Someone is causing strife. Is it me?

I seem to be the cause of great distress among my family. I'm stubborn and pig-headed.

A niece of mine is expecting a baby in early December. Her doctor told her to make sure anyone she brings the baby into contact with over the holidays has been vaccinated with both a flu shot and a "Tdap" shot. I suspect if the Covid-19 vaccine were available, that would have been included.

I politely told my parents I wouldn't do that, and I wouldn't force my daughter to get those shots, either. (I did give my daughter the choice; she declined.) I would just stay home while my niece and the baby were there. No hard feelings on my part. Ground rules were laid out and I made my choice. Simple solution, right?

Apparently not.

I'm now the bad guy. I'm told I'm making a big deal out of this. How am I making a big deal? I informed them of my decision and as far as I was concerned that was the end of it. But others aren't willing to let it go.

Notice, I didn't say I didn't want her to come for Christmas and bring the baby. I didn't criticize anyone else for agreeing to the conditions. All I said was that I wasn't willing to do that. nor was I willing to force my daughter to do it.

They actually said if the roles were reversed I would want everyone to get the vaccinations. Do they know me at all? Maybe I'm too quiet around them and need to start speaking my mind a little more. I try to not be "that guy" who harps on one subject and tries to turn every conversation toward that. But... maybe I need to speak up a little more.

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Election nonsense

 

Recounts are a distraction and a lie.

It doesn't matter how many times I recount the money under my mattress if I keep counting the counterfeit bills along with the "official" bills with each new count, I'll get the same false accounting every time.

Moving on...

The picture above the post shows a major problem even if you imagine an election can be legitimate.

I don't want my life to be run by people in big cities. Even if I lived in one of those big cities, I wouldn't want my government-supremacist neighbors to gang up and run my life. Even though I live far from any of those big cities, I don't want my neighbors to gang up and run my life.

Otherwise, I'd say let the big cities have the Biden/Harris dictatorship they so clearly crave (assuming the election fraud still represents the basic leanings of the cities), and let the rest of the country continue under a Trump dictatorship. Just split it up already!

No side supporting the other side. No side obligated to obey the rules the other side wants to impose on themselves. Neither side responsible for paying Congress' debts.

Imagining that the country has to stay together is delusional. It's past time for a divorce... but how, since there are no easy lines to split it along? You'd have to excise the big cities from the matrix in which they sit. Yes, it could be done-- and probably easily these days with the internet-- but it doesn't make a good map, and most people would probably reject it on that basis.

It could all be done away with if people would just grow up. Drop the politics.

I have a difficult time imagining what would cause a person to believe they need a president-- I know I don't need one. I've never seen anyone and thought to myself "Now, that person needs a president!"

I was saying before the election that there has never been a legitimate election and this wouldn't magically be the first. I did think they'd try a lot harder to make it look legitimate-ish, though. They aren't even trying anymore. I guess that means they don't believe they have to. The people will just accept whatever they tell us to accept. They are probably right. Which is why democracy-- even if you say it's a republic and pretend that makes a real difference-- is illegitimate mob rule.

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Mask mandates and shutdowns are not science

I just can't believe that people who claim to be "listening to the science" or "trusting science" are still supporting shutdowns and mask mandates. That's the opposite of trusting or doing science. It shows a lack of understanding of what science is and how it works.

Sure, some people who really do use science are then advising shutdowns and masks based on what their observations are telling them. Observations which are never the complete picture, and which are always biased. Science is always provisional, waiting to be changed by better information. There is no "the science"; it's part of the scientific method. 

If someone says "the science is settled", they aren't talking about actual science, but about rigid groupthink-- a religious belief based, at best, on partial information.

People who trust science-- as a method and not as a religion-- understand this limitation. It's why they don't demand political action based on their observations. They might give you advice they believe to be important, but they won't suggest using the violence of the state against you if you don't take that advice.

Real science is a method of finding information. It looks at both the pros and cons-- and every action will have both. It doesn't dictate or mandate. It gives information-- provisional information-- and then people decide for themselves how to act based on that. It doesn't involve politics.

"The science" doesn't ignore the social costs. It weighs them against the benefits.

Science understands that new data can change the conclusions.

Dr. Fauci isn't doing science. He's doing politics. He can be safely ignored-- and despised-- by people who understand science.

And no matter what science says, it doesn't give anyone the right to violate your liberty for the good of society. Nothing can do that.

- 

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TeeSpring links

Here are all my TeeSpring store designs separated for ease of finding the one you want.

Dull'Hawk Flag (Time's Up Flag)

Dull'Hawk (Time's Up) Flag, rainbow version

Anarchy is balance (also with white lettering)

Anarchy: No rulers, No bombs.

