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Source: A Passion for Liberty Author: Tibor R. Machan Posted on 12.13.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “One might very well be right to consider me an emotional person although this doesn’t mean I lose my mind while I am worked up about something. Indeed, one result of being worked up can be more intense focus on the topic at hand. In the current political climate, however, my feelings are taxed a good deal.” (12/13/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2ba7bku Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: WendyMcElroy.com Author: Carl Watner Posted on 12.13.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Few supporters of freedom of the press have realized that they have never addressed the principal issue. They are in company with the original advocates of the Bill of Rights, who failed to appreciate that the only dependable foundation of freedom is in the security of property rights. The question is not freedom of the press, but to what extent the State respects property and property rights.” (12/13/10) Link: http://www.wendymcelroy.com/news.php?extend.3681 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Let A Thousand Nations Bloom Author: Patri Friedman Posted on 12.13.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “While WikiLeaks may have benefited from having a known leader who could fundraise and recruit, we can now see the weakness of that system. When the US got angry enough, Julian Assange was the obvious target. But you can’t take vengeance without teaching a lesson, and the movement to free information for public benefit can now simply reconstitute around a model robust to the ‘find a guy and throw him in jail’ attack. Already, next-generation solutions are in the works …” (12/13/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2bcm2nj Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Voice of America [US State Media] Posted on 12.13.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “A lawyer for the founder of the WikiLeaks website says a secret grand jury is meeting outside Washington to consider charges in the release of thousands of sensitive U.S. documents. … U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says he has authorized significant steps to be taken in response to the latest leak. He did not elaborate.” (12/13/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/32hvxjj Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Cato Institute Author: Michael D. Tanner Posted on 12.13.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “While much of Washington was focused on the tax compromise be tween President Obama and congressional Republicans, the Senate was putting together another deal that shows how little both parties really understand what happened in the last election. Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed on — and passed by a vote of 99-0 — a one-year extension of the so-called ‘doctor fix’ for Medicare. The result is almost certainly going to mean higher deficits and more debt piled on the backs of our children.” (12/13/10) Link: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12629 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Pasadena Star-News Posted on 12.12.10 by R. Lee Wrights “Pirates have captured a cargo vessel about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) east of Somalia, the European Union’s anti-piracy force said Sunday. The EU Naval Force said the attack took place only 550 miles (880 kilometers) from the coast of India. Pirates launched the Saturday attack from two skiffs that were supported by a mother ship.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/26xapoo Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: MSNBC Posted on 12.12.10 by R. Lee Wrights “A car bomb exploded Sunday outside government offices in a province west of the Iraqi capital, killing 17 people, officials said. It was the latest deadly hit on a favorite insurgent target. At least 23 people were also wounded in Sunday’s blast, according to the police and hospital officials. The blast took place near the provincial council compound in Ramadi, capital of Anbar province. Police found a second bomb in a nearby parking lot a few minutes later, but said they detonated it in a safe area.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2dzlqay Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: ABC News Posted on 12.12.10 by R. Lee Wrights “An explosives-packed minibus blew up at the entrance of a joint NATO-Afghan base in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing six NATO troops and two Afghan soldiers as they prepared to head out on patrol. NATO has claimed improvements in security after months of raids, patrols and strikes on insurgents in Kandahar province, but Sunday’s blast — the deadliest attack on coalition troops this month — shows the area is still far from safe.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/235496u Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: USA Today Posted on 12.12.10 by R. Lee Wrights “From a hotel room just big enough to hold a bed and a desk, the man considered the legitimate president of Ivory Coast is trying to govern a troubled nation whose sitting president refuses to leave. Alassane Ouattara does not have access to the presidential palace, so he holds Cabinet meetings in a tent on the hotel lawn. His administration has taken over the hotel manager’s office, where the fax machine is used to communicate with embassies abroad.