He who knows best knows... How Little He Knows. --Thomas Jefferson

Dallas TSA - Just Following Orders

2012-01-27T15:05:00.001-06:00

I just passed thru security at Dallas Love Field airport. The X-ray machine and metal detectors were both being used but most people were being shuffled thru the X-ray. There was a logjam of people at the X-ray in front if me so a TSA lady came up and shuffled about 5 people quickly thru the metal detector. If the X-ray machines are so much more effective than the metal detectors at stopping terrorists, we better hope that there's not a large group of people in front of a terrorist or else he may be hurriedly pushed thru the "less than adequate" metal detector and we're all at risk due to traveler volume!

I opted out of the X-ray machine and the TSA agent standing next to the metal detector attempted to entice me by saying that I would now be patted down. I asked that I simply be ushered thru the metal detector like the previous group but he insisted that I be patted down. So in order to get to the pay down area, I had to pass thru the metal detector. I asked why I still had to be patted down when I clearly just passed thru the detector without issue. He said that this was the procedure. He was very passive and unsure, which sure beats assertive and angry as is typically the case with these animals.

I was taken to a side area where I was explained in pain staking detail what was about to occur. I asked this guy why I had to still be patted down when I didn't set off the detector. He said that this was a question for the higher ups and that he was just following orders and this was the procedure. (looking back, I wish I would have asked him if he was familiar with the Nuremberg trials.). I asked "shouldn't procedure be rooted in logic?" He shrugged and walked away.

As I was gathering my belongings, I noticed a lady being taking behind a curtained off area and seemed upset. I waited around a few minutes so I could get an opportunity to talk to her. When she emerged from the security area, she was red faced and misty eyed. I asked her what she did to get the private pay down and she said that her bra underwire set off the X-ray. She said it was the most humiliating experience of her life and that the TSA lady was extremely rude. She said her patdown was retaliation for her asking questions about why she couldn't just get screened with the hand wand. (we've seen this before.) She was crying and profane. (who can blame her?) She said the TSA lady put her hands on her inner thigh and felt all the way up including "everything". That makes sense because the genitals are very close to the breasts, right? She said that she now hates to travel but can't get around it due to work requirements. She said that she wished that there weren't so many "sheeple" (her words). I told her that she wasn't alone and that more and more people are waking up and seeing things the way that she and I could see them.

She apologized for being profane to a stranger. We are both waiting for our apology from the TSA.

Dallas TSA - Just Following Orders

2012-01-27T14:51:00.001-06:00

I just passed thru security at Dallas Love Field airport. The X-ray machine and metal detectors were both being used but most people were being shuffled thru the X-ray. There was a logjam of people at the X-ray in front if me so a TSA lady came up and shuffled about 5 people quickly thru the metal detector. If the X-ray machines are so much more effective than the metal detectors at stopping terrorists, we better hope that there's not a large group of people in front of a terrorist or else he may be hurriedly pushed thru the "less than adequate" metal detector and we're all at risk due to traveler volume!

I opted out of the X-ray machine and the TSA agent standing next to the metal detector attempted to entice me by saying that I would now be patted down. I asked that simply be ushered thru the metal detector like the previous group but he insisted that I be patted down. So in order to get to the pay down area, I had to pass thru the metal detector. I asked why I still had to be patted down when I clearly just passed thru the detector without issue. He said that this was the procedure. He was very passive and unsure, which sure beats assertive and angry as is typically the case with these animals.

I was taken to a side area where I was explained in pain staking detail what was about to occur. I asked this guy why I had to still be patted down when I didn't set off the detector. He said that this was a question for the higher ups and that he was just following orders and this was the procedure. (looking back, I wish I would have asked him if he was familiar with the Nuremberg trials.). I asked "shouldn't procedure be rooted in logic"? He shrugged and walked away.

As I was gathering my belongings, I noticed a lady being taking behind a curtained off area and seemed upset. I waited around a few minutes so I could get an opportunity to talk to her. When she emerged from the security area, she was red faced and misty eyed. I asked her what she did to get the private pay down and she said that her bra underwire set off the X-ray. She said it was the most humiliating experience of her life and that the TSA lady was extremely rude. She was crying and profane. (who can blame her?). She said the TSA lady put her hands on her inner thigh and felt all the way up including "everything". Sg She said that she now hates to travel but can't get around it due to work requirements. She said that she wished that there weren't so many "sheeple" (her words). I told her that she wasn't alone and that more and more people are waking up and seeing things the way that she and I could see them.

A Rare Find

2011-12-04T07:21:00.001-06:00

I was on my way to work this week and saw a car with both a Jesus fish AND and bumper sticker that read "Give Peace a Chance". This surprised me given the lust for war by so many "Christians". Perhaps this driver was a reader of Laurence Vance.

New TSA Procedures?

2011-11-03T16:45:00.001-05:00

I just boarded the plane in Tampa and had to go through "security". They now have TSA goons checking bags AFTER the checkpoint while travelers are waiting to board the plane. Seriously, what is this accomplishing? Hassling people after they've already been through the metal detector or god forbid the porno radiation machine?

More TSA Heroes

2011-10-26T20:43:00.001-05:00

To all passengers aboard Flight 793 from Atlanta to St. Louis: know that you're safer now that your TSA friends have disarmed me of my hair gel.

9/11 - Ten Years Later

2011-09-11T23:42:00.002-05:00

Here is an amazing piece by Chris Hedges entitled "A Decade After 9/11: We Are What We Loathe."

DC's Earthquake

2011-08-25T21:13:00.001-05:00

This week's earthquake was a big tease for me. For a moment I thought my wish was being granted: that cesspool of a city falls into the Potomac.

TSA: "State Your Purpose"

2011-08-06T06:52:00.001-05:00

Another scary tale from my recent flying experience:

While herded through the security checkpoint at the Charlotte airport, I encountered one of these TSA goons using the new enhanced technique of asking questions to travelers in the line prior to the scanners. He selected the man behind me and here's how the conversation went:

TSA goon: "Where are you traveling today?"
Traveler: "Hartford."
TSA goon: "Business or pleasure?"
Traveler: "Business."

I would have loved to hear a response from the traveler like "None of your business, and also, where are you going when you leave work today?"

Why must your privacy be abandoned simply because you choose to fly? When are people going to have enough and stop complying?

TSA, Military in Airports, etc

2011-08-02T18:57:00.002-05:00

I got through the Charlotte Airport "security" checkpoint without having to use the radiation machine or fondled. Two for two today! If these machines are so paramount to national security, then by that logic, shouldn't the airplane I'm currently on be less safe? How are these planes still in the air without these "necessary" "enhanced" "security" measures? (each one of those terms needed its own unique quotation marks)

And like the rest of the deceived masses, the airport is no stranger to military glorification. US Airways has a special boarding zone for active military: first on the plane. Even before first class.

I'm not sure why this surprised me, but I saw an amazing number of uniformed military members walking through the airport. I shouldn't be surprised given the logistical mobilization effort the empire must undertake to make sure that its countless wars on numerous continents are continuously supplied with fresh new bodies to carry out its orders. There are foreigners on other lands that are threatening our "freedom" afterall.

No Porno Scan or Sexual Assault Today

2011-08-02T07:53:00.001-05:00

I just cleared the "security" checkpoint at St. Louis Lambert Airport and was not forced to be eradiated or fondled. Things are looking up today!

TSA Ruins My Trips

2011-08-01T20:32:00.001-05:00

I have to fly tomorrow morning for business. Unfortunately, instead of focusing on my work at hand or even simply enjoying the fact that I get to see new places on the company dime, I'm anxious about whether or not I will be selected for the "enhanced screening" in the radiation machine. If selected, I will be opting for the sexual assault instead.

Thank you once again, national security state.

Debt "Limit"?

2011-07-30T20:48:00.002-05:00

Why do they bother calling it a limit? It's never NOT been raised. Why do words mean one thing for the common folk but mean an entirely different thing to our "leaders" in government?

And now the establishment from both sides of this twisted government are bickering over typical partisan talking points, yet agreeing that the "limit" should be raised.

God forbid the empire's credit limit not be raised. How would Obama (and the Republicans and Democrats) continue to fund their pillaging war machine?

Government Expense Priorities

2011-07-29T19:43:00.001-05:00

Have you noticed that any time a government is strapped for cash, the first thing they do is start threatening to take away the things that are actually needed by the people? When it’s local government trying to past a tax increase, first on the chopping block is always cops, firemen, and libraries. When it’s the federal government trying to either increase taxes (or raise the debt limit), first on the block is Social Security. Has it occurred to them that also in the expense category are bureaucrat’s pensions and salaries? Of course it has – but they have are of a higher caste.

