---by Phyllis Woods
On Wednesday, November 30, 2005, the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the New Hampshire parental notification law which requires that at least one parent or guardian be told when their minor child is going to have an abortion. This law, passed by the legislature in 2003 and signed by Governor Craig Benson, was never allowed to go into effect as Planned Parenthood filed a complaint with the US District Court who ruled it was unconstitutional. The state then appealed that ruling to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston which upheld the ruling of the first court. NH Attorney General Kelly Ayotte appealed the lower court ruling to the US Supreme Court which agreed to hear the case. The bill voted on by the legislature establishing this law, articulates the following reason for enacting such a law:
"It is the intent of the legislature in enacting this parental notification provision to further the important and compelling state interests of protecting minors against their own immaturity, fostering the family structure and preserving it as a viable social unit, and protecting the rights of parents to rear children who are members of their household."
The main argument of the laws opponents, both in the legislature at the time and in the media recently, center around whether the act is constitutional with its medical emergency provision and without a specific exemption for the health of the mother.
Our law was modeled after the Minnesota law which has an identical emergency exemption and which was upheld by the US Supreme Court. Both states waive parental notice when the girl’s life is threatened and both purposely do not waive notice for what is known as the "health loophole." Opponents would like a health exception clause wherein "health" would be so broadly interpreted that every case could claim the need. However, in more than twenty years since the Minnesota law has been in effect, there have been no reported cases of medical emergencies related to abortion. Furthermore, in the very unlikely eventuality of a real health emergency of a young girl it would seem to be even more critical that parents be allowed to exercise their right to be involved on their daughter’s behalf.
A judicial "bypass" was also included, where a girl could bypass her parents by going before a judge. This was to make allowance for the exceptional case in which a girl is determined to be mature and well-informed enough to make a decision about her unplanned pregnancy alone, or in which involvement of a parent is not in her best interest. The general intent of the law, however, is parental notification, not judicial notification. It is a rare situation where a young girl is better off making such a serious decision without the involvement of a parent. A judicial bypass is required by the US Supreme Court and all other states who have enacted parental involvement laws have included a bypass with wording similar to ours.
We should be mindful that the only ones who will benefit if our law is struck down or repealed are the abortion providers who will be free of the responsibility of notifying a parent or guardian and will be accountable to no one.
Those who will be harmed, however, are the young girls who will be deprived of a parent’s support and counsel when making a difficult decision, a complete medical history, careful attention for any post-abortion complications, and relief from the unnecessary and overwhelming burden of keeping a secret they would otherwise be carrying when returning to their families.
The state does, and should, have a compelling interest in fostering the family structure and protecting the rights of parents to rear their children. When abortions are done on young girls in secret it promotes deception and tears apart the fabric of parent-child relations and parental responsibility thereby harming the family unit. Besides undermining the authority of parents and putting the government and the abortion provider between parent and child, it works against the best interest of the child. We need a parental notification law to protect both children and families.
Phyllis Woods
Dover, NH 03820
11.30.2005
11.26.2005
Holiday Suggestions
…By Ron Dupuis
For Senators Reid, Boxer, Kennedy, Kerry, and Biden; Take some time off over the holidays, take a deep breath and think about what you have said about the President over the past year. If President Bush truly “lied while people died” then tell us specifics not opinions. Show the American people proof that you received different intelligence than the White House. If President Bush is just another Hitler and our military is setting up Nazi style concentration camps, as many of you have suggested, then back up the charges with facts instead of jaded opinions.
While I have your attention Senator Kennedy , don’t forget to send the Kopeknes a Christmas card.
For Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic Party; Stop taking what was once the proud party of America’s working class to the extreme left. Your hateful rhetoric and delusional concept of being the “heart and soul” of America is what lost the last election and will continue to stifle your parties chances of ever recovering. Try to be more like Senator Clinton and pretend to move to the center.
By the way, you should probably check your medication.
For Michael “I don’t own a single share of stock” Moore; Take all the shares of stock you “don’t own” and all the profits you have received from those “don’t own” shares and donate the entire portfolio to the Republican Party. You got caught. Take your medicine like a man.
For Kathy (ethics are important) Sullivan; You’ve run your mouth for years. Now you’re a involved in your own illegal ethics violation. Plead guilty and save the taxpayers the expense of a trial. Perhaps the judge will allow you to share a cell with Chuck McGee.
You got caught. Take your medicine like a man
For Governor Lynch; Try to remember the old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” If Commissioner Curry has the State Employees Association angry at him that possibly means he is doing a good job watching out for the tax payer’s dollars.
I’m sure Chief Wrenn is a fine police officer. I just don’t understand how being the Chief of a small New Hampshire community qualifies him to run a multi-faceted warehouse with a number of different locations. Being a jailer has nothing to do with law enforcement.
For anyone who greets me in the next thirty days; Its not “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings” or even “Happy” Christmas. Its “Merry Christmas.” Do you understand that you PC pains. MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I’m an American Christian and I celebrate not only the birth of the leader of my church over two thousand years ago, but also the holiday tradition the founding fathers honored over two hundred years ago. I will honor my Jewish friends with a cheerful “Happy Chanukah”, and my black friends, who happen to celebrate it, a “Happy Kwanza.” Please to greet me with good wishes this season, it’s “Merry Christmas.”
For all people that do their shopping on T.V.; This is the time of year when every other commercial ends with “Not sold in stores,” “Order now.” Don’t believe it for a minute. All that junk can be found in stores throughout the country. Gonzsu knives, Popile pocket fisherman, and even old Andy Williams/ Osmond Brothers Christmas albums. All sold in stores so there is no need to “have your credit card handy and call today.”
