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THE VILLAGE CHOICE - Volume 4, Issue 25
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Manhattan Libertarian Party
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Jul 01, 2005 09:35 PDT
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THE VILLAGE CHOICE
A Weekly Rundown of News, Views and Events Affecting Freedom in NYC
Volume 4, Issue 25 * July 1, 2005
THE VILLAGE CHOICE is brought to you by the Manhattan Libertarian Party.
http://www.manhattanlp.org
In this issue:
* Freedom rider wins in court!
* NYPD heists one hundred grand from poker players!
* Pataki’s fortunate son seeks deferment!
* Your calendar of pro-freedom events!
* Much more!
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* News Bites *
Critical Victory
In the first and last trial resulting from the Halloween Critical Mass
bike ride the court found the cyclist, Liz Shura, not guilty. Charges
have now been dismissed in all 33 arrests from that evening. All of the
32 other parading without a permit cases arising from the October
arrests were dismissed without going to trial, most upon arraignment,
where people took adjournments in contemplation of dismissal. Ms. Shura
pleaded not guilty at her arraignment and appeared in court more than
five times over the course of eight months because she believed her
arrest was false and unconstitutional.
http://nyc.indymedia.org/feature/display/154254/index.php
Armed Robbery in Blue
At the same time the vice squad was raiding a Union Square poker den
last month, another NYPD team hit the upper West Side's New York Players
Club, where 120 poker aficionados were playing Texas Hold 'em and other
high-stakes games. By the time the simultaneous raids were over,
authorities had seized $100,000 in cash and arrested 39 employees of the
two businesses. The Manhattan District Attorney's office says it is not
against the law to play poker for money. The money is considered illegal
gambling proceeds that will be held as evidence and will eventually
become city property. Because there is no way to prove who the chips and
cash belonged to, it will be difficult for card players to get their
money back.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/322454p-275682c.html
Chickenhawk Dad
"With supreme guts and righteousness, President Bush went into Iraq,"
Gov. Pataki told the Republican National Convention last August. The
place erupted with applause. It was all very stirring. Almost one year
later, Pataki's son Teddy is, with supreme guts and righteousness,
seeking a three-year law school deferment from the Marines, which last
week commissioned the recent Yale grad as a second lieutenant. The
governor, who himself received a medical deferment during the Vietnam
War because of poor eyesight, has said he hopes his son is granted the
deferment. Of course he does. No doubt all the parents of New York's
nearly 100 war dead also wish their children could have gotten
deferments. But they couldn't. They got killed instead.
http://www.nypress.com/18/26/pagetwo/newshole4.cfm
The Wrath of Gifford
In an unusually open and personal display of anger, a handful of City
Council members yesterday accused Speaker Gifford Miller of cutting
their budget requests in retaliation for their decision not to support
his fight against the mayor's citywide trash plan. The accusations arose
as the Council approved a $50 billion city budget for next year that
delivers millions of dollars for community groups, social service
providers and cultural institutions in council members' districts. The
members had competed for a share of that money in recent weeks, and at a
meeting yesterday in City Hall it became apparent that some believed
their requests fell victim to political retribution by Mr. Miller, a
Democratic candidate for mayor.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/01/nyregion/01budget.html
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* Rant of the Week *
Dealing With Lefties
by Gary Popkin
This from The Indypendent newspaper, June 15 -28, 2005:
"McDonald's have introduced so-called 'healthy' options to their menus,
but rather than this being through their concern for the public's
health, it is merely an attempt to capture customers who wouldn't eat
their usual fare."
Dear Indypendent letters editor:
It makes my blood boil to think of the greedy and vile behavior of
McDonald's you reported ("Big Mac Attack," The Indypendent, June 15 -
28, 2005). A more egregious example of this unacceptable practice
occurred when General Motors first started offering smaller vehicles
with better gas mileage not through their concern with the environment,
but merely as an attempt to capture customers who wouldn't buy their
usual gas-guzzlers. The bastards.
As Borough President I would investigate every instance of a business in
Brooklyn changing its product line, and impose fines if product lines
were changed merely to get more customers and without any socially
redeeming reason.
This concept can and should be extended to all features of commerce. If
a retail store improves its lighting not out of concern for safeguarding
the eyesight of its customers but merely to capture customers who would
not shop in a dark store, it would be fined. If a store devotes more
resources to keeping its sidewalks cleaner not out of concern with
complying with New York City law but merely to capture customers who
prefer a cleaner environment, it would be fined. Let's show them we will
not stand for the unconscionable business practice, all too common, of
trying to attract more customers.
Gary Popkin
Libertarian candidate for Brooklyn Borough President
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* Upcoming Events *
Monday, July 4, 9:00 p.m.
Macy's Fireworks Spectacular
Celebrate the memory of what was once a free country.
FDR Drive from 14th Street to 42nd Street, South Street Seaport, Liberty
Island
http://www.macys.com/campaign/fireworks/index.jsp
Monday, July 4, 10:30 p.m.
"The Libertarian Alternative"
A Libertarian political talk show
Time Warner Cable Ch. 34, RCN Cable Ch. 110, MNN Ch. 1
http://www.libertarianalternative.org
Wednesday, July 13, 6:30 p.m.
Manhattan Libertarian Party monthly meeting
Guest speaker: Tom Woods, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to
American History
Business meeting starts at 6:30; guest speaker at 7:30
Ukrainian East Village Restaurant, 140 Second Avenue
http://www.manhattanlp.org
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* Manhattan Libertarian Party Honor Roll *
Benefactors (have given at least $1,000 to the MLP in 2005)
Ron Moore
Victor Niederhoffer
Founders (have given at least $500 to the MLP in 2005)
Your Name Here?
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* News tips, rants and events wanted! *
Help us improve THE VILLAGE CHOICE. Send news bites, rants and event
announcements to village-@manhattanlp.org. Please include a web
link whenever possible. We will occasionally consider broader topics,
but our strong preference is for items pertaining to freedom (or the
lack thereof) in New York City.
THE VILLAGE CHOICE is edited by Jim Lesczynski.
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If you're offended by anything in this newsletter, you're obviously a
humorless socialist of either the right-wing or left-wing variety.
See you next week!
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