Friday, July 31, 2009

Can I Get Cash For This Clunker?

She's got a lot of mileage and is looking a bit haggard.
She has a good sized payload but it hasn't been much utilized.
Her motor runs cool but a lot of hot air comes out of her exhaust.
She's had frequent paint jobs but none have ever looked quite right.
Her steering pulls increasingly to the left.
Fuel capacity is unknown but seems to run best when full of cash.
Horsepower? It seems to vary depending on who's pushing the accelerator.
Rear suspension has been holding up but for how long?
Her upholstery, at least, has been well maintained, though there is a bit of junk in the trunk.
Her Kelly Blue Book value is dropping by the day, so the owner is motivated.

Time to trade in on a newer model:


Thursday, July 30, 2009

Why Statist Arguments Always Fail

When statists defend their position, their heroic efforts tend to degenerate into disjointed and sometimes confusing arguments. Those arguments reveal the collectivist, ethical dynamic that must be navigated to defend collectivist actions- actions that would be considered not rational or even heinous by individuals. In other words the statist must defend the actions of “we” instead of “me.” Even an intelligent and otherwise ethical individual must perform all sorts of contortions to reason his way through this deadly mine field. We’ve all been through that process.

A statist’s testimony reveals the complex argument required when attempting to justify and reason behavior as part of a hierarchal, collective institution- the state. One may be required to defend state actions that would be considered unethical or even criminal if performed by individuals. These types of problems, situations and ethical questions only arise when living within the context of collective, state rule.

When one lives one’s life as a free, moral, SOVEREIGN individual he is empowered to live a peaceful, moral, ethical life. As long as he does so, he need not defend his actions to anyone. If he instead volunteers his allegiance to a collective he must live its ethic and justify its actions and inconsistencies or risk being labeled treasonous by his self-appointed rulers.

Ultimately, the only power one has is how he lives his life as an individual. You surrender most, if not all, that power when you sign on as a “citizen.”

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Light Flashes

Azle homeowner displays 'Hispanics Keep Out' sign

“Hispanic” is a vague, political term with no identifiable meaning. How exactly do you define someone as “Hispanic?” Is it the color of their skin? Just how close would this home owner have to get to a potential trespasser to accurately determine if his skin is sufficiently brown to be defined as “Hispanic?”

Is your identification as “Hispanic” determined by one's surname? I know a pale skinned, blue eyed, blond woman whose last name is Fernandez- by marriage, of course. Is she now “Hispanic?” Must your family tree be analyzed before deciding if you are “Hispanic” or not?

This homeowner (if he/she wants to be fair and accurate) must keep a race inspector and genealogist handy to determine if any potential visitor to his/her property is a racially fit guest.

It’s complex and hard work being a bigot.

Police car burns in West Dallas

To serve and protect- poorly maintain your vehicle and shut down a major freeway for hours. Nice job, boys. It obviously wasn’t a wise choice to drive one of those POS Bailout Buggies.

It looks the Dallas LEO’s have a number of clunkers looking for some cash.

Man may have to move to Guatemala to be with daughter

This is just one instance of thousands that exposes the state’s power hungry hands, keeping busy adding unnecessary misery to individual‘s lives and families. It’s their job, after all, to properly manage the movement of their livestock within and between their arbitrary border fences.

On Television and Radio, Talk of Obama’s Citizenship

Why do media hacks, ignorant of the English language, (which obviously includes Mr. Stelter) always label those who disagree with the conventional wisdom (or information supplied by governments and their state controlled media), as “conspiracy theorists?”

Where’s the conspiracy?

Can’t people disagree with each other without being insulted with inaccurate, irrelevant labels?

The use of this word reeks of desperation by media-based state apologists. They seem desperately trying to stay relevant in a world that no longer listens to their falsehoods and misinformation- or at least take them seriously.

Many in Central's HOV lanes are actually driving solo

Good for them! These folks are true heroes. What a great example of non-violent resistance.

Why shouldn’t they drive in these lanes? They had a gun put to their heads to cough up the money to pay for them! What’s next? Will the state force us to buy a certain model of car, then tell us on what days we can drive it?

The solo drivers are “cheating?” Hardly. The only cheating going on is by the DMN, who are cheating their readers by not providing accurate and complete information. The writers at the DMN seem to be so morally depraved that they can’t even identify THEFT!

I encourage all to hold their local news organ accountable for not identifying immoral activity, whomever the instigator- whether it be street thugs mugging little old ladies or state thugs plundering its subjects. Theft is theft, no matter what uniform the thief wears.

‘Crime’ or self-defense? Iraq tries to arrest GIs

This is the Iraqi’s not so subtle way to scream GET OUT!

How can an invader legitimately plead “self-defense?” The US military has absolutely NO moral standing to be pleading such an excuse. Maybe the USG will finally get it through their heads that they don’t belong there, they were never invited there and are not welcome there. Stray, flea-infested dogs learn quicker than this.

