Feinstein and Schumer Wish You Were Dead
Cornet Joyce II at Sierra Times - "I Really Wish You Were Dead" - this story's title is what Feinstein was really saying when she said that she wanted to make all guns illegal. Of course, she wouldn't come out and say that in so many words. But I will. Ms. Feinstein, I want to see you tried for treason, convicted, and hanged by the neck until dead. [kaba]
William Stone, III at The Libertarian Enterprise - The Prime Directive - another lesson in why government doesn't, and can't ever, work.
From all accounts, Saddam Hussein was an initiator of force on multiple levels and over a long period of time. He certainly deserved killing, and I would have whole-heartedly supported any any private individual or company who wanted to line him up in their sights.
However, from the ZAP perspective, there is no moral justification for GOVERNMENT to become involved. Government warfare initiates force against two groups of individuals:
1. The governed, since government cannot so much as place one brick atop another without stealing the resources to do it.
2. Innocent bystanders ("collateral damage" in Governmentese).
In addition to inherently initiating force, supporting government warfare has the side effect of encouraging tyranny. Much as people would like to think, it is impossible to isolate one action of government from another. In reality, one cannot say, "I support government liberating Iraq, but I don't support government taking guns away from people."
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - Report to Congress Regarding the Terrorism Information Awareness Program - TIA is still alive, but now it's called "Terrorism Information Awareness" instead of "Total Information Awareness". And they're not spying on law-abiding Americans. Really.
The DARPA Terrorism (formerly "Total") Information Awareness program (TIA) is a research and development project. The program is integrating and testing information technology tools. DARPA affirms that TIA's research and testing activities are only using data and information that is either (a) foreign intelligence and counter intelligence information legally obtained and usable by the Federal Government under existing law, or (b) wholly synthetic (artificial) data that has been generated, for research purposes only, to resemble and model real-world patterns of behavior.
The Department of Defense, which is responsible for DARPA, has expressed its full commitment to planning, executing, and overseeing the TIA program in a manner that protects privacy and civil liberties. Safeguarding the privacy and the civil liberties of Americans is a bedrock principle. DoD intends to make it a central element in the Department of Defense's management and oversight of the TIA program.
The Department of Defense fully complies with the laws and regulations governing intelligence activities and all other laws that protect the privacy and constitutional rights of U.S. persons.
Electronic Frontier Foundation - Total Information Awareness - a compendium of information about this spy-on-everyone program. [whatreallyhappened]