The Justice Files

Justice Department Avoids Decision On Warrantless Cell Phone Tracking » Blog of Rights: Official Blog of the American Civil Liberties Union

2011-12-19T06:43:00.000-06:00

Justice Department Avoids Decision On Warrantless Cell Phone Tracking » Blog of Rights: Official Blog of the American Civil Liberties Union

Whether the government needs a warrant will depend on which judge is on duty. This is not how the justice system is supposed to work.

The Justice Department persists in its strategy of not appealing cell tracking losses even though lower court judges have practically begged for the government to do so. Way back in 2005, a judge expressed “the full expectation and hope that the government will seek appropriate review by higher courts so that authoritative guidance will be given the magistrate judges who are called upon to rule on these applications on a daily basis.” Other judges have issued similar calls more recently, but to no avail. (The sole time the government did appeal a loss, the results were decidedly mixed.)

The American people deserve better. The government tracks cell phones all the time and all over the country, and whether it can do so without a warrant is a crucial Fourth Amendment question.

Related???

2011-09-20T12:09:00.000-05:00

Drug companies have long kept secret details of the payments they make to doctors and other health professionals for promoting their drugs. But 12 companies have begun publicizing the information, some because of legal settlements. ProPublica pulled their disclosures into a database so patients can search for their doctor. Accepting payments isn’t necessarily wrong, but it can raise ethical issues:

Emergency department visits related to misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs doubled from 500,000 in 2004 to 1 million in 2008, said the report, based on estimates from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Drug Abuse Warning Network. DAWN generated the estimates by reviewing data and medical charts submitted by 231 U.S. emergency departments.
Illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin were involved in 1 million ED trips annually, a figure that stayed flat over the time period.

Grant Hill responds to Jalen Rose uncle Tom comments

2011-03-18T19:22:00.001-05:00

I love it! I don't even know who this Rose character is. I'm assuming that Fab five refers to the Michigan team that Chris Webber was a part of. I do know who Grant Hill is, even though I don't follow basketball at any level. If memory serves, they all left school to go to the NBA. I wonder if they went back and got their degrees, especially Rose.

Principal blames black students for school's low scores

2011-03-14T14:15:00.000-05:00

A principal at an East Texas middle school has been reprimanded for blaming the school’s poor test scores on Black students.

Now, this story doesn't give me all the details, but if he called the entire black population down and they weren't universally on the bottom of the entire school's scores, well he's a dumb ass. If he called every student in the bottom x percent, and they happened to be black, that's one thing. But to lay the blame down on black kids is reckless and counter to solving the problems.

Since he was reprimanded, I'm going to guess he didn't give himself that political cover. Although I could be wrong.

Hello! Friends, Romans, countrymen.

2011-03-14T14:01:00.000-05:00

It's good to see that we are still playing nicely together. I am once again burning the candles at both ends for a while, bit I thought I'd try to get back to posting. I'll try to respond to comments too. But there is great joy to be had just watching you guys mix it up. Right now I've just got a few email services that send me headlines ( which I mostly delete before I get a chance to read but I've got a few that have piqued my ire, curiosity, or interest. So, without further ado...

I miss you all. Working my way back.

2010-12-15T01:40:00.000-06:00

Rachel Gillespie

December 13, 2010 703-894-1776, ext. 25

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Bill of Rights Institute announces a new initiative to raise awareness of the rights protected in the Bill of Rights. As part of this new initiative they are asking Americans to pledge 10 minutes to read the Bill of Rights on December 15,which has been the federal day of observance for the Bill of Rights since 1941.

To help Americans celebrate and remember the freedoms embodied in the first 10 Amendments, the Bill of Rights Institute has created a new website for Bill of Rights Day. Americans are encouraged to explore the text of the first 10 Amendments, landmark Supreme Court cases and decisions based on those Amendments, and various resources and games on the website.

The Institute asks all Americans to join together and pledge to take 10 minutes to read through the Bill of Rights on December 15, and to visit BillofRightsDay.com to sign the pledge. The Bill of Rights Institute is urging all employers to give their employees 10 minutes to read the Bill of Rights either on their own, or together.

“The celebration of Bill of Rights Day encourages Americans to think about how vital the Bill of Rights is to the future of our country,” said Bill of Rights Institute Board of Directors member Todd Zywicki. “By thinking about how our rights are evident in our Founding documents, Americans will begin to see how their own lives are affected by the Bill of Rights and how their actions are important in supporting the experiment in self-government started by our Founders.”

Bill of Rights Day is sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute, a nonprofit educational organization. More information on Bill of Rights Day can be found at www.BillofRightsDay.com.

###

The Bill of Rights Institute, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit educational organization. The mission of the Bill of Rights Institute is to educate young people about the words and ideas of America's Founders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding documents, and how our Founding principles continue to affect and shape a free society.

Juan Williams fired from NPR

2010-10-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

I think CNN and NPR are both off their rockers. NPR most likely let the guy Juan Williams go because Rick Sanchez was let go over his comment about Jews so they didn't want want to risk offending Muslims.

Sent from my iPhone

Washington farewell address

2010-10-20T20:42:00.000-05:00

I'll ask both John and the naughty man to elaborate on their characterizations of me. I don't:

A) hate tve military. As I explained to my son just yesterday, the military is a fine and honorable institution and I would join then in a heartbeat to DEFEND my country. The misguided and ill-conceived missions that the civilian leadership sends our troops on are the problem. To be continued...

Sent from my iPhone

2010-08-26T09:10:00.007-05:00

? number and I will try to get some conversations recoded when I get in the studio. Could be as early as this afternoon. I'm not sure what time and day I

2010-08-26T09:10:00.005-05:00

? will be able to get the studio, but I can record "interviews" fir the show next week.