In Lewisville, archivists catalog items for Bush library at SMU

What a wonderful library it should be.

I hope they install plenty of sinks so the excited visitors can wash the blood off their hands.

The museum wouldn’t be complete without an attractive display, listing the hundreds of lies told by the Bush administration.

A nice addition would be a digital clock that clicks one second for every one of the trillions of dollars spent (and borrowed) by this “conservative” President. Have visitors guess how many years (or centuries) will pass before all those seconds are counted.

DART bus burns at Addison Transit Center

More fine work from our “public servants.” DART shows how they can be just as incompetent as the Dallas Police whose car fire closed down a freeway for a considerable time (see above).

It’s bad enough they want to steal our money, invade our homes and tase us into submission. Now they seem to want to burn us alive, as well.

Pehaps these clowns should use some of their stolen money to keep these large traffic congesting beasts in better condition instead of paying $1.36 million for a large piece of scrap metal.

Enough shots in the dark

I guess people really ARE this ignorant.

I guess the author(s) is/are so tough that they’re too cowardly to list their names.

I would suggest to them- the next time a thug sticks a gun in your face and demands your money, make sure to tell him how he is showcasing “his weaknesses.”

*******************************************

Got to go now- my apartment manager says it’s time for her annual “inspection,” whatever that implies. No doubt she’s been well versed by Homeland Security on what to look out for in the way of subversion. I’ll make sure to hide away my miniature meth lab and take down my Allah Akbar! posters. You never can be too careful.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“The metamorphosis of an agrarian republic birthed in the violent dismissal of British rule to the Sovietized monstrosity we labor under today is the result of both domestic dynamics and the creation of the national security/garrison state to project power and influence overseas. I would submit that war is the unacknowledged silent partner of the leviathan state.”
William Buppert

“If the survival of a species depends upon its success in adapting to changed conditions, how much more burdensome is the task when members of that species must overcome conscious sabotage placed in their way in the name of intelligent planning? We are too much at war with the processes by which life sustains itself to be assured of our continued presence on earth. People whose minds are dominated by mechanistic linear thinking and a desire to structure all human behavior represent a lemming-like force that may make mankind the first known species to destroy itself by collective suicide.”
Butler Shaffer

“The gang of government servants has its own dress code, gang signs – which are often presented as authority-granting seals – and they even have their own territories. Gang territories, demarcated under the auspices of jurisdictions, are strictly enforced by fear of reprisal from competing gangs or by an agreement of mutual benefit derived from their continuation of the existing jurisdictional cartel. The Federal gang is the largest, most extortive and ruthless of all gangs. If any other gang would dare to overstep its boundaries and meddle in the affairs of the Federal gangs’ jurisdiction, there would be a battle over ‘turf‘!"
Patrick Ryan O’Neill

“The Apollo program was funded by tax money extracted from Americans who would otherwise have spent their money on unmemorable goods and services. These goods and services would have been higher on their list of priorities than the Apollo project. That is why it took coercion to fund the program.
This inherent and inescapable ignorance regarding the paths not taken subsidizes all government programs. Voters do not count the costs of these projects because they do not count the costs of the benefits foregone.”
Gary North

“Where did we get the idea that a group of mostly undistinguished men and women–absurdly claiming to be our representatives and sitting in what is surely the ultimate ivory tower–should make blanket rules for everyone (except perhaps for themselves), regardless of time, place, and circumstance? It certainly has not protected liberty. Why don’t more people realize how poorly this simpleminded procedure serves a complex society?”
Sheldon Richman

“The mythology of our age is not religious, but political, and its chief myths seem to be “representation” of the people, on the one hand, and the charismatic pretension of political leaders to be in possession of the truth and to act accordingly, on the other.”
Bruno Leoni

“The unenacted common law provides us with rules that facilitate peace and cooperative activities. Government legislation provides us with rules that facilitate the exploitation of the politically powerless by the politically dominant. The former bring order to society; the latter tendto produce strife. Hence, not only is government not necessary to create the basic rules of social
order, it is precisely the rules that the government does create that tend to undermine that order.”
John Hasnas

“The virtues of steadfastness, valor, bravery, and the impulse to make a dent in the universe, and never, never, never give in (Churchill) are tragically associated with the death and destruction of war, but free enterprise provides a means by which these impulses can be channeled toward creative purposes.” Jeffrey A. Tucker

“The biggest thing is recognizing the folly of central planning. The bigger is better, everybody line up, and one-size fits all, conformist type of thinking does not enhance the survival of individuals, much less promote prosperity in a society. Individual planning, however, typically leads to cooperation that requires collective planning on at least some small scale. The “I can do it,” “let me help,” and “let’s all do what we can do” type attitude is what gets things done. Not regulations, by-laws, bureaucrats, politics or queen bees."
Mark Davis