New IPhone 4

2011-07-29T19:29:00.001-05:00

I just got a new phone recently and am using an app to blog. We'll see how this goes. Good to be back.

More Cop Corruption Enabled by the Failed Drug War

2011-03-23T22:28:00.004-05:00

Detroit police officer Luke Davis is in hot water after his victim's home recording equipment revealed what he and his team are really about during one of their many drug raids.

Story here.

Video below.

Obama: "No Ground Troops in Libya"

2011-03-23T13:24:00.003-05:00

I will reference this article when ground troops do, in fact, invade Libya. And mark my words, US troops WILL invade Libya. Obama is a war-mongering liar, just like the despot before him.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: an Economic Positive?

2011-03-12T03:45:00.004-06:00

So says economic "expert" and former Treasury Secretary, Larry Summers.

Summers, and the countless mainstream economic imbeciles like him, are either deviously and purposely deceptive or have absolutely no clue when it comes macroeconomics.

Summers would be wise to read the parable of the broken window by Frederic Bastiat. Full essay here.

Military Reunion Show

2011-02-15T23:59:00.003-06:00

I came home this evening to find my wife watching a show on the Lifetime channel. One of the promos playing during a commercial was about a new show on Lifetime that follows military dads reuniting with their children. It was a very emotion invoking presentation as it showed a little girl crying as she went to hug her father dressed in a full military uniform.

The only thing I could think about was how many Iraqi and Afghan children will never get to hug their fathers again as a result of the bombs and bullets coming from military men like the one depicted in this program.

Things look very different depending on one's perspective.

Joe Rogan on the American War Machine

2011-02-11T02:57:00.003-06:00

Here is a great 9 minute video of Joe Rogan explaining the truth behind the American War Machine. NSFW (language)

...And I Didn't Even Buy The Denver TSA Agent Dinner First

2011-01-09T02:15:00.002-06:00

As I was moving through the TSA "security" checkpoint in the Denver airport this past week, I was selected to pass through one of the Chertoff radiation machines. I replied to the TSA goon, "I will be opting out. I will not be going through that machine today."

I fully expected the typical TSA treatment when one of the serfs challenges their unwarranted authority, which has historically been to yell "Opt out!" to their fellow dimwitted colleagues in an effort to embarrass their brazen victim.

To my surprise, the agent who directed me to the Xray machine quietly motioned to a fellow agent that he had a male traveler in need of the body pat down. I stepped aside and waited a moment or two for another male agent to appear.

The agent approached me and asked which bags on the conveyor belt belonged to me. I pointed to my belongings, and after seeing the man struggle to carry my suitcase and the numerous trays to the screening area, I offered to help. He immediately rejected my offer and informed me that once a passenger has been selected for additional screening, they cannot touch their luggage.

I followed the agent to the screening area where I placed my feet on the special mat with the footprints facing my luggage. He first offered to take me to a private room but I'd rather at least have witnesses to the sexual assault about to take place. The agent then told me that he would be performing a full body pat down but would use the back of his hands once he got to the "sensitive" areas.

The pat down continued as I had expected with the agent feeling my chest, back, arms, legs, etc. When he walked to my backside he informed me that he was using the back of his hands as he felt both sides of my rear. He then did something that I wasn't expecting: he pulled my waistband away from my body (both front and rear) and stuck his fingers inside my pants to feel the inner side of the belt area.

After rounding first base, he headed for the grand finale in my crotch area. He dragged the back of his hands down the sides of my privates, making only brief contact from outside of my jeans. My date ended with him informing me that I was free to leave now.

I was traveling with a coworker who was standing nearby, having already passed through the checkpoint using just the standard metal detector. He told me later that he wasn't sure if he was supposed to watch my amorous encounter and that it made him feel uncomfortable.

To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised at the overall attitude and nature of the TSA agents that I encountered that day. I'm generally very comfortable with my body and it would take quite a bit to get me bothered. However, I can see how this could be an extremely intrusive event for some people, especially those with a history of being sexually abused.

The solution is to get the government out of the security business. Let the airlines create their own procedures where the traveling public can actually have real options in the area of security. Choosing between getting eradiated by an untested machine, or being felt up by a mouth breathing government agent is not a real choice.

End the Insane War on Drugs

2010-12-30T23:02:00.002-06:00

Here is a great report from Cenk Uygar on MSNBC in support of ending the insane war on drugs. It's great to see someone from the Left with this perspective. Could the Right follow suit anytime soon?

TSA: Life as a Screener is "Horrible"

2010-12-22T22:14:00.002-06:00

Here is an article about how terrible it is to be a TSA groper, from the perspective of a TSA groper.

"The work life here is horrible," said McCoy, president of his local union representing officers. Turnover is like a "revolving door" and health benefits are "atrocious," he said. Morale is low and so is the pay, he added.

Officers typically start at $29,000, but that's only if they're working full-time.

A single tear rolls down my cheek.

US Military Places Weapons on Murdered Iraqi Civilians

2010-12-22T10:35:00.004-06:00

This is a very powerful video about how the US military carries "drop weapons" that they can place on Iraqi civilians after murdering them in order to sell the story that they were "insurgents". Even if the Iraqis did in fact have weapons, doesn't a man have the right to protect himself from an invading foreign army?

TSA "Security" is a Joke

2010-12-19T21:30:00.005-06:00

Over the past couple weeks I have had to endure the "security" checkpoints in the St. Louis and Philadelphia airports due to work travel. In neither airport was I subjected to the X-ray scanners, but instead walked through the traditional metal detectors. This is puzzling because we were told by the spokesbureaucrats at the TSA that these porno machines were necessary in keeping us safe.

So, the TSA knowingly has in the past weeks let a vital and absolutely necessary screening procedure go unused and thus exposed the country to countless security threats, right? How is the country surviving? The TSA's security procedures are simply theater, and are used to condition the people to continue blindly obeying their perceived masters. Wake up, people!

US Military in 175 Countries

2010-11-29T20:53:00.001-06:00

Toward the end of the 3rd quarter of the Rams / Broncos game on Sunday, the announcers (Ron Pitts and John Lynch) began their traditional thanking and lauding of the US military watching from all over the globe. Pitts, echoed by the graphic on the screen, specifically gushed about the US military members from 175 countries throughout the world, and parroted the propaganda of how they are "protecting our freedoms".

I have previously written about the US Empire's presence throughout globe here, so it really should come as no surprise when I see a statistic like the one on Sunday. But this is particularly striking when you consider the fact that there is only a total of 196 countries in the world.

Let this be a warning to you remaining 21 countries: the US Imperial Army is watching you.

Glenn Greenwald: "FBI successfully thrwarts its own Terrorist plot"

2010-11-28T15:26:00.004-06:00

Here is a great piece by Glenn Greenwald on how the FBI is manufacturing and then "preventing" terrorist attacks, most recently with the supposed Somali "Christmas tree terrorist".

Greenwald has quickly become one of my favorite writers. He is like a surgeon in his ability to dissect and communicate the countless devastating atrocities committed by the US government in the name of "security".

An excerpt:

We hear the same exact thing over and over and over from accused Terrorists -- that they are attempting to carry about plots in retaliation for past and ongoing American violence against Muslim civilians and to deter such future acts. Here we find one of the great mysteries in American political culture: that the U.S. Government dispatches its military all over the world -- invading, occupying, and bombing multiple Muslim countries -- torturing them, imprisoning them without charges, shooting them up at checkpoints, sending remote-controlled drones to explode their homes, imposing sanctions that starve hundreds of thousands of children to death -- and Americans are then baffled when some Muslims -- an amazingly small percentage -- harbor anger and vengeance at them and want to return the violence. And here we also find the greatest myth in American political discourse: that engaging in all of that military aggression somehow constitutes Staying Safe and combating Terrorism -- rather than doing more than any single other cause to provoke, sustain and fuel Terrorism.

Feds Look to Imprison More People

2010-11-25T11:55:00.005-06:00

The United States federal government, not satisfied with imprisoning people for putting natural substances into their bodies, have now targeted synthetic marijuana.

Don't you feel safer knowing that the government is watching out for you and the things that you put in your body?

Warren Buffett's AWFUL Op-Ed in the WSJ

2010-11-18T18:51:00.000-06:00

This is absolutely disgusting. Warren Buffet is another shill for the state. What a sad, pathetic, little man. This is the type of ass-kissing one would expect from a Soviet slave. Awful.

Government Restricts Potential New Small Business Owners

2010-11-12T05:42:00.003-06:00

Great video on how the government prevents new business from being opened by imposing countless restrictions, permits, and red tape.