2010-08-26T09:10:00.003-05:00

? I am like crack addict without a pipe. I neeeed my mic. Sadly, I can't be back live next week, however I will be recording because there is too much goin

2010-08-26T09:10:00.001-05:00

? g on to let jt pass without comment. I don't know how I will work it out exactly, but anyone who wants to converse on tape for the show can email me your

Exactly who is entitled to unalienable rights anyway?

2010-08-08T13:58:00.000-05:00

Outrage alert!!

2010-07-24T17:41:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Jon, a new member of the newly forming Justice League.

Note: Hastert was run out behind a scandal.

http://www.aolnews.com/article/the-other-congressional-spending-how-the-house-spent-1-billion-on-itself/19522761?ncid=webmail
Sent from my iPhone

Here's one for all you parents out there.

2010-07-22T10:26:00.001-05:00

It's probably good for more than a few college students too.

'Five second' rule on dropped food unsafe

The upshot is it's okay when you're out and about but really unsafe in kitchens and BATHROOMS!?! Who the heck is picking up food off of the bathroom floor? Oh yeah the college students.

2010-07-22T04:06:00.001-05:00

Obama = pusillanimous

2010-07-21T11:35:00.005-05:00

6 olicy?

2010-07-21T11:35:00.003-05:00

6 coin and regulate money, do you share Chairman Bernanke's view that an audit of Fed actions represents an unwelcome and unwise involvement in monetary p

2010-07-21T11:35:00.001-05:00

6 Just in case you plan to go to the central KCMO library event tonight, here's a good idea for a question:
Since the constitution grants the authority to

2010-07-15T04:47:00.001-05:00

http://jonathanturley.org/2010/07/13/oakland-police-announce-they-will-not-respond-to-various-crimes-like-burglary-grand-theft-and-other-crimes/

Immigration arguments at their core

2010-07-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

Okay I'll cut O'Reilly a tiny bit of slack because I too have lost my temper on air. Although i would maintain it was because of belligerence not just well reasoned counter arguments.

Oscar Grant youtube video

2010-07-13T02:37:00.000-05:00

Dirty cops - you make the call

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmJukcFzEX4

2010-07-11T16:57:00.001-05:00

Question:
If you're driving down a 2 lane road and a sign says lef lane closed ahead, are you a jerk for waiting till you ge to the actual closure to merge. Why should everyone merge way back 2 miles before the close?

2010-07-10T03:27:00.001-05:00

Does anyone care to give context to this sure:
http://newsone.com/nation/casey-gane-mccalla/limbaugh-says-obama-and-oprah-are-only-successful-because-theyre-black/?omcamp=EMC-CVNL

I'll accept that one of the factors that got Obama elected was that he was black but there are other factors. For example, Rush Limbaugh poisoned the Clinton well so thoroughly that there was an anti-Clinton sentiment right out of the gate.

2010-07-09T17:57:00.001-05:00

Hello listeners and followers. This a test post.

Donate to KKFI

2010-06-08T05:56:00.000-05:00

Donate to KKFI!!!

Clayton

Be right back after these messages from our underwriters

2010-05-26T17:16:00.000-05:00

Hey guys we had complications with work and will be back this coming Tuesday...

Tensions with North Korea and the New Horizon torpedoed...

2010-05-20T06:48:00.003-05:00

Hopefully, I can get this link to work...

Scroll down to find the article...

There are also some valuable links within this article - follow them

http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index1372.htm

Check this out too !!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100519/ap_on_re_as/as_skorea_ship_sinks;_ylt=Ahud8wHuZMSIyo9T2w_9iaP9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTM5MnNzbzF0BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNTE5L2FzX3Nrb3JlYV9zaGlwX3NpbmtzBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDNwRwb3MDNwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3Nrb3JlYXN0b3BkaQ--

sorry about the length just copy and paste...

This information is even more scary the farther I dig on this topic...

http://towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/1956/1/

Clayton

Sorry about last week guys

2010-05-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

Well I finally signed onto this dang blog site...

I know last week's show was somewhat topicless, I blame myself. I didn't take the time to plan anything due to the fact that I was at mud-fest this last weekend. Life just gets in the way sometimes...

Don't hate me cuz I played sum fiddy cent, I was jus messin' round, I know Michael T was mad at me.

How about China though. Anti-Government protesters ran rampant on the streets of Bangkok. I wish Americans would get up off there lazy asses and do some protesting of our own. But, who has time to fight the overseers when we are to worried about making rent and putting food on the table...

Clayton

2009-11-24T03:00:00.000-06:00

Where the jobs aren't.

2009-11-10T01:32:00.000-06:00

http://www.kclibrary.org/event/zachary-karabell-superfusion

Friedman for your consideration

2009-09-24T10:31:00.002-05:00

Higher gas taxes?

8 years on I still feel it.

2009-09-11T08:12:00.003-05:00

The health care debate in 3 acts

2009-09-09T06:54:00.002-05:00

The Story:

The "victim?" in his own words:

This is ludicrous. The Right keeps screaming about fake protesters that Move On gets out torallies. This guy was probably not a faker, To bite someone's finger off you'd have to be fairly sincere. And Check out how the "victim" admitshe hit the guy in the mouth twice and never claims to have been hit or hindered by the "attacker." Explain please how shouting idiot at an anti-rallyer is much different from the hordes of folks from the right that have attended town halls and called backers hitler and communists.

Now, look at how the debate should go:

2009-09-09T06:46:00.001-05:00

Great blog I just found.

2009-08-13T09:53:00.002-05:00

I found this site poking around over on the wave stationx blog. The site is: www.actingwhite.blogspot.com. It has some very thoughtful posts on race issues.

When a right is granted and ignored, our laws provide for remedy. At the time of the Atlantic slave trade countries were just beginning to consider that slavery was inhumane, to the point of making it illegal, and the US trailed this awakening. The call for reparations seems unperturbed by the revisionist thinking required in the light of legal enactments of the time. It would be more reasonable to argue that freed slaves were damaged by the subsequent denial of full rights provided for at the time of the emancipation proclamation, up to the time when Jim Crow statutes were enacted. And then there is the statute of limitations with which to contend.

