The funniest thing you'll see today

Click here.

Safe for work, has sound.

I'm in tears.

Required Reading

If for no other reason than to say I told you so.

Tom Engelhardt with 21 Questions on Iraq.

I have a question: What, exactly, is victory in Iraq?

More on Trans Fats

When other people say it better, might as well just link to them.

And it starts...

In NYC, restaraunts will be required to reduce trans-fats over the next 18 months.

What's next?

Who thinks this is a good idea? That the government can tell a restaraunt what it can and can not serve. I would say it's unbelievable, except that I fully expected it.

Welcome to the new nanny/police state.

Airport stupidity, er, I mean security

Oh, thank the TSA, we can now take toothpaste and personal lubricant in our carryon!

Of course, only 3 oz containers, and only in a clear quart ziplock bag.

The FBI and other laboratories tested a variety of explosives and found that tiny amounts of substances so small they fit into a quart-size plastic bag can't blow up an airliner, Hawley said at a news conference at Reagan National Airport.

Because, as we know, the terrorists never work in teams

Passengers will have to take out the clear bags with toiletries in them so they can be checked separately by the X-ray machine. Though the machines can't identify whether a substance is an explosive, they can pick out anomalies that may indicate a substance is intended for use in a bomb.

Let me get this straight - we can't even tell if it's an explosive?

So this regulation exists so we all feel better? Or just because they can?

A musical comedy?

Generally not my thing. But I tell you, the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was fantastic. Very, very funny.

We have season tickets to the Hippodrome. Next up is 12 Angry Men, one of my favorite plays.

3-0!?!?

Oh my goodness!!

Two blowouts and a nailbiter. I'm a touch concerned about the offense, but a win is a win, and any win on the road in the AFC North is a good one.

I didn't get to watch, as we were at a play.

This kind of stuff drives me nuts

All around in health news, are headlines like this: "Smoking Increases Risk of HIV Infection."

But when you read the information on the study, all it does is show that many people who get HIV are smokers, which shouldn't suprise anyone. Why? Because one of the largest factors in smoking is having children, and people generally at risk for HIV infection don't have kids and aren't trying to have kids.

The article I link above even points it out, yet they still run the headline, I guess for the shock value.

The consistency of the findings is striking and represents a major strength of this review," Dr. Furber and colleagues said, noting that while the studies vary, many had large sample sizes and were of high quality.


On the other hand, the researchers said, the methodologies used -- epidemiological and observational -- can't make causal connections and are "prone to confounding."

So there isn't a causal relationship, and saying 'increases risk' would be, well, incorrect.

Has NASCAR jumped the shark?

That's Racin' reports that for all but two races this year, ratings are the same or down compared to last year.

I said in an earlier post that I'm not watching any more. Apparently I'm not the only one. Coverage is terrible, the points system makes most of the first 26 races irrelevant to the championship, and it's mostly now just a soap opera of drivers.

It's pretty clear when there are questions that pretty major operations are having trouble securing sponsors that the sport may be in a little trouble.

Wanna fix it? Go back to the old championship format, change the points so that you get more points for winning and eliminate points for low finishers (finish worse than 30th, get no points), and publish the rules.

I normally don't post stuff like this..

But this video is funny.

Should be worksafe, but it has sound.

There's hope!!!

A college admissions essay from a young Libertarian.

The basic moral premise of libertarianism is as follows: Every human has a right to life and property, and the initiation of force in violation of these rights is wrong. This is very simple.

And simple is good.

Find out about it quickly, Ben.

One of Ben Cardin's staffers got fired for being a racist moron. She's got a blog, and some of the comments on that blog didn't really reflect well on the Senate Candidate.

Now, she posts that an intern in the office was letting the office use his Wal Mart (a Democrat who shops at Wal Mart?) employee discount card.


When asked about the post on the blog, Cardin was befuddled.

The staffer, Ursula Gruber, who was fired by the candidate's campaign for making racially charged comments in her blog, also mentions in her blog a Wal-Mart discount card that she says was used illegally by people in the office.

"I am not sure of what you are talking about, I'm not sure of what you are talking about," said Cardin when he was asked by WBAL's Scott Wykoff if that allegation would be investigated by his campaign.

"I'll check out what you are talking about, I'm not familiar with what you are talking about," said Cardin.

The best quote of all time:

One day earlier, Cardin told WBAL's Chip Franklin and Clarence Mitchell IV on WBAL's 'The Buzz', "We know anything that gets out on a blog we are going to know about it immediately, and every other campaign knows about it immediately."

"Let me tell you something," said Cardin on WBAL on Monday. "When you put something out on a blog you find out about it pretty quickly."

Why is that such a great quote? Read the blog (it's been removed from Blogspot, but Wizbang has the cached page). You may note the post. Dated August 13, 2006.

From dictionary.com:

im‧me‧di‧ate‧ly  /ɪˈmidiɪtli/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[i-mee-dee-it-lee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adverb 1. without lapse of time; without delay; instantly; at once: Please telephone him immediately.
2. with no object or space intervening.
3. closely: immediately in the vicinity.
4. without intervening medium or agent; concerning or affecting directly.
–conjunction 5. Chiefly British. the moment that; as soon as.

Or within 6 weeks or so. *chuckle*

2-0

With a victory over the Raiders, 28-6.

You know what happened the last time the Ravens went 2-0? They won a the Superbowl.

With Trent Dilfer.

Next week, the Browns. 0-2 or not, it's a road game in the division, and might be tough.

Training Update

Just finished my first full week of training, after an extended layoff. I'm not anywhere near where I want to be, but that's the reason for doing it.

Updates can be seen here.

Pay it forward

One of the most important aspects of the Iron Game is the responsibility of those in it to pass along what they have learned to others. It's one of the great traditions of people who train with weights, and even in today's commercialized climate, it continues.

But it doesn't continue as much as you'd like. Everywhere there are people claiming to be 'natural' 'professional' bodybuilders, when the last contest they won was in 1992 in a now defunct orgainization, just so they can promote their super special training protocol, which, when evaluated using a rudimentary level of physiological understanding is, well, crap.

Luck for us, there are still people out there who are giving back. Read this article by James Smith, and if you have the interest, participate in the conference calls.

James is moving the Game forward as it should be done... and he's still able to make a living doing it. How about that.

Missed opportunity.

Listening to K666 on the Sonos this evening, and in the midst of the Entombed, Judas Priest, AC/DC, COC, etc, they played Slayer - Necrophobic.

I should have named my blog that. Cool blog name.

Unfortunatley, Necrophobic.net is already taken. Gotta love the Swedish Death Metal.

Not good for the Maryland Democrats

They are going to end up with an all white male upper ticket, and not a single interesting close local race. Not much diversity there at all.

Might be good news for the incumbent Governor and Mr Steele.

Positive coverage

Here's a link to a video of some local news coverage of Bob Smither, a Libertarian running for Tom Delay's old seat. The guy the Republicans are not supporting in favor of a write in candidate.

It's nice to see coverage at all, and nice to see that it's positive. Smithers seems like a good face for the party.

Off to a great start

27-0!!

Ravens looked good today, all the pieces in place. I was sure this would be a closer game, but now I think the Bucs might be a little overrated.

Oakland comes to Baltimore next week. Sure would be nice to start off 2-0.

Losing something we never had

Radley Balko over at the Agitator posts about Libertarians losing the Right and the Left where our positions align with theirs.

We are losing the Right on the free market, and the Left on personal liberty.

Thing is, I don't think we ever had them. The key difference between Libertarians or Classical Liberals and Republicans and Democrats: Non Statists vs Statists.

Republicans and Democrats, first and foremost, are Statists. They may disagree on what the State should be doing, but they absolutley agree that the State should have more power, not less. We can talk all we want about winning the hearts and minds of Republicans with a free market, less regulation, more economic freedom position, but they don't really want to be free. Democrats love to hear about decriminalization of drugs, and civil liberty protections, but they want the government to take care of them.

You can clearly see this any time you talk to a Republican or a Democrat. Ask them where their rights come from, and almost without fail, they will say 'The Constitution'. Which is wrong. They all think they get their rights from the state, from their luck in life of being born in the US, or having met some arbitrary requirment to gain citizenship. And this is where we need to start winning them. Explain that our rights come from our humanity. That the Constitution simply explains what the government is allowed to do, not what we are.

Then move to the places we agree, and then explain how that leads to the places we don't, but why another option might be better than theirs.

I think it can be done. It'll take a while.