“To follow orders instead of doing what you know is right is not honorable. If it is, then I want nothing to do with honor. There is nothing good or right about man's inhumanity to man, carefully plotted out throughout the history of WWII. "Honorable" men killing "honorable" men means that they are killing honor.”
B. R. Merrick

“When private individuals go treasure-hunting, they bear all the risks, costs, and consequences themselves. When states are used as tools of plunder, the profits go to the decision-makers and their allies, the risks fall on the soldiers and the invaded population, and the costs are passed on to taxpayers.”
J.L. Bryan
“I do not need privileges granted by the collective, since I have rights by virtue of being born human.”
Kent McManigal

“Altruism means sacrificing your own values and welfare for those of someone else, which is always a bad idea. A sacrifice means giving up a greater for a lesser good — otherwise it wouldn't be a sacrifice but a price paid for a greater value. So making a sacrifice should be morally repugnant to any self-respecting individual. Don't confuse concepts like economy, or trading the pleasure of the moment for something better later on, with a sacrifice.”
Doug Casey

“Children are never too young to be taught to despise the State, to distrust its agents, and to avoid cooperating in any way with the mechanism of official plunder, deception, and coercion.”
Will Grigg


******************************************


From the Darkness:
“I want to be clear. If, when the facts are in, we find out that through some convoluted chain of events, he really was captured by the Taliban, I’m with him. But, if he walked away from his post and his buddies in wartime, I don’t care how hard it sounds, as far as I’m concerned, the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills."
Retired Army Lt. Col. Rakph Peters, on the US solider boy captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

"It is important to assure the public and the markets that the extraordinary policy measures we have taken in response to the financial crisis and the recession can be withdrawn in a smooth and timely manner as needed, thereby avoiding the risk that policy stimulus could lead to a future rise in inflation. We are confident that we have the necessary tools to implement that strategy when appropriate."
Ben Bernanke [Past performance may not be indicative of future results….]
“I don’t know.”
Ben Bernanke, when asked which foreign banks were the recipients of Federal Reserve credit swaps.

"Your Rose Revolution will only be complete when government is transparent, accountable, and fully participatory."
Joe Biden, speaking to Georgia President Saakashvili.[Gee, Joe, when do we get to see that “transparent” and “accountable” government back here in the Fatherland?]
"I don't see any limitations on the horizon. It's not time to be concerned about that.
I don't see any need to use them in the near future. But it's good they are there."

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, asked about US loan guarantees to Israel, despite a dispute with Washington over building in East Jerusalem or in West Bank settlements.

“It is unacceptable that books are for sale on Amazon.de that normally are only available under the counter in far-right extremist shops. We cannot let the spread of internet sales erode laws that ban Holocaust denial and incitement to hatred of minorities in Germany.”
The American Jewish Committee, suing the German branch of online retailer Amazon for selling books which it said questioned the Holocaust and “trivialised” the Nazis.

Image Review of the Week

"We build too many walls and not enough bridges."

Isaac Newton



The War On Poppy Seeds gets serious:



"Starry, starry night, .....




Flaming flowers that brightly blaze, .....



Swirling clouds in violet haze, .....



Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue"

(Don McLean)



Black Kitties vs. Klan Klutzes. Candidates for an ASBO?




"Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke."

Benjamin Disraeli




A last. NYC has a new savior:



See for yourself- I have nothing left to give:


Democracy in the raw:


Violence is their work and violence is their play:


Evidence of the state’s handiwork is never far off:



Cowboy up. Joe declares there’s more sacrificin’ to be done:


Purple is the color of ballots backed by bullets:




Let’s swap. How ‘bout some Cash for this Clunker?


Or even Pennies for Pant Suits?



Be careful, enlistment can get you in deep:




Feel his pain. ObamaCare is hobbled and injured:


Friday, July 24, 2009

The Hippies Were Right!



Perhaps Mr. Nguyen (the offspring of a Vietnamese mother and GI dad) has unknowingly encouraged a new foreign policy initiative to be carried out by “the troops.”. Instead of invading, torturing, and killing residents of third world countries, those troops merely have sex with the local women to produce thousands of offspring who are conveniently rescued to be grateful tax serfs for the US state. A diabolical plan!

Maybe it’s time to replace “standing armies” with the more effective concept of “laying armies.” The hippies were right- Make Love, Not War!

All joking aside, Mr. Nguyen’s gratitude is misplaced- his “freedom” is an inalienable gift from his creator, not from any state. He his born free by simply being born human. Whatever freedom he feels he has remaining is in spite of the existence of any state, not because of it. He should feel absolutely NO obligation to any state, let alone its murdering armies. In fact, his new state masters are even more corrupt and nearly as Marxist as his former ones.
Now it’s up to us liberty minded folks to show him the difference between true, individual freedom as opposed to the false concept of collective freedom pedaled by nation states.
Mr. Nguyen is indeed fortunate to be living, by being conceived in love- rather than be a murdered corpse, buried beneath the Vietnamese soil. However, in not knowing the true origin of his freedom- he risks giving it up at behest of the state from which he seem to believe it originates.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Light Flashes

Dallas neighborhood where flags were burned sees another case of arson


It wouldn’t surprise me at all if these fires are started by one of the “victims” or their associates to stir up the fear and hatred that bloody nationalists and USG supporters thrive on.

