Government wants to keep you poor

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for December 3, 2025)

The quickest way to destroy innovation and cripple the economy is to "address" a new idea, or an old idea reborn, with government control.

Short-term rentals, like Airbnb and Vrbo, are in the crosshairs of local politicians, and this isn't a positive development. Letting strangers stay in your home for a few nights, for a fee, is an ancient use of personal property; the internet simply gave it a boost. There's no need for new ordinances, or the use of existing ordinances, to regulate it...read the rest...

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This isn't way things have to be

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 29, 2025)

I've discovered that telling people what kind of world you want to live in doesn't get through to anyone. It's not enough to describe a world where everyone is free to live in liberty without waiting for permission from sociopaths who imagine they have the right to run your life. This doesn't resonate.

Perhaps it would be better to describe the world I don't want. The world I'm not willing to tolerate.

I don’t want to live in a world where the government isn't afraid of the people. I don’t want to live in a world where police are allowed to act like the masters over a population of slaves who either comply instantly or face death. I don’t want to live in a world where politicians are able to do whatever they want and the people feel they must obey them.

I don't want to live in a world where politicians and their enforcers decide what rights we have, and how those rights can be limited, rationed, or licensed. Where we are expected to thank them for not doing worse.

I don't want to live in a weird upside-down world where governments pretend to have rights; where individuals are only allowed to have privileges as long as they don't scare or inconvenience the politicians and bureaucrats.

Unfortunately, this is the world we have been dealt.

What can be done about it?

First of all, realize this is backward. Nearly every political question has been turned on its head. It's not possible to get things more wrong. This can't be an accident. Someone has done this on purpose, and they are not on your side.

Second, don't pretend this is the way it has to be; the natural order of things. It's not. It's artificial and harmful. It makes society sick by harming individual liberty. Things can be better.

Third, know you don't have to put up with it. You have the rights, the authority, and the ethical foundation- everything they lack. Let them know you know. Tolerate them only as long as they are tolerable. Ignore them when they aren't. Defy them when they leave you no choice.

It will be costly, but not as costly as continuing to let them control and consume your life. Plus, no matter what it costs today, it will cost more tomorrow if allowed to continue. If you value liberty, this is your mission.

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Observing feral humans in the wild

I have a sockpuppet X account that does nothing but serve as a backup in case I get banned again. I don't follow people on it, nor do I post or comment. I just use it to observe.

What I observe has taught me some things.

First, it has taught me that no matter how bad the political Right is- and they are bad- the political Left is orders of magnitude worse.

Since I don't interact, I get a good sampling of posts and comments from all ideologies on that account; my "for you" is almost entirely Leftist posts. The Left is far and away the worst people among a nasty crowd. 

They can't talk about something important without lying. Even if I'm inclined to agree with them in principle, they ruin it by lying. They threaten anyone who dares to disagree with them. They are far more aggressive, on average, than the Right. They are ruder than the Right.

Sure, there are exceptions, and this is my subjective observation based on what I end up being fed by the mysterious algorithm.

Again, the Right are often wrong, but they generally seem to be nicer people than those on the Left- until you figure in their cop/military worship. Better adjusted, less angry, and less crazy. I kind of wish it weren't so, because I want to side with the Left when they point out ways in which the Right is wrong. And, I still do, but it feels icky when I see what kind of people they are beyond that one dimension. Sure, it sometimes feels the same way to side with the Right when they point out how wrong the Left is. Neither side seems able to see beyond their politics into what's true and right.

It's simpler if I can just see them all as statists who hate/fear liberty. Which they are. But it's also delusional to not notice the differences, subtle and overt.

It has also taught me how much of a bubble my real X account is in. I'm protected from many of the most toxic statist "opinions" by who I follow and who I choose to interact with. This makes it more enjoyable, but it gives me a false sense of the world. Just a quick visit to the silent account breaks the illusion.

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Toss a pile of doubloons my way.

Who is the problem?

 

Jews are not the problem. 

“Blacks” are not the problem.

“Immigrants” are not the problem.

"White" men are not the problem.

Landlords are not the problem.

People who choose to violate life, liberty, and property are the problem, no matter what category one might place them in.

If anyone chooses to continue to be a part of any group that is based on violating others, as a condition of belonging, even if they don’t personally participate, they are the problem. This could be a career, a religion, or a culture.

If someone is trying to make someone else the problem, based on something besides individual behavior, they are not helping. They are making the problem worse by causing a distraction.