AR-15 doesn't mean "Assault Rifle 15"

Democracy is mob rule

Green Nude Eel

Hoist the Black Flag (and begin slitting throats)

I AM wearing a mask

I survived! (Covid)

Liberty is...

Liberty is not subject to a vote (Yes, I spelled out the bad word!)

Liberty Strikes Back Flag

Line on a map

No guns

Politics makes people stupid

Second Amendment

Socialism

Take me to your leader

Taxation is theft

You were warned

"You were warned" flag

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Contrarian tendencies

I don't intend to be a contrarian. But when society goes insane, I can't help it. I have never been able to "go along to get along"-- I've been scolded for this my whole life.

I understand the "why" behind face masks. I'm not even against wearing them (I'm agnostic). But I'm completely against having bullies order me to wear one "or else".

It's the same with everything else. 

You tell me I'm not allowed to do X or Y, when X or Y don't violate any other human in any way? Guess what I'm probably going to do if I have the slightest desire to do it. You guessed it.

I have to be careful to not do things I don't want to do just because some bully told me I'm not allowed to do it. Sometimes I almost can't stop myself. Contrarian tendencies.

Political bullies bring that out in me.

I don't have a lot of patience with stupidity, and I've seen very few things that cause as much stupidity as politics. (As soon as I can come up with a design, I'm adding "Politics makes people stupid" to my TeeSpring shop.)

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New original designs from KentForLiberty

I've launched my TeeSpring shop. 

You'll find some new original designs there, plus an old familiar with a new caption.

Bookmark it and keep checking back.

I hope the designs aren't too scary for them-- order quick, just in case.

Added: I have added a link to all my products up at the top of my blog page (unless you are using a mobile device).

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"Wolf! Help! Wolf!"

Government "cried wolf" over this pandemic. In fact, it keeps doing so. Gotta keep the people riled up and panicked. 

But the effect has largely worn off-- the only ones still falling for it are the super-gullible government-supremacists who will always believe "authorities". Of course, there are still way too many of those people among us.

But, even people on the fence are falling off, and more of those are falling toward the "knock it off!" side. At least around here.

I don't even know what the Texas politicians are doing these days.

But, on the New Mexico side of this area, the petty tyrant has declared a new round of lockdowns. She apparently just loves power!

I hope it backfires. Crying "wolf" yet again is going to show even more people that you're a liar who can't be trusted. This is the effect "crying wolf" has, and is the point of the children's tale. I guess she didn't pay attention.

I don't see an end to this if they can keep getting away with it. Fewer will believe them each time, though. Another overreaction, and just about no one with any sense will listen the next time. Hopefully, there won't be a time when there really is a wolf and we ignore the real warning. But it's a price each of us must decide whether we are willing to pay.

- 

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Every four years, the same old thing

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 14, 2020)

Do you ever feel like you're stuck in an infinite Presidential time loop? Every four years I watch it repeat, but no one else seems to notice.

Like the movie Groundhog Day, where the protagonist relives the same exact day with only his own behavior and choices changing, I see the repeating patterns in every presidential election.

Opposition party loyalists with a special dislike of the current president-- whoever it may be-- are certain the president will declare himself dictator to stay in power. Doesn't this fearmongering ever get old? Doesn't anyone notice this is always the claim yet it never happens?

Most politicians want to keep the system's appearance of legitimacy intact above all else. Staying in office beyond their term might cause the rest of you to immediately stop believing the system is legitimate. Politicians need the illusion of legitimacy and can't afford to let this happen.

Then there are the recycled claims of this being "The most important election of our lifetime."

Sure it is. And I have oceanfront property in Arizona I'd sell cheap. I'm not saying there won't be bad consequences due to the election-- there will be-- but it has never been the case that "Every vote counts", and this won't be the first time. "Every vote" has never been counted in any election.

Maybe it's worse than a simple time loop.

As long as you are forced to choose between government-supremacist candidates who have been selected by the major parties you can be sure nothing will change for the better. The parties have made certain of this; it's how they retain power. As has been pointed out, if voting could change anything, it would be illegal.

You may believe elections are "Democrat vs Republican" (or even Libertarian) but they are actually The State vs you. Elections are set up to make certain The State wins and you lose no matter who is elected to office.

I am not a Trump fan, but I certainly don't see him as unusually dangerous, nor do I prefer Biden or Harris. They are all cut from the same cloth. It takes a particular type of person to gain national political prominence, and it's not a type you should trust with power over your life.

Again, it's just the same old thing, time after time. There's one thing I'm glad will never change, though: my liberty will never be subject to a vote.

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Wilson's loss

It's been a while since I shared a Wilson tale. I thought of one while writing my latest post on my prepping blog.

