We need to hold cops to a higher standard ...

Daily Brickbats > Professional Accountability - Reason Magazine: "'inappropriate, impudent and ill-advised,'"

Much higher than this!

Beauty Queens Have All the Answers

New beauty: Marriage between man, woman: "Farrell's response: 'You know, I think it's hilarious right now that the world is turning to beauty queens for the answers for this."

Puppycide

The Agitator - Puppycide: "Police in Danville, Virginia shot and killed a family’s 12-pound miniature dachsund last night."

Lets see - "their actions were justified" ... will undoubtedly be the official response following the "investigation"

"...according to the news release. The options for the officer in that type of situation include running to the squad car; distracting the dog; or using pepper spray, a baton or firearm..."
Well we can't have a cop retreat from a small dog, now can we. No taser? Pepper spray might have been a good choice.

"The officer leaned against his patrol car, smoking a cigarette, and Tawaiin walked over to talk to him. He said the officer told him that he had to shoot the dog because he was barking at him. Tawaiin asked for his badge number and name, but the officer refused to give it to him and said his supervisor was on the way."
2 things piss me off here - 1 "smoking" he is on official government business so that activity should have been banned. And, under no circumstances should a uniformed officer ever refuse to identify himself. Imagine - "I won't give my name officer, my lawyer is on his way." Don't you think you'd be eating a dirt sandwich about then?

Cops Arrest Priest For Filming Them - CBS News

Cops Arrest Priest For Filming Them - CBS News: "Keefe [police attorney] criticized Manship [the priest, and defendant] for 'creating controversy where none needed to be.'

'You've got to conclude that he was out there with a video camera in an attempt, in my view, to provoke the police to do something,'

A police report says Manship was arrested because he was holding an 'unknown shiny silver object' and struggled with an officer. But a video released this week shows the officer asking Manship, 'Is there a reason you have a camera on me?'"

SWAT raids wrong house in Goshen | WSBT South Bend - Your Local News Leader | Local News

SWAT raids wrong house in Goshen | WSBT South Bend - Your Local News Leader | Local News: "It was a case of mistaken identity in Goshen, as SWAT officers knocked down the wrong door Thursday. Officers were searching for a suspect accused of impersonating a police officer. Instead, they found an elderly couple who had no idea what was happening.

The SWAT team meant to hit the house next door."

What could have happened had the couple been in their own home and startled by having the door broken down?! Or, if they had owned a dog!

...but how do you know?!

Anatomy of a Child Pornographer: What happens when adults catch teenagers "sexting" photos of each other? The death of common sense. - Reason Magazine: "“I didn’t pressure her into it or anything,” he says. Not that he didn’t appreciate the gesture or didn’t like the photos. “It was all right,” he admits. “It was good.” As for the images themselves, they were not shocking or unusual. His friends frequently show him sexy pictures sent by female friends of theirs. Now, though, he has a policy about looking. “I always ask my friends, how old is she?” he says. “My rule is, 18.”"

Go read the article - it scared me.

And ask yourself - how do you know the persons age? Really?
A local bar now takes photocopies of id shown to get in - why, cause some people have 2 - one fake that shows them 21 and their real one, and the bar got busted for serving under age.

When I was in college, my room mate (who had been served $ years in the military, and was nothing to look at) was dancing with a hot girl. He "knew she was 18 or 19" Well, his buddies grabbed him and asked what he was doing - she was a "child" He took her purse, dumped it out, and found the Jr. High-School ID. He ran.

All they want to is to make me hate my car.

The End of Our Love Affair with Cars - WSJ.com: "I don’t believe the pointy-heads give a damn about climate change or gas mileage, much less about whether I survive a head-on with one of their tax-sucking mass-transit projects. All they want to is to make me hate my car."

it’s called political accountability.

Instapundit
GETTING IT BACKWARD: The Tennessee Firearms Association is seeking to publicly identify each law …: "If government officials do it to citizens, it might be an effort to chill people’s speech. But when citizens do it to government officials, it’s called political accountability."

Gun group seeks to ID officials at veto event
"These are public officials taking a personal stance on a policy determination by the government," Harris said. "I think they're certainly subject to being identified and having their position clearly recorded in the public record."