Do not expect this wrenching to go away any time soon.

James C. Collier

now this is just crappy

2009-08-06T12:29:00.002-05:00

Tax our Toilet Paper?

The “Water Protection and Reinvestment Act,” H.R.3202, introduced last week by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore), will be “financed broadly by small fees on such things as bottled beverages, products disposed of in wastewater, corporate profits, and the pharmaceutical industry,” according to Blumenauer’s fact sheet...

The “Water Protection and Reinvestment Act,” H.R.3202, introduced last week by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore), will be “financed broadly by small fees on such things as bottled beverages, products disposed of in wastewater, corporate profits, and the pharmaceutical industry,” according to Blumenauer’s fact sheet.

No thanks.

2009-07-25T16:55:00.000-05:00

Black Teen, Set On Fire By White Classmates, Is Charged With Assault

If you're gonna be a nut...

2009-07-17T13:24:00.005-05:00

You might as well go all the way:
Notice the shadows of the ship and the astronaut and then look at the flag's shadow. That one has always baffled me.
I don't know what it means, it's just peculiar.

In an embarrassing acknowledgment, the space agency said Thursday that it must have erased the Apollo 11 moon footage years ago so that it could reuse the videotape...

"It's surprising to me that NASA didn't have the common sense to save perhaps the most important historical footage of the 20th century," said Rice University historian and author Douglas Brinkley. He noted that NASA saved all sorts of data and artifacts from Apollo 11, and it is "mind-boggling that the tapes just disappeared."...

Both Nafzger and Inchalik acknowledged that digitally remastering the video could further encourage conspiracy theorists who believe NASA faked the entire moon landing on a Hollywood set. But they said they enhanced the video as conservatively as possible.
Besides, Inchalik said that if there had been a conspiracy to fake a moon landing, NASA surely would have created higher-quality film.

American history test

2009-07-09T14:01:00.003-05:00

I got a B. Most Americans failed. I know you guys will do well.

American History Test

Is this a case of politics?

2009-04-21T09:37:00.001-05:00

FBI names domestic terrorist to 'most wanted' list.

...The addition of a domestic, left-wing terrorist follows criticism of the Obama administration for an internal Homeland Security report last week suggesting some military veterans could be susceptible to right-wing extremist recruiters or commit lone acts of violence, the AP says.

Camera Rage!!

2009-04-20T09:33:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows how I feel about cameras everywhere, but this is taking it much too far.

A man operating a state police photo radar unit was shot to death while parked in his vehicle along a stretch of a north Phoenix freeway.

2009-04-18T13:07:00.002-05:00

As i see it, we are attempting to re-grade the paper as it were. Now I have read a little more, though not all (sorry Marcus, My speed reading habits are rusty) and have yet to see the "racist" comments. You saw fit in your description of her professors to attribute different motives based on race, so why is it inappropriate to see the difference in the communities Black, White, Asian, etc.? These Communities have had different trials and motivations (albeit less so today by my reckoning)and as such can be explored. Much the same as the poor white coal mining community in the Kentucky Appalachians of the 60s and 70s were studied. So do you disregard the very discipline of sociology or is it just that we can not look at racial differences without being racist? There are arguments against the discipline although I haven't heard any of them from you. If we accept the course of study and press on to examine the nature of the communities that make up our society it is fair game to look at the forces that play upon them.

Thank you for pointing out that the Black people in this country have a very admirable position in this country presently. Both in reference to that of other communities in the world and the Black community historically. I have made that point in many discussions throughout the years.
Most recently in the discussions about morality and violence against women.

On to the paper:

there is a large segment of the Black community that is lower class and
as a result of the strong likelihood that respondents no belong to classes higher and more powerful, politically and economically, than the lower class largely because they have graduated from Princeton University, it is interesting to
see what their attitudes are towards a large majority of Blacks unlike themselves. Feelings of obligation to improve the life of the Black lower class, feelings of guilt for betraying the Black lower class, as well as feelings of shame or envy toward the Black lower class are investigated in this study.

No charge against whitey here.

Let's bring the discussion back into civility.

2009-04-18T05:47:00.003-05:00

Wow! I am disappointed, although not surprised, at the tenor of this debate. I'm sure that someone googling this years from now might still be able to glean some cogent points out of all this. Who knows, it may even end up in some kid's thesis.

Let me try to get back on track as best I can. The discussion should be about the actual thesis and the question of is it racist or not. Let's try to steer away from personal attacks. Now..

Shawn,
You seem to be playing the victim here. I didn't "tell you you were wrong." I asked you to justify your statement and you couldn't do so at that point. You said you couldn't remember the exact words when I asked you to give me examples. This is fair enough as the topic came up extemporaneously and you hadn't read it in a few months. Here on this site, you've stated that I am making excuses for and acknowledging racism because I pointed out that a sociology thesis would by definition be extremely focused an a very thin slice of society. I am neither acknowledging nor excusing Michelle Obama's "racism". Please support that statement by showing me where you get the idea that I am excusing or acknowledging racism.

I don't think it's racist to notice and discuss/ask about something you observe. For example, why do Black people eat chitterlings (chitlins)? This is a fair question and can be explored. In 42 years, I've never met 1 White person that ate them, tried them yes, ate them as product of their raising no. I've met countless Blacks from all parts of the country and all strata, half million dollar homes down to tenements that love them. I've never tried them and never intend to personally. Now the question can be explored: it was the part of the hog that White slave owners didn't use and as such gave to their slaves. The Black slaves grew accustomed to and liked them. they carried this liking with them all throughout the country during the great migrations from the South in the late 19th century and the industrial migrations of the 20s and 30s.
Now that's no thesis, but it shows how one can take a narrow focus and delve into it a little and have to acknowledge the institution of slavery, the treatment of slaves and so forth.