For the brave men and women volunteers in today’s Armed Forces; Keep alert, stay safe, and remember, despite what you may read in the liberal press, more Americans are behind you and your efforts to keep us safe here at home. I, as most Americans, will pray for you each and every day until your mission is complete and you return to the arms of your families and loved ones. God bless you all.
For Senators Reid, Boxer, Kennedy, Kerry, and Biden; Take some time off over the holidays, take a deep breath and think about what you have said about the President over the past year. If President Bush truly “lied while people died” then tell us specifics not opinions. Show the American people proof that you received different intelligence than the White House. If President Bush is just another Hitler and our military is setting up Nazi style concentration camps, as many of you have suggested, then back up the charges with facts instead of jaded opinions.
While I have your attention Senator Kennedy , don’t forget to send the Kopeknes a Christmas card.
For Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic Party; Stop taking what was once the proud party of America’s working class to the extreme left. Your hateful rhetoric and delusional concept of being the “heart and soul” of America is what lost the last election and will continue to stifle your parties chances of ever recovering. Try to be more like Senator Clinton and pretend to move to the center.
By the way, you should probably check your medication.
For Michael “I don’t own a single share of stock” Moore; Take all the shares of stock you “don’t own” and all the profits you have received from those “don’t own” shares and donate the entire portfolio to the Republican Party. You got caught. Take your medicine like a man.
For Kathy (ethics are important) Sullivan; You’ve run your mouth for years. Now you’re a involved in your own illegal ethics violation. Plead guilty and save the taxpayers the expense of a trial. Perhaps the judge will allow you to share a cell with Chuck McGee.
You got caught. Take your medicine like a man
For Governor Lynch; Try to remember the old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” If Commissioner Curry has the State Employees Association angry at him that possibly means he is doing a good job watching out for the tax payer’s dollars.
I’m sure Chief Wrenn is a fine police officer. I just don’t understand how being the Chief of a small New Hampshire community qualifies him to run a multi-faceted warehouse with a number of different locations. Being a jailer has nothing to do with law enforcement.
For anyone who greets me in the next thirty days; Its not “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings” or even “Happy” Christmas. Its “Merry Christmas.” Do you understand that you PC pains. MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I’m an American Christian and I celebrate not only the birth of the leader of my church over two thousand years ago, but also the holiday tradition the founding fathers honored over two hundred years ago. I will honor my Jewish friends with a cheerful “Happy Chanukah”, and my black friends, who happen to celebrate it, a “Happy Kwanza.” Please to greet me with good wishes this season, it’s “Merry Christmas.”
For all people that do their shopping on T.V.; This is the time of year when every other commercial ends with “Not sold in stores,” “Order now.” Don’t believe it for a minute. All that junk can be found in stores throughout the country. Gonzsu knives, Popile pocket fisherman, and even old Andy Williams/ Osmond Brothers Christmas albums. All sold in stores so there is no need to “have your credit card handy and call today.”
For the brave men and women volunteers in today’s Armed Forces; Keep alert, stay safe, and remember, despite what you may read in the liberal press, more Americans are behind you and your efforts to keep us safe here at home. I, as most Americans, will pray for you each and every day until your mission is complete and you return to the arms of your families and loved ones. God bless you all.
11.25.2005
Hospital Acquired Infections Legislation
...By State Rep. Howie Lund, Derry
There were a number of pieces of legislation filed this fall dealing with the issue of hospital-acquired infections. It was felt that the public should be able to access information by hospital. This will help the citizens of the state make more informed decisions as to where to send loved ones when important medical procedures are needed. It was decided by the legislators involved to consolidate their efforts into one piece of legislation that they would all get behind and support. The six legislators involved are Rep. Leo Pepino (Manchester), Rep Howie Lund (Derry), Rep Dave Hess (Hooksett), Rep Rogers Johnson (Stratham), Rep James Powers (Portsmouth) and Rep Robert Giuda (Warren) .
Latest estimates show that 90,000 patients a year die from hospital acquired infections. That is more than die per year from auto accidents and breast cancer combined. It is more than died in the Vietnam War (58,000), which lasted for nearly ten years. Were we to look at the length of the Vietnam War and put the same number of years on hospital acquired infection deaths, we would be looking at nearly million (1,000,000) deaths. This legislation is not intended to diminish the positive contributions made by the hospitals of our state but rather to bring the issue into the light of day, which should accomplish two things. First is to provide the public with information to make informed decisions on the most important issues in their lives. Second, to bring about improvement in hospital procedures that will reduce the loss of life and the unnecessary suffering related to hospital acquired infections.
The human costs are foremost but there is another important issue and that is financial. Just imagine what the costs are associated with repeated admittance to the hospital for hospital-acquired infection. Our insurance rates increase, our state Health and Human Services bill escalates (Medicare). Presently 29% of our state budget is spent on HHS. In states, such as Penn., that have implemented this type of legislation they are already experiencing a reduction in hospital-acquired infection. We expect to experience the same type of positive results with our legislation hear in New Hampshire.
There were a number of pieces of legislation filed this fall dealing with the issue of hospital-acquired infections. It was felt that the public should be able to access information by hospital. This will help the citizens of the state make more informed decisions as to where to send loved ones when important medical procedures are needed. It was decided by the legislators involved to consolidate their efforts into one piece of legislation that they would all get behind and support. The six legislators involved are Rep. Leo Pepino (Manchester), Rep Howie Lund (Derry), Rep Dave Hess (Hooksett), Rep Rogers Johnson (Stratham), Rep James Powers (Portsmouth) and Rep Robert Giuda (Warren) .
