How's the IRS Scandal playing out in the Cincy area: TV News interviews with local Cincinnati, Dayton, OH Tea Party leaders

From Fox 45 News description:

A Conservative group based right here in the Miami Valley says it was specifically targeted by the IRS, while applying for tax-exempt status. Some members of the Liberty Township Tea Party just returned from Congressional hearings on the Hill today. 

Narrator: Conservative groups have reached a boiling point... 

Susan McClaughlin, Tea Party leader: It was appalling and shocking, the lack of answers.

Names and faces of faceless IRS Agents in Cincy office begin to emerge

FreeRepublic

With the threat of jail time hanging over their heads, it's likely the Cinncinnati people will either cough up names or be forced to admit that they were indeed freelancing. Neither outcome changes the fact that the IRS was abusing its power, though if it was a local operation, that obviously limits the political damage for the Obama administration. -- Nick Gillespie, Editor, Reason Magazine 

From WCPO News 8:

One of those workers is Holly Paz, who was an IRS manager in Cincinnati, according to Treasury Department Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George -- the man who headed the scathing IRS audit. 

Paz is currently the director of the office rulings and agreements for the IRS in Washington, D.C. But according to George, Paz was first a manager at the Cincinnati IRS office during the systematic scrutiny of conservative groups. "She was the acting director for a significant period of time that this was occurring," George said. Fed records show Paz donated $4,000 to President Barack Obama's campaign in 2008. 

From Reason, "Cincinnati IRS Workers: Following Orders or Freelancing?":

What about those local employees? Remember, [outgoing acting IRS director] Steven Miller claims that the targeting of conservative groups happened at the hands of low level Cincinnati employees who had gone "rogue" and were "off the reservation" and have already been "disciplined." 

Have any of these four IRS agents, Mitchell Steele, Carly Young, Joseph Herr or Stephen Seok been disciplined? We don't know. But each one of these IRS employees could possibly face federal charges according to Speaker of the House John Boehner.

New York decriminalizes Women going Topless on city streets

Advancement for personal liberty; Prudish Muslims hardest hit 

 RiehWorldView.com, "Women now free to go Topless in Public in NYC"

Ladies of New York , you are free to walk bare-breasted through the city! 

New York City’s 34,000 police officers have been instructed that, should they encounter a woman in public who is shirtless but obeying the law, they should not arrest her. This is a good step towards gender parity in public spaces. T 

his decision means that breast exposure is not considered public lewdness, indecent exposure, or disorderly conduct. It also notes that, should a crowd form around a topless woman, the officer should instruct the crowd to disperse and then respond appropriately if it does not. Relative coverage is no longer a factor.

Editor's note - Of course, this will not go over well with NYC's increasing fundy Muslim population.  We can't wait for the first topless women to walk past an NYC mosque boobs a floppin'.

New study finds libertarians tend towards the rougher side of alternative sexual lifestyles

Surprisingly, authoritarians tend to be more tame 

From GlossyNews.com, Study: Libertarians Enjoy BDSM More Than Fascists:

Results of a new study completed by Grove City College suggest self-identifying libertarians like Bondage, Dominance, Submission, Sadism and Masochism (BDSM) relationships more than their opposites on the political spectrum: the fascists. 

Out of the 10000 people polled (split 50-50 between both ideologies), the libertarian column came up with an 89 percent appreciation rate for such relationships, whilst the fascists registered at only 48 percent. 

Asked about the study’s findings, Lynn Freespirit of the “Libertarian F Da Police and Patriarchy Alliance” said she sees no inconsistency with the responses of libertarians. “Fundamentally, some people want to be bound, gagged and beaten. We should not judge them but rather seek to spread the love of maximum freedom.”

Editor's comment - Hmmn? BDSM stands for Bondage, Submission, Sadism and Masochism. Learn something new every day. And I was just now getting used to GBLT. Or is it, GLBT? Always get confused.

