Monday, January 31, 2011

What Constitutes Usury, and Why Is It Wrong?

Usury is the process by which an owner receives a constant sum of money or percentage of revenues from another person using their capital. Depending on the nature of the property that is loaned out, the name of the sum of money changes: interest (for money), rent (for land and buildings), profit (for means of production).

Usury is a claim to have a right to an indefinite stream of income from a finite amount of labor. The fundamental problem may not be so much the one act in itself, but rather the system that builds upon it– it is that system that allows for enormous power disparities and one class to abuse those. What happens is, a person can obtain a single plot of land, rent it out, use the rent money to buy another plot of land soon, rent that out, use the newly-doubled-income to buy more land and rent it out too, and expand the estate to the point where anyone nearby cannot own land and must labor under the landlord.

As the estate expands, the landlord continues abusing his power and increasing the domain of the power disparity. The landlord also maintains an authoritarian relationship with the tenants, insofar as he can increase the rent and they must labor harder to pay it. (Their only choice is to leave, but the costs of leaving almost always will outweigh the costs of submitting to the authoritarianism, and being free to leave is no justification for social authority.) As the landlord maintains a monopoly of ultimate power over the land, he can also enable statist programs and maintain statelike powers, all while he did not actually labor for the income from the rent. (The only labor he does is in the beginning while acquiring the land, but a finite amount of labor deserves a finite payment, not an indefinite flow of income.)

The landlord now is a central of wealth, and he is justified in using force to extract more from the laborers. (This would be the difference between this situation and an alternative where the tenant offers a one-time finite gift in exchange for use.) This also leads to the situation where the landlord now uses his power to make things his way– in a court case, he can easily bribe the judge and get away with it, or make the tenants serve as eyewitnesses to get the court to rule one way.)

A child born to a tenant would owe rent as he/she grows up on the estate, and the child's only other choice would be to leave, which resorts the whole situation to a very state-like one, the only possible difference being that the land was 'voluntarily' acquired. But libsocs do not believe the State can be justified if only it had acquired the land the 'right' way– rather, the State is wrong because power disparities are wrong and inherently violate liberty.

This situation demonstrates the scenario of renting, but the same law applies to profit and interest– allowing the privileged to abuse the power disparities to increase the domain of their power.

Alternatively, usury is predicated on the implicit belief that capital is in and of itself a productive force, and therefore the capital is somehow owed restitution which is then passed on to its owner in the form of interest/rent/profit. But money alone, land alone, or tools alone cannot produce anything, and they are only productive when they are being used by people. Therefore it is invalid to say that owners are owed usury, and since resources are limited, usury represents financial exploitation, which is morally wrong.

From: FAQ by Libsocs for “An”caps by Francois Tremblay and Noor Mehta

Leave Chile Right Now...

From the YouTube description:

Together with his good-old friend Agustin Edwards Eastman, Mr. Rockefeller takes a quick vacation almost every year in the south of Chile. Both are well known for working with the CIA during the 1973 coup against Salvador Allende and manipulating public opinion through a newspaper called "El Mercurio". Edwards is also known for being a descendant of (Chilean elitist) Agustín Edwards McClure, who served as President of the League of Nations from 1922-23.

From the David Rockefeller Wikipedia entry:

An early connection he developed in the 1950s was with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). As well as knowing Allen Dulles and his brother John Foster Dulles — who was an in-law of the family [18]- since his college years,[19] it was in Room 3603 in Rockefeller Center that Allen Dulles had set up his WWII operational center after Pearl Harbor, liaising closely with MI6 which also had their principal U.S. operation in the Center.[20] He also knew and associated with the former CIA director Richard Helms, as well as Archibald Roosevelt, Jr., a Chase Bank employee and former CIA agent, whose cousin was the CIA agent, Kermit Roosevelt, Jr., involved in the Iran coup of 1953.[21] Also, in 1953, he had befriended William Bundy, a pivotal CIA analyst for nine years in the 1950s, who became the Agency liaison to the National Security Council, and a subsequent lifelong friend.[22] Moreover, in Cary Reich's biography of his brother Nelson, a former CIA agent states that David was extensively briefed on covert intelligence operations by himself and other Agency division chiefs, under the direction of David's "friend and confidant", CIA Director Allen Dulles.[23]-David Rockefeller


Oil Crisis Looming?

Unrest in Egypt has not only political, but economic ramifications as well. Will 5 dollars a gallon gas prices be here sooner than later?

Foreclosing of America

Capitalists believe in property ownership based on the arbitrary whims of the ruling class and therefore must think the banksters are the real owners of homes about to be foreclosed. I want to see the end of the phony capitalist/bankster definition of property and the resulting poverty and exploitation of the working class, but according to pro-exploitation types (who have no imagination), it's my ideas that would make people homeless, not the existing system where homelessness is rampant.


24 Reasons Why Twitter Sucks!

It's a slide show...enjoy.


Chick-fil-A Anti-Gay?

Believe it or not, until a few weeks ago I'd never been to a Chick-fil-A. I tried once, but I made the mistake of attempting to go through the drive-thru on a Sunday. This was while I was on a road trip. I was really hungry too, so I had to settle for a Wendy's chicken sandwich. Chick-fil-A closes on Sunday cause that's the "Lord's day" (the founder is an evangelical Christian).

My first Chick-fil-A sandwich experience finally took place because they built one of their restaurants near where I work. It's not near enough to go on my crappy half-hour lunch break, but it is on the street around the corner from work, quite a ways down, but since I sometimes go that way on my way home, when I spotted it recently, on impulse I turned in and ordered. I saw the crazy prices, and spending about 5 dollars on one sandwich doesn't appeal to me, no matter how good the sandwich is...what do these places think, that I'm made outta money? But since I was already in the drive-thru line and was going to foolishly splurge anyway, I thought I would go ahead and get the "deluxe" chicken sandwich. Here's a description:

A boneless breast of chicken seasoned to perfection, hand-breaded, pressure cooked in 100% refined peanut oil and served on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips, Green Leaf lettuce, tomato and American cheese.

The plain old regular chicken sandwich is exactly the same, but without the Green Leaf lettuce, tomato and American cheese. You can see why I thought deluxe was the way to go, can't you? I bought my sandwich, and since I was driving, decided to enjoy it on the way. When I opened the bag, however, i was confronted with one of those little fast-food boxes instead of a simple wrapped sandwich. Why in God's name do they serve them that way? I can't eat it like that on the go! I stopped for gas and decided to eat my sandwich while I'm eyed suspiciously by the person behind me who is waiting for me to move on so they too can fill up with gas. I pulled the sandwich out of its box, and already I saw that it would be trouble. Too high with that lettuce and tomato on there. I bite into it as best I can and my mouth is flooded with flavor. Damn good sandwich, I say silently. But then disaster strikes! As I'm trying to keep all the elements together and prevent the lettuce and tomato from slipping out, a whole great big chuck of the delicious chicken fillet (two or three bites worth, at least) breaks away and falls to the floor of my car!

I haven't been back to Chick-fil-A since.


Anyway, now there's some gay controversy involving the chain:

Fans of the addictive sandwiches of Chick-fil-A who also support gay marriage are facing a dilemma: Should one follow the dictates of the stomach or the conscience?

The privately owned chain, famous for closing on Sundays in deference to its founder's evangelical Christian values, donates to many Christian causes, scholarships, and organizations through its charitable arm.