On Nascar

There was a time when, for about 11 months out of the year, my Sundays were spent watching either racing or football.

No more.

NASCAR has taken all of the interest out of their sport, at least for me. This year was really the tell tale year, as I think I watched 3 or 4 races (the Daytona 500, both Bristol races) from start to finish, and tuned in for parts of only a handful of others.

When NASCAR instituted the 'Chase for the Championship', I was pretty upset - I don't like it, I think it atrificially creates 'drama' where there is none, and I think it screwed up the sport. I became less interested in most of the season, and I'm more interested in who scores the most points in the season, not who scores the most in 10 races.

The held on to me last year because my guy, Rusty, was still around, and still competitive. This year, I have pretty much no one to root for. So interest has waned. (It doesn't help that NBC and TNT coverage is terrible.)

Last night's race at Richmond, a race I did not watch, determined that Tony Stewart, last year's champ (legitimatley so, by the way, as he scored the most points over the entire 36 races) is in 11th, and out of the 'Chase'. In years past, no one would care about this, and would instead be following the tight race between first and second in points, as well as watching who would end up in the top ten at the end of the year, which is quite a logjam.

Want me back, NASCAR? Get rid of the chase. Give more points for winning if you want. Take boring races off the schedule (California). Oh, and race in Darlington on Labor day weekend.

I told you so

Senate finally determines what I said 3 years ago... Iraq and Al Qaeda were not linked.

As a matter of fact, as I said then, Hussein was distrustful of Islamic exremists, as a secular leader.

If I knew this before the invasion, I'm pretty sure someone in the White House knew, too.

Training Update

Back in the gym today. Read the details here.

Please be quiet

We're trying to have an election here.

Welcome to your 60 days of suspension of the First Amendment.

So you and I can not purchase air time to discuss issues, only approved candidates can, unless you get clearance from a court ahead of time. Because THAT's freedom, dammit.

Tackling the important issues

On the one hand, I don't understand why Congress is debating the practice of horse slaughter. I mean, I like horses and all, but they are animals, and can indeed be used as food. I'm especially concerned by this line of reasoning:

"Horses are an integral part of our country's culture, and they do not deserve to be slaughtered under brutal conditions," said Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif. "American horses deserve better treatment."

Debate began Thursday morning on whether to ban horse slaughter, and a vote was expected by evening.

"It is one of the most inhumane, brutal, shady practices going on in the U.S. today," said Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., a sponsor of the ban.

Sweeney argues that the slaughter of horses is different from the slaughter of cattle and chickens because horses such as Mr. Ed, Secretariat and Silver are American icons.

If only Betsy the cow had made it through the auditions.

On the other hand, the more time Congress spends on this, the less likely it is they'll ban internet poker.

Heavy

Sleep - Dopesmoker.

63 minutes of the heaviest music, ever.

Are Environmentalists causing climate change?

A very enlightened post by Warren Meyer over at Coyote Blog regarding Urban Heat Islands.

He asks an important question: Are the policies that environmentalists support which move us towards more urban living actually harming the environment? I wonder if they thought about it.

It used to be bad...

Gene Healy finds some old gems at Freerepublic. I heart teh internets.

Sucks that people can point stuff like this out, doesn't it.

Little Italy Dinner and Movie

Last night was the last night of the season for the Little Italy movie festival. Movies are shown on the side of a building from a projector in a guy's house. One of those great Baltimore things. J and I went early to get dinner at Amiccis.

Since we were in a hurry, we didn't do the usual cocktails and then order - I just got a Peroni. I had a Ceasar salad (OK, we had a ceasar salad) to start, quite good. I had Penne Amicci, penne with sausage, mushrooms, garlic, and spinach. It was OK, but not fantastic. J had the House Gnocci, which was very good, in an excellent cream sauce with proscuitto, spinach, and roasted red peppers. Large servings, quick friendly service, and a really nice casual atmosphere. If you are looking for a quick bite to eat in Little Italy, and don't want to make reservations or dress for dinner, this is a good choice.

Wine would have been better with dinner. Amiccis does have a very limited wine list, but it befits their menu.

The movie was "Big Night", which was pretty good. We enjoyed ourselves.

(As an aside, the usual end of the season movie is "Cinema Paradiso", in Italian, with subtitles. We went a couple of years ago with my brother and his wife, who speaks Italian and had lived in Italy for a time... it's her favorite movie, and became one of mine, too. I was a little dissapointed that it wasn't shown this year.)

On Beer

Stash over at the Spamwise Chronicles is a bit of a foodie. He posted recently that he's looking for some guidance on beer, and I thought I might as well put a little something up on the subject.

First off, if you are looking for someone to explain the different styles and methods of brewing, this isn't your post. There are lots of fine resources on teh internets for that information... this is more about my opinion of some different styles for a novice beer drinker (or someone who doesn't really have a taste for beer) to try.

On the megabreweries: I'm not a fan of American Megabrewed beer. I really don't like Bud (I think it's due to the rice used in the brewing process), and there are far better choices than Coors and Miller out there. That's not to say I'm a total beer snob when it comes to Big Beer. While the popular Light beers are never in my refrigerator, I've been known to buy a 12 of MGD for those hot Saturday afternoons spent washing the cars. (Mexican and Canadian big brewed beers like Molsen, Moosehead, Corona, etc all fall into this category as well).

My favorate everyday drinkable beer is by far Yuengling Lager. It's priced pretty much the same as the Buds and Coors, but it's far, far better. An excellent example of an American Lager. Drink it cold, have it on it's own, or with typical beer food (burgers, pizza, etc).

For a more interesting beer, move into the ale, and sample any number of IPAs, nut browns, English Ales, etc. For an IPA, give Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA a go. Sam Smith's Nut Brown is pricy, but well worth it. Bass Ale, while mainstream, is a pretty decent example of what an English Ale is going to be. (On Sam Smith's, pretty much everything they make is fantastic)

Want to try something a bit heavier? Go for a Stout or a Porter. I like pretty much any Irish Stout, and there are lots of fantastic microbrewed examples of both stouts and porters. For something different, have a Brooklyn Beer Black Chocolate Stout.

Speaking of different, there are a number of beers out there with fruit flavors brewed in. Lambics aren't for everyone, but they are the 'I don't drink beer' crowd's beer of choice. I also like Magic Hat #9, a fantastic sort of pale ale with an apricot flavor.

Back to Lagerland, I'm going to lump virtually all European Lagers into one batch. There are a host of excellent German, Czech, Polish, French, and Italian Lagers to try, some good, some not. Most have a tendancy to be very 'beer' like, so if you don't really like the 'beer' taste, you probably won't spend much time here. Pilsner Urquell is probably the best known in these parts, and certainly I would give it a try. I love it. Stella Artois is also in this category, and is one of the most overhyped, dissapointing beers I've ever had. It's really just not all that.

Wheat beers: I'm not a fan, just generally not to my liking... however, these, like Lambics, are often the beer choice of people who don't much like beer. Lots of examples out there, some more wheaty, some more citrusy. Give some a try. (I can't really recommend one since I don't like them much.)

Some others of note to try: Spaten Optimator (probably my favorite beer), Blackened Voodoo, Abita Turbo Dog, Sierra Nevada, Anchor Steam, and finally, find the brewery closest to you, and try everything they make.

Beth Vaughan

On August 18, one of my all time favorite people died.

Beth Vaughan was a storyteller. She spent her time devoted to perfecting her craft, entertaining people, and to passing that craft on to yougsters and adults.

The Upper Nodd Players, a group of kids from the Northern Harford County area, performed improvisational fairy tales for other kids, we rehearsed at her farm, built our own sets, and learned how to tell a story from our perspective, in a way our audience could relate. She also worked with the local schools, she was an advisor for my Senior Play at North Harford High in 1988. The skills I learned from her, from the basics of movement, mime, and the ability to tell a story, I carry to this day. She made me a better person.

Without a doubt, she was one of the most influential people in my youth, and I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to know her and learn from her. I hope I made her proud.

I'm confused

In Texas, the Republican party is backing a write in candidate in place of Tom Delay, who they could not get off the ballot, instead of a Libertarian who could actually win. In Connecticut, the Republican party is supporting Joe Lieberman's bid as an Independant, against a Republican on the ballot.

The Republicans I know are always telling me why I should vote for their guy, because they are the closest thing to what I think. If that's the case, why are they clearly acting to entrench statists, instead of supporting someone who can win a race who supposedly has similar views to them?

