We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
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A US court has ruled Ashcroft’s storm troopers can no longer hound doctors and threaten license revocation if they prescribe weed for pain.
Grass is legal for medical purposes in a number of States – notably California -and effectively decriminalized in several. Unfortunately the Feds believe they can override state laws at will.
Libertarians long have played a prominent role in legalization campaigns. One former National Chair also spent time as a major player within NORML.
“Come the Revolution”, the DEA will be one of the first organizations to go. I’d suggest they all keep their CV’s current, but I’m not sure what sort of productive jobs they could get. There’s not a lot of call for their skillset in a Civil society, and I don’t believe Saddam will be hiring after this winter.
I finally saw some TV news on the marvelously skilled Russia rescue.
And what angle do you think the newsies are taking? Oh, lord. 90 hostages died. SCANDAL! SCANDAL! They killed the terrorists instead of pulling out of their war in Chechnya. SHOCK! HORROR! They used GAS! They haven’t told the DOCTORS what GAS they used on PEOPLE!
I want to know if the graduation ceremony for a Journalism degree requires brain removal. These people are just simply some of the most assinine, stupid, moronic, ignorant fools I can imagine standing on two feet while still retaining control of bowels and locomotion.
The alternative actions for the Russians were stark and terrible. They could have folded. Had they done so, Russia would have sent a message. Anyone along that entire Asian border stretching half way around the world from the Pacific to to Europe would know they could grab a piece of Russia. Terrorists would be planning their next demands and an even bigger attack before the last Chechen asswipe sobered up from the victory celebration.
Presumably this means journalists can’t understand maps beyond looking at the pretty colours.
The other alternative was to try talking and talking and talking. The problem is, we aren’t dealing with normal human beings. We are dealing with folk who got that old time religion. They aren’t people anymore. They are self portable Memes. The end result of this seige, whether it was tonight or several days from now would have been a charred wreckage with eight hundred corpses burned beyond recognition.
Perhaps it’s those children’s stories journalists read on airplanes. The ones where villains actually all have a good heart if you’d only figure out what makes them act so mean.
The only option for the Russians was to go in. The worst possible outcome of that was no different than the expected outcome. Acting meant some hostages might be saved. Inaction meant they all would die. As it turned out, brilliant tactics (and probably a healthy dose of luck) let them save better than 6 out of 7 of the hostages.
Our media people have become grotesque apologists for the most evil, ugly, murderous, callous, merciless killers on the planet. They are backers of our mortal enemies, enemies of a sort we will have to wipe from the face of this planet if we are to have a prayer of retaining a semi-liberal society.
I have no respect for these walking cowflops and their jaded, venomous self-loathing. It will be a happy day indeed when we have internet video broadcasts by intelligent and educated people on location and news anchors bringing the stories together who are more than a hair style holding their ears apart. When that day arrives, it will be with the greatest pleasure that I turn my back on them as I have already done with traditional print journalism.
We thank you for putting up with this brief interruption and return you to normal sedate Samizdata programming, now in progress.
For the last couple years many pundits have expected a black aircraft to have a coming out party “Real Soon Now”. It has finally happened but the new debutante is not at all what anyone expected.
It’s neat looking but only a technology demonstrator. Slow, low ceiling… and very hard to detect.
Personally I think there are a few other rather more interesting craft still in the deep, deep black of Groom Lake.
Photo: with permission, Boeing Aerospace
Russian special forces have pulled off a brilliant rescue. I was not surprised by the attempt. In fact, I was discussing this probability with a friend last night before going out to watch “The Bourne Identity”. There was simply no choice at all but to take the risk because the alternative was certain death for over 700 people.
I expected higher casualties among the hostages than what actually occured so my hat is off to the Russians. I’m also happy to hear of the death of such a large percentage of the terrorists. Thirty-six out of fifty ain’t bad shooting.
I’m really glad we’re on the same side now.
If it got under J. Edgar Hoover’s skin it’s no wonder I loved it when I was a kid.
Happy 50th Alfred!
