or whatever the hell they're calling the various post-Boomer
generations these days, you are to be boiled in hot water until you're
nice and tender and your meat and bones have separated. The insurance
companies receive the meat ('individual mandate'). The Boomers get the
bones ('Medicare buy-in')." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ygq8nae
-----
26) No-sama bin Laden
AntiWar.Com
by Philip Giraldi
"Many analysts both inside and outside of the government have become
convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead and has been so for quite some
time. They base this perception on the same non-evidence that Gates
cites, i.e. that there has been no solid information on bin Laden or
his whereabouts since late 2001. The absence of any intelligence could
be due to the likelihood that a top terrorist on the run would be
extremely careful about how he moves about and how he communicates,
which is what many have believed up until recently, but at a certain
point it becomes too much of a stretch to believe that a man heading a
major terror organization has successfully become invisible. It is
widely believed that videos and recordings featuring his image and
voice could well be clever composites." (12/10/09)
http://original.antiwar.com/giraldi/2009/12/09/no-sama-bin-laden/
-----
27) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
Christian Science Monitor
by David Levine and Michael Boldrin
"It is common to argue that intellectual property (IP) in the form of
copyrights and patents is crucial for the creation of innovative ideas
and inventions such as machines, drugs, software, books, and music.
Proponents argue that IP is just like ordinary property in houses and
cars. In fact, empirical evidence shows that IP does not promote
innovation and that, unlike ordinary property, it is detrimental to
the social good." (12/08/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1208/p09s06-coop.html
-----
28) Understanding the code, part 2: Wheat and chaff
Strike the Root
by Bill Butler
"So much of life is about: (1) making distinctions; and (2) making
choices. Indeed, the meaning and consequence of all our lives can
fairly be said to be a test of our free will choices and the rational,
intellectual distinctions we make in choosing between free will
courses of action. Two identically smart, identically diligent people
making nearly identical choices can arrive at very different places
based on the distinctions they make in choosing a course of
action." (12/09/09)
http://www.strike-the-root.com/92/butler/butler2.html
-----
29) Suhprahs, suhprahs ... Many scientists disagree on GW
Fox News Forum
by John Lott
"As the Climate-gate controversy continues to grow, amid charges of
hiding and manipulating data, and suppressing research by academics
who challenge global warming, there is one oft-repeated defense: other
independent data-sets all reach the same conclusions. ... But things
are not so clear. It is not just the University of East Anglia data
that is at question. There are about 450 academic peer-reviewed
journal articles questioning the importance of man-made global
warming. The sheer number of scientists rallying against a major
intervention to stop carbon dioxide is remarkable. In a petition, more
than 30,000 American scientists are urging the U.S. government to
reject the Kyoto treaty." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yhq56wb
-----
30) Dear Barack, spare me your e-mails
truthdig
by Robert Scheer
"Barack Obama's faux populism is beginning to grate. ... It is one
thing to rob us blind by rewarding the power elite that created our
problems but quite another to sugarcoat it in the rhetoric of a David
taking on those Goliaths. In each of the three most important areas of
policy with which he has dealt, Obama speaks in the voice of the
little people's champion, but his actions cater fully to the demands
of the most powerful economic interests. With his escalation of the
war in Afghanistan, he has given the military-industrial complex an
excuse for the United States to carry on in spending more on defense
than the rest of the world combined, without a credible military
adversary in sight. His response to the banking meltdown was to
continue George W. Bush's massive giveaway of taxpayer dollars to Wall
Street, and his health care reform has all the earmarks of a
boondoggle for the medical industry profiteers." (12/09/09)
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091221/scheer
-----
31) The curse of good government
Ludwig von Mises Institute
by William L. Anderson
"As one who has made a career out of criticizing government and
exposing the various predations of government, one would think I would
be intelligent and wise enough not to expect that entity we know as
'good government.' In fact, given that I am quite familiar with the
entire socialist calculation debate and have assigned numerous papers
covering that subject to my MBA students, it should have dawned upon
me by now that 'good government' is an oxymoron at best and a
delusional term at worst." (12/09/09)
http://mises.org/daily/3921
-----
32) Opportunity in Copenhagen: take on energy subsidies
Christian Science Monitor
by Brenda Shaffer
"Instead of waiting for the next big crisis to emerge, there is a way
the US and other nations can enact policies to reduce energy
consumption, moderate damage to the environment, save money, and even
bring benefits to the poor by removing blanket energy subsidies. In
fact, world leaders at the Copenhagen climate summit should recognize
that most nations still subsidize consumption of fossil fuels. Removal
of these subsidies can be one of the most effective tools for reducing
energy consumption and thus the danger of climate change. According to
International Energy Agency data, energy subsidies worldwide amount to
$300 billion a year." [editor's note: Attacking corporate welfare
instead of advocating market-dislocation-by-fiat? How was this writer
ever allowed to be published? - SAT] (12/09/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1209/p09s01-coop.html
-----
33) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
Christian Science Monitor
by David K. Levine & Michele Boldrin
"Contrary to popular myth, the US Constitution does not provide
authors or inventors with special rights: It merely gives Congress the
option of 'securing for limited times to authors and inventors the
exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.' The
purpose of granting such private monopolies is solely to 'promote the
progress of science and useful arts.' Is Congress justified in
granting such private monopolies? Is the judiciary correct in
continuously extending their areas of enforceability? Do they in fact
'promote the progress of science and useful arts'?" (12/08/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1208/p09s06-coop.html
-----
34) Can Congress keep America storm resistant?
Heartland Institute
by David Conrad and Eli Lehrer
"2009's North Atlantic Hurricane season has, thankfully, just come to
a close without a major U.S. disaster. Consider the facts: No truly
large storms made landfall in the United States and, for the first
year in at least a decade, not a single American family lost its home
to hurricane damage. While most early-season forecasts called for
between four and seven significant named storms, only three ever
formed in the Atlantic. But the almost storm-free conditions won't
last." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yzvpk6t
-----
35) Averting a healthcare backlash
The American Prospect
by Paul Starr
"No provision of the healthcare reforms being debated in Congress is
as likely to generate a popular backlash as is the individual mandate
-- the requirement that individuals purchase health insurance if they
are not otherwise covered. But there is an alternative to the mandate
as it is currently structured that can accomplish the same purpose
without raising as much opposition. ... Congress could address this
problem more directly. The law could give people a right to opt out of
the mandate if they signed a form agreeing that they could not opt in
for the following five years. In other words, instead of paying a
fine, they would forgo a potential benefit. For five years they would
become ineligible for federal subsidies for health insurance and, if
they did buy coverage, no insurer would have to cover a pre-existing
condition of theirs." [editor's note: This actually might make some
sense ... if we concede the likelihood of SOME mandate coming out of
this mess - SAT] (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yf5w9fl
-----
36) Closing time: the chaos of last call
Boston Globe
by Lawrence Harmon
"Although state law forbids the serving of alcohol in clubs after 2
a.m., Boston should be allowed to extend club licenses for another
hour or two, provided operators stick to food, coffee, and soft
drinks. Alcohol is more profitable. But the after-hours demand for
food is strong enough to keep the sidewalk sausage vendors busy. By
extending the hours, patrons could enjoy better meals inside the clubs
and take their own time leaving. Most importantly, customers would
leave at staggered intervals, reducing the 2 a.m. crush. Later hours
might also relieve some pressure on Area A-1 police officers, who race
between fight calls at North Station, the Theater District and Faneuil
Hall." (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjg6e9y
-----
37) The only cure for America's health-care illness
Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G. Hornberger
"The core problem in the health-care debate is that most everyone just
assumes the existence of Medicare and Medicaid and medical licensure.