Is it because statists never like Libertarians? In both races, the Republicans may just help a Democrat get elected, and I think they are just fine with that, so long as no third party nutjob tries to rock the boat.

What unbelievable arrogance.

I guess I shouldn't be suprised, but this makes my blood boil. A judge rules the Executive branch can no longer violate the Constitution, the executive branch says... 'no.' Frankly, I think a judge should be able to remove the President from power if he ignores this order, and most certainly he should be impeached.

Where are all of the holier than thou Republicans who thought it terrible Clinton thought he was above the law, and that he thought the ends justified the means.

The President says his illegal actions save lives. How is that NOT the same thing?

Somehow, I doubt Rush is going to point this out today.

Dinner at Helen's Garden

Fantastic meal at Helen's last night with J.

I had the Pepper Cured Tuna Carpaccio as an appetizer, then the Blackened Beef Salad for dinner. Everything was fantastic, I would like to have had more beef on the salad, but for $12, I can't really complain.

Absolut martini with good conversation and the tuna, Estancia Pinot Noir ($9/glass) with the entree. Not a bad pairing, the wine was a bit overpowered by the food. Basic, not too dry, good fruit without too much sweetness, I guess you'd call it balanced. Probably better with a milder beef dish, and I'd bet it would go well with a stroganoff or pork.

But what do I know?

Very good news!

A federal judge rules in favor of Liberty, and against Tyrrany.

I think the 'state secrets' argument is something: We can ignore the Constitution, and as long as it's a secret, you can't stop us.

Too bad it happened on the same day they caught Jonbenet Ramsey's killer... 'cause that's WAY more important.

What if the flood was caused by wind?

I can't believe any lawyer worth anything would take this case this far, but thankfully, the ruling was correct.

Insurance contracts are VERY clear on what's excluded. Flood is excluded. Period.

When I worked for an insurance company, we used to joke that if you thought your house was going to flood, set it on fire.

We know it doesn't help, but we'll do it anyway.

Shocking news. Someone figured out you can't see liquid explosives on an X-Ray, which means the new TSA rule requiring the removal of your shoes to look for said liquid explosives, is, well, stupid.

There are three things mentioned in the linked article I don't get, though. The first is, why is there no mention of perhaps letting the passengers and airlines be responsibile for their safety?

Second, how can the airline industry expect anything but the cost to go up, and that they'll end up paying for it, somehow?

Third, who really thinks the TSA employees manning security checkpoints are anywhere near sophisticated enough to be able to use SPOT?

Just let me walk on the plane with my gun. We'll all be safer.

It's funnier when it's real

Although, I'd swear The Onion could run this story with the headline:

Ebay Power Sellers Cause Terror Alert to be Raised.

Could this be the beginning of the end?

As I'm sure most already know, Senator Joe Lieberman (CT) lost in the Democratic primary yesterday. This shows a couple of things - primarily that Democrats in CT may either be getting back to the real 'differences' between they and Republicans, or more likely, they are just so Anti-Bush that they had to vote for change given the perception that Lieberman agrees with the President on a number of issues.

Of more importance to those of us in 'third' parties, this could be the beginning of an encouraging trend in politics - moving away from the megaparty and actually pointing out and voting for real differences in policy. They still may all be statists, but this shows a powerful incumbent can lose, even if the process is designed to make that virtually impossible.

Now, all we can hope is that he runs as an Independent, and throws a wrench into the whole thing.

Bulwer-Lytton 2006

My favorite writing contest.
The first to make me chuckle

It was a day, like any other day, in that Linus got up, faced the sunrise, used his inhaler, applied that special cream between his toes, wrote a quick note and put it in a bottle, and wished he'd been stranded on the island with something other than 40 cases each of inhalers, decorative bottles, and special toe cream.

Another

Lisa moved like a cat, not the kind of cat that moves with a slinky grace but more like the kind that always falls off the book shelf when he's washing himself and then gets all mad at you like it's your fault (which it wasn't although it probably was kind of mean to laugh at him like that), although on the bright side, she hardly ever attacked Ricky's toes in his sleep.

The winner of 'Vile Puns'

As Johann looked out across the verdant Iowa River valley, and beyond to the low hills capped by the massive refrigerator manufacturing plant, he reminisced on the history of the great enterprise from its early days, when he and three other young men, all of differing backgrounds, had only their dream of bringing refrigeration to America's heartland to sustain them, to the present day, where they had become the Midwest's foremost group of refrigerator magnates.

Enjoy them all.

Isreal killing civilians?

Human Rights Watch is all upset, according to this Independent piece, because:

Although the Israeli government claims it is taking all possible measures to minimise civilian harm, Human Rights Watch said their detailed investigations revealed "a systematic failure by the Israeli Defence Forces to distinguish between combatants and civilians".

As is the case when someone takes on an organization such as Hezbollah (or Al Quaida, or Hamas), they can't really win. The cowards (who actually do intentionally target civilians), hide among civilians in hopes the Israelis won't come after them, or if they do, they further the cause by killing the innocent.

Frankly, innocent may not really describe the civilians, who might be better off pointing out the criminals in their midst.

Gaps

Sorry for the gaps in posts. I was out of town (in Atlanta on business) this week. Still busy as all get out with work, still working on getting settled in the new house. Closets are the next order of business. We have yet to organize/build our office/guest room, linen/washer dryer, and exercise room closets. We have an approaching deadline, as Columbia Oak is coming to measure the office/guest room to build the workstation and murphy bed set up.

I haven't driven my convertible since I got it back from the shop, what, two weeks ago?

Training is still on the shelf, although I think next week will allow me to get back to a normal schedule. Travel for work should die off now, too. I'm getting back to the Precision Nutrition plan as well. I've been drinking too much and eating too much crap.

On the good news front, there are some good things happening with work, so I feel like I'm starting to get the traction I needed to get. Now I need to spend some time doing some things I've neglected over the past few months to get them caught up.

Quick Update

Been really busy with work - was on the road all week last week. I'm recuperating from that this weekend, then another busy week next week. After that, things should settle down a bit - I think I may take a week off in September.

I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get back on track with training at the end of next week, but the way things have been going, who knows. I do know that I need to do something active, I can almost feel the aging process.

A Gathering

I stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Secaucus, NJ on Thursday night.

Apparently, there was a Lord of the Rings convention starting Friday.

Quite something.

On 'Overkill'

There are 6 raids in Maryland.

Search Results

These 6 results represent
The state of: MD
For the year: All
And the following type of incident: All





David Scheper and Sascha Wagner.

August 18, 2005—MD



On August 18, 2005, police in Baltimore, Maryland force their way into the home of David Scheper and Sascha Wagner. Thinking they are being robbed, Wagner calls 911, telling the operator, "There's someone breaking into my house." Scheper slams the door on the officers, who never announce they are police.

The officers then shatter the glass on the home's front door. Scheper stands just inside, holding his 12-gauge shotgun. He doesn't have ammunition, but he hopes that racking the gun within earshot of the door would scare off what he still believes are intruders. When they don't leave, Scheper retreats to his basement, and grabs the only functioning weapon in his house, a CZ-52 semiautomatic, what he calls a "piece-of-junk Czechoslovakian pistol." As Scheper struggles to load the weapon, it accidentally discharges, sending a round into the floor of his basement.

Police would eventually enter, and seize $1,440 in cash Scheper says he had recently withdrawn to buy a used pickup truck. According to the Baltimore City Paper, police also "...hit a 70-year-old art-deco-style metal desk with an ax. They took 18 of Scheper's guns--mostly inoperable antiques, he says--and some gun-shaped props he had built for movies. 'They threatened to blow up my safe,' Scheper says, so he opened it for them."

The police had made an error. They also had no search warrant. They were looking for a tenant Scheper had evicted weeks earlier. Nevertheless, police still put Scheper's antique gun collection on display for the local news as part of a "roundup" of illegal weapons they'd found in two local raids.

The only charge to come of the police visit to Scheper's home was one against Scheper for firing the weapon in his basement, which carried a $1,000 fine and a year in prison. Prosecutors eventually dropped that charge, but only after Scheper's lawyer successfully fought to get Wagner's 911 call admitted as evidence, over the objection of prosecutors.

Source:

Edward Ericson, Jr., "Breakin? All the Rules; Prosecutor Drop Case Against Man Who Says Plainclothes Police Tried To Force Way Into His Home Without Warrant," Baltimore City Paper, December 21, 2005.



Cheryl Lynn Noel.