To discuss the feeling of obligation to the Black community that one would have had growing up in an era of legal and traditional segregation is NOT racist. Furthermore, the quote you have selected is a mere personal reference to support the actual thesis statement:

This study tries to examine the following attitudes of alumni:
the extent to which they are comfortable interacting with
Black and with White individuals in various activities; the
extent to which they are motivated to benefit the Black com-
munity in comparison to other entities such as themselves,
their families, God, etc.; the ideologies they hold with re-
spects to race relations between the Black and White commu-
nities; and feelings they have toward the Black lower class
such as a feeling of obligation that they should help im-
prove the lives of this particular group of Blacks.

Regarding your chosen excerpt: Her observation that her path would "likely lead to...assimilation" is hardly equated to force. As you state in one of your posts you are not a slave to white guilt or PC, but perhaps you are locked into a mode of thinking where any reference to the history that exists is invalid if it isn't pretty. And ultimately her prediction was wrong. She is hardly on the periphery of society. After all, she is First Lady.

Moving this to the front page fo further discussion

2009-04-15T12:03:00.000-05:00

Michael,

I’m assuming at this point you have taken the time to kind of read over Michelle Obama’s thesis. If not, here are just some pieces to look over.

Earlier in my college career, there was no doubt in my mind that as a member of the Black community I was somehow obligated to this community and would utilize all of my present and future resources to benefit this community first and foremost. My experiences at Princeton have made me far more aware of my "Blackness" than ever before.

These experiences have made it apparent to me that the path I have chosen to follow by attending Princeton will likely lead to my further integration and/or assimilation in a white cultural and social structure that will only allow me to remain on the periphery of society

She spends most of her time making claims with no citations. So my perception of her thesis is that she felt that she was being forced to assimilate and integrate with white folks and that this clearly caused her problems. So much that she based her entire thesis on the subject. Maybe she was playing a more intelligent game of chess, who knows. The point is she played the race card and she did it in a very distasteful manner. If a white person had written this then attempted to run for any political office within the land, they would be labeled a racist or that they harbored some animosity towards black America. It is quite clear Michelle Obama did in fact harbor issues with her white professors and peers. I realize in your eyes that if Ms. Obama showed some gratitude as well as some class that would be considered another form of submission by “Black America” as you clearly stated with the “Yesssum massa, thank ya thank ya”. My question is, why didn’t she just attend a predominantly black college if she wanted to avoid integrating with “white” America? If I wanted to attend an all black college, wouldn’t I have to integrate with the social structure of that school if it was predominantly black? Wouldn’t it be some what hypocritical of me if I complained about it? I do know that I would be viewed as an arrogant snob and obviously a racist if I ever did attend a black college and shared her same view points. I highly doubt that I would be able to play the race card in those conditions but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe my black professors would feel sympathy for me once they read my thesis and they would pass me.

Now, for Sunday morning. I appreciate you taking the time to break down the differences between those who came in to the country and those who were forced and those who were all around treated poorly. How the Irish at least had a chance to make their way through the hard times and were able to integrate with the rest of “white” America. I understood your point and again I appreciated you taking the time to lay it out in such a format. However, the end of that discussion was again how blacks have had it harder.

The whole reason we had that discussion was because two of your callers were referring to myself as being a “sleazy car salesman” and a “slave owner”. Once I rebutted, I was stifled by “calm down, what’s wrong with you, why are you so angry”. Again, liberals playing the victim in order to get their point across. Which I still do not see. Michelle Obama was in fact and may very well still be harboring a lot of animosity towards white people. Which in my eyes is racist. You may or may not agree but that is exactly how it looks and to be cut down by some assholes who clearly did not even look at her thesis, well it is disappointing.

We didn’t even touch on her militant “fight the white power structure” church which her and her husband attended for nearly twenty years. We become products of our environment do we not? Yes, she just overlooked everything her preacher was rattling on about and her husband, when he quotes the Reverend Wright within his books, someone else just put that there. It was evil whitey.

You see, this is where Eric Holder appears to be a moron. These are the reasons that discussions of race can not carry on. They are always one sided and they are fueled primarily by ignorance or white guilt. When actual facts are discussed, they are dismissed and the person who brings them to the table are referred to as being racist or in this case “slave owner”. I personally believe Michael, while you have great intentions, you too harbor some animosity towards white people. Lastly, I want to say thank you for letting me come down to the show. Obviously I offended you and some how, your callers. Either way I apologize for that and I hope things turn around down there. Good luck.

Thanks,
Shawn

2009-03-11T13:54:00.000-05:00

U.S. Army Puts Soldiers on the Street in Alabama in Response to Shootings

On the TARP salary cap and other things

2009-02-07T08:45:00.004-06:00

While I was not in favor of the TARP bail out, (nor am I in favor of the current "stimulus" package) I find the outrage over the proposed salary cap and conditions to be placed on recipients of the TARP money very interesting. I can't say that I have actually heard Sean Hannity or Limbaugh say it, but I have heard "conservatives" complaining for years about welfare/food stamp recipients buying t-bone steaks or living lavishly on the dole. It seems they'd rather make sure that a poor person doesn't misspend a few hundred dollars of "my tax money" before they'd put limits on the misspending of millions of dollars of the same tax money.

Speaking of "my tax money," I don't think much can be said in favor of this so called stimulus package. It is entirely deficit spending and will only delay the inevitable. There is no way around it, we are going to have to down grade our lifestyles. This is not some hate America tirade, it is simply the facts. We, as a people, have lived beyond our means for many years. Certainly all of my adult life, 20 years, credit has been readily available. And more than available: it has been shoved down our throats. By this I mean the constant "buy! buy! buy!" mantra. From the time we we're toddlers we are taught to consume more than we we are taught to create.

and now a quote from Alan Greenspan:

When banks loan money to finance profitable endeavors, the loans are paid off rapidly and bank credit continues to be generally available. But when the business ventures financed by bank credit are less profitable and slow to pay, bankers find their loans outstanding are excessive relative to their gold reserves, and they begin to curtail new lending, usually through higher interest rates... Thus, under the gold standard, a free banking system stands as the protector of an economy's stability and balanced growth.