Then, they come up with some sort of reform plan that works around
these socialist and interventionist programs. That's ridiculous,
because Medicare and Medicaid and occupational licensure are the heart
of the problem. It's just that people are so accustomed to and
dependent on these government programs that they simply cannot imagine
life without them." (12/09/09)
http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2009-12-09.asp
-----
38) Policy implications of Climategate
FreedomWorks
by Nan Swift
"With over 4,000 documents to sort through, it's certain that we'll
continue to uncover gems like 'I can't see either of these papers
being in the next IPCC report, Kevin and I will keep them out somehow
-- even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature
is!' (email from Dr. Phil Jones to Dr. Michael Mann of the
Pennsylvania State University on how to exclude scientists with whom
they disagreed from the IPCC process). Together, the Climategate files
present a disturbing window into the climate change scientific
community, a place where: Scientists openly discussed the manipulation
of data." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/y9ctc4v
-----
39) Did deregulation cause the Great Recession?
Competitive Enterprise Institute
by Ryan Young
"In a December 3 article in Politico ('J-O-Bs should come before
GDP'), Rep. Phil Hare argues that 'reckless deregulation' is one of
the causes of the current economic crisis. That isn't actually true.
This year's edition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute's Ten
Thousand Commandments report found that 3,830 new regulations came
into effect in 2008 alone. Over 30,000 total new rules passed during
the Bush years. Hardly any were repealed. Businesses currently dole
out the equivalent of Canada's entire 2006 GDP -- about $1.2 trillion
-- just to comply with federal regulations. Where is the
deregulation?" (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ydnz2pg
-----
40) The Bush-Obama war
Campaign For Liberty
by Chuck Baldwin
"Now it's Barack Obama's war. After campaigning against 'George Bush's
War' in the Middle East, Obama has escalated that war. By transferring
thousands of America's forces from Iraq to Afghanistan, and by sending
an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, the liberal Democrat has
demonstrated that his administration is not so different from that of
his 'conservative' Republican predecessor. While I was crisscrossing
America during the campaign season last year, I repeatedly predicted
that no matter who won the White House, John McCain or Barack Obama,
neither would end the war in the Middle East." (12/09/09)
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=424
-----
41) MTV's wack morality
Acton Institute
by Anthony B. Bradley
"On Dec. 3, MTV announced the launch of 'A Thin Line,' a multi-year
initiative aimed at stopping the spread of abuse through sexting,
cyberbullying and digital dating. MTV says that the goal of the
initiative is to empower America's youth to identify, respond to and
block the spread of the various forms of digital harassment. While
MTV's program deserves an honorable mention, the network misses the
mark by ignoring its complicity in glorifying mores associated with
sexting, bullying, and dating abuse, failing to promote the family,
and failing to enlist religious leaders." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/y98bcbe
-----
42) Recall the Maymin Plan?
Fairfield County Weekly
by Phil Maymin
"There was once a more sensible and promising version of Obama's
Afghanistan plan -- but you didn't listen." (for publication 12/10/09)
http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=15728
-----
43) Libertarian -- the definition
Kent's
by Kent McManigal
"A libertarian is someone who abides by the Zero Aggression Principle.
I would also claim a libertarian does not 'initiate deception.' Self
defensive actions are not 'aggression' or 'initiation' of anything
other than self defense, but are a result of the aggression or
deception of others. A libertarian does not wish to control others,
not even 'nicely' or for their own good. Instead he should mind his
own business as long as no one is being attacked or
harmed." (12/08/09)
http://kentmcmanigal.blogspot.com/2009/12/libertarian-definition.html
-----
44) "If we do nothing"
The American Spectator
by Robert Stacy McCain
"Rhonda Lee Welsch has a vision. 'When we go back to Washington next
year, there's going be a lot of Harleys,' the Florida activist said.
'And those Harleys make a lot of noise.' Making noise may not seem
like much of a goal to D.C. political strategists, but if thousands of
thundering Harleys roll up in front of the White House as part of a
national Tea Party march on Washington, Welsch's vision might make
more impact than Beltway wizards imagine." (12/09/09)
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/12/09/if-we-do-nothing
-----
45) TSA Operating Manual
Freedom's Phoenix
by Powell Gammill (introduction)
"Contains screening procedures, ID info, and a whole lot more." [Links
to a PDF download] (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yb8rleg
-----
46) Unchaining the human heart -- a revolutionary manifesto: High
times
J. Neil Schulman @ Rational Review
by J. Neil Schulman
"Freedom starts with ownership of your own mind, body, and soul.
Unless you are a child, incompetent, or convicted criminal who needs a
keeper, anyone who stands in between you and your right to have
absolute control over what does or does not go into your body is
attempting to be your ruler. Are there risks to taking drugs? Of
course there are. Read back a chapter about risks and benefits. The
question is not whether there are risks of bad outcomes from ingesting
mind- and mood-altering chemical substances. The question is who
decides -- you, or your Master." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjocgsu
-----
47) The pee-nal code and sex crimes
Classically Liberal
by CLS
"Over two decades ago Juan Matamoros got a ticket in Massachusetts for
taking a pee. Twenty-one years later he was happily living in Florida
with his wife and two kids. The state government forced him to pack up
his family and move since that one full bladder, years earlier, meant
he was considered a sex offender and he had to comply with the sex
offender zoning laws. These laws are intended to make all sex
offenders miserable for the rest of their lives -- a sort of
perpetual, never-ending punishment for all the serious sex offenses
that the politicians have criminalized -- such as peeing outside,
streaking, consenting sex between teens, sexting, etc. A little more
information on Mr. Matamoros shows how out of control sex offender
laws have become. In 1986 Matamoros was a bit tipsy and took a pee
next to a car. Three people saw this and he was fined for the act.
Local sex laws say he is not allowed to live near a school, bus stop,
park, playground or day-care center." (12/09/ 09)
http://tinyurl.com/y8qgxwf
-----
48) The real fat-cat party
National Review
by Jonah Goldberg
"[T]he debate is always framed as if the choice is between 'government
intervention' on the one hand and free-market capitalism on the other.
From 30,000 feet, that division is fine with me. My objection is the
glib and easy association of big business with the free-market guys.
(Milton Friedman was no champion of public-private partnerships and
industrial policy.) This identification allows self-described
progressive Democrats to run against big business when they are in
fact in bed with the fat cats." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjgac44
-----
49) Sarah Palin's anti-science showdown
Salon
by Andrew Leonard
"Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are at their highest point in
15 million years. According to the World Meteorological Organization,
the current decade is the warmest on record, and the current year is
the fifth warmest ever -- observations that are supported by data
collected by multiple climate research centers. Evidence of global
warming comes from many reinforcing points -- melting polar ice,
rising sea levels, changes in plant and animal ecology across the
globe. Palin's assertion that we can't 'say with assurance that man's
activities cause weather changes' is far more highly politicized than
anything that comes out of the Climate Research Unit. It is
fundamentally anti-science." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ydwkcb9
-----
50) "What in the hell do they think is causing it?"
