INTERESTING: Two views; we need the third

Saturday, March 27, 2010

http://www.bspcn.com/2010/03/23/no-to-socialism/

*** begin quote ***

This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock, powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the TV to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watch this while eating my breakfast of US Department of Agriculture inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.

At the appropriate time as regulated by the US Congress, and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory, I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads built by the local, state, and federal Departments of Transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, using legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. On the way out the door, I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.

After work, I drive my NHTSA bar back home on DOT roads, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and Fire Marshal’s inspection, and which has not been plundered of all its valuables thanks to the local police department.

I then log on to the internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and post of FreeRepublic.com and Fox News forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can’t do anything right.

*** end quote ***

http://www.csmonitor.com/Money/Mises-Economics-Blog/2010/0326/Samizdat-The-Libertarian-alarm-clock

*** begin quote ***

   “This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock built by the ingenuity of millions of individuals all working for their own gain, but whose efforts were coordinated by the prices for labor and materials and finished goods provided by the free market. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the shower head, pipes, and sanitation facilities whose construction also involved the efforts of thousands of people acting in their independent interest. After that, I turned on the TV to The Weather Channel, whose owners include one of the largest multi-national corporations and private equity companies, to see the week’s forecast presented in a clear, informative (and even entertaining) manner. I watched this while eating breakfast of General Mills’ inspected food and taking drugs whose strong brand name gives me confidence in its safety.

   At the time which millions of people coordinate their activities to take advantage of each other’s knowledge and skills, I leave for work. I get into my Japanese-designed, Mexican-supplied, Michigan-assembled automobile and set out to work on the roads built by construction contracting companies and named after corrupt politicians, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel that was shipped from the Middle East by an oil company at a per gallon cost many times lower than the price of having a letter delivered across the street by the government monopoly that loses millions of dollars each year. To make the purchase there is no need to leave the pump; I am able to slide a piece of plastic into a small slot and get credit extended to me by a bank who has never met me in person. On the way out the door, I put out the Fed-Ex envelope containing the documents I need to arrive across the country tomorrow morning and drop the kids off at the public school which is attended by only the best students, thanks to the high home prices in the area.

   After work, I drive my Japanese-Latino-Midwestern car back home, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of materials developed in the research and development departments of hundreds of corporations and which has not been plundered of all is valuables thanks to the lock on the door and a sign advertising the security company whose services I employ. My piece of mind was not interrupted by the thought of these events anyway, as I have both fire and homeowners insurance through privately held insurance company.

   I then log on to the internet to watch and listen to artists who don’t appeal to a broad enough audience to make it onto one of the few channels that a government monopoly allows to be broadcast. I then log onto the democraticunderground.com to post about how DEREGULATING the medical industry is BAD because low-cost, quality health care can never be provided by greedy, self-interested people.”

*** end quote ***

It feels like there could be third one. What would it look like if humans weren’t deluded at all by the meme of government?

# # # # #


RANT: Much ado; bad, but not the big deal the media is making it out as

Saturday, March 6, 2010

http://www.careersolvers.com/blog/2010/03/04/jfk-airport-employee-gives-new-meaning-to-take-your-child-to-work-day/

Thursday, March 4th, 2010
JFK Airport Employee Gives New Meaning to Take Your Child to Work Day

*** begin quote ***

An air traffic controller at Kennedy Airport was suspended for bringing his two elementary school-aged children to work and letting them give instructions to pilots.

*** end quote ***

Probably a bad idea.

BUT, there’s always a big BUTT, is it worth all the attention it’s being given?

No!

It’s the gooferment at work.

# # # # #


INTERESTING: Chaos creates order

Friday, March 5, 2010

http://www.economics21.org/commentary/health-care-chaos-and-challenge-chickens-manhattan

Health Care, Chaos, and the Challenge of Chickens in Manhattan
John O’Leary and William D. Eggers | 02/24/2010

*** begin quote ***

The paradox is that chaos creates order, while control can result in chaos. In an effort to control outcomes, free exchange is curtailed and the essential ordering signals of price and profit are lost—leading to misallocation of resources and outcomes that nobody likes.

Few of us appreciate how mundane chaos really is and how we are essentially surrounded by it.

Consider: Who is in charge of getting the right number of chickens to Manhattan every day? After all, few chickens live there, but a lot of chickens get eaten there. The typical Manhattanite downs about sixty pounds of chicken a year, in every imaginable form, from chicken chow mein to chicken nuggets, from organic chicken to those little cubes that float in your can of chicken soup. Untold thousands of people participate in providing for Manhattan’s ever-changing chicken needs, from truck drivers to restaurant owners, from grocery store managers to Arkansas chicken farmers. Who is in charge? Who makes sure that New York City winds up with the right amount of the right kind of chicken?