Oakland PD Kills Dog in Family's Back Yard

2010-10-03T18:32:00.004-05:00

An Oakland police officer shot and killed the family yellow lab while it was locked in the back yard. But hey, at least the officer left behind a note: OPD responded to your residence to investigate a burglary alarm.

I'm sure this is exactly the "service" the homeowner had in mind. How many more dogs must be killed by these sick, twisted, sadistic, torturous bullies?

Former CIA Chief: "President Should Be Able to Shut Down Internet"

2010-09-27T21:00:00.000-05:00

Apropos to my recent post, former CIA Director Michael Hayden says President Obama should have the authority to shut down the Internet.

As is always the case, the government uses so-called "crises" and "emergencies" to create even more power for themselves.

This also shows how pathetically ignorant and self-absorbed these bureaucrats are. The Internet is not simply an appliance that has a power button - it is a system of networks with countless redundancies.

Or maybe they're just afraid that the people are waking up thanks in large part to the valuable information made available by the Internet.

Be A Skeptic For Everything

2010-09-25T06:21:00.004-05:00

Despite its efforts to resuscitate, main stream media is dying. And thank goodness for that. Media used to be a means to counter the state's constant creep on freedom, but those days are long gone. Today's media serves as the useful idiots for the state, simply regurgitating official bureaucratic statements as "news" while seldom offering up legitimate critique.

So why am I optimistic? In a word: Internet.

Yesterday, the state could stifle and control the transmittal of information to the public very easily because of the very limited media inputs. The majority of all information bottlenecked through a small handful of newspapers and TV and radio networks.

Today, anyone with an internet connection has the means and ability to become an initiator of information flow. The members of the Old Media are painfully aware of this, hence the recent calls to bailout the newspaper industry.

This is again one of the tragedies of the state and its monopoly on the use of aggressive force. Those well-connected to the state need only to take advantage of that position and use it to strike at its competition, rather than innovate and provide a better product in the marketplace.

Solution: turn off your TV news stations. All of them. They are all complicit. I would say to stop buying newspapers but that has already happened. Recognize that when Old Media attempts to marginalize New Media, it's akin to makers of horse saddles attempting to disparage the automobile.

Be a skeptic FOR EVERYTHING.

Adam Carolla Sounds Off

2010-09-22T21:06:00.003-05:00

Adam Carolla sounds off on several topics, including the legalization of drugs and lowering taxes. As a regular listener to Carolla's podcast, I have heard quite a few of his rants and he is by no means principled or consistent on every issue. But this is definitely a video worth watching, if for the the pure entertainment value alone.

Oh, and very NSFW (language).

Mosque at Ground Zero

2010-09-19T19:01:00.002-05:00

There has been quite a bit of media hysteria surrounding the proposed building of a mosque at ground zero in New York. I haven't blogged in quite a while, and many of you have let me hear about it. What a fitting topic to which I make my return...

The conservative right wingers really annoy me. (That is not to say that the liberals have it right, either.) What really bothers me about the mosque at ground zero "debate" is that the so-called "constitution supporting" members of the conservative right have a perfect opportunity to put forth a consistent message instead of letting politics dictate their beliefs.

I had a conversation with someone over the weekend whose opinion I highly value and one I give a great deal of credit in starting me on my freedom-seeking journey. I asked if he would allow the mosque to be built if he were a city council member in NYC. He responded that he would need to find out all of the facts surrounding the situation and then make his decision.

I said that only one factual question is pertinent: who is the owner of the land?

Why do so many people get caught up in the minutia of this politically excited discussion, when it all boils down to property rights? Why don't the conservatives remain consistent in the supporting of property rights, especially in the context of their support of the constitution?

Could it be that conservatives have the same view of the constitution that liberals do, and that it is simply a trump card to pull out when necessary? If conservatives really wanted to remain consistent, they would support the right of a property owner to do what he wants on his land.

NH Cop Tasers MA Cop

2010-07-17T22:09:00.003-05:00

An off-duty New Hampshire cop Tasered an off-duty Massachusetts cop and was charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon.

This man has likely used the same Taser numerous times previously and not charged with the same crime. The same man does the same action with the same device, but not charged when on-duty. How does a costume and a badge absolve all culpability when causing harm to another individual?

St. Louis Police Cell Phone Use

2010-06-20T07:04:00.002-05:00

Over the last few days, I've seen several police officers driving their cruisers while talking on their cell phones. One can't help but wonder what makes this activity so dangerous when enacted by a mere mortal, but not when committed by a member of the elite ruling class (the state). To be true, driving while impaired or distracted IS dangerous. I wonder if any of the king's men would be held personally responsible if their distracted driving caused harm or even death to a member of the serfdom, or if they would have qualified immunity.

Iraq War Veteran Speaks the Truth

2010-06-03T22:24:00.004-05:00

Here is a great speech by a "true" hero. Forget the propaganda heard in the media about how "heroic" the troops are by "protecting our freedom" in the countless wars of aggression across the globe. A "true" hero knows when to abandon the lies that have been propagated, seek and find the truth, and then speak the truth in the face of adversity.

And for those keeping score, Obama is just as much of a warmonger as Bush. Perhaps worse because he cloaks the war rhetoric with the glimmer of the possibility that he wishes to end the wars. As I've said before, today's establishment Democrats are as "pro-peace" as the establishment Republicans are "pro-small-government."

Obama Fail

2010-05-21T17:36:00.003-05:00

Government, Violence, and Bill Clinton

2010-04-19T21:50:00.003-05:00

Here is a great article by Radley Balko on the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing and the government lead massacre in Waco, TX.

[hat tip to Jake]

"Liberty" Protestors Are Just Republican Hacks

2010-04-04T08:12:00.005-05:00

There was a group of people holding signs advocating "limited government" as my wife and I were driving past Walgreens in Wentzville, MO yesterday afternoon. Other signs read something to the effect of "We've had enough" and "We're not going to take it sitting down", etc. There was also an individual holding a flag pole with the US flag above the Gadsden "Don't Tread On Me" flag and other references to "liberty".

Intrigued, I circled back around in order to ask the group one simple question:

ME: Do you also support bringing home the troops?
MAN: Sure.
ME: Sure or yes?
MAN: Yes.
This conversation took place as I was yelling from my car at an intersection, so it didn't allow for further debate or questions. None was really needed as I got the answer of which I was afraid and suspected.

I must clarify that his tone as he answered with "sure" suggested that bringing home the troops was an afterthought. He answered "sure" as though I had just asked him if he wanted a second helping of mashed potatoes, hence the need for my follow up question.

Assuming this man speaks for the group, these are just more jaded Republicans upset because their brand of government expansion is not being implemented. I wonder where these protesters were as Bush grew the government for 8 years? Where were they when Bush suspended habeas corpus? Where were they when Bush invaded Iraq and Afghanistan? Where were they when Bush bailed out the big banks and auto makers?

I asked the question about the troops because Republicans only seem to start being concerned about "liberty" when domestic spending is increased, but have no problem with the US expanding the empire abroad. Until the Republicans are ready to understand what liberty truly is, I wish this word were expunged from their vocabulary in order to protect its definition.

My Suggestion for the Missouri Budget

2010-03-27T07:43:00.002-05:00

A friend wrote to inform me that Missouri legislators are asking the public to come up with ways that the state can save money during the current budget shortfall. There is a new link on the senate website called "rebooting government" where senate bureaucrat Charlie Shields allows the public to submit these ideas.

Here is my submission:

Senator Shields,

One of the largest and most ineffective expenditures in the Missouri budget is the "war on drugs". Missouri ranks in the top ten of states with the highest increase in number of prisons between 1979 and 2000. (http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/410994_mapping_prisons.pdf)

These prisons are seeing a large percentage of non-violent drug offenders. How long must we keep deluding ourselves to think this "war" is actually working? Is it worth the cost? More importantly, is it worth the number of lives that are ruined by the unnecessary and ridiculous imprisonment for the simple possession or inhalation of a plant?

Senator Shields, ask yourself this question: “Do I own my body?” If you answered “yes” to that question, then you must take the next logical step to understanding that if you own your own body, then your neighbor owns his. To be free, one must also let others be free to do as they please provided they are not harming others. There are already laws against causing harm to others and theft, which are common crimes that have become part and parcel of the drug culture because of its prohibition.

When any service or product is made illegal, it is pushed underground and thus removes the legal recourse to solve grievances and the access to the desired substances. This is what made Al Capone a very rich man because of his virtual monopoly on the violent means of solving “disputes” and providing a product that the people clearly want.

Legislation does not change behavior – there is no marked decrease in drug usage as a result of its prohibition. End the drug war. Stop caging our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors. Let people live how they want to live and do with their bodies as they choose, even if you personally disagree with their choice.

