Sunday, September 30, 2012
The Cops Are The Bad Guys...a continuing series
Poor "serving and protectin'" the people police man got kicked in the nose...HANDCUFF AND ARREST THE LITTLE BASTARD!
9 Year Old Autistic Child Arrested for “Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer”
Should Mushrooms Be Cooked?
Apparently, almost always, yes...
On Eating Raw Mushrooms
The mycochitin composition of mushroom cell walls, as opposed to cellulose walls of plant cells, is difficult for humans to digest. Our stomachs resent indigestible items, and often forcibly reject them without further ado. The cooking process helps break down fungal cell walls, rendering mushroom flesh not only more readily digestible, but also releasing significant nutritional value contained within the cells. Further, many mushrooms considered edible contain irritating or toxic components readily destroyed or eliminated by cooking. Therefore, common and valid mycophagal wisdom dictates that all edible mushrooms should be cooked prior to consumption.
Weekend Reflections: What's The Point of a Penguin?
Aporkalypse Now (or Later)
There is a lot in the story I have to take issue with, including the notion that we'd all be healthier eating more corn and soy (most of it GMO anyway) instead of feeding it to the pigs...and then eating the pigs. I do like the hero pig in the article, though.
Preparing for 'aporkalypse': Let Babe live
Pig rescues baby goat
Another question the article brings up, are pigs too intelligent to eat (supposedly they're smarter than dogs)? What do you think? ready to give up bacon and pork chops & applesauce (I've heard apples are smarter than pet rocks)?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Dear Mr. Skeptical (episode 25)
Dear Mr. Skeptical I have an important question related to germs...Should I use Germ X? signed AfraidDear A. Fraid, NO! ABSOLUTELY DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE GERM X! X, AS WE ALL KNOW, STANDS FOR UNKNOWN, AND UNLEASHING AN UNKNOWN GERM ON THE WORLD COULD HAVE CONSEQUENCES OF WHICH WE CANNOT BEGIN TO FATHOM.
Dear Mr. "Skeptical" You are not as clever as you think you are! signed In the KnowDear Dr. Know, Word has it that you're an expert in genealogy. Yes, you've caught me with my pants down. I thought I was related to the Clever clan out of Ireland, but it turns out I'm really related to the O'Clevers, which is a completely separate family tree.
Dear Mr. Skeptical man, Is there a place online I can find videos about bathroom remodeling signed My Bathroom SucksDear Bathroom, If it sucks, I don't know why you have a problem, however, I'm always here to offer whatever advice and assistance I can provide. The best place to find such informational videos is surly YouTub.
The Real Fiscal Cliff: How to Spot the Ledge
What is the goal of quantitative easing? The goal of it is to get Americans to spend more money, borrow more money and spend it. Well, that was the problem. We borrowed all this money, we're broke, and now we have a recession because we have to rebuild our savings, we need savings so we can have capital investment so we can produce things, so we can create productive jobs. We have to transition the economy, but QE was designed to prevent that process from happening.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Kevin Carson: Capitalism Without Capitalists?
The following article was written by Kevin Carson and published on the Mutualist Blog: Free Market Anti-Capitalism, March 11th, 2005.
Bill, over at Reasons to be Impossible, has an interesting response to my Contract Feudalism post.
The gist of it is that the forces of market competition under mutualism would lead to worker-owned firms engaging in behavior much like that of present-day capitalist firms: a drive to accumulate, accumulate, accumulate! In other words,
As for the former, it’s obvious that some economic rents would still accrue from superior production sites or innate skills, even without the artificial scarcities created by the state’s enforcement of privileges like absentee landlordism and the money monopoly. But in my opinion, permanent producer surpluses resulting from superior location, fertility, skill, etc., are considerably smaller in scale than the monopoly returns from artificial, state-enforced scarcity.
Another problem, he suggests, would be that higher than average profits from the introduction of new production methods, superior skill and productivity, etc., would be reinvested, and that production would become concentrated in the hands of such firms. And generally more efficient firms, likewise, would expand and take business from the less efficient, and market power would be concentrated in the hands of the winners. Firms would be driven to cut costs and increase the productivity of labor, with the work forces of even producers’ co-ops sweating themselves to accumulate and compete.
I think Bill underestimates the amount of such pathological behavior that results, not from the market as such, but from the distorted markets that exist under state capitalism.
According to neo-Marxist analyses of late capitalism, like those of Paul Mattick and James O’Connor (as I understand them at any rate), one of the major motive forces for continuing accumulation is the need for new investment to counteract the falling direct rate of profit–itself a result of previous over-accumulation. But since there would be no equilibrium rate of profit on capital under mutualism in the first place, there would be no falling rate of profit to worry about. And there would likewise be no rates of profit to be equalized between industries, as described by Marx in volume 3 of Capital. “Capital” would simply be a cost to be amortized, with workers paying themselves back for their investment of their own past labor. On the other hand, the problem of over-accumulation is primarily a result of the state’s subsidies to accumulation and its cartelization of the economy. The state encourages the over-building of industry to the point that it cannot dispose of its full product at market prices, let alone the cartel price established by oligopoly firms. So that’s another imperative that wouldn’t exist in a mutualist free market.
Bill also underestimates the different competitive dynamic that would result from a radically decentralized market. We are currently at one extreme of the pole: a centralized economy with production for large, anonymous commodity markets; and with it a boom-bust cycle that results from the informational problem of targeting production to demand. A mutualist free market would be much closer to the other pole: a decentralized market of production for local use, in which consumers and producers likely know each other, and firms have ongoing business relationships over time.