Black flag operations are a well used staple in their arsenal, as well as the obedient, complicit, corporate media that catapults their propaganda.

Tuskegee Airman serves up war stories at Allen cafe

Murderous, bloodthirsty USG loyalists LOVE to tell their war stories, don’t they? Do they tell the stories of the scores of dictators they’ve propped up or the millions of innocents they’ve killed? Do they brag how they surrendered all of eastern Europe to Stalin or actively supported Pol Pot in Cambodia? Somehow, those stories never seem to be told and bragged on.

Boasting is commonly used to repress inner feelings of guilt or to disguise personal cowardice and insecurities. Neither affliction is flattering.

Comet may have hit Jupiter

Be assured that NASA is now working feverishly behind the scenes, looking for a way to blame this on global warming. The CIA is working feverishly behind the scenes to blame this collision on Iran and/or North Korea.

Pot-growing 'Potter' actor gets community service

The judge declares that the convicted was "until now, a man of good character." So, it shows a lack of character to grow plants in your home that the state feels inappropriate and a threat to community peace and security- enough of a threat to put a violator in a cage for 14 years (if the all-wise judge should feel the urge)?

Meanwhile, those who wear the state’s uniform kill, torture, murder, and rape. They are deemed worthy of constant adulation, shiny new medals, and ticker tape parades.

How can any reasonable, rational person read such an account and continue to support and obey the despicable and immoral institution that is the state?

Planned reservoir could end dreams in Fannin County

"I've worked my whole life to hold onto this thing; then to turn around and have somebody take it away from me, it's just not the American way.”

The gentlemen appears not to have paid much attention to the history of “America” since its founding. Land theft was the primary mechanism propelling the growth of the United States. Most of the victims of that theft were indigenous tribes who didn’t have sufficient means to fight back. Now, it is the American collective, backed by dictates created from majority (democratic) opinion, that decides what is best for the collective, not what is best for the property owner. These victims, as well, do not have the means to fight back against an entity with unlimited funds and absolute power. The property owner is only ”sovereign” in the fantasy world of nationalist propaganda. He is required be a passive peon in the reality of state dominance.

Dallas police may need to use makeup to cover tattoos

At least they’ll look clean cut and All-American when they tase and beat you into submission for politely asking them a question.

Chrysler to match 'cash for clunkers' incentive

Someone has already pointed out that government buying these “clunkers” will only lower the supply of used cars that poor people can afford. This is a gift to the auto industry lobby and its controlling labor unions. Instead of buying an affordable used car, these folks will turn to purchasing new with all the accompanying risks. With no money down, interest free loans they’ll be tempted to buy more car than they can realistically afford. The car loan debt will be a constant burden on their monthly budget (rather than making a one-time payment on a purchase of a “clunker”).

When the financial burden becomes too much for the purchaser he can simply give back the keys to the auto company with virtually no consequences. He has nothing invested up front in the purchase and can simply rationalize that he was paying for the car the same way a lessee would. Or, if he is the whiney, “the world owes me type,” he can scream for a government bailout. Meanwhile, the auto company is left holding millions or (God forbid) billions of unpaid loans and the screaming for THEIR bailout commences.

And the beat goes on......

Obama Meets al-Maliki at White House

"We will work very hard not to allow any sectarian behavior and opportunity to flourish. We will work on a national plan where all sons of Iraq and all daughters of Iraq are equal in their contribution and their services. They will be unified by Iraq, they will not be divided by other elements."

Have you noticed how politicians are always trying to “unite” people- that the world will not survive or have peace unless all are “united.” Their idea of “united,” however, is “be subject to our rule and do as you’re told!” Any dissidents who don’t agree are considered enemies, terrorists, instigators, haters and dividers, when most just simply want to be left alone.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

DVD Reviews

The Color of Freedom:
Interesting, true story that follows the relationship between Nelson Mandela and the prison guard that watched over his entire 27 year stay in South African prisons.
Recommended

Uncovered- The War on Iraq:
Though a bit dated at this point, it’s well worthwhile to view this 2004 documentary on the neo-con lies and deception used for their aggressive war against Iraq.
Recommended

Killshot:
A decent action thriller with good acting, but a mediocre script. Mickey Rourke’s part is well suited for his talents.
Recommended

Dead Man:
One of those artsy “not for everyone” films. An offbeat western starring Johnny Depp. Depp’s character is uninteresting but he encounters many others that are, played by actors who do some entertaining work.
Recommended

