Information abuse has many forms - more on LEIN.

Amerika, Amerika - a summary of evil federal laws.

Penalties uneven for data misuse - the second part of the LEIN article.

70 girls attacked by rape gangs - smh.com.au - National - a sad news story that contains this bit of idiocy:

"Now police are concerned that the acts may become culturally institutionalised.

"They are now planning a social research program to examine the phenomenon and help them decide how to eradicate it."

But gang rape is just a part of their culture. It's insensitive and imperialistic and judgemental to try to say that their culture is wrong -- it's merely different but equally valid.

What crap. I'll tell you how to eradicate it. Arrest and prosecute them. Arm the victims. Let every person with clout or influence speak out to condemn the practice. Let them be consumed with shame, shunned by their peers, and afraid to attempt the crime in future. Let them be prosecuted and sent to prison.

Cops tap database to harass, intimidate - describes Michigan's Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) and how some cops misuse it for personal gain or intimidation -- and face few consequences. Another reason why we need to classify information as property, and why all such database queries should be logged and audited.

American Journalism Review runs an article by a journalist who tries to teach other journalists about guns. He discusses the institutional anti-gun biases he finds. Good stuff.

TownHall.com:: Walter Williams gives a good explanation of "Public Choice Theory" and explains why (a) protectionism is bad, and (b) why most of us don't care enough to do anything about it.

Washingtonpost.com Special Report: Congressional Sex Scandals of the 20th Century - this is what the press is all about, or should be -- history, background, context, research, and an unflinching look at the foibles of the powerful.

from www.directedfire.com:

In 1960, Robert Menard was a Commander aboard the USS Constellation when he was part of a meeting between United States Navy personnel and their counterparts in the Japanese Defense Forces.

Fifteen years had passed since VJ day, most of those at the meeting were WWII veterans, and men who had fought each other to the death at sea were now comrades in battle who could confide in one another.

Someone at the table asked a Japanese admiral why, with the Pacific Fleet devastated at Pearl Harbor and the mainland US forces in what Japan had to know was a pathetic state of unreadiness, Japan had not simply invaded the West Coast.

Commander Menard would never forget the crafty look on the Japanese commander's face as he frankly answered the question.

"You are right", he told the Americans. "We did indeed know much about your preparedness. We knew that probably every second home in your country contained firearms. We knew that your country actually had state championships for private citizens shooting military rifles. We were not fools to set foot in such quicksand."

Google Search: Vossekuil school shootings - this is a Google search that will call up news articles on a Secret Service study that indicates that (a) school shooters are not impulsive, and (b) "profiles" of school shooters are ineffective as policing tools.