It's possible I have written about this before, but I didn't find it.

Years after Wilson disappeared I happened to run into him in another tourist town. He was living in the area and working at a hotel.

Things hadn't gone his way since the last time I had seen him.

Back when he lived across the river from me, he was an ammunition hoarder. When we went out to shoot, he took 3 or 5 cartridges for each of his two firearms. That was it. He bought ammo with each paycheck, but he wouldn't use it. He just stacked it into a nice wall of ammo in his house unheated shack. He said he didn't want to use what he might someday need.

But, after he left the area, things went south-- according to what he told me. 

As many of us tend to do, he got into a relationship with the wrong woman. She got angry at him and called the police to report him as a danger. Keep in mind this was well before "red flag laws" were all the rage with antigun bigots, so I guess they aren't "necessary" after all.

But the cops did what cops do: kicked in his door, tackled him to the ground, cuffed and kidnapped him... and stole all his guns and ammo. Back to square one. But he didn't end up in prison.

I didn't ask if he'd yet managed to rebuild his collections. I knew not to pry too much.

I guess it's a good idea to have a secondary stash, in case the Blue Line Gang steals your primary one.

- 

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The Great (business) Extinction

The government's "pandemic" shut-downs are causing a Great Extinction-- for businesses.

It's like an asteroid strike, a supervolcano caldera explosion, or a new ice age. But political rather than physical.

Many businesses won't survive-- it will probably end up killing off more than even I suspect. The survivors will have to evolve to the new ecosystem.

It's not the pandemic that did this-- it is the misguided overreactions of political bullies, and the people who complied with their unreasonable demands. I don't blame those who complied-- it is always a hard choice. Comply and make the overall situation worse, or refuse to comply and make your individual situation worse.

Whatever caused the problem, it is done now. What will remain?

There will be lots of opportunities for those who survive and can adapt. After big extinction events, there are lots of niches to be filled. I hope all of us can take advantage of them.

- 

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"Discrimination!"

It's easy to feel discriminated against-- to feel like a victim-- when you make unreasonable demands that other people aren't willing to meet.

- 

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Angry 'Crats

Among my own family members, I'm seeing seething Democrat anger over the election; a continuation of the anger they expressed (and probably felt) for the past 4 years. 

I've never seen the same from the Republican family members when their side lost. I mean, won. Or whatever. You know what I mean.

I realize the Democrats may be extra angry because they believe the Republicans are trying to steal the election. But the Republicans believe the election was stolen through fraud and they aren't acting angry about the results-- even as they try to expose the fraud in a way that makes a difference.

Also, while the Republicans in the family don't generally obsess over politics and don't try to make everything political (or even bring up politics very often), the same can't be said for the Democrats. If they get a splinter, it's Trump's fault somehow, and by extension, the fault of all Republicans. And they feel the need to say so, no matter how off-topic it seems to be. "Republican" is basically a stand-in for "demon".

Don't misunderstand, I love the people on both sides. But the more they focus on politics, the dumber they look. Politics makes people stupid.

-

 

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Glub, glub, glub...

The Titanic has already hit the iceberg. Its fate is sealed. It is going down, even if most passengers have no clue about the rising water levels in the lower decks. Those shoveling the coal know the truth.

Who do you want conducting the orchestra as it sinks beneath the waves? Who do you want to have this legacy attached to their name?

The specific politician finally allowed to head the US feral government as "The Union" breaks up isn't going to make that much difference. The united States is untied. It has been for a long time, but it is getting more obvious.

Texas and (for a random example) New Jersey are not parts of the same country, and they haven't been in ages. Only the desperate feral government (along with some constitutionalists, I suppose) imagines otherwise. It's not as much fun asserting control over even Texas or California as it is claiming to govern the whole of America by way of the (former) united States feral government. Breaking it up is only a formality at this point.

Trump is the devil we know. He's terrible, but not uniquely terrible (unless you listen to the national mainstream media's spin). He won't save the Titanic.

Biden has a long history as an evil politician we can clearly examine, but this doesn't exactly show what he will do as president-- if he lives long enough to actually do anything. As his mental deterioration accelerates there could be some big surprises. Biden (or Harris) may vary somewhat from the "rotting of the presidency" curve, or he may stick right to the schedule established by long precedent. He won't save the Titanic.

The most interesting result might occur if the selection is found to be so fraudulent that it gets tossed aside-- after the anti-Trumpers have already been celebrating their victory and threatening to make lists of, and "reeducate", those not sufficiently on their side. This would set off some depth-charges right against the crumpled hull. I can see why dedicated government-supremacists might not follow this path even if shown to be completely true, just to protect their "system" (and their scabby hides) for a little while longer.

