Idaho Libertarian Times

Sull: N, passses 10-5. [Floor Fee Vote] FEES KILLED.

Almost Live From Mike Seebeck's Twitter account The Floor Fees just died! Mikes Twit post reads as follows:

Mike Seebeck Sull: N, passses 10-5. FEES KILLED.

Mike Seebeck Starr: N, Ruwart: Y, Flood: Y, Ryan: Y, Fox: Y, SB: N, Karlan: Y, Wrights: Y, Lark: Y, Hawk: Y, Lieb: N, Matt: N, Dixon: Y, Jingo: Y,

Now the LNC is working this item;

Ruwart: Motion written by Nolan: "no person who is a declared candidate for LNC officer shall be given a speaking slot as Keynote

Podcast #19 Ramming Speed!

PODCAST #19 Sat Feb 27 2010, 10:03:02

Union and liberal groups decry "small, puny" $15 billion jobs bill, want Congress to shake taxpayers upside-down until at least $180 billion falls out  (thehill.com)                                             http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/82537-left-blasts-reids-15-billion-jobs-bill-as-puny

Unions and liberal groups blast Reid’s $15 billion jobs legislation as 'puny'
By Walter Alarkon - 02/22/10 06:00 AM ET
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/82537-left-blasts-reids-15-billion-jobs-bill-as-puny

It's full speed ahead for Obama's health care plan, which "manages to take the worst of both the House and Senate bills and combine them into something more destructive"  (online.wsj.com)
ObamaCare at Ramming Speed: The White House shows it has no interest in compromise.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704454304575081391789004352.html

Obama was so anxious to listen to GOP, he spent more time talking today than all GOP participants combined. Bonus: Also exceeded total of all other Democrats  (weeklystandard.com)
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-democrats-talk-four-hours-republicans-talk-two-hours

Conceding that today's health care summit will be as predictable as kabuki theater, Democrats work on strategy for the real negotiations to follow behind the scenes  (washingtonpost.com)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/24/AR2010022405633.html?hpid=topnews

Senate votes to extend PATRIOT Act for another year. How's that for hope and change?  (news.yahoo.com)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100225/ap_on_go_co/us_patriot_act

Polls show that in a generic ballot race, the GOP is poised to pick up the most seats in the House. Ever. As in, bigger than 1994  (yglesias.thinkprogress.org)
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/02/generic-ballot-points-to-giant-house-gop-win-in-2010.php

Although he took top honors at CPAC, Ron Paul is to the future of conservatism what Keith Olbermann is to the future of liberalism  (reason.com)
http://reason.com/archives/2010/02/24/the-ron-paul-delusion

 Pot in a Box - Claudia Coffey reports DC Couple Gets Pot Delivery from Fed Ex Mistakenly receive $120,000 worth of marijuana
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/dc-couple-gets-pot-delivery-from-fed-ex-022610

Report: Vaccines didn't cause Jenny McCarthy's son's autism, because he doesn't have autism. Jenny McCarthy: "My bad"
http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2010/02/26/jenny-mccarthy-says-her-son-evan-never-had-autism/

From You Tube; Paul Ryan: Hiding spending doesn't reduce spending.

I'm not against any of the healthcare reforms proposed as they all seem to put the market in one industry's or government bureaucrats pocket. But this retort by Paul Ryan is the best one I've seen to date, not that anything they'll do will change anything with health care costs.

Falcon 9 Flight 1 vertical

2/20/2010 Raising the Falcon 9 Flight 1 vehicle to vertical on the launch pad at SLC-40, Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida

 SpaceX's debut Falcon 9 rocket stands atop its launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in late Feb. 2010 for final tests ahead of its maiden test flight. Credit: Chris Thompson/Space

The Falcon 9 Rocket and Dragon Spacecraft: See the craft in detail, plus how it stacks up to a Russian Soyuz rocket and NASA's space shuttles. Credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com

