This is being posted here (and elsewhere) in lieu of a news report, since it is a private letter. I do not know the person writing it, but did get this from a reliable friend, and am assuming it is legitimate. It certainly matches what press reports are getting out about the terror descending on Zimbabwe. This expropriation and destruction is very important and timely to watch here in the US, in light of the infamouse June 23rd decision by the Supreme Court allowing "public use" as stated in the constitution to apply to anything with some "public benefit" including increased tax revenue.
A letter from Zim......
Sent in by John Winter:
I reckon that these are the last days of TKM and ZPF.
The darkest hour is always before dawn.
We are all terrified at what they are going to destroy next........I mean
they are actually plowing down brick and mortar houses and one white family
with twin boys of 10 had no chance of salvaging anything when 100 riot
police came in with AK's and bulldozers and demolished their beautiful
house - 5 bedrooms and pine ceilings - because it was "too close to the
airport"..so we are feeling extremely insecure right now. You know - I am
aware that this does not help you sleep at night, but if you do not know -
how can you help?
Even if you put us in your own mental ring of light and send your guardian
angels to be with us - that is a help - but I feel so cut off from you all
knowing I cannot tell you what's going on here simply because you will feel
uncomfortable. There is no ways we can leave so that is not an option. I
just ask that you all pray for us in the way that you know how, and let me
know that you are thinking of us and sending out positive vibes... that's
all.
You can't just be in denial and pretend its not going on. To be frank with
you, its genocide in the making and if you do not believe me, read the
Genocide Report by Amnesty International which says we are IN level seven
(level 8 is after its happened and everyone is in denial). If you don't
want me to tell you these things then it means you have not dealt with your
own fear, but it does not help me to think you are turning your back on our
situation.
We need you to get the news OUT that we are all in a fearfully dangerous
situation here. Too many people turn their backs and say - oh well, that's
what happens in Africa. This government has GONE MAD and you need to
publicize our plight or how can we be rescued?
You can't just say "oh you attract your own reality". The petrol queues are
a reality, the pall of smoke all around our city is a reality, the
thousands of homeless people sleeping outside in 0 Celsius with no food
water, shelter and bedding are a reality.
Today a family approached me, brother of the gardener's wife with two small
children. Their home was trashed and they will have to sleep outside. We
already support 8 people and a child on this property and electricity is
going up next month by 250% as is water. How can I take another family of
4 - and yet how can I turn them away to sleep out in the open?
I am not asking you for money, or a ticket out of here - I am asking you to
FACE the fact that we are in deep and terrible danger and I want you to
pass on our news and pictures and don't just press the delete button for
God's sake. Help in the way that you know how. Face the reality of what is
going on here and SEND OUT THE WORD. The more people that know about it,
the more chance we have of United Nations coming to our aid.
Please stop ignoring and denying what's happening. Would you like to be
protected from the truth and then if we are eliminated how would you feel?
Surely you would say "if only we knew how bad it really was we could have
helped in some way". I know we chose to stay here and so we "deserve"
what's coming to us. For now we ourselves, have food, shelter, a little
fuel and a bit of money for the next meal - but what is going to happen
next? Will they start on our houses? All property is going to belong to the
State now. I want to send out my Title Deeds to one of you because if they
get a hold of those I can't fight for my rights.
We no longer have SW radio which told us everything that was happening
because the government jammed it out of existence - we don't have any
reporters, and no one is allowed to photograph. If we had reporters here
they would have an absolute field day. Even the pro government Herald has
written that people are shocked, stunned, bewildered and blown mindless by
the wanton destruction of everyone's homes which are supposed to be
"illegal but which a huge percentage of them actually do have licenses for.
Please my children - have some compassion and HELP by sending out the
articles and personal reports so that something can be DONE.
---
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Baker's Dozen (tm): Celebrate a Safe 4th
A Baker’s Dozen ™ Citizen’s Guide to Celebrating the Fourth of July (2005)
2. Drive to your celebration safely. Make sure you wear your seatbelts, have all the children in government-approved child safety seats, have all your forms and travel papers (drivers license, car registration, auto insurance, health insurance) in order, don’t drink and drive, don’t smoke and drive, and don’t talk on your cell phone and drive. And please be polite to the police officers at all the checkpoints: they are doing this for your safety and protection.
3. Don’t drink too much; especially not if you are driving, boating, walking, watching a parade, riding a horse, or anything else for which (for your own safety and that of others) you may have to be detained by police.
4. Don’t frown or stare at people, no matter what they are doing or wearing (or not wearing). Remember, staring at unclothed or partially clothed people is sexual harassment, and frowning may be seen as anti-social and racist or bigoted in some way.
5. Don’t talk politics at Fourth of July events – this may get people angry, especially if you talk about independence, liberty, freedom, and other words banned by Microsoft in
6. Don’t pray or talk religion at Fourth of July events – especially on public property, including streets and road rights-of-way, fairgrounds, parks, and national forest and park lands. This is probably violating regulations and court decisions, and may get people angry and embarrassed.
7. Do not use firearms in any way to celebrate the Fourth. Not only is this dangerous and illegal in most (well, all sane) places, but can scare and scar children and sensitive people for life, both mentally and emotionally.
8. Do nothing which will damage the natural environment: do not use charcoal or wood fires which create excessive smoke, do not use ATVs or 4WD vehicles, do not use perfumed sunscreen or bug spray. These all create damage to the soil, vegetation, wildlife, and people sensitive to odors, smoke, and other environmental pollutants.
9. Always only attend publicly-sponsored and government-approved events, where safety, security, and law enforcement are strictly controlled. There is safety in numbers, as long as there is enough security around. Even when not having fun, pretend to, so that you will not harm people’s self-image because they think you don’t like being around them.
10. Remember to protect yourself from common threats and injuries. Use sunscreen and bug-spray (as approved by government agencies) to protect yourself from sunburn,
11. Do not attempt to physically restrain children (including teenagers and all persons below legal drinking age) from doing anything, even if their actions may be seen as anti-social or threatening: you will be violating child-protection laws, may be performing an act of sexual predation, or breaking other local, state, and federal laws. Instead, call for police officers to properly detain and remove the out-of-control child.
12. Avoid any kind of entertainments which may be illegal in your jurisdiction. Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse: you must be aware of all restrictions. Common ones to avoid: animal fights (including cock fights), open containers and excessive drinking, smoking in “no-smoking” zones, loud music from boom-boxes or automobiles, low-riding, sun-bathing in restricted zones, playing in water sprinklers on a no-watering day, use of paintball guns, spray string, skateboards, in-line skates, and other restricted items.
13. Remember how grateful you should be to those who won and keep this nation in existence and protect us from dangers and evil: be sure and tell law enforcement officers and other government employees how much you appreciate their selfless dedication and efforts to protect and serve the public.
Although Baker’s Dozen Tips are usually serious, I hope that by now, all readers will see that this is satire and NOT to be taken seriously. If you are upset by this, please, immediately contact a local liberty-lovers group and join their efforts to properly honor our nation’s efforts for both freedom and liberty for our ancestors, ourselves, and our posterity.
Friday, June 24, 2005
The End of Private Property - What Now?
What now? (Part I – Consequences)
“And just when will the revolution actually start now?” That was the first question my wife had when I told her of the insane 5-4 ruling by the Supreme Court announced yesterday, concerning the power of government to seize private property.[1] And it is a valid question. This morning, a raft of stories about some of the 10,000 “eminent domain” actions in progress across the former republican union popped up on various web news-sites and newspaper sites.
As many people have pointed out, the United States Constitution, and virtually all institutions of free nations, are built on a solid bedrock of establishing the principle of ownership of property. My recent article on nation-building[2] listed this as the number 2 priority, right after removing government’s power to harm its members or neighbors:
“Establish ownership of property (institutionalize property). Establish and enforce ownership by individuals of all possible resources, including land, structures, water, air, airspace, broadcasting bands (frequencies), ideas, and rights to provide specified services to specific persons or in specific locations for specific purposes. English common law developed to provide this institutionalization of property, and evolved by hard knocks to ensure that resources (assets) held informally or put to use were recognized as property. The institution of property, free from the whims of rulers, invaders, and envious neighbors is essential to create a free society.”
Obviously, this Supreme Court decision, for those in states without very solid protections in their own constitutions against eminent domain, has just destroyed that bulwark of freedom. When coupled with the affirmation (and expansion) of the 1942 case which expands the “commerce clause” to anything Congress wishes to consider “interstate commerce” in the medical cannabis case ruling[3] several weeks ago and Monday’s ruling on a California property rights case[4], it creates a situation in which that “line in the sand” that indicates the final destruction of the Republic has been crossed. Hence my wife’s question.
Indeed, we are only beginning to be able to examine the consequences of this ruling, although one of the four dissenting justices (O’Connor) wrote:
“Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to being taken and transferred to another private owner, so long as it might be upgraded — i.e., given to an owner who will use it in a way that the legislature deems more beneficial to the public — in the process. To reason, as the court does, that the incidental public benefits resulting from the subsequent ordinary use of private property render economic development takings “for public use” is to wash out any distinction between private and public use of property—and thereby effectively to delete the words ‘for public use’ from the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment.”
The very evil of this ruling can be seen by looking at the very case on which it was made, and hundreds of other cases now pending across the nation, and sure to be prosecuted with vigor based on this ruling (just as Federal agents in California are even now rounding up “criminals” after the medical cannabis ruling and most recent failure by Congress to rectify the situation).
But we have a very real, very horrific example in today’s news of exactly what this decision will ultimately lead to, titled by one writer as “Holocaust in
“Oh, that can’t happen here!” How often have we heard those words? Yet, it may happen here sooner than later, and in the very town whose tyrannical rulers brought this to the Court in the first place. A number of people in the
They probably won’t make her and the other surviving remnants of the community actually live in the streets; they’ll get nice warm jail cells for a while, at least, and when (months or years later) the checks get cut, they’ll theoretically be able to buy new homes – or at least new places to live. But such an eventual outcome does not excuse the criminal (or at least immoral) act of stealing in the first place, nor the mistreatment of the people victims of this theft.
As the editorial in the
Some of the immediate impacts have already been discussed on radio, in discussion groups, on blogs, etc.:
1. Churches are in great risk. Religious organizations do not pay property taxes, but now, under the premise that “economic development” = “government revenue enhancement,” this will encourage local governments to exercise eminent domain (i.e., steal) on church properties (and other tax-exempt properties) in order to sell them to new owners for commercial purposes and therefore be able to add them to the tax rolls.
2. Especially in California, with Proposition 13, and other locations where property tax valuations are frozen as long as the residence is not sold, it will be possible (and eminently logical) to condemn the properties, pay the current market value to the owners, then allow them to buy back their property at the same price they just sold it for – a price that now forms the baseline for property tax appraisals and levies: in some cases in California, this apparently would instantly increase property tax generated from the property by five times or more. Or the city/county could simply sell their new property to whomever they would, leaving the old owner out in the cold (albeit with a nice check).
3. The use of eminent domain by unscrupulous “big-box store” chains and opportunistic and tyrannical “economic development” bureaucrats and their schills in city and county councils is well-known, especially in places like the Front Range Metroplex of Colorado, and will see rapid expansion, now that the American Planning Society, Municipal League, and other government lobbying groups have this victory. And to that we can add plans to demolish entire neighborhoods for the sake of constructing vast sports temples in New York, DC, and other places: mixing “bread and circuses” with welfare to the rich (sports owners and players) and vast profits in the form of taxes for cities and counties.
4. Various cities and counties and states can be expected to become a lot more aggressive, and the courts much more biased, in various cases where there is some question as to whether the intended use is indeed “public,” as in dozens of cases regarding easements for pipelines, power facilities (such as power windmills and solar systems), and streets, parking, etc. Abuse will grow significantly.
I don’t have the imagination to come up with some other results of this catastrophic decision, but I can be sure that “innovative” tyrants and their sycophants will use their imaginations. But I am reminded of what newly-confirmed Federal Circuit Court Judge, then-California Supreme Court Justice, Janice Rogers Brown wrote in dissent to the
As with the medical cannabis decision, there are those who will immediately expect the legislature or the executive to come to their rescue. Such hopes will be no more realized than the expectation that such intervention would save Terry Schiavo’s life several months ago. For example, Brown’s opinion was used by some senators in opposing her recent elevation to a federal appeals court: she is “too radical.”
So what now? What do we do?
