Saturday, June 18, 2011
Was Deadly E. coli Engineered?
The deadly E.coli outbreak in Germany has claimed nearly 40 lives and has already been named the world's largest. The World Health Organization says the infection is spreading to European countries,Canada and even to the US. But unfortunately the source of the outbreak may be a scientist. We are still trying to figure out the evolution of that deadly strain, but the uncertainty has lead to a lot of questions.
Biological warfare planning behind the deadly outbreak? Government (biggest mass murderer in history) responsible once again for the death of innocents?
Biological warfare planning behind the deadly outbreak? Government (biggest mass murderer in history) responsible once again for the death of innocents?
On Domestication and Slavery
I was wondering today where the idea of slavery comes from. There is little research on the matter, not anything with hard evidence, though. Slavery predates writing, and it is an established institution in the oldest extant written document of significant length (the Code of Hammurabi, circa 1700 BCE).
I have my own opinions on how it came about, namely, as a sub-development of animal domestication.
Slavery is indeed a development. For its time, it was even considered a mercy. Imagine, if you will, early human civilizations. These first communities built cities and concentrated thousands of people into a relatively small area. Agriculture likely preceded slavery, and animal domestication certainly did. It is no big leap to go from taming an animal and training it to doing the same for humans.
But what of slavery as mercy? Early humans fought, probably even more than they fight today. Sure, they didn’t have guns and atoms bombs, but it is clear that we have engaged in whole-sale slaughter of fellow human beings for as long as we have been a species.
With the advent of cities and the abandonment of the nomadic lifestyle of hunter-gatherers, civilized societies had something worth losing, something to defend for the first time. We see the construction of walls and weapons meant for warfare as cities build up. Some outright killed all outsiders, while others were more defensive and only eradicated only those who presented more than merely a possible threat.
But at some point, someone came up with another idea. Rather than kill everybody you opposed, maybe they could be put to use. It is almost certain that enemies before this were put to death, and early codes of law support this notion of an unforgiving attitude. Rather than kill everyone, however, someone must have come up with the idea that maybe, just maybe, these people could be made to work for the victors.
It created a cheap source of public and private labor within the community. It also brought primitive people into contact with advancements they never would have been exposed to had they not been enslaved. In many ways, slavery raised some people into the civilized age.
It seems callous, really. The idea reminds me of listening to a couple racists in Indiana once discuss how black people in America should be thanking white people for enslaving them and bringing them to America, because black people in America have it better than black people in Africa. That is a rather trite way of putting it, but the fact remains…
Once slavery was demonstrated to be a boon for the city (and I’m fairly sure little consideration was given to any possible improvement among slaves), the institution of slavery expanded. Slavery was likely a result of early wars, but it also became an economic entity apart from a military one.
Besides the production potential of slaves, there was an economic issue that probably arose around the time of slavery that needed to be considered: debt. As the first monetary systems rose, money lending became a profession unto itself. Suddenly, there was a dilemma that was never an issue before: what do you do about someone who has not the money to repay a debt?
You can’t very well extort it from him, because if he had it, he could be forced to pay it. If the debtor lacked the funds, what could be done? Corporal punishment may be a deterrent, but it would do the lender no good; you can’t get blood from a turnip.
At some point, someone realized that you could force a debtor to work off their debt to the lender. It may not have been slavery at first, but we know that the Greeks practiced a form of slavery where anyone, Greek or otherwise, could sell not only themselves, but their own family into slavery (in addition to slaves taken in war). There is evidence that this was a fairly common practice around the world at various times.
In my opinion, it’s important to consider these things. Slavery does not just spontaneously appear out of thin air; there are tangible causes and influences that result in the emergence of slavery. True slavery still exists, and it probably will always exist, so long as there are people willing to exploit another person for financial gain.
Today, different forms of slavery exist. There are those who believe in “wage-slavery,” the idea that people today are trapped in their jobs by bills and debt. I find this to be rather childish hyperbole, but I understand the plight of the modern worker.
The slave and the modern worker simply face different problems. Even those who are trapped in a paycheck-to-paycheck situation face far less abuse than any slave could expect. Your boss never stripped you down and flogged you, nor has he called you into his office to get literally fucked by him. These are actual daily concerns for slaves.
