From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: FCC Public File Auto-FAQ Date: 01 Mar 1999 02:37:55 PST This "FAQ" is auto-posted once a month via cron triggered script, and may be triggered off by hand from time to time in between if the info is requested by someone, such as when the House recently voted down the AW Ban and the Media threw a hissy fit. The purpose of this FAQ is to inform people what they can do about Media generated lies and misinformation. While the FCC only handles Broadcast Media, (TV and Radio), some of these techniques will work for magazines and newspapers too. If I've missed something, or you find errors, let me know and I'll add/fix it. 1.a. Send letters of complaint to the Station Manager every time it happens with all the time, details, other info, and your complaint(s). 1.b. Send an additional copy for their FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Public file. 1.c. Send an additional copy to the FCC itself, in case they don't put it in their Public file. 2.a. Send a letter of complaint to their Station Owner as per above, with copies as per above (1.b and 1.c). 3. Send copies of their replies to you along with yours to them to their FCC Public file, so that it gets nice and fat, again, with copies to the FCC itself. 4. If you can afford it, send all corespondence by Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested. Send a copy of the Return Receipt with everything that goes to the FCC itself, so that they will have additional evidence if the Station is cheating on their Public File. 5.a. Go to the Public Library and look up "Standard Rate and Data Services" (SRDS) "Directory of National Advertisers." It is found in many major Libraries (in the business/reference stacks), and lists EVERY current advertiser, who the players are at both the company and advertising agency(s), and the appropriate telephone and fax (and probably E-Mail by now) addresses. If your Library doesn't have it, it can be requested. Otherwise you can watch their commercials for a few days to a week, listing all their advertisers. There are other references that have the addresses for the nation's business headquarters too. look them all up and pass the addresses and phone/FAX numbers etc., around so that everyone can bitch to the sponsors. IF enough people do that, it'll get back to the Station. Tell them if the Station continues their nastiness you'll _consider_ changing to brand(X), (otherwise they'll just write you off as a loss). 5.b. The above, (5.a.), can be a lot easier and less time consuming if you're dealing with a newspaper's or a magazine's ads, as they are right in front of you for the listing. 6. If they put on something good or even just more reasonable, call and compliment them on it, but do _not_ send any kudos to their FCC file, or write to them about it. That way they have to keep it up and hope, as there is nothing good in the file or in writing that they can show the FCC to justify their Station's License. 7. Federal Communications Commission, Complaints and Compliance Division Room 6218, 2025 M Street NW Washington, D.C. 20554 FAX: 202-653-9659 FCC Attn: Edythe Wise -- An _EFFECTIVE_ | The _only_important_difference_ between Nazi-ism, Fascism, weapon in every | Communism, Communitarianism, Socialism and (Neo-)Liberalism hand = Freedom | is the _spelling_, and that the last group hasn't got the on every side! | Collective brains to figure it out. -- Bill Vance - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: The Christian and Civil Government (fwd) Date: 01 Mar 1999 04:19:18 PST On Mar 01, Eugene Gross wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] Hi Folks, Another interesting article on Christians and the Civil Government. En Agape, Gene Christians and Civil Government =93The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them....God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as part of their duty to God.=94 =97Charles Finney We regularly get letters questioning why we address issues of "politics" and why we try to influence the direction of government. Is this a Christian concern, or not? Let me respond by stating some principles that I believe apply to the matter of Christians, civil government and speaking about leaders. 1) God's kingdom in this world begins as the Holy Spirit regenerates the hearts of individuals. Christ's kingdom is most emphatically NOT established through "the arm of government"=97and those who naively think that by electing th= e right man as president we will see righteousness reign in America are forgetting that God's kingdom grows from the inside out (it begins in the heart of individuals) and from the bottom up (godly leaders are a reflection of a godly citizenry). The starting point for renewal in our land is the preaching of the gospel to sinners, not political action. 2) Every disciple of Jesus is responsible to apply God's Word to every sphere of life, including politics. Discipleship is not just accepting Christ for eternal salvation and then ignoring God's will for life in this world. Discipleship is a life of obedience to Christ in every matter about which Scripture speaks. Jesus own definition of making disciples is "teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matt. 28:20). The Bible speaks to issues related to civil government, and it is our responsibility as citizens of this republic to apply God's righteousness to our situation as God gives us opportunity. The substantially Christian character of early America was, in part, the result of believers applying their faith to the civil sphere. We must do the same today. We cannot abandon whole realms of life to the devil by failure to live righteously in those realms. Jesus has "all authority...in heaven and on earth" (Matt. 28:18). Our nation has slipped into wickedness and decline because Christians have failed to live righteously. We have accepted a truncated version of the gospel which reduces our faith to a private matter that is practiced in the home and church but not applied anywhere else. The enemy has had a heyday as Christians have withdrawn into their spiritual ghettos believing that "religion and politics don't mix." We need to heed the warning of Charles Finney, the revivalist of the last century, quoted at the top of this article. 3) A civil ruler is a "minister of God" (Rom. 13:4). He lives in a world where Jesus is king. He is not a neutral moral agent who can do as he pleases. He is no less under God's authority than you or I. 4) Christians must submit to and honor civil authorities as a part of their allegiance to Christ as Lord (Rom. 13:1-7). We must respect the leader because of the position he holds, even if he is himself a wicked person (Matt. 23:2,3). 5) It is not a breach of respect to identify the wrongs of leaders. We are instructed, regarding the "deeds of darkness" to "expose them" (Eph. 5:11). Jesus lambasted the hypocritical leaders of his day (Matt. 23), and the prophets of Israel and Judah were forever naming names and condemning sin among the leaders of the nation. Sensitive Christians sometimes get uncomfortable with others who condemn evil in our nation's leaders, but this is part of the Church's calling. We cannot let our responsibility to love cancel out our responsibility to proclaim God's Word and apply it to God's ministers in civil office. It is not slander to speak the truth about wicked leaders. It is a dangerous notion without basis in Scripture that submission to leaders means never saying anything negative about them. 6) We must guard our hearts and speak with fear and trembling when we condemn the sin of rulers. It is so easy to speak out of fleshly anger and pride and to fall into personal hatred. We must check our motives constantly so that in speaking the truth about others we are not bringing condemnation on ourselves. Any criticisms of our leaders must be accompanied by a deep spirit of submission to the authority they bear. We should weep as we expose evil. The only pleasure that should attend our statements is the pleasure of our God: concerning those rulers who take a stand against him, Psalm 2 says, "He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them" (v. 4). We should expose the reasons for his derision, but God alone should scoff. 7) We must always remember that our ultimate enemies are spiritual and that our weapons of warfare are spiritual weapons. God's kingdom is established in this world "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit" (Zech. 4:6). Our trust must not be in ourselves as we vote, write a legislator, or speak against a public policy and a wicked leader. Our confidence must be in our God who raises up leaders and brings them down as he wills. Our trust must be in the one who calls us to faithfulness, not success, and who alone is able to bless us with spiritual renewal in our land. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: Excellent Article (fwd) Date: 01 Mar 1999 04:20:19 PST On Feb 28, Ed Wolfe wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] >The John Doe Times > "Sic Semper Rodentia" > >"A Letter From Hagood's Crossroads, Alabama" > >28 February 1999 > >"What I Have Learned From The Twentieth Century" >(With Thanks to Schoolmasters Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito >Mussolini, Mao Tse-Tung and Pol Pot for the Teaching.) > >By Mike Vanderboegh > >As an amateur historian of this sad century whose time is almost up, I >would like to reflect upon six lessons I have learned in my studies. >Folks who wish to live free and prosperous in the next century would do >well to understand the failures of the last. > >Lesson No. 1: If a bureaucrat, or a soldier sent by a bureaucrat, comes >to knock down your door and take you someplace you don't want to go >because of who you are or what you think-- kill him. If you can, kill >the politician who sent them. You will likely die anyway, and you will >be saving someone else the same fate. For it is a universal truth that >the intended victims always far outnumber the tyrant's executioners. Any >nation which practices this lesson will quickly run out of executioners >and tyrants, or they will run out of it. > >Lesson No. 2: If a bureaucrat, or a soldier sent by a bureaucrat, comes >to knock down your door and confiscate your firearms-- kill him. The >disarmament of law-abiding citizens is the required precursor to >genocide. > >Lesson No. 3: If a bureaucrat tells you that he must know if you have a >firearm so he can put your name on a list for the common good, or wants >to issue you an identity card so that you may be more easily identified-- > tell him to go to hell. Registration of people and firearms is the >required precursor to the tyranny which permits genocide. Bureaucrats >cannot send soldiers to doors that aren't on their list. > >Lesson No. 4: Believe actions, not words. Tyrants are consummate liars. > Just because a tyrant is "democratically elected" doesn't mean that he >believes in democracy. Reference Adolf Hitler, 1932. And just because a >would-be tyrant mouths words of reverence to law and justice, or takes a >solemn oath to uphold a constitution, doesn't mean he believes such >concepts apply to him. Reference Bill Clinton, among others. The >language of the lie is just another tool of killers. A sign saying >"Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Makes You Free) posted above an execution camp >gate doesn't mean that anybody gets out of there alive, and a room >labeled "Showers" doesn't necessarily make you clean. Bill Clinton >notwithstanding, the meaning of "is" is plain when such perverted >language gets you killed. While all tyrants are liars, it is true that >not all political liars are would-be tyrants-- but they bear close >watching. And keep your rifle handy. > >Lesson No. 5: Our constitutional republic as crafted by the Founders is >the worst form of government in the world, except when compared to all >the others. Capitalism, as well, is a terrible way to run an economy, >except when compared to all other economic systems. Unrestrained >democracy is best expressed as three wolves and a sheep sitting down to >vote on what to have for dinner. The horrors of collectivism in all its >forms-- socialism, communism, national socialism, fascism-- have been >demonstrated beyond dispute by considerable wasteful trial and bloody >error. Leaders such as Bill Clinton who view the Constitution as >inconvenient and ignorable are harbingers of tyranny. > >Lesson No. 6: While nations do not always get the leaders they deserve, >they always get the leaders they tolerate. And anyone who tells you that >"It Can't Happen Here" is whistling past the graveyard of history. There >is no "house rule" that bars tyranny coming to America. History is >replete with republics whose people grew complacent and descended into >imperial butchery and chaos. Dictators count on the assistance of people >who are complacent, fearful, envious, lazy and corrupt. While ther is no >"Collective guilt" to the crimes of a regime (all such crimes being >committed by specific criminal individuals), while there is certainly >"collective responsibility"-- especially for those who watch the >criminals at work without objecting or interfering. > >A French journalist of the last century wrote: "I must speak out for I >will not be an accomplice." Evil tyrants require, indeed they depend >upon, willing and unwilling accomplices-- good people who would never >think of harming a soul themselves. Lenin called such people "useful >idiots". DeTocqueville observed that "America is great because America >is good. When America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great." >As related in the Old Testament, God judged nations based upon the >immorality and criminality of their leaders. Entire peoples were >scourged because of their failure to remove corrupt leaders. As we move >from the Twentieth Century into the Twenty-First, we should take care to >remember the ancient story of Sodom and Gomorrah. If we wish to avoid >the butchery of the Twentieth Century and the righteous judgement of the >God of our antiquity, we would do well to keep our Bibles, our >Constitution and our firearms close at hand. > > >Mike Vanderboegh >P.O.Box 926 >Pinson, AL 35126 >jdtimes@juno.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: Quote from Lex Rex (fwd) Date: 01 Mar 1999 04:20:57 PST On Feb 28, Eugene Gross wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] Hi Folks, Okay, this will take some time to read and decipher the old English, especially since Rutherford was Scottish and tends to use the Scottish spelling of words. However, please take the time to work through this quote: "I lay down this maxime of Divinitie; Tyranny being a worke of Sathan, is not from God, because sinne either habituall or actuall, is not from God; the power that is, must be from God; the Magistrate as Magistrate, is good, in nature of office, and the intrinsecall end of his office, Rom. 13:4. for he is the Minister of God for thy good; and therefore a power ethicall, politick, or morall, to oppresse, is not from God, and is not a power, but a licentious deviation of a power, and is no more from God, but from sinfull nature, and the old serpent, then a license to sinne."=97Samuel Rutherfurd, Lex Rex (1644). The reason that I posted this and the previous two messages is that I think that the patriot movement, or whatever you want to call it, has been in danger of losing the philosophical basis for its stand against tyranny. There was at one time a Black Brigade in this nation, but I fear that the Brigade might have trouble filling a full squad any more! So, I'm bound and determined to post those things that set the tone and the philosophical grounding for our forefathers! And since all of this is based squarely upon the Bible, what better philosophical foundation could you ask for!? En Agape, Gene [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: Resistance to Tyranny (fwd) Date: 01 Mar 1999 04:22:49 PST On Feb 28, Eugene Gross wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] Hi Folks, Here is an article that I thought might give us more grist for the mill. En Agape, Gene ========================================================================= Principled Resistance to Civil Tyranny: One Man's View by Andrew Sandlin I 'm going to set forth briefly and simply my view regarding resistance to civil tyranny. I don't profess that it represents a majority view among Reformed Christians, or even in the NRA, or in this present symposium. I don't claim that the Bible is unwaveringly clear on this issue, particularly in its specifics. But I think it's correct, and hard to refute. At least it's workable. It may be accurate to label my view specifically Calvinistic, inasmuch as it conforms largely to John Calvin's view expressed in the concluding chapter of his Institutes of the Christian Religion. Several theses comprise this view. 1. Civil government is a divinely ordained institution, a ministry no less legitimate than that of the church, an institution no less valid than the family (Rom. 13:1-3). It is charged with suppressing external evil in the civil sphere. By implication this requires protection from molestation by foreign powers. While principally an American phraseology, the protection of life, liberty and property is basically a Biblical description of the role of civil government. Civil government is not inherently evil; the godly may-and should-serve as civil magistrates. This, of course, is in contradistinction to the Anabaptist notion. 2. The ultimate code of civil justice is Holy Scripture. This means that civil magistrates should enforce the law of God appropriate to the civil sphere. This implies, further, that civil magistrates may not introduce or implement legislation beyond the explicit or implicit law of God apposite to the civil sphere. For example, the magistrate is required to suppress murder, kidnapping, stealing, and blasphemy, but is not permitted to suppress backsliding, heresy, smoking, or refusal to wear bicycle safety helmets (yes, it is a law here in California). The civil magistrate, I believe, is not merely forbidden to introduce legislation at variance with the Biblical civil code; he is also prohibited from legislating on matters the Bible does not address either explicitly or implicitly. To my way of thinking, the civil magistrate cannot simply make up laws. For an expansion of this theme, see my The Christian Libertarian Idea: Maximum Freedom Under God's Law, Christian Statesman, September-October, 1996, pp. 16-20. 3. Citizens should obey civil magistrates unless required to do what the Bible forbids or forbidden to do what the Bible requires. Civil anarchists-even sometimes under the guise of Biblical Christianity-make the illogical leap from the fully valid conclusion that the civil magistrate may not require what the Bible indicates it may not require, and may not forbid what the Bible indicates it may not forbid, to the conclusion that if the civil magistrate does transcend his Biblically prescribed limits, they are not under compulsion to obey him. That is, these misguided individuals hold that they are not bound to obey the laws of unjust civil government. Few notions could be more severely mistaken. Both St. Paul (Rom. 13:1-7) and St. Peter (1 Pet. 2:13) plainly require us to obey the civil magistrate-even if the civil magistrate is unjust. We may disobey him-and his law-only when that law requires that which the Bible forbids, or forbids that which the Bible requires. For example, if the civil magistrate in the so-called Peoples Republic of China requires a mother to undergo an abortion, she and her family should do everything in their power to disobey that murderous edict. Christians in China, however, cannot refuse to obey the civil government in other matters simply because that civil government countenances or requires murder. That notion is anarchic. And anarchy is never appropriate. The supreme law of the land in the constitutional republics of most modern Western democracies is, of course, the state's constitution. Most of these states furnish adequate means of peaceful political change-this is perhaps the supreme advantage of sound republics and democracies: we usually don't need to fight a civil war to change law or administrations. Now then, Christians are required to render to Caesar what is his. In the context of the first century that meant to pay lawful taxes and in general obey the law of the civil government. In his masterly work Christ and the Caesars, Ethelbert Stauffer points out that the great conflict between Christians and the Roman government in the first few centuries of the church was not a conflict between church and state but between emperor worship and Christ worship. The early Christians were not political revolutionaries, and Jesus Christ disappointed the expectations of these revolutionaries in teaching the notion of a kingdom that begins in the heart of man and gradually alters society by means of regeneration, not revolution (Col. 1:13). To render to Caesar what is his in Western democracies (and, increasingly, in the rest of the world) as we approach the third millennium means to conform ourselves to the constitution to the extent that it does not violate God's law, and to work diligently for the adoption of Biblical law and the recognition of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please understand: in the modern situation, to be politically inert is to refuse to render to Caesar what is his. Representative civil government means we should work to assure that we are properly represented. For Christians, this means pressing the claims of Jesus Christ in the public sphere. For this reason, Christians in the United States, for instance, should spend more time practicing civil obedience (writing, voting, petitioning, working precincts, preaching, praying imprecations, etc. ) than civil disobedience (sit-ins, tax revolts, revolutionary militias, and so forth). I repeat: the Bible does indeed justify civil disobedience, but only when civil government prohibits what the Bible requires or requires what the Bible prohibits. We must meet injustice with justice, not greater injustice. 4. Since civil government is a minister of God, the Bible does not permit anarchy or revolution. Here I think, especially, Calvin's view is right on track. Individuals may not resist unjust civil government, but lower civil magistrates within the civil government may protect those citizens under their charge by resisting higher territorial magistrates. This constitutes principled, Biblical resistance. Mayors may protect cities from the tyranny of counties. Sheriffs may protect counties from the tyranny of states. Governors may protect states from the tyranny of the federal government. This is a system of checks and balances that avoids civil tyranny on one hand and civil anarchy on the other. This is lawful resistance. Under this practice men are not a law unto themselves but act according to the specific directives of lawful authority. Calvin speaks eloquently: For though the correction of tyrannical domination is the vengeance of God, we are not, therefore, to conclude that it is committed to us who have received no other command than to obey and suffer. This observation I always apply to private persons. For if there be, in the present day, any magistrates appointed for the protection of the people and the moderation of the power of kings ... I am so far from prohibiting them, in the discharge of their duty, to oppose the violence or cruelty of kings, that I affirm, that if they connive at kings in their oppression of their people, such forbearance involves the most nefarious perfidy, because they fraudulently betray the liberty of the people of which they know that they have been appointed as protectors by the ordination of God. (Institutes, Bk., 4, Ch. 30, Sec. 21) Civil magistrates-like everyone else-are called to obey. And obedience includes protecting citizens from tyrannical civil magistrates. I consider this to be the foundation of principled resistance to tyrannical civil magistrates. Others have different ideas, but I believe that what I have set forth briefly here tends to protect society from civil tyranny on the one hand, and revolutionary anarchy on the other. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Curtis Subject: Re: SLICK: Petition No ---"Know Your Customer" Banking Regulation (fwd) Date: 01 Mar 1999 14:32:26 -0500 (EST) Re: "Know Your Customer" rule. A recent case appeared in Mass. in which a State employee tried to abscond with $6.5 million from an escrow account. He and his partner were caught by bankers applying "Know Your Customer" standards to a funny request for a huge cash withdrawal. The guy sounded incredibly stupid in his actions, there were a dozen ways of setting this up to transfer the money - he was just stupid and had control over the account and asked for it all in cash. A couple of blind accounts in private corporation names, transfers in small amounts over a period of months. He was home free and just too stupid to do it. (not that I'm advocating embezzeling funds, mind you). This is all over the Boston papers, don't know if it has hit the national news at all. Looks like banks are playing by "Know Your Customer" rules, regardless of the state of the regulation. Jack Curtis - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: EIA Communique - 3/1 (fwd) Date: 01 Mar 1999 22:33:59 PST On Mar 1, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] -----Original Message----- The Education Intelligence Agency COMMUNIQU=C9 =97 March 1, 1999 + The war is on over public sector collective bargaining in the state of Missouri. There may be a vote as early as today in the Missouri House. Th= ough the state has a Democratic governor and a Democratic majority in the Legislature, passage is far from certain. On one side is the Missouri NEA= and the AFL-CIO. On the other is the independent Missouri State Teachers Association, the Missouri School Boards Association, and a host of daily newspaper editorial boards. MNEA has been running phone banks and legislative contact campaigns for several weeks. A union handout lists "some issues that have been successf= ully addressed through collective bargaining." Strangely, pay and benefits are= not on the list. In fact, pay and benefits don't appear very often in MNEA's literature. Collective bargaining is about "kids," "choice," "local contr= ol," and "collaboration." However, MNEA President Donna Collins told her local leaders passage of the bill would be "Christmas in March." On the other side, MSTA has also been running phone banks and legislative contact campaigns. Their handouts cite a Tennessee study that claims teac= her pay is higher in districts without collective bargaining. And, of course, exclusive bargaining would probably signal a slow death for MSTA, current= ly the largest teacher organization in the state. No unaffiliated state teac= her association has ever threatened NEA-AFT dominance in a collective bargain= ing state. MSTA believes there aren't enough votes to pass the bill as writte= n, and are expecting some amendments will attempt to push it over the top. O= ne idea is to remove teachers from the bill. EIA will continue to monitor ev= ents. + Maryland has me baffled. Today's Washington Post reports that the Prin= ce George's Board of Education will boost teachers' salaries by $42 million = next year. To pay for the increases, administrative salaries and costs will be= cut, as will spending for technology and transportation. Everyone involved in = the push for the money cites the same reason =97 it's needed if the district = hopes to compete for top teachers. Lewis Robinson, executive director of the Pr= ince George's Education Association, told the Post the county loses 500 to 750 teachers a year strictly because salaries are higher in nearby jurisdicti= ons. Now stay with me. Today's Baltimore Sun reports that one nearby jurisdict= ion, Baltimore County, is studying a plan to pay 100 teachers $3,500 annual bo= nuses to work in 23 low-performing schools. The Teachers Association of Baltimo= re County is strongly opposed to the idea. In fact, it's so strongly opposed= it commissioned a poll of 700 district teachers, equally divided between the= low- performing schools, comparable schools, and high-achieving schools, to ge= t their opinion of the plan. The results? They oppose the plan by wide marg= ins. According to the Sun, "Teachers in all three groups consistently said mon= ey was far less important in deciding where to teach than factors such as sm= aller class size, strong discipline policies, adequate supplies and supportive school administrators." Prince George's and Baltimore Counties are comparable in size, geography, per-pupil spending and teacher salary. Are we to believe that higher pay induces teachers to change cities (or states), but cannot induce them to change schools within their own district? + The California Assembly passed peer review funding, making $413 millio= n available for districts that institute a program. Currently, the only dis= trict in the state with a full-fledged program is the Poway Unified School Dist= rict in San Diego County. Many California teachers, and union representatives,= are leery of the idea. Looking at Poway's figures, it's hard to see what they= 're afraid of. The Poway program is strictly voluntary for veteran teachers, as is the current statewide program moving through the Legislature. In the nine yea= rs the Poway Federation of Teachers has run its program, a grand total of ei= ght veteran teachers have participated. Six returned to the classroom, one re= tired and one took disability. Not a single veteran teacher was fired, suspende= d or asked to resign. + Amid the sound and fury of California Gov. Davis' education reform pac= kage are the distant rumblings of what's yet to come. Says Assembly Speaker An= tonio Villaraigosa about the state's public schools: "Clearly, at some point th= e people are going to have to make a decision whether they are willing to s= pend more and obviously... heresy, I'll say it, maybe even tax themselves to d= o it." + The 1997-98 California Safe Schools Assessment was released, revealing (surprise!) school crime is down in the state from its already low levels= . In Howard County, Maryland, a school violence task force reported schools ar= e "largely secure and safe," according to the Baltimore Sun. Nevertheless, = ten schools will install closed-circuit TV cameras. In Missouri, the Blue Val= ley School District and the Shawnee Mission School District will also install video surveillance systems "to keep an ever-watchful, if dispassionate, e= ye on students," reported the Kansas City Star. Some Maine schools utilize lockdowns. "Sometimes I get confused," Maine principal Frank Keenan told = the Bangor Daily News, "I think I must be a police officer." The Virginia Gen= eral Assembly passed a bill that mandates jail time for anyone convicted of hitting, pushing or attacking a teacher. New York Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue t= old the New York State Parent-Teachers Association that "school violence is a= n escalating problem," according to Reuters. On the flip side, the College of Lake County Federation of Teachers filed= a grievance against the school's use of hidden surveillance cameras, statin= g, according to the Chicago Tribune, that the use of such cameras "violates = the educators' rights to academic freedom." Preschool aide Jessica Kantes was fired from her job of 21 years in Escondido, California, schools. Both sh= e and her union representative from the California School Employees Association= say it was in retaliation for Kantes' reporting a teacher's inappropriate beh= avior with a child. Former Fort Worth teacher Joel Lopez was sentenced to 22 ye= ars in prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old student on school proper= ty. Lopez had been forced to resign his teaching position in 1981 because of molestation allegations, but police were never informed and his personnel= file is missing. He was rehired as a substitute in 1989, and subsequently hire= d full-time. He was arrested in 1996 and suspended from teaching in 1997. Several teachers testified on Lopez' behalf. A Washington Education Association publication on "Criminal Abuse of Students by School Employee= s" tells local union officials "It is important not to encourage any media coverage" and provides a tip to "acknowledge the seriousness of the event= and put the association on the =91right side' of the issue." WEA also wants i= ts officials to know "The way we handle things in a crisis determines not on= ly our public image, but can also affect the way future allegations are hand= led and perceived. It also establishes our ability to positively affect the m= edia in other situations." Liz Seymour of the Los Angeles Times appears to be the first reporter to leave the school crime reservation. Her Feb. 24 story, "Getting Too Tough= ?," questions the expansion of zero tolerance policies. EIA's latest report, Rotten Apples: School Crime from a Different Angle, = is still available free by contacting EIA at any of the numbers listed below. Please provide your snail mail address. + Quote of the Week: "We must work together with a display of unity that declares, loudly and clearly, that we, the professional educators, know w= hat is best for our students; that we know what is best for our schools and colleges; and, yes, that we know what is best for ourselves." =97 Massach= usetts Teachers Association President Stephen E. Gorrie. # # # The Education Intelligence Agency conducts public education research, ana= lysis and investigations. Director: Mike Antonucci. Ph: 916-422-4373. Fax: 916-392-1482. E-Mail: EducIntel@aol.