But when a Harrisburg, Penn.,restaurant donated sandwiches and brownies to a meeting of The Pennsylvania Family Group, a group that works to outlaw gay marriage, pro-gay marriage bloggers and gay rights organizations went on the offensive. The news quickly trickled into the mainstream. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton wrote about it, and so did the food blog Grub Street, with the headline "Chick-fil-A is anti-gay."-Popular chicken chain under fire for anti-gay marriage donations



Dan Cathy Statement from Chick-fil-A on Vimeo.



Forget about the gay stuff, Chick-fil-A, just serve your sandwiches wrapped in paper and you'll get plenty of business from me.

Joss Stone "piracy is great"

Most people are very much brainwashed...




via The Radical Libertarian





10 Popular Scientific Misconceptions

Question of the Day: Will Revolution Spread to North America?

Will we see food riots, civil unrest on an unprecedented scale, states seceding from the Union, massive inflation, a military coup in Washington, D.C., criminal senators and congressman hanging from ropes? There are many possibilities, some good and some not so good, but the collapse of the criminal Federal Government of the United States is inevitable...

What do you think?

Demand Al Jazeera English From Your Cable or Satellite Provider

Al Jazeera English's global footprint continues to grow, and the channel now broadcasts to more than 190 million households on 6 continents in more than 100 countries.

Al Jazeera English is broadcast from four strategic centers: Doha, Qatar; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; London, England and Washington, DC. Additionally, Al Jazeera Network maintains 69 bureaus across the world.

Unlike other international channels, the Al Jazeera English broadcast shifts as the world turns, providing the most comprehensive and contextual news coverage. Al Jazeera English’s mission is to provide independent, impartial news for a global audience and to offer a voice to a diversity of perspectives from under-reported regions.

Historically, the flow of information has run from North to South, from rich countries to poor. Al Jazeera English (AJE) aims to balance the information flow between the South and the North. The channel of reference for the Middle East and Africa, Al Jazeera English has unique access to some of the worlds most troubled and controversial locations.


I Want Al Jazeera English

Projects to Create a Government-less Internet

Klint Finley — who blogs at Technoccult, and writes regularly for ReadWriteWeb — has a great article over at ReadWriteWeb about creating a government-free Internet; the necessity of which is illuminated by recent events in Egypt, which include the government “shutting down the Internet.”

This happened in Egypt on Thursday Jan 27th; at 22:34 UTC the Egyptian Government effectively removed Egypt from the internet. Nearly all inbound and outbound connections to the web were shut down. The internet intelligence authority Renesys explains it here and confirms that “virtually all of Egypt’s Internet addresses are now unreachable, worldwide.” This has never happened before in the entire history of the internet, with a nation of this size. A block of this scale is completely unheard of, and Senator Joe Lieberman wants to be able to do the same thing in the US.

Yes this could happen here in the U.S., or in the UK, or in Australia, or anywhere else in the world.

Last year Senators Lieberman and Collins introduced a fairly far-reaching bill that would allow the US Government to shut down civilian access to the internet should a “Cybersecurity Emergency” arise, and keep it offline indefinitely. That version of the bill received some criticism though Lieberman continued to insist it was important.


Read the rest: 3 Projects to Create a Government-less Internet, and Why It’s Needed

The Beginning Of Systemic Failure




Collapse Network

Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

Is this what I have to look forward to...hang on, I've just noticed I've got to water my flowers, first though I have to go get my cup of tea. I have to make at least ten posts on SE today, I'm baffled I haven't been doing this everyday, because I'm so damn busy with blog posts running through my head that I know I'll finish, and I'm always so tired...

The Real Stupid

It's only Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann and others irrationally hated (as opposed to hated or disagreed with on rational grounds) by the phony left (I'm on the real left, and I'm even much farther to the left than pretend leftist Bret "Ginx" Alan) that get taken to task by the statist media for various supposed gaffes.

But when it's Chris "Thrill up my leg" Matthews or Chuck "Criminal Scumbag" Schumer...


Chris Matthews Says Panama Canal is in Egypt





Charles Schumer's Three Branches of Government


“They are getting wary because of the large debt we have, which we have to get down, but if they feel that people are willing to shut down the government, you could risk the credit markets really losing some confidence in the United States Treasury, and that could create a deeper recession than we had over the last several years — God forbid, even a depression. So I would urge my Republican colleagues, no matter how strongly they feel — you know, we have three branches of government. We have a House. We have a Senate. We have a president. And all three of us are going to have to come together and give some, but it is playing with fire to risk the shutting down of the government, just as it is playing with fire to risk not paying the debt ceiling.”- Chuck Schumer’s civics lesson: Omits judiciary as ‘branch of government’

The House and the Senate are the two parts of the national legislature, the United States Congress, making up together just one branch of those three branches, the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Egypt- Let Freedom Reign!

The Global Awakening vs. The Internet Kill Switch





Legislation granting the president internet-killing powers is to be re-introduced soon to a Senate committee, the proposal’s chief sponsor told Wired.com on Friday.

The resurgence of the so-called “kill switch” legislation came the same day Egyptians faced an internet blackout designed to counter massive demonstrations in that country.

The bill, which has bipartisan support, is being floated by Sen. Susan Collins, the Republican ranking member on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.- Internet ‘Kill Switch’ Legislation Back in Play

Blog of the Moment: Ken O'Keefe

I have for many years lived with the knowledge that we, the masses, the working class, the poor, the white, the black, the brown, the immigrants, the Christians, the Muslims, the atheists, the soldiers/ex-soldiers, the peaceniks, the communists, the anarchists, the students, the people, across the spectrum, we all have a common cause. And yet, we have so tragically allowed ourselves to be duped, to be pitted against each other, fighting each other, finding a million ways to divide ourselves, or simply to be indifferent to each other. In this the tyrant’s smile, they laugh and they joke, about how complete their control over us is. They have been laughing for far too long.-Rise People Rise – The Global Revolution is Upon Us!


He also has a post on the real reason for the attack by Israel on the U.S.S. Liberty in 1967, current plots to exploit the events going on in 2011 in Egypt:

On a clear sunny day in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Gaza, the American naval ship Liberty was carrying out its work as a spy ship. Its job was to listen in on the ongoing slaughter of the Arabs and all the chatter going on around it. On that morning a friend of mine, Phil Tourney, was on the Liberty and was one of the 300 or so crewmembers onboard. I am not going to get into details here because this article is an actually an attempt to expose a very possible future treachery. I use the Liberty incident purely as an example. But I would be remiss if I did not recommend Phil’s book, every red blooded American patriot should read it… and learn; “What I saw that day.”

On that fateful day Phil and many other crewmembers watched as low flying Israeli jet fighters flew overhead, and he himself actually waved to the pilots. Let there never be any doubt, the Israeli military was fully informed of the presence of the Liberty and Israeli pilots verified the ships presence by sight, America’s flag waving proudly in the Mediterranean breeze.

Not much later, that calm sunny day erupted into bloody hell.

...

Since you probably never heard much about the Liberty, you surely do not know about US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara ordering the recall of the fighter jets coming to the aid of the Liberty (after communications were patched up and a distress call was made). But know now, the American leadership then and know is rife with traitors. Eventually the torpedo boats left, thousand of rounds, rockets, torpedoes and napalm had turned the once proud Liberty into a burning hulk.

