Marry Christmas, Happy Yuletide.
I'm having a White but very quiet Christmas. Hope you have a happy holiday.
(A Winter Junky).
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
More on Prohibition
It appears that Marko the Munchkin Wrangler also sees prohibition as an economic negative. I'd like to thank Marko for bringing to light the direct link between prohibition and gun control. It's pretty obvious once someone smacks you in the head with it [WHACK!] thanks Marko I needed that.
Going public with what they've already been doing
Our Civil Masters finally made public what they've been doing for a while, even though they're still not admitting to having done it. Privacy is dead, because a bunch of idiots have been brainwashed into thinking only the government can keep them safe. Great, the wolves are in charge of the hen house, the sheep pen.
If you think the government is not out to make you a tool of the state, your not paying attention.
If you think the government is not out to make you a tool of the state, your not paying attention.
A little experiment
I honestly don't think it would be possible, but it would be interesting.
I was talking to a few young men about politics, political systems, and why our system is broken only slightly less than the other systems. What I'd like to see is a little experiment. Let's split up the US and give each major faction an area of control. Each area needs to have sea ports or access - canals under joint treaty, rivers, some way to allow sea based transport.
Let's give Southern California to the Progressives (state socialists/communists) mostly because they already have it.
Then we'll take WA, OR, Northern CA (above 40ºN), ID, MT, WY and create a new country with a much tighter Libertarian version of the Constitution and Bill of rights. It needs to spell out that the Government can ONLY do what is allowed by the Constitution, if it's not spelled out in black and white - they don't get to even think about it.
Give Utah to the Mormons - since they already own most of it, plus a right of way down to the Gulf
Give Arizona and New Mexico, and probably Nevada plus a corridor between Mexico and the Peoples Republic of California out to San Diego to the Re-conquistadors.
Give the Fly-over States to the Religious Right.
Give the North East to the Democrats.
Give Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois to the Unions.
Leave the South as it is.
Not sure what to do with Alaska or Hawaii, let them pick one? Might have to give the Union State a bit more territory.
Now, sit back and watch for about 50 years and see what happens.
I predict:
Southern CA will be absorbed into the Re-Conquistador State, after they go completely bankrupt - 10 years tops, all the beach front and high end property will be reserved for the Party Elite.
The Re-Conquistador State will be Socialist/Communist, have a very low GDP, high crime and corruption, and be essentially broke. This will end up being a good example of a corrupt Democratic Socialist country.
The Union States (Michigan et al) will be the new standard for corrupt government. They will essentially become a National Socialist state were all production is owned by the state.
The North East will be Socialist and essentially under the control of the U.N.
Texas will be Texas
The South will be the South, quite a bit like it is today.
Utah will be, well... Utah
The Fly-over states will be a Theocracy with the largest exports of grains in the world. They will have a Heavily monitored and censored populace.
The New North West will be the new center for space exploration, technology, and health care, munitions, and banking. Have the lowest crime rate of any place on the planet out side of Singapore. The highest GDP in the world. Mostly self sufficient, a foreign policy of - Leave us Alone and we won't smack you.
- Just a guess.
I was talking to a few young men about politics, political systems, and why our system is broken only slightly less than the other systems. What I'd like to see is a little experiment. Let's split up the US and give each major faction an area of control. Each area needs to have sea ports or access - canals under joint treaty, rivers, some way to allow sea based transport.
Let's give Southern California to the Progressives (state socialists/communists) mostly because they already have it.
Then we'll take WA, OR, Northern CA (above 40ºN), ID, MT, WY and create a new country with a much tighter Libertarian version of the Constitution and Bill of rights. It needs to spell out that the Government can ONLY do what is allowed by the Constitution, if it's not spelled out in black and white - they don't get to even think about it.
Give Utah to the Mormons - since they already own most of it, plus a right of way down to the Gulf
Give Arizona and New Mexico, and probably Nevada plus a corridor between Mexico and the Peoples Republic of California out to San Diego to the Re-conquistadors.
Give the Fly-over States to the Religious Right.
Give the North East to the Democrats.
Give Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois to the Unions.
Leave the South as it is.
Not sure what to do with Alaska or Hawaii, let them pick one? Might have to give the Union State a bit more territory.
Now, sit back and watch for about 50 years and see what happens.
I predict:
Southern CA will be absorbed into the Re-Conquistador State, after they go completely bankrupt - 10 years tops, all the beach front and high end property will be reserved for the Party Elite.
The Re-Conquistador State will be Socialist/Communist, have a very low GDP, high crime and corruption, and be essentially broke. This will end up being a good example of a corrupt Democratic Socialist country.
The Union States (Michigan et al) will be the new standard for corrupt government. They will essentially become a National Socialist state were all production is owned by the state.
The North East will be Socialist and essentially under the control of the U.N.
Texas will be Texas
The South will be the South, quite a bit like it is today.
Utah will be, well... Utah
The Fly-over states will be a Theocracy with the largest exports of grains in the world. They will have a Heavily monitored and censored populace.
The New North West will be the new center for space exploration, technology, and health care, munitions, and banking. Have the lowest crime rate of any place on the planet out side of Singapore. The highest GDP in the world. Mostly self sufficient, a foreign policy of - Leave us Alone and we won't smack you.
- Just a guess.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Sharing
The Survival Mom has some links to an old Twilight Zone about a man who builds a fallout shelter. It's not a great design, but still a huge improvement over his neighbors who have done nothing. When the emergency happens, the results are predictable.
This article by a Disaster Planner show's just how screwed up the bureaucracy is. She seems to think I'm selfish for planning ahead. Somehow, me not being a needy and demanding victim is selfish. Does that seem backwards to anyone else?
Perhaps a better approach:
Step 1: Try telling the truth. In the case of a national disaster or even regional one, the Government is going to look out for itself first, you last. All your neighbors who don't do anything to prepare are going to come looking to share yours if they know about it.
Step 2: Get people to take care of themselves first. Just provide the information on how and where, and then point out that our bankrupt Government can't afford to prepare for your disaster. They might be able to help you clean up afterward, but forget about any help ahead of time.
Step 3: Give the people some really scary scenarios: You know like a 10.2 quake on the Cascadia fault that might trigger the San Andreas fault and pretty much decimate everything between Vancouver BC, and San Diego CA, or and EMP, or pick your favorite disaster.
Step 4: See Step 2.
Any way you approach it, there is no possible way the Government is gong to be able to help in a wide scale disaster. The economy will tank, if it hasn't already. The infrastructure will be gone, and they're too slow to save millions of people from their neighbors. Hell they won't even be able to save most of the survivors of the riots from starvation.
This article by a Disaster Planner show's just how screwed up the bureaucracy is. She seems to think I'm selfish for planning ahead. Somehow, me not being a needy and demanding victim is selfish. Does that seem backwards to anyone else?
Perhaps a better approach:
Step 1: Try telling the truth. In the case of a national disaster or even regional one, the Government is going to look out for itself first, you last. All your neighbors who don't do anything to prepare are going to come looking to share yours if they know about it.
Step 2: Get people to take care of themselves first. Just provide the information on how and where, and then point out that our bankrupt Government can't afford to prepare for your disaster. They might be able to help you clean up afterward, but forget about any help ahead of time.
Step 3: Give the people some really scary scenarios: You know like a 10.2 quake on the Cascadia fault that might trigger the San Andreas fault and pretty much decimate everything between Vancouver BC, and San Diego CA, or and EMP, or pick your favorite disaster.
Step 4: See Step 2.
Any way you approach it, there is no possible way the Government is gong to be able to help in a wide scale disaster. The economy will tank, if it hasn't already. The infrastructure will be gone, and they're too slow to save millions of people from their neighbors. Hell they won't even be able to save most of the survivors of the riots from starvation.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
If you think you can...
One of my favorite sayings is: If you think you can, your probably right, if you think you can't, you are right.
If you start anything believing you can't do it - odds are your going to prove yourself right.
I've been thinking about the possibility of creating an unbiased news site. The more I think about it the more sure I become that it can't be done. I think you can make a new site less biased by having a team of reporters who fill the basic archetypes of bias - right wing, left wing, centrist, libertarian, socialist, atheist, fundamentalist Christian & Muslim, etc. Require every team member to start the article by stating facts - all facts must be agreed on my each team member. The person with the idea writes the lead, then any team members who want to write a counter point do so. The requirement is that everyone works from the same set of facts.
So far so good. Right up till we try to decide what is a fact and what isn't. Accounting is easier than law, law is easier then art, art is easier then religion. As you move farther away from the rational hard science, things become fuzzy. In a political scandal, it may be that you'll never agree on a basic set of facts other than using direct quotes.
Then there is the bias of what you choose to report and what you choose to ignore.
Perhaps if reporters (journalists) simply started each article with a list of facts that could be verified and stuck to those, news would be noticeably less biased. Mark opinion clearly as opinion. The more I thought about this the more sure I became that only a very few people would actually want to read it.
In my opinion - the masses like being told what to think. It's much less work, you can watch the news and feel like your informed, and then with out thinking about it too much, you can proceed to your favorite TV show, or sport and just relax.
If you start anything believing you can't do it - odds are your going to prove yourself right.
I've been thinking about the possibility of creating an unbiased news site. The more I think about it the more sure I become that it can't be done. I think you can make a new site less biased by having a team of reporters who fill the basic archetypes of bias - right wing, left wing, centrist, libertarian, socialist, atheist, fundamentalist Christian & Muslim, etc. Require every team member to start the article by stating facts - all facts must be agreed on my each team member. The person with the idea writes the lead, then any team members who want to write a counter point do so. The requirement is that everyone works from the same set of facts.
So far so good. Right up till we try to decide what is a fact and what isn't. Accounting is easier than law, law is easier then art, art is easier then religion. As you move farther away from the rational hard science, things become fuzzy. In a political scandal, it may be that you'll never agree on a basic set of facts other than using direct quotes.
Then there is the bias of what you choose to report and what you choose to ignore.
Perhaps if reporters (journalists) simply started each article with a list of facts that could be verified and stuck to those, news would be noticeably less biased. Mark opinion clearly as opinion. The more I thought about this the more sure I became that only a very few people would actually want to read it.
In my opinion - the masses like being told what to think. It's much less work, you can watch the news and feel like your informed, and then with out thinking about it too much, you can proceed to your favorite TV show, or sport and just relax.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Ripping good times
I've been ripping CD's again. A few years back I ripped my entire library - some 1000+ CD's. I'd ripped most of them on my MacBook Pro and for some reason, the sound quality when played back even though my stupidly expensive DAC (digital to analog converter) wasn't what I knew it should be. So I got a copy of DB Poweramp for my PC and started the task of re-ripping the entire collection. This time I decided to save everything as FLAC which also uses lossless compression, and then convert to MP3 for use on iPods, iPhone, iPad. My Logitech squeeze box will stream from the PC and pump the digital signal directly to the DAC from the FLAC files. I can, if I'm really paying attention tell the difference between a streamed FLAC and a Super Audio CD (SACD) played on my stupidly expensive CD player (which makes me feel somewhat disgusted with how much I spent on that thing - oh well).
The first time around - perhaps because it was on a laptop, perhaps because it was the first time - I got though the project pretty quickly. This second time around it's taking longer.
I am (I'm sad to say) an audiophile. The path to audiophiledom is not one I recommend. It's incredibly expensive to get that last 5 to 10% of "almost live" sound. In hindsight, I'd have talked myself out of walking that path. One of the really odd things about audiophiles is the drive to get that "live performance" feel - considering the majority of live performances fall far short, in terms of audio quality, of studio recordings.
I have for example the same album on CD, SACD, and vinyl. When played on my stupidly expensive turn table, the vinyl which costs 3-8 times what a CD costs, sounds a tiny bit better then the SACD. The SACD which costs about double what a CD costs sounds a tiny bit better than the CD. When you consider that the time I spend listening to music is divided between Car (75%), Earphones from an iPOD (5%) and on the Stereo (20%), I can safely say I wasted a lot of money on sound quality. Regardless, I never buy nor will I ever buy MP3's online. If I could get lossless files - maybe but not the medium to low quality MP3's that you get though iTunes or Amazon. No thanks. I can hear the differrence in those even in the car with the windows open, or the top down.
Quality matters - sure there's a point (and I'm WAY past that point) of diminishing returns; but, you have to draw the line somewhere or everything heads to just barely useable.
The first time around - perhaps because it was on a laptop, perhaps because it was the first time - I got though the project pretty quickly. This second time around it's taking longer.
I am (I'm sad to say) an audiophile. The path to audiophiledom is not one I recommend. It's incredibly expensive to get that last 5 to 10% of "almost live" sound. In hindsight, I'd have talked myself out of walking that path. One of the really odd things about audiophiles is the drive to get that "live performance" feel - considering the majority of live performances fall far short, in terms of audio quality, of studio recordings.
I have for example the same album on CD, SACD, and vinyl. When played on my stupidly expensive turn table, the vinyl which costs 3-8 times what a CD costs, sounds a tiny bit better then the SACD. The SACD which costs about double what a CD costs sounds a tiny bit better than the CD. When you consider that the time I spend listening to music is divided between Car (75%), Earphones from an iPOD (5%) and on the Stereo (20%), I can safely say I wasted a lot of money on sound quality. Regardless, I never buy nor will I ever buy MP3's online. If I could get lossless files - maybe but not the medium to low quality MP3's that you get though iTunes or Amazon. No thanks. I can hear the differrence in those even in the car with the windows open, or the top down.
