Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna's Must Read - July 2008

I’m pleased to announce another major accomplishment in our ongoing efforts to fight high-tech crimes and protect children from online dangers. Building on the work of my Youth Internet Safety Task Force, the AGO’s High-Tech Unit and our Consumer Protection Division, we’ve added valuable new information to the Internet Safety section of our website.



In partnership with national Internet safety expert Linda Criddle, author of the Internet safety manual Look Both Ways, we’ve added fresh information for youth, adults, seniors and educators.



Our top tips for youth explain:



· How young people can put personal information at risk just by taking surveys, participating in chat, discussion boards and forums, online dating, creating personal e-mail aliases, sharing images and video, and gaming online.

· Most importantly, how to protect themselves online.



For adults, we offer:



· Ways to be smarter about spending and saving on-line, like creating strong passwords, identifying secure sites and safely participating in on-line auctions and classifieds;

· Tips for defensive computing, including things to keep in mind as you browse, download or share information via the Web; and

· Things to keep in mind while mobile computing, including using public computers and mobile phones.



Parents and educators will find information on:



· How to protect kids from on-line bullies;

· Unintentional consequences of sharing student information on-line, including photos, school sports schedules and other information that could expose students to predators.

· A checklist for family online safety, including a family Internet safety contract.

· A link to iKeepSafe Parent Resource Center, which offers additional resources and a free ParentCare download for MySpace parents.



The site also includes these tips for seniors:



· How to safely socialize on-line and avoid on-line dating scams;

· How to avoid scams that prey on emotions when you are posting information about weddings or deaths;

· Other specialized advice for those with limited experience on the Internet.



Please take a few moments to review these additions to our website. My hope is that you will join me in my efforts to educate Washington citizens, particularly our young people, about online dangers by forwarding these links to all of your family members, friends and neighbors who could benefit from this information. And, by asking each of them to do the same.



Having been at the forefront of this important issue in recent years, I cannot stress enough the importance of education when it comes to protecting ourselves and our loved ones from online crimes.



Thank you very much.



Sincerely,

Rob McKenna

Attorney General

Conservative Majority Project (Oregon)

Oregon Conservatives now have an outlet and a way to support conservative candidates via the net-roots.

It is the Conservative Majority Project and they were pretty successful in the primaries and are looking to try to make a dent in the liberal Democrat controlled legislature.

You can visit their website here and that has a link to their blog also here.

Their plan is to try to raise $200,000 via the netroots system and target some vulnerable Democrats while foregoing the traditional "consultant" class.

That means that more of the money will actually make it right down to the street and voter contact!

Rob Kremer has a pretty good track record of running those kinds of campaigns and if the conservative netroots can even be half as efffective at fundraising as the liberal nutroots then look for some sparks to fly come November.

I have already headed over there to make my small contribution and have forwarded the effort on to some of my friends. I hope you do the same!

Yip Yip

Quote of the Day

"And what are the grounds for his supercilious disdain? If he were a war hero, if he had a career of remarkable civic achievement or public service — then he could perhaps be excused an unattractive but in a sense understandable hauteur. But what has Barack Obama accomplished that entitles him to look down on his fellow Americans? "

-- William Kristol

A Tip of the Toque to Rob at Say Anything Blog

Blogs for Mccain

Check out the new site www.blogs4mccain.com.

Lynching?

I laughed out loud. I hope I didn't disturb anyone in the Starbucks in Sehome Village (here in Bellingham).

"Immigration rights" advocates have been commiserating, ranting, and consoling one another about the continued presence of the Minuteman project in Whatcom County. As reported in The Bellingham Herald yesterday, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, descended on Bellingham to hear all the teeth-gnashing. Predictably, Western professor Larry Estrada (see David Horowitz' The Professors) attended and "delivered perhaps the most heated denunciation of the Minuteman group" and, I assume, got the 200 strong ovation of "whoops and...applause."

“Latinos have been many times persecuted,” Estrada said. “We have been under the gun by vigilantes, and that’s not going to happen any more."

Even more inspiring was another quote the Herald highlighted in a related article about the Minuteman response:

"I ask the law enforcement: What is your plan when the lynching happens and what is your plan when the intimidation happens?"
-Bern Haggerty, 41, Bellingham attorney

Coming from an attorney? ...

That's where I laughed.

Bellingham/Western walkout

The newest Herald story is up. It includes this cute photo.



I also woke up early enough to catch the early morning newscast from KVOS and they did cover it...with a short little snippet from our counter-stand in the square.

Still lacking more photos...hunting them down. Interesting note from the Herald story--apparently Tom Williams from the local Minutemen chapter was on hand downtown. Good to know there was someone on the other end of the march.

Background notes:

Don't know how much you've heard about MEChA, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (Chicano student movement of Aztlán), the organization behind the walkout. It's a separatist group with the avowed intent to create:

A nation autonomous and free - culturally, socially, economically, and politically- will make its own decisions on the usage of our lands, the taxation of our goods, the utilization of our bodies for war, the determination of justice (reward and punishment) (emphasis mine), and the profit of our sweat.
-“Plan Espiritual de Aztlan” (spiritual plan of Aztlán)

BUT, according to Western professor Larry Estrada, who was recently featured in David Horowitz new book, The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America:

“MEChA has never stood for secession from the United States,” [Estrada] said. “It stands for involvement and inclusion.” (The Bellingham Herald - April 4)

Estrada also denies Horowitz' charge that he is a founder of MEChA, even though he admits he was present when they formed in 1969.

Crossposted at Meneltarma
(visit Western Unraveled for future updates)

Invasion

(photo courtesy NYTimes.com: 500,000 demonstrators Saturday in Los Angeles)

And now the time for reckoning has come. Not only are they here illegally, but they are developing the inevitable audacity to change our laws. Rush had a lovely analogy today--this is like watching thieves unionize to lobby for fewer cops on the street! And congress will listen to them. They will ignore real American citizens, who by and large, are opposed to granting rights to those who violate our laws--who aren't even subject to our laws. (see recent poll results on the AP)

If some things make you sick, you are not alone.

Crossposted at Meneltarma