Images Used courtesy space.com & Spacex

Video: George Phillies and the New Path for Libertarians

February 22nd, 2010

Two Chinese Schools Reportedly Tied To Online Attacks

squidw* writes "Online attacks on Google and other American corporations have been traced to computers at two educational institutions in China, including one with close ties to the Chinese military, say people involved in the investigation. From the NY Times: '... the attacks, aimed at stealing trade secrets and computer codes and capturing e-mail of Chinese human rights activists, may have begun as early as April, months earlier than previously believed. ... The Chinese schools involved are Shanghai Jiaotong University and the Lanxiang Vocational School, according to several people with knowledge of the investigation who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the inquiry. Jiaotong has one of China’s top computer science programs. Just a few weeks ago its students won an international computer programming competition organized by IBM — the “Battle of the Brains” — beating out Stanford and other top-flight universities. Lanxiang, in east China’s Shandong Province, is a huge vocational school that was established with military support and trains some computer scientists for the military.'"

Massachusetts Libertarian Party passes resolution against proposed poll tax

George Phillies  reports "the following motion was passed unanimously, every member voting in favor, at our State Committee meeting this afternoon.  Also, our State Chair, David Blau stated his opposition in the strongest possible terms, and indicated support for boycotting the convention if floor fees are passed."

"Whereas, the national bylaws of the Libertarian Party set forth the qualifications of delegates to the party's national convention; and

Whereas, those bylaws do not provide for the assessment or collection of any fee from delegates as a condition of floor access or full participation in business sessions; and

Whereas, the delegate apportionment formula specified in the bylaws is primarily based on the number of sustaining, i.e. dues-paying, national party members in each state;

Be it resolved that:

The Massachusetts Libertarian Party opposes in principle the assessment of "registration fees" or other charges to delegates for floor access and participation in the business sessions; and

The  Massachusetts  Libertarian Party calls upon the Libertarian National Committee to adopt a policy of routine budgeting from sustaining membership dues for the provision of meeting facilities for its national conventions;

The  Massachusetts Libertarian Party calls upon the Libertarian National Committee to require that activities and facilities related to the party's national conventions but not part of the bylaws-mandated business sessions be self-supporting on the basis of payments from willing customers or sponsors rather than on the basis of subsidies extracted from delegates."

Missouri LP passes anti-floor-fee resolution;

Breaking News

The Show Me State LP has passed a anti-floor-fee resolution aimed at the National Libertarian party's plan to mandate a minimum $49.00 poll tax for delegates to be let on to the convention floor.  The information I have comes from Thomas Knapp a Missouri party member & delegate at their state convention this weekend, the main foucus of the Missouri vote comes as New York has already voted to oppose the national partys poll tax & California & North Carolina are considering very similar resolutions as well.

    According to Mr. Knapps communique earlier today "We won! Not completely", " What was taken out in amendment was the "objection in principle" to floor fees; what was added was a qualifier to the anti-floor-fee position, "until and unless the national Libertarian Party's bylaws are changed by the delegates in convention." I chalk it up as a victory"

According to Tom, here's what passed, with 11 members in attendance and only one audible
"no" vote:

-----
Whereas, the national bylaws of the Libertarian Party set forth the
qualifications of delegates to the party's national convention; and

Whereas, those bylaws do not provide for the assessment or collection
of any fee from delegates as a condition of floor access or full
participation in business sessions; and

Whereas, the delegate apportionment formula specified in the bylaws is
primarily based on the number of sustaining, i.e. dues-paying,
national party members in each state;

Be it resolved that:

The Missouri Libertarian Party calls upon the Libertarian National
Committee to adopt a policy of routine budgeting from sustaining
membership dues for the provision of meeting facilities for its
national conventions;

The Missouri Libertarian Party calls upon the Libertarian National
Committee to require that activities and facilities related to the
party's national conventions but not part of the bylaws-mandated
business sessions be self-supporting on the basis of payments from
willing customers or sponsors rather than on the basis of subsidies
extracted from delegates, until and unless the national Libertarian
Party's bylaws are changed by the delegates in convention.
-----