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fighting Back Date: 04 Mar 1999 08:41:47 PST Had a days power outage due to all those trees being blown down on the power lines all over the State. I'll send this off, and start playing catch up. I heard something on KVI Radio, (Seattle), this morning that sparked this off. Someone called in to the Kirby Wilber show to suggest that all those Enviro- Wackos' should be sued for the cost of fixing the power lines because of their anti-logging stand/Legislation. I have doubts about the viability of this kind of suit, but someone should probably try it anyway, just to take some of the wind, (money), from their sails. However, like the Enviro-Wackos', most Anti-Gun/Hunting/Self Defence folks are Big City Liberal-Socialist types, who haven't got the slighest concern, care, or knowledge, about what their drechk Legislation does to the rest of us. The above kind of melded into some thoughts about how we could carry the fight back to where it belongs, in such a way as to put the kibosh on some of their sillyness. First, if we're such great Hunters, then we should consider taking up a new challenge: Bringing 'em back alive. Now if someone were to capture say a bunch of Spotted Owls and breed up a few hundred/thousand of them, feeding them their natural diet, they could then be brought into our Local Liberal Bastions at night and released just prior to breeding time. A whole lot of folks could then benefit first hand from being told they have to move out of the neighborhood so as not to disturb the Owls. While they mostly have the good sense to try to steer clear of even the Bambi-ists, deer can be pretty nasty critters. Releasing small herds of three to six Deer about town in the appropriate places could have a similarly educational effect. As a child in Anchorage, Alaska, I and the other sutdents in my class once witnessed a Moose chase a guy down the street, and around his house three times as he put in the key on the first time, turned it the next, and dived in the third. It chased him in, back out and around the house once more, and almost got back in when he finally got the door closed in the Mooses face. (Phew!) About 20 years or so ago, in the Ft. Lawton part of Seattle, we had a Cougar running around. He never hurt anyone, and mostly gourmandized on the food people put out on their porches for their pets. It took some 3-4 months for them to track him down and capture him, during which time he became known affectionately as, "DB Cougar", after, "DB Cooper". Now if the above mentioned idiots are going to insist that the rest of us have to put up with, "Endangered Species", like Bears, Cougars, and Timber Wolves, then it's only fair that they begin to have first hand educational experiences with them as well..... -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: linzellr@datastar.net (Robert Linzell) Subject: Fwd: Claremont Institute Precepts: The Genius of the Impeachment Process Date: 04 Mar 1999 07:57:06 -0600 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Claremont Institute--PRECEPTS | | March 3, 1999 Visit | | No. 147 In an article in the _Weekly Standard_ entitled "The System Didn't Work" (March 1), conservative commentator James Bowman blames the Constitution for the recent failure of the impeachment process, and expresses a preference for English-style parliamentary government. Under a parliamentary system, Bowman writes, the chief executive serves at the pleasure of the legislative majority and resigns when he loses its confidence. This system is not codified in writing. Rather it is fueled by honor. The fact that America's Founders wrote a Constitution, including a process for impeachment, reflects two misconceptions on their part: a belief that democracy can operate without honor and virtue, and a belief that laws can "solve all human problems." Bowman even asserts that the Founders here anticipated the socialist utopians of the 19th and 20th centuries. There is so much error in this account it is hard to know where to begin. First, the idea that the Founders believed that democracy can do without honor and virtue is hokum. George Washington expressed the founding generation's common and often expressed view on this in his Farewell Address: "'Tis substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government." Second, the idea behind a written Constitution is that there are limits to what government legitimately can do, in accordance with a permanent standard of right. This standard, laid out in the natural rights principles of the Declaration of Independence and codified in the Constitution, explicitly precludes government from attempting to "solve all human problems" with laws and regulations. Contrary to Bowman, then, America's written Constitution stands as a bulwark against socialism that England's unwritten or "organic" constitution lacks. Insofar as we are following England down the socialist path, we are doing so despite, not because of, our Constitution. Third, in designing the impeachment process, the Founders set out to do something that England had not been able reliably to do: hold the chief executive accountable to the law without killing him. In attempting this, the Founders understood that a political assault alone could not remove a rogue president between elections. Nor could a merely legal assault, unless removal power was placed in the hands of the un-elected judicial branch. But that would severely weaken the presidency, not to mention that it would be undemocratic. The authors of the Constitution solved this by placing the legal process of investigating and trying the president in a political body, namely Congress. This combination of legal and political force is the genius of the American impeachment process. It explains how the process has been used three times against the most powerful individual in the country, resulting once in his resignation, and each time without violence. In this light, the recent failure of the impeachment process to hold the president accountable to the law should not be attributed to the Constitution, but to the Independent Counsel law, passed in 1978, which separated the legal process of impeachment from the political body where the Constitution placed it. Institute Director of Research Glenn Ellmers has written an article on the Independent Counsel law explaining this very point. I invite you to read it at , or go to our home page at . Sincerely, Larry P. Arnn President, The Claremont Institute ====================================================================== Copyright (c) 1999 The Claremont Institute To subscribe to Precepts, go to: http://www.claremont.org/subscrib.cfm , or e-mail us at info@claremont.org . To be removed from this list, go to : http://www.claremont.org/remove_public.cfm , or e-mail us at info@claremont.org . For general correspondence or additional information about the Claremont Institute, e-mail : info@claremont.org , or visit our website at : http://www.claremont.org . Changing your e-mail address? Please let us know at : info@claremont.org . For press inquiries, contact Nazalee Topalian at topalian@msn.com or (909) 621-6825. The mission of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy is to restore the principles of the American Founding to their rightful, preeminent authority in our national life. The Claremont Institute | 250 West First Street | Suite 330 | Claremont, CA 91711 | Phone (909) 621-6825 | Fax (909) 626-8724 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPfreeware 6.0.2 for non-commercial use Comment: Get my public key from iQA/AwUBNt6RH+0M/FuXc0xJEQIoagCgwA6kFesEbZnjdfUEGo6AiSw070sAoN9j r2cBp78Rd2lY9h5lukLJyLZk =KxrC -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul M Watson Subject: New Air Force Structure (fwd) Date: 05 Mar 1999 12:19:56 -0600 (CST) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Heavy Bomber Groups of WWII - http://www.heavybombers.com I quote the following article from the AP for your information: Air Force reorganizes itself into 10 'expeditionary' groups WASHINGTON (AP) - The Air Force announced today it was setting up 10 ``expeditionary'' groups that would rotate responsibility for deployments to trouble spots like Bosnia and the skies over Iraq. Those in each group would be on call for deployments during one 90-day period every 15 months. The reorganization was an effort to ease the strain of increasing overseas missions and to improve morale in the face of a growing exodus of pilots for higher-paying jobs with airlines. Under the new structure, Air Force crews would know well in advance when they might be sent overseas - and for how long they'd have to stay. The reorganization, to be put in place by next January, is the first major overhaul of the service's structure since the end of the Cold War. The new groups are intended to deploy around the globe within 48 hours for military missions. Another five groups were set up to perform humanitarian missions. Each ``air expeditionary force'' will total about 250 planes, including fighter jets and heavy bombers as well as reconnaissance, electronic warfare, refueling and transport aircraft. The aircraft will remain based at separate airfields, but air crews will train together. Two groups will be on duty at any given time. The groups will also incorporate National Guard and Reserve units. Each force would be about half the size of the 2,000-troop units that went to battle during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. The 10 forces will have headquarters at: Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Elemendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; Lakenheath Air Base in England; Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.; Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.; Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.; Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. and Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. In addition, there will be another five units that will focus only on humanitarian aid missions. They will have headquarters at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.; Travis Air Force Base, Calif.; McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.; Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. and Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. The Pentagon cited a four-fold jump in the number of foreign operations over the next decade. Copyright 1999 Associated Press. _________________________________ Scott Burris - 381st BGMA Member E-mail: scott@heavybombers.com Web: http://www.heavybombers.com ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to Heavy_Bombers-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: skip Subject: Re: New Air Force Structure (fwd) Date: 05 Mar 1999 11:09:09 -0800 Paul M Watson wrote: > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 12:00:21 -0600 > From: Scott Burris > To: Heavy Bombers > Subject: New Air Force Structure > > Heavy Bomber Groups of WWII - http://www.heavybombers.com > > I quote the following article from the AP for your information: > > Air Force reorganizes itself into 10 'expeditionary' groups > > WASHINGTON (AP) - The Air Force announced today it was setting up 10 > ``expeditionary'' groups that would rotate responsibility for deployments to > trouble spots like Bosnia and the skies over Iraq. > Those in each group would be on call for deployments during one 90-day > period every 15 months. > I read about this earlier. After 40 years, the USAF is switching to the Navy model of predictable, rotating overseas deployments of its carrier battle groups (or in the USAF case, it's new "expeditionary" groups). Rotating deployment schedules allow everyone from seaman/airman to admiral/general, including their families, to know when the next overseas deployment will be and prepare for it, mentally, emotionally and financially. International crises will still upset the normal rotation, but unpredictable schedules become the exception rather than the rule. I'm astonished that the USAF has stayed with their morale-killing total-flexibility concept so long. Incidentally, it takes 3 USN battle groups/USAF expeditionary groups to maintain each 1 forward deployed - 1 is deployed, 1 is training it's people and fine tuning it's equipment for imminent deployment, and 1 is recovering from the just-completed deployment (overhauling, repairing and upgrading its equipment, resting and retraining/remotivating it's people, letting them have some time to get to know their kids again after 6 months away from home, etc.) FYI, Skip. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Re: Sports Authority - Time for a Counterattack! (fwd) Date: 05 Mar 1999 20:30:53 PST On Mar 5, Jurist wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] MarjBud@aol.com wrote: > > We don't have a choice. We have to fight the matter out here and now. Everything we lose, we probably will not be able to recover because the "big lie" that produced the loss would be justified. "Lie" becomes "truth." Why? ... Because those with enough experience to know the real truth will be-politically-dead and buried... Want to repeal Lautenberg? As Clinton says, "lets forget the past and move on." Only a republican president and a republican congress will listen to us. > Bryant Hopkins Agreed Bry, Sure -- the Left loves to perpetrate the Lie that change Leftwards is irreversible -- but we know differently. Reagan called it "rollback."* May I suggest that we quit playing defense at our own 5-yard line. It's time for a counterattack! When the chips were down during the Blitz, Churchill reversed the Nazi momemtum by bombing Berlin. Doolittle struck at the heart of the Japanese Empire during the darkest days after Pearl Harbor by bombing Tokyo and MacArthur reversed the Chinese juggernaut by landing the Marines at Inchon. Reagan beat the entire Soviet Union by simply demanding and implementing a "rollback!" We too can demand and win Rollback. It must become our rallying cry. Gentlemen - your target for today - the 1968 Gun Control Act. It is a NAZI LAW and a prime target too long neglected. Recall how the Left has many times caused Republicans to recoil in horror at the accusation of being called "Nazi"? We have to learn to play the emotional appeal game. The GCA is a ripe target. The 1968 Gun Control Act was lifted in large part from the Nazi Weapons Law of 1938** and introduced by Democratic Senator Dodd who, notably, managed to both fend off criticism and win it's passage -- based on **emotional** attack and appeal (e.g. sympathy in wake of MLK and Bobby Kennedy assassinations). The methodology might go like this.. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate/House, there is a Nazi hiding here -- in this Senate/House -- I am certain that you will ALL agree that the EVIL that was Nazism has NO PLACE in the body of American law! I call on you to assist me in calling this evil out into the open and exorcising it from this august house." [Pulling out a copy of the 1968 Gun Control Act with a Swastika Coversheet. Now saying with some anger] "...THIS is it! THIS is the 1968 Gun Control Act -- lifted chapter and verse from the NAZI Weapons Law of 1938! That's right, Ladies and Gentlemen, this was and IS a NAZI LAW! It is outrageous and despicable that a law created under the monster Hitler now controls the lives of law-abiding American citizens. It offends me, it offends the people of America, it offends the Constitution! [now holding up a copy of the Bill of Rights] "This is an evil NAZI LAW Ladies and Gentlemen. It must be killed like the Vampire that it is... sucking the freedom from the American People. [Now produce a phone directory - lay it upon the podium - lay the NAZI LAW upon the directory - now produce a mallet and wooden stake -- drive the stake through the Swastika coversheet of the 1968 Gun Control Act - - hold up the impaled document] "Can there be any choice between the United States Constitution [holding up the Constitution] and a NAZI LAW?" [holding up the NAZI GCA'68] "The answer is obvious. I will call for a Roll Call vote on H/S-XXXX repealing the NAZI LAW, we shall see who the NAZI sympathizers and who upholds and defends the US Constitution as they have sworn to do." "Mr. Speaker I yield back my time." Colorful, yes. Dramatic, yes. Not enough listen to the dry facts, figures and history. This one would put the Leftists on the spot and clearly delineate the Left from the Americans. Even if initially voted down, the fact that Senator/ Congressman X **supported** a NAZI LAW could and should be used as a campaign issue. Another thing, keep introducing the repeal until it passes, including as riders within Omnibus Budget Acts. Persistance is another area where we fall short. I am currently looking for work on Capitol Hill and will personally campaign to see if I can convince a Congressman or Senator to put forward just such an argument. Heck, I'd do it myself if sent to Washington. It needs to be done. In Liberty, Rick V. Supporting documentation ** ". . . we are enclosing herewith a translation of the Law on Weapons of March 18, 1938, prepared by Dr. William Solyom-Fekete of [the European Law Division -- ed.] as well as the Xerox of the original German text which you supplied" (Subcommittee Hearings, p. 489, emphasis added). This letter makes it public knowledge that at the end of June 1968 -- 4 months before GCA '68 was enacted -- Senator Thomas J. Dodd, now deceased, personally owned a copy of the original German text of the Nazi Weapons Law. Why did Dodd own the original German text of any Nazi law? Why did he make known that he owned it? .. The prosecutors at Nuremberg doubtless knew of the Nazi Weapons Law. They probably saw it in the 'Reichsgesetzblatt.' On the same day that Nazi Interior Minister Frick signed the Weapons Law, March 18, 1938... ('Reichsgesetzblatt' 1938, I, p. 262; the Nazi Weapons Law..). .. He may not have realized that he was revealing a broader truth; that the whole fabric of GCA '68 was based on the Nazi Weapons Law, even if the specific registration proposal was not so based... This hearing record suggests strongly that the late Senator Thomas J. Dodd (D-CT) himself implanted the Nazi Weapons Law into American law, or, at very least, helped others to do so." http://jpfo.org/GCA_68.htm * Leftists Complain About Success of Reagan Rollback Doctrine http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Foreign_Policy/ReaganDoctrine_TWRollback.html http://www.dailyrepublican.com/cityhall/messages/29.html The Right to Self Defense is a Fundamental Human Right - RKBA [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: In the Wilderness - March 5, 1999 (fwd) Date: 05 Mar 1999 20:32:21 PST On Mar 5, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] IN THE WILDERNESS (c) 1999 KEVIN McGEHEE North Pole, Alaska mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Permission granted to anyone wishing to forward, redistribute, or broadcast this article WITH FULL ATTRIBUTION. ================================================================ THE EIGHTH DEADLY SIN Somehow while I was growing up I managed to absorb a number of rules of proper manly conduct that don't seem to get taught these days. Don't lie, cheat, steal, brag, threaten, or betray, nor try to induce others to do these things. Don't come to a judgment if you aren't reasonably sure of the facts. Don't AVOID coming to judgment if you ARE reasonably sure of the facts. Once your mind's made up, get moving. If you're wrong, admit it. Apologize when appropriate, but only when appropriate. Don't promise more than you honestly think you can deliver. Order your loyalties and stick to that order. But of all the rules I absorbed, I guess there was one that stands above them all. Breaking any other rule might be defensible, but not this one. NEVER WHINE. Whining, of course, means more than just making that annoying, childish sound while complaining. It also refers to a complaint repeated so often that it takes more energy to keep repeating it than would be invested in addressing it. Constant reiterations of blame constitute whining, as does any campaign of demonization. According to the code of conduct that I learned, a grown man makes his point as best he can, argues it if necessary to ensure he is understood as well as he thinks he needs to be, then he pipes down and either sets about fixing the problem or learns to live with it. The prohibition against whining was so vehement, back then, because no grown man wanted to be mistaken for a child in his behavior. In those days one of the worst insults anyone could hurl at another was "crybaby." Nor was this a new thing. In Owen Wister's "The Virginian," the character Steve, who is about to be hanged for cattle rustling by a party of cowboys that includes his friend the Virginian, snubs the latter rather than speak and risk breaking down with emotion over his impending death. Steve takes the noose more or less cheerfully, and only later does the Virginian discover his written farewell on a scrap of newspaper. Maturity, however, is out of vogue in these post-modern times. Where scarcely a generation ago a TV character with absolutely no emotions became a cultural icon, today a politician draws fire when he fails to respond favorably to a mob of whiners on the steps of his state's Capitol. Although the most scathing insult one can hurl today remains "racist," "cold-hearted" is certainly in the top rank. Crybabies not only don't draw scorn anymore, they're admired. To rise in any field of endeavor anymore one must whine louder, more persistently, and more nerve-wrackingly than the rest. It's progressed beyond merely wearing one's heart on one's sleeve -- to get the full effect one must fly it like a banner, waving it back and forth, hurling cholesterol in every direction. And what are the grown-ups doing about it these days? Well, it's been said often enough that in any war the sides tend to behave more like one another the longer it goes on. This is why Paul Weyrich's comments have created such consternation both in and out of politics. On the one hand, Weyrich's complaint sounds like whining. On the other hand, what he's advising is that those who feel as he does stop complaining -- which is all that politics has become, after all. When he suggests that "moral majority" conservatives consider opting out of political activism, what he's suggesting is that they *stop* whining and apply their energies to addressing those aspects of the problem that are within their reach. It's a suggestion that would be well considered in all camps of the conservative movement and the Republican Party. Okay, so Newt Gingrich made the present congressional majority possible, only to lose his way and then his job. *Whaddaya gonna do about it?* So Bob Dole and George Bush ran the most inept presidential campaigns this side of Lyndon Larouche. *Whaddaya gonna do about it?* So the Omnibus Broadcasting System has been out of the closet for six years and openly favoring the other side. *Whaddaya gonna do about it?* Whining is not a strategy. If the Republicans keep their congressional majority for a hundred years, will that by itself fix anything? If some other political party eclipses the GOP by offering an ideologically pure platform more suited to your own point of view, will that by itself fix anything? If you find a magic lamp and the genie residing within grants you three wishes, will that by itself fix anything? Whining is not a strategy. I don't mean simply that we ourselves shouldn't whine. I mean that it's time to establish and enforce a hard and fast NO WHINING rule just as ruthlessly as others enforce their NO RACISM rule. -30- March 5, 1999 ================================================================ **Visit the IN THE WILDERNESS archives** http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/wilderness/ The views expressed herein are entirely those of the author(s), and do not reflect those of any person or group with whom the author(s) may be affiliated, unless explicitly labelled as doing so. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: Re: Thompson and Nichols Ask You to Contact Arkansas Bar (fwd) Date: 05 Mar 1999 22:32:12 PST On Mar 05, Huck wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] Thought this would be important to both lists. The points made are valid! If you believe that Clinton is guilty of rape then take the time to write a short letter and mail it! This time the law is on the side of the people! Thanks, Huck > Subject: Fwd: Thompson and Nichols Ask You to Contact Arkansas Bar > Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 18:35:51 -0600 (CST) > > Subject: > Thompson and Nichols Ask You to Contact Arkansas Bar > Date: > Wed, 3 Mar 1999 13:00:37 EST > From: > Jackpeace@aol.com > To: > Jackpeace@aol.com, rush@eibnet.com > > I am troubling you again because Larry Nichols and I have stumbled > across an approach that just may succeed in taking Bill Clinton to the > wall. Rush Limbaugh was crying out yesterday for a solution like this. > Here it is: > > Larry and I have done a lot of interviews in the past two weeks > regarding our writ of mandamus effort to discredit the Senate verdict. > Our problem has proven to be this: the inability to find a Washington, > D.C. lawyer willing to litigate the writ of mandamus in federal court in > Washington. That is a requirement of that approach. No one wants > to do it, and federal procedural rules require it. Our heart has been > in the right place, but we have run into obstacles. But just like a > successful football coach makes adjustments at halftime, we have > an adjustment here that can win the game. Please read this, > because you will be convinced. > > The Arkansas Model Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys > are very clear that a single incident of rape, let alone a serial > pattern of sexual misconduct, proves a lawyer unfit to practice law. > The decisions on this are vastly on our side. There is no statute > of limitations on the rapes when it comes to a Bar grievance, and > other victims can be subpoenaed. > > The latest polls show that the overwhelming majority of Americans > who saw Juanita Broaddrick's "Dateline" interview on NBC believe > her. Oh, yes, there are the CNN and other bogus polls that say a > majority do not believe her, but these polls included people who > either did not see the broadcast and/or did not even know of the > rape allegation! > > The Arkansas Bar must, absolutely must, proceed against Bill > Clinton, because of the credible evidence that Juanita [Hickey] > Broaddrick was raped. If the Bar does not proceed, then we go > for a writ of mandamus ordering the Bar to proceed, and sworn > testimony can be compelled from the President even at that > early phase. This is what we want: to put this pathological liar > under oath again and see if he will perjure himself again about > sex with a woman, in this instance a rape. The target here is > Bill Clinton, not the Senate, and it is a big, fat target. It is the > right target. > > Bill Clinton might decide to surrender his law license, just as > Richard Nixon did in 1976, rather than put up a fight, but those > of you too young to remember forget what a bludgeon that > disbarment was in the hands of the liberal elites. Disbarment > may be the only sanction anyone ever secures against this > sicko. > > The media is interested. Larry and I have already had an > encouraging response from the media: ABC contacted me > about the Arkansas Bar proceedings. Chris Ruddy's NewsMax. > com is currently reporting it at "Clinton Scandals," and Larry and > I are making the radio talk show rounds ginning up listeners to > send their own separate grievances to the Arkansas Bar. The > Bar is receiving more grievances. Make the trickle a torrent. > > Here is what you can do. Send the following two sentence > grievance (use your own words if you like) to the Arkansas Bar: > > "This is my Bar grievance against Bill Clinton. His rape of > Juanita Broaddrick proves he is unfit to hold a law license." > That's it. Send your grievance, along with your name, address, > and phone number to: > > James Neal > Committee on Professional Conduct > Justice Building, Room 2200 > 625 Marshall Street > Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 FAX to 501-374-1853 > > If you do that, you will help this country. Lots of grievances will > tactically strengthen our hand in the writ of mandamus action, > as it will show public outrage that the Arkansas Bar puts its > "favorite perverted son" ahead of justice. > > If you send your grievance in today, you will be in good company. > The Southeastern Legal Foundation, which so ably has > represented the heroic former FBI Agent Gary Aldrich (Unlimited > Access), filed its original grievance months ago and just amended > it to include the rape grounds. Matt Glavin at SLF told me this > yesterday. > > We're taking Bill Clinton to the wall on this one. It may be our last > but best chance. > > The Washington Times published my letter to the editor twenty > months ago that nothing substantive would ever come out of > Ken Starr's office to clean up the mess in the White House. I > stand by that. You know why we have a better shot than Starr? > Because we common citizens bring a sense of moral outrage > to this that academic, hyper-fastidious lawyers can't muster. > > And if you think this is just a vendetta by conservatives against > a Democrat President, think again. The New York Post today > reports a book about to be published that Israel's Mossad had > tape recordings of the phone sex between Monica and Bill and > used the tapes to blackmail Clinton and our security people into > not rooting out a Mossad agent deep in the White House. Starr > knew this and did nothing. Is our Bar grievance gambit "just > about sex?" No, it is about the physical safety of our children. > I have a six-year-old boy. I want to take out Bill Clinton, by all > legal and proper means, to make it more likely that he himself > might live to have a family. > > Let's disbar Bill Clinton. If we prove what we think we can > prove in that proceeding, then he's toast. We'll then break out > the marmalade. The drinks will be on me. > > Jack Thompson, Attorney > > ___________________________________________________________________ > You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. > Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html > or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: linzellr@datastar.net (Robert Linzell) Subject: Fwd: Claremont Institute Precepts: Harry Blackmun's Legacy Date: 06 Mar 1999 13:00:07 -0600 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Claremont Institute--PRECEPTS | | March 5, 1999 Visit | | No. 148 Former United States Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun died on Thursday. He was 90 years old. Today, Justice Blackmun's memory is praised on the front pages of America's newspapers. He is hailed by liberal jurists, academics, and pundits as "a towering figure in American law." His most notable contribution to the annals of jurisprudence is also one of the most notorious. The _New York Times_ headline stated it succinctly, if incompletely: "Justice Blackmun, Author of Abortion Right, Dies." Blackmun played a prominent role in the ongoing project to transform our Constitution from a clear and fixed document, into a thing that "evolves." Indeed, one may say that this project abandons the very idea of constitutionalism. For what is the point of a written constitution? It is to place, in clear and direct language, unchanging limits on government and protections for individual rights. The Constitution thus understood, however, poses an obstacle to the new understanding of rights. In this understanding our rights are not natural and unalienable, but rather subjective--and they are created, dispensed, and apportioned by government. And since our rights "evolve" there can be no permanent limits on the government which dispenses them. Likewise, the Constitution must also evolve--meaning that it becomes whatever the managers of this project wish. Only then is it possible to write, as Blackmun did in the court's landmark _Bakke v. Regents_ decision: "In order to treat some people equally, we must treat them differently." This same inventiveness appeared in _Roe v. Wade_, where Blackmun and his colleagues found a right to abortion on demand in the Constitution's "penumbras and emanations." And regarding the death penalty, he asserted there was no way to square capital punishment with the Constitution, even though it is mentioned three times in the document. It's a testament to Blackmun's legacy that this nonsense will long outlive him. Unfortunately, it's also a testament to his legacy that Americans will have to live with it, at least for a time. Claremont Institute Adjunct Fellow Hadley Arkes explores the consequences of Blackmun's _Roe_ opinion in a new op- ed. I invite you to read it at , or go to our home page at . Sincerely, Larry P. Arnn President, The Claremont Institute ====================================================================== Copyright (c) 1999 The Claremont Institute To subscribe to Precepts, go to: http://www.claremont.org/subscrib.cfm , or e-mail us at info@claremont.org . To be removed from this list, go to : http://www.claremont.org/remove_public.cfm , or e-mail us at info@claremont.org . For general correspondence or additional information about the Claremont Institute, e-mail : info@claremont.org , or visit our website at : http://www.claremont.org . Changing your e-mail address? Please let us know at : info@claremont.org . For press inquiries, contact Nazalee Topalian at topalian@msn.com or (909) 621-6825. The mission of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy is to restore the principles of the American Founding to their rightful, preeminent authority in our national life. The Claremont Institute | 250 West First Street | Suite 330 | Claremont, CA 91711 | Phone (909) 621-6825 | Fax (909) 626-8724 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPfreeware 6.0.2 for non-commercial use Comment: Get my public key from iQA/AwUBNuF7LO0M/FuXc0xJEQK9ugCfeuC2jWgrSIXH0KBMPGYh64BNHBAAnRLk 8lDzCBUAoci8unoIDYCYzK0f =dzDG -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: Illinois bill to force home-schoolers into vaccination/database (fwd) Date: 10 Mar 1999 14:11:19 PST On Mar 8, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] The educrats in charge of government schools are not about to let home-schoolers get away without a chase. I thought the whole reason for childhood immunizations was so kids wouldn't start schoolhouse epidemics. Now the prospect of a child coming down with measles at home where the educrats won't know about it, is judged worth another government invasion of the home. Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Whining is not a strategy. -----Original Message----- >From: "ScanThisNews" >To: "ScanThisNews Recipients List" >Subject: [FP] Illinois bill to force home-schoolers into vaccination/database >Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 19:30:43 -0600 > >====================================================================== >SCAN THIS NEWS >3/7/99 > >[Forwarded from Betty Peters, Alabama Eagle Forum] > >Decatur Herald & Review >March 4, 1999 >Home-school backers lose legislative battle >Decatur, Illinois > >By ANTHONY MAN > >H&R Springfield Bureau Chief > >SPRINGFIELD -- Dozens of home-schooled children and their parents got a >civics lesson Wednesday at the state Capitol. > >Despite packing a committee hearing room and flooding legislators with >telephone calls, they failed to stop a measure that would require parents >to report the names and immunization status of their home-schooled children >to the government. > >The sponsor, state Rep. Ricca C. Slone, D-Peoria Heights, said her >legislation is an obvious way to improve public health. She said she also >is concerned that parents could remove their children from schools and say >they are home schooling them, which would make it hard for authorities to >uncover cases of neglect or abuse. > >"There is a legitimate public health interest in seeing these kids >immunized that arguably overrides the privacy right," she said. >"Regrettably, under the cover of 'we are home schooling,' (some) are >probably neglecting their kids." > >Opponents vehemently disagree. > >Many of the parents who educate their children at home rather than at >public, parochial or private schools regard the proposal as a momentous >invasion of their constitutional rights. Others believe it is the first >step toward improper government interference in their lives. > >Barbara Cole, who grew up in Decatur and now lives in Mount Vernon, home >schools her five children, ages 4, 5, 7, 11 and 12. > >Her concern about the prospect of the government collecting names and >immunization records is blunt: "Stalin believed in registration. Hitler >believed in registration." > >Martha Ruppert of Hillsboro agreed. "Registration has to come before >control. This is a first step. The underlying premise is that parents do >not know what is best for their children," she said. "I think I'm capable >of taking care of my children." > >Ruppert also is educating five children at home, ages 6, 8, 10, 13, and 16. >She said her two oldest children, who also were home schooled, are now in >college. > >Scott A. Woodruff, a lawyer with the Virginia-based Home School Legal >Defense Association, came to Illinois to work against Slone's proposal. > >"This bill is out of step with America," he said. "Home-based private >school education is a constitutional right. This bill erodes that right." > >Slone's legislation would require parents or guardians of children in >home-school programs to: > > >. Notify the county health department by Nov. 15 each year of the names, >addresses and birth dates of all children who are home schooled. >. Make sure each child receives the same kind of immunizations and >vision and hearing screenings required of public school students. >. Submit proof to the health department. >. Provide a written explanation detailing the grounds for religious >or constitutional objections if the child does not have the immunizations >or screenings. Alternatively, a physician could state that administering >the immunization would be harmful to the child. > > >The legislation drew a range of opponents, mostly conservative and >religious organizations. They included Eagle Forum, Christian Home >Educators Association, Concerned Women for America and Concerned Christian >Americans. > >Slone's supporters came from northwestern Illinois. John B. Lang, >superintendent of the Regional Office of Education in Carroll, Jo Daviess >and Stephenson counties, was one. He was joined by Donald L. Kussmaul, >superintendent of East Dubuque schools and Ken Hupp, superintendent in >Galena. > >The three said they have no quarrel with the dedication of people who >educate their children at home, but society has an interest in protecting >the health of those children. > >They echoed Slone's concern that removing students from school with no >record of where they are going could make it more difficult to uncover >abuse or neglect. Each said there was no particular problem in northwestern >Illinois that motivated them to travel to Springfield. > >"We care about all the kids in our buildings, all the kids in our >community, and all the kids that seem to be forgotten," Hupp said. > >The three educators were far outnumbered by supporters of home schooling. > >People filled the seats and stood along the walls of a House hearing room, >and after they lost, about 70 parents and children adjourned to a Capitol >Complex cafeteria to plot strategy. > >"Don't get upset yet," counseled Eagle Forum of Illinois President Fran >Eaton. "We're going to have to do some work with our legislators." > >One technique already proved ineffective: Home schoolers inundated the >offices of Human Services Committee members with telephone calls urging >defeat of the legislation. > >Instead the committee approved the measure 7-5. No area representatives >serve on the committee. > >The proposal now goes to the full House, where Slone would not predict its >fate. "One day at a time," she said. > >-------------------------- >Forwarded by >Jimmy Kilpatrick >EducationNews.org http://www.EducationNews.org >ReadbyGrade3.com http://www.readbygrade.com >k-12Science.org http://www.k-12science.org > >======================================================================= >Don't believe anything you read on the Net unless: >1) you can confirm it with another source, and/or >2) it is consistent with what you already know to be true. >======================================================================= >Reply to: >======================================================================= > To subscribe to the free Scan This News newsletter, send a message to > and type "subscribe scan" in the BODY. > Or, to be removed type "unsubscribe scan" in the message BODY. > For additional instructions see www.efga.org/about/maillist.html >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > "Scan This News" is Sponsored by S.C.A.N. > Host of the "FIGHT THE FINGERPRINT!" web page: > www.networkusa.org/fingerprint.shtml >======================================================================= [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: EIA Communique - 3/8 (fwd) Date: 10 Mar 1999 14:11:56 PST On Mar 8, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] -----Original Message----- The Education Intelligence Agency COMMUNIQU=C9 =97 March 8, 1999 + The biggest education news this week was the release of state reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The sco= res have already inspired a lot of punditry, but EIA prefers to make a thorou= gh study before editorializing. Nevertheless, the results are encouraging in= many parts of the country, including states both at the top of the scale (Connecticut) and near the bottom (Louisiana). Others, particularly Calif= ornia and Hawaii, have very little to cheer about. The latest NAEP results, plus the math scores from 1996 and the most rece= nt SAT scores, will figure prominently in the next EIA report (to be release= d in a few weeks). + The NAEP reading scores have not, so far, led to any questioning of th= e efficacy of class-size reduction. The jury is still out on California's t= hree- year, $4 billion foray into the reform (20-to-1 in grades K-3), and Nevad= a's nine-year-old class-size reduction program (16-to-1 in grades 1 and 2) ha= s not led to significant improvement in scores. Maryland is now pushing for statewide class-size reduction. What's fascinating is how the campaign fo= r class-size reduction has changed in three years and 3,000 miles. The holy icon of class-size reduction is Tennessee's Project STAR, a four= - year study that concluded reducing class size to 13-17 students in early grades improved learning substantially. In California, proponents said reduction to 20 students wouldn't be quite as good as 17, but would impro= ve the situation. Now read this excerpt from last Friday's Legislative Bulle= tin of the Maryland State Teachers Association, also citing the results of Pr= oject STAR: "Why reinvent the wheel? If we know that 20 is too many, that there is literally NO improvement at that number, but that a maximum of 17 can pro= duce wonderful results, why bother at all with 20? Let's get down to brass tac= ks right away. Let's not waste our time and money on something we already kn= ow will not provide the results we so desperately want, and our students so desperately need, for success." While the academic benefits of class-size reduction are still in dispute, there is one result that cannot be denied: the California Teachers Associ= ation has exactly 37,584 more members than it had three years ago. + Having spent the last six years fighting off hostile ballot initiative= s, CTA will place a measure of its own on the 2000 ballot that would reduce = to a simple majority the threshold for approval of local school bonds. State l= aw currently requires a two-thirds majority. + NEA will be pushing for over $20 billion in federal school constructio= n funds this year and is gathering ammunition for its campaign. The union's Government Relations department is asking NEA activists for horror storie= s about school facilities to use with Congress. Senators and U.S. Representatives can expect the usual assortment of leaky roofs, broken wi= ndows and toxic mold. + NEA practices term-limits, which means a fairly regular turnover of to= p officials. But where the candidates come from makes the election process appear less like Congress and more like the Hapsburgs. NEA President Bob Chase ran for that position while serving as NEA Vice President. He replaced Keith Geiger, who was also NEA Vice President befo= re his accession. Chase's opponent was Marilyn Monahan, then the sitting NEA Secretary-Treasurer. This year Chase will run unopposed. On Saturday, delegates to the Illinois Education Association's Representative Assembly elected a president to replace term-limited Bob Haisman. IEA Secretary- Treasurer Anne Davis defeated IEA Vice President Jean Tello for the job. = NEA Rhode Island President Harvey Press is facing a stiff re-election challen= ge... from his own Vice President Larry Purtill. EIA research found that of the 43 NEA state affiliate presidents whose previous positions could be determined, 26 (60.5%) were sitting vice presidents of the affiliate when they ran for and won the presidency. Ano= ther four were sitting secretary-treasurers. Five others were state representa= tives on the NEA Board of Directors. Only eight presidents won their jobs from outside state headquarters =97 usually as a member of the state board or = the president of a large local. + The February 22 EIA Communiqu=E9 reported the remarks of Ohio Educatio= n Association President Mike Billirakis, who, in introducing his own propos= al for merger discussions with the Ohio Federation of Teachers, said "States= such as Missouri, Arizona and Oklahoma are also moving toward merger." EIA has learned that the Oklahoma Education Association's Delegate Assembly will = vote next month on whether to formalize merger talks with the much smaller Okl= ahoma Federation of Teachers. This means that Oklahoma is no further along in "moving toward merger" than Ohio is. + More movement on school crime policy? The March 3 issue of Education W= eek contains "Author Says Fear of Youth Crime Outstrips the Facts," and today= 's Orange County Register has "Schools rethinking =91zero tolerance' drug an= d alcohol policies." But the rethinking doesn't extend to Pennsylvania, whe= re state authorities are discussing ways to check home-schooled children for child abuse. "[T]he system was set up to catch child abuse at school," sa= ys Cathleen Palm of the nonprofit Pennsylvania Council of Children's Service= s. "If now you have that intersection of kids and adults no longer present, = you have lost an opportunity to catch children's unmet needs." EIA's latest report, Rotten Apples: School Crime from a Different Angle, = is still available free by contacting EIA at any of the numbers listed below. Please provide your snail mail address. + Quote of the Week #1: "Money. It is all about money. The quality of education for all Maine students in inextricably tied to money. Money buy= s computers; money pays for Advanced Placement courses; money hires educato= rs for special needs children; money pays for guidance counselors; and money= can guarantee small class sizes. Money is the mother's milk of education. The= more money a school has, the more learning opportunities for its students." =97= from a Maine Education Association editorial. + Quote of the Week #2: "In North Carolina, a beginning teacher's base s= alary is $23,100 in fiscal year 1998-99. Of this figure, five percent is $1,155= ; four percent is $924; three percent is $693; two percent is $462; one per= cent is $231; half of one percent is $115.50." =97 from the lead paragraph in = a front page insert in the February 1999 News Bulletin of the North Carolina Association of Educators. # # # The Education Intelligence Agency conducts public education research, ana= lysis and investigations. Director: Mike Antonucci. Ph: 916-422-4373. Fax: 916-392-1482. E-Mail: EducIntel@aol.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Leuschner Subject: Re: Fw: Illinois bill to force home-schoolers into vaccination/database (fwd) Date: 10 Mar 1999 15:37:34 -0800 Let's see now. Home-schooled kids without their shots are a public health menace, but it's unthinkable to limit the movements or activities of HIV carriers. Raises the question of which is more important - public health or political correctness. Skip. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: Illinois bill to force home-schoolers into vaccination/database (fwd) Date: 10 Mar 1999 14:11:19 PST On Mar 8, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] The educrats in charge of government schools are not about to let home-schoolers get away without a chase. I thought the whole reason for childhood immunizations was so kids wouldn't start schoolhouse epidemics. Now the prospect of a child coming down with measles at home where the educrats won't know about it, is judged worth another government invasion of the home. Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Whining is not a strategy. -----Original Message----- >From: "ScanThisNews" >To: "ScanThisNews Recipients List" >Subject: [FP] Illinois bill to force home-schoolers into vaccination/database >Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 19:30:43 -0600 > >====================================================================== >SCAN THIS NEWS >3/7/99 > >[Forwarded from Betty Peters, Alabama Eagle Forum] > >Decatur Herald & Review >March 4, 1999 >Home-school backers lose legislative battle >Decatur, Illinois > >By ANTHONY MAN > >H&R Springfield Bureau Chief > >SPRINGFIELD -- Dozens of home-schooled children and their parents got a >civics lesson Wednesday at the state Capitol. > >Despite packing a committee hearing room and flooding legislators with >telephone calls, they failed to stop a measure that would require parents >to report the names and immunization status of their home-schooled children >to the government. > >The sponsor, state Rep. Ricca C. Slone, D-Peoria Heights, said her >legislation is an obvious way to improve public health. She said she also >is concerned that parents could remove their children from schools and say >they are home schooling them, which would make it hard for authorities to >uncover cases of neglect or abuse. > >"There is a legitimate public health interest in seeing these kids >immunized that arguably overrides the privacy right," she said. >"Regrettably, under the cover of 'we are home schooling,' (some) are >probably neglecting their kids." > >Opponents vehemently disagree. > >Many of the parents who educate their children at home rather than at >public, parochial or private schools regard the proposal as a momentous >invasion of their constitutional rights. Others believe it is the first >step toward improper government interference in their lives. > >Barbara Cole, who grew up in Decatur and now lives in Mount Vernon, home >schools her five children, ages 4, 5, 7, 11 and 12. > >Her concern about the prospect of the government collecting names and >immunization records is blunt: "Stalin believed in registration. Hitler >believed in registration." > >Martha Ruppert of Hillsboro agreed. "Registration has to come before >control. This is a first step. The underlying premise is that parents do >not know what is best for their children," she said. "I think I'm capable >of taking care of my children." > >Ruppert also is educating five children at home, ages 6, 8, 10, 13, and 16. >She said her two oldest children, who also were home schooled, are now in >college. > >Scott A. Woodruff, a lawyer with the Virginia-based Home School Legal >Defense Association, came to Illinois to work against Slone's proposal. > >"This bill is out of step with America," he said. "Home-based private >school education is a constitutional right. This bill erodes that right." > >Slone's legislation would require parents or guardians of children in >home-school programs to: > > >. Notify the county health department by Nov. 15 each year of the names, >addresses and birth dates of all children who are home schooled. >. Make sure each child receives the same kind of immunizations and >vision and hearing screenings required of public school students. >. Submit proof to the health department. >. Provide a written explanation detailing the grounds for religious >or constitutional objections if the child does not have the immunizations >or screenings. Alternatively, a physician could state that administering >the immunization would be harmful to the child. > > >The legislation drew a range of opponents, mostly conservative and >religious organizations. They included Eagle Forum, Christian Home >Educators Association, Concerned Women for America and Concerned Christian >Americans. > >Slone's supporters came from northwestern Illinois. John B. Lang, >superintendent of the Regional Office of Education in Carroll, Jo Daviess >and Stephenson counties, was one. He was joined by Donald L. Kussmaul, >superintendent of East Dubuque schools and Ken Hupp, superintendent in >Galena. > >The three said they have no quarrel with the dedication of people who >educate their children at home, but society has an interest in protecting >the health of those children. > >They echoed Slone's concern that removing students from school with no >record of where they are going could make it more difficult to uncover >abuse or neglect. Each said there was no particular problem in northwestern >Illinois that motivated them to travel to Springfield. > >"We care about all the kids in our buildings, all the kids in our >community, and all the kids that seem to be forgotten," Hupp said. > >The three educators were far outnumbered by supporters of home schooling. > >People filled the seats and stood along the walls of a House hearing room, >and after they lost, about 70 parents and children adjourned to a Capitol >Complex cafeteria to plot strategy. > >"Don't get upset yet," counseled Eagle Forum of Illinois President Fran >Eaton. "We're going to have to do some work with our legislators." > >One technique already proved ineffective: Home schoolers inundated the >offices of Human Services Committee members with telephone calls urging >defeat of the legislation. > >Instead the committee approved the measure 7-5. No area representatives >serve on the committee. > >The proposal now goes to the full House, where Slone would not predict its >fate. "One day at a time," she said. > >-------------------------- >Forwarded by >Jimmy Kilpatrick >EducationNews.org http://www.EducationNews.org >ReadbyGrade3.com http://www.readbygrade.com >k-12Science.org http://www.k-12science.org > >======================================================================= >Don't believe anything you read on the Net unless: >1) you can confirm it with another source, and/or >2) it is consistent with what you already know to be true. >======================================================================= >Reply to: >======================================================================= > To subscribe to the free Scan This News newsletter, send a message to > and type "subscribe scan" in the BODY. > Or, to be removed type "unsubscribe scan" in the message BODY. > For additional instructions see www.efga.org/about/maillist.html >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > "Scan This News" is Sponsored by S.C.A.N. > Host of the "FIGHT THE FINGERPRINT!" web page: > www.networkusa.org/fingerprint.shtml >======================================================================= [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: EIA Communique - 3/8 (fwd) Date: 10 Mar 1999 14:11:56 PST On Mar 8, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] -----Original Message----- The Education Intelligence Agency COMMUNIQU=C9 =97 March 8, 1999 + The biggest education news this week was the release of state reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The sco= res have already inspired a lot of punditry, but EIA prefers to make a thorou= gh study before editorializing. Nevertheless, the results are encouraging in= many parts of the country, including states both at the top of the scale (Connecticut) and near the bottom (Louisiana). Others, particularly Calif= ornia and Hawaii, have very little to cheer about. The latest NAEP results, plus the math scores from 1996 and the most rece= nt SAT scores, will figure prominently in the next EIA report (to be release= d in a few weeks). + The NAEP reading scores have not, so far, led to any questioning of th= e efficacy of class-size reduction. The jury is still out on California's t= hree- year, $4 billion foray into the reform (20-to-1 in grades K-3), and Nevad= a's nine-year-old class-size reduction program (16-to-1 in grades 1 and 2) ha= s not led to significant improvement in scores. Maryland is now pushing for statewide class-size reduction. What's fascinating is how the campaign fo= r class-size reduction has changed in three years and 3,000 miles. The holy icon of class-size reduction is Tennessee's Project STAR, a four= - year study that concluded reducing class size to 13-17 students in early grades improved learning substantially. In California, proponents said reduction to 20 students wouldn't be quite as good as 17, but would impro= ve the situation. Now read this excerpt from last Friday's Legislative Bulle= tin of the Maryland State Teachers Association, also citing the results of Pr= oject STAR: "Why reinvent the wheel? If we know that 20 is too many, that there is literally NO improvement at that number, but that a maximum of 17 can pro= duce wonderful results, why bother at all with 20? Let's get down to brass tac= ks right away. Let's not waste our time and money on something we already kn= ow will not provide the results we so desperately want, and our students so desperately need, for success." While the academic benefits of class-size reduction are still in dispute, there is one result that cannot be denied: the California Teachers Associ= ation has exactly 37,584 more members than it had three years ago. + Having spent the last six years fighting off hostile ballot initiative= s, CTA will place a measure of its own on the 2000 ballot that would reduce = to a simple majority the threshold for approval of local school bonds. State l= aw currently requires a two-thirds majority. + NEA will be pushing for over $20 billion in federal school constructio= n funds this year and is gathering ammunition for its campaign. The union's Government Relations department is asking NEA activists for horror storie= s about school facilities to use with Congress. Senators and U.S. Representatives can expect the usual assortment of leaky roofs, broken wi= ndows and toxic mold. + NEA practices term-limits, which means a fairly regular turnover of to= p officials. But where the candidates come from makes the election process appear less like Congress and more like the Hapsburgs. NEA President Bob Chase ran for that position while serving as NEA Vice President. He replaced Keith Geiger, who was also NEA Vice President befo= re his accession. Chase's opponent was Marilyn Monahan, then the sitting NEA Secretary-Treasurer. This year Chase will run unopposed. On Saturday, delegates to the Illinois Education Association's Representative Assembly elected a president to replace term-limited Bob Haisman. IEA Secretary- Treasurer Anne Davis defeated IEA Vice President Jean Tello for the job. = NEA Rhode Island President Harvey Press is facing a stiff re-election challen= ge... from his own Vice President Larry Purtill. EIA research found that of the 43 NEA state affiliate presidents whose previous positions could be determined, 26 (60.5%) were sitting vice presidents of the affiliate when they ran for and won the presidency. Ano= ther four were sitting secretary-treasurers. Five others were state representa= tives on the NEA Board of Directors. Only eight presidents won their jobs from outside state headquarters =97 usually as a member of the state board or = the president of a large local. + The February 22 EIA Communiqu=E9 reported the remarks of Ohio Educatio= n Association President Mike Billirakis, who, in introducing his own propos= al for merger discussions with the Ohio Federation of Teachers, said "States= such as Missouri, Arizona and Oklahoma are also moving toward merger." EIA has learned that the Oklahoma Education Association's Delegate Assembly will = vote next month on whether to formalize merger talks with the much smaller Okl= ahoma Federation of Teachers. This means that Oklahoma is no further along in "moving toward merger" than Ohio is. + More movement on school crime policy? The March 3 issue of Education W= eek contains "Author Says Fear of Youth Crime Outstrips the Facts," and today= 's Orange County Register has "Schools rethinking =91zero tolerance' drug an= d alcohol policies." But the rethinking doesn't extend to Pennsylvania, whe= re state authorities are discussing ways to check home-schooled children for child abuse. "[T]he system was set up to catch child abuse at school," sa= ys Cathleen Palm of the nonprofit Pennsylvania Council of Children's Service= s. "If now you have that intersection of kids and adults no longer present, = you have lost an opportunity to catch children's unmet needs." EIA's latest report, Rotten Apples: School Crime from a Different Angle, = is still available free by contacting EIA at any of the numbers listed below. Please provide your snail mail address. + Quote of the Week #1: "Money. It is all about money. The quality of education for all Maine students in inextricably tied to money. Money buy= s computers; money pays for Advanced Placement courses; money hires educato= rs for special needs children; money pays for guidance counselors; and money= can guarantee small class sizes. Money is the mother's milk of education. The= more money a school has, the more learning opportunities for its students." =97= from a Maine Education Association editorial. + Quote of the Week #2: "In North Carolina, a beginning teacher's base s= alary is $23,100 in fiscal year 1998-99. Of this figure, five percent is $1,155= ; four percent is $924; three percent is $693; two percent is $462; one per= cent is $231; half of one percent is $115.50." =97 from the lead paragraph in = a front page insert in the February 1999 News Bulletin of the North Carolina Association of Educators. # # # The Education Intelligence Agency conducts public education research, ana= lysis and investigations. Director: Mike Antonucci. Ph: 916-422-4373. Fax: 916-392-1482. E-Mail: EducIntel@aol.