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Toss a few million dollars my way- I won't tell.

The symptoms cluster and lead to a diagnosis

People who believe Americans own "too many guns" are usually the same people who believe the Covid lockdowns "saved millions of lives". It isn't a coincidence.

You really can't communicate with people that stupid (or brainwashed). The best you can accomplish is to point it out to observers.

And, isn't it strange how these beliefs cluster together? You already know which other baseless beliefs such a person is highly likely to hold. They are all symptoms of a political disease: Leftism.

The political disease of Rightism has its own cluster of symptoms; you know what they are. 

Of course, one lone symptom isn't enough for a diagnosis, but if you get two or more, you can extrapolate to know what the problem is with stunning accuracy. It works nearly every time.

On the other hand, maybe the Rightism and Leftism are only symptoms of the disease of Statism; each with its own cluster of sub-symptoms.

Self-responsibility is the cure, but it looks unappealing to the chronically ill sufferers who would benefit the most from a big dose.

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Statism is a tragedy

Many of the events that attract media attention are simply gang warfare, gang vs. gang, and since I belong to neither gang, I don't really care. None of them are "our" teammates.

I don't want innocent people hurt or killed or otherwise violated, but innocent people don't violate life, liberty, or property (fundamental human rights). Many times, I don't see an innocent person where others seem to. 

Often it's a matter of consequences: Do certain things, and you increase the likelihood of certain bad outcomes. Crying about it afterward doesn't change anything. If you don't like getting zapped, don't stick your tongue in a light socket.

I wish the gangs would keep it between themselves and leave the rest of us alone. But they can't seem to do that. They will lie and claim to be on my side, but I know it's a lie. This is why I can't get too involved in the drama surrounding some of these events that I'm told are VERY IMPORTANT for me to get worked up over.

Statism is a tragedy. It would be weird if it didn't lead to more tragedy every time it is applied.

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Toss breadcrumbs to me.

Magic (tariff) Money

Sending out another round of stimulus checks, even if you call it a tariff windfall or something like that, would be incredibly irresponsible and economically ignorant. So... par for the course.

Just as I warned people back before the pandemic stimulus that it would cause inflation and make everything more expensive, I’ve tried to warn people this time.

They still don’t listen. They still don’t care. All they hear is “Free money!”

But TANSTAAFL.

At this point, I say send the money. Send some every month. Every week! Drive right off the cliff.

Sometimes you’ve got to stand aside and let people get what they want. Good and hard. No matter what the consequences. Yes, it will be another blow to the economy. At this point, does it matter?

Just do what you have to do to protect yourself. If you can find a niche to profit from the collapse, go for it.

For me, I think I’m done spending Bitcoin. I’ve done my part in working to make it spendable money. I think I’m going to HODL from now on. I was just about to spend $400 or so before the recent crash. I decided to wait until the price went back up, but I’m not inclined to spend any now. The economy looks too precarious at the moment. Maybe if things improve in a few years, I will reconsider.

And, if the checks do come, don't waste it. Get stuff that's going to help you through what's coming. Preps. Metals. Bitcoin. Guns and ammo. You won't regret it.

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It's Blech Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am forever thankful for YOU! And to you!

I asked Grok to draw a traditional Thanksgiving meal. (Specifically, I wrote: Show a traditional Thanksgiving meal, with a roasted turkey as the centerpiece.) I got the nice picture above. 

Then, to be funny, I asked it to give the turkey four legs. That was a nightmare-inducing mistake. The results reminded me of something out of Kurt Russell's The Thing.  It was downright Lovecraftian!
Horrors incomprehensible to the human mind. Perhaps suited for the most terrifying Halloween meal, but not for Thanksgiving. I stopped before something worse happened. You're welcome to try it yourself and see what Grok serves you.

Be Thankful I spared you from seeing that! You're welcome.

Thanksgiving opportunity to help someone

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for November 26, 2025)

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have many reasons to celebrate Gratitude Day 2025.

Not every Thanksgiving Day has been good for me. Yet, even then, something always made me thankful- at least later...read the rest...

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It's true: Democracy is mob rule

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 22, 2025)

There is no such thing as a "right to vote".

This may be shocking, but it's true. No one has the right to impose politicians or policies on others; to govern them. Not by being king nor by voting.

Democracy is mob rule, even with the weak guardrails of a republic under a constitution describing which lines are never to be crossed, no matter how many voters approve. It didn't work; legislation violating the limits laid out by the Constitution is routinely imposed and upheld. None of the responsible lawmakers or legislation enforcers ever face repercussions for these illegal acts.