I have already received e-mail urging me to participate in a form of recall petitions against this Gang of Five (John Paul Stevens, Anthony Kennedy, David H. Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer), and actually, I would include the sixth, Scalia, who filed a concurring opinion in the medical cannabis case, as well. The usual call, to “Support President Bush” and get in more conservative justices when (whenever) one or two retire, has inevitably been made. Other ideas as well will be bandied about in the next days. In my second part of this article, I’ll look at some alternative actions.
FYI: The three court cases are:
San Remo Hotel v. City and
Kelo v.
Ashcroft, et al. v. Raich, et al. 03-1454
[1] NEW news story reference
[2] Baker’s Dozen ™ Tips on Rebuilding Disfunctional Societys, http://libertys-outpost.blogspot.com/,
[3] http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/06/scotus.medical.marijuana.ap/
[4] http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050620/D8ARHDE00.html: The Supreme Court said Monday that people who lose state lawsuits claiming the government improperly took their property cannot count on federal courts for help. In Monday's decision, the justices ruled against a historic
[5] http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44963
[6] http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=56728
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Interesting Things about Bills of Rights
I'm always having folks point me to new things on-line, and this above site is courtesy of Sunni (http://www.endervidualism.com/salon/web/w0605.htm) and is of considerable interest, because it shows a willingness to keep minor differences in philosophy from interfering with useful cooperative efforts. One thing of interest I noticed was the list of "Documents Which Encompass Human Rights" and their disclaimer: "Inclusion of a document on this list does not imply agreement with the entire document. These are just examples of documents that recognize individual rights." They list six.
I of course have a certain fondness for the United States' Bill of Rights (US-BOR) (which tops the list) - due to ancestry, raising, my own free acceptance of an obligation to defend and protect it, and my day-to-day life under its protections, but I am readily willing to admit that it has its flaws. My state's (South Dakota's) Bill of Right [sic] is better: more specific, more forthright and in keeping with the spirit of the Declaration of Independence itself, although it shares some flaws with the US version. These include no enforcement mechanism except the courts (what a laughable concept THAT is, in view of 220+ years of history), the right to keep and bear arms, and (in SD's case, only) the statement of the inherent right of the people to reform or abolish the government. It also resides within the context of the entire Constitution, and as recent court decisions have again reminded us, that venerable document contains loopholes large enough (sadly) to drive an entire PanzerArmee through. The other documents I look on with decreasing pleasure: starting with the next oldest, the French "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" (DRMC), which you can find at (http://www.hrcr.org/docs/frenchdec.html) This little piece of statist disinformation, with its meandering about "law" and "nation" and "society" is far worse than (and three times as long as) the US-BOR (especially its morbid fascination with "law"). While no more followed by successive French governments that the BOR is by the present American government branches, is far more able to be subverted (as those same French governments have demonstrated time and again). Its Gallic influence is seen in the current European Union's failed constitution.
It is not all bad, of course, and has some definite flairs in places, as in Article 4:"Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. These limits can only be determined by law. "
However, this is immediately offset by the very next article: "5. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society. Nothing may be prevented which is not forbidden by law, and no one may be forced to do anything not provided for by law."Which is the measure? Persons or society? If it said, "Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to others" it would be consistent with itself, at least. The last phrase of the second sentence - at first I thought it had no redeeming features at all, but maybe if it said, "No one may be forced to do anything." it might make sense.
Oh, and no right to keep and bear arms or to replace the government.
The next is the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights." (UDHR) Again, it is easy to see the influence of the French document in it, as well as to see its influence on the EU. And again, it sounds very pretty, but has no enforcement except a very oblique reference in the preamble: "Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law," - but we know how much good THAT has done. But as you read through its THIRTY articles (as compared to 17 in the DRHC and 10 in the US-BOR), you find that what the UN, even in 1948, considered "rights" sound like excuses for the existence of the state and its power: "social security" is a right; "food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services" are rights, "employment" is a right. (It is very interesting, though, in light of the worldwide clamor over same-sex marriage, to note that this document clearly defines marriage as between a man and a woman: "Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family." (Article 16) There might be in there a right to plural marriages, but not to homosexual ones.) And some of the so-called "rights" are anything BUT rights: the most prominent one is in Article 26: "Elementary education shall be compulsory." And as you might imagine, no right to keep and bear arms. All in all, a worthless piece of paper, as germane to world history in the past 57 years as the location of Alexander's tomb.
The next is the 1982 "Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" found at (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter). It starts out with two sick jokes to anyone who knows governments and Canada in the last 25 years. "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law..." - It may have been founded upon God, but the effort in the last quarter century has been to disassociate itself from God as much as possible - especially the God of the Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions of its founders. The next joke is worse, though (and the EU closely followed this in their botched attempt at a bill of rights): "The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society." In other words, folks, don't bother with the rest of it: "reasonable limits" and "demonstrations justification" are defined by either a one-vote majority in Commons or a one-vote majority of appointees to the High Bench. There ARE no freedoms and rights except as the powers-that-be are willing to let people have. And of course, there are no provisions for enforcement. And we are up to 34 Articles, although admittedly several of the articles deal with the unique English-French "multicultural" of Canada. At least (although they are meaningless, as I said) there are a few familiar rights that we south of the border recognize, such as banning self-incriminating and double-jeopardy. But no right to keep and bear arms, as Canadians are learning right now.
The last two documents listed are "The Australian Privacy Charter" and the "World Passport" - both of which are dream documents and about as applicable to real life as the EU's dead constitution, so I won't go into any detail. The Australian thing has at least one good article though: "People should have the option of not identifying themselves when entering transactions." Of course it is weasely "should" is not the same as saying: "No person shall be forced, under penalty of law, to identify themselves when entering transactions." If you are curious, go to: http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/DV/PrivacyCharter.html. Please note, Australia HAS NO "Bill of Rights" except for tenuous claims to the old British one from 1688, because they are in allegiance to H.M. Queen Elizabeth, second of that name.
The "World Passport" (http://www.worldgovernment.org/docpass.html) is my opinion is a piece of garbage and does not belong in the links at all. It purports to support the right of free travel around the world, but that is a crock, to put it mildly. Whether your "papers" (as in "May I see your papers, please, comrade.") are issued by a wanna-be world government or a national government or a local dog-catcher/tyrant - they are still an affront to human liberty and dignity and deserve to be treated like any other attempt at slavery. Freedom to travel has to apply to anyone with or without papers or it is meaningless, in the long term (and often in the very short term, as well - try catching a plane in the USA today.) It is also, apparently, something of a scam, like International Drivers Licenses (not International Driving Permits) and claims that citing the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) will make the IRS back off.
The point is, there is not YET (and probably won't ever be) a "perfect" Bill of Rights, and attempts to define more and more rights specifically lead to all kinds of garbage. Bills of rights exist to limit the powers of government, NOT to establish or "give" rights to people, so maybe the entire concept of bills of rights is flawed. Maybe it would have been better if the Founding Fathers had entitled this "PROHIBITIONS ON ANY GOVERNMENT" and (of course) provided a mechanism for enforcement. But I fear that any human government beyond that of a small, voluntary membership (like that of a church congregation) is doomed to eventually try to take away every right - and this kind of thing just facilitiates that.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
New Baker's Dozen: Rebuilding Nations
This was first published at www.thepriceofliberty.org
Baker’s Dozen ™ Tips for Rebuilding Disfunctional Societies
With thanks to Quintin Langley for the original idea.
Massive invasions to “liberate” nations, even when coupled with massive foreign aid programs, voting schemes, and generous pensions for redundant politicians and military dictators, have been proven to be inadequate for creating truly human societies. (For example, it has been sixty years now since most of Europe was liberated from Nazi tyranny, and they STILL can’t get it right.) Therefore, these tips to create a functional and human society are provided for your use. WARNING: Avoid so-called “professional” individuals and groups, especially those who claim vast experience in nation-building (or re-building) and those with short acronyms or abbreviations like “UN”, “USA”, or “CPSU.”
While these tasks are listed in general order in which they should be accomplished, it is not always necessary to complete one task before proceeding to the next.
Remove or limit the ability of organizations (including “states” or “governments”) to harm their members (clients/citizens/etc.) and their neighbors. “De jure” limits seldom work unless “de facto” limits are already in place. In some cases, this may require five to ninety years to accomplish. Although “disarmament” is claimed by many to be the only way of removing or limiting this, history has shown that disarmament works, at best, for a very limited time; the time-proven method of limiting the ability to cause harm is to ensure that neighbors and citizens are adequately armed and capable of using those arms effectively.
Establish ownership of property (institutionalize property). Establish and enforce ownership by individuals of all possible resources, including land, structures, water, air, airspace, broadcasting bands (frequencies), ideas, and rights to provide specified services to specific persons or in specific locations for specific purposes. English common law developed to provide this institutionalization of property, and evolved by hard knocks to ensure that resources (assets) held informally or put to use were recognized as property. The institution of property, free from the whims of rulers, invaders, and envious neighbors is essential to create a free society.
Establish methods of resolving disputes which do not involve immediate use of weaponry or a ruling by a “wise man” from a throne. Solomon was a rarity: one in several hundred billion. Have several methods, at least somewhat independent. If it turns out that violence is sometimes necessary to resolve an otherwise insoluble dispute, make sure that obvious physical and mental differences are balanced.
Diversify education. Schools, formal or informal, are the basis of the flow of information required for a society to function. Turning schools into instruments of government, at ANY level (local, regional, national) ultimately destroys free speech AND the economy, as the aims of government are inexorably opposed to the goals of proper education: learning to communicate and share information. Education must be free and separate from the state, just as religion must be, and for most of the same reasons. Priority must be given to primary schools: higher education will follow naturally. No person, organization, or institution should have a monopoly on education anywhere, anytime.
Eliminate corruption at all levels, in both the “public” and “private” sectors. Under the table payments are damaging to society and the economy. Living on tips, whether you are a waiter, a soldier, or a politician, is corrosive and reduces or eliminates the feedback necessary for a market economy AND a free society. If the full price of the goods or services provided is not clear and up-front, inefficiency is far above tolerable levels.
Establish commonly accepted standards. This is a broad area, because it includes everything from commonly accepted standards for weight, length, and other physical measurements to commonly acceptable standards for proper behavior of children, teens, military personnel (on- and off-duty), business-owners, employers, employees, and media, among others.
Provide (as much as possible) all goods and services by private, voluntary actions. Do not attempt to allocate any goods or services by elections, appointed officials, or redistribution of stolen goods.
Eliminate (as much as possible) forced payments and forced services. This amounts, in fact, to an elimination of taxes. Make voluntary contributions the normal way of providing for needs which affect a large segment of society or for services which cannot be done by a free market. Once this is done, it doesn’t matter what you call the political leaders.
Devolve power. While a “strong man” or “man on a horse” may temporarily solve some problems, in anything but the very short term they create more problems than they ever solve. Whatever political power exists, whatever power to enforce laws, defend against aggression, or implement new laws or enforcement, must be divided as much as possible, both geographically and culturally (that is, by segments of society such as classes, ethnic groups, religious affiliations, or other divisions). In particular, internal defense against aggression (internal “police” powers) and external defense against aggression (“military” powers) must be kept separate, if at all possible with completely different geographic jurisdictions.
Encourage learning and education outside the state or country or society being “built.” Learning that there is a way of doing things outside your clan, town, county, people or nation, even if you don’t LIKE the other ways of doing things, matures you amazingly. Apply this principle even to those people who just can’t seem to understand that they are not supposed to attack people, control them, or be rude: whether this education is done by banishment or putting them in Coventry is really a moot point, as long as the rest of the population is safe from them.
Separate civic (ceremonial) and administrative (working) roles for government at all levels. No one needs any power whatsoever to welcome soldiers home, visitors to town, dedicate buildings, cry with the survivors, raise money to help the injured, or kiss babies.
Encourage preachers. Not “religious leaders” (whatever they may be called) but preachers – those teaching whatever doctrine they wish to proclaim, calling people in the public eye to account for their actions, urging people to live moral (or even immoral) lives, and reminding people there is something beyond society and the state.
Do it in writing. Living constitutions stink worse than the “dead” written word.
Version 1.1. This initial list may be amended in the future; your comments are appreciated and will be incorporated in future editions.
© 2005, Information Incorporated
Baker’s Dozen ™ Tips for Rebuilding Disfunctional Societies
With thanks to Quintin Langley for the original idea.
