Free Speech in Russia

After violently suppressing freedom of the press, Putin is looking to silence ALL freedom of speech in Russia.

Any criticism of Russia's government would be treason, according to a bill he's sponsoring in the Russian Parliament.

Why?

Alexeyeva said the government was pushing the law quickly to head off possible protests resulting from the global financial crisis, which has hit Russia hard.

"The people ruling the government are afraid of the reaction of its citizens to their inability to cope with the crisis," she said.

This is a very, VERY bad thing. Fear on not only the citizens' part, but also the government's, is a powerfully dangerous ingredient to add to an easily-combustible situation.

Let's make sure that we stand up lest the same thing happen here; and pray for our brothers and sisters in Russia.

"Nine out of Ten Dentists Recommend..."

Or, "How could a consensus POSSIBLY be wrong?"

The Global "Climate Change" religion relies on one-sided hysteria - and it makes it to press that way! Gee, good thing we're thinking through things and getting both sides of the story, right? Oh, wait... well, at least we're not actually micro-managing economic, social, and energy policy based on it... oh - what's that you say? - hmm.

And in a completely unrelated article:

Scientists initially believed the greatest solar breach occured when the Earth's and sun's magnetic fields are pointed in opposite directions. But data from Themis found the opposite to be true. Twenty times more solar wind passed into the Earth's protective shield when the magnetic fields were aligned, Oieroset said.

Solar flares and holes in Earth's magnetic field work differently than scientists thought they would, too. Huh!

Well, at least NOW we know everything, right?

SOLVED.

The Adam Walsh murder - finally.

Also, more locally, (and last week), the murder of an elderly couple from 2003.

With poor little Caylee Anthony's body (likely) found, too... I might be just seeing what I want to see here, but does it seem to you like more cases shake out leading up to the Christmas season?

In the Midst of Our Transition to Fascism...

As our Fearless Leaders are doing their darnedest to nationalize things right and left by pretending to bail them out with increasingly worthless greenish-gray paper, Jeff at Mormanity found a way to be very, VERY funny.

Definitely worth a read.

Or three. *grin*

Might Want to Keep an Eye on This...

After palling around (officially, AGAIN) with just about every Central & South American country that isn't in love with the USA, Russia is actually sending ships to Cuban waters.

Notice the price of oil right now? (Chalk another one up for "Glenn Beck's Early News" since I started pointing them out...) They're collapsing, scared, and ready to fall back into the familiar swaddling of a dictatorial straitjacket... think I'm kidding?

The naval manoeuvres close to US waters are seen as a riposte to Washington's own moves in Russia's Soviet-era sphere of influence, including in the Black Sea.

Hmm. Their policy people are still living in the Soviet era. A happy, liberal, peaceful, prosperous golden age for them, right? Well, lest we forget the stunning Soviet quality of workmanship, (*ahem* - have you seen K-19: The Widowmaker?), they've been dealing with this lately:

...inadvertent fatal poisoning last month of 20 people aboard a Russian nuclear-powered submarine that was undergoing tests off the Pacific coast.

So... what that tells me, is that it might not even matter whether their subs could still launch a missile; all they'd have to do is explode at us.

I'm so grateful that I'm not in the Russian Navy right now...

Interesting Post at Mudville...

From the Mudville Gazette, a great John Adams quote; here's a bit from the end that seems especially pertinent:

And the new Governments we are assuming in every part will require a purification from our vices, and an augmentation of our virtues, or they will be no blessings. The people will have unbounded power, and the people are extremely addicted to corruption and venality, as well as the great. But I must submit all my hopes and fears to an overruling Providence, in which, unfashionable as the faith may be, I firmly believe. (emphasis mine)

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Go Around 'Em **Updated**

Here's a story problem for the day:

An automaker - after decades of inefficient operations and government oppression - can no longer keep up with its obligations. Rather than allow them to declare bankruptcy, which works for the airlines every couple of years, government leaders - with the approval of Union bosses - want to give them tax dollars. (Note: Because of the way the government pays for things, those are really future tax dollars.) ...The people object, despite the best efforts of the Legislative branch of government to do it while attaching "strings," so the Executive branch decides to just git 'er done and prepares to give them the money, anyway.

Flat-out-stupid economic policy aside, I'm looking for one good reason why this isn't fascist. Anyone?

(To put this in context, the "Bailout" - which is finally being examined more critically by Congress - was also forced on financial institutions... this isn't the first time government has said, 'we're your new bosses, and we dare you to object.')


***UPDATE #1***
So now the Senators are "un-American" for voting against it, according to Michigan's governor. Hmm. Really? Does that mean it's more "American" to run an industry into the ground? Or is it the regulation that's "American?" Or perhaps the "I'll sit on my duff and produce nothing but continue to be paid during 'retirement'" Union obligations are "American?" Hmm. Maybe he just means "punishing the entire country additionally for three companies' bad business policy under suffocating regulation" is "American," instead.

***UPDATE #2***
And ooh! Here's a good sign: the Fed won't disclose the recipients of the funds from the "first" Bailout. Hmm. Simultaneously, there are massive fraud discoveries. Hmm. I mean, honestly - who would've seen this stuff coming? ;-)

RUN Like the WIND!!!

Obama has announced parts of his New New Deal.

Hmm. I wonder how many part-time jobs he's planning on taking up to fund it, because we sure don't have extra dollars sitting around, and I don't think government programs run very well without taking more money from those of us paying taxes.

And I'd object to creating further dependence on the Magical Entity Known As "Government," anyway. Maybe I should turn that into an acronym: MEKAG. And let's call it, "ME," for short.

"We, the People" and all that, you know.

How about "We" quit increasing spending from "ME" for bureaucratic, populist, socialist programs designed primarily to enslave us?

Because government spending only increases every time we look at it.

Yep, What They Said.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty published a full-page ad in the New York Times, decrying the recent anti-Mormon violence and intimidation after Proposition 8 passed in California (and similar measures passed elsewhere).

This probably means that the Times is pretty hard up for advertising revenue, but I appreciate their allowing its publication, all the same. *wink*

It's a beautiful thing when people of faith can unite to stand up for others' rights to speak and act according to their consciences; and if it continues, this cooperation has the potential to really help solve the root of a lot of our problems as a society by reorienting our priorities and encouraging civility and respect.

Here's to continuing "civil defense" of our rights!

As a Taxpayer...

... it appears that I will soon be part-owner of the Big 3 auto companies. (Well, technically "even more part-owner," since I'm sure our IRA already includes some of their stock...)

With that in mind, I humbly submit the following requests:

• Use of a company jet one weekend per quarter;
• Promotional vehicle privileges, with vehicles rotated monthly;
• A cap boasting the GM logo (since I'm not so big on Ford, and honestly, who'd be seen wearing a Chrysler cap?); and
• Voting rights on any future bailout applications.

Does that work for you?