John Hiatt-Live From Austin, Tx:
1993 performance on Austin City Limits by the rockin’ songwriter, extraordinaire.
Recommended

The Legend of 1900:
A man is born on a trans-Atlantic cruise ship and never once leaves the ship. During his life he becomes a legendary piano player who resists the lure of fame and money if he would just leave his ship/home. Interesting story idea and some great piano music.
Recommended


The Secret Life of Bees:
A superb female cast lead this story of a young teen searching for the truth about her long dead mother in 1964 South Carolina.
Recommended

In Tranzit:
Based on a true story in 1946 Russia. German POW’s suspected of war crimes during the Russian siege are held in a camp manned entirely by women soldiers.
Recommended

Front Line- The Dark Side:
A 2006 presentation outlining the deception, dishonesty and back stabbing that occurred during the lead-up to the Bush/Cheney invasion of Iraq.
Recommended


Crossing Over:
A multi-plot drama that follows a number of immigrant individuals in Los Angeles and the problems they encounter in the attempt to “be legal.” A great illustration how the state destroys dreams, lives, and families- all in the name of security paranoia and controlling the movement of their human livestock.
Recommended


The Grapes of Wrath:
Well crafted movie for its time. Just don’t be offended by the populist tone and promotion of state benevolence.
Recommended

A/k/a Tommy Chong:
A must-see documentary outlining the arrest and imprisonment of Tommy Chong for manufacturing bongs. The film makers don’t have to work hard to show the idiocy and waste of the American drug war. Hats off to Tommy, who seemed to keep his sense of humor and biting wit throughout the entire ordeal.
Recommended

Judgment at Nuremberg:
A monumental piece of work, both historically and artistically. The 1961 film (with an incredible cast) dramatizes the second round of the Nuremberg trials- the tribunal that tried civilian judges. The case is not as cut and dried as you may think.
Recommended


Battle in Seattle:
The film attempts to show the story of the 1999 WTO protests- where the folks who propose world socialism (backed by violence) protest those who propose world fascism (backed by violence). Instead of telling the stories of REAL people involved in the conflict, the director chooses to give us fictitious characters. If the characters aren’t real, how can I have faith in the film’s credibility as a record of an historical event? How can I be certain that the beliefs and attitudes exhibited by the characters parallel those of the actual participants?
Not recommended

August Evening:
Nice, quiet family drama, with the attractive, natural quality that comes from several first time actors.
Recommended

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“Never mind the possibility that the threat of “terrorism,” like that of “drugs,” is just used as an excuse for feeding their power lust. Never mind the likelihood that the state tracks our every movement for the simple reason that, like the rest of us, it wants to know where it’s stuff is–and we’re its stuff.”
Kevin Carson

“Persuasion is a long and onerous course to take. Tyranny, as advanced by the political system, is a much easier route to enforcing an otherwise unattainable agenda.”
Karen DeCoster

“What does society intend to do to those of us who won't (or can't) tolerate living under the surveillance and control of a police-state? Do the rulers expect that we will simply comply after some threats and punishment? Do they feel that our deaths are an acceptable price in order to implement their plans? Do they even consider our deaths worthy of notice at all? What if we don't agree? What if others who are on the fence begin to side with us? Will this be the straw that breaks the camel's back and brings down the Empire? The more the Empire tightens its grip, the more people will slip through its fingers.”
Kent McManigal

“The Pentagon’s first lesson learned was to avoid conscription, as the conscripted and their families will take to the streets. By using an army of volunteer suckers about whom nobody of importance cares, the military severs its wars from most of the country, which loses interest. The brass are then free to do as they choose.”
Fred Reed

“You and I are responsible – and accountable – for what we do, for one basic reason: you and I, alone, are in control of our energies and of how we choose to employ them. My children and grandchildren bear no responsibility for any actions of mine in which they did not participate. To think otherwise is to engage in the most primitive of mindsets: collectivism.”
Butler Shaffer

“Now, I'm not saying that we don't need rules in society. But the question of who makes the rules and on what basis becomes supremely important. Will the rule making flow from the matrix of voluntary exchange based on the ethic of serving others through private enterprise? Or will the rules be made and enforced by people wearing guns and bulletproof vests with a license to shock or kill based on minor annoyances?”
Jeffrey Tucker

“Everyone (including Bernie himself) agrees that Bernie Madoff was a crook. What is the correct term for the U.S. government, or does the word government tell us everything we need to know about the honesty, humanity, and justice of its actions?”
Robert Higgs

“Americans are going someday to have to live with the end of their empire. They will have to get it out of their system. This will be a very good thing, because a renaissance in American life at all levels will accompany a diminishment of American empire. Making the transition away from empire and back to a healthy society will be an important and tough challenge, far more so than sending a man to the moon, because this involves such deep changes in thinking and institutions at the personal, social, and political levels. Empire is in the blood of Americans. Purging it is going to be a traumatic experience.”
Michael Rozeff

“We should want to understand the phenomenon of the business cycle. But it is futile to expect the full understanding to jump out at us from a series of figures and charts or from a collection of anecdotes. It is only by means of economic theory that we can make sense of the figures and charts, which in the absence of theory are altogether inscrutable.”
Thomas E. Woods, Jr.