Truthfully, I'm kind of excited to see what the coming disaster will be like, however it goes. I guess I'm sort of in a "watch the world burn" (or "watch the Titanic sink") mood recently. I don't recommend you be like me.

-

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A new holster review: Craft Holsters 20S for a revolver

Craft Holsters asked to send me another holster to review. I like the one they sent for my 1911 so much that I eagerly agreed.

This time I got a holster for my Smith & Wesson Model 37. I got the same model holster as last time: the 20S leather IWB holster with steel clip, but for my revolver. I had to ask for it to be modified to fit my 3" barrel.

I received the holster on October 28 and have been using it daily since then.

The box arrived in great shape.

Everything was packed neatly.

Here's the holster in its bag. I was so anxious to get it out that it was hard to slow down and take the picture.

I couldn't wait to try it out. I love the look and feel of good leather. Isn't that pretty?

The S&W fits perfectly. Just tight enough that it feels secure. They got the length right for my barrel, too. So they can customize.

I did use the break-in kit that came with the 1911's holster this time. The strap needed to be stretched a bit-- it did reach, but it was really tight. That seemed to work. The snap is still a little hard to snap. I put a small amount of bar soap on it to lubricate it, which helped, but it is a bit of a struggle to get it to snap. It releases easily enough when you want it to, and never has when I didn't want it to, and that's the more important part by far. I'd much prefer a tight snap to a loose one that fails to hold.

I suspect the snap will become easier to snap over time, and as the strap stretches a little more. Really, though, I don't snap and unsnap it very often. I hadn't even thought of the snap recently until I started writing the review and was trying to think of pros and cons. (Update: 11-15-- the snap has loosened up just the right amount now. No more issue at all.)

Once again, the steel clip is great. It's not coming off the pants unless I pull it off. It's smooth enough that I don't expect unusual wear on my waistband like I get from my homemade holsters. Only time will tell, though. 

I just really love this holster. Just like the other one. I tried to think of something I wish they did differently and can't think of a single thing. And I can almost always think of a way to improve something-- even if it isn't realistic. I'm impressed!

After almost 2 weeks of wearing this all day, it works perfectly. And a S&W Model 37 is much more comfortable than a full-size 1911. I can bend and sit without crushing my "junk". I hate to say it but I probably just changed my EDC.

Thank you again, Craft Holsters!

-

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Extremists should keep politics to selves

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 7, 2020)

Of all the political ideas I'm puzzled by-- which is all of them-- the ideas of White Supremacy and White Nationalism are among the most bizarre.

To imagine you're better than others because of your race rather than for your achievements is foolish. For that matter, anyone who feels they are owed something beyond the respect for life, liberty, and property every human is entitled to is mistaken.

To use government and its legislation to force your superiority on others is to admit you're inferior.

I'm in favor of you creating your own nation somewhere, though-- with whatever values you hold dear. If you want to surround yourself with other insecure people to shield yourself from those who would point out your weaknesses, it's your right.

You're still obligated to establish your nation without violating anyone's life, liberty, or property. If anyone already lives where you want to create your nation, you have no right to kick them out. Either buy their property at a consensual price or allow them to stay. You must respect their rights. If this is a deal-breaker, you can find empty land on the Moon and set up your superior nation there.

Why anyone would want to pollute other worlds with politics is beyond me, but this is already a subject of serious discussion by serious people.

Few things are as toxic as politics. It's antisocial to use government to force others to live as you want them to live.

It's always important to know who conspires to use politics against you, and how they plan to do so if they get the chance. Your awareness allows you to stay ready to defend yourself from politics of any sort, extremist or mainstream, race-based or something else.

I'm sure White Supremacists and White Nationalists exist, although I've never met anyone who claims to be one. There are other kinds of nationalists and supremacists out there, too.

Of all the supremacists you might face, the ones most often encountered are the government-supremacists. These extremists believe government interests trump individual rights. Many of them mix in other kinds of supremacism or nationalism too, but as with all extremists, it's the political aspect rather than the petty details which makes them dangerous.

If these extremist groups would keep their politics to themselves, so as to not violate others, I wouldn't care what they believe.

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Out of the frying pan...

I hope this recent presidential selection would show people that the whole process-- the whole system-- is a fraud. That it has come down to which side is better at cheating.

But, no. This hope of mine will be in vain.

People will still imagine that v*ting matters, when it only matters who gets to count and tally those v*tes in political selections.

For the next period of time-- months, years, decades-- the side that screamed at the sky over Trump will smugly threaten to re-educate and compile "lists" of Trump supporters. And, I suspect, anyone who wasn't sufficiently anti-Trump or pro-Left-Statist.

