My favorite desert hermit

I see nothing wrong with Joel's idea of interior decorating, nor with his laundry. It all looks good to me! What do you think?

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Day by Day- Times up May 4, 2014

Day by Day, 5-4-2014. 

(Also, Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you!)

Thanks, Chris! I think I'd like that girl... LOL

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Is statism an admission of cowardice?

I see statism as an admission of cowardice. The excuse for some form of State (externally imposed government) always revolves around the state's armed goons protecting someone from something. And it's not even always personal. Sometimes it's the justification that "someone" must protect "someone else" from something.

On the home territory that "something" is often "drunk drivers" or "drug abusers". Or child molesters. Or "rich capitalists" and dishonest businesses. Or guns, illness, poverty... the list is endless.

Thinking "globally" that "something" is often "terrorists" or "foreign invaders" who are just waiting for any sign of weakness to come to your home and take over unless the US government keeps a standing military.

I really can't identify too well with either type of fear. It just didn't take root if anyone ever tried to implant it in my head. But, I can't blame people for what they are afraid of, either- it's not a rational decision which they made. I do feel sorry for them.

But, I can't let other people's fears rule my life.

If you are afraid of what would happen under liberty, then no one is forcing you to be free. However, I am under no obligation to pretend your fears are related to reality, either. Nor any obligation to allow you to box me in to make you feel better.

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Differences of opinion

There are issues that sincere liberty lovers take opposite sides on. The Bundy ranch situation is one. Abortion is another.

Unfortunately I am cursed with the capacity to usually see both sides- and it's not as wonderful as it may sound.

Instead of meaning that half of the people agree with me, it often means that half of the people disagree- and angrily tell me why I am wrong and won't be satisfied until I usher in the subjugation of all humanity. But usually in all "caps"...

Even though I can see both sides, there is usually one side I settle on slightly more than the other for one reason or another. And the people on the other side do their best to shove me completely over the fence.

My suspicion is if there are sincere liberty lovers, who are smart and informed enough to make opposing points on an issue, then there probably is not enough real information to make a "right" choice. In that case, until more information is discovered, we'll just have to disagree. It would be better to concentrate on the things that aren't under dispute, but that doesn't seem to be the human way.

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State Line Tribune readers...

If you came here looking for the reply I wrote to last week's letter to the editor, that post is found here: link
Thanks.

(This will be pinned to the top of the blog for the next week to give those who come across that note in the paper a chance to find it.)

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Have you visited TOLFA recently?

I haven't posted an encouragement to go through The On Line Freedom Academy in a long time. So, here's a reminder.

It's free. It's free-ing. I think Jim Davies has put together a very useful tool you should consider using (and his books are great, too).

Check it out, if you haven't before. I don't think you'll regret it.

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For these cannibal clowns, every day is Opposite Day

Government actions are the opposite of what is claimed.

To "prevent poaching", government goons claim ownership of things they can't own (wildlife) and steal it for themselves.

In the name of "traffic safety", cops become the greatest distraction and danger.

To prevent theft, they steal and use that money to finance even more theft and abuse in order to prevent anyone else from getting "a piece of the action".

To fight "terrorism" they become the nastiest terrorists.

They enforce anti-gun "laws"... with GUNS!

They enforce prohibition and mandate drugging kids.

I'm sure you can think of a lot more examples.

They discredit themselves and their "mission" with their immense hypocrisy. It's really hilarious once you see it.

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Government not great at spying

Government not great at spying

(My Clovis News Journal column for March 28, 2014)

Maybe Malaysia Airlines' missing flight 370 will have been found by the time this gets into print. Or maybe various officials are still saying "we know where it is... we just haven't physically seen it yet". Either way, I'm pretty sure the news won't be good for the families of those missing, whenever it turns up.

I have no doubt the mystery has a mundane explanation, whatever it may be, even if it turns out to be human malice- which is unfortunately common enough to be fairly mundane, and always has been.

The one and only bright spot in this whole tragedy is the observation that apparently the governments of the world don't have quite the inescapable spying, tracking, and surveillance capabilities they would like you and me to believe they have. Big things can escape their notice and slip through their fingers.