*******************************************

From the Darkness:
“I'm not going to have the windmills on my ranch: they're ugly."
T. Boone Pickens who wants to cover the Midwest with windmills.

"The IDF is one of the most ethical armies in the world, and acts according to the highest moral code."
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak

“Government deficits, mainly the result of automatic stabilizers rather than discretionary policy, are the only thing that has saved us from a second Great Depression.”
Paul Krugman

"Iran can become a constructive actor in the region if it stops threatening its neighbors and supporting terrorism. It can assume a responsible position in the international community if it fulfills its obligations on human rights. The choice is clear.”
Hillary Clinton

"I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."
Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayer, in a 2001 speech.
“We get a lot of advice from the Council, so this will mean I won’t have as far to go to be told what we should be doing and how we should think about the future.”
Hillary Clinton, speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations.

"One of our American guests is missing."
Text on a leaflet being air dropped by the US military in Afghanistan, pleading for the release of a captured crusader.

Image Review of the Week

Maybe this giant turd can help fertilize some green shoots:



Barry looks for directions out of his mess:




Be kind to your "guests" - or be targeted:


People like Government Trains the way they like Government Motors:


Always a reminder- they’re never too far away:


Uh, Oh. They're fixin' to follow us home:



More solider boys will be getting their marching orders:



"Starry, starry night, .....



Portraits hung in empty halls, ......


Frameless head on nameless walls, .....


With eyes that watch the world and can't forget"

Don McLean



Finally, using his head for something constructive:



Check closely, he fits the terrorist profile:



Just minutes away to “help.” They’ll either milk you for revenue......

.....or smash and grab:


“It seems to many of us that if we are to avoid the eventual catastrophic world conflict we must strengthen the United Nations as a first step toward a world government…”
Walter Cronkite

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Gang Wars

Kay Bailey Hutchison has become serious about being the next Texas governor. $12.5 million of bribe money can catapult a lot of propaganda toward the voting numbskulls. So, the perky UT cheerleader who morphed into KayBay, The War Bitch wants to rule the Lone Star State.

Why? I don’t really see that much difference between her and incumbent, Rick Perry. Perhaps it’s because Perry not long ago mentioned the S-word (secession) which can not be tolerated among the DC power elites. KayBay has her marching orders- assure the continuing dependence of Texans on benevolent Washington.

My guess is she has been in Washington long enough now to be in a secure, profitable position with the power elites. She now is willing to try her hand at ruling her own little fiefdom and more directly show her love for the tax peasants. Let’s just hope she isn’t as murderous as the last female governor who invited in the Federales to torture, burn and barbecue about 80-some Texans at Mt Carmel. Considering that KayBay doesn’t much like brown people (at least the Arab kind), Mexicans might want to be wary and pay attention.

I can just see her working to convince DC to build still more imperial military bases within the state to better protect her people against the constant threat from evil doers. It wouldn’t surprise me to see her lobby for an invasion force originating from those bases to invade and punish Mexico for its drug war violence and illegal immigration.

Am I being too hard on the “lady?” I despise all politi-gangsters and am wary of these sociopaths who have so much power over my life. When they have female brains in their skulls I tend to fear them even more. Considering the large percentage of women having no qualms about murdering their own child, there’s no hesitation toward the next step- murdering other’s children- or bravely, patriotically ordering armed thugs in clown suits to do their dirty work for them. The political culture defines such action as “leadership.”

Monday, July 13, 2009

Failed Utopias, Indeed

When arguing with statists I usually make the point that all forms of government are evil- it’s just that the US government has done a better job of marketing their version, particularly to their own subjects. US state apologists always illustrate their state’s superiority over others, comparing it to regimes that are far more tyrannical. I, of course, point out that it’s just a matter of time before the US also reaches that level of tyranny. It’s been proven through history that the natural inclination of states is to grow, expanding their reach and control over more and more of their subject’s lives.



I recently read a book published in 1988 entitled, “Failed Utopias- Methods of Coercion in Communist Regimes” by Arch Puddington. The book examines the failure of communist regimes and “the less dramatic controls which enable Marxist governments to beat back their political opponents without having to resort to death squads or long-term military rule.”