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Lew Glendenning" Subject: RE: Sports Authority - Time for a Counterattack! (fwd) Date: 10 Mar 1999 20:50:46 -0800 Sure, Republicans are the answer !! The same inept/corrupt/hopless/stupid party which can't convict a career criminal of anything, despite the crimes being right out in the open, published everywhere? The party which goes along with the lie that there is a budget surplus? (National deb will rise by $100B+ this year, despite the great surplus.) The party which tolerated Waco and Ruby Ridge, whose leaders applauded the FBI so often in the following investigation? The party which believes in small government so much that the rate of growth of government has slowed minutely? (Maybe, because we can't believe the accounting.) Don't have time for all of the other wonder attributes of Republicans. There isn't a dimes worth of difference, I have been saying for years. Read a Joseph Farah column the other day that said it better than I do. (Can find it off DrudgeReport page.) Way past time for freedom- and Constitution-lovers to get into the Libertarian Party. The Republican Party is far past saving. Especially after the impeachment debacle, there is no defending it. Not even one-issue voters can defend the Republicans on much of anything, and gun-control isn't a Republican strong suite. Lew > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-roc@lists.xmission.com > [mailto:owner-roc@lists.xmission.com]On Behalf Of Bill Vance > Sent: Friday, March 05, 1999 8:31 PM > To: roc%xmission.com@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: Sports Authority - Time for a Counterattack! (fwd) > > > On Mar 5, Jurist wrote: > > [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows > --------------------] > > MarjBud@aol.com wrote: > > > > We don't have a choice. We have to fight the matter out here and now. > Everything we lose, we probably will not be able to recover because the > "big lie" that produced the loss would be justified. "Lie" becomes > "truth." Why? ... Because those with enough experience to know the real > truth will be-politically-dead and buried... Want to repeal > Lautenberg? As Clinton says, "lets forget the past and move on." Only a > republican president and a republican congress will listen to us. > > Bryant Hopkins > > Agreed Bry, > > Sure -- the Left loves to perpetrate the Lie that change Leftwards is > irreversible -- but we know differently. Reagan called it "rollback."* > > May I suggest that we quit playing defense at our own 5-yard line. It's > time for a counterattack! > > When the chips were down during the Blitz, Churchill reversed the Nazi > momemtum by bombing Berlin. Doolittle struck at the heart of the > Japanese Empire during the darkest days after Pearl Harbor by bombing > Tokyo and MacArthur reversed the Chinese juggernaut by landing the > Marines at Inchon. Reagan beat the entire Soviet Union by simply > demanding and implementing a "rollback!" > > We too can demand and win Rollback. It must become our rallying cry. > > Gentlemen - your target for today - the 1968 Gun Control Act. > > It is a NAZI LAW and a prime target too long neglected. Recall how the > Left has many times caused Republicans to recoil in horror at the > accusation of being called "Nazi"? We have to learn to play the > emotional appeal game. The GCA is a ripe target. > > The 1968 Gun Control Act was lifted in large part from the Nazi Weapons > Law of 1938** and introduced by Democratic Senator Dodd who, notably, > managed to both fend off criticism and win it's passage -- based on > **emotional** attack and appeal (e.g. sympathy in wake of MLK and Bobby > Kennedy assassinations). > > The methodology might go like this.. > > "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate/House, there is a Nazi hiding here > -- in this Senate/House -- I am certain that you will ALL agree that the > EVIL that was Nazism has NO PLACE in the body of American law! I call > on you to assist me in calling this evil out into the open and > exorcising it from this august house." > > [Pulling out a copy of the 1968 Gun Control Act with a Swastika > Coversheet. Now saying with some anger] > > "...THIS is it! THIS is the 1968 Gun Control Act -- lifted chapter and > verse from the NAZI Weapons Law of 1938! That's right, Ladies and > Gentlemen, this was and IS a NAZI LAW! It is outrageous and despicable > that a law created under the monster Hitler now controls the lives of > law-abiding American citizens. It offends me, it offends the people of > America, it offends the Constitution! [now holding up a copy of the Bill > of Rights] > > "This is an evil NAZI LAW Ladies and Gentlemen. It must be killed like > the Vampire that it is... sucking the freedom from the American People. > > [Now produce a phone directory - lay it upon the podium - lay the NAZI > LAW upon the directory - now produce a mallet and wooden stake -- drive > the stake through the Swastika coversheet of the 1968 Gun Control Act - > - hold up the impaled document] > > "Can there be any choice between the United States Constitution [holding > up the Constitution] and a NAZI LAW?" > [holding up the NAZI GCA'68] > > "The answer is obvious. I will call for a Roll Call vote on H/S-XXXX > repealing the NAZI LAW, we shall see who the NAZI sympathizers and who > upholds and defends the US Constitution as they have sworn to do." > > "Mr. Speaker I yield back my time." > > Colorful, yes. Dramatic, yes. > > Not enough listen to the dry facts, figures and history. This one would > put the Leftists on the spot and clearly delineate the Left from the > Americans. Even if initially voted down, the fact that Senator/ > Congressman X **supported** a NAZI LAW could and should be used as a > campaign issue. Another thing, keep introducing the repeal until it > passes, including as riders within Omnibus Budget Acts. Persistance is > another area where we fall short. > > I am currently looking for work on Capitol Hill and will personally > campaign to see if I can convince a Congressman or Senator to put > forward just such an argument. Heck, I'd do it myself if sent to > Washington. > > It needs to be done. > > In Liberty, > > Rick V. > > --------------------------------- > Supporting documentation > --------------------------------- > ** ". . . we are enclosing herewith a translation of the Law on Weapons > of March 18, 1938, prepared by Dr. William Solyom-Fekete of [the > European Law Division -- ed.] as well as the Xerox of the original > German text which you supplied" (Subcommittee Hearings, p. 489, emphasis > added). > > This letter makes it public knowledge that at the end of June 1968 -- 4 > months before GCA '68 was enacted -- Senator Thomas J. Dodd, now > deceased, personally owned a copy of the original German text of the > Nazi Weapons Law. > > Why did Dodd own the original German text of any Nazi law? Why did he > make known that he owned it? > .. > The prosecutors at Nuremberg doubtless knew of the Nazi Weapons Law. > They probably saw it in the 'Reichsgesetzblatt.' On the same day that > Nazi Interior Minister Frick signed the Weapons Law, March 18, 1938... > ('Reichsgesetzblatt' 1938, I, p. 262; the Nazi Weapons Law..). > .. > He may not have realized that he was revealing a broader truth; that the > whole fabric of GCA '68 was based on the Nazi Weapons Law, even if the > specific registration proposal was not so based... This hearing record > suggests strongly that the late Senator Thomas J. Dodd (D-CT) himself > implanted the Nazi Weapons Law into American law, or, at very least, > helped others to do so." http://jpfo.org/GCA_68.htm > > > * Leftists Complain About Success of Reagan Rollback Doctrine > http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Foreign_Policy/ReaganDoctrine_TW Rollback.html http://www.dailyrepublican.com/cityhall/messages/29.html The Right to Self Defense is a Fundamental Human Right - RKBA [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: My dear Bank Manager.........] (fwd) Date: 11 Mar 1999 03:13:45 PST On Mar 11, Omegamarc@aol.com wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] In a message dated 3/10/99 > BANK ON MY ACCOUNT, OLD CHAP > > My dear Bank Manager, I am writing to thank you for > bouncing the cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last > month. By my calculations some three nano-seconds must have elapsed > between his presenting the cheque, and the arrival in my account of the > funds needed to honour it. I refer, of course, to the automatic > monthly deposit of my entire salary, an arrangement which, I admit, has > only been in place or eight years. You are to be commended for seizing > that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account by > way of penalty fo the inconvenience I caused your bank. > > My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has > caused me to re-think my errant financial ways. You have set me on the > path of fiscal righteousness. No more will our relationship be blighted > by these unpleasant incidents, for I am restructuring my affairs in > 1999,taking as my model, the procedures, attitudes and conduct of your > very own bank. > > I can think of no greater compliment, and I know you will be excited > and proud to hear it. To this end, please be advised about the > following changes. > > First, I have noticed that whereas I personally attend to your > telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you I am confronted > by the impersonal, ever-changing, pre-recorded, faceless entity which > your bank has become. From now on I, like you, chose only to deal with > a flesh and blood person. My mortgage and loan repayments will, > therefore and hereafter, no longer be automatic, but will arrive at > your bank by personal cheque, addressed personally and confidentially > to an employee of your branch, whom you must nominate. > > You will be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any > other person to open such an envelope. > Please find attached an Application for Contact Status which I > require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to > eight pages,but in order that I know as much about him or her as your > bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all > copies of his/her medical history must > be countersigned by a Justice of the Peace, and that the mandatory > details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and > liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof. In due course I > will ssue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in all > dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits > but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required > to > access my account balance on your phone bank service. As they say, > imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. > > Let me level the playing field even further by introducing you to my new > telephone system, which you will notice, is very much like yours. My > Authorized Contact at your bank, the only person with whom I will have > any dealings, may call me at any time and be answered by an automated > voice. By pressing the buttons on the phone, he/she will be guided > through an extensive set of menus: > 1) to make an appointment to see me > 2) to query a missing repayment > 3) to make a general complaint or inquiry, and so on. > > The contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my > automated answering service. While this may on occasion involve a > lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration. This month > I have chosen to refrain from The Best of Woody Guthrie: > Oh the banks are made of marble > With a guard at every door > And the vaults are filled with silver > That the miners sweated for! > > After twenty minutes of that, our mutual contact will probably know it > off by heart. On a more serious note, we come to the matter of cost. As > your bank has often pointed out, the ongoing drive for greater > efficiency comes at a cost - a cost which you have always been quick to > pass on to me. Let me repay your kindness by passing some costs back. > First, there is the matter of advertising material you send me. This I > will read for a fee of $20 per A4 page. Inquiries from your nominated > contact will be billed at $5 per minute of my time spent in response. > Any debits to my account, as, for example, in the matter of the penalty > for the dishonoured cheque, will be passed back to you. My new phone > number service runs at 75 cents per minute (even Woody Guthrie doesn't > come free), so keep your inquiries brief and to the point. > > Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an > establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement. May > I wish you a happy, if ever-so-slightly less prosperous, New Year. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: McGehee's News & Comment - March 12, 1999 (fwd) Date: 11 Mar 1999 14:14:48 PST On Mar 11, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] I'm moving this one a day early for a number of reasons that I think will be obvious. -KM ================================================================ McGEHEE'S NEWS & COMMENT (formerly "In the Wilderness") (c) 1999 KEVIN McGEHEE North Pole, Alaska mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Permission granted to anyone wishing to forward, redistribute, or broadcast this article WITH FULL ATTRIBUTION. ================================================================ "SOMEONE'S ROCKING MY DREAMBOAT..." To a student of history, the similarities between America in 1999 and in 1929 are striking. In both ages we had a nation whose somnolent majority was interested in nothing important because times were just so darn good. Sure there was violence in the city streets because of Prohibition -- an ill-conceived experiment in outlawing a pasttime that dates back to the first caveman to pick berries a little after their season. But no one was really all that concerned about urban violence. After all, in 1929 most people still lived in small towns or on farms (the suburb had yet to be invented). Official corruption was of course rampant back then, but with Wall Street flying high and world peace at hand, what was there to worry about? Funny how time has a way of sending people wake-up calls just when they're really starting to enjoy the most pleasant of pleasant dreams. These days there are rumblings about Y2K, but I honestly think that will have less of an impact on civilization than on people's attitudes -- but that impact alone might be profound if it causes sufficiently radical changes in behavior. Aren't there people out there advising that we withdraw our money from banks before the fateful day? A run on banks? Can you just imagine! There's been talk of the late Asian financial crisis possibly bogging down the world economy, but in recent months it appears the Asian markets have managed to weather the worst of the storm. Or have they? For that matter, by what alchemy did America manage to avoid getting caught in the undertow? Was it that federal budget surplus? The great job our President is doing? Mr. Greenspan's expert manipulation of investor attitudes? Absent a logical explanation, the event is literally nothing short of miraculous. But we all know that man cannot work true miracles -- only occasional feats of unexpected inspiration. Keeping an economy chugging despite real-world pressures is hardly an opportunity for heroism, however terrific the result might be. Absent a logical explanation for this apparent miracle, a thinking man has got to be nervous. As for that budget surplus, any reader of this message who doesn't already know that it's a big fake -- a smoke-and-mirrors fraud in which everyone in Washington is complicit, be he elephant or ass -- is simply hopeless. If the politicians do what politicians usually do (especially these days), the collapse of Social Security could come before the next election, and all hell will break loose. But if I were to predict what the wake-up call will be this time around, I would look to China. I stated years ago that the Clinton Administration's posture toward China was virtually ensuring a new Cold War, and with recent revelations of strategic secrets having been stolen from the nuclear labs at Los Alamos, now even Rush Limbaugh is saying the same thing. Between secrets stolen (back when the Chinese *had* to steal what they got from us) and secrets bought (under a President who makes Neville Chamberlain look like Pat Buchanan), the People's Republic of China now has the capability to threaten the United States much as the Soviet Union used to. The fact is apparent, but hardly sufficient to awaken a nation that simply doesn't WANT to go back to the days of fearing nuclear annihilation. Doesn't want to think about it. Doesn't want to believe that even a lying, raping snake-in-the-grass like Bill Clinton could hand over so much power to an avowed enemy of everything America is supposed to stand for. And so the wake-up call hasn't yet gone through. But it will. At some point the Chinese will test their power. They'll do something that shocks the world -- it'll have to be big, in a day and age when a rapist in the White House shocks no one. It'll have to be bigger than Tiananmen Square. But they'll come up with something that will slap us all wide awake and confront us with the reality of what our national complacency has created. And when that happens, America will not be happy. With the Chinese, with Clinton, with anyone. We will be living, as the Chinese say, in interesting times. -30- March 12, 1999 ================================================================ **Visit the McGEHEE'S NEWS & COMMENT archives** http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/wilderness/ The views expressed herein are entirely those of the author(s), and do not reflect those of any person or group with whom the author(s) may be affiliated, unless explicitly labelled as doing so. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: Re: VERMONT CARRY BILL HB 3398 INTRODUCED IN TEXAS ! (fwd) Date: 14 Mar 1999 01:17:20 PST On Mar 13, Huck wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] > This is what we need in all 50 states. Huck > Dallas wrote, > > ****GOA-Texas e-mail Alert!**** > > GUN OWNERS ALLIANCE > Chris W. Stark - Director > 915 Yacht Ct., P.O. Box 1924 > Crosby, Texas 77532-1924 > Ph. (281) 787-4111 Fax (281) 328-7505 > http://www.GOA-Texas.org > email: Director@GOA-Texas.org > > 03/12/1999 > -------- > > VERMONT CARRY BILL HB 3398 INTRODUCED IN TEXAS ! > > As if it wasn't enough to be the top ranking member of both the > Texas House & Senate to file the most pro-gun bills this session, > Texas Representative Suzanna Hupp has now shown great courage & > conviction by introducing HISTORICAL HB 3398, VERMONT CARRY for > the Great Lone Star State of Texas! This is a proud day for Texas! > > Patterned after Vermont's successful Right to Carry Law -- simply > states law-abiding citizens may carry a firearm for any reason > except the commission of a crime. > > In Vermont, there are no restrictions to carrying concealed: No > state permission slip, no fee for the permit, no fingerprints, no > government mandatory training and no government imposed waiting > period. With such a law, Vermont is consistently rated one of the > safest states in the country. > > HB 3398 does away with charging a fee just to exercise the right > to carry concealed. These fees are nothing more than a tax, a > tax on self-defense. > > And under HB 3398, law-abiding Texans will not be treated like > common criminals by being fingerprinted, photographed, registered > with the government, required to get permission or mandatory > government training in order to exercise a constitutionally > protected right. > > History proves time-and-again issuing permits leads to government > abuses. For example officials: > > A) Refuse to issue -- In New York City Officials routinely > deny gun permits because ordinary citizens are in no > greater need for protection than anyone else in the > city. Plus, authorities have even refused to issue > permits when the courts have ordered them issued. > > B) Require fingerprints -- Currently, in Texas and other > states law-abiding gun owners applying for concealed > carry permits are treated like common criminals forced > to submit to FBI fingerprinting and background > investigations -- and all information is stored in > Clinton's FBI computer files. > > C) Print licensee holders' names and addresses in newspapers: > In several states, newspapers routinely print "public > information" on concealed carry permit holders. > > Plus, officials can "raise the hurdles" in order to get a permit. > The power to license a right is the power to destroy a right: > > * Mandatory Training -- Officials often design mandatory > training requirements that force applicants to shoot > like an Olympian and endure expensive and time-consuming > training; training many poor and elderly citizens cannot > afford or pass. > > * Prohibitive and Arbitrary Fee Increases -- Any carry > concealed permit fee amounts to a tax on your right to > self-defense. Anti-gunners then work to raise fees too > high for many law-abiding citizens. For example in 1994, > the Clinton Administration pushed for a license fee > increase of almost 1,000% on gun dealers. According to > U.S. News & World Report, the administration was seeking > the increase "in hopes of driving many of America's > 258,000 licensed gun dealers out of business." > > * Arbitrary Delays -- Even though some states require > applications to be responded to within thirty days, > delays of ninety days are routine. Sometimes, delays > last for several years. > > However, with HB 3398 there are no fees, so fees cannot be raised. > There are no permits, so officials cannot "raise the hurdles" or > refuse to issue them. And there are no permit lists, so > confiscation > and invasion of privacy is much more difficult. > > We need to call Representative Suzanna Hupp, and thank her for > taking a stand for all of Texas and the Nation! Let her know you > will be fighting to pass HB 3398! > > Her phone # is: 512-463-0684 > > E-mail address: Suzanna.Hupp@house.state.tx.us > > EVEN IF YOU DO NOT LIVE IN TEXAS, HELP US PASS HB 3398 FOR THERE > IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL CAN ONLY HELP IN > PASSING SIMILAR LEGISLATION IN YOUR STATE. > > Call Speaker of the Texas House, Pete Laney at (512) 463-1000, > and tell him to move HB 3398 to the "Traditional" committee, > the Pubic Safety Committee ASAP for a hearing! > > Call your Representatives and express your support for Rep. > Hupp's bill above, and tell them to co-sponsor HB 3398! > > You can get your Representatives number by going to: > > http://www.house.state.tx.us/house/byzip.htm > > To email ANY house member, the general rule is this: > > first-name.last-name@house.state.tx.us > > Example: Charles.Jones@house.state.tx.us > > We need sponsors for this bill in the Texas Senate! Please > call your Texas Senator! If you do not know your Senators name > and number, go to: > > http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/Members.htm > > and ask him/her to sponsor HB 3398! SWITCHBOARD # 512-463-2000 > > - -- > > Be sure to report to us the results you get when calling or > e-mailing your Texas Legislator, and we will report your > success back to this email list! > > ***************************************************************** > Gun Owners Alliance > Chris W. Stark - Director > P.O. Box 1924 > Crosby, TX 77532-1924 > Voice: (281) 787-4111 > > EMAIL: Director@GOA-Texas.org > > Visit our Web Page at: http://www.GOA-Texas.org > ***************************************************************** > Copyright (c) 1999, Gun Owners Alliance (GOA-Texas). Republication > permitted provided this article & attribution is left intact in > its original state. > # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # > The views contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views > of any other individual or organization, than Gun Owners Alliance. > We DO NOT represent Gun Owners of America. > # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # > ***************************************************************** > TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR E-MAIL ALERTS, send an e-mail to: > > subscribe@GOA-Texas.org > > ...and in the body of the message, type the word "subscribe". > ***************************************************************** > TO UN-SUBSCRIBE TO OUR E-MAIL ALERTS, send an e-mail to: > > UN-subscribe@GOA-Texas.org > > ..and in the body of the message, type the word "UN-subscribe". > ***************************************************************** > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > Version: 2.6.2 > Comment: None genuine without this signature. > > iQEVAwUBNunFAUMcuoA7aq7dAQEeqgf7BHoP1p3KzB6GFFOGD8okobl3/alROmQ4 > 3P68bc7xSzLoqyMvvxzhhbTo14c63Pt+QWR3PmZEs9aUwIqm/E2M7h9jHm51PrZp > /eBJ5hK/XWtZbfQCd8/x04IyzKK6B3RLpM+9nzUOZynyK1fcVrL4+eZGuEM3qxbD > 5I42cvLKS6HV+Ej+Yj22ogh40033FoHLORZhrLEIyL+92Mj3QIOnFv2SAU0XA+vZ > Frd9XM+TjW/QcQ/T/RMQ6SZKOiIlgn19lZlIrPAFj/m0xd69cVagj3acvzCDN92a > BN0kMfwK1zQUOMofvpHSZvKmzJZHF8If3RV7izqjHGIKvL58ae7iIA== > =JkVt > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > **************************************************** > To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: > majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com > with the message: > (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address > > or (un)subscribe ignition-point-digest email@address > **************************************************** > www.telepath.com/believer > **************************************************** > > --------- End forwarded message ---------- > > ___________________________________________________________________ > You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. > Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html > or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: [Fwd: [patriots] Attn: Chat with Hillary LIVE..3/16/99.....please circul... (fwd) Date: 15 Mar 1999 05:21:23 PST Not sure if I can make this, "party", but does everyone have suitably pithy comments ready? :-) On Mar 15, Omegamarc@aol.com wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] > Attention patriots, activists, concerned citizens! > > On Tuesday, March 16, 1999, > Hillary Rodham Clinton will be on Aol: LIVE at 10PM EST. > > This is our chance to meet together online and send posts live to the First > Lady on issues WE want to discuss! > > For those of you who are not an AOL customer, I have provided a direct link on > the Official GovtWatch for Freedom Website. Arrive early, click on the link, > read the instructions and "get seated". > http://members.aol.com/g0vtwatch/index.html/ > > I really hope to see many familiar screennames in the movement. > > We can do this you guys! Come on...here is our chance! I encourage all of us > to attend this online event, even those who wish not to participate but will > serve as a patriot's presence. > > Please circulate this so as many patriots as possible will have the > opportunity to attend this momentous event! > > Remember: United We Stand...Divided We Fall! > > Sincerely, > Lorelei A. > GovtWatch for Freedom > http://members.aol.com/g0vtwatch/index.html/ [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Harry Barnett" Subject: The South African position on "guns in the wrong hands" Date: 15 Mar 1999 18:19:45 -0800 5. WHERE ARE THE GUNS? THE NATAL WITNESS, 19990315, P.8 (A) - Whether euphemistically named as self-protection or self-defence units, it is no secret that in the run-up to the 1994 election both the IFP and ANC in this province armed hundreds of their supporters with weapons which were not always legally acquired or licensed. What has happened to these arms caches? Who, in the years subsequent to 1994, has assumed responsibility for tracking them all down and confiscating those in the wrong hands? If the state has not been able to stop 20 000 people guilty of crimes from possessing licensed firearms, what are the chances that all this lethal equipment has ever been accounted for? As in Northern Ireland, peace will never be anything but an empty slogan until all the illegal weapons are under the control of the proper authorities. Harry E. Barnett harryb@hbbse.com http://www.hbbse.com -- It isn't what we don't know that hurts us. It's what we know that isn't o. --Will Rogers - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: EIA Communique - 3/15 (fwd) Date: 15 Mar 1999 22:40:48 PST On Mar 15, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] -----Original Message----- The Education Intelligence Agency COMMUNIQU=C9 =97 March 15, 1999 CAESAR: Who is it in the press that calls on me? I hear a tongue, shrille= r than all the music, Cry "Caesar!" Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear. SOOTHSAYER: Beware the ides of March. CAESAR: What man is that? BRUTUS: A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. CAESAR: Set him before me; let me see his face. CASSIUS: Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar. CAESAR: What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again. SOOTHSAYER: Beware the ides of March. CAESAR: He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass. =97 From Act I, scene II of Julius Caesar In homage to the most famous of discarded warnings, EIA presents a few mo= re portents from people not known for being "anti-public education." These caveats are also likely to be discarded: * "If we are serious about raising academic standards and if we desire t= o improve student discipline, we must free ourselves from the very dubious notions that criticism is bad, that demanding real excellence is unreason= able and, above all, that students can't be corrected and disciplined and stil= l be in a humane school environment." =97 Morty Rosenfeld, president of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers in New York. * "[California Gov. Gray] Davis also wants to strengthen reading teacher= s and provide remedial reading programs for struggling primary pupils. He i= s on the right track, but the state and the school districts will have to take other steps, such as reducing the clout of the unions, if they are to wee= d out ineffective teachers and put an excellent reading teacher in every primar= y classroom." =97 Los Angeles Times editorial of March 8. * "I wish people would listen because there is going to be a disaster wh= en you find out there has been no significant improvement as a result of the= se programs in four years. We are at the bottom. Something is wrong that wil= l not be fixed by taking to the television to tell kids to read. It only reinfo= rces their television fixation." =97 California State Senator Tom Hayden. + On March 9, the Council for School Performance in Georgia released a l= ist of 94 schools that had fallen below specific testing and attendance stand= ards for three consecutive years. The release of the list coincided with the introduction of legislation designed to send in "progress support teams" should these schools fail to improve. The report came a full six weeks af= ter EIA released a list of 99 schools that failed to meet the council's stand= ards to the Georgia media. Some principals complained about placement of their schools on the list. = Dr. Lynn Duncan, principal of Hephzibah Elementary School in Richmond County, questioned the report's accuracy. "Something is bad wrong there," she tol= d the Augusta Chronicle. Hopefully, the progress support teams will include an expert on the proper use of adverbs. + The bill to expand public sector collective bargaining failed by an 88= -73 margin in the Missouri House. "It's incumbent on unions to do an educatio= n campaign in the rural areas and show people how unions really work," said= Rep. Steve McLuckie, sponsor of the bill and the organizing director for the Missouri NEA. In support of Rep. McLuckie's idea, EIA will provide, free = of charge, copies of NEA Confidential: A Practical Guide to the Operations o= f the Nation's Largest Teachers' Union to anyone who resides in a rural area of Missouri. Contact information is listed below. + Truth gap? Some of you may have heard your local or state teachers' un= ion touting the results of a Harris Poll that asked: "Who would you generally trust? Would you generally trust each of the following types of people to= tell the truth or not?" Of the 16 professions listed, teachers topped the trus= t list. About 86 percent of those surveyed trust teachers to tell the truth= . But the rest of the list wasn't reported quite as well. Clergymen were second= , the President was 11th, journalists were 15th. Dead last, inspiring only 37 percent of those polled to trust in their truthfulness, were "trade union leaders." + "I know a young woman who just graduated from college as a dental hygienist. In her very first job, straight out of school, she makes $50,0= 00 a year. That's right =97 $50,000 a year. We have teachers who don't make th= at much after 30 years in the classroom!" said Judy Schaubach, co-president of Education Minnesota. Well, the Minnesota Department of Economic Security (MDES) lists the average hourly wage of state elementary school teachers = as $2.34 more per hour than that of state dental hygienists. But let's give = Ms. Schaubach the benefit of the doubt. MDES also says of dental hygienists "= No sure data is available for low range pay, but starting salaries for recen= t graduates reportedly often exceed $18.30/hour, and even two dollars highe= r in metro area." So if Ms. Schaubach's friend works 10-hour days (the same as= the average teacher works, including off-duty work), and she earns $20.30 an = hour, and she makes $50,000 a year, then she's working 246.3 days for her pay. Teachers work 60 fewer days. Why is it fair to compare the wages of teach= ers and others, but not the work-year? + Attempts to increase regulation of home schooling wax and wane in regu= lar cycles. We seem to be in an upsurge recently. A bill in the Arkansas Hous= e would require home-schooling parents to hold classes at least 180 days a = year, upgrade the curriculum annually, and keep daily records of student activi= ty. The author of the bill, Rep. Jerry Allison (D-Jonesboro) is under fire fr= om home schooling advocates for telling the Jonesboro Sun that he wanted to = be sure that parents weren't taking kids out of public school just because t= hey "are too lazy to take them there." Meanwhile, in Illinois, a bill before the House would require home-school= ing parents to report the names and immunization status of their children to = the government. "There is a legitimate public health interest in seeing these= kids immunized that arguably overrides the privacy right," Rep. Ricca C. Slone= (D- Peoria Heights) told the Decatur Herald & Review. "Regrettably, under the cover of =91we are home schooling,' (some) are probably neglecting their = kids." + The Foothill Leader, a twice-weekly newspaper in Southern California, combed through the Education Code to find out which crimes would require = the state to deny someone a teaching credential. Beyond the usual sex, drug a= nd violent crimes, were these offenses: * Train robbery. * Abducting a woman for marriage. * Grand theft of an animal carcass. * Placing one's wife in a brothel. * Disorderly conduct by loitering "in or about a toilet." + Quote of the Week : "On of the biggest highlights [of 1998], of course= , was you. Education Minnesota. Never mind that during the unification process,= I almost developed an ulcer. The fact that all of you were able to unite is= a glorious achievement. I don't think its a secret that some of us, ahem, h= oped that the NEA and the AFT would merge on a national level. I don't think i= t's a secret that some of us, ahem, were extremely disappointed that this merge= r was voted down. But what you have achieved here in Minnesota is a salve, inde= ed. For you are leading by example. You stand as a model for the rest of the nation =97 as proof that members of the NEA and the AFT are on the same s= ide =97 that we can overcome our stylistic differences to unite around our substa= ntive commonality." =97 NEA President Bob Chase, speaking before Education Minn= esota's Representative Convention on March 5. # # # The Education Intelligence Agency conducts public education research, ana= lysis and investigations. Director: Mike Antonucci. Ph: 916-422-4373. Fax: 916-392-1482. E-Mail: EducIntel@aol.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: wbg Subject: Re: The South African position on "guns in the wrong hands" Date: 16 Mar 1999 06:21:42 -0800 (PST) Truly chilling, but predictable given who's in charge now. Brewster -- ************************************************************************* " The dirty little secret of liberal politics is that it is not about the poor or 'social justice' but is about the political careers and moral exaltation of liberals themselves. The actual consequences of liberal policies on the poor or others seldom receives anything like the amount of attention given to promoting these policies and demonizing the critics of these politics. " Thomas Sowell ************************************************************************* W. Brewster Gillett wbg@hevanet.com Portland, Oregon USA *********************************************************************** - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: rkba-list: On-line poll (fwd) Date: 16 Mar 1999 16:08:47 PST On Mar 16, David Coburn wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] Yet another online poll about gun laws. See story and "poll" at http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/guns_internet_990308.html David coburn@scn.org Any opinions expressed are mine only, and subject to change when presented with reasonable arguments. Yeah, right. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Clinton administration halts drug probe (fwd) Date: 18 Mar 1999 00:23:05 PST On Mar 17, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] A Clintonista cover-up becomes an international incident...? ============================================= Mexico Seeks US Response to Probe Wednesday, March 17, 1999; 6:25 a.m. EST WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Mexican embassy has formally asked the Clinton administration to respond to charges from a former U.S. customs official that his undercover probe into Mexican drug trafficking was shut down after the name of Mexico's defense minister surfaced in it. For complete story, go to http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990317/V000089-031799-idx.html ============================================= Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Whining is not a strategy. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Garment workers to sue their union (fwd) Date: 18 Mar 1999 00:25:31 PST On Mar 17, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] A lesson from Labor Relations 101... Garment workers to sue their union Immigrant women say employer forced out of business By Stephan Archer =A9 1999 WorldNetDaily.com SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- Twenty-five immigrant women are preparing to ta= ke on the nation's garment workers' union after the union allegedly failed to represent them fairly and forced their employer, Sorrento Coats, out of b= usiness by means of intimidation, threats of violence, and other coercive tactics. For complete story, go to http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_exnews/19990317_xex_garment_work.sht= ml Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Whining is not a strategy. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: "Know Your Customer Update" #2 (fwd) Date: 18 Mar 1999 00:27:49 PST On Mar 17, List Manager wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] PRIVACY NEWS UPDATE #2 THANK YOU AGAIN! for signing our petition to stop the FDIC's proposed "Know Your Customer" rule. You are receiving this update because you registered at the DefendYourPrivacy.com web site. We strive to respect your time, and are planning no more than one brief update per week. However, if you do not want to receive further updates, please use the unsubscribe directions below. IN THIS UPDATE: 1) 171,268 sign online petition against Know Your Customer! 2) Know Your Customer is wounded - but is it really dead? 3) Will the real "Know Your Customer" repeal legislation please stand up! 4) More cosponsors for HR 516: "The Know Your Customer Sunset Act" 5) Quote of the week Here's what's going on with the FDIC's proposed "Know Your Customer" regulation: 1) 171,268 signed online petition against Know Your Customer! The FDIC received over 250,000 letters, e-mail messages, and faxes during its public comment period, which ended on March 8. Of those, 171,268 were generated by the online petition at http://www.DefendYourPrivacy.com! This represents over 67% of all the comments received by the FDIC! Thank you for your help in this vital fight for personal privacy. The success of this cyber-campaign has been noted in articles in Wired, World Net Daily, and the New York Times. Visit the media page at http://www.DefendYourPrivacy.com for links to these and other articles about the campaign and Know Your Customer. 2) Know Your Customer is wounded - but is it really dead? On March 8, the head of the FDIC announced that "the public has spoken very loudly and clearly." Chairwoman Donna Tanoue said that she will urge the FDIC's board to drop the controversial rule at their next meeting, scheduled for March 23. However, only two of the four agencies that originally sponsored Know Your Customer have said that the regulation should be scraped. While both the FDIC and the Comptroller of the Currency have spoken against the regulation, neither the Office of Thrift Supervision nor the Federal Reserve has taken a public position. All four agencies had proposed nearly identical versions of Know Your Customer regulations. In addition, an FDIC spokesman had stated previously that the agency might withdraw the regulation, but implement Know Your Customer-style requirements as a "policy" instead. That's why it's too soon to claim the rule is DOA. Even if the FDIC decides to kill it, which hasn't happened yet, the same bureaucrats who first proposed this dangerous regulation could quietly bring it back after the public outcry has subsided. 3) Will the real "Know Your Customer" repeal legislation please stand up! In the wake of the public outcry against Know Your Customer, it seems like everyone in Congress is leaping forward to claim credit for killing it. But, how many of these repeal efforts actually accomplished anything? In the House Banking Committee, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) sponsored amendment 8 to HR 10 that would have prohibited the FDIC from implementing any form of Know Your Customer regulation. Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) and Richard Baker (R-AL) introduced a much weaker substitute amendment that ultimately passed the committee. The Barr-Baker amendment would block the current Know Your Customer proposal, but leave the door open for similar proposals in the future. Barr spoke against the tougher version in committee. The bill still has to be approved by the full House and Senate, and be signed by the President, before becoming law. The U.S. Senate voted 88-0 to ask the FDIC to withdraw its proposed Know Your Customer rule. While symbolically important, the resolution lacks the force of law, and doesn't repeal the authority of the FDIC and other financial institutions to impose Know Your Customer regulations. Thus far, HR 516, introduced by Rep. Paul, is the only bill that would immediately terminate all Know Your Customer regulations, and prevent any similar regulation in the future. 4) More cosponsors for HR 516: "The Know Your Customer Sunset Act" Support for HR 516, "The Know Your Customer Sunset Act", is bipartisan and growing rapidly. The bill now has 47 cosponsors, including influential members like Majority Whip Tom Delay and Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde. Information on HR 516, including a complete list of cosponsors, is now available at http://www.DefendYourPrivacy.com. We also plan to begin a new petition campaign to build support for legislation to permanently stop Know Your Customer. In the meantime, contact your local Congressman and ask him to cosponsor HR 516. The office of Rep. Paul will host a Congressional staff briefing ("Should We Require Banks to Spy on Their Customers?") on Friday, March 19th. 5) Quote of the week - By Joseph Farah, World Net Daily "While the unanimous vote by the Senate and the likely withdrawal of the "Know Your Customer" proposal at the FDIC are developments worth cheering about, they will represent nothing more than temporary victories for freedom and constitutional rights. The government will be back. There will be new attempts to find out how you are spending the small amount of money your "public servants" permit you to keep. When you least expect it, they will be back in your pocket and snooping in your private affairs once again." DefendYourPrivacy.com is provided as a public service by the Libertarian Party. To request information about the Libertarian Party, please visit http://www.lp.org/lp-membership-iform.html? To support this project financially, please visit http://www.lp.org/lp-kyc-contrib.html To join the Libertarian Party please visit http://www.lp.org/lp-membership.html TO UNSUBSCRIBE, simply hit REPLY and put the word unsubscribe in the SUBJECT header. If you have have a question that requires an answer, then please mailto:distribution@defendyourprivacy.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: SS keeping protesters away from Clinton (fwd) Date: 18 Mar 1999 20:51:18 PST On Mar 18, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] What I want to know is why the Secret Service lets a certifiable lunatic like Sidney Blumenthal anywhere near the President. Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Ingredients: Empty space, protons, neutrons and electrons. Warning: May contain peanuts. -----Original Message----- Source: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/March1999/031899/protestors031899.htm White House uses "security threat" ploy to keep Clinton protesters at bay Citing "a threat to the President's safety," White House officials are using Secret Service agents to keep protesters out of sight of both Bill Clinton and news media. "The Secret Service has been instructed to remove any and all protesters from any immediate proximity to the President," a White House aide confirmed Wednesday. "The 'official' reason cited is the protesters pose a threat to the President. The real reason is to keep them away from the television cameras." The plan, devised by White House communications advisor Sidney J. Blumenthal, is aimed at the increasing number of protesters who have appeared at events since the impeachment process began against Clinton last year. "Mr. Blumenthal told the President the presence of such protesters could affect his job approval numbers," one White House source said. "It was his idea to concoct the 'security threat' issue so the Secret Service could be instructed to keep the protesters out of sight." At a Presidential appearance in Texarkana last week, protesters carrying placards that read "Impeach him Again" and "There's a Pervert in our Neighborhood" were herded away from the front of the hotel where Clinton was arriving. Secret Service agents moved the protesters to the rear of the building, away from both the public and media view. Blumenthal has reportedly referred to the protesters as "malcontents" and "crazies" and suggested it would be easy to convince the Secret Service that the presence of such protesters posed a security threat to Clinton. "He said that anybody who opposed Clinton must be a nut so it made sense to keep them away from the President," a White House source said Wednesday night. "He said it with a straight face." Some aides reportedly argued against the practice, saying the use of Secret Service in such a way could backfire on the President and give the appearance of a secret police. "What are they going to do," Blumenthal is reported to have sneered, "vote against him in the next election?" Neither the Secret Service nor the White House would comment on the report Wednesday, but other sources told Capitol Hill Blue that the practice would continue "until further notice." --Doug Thompson --------------------- Stephen McGehee Adjutant Software http://www.adjutant.com scm@adjutant.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Harry Barnett" Subject: More from South Africa Date: 19 Mar 1999 05:20:32 -0800 This may not appear to have anything to do with the US Constitution and US politics, but compare the position of the "Ruling Party" in South Africa (the African National Congress, (Communist)) with the attitudes of the US "Ruling Party". For example, consider this in light of the posting yesterday with the subject "SS keeping protesters away from Clinton". There is not a nickel's worth of difference between them. 4. COMMUNICATORS' SUPPORT FOR RULING PARTY 'PERFECTLY PROPER': BUSINESS DAY, 19990318, P.5 - The cabinet was willing to meet opposition party leaders to discuss the claims that the government's communication and information services (GCIS) was serving as the propoganda arm of the ANC in the election campaign, Deputy President Thabo Mbeki said yesterday. Opposition parties said recently that they wanted to meet Mbeki to raise their concerns over a R4m advertising campaign launched by GCIS on the government's track record during its first term in office. If the GCIS was disseminating wrong or false information, the opposition should point this out to the government, Mbeki said. He defended the GCIS campaign quoting from a 1992 British Conservative Party government manual on the role of government communicators. The manual identified their role as explaining and providing "firm support" for policies, even those which are hotly contested. The manual said it was "perfectly proper" if communicators advanced the aims of the ruling party in such a role. It was a benefit derived from being in government. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: skip Subject: Re: More from South Africa Date: 19 Mar 1999 05:36:34 -0800 Harry Barnett wrote: > > This may not appear to have anything to do with the US Constitution and US > politics, but compare the position of the "Ruling Party" in South Africa > (the African National Congress, (Communist)) with the attitudes of the US > "Ruling Party". For example, consider this in light of the posting > yesterday with the subject "SS keeping protesters away from Clinton". There > is not a nickel's worth of difference between them. > Not a nickel's worth. As Hitler surrounded himself with cultish henchmen who would do anything to preserve and enhance his power, and their own, so it is with any unscrupulous leader. That's the true meaning of "power corrupts - - -." We're not seeing anything in this administration that is new in the history books - it's just new in America. We may have totally amoral and unscrupulous presidents before, but never a man-child who was so addicted to power and perks that he wouldn't resign to avoid public ridicule. It's truly dangerous. The White House staff, like Hitler's, is a Clinton cult capable of just about anything, and the SS is, in fact, their secret police. The SS charter never conceived the notion of serving a totally dishonest and amoral administration, so they carry out whatever orders they're given by cultists like Blumenthal. I say again, dangerous. Pray that it doesn't get out of hand before Jan 21, 2001. We now know that congress lacks the courage to do what is necessary to protect the nation's interests. Skip - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: skip Subject: [Fwd: USAF Resignations in 1997] Date: 20 Mar 1999 10:10:05 -0800 FYI, a personal e-mail forwarded to me by a former USN shipmate today. Originator unknown. The suppression of unfavorable news is an especially artful and frightening abuse of power, by both the government and the mainstream media. Adolph would be proud that his students have learned their lessons so well, and the media are so compliant. Regards, Skip > > Here is something I got from a friend today. It's very interesting > reading. > > I had a very interesting ride on a company (UAL) DC10 yesterday into > Chicago. The F/E was retired USAF BG - '61 USAFA (with his ring on), > Vietnam Thuds (shot down once) and one of the original Viper guys at > Hill AFB. > > He said that in 1997 24 Generals retired early (all on July 7th 1997) in > mass protest over the conditions in the military due to the Clinton > administration's policies. > > They had fought in vain to correct political correctness, ops tempo, > deployments everywhere, readiness pay, etc., so they ALL went to Sec > Cohen's office and resigned. Cohen and the Whitehouse told them that > they knew what they were up to and they would not let them get the > publicity they desired. > > The F/E said they were threatened with courts martial and their > non-disclosure statement (the form we all sign saying we won't discuss > classified stuff after we're out) was changed to include a requirement > that they not discuss their resignations or face punishment and loss of > retirement benefits. > > He also said that Cohen told them they would not be replaced and their > positions would be streamlined (duties spread out among other generals) > "So no one will know what you did. Thank you for helping us consolidate > general officer positions<-now get out." > > The F/E said he watched the AF times and said the retirements were > announced slowly, over several months, and only 4 or so of the positions > were refilled. This mass protest was led by LtGen Dale Thompson, USAF, > now retired in ABQ, NM. > > I never heard about this. Did you? What do you think? It's nice to know > people were out there fighting for us. Too bad this corrupt administration > won't let them be heard. If true, and I have no reason to doubt it, they > did a good job of covering it up. > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Neil Dickey Subject: Re: [Fwd: USAF Resignations in 1997] Date: 20 Mar 1999 16:12:26 -0600 (CST) skip forwarded: >FYI, a personal e-mail forwarded to me by a former USN shipmate today. >Originator unknown. > >> [ ... Snip, 24 generals retired early, forced to remain silent ... ] I have no information regarding the veracity of that report, though it is plausible. That, as I'm sure you know, doesn't mean it is true. A friend once suggested to me that a major problem with all conspiracy and similar theories is that they can neither be proven nor disproven. This has, on the face of it, all the earmarks of a conspiracy theory: 1) A B*A*D(tm) thing happened. 2) Those involved have (Select from the list below all that apply.) a) been killed to keep them silent. b) been beaten &/or tortured to convince them to keep quiet. c) had their children/wife/dog/mistress beaten &/or tortured to convince them to keep quiet. c) been threatened with (Insert the horror of your choice here.) if they don't remain quiet. d) all of the above. e) none of the above; it's much worse than that. f) every other one of the above. 3) Therefore, NO ONE will ever know the B*A*D(tm) thing happened. 