January 21, 2005—MD


Baltimore County, Maryland police descend on a home in the Dundalk neighborhood at around 5 a.m. on a narcotics warrant. They deploy a flashbang grenade, then quickly subdue the first-floor occupants -- a man and two young adults.

When officers enter the second-floor bedroom of Cheryl Llynn Noel, they break open the door to find the middle-aged woman in her bed, frightened, and pointing a handgun at them. One officer fires three times. Noel dies at the scene.

Friends and acquaintances described Noel as "a wonderful person," who ran a Bible study group on her lunch breaks. One man collected 200 signatures from friends, neighbors, and coworkers vouching for her character.

Officers conducted the raid after finding marijuana seeds in the Noels' garbage can.

Sources:

Joseph M. Giordano, "Woman is shot, killed by police in drug raid," Dundalk Eagle, January 27, 2005.

Joseph M. Giordano, "Petition reflects anguish," Dundalk Eagle, March 31, 2005.



Desmond Ray.

December 11, 2002—MD


As police in Prince George's County, Maryland prepare for a SWAT raid on a suspected drug dealer, Desmond Ray--not the target of the raid--steps out of a parked car. Cpl. Charles Ramseur says Ray reached for his waistband upon exiting the car. Ray says he put his hands in the air.

Ramseur fires his weapon at Ray and strikes him in the spine, paralyzing him. Ray is unarmed, and would never be charged with a crime.

In April 2004, an "Executive Review Panel" found that Ramseur had no justification for shooting Ray, and recommended administrative charges against him for using excessive force. The recommendation was overruled when the internal police review board found no wrongdoing. Ramseur was reinstated.

County police later settled a civil suit with Ray for an undisclosed sum of money.

Source:

"Prince George's police corporal cleared in 2002 shooting," Associated Press, July 15, 2005.



The Lewis Cauthorne Raid.

November 19, 2002—MD



On January 7, 2003, prosecutors in Baltimore announce they will not press charges against Lewis S. Cauthorne for firing a .45-caliber handgun at police who broke down his door during a no-knock raid in November 2002.

Cauthorne, at home with his mother, girlfriend, and three year-old daughter at the time of the raid, heard screaming when police broke open the door to his home and began searching for drugs. The raiding officers never identified themselves.

Prosecutors later determined that Cauthorne, who had no arrest record and whose father had been robbed and killed as a cab driver, had reason to believe his life was in danger when he fired and wounded three of the raiding police officers. Police fired back, but no one inside the home was hit.

Police were acting on a tip from a confidential informant, and claim to have found six bags with traces of marijuana, empty vials, a razor with cocaine residue, and two scales in Cauthorne's home. But the ensuing investigation found peculiarities with the evidence that precluded Cauthorne from being charged even with a misdemeanor. For example, there was no record of where exactly in the home the drugs were found, and crime lab technicians were told by police not to photograph the evidence.

The officers who conducted the raid were also unavailable for interviews from investigators until days or weeks after the raid took place. Though never charged, Cauthorne served more than six weeks in jail before the charges against him were dismissed.

Source::

Allison Klein and Del Quentin Wilber, "Prosecutor to drop charges in shooting of four officers," Baltimore Sun, January 7, 2003.



Harry Davis.

February 3, 1992—MD



In 1992, police in Fort Washington, Maryland conduct a no-knock raid on the home of Harry Davis.

According to Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy, "Fifteen police officers, carrying assault weapons and dressed in black garb that looked like some kind of ninja outfits, stormed in, knocked Davis to the floor and held him there with a shotgun to his head." Police also pulled Davis' girlfriend out of bed in the nude, and performed a body cavity search.

Police then tore out the walls to Davis' apartment, smashed family photos in their frames, and confiscated his car.

A confidential informant had told police that Davis was laundering more than $100 million in drug money from his home. Davis' face was splashed all over the news as the mastermind of an elaborate East Coast cocaine cartel. Yet police found no drugs or weapons in his apartment, and later confirmed that they'd found no evidence of money laundering.

The assistant U.S. attorney in charge of the case later conceded, "The evidence did not have him in any actual drug transaction." Davis lost his car leasing business, and lost possession of his car, which police seized, then returned to the bank when Davis was unable to keep up on his payments. Davis found temporary work as a car salesman after his arrest, but was later fired after a customer recognized him as the man the TV news identified as a drug kingpin.

A year later, prosecutors dropped all charges against Davis. Davis said in court, "You break into my home, humiliate my friend, destroy my business, and after investigating me for a year, just drop the charges. What can you say to me?"

The judge replied, "You're free. Next case."

According to Milloy, Davis was never compensated, even for the damage to his home.

Source:

Courtland Milloy, "For Ex-Defendant, P Street Case Still a Nightmare," Washington Post, February 7, 1993, p. B1.



Sgt. Mark Murphy.

August 31, 1988—MD



On August 31, 1988, police in Prince George's County, Maryland conduct a no-knock raid on the home of Dion Smith, suspected of cocaine distribution.

As Sergeant Mark Murphy attempts to pry open the door to the second-floor garden apartment with a hydraulic pump, the officers around him hear what they believe to be a gunshot. Two officers behind Murphy open fire. Murphy is struck in the head by a round fired by one of his fellow officers, and dies six months later.

One police official would later say of the raid, "Unfortunately, there is no room for error in these kinds of situations."

Sources:

"NW Man Pleads Guilty in Drug Case," Washington Post, January 21, 1989, p. B4.

Craig W. Floyd, "Deadly Drug Raids," National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, October 6, 2003.

Hopefully this paper will get some attention, and maybe these six will be the last.

Required Reading

Radley Balko's paper on the overuse of paramilitary (SWAT) teams in raids.

Overkill.

Good title.

He makes a nice point here on his blog in response to critics:

If you're going to argue that there isn't a problem here because "only" 40 or so innocent people have been killed in paramilitary police raids since 1985, I wonder, what is a good number? At what point do you begin to get concerned? Seems like an odd sort of consequentialism. If we could keep the drug supply down (not that these raids are actually doing that -- which is another matter, also addressed in the paper) by having the government randomly execute one innocent person every six months, and randomly terrorize an innocent family once every ten days or so, would that be okay?

Well? Would it?

Frustration

I simply can not get any traction... on anything. I can't get to the gym, I can't get control of some things at work, and I can't get the house done.

And it's all a vicious cycle - if I could get to the gym, work wouldn't frustrate me so much. If I could get work under control, I could get to the gym.

Today was just one more day like this. Got in early, with the goal of getting a bunch of work done, get out mid afternoon, head to the gym, get home, cook some food, clean up a little, and still have some time to relax. Then the day goes to hell at about 2:30, and while I got out of the office at a reasonable time (3:30), I ended up on the phone the whole ride home, then had to log back in when I got home, and was on the phone and using e-mail until almost 7.

I really have to get a handle on things.

Tomorrow is another day. My brother and his wife are having baby #2, so it will be a good day for sure. I'm going to try to hit the gym after going to see them.

Lowes

I'm a Home Depot guy. Always have preferred shopping there, plus the big company I work for has ties to them.

But I have to give Lowes some big credit, and suggest anyone who is considering a large purchase look there.

I purchased 5 Coleman storage units for my garage - two 3 drawer units, two jumbo tall units, one tall unit. (They can be seen here.) Had them delivered.

The drawer units went together without too much trouble. When you buy these things, you know what you are getting - self assembly, particle board construction.. these are not high end cabinets. I started to put together the first jumbo unit, and when I got the doors out of the box, one of them was heavily damaged. I freaked out - I had visions of having to take everything back, or waiting two weeks to have another one delivered. Or worse yet, sending all of it back and getting something else, losing all the time I spent putting the units together.

I called the store, prepared for the worst. Within five minutes, they had set up a delivery for the next day (today, a Sunday) to come out and get the damaged unit and bring me a replacement. Buy 10 AM, they've been here and gone.

Well done.

My garage is still a mess.

I told you so.

Cenk Uygur on what is happening in Iraq. Nice post, and the comments are also very good.

Over and over again, we crazy Libertarians, painted as 'Anti war wackos', 'unpatriotic', and whatever else the mornic Right decided to call us, told you this was going to happen, and that we were better off letting it happen on it's own instead of having it happen with 150,000 of our troops (and how many billions of dollars now?) in the middle of it.

Iraq is a country containing 3 very distinct groups, all of which don't like the others very much. The only thing keeping the area stable was the oppression of Hussien, a member of one of the smaller groups. There is absolutley no doubt he's a horrible man. But there was never a reason for us to invade, and now that we are there, exactly what (some of us) thought would happen is happening. And we can't stop it.