And then came the helicopters, just like the ones I saw on the Mavi Marmara when the Israeli’s carried out their most recent act of piracy and mass-murder. In 1967 it appears that last minute orders came to recall the Israeli commandos, who almost certainly were preparing to fast rope down, plant explosives, sink the ship.

Act of God, that is a very good way to explain how the Liberty stayed afloat, because had the plan been carried out as intended, the ship would have been sunk and 300 American sons would have been dead. Nobody was meant to survive and share what they saw that day, nobody. Why? Because the attack on the Liberty was a classic false flag attack...

Make no mistake, the Liberty was meant to be sunk and with everyone dead, and the plan was to blame Egypt. America would have then invaded and occupied Egypt in 1967…

The Liberty attack brought us very close indeed to a nuclear attack on Egypt, and very possibly a nuclear exchange with the then Soviet Union (Egypt’s primary backer at that time). We have come close to this self-induced Armageddon many times, and we will continue to tempt fate with self-destruction, unless of course we realize the truth, we have allowed our world to be run by psychopaths, and they have their fingers on the buttons of the nukes.



A cadre within the governments of Egypt, Israel and the United States, is seeking to exploit these events and expand Israel’s influence to the Nile and into Africa, this cadre is behind Egypt’s new Vice President, Omar Suleiman, Israel’s “man in Cairo.”

Suleiman, the current power in Egypt as Mubarak crumbles away, has been a longtime ally of Israel. Reports from intelligence sources in Europe and North Africa, sources with a good track record, tell of Israeli mobilization and troop movements toward the border of the Sinai.
- Revolutions & Manipulations


Ex-US Marine who renounced US citizenship at the US Embassy in Vancouver, Canada. on March 1, 2001. Now holding Irish, Hawaiian & Palestinian citizenship; but ultimate allegiance is given to all life and to planet Earth. A lawfully declared world citizen, meaning my ultimate allegiance is to my entire human family and to planet Earth.

I believe the world is what we make of it and that we have as a human duty the obligation of working to hand this world over to our children in a better state to that which we inherited it.



Ken O'Keefe




Ron Paul: True Fidelity to the Constitution

Question of the Day: Is Sarah Palin "Great Masturbation Material"?

You betcha!



Saturday, January 29, 2011

How Could A Voluntary Society Function?



Via LRC Blog

The Weapons of Oppression "Made in the USA"

Most of the time, mainstream news organizations are loathe to cover the arms trade. Sometimes, though, its consequences are impossible to ignore. This is one of those times. Anyone with internet access can see American weapons, provided to Hosni Mubarak’s deeply unpopular government, on the other side of what is widely viewed as a democratic uprising.


American weapons in Egypt

The Corporation - A Voluntaryist's Review

I'm no longer a "voluntaryist", so I don't necessarily agree with this...

Friday, January 28, 2011

More Psychological Control of Wage Slaves

Synthetic Hydrogen Fuel for $1.50 a Gallon?

The latest innovation is a synthetic hydrogen fuel from a British company which promises to produce it in mass for just $1.50 a gallon.

pp

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

That old Chinese fortune-cookie curse, "May you live in interesting times," is about to come true!

Gee, it's not just Gerald Celente saying these things...makes you think maybe he is onto something...


It started, of all places, in Tunisia, a land of sunny beaches and sleepy walled cities – the first stirrings of a revolutionary wave that, before it’s crested, may reach American shores.

...

Roubini – and nearly every libertarian economist of the "Austrian" school – has long warned about the coming financial crisis of the West, the first seismic tremors of which we have been experiencing here in America since November 2008. But this is just the beginning: in the short term, unfunded liabilities and the interest on the national debt will account for a whopping 60 percent of GDP, and it won’t be long before it’s 100 percent. When that day comes – or, perhaps, long before it – the worldwide economic meltdown will be paying us a rather unwelcome visit, with consequences that are likely to make Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and Greece look like romps in the park.


...

The nature of these populist revolts against authority will take on a different character according to where and when they occur, naturally enough: in Tunisia and Egypt, we see protests sparked by petty humiliations such as Mr. Bouazizi had to endure. In Greece and Great Britain, mass upsurges are the result of austerity budgets that cut ordinary people off at the knees while the banksters get bailed out. In America, we see the Tea Party rising against the tyranny of indebtedness and economic strangulation of the ordinary citizen – but this is just a prelude to the rising chorus of discontent and outright rebellion that will threaten American society in the years to come.



The revolutionary wave now sweeping the world will not exempt America, in spite of the myth of "American exceptionalism." We cannot and will not be excepted from the iron laws of economics, which mandate that you can’t consume more than you produce – no matter how many Federal Reserve notes (otherwise known as "money") you print.

The implications for US foreign policy are radical, and unsettling. While the decline and fall of the Roman Empire occurred over centuries of decay and degeneration, the process as it unfolds in America is likely to occur with what, in terms of human history, appears to be lightning speed. As our allies and satraps fall, one by one, across the Middle East and Europe, their fate prefigures our own.


The Revolutionary Wave

Cultural religious pollution

The era of criminal speech starts.

Gerald Celente on RT

Jack and the Juicer

I didn't mention this when I wrote my Jack LaLanne tribute. I didn't want to bring it up right after the man had just died, but the very next day my Jack LaLanne Power Juicer broke!

It looked just like this one:



Yep, that's my juicer (or was, it's in the garbage can outside, now). We've had it for a couple years, but it was in storage up at the old winter homestead (if I remember rightly) and had NEVER been used (bought it from the damn infomercial and put it away and forgot about it). Then just weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take a road trip and visit the old place. There, amongst the clutter, was a box that had never been opened. As I'm currently on one of my periodic health kicks, I took it back home with me and for the last couple of weeks have been buying enormous amounts of raw carrots and celery from Sam's Club and juicing them every week (hey, it's cheaper than buying carrot juice from the store). So, there I was, having just written and posted about the legendary Jack LaLanne, when my juicer stops dead right in the middle of a new formula I was trying out that had spinach added to it for extra Popeye power! (that exclamation point is not for the whole sentence, just for the Popeye power!).

At first I thought it was just another carrot jammed the wrong way down the hole, but no, there was nothing there. Thinking maybe I'd overheated it with my enthusiastic juicing, I unplugged and waited for a bit. When I returned for more POWER JUICING! however, it still wasn't working. I tore the thing apart and discover the thingamabob below the blade had broken. It had a huge split and was cracked beyond repair. Made out of plastic, naturally. Why don't they make a part like that out of metal?


I was so enjoying my regular juicing, but the juicer is now out of warranty. I would have written an angry letter to LaLanne himself, but he cheated me out of that pleasure by dying.


JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Question of the Day: Do You Buy Products From Infomercials?

It's late, you're tired, you're about to turn off the TV, but then you take one last channel surf and...Holy smokes! I can cook dry pasta in the microwave? And the hollow handles double as measuring devices and give me the right amount of spaghetti every time! Where's my credit card?

Well, do you buy stuff you see on those super long commercials? if so, what was the last thing you bought?


Obama to Push Gun Control

pp

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Food Prices Skyrocket!

