American Defense Enterprises

The government (all of them) likes control over the populace.  That is why we have a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.  After 9/11, government agencies at all levels used fear tactics and rule by mandate to seize overwhelming amounts of power from the people severely curtailing our liberties.

This is one place where Democrats tend to be superior to Republicans; while the Republicans are fighting to renew sun-setting anti-freedom laws and trying to pass new ones, the Democrats are looking at the past 8 years and arguing that perhaps it would be better to have our liberties back.  Not completely — as I mentioned, it is just a truth that governments like to have absolute control over their people.

Anyway — When Al Franken (from SNL) was being confirmed for the US Senate, I never expected to form an opinion about him as a politician.  Then I found this story where “Al Franken Reads the 4th Amendment to Justice Department Official”

And this video:

Perhaps a little smarmy, but, thank you for doing the obvious thing that should have been done back in 2001.

The ammo ban bill is on the Governor’s desk so make your voice heard.  It is typical at this time of year for hot legislative items on the Governor’s desk to be put on an automated voting system.

Step 1: Call the Governor’s line at 916-445-2841
Step 2: Press 1 for English.
Step 3: Press 2 for commenting on a bill on the Governor’s desk
Step 4: Press 2 for AB962
Step 5: Press 2 for Oppose
Step 6: Repeat daily

Or… perhaps you prefer how cats helped win WWII?

Blitzkrieg .. When you only stop for kittens.

Per the Amtrak website on baggage:

Prohibited Items

The following kinds of items are prohibited as both checked and carry-on baggage:

* Any type of gun, firearm, ammunition, explosives, or weapon.

I found this by surprise when I was planning a trip and considering using the train because of the convenience of the Amtrak terminal to my work. Needless to say, this ended my trip plans immediately.  Apparently guns on planes are ok, but, just not acceptable on trains — even in checked baggage.  This was a change in policy, apparently in response to 9/11.

Well..  The Senate just passed a resolution to have Amtrak allow people to carry on firearms in their checked baggage.  Since Amtrak is a private company, the government can’t just force Amtrak to change their policy…. But, what the resolution did do was say that Amtrak would be ineligible for certain federally available funds unless they changed their policy — this typically works.  Woo Hoo!  Now just thru the Assembly and I might be able to take a train again..

It was  this day (17-sep back in 1787) that the US Constitution was signed and sent to the states for ratification.

Links:

http://usgovinfo.about.com/blconstday.htm

Wikipedia

Constitution Image from Archives.gov

In other news, Obama continues Bush’s assault on the freedoms offered by the Bill of Rights by fighting to extend the Patriot Act. That’s ok… Bill of Rights day isnt until Dec 15th…  Remember, we can’t have freedom unless the government can spy on its citizens.

As the Jewish High Holy Days approach, there have been some stories about synagogues proactively training with guns for defensive purposes.

Perhaps the most outspoken has been Rabbi Gary Moscowitz.  Here is a link to the story at the NY Post, “Go ahead, make my high holiday” .

The story’s focus on extremist Muslims is justified, there is a genuine threat there (here is a current example and the impetus for Moscowitz), but, do any of us really believe this is limited solely to Jewish synagogues or to Muslim attackers?

Reprinting from this story at Slashdot:

““US intelligence agencies are advising top US IT executives to weigh their laptops before and after visiting China as one of many precautions against corporate espionage. Symantec Chief Technology Officer Mark Bregman said he was also advised to buy a new cellphone for each visit and to throw it away after leaving. Bregman said he kept a separate MacBook Air for use in China, which he re-images on returning, but claimed he didn’t subscribe to the strictest policies. ‘Bregman said the US was also concerned about its companies employing Chinese coders, particularly in security.’”“

Perhaps we shouldnt be whining too much about the US government having at-will (i.e., no cause, no warrant) access to all of our electronics when we are near the border….

According to this story on BBC news, the UK Home Office is debating the requirement that pubs in this country replace their improvised melee weapons glass pint glasses, with plastic pint glasses.  I guess the theory is that there would be less fights and the fights would have less damaging outcomes.

I expect nothing less from the country that brought you non-pointing kitchen knives (the traditional design was a little to “stabby”)…

Man… I couldnt make this shit up if I tried.

In America, we have a different view on this one…