Trump supporters will criticize the new president/s, but will continue to act as though the system is legitimate, even if it doesn't work exactly as advertised. This means they are as much to blame as their opponents. It's time for them to join the "watch it burn" side.

Until Harris takes over, it appears America will be saddled with the first-ever media selected zombie president (if the old guy makes it to inauguration day). After Harris takes the reins an evil legislation enforcer who lies to keep people caged will be the supreme vermin (not to be confused with Vermin Supreme). With a cop as president, how could anything other than a police state be in store?

Who said 2020 couldn't get more interesting? What else could be waiting in the wings, and does anyone believe 2021 will be less interesting?

(I apologize for any remaining formatting issues-- I'm still fighting with a semi-crippled blog interface.)

-

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Blog fixed! (I hope)

I was able to use my phone to solve the problem with posting on this blog! Or at least fix it temporarily. We'll see how long it lasts.

I will now go back and update the previous trainwrecks.

-

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When cheating is the point

 

When I was about 10 years old, my best friend and I liked to play cards with each other. But the entire point of our game was to cheat. It didn’t even matter that the other person saw you doing it.

We would deal from the bottom of the deck, stick cards up our sleeves, drop a card on the floor and have it “magically” change into something better. We would score wrong, claim we had different cards than we did after we tossed them back into the deck, whatever we thought of.

We had a great time and would laugh ourselves silly.

I didn’t realize at the time we were inventing modern electoral politics.

I should be getting royalty payments or something from the DemoCRAPublicans.

–

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Blogging update

 (Note: Issue fixed-- maybe.)

I don’t know what’s going on with my main blog site over at Blogger. It isn’t letting me write anything. Well, anything other than a post title.

I haven’t gotten any warnings, so I don’t think it’s Google punishing wrong-think.

I’ve tried and tried to post something, but nothing is working. I sent a question to “the community”, but past experiences don’t make me hopeful for a helpful answer.

I’m still completely frustrated and discouraged over my financial situation, but that’s not the main reason I hadn’t posted.

–

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Thinking...

I'm going to have to re-evaluate some things.

In one swoop I just lost well over half my income. It's no one's fault; it's just the economy. I was already not making ends meet-- this has been a discouraging trend that began before 2020.

Maybe writing just isn't valuable. Maybe it's just my writing.

Not invested in the outcome

I don't care for or about Donald Trump. Yet, I do hope he wins re-election. But the only real reason is that I so strongly dislike the "Trump Derangement Syndrome" I've been seeing in his opposition since he began his campaign of 2016. It never made me join his side, but it certainly made me dislike the "other side" more than I otherwise would have.

I'm quite sure it did drive some people to Trump's side who wouldn't have supported him without the "encouragement". If they wanted people on their side, that wasn't the way to attract support.

Honestly, I don't want the rioters and those who scream at the sky over dead Supreme Courtjesters to get what they want. And it's simply because I find their behavior so reprehensible and childish. If you give in to the tantrums of toddlers, you get more tantrums. And over time, worse tantrums with bigger stakes. I'd rather nip that in the bud.

Donald Trump is not uniquely horrible. He's horrible, yes, but not uniquely so. Biden (Harris) isn't better in any real way-- to prefer him (her) simply because he (she) isn't Trump isn't my style. And again, I don't want to give the screaming toddlers what they want.

Even if some of Trump's supporters are screaming toddlers, too, they aren't as obnoxious about it. At least not in my personal experience.

I'm not going to be upset if Trump loses, though. I'm just not that invested in the outcome.

I think America is doomed either way. Past doomed, really. I think its fate was sealed when the Constitution was written. It's been a downhill slide at variable speed since then. This isn't going to end well, I just don't know when it will end.

Maybe one candidate would accelerate the destruction a bit. I don't know which one that would be, and I don't really care much at this point. Since I think the collapse will be more painful the longer it is delayed, I think it might be better for it to happen sooner rather than later. That might mean Biden would be the preferable "winner" after all. 

Either way, I don't need a president, and neither do you. Don't let yourself get too wrapped up in the middle school drama of elections.

Whatever happens, the immortal words of Robert A. Heinlein keep ringing in my ears: “I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.”

-

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Tolerance, approval different things

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for September 30, 2020)

Few people understand the difference between tolerating a behavior and endorsing or approving of it.

There are things I don't approve of but don't have the right to stop others from doing. I may tolerate these behaviors for my own peace of mind while doing what I can to protect myself; including self-defense when necessary.

Even if I try to stop others from doing things I believe are harmful, my effect on the world is vanishingly tiny. It's probably wasted effort.