Grocery prices increased at more than 50 percent the rate of inflation in 2010, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Food prices increased an average of 1.7 percent between November 2009 and November 2010, in comparison with a general inflation rate of only 1.1 percent. The greatest price increases were seen among meat, poultry, fish and eggs, which went up in cost by 5.8 percent. The price of sugar and sweets increased 1.2 percent, the price of fats and oils increased 3 percent and the price of dairy-based products increased 3.8 percent.

The only commodities to go up in price more than food were medical care and transportation.

"I noticed just this month that my grocery bill for the same old stuff -- cereal, eggs, milk, orange juice, peanut butter, bread -- spiked $25," said Sue Perry, deputy editor of "ShopSmart" magazine. "It was a bit of sticker shock."

...


Prices are only likely to keep rising. The Department of Agriculture has forecast a further 3 percent rise in food prices in 2011, but openly admits that the estimate is conservative.

"The USDA always plays it safe," said Wells Fargo agricultural economist Michael Swanson. Swanson predicted price increases of 4 percent, the highest since the 5.5 percent increases that led to riots worldwide in 2008.


Grocery prices skyrocket faster than official inflation

The Taco Bell Controversy

Come on people, it's fast food! You don't think you're actually eating authentic Mexican food when you woof down those "outside the bun" concoctions, do you?





Taco Bell: Of Course We Use Real Beef!




Just like the quality beef you buy in the supermarket and prepare in your home!

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

The BBC is cutting their comedy budget!


BBC Comedy Commissioner Cheryl Taylor told trade magazine Broadcast that it is expected that discussions will start over which shows to axe within the next fortnight.

...


Cheryl Taylor expressed frustration that she is already having to reject great scripts and performers because there aren't enough broadcast slots for comedy on TV, and predicted that the situation will soon get much worse.-BBC will have to axe some of its hit comedy shows



I've always dreamed of being Comedy Commissioner myself someday, but now, with this, even that dream has probably been shot down.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Explaining "Taxation is Theft" to the Statist Clown

Nikk Jakson vs Bret "Tax Clown" Alan...

Rabbis For and Against Glenn Beck Debate

Food Cart Vendors vs. "The Man"

Institute for Justice's Matt Miller launches challenge of El Paso's unconstitutional mobile vending prohibition that prevents food trucks from operating within 1000 feet of brick-and-mortar competition.



Should the city of El Paso, Texas, be allowed to turn itself into a No-Vending Zone in order to protect brick-and-mortar restaurants from competition?

That is the question to be answered by a major federal lawsuit filed today by the Institute for Justice—a national civil liberties law firm—and El Paso mobile food vendors. The attorneys and food vendors will be available for interviews immediately following today’s 10:30am news conference. The lawsuit launches the Institute’s National Street Vending Initiative, a nationwide litigation and activism effort to vindicate the right of street vendors to earn an honest living.

Practiced since ancient times, street vending is more popular than ever. The Economist magazine predicted that this year “some of the best food Americans eat may come from a food truck.” Vendors are the darlings of many food critics, and they even have their own reality show on the Food Network.

But El Paso, Texas, has recently made it illegal for mobile food vendors to operate within 1,000-feet of any restaurant, convenience store, or grocer. The city even prohibits vendors from parking to await customers, which forces vendors to constantly drive around town until a customer successfully flags them down--and then be on the move again as soon as the customer walks away.-El Paso Mobile Food Vendors File Major Federal Lawsuit Against City

Perspective #1

Olber-who?

I remember last Friday while watching Bill Maher (which I do every Friday at 10pm EST, right after a new Ricky Gervais Show, only on HBO; it’s not TV, it’s HBO…) that Bill asked guest Rachel Maddow about Keith Olberman being fired. I didn’t make much of it, because I don’t watch Olberman or Maddow or whatever channel they’re on.

But apparently, stuff happening on news channels is itself news these days, since we don’t have anything important going on… like two wars, rising poverty and bankruptcy, a shocking number of police officers killed in the line of duty since the start of the year, people like Julian Assange and Danny Manning held prisoner for exercising free speech by exposing government lies, a packed legislative agenda from a new congress… oh, and John Travolta has a new baby.

Personally, I chalked up the Olberman thing to being about as important as when Katie Couric was hired, which is to say that it warranted a big, gaping mouthed yawn. Yet conservatives cannot stop talking about it.

It’s funny, really, seeing the media shift so obviously towards conservatism during the Bush years (I question if it ever was “liberal,” or if reality simply proved conservatism wrong time and again). It started with a dutiful need to present both sides as equal, even though one side was stark-raving mad, and it has resulted in Fox News being the highest-rated “news” channel on cable. Every other network is jumping on board, thinking that Fox News is popular because it is conservative.

In actuality, Fox News is popular because it’s not news. People hate the news, so Fox News abandoned reporting it in favor of broadcasting a fluid and complete narrative, a sort of news-meets-soap-opera. Fox News is to news what professional wrestling is to wrestling.

A liberal news channel would perform just as well, if there was one. I have watched MSNBC, when someone told me how liberal it was. I laughed it off as being painfully centrist within a week, though I remember thinking Olberman was almost like a liberal Bill O’Reilly, if Bill had some civility, restraint, or a polysyllabic vocabulary.

As it turned out, Olberman is the highest rated anchor on MSNBC, or at least he was. And like Bill O’Reilly, he seems to have been an intolerable asshole. Unlike Fox News, however, MSNBC seems to be unwilling to put up with a personality like that for ratings or to further their narrative. I don’t know if this is because liberals are more willing to write someone off for being impolite, or if liberals are just prone to shooting themselves in the foot, or (as I suspect) MSNBC simply isn’t liberal.

At any rate, at least we can put to bed the bullshit claim of the conservative media machine that “main stream” means liberal. It stopped being liberal a long time ago (if it ever was), but I don’t think it could be any more obvious these days.

Whenever people tried to point this out in the past, Olberman was always the go-to response of conservatives, as if he was even in the same league as Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, or even Lew Rockwell or Alex Jones. Olberman was always an amateur compared to the professional likes of these propagandists, and that’s a fact the currently right-slanted media empires are going to have a hard time wrestling with now.

Ron Paul on CNN with Wolf Blitzer

Ron Paul and Racism





See, he's not a racist, he just publishes racists under his name. There's even a black guy saying so. That should be the end of that.

Ron "Pork Paul

Ron Paul Denies Evolutiuon

Don Imus: "Rachel Maddow Is A Gutless Coward"

Go Jesse!

Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura is set to wrestle with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through a lawsuit he filed on Monday, according to The Hals Report for January 25. After enduring enhanced screening last November at a Minnesota airport, Ventura claims the TSA full-body scan and pat-down violated his privacy rights.

The Star Tribune added that Ventura is asking a Minnesota federal judge to issue an injunction ordering officials to stop subjecting him to “warrantless and suspicionless” scans and body searches. His suit also names Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and TSA Administrator John Pistole as defendants.

Jesse Ventura Sues TSA and DHS Over Airport Screening Violations

Ron Paul: How Iraq Was Made Into An Enemy

Distracted Walking

First the big baloney requiring a new massive intrusion by government into our lives was "distracted driving", now, in the big government paradise of New York, another criminal parasite proposes new legislation to deal with "distracted walking". I want comments from all those who argued it is necessary to make laws against cell phone use in cars (using a cell phone while driving can actually make you safer, by the way) and that there would be no "slippery slope". Well, it's here, and you better watch what you do while walking and crossing the street, cause big brother wants to make sure you're safe, and he's willing to steal from you fine you to prove it.