The simple dissolution of the drug war will create a state budget surplus, which means it is the right thing to do morally and financially.

Respectfully,

Jake Smith, St. Louis

And the Insane Drug War Continues...

2010-03-07T15:32:00.002-06:00

The writer of this article is lauding the snitch who gave cause for the tax feeding busy bodies with badges in Greensburg, IN to waste more tax payer money to continue the insane war on drugs. As is always the case with these tyrants, it would be easy to laugh at the way this was written if it weren't so tragic. Here are some excerpts:

Another tip from a watchful citizen early Tuesday morning brought the Greensburg Police Department closer to exterminating the drug problem in the city.

[As though the drug "problem" will ever be exterminated. How pathetic.]

In the interim period before the warrant was granted, the GPD kept a secure perimeter around the residence, making sure that no one went in or out of the apartment, Chief Heaton explained.

[A secure perimeter? For the "dangerous" marijuana smokers?]

“It definitely tied up our units (for about two hours),” Heaton said.

“The officers did a great job of identifying the odor and confirming the suspicious activity and suspicious noise,” Heaton said.

The Police Chief stressed again the importance of community involvement in a case such as this. Without the tip from the public, the alleged marijuana den might not have been uncovered and busted.

Why I'm Against Capital Punishment

2010-02-17T12:40:00.003-06:00

Jacob pointed me to this article at Reason.com where Radley Balko wrote about the staggering number of people who have been wrongfully convicted of a crime and later exonerated by DNA evidence. I used to be a ravenous advocator of the death penalty, seeking revenge on those convicted of capital offenses, but my opinion has changed over the years.

First, as Balko points out, the State gets it wrong too often. With the emergence of DNA testing, many wrongful convictions are now being revealed. How many more innocent people must be put to death before the pro-capital punishment crowd is convinced?

Another reason is that aggressive violence NEVER solves anything. This is not to say that one should not defend himself against an armed intruder if his life is in danger, but there is nothing defensive about putting a noose around a man’s neck, or in today’s terms, a needle in a man’s vein. Many supporters of the death penalty invoke a verse from the Bible that states, “an eye for an eye…”. Overlooked is that pesky passage from the Ten Commandments: “Thou Shalt Not Kill”.

I only reference the Bible in this application, because oddly, and sadly, there is a large contingent of death penalty supporters who align themselves with the Christian faith and use the Bible as the guide to which all things are measured – if it supports their particular side of the argument. (see Pro-lifers)

Most of all, I can’t think of a person less qualified to end a man’s life than a government bureaucrat. Those who truly support liberty cannot in good conscience support a system where the State is the arbiter of life and death, as this is the only collective group that lacks the incentive to reach the right conclusion in criminal justice cases.

Politically expedient and career driven prosecutors climb the ranks with convictions, not acquittals, and exonerating evidence is often suppressed in an effort to reach that conviction. Perhaps the solution would be to create a real incentive for prosecutors to get it right: negative personal consequences for those who have committed an act of willful negligence or other means of obstruction of justice leading to a wrongful conviction.

That’s right – the prosecutor must serve the sentence charged to the wrongfully convicted victim.

US Treasury: Pakistan Must Raise Taxes

2010-02-14T10:15:00.002-06:00

The empire commands its territories to raise taxes to help pay for ... the empire. And if the Pakistani government chooses not to? Well, the empire has an answer for such insubordination.

Green Police

2010-02-07T20:28:00.005-06:00

I'm watching the Superbowl and just saw the "Green Police" commercial from Audi. Is that some sick attempt at humor? With the police state as ragingly oppressive as it is, the ad wizards at Audi thought it would be a great idea to show a heavy handed police force tormenting the public for such innocuous "crimes" as choosing plastic bags over paper and using incandescent light bulbs? I'm not much for organized boycotts and I probably can't afford an Audi anyway, but rest assured they will never get a dime of my money.

Note: I am one of the biggest supporters of individuals choosing to act in an environmentally sensitive manner. Recycling has been a regular occurrence in my house for years.

"Pro-lifers" Are Hypocrites

2010-01-30T07:57:00.010-06:00

Hypocrisy and inconsistency are prevalent in today's world but the so-called "pro-lifers" are the biggest hypocrites of them all. Every Friday morning on my way to work, I drive past a group of picketers holding signs with messages against abortion, some containing extremely graphic depictions of the aborted fetuses, and others with the words "support life" or some variation thereof.

I don't have a problem with people wanting to support the unborn life of a child, and I certainly don't take issue with their right to peaceably assemble, provided they are not trespassing on private property. And I also think that being "pro-life" is a commendable position if applied consistently.

This is in no way a debate about the specific topic of abortion as too often people get caught up in the minutia of the details and lose sight of the big picture. I've come to this conclusion by critically looking at the issue of abortion and recognizing that certain people are always going to be "pro-life" and certain people are always going to be "pro-choice". The mere fact that the factions of support on both sides are so evenly distributed, one can conclude there is not a clear cut moral absolute when it comes to determining the beginning of life.

Contrast this divide to the practically unanimous moral conclusion that murder outside the womb is wrong and should not be tolerated. This should be the focus of the "pro-lifers" because the audience has overwhelmingly accepted that premise and no further effort need be exerted in the attempt of that persuasion.

So why don't more "pro-lifers" support the lives of Iraqis and Afghans? How many of these picketers set down their aborted fetus sign and pick up a peace sign on their way to a war protest?

It doesn't take an unreasonable level of assumption to conclude there's a strong correlation between those self described as "pro-life" and those who support the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and wherever else the US military holds occupation. This logic holds true with the subject of torture, about which I have previously written.

Where are the prominent "pro-life" leaders denouncing the mass killing done at the hands of the US government and its military? Why don't the Iraqis and Afghans get the same support as the fetuses? Do "pro-lifers" also support foreign fetuses?

As is the case with most collectivist-minded simpletons, thoughtless decisions are made based on groupings and borders, and those who reside on the "wrong" side of those borders are just "out of luck", I guess. So the lesson that must be learned is this: if you want to be protected by the "pro-lifers", don't reside on the wrong side of a womb wall or the wrong side of the United States border.

TSA Agent Played "Trick" on Passenger

2010-01-21T19:43:00.003-06:00

Rebecca Solomon, a 22-year-old student at the University of Michigan, was the victim of a prank by a TSA thug in the Philadelphia airport last December after he planted and pulled a plastic bag of white powder from her carry-on.

Of course, privacy law prevents the identification of this TSA menace or the alleged discipline he might have received, according to regional TSA spokesbureaucrat, Ann Davis.

Again, one of the many downsides of being a "have-not" in a world full of protected Federal "haves" armed with guns and badges. I'm sure Rebecca feels protected and served.

This is what is to be expected when you have Federal bureaucrats charged with the important task of airport security. Naturally, they have no incentive to actually protect the public from dangerous people, because, like all government programs, the lower the performance, the higher the budget. But at least they get paid to have fun and play pranks at the airport at the expense of the unwitting passengers, right?

Happy Martin Luther King Day

2010-01-18T21:34:00.002-06:00

My respect for Dr. King has increased greatly over the years as I have learned what this man accomplished using non-violent means. For those who say that you must only lobby congress to change harmful laws, look at how Dr. King and his followers were able to expose the discrimination authorized by the law using civil disobedience. Would the civil rights movement have gained any traction or accomplished any real change if Dr. King simply wrote his congressman to beg for the metaphorical whippings to stop? Though Dr. King did have his faults, he should be commended for not bowing down to the establishment and using non-violent noncompliance to achieve his goals.

American Needle vs NFL

2010-01-17T21:49:00.002-06:00

Here is some good commentary by Skip Olivo regarding the case of American Needle vs the NFL.

Audio Blog - Jan 10th

2010-01-14T19:45:00.006-06:00

New to the site is an audio blog. Click the following links to listen to the first episode from Jan 10th with Jake and Jason. Topics include wars, underwear bomber, our political journeys, and patriotism.

Part 1 (20 min)
Part 2 (20 min)
Part 3 (25 min)

New Subtitle On This Site

2010-01-09T04:13:00.004-06:00

The original subtitle of this blog read "A look at the absurdity of our elected and unelected leaders."

But then I realized this phrase contains two inexcusable errors. First, I fell into the very common collectivist trap with my usage of the word our. I didn't elect these tyrants and judging by the typical voter turnout, neither did the majority of the people. So how can they be our leaders?

Now let's address the term leader. According to dictionary.com, a leader is "a person or thing that leads." Lead is defined "to go before or with to show the way." This term is more aptly definitive of one who attracts respect and followers by using persuasion which in turn commands voluntary acquiescence.