Specialists in economy of scale like Walter Adams and Barry Stein have demonstrated that maximum efficiency for most consumer goods is reached at a relatively low level of output: without government subsidies to the ineffiiciency costs of large-scale production, most of what we consume could be produced most efficiently by a factory of at most a few dozen workers producing for a local market area of a few thousands or tens of thousands.
In such a local market, demand and supply are likely to be more stable and predictable over time, and market relations between competing producers are likely to exist within an organic social context, regulated by customary norms: much closer, in social spirit, to the artisan production of past ages than to the anonymous production for large-scale wholesale markets we have today. I expect that competitive pressure in such an environment would be much less dog-eat-dog, and the pace of innovation would be much more relaxed.
Finally, I think Bill neglects several important limiting factors on the ability of “winner” firms to translate their gains into continued growth. First: the initial profits from introducing a new production method will quickly dwindle to zero, if there is no barrier to market entry and free competition. In the case of introducing new production technology, or superior products, firms operating within the margin will certainly derive temporary producer surpluses from it–until the innovations are adopted industry-wide. Under mutualism, though, there will be no patents with which to cartelize ownership of new forms of technology, and derive ongoing monopoly returns from them. The equilibrium rate of profit will still be zero.
Second: as we already mentioned, advantages in economy of scale from increasing firm size reach a saturation point at relatively low levels–so there’s only so much a “winning” firm can expand before it becomes counterproductive.
Third: the inability to draw monopoly returns on land and capital, and to compound them annually, likewise puts a severe limit on the potential of firms to expand. If holdings of land and capital cannot “grow,” accumulating a great deal of capital in any one place becomes much more difficult.
Without the ability to draw monopoly returns on capital, that’s one less incentive to accumulate for the sake of accumulation. A workers’ co-op may make capital investments to be competitive with other firms, or to shorten their work hours. True, the initial gains to the individual firm, in cheaper product or shorter work hours, will disappear under competition. But if there’s no class of capitalists that can draw absentee returns from the ownership of capital, then all productivity gains from capital accumulation will go either to the worker or to the consumer.
If there are productivity gains from accumulation, somebody must benefit, because either total output will increase or total work hours will decline. If there are no capitalists pocketing the productivity gains for themselves, then the gains must go somewhere else. Either the average income for labor as a whole will increase over time, or the average work-week will decrease, or both, as the gains from productivity are distributed throughout society. The evils of the present system result from the absentee ownership of capital and land, so that labor does not fully internalize all the rewards of increased productivity.
via http://c4ss.org/content/13018 under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Bill, over at Reasons to be Impossible, has an interesting response to my Contract Feudalism post.
The gist of it is that the forces of market competition under mutualism would lead to worker-owned firms engaging in behavior much like that of present-day capitalist firms: a drive to accumulate, accumulate, accumulate! In other words,
you can have a capitalism without
capitalists. You can have all the profit seeking behaviours, without the
personal gains for any real sensuous human being.
One thing Bill mentions is economic rents from superior location,
access to superior services, etc. Regarding the latter, it’s important
to remember that a great deal of existing economic rent is an
externality resulting from the state’s subsidies to the operating costs
of business. In a society where all public services were operated on the
mutualist cost principle, and the cost of providing services was
reflected in price, there would be no such externalities.As for the former, it’s obvious that some economic rents would still accrue from superior production sites or innate skills, even without the artificial scarcities created by the state’s enforcement of privileges like absentee landlordism and the money monopoly. But in my opinion, permanent producer surpluses resulting from superior location, fertility, skill, etc., are considerably smaller in scale than the monopoly returns from artificial, state-enforced scarcity.
Another problem, he suggests, would be that higher than average profits from the introduction of new production methods, superior skill and productivity, etc., would be reinvested, and that production would become concentrated in the hands of such firms. And generally more efficient firms, likewise, would expand and take business from the less efficient, and market power would be concentrated in the hands of the winners. Firms would be driven to cut costs and increase the productivity of labor, with the work forces of even producers’ co-ops sweating themselves to accumulate and compete.
I think Bill underestimates the amount of such pathological behavior that results, not from the market as such, but from the distorted markets that exist under state capitalism.
According to neo-Marxist analyses of late capitalism, like those of Paul Mattick and James O’Connor (as I understand them at any rate), one of the major motive forces for continuing accumulation is the need for new investment to counteract the falling direct rate of profit–itself a result of previous over-accumulation. But since there would be no equilibrium rate of profit on capital under mutualism in the first place, there would be no falling rate of profit to worry about. And there would likewise be no rates of profit to be equalized between industries, as described by Marx in volume 3 of Capital. “Capital” would simply be a cost to be amortized, with workers paying themselves back for their investment of their own past labor. On the other hand, the problem of over-accumulation is primarily a result of the state’s subsidies to accumulation and its cartelization of the economy. The state encourages the over-building of industry to the point that it cannot dispose of its full product at market prices, let alone the cartel price established by oligopoly firms. So that’s another imperative that wouldn’t exist in a mutualist free market.
Bill also underestimates the different competitive dynamic that would result from a radically decentralized market. We are currently at one extreme of the pole: a centralized economy with production for large, anonymous commodity markets; and with it a boom-bust cycle that results from the informational problem of targeting production to demand. A mutualist free market would be much closer to the other pole: a decentralized market of production for local use, in which consumers and producers likely know each other, and firms have ongoing business relationships over time.
Specialists in economy of scale like Walter Adams and Barry Stein have demonstrated that maximum efficiency for most consumer goods is reached at a relatively low level of output: without government subsidies to the ineffiiciency costs of large-scale production, most of what we consume could be produced most efficiently by a factory of at most a few dozen workers producing for a local market area of a few thousands or tens of thousands.