New York Considering Fines for Distracted Pedestrians


pp

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

The Republican Party Loves Debt and Big Government

...at least their "leadership" does, but that shouldn't surprise anyone, considering how much national debt and growth of federal power the worthless GOP has given us the last few decades. With many of the new "tea party" members of the House now in office, however, there may be a little bit of a fight on a few things. Right now it's the debt ceiling, which, if not raised beyond it's current limit of $14.3 trillion would have “catastrophic economic consequences” according to scumbag bankster servant and tax cheat Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Of course, there is nothing "catastrophic" about piling trillions of dollars of additional debt onto the backs of the American people.


GOP leaders in the House have pressured the White House to agree to spending cuts in return for approving the debt increase. House Republican leaders are also considering holding a vote on a constitutional balanced-budget amendment in tandem with the debt-ceiling vote.-Republican Party unity cracks over raising $14.3 trillion debt ceiling

In other words, a meaningless vote that won't do anything on a balanced budget, and lip service to phony "spending cuts" in exchange for selling the people down the river. Now that's leadership! Head Crook of the House, Speaker John Boehner, says "deal with it":

. After the midterm elections, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told the incoming class of lawmakers that they would have to deal with the debt-ceiling vote “as adults.”

“Whether we like it or not, the federal government has obligations, and we have obligations on our part,” Boehner said.


Yes, obligations to the god of big government and the banksters, right Boehner? So, the new Republican representatives, representing at least a little change by their election, are being told that those who took their vote seriously and voted them into office to actually do something about out of control federal spending are childish. The criminal John Boehner wants them to grow up and be "adults". Gee, I thought adults didn't give in to instant gratification and spend like crazy, running up debt they can never pay off. I thought adults learn delayed gratification, save their money whenever possible and don't get themselves into trouble by putting off the inevitable just a little longer by borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. I thought that was what was childish and immature. But according to John Boehner, it's just the opposite.

There was a change of party control of the House of Representatives in the last election, but for some reason, the new bosses look a lot like the old ones.

On a side note, I have to mention this:

The RSC’s [Republican Study Committee] Full Faith and Credit Act would require the Treasury to pay principal and interest due on public debt before making any other payments. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

Democrats blasted the Republican proposal, saying it prioritizes paying foreign lenders before the American people.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said the proposal is a “very, very bad idea.”

“What they are saying is, ‘Pay the Chinese first,’ ” Conrad said.

Crook Conrad (hey, that has a nice ring to it) didn't seem to mind voting for all that spending that put us in debt to the Chinese in the first place, though.

Question of the Day: Do You Find William Shatner Inspiring?

Can Qwiki Compete with Google?

I have my doubts about Qwiki. Google is sometimes frustrating, often returning irrelevant pages that have nothing to do with what you're really searching for, but with a little effort, it usually comes through. I've looked into Qwiki, and can see myself using it once in a while, but...

pp
Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Investment Scheme

I have devised another profitable method of wealth creation through my never-ending search for ways to make money without actually doing anything (and believe me, I’ve been unemployed since July without taking a government hand-out… so I’m a bona fide expert).

Okay, here’s the deal (and it’s open to all of you):

You and I each put a $20 dollar bill into a box. Then, I sell you the box for $30 dollars. I net $10, and since the box has $40 dollars, you also net $10. We can repeat this over and over until we have enough money to pay our bills in February.

Who’s with me? I know there are some savvy people on SE, and this opportunity is too good to pass up.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Dennis Kucinich Ready To Fight Renewal Of Patriot Act!

Ron and Rand Paul: "Audit the Fed"

Congressman Ron Paul and his son, Senator Rand Paul, today introduced companion legislation in both chambers of the United States Congress to require a full and thorough audit of the Federal Reserve.

Ron and Rand Paul Introduce “Audit the Fed” Legislation in House and Senate

U.S. Unable to Connect Manning To Assange

U.S. military officials tell NBC News that investigators have been unable to make any direct connection between a jailed army private suspected with leaking secret documents and Julian Assange, founder of the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.

The officials say that while investigators have determined that Manning had allegedly unlawfully downloaded tens of thousands of documents onto his own computer and passed them to an unauthorized person, there is apparently no evidence he passed the files directly to Assange, or had any direct contact with the controversial WikiLeaks figure.-U.S. can't link accused Army private to Assange

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Question of the Day: What Did You Think of Obama's State of the Union?

I'm taking the easy way out today for our question. Yesterday Bret did some live blogging during the speech. But, what did you think of Obama and the Republican and Tea party responses?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Responses to the State of the Union





A Critique of Amy Chua's Views on Parenting

Mr. Stolyarov responds to Amy Chua's provocative Wall Street Journal article, "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior"

Unlike Ms. Chua, Mr. Stolyarov argues that parents should cultivate internal discipline, rather than impose external discipline. He analyzes and critiques Chua's view from the standpoints of individual liberty and empathy. He also argues that humiliation does not build character and that the possible paths toward high accomplishment are far broader than Ms. Chua seems to presume.

Supplemental reading: "Unstructured Leisure and Progress" by G. Stolyarov II


Live Blogging: State of the Union

I’ll be watching the speech on CNN, because they often have the best graphics at the bottom of the screen.

Ugh, John Boehner. I’m surprised he got through the intro without sobbing like a newborn.

Joe Biden… what can I say about the guy. He’s in a race with Rand Paul to see who has the worst solution to baldness.

This is the first update. After this, I will just keep addinave comments as they come to me.

My wife is complaining that Michelle Obama never wears pants since becoming the first lady.

Wolf Blitzer would be an amazing name for a Nazi Panzer division.

The pageantry of it all… they enter the capitol like boxers entering the ring. It’s a shame it isn’t actually as exciting as the sweet science, but it would be pretty messed up if we settled who would run the country by fisticuffs. Still, it would be funny to see Obama lay the smack down on the Tan Stallion, John “Leaky” Boehner.

I just finished my Bingo card, selected at near random. I’ll take a picture of it with what I’m drinking tonight (sorry Nikk, I forewent orange juice for Pepsi Throwback, made with real sugar).

I hate twitter, but I imagine this is a good time to have it. I bet I would just get a picture of a whale being lifted by birds if I tried to load the page tonight, though. Or maybe not, I won’t bother to find out. No need to get into it after it’s already jumped the shark.

Stop saying hello to everyone… we’re going to miss Tosh.0

Holy shit, he shaved! Things are looking up, people, some dude shaved his beard (three weeks ago… thanks for noticing… finally).

Ahh, the unelected life-termers in black. Justices… the ultimate oxymoron?

A Purple tie! That means he mixed blue and red! Oh the metaphors.

Damn, I should have had “Thank” on my bingo card.

Good start. “Way to kick my ass last November.” Solid.

He said pray! My offended atheist ears! AHHHHHH! IT BURNS!!!

But seriously though, don’t reform gun laws, just pray.

Debates? Fought Fiercely? Maybe on one side. Uh oh, he’s playing the rhetoric card… say it, I have rhetoric on my card.

Damnit, say bipartisanship!

So close.

The economy is growing… among the rich. It’s a wonderful time to be wealthy. Trust me.

Vague narrative for like 8 minutes, yawn.

Change can be painful… pain we can believe in.

Sure, China had the fastest computer… until they shipped it to the person who ordered it in America.