Contrarily, the term government is defined as "the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states." Using this definition, one need not possess any real leadership skills, only a demented desire to control others using force and coercion. In other words, a "mobster".

Therefore, effectively immediately, the new subtitle of this blog will be a personal quote: "The problem with giving the state arbitrary power is they wield their power arbitrarily."

Mike Birbiglia - Deck Accomplished

2010-01-02T09:48:00.003-06:00

Here is a hilarious clip by comedian Mike Birbiglia about the absurd Bush (now Obama) propaganda with regard to the war(s) and supporting the troops.

Jokes.com

Mike Birbiglia - Deck Accomplished

comedians.comedycentral.com

Joke of the Day

Stand-Up Comedy

Free Online Games

Illinois Residents Now Have 270+ More Laws To Follow

2010-01-02T07:34:00.000-06:00

I'm sure that the residents of Illinois now feel safer, since, as we all know, writing words on paper creates reality. People's behavior can immediately and systematically be altered by the mere stroke of a bureaucrat's pen. It's magic!

American Troops Accused of Killing Afghan Civilians, Including Children

2010-01-01T19:07:00.003-06:00

Move along people. Nothing to see here. The US military members are the good guys. They're the guys wearing the white hats, right? I mean, they wouldn't act like a bunch of barbaric, maniacal animals, would they?

Newark Offering $1000 To Turn in your Neighbor

2009-12-27T06:33:00.002-06:00

The self-absorbed head bureaucrat in Newark, NJ is stealing money from the willful tax payers to give to incentivized busy-bodies for informing the government parasites of people freely exercising a right allegedly guaranteed to them by a piece of paper that is claimed to be pretty important by other government people. (As if one needs to be "given a right" by words on paper.)

I love how the mayor says "I'm offering you", as though it is his money to give. That guy hasn't made an honest dollar in a long time.

Jack Bauer Interrogates Santa Claus

2009-12-19T17:17:00.003-06:00

It's OK, though, because I'm sure that Santa was a suspected terrorist. Once that label has been applied, any rulebook or common human decency is thrown out. After all, the US government bureaucrats wouldn't label someone a terrorist who actually wasn't, would they?

Ben Bernanke: Time Magazine's Person of the Year

2009-12-16T17:55:00.004-06:00

Time Magazine has nominated Helicopter Ben as the person of the year. Despite the fact that present-day United State (intentionally singular) kings and "nobles" like to fancy today's government system as more progressive than the "barbaric" and "uncivilized" feudal system of yesteryear, CNN refers to Bernanke as "our mild-mannered economic overlord".

Well, give them points for honesty.

[hat tip to Jason]

See my previous postings on the Federal Reserve here.

Also of note: one of the runners up was Stanley McChrystal, a sadist tasked with the responsibility of spreading the empire and killing those unfortunate enough to be born on a different plot of soil.

UPDATE: click here to see Time Magazine's comically deceptive description of how the Federal Reserve works. This video is consistently effective in communicating truths, provided the viewer knows how to translate: believe the exact opposite of what is seen and heard.

Collateral Damage?

2009-12-14T22:59:00.003-06:00

Is this one of the eggs broken to make the omelet for the US government and its band of mercenaries?

[picture from Laurence Vance at lewrockwell.com]

Senate Approves $1.1 Trillion Spending Bill

2009-12-13T23:47:00.003-06:00

The Senate on Sunday passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill with increased budgets for vast areas of the federal government, including health, education, law enforcement and veterans' programs.

Politicians playbook:
Step 1) Make a bunch of campaign promises in order to get elected.
Step 2) Create a bunch of laws and regulations that prohibit innovation and real economic prosperity.
Step 3) Spend a bunch of tax payer money in order to appease the masses.
Step 4) Blame the lack of laws and regulations and the free market when the economy tanks.
Step 5) Even though the government debt is astronomical, get the media to spread the message that the market failed and more government intervention and spending is necessary to bring the country out of the recession.
Step 6) Continue to spend a bunch of tax payer money in order to appease the masses. After all, you can't be the politician in office who tells the dependent sheeple that the spending has been cut to their programs because the money simply isn't there.
Step 7) Convince the masses that your party will take care of them better than the other party.
Step 8) Act exactly like the other party and spend like a college student with daddy's credit card.
Step 9) Repeat from the top each election cycle.

(Don't forget to keep spending billions of dollars overseas in order to feed the empire.)

This irresponsibility on such a large scale is simply a microcosm of the American mentality that one can spend his/her way to prosperity. See: the failed ideas of John Maynard Keynes.

Prominent Liberals Criticize Obama's Afghanistan Strategy

2009-12-06T08:26:00.004-06:00

In a previous posting, I stated the Democrats and the mainstream media do not speak out against Obama when he continues to expand the empire through war and implored the "legitimate pro-peace Democrats and media" to prove me wrong.

Over the past week, some prominent liberals have come out against the supposed "president of peace" and his continued warmongering in Afghanistan. I am pleasantly surprised and want to give credit to those members of the Left who are showing some principle.

Here is Jon Stewart's humorous critique:

Here is Rachel Maddow's critique on her MSNBC show: (hat tip to Phil)

Michael Moore also wrote an open letter on his website where he asks Obama if he really wants to be the next war president.

Jury Nullification

2009-12-04T18:08:00.002-06:00

Here is a great article written by Russ Emal about jury nullification, whereby a juror can acquit a defendant despite that defendant's violation of some words written on paper by a bunch of bureaucrats.

Obama = Peace?

2009-12-02T18:29:00.002-06:00

I saw a bumper sticker this morning that had Obama's name and the "O" had a "peace" sign in the middle of it.

Now THAT is just downright comical.

Obama to Send 30,000 More Troops to Afghanistan

2009-12-01T19:05:00.002-06:00

As Obama continues in the exact foot steps of the warmonger Bush, how is it that he gets a free pass from the mainstream media and the so-called peace activists?

Is the desire to eradicate thousands of brown people in a foreign land exclusively a Republican stance? Could it be that Obama and the rest of his Democrat buddies simply share the same insatiable desire to wield their power over others and continue to reward their connected coherts in the military industrial complex?

When will people realize that there is NO DIFFERENCE between Republicans and Democrats? Sure, they toss around the political footballs of abortion, capital punishment, health care, etc. But when it comes to spreading the empire, they are all cut from the same cloth.

Legitimate pro-peace Democrats and media, prove me wrong. I've lost all hope for the Republicans and neoconservatives.

UPDATE 12/6/09

Black Friday

2009-11-27T18:11:00.002-06:00

Today is Black Friday - the day that millions of Americans buy useless consumer products they don't need with money they don't have.

I heard a radio DJ today say that Americans are out there "shopping till they drop and doing their part to help the economy". This kind of thinking is very typical yet doesn't even hold water in a simple cursory logic test. If spending is indicative of a flourishing economy, then there has never been a more "prosperous" economy in the history of the world.

Red Light Cameras: Ineffective At Preventing Crashes

2009-11-24T19:22:00.000-06:00

Surprise, surprise. The red light cameras have been ineffective at preventing crashes and are simply a way for the state to extort more money from its victims. Brought to you by the People's Republic of Illinois.

Bring The Troops Home

2009-11-21T11:29:00.004-06:00

The United States military occupies over 150 countries throughout the world, and the warmongers on both sides of the political aisle want to keep adding to this number. The current question looming among the Obama administration is not how to bring the troops home from Afghanistan, but how many extra troops should be sent there.

Is the US empire not big enough? Has the US government and their mercenaries not killed and pillaged enough? Have the US taxpayers not had enough tax dollars extracted? Has the US dollar not been devalued enough because of the unprecedented creation of new money to pay for these occupations?

Freedom cannot be found by forcing it upon other people who may do things differently. In order to be free, one must let others also be free.

Amos Lee - "Freedom"

don't wanna be a martyr in this war
don't wanna hear the same excuses anymore
that everything's a threat and it's only gonna get worse if we let it

don't wanna blame the rich for what they got
don't point a finger at the poor for what they have not
though the politician and the priest live in the belly of the beast because we fed it

freedom is seldom found by beatin someone to the ground
tellin em how everything is gonna be now, yeah,

now if the tables were turned tell me how you would feel
somebody busted up into your house tellin you to stay still
while the leaders will deny defeat the innocent they testify by dyin in the street

freedom is seldom found by beatin someone to the ground
tellin em how everything is gonna be
freedom is seldom found by beatin someone to the ground
tellin em how everything is gonna be now

Support "Our" Troops

2009-11-17T19:05:00.000-06:00

See the following email from Robert Katz to Butler Shaffer as posted on Lewrockwell.com. What a logical and concise presentation of the loss of individuality regarding the collectivist propaganda surrounding the military and the public support thereof.