Quality matters - sure there's a point (and I'm WAY past that point) of diminishing returns; but, you have to draw the line somewhere or everything heads to just barely useable.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
The finest given on the floor of the Senate
Ron Paul gave what I believe is the finest political speech ever given.
-edit-
Actually that's a bit overstated - the delivery was not great, the content was exceptional.
-edit-
Actually that's a bit overstated - the delivery was not great, the content was exceptional.
Maybe if it was their house
More police stupidity - We're going to save a man possibly being hurt by shooting him with tasers - right makes perfect sense. I mean we're the cops, we're standing around watching this house burn and the neighbor wants to keep it from spreading to his house. So of course we're going to taser him - wouldn't want him to get a spark burn or anything.
To Protect and Self-Serve
Guys like this are members of the organizations that some people think should be the ONLY ones allowed to carry guns - Really? Why do so many people (especially those in NY, and CA) extend trust to authority figures - oh yeah, because they're children and want someone to protect them from the boogie man.
Almost there
I've suspected for years that the NSA could monitor every electronic transaction in the world - perhaps a few exceptions like russain or chinese military. I just didn't think they'd bother - too much data with no current value. It turns out that was a bit short sighted on my part. They're storing every electronic transaction you ever make, just in case at some point in the future, you become a "bad guy" to which ever group is running the government. Doesn't matter if it's Democrats or Repulicans, they both have people they don't like and hence want to collect information on to use as a means of control. If you think you have nothing to hide because you're not doing anything wrong - well that may be true today, but the next group in power might see it a bit differently. So yes, you should be worried. There's no
They've shot the 4th amendment though the head, it's dead. The 1st is so abused and strangled it might as well be dead. There is no journalism anymore, it's all PR now. Public relations is a pretty phrase that really means Opinion Manipulation or Thought Manipulation. That's what main stream media does now, they don't report facts except as a minor aside to the opinion piece.
People in power think the Constitution is An Inconvenient Document that needs to be suppressed least it interfere with their agenda.
They've shot the 4th amendment though the head, it's dead. The 1st is so abused and strangled it might as well be dead. There is no journalism anymore, it's all PR now. Public relations is a pretty phrase that really means Opinion Manipulation or Thought Manipulation. That's what main stream media does now, they don't report facts except as a minor aside to the opinion piece.
People in power think the Constitution is An Inconvenient Document that needs to be suppressed least it interfere with their agenda.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Ups and Downs
The list of things I don't like is fairly long, fortunately the list of things I like is much longer - this may simply be a symptom of inexperience.
Basal Cell Carcinoma sucks, although for a cancer it's pretty much a light weight. I had 6 removed today, more in a few months - the pain from the cauterization is starting to kick in - no fun at all. This is the result of getting treated for serious acne as a teen, by an IDIOT. They used X-Ray treatment, which did no good what so ever - and 40+ years later resulted in a surprising amount of BCC. They don't do that any more, probably because it didn't work for shit, and resulted in cancer - I'm pretty sure that doesn't fit the "Do no harm" clause.
I'm not overly fond of plumbing. My recent water heater failure prompted me to fix a few other plumbing related issues. I'd say it's gone swimmingly but that would be an exaggeration in multiple directions - at no point in the project did I create a pool of water deep enough to wade in let alone swim in, nor did the project go very well.
Generally soldering copper pipe is a trivial task. Until now, I've only had one joint fail on me and that was due to not having drained a feed line, and the joint cooled on me before I got full flow of the solder. Annoying to fix but not really difficult. This time I had a joint - worse one part of a T joint fail on me 3 times, I finally pulled the offending section of pipe and soldered in a short stub and added a shark bite fitting to tie it back into the rest of the system.
I managed to cross thread a sediment Y-strainer with a back-flush on it, plastic body - copper connector, very sad. Tried to fix the threads a few times, no luck, cranked it down and tried it - it looked to be working but the next day it had a very slow drip. Ripped it out and put in a inline sediment filter with no back-flush. It's a GE model, it now has a very very slow leak on both sides - I'll probably have to shut down the water and undo the fittings and wrap even more teflon tape on it that I did the first time - or perhaps some joint compound if I can find something that works with plastic (the filter housing) and brass (adapter for 3/4" copper). Oh joy.
Completely redid the back-flush drain on the whole house filter - many hours of crawling around in a 40" crawlspace. That really sucked.
The fittings on the whole house filter/softener are interesting. The slip fit with O-rings and have these funny metal clips on each side to keep the parts from separating under pressure - if you don't tighten the screws holding the clips well enough - they separate and you get very very wet. The second time went much better.
I should have hot water today (between back and shoulder injuries suffered between the start of the project and today - I've been with out hot water for over two weeks - that really sucked.
In hindsight I probably should have called a plumber but I hate paying someone else to do things I can and have done before. I've done plumping, Iron pipe, copper pipe, PVC, CPVC, ABS, toilets, sinks, water heaters, gas plumbing - it's not that hard, but every once in a while, things don't go perfectly - then it gets messy. I've done electrical (home, car, boat), electronics, carpentry, cabinet making, roofing, cement work (sucks big time). Aside from help lifting, I have no doubt that I can build an entire house starting with a lot with a well (never drilled a well - don't want to buy the equipment to try either). Out of all of that - Cement slabs are one thing I'll contract out with out a second thought.
I'm toying with rebuilding the engine in my Boxster - it really only needs a new main seal and a new IMS bearing so I probably won't. I have too many other house projects to get done first.
On the UP side, I started playing Ghost Recon Advanced War Fighter a few days ago - I like it. Better than Black Ops for me.
Got a few new CD's - that's always a good thing too.
Basal Cell Carcinoma sucks, although for a cancer it's pretty much a light weight. I had 6 removed today, more in a few months - the pain from the cauterization is starting to kick in - no fun at all. This is the result of getting treated for serious acne as a teen, by an IDIOT. They used X-Ray treatment, which did no good what so ever - and 40+ years later resulted in a surprising amount of BCC. They don't do that any more, probably because it didn't work for shit, and resulted in cancer - I'm pretty sure that doesn't fit the "Do no harm" clause.
I'm not overly fond of plumbing. My recent water heater failure prompted me to fix a few other plumbing related issues. I'd say it's gone swimmingly but that would be an exaggeration in multiple directions - at no point in the project did I create a pool of water deep enough to wade in let alone swim in, nor did the project go very well.
Generally soldering copper pipe is a trivial task. Until now, I've only had one joint fail on me and that was due to not having drained a feed line, and the joint cooled on me before I got full flow of the solder. Annoying to fix but not really difficult. This time I had a joint - worse one part of a T joint fail on me 3 times, I finally pulled the offending section of pipe and soldered in a short stub and added a shark bite fitting to tie it back into the rest of the system.
I managed to cross thread a sediment Y-strainer with a back-flush on it, plastic body - copper connector, very sad. Tried to fix the threads a few times, no luck, cranked it down and tried it - it looked to be working but the next day it had a very slow drip. Ripped it out and put in a inline sediment filter with no back-flush. It's a GE model, it now has a very very slow leak on both sides - I'll probably have to shut down the water and undo the fittings and wrap even more teflon tape on it that I did the first time - or perhaps some joint compound if I can find something that works with plastic (the filter housing) and brass (adapter for 3/4" copper). Oh joy.
Completely redid the back-flush drain on the whole house filter - many hours of crawling around in a 40" crawlspace. That really sucked.
The fittings on the whole house filter/softener are interesting. The slip fit with O-rings and have these funny metal clips on each side to keep the parts from separating under pressure - if you don't tighten the screws holding the clips well enough - they separate and you get very very wet. The second time went much better.
I should have hot water today (between back and shoulder injuries suffered between the start of the project and today - I've been with out hot water for over two weeks - that really sucked.
In hindsight I probably should have called a plumber but I hate paying someone else to do things I can and have done before. I've done plumping, Iron pipe, copper pipe, PVC, CPVC, ABS, toilets, sinks, water heaters, gas plumbing - it's not that hard, but every once in a while, things don't go perfectly - then it gets messy. I've done electrical (home, car, boat), electronics, carpentry, cabinet making, roofing, cement work (sucks big time). Aside from help lifting, I have no doubt that I can build an entire house starting with a lot with a well (never drilled a well - don't want to buy the equipment to try either). Out of all of that - Cement slabs are one thing I'll contract out with out a second thought.
I'm toying with rebuilding the engine in my Boxster - it really only needs a new main seal and a new IMS bearing so I probably won't. I have too many other house projects to get done first.
On the UP side, I started playing Ghost Recon Advanced War Fighter a few days ago - I like it. Better than Black Ops for me.
Got a few new CD's - that's always a good thing too.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The next election 2016
I'm betting that Chris Christie (Megalomaniac) runs for president in 2016. Given the completely self serving nose thumbing he gave the republican party at their own convention, followed by Obama boosting just days before the election; I'm wondering if the Republicans are going to forgive and forget, or just pretend to forget, in the hopes of finding someone who can win an open race. They've proven they can't beat an incumbent even when said incumbent practically throws the race.
Frankly, I think both parties have screwed us so badly that there won't be a middle class in 2016. Perhaps there will be enough people on the dole that there just isn't enough dole to go around even with the printing presses running 24/7. If that's the case, maybe they'll finally see the two parties for what they are and go a different direction..... Nah, never happen. But it's a nice dream.
Frankly, I think both parties have screwed us so badly that there won't be a middle class in 2016. Perhaps there will be enough people on the dole that there just isn't enough dole to go around even with the printing presses running 24/7. If that's the case, maybe they'll finally see the two parties for what they are and go a different direction..... Nah, never happen. But it's a nice dream.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Optimist, Realist or Pessimist?
When asked if the glass is half full or half empty my usual reply is: It's always full, some portion of it just happens to be air. I've always been a bit too literal for the average Joe. I blame it on 30 years of software design.
In general I consider myself a realist, I have my optimistic moments, and my pessimistic ones. Since 9/11/2001, I've been increasingly pessimistic - or I thought I had until I read this and many like it. It wasn't the terrorists that made me pessimistic, it was our reaction to them. All of a sudden, a majority of the country decided to say "Screw Liberty - Give me safety", even many who aught to know safety is an illusion. Looking at all the other problems in the world - I think a good many of them can be attributed to over population. As horrible as it sounds (and it sounds pretty horrible); the best thing for mankind might be getting that really serious pandemic the CDC has been worried about for over a decade. A good 20-30% drop in population might be just where Mother Nature is heading, then again, it might be more like 70-80%. - Which is really, really horrible.
It's possible that Iran and Israel will decide to annihilate each other, which will probably result in everything else in that region going nuclear. If they go, I can see that triggering a Pakistan-India exchange - hopefully it will stop there but I can see N. Korea nuking who ever they can reach, out of fear that someone will do it to them first. If N. Korea goes, it might pull in the Chinese - but probably not. If that happens - then Oil prices should put the final nail in the coffin of the world economy.
If that doesn't happen it might be earth quakes, or volcanoes, or a massive solar flair resulting in a world wide EMP strike. There's upside to a super volcano eruption; no more talk about global warming. If we get a massive solar flair and the EMP takes out most of the technology in the world, we can probably stop worrying about global warming - the Greenies will get their wish - we'll all be freezing (and starving) in the dark. If none of that happens it probably won't matter because we're well on the way to doing it to ourselves anyway.
You see, somewhere around 1913; Some folks decided that they were smarter than anyone else in history so maybe it would be a good thing if they made all the decision for the rest of us. This is not a new idea - every screwball dictator fits this shoe. They've always been wrong - this bunch is wrong too but like all the others they're too arrogant to see it. Might have been earlier but that's the point things started to go off the rails, it didn't really pick up momentum until the new deal in the 30's then slowly ramped up to the 70's at which point the education system was FUBAR. The big difference is the approach - it's long term. Screw up education by putting a bunch of leftist in charge of teaching. Regulate business until it's tough to make a profit. Use Unions to hamstring competition, use every crisis to chip away at personal liberty. The difficult thing is to get rid of the middle class which is where the real power lies - that's where the work gets done; that's were productivity is. But the middle class is hard to control - it's much easier if they're all poor. So create a tax system that benefits the poor and the elite and screws the middle class. Take their money and give it to the lazy because this helps destroy productivity and creates more poor. Then use inflation to tax them with out having to vote on a tax, and presto chango - the middle class become the impoverished class. Now you get to control them by making them beg for scraps.
They started by lying to us and promising things we can't afford. Each generation since has gotten more and more entitled, the lies have gotten bigger, the promises more ridiculous, and the control greater. The power elite have gotten further and further from the average American to the point now, they're so disconnected that they view us with utter contempt. They're giving the country to the U.N. by bankrupting us and turning us into a new third world country - Don't think so? Been to Detroit lately?
If the U.S. Economy goes down, I can't see Europe and Japan holding on, China maybe, possibly India, but I wouldn't bet on it. Given the direction our government is heading I suspect we're in for a long period of being dragged though the shit before things completely fall apart. On the other had the majority has been trained by the government to expect to be given what ever they want and when the government can't do it any more, they're going to throw a tantrum just like any spoiled child. It won't take all that long because they will have destroyed the middle class, leaving no one to tax. Given the nature of social media, and main stream media, I expect that tantrum to be nation wide in a matter of hours, and pretty much unstoppable. I expect to see a lot of beatings, murder, arson, destruction of private and public property - it will make the few riots we've had in the past look like block parties gone wild. There aren't enough national guard or military to control it.