Latest estimates show that 90,000 patients a year die from hospital acquired infections. That is more than die per year from auto accidents and breast cancer combined. It is more than died in the Vietnam War (58,000), which lasted for nearly ten years. Were we to look at the length of the Vietnam War and put the same number of years on hospital acquired infection deaths, we would be looking at nearly million (1,000,000) deaths. This legislation is not intended to diminish the positive contributions made by the hospitals of our state but rather to bring the issue into the light of day, which should accomplish two things. First is to provide the public with information to make informed decisions on the most important issues in their lives. Second, to bring about improvement in hospital procedures that will reduce the loss of life and the unnecessary suffering related to hospital acquired infections.
The human costs are foremost but there is another important issue and that is financial. Just imagine what the costs are associated with repeated admittance to the hospital for hospital-acquired infection. Our insurance rates increase, our state Health and Human Services bill escalates (Medicare). Presently 29% of our state budget is spent on HHS. In states, such as Penn., that have implemented this type of legislation they are already experiencing a reduction in hospital-acquired infection. We expect to experience the same type of positive results with our legislation hear in New Hampshire.
American Ingenuity
--- by Ed Naile
I was reading on Drudge about the 80 kilometer benzene slick in China flowing down the Songhua River to the northern city of Harbin. Harbin is a provincial capital up near Russia and almost dead west of Sapporo Japan.
The pollution slick has people fleeing the city of nine million by all means possible. The trains are full, planes booked solid, and roads choked full of people leaving. If you have ever been to China you would note that is what traffic looks like on a good day, after you throw in a few million overloaded bicycles.
The benzene slick is 100 times higher than the national safety standard - the Chinese National Safety Standard where people weld without goggles and jack-hammer in shorts and sandals.
The Financial Times article I read had quotes such as this one from a local guy:
“I am fleeing,” said Pang Shijun, a 50-year-old man among the crowds at the central railway station. He said his wife had already left the night before to go to the nearby city of Jixi. “I just do not trust the government to provide true information on this.”
The situation was magnified by the contradictory news releases issued by the city government and the plant owner, PetroChina, which stalled evacuation efforts. The city also turned off water supplies in anticipation of the ecological disaster, creating a water buying panic..
But! Wouldn't you know it there is an American beer plant in Harbin. Here is part of what they had to say.
“Anheuser-Busch, the US brewer which has a plant in the city, issued a statement saying the water shutdown had “not significantly affected” its beer production in Harbin.”
At least they have everything in perspective.
I was reading on Drudge about the 80 kilometer benzene slick in China flowing down the Songhua River to the northern city of Harbin. Harbin is a provincial capital up near Russia and almost dead west of Sapporo Japan.
The pollution slick has people fleeing the city of nine million by all means possible. The trains are full, planes booked solid, and roads choked full of people leaving. If you have ever been to China you would note that is what traffic looks like on a good day, after you throw in a few million overloaded bicycles.
The benzene slick is 100 times higher than the national safety standard - the Chinese National Safety Standard where people weld without goggles and jack-hammer in shorts and sandals.
The Financial Times article I read had quotes such as this one from a local guy:
“I am fleeing,” said Pang Shijun, a 50-year-old man among the crowds at the central railway station. He said his wife had already left the night before to go to the nearby city of Jixi. “I just do not trust the government to provide true information on this.”
The situation was magnified by the contradictory news releases issued by the city government and the plant owner, PetroChina, which stalled evacuation efforts. The city also turned off water supplies in anticipation of the ecological disaster, creating a water buying panic..
But! Wouldn't you know it there is an American beer plant in Harbin. Here is part of what they had to say.
“Anheuser-Busch, the US brewer which has a plant in the city, issued a statement saying the water shutdown had “not significantly affected” its beer production in Harbin.”
At least they have everything in perspective.
11.22.2005
Fat is declared contagious
---by Micheal
They say there is an "Obesity Pandemic."
The 18th International Congress on Nutrition stated that the world is getting fatter, that obesity is now a "pandemic." They're not the only ones using the word pandemic. Various doctors and experts have been using the term "obesity pandemic" for several years now.
These days the media is abuzz with our latest panic d'jour -- a bird flu pandemic. That's what pandemic means to lay folk -- a worldwide contagion.
The 1918 flu pandemic, which killed over 20 million people around the world, was a real pandemic. That flu was highly contagious. People would feel fine for a couple days after becoming infected, spreading the virus to three or more people, before falling very ill. Many died within days of showing first symptoms.
So when doctors and health officials claim there is an "obesity pandemic", they're playing semantic tricks to grab headlines by implying that fat is a highly contagious disease.
Skinny people get fat because they were exposed to fat people? Give me a break. Obesity is not a virus. It's not catching. Cheeseburgers don't leap off of fat people and force their way down skinny victims' throats. People get fat when they eat too much. Treating obesity like a flu virus is doomed to failure.
If it's not a virus, then what's the cause of this obesity "pandemic"? Professor Nestle, of New York University (one of those health officials) says cheaper farm goods, and western-style prosperity are to blame.
How's that again? People are getting fatter around the world because they are getting more prosperous and food is getting cheaper? Does this mean that the solution to world obesity is to reduce prosperity and make food more expensive? I guess that would work, but it sounds cruel. "Sure, I know you're poor and hungry, but don't complain. At least your'e not fat."
