Life saved! Officer intended to use taser but pulled gun

There's now "evidence" that NOT using a taser actually saves lives:

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- The Nicholasville Police Department says one of its officers intended to use his Taser to stop a fight between two men, but mistakenly pulled his pistol and shot one of them.

Yes, tasers make you trigger-happy. We know that many people (including the latest taser death Kevin Piskura) have died soon after having been tasered; so how's this fellow doing, after being shot with a lethal gun?

State police say Michael W. McCarty was taken to the University of Kentucky Hospital after being struck in the lower back by a bullet. Hospital officials say he's in fair condition.

A life saved by NOT using a taser; hallelujah.

taser-Nazis say taser is an "effective tool"; how right they are

Canadian Police officers keep telling us that tasers are an effective tool:

“We believe taser are [...] effective, and we will continue to use them [...]”

But now we know why:

Police stopped Dewayne Chatt for loitering. When they were about to make the arrest the 38 year old ran into the Dodge's store across the street and locked himself in the managers office. Police ran after him and had to use a taser on him three times before finally getting him into custody.

Just over an hour later, Chatt died while locked up in the Crittenden County Jail.

Very effective, I would say. And a lot cheaper too.

Taser's Self Defeating Prophecy: Excited Delirium

There's currently an interesting civil court case against a medical examiner in Summit County Common Pleas Court:

The Taser International Co. is suing Summit County Medical Examiner Lisa Kohler, who ruled the use of the stun gun-like weapons were a contributing factor in the deaths.

That's what the court case is about, a contributing factor. Then the lies follow:

Patricia Ambrose called Tasers ''a crucial, nonlethal instrument'' used by thousands of officers.

We all know the Taser is NOT a non-lethal weapon, even Taser knows this and has removed all non-lethal references to the Taser from their website years ago. Of course the Taser CAN kill, nobody doubts THAT; just let some taser-Nazi hold the taser-trigger for an extended peroid (3-5 minutes should do) on not too healthy person and that will be the end of that life. But beyond the more obvious "mistake" of what's nonlethal, it gets more interesting:

Ambrose said the city and Taser will show Kohler incorrectly blamed the weapons and that ''excited delirium'' instead was responsible. Excited delirium is used to describe deaths of suspects who are in police custody and are highly agitated or under the influence of drugs.

Excited Delirium is Taser's code-word for in custody death. Taser uses excited delirium as a red herring, pointing to all kinds of other reasons (besides the taser) from which someone could have died after a taser-death (defined by Getting it Right as a death that happened soon after a Taser was deployed) happened while continuing to uphold that a taser could NEVER bare any responsibility in any of those deaths. But this medical examiner is not giving up so easily and fights back:

John Manley, chief counsel in the Summit County prosecutor's civil division, said the Taser company's request ''asks the court to issue an order that steps on the thought-out, carefully deliberated'' findings of three pathologists.'

'We are not saying this is the sole or direct cause,'' Manley said. ''We are saying it contributed in some way. How much, we may never know.''And Man

And he has a very good point here. Taser has up until now been able to use the controversial term excited delirium as a self-fulfilling prophecy, in which the taser would bare non of the responsibilities of deaths. But it's about time WE turn this around. Here's the self-defeating argument that John Manley used:

Manley pointed to Taser's product warning, which says ''it is important to remember that the very nature of self-defense, use of force, and physical confrontation or incapacitation involves a degree of risk that someone will get hurt or may even be killed due to physical exertion, unforeseen circumstances and/or individual susceptibilities.'' Manley said the three men in this case may have had ''individual susceptibilities'' that made the use of Tasers lethal for them.

The three deaths at issue are:

• Hyde, 30, who died in January 2005 after being shocked with a Taser multiple times by Akron police.

• Richard Holcomb, 18, who died in May 2005 after being stunned with a Taser by a Springfield Township police officer.

• Mark McCullaugh Jr., 28, who died in August 2006 after a struggle with deputies in the Summit County Jail. The deputies used pepper spray and a Taser to restrain him. (Five deputies have been indicted in his death.)

Kohler's office listed the cases as homicides and said the electrical shocks by the Tasers contributed to the deaths.

The civil trial will last at least through Thursday, with both sides calling competing expert witnesses. Kohler, who is sitting beside Manley during the trial, is expected to testify this afternoon.

Good for you, Dr. Lisa Kohler, keep up the good work and don't let any of those taser-Nazis intimidate you, either through lawsuits or otherwise. It's time people learned about the fact that so many people have died from "excited delirium" after being tasered. Of course there's a connection between exited delirium and taser-deaths. Excited delirium .com said it well, in connection with the many drug addicts that die (according to Taser from excited delirium) after being tasered:

Monday: Take drugs.
Tuesday: Take drugs.
Wednesday: Take drugs.
Thursday: Take drugs.
Wednesday: Take drugs.
Thursday: Take drugs.
Friday: Take drugs.
Saturday: Take drugs.
Sunday: Take drugs.
Monday: Take drugs.
Tuesday: Take drugs.
Wednesday: Take drugs.
Thursday: Take drugs.
Friday: Take drugs.
Saturday: Take drugs.
Sunday: Take drugs.
Monday: Take drugs.
Tuesday: Take drugs.
Wednesday: Take drugs.
Thursday: Take drugs. Tasered. Died.

Well obviously it was the drugs that killed him. The taser obviously had nothing to do with it.

{ROLLS EYES}

Obviously such drug use could be a contributing factor. Hell, it could even be a MAJOR contributing factor. But to leave out any mention of the taser is either intellectually dishonest, or pays too much respect to the questionable "science" that concludes that the taser is 'perfectly safe'.

LINKS
- excited delirium: drug addicts and excited delirium
- Ohio.com: Taser maker disputes autopsy findings
- Wikipedia: In Custody Deaths

Residential School Gravesites announced at News Conference (video)

h/t Unrepentant Old Hippie

Transcript:

Press Statement: April 10, 2008

Mass Graves of Residential School Children Identified – Independent Inquiry Launched

We are gathered today to publicly disclose the location of twenty eight mass graves of children who died in Indian Residential Schools across Canada , and to announce the formation of an independent, non-governmental inquiry into the death and disappearance of children in these schools.

We estimate that there are hundreds, and possibly thousands, of children buried in these grave sites alone.

The Catholic, Anglican and United Church , and the government of Canada, operated the schools and hospitals where these mass graves are located. We therefore hold these institutions and their officers legally responsible and liable for the deaths of these children.