This is the point where I expect there to be a lot of opportunistic terrorism. When the feds are so busy they don't know which way to look, any terrorist cells already in the country are going to take the opportunity to act. If half of them have any brains at all - they'll go after transportation infrastructure. Fortunately I'd guess that over half of them are morons, and I'm not sure there are all that many to begin with. If they act, blowing few major bridges, crippling the major shipping routes and scaring the shippers in to laying low, you'll get some first hand experience at wide scale starvation - which will really ramp things up.
It's kind of funny but the one bright spot in all of this is that the political infighting might just stave off the worst for a few more years.
And I'm not even feeling particularly pessimistic to day.
In general I consider myself a realist, I have my optimistic moments, and my pessimistic ones. Since 9/11/2001, I've been increasingly pessimistic - or I thought I had until I read this and many like it. It wasn't the terrorists that made me pessimistic, it was our reaction to them. All of a sudden, a majority of the country decided to say "Screw Liberty - Give me safety", even many who aught to know safety is an illusion. Looking at all the other problems in the world - I think a good many of them can be attributed to over population. As horrible as it sounds (and it sounds pretty horrible); the best thing for mankind might be getting that really serious pandemic the CDC has been worried about for over a decade. A good 20-30% drop in population might be just where Mother Nature is heading, then again, it might be more like 70-80%. - Which is really, really horrible.
It's possible that Iran and Israel will decide to annihilate each other, which will probably result in everything else in that region going nuclear. If they go, I can see that triggering a Pakistan-India exchange - hopefully it will stop there but I can see N. Korea nuking who ever they can reach, out of fear that someone will do it to them first. If N. Korea goes, it might pull in the Chinese - but probably not. If that happens - then Oil prices should put the final nail in the coffin of the world economy.
If that doesn't happen it might be earth quakes, or volcanoes, or a massive solar flair resulting in a world wide EMP strike. There's upside to a super volcano eruption; no more talk about global warming. If we get a massive solar flair and the EMP takes out most of the technology in the world, we can probably stop worrying about global warming - the Greenies will get their wish - we'll all be freezing (and starving) in the dark. If none of that happens it probably won't matter because we're well on the way to doing it to ourselves anyway.
You see, somewhere around 1913; Some folks decided that they were smarter than anyone else in history so maybe it would be a good thing if they made all the decision for the rest of us. This is not a new idea - every screwball dictator fits this shoe. They've always been wrong - this bunch is wrong too but like all the others they're too arrogant to see it. Might have been earlier but that's the point things started to go off the rails, it didn't really pick up momentum until the new deal in the 30's then slowly ramped up to the 70's at which point the education system was FUBAR. The big difference is the approach - it's long term. Screw up education by putting a bunch of leftist in charge of teaching. Regulate business until it's tough to make a profit. Use Unions to hamstring competition, use every crisis to chip away at personal liberty. The difficult thing is to get rid of the middle class which is where the real power lies - that's where the work gets done; that's were productivity is. But the middle class is hard to control - it's much easier if they're all poor. So create a tax system that benefits the poor and the elite and screws the middle class. Take their money and give it to the lazy because this helps destroy productivity and creates more poor. Then use inflation to tax them with out having to vote on a tax, and presto chango - the middle class become the impoverished class. Now you get to control them by making them beg for scraps.
They started by lying to us and promising things we can't afford. Each generation since has gotten more and more entitled, the lies have gotten bigger, the promises more ridiculous, and the control greater. The power elite have gotten further and further from the average American to the point now, they're so disconnected that they view us with utter contempt. They're giving the country to the U.N. by bankrupting us and turning us into a new third world country - Don't think so? Been to Detroit lately?
If the U.S. Economy goes down, I can't see Europe and Japan holding on, China maybe, possibly India, but I wouldn't bet on it. Given the direction our government is heading I suspect we're in for a long period of being dragged though the shit before things completely fall apart. On the other had the majority has been trained by the government to expect to be given what ever they want and when the government can't do it any more, they're going to throw a tantrum just like any spoiled child. It won't take all that long because they will have destroyed the middle class, leaving no one to tax. Given the nature of social media, and main stream media, I expect that tantrum to be nation wide in a matter of hours, and pretty much unstoppable. I expect to see a lot of beatings, murder, arson, destruction of private and public property - it will make the few riots we've had in the past look like block parties gone wild. There aren't enough national guard or military to control it.
This is the point where I expect there to be a lot of opportunistic terrorism. When the feds are so busy they don't know which way to look, any terrorist cells already in the country are going to take the opportunity to act. If half of them have any brains at all - they'll go after transportation infrastructure. Fortunately I'd guess that over half of them are morons, and I'm not sure there are all that many to begin with. If they act, blowing few major bridges, crippling the major shipping routes and scaring the shippers in to laying low, you'll get some first hand experience at wide scale starvation - which will really ramp things up.
It's kind of funny but the one bright spot in all of this is that the political infighting might just stave off the worst for a few more years.
And I'm not even feeling particularly pessimistic to day.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
A Little Ignorance
Ignorance is bliss.
What you don't know can't hurt you.
Out of sight, out of mind.
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. (George Orwell)
These seem to be the basic tenants of the progressives. A desire to remain ignorant pervades our lives. Ask someone if they know how a car engine works and (assuming you have a clue) you'll might be surprised at how many people have no clue. And it's not just cars, it's everything that people depend on for their daily lives.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence that does knowledge. (Charles Darwin)This seems to be the norm in politics - although Darwin was talking about science, and I guess it still applies there too.
The main stream media seem to be complicit with this trend. For example when news of the Benghazi attack broke, the administration came out with the most inane story about it being a reprisal to a YouTube video that had maybe a few thousand hits. The press didn't even question this they just ran with it. They do that a lot. It's getting to the point where what you read is either a press release that might or might not be reworded to sound like a news story. The other major category of news reporting seems to be omitting, modifying or creating "facts" in order to tell the story that fits with the journalists political/social beliefs - for example the initial reports on the Travon Martin shooting in Florida. Or, sadly, it's something based on no facts what so ever.
If you look at the things the press doesn't tell us, it's rather more significant that what they do report on. Do you ever hear the press talking about how the Senate justifies their own entitlement programs, for example life time health care granted after only 5 years, pension and Social Security, sounds like a union job rather than public service. - Contrary to what many believe, congress retirees don't get 100% of their salary after just 5 or 6 years, it maxes at 80% after 20 years. On the other had they do get a much better deal than most tax payers and at the tax payers expense. How about the real Unemployment and Under Employment numbers rather than the crap turned out by the government. Or the current vulnerabilities in the power grid. Fast and Furious? Obama Phones for votes? The other side of the climate debate - what debate you say?
Have you read an
Nope, it's all designed to keep the public fat, dumb and scared.
I think at this point the majority of people, in this country at least, actively avoid knowing how things work. I hear all sorts of excuses, usually amounting to - it's to complex for anyone but a specialist. While the design of complex systems might be suited to only the experts in the field, a basic understanding how it works, and what the effects of failure mean are not.
Ignorance , the root and stem of all evil. - Plato
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Election Night Blues
Occasionally I find myself wishing I had cable TV, or Sat TV, or even an Antenna - Tonight would NOT be one of those times. I just finished off a Eureka Marathon, now I'm going to go back watch it again. Way more interesting than finding out which Democrat or Republican is going to screw us in the coming years.
I feel bad for the folks that voted for Obama thinking they're going to get something besides screwed. If he wins we're all screwed. People vote (R) or (D) get what they deserve, the problem is I get what they deserve too. It's one of the problems with democracy - and no I don't have a better idea. OK I do but it involves some changes to the Constitution and if we tried that now it would be totally FUBAR - not worth the risk. Not that anyone in the Gubment pays any attention to the Constitution anymore.
I feel worse for the folks that voted for Romney, thinking he's going to save us from Obama. Once again - the only difference between a Republican and a Democrat is which lies they tell and who they tell them to in order to buy their votes.
I don't want an economic collapse - it will SUCK. I do happen to think we're far enough over the edge that there's no coming back. We'll maybe, if we defaulted on our national debt (which would piss off a lot of Chinese) and switched to the gold standard and made it illegal to issue money that was not 100% backed by gold reserves and exchangeable on demand for gold. And if we got rid of the Fed. It should make it impossible for the Gubment to spend what they don't have. Then maybe, if we survived the fallout (and it would be epic), we might get the economy back on track. But with a bunch of people who have been marinated in "Spend it, we'll print more latter", running the country we are SNAFU.
So I really don't care who wins the election because in the long run, I don't see this ending well either way. (I hope its a long run say 20 years - hey I can dream right?). OK. That's not true - I'd prefer Romney over Obama as I think it will give me a bit more time to prep for what's coming.
*FUBAR (Fracked Up Beyond All Recognition)
*SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fracked Up)
I feel bad for the folks that voted for Obama thinking they're going to get something besides screwed. If he wins we're all screwed. People vote (R) or (D) get what they deserve, the problem is I get what they deserve too. It's one of the problems with democracy - and no I don't have a better idea. OK I do but it involves some changes to the Constitution and if we tried that now it would be totally FUBAR - not worth the risk. Not that anyone in the Gubment pays any attention to the Constitution anymore.
I feel worse for the folks that voted for Romney, thinking he's going to save us from Obama. Once again - the only difference between a Republican and a Democrat is which lies they tell and who they tell them to in order to buy their votes.
I don't want an economic collapse - it will SUCK. I do happen to think we're far enough over the edge that there's no coming back. We'll maybe, if we defaulted on our national debt (which would piss off a lot of Chinese) and switched to the gold standard and made it illegal to issue money that was not 100% backed by gold reserves and exchangeable on demand for gold. And if we got rid of the Fed. It should make it impossible for the Gubment to spend what they don't have. Then maybe, if we survived the fallout (and it would be epic), we might get the economy back on track. But with a bunch of people who have been marinated in "Spend it, we'll print more latter", running the country we are SNAFU.
So I really don't care who wins the election because in the long run, I don't see this ending well either way. (I hope its a long run say 20 years - hey I can dream right?). OK. That's not true - I'd prefer Romney over Obama as I think it will give me a bit more time to prep for what's coming.
*FUBAR (Fracked Up Beyond All Recognition)
*SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fracked Up)
Monday, November 5, 2012
It's a family thing
My current working metaphor of political philosophy changes from time to time as I gain insights, or the previous metaphor fails to explain the behavior. It goes something like this:
Conservatives (in the normal usage right to extreme right of center - typically republicans or tea-party) are children looking for a Father Figure. They're willing to give up other peoples liberty for the illusion of safety, although they get annoyed when their own liberties get trampled. They want someone to tell them, at least once a week, how to behave and what to believe. They're positive that they're right and are willing to use the force of law to make you behave the way they want. They'll happily tell you what the bible says you should do, then go do something that you shouldn't.
Liberals (in the current usage - left of center progressives from democrats to socialists) are children looking for a Mother. They want some one to kiss it and make it better. They get mad when they don't get the toys they know they deserve and are always asking for more. They're terrified of how they'd behave if they had the chance, so they're positive you'd behave just as badly. They also are willing to use the force of law to make you behave the way they want. They're all about sharing - as long as it's you sharing with them. What's yours is mine, what's mine is mine.
Greens (radical environmentalists) are like the crazy miser uncle who won't be happy until we're all freezing in the dark. They want alternative energy as long as it's not any of the alternatives we have available. Human beings are not part of nature and the world would be much better off if we'd all just go away.
Communists are the aunt that came to visit twenty years ago and has been living with you ever sense, except she's on LSD. They can look at the elite that rule them and think - I'm just like them. They've convinced themselves that a lower standard of living is better - (mostly because it doesn't give you time to think about just how screwed you are). They believe if everyone is treated like a half broken tool, then we've achieved social justice.
Libertarians are the adults and are looking to get on with life.
Conservatives (in the normal usage right to extreme right of center - typically republicans or tea-party) are children looking for a Father Figure. They're willing to give up other peoples liberty for the illusion of safety, although they get annoyed when their own liberties get trampled. They want someone to tell them, at least once a week, how to behave and what to believe. They're positive that they're right and are willing to use the force of law to make you behave the way they want. They'll happily tell you what the bible says you should do, then go do something that you shouldn't.
Liberals (in the current usage - left of center progressives from democrats to socialists) are children looking for a Mother. They want some one to kiss it and make it better. They get mad when they don't get the toys they know they deserve and are always asking for more. They're terrified of how they'd behave if they had the chance, so they're positive you'd behave just as badly. They also are willing to use the force of law to make you behave the way they want. They're all about sharing - as long as it's you sharing with them. What's yours is mine, what's mine is mine.
Greens (radical environmentalists) are like the crazy miser uncle who won't be happy until we're all freezing in the dark. They want alternative energy as long as it's not any of the alternatives we have available. Human beings are not part of nature and the world would be much better off if we'd all just go away.
Communists are the aunt that came to visit twenty years ago and has been living with you ever sense, except she's on LSD. They can look at the elite that rule them and think - I'm just like them. They've convinced themselves that a lower standard of living is better - (mostly because it doesn't give you time to think about just how screwed you are). They believe if everyone is treated like a half broken tool, then we've achieved social justice.
Libertarians are the adults and are looking to get on with life.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Voting
I voted - it won't help my state will go blue and toss my vote out the window but that's how our somewhat broken system works.