...prior to WWI, the banking system in the US was based on gold, and even though governments intervened occasionally, banking was more free than controlled. Periodically banks became loaned up to the limit of their gold reserves, interest rates rose sharply, new credit was cut off, and the economy went in to sharp, but short-lived recession. It was limited gold reserves that stopped the unbalanced expansions of business activity, before they could develop into the post- WWI type of disaster...
But the process of cure was misdiagnosed as the disease: if shortage of bank reserves was causing a business decline- argued economic interventionists- why not find a way of supplying increased reserves to the banks so they never need be short! If banks can continue to loan money indefinitely- it was claimed- there need never be any slumps in business. And so the Federal Reserve System was organized in 1913. It consisted of 12 regional Federal Reserve banks nominally owned by private bankers, but in fact government sponsored, controlled, and supported...Now, in addition to gold, credit extended by the Federal Reserve banks( "paper" reserves) could serve as legal tender to pay depositors...

With a logic reminiscent of a generation earlier, statists argued that the gold standard was largely to blame for the credit debacle which led to the Great Depression. If the gold standard had not existed, they argued, Britain's abandonment of gold payments in 1931 would not have caused the failure of banks all over the world. (The irony was that since 1913, we had been, not on a gold standard, but on what may be termed "a mixed gold standard"; yet it is gold that took the blame.) But the opposition to the gold standard in any form -- from a growing number of welfare-state advocates -- was prompted by a much subtler insight: the realization that the gold standard is incompatible with chronic deficit spending (the hallmark of the welfare state). Stripped of its academic jargon, the welfare state is nothing more than a mechanism by which governments confiscate the wealth of the productive members of a society to support a wide variety of welfare schemes. A substantial part of the confiscation is effected by taxation. But the welfare statists were quick to recognize that if they wished to retain political power, the amount of taxation had to be limited and they had to resort to programs of massive deficit spending, i.e., they had to borrow money, by issuing government bonds, to finance welfare expenditures on a large scale...
Under a gold standard, the amount of credit that an economy can support is determined by the economy's tangible assets, since every credit instrument is ultimately a claim on some tangible asset. But government bonds are not backed by tangible wealth, only by the government's promise to pay out of future tax revenues, and cannot easily be absorbed by the financial markets. A large volume of new government bonds can be sold to the public only at progressively higher interest rates. Thus, government deficit spending under a gold standard is severely limited. The abandonment of the gold standard made it possible for the welfare statists to use the banking system as a means to an unlimited expansion of credit. They have created paper reserves in the form of government bonds which -- through a complex series of steps -- the banks accept in place of tangible assets and treat as if they were an actual deposit, i.e., as the equivalent of what was formerly a deposit of gold. The holder of a government bond or of a bank deposit created by paper reserves believes that he has a valid claim on a real asset. But the fact is that there are now more claims outstanding than real assets.

And Ayn Rand:

A system in which the government does not nationalize the means of production, but assumes total control over the economy is fascism.

I found both of these quotes in the book Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal

Thanks to Rich Brilliant for the copy. although I'm not sire if I just never gave it back or it was a gift.

Here's the squatting story Bill from OP was talking about

2009-02-06T09:51:00.003-06:00

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Rep_Foreclosed_owners_should_squat_in_0130.html
"During the lending boom, most mortgages were flipped and sold to another lender or servicer or sliced up and sold to investors as securitized packages on Wall Street," explains the Consumer Warning Network. "In the rush to turn these over as fast as possible to make the most money, many of the new lenders did not get the proper paperwork to show they own the note and mortgage. This is the key to the produce the note strategy."

And another stratergy...

Congress is currently considering the size and scope of a second stimulus plan to help bailout the American economy. The first stimulus plan essentially focused on bailing out Wall Street and the banks. It is vital that the second stimulus plan provide direct economic relief to Americans. There are many ways to provide relief. The Mortgage Deferred Payment Plan is the initiative we are advocating.
How will the Mortgage Deferred Payment Plan work?
The plan will allow qualified homeowners who have Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac backed mortgages to apply for a mortgage payment “deferment” for a specified period of time. We are proposing 6 months to 3 years...

At the end of the “deferment” period we are proposing that the homeowner have 15 years to repay the “deferment” interest free.

more pharma...

2009-01-31T23:46:00.002-06:00

I India:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/26/world/main4752641.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4752641

In the USA:
http://www.enews20.com/news_Drugs_Found_in_US_Drinking_Water_Supplies_06410.html

now that's responsibility

2009-01-29T09:52:00.000-06:00

Woman Turns In Grandsons After Shooting
http://www.kctv5.com/news/18590157/detail.html

Gete ready to fire up the cameras

2009-01-29T09:26:00.000-06:00

Red-Light Safety Camera Program
http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks.nsf/web/rlc_main?opendocument

a few pharmaceutical dots to consider:

2008-12-11T15:05:00.002-06:00

In 2001, an estimated 150 million prescriptions, or 21 percent of prescriptions written, were for off-label use, according to the Archives study.

There is little question that what Dr. Gleason did was legal as companies can hire independent physicians to discuss he drugs and physicians are allowed to use FDA approved drugs for off label reasons.

Maker of Narcolepsy Drug Pleads Guilty in U.S. Case

Maryland psychiatrist Peter Gleason pleads guilty in federal court in drug “misbranding” scheme

XYREM(R) (sodium oxybate oral solution) net sales for the third quarter of 2008 increased 48 percent to $14.2 million, compared with $9.6 million for the third quarter of 2007.

Sorry folks

2008-12-04T19:30:00.002-06:00

It looks as though I will not be able to do a show this weekend. I had to work last weekend and now I have a personal situation that I have to leave town for. I'll try to be back but it doesn't look like it at the moment.