We have no confidence that the very institutions of church and state that are responsible for these deaths can conduct any kind of impartial or real inquiry into them. Accordingly, as of April 15, 2008, we are establishing an independent, non-governmental inquiry into the death and disappearance of Indian residential school children across Canada .

This inquiry shall be known as The International Human Rights Tribunal into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC), and is established under the authority of the following hereditary chiefs, who shall serve as presiding judges of the Tribunal:

Hereditary Chief Kiapilano of the Squamish Nation

Chief Louis Daniels (Whispers Wind), Anishinabe Nation Chief Svnoyi Wohali (Night Eagle), Cherokee Nation

Lillian Shirt, Clan Mother, Cree Nation

Elder Ernie Sandy, Anishinabe (Ojibway) Nation

Hereditary Chief Steve Sampson, Chemainus Nation
Ambassador Chief Red Jacket of Turtle Island

Today, we are releasing to this Tribunal and to the people of the world the enclosed information on the location of mass graves connected to Indian residential schools and hospitals in order to prevent the destruction of this crucial evidence by the Canadian government, the RCMP and the Anglican, Catholic and United Church of Canada.

We call upon indigenous people on the land where these graves are located to monitor and protect these sites vigilantly, and prevent their destruction by occupational forces such as the RCMP and other government agencies.

Our Tribunal will commence on April 15 by gathering all of the evidence, including forensic remains, that is necessary to charge and indict those responsible for the deaths of the children buried therein.

Once these persons have been identified and detained, they will be tried and sentenced in indigenous courts of justice established by our Tribunal and under the authority of hereditary chiefs.

As a first step in this process, the IHRTGC will present this list of mass graves along with a statement to the United Nations in New York City on April 19, 2008. The IHRTGC will be asking the United Nations to declare these mass graves to be protected heritage sites, and will invite international human rights observers to monitor and assist its work.

Issued by the Elders and Judges of the IHRTGC

Interim Spokesperson: Eagle Strong Voice

Email: genocidetribunal@yahoo.ca pager: 1-888-265-1007

IHRTGC Sponsors include The Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared, The Truth Commission into Genocide in Canada, the Defensoria Indigenia of Guatemala, Canadians for the Separation of Church and State, and a confederation of indigenous elders across Canada and Turtle Island.

...................................................................................................

Mass Graves at former Indian Residential Schools and Hospitals across Canada

A. British Columbia

1. Port Alberni: Presbyterian-United Church school (1895-1973), now occupied by the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council (NTC) office, Kitskuksis Road . Grave site is a series of sinkhole rows in hills 100 metres due west of the NTC building, in thick foliage, past an unused water pipeline. Children also interred at Tseshaht reserve cemetery, and in wooded gully east of Catholic cemetery on River Road .

2. Alert Bay : St. Michael’s Anglican school (1878-1975), situated on Cormorant Island offshore from Port McNeill. Presently building is used by Namgis First Nation. Site is an overgrown field adjacent to the building, and also under the foundations of the present new building, constructed during the 1960’s. Skeletons seen “between the walls”.

3. Kuper Island: Catholic school (1890-1975), offshore from Chemainus. Land occupied by Penelakut Band. Former building is destroyed except for a staircase. Two grave sites: one immediately south of the former building, in a field containing a conventional cemetery; another at the west shoreline in a lagoon near the main dock.

4. Nanaimo Indian Hospital: Indian Affairs and United Church experimental facility (1942-1970) on Department of National Defense land. Buildings now destroyed. Grave sites are immediately east of former buildings on Fifth avenue , adjacent to and south of Malaspina College .

5. Mission: St. Mary’s Catholic school (1861-1984), adjacent to and north of Lougheed Highway and Fraser River Heritage Park . Original school buildings are destroyed, but many foundations are visible on the grounds of the Park.

In this area there are two grave sites: a) immediately adjacent to former girls’ dormitory and present cemetery for priests, and a larger mass grave in an artificial earthen mound, north of the cemetery among overgrown foliage and blackberry bushes, and b) east of the old school grounds, on the hilly slopes next to the field leading to the newer school building which is presently used by the Sto:lo First Nation. Hill site is 150 metres west of building.

6. North Vancouver: Squamish (1898-1959) and Sechelt (1912-1975) Catholic schools, buildings destroyed. Graves of children who died in these schools interred in the Squamish Band Cemetery , North Vancouver .

7. Sardis: Coqualeetza Methodist-United Church school (1889-1940), then experimental hospital run by federal government (1940-1969). Native burial site next to Sto:lo reserve and Little Mountain school, also possibly adjacent to former school-hospital building.

8. Cranbrook: St. Eugene Catholic school (1898-1970), recently converted into a tourist “resort” with federal funding, resulting in the covering-over of a mass burial site by a golf course in front of the building. Numerous grave sites are around and under this golf course.

9. Williams Lake : Catholic school (1890-1981), buildings destroyed but foundations intact, five miles south of city. Grave sites reported north of school grounds and under foundations of tunnel-like structure.

10. Meares Island (Tofino): Kakawis-Christie Catholic school (1898-1974). Buildings incorporated into Kakawis Healing Centre. Body storage room reported in basement, adjacent to burial grounds south of school.

11. Kamloops : Catholic school (1890-1978). Buildings intact. Mass grave south of school, adjacent to and amidst orchard. Numerous burials witnessed there.

12. Lytton: St. George’s Anglican school (1901-1979). Graves of students flogged to death, and others, reported under floorboards and next to playground.

13. Fraser Lake : Lejac Catholic school (1910-1976), buildings destroyed. Graves reported under old foundations and between the walls.

Alberta:

1. Edmonton : United Church school (1919-1960), presently site of the Poundmaker Lodge in St. Albert . Graves of children reported south of former school site, under thick hedge that runs north-south, adjacent to memorial marker.

2. Edmonton : Charles Camsell Hospital (1945-1967), building intact, experimental hospital run by Indian Affairs and United Church . Mass graves of children from hospital reported south of building, near staff garden.

3. Saddle Lake : Bluequills Catholic school (1898-1970), building intact, skeletons and skulls observed in basement furnace. Mass grave reported adjacent to school.

4. Hobbema: Ermineskin Catholic school (1916-1973), five intact skeletons observed in school furnace. Graves under former building foundations.

Manitoba:

1. Brandon : Methodist-United Church school (1895-1972). Building intact. Burials reported west of school building.

2. Portage La Prairie: Presbyterian-United Church school (1895-1950). Children buried at nearby Hillside Cemetery .

3. Norway House: Methodist-United Church school (1900-1974). “Very old” grave site next to former school building, demolished by United Church in 2004.

