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DEATH IS EASY
by
Russell Madden

Softcover, $14.95

Hardcover, $24.95

(Preview. Also available in a digital edition, $4.81.)

FREEDOM, As If
It Mattered
by
Russell Madden

Softcover, $24.95

Hardcover, $34.95

(Preview. Also available in a digital edition, $5.63.)

Don't Get Me Started! Archives

7-25-07

1. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is offering a Freedom in Fiction Prize for the best novel promoting freedom in fictional form. (See link at the bottom of this page.) For two old essays of mine discussing a similar theme, see, "Freedom Friendly Fiction" and "Tell Me a Story." I have long believed that the emotional involvement that occurs when reading a good piece of fiction strengthens the likelihood of reaching readers. I encourage anyone with an interest in writing a novel that promotes liberty to enter.

2. It baffles me that some (many?) people still cling to the simplistic ideas of determinism and try to shoehorn human behavior into that ideological straitjacket. I am even more chagrinned when folks otherwise seeking to expand liberty in our world advocate such a statist and collectivistic theory, one that ultimately leads to rejecting the very idea of freedom. Let us not forget the kinds of wonderful folks who have over the years championed various theories of determinism, all of which theories devolve ultimately to radical reductionism, materialism. Whether advocated by economic determinists (Marx), cultural determinists (Machiavelli), biological determinists (we are only our genes), dictators like Hitler or run-of-the-mill statists and collectivists, determinism has been used time and again to justify actions that wreak havoc on our rights, freedoms, and lives.

Determinism contradicts and undermines:

1. Morality and personal responsibility
2. Concept-formation and knowledge
3. Reason/rationality.
4. Freedom and rights.
5. The nature of causality and the scientific method
6. Free-will and human nature/uniqueness
7. (Objective) reality

Determinism ultimately devolves (and I mean devolves...) into claiming that human beings and what we do are fundamentally no different than rocks or water or subatomic particles and their actions. Everything is predetermined by prior causes and could not have been otherwise.

Determinists use to advance their causes the very concepts and tools that are destroyed by their own theory, e.g., knowledge, freedom, rights, choice, and causality. They are intellectual parasites on the work of those who truly understand what is required for evidence, proof, knowledge, and morality.

Determinists may pretend that their corrosive theories are purely academic, but those theories have horrific real-world consequences and must be opposed by anyone who believes in human dignity and autonomy, by anyone who champions liberty and rationality.

Determinists must twist themselves into knots to disguise the self-contradictions, the distortions, and the lies from those who oppose their pernicious ideas (and probably to disguise these even from themselves).

Determinism is not a parlor game. It deserves to be discredited and destroyed.

3. I first saw Gone With the Wind when I was in grade school and was, frankly, pretty bored by it. In my twenties, I became a Clark Gable fan and watched the movie again (close to a quarter century ago now). I liked it very much. I then read the book, read about the making of the movie, read a bio of Margaret Mitchell, and a book of her collected letters.

Yes, GWTW is hardly an "Objectivist" movie in all its particulars. But Scarlett -- eventually -- learns from her mistakes, at least to a certain extent. Rhett Butler...I think he fits in pretty nicely with Randian-style heroes, i.e., a man who is -- in "polite" society -- a rogue and criminal (a blockade runner) but is a quintessential individualist. He doesn't care what "society" thinks about him and flouts its conventions. He does what he thinks is right and to devil with the hindmost. As far as regards Scarlett, I think he sees that inner ramrod of strength she has that is masked by the expectations held for high society Southern belles in the antebellum era. He knows all the fiddle-dee-dee and her "love" for Ashley etc. are all so much dross; none of that is the real her. He admires her adaptability and determination, her relentless quest for what she values...even when she values the wrong things. He tries his damnedest to break through that shell and comes close. (Indeed, the "rape" scene when he carts her up those stairs and the next morning she wakes up singing echoes loudly of Roark and Dominique!) In the end, when he has had enough, he walks away to live his own life rather than have to "stick it out" as "society" might demand from him.