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2ff3yl2 Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Future of Freedom Foundation Author: Jacob G. Hornberger Posted on 12.12.10 by R. Lee Wrights “The statist outrage against Julian Assange and WikiLeaks is rooted in the U.S. government’s imperial foreign policy. In fact, the entire war on terrorism and the ever-growing infringements on the fundamental rights and liberties of the American people revolve around the existence and the activities of the U.S. Empire. What’s the primary mission of the U.S. Empire? Diplomatic and military domination of the world, primarily by getting its people in public office in foreign regimes.” (12/10/10) Link: http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2010-12-10.asp Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Liberty For All Author: Mary J. Ruwart Posted on 12.12.10 by R. Lee Wrights “Make no mistake about it: we had more potential products than the company could put on the market. Development programs took over a decade, involved people from all over the company, and doctors from all over the world. Development was very, very expensive. Upjohn could only have about 20 compounds in development at any one time, and we were probably over-extended with that number.” (12/12/10) Link: http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=5251 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Denver Post Posted on 12.12.10 by R. Lee Wrights “Two top candidates in Haiti’s disputed presidential election are rejecting a proposed recount, threatening to torpedo a compromise aimed at quelling days of riots and violence over allegations the vote was rigged, their campaigns said Saturday. The snub by No. 1 finisher Mirlande Manigat and by third-place Michel Martelly leaves the impoverished nation dangerously volatile, with much of the population rejecting the officially announced outcome of the Nov. 28 election and many willing to protest with violence.” (12/12/10) Link: http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_16836860 Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: NobelPrize.org Author: Liu Xiaobo Posted on 12.12.10 by Steve Trinward “In the course of my life, for more than half a century, June 1989 was the major turning point. … because I had returned from the U.S. to take part in the 1989 Movement, I was thrown into prison for ‘the crime of counter-revolutionary propaganda and incitement.’ I also lost my beloved lectern and could no longer publish essays or give talks in China. Merely for publishing different political views and taking part in a peaceful democracy movement, a teacher lost his lectern, a writer lost his right to publish, and a public intellectual lost the opportunity to give talks publicly.” (12/10/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2bnaqv4 Filed under: CANDi Commentary and PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Christian Science Monitor Author: Robert Pape Posted on 12.12.10 by Steve Trinward “From the 9/11 hijackers to the double agent whose suicide attack in Afghanistan killed seven CIA employees last December, many people want to know what drives some Muslims — many of whom are middle class and well educated — to kill themselves in attacks on Americans and others in the West. After examining 2,200 suicide attacks around the world since 1980 … I’ve concluded that the answer is both simple and disturbing. What drives them is deep anger at the presence of Western combat forces in the Persian Gulf region and other predominately Muslim lands.” (12/11/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/37q4m2b Filed under: CANDi Commentary and PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Boston Globe Author: Jeff Jacoby Posted on 12.12.10 by Steve Trinward “I realize, of course, that liberals were against the Bush tax cuts from the start. I know that Obama vowed time and again to let those tax cuts expire for households earning more than $250,000 a year. … But Obama swore to end plenty of other Bush policies that nevertheless remain intact. Why aren’t Democrats in a blind rage over the tens of thousands of US troops still deployed in Iraq? Or his extension of the Patriot Act? Or the ongoing rendition of terror suspects to third countries for interrogation?” [editor’s note: I’ve been asking these questions of my “progressive” friends for months now (if not years) - SAT] (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2agbbho Filed under: CANDi Commentary and PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Boston Globe Posted on 12.12.10 by Steve Trinward “A Globe investigation has found that this Supplemental Security Income program — created by Congress primarily to aid indigent children with severe physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and blindness — now largely serves children with relatively common mental, learning, and behavioral disorders such as ADHD. It has also created, for many needy parents, a financial motive to seek prescriptions for powerful drugs for their children. And once a family gets on SSI, it can be very hard to let go. The attraction of up to $700 a month in payments, and the near-automatic Medicaid coverage that comes with SSI approval, leads some families to count on a child’s remaining classified as disabled, even as his or her condition may be improving.