In such a local market, demand and supply are likely to be more stable and predictable over time, and market relations between competing producers are likely to exist within an organic social context, regulated by customary norms: much closer, in social spirit, to the artisan production of past ages than to the anonymous production for large-scale wholesale markets we have today. I expect that competitive pressure in such an environment would be much less dog-eat-dog, and the pace of innovation would be much more relaxed.
Finally, I think Bill neglects several important limiting factors on the ability of “winner” firms to translate their gains into continued growth. First: the initial profits from introducing a new production method will quickly dwindle to zero, if there is no barrier to market entry and free competition. In the case of introducing new production technology, or superior products, firms operating within the margin will certainly derive temporary producer surpluses from it–until the innovations are adopted industry-wide. Under mutualism, though, there will be no patents with which to cartelize ownership of new forms of technology, and derive ongoing monopoly returns from them. The equilibrium rate of profit will still be zero.
Second: as we already mentioned, advantages in economy of scale from increasing firm size reach a saturation point at relatively low levels–so there’s only so much a “winning” firm can expand before it becomes counterproductive.
Third: the inability to draw monopoly returns on land and capital, and to compound them annually, likewise puts a severe limit on the potential of firms to expand. If holdings of land and capital cannot “grow,” accumulating a great deal of capital in any one place becomes much more difficult.
Without the ability to draw monopoly returns on capital, that’s one less incentive to accumulate for the sake of accumulation. A workers’ co-op may make capital investments to be competitive with other firms, or to shorten their work hours. True, the initial gains to the individual firm, in cheaper product or shorter work hours, will disappear under competition. But if there’s no class of capitalists that can draw absentee returns from the ownership of capital, then all productivity gains from capital accumulation will go either to the worker or to the consumer.
If there are productivity gains from accumulation, somebody must benefit, because either total output will increase or total work hours will decline. If there are no capitalists pocketing the productivity gains for themselves, then the gains must go somewhere else. Either the average income for labor as a whole will increase over time, or the average work-week will decrease, or both, as the gains from productivity are distributed throughout society. The evils of the present system result from the absentee ownership of capital and land, so that labor does not fully internalize all the rewards of increased productivity.
via http://c4ss.org/content/13018 under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Questions for the 2012 Presidential Debates Which Won’t Be Asked
Questions not to be asked of the Presidential nominees:
- Would you kill a 16-year-old boy with a drone strike if the CIA considered him a potential threat and possible future terrorist due to his familial relations?
- What classifies an American citizen as a terrorist?
- You have received numerous donations from various international banking and investment companies. Do they have more influence on your decision making than the average American citizen?
- Should Kim Dotcom be allowed to set up a new Megaupload website?
- Recently, French scientists discovered that GMO corn causes cancer in rats. Should further studies be conducted and should the Monsanto Corporation be investigated?
- Al-Qaeda has been shown to be behind the rebellion in the various Northern African and Middle Eastern countries. Should the rebels continue to be supported?
- The United States’ national debt is now around 16 trillion. Do you have a plan to pay this off along with serious mathematical models to back up your claims?
- Recently, the Bilderberg group met in Chantilly, Virginia. What was your role in attending or sending one of your officials to attend? What did you all agree on at that meeting?
- If Israel were to attack Turkey, a NATO ally, would the United States remain neutral or come to the aid of its longtime ally Turkey?
- Do you agree with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s decision to proceed with indefinite quantitative easing?
- In August of 2012, Brandon Raub was committed to a mental institution for posting inflammatory comments on his private Facebook page. Were the Federal, State, and Local police force correct to do this?
- Do you support the Department of Homeland Security providing grants to local towns in order to purchase law-enforcement tanks and other assorted armored vehicles?
- Do you support the continued use of the Transportation Security Agency to perform pat downs?
- Given that the full body scanning machines has been shown to cause cancer in people, do you support their continued usage?
- Given that the full body scanning machines have been show to not keep people from getting metallic objects and bombs on airplanes, do you support their continued usage?
- Should the United States continue with all of its foreign aid programs?
- Should the FBI and various other Federal law enforcement agencies be allowed to continue its policies of entrapment in order to ensnare potential criminals?
- Should the House of Representatives be increased to its Constitutional size of 1 House member per 30,000 people?
- Is the Federal Reserve a private organization or a public organization? If it is public, should they then be audited? If it is private, should they be shut down as only Congress can print and coin money under the Constitution?
- Can you explain how the Gross Domestic Product is calculated?
- Can you explain how the Consumer Price Index is calculated?
- Can you explain how the unemployment rate is calculated?
- Given that Federal defense spending, national debt interest, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security all constitute over two-thirds of the budgetary needs, which of these would you cut in order to reach a balanced budget?
- What is the President’s role in resolving the abortion debate?
- What is your stance on State Nullification?
- If your wife asks you if she is getting fat, what is your response? (yes, this one is important)
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Come Back, Megaupload
January this year the U.S. Government destroyed Megaupload, but
founder Kim Dotcom is a not done with the file-hosting business yet and
is preparing to come back with a vengeance. The coding work for the new
Megaupload is nearly finished, the servers have been ordered, and
investors are lining up. A return of the file-hosting site appears to
be looming.
With 50 million visitors per day at its peak, Megaupload was one of the largest websites on the Internet.
This quickly changed January this year when the U.S. Government took down the file-hosting service and had several key employees arrested including founder Kim Dotcom.
Abruptly, the focus of Megaupload’s team shifted from serving customers to defending itself in a high-profile criminal prosecution. While the criminal case is moving ahead very slowly, Megaupload’s founder does have some progress to report on another front.
Dotcom previously announced that he planned to bring Megaupload back to life, and new information suggests that this may happen rather quickly. In an update this weekend he tweets that most of the work on the second incarnation of the site is already done.