I have no right to control what you do as long as you aren't violating anyone's life, liberty, or property. My right to control what you do when you are threatening to violate me-- or someone else-- is limited to taking defensive actions. I can also cooperate with others for mutual defense.

Cooperation is useful, as long as you don't become an aggressive gang. A gang is more likely to violate rights than to defend them. It's too easy to pretend your collective power-- might through superior numbers-- makes right. This is mob rule, and is the foundation of democracy. Speaking of democracy...

I tolerate the act of voting, but I don't support it. It's similar to drug abuse in more ways than one.

Both can make a person feel unrealistically important, yet the high quickly wears off and the consequences stack up.

Drug abuse and voting could be seen as similar victimless acts if they were judged on their actual effects rather than by what you've been taught to believe about them.

In the real world, a drug abuser doesn't always stay on the couch but may get behind the wheel.

Just as a drug abuser can hurt an innocent person in an accident, a voter can accidentally harm the innocent by voting in an election. In the real world, a voter will vote for a politician who will use legislation and taxes to damage liberty a little more and take away more of your property. A politician is like the drug abuser's car-- the vehicle becomes a weapon.

I tolerate voting for the same reason I tolerate drug abuse. I know I have no right to stop it, but I must stay alert for anyone whose mind is under the influence of the drug of politics. Maybe I can help them when they sober up and nurse them through their withdrawal pains. Perhaps, through tolerance, I can even help them find strategies to avoid the pushers the next time.

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Big, ugly, and still not the boss of Halloween

"Did they cancel Trick-or-Treating this year?"

What kind of question is that? Government doesn't own Halloween. It gets no say in how it is celebrated. 

Sure, political monsters in some decaying grave yard-like places imagine they have a say, and they might torment you for ignoring their opinions. But they are not the boss of Halloween. They never were.

Remind them of that fact. That'll scare the poop out of those zombies for the whole year!

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Just in case...

Back in the late 1980s, there was a prediction of a major earthquake on the New Madrid fault. I was in the danger zone at that time. I didn't really believe it would happen. I prepared anyway. That was the first time I ever really did anything that could be called "prepping".

Even though I didn't believe the earthquake would happen, I knew it was always possible. I even knew a family in the area whose house was actually splitting due to a minor fault running under it (even splitting the street and curb in front of their house as well). I figured it couldn't hurt me to be ready even if nothing happened. So I did what I could think of, which mostly involved storing water and having a wrench handy to shut off the gas to the house. I've grown a bit since then.

Nothing happened. I wasn't disappointed.

I did the same when "Y2K" was approaching. Again, I didn't believe anything would come of it, but I couldn't see any way it would hurt me to be ready. That time I did more to prepare because by that time I knew more what I was doing.

Again, nothing happened. That time I admit I was a little disappointed.

It's the same situation with the upcoming election. I don't believe anything major will happen, no matter how the election goes. I'm ready anyway. I'll have to wait and see if I feel disappointed afterward.

No matter what happens, I know it is my responsibility to do whatever I can-- within reason-- to prepare. 

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An abnormal life

Sometimes I'm struck with the realization of just how strange my life is compared to the lives people have lived throughout most of human history and prehistory.

Take the whole of the timespan humans have lived on Earth, make it into a giant calendar surrounding you, close your eyes, spin around and toss a dart and then look at how the humans on that day were living. It's not going to be anything like the life we live now.

Probably they wouldn't even ride horses yet-- they might hunt them, though. They probably wouldn't use wheels. They'd live and die over whether they could make fire, find water, and avoid being eaten. Just picture what you'd be looking at right now if you suddenly saw from the perspective of that day, with everything from other times erased from view.

This may be why I sometimes feel so incredibly out of place. I'm not complaining. I like modernity, but I do have a primal craving for some of the old stuff, too. Almost all the time.

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Worries and non-worries

I worry about my kids.

I worry about my finances.

I worry about my health in non-specific ways.

You know what I don't worry about? Covid-19.
And that refusal to worry upsets too many people. 

I like to prep. I don't prep because I worry, I don't worry because I prep. I think everyone should prep at least a little. I don't freak out on other people who don't worry about not being prepared. It is what it is, even though their lack of preps could impact my life.

I don't understand those who are angry that I don't worry about coronaviruses. Why would anyone want others to worry? What good does that do anyone?

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Misplaced blame

People are throwing around all these accusations-- "How has Covid affected your life, your mental health, your job, your society?"-- assuming the blame lies with the virus when it doesn't. Covid-19 did none of that. 

In fact, if government hadn't been overhyping the virus you probably wouldn't have noticed it at all. Even if someone you know is said to have died of it.

Because, if they died, how would you have known to blame the virus if you hadn't been told that's what killed them? You wouldn't have. You would have assigned some other-- possibly more correct-- cause of death. You would have said they died of old age, or pneumonia, or something like that. 