We do have the most patents, just look at the Snuggie. “Look, I turned a robe around, patent please!”

We are going to win the future… all your base are belong to us.

Hey, they mentioned us, he said “Internet.” Nice.

Facebook was just mentioned by the president. It’s officially dead.

Solar shingles… sounds like a skin condition.

Cars that run on sunlight and water??? Oh my god… it’s powered by rainbows, people!

Ending oil subsidies… glad I drive a fuel efficient car.

I missed that… did he say by 2035? How long is he staying in office?

Yeah, our kids are stupid and our self-esteem soars, but they just take after their parents.

He told me to turn the TV off… while watching him on TV, and he compared a science fair to the Super Bowl… maybe if he had said The Bachelor.

Race to the top… well why not, it certainly is an uphill climb.

I don’t have much snark when it comes to education. We need to dump boatloads more money than we do into it, and we certainly need to raise our expectations. I was a high achiever… me… seriously.

The furniture industry is dying? Did people stop sitting? Damn you, exercise movement.

Says my wife who is a college professor: “So stop cutting university funding so they freeze my salary.”

Immigration… boring wedge issue. Just invite them in, the more the merrier. How hard is that, just demand documentation and end quotas and waiting lists.

We got a D in transportation… well at least we don’t have to retake the class.

My wife just drank; high-speed rail.

Pat-down joke! Ha, it’s funny how we grope you idiots who want to move from point A to point B.

So, expect a bombing on a train in the next few years, since there’s no security and terrorists already ruined flying for us.

Oh my god, he reads my blog! He’s lowering our corporate tax, the highest in the world.

I think this is all talk… but wouldn’t it be nice?

My wife is muttering something about “Barackonomics.”

Yeah, getting businesses out of the business of all providing healthcare would be helpful.

It kills me that Republicans stay seated in opposition to preventing insurance companies from dropping sick people. How do these jackasses get elected?

Let’s fix what needs fixing indeed… could you be more vague, please, because I think some Republicans are still not on board.

We need to make tough decisions, but not if it would cut our military budget.

Painful cuts… I’m guessing paper, they’re “the worst.”

Wha-wha-what? Military budget cuts? Dost my ears deceive me?

Awkward pause after an awkward story.

Medical malpractice suits… yeah, that’s what the problem is, doctors being sued, not poor people declaring bankruptcy due to medical bills by the millions.

Good, fuck the rich. They can take care of themselves; they always do.

On CNN, they focused on Bernie Sanders while Obama talked about cutting tax breaks to the rich. And, like I called it on TC’s blog, Obama is going for a simplified tax code (after Republicans have routinely filled it with complexities which grant loopholes to the wealthy since Reagan).

We can’t win the future with a government of the past. This is so hilariously close to being brilliant.

Smoked salmon joke. That just about lox up the Jewish vote.

Consolidation of the federal government, nice. Here’s hoping. They should start by just dismantling the Office of Homeland Security.

I hate Boehner, but he’s less distracting than Nancy Pelosi’s jack-o-lantern face over Obama’s left shoulder (his left, of course, our right).

Oh right, we’re at war. I forget, when I’m not looking at our deficit.

Muslims are part of our American family. That's a shot at the Alabama Gov. who was like, “You aren’t my brother, you aren’t my sister” if you’re not Christian. Good, I wouldn’t want your genes, you inbred piece of Bama trash.

Foreign policy… more snoozefest. I’ll perk up if I hear “Palestine” or “Israel.”

Yeah, give it up for the men and women in uniform. You guys do the jobs no one with a conscience would ever do.

They’re black, white, Latino, Asian… we’ll take anyone who’s poor or patriotically misguided.

John Boehner swept his father’s bar… nepotism.

Boy, if you are playing the drinking game, you must have slurred speech by now. He is hitting all the classics on that list.

Working days at a time without sleep… this rescue made possible by meth.

My wife, “Whatever, you didn’t come from nothing, both of your parents had Ph.D’s.”

Oh no, my fucking atheist ears… get the god bless out of it… meh, I can’t even pretend to care.

Good speech everyone. I’ll be sticking around for the Republican rebuttal, though my wife put on Tosh.0, even though they replay it like 19 times during the following week.

Wow, Obama is signing autographs or something… or maybe they’re lobbyist checks. I dunno.

The President has left the building. Did they just say there’s a Republican response and a Tea Party response? What attention whores. How about a response from an actual liberal?

Paul Ryan… I hate him already. You can’t trust a white guy with two first names (just look at me).

Praying praying praying, god god god… conservatives make me vomit.

Healthcare entitlement? We’re not getting shit, bitch.

Healthcosts are going up because insurance companies were milking people just before the law went into effect. This fundamental failure to acknowledge what the healthcare bill does (and doesn’t) is mind-boggling.

The increase in our debt were largely due to the tax cuts that Republicans insisted upon, not to mention the wars started by Republicans (and which are inexplicably continued by Obama).

A Republican said safety net? Color me shocked.

It’s really creepy how the camera is very slowly zooming in. Oh my god… his eyes are so dreamy… are we going to kiss?

Well, that was unsurprising. Bathroom break… that Pepsi is running through me.

Okay, back in time for Michelle Bachman’s bat-shittery. I can’t wait. Tea Partiers are always a marvelous fountain of unending soundbytes. I wonder if maybe they would telecast a liberal movement… naw, not the conservative media.

The Tea Party show up late… why am I not surprised. I show up early for things, and I find that most people like me do as well, whereas these entitled jackass conservatives are usually the people who saunter in late, smelling of booze and axe body spray.

Man, this lady has charts.

Notice how the unemployment is decreasing…

That chart didn’t help your case, lady, because unemployment is decreasing despite the recession caused by conservative policy.

The world’s finest healthcare? Have you… even seen the numbers? Do you know what numbers are? Should I make a bar chart for you?

A healthcare policy from anywhere? I want what Massachusetts has.

You believe in exceptionalism in America? The creation of our country was a miracle? Who says we won’t see a miracle again? The Tea Party policy appears to be… it’s in the hands of God now.

She is so bad at trying to be charismatic. That was more awkward than some speeches I saw in student presentations… in middle school.

Fun times. I’m off to finish my popcorn, have a good night.

Altered State of the Union

Buzzword Bingo

The rules are simple. Make up a 5 by 5 grid on a piece of paper. Select 24 words from the list below or come up with your own. If you pick any of your own, you’re cheating if you try to use articles or prepositions (a, an, the, in, on, with, etc.). You’re also cheating if you try to use the intro to win early… like by putting “Mister,” “Speaker,” “My,” “Fellow” in a row with the center square… which brings me to the center square, a freebie: Americans.

If you get a bingo, be sure to post it in the comments. You know you want to win first... this is your chance to beat me. Oh yes, I am playing, and you better believe I will be playing to win.

So, here’s the list, and feel free to get creative:

Afghanistan
Banks
Benefits
Bipartisanship
Bonuses
Budget
Children
College
Combat
Complex
Deficit
Drilling
Economy
Education
Energy
Environment
Exports
Filibuster
Financial
Foreign
Freeze
Future
Global
Green
Healthcare
History
Hope
Immigration
Incentives
Infrastructure
Iraq
Jobs
Korea
Lobbyists
Mars
Michelle
Middle-class
Mortgage
Nation
Offshore
Oil
Overhaul
Overseas
Partisanship
Recovery
Reform
Regulation
Repeal
Rhetoric
Schools
Stimulate
TARP
Taxes
Tort
Trade
Transparency
Troops
Unemployment
Veto
Withdraw
Withdrew

Consumption Game

You can’t use the list from Buzzword Bingo, or you risk being admitted to a hospital with alcohol poisoning (or getting so stoned the remote control looks edible). You also might not want to use “every standing ovation” as a trigger, because there is usually over 25 per speech.

