RNS Quote of the Day: 09/07/07

Posted on September 7, 2007 by Phil Kadath

And an assignment for you.

First, the quote:

I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution or that have failed their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is ‘needed” before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents ‘interests’, I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can.

Barry Goldwater

Your assignment is in two parts:

1. Tell me your thoughts about Goldwater. I am genuinely curious. The Samizdata Illuminatus, from whom I borrowed this quote, have called Goldwater “The Best President America Never Had”. I’ve never really thought about Goldwater, as he was before my time and way before my time in being interested in the politics around me. Which leads me to part two…

2. Reading materials on the topic of Goldwater. I’m not talking about some Reagan book that constantly talks of the influence he had on Reagan’s future politics, and I’m not talking about a bio, just the best book on Goldwater on the market.

3. Extra credit: What would America look like today, in your view, if Goldwater had served two full terms (1964 – 1973) as President? Vietnam, Gas Crunch, Stinking Hippies, War in the Middle East, Marxism spreading throughout Central America, The Cold War, etc. You can be all rose tinted glasses as you want to be, but those won’t be the interesting ones.

Feel free to leave your extra credit in a separate comment. Feel free to write a 10000 word thesis, if you think you need to. Take all weekend.

Your deep thoughts and hard work typing may get reposted next week if we get enough participation.

Posted in Quote of the Day | 7 Comments

Emergency Work Session

Posted on September 7, 2007 by Phil Kadath

I got the news when I arrived at work last night that IT had “Big Plans” for the weekend. Again.

These plans always include taking away the intranet I work through before my shift even starts. Meaning….I get to start my shift 9 hours early! Oh joy for me.

So no more posting from me, but I have found something you might get a kick out of.

Lee at Right Thinking was reading this AP bit called “Thompson on the Issues” and made note that Fred sounds like a hardcore Federalist.

Or as he is now calling it “Frederalism” . Kind of like Reaganomics, but better.

I can dig it. Can you?

Posted in Kewel! | 1 Comment

Super Happy Fun Boat?

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Phil Kadath

Nope. It’s all about projection of power.

And good for them

Japan launched the first of its new helicopter-carrying destroyers, the Hyuga, amid great fanfare. This vessel, officially 13,500 tons, will be able to carry helicopters. Plans are for them to mostly carry SH-60 helicopters, but the Hyuga will give Japan its first real power projection capability since 1945.

Japan plans to build at least two Hyuga-class vessels, which can carry up to 11 helicopters, displace 13,500 tons, and are equipped with a Mk41 VLS, giving them the ability for fire air-defense missiles like the Standard and the ESSM, and a vertically-launched ASROC, but also the Tomahawk cruise missile, if Japan wished to do so. It also has two triple 12.75-inch torpedo mounts.

…

This ship in the same weight range of the European “Harrier carriers” (the British Invincibles, the Italian Garibaldi, the Spanish Principe de Asturias, and the Thai Chakri Narubet-classes). While this ship is currently planned to carry helicopters only, European experience (particularly from the British) has shown that this can be an effective platform for fixed-wing aircraft, like the F-35B. That makes the designation of “helicopter carrying destroyer” technically true, but in reality a useful fiction. In essence, they could act as small aircraft carriers or as a landing platform helicopter like HMS Ocean if transport helicopters are used.

…

In essence, Japan will have a ship about the size of the vessels that were the centerpiece of the British response to a crisis halfway around the world 25 years ago, with a flight deck and an offset island. They performed well, too – just ask Argentina.

I hope the Japanese make a world tour of these ships. I think the Seattle Mariners could make an offer of free tix to a game for the sailors if they make port in Seattle.

Posted in Kewel! | 2 Comments

The Soundboard: The Pound of Sound

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Phil Kadath

Week 2

Our tunage from last week was recorded at a show on the west coast. We’re gonna switch coasts this week and go to Atlantic City, NJ.

On August 9th, 1969, Lonnie Smith played a show at Club Harlem that put him at the top of the jazz scene. His show displayed the power of “soul jazz” and set the tone for things to come in the next few years. The album “Move Your Hand” is the recording of that show that Blue Note put out shortly thereafter.
This whole album just cruises right along whether it is rendition of “Charlie Brown” by The Coasters or the super groove track “Layin in the Cut”, you can just sit back and enjoy the feeling of smooth wash right over you.

And while I sincerely wanted to post both the above mentioned tracks up today, I decided on two different ones. It nearly came down to flipping a coin on which set to post to get you all your “Pound of Sound” today.

Our first track is a cover of Donovan’s 1966 #1 hit “Sunshine Superman”. You haven’t and you never will hear this song played the same way again. I guaran-funking-tee it.

Sunshine Superman (10:15)

Our second bit of tunage is the title track to the live album, and the only one with vocals. Lonnie Smith provides with his less than dulcet-toned vocal chords that just seem to fit exactly right on to the track.

Move Your Hand (08:50)

Enjoy.

Posted in Kewel! | Leave a comment

RNS Quote of the Day: 09/06/07

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Phil Kadath

Taking a cue from David’s quotes, we’ll hear from The Gipper today

The difference between a Republic and a People’s Republic is the same as the difference between a jacket and a straitjacket.