American descent into Marxism happening with breathtaking speed

American capitalism gone with a whimper - Pravda.Ru: "It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people."

On Unemployment

LES JONES ON UNEMPLOYMENT: “The actual numbers aren’t just worse than the rosy picture Obama painted for a world after his magical stimulus took effect. They’re worse even than the doomsday scenario he outlined if Congress didn’t pass his stimulus plan.”

Via Instapundit

$50 Fine to Have Your Own Door Kicked In?!

Via FARK --
Police goof in raid, city stalls on damages -- baltimoresun.com: "The city denied his claim to be reimbursed for the damage to the door. Leonard said he was told that since the warrant listed Leonard's address, the officers hadn't technically stormed the wrong house.

...

The city inspectors who issue tickets for garbage in residents' backyards did, however, and gave him a $50 fine."

Mass Murder Prevented

Instapundit
MASS-MURDER PREVENTED: College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader: A group of college students s…: "If more home invaders had this experience, there would be fewer home invasions. Clayton Cramer comments: “If you have any doubt as to whether keeping colleges gun-free zones makes sense, I think this answers the question. This student didn’t draw a gun and start shooting when it looked like a robbery. When the bad guys made it clear that they were going to kill them all, he drew and fired–and probably saved ten lives.”"

Do as We Say…Not as We Do

The Agitator
Do as We Say…Not as We Do: "Jim Geraghty captures the absurdity: Obama praises actual, law-breaking tax cheats Tim Geithner and Charlie Rangel for their efforts to rein in “tax cheats” who actually followed the law, but took advantage of perfectly legal tax loopholes."

Sarah Palin

http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/2009/05/03/#005165

On Being A Gun Nut.

VIA Instapundit
PETER HITCHENS: On Being A Gun Nut. “As I argue in my book ‘A Brief History of Crime’, it’s the gr…: "One of the most important jobs of the police is to stop us looking after ourselves, in case we do a better job than PC Plod.”"

Then link over and read the article ...

"My suspicion is that the guts were knocked out of us British by the First World War, in which the best people of all classes died by their thousands in the great volunteer armies which marched off to Loos, Passchendaele and the Somme. Those who survived lacked something of the spirit that a free country needs..."

8.5% Unemployment? 15.6%

Economy: 8.5% Unemployment? More Like 15.6%: "Officially, the unemployment rate is 8.5%, but that's just part of the picture. It doesn't count those who have given up looking for work, or those who are working part-time when they'd rather be working full-time. The real unemployment rate may be closer to 15.6%,"

Tea Parties - Oregon

Tax day tea parties. I caught the local TV news at 11 pm - had brief coverage of both Portland and Salem tea parties. One channel flew over the Portland event - don't they have a studio at the location, I mean, they could have looked out their window to cover the event.
Salem - 2k in attendance, twice the expected number. Eh.

Any coverage is good coverage ...

Best of the Web Today: Los Lobos Locos - WSJ.com

Best of the Web Today: Los Lobos Locos - WSJ.com: "Our lack of comment on the Vermont legislation drew this inquiry from reader Bryce Elliott:

You've lamented more than once about courts doing things by fiat, especially Roe v. Wade and various gay marriage decisions. I thought I would see something from you on the fact that Vermont has legalized gay marriage via the Legislature, supposedly the people's representatives. I don't like the result, but I much prefer that process to rule by judge.

True enough, this column's view is that judicial imposition of same-sex marriage is a travesty, while legislative enactment of it is acceptable. We'd probably have voted against this bill if we were in the Vermont Legislature,"

These pretty much mirror my own feelings.

Quotes

The Agitator Random Quotes, Appropos of Nothing:

"Arnold Kling:
“From a libertarian perspective, your generosity is reflected in what you do with your own money, not in what you do with other people’s money.”"

WHY WE NEED TAX SIMPLIFICATION: 1. Even the pros make mistakes. Just ask Treasury Secretary Timot…

Instapundit
WHY WE NEED TAX SIMPLIFICATION:
1. Even the pros make mistakes
2. Ignorance is no excuse.
3. You won’t get off so easy."