Might through superior numbers can't turn wrong into "right". Alternative ways of governing others are no better, in case you misunderstand my point.

The only legitimate use of a vote is as a privilege of club membership, not as a right. Those who aren't in the club don't get to vote on club matters. Further, the results of a vote can't be binding on those who didn't vote or on those on the losing side; only on those who voted in favor of the particular question.

If you vote for a tax, you bear the expense. Those who didn't vote for it don't pay it, nor do they get the privilege of using the product or service that the tax funds. For something like garbage collection or a water utility, providers can charge a user fee or allow people to opt out or find their own alternative. It's unethical to force others to go along just because you outnumber them.

For something you believe will benefit those who vote against it without them contributing, take this into consideration before voting. Maybe you can make your argument and persuade them to join you. Or if this fails, maybe you'll change your vote in this case, as is your right.

To argue in favor of a near-universal right to vote just because people live in a particular place is like saying I have the right to tell a church in my neighborhood how it will operate and spend money. Just because of where I live, whether I choose to join it or not. I am not that arrogant or entitled.

There's no "right to vote", but neither is there an obligation to abide by a vote which goes against your rights or preferences, nor a right to use something you aren't willing to pay for.

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The War Between the Statists

The War Between the Statists is heating up. 

Do you see it, too?

They don't realize how much alike they are. Statism is statism, and it's all socialism/fascism. It's all authoritarianism. But they are at each other's throats over the minor details. They want this variety and not that one. They want this loophole of liberty closed, and their opponents want that other loophole of liberty shut down. Working together, they try to crush any possibility of liberty.

I admit I occasionally do things just to aggravate them if they are being particularly nasty in their statist advocacy.

But, you don't have to intentionally poke them to make them go crazy after "the other side", although it can be amusing. It's like watching one of those cat videos where a cat baps another cat on the head, but the victim flips out on a third cat who was minding his own business. That's statists for you.

Stay safe as they go after each other. Stupid people can be a danger to those around them.

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Pirates, but the lame kind

US Customs and Border Protection [sic] posted on X, bragging about stealing someone's money. They got dragged for their efforts, but that didn't return the stolen money to their victim.

They even admitted that it wasn't "illegal" to carry the cash, but pretended it was somehow "wrong" to not inform them that you're doing so. If not a crime, it's still something they'll use as an excuse to harm you. Typical government nonsense.

By their actions, they've illustrated why people are right to want to hide their money from theft gangs like the CBP.

"We just want to know about it". Yes, I'm sure you do, Scumbags. I'm sure all muggers would like to "require" potential victims to provide a list of any valuables they're carrying. It makes theft more efficient; you won't waste effort on people with nothing worth stealing that way.

These thieves are pirates, but they aren't the cool kind of pirate with eye patches and swords. They are the loser kind with badges, just like those cops who pose behind a table covered with stolen guns, money, and drugs. They are all spiritual clones of Somali pirates- no charisma, just thievery and aggression.

There were a few disgusting copsuckers who said stuff like "Yeah, like they got that money honestly. LOL" Or some variation of the bootlicker mantra, "Thank you for your service". But all the thinking, ethical people were on the same side of this. The side that opposes thieves.

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Toss a life raft my way.

Smart about politics

Most people who believe they are smart about politics are really just pragmatic statists without principles. 

That doesn't look smart at all. 

It looks useful to the rulers.
It looks handy for the criminals.
It looks profitable for the lawyers and bureaucrats. 
It looks like a jobs program for fake economists and other "experts".

But "smart"?

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Gold, Silver, and Bitcoin are nice tips.

"Refuse orders"

Some reflexively anti-Trump people got together and made a video asking the military to refuse to obey any unconstitutional orders coming from Trump.

I'm in complete favor of this.

But...

Haven't we been told that such oathkeeping is a crime? Domestic terrorism or sedition or something? Haven't people had their lives completely destroyed for promoting this entirely ethical message? 

But now that the orders could be coming from "the other side", suddenly these clowns are in favor of it.

Welcome to the party, Pal.

And why only "troops"? Why not cops and other armed government thugs who spend their lives enforcing unconstitutional orders (legislation)? Could it be because these activists like the unconstitutional "laws" being enforced? 

It seems more like it's only about the illegal orders these government supremacists don't like. Continue to obey all the rest. Right? I'm sure that has something to do with it.

