Free Republic

WASHINGTON -- Decades after the civil rights movement, racial disparities in income, education and home ownership persist and, by some measurements, are growing. White households had incomes that were two-thirds higher than blacks and 40 percent higher than Hispanics last year, according to data released Tuesday by the Census Bureau. White adults were also more likely than black and Hispanic adults to have college degrees and to own their own homes. They were less likely to live in poverty. "Race is so associated with class in the United States that it may not be direct discrimination, but it still matters...

Brussels 'to seize data on property ownership' By David Rennie in Brussels (Filed: 04/09/2006) The Government yesterday denied claims by a leading Conservative MP that the European Union is planning to seize control of information about the ownership and value of private property in nation states, as a first step to what could become an EU-wide property tax. Eric Pickles, a deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and shadow minister for local government, had expressed alarm at a European Commission proposal, known as Inspire — Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe — that would force national mapping agencies such as...

  PATENT OFFENDING In October 1976, an Alaska pipeline engineer named John Moore became seriously, mysteriously ill. Eventually, he found himself at the UCLA Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with a rare, progressive form of blood cancer called hairy cell leukemia.To slow the disease and perhaps save his life, Moore's physician - Dr. David Golde - recommended removing Moore's spleen. The surgery was successful. Moore recovered and eventually returned to Alaska, with instructions to visit Golde for annual checkups.  Over the next eight years, Moore did so. During each visit, Golde would extract samples of Moore's blood, skin,...

City of Louisville, Kentucky Proposes Strict Limitations on Hunting Dog Ownership- (08/14) Kentucky Join our e-mail alert list A recently proposed municipal ordinance imposes strict limitations on hunting dog ownership within the city of Louisville, Kentucky. The ordinance, which unnecessarily burdens hunting dog owners, modifies Section 91 of Louisville city code. Among other restrictions the ordinance prevents a dog owner from tethering a dog during the day. The proposal also requires anyone who raises a litter of puppies to purchase a $300 animal dealer’s license. The ordinance seeks to also limit the number of dogs able to be owned by...

FEATURE UN Redux Last Friday, The Shooting Wire reported on United States firearms executives briefing United Nations members on the "U-S side" of the world weapons story. The United Nations will convene their Report on the Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and light Weapons later this month. That "UN Programme" incidentally, if ratified, would give the UN control over all weapons production, distribution and ownership globally. That control would put the United Nations in charge of all weapons, including those of law enforcement, setting strict limits...

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush hailed the health of the US small business sector, using a neighborhood hardware store a short drive from the White House as a homespun backdrop. The president hailed what he described as a roaring US economy and its healthy jobs growth, after picking up few chew toys for Barney, the White House dog. "I just spent some of my hard-earned money on Barney," the president said during the photo-op at Frager's, an old-fashioned hardware store that he praised as "a good place to shop."

£1m mosque beams pulled from auction in ownership row By Stephanie Condron (Filed: 04/04/2006) Christie's has cancelled the sale of five wooden beams from the 1,200-year-old mosque in Cordoba in Spain which were expected to fetch more than £1 million at auction today. Lawyers for one of the most important Islamic buildings in the West successfully blocked the sale of the 10th century beams amid arguments over who owns them. The sale, which was to be the highlight of the Islamic art manuscripts auction today, was to have seen each carved beam reach bids of up to £300,000. "I am...

Imagine yourself away from your home, perhaps vacationing, during which time a self appointed authority sells your home and in anticipation of your grievance sets up a panel of judges that will decide whether you are deserving of a compensation and in what amount. It's bad enough that you lost control of your own property and have to go through unnecessary legal proceedings but when the panel of judges decides to pay you way less then what you could have sold the property... you decide to leave. Congratulations! You've been successfully cleansed from the territory. Well, this is exactly what...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5405711 The Democratic Underground describes itself as: Democratic Underground (DU) was founded on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2001, to protest the illegitimate presidency of George W. Bush and to provide a resource for the exchange and dissemination of liberal and progressive ideas. Since then, DU has become one of the premier left-wing websites on the Internet, publishing original content six days a week, and hosting one of the Web's most active left-wing discussion boards. We welcome Democrats of all stripes, along with other progressives who will work with us to achieve our shared goals. While the vast majority of our...

WASHINGTON - On a spring day in 1911, fire erupted in a New York factory, killing 146 people, many of them young immigrant women trapped in a locked sweatshop. Outrage over their deaths crystallized the young progressive movement, produced long-stalled reforms and influenced young politicians who would later help craft the New Deal. Today America faces a similar prospect. Anger and sadness about the plight of the poor trapped by Hurricane Katrina are driving an intense look at what Americans want from their federal government. Politicians are angling to push their ideas. The federal checkbook is wide open. Change appears...

