Life's bumps and potholes

With the surgery coming up on Wednesday (unless I can squeeze out the kidney stone before then), I feel less Christmassy than ever before. Or, at least it's tied with my horrible Christmas in 2003. That Christmas lowered my expectations forever.

I've also had a hard time focusing on writing. 

Which brings me to a favor I'd like to ask: Are there any topics or issues you'd like me to address? If so, either put them in a comment or email me and I'll see what I can do. Otherwise, I may just make fun of anti-gun bigots some more.

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Liberty essential, worth fighting for

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for November 12, 2023)

All sides that don't prioritize liberty are the same.

Excuses don't matter. If you're angry about the other side doing something which violates liberty, but you justify your side violating liberty in some other way, you're not helping.

It's not Democrat vs. Republican, nor "Left vs. "Right". It comes down to liberty vs slavery. It may be "slavery-light" instead of what you've been trained to consider slavery, but is gentle slavery better?

Most people are so motivated to find ways to keep others under control they'll sacrifice their own liberty to the cause.

If you really want the liberty to live your faith, but are willing to use the violence of government to prevent people of another faith from doing the same, don't whine when the tables are turned. And the tables will turn-- just wait.

When one political side uses government against those trying to move freely from place to place, to ingest what they choose, or to love who they love, they are every bit as much the enemy of liberty as the political side looking to criminalize the tools of defense, censor, or portray a segment of the population as "colonizers". Both are the enemy of humanity.

Cars, guns, words, and beliefs can all be misused to hurt or kill innocent people. If you want to punish the innocent for the misdeeds of others, you are setting a pattern which will be used against you. If not next year, then soon. There is no excuse to ban anything or to allow government to control anything.

Government is used to kill more people than all the lesser dangers combined, yet I wouldn't use something like government legislation to ban government. I can't imagine anything sillier. There is no way to use government correctly-- every use is a misuse. Instead I would defend myself from those using government against individuals, and encourage others to do the same. There will always be bad people doing bad things. It is up to each of us to fight back.

Regardless of what those addicted to control will say, liberty is essential to the survival of our species. Is it safe? No. Life never is. Is the risk worth it? Without the slightest shadow of a doubt, it is.

Like Thomas Jefferson, "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it." Liberty is worth fighting for.

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Misguidance

People can be guided by truth and they can be misguided by ignorance (guess which one seems most prevalent). Often at the same time. That's why there are still DemoCRAPublicans.

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"Libertarian" politicians?

The other day my dad texted me about the new Argentinian president. Saying they had sworn in a "libertine"* president. I'm pretty sure he meant "libertarian".

I'm skeptical of politicians whom anyone labels as "libertarian" because I've seen how rarely it pans out.

The media, which always lies, calls Argentina's new president "libertarian", or "far-right libertarian". Which is it?... because it can't be both. Not as a politician, anyway.

Politics is about how you interact with the outside world when you have power. You are either libertarian or you're not. You could have inner thoughts that were "far-right" or socialist, and as long as all your actions respected everyone's equal and identical rights you'd be libertarian. Despite your inner thoughts and preferences. 

I have preferences that are "conservative" and others that are "liberal", but only where those labels align with respecting basic rights. I'm not going to send government after (or otherwise attack) you just because I don't like something you do. As long as you aren't violating anyone else, whether I like what you do or not isn't of any consequence.

But if, as a politician, you implement policies that don't respect human rights, then you might just be "far-right" or socialist or something else, but it's something other than libertarian. Actions speak louder than labels.

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*Libertines seek pure freedom. Libertarians are founded on liberty. 

There may be some overlap, but not as much as some want you to believe.

If I were a libertine, I would either be much happier or much less happy, depending on how insurmountable the obstacles were.

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Plain truth from old television

“A weapon? No, only an instrument. Neither good nor evil until men put it to use. And then, like so many of man’s inventions, it can be used either to save lives, or destroy them.” ~ The Outer Limits— The Human Factor.

Why do so few people understand this today? I think the answer is as simple as this: their minds have been poisoned by politics. We're going to have to survive in spite of them.

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Did Ellis survive Nakatomi?

I was watching Die Hard a few days ago and was struck by the similarity between Ellis and Gavin Newsom. Those “smiles”! Ick!

Newsom is more reptilian, though. 

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Don't be confused: Government has no rights

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for November 5, 2023)

When government clearly goes too far, someone may ask whether or not government has the right to do what it did.

The honest answer is always "no".

Government has no rights. It's not that government has no extra rights; government has no rights of any kind.