Businesses are going under, people's finances are suffering (I know mine are), and their mental health is hurting, but they are pointing the finger at the wrong culprit. 

Don't blame Covid-19 for the hardships when it's the government response to the virus which is causing almost all the problems. 

Then, somehow those same people imagine government can be their salvation from the pandemic. Well, maybe it could be if it stopped responding in any way and got out of the way to allow society to come back. How likely do you think that is?

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The grossest leeches of all

Is your town, city, or county infested with parasites? Specifically leeches? 

Don't let the lack of standing water fool you into thinking you're safe from leeches. 

There is one deadly kind of leech that doesn't require bodies of water: the po-leech. 

Most of them even appear to be human. Don't be fooled!

They latch onto society. They'll suck the lifeblood right out of you if you let them close enough. There doesn't even have to be physical contact for you to be harmed by their parasitism. Avoid them for your own good.

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Consider stocking up for election

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for September 23, 2020)

Stocking up on food and supplies before the worst part of the forced shutdowns could turn out to have been good practice for what may be coming after the presidential election.

Especially considering the new vacancy on the Supreme Court. This development is just another piece in the colorful puzzle called 2020, and will probably make uncivil unrest more likely than before. This vacancy shouldn't come as a great shock to anyone. The shoe has been waiting to drop for years. People have had plenty of time to get used to the idea. Why didn't they?

Whatever the reasons, this latest turn of events doesn't bode well for social harmony.

If the more aggressive factions among us are upset over the outcome of the election and express their unhappiness in their favorite ways, the supply chain may be disrupted again. Possibly even more than it was before. Are you ready for empty store shelves again?

You're probably in better shape to ride out any new shortages thanks to the pandemic. Now, also focus on the possibility of social turmoil if the riotous crowd doesn't get the election result it wants.

Those who loot and burn businesses belonging to people who might have been on their side otherwise haven't shown much capacity for considering the costs of their actions. I don't imagine they'll suddenly get smarter. They'll starve themselves, and you, to show you just how angry they are if they don't get their way.

I don't expect violence to break out locally, but as you probably notice if you've seen our hazy skies recently, things which happen far away can affect us. Be ready just in case.

Stock up on the things you wished you had bought before the last shortages. Don't forget water. Make sure you have enough to ride out at least the time between the election and the inauguration. More would be better. Encourage your friends to do the same.

I'm not saying it will happen; just that it's a possibility and I can see how the election along with the Supreme Court vacancy could trigger it.

Maybe nothing big will happen and in a few months we can all laugh about how wrong and paranoid I was. We can hope. Don't bet your life on it, though; I'm not going to. I would rather take the risk of being a laughingstock than to see you caught off-guard by rough circumstances. Consider it my sacrifice for your sake. You're welcome.

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Ready or not, the pre-scheduled unrest is approaching

Are you stocked up and ready for post-election "sports"? 

I think I'm OK, although if I get any unexpected donations I have a few last-minute things I'll stock up on.

Most likely, nothing big will happen right after the election. The losers on both sides will have a whine-off. One side will imagine they won. And the State will grow more powerful and ever more intrusive.

But, there is a chance that unrest will disrupt things for a while.

This is one time there's an actual date on the calendar that we can prep for. A date we know because the enemies of society have announced their intentions and you'd be wise to listen.

A clear date to prepare for doesn't often happen and I'm not planning to fail by failing to plan. It's like ignoring a tornado warning-- sure, you'll probably be fine, but won't you feel like an idiot if it actually hits and you ignored your chance to do something to prepare?

Ready or not, here it comes. Please at least consider being ready. It can't hurt and it might just help.

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"Stop writing!"

Whenever a reader of my newspaper column strongly disagrees with me and emails to let me know, they don't give reasons. They just tell me I should stop writing until I agree with them.

Seriously, that's what they do almost every time without exception. Sometimes they also disparage my looks, my upbringing, and tell me to "go back where I came from" (which I did and why they are subjected to me). But, almost every time they include the barb that I need to stop writing until I change my opinion to agree with them. Without them giving me any reasons why I should agree with them.

An unhappy reader of this week's column ended her email with these words: "You need to stop writing until you face reality."* What "reality" is she referring to? I suppose that shutdowns are necessary and doctors say so. 

It's the same story time after time. Critic after critic. No reasons, just "stop writing". My words are so dangerous they can't be allowed out into the world. Or something.

Which makes me think they know they have no ground to stand on.

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*Full text: "Inconsiderate
You tell people to go ahead and get out in the same paper that the doctors are asking us to stay in as much as possible. You are incredibly inconsiderate. You go ahead and get out and when you get sick, we’ll just say 'Sure there was a cost' but he knew and was happy to risk it.
You need to stop writing until you face reality."