4) (Prolonged shriek, fading to complete silence.) I'm making light of it here, though I hope you realize, Skip, that I'm not making fun of you. What you did is quite reasonable: You heard a disturbing story and are looking for confirmation. I suggest you get in touch with Col. Hackworth (U.S. Army, ret.), who writes more than one column on military affairs and who apparently has the confidence of a great many serving soldiers. These keep him very well informed on conditions in the armed services. His web page is located at: http://www.hackworth.com There is an e-mail form there you can use to contact him. If anyone would know whether the story is true or not, it would be Hack. The opinions which I have expressed herein are entirely my own, unless other- wise noted. No-one else should be held responsible for what I think. | D. N. Dickey | Virtuous motives, trammeled by inertia and | | Research Associate | timidity, are no match for armed and | | Northern Illinois Univ. | resolute wickedness. | | neil@earth.geol.niu.edu | - W. S. Churchill | | **Finger for public key** | | - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: skip Subject: Re: [Fwd: USAF Resignations in 1997] Date: 20 Mar 1999 16:11:59 -0800 Neil Dickey wrote: > > skip forwarded: > > >FYI, a personal e-mail forwarded to me by a former USN shipmate today. > >Originator unknown. > > > >> [ ... Snip, 24 generals retired early, forced to remain silent ... ] > > I have no information regarding the veracity of that report, though it > is plausible. That, as I'm sure you know, doesn't mean it is true. > A friend once suggested to me that a major problem with all conspiracy > and similar theories is that they can neither be proven nor disproven. > This has, on the face of it, all the earmarks of a conspiracy theory: Gracious me, Neil. It never occurred to me that there was any hint of conspiracy theory in this story. If it had, I wouldn't have forwarded it because I am absolutely, 100%, honest to goodness NOT a conspiracy phobe. My source was career military insiders, high ranking to boot. Take my word for it as a high ranking insider myself that conspiracy phobes don't make it to that level in the military. I forwarded the story FWIW regarding abuse of political power and the implication of media complicity - not much doubt about the latter since we've observed the blatant bias for decades. Skip - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (fwd) Date: 20 Mar 1999 22:07:00 PST Laughter, the best medicine after all.....:-) On Mar 20, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] >From The Washington Times Weekend Edition (March 19-21, 1999), "Inside Politics" http://www.washtimes.com/politics/inside.html Copyright =A9 1999 News World Communications, Inc. SLAP SHOT Seems like the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators are having a bit of sport with the Lewinsky scandal. After a player was penalized in Tuesday's game, the Nashville arena's big screen TV showed a picture of President Clinton with an impersonator's voice saying: "Let me say once and for all I did not have physical contact with that player." The Nashville Tennessean newspaper reports that after "a moment of stunned silence, the arena erupted in laughter." The faux-Clinton vignette is one of three such clips being shown during the Predators' NHL games, and the idea seems to have been inspired by TV's Conan O'Brien, who has been putting words in the president's mouth for years. Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Ingredients: Empty space, protons, neutrons and electrons. Warning: May contain peanuts. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: McGehee's News & Comment: March 20, 1999 (fwd) Date: 20 Mar 1999 22:07:43 PST On Mar 20, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] McGEHEE'S NEWS & COMMENT (c) 1999 KEVIN McGEHEE North Pole, Alaska mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ Permission granted to anyone wishing to forward, redistribute, or broadcast this article WITH FULL ATTRIBUTION. ================================================================ NATIONAL DEFENSE IS NOT OPTIONAL By now -- especially in the wake of the all but unanimous Senate go-ahead to developing a ballistic missile defense -- only the most way-out, squishier than squishy, "All that is needed for good to triumph over evil is for good to give evil a hug" wackos are still living in the days when America's safety was to be guaranteed, not with a tangible defense strategy, but with touchy-feely "diplomacy." Don't get me wrong, there is a great deal to be said for diplomacy. It can head off wars that would result from actual misunderstanding, and it can enable nations friendly to one another to come to agreements that bring about a mutual advantage. But the history of the 20th Century is the history of disastrously failed diplomacy. Need I mention the Treaty of Versailles? The League of Nations? The Hitler-Chamberlain meeting in Munich, the one that put so much irony into the phrase, "Peace in our time"? The Dayton Accords that were supposed to bring an end once and for all to the fighting in the Balkans? When the other nation already understands us perfectly but still intends to engage in hostile activity, diplomacy can only work when it is backed up militarily. To argue otherwise is idiotic -- and that's putting it politely. Exclusively diplomatic approaches to the first Cold War led to deep Soviet infiltration of many of our nation's institutions, including the government. By 1980 America was the world's laughingstock. And when that year's presidential election was completed, the Diplomacy First (Last and Only) crowd was aghast. Supplement diplomacy with military initiatives? What was this guy trying to do, get us all killed? It was, in fact, the concept of a national missile defense -- intended to put an end to the cold-blooded nuclear planning policy of "Mutually Assured Destruction," or MAD -- that finally ended the first Cold War. The Soviets, rightly having more faith in American technological prowess than many Americans do even today, bankrupted their corrupt regime trying to find ways to overcome what President Reagan's critics in the media sneeringly labeled "Star Wars." Even today we're told that a ballistic missile defense would be easily defeated, yet a *superpower* that spent years trying to find a way to do so -- regarding the effort as necessary for its national survival -- failed and collapsed. The first duty of a nation's leadership is not to be liked by other governments, but to ensure that its own citizens have a stable, orderly (and in the case of America, FREE) environment in which to pursue their daily lives. The terror under which America and the world endured the first Cold War had the effect of making life less stable, less orderly, and in our case less free. Now the proliferation of nuclear arms in a world whose sole superpower is governed by William Jefferson Clinton, has placed the world on the brink of a second Cold War. We survived the first by luck and courage, not by diplomacy. Contrary to what Clinton may have believed when he was trying to avoid being drafted, national military defense is not optional even in the best of times. The Dow notwithstanding, these are hardly the best of times. The anti-military Care Bears can argue that we as a nation should have done more to prevent all this nuclear proliferation, and I would have to agree. For starters, we as a nation should have chosen Bush over Clinton back in '92. We should have kept a President who, for all his faults domestically and in foreign affairs at least understood the stakes. We should never have handed over the reins of the most successful national defense establishment in history to a man who has never had the stuff to take seriously that most serious of matters. But what is done can't be undone. There's no use crying over spilled plutonium. There is only the question of what we shall do given the present realities. We know from experience that diplomacy by itself, with nothing to back it up, is an invitation to disaster. -30- March 20, 1999 ================================================================ **Visit the McGEHEE'S NEWS & COMMENT archives** http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/news&comment/ The views expressed herein are entirely those of the author(s), and do not reflect those of any person or group with whom the author(s) may be affiliated, unless explicitly labelled as doing so. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: NRA'99: What Happened to the 1998 Member Initiated Bylaw Amendments? (fwd) Date: 21 Mar 1999 13:12:53 PST On Mar 21, Dean Speir wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] [To any who do not wish to be included on this NRA Election '99 mailing list, requests for removal will be immediately and cheerfully honored. Sorry for the inconvenience.] +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ As the 1999 NRA Board of Directors campaign winds down, there is one issue which has yet to be addressed by NRA or any of the current Board, and that is what happened to the seven members-initiated NRA Bylaw Amendments which were to have been discussed and voted on at the last membership meeting in Philadelphia. Instead, Director Oliver North, seemingly stooging for "The Winning Team" triumvirate of out-going President Marion Hammer, Executive V.P. Wayne LaPierre and the Charlton Heston/Angus McQueen (Mercury Group) entry, stepped to an open microphone and moved that the meeting be closed. This was quickly followed by a second from former NRA President, Joe Foss, an NRA icon, and Ms. Hammer was quick to gavel the proceedings to an early close. Some of the movers of the ByLaw amendments like Joe Tartaro, one of the architects of the celebrated "Cincinnati Reforms" of 1977, were left at dead microphones. Those initiatives, five of which were actually on the ballot, were "referred to the Board for consideration" by outgoing President Hammer. The problem is, that under the laws of incorporation of the State of New York (where NRA is chartered), the Bylaws can ONLY BE AMENDED BY THE MEMBERSHIP, and not by the Board of Directors. There are other considerations at work as well, but that action alone and the "circular-filing" of legally presented amendments in contravention of NRA's own bylaws, are reason enough to suggest that something unwholesome is at work within NRA, something which does not trust its general membership to respond to anything which has not been spoon-fed to them by The Winning Team. This isn't a "dissident faction" (read "Knoxite") versus "The Winning Team" deal... Neal Knox and his merrie band of hard corps Second Amendment faithful had their shot and, for whatever reasons, blew it. They let NRA staff and at least one of NRA's vendors run rough-shod over the organization and ultimately lost control of matters. It's really about how the general membership is going to make themselves heard and their wishes known to the leadership of NRA, a leadership (and staff) which is running the Board of Directors rather than the other way around. A leadership (and staff) which is (and there's no other word for it) profligate with the money the membership is continually sending them in response to a steady barrage of insultingly witless fund solicitations disguised as "polls" and "membership surveys," and cries for "emergency financial help" wrapped in certified mailings! Look closely sometime at where that membership money is going! And not just the little stuff such as those dreadful solicitations and appeals, but some of the little known "big ticket items." Ask yourself why the NRA needs to expend enormous sums to prop up personality-oriented organizations such as Marion Hammer's USF, or Roy Innis' CORE, or LeRoy Pyle's LEAA. But you can't ask this of The Winning Team leadership, because your microphone will be cut off and others will be informed that you are a "malcontent" or a "rabble-rouser." And you can't ask this of the bulk of the current Board of Directors, since they either don't know, or they are too frightened for their continued political existence to answer honestly and openly. Those who don't absolutely toe The Winning Team line are not only not supported for re-election, they are actively campaigned against and listed in the "Do Not Vote For" column. Study that list of 14 names closely... sure, Sally Drews Brodbeck was one of the Knox faithful whose husband got into an ugly physical confrontation with one of Marion Hammer's "security guards" in Philadelphia last June, and Howard Fezell was the prime mover in the successful lawsuit a year ago which forced The Winning Team to obey its own bylaws... they are both naturals for the "Do Not Vote For" list. But what about people such as Bob Hodgdon and Glen Voorhees? What does one suppose that their transgressions were which landed them on The Winning Team's "enemies list." (And make no mistake, that extraordinary Do Not Vote For column is an "enemies list" in the disgraceful tradition of the Nixon administration's darker side.) The Fitzgerald v. NRA decision (available upon request) of 1974 was very clear that NRA cannot use "corporate instrumentalities" (read: "The American Rifleman" at the time, now also "The American Hunter" and "The American Guardian") to influence corporate elections: "The principles enunciated above make it clear that officers and directors cannot utilize corporate instrumentalities such as The American Rifleman to perpetuate themselves in office." [383 F.Supp. 162, United States District Court, D. New Jersey; Thomas FITZGERALD, a New Jersey Citizen, et al., Plaintiffs, v. The NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, a New York corporation, Defendant. Civ. A. No. 772-73.] This is very much at the root of the sole Bylaw Amendment on this year's ballot... those who control the NRA publications control how the membership which bothers to vote, votes. The rest of the time leadership and staff are content to treat the membership like mushrooms: kept in the dark and fed the occasional shovelful of horse manure... except for the regularly schedule pleas for money. Passage of this year's Bylaw Amendment will make it even harder for anyone who has not curried favor with leadership and staff to make a meaningful run for the Board of Directors. And without strong, independent voices on the already over-sized BoD, we will continue to see an NRA which is out of the control of its members, and wholly in the grasp of self-interested leadership, staff and vendors on the NRA's teat. There should be one and only one agenda of the NRA, and that is preserving our Second Amendment rights and firearms heritage. And I don't see as how the Brady Law, the Assault Weapons portion of the Crime Bill, the Lautenberg Amendment or regional atrocities such as Prop. 17 in Pennsylvania (never mind the Utah/Olympic fiasco) can be anything but antithetical to those objectives. But that's what our recently constituted NRA has brought us. It's about "power"... damn the original objective... "we can deal with the gun rights stuff later, let's just stay on top in the NRA, and if we have to dirty up some soon-to-be-former friends and colleagues," [shrug] "ecccch." Well, that's not the NRA to which I signed on for Life. Please, study the bios and ballots carefully, and if there's things which seem strange to you, ask some tough questions about them, especially if you have access to any of those who are running for the BoD this year! Don't be content with the horse manure spoon-fed you by The Winning Team in the publications, fund solicitations and NRA-ILA fax alerts. The completed NRA 1999 Ballots must be received by 11 April in order to have them counted. Time is running out. - Dean Speir, Life NRA +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ It's not a perfect world out there... it's why we _have_ guns! [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: skip Subject: [Fwd: Inhofe] Date: 21 Mar 1999 15:41:59 -0800 > Office of U.S. Senator James M. Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) > U.S. SENATOR JAMES M. INHOFE (R-OKLAHOMA) > > Senate Floor Statement > March 15, 1999 > > Mr. President, I want you to listen. I am going to tell you a story of > espionage, conspiracy, deception and cover-up-a story with life and > death implications for millions of Americans-a story about national > security and a President and an administration that deliberately chose > to put national security at risk, while telling the people everything > was fine. > > If it was written in a book, it wouldn't sell, because no one would > believe it. If it was fictionalized in a novel, few could conceive it. > But it is true. > > Now for the sake of my statement today, I am stating that the President > withheld information and covered up the Chinese theft of our technology. > But I'm realistic enough to know that a person with the history of > deception this president has will have provided himself with some cover > in case he gets caught. So I'm sure there is a paper trail that he can > allege. The way the President probably covered himself was to include > tidbits about this theft buried in briefings on 40 or 50 others items, > so the significance of it would not be noticed. But a paper trail would > be established. > > Anticipating that, I talked to the chairman of the House Intelligence > Committee, Rep. Porter Goss, and the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence > Committee at the time of the discovery of this information, Sen. Arlen > Specter. Neither chairman was notified of the W-88 nuclear warhead > technology theft. And these would have been the first to be notified. > There can be no doubt that President Clinton engaged in a cover up > scheme. > > Let me read three paragraphs from last week's op-ed article by Michael > Kelly in the Washington Post, entitled "Lies About China." > "In April 1996, Energy Department officials informed Samuel Berger, then > Clinton's deputy national security advisor, that Notra Trulock, the > department's chief of intelligence, had uncovered evidence that showed > China had learned how to miniaturize nuclear bombs, allowing for > smaller, more lethal warheads..." > > "The Times reports that the House Intelligence Committee asked Trulock > for a briefing in July 1998. Trulock asked for permission from Elizabeth > Moler, then acting energy secretary. According to Trulock, Moler told > him not to brief the committee because the information might be used > against Clinton's China policy..." "The White House's secret would have > remained secret had it not been for a select investigative committee > headed by Republican Christopher Cox..." > But even using the President's fictitious paper trail, the earliest > either chairman could have known about it would have been late spring of > 1997, years after the Clinton administration learned of it and, of > course, after the 1996 elections. > > I start, Mr. President, by listing a few things which we now know to be > true, factual, incontrovertible...and not classified. > > For years, the Clinton administration covered-up China's theft of top > secret U.S. nuclear weapons data. They never informed the Congress or > American people about what had happened or its significance to our > national security. > > Let me tell you what President Clinton did during this period time: > > -During this period of time, the President misled the American people on > numerous occasions about the threat posed by strategic nuclear missiles > in the post cold war era. > > -During this period of time, President Clinton made statements on over > 130 separate occasions, such as the following: "For the first time since > the dawn of the nuclear age, there is not a single solitary nuclear > missile pointed at an American child tonight. Not one. Not a single > one." > > -During this period of time, he knew that China was targeting up to 18 > intercontinental ballistic missiles at American children. > > -During this period of time, President Clinton signed export control > waivers which allowed his top campaign fundraisers' aerospace company to > transfer sensitive U.S. missile guidance technology to China. > > -During this period of time, he shifted the prime satellite export > responsibility from the State Department to the Commerce Department, > making it easier for China and others to get sensitive military-related > U.S. technology . > > -During this period of time, President Clinton hosted over 100 White > House fundraisers as part of a larger aggressive scheme to raise > campaign contributions, many from illegal foreign sources, primarily > including sources in China. Among guests permitted to attend these White > House fundraisers were a convicted felon and a Chinese arms dealer. > > -During this period of time, John Huang, Charlie Trie, Johnny Chung, > James Riady and others with strong ties to China were deeply involved, > with the President's knowledge, in raising Chinese-tainted campaign cash > for the Clinton campaign. > > -During this period of time, John Huang, who had been given a security > clearance without a background check, was permitted to receive numerous > classified CIA briefings, both during and after his stay at the Commerce > Department. > > --And during this period of time, President Clinton was successfully > stopping the deployment of a national missile defense system, exposing > every American life to a missile attack, leaving us with no defense > against an intercontinental ballistic missile. > > Mr. President, China's theft of secret data on the so-called "W-88" > nuclear warhead may be one of the most serious breaches of national > security in our lifetimes.....More serious than Aldrich Ames. Perhaps > more serious than the Rosenbergs. > > The public needs to understand that this story is true. This is not > about partisanship. This is not about some ancient history of some long > gone Cold War. > > This is about the real world here and now. This is about national > security in its most important aspects. This is about protecting our > freedom and our existence as a nation. This is ultimately a matter which > concerns the life and death of every citizen. > > The W-88 is the most advanced nuclear warhead in the U.S. arsenal and is > carried on top of Trident SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles). > > ..snip... - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Cloyes Subject: Re: NRA'99: What Happened to the 1998 Member Initiated Bylaw Date: 22 Mar 1999 07:35:13 -0500 At 01:12 PM 3/21/99 -0800, you wrote: >On Mar 21, Dean Speir wrote: > >[-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] > > [To any who do not wish to be included on this > NRA Election '99 mailing list, requests for > removal will be immediately and cheerfully > honored. Sorry for the inconvenience.] snipped excellent reasons for NOT supporting the current NRA leadership. The NRA "leadership" has, in my mind, sold out America and is joining those who rightly should be called insurrectionists. They are no better to me than HCI or any of the other anti-American socialist organizations who are stripping the very essence out of this country and flushing it down the drain. That's why I've ceased sending any money whatsoever to them, until they smell what it is they are shovelling and return to a semblance of support for that which made America great, the Right to keep and bear arms. No more mouthing their support, they MUST back it up with honest and sincere actions that to this point are sorely lacking. Anybody have this years list of "Do not vote for"'s?? Patron member Tom Cloyes - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Neil Dickey Subject: Re: [Fwd: USAF Resignations in 1997] Date: 22 Mar 1999 09:43:13 -0600 (CST) skip wrote in response to me: >> >FYI, a personal e-mail forwarded to me by a former USN shipmate today. >> >Originator unknown. >> > >> >> [ ... Snip, 24 generals retired early, forced to remain silent ... ] >> >> I have no information regarding the veracity of that report, though it >> is plausible. That, as I'm sure you know, doesn't mean it is true. >> A friend once suggested to me that a major problem with all conspiracy >> and similar theories is that they can neither be proven nor disproven. >> This has, on the face of it, all the earmarks of a conspiracy theory: > >Gracious me, Neil. It never occurred to me that there was any >hint of conspiracy theory in this story. If it had, I wouldn't >have forwarded it because I am absolutely, 100%, honest to goodness >NOT a conspiracy phobe. I'm not sure what you mean by your use of "phobe" in this context. The word means "to fear," and it appears from your employment of it that you "are not afraid of conspiracies" -- therefore perhaps a conspiracy aficianado. Did you perhaps mean to use the word "phile" (to love) instead? That would put your last line in agreement with what I read in the rest of the paragraph. >My source was career military insiders, high ranking to boot. >Take my word for it as a high ranking insider myself that >conspiracy phobes don't make it to that level in the military. That's not what you wrote originally. The relevant line remains in my quoted material above: "Originator unknown." The wording of your original post was such that it appeared to me you were passing on a story of unknown origin and were asking if anyone had independent knowledge of the circumstances and could confirm or debunk it. All of us have received information, or read stories on any of the various mailing lists we frequent, which were offered in good faith by people we knew and people we didn't know, and which later turned out to be false. My observation was, and still is, that the story has all the earmarks of a conspiracy theory. It doesn't matter who wrote it, or who passed it along; it only matters whether or not it turns out to be true or false, and we don't know the answer to that question yet. Most military people seem to be aware of the nature and extent of the rumor mill, sometimes called "latrineograph," which is a primary means of communication in the armed forces. The internet, for its part, is probably the largest and most effective medium for the dissemination of rumors and half-truths ever devised by man. Do some checking and see if this story holds up -- e.g., find out the names of some of these 24 generals who rode out of town on rails, or see if 24 generals did in fact retire over the indicated time span and what their "official" reasons for leaving were. >I forwarded the story FWIW regarding abuse of political power >and the implication of media complicity - not much doubt about >the latter since we've observed the blatant bias for decades. There's no disagreement here regarding the media and the abuse of power. I said originally that the story is plausible -- that, too, is in my quoted material above -- but that doesn't make it true. I still think it would be a good idea if you ran the thing past Col. Hackworth, as I originally suggested. What harm could it do to see what he thinks? He's been sounding the alarm for a long time now about how the most skilled and most principled military people are leaving the service in large numbers. The opinions which I have expressed herein are entirely my own, unless other- wise noted. No-one else should be held responsible for what I think. | D. N. Dickey | Virtuous motives, trammeled by inertia and | | Research Associate | timidity, are no match for armed and | | Northern Illinois Univ. | resolute wickedness. | | neil@earth.geol.niu.edu | - W. S. Churchill | | **Finger for public key** | | - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: skip Subject: [Fwd: Safety Bulletin?] Date: 22 Mar 1999 09:56:45 -0800 I can't vouch for the validity of this, but it can't hurt to keep it in mind in a society teeming with sickos. Skip. > > Subject: Safety Bulletin > For your information, a couple of weeks ago, in a Dallas > movie theater, a person sat on something sharp in one of the > seats. When she stood up to see what it was, a needle was > found poking through the seat with an attached note saying, > "you have been infected with HIV." The Centers for Disease > Control in Atlanta reports similar events have taken place > in several other cities recently. All of the needles tested > HAVE been positive for HIV. The CDC also reports that > needles have been found in the coin return areas of pay > phones and soda machines. Everyone is asked to use extreme > caution when confronted with these types of situations. All > public chairs should be thoroughly but safely inspected > prior to any use. A thorough visual inspection is > considered the bare minimum. Furthermore, they ask that > everyone notify their family members and friends of the > potential dangers, as well. Thank You. > > The previous information was sent from the Dallas Police > Department to all of the local governments in the Washington > area and was interdepartmentally dispersed. We were all > asked to pass this to as many people as possible. > > Barbara Gaskins Wallace > National Naval Medical Center > Patient Administration > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ira Wilsker Subject: HOAX - Re: Fwd: Safety Bulletin? Date: 22 Mar 1999 13:05:35 -0600 This is a well documented URBAN LEGEND (HOAX). Look at the HOAXES AND URBAN LEGENDS on my radio show website at: http://www.ih2000.net/ira/klvi.htm or direct to: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa110498.htm?pid=2733&cob=home or http://korova.com/virus/hoax981128.htm or any of the other comprehensive hoax directories >> Subject: Safety Bulletin >> For your information, a couple of weeks ago, in a Dallas >> movie theater, a person sat on something sharp in one of the >> seats. When she stood up to see what it was, a needle was >> found poking through the seat with an attached note saying, >> "you have been infected with HIV." The Centers for Disease Ira Wilsker iwilsker@ih2000.net ICQ: 1641171 International Conf. on Police Sciences http://www.ih2000.net/ira/sharjah.htm Law Enforcement Page: http://www.ih2000.net/ira/ira.htm Weather Page: http://www.ih2000.net/ira/bmt-wth.htm HEAR my radio show LIVE 10-11am Central Thurs. at http://klvi.