“Quick update on the new Mega: Code 90% done. Servers on the way. Lawyers, partners and investors are ready,” Dotcom teases.
“Be patient it’s coming,” he adds.
From the brief progress update it’s clear that the site is on schedule for launch later this year. In addition, it’s interesting to note that despite the ongoing criminal case, partners and investors are happy to be involved.
In recent weeks Dotcom has delivered several hints about the new Megaupload, which he says will be bigger and better than the file-hosting service that was taken down.
“We are building a massive global network. All non-US hosters will be able to connect servers & bandwidth,” he explained earlier.
According to Dotcom we can expect a Megaupload with an even greater range of applications than just file-sharing. While developers of file managers are being encouraged to get in touch for early API access, Dotcom is also calling out to those involved in email and fax tools, VOIP and video apps.
It’s clear that Dotcom doesn’t have the slightest urge to throw in the towel.
“They abused the wrong guy. I am going to turn this world upside down. Power to the people. Bye bye Echelon. Hello Freedom,” Dotcom added.
It will be at least a few more weeks before the new Megaupload appears online, but there are exciting times ahead. MEGA exciting.
http://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-readies-for-comeback-code-90-done-120923/ reposted under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
With 50 million visitors per day at its peak, Megaupload was one of the largest websites on the Internet. This quickly changed January this year when the U.S. Government took down the file-hosting service and had several key employees arrested including founder Kim Dotcom.
Abruptly, the focus of Megaupload’s team shifted from serving customers to defending itself in a high-profile criminal prosecution. While the criminal case is moving ahead very slowly, Megaupload’s founder does have some progress to report on another front.
Dotcom previously announced that he planned to bring Megaupload back to life, and new information suggests that this may happen rather quickly. In an update this weekend he tweets that most of the work on the second incarnation of the site is already done.
“Quick update on the new Mega: Code 90% done. Servers on the way. Lawyers, partners and investors are ready,” Dotcom teases.
“Be patient it’s coming,” he adds.
From the brief progress update it’s clear that the site is on schedule for launch later this year. In addition, it’s interesting to note that despite the ongoing criminal case, partners and investors are happy to be involved.
In recent weeks Dotcom has delivered several hints about the new Megaupload, which he says will be bigger and better than the file-hosting service that was taken down.
“We are building a massive global network. All non-US hosters will be able to connect servers & bandwidth,” he explained earlier.
According to Dotcom we can expect a Megaupload with an even greater range of applications than just file-sharing. While developers of file managers are being encouraged to get in touch for early API access, Dotcom is also calling out to those involved in email and fax tools, VOIP and video apps.
It’s clear that Dotcom doesn’t have the slightest urge to throw in the towel.
“They abused the wrong guy. I am going to turn this world upside down. Power to the people. Bye bye Echelon. Hello Freedom,” Dotcom added.
It will be at least a few more weeks before the new Megaupload appears online, but there are exciting times ahead. MEGA exciting.
http://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-readies-for-comeback-code-90-done-120923/ reposted under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
This Always ENDS the Same Way: Zimbabwe, Argentina... AmeriKa
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Is Monsanto Evil?
"Rats fed a lifetime diet of Monsanto's genetically modified corn or exposed to its top-selling weedkiller Roundup suffered tumors and multiple organ damage, according to a French study published on Wednesday"
Monsanto Corn Study In France Finds Tumors And Organ Damage In Rats
The World According To Monsanto
Markets Not Capitalism Audiobook
My Love
Blowing like a little spider
in the wind
and without direction
he waited.
The music wasn't good
but it was music
and it stood
in the corner
and behaved.
He waited so long to hear
those sweet words
again.
He bounced around
from hope to hope
and yet
he still waited.
Waited and waited
hoping to hear
those sweet sweet words
once more.
"My love".
in the wind
and without direction
he waited.
The music wasn't good
but it was music
and it stood
in the corner
and behaved.
He waited so long to hear
those sweet words
again.
He bounced around
from hope to hope
and yet
he still waited.
Waited and waited
hoping to hear
those sweet sweet words
once more.
"My love".
Libertarian Mom Takes On Two Party System
Betsy is running for US Congress for these reasons: to reduce the size and scope of the Government, to restore the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, to reduce federal spending by 50%, to end the wars (including the absurd “war on drugs”) and to expose the ponzi scheme which is our Keynesian economy. Her positions are very clear, with individual liberty as the source. Her goal is to magnify the growing Liberty movement – the one that champions individual freedom, personal responsibility, and small government – all under the umbrella of non-aggression. Let your neighbor be, and just be.-http://votebetsy.com/via The Victory Report VoteBetsy.com
Jason Lee Byas: Romney, Obama and the Real Entitlement Class
Mitt Romney has come under fire for comments he made at a fundraiser last spring that recently surfaced on the internet. They express his fear that a major roadblock for his campaign will be the poorest 47% of Americans, whom he states “believe that they are entitled” and will “vote for the President no matter what,” because Romney will “never convince them to take personal responsibility for their own lives.”
Romney is certainly right that there exists an entitlement class with strong political power, but he’s wrong about who it is. Also, while Obama doesn’t have anything to fear from the real one, neither does Romney.
In the 2008 financial collapse, many of those 47% that Romney spoke of lost their jobs. There was a social safety net for them to fall back on, but it was nothing compared to the $700 billion that large banks received in bailouts or the $25 billion that went to the auto industry.
Large banks and auto manufacturers are far from the only members of this entitlement class of government dependents, however. An exhaustive list would span several volumes, but two of the most notable members are big pharmaceutical companies and what President Eisenhower referred to as “the Military-Industrial Complex.”