Ontario:

1. Thunder Bay : Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital , still in operation. Experimental centre. Women and children reported buried adjacent to hospital grounds.

2. Sioux Lookout: Pelican Lake Catholic school (1911-1973). Burials of children in mound near to school.

3. Kenora: Cecilia Jeffrey school, Presbyterian-United Church (1900-1966). Large burial mound east of former school.

4. Fort Albany : St. Anne’s Catholic school (1936-1964). Children killed in electric chair buried next to school.

5. Spanish: Catholic school (1883-1965). Numerous graves.

6. Brantford : Mohawk Institute, Anglican church (1850-1969), building intact. Series of graves in orchard behind school building, under rows of trees.

7. Sault Ste. Marie: Shingwauk Anglican school (1873-1969), some intact buildings. Several graves of children reported on grounds of old school.

Quebec:

1. Montreal : Allan Memorial Institute, McGill University , still in operation since opening in 1940. MKULTRA experimental centre. Mass grave of children killed there north of building, on southern slopes of Mount Royal behind stone wall.

Sources:

- Eyewitness accounts from survivors of these institutions, catalogued in Hidden from History: The Canadian Holocaust (2^nd ed., 2005) by Kevin Annett. Other accounts are from local residents. See www.hiddenfromhistory.org .

- Documents and other material from the Department of Indian Affairs RG 10 microfilm series on Indian Residential Schools in Koerner Library, University of B.C.

- Survey data and physical evidence obtained from grave sites in Port Alberni , Mission , and other locations.

This is a partial list and does not include all of the grave sites connected to Indian residential Schools and hospitals across Canada. In many cases, children who were dying of diseases were sent home to die by school and church officials, and the remains of other children who died at the school were incinerated in the residential school furnaces.

This information is submitted by The Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared (FRD) to the world media, the United Nations, and to the International Human Rights Tribunal into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC). The IHRTGC will commence its investigations on April 15, 2008 on Squamish Nation territory.

For more information on the independent inquiry into genocide in Canada being conducted by the IHRTGC, write to: genocidetribunal@yahoo.ca

10 April, 2008

Squamish Nation Territory (“ Vancouver , Canada ”)

LINKS:
- Unrepentant Old Hippy: Residential School Grave Sites
- Hidden from History
- Wikipedia: Residential Schools Canada

Taser is suing US medical examiner and wants death certificates cleansed from any reference to the Taser weapon

Taser maker wants Summit death certificates revised

Opening arguments were done in Summit County Common Pleas Court this morning in a case examining whether the use of Tasers contributed to three local deaths.

The company that makes the stun-gun like weapons is suing Summit County Medical Examiner Lisa Kohler for her finding that Tasers were — at least partially — to blame in the three cases. The City of Akron, whose officers were involved in one of the incidents, is siding with Taser.

The civil trial, before visiting Judge Ted Schneiderman, is expected to last through Thursday, with both sides calling competing expert witnesses. Kohler will testify either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Taser wants Schneiderman to order that the death certificates be changed to remove any reference to the weapons being responsible for the deaths.

LINKS
- Ohio.com: Taser maker wants Summit death certificates revised

Hamilton Police seriously injures man with Taser

The taser-Nazis appear to be at it again. This time in Hamilton, Ontario.

A Hamilton man Tasered by police is in hospital after the stun gun ignited [a flammable object in his waistband], burning him.

Special Investigations Unit spokesman Frank Phillips says three officers went to an east-end apartment after receiving a call about a disturbance Thursday night. The SIU is a civilian agency that investigates cases of serious injuries (including allegations of sexual assault) and deaths involving the police.

The officers located a man in an apartment, and during their interaction with him an officer discharged his Taser. A flammable object the man had in the waistband of his pants ignited. The man received [serious but] non-life threatening burns. The man was transported to Hamilton General Hospital where he was admitted for treatment.

LINKS
- CNW Telbec: SIU Investigations Injury in Hamilton
- TheSpec.com: Taser shock triggers fire in man's pants

When Canadian Police start behaving like Nazis we better call them on it: Sgt. Willie Merenick has been nominated for TN! of the week!

Who doesn't remember the Soup Nazi? Wikipedia remembers:

"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995.

The Soup Nazi is also the name of the titular character played by Larry Thomas. The term "Nazi" is used as an exaggeration of the over-regimentation he constantly demands of his patrons.

More recently another profession has increasingly been acting more like the Nazis: we're talking about the police here, especially when armed with or talking about the notorious stun-gun more commonly known as the taser.

Taser use by Canadian police force has grown exponentially in the last few years. Initially the use of the taser has been defended by the police as a replacement tool for the gun. But as of recent the taser has been used on “non-compliant” fair evaders on Vancouver transit. What's next? Tasering babies for crying out loud?

Amnesty International has reported that Taser use can amount to torture, and in case of the Vancouver Transit Police Taserings we couldn't agree more. If someone who hasn't bought a two dollar ticket can expect to be tasered into compliance by Vancouver Transit Police then we know we have given the police far too much leeway for taser usage; tasering someone into compliance is torture.

Torture was something the Nazis were specifically good at, sometimes with the same goal in mind: forcing the victim into compliance. And just imagine: if the taser had been invented during the 1930s, wouldn't all publicly paid Nazi officers have carried it?

Given the descriptions above, isn't it fair to compare current public officers that engage in or promote Taser use on non-compliant but non-violent members of the public, to their imagined Nazi counterparts by calling them TASER-NAZIS? We think it is :)

If you would like to nominate someone for “Taser-Nazi of the Week” then please leave a comment on this page. Here is the repressive “Getting it Right Policy” on nominating someone. The nominee should comply with at least one of the following policies in order to be considered:

1.Anyone paid by the public who uses or threatens to use a taser on a non-compliant but unarmed (non-violent) member of the public.

2.Anyone paid by the public who works at a policing agency (so not a law maker) and who actively advocates FOR the use of tasers while ignoring (either actively or tacitly) the rationale AGAINST the taser.

3.Anyone paid by the public who keeps repeating taser's unproven mantras (such as “the Taser saves lives” “the Taser prevents injuries” and “the Taser reduces injuries”) when hard facts have proven the contrary (many people have been injured and died after being tasered).

4.Anyone paid by the public who withholds information that can lead to the prosecution of officers that have used the taser gun to abuse or kill a "subject".

5.Anyone paid by the public who obstructs the process that can lead to the prosecution of officers that have used the taser gun to abuse or kill.

6. Anyone who lobbies on behalf of publicly paid workers and who participates in one of the activities described in 1-3.

First nomination for Taser-Nazi of the Week is: Sgt. Willie Merenick.