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Harry Barnett" Subject: Re: [Fwd: Safety Bulletin?] Date: 22 Mar 1999 17:36:06 -0800 Sigh....This is a hoax. These scenarios, in one form or the other, has been making the rounds for several years now. It sucks a lot of people in, and the more plausible it is, the more it sucks in. Nobody has been infected from sitting down in a theatre, or sticking their fingers in change slots, in spite of all the 'harrumphing' about the CDC says this and the Dallas Police say that. These hoaxes get copied and propagated by organizations and people who should know better and who should verify this stuff before they repeat it, e.g., >> Barbara Gaskins Wallace >> National Naval Medical Center >> Patient Administration (Is she even a real person?) Do a net search on 'hoax' and/or "urban folklore" for pointers to a number of sites which debunk this kind of stuff. OTOH, while it still doesn't hurt to stay alert about such things, stay in "Condition Yellow" as it were, you shouldn't let it ruin your whole day. The real "sickos" are the freaks who get their jollies from seeing people uptight and nervous about the possibility of such things. They are the ones who start these hoaxes, and may every tooth in their fall out but one, and in that one they should get a toothache. You can ruin their day by going ahead and having a good one yourself. -Harry -----Original Message----- >I can't vouch for the validity of this, but it can't hurt to >keep it in mind in a society teeming with sickos. > >Skip. > >> >> Subject: Safety Bulletin >> For your information, a couple of weeks ago, in a Dallas >> movie theater, a person sat on something sharp in one of the >> seats. When she stood up to see what it was, a needle was >> found poking through the seat with an attached note saying, >> "you have been infected with HIV." The Centers for Disease >> Control in Atlanta reports similar events have taken place >> in several other cities recently. All of the needles tested >> HAVE been positive for HIV. The CDC also reports that >> needles have been found in the coin return areas of pay >> phones and soda machines. Everyone is asked to use extreme >> caution when confronted with these types of situations. All >> public chairs should be thoroughly but safely inspected >> prior to any use. A thorough visual inspection is >> considered the bare minimum. Furthermore, they ask that >> everyone notify their family members and friends of the >> potential dangers, as well. Thank You. >> >> The previous information was sent from the Dallas Police >> Department to all of the local governments in the Washington >> area and was interdepartmentally dispersed. We were all >> asked to pass this to as many people as possible. >> >> Barbara Gaskins Wallace >> National Naval Medical Center >> Patient Administration >> > > > >- > > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth Mitchell Subject: Re: [Fwd: Safety Bulletin?] Date: 22 Mar 1999 16:37:41 -0800 At 09:56 AM 3/22/1999 -0800, skip wrote: >I can't vouch for the validity of this, but it can't hurt to >keep it in mind in a society teeming with sickos. > >Skip. > >> >> Subject: Safety Bulletin >> For your information, a couple of weeks ago, in a Dallas >> movie theater, a person sat on something sharp in one of the >> seats. When she stood up to see what it was, a needle was >> found poking through the seat with an attached note saying, >> "you have been infected with HIV." The Centers for Disease >> Control in Atlanta reports similar events have taken place >> in several other cities recently. All of the needles tested >> HAVE been positive for HIV. This is a known Urban Legend; it never happened. Ken Mitchell Citrus Heights, CA kmitchel@gvn.net 916-955-9152 (vm) 916-729-0966 (fax) --------------http://www.gvn.net/~creative/------------------------ "The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves, in all cases to which they think themselves competent, ... or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of the press." "The Living Thoughts of Thomas Jefferson", pp.46 - 47, Presented by John Dewey Buy This Stamp! http://www.usps.gov/images/stamps/99/ayn_rand.htm Worried about the "Good Times" or "AOL4FREE" viruses? Check out the Urban Legends page at http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/ for the facts! - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: EIA Communique - 3/22 (fwd) Date: 22 Mar 1999 19:23:03 PST On Mar 22, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] These communiques are TRUE education. Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ You don't fix your mistakes by repeating them. -----Original Message----- The Education Intelligence Agency COMMUNIQU=C9 =97 March 22, 1999 + "NEA policy requires UniServ staff to implement =91a policy of noninterference in the internal political affairs of local and state associations.' In practice, this wall of separation between staff and sta= te is often breached." =97 from NEA Confidential, page 38. The February 15 EIA Communiqu=E9 reported that NEA would put together a t= ask force "to develop a national strategy against the privatization of publi= c schools." Such a move was not out of character, as NEA and its affiliates= have long opposed The Edison Project and other private firms that contract to = run public schools. The timing, however, was curious, since there have been r= umors floating around about NEA and its California state affiliate, the Califor= nia Teachers Association, seeking a d=E9tente of sorts with Edison on charter schools. Lacking any confirmation, EIA did not report those rumors, but they evide= ntly had substance, because the California Staff Organization (the union of CT= A professional staffers, including UniServ directors) took a formal positio= n to "direct its members to resign from any CTA task force, committee, or work= group which may endorse collaboration with, or advocate for, the Edison Project= ." CSO then formed its own "Charter Schools Task Force" and promised to "org= anize against the Edison Project at the CTA State Council and elsewhere." The chances that CTA leaders were going to do any collaborating with, or advocating for, The Edison Project, were beyond the realm of possibility.= But whatever unofficial, tentative steps CTA made in that vague, general dire= ction were enough to set off staff alarms. The CTA Board of Directors has since voted that "no policy changes relative to privatization should be implemented." + Voters in Polk County, Iowa, defeated a referendum to add one cent to = the sales tax to fund school building repairs and refurbishment. Des Moines s= chool officials and teacher union leaders lobbied hard for the measure, trying = to avoid thoughts of what would happen if it failed. "Plan B is disaster," s= aid Des Moines Superintendent Eric Witherspoon, adding that the vote would determine "the future of this city for the next 100 years." The business community also provided support. "There is no way in the world that we'll continue to have a healthy Des Moines [if the measure fails]," said Steve Chapman, chairman of the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce's board o= f directors. Among the opponents of the tax increase was the Iowa Labor Federation, AF= L- CIO, who argued that sales taxes are regressive, having a proportionally greater impact on the poor. But there were other reasons. "They began tal= king about leaking roofs, now they're talking about air conditioning in school= s," federation President Mark Smith told the Des Moines Register. "If I was g= oing to be gone from my home all summer, I wouldn't need air conditioning." The measure lost by 46 votes, out of more than 66,000 cast. Pro-tax supporters expect that repairs will now have to come from the general fun= d, which, according to the Register, "would anger teachers and stir labor unrest." + Delegates to the state convention of the Florida Teaching Profession-N= EA will not only have to decide whether to merge with the AFT-affiliated Flo= rida Education Association, they will also vote up or down on a $15 annual sta= te dues increase, targeted for a $1.2 million public relations campaign. The convention will be held May 13-15 in Tampa. + Union dues will also be a major issue in South Dakota, where the South Dakota Education Association has been experiencing financial difficulties. State dues will rise $11 this year and SDEA officials will attempt to pas= s a by-law to add automatic 4 percent dues increases every year. SDEA's opera= tions are heavily subsidized by NEA. + First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will appear before the annual conven= tion of the New York State United Teachers on April 22. She will accept the un= ion's Albert Shanker Distinguished Service Award. Mrs. Clinton's appearance at = the convention fueled speculation that she will run for a U.S. Senate seat in= New York. NYSUT, an AFT affiliate which is the dominant teachers' union in Ne= w York, is very likely to support a Clinton candidacy. + I'm afraid we just missed the deadline, but the California Teachers Association had been taking suggestions for what to put in a time capsule= , which is to be buried on the site of its new headquarters building in Burlingame. I'm sure communiqu=E9 readers have their own suggestions. Sen= d them here and I'll publish the best (clean) ones in a future issue. + Ooops. The 3/1 EIA Communiqu=E9 placed the Shawnee Mission and Blue Va= lley School Districts in Missouri, when they are actually located in Kansas. E= IA accepts its "F" for geography this month. + Quote of the Week #1 : "I'm confused why my friends who are civil engi= neers make more than I do. I just have to say I'm going to quit if you don't do something." =97 Third-year teacher Lori Scobie, speaking at a rally for increased pay in Everett, Washington. + Quote of the Week #2 : "Teachers are much like every other professiona= l group in Wisconsin and the rest of the United States today. If they aren'= t improving their skills and becoming more accountable to the =91customers'= they serve, they're losing ground. Status quo is not an option for lawyers, co= llege professors, accountants or any other professionals. So why should it be f= or teachers?" =97 Tom Still, associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal= in Madison. + Quote of the Week #3 : "In most other careers, you have at least the o= ption of asking for a raise, and if you perform well you can get a bonus or promotion. That just doesn't happen in teaching." =97 California music te= acher David Cameron, talking to the Sacramento Bee about his job. # # # The Education Intelligence Agency conducts public education research, ana= lysis and investigations. Director: Mike Antonucci. Ph: 916-422-4373. Fax: 916-392-1482. E-Mail: EducIntel@aol.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: New Book Date: 22 Mar 1999 23:01:40 PST There's a new book out by Amity Shayes(sp?) called, "The Greedy Hand: How Taxes Drive Americans Crazy, (and what to do about it). Sounds like a good one. -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Curtis Subject: Kosovo Date: 23 Mar 1999 09:41:48 -0500 (EST) Monday, March 22, 1999 Washington Post R. Jeffrey Smith and Peter Finn Yugoslav troops kill 10 men after door-to-door search Srbica, Yugoslavia - Yugoslav troops searching door-to-door over the weekend for supporters of ethnic Albanian sparatists detained and killed 10 men here Saturday, including a father and his four sons, witnesses said. The reported slayings - borne out to physical evidence at two locations - were among many signs visable yesterday of the toll of a two-day government offensive in central Kosovo. Scores of homes billowed black and gray smoke in nearly a dozen villages in the region, as the number of new refuges swelled to an estimated 44,000. The primary goal of the Army and Interior Ministry troops, including special forces units in white uniforms with black face masks, is apparently to pus the Kosovo Liberation Army and its supporters out of the Drenica region. [deletions here, as I am sick of typing - one paragraph on NATO threatened airstrikes to punish atrocities] According to the acounts of three witnesses in Srbica, a city of 20,000, special forces units on Saturday detained Ali Gashi, his four sons, and three neighbors, and marched the men at gunpoint up a hill overlooking this city and into a small gully with their hands clasped behind their heads. After 20 minutes discussion, the troops shot their prisoners, witnesses said. The witnesses said Interior Ministry troops, wearing surgical gloves removed the bodies. Yesterday pools of blood and bits of skull and brain matter were still splashed across mud and leaves at the site. A discarded surgical glove lay nearby. [article continues for three paragraphs detailing killing of two other men found hiding in a farmhouse, some discussion of negotiations] regards, jcurtis - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Chuck S" Subject: 1934 Group to challenge CLEO certification for C3 firearms Date: 23 Mar 1999 15:26:52 +600 Please Repost where it might do some good. Feel free to copy and leave at your local gun shop or gun shows. Friends, I am posting this to inform you of a grass roots initiated legal action, which seeks to overturn the "CLEO Certification" requirement for individual ownership of machineguns and other "NFA Firearms." I believe this effort will be successful but donations are needed NOW! For those of us who truly believe that the Second Amendment "ain=92t about duck hunting," this represents a solid opportunity to actually win a round in the fight to restore our rights. Background This may come as a surprise to some of you, but private ownership by individuals of machineguns, short-barreled shotguns or rifles, suppressors, destructive devices, and AOWs (Any Other Weapon =96 pen guns, some short shotguns and the like) is perfectly legal, except where otherwise prohibited by State law or local ordinance (This leaves you Californians out, btw). Under the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA34) such firearms (a.k.a. Title II, Class 3, or NFA firearms) became regulated via a federal tax (similar to liquor taxes). For most NFA firearms the tax is $200 and for AOWs the tax is $5. (See Note 1). In order for an individual to make or obtain an NFA firearm (See Note 2), the tax payment is sent with two copies of a) ATF Forms 1, 4, or 5, b) recent photographs and c) fingerprint cards to BATF. All this is very similar to the paperwork requirements for obtaining a concealed handgun license in those states that have "shall-issue" CCW laws. But guess what? There=92s one additional "gotcha" in this process. On the back of the ATF forms is a section entitled "LAW ENFORCEMENT CERTIFICATION" and this turns out to be the spoiler for most people interested in NFA Firearms. Currently, ATF will not approve a transfer (i.e. will not accept the tax payment) unless this section of the form is filled out and signed by the "chief law enforcement officer" (CLEO) having jurisdictional authority (to issue or serve a criminal warrant) for the applicant. The CLEO certification states that the person signing has "no information that the transferee will use the firearm=85for other than lawful purposes=85" and that "the receipt and/or possession of the firearm=85would not place the transferee in violation of State or local law." Sounds simple, right? It turns out that Police Chiefs and Sheriffs, particularly in urban areas, will simply not sign the certification. They are not legally bound to, nor does it make much political sense for them to do so (to them anyway). For those of you out there who are on good terms with your sheriff, police chief, district attorney, or district criminal judge =96 then good for you. At least 'til the next election. For the rest of you, this means you probably aren=92t "allowed" to obtain some of the most interesting and unique firearms available in the world. Too bad. By the way, unlawful possession of one of these things can get you 10 years in club fed and $100,000 lighter in the bank account. Not recommended for the entertainment value. Fortunately, there may be some relief on the horizon. 1934 Group The 1934 Group is a non-profit corporation established to take on legal issues in the NFA arena. It is entirely donor supported. Donations are NOT tax-deductible because this IS a lobbying organization. The corporation was organized after several months of brainstorming and data gathering by an informal group of individuals, dealers, and manufacturers in the NFA world who realized that none of the "mainstream" gun rights organizations were fighting their fight. So they decided to do something about it. Attorneys Jim Jeffries III and Steven Halbrook have agreed to pursue a case to overturn the CLEO certification requirement - Provided that the 1934 Group, through its contributors, supplies the financial ammo to see this through. These two highly respected attorneys need no introduction to those of us active in the fight to preserve the Second Amendment. To date, hundreds of individuals or their companies have pledged thousands of dollars to get this started. Thousands of dollars more will be required to see it through and I urge you to provide support for this effort through your own financial contributions and by spreading the word. Donations in personal or company check, money order (Please make a notation on the "memo" field of your check if you prefer to stay anonymous to the CL3 community) or cash can be sent to: 1934 Group 12701 NE 9th PL Suite #D312 Bellevue, WA 98005 For more information, check out the 1934 Group web site at http://www.teleport.com/~dkw/1934WWW.htm _Small Arms Review_ publisher Dan Shea has written about the 1934 Group and their efforts in the March issue of that magazine, which by the way is THE journal to have for those interested in, or involved with, the NFA community. See http://www.smallarmsreview.com/ Jim Jeffries, in a letter to Dan Shea, has outlined the case by the 1934 Group. The letter is posted on James Bardwell=92s web site at: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/usr/wbardwel/public/nfalist/cleo_lawsuit/jeffries_shea_letter.txt So there, now I=92ve said it. Here=92s an opportunity to win one again. For those gun owners who believe this doesn=92t affect them, well, all I can do is paraphrase Franklin - We must hang together in this fight, or surely we=92ll hang separately. Oh, and I don=92t duck hunt either. But without folks like us, the duck hunters will be toast eventually. And for those of you who will protest that this effort is wrong because it doesn=92t go far enough (NFA34 is un-Constitutional and all that=85), I hear you and trust me, you're preachin' to the choir. But the law is what it is, regardless of eloquent arguments to the contrary. So I choose, for now, to fight this particular battle within that context. Finally, I have no financial stake in any of this except that if we win, my boys might get to keep some of their daddy's guns. Thanks for your time. Chuck S Spring, Texas March 23, 1999 Note 1: For an interesting and enlightening take on NFA34, take some time to read _Unintended Consequences_, by John Ross. Note 2: Unlicensed individuals may not obtain machineguns manufactured after May 1986, but this is a battle for another time. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: Re: Lockyer vs. Law-abiding gun owners (fwd) Date: 23 Mar 1999 14:15:03 PST On Mar 23, Huck wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] Here we go again. Sounds like the Australia model. Huck > Subject: CA - ALERT - Law Enforcement Needs To Hear From You on > ab-23 > > California NRA Members'Council > > CalNRA Alert: SB-23 is getting hot and we > need your help! > March 21, 1999 > > In December 1998, Attorney General Lockyer created the Assault Weapon > Task > Force. The purpose of the task force was to make recommendations to the > California Legislature and Governor Davis on what exactly should be > incorporated into SB-23, California's latest semi-automatic rifle ban > bill. > We'll get to some of the players on this task force shortly. First > though, based on the meetings held by the task force here were the items > discussed, though no formal recommendations have been submitted as of > yet: > 1. Exempt all tube fed .22 rimfire rifles. Magazine fed .22 > rimfire rifles would not be exempt. > 2. Exempt all antique firearms and their "feeding devices". > 3. Ban the future possession, sale and manufacture of magazines > which are > capable of holding more than 10 rounds. The movie industry and law > enforcement "duty" firearms should be exempt. Personally owned firearms > and magazines of law enforcement officers should not be exempt. > 4. Either > 18 months after SB23 became law, or 12 months after the Dept of Justice > published regulations on how to "permanently" alter magazines - > possession > should be a misdemeanor. Retired peace officers and concealed carry > weapons permit holders should be prohibited from possessing or carrying > magazines that were capable of holding more than 10 rounds. > 5. Possession of multiple loaded magazines holding a combined > total of > more than 10 rounds should be a crime. The scope of this recommendation > is so broad that it would include target shooting on private property > with > permission of the owner. > 6. Make "features" that cause a firearm to be classified as an > "assault > weapon" correspond more closely with the federal definition. There was a > great deal of discussion about how to describe "pistol grips", etc. but > seemingly no closure. > > Needless-to-say, the discussion of an assault weapon extends well beyond > that of semi-auto rifles. It essentially identifies any firearm, > including handguns, with more than a 10 round capacity as an assault > weapon. Police officers and retirees are obviously not to be trusted any > more than "ordinary" citizens. > Here's the part that stinks. The majority of the members of the task > force were made up of County Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police from various > cities and counties in California. > The leadership of the men and women on the streets are truly gun banners > on the first order. Make no mistake about it. Their proposals go well > beyond even SB23 in its current state. Some or all of the task force > proposals could end up in SB23 which would make the law so convoluted, > mere ownership could be cause for arrest and confiscation. One member of > the task force acknowledged the problem and simply said, "Arrest them all > and let the courts sort it out". That very attitude of elected law > enforcement officials is why we need your help this week. Starting March > 28, the County Sheriffs of California will hold their annual > meeting. No doubt one of the subjects will be gun control. Certainly > most > County Sheriffs will be there, most of whom welcome gun bans. > Additionally, the two top police associations that represent the > police/sheriff leadership (not the rank and file) will be present. We > fully expect Governor Davis to address the group along with Attorney > General Bill Lockyer. Also attending will be the California District > Attorneys' Association. Anyone that is who's who in California's > criminal > justice system will be attending. > This presents us with an ideal opportunity to make an impact at this all > important meeting just prior to significant commitee debate in the > legislature. We want you to make six phone calls, some of which are > local > in your community. The six numbers you need to call (see listing below) > are to your County Sheriff, Governor Gray Davis, Attorney General Bill > Lockyer, the California District Attorneys' Association, California > Police > Chiefs' Association and finally the California Sheriffs' Association. We > need as many people to call as possible with the message to oppose Senate > Bill 23, the semi-automatic rifle ban, aka "assault weapon ban". Spread > this far and wide on the internet. We want the leadership of California > to > meet at the annual sherrifs meeting asking each other the question; "What > in the world happened?" We want you to bury these people in calls this > week. We want every phone answerer from the county sheriff to Governor > Gray Davis' office to come down with a pair of cauliflower ears. We want > you to make it clear in no uncertain terms that the line is being drawn > and starts now. If there was ever a critical time to make a phone call > this is it. This will not be the last effort we will ask you to make > this > legislative session or even on this particular bill. It is only the > first > of no doubt several that we need over the next couple of months. > However, > we need to plant the seeds now in order to get SB23 changed so that it is > benign or dumped. Gov. Davis does not want a big controversy at the > onset > of his term. He will back down on implementing extraordianarly > controversial legislation. But, the citizens need to be vocal. We need > to > give him something to think about and we need to give our county sheriffs > even more to think about. They have all been but immune from public > outrage and it's time to put the fear of the electorate into them. > Your help is absolutely essential and it must be done by Friday, March 26 > for it to be effective. > Here are the numbers to call for your community. Please make the calls. > County Sheriffs Visit - http://www.calnra.org/sheriffs.html Governor Gray > Davis' local field office phone numbers > numbers as of 3/20/1999 > Sacramento (916) 445-2841 > Fresno (209) 445-5295 > Irvine (714) 553-3566 (may be recording only, try it and see) Los Angeles > (213) 897-0322 > Riverside (909) 680-6860 > San Diego (619) 525-4641 > San Francisco (415) 703-2218 > Washington D.C. (202)624-5270 > > Attorney General Bill Lockyer's Field Offices > Sacramento (916) 324-5437 > Los Angeles (213) 897-2000 > San Francisco (415) 356-6298 > San Diego (619) 645-2001 > > California District Attorneys' Association > Lawrence Brown, Executive Director (916) 443-2017 > California Police Chiefs' Association > Amy Frees, Assistant to the Executive Director (916) 263-0541 > California Sheriffs' Association > Sue Muncy, Executive Director (916) 448-4242 [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jack Perrine Subject: RE: Fratrum: Re: Lockyer vs. Law-abiding gun owners (fwd) Date: 23 Mar 1999 15:20:07 -0800 On Tuesday, March 23, 1999 2:15 PM, Bill Vance [SMTP:roc@xpresso.seaslug.org] wrote: > On Mar 23, Huck wrote: > > [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] > > Here we go again. Sounds like the Australia model. > > Huck > Just out of curiosity, could someone explain why instead of always reacting gun owners do not take the offensive and put at least one innitative on the ballot in each election to undo all of this evil done by our elected representatives. Most of the time initiatives do what they should and make the power structure just furious Jack - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: linzellr@datastar.net (Robert Linzell) Subject: Re: New Book Date: 23 Mar 1999 22:05:49 -0600 Bill Vance wrote: > > There's a new book out by Amity Shayes(sp?) called, "The Greedy Hand: How > Taxes Drive Americans Crazy, (and what to do about it). Sounds like a good > one. The author is Amity Shlaes, a member of the editorial board of the _Wall_Street_Journal. Laissez Faire is selling the book for $22.95 (Book Number CU7977; hardcover; 255 p.) A review is given on p. 6 of their latest (April 1999) catalogue. Their web site is at: http://laissezfaire.org/ HTH. --Bob in Mississippi State Motto: Virtute et Armis ("By Valor and Arms") - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Pearls (fwd) Date: 23 Mar 1999 22:57:39 PST On Mar 23, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] PEARLS * It pays to learn from your mistakes. * It pays a lot better to learn from other people's mistakes -- it's less painful, more entertaining, and offers an accelerated curriculum because they make more mistakes more frequently than you do. * "Father Knows Best" was a comedy, not a parable. * An idiot in a good mood is still an idiot. * People can't read your mind. * You can't read theirs, either. * It's probably just as well. * It's not wise to justify your paranoia by deliberately getting powerful people pissed off at you. * Not everyone can manage 100 cents into a dollar. * You don't fix your mistakes by repeating them. * Many people don't know that Hitler was kind to animals. * All you need to know about someone can be judged from how they treat the help. * When you're in a hole, stop digging. Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Re: Digest firearms-alert.v001.n539 (fwd) Date: 24 Mar 1999 04:28:11 PST On Mar 24, Doug Spittler wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] >From: Gun Owners of America >Subject: OR: Bryant's Sneak Attack >Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 10:04:14 -0500 > >SENATOR NEIL BRYANT STICKS IT TO GUN OWNERS > >Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert >8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 >Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 >http://www.gunowners.org > >Oregon March 22 1999 > > >SB 700, a bill created by anti-freedom extremist Senator Ginny >Burdick was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday. > >SB 700 is designed to eliminate private transfers of firearms at gun >shows. > >Chairman Neil Bryant held an unannounced work session to slip this >bill through. > >Bryant, a member of the advisory board of "Oregon Gun Owners" proved >himself to be a committed enemy of gun owners by holding a work >session and vote when two of the three opponents of the bill, >Senators Eileen Qutub and Dave Nelson, were away on other business. > >Senator Veral Tarno, who had been considering supporting this bill, >listened to his constituents and voted NO-- but Bryant stacked the >deck. > >By waiting until Friday afternoon and having the vote when opponents >were away AND adding his own vote to this outrageous anti-gun, >anti-freedom bill, Bryant demonstrated what we've always contended. >It doesn't matter how many "pro-gun" groups he adds his name to, >Bryant is committed to destroying your Second Amendment rights. > >We're gratified that Senator Tarno voted NO on Friday, but Bryant >needs to know how you feel about his sneak attack on your rights. > >Bryant's tactics are beneath contempt. Holding a vote after an >unannounced work session when two of the key opponents of the bill >were away demonstrates that Bryant can't be trusted. > >Bryant assured Oregon Firearms Federation that after SB 700 he would >hold no future hearings on anti-gun bills. His actions on this bill >show his true agenda. > >Bryant needs to hear from you NOW. > >Tell Senator Bryant that your are disgusted by his shifty moves and >demand that he be true to his word: that he hold no more hearings on >bills which attack your rights. > >Senator Neil Bryant >S206 >State Capitol >Salem Oregon 97310 > >Phone 503-986-1727 >E-mail: bryant.sen@state.or.us >Toll free to all 1-800-332-2313 > > >************** > > >--------------- MESSAGE firearms-alert.v001.n539.2 --------------- > >From: Gun Owners of America >Subject: OR: Hearings On Vermont-Style Carry >Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 11:16:55 -0500 > >VERMONT-STYLE CARRY TO BE HEARD ON MARCH 24, 1999 > >Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert >8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 >Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 >http://www.gunowners.org > >Oregon March 22 1999 > >The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold hearings for the >"Vermont-Style" carry bill on Wednesday, March 24th. > >HB 2483, the "Vermont" bill, eliminates the requirement that you >have a government issued "license" to exercise your Constitutional >right to carry a handgun concealed. > >Last session, when we introduced this bill, we were told we "had no >chance" of even getting a hearing. But thanks to you and in spite of >the efforts of other "pro-gun" groups to kill it, we DID get >hearings and a tie vote in committee! > >This time we'll do better. > >If the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Kevin Mannix, votes in >favor of the bill, it will move to the House floor. That's because >with his vote, we have enough votes on that committee to guarantee >it. But he MUST hear from you. > >Representative Mannix must know that law-abiding Oregonians cherish >their liberty and want an end to the outrageous infringements that >the current "permit" system creates. > >Please contact Representative Mannix as soon as possible. Thank him >for holding hearings on HB 2483 and urge him to stand up for liberty >and vote in favor of the bill. > >Your actions last session are a big part of the reason >Representative Mannix decided to have hearings on the bill this >year. Your actions this year can make all the difference. > >Other "pro-gun" groups are not supporting HB 2483. It's up to us to >make it happen. > >Please call, fax or e-mail Representative Mannix right away and urge >him to vote in favor of 2483. > >Mannix's contact numbers are: > >Phone 503-986-1432 >Fax 503-986-1347 >E-mail: mannix.rep@state.or.us > >Now the bad news. On the same day, a hearing will be held in the >same committee on House Bill 2677, a "lock up your safety" bill. >This "one size fits all" legislation will make you a criminal if a >minor gains access to your gun. Please urge the members of the >Judiciary Committee to vote against this bill. In addition to >Mannix, the key votes on this committee are: > >Juley Gianella 503-986-1438 gianella.rep@state.or.us >Mark Simmons 503-986-1458 simmons.rep@state.or.us >Ron Sunseri 503-986-1422 sunseri.rep@state.or.us > >All legislators can receive messages at 1-800-332-2313 and faxes >at 503-986-1347. > >Ron Sunseri and Mark Simmons are co-sponsors of "Vermont" and Juley >Gianella has promised support. When you contact them remember to >thank them for their support of this important legislation. > >************** >Did someone else forward this to you? To be certain of getting up to >date information, please consider subscribing to the GOA E-Mail >Alert network directly. There is no cost or obligation, and the >volume of mail is quite low. To subscribe, simply send a message to >goamail@gunowners.org and include the state in which you live, in >either the subject or the body. To unsubscribe, reply to any alert >and ask to be removed. [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul M Watson Subject: The Secret Society Among Lawmen (fwd) Date: 24 Mar 1999 08:54:46 -0600 (CST) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Reply-To: texas-gun-owners@Mailing-List.net Cc: texas-gun-owners@Mailing-List.net Posted to texas-gun-owners by John Wallace The following are a few exerpts from a very long, but interesting article in today's Los Angeles Times at: http://www.latimes.com/HOME/NEWS/STATE/t000026295.html . My belief is that, as long as there are strict gun control laws in the big cities, and the general public have no choice but to be 100% dependent on the police for protection, the middle class will tacitly accept this sort of thing. Then over the course of another 20 or 30 years, the urban police forces will slowly evolve into paramilitary "Death Squads" like those which already exist in South American cities. +++++++++++++++++ +++++ The Secret Society Among Lawmen Despite setbacks in court and superiors' disapproval, a tattooed subculture of L.A. County sheriff's deputies is rising again. Are members macho racists or just brothers of the badge? By ANNE-MARIE O'CONNOR, TINA DAUNT, Times Staff Writers <<...