who's your nanny?

Schadenfreude

TSA agents in Boston might have contracted cancer from airport scanners.

Now This Is a Hero

The term "hero" has become just about as worthless as a high school diploma or fat free sour cream, what with just about everyone throwing the accolade at anyone clad in a state costume these days.

But if you're looking for a real hero, read this sad story of Alina Rodriguez, a 13-year-old Buffalo girl who died Tuesday when she jumped into a creek to save her 12-year-old sister from drowning.

The two sisters were at a family picnic Monday afternoon in Cazenovia Park when they went into the creek to cool off.

Luz might have drowned if it hadn't been for Alina's swift and selfless actions, according to her relatives.

"Luz thought she wasn't going to make it, but Alina pushed her to the shore," said 15-year-old Khadesh Rodriguez, another sister. "Luz told me she feels proud of Alina."

Word.

Why Don't You Move?

This liberal video is making it's way about the interwebz. Supposedly it's a message to the Tea Party encouraging them to move to the "Libertarian Paradise" of Somalia which no longer has a centralized government. I didn't realize that the Tea Party was composed of anarchists who wanted to abolish the State. Perhaps this is because so many Tea Partiers still want Medicare, Social Security, police, war and such. But liberals cannot be bothered with such philosophical subtleties. Since Tea Partiers do not subscribe to the liberal brand of collectivism/socialism, they are enemies and must be vanquished.

The PSA argues that Somalia has not had a government since 1991. However, this statement is not accurate. Somalia has not had a State, i.e., a monopoly provider of law and protection services, since 1991. (See Albert J. Nock's Our Enemy, the State for discussion of the difference between government and State. Somalia has government. As Benjamin Powell writes:

Somali law is based on custom interpreted and enforced by decentralized clan networks. The Somali customary law, Xeer, has existed since pre-colonial times and continued to operate under colonial rule. The Somali nation-state tried to replace the Xeer with government legislation and enforcement. However, in rural areas and border regions where the Somali government lacked firm control, people continued to apply the common law. When the Somali state collapsed, much of the population returned to their traditional legal system.

The Xeer outlaws homicide, assault, torture, battery, rape, accidental wounding, kidnapping, abduction, robbery, burglary, theft, arson, extortion, fraud, and property damage. The legal system focuses on the restitution of victims not the punishment of criminals. For violations of the law, maximum compensation to victims is specified in camels (though payment can be made in equivalent monetary value). Typical compensation to the family of a murder victim is 100 camels for a man and 50 for a woman; an animal thief usually must return two animals for every one he stole.

Clan elders chosen on the basis of their knowledge of the law judge cases. The elders cannot create the law. They only interpret the community customs. Elders who make decisions that deviate from community norms are not consulted in future cases. When a dispute arises between two members of different clans, their clan elders must reach a compromise. If they are unable to do so they appoint an elder from another clan to settle the dispute.

Umm, Lou ...

... I think you're off the White House Christmas card list.

Of course, Farrakhan should probably be more worried about winning a one-way ticket to Gitmo.

Wow, It's Profitable to Sell Free Inventory?? Who Knew!

This just in: The state turns a profit selling items it confiscates at airports.

Next up: Bears shit in woods!

Is the Animal Kingdom Turning against the Police?

Earlier this week I referenced a story about crows attacking police in Everett, WA. Today I found a story about a rat attacking a police officer in Baltimore, MD. It seems that the animal kingdom has gotten the memo that the police are a menace to society. Wonder how long it will take humans to figure this out?

Never Miss a Chance to Badmouth an 'Anarchist'

In the wake of the Vancouver riots following the Canucks' Stanley Cup Finals loss to the Boston Bruins, police chief Jim Chu does his best to advance the common misconception that anarchists are criminals.

He called those who incited the riot "criminals and anarchists" and said officers identified some in the crowd as the same people who smashed windows and caused trouble through the same streets the day after the 2010 Winter Olympics opened in 2010.

"These were people who came equipped with masks, goggles and gasoline," he said. "They had a plan."

Yeah, makes sense. Just because you happen to prefer private markets to government intervention, you must be a criminal.

"Anarchy" simply refers to the absence of a state or any other coercive political authority. Certainly stateless societies could be rife with disorder or lawlessness (much like some statist societies we know too well), but to casually imply that this would be a necessary consequence is ignorance of a pretty high order.

Then again, this is coming from a noble keeper of the peace, most of which can be trusted to possess an "us vs. them" mentality and do their best to divert attention from their own disregard for the law in the first place.