Slate
by John Dickerson
Interview with Al Gore: "Q: How damaging to your argument was the
disclosure of e-mails from the Climate Research Unit at East Anglia
University? A: To paraphrase Shakespeare, it's sound and fury
signifying nothing. I haven't read all the e-mails, but the most
recent one is more than 10 years old. These private exchanges between
these scientists do not in any way cause any question about the
scientific consensus. But the noise machine built by the climate
deniers often seizes on what they can blow out of proportion, so
they've thought this is a bigger deal than it is." [editor's note: Tom
may have been able to refrain from saying something here ... I cannot!
If the outcome of Climategate is that AlGore gets exposed for the
fraudmonger he is, it will all be worth it - SAT] (12/08/09)
http://www.slate.com/id/2237789/
-----
51) Negotiate to end war
The Free Liberal
by Fred E. Foldvary
"The U.S. government should negotiate a ceasefire and end to the war
in Afghanistan. If such negotiations have occurred, they have not been
publicized. It would take political courage to openly talk to the
Taliban, but militarily there is little to lose by just talking.
International negotiations got a bad reputation when the United
Kingdom capitulated to the demands of Nazi Germany just prior to World
War II. But negotiation does not imply surrender, nor does it condone
what the enemy is doing. Negotiation means finding a compromise that
provides each side with its minimum desires." (12/09/09)
http://www.freeliberal.com/archives/003955.html
-----
52) The religious right's potty paranoia
Mother Jones
by Stephanie Mencimer
"The next big culture war battle is about to be waged in an unlikely
place: the restroom. After many years, Congress may finally have the
votes to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The
measure, which the Obama administration views as key to advancing gay
rights, would ban workplace discrimination against gays, lesbians, and
transgendered people. But Christian right groups are fighting the
legislation -- on the grounds that it would force businesses to allow
transgendered and 'transitioning' men and women to use opposite-sex
restrooms or face lawsuits from the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ya3tsrx
-----
53) Big blighters
Reason
by Jacob Sullum
"After Kelo v. City of New London, the 2005 decision in which the U.S.
Supreme Court approved the forcible transfer of property from one
private owner to another in the name of 'economic development,' 43
states passed reforms that were supposed to curb eminent domain
abuses. But most states still allow condemnation of property deemed to
be 'blighted,' and many of them define that condition so broadly that
it has become a synonym for coveted, as illustrated by two recent New
York cases." (12/09/09)
http://reason.com/archives/2009/12/09/big-blighters
-----
54) Spinning out of control
The American Conservative
by Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
"It wasn't a good day for the Department of Defense when Stars and
Stripes scooped the Pentagon's secret scheme to profile journalists
covering the war. Seems that the Rendon Group -- the tyrannosaurus rex
of military public-relations contractors -- was getting paid to weed
out reporters who did not fit the command's ideal of tractability. The
Army and Rendon have vociferously denied that embed requests were
being held up on this basis, despite subsequent revelations of two
confirmed cases to the contrary and reports by individual journalists
who obtained their Rendon-generated profiles. Seeing an expose of
these practices was akin to spotting a tiny glitch in the virtual-
reality world of 'The Matrix' and getting a glimpse of the reality
underneath." (for publication 01/01/09)
http://www.amconmag.com/article/2010/jan/01/00036/
-----
55) Homeland Security embarks on Big Brother programs to read our
minds and emotions
AlterNet
by Liliana Segura
"This past February, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded
a one-year, $2.6 million grant to the Cambridge, MA.-based Charles
Stark Draper Laboratory to develop computerized sensors capable of
detecting a person's level of 'malintent' -- or intention to do harm.
It's only the most recent of numerous contracts awarded to Draper and
assorted research outfits by the U.S. government over the past few
years under the auspices of a project called 'Future Attribute
Screening Technologies,' or FAST. It's the next wave of behavior
surveillance from DHS and taxpayers have paid some $20 million on it
so far. Conceived as a cutting-edge counter-terrorism tool, the FAST
program will ostensibly detect subjects' bad intentions by monitoring
their physiological characteristics, particularly those associated
with fear and anxiety." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ya9nwda
*******************************************************************
* RRND MEDIA SHELF -- Tchotchkes from today's edition
*
* Amazon Gift Certificates -- The perfect gift for readers!
* http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00067L6TQ/rationalrev08-20
*
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*******************************************************************
*****************************
* See No Evil, Hear No Evil
*****************************
56) Tim Cox on Freedom Rings Radio, 12/21/09
Freedom Rings Radio
"Tim Cox, author of Revolution, a New Plan for Selecting
Representatives and the founder of the Get Out Of Our House Project
joins host Kenneth John. 9-10am Central on WRMN 1410 AM, Elgin, IL or
live on the web. [live radio or stream] (12/21/09)
http://freedomrings.net/
-----
57) Free Talk Live, 12/09/09
Free Talk Live
"TSA Can't Secure Own Documents / Vaccines and Natural Alternatives /
Dystopian Life / Strange Sky Spiral / Outdoor Smoking Ban / IRS
Attacks Young Poor Mother / You Are Owned / IRS Fishing / Auto Bailout
Failure / Mark Interviews Joe Plummer." [MP3] (12/09/09)
http://media.libsyn.com/media/ftl/FTL2009-12-09.mp3
-----
58) Freedomain Radio #1523
Freedomain Radio
"A fascinating conversation about the ethical life of infants." [MP3]
(12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/fdr1523
-----
59) Cato Daily Podcast, 12/09/09
Cato Institute
"Watching the stimulus," featuring Jerry Brito. [MP3] (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/cato120909
*************************************
* What's Up In The Freedom Movement
*************************************
60) 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
***********
61) "[R]ecognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world"
Details, and the "quote of the day," from Leon's Political Almanac at:
http://perspicuity.net/cgi/hypercal.cgi
* RATIONAL REVIEW NEWS DIGEST
* The Freedom Movement's Daily Newspaper
*
* Volume VI, Issue #1,809
* Thursday, December 10th, 2009
* Email Circulation 2,148
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In The News:
1) US foreclosures to reach 3.9 million in second record year
2) Bank of America repays $45 billion in bailout funds
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 28 wounded
4) NATO-led attack may have killed Afghan civilians
5) SC: Panel votes down Sanford impeachment
6) Spiral UFO puts Norway in a spin
7) Slim majority backs Obama regime's Afghanistan escalation plan
8) Taliban threaten South Korea over Afghan troops
9) Pakistan: Five men reported missing in United States arrested
10) House votes to extend popular deductions, credits
11) UK: Immigration camps "harmful for children"
12) Private contractor posted secret TSA screening manual online
13) Jewish settlers in West Bank building curb protest
14) Guns soon could be checked in on Amtrak
15) TX: Dry cleaner shoots robber
16) UK tax on #25,000 bank bonuses: Can it work?
17) Gallup Poll: Congress less trusted than ever
18) Important business? House bill challenges BCS
19) New drug conviction reversed, and US ruling is criticized
20) TN: Winds destroy Capitol Christmas tree
Everybody Has An Opinion:
21) US government policy: If it ain't broke, fix it until it is
22) Crime must have a consequence
23) The fallacy of public goods: Libertarians and national defense
24) Thoughts on libertarians and immigration
25) Explaining the latest version of ObamaCare
26) No-sama bin Laden
27) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
28) Understanding the code, part 2: Wheat and chaff
29) Suhprahs, suhprahs ... Many scientists disagree on GW
30) Dear Barack, spare me your e-mails
31) The curse of good government
32) Opportunity in Copenhagen: take on energy subsidies
33) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
34) Can Congress keep America storm resistant?
