2. Gangs Within the last few days I saw an episode of Law and Order premised on the idea of criminal street gangs that are so pervasive and uncontrollable that they effectively thwart the justice system through intimidation. If it were really as bad as depicted, it would warrant a drastic solution -- like creating some jobs and legalizing the drug trade. The latter move would use the genius of the market to slash drug prices and expose the gangs to cutthroat competition, leaving them with no monetary support or incentive to exist. The former would provide an alternative and deprive the gangs of soldiers. My experience, however, only partially supports the nightmare scenario depicted on TV. It is not so much the enormous power of the gangs, so much as the ineptitude of the police, whose work supports the gangs. In a couple of cases I've been involved with, there's a murder -- one gang leader knocks off a competitor over drug money. The police investigate and find nothing. Two years go by. Then suddenly, there are witnesses who pin the murder on X. What's going on? Is X guilty? More likely, the gang has decided to get rid of X, circulates the story of how X did it, and uses the police to get rid of X. Other cases, X leaves the gang; police arrest X, again, doing the gang's dirty work. X is a small time dealer, operating without the sanction of the gang. X is arrested, the price of drugs is kept high for the gangs, etc., etc. I read the police reports regarding the murder of "Little Dave," allegedly taken out by the gangster who took his cut from the drug trade one corner up, for conducting an unauthorized 2-for-1 sale on rock cocaine. I notice "Little Dave" has the same surname as the jailed chief of the gang. The police apparently didn't.
3. Jew it Together Here are some alternative lyrics, instead of "why don't we do it together":
You're a jew
And I am too
And since that's true,
Why don't we jew it together?
So tag along
Over to the synagogue
We'll hear about G-d
While we jew it together.
4. Mine Safety and Cuba Travel In the wake of the Sagoe mine disaster, there have been some interesting reports about Bush Administration cutbacks concerning mine safety. One connection I have not seen mentioned anywhere is the removal of administrative judges from duty hearing mine safety cases in order to prosecute tourists who have made "illegal" (but Constitutionally protected) trips to Cuba. It's possible this shift contributed to a loss of safety but more likely it simply represents the misplaced priorities of the administration.
5. Terrorist Evolution Recent headline regarding Hamas asks if "terrorist" groups can evolve. I didn't read the article, and expect it casts Hamas somewhat unfairly, but I like the question because the answer is obvious and should be acknowledged. Dig deep into many legitimate parties and you will find a history of individualist violence. I think the FMLN in El Salvador is a paradigm case. Among its components, the ERP really began as a small group of radicals with a misguided notion of igniting a rebellion by performing acts of demonstrative violence. At the opposite end of the scale, the PCS insisted on coming to power by competing in elections that were rigged and which they would never be allowed to win. As both groups and others were mowed down and failed to achieve their ends, pragmatism forced PCS to accept armed struggle and ERP to conform their actions to principles of human rights. There is evolution; it goes both ways. All groups compromise in the direction of what works. They also improve their capabilities. Terrorism is an option available to nascent groups without much power, which cannot engage in more sophisticated politico-military action.
6. Japanese Imperial Succession Recent story that the Diet is considering legislation to allow females to succeed to the Japanese Imperial throne. I know it's not unprecedented, but it still strikes me as illogical and perversely wierd that hereditary succession of divinely drawn power would be the subject of a vote. I like the idea, though, of constructing a complex and bizarre set of rules for emperorship. First, several succession lists are constructed, one based on family relationship to the current emporor, another based on the next ten names alphabetically in a list of all people living in Japan, another made up by the emporer. Then the list is vetted according to a set of criteria to measure "Japaneseness": eight points for being a citizen, six points for each Japanese parent, three points for liking sushi, two points for knowing karate, etc. Then the top listed candidates duel it out in contests of skill: a talent competition, feats of strength and grace, Simpson's trivia. The emperor then agrees to terms of leadership: like Miss America, he can be removed for profaning the crown.
7. Bad Trip Here's a bathroom sink turning into Donald Rumsfeld.
8. Teaser I'll post soon with a few other notes: on Reggie White, and on the Local News.
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