In an April 2008 interview Mr. Merenick confirmed that tasers have been used 10 times on members of the public in Vancouver by police officers from the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police. The taser was deployed “for the safety of the public, the people themselves and the police”.

The following is what got him nominated:

Sgt. Willie Merenick: “If we didn't believe that Tasers save lives, reduce injuries and are effective, we wouldn't use them.”

Well, Mr. Merenick, let me update you with some hard facts. Tasers do NOT save lives. In fact, there's isn't a shred of evidence that any of the thousands of Tasers out there has ever saved a single life, so who are you fooling here, Willie Merenick?

The same can be said about injuries. No data whatsoever that a taser can PREVENT an injury: If tasers really can prevent injuries shouldn't we all be wearing one? We do know that tasers have caused hundreds if not thousands of injuries (including burns, eye-wounds, broken limbs, and so on) and that many members people have died shortly after they were shot with a taser.

So there you go, Sgt. Willie Merenick, you've been nominated for taser-Nazi of the Week. Repeating corporate mantras while conveniently omitting contradicting facts (also called lying by omission) that would give a more balanced view on the taser has gotten you nominated. Congratulations!

LINK
- Vancouver Sun: Transit police back Taser use
- Amnesty International: Taser Related Deaths
- Democratic Underground: Taser Nazi nightmare needs to end

Tim Robbins:The Power and Responsibility of our Nation's Broadcasters (audio)

When Tim Robbins speaks, I listen. His "original" is below. Come along:

Hello, I'm Tim Robbins. I'd like to thank you for the invitation to address you here at the National Association of Broadcasters. When I first received the invitation I was a little confused because the last time I had contact with the national media I seem to remember them telling me to shut the hell up.

I would like to start with an apology. To Rush and Sean, and Billo and Savage and Laura what's-her-name. A few years ago they told America that because I had different opinions on the wisdom of going to war that I was a traitor, a Saddam lover, a terrorist supporter, undermining the troops. I was appealing at the time for the inspectors to have more time to find those weapons of mass destruction. I was a naïve dupe of left wing appeasement. And how right they were. If I had known then what I know now, if I had seen the festive and appreciative faces on the streets of Baghdad today, if I had known then what a robust economy we would be in, the unity of our people, the wildfire of democracy that has spread across the Mideast, I would never have said those traitorous, unfounded and irresponsible things. I stand chastened in the face of the wisdom of the talk radio geniuses, and I apologize for standing in the way of freedom.

So when they asked me to come speak to you I said, "Are you sure? Me?" And they said, "Yes."

And I said, "You know, I have a tendency to say things that I believe at the time to be well-intentioned but that are actually traitorous." And they said, "Sure, cool." And then I read the press release and it said, "Mr. Robbins will be speaking about the challenges of new media and delivery systems." Oh, OK. But I just want you to know I'm not sure I know what that fucking means.

But it is an honor to be speaking to you here at this years National Association Broadcasting convention even if I don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

I owe a lot to broadcast media. I got my start in radio in the early 20s. In my early twenties. And it was television.

But these tremendous inventions have benefited us all.

Radio has come a long way from the early days when family's gathered around the trusty old Philco to listen to such programs as Superman, Sherlock Holmes and Amos and Andy. Thanks to music and sound effects, this magical medium was able to transport families to a place where a man could fly, a brilliant detective could solve the most perplexing of crimes, and two white guys could portray ridiculously offensive black stereotypes for the amusement of millions.

The first broadcast occurred on Christmas Eve in 1906 at Brant Rock, MA, when a man named Fessenden played his violin, sang a song and read Bible verses into a wireless telephone of his own invention. His goal was to find financial backers, but no investor of the day believed that radio could ever replace the most popular leisure activity of the day; listening to the hoot owl while playing the zither as your 14-year-old niece bounced on your knee. Some of you may remember. It was all the rage in the early century.

But soon broadcasting over the radio caught on and zither playing and child molestation were a thing of the past. Radio reached a boom time during the Depression as people begin to listen to and depend on radio to lift their spirits during that catastrophic economic crisis. Shows such as The Bickersons taught people life is not so bad as long as somebody has got it worse.

President Roosevelt became the first "radio president" and his "fireside chats" set the stage for later presidential weekly addresses such as; "chew the fat with Ike," "LBJ's bull session," and George W's "Hooked on Phonics and Strategery Hour."

Radio continued to expand and soon, the public turned to their radios for news, which began to mature during World War II with the regular reports of the bombing of London by Edward R. Murrow, with his "London After Dark" series, where Murrow coined the famous phrase: "Good Night and Good Luck" as well as the lesser known phrase; "Die, you Nazi cocksuckers."

In the post war years, the radio business exploded when 90% of all American's claimed radio was their primary source of news and entertainment. To meet this incredible demand Philco built 6 million radios in 1947. And to provide content for those 6 million radios, we were introduced to some of the greatest drama, comedy and musical entertainment this country has ever seen.

In the '70s, radio took a serious nosedive when Edwin Armstrong invented FM to eliminate the static and noise associated with AM and unwittingly provided a home for easy listening jazz rock, overly dramatic disco songs and 20 minute psychedelic sitar jams.

In the '80s and '90s the FCC, under pressure from the Reagan and Clinton administrations, changed the rules limiting the number of radio and television stations a business entity could own, paving the way for such conglomerates as Infinity broadcasting and Clear Channel to buy up local stations and put them under the umbrella of their larger corporations. Again the community benefited because due to Clear Channel and Infinities' conservative approach, listeners no longer had to be subjected to perplexing controversial subjects, or confusing varied opinion, or alternative rock. And as a bonus these large companies, with the help of Mr. Reagan and Mr. Clinton got rid of that annoying Fairness Doctrine, freeing its listeners from the burden of hearing equally from all sides of the political debate. What a bore.

This new world of conglomeration also brought us back to a simpler, more exciting time with regard to natural disasters and calamities. Your local station would now be broadcasting from a city many miles away and should there be a tornado coming your way you wouldn't know about it until the funnel was in full view. Exciting times.

In the 1950s, television began to replace radio as the chief source of revenue for broadcasting networks. It quickly became apparent that talking about "Old Sandusky Lager" on the radio didn't quite have the same impact as watching a buxom flaxen haired temptress in a skin tight dress play pool in a bar while she drank "old Sandusky Lager." Beer sales skyrocketed.

In the '60s, American television networks began broadcasting in color bringing a new vibrant reality to the content of the day. Suddenly it didn't seem unusual that an astronaut was dating a scantily clad genie that lived in a bottle in his living room.