Support Our Troops, Why Not?

To Whom It May Concern:

I’m letting you know, whoever you are, that I support our troops—yours and mine. Now this is not at all a hard decision to make. As a matter of fact, there is nothing to decide at all. All things considered, I doubt whether you yourself guide any soldiers whatsoever. As for me, I say unequivocally that I direct no soldiers at all. So even if I’m wrong, and it turns out that you do manage one, a few, or even many soldiers, and since I regulate none and consider it unlikely that you’ll let me share command of any of yours, it follows that the number of troops that are under our common control is zero. In other words, we (you and I) don’t have any troops. So what difference can it make whether or not I support something that doesn’t exist?

It’s amazing how much politics and mathematics have in common. It’s equally amazing that an overwhelming number of private citizens don’t understand that first and foremost they are individuals who have not even an iota of significance to government machinations.

I haven't been called "un-American" in a while or told to "love it or leave it", either. Maybe someone can enlighten me as to why I should continue to support the paid mercenaries killing brown people in a far away land. And by "support", I'm referring to the emotional and/or political support of the troops, not the extraction of my money through taxation which finances these wars of aggression. That question has already been answered: men with guns will come to my house, kidnap and throw me in a cage if I decide not to pay for the eradication of people who happen to be born on a different plot of land.

2007 Obama: "I Will Get Our Troops Home..."

2009-11-15T19:09:00.004-06:00

"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank."

Another campain (spelling intentional) promise broken by another appeasing politician. Obama is no different than any other bureaucrat and it is so unfortunate, yet predictable, that he picked up the warmongering where Bush left off. The Democrats are no more the "party of peace" than the Republicans are "small government conservatives".

British Man Faces 5 Years in Prison...For Handing Gun to Police

2009-11-12T21:08:00.003-06:00

Paul Clarke, 27, was found guilty of possessing a firearm at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday – after finding the gun and handing it personally to police officers on March 20 this year.

The jury took 20 minutes to make its conviction, and Mr Clarke now faces a minimum of five year's imprisonment for handing in the weapon.

Prosecuting, Brian Stalk, explained to the jury that possession of a firearm was a "strict liability" charge – therefore Mr Clarke's allegedly honest intent was irrelevant.

Just by having the gun in his possession he was guilty of the charge, and has no defense in law against it, he added.

Judge Christopher Critchlow said: "This is an unusual case, but in law there is no dispute that Mr Clarke has no defense to this charge.

This is what happens in a one-size-fits-all bureaucratic system of "law" that does not allow individuals to think for themselves.

"If you don't like the law, you just need to change it!" say the statist apologists. Tell that to Paul Clarke who will now be kidnapped and placed in a cage because the "law" could not accommodate for his situation and the robot prosecutor and judge are spineless.

If it were me sitting on that jury, I would have fought for a different outcome.

Happy Veterans Day

2009-11-11T17:53:00.002-06:00

The best way to honor them: BRING THEM HOME!

Afghanistan War is Useless

2009-10-29T19:05:00.002-05:00

So opines Ralph Peters. Peters' piece in the NY Post is written in a style that reminds one of a conversation with a friend - it feels informal, like it's from the heart.

I’ve selected three quotes from the article which are very astute and deviate from the typical war-mongering cries from the media to which we’ve come so accustomed.

Now we are warned that, unless we send another 40,000 US troops to convince Afghans we're their friends, unspecified woes will fall upon us like biblical plagues.

The generals refuse to recognize that, from the local viewpoint, the Taliban are the patriots. We're the Redcoats.

So our troops hold their fire and die to protect Afghan villagers who back the Taliban and to protect an Afghan government the people despise. How, exactly, does this advance our national security?

Peters was doing so well until the final four paragraphs where he apparently realized that he was, in fact, a member of the main stream media and the day ended in ‘Y’. A leopard never truly loses its spots, no? Peters feigns the idea of peace (but only against the Taliban) but continues the war cries against the American boogieman: al Qaeda.

Why, according to Peters, are the Taliban patriots but al Qaeda must be eradicated? Is al Qaeda’s skin browner than the Taliban’s?

Peters wrote:
Killing our nation's enemies always makes sense. [his emphasis]

There are so many things wrong with that simple, but powerful, sentence.
First, who gets to decide who “our nation’s” enemies are?
More to the point, who is this collective that Peters has failed to identify that obviously makes up the “our”?
By virtue of the fact that I was born on this land mass known as America, am I to be lumped in with “our”?
If I am part of “our”, am I to wait until I have been given direction by some person or some group of persons so that I can be enlightened as to who “our”/my enemy is?
What if I don’t agree with the fact that someone or group of persons has been labeled as “our” enemy?
Does killing them still “always make sense”?

Tell that to the Japanese Americans during WWII.

Nullification in Ohio

2009-10-27T20:10:00.004-05:00

The bureaucrats in the State of Ohio have introduced the "Firearms Freedom Act" which seeks to “... provide that ammunition, firearms, and firearm accessories that are manufactured and remain in Ohio are not subject to federal laws and regulations derived under Congress’ authority to regulate interstate commerce and to require the words “Made in Ohio” be stamped on a central metallic part of any firearm manufactured and sold in Ohio.”

The Federal Government, by way of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms expressed its own view of the Tenth Amendment this week when it issued an open letter to ‘all Tennessee Federal Firearms Licensees’ in which it denounced the opinion of Beavers and the Tennessee legislature. ATF assistant director Carson W. Carroll wrote that ‘Federal law supersedes the Act’, and thus the ATF considers it meaningless.

Don't you Buckeyes feel so well "represented"? I can just hear the shouts now:

"We need to throw the rascals out! These current bureaucrats are violating our rights so we need to replace them with a different set of bureaucrats who can violate our rights in a different way!"

The bureaucrats in Ohio have done the right thing which is to ignore the Feds, or at least they pretend that they are going to. But what are they going to do when the Feds inevitably threaten to cut their federal funding if they don't play nice? Will they have the brass to hold firm to their convictions (if you can call them that) and continue to extend the middle finger to DC?

We shall see. In the mean time, let this be a lesson to all you "Constitutionalists" out there who think that a piece of paper can somehow prevent the bureaucrats from becoming tyrannical.

Sure, the Constitution has a lot of history behind it, it was signed by a bunch of very hallowed dead guys, and I'm sure it looks very important behind the glass and lights for the tourists at the National Archives. But reality has shown that it really isn't worth the parchment on which it's written.

Lysander Spooner said, "...whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist."

The Constitution: a non-binding contract

2009-10-25T20:24:00.004-05:00

Here is a great article written by Russell D. Longcore that may make you reconsider your thoughts about the US Constitution and its ability to effectively control tyrannical government. It also offers up some tactical advice to Texas in the wake of secession talk.

Libertarian Rap: Neema V - "I Own Me"

2009-09-30T23:10:00.001-05:00

Police Taser an Emu

2009-09-23T18:30:00.000-05:00

Do you think the bird will be charged with “resisting arrest” or “obstruction of justice”, which is simply a fancy way of describing the “disobedience of a police officer”.

Plaxico Burress Goes To Jail Today

2009-09-22T22:08:00.002-05:00

Plaxico Burress begins his two year prison sentence today for violating the arbitrarily set law by some New York bureaucrats when he shot himself in the leg. Can someone please point out the victim of this alleged "crime"?

Drug Police Play Wii During Raid

2009-09-22T19:22:00.001-05:00

Tampa Bay drugs cops stopped to play Wii bowling during a raid of an alleged purveyor of non-FDA approved pharmaceuticals. Once again we see the outcome of a never ending drug "war". These are not simply one-off situations of bad decision making by a few select cops. This is a systematic problem that is inherent in any protection agency that is run by a coercive monopoly, the state.

Chicago Cop Handcuffs Nurse At ER

2009-09-22T18:17:00.001-05:00

A head emergency room nurse at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital has sued the city and a Chicago Police officer for handcuffing her and putting her in the back of a squad car during a dispute over drawing blood from a suspected drunken driver.

A Summary of Politics from Always Sunny

2009-09-20T10:07:00.002-05:00

Here is a summary of politics and politicians from the funny folks at It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. [language NSFW]

Police Shoot Fire Chief Over Ticket Dispute

2009-09-04T00:55:00.005-05:00

Jericho, AR Fire Chief, Don Payne went to court to protest a ticket and was met with a bullet from one of the seven police officers, the city's entire force.