As for Ayn Rand, she didn't say much about the novel, but apparently hardly despised it since she mentions it twice in The Romantic Manifesto (of all the books she might have used as examples): "The theme of Gone With the Wind is : 'The impact of the Civil War on Southern society.'" (p. 81) [right after she uses Hugo and Les Miserables as an example!]
and "The plot-theme is 'The romantic conflict of a woman who loves a man representing the old order, and is loved by another man, representing the new.' (Margaret Mitchell's skill, in this novel, lies in the fact that the developments of the romantic triangle are determined by the events of the Civil War and involve, in a single plot structure, other characters who are representative of the various levels of Southern society)." (p. 86)

So, if some folks find the movie GWTW boring or whatever, so be it. But Rand, at least, and I in addition, found value in the story. (Though I read the book and saw the film a long while before I became an Objectivist.) And even if the movie doesn't fully live up to the promise of the novel (how could it, even at the length that it is?), it captures enough of that spirit that I own a copy and drag it out now and again to relive a different time.
: 4. I think if I hear the phrase "global warming" or the word "Green" again, I will scream. I am thoroughly sick of the eco-fascist propaganda that permeates the airwaves and other media. Since 90%+ of those pushing the unsupported idea that warming is primarily due to human activity; that we as a species are facing an ecological crisis; and that we have the capacity to halt or even reverse warming; since the vast majority of people advocating this nonsense seek statist and collectivist "solutions" to this "problem," I want to throttle them. My life and my freedom are not so easily surrendered. What should be simply a scientific question is permeated by politics, from the idjits using "Green" crap as an excuse to expand their power over society to those who pretend to an unwarranted "moral high ground" to those who simply believe anything they read or hear in the media. Most eco-fascists somehow erroneously conclude that "now" is the best baseline for judging climate change, forgetting that "change" is part-and-parcel of any environment, any time, anywhere. Static, nature is not nor ever will be, at least until the final heat-death of the Universe. The Watermelons also conveniently forget that the human contribution to warming is on the order of .1% to .3% (depending on which source one reads). Not one to three percent: one-tenth to three-tenths percent. The effect of carbon dioxide on warming being logarithmic? Out of their awareness. The fact that the worst environmental problems in the world are due to State interference, even as they yammer for more State control over everything we do, eludes them. (See my essay "Eco-Fascism.") Whatever happens regarding warming should be dealt with as humans have always done when faced with a situation not under their control: adapt. But any ploy designed to throttle our freedoms, to destroy our technological society, to induce guilt in us all can go to hell, as far as I am concerned.; 5. A related issue was again made clear to me during our trip to England and France this past May. I must say first that most people we dealt with were friendly, nice, and helpful. Plus, visiting many of the sights, such as the Normandy beaches and da Vinci's final home was quite interesting. But beneath all the cultural attractions was an attitude (in these parts of Europe, at least) that contradicts what has motivated humans since they picked up that first club. For nearly all of human history, the general thrust of progress has been to improve the human condition: more and better food, warmer shelter, nicer clothing, enhanced leisure time, upgraded technology: a lifestyle that expands on human comfort and pleasure. In the U.K. and France, though, (and I suspect throughout much of Europe), the trend is in the opposite direction: contract, restrict, deny: smaller cars, tinier houses, less energy, diminished personal space, lowered lifestyles. All in the name of the "environment," to be "Green" for the sake of being "Green," to combat "global warming" by limiting one's flights, one's driving, one's travel on water or rail, one's usage of water or food or any other economic good. It's sick. It's anti-human, anti-progress, anti-civilization, anti-freedom. If the eco-fascists want to limit something, let them limit their irrational reification of "nature" and the "environment" and their hypocritical rhetoric (Al Gore's mansion, anyone?).