I think either pardons are in order, or some consequences need to be incoming. The double standards- even when I agree in principle with the message- are sickening.

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My parasites or yours?

I end up disappointing or confusing people all the time. 

When I criticize the particular government they are burdened with, some of them think it’s a gotcha to say something equally critical about the government that I’m burdened with.

It bewilders them when I agree. 

That's because they are coming to the conversation in the middle.

When I say all governments are evil and all cops everywhere are scum, I mean ALL. They aren’t expecting that- they expect me to defend the ones that bother me, personally. Nope. I dislike those much more than I dislike the ones that molest them. Context.

I still want them unburdened by the regional goons who violate their liberty, even if I'd rather flush the ones who violate mine even more.

Liberty is big enough to accommodate us all.

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Envy is Ugly

Envy. It’s really disgusting to me.

I’ve never been envious or jealous of wealthy people. That’s why socialism/communism has never been appealing to me. I want other people to do well.

Yes, I wish I had "more" like they do. It's mostly my own fault that I don't (and I sometimes thump myself in the face over some bad choices). Although government has contributed much more than I'd like to the situation.
I don't blame rich people for being rich- as long as they didn't use politcs/crime to get that way.

I understand it takes wealthy people to create businesses and jobs for most of us. And the products we want and need. If you tax away their motivation to keep going, they might stop. That's not going to help things. "Free stuff" doesn't appear out of the quantum foam.

What I don't like is when rich people use government against the rest of us. Or when they act as a de facto government with their business- spying, controlling, and cheating us. That's (apparently) government's "job" and it doesn't need help!

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Penny symbolic of useless government

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for November 19, 2025)

Where do you stand on the penny issue? Are you pro-penny, anti-penny, or do you not care one way or the other? Did you even know there was a "penny issue"?

On November 12, 2025, the US Mint stopped issuing pennies; it minted its final one-cent coin. Maybe...read the rest...

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Let's shut down government for real

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 15, 2025)

Recently, everyone has been up in arms over a supposed government shutdown. The same way they were over the last few and will be when the next regularly scheduled shutdowns roll around. Some act as if this hasn't become normal political theatrics. I'm not sure which rock they've been hiding under for the past few decades, but it must be a remote one.

These same people are trying to decide who's to blame. Blame?

Instead of assigning blame, if there were a government shutdown, I would suggest proudly claiming credit for the accomplishment. Blame belongs to those who want to end the shutdown and open government back up, not those who keep it shut down. Even if I oppose them on everything else they do, shutting down government is heroic. Shutting it down permanently would be an improvement.

Of course, there is no government shutdown, nor has there ever been one in modern America. Government shutdowns are a hoax, and too many fall for it every time. There's too much government still happening to call it a shutdown.

As long as your paycheck is being taxed, grandmothers are being groped at airports, and gun purchase background checks are being committed, government is still open and violating you.

Political criminals only shut down, or scale back, the few things they hope will make the public whine and beg to have government turned back on. They'll never shut down something if it would neuter government's power to bother you.

I want a real shutdown.

I want the political parties to compete to see who can shut down government the best. Let them jockey to shut it down the most often, the most completely, and keep it shut down the longest. Trying to blame each other for a government shutdown is like people condemning each other for not mugging you. It's nothing to find fault with; it's the right thing to do.

Any fault is found in not shutting down enough of it, or in giving it a chance to come back... with back pay for all. Just let it go. Have you tried unplugging it and NOT plugging it back in?

As long as people entertain the illusion that there is such a thing as the right to govern others, they'll keep doing the wrong thing. They'll fight to reopen government. The occasional shutdown theater is nothing but a distraction from reality.

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Aversion therapy

It's disturbing that there are some truths that even Libertarian / Abolitionist / Voluntaryist / Anarchist people have allowed the statist narrative to make too dangerous to debate. Or even speak. 

To act as though the statist position is valid and beyond examination.

I've waded into that mire myself a few times, and it isn't fun. It trains a person to stay silent in the face of certain topics where statists are objectively wrong, by every rational standard, but have had such a heavy influence that even most of those who aren't in their camp simply accept the narrative without question- and often pile on if anyone dares to question it.

This just shows there's a lot of work to do, both as individuals and together, to free society from statism. There will be a lot of resistance, though, from all sides.

Some days I'm willing to face the arrows; most days I'm not. So I guess that means the tactic is effective.