Ronald Reagan

I found this quote at Right Thinking From the Left Coast. It was brought up because Lee has taken a year-long contract computer job in the Peoples Republic of China, which you can read about here. Just keep clicking forward for the rest of this anecdotes on his previous experience with the ChiComs.

Posted in Quote of the Day | 2 Comments

Goin to the Rendezvous?

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Phil Kadath

Mr. Completely is sending out notices that if you plan on going to The Gun Blogger Rendezvous this October in Reno, NV., you had better get going on your reservations.

I just got an email from the Circus Circus and it looks like a lot of you that are planning to attend the Rendezvous haven’t got your hotel room reservations in yet. I have talked them into giving us and extra week or maybe 10 days, but if you miss that deadline you will miss out on the reduced room rates.

I made my reservations for a cruise to Alaska during that time a week after the last Rendezvous, so I shant be attending. But there are so many people going this year that I’d like to meet that I tried to roll my cruise forward a week, even though the weather in AK will already be questionable during the week I’m going. The weeks before were already full.

Hell, I’ve even tried to find someone to take a rifle down there for folks to try out since I’m not able to go.

This is the event of the year. If you plan to go, get your reservations made so that you can save some $$$. If you are wondering if you want to go, go here, read, and try and resist.

C’mon, they got a video.

I want to go next year, and without a decent turn out, this may be the last one. Help a brother out!

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

My definition of “Fairness”

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Phil Kadath

Has no relation to this purveyor of authoritarian evil

The entire population of Britain — and every visitor — should be added to the national DNA database, a senior judge has argued.

Appeal Court judge, Lord Justice Stephen Sedley, said the database, which holds the DNA from millions of suspects and crime scenes, should be extended to all residents and even tourists, in the interests of fairness and crime prevention.

“Where we are at the moment is indefensible,” Sedley told BBC radio.

“Everybody, guilty or innocent, should expect their DNA to be on file for the absolutely rigorously restricted purpose of crime detection and prevention — and no other purpose.”

Sedley said he was aware his idea would be viewed as a dangerous breach of civil liberties.

“It is authoritarian measure to the extent that it demands people depart with some further measure of their autonomy and privacy and it has to be justified,” he added.

Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said there were no plans to make the database compulsory for all residents and visitors for the foreseeable future.

“But no-one ever says never,” he told BBC radio.

I hate to break it to Mr. McNulty, but here, on this issue, I will say never. No one, at any time, in any place, for any reason will get me to voluntarily give up a DNA sample for any reason involving a database.

Found at Samizdata

Posted in Evil walks the earth | Leave a comment

Arrest these people

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Phil Kadath

Now.

Customs raids spur training on rights

In living rooms, laundromats, and community centers across Massachusetts, immigrant-rights groups are running an underground campaign to teach illegal immigrants to protect themselves from federal agents. Their instructions to the immigrants: Keep their lips sealed and doors shut unless authorities have a warrant.

The grass-roots training sessions, coming in response to recent federal raids through immigrant enclaves from Nantucket to Boston to Springfield, have ignited controversy on all sides.

Federal customs officials criticize the nonprofit groups for aiding anyone in this country illegally and say that agents generally target criminals. But the advocacy groups, worried that the raids are more widespread, say that even illegal immigrants have rights under the Constitution.

Yes, they have rights. But one of them isn’t to be running around freely. The people in these “non-profit groups” are aiding and abetting criminals and need to be charged, tried and incarcerated as such.

Found at Wizbang

Posted in The Left is Never Right | Leave a comment

I’m sure

Posted on September 5, 2007 by Phil Kadath

That Nancy Pelosi and Maria Cantwell will have their press conferences on the findings of this study any minute/hour/day now.

FTC Report: No Price Gouging from Oil Industry

Gasoline price increases in the spring and summer of 2006 were not the result of antitrust violations by oil companies or refiners, the Federal Trade Commission said Thursday.

“The 2006 price increases were caused by a confluence of factors reflecting the normal operation of the market,” the commission said in a report to President Bush.

Those factors included higher prices for crude oil and ethanol, greater demand for fuel during the summer driving season as well as lingering refinery outages from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Reduced capacity while refinery owners switched to using ethanol as a fuel additive also contributed.

“The FTC has looked at the same phenomenon, which occurs almost every year, year after year, and they get the same result,” said Joseph Simons, former director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition.

“Why people think it’s going to come out any different the next time is unclear,” said Simons, now a partner with the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. “It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money.”

Yep, and time now I’ll be flipping through the channels and ol Nan or Little Miss Can’t Vote Well will be up there spreading the word.

Found at Say Anything

Posted in Order of the imperial upraised middle finger. | 1 Comment

RNS Quote of the Day: 09/05/07

Posted on September 5, 2007 by Phil Kadath

A man you’ve most likely never heard of who speaks the truth

I believe taxes – of all kinds – should be kept as low as possible and that the pressure to get them down should be relentless… Taxes on income are taxes on effort, work and entrepreneurship. Taxes on capital are taxes on investment and risk taking. But it is effort, work, entrepreneurship, investment and risk taking that we need to continue to grow our economic base.

Charlie McCreevy – Irish-born European Commissioner for the Internal Market. Recently named Person of the Year by the Globalisation Institute.

And as Mr. Marks reminds us in the Samizdata comments section, the Irish have the lowest taxes in the EU.

Posted in Quote of the Day | 2 Comments