Online Ads Lead To 3 Robberies In KC

2008-12-03T16:38:00.001-06:00

Be careful when doing your Christmas shopping.

Gold is poised for a dramatic surge and could blast through $2,000 an ounce

2008-12-03T10:21:00.000-06:00

Gold traders are playing close attention to reports from Beijing that the China is thinking of boosting its gold reserves from 600 tonnes to nearer 4,000 tonnes to diversify away from paper currencies. "If true, this is a very material change," he said.

In memory of this dark anniversary

2008-11-20T13:23:00.003-06:00

The Committee believes, on the basis of the evidence available to it, that President John F. Kennedy was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy. The Committee is unable to identify the other gunman or the extent of the conspiracy.

Call me a liar of you will, but it seems to me that the House committee is saying that a conspiracy killed the President of the United States. And still, you are a nut to say so.

Why was it done?

For your consideration:

2008-11-20T08:42:00.001-06:00

Al-Qaeda’s alleged number two Ayman Al-Zawahiri has called for new attacks to be launched against “criminal America,” which is somewhat odd considering the fact that he once fought on behalf of the CIA and was granted U.S. residence by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

2008-11-20T08:21:00.001-06:00

Mayor sorry for kids' 'Assassinate Obama' chant

2008-11-20T08:16:00.000-06:00

Iran said to have enough nuclear fuel for one weapon

People want to know Recipients of Loans

2008-11-20T08:02:00.002-06:00

Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) --

House Republican leader John Boehner called for the Federal Reserve to disclose the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers and the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral...

Senator John Cornyn of Texas, said the lack of disclosure ``should trouble taxpayers and policymakers alike. There cannot be accountability in government and in our financial institutions without transparency... Many of the financial problems we are facing today are the direct result of too much secrecy and too little accountability.''

Naomi Klein:

There’s another piece of this puzzle that is also borderline illegal, which is that in addition to the $700 billion that we are discussing, the $700 billion bailout, there’s another $2 trillion that’s been handed out by the Federal Reserve in emergency loans to financial institutions, to banks, that actually we don’t really know who they’re handing the money out to, because, apparently, it’s a secret.

Grave Is Oldest DNA Evidence of Family

2008-11-18T16:03:00.000-06:00

A grave with the remains of a mother and father huddled together with two sons has been dated to 4,600 years ago and marks the oldest genetic evidence for a nuclear family, researchers say.

I have to support the policeman in this one:

2008-11-13T15:21:00.000-06:00

Our $3 Trillion Bailout

2008-11-13T13:53:00.001-06:00

http://www.clusterstock.com/2008/11/our-3-trillion-bailout

Adding together the $170 billion that the Treasury Department has currently agreed to provide banks in additional capital, the $150 billion that the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve are providing to AIG and the $2 trillion that the Federal Reserve has provided banks in emergency loans brings the total assistance to $2.32 trillion. If the estimated savings from the new tax breaks are included, the assistance would climb to $2.46 trillion.

That total does not include other measures not focused directly on banks, such as Treasury Department's $200 billion in support for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration's $300 billion HOPE for Homeowners program."

Add in another $50 billion for automakers, and that's how you get to $3 trillion.

Google the Flu?

2008-11-13T13:34:00.003-06:00

Remember that the CIA owns In-Q-tel Which owns (did) Google.

then consider this quote:

Thomas Malone, professor at M.I.T.: "I think we are just scratching the surface of what's possible with collective intelligence."

Eric Schmidt, GOOGLE's chief executive vows: "From a technological perspective, it is the beginning."

Let's slow down just a little bit:

2008-11-10T10:09:00.002-06:00

Obama Holiday!??!

Can't we wait at least until he's served a few days in office? I am sure that there will be a holiday eventually. But I hate driving down Cleaver Blvd as it is. I think you should wait until someone is dead and gone before youstart naming roads and holidays after them. After all, it's possible ( albeit HIGHLY unlikely) that Obama could be as bad a president as G W Bush.

Fascinating interview with a Fed spokesman

2008-11-10T08:47:00.000-06:00

This over at Wave Station X

2008-10-21T11:43:00.003-05:00

Distasteful Art Or Censorship?

Thought I'd get your opinions also.

Afghan man spared death sentence.

2008-10-21T10:08:00.002-05:00

After seven years this is what we get?!?!?

Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, 24, was sent to prison in October 2007 after
reportedly downloading material from the internet on women's rights in Islam.

Somebody help me. Why are we giving lives, time, money, energy to this government?
This was a journalism student not, as far as I can tell, an activist. I was just listening this morning to a BBC report about kids being taught to exert their "human rights". It is more than a little disheartening to then see this story. I hope that future generations will make it to the point where they can do just that. provided they aren't killed and imprisoned for thought crimes.

US debt clock runs out of digits

2008-10-09T09:46:00.000-05:00

The US government's debts have ballooned so badly the National Debt Clock in New York has run out of digits to record the spiralling figure

U.S. Army Troops To Serve As U.S. Policemen?

2008-10-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

from Chuck Baldwin:

According to the Army Times (dated Tuesday, September 30, 2008), "Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT [Brigade Combat Team] will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks."

The article continued by saying, "But this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.

"After 1st BCT finishes its dwell-time mission, expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one."

No amnesty for Wall Street

2008-09-27T02:11:00.003-05:00

Here is an analysis of our current economic crisis from a historical perspective. From Presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin:

In discussing the Bank Renewal bill with a delegation of bankers in 1832, [Andrew] Jackson said, "Gentlemen, I have had men watching you for a long time, and I am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country. When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank. You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter, I shall ruin ten thousand families. That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin! Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves. I intend to rout you out, and by the eternal God, I will rout you out."

2008-09-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

"Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from another quarter. From the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government." - Daniel Webster

good quote site linked above

2008-09-19T10:40:00.001-05:00

Somebody please explain this:

I caught this over on the Evil genius' website:

2008-09-18T10:33:00.003-05:00

An article on White privelege that ought to spark some discussion.