35) Averting a healthcare backlash
36) Closing time: the chaos of last call
37) The only cure for America's health-care illness
38) Policy implications of Climategate
39) Did deregulation cause the Great Recession?
40) The Bush-Obama war
41) MTV's wack morality
42) Recall the Maymin Plan?
43) Libertarian -- the definition
44) "If we do nothing"
45) TSA Operating Manual
46) Unchaining the human heart -- a revolutionary manifesto: High
times
47) The pee-nal code and sex crimes
48) The real fat-cat party
49) Sarah Palin's anti-science showdown
50) "What in the hell do they think is causing it?"
51) Negotiate to end war
52) The religious right's potty paranoia
53) Big blighters
54) Spinning out of control
55) Homeland Security embarks on Big Brother programs to read our
minds and emotions
See No Evil, Hear No Evil:
56) Tim Cox on Freedom Rings Radio, 12/21/09
57) Free Talk Live, 12/09/09
58) Freedomain Radio #1523
59) Cato Daily Podcast, 12/09/09
What's Up In The Freedom Movement:
60) Today's events
WaYbAcK:
61) "[R]ecognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world"
***************
* In The News
***************
1) US foreclosures to reach 3.9 million in second record year
Bloomberg
"Foreclosure filings in the U.S. will reach a record for the second
consecutive year with 3.9 million notices sent to homeowners in
default, RealtyTrac Inc. said. This year's filings will surpass 2008's
total of 3.2 million as record unemployment and price erosion batter
the housing market, the Irvine, California-based company
said." (12/10/09)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a6aLuu9zxbcM
-----
2) Bank of America repays $45 billion in bailout funds
USA Today
"Bank of America said Wednesday it has repaid the entire $45 billion
it owed U.S. taxpayers as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Bank of America (BAC), which announced its agreement with the U.S.
Treasury to repay TARP last week, financed the repayment through a
combination of cash on hand and the sale of $19.29 billion of
securities that would convert into common stock. The stock increase
remains subject to shareholder approval." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ycwxdqe
-----
3) Iraq: 11 killed, 28 wounded
AntiWar.Com
"In Baghdad, a roadside bomb struck in the Qahira neighborhood,
killing two people and wounded 11 others on a minibus. Near a library
in Adhamiya, two street sweepers were killed and as many as eight
others were wounded when a bomb hidden in garbage exploded. Gunmen
killed a police officer at a checkpoint, also in Adhamiya. A bomb on a
bus in Mahmoudiya left three dead and eight wounded. In Mosul, gunmen
wounded a policeman, while police mistakenly killed a civilian. Two
bodies bearing gunshot wounds were found in a northern
area." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yegc3yj
-----
4) NATO-led attack may have killed Afghan civilians
Chicago Sun-Times
"The Afghan government said NATO forces killed six civilians during
the pre-dawn operation Tuesday. NATO disputed the allegation, saying
seven insurgents were killed and four detained after the attack in
Laghman province on a compound of a militant leader responsible for
directing several suicide strikes in the region. Afghan and
international forces came under fire as they assaulted the compound,
sparking a gunbattle, the NATO statement said." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yddpzcg
-----
5) SC: Panel votes down Sanford impeachment
Politico
"A subcommittee in the South Carolina state House voted against an
impeachment resolution against Republican Gov. Mark Sanford on
Wednesday. The constitutional laws subcommittee voted 6-1 against the
impeachment resolution, which was introduced by the subcommittee's
chairman, GOP state Rep. Greg Delleney -- the only vote in favor. The
news means Sanford will likely serve out the rest of his term, as the
will to oust the governor has been waning in the months since he
admitted to an affair with an Argentine mistress." (12/09/09)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30409.html
-----
6) Spiral UFO puts Norway in a spin
The Sun [UK]
"A mysterious giant spiral of light that dominated the sky over Norway
this morning has stunned experts -- who believe the space spectacle is
an entirely new astral phenomenon. ... Theories ranging from a
misfired Russian missile, meteor fireball, never-before-seen type of
northern light, 'black hole' and even alien activity were all
proposed. ... The spiral spectacle -- which lasted for two minutes --
was seen by vast swathes of the Scandinavian country's almost five
million population, with sightings as far north as Finnmark to
Trondelag in the south." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ycpdztx
-----
7) Slim majority backs Obama regime's Afghanistan escalation plan
MSNBC
"A bare majority of Americans support President Obama 's plan to send
30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, but many are skeptical that the
United States can count on Afghanistan as a partner in the fight or
that the escalation would reduce the chances of a domestic terrorist
attack, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. In the
wake of the president's address last week explaining his decision, the
poll found a 10 percentage point increase in public approval of Mr.
Obama's handling of the war in Afghanistan since last month, to 48
percent." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yce26bk
-----
8) Taliban threaten South Korea over Afghan troops
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
"The Taliban have threatened to retaliate against South Korea for its
decision to send troops back into Afghanistan. A statement e-mailed to
media outlets late Wednesday said that South Korea's leaders 'should
be prepared for the consequence of their action, which they will
certainly face.' South Korea has pledged to send 350 troops next year
to protect its civilian aid workers." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yzhktrz
-----
9) Pakistan: Five men reported missing in United States arrested
CNN
"Five people arrested in Pakistan had been reported missing in the
United States, and police are confident they were planning terrorist
acts, a Pakistani police official told CNN. It is too soon to link the
men with any terrorist organizations, said Tahir Gujjrar, deputy
superintendent of police in Sargodha, Pakistan, but preliminary
investigations suggest they had sought to link up with the Jaish-e-
Mohammed and Jamaat ud Dawa militant organizations. Neither group
showed interest, however, Gujjrar said." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ycla4b7
-----
10) House votes to extend popular deductions, credits
Athens Banner-Herald
"The House voted Wednesday to extend $31 billion in popular tax
breaks, including an income tax deduction for sales and property
taxes, to be financed [sic] with a tax increase on investment fund
managers and a crackdown on international tax cheats. The 45 tax
deductions and credits for businesses and individuals are scheduled to
expire at year's end. The House voted 241-181 to extend them for a
year. The bill now goes to the Senate, which has rejected the tax
increase on investment managers in the past." [editor's note: Tax cuts
don't have to be "financed." Not taking money that isn't yours isn't
an "expenditure" - TLK] (12/10/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjnmwzf
-----
11) UK: Immigration camps "harmful for children"
Independent [UK]
"The detention of hundreds of children in Britain's immigration camps
is harmful and ministers should change the policy, medical experts
will warn today. The call for a new approach to the treatment of young
refugees and their families follows a report which found that their
detention in the asylum system was linked to serious physical and
psychological harm." (12/10/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yamnt76
-----
12) Private contractor posted secret TSA screening manual online
ABC News
"While insisting the security of the public was never placed at risk,
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said
Wednesday that her department is conducting a review to determine how
the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) air passenger
screening manual ended up online. Napolitano also confirmed that a
private contractor had posted the manual online. The most sensitive
parts of the Standard Operating Procedures manual were redacted in a
way that computer-savvy individuals easily overcame, revealing sample
CIA, Congressional and law enforcement credentials, and that only 20
percent of checked bags at airports are to be hand searched for
explosives." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yhsy2kt
-----
13) Jewish settlers in West Bank building curb protest
BBC News [UK]
"Thousands of Jewish settlers and their supporters have staged a rally
in Jerusalem in protest at a curb on settlement building in the West
Bank. Demonstrators gathered outside the residence of PM Benjamin
Netanyahu, days after he ordered a 10-month lull in permits for new
settlement homes. The order followed US calls for a total freeze in
settlement building." 912/09/09)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8404850.stm
-----
14) Guns soon could be checked in on Amtrak
Washington Times
"Gun-toting Amtrak passengers are one giant step closer to being
allowed to travel with firearms in their checked luggage, as lawmakers
included a measure to lift a railroad gun ban in a catch-all spending
bill .... The omnibus spending bill ... is considered must-pass
legislation, and that makes the new Amtrak gun rule as close to a sure
bet as there is on Capitol Hill. Travelers with firearms have long
faced disparate treatment on trains and airplanes. Airline passengers
can transport firearms in checked baggage, but Amtrak currently
prohibits guns anywhere on its trains. This is an important victory
for sportsmen and gun owners across the country, and it affirms
congressional support of the Second Amendment." [editor's note:
"Considered must-pass legislation" by whom? -TLK] (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yhpqdfy
-----
15) TX: Dry cleaner shoots robber
KPRC News
"Nam-Duong Nguyen, the manager of the $1 Cleaners in the 18600 block
of Kuykendahl Road, saw two people approach the store at about 6:35
p.m. Monday. Nguyen said the two were wearing all black and he saw
them pull masks over their faces. The two crouched down and approached
the front door, Nguyen told investigators. Nguyen said he saw the two
reach into the waistbands for an object. Nguyen, who has a concealed
handgun license, pulled out his gun and fired toward the men about
three times, investigators said. The two tried to get away, but only
one of them actually did. One of the men collapsed and died behind the
northeast end of the strip center where the dry cleaning business is
located, deputies said." (12/08/09)
http://www.click2houston.com/news/21895165/detail.html
-----
16) UK tax on #25,000 bank bonuses: Can it work?
