20) UK: Illegal immigrants vanish
Daily Mail [UK]
"Blundering police officers put a group of illegal immigrants on a
train, gave each of them free tickets and told them to make their way
to a detention centre 80 miles away under their own steam.
Unsurprisingly, none of the nine reported to the centre and all nine
disappeared on their journey from Cambridge to Croydon. But police
have defended their actions, claiming they were only acting on the
advice of immigration officials and the decision was out of their
hands. " (03/10/08)
22) MN: Drama over smoking ban
Ananova [UK]
"Bars in Minnesota are declaring themselves theatres to get around a
public smoking ban. The state ban allows actors to light up in
character during theatrical productions.So the bars are declaring
themselves theatres and their customers performers .... Up to 100 bars
across the state are exploiting the loophole, many with gusto.
Customers dress up in costume, ashtrays are props, entrances are re-
labelled 'stage door' and productions include the Tobacco
Monologues." (03/10/08)
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2761092.html
27) Would-be rulers without clothes
Future of Freedom Foundation
by Sheldon Richman
"In her CNN debate with Sen. Barack Obama in Texas, Sen. Hillary
Clinton scoffed at the idea that buying medical insurance should be
voluntary. 'It would be as though Social Security were voluntary [or]
Medicare, one of the great accomplishments of President Johnson, was
voluntary .... We would not have a social compact with Social Security
and Medicare if everyone did not have to participate. I want a
universal health-care plan,' she said. This is what passes for deep
political thought these days." (03/10/08)