Individuals who work for government have rights. They have the same rights anyone else has. Rights equal and identical to the rights everyone else enjoys, but no more. These individuals don't magically get extra rights made up out of thin air because they work for government or wear a badge. If they have the right to do something, so do you. If you have no right to do something, they also don't have this right.

Government really hopes you forget I said this, or that you don't believe me. It's one hundred percent true, though.

All rights are individual rights. They are never collective; collective rights don't exist. A group has no rights beyond those each and every individual has. Rights don't multiply or expand when individuals join together. Since government is a collective-- a group-- it has no rights of its own. It never did, it never will, and it never can.

Even if you want government to do something you know you wouldn't have the right to do on your own, it's not possible. You can't give government the right to do something you don't have the right to do. You can't delegate rights you don't possess.

What government has is power. The power to do things it has no right to do. Things those working for government or calling themselves government have no right to do. And the power to get away with it. Doing something they have no right to do is a way to know someone is committing evil.

Government has no right to tax you, it has the power to steal your property and call it a "tax", and when it does this it is doing wrong. It doesn't matter if government couldn't function without the power to tax. Anything which relies on someone's power to do wrong shouldn't be done at all. It doesn't matter how many have been fooled into believing it is necessary.

For this reason, even when government does something each of us has the right to do, it does it wrong by funding it with stolen money. This is how to turn a right into a wrong: do it through government.

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Missed me?

I’m still around. I thought I had a couple of blog posts set to automatically post, but I didn’t. I’m sorry.

Between the ongoing vision problems and the kidney stone I haven’t been at the computer and haven’t written anything. I haven’t had the energy.

My surgery is scheduled for December 20, unless I pass the stone before then. The urologist thinks it’s possible but unlikely, especially due to the stricture in my urethra. TMI, I know.

The pain hasn’t been too bad. A heating pad and pain pills have managed it pretty well. And I’ve been napping a lot. I’m drained.

So that’s where I am.

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This year has sucked

I’m on my way home from the ER. 

Suddenly, at 2:30 yesterday afternoon, the kidney stone I’ve known about since February 2015 decided to start moving. I just had time to tell my daughter what was happening before I collapsed in pain, unable to make any further intelligible sounds.

My parents came over and scraped me off the floor and took me to the hospital 30 miles away- I felt every bump on the road.

They kept me overnight for pain management and I have an appointment with the urologist tomorrow to have the kidney stone removed since it’s too large to pass. I’m dreading that due to my urethra problem.

The pain medication prescription disaster (there are less polite phrases that come to mind) last night makes me hate government even more intensely. I probably shouldn’t have said that out loud to my doctor…but I was medicated. She was angry about it too.

I’m still here and if I have any posts scheduled they’ll show up as usual until I’m off the pain meds.

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When the scheme doesn't work

Many people and businesses rely on government handouts. This is dangerous, but I understand why they do it. I also understand why government likes to hand out as much money as it can steal or counterfeit.

Government hands out money so it can control the recipient. 

I get a bit of a salacious thrill when that scheme doesn’t work. 

I'll always believe there's a danger in accepting anything from The State, but it's not up to me to tell others what risks they should take. 

And when I see someone using their handout in government-non-approved ways, it brings a smile to my face.

I heard of many cases of people using "stimulus" checks for guns, ammo, prepping supplies, or other things back during that era. That's just one example; I can think of many more. 

Occasionally, you'll even see a corporation biting the hand that feeds it-- usually in a small way. But it's something and I'll celebrate the little victories when I see them.

So the next time government forces some money into your hand, at least use it to undermine The State. It's kinda your duty.

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Political government in a nutshell

Call it a "representative republic", a "constitutional republic", or a "democracy". The outcome is the same: Stupid people v*te for evil people to rule them and their neighbors with legislation.

And anyone imagines this is a good system?

You can wish that the truth would be otherwise: that wise, well-meaning, and informed people v*te for wise, well-meaning, and intelligent people to administer the power of a legitimate institution to guide society in the right direction and protect the rights of the individual. Yeah, that has never been the reality in the history of political government. 

Wise, well-meaning, informed, and intelligent people are vastly outnumbered, and political office attracts the worst of the worst, and selects for the worst among them. Plus, the system is rigged from top to bottom.

If every congressvermin were replaced with a clone of George Santos it would be a vast improvement over the current situation.

You can wish the truth weren't true all day long for the rest of your life. Wishes don't change reality.

Political government is a disaster and always has been. Even when people close their eyes to the truth and say there isn't any good alternative. Doing nothing is better than continuing to do the wrong thing. Scrap it all.

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Bad guys and their assault prose

 

Political criminals made up the dishonest phrase “assault weapon” to use as justification for enslaving you and me to their whims.

I can counter by using the honest phrase “assault prose” for their evil, arbitrary rights-violating legislation. 

