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Same Sex Parenting: What Do the Children Say?: "Those who contacted me all professed gratitude and love for the people who raised them, which is why it is so difficult for them to express their reservations about same-sex parenting publicly.
Still, they described emotional hardships that came from lacking a mom or a dad. To give a few examples: they feel disconnected from the gender cues of people around them, feel intermittent anger at their “parents” for having deprived them of one biological parent (or, in some cases, both biological parents), wish they had had a role model of the opposite sex, and feel shame or guilt for resenting their loving parents for forcing them into a lifelong situation lacking a parent of one sex."
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
No More Tax-Paid Presidential Pyramids | Cato Institute
No More Tax-Paid Presidential Pyramids | Cato Institute: "Though the libraries’ construction is privately funded, they’re managed by the National Archives and Records Administration, using federal tax dollars.
Last year, it cost the American taxpayer some $75 million to keep them open."
Last year, it cost the American taxpayer some $75 million to keep them open."
Why Is There a Dole for Farmers? | Cato Institute
Why Is There a Dole for Farmers? | Cato Institute: "most of the federal budget has nothing to do with the poor. In fact, Congress favors middle-class and corporate welfare, plus a plethora of lesser special interests."
"Even today two-thirds of American farm production, such as meat, fruit, and vegetables, is not subsidized. New Zealand got rid of all farm supports in 1984, and its farmers prospered."
"Uncle Sam manages to simultaneously keep prices up, drive prices down, generate massive surpluses, and create terrible shortages. Washington pays dairy farmers to add milk cows and then to slaughter milk cows."
“Subsidies are intended to compensate farmers for low prices that result from an oversupply of crops, but granting larger subsidies to farmers who plant the most crops merely encourages them to plant yet more crops, driving prices even lower and leading to calls for larger subsidies. Furthermore, while paying some farmers to plant more crops, the Conservation Reserve Program pays other farmers to plant fewer crops.”
“If we can’t eliminate the least valuable spending, then we will be condemned to perpetually large deficits, huge tax increases or indiscriminate cuts in many federal programs, the good as well as the bad.”
"Even today two-thirds of American farm production, such as meat, fruit, and vegetables, is not subsidized. New Zealand got rid of all farm supports in 1984, and its farmers prospered."
"Uncle Sam manages to simultaneously keep prices up, drive prices down, generate massive surpluses, and create terrible shortages. Washington pays dairy farmers to add milk cows and then to slaughter milk cows."
“Subsidies are intended to compensate farmers for low prices that result from an oversupply of crops, but granting larger subsidies to farmers who plant the most crops merely encourages them to plant yet more crops, driving prices even lower and leading to calls for larger subsidies. Furthermore, while paying some farmers to plant more crops, the Conservation Reserve Program pays other farmers to plant fewer crops.”
“If we can’t eliminate the least valuable spending, then we will be condemned to perpetually large deficits, huge tax increases or indiscriminate cuts in many federal programs, the good as well as the bad.”
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
New Hampshire city sues group for paying strangers' parking meters | Fox News
New Hampshire city sues group for paying strangers' parking meters | Fox News: "A city in New Hampshire is suing a group that signs letters "Robin Hood and his Merry Men" that make a point of searching for expired parking meters and paying them before police can issue a ticket."
"They say video recording or talking to them is harassing them"
"They say video recording or talking to them is harassing them"
Monday, May 13, 2013
Another kind of gun control - Los Angeles Times
Another kind of gun control - Los Angeles Times: "Nearly 20 years ago, gun control advocates fought a bitter war to pass the Brady bill, the beginning of background checks for firearms. They predicted massive crime reductions, which did not come. An assault weapons ban followed, with the same predictions and same insignificant results. When the law expired, there were doomsday expectations of soaring body counts, which we didn't see. As the concealed-carry movement has swept the country, opponents have warned of public shootouts, while those in favor anticipated armed citizens stopping predators in the streets. Neither really happened."
"up to three-quarters of all homicides in many cities — is driven by gangs and drug crews. Most of the remainder is also concentrated among active criminals; ordinary citizens who own guns do not commit street robberies or shoot their neighbors and wives."
"Gun violence turns out to be driven by a fantastically small number of people: about 5% of the young men in the most dangerous neighborhoods. It is possible to identify them, put together a partnership of law enforcement, community figures and social service providers, and have a face-to-face engagement in which the authorities say, "We know who you are, we know what you're doing, we'd like to help you, but your violence has to stop, and there will be serious legal consequences if it doesn't."
The original version of this approach, Operation Ceasefire in Boston, cut youth homicide by two-thirds and all homicide by half. A version aimed at parolees with violent criminal records returning to particularly hot Chicago neighborhoods cut homicide by nearly 40%."
"up to three-quarters of all homicides in many cities — is driven by gangs and drug crews. Most of the remainder is also concentrated among active criminals; ordinary citizens who own guns do not commit street robberies or shoot their neighbors and wives."
"Gun violence turns out to be driven by a fantastically small number of people: about 5% of the young men in the most dangerous neighborhoods. It is possible to identify them, put together a partnership of law enforcement, community figures and social service providers, and have a face-to-face engagement in which the authorities say, "We know who you are, we know what you're doing, we'd like to help you, but your violence has to stop, and there will be serious legal consequences if it doesn't."