>> He is still proud of his tattoo. The somber image of Death's hooded skull and scythe tattooed onto the inside of the deputy's left ankle in 1989 initiated him into a select fraternity called the Grim Reapers. Then a street cop at the Lennox station, this deputy has risen to a key position in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department--along with other members of his "club." The groups--with macho monikers like the Pirates, Vikings, Rattlesnakes and Cavemen--have long been a subculture in the country's largest Sheriff's Department and, in some cases, an inside track to acceptance in the ranks. Senior officers say they began with the creation of the Little Devils at the East Los Angeles station in 1971. Membership swelled in the 1980s at overwhelmingly white sheriff's stations that were islands in black and Latino immigrant communities. A federal judge hearing class-action litigation against the department described the most well-known of the groups, the Lynwood Vikings, as a "neo-Nazi, white supremacist gang" and found that deputies had engaged in racially motivated hostility. The county paid $9 million in fines and training costs to settle the lawsuits in 1996. ****SNIP**** But today, groups like the Grim Reapers are enjoying renewed popularity among young deputies, ****SNIP*** Sheriff Lee Baca has long been a critic of the groups, though he believes an outright ban would be unconstitutional. He urges deputies to stay away from the organizations, saying they encourage unprofessional behavior. Critics of the department go even further. They charge that the stations with the department's most troubled records--meaning the most frequent excessive-force lawsuits and discrimination complaints--are home to the most active deputy groups. And the groups are viewed with mistrust by many in the inner-city communities. "They are generally perceived as rogue cops who have often been accused of acting in very inappropriate ways in the street," said Joe Hicks, executive director of the city's human relations commission. "It doesn't seem to be good for morale or community relations." ****SNIP**** One Viking tattoo displayed in court bore the number "998"--the code for "officer-involved shooting"--Reed said, giving the impression that such shootings were celebrated as a rite of passage. ****SNIP**** -- For help with Majordomo commands, send a message to majordomo@mailing-list.net with the word help in the message body. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: wbg Subject: RE: New Book/Linzell Date: 24 Mar 1999 08:54:35 -0800 (PST) > > Bill Vance wrote: > > > > There's a new book out by Amity Shayes(sp?) called, "The Greedy Hand: How > > Taxes Drive Americans Crazy, (and what to do about it). Sounds like a good > > one. > Bob Linzell replied: > The author is Amity Shlaes, a member of the editorial board of the > _Wall_Street_Journal. Laissez Faire is selling the book for $22.95 > (Book Number CU7977; hardcover; 255 p.) A review is given on p. 6 > of their latest (April 1999) catalogue. Their web site is at: > --Bob in Mississippi Brewster adds: While Laissez Faire are nice people and all, youall might profit from knowing that amazon.com has this book at $16.07 . . . . . . and they have reviews, too, online on their site . . . Brewster -- ********************************************************************** " If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. To declare that in the administration of criminal law, the end justifies the means...would bring terrible retribution." Justice Louis D. Brandeis, dissenting, Olmstead v. U.S., 277 U.S. 438 (1928) ********************************************************************** W. Brewster Gillett wbg@hevanet.com Portland, Oregon USA *********************************************************************** - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: CCW Rally in Chicago loop yesterday (fwd) Date: 28 Mar 1999 00:38:41 PST On Mar 27, Jim Zoes wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] Ken Bien and I attended the Chicago Loop rally on Saturday for CCW at Daley Plaza downtown. Approximately 200 people (by my estimate) were there at the height, though the local news media reported that "over 3 dozen" people attended. Another example of media misinformation: Yes, 200 people is more than 3 dozen. Yet, 200 people is a major demonstration, but "3 dozen" hardly rates mention. Funny thing, three networks affiliates individually used the same phrase: "Over 3 dozen." [I didn't see the Fox affiliate's report, though I know that they mentioned the rally] Coincidence or a conspiracy to diminish our numbers and therefore, "minimize" the perceived opposition to gun control? Two piece of interesting information came out. Joe Waldron, Executive Director of CCRKBA, stated that the protests about St Louis USA Attorney interfering in the "Proposition B" campaign (against the proposal) by sending flyers and establishing an "Information" 800 number has resulted in them shutting down the 800 number. The other is the information that the threats to countersue the mayors of cities planning to sue the gun makers is paying off. A number of cities have backed off after being contacted by SAF. While he didn't go into specifics about the countersuit, it seemed to me he was saying that the counter grounds would be that the cities and HCI are engaging in a conspiracy to deprive gun makers (and us) of their rights. If this is what the strategy is, it could hit the cities (actually their taxpayers) hard in the wallet if SAF can bring a RICO suit. While that might change the local political landscape in some cities (by making the voters angry at having to pay off for filing a frivilous law suit), cities like Chicago (whose mayor got re-elected last month by a HUGE majority) will simply shrug it off and raise the taxes anyway. However, it seems to me, that unless the attorneys filing the suits or the plaintiffs (like Richard M. Daley, Mayor) are individually sanctioned by the courts, it won't change their attitude. Daley said this week (after hearing that his legislative agenda was defeated in the state house) that the "gun lobby" is "hiding behind the Constitution." What a phrase -- "Hiding behind the Constitution." To be expected of a lawyer (yes he has a law license) that failed the Illinois Bar exam multiple times. It was alleged, by the way, that Daley's father, Mayor Richard J. Daley pulled strings to insure his son finally passed on the 5th (or so) attempt. In addition, author Paxton Quigley ("Armed and Female") spoke at the rally and said she wanted to send Mrs. "Hizzoner" Daley an autographed copy of her book. It would be fun to see Mrs. Daley's facial expression when UPS dropped it off..... Localnews coverage links "covering" the rally: http://www.abcnews.go.com/local/wls/news/23883_3261999.html http://www.msnbc.com/local/WMAQ/65880.asp#65880 Jim Zoes >CNN just broke in with a story about a bio-chem weapons manufacturing plant > >being hit by bombs, and that people in Kosovo are dropping like flies. > >They then abruptly killed the story with no further mention... > > > >I am taping it on VHS and caught it... > > > >Bill [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fratrum: [Fwd: Fwd: Kosovo: Chem-bio alert!!]] (fwd) Date: 29 Mar 1999 23:35:17 PST On Mar 29, Omegamarc@aol.com wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] A larger report. Mary << Subject: Kosovo: Chem-bio alert!! >> >> At approximately 5:20pm EST (Mar. 26, 1999) an >> incredible story broke on CNN Live (TV) with Judy >> Woodruff. Unfortunately (in terms of alleged >> journalistic integrity) there has been NO followup on >> it. >> >> While Judy Woodruff was hosting a segment titled, >> "Strike Against Yugoslavia), the network evidently >> placed a phone call to Zoran Popovic (Social Democratic >> Party of Yugoslavia) who shared some sobering news. >> >> Evidently, during the NATO bombings in Kosovo today, a >> bomb struck ICM. ICM is suspected (by my military >> contacts and frontline media sources) of being a >> biological/chemical weapons manufacturing plant even >> prior to the breakup of the then "Soviet Union." >> >> Popovic related that alerts were sent throughout >> Belgrade advising her people to immediately seek the >> sanctity of her bomb shelters. At that point the people >> of Belgrade were warned to immediately don gas masks and >> stay cloistered at the shelter until further notice. >> >> Although Popovic also spoke of NATO hitting two >> Belgrade schools with their bombs, the potential for >> mass casualities (certainly ecclipsing those of Albanian >> rebels) is rather profound in both numbers and in >> political repercussions. >> >> Earlier in the day, Russian news sources indicated they >> (The Russian government) was breaking off diplomatic >> contact with NATO. Inside sources speculate this is a >> prelude for a declaration of war against NATO by Russia. >> >> If indeed ICM was a former Russian bio-chem weapons >> plant, an already bitter Russian government might be >> pushed into drastic retaliatory measures. >> >> I fear the very fact there has been absolutely no >> further mention of this story by the American press >> illustrates the grave portents this bombing may invoke. >> >> Bill Brumbaugh >> Reseach Director of the International Press Association >> Editor of the Proactive Newsletter >> http://www.proactivenews.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul M Watson Subject: More on Greece Turkey (fwd) Date: 30 Mar 1999 08:01:08 -0600 (CST) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- ______________________________________ Stratfor's FREE Kosovo Crisis Center - http://www.stratfor.com/kosovo/crisis/ The most comprehensive coverage of the Kosovo Crisis anywhere on the Internet ______________________________________ STRATFOR's Global Intelligence Update March 30, 1999 Greco-Turkish Dispute Threatens to Deepen Fissures in NATO Summary: Turkey has alleged that Greek air defense radar systems locked on to a Turkish fighter aircraft earlier this month, nearly causing an international incident. Turkey warned Greece that a repeat of the incident would be answered with a Turkish attack. While relations between Turkey and Greece have been contentious for some time, the timing of this particular incident is cause for concern, given the current situation in the Balkans. Analysis: On March 29, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported an incident that took place earlier this month between Greece and Turkey. Turkey claimed that at 0030 GMT on March 19 one of its F-16 fighter aircraft flying in international airspace was illuminated by Greek radar. Turkey stated that the radar signal originated from a missile site on the island of Limnos. According to the report in Hurriyet, when the pilot realized the radar was tracking him he radioed for instructions and was told to return to base. Turkey later sent Greece a warning stating that pilots would be instructed to destroy missile sites in the future if they were tracked by air defense radar. The report in Hurriyet claimed that the two countries had nearly gone to war over the incident. Relations between Turkey and Greece have been simmering for some time now, having been on the verge of armed conflict more than once in the past few years over the location of their border in the Aegean Sea. What makes this latest incident noteworthy is the timing of the incident in relation to the crisis unfolding in the Balkans. While both nations are members of NATO, Turkey has committed aircraft to the bombing campaign in support of co- religionists in Kosovo, whereas Greece recently voiced its opposition to NATO's military action. On March 26, Greek government spokesman Yanis Nicolau said, "It is time to return to political discussions to find a political solution for Kosovo and to end the bombings." He added that his country indicated its position to NATO clearly and that "it was not alone in calling for [a] halt to the air raids." Another notable opponent to military action against Serbia is Russia, with whom Greece has become quite friendly. Russia has provided training for Greek pilots, and is selling Greece S-300 surface-to-air (SAM) missiles for deployment on behalf of Greek- dominated Cyprus. The planned sale of the S-300 missiles to Cyprus nearly sparked a war between Greece and Turkey, as Ankara vowed to destroy them before they could be deployed. Additionally, earlier this year the U.S. accused Greece of having supplied the Russians with NATO aircraft jamming codes. These codes would enable Russia to jam weapons guidance systems on NATO aircraft. While this allegation has yet to be proven, the mere fact that NATO secrets may have been compromised certainly casts doubt on Greek commitment to the West. This latest incident between Turkey and Greece exposes what is perhaps the deepest fracture within NATO. Although NATO officials continue to affirm that the organization is of one mind concerning military action in the Balkans, Stratfor believes this may not be the case. Greece is not comfortable with a war on behalf of a Moslem population to its north -- a potential ally of the Turks. Turkey, in turn, has apparently seized on Greek opposition to NATO action over Kosovo to push for U.S., European, and NATO support for Turkey's side of the feud. Publicizing a Greek action that threatened the stability of NATO just as the organization was preparing for action against Yugoslavia may be a Turkish attempt to win points with the West, but it also reminds Russia of the powerful lever it has against NATO. Russia has used that lever before through the Cyprus missile sale, and given the current state of affairs in Kosovo, Russia and the Serbs will no doubt want to pry at this fracture in NATO's armor some more. ___________________________________________________ To receive free daily Global Intelligence Updates, sign up on the web at: http://www.stratfor.com/services/giu/subscribe.asp or send your name, organization, position, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address to alert@stratfor.com ___________________________________________________ STRATFOR, Inc. 504 Lavaca, Suite 1100 Austin, TX 78701 Phone: 512-583-5000 Fax: 512-583-5025 Internet: http://www.stratfor.com/ Email: info@stratfor.com Jack Perrine | Athena Programming | 626-798-6574 _________________| 1175 N Altadena Dr | ____________ Jack@Minerva.com | Pasadena CA 91107 | FAX-398-8620 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Neil Dickey Subject: Re: Fratrum: [Fwd: Fwd: Kosovo: Chem-bio alert!!]] (fwd) Date: 30 Mar 1999 09:50:23 -0600 (CST) roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) forwarded: >On Mar 29, Omegamarc@aol.com wrote: > >[-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] > >A larger report. >Mary > ><< Subject: Kosovo: Chem-bio alert!! [ ... Snip ... ] > >> bomb struck ICM. ICM is suspected (by my military > >> contacts and frontline media sources) of being a > >> biological/chemical weapons manufacturing plant even > >> prior to the breakup of the then "Soviet Union." > >> > >> Popovic related that alerts were sent throughout > >> Belgrade advising her people to immediately seek the > >> sanctity of her bomb shelters. At that point the people > >> of Belgrade were warned to immediately don gas masks and > >> stay cloistered at the shelter until further notice. The bombings are stated in the quote to be in Kosovo, but the gas emergency to be in Belgrade. Belgrade is over 100 miles north-northwest from the nearest part of the Kosovo province. If it is in fact true that a poison gas plant in Belgrade was hit, and the populace officially told to take counter-measures, why did a Russian diplomatic party just arrive in the city? It's precious hard to conduct diplomacy through a gas-mask. [ ... Snip ... ] > >> (The Russian government) was breaking off diplomatic > >> contact with NATO. Inside sources speculate this is a > >> prelude for a declaration of war against NATO by Russia. > >> This is old news. Russia called its ambassador to NATO home immediately as the bombing started. There have been rumors that Russia was moving nuclear weapons to Byelorussia, but the Byelorussian government scotched them. Matt Drudge has some comments regarding rumors coming out of TASS that are worth reading in this respect. [ ... Snip ... ] > >> I fear the very fact there has been absolutely no > >> further mention of this story by the American press > >> illustrates the grave portents this bombing may invoke. > >> > >> Bill Brumbaugh > >> Reseach Director of the International Press Association > >> Editor of the Proactive Newsletter > >> http://www.proactivenews.com It seems to me that "news" from this source should be read most critically. If there were any substance to reports like these, one would think that Matt Drudge or WorldNet Daily would have picked them up. They certainly aren't part of the vast left-wing media conspiracy. The opinions which I have expressed herein are entirely my own, unless other- wise noted. No-one else should be held responsible for what I think. | D. N. Dickey | Virtuous motives, trammeled by inertia and | | Research Associate | timidity, are no match for armed and | | Northern Illinois Univ. | resolute wickedness. | | neil@earth.geol.niu.edu | - W. S. Churchill | | **Finger for public key** | | - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Thoughts on being "pro-life" (fwd) Date: 30 Mar 1999 07:34:38 PST On Mar 29, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] I know someone whose views on abortion are not far different from my own. Yet while I consider myself pro-life, she insists she is "pro-choice." She has been so thoroughly indoctrinated to the public image of the respective sides of the abortion issue that she has decided that she, being an intelligent, reasoning person, simply cannot be associated with *those* people even if she agrees with the substance of their views. I recently read an essay printed in an Intertel newsletter (for those who don't know, Intertel is an organization for those who score in the statistical top 1% on IQ tests) -- actually a post from Intertel's "Top1" Internet discussion list -- by W. Brewster Gillett about the logical inconsistency of being against abortion yet for the death penalty, and when I mentioned it to my "pro-choice" acquaintance she shared my astonishment that Mr. Gillett can't see that these two points of view are *far from* being logically inconsistent. By the way, her views on the death penalty also parallel mine. And I had to wonder: is the concept of "innocence" *really* that remote from such a huge segment of our culture today? Who hasn't heard the phrase "innocent as a newborn babe"? I suppose in a nation whose president is regarded by almost three-fourths of the people as being dishonest, untrustworthy, a sexual predator, and either a traitor or hopelessly incompetent -- yet a majority opposed kicking the bum out of office -- the idea, that we should order our laws to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, may be completely alien to certain people. Admittedly, in a day when lawyers can quibble over the definition of "is," the meaning of the word "innocent" may be unclear to some. The *legal* definition ranges from "not guilty" to "not *proven* guilty," depending on which lawyer you ask (and few laymen quite grasp the distinction between *those*). In a moral sense, though, innocence is not something specific to a certain act, but a general condition of having an unsullied conscience. Yet life is such that almost from the moment of drawing one's first breath there are those nagging moral compromises. Our senses are too limited, our minds too fallible (however high our IQs may be), to keep any one of us from going off the straight-and-narrow every once in a while. As I wrote in my "In the Wilderness" piece about the First Commandment (http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/news&comment/990213.htm), living a moral life is not about being totally without sin -- the story of the "apple" makes it clear that's not an option anyway -- but about refusing to let sin become a way of life. Still, even the most virtuous man or woman ever to walk this earth was, without a doubt, guilty of some wrongful act. None of us who has lived more than a matter of minutes is innocent in the moral sense of the word. The great mass of people occupy a middle ground between the most innocent living persons -- newborn and preborn infants -- and the most guilty. Persons who have committed monstrous acts against the defenseless, the inoffensive, the unwary, the undeserving -- people who beat a young man to death because he's a homosexual, or who drag a man to death because his skin is darker than theirs -- these are the people for whom the death penalty is meant. Both I and my "pro-choice" acquaintance wholeheartedly support its judicious but swift application to its intended targets. And anyone who wants to profess confusion about an alleged logical inconsistency in the fact we also oppose millions of abortions every year, is welcome to do so. But we hope they'll excuse us for snickering at them behind their backs. Kevin McGehee Fairbanks/North Pole, AK mcgehee@mosquitonet.com http://www.mosquitonet.com/~mcgehee/ "A self-governing society must be made up of self-governing individuals." -- Steve Forbes [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: roc@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) Subject: Fw: Russia/Iraq/Yugoslavia (fwd) Date: 31 Mar 1999 01:52:31 PST On Mar 30, Kevin McGehee wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows --------------------] -----Original Message----- Forwarded message: >From alert@stratfor.com Tue Mar 30 19:36:53 1999 Message-Id: <199903310111.TAA22892@yorktown.stratfor.com> ______________________________________ Stratfor's FREE Kosovo Crisis Center - http://www.stratfor.com/kosovo/crisis/ The most comprehensive coverage of the Kosovo Crisis anywhere on the Internet ______________________________________ STRATFOR's Global Intelligence Update March 31, 1999 Russia Helping Iraq Upgrade Air Defenses Summary: Intelligence officials now admit that Serb and Iraqi defense officials have met and collaborated in recent months on anti- aircraft operations. Russia is now supplying sophisticated radar systems to Iraq. The possibility of a second front is increasing. Analysis: One of the critical issues in the Kosovo war is the intention and capabilities of Iraq. It must be remembered that many of the same nations that are currently engaged in the Kosovo air campaign are also, simultaneously, engaged in an air war in Iraq. As NATO intensifies the air war over Kosovo, the possibility of an intensification of the air war over Iraq poses an important strategic challenge by diverting aircraft and logistical support. Recent reports emerging in the press tend to confirm Stratfor's long-standing view that Yugoslavia and Iraq collaborated in the run-up to the current conflict. According to the Associated Press, for example, U.S. intelligence now has evidence that Yugoslav technicians met with Iraqi specialists in Baghdad in February to help prepare Yugoslavia for an air war. Since both sides have similar equipment and are facing similar aircraft, the Yugoslav military quite rationally wanted to learn whatever lessons the Iraqis had to teach them. It is obviously in the interest of both countries to cooperate strategically as well as technically. Anything that forces the United States to divide its scarce air campaign resources benefits both. Thus, a report from the IBC from Baghdad, claiming that Iraq is distributing advanced radar guidance systems for the SAM-6 surface-to-air missile system, is particularly significant. According to the report, Iraq is intensely engaged in upgrading its anti-air missile grid. Abed Hameed Hmoud, special secretary to Saddam and a member of the Presidential Council, is said to be personally supervising the installations of the systems at the Presidential Palaces, air bases and other critical installations. The article further states that both the Northern and Southern Corps of the Republican Guards are receiving new computing equipment and small, advanced Russian-made radar units as well as technicians. If these reports are true, and we think that to be likely, the Russians are now engaged in a dramatic re-supply of equipment to the Iraqis. There have been numerous reports from sources in Russia about such a re-supply, and the IBC report is merely confirming the arrival and deployment of this equipment. The upgrading of the Iraqi air defense grid has the potential of posing serious problems for allied pilots on missions in Iraq, particularly if new systems have been distributed inside the no- fly zones where routine air patrols are carried out. We note, however, that we can find no evidence of any U.S. or allied air strikes in Iraq at this time. This indicates that both sides are lying low for the moment. The new systems increase the ability of the Iraqis to engage U.S. and allied pilots on missions in this area. The standard U.S. response to such an engagement is first to target the radar and missile sites. By substantially increasing the number of such sites, Iraq is able to dictate a quickened tempo of allied air operations. Even if they lose some of their equipment, if the Russians have provided equipment in sufficient numbers to provide redundancy, Iraq will be able to dictate the level of allied operations. At a time when U.S. logistical capabilities required to support air operations will be heavily tilted toward Serbia, increased air operations over Iraq might pose a serious burden. If, on one hand, the U.S. declines to increase its air operations, it opens a window of opportunity for Saddam. If, on the other hand, the U.S. does increase air operations in Iraq, it could, over the long haul, degrade its logistical capabilities. Two front wars are the traditional fear of any power. There is no question but that the U.S. can handle one intense and one low- grade air war. There is some question whether the U.S. has the supplies and transport systems needed to sustain two simultaneous high-intensity air campaigns. There is no doubt but that Saddam and Milosevic understand that they may have an opportunity to pose serious problems for the United States. Milosevic, of course, has done his part. Now the question is whether Saddam will up the ante. It is not certain that there is any clear comprehensive warfighting agreement between Yugoslavia and Iraq, nor that if there were, the Iraqis would honor it. But there is a real window of opportunity available to Iraq and some indication that it is preparing to exploit it, with Russian help. When we factor in the unknown North Korean factor, we can see that there are some important reasons why the United States, in particular, will want to conclude the Kosovo air operation as quickly as possible. ___________________________________________________ To receive free daily Global Intelligence Updates, sign up on the web at: http://www.stratfor.com/services/giu/subscribe.asp or send your name, organization, position, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address to alert@stratfor.com ___________________________________________________ STRATFOR, Inc. 504 Lavaca, Suite 1100 Austin, TX 78701 Phone: 512-583-5000 Fax: 512-583-5025 Internet: http://www.stratfor.com/ Email: info@stratfor.com -- Kort E Patterson http://www.hevanet.com/kort [------------------------- end of forwarded message ------------------------] -- ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand = Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus Christ ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------- -