Christian Science Monitor
"British Treasury boss Alistair Darling announced a one-time, 50
percent tax on hefty bank bonuses on Wednesday, in a reflection of
both the increasingly ugly mood over the large annual payouts made to
bankers and of the budget hole that the UK is falling into. Mr.
Darling told Parliament that the measure, a tax on bonuses over
#25,000 ($40,500), would raise about $890 million and slow the growth
of Britain's ballooning budget deficit. The global financial collapse
of the past two years has hit the UK hard, and Darling estimated that
the British taxpayer remains on the hook for about $16 billion in bank
bailouts. The banks, not their employees, would pay the charge. The
employees will then be taxed as normal on their bonuses." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjs5nk2
-----
17) Gallup Poll: Congress less trusted than ever
Frum Forum
"Cracking jokes about Congressional thievery is something of a
national past-time. But the results of the newest Gallup poll will
likely startle even the cynical news dorks that have read enough of
these polls to know that the American people don't think highly of
their government. For the first time since Gallup began conducting its
annual 'Honesty and Ethics of Professions' poll, a majority (55%) of
Americans responded that they believe the honesty and ethical
standards of 'members of Congress' are 'low' or 'very low.' The
American people don't think senators are particularly upstanding
citizens either: 49% said Senators have 'low or very low' ethical
standards." [Hat tip -- Raw Story] (12/09/09)
http://www.frumforum.com/congress-less-trusted-than-ever
-----
18) Important business? House bill challenges BCS
Associated Press
"A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing
college football to switch to a playoff system to determine a national
champion, over the objections of some lawmakers who said Congress had
more pressing matters on its plate. The bill, which faces long odds of
becoming law, would ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I
football game as a national championship unless that title contest is
the result of a playoff. The measure passed by voice vote in a House
Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, with one audible 'no,'
from Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. 'With all due respect, I really think we
have more important things to spend our time on,' Barrow said before
the vote, although he stressed he didn't like the current Bowl
Championship Series, either." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ylabezn
-----
19) New drug conviction reversed, and US ruling is criticized
Boston Globe
"At least a dozen drug and gun convictions have been overturned in
Massachusetts as a result of a controversial US Supreme Court ruling
six months ago that criminal defendants have a constitutional right to
cross-examine forensic experts who prepare laboratory reports,
according to prosecutors and defense lawyers. The most recent reversal
occurred yesterday, when a state Appeals Court panel overturned the
2007 conviction of a Boston man for trafficking cocaine in a school
zone and ordered a new trial. The panel ruled that Deniz DePina's
lawyer should have had a chance at trial to question state laboratory
analysts. Those analysts had certified in writing that police seized
more than 14 grams of crack cocaine from a Roxbury apartment where
DePina allegedly sold drugs." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yz4rv7a
-----
20) TN: Winds destroy Capitol Christmas tree
Tennessean
"The Christmas tree at the state Capitol will be replaced after being
toppled by high winds overnight. The blue spruce, which had stood on
Charlotte Avenue between the Capitol and Legislative Plaza, fell
sometime before 4 a.m., snapping off the top, said Kenny Crowson,
facilities supervisor at the Capitol. The tree fell to the sidewalk,
damaging some lights and ornaments, but no one is believed to have
been injured. Capitol staffers are now looking for a replacement for
the tree, which had been donated to the state, Crowson said. Vandalism
is not suspected. Officials believe the tree was blown over by high
winds." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yf4cd8d
*******************************************************************
* HEALTH-OF-THE-STATE-O-METER, 12/10/09
*
* Reported Civilian Deaths in Iraq: Min - 94,554 ... Max - 103,162
* (source: www.iraqbodycount.org)
*
* American Military Deaths in Iraq: 4,367
* (source: www.antiwar.com/casualties/)
*******************************************************************
****************************
* Everybody Has An Opinion
****************************
21) US government policy: If it ain't broke, fix it until it is
Liberty For All
by Donna Mancini
"Governments run up the cost of essential goods and services, by
making them so called 'rights' or entitlements. When something is
'free,' people overuse it. When it is paid for by other people aka
third parties or insurance, the people using the goods and services
don't care what they are charged because they aren't paying for it,
which ultimately raises prices for all. Service providers are
guaranteed payment by the government or insurance company, and not
wanting to or having to deal with delinquent accounts like others in
the so called 'free market' -- (we cannot in reality say we have a
free market in America because almost everything is Regulated by
bureaucrats) -- providers hesitate or refuse to give care to those who
do not have the insurance or government coverage." (12/09/09)
http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=3494
-----
22) Crime must have a consequence
Last Free Voice
by Donald Meinshausen
"One of the reasons that crime is punished and the criminal so
dramatically humiliated is so that others who might consider such acts
are warned by the consequences of criminality. This is accepted as the
basis of any society that holds to a theory of justice. For if it
becomes relatively easy for a person to do crime and enjoy the fruits
then what happens to the general mores of society? How do we uphold
the standards of non-coercion, honesty, thrift and work? How do we
instill a sense of guilt to the perpetrator? If we don't then soon it
will be regarded as foolish to work honestly. The country then can
become a war of all vs. all where more and more assets are based on
stealing and protection against rather than being engaged in
productive behavior. A poor, frightened society ripe for tyranny
emerges after such times. This goes in spades when we are considering
the greatest theft in the history of civilization. The current
international regime of Bush/Obama has orchestrated bailouts,
nationalizations and inflationary debt that have run into trillions of
dollars." (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ydztj2g
-----
23) The fallacy of public goods: Libertarians and national defense
LewRockwell.Com
by Per Bylund
"For some reason free market libertarians, Ayn Rand included, tend to
fall for the public goods unlogic and therefore dismiss anarchism as a
viable social order. Nothing could be further from the truth. Public
goods are not a problem in a free market -- they are only a problem in
a regulated such. In fact, the logic emanating from identifying the
existence of public goods is based on false assumptions." (12/10/09)
http://www.lewrockwell.com/bylund/bylund28.1.html
-----
24) Thoughts on libertarians and immigration
Free Advice
by Robert Murphy
"Again, it might make sense for the standard Republican to care about
