Wed - September 1, 2010Tax exempt is an excuse for greater government controlRadley Balko over at TheAgitator.com posted a
link to this injustice.
Now the standard libertarian reaction is going to be "How DARE the Department of Transportation presume to enforce language? Isn't that just so much bureaucratic silliness?" But that isn't what I want you to think about. No, simply by becoming non-profit, the air ambulance accepted increased government authority over every action. If not today, then tomorrow. In exchange for being excused from one law, they INVITED government control over everything else. Even if the chains are gold plated, it's still tyranny. This should sound very familiar because the groundwork is being laid again. Feel that velvet glove and never notice the steel claw stripping the flesh off the bone. The roots of this problem go clear back to the point where the air ambulance service chose to be tax exempt. Exemption from the law is a slave brand. No matter how good it looks, the cost in freedom is far, far higher. 
Posted Wed - September 1, 2010 at 06:55 AM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ John Cusack proves that Twitter can shortcut the brain almost as well as an all night benderI think that John Cusack is a talented and
underrated actor.
But he certainly proves himself a political imbecile. Yes, I know he was joking. But I certainly don't want to talk politics with someone who threatens murder, even in fun. The really sad thing is, from here on out Cusack will have to convince me he's worth listening to when it comes to politics. I doubt that I am the only one. If he had just acted a bit more responsibly, he would not have to work three times as hard just to get his point across. I'm still going to watch his films. I just won't take him seriously off screen.
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Tue - August 31, 2010Usually when I do a review I give the title, tell you what I thought, and mention a few things you may find interestingGo. Find it. Watch it. Think about it. Tell someone you respect. Get them to watch it. Talk about it. My personal rating system puts this at 5, a Classic. Considering that most of my favorite films never make it above 4.75 (between Worthy and Classic) that should tell you something.
Posted Tue - August 31, 2010 at 12:11 PM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Mon - August 30, 2010Glenn Beck's rally for theocracyI don't follow Glenn Beck on the news. I don't
like news shows on television because I can't skip ahead to the parts that are
interesting. They'll run a blurb about an upcoming story that sounds good, and
then the show will do five stories and a commercial break before doing the
interesting story second to last before the show
ends.
In particular, I can't stand the "talking heads" type show where they trade opinions back and forth without any new facts or developments. The web has spoiled me. I pick and choose the bits that look worthy and blip over the rest. So I had no real desire to watch Beck. I did watch some this weekend. This is why I keep vigil. Mixing politics with religion is a Really Bad Idea™. You can't do it without compromising both. Religion can't be allowed the coercive power of government, government can't be allowed the moral justification of religion. It works best when people of faith are free to criticize government because of morality. It's another form of competition and it keeps both religion and politics honest. Religion doesn't guarantee wisdom or virtue. Faith and morality can only check politics if religion and the state stay separate. Beware of politicos and pundits wrapping themselves in the flag and hiding behind their faith. That's when liberty and freedom are the distraction. The real goal is to establish a HIgher Authority beyond the "laws of men." Beck used the language of liberty, but he wasn't talking about freedom. He wanted America to "choose God." Submit. Do not question. Do not dissent. Obey. It fails the parity test. Beck expects everyone to follow the Approved Version of Christianity, but all other belief systems are invalidated. As if the rights of non-Christians only existed at the sufferance and kind permission of the oh-so generous Christians. Permission that can be revoked if we non-Christians get too uppity. I'm expected to live under the rules of their faith, but they won't live under mine. Well, I've news for them. It's not their table. Christians aren't solely responsible for the blessings of liberty. The evidence shows that religious freedom came despite the practices of Christianity, not because of it. And I'll put my Pagan feet in the mashed potatoes if I want. If you think I am picking on the "poor little Christians," you should see what I do to the Pagans who do the same thing. Somehow, the folks who want to make the world safe for their particular ethic forget that a state-protected faith is every bit a slave chain as their worst nightmares. Faith should NEVER be imposed on adults. Look at American history. We're at our best when our religious leaders demand liberty for all. But when ministers and priests try to set THEIR faith over all others, we're at our worst. If you have to use force to get me to accept your ideas, it doesn't say much for your arguments or your reasons. "Because God said so" is a lousy reason to seize power. Power over never works as well as power with. Ask me what I believe and I'll tell you. Demand that I bow before you and I will say KYFHO. Don't try to do it for "my own good." If you have a good idea, convince me. Inspire, don't require. Faith is a personal matter. Religion backed by force is just tyranny. And by all the gods, don't try to hide your theocratic power grab in liberty.