"What the American people have seen in this incredible disparity in which those people who had cars and money got out, and those people who were impoverished died." The above comment about Hurricane Katrina comes to us from Ted Kennedy, who went on to say that the question for Chief Justice-designate John Roberts is whether he stands for "a fairer, more just nation" or will use "narrow, stingy interpretations of the law to frustrate progress." But why stop there? Sen. Kennedy is onto something and, indeed, the question isn't only for Judge Roberts.... That debate has so far largely focused...

It is really beyond belief what is happening in New Orleans! < http://media.putfile.com/NewOrleansGunConfiscationSmall > US Second Amendmend, states: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." We need to restore and enforce adherence to the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights as the supreme protective law for firearms of law-abiding people. I can't stand this kind of gross breach of Constitutional Law, presently in New Orleans.

...It's time for a new approach. But, before I tell you what it is, understand why the current efforts are failing: * Americans have grown used to Social Security over 70 years, and change is both threatening and confusing. * Reform has no strong constituency to rally support. Financial-services firms, for example, might benefit from the proposed personal accounts, but, at the same time, these firms fear that strict regulations, applied to the new accounts, would spread to 401(k) plans and other lucrative tax-favored plans that currently exist. * Opponents, mainly AARP (the seniors' lobby), have mounted a wildly distorted...

Each night on local newscasts all across the country, we hear this same old story. Well, maybe not quite like this. Two men broke into the home of Gayle Martin—an elderly Kentucky man who lived alone—on Saturday. The men smashed Martin’s door open and entered the house shortly before 5:00 AM, intent on doing him harm. Like every other violent news story, this one involves guns, a frantic 911 call, serious injuries, and hospitals. Unlike most others, it also has a moral and a happy ending. It seems that 79-year old Gayle Martin had himself a 357 Magnum. Author’s note:...

Just as Democrats in Congress were congratulating themselves on turning back Social Security reform, a new proposal has dramatically changed the debate. The DeMint-Ryan plan, if passed into law, would mark a giant first step toward personal ownership of Social Security benefits. Moreover, it addresses the Democrats' main objections to personal accounts. We will now see, in other words, whether congressional Democrats have been debating the issue in good faith, or whether they have ulterior motives. Announced last week by Sen. Jim DeMint, along with several influential House Republicans, the plan is based on the radical idea that our Social...

The Supreme Court yesterday said cities can seize people's homes or businesses to make way for private commercial development such as shopping malls, a far-reaching ruling decried by property rights advocates. By a 5-4 vote, the justices for the first time said governments can take private property and give it to developers citing eminent domain, a practice historically used for public highway projects.

TAMPA - On a south Tampa street where Christmas block parties are a tradition, residents are arguing about whether their property should be earmarked a historic district by the city. A few miles away, several cigar factory owners have united to protest the city's attempt to designate their buildings local landmarks. At city hall, historic preservation staff members say maintaining the character and fabric of Tampa is an important endeavor. They also tout economic benefits for owners of historic buildings, including tax breaks and increased property values. So why are some residents on Harbor View Avenue and some cigar factory...

The 20th Century’s energizing dynamic was totalitarian socialism. Leading that parade were proponents like Stalin and Communist Russia, Hitler and his National Socialist Party, China’s Chairman Mao and a host of lesser lights like Saddam Hussein in Iraq. All preached the equality of outcomes for their people despite their own personal power-hungry obsessions. All seduced the world with their “humanity” that no one should paid more for their work than any other. They all preached a socialism that elevated the group at the expense of the individual. Fortunately for America, their citizens continued their abiding devotion to individualism during the...

As I’ve said somewhere in the past, the best humor always has an element of truth to it. The more it’s stepped in truth, the better it usually is. Well, I found the following piece on Michael Brown’s website, SpiritDaily.com. When I read it, I nearly fell off my chair LMAO! Noah in America In the year 2005, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States, and said, "Once again the earth has become wicked and overpopulated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save 2 of...

Ownership: An Unalienable Right By Herman Cain My maternal grandfather was a farmer and would proudly take his vegetables and produce into town to sell at the farmers' market. He was often successful in getting a respectable return on his sweat equity, which would allow him to support his family and plan for the next growing season. Even though my grandfather was the grandson of slaves, he was able to own his small farm, own his crops and own the modest return as the fruits of his labor. Our Founding Fathers envisioned a society that valued and rewarded ownership and...