tax payments, but I don't see why a libertarian would get worked up
about immigrants failing to fund the government. I conduct my own
consulting business in full compliance with tax laws, if only because
I am a worrier and want to be able to sleep at night. But I know many
libertarians who celebrate tax dodgers, at least when it comes to tax
dodgers who hold American citizenship. Why then should this be a
strike against people who also broke an arbitrary immigration rule
laid down by the people collecting the unjust taxes?" (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yfhardf
-----
25) Explaining the latest version of ObamaCare
KN@PPSTER
by Thomas L. Knapp
"Simply put, it's like this: If you're a member of Generation X or Y
or whatever the hell they're calling the various post-Boomer
generations these days, you are to be boiled in hot water until you're
nice and tender and your meat and bones have separated. The insurance
companies receive the meat ('individual mandate'). The Boomers get the
bones ('Medicare buy-in')." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ygq8nae
-----
26) No-sama bin Laden
AntiWar.Com
by Philip Giraldi
"Many analysts both inside and outside of the government have become
convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead and has been so for quite some
time. They base this perception on the same non-evidence that Gates
cites, i.e. that there has been no solid information on bin Laden or
his whereabouts since late 2001. The absence of any intelligence could
be due to the likelihood that a top terrorist on the run would be
extremely careful about how he moves about and how he communicates,
which is what many have believed up until recently, but at a certain
point it becomes too much of a stretch to believe that a man heading a
major terror organization has successfully become invisible. It is
widely believed that videos and recordings featuring his image and
voice could well be clever composites." (12/10/09)
http://original.antiwar.com/giraldi/2009/12/09/no-sama-bin-laden/
-----
27) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
Christian Science Monitor
by David Levine and Michael Boldrin
"It is common to argue that intellectual property (IP) in the form of
copyrights and patents is crucial for the creation of innovative ideas
and inventions such as machines, drugs, software, books, and music.
Proponents argue that IP is just like ordinary property in houses and
cars. In fact, empirical evidence shows that IP does not promote
innovation and that, unlike ordinary property, it is detrimental to
the social good." (12/08/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1208/p09s06-coop.html
-----
28) Understanding the code, part 2: Wheat and chaff
Strike the Root
by Bill Butler
"So much of life is about: (1) making distinctions; and (2) making
choices. Indeed, the meaning and consequence of all our lives can
fairly be said to be a test of our free will choices and the rational,
intellectual distinctions we make in choosing between free will
courses of action. Two identically smart, identically diligent people
making nearly identical choices can arrive at very different places
based on the distinctions they make in choosing a course of
action." (12/09/09)
http://www.strike-the-root.com/92/butler/butler2.html
-----
29) Suhprahs, suhprahs ... Many scientists disagree on GW
Fox News Forum
by John Lott
"As the Climate-gate controversy continues to grow, amid charges of
hiding and manipulating data, and suppressing research by academics
who challenge global warming, there is one oft-repeated defense: other
independent data-sets all reach the same conclusions. ... But things
are not so clear. It is not just the University of East Anglia data
that is at question. There are about 450 academic peer-reviewed
journal articles questioning the importance of man-made global
warming. The sheer number of scientists rallying against a major
intervention to stop carbon dioxide is remarkable. In a petition, more
than 30,000 American scientists are urging the U.S. government to
reject the Kyoto treaty." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yhq56wb
-----
30) Dear Barack, spare me your e-mails
truthdig
by Robert Scheer
"Barack Obama's faux populism is beginning to grate. ... It is one
thing to rob us blind by rewarding the power elite that created our
problems but quite another to sugarcoat it in the rhetoric of a David
taking on those Goliaths. In each of the three most important areas of
policy with which he has dealt, Obama speaks in the voice of the
little people's champion, but his actions cater fully to the demands
of the most powerful economic interests. With his escalation of the
war in Afghanistan, he has given the military-industrial complex an
excuse for the United States to carry on in spending more on defense
than the rest of the world combined, without a credible military
adversary in sight. His response to the banking meltdown was to
continue George W. Bush's massive giveaway of taxpayer dollars to Wall
Street, and his health care reform has all the earmarks of a
boondoggle for the medical industry profiteers." (12/09/09)
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091221/scheer
-----
31) The curse of good government
Ludwig von Mises Institute
by William L. Anderson
"As one who has made a career out of criticizing government and
exposing the various predations of government, one would think I would
be intelligent and wise enough not to expect that entity we know as
'good government.' In fact, given that I am quite familiar with the
entire socialist calculation debate and have assigned numerous papers
covering that subject to my MBA students, it should have dawned upon
me by now that 'good government' is an oxymoron at best and a
delusional term at worst." (12/09/09)
http://mises.org/daily/3921
-----
32) Opportunity in Copenhagen: take on energy subsidies
Christian Science Monitor
by Brenda Shaffer
"Instead of waiting for the next big crisis to emerge, there is a way
the US and other nations can enact policies to reduce energy
consumption, moderate damage to the environment, save money, and even
bring benefits to the poor by removing blanket energy subsidies. In
fact, world leaders at the Copenhagen climate summit should recognize
that most nations still subsidize consumption of fossil fuels. Removal
of these subsidies can be one of the most effective tools for reducing
energy consumption and thus the danger of climate change. According to
International Energy Agency data, energy subsidies worldwide amount to
$300 billion a year." [editor's note: Attacking corporate welfare
instead of advocating market-dislocation-by-fiat? How was this writer
ever allowed to be published? - SAT] (12/09/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1209/p09s01-coop.html
-----
33) The patent system: End it, don't mend it
Christian Science Monitor
by David K. Levine & Michele Boldrin
"Contrary to popular myth, the US Constitution does not provide
authors or inventors with special rights: It merely gives Congress the
option of 'securing for limited times to authors and inventors the
exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.' The
purpose of granting such private monopolies is solely to 'promote the
progress of science and useful arts.' Is Congress justified in
granting such private monopolies? Is the judiciary correct in
continuously extending their areas of enforceability? Do they in fact
'promote the progress of science and useful arts'?" (12/08/09)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1208/p09s06-coop.html
-----
34) Can Congress keep America storm resistant?