Massive invasions to “liberate” nations, even when coupled with massive foreign aid programs, voting schemes, and generous pensions for redundant politicians and military dictators, have been proven to be inadequate for creating truly human societies. (For example, it has been sixty years now since most of Europe was liberated from Nazi tyranny, and they STILL can’t get it right.) Therefore, these tips to create a functional and human society are provided for your use. WARNING: Avoid so-called “professional” individuals and groups, especially those who claim vast experience in nation-building (or re-building) and those with short acronyms or abbreviations like “UN”, “USA”, or “CPSU.”
While these tasks are listed in general order in which they should be accomplished, it is not always necessary to complete one task before proceeding to the next.
Remove or limit the ability of organizations (including “states” or “governments”) to harm their members (clients/citizens/etc.) and their neighbors. “De jure” limits seldom work unless “de facto” limits are already in place. In some cases, this may require five to ninety years to accomplish. Although “disarmament” is claimed by many to be the only way of removing or limiting this, history has shown that disarmament works, at best, for a very limited time; the time-proven method of limiting the ability to cause harm is to ensure that neighbors and citizens are adequately armed and capable of using those arms effectively.
Establish ownership of property (institutionalize property). Establish and enforce ownership by individuals of all possible resources, including land, structures, water, air, airspace, broadcasting bands (frequencies), ideas, and rights to provide specified services to specific persons or in specific locations for specific purposes. English common law developed to provide this institutionalization of property, and evolved by hard knocks to ensure that resources (assets) held informally or put to use were recognized as property. The institution of property, free from the whims of rulers, invaders, and envious neighbors is essential to create a free society.
Establish methods of resolving disputes which do not involve immediate use of weaponry or a ruling by a “wise man” from a throne. Solomon was a rarity: one in several hundred billion. Have several methods, at least somewhat independent. If it turns out that violence is sometimes necessary to resolve an otherwise insoluble dispute, make sure that obvious physical and mental differences are balanced.
Diversify education. Schools, formal or informal, are the basis of the flow of information required for a society to function. Turning schools into instruments of government, at ANY level (local, regional, national) ultimately destroys free speech AND the economy, as the aims of government are inexorably opposed to the goals of proper education: learning to communicate and share information. Education must be free and separate from the state, just as religion must be, and for most of the same reasons. Priority must be given to primary schools: higher education will follow naturally. No person, organization, or institution should have a monopoly on education anywhere, anytime.
Eliminate corruption at all levels, in both the “public” and “private” sectors. Under the table payments are damaging to society and the economy. Living on tips, whether you are a waiter, a soldier, or a politician, is corrosive and reduces or eliminates the feedback necessary for a market economy AND a free society. If the full price of the goods or services provided is not clear and up-front, inefficiency is far above tolerable levels.
Establish commonly accepted standards. This is a broad area, because it includes everything from commonly accepted standards for weight, length, and other physical measurements to commonly acceptable standards for proper behavior of children, teens, military personnel (on- and off-duty), business-owners, employers, employees, and media, among others.
Provide (as much as possible) all goods and services by private, voluntary actions. Do not attempt to allocate any goods or services by elections, appointed officials, or redistribution of stolen goods.
Eliminate (as much as possible) forced payments and forced services. This amounts, in fact, to an elimination of taxes. Make voluntary contributions the normal way of providing for needs which affect a large segment of society or for services which cannot be done by a free market. Once this is done, it doesn’t matter what you call the political leaders.
Devolve power. While a “strong man” or “man on a horse” may temporarily solve some problems, in anything but the very short term they create more problems than they ever solve. Whatever political power exists, whatever power to enforce laws, defend against aggression, or implement new laws or enforcement, must be divided as much as possible, both geographically and culturally (that is, by segments of society such as classes, ethnic groups, religious affiliations, or other divisions). In particular, internal defense against aggression (internal “police” powers) and external defense against aggression (“military” powers) must be kept separate, if at all possible with completely different geographic jurisdictions.
Encourage learning and education outside the state or country or society being “built.” Learning that there is a way of doing things outside your clan, town, county, people or nation, even if you don’t LIKE the other ways of doing things, matures you amazingly. Apply this principle even to those people who just can’t seem to understand that they are not supposed to attack people, control them, or be rude: whether this education is done by banishment or putting them in Coventry is really a moot point, as long as the rest of the population is safe from them.
Separate civic (ceremonial) and administrative (working) roles for government at all levels. No one needs any power whatsoever to welcome soldiers home, visitors to town, dedicate buildings, cry with the survivors, raise money to help the injured, or kiss babies.
Encourage preachers. Not “religious leaders” (whatever they may be called) but preachers – those teaching whatever doctrine they wish to proclaim, calling people in the public eye to account for their actions, urging people to live moral (or even immoral) lives, and reminding people there is something beyond society and the state.
Do it in writing. Living constitutions stink worse than the “dead” written word.
Version 1.1. This initial list may be amended in the future; your comments are appreciated and will be incorporated in future editions.
© 2005, Information Incorporated
Shadow Governments?
Shadow government? An idea for the United States
For decades, if not centuries, Britain's parliamentary government has featured an unusual idea - that the opposition party in government should form a "shadow government" featuring "shadow ministers" and even shadow ministerial staffs. This allows the opposition to do several things, including assign responsibility for dealing with issues, prepare for an eventual accession to power, and provide a ready source of commentary to the press and elsewhere on specific issues and fields of concern. The closest thing the US has had to this concept has been the minority leaders and their subordinates (whips, etc.) in the various legislative houses. But since ministries (in the UK) are executive branch departments in the US, there had seldom been anything similar. The closest is the Democrat or GOP spokesman chosen to rebut the now traditional Saturday broadcast by the sitting president.
Of course, since there is much to argue for the fact that, philosophical differences apart, there is little if anything in actual RESULTS to distinguish between the two predominant, and old, parties, in the US, such a shadow administration is, at best, a token.
However, for the Libertarian Party, well outside the informal cartel of government power in DC and all fifty state capitols, the idea of a shadow government offers some potential, indeed.
Modern American government is huge. Even if a single Libertarian party member were able to respond as would be desirable to every pronouncement by a state cabinet member or department head, there is not enough time in the day (especially for volunteers). The same thing can be said of key legislative committee chairs, again at both the state and federal level. However, the appointment (or even, within the party, election) of shadow "secretaries" and shadow "chairs" of key departments and committees would allow for specialization AND time to respond in a given area of interest, as well as a certain legitimacy: "Today, Libertarian shadow Secretary of Defense John Smith condemned Secretary Rumsfeld's call for 50,000 more troops in Iraq" has a better ring than "Libertarian activist and spokesman John Smith condemned..." This will also encourage specialization and additional thought about specific political and governmental problems, which apply both to political/election efforts and to non-political libertarian efforts. For example, a series of web or telephone conferences between the fifty state shadow Attorneys General about how to respond to new mandates on Drivers Licenses would produce some very valuable ideas and information, as well as contacts and possibly, media attention. It would encourage cooperation in various efforts, including ballot initiatives, voter registration drives, and nonpolitical activities such as monetary alternatives and personal defense initiatives.
In addition, by appointing such shadow cabinet/chair positions several years in advance of elections, the opportunities for public speaking and attention in the media would increase. If shadow appointments to all legislative seats were done two years in advance, it would be a way of determining candidates for the elected office well in advance, AND give some more credence to their campaign. Jana Jones, appointed in 2006 as the Libertarian Party shadow County Commission Chair, who has been writing letters to the editor, commentaries, and making press releases for almost a year and a half prior to formally announcing she will run AGAINST the current Democratic Chair, has some visibility (and knowledge) that would otherwise not be there.
As liberty continues to be eroded away at the same rate as soil washing away from a freshly plowed field in Iowa during a cloud-burst, the existence of shadow government officials at all levels may be a valuable survival tool which will keep the present precarious state of affairs from being replaced by some kind of outright dictatorship (military or otherwise). This is really NOT a new idea: the pre-Revolutionary Committees of Correspondence in the Thirteen Colonies were very much shadow governments, and the Continental Congress, itself much a product of those committees, was an illegal or at least extra-governmental organization in the eyes of the Crown and the Crown's governments in the Colonies.
This is not offered as a panacea or as anything but yet another tool to use in the cause of liberty; one which will serve both political and non-political efforts.
If you are interested in this concept and wish to explore it, please (1) share this with other libertarians, (2) respond to this web-site with your ideas, comments, and encouragement, and (3) begin forming your own LOCAL shadow government. Start with your town, housing association, school board, or county.
For decades, if not centuries, Britain's parliamentary government has featured an unusual idea - that the opposition party in government should form a "shadow government" featuring "shadow ministers" and even shadow ministerial staffs. This allows the opposition to do several things, including assign responsibility for dealing with issues, prepare for an eventual accession to power, and provide a ready source of commentary to the press and elsewhere on specific issues and fields of concern. The closest thing the US has had to this concept has been the minority leaders and their subordinates (whips, etc.) in the various legislative houses. But since ministries (in the UK) are executive branch departments in the US, there had seldom been anything similar. The closest is the Democrat or GOP spokesman chosen to rebut the now traditional Saturday broadcast by the sitting president.
Of course, since there is much to argue for the fact that, philosophical differences apart, there is little if anything in actual RESULTS to distinguish between the two predominant, and old, parties, in the US, such a shadow administration is, at best, a token.
However, for the Libertarian Party, well outside the informal cartel of government power in DC and all fifty state capitols, the idea of a shadow government offers some potential, indeed.
Modern American government is huge. Even if a single Libertarian party member were able to respond as would be desirable to every pronouncement by a state cabinet member or department head, there is not enough time in the day (especially for volunteers). The same thing can be said of key legislative committee chairs, again at both the state and federal level. However, the appointment (or even, within the party, election) of shadow "secretaries" and shadow "chairs" of key departments and committees would allow for specialization AND time to respond in a given area of interest, as well as a certain legitimacy: "Today, Libertarian shadow Secretary of Defense John Smith condemned Secretary Rumsfeld's call for 50,000 more troops in Iraq" has a better ring than "Libertarian activist and spokesman John Smith condemned..." This will also encourage specialization and additional thought about specific political and governmental problems, which apply both to political/election efforts and to non-political libertarian efforts. For example, a series of web or telephone conferences between the fifty state shadow Attorneys General about how to respond to new mandates on Drivers Licenses would produce some very valuable ideas and information, as well as contacts and possibly, media attention. It would encourage cooperation in various efforts, including ballot initiatives, voter registration drives, and nonpolitical activities such as monetary alternatives and personal defense initiatives.
In addition, by appointing such shadow cabinet/chair positions several years in advance of elections, the opportunities for public speaking and attention in the media would increase. If shadow appointments to all legislative seats were done two years in advance, it would be a way of determining candidates for the elected office well in advance, AND give some more credence to their campaign. Jana Jones, appointed in 2006 as the Libertarian Party shadow County Commission Chair, who has been writing letters to the editor, commentaries, and making press releases for almost a year and a half prior to formally announcing she will run AGAINST the current Democratic Chair, has some visibility (and knowledge) that would otherwise not be there.
As liberty continues to be eroded away at the same rate as soil washing away from a freshly plowed field in Iowa during a cloud-burst, the existence of shadow government officials at all levels may be a valuable survival tool which will keep the present precarious state of affairs from being replaced by some kind of outright dictatorship (military or otherwise). This is really NOT a new idea: the pre-Revolutionary Committees of Correspondence in the Thirteen Colonies were very much shadow governments, and the Continental Congress, itself much a product of those committees, was an illegal or at least extra-governmental organization in the eyes of the Crown and the Crown's governments in the Colonies.
This is not offered as a panacea or as anything but yet another tool to use in the cause of liberty; one which will serve both political and non-political efforts.
If you are interested in this concept and wish to explore it, please (1) share this with other libertarians, (2) respond to this web-site with your ideas, comments, and encouragement, and (3) begin forming your own LOCAL shadow government. Start with your town, housing association, school board, or county.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Traveling Securely - A new "Bakers Dozen"
A Baker’s Dozen Tips ™ To Traveling Securely by Nathan Barton and John Farnham © 2004
With the increased difficulty in using public transportation (planes and trains), more Americans are driving greater distances than ever. However, both in cities and other areas, there are threats to you and your property while traveling. There are a few simple items to reduce the risk and to be able to respond if a threat arises:
1. Ensure that you have basic equipment for responding to emergencies in your vehicle. Some of the equipment you should ALWAYS have: first-aid kit (trauma type), warning triangles and/or flashers, purified water (for drinking, cleaning, and emergency fluids replacement), paper and pencil, food (including candy or other items with sugar), and vehicle maintenance equipment (such as tire gauge, tire-changing equipment, spare, and owner’s manual).