The answer is: No one. The chaos of the uncontrolled buying and selling of the market produces an orderly pattern of exchanges that coordinates the activities of independent yet interdependent participants. The result, without any central planning, is an adaptable and ever-changing arrangement that generally meets the needs of Manhattan’s chicken eating public. The government provides certain oversight and context for the market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture watches over chicken farms and the city’s Board of Health licenses and inspects restaurants. Chickens are hauled over public roads and contract disputes between chicken farmers and truckers are resolved in public courts. But when it comes to the essence of the chicken delivery system—how much chicken, of what kind, at what price—it is the invisible workings of supply and demand that align the productive activities of a loose network of thousands of people (and companies) in making sure New Yorkers get their chicken potpie, chicken vindaloo, and extra-spicy buffalo chicken wings.

*** end quote ***

Interesting, no central authority using force to “enforce an orderly market”. No “market failures”. Just lots of folks seeking their own best interests as they see them. That’s called “freedom”. If the gooferment didn’t “inspect” chickens — ignore for the moment that this is a farce because they don’t do any “inspecting” — just look into what they really do! — do you think the marketplace wouldn’t figure out how to make chickens safe? Kosher, Halal, WalMart, supermarket guaranties, Consumers Reports or Underwriters’ Laboratory, consumers or buyers talking to each other.

And don’t even get me started on the “roads” argument. No roads in Disney World?

# # # # #


GOVERNACIDE: Governement, even gooferments, even “ours”, kill people. Fact of Life!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100224/ARTICLE/2241029?p=3&tc=pg

Follow the rules, comrades … or else
By DAVID BALL
Correspondent
Published: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 7:50 p.m.

*** begin quote ***

Most students followed protocol and said they learned more than in a regular classroom assignment. Ninth-grader Joe Polarr was arrested several times for walking on the grass, wearing a hat and not pulling back his long hair — basically just being Joe Polarr on a normal school day.

*** end quote ***

Left out the killing. Socialists, Communists, and Fascists kill people. So “old” Joe would be dead for not following the rules. The gooferment skool left out that little lesson. But, we, The People, can’t ever forget that gooferments, for all their usual ineptitude, are really good at mass murder! Look at the body counts. All gooferments, even ours, kills innocent people at home and abroad. Aren’t we ashamed of that? Aren’t we afraid of that? Aren’t we personally at risk?

# # # # #


POLITICAL: Dead Old White Guys were smart!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2010/02/more-senate-disfunction.html

Friday, February 26, 2010
More Senate disfunction
Hank Kalet

*** begin quote ***

Amending the U.S. Constitution to reconstitute the Senate would likely be impossible, however, because the compromise enshrined small-state power in the amendment process. But the Senate cannot continue to (mal)function the way it has.

*** end quote ***

The Dead Old White Guys were afraid of the “mob”. They tried to throw road blocks into the “road to serfdom”, the path to perdition, or the fast lane to tyranny.

We mess with their grand design at our own peril. Their “weak president” has become a near dictator waging foreign wars of aggression at will without a declaration and expanding welfare by corruption with inter-generational theft. The direct election of senators has allowed unfunded federal mandates. The creation of the FED, a banking monopoly cartel, has allowed the budget deficit / national debt to explode. The “income tax” amendment has allowed the federal government to steal our wealth with ease. “Social security” has damaged the civil society in numerous ways — not the least of which was to create a slush fund for spending and stick the bill to future generations!

Argh, we need to go back to the ORIGINAL constitution and cut the gooferment down to a reasonable size to protect us from force or fraud and Nothing else. imho!

# # # # #


POLITICAL: Classified to protect the interests of whom? Not you and me, for sure!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

http://campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=625

02/20/10
Hushing Up “Conspiracy Theories”
by Jeff Riggenbach

*** begin quote ***

When Cass Sunstein and others seem most worried about is historical narratives that undermine the government.

*** end quote ***

“Classified information” is classified to protect the interests of Big Gooferment and the ruling elite; not us serfs. Why isn’t everything automatically declassified after say 50 years?

# # # # #


POLITICAL: Reconcilliation may come back to haunt the D’s

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

http://www.lifenews.com/nat6022.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed
&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LifeNewsHeadlines+%28LifeNews.com+Pro-Life+Headlines%29

White House May Unveil Pro-Abortion Health Care Proposal Before Summit
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 18, 2010

*** begin quote ***

The idea behind reconciliation is for the House to approve the Senate bill, which contains massive abortion funding and other pro-abortion problems. Then, both the Senate and House would approve a “corrections” bill that would make change…s to the Senate bill (but not revoking the abortion funding) so members of the House are more likely to vote for the Senate bill.