Heartland Institute
by David Conrad and Eli Lehrer
"2009's North Atlantic Hurricane season has, thankfully, just come to
a close without a major U.S. disaster. Consider the facts: No truly
large storms made landfall in the United States and, for the first
year in at least a decade, not a single American family lost its home
to hurricane damage. While most early-season forecasts called for
between four and seven significant named storms, only three ever
formed in the Atlantic. But the almost storm-free conditions won't
last." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yzvpk6t
-----
35) Averting a healthcare backlash
The American Prospect
by Paul Starr
"No provision of the healthcare reforms being debated in Congress is
as likely to generate a popular backlash as is the individual mandate
-- the requirement that individuals purchase health insurance if they
are not otherwise covered. But there is an alternative to the mandate
as it is currently structured that can accomplish the same purpose
without raising as much opposition. ... Congress could address this
problem more directly. The law could give people a right to opt out of
the mandate if they signed a form agreeing that they could not opt in
for the following five years. In other words, instead of paying a
fine, they would forgo a potential benefit. For five years they would
become ineligible for federal subsidies for health insurance and, if
they did buy coverage, no insurer would have to cover a pre-existing
condition of theirs." [editor's note: This actually might make some
sense ... if we concede the likelihood of SOME mandate coming out of
this mess - SAT] (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yf5w9fl
-----
36) Closing time: the chaos of last call
Boston Globe
by Lawrence Harmon
"Although state law forbids the serving of alcohol in clubs after 2
a.m., Boston should be allowed to extend club licenses for another
hour or two, provided operators stick to food, coffee, and soft
drinks. Alcohol is more profitable. But the after-hours demand for
food is strong enough to keep the sidewalk sausage vendors busy. By
extending the hours, patrons could enjoy better meals inside the clubs
and take their own time leaving. Most importantly, customers would
leave at staggered intervals, reducing the 2 a.m. crush. Later hours
might also relieve some pressure on Area A-1 police officers, who race
between fight calls at North Station, the Theater District and Faneuil
Hall." (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjg6e9y
-----
37) The only cure for America's health-care illness
Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G. Hornberger
"The core problem in the health-care debate is that most everyone just
assumes the existence of Medicare and Medicaid and medical licensure.
Then, they come up with some sort of reform plan that works around
these socialist and interventionist programs. That's ridiculous,
because Medicare and Medicaid and occupational licensure are the heart
of the problem. It's just that people are so accustomed to and
dependent on these government programs that they simply cannot imagine
life without them." (12/09/09)
http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2009-12-09.asp
-----
38) Policy implications of Climategate
FreedomWorks
by Nan Swift
"With over 4,000 documents to sort through, it's certain that we'll
continue to uncover gems like 'I can't see either of these papers
being in the next IPCC report, Kevin and I will keep them out somehow
-- even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature
is!' (email from Dr. Phil Jones to Dr. Michael Mann of the
Pennsylvania State University on how to exclude scientists with whom
they disagreed from the IPCC process). Together, the Climategate files
present a disturbing window into the climate change scientific
community, a place where: Scientists openly discussed the manipulation
of data." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/y9ctc4v
-----
39) Did deregulation cause the Great Recession?
Competitive Enterprise Institute
by Ryan Young
"In a December 3 article in Politico ('J-O-Bs should come before
GDP'), Rep. Phil Hare argues that 'reckless deregulation' is one of
the causes of the current economic crisis. That isn't actually true.
This year's edition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute's Ten
Thousand Commandments report found that 3,830 new regulations came
into effect in 2008 alone. Over 30,000 total new rules passed during
the Bush years. Hardly any were repealed. Businesses currently dole
out the equivalent of Canada's entire 2006 GDP -- about $1.2 trillion
-- just to comply with federal regulations. Where is the
deregulation?" (12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ydnz2pg
-----
40) The Bush-Obama war
Campaign For Liberty
by Chuck Baldwin
"Now it's Barack Obama's war. After campaigning against 'George Bush's
War' in the Middle East, Obama has escalated that war. By transferring
thousands of America's forces from Iraq to Afghanistan, and by sending
an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, the liberal Democrat has
demonstrated that his administration is not so different from that of
his 'conservative' Republican predecessor. While I was crisscrossing
America during the campaign season last year, I repeatedly predicted
that no matter who won the White House, John McCain or Barack Obama,
neither would end the war in the Middle East." (12/09/09)
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=424
-----
41) MTV's wack morality
Acton Institute
by Anthony B. Bradley
"On Dec. 3, MTV announced the launch of 'A Thin Line,' a multi-year
initiative aimed at stopping the spread of abuse through sexting,
cyberbullying and digital dating. MTV says that the goal of the
initiative is to empower America's youth to identify, respond to and
block the spread of the various forms of digital harassment. While
MTV's program deserves an honorable mention, the network misses the
mark by ignoring its complicity in glorifying mores associated with
sexting, bullying, and dating abuse, failing to promote the family,
and failing to enlist religious leaders." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/y98bcbe
-----
42) Recall the Maymin Plan?
Fairfield County Weekly
by Phil Maymin
"There was once a more sensible and promising version of Obama's
Afghanistan plan -- but you didn't listen." (for publication 12/10/09)
http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=15728
-----
43) Libertarian -- the definition
Kent's
by Kent McManigal
"A libertarian is someone who abides by the Zero Aggression Principle.
I would also claim a libertarian does not 'initiate deception.' Self
defensive actions are not 'aggression' or 'initiation' of anything
other than self defense, but are a result of the aggression or
deception of others. A libertarian does not wish to control others,
not even 'nicely' or for their own good. Instead he should mind his
own business as long as no one is being attacked or
harmed." (12/08/09)
http://kentmcmanigal.blogspot.com/2009/12/libertarian-definition.html
-----
44) "If we do nothing"
The American Spectator
by Robert Stacy McCain
"Rhonda Lee Welsch has a vision. 'When we go back to Washington next
year, there's going be a lot of Harleys,' the Florida activist said.
'And those Harleys make a lot of noise.' Making noise may not seem
like much of a goal to D.C. political strategists, but if thousands of
thundering Harleys roll up in front of the White House as part of a
national Tea Party march on Washington, Welsch's vision might make
more impact than Beltway wizards imagine." (12/09/09)
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/12/09/if-we-do-nothing
-----
45) TSA Operating Manual
Freedom's Phoenix
by Powell Gammill (introduction)
"Contains screening procedures, ID info, and a whole lot more." [Links
to a PDF download] (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yb8rleg
-----
46) Unchaining the human heart -- a revolutionary manifesto: High
times
J. Neil Schulman @ Rational Review
by J. Neil Schulman
"Freedom starts with ownership of your own mind, body, and soul.
Unless you are a child, incompetent, or convicted criminal who needs a
keeper, anyone who stands in between you and your right to have
absolute control over what does or does not go into your body is
attempting to be your ruler. Are there risks to taking drugs? Of
course there are. Read back a chapter about risks and benefits. The
question is not whether there are risks of bad outcomes from ingesting
mind- and mood-altering chemical substances. The question is who
decides -- you, or your Master." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjocgsu
-----
47) The pee-nal code and sex crimes
Classically Liberal
by CLS
"Over two decades ago Juan Matamoros got a ticket in Massachusetts for
taking a pee. Twenty-one years later he was happily living in Florida
with his wife and two kids. The state government forced him to pack up
his family and move since that one full bladder, years earlier, meant
he was considered a sex offender and he had to comply with the sex
offender zoning laws. These laws are intended to make all sex
offenders miserable for the rest of their lives -- a sort of
perpetual, never-ending punishment for all the serious sex offenses
that the politicians have criminalized -- such as peeing outside,
streaking, consenting sex between teens, sexting, etc. A little more
information on Mr. Matamoros shows how out of control sex offender
laws have become. In 1986 Matamoros was a bit tipsy and took a pee
next to a car. Three people saw this and he was fined for the act.