Taunton, England, welcomes home the Royal Marines

BBC

Where are the parades for our returning boys from Afghanistan and Iraq? 

by Clifford F. Thies 

On completion of their third tour in Afghanistan, the 40 Commando of the Royal Marines returned (all but 18 of them) to a hero's welcome in Taunton, in the southwest of England, greeted by a crowd of 15,000 and by Prince Philip, captain general of the Marines, and consort to Queen Elizabeth. 

For more, see "John's Naval, Marine and Service News"  

And what about our boys? Where are there parades? It appears the Administration considers that to be an existential question. If an American dies in Afghanistan and the media does not report it, did he really die?

Dr. Thies is a former 8-year Captain in the US Army, Vietnam era (hon.)

Libertarian the name of an Irish Derby champ

Cheltenham.co.uk

Now a favourite after previous 33-1 odds 

From the IrishExaminer, "Dawn Approach hardens as Derby favourite after Libertarian Dante shock":

Dawn Approach hardened as Derby favourite after 33-1 shot Libertarian won the Dante Stakes at York yesterday. Middleham-based couple Elaine and Karl Burke became the first trainers from Yorkshire to win the Knavesmire’s important Classic trial since Snowy Gray’s Ballymarais back in 1962. 

While Libertarian did not make much of an impact in the Investec Derby market, the man allowed to smile widely was Jim Bolger, who saddled Trading Leather for second but now sees his unbeaten 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach as short as even-money favourite with many bookmakers. 

Libertarian has always been held in high regard and showed rich promise when landing a maiden on his debut at Pontefract last month, but he would have been largely ignored due to finishing only fourth in the Sandown Classic Trial, when admittedly unlucky.

Editor's comment - A sure bet for libertarians worldwide!

Judas was a Marxist!

by Clifford F. Thies 

The ideologue does not know what love is, because they do not know how to gift themselves.” Pope Francis In a homily yesterday (we might say "drosh" or commentary) Pope Francis said those who really want to follow Jesus should “live life as a gift,” "not as a treasure to be kept to ourselves." 

"Let us think of that moment with the Magdalene, when she washed the feet of Jesus with nard, which was so expensive. It is a religious moment, a moment of gratitude, a moment of love. And he [Judas] stands apart and criticizes her bitterly: 'But ... this could be used for the poor!'. 

This is the first reference that I personally found in the Gospel of poverty as an ideology. The ideologue does not know what love is, because they do not know how to gift themselves." Jesus, the Pope said, taught us "greater love hath no one than to lay down his life for his friends." But Judas, he said, "had the exact opposite attitude." Judas, the Pope said, was selfish (I would say envious), and Judas "never understood what gift really means.” God, we know, gives us different "talents," or resources and opportunities. 

Some he makes wealthy, and some smart, some he makes beautiful and some he makes strong. What are we going to do with the "talents" God has given to us? Are we going to bury them in the ground (a different story) or are going to use them to bless the world and to glorify God? And, how are we going to deal with the fact of inequality (this story)? Are we going to become Marxists, multi-culturalists, Occupiers, and Anarchists? Are we going to criticize others with maybe a little more than we have when they are generous with what they have, and are we going to move from that place to betraying Jesus? 

We should reject the pretense of Christianity described by Pope Francis as "the Gospel of poverty," and explore within ourselves what God has gifted to us, so that we in turn can live our lives as gifts.

Huh? A Democrat!! expresses a libertarian viewpoint: Questions Rhode Island's seat belt law

From Eric Dondero: 

The Rhode Island legislature just voted to make the seat's strict seat belt law permanent. The vote was 52-17. There are only 9 Republicans in the RI House. 

Amazingly, a number of Dems sided with the Republican minority. And one even made a very libertarian remark against the law on the House floor. 

From Boston.com, "RI House votes to renew seatbelt law":

‘‘We’re going to whack them with an $85 fine for making a personal choice,’’ said Rep. Charlene Lima, D-Cranston. ‘‘This is a slap in the face. Just say it. We need the money.’’ 

The House defeated a suggested amendment that would have extended the law for a single year, as well as another proposal to prohibit police from using motor vehicle checkpoints to enforce the law.

Credit where credit is due. Thank you Rep. Lima!