But, she's right about one thing. I know there is a cost and I'm happy to risk it. Even if I get sick and die.

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You have no right to...

Rights are more about what you have no right to do than about what you do have a right to do.

You have a right to govern yourself. You can't have a right to govern anyone but yourself. Such a right can't exist any more than any other right to enslave.

You have the right to join with others to form a government, even one based on politics. You have no right to impose that government on anyone else outside your group which explicitly consented. Implied "consent" isn't real-- it is a euphemism for aggressive molestation.

You have a right to have police. You have no right to impose those police on others who haven't been violating your life, liberty, or property directly, nor to force anyone else to help you fund them. No one owes your police anything-- not respect, obedience, or deference. If your police violate anyone in any way, you are as guilty as they are because you hired the gangsters and they work for you.

On the above issues there's a very narrow scope that is libertarian-- only the first sentence of each paragraph-- where you have the right to do those things... up to a point. But once you cross that point into the following sentences you are archating. You have no right to archate. No matter how you spin it.

If these things are difficult for you to understand or uncomfortable to face, the problem is yours. No one is obligated to explain it to you or to coddle your feelings.

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"Not a real libertarian"

Do you follow the ZAP (or whatever you prefer to call it) to the best of your ability? Or do you equivocate and make excuses for archation you support?

If you do the first, you are a "real libertarian". If you're the second, no, you're not a libertarian.

It's not really a difficult thing to figure out. Some people try to make it harder than it is.

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Dangerous statism

I don't agree in principle with "conservatives" (Right-Statists) or "liberals"/"progressives" (Left-Statists) because I oppose statism in any form. Looking to govern anyone but yourself is going beyond what you have a right to do.

But I do think Left-Statists may be the more dangerous of the two.

Left-Statists want to dictate the very words you can use. Not words of "obscenity" or actual hate-- which shouldn't be banned either-- but words which might speak a truth that upsets them. This is truly totalitarian and nasty. Left-Statists have even perverted the words "liberal" and "progress", applying them to the opposite of what they mean, to fit their dishonest agenda.

Neither side is a fan of science, evidence, and reason when those things go against what they want to be true. They just vary on the specific areas they want to be shielded from scientific inquiry.

Left-Statists want to dictate what you can put into your body just as much as the Right-Statists do, but based on different criteria. While the Right-Statists want to ban things that might make you feel nice but (in some cases) harm you if abused, the Left-Statists want to dictate what you ingest based on what they imagine current nutritional science says. Yes, potential harm is still the excuse and it is still no one's business either way.

Right-Statists generally want you able to defend yourself, they just don't want you to defend yourself from America's largest and most aggressive gang. Which is a really bizarre exception to make. Left-Statists don't want you to be able to defend yourself at all if it means using tools they are scared of.

Right-Statists don't usually riot and destroy property and kill "noncombatants", while Left-Statists seem more than willing to encourage each other to do so, and to actually sometimes do so. If you aren't rioting with them, they assume you are their enemy. Not a smart strategy.

I'm not on the side which wants to dictate anything. I dislike statism but I'm not stupid enough to propose banning it. You can't fix the world by becoming that which you believe is wrong.

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Covid test results too late to be of any use

The above documents were received 9 days after a household member was sent (by their employer) to be tested for Covid-19. The positive results were phoned to this individual, by "the state", 6 days after the test. I think the results were a little late to be of any practical use.

Especially since the person in question hadn't been having any symptoms other than a "fever" of less than a degree. They might be infected, but they aren't sick.

This individual had been tested 3 times previously. Two of those tests were done in Texas and the results took similarly long to come back-- although the others were a day or two quicker, even taking the weekend into account. Those times the slow results weren't an issue because the tests were all negative. The test which was done in New Mexico was of the speedy "10-minute results" variety, also negative.

Once again, I have been marinating in coronavirus. Surely I have built up some immunity by now! So far I don't think I've gotten sick. I'm still self-quarantining over this latest contamination for the most part. A couple of friends were also exposed largely because "if the test had been positive they'd have called already". Oops! Never assume The State is timely or competent, or that medicine will be done correctly once politicized.

I'll let you know if I seem to come down with The 'Rona, although I'm not going to submit to testing as long as I'm conscious.

Which reminds me, the state's "contact tracing" office (department? has called me twice so far. I didn't answer because I didn't recognize the number. The second time they called they left a message. They want to speak to me. They'll probably continue to be disappointed. I know I've been exposed (again). I'm doing what I can to not expose anyone else. I don't think there's anything useful they can contribute to the conversation.

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