A general concept of crime

When we consider crime, we generally think of actions taken by specific people (individuals or intentional groups) against certain targeted others (either for who they are, or for what they own). An action will be recognized as a crime by the injury it imposes on its target. That injury could be damage to one’s body, or a loss of possessions or money, or a total abrogation of one’s personal autonomy. Insofar as such an action occurs against one’s will, and against which one is unable to defend oneself, one is reduced to victim status. Crime is generally conceived in terms of a perpetrator-victim relation. When the perpetrator is an organization, then it can also occur in terms of social control, and may involve turf wars, such as struggles for control of rackets, drugs sales, gambling, the commodification of sex, etc.

Because we look to government to protect us against crime, we often ignore the ways that government actions fit its description. One way is the existence of “victimless crime laws.” They are laws that prohibit certain personal behaviors that produce no injurious effect on other people. Hence, there is no discernible victim. It is only the enforcement of such laws that produces a victim in the person of the defendant. It can lead to arrest and conviction, loss of autonomy, abrogation of self-defense, captivity in prison, etc. And the police have impunity in doing so. Since, for a victimless crime, there is no complainant, the police can play that role and say what they like about their victim. -more-

A Taxing Time

Filled out your state and federal tax forms yet?

Granted, it's harder than ever since the IRS stopped shipping those free Tax Instruction manuals to the country's public libraries.

If you've been using the online paperless version to guide you through the filing process, you may have noticed the pie charts on (virtual) page 109. The graphic claims to present Major Categories of Federal Income and Outlays for Fiscal Year 2020. According to the Income pie chart, taxes on individuals account for 25% of federal spending money while corporations only contribute 3 percent. Nearly half of the income pie (48%) constitutes "Borrowing to cover the federal deficit." (The Feds are counting loans as "income"?)

The IRS manual also shows a second pie chart accounting for Outlays—i.e., spending. The outlays include 30% for Social Security, 28% for "social programs," and 17% for "physical, human, and community development"—totaling 75%. This pie that the IRS has placed before taxpayers also includes a slice for the tax money devoured by "national defense, veterans, and foreign affairs." The Pentagon's amount of the tax pie is shown to be less than 15%.

If only that were the case.

The IRS opted not to post a pie chart from the Peterson Foundation, which shows "defense" spending gulping down nearly half of the $1.6 trillion 2020 discretionary budget. Meanwhile, a pie chart served up by War Resisters League shows the Pentagon sucking up 48% of the budget ($1.66 trillion), while allotting only 42% of the fiscal pie to cover Human Resources ($1.46 trillion).

Could the selection of pie chart servings be attributed to a concern that taxpayers might not want to chip in when they discover that most of their tax-extracted funds are being spent to drop bombs, launch missiles, host military exercises, and maintain 750 military bases in more than 80 foreign countries? -more-

There are two schools of thought about resolution of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. One argues that there must be a negotiated settlement and the other believes the conflict will only end when Russia is "brought to its knees." The latter perspective carries risk but notable opportunities.

The negotiated settlement perspective suggests that Russia will stop the invasion if the eastern portion of Ukraine is ceded to Russia; that is, the Donbas region. Russia would require Ukraine to declare "neutrality." A negotiated settlement ends the conflict, for now; Russian bombing would stop, along with the horrific civilian casualties. It's unclear what would happen with sanctions or who would pay to rebuild Ukraine. -more-

Europe has bought $338B in Russian energy since the invasion. But what is surprising is 30% of the gas is routed via pipelines in Ukraine for which it receives transit fees. In a bizarre catch-22, it was initially thought Ukraine could not shut off the gas because it might paralyze EU governments who refuse to implement a gas embargo. But a number of prominent German economists have challenged Germany’s gas embargo. Cutting off Russian gas would be painful in the near term but as the saying goes there is no gain without (short) term pain. -more-

The final day of confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson concluded on March 24. A vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled for April 4. Then it goes to the full Senate for a vote. Considering that Judge Jackson has extraordinary qualifications and the American Bar Association has rated her as "well qualified" -- its highest rating, she should be confirmed. -more-