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/32dvbjc Filed under: CANDi News and RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Reuters Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “An insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan killed six foreign troops from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Sunday, ISAF said in a statement. ISAF did not give any further details.” (12/12/10) Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE6BB00920101212 Filed under: Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Cato Institute Author: Michael D. Tanner Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “From the howls of outrage greeting the report of the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, one would think that they had slashed government to the bone, throwing the elderly, poor, and sick into the street. … In reality, the commission report doesn’t go nearly far enough in reducing the size, cost, and intrusiveness of government. As a matter of fact, the commission doesn’t actually ‘cut’ federal spending.” (12/08/10) Link: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12624 Filed under: Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Slate Author: David Weigel Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Why Ron Paul’s newfound power both pleases and worries libertarians.” (12/10/10) Link: http://www.slate.com/id/2277521/ Filed under: PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: A Passion for Liberty Author: Tibor R. Machan Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “No sane person could think now that the likes of Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg make their riches by depriving millions of others of theirs. (This despite the fact that neither of these beneficiaries of capitalism speaks up about the matter often enough!) So there is no excuse for rich-bashing, none. And I don’t even believe, as some good friends of mine do, that this is all about envy since the nastiest rich-bashing comes from people who are by no stretch of the imagination poor.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2bfj69d Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: CNN Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Arguing that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has ‘weakened the organization,’ a newly organized rival to the website known for leaking official secrets says it will launch Monday. The founders of Openleaks.org say they are former WikiLeaks members unhappy with the way WikiLeaks is being run under Assange.” (12/12/10) Link: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/12/12/wikileaks.rival/ Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Adam Smith Institute Author: Tim Worstall Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “You’ll have seen the heartfelt cries around the place: income inequality is back up to Gilded Age levels and thus we’ve got to do something about it all. That something often being said to be raising taxes on capital. There’s two reasons why we almost certainly don’t want to do that (quite apart from the question of whether we want to do anything).” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2fns5hy Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Ideas Author: David Friedman Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “I was recently involved in an exchange with a prominent jurist on the issue of jury nullification — the doctrine that jurors are entitled to nullify bad laws by refusing to convict a defendant who did something that is illegal but, in their view, should not be. He pointed out, correctly, that it is a very dangerous doctrine.” (12/10/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/32fmkk9 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Debbie and Carl Author: Debbie Harbeson Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “The political process itself promotes ‘war’ between the people of a nation. Political parties work to create and identify ‘enemies,’ which leads to the idea that we are ‘fighting’ and ‘at war’ with our neighbors. Political parties have to create an enemy in the form of a group of people so that another group of people will be energized enough to go to ‘war’ in the form of political activism and voting against the enemy. Government itself benefits by this promotion of prejudice.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/34ew88m Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Daily Anarchist Author: Seth King Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Before one decides to start living a survivalist lifestyle I highly recommend they take an honest account of their unique situation in this world and set realistic priorities. The truth is that one size does not fit all and to attempt to conform to rigid ideas of survivalism is likely a recipe for disappointment or disaster.” (12/10/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2wjwc5l Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute Author: SM Oliva Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “A federal court ordered former Morgan Crucible chief executive Ian Norris to serve 18 months in prison yesterday, the result of an elaborate Department of Justice scheme to subvert the US Constitution and international law. As previously reported, Norris was convicted in July by a Philadelphia jury of ‘conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice,’ a nonsensical charge that made little sense as the same jury acquitted Norris of the underlying ‘obstruction of justice’ charge.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2vutwuy Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Dallas Libertarian Examiner Author: Garry Reed Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Used to be ‘racist’ was used by a person who hated another person because of that person’s race. Now the word simply means, ‘You’re not being politically correct.’ Same with ‘terrorist.’ Remember the good old days when ‘terrorist’ referred to vicious men with box cutters flying airplanes into buildings and murdering a couple thousand people?” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/25nko98 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: USA Today Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “‘Obviously, anybody can file for an office,’ senior adviser David Axelrod said today on CNN’s State of the Union. ‘But I see strong support among Democrats for this president. They understand that he’s fighting hard, trying hard to move this country forward.’ Chatter about a possible primary challenge from the left rose in light of Obama’s proposal to temporarily extend the George W. Bush tax cuts, including those for the wealthiest taxpayers.” (12/12/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2d2r3by Filed under: Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Sydney Morning Herald [Australia] Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Miley Cyrus has come under fire from anti-drugs campaigners, who have criticised the teenage star after she was caught on camera allegedly smoking a hallucinogenic legal high. … The 18-year-old, who is shown giggling and babbling incoherently in the film, is said to have been smoking controversial but legal psychoactive plant Salvia, and experts [sic] are already stepping forward to condemn Cyrus’ actions.” (12/13/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/334yhyu Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: LewRockwell.Com Author: Hans Lysglimt Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “HL: The ideology behind WikiLeaks is to enable transparency, or is there more of a thought behind it than that? JA: There is. Our goal is justice. Our goal is to have a just civilization. That is sort of a personal motivating goal. And the message is transparency. It is important not to confuse the message with the goal. Nonetheless we believe that it is an excellent message.” (12/11/10) Link: http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/assange2.1.1.html Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Center for a Stateless Society Author: Kevin Carson Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “The state can undertake actions that, for you or me, would mean life behind bars or even a ride on Old Sparky. But when the state does them they’re not really criminal, see, because they were done for — ahem — reasons of state. In the famous words of Richard Nixon, in the David Frost interviews, ‘If the President does it, that means it’s not illegal.’” (12/10/10) Link: http://c4ss.org/content/5330 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Liberty & Power Author: Robert Higgs Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Even today, when the horrors of communism are known to everyone, social democrats the world over continue to denounce and undermine private property rights and seek to replace them with some form of collectivized property. Since the late nineteenth century, most intellectuals have been hostile to private property rights and have advocated, if not outright communism, at least some ‘third way’ closer to it than to a regime of full-fledged private property.” (12/10/10) Link: http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/134456.html Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Kent's "Hooligan Libertarian" Blog Author: Kent McManigal Posted on 12.12.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Sometimes when I point out how bad The State (externally-imposed government) is, someone will claim it is only a tool, like a gun, and could be used for good if only the right person (or political party) is wielding it. They will claim that since I don’t think guns are inherently harmful I should apply the same to The State.” (12/10/10) Link: http://blog.kentforliberty.com/2010/12/nothing-political-to-exploit.html Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: AntiWar.Com Author: Justin Raimondo Posted on 12.10.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Armed with computer technology, and the hubris of scientism — which purports to wear the mantle of science — [our rulers] think they can get around the inherent limitations of the human condition, and control the uncontrollable. What they didn’t take into account was that such hubris induces opposition — and so the first cyberwar has begun. It is a war the US government, with all its resources, cannot win, because the nature of the technology — the weaponry — has defeated it before even the first shot was fired.” (12/09/10) Link: http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2010/12/09/its-payback-time/ Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: The Self-Sovereign Individual Project Author: Kitty Antonik and Paul Wakfer Posted on 12.10.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “[G]etting support money to WikiLeaks has become very awkward for those able to donate only small amounts. PayPal, MasterCard and Visa all appear to be currying favor with the US government, if not actually kowtowing to direct political pressure, by agreeing that WikiLeaks is engaged in ‘illegal’ activities thereby justifying their removal of services. So it appears that either snail mail money orders/drafts or bank wire transfers (electronic funds transfer — EFT) are the only means left to get funding to WikiLeaks.” (12/09/10) Link: http://selfsip.org/focus/helpwikileaks.html Filed under: LAND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Strike the Root Author: Jim Davies Posted on 12.09.10 by Mary Lou Seymour “The aftermath of the release of the first 1% of the recent second wave of leaks of sensitive government documents is in some ways more fun than reading of the newly uncovered secrets themselves. It has drawn a clear distinction between those who are horrified and those who are delighted; like the acid test for fake gold, this reveals what people really think about government, now that it matters.” (12/90/10) Link: http://www.strike-the-root.com/acid-test Filed under: LAND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Boston Globe Author: Eileen Boylen Posted on 12.09.10 by Steve Trinward “When Fox News reported the link between depression and chocolate consumption, I knew medical research had finally jumped the shark. Apparently, having more than 8.5 servings of chocolate a month indicates profound depression. Huh? By that definition, my husband and I should be on suicide watch. Color me psychic, but soon Cambridge will be wresting Kit Kats from vending machines and moving chocolate behind the pharmacy counter. Can a ballot question be far behind …? In recent years, Reservatrol has been labeled ‘the fountain of youth.’ And, according to Dr. Oz, you can get it from red wine. Wrong. Turns out wine hasn’t enough Reservatrol to matter, and I only look younger if my husband drinks it.” [editor’s note: This is not only well-written and -considered, but sorta Bombeck-funny as well - SAT] (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/23tvf8j Filed under: CANDi Commentary and PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Rochester Post-Bulletin Posted on 12.09.10 by R. Lee Wrights “A former New Orleans police officer was convicted Thursday of fatally shooting a man in Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath and another officer was convicted of burning the man’s body in a case that exposed one of the ugliest chapters in the police department’s troubled history. A federal jury also convicted a third officer of writing a false report on the deadly shooting of 31-year-old Henry Glover, but two others were acquitted of charges stemming from the alleged cover-up.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2c7k59k Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: AntiWar.Com Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “At least six Iraqis were killed and six more were wounded in light violence. Also, about 40 Christian families have reportedly left Basra for northern Iraq or Europe in the wake of anti-Christian attacks in Baghdad.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/36e5xd2 Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Chicago Sun-Times Posted on 12.09.10 by R. Lee Wrights “Insurgents killed a NATO service member Thursday in southern Afghanistan, where coalition and Afghan troops are battling to gain control of traditional Taliban strongholds. The international military coalition did not provide details about the death, which brings to 13 the number of NATO service members who have died in Afghanistan this month. More than 670 have been killed so far this year, already exceeding the 502 killed last year.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/23pega5 Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Stop The Drug War Posted on 12.09.10 by Steve Trinward “Once again, this time last week in Michigan, the federal DEA has teamed up with recalcitrant state and local law enforcement in a bid to negate the will of the public and the law of the land. Heavily-armed state and federal lawmen raided a pair of medical marijuana gardens in the town of Okemos, outside Lansing, breaking windows, throwing smoke grenades, and seizing thousands of dollars worth of equipment and medical marijuana plants — all in a raid of a facility that is undeniably within the confines of Michigan’s medical marijuana law.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2ecl74f Filed under: PND News and RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: USA Today Posted on 12.09.10 by R. Lee Wrights “Japan’s usual quiet approach to tensions with its neighbors is giving way to more military exercises, critical statements and discussions of what was once unthinkable: development of a nuclear arsenal. In recent weeks, Japan has issued blunt positions against North Korea and China over the North’s attacking of a South Korean island and China’s refusal to rein in its Korean ally.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/28zvnbe Filed under: Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Arizona Daily Star Posted on 12.09.10 by R. Lee Wrights “If the Mideast peace process is not dead, it is at least gasping for air. As Washington searches for a new approach to get the Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table, it has become clear the path to peace President Obama has pursued from the outset of his administration has ended in failure. As have previous U.S. efforts.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2chu536 Filed under: Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Orange News [UK] Posted on 12.09.10 by Mary Lou Seymour “The BBC has apologised for showing footage of a Nazi rally — instead of the weather forecast. The footage posted on the BBC website showed images of the Second World War German occupation of the Channel Islands. A human error meant the wrong footage was uploaded on to the BBC’s South West region website which includes the Channel Islands.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/3alrdv2 Filed under: Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: The Hindu [India] Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Julian Assange, the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, has been transferred to the segregation unit of Wandsworth prison, south London, where the authorities are planning to give him limited access to the internet, it emerged on Thursday. Mr. Assange, the most famous inmate in the Victorian jail, met his legal team on Thursday after being sent there on remand when he was refused bail on Tuesday.” (12/10/10) Link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article942085.ece Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Rolling Stone Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “On Thursday, Florida’s Clemency Board pardoned the late Doors frontman Jim Morrison for two misdemeanor convictions stemming from a 1969 incident in which he allegedly exposed himself. The pardon was requested by outgoing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and the state Clemency Board unanimously granted it.” (12/09/10) Link: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/68404/241057 Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Fr33 