Pentagon Debates Development of Offensive Cyberspace Capabilities

2008-09-18T10:13:00.002-05:00

Igniting a provocative new debate, senior military officials are pushing the Pentagon to go on the offensive in cyberspace by developing the ability to attack other nations' computer systems, rather than concentrating on defending America's electronic security.

Under the most sweeping proposals, military experts would acquire the know-how to commandeer the unmanned aerial drones of adversaries, disable enemy warplanes in mid-flight and cut off electricity at precise moments to strategic locations, such as military installations, while sparing humanitarian facilities, such as hospitals.

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

2008-09-16T15:30:00.001-05:00

Catching up

2008-09-12T08:40:00.002-05:00

I was reading through some of the comment wars. I don't always delve in to the fray because you guys seem to have enough fun beating each other up. But I saw a response to a response or something where this is posted:

"""""Able Danger" and "the wire transfer to Atta"

These two are related.
Im the one who told you about this. Let me makes this clear. There was a major fuckup, a complacancy beyond immagination. One thing that held up this thing was removed by the patriot act. An act you bitch about and NOW YOUR RIGHTS are ruined and now you scream they are complicit. YOU DONT LIKE THE ANSWER!!"""""

I'm assuming the "thing" that the Patriot Act removed was the wall between foreign and domestic operations. If that's what is being referred to, I'd like to invite you to watch this little clip which seems to indicate that there were hindrances on both sides of the so called wall:

Two-party 'charade' must end, Ron Paul says

2008-09-12T07:51:00.001-05:00

Paul will give his seal of approval to four candidates: Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney, Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr, independent candidate Ralph Nader and Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin.

Paul said he's supporting the third-party candidates because the two major parties and media had "colluded" to avoid discussing issues and falsely presenting the difference between McCain and Obama as real.

"I've come to the conclusion, after having spent many years in politics, is that our presidential elections turn out to be more of a charade than anything else, and I think that is true today. It is a charade," he said.

Paul offered an open endorsement to the four candidates because each signed onto a policy statement that calls for "balancing budgets, bring troops home, personal liberties and investigating the Federal Reserve," an aide to the congressman said.

How do we counter the masses of concentrated wealth in our governance?

2008-09-09T10:17:00.002-05:00

Here's a story about the Missouri Governor's race that fits in with a thought I've been kicking around lately:

What would be the effect if the state, obviously it would have to be through referendum, passed a law requiring that state and local office seekers had to get all their money from within the state/locale? I know that the parties and other interest groups would find ways to funnel money in (ala 527s), but we have to make efforts to reclaim our democracy.

Anybody want to tackl this one?

2008-09-08T17:03:00.002-05:00

Mexico drug plane used for US 'rendition' flights: report
and
Planes crash, coke spills, but Mr. O'Connor remains a mystery

These are two related stories, really the same story. I wonder if anyone can find a little more on it.

Also:

Marcus, Can you give me some citation on the Book banning claim about Palin?

Fabled Enemies

2008-09-05T14:08:00.003-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck8G5GDrlJ0&feature=related

It's in fifteen sections and takes about an hour and a half. I'm sure some of you won't watch it because Alex Jones had a hand in it. But if you dare, check it out. Much of it is made up of Fox news reports and other mainstream reports. The fascinating thing is looking at all the information in one setting. Much of it you may have heard and seen before.

These are the people that lead us?

2008-08-22T09:30:00.002-05:00

I started out just wanting to put up this about a fight between to Democratic party folks. But, as I read on through the links and saw the actual star coverage( at least on their blog) I was saddened to see the obvious cover up in the charachterizations by Kraske.

New Guidelines Would Give F.B.I. Broader Powers

2008-08-22T08:29:00.000-05:00

The plan, which could be made public next month, has already generated intense interest and speculation. Little is known about its precise language, but civil liberties advocates say they fear it could give the government even broader license to open terrorism investigations.

Exactly how many wives do you need?

2008-08-21T09:24:00.004-05:00

Nigerian faces death for 86 wives

Nigeria's Islamic authority has told the man who has 86 wives to choose only four and repent within three days or else he will be sentenced to death.
A man with 10 wives would collapse and die, but my own power is given by Allah. That is why I have been able to control 86 of them

Swaziland women angry about shopping trip taken by 9 of the king's 13 wives.

"We can't afford a shopping trip when a quarter of the nation lives on food aid," they chanted.
King Mswati III, 40, has been criticised in the past for requesting public money to pay for new palaces, a personal jet and luxury cars.

2008-08-15T18:16:00.000-05:00

Family of Slain Gay Boy Blames School

Another case of let's sue sue sue. These folks have obvious problems in their family that have nothing to do with the school. And isn't the real culprit the kid who somehow thinks tht if he doesn't approve of who you are or what you're going through, he can KILL you?

No Shackles- Jimmy Vaughan

2008-08-13T16:55:00.002-05:00

2008-08-13T13:59:00.001-05:00

Check out BAMPAC, the Black American PAC.

Then check out it's founding board.

2008-08-11T13:09:00.002-05:00

Iraq Demands "Clear Timeline" for US Withdrawal

Differences over a withdrawal timetable have become one of the most contentious issues remaining in the talks, which began early this year. U.S. and Iraqi negotiators missed a July 31 target date for completing the deal, which must be approved by Iraq's parliament.

President Bush has steadfastly refused to accept any timetable for bringing U.S. troops home. Last month, however, Bush and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki agreed to set a "general time horizon" for a U.S. departure.

Last week, two senior Iraqi officials told The Associated Press that American negotiators had agreement to a formula which would remove U.S. forces from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, with all combat troops out of the country by October 2010.

The last American support troops would leave about three years later, the Iraqis said.

But U.S. officials insist there is no agreement on specific dates. Both the American and Iraqi officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are ongoing. Iraq's Shiite-led government believes a withdrawal schedule is essential to win parliamentary approval.