I have been saying for years that simplification is right thing to do. For the progressives ( socialists - democrats) I am ok with a progressive tax rate - more you earn the higher percentage tax rate you pay. For the conservatives by simplifying, everyone will have the same tax burden. You won't have some - say home owners - getting a lower rate than others - ie renters - at the same income level. That is fair.

Remember there is only one bucket of money. Tax businesses or tax individuals - but get off the tax every thing ride. Pay for use ... not at the Federal level. OK at a more local ( county ) level. But the Fed should be only providing those things that benefit the whole country - therefore we all need to share. Park admissions - only if all those dollars are used on that parks consumable expenses - not roads, but toilet paper. And even then ... I'd rather not.

How to start. Require all elected officials to do their own taxes - no professional help. They could call the IRS - the same as ordinary people. But that is it. Good luck with that.

90+ Dead ---

Reuters AlertNet - Italy muzzled scientist who foresaw quake: "ROME, April 6 (Reuters) - An Italian scientist predicted a major earthquake around L'Aquila weeks before disaster struck the city on Monday, killing dozens of people, but was reported to authorities for spreading panic among the population."

Just like questioning Global Warming. If a scientist has a view which is different than the current political view, they are censored.

Politics may debate what action to take based upon the scientific information. They must not censor the scientists, however.

Sabre Rattlin'

Michael Tomasky: With North Korea's rocket, Obama's hope is shot back down to earth | Comment is free | The Guardian: "History may one day record it as a stark irony - and let us hope an amusing one rather than the tragic kind - that on the very day that Barack Obama was sketching out to an adoring throng in Prague his vision of a post-nuclear world, North Korea launched a rocket that may one day give it the capacity to fire a nuclear warhead as far as 3,700 miles. This means, to get down to brass tacks, that it could hit Alaska."

'Sexting' Hysteria Falsely Brands Educator as Child Pornographer | Threat Level from Wired.com

'Sexting' Hysteria Falsely Brands Educator as Child Pornographer | Threat Level from Wired.com: "'As a matter of law, the photograph does not meet the requirements established by our appellate courts and the felony charge will be dismissed,' the judge wrote. '[T]he two misdemeanor counts will be dismissed as well.'

Despite the ruling, Plowman, the prosecutor, stands by his initial assessment of the photo.

'The issue of whether it meets the definition under the statute ... goes to whether it is lewd,' he says. 'This one I felt was [lewd] because of the focus of the picture, which was the private areas ... and the provocative pose she was in. The judge felt it didn't meet the precedent case law for child pornography, but it was apparently provocative enough of a photograph that he saw fit that it should be sealed.'

Plowman insists he never intended to seek prison time for Oei. He would have been satisfied with a fine, probation and Oei's resignation. The case would never have gone this far, he says, if Oei had resigned when asked.

'I thought that was a just and appropriate sanction for his behavior,' he says. 'But he was unwilling to be responsible for any kind of accountability for what he did.'"

What will this bring - rather than dealing with the issue as they did - the Principle and vice principle - is that schools will call police. The guy who needs to be resigning is the prosecutor Plowman.

Theft by Finding?!

Student finds mobile phone while out celebrating his 18th and is ARRESTED after handing it in to police | Mail Online: "A college student who found a mobile phone while out celebrating his 18th birthday was arrested after handing it in to police.

Teenager Paul Leicester was arrested for 'theft by finding' and detained for four hours.

The Southport College A-level student eventually had the case against him withdrawn but said it was a 'shocking experience'."
...
"'I would not go to the police in future."

This level of socialism is the dream of the current administration and congress.

This is coming here ...

Pictured: Couple who died in house fire with three-year-old son as police held back neighbours desperate to help | Mail Online: "'Tempers were running high but the police were saying we have to wait for the fire brigade because of health and safety rules.'

He added: 'When a family is burning to death in front of your eyes, rules should go out of the window - especially when children are involved.'"

The state knows what is best. That is the socialist way.

I agree!

The Agitator: "Don’t know about you, but I find it a little frightening that we’ve reached the point where the president can order the CEO of a private company to resign."