Brian has commented on a left/right difference in art punditry. I differ with what he said only because I’m uncertain it matches what he does and why he does it. His High Arts (and low!) commentary has been been a breath of fresh air.
Artists, artist wannabees and art students like to write about art because that is what they do. It’s their passion. What they think about when life isn’t messily intruding on those More Important Things.
A few years ago a large part of my writing would have been in the music biz vein. I was playing as near to professionally as I could afford to. At the moment I’m spending all my time with technology and still trying – badly I might add – to make a living. At times I wonder if tech should be the hobby… but then I talk to a friend whose record label is failing and whose tour gigs are falling off and I realize it doesn’t work well either way.
Although I write a lot on technology and policy, catch me at the bar while a Rock gig is on (well, during the break when you can talk anyway – I always stand near the speakers) and I’ll talk your ear off about “the biz”. I drive my business partner up the pub wall at times. I point out the features of the electronic kit the lead guitarist is using, what keyboards they have, the qualities of various amps and speakers and of course the pros and cons of why CF Martin makes the best acoustic guitar, whether a Strat or an SG is a better electric and for what, direct feed versus amp miking etc. etc…
I would posit libertarians are more like the Left when it comes to the arts. It’s the socially liberal side of the equation which we don’t share with the Right. Some who once thought they were Conservative may disagree. I ask them: “Why do you think you were politically homeless before you found us?” It’s because you weren’t Left and you didn’t fit on the Right. The vice-versa thing heppened to me on the Left.
Libertarians are neither Right nor Left: go find a Nolan chart. We’re, well… sort of, you know… UP1. We’re the new kid on the ideological block and most of the writers in our corner have been philosophers, policy wonks and political pundits.
Samizdata is out to change all that. Libertarians have a life style as open as the philosophy itself. We’re here to show that.
1 = Extra credit for those who recognize my literary misreference.
I find it rather interesting the sniper and his boy sidekick were living in Tacoma Washington and doing target practice in their backyard as recently as January. I could not be the only one who remembers there was an al Q’aeda cell training in the wilderness there. One really has to assume the authorities are looking for connections between an Islamic sniper with US military quals and a training camp in his vicinity1.
An FBI fellow interviewed by UK ITV News was certain the dastardly duo were working alone and doing this only for the money. I’m sure his statements must be as accurate and as correct as Official statements on the LAX shootings were.
There certainly is a potential venue for Muhammad to have been recruited. He was a bodyguard for Nation of Islam and that would have flagged his name but good for those who might be looking for native trouble makers. There is no need to assume Nation of Islam has any association whatever with terrorism for this to be true. If I were al Q’aeda I’d be nosing around and infiltrating this ready made army with a classic old style Communist co-opt, take-over and purge in mind.
If I were Louis Farakhan, I’d be watching my back very carefully.
I am relieved these people are in the lockup, although no where near as relieved as people in the region are. I have many friends in both areas where they were killing people. One friend’s youngest daughter goes to school 3 blocks from the Ashland Ponderosa. This is the South and I would not be surprised if he was picking her up at school the last few days… with a bit of security hardware close to hand.
Now we wait for the trial and see what connections come out in court. The State of Maryland will be seeking the death penalty and I doubt there will be any hue and cry over it.
Marshmallows anyone?
1 =“in his vicinity” out in the West should be interpreted to mean “within a few hundred miles. As they say, there is nothing out there but miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. Well, nothing other than a lot of trees, mountains, not-so-extinct volcanoes and the odd bear, wolf and mountain lion at least.
It had to come out eventually. This week “soldier 027” gave testimony on the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry. He is under careful protection for now so his buddies won’t get a chance to silence him.
Those events of long ago were target practice. The Para’s were told by an officer before they went out “they might get kills”. And they did. They opened fire on unarmed civilian demonstrators and killed thirteen people. Intentionally. With careful aim. Soldier 027 said he believes one soldier was responsible for up to ten of the body count. While his buddies were dropping demonstrators, he was scanning the line of them with his scope, unable to find any threat.
His buddies agreed to a story. His own statements after the event were modified without his knowledge. This shows his superiors were involved and culpable.