What we had, though, was an oppressive secular government, that while not really our best friends, certainly not aligned with the militant Islamic maniacs who attacked us. What we are going to end up with, at best, is another Islamic state. Again, some of us knew this would happen... and if we knew it, I'm pretty sure someone involved knew it, too.

Couple that with Iran and North Korea rattling their sabres, and we're too busy in Iraq to be able to do much about it. Put what's going on in Isreal on top of THAT.

Found Osama yet?

And y'all want to blame Clinton.

And you all thought the Clinton Administration was fantastic late night talk fodder...

You simply can not top this.

LEAHY: The president has said very specifically, and he’s said it to our European allies, he’s waiting for the Supreme Court decision to tell him whether or not he was supposed to close Guantanamo or not. After, he said it upheld his position on Guantanamo, and in fact it said neither. Where did he get that impression? The President’s not a lawyer, you are, the Justice Department advised him. Did you give him such a cockamamie idea or what?
BRADBURY: Well, I try not to give anybody cockamamie ideas.
LEAHY: Well, where’d he get the idea?
BRADBURY: The Hamdan decision, senator, does implicitly recognize we’re in a war, that the President’s war powers were triggered by the attacks on the country, and that law of war paradigm applies. That’s what the whole case —
LEAHY: I don’t think the President was talking about the nuances of the law of war paradigm, he was saying this was going to tell him that he could keep Guantanamo open or not, after it said he could.
BRADBURY: Well, it’s not —
LEAHY: Was the President right or was he wrong?
BRABURY: It’s under the law of war –
LEAHY: Was the President right or was he wrong?
BRADBURY: The President is always right.

Another hat tip to The Agitator.

Welcome to your police state

We're so glad you could make it.

Most disturbing quote:

We are in the business of scaring people.

Hat tip: The Agitator

The world stops today.

For 90 minutes.

1 Billion people (not counting those watching in communal areas like bars and pubs), around the world are watching a game.

Training: Bench

It's hard to play it smart and take it easy at first. Normally I would have done this tomorrow, but I couldn't wait to get in the gym. Squatting on Sunday. Sad numbers, but they'll come up. Nutrition is going well.

Warmup: 5 mins elliptical

Bench Press
2x20 @ 45
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x3
Not happy with this, but I was working without a net, and have no idea what rep I can't do.

OH Press
2x12 @ 45
2x5 @ 95

Bent row
2x15 @ 45
3x8 @ 135

Rope pressdown
3x15 @ 80

Hammer curl
20s x 15
25s x 15

Workout time: 3:00 - 3:40

Coach X

Many of the folks who read this blog are interested in getting strong.

Give this interview a listen - good stuff from Dave Tate and EliteFTS!

Training: Update and ME Squat/Dead

One of the things Dr. John Berardi says in the No Nonsense Nutrition DVD is that lots of people overthink things, and they wait until everything is planned and perfect to start. Successful people start today.

I've always been the former when it comes to training and diet - the plan had to be in place, or there was no point in even going to the gym.

That stops. Now.

Speaking of nutrition and Berardi - I picked up his Precision Nutrition. He does a nice job of basically telling you to keep it simple, follow some basic rules and plan things out. I like the approach, and have been using it since Monday.

On to today's training, the fist session back in quite some time. Instead of coming up with a plan, breaking everything into phases and cycles, etc, I'm just going back to it. I'm going to use the basic WSB/conjugated/whatever you want to call it template - an ME Squat and an ME Bench, a DE Squat and a DE Bench, focusing on whatever is weak to make it strong. For now, I think the DE days may be RE days, since I just need to work on getting jacked, not worry about speed so much. But we'll see. For ME days, I'll keep the main lift for 3 weeks, working up to a 5RM in week one, a 3RM week 2, and a 1RM week 3, then changing the lift and repeating.

Warmup: 5 mins elliptical
Squat
45x8
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
This was hard, but not earth shattering. I do know not to go nuts my first day back.

Leg press
2 legs 90x12
1 leg 2x5 @ 90
Weak. Unilateral stuff is a huge weakness for me. I need to bring it up, so I'll continue to include it.

SLDL
3x15 @ 45
Be Smart!

45 degree hypers
3x10

Lying leg raises
3x12

Stretching

Workout time: 3:15 - 4:10

Explaining the World Cup

Here in the US, the World Cup is a passing interest. I'd be suprised if the TV ratings surpassed that of the WSOP.

But everywhere else in the world, it's the Superbowl. Times 10. People risk getting SHOT to watch.

There's a commentary here on freedom, too.

A perfect story for the holiday weekend

You'd think this was made up.

Steven A. Smith

The most important man alive.

Quite frankly, these guys should win an award.

Hat tip: The Agitator

The government violating the Constitution is fine...

Until it happens to you.

I'd feel bad for him, you know, except he supports the Government rooting through my phone records and financial information. Because you know the govnerment would NEVER use that information for political purposes, just to fight terrorists.

Kinda like they rooted through his medical records and his pockets. And this isn't political or anything, that everyone now knows Rush has a little, er, problem.... it's to protect us from drugs.
It's all the same, Rush, it's all the same. There's a reason the Constitution says they can't do this, and you are a prime example. Unfortunately, you support thier ability to do it, and you get to pay the price.

Ironic?

Is it ironic that I cant find the GPS I want?

I think Target might have it.

Also, on a related note: I found my valuation behavior interesting this weekend. I finally decided to buy a GPS - I'm on the road in unfamiliar areas a great deal, and Mrs Stagg could also use it on occasion. The one I picked has route optimization (the only one I can find), where you can plug in 20 stops, and the unit will optimize the route for you.

Anyway, the unit lists for $700. I found it online as low as $540 at a number of retailers, including places like Amazon.com, certainly well reputed. I've decided, however, given the risk invoved with online ordering, and the convenience of the return policies at B&M retailers, to pay about $100 more for the unit that I could in order to be able to just return it, instead of going through paying for shipping, etc, for a replacement if there is a problem.

Might be something to that, and the influence (or lack thereof) of online retailers on actual stores.

Your personal global warming experience

Oh, this should be good. That 1/10 of a degree a year has driven my A/C costs throught the roof!

I think I might send them my story. Global warming, while having not directly affected my life, has indirectly done so via the erosion of my individual (property) rights.

Somehow, I doubt they'll be interested.

Hat tip: Penn Jilette

Training: Week 1, Day 1

This is what will be Max Effort Squat/Dead, but I'm in no condition to do any max effort work.

Warmup: 5 mins elliptical, 1x10 stepovers
Squat:
45x10
2x15 @ 135

Band Goodmornings
light band 2x15

Bench situps
2x15

Lying leg raises
2x10

Lots of stretching.

Workout time: 3:20 - 3:55

A return to normalcy

At least, a version of it.

Getting back to training, and hopefully settling in to the new house and good habits. I posted a plan 6 weeks or so ago, the basics stand. For the next few weeks, I'll be working on conditioning and mobility, then get into working on hypertrophy along with some max effort stuff. Then we'll see where we go.

Nutrition is (for now) following Dr. John Berardi's 7 habits, with some very small exceptions (whole wheat bread is OK).

Required Reading

Balko on the 20th anniversary of Len Bias' death, and the other side.

Required Reading

Balko on the 20th anniversary of Len Bias' death, and the other side.

An excellent example...

Of how remarkably sad a state we are in with respect the the nanny state.

From some letters to USA Today regarding the stupidity of a certain Pittsburgh quarterback.

Time to change laws

In light of this week's motorcycle accident that seriously injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, I think states such as Pennsylvania have to take a serious look at their laws concerning the use of motorcycle helmets.

About 20 of the 50 states have full motorcycle helmet laws requiring riders of all ages to wear a helmet. In fact, four states — Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, and New Hampshire — have no laws requiring motorcycle riders of any age to wear a helmet.

The law in Pennsylvania, where Roethlisberger's incident happened, says riders 21 years or older are not required to wear a helmet. The motorcycle helmet law that was in place was repealed in 2003.

Even before the Roethlisberger incident, I always felt that Pennsylvania's repealing of the motorcycle helmet law was a mistake. Living in Pennsylvania, I see many riders going without helmets all of the time. While there is always a risk riding a motorcycle, not wearing a helmet is an even bigger risk.

As a resident of Pennsylvania, I would encourage Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature to take another look at the repealed motorcycle helmet law.