The original version of this approach, Operation Ceasefire in Boston, cut youth homicide by two-thirds and all homicide by half. A version aimed at parolees with violent criminal records returning to particularly hot Chicago neighborhoods cut homicide by nearly 40%."
Arizona Police Officer Gives Bike to Teen Who Walks 9 Miles to Work - Yahoo! News
Arizona Police Officer Gives Bike to Teen Who Walks 9 Miles to Work - Yahoo! News: "If everybody could help just one person in the world like this, I think it would definitely be a better place to life."
Friday, May 10, 2013
South Carolina woman accused of using ambulance as taxi -- at least 100 times | Fox News
South Carolina woman accused of using ambulance as taxi -- at least 100 times | Fox News: "A South Carolina woman was arrested after authorities discovered she called 911 at least 100 times in the past seven years to get rides into Charleston, the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office says.
Audrey Ferguson, 51, allegedly faked illnesses and would immediately sign out of area hospitals upon arrival, telling doctors she was fine, WCSC reports."
"Each of Ferguson’s trips cost $425 plus mileage, and officials say taxpayers may have to pay a bill of more than $400,000 to cover expenses that aren’t covered by Medicaid, WCSC reports."
Audrey Ferguson, 51, allegedly faked illnesses and would immediately sign out of area hospitals upon arrival, telling doctors she was fine, WCSC reports."
"Each of Ferguson’s trips cost $425 plus mileage, and officials say taxpayers may have to pay a bill of more than $400,000 to cover expenses that aren’t covered by Medicaid, WCSC reports."
The False Security of Surveillance Cameras | Cato Institute
The False Security of Surveillance Cameras | Cato Institute: "Between the throngs of spectators and police on the scene and the television cameras broadcasting the event, the Boston Marathon must have been one of the most monitored spots in the country on that grim afternoon.
That we can identify suspects from video footage after the fact — knowing the time, location and method of the attack — does not make it realistic to suppose an observer at a monitor station could have identified the impending attack and intervened in time when those on the ground did not, however comforting that supposition might be.
Terror attacks are (thankfully) so rare and varied that any system with the slightest chance of detecting a real one would necessarily yield a vast, paralyzing number of false positives.
It is also unlikely that cameras will be especially helpful in deterring such attacks. Even when it comes to ordinary crime — where the perpetrators are generally motivated by the desire to make a quick buck without getting caught — studies have been mixed and inconclusive about the value of CCTV cameras as a crime deterrent."
That we can identify suspects from video footage after the fact — knowing the time, location and method of the attack — does not make it realistic to suppose an observer at a monitor station could have identified the impending attack and intervened in time when those on the ground did not, however comforting that supposition might be.
Terror attacks are (thankfully) so rare and varied that any system with the slightest chance of detecting a real one would necessarily yield a vast, paralyzing number of false positives.
It is also unlikely that cameras will be especially helpful in deterring such attacks. Even when it comes to ordinary crime — where the perpetrators are generally motivated by the desire to make a quick buck without getting caught — studies have been mixed and inconclusive about the value of CCTV cameras as a crime deterrent."
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Privatize Almost Everything | Cato Institute
Privatize Almost Everything | Cato Institute: "The air-traffic controller fiasco last week was a perfect illustration of how almost all governments eventually turn against the citizens they are supposed to protect and serve. As The Wall Street Journal noted April 26, the Federal Aviation Administration “managed to convert a less than 4 percent budget cut into a 10 percent air traffic control cut that would delay 40 percent of flights.” This occurred despite several years of substantial budget increases for the agency, coupled with a decreasing number of flights and workload for the controllers."
"Canada’s Air Traffic Control system is run by the nonprofit corporation Nav Canada, which is separate from the government. It raises money from its customers to cover operational costs and capital investments. Unlike the U.S. system, Nav Canada is self-supporting and not subsidized.” It also has a reputation for being very well run, with state-of-the-art systems (unlike the FAA). Approximately 50 countries have now, in part or fully, privatized their air-traffic control systems — with excellent results."
"Canada’s Air Traffic Control system is run by the nonprofit corporation Nav Canada, which is separate from the government. It raises money from its customers to cover operational costs and capital investments. Unlike the U.S. system, Nav Canada is self-supporting and not subsidized.” It also has a reputation for being very well run, with state-of-the-art systems (unlike the FAA). Approximately 50 countries have now, in part or fully, privatized their air-traffic control systems — with excellent results."
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Committee seeks judge's order before names of mentally incompetent vets sent to gun registry | Fox News
Committee seeks judge's order before names of mentally incompetent vets sent to gun registry | Fox News: "Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs automatically submits the names to the FBI's database of those veterans who are deemed unable to handle their own financial affairs and have a fiduciary appointed to administer their benefits.
But the House Committee on Veterans Affairs approved legislation requiring a judge's order before a veteran's name is submitted to the database. Lawmakers said veterans who are not a threat to harm themselves or others should not be denied a constitutional right to buy and possess guns."
But the House Committee on Veterans Affairs approved legislation requiring a judge's order before a veteran's name is submitted to the database. Lawmakers said veterans who are not a threat to harm themselves or others should not be denied a constitutional right to buy and possess guns."
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