Reason articles from July 2006

Reason archives from July 2006

Gimme gimme sticker-shock treatment.(real estate prices in Washington, D.C.)
July 1, 2006... WHEN I MOVED to the Washington, D.C., area a couple of years ago from the small town of Oxford, Ohio, the most stunning difference was the cost of houses. Back in the Buckeye State, a four-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot house (with a study and a...

The Agony of American Education.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... Thanks for another great article on school choice ("The Agony of American Education," April). In the '80s I spent a lot of time in Edmonton with Michael Strembitsky, who introduced decentralized management to Edmonton. I took his model, revised...

The Mobility Myth.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... Thank you for Alison Wellner's great article on "The Mobility Myth" (April). One more point is the telecommuting revolution and the ability of millions of workers to live where they want to live for the duration of their natural lives. I am...

Are we ready for the next 9/11?(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... Surely Veronique de Rugy could have come up with a better example of homeland security waste than the "$38 million to fully cover all remaining fire claims from the Cerro Grande Fire in New Mexico" ("Are We Ready for the Next 9/11?," March)....

Why poor countries are poor.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... Foreign aid money might be lining the Cameroonian despot's pocket and perpetuating his rule ("Why Poor Countries Are Poor," March), but that hasn't stopped us from sending more. In 2003 dictator Paul Biya received $200,000 under the...

The Wal-Mart Crusade.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... Julian Sanchez failed to mention an important part of Richard Greenwald's documentary Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price the segment on Wal-Mart's use of sweatshop labor in China ("The Wal-Mart Crusade," March). Despite Wal-Mart's $7 billion...

Correction.(Letters)(Correction notice)
July 1, 2006... CORRECTION: "Persian Letters" (February 2006) mistakenly stated that Hossein Kharrazi, a senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was the brother of the country's former foreign minister, Kamal Kharrazi. In fact, the two men are not...

Reason news.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... We're pleased to welcome David Weigel as reason's new assistant editor. A longtime contributor to both the magazine and the Web site, Weigel has been a reporter for Campaign and Elections and, most recently, an assistant at the USA Today op-ed...

Bomb smugglers: border security woes.(Citings)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... ACCORDING TO the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Department of Homeland Security has fallen far behind in its effort to install portal monitors and handheld radiation detection equipment at points of entry into the United States....

Safety in numbers: abortion and the FDA.(Mifepristone's kills pregnant women, bills proposed to stop the usage of the abortion pills; Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... FOR YEARS, pro-life groups have argued that abortion should be debated by state legislatures, not the federal judiciary. Now, just as South Dakota gears up for a historic challenge to Roe v. Wade, a cadre of congressmen wants a D.C. agency to...

25 years ago in reason.(citings)
July 1, 2006... "Hong Kong is an almost perfect example of the Laffer Curve in action--low tax rates generate high rates of real economic growth, leading to increased revenues which can be used for social welfare while maintaining low tax rates." --Bruce...

Sense on stadiums: rooting against the home team.(research)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A SPORTS TEAM can always hire consultants to claim that if only the city or state would help them build a new stadium, there would be a multi-million dollar payoff in tax revenues, jobs, and other public goods. Independent economists, on the...

Video virus: criminalizing game sales.(government-funded research on effects of electronic entertainment on children)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... LAST YEAR Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) said the electronic entertainment that kids enjoy is "a kind of contagion," a "silent epidemic" threatening "long-term public health damage to many, many children and therefore to society." Now she wants...

Blind bet: Ohio goes after bingo.(Ohio Lottery Commission investigates Written Communications Radio Service's bingo games license )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... THE CRACKDOWN on gambling has found a curious target: Ohio's nonprofit Written Communications Radio Service. WCRS had ridden the airwaves for 30 years, its volunteers and hosts reading from newspapers, magazines, and comic strips for the...

Quotes.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... "With so many illegals hitting the streets, is this the perfect time to round up these lawbreakers and ship them out? We're gonna debate it." --Fox News host David Asman, on the April 10 edition of Your World with Neil Cavuto "I said...

When Nick Lenthall drove past a group of police officers manning a speed check near Bournemouth, England, he honked his horn and gave them a thumbs up.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... When Nick Lenthall drove past a group of police officers manning a speed check near Bournemouth, England, he honked his horn and gave them a thumbs up. The entire unit then got into a van, chased him down, and gave him a ticket for "unnecessary...

Earlier this year, as a group of Tibetan monks visited the U.S. to promote world peace, they unintentionally overstayed their visas.(cases)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Earlier this year, as a group of Tibetan monks visited the U.S. to promote world peace, they unintentionally over-stayed their visas. So a group of immigration officials accompanied by a SWAT team in riot gear showed up at their door in Omaha...

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants devices placed on vehicles that would light up if they exceed the speed limit.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants devices placed on vehicles that would light up if they exceed the speed limit. Bloomberg got the idea from Singapore, where all taxis and trucks are so equipped.