I wonder what would happen if you could vote for one candidate and against one candidate, where the negative votes would be subtracted from the positive votes for each - I'm guessing a lot of non-Republicrats would have a shot- that might be fun, I doubt it could be much worse than what we've seen. Too bad Gary Johnson has no chance of winning.
Want to know who you should have voted for? Try - ISideWith
Why you should vote libertarian - because it might get the party officially funded - that would be a good thing.
I wonder what would happen if you could vote for one candidate and against one candidate, where the negative votes would be subtracted from the positive votes for each - I'm guessing a lot of non-Republicrats would have a shot- that might be fun, I doubt it could be much worse than what we've seen. Too bad Gary Johnson has no chance of winning.
Want to know who you should have voted for? Try - ISideWith
Why you should vote libertarian - because it might get the party officially funded - that would be a good thing.
Stupidity on so many levels
First it's Mourdock's political suicide attempt suggesting that rape is all part of "God's Plan"
Then my (I'm sorry to say) fellow Washingtonian; John Koster, slams both feet into his mouth, past his knees.
It's just so stupid I can't let it go. Neither of these individuals have ANY chance of having ANY effect on the issue, so why on earth would you shoot your big mouth off. Oh sure there are a bunch of religious folks who might agree, but there's a lot of independents who don't.
So, you shot off your big mouth to give a warm and fuzzy feeling to some people who were already going to vote for you and pissed off a lot of folks who were either undecided or leaning in your direction. They are now looking for any possible alternative. If either of these victims of verbal diarrhea where on my ballot I'd have voted for the other guy just on principle.
Normally I don't mention my preferences in this area because it's MOOT - as in DECIDED by the SCOTUS. Past tense, done - get over it. But I'll make an exception this time.
I'm not a fan of abortion as a means of birth control, but it's not my body - I can't get pregnant so I keep my frakking opinion to myself. I do Absolutely believe it's a woman's RIGHT to make that decision for herself. This is based on the apparently tired and trite view that we are not slaves to either government or society (regardless of how much they want us to be). I'd prefer the woman choose a different option (like adoption) but again - It's not my body so it's none of my business.
What the hell is it with people that makes them think it's OK to push their beliefs on everyone else.
Then my (I'm sorry to say) fellow Washingtonian; John Koster, slams both feet into his mouth, past his knees.
It's just so stupid I can't let it go. Neither of these individuals have ANY chance of having ANY effect on the issue, so why on earth would you shoot your big mouth off. Oh sure there are a bunch of religious folks who might agree, but there's a lot of independents who don't.
So, you shot off your big mouth to give a warm and fuzzy feeling to some people who were already going to vote for you and pissed off a lot of folks who were either undecided or leaning in your direction. They are now looking for any possible alternative. If either of these victims of verbal diarrhea where on my ballot I'd have voted for the other guy just on principle.
Normally I don't mention my preferences in this area because it's MOOT - as in DECIDED by the SCOTUS. Past tense, done - get over it. But I'll make an exception this time.
I'm not a fan of abortion as a means of birth control, but it's not my body - I can't get pregnant so I keep my frakking opinion to myself. I do Absolutely believe it's a woman's RIGHT to make that decision for herself. This is based on the apparently tired and trite view that we are not slaves to either government or society (regardless of how much they want us to be). I'd prefer the woman choose a different option (like adoption) but again - It's not my body so it's none of my business.
What the hell is it with people that makes them think it's OK to push their beliefs on everyone else.
Monday, October 8, 2012
The Cost of Prohibition
Have you ever noticed that those in favor of prohibition (Drugs, or Guns, or ...) Never bother to look at the historical costs of previous attempts.
Let's start with Prohibition (of the alcohol variety). We know alcohol is eeeevil so we need to ban it. And we do. Then we get - Alcohol which is untaxed, served by business which are untaxed, and run by -oops Organized Crime.
Great, so we took a bunch of law abiding people, turned them into criminals, spent a lot of money, gave serious help to the Organized Crime business. Lost revenue, and we still have Alcohol because it DIDN'T WORK.
Then Nixon declares the WAR on Drugs - because drugs are eeeeevil. Since the beginning of the war on drugs criminals have made Billions of dollars, we've spent over a trillion dollars, we've arrested over 45 million people, and turned prisons in to a serious industry. Net result - more drugs are available to day a lower cost than any time in history - yeah that's working really well.
Then there's the race/class issue of the laws. I just learned this, I was kinda surprised. If your caught with 5grams of Crack you get 5 years minimum, for 50grams you get 10 years. but you need to have 500/5000 grams of powder to get the same sentence. Crack is (much to my surprise) Powered Cocaine + Baking Soda + Water + some time in the oven. So it's basically coke cut with baking soda. So why is the sentence for crack 100 times more aggressive? Primarily because it was viewed as the drug of choice for blacks - although no one is going to admit that.
Given these two informative history lessons - (from which we've learned nothing) Just how do you suppose a ban on firearms would work? Gun running would be come a major industry here is my guess.
Let's start with Prohibition (of the alcohol variety). We know alcohol is eeeevil so we need to ban it. And we do. Then we get - Alcohol which is untaxed, served by business which are untaxed, and run by -oops Organized Crime.
Great, so we took a bunch of law abiding people, turned them into criminals, spent a lot of money, gave serious help to the Organized Crime business. Lost revenue, and we still have Alcohol because it DIDN'T WORK.
Then Nixon declares the WAR on Drugs - because drugs are eeeeevil. Since the beginning of the war on drugs criminals have made Billions of dollars, we've spent over a trillion dollars, we've arrested over 45 million people, and turned prisons in to a serious industry. Net result - more drugs are available to day a lower cost than any time in history - yeah that's working really well.
Then there's the race/class issue of the laws. I just learned this, I was kinda surprised. If your caught with 5grams of Crack you get 5 years minimum, for 50grams you get 10 years. but you need to have 500/5000 grams of powder to get the same sentence. Crack is (much to my surprise) Powered Cocaine + Baking Soda + Water + some time in the oven. So it's basically coke cut with baking soda. So why is the sentence for crack 100 times more aggressive? Primarily because it was viewed as the drug of choice for blacks - although no one is going to admit that.
Given these two informative history lessons - (from which we've learned nothing) Just how do you suppose a ban on firearms would work? Gun running would be come a major industry here is my guess.
Well of course the tax payers should carry the Bird[en]
Obama make a crack about Romney eliminating wall street regulations and cracking down on Sesame Street.
The first seems unlikely at best. The second could only be a good thing since the bird makes way more than the Mittster.
The first seems unlikely at best. The second could only be a good thing since the bird makes way more than the Mittster.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Get ready to pay for law suits
It makes perfect sense really. Sequestration results in layoffs, layoffs bump unemployment, unemployment perceived as a bad thing. Solution: tell companies to break the law, not issue mandatory layoff notices, and that tax payers will pick up the bill for the law suits. DC-Think at it's finest.
Want to know more
Want to know more
Monday, July 30, 2012
It's not really about that.
There are all sorts of proposals in the wake of EPS1 attack on Aurora. There's one by Lautenberg and McCarthy that will supposedly make it harder for ciminals to anonymously purchase ammo on-line. Bitter over at Shall Not Be Questioned has more info.
Normally I agree with those guys 99+%
This time I'm going to take exception; minor, but and exception.
It's not about Gun Control - it's about CONTROL. They're not trying to control guns, or ammo, they're trying to control people. That's what governments do - if you let them. They eventually reach a point where they control every aspect of your life. Every law is there as a means of controlling people. If you control the people you win. Granted it's a long term loosing proposition, but folks like Pelosi and Obama are incapable of seeing beyond they're own desires. Hell most politicians are incapable of even realizing they're short sighted.
At times it seems like they do it because they think we're too stupid to make our own decisions. I've got to admit having elected Obama - they may have a point - a lot of people are apparently too stupid. On the other hand, my internal Wookie says: "It's their life to screw up, we must allow them to make their own bad decisions." Then the Objectivist voice in my head says - but they're inflicting their stupid decisions on me!
Sad but true - it's the way we let the system evolve. The reality is worse I think. They know if they tell the right lies, and scare people enough, the people will beg them to take control. And they will, every chance we give them. Doesn't matter if it's about Guns, or Finance, or Freedom of Speech. They want to control it.
The laws aimed at guns are really just the most insidious of the lot, the ultimate goal is to remove our ability to defend ourselves, which makes us nothing more than another dependent of the system.
Normally I agree with those guys 99+%
This time I'm going to take exception; minor, but and exception.
It's not about Gun Control - it's about CONTROL. They're not trying to control guns, or ammo, they're trying to control people. That's what governments do - if you let them. They eventually reach a point where they control every aspect of your life. Every law is there as a means of controlling people. If you control the people you win. Granted it's a long term loosing proposition, but folks like Pelosi and Obama are incapable of seeing beyond they're own desires. Hell most politicians are incapable of even realizing they're short sighted.
At times it seems like they do it because they think we're too stupid to make our own decisions. I've got to admit having elected Obama - they may have a point - a lot of people are apparently too stupid. On the other hand, my internal Wookie says: "It's their life to screw up, we must allow them to make their own bad decisions." Then the Objectivist voice in my head says - but they're inflicting their stupid decisions on me!
Sad but true - it's the way we let the system evolve. The reality is worse I think. They know if they tell the right lies, and scare people enough, the people will beg them to take control. And they will, every chance we give them. Doesn't matter if it's about Guns, or Finance, or Freedom of Speech. They want to control it.
The laws aimed at guns are really just the most insidious of the lot, the ultimate goal is to remove our ability to defend ourselves, which makes us nothing more than another dependent of the system.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
If you have some connection...
Since I won't mention the name of the Evil Piece of Shit that murdered all those people - I will simply refer to him as EPS. (warning - links take you to places that mention EPS by name, which I think is a big mistake... but there you go.)
If you have some connection to the Tea Party then you may be a mass murder - at least if you think like George Stephanopoulos and Brian Ross
Wow, OK let's follow that logic for a minute:
He was living in Colorado - so if you live in Colorado you might be a mass murderer.
He was male - so if you're Male, you might be a mass murderer.
He died his hair - so If you die your hair - you might be a mass murderer.
.
Brilliant. Well it's to be expected from the left where there is no individual thought or action because "we are all of the hive".
Then we have this bit of idoicy from the NYT where Roger Ebert says:
Great - so if you carry - you may be just like EPS. Brilliant Logic there Roger, And of course he calls for more gun control.
We tried Prohibition on alcohol and we got, let's see... More Alcohol, Higher Prices and oh yeah, CRIME - lots of Organized CRIME.
We have Prohibition on Drugs and we get - let's see... Drugs, Crime, Organized Crime and even a WAR on drugs that sucks tax payers money - OH, and let's not forget we also get Fast & Furious.
Yeah that's obviously the better way to go.
Bite me Roger.
If you have some connection to the Tea Party then you may be a mass murder - at least if you think like George Stephanopoulos and Brian Ross
Wow, OK let's follow that logic for a minute:
He was living in Colorado - so if you live in Colorado you might be a mass murderer.
He was male - so if you're Male, you might be a mass murderer.
He died his hair - so If you die your hair - you might be a mass murderer.
.
Brilliant. Well it's to be expected from the left where there is no individual thought or action because "we are all of the hive".
Then we have this bit of idoicy from the NYT where Roger Ebert says:
Those like *EPS*, who feel the need to arm themselves, may also feel a deep, inchoate insecurity and a need for validation.
Great - so if you carry - you may be just like EPS. Brilliant Logic there Roger, And of course he calls for more gun control.
We tried Prohibition on alcohol and we got, let's see... More Alcohol, Higher Prices and oh yeah, CRIME - lots of Organized CRIME.
We have Prohibition on Drugs and we get - let's see... Drugs, Crime, Organized Crime and even a WAR on drugs that sucks tax payers money - OH, and let's not forget we also get Fast & Furious.
Yeah that's obviously the better way to go.
Bite me Roger.
A proposal for a new LAW
In the wake of the Aurora shooting I think we may in fact need a new law.
I am positive it will be more effective than what the usual suspects are proposing.
For any case considered mass murder, or any shooting involving more than 3 victims, the name and photo of any suspects shall not be published by any media outlet, or allowed to be posted on the internet. Trials for suspects will be closed, and information available only on a need to know basis. For those convicted, they will be removed from society with no trace left behind.
OK Sure lots of people want to know who the Evil Piece of Shit (EPS) is/was - but that's just morbid curiosity. Don't indulge it. Let's not make them famous. Instead let's remember the victims, and their families, punish the EPS, and wipe him from existence. Destroy their birth records, the school records, their medical records - leave no trace. No 15 Minutes of Fame for you, you EPS.
Still need to figure out the checks and balances - don't want to make it too easy to railroad someone and if there is no media to bitch (well they don't typically bitch about the right things anyway but maybe, someday...) it might be too easy. Maybe just refer to them in the media as Suspect#1 or Convict#1 until they're officially gone (dead).
This is one of the few types of cases where I'm really in favor of the death penalty.
I am positive it will be more effective than what the usual suspects are proposing.
For any case considered mass murder, or any shooting involving more than 3 victims, the name and photo of any suspects shall not be published by any media outlet, or allowed to be posted on the internet. Trials for suspects will be closed, and information available only on a need to know basis. For those convicted, they will be removed from society with no trace left behind.