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Don't trust government with what matters

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 29, 2023)

I could never be talked into sending my daughter on a cross-country trip with a stranger. Or worse, with an acquaintance I couldn't trust because of a history of dangerous or unethical behavior. If I did, and something tragic happened, how could I live with the guilt? I know better.

For this same reason, I would never entrust anything I value to government's control. Government has a history, stretching back thousands of years, of dangerous and unethical behavior. I can't trust it and am shocked at anyone who seems to. You may as well hand your child off to a junkie driving a stolen car.

Being under the influence of political authority-- government-- is worse than being under the influence of any chemical intoxicant such as drugs or alcohol.

Anything that matters-- science, the economy, security, safety, health, education, food supplies, and more-- is something I can't trust government to have control or influence over.

I want everything I love kept beyond the reach of government, but this doesn't mean I want government to meddle in things I'm opposed to or not interested in. Someone values those things and I'm not petty.

Space exploration thrills me. The worst situation possible for this essential endeavor is to allow government to license and regulate it.

Wildlife and wilderness; pets; firearms and self-defense-- they'd all be better off separated from government's "help".

Justice is nearly impossible with government courts. They dole out a weak substitute-- punishment-- without distinguishing between mala in se (actual crimes with individual victims) and mala prohibitum ("illegal" because government says so, although there is no individual victim).

I can't think of a single thing I value which needs government involvement; anything I would entrust to government. This goes triple for liberty.

Governments have proven over and over again that they can't be trusted to protect the rights or the liberty of those they rule. They invariably become the worst threat to the liberty of those they are tasked with protecting.

Constitutions haven't worked; even when explicitly listing rights government is not allowed to touch. Politicians find excuses, and the people have no real power to do anything substantive about it. So they vote, instead. Some even side with government, begging it to violate natural human rights they don't like. It's a failed system.

Why would I ever trust government, something I know to be completely untrustworthy, with anyone or anything I love?

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Thankless jobs?

There's probably no such thing as a truly "thankless" job.

If you're getting paid, you're getting thanks. 

If you expect additional thanks on top of being paid, maybe you're asking for too much.

Even worthless "jobs" like those the pathetic BATFEces thugs do, are paid. Even though their "job" is a negative for society. I'd rather they be charged than paid. But political crooks thank them for harming society by paying them. Yet, I've heard (from a relative of one) of them whining that they aren't appreciated enough. They have no clue.

Maybe if you do hard volunteer work, and no one cares that you are making the world a better place, you might argue that you have a thankless job. (But is it a job in that case?) Otherwise, appreciate whatever form the thanks takes. Don't be greedy.

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Archation culture

Some cultures are based on archation. I don't like or support those cultures.

Police (and other gang) culture, cultures that are overtly political, and any culture that calls for the destruction of "others" are all based on archation. They are not a net positive for the world.

You get what you dish out. It's often called self-defense.

If you are part of one of those archation-based cultures and anyone encourages others to fight back against your initiated violence or property violations you really can't complain. Or, I guess you can, but I won't take your complaints seriously because you're asking for it with what you dispense or support. My sympathy is going to be greatly limited by what you do.

A robber who gets killed in the act of mugging someone has reaped what he was sowing. Good.
Gang-bangers who get shot when they've spent years putting others in peril with their acts of aggression aren't going to get a tear from my eye. 
I don't care about a cop killed "in the line of duty" when that "duty" involves violating the rights of people on a daily basis. Live by archation; die by archation.
The same goes for politicians who've spent decades imposing legislation designed to crush liberty. Good riddance to smelly garbage!
If you're a member of a cultural group known for killing anyone who isn't a member of your in group, don't be too surprised when I'm not enthusiastic in my condemnation of anyone who decides to strike back. Even if I don't support the way they strike back. You chose sides and you chose poorly. You chose a culture of archation over cooperation and mutual respect, so how can you demand cooperation and respect?

I don't support archation culture, and I am not sympathetic when its bloody chickens come home to roost.

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Uncanny Valley in politics

I see a couple of cases where I believe the "Uncanny Valley" phenomenon plays a role in politics. Where those who haven't been hypnotized by a particular political agenda aren't as sympathetic to a point of view as those who have been would like them to be.

It's not a "Left vs Right" thing, since I see a pretty clear example on each side: people trying to present as "transgender" (or "non-binary") and human fetuses.

Think past any of your own biases and I suspect you'll at least partly agree. 

I'm sure there's some subjectivity as to the precise location of the edges or lowest point of this "valley", but the overall effect seems to be universal to the human mind. Deny it at your peril.