Agents Author: Xaq Fixx Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Prohibition of alcohol in the United States lasted from 1920 to 1933, during that time it proved an utter failure. The Schaffer Library of Drug Policy reports that consumption increased, especially among women and children and that arrests for public drunkenness and similar alcohol related offenses surpassed pre-prohibition levels. In addition to not preventing use and abuse the Nobel Experiment enriched and empowered criminals, further corrupted politicians, and cost the tax payers millions. Today America faces similar problems caused by the War on Drugs.” (12/08/10) Link: http://fr33agents.net/2010/12/08/the-cure-is-the-disease/ Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Liberty Unbound Author: Jim Walsh Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “A theme has been growing steadily in the statist-liberal media that the recent congressional election results were the effect of Americans’ ignorance. … It’s inconceivable to statist twits that the peasants in flyover country might have an intuitive sense that overzealous government programs are bankrupting the United States (an intuition shared by a growing number of our lenders in Berlin and Beijing).” (12/09/10) Link: http://libertyunbound.com/node/408 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Downsize DC Author: Jim Babka Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “So-called ‘progressives’ are complaining that President Obama caved in to the Republicans by agreeing to a deal preventing tax hikes on the ‘rich’ for two more years. I wish they understood that the money we earn belongs to US, not the government. But they’re also mistaken on another point. It wasn’t really the President who caved, but the so-called low-tax, small-government Republicans.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/245kddz Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Nolan Chart Author: Gene DeNardo Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Rule does not necessitate singularity of position, title or robes. The state of being ruled is defined by action and structure.” (12/09/10) Link: http://www.nolanchart.com/article8190.html Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Truth To Power Author: James Mann Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Our nation’s insane drive to use military force, the gutting of our educational system and local infrastructures, and of course the grifter class all have taken their toll, but I think there’s a factor folks aren’t mentioning. We’re perhaps too stupid to survive.” (12/09/10) Link: http://blogs.ink19.com/truthtopower/archives/8975 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Independent Country Author: James Leroy Wilson Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “The charges have been leveled at heirs of the libertarian, classical liberal, and Old Right traditions for generations: 1. We would throw widows and orphans to the street 2. Our ‘isolationism’ would ‘appease’ foreign aggressors and genocidal tyrants 3. We would wreck the environment due to our blind ideological commitment to free markets and property rights … A reasonable, well-intentioned person with a conventional upbringing and education may agree with these statements. And yet …” (12/08/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2fpxwr6 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Libertarian News Examiner Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “If you thought the airport Opt Out Day demonstrations on the day before Thanksgiving was a one-shot showdown against abusive TSA tactics you thought wrong. The We Won’t Fly team of Jim Babb and George Donnelly has launched a follow-up protest — placing giant billboards outside America’s airports.” (12/08/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/26ar9z3 Filed under: LAND News and RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Libertarian Papers Author: Walter E. Block Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Abstract: Milton Friedman had long declared himself a small ‘l’ libertarian (to distinguish himself from members of the Libertarian Party). But, libertarianism is based on the twin pillars of the non aggression axiom and private property predicated on homesteading and peaceful exchange. Friedman adopts none of this. Instead, he undergirds his philosophy on ‘tolerance,’ which is no part of libertarianism. Thus, his claim to the mantle of libertarianism, big or small ‘L’ it matters not which, is called into question.” [full paper available as PDF or MS Word download] (12/08/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/29bxnka Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Disloyal Opposition Author: JD Tuccille Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “The continuing survival of Wikileaks and its championing by the pro-information-freedom Anonymous hacker group are an ongoing demonstration of the ability of decentralized organizations and grassroots movements to not only prevail against governments, but even to retaliate against state agencies.