But there are other problems slaves don’t face that the modern worker must contend with. The slave never had to worry about being thrown out of his home. Slaves are generally fed and clothed free of charge, and they never have to wear a tie or name-tag. Oh the humanity…
While I may make jokes at the expense of this comparison, there is plenty for the modern worker to worry about. Perhaps the greatest problem facing most workers is the threat of coercion.
The average person will do something they regret if they are ordered to by authority. The Milgram experiment and a new study involving offers of cash to shock anonymous people shown on video (though not really) are proof that people will, by and large, do awful things if ordered or offered money.
Sometimes, atheists engage in the oft repeated claim that religion is the cause of most of humanity’s woes. The truth is, disease trumps human action many times over as the root of most suffering. Even among human actions, religion is not really the root. No, the root of most human caused suffering is obedience. Nearly every atrocity is the result of people just following orders.
In many ways, the human race has managed to domesticate itself. Slavery as an institution didn’t disappear, we just don’t need the chains anymore.
I have my own opinions on how it came about, namely, as a sub-development of animal domestication.
Slavery is indeed a development. For its time, it was even considered a mercy. Imagine, if you will, early human civilizations. These first communities built cities and concentrated thousands of people into a relatively small area. Agriculture likely preceded slavery, and animal domestication certainly did. It is no big leap to go from taming an animal and training it to doing the same for humans.
But what of slavery as mercy? Early humans fought, probably even more than they fight today. Sure, they didn’t have guns and atoms bombs, but it is clear that we have engaged in whole-sale slaughter of fellow human beings for as long as we have been a species.
With the advent of cities and the abandonment of the nomadic lifestyle of hunter-gatherers, civilized societies had something worth losing, something to defend for the first time. We see the construction of walls and weapons meant for warfare as cities build up. Some outright killed all outsiders, while others were more defensive and only eradicated only those who presented more than merely a possible threat.
But at some point, someone came up with another idea. Rather than kill everybody you opposed, maybe they could be put to use. It is almost certain that enemies before this were put to death, and early codes of law support this notion of an unforgiving attitude. Rather than kill everyone, however, someone must have come up with the idea that maybe, just maybe, these people could be made to work for the victors.
It created a cheap source of public and private labor within the community. It also brought primitive people into contact with advancements they never would have been exposed to had they not been enslaved. In many ways, slavery raised some people into the civilized age.
It seems callous, really. The idea reminds me of listening to a couple racists in Indiana once discuss how black people in America should be thanking white people for enslaving them and bringing them to America, because black people in America have it better than black people in Africa. That is a rather trite way of putting it, but the fact remains…
Once slavery was demonstrated to be a boon for the city (and I’m fairly sure little consideration was given to any possible improvement among slaves), the institution of slavery expanded. Slavery was likely a result of early wars, but it also became an economic entity apart from a military one.
Besides the production potential of slaves, there was an economic issue that probably arose around the time of slavery that needed to be considered: debt. As the first monetary systems rose, money lending became a profession unto itself. Suddenly, there was a dilemma that was never an issue before: what do you do about someone who has not the money to repay a debt?
You can’t very well extort it from him, because if he had it, he could be forced to pay it. If the debtor lacked the funds, what could be done? Corporal punishment may be a deterrent, but it would do the lender no good; you can’t get blood from a turnip.
At some point, someone realized that you could force a debtor to work off their debt to the lender. It may not have been slavery at first, but we know that the Greeks practiced a form of slavery where anyone, Greek or otherwise, could sell not only themselves, but their own family into slavery (in addition to slaves taken in war). There is evidence that this was a fairly common practice around the world at various times.
In my opinion, it’s important to consider these things. Slavery does not just spontaneously appear out of thin air; there are tangible causes and influences that result in the emergence of slavery. True slavery still exists, and it probably will always exist, so long as there are people willing to exploit another person for financial gain.
Today, different forms of slavery exist. There are those who believe in “wage-slavery,” the idea that people today are trapped in their jobs by bills and debt. I find this to be rather childish hyperbole, but I understand the plight of the modern worker.
The slave and the modern worker simply face different problems. Even those who are trapped in a paycheck-to-paycheck situation face far less abuse than any slave could expect. Your boss never stripped you down and flogged you, nor has he called you into his office to get literally fucked by him. These are actual daily concerns for slaves.