Television also brought the horror and reality of war into our living rooms airing footage of the war in Vietnam. Building on the mistakes of the past, war is now televised in an easily digestible sanitized version. The current administration has proven that war doesn't have to be upsetting, or sacrificed for, or even reported on at all. We have come a long way, baby.

But what is the state of broadcasting today? Some critics have noted that there is a dangerous lack of diversity and opinion. That may be true, but imagine the nightmare of having to rectify that situation.

I propose a much simpler solution, which I've separated into three prongs, or a Satan's trident if you will.

First, erase all diversity. Thankfully the majority of what is broadcast over television and radio is of two opinions and that feels good. That's simple. But unfortunately there is a tiny minority out here on the airwaves expressing a different view outside of the Democrats and Republicans nexus trying to confuse us all. Can we please shut them up? How expensive could it be to buy Pacifica Radio? These people are driving us apart.

Secondly, let's stay focused on Sex Scandals. Stop with the in depth reporting that gets outside of the sound bite. More sex scandals! Surely with a little more prying, a little more effort we can find more sexual deviants. And trust me, sexual deviancy is something we can all agree on. It's deliciously intoxicating to watch unfold. It's titillating.

The absolute zenith of news, the perfect storm of reporting, the shining city on the hill in news coverage was Lewinsky v Clinton. Now that was fun. We couldn't get enough of that. There were salacious details, semen stains, oral sex. And the president lied. He threatened every notion of marriage and the sanctity of family. He put our country at risk. And when he did lie we held his feet to the fire. We reported on every angle, every permutation of the story. We held hearings, appointed an independent council, led off every newscast for months about the lie, played it until there was no hiding from it, and then held him accountable by impeaching him. It is our moral responsibility to report on the sex lives of the powerful. It is the only thing that kept our country alive at that point. It righted our ship of state. It saved our collective soul. And it was great, juicy fun. Imagine what would have happened to our country's soul if the president lied and nothing was done about it, if impeachment was off the table. Where would we be today if we did not hold our president accountable?

Third, find more racially divisive news and play that constantly. As long as we hate each other we will never be bothered with this gnawing lefty obsession with information. Let's make the purpose of the media salacious entertainment, not information. The more our news outlets and talk radio can distract us the better. We love distraction. When the nattering nabobs of negativity tell you that the economy is falling apart, that gas costs four dollars a gallon, that they are foreclosing on your home, that there is chaos in Iraq, when these propagandists spread this "information" it is our moral responsibility to distract. I don't know about you but show me a starlet without panties getting out of a car and suddenly the world seems like a better place. Show me Knight Rider drunk on the floor eating a hamburger, and I won't ask why my kid has no health insurance. Let's stop burdening people with facts. I bet some of you are saying; "Sure Tim, there's no question, sex scandals, race riots and drunken TV stars are a lot of fun, but shouldn't broadcasters see themselves as part of the larger picture? Isn't there an obligation to honestly report on what is going on, to pursue stories past their headlines? Haven't criminal acts occurred in government? Shouldn't there be accountability for inept policy decisions? Shouldn't someone be fired?" And you know something? I didn't hear any of that because I'm still thinking about that starlet getting out of the car without her panties. You see, that doesn't take any energy. I know exactly what to think about.

Now some of you are concerned with that unrelenting pesky competition. You know, the new technologies; the Internets and satellite radio and television. The problem is there are too many people in this country that take the notion of creativity and invention too damn seriously. Just when one technology is centralized, conglomerated, monopolized, along come new technologies and delivery systems to threaten the good work born of deregulation. Just when we were getting close to a national playlist for our music, satellite technology is threatening to provide music that people actually want to hear. Just when we were close to a national news media, providing a general consensus on what the truth is, along comes the Internets that allow its users a choice on the kinds of news it watches. And the You Tube. My God we've got to stop them. Recently when we were about to enjoy our great national pastime of 'tearing apart a presidential candidate with relentless repetition of ugly things his friend said', You Tube provided the candidates reasoned response and millions watched and responded positively.

Well you here at NAB have the power to stop this dangerous technology. The question is, how? I respectfully suggest that you do what others have done when facing the competition of new technologies. Get compromising information on your enemy and expose them in a sex scandal. Or call them a racist, or better yet a traitor. That not only undermines your competitor, but provides the public with fantastic entertainment.

Of course you can do that. And no one in this current world would fault you for it. It is, after all, where we stand today. In all seriousness folks, let's face it. We are at an abyss as a country and as an industry. And I know that saying we are at an abyss isn't the stuff of keynote addresses but all sarcasm and irony and rude pithiness aside, we are at a critical juncture in this nation's history. This is a nation divided and reeling from betrayal and economic hardships. And you, the broadcasters of this great nation have a tremendous power, and a tremendous potential to effect change. You have the power to turn this country away from cynicism. You have the power to turn this nation away from the hatred and the divisive dialogue that has rendered such a corrosive affect on our body politic. You can lift us up into a more enlightened age. Or you can hide behind that old adage; "I'm just a businessman, I provide what the audience wants." Well, I'm here to tell you that we don't need to look at the car crash. We don't need to live off of the pain and humiliation of the unfortunate. We don't need to celebrate our pornographic obsession with celebrity culture. We are better than that.

Some of you are trying. Some of you are inspiring people towards altruism and compassion with your programming. Some of you are trying to lift the civic dialogue into a more responsible and adult arena. But I know you do so against the odds of ratings and job security. It is really up to the leaders in this room. It is up to you, the scions of this industry to leave behind formulas and focus groups and your own fears of job security. Only with your courage and your vision can we begin to imagine a world of broadcasting where the general consensus of those with real power say "Enough is enough. Now is the time to move away from our lesser selves. Now is the time to stop making money on the misfortunes of others and the prurient and salacious desires of the public. Now is the time to admit and recognize that we aren't just businessmen but the guardians of the human spirit, with a responsibility to the health of this nation. That we can lift this country up with our programming, that instead of catering to the gossips and the scolds and the voyeurs we can appeal to the better nature in our audience, the better nature of what this country is all about."

This is a country filled with people of great compassion and tremendous generosity. This is a country that has survived dust bowls and depressions, that united to defeat Hitler and fascism and communism. We are a resilient people and a tenacious people. And we are ready for change.