What happens when someone walks into a police department or sheriff's office in South Florida and asks for a form to file a complaint against an officer?(a television station broadcasts police misconduct using hidden cameras)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... What happens when someone walks into a police department or sheriff's office in South Florida and asks for a form to file a complaint against an officer? A local TV station's hidden camera found some officers were polite and professional, while...

The number of parking tickets issued by police in Buffalo, New York, has nearly quadrupled under a new "zero tolerance" policy--a policy prompted.(Brickbats)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The number of parking tickets issued by police in Buffalo, New York, has nearly quadrupled under a new "zero tolerance" policy--a policy prompted, according to The Buffalo News, by police anger over a lack of wage increases. The News found one...

At a gathering of magicians, the Indian congressman K. Keshav Kao signed and "burned" a 100-rupee note, then made it reappear.(political opponents demands arrest)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... At a gathering of magicians, the Indian congressman K. Keshav Kao signed and "burned" a 100-rupee note, then made it reappear. His political opponents demanded his arrest: In India burning currency is a crime carrying a penalty of five years in...

To boost local production and reduce the amount of foreign content on TV, Chinese authorities have banned films and television shows that mix animation with real people.(Brickbats)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... To boost local production and reduce the amount of foreign content on TV, Chinese authorities have banned films and television shows that mix animation with real people. It isn't the first time China has cracked down on animation: According to...

Regulating bloggers: free speech on the Web.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... THE LIBERAL blog Daily Kos and its conservative counterpart RedState don't agree on much, but last March they joined virtual hands to protect the Internet from the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The agency had originally concluded that...

Spurious species: mice vs. landowners.(Fish and Wildlife Service listed jumping mice under endangered species, real estates locked for development to protect the species)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... IN 1998, THE U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Preble's meadow jumping mouse, which inhabits river valleys along the eastern flank of the Rockies, as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, leaving many landowners unable to...

Checkpoint checkmate.(Tennessee. Supreme Court rules usage of roadblocks unconstitutional)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Tennessee's Supreme Court rules that the use of roadblocks to check identification papers, licenses, and registrations is unconstitutional. The court found that the primary goal of a Chattanooga Housing Authority roadblock was to issue tickets...

Fat genes.(Boston University researchers finds genetic link to obesity )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Researchers at Boston University find a genetic link to obesity that seems to run in families, which could lead to a genetic treatment and fewer attacks on junk-food advertising.

Last resort.(Securities and Exchange Commission clarifies its policy and forced testimony regulation)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... After issuing and then canceling a couple of subpoenas to reporters, the Securities and Exchange Commission clarifies its policy to say forced testimony should be a last resort.

Double trouble.(Students for Sensible Drug Policy and American Civil Liberties Union challenges provisions in Higher Education Act )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Students for Sensible Drug Policy and the American Civil Liberties Union challenge a Higher Education Act provision that has blocked nearly 200,000 students with drug convictions from access to federal financial aid. The groups argue this...

Burning hotness.(Vivid Video launches online movie dowload service)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Porn juggernaut Vivid Video is blazing a trail to downloadable films. Can mainstream Hollywood keep up? Vivid figures $20 should cover a burnable title while the legit side dallies with a $30 price point and tedious copying restrictions.

Motorcycle diplomacy.(Harley-Davidson Inc. opens store in Beijing, China)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A new Harley-Davidson store brings the American icon to Beijing. "My heart beats so fast when I ride mine, I always have to smoke a cigarette and drink some water afterward," one fan enthuses.

Copyright terror.(Digital Millennium Copyright Act made stronger)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Digital Millennium Copyright Act may get stronger. Congress sees it as a vehicle to expand police wiretapping authority and sniff out copyright cheats who, according to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, are helping fund the terrorists.

French desserts.(labor force protests work rules)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Street protests force the French government to withdraw a modest attempt to reform the nation's suffocating work rules. Instead of giving employers more options to replace unproductive workers, France opts for fewer jobs for all.

Museum quality.(Smithsonian Institution signs contract with Showtime Networks Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Smithsonian Institution inks a secretive deal with Showtime that would force filmmakers using footage from the institution's archives--much of which is in the public domain--to offer their projects to the cable network before shopping them...

Massachusetts miracle II.(health policy relating to health insurance)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Massachusetts unveils a health plan that requires residents to buy health insurance and treats the uninsured as the be-all and end-all of health care's dysfunction. They are not. But Gov. Mitt Romney only needs two years of cover.

Baby Ph.D.(Education Secretary Ruth Kelly supports 'national curriculum for babies')(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... British Education Secretary Ruth Kelly backs a Childcare Bill in Parliament known as the "national curriculum for babies." She insists that toddlers won't be sitting for exams; teachers will just look for "enthusiasm for learning and good...

Zone blitz.(Connecticut Senate issues new oil companies regulations)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Connecticut Senate votes to prohibit oil companies from charging different prices to retailers in different locations. Lawmakers say such "zone pricing" is gouging. After all, location, location, location couldn't possibly have an economic...

Circle game.(Data; drug offences)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Ostensibly aimed at protecting children, "drug-free zones" typically boost prison sentences for drug offenses that involve only adults. The zones trigger enhanced penalties for drug dealing or possession within a certain radius (usually between...