Romney would likely respond as he did in a 2008 Republican primary debate, telling us not to “turn the pharmaceutical companies into the bad guys,” given the crucial service they provide. Indeed, that modern medicine is able to save the lives of countless people every day is a miracle. It would just be nice if large pharmaceutical companies didn’t try to prevent that.
A very basic lesson of economics is that competition leads to lower prices, whereas monopolies are able to extract higher prices at the expense of consumers. Through drug patents, pharmaceutical companies depend on government to maintain monopolies over specific products. This protection from competition is further bolstered by the FDA, which is regularly dominated by the leaders of the very industries it’s supposed to regulate. Inevitably, the costs of regulation are easily absorbed by larger companies, who benefit from driving potential competitors out of the market.
It’s not just that pharmaceutical companies feel entitled to use the government to sell at prices much higher than they could ever hope to in a freed market. They also do so literally at the expense of many people’s lives.
Another industry steeped in government dependency and profit from death is defense contracting. Every dollar spent on a bomb, tank or predator drone goes in someone’s pockets. As you might expect, the market for civilian tanks isn’t especially profitable. Large weapons contractors and mercenaries (like the ones currently occupying Iraq) are completely dependent on government in a way that even the other industries mentioned are not: For the very existence of a demand for their product.
Let’s reflect on what it really means to feel “entitled.” Remember that when opponents of the bailouts voiced disagreement, they were quickly shut down by claims that certain financial institutions were “too big to fail.” In other words, when they take risks and make mistakes, paying for those mistakes themselves is unthinkable. Holders of patents view their monopoly status as a fundamental right, equating competition to theft. No matter how large the deficit looms, we are told that cuts to military spending must be completely off the table.
Take a second and ask yourself who has more of an “entitlement” mentality: These industries, or people who accept food stamps because it’s preferable to starving?
Whether or not Romney or Obama would have any success in trying to convince the real entitlement class “to take personal responsibility for their own lives,” neither seems to have any interest in doing so. Both support the bank bailouts, continued war, and the patent system.
That’s because while the groups I’ve mentioned are dependent on government, those wanting to fill the seats of government are in turn dependent on them. This can be seen from even a moment’s glance at each candidate’s list of top donors.
One conclusion that might be made from this is the need to reform the system and “get the money out of politics.” However well intentioned, this response is mistaken.
The very existence of a centralized power structure incentivizes using it to concentrate benefits and disperse costs. A market free from a wealthy entitlement class can only come from one completely free from government.
Taxes and Civil Disobedience
If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood. That is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution. When the subject has refused allegiance, and the officer has resigned his office, then the revolution is accomplished.
--Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
--Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
Fiona Apple Marijuana Arrest
"Fiona Apple was arrested at a border stop in Sierra Blanca, Texas on Wednesday, after authorities claim they found hashish on the singer's tour bus, reports TMZ. According to the website, when Apple's bus was stopped for inspection officers uncovered the hashish, which is a concentrated form of cannabis. The "Criminal" singer was arrested for possession and is currently being held at Hudspeth County Jail. The website also reports, that the same border stop has been a particular thorn in the side of many celebrities, including Willie, Nelson, Snoop Dogg and Armie Hammer, who have all been arrested for drug possession in the past..."
Friday, September 21, 2012
Krugman Attacks Austrian School, But Ducks Debate
Paul Krugman is on the attack again against a free-market school whose views he will not even bother to learn or state correctly -- but he refuses a debate with a prominent member of the Austrian School. Don't let him get away with this.-http://youtu.be/SEYV0ZNLVNo
http://www.LibertyClassroom.com/Krugman
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/ron-paul-on-money-market-funds/
Is Paul Krugman a Coward?
The Real Reason for QE3 And How to Fight Back
So recently, Federal Reserve Chairman (and bankster puppet) Ben Bernanke has announced quantitative easing round three. Though the public reasons about about stimulating the economy back into shape, it is clear that this new round, which will last forever and really has nothing to do with fixing the economy.
I know that is not what is publicly stated, but since when have any of these elitist snobs ever been straight with all of us dumb masses? The interests of Joe Public has never aligned with their interests and it never will so long as they do not fear us. But that’s another blog post for another time.
In any case, the real reason for the massive influx of the supply of money, along with interest rates staying at zero percent for those of us who want to save, is actually quite simple once you peel away all the confusing mathematics, charts, and economic jargon (or bullshit wording): to prevent the major banking firms in the world from collapsing under their weight of bad investments.
The major international banks, you see, made some risky get-rich-quick schemes through malinvestment. A major one was, of course, the housing market, but that is not the sole one. There are others, such as student loans and government debt itself. The point is, they made a lot of bad bets and they do not wish to accept the consequences of their failure. Basically, the banksters are trying to beat the natural laws of economics and get rich in the process.
The fact is, the central banksters and their private banksters compatriots wish to inflate the currency in an effort to curb the debts they have acquired. In an inflationary market, debt is not a huge issue as it can be paid down with the larger money supply.
What this means for us, though, is that if they succeed in creating an inflationary market, then the rest of us will be boned. Our savings will be virtually meaningless and the cost of goods and services will skyrocket. Wages and salaries will be the last thing to rise with inflation as that is always the last things to be taken care of in this kind of market. Remember too that not all professions or companies will do this evenly either. Some may get their inflation-adjusted wages earlier than others. The immediate result of this is a lowered standard of living for everyone.
However, there is a way to prevent this. I know that the powers that be are going to stop at nothing to keep the dollar machines going, both the paper ones and the digital ones. And it is clear that there is very little that we can do at the moment to deter or dissuade them to continue to do so. And no, I don’t believe that voting for either Obama or Romney will stop this madness. Both men are either too stupid to see what is obviously going on or they are in cahoots with them for some personal benefit (like playing Leader of the “Free” World).
