Virginia Claims 'Spam' Gives Them Jurisdiction in Other States

Virginia Arrests N.C. Man for Spam Email Under New Law
DULLES, Va. -- Virginia authorities said on Thursday they had arrested and charged a North Carolina man for sending "spam" e-mail in the first use of a new state law that could bring penalties of up to 20 years in prison. Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore said Jeremy Jaynes had been arrested earlier Thursday in Raleigh, N.C., on four counts of using fraudulent means to transmit spam. Jaynes was charged with violating limits on the number of messages a marketer can send and falsifying routing information, both illegal under the Virginia law that carries penalties of 1-5 years in prison on each count. Although based in North Carolina, Virginia is asserting jurisdiction over Jaynes because he sent messages through computers located in the state.

Korean Pastor Jailed by Bush's Buddies for Aiding Refugees
A South Korean Christian pastor under detention in China was sentenced to nine years in prison for trying to help North Korean refugees defect to Seoul, an activist group in Seoul said yesterday. Rev. Choi Bong-il was arrested in Yanji, the seat of China's Jilin province, in April last year while trying to help an unspecified number of North Korean refugees flee to South Korea. Two Northern refugees were detained as well. Earlier this week, a Yanji court convicted the pastor and gave him a nine-year sentence, said an official from the activist group campaigning to bring him home.

President Bush and Communist Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
President George W. Bush and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) wave as they walk toward the Oval Office after an arrival ceremony at the White House, December 9, 2003. China thanked Bush on December 11 for his comments on diplomatic rival Taiwan and said Wen's visit to the U.S. had been a complete success. 'We think the remarks made by President Bush when he met...Wen were positive, and the Chinese side expresses its appreciation,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters.

China applauds Bush stance against Taiwan independence
BEIJING -- China issued a rare "thank you" to an American president yesterday when it applauded President Bush's strongest statement yet opposing any moves by Taiwan toward independence.

US Leaves Taiwan to Tango Alone
US President George W. Bush handed a big present to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during Wen's visit to Washington. During the press conference after their meeting, Bush said that "the comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally to change the status quo, which we oppose." Bush's remarks have deeply hurt Taiwan. It is understandable that the US needs to maintain close, cooperative relations with China on the issues of North Korea, terrorism and bilateral trade. Bush might have misunderstood the nature of Taiwan's defensive referendum. Or he might have been trying to be courteous to his guest. But his remarks against Taiwan were a serious mistake.

Free Speech Protection Disappears
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday undermined one of America's most cherished rights, the right to criticize the government policy and elected officials. Justice Antonin Scalia summed it up when he said, "This is a sad day for freedom of speech." In its haste to approve congressional authority to regulate political money, the high court gave Congress the power to squelch political debate. Instead of punishing corrupt politicians, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act frustrates the right of the American voter to support political parties and voice opinions in the public forum. The act criminalizes access by voters to their elected officials and prohibits groups from using television and radio.

Sad Day for Free Speech
EDITOR'S NOTE: On Dec. 10, 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling upholding the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act in a 5-4 rulling. Among the 4 was Justice Antonin Scalia. We reprint his dissent below.

Mortars Pound U.S. Headquarters in Baghdad
BAGHDAD -- Iraqi insurgents bombarded the fortified headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition in Baghdad early Friday, the first attack on the compound since U.S. forces launched a mass anti-guerrilla offensive a month ago. Shortly after midnight in Baghdad, several loud booms shook the city. Sirens wailed and loudspeakers warned residents inside the headquarters complex to take evasive action. The U.S. military could not immediately confirm what sort of munitions were fired, but sources said mortars were probably used to hammer the two square mile area, known as the Green Zone, on the banks of the Tigris river.

South duped by Dubya-Republicans
Bush has solidified the South's hold on the GOP like no other president before him. He has pandered to fundamentalist prejudices, for example by visiting Bob Jones University during the 2000 campaign and by giving moral support to Southern defenders of the Confederate flag. Bush's "born again" Christianity appeals to fundamentalists as do his anti-abortion policies. His preposterous pre-emptive war doctrine, which led to the war in Iraq, is more popular in the military-minded South. This month, Bush rewarded what's left of the South's textile industry when he rescinded steel tariffs (which had rewarded West Virginia for supporting him in 2000) after the European Union threatened retaliation against textiles. Bush also put quotas on imports of some Chinese textiles and apparel.

2003 - A Look Back
Sometimes, looking back helps us see where we're going. So, I thought I'd assemble a few stories and tidbits from this year's news to help provide a wide-angle view of the times we live in for your consideration – a collage of published information from the past year that forms an alarming picture we might not otherwise see by its scattered parts and pieces.

Courts Ponder Three Redistricting Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court and two U.S. district courts - one in Austin and the other in Colorado - have an opportunity to stop congressional redistricting that is clearly, explicitly, blatantly driven by a partisan agenda to increase the number of Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.N. Summit Ends With Net Expansion Plans
GENEVA -- A U.N. summit on information technology wound up Friday as delegates approved two documents long on ambitions but short on funding and strategy for bringing the Internet to poorer regions of the world. Although many of the hard decisions were being deferred for two years, the World Summit on the Information Society was far from a wash as thousands of participants from government, business and civil society got a chance to network and exchange ideas.

Get US out! of the United Nations
Join with thousands of other Americans working to Get US out! of the United Nations. Take the action steps outlined on this website to carry out a proven strategy to increase your effectiveness and influence. Every individual can make a difference in the battle to preserve freedom.

Posted by Editor at December 12, 2003 10:39 AM