From Drudge:
President Obama's remarks on U.S. car industry.

The Cops Did What !?!

HorsesAss.Org � Blog Archive � Fighting Back in Kidnap County: "Why the WestNET drug task force is being used to bust medical marijuana patients (and finds nothing wrong with poisoning their dogs) rather than trying to go after real criminals is a question that they - and Prosecutor Hauge - need to answer."

The Officer Should be Charged

The Agitator � Blog Archive � Saturday Links/Open Thread: "Another obstinant cop involved in a traffic stop: Police officer won’t let man continue on to hospital after pulling him over for expired plates, despite the fact that his mother had stopped breathing, and the hospital was less than a mile away. She died in the car."

Accessory to murder. A reasonable person would have known the woman required immediate emergency care. By preventing that, he is responsible for her death. Now maybe, she was already dead, or would have died anyway. But, this must be investigated.

Hillarycare

CANADACARE MAY HAVE KILLED NATASHA - New York Post: "Canadian health care de-emphasizes widespread dissemination of technology like CT scanners and quick access to specialists like neurosurgeons. While all the facts of Richardson's medical care haven't been released, enough is known to pose questions with profound implications."

The exact type of care Obama is telling us we have to have - to prevent economic slow downs and to ensure everyone has equal access to medical care.

"If she were conscious at 4 p.m., she'd most likely have been diagnosed and treated about that time, receiving care unavailable in the local Canadian hospital. She might've still died or suffered brain damage but her chances of surviving would have been much greater in the United States.

American medicine is often criticized for being too specialty-oriented, with hospitals "duplicating" too many services like CT scanners. This argument has merit, but those criticisms ignore cases where it is better to have resources and not need them than to need resources and not have them."

Really !?

U.S. to blame for much of Mexico violence: Clinton | Reuters: "An 'insatiable' appetite in the United States for illegal drugs is to blame for much of the violence ripping through Mexico, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday.

Clinton acknowledged the U.S. role in Mexico's vicious drug war as she arrived in Mexico for a two-day visit where she discussed U.S. plans to ramp up security on the border with President Felipe Calderon."

Blaming the victims. /sarcastically/ Maybe ... we will cut off the users from free health care - like the Brit's do to fatties and smokers. That's the ticket. First, they have to be to blame, then they can be forced to pay. AIG bonus'.

In the spirit of no-fault blame - the last administration failed to secure our border. By definition one of their responsibilities. Neither did any previous administration.

This Can't be Good

U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms: "The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document.

The government at present has the authority to seize only banks."

Socialist acts.

Socialist! -- This is Socialism!

"Obama will call for increased oversight of 'executive pay at all banks, Wall Street firms and possibly other companies' as part of sweeping plan to 'overhaul financial regulation', NY TIMES reporting Sunday, newsroom sources tell DRUDGE... Developing..."

Obama will call for increased oversight of 'executive pay at all banks, Wall Street firms and possibly other companies'... SOURCE ...'Officials say the rules could also be applied more broadly to publicly traded companies.
...
A central aspect of the plan, which has already been announced by the administration, would give the government greater authority to take over and resolve problems at large, troubled companies that are not now regulated by Washington, like insurance companies and hedge funds.

That proposal would, for instance, make it easier for the government to cancel bonus contracts like those given to executives at the American International Group, which have stoked a political furor. Under the proposal, the Treasury secretary would have the authority to seize and wind down a struggling institution after consulting with the president and upon the recommendation of two-thirds of the Federal Reserve board.

Long before he became Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner had sought broader authority for the government to resolve problems at financial institutions that were not under the supervision of bank regulators.
'

"Any sentient being dumb enough to fall for this AIG huffin’ an’ a-puffin’ from Barry, Barney, Doddy, and the gang is a fool who deserves the vaporization of his assets that the national political class is lining up for him. As Charles Krauthammer pointed out, the $165 million in bonuses is less than 1/18,500 of the $3.1 trillion budget. The massive expansion of government the president is planning is forever, and will ensure you that end your days in what Peggy Noonan calls “post-prosperity America.” More immediately, what message do you send to the world when legal contracts can be abrogated by retrospective confiscatory bills of attainder? You think that’s going to get anyone investing in America again"? SOURCE Emphasis added.