Mentally ill people in recovery need a lot of help, from family, from society and from the mental health treatment systems. Generally, families are supportive--mine always has been. Yet, society doesn't want to deal with us, and would rather we do not share space with the "good working people," those who congregate at Starbuck's every morning before work. They do not want their tax dollars to go toward helping us live. At least, not near to them. When a low-income project or a mental health facility is proposed in a "good neighborhood residents invariable oppose it. They don't want to deal with mentally ill people because we are perceived as a nuisance and a danger. This is not true. It is the same thing that people dealt with in the past, when a black family wanted to live nearby--bigotry. -more-

Recently, the United Nations General Assembly voted 93 to 24 to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council. Fifty-eight nations abstained from the vote. The resolution accused Russia of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” in Ukraine. President Biden denounced President Vladimir Putin and said he should be charged for war crimes. But is the US so innocent? Why has the United States long opposed the International Criminal Court, which was created by the Rome Statute? The statute has been ratified by 123 nations, but not the United States, Russia or Ukraine. -more-

Thanks to all who asked why the latest issue has not yet appeared. I was in L.A. for a family memorial gathering, without easy access to a computer, so I'm just getting around to posting the latest excellent contributions, later this afternoon, in a new issue. -more-

Worth Noting:

Council returns from recess: The agenda for the April 12^th regular city council meeting at 6 pm and the draft agenda for the April 26^th council meeting which will be reviewed at the agenda and Rules Committee on Monday at 2:30 pm are at the bottom of the email holding space between the list of meetings by day of the week and land use list of approved projects in the appeal period. The Tuesday evening council meeting big agenda items are the Police Flex Team from Taplin on consent (already has 5 supporters Author Taplin, co-sponsors Wengraf, Kesarwani, Droste and Arreguin who indicated his support by blocking moving the item from consent to action for discussion at the Agenda Committee). The City Auditor will be presenting the findings from review of Berkeley Police Overtime.

Wednesday is packed with FITES continuing work on the plastic bag ordinance at 3 pm. Wednesday evening every meeting is at 7 pm and all meetings take up items around budget recommendations and referrals, Disaster and Fire Safety Commission, Homeless commission, Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Commission, Police Accountability Board and Vision 2050 on ballot measure and additional taxes.

Thursday the Budget and Finance Committee starts at 9 am to resume work on the FY2023 & FY2024 planning.

Thursday evening(?) The presentation from City staff on Reimagining Public Safety is listed under worksessions as occurring Thursday, April 14^th, but there is no posting. Recently special meetings have been posted on short 72- hour notice. It is unknown at this time if the meeting is cancelled or the intent is to post at the last minute allowable for non-emergency meetings. Either way check after Monday https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Home.aspx or https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx

Friday and Saturday are the City sponsored Egg Hunts for the youngsters.

Berkeley Marina Specific Plan QUESTIONNAIRE online through April 22, 2022, Questionnaire available at https://www.cityofberkeley.info/BMASP/

Sunday, April 10, 2022 – no city meetings or events found

Monday, April 11, 2022 -more-

On Sunday, April 10, Cal Performances presented a concert in Zellerbach Hall by English Baroque Soloists conducted by the group’s founding director, John Eliot Gardiner. Performing on period instruments, the English Baroque Soloists offered Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 103 in E-flat major, nicknamed “The Drumroll,” after its opening roll of the timpani, as well as two works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Sinfonia concertante for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 364, and Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, K.543. -more-

On Saturday, April 9, Cal Performances presented the Vienna Piano Trio playing Franz Schubert’s two great piano trios at Berkeley’s First Congregational Church. The B-flat major Trio and the E-flat major Trio both premiered in 1828, the last year of Schubert’s brief life. He died at age 31. The Vienna Piano Trio, consisting of Stefan Mendl, piano; David McCarrol, violin; and Clement Hagen, violoncello; is considered among the world’s best chamber music ensembles. -more-

In the first of this year’s Schwabacher Recital Series presented by San Francisco Opera Center and The Merola Opera Program, mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon teamed with Ukrainian pianist Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad in a program of Spanish and French songs at the Taube Atrium Theater on Wednesday evening, April 6. A Grand Finals winner of the 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, Ashley Dixon has already sung in major roles at San Francisco Opera and Los Angeles Opera, as well as at other opera companies. She possesses a fulsome tone that is rich in vocal colours, and impeccable technique. -more-