Dragonforce- when caffeine just isn’t enough to get you going.

My browser is getting pretty full, and of course, a lot of those are links to articles from Reason. So, in the interest of closing browser tabs…

Irish democracy lives in New Zealand. Since the nation is pretty much an archipelago, I wonder how many “tragic boating accidents” gun owners have had down there.

From the Volokh Conspiracy comes an article about why we shouldn’t treat victims as policy experts. Both sides do it, and it’s just as wrong. Can victims become policy experts? Of course. However, using their stories to drive public policy is not a good idea. Laws named after victims are never good.

Clarence Thomas rarely speaks during SCOTUS sessions so he can bring his full force in written word. At least, that’s my head cannon. He’s disappointed me some over the last few years, but he’s still my favorite justice. Although Gorsich is quickly coming up fast.

Another good article on getting rid of qualified immunity. It’s a legal principle made up of whole cloth by judges to protect prosecutors and cops. Let the whole thing go over to the malpractice world, like most other professions.

Confessions Of a Former Climate Skeptic. A lot of folks I know think climate change is a hoax. Or if not a hoax, then it’s not as bad as the dire projections (some truth to that). I blame the activist scientists for that. The ones who immediately said that economies must be wrecked through invasive government schemes in the hopes that the Iron Law Of Bureaucracy can be subverted in this one instance. Unfortunately for both sides, climate change is real, but government cannot get us out of it. Human ingenuity and bringing people out of poverty are the keys.

Finally, we have a new law that stops the IRS from stealing money from people who have not broken the law. It’s like you need an actual crime to take people’s stuff.

When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar; you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.

Saw this on Facebook. Unfortunately, I don’t know who was the original author to give proper credit. Still, they bear reminding.

1. Thou shall not attack the person’s character, but the argument. (Ad hominem)
2. Thou shall not misrepresent or exaggerate a person’s argument in order to make them easier to attack. (Straw man fallacy)
3. Thou shall not use small numbers to represent the whole. (Hasty generalization)
4. Thou shall not argue thy position by assuming one of its premises is true. (Begging the question)
5. Thou shall not claim that because something has occurred before, it must be the cause. (Post Hoc / False Cause)
6. Thou shall not reduce the argument down to two possibilities. (False dichotomy)
7. Thou shall not argue that because of ignorance, claim must be true or false. (Ad ingorantum)
8. Thou shall not lay the burder of proof onto him that is questioning the claim. (Burder of proof reversal.)
9. Thou shall not assume “this” follows “that” when it has no logical connection. (Non sequitur)
10. Thou shall not claim that because a premise is popular, therefore it must be true. (Bandwagon fallacy)

Solid Iron Maiden, which makes it a cut above anything else.

More to the point, Harmony Gold managed to extend its licensing agreements past the 2021 deadline.

From Den of Geek:

Harmony Gold USA, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Japanese anime studio, Tatsunoko Productions, Co., to extend the worldwide, co-copyright ownership and exclusive management, excluding Japan, for its landmark anime series Robotech (including Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada). This agreement was achieved after a lengthy negotiation and allows Harmony Gold to continue to exploit the animated Robotech franchise well into the future.

It looks like one of the big factors is Sony wanting to develop a movie franchise with related video game and other products. I’m skeptically optimistic about that.

The other issue left on the table is the status of bringing other Macross properties to the US. Although Macross Plus and Macross II are available, there’s been no word on bringing over Macross Frontier or Macross Delta.

I hope now that the deadline is extended, Harmony Gold goes back and develops some new Robotech stuff. Finishing Shadow Chronicles would be a nice start.

If exercising my right to keep and bear arms, my right to freedom of speech, or my right to religious liberty makes you uncomfortable, just remember… The exercise of rights is only uncomfortable to two classes of people – tyrants and slaves. Take a moment to classify yourself.

A local clown who managed to get herself elected to the House of Reps (because they can smell their own?) proved why we needed not only a Declaration of Independence from the old giver , but a Bill Of Rights for the new one.

I’m also worried that someone who is frightened by people making fun of them online is a Congress-critter. Because they make such great laws when they’re frightened (cough, PATRIOT Act, cough).

So, to Miss Rhinestone Cowgirl, let me make this clear:

You’re stupid and your momma dressed you funny for so long your confused about real style.

Oh, and fuck you very much.

The owner of the Red Hen, infamous for refusing service to Sarah Huckabee Sanders, wrote an op-ed in the WaPo to declared that new social rules apply as to who should expect service in “respectable” establishments.

Quote: So when the day comes that the world feels returned to its normal axis, I expect we’ll see fewer highly charged encounters making headlines. In the meantime, the new rules apply. If you’re directly complicit in spreading hate or perpetuating suffering, maybe you should consider dining at home. (Emphasis added)

That sounds nice, except the definition of hate has been twisted beyond recognition by people like the author. Moreover, I very much doubt that she would support a restaurant refusing someone like Jessie Smollet. His hoax did a lot to spread hate on both sides.

She speaks a lot about firms needing to recognize their values, but it’s clear from her tone that only counts if it’s the values she wants people to have.

From my libertarian side, I can support her not wanting to serve people she thinks do not share her values or those she considers evil. (But I repeat myself.) However, like the free speech debate, this bifurcation of those deemed worthy and not worthy in the marketplace does little to help the political atmosphere.

Okay, not technically metal, but still a damn good song.