It will probably be best if you go with phrases, not words. So, without further delay, here’s the official list for the SE consumption game:

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
“Wall Street”
“Main Street”
Something about high-speed trains/rails
Mentioning a random person by name and describing their heart-breaking situation
Anything related to the seating arrangement
Mention of the state you live in (double)
Camera focusing on someone in audience mentioned by Obama

If you’re still too sober, there’s a bonus round that can be played while listening to the Republican response:

“Tax cuts”
“Tea Party”
“Repeal Obamacare”
“Entitlement programs”
Any mention of Socialism (triple if “Communism”)
Referencing the 2010 election as a “mandate”

Event Announcement

I’d like to formally invite anyone interested to join in the second Live Blogging event tonight, here on Skeptical Eye, during Obama’s State of the Union address. The first one was during the 2010 election. All throughout the speech, I’ll be making live updates to the post and responding to comments (don’t expect me to defend Obama, however… please remember, I didn’t vote for him).

I think it will be a good way to enjoy an otherwise boring and futile evening. I’ll begin blogging about a half hour before the speech, organizing drinking/smoking games (e.g. take a drink/toke every time you hear “bipartisan”). If you’re like me and you don’t drink or smoke, you can still participate in Buzzword Bingo, which I’ll have all ready to go well before the speech begins so you can get your card in order. Sure, there are no prizes, but it just might keep you from killing yourself while still allowing you to be an informed and responsible citizen.

Hope to see you guys tonight, beginning at 8:30 Eastern, 5:30 Pacific.

An Eggciting Way To Learn How To Take Better Photos!



via

John Stossel: Blackout in a Can

FDA nannies are at it again, restricting the options of American consumers. This time, alcoholic energy drinks are the victims. John Stossel discusses the matter with Nick Gillespie (Reason Magazine) and Rhonda Kallman (Moonshot).

Public Transportation Users SIX Times More Likely To Get Respiratory Infection

Even those who use it occasionally are 6 times more likely to get sick? Not for me. I've weak lungs (since childhood) and I just can't take the chance.

This is a another great reason to celebrate the American car culture and the freedom (and health and wellness) that it brings with it! To all you "environmentalists" who hate cars, I ain't gonna risk getting a terrible upper respiratory infection just to please you. I haven't been on public transportation in years (did you also know that if God exists, he hates public transportation, too?) and have no plans to start using it again. To hell with all those who would force their fascist transportation on everyone!

What to Eat for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

A sample meal plan from Jack LaLanne.

A Green Super Bowl Party?

If you have plans to host a Super Bowl party you may have to deal with trash talking between guests, but you don't have to deal with bags of trash from the party. Do Your Part by hosting a greener party, no matter what colors your team sports.

You'll probably be stocking up on most of your party supplies at the grocery store. If beer is on your list, consider trying a few varieties of organic or locally brewed beers. If you're having a large crowd, renting a keg is both more economical and less wasteful. A full size keg holds the equivalent of 165 12-ounce containers of beer and can be refilled and used over and over again.

For individually packaged beverages of all kinds, the greener choices are ones packaged in aluminum cans. Aluminum is the most valuable and cost effective material that we recycle. Plus aluminum can be recycled and back on the store shelves as new product in a matter of weeks. When serving water, the best choice is to provide a pitcher of ice water and reusable glasses for your guests. If bottled water is a must, buy bottles made with less plastic and make sure they get recycled.- Host A Green Super Bowl Party

First, I'm not even going to watch the damn game this year. Second, I prefer my beer in bottles, so go to hell. Third, water in a pitcher, with ice? I'm not making that much ice and I ain't buying any either, plus, that's too much trouble. Fourth, make sure the water bottles get recycled? Screw you! I never worry about recycling a damn thing!

Fifth, the Super Bowl sucks! I ain't falling for the hype anymore!

Question of the Day: What's Your Favorite "Reality" TV Show?

How real those shows are is open to some debate. My favorite currently is probably Pawn Stars on the History Channel, though I also like any of the several dozen (seems like it, anyway) shows Gordon Ramsay is in. What's yours and why do you love it so damn much, you lazy couch potato?


Here's a new one I may watch once, but I don't know know if will be worthy of my time after that.

Desert Car Kings


Monday, January 24, 2011

Is the left helping same sex marriage?

Is same sex marriage even an issue, sadly government makes it so by stepping into an area it thinks it needs to control.

We see and endless parade of the statist religionist right spewing drivel about the evils of gayness, but where is the left, supporting the statist position of course.

Marriage or the union of people in a serious committed relationship is a personal issue, the domain of consenting adults who decide to rise above a simple relationship of sex to one of partnership love and responsibility. A partnership recognized by most as more than just a string of romps in the hay.



The sad part of course is when the left wants to increase the original grab for power and tax income to officially “sanction” a partnership. The problem becomes in defining what a marriage is and just who has access to what benefits may be a part of that partnership.

Few outside of the far religious right would deny that a committed adult relationship should give the partners the rights of visitation, inheritance, medical, insurance contracts, and powers of attorney where appropriate. Even the attempt a defining a marriage cheapens the entire affair to a certificate stamped by some uninterested public servant. Getting government out of the quagmire would actually help, it would allow the social groups the freedom to define personal relationships as desired.

Problems arise when the immature and irrational left feels it necessary to let the issue fall into the hands of the religionists with rhetoric that cheapens the debate to an issue based on sex or sex acts.

Not too long ago I posted this. Change the world? Global, Local, or Personal?

Family or the personal definition of “a family" is one of the reasons I reject “legal” government recognized (and taxed) “marriage” (and “family”). Who you call or claim is your “significant other” is the personal business of the individual or individuals involved. I believe it requires two (or more) adult cognizant and willing (not under duress, coercion or force) and consenting (willing to accept the terms of the personal/social contract) human partners/participants.

For the silly and stupid wanting to point out the “human only” part, I do not recognize ownership of an animal as valid to replace consent. Until valid, provable, repeatable communication with any creature and humans is established this is not an option. Until communication and self-awareness along with the clear concept of freedom of refusal is established I consider any relationship invalid I use this same reason for the refusal to recognize pedophilia as a valid relationship.

Some of the juvenile left seems to want to equate marriage with sex acts and even the love of livestock falling into the hands of the irrational religionists. The idiots are not your friends, obviously the title of leftist is used as a cloak to cover idiocy and deflect criticism as if it is some shield of political correctness over the insanity.

The Push To Legalize Marijuana In Mexico

Jack LaLanne

"I can't die. It would ruin my image."-Jack LaLanne



Jack LaLanne has left us, after 96 years and decades of health and fitness advice and encouragement. He did some amazing things in his life, even into his golden years, and what an amazing and productive life he lived. I don't know if he'll be remembered beyond the memories of the generation that remembers his television show, The Jack LaLanne Show, which went national in 1959 and lasted a total of 34 years on the air, though he deserves to be. He certainly changed more lives and made more lives at least a little better by raising awareness of healthy living, than his much more famous or celebrated contemporaries.