Local sex laws say he is not allowed to live near a school, bus stop,
park, playground or day-care center." (12/09/ 09)
http://tinyurl.com/y8qgxwf
-----
48) The real fat-cat party
National Review
by Jonah Goldberg
"[T]he debate is always framed as if the choice is between 'government
intervention' on the one hand and free-market capitalism on the other.
From 30,000 feet, that division is fine with me. My objection is the
glib and easy association of big business with the free-market guys.
(Milton Friedman was no champion of public-private partnerships and
industrial policy.) This identification allows self-described
progressive Democrats to run against big business when they are in
fact in bed with the fat cats." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/yjgac44
-----
49) Sarah Palin's anti-science showdown
Salon
by Andrew Leonard
"Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are at their highest point in
15 million years. According to the World Meteorological Organization,
the current decade is the warmest on record, and the current year is
the fifth warmest ever -- observations that are supported by data
collected by multiple climate research centers. Evidence of global
warming comes from many reinforcing points -- melting polar ice,
rising sea levels, changes in plant and animal ecology across the
globe. Palin's assertion that we can't 'say with assurance that man's
activities cause weather changes' is far more highly politicized than
anything that comes out of the Climate Research Unit. It is
fundamentally anti-science." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ydwkcb9
-----
50) "What in the hell do they think is causing it?"
Slate
by John Dickerson
Interview with Al Gore: "Q: How damaging to your argument was the
disclosure of e-mails from the Climate Research Unit at East Anglia
University? A: To paraphrase Shakespeare, it's sound and fury
signifying nothing. I haven't read all the e-mails, but the most
recent one is more than 10 years old. These private exchanges between
these scientists do not in any way cause any question about the
scientific consensus. But the noise machine built by the climate
deniers often seizes on what they can blow out of proportion, so
they've thought this is a bigger deal than it is." [editor's note: Tom
may have been able to refrain from saying something here ... I cannot!
If the outcome of Climategate is that AlGore gets exposed for the
fraudmonger he is, it will all be worth it - SAT] (12/08/09)
http://www.slate.com/id/2237789/
-----
51) Negotiate to end war
The Free Liberal
by Fred E. Foldvary
"The U.S. government should negotiate a ceasefire and end to the war
in Afghanistan. If such negotiations have occurred, they have not been
publicized. It would take political courage to openly talk to the
Taliban, but militarily there is little to lose by just talking.
International negotiations got a bad reputation when the United
Kingdom capitulated to the demands of Nazi Germany just prior to World
War II. But negotiation does not imply surrender, nor does it condone
what the enemy is doing. Negotiation means finding a compromise that
provides each side with its minimum desires." (12/09/09)
http://www.freeliberal.com/archives/003955.html
-----
52) The religious right's potty paranoia
Mother Jones
by Stephanie Mencimer
"The next big culture war battle is about to be waged in an unlikely
place: the restroom. After many years, Congress may finally have the
votes to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The
measure, which the Obama administration views as key to advancing gay
rights, would ban workplace discrimination against gays, lesbians, and
transgendered people. But Christian right groups are fighting the
legislation -- on the grounds that it would force businesses to allow
transgendered and 'transitioning' men and women to use opposite-sex
restrooms or face lawsuits from the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ya3tsrx
-----
53) Big blighters
Reason
by Jacob Sullum
"After Kelo v. City of New London, the 2005 decision in which the U.S.
Supreme Court approved the forcible transfer of property from one
private owner to another in the name of 'economic development,' 43
states passed reforms that were supposed to curb eminent domain
abuses. But most states still allow condemnation of property deemed to
be 'blighted,' and many of them define that condition so broadly that
it has become a synonym for coveted, as illustrated by two recent New
York cases." (12/09/09)
http://reason.com/archives/2009/12/09/big-blighters
-----
54) Spinning out of control
The American Conservative
by Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
"It wasn't a good day for the Department of Defense when Stars and
Stripes scooped the Pentagon's secret scheme to profile journalists
covering the war. Seems that the Rendon Group -- the tyrannosaurus rex
of military public-relations contractors -- was getting paid to weed
out reporters who did not fit the command's ideal of tractability. The
Army and Rendon have vociferously denied that embed requests were
being held up on this basis, despite subsequent revelations of two
confirmed cases to the contrary and reports by individual journalists
who obtained their Rendon-generated profiles. Seeing an expose of
these practices was akin to spotting a tiny glitch in the virtual-
reality world of 'The Matrix' and getting a glimpse of the reality
underneath." (for publication 01/01/09)
http://www.amconmag.com/article/2010/jan/01/00036/
-----
55) Homeland Security embarks on Big Brother programs to read our
minds and emotions
AlterNet
by Liliana Segura
"This past February, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded
a one-year, $2.6 million grant to the Cambridge, MA.-based Charles
Stark Draper Laboratory to develop computerized sensors capable of
detecting a person's level of 'malintent' -- or intention to do harm.
It's only the most recent of numerous contracts awarded to Draper and
assorted research outfits by the U.S. government over the past few
years under the auspices of a project called 'Future Attribute
Screening Technologies,' or FAST. It's the next wave of behavior
surveillance from DHS and taxpayers have paid some $20 million on it
so far. Conceived as a cutting-edge counter-terrorism tool, the FAST
program will ostensibly detect subjects' bad intentions by monitoring
their physiological characteristics, particularly those associated
with fear and anxiety." (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/ya9nwda
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* RRND MEDIA SHELF -- Tchotchkes from today's edition
*
* Amazon Gift Certificates -- The perfect gift for readers!
* http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00067L6TQ/rationalrev08-20
*
* Note: Affiliate links generate commissions for RRND's editors.
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* See No Evil, Hear No Evil
*****************************
56) Tim Cox on Freedom Rings Radio, 12/21/09
Freedom Rings Radio
"Tim Cox, author of Revolution, a New Plan for Selecting
Representatives and the founder of the Get Out Of Our House Project
joins host Kenneth John. 9-10am Central on WRMN 1410 AM, Elgin, IL or
live on the web. [live radio or stream] (12/21/09)
http://freedomrings.net/
-----
57) Free Talk Live, 12/09/09
Free Talk Live
"TSA Can't Secure Own Documents / Vaccines and Natural Alternatives /
Dystopian Life / Strange Sky Spiral / Outdoor Smoking Ban / IRS
Attacks Young Poor Mother / You Are Owned / IRS Fishing / Auto Bailout
Failure / Mark Interviews Joe Plummer." [MP3] (12/09/09)
http://media.libsyn.com/media/ftl/FTL2009-12-09.mp3
-----
58) Freedomain Radio #1523
Freedomain Radio
"A fascinating conversation about the ethical life of infants." [MP3]
(12/08/09)
http://tinyurl.com/fdr1523
-----
59) Cato Daily Podcast, 12/09/09
Cato Institute
"Watching the stimulus," featuring Jerry Brito. [MP3] (12/09/09)
http://tinyurl.com/cato120909
*************************************
* What's Up In The Freedom Movement
*************************************
60) 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
***********
61) "[R]ecognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world"
Details, and the "quote of the day," from Leon's Political Almanac at:
http://perspicuity.net/cgi/hypercal.cgi
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