Overeating is not a virus you can catch. It's not the government's fault for making food cheaper, or your boss's fault for giving you a raise. We need to take responsibility for what we push into our mouths, and stop looking for someone or something else to blame.
They say there is an "Obesity Pandemic."
The 18th International Congress on Nutrition stated that the world is getting fatter, that obesity is now a "pandemic." They're not the only ones using the word pandemic. Various doctors and experts have been using the term "obesity pandemic" for several years now.
These days the media is abuzz with our latest panic d'jour -- a bird flu pandemic. That's what pandemic means to lay folk -- a worldwide contagion.
The 1918 flu pandemic, which killed over 20 million people around the world, was a real pandemic. That flu was highly contagious. People would feel fine for a couple days after becoming infected, spreading the virus to three or more people, before falling very ill. Many died within days of showing first symptoms.
So when doctors and health officials claim there is an "obesity pandemic", they're playing semantic tricks to grab headlines by implying that fat is a highly contagious disease.
Skinny people get fat because they were exposed to fat people? Give me a break. Obesity is not a virus. It's not catching. Cheeseburgers don't leap off of fat people and force their way down skinny victims' throats. People get fat when they eat too much. Treating obesity like a flu virus is doomed to failure.
If it's not a virus, then what's the cause of this obesity "pandemic"? Professor Nestle, of New York University (one of those health officials) says cheaper farm goods, and western-style prosperity are to blame.
How's that again? People are getting fatter around the world because they are getting more prosperous and food is getting cheaper? Does this mean that the solution to world obesity is to reduce prosperity and make food more expensive? I guess that would work, but it sounds cruel. "Sure, I know you're poor and hungry, but don't complain. At least your'e not fat."
Overeating is not a virus you can catch. It's not the government's fault for making food cheaper, or your boss's fault for giving you a raise. We need to take responsibility for what we push into our mouths, and stop looking for someone or something else to blame.
11.18.2005
Welcome to ManchPostal
--- by Ed Naile
Welcome to Manchester politics. The stuff you are not supposed to hear has arrived.
Enter Joe Kelly Levasseur and his attempt to mail his Manchester City Council election material through the Manchester Post Office like any other Manchester candidate would be able to do. For that matter, any candidates for office in America would be able mail their glossies out before election day wouldn't you say?
But this is Manchester, New Hampshire and it depends on who you are.
The facts:
Today, just hours after being contacted by the USPS in Manchester, Joe Kelly Levasseur received an official $975.00 check.
The check is a remuneration the Manchester USPS felt obligated to give him for NOT delivering his mailers BEFORE November 8.
Happens all the time, right? Political mailers just sit in bags off to the side at the end of the day and when the post office workers get around to it they trundle the bundles off with their little golf cart mail-mobiles.
And this must be a big story since everyone wants an unbiased, efficient post office. Who would believe it was a mistake. It was probably just an oversight.
How often then does the US Post Office pay a candidate back for NOT mailing political materials before an election? (This is the part where you hear cricket noises.)
Love him or hate him Joe is no punching bag. Let me re-phrase. This punching bag punches back!
Joe Kelly has offered a $25,000 reward to the first postal worker who comes forward to testify about what happened.
USPS punches back!
“No Mr. Kelly,” the USPS lawyer in Connecticut tells Joe, “We do not allow employees to take rewards.” (Surprise! How would this scam work if they did that?)
Does anyone think this story will make the “Manchester Paper” like the Chuck McGee scandal did? Remember Chuck? He should be home soon for the holidays after sitting in a federal prison for doing a lot less than this. Chuck will be front page again when he is released. Then the local papers will investigate “Postalgate,” right?
Not if “John DiStaso (D) Union Leader” has anything to do with it. The stolen sign story failed to make his weekly “insider” article twice after the Mayor Baines loss (popularity poll 65%) to Frank Guinta. All DiStaso managed to do was re-re-re-repeat the list of Republican scandals Governor Not Benson campaigned on. What a coincidence.
So stay tuned for more info on this story and our upcoming “Readers Contest” which is a fabulous grand prize (made of wood) for the first person who can guess how long it will be until The UL is printing LESS than 50,000 papers a day. (Hint 53,000 now). Phone in your guess at 1-800-BAD-PULP.
Welcome to Manchester politics. The stuff you are not supposed to hear has arrived.
Enter Joe Kelly Levasseur and his attempt to mail his Manchester City Council election material through the Manchester Post Office like any other Manchester candidate would be able to do. For that matter, any candidates for office in America would be able mail their glossies out before election day wouldn't you say?
But this is Manchester, New Hampshire and it depends on who you are.
The facts:
Today, just hours after being contacted by the USPS in Manchester, Joe Kelly Levasseur received an official $975.00 check.
The check is a remuneration the Manchester USPS felt obligated to give him for NOT delivering his mailers BEFORE November 8.
Happens all the time, right? Political mailers just sit in bags off to the side at the end of the day and when the post office workers get around to it they trundle the bundles off with their little golf cart mail-mobiles.
And this must be a big story since everyone wants an unbiased, efficient post office. Who would believe it was a mistake. It was probably just an oversight.
How often then does the US Post Office pay a candidate back for NOT mailing political materials before an election? (This is the part where you hear cricket noises.)
Love him or hate him Joe is no punching bag. Let me re-phrase. This punching bag punches back!