What we can do, however, is actually just a few simple things in our own lives that will deter the banks and bring about real reform and change much faster than a ballot box ever could. The first thing we must do is to become debt free. I know that many people have huge debts on their cars, houses, and college education. My wife and I started with probably around 60K ourselves in car and student loans. But we paid it all off. It took some time and careful planning. Many times it appeared hopeless to both of us. But we did it in five years time. We probably could have gotten it done sooner too if we decided to live on much less than we had too. Getting out of debt means you will no long be feeding the bank machine with interest payments. The dollar supply will only increase with the expansion of debt. Not only that, but if you are debt free, you will be better equipped for any economic crisis.
The second thing you need to do is to not take on any new debt. Cut up your credit cards and don’t take out any more loans. As I said, inflation happens when the money supply is increased and the only way it gets increased in our financial system is when banks loan money. If there are no debtors, then no new money is created.
The third thing is to move your money out of the major banks and into local banks and credit unions. Or to none at all. While the little ones may have more restrictions on their accounts, at the same time they are probably not big players in the ongoing bankster swindle. Also, local banks and credit unions will invest in local businesses, which may provide more stable situation for your community. They are also less likely to take your money like MF Global did when their bad investments hit the fan.
The final thing you can do is to stop using Debit Cards for most of your purchases. My wife and I use cash for just about everything we spend money on. The few exceptions are when we pay online bills and make online purchases or for one-time major purchases. For our regular business, we use cash. Try and keep the type of cash in the lower numbers, such as Ones and Fives, because retailers are starting to accuse people of counterfeiting if they bring in 20s and 100s.
I know that these are big things and will require large changes in your own lifestyle, especially if you are use to regularly swiping a credit card. I know that it hard to do and that our consumption-based culture is one that is difficult to break. But the fact is, we are not powerless when it comes to monetary policy. All it really takes is a little discipline.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Mitt Romney Tells the Truth About A Lie
So Romney is in trouble for telling the truth about a lie. Why is everyone so upset? Because Romney dared to mention that about half of Americans don't pay any income tax, and so aren't likely to be tempted by tax cuts? What shocking revelations are we going to hear next? That you can't sell Nicorette to people who don't smoke? That supermodels aren't hugely interested in books on weightlifting?
...
Sure, entitlement growth is pretty jaw-dropping -- in 1960, the US government transferred about $24 billion to individuals -- by 2010, that total was almost 100 times larger, in constant dollars. Once you adjust for inflation and population growth, entitlement transfers have grown 727 percent over the last 50 years.
So yeah, it's a big, increasing and totally predictable problem -- but why on earth are Republicans talking about it? Oh, right, because Republicans are so against entitlement spending? Well, except for the inconvenient fact that entitlement spending rises 8% faster when Republicans are in charge.-http://youtu.be/1XKy6koO5_o
Jesus and His Wife?
Harvard divinity professor Karen King unveiled the 4th-Century Coptic script at a conference in Rome. She said researchers had identified the words "Jesus said to them, 'my wife'", which might refer to Mary Magdalene. Christian tradition holds that Jesus did not marry - but Ms King said in early years it was subject to debate.-'Wife of Jesus' reference in Coptic 4th Century script"Mama! MaaaaaaaaaaMaaaaaaaaaaa!" "What, child, what?" "Jesus was married!" "Oh honey, that's just a lie of the devil! Stop listening to the lamestream media!"
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Bing It On?
Okay, so Microsoft's Bing is challenging Google, à la "the Pepsi Challenge", with a side by side comparison of rival search engine results. You can do your own searches here: Bing It On.
Is Bing getting desperate?
Sunday Television: Jim Rockford's Answering Machine
Friday night, NBC television network, 9pm. You hear a recorded voice coming out of one of them newfangled answering machines (a novelty in 1974, when The Rockford Files debuted)..."This is Jim Rockford, at the tone leave your name and message, I'll get back to you".
Considered one of the greatest television series of all time, Rockford was also one of the best written mystery/crimes shows in tv history. Sadly, after it's first season (1974/75) where it achieved the position of #12 in the ratings, it began a decline, losing position every following season until its end in 1979. Friday night in general was never a good slot for intelligent shows, and usually spelled their death (NBC did it to Star Trek) so it's a wonder the James Garner series lasted at long as it did. It was finally done in more by Garner's own health problems (brought on by doing his own stunts) than anything else, though the network claimed the series was losing money and cost too much to produce, which may or may not have been true, but probably signaled that it wouldn't have lasted much longer on the air anyway.
James Garner discusses the end of "The Rockford Files"
Too bad, because it was so well written, acted, and filmed, and provided enjoyable mysteries and escapist entertainment. You can get the show on DVD or watch it on Netflix, but in the meantime, back to the show's intro, which basically required a new answering machine gag each week just before the theme music kicked in...
Rockford Files - Intro from Bret Leduc on Vimeo.
Some of the weekly answering machine jokes can be heard in the video below... Or, you can read all six seasons worth here: List of Jim Rockford's answering machine gags
Weekend Reflections
Start by writing down my ideas for Saturday/Weekend reflections feature (I added the "weekend" for when I don't get to it on Saturday) .
Was that a "reflection"?
If we don't have free will (and I'm compelled to believe we don't) what happens when and if artificial intelligence is developed and it's determined that the new conscious machines DO have free will?
Would the blogosphere collapse if Bret Alan suddenly stopped creating new blogs?