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/28wmwfs Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Maymin Author: Phil Maymin Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “The newly leaked documents tell us what we knew all along: Diplomats advance not the many and varied interests of the people, but the single, overarching interest of the state to usurp as much power as possible for itself.” (12/08/10) Link: http://maymin.com/node/204 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Jeffersonville Evening News Author: Debbie Harbeson Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Isgrigg sounds giddy when he says homeowners can now sue the county for violating state law. He seems to want the county to be financially responsible for subdivision drainage problems. But why should government be responsible? Isgrigg says the way the county has been operating meant homeowners needed to get help from developers. But that makes perfect sense. Developers perform the drainage work so naturally they are the responsible party.” (12/09/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/25ej89z Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Cato Institute Author: Harry de Gorter and Jerry Taylor Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “After more than three decades, the U.S. ethanol blenders’ tax credit and the ethanol-import tariff that was put in place to offset it are set to expire at the end of the year. The way things are looking, we may finally be rid of these indefensible and parochial market distortions.” (12/08/10) Link: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12623 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Independent Institute Author: Alvaro Vargas Llosa Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “What the official U.S. documents divulged so far by WikiLeaks reveal concerning Latin America is actually somewhat comforting. It turns out that Washington along with many center-left governments in the region and Spain’s ruling socialists were not naive in expressing their concerns about the nature of authoritarian populism in the Western Hemisphere. The most important information pertains to the widespread penetration of the Venezuelan state by the Cuban intelligence services.” (12/08/10) Link: http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2938 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Reason Author: Tim Cavanaugh Posted on 12.09.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “The intellectual argument against Wikileaks — that agencies empowered to torture people and undermine sovereign nations should be subjected to less scrutiny than a municipal department of sanitation — is itself treasonous. Anybody who makes this argument is unfit to live in, let alone govern, a free society. The emotional argument, on the other hand, is clearly powerful, as we have seen in the establishmentarian consensus that Assange needs to be imprisoned no matter how flimsy the pretext.” (12/09/10) Link: http://reason.com/archives/2010/12/08/laying-cable-with-barry-and-du Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: The Libertarian Enterprise Author: Russell D. Longcore Posted on 12.08.10 by Mary Lou Seymour “The Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is one of the classics of literature. This short story has been made into plays and motion pictures. God only knows how many people have either read Dickens’ own work or have seen the work performed onstage or on the screen. But someone needs to speak in defense of Ebenezer Scrooge. I guess that would be me.” (12/05/10) Link: http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2010/tle598-20101205-06.html Filed under: PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Future of Freedom Foundation Author: Jacob G. Hornberger Posted on 12.08.10 by R. Lee Wrights “Last Sunday’s New York Times published an interesting article about U.S. military bases in Iraq that carries valuable lessons for America with respect to military spending, governmental dependency, and national bankruptcy. The article, entitled ‘As U.S. Leaves, Iraqis Suffer Economic Toll,’ explains the travails of Iraqis who are suffering economic losses due to the closing of U.S. military bases in Iraq.” (12/08/10) Link: http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2010-12-08.asp Filed under: PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Liberty For All Author: Ed Lewis Posted on 12.08.10 by R. Lee Wrights “I don’t know who originally made this statement, or when it was made. Nor do I know the reason it was made. What I do know, though, is that the truth must prevail in our dealings with other people. A reader once asked what truth I referred to. To be blunt about it, I didn’t know there were different categories of truth. Truth is simply truth. It is not relative to the times; only what is interpreted as truth is. I.e., the interpretation could be wrong but the truth is a constant.” (12/08/10) Link: http://www.libertyforall.net/?p=5232 Filed under: PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: AntiWar.Com Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “At least four Iraqis were killed and 23 more were wounded in the latest violence. Seven Iranian pilgrims were also wounded in an attack while on their way to Karbala for Ashuraa observances. That holiday, which unintentionally marks the schism between Shi’ite and Sunni Islam, culminates next week and could mean an increase in violence, particularly for Iranian pilgrims. Also, A U.S. soldier died of wounds received during a sniper attack.” (12/08/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/29uwv3w Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: RTT News Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Two members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in separate insurgent attacks in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday. An ISAF statement did not disclose the nationality of the soldiers, pending communication to their families.” (12/08/10) Link: http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1501316&SM=1 Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: The Nation [Pakistan] Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “At least 18 people were killed and 35 others got injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up beside a minibus at congested Tirah Bazaar in Kohat district on Wednesday. According to details, a suicide bomber, who was reportedly 16 to 18 years old, approached a minibus carrying