Imagine a new broadcasting industry aesthetic, that respecting the better nature of the American people, produces shows that promote strength instead of fear. That does not divide, but inspires, that does not promote hate, but unity, that will not tear the weak down, but build up their strength. Imagine a world of broadcasting where the American people are encouraged to reject despair and distrust. And when they turn their TVs and radios off at night and go to sleep they possess strength, and unity and compassion for those they disagree with. That's not out of the question. You can make that happen. It will be difficult, and will fly in the face of conventional wisdom, and standard operational procedures. But do we have any choice? The road we are on is leading us to a corruption of our former selves. We are better than that. You can help us reclaim our better nature, our perfect union. It isn't necessarily a matter of country before profit, or of patriotism and truth before personal comfort. There could be money to be made in appealing to our better selves. Wouldn't that be great?

And if there isn't and we came out of it a little less rich but more unified and healthier as a nation wouldn't that be something we could all be proud of?

Ticket or Taser? Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010 Transit riders warned

Babies that recovered from being tasered by tasering moms and pops now have something else to worry about: getting tasered while on Vancouver Transit. Vancouver's version of "trick or treat" is called "ticket or Taser". Visitors of the 2010 Winter Olympices, be warned and either rent a car, or grab a cab.

VANCOUVER — The country's only armed transit police have been tasering passengers who try to avoid paying fares.

According to documents provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, police patrolling public transit in the Metro Vancouver area have used tasers 10 times in the past 18 months, including five occasions when victims had been accosted for riding free.

Good old Freedom of Information request can come up with some nasty things these days. Read on.

In one incident, a non-paying passenger was tasered after he held onto a railing on the SkyTrain platform and refused to let go.

Holding onto a railing? You can't have that. Go ahead, taser, taser, TASER!!! Why can't these suckers buy a ticket, or travel by car like everyone else does? TASER those losers, with or without ticket, TASER TASER TASER!

“After several warnings to the subject to stop resisting arrest and the subject failing to comply with the officers' commands, the taser was deployed and the subject was taken into control,” said the report provided by TransLink, the region's transit authority.

Comply or be Tasered.

An internal review of the incident concluded that the action taken by transit police officers complied with the force's policy and was within guidelines “set out in the National Use of Force Model,” the report said.

Okay, Taser AND comply then.

On another occasion, a passenger was tasered when he fled from police who found him without a payment receipt during a “fare blitz.” This time, however, the passenger got away because, as recounted in the report, “the Taser was ineffective due to the subject's clothing and [he] escaped the custody of the officers.”

Lots more to read here.

LINKS
- Globe and Mail: Vancouver transit riders tasered for not paying fares
- Wikipedia: Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010
- Vancouver Transit: Translink
- Wikipedia: Skytrain Vancouver
- Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service - Strategic Plan Update (including use of Taser)

Anti-Seal Hunter are Suing Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn for Libel

They aren't yet, but sure, that's what I would do if I were one of the anti-seal hunters.

This is what our lovely minister had to say about the anti-seal hunters:

"They are a bunch of money-sucking manipulators," said Mr. Hearn, "and their sole aim is to try to suck as much money out of the pockets of people who really don't know what's going on."

Well, go and proof THAT in a Canadian court.

If Paul Watson is up with Canadian archaic libel laws then that's what should be his next move.

LINKS
- National Post: Minister defends armed seizure of protest ship
- Wikipedia: Paul Watson

Seal defenders attacked!

From the Sea Shepherd website

Seal Defenders Attacked!
The Farley Mowat Has Been Illegally Stormed and
the Crew Assaulted

At 0700 Hours (PST) and 1100 Hours Atlantic time the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Farley Mowat was attacked by officers from two Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers the Des Groseilliers and the Sir Wifred Grenfell.

Captain Alex Cornelissen informed the boarders that the Farley Mowat is a Dutch registered ship in international waters and that Canada had no legal right to restrict the free passage of the vessel through international waters.

The ship was in the Gulf of St. Lawrence well beyond the Canadian twelve mile territorial limit.

Captain Paul Watson was speaking by phone with Farley Mowat communications officer Shannon Mann when he heard the voices of men screaming for the crew to fall to the floor. The men carried guns according to Mann and could be heard by Captain Watson threatening the Farley Mowat’s crew. As Captain Watson was speaking with Shannon Mann, the Satellite phone went dead and nothing more has been heard from the Sea Shepherd crew.

The Farley Mowat was documenting violations of the humane regulations and gathering proof that the seals were being killed in an inhumane manner. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is assuming that the video tapes will be seized by the Canadian authorities.

There are 17 crewmembers onboard the Dutch registered Farley Mowat from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, South Africa, Canada and the United States.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been cut off from communication with the crew and has no information on where the vessel will be taken. Sea Shepherd has no information on the condition of the crew and the Society is deeply concerned for their crew.

“This is an act of war,” said Captain Paul Watson. “The Canadian government has just sent an armed boarding party onto a Dutch registered yacht in international waters and has seized the ship. Considering that the mission of the Farley Mowat was to document evidence of cruelty by sealers to support a European initiative to ban seal products, I can predict that the Europeans will not be very pleased with this move and most likely this move by Loyola Hearn will guarantee that this bill is passed. In other words the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has just handed us the victory that we were looking for.”

Rusty Idols is countering the Canada's spin on the seal hunt here.

LINKS
- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society:Seal Defenders Attacked! The Farley Mowat Has Been Illegally Stormed and the Crew Assaulted
- Wikipedia: seal hunting Canada
- Sea Sheherd Conservation Society

Vancouver Airport Taser tape conveniently erased

Does anyone remember me talking about an airport surveillance video of the Robert Dziekanski Taser-killing that could give some more insight to what exactly happened? Well, most of it is gone. Erased. And not a single investigating police officer has made a back-up copy of the whole ordeal. How convenient.

Border services says it deleted security footage inadvertently
Chad Skelton, Vancouver Sun

Published: Friday, April 11, 2008

Several hours of surveillance footage recorded at Vancouver airport the night Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski was Tasered and died were inadvertently erased by the Canada Border Services Agency a week after his death, The Vancouver Sun has learned.

The mistake is revealed in a series of internal CBSA e-mails on the Dziekanski matter released to The Sun in response to an Access to Information request.

Dziekanski was Tasered by the RCMP early on Oct. 14, 2007 after he began behaving erratically in a secure area of the airport -- pacing and throwing items against a glass wall.

However, before Dziekanski's interaction with the Mounties, he spent more than six hours in the airport's customs and baggage-claim hall without being noticed by anyone from the CBSA.

After Dziekanski's death, a CBSA officer reviewed all the agency's surveillance footage from that night to see if it provided any indication of what Dziekanski did for several hours in the customs hall.

That review found Dziekanski was picked up by CBSA cameras only about a dozen times, and just for a few minutes each time.