Now the police chief has disbanded his force "until things calm down," a judge has voided all outstanding police-issued citations and sheriff's deputies are asking where all the money from the tickets went. With 174 residents, the city can keep seven police officers on its rolls but missed payments on police and fire department vehicles and saw its last business close its doors a few weeks ago.

Quick math: 7 police officers for 174 residents. That's one cop per 25 residents. I bet they feel extra "served".

Swine Flu Provides New Government Powers

2009-09-03T19:39:00.000-05:00

As with any tragedy (see: 9/11), the government seizes the opportunity to expand its role into the people's lives -- the swine flu is the next example.

A "pandemic response bill" currently making its way through the Massachusetts state legislature would allow authorities to forcefully quarantine citizens in the event of a health emergency, compel health providers to vaccinate citizens, authorize forceful entry into private dwellings and destruction of citizen property and impose fines on citizens for noncompliance.

If citizens refuse to comply with isolation or quarantine orders in the event of a health emergency, they may be imprisoned for up to 30 days and fined $1,000 per day that the violation continues.

That's it, citizens. Just lie down and take it like a good slave. Government always knows best. Help me, Government! George Orwell predicted this.

H/T to Bird

New Jersey Man Charge With DUI...After Being Found Lying Next to His Parked Car

2009-09-03T18:02:00.001-05:00

A New Jersey man has felt the long arm of the oppressive state after being charged with DUI and careless driving -- while lying next to his parked car. Sounds to me like he did the responsible thing and parked it instead of driving home. But alas, we are in a recession afterall, and the state coffers are depleted.

Police Acted "Properly" Says Panel of ... other Police

2009-09-02T21:18:00.004-05:00

COLUMBIA [MO] — An internal investigation by the Columbia Police Department has found no wrongdoing by two officers who used pepper spray and a Taser on Columbia resident Carl Alan Giles, 27, during his Aug. 1 arrest outside the Cafe Berlin.

Giles was arrested that night in an alley south of Cafe Berlin at 21 N. Providence Road on suspicion of public urination and resisting arrest.

Imagine that - a police "internal investigation" determined that fellow police officers acted "properly". Behold, the thin blue line.

Ted Kennedy: Tyrant

2009-08-26T20:25:00.000-05:00

Here is a great piece by Tom DiLorenzo written in 2001 about the former Massachusetts bureaucrat.

Girl Find $50 for Operating a Lemonade Stand Without a License

2009-08-20T20:19:00.002-05:00

A 10-year-old New York girl has been fined for operating a lemonade stand without paying the extortion fee to the organized crime syndicate known as the government.

Taser = Torture

2009-08-17T22:32:00.003-05:00

Here is a great article by Digby about the ever more common use of the Taser. The sheeple, of course, don't see anything wrong with this, but they also don't see anything wrong with torture.

Facebook is "Racist"

2009-08-08T07:51:00.003-05:00

Here is a great piece from Karen De Coster about how the diversity police are now targeting Facebook as a racist social networking site for white people.

California City Shuts Down Girl's Lemonade Stand

2009-08-06T19:01:00.001-05:00

A bureaucrat and his gang of racketeers from the city of Tulare, CA made certain that an 8-year-old girl could not raise the money to pay for her trip to Disneyland because she didn't pay the extortion money (license fee) to the city.

St. Louis County Smoking Ban

2009-08-05T18:48:00.003-05:00

Last night I went to the St. Lous county council meeting to show my opposition to the proposed smoking ban bill that was being voted on by the council members. This was my first visit to a county council meeting and my perception of the council members’ competence was confirmed.

The evening events got started when I received an email from Campaign for Liberty so I called one of the organizers whose name was listed at the bottom. I had pretty much already decided that I was going to attend the council meeting but I wanted to get a quick preview of what goes on at these things since I had never been. The organizer gave me a quick preview and also encouraged me to call my councilwoman, which I did and left a message with her assistant urging her to vote against the smoking ban. (Note: I normally don't condone begging the slavemasters to decrease the whippings but I decided that this was something I was going to try.)

Point of information: last night’s bill was to decide whether or not the smoking ban initiative would be put on the November ballot for the voters to decide. There were also two substitute bills to the original bill which included different exemptions, including casinos, bars, etc. To be honest, I didn’t read or care who was exempted from the ban; the whole thing is garbage.

When Amanda (my fiance) and I got down to the county government center in Clayton, there was a fairly large group of people holding signs that read “Honk if you want a smoke-free STL.” I didn’t see any signs that read “Honk if you respect private property rights.”

Several hundred people were crammed into the council room and about 70 of us got up and spoke before the council. Although a two minute limit for speeches was implemented, numerous people went over. There was a large group of ban supporters who of course demonstrated the health concerns of smoking and breathing second hand smoke, etc. Doctors, nurses, and members of various health groups peppered the lineup. There were several that really pulled at your heart strings about how this would affect their children, and there was a very emotional lung cancer survivor who was literally throwing herself around uncontrollably at the podium. She said she wanted this bill to pass so bad that “she could just pass out”. About half the crowd was rooting for the latter.

On the other side of the debate there were numerous bar owners speaking out against the ban and discussed how it would affect their business and how jobs would be lost. In a way, I think it’s a good strategy because that’s really the only angle that has a chance at convincing these bureaucrats since they don’t want to be the politician at the helm when jobs are lost (and tax revenue is also lost). Lord knows that the principled stance – trying to convince them that it’s just flat out wrong to tell a person what he or she can do on their own property – will never work with them because pandering, not principle, is what gets one re-elected.

I do, however, have a big problem with these restaurant owners that showed up and gave the following remarks:
- I would support a ban if you would remove the exemptions for the casinos.
- I would support a ban if you would make it state-wide because I lose business to the neighboring county where there isn’t a smoking ban.

This isn’t principled at all. This partially makes me wonder why the hell I would take an entire evening to go down and support the position of the restaurant owners when they are solely concerned with their bottom line and lack the principle that only a few of us have.

And there was another group down there that I have little tolerance of: the casino members. There was a large number of people from Harrah’s (including the guys sitting next to me) that, from what I could tell, came down to either (A) oppose the ban, or (B) support a ban with the casino exemption. Actually, I’m quite sure it was for B. What does this make them? It makes them the same type of pigs that huddle around the government trough trying to get the bureaucrats to affect change that is beneficial for them.

One of the ladies who spoke in favor of the ban mentioned that the council should be aware that Harrah’s paid its employees to attend the meeting wearing their Harrah’s shirts. I turned to the guy next to me and asked if this was true and he just shrugged without giving me a real answer. I think I got my answer.

There were also several people who got up and spoke in favor of putting it to the popular vote. They were obviously in favor of the ban but they were disguising their position with the cloak of democracy. And in America, who isn’t going to support the American religion of democracy – the cure for all ailments? What if I tried to introduce a bill that would put the legality of murder on the ballot for public vote? Do you think these same fans of democracy would support me? Democracy is simply two wolves and a sheep voting on who’s going to be dinner.

After all the speeches were given, Councilman O’Mara gave a very candid speech to the council members and the congregation where he stated that he didn’t even know what was in this bill because they were just handed a copy of the finalized revision that day. He admitted that this bill was proposed purely out of political reasons and proposed tabling the vote and sending it to the Health and Justice council so that they could work out some details and find more compromise. Then Chairwoman Erby got a chance to speak where she stated that she supported the ban but was also unsure of what the bill contained. Another councilwoman had to ask the bill’s sponsor, Councilwoman Fraser, a question about who was exempted. These elected officials are voting on a measure when even they have no idea what’s in it.

O’Mara’s proposal to table the bill was voted down 4-3. The main bill was then voted on where I believe it was actually voted down 4-3. Councilman Stenger voted no but only so he could vote yes on the Substitute #2 bill which included the casino exemption – this passed 4-3. I saw on the news later that the ward Stenger represents just got a new casino – I guess that answers that question. He has to take care of the ones that take care of him.

In conclusion, the bill passed which means that it will likely be on the November ballot for the public to vote on. I was disappointed for a little while but that quickly subsided because this is what I have come to expect. The people will not be happy until they are completely eating out of the government’s hand and must ask permission to do anything. It would be somewhat comical if it weren’t so tragic and didn’t affect so many people’s lives who want nothing to do with this band of thieves and thugs.

(Here is the article from the STL Post.)

Here is the speech that I gave: (Amanda said that the applause I received was only surpassed by a middle school aged girl who got up and spoke out against the ban. I’ll admit – her speech was amazing. I’ll gladly play second fiddle to her.)

Let me first start by saying
* I am a non-smoker.
* I don’t own a restaurant or bar.
* I have no personal or explicit financial interest in whether or not people are allowed to smoke in bars or restaurants.