4-05-07

1. Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged: A Philosophical and Literary Companion, edited by Edward Younkins, is set for publication by Ashgate next month, May, 2007. The table of contents, the introduction, and the index are available online. Thirty-eight authors give an overview of Atlas and discuss its philosophy, literary aspects, aesthetics, political economy, human relationships, characterization, and history. It's available in hardcover or paperback and comes in at 446 pages. A short version of my essay "Fuel for the Soul" is included in the section on aesthetics.

2. The Supreme Court declares that we will soon all have to stop breathing. After all, carbon dioxide is now to be considered a pollutant! So stop it! Quit living and sucking in oxygen and expelling CO2 and ruining poor ol' Mother Earth! The Supreme ~~Idiots~~ ~~Justices~~ -- whatever... -- presume to be scientific experts and make even more political an issue that should be a scientific question but that has now grown into yet one more avenue for environmental fascists and other collectivists and statists to stifle freedom, reason, and truth. I just want to smack these people.

3. We also have the smoking fascists continuing their unrelenting quest to control us in all possible environments. (For example, see here and here.) First it was separate smoking sections on airplanes. Then in restaurants. Then in offices. Then no smoking on planes. Then no smoking in restaurants. Or offices. Or hospitals. Or schools. Or entire college campuses. Now they want to ban it in cars, apartments, and even on beaches. Soon it will be in homes with kids. Then all homes. Forests. Planet Earth. I just want to smack these people.

4. As a resident of Iowa, I'm already sickened by a state government -- now in the hands of the Demicans -- who pass a continuous stream of stupid laws and restrictions on my rights and freedoms. (See the commentary archives for particulars.) To add insult to injury, well-known fascists like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Rudy Guilianni, Mit Romney (now there's a flipflopper!), and John McCain-in-the-butt keep polluting the atmosphere with their lies and physical presences. Why don't the Supremes ban politicians from ruining Mother Earth! I just want to smack these people.

5. Speaking of Iowa, the fascists here had a law on the books banning flag "desecration." (See here.) A U. S. District Court overturned the stupid law. These nimnuls are already working on passing yet another idiotic law violating property rights and the First Amendment. If these people are upset with someone doing nasties with his own flag, they can try to persuade him or boycott him or whatever. Otherwise, they can butt out. I guess they have no qualms desecrating freedom. I just want to smack these people.

3-22-07

1. As in many states, last Fall's elections brought a Democratic majority to the Iowa legislature. While this state had a Democrat for governor before, at least his more egregious inanities were held in check by a Republican House and Senate. Now, two of the major branches of state government here are in the hands of the same ~~group of thugs~~ party. Already we Hawkeyes have been blessed with a dollar increase in the state cigarette tax. Emboldened by their success, the smoking fascists are also trying to let individual city governments -- rather than the state legislature -- set smoking "policy," i.e., ban smoking at the city level, i.e., violate private property rights whenever they damned well please. The Socialist Paradise of Iowa City tried before to do this but were slapped down by the state Supreme Court. Smokers are the new "niggers" of the world, forced to accept any and all insults and controls with bowed head and nary a peep of protest. Sadly, many smokers accept this unearned shame since they lack any proper understanding of morality or rights. Indeed, one poor schmuck (and it is the poorer folks who tend to smoke more) had the temerity to order his cigs online and just received a tax bill for over two-grand for his troubles. The pimps for the State that control the credit card market in this country were only too happy to "cooperate" with bringing such a scofflaw to "justice." Gag me. Ack, ptui!

Beyond that, our lovely new political "leaders" are increasing spending at an alarming rate. A state requirement that all budgets be balanced? Screw that! they proclaim. More money for teachers (who are already paid more than market wages for what they do). More money for medical care. More money for student financial aid. On and on. Still unsatisfied, the legislature is trying to force nonunion workers to pay dues if a union isresent in their business place. It's only "fair" they pay, union supporters cry, since those nonunion scabs "benefit" from what the union does. Blech. Now, Iowa is a "right to work" state: union membership cannot be imposed. But that, too, is a violation of property rights. Each individual business owner has the right to decide if he wants a closed shop, a nonunion workforce, or some mixture. Forcing unions down his throat or preventing him from having only union workers are equally wrong.