But there are other problems slaves don’t face that the modern worker must contend with. The slave never had to worry about being thrown out of his home. Slaves are generally fed and clothed free of charge, and they never have to wear a tie or name-tag. Oh the humanity…
While I may make jokes at the expense of this comparison, there is plenty for the modern worker to worry about. Perhaps the greatest problem facing most workers is the threat of coercion.
The average person will do something they regret if they are ordered to by authority. The Milgram experiment and a new study involving offers of cash to shock anonymous people shown on video (though not really) are proof that people will, by and large, do awful things if ordered or offered money.
Sometimes, atheists engage in the oft repeated claim that religion is the cause of most of humanity’s woes. The truth is, disease trumps human action many times over as the root of most suffering. Even among human actions, religion is not really the root. No, the root of most human caused suffering is obedience. Nearly every atrocity is the result of people just following orders.
In many ways, the human race has managed to domesticate itself. Slavery as an institution didn’t disappear, we just don’t need the chains anymore.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Quite a Campaign Ad
I checked, this is not a joke. I laughed, but I assure you, it is not a joke.
My favorite part? The tacit inference that black people should not have guns because of what they will do with them... and this coming from conservatives who sing the praises of guns and their magical crime-reducing powers. Of course, to those of us who know anything about the history of the NRA, they actually have a long tradition of preventing black people from being armed. The Republican has denounced the ad, and I can't say I blame him.
My favorite part? The tacit inference that black people should not have guns because of what they will do with them... and this coming from conservatives who sing the praises of guns and their magical crime-reducing powers. Of course, to those of us who know anything about the history of the NRA, they actually have a long tradition of preventing black people from being armed. The Republican has denounced the ad, and I can't say I blame him.
The Blue Shirts of Phoenix
Watch the following video and pay attention to how the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association representative behaves:
The facts of the above case (in case you were not paying attention) are these:
- Both Officer Richard Chrisman and Officer Sergio Virgillo responded to a domestic disturbance call.
- The call was made by Elvira Fernandez, Daniel Rodriguez’s mother, who was probably frightened by her son’s behavior. Apparently, a toxicology report indicates that Daniel Rodriguez had been using methamphetamine before the incident.
- Officer Richard Chrisman Tased Rodriguez, shot the family dog, and then shot Rodriguez in cold blood.
- The police were lawfully in the house at the time as Elvira Fernandez had let them in. I suppose she felt a greater danger from her son at the time.
- Officer Richard Chrisman was a member of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association and was up to date on his dues. Officer Sergio Virgillo was not a member.
- Officer Sergio Virgillo had been on the force for about fourteen years at the time while Officer Richard Chrisman had been on the force for nine years.
- Officer Richard Chrisman had been caught five years prior planting a crack pipe on a mentally ill homeless woman. Had he been fired then, the city of Phoenix might not have had this terrible tragedy take place.
- The incident took place on October 5th, 2010.
- Officer Chrisman was not terminated until March of this year. He has also been charged with second-degree murder, but was charged on October 14, 2010. Why he was not at least put on unpaid leave with a murder charge pending is beyond me.
- Elvira Fernandez is now suing the city of Phoenix for the wrongful death of her son to the tune of 30 million dollars. I hope she gets every penny.
- Meanwhile, the PLEA has held a fundraiser for Officer Chrisman.
While I know that people like Officer Chrisman are rare, as many police will go through their entire career without discharging their weapon while on duty, much less kill anyone, it is absolutely disgusting that the PLEA would discount the eye-witness testimony of another police officer. The reason for doing so is obvious: because Officer Virgillo refuses to be part of their club and give them money, he is subject to the same treatment as the rest of us.
The language that Frank Marino used in the video reminds of the language that defense attorneys use for their clients who happen to be mafia bosses. He cited commonly used phrases like “due process” and “innocent until proven guilty”, all of which are necessary concepts for a free society, but at the same time cannot be applied selectively.
The I see this whole incident is really just what happens when have a criminal organization operating in a city. What the PLEA has done in this case is nothing more than demonstrate that they are willing to protect murderers and thugs, so long as they pay their dues and have a badge. They are quick to stand by their officers, but any police officers who are not members of their organization are subject to suspicion and mockery.