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Does anyone even notice this anymore?

Round numbers

It's been ten years.

I hate that the arbitrary fact of a round number makes it feel more important and more painful.

Those files

I have almost no interest whatsoever in "The Epstein Files". Shocking and unique, I know. I'm supposed to care. Deeply! But I don't.

I assume all political criminals are scum in every possible way. The only thing those files might do is show a lack of evidence that one of them isn't scum in one specific domain. Maybe. An absence of evidence is never evidence of absence.

I assume any file that was important in showing guilt has been wiped, deleted, shredded, burned, and scattered to the winds. Or doctored to either show guilt or to cover it up.

It's better to assume they are all scum and work from there.

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Be a hero

Government makes everything worse

I was going to list real-world examples of how government makes everything worse; how adding some government control or oversight ruins everything.

But the list got too long. Basically endless. So many specific examples came to mind that I was overwhelmed.

I can't think of anything that has been improved by giving government control over it. Can you?

Give me an example, if one comes to mind, and I'll consider it.

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Could you? Would you?

War is politics

War is politics. Maybe slightly extreme politics, but still politics. It's politics in full bloom.

Anyone who uses politics against me is someone who I believe would hurt me in other ways if they had the opportunity. They're simply going about it dishonestly.

This is the kind of person who will go to war with others if in a position of power, even if they lie about what they are doing and try to give it Orwellian euphemisms- like "peacekeeping".

If you make a habit of using politics against others, don't complain if it comes back on you tenfold. You may find yourself in a war you didn't realize you were starting; a war you're not going to win. I have no sympathy.

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I dare you

Non-functional

Through the years, I have seen some very pretty non-firing firearms replicas. The "non-firing" part completely ruins them for me.

A large part of the beauty of a firearm comes from knowing it functions as it's supposed to function, which includes sending a projectile downrange at high speed. Even the airgun replicas of real firearms are better than the non-firing replicas because of this. 

And blank-firing guns are all noise and disappointment.

That's kind of how I feel about "libertarian-leaning" people. They may look nice, but they fail to function correctly. By insisting on hanging on to some statism, for pragmatic or other reasons, they don't work right.

They might make a nice display piece, or a lot of noise, but they won't save the day when the chips are down. All because they're unable to let go and trust liberty.

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Go crazy

Reject kings of all political stripes

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for November 12, 2025)

Well, that didn't take long.

A few short weeks ago, people who largely represented one political faction were protesting for "No Kings". Then, too many of those from the very same faction in New York City did a flip-flop and voted for a man who promises to act exactly like a king...read the rest...

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Government failing at its only job

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 8, 2025)

Much of the conflict over government stems from different ideas about what its job is— or should be.

If we strip away all the nonsense and propaganda- all the excuses- there's only one justification for government that holds water; it's there to protect the life, liberty, and property- the fundamental human rights- of the people forced to live with it. A job it seems unwilling or unable to do. Anything else it does is a direct betrayal of this purpose.

So much for the notion of a "night watchman" government.

If government were capable of fulfilling this purpose, it might be worthwhile to keep one around. Since government is the main problem we are likely to encounter in our daily lives, it's not worth the expense or the risk. Government is the wolf at the door, demanding you let it in so it can protect you from wolves.

So-called "safety net" programs- welfare, subsidies, and other handouts- are often sold as government's duty, but it's a trick. Every cent funneled through these schemes must first be stolen from the rightful owners through taxation. If government's job is to protect property, picking your pocket to hand the loot to me is a contradiction. You can't protect property by stealing property. You can't protect rights by violating rights.

No one needs bureaucrats taking their money and then deciding who to give it to. Charity is better at filling real needs while correcting for mistakes or scams. Stealing money through taxation, then giving it away (even if they aren't trying to buy votes with it) isn't generosity. It doesn't make for a kinder society. It breeds dependence and resentment, and it undermines the foundations of society. If there were any such thing as a "social contract", this would break it.

If you assume people can't run their own lives, and treat them as if they can't, they'll prove you right. If you try to remove the cost of being irresponsible, no one has any incentive to be responsible. If you insist on governing them, they'll never learn to govern themselves.

If government is to be tolerated, it must stick to its job of protecting your rights. Not violating you in the name of what someone pretends is a right. Not being a nightmarish nanny or a parallel universe Robin Hood who steals from the people to give to the state.

It can't do this, so why put up with it?

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Truth in labeling

I recently watched the movie Soylent Green. It was made in 1973 (“based on” a 1966 novel) and set in 2022.