Joe Kelly has offered a $25,000 reward to the first postal worker who comes forward to testify about what happened.
USPS punches back!
“No Mr. Kelly,” the USPS lawyer in Connecticut tells Joe, “We do not allow employees to take rewards.” (Surprise! How would this scam work if they did that?)
Does anyone think this story will make the “Manchester Paper” like the Chuck McGee scandal did? Remember Chuck? He should be home soon for the holidays after sitting in a federal prison for doing a lot less than this. Chuck will be front page again when he is released. Then the local papers will investigate “Postalgate,” right?
Not if “John DiStaso (D) Union Leader” has anything to do with it. The stolen sign story failed to make his weekly “insider” article twice after the Mayor Baines loss (popularity poll 65%) to Frank Guinta. All DiStaso managed to do was re-re-re-repeat the list of Republican scandals Governor Not Benson campaigned on. What a coincidence.
So stay tuned for more info on this story and our upcoming “Readers Contest” which is a fabulous grand prize (made of wood) for the first person who can guess how long it will be until The UL is printing LESS than 50,000 papers a day. (Hint 53,000 now). Phone in your guess at 1-800-BAD-PULP.
11.15.2005
Sane Eminent Domain
---by Rep. Maureen Mooney, Merrimack
The NH House and Senate have been working overtime on tightening up the statutes regarding eminent domain in light of the Kelo decision. After a joint meeting on October 11, 2005 with the Senate and House Task Forces on Eminent Domain, it is clear that the majority wants to define the term "public use" in the RSA's. At the same time, we want to ensure that private economic development is never a reason for a taking.
The term "public use" will serve as the basis for all necessary eminent domain takings. The definition will explicitly define what constitutes public use (e.g., possession by the general public or removal of structures unfit for human habitation) and what does not constitute a public use (e.g., an increase in tax revenue or employment).
In addition to statutory changes, a group of representatives and senators have been working on a constitutional amendment. The amendment will codify in Part I, Article 12 that the power of eminent domain shall not be used to transfer property for private use or economic development. The amendment will complement the statutory changes therein.
While New Hampshire already has existing safeguards to protect property rights, both the statutory change and constitutional amendment will further protect the fundamental constitutional right to own property here in New Hampshire.
Hon. Maureen Mooney Hillsboro District 19
The NH House and Senate have been working overtime on tightening up the statutes regarding eminent domain in light of the Kelo decision. After a joint meeting on October 11, 2005 with the Senate and House Task Forces on Eminent Domain, it is clear that the majority wants to define the term "public use" in the RSA's. At the same time, we want to ensure that private economic development is never a reason for a taking.
The term "public use" will serve as the basis for all necessary eminent domain takings. The definition will explicitly define what constitutes public use (e.g., possession by the general public or removal of structures unfit for human habitation) and what does not constitute a public use (e.g., an increase in tax revenue or employment).
In addition to statutory changes, a group of representatives and senators have been working on a constitutional amendment. The amendment will codify in Part I, Article 12 that the power of eminent domain shall not be used to transfer property for private use or economic development. The amendment will complement the statutory changes therein.
While New Hampshire already has existing safeguards to protect property rights, both the statutory change and constitutional amendment will further protect the fundamental constitutional right to own property here in New Hampshire.
Hon. Maureen Mooney Hillsboro District 19
11.14.2005
2 Arrests For Violating Dogma
---by Micheal
Two men were arrested recently, in different countries, but for the same crime: speaking against a culturally accepted dogma.
The first "criminal" was Al-Harbi, a Saudi teacher. He was arrested and charged with discussing the Bible with his students, defending the Jews and "ridiculing Islam." Al-Harbi denies the charges, but is still in prison. Whether guilty or not, he is charged with not (sufficiently?) toeing the Islamic dogma line that Christians are infidels and Israel should be destroyed.
Is this an outrageous violation of a human right to express an opinion? Before you say yes, consider our second criminal.
David Irving, the controversial British "historian" was arrested in Vienna. His crime? Irving was charged with denying the Holocaust. Are you quietly thinking to yourself that this was a good thing? Jewish groups in several countries were voicing their approval.
Excuse me? It can be a crime to not accept history? Since when does history become dogma with legal penalties? If someone said that George Washington was a British sympathizer, or that the Texans actually won the Alamo, they should be imprisoned? It looks as if the Holocaust has moved beyond being historical facts, and has moved into the realm of sacred dogma -- with legal punishments.
If you catch yourself feeling any outrage that it sounds like I'm defending Irving, then you may have succumbed to history-as-sacred-dogma too. Just for the record, I think Irving is wrong, but his arrest worries me as much as Al-Harbi's.
When it becomes a state's job to enforce historical (or "scientific") views, then we're all in a heap of hot water.
Fox News Story on Saudi Teacher Imprisoned
Fox News Story on David Irving Arrested
Two men were arrested recently, in different countries, but for the same crime: speaking against a culturally accepted dogma.
The first "criminal" was Al-Harbi, a Saudi teacher. He was arrested and charged with discussing the Bible with his students, defending the Jews and "ridiculing Islam." Al-Harbi denies the charges, but is still in prison. Whether guilty or not, he is charged with not (sufficiently?) toeing the Islamic dogma line that Christians are infidels and Israel should be destroyed.
Is this an outrageous violation of a human right to express an opinion? Before you say yes, consider our second criminal.
David Irving, the controversial British "historian" was arrested in Vienna. His crime? Irving was charged with denying the Holocaust. Are you quietly thinking to yourself that this was a good thing? Jewish groups in several countries were voicing their approval.