2. Ensure that you vary your emergency equipment in your vehicle based on changing seasons and the area in which you are traveling. Seasonal equipment may include additional water, blankets or sleeping bags, snow shovel, suntan lotion, hats, coats, and raingear.
3. When parking your vehicle, make sure that you put away or cover items that might be a temptation to people to break in and steal. Also cover or put away items that may be damaged by the sun or heat. And of course, be sure you lock your car at all times when you are not in the vehicle.
4. Don’t leave children, animals, or other items in your vehicle, which may be damaged by extremes of heat or cold.
5. When traveling in heavy stop-and-go traffic, especially in central urban areas, keep doors locked and windows rolled up (as much as possible) to prevent someone from entering your vehicle without permission, or from throwing something into (or snatching something from) your vehicle.
6. Always inspect the exterior of your vehicle before getting in and driving, to check for damage (especially in a parking lot), broken lights, low or flat tires, and other problems.
7. When receiving your car back from a maintenance provider, in addition to checking to make sure that repairs were done as invoiced, and that key items are present and have been correctly replaced, also check that an excessive amount of mileage has not been used on the odometer.
Make sure that your registration, insurance information, and tags/stickers are all current, and have not been tampered with. When receiving replacements, check to make sure all information is correct. Whenever possible, do NOT put a street address on your various papers: instead use a post office box.
8. If you carry a pistol in your vehicle (a strong recommendation), make sure that it is convenient to reach if needed, that it is not visible from outside the vehicle, and that it is stored securely where it will not be dislodged in case of a sudden stop or accident. Ensure that you know what laws apply in states through which you travel.
9. If stopped by a patrolman or police officer, verify that the person really is a police officer before letting them take your documents or get into their vehicle. If possible, arrange thorough an auto club or other service to have a “bond” for minor traffic offenses, to avoid having to post large cash bails or pay large fines.
10. When you see an accident or what appears like an accident, if possible report the accident to an emergency dispatcher before stopping to assist, in case problems develop. When approaching the accident scene, keep a good distance to avoid problems with debris from the accident, attempts to seize your vehicle, and to allow emergency response vehicles adequate access, as well as pulling off the driving lane far enough for your own safety.
11. Especially before beginning a long trip or traveling to remote areas, check for adequate fuel, oil, radiator fluid, other fluids, spare tire, tire-changing equipment, and working lights, including turn signals.
12. If stopped and asked by law enforcement to voluntarily submit to a search, refuse to do so without a search warrant. If searching is done, politely express that you are allowing such under threat of force, and observe the searching as closely as possible. Request a written copy of anything that they claim to have found.
13. Your automobile should be as much your castle as your home, but the law does not always recognize that fact. Plan for that situation, and be prepared for whatever might happen.
© 2004 Information, Incorporated. Free for distribution without change and with all copyright notices intact. For corrections and ideas, please contact: WASTELINE6@aol.com This does NOT constitute legal advice or professional advice/consulting of any type, and the author is not responsible for any misuse of this information or errors contained herein.
With the increased difficulty in using public transportation (planes and trains), more Americans are driving greater distances than ever. However, both in cities and other areas, there are threats to you and your property while traveling. There are a few simple items to reduce the risk and to be able to respond if a threat arises:
1. Ensure that you have basic equipment for responding to emergencies in your vehicle. Some of the equipment you should ALWAYS have: first-aid kit (trauma type), warning triangles and/or flashers, purified water (for drinking, cleaning, and emergency fluids replacement), paper and pencil, food (including candy or other items with sugar), and vehicle maintenance equipment (such as tire gauge, tire-changing equipment, spare, and owner’s manual).
2. Ensure that you vary your emergency equipment in your vehicle based on changing seasons and the area in which you are traveling. Seasonal equipment may include additional water, blankets or sleeping bags, snow shovel, suntan lotion, hats, coats, and raingear.
3. When parking your vehicle, make sure that you put away or cover items that might be a temptation to people to break in and steal. Also cover or put away items that may be damaged by the sun or heat. And of course, be sure you lock your car at all times when you are not in the vehicle.
4. Don’t leave children, animals, or other items in your vehicle, which may be damaged by extremes of heat or cold.
5. When traveling in heavy stop-and-go traffic, especially in central urban areas, keep doors locked and windows rolled up (as much as possible) to prevent someone from entering your vehicle without permission, or from throwing something into (or snatching something from) your vehicle.
6. Always inspect the exterior of your vehicle before getting in and driving, to check for damage (especially in a parking lot), broken lights, low or flat tires, and other problems.
7. When receiving your car back from a maintenance provider, in addition to checking to make sure that repairs were done as invoiced, and that key items are present and have been correctly replaced, also check that an excessive amount of mileage has not been used on the odometer.
Make sure that your registration, insurance information, and tags/stickers are all current, and have not been tampered with. When receiving replacements, check to make sure all information is correct. Whenever possible, do NOT put a street address on your various papers: instead use a post office box.
8. If you carry a pistol in your vehicle (a strong recommendation), make sure that it is convenient to reach if needed, that it is not visible from outside the vehicle, and that it is stored securely where it will not be dislodged in case of a sudden stop or accident. Ensure that you know what laws apply in states through which you travel.
9. If stopped by a patrolman or police officer, verify that the person really is a police officer before letting them take your documents or get into their vehicle. If possible, arrange thorough an auto club or other service to have a “bond” for minor traffic offenses, to avoid having to post large cash bails or pay large fines.
10. When you see an accident or what appears like an accident, if possible report the accident to an emergency dispatcher before stopping to assist, in case problems develop. When approaching the accident scene, keep a good distance to avoid problems with debris from the accident, attempts to seize your vehicle, and to allow emergency response vehicles adequate access, as well as pulling off the driving lane far enough for your own safety.
11. Especially before beginning a long trip or traveling to remote areas, check for adequate fuel, oil, radiator fluid, other fluids, spare tire, tire-changing equipment, and working lights, including turn signals.
12. If stopped and asked by law enforcement to voluntarily submit to a search, refuse to do so without a search warrant. If searching is done, politely express that you are allowing such under threat of force, and observe the searching as closely as possible. Request a written copy of anything that they claim to have found.
13. Your automobile should be as much your castle as your home, but the law does not always recognize that fact. Plan for that situation, and be prepared for whatever might happen.
© 2004 Information, Incorporated. Free for distribution without change and with all copyright notices intact. For corrections and ideas, please contact: WASTELINE6@aol.com This does NOT constitute legal advice or professional advice/consulting of any type, and the author is not responsible for any misuse of this information or errors contained herein.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
A Baker's Dozen Tips (TM): Dealing with ID Theft
© 2004 Wasteline, Inc. Used by Permission.
A major growth sector in US crime is identity theft. Millions are victimized every year by emptied bank accounts, charged-out credit accounts, ruined credit records, and even criminal records pointing towards the victim's identity. The Federal Trade Commission says that identity theft is the number-one form of fraud, with over 9 million people affected in 2003. Many people don’t find out for months that they were hit.
1. Fundamentals: Know what is needed to steal an identity – forewarned is forearmed. It doesn’t take much. A name, address (past or present), phone, birth date, Social Security number (SSAN), mother's maiden name, and just one of the following: bank account number (from a check), credit card number (from a sales slip or a bill), driver's license (from a motel receipt, perhaps), plate number and/or VIN (vehicle ID number), even a utility bill. A thief can make a few phone calls, do an online search and become you.
2. A Little Defense: There are lots of ways for the crook to get the data he (or she) needs: Pick pocketing, “shoulder surfing” and dumpster diving are covert ways of obtaining info, but registry clerks, medical filers, property management filers, bankers, utility company employees or any venue where you are required to give out your SSAN for services are the weakest links in your ability to conceal your ID. Dishonest employees sell lists of SSAN for cash. So the number one thing you can do is LIMIT HOW OFTEN YOU GIVE OUT THIS NUMBER! Don’t write your signature on your debit and credit cards – instead, print “SEE PHOTO ID” in that space, and use your drivers license, military ID, or school ID to show the signature. Make sure that clerks don’t write down the ID number or SSAN (if it appears on the ID) on a check or sales slip. Leave street addresses and SSAN OFF your checks – many people advise putting only initials, not full names.
3. The Postman Cometh: Postal address forms can be filled out and your mail redirected to a criminal’s address. Incoming and outgoing mail have everything they need. Credit card offers and loan applications have proprietary information, and can often be completed and approved with just a bogus signature. Stolen mail might never be missed, giving the thief a head start. If possible, use a locked USPS box, a private mailbox (PMB) (from the UPS Store or some other private business), or a mail slot, rather than a traditional outdoor mailbox.
4. For Whom the Phone Rings: Criminals don’t observe “no-call” lists. Some predators call congratulating you on winning a prize or trip. Someone will claim you hit their auto in a parking lot (or they hit yours!), or that they found something of yours with identity on it and ask you to confirm your SSAN, drivers license, or other number to prove you are who you claim to be.
5. Phishing and Other Computer Fun: The computer/internet version of phone fraud: e-mails asking for personal information and imitating a service provider or other business are common types of spam. Often the e-mail will direct you to a web-site that mimics a well-known and recognized web-site (such as Visa or Wells Fargo) but is really sitting on a server in Russia or Bermuda. Data-mining spyware is another threat, where you enter the very information they are looking for, for a legitimate site and use, and the number is collected by the spyware. Change passwords frequently and use “non-common” passwords.
6. Behind the Curve: On average, the FTC says it takes a person 12 to 16 months to realize they have been victimized by a well-run operation. Some thieves will pay off debt for up to a year to get larger increases on loans and credit cards, then cash in when the big loans and limits come in. Other times, less knowledgeable but lucky crooks can strip your accounts in mere days: a credit card with a 10,000-dollar limit can provide a spree of less than a week.
7. Prevention: Many small things can be done to prevent this from happening. Some ideas: get to know the people at the post office – especially in small towns. In larger towns, get to know your carrier, as well as UPS, FedEx and other delivery service drivers. If they see something that doesn't make sense they may be the first to notify you. Don’t just get a locking mailbox, but never put outgoing mail in an unsecured mailbox. Get a shredder and shred everything with a name, account number and address. Reduce exposure by paying as many bills online and getting online billing statements (only) for accounts. Limit the number of cards you have and use.
8. Watch out: It is critical to pay attention to your finances. Look at bills for items you never purchased, calls from credit card companies increasing your credit lines, calls from bill collectors looking for payments, and mail for people other than yourself (especially in the form of credit card statements or loans). Review your bank statements: electronic banking means they don’t need to steal your checks to steal your money. Look for an unusual amount of direct mail from a particular brand or product line; this represents a large purchase on behalf of the thief putting you on a direct mail list regarding their purchase.
9. Zip your lip: It is not necessary to give out your SSAN as much as you think. Only give it out if it is absolutely necessary, ask for alternatives. Deal only with established vendors with solid backgrounds. Never give out your mother’s maiden name unless absolutely necessary, and after verifying it is essential (look for other key questions to use).
10. Credit, Cash, Paper, or Plastic: Be careful: excessive inquiries into your credit lower your scores making you less able to get loans for cars or homes, but you should check your credit record at least annually, and perhaps quarterly (especially if you can’t lower your vulnerability). These checks make you aware of activity regarding your SSAN and accounts, especially new ones. Look over bills carefully, and keep sales slips.
11. Banker-Man: Establish a personal relationship with your banker – if you are using a large chain bank, pick a small branch to work with, not the main or major local office, and get to know them. At the same time, make sure that the bank uses their systems to verify “unusual” or “unexpected” changes in pattern. Protect your PIN (personal ID number) carefully: when new ones are assigned, immediately change to one that you DO NOT WRITE DOWN, at least not in a recognizable form.
12. If It Happens: First, contact the fraud departments of all three major credit bureaus – have them flag your SSAN. Contact all your banks, and change passwords (or put them into place if you don’t have them). Notify all credit card companies, and cancel all credit cards affected by theft. Notify local authorities – the location of your residence is usually who has jurisdiction, but this may vary by state. Check with your drivers license agency to make sure that new duplicates of licenses haven’t been issued, and to see if there are tickets you “didn’t get.” If the theft appears to be local, notify the people you normally do business with, including gasoline stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, discount stores, the post office, and similar places.
13. Business’ Responsibility: Identity theft is not your boss’s problem, but an employee struggling to get their life in order after being hit can hurt the business. The victim will be distracted, spend company time, use phones, go to court, come in late and leave early, as they work desperately to get the mess straightened out. An average victim is estimated to spend 175+ hours in the effort, which can cost up to $20,000. Employee training can help your employees, and the business.
© 2004 Information, Incorporated. Free for distribution without change and with all copyright notices intact. For corrections and ideas, please contact: WASTELINE6@aol.com This does NOT constitute legal advice or professional advice/consulting of any type, and the author is not responsible for any misuse of this information or errors contained herein.
A major growth sector in US crime is identity theft. Millions are victimized every year by emptied bank accounts, charged-out credit accounts, ruined credit records, and even criminal records pointing towards the victim's identity. The Federal Trade Commission says that identity theft is the number-one form of fraud, with over 9 million people affected in 2003. Many people don’t find out for months that they were hit.
1. Fundamentals: Know what is needed to steal an identity – forewarned is forearmed. It doesn’t take much. A name, address (past or present), phone, birth date, Social Security number (SSAN), mother's maiden name, and just one of the following: bank account number (from a check), credit card number (from a sales slip or a bill), driver's license (from a motel receipt, perhaps), plate number and/or VIN (vehicle ID number), even a utility bill. A thief can make a few phone calls, do an online search and become you.
2. A Little Defense: There are lots of ways for the crook to get the data he (or she) needs: Pick pocketing, “shoulder surfing” and dumpster diving are covert ways of obtaining info, but registry clerks, medical filers, property management filers, bankers, utility company employees or any venue where you are required to give out your SSAN for services are the weakest links in your ability to conceal your ID. Dishonest employees sell lists of SSAN for cash. So the number one thing you can do is LIMIT HOW OFTEN YOU GIVE OUT THIS NUMBER! Don’t write your signature on your debit and credit cards – instead, print “SEE PHOTO ID” in that space, and use your drivers license, military ID, or school ID to show the signature. Make sure that clerks don’t write down the ID number or SSAN (if it appears on the ID) on a check or sales slip. Leave street addresses and SSAN OFF your checks – many people advise putting only initials, not full names.
3. The Postman Cometh: Postal address forms can be filled out and your mail redirected to a criminal’s address. Incoming and outgoing mail have everything they need. Credit card offers and loan applications have proprietary information, and can often be completed and approved with just a bogus signature. Stolen mail might never be missed, giving the thief a head start. If possible, use a locked USPS box, a private mailbox (PMB) (from the UPS Store or some other private business), or a mail slot, rather than a traditional outdoor mailbox.
4. For Whom the Phone Rings: Criminals don’t observe “no-call” lists. Some predators call congratulating you on winning a prize or trip. Someone will claim you hit their auto in a parking lot (or they hit yours!), or that they found something of yours with identity on it and ask you to confirm your SSAN, drivers license, or other number to prove you are who you claim to be.
5. Phishing and Other Computer Fun: The computer/internet version of phone fraud: e-mails asking for personal information and imitating a service provider or other business are common types of spam. Often the e-mail will direct you to a web-site that mimics a well-known and recognized web-site (such as Visa or Wells Fargo) but is really sitting on a server in Russia or Bermuda. Data-mining spyware is another threat, where you enter the very information they are looking for, for a legitimate site and use, and the number is collected by the spyware. Change passwords frequently and use “non-common” passwords.
6. Behind the Curve: On average, the FTC says it takes a person 12 to 16 months to realize they have been victimized by a well-run operation. Some thieves will pay off debt for up to a year to get larger increases on loans and credit cards, then cash in when the big loans and limits come in. Other times, less knowledgeable but lucky crooks can strip your accounts in mere days: a credit card with a 10,000-dollar limit can provide a spree of less than a week.
7. Prevention: Many small things can be done to prevent this from happening. Some ideas: get to know the people at the post office – especially in small towns. In larger towns, get to know your carrier, as well as UPS, FedEx and other delivery service drivers. If they see something that doesn't make sense they may be the first to notify you. Don’t just get a locking mailbox, but never put outgoing mail in an unsecured mailbox. Get a shredder and shred everything with a name, account number and address. Reduce exposure by paying as many bills online and getting online billing statements (only) for accounts. Limit the number of cards you have and use.
8. Watch out: It is critical to pay attention to your finances. Look at bills for items you never purchased, calls from credit card companies increasing your credit lines, calls from bill collectors looking for payments, and mail for people other than yourself (especially in the form of credit card statements or loans). Review your bank statements: electronic banking means they don’t need to steal your checks to steal your money. Look for an unusual amount of direct mail from a particular brand or product line; this represents a large purchase on behalf of the thief putting you on a direct mail list regarding their purchase.
9. Zip your lip: It is not necessary to give out your SSAN as much as you think. Only give it out if it is absolutely necessary, ask for alternatives. Deal only with established vendors with solid backgrounds. Never give out your mother’s maiden name unless absolutely necessary, and after verifying it is essential (look for other key questions to use).
10. Credit, Cash, Paper, or Plastic: Be careful: excessive inquiries into your credit lower your scores making you less able to get loans for cars or homes, but you should check your credit record at least annually, and perhaps quarterly (especially if you can’t lower your vulnerability). These checks make you aware of activity regarding your SSAN and accounts, especially new ones. Look over bills carefully, and keep sales slips.
11. Banker-Man: Establish a personal relationship with your banker – if you are using a large chain bank, pick a small branch to work with, not the main or major local office, and get to know them. At the same time, make sure that the bank uses their systems to verify “unusual” or “unexpected” changes in pattern. Protect your PIN (personal ID number) carefully: when new ones are assigned, immediately change to one that you DO NOT WRITE DOWN, at least not in a recognizable form.
12. If It Happens: First, contact the fraud departments of all three major credit bureaus – have them flag your SSAN. Contact all your banks, and change passwords (or put them into place if you don’t have them). Notify all credit card companies, and cancel all credit cards affected by theft. Notify local authorities – the location of your residence is usually who has jurisdiction, but this may vary by state. Check with your drivers license agency to make sure that new duplicates of licenses haven’t been issued, and to see if there are tickets you “didn’t get.” If the theft appears to be local, notify the people you normally do business with, including gasoline stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, discount stores, the post office, and similar places.
13. Business’ Responsibility: Identity theft is not your boss’s problem, but an employee struggling to get their life in order after being hit can hurt the business. The victim will be distracted, spend company time, use phones, go to court, come in late and leave early, as they work desperately to get the mess straightened out. An average victim is estimated to spend 175+ hours in the effort, which can cost up to $20,000. Employee training can help your employees, and the business.
© 2004 Information, Incorporated. Free for distribution without change and with all copyright notices intact. For corrections and ideas, please contact: WASTELINE6@aol.com This does NOT constitute legal advice or professional advice/consulting of any type, and the author is not responsible for any misuse of this information or errors contained herein.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Views of History
There are a good many views or interpretations of history, both of the world and of the United States. The common textbooks, both for secondary schools and tertiary schools (colleges) seldom present any of these views except for the one which the author has chosen. Yes, the events are the same (although which are covered and which are skipped are different), but the way we look at those events is really the important thing: history exists for us to learn from, to benefit from: otherwise, it is a waste of time. Interesting perhaps, but a waste of time.
Our interpretation of history is of course based on our viewpoint. A communist looks at history very much differently from a libertarian. Libertarian views of history, in fact, are very rare - most published views are those of statists, after all. It is important, though, to recognize the viewpoint of something we are reading or studying, even if we don't agree with the point of view; it is equally important to read history with a viewpoint other than our own (provided we realize that it is), to better understand history from our viewpoint.
In some cases, we change our point of view in general, and yet, it may take some time before we realize that has changed our point of view of history: yet if one happens, the other is necessary. Anyone who started their political life as a conservative or liberal (or any other kind of statist) who has become libertarian, is aware of this.
There are several good examples of libertarian points of view that are worth discussing, briefly:
"Hologram of Liberty" by Boston T. Party, a popular and yet private libertarian writer, presents a very different point of view of the United States Constitution and the growth and development of the Republic, one which might make even 100-100 (Nolan chart) libertarians want to throw the book across the room. His premise is simple, and he argues very well for it: that the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, was intentionally written as a flawed document which ALLOWS the explosion of government size and power that has taken place over the last 210+ years, and that those who wrote it knew exactly what their intentional flaws would lead to, because that was their goal.
A second view of history is illustrated by that other illustrious libertarian, Murray Rothbard. In a column he wrote 10 years ago, but recently republished at Lew Rockwell (see below), entitled "Left and Right: The Prospects for Liberty" he pointed out the significant difference between conservatives (including neo-conservatives) and liberals (both classical and modern) in American history in the last century, and what that has done to freedom, not just in the United States, but for the entire world. In particular, he points out that the so-called "Populist" and "left-wing" introduction of various laws in the early 20th Century, regulating the trusts, labor, and introducing the income tax, were in reality supported by, and highly beneficial to the monopolistic "capitalists" of the era and since. He also traces the oddly contradictory classic liberal/libertarian roots of some of Russian (Leninist) communism, and the distinctions between National Socialism (Nazi) and International Communist Socialism (USSR).
Yet a third view of history (and one which many libertarians may find shocking, but which is a strong addition to the entire concept of liberty, as far as I am concerned) may be seen in the writings of Charles Kimball, found at the "Xenohistorian" site (again, see below). Mr. Kimball presents a view of history from a Christian and Biblical point of view, which views human government as a rebellion against God, and the traditional definitions of "civilization" (as contrasted to barbarianism or primitive cultures) as being intentionally biased in favor of this rebellious human government. He goes on to point out how an ugly but successful alliance of human government and false religion has dominated the world's history, but how there have been constant efforts and a gradual rollback of that alliance has taken place (and is continuing today).
(www.lewrockwell.com/rothbard/rothbard-arch.html)
(www.javelinpress.com)
(http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/worldhis/)
Our interpretation of history is of course based on our viewpoint. A communist looks at history very much differently from a libertarian. Libertarian views of history, in fact, are very rare - most published views are those of statists, after all. It is important, though, to recognize the viewpoint of something we are reading or studying, even if we don't agree with the point of view; it is equally important to read history with a viewpoint other than our own (provided we realize that it is), to better understand history from our viewpoint.
In some cases, we change our point of view in general, and yet, it may take some time before we realize that has changed our point of view of history: yet if one happens, the other is necessary. Anyone who started their political life as a conservative or liberal (or any other kind of statist) who has become libertarian, is aware of this.
There are several good examples of libertarian points of view that are worth discussing, briefly:
"Hologram of Liberty" by Boston T. Party, a popular and yet private libertarian writer, presents a very different point of view of the United States Constitution and the growth and development of the Republic, one which might make even 100-100 (Nolan chart) libertarians want to throw the book across the room. His premise is simple, and he argues very well for it: that the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, was intentionally written as a flawed document which ALLOWS the explosion of government size and power that has taken place over the last 210+ years, and that those who wrote it knew exactly what their intentional flaws would lead to, because that was their goal.
A second view of history is illustrated by that other illustrious libertarian, Murray Rothbard. In a column he wrote 10 years ago, but recently republished at Lew Rockwell (see below), entitled "Left and Right: The Prospects for Liberty" he pointed out the significant difference between conservatives (including neo-conservatives) and liberals (both classical and modern) in American history in the last century, and what that has done to freedom, not just in the United States, but for the entire world. In particular, he points out that the so-called "Populist" and "left-wing" introduction of various laws in the early 20th Century, regulating the trusts, labor, and introducing the income tax, were in reality supported by, and highly beneficial to the monopolistic "capitalists" of the era and since. He also traces the oddly contradictory classic liberal/libertarian roots of some of Russian (Leninist) communism, and the distinctions between National Socialism (Nazi) and International Communist Socialism (USSR).
Yet a third view of history (and one which many libertarians may find shocking, but which is a strong addition to the entire concept of liberty, as far as I am concerned) may be seen in the writings of Charles Kimball, found at the "Xenohistorian" site (again, see below). Mr. Kimball presents a view of history from a Christian and Biblical point of view, which views human government as a rebellion against God, and the traditional definitions of "civilization" (as contrasted to barbarianism or primitive cultures) as being intentionally biased in favor of this rebellious human government. He goes on to point out how an ugly but successful alliance of human government and false religion has dominated the world's history, but how there have been constant efforts and a gradual rollback of that alliance has taken place (and is continuing today).
(www.lewrockwell.com/rothbard/rothbard-arch.html)
(www.javelinpress.com)
(http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/worldhis/)
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Red Star, White Star, No Star
The following news story was published on Friday the 4th of February. It frankly disgusts me:
EU group wants hammer & sickle banned
Fox News
"A group of conservative European Union lawmakers from eastern Europe called Thursday for a ban on communist symbols, including the red star and the hammer and sickle, to match a proposed EU ban on the Nazi swastika. The group from Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic said the communist symbols should be included in any ban because of the suffering caused by Soviet-backed regimes in eastern Europe. 'We would like to have an equal treatment of the other evil totalitarian regime of the communist system,' said Jozsef Szajer, an Hungarian member of the European Parliament. EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini has proposed a Europe-wide ban on display of the swastikas and other Nazi symbols as part of a campaign to combat anti-Semitism and intolerance." (02/03/05) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146288,00.html
Talk about symbol over substance! At a time when socialism is taking over more and more of Europe, they want to hide the symbols. Pretend it will go away then. Right.
Let’s see, how many more symbols could we add? How about the various Imperial Eagles (Russian, German, French, Austrian) – after all, millions suffered and died because of these imperialist regimes over centuries. The German (Imperial) Iron Cross must also go, together with the swastika. Oh, and we can’t forget the Roman/Mussolini fasces (the ax with a bundle of rods wrapped around it) – how many acts of genocide did the Romans commit? Let’s see, what about the Turkish/Islamic crescent moon – Turks and other Islamists killed millions of Europeans and enslaved even more over more than a thousand years. We must also add Napoleon’s honey-bees and other trappings, and that French Tri-color, waved by hordes of fanatics who butchered their way from Gibraltar to the gates of Moscow in the “cause” of “Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality.” Of course, that was in response to the tyranny of the Bourbon kings, so we must also ban the fleur-de-lis, even in its modern guise as the symbol of international Scouting (or perhaps BECAUSE of its use by that religious-intolerant-fascist-paramilitary organization).
Anything else? Well, the blood-soaked history of Europe offers so many things that are symbolic of suffering, tyranny, genocide, killing, and such that we have to continue to add to the “Omnibus European Hate Symbols Ban Act of 2005.”
How about the very worst of examples of evil known to modern Europeans: the American Bald Eagle, the Stars and Stripes (those Americans even have the gall to print a military newspaper by that name and with it on the masthead IN EUROPE!), and the White Star. I’m sure that there are some other American symbols of evil to be added – perhaps even the use of the initials USA (like the initials NSDAP or the contraction “Na-zi” (for National Socialist)) should be outlawed. Oh yes, and don’t forget that symbol, the Statue of Liberty. I know it came from France, but that was about five or six “republics” ago, and now they know better: liberty is evil, and American liberty is even more evil.
But this is not enough – there are the symbols of that evil that is even greater than America, greater than the Soviets, greater than the Nazis – an evil that has been around now for nearly 2,000 years. That evil, of course, is Christianity – that bloody, simpering, proselytizing, do-gooder, right-wing, holier-than-thou movement that has swept the world and used as an excuse for mass murder, genocide, destruction of cultures, tyranny, liberty, and virtually every other evil known to modern man. Obviously, if the hammer and sickle and swastika are to be banned, than so must that most evil of symbols (from which both other symbols may have been taken, by the way) – that evil thing called the “cross.” Of course, ALL forms of the cross must be eliminated, whether it be a crucifix (obviously a particularly distasteful use – hanging up a carving of a DEAD guy on your wall- how tacky), Nordic or St. Andrews or St. George or Lorraine or any of the other hundreds of versions. And we must also ban all other symbols of that hated and hateful religion – the rooster used by the German Evangelical (Protestants), the shepherd’s crook/staff, the bishop’s mitre, the various symbols of the mythical “Trinity,” and of course, that hideous book, the Bible – worse than Mein Kampf, Das Capital, and Mao’s Little Red Book combined. Only then can Europe truly be free from fear and bad feelings and a sense of past history.
So go for it, all you politicians and bureaucrats and new-agers and liberated men and womyn and “its” there between the Atlantic and the Urals. Make your future safe by denying your past, and obliterating your present. Nothing is too good for the new order, is it? You make me sick.
EU group wants hammer & sickle banned
Fox News
"A group of conservative European Union lawmakers from eastern Europe called Thursday for a ban on communist symbols, including the red star and the hammer and sickle, to match a proposed EU ban on the Nazi swastika. The group from Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic said the communist symbols should be included in any ban because of the suffering caused by Soviet-backed regimes in eastern Europe. 'We would like to have an equal treatment of the other evil totalitarian regime of the communist system,' said Jozsef Szajer, an Hungarian member of the European Parliament. EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini has proposed a Europe-wide ban on display of the swastikas and other Nazi symbols as part of a campaign to combat anti-Semitism and intolerance." (02/03/05) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146288,00.html
Talk about symbol over substance! At a time when socialism is taking over more and more of Europe, they want to hide the symbols. Pretend it will go away then. Right.
Let’s see, how many more symbols could we add? How about the various Imperial Eagles (Russian, German, French, Austrian) – after all, millions suffered and died because of these imperialist regimes over centuries. The German (Imperial) Iron Cross must also go, together with the swastika. Oh, and we can’t forget the Roman/Mussolini fasces (the ax with a bundle of rods wrapped around it) – how many acts of genocide did the Romans commit? Let’s see, what about the Turkish/Islamic crescent moon – Turks and other Islamists killed millions of Europeans and enslaved even more over more than a thousand years. We must also add Napoleon’s honey-bees and other trappings, and that French Tri-color, waved by hordes of fanatics who butchered their way from Gibraltar to the gates of Moscow in the “cause” of “Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality.” Of course, that was in response to the tyranny of the Bourbon kings, so we must also ban the fleur-de-lis, even in its modern guise as the symbol of international Scouting (or perhaps BECAUSE of its use by that religious-intolerant-fascist-paramilitary organization).
Anything else? Well, the blood-soaked history of Europe offers so many things that are symbolic of suffering, tyranny, genocide, killing, and such that we have to continue to add to the “Omnibus European Hate Symbols Ban Act of 2005.”
How about the very worst of examples of evil known to modern Europeans: the American Bald Eagle, the Stars and Stripes (those Americans even have the gall to print a military newspaper by that name and with it on the masthead IN EUROPE!), and the White Star. I’m sure that there are some other American symbols of evil to be added – perhaps even the use of the initials USA (like the initials NSDAP or the contraction “Na-zi” (for National Socialist)) should be outlawed. Oh yes, and don’t forget that symbol, the Statue of Liberty. I know it came from France, but that was about five or six “republics” ago, and now they know better: liberty is evil, and American liberty is even more evil.
But this is not enough – there are the symbols of that evil that is even greater than America, greater than the Soviets, greater than the Nazis – an evil that has been around now for nearly 2,000 years. That evil, of course, is Christianity – that bloody, simpering, proselytizing, do-gooder, right-wing, holier-than-thou movement that has swept the world and used as an excuse for mass murder, genocide, destruction of cultures, tyranny, liberty, and virtually every other evil known to modern man. Obviously, if the hammer and sickle and swastika are to be banned, than so must that most evil of symbols (from which both other symbols may have been taken, by the way) – that evil thing called the “cross.” Of course, ALL forms of the cross must be eliminated, whether it be a crucifix (obviously a particularly distasteful use – hanging up a carving of a DEAD guy on your wall- how tacky), Nordic or St. Andrews or St. George or Lorraine or any of the other hundreds of versions. And we must also ban all other symbols of that hated and hateful religion – the rooster used by the German Evangelical (Protestants), the shepherd’s crook/staff, the bishop’s mitre, the various symbols of the mythical “Trinity,” and of course, that hideous book, the Bible – worse than Mein Kampf, Das Capital, and Mao’s Little Red Book combined. Only then can Europe truly be free from fear and bad feelings and a sense of past history.
So go for it, all you politicians and bureaucrats and new-agers and liberated men and womyn and “its” there between the Atlantic and the Urals. Make your future safe by denying your past, and obliterating your present. Nothing is too good for the new order, is it? You make me sick.
Punish the Generous
This event happened very close to (one of) my homes, and so is more meaningful.
A good many judges are reported to fear for their lives, scuttling like frightened rabbits from their secure courtrooms to the “safety” of their alarmed cars to rush home anonymously to houses in gated communities with elaborate security systems. This judge should be taking all those precautions, together with this woman, who will very likely need protection from the justified anger of their neighbors and community. If the two girls (one a minor at the time) had spray-painted hate messages on her house, they would have been punished less than they were for leaving cookies one evening. A court system that allows this kind of travesty of justice deserves nothing but contempt.
As a long-time fan of Archie comics (www.archiecomics.com), these two remind me of a not-untypical Betty and Veronica story, but no B&V story ever ended so depressingly as this one has (at least so far).
At least one libertarian, Ari Armstrong, the Publisher/editor of Colorado Freedom Report (www.FreeColorado.com) has donated money to the two girls to pay part of their fine and legal costs. I hope more of us will follow suit. I'm including his letter at the end of this post.
Original story: Gift of Cookies Crumbles; Girls Told to Pay $900
A Colorado judge ordered two teen-age girls to pay about $900 for the distress a neighbor said they caused by giving her home-made cookies adorned with paper hearts. The pair were ordered to pay $871.70 plus $39 in court costs after neighbor Wanita Renea Young, 49, filed a lawsuit complaining that the unsolicited cookies, left at her house after the girls knocked on her door, had triggered an anxiety attack that sent her to the hospital the next day.
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050204160509990010
Ari's letter:
February 4, 2005
Dear Mrs. Ostergaard,
I was saddened, dismayed, and outraged to learn from the Denver Post that your daughter, Taylor, and her friend Lindsey Jo Zellitti, were successfully sued for being nice.
Quite obviously, a knock on the door in the evening is not sufficient to send somebody to the hospital. Ms. Young obviously suffered from unrelated problems, for which she scape-goated your daughter and her friend. Unfortunately, the court system assisted Ms. Young in perpetrating a grave injustice.
Please, please, girls, do not let one cynical woman and a callous court system dampen your benevolent spirit. Many of us appreciate your kindness and condemn the overly-litigious judicial system that too often punishes people for their virtues.
Please accept a modest contribution from my wife and me to offset your legal expenses. (Please split the funds between the two families.) I will also ask readers of my web page, FreeColorado.com, and other friends of mine, to join in helping to defray those costs. If you receive funds in excess of the legal bills, I ask that you split the money evenly between the girls to be used for college expenses.
Though Ms. Young and the idiot judge who awarded her damages seem to think of the girls as cookie monsters, the girls are properly regarded as kind and creative thinkers. If the judge had had a lick of common sense, he would have given the girls a medal, not a fine.
Rather than follow the crowd, the girls exercised independent thinking and came up with a constructive, original project. I wish them well as they pursue their goals and values. Please tell them that they did the right thing, and their benevolent fellow Coloradans applaud them for it.
Sincerely,
Ari Armstrong
Editor, Colorado Freedom Report
The addresses for the girl's parents (from the telephone directory) are:
Ostergaard, Richard and Jill, 415 Co Rd 307, Durango CO 81303
Zellitti, Gary and Rhonda 781 Co Rd 302, Durango CO 81303
(Ms. Young's phone number and address is apparently unlisted. No surprise.)
A good many judges are reported to fear for their lives, scuttling like frightened rabbits from their secure courtrooms to the “safety” of their alarmed cars to rush home anonymously to houses in gated communities with elaborate security systems. This judge should be taking all those precautions, together with this woman, who will very likely need protection from the justified anger of their neighbors and community. If the two girls (one a minor at the time) had spray-painted hate messages on her house, they would have been punished less than they were for leaving cookies one evening. A court system that allows this kind of travesty of justice deserves nothing but contempt.
As a long-time fan of Archie comics (www.archiecomics.com), these two remind me of a not-untypical Betty and Veronica story, but no B&V story ever ended so depressingly as this one has (at least so far).
At least one libertarian, Ari Armstrong, the Publisher/editor of Colorado Freedom Report (www.FreeColorado.com) has donated money to the two girls to pay part of their fine and legal costs. I hope more of us will follow suit. I'm including his letter at the end of this post.
Original story: Gift of Cookies Crumbles; Girls Told to Pay $900
A Colorado judge ordered two teen-age girls to pay about $900 for the distress a neighbor said they caused by giving her home-made cookies adorned with paper hearts. The pair were ordered to pay $871.70 plus $39 in court costs after neighbor Wanita Renea Young, 49, filed a lawsuit complaining that the unsolicited cookies, left at her house after the girls knocked on her door, had triggered an anxiety attack that sent her to the hospital the next day.