Yes, the world is a very large place, and the plane vanished over an area that isn't exactly as populated as downtown Tokyo or New York City, but electronic communications signals aren't as limited by geography and distance as human eyes are; being routed, as they are, through a web of networks which are all interconnected. Yet, the plane- a huge Boeing 777- has been missing, assuming it hasn't yet been found, since March 8. That's about 3 weeks now.

If a whole plane full of people can disappear, even for a few weeks, perhaps you don't need to be as worried about useful information being stolen from your data as you might have thought.

It's still a good idea to refrain from using unencrypted electronic communications to send messages that would make spies and their handlers twitchy and give them reason to watch you more closely. But that has been the case throughout history. Nothing has really changed there.

The more data the snoops collect, the less likely they are to find that elusive needle in a haystack. The more they analyze, the more false "pings" they will encounter, the more dross they'll have to sift through, and the more time and computer power they'll waste. That's why you should always say things such as "She's the BOMB!, or "When did ANTHRAX become 'classic rock'?" Or "My boss went NUCLEAR when I showed up for work in my pajamas!" in your phone conversations, emails, and text messages.

Don't be stupid, but don't spend your limited lifetime worried that the bad guys are reading all your emails. And, if you want to be found in an emergency, remember it is ultimately up to you to make sure you can be.
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Conservatives and Progressives are right

Conservatives (real conservatives, not neocons) are right about something- there are things in our society and culture which should be conserved. Worship of the military and police, and prohibition are not examples of those things.

Progressives (who used to be called "liberals", but never lived up to the label) are right about something, too- there are many ways in which "society" is in desperate need of some progress. However, violating liberty just because you are afraid of regular people owning and carrying guns is the opposite of progress. As is thinking it is "generous" to give away other people's property, and making up "special rules" by which some people are given "extra rights" that place imaginary obligations on others.

If both of those sides could get past some of their misguided delusions, they could contribute so much to life.

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Fire all cops- and don't "replace them" with anything

If it is wrong for you to do, it is wrong for a cop to do. If it's OK for a cop to do, it's OK for you to do. It really is that simple.

Police have no special morality or ethics. In fact, most have none of any sort. And cops were never intended to have any special "authority" over you or me.

If it's OK for a cop to murder you because he is frightened and believes you might have a gun, it is OK for you to do the same to him. If it would be wrong for you to commit this murder, it is wrong for a cop to commit the murder under the same circumstances.

If it's OK for some people to stop drivers and rob them at gunpoint because they were going "too fast" according to some completely arbitrary rule, it is OK for everyone to do the same. If being a thuggish highwayman is not within your rights, it is wrong for a cop to do it.

If it's OK for a cop to carry a gun into a school or in a place that has a "no guns" sign, then it is OK for anyone else to do it. If it would be wrong for you to ignore that sign, it is wrong for a cop to boldly expect to be the exception to the rule.

If it is OK for a cop to set up a fake social media profile and entrap people into doing things that will lead to being kidnapped and molested, it is OK for anyone else to do the same. If lying and entrapping someone would be wrong of me, then it's wrong of a cop.

Cops have no special "authority"; they are just like garbage collectors in that they were hired to do a job anyone has the right to do, but most might rather not. But garbage collectors have mostly stayed honorable and helpful. Cops have most assuredly not! The fact they have grown beyond the original selling point to become the greatest burden- and threat- to society is all the reason anyone needs to call for them to all be fired.

No one "needs" cops.

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"So, Kent, What did YOU do today?"

Well, now that you asked...

High winds (and blowing dirt and sand- see the color of the sky?) were terrible today, and took out the one tree on the property. The carport took a hit.

Had some family and neighbors come help, and the tree is cut up somewhat and now piled off to the side, and the carport is propped back up- more or less straight- with chains and whatnot. Mostly to keep it from falling into the house if it decides to topple.

No "official" contact of any sort- which I'm glad for. The tree was out in the street a bit for a while, as were some "support vehicles" as we worked.

My daughter missed an event due to the minor disaster, which happened not long before we were to leave, and was so upset over the property damage that she was throwing up.