Between 4:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. -- a five-hour stretch -- the officer couldn't find Dziekanski on any of the footage, something the agency later said may have been due to construction in the area blocking camera angles.

The officer who reviewed the footage copied all the clips he found of Dziekanski onto a video disk.

However, weeks later, the CBSA decided it should take another look at all the footage to make sure it didn't miss anything.

"This is a significant undertaking, but close review may provide some additional information," John Dyck, head of the CBSA's Pacific Region Program and Communications division, wrote in a Nov. 1 e-mail to regional director Blake Delgaty. "We have requested that the full time period from all cameras be loaded to DVD for further review."

Unfortunately, by that point the original footage had all been erased.

In an e-mail to Dyck the same day, Binder Kooner, head of CBSA passenger operations at the airport, explained that there had been some confusion over how long the footage would be stored before being erased.

"I'm advised that footage was originally available for 16 days but due to subsequent modifications to the surveillance system, the footage is now only available for 7 days after which it automatically erases," Kooner wrote. "The footage is no longer available."

Kooner added that the CBSA officer who viewed all of the footage would write a declaration stating any clips of Dziekanski were included on the DVD.

Still, Dyck wrote back that "this is an unfortunate turn of events; we were under the impression that steps had been taken to preserve the video."

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, which is investigating Dziekanski's death, said Thursday it wasn't aware the CBSA's original footage had been erased.

However, IHIT spokesman Cpl. Dale Carr said the team is not worried because one of its investigators reviewed the complete footage before it was erased and was confident all clips of Dziekanski are on the DVD.

CBSA spokesman Derek Mellon refused to comment this week on why the agency didn't take steps to preserve the original footage or how confident it is that no shots of Dziekanski were missed.

In an e-mail, Mellon said only that he believed any questions about the footage were already answered in the documents released to The Sun.

The few clips of Dziekanski the officer burned to the DVD were released to The Sun earlier this year in response to a separate Access to Information request.

h/t The Coast of Bohemia: Tazer Video Deleted

LINKS
- Vancouver Sun: Video of YVR taser victim erased

Why US "Democrats" love the War in Iraq

Perhaps you are of the opinion that US Democrats are a lot more interested in getting the troops out of Iraq than the US Republicans. Think again.

Here's a list of lawmakers (led by nobody less than Democrat John Kerry) that have the most money invested in companies with Department of Defence contracts:

The Investors: Lawmakers with the most money invested in companies with Department of Defense contracts

Member of Congress	Minimum Value of Investment	Maximum Value of Investment
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass)	$28,872,067	$38,209,020
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)	$12,081,050	$49,140,000
Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC)	$9,232,037	$37,105,000
Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis)	$5,207,668	$7,612,653
Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif)	$2,684,050	$6,260,000
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich)	$2,469,029	$8,360,000
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WVa)	$2,000,002	$2,000,002
Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis)	$1,365,004	$5,800,000
Rep. Kenny Ewell Marchant (R-Texas)	$1,163,231	$1,163,231
Rep. John Carter (R-Texas)	$1,000,001	$5,000,000

This new study "shows that members of Congress have collectively invested as much $196 million in military companies under contract with the Pentagon."

Isn't that a clear conflict of interest for these lawmakers? Of course it is. Wouldn't the difference of a couple of million dollars effect your voting behaviour? Well, perhaps not yours, but I wouldn't trust many US senators, would you?

The highest stakeholder is Democratic Senator John Kerry. Kerry made at least $2.6 million from his investments between 2004 and 2006.

That's nice, $2.6 million. I wonder what John Kerry (and all those other holy Democrats) did with all that blood money.

LINKS
- Capital Eye: Strategic Assets
- Democracy Now: Headlines - Study: Lawmakers Invest $196M in Pentagon Contractors
- Truthout: Blood Money

If Tom Lukiwsky is an A, then I'm proud to be B; I'd rather be B

Rally held outside MP Tom Lukiwski's office

Leader-Post

Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

REGINA -- About 60 people gathered in the parking lot of Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski's Regina office Tuesday to condemn comments he made about homosexuals more than 16 years ago.

"We're here to say that we demand better from our elected officials," said Nathan Markwart in a speech to the cheering crowd.

[...]

Lukiwski [is] the Tory MP for Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre [since] 2004.

The groups at the rally called themselves the "B-Team."

"Tom Lukiwski said there are two classes of people -- there's A people and then there's B people. What we're saying is if an A person casts people out ... makes everyone else an outsider that isn't exactly like them and perpetuates prejudice, then we don't want to be A," Markwart said.

"In fact we're proud to be B. We'd rather be B."

A handful of people at the rally marched around the parking lot after speeches wrapped up chanting: "Hey, hey, ho, ho, homophobia has got to go."

Lukiwski's office in Ottawa said there would be no comment on the event. [...]

LINKS

- Leader Post: Rally held outside MP Tom Lukiwski's office
- Getting it Right: A is for Asshole - Meet Conservative MP Asshole Tom Lukiwski (video)

Jamie Graham, the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society and TASER - simply well connected.

Who wasn't surprised to hear that a mental health group is advocating FOR the use of the Taser?

Well, I wasn't. The BCSS has a longstanding close relation with former Vancouver police Chief Constable Jamie Graham, who is one of the strongest advocates for taser use in Canada. And I would argue far too close (page 3).

Remember Jamie Graham? He's the officer that will ALWAYS put in a good word for TASER international, that you start to wonder what his share in the company is. I'm sure TASER doesn't stop with a mere $85,000+ TASER sponsorship of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, because buying policemen has become a trademark of TASER international.

Personally I've never trusted this ex-chief. He seems to be able to lie by omission better than anyone else I know; but it's still lying. He'll argue that "the Taser gun is an effective, non-lethal weapon that saves lives in confrontations with combative individuals", but have you ever heard him taking the growing number of Taser deaths in this country serious? Shouldn't TASER-KILLINGS be on his mind too?

But why the BCSS keeps believing this phony guy when it comes to the TASER discussion is still somewhat of a mystery. Does anyone at BCSS get paid for repeating TASER's own junk-science? Besides, there's plenty of evidence out there that schizophrenics are being tasered frequently, sometimes with deadly results. Here's a recent Canadian example:

It was prompted by the case of Howard Hyde, a Dartmouth man who died in November about 30 hours after Halifax police Tasered him twice during his arrest for spousal abuse. Mr. Hyde, a schizophrenic, struggled with jail guards moments before his death.