*** end quote ***

Just like when the R’s shot themselves in the foot with the “Two Term” amendment to prevent FDR from running again (He died anyway before he could run again!), the D’s — if they use reconciliation — will load the gun and aim it at their own foot. Eventually the R’s will have the “controls” and will use reconcilliation again to “rahm” something through!

Turn about is “fair play”. The worm always turns! And, the taxpayer always gets screwed. Sheeple!

# # # # #


MONEY: Beat Airline Fees

Sunday, February 21, 2010

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/18/nanofiber-clothing-iphone-technology-cio-network-travel.html?partner=technology_newsletter

Travel
How To Beat Airline Fees
Quentin Hardy, 02.18.10, 07:00 PM EST
Garments and gadgets that let you travel light and avoid extra charges on your next trip.

*** begin quote ***

This was before plausible roller bags, Web sites for lightweight travelers, and all the digital folding headphones, smart phone stands and nanofiber clothing that make the light life easy. It was also before the cursed baggage fees–now beating them is almost like flying for free.

*** end quote ***

Of course, I would only fly if I couldn’t get an appointment for a colonoscopy!

It also makes the “safety” case that all that junk dragged into the cabin makes us ALL unsafe should an emergency occur. The TSA should be the bad guy, (It is already.) By enforcing the number and size restrictions on carry ons. The airlines SHOULD charge for all the carry on crap. That’s what SHOULD be discouraged! Make checked bags free; carry on costs!

Argh!

If I were “king”, I’d proclaim the diktat throughout the land. And the serfs would rejoice.

If not for that, then for the fact we’d be using gold as a monetary standard and the gooferment would be cut down to size. (And, the airlines would be running the terminals, schedules, and “security”. Where passengers could sue in the “king’s” court for damages.)

And, peace and prosperity would be the rule though out the “kingdom”.

I can only wish!

# # # # #


GOVERNACIDE: Hazelwood man dies; gooferment fails, no penalty

Thursday, February 18, 2010

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10048/1036403-53.stm#ixzz0foHdeppW

Hazelwood man dies after 10 calls to 911 over two days
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
By Sadie Gurman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

*** begin quote ***

In his first call to 911, Curtis Mitchell sounded calm, explaining to dispatchers that his “entire stomach [was] in pain.”

By the time his longtime girlfriend made a 10th call nearly 30 hours later, she was frantic. He wasn’t breathing. He was cold to the touch.

*** and ***

The city planned today to start dispatching firefighters as first responders on medical calls of the two highest grades of severity, and on calls of the third highest level that remained unanswered for more than 30 minutes. Firefighters are currently only called as first responders to the most severe incidents.

*** end quote ***

The gooferment has inserted itself into so many areas that it fails at most of them. In trying to be all things to all people, it has to disappoint. And, the costs.

I find it hard to believe that volunteers would be as inept. When I was on the First Aid squad, we’d have just dismounted and proceeded on foot. We’d have called on other volunteers if the need was so urgent.

Paid bureaucrats need to drive up to the door.

Sad.

Sad for us, in that, we’ve bought into the myth. The myth that the gooferment does great stuff and it’s all “free”!

Argh!

# # # # #


RANT: No cuts without blood on the payroll

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2010/02/colorado-springs-and-future-of-american.html

Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Colorado Springs and the future of American government
Hank Kalet

*** begin quote ***

And it is here and has been for quite a while. And yet, everytime we talk about making tough decisions, we flinch. We think we can balance our books by eliminating waste and corruption, as if waste and corruption make up more than just a tiny fraction of our structural deficit. We have no interest in making real sacrifices — though we are willing to have others sacrifice on our behalf (the suburbs want spending on the cities cut, for instance, while many seniors are willing to skimp on school spending and so on).

*** end quote ***

Please don’t fall for the sucker punch. The FIRST thing that entrenched politicians and bureaucrats do is cut services to the people. It is a sham. A pretense. A fraud. Did they cut the internal costs? How many honchos and hangers on did they nuke.

When I worked on (Wall) Street, I had to cut my budget 50%. Part of my submission was to cut my service to my internal customers. My boss called me on the carpet to explain to me that I must have been “smoking funny cigarettes”. I was to keep my service at its then exceptional level and still cut my budget by half. Ominously, he told me “to wise up” otherwise he’d do it without me. With sweat running down my leg, I went back to my office and “figured it out”. We had to redesign every business process we used, but I “figured it out”!

Soooo, let’s hold these bozo’s feet to the fire. Same rules: keep services at current level and still cut the budget as needed. If you can’t do it, resign!

Like my comment about the bailouts to Wall Street, if there was no bail out, the bozos on Wall Street would have (as if by magic) would have figured out how to save their skins.

No bailout was needed.

Similarly, no cuts to customer-facing services UNTIL we have resignations accepted!

# # # # #