* I’m not going to tell you that there aren’t health implications for those who smoke.
* And I’m not going to tell you that there aren’t health implications for those who breathe second hand smoke.
* To me, this has nothing to do with health and everything to do with personal property rights.

* When people come to my house, they have to abide by the rules that I set up. If I say there are no shoes to be worn on my new floors, then check them at the door or leave.

* If a business owner sets up rules in his or her establishment, those rules are to be respected.

* What gives 4 out of 7 people the right to infringe upon the rights of others?

* Martin Niemoller – German pastor during the 30s and 40s said the following:
-First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist.
-Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Trade Unionist.
-Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.
-Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.

Business owners and smokers are the persecuted group today and I am here to speak out for them.

US Air Force is Developing a Decision-making Attack Drone

2009-07-29T18:41:00.001-05:00

In an effort to further distance themselves from the inhumanity of killing, the US Air Force is developing technology that would allow unmanned drones to make the decision on whether or not to launch an attack.

It's bad enough when someone can be executed by some nerd playing a lethal video game on the other side of the world, but now these war mongers would be able to shift the responsibility to an emotionless robot. But that's pretty much what the bulk of the military is anyway: mindless followers.

Police Taser Deaf and Disabled Man

2009-07-28T12:30:00.002-05:00

Police pepper sprayed then tasered a deaf and mentally handicapped man after demanding that he leave a store's restroom in Mobile, AL.

"Police spokesman Christopher Levy says police didn't realize [Antonio] Love had a hearing impairment until after he was out of the bathroom. The officers' conduct is under investigation."

First, the gang of violent thieves in police costumes perpetrate unspeakable acts of aggression against this poor man, but don't worry - an "investigation" will be held. The police officers will go before a board of other police officers - I'm sure that justice will be served.

"The newspaper says the officers attempted to book Love on charges including disorderly conduct, but a magistrate on duty wouldn't accept the charges."

These thugs STILL wanted to book Love for disorderly conduct?! This is the catch-all charge that the police use if they feel their authority is being threated. It's the equivalent of a 5-year-old throwing a temper tantrum and calling someone a meany-head.

UPDATED: Harvard Cop Was Out of Line

2009-07-27T19:26:00.002-05:00

I had previously written about the Harvard cop who violated the rights of a professor.

See Roderick Long's piece at aaeblog.com
Also see this piece at radgeek.com

Harvard Cop Was Out of Line

2009-07-24T17:44:00.004-05:00

A lot has been said about the arrest of Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. by Cambridge police officer James Crowley who was responding to a call of an alleged break in.

"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," [Crowley] said, according to the report.

This officer was just upset that his subject didn't bow down and kiss his feet like he has come to expect from the rest of people. Once this tax critter realized that Gates was admittedly "lawfully in the residence", then he should have turned around and walked away. His presence is was escalated the situation.

I don't particularly condone Professor Gates' combative nature but I can't necessarily blame him considering there was an intruder in his home who would not leave. I'm more disappointed at how this has become a race issue which has only distracted the majority of people who don't recognize where the true battle lines are drawn: the king and his men versus the rest of the serfdom.

UPDATE: 7/27/09
See Roderick Long's piece at aaeblog.com
Also see this piece at radgeek.com

But What About The Poor?

2009-07-23T18:43:00.005-05:00

"What about the poor?"

This is a phrase commonly heard when one presents the idea that the private sector is perfectly capable of handling the needs of the poor instead of the mandatory "service" provided by the State. It should be noted that churches, charities, other private endeavors provided this service for the poor long before the State got involved and continued to do so until not long ago, despite what has been propagandized.

It is to be expected that a society would want to take care of those less fortunate and is perfectly exemplified when the poor are one of the first concerns noted by the detractors of a system that no longer espouses the use of force to take from those who have to give to those who have not.

Since we can all agree that the poor are to be taken care of, why then would this universally held value evaporate once this service is removed from the endless list of State responsibilities? Do we only help the poor because we have no choice? You cannot collectively (and correctly) identify the notion that there is a moral obligation to care for those in need yet at the same time believe that this responsibility goes away once it is no longer compulsory.

And from a fiscal perspective, the society will have more money to help support the poor if it is no longer being robbed by the parasites in the government. Private companies have a financial responsibility to use funds efficiently, but the State lacks this incentive since the market signals of profit and loss no longer apply. What happens when a State agency does not perform the duty or provide the service for which it has been commissioned? The State demands more money!

To paraphrase Walter E. Williams: To take from a man without consent to give to another man in need is theft. But a man who gives to another man in need is commendable.

The US Is Spending $3 Trillion Per Year More Than 1945...

2009-07-21T19:19:00.001-05:00

...when the US was fighting WWII, and more than $1 trillion more than 2008. All we need to do is to elect the "right" government bureaucrats, right Republicans?

Who else is ready for a divorce?

God Bless Our...Snipers?

2009-07-17T20:16:00.002-05:00

As I was driving today, I got behind a truck that appeared to be a Republican version of a hippie VW only with a different variety of bumper stickers. Alongside the four "Support the troops" ribbons and the two "Marine" decals was a bumper sticker that can only be described as troubling: "God bless our troops. Especially our snipers."

OK, I'll bite. As if it needs to be dissected beyond the obvious abhorrent message being presented, let's address the idea that God would not only support, but bless, murderers for hire. It's bad and deceitful enough when the war mongering propagandists parade out photos of the troops shaking hands with their confused conquests and hand candy to foreign children. But it's another level of repugnant to suggest that God blesses the vile state-sponsored assassins that even the most gifted spin artists would have trouble painting in a chivalrous manner.

And let's go further to dispel the collectivist myth that these are somehow "our" snipers. I don't support the theft of my money to pay mercenaries to invade foreign lands and kill men, women, and children who I have never met nor wish any harm.

Homeless Man Jailed For Not Paying Child Support..

2009-07-16T19:09:00.001-05:00

...for a "son" that even the Georgia court acknowledges wasn't his.

Even after learning he was not the father, Hatley paid thousands of dollars the state said he owed for support. After losing his job and becoming homeless, he still made payments out of his unemployment benefits.

“This is a case of excessive zeal to recover money trumping common sense,” she said. “What possible legitimate reason can the state have to pursue Mr. Hatley for child support when he does not have any children?”

It may be difficult for Hatley to get out from under the court order, said Atlanta family lawyer Randall Kessler, who is not associated with the case. “It’s definitely unfair,” Kessler said. “But at the same time, he’s dealing with a valid court order.”

A valid court order? The court itself acknowledged that the child was not Mr. Hatley's yet it had no problem throwing this man in a cage. Forget the fact that they are putting an innocent man in prison (which is aggregious enough!), what kind of sense does it make to remove a man's ability to pay back "owed" money and in fact will only cost more money to house in a jail cell?

Point of information: the $16,398 that was supposedly "owed" for child support was not "owed" to the mother of the child - it was "owed" to the state. But then again, the state might as well be a mother - that's how they are viewed by the masses.

"Criminal" Catches Fish That Is 2" Too Small

2009-07-15T19:28:00.001-05:00

A Brevard County, FL man was arrested after one of the state's minions boarded his boat and explained that the measurement must extend to the fork of the fish's tail, not the tip.

As is always the case with the thieves who work for the king, this is all about collecting money for the throne. I find it hilarious that the article reads "But the judge spared him jail time." Well, bless his heart for not throwing a man in a cage for catching a fish that "violated" the arbitrarily set dictate.

City With The Most Available Jobs: Washington DC

2009-07-14T18:20:00.001-05:00

Washington DC has the most abundant job postings per capita according to a report by Indeed.com.

This is to be expected when the tax parasites in DC do not have to tighten their belts like the rest of the productive private sector.

When is enough, People? At what point will you reach your threshhold and join the many who are advocating a complete divorce from DC? When will you stop turning to the [whichever political party is not in power at the given time] party to request for the whippings to decrease?

"Terrorists" Behead Statue of Liberty Replica

2009-07-10T18:47:00.001-05:00

A replica of the Statue of Liberty was stolen from outside a Brooklyn coffee shop and decapitated and a video posted to Youtube.

As Liberty's head is being sawed off in the video, the words, "We don't want your freedom" are flashed on the screen.

But wait, I thought that the "terrorists" hated us because this is what their evil religion teaches them. Could it be that they just don't want to be force-fed democracy and "freedom" at the point of a gun?

I don't advocate the use of non-self defensive violence or aggression by anyone, including (and especially) thugs calling themselves "the government". However, there are other freedom lovers that want to be left alone and DO advocate the use of violence to affect change. I agree with their message but not with their implementation.

One also can't help but view this demonstration as an accurate metaphor of the state of liberty in America: deceased.