Let’s look at one passage in the book about education:



“From the Russian Revolution onwards, education has served a special function in communist societies, one radically different from the role of education in the democratic world. While practically every society develops educational policies with an eye towards the inculcation of responsible citizenship and respect for the national culture, communist regimes teach children to become productive and patriotic citizens in ways that vary sharply from the methods that a free society would find acceptable. Communist and democratic educational systems represent two fundamentally opposed philosophies, not simply different techniques for achieving similar goals- a fact that educational authorities in communist societies readily admit.”



“In countries ruled by a single, monolithic communist party, the schools are expected to instill “socialist” values in children, promote unquestioning devotion to the motherland and the system, encourage contempt for non-communist societies, and convince the younger generation that the one correct interpretation of history is that set down by the state. In other words, indoctrination- pure and simple- is perceived as a legitimate job of the schools.”




Now, taking the section in italics, allow me to make a few key word changes (in bold) and see if the passage still makes sense:


“In countries ruled by a single, monolithic democratic war/welfare party, the schools are expected to instill ‘democratic’ values in children, promote unquestioning devotion to the homeland and the system, encourage contempt for non-democratic societies, and convince the younger generation that the one correct interpretation of history is that set down by the state. In other words, indoctrination- pure and simple- is perceived as a legitimate job of the schools.”


The word placements fit perfectly, do they not?


Let’s move on to a passage about imperialism:


“The Soviet goal was nothing short of a massive, and extremely rapid, cultural revolution. Nor should it be assumed that Moscow was entirely cynical in carrying out this project. Like other well-known colonial powers of the past, the Soviets no doubt believed that by smashing the traditional way of life they were bringing civilization to a backward and benighted land. Soviet advisers, or at least some of them, approached their work with a sense of mission, having convinced themselves that though the price might be high, the final outcome would be a better and more enlightened Afghanistan.”


Let’s do a little word replacement once again, shall we?


“The US goal was nothing short of a massive, and extremely rapid, cultural revolution. Nor should it be assumed that Washington was entirely cynical in carrying out this project. Like other well-known colonial powers of the past, the US no doubt believed that by smashing the traditional way of life they were bringing civilization to a backward and benighted land. US advisers, or at least some of them, approached their work with a sense of mission, having convinced themselves that though the price might be high, the final outcome would be a better and more enlightened Afghanistan.”



That was easy. Now, let’s conclude with a big finish. From the book:


To believe that one has the right, even the obligation, to remake an entire civilization, requires a degree of arrogance that is frightening. We can only hope that the Soviet pullout is total and permanent, and that the lesson drawn by Moscow entails the utter wrongness not only of waging imperial war against a neighbor, but also of attempting to impose an alien culture on
another people.”



Just a couple slight adjustments and you have:


“To believe that one has the right, even the obligation, to remake an entire civilization, requires a degree of arrogance that is frightening. We can only hope that the US pullout is total and permanent, and that the lesson drawn by Washington entails the utter wrongness not only of waging imperial war against a neighbor, but also of attempting to impose an alien culture on another people.”


Yes, Afghanistan is not a neighbor to the US, but the reasoning is the same. The US is exposed for even greater arrogance, thinking it can re-build, in its image, a nation with a completely different culture on the other side of the world!


All states promise Utopia, they just have different, preferred avenues to reach it. The result is always the same- lower and lower living standards and greater and greater loss of liberty and individual sovereignty. No matter the system, promises go unfulfilled. More and more power and control is surrendered by individuals in the hope that their sacrifice will be rewarded with nirvana.


Instead of paradise, we all wind up with Hell on earth.


At least until people finally figure this out and decide it’s time for a change.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“Historically, collective violence has flowed regularly out of the central political process of Western countries. People seeking to seize, hold, or realign, the levers of power have continually engaged in collective violence as part of their struggles. The oppressed have struck in the name of justice, the privileged in the name of order, those between in the name of fear. Great shifts in the arrangement of power have ordinarily produced- and have often depended on- exceptional moments of collective violence.”
Charles Tilly

“Many of the people who attend this year's God and Country Festival [in Nampa, ID] will arrive at the event in SUVs whose stereos resound with talk radio harangues denouncing the expansion of the welfare state under Obama. Yet those same people are blind to the ironic fact that the government institution they uncritically adore, the United States Military, has been the greatest factor in the growth of the welfare state.”
Will Grigg

“America is a free country? In your dreams maybe. Or, if you define a free country as a country whose government is free to do whatever it pleases, then, yes, America is a free government. Perhaps you think a free country is a country with elections. When did you ever agree to exchange your right to liberty for the right to vote for which politicians will be your new slave masters? And where do you go to undue that idiotic "bargain" you never made in the first place?”
James Ostrowski

“We’ve got to rethink this question of war and come to the conclusion that war cannot be accepted, no matter what the reasons given, or the excuse: liberty, democracy; this, that. War is by definition the indiscriminate killing of huge numbers of people for ends that are uncertain. Think about means and ends, and apply it to war. The means are horrible, certainly. The ends, uncertain. That alone should make you hesitate.”
Howard Zinn