Excuse me? It can be a crime to not accept history? Since when does history become dogma with legal penalties? If someone said that George Washington was a British sympathizer, or that the Texans actually won the Alamo, they should be imprisoned? It looks as if the Holocaust has moved beyond being historical facts, and has moved into the realm of sacred dogma -- with legal punishments.
If you catch yourself feeling any outrage that it sounds like I'm defending Irving, then you may have succumbed to history-as-sacred-dogma too. Just for the record, I think Irving is wrong, but his arrest worries me as much as Al-Harbi's.
When it becomes a state's job to enforce historical (or "scientific") views, then we're all in a heap of hot water.
Fox News Story on Saudi Teacher Imprisoned
Fox News Story on David Irving Arrested
11.13.2005
The Same Intelligence
---By Ron Dupuis
Since all, or at least most of Washington’s democrats are claiming President Bush lied when it came to weapons of mass destruction in order to invade Iraq, I thought I’d post a few comments from the Democrats who received the same intelligence.
“In My Humble Opinion” Democrats are not concerned with the war at all, but instead are more concerned with building a case to discredit or even impeach Bush because of the Clinton/Lewinski scandal and impeachment.
Nancy Pelosi- December 16,1998
“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology, which is a threat to countries in the region, and has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.”
John Kerry- October 9, 2002
“I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force if necessary to disarm Saddam because I believe a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.”
Ted Kennedy- September 27.2002
“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein has been seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
Senator Chuck Schumer- October 10, 2002
“It is Hussein’s vigorous pursuit of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, and his present and future potential support for terrorist act and organizations that make him a danger to the people of the United States.”
October 19, 1999 Letter to president Clinton signed by Senators Levin, Liberman, Lautenberg, Dodd, Kerry, Feinstein, Mikulski, Daschle, Breaux, Kerry,-All Democrats.
“We urge you, after consulting with Congress and consistent with the U.S. Constitution
and laws, to take necessary action, including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on
suspected Iraqi sites to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end
its weapons of mass destruction programs.”
Bill Clinton- December 17, 1998
“Earlier today, I ordered America’s armed forces to strike military and security targets in
Iraq… Their mission is to attack Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.”
Hear it from their own lips Click here then click on the "play video" button. Prepare to be amazed.
Since all, or at least most of Washington’s democrats are claiming President Bush lied when it came to weapons of mass destruction in order to invade Iraq, I thought I’d post a few comments from the Democrats who received the same intelligence.
“In My Humble Opinion” Democrats are not concerned with the war at all, but instead are more concerned with building a case to discredit or even impeach Bush because of the Clinton/Lewinski scandal and impeachment.
Nancy Pelosi- December 16,1998
“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology, which is a threat to countries in the region, and has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.”
John Kerry- October 9, 2002
“I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force if necessary to disarm Saddam because I believe a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.”
Ted Kennedy- September 27.2002
“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein has been seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
Senator Chuck Schumer- October 10, 2002
“It is Hussein’s vigorous pursuit of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, and his present and future potential support for terrorist act and organizations that make him a danger to the people of the United States.”
October 19, 1999 Letter to president Clinton signed by Senators Levin, Liberman, Lautenberg, Dodd, Kerry, Feinstein, Mikulski, Daschle, Breaux, Kerry,-All Democrats.
“We urge you, after consulting with Congress and consistent with the U.S. Constitution
and laws, to take necessary action, including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on
suspected Iraqi sites to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end
its weapons of mass destruction programs.”
Bill Clinton- December 17, 1998
“Earlier today, I ordered America’s armed forces to strike military and security targets in
Iraq… Their mission is to attack Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.”
Hear it from their own lips Click here then click on the "play video" button. Prepare to be amazed.
11.11.2005
Where are iPods for other art?
---by Micheal
iPods and mp3 players are everywhere! After work, while I stood at the street corner awaiting my ride home, I couldn't help but notice how many of the hundreds of commuters hurrying towards North Station had ear-buds or headphones.
Now, I realize that music is an art form, and people appreciate art. But, what is it about music that all those people can't live without it for even ten minutes? A culture so 24/7 obsessed with an art form struck me as a little bit odd.
Imagine, if instead of music, the art form was sculpture. What if there were huge corporations out there marketing re-releases of Michaelangelo "greatest hits" collections to millions of "Mikey" fans? Talent scouts scouring trendy New York sculpture-bars looking for fresh young talent. Famous sculptors filling the couches on talk shows, or endorsing lines of clothing. A hit TV show -- "American Chiseler" -- giving hopeful artists their big break into sculpture stardom.
Automobiles would all have a sculpture-viewer mounted in the center of their dashboards. Doctors' offices would display bland remakes of popular statues for patients to enjoy while they wait. Urban punks would bring their big spiky metal sculptures on the bus with them, mostly to annoy the other riders.
Millions of youngsters would log onto Apple's iSculpt online store to download 3D images of the latest in modern statuary for only 99 cents each! They would fill up their iPods with all their favorite statues. That way, they can eye the latest inner-city impressionist abstract forms or perhaps groove out on oldies classics (such as, Mother and Child, or End of the Trail) just like their parents used to groove to back in the 80s.
Hundreds of work-weary commuters would strap on their iPods for the trip home. With a narrowly glazed focus, they would trudge towards the trains, oblivious to the throng around them. They'd stare at their iPods, studying the subtle nuances of polished italian marble or perhaps jammin' to the rough and edgy look of jack-hammered granite.