The movie was not nearly as shocking as I'd been made to think it would be. Which doesn't say good things about how dystopian the world has been turning since the early '70s, or how callous I may be.

It seems to me that the core problem in the movie is a truth-in-labeling issue. Turning a massive glut of corpses into food seems a good use of resources (protein) under the fictional overpopulation scenario depicted in the movie. 

I can't imagine that the people of that world- seeing what they have become accustomed to tolerating- would really have that big an issue eating the processed remains of their fellow humans. 

Maybe Thorn was acting like it was a big deal, but no one else cared. That is where the movie ended, after all. He screamed the truth, the cameras shut off, and people shrugged and went on about their miserable lives, with bigger problems to worry about.

Come to think of it, that feels like the response to most uncomfortable truths about government and lost liberty that I feel people should care about.

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You're a King

What's better than "No Kings"?

Everyone a king or a queen. Everyone the sovereign individual they were born to be.

8 billion+ kings/queens is better than none. 

If there are none, slimy political criminals will call themselves something else while they take on the king's role and assert illegitimate "authority" over your life. Don't leave a power vacuum; wear your crown- or not. It's your decision as King.

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Are you not entertained?

Socialist politicians take note

Any "affordability" that doesn't take the cost of taxation and regulation into account is a lie.

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The experimental life

One thing that distinguishes me from the people I know is that I’m always, constantly experimenting.

Looking for better ways to do things. New ways; different ways. 

Even with things that I’ve settled on, if someone suggests another way that seems interesting or possibly better, or if I think of something different, I’ll nearly always try it. 

Maybe it’s a reflection of my lifelong love of science. Or my lack of belief in authority as the final word. Or some combination of the two, or something else entirely.

I don’t personally know anyone else who does this- at least not to the same extent I do. I'm sure there are plenty of people like this, I just don't know any.

I'm also not sure this is a good thing. It seems like it should be, but then I see how content the people who don't feel this need seem to be, and then I'm not certain.

One thing I know for sure is that the liberty to experiment is absolutely essential, not just for me, but for the entire species.

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Long-range economics from a non-economist

October 12, 2017, mBTC price

I feel bad. I’ve been begging friends and family to get precious metals for many years, and to get Bitcoin for the past few years. Most of them have ignored me. Or even laughed at me.

One did finally get some silver and a very small amount of gold about 10 years ago, and a few dollars of Bitcoin about 5 years later. He’s glad he did. The rest are oblivious to what they missed. They still dismiss my suggestions, thinking US fiat dollars are the only money that counts.

They may even feel smart when they hear that Bitcoin is "collapsing". Again. As it regularly does before (and after) hitting new all-time highs. Like is happening now. The reality is that Bitcoin is on sale for a limited time.

The US dollar will eventually collapse, too, and when it does, it won't rebound. It will be worth nothing (some would argue it's already most of the way there). I don't know if it will happen in your lifetime, but it's guaranteed to happen. If it does happen in your lifetime, are you ready? Do you have contingency plans?

I don't have nearly enough of either metals or crypto; I'm not even convinced "enough" is a thing- but at least I understand the importance of having some.

The US dollar's long-term trend is only downward, seeking its intrinsic value of zero. This is the path it has been on since 1913, and it shows no signs of stopping its downhill slide.

I think, with Bitcoin, that the long-term direction will be forever upward. Yeah, there will be bumps and dips, but over the course of decades, if you have even one Bitcoin, you'll be set. Maybe I'm wrong and it has hit its peak, or quantum computing will destroy it, and it will be worthless in 5 years, But I doubt it.  If only I'd trusted it more in the beginning... but let's not think about that! 

Also, food for thought, if the price of Bitcoin increases as much in the next 8 years as it did in the 8 years since the screenshot above was captured, it will be worth somewhere around $1.7 million. Each.

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Destroying their own argument

One thing statists constantly do in any discussion is destroy their own argument- and not realize they've done so. Not even when shown what they did. You can hold their hand in some cases, but they'll see nothing that doesn't agree with their preferred superstition.

I encountered one who didn't like what I had to say about "just following orders". I said it didn't work, and he said it worked as long as you were on the winning side. I had to give him that one, but I said it doesn't cut it for me.

His comeback argument was that you have to use the power of government because your enemies will use it against you. I said that, yes, evil works, but you don't need to be evil because you can ethically shoot the bad guys in self-defense.

His rebuttal was, "Power is not evil, it’s just the ability to decide. If you don’t win, you don’t get to decide on anything. 'self defense isn’t evil' is 'I was just following order' in that it’s decided by those in power. A leftist judge and jury will give you 40 years for 'pew-pew' no matter how justified you feel." (He kind of lost me there, with the grammar problems or dropped words, but I think I got the gist of it.)

The sad thing was, he didn't realize what he had just done to his own argument.

I pointed out that such a judge, and his power to harm someone for engaging in self-defense, are evil. This confused him. I don't expect him to ever get it figured out. I know he believes he's being pragmatic- which is another problem, but such is life.

So much discussion with statists is like trying to discuss the color green with someone who insists it's orange, and calls you the problem for not going along.

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You don't want to be government's pet

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for November 5, 2025)

The SNAP crisis has shown a flaw in encouraging people to become dependent on government for anything essential. If you allow yourself to become dependent on government, it will own you.

Why would you do this to yourself? To your family?..read the rest...

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Don't be puppet for government

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 1, 2025)

If you change your behavior strictly because of what someone you dislike thinks you should or shouldn't do, you are their puppet.

Last week, when government came out with the cautionary advice to not take Tylenol (Acetaminophen) during pregnancy- advice which actually agrees completely with Tylenol's published advice- there were reports of pregnant women on the political Left going against this advice and taking the medicine to spite Robert Kennedy Jr. and President Trump. Some made videos of their act of defiance, just to do the opposite of what the current regime told them they probably shouldn't do.

Again, advice that Tylenol's manufacturer has been giving for years.

That's not rational behavior.

I've also seen people on the political Right do dumb things as a reaction just because the Democrats in power advised them against doing it. Or mandated them to do it.

I knew someone who littered because the "environmentalists" on the Left told her not to. Truthfully, I've known two people who did this- and I picked up after them when I could, because I'm not an irresponsible idiot who is easily manipulated by politics. It's not smart to soil your own nest, even if someone you dislike tells you it's a bad idea.

There are people on the Right who now refuse any vaccinations just because the sketchy Covid shots made vaccinations a Democrat virtue.

This is no more rational than what the Left was apparently doing last week. Truth is truth, no matter who says it.

Long ago, someone pointed out to me that if I alter my behavior for no reason but to defy someone, they are controlling me as surely as if I were obeying their every command. I don't want to be a puppet.

Wouldn't you feel stupid if you ended up damaging your health, the health of your child, or costing yourself extra money simply because you wanted to do the opposite of what some politician told you?

It's smarter to weigh everything someone tells you to do. If it makes sense and is good for you, do it. If it seems like it would be bad for you, do something else. Check with sources you trust- the less political, the better. You might even be wrong sometimes. Make your choices and accept the consequences. Never put yourself in danger for no better reason than to figuratively spit in the face of a politician. Be smarter. Think for yourself.

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"... similar to Communism in how it ignores reality"

Statists love to equate libertarianism and anarchism with communism. They believe this comparison gives them an automatic win. Far from it.

Some guy got upset that I said "ALL government is The Ancestral Enemy" (in response to an eye-patched political criminal). He thought he had squeezed out a gotcha with his quip that "Libertarianism is anarchy with extra steps", and went on to try to associate it with communism, as they so often try to do.

I asked him to explain. This was his attempt.

"When you decentralize a society and implement what is de facto mob rule, you will always have chaos and crime. Libertarian principles will never save the day, because order must be enforced. The solution is centralized authority, which is why it always comes back in the end."

That's an awful lot of straw men and assumptions in one paragraph.

Let me break it down bit by bit.

"When you decentralize a society and implement what is de facto mob rule, you will always have chaos and crime."

How odd that he believes decentralization is "de facto mob rule". What, like v*ting leads to? He's the one promoting someone ruling others, not me. I want everyone to rule himself. I know some wouldn't, just like they don't under government now. There's an ethical solution to that: defense of life, liberty, and property from all violators.

No matter what, there will always be chaos and crime. Always. Regardless of the "system" you implement. I've never seen an example of a government that doesn't have (or promote) chaos and crime. Not one. An argument that fails this hard shouldn't keep being dredged up. But it's one of their favorites, so they can't let it go. I’ve never heard of even one libertarian who expected liberty to result in Utopia; this is strictly something statists demand of it. And something they would never expect of their own “system “.

"Libertarian principles will never save the day, because order must be enforced."

Non sequitur, and it's wrong anyway.

Libertarian principles save the day all the time. Without them, there's no such thing as society. They provide just the right amount of order- not too much and not too little. 
They work for me every day, in every way. I've never encountered a situation that could be improved by violating libertarian principles.

Do they make life perfect? No. Nothing does. Including government. This is an attempt to excuse violating others just because the alternative you don't like isn't perfect.

Some order must be enforced, yes. Within limits. Too much order is just as deadly as too little. There is a balance, and that balance is anarchy- or libertarianism, if you prefer. Why does he believe a criminal organization that exempts its members from the rules it imposes on the rest of us is the proper way to enforce order? Why is he so addicted to order? It is each individual's responsibility to protect life, liberty, and property- to enforce ethical order. That statists try to abdicate this responsibility to government doesn't change anything. Not a single thing. 

"The solution is centralized authority, which is why it always comes back in the end."

That sounds an awful lot like the communism he was trying to smear libertarianism with. When I mentioned this, he claimed it is a "false equivalency".

"Authority" is The Most Dangerous Superstition. The reason it "comes back in the end" (or has so far) is that humans are superstitious and have been brainwashed to believe in it. But your superstitious beliefs don't obligate me. You do what you want, but I know your "authorities" are nothing more than criminals with a 12+ year indoctrination program to fool people into seeing them as something they aren't. You can't make me believe in the false legitimacy of the illegitimate, no matter how you try to frame it. Even if your thugs murder me, I know they are nothing but criminals.

It's amusing to me how often (like, every single time) their objections apply equally to the "system" they believe they are defending from scary liberty. Dolts.

It seems that they ignore reality to keep believing what they believe.

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Space invaders

The right of association is an essential human right; this means you can exclude anyone from your space for any reason, or on a whim. Any "law" saying otherwise is a violation of your basic human rights.

It's a bad feeling to be excluded. I've experienced it and I didn't like it.

It doesn't matter.

People have a right to their exclusive spaces. They can base them on any criteria they choose, or it can be totally arbitrary, based on "I don't like how you look".

Those who have been excluded from some space have the right to establish their own spaces and exclude those who excluded them. Or not.

It doesn't bother me that I am not allowed in a women's dressing room or restroom. I can imagine an emergency situation where I might invade a women's restroom- but I would know I am doing something I have no right to do, and I would be as respectful and contrite as possible. I wouldn't act entitled, but I would be extremely apologetic. If someone punched me for being in there, I would deserve it.

If people of some particular "race" wish to have a club for only "their own people", I would respect that wish. Even if I really wanted to participate. If I liked their club idea, I might establish a similar club for myself and those who want to join- I can't imagine excluding anyone because of something as trivial as "race". Anyone who didn't enter and try to archate would probably be welcome. If they smelled really bad, I might ask them to address that issue before coming back- unless stinking was fundamental to the purpose of the club.

I have never understood those who want to invade other people's spaces. Why insist on being where you aren't welcome? So often, they then ruin those spaces, making them into something even they don't want to be a part of anymore. It's just dumb.

Respect the right of association. If you want to join, try to earn an invitation. If you can't, move on. You'll be OK.

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Collectivist "thinking"

I’ve noticed an epidemic of collectivist hatred among too many people who otherwise appear to lean toward liberty. It’s their obsessive hatred of Jews. I'm running into this in places where it has no bearing on the topic; where it seems some ignorant people just feel the need to insert it everywhere, just so you'll see their opinion. Some openly advocate the discredited socialist swastika cult.

It’s wise to hate countries and governments, but not to nurture a blanket hatred of people who share nothing in common about their behavior. I hate behaviors, not generic people. Individuals' behaviors.

I dislike the Somalis who move to America and become politicians, not because they are from Somalia, but because I dislike politicians. Everywhere, no matter who they are or where they were born. Politicians aren't good people because they seek power over others. I am not anti-Somalic; I am pro-liberty.

It's the same with Jewish people. I dislike the ones who seek to rule others, whether as part of an Israeli government or as a US politician. Not because they are Jews, but because they are archators. Jewish people who aren't archators are perfectly fine by me. And that's the vast majority of them- the political element is a small minority of any group (other than the self-selected group comprised of politicians, bureaucrats, and other political parasites). They are the bad apples.

It's smart to be biased against individuals who violate others, and against individuals who choose to join a group based on violating others, but not based on their genes or accidents of birth. Actions are all that matter.

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