It's not a case of how people should feel about either issue; it's a harsh reality of human psychology. You might as well be fighting against gravity. Addressing this inherent reality might be necessary to get more universal support for either cause. 

Or you can get mad at the messenger, but that's not going to change the truth.

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Wouldn't it make sense?

Doesn't it seem like the after-Thanksgiving special deal emails would be more effective if they went to family and friends of the person who was interested in those sales and had signed up with the businesses? 

This isn't the time of year I take advantage of the great sale prices on AR magazines (for example) because I'm focused on getting gifts for other people. People who are getting the deal offers I need to see so I can get better prices on gifts for them.

Of course, if the advertisers figure out a way to do that, they will be (at least) a hundred times more intrusive.

And, I suppose some people probably are buying stuff for themselves now. So maybe this works well enough,

After Christmas or after my birthday-- times when I may have gotten some money to spend-- would be the best time for me to get special price offers. Not before Christmas, and certainly not right after Thanksgiving!

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Politics = lies

I am stunned at the tsunami of lies overrunning society. The most damaging ones are mainly political, or have a political reason for being pushed.

It has become clear to me that if it's political, it's a lie, and that if it's a lie, it's probably being used politically in some way.

No realm is immune: science, religion, justice, etc. And, of course, ALL of politics from top to bottom. All are being filled with lies to serve political agendas. Many are told "for your own good"-- at least that's the justifying lie. 

I hate it.

The more political things you hear or read, the more lies you'll consume.

If it's political it's probably pointless to ask if it's a lie. Better, accept it's a lie and figure out why it's being told. Who is it targeting, and why? What's the truth?

It's not that one side is guilty and other sides are innocent-- even though it does appear that the side with the most power is generally the worst side. The side with the most power tells the biggest lies and tries to force everyone to pretend they aren't lies. That's probably just a result of having power. Which is why political power is illegitimate.

It's one thing to be told lies constantly. That's ordinary politics. It's a whole new level of evil to try to force people to repeat the lies as if they are true, and punish them when they won't buy in. Of course, for the same reason, inconvenient truth must be punished. 

That's a line I won't tolerate, won't cross and won't forgive. I'm tired of it and it makes me angry. And it's the apparent main goal of the political liars all around us.

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Does "your" v*te count?

I want to believe... but I don't.

In v*ting, I mean.

I recently saw someone again promoting the idea that you have to v*te to protect your rights from government. They were repeating the idea that "your v*te counts".

I'm not saying v*ting never works, just that the chance of that working when nothing else would work better is pretty small. Government usually does what it wants, no matter how many times it has to have the peasants v*te on it before getting the outcome it wants. Or, it will just ignore the results.

"Your" v*te counts as long as it serves the interests of the regional political power.

Otherwise, it counts about as much as your opinion on the weather. And has the same effect, if you’re lucky.

"Your" v*te is diluted by the v*tes of people who don't like you, are scared of your rights, don't understand what rights are, and believe they have a "right" to ask government to control you on their behalf. The Ignorinati.

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Learn difference between right, wrong

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 22, 2023)

Someday you may have to stand up for something you know is right, or against something you know is wrong, when it appears the whole world is against you.

You may not believe you’d change your position in that situation.

There was a social experiment where test subjects were told to choose from three choices the line which was the same length as another line. The experiment was designed so the correct answer was obvious. Only one person in the group was actually a test subject, though. The others were actors instructed to choose the wrong line. Many of the subjects-- one-third of them-- went along with the crowd even when they were giving an answer which was clearly wrong.

What happens in society when the right answer isn't so obvious? Well...

In recent years we’ve seen this effect over and over. We are shamed if we don’t go along with the experts, who have been politicized to the point of zero credibility. Then, to seal the deal, actors reading the script-- usually sanitized government press releases-- on television news programs tell you which answer to choose. Politically biased accounts on social media chime in with the same chant. They scold you to "Trust the experts."

They seem determined to convince you wrong is right, war is peace, and slavery is liberty. I wish only one-third of the public fell for the trick!

When those conducting the experiment claim to have the magical quality they call "authority" the fraction of the public susceptible to the manipulation seems even larger.

In the Milgram experiment, test subjects were instructed by a person in authority to give electric shocks as punishment for wrong answers to a person they didn't know was an actor pretending to experience pain. Most-- 65%-- turned the dial all the way up to what they were told was a potentially fatal voltage. This shows how far people will go toward abandoning what they know is right if someone in authority tells them to.

Mark Twain once observed, "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."

The majority isn't always wrong, but it's wrong more often than you may suppose. If you need proof, just look at the outcome of elections.

If you can't tell right from wrong, learn the difference. Then choose right and reject wrong even when everyone is against you.

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