Update no.427

Update from the Heartland

No.427

15.2.10 – 21.2.10

Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

To all,
The follow-up news items:
-- A new Washington Post-ABC News poll suggests Americans of both parties are overwhelmingly oppose the Supreme Court’s Citizens United [424] decision that allows corporations and unions to spend as much as they want on political campaigns. Further, the poll indicates a significant majority of citizens favor new limits on corporate political campaign spending. I shall take this opportunity to once again state that corporations are NOT citizens, and as citizens we have every right, nay obligation, to regulate the influence of corporations on our government and our society.
-- The Obama administration Justice Department concluded the Bush administration Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) lawyers showed “poor judgment” - not professional misconduct - in writing memoranda [381, 384] authorizing enhanced interrogation techniques for captured battlefield combatants in the War on Islamic Fascism. Coincidentally, a leaked memorandum within the British legal system has caused quite a related stir regarding the alleged complicity of the vaunted MI5 in the also alleged torture and unlawful interrogation by the United States of Binyam Mohammed [289], an Ethiopian citizen. The case is R (Binyam Mohammed) v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [case no.: TI/2009/2331/QBACF]. The joint Head of Brick Court Chambers Jonathan Philip Chadwick Sumption, OBE, QC, wrote a private memorandum to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales Lord Judge [AKA Igor Judge, or Baron Judge, PC, QC], the Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger [David Edmond Neuberger, or Baron Neuberger of Abbotsbury, PC], and the President of the Queen's Bench Division Sir Anthony Tristram Kenneth May, QC. I am not familiar with the nuances of the British legal system; however, based on my novice observations, the Sumption letter is rather unusual, if not unprecedented. Sumption wrote, “At paragraph 168 of his Judgment [Neuberger’s – not yet published], the Master of the Rolls makes some observations about the previous ‘form’ of SyS. I assume from the context that he is referring to the Security Service, although in paragraph 64 the Master of the Rolls defines SyS as including the Secret Intelligence Service [AKA MI6] as well, and a reader less familiar with the context might assume that he was referring to both [MI5 + MI6].” While the letter addresses a technicality in the court’s pending decision, Her Majesty’s Government is clearly sensitive to the looming judgment and the potential for harm to the country’s intelligence apparatus. Some may recognize the name Binyam Mohammed; he was a party to a civil claims suit – ACLU v. Jeppesen DataPlan, Inc. [289] – a direct challenge to the CIA’s rendition program [289 et al], which was eventually dismissed. I eagerly await the formal decision statement as it will most likely be the best view into what is ahead regarding our warfighting ability.
-- The Space Shuttle Endeavour landed successfully late Sunday night, ending the STS-130 mission [426], which installed the cupola module for panoramic Earth observation – so ends the last planned night launch and recovery in the 30-year service life of the space shuttle fleet.

The whining, rolling of eyes, and frothing at the mouth by all the anti-Palin intelligentsia continues virtually unabated since her speech to the Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, 6.February.2010. Most folks have been funnin’ her for the simple crib notes written on her left palm. Frank Rich offers another perspective.
“Palin’s Cunning Sleight of Hand”
by Frank Rich
New York Times
Published: February 13, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/opinion/14rich.html
I listened to and watched the entire speech. Jeanne is one citizen who does not appreciate Palin’s folksy style; Sarah has simply never connected with her. I will be so bold and direct to say that those who boil down her speech and political position to a few scribbled words on her left palm will seriously underestimate a large segment of our citizenry. If you did not listen to and watch the whole speech and you are seriously concerned about politics in this Grand Republic, I strongly urge you to take the time to watch it and listen to her words rather than listen to the naysayer pundits. She is not the dunderhead far too many like to make her out to be.

I am fairly certain everyone has heard the story of movie director Kevin Smith who was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight ostensibly for being “too fat to fly.” I see numerous issues in this kerfuffle.
1. I suspect there was much more to this story than Smith is willing to acknowledge or tell, and Southwest is reluctant to make public.
2. I have a strong suspicion this brouhaha is actually indirect, publicity hype for the director’s pending movie release.
3. I am broadly against the government or anyone else telling another citizen how to live their lives, including obesity, smoking, or even seat belts or motorcycle helmets.
4. Airlines have one primary obligation / responsibility . . . safe transportation of passengers – full stop.
5. Every passenger has an equal requirement / demand to the same seat volume and safety devices.
6. There is no “right” to airline travel.
7. Political correctness can and does compromise safety.
I am not particularly sympathetic to Kevin Smith’s tantrum or his attempt to malign Southwest Airlines. In fact, I condemn his conduct as well as all the size-challenged advocates and pundits who seek to compromise our safety to support their proclivities. To my knowledge, a fat passenger has not gotten stuck in an over-wing emergency exit or blocked rapid egress from a door exit during an emergency evacuation, and if my feeble memory is correct, then only by the grace of God have we avoided such an avoidable, calamitous event. I have been on the receiving end of such an overweight passenger; in my case, a woman who filled 1½ seats. I was returning home from a week’s work in Binghamton, New York; I was the late for the flight, the last person to board, and of course the only seat remaining was the ½ seat next to the large woman. The airline gave me a choice: wedge into the seat or take the first flight out the next day (Saturday). Needless to say, I got about as intimate with the woman as you can with your clothes on. I am sorry Southwest Airlines felt the need to apologize to Smith. The airline did what should have been done 25 years ago in my case. Good on you, Southwest. Now, Kevin Smith . . . shut [expletive deleted] up and go away.

A multitude of news sources reported the capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar – allegedly the Afghan Taliban military commander, second only to Mullah Omar – by Pakistani and U.S. intelligence operatives in Karachi, Pakistan. Knowing the climate of political correctness that prevails today, I wonder if they served up his milk and cookies, yet.

The government of Dubai acknowledged the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh – a Palestinian Hamas military chief – reportedly by a team of agents in the 5-star luxury, al-Bustan Rotana Hotel. Mabhouh’s body was discovered by hotel service staff on the afternoon of 20.January.2010. The Times [of London] reported the team included 11 Mossad operatives, 10 males and one female, at least six of the 11 used British passports in the name of real, live, British citizens, and three others held Irish passports. Dubai indicated international arrest warrants have been issued to Interpol. According to the Times report, al-Mabhouh was enroute to the Islamic Republic of Iran – the primary nation-state supporter of Hamas and the leading sponsor of terrorist groups.

I am fairly certain most folks recognize that Kansas is a comparatively conservative state on a variety of levels including the social, or personal, or private level. The latest efforts by the legislature are thus consistent with that background and context.
“House bill would allow 'covenant marriage'” or
“Bill would establish ‘covenant marriage’”
by David Klepper
Wichita Eagle
Published: Friday, 19.February.2010; page 1A
http://www.kansas.com/news/story/1188576.html
For those who may not be aware, “covenant marriage” is a movement among predominately social conservatives in numerous state legislatures across this great land that is intended to “strengthen the marriage bond” and “improve the family unit as the foundation for raising future generations.” On Thursday, the Kansas House passed HB 2667, which begins, “The marriage contract is to be considered in law as a civil contract between two parties who are of opposite sex. All other marriages are declared to be contrary to the public policy of this state and are void,” and creates a covenant marriage, which “is a marriage entered into by one male and one female who understand and agree that the marriage between them is a lifelong relationship. Parties to a covenant marriage have received counseling emphasizing the nature and purposes of marriage and the responsibilities thereto. Only when there has been a complete and total breach of the marital covenant commitment may the non-breaching party seek a declaration that the marriage is no longer legally recognized.” I understand and appreciate the urge of a significant some to maintain the standard of a mystical ideal of eternal marital bliss; however, this is not the way to do it. Freedom is not and never will be about laws attempting to enforce expected private behavior. Try as we might, marriage is a private affair to be decided by the parties involved. As with all private conduct, legislation of private morality is the antithesis of personal choice as to our “Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness.” This law is not the way. This attempt is like passing laws against addiction; the only thing that alters the addict’s addiction is the addict’s internal commitment to himself to change – nothing else will be successful. Laws such as these will do far more damage than they ever will do good.

News from the economic front:
-- New residential housing construction increased in January – the highest level in six months and a rate higher than expected – raising hopes the construction industry is beginning to recover from the worst slump in decades.
-- The Labor Department reported wholesale prices rose 1.4% in January, on higher gasoline and other energy costs, and above economists’ expectations (0.7%). Core wholesale inflation, which excludes energy and food, rose 0.3%, faster than the 0.1% economists had predicted.
-- The U.S. Federal Reserve raised its discount rate to 75 basis points from half a point as the Fed's moves away from its emergency-lending efforts. The central bank emphasized that the step didn't represent a broader tightening of credit.
-- The Labor Department also reported the seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.2% in January, less than expected, while prices excluding food and energy fell for the first time since 1982, easing worries about inflation.

No comments or contributions from Update no.426.

My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)