When average statists (the lying fools who love the nanny state when it seeks to control others) routinely ignore government laws, rules and regulations they dislike (speed limits are a classic example) they prove their hypocrisy and reveal the fact that everyone is an anarchist at heart.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
See That...
See that leg-thing dangling there
It's not a pig
It's a pile of hair
See that blimp-thing singing a song
It's not an airship
It's a fat man's dong
See that happiness by the fire
It's not a pizza pie
It's a goddamned liar
See that tool with the crunchy edge
It's not a tree saw
It's a factory wedge
See that hillbilly with the sky-high dome
It's not an arena
It's piece of old chrome
See that being with the lightning bolt
It's not a god
It's a crazy old dolt
It's not a pig
It's a pile of hair
See that blimp-thing singing a song
It's not an airship
It's a fat man's dong
See that happiness by the fire
It's not a pizza pie
It's a goddamned liar
See that tool with the crunchy edge
It's not a tree saw
It's a factory wedge
See that hillbilly with the sky-high dome
It's not an arena
It's piece of old chrome
See that being with the lightning bolt
It's not a god
It's a crazy old dolt
Monday, September 10, 2012
Democrats: Let's Ban Profits!
Posing as an anti-business crusader, Peter Schiff found a number of DNC delegates and attendees who support explicitly outlawing profitability. We deliberately avoided speaking with the occupy protestors camping outside in tents to get a more "mainstream" Democratic perspective!-http://youtu.be/07fTsF5BiSM
-The Peter Schiff Show
The Machine: The Truth Behind Teachers Unions
America's public education system is failing. We're spending more money on education but not getting better results for our children.
That's because the machine that runs the K-12 education system isn't designed to produce better schools. It's designed to produce more money for unions and more donations for politicians.-http://youtu.be/mVyNlJUKgug
video via The Commentator
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Green Party Presidential Candidate Presents a "New Green Deal"
Jill Stein on Obama: "Forget what I did, hear what I say. I'm saying what I said four years ago, so this time believe me"
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Bouncing Around
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows President Obama attracting support from 46% of voters nationwide, while Mitt Romney earns 44% of the vote.Daily Presidential Tracking PollObama's post-convention bounce is bad news for Romney. Yes, the numbers will continue to go back and forth, but nothing much so far is moving this phony race for the Fascist House in one clear direction or another. Perhaps a new war, "terrorist" attack, or 2008 style economic collapse before November will turn the "voters" toward Mr. Black or Mr. White. The main point right now is that close national poll numbers favor Obama, even when he's a few points behind Romney. The reason is the Electoral College system, where Obama has a real advantage in acquiring the 270 electoral votes needed to keep his reign of terror going for another four years. No matter. Both liars offer pretty much the same ruling class, bankster, military-industrial complex agenda. I don't care who wins on election day, because either result means the people and the country lose.
The dangers of N.S.A. domestic spying
William Binney, a 32-year veteran of the National Security Agency who helped design a top-secret program he says is broadly collecting Americans' personal data.
He is among a group of N.S.A. whistle-blowers, including Thomas A. Drake, who have each risked everything — their freedom, livelihoods and personal relationships — to warn Americans about the dangers of N.S.A. domestic spying.-http://youtu.be/OemwW60VxDY
Invisibler.com
Quote of the Day: Eric Hoffer.
"A man is likely to mind his own business when
it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own
meaningless affairs by minding other people's business" -- Eric Hoffer.
Unconstitutional Abuse of Power, Are You Next?
You are simply exercising your right as an American citizen to buy ammunition and you find yourself the subject of an investigation by law enforcement. How often is this happening across America? Are you next? - http://youtu.be/Di_sFSw6Re4
Brian Loftus, a commercial fisherman and Oathkeeper, went to a local gun store to purchase a few boxes of ammunition for the range. Later that evening he got a phone call from the State Police. They wanted to talk to him because of his “large purchase amount of ammunition.”-Man Investigated for Buying Ammunition
How Government Solved the Health Care Crisis!
Today, we are constantly being told,
the United States faces a health care crisis. Medical costs are too high,
and health insurance is out of reach of the poor. The cause of this crisis
is never made very clear, but the cure is obvious to nearly everybody:
government must step in to solve the problem.
Eighty years ago, Americans were also told that their nation was facing a health care crisis. Then, however, the complaint was that medical costs were too low, and that health insurance was too accessible. But in that era, too, government stepped forward to solve the problem. And boy, did it solve it!- Read more:
How Government Solved
the Health Care Crisis
Medical Insurance that Worked —
Until Government "Fixed" It
by Roderick T. Long
http://www.freenation.org/a/f12l3.html
Eighty years ago, Americans were also told that their nation was facing a health care crisis. Then, however, the complaint was that medical costs were too low, and that health insurance was too accessible. But in that era, too, government stepped forward to solve the problem. And boy, did it solve it!- Read more:
Friday, September 7, 2012
Quote of the Moment: From Democracy to Dictatorship
"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship." — Alexander Tyler, 1887
Dear Obama Fans
Dear Obama fans: do a couple days of nice speeches make up for years of unmanned drone strikes, the suppression of torture probes, the outlawing of basic forms of domestic protest, a continuation of the failed war on drugs, billions in aid to Israel for the purposes of committing war crimes, and a general policy of putting big businesses ahead of individual citizens?
by Bret Alan (former SE contributor). Please check out his Facebook page and his blog.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Auto Industry Will Fail Again Because of the Government
...the stage has been set for what may prove to be the final implosion
of the car industry. Caesar – oops, President Obama – has “finalized”
his decision that CAFE will be upticked from the merely outrageous (by
economic and engineering standards) 35.5 MPG in 2016 to the economically
catastrophic 55 MPG – average – by model year 2025. (See here for Caesar’s decree.)