passengers from Tirah Bazaar to Orakzai Agency and blew himself up.” (12/08/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/3y9826e Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: MSNBC Posted on 12.08.10 by R. Lee Wrights “A 21-year-old part-time construction worker obsessed with jihad was arrested Wednesday when he tried to detonate what he thought was a bomb at a military recruitment center — the second time in less than two weeks that an alleged homegrown terrorist was nabbed in a sting operation. Antonio Martinez, a naturalized U.S. citizen who goes by the name Muhammad Hussain, faces charges of attempted murder of federal officers and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, according to court documents filed Wednesday.” (12/08/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/28o6cmy Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: CNN Posted on 12.08.10 by R. Lee Wrights “The first commercial spacecraft to return from a low-Earth orbit splashed into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday about 500 miles off the coast of Southern California. The Dragon, a craft developed by the company SpaceX, was concluding a brief but possibly historic flight for the infant commercial space travel industry.” (12/08/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/2ckcbzx Filed under: RRND News and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: EconLog Author: Arnold Kling Posted on 12.08.10 by Steve Trinward “The book is Why Liberty, compiled by Marc Guttman. The 54th chapter comes from Vince Miller, a Canadian, who writes, ‘My own experience suggests maybe an innate sense of justice is required. What makes some people take action when they see an act of injustice while others stand idly by and watch — seemingly disconnected?’ Sounds like what a progressive might say. In fact, my chapter in the book is entitled ‘From Far Left to Libertarian.’ Like a number of others in the book, I started on the left, and my chapter briefly explains my journey. … I think that the most common trait is a willingness to go one’s own way politically.” (12/08/10) Link: http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2010/12/54_libertarians.html Filed under: CANDi Commentary and PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: The Nation Author: Robert Scheer Posted on 12.08.10 by Steve Trinward “[US Senator Dianne] Feinstein represents precisely the government that Thomas Jefferson had in mind when he said, in defense of unfettered freedom of the press, ‘Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.’” [editor’s note: Once again, Mr. Scheer shows why I continue to look for his writings to include here - SAT] (12/08/10) Link: http://www.thenation.com/article/156909/jefferson-assange Filed under: LAND Commentary and PND Commentary and RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Cato Institute Author: Daniel Griswold Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “While tea party members embrace free markets, limited government, and reduced federal meddling, some tea party leaders have openly questioned the benefits of free-trade agreements such as NAFTA and a recently reached deal between the United States and South Korea. The majority of the movement’s rank and file seems to share that skepticism.” (12/08/10) Link: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12622 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: The Partial Observer Author: James Leroy Wilson Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “Last week, the President’s Fiscal Responsibility Commission issued its recommendations. Although there is much to criticize in it, it is good to see some recognition in Washington of the need to do something about the debt crisis.” (12/07/10) Link: http://partialobserver.com/article.cfm?id=3549 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Daily Anarchist Author: Seth King Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “If and/or when the shit hits the fan the anarcho-capitalist is likely to be grossly outnumbered by their minarchist and fascist counterparts. If this is the case I fully intend on taking a non-interventionist approach to any sort of civil war in this country and my immediate location. I simply cannot see any reason why the free-market anarchists should be on the front lines of the violence being waged between the varying factions of statists.” (12/08/10) Link: http://dailyanarchist.com/2010/12/08/baby-steps-to-survivalism/ Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Ideas Author: David Friedman Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “I am currently involved, elsewhere online, in a discussion of behavioral economics. One point it raises is that arguments from behavioral economics — observed patterns of irrational behavior — tend to be used to support positions that those using them already believe in. Much the same is true of arguments from market failure.” (12/07/10) Link: http://tinyurl.com/37nx3ta Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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Source: Center for a Stateless Society Author: David D'Amato Posted on 12.08.10 by Thomas L. Knapp “With international voices broaching the possibilities of various power allotments or a coalition government, the premise seems to accept on some level that neither of these candidates necessarily ought to be thrust upon the entire country, that it’s possible to prevent further violence by diffusing rather than concentrating political authority. That premise is shared by anarchism, which endorses unqualified ‘power-sharing,’ or a vying between multiple sources of legal and social arrangements.” (12/07/10) Link: http://c4ss.org/content/5284 Filed under: RRND Commentary and Twitter-Worthy | |
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