“One thing smart people always do is to underestimate the power of foolishness. It is wild and reckless to stir up a race war. But that doesn't stop people from doing it. Any kind of war is a blow to reason and civilization. But that hasn't made war unpopular, even among the most reasonable and civilized people on the planet.”
Bill Bonner

“Just as I am not qualified or inclined to pontificate upon the proper treatment of slaves, other than unconditional freedom, I am not qualified or inclined to decide what might be the proper form of government, other than self-government. No document can ever make wrong right. We need to banish the idea that it can before we can move forward. Any other conclusion just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.”
Kent McManigal

“He who wishes to oppose statist depredations cannot do so without the support of religion. Opposition to religion, even if based on intellectual grounds and not intended as a political statement, nevertheless amounts to de facto support of government.”
Dr. Walter Block


*****************************************************


From the Darkness:
"We cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do. Israel has a right to determine what's in its interests, and we have a right and we will determine what's in our interests." [Is that right, Joe? It seems Israel is the ONLY country in the world you don’t dictate to.]
Joe Biden

“About everything we do around here is government intrusion in people’s lives. So have at it.”
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood

“We should be planning on a contingency basis for a second round of stimulus.”
Laura D’Andrea Tyson, Obama advisor. [Typical response by government to its failures- do more of the same.]

"In 2009, a great power does not show strength by dominating or demonising other countries. The days when empires could treat sovereign states as pieces on a chessboard are over."
Barry Obama, speaking to graduates from Moscow's New Economic School.[These people are absolutely shameless].

"We can berate politicians for not doing enough and for compromising too much and for not being bold in addressing this existential threat to civilization.”
Little Toad Al Gore, still busy doing his Chicken Little routine.

“Financial resources for mitigation and adaptation will need to be scaled up urgently and substantially and should involve mobilizing resources to support developing countries. Financing to address climate change will derive from multiple sources, including both public and private funds and carbon markets.”
From the Declaration of the leaders of the major economies forum on energy and climate, detailing how the anti-carbon elites intend to further plunder their human livestock.

“So the second question becomes, did the economic package we put in place, including the Recovery Act, is it the right package given the circumstances we're in? And we believe it is the right package given the circumstances we're in. We misread how bad the economy was, but we are now only about 120 days into the recovery package. The truth of the matter was, no one anticipated, no one expected that that recovery package would in fact be in a position at this point of having to distribute the bulk of money.”
Joe Biden, weakly practicing CYA.

"The Federal Reserve strongly believes that removing the statutory limits on GAO audits of monetary policy matters would be contrary to the public interest by tending to undermine the independence and efficacy of monetary policy.”
Fed Vice Chairman Donald Kohn

“The era we face, that is soon upon us, will require a great deal from our leaders. They had better be sturdy. They will have to be gifted. There will be many who cannot, and should not, make the cut. Now is the time to look for those who can. And so the Republican party should get serious, as serious as the age, because that is what a grown-up, responsible party—a party that deserves to lead—would do.”
Peggy Noonan

“Reckless actions by a few have fueled a recession that spans the globe.”
Barry Obama [Gosh, B.O.- you don’t think that those “few” happen to reside in Washington, do you?]

“Repression can take many forms, and too many nations, even those that have elections, are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves ... or if police - if police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top ... or the head of the port authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery.”
African native, Barry Obama, speaking to his former countrymen in Ghana. [The US seems to survive pretty well on a diet of “brutality and bribery.” Why deny this opportunity to Africans?]

Image Review of the Week

More stimulus- or not? Keynesianism is a balancing act:



Barry checks out his stimulated economy.....




.....and laughs about it with his friends:


At last, Jeanie Law finds a friend:



The state always takes its frustrations out on its livestock:


Wrong location. The climate kooks should visit Chicago:



Sweet nothings. You make a humble, soft request for peace.....


.....and they respond with belligerent noise:

"Resistance to criminal rashness comes better late than never."

Titus Livius



"Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes."

Earl Derr Biggers




The Royal Family just loves the Fatherland:


"Jesus warned his disciples, Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and
Sadducees.."
(Matthew 16:6):


Tyrants are just as repulsive up close as afar:

"Freedom means you are unobstructed in living your life as you choose. ......


.....Anything less is a form of slavery"

Wayne Dyer


Atlas is about to shrug:



Let’s see who gets robbed at the G8:


Hillary gets tough:



Some career choice. Be branded for life, .....


.....kill for the state, .....


(Thanks to Chuck Grimmett)


.....baby sit its livestock, .....




.....and sleep in a hole in the ground:

The climate kooks find an appropriate idol:



Time for a meltdown. The gold grabber gets his own ingot:



You can count, if you wish......



.....but their numbers appear infinite:



World currency, anyone?


Plenty of nice scenery at the G8:



Some boogie man. North Korea’s launch vehicles still need some work: