Statism- A total failure

I will never listen to statists, or take them even slightly seriously, until they can get their own collectivist house in order. All their criticisms fall flat and are total failures.

They are the ones who say they have the answers, and anyone who thinks differently is childish. They are the ones who believe a collective has a "right" to run your life, and is smart enough to do so. They are the ones making the claim that a government is necessary to protect your rights.

They've had thousands of years to prove it, but they haven't ever been able to.

Libertarians. Voluntaryists, abolitionists, and anarchists make no such claims. 

We don't claim the world will be perfect without government- because we know bad people will always exist. 

We just recognize that giving those bad people (and anyone who seeks to govern others is bad) power and imaginary "authority" doesn't ever work out well. The power attracts the worst people, the "authority" lets them get away with their crimes, and if a decent person gets pulled in, they turn bad by association and because of how the system is set up to function.

Statism and political governments are total failures. They always have been and always will be, and until statists can get it right at least once, they can keep their ignorant mouths shut.

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Making deals with devils

I can't believe there are still people who don't realize this, but...

You can not make a deal with a government. Well, not and expect that government to keep their end of the deal. Governments don't do that.

They aren't individuals.

They feel entitled to run your life and to lie to you to that end.

They care about their own interests only, and respecting your life, liberty, or property is not in any government's interests. They will break any deal if they find it convenient to do so.

Trying to make a deal with government is foolish. It doesn't matter who you are, or which government you are trying to negotiate with. It's not going to work out in your favor. There's only one way to deal with such gangs.

There's a reason buckskinners call this stuff "treaty paper":

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Government is...

Government is a security blanket for the incompetent, the lazy, the fear-filled, the incapable, the weak, and the delusional.

Government is an excuse- a jobs program- for those who like to commit evil.

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Self-defense

Is it self-defense or is it not?

If you are where you have a right to be...

And you are doing what you have a right to be doing...

Then you can ethically use self-defense against anyone who uses (or credibly threatens to use) force against you. They are initiating force. They are archating.

If you are not where you have a right to be, OR you are doing something you have no right to be doing, then anyone you are violating has the right to use self-defense against you. No matter what your excuse is or who you are. No matter how popular your actions may be.

If I go into my neighbor's house- their undisputed private property- and I threaten to beat them up for smoking Cannabis (even though the regional governments all say it's "illegal" for them to do so), they have the right to shoot me. That would be self-defense on their part.

I can't threaten them with harm, then shoot them and claim "self-defense" if they try to run. Not even if they shove me out of the way. Not even if they intentionally hit me with their car, or shoot me, in an attempt to get away from my aggression. I'm the one in the wrong here, whatever the outcome. 

Legislation doesn't confer rights. Legislation can't change wrong into right; it can't negate a human right. Government policies do not determine rights. Government "jobs" or badges don't grant "extra rights".They can't. Rights don't work that way.

I would hope this clears things up. I suspect that depends on how poisoned by politics the recipient's brain is.

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More laws equivalent of more crime

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for January 14, 2026)

Trying to solve crime with authoritarian government, more laws, and stricter enforcement is like trying to keep someone healthy by stuffing them in a coffin and burying them alive. Yet, this is the first move politicians make when they see a problem.

Turning to government and its laws is a sign your society has failed, and the unfortunate fact is that this only causes more crime in the long run. As the Chinese philosopher Laozi pointed out over two thousand years ago, "The more numerous the laws, the more thieves and robbers there will be"...read the rest...

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We need to quarantine rabid government

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for December 10, 2025)

It has always bothered me how much of the news is concerned with what government is doing. In a way, I understand. When there's a rabid dog at your door, you need to know about it. Unfortunately, talking about it doesn't solve the problem. The rabid dog is still there, threatening us.

F. William "Bill" Schmidt, a man of impressive accomplishments whom I only learned about after his recent death at the age of 92, wrote: "Why is Government always the principal subject of public discussion? Because the existence of Government violates the Natural Rights of everyone; and everyone is struggling to understand this malevolent institution which inevitably creates conflicts and chaos."

He was right.

I don't want to keep hearing about what the rabid dog called "Government" is doing, but as long as it continues to threaten everyone's life, liberty, and property, and as long as society isn't allowed to do anything useful to address it, I suppose I need to keep up with its actions. I need to stay alert to the conflicts and chaos it is creating in society so I can avoid them whenever possible and brace myself for those I can't avoid.

I still don't enjoy hearing what the political criminals are plotting.

I'll never understand why so many people feel loyalty to this rabid dog, or believe it is necessary for their well-being. I don't get why people are willing to spend their lives feeding their neighbors to this diseased beast, and pretending it's for our own good. Nothing is more antisocial than this.

If you were in a personal relationship with someone who made you live under the same rules government imposes on you, you'd be a victim of domestic abuse. If a romantic partner spied on you, tracked all your movements, made you ask for permission to leave the house, controlled what you left with and brought back, didn't allow people to visit you without permission, made you show every nickel you have and where you got it before stealing a percentage of it from you, you'd be justified in fighting back. Even if the abuser said fighting back was against the rules. Such a partner would be no better than the rabid dog.

Yet, government does this and worse, and people casually chat about it as though it's okay and normal. Watching what government does is pointless unless you're prepared to quarantine and neutralize this rabid dog.

(Here's the link to Bill Schmidt's essay quoted above.)

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SixNeedler holster

 

Here’s the holster I made for my SixNeedler.

Here's the back of it, if that's of any interest:

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Yeah, it's apparently too much to ask

I just want everyone to leave everyone else alone, and for everyone to be free to defend themselves from those who won’t.

By "leave everyone else alone", I don't mean to abandon them; I mean to not rob, kidnap, attack, coerce, or otherwise molest them. I mean, don't archate!
I would add, "Is this too much to ask?", but actions speak louder than words.

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The Police State you cheer today...

I am shocked, although I know I shouldn't be, to see how many people love government and hate other people more than they value liberty.

For the first time in over 19 years, it's making me seriously reconsider the whole blogging thing.
I am just too disgusted and disappointed. Especially at people who ought to know better coming out as fans of the Police State- as long as it is aimed at people they hate.

I had often wondered how it happened that regular Germans were fine with SS troops operating openly around Germany. I don't wonder anymore. Again, some people hate others more than they love liberty.

The Police State you cheer today will be aimed at you the next time the political winds shift direction. And then you'll act surprised and mad at the situation you helped enable. In which case, I'll still take your side because I don't abandon principles. Don't say you weren't warned. 

But, wow...

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It feels lonely

This is how it feels to be standing against the cheerleading for ICE… to not be excusing them for their crimes. Lonely, but good.

It's lonely, but it's worth it to be on the ethical side. 

I can barely wrap my head around the people making excuses, blaming the victim, and pretending that "the law" [sic] and ethics are the same thing. And lying that any of this is Constitutional (if that matters to anyone).

I know I'm not really alone.

I'm seeing others being attacked for not cheering the jackboots, so I'm less alone than I feel I am. I step up to defend them when I can. But it's overwhelmingly one-sided against us, and defending them brings the wrath of the mob down upon me. Which is tiresome.

Even those who know all anti-gun rules are illegal pretend that "immigration" rules are valid. It makes no sense if you expect humans to be consistent and rational- which I don't, but still...

I hate standing with those who, in other situations, want armed government thugs to steal my guns and murder me if I resist, but sometimes you've got to anyway.

(It was much more fun discussing the SixNeedler than this nonsense!)

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Murdered by badgescum

Sickening.

For the most part, I don't like the kind of people who go to protest, especially if they only protest one side and ignore the abuses of "their own" side. Which seems to be the case for 95% of the regular protesters.

If you think it's time to protest, it's probably time for something more direct. I get it, though, even though I know it won't make any useful difference. Not in today's police state.

On the other hand, cops are scum. No matter which agency they work for, or what their badge says on it. If they "fear for their life", they need to find a different job. Their primary- and possibly only- duty is to die to protect your life, liberty, and property, not to murder to enforce counterfeit "laws".

Enforcing unethical (and unconstitutional, if you care about such things) "immigration" rules puts you on the wrong side. Murdering someone who is trying to escape from your authority-addled display of aggression just stacks more wrongdoing on top of wrongdoing. 

It doesn't matter whether or not I would have liked the dead woman, or even if she was only inspired to protest because she hated the current president (as I suspect was the case). Politics makes people stupid, after all.

You have the right to drive over anyone who is blocking your way, be they a protester or an enforcer. Don't block cars if you don't want to be run over. And if you do, your claims of "self-defense" will be ridiculed by smarter people.

The comments I see people copsuckers making about the situation make me sad for the future of liberty in America... and the world.

If you hate other people more than you love liberty, there's no hope for you. And this seems to be the case with so many people these days. They love Big Brother and his rules more than they value liberty. That's not good!

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SixNeedler review- I like it!

I used some of my Christmas money to buy a CO2 air gun called a SixNeedler. I had wanted one ever since Jörg Sprave started talking about designing it, and eventually offering it for sale, on his YouTube channel.

I'm always thinking ahead, considering possible future situations where conventional ammo (or its components) might become unavailable or prohibited, and alternatives become important. Plus, I like having options. Especially options you can buy online and have shipped directly to your house without "Imperial entanglements". That's always useful. 

This is one air gun I would actually consider carrying for defense under certain conditions. I don't say that lightly, as I have firearms I wouldn't consider carrying for defense, even if I like them.

This gun feels real. It has a metal frame (aluminum?) and a solid polymer cylinder and grip. It even has a metal trigger and trigger guard! The whole thing is solid and has heft. It seems to be well-made. Also, it's black, not blue like the photo may suggest.

Unlike the other airguns I have, the SixNeedler is a serious tool. It shoots blowgun darts or "needles" rather than BBs or pellets. While they don't have the stopping power or foot-pounds of .44 Magnum, you do not want to get hit with one. They will not simply bounce off.

It's a "top break" much like a Schofield, but without an extractor popping anything out, because there's nothing to extract. 

I've shot several cylinders-full already. It is double-action/single-action. Pretty easy to shoot. The grip angle is something to get accustomed to, but not a problem. The grip shape, I'll discuss below. 

My target is a cardboard box filled with layers of cardboard, fortified with stacks of newspaper every several layers. The needles are penetrating an average of 2.5 to 3.5 inches, and they are stuck in the newspaper layers hard; they must be removed with pliers (don't damage them, since they are reusable!) I've watched videos where they are going through clothing, skin, ballistic gel, and cow leg bone.

It's fairly accurate- although I'm shooting at short, indoor ranges (across my library room/office- about 4 yards is all). If I brace the gun in place, removing the randomness of hand movement, most shots hit in about a 1.5" group, but there are some flyers that will hit a few inches from the point of aim. It's definitely accurate enough for defensive distance shooting.

The only negative I've found is the grip shape and size. It's got a squarish cross-section and is a bit large for my hands. If I hold it with the (oversized, in my opinion) grip cover (which encloses the CO2 cartridge in the grip) removed, it feels less awkward and almost more comfortable. Of course, there's no recoil, so the grip is not going to hurt your hand while you shoot, regardless of the grip design.
I did write the company and suggest they offer differently sized/shaped grip covers, and they said they will take it under advisement for any updates. I hope they do it, and I hope they offer additional grips for sale separately.

All in all, I really like it. It's sci-fi enough to appeal to that side of me. It's dangerous enough that it could be used defensively, and that appeals to my prepper side. It's different, cool-looking, and it works as advertised. It's also not terribly expensive. I think you should consider adding one to your collection. Then tell me what you think.

I'm even thinking about making a leather holster for my SixNeedler, if that means anything.

This isn't a paid review or anything. Like my review of the Barra Schofield, it's just me sharing my thoughts, experiences, and opinions. There are no affiliate links, and I get nothing if you buy one, click on anything, or whatever else people do to pay reviewers for reviewing products.

Here are a couple of videos of me shooting it, single action and double action, in my library/office:

Excuse my clutter and decorating choices.

UPDATE: Here's the holster I made for it: link

Hints:

I would save some pristine darts as your "carry darts" if you plan to use this in any defensive capacity. I've been using and reusing the same 6 darts, and they are beginning to get a little loose in the chambers. I had one slip down through the muzzle end of its chamber and bind the cylinder while I was shooting. I've also shot a couple of darts with other darts- one shot actually went straight down alongside the first dart, piercing both of its plastic cones. That's going to mess up the gas seal, but they did still work afterward.

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Protecting the statist house of cards

I wasn’t always libertarian. I had many statist ideas, assumptions, and misunderstandings. But I was always susceptible to liberty.

I believe this is why I can understand the arguments of statists better than they can understand liberty.

Also, I will discuss things with them, and don't say "I'm not going to read that!" when presented with information. I'll at least try to read it, because I want to understand them. 

Judging by their nearly universal behavior, they don't want to understand liberty. Most of them avoid any exposure whatsoever to ideas that might challenge their beliefs or rattle their house of cards. They are desperate to avoid the breeze of liberty's breath of fresh air.

Which probably explains how they can remain statists in spite of overwhelming evidence that it's not a smart thing to do.

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'Gun culture' misleading propaganda

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for January 7, 2026)

Recently, a 15-year-old was shot and killed by another teen. Afterward, a local official blamed the tragedy on "gun culture". I haven't decided if he said this out of ignorance or dishonesty. Either way, he's wrong, and his use of "gun culture" is as misleading as the propaganda phrase "gun violence"...read the rest...

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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.

If a short-term rental next door creates a violation of your life, liberty, or property, there are already ethical ways to handle it without government getting preemptively involved. Zoning laws themselves are a violation of property rights.

Politicians have no right to decide which peaceful, voluntary businesses you're allowed to run. In a free country, this meddling wouldn't be tolerated. Such government overreach hurts us all in the long run.

Legitimacy doesn't come from official recognition. Government attention is poison to innovation. Look at Bitcoin: the moment government began paying attention, regulators attacked it with taxes, rules, and other interference. This destroyed much of the freedom and utility of cryptocurrency. Keep your filthy government off my life!

Government doesn't need a process to smother every human activity. Life doesn't need to be micromanaged by politicians. Liberty- freedom tempered with responsibility- is enough. The market regulates itself when freed from government meddling. Dishonest companies go broke without government protecting them from competition or from cheated customers. Anyone seeking government protection from competition or consequences is in the wrong. Monopolies can only persist with government help. Irresponsible individuals never learn to be better when protected from consequences, or from their victims, by government rules.

Those who believe "there oughta be a law" are the people who see any remaining liberty as a loophole that must be closed. Liberty's enemies are on both sides of the law- freelance crooks and suit-wearing officials- and it's your responsibility to defend it from them all.

A chilling realization is that government would rather keep you poor with arbitrary rules, and then toss you crumbs financed with money they stole from your neighbors, than to get out of your way and allow you to build your own future with your mind and muscles. A future of responsible self-sufficiency and abundance moves government from being a crutch to being recognized as the broken leg. This terrifies them.

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Game theory for winners

The smartest, most rational game theory strategy appears to be this:

• Start with cooperation.
• If cooperation is returned, keep cooperating.
• If betrayed, push back an equal amount immediately- once.
• If cooperation resets, return to cooperation without a grudge. If it doesn't, disengage (stop playing).

Isn't it interesting how thoroughly libertarian this is? 

It's how I've always tried to live, even before I ever heard it spelled out like this.

Of course, bad guys have set up "games" where they don't "allow" you to push back or walk away from their betrayal. That's when self-defense comes into play- it's up to you to decide when it's necessary, and I won't second-guess you.

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“Broccoli choking”

Using the propaganda phrase “gun violence” is exactly as dishonest (or ignorant) as singling out choking on broccoli and decrying “broccoli choking”. 

They ignore all the deaths and injuries caused by choking on other foods, not because they care about choking victims, but because they hate broccoli.

In the exact same way, the people who lecture about "gun violence" don't really care about violence (or archation); they just hate guns and don't want you to have them... unless you're a government thug who can use your guns to take the guns away from people who aren't in your gang.

If they weren't this despicable, they would care about the innocent people stabbed, stoned to death, beaten with clubs, strangled by hands, or intentionally killed in any other way, no matter what weapon was used. They would be happy when someone uses a gun to fend off an attack. They don't care, and they aren't happy, and that's how you know they are nothing but filthy anti-gun bigots. 

Keep this in mind every time you see or hear the propaganda phrase "gun violence" come from one of these nasty bigots.

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The long scam

Government is fraud. The very idea of governing others is fraudulent. It's the biggest, longest-running scam in history.

To pick out one aspect of it to get mad about is ridiculous. But that's what is happening.

I suppose it's still better than everyone being complacent about it.

But, it's only a good thing if enough people start doing something about the problem.

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Billion$ in fraud is discovered...

And then, like magic, suddenly everyone is mad about taxes.

Welcome to the party, Pal.

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That's CRIME culture, you badged bonehead!

The local-ish police chief blamed a dead 15-year-old, shot the other night by a 16-year-old while they were messing around with guns in a bedroom, on "gun culture". What a disgusting, lying jackboot!

It’s not "gun culture" that’s the problem. It’s crime "culture".

I’m part of gun culture. We don’t shoot people because they disrespected us. We don’t point guns at our friends because we “know” the guns aren’t loaded. We don't shoot at houses as we drive down the street. We don't mug people at gunpoint. Or with a knife held to their throat.

Those who do those things are not part of gun culture.

That chief cop parroted a Leftist propaganda phrase because he’s an evil loser, too, just like the rest of them.

He’s trying to avoid blaming crime culture by blaming gun culture. Like protects like. He should be sued for defamation. What a nasty anti-gun bigot!

(I'm also writing my newspaper column for next week about this.)

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The real purpose of the Supreme Court

Statists believe the Supreme Court is there to discern whether or not legislation (or a government policy) is constitutional.

I know the Supreme Court exists to find excuses that allow unconstitutional legislation and policies to stand.

We are not the same.

And, no. One team isn't better on this than the other. Both are disgusting in their desire to violate the liberty they don't like.

(Grok wouldn't follow my directions to accurately portray actual current Supreme Courtjesters. In fact, it tried to give me only white men in the image. I prefer to ridicule the actual bufoons as they are. Oh well.)

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Happy 2026!

Sometimes I'm amazed I'm still alive in the year 2026.

Assuming, I am...

You can laugh at the bad guys

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for December 31, 2025)

Happy New Year!

I can't help it. I feel a bit optimistic for 2026. No one spiked my eggnog, either...read the rest...

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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.

Ten years ago, just days before Thanksgiving, my older daughter was killed in a wreck. As devastating as this was, the outpouring of love I received was stunning. It took a while to register- it's hard to notice while you're numb- but I still associate kindness with the memory of that dark time. I can't think of Thanksgiving without feeling a deep sense of loss, but I also remember those who lifted me up during those painful days, and I will forever be grateful.

Some years earlier I was alone and feeling abandoned as Thanksgiving approached. I could see myself sinking into self-pity unless I did something different. So I invited a couple of acquaintances, who were unable to spend the holiday with their own families, to eat spaghetti with me. What could have been a day spent feeling depressed and miserable turned into an enjoyable celebration- one I will always remember with fondness. The memory still makes me smile.

A couple of years after this I was in a similar, but worse, situation, and had allowed myself to fall into despair. It was awful. I was struggling to keep going through the motions. I hadn't told anyone about my circumstances, but on Thanksgiving Day there was a knock on my door and I found a plate heaped with a Thanksgiving meal. I never found out who brought it. Someone must have known, or guessed, what I was going through. I can't put into words what this act of thoughtfulness meant to me that day. I was so overwhelmed I cried. Even now my eyes get a little misty whenever I remember.

Some of you are grieving a death or another loss of some kind. Some are facing hard financial times. Other circumstances may be rough. If so, I hope someone knows what you're going through and does something to make your Thanksgiving Day a little brighter.

I hope you are doing great, though. If you know of someone who needs an invitation or a plate of food, step up. Don't wait for someone else to do the right thing. It's your responsibility, even if no one has pointed this out to you. You'll be grateful you did.

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Stop assisting Evil

If you're helping government in any way, you're probably not helping the people.
If you're helping government spy on any of us or control us, you're the enemy of the people of America.
You're the enemy of America and everything America was meant to be.

It doesn't matter what letters come with your bureau or agency; you're a domestic enemy. Just like the US federal government is an enemy of America- although I consider the US government more of a foreign occupation force.

It doesn't matter what else your businesses do; you're an enemy of liberty.

Maybe you even do some good. Great! Now stop doing evil. Stop helping government commit its evil acts.

Helping government- especially helping it spy on or control the individuals- is unhelpful in the extreme.

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Fraud, corruption, or "normal government"?

When people complain about corruption in government, I often point out that it's not corruption; it's government working exactly as it's designed to work.

Here's a sampling of what Dictionary.com says of "Corruption":

The act of corrupting or state of being corrupt. Antonyms: purity, honesty...
Moral perversion; depravity. Synonyms: immorality, dissolution.
Perversion of integrity.
Corrupt or dishonest proceedings.
Bribery putrefactive decay; rottenness. Synonyms: contamination, pollution, foulness, putrescence, putrefaction, rot...
Any corrupting influence or agency.

This is a perfect description of how political government is designed to work. Government as normal. You can't distinguish between government and "corruption" except in your fantasies.

Part of that design is to employ fraud. So, the fraud isn't evidence of corruption, just of government being what government is. The fraud is still fraud.

How does Dictionary.com describe "Fraud"?:

Deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.
A particular instance of such deceit or trickery.
Any deception, trickery, or humbug.
Guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; Lacking integrity

This is what government does. How it functions. This is on top of the supposed "corruption" that is what government is.

However, if you want to claim "It's not fraud; it's how government operates", I'm not going to argue with you. Either way, society would be better off if we stopped tolerating it.

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A (Barra Schofield) BB gun for Christmas

One of the gifts I got for Christmas was a Barra Air Gun. The Schofield model. It's been a few years since I got a BB gun for Christmas.

I'm excited about this because it means I can shoot inside the house. It's hard to find a nearby place to shoot firearms, so this will help a little.

I've always wanted a Schofield, but they are pricey. This is a good substitute, and it is a lot of fun to shoot. Yes, I've been shooting it already.

I have a very old Daisy SAA-type BB gun. It's extremely weak, and the BBs come out sort of randomly (when they come out at all). You can suggest a general direction by aiming, but it will still decide whether or not to take your suggestion. This Barra is more accurate and quite a bit more powerful. It's higher quality all-around and feels solid in my hand.

I also love the system they use, where you put a BB into the tip of a fake cartridge, then load that into the gun. It gives you more of a feeling of shooting for real. I'm going to get more of the cartridges for faster reloads. I suppose I'll need to get more CO2 cartridges, too.

I am using a cardboard box full of sheets of cardboard as my backstop. It's about 6.5" thick, and the BBs make it about 4" through the layers. The shots don't even disturb the cats. I don't shoot if cats are in the room with me, though.

If you want a quality airgun, made of metal, for some shooting fun, I can recommend the Barra Schofield. 

And, no, they aren't paying me for saying this (or even aware of me at all). It's just my opinion, presented to you as something you might like.

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Just live your life

What a nice Christmas. 

No one said anything political/stupid in my presence. One person tried to show me his "personal text" from Trump, and I said, "That's nice", and moved on to other matters.

Other than the screaming children, it was peaceful. Screaming children are more bearable than political talk from statists, after all.

Someone asked me about Bitcoin, and I told them what I know. Someone else asked me about silver, and one person asked me about (their own) gun. Again, I answered questions, but nothing got political. It was just fun conversation.

Political criminals really don't have much sway over our day-to-day lives. At least, not nearly as much as they'd like us to think they do. They want us to think about them and worry about what they might do next. They want us to wonder whether we have their permission to do this or that. 

But, for the most part, you can just live your life.

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Merry Christmas!

Have the best day imaginable.
Wherever you may be, or whatever situation you find yourself in.

Peace on Earth? Government says no

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for December 24, 2025)

Merry Christmas!

This is the traditional "Peace on earth; Good will to men" season. It's hard to keep this spirit alive even in the best situations. It's nearly impossible with government around...read the rest...

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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.

Some people are upset by this development; others think it's long past due.

The problem with pennies is two-fold: due to the devaluation of the dollar ("inflation"), each penny costs over three cents to make and distribute. In addition, the rampant creation of inflated US dollars by the Federal Reserve- which I consider the largest counterfeiting operation in world history- has made them useless. Other than psychologically, I suppose.

The monetary loss with nickels is even worse, costing nearly eleven cents for each five-cent piece, so they may be next on the chopping block. Public reaction to the end of pennies could determine the fate of nickels.

There might be a catch, though. The penny's cancellation was by executive order, and it could take an act of Congress to make it stick. A later president could decide to start issuing pennies again. Perhaps they could make them out of plastic next time, if that turns out to be cheap enough. It would fit right in with the devaluation of the rest of the money through reckless printing, stimulus checks, and tariff bribes.

Pennies have been fake since 1982 anyway. That's the year they stopped making them out of copper and switched to cheap zinc plated with a thin copper glaze so the fraud wouldn't be obvious. It didn't keep the cost down enough. If you've ever found one of these zinc pennies in the dirt, you may have noticed how easily they corrode away into nothing. This is symbolic of what always happens when governments control money.

How will you survive without being able to pay to the exact cent? Businesses may have to round prices to the nearest nickel. It would be easy if not for sales tax meddling with the math. As if we need another good argument for eliminating sales tax, as a step toward getting rid of all taxes. If this could be the result, I would be in favor of eliminating the one-cent coin. Even better, if there were a way to separate money and state, smaller denominations of money, like the penny, might become relevant again. It's worth a shot.

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Building the Empire

Trump wants to empower the Empire, but he's only authorizing more surface vessels. For all I know (and I don't care enough to research it), he may be authorizing a few new atmospheric craft, as well, but BORING...

If he's not building TIE fighters, Star Destroyers, and a Death Star, is he really accomplishing anything for the Empire?

He might as well be issuing "new and improved" atlatls.

If you're going to build the Empire, then go all in and build the Empire. The Mandalorians and other rebels are waiting.

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Stay (at least) skeptical of Rulers

You are right to be skeptical of anything government (or associated institutions) tells you. 

This doesn't mean you'll always be right, but it means you'll be less likely to fall for harmful propaganda.

Anything which is (or is made) political is probably wrong. If you mix politics with anything, you destroy everything but the politics. You are left with politics and nothing else. There may be a kernel of truth in there somewhere, but you need to find it before you act. Especially if doing what you're told gives government more power in some way- you won't get it back.

I know there are those who value acting now over analyzing the situation. They are free to do what they think is best.

I know, too, there are times you have to jump if someone yells "Tiger!" 

Those times are less common than the fearmongers would have you believe. I have rarely regretted hesitating before doing what government (or "they") demanded I do immediately. At the moment, I can't think of even one time I regretted it. Often, I ended up not doing it at all, much to my future peace of mind. Unlike what the cartoon above claims, it often takes much longer than 6 months, but I can be patient.

As has been said, today's conspiracy theories often become tomorrow's "Well, yeah, that was true, but..." Then it's "history" instead of a conspiracy theory.

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Do I accept "The Data"?

I make fun of government supremacists for demanding data they have no intention of believing, but what about me? Am I going to be convinced by data from the anti-liberty side?

No.

I already know this, so I don't ask for data. If it is offered, I'm probably not going to pay attention to it or change my mind because of it.

The problem is that I don't believe data when it is mixed with politics. Two reasons. Remember, Politics makes people stupid, AND politics destroys anything it gets mixed with. Data is not immune.

Even if authoritarianism "works", it is unethical. So that's a hard "no" for me. Data that justifies slavery is meaningless to me.

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Governments have no right to keep or bear arms

No government should be allowed to possess any weapons it prohibits the people from possessing.

No, that doesn't mean you and I should own nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons. It means governments shouldn't be allowed to have them. 

They've demonstrated quite clearly that they can't be trusted with them.

Governments have no rights, because rights are individual and governments are collectives. This means governments can't have the right to keep and bear arms. Nor to decide what arms others own and carry.

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"That data doesn't count because it doesn't agree with me!"

Browsing through the jungle of Leftist X posts, I realize there are a lot of very vocal people who really, really hate guns and anyone who owns them (maybe with the bizarre exception of government thugs, who they seem to trust completely on this one issue).

In fact, since X screwed up their setting where "For you" is the default instead of "Following", it's the only thing I see until I switch back to "Following".

Admittedly, that may be a function of the Al Gore Rhythm feeding me things that will get me to engage, rather than a true reflection of percentages. But I know it makes me feel like "They" ARE coming to take my guns. Or, "they" are encouraging armed government goons and other political criminals to take my guns, since few have the guts to do so in person. This radicalizes me a bit.

Of course, a lot of the most vocal anti-gun bigots are in other countries. Others are professional activists against your liberty, no matter the specific topic. So, zero credibility, but loads of very loud opinion.

These nasties frequently demand data to show that they are wrong, but they pre-reject any data they are presented with. It never changes.

In fact, I had been in a discussion with one for a couple of days, and she kept demanding I show her the data that would prove she was wrong, and trying to taunt me with made-up quotes of me expressing my inability to do so. 

I finally posted this outside that conversation, as a setup:

If someone won't show you the data you demand, it's not because it doesn't exist, it's because no one is going to do your work for you only to have you say, "That doesn't count". Anti-gun bigots- I'm looking at YOU. And you *know* that's what you do every time.

Then, I gave her a link to an X account (associated with John R. Lott, Jr.) that does nothing but present exactly the kind of data she'd been demanding all along. And I waited.

Guess what her reaction was. 

If you were to guess she made up a quote to express what she hallucinated I was thinking, pretended I had been desperately looking for anything to support my point, and then said the source was unreliable, you'd be right. 

I replied by sharing the post I'd made predicting her reaction and said I'd nailed it.

Then I walked away. I wasted more time on her than I should have, but I knew how it was going to go long before she did it- the first time she demanded data. This ain't my first rodeo.

I hope this is a vocal ignorant, unethical minority, and not a general attitude. 

I do see people in other countries posting: "Americans- NEVER give up your guns because you don't want to be in our position", so I know those bigots don't speak for everyone. But there are too many of them. And they are loud and bold and filled with hate.

These people can scream “It’s the guns!” all day long. That doesn’t change reality and make it true. It just makes them stubborn and obnoxious.

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