This is one more reason why I do not trust the police anymore. I used to believe that they represented the fine line between chaos and order, but now I believe them to be nothing more than oppressive force of government in action.
The only way I see any of this getting fixed is to lift the protections we have given law enforcement officers off of them. In other words, we should allow people to sue the officers personally, have them investigated by outside parties when a crime is alleged, and ensure that videotaping police activity is mandatory and handled by a third party. Only then will psycho-cops like Officer Chrisman will be marginalized enough where they will do the least harm. And besides, a free-society should demand strict standards from their law-enforcement agents.
There is one silver lining in this horrible story: that Officer Chrisman was charged with murder and he was fired from the police force. At the very least, this indicates some level of accountability and autonomy from the PLEA at the top of Phoenix law enforcement. Imagine if this had been in a city or state where the an association like the PLEA held much more sway over top officials. That would mean that a murdering psychopath like Officer Chrisman would have free reign over the rest of those unfortunate enough to cross his pass.
The FBI vs Freedom
The FBI continues to grant itself the power to assault individual liberty.
The lasting impact of the raid on Gary Adams' home became clear in a comment from his 3-year-old granddaughter during a recent trip to the pharmacy.
"She said, 'Granddad. Police. Hide,' " Adams, 57, of Bellevue recalled Wednesday while discussing the federal lawsuit he filed against the officers who burst into his home March 3.
Led by FBI Special Agent Karen Springmeyer, about a dozen officers used a battering ram to enter Adams' rented Orchard Street home in a search for Sondra Hunter, then 35. But Hunter hadn't lived at that address for almost two years, while Adams and his family had been living there for more than a year, according to the lawsuit filed by Adams and 10 other family members.-Bellevue family sues FBI over 'terrifying' raid
Thursday, June 16, 2011
"No Knock Raid" - A Song About the Drug War's Deadliest Tactic
What do these poor "victims" of the drug war think, that they're above the law? They were warned that their activities were illegal (even when they weren't doing anything at all, they should have known that cops breaking down doors is for their own good), but they refused to follow the rules, and then they cry about it when the State's heroes break into their homes? What crybabies!
No Knock Raid," written and performed by Toronto-based musician Lindy, is a searing indictment of one of the most aggressive, ubiquitous, and mistaken tactics in the War on Drugs.
Consider only the most recent raid to cause a national outrage: On May 5, 2011, 26-year-old Jose Guerena, who survived two tours in the Iraq War, was shot and killed during a raid on his house by a Pima County, Arizona SWAT team that fired dozens of bullets through his front door. Guerena, married and a father of two, had just finished a 12-hour shift at a local mine. Law enforcement sources claim he was involved in narco-trafficking but have yet to produce any evidence supporting that claim. Officers involved in the death have been cleared of wrongdoing.
Guerena's death is not an isolated incident. As USA Today reports, an astonishing 70,000 to 80,000 militarized police raids take place on a annual basis in America, many of them on mistaken suspects and many of them ending with injury or death for police and citizens alike.
As Reason Contributing Editor Radley Balko and others have documented, the militarization of standard police practice is a direct consequence of the modern-day War on Drugs, started 40 years ago by President Richard Nixon - and perpetuated by every administration since.
No Knock Raid," written and performed by Toronto-based musician Lindy, is a searing indictment of one of the most aggressive, ubiquitous, and mistaken tactics in the War on Drugs.
Consider only the most recent raid to cause a national outrage: On May 5, 2011, 26-year-old Jose Guerena, who survived two tours in the Iraq War, was shot and killed during a raid on his house by a Pima County, Arizona SWAT team that fired dozens of bullets through his front door. Guerena, married and a father of two, had just finished a 12-hour shift at a local mine. Law enforcement sources claim he was involved in narco-trafficking but have yet to produce any evidence supporting that claim. Officers involved in the death have been cleared of wrongdoing.
Guerena's death is not an isolated incident. As USA Today reports, an astonishing 70,000 to 80,000 militarized police raids take place on a annual basis in America, many of them on mistaken suspects and many of them ending with injury or death for police and citizens alike.
As Reason Contributing Editor Radley Balko and others have documented, the militarization of standard police practice is a direct consequence of the modern-day War on Drugs, started 40 years ago by President Richard Nixon - and perpetuated by every administration since.
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