Last December, President Obama announced the latest in a series of escalations of the war in Afghanistan. When he took office one year ago, there were 32,000 troops in Afghanistan. During 2009, that number was increased to 68,000. When this most recent escalation is completed, there will be 100,000 U.S. troops and 150,000 contractors in Afghanistan.

In 2009 the death toll for U.S. troops tripled starting in June, and rose to a monthly high of 59 in October. General Barry McCaffrey, who studies our Afghan operations for West Point, warns that American casualties will reach 500 per month by summer.

The death toll for Afghan civilians has skyrocketed as well, particularly since the U.S. has radically increased the number of drone attacks which indiscriminately kill innocent civilians. Estimates are that 98 innocent Afghans are killed for every two terrorists killed by drone strikes.

LFOD Rally creator faces prison for doing a good deed!

Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm
Location: Office Of The NH Fire Marshal
Street: 228 Sheep Davis Drive
City/Town: Concord, NH,03301

HOST: UNH Young Americans For Liberty & Richard Olson Sr.

HELPING YOUR NEIGHBOR SHOULD NOT BE A CRIME!!

This demonstration is to protest the NH State Fire Marshall for his felony indicting, punishable by 3-7 years imprisonment, of a good Samaritan for helping homeowners during the NH ice storm state of emergency.

By Mike Barskey

Some liberty activists want to levitate the federal courthouse in Concord via the power of their minds? What kind of nonsense is that? Of course they can’t levitate a building - that’s impossible! And even if they could do it, what would it prove? What would it do to further their cause? Would they be more free if the federal building floated away? Are they trying to scare the federal government agents into restoring their freedom? Have they the gall to think that people will actually believe they can make whole buildings disappear by merely thinking about it? Do they want the government people to see that they’re trying everything - even silly things - to get rid of the government?

Cancer survivor makes appeal on eve of Oct. 28 vote

In a letter addressed to New Hampshire state officials today, musician, songwriter and cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge asked state lawmakers to vote to override Gov. Lynch’s veto of H.B. 648, in order to protect from criminal prosecution seriously ill patients who ease their symptoms through marijuana.

A breast cancer survivor, Etheridge writes in her letter that marijuana helped alleviate the pain and nausea that she experienced as a result of chemotherapy:

By Kat Kanning

( Photos Anton Lee http://antonlee.redbubble.com )

It started in Keene, but has now spread to Manchester, Derry and soon, Hanover. People are coming together to defy drug laws and smoke marijuana in the park at 4:20 daily. In Keene's central square you'll see them puffing away every day, holding signs, speaking out against the war on drugs. Now, you'll also see this happening in Manchester's Veteran's Park. Though this has been occurring in front of the police, only two arrests have been made, one of which was dropped because the victim of police aggression was not smoking pot.

September 15, 2009

The Ellis County Observer’s publisher, Joey G. Dauben, was arrested for publishing the mug shot of a Combine, Texas reserve police officer. The mug shot, sent to Dauben via e-mail from an unknown person, was allegedly accessed illegally.

The CPD officer, who works as a reserve in the city southeast of Dallas, was mocked as William Akey”Breaky Heart.” He was arrested for allegedly impersonating an officer, according to sources in Kaufman County, where Combine is located.

In a prepared statement before his arrest, Dauben said news tips and government documents are sent to him daily, and that it’s “really not my blog’s job to find out whether some government agency has restrictions on what can be released.”

[Editor's note: This letter was sent in by a prisoner who wishes to remain anonymous. Also see our earlier article on NH Prison Conditions.]

The following is a recording of the matter of the death of a New Hampshire state inmate incarcerated at the Strafford County House of Correction. This is a typical incident, not an isolated case. The woman in question started complaining to the medical department here of severe abdominal pains in mid-June, 2009. She was told by the nurse that she had gas, and was given over-the-counter medication for it, such as Tums. This went on for some days, with no improvement.

From http://freekeene.com

In response to the recent arrests (including one indefinite jailing) of videographers in the Keene District Court lobby, Andrew Carroll, who will be tried for his civil disobedience of publicly possessing marijuana on May 1st at 1:30pm, has stated the following on the Free Keene Forum:

______________

"I am going to refuse to proceed with my court case (May 1, at 1:30 pm) until cameras are allowed in. Freedom of the press is too invaluable to the protection of liberty to let its blatant violation go unchallenged. I demand the officers and magistrates of the court show proper respect for the rights of individuals. Someone needs to watch the watchers.

By Kat Kanning

Sam Dodson

By Russell Kanning

Tax Protesters in New Hampshire joined the Tea Party going on across America on April 15th. People crowded into Victory Park on Wednesday evening and listened to a long list of short speeches, cheered, booed Obama and communism, and vowed that they wouldn't take it anymore.

(Photos by Kira Dillon)