Posted Mon - August 30, 2010 at 12:20 PM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Wed - August 25, 2010Less than humanAs a rule of thumb, I generally do not speak
against a specific religion or faith. I might speak against individual actions
or the actions of a group, but I firmly believe that matters of faith are
between you and the Divine. My credo is that humans are free to choose. That
also means humans are free to walk
away.
The way I see it, if it came to a disagreement and I can't convince you without resorting to force, that's my failure. Or course, my parity rule means that if you can't do it without force, that's YOUR failure and I am obligated to stop you. My particular ruleset means that usually you have to step over the line first, but once you do, I've no restraints on my behavior except what it takes to get the job done. And I am extremely good. Good enough that I can almost make anyone look like a fool. Which usually costs much more than a direct attack. Counting coup is amazingly effective when it comes to defusing opponents. It's none of my business what you believe as long as you play nice and don't try to impose that belief on anyone else. KYFHO now and forever. It shocks some people because they don't understand my restraint. They look on it as weakness. because they've learned that following the rules against your own appetites is weakness. Rules are for sheep according to them. When they meet someone who can play their own game nastier than they can, they've no experience. Their own ruleset "guarantees" success, they've never had to learn how to out argue. "Power over" is weak when there is no skill to back it up. That is why I believe in individual liberty. Hang on, I want to make sure you pay attention to that phrase. Individual
Liberty.
That is one of the most important phrases that you have ever read and that you have ever heard. It means that you and you alone are responsible for your freedom. It means that you have to fight for it, maybe every day of your life. It means you can't trust an institution to protect your freedom unless you are there watching the institution. You know the document, but I added the emphasis. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security… And that leads us to monotheism. Or more precisely, why kings and empires favored monotheism. Via The Wild Hunt Blog comes a link to From Polytheism to Monotheism: A Quest For Power? at The Moderate Voice. Wright argues that consolidation of the power spread across many gods was a form of social cement. It was also a means of nullifying opposition power (by removing organized opposition). In addition, this consolidation elevated the position of high priests in both social and political structures. As Bernard Lewis, “a go-to guy during the Bush administration,” reminds us, the notion of a separate church and state “was not only non-existent but would have been meaningless” during the first millennium. Monotheism simplifies things for the ruler (be that priest or king). But it removes choice for the ruled. What makes a rational person voluntarily accept that trade-off? The early history suggests that the common man rejected the change, the imposition of a new order (one god). However, as kings and priests aligned their interests and shared the power that resulted, the social norm — often imposed at the point of a spear — became one god. It became the norm and polytheism (or atheism) the social aberration. I've a simpler way to put it, one that reflects modern economic theory. State supported monotheism removes choice. If people aren't free to find their own path to the Divine, they've become something less than human. They can be told what is best for them. They won't question the powers of the Benevolent State. They won't demand their rights. They've never had to fight for freedom of thought. That's why I keep vigil you know. I don't want to convert you to my way. I want you to question me. I want you to challenge my thoughts. I want your criticism of those who claim to speak for the Divine. That is YOUR liberty. And as long as it's done without force, it makes MY liberty stronger. I don't care what you believe. But if you honor my choice I'll honor yours.
Posted Wed - August 25, 2010 at 01:59 PM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Mon - August 23, 2010Very tellingI still say the war in Iraq was necessary,
although it certainly could have been handled
better.
As far as Afghanistan, we didn't handle that one very well at all. Still, we've been hearing about the terrible costs and how that has made the economic problems worse. Via TJICistan and Instapundit comes this chart from American Thinker. Now I will be the first to admit that one chart doesn't prove anything. It does mean we should take a closer look though. Especially when the current administration keeps revising economic figures every few months. TJICistan had it exactly right. "Keep the legions, cut the bread and circuses." There will be time to fix the military later when we're sure there's a nation left.
Posted Mon - August 23, 2010 at 02:34 PM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ One word makes all the differenceThe is a single difference between public
services and the free
market.