Now, I am hopeful I can get some things repaired and the tree hauled away (it would be pretty much worthless for firewood- it's rotten Siberian elm) without spending much. Free would be good.

I hope your day was not so eventful.

Added: Here are a couple of pictures of what's left of the tree (along with my daughter hamming it up for the camera).

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Bullies galore, blind to their own evil

There's an inevitable wedge driven between me and most of the people around me because they think it's OK to beat me up to force me to do what they want- whether I am harming any innocent person with my behavior or not. I don't pretend it's alright to do the same to them.

Sure, few of them are willing to do it in person- they'd rather pretend it's "government" doing the beating, instead- in the name of enforcing Holy Laws.

But as long as they support that "government", and its counterfeit rules, they might as well be personally throwing the punches. In fact, I'd prefer that level of honesty to this self-deception they wallow in.

How about you?

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Who needs police?

No one "needs" cops.

People have been fooled into believing they do by having their rights violated and reserved for police only.

It's like being conked on the head, having your arms tied behind your back, and then saying "but how can I feed myself and wipe my butt without someone doing it for me?" Simple. Remove the bonds and do what you always had a right to do.

You don't need anyone to do it for you- especially not those vermin who are trying to prevent you from doing it yourself.

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Day by Day: Time's Up again!

Day by Day, April 25, 2014:

Thanks again, Chris!

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Fellating enforcers at gunpoint

I've long suspected there was some sort of a perverted sexual thrill that drove much enforcer behavior, but I just had another realization which seems to confirm it. It's the Breathalyzer- thought of forever more, in my mind, as the "coward's cock".

Which, once more, re-enforces in my mind the notion that almost everything a cop does is some form of rape- or worse.

"Blow me, Citizen!"

And, just imagine, some people still think of these parasites as the "good guys"!

(Sorry that this one is a bit less "family friendly" than usual, but seriously- the title...)

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Brain re-wiring

Let's suppose you have a friend who has volunteered for an experiment*. His brain will be wired to a device, and when activated, this device will make him feel happy (at least temporarily) and powerful. It may even eventually make him wealthy.

It also has a 95% chance- or greater- of changing his personality and making him a bad person. His previous ethical or moral reluctance to steal and aggress will be short-circuited.

And he's asking you to be the one to push the button to start the device.

Would you do it?

What if it takes two people to push buttons simultaneously? Would you be willing to share half of the responsibility? Remember, your friend wants this. What if there are millions of buttons that would all have to be pushed to activate the experiment? What if "authority" figures tell you it is your duty to push the button, and your other friends, family, and neighbors all agree? They say you should be ashamed if you refuse. Why do I see shades of Milgram?

This is the same thing as voting for a decent person who wants a political office. Only, in this real-world experiment, those who push the button and those who refuse will all be victimized by your friend after he gets what he wants and is changed.

How can you consent to be among those who do this to a good person?

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*Of course, it's not really an "experiment" since it has been done multiple millions of times with the same results- you know how this will end unless you are successful at deluding yourself.

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Supporting liberty not contradictory

Supporting liberty not contradictory

(My Clovis News Journal column for March 21, 2014)

What is a quick way to cause confusion? Advocate liberty consistently and watch what happens.

I'll use myself as an illustration:

I am a firm believer in the high value of education, therefore I am not a fan of public schooling, nor any schooling based upon the same template.

I hate aggressive violence which threatens the innocent, therefore I actively and publicly oppose all anti-gun "laws".

I know the necessity of good, safe roads for all aspects of life and liberty, and therefore I don't appreciate seeing government employees patrolling and controlling them.

I crusade for property rights, opposing all theft and aggression against individuals, therefore I want nothing to do with laws or courts, and have no respect for either.

I hate to see people destroy their lives through addictions, therefore I expose prohibition for the unconstitutional and inhumane abomination it is.

These positions only seem contradictory to people who refuse to notice the actual, real-world results of the state's approach. Once you dig to the bottom of things you can see the world in a much clearer, brighter way than before.