OK Sure lots of people want to know who the Evil Piece of Shit (EPS) is/was - but that's just morbid curiosity. Don't indulge it. Let's not make them famous. Instead let's remember the victims, and their families, punish the EPS, and wipe him from existence. Destroy their birth records, the school records, their medical records - leave no trace. No 15 Minutes of Fame for you, you EPS.
Still need to figure out the checks and balances - don't want to make it too easy to railroad someone and if there is no media to bitch (well they don't typically bitch about the right things anyway but maybe, someday...) it might be too easy. Maybe just refer to them in the media as Suspect#1 or Convict#1 until they're officially gone (dead).
This is one of the few types of cases where I'm really in favor of the death penalty.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Yes I did
Actually a number of companies did build the roads and bridges, and towns, and schools - Ford for example. Hmm come to think of it - the west was settled by individuals and towns formed around them then came schools. A number of towns were built by and for companies (not always a good thing, but then what is?) Ask Microsoft how much they had to pay for the 520 extension and access.
The railroads built a lot of towns and the towns grew around what the companies started. Eventually the government moved in - and things started to go downhill. Granted there was a brief period in the middle where government may have been useful as a way to share costs for projects too large for a single company to need or finance. Now mostly the government just keeps things from being built - except the odd bridge to nowhere.
You don't start with a community popping up out of nowhere, complete with roads & bridges (well except in China - there it's mostly airports, with out the community though). The infrastructure follows business, not the other way around. If you think different - look at all the rural towns that are evaporating before our eyes - why? No jobs. I've travel though a lot of small towns that where mostly vacant and falling apart.
Damn Socialists, always putting the cart before the horse, or government before the people.
The railroads built a lot of towns and the towns grew around what the companies started. Eventually the government moved in - and things started to go downhill. Granted there was a brief period in the middle where government may have been useful as a way to share costs for projects too large for a single company to need or finance. Now mostly the government just keeps things from being built - except the odd bridge to nowhere.
You don't start with a community popping up out of nowhere, complete with roads & bridges (well except in China - there it's mostly airports, with out the community though). The infrastructure follows business, not the other way around. If you think different - look at all the rural towns that are evaporating before our eyes - why? No jobs. I've travel though a lot of small towns that where mostly vacant and falling apart.
Damn Socialists, always putting the cart before the horse, or government before the people.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
You didn't build that
Obama Speech Transcribed by ABC? I've listened to the speech, I think the following is reasonably accurate:
Well the obvious moral to this little speech is - Individual Bad, Group Good.
Bullshit - Most companies are started by an Individual - then they hire help. Anyone think Steve Jobs could have invented the original Apple? Or Wozniak do the marketing? No, but does that mean everyone who ever worked at Intel, Motorola, Amp, Visicalc, or Apple get's to take credit? I don't think so. If Woz hadn't invented the device and Steve seen the marketing potential - Poof - no Apple. Individuals Matter! Individuals have Vision - Groups have committee meetings, and design shit that doesn't work.
And Yet - we're 1.3 trillion over budget?
Adding a extra trillion in crap and then cutting it, is not the same thing as cutting a trillion dollars.
Wow - Rhetoric 101. Bad Grammar 201.
Yes, he said: If you've got a business, you didn't build that. I suspect what he meant to say was - Your business didn't build the roads and bridges.
With the notable exception of the companies that actually did build those roads and bridges, Obama was right - your pharmacy or sandwich shop or... what ever, didn't build those roads and bridges - On the other hand, your taxes either helped build them, or help keep them running - just like every other Tax Payer. So What? So when a business goes bad; say Lehman Brothers, unless you have a union shop, say GM, apparently "We Built it" but "You Ruined it".
A little history revision
The internet wasn't created by Government research - They helped, they did the funding for the foundation (TCP/IP) in conjunction with Stanford University (Vinton Cerf in particular). One of the original nets was DarpaNet, but they were not alone. There was some reluctance to allowing any commercialization of the internet in the early days. Like much of what came out of the Space program, it was private industry that turned the internet into a commercial success, not the government. - At least he didn't say Al Gore invented it.
BULLSHIT ALERT
Who's this we shit he's talking about - I don't play golf for 30 days out of every year - on the tax payers dime. I don't drag 1000+ flunkies around and rent 570 room hotel - even on business - There is no "WE" asshat. We're barely on the same planet.
I sure as hell wish we weren't in the same country.
We’ve already made a trillion dollars’ worth of cuts. We can make some more cuts in programs that don’t work, and make government work more efficiently…We can make another trillion or trillion-two, and what we then do is ask for the wealthy to pay a little bit more …
There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me, because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t -look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something – there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there.
If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business. you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.
The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own. I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service. That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires.
So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the GI Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam. That’s how we invented the Internet. That’s how we sent a man to the moon. We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for president – because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together.”
Well the obvious moral to this little speech is - Individual Bad, Group Good.
Bullshit - Most companies are started by an Individual - then they hire help. Anyone think Steve Jobs could have invented the original Apple? Or Wozniak do the marketing? No, but does that mean everyone who ever worked at Intel, Motorola, Amp, Visicalc, or Apple get's to take credit? I don't think so. If Woz hadn't invented the device and Steve seen the marketing potential - Poof - no Apple. Individuals Matter! Individuals have Vision - Groups have committee meetings, and design shit that doesn't work.
And Yet - we're 1.3 trillion over budget?
Adding a extra trillion in crap and then cutting it, is not the same thing as cutting a trillion dollars.
Wow - Rhetoric 101. Bad Grammar 201.
Yes, he said: If you've got a business, you didn't build that. I suspect what he meant to say was - Your business didn't build the roads and bridges.
With the notable exception of the companies that actually did build those roads and bridges, Obama was right - your pharmacy or sandwich shop or... what ever, didn't build those roads and bridges - On the other hand, your taxes either helped build them, or help keep them running - just like every other Tax Payer. So What? So when a business goes bad; say Lehman Brothers, unless you have a union shop, say GM, apparently "We Built it" but "You Ruined it".
A little history revision
The internet wasn't created by Government research - They helped, they did the funding for the foundation (TCP/IP) in conjunction with Stanford University (Vinton Cerf in particular). One of the original nets was DarpaNet, but they were not alone. There was some reluctance to allowing any commercialization of the internet in the early days. Like much of what came out of the Space program, it was private industry that turned the internet into a commercial success, not the government. - At least he didn't say Al Gore invented it.
BULLSHIT ALERT
Who's this we shit he's talking about - I don't play golf for 30 days out of every year - on the tax payers dime. I don't drag 1000+ flunkies around and rent 570 room hotel - even on business - There is no "WE" asshat. We're barely on the same planet.
I sure as hell wish we weren't in the same country.
Monday, July 9, 2012
The one where I think I'm Mel Gibson for an hour
Sometimes things make sense right away, sometimes it doesn't come until later - a few more facts then "click" it falls into place. Sometimes - Like Now - I'm just swinging a bat at a ball pitched in a giant sensory deprivation tank..... Which sort of reminds me of how I feel when ever I listen to the MSM (main stream media) - deprived.
So we have Russian bomber in U.S. Airspace - twice, which is a little weird. Maybe they're testing our defenses. Maybe not. Maybe they're testing Obama, which would would make more sense. Except it doesn't (make more sense). I definitely don't like it where it's going though - given the other Russian weirdness.
There was this story a while back about Russian Troops coming for a joint anti-terrorist thing, they're supposed to take over the Denver Airport, and the CIA headquarters at Langley. Latter I found a bit more info - still kinda weird and disturbing. It never made the MSM which makes me think it might be true - it's the type of thing the MSM would want to avoid. But then it should have happened by now, and I still can't find anything else about it - probably a fizzle. Then there's the Russian-Chinese Joint Ventrue and the Russian-Chinese-Syrian-Iranian Joint Venture which is even more alarming - because it sounds like a prime opportunity to combat loss a lot of equipment in Iran. So what is going on in Russia? .... Any why is China so involved? Should we be worried - we Know the Iranians don't like us - Obama not withstanding. Are they getting training we'd rather they didn't? Like specifically how our Anti-Terror teams work? - That would suck.
Then I remember Obama's open mic "oops" moment talking to the Russians. Now if I were a conspiracy nut - I'd put 2 and 2 together and come up with 7 and say that everything is linked and Obama is really going to use Russian troops to invade and take over the U.S.A. It would require way too much secrecy and planning to pull off - I'm less than sanguine about the possibility of our elected officials and their butt sniffer lackeys keeping that big a secret.
There are occasional moments (brief - measured in seconds) I get all conspiracy itchy but I don't think this is one of them. Or well - maybe not a big one. Maybe it's something smaller - Suppose Putin is working with Obama by trying to create a little tension just before the election. Now if that were the case I'd have maybe expected Obama to get on MSM and tell Putin to back off - at which point Putin would back off and Obama would be all Herobama and it would give him a nice boost before the election. - Yet silence - so will there be more of these little weird Russian events? Will the Cloward-Piven plan be given another four years with the help of the Russians? It would be good for them at least. Maybe Putin's just showing a little piss and vinegar because he's bored. Do you think maybe their pilots keep getting lost?
Nothing is going "Click" just yet - and I kinda wish it would.
Maybe I need a copy of Catcher in the Rye - Mel can I borrow yours?
So we have Russian bomber in U.S. Airspace - twice, which is a little weird. Maybe they're testing our defenses. Maybe not. Maybe they're testing Obama, which would would make more sense. Except it doesn't (make more sense). I definitely don't like it where it's going though - given the other Russian weirdness.
There was this story a while back about Russian Troops coming for a joint anti-terrorist thing, they're supposed to take over the Denver Airport, and the CIA headquarters at Langley. Latter I found a bit more info - still kinda weird and disturbing. It never made the MSM which makes me think it might be true - it's the type of thing the MSM would want to avoid. But then it should have happened by now, and I still can't find anything else about it - probably a fizzle. Then there's the Russian-Chinese Joint Ventrue and the Russian-Chinese-Syrian-Iranian Joint Venture which is even more alarming - because it sounds like a prime opportunity to combat loss a lot of equipment in Iran. So what is going on in Russia? .... Any why is China so involved? Should we be worried - we Know the Iranians don't like us - Obama not withstanding. Are they getting training we'd rather they didn't? Like specifically how our Anti-Terror teams work? - That would suck.
Then I remember Obama's open mic "oops" moment talking to the Russians. Now if I were a conspiracy nut - I'd put 2 and 2 together and come up with 7 and say that everything is linked and Obama is really going to use Russian troops to invade and take over the U.S.A. It would require way too much secrecy and planning to pull off - I'm less than sanguine about the possibility of our elected officials and their butt sniffer lackeys keeping that big a secret.
There are occasional moments (brief - measured in seconds) I get all conspiracy itchy but I don't think this is one of them. Or well - maybe not a big one. Maybe it's something smaller - Suppose Putin is working with Obama by trying to create a little tension just before the election. Now if that were the case I'd have maybe expected Obama to get on MSM and tell Putin to back off - at which point Putin would back off and Obama would be all Herobama and it would give him a nice boost before the election. - Yet silence - so will there be more of these little weird Russian events? Will the Cloward-Piven plan be given another four years with the help of the Russians? It would be good for them at least. Maybe Putin's just showing a little piss and vinegar because he's bored. Do you think maybe their pilots keep getting lost?
Nothing is going "Click" just yet - and I kinda wish it would.
Maybe I need a copy of Catcher in the Rye - Mel can I borrow yours?
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Warmer or Colder
We've had almost as much sun in July here as we've had in the previous 3 months, it still did't get above 72 where I live, which is just fine by me.
I Don't Know
Given our inability to predict the weather for a week, I'm not too inclined to accept predictions of years. Would it hurt for each individual to do what they can to reduce CO2 - probably not a lot, would it help? Again, I Don't Know. So if the global warmers are even a little tiny bit right, and it doesn't cost me much of anything to do my little part - then it's probably worth the effort/cost. If they're wrong, then as long as it didn't cost me or hurt much, I'm not going to sweat it. So I do what I can with out going nuts about it. If they're right - I did my part, if they're wrong I can live with it.
Do I think the MSM is milking it for every thing they can get? Yep. Do I think the politicians are milking it too? Sure. Do I think a lot of it is bullshit? Yep. Do I think we might be creating a problem anyway? Yep.
I've looked over some of Borepatch's data and I suspect his take on the data analysis is correct - it's a bit out of my area of expertise so I can't really be sure. I do know we do a lot of things I think are Stupid - even if they're not particularly harmful. I don't think we need to drop to a world population of a billion to be self sustaining - I think it's much worse than that. I don't think there's anything we can do on this planet to be self sustaining in the long run.
Solution: Get off the Planet - sooner would be better. Solves all sorts of problems, and we've proved it can be done without the government. Well sort of proved it - but since NASA was built by the lowest bid private industry, imagine what companies who actually have motivations besides government contracts could accomplish.
You know the only government funded project that I can think of that really helped the economy was the Space program - which returned something like 14:1 I suppose the MIC might be in the same league but I don't think the trickle down in technology is nearly as good, something about civilians getting military hardware makes the government nervous.
Warm and Fuzzy again
I go though a number of emotions on Independence Day. I typically start off being very happy I'm a U.S. citizen, which almost always leads me to thinking about becoming a U.S. subject. At some point during the day, I look at the people around me and think, we wouldn't have the fortitude to fight that battle today. Then I remember most of the colonists in 1776 didn't either. That makes me feel better for a little while.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Remember
Remember how we got started, and ask, are we almost there again.