Huh?!

It's time for the government to close out the 20% private shareholders of AIG, and replace all the executives of that awful company with uniformed government employees making no more than $165,000 a year. It's either that, or watch things just get uglier.

Forget stabilizing the financial system. Congress is hungry for revenge.

That headline is exactly what I thought when I saw the photo of Pelosi after they passed the tax on AIG.

Screwing the recovery -- get ahead and Nancy & Co. will screw you - even if they had previously said it was OK in the law!!!!

Didn't they promise to read the bills before signing them.

Really!!???!!!

RPT-FEATURE-Corporate oil booms in low-tax Switzerland | Industries | Energy | Reuters: "'One trend that we see is that particularly Bermuda-based companies are now moving to Switzerland,' said Martin Frey, a partner at law company Baker & McKenzie. 'That may only partly be obviously for tax reasons, but also for security reasons and the fact that the Obama administration may go after them.'"

I'm shocked! I tell you just shocked.

Those with the means flee the high-tax ... not like that happened in California ... rich flee to AZ.

Abortion / Murder / ???

The Agitator Blog Archive Morning Links: "Is the difference between a morally acceptable late-term abortion and murder really just the few inches of the skull that remains in the womb during the former?"

I am opposed to abortion as a method of birth control.

This issue will continue to be a hot button since it was set by the court rather than the legislature / people. If you look back at the early 70's, there was a movement to make abortion legal going thru the 'regular' process of cities/ states / legislation being passed. Then, one court case.

No one likes to be told what they have to do. But, when a law is passed, then we at least feel as if we had a say in it - even when we do not agree.

This is coming here .... Hillary-Care

Life prolonging cancer drugs to be banned because they cost too much | Mail Online: "Thousands of patients with terminal cancer were dealt a blow last night after a decision was made to deny them life prolonging drugs.

The Government's rationing body said two drugs for advanced breast cancer and a rare form of stomach cancer were too expensive for the NHS."

OK, since she's at State, perhaps Obama-care is the right phrase now.

When the State controls the meds, they also will ration it. Just makes sense -- right - you will die anyways, so why not use the $$ for people who will get more benefit. /sarcasim/ Sex changes, etc. // Really a double lung / heart transplant which may or may not extend ones life costs a lot - how many diabetics could get there insulin with those same funds?

I am very concerned that this is one small step from elder-nasia. At a certain age, you will get hospice care but no treatment. There is already debate on whether to pay for treatments of fat people and/or smokers.

Prepare for it -- it is coming.

Are We?

Cartoonists treading lightly when drawing Obama: "'Being the typical American editorial cartoonist—doughy, white, middle-aged—I'm more than willing to accept that I don't know what may or may not be offensive,' he said. 'But editorial cartoons are supposed to be offensive, and provocative. We're entering new waters here. What can you use or not use?'"

Are we really entering new waters ... what about the Mohamed cartoons? This is the same dance, just to a new tune -- You were offensive, let me destroy your offices.

CHARLES PLATT GOES UNDERCOVER AT WAL-MART - New York Post

CHARLES PLATT GOES UNDERCOVER AT WAL-MART - New York Post: "Based on my experience (admittedly, only at one location) I reached a conclusion which is utterly opposed to almost everything ever written about Wal-Mart. I came to regard it as one of the all-time enlightened American employers, right up there with IBM in the 1960s. Wal-Mart is not the enemy. It's the best friend we could ask for."

Puppycide

The Agitator Puppycide: "A next-door neighbor said she never heard Coco bark or growl at the officers.

Sorry, but this is bullshit. If “all cops” were “animal lovers,” they’d learn how to subdue a dog without killing it. This is happening way too often."

Why doesn't a force as large as Vegas have less-lethal options for its officers ?

Need my innner Fonz

Carefull What you Post - this cartoon got me fired.

In a work place full of my co-workers saying F**K and G** D**n this cartoon was too offensive.