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050204160509990010
Ari's letter:
February 4, 2005
Dear Mrs. Ostergaard,
I was saddened, dismayed, and outraged to learn from the Denver Post that your daughter, Taylor, and her friend Lindsey Jo Zellitti, were successfully sued for being nice.
Quite obviously, a knock on the door in the evening is not sufficient to send somebody to the hospital. Ms. Young obviously suffered from unrelated problems, for which she scape-goated your daughter and her friend. Unfortunately, the court system assisted Ms. Young in perpetrating a grave injustice.
Please, please, girls, do not let one cynical woman and a callous court system dampen your benevolent spirit. Many of us appreciate your kindness and condemn the overly-litigious judicial system that too often punishes people for their virtues.
Please accept a modest contribution from my wife and me to offset your legal expenses. (Please split the funds between the two families.) I will also ask readers of my web page, FreeColorado.com, and other friends of mine, to join in helping to defray those costs. If you receive funds in excess of the legal bills, I ask that you split the money evenly between the girls to be used for college expenses.
Though Ms. Young and the idiot judge who awarded her damages seem to think of the girls as cookie monsters, the girls are properly regarded as kind and creative thinkers. If the judge had had a lick of common sense, he would have given the girls a medal, not a fine.
Rather than follow the crowd, the girls exercised independent thinking and came up with a constructive, original project. I wish them well as they pursue their goals and values. Please tell them that they did the right thing, and their benevolent fellow Coloradans applaud them for it.
Sincerely,
Ari Armstrong
Editor, Colorado Freedom Report
The addresses for the girl's parents (from the telephone directory) are:
Ostergaard, Richard and Jill, 415 Co Rd 307, Durango CO 81303
Zellitti, Gary and Rhonda 781 Co Rd 302, Durango CO 81303
(Ms. Young's phone number and address is apparently unlisted. No surprise.)
Friday, December 31, 2004
Chemical Spill Costs Upset Public School Parents
This story (first in the Dallas Morning News, was brought to my attention by Tim Gablehouse of Golden (CO). Unfortunately, the DMN is one of those jerkline outfits that wants enough information to steal your identity to let you read an article on their website (even if you spent the 75 cents they charge for their fishwrapper), so I'm putting the article here for TPoL and other readers.
Parents upset by ambulance bills
By The Associated Press(12/30/04 - DALLAS, TX) — The parents of some Dallas students who were taken to the hospital this fall after cleaning up a chemical spill in class are upset that they have been billed for the ambulance ride.
Nine seventh-graders at Pearl C. Anderson Middle Learning Center were following a science teacher's order in October by cleaning up the chemical that had spilled onto the classroom floor. As they were cleaning, their hands began to burn.
The school called for an ambulance, and the students were taken to a local hospital where they recovered a couple of hours later. The science teacher -- whose name was not disclosed by district officials -- was reprimanded but is still teaching.
Each family was billed $350 for the ambulance ride and the Dallas Independent School District is refusing to pay.
"If ... (school officials) would have called me, I would have taken her to the hospital and avoided this," said Deborah Whaley, who has received her second notice to pay the ambulance bill. "It could have all been avoided if they had told the kids not to touch it. They should have just called the janitor in."
Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said state law protects school districts from liability in such incidents. He said the district would set a precedent by paying the ambulance bills.
"If we start paying for one, we're going to start paying for everything like that," he said. "It's a very unfortunate situation. We feel sick about it."
Dallas school district policy says that in an "extreme emergency," an ambulance service shall be called to take a student to an emergency room. The student's family will be billed for the ambulance service, the policy states.
Trustee Ron Price, whose area includes Pearl C. Anderson, wants the school board to take a look at the policy when it's back in session next month.
"We don't want to penalize parents for our mistake," Price said.
Parents upset by ambulance bills
By The Associated Press(12/30/04 - DALLAS, TX) — The parents of some Dallas students who were taken to the hospital this fall after cleaning up a chemical spill in class are upset that they have been billed for the ambulance ride.
Nine seventh-graders at Pearl C. Anderson Middle Learning Center were following a science teacher's order in October by cleaning up the chemical that had spilled onto the classroom floor. As they were cleaning, their hands began to burn.
The school called for an ambulance, and the students were taken to a local hospital where they recovered a couple of hours later. The science teacher -- whose name was not disclosed by district officials -- was reprimanded but is still teaching.
Each family was billed $350 for the ambulance ride and the Dallas Independent School District is refusing to pay.
"If ... (school officials) would have called me, I would have taken her to the hospital and avoided this," said Deborah Whaley, who has received her second notice to pay the ambulance bill. "It could have all been avoided if they had told the kids not to touch it. They should have just called the janitor in."
Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said state law protects school districts from liability in such incidents. He said the district would set a precedent by paying the ambulance bills.
"If we start paying for one, we're going to start paying for everything like that," he said. "It's a very unfortunate situation. We feel sick about it."
Dallas school district policy says that in an "extreme emergency," an ambulance service shall be called to take a student to an emergency room. The student's family will be billed for the ambulance service, the policy states.
Trustee Ron Price, whose area includes Pearl C. Anderson, wants the school board to take a look at the policy when it's back in session next month.
"We don't want to penalize parents for our mistake," Price said.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
DHS: States, Cities need spy networks
From a friend in state government comes this article, which I provide in full:
STATES AND CITIES MUST HUNT TERROR PLOTS, MASS GOVERNOR SAYS
By PAM BELLUCK
Published: December 15, 2004
BOSTON, Dec. 14 - To protect America against terrorists, state and local agencies, as well as private businesses, need to gather intelligence themselves and not just rely on intelligence gathered by the federal government, Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the leader of a national working group on safeguarding the nation, told homeland security officials on Tuesday.
"The eyes and ears which gather intelligence need to be as developed in our country as they were in foreign countries during the cold war," Mr. Romney told the group. "Meter readers, E.M.S. drivers, law enforcement, private sector personnel need to be on the lookout for information which may be as useful."
In a presentation by telephone to Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, and members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, who were meeting in San Diego, Mr. Romney said that local law enforcement agencies should stop believing that they could protect all possible targets of terrorism.
"We could increase our law enforcement personnel tenfold, but we can't protect every target," Mr. Romney said. "There are just too many schools, churches, stadiums, bridges, tunnels, roads, subways. We have to be able to find the bad guys before they carry out their acts, and that can only be done through intelligence. The financial resources of our nation and our states should be increasingly devoted to this effort."
The proposal by Mr. Romney's working group represents a new and more assertive role for many local law enforcement agencies and other public and private entities in fighting terrorism, some experts on domestic security said.
Some cities and states, including Massachusetts, Colorado and Los Angeles, have set up or are planning "fusion centers," which collect information from local sources and seek to analyze it and draw conclusions. New York City goes beyond that, sending detectives to places like Israel and Singapore, as well as to other states to investigate businesses that sell explosives.
But under Mr. Romney's proposal, every state would be urged to marshal local agencies and businesses, with the goal of collecting details and observations that might, when stitched together, point to a potential terrorist attack.
"If you have a transit system that circles a major city and you get reports of people photographing trains at various locations, well, the report from one police station may be meaningless, but several of them may be a pattern," said John D. Cohen, senior homeland security policy adviser to Massachusetts.
The proposal "makes a great deal of sense to me," said Dave McIntyre, who teaches about domestic security at Texas A&M University. "I don't see how you're going to protect every high school football stadium, every school bus, every theater. I do think that we might find that a better investment of resources is to look at intelligence and investigative development."
Mr. Romney, who dealt with post-9/11 security issues as president of the organizing committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, said in an interview on Monday that his involvement with the domestic security working group was an outgrowth of the concern he felt as governor about the way the federal government was transmitting information and the lack of direction that the federal government was giving the states.
"I was initially quite frustrated that the homeland security money came without any sense of what states should do," Mr. Romney said, saying that when he raised those concerns, he was asked to assemble and lead a working group on the subject.
Mr. Romney, who is often mentioned as a Republican with potential or ambition to occupy a national office, insisted in the interview that he had no desire to be the next director of homeland security, or to take any other position in the Bush administration. He said that after the November elections, he told Andrew H. Card Jr., the White House chief of staff, "in case my name gets bandied about for any position, I'm filling my entire term" as governor, which expires in two years.
Dr. McIntyre said a potential pitfall of the working group's proposal was the issue of making sure that local agencies and businesses did not violate civil liberties. "How do we properly ensure that we're investigating some Americans without investigating all Americans?" he asked.
Mr. Cohen, the security adviser, said: "When we're talking about engaging frontline personnel, we're not asking them to go out and spy on people. In the course of them doing their jobs day to day, they collect information. And we're talking about teaching people to be more sensitive when information that is collected in the course of their day-to-day business may actually have a nexus with terrorism."
At Tuesday's meeting in San Diego, with Mr. Romney presenting his report from Boston, Mr. Ridge asked about the cost of the working group's plan. Mr. Romney, whose group included state and local officials and business executives from around the country, said some of the money for training local officials and setting up fusion centers could come from federal homeland security grants to states.
But, he added: "Whether I'm going to get funding from the federal government or not, this is a priority and I'm going to go after this. I went to the Legislature this year to get funding for our fusion center."
Mr. Romney said the intelligence that states received from the federal government was "oftentimes confusing" and sometimes contradictory. His report recommended that information be disseminated through a single federal agency.
Mr. Romney's report also said that too much information from the federal agencies was classified as secret or top secret, barring state officials from giving details to most local officials, who do not have adequate security clearance.
"You're put in a position of not passing it on or passing it on to someone without the right clearance and violating the law," Mr. Cohen said.
STATES AND CITIES MUST HUNT TERROR PLOTS, MASS GOVERNOR SAYS
By PAM BELLUCK
Published: December 15, 2004
BOSTON, Dec. 14 - To protect America against terrorists, state and local agencies, as well as private businesses, need to gather intelligence themselves and not just rely on intelligence gathered by the federal government, Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the leader of a national working group on safeguarding the nation, told homeland security officials on Tuesday.
"The eyes and ears which gather intelligence need to be as developed in our country as they were in foreign countries during the cold war," Mr. Romney told the group. "Meter readers, E.M.S. drivers, law enforcement, private sector personnel need to be on the lookout for information which may be as useful."
In a presentation by telephone to Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, and members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, who were meeting in San Diego, Mr. Romney said that local law enforcement agencies should stop believing that they could protect all possible targets of terrorism.
"We could increase our law enforcement personnel tenfold, but we can't protect every target," Mr. Romney said. "There are just too many schools, churches, stadiums, bridges, tunnels, roads, subways. We have to be able to find the bad guys before they carry out their acts, and that can only be done through intelligence. The financial resources of our nation and our states should be increasingly devoted to this effort."
The proposal by Mr. Romney's working group represents a new and more assertive role for many local law enforcement agencies and other public and private entities in fighting terrorism, some experts on domestic security said.
Some cities and states, including Massachusetts, Colorado and Los Angeles, have set up or are planning "fusion centers," which collect information from local sources and seek to analyze it and draw conclusions. New York City goes beyond that, sending detectives to places like Israel and Singapore, as well as to other states to investigate businesses that sell explosives.
But under Mr. Romney's proposal, every state would be urged to marshal local agencies and businesses, with the goal of collecting details and observations that might, when stitched together, point to a potential terrorist attack.
"If you have a transit system that circles a major city and you get reports of people photographing trains at various locations, well, the report from one police station may be meaningless, but several of them may be a pattern," said John D. Cohen, senior homeland security policy adviser to Massachusetts.
The proposal "makes a great deal of sense to me," said Dave McIntyre, who teaches about domestic security at Texas A&M University. "I don't see how you're going to protect every high school football stadium, every school bus, every theater. I do think that we might find that a better investment of resources is to look at intelligence and investigative development."
Mr. Romney, who dealt with post-9/11 security issues as president of the organizing committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, said in an interview on Monday that his involvement with the domestic security working group was an outgrowth of the concern he felt as governor about the way the federal government was transmitting information and the lack of direction that the federal government was giving the states.
"I was initially quite frustrated that the homeland security money came without any sense of what states should do," Mr. Romney said, saying that when he raised those concerns, he was asked to assemble and lead a working group on the subject.
Mr. Romney, who is often mentioned as a Republican with potential or ambition to occupy a national office, insisted in the interview that he had no desire to be the next director of homeland security, or to take any other position in the Bush administration. He said that after the November elections, he told Andrew H. Card Jr., the White House chief of staff, "in case my name gets bandied about for any position, I'm filling my entire term" as governor, which expires in two years.