The Declaration spelled out numerous of usurpations of which King George and his government were guilty. Read it though and see how many apply to our own President and Congress. It's more than a little scary.
1,2,3,7 (in the reverse), 8,10,13, 15 (think Fast&Furious coverup), 17 (ObamaCare - It's not a TAX - but then neither is inflation - they just amount to the same thing), 18 (GitMo and no he didn't start it but he's keeping it going),19,21 and he's working on 27 (replace indians with black panthers)
That's darn near half. If you include the bullshit congress pulls we could probably bump it a few. It's not just Obama, he didn't start the Patriot Act, or Implement TSA but he's extending by fiat.
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
The Declaration spelled out numerous of usurpations of which King George and his government were guilty. Read it though and see how many apply to our own President and Congress. It's more than a little scary.
1,2,3,7 (in the reverse), 8,10,13, 15 (think Fast&Furious coverup), 17 (ObamaCare - It's not a TAX - but then neither is inflation - they just amount to the same thing), 18 (GitMo and no he didn't start it but he's keeping it going),19,21 and he's working on 27 (replace indians with black panthers)
That's darn near half. If you include the bullshit congress pulls we could probably bump it a few. It's not just Obama, he didn't start the Patriot Act, or Implement TSA but he's extending by fiat.
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
- He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
- He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
- He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
- He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
- He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
- He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
- He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
- He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
- He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
- He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
- He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
- He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
- He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
- For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
- For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
- For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
- For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
- For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
- For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
- For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
- For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
- For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
- He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
- He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
- He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
- He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
- He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Fuck it
Why do companies insist on doing truly STUPID things. My normal reaction would be to Dump chrome, change my primary search engine, switch to wordpress and never use another Google owned product again. Sadly they own fucking everything! OK maybe not everything. I was thinking about getting a Kindle Fire, but that's based on Android, which is owned by Google. Youtube is impossible to get away from - also owned by Google. Hell I could spend the rest of my life trying to keep track of what google just purchased, so I could vote with my feet (ah fingers in this case).
Now, I'm not sure what I'll do. I suppose I'll switch browsers again, and go back to ixquick and yahoo - bing as a last resort (although they're probably just as bad).
Google - YOU SUCK.
Now, I'm not sure what I'll do. I suppose I'll switch browsers again, and go back to ixquick and yahoo - bing as a last resort (although they're probably just as bad).
Google - YOU SUCK.
Seriously?
Middleborough MA, What is it with that state? Once upon a time, it was the birthplace of liberty. It was a founder of this Nation.
Now they're Nanny Central. A $20 fine for swearing in public. It must be nice to live in a town where the most pressing problem is the occasional cuss word - Oh, and the passing of laws that probably violate the First Amendment.
Now they're Nanny Central. A $20 fine for swearing in public. It must be nice to live in a town where the most pressing problem is the occasional cuss word - Oh, and the passing of laws that probably violate the First Amendment.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
What's the difference between a progressive and an adolescent
The adolescent is looking forward to growing up and doing things on their own. The progressive still wants their nanny.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
WAWA Lies
So there's this video - well two actually - one that shows the entire bit with Romney talking about WAWAs - and the cheap shot taken by MSNBC.
Compression is one thing but to pick and chose out of 3min and 21second of video and come up with less than 15 second - to make a guy sound like he's out of touch? Seriously? If they have to work that hard at it maybe - just maybe - they're full of shit.
Compression is one thing but to pick and chose out of 3min and 21second of video and come up with less than 15 second - to make a guy sound like he's out of touch? Seriously? If they have to work that hard at it maybe - just maybe - they're full of shit.
Not a Pro
A buddy and I have been building a storage space, using concrete block 8x8x16" Neither of us are pro's at this but it's getting done. I've been afraid to add it all up but it's a lot of blocks (over 1000) and a lot of 80# bags of mortar, and a lot of bags of cement - it's sort of like exercise - you end up really tired, but with something you can use when it's done.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
An interesting approach
Sebastian pointed this little gem out. The approach seems to be: Find an example of someone doing it wrong and use that as an argument to invalidate the law.
So:
We have someone speeding - which is against the law. Obviously the law doesn't work and needs to be eliminated.
Someone murders someone - which is against the law. Guess we need to eliminate that law too - since it didn't work.
Hmmm....
So:
We have someone speeding - which is against the law. Obviously the law doesn't work and needs to be eliminated.
Someone murders someone - which is against the law. Guess we need to eliminate that law too - since it didn't work.
Hmmm....
Friday, June 15, 2012
And another one bites the dust
King Obama has decide it was time to take another axe to the constitution.
I can hear him thinking:
Meanwhile another King is planning to sue him for it. If it were only that easy.
I can hear him thinking:
To hell with the constitution - and congress - and voters - I'll just use my trusty pen and make it so.
Meanwhile another King is planning to sue him for it. If it were only that easy.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Sounds Suspect to Me
If your going to have a conspiracy, having one to cover up the zombie apocalypse would be perfect - Oh, except for the all the decaying corpses walking around - that might be hard to hide.
Cannibals. In Miami. Eating the faces off of homeless people. Is the world getting more nuts or is the internet just making us all nuts because we now hear about every damn thing almost as soon as it happens. Egg - Chicken - Chicken - Egg..... Both maybe?
Time for a grill cheese sandwich
Cannibals. In Miami. Eating the faces off of homeless people. Is the world getting more nuts or is the internet just making us all nuts because we now hear about every damn thing almost as soon as it happens. Egg - Chicken - Chicken - Egg..... Both maybe?
Time for a grill cheese sandwich
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Of Course They're Our Friends
So Pakistan tribal courts just found the doctor guilty of treason. On the upside if he were tried in Pakistan federal court, the penalty is death - this way he's just completely screwed for helping the world rid itself of Osama. What message does that send?
Let's see:
Yeah they're fully onboard with antiterror agenda.
I really want to just walk away from them and let them reap what they sew - sadly much like our own elections this country - when the idiots get what they deserve, we rational few get to reap it too.
I think it's time to apply my standing rule on foreign governments - you NEVER get what you pay for, so stop giving them money, and we'll just have to take our lumps.
Let's see:
- No charges against anyone harboring Bin Laden.
- The guy who helps locate him gets convicted of treason.
Yeah they're fully onboard with antiterror agenda.
I really want to just walk away from them and let them reap what they sew - sadly much like our own elections this country - when the idiots get what they deserve, we rational few get to reap it too.
I think it's time to apply my standing rule on foreign governments - you NEVER get what you pay for, so stop giving them money, and we'll just have to take our lumps.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
A Brief Flicker of Sanity
A judge actually did something sane - I suspect temporary sanity at best; as it pushes back the tide of Constitutional Crushing laws/executive orders for a brief moment. I really wish this were the beginning of a trend but I doubt it.
It's incurable
Seriously? It's like an incurable disease - this is the kind of crap that makes me really dislike organized religion.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Mixed Messages
From this and this we see that in a few places - some courts are starting to see the light. But apparently not all the Police think it includes them.
Chances are - if you have a camera and your taking pictures of government buildings, or cops - your going to get harassed. There are a lot of cops that still haven't gotten the message - or have chosen to ignore it.
Part of the problem may be that our rights are being treated like gas prices - take away a bunch until we scream then give some of it back - rinse and repeat. Get people used to losing some protection of the constitution a little bit at a time, until it's all gone. Remember - they're doing it for our own safety.
I watch the wheel of state grinding away at us, making actions illegal, that years ago wouldn't even raise an eyebrow. We've become a government of bureaucrats, and nannies, who tell us You Can't while they do. The government has been dismantling the constitution, attacking bit by bit, slowly grinding away. Every crisis an excuse to crush it just a bit more. We still have a mostly functional first amendment - so Speak now. Speek now or forever hold your piece.
Chances are - if you have a camera and your taking pictures of government buildings, or cops - your going to get harassed. There are a lot of cops that still haven't gotten the message - or have chosen to ignore it.
Part of the problem may be that our rights are being treated like gas prices - take away a bunch until we scream then give some of it back - rinse and repeat. Get people used to losing some protection of the constitution a little bit at a time, until it's all gone. Remember - they're doing it for our own safety.
I watch the wheel of state grinding away at us, making actions illegal, that years ago wouldn't even raise an eyebrow. We've become a government of bureaucrats, and nannies, who tell us You Can't while they do. The government has been dismantling the constitution, attacking bit by bit, slowly grinding away. Every crisis an excuse to crush it just a bit more. We still have a mostly functional first amendment - so Speak now. Speek now or forever hold your piece.
Monday, May 14, 2012
I Liked it, but I'm not sure why.
I watched The Way (warning - links to the marketing site for the movie), staring Martin Sheen and directed by his son Emilio. I really enjoyed it but I can't for the life of me figure out why. I'm not a fan of Martin Sheen, (or Charlie, or Emilio) - I don't dislike them particularly, but I don't go looking for movies they're in.
I strongly dislike organized religion, for too many reasons to even get started. To me, spirituality is a private thing. That's not to say I don't appreciate a few of the things that have come out of organized religion - Architecture and music mostly.
I'm not fond of movies that beat you over the moral of the story.
The story is simple, the characters complex and perhaps that's why. It's the story of a father, who travels to france to collect the remains of his son. In the process he attempts to complete the last task his son had started - to walk the Camino
Take it for what it's worth.
I strongly dislike organized religion, for too many reasons to even get started. To me, spirituality is a private thing. That's not to say I don't appreciate a few of the things that have come out of organized religion - Architecture and music mostly.
I'm not fond of movies that beat you over the moral of the story.
The story is simple, the characters complex and perhaps that's why. It's the story of a father, who travels to france to collect the remains of his son. In the process he attempts to complete the last task his son had started - to walk the Camino
Take it for what it's worth.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Dumb or Dumber
We're going to get one or the other. Why? Well there's just not enough of us to elect Ron Paul (R) or Gary Johnson (L). The GOP lackeys are going to Vote for who ever the RNC tells them to vote for - that'll be Mitt. And the progressives will vote for BO. Either way we'll get what they deserve for a government - possibly what we deserve for not beating the GOP into submission 30 years ago and turning them into the Small Government Party. I suspect we failed not so much from a lack of trying (although there was a fair amount of that) but lack of foresight as to just how screwed up the GOP would become. In my case it was an absolute refusal to vote anything but Libertarian - knowing full well I wasn't going to win - but I could sleep at night knowing I hadn't sold out to the GOP.
Would Ron be better? Yeah, not ideal but better - except he'd get little or no support from the GOP congress. Which means he could fix Communist Czar problem that BO created. He'll probably put us in to seclusion mode for foreign policy - in the short run, as long as we keep up HumInt funding that might not be tragic. But congress is unlikely to do the rational stuff we want to see until his second term - after we've ousted the idiots that didn't get the message the first time around. Gary Johnson would be my first pick but he'd be even less effective than Ron Paul for everything but Regulatory appointments (Very important), Supreme Court appointments (Critical), Foreign Policy (serious). Getting congress to behave - Nah, since neither one is the official candidate for the BIG and BIGGER government parties, congress (except the TP'ers) will be as uncooperative as possible.
Now Borepatch makes an interesting argument for voting for the unrestrained reign ofNational Democratic Socialist/Communist/NWO terror that Obama supporters seem to want (of course they're not going to much like what they get but they're convinced they want it and there's no changing their minds).
I understand the logic - I really do, I'm just not sure we'll recover from what an unrestrained BO will do to us - we may not get another election without a fight (literally a fight as in with weapons). Maybe I'm over reacting - maybe he'll just really screw things up so bad that the TEA Party gets a huge boost - which means a lot more congress-critters get the boot. I don't think the Tea Party trusts Mitt anymore than I do, and they really do want smaller government, controlled spending, and lower taxes so I don't think they'll give up.
I absolutely agree that Mitt, if elected, will sway in which ever breeze seems most likely to blow him into a second term. The trick then is to make sure that breeze is fairly strong - dumping every incumbent and putting in a TP'er or Libertarian candidate. My preference would be any libertarian - and I don't agree with a lot of them but they all want a Small (tiny, damn near non-existant government) which is what I want. What's the difference between a TP'er and Libertarian - TP'er are still a little to ... Not Democrats rather than even Libertarian Light. Still a little too willing to give the GOP the benefit of the doubt. If I think a TP'er has a shot where a Libertarian wouldn't I'd go for the TP'er.
It will either be BO or MR, both are worst choice, but at least we have a small chance of steering the Mittwit as he sees what we do to congress bit by bit. Right Now - I just don't know. Either go all in with Borepatch, or hope you draw to that inside straight. It's either completely screwed or completely screwed only slower. Me I'm going to vote my conscience, if that means doing a write-in for Gary Johnson - I'm OK with that.
Would Ron be better? Yeah, not ideal but better - except he'd get little or no support from the GOP congress. Which means he could fix Communist Czar problem that BO created. He'll probably put us in to seclusion mode for foreign policy - in the short run, as long as we keep up HumInt funding that might not be tragic. But congress is unlikely to do the rational stuff we want to see until his second term - after we've ousted the idiots that didn't get the message the first time around. Gary Johnson would be my first pick but he'd be even less effective than Ron Paul for everything but Regulatory appointments (Very important), Supreme Court appointments (Critical), Foreign Policy (serious). Getting congress to behave - Nah, since neither one is the official candidate for the BIG and BIGGER government parties, congress (except the TP'ers) will be as uncooperative as possible.