Did Dick Cheney Give Bush Plausible Deniability?

2008-08-08T13:39:00.002-05:00

I thought this was an insightful analysis of Dick Cheney's philosophy on presidential power.

Suskind argues that Cheney concluded from his perch at the White House during those years that Nixon fell not because of his abuse of government — he asked agencies such as the IRS and the FBI to shadow his enemies. Or because of the break-in of the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee by criminals with ties to CREEP (The Committee To Re-Elect the President). Or even because of the cover-up.

Suskind believes Cheney concluded that Nixon had been “overbriefed” and that his aides had failed to give him “plausible deniability.” And so, a la Suskind, that is what Cheney set out to give George W. Bush.

Another Mexican military incursion into US

2008-08-08T10:25:00.003-05:00

This from the Washington Times

The State Department and the U.S. Border Patrol on Wednesday described as a "misunderstanding" a Sunday night incursion of Mexican soldiers into Arizona, where they held a Border Patrol agent at gunpoint until backup agents responded to assist.

And this from MSNBC

T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, the union for Border Patrol agents, said the incursions have created a disturbing pattern.
Bonner said there have been at least a half-dozen situations in recent years in which Mexican soldiers have entered U.S. territory and shot at Border Patrol agents.
"It's a minor miracle that none of our agents have been killed or seriously injured," he said.

justice

2008-08-08T08:25:00.000-05:00

test for justice on the go

11 charged in connection with credit card fraud. 41 Million caard numbers lifted

2008-08-06T10:17:00.002-05:00

Although this article doesn't mention it, I have heard that this guy was also a CIA asset.

Obama/McCain it's all in the family...

2008-07-28T15:37:00.003-05:00

(MIKA)

Brzezinski has previously informed viewers that her brother Ian works for the McCain campaign and that her father, former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, and another brother, Mark, advise Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (IL).

(IAN)

In 2006, Booz Allen Hamilton, a privately held company based in McLean, Virginia, had a global staff of 18,000 and annual revenues of $3.7 billion. Its work for U.S. government agencies accounts for more than 50 percent of its business. Notably Booz Allen is a key adviser and prime contractor to all of the major U.S. intelligence agencies – the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)...

DAD

“Never before has a populist democracy attained international supremacy. But the pursuit of power is not a goal that commands popular passion, except in conditions of a sudden threat or challenge to the public's sense of domestic well-being. The economic self-denial (that is, defense spending) and the human sacrifice (casualties, even among professional soldiers) required in the effort are uncongenial to democratic instincts. Democracy is inimical to imperial mobilization." (p.35) The Grand chessboard

2008-07-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

Media Biased Against Obama

Cancer Doc Warns: Limit Cell Phone Use

2008-07-25T10:09:00.002-05:00

The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer

The warning from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies that don't find a link between cancer and cell phone use, and a public lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Herberman is basing his alarm on early unpublished data. He says it takes too long to get answers from science and he believes people should take action now — especially when it comes to children...
In the memo he sent to about 3,000 faculty and staff Wednesday, he says children should use cell phones only for emergencies because their brains are still developing.
Adults should keep the phone away from the head and use the speakerphone or a wireless headset, he says. He even warns against using cell phones in public places like a bus because it exposes others to the phone's electromagnetic fields...

A 2008 University of Utah analysis looked at nine studies — including some Herberman cites — with thousands of brain tumor patients and concludes "we found no overall increased risk of brain tumors among cellular phone users. The potential elevated risk of brain tumors after long-term cellular phone use awaits confirmation by future studies."
Studies last year in France and Norway concluded the same thing.
Cell phones emit radiofrequency energy, a type of radiation that is a form of electromagnetic radiation, according to the National Cancer Institute. Though studies are being done to see if there is a link between it and tumors of the brain and central nervous system, there is no definitive link between the two, the institute says on its Web site.

"By all means, if a person feels compelled that they should take precautions in reducing the amount of electromagnetic radio waves through their bodies, by all means they should do so," said Dan Catena, a spokesman for the American Cancer Society. "But at the same time, we have to remember there's no conclusive evidence that links cell phones to cancer, whether it's brain tumors or other forms of cancer."

Toxic Chemicals Found in Laundry Products, Air Fresheners

2008-07-25T09:57:00.002-05:00

All six products tested gave off at least one chemical regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, but none of those chemicals was listed on the product labels.

A while back I ordered some of the five star soap that advertises on the Alex Jones show. In his advert segments he always talks about the chemicals that they put in soaps and how they are toxic. My wife calls it my tin foil hat soap. But here it is in scientific study. It's unfortunate that they don't want to name the brands. But my guess is that all of the major brands have it in they're products.

further down the slippery slope

2008-07-25T09:20:00.003-05:00

There will be no uproar and we will continue down the slope. We are all being trained. It's up to you to see it. But, I'm just paranoid.

This is a scary set of items found by tonyskansascity.com

the O.J. case and several others prove that DNA doesn't mean an automatic conviction and the unquestioning use of this kind of evidence not only leaves a lot of room for error and misinterpretation but also takes the essential human element out of the important work of assuring justice for all of those who are innocent until proven guilty.

DUHHH

2008-07-24T08:19:00.002-05:00

The other reason I'll never be a star...

Val's show is on Friday night/Saturday morning from 3-5.
One day before my regular show.

Also don't forget to come out to McCoy's in Westport (corner of Westport and Pennsylvania) at 7:00 on Monday night to meet many of the Public Affairs programmers. I know Vicki Walker an dI are planning to be there. I believe Ben and others will be as well. See you all there.

Check out Tangents this weekend...

2008-07-23T21:00:00.002-05:00

I'll be guest hosting Val's show: Tangents this weekend.

my tangent will be
america
freedom
revolution
and independence

Sorry folks

2008-07-20T08:40:00.000-05:00

I am on vacation. Chicago is a great town!!!!