Or what about this one:

My son is dead. He suffered from schizophrenia most of his adult life and yes, was developing heart problems. As a full-time resident of a group home for the mentally ill we might have expected more for Ray when he went into crisis.
Ray was stunned [with a Taser] in the chest and behind the left ear. [...] If the Taser is so effective, it is necessary to stun people multiple times in the presence of multiple officers.

Or how about Delafield, who died shortly after being tasered in her wheelchair for more than 2 minutes total:

Family attorney Rick Alexander said Delafield's death could have been prevented and that there are four things that jump out at him about the case.

"One, she's in a wheelchair. Two, she's schizophrenic. Three, they're using a Taser on a person that's in a wheelchair, and then four is that they tasered her 10 times for a period of like two minutes," Alexander said. According to a police report, one of the officers used her Taser gun nine times for a total of 160 seconds and the other officer discharged his Taser gun once for a total of no more than five seconds. A medical examiner found Delafield died from hypertensive heart disease and cited the Taser gun shock as a contributing factor, the report said. On her death certificate, the medical examiner ruled Delafield's death a homicide.

So why exactly does the BCSS endorse Taser use on schizophrenic people?

I have to give Jamie Graham some credit for this too; he's done so much for Taser International, so why shouldn't he be rewarded? His help to set up the Justice Institute of British Columbia, an organisation that regulary hosts Taser's own "Use of Force, Risk Management and Legal Strategies Seminars - For Chiefs, Sheriffs, Risk Managers and Legal Advisors" (pdf, see page two) has ensured that all Taser lies (including those by omission) would be installed in the minds of police officers across BC. Thank you Jamie Graham, well done.

Footnote for Taser International:
If your company hasn't already done so; I'm sure either the BCSS and/or their board members would appreciate a "donation" for their endorsement of Taser usage, including usage on patients suffering from Schizophrenia.

Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki promises more crackdowns on "criminal gangs" (video)

LINKS
- the Real News: Iraqi PM promises more crackdowns

Ralph Nader puts impeachment of Bush and Cheney back on the table

From the votenader website:

As you know, Obama, Clinton and McCain have taken impeachment of Bush and Cheney off the table.

Nader/Gonzalez want to put it back on.

Our campaign will be impeachment central for this momentous election year.

No one should be above the law - especially chronic violators.

We're building a nationwide campaign to end the corrupt two party duopoly and pressure the complicit Democrats to do their sworn duty and impeach the two unaccountable outlaws in the White House.

Last week, I wrote to House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers once again urging him to hold impeachment hearings.

This week, citizens from around the country are sitting in at Chairman Conyer's office on Capitol Hill demanding that he take action.

In that letter to Congressman Conyers, I pointed out the obvious:

Many prominent Constitutional law experts believe President Bush has engaged in at least five categories of repeated, defiant "high crimes and misdemeanors", which separately or together would allow Congress to subject the President to impeachment under Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution.

In addition to a criminal war of aggression in Iraq, in violation of our constitution, statutes and treaties, there are the arrests of thousands of Americans and their imprisonment without charges, the spying on Americans without juridical warrant, systematic torture, and the unprecedented wholesale, defiant signing statements declaring that the President, in his unbridled discretion, is the law.

The sworn oath of members of Congress is to uphold the Constitution.

Failure of the members of Congress to pursue impeachment of President Bush is an affront to the founding fathers, the Constitution, and the people of the United States.

Tomorrow - Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 6 p.m. - I'll be giving a major address about the impeachment at the historic National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

If you are in the area, please join our rally in a call to bring Bush and Cheney to justice.

If not, please donate now whatever you can to fuel our 50-state put impeachment back on the table campaign, and tell your friends about votenader.org.

Thank you for your dedication to peace and justice.

Onward

Ralph Nader

A is for Asshole - Meet Conservative MP Asshole Tom Lukiwski (video)

How much I love Conservatives like Tom, making things sooo easy for us. Watch and be appalled:



PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT (more)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We – we would like to ask you a question. You are actually quite – quite – how can I put this delicately –
TOM LUKIWSKI: Old.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- fucking old, eh?
TOM LUKIWSKI: Well, as we say in tour, I may be old, but I’m fucking A, eh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And who is this A person?
TOM LUKIWSKI: Well, let me put it to you this way. There’s A’s and there’s B’s. The A’s are guys like me, the B’s are homosexual faggots with dirt on their fingernails that transmit diseases.

LINKS
- Wikipedia: Tom Lukiwski
- Youtube: Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski's Hate Speech
- National Post: Sask. MP Lukiwski's homophobic comment

RCMP is getting ready to taser babies

The RCMP loves tasering people of all sorts and ages. So why not tasering babies?

Babies can get pretty annoying, especially when they won't let you sleep. If you think that's enough to get tasered these days, think again:

An RCMP detachment in a suburb of Victoria, B.C., is being accused of misusing a Taser stun gun on a 15-year-old boy who was being arrested for disobeying a court-ordered curfew for a mischief charge.

the boy was attempting to wriggle out of a police car when an officer fired a Taser shot into his leg.

Wait a minute! I thought the RCMP would only use the Taser as a weapon of last resort. Whose afraid of a fleeing teenager?

But things got a lot worse from there:

Shortly after, the boy began kicking the police-car door from the inside and the officer decided to use the Taser again, on the boy's chest, the report says.

Well, a 15 year old boy kicking a police car from the inside, that's enough reason to Taser again and again, isn't it? Just as annoying as a crying baby would be. I'm glad I'm not married to a police officer who brings his/her taser home in the evening. I wouldn't trust him/her for moment with a crying baby.

Footnote
There'll be no formal investigation into whether the Taser was improperly used in this case other than the standard review that is always done whenever a police weapon is deployed. Watch your babies.

LINKS
- CBC: RCMP accused of misusing Taser on Victoria B.C. teen.
- All my Taser posts
- Wikipedia: Taser
- Wikipedia: Police Brutality

Mac OS X least secure OS at PWN2OWN

At the PWN2OWN contest this year, hackers were given the chance to circumvent security defenses in the latest versions of Mac OS X, Windows Vista and in a distribution of Linux. [...]

The three laptops (VAIO VGN-TZ37CN running Ubuntu 7.10, Fujitsu U810 running Vista Ultimate SP1, and a MacBook Air running OSX 10.5.2) all held out for the first day of the contest (remotely exploitable vulnerabilities), and so the rules were relaxed on the second day to also include any default installed client-side applications.

This led to a quick compromise of Safari, and therefore of the MacBook Air laptop. Vista and Linux remained unscathed.

On the third day, the rules were changed again: "popular" third-party client applications were added to the mix, and this is where Vista's security features could not keep up. (more)