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Also, it's worth pointing out that this was WW-freaking-II. The death of these children was tragic, obviously, but to point to one isolated incident to make a sweeping criticism of the entire US security policy during the war seems a bit -- well, it's precisely why it's a good thing the current US media mentality wasn't in place in the 1940's.

The law requires everyone to follow the speed limit and other traffic regulations, but in Suffolk County, exceptions should be made for cops and their families, police union officials say.

Police Benevolent Association president Jeff Frayler said Thursday it has been union policy to discourage Suffolk police officers from issuing tickets to fellow officers, regardless of where they work.

"Police officers have discretion whenever they stop anyone, but they should particularly extend that courtesy in the case of other police officers and their families," Frayler said in a brief telephone interview Thursday. "It is a professional courtesy."

Frayler's comments echo views expressed in the spring union newsletter, in which treasurer Bill Mauck exhorts "you don't summons another cop" and says that when officers decline to cite each other, "the emotion you feel should be that of joy."

Maurice Mitchell, a project coordinator with the Long Island Progressive Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group, said the PBA's position undermines taxpayer confidence in law enforcement.

Angie Carpenter, a Republican lawmaker from West Islip and chairwoman of the legislature's public safety committee, said she didn't have a problem with the PBA's policy because she believes it will be applied judiciously.

"It's the same way they would offer a professional courtesy to a doctor pulled over on the way to the hospital to deliver a baby," she said. "Besides, I can't imagine that if some police officer was to commit an egregious offense that they wouldn't be cited, regardless of who they are."

While this is outrageous in itself, it would seemingly put the lie to the notion that the purpose of such laws in for public safety, since it's no "safer" for a police officer's wife to speed than it is for anyone else. It's a tacit admission that it's all about revenue generation. . . . Remember this the next time you hear a lecture from a cop about how dangerous it is to exceed the speed limit.

A couple more SA'04 trip reports from attendees:
Michael Mealling blogged the conference almost live over at RocketForge
Alan Boyle at MSNBC's Cosmic Log writes about both the conference and whats yet to come this summer. In a followup post he also mentions an X-Prize team that has has made some significant progress while remaining under the media radar.
Rand Simberg at Transterrestrial Musings also has a short post on SA'04 first and then some significant insights into legislative aspects.

A couple more SA'04 trip reports from attendees:
Michael Mealling blogged the conference almost live over at RocketForge
Alan Boyle at MSNBC's Cosmic Log writes about both the conference and whats yet to come this summer. In a followup post he also mentions an X-Prize team that has has made some significant progress while remaining under the media radar.
Rand Simberg at Transterrestrial Musings also has a short post on SA'04 first and then some significant insights into legislative aspects.