Pay by the mile: lose a gas tax, lose your privacy?(Oregon to tax vehicles based on miles rather than gas consumed)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... FACED WITH declining gas tax revenues, the state of Oregon is test-driving an experimental Road User Fee Pilot Program. The program relies on GPS units in cars to record where the vehicles have been, then charges the drivers based on miles...

Iraq's price tag: trying to calculate the costs of war.(economists researches war finance in Iraq invasion)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... IN A MARCH study for the American Enterprise Institute, three economists at the University of Chicago--Steven Davis, Kevin Murphy, and Robert Topel--attempt to calculate the cost of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. They conclude that those...

Fashion police: copyrighting couture.(citings)
July 1, 2006... IF YOU WATCH the fashion pages, you already know that last year's must-have item was designer Roland Mouret's "Galaxy" dress, the curve-accentuating retro number in which Scarlett Johansson strode down the red carpet at the 2005 Oscars. Thanks...

Where the right went rotten.(conversation with Matthew Continetti of Weekly Standard)(Interview)
July 1, 2006... In early 2005 Matthew Continetti, a staff writer at the conservative Weekly Standard, set out to write a book about the state of the Republican congressional majority a decade after the Gingrich revolution. Over the course of a year's research,...

Treason of the clerk: accused of sedition, a V.A. nurse beats the rap.(Columns; Veterans Affairs)
July 1, 2006... LAURA BERG had never worried about speaking her mind. The 52-year-old psychiatric nurse at Albuquerque's Veterans Affairs Medical Center was no fan of the Bush administration, and neither were most of her colleagues at the V.A. "We'd...

The cult of 'manliness': a curmudgeon's defense of "manly men" devolves quickly into self-parody.(Columns)
July 1, 2006... IT'S A TOUGH job defending manliness in the age of irony. Interviewing Harvey C. Mansfield, a professor of government at Harvard and the author of the new book Manliness (real men don't use subtitles), New York Post movie critic Kyle Smith...

The decline of the English speaking peoples: America's national language is under siege.(Rant)
July 1, 2006... SO IT TURNS out it's muy important that immigrants, legal and illegal, learn English as a condition of citizenship, guest-worker status, indentured servitude, whatever. Who knew the great Melting Pot Nation of America has been living on...

The politics of sky-high house prices: how government jacks up the price of owning your home.(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... LANCE UYEDA bought his first home in the San Francisco Bay Area almost 30 years ago. Today his oldest son rents an apartment and works in retail sales. But because the market is tougher now than when his father bought, he probably will need...

Are failed states a threat to America? The Bush administration's nation-building efforts are a big mistake.
July 1, 2006... THROUGHOUT THE 1990S, conservatives castigated the Clinton administration for conducting foreign policy like social work, taking on vague, ill-defined missions in remote locales from Haiti to Bosnia. Although the editors of The Weekly Standard...

Searching for Alex Kozinski: the controversial 9th Circuit judge on free speech, privacy, and why he didn't mind the Kelo decision.(Interview)
July 1, 2006... JUDGE ALEX KOZINSKI was born to Holocaust survivors in Communist Romania, emigrating to America at age 12. Four decades later, he enjoys a reputation as--to quote the legal luminary Richard Posner--"one of the best and smartest judges in the...

An army of bloggers: how to turn low-budget revolutionaries into respectable members of the establishment.(An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths,)(Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics,)(Book review)
July 1, 2006... Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics, by Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, White River Function, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 216 pages, $25 An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology...

The virtue of riches: how wealth makes us more moral.(Book review)
July 1, 2006... The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth, Benjamin M. Friedman, New York: Knopf 592 pages, $35 FOR MANY Americans, riches are so disreputable that taking them away is a goal in itself. The left used to offer the misery of the poor as a...

Neil Young's quixotic crusade: a song can't change the world.
July 1, 2006... Eggheads and dumbbells alike have overestimated pop culture's power to transform society--a misapprehension that goes back to Plato, who believed that when the modes of music changed, the walls of cities shook. In fact, it's usually just the...

In praise of John Wilkes: how a filthy, philandering dead-beat helped secure British--and American--liberty.
July 1, 2006... John Wilkes: The Scandalous Father of Civil Liberty, by Arthur H. Cash, New Haven: Yale University Press, 482 pages, $37.50 THE LIBERTARIAN journalist Albert Jay Nock once told the story of a friend who visited St. Petersburg in early 1917,...

Literary paper lions: book packagers, drunken exaggerations, hoaxes: why do we still expect authenticity from bestsellers?
July 1, 2006... KAAVYA VISWANATHAN was riding high in April, shot down in May. The Harvard sophomore's debut novel--How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life, for which she had received a $500,000 advance at the age of 17--was moving up the...

Kids draw the darnedest things.(Artifact; Waco raid recalled)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... EARLIER THIS YEAR, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives posted the winners of their Kid's Art Contest online at atf. gov/kids/kids_art_main.htm. The agency "requested artwork from ATF employees' children under the age of 14...