I would also urge other states to look at their laws as well.

Wearing a simple helmet is definitely worth saving your life.

Craig Barto

Girard, Pa.

Well, Craig, driving a car is a risk, driving it without a helmet and 5 point harness is a bigger risk. So I guess that should be a law too? Working out is a risk, but lifting weights is more of a risl, so we should pass a law, I guess. Hell, motorcycles are so risky, let's just outlaw them all together.

Individual Responsibility. Deal with it. I can not believe people would rather the government protect them than protect themselves from their own stupidity.

What's the problem if you have nothing to hide?

Right?

I mean, that's what they want US to do.. but the military, not so much, when it comes to Gitmo.

Question

Why are the people who think it's OK to have red light cameras, speed cameras, and police cameras set up at drug corners so upset about the NSA getting their phone records?

It's all the same. It's all wrong, but we wanted it, didn't we?

Dimebag

Listening to Chronix Agression on the Sonos tonight. They played Damage Plan followed by Pantera.

It's remarkable just how freaking awesome Dimebag Darrel was.

What a loss.

Required Reading

Deirdre McCloskey on the virtue of the free market.

Hat tip: The Agitator

Quick Update

Been busy, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

We settled on our old house yesterday - sold it to a really nice guy who was renting a house in the same development. I hope he gets as much enjoyment out of it as Jamie and I did.

Took the check to the bank today. Big check. Paying off the 15% line of credit on the new house to get us to just an 80% mortgage. The remainder is going to build our liquid cash back up to a more comfortable level, and everything left is going into our investment account. Not life changing money, but money that gets me closer to not having to work (or gets me a couple of 911 Turbos.)

Lifting is probably a week away. We are still getting settled in the new house. I've got the itch to get back to it, though.

I'm off to peruse teh internets to see if there is anything interesting to blog about.

When it's THEIR rights, the Constitution matters!

Unfortunately, they still don't seem to understand the document. Congressional leaders on both sides are all in a tizzy about the FBI serving a search warrant on Congressman William Jefferson's office. If you are not familiar with Jefferson, he's the jackass who used the National Guard to get him back to his house in New Orleans (while there were still people trapped, mind you) after the hurricane. He is now accused (mostly due to videotape) of taking bribes.

Thing is, the check to the executive branch power is there. That's why the warrant was required!

Here are some absolutely fantasitc quotes from these noble defenders of the Constitution:

"I clearly have serious concerns about what happened and whether people at the Justice Department have looked at the Constitution lately," said House Majority Leader John Boehner.


"I've got to believe that at the end of the day it's going to end up across the street at the Supreme Court," the Ohio Republican added.

Ahh, yes. And the two fellows you confirmed this year, how do you think they'll rule?

The House's No. 2 Democrat, Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, said it was another example of the Bush administration's disregard for limits on its power.

"No member is above the law, but the institution has a right to protect itself against the executive department going into our offices," Hoyer said.

He and others were careful to say the Justice Department should investigate wrongdoing by members of Congress.

Perhaps Mr. Hoyer should be a little more concerned about the government coming into MY house.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Bill Frist expressed concern about the search and Mississippi Republican Trent Lott said his Rules Committee was looking into the situation.

"There's a right way and a wrong way to do everything," Lott said. "We don't want a situation where the FBI just shows up at will and starts rummaging around here."

But they didn't just show up in SWAT gear like they do to enforce the draconian drug laws Mr Lott is such a fan of... they show up in suits with a WARRANT!

As usual, these folks are completely disconnected from reality. How can they not recognise how remarkably stupid their position is, and how hypocritical they are? Their offices are not sacred ground when it comes to criminal investigation. So long as the Executive branch follows the 4th amendment.

Speaking of the 4th amendment, I wonder if Messers Hoyer, Hastert, and Lott are going to vote for or against the confirmation of Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden. If they vote yes (which they will), they can shove thier 'don't understand the Constitution' whining.

I sure do hope someone somewhere reminds them.

President gets one right!

I was watching CNN this morning at the car dealership (R&H Mercedes, by the way, has a best in class service department) and saw part of the President's 'question and answer' session at some sort of foodservice convention.

As one would expect, the questions were, if not planted, quite well screened and rehearsed. After the obligatory 'we are gettin' those terrorists in Iraq' (even though that's not where Osama is), the President took a question on health care.

He discussed Medicare, and how wonderful it is that the government provides healthcare and (now) prescription meds for old people. Then he started talking about how the market is a good thing, and that he would like to see a system where you have catastrophic health care coverage, and a medical savings account (much like a 401k, but for health care costs) that is tax free.

Something we crazy Libertarians have been suggesting for years!

Good for you, Mr. President.

One other thing I noticed, he's been working on his delivery. He sounded much more polished, confident, and less 'smirky' than I've seen him.

Training: Week 1 RE Deadlift

Being out of shape sucks.

Wamup - 5 mins elliptical

Deadlift
135x8,8
185x8
225x5
275x5,5
Pretty easy.

45 degree hypers
3x10

Situps
3x15

Lots of stretching

Workout time 6:05 - 6:40

Stupid

Seriously. 'Lavender' Graduations. Stupid.

Isn't the point to NOT have to wear a badge or stand out? I would think this a step in the wrong direction. Wearing a rainbow tassle just doesn't say, "I'm gay, but I should be treated the same as everyone else because my being gay has nothing to do with how good an employee or how good a person I am."

Instead it says, "Hire me, and I can guarantee I will make my coworkers uncomfortable, and I'll probably sue you."

I just don't get it.

Training: Week 1, RE Bench

Way out of shape, but it felt good to get in the gym. Weights are currently pathetic, but I haven't trained for more than 3 months.

Warmup - 5 mins elliptical, lower back stretching

Bench press
2x20 @ 45
95x15
135x10
185x5
3x3 @ 225
Weak.

Hammer Row
90x12
2x6 @ 180

Single arm pullovers
2x10 @ 15

Barbell cuban press
2x10 @ 45

Pushups
2x10

Workout time: 5:45 - 6:20

Training notes: Felt pretty good, good pace. Winded at end.

Nutrition: Not bad. I actually ate some vegatables, and I didn't buy lunch.

Dear Left Wing: You got what you wanted, why are you complaining?

I am a real Libertarian. The folks over at Q and O call themselves 'neolibertarians', which from what I can tell, are pretty much libertarian leaning Republicans. There are a number of key issues where I do not share their views, but I can not deny they are a smart group of people.

Yesterday, they posted a very good article pointing out how we ended up giving up Liberty for security... and it isn't all W's fault (although he's still taking a dump all over the Constitution, he's not the only one doing it)

The well made point: If you can't target your security to a small subset of likely participants in a crime, you have to cast a wide net. The Left says it's mean to single out Islamic Arabs, so everyone has to be searched. The same logic gets the government with a list of all of our phone calls, instead of getting warrants for a few.

Of course, this also shows how well the current Administration lines up with the Left.

Your answer to this question shows where you line up:

So, would'ja rather have an open society, or more effective counter-terrorism security? If you choose the former, then you must accept that the risk of a major terrorist attack increases. If you choose the latter, then you are choosing to give up some liberty.

My answer is the former. There are risks associated with Liberty. I'll take them any day over the risk associated with the government taking my Liberty to protect me from mean people.

Another fitting analogy - are you better off with a loaded shotgun in your house when someone breaks in, or unarmed dialing 911.

Picking 'more effective counter terrorism security' is like giving your shotgun away and hoping the police show up before the intruder kills you.

The terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001 were a direct result of the relinqueshment of Liberty for security.

Music Review

Tool. 10,000 days.

Get it.

On the NSA Phone records story...

A good roundup of stuff at Reason.

From my point of view, I just want to address one point. I hopped in my car today to go get my fill of soon to be illegal, regulated, and or taxed McDonalds food, I turned on WBAL, forgetting that it was after noon, and Rush would be on.

In about 30 seconds, he had me furious.

He suggested that there is nothing at all wrong with the government obtaining and reviewing 10 million phone records. Why? EZ Pass.

Apparently, he thinks that since the government can track your coming and going via EZ Pass, that means it's perfectly fine to review your phone records. Plus, Clinton did it, and no one cared then (the usual moronic Rush position). He went on to explain that people who surf the web have their activity tracked by a host of organizations.

Let me explain a little something to El Rushbo (as I'm sure he reads this humble blog):

I CHOOSE EZ PASS. I am not forced to use EZ Pass, I can freely not use EZ Pass if I wish the government not be able to track my movement (ignoring temporarily that the government should not use EZ pass to track my movement and that toll roads not owned by the government would be my preferred means of travel were it available). I did not know the government was looking at my phone records, and I do not have a choice if they decide they want to look at them after the fact.

There is a huge distinction here. It is a clear violation of the Constitution to, without a warrant and without probable cause, review the records held by a private company on my use of their product. It is not a violation of the Constitution to look at what toll booths I drove through, when I choose to use a government sponsored electronic device to pay the tolls. (It would be, however, if I did not know that was happening and I had no other choice.) Put another way - I am consenting to government search when I use EZ Pass. I was not when I called my friend Muhammed to ask how his flying lessons were going two weeks ago. (You deserve what you get if you are so stupid you assume Muhammed is a criminal based on our conversation, by the way. And yes, I know that just got me on yet another NSA list.)

It. Is. Not. OK.

Violating our rights doesn't make us safe. It makes us less safe.

Required Reading

Michael Rozeff on Public Opinion, Sovereignty, and Preemptive War. From Lew Rockwell, where else?

I'll take people who shouldn't be in charge of spying for $600, Alex

The choices a President makes say a alot about the President. They also underline the importance of not electing another Bush, even if you like tax cuts and hate terrorists.

The guy President Bush wants to put in charge of the CIA doesn't understand the Fourth Amendment.

That's probably the important one, eh?

Note my suprise that someone this administration nominates to a post doesn't understand the Constitution. Quite shocking.

Fair housing?

Via Liberty Belles comes this post linking to a story in the NY Times about a lawsuit against Craigslist because they allow posts that limit potential roomates and renters.

What the Belles miss is the application of that to Fair Housing laws in general. If you can recognise it's stupid in the Craigslist context, how can you not realise it's stupid in any context?

My wife is the Rockstar Realtor (I am known as 'Jamie Mason's Husband' in Baltimore). She can not answer questions like the following because of fair housing:

Do lots of gay people live in the neighborhood?
Will my children have other kids to play with?
Is this a racially diverse area?
Are there any other Jewish families nearby?
Are many of the people who live here single?

None of those questions should raise any issue, especially when put in context. For example, the gay people question was asked by a gay couple. They were trying to find out how comfortable they might be in an area, and wanted to be able to make an informed descision about where they choose to live. If they ask that question about a neighborhood where all of the residents are married couples with little kids, the gay couple might not be comfortable living there. Who does answering that question hurt?

Frankly, if you don't want to sell your house to a black person, I don't care. You're an idiot racist, but it's your house. If you don't want to live near black people, or gay people, or whomever, who cares? It's not like they'll miss you. I sure as hell don't want any little kids living in my neighborhood (which is why we live near the gay people), why can't I find this out before I move in?

If you can see the folly in the Craigslist issue, go ahead and take the leap and see the folly everywhere.

(By the way, I CAN answer those questions, so feel free to ask me.)

Immigration Plan

Here's a plan you'll never see enacted, but is pretty close to right in the current environment.

Ron Paul on gas prices

It may not fit in a sound bite, but it's right.

Paul points out correctly that gas prices are a function of supply and demand, the market at work. They are always trying to reach a 'market clearing' price, the price at which the gas station's tanks are empty just as a truck pulls up to refill them. (It's a little more complicated than that because of the ancillary items people buy when they stop to get gas, as well as competition and government meddling, but it's good enough for now.)

Most people understand that federal restrictions on exploring, drilling, and refining domestic oil have made us dependent on various questionable Middle East governments. We should expand this into a greater understanding of how American foreign policy increases gas prices here at home. Before the war in Iraq, oil was about $28 per barrel. Today it is over $70. Iraq was a significant source of worldwide oil, but its production has dropped 50% since 2002. Pipeline sabotage and fires are routine; we have been unable to prevent them. Furthermore, the general instability in the Middle East created by the war causes oil prices to rise everywhere.

This is another one of those 'I told you so' moments for those of us who were against the invasion of Iraq from the get go. The invasion isn't the only reason for the increase, and we don't know what may have happened without the invasion, but I'd bet what it costs to fill up my tank that prices would be lower now had there been no invasion.

If we want to do something about gas prices, we should demand greatly reduced welfare and military spending, a balanced budget, and fewer regulations that interfere with the market development of alternative fuels. All subsidies and special benefits to energy companies should be ended. We also should demand a return to a sound commodity monetary system.

Quite a sound argument can be made that the government regulation of the market is the reason there are not alternative fuel sources for transportation, or other means of transportation than the internal combustion engined automobile. It is also very important to note the need for a sound monetary system. Basic Economics - print more dollars with nothing but faith and credit to back them up, and each of those dollars buy less stuff.

And in the meantime, let’s eliminate federal gas taxes at the pump. That alone would save Americans 18.4 cents per gallon. By contrast, oil companies only make about 10 cents per gallon. So maybe it’s government that’s being greedy.

You should be offended any time some moron refers to what gas companies do as 'profit taking'. No profit = no gas. And they don't take their cut by force like the government does. Who's the criminal?

Power Surge

Gene healy and Timothy Lynch from the Cato Institute (you know, that right wing think tank), have published "Power Surge: The Constitutional Record of George W. Bush."

From the Executive Summary:

Unfortunately, far from defending the Constitution, President Bush has repeatedly sought to strip out the limits the document places on federal power. In its official legal briefs and public actions, the Bush administration has advanced a view of federal power that is astonishingly broad, a view that includes


- A federal government empowered to regulate core political speech—and restrict it greatly when it counts the most: in the days before a federal election;
- A president who cannot be restrained, through validly enacted statutes, from pursuing any tactic he believes to be effective in the war on terror;
- A president who has the inherent constitutional authority to designate American citizens suspected of terrorist activity as "enemy combatants," strip them of any constitutional protection, and lock them up without charges for the duration of the war on terror— in other words, perhaps forever; and
- A federal government with the power to supervise virtually every aspect of American life, from kindergarten, to marriage, to the grave.

President Bush's constitutional vision is, in short, sharply at odds with the text, history, and structure of our Constitution, which authorizes a government of limited powers.

I'll say. Read the whole thing, it's fantastic.

Required Reading

I've said for some time the biggest postitive of immigration from Mexico to the US will be the exposure of the weaknesses of the welfare state. For a true free society, the borders should be free... you don't have to be a citizen to have the freedom to travel, work, or live here.

This is a fantastic piece on immigration at Lew Rockwell. Read it.

May Day

Again this year, Catallarchy reminds us of those harmed by states promising a workers' paradise.

Read all of them.

Training: Cycle 1, Day 1

Boy. I am out of shape.

Warmup: 5 mins elliptical, duck unders, prisoner squats

Squat
45x10
95x10
135x5
185x5
225x5

Felt OK, my hamstrings are really tight.

Hypers
4x12

Bench situps
4x12

Lots of stretching

Worklout time: <30 minutes

Ovarall, I didn't feel like I was in the groove... but I didn't eat well today. I think the last time I did this it took a couple of cycles to really get back into it.

I also came up with the goal to move on to meet training - Squat and deadlift 5x315x5. The deadlift will probably get there first.

As far as nutrition goes, I didn't hit most of the daily goals. I need to get shopping to get more mobile food. Lifestyle, well, I dipped and bought lunch.

Planning

Some say it's all in the planning, others in the execution.

I'm living proof that execution is a requirement. If it were all planning, I'd squat 750.

That said, I'm getting back to it. The old house is on the market, the new house is slowly coming together. The next big hurdle is to get 2 pieces of furniture in - they won't fit up the stairs, so one has to be hoisted to the third floor (bedroom) on to a small balcony and through French (or shoudl that be 'freedom') doors. The second is an entertainment center that has to be walked around the end of the row of houses, hoisted up a level to the back decks, then walked over 3 decks to get to our back door, then in. We have a referral for a moving company that may be able to do this... I'm waiting to hear back.

Once that's done, we have one more Ikea thing to put to gether in the loft, and I need to get a temporary desk for our home PC. Then we can pretty much unpack.

I'm starting back to the gym, though, as it's been long enough, and I need to get back on track for my mental and physical well being. As usual, I have a plan. I've included some basic nutrition stuff, as well as some lifestyle things I need to get under control. I'm also going to get back to posting updates daily, including training sessions. The board is a neat feature, but I just don't have time to promote it or use it. I'll keep it up and running for now.

I'll do my best to use the blog as an accountability tool, and report back on everything. Long term, I'd like to get in a meet by the end of the year.