Dr. McIntyre said a potential pitfall of the working group's proposal was the issue of making sure that local agencies and businesses did not violate civil liberties. "How do we properly ensure that we're investigating some Americans without investigating all Americans?" he asked.
Mr. Cohen, the security adviser, said: "When we're talking about engaging frontline personnel, we're not asking them to go out and spy on people. In the course of them doing their jobs day to day, they collect information. And we're talking about teaching people to be more sensitive when information that is collected in the course of their day-to-day business may actually have a nexus with terrorism."
At Tuesday's meeting in San Diego, with Mr. Romney presenting his report from Boston, Mr. Ridge asked about the cost of the working group's plan. Mr. Romney, whose group included state and local officials and business executives from around the country, said some of the money for training local officials and setting up fusion centers could come from federal homeland security grants to states.
But, he added: "Whether I'm going to get funding from the federal government or not, this is a priority and I'm going to go after this. I went to the Legislature this year to get funding for our fusion center."
Mr. Romney said the intelligence that states received from the federal government was "oftentimes confusing" and sometimes contradictory. His report recommended that information be disseminated through a single federal agency.
Mr. Romney's report also said that too much information from the federal agencies was classified as secret or top secret, barring state officials from giving details to most local officials, who do not have adequate security clearance.
"You're put in a position of not passing it on or passing it on to someone without the right clearance and violating the law," Mr. Cohen said.
Monday, December 13, 2004
Baker’s Dozen ™ Protect yourself from a suspicious parcel
Draft for your review and comment
Although the usual targets of letter-bombers and anthrax-mailers are government agencies or big corporations, the technique can be used by many enemies of liberty against many people, including those who are liberty activists. So handling mail these days can be dangerous, sometimes deadly. It is important to recognize the difference between safe and suspicious mail, and plan appropriately in advance.
1. Whenever possible, use a locking mail box or a post office box, and not a mail slot or unlocked mailbox, for both business and private use. If using a mail box, if at all possible, do not attach to your building or house, but have at some distance away, but in view of your house.
2. Always look for a return address and make sure that you're receiving the mail from someone you know or from a credible source. Be wary of packages that have your address as the return address, which aren’t familiar, and are mailed to unknown or improper addresses.
3. Recognize unusual shapes, especially in a business or personal-size envelope, that may indicate an explosive device or internal package or bag of some substance. Be on the lookout for soft bulges, as when powder has been poured in, in an envelope.
4. Look for staining through the envelope, especially if oily or greasy.
5. Refrain from eating or drinking in a designated mail handling area.
6. Place suspicious envelopes or packages in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents. Never squeeze, sniff or smell suspect mail. Unless you are concerned about a gas, do NOT seal the container – it can turn a small explosive into a major threat.
7. If you do not have a container, then cover the envelope or package with anything available (clothing, paper or trash can) and do not remove the cover. Put a warning note or sign on the cover or container to alert people of the danger.
8. Leave the room and close the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering.
9. Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder or other residue to your face.
10. If you are at work, report the incident to your building security official or an available supervisor, who should notify the police and other authorities without delay.
11. List all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give a copy of this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice. They may have been exposed.
12. If you are at home, report the incident to the local sheriff/police and postal authorities. Alert your neighbors.
13. Be aware that simply reporting, although a smart idea, can lead to a lot more problems. Be careful under what conditions you notify the authorities, and do not be surprised if they panic in response.
Remember that not all packages are dangerous or deadly, but use common sense, just as you would with e-mail spam or finding something on the street!
Although the usual targets of letter-bombers and anthrax-mailers are government agencies or big corporations, the technique can be used by many enemies of liberty against many people, including those who are liberty activists. So handling mail these days can be dangerous, sometimes deadly. It is important to recognize the difference between safe and suspicious mail, and plan appropriately in advance.
1. Whenever possible, use a locking mail box or a post office box, and not a mail slot or unlocked mailbox, for both business and private use. If using a mail box, if at all possible, do not attach to your building or house, but have at some distance away, but in view of your house.
2. Always look for a return address and make sure that you're receiving the mail from someone you know or from a credible source. Be wary of packages that have your address as the return address, which aren’t familiar, and are mailed to unknown or improper addresses.
3. Recognize unusual shapes, especially in a business or personal-size envelope, that may indicate an explosive device or internal package or bag of some substance. Be on the lookout for soft bulges, as when powder has been poured in, in an envelope.
4. Look for staining through the envelope, especially if oily or greasy.
5. Refrain from eating or drinking in a designated mail handling area.
6. Place suspicious envelopes or packages in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents. Never squeeze, sniff or smell suspect mail. Unless you are concerned about a gas, do NOT seal the container – it can turn a small explosive into a major threat.
7. If you do not have a container, then cover the envelope or package with anything available (clothing, paper or trash can) and do not remove the cover. Put a warning note or sign on the cover or container to alert people of the danger.
8. Leave the room and close the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering.
9. Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder or other residue to your face.
10. If you are at work, report the incident to your building security official or an available supervisor, who should notify the police and other authorities without delay.
11. List all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give a copy of this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice. They may have been exposed.
12. If you are at home, report the incident to the local sheriff/police and postal authorities. Alert your neighbors.
13. Be aware that simply reporting, although a smart idea, can lead to a lot more problems. Be careful under what conditions you notify the authorities, and do not be surprised if they panic in response.
Remember that not all packages are dangerous or deadly, but use common sense, just as you would with e-mail spam or finding something on the street!
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
A new "Baker's Dozen" on Travel Security
I'm again posting an article and asking for comments and suggestions before sending it out for publication on The Price of Liberty or elsewhere.
A Baker’s Dozen ™ Checklist for Improving Travel Security
With the increased difficulty in using public transportation (planes and trains), more Americans are driving greater distances than ever. However, both in cities and other areas, there are threats to you and your property while traveling. There are a few simple items to reduce the risk and to be able to respond if a threat arises:
1. Ensure that you have basic equipment for responding to emergencies in your vehicle. Some of the equipment you should ALWAYS have: first-aid kit (trauma type), warning triangles and/or flashers, purified water (for drinking, cleaning, and emergency fluids replacement), paper and pencil, food (including candy or other items with sugar), and vehicle maintenance equipment (such as tire gauge, tire-changing equipment, spare, and owner’s manual).
2. Ensure that you vary your emergency equipment in your vehicle based on changing seasons and the area in which you are traveling. Seasonal equipment may include additional water, blankets or sleeping bags, snow shovel, suntan lotion, hats, coats, and raingear.
3. When parking your vehicle, make sure that you put away or cover items that might be a temptation to people to break in and steal. Also cover or put away items that may be damaged by the sun or heat. And of course, be sure you lock your car at all times when you are not in the vehicle.
4. Don’t leave children, animals, or other items in your vehicle, which may be damaged by extremes of heat or cold.
5. When traveling in heavy stop-and-go traffic, especially in central urban areas, keep doors locked and windows rolled up (as much as possible) to prevent someone from entering your vehicle without permission, or from throwing something into (or snatching something from) your vehicle.
6. Always inspect the exterior of your vehicle before getting in and driving, to check for damage (especially in a parking lot), broken lights, low or flat tires, and other problems.
7. When receiving your car back from a maintenance provider, in addition to checking to make sure that repairs were done as invoiced, and that key items are present and have been correctly replaced, also check that an excessive amount of mileage has not been used on the odometer.
8. Make sure that your registration, insurance information, and tags/stickers are all current, and have not been tampered with. When receiving replacements, check to make sure all information is correct. Whenever possible, do NOT put a street address on your various papers: instead use a post office box.
9. If you carry a pistol in your vehicle (a strong recommendation), make sure that it is convenient to reach if needed, that it is not visible from outside the vehicle, and that it is stored securely where it will not be dislodged in case of a sudden stop or accident. Ensure that you know what laws apply in states through which you travel.
10. If stopped by a patrolman or police officer, verify that the person really is a police officer before letting them take your documents or get into their vehicle. If possible, arrange thorough an auto club or other service to have a “bond” for minor traffic offenses, to avoid having to post large cash bails or pay large fines.
11. When you see an accident or what appears like an accident, if possible report the accident to an emergency dispatcher before stopping to assist, in case problems develop. When approaching the accident scene, keep a good distance to avoid problems with debris from the accident, attempts to seize your vehicle, and to allow emergency response vehicles adequate access, as well as pulling off the driving lane far enough for your own safety.
12. Especially before beginning a long trip or traveling to remote areas, check for adequate fuel, oil, radiator fluid, other fluids, spare tire, tire-changing equipment, and working lights, including turn signals.
13. If stopped and asked by law enforcement to voluntarily submit to a search, refuse to do so without a search warrant. If searching is done, politely express that you are allowing such under threat of force, and observe the searching as closely as possible. Request a written copy of anything that they claim to have found.
Your automobile should be as much your castle as your home, but the law does not always recognize that fact. Schools should be a safe place for teaching children, but they can NOT be completely isolated from all threats and dangers – in fact, too much isolation can in itself be a danger. But children should be able to expect parents, teachers, and other staff to be prepared and keep them as secure as possible.
A Baker’s Dozen ™ Checklist for Improving Travel Security
With the increased difficulty in using public transportation (planes and trains), more Americans are driving greater distances than ever. However, both in cities and other areas, there are threats to you and your property while traveling. There are a few simple items to reduce the risk and to be able to respond if a threat arises:
1. Ensure that you have basic equipment for responding to emergencies in your vehicle. Some of the equipment you should ALWAYS have: first-aid kit (trauma type), warning triangles and/or flashers, purified water (for drinking, cleaning, and emergency fluids replacement), paper and pencil, food (including candy or other items with sugar), and vehicle maintenance equipment (such as tire gauge, tire-changing equipment, spare, and owner’s manual).
2. Ensure that you vary your emergency equipment in your vehicle based on changing seasons and the area in which you are traveling. Seasonal equipment may include additional water, blankets or sleeping bags, snow shovel, suntan lotion, hats, coats, and raingear.
3. When parking your vehicle, make sure that you put away or cover items that might be a temptation to people to break in and steal. Also cover or put away items that may be damaged by the sun or heat. And of course, be sure you lock your car at all times when you are not in the vehicle.
4. Don’t leave children, animals, or other items in your vehicle, which may be damaged by extremes of heat or cold.
5. When traveling in heavy stop-and-go traffic, especially in central urban areas, keep doors locked and windows rolled up (as much as possible) to prevent someone from entering your vehicle without permission, or from throwing something into (or snatching something from) your vehicle.
6. Always inspect the exterior of your vehicle before getting in and driving, to check for damage (especially in a parking lot), broken lights, low or flat tires, and other problems.
7. When receiving your car back from a maintenance provider, in addition to checking to make sure that repairs were done as invoiced, and that key items are present and have been correctly replaced, also check that an excessive amount of mileage has not been used on the odometer.
8. Make sure that your registration, insurance information, and tags/stickers are all current, and have not been tampered with. When receiving replacements, check to make sure all information is correct. Whenever possible, do NOT put a street address on your various papers: instead use a post office box.
9. If you carry a pistol in your vehicle (a strong recommendation), make sure that it is convenient to reach if needed, that it is not visible from outside the vehicle, and that it is stored securely where it will not be dislodged in case of a sudden stop or accident. Ensure that you know what laws apply in states through which you travel.
10. If stopped by a patrolman or police officer, verify that the person really is a police officer before letting them take your documents or get into their vehicle. If possible, arrange thorough an auto club or other service to have a “bond” for minor traffic offenses, to avoid having to post large cash bails or pay large fines.
11. When you see an accident or what appears like an accident, if possible report the accident to an emergency dispatcher before stopping to assist, in case problems develop. When approaching the accident scene, keep a good distance to avoid problems with debris from the accident, attempts to seize your vehicle, and to allow emergency response vehicles adequate access, as well as pulling off the driving lane far enough for your own safety.
12. Especially before beginning a long trip or traveling to remote areas, check for adequate fuel, oil, radiator fluid, other fluids, spare tire, tire-changing equipment, and working lights, including turn signals.
13. If stopped and asked by law enforcement to voluntarily submit to a search, refuse to do so without a search warrant. If searching is done, politely express that you are allowing such under threat of force, and observe the searching as closely as possible. Request a written copy of anything that they claim to have found.
Your automobile should be as much your castle as your home, but the law does not always recognize that fact. Schools should be a safe place for teaching children, but they can NOT be completely isolated from all threats and dangers – in fact, too much isolation can in itself be a danger. But children should be able to expect parents, teachers, and other staff to be prepared and keep them as secure as possible.
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