If we had a culture spending billions of dollars annually on personal copies of sculpture, and obsessed with viewing as much sculpture as possible -- while driving, at work, while jogging, or actually during nearly every waking moment -- wouldn't you think that culture was a little odd?
Why is it okay when it's music?
11.06.2005
It must have been the Sausages
---By Ron Dupuis
Whenever something concerns me, really concerns me, I tend to think about it for a few days, so much so that eventually it affects my dreams. So it was with the recent Supreme Court decision on eminent domain.
The weekend last summer when the Supreme Court handed down the now famous “Eminent Domain” decision, the Dupuis residence was filled with good friends, family, and a barbecue grill filled with hot dogs, hamburgers, and my personal favorite, sausages and kielbasa. It must have been the sausages I ate that brought out the strange cast of characters that appeared right after I retired that night.
First there was Larry the Liberal, a mixture of every liberal politician I've ever met. Because it was a dream I knew he was against the war in Iraq, for better treatment for the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, and, of course, voted for Kerry in the last election. He looked an awful lot like Howard Dean.
Standing beside him was Chris the right-wing conservative. Chris wanted to nuke Baghdad in the early nineties, torture all the prisoners at Gitmo and voted for Bush, father and son. He looked eerily like Dick Nixon.
"Embrace it man." Larry said. "We could build a so much better world."
"Embrace what" I asked?
"The Supreme Court's decision, man. They're so much wiser than us and just want to help build a better world."
"I can't believe I'm agreeing with a liberal, but I quite agree," said the Nixon-clone conservative. "Seize the moment. We could affect a lot of changes for the betterment of the public welfare."
You mean to say that you guys agree with the recent decision that states that municipalities can take your homes and sell them to private companies for the betterment of the community at large?
"Of course man," exclaimed Larry. "We could take all the factories that are polluting our air and killing the innocent flowers and build parks. Take all these yuppie mansions poorer New Hampshire residents have been complaining about and grow trees to help us breathe better. Open spaces for all to enjoy."
"I don't know about growing trees," the Nixon look-a-like said. "Besides, taking the homes of hard working people is a bit drastic. Especially if they are expensively landscaped."
"Why don't we use this opportunity to help the less fortunate? We could go down to the other side of the tracks, you know, where all those people with the funny sounding names live. Help them move to better neighborhoods, tear down their homes, and sell the property to developers who will build job-producing shopping malls and modern factories."
"Parks and trees" Larry shouted.
"Malls and factories" Chris retorted.
"Parks and trees."
"Malls and factories."
I awoke in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, in the real world, the court's extension of government's ability to take private property for loosely defined economic development reasons has struck fear into the hearts of liberal and conservative alike.
Justice Stevens in his majority opinion wrote that "local governments should be given broader latitude in determining whether their citizens would be best served by condemning private property, especially where it is part of a broader scheme for redevelopment."
In my eyes, this completely invalidates the Fifth Amendment to our Constitution which states "no private property shall be taken for public use without just compensation." Taking my land or home and selling it to a private corporation for redevelopment into a hotel or shopping mall is by no stretch of the imagination "public use."
And when has anyone whose private property was taken ever been "justly compensated"? What generally happens is that the owners are paid the assessed value rather than the appraised rate.
I've spoken with both conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats in the New Hampshire House and all have promised to do something to protect property owners in this state by the next session.
It will be nice to see both sides of the aisle galvanized and working together for a common cause, for once.
Whenever something concerns me, really concerns me, I tend to think about it for a few days, so much so that eventually it affects my dreams. So it was with the recent Supreme Court decision on eminent domain.
The weekend last summer when the Supreme Court handed down the now famous “Eminent Domain” decision, the Dupuis residence was filled with good friends, family, and a barbecue grill filled with hot dogs, hamburgers, and my personal favorite, sausages and kielbasa. It must have been the sausages I ate that brought out the strange cast of characters that appeared right after I retired that night.
First there was Larry the Liberal, a mixture of every liberal politician I've ever met. Because it was a dream I knew he was against the war in Iraq, for better treatment for the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, and, of course, voted for Kerry in the last election. He looked an awful lot like Howard Dean.
Standing beside him was Chris the right-wing conservative. Chris wanted to nuke Baghdad in the early nineties, torture all the prisoners at Gitmo and voted for Bush, father and son. He looked eerily like Dick Nixon.
"Embrace it man." Larry said. "We could build a so much better world."
"Embrace what" I asked?
"The Supreme Court's decision, man. They're so much wiser than us and just want to help build a better world."
"I can't believe I'm agreeing with a liberal, but I quite agree," said the Nixon-clone conservative. "Seize the moment. We could affect a lot of changes for the betterment of the public welfare."
You mean to say that you guys agree with the recent decision that states that municipalities can take your homes and sell them to private companies for the betterment of the community at large?
"Of course man," exclaimed Larry. "We could take all the factories that are polluting our air and killing the innocent flowers and build parks. Take all these yuppie mansions poorer New Hampshire residents have been complaining about and grow trees to help us breathe better. Open spaces for all to enjoy."
"I don't know about growing trees," the Nixon look-a-like said. "Besides, taking the homes of hard working people is a bit drastic. Especially if they are expensively landscaped."
"Why don't we use this opportunity to help the less fortunate? We could go down to the other side of the tracks, you know, where all those people with the funny sounding names live. Help them move to better neighborhoods, tear down their homes, and sell the property to developers who will build job-producing shopping malls and modern factories."
"Parks and trees" Larry shouted.