Competition. Look at it there. It's the most important word that you'll read on this site today. I'm willing to bet that it's the most important word you'll read all day. Competition. If your local gas station overcharges you, you can choose someone else next time. If your plumber doesn't know what he's doing, there are always other choices. If your cell phone never works right, all sorts of other vendors are knocking themselves down to bring you another. Unless it is a public service, there isn't a business around that can afford to ignore you. Because they know that you will go someplace else. With competition, the only way a company can KEEP your business is by delivering what you want. Competition makes it possible. Competition makes it better. Competition makes it cheaper. If you don't like it, you WILL choose someone else. Companies have to tweak, that is where their sales come from. But if you don't like a public service, what are your choices? Where can you go? You could go through the politics to change it. That might work. If you are lucky, that might take one term of office. That could be six years. If you are lucky. A business can't afford to go more than a few days once it starts losing customers to the competition. The cash dries up real fast. But that isn't true of public services. So when government seeks to eliminate choices, they are destroying the very thing that will make things better.
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ It's officialAfter the last election and all the the recorded
phone messages, I promised myself that I would not vote for any candidate
mentioned in one of those pre-recorded messages left on my answering
machine.
As of this morning, there is not one Democrat or Republican running for office in the State of Arizona left. They have all eliminated themselves. It should make voting easier. Of course, this is meaningless without the ability to vote AGAINST the candidates who are running. The American system of government desperately needs a None of the Above. As reader watcherinthewind and I discussed, the system is rigged against the voters. Either/Or is not a good choice, and as it stands, one of the two major parties will get almost every office. Is that really a government of the people, by the people, and for the people?
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Sorry about thatLast Friday as I was working, I accidentally
triggered a site reload.
This takes several hours as my computer replaces every one of the three thousand plus pages on the Pagan • Vigil site. Which meant I couldn't do anything except one lousy post. My goof.
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Fri - August 20, 2010Another Facebook "feature" I don't wantI don't like Facebook for a number of reasons.
First because I am a paranoid sun of a gun who doesn't trust who Facebook may be
sharing information with, and what information Facebook shares where and with
who changes irregularly. I spend more time managing it than I do balancing my
checking account.
Of course the fact that I control my checking account may have something to do with that. Second, despite my best efforts, Facebook doesn't work for me most of the time. I've supposedly been "hacked" twice, but no weird posts have appeared, I've just been locked out of my account for days on end. Anyway, if you are like me, you probably want to disable the new Facebook Places "feature." Cult of Mac has detailed instructions to do exactly that.
Posted Fri - August 20, 2010 at 12:25 PM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Tue - August 17, 2010Faster LoadingLibraryThing now provides some great widgets, and
I don't have to go through both LibraryThing and Feed2JS to provide
functionality.
The bottom line is that the page loads faster. Enjoy.
Posted Tue - August 17, 2010 at 12:50 PM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Mon - August 16, 2010The oldest gameAmericans are so used to it that the very name
has become a cliché.
Pick any cop drama you'd like. Sooner or later the suspect will be in a darkened room. In comes a raving maniac about two seconds away from ripping the suspects arm off and beating him over the head with it. Then in comes the other guy. "Listen, you'd better give him something he wants. I don't know if I can keep him in line." Good Cop Bad Cop. What makes you think that either of these two are on your side? They're both out to mess with your head and put you away. The two major political parties have been playing this game for so long that they have forgotten it's a game. They change roles depending who is in the hot seat. Neither can be trusted. Just keep that in mind.
Posted Mon - August 16, 2010 at 10:36 AM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊ Sun - July 25, 2010Truly terrifyingVia TJICistan comes this link. Emphasis
added.
BP's Tony Hayward, whose gaffes added insult to oil-spill injury for the Gulf Coast, is on his way out as CEO, a U.S. government official said Sunday. Many residents found small comfort in that as BP's biggest mistake under Hayward continued to foul their waters, their beaches and their way of life. No matter what you think about BP and the spill, the simple fact that the U.S. government is announcing that a corporate CEO is being replaced should scare you. Unlike certain banks or car companies, there isn't even the excuse that American taxpayers own a stake in the company. It seems that we really do live by government decree. All hail the Imperious Leader. Remember Citizen, it's for your own good.
Posted Sun - July 25, 2010 at 09:50 PM in
Permalink ◊ ◊ ◊
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Pagan philosopher, libertarian, and part-time trouble maker, NeoWayland watches for threats to individual freedom or personal responsiblity. There's more to life than just black and white, using only extremes just increases the problems.  My Thinking Blogger Nominees
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