It is as if the US National Guard sent to Selma, Alabama did so in hopes of either getting their first kill1 or adding to their tally, shot a bunch of civil rights workers… and then Johnson claimed the unarmed NAACP demonstrators fired on them… and then by the time an inquiry of “appropriate persons” was convened, the US Army had forged the written record to back up the claim of innocence.
One must note the Paratroop Regiment simply did not belong in Derry. They are an elite war-fighting group intended for serious kill or be killed combat, not police work. I should like to see the persons responsible for that deployment tried and hung for the cold blooded murder of 13 people and the responsibility for all of what came after.
It is not hard to understand why a community would rally around those who would fight back, and I know from discussions over beers in West Belfast that back in those early days of the insurrection the Para’s were particular targets.
And they brought it on themselves.
1 = Unfortunately the Ohio National Guard corrected this oversight. The State is not your friend.
Anyone who watched news early this evening could not help but hear the joyful chortling of the anchors about the US losing in the UN and being “put back in a box”. Well, as it it turns out it ain’t so.
I had a feeling this was the case. The idea the US would sit back and wait for the mushrooms to sprout is just too ludicrous to imagine… unless you are a European news anchor.
But hey, the TV newsies are going after a UK madrassa for child abuse and doing so with both feet and cleats in the air – so they have some redeeming values. They even aired a quote that a child had been told UK law does not apply inside the Mosque!
Glenn Reynolds over on instapundit commented on this article which says pretty much what I’ve been saying although with quotes from someone more credible than I.
If – as I fear – this is the test run of one of perhaps many attacks of disruption, how do we fight back?
I would posit we will fail utterly if we proceed with the current crime investigation tactics. They are fine for tracking down one serial killer, but are next to useless for dealing with dispersed enemy squadrons.
I suggest anyone living in a “hidden carry” state should buy a handgun with good stopping power; take training in how to use it properly and most importantly in how to make judgements about a situation; and then get your hidden carry approval.
This might not save the targeted victim, but it could make the life expectancy of the sniper after his shot considerably lower. And yes… if we have five or ten million nervous people carrying personal artillery at all times, there will be mistakes and accidents. There always are in warzones in wartime. America has not had to face this on its’ own soil since the 1860’s.
They have only opened the Maryland front so far. We can pray I am entirely wrong… but I very much fear the war will be coming soon to a community near you.
The media and bureaucrats are at least beginning to discuss the possibility of al Q’aeda involvement. After you’ve read the article come back and I’ll finish….
Okay. What is blatantly obvious in the comments? Do you see the same pre-September 11th thought patterns I see?
We are no longer dealing with terrorism that fits into the familiar tick box on government forms. We are not looking at terrorism intended to make a statement or to get prisoners released. We are not looking at terrorism as an isolated event with an isolated purpose.
We are looking at the face of 21st Century warfare.
The enemy is out to destroy our society by any means possible. They don’t need to give manifestos to the media about their purpose because the attacks are a warfighting tactic, not a statement.
If any of our readers happen to be in the right circles, please tell these officials to get their heads out of the box and start thinking WAR, not comfortable 1980’s statement oriented violence happenings.
Let’s stop talking about Motive. That’s police work. Start talking Strategy, Tactics and Objectives and how the Beltway events fit into the big picture of this World War.
I might be entirely wrong about the unfolding of this event…. but even if it is homegrown psychos this time… it won’t be the next.
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Who Are We? The Samizdata people are a bunch of sinister and heavily armed globalist illuminati who seek to infect the entire world with the values of personal liberty and several property. Amongst our many crimes is a sense of humour and the intermittent use of British spelling.
We are also a varied group made up of social individualists, classical liberals, whigs, libertarians, extropians, futurists, ‘Porcupines’, Karl Popper fetishists, recovering neo-conservatives, crazed Ayn Rand worshipers, over-caffeinated Virginia Postrel devotees, witty Frédéric Bastiat wannabes, cypherpunks, minarchists, kritarchists and wild-eyed anarcho-capitalists from Britain, North America, Australia and Europe.
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