But, getting to the bottom of things can make one unpopular. It means calling a spade a spade, no matter how much others wish to see it as something else. It means digging up problems with favored institutions and other things which many people are emotionally attached to, and exposing bad sides people would prefer to not face.

It means recognizing that schools based upon the "Prussian Model", as are all schools in America, were never meant to educate, but to indoctrinate and pacify.

It means understanding that anti-gun "laws" only restrain those who are not bad guys in the first place, leaving the real thugs free to prey at will.

It means knowing governments don't build roads, nor are they held accountable for the road conditions or damage their roads cause, all the while claiming use of "their" roads implies consent to give up all your basic human rights in the name of "safety". This is nonsense.

It means admitting the greatest threat which has ever existed to property, as well as to life and liberty, is (and has always been) people calling themselves "government" of one sort or another. Real restitution is a low priority for them, compared to enriching the state's treasury and paying for the bureaucracy.

It means seeing that the War on Politically Incorrect Drugs- Prohibition- has created the market for more concentrated, and more dangerous, substances, and causes people to not seek help they might otherwise want, out of fear of the disproportionate consequences.

Being consistent in support of liberty only looks contradictory until you examine the alternative.
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Kids' problems

I was watching kids playing at the park while there with my daughter. I noticed what happened when kids encountered problems. They solved them.

For one example: There is a ring that the kids can hang from and ride as it slides from one end of a track to another. Only it binds up in the middle and if a kid doesn't have enough momentum, it will stop before they get to the other end. And most kids are not tall enough to reach the ring when it is not by one of the end platforms. So, when it gets stuck they'll work together. Or they'll try jumping at the ring to knock it to one end where they can reach it. They'll try to find a taller kid or adult. They'll find a tool (tree branch) to extend their reach. But, always, they find a solution.

Kids solve their own problems if not interfered with. Give them the liberty to find their own solutions. It will make them smarter and stronger than if you coddle them.

Now, kids are not perfect- just like adults aren't. Some think it's OK to initiate force or to steal. Some can be very cruel. Let's not give them bad examples by our behavior, and certainly let's not place the worst of the worst- cops and politicians- on some kind of pedestal and pretend these are people for kids to look up to or emulate.

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"Name one..."

Recently I saw a person ask to be shown a society or culture anywhere in the world which has been based on Zero Aggression.

OK. Sure. No problem.

My society is grounded in Zero Aggression. I don't attack those around me, and I don't respond well to those who do. The aggressors out there are not a part of my society.

It seems the culture around me is based on Zero Aggression, too. Those who use aggression and theft are not "my society" or "my culture". They are alien to me.

I'm not sure why that's hard for anyone to understand.

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Gratitude, or its opposite.

I was just listening to a video from a pretty "famous" (as these things go) libertarian/anarchist guy where he was complaining about a small donation he got. He went on about the value of what he was providing, and talked about if you don't "put your money where your mouth is" no one will listen when you say the free market and charity can fill the role of The State.

I was embarrassed listening to him.

Now, he did somewhat temper his message a little later in his video, and made some really good points about having a passion for what you claim to believe- but I almost didn't get past the first few minutes.

I have never complained or ridiculed any donation I have gotten. Not even in the privacy of my own head. Nor do I expect people to pay for what I do or to feel guilty if they don't pay something. And I am certainly not going to publicly scold- even anonymously- someone who actually donated money to me. That's just not the way this works.

Some people can't afford to donate- I get that and it's perfectly OK. I still want them to get what they can from what I write. I'm convinced they can make my life better that way, while improving the quality of their own lives even more. A deeper understanding of liberty can only benefit everyone.

Nor do I have some delusion that I "deserve" donations more than someone else does. There are more deserving and more "important" liberty advocates out there who are more valuable than I am, and do much more important work. Maybe even the guy who was complaining about the small donation.

I also know that everyone has a life. It's an honor to even be a tiny blip on their daily calendar, and no one is obligated to sit around and dwell on me in any way.

I'm not sure why his complaint disturbed me so badly- it may be that it just seemed so ungrateful.

You don't "owe" me anything by reading my blog. And please don't ever get the idea that I believe you do!

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