Jack LaLanne is the one on the left



Within my lifetime, I recall people like LaLanne being referred to derisively as "health nuts". It's funny how the fringe ideas of one generation become the common wisdom of later generations. People today are much more conscious of the nutritional merits of things like whole grain products versus refined white flour, for instance, and even the major food companies, which produce so much processed junk food, cater to those with healthier eating habits.

The story goes that young Jack was a "sugarholic" and suffered various aliments, including headaches and depression. That was when he went to hear Paul Bragg, a pioneer in the field of nutrition, speak, and it changed young Jack's life. He gave up white flour and most sugar. He ate raw vegetables and exercised. And, in his early 20s, opened a club that had a gym, juice bar and health food store. This was in 1936. He would soon have dozens of such health clubs across the country.

LaLanne continued doing astonishing physical feats into his senior years, including swimming for over a mile while towing 70 row boats on his 70th birthday.


Many of you may only know of him from his recent infomercials promoting his juicing machine, the Power Juicer (which I own, by the way, and have been putting to good use making myself carrot/celery juice every week), but his influence was felt far beyond that limited commercial venture, and he is a great example of a life lived to its fullest, and with true happiness and purpose. He will be missed.


Afghans worth less than Americans?

Torture and Murder in US Prisons

New documents obtained by the ACLU show "unjustified homicide" of detainees and concerns about the condition of confinement in American prisons, CNN reported on Saturday.

Thousands of documents detailing the deaths of 190 detainees were released by the ACLU on Friday.

...

The documents reveal how four Iraqi detainees were executed by a group of US soldiers and then pushed into a Baghdad canal in 2007.

One of the investigating documents says a wounded detainee was killed by an unnamed sergeant, who walked into the room where the detainee was lying wounded and “assaulted him … then shot him twice thus killing him.”

The soldier then asked the other troopers present at the scene to lie about the incident.

...

No senior officials have been held accountable for the violations.


'Torture, homicide rife in US prisons'


h/t Strike The Root

Militarized Cops

An Interview with William Norman Grigg



Liberty in Eclipse

Pro Libertate


The Lew Rockwell Show

Silver prices could hit an incredible $120 in just three years


"Silver is currently priced in US dollars at $30 but could explode in price to $120 in just the next three years. That would be an incredible 300 percent gain on your investment," according to a report by thesilvershortage.com.

It quotes precious metals analyst Mark Thomas, who pointed out that silver has been outshining gold in the last 10 years. Thomas put forward some reasons that make an investment in silver very attractive.

Chief among his reasons is that a heavy central bank selling of silver for many years has kept the price artificially low, which made silver mining unprofitable. This has snowballed into a major silver supply crunch.

Gerald Celente on ABC Australia with Annie Gaffney

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Do Nothing Website

I really don't need a website to help me do nothing, I'm already an expert at it.


do nothing

Are You Ready For A Qwiki?

What's a Qwiki, you ask? This is Qwiki. It's a new search site that they call an "information experience".

Qwiki at TechCrunch Disrupt from Qwiki on Vimeo.



The first check he wrote to an entrepreneur turned him into a billionaire and a lead character in a Hollywood blockbuster.

Now Eduardo Saverin, the Facebook co-founder and onetime friend of Mark Zuckerberg who has shunned the spotlight for the last several years, is writing a much bigger check in hopes of planting a seed that will blossom into another Internet wonder.

On Thursday, Qwiki, a Silicon Valley start-up, announced that Mr. Saverin was the lead investor in an $8 million round of financing. The company, whose Web service responds to search queries with interactive multimedia presentations rather than links, recently received a top award at an Internet conference.- Facebook Co-Founder Backs Start-Up

Question of the Day: Have You Ever Eaten A Bug?

On purpose, that is...


"Tasty ... kind of nutty!" the 20-year-old assures her companions clutching an array of creepy crawly pastries at a seminar, which forecast that larvae and locusts will invade Western menus as the price of steak and chops skyrocket.

Van Tol and about 200 other tasters were guinea pigs for a group of Dutch scientists doing groundbreaking research into insects replacing animal meat as a healthier, more environmentally friendly source of protein.

"There will come a day when a Big Mac costs 120 euros ($163) and a Bug Mac 12 euros, when more people will eat insects than other meat," head researcher Arnold van Huis told a disbelieving audience at Wageningen University in the central Netherlands.

"The best way to start is to try it once," the entomologist insisted.-'Bug Mac' and lovely 'grub': food of the future

The War on Drugs is a War fought on American soil against American Citizens!

Alzheimer’s Game

One-by-one, the men and women are led to a computer room where they sit in front of a screen and play a new game designed to maintain and improve memory in people afflicted early- and middle-stage Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer's disease causes loss of memory and other cognitive functions, and, ultimately, death.

“You’re going to build a circle with three pieces, so which piece goes over here?” an instructor asks one patient. The woman, an elderly immigrant from Switzerland, begins using the computer to assemble the circle.

While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, Israeli researchers have developed a computer game that say can slow down the progress of the disease. It’s called Savyon, and Israel hopes to export it to treat Alzheimer’s patients around the world.

Computer game helps Alzheimer’s patients retain memory

“Starving the Beast,” a Conservative Catastrophe

When it comes to the US budget and rising deficit, there’s only one narrative that people talk about: conservatives/Republicans want to spend less and liberals/Democrats want to spend more. We hear repeatedly, time and time again, that Democrats are the reason we are currently 14 trillion dollars in debt.

However, our debt woes can be traced not to liberal Democrats or to government welfare programs, but to a little known and even less understood concept of Republican policy known colloquially as “starving the beast.”

The concept is this: the government, under Republicans, gives out enormous “tax cuts,” which largely go to the mega-wealthy. Besides widening the gap between the rich and the middle class (and damn near obliterating the latter completely), this creates a budget crisis which “starves” the government (aka, “the beast”) of its funds.

The idea is, by giving back billions of dollars in taxes, the government can’t spend it. In actual practice, however, the government just spends the money they don’t have and in the process, we as a nation incur the debt.

But why? Why would the government spend more money than it collects in taxes? Is this some irresponsible, liberal conspiracy? Quite the contrary, it’s “Reaganomics,” or what George H.W. Bush called “voodoo economics.”

It “works” quite simply. When a Republican is in power, they give huge tax cuts and incur debt while not cutting essential services. As an added bonus, the next president has to raise taxes. This works out great for Republicans when the next president is a Democrat, but didn’t work so well for the first Bush, who had to break his “read my lips” promise and raise taxes or risk being completely irresponsible. In order to do the right thing, you piss off the populace by “increasing taxes” (actually the same without the cuts) to pay for the taxes cuts of the previous administration.

Before Reagan, Republicans tended to run balanced or surplus budgets which paid for themselves. Republicans used to be the fiscally responsible party, but that mantle has been picked up by the Democrats. Clinton was the most recent president since Reagan to sign off on a surplus budget, and thanks to the enormous debt and astronomical interest payments on said debt, he may be the last.

So why do Republicans get away with calling themselves “fiscally conservative?” Because Americans are too dumb to know better. We are not in debt because of irresponsibility, for the responsibility lies quite plainly in the deliberate actions of a particular party whch seeks to concentrate all power into the hands of the nobility.
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