Court: No right to shout "douchebag" in a crowded blog

Court: No right to shout "douchebag" in a crowded blog - Ars Technica: "A federal court has rejected a former student's First Amendment suit against school officials who punished her for calling them 'douchebags' in a LiveJournal post. Right now, the scope of student rights to online speech is anything but clear."

This is referring to a minor at a public high-school.

Catching Up with the British

Catching Up with the British Parade by Jonah Goldberg on National Review Online: "Evidence of the reckless driving this yields can be found everywhere in Britain today. In fact, by American conservative standards, Britain is a horror show, or, put more constructively, a canary in the coal mine. “Reforms” that would result in bloody protest in America are newspaper filler here. Just in the last week, British papers have been full of stories about a policeman who used Britain’s omnipresent security cameras to monitor his cheating wife. They are supposed to be used as part of the criminalization of eating while you drive. The government is seeking the ability to disseminate health, tax, and other personal records to whatever agencies, public or private, it chooses. A new pilot program has officials knocking on doors to make sure citizens are managing their leftovers properly. Of course, Britain’s socialized medicine churns out a new cautionary tale every day. Meanwhile, a new study has found that in much of England, 60 percent to 70 percent of economic output comes directly from the government."

Why not fund fusion ...

Classical Values :: What Next For Polywell Fusion?: "Dr. Bussard thought that a full scale net energy Polywell Fusion program could be done for $200 million. What could be done to advance the knowledge base that wouldn't require that kind of commitment?"

As long as we are giving away 250Billion ( well more ... but that is 1000 times more than this project ) Why not invest in it? help with energy independence - an Socialists desire - help with global warming - another Socialists desire.

OK, so I don't really like the idea of government paying for this research, but since this money is going to be spent by this adminstration, name a better item (1 time funding; not on going funding)

Where is my stimulus?

The American Spectator : A Bleak Day: "For the amount spent we could have given every unemployed person in the United States roughly $75,000.

We could give every person who had lost a job and is now passing through long-term unemployment of six months or longer roughly $300,000."

The President Is Not a Gun Slinger...

The President Is Not a Gun Slinger: Why the 2nd Amendment is safe under President Obama—for now - Reason Magazine: "And his attorney general designate Eric Holder is a straight-up foe of gun rights. He was a principal in the Clinton administration’s perceived attacks on gun owners’ rights; he’s for registration and licensing, mandatory waiting periods, and gun purchase limits. Holder also signed on to an amicus brief on D.C.’s side in Heller, and clearly does not agree with the case’s Second Amendment-affirming decision. He’s been a magnet of discontent for the gun rights community, though in a contentious move, the NRA has chosen not to openly testify against him or count votes for him against congressmen or senators in their NRA scorecards."

No No Knock!

 Another Isolated Incident: "It’s the second wrong-door raid in Gwinnett County in two months."

Reversal Of Alzheimer's Symptoms Within Minutes In Human Study

Reversal Of Alzheimer's Symptoms Within Minutes In Human Study: "An extraordinary new scientific study, which for the first time documents marked improvement in Alzheimer’s disease within minutes of administration of a therapeutic molecule, has just been published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation."

Exciting news.

This Means War - WSJ.com

This Means War - WSJ.com: "But in its front-page story on Guantanamo today, the New York Times took a drastically different angle:

The emergence of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee as the deputy leader of Al Qaeda's Yemeni branch has underscored the potential complications in carrying out the executive order President Obama signed Thursday that the detention center be shut down within a year.

So wait, you mean those guys are terrorists after all? Go figure! As the Times explains, Said Ali al-Shihri was released to Saudi Arabia in 2007 and went through a 'Saudi rehabilitation program for former jihadists.' Thus rehabilitated, he went to Yemen, where he is believed to have been involved in a September bombing of the U.S. Embassy."

That's just not the truth

The Border-Patrol Two Deserve Jail by Andrew C. McCarthy on National Review Online: "One such dope-smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, is at the center of the storm around the two mythologized agents. The propaganda version holds that Aldrete-Davila got off scot-free, while our brave “heroes,” agents Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos, are serving heavy-duty jail-time for just doing their jobs.

That's just not the truth."

Our president pardoned the two murderers.