Category: Libertarianism

There Was A Debate on the Other Side of the Bay

February 5, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Three candidates are vying for the Congressional seat vacated by Bill Young when he decided to retire to an underground box last year after 42 years in office. (Not going up on that hobby horse again.)

Some coverage here from one of the big local outlets.

And from one of the big newspapers.

And here from the station that ran the debate.

Did you notice that neither said anything about the fact that the libertarian won the debate? Yeah, neither did I. Link here because the WordPress app fucking sucks: http://www.examiner.com/article/lucas-overby-wins-debate-over-david-jolly-and-alex-sink

H/t Alphecca (http://www.alphecca.com/?p=3015)

Friday Quote – Thomas Sowell

January 31, 2014 / / 0 Comments

No matter how disastrously some policy has turned out, anyone who criticizes expects to hear: “But what would you replace it with?” When you put out a fire, what do you replace it with?

Thomas Sowell, economist, author, commentator

I swear I could do the whole year with just quotes from Dr. Sowell.

Friday Quote – Stephen Fry

January 17, 2014 / / 0 Comments

It’s now very common to hear people say, ‘I’m rather offended by that.’ As if that gives them certain rights. It’s actually nothing more… than a whine. ‘I find that offensive.’ It has no meaning; it has no purpose; it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. ‘I am offended by that.’ Well, so fucking what?<\blockquote>

Stephen Fry, actor and comedian

Does This Enhance Your Calm?*

January 9, 2014 / / 0 Comments

First read this. Also, read the linked letter.

Finished? Are you incensed yet?

I’m not going to scream about how the NSA could have prevented 9/11. As callous as it might sound, mistakes happen. Here are the unforgivable mistakes that the post and the letter illuminate:

1. NSA leadership preferred covering up their mistakes rather than trying to fix the process that led to the mistakes being made.

2. Sacrifice a working system and the Fourth Amendment to buy fancy, high cost, non-working toys from contractors.

3. Engage in bulk data hauls that drown the NSA in data and make it less likely that real threats can be detected.

I don’t know what can be done to fix the NSA. Moreover, I don’t think that there is any interest inside the Beltway to reform it. What it does show is exactly where the priorities of the leadership lie.

H/t Unc

*Title from Demolition Man, which I should go watch again

Friday Quote – John Adams

December 27, 2013 / / 0 Comments

There are two ways to enslave and conquer a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.

John Adams, Founding Father and second President of the United States

On an individual level, debt represents both a risk and a cost. A risk because the debt can be called, and if unable to pay, assets can be seized. A cost because a premium must be paid on the money borrowed in the form of interest.

On a national level, the costs (interest) represent services not rendered or additional money pulled out of private hands while the risks represent danger to the economy.

H/t reader David

Friday Quote – Gary S. Beck

December 20, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Capitalism was doomed-not by its failures, as in Marxian analysis, but by its successes. For according to Schumpeter, capitalism alienated intellectuals, who were unhappy because they are not important players in a decentralized free-market system. Moreover, intellectuals do not like the profit motive that drives this system. But Schumpeter greatly exaggerated the long-run influence of intellectuals on public policy.

-Gary S. Becker, review of Joseph Schumpeter’s Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy.

Another book to add to the pile.

Amazon Drone Warfare

December 6, 2013 / / 1 Comment

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So, Amazon is experimenting with having drones deliver some items. I do not understand why people are having fecal-rages over this.

What do you think will happen if Amazon is found to be using its drone fleet to spy on its customers or others? This isn’t like the NSA. Amazon has to compete in the market. How fast do you think Prime memberships would plummet? How quickly would another internet sales company jump into that market?

The efficiencies drones offer to delivery companies means that private drones will happen. Not only to speed up delivery in urban areas, but to deliver to areas previously unreachable by ground vehicles. I would rather have private drones whose masters have to take competition into account than police drones whose masters have a nasty habit of forgetting that people have rights.

Friday Quote – Christopher Hitchens

November 29, 2013 / / 0 Comments

If someone tells me that I’ve hurt their feelings, I say, “I’m still waiting to hear what your point is.”

In this country, I’ve been told, “˜That’s offensive,” as if those two words constitute an argument or a comment. Not to me they don’t.

And I’m not running for anything, so I don’t have to pretend to like people when I don’t.

You do not have a right not to be offended.

Lion Hunting Controversy

November 21, 2013 / / 0 Comments

There’s been an internet brouhaha over a television personality posting a picture of her lion trophy, which was then exacerbated by another internet celebrity going batshit over sport hunting.

This little post does a damn good job explaining why hunting, especially sport hunting, makes sure that whole species of animals don’t join the dodo or Tasmanian Tiger in the dustbin of history.