Now Borepatch makes an interesting argument for voting for the unrestrained reign of
I understand the logic - I really do, I'm just not sure we'll recover from what an unrestrained BO will do to us - we may not get another election without a fight (literally a fight as in with weapons). Maybe I'm over reacting - maybe he'll just really screw things up so bad that the TEA Party gets a huge boost - which means a lot more congress-critters get the boot. I don't think the Tea Party trusts Mitt anymore than I do, and they really do want smaller government, controlled spending, and lower taxes so I don't think they'll give up.
I absolutely agree that Mitt, if elected, will sway in which ever breeze seems most likely to blow him into a second term. The trick then is to make sure that breeze is fairly strong - dumping every incumbent and putting in a TP'er or Libertarian candidate. My preference would be any libertarian - and I don't agree with a lot of them but they all want a Small (tiny, damn near non-existant government) which is what I want. What's the difference between a TP'er and Libertarian - TP'er are still a little to ... Not Democrats rather than even Libertarian Light. Still a little too willing to give the GOP the benefit of the doubt. If I think a TP'er has a shot where a Libertarian wouldn't I'd go for the TP'er.
It will either be BO or MR, both are worst choice, but at least we have a small chance of steering the Mittwit as he sees what we do to congress bit by bit. Right Now - I just don't know. Either go all in with Borepatch, or hope you draw to that inside straight. It's either completely screwed or completely screwed only slower. Me I'm going to vote my conscience, if that means doing a write-in for Gary Johnson - I'm OK with that.
Life after Julia
OK I am apparently not the only one who thought Julia was a joke, I do however seem to be a bit behind the curve - mayhap that's because I'm not reading enough. On the other hand, I try to keep my VR to less than 10% of my RR. Sometimes that's harder to do than others.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Really? It's not a Joke?
I'm pretty sure if I were a woman I'd be some kind of pissed off by The Life of Julia. Are women really so mentally challenged, so incapable that they need the governments help with every step of their lives? None of the women I've known and respected needed any of this help. They all managed to make their own choices, pay their own bills, live their own lives.
Sad, apparently Obama thinks women of today just aren't capable of living life with out a nanny.
Sad, apparently Obama thinks women of today just aren't capable of living life with out a nanny.
Happy Birthday F.A.
Thanks to Drang for reminding me.
One of my heros F.A. Hayek - one of the first Economists to see the truth.
The Road to Surfdom (first written in the early 1940's - updated a few times for the U.S. audience) Timeless.
If you have an interest in economics - his other books are excellent too (not easy, light reading to be sure).
One of my heros F.A. Hayek - one of the first Economists to see the truth.
The Road to Surfdom (first written in the early 1940's - updated a few times for the U.S. audience) Timeless.
If you have an interest in economics - his other books are excellent too (not easy, light reading to be sure).
Monday, May 7, 2012
Occupy Confusion
This feels a little bit like putting my foot in my mouth - since I'm going to say some things that I might regret later. Oh well.
I keep thinking about the Occupy movement, trying to understand the message, the goal, the idea. I'm not a lot closer to getting it than I was when it started. - Actually, I understood the concept behind Occupy Wall Street just fine - it was the execution that was completely wrong. Since then it's gotten more confused and even less effective in delivering a message - well except perhaps - Lynch the 1%!
So far the Message seems to be:
Corporations are not People
Something about immigration
National Heath Care is broken
Rich people should pay more taxes
Greed is the root of all evil, therefore you should give us what we want because it's not fair for you to have it when we don't.
I just want to destroy stuff because.
Any sales trainer or marketing person will tell you, keep your message clear and simple. Apparently there are no marketing or sales people involved in the occupy movement. If there are other messages they're so lost in the noise I'm not seeing them.
So let's take a look at these messages one at a time.
Corporations are not People - True, they are a legal fiction that management hide behind so they can blame their actions on the Share Holders. I have more than a few problems with the legal fiction of the corporation. I understand the need to sell shares to capitalize, and the benefit to investing, that's the good side of a corporation. The bad side is the way they get used. The company builds a product they know is faulty, but they do it anyway because the potential profits outweigh the potential costs of lawsuits, and there is no personal liability - so why not. Small corporations operate in a fraudulent manner, file bankruptcy, fold up, and start over with a new name and the same criminal practices.
I much prefer the Limited Liability Partnership. At least in this case the major players are actually subject to the consequences of their actions.
If you look at companies like Exon, or JPMorgan, or BofA you can see the dark side of the corporation and they are far from the only examples. In the case of BofA it's so extreme I'm sort of surprised the asshats are still alive.
Something about immigration This has gotten way too emotional - if they are illegal - send them home. If they're not - then treat them as if they were citizens of the U.S.A. It's not that hard. Sure there are lots of ramifications. If you send the illegals home, it will have an impact of prices. If you don't send them home, you basically saying - It's OK to exploit them as cheap labor. If your saying make them all citizens, I'd ask who the hell is going to pay for it? And if you say - the government I'm going to smack you upside the head with a 2x4. California tried that - they're bankrupt.
National Heath Care is broken
Yep. Broken pretty much everywhere it's been tried, with the possible exception of Denmark, maybe Sweden - but I say that out of a profound ignorance, it might be just as bad there as say in England where it's going broke, and it takes months to have critical issues treated.
I have no idea how to fix this. Perhaps if our expectations weren't quite so high... A good portion of the problem lies with our legal system - which is broken beyond repair. Part of it is the sense of entitlement. I've yet to hear any solution that I think has a chance in hell of working.
- Well actually I have some vague notions that I need to think on - they probably won't work, but...
Rich people should pay more taxes
I think I'd like to revise this. How about a corporate business tax on salaries and bonuses (including stock or stock options) in excess of say, $500,000 a year. - Say a 1000% tax, be kind of hard to sell that $10,000,000 bonus to the shareholders wouldn't it :). If you own the company, or it's a limited partnership, no extra tax - because it's YOUR company, not the shareholders. (yeah that's my anti corporate economy thing showing itself - but I really do think the thing that ruins the free market is government intervention and creating a legal fiction like the corporation is definitely interference.)
Greed is the root of all evil, therefore you should give us what we want because it's not fair for you to have it when we don't.
Blah Blah Blah - you want it - go work for it. Greed is a basic part of human nature - yeah it can be controlled, and if you believe in enlightened self interest, you probably do control it to a major extent. But that does not entitle anyone to the fruits of your labor. We had a word for people who's labor was exploited for the benefit of others - I think it was Slave.
I just want to destroy stuff because.
Classify them as looters and shoot them on sight. (Too harsh?)
Yes, I think the economy sucks, yes I think members of the 1% profited from creating the situation that made it possible. Yes I think the 1% profited again from their influence in government. No I don't think the changes made have been very effective, why would you expect them to be? It's not in the governments best interest to piss off their biggest donors - getting reelected (the only real concern of elected officials), is mostly a money thing, voters opinions are much to fickle and easy to change with sufficient funds.
So, one of the reasons I don't like the Occupy movement is the lack of a clear message, it seems to be a case of mass whining with no articulation. The other reason I don't like it is how they behave when they get together - it's the kind of thing I'd expect to see from a similarly sized group of baboons.
I think a more effective approach would be to focus on one company at a time, and have everyone purchase as many shares as possible - then go VOTE at the shareholders meetings. Vote for ethical behavior, reasonable salaries, Elect a board of directors with a conscience - then move on to the next company - sooner or later they'd get the idea. (Yeah I know, takes too long, too much dedication to principle, a clear goal.....)
- Posted from the pad
I keep thinking about the Occupy movement, trying to understand the message, the goal, the idea. I'm not a lot closer to getting it than I was when it started. - Actually, I understood the concept behind Occupy Wall Street just fine - it was the execution that was completely wrong. Since then it's gotten more confused and even less effective in delivering a message - well except perhaps - Lynch the 1%!
So far the Message seems to be:
Corporations are not People
Something about immigration
National Heath Care is broken
Rich people should pay more taxes
Greed is the root of all evil, therefore you should give us what we want because it's not fair for you to have it when we don't.
I just want to destroy stuff because.
Any sales trainer or marketing person will tell you, keep your message clear and simple. Apparently there are no marketing or sales people involved in the occupy movement. If there are other messages they're so lost in the noise I'm not seeing them.
So let's take a look at these messages one at a time.
Corporations are not People - True, they are a legal fiction that management hide behind so they can blame their actions on the Share Holders. I have more than a few problems with the legal fiction of the corporation. I understand the need to sell shares to capitalize, and the benefit to investing, that's the good side of a corporation. The bad side is the way they get used. The company builds a product they know is faulty, but they do it anyway because the potential profits outweigh the potential costs of lawsuits, and there is no personal liability - so why not. Small corporations operate in a fraudulent manner, file bankruptcy, fold up, and start over with a new name and the same criminal practices.
I much prefer the Limited Liability Partnership. At least in this case the major players are actually subject to the consequences of their actions.
If you look at companies like Exon, or JPMorgan, or BofA you can see the dark side of the corporation and they are far from the only examples. In the case of BofA it's so extreme I'm sort of surprised the asshats are still alive.
Something about immigration This has gotten way too emotional - if they are illegal - send them home. If they're not - then treat them as if they were citizens of the U.S.A. It's not that hard. Sure there are lots of ramifications. If you send the illegals home, it will have an impact of prices. If you don't send them home, you basically saying - It's OK to exploit them as cheap labor. If your saying make them all citizens, I'd ask who the hell is going to pay for it? And if you say - the government I'm going to smack you upside the head with a 2x4. California tried that - they're bankrupt.
National Heath Care is broken
Yep. Broken pretty much everywhere it's been tried, with the possible exception of Denmark, maybe Sweden - but I say that out of a profound ignorance, it might be just as bad there as say in England where it's going broke, and it takes months to have critical issues treated.
I have no idea how to fix this. Perhaps if our expectations weren't quite so high... A good portion of the problem lies with our legal system - which is broken beyond repair. Part of it is the sense of entitlement. I've yet to hear any solution that I think has a chance in hell of working.
- Well actually I have some vague notions that I need to think on - they probably won't work, but...
Rich people should pay more taxes
I think I'd like to revise this. How about a corporate business tax on salaries and bonuses (including stock or stock options) in excess of say, $500,000 a year. - Say a 1000% tax, be kind of hard to sell that $10,000,000 bonus to the shareholders wouldn't it :). If you own the company, or it's a limited partnership, no extra tax - because it's YOUR company, not the shareholders. (yeah that's my anti corporate economy thing showing itself - but I really do think the thing that ruins the free market is government intervention and creating a legal fiction like the corporation is definitely interference.)
Greed is the root of all evil, therefore you should give us what we want because it's not fair for you to have it when we don't.
Blah Blah Blah - you want it - go work for it. Greed is a basic part of human nature - yeah it can be controlled, and if you believe in enlightened self interest, you probably do control it to a major extent. But that does not entitle anyone to the fruits of your labor. We had a word for people who's labor was exploited for the benefit of others - I think it was Slave.
I just want to destroy stuff because.
Classify them as looters and shoot them on sight. (Too harsh?)
Yes, I think the economy sucks, yes I think members of the 1% profited from creating the situation that made it possible. Yes I think the 1% profited again from their influence in government. No I don't think the changes made have been very effective, why would you expect them to be? It's not in the governments best interest to piss off their biggest donors - getting reelected (the only real concern of elected officials), is mostly a money thing, voters opinions are much to fickle and easy to change with sufficient funds.
So, one of the reasons I don't like the Occupy movement is the lack of a clear message, it seems to be a case of mass whining with no articulation. The other reason I don't like it is how they behave when they get together - it's the kind of thing I'd expect to see from a similarly sized group of baboons.
I think a more effective approach would be to focus on one company at a time, and have everyone purchase as many shares as possible - then go VOTE at the shareholders meetings. Vote for ethical behavior, reasonable salaries, Elect a board of directors with a conscience - then move on to the next company - sooner or later they'd get the idea. (Yeah I know, takes too long, too much dedication to principle, a clear goal.....)
- Posted from the pad
Saturday, May 5, 2012
A Caliber Problem
Too many that I like - not enough sefl control - that's my problem
I suppose next to Tam, I'm a bit of a piker so there's that.
I've improved over the years, but I'm slipping again.
At one point I'd tried to get down to just .45acp and .308 But .308 is too expesive to blow though 500 rounds every few months. (well so is 5.56 but you have to practice right?) I'd almost made it but I couldn't give up the 9x23 and I couldn't give up the 5.56 and the 45-70. So I have 3 guns I'll probably sell this month - a .380, a .40S&W and at Win Model 92 in .44mag
The smart thing to do would be - sell everything except the 5.56 - and buy 3 M&P 9mm.
Since 2 is 1, and 1 is none the correct number would be 3 of each right? Would be cheaper than what I'm doing that's for sure. Even so, it's not going to happen.
Current Pistol:
.45ACP (for the 1911's and the XD)
.40 S&W (1 double stack 1911 compact)
.380 for the PPK that I really need to sell
9x23 for Burns Custom 1911 9x23 (I LOVE this round)
Rifle:
.44 Mag (For the Model 92)
5.56
.300 AAC (new and I'm sort of tempted to replace the 5.56 with it --- but.....)
.308 WIN
.45-70
Shotgun (only 12ga) Yay!