"Gather round, I got a story to tell..."

NB-Profanity. If you're at work, use headphones.

 

Angry Birds Do a Fly-By on Police

It appears that birds in Washington State have been watching the news and reading blogs like Cop Block, Pro Libertate, The Agitator, and select posts from yours truly and Trevor. They've been attacking cops in Everett, WA:

EVERETT, Wash. — Officers at a Seattle-area police department have found themselves in a flap with some unusual suspects: an angry flock of birds.

Crows have been attacking police in the parking lot of an Everett Police Department precinct station. They've been swooping down and dive-bombing the officers as they walk to and from their cars.

Lt. Bob Johns said he recently was flanked by the aggressive birds and "got zinged."

"They're like velociraptors," Johns said.

One officer used his siren to try to scare away the crows, but it didn't work. The birds responded by decorating his car with droppings, The Daily Herald reported.

State Fish and Wildlife Department biologist Ruth Milner said the birds are simply protecting baby crows that have been kicked out of the nest and are learning to fly. Adult crows are quite protective of their young — a common trait among larger birds and birds of prey.

"All they're doing is defending their nest," Milner said.

She noted crows also can recognize people's individual features. And they hold grudges.

"If your cops have done something that (the crows) perceive as a threat, they could be keying in on them because they're all wearing the same kind of uniform," Milner said.

In addition to the officers, at least a dozen city employees have encountered the angry crows, and some have complained about being attacked, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said. But she said police and city workers have agreed to let the crows be, and wait out the aggression.

She said the employees will be cautious but can use umbrellas to defend themselves if need be.

Everett is about 25 miles north of Seattle.

They might be able to recognize police officer uniforms and they even attack city workers. Makes me wonder if some radical out Washington State is raising crows. I wonder if they crank some N.W.A. or Tupac before they leave the nest.

Anti-Cop Hip Hop-"F*** tha Police"

Yes, my dear readers. You knew I would get to this one eventually. And given the recent stories at CopBlock, William Grigg's Pro Liberate, and Radley Balko's The Agitator, it is a good time to discuss this song. No one could create an anti-cop hip hop series without the most famous and arguably the best anti-cop hip hop track ever recorded by the "World's Most Dangerous" group. N.W.A's "Fuck Tha Police" was included on the 1988 album Straight Outta Compton. This song caused considerable wailing and gnashing of teeth among the sanctified caste of armed protectors. I remember seeing press conferences of police and FBI agents bemoaning the lyrics of this song that expressed a fiery hatred of police and even condoned violence against police with lyrics such as "I'm a sniper with a hell of a scope/Taking out a cop or two, they can't cope/with me" and "A sucka in a uniform waitin' to get shot/by me, or anotha nigga". Shocklingly police officers refused to provide security for N.W.A concerts. (One would think that if police officers are willing to enforce laws that they personally disagree with because "that's the job", they would be willing to protect a group of people who did not like them because "that's the job". Or perhaps some police would decide to protect N.W.A. members to show that "not all cops are like that." But when one blasphemes the sanctified caste, one must be punished.)

We should keep in mind that the members of N.W.A. were from South Central Los Angeles and during the 1980s, that area became a gangland thanks to the war on drugs. Bloods and Crips fought for territory to expand their drug markets. The movie Colors, released in 1988 the same year as "Fuck that Police" depicted the drug war on film. The gang war that resulted from the war on drugs lead to increased police presence in these areas. Many blacks were harassed and beaten by the police who thought they were gang members. Thus, it should be no surprise that some blacks, namely the members of N.W.A, would resent this treatment and express their displease. Of course, the sanctified caste brooks no criticism of its members and were angered by such insolence on the part of blacks.

I should also point out that this song also angered many members of white middle class who revere the police as "protectors of law and order." The gang wars seemed to truly frighten many white middle class members. There was probably some racial animosity underlying this fear. Nevertheless, Focus on the Family targeted N.W.A. and even pressured the FBI to write a letter to Ruthless Records.

The song itself is gangsta rap at its best. The song describes a court room in which the members of N.W.A. bring evidence of police abuse and brutality to the court. Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and MC Ren all testify to incidents of police harassment and abuse they have experienced and witnessed. Dr. Dre is the judge and also provides the beats on this hardcore track. I would not surprise me if every anti-cop hip hop song made after 1988 was influenced in some way by this song. So turn up the volume and enjoy this anti-cop masterpiece.

Even the Government Hates Pennies

Man in Utah arrested for paying $25 medical bill in pennies. No, this is not from The Onion. Yes, the country is doomed.