"Malls and factories" Chris retorted.
"Parks and trees."
"Malls and factories."
I awoke in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, in the real world, the court's extension of government's ability to take private property for loosely defined economic development reasons has struck fear into the hearts of liberal and conservative alike.
Justice Stevens in his majority opinion wrote that "local governments should be given broader latitude in determining whether their citizens would be best served by condemning private property, especially where it is part of a broader scheme for redevelopment."
In my eyes, this completely invalidates the Fifth Amendment to our Constitution which states "no private property shall be taken for public use without just compensation." Taking my land or home and selling it to a private corporation for redevelopment into a hotel or shopping mall is by no stretch of the imagination "public use."
And when has anyone whose private property was taken ever been "justly compensated"? What generally happens is that the owners are paid the assessed value rather than the appraised rate.
I've spoken with both conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats in the New Hampshire House and all have promised to do something to protect property owners in this state by the next session.
It will be nice to see both sides of the aisle galvanized and working together for a common cause, for once.
11.02.2005
Techno-progress hits human wall
---by Micheal
You don't have to be a Luddite to be tired of software upgrades. Just when you've learned a program, the maker releases an upgrade. The perfect scheme for a guaranteed revenue stream -- perpetual ugrades.
The hitch with their perfect plan was us -- humans. We are becoming increasingly slow about jumping on the upgrade bandwagon. A case in point: Microsoft's over-hyped next upgrade of Windows: Vista. Bill's boys have been trying to whip up excitement for Vista, but the response has been tepid at best. Users are taking a cautious wait-and-see approach. (see CNET article on Vista woes) Some feel it's too much, and too late. (see eWeek's Is Windows Vista Out of Sync? )
One trouble (for Bill) is that many users are still using Windows 95 or 2000 or NT. They haven't even moved to XP yet. Why bother about Vista? That vast crowd of 800 million Windows users are proving very conservative. After all, upgrading is usually a royal pain. Will the next new widget be worth the pain? Perhaps not.
The old adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to be kicking in. If Word 95 is working just fine for you, why upgrade? British futurist Ian Pearson said, "We've done 20 years of adding functionality, and 99 percent of that functionality isn't needed." Most people use only a tiny fraction of Microsoft Word's gazillion features. Why buy more features you probably won't use either?
One of the trends that futurists see is Simplicity (see Wired.com article on future tech trends) People are showing a growing fondness for simple devices that do well that one or two things they want done, without being encumbered with dozens of additional features they didn't want, or a fat obtuse user manual. A phone that makes calls. A calculator that does numbers. A music player that plays music. A camera that takes pictures.
Trouble is, the usual multi-use wonder-widgets seldom do all their functions very well. The latest wonder-phones take so-so pictures, play only a little music, make difficult calculators, etc. etc. Anyone who uses hand tools can tell you: a plain old screwdriver works far better than the screwdriver flip-out thingy in that 20-in-One multi-tool you got for Father's Day.
We're starting to realize that the same thing applies to computers and software. Simpler can be better. Less is more. This bodes ill for Bill's perpetual revenue scheme, of course, but that's not our problem.
The bottom line? Don't feel guilty about not upgrading. Just say 'no' to the lemming call for the next box of bloatware. Hundreds of thousands of Windows users are saying "no thanks" too.
You don't have to be a Luddite to be tired of software upgrades. Just when you've learned a program, the maker releases an upgrade. The perfect scheme for a guaranteed revenue stream -- perpetual ugrades.
The hitch with their perfect plan was us -- humans. We are becoming increasingly slow about jumping on the upgrade bandwagon. A case in point: Microsoft's over-hyped next upgrade of Windows: Vista. Bill's boys have been trying to whip up excitement for Vista, but the response has been tepid at best. Users are taking a cautious wait-and-see approach. (see CNET article on Vista woes) Some feel it's too much, and too late. (see eWeek's Is Windows Vista Out of Sync? )
One trouble (for Bill) is that many users are still using Windows 95 or 2000 or NT. They haven't even moved to XP yet. Why bother about Vista? That vast crowd of 800 million Windows users are proving very conservative. After all, upgrading is usually a royal pain. Will the next new widget be worth the pain? Perhaps not.
The old adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to be kicking in. If Word 95 is working just fine for you, why upgrade? British futurist Ian Pearson said, "We've done 20 years of adding functionality, and 99 percent of that functionality isn't needed." Most people use only a tiny fraction of Microsoft Word's gazillion features. Why buy more features you probably won't use either?
One of the trends that futurists see is Simplicity (see Wired.com article on future tech trends) People are showing a growing fondness for simple devices that do well that one or two things they want done, without being encumbered with dozens of additional features they didn't want, or a fat obtuse user manual. A phone that makes calls. A calculator that does numbers. A music player that plays music. A camera that takes pictures.
Trouble is, the usual multi-use wonder-widgets seldom do all their functions very well. The latest wonder-phones take so-so pictures, play only a little music, make difficult calculators, etc. etc. Anyone who uses hand tools can tell you: a plain old screwdriver works far better than the screwdriver flip-out thingy in that 20-in-One multi-tool you got for Father's Day.
We're starting to realize that the same thing applies to computers and software. Simpler can be better. Less is more. This bodes ill for Bill's perpetual revenue scheme, of course, but that's not our problem.
The bottom line? Don't feel guilty about not upgrading. Just say 'no' to the lemming call for the next box of bloatware. Hundreds of thousands of Windows users are saying "no thanks" too.
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