The Great Law Giver – who apparently also holds the title of Chief Engineer – saith this will “save Americans $8,000 a year.” He does not telleth them, of course, what it will cost.-http://ericpetersautos.com/2012/09/01/55-mpg-is-going-to-cost-you/
The state is God and rules by decree. The state, like religion, believes in the fantasy of ordering something into existence, reality and objective facts be damned. This is why real anarchists are both anti-state and anti-gods. Objective reality demands it.
As for the auto industry, of course government has ruined it, as it has housing, medical care, education and almost everything else it touches.
The Great Law Giver – who apparently also holds the title of Chief Engineer – saith this will “save Americans $8,000 a year.” He does not telleth them, of course, what it will cost.-http://ericpetersautos.com/2012/09/01/55-mpg-is-going-to-cost-you/
The state is God and rules by decree. The state, like religion, believes in the fantasy of ordering something into existence, reality and objective facts be damned. This is why real anarchists are both anti-state and anti-gods. Objective reality demands it.
As for the auto industry, of course government has ruined it, as it has housing, medical care, education and almost everything else it touches.
Carwash
I just washed the car. Got a new drying towel. The old one was in tatters.
Oh wait, this isn't Twitter, this is my blog. Never mind.
Oh wait, this isn't Twitter, this is my blog. Never mind.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Quote of the Day: Penn Jillette on the Phony "Compassion" of "Liberals"
"It's amazing to me how many people think that voting to have the government give poor people money is compassion. Helping poor and suffering people is compassion. Voting for our government to use guns to give money to help poor and suffering people is immoral self-righteous bullying laziness.
People need to be fed, medicated, educated, clothed, and sheltered, and if we're compassionate we'll help them, but you get no moral credit for forcing other people to do what you think is right. There is great joy in helping people, but no joy in doing it at gunpoint."-Penn Jillette
Judge Napolitano on Nullification and the Constitutional Powers of States
"The power that the States gave to the Federal Government - they can take back. They can even Nullify!"
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Saturday Reflections: We Need More Gay Men
I don't know why so many heterosexual men are threatened somehow by homosexual men. True, there was Julio who worked at a gay bar part time and wore women''s scarfs to work at his regular job. He viewed gay porn on the computers in the lunch room, too. But that's neither here nor there (well, it was there).
I say we need more gays! They don't bother me at all (except for Julio). Less competition for the remaining females, you see, so I'd like at least 50% of the male population to go gay. Just as long as that doesn't then set a trend for the opposite gender. That could be a problem, too. Not enough guys for those gals and they could seek out companionship among their own kind.
Well, I shouldn't go on like this. I am a chick magnet, so I never have a shortage of eager young things coming after me. Sometimes they're even gay men.
I say we need more gays! They don't bother me at all (except for Julio). Less competition for the remaining females, you see, so I'd like at least 50% of the male population to go gay. Just as long as that doesn't then set a trend for the opposite gender. That could be a problem, too. Not enough guys for those gals and they could seek out companionship among their own kind.
Well, I shouldn't go on like this. I am a chick magnet, so I never have a shortage of eager young things coming after me. Sometimes they're even gay men.
Bret Alan's Profile
Works at Anything But Theist
Lives in North Carolina
Okay, that explains it. Blogging is his job!
Bret, for those not in the know, also once blogged here at SE, though I can't say he worked here.
Carrot Face
I woke up
and went to the mirror
in the small
bathroom
I stared blankly
for a moment
and then understood
I was dying
My face
above the lip
had gone
orange
Had I finally gone
too far
with my
drinking?
Sometimes rum
sometimes
whiskey
always intoxicating
Then I remembered
the carrot juice
I gulped down just before
I hit the last snooze
Well that explains
my orange face
but how do I
keep from dying?
and went to the mirror
in the small
bathroom
I stared blankly
for a moment
and then understood
I was dying
My face
above the lip
had gone
orange
Had I finally gone
too far
with my
drinking?
Sometimes rum
sometimes
whiskey
always intoxicating
Then I remembered
the carrot juice
I gulped down just before
I hit the last snooze
Well that explains
my orange face
but how do I
keep from dying?
Labor Day Weekend
Labor day weekend
my first 3 day weekend for labor day
in four years.
I hope I'm not dreaming
as Monroe said
and that I really do
have 3 days off.
Wouldn't it be nice if
every weekend
was three days?
I stopped by
April's desk
before leaving
for the
holiday.
She was happy
that she had her
raise.
I thought
at first
that she said
"braids"
not "raise"
and was surprised.
And I thought
that she was
very excited
about her
hair.
Then I thought
for just a
moment
that I would braid
my hair
too.
Why not
if that is what
makes her happy?
But come on
a raise is much
better
and I'm hoping
to see mine too
on the next
paycheck.
In the meantime
I'm going to
check out a few
used bookstores
and look for
a book
about braiding hair
and maybe one
about
how to get a bigger raise.
my first 3 day weekend for labor day
in four years.
I hope I'm not dreaming
as Monroe said
and that I really do
have 3 days off.
Wouldn't it be nice if
every weekend
was three days?
I stopped by
April's desk
before leaving
for the
holiday.
She was happy
that she had her
raise.
I thought
at first
that she said
"braids"
not "raise"
and was surprised.
And I thought
that she was
very excited
about her
hair.
Then I thought
for just a
moment
that I would braid
my hair
too.
Why not
if that is what
makes her happy?
But come on
a raise is much
better
and I'm hoping
to see mine too
on the next
paycheck.
In the meantime
I'm going to
check out a few
used bookstores
and look for
a book
about braiding hair
and maybe one
about
how to get a bigger raise.
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