I'm set up for reloading all of theses except the .44mag
I'm seriously considering adding 9mm
Adding 9mm would cut my ammo expenses for classes, and practice down a $100 - $150 / case, more if I used Wolf ammo. I suspect the real reason is that I keep looking at this M&P 9mm that my local crack (ahhh gun) dealer has and I kind of want it. I also want a second 9x23 (with perhaps a 9mm barrel I can swap in/out)
I've always had a talent for rationalizing gun purchases - part of which is I've never lost money on a gun. It's just that I'm thinking about spending 600 bucks on a gun to save myself maybe $300 bucks on ammo over the next couple years. Does this qualify as an addction?
From a TEOTWAWKI point of view I can see reasons to hang on to the ability to use 5.56 and 9mm - as I suspect those are the two most common (in terms of quantity) rounds in the U.S.A. at the moment. They're also cheaper to reload - so even better
Maybe I should sell the XD if I get the M&P......
See there I go again - it's a friggen disease. I'm really starting to envy those people who were smart enough to not go down this path - you know those of you who started with a 9mm Glock, then added an AR-15 - WAY smarter. I guess my excuse is I've had 40 years to get here, and when I started there were no Glocks - come to think on it - there was no AR-15 either.
- Posted from the pad
I suppose next to Tam, I'm a bit of a piker so there's that.
I've improved over the years, but I'm slipping again.
At one point I'd tried to get down to just .45acp and .308 But .308 is too expesive to blow though 500 rounds every few months. (well so is 5.56 but you have to practice right?) I'd almost made it but I couldn't give up the 9x23 and I couldn't give up the 5.56 and the 45-70. So I have 3 guns I'll probably sell this month - a .380, a .40S&W and at Win Model 92 in .44mag
The smart thing to do would be - sell everything except the 5.56 - and buy 3 M&P 9mm.
Since 2 is 1, and 1 is none the correct number would be 3 of each right? Would be cheaper than what I'm doing that's for sure. Even so, it's not going to happen.
Current Pistol:
.45ACP (for the 1911's and the XD)
.40 S&W (1 double stack 1911 compact)
.380 for the PPK that I really need to sell
9x23 for Burns Custom 1911 9x23 (I LOVE this round)
Rifle:
.44 Mag (For the Model 92)
5.56
.300 AAC (new and I'm sort of tempted to replace the 5.56 with it --- but.....)
.308 WIN
.45-70
Shotgun (only 12ga) Yay!
I'm set up for reloading all of theses except the .44mag
I'm seriously considering adding 9mm
Adding 9mm would cut my ammo expenses for classes, and practice down a $100 - $150 / case, more if I used Wolf ammo. I suspect the real reason is that I keep looking at this M&P 9mm that my local crack (ahhh gun) dealer has and I kind of want it. I also want a second 9x23 (with perhaps a 9mm barrel I can swap in/out)
I've always had a talent for rationalizing gun purchases - part of which is I've never lost money on a gun. It's just that I'm thinking about spending 600 bucks on a gun to save myself maybe $300 bucks on ammo over the next couple years. Does this qualify as an addction?
From a TEOTWAWKI point of view I can see reasons to hang on to the ability to use 5.56 and 9mm - as I suspect those are the two most common (in terms of quantity) rounds in the U.S.A. at the moment. They're also cheaper to reload - so even better
Maybe I should sell the XD if I get the M&P......
See there I go again - it's a friggen disease. I'm really starting to envy those people who were smart enough to not go down this path - you know those of you who started with a 9mm Glock, then added an AR-15 - WAY smarter. I guess my excuse is I've had 40 years to get here, and when I started there were no Glocks - come to think on it - there was no AR-15 either.
- Posted from the pad
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Round II
I'm one of those people who enjoyed Part I of Atlas Shrugged, and I've been looking forward to THIS
I think the movie is an excellent update to the book. I appreciate Rand, I'm just not 100% in agreement with her - say 90% - I can think of a few things that are significantly beneficial for society but as yet I can think of no way to privatise them (i.e. make them profitable). Many of these come from the belief that most people find it very difficult to take a long view (longer than their lifetime). Which makes some of their rational choices less than optimal for the future - say for example EVERYONE in congress.
A politician says they care about the future of our children - they're lying.
A politician or Bureaucrat says it's for the Greater Good - start looking for the Storm Troopers.
I think the movie is an excellent update to the book. I appreciate Rand, I'm just not 100% in agreement with her - say 90% - I can think of a few things that are significantly beneficial for society but as yet I can think of no way to privatise them (i.e. make them profitable). Many of these come from the belief that most people find it very difficult to take a long view (longer than their lifetime). Which makes some of their rational choices less than optimal for the future - say for example EVERYONE in congress.
A politician says they care about the future of our children - they're lying.
A politician or Bureaucrat says it's for the Greater Good - start looking for the Storm Troopers.
A Little Paranoia and a Little Prepping
I've been working with a friend on a root cellar - well more of a mostly underground storage. We're also adding a single lane 50 foot shooting range. While we can legally shoot on his property, we decided to not annoy the neighbors so an underground range was called for to minimize the noise. It's a lot of work but it's worth it.
I also did some research on converting my gun safe from an electronic lock to a mechanical one - looks like it'll run about $500. Why? Well it started as I was researching a book I'm writing. One thing led to another and I ended up spending a fair amount of time researching EMP causes and effects. One of those effects (albeit a minor one) would be to keep me out of my own safe. Originally I put the probability of an EMP fairly low, but the more I think about the situation in Iran, Pakistan, India, China, North Korea, Israel, the whole figgen world; the less sanguine I am about the possibility.
So the paranoid in me came up with a probability chart - based on some research and some gut feel (yes very scientific) Keeping in mind that I pay hundreds of dollars every year for homeowners insurance and the probability of a major claim is between .004% and .0008%
In my lifetime in my AO (Area of Operation - sounds very tacticool eh?)
(World effecting)
Economic Collapse > 30% and climbing (hyper-inflation)
Major earthquake (9.0+) > 25% (expert assessments not mine)
Super Volcano < 5% (who the hell knows)
Pandemic > 30% (if your under 25 figure 100%)
Major Comet/Meteor Strike < .004% (expert estimate)
Nuclear war < 1% No winers - too many losers
Civil War < 5% some days I think it's higher
Tsunami > 30% (bigger than Japan Tsunami)
Terrorist Attack > 10% (9/11 or larger in scale)
EMP (Solar) > 15% (best numbers I could find)
EMP (Terrorist) > 10% (gut feel)
Oil Shortage > 10% (based on China growth)
Global Warming > ? I've no idea
Poll Reversal 0
Riots > 1% It's just getting weirder
(Regional effecting - Costal, State Wide, Multi-State)
Riots > 20%
Foot shortages > 15%
Epidemic > 20%
Tsunami > 30%
Terrorist Attack > 10%
Volcano > 10% (already had one)
Earthquake > 40%
(Local Effecting)
Riots < 5% (fairly rural here)
Epidemic 100% (have one now)
Fire < 5%
Serious Gang problems < 10%
Food shortages > 30% (transportation issues)
Weather Related > 10%
Power Outages >10Days > 10%
- Posted from the pad
I also did some research on converting my gun safe from an electronic lock to a mechanical one - looks like it'll run about $500. Why? Well it started as I was researching a book I'm writing. One thing led to another and I ended up spending a fair amount of time researching EMP causes and effects. One of those effects (albeit a minor one) would be to keep me out of my own safe. Originally I put the probability of an EMP fairly low, but the more I think about the situation in Iran, Pakistan, India, China, North Korea, Israel, the whole figgen world; the less sanguine I am about the possibility.
So the paranoid in me came up with a probability chart - based on some research and some gut feel (yes very scientific) Keeping in mind that I pay hundreds of dollars every year for homeowners insurance and the probability of a major claim is between .004% and .0008%
In my lifetime in my AO (Area of Operation - sounds very tacticool eh?)
(World effecting)
Economic Collapse > 30% and climbing (hyper-inflation)
Major earthquake (9.0+) > 25% (expert assessments not mine)
Super Volcano < 5% (who the hell knows)
Pandemic > 30% (if your under 25 figure 100%)
Major Comet/Meteor Strike < .004% (expert estimate)
Nuclear war < 1% No winers - too many losers
Civil War < 5% some days I think it's higher
Tsunami > 30% (bigger than Japan Tsunami)
Terrorist Attack > 10% (9/11 or larger in scale)
EMP (Solar) > 15% (best numbers I could find)
EMP (Terrorist) > 10% (gut feel)
Oil Shortage > 10% (based on China growth)
Global Warming > ? I've no idea
Poll Reversal 0
Riots > 1% It's just getting weirder
(Regional effecting - Costal, State Wide, Multi-State)
Riots > 20%
Foot shortages > 15%
Epidemic > 20%
Tsunami > 30%
Terrorist Attack > 10%
Volcano > 10% (already had one)
Earthquake > 40%
(Local Effecting)
Riots < 5% (fairly rural here)
Epidemic 100% (have one now)
Fire < 5%
Serious Gang problems < 10%
Food shortages > 30% (transportation issues)
Weather Related > 10%
Power Outages >10Days > 10%
- Posted from the pad
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
I'm confused
The "demonstration" in Seattle is reported to have a group of black clad anarchist - which seems to be a fairly standard tactic for these demonstrations - same thing happened back in 99 WTO conference.
So here's where I'm confused, The Occupy movement seems to want bigger government - you know to put the screws to that greedy 1% And yet they have Anarchists? WTF? These people aren't looking to have a form of government that has no monopoly on the use of force, or ability to apply force - they're looking for the Government to coerce the wealthy in to giving up their wealth (at least that's my take on it).
Is it the media that's getting this wrong? Apparently it's happened in Cleveland - a plot to blow up a bridge, again Anarchists and Anti-business - which I guess in this case means National Socialist rather than anarchits? I think they use the term unadvisedly - perhaps they should stick with criminal. It's sort of like Terrorist - at this point Terrorist really doesn't mean anything because it means pretty much anyone for any reason that someone else doesn't approve of.
My definition of Terrorist? A person or group with a shared ideology, involved in or plotting violence against civilian targets for the purpose of causing harm and fear, with the idea that this will somehow prove beneficial to the terrorist in the long run. So maybe these kids in Cleveland could be classified as terrorists but it would require that they have some goal other than just blowing shit up. I doubt any of them are bright enough to have a long range goal.
Part of the problem is the Left seems to like to appropriate words and change the meanings - For example if this were the late 1800's and into the mid 1900's I'd be a Liberal - and a liberal would be a progressive (see they grabbed progressive because it sounds good, and used it for their own agenda). Go read The Road to Surfdom by F.A. Hayek He was there and explains it better than I do.
So here's where I'm confused, The Occupy movement seems to want bigger government - you know to put the screws to that greedy 1% And yet they have Anarchists? WTF? These people aren't looking to have a form of government that has no monopoly on the use of force, or ability to apply force - they're looking for the Government to coerce the wealthy in to giving up their wealth (at least that's my take on it).
Is it the media that's getting this wrong? Apparently it's happened in Cleveland - a plot to blow up a bridge, again Anarchists and Anti-business - which I guess in this case means National Socialist rather than anarchits? I think they use the term unadvisedly - perhaps they should stick with criminal. It's sort of like Terrorist - at this point Terrorist really doesn't mean anything because it means pretty much anyone for any reason that someone else doesn't approve of.
My definition of Terrorist? A person or group with a shared ideology, involved in or plotting violence against civilian targets for the purpose of causing harm and fear, with the idea that this will somehow prove beneficial to the terrorist in the long run. So maybe these kids in Cleveland could be classified as terrorists but it would require that they have some goal other than just blowing shit up. I doubt any of them are bright enough to have a long range goal.
Part of the problem is the Left seems to like to appropriate words and change the meanings - For example if this were the late 1800's and into the mid 1900's I'd be a Liberal - and a liberal would be a progressive (see they grabbed progressive because it sounds good, and used it for their own agenda). Go read The Road to Surfdom by F.A. Hayek He was there and explains it better than I do.
Blogging from the iPad
I take my pad everywhere - it's much lighter than my MacBook Pro, but it has it's downsides. I need to carry the Bluetooth keyboard (not a big issue), and when I want to use the keyboard I have to open the battery compartment and reverse the end battery. I do that to keep the keyboard from constantly waking up the iPad and killing my battery. What the damn thing needs is a real ON/OFF switch, instead of the just the ON switch - bad ergonomics.
Trying to edit blogger on an iPad using Safari is pointless - the right edge is cut off so you can't see the last two characters and there's no way to fix it. It almost never brings up the text if you decide to edit an entry - which means you can't edit entries. Basically like much of the free Apple software - it sits somewhere between sort of ok, and annoying.
Trying to use Apollo (Chrome's iPad browser) is just as bad in different ways - more often than not it just crashes.
So now I'm trying BlogPress - which if this posts ok will be a HUGE improvement over every other option I've tried.
- Posted from the pad
Trying to edit blogger on an iPad using Safari is pointless - the right edge is cut off so you can't see the last two characters and there's no way to fix it. It almost never brings up the text if you decide to edit an entry - which means you can't edit entries. Basically like much of the free Apple software - it sits somewhere between sort of ok, and annoying.
Trying to use Apollo (Chrome's iPad browser) is just as bad in different ways - more often than not it just crashes.
So now I'm trying BlogPress - which if this posts ok will be a HUGE improvement over every other option I've tried.
- Posted from the pad
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