[RE = Repetitive Effort]

Training (Weeks 1-3)
Conditioning
Cardio 4 times a week (use treadmill at home)
Train @ gym 4 days/week
2 Lower
Monday – RE Squat (Squat, front squat, SLDL, low back, abs, calves)
Friday – RE Dead (Deadlift, Good Morning, Traps, low back, abs, grip)
2 Upper
Wednesday – RE Bench (Bench, OH Press, Row, pressdowns, curls)
Sunday – RE DB Bench (Db Bench, Close grips, Chin, lat raise, cuff stuff)
Mobility
Dynamic warmup each workout
Stretch after each workout, and after any extra workout

Hypertrophy
Use RE work – reps 8-12
3-5 sets
Shoot for short rests.

Form
Bench, squat, dead each week.

Training (Weeks 3-6)
Conditioning
Cardio 4x per week
Increase volume

Speed/Strength
Go back to standard conjugated periodization template (ME/DE)
Train 4x every week

Mobility
See Above

Nutrition:
Stop eating out
5 veggies per day
2 fruits per day
250g protein per day
STOP ice cream, sugar sodas, pizza, chips, etc.


Lifestyle:
NO Tobacco.
Limit alcohol
Get 7 hours sleep each night
Stop spending money like an idiot.

Something's missing...

Take a gander at the new schedule for WBAL radio. Notice something missing?

To use his own logic, I belive this might mark the beginning of the end for Rush, when one of the biggest talk stations in the mid-atlantic drops him in favor of the two local guys.

If I'm their traget market, they made the right call - if I'm in my car from 12-3, I'm listening to Ed Norris and Penn Gilette on WHFS. (I quit listening to Rush when he downplayed US torture in Iraq, but I had long tired of his lack of understanding of basic economics. You can only say, 'well Clinton did worse' for so long.)

Vouchers

An outstanding post at Catallarchy on the anti-voucher argument with respect to education.

Why are vouchers bad for schools, but good for virtually everything else, from food stamps to Social Security?

(For the record, I am against federal vouchers because I am against any federal education spending. It's a local issue. Locally I'm also against them, because I think education is not an appropriate role of the state. I'm willing to accept local community education, but that ain't what we got.)

Training Update

Well, not so much.

Things are just too busy with the new house, old house, and work, so training has taken a back seat, as has any semblance of healthy eating.

For some reason, as soon as it seems one thing is done, 2 others replace it.

Things are starting to quiet down a bit, so I'm hopeful I'll get back to it this week or at the latest May 1. As usual, I'll start out doing some basic conditioning and mobility work. (All of the moving and paining I've been doing helped me realise some serious mobility issues.) The good news: The treadmill is now on the ground floor, so I can use it without shaking the house apart.

The training at first will be two upper and two lower body days, but I don't know that I'll be doing the usual ME/DE work - I may start out just using RE and maybe working up to some heavy stuff if I feel up to it. I'll then add in the DE work, then ME last. I'll include lots of conditioning - now that the weather is nice, I can go run about outside as well as use a treadmill at home and of course the stuff at the gym. I think I might get a bike, too.

Rights you don't have.

Yesterday, the storied 9th Circut in San Francisco ruled that public schools can ban clothing that is 'hurtful'.

As part of the ruling:

Writing for the panel's majority, Judge Stephen Reinhardt affirmed a lower court's decision against an injunction against the school and said schools may bar slogans believed to be hurtful.

Students "who may be injured by verbal assaults on the basis of a core identifying characteristic such as race, religion, or sexual orientation, have a right to be free from such attacks while on school campuses," Reinhardt wrote.

"The demeaning of young gay and lesbian students in a school environment is detrimental not only to their psychological health and well-being, but also to their educational development," Reinhardt added.

This clearly points out two key issues. First, that even a Judge can't understand what a right is. You do not have a right to be free from speech. There is not injury here.

Second, that having the government run a school opens all sorts of problems. The Constitution says the governement can not limit speech - so even though certainly it's a good idea to have a rule prohibiting certain slogans, the government run school can not (or should not) be able to enforce that rule. In a private school, however, there is no problem having such a rule.

Maybe we would be better off if schools were focused on teaching what rights are instead of worrying about what a t shirt says.

Moving, it is teh suck

Well, it is. I don't know how people who relocate regularly do it, other than by simply not having any stuff.

We moved into the new (yet remarkably incomplete) house on Saturday. Big props and a shout out to Johnny and Joe, who helped move the bed, the treadmill, the weights, the boxes, and the TVs (although we all could have done without the result of John's trip to Denny's at 4AM). As of today, we have accomplished virtually nothing we expected. We are still without closets, we haven't completely cleaned, we haven't unpacked, we don't have phone/internet/cable, and I can't move the Benz over because we have furniture that doesn't fit up the stairs stored in the garage.

I guess it's a good thing we haven't listed the old house yet. Still have a couple of things to do there to get it ready. We did meet with an auction guy who pretty much sold us on the idea of auctioing the house off, although we are still a little wary of the possibility of selling the house for $14. We do have two people who are interested in buying as soon as we set a price, so we plan to call them and have them come by on Sunday, then give the auction guy an answer by Monday.

All that said, the new house is awesome. It's a quieter location, although still close to everything. Plenty of room, the kitchen turned out great (and it isn't even done yet). The new furniture we got is fantastic, the view is better than we thought it would be. All in all, it's a little surreal - but this house is why we work so hard, from me going to night school to get my MBA, to her busting her ass 60 hours a week to build her business. Now we just need to keep our perspective and take the time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

We did ruin into a snag with some furniture that doesn't fit up the stairs; we are either going to hoist it up (we can get both pieces in if we do that), or have a carpenter take the furniture apart, then move it, then put it back together.

All in all, we should be settled in within a month or so - the first party will be on July 4th.

As far as training goes, I've been working so hard on both houses I just haven't had any spare time. I'm going to plan on getting back in the habit starting on Monday the 24th, and shoot for a meet late in the year. Yes, I know that's what I said last year.

No, I don't trust you

Justice Scalia's 'proudest moment"? The one where he decided to not recuse himself when considering a case involving his hunting buddy.

The case involved Cheney's request to keep private the details of closed-door White House strategy sessions that produced the administration's energy policy. The administration fought a lawsuit that contended that industry executives helped shape that policy. The Supreme Court upheld the administration position on a 7 to 2 vote.

Critics alleged that Scalia's impartiality had been compromised as a result of his taking a hunting vacation with Cheney while the court was considering the vice president's appeal. The justice rejected that reasoning.

"For Pete's sake, if you can't trust your Supreme Court justice more than that, get a life," he said.

The arrogance is simply astounding.

Required Reading

Ron Paul on taxes at Lew Rockwell.

If he could only improve his public speaking skills.

Shocked

The Administration might have mislead us about WMDs in Iraq.

Who would have thunk it?

Certainly not me. I mean, they would NEVER lie.

Mmmmmm.... beer.

Since I'm moving all the way from Fells Point to Canton, I have to familarize myself with a new liquor store. I usually go to Broadway Liquors, about 4 blocks from my house (which, coincidentally is about the distance I am comfortable carrying a 1.5L bottle of vodka, a 750ml bottle of bourbon, and a case of beer at the same time.)

Anyway, I stopped in Canton Discount Liquors in the 2900 block of O'Donnell Street, which is about 1.5 blocks North and 4 blocks West of the new house, to pick up some beers.. I've been in before, as I used to live in Tindeco Wharf, which is also just a couple of blocks away. They always have a decent selection, although they are no Harford Beverage Company.

I got a six of Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA... I'd heard good things at eGullet.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Fantastic! Just the right level of crispness, with a hop bite that lingers for a minute after a sip. Had one with pizza for dinner, then another for dessert (OK, two for dessert.)

This might be my new favorite every day drinking beer. I also think a roadtrip to the brewery may be in order.

They didn't cut the lock off my locker!

I went to the gym today! I didn't have time, but I did it anyway.

Just a quick one for the squat/dead: Stepups, prisoner squats, band good mornings, 45 degree hypers, situps, leg raises, and lots and lots of stretching.

Details here.

Quick hit

Just a quick update -

I'm trying to get back into the training habit. Obviously, a spring meet is out. I wanted to get in today, but I spent more time working on the house than expected. Tomorrow is out, I'll be painting all day. so I'm shooting for Monday, and actually getting back to the every other day schedule.

Settlement is on for Tuesday. I have no idea when our current house will be ready to go.