Your Rights Online: FBI Probing PA School Webcam Spy Case

From SLASHDOT

Your Rights Online: FBI Probing PA School Webcam Spy Case

Posted by Soulskill  on Saturday February 20, @11:20AM
from the looking-to-defend-their-turf dept.
privacy
education
usa
On Thursday we discussed news that a Pennsylvania high school was spying on students through the webcams in laptops that were issued to the students. The FBI is now taking an interest in the case, investigating whether federal wiretap and computer-intrusion laws were violated in the process. "The FBI opened its investigation after news of the suit broke on Thursday, the law-enforcement official said. Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman may also investigate, she said Friday." Ferman said her office is "looking to see whether there are potential violations of Pennsylvania criminal laws."
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/02/20/1445216/FBI-Probing-PA-School-Webcam-Spy-Case#

Podcast#18 : the smoggy edition

Pdocast#18 Sat Feb 20 2010, 10:51:09

Commissioners decry emissions testing plan and refuse county vehicle participation

By Mike Butts
CANYON COUNTY ― "Minutes before the state's Department of Environmental Quality planned to announce its new vehicle emissions testing program for Canyon County, county commissioners and some county mayors criticized the program."
“Something doesn't smell right here and I guarantee you it's not the air in Canyon County,” commissioner Steve Rule said at a press conference at the county courthouse scheduled just 30 minutes before DEQ's announcement. “One hundred and ninety-five thousand people in Canyon County do not want this program shoved up their tailpipes.”
http://www.idahopress.com/news/article_40dccdce-1cb2-11df-a468-001cc4c002e0.html
& http://www.idahopress.com/image_ed536a70-1df4-11df-a176-001cc4c002e0.html

Climate change proves to be a giant scandal-plagued boondoggle built on extremely sketchy science. Obama's solution? Give them another 2.6 BILLION dollars, of course  (foxnews.com)
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/02/11/obama-spending-increase-global-warming-research/

Bob Barr actually acts like a libertarian for once, says waterboarding is torture. This would usually earn him an obvious tag, but he had the balls (and moustache) to do it at CPAC
CPAC audience boos former GOP Rep. Bob Barr for saying waterboarding is torture.
(thinkprogress.org)
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/02/19/cpac-boos-panelist-torture/


From msnbc: Weis Proposes "Covert" Camera to Fight Chicago Crime
By Susan Rivera NBCChicago.com updated 9:47 a.m. MT, Sat., Feb. 20, 2010
Chicago's blue light cameras are easy to spot, both to observers and criminals alike.
The idea to post cameras in crime plagued neighborhoods is a good one, but their conspicuousness is a problem, so Police Superintendent Jody Weis is proposing to add new “covert” cameras so small they fit inside a matchbox, the Sun-Times reports.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35420011

boingboing reports: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
By Cory Doctorow at 11:49 PM February 17, 2010
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/17/school-used-student.html
According to the filings in Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School District (PA) et al, the laptops issued to high-school students in the well-heeled Philly suburb have webcams that can be covertly activated by the schools' administrators, who have used this facility to spy on students and even their families. The issue came to light when the Robbins's child was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence. The suit is a class action, brought on behalf of all students issued with these machines. http://boingboing.net/2010/02/17/school-used-student.html

Daniel Rubin: Another case of TSA overkill
By Daniel Rubin Inquirer Columnist
"Just when I thought I was out of the Transportation Security Administration business for a few columns, they pull me back in.
Did you hear about the Camden cop whose disabled son wasn't allowed to pass through airport security unless he took off his leg braces?"
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/84368492.html

Buzz kill: Crozet man finds eBay yanks High Times
by Lisa Provence published 4:41pm Monday Feb 15, 2010
Super Bowl Sunday left Crozet resident Fred Carwile “frustrated and angry,” he says. And not because the Saints won.
That was the day he discovered that his sales listings for back-issues of High Times magazine, which he’s sold for years on eBay, had been yanked without warning. Further infuriating Carwile: He claims that two different eBay customer service reps told him the marijuana-oriented mags were pulled at the request of the federal government.
http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/15/buzz-kill-crozet-man-finds-ebay-yanks-high-times/

LPCa had their convention last weekend & several LNC chair candidates were present & this links is to their equal time speeches asking for your vote;
http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Article/065099-2010-02-15-ernest-hancock-vs-wayne-allen-root.htm