Not content with this meddling, a bill likely to pass is one requiring registering beer keg rentals...all in the name of "protecting" "the children," i.e., underage teens (including teens who are legally adults) from the ravages of alcohol. Oh, the humanity! And these idjits have only been in session for less than three months...

2. I recently saw the film "300" and can, overall, recommend it. Some people see support for Bush and his disastrous Iraq War in this film, but I dismiss such observations as woefully inadequate self-fulfilling prophecies. The parallels are dubious and threadbare, at best. Other complaints are more "naturalistic" in nature, that is, observation that the real Sparta was hardly a bastion of freedom (as we understand the concept now). Yes, this movie is not a documentary and has fictional events included. So what? The frame for the movie is a story-teller recounting the tale of Leonidas and the 300. I saw that as akin to Homer recounting the adventures of Odysseus. The Trojan War was real, but does anyone think Homer was recounting "just the facts" with his tales of the Cyclops, etc.? And would we still be reading The Odyssey if he had? What is important -- to the film and to me -- is the general tone and attitude. Overall, I thought the movie did promote freedom and, to a lesser extent, reason. Despite the horrors of the real Spartan society, the main characters in "300" were, in general, honorable. And the queen kicked ass with the best of them. I cheered her on. (And what would have happened to classical Greek civilization if the Persians had swept through the land and on into Europe?) If historical accuracy is de rigeur for the viewer, avoid this film. If someone is interested in a rousing movie and characters willing to fight to the death (as they did in reality) to oppose tyranny, then go see "300."

3. I just received my advance reader's copy from Gauntlet Press of F. Paul Wilson's latest Repairman Jack, Bloodline. I hope to have a review here in Atlas Magazine sometime in the next month.

2-27-07
: 1. After the Supreme Idiots' decision declaring that, "Hey, State? Want someone's private property? Take it, no questions asked," I was mildly heartened by the number of people who decided to fight against that injustice. Indeed, many states have passed or are thinking of passing prohibitions against the State seizing private property that is destined to be handed over to other private parties, i.e., politically-connected developers. I say "mildly heartened" because, sadly, most of those who don't want someone's long-time home given to a casino owner or a mall developer or whatever still support the "eminent domain" seizure of other property owned by their neighbors. I mean, of course, our money. Taxes declare that the State has first claim on the product of our labor. If the State decides that it has a "public use" for that moolah, then tough-kitties, it's seizing it. Worse, most of the money it extorts from us is doled out to other individuals. Whether in the form of individual welfare or corporate subsidies, our income is seized and "redistributed" to other private entities. Tax "credits," cash outlays to poor folks, medical/food/housing subsidies/payments, special favors to farmers or corporations or lobbyists, all are examples of the immoral principle of "eminent domain." Beyond that, the State seizes our time and well-being and "gives" it to others whenever it establishes a new and illegitimate regulation or law or rule. The proper principle is incredibly simple: no one -- no one -- has the right to one second of my life or one cent of my money without my consent. It ain't rocket science.

2. I had to turn the channel when Al I-Invented-the-Internet Gore appeared on the Oscars to receive his "award" for the stupidity he is promulgating called "An Inconvenient Truth." Hypocrite that he is, ol' Gore apparently uses more electricity in a month at his Tennessee home than the average person uses in a year. (See here.) Then, of course, there is his enormous gas bill. But scumbag politicians are nothing new. Neither is his claim that the whole sick issue of "global warming" is not a political problem but a "moral" one! The truth, of course, is that the morality is on his opponents' side, not Gore's. All the self-righteous sanctimony of his supporters on stage was equally nauseating. Meanwhile, we in Iowa suffered through one of the coldest February's in recent history. I could use more warming.

3. And, of course, after a recent blizzard stormed across the country, the meteorologists declared that they really couldn't predict what "Mother Nature" was going to do. Yet some have the gall to claim they can predict what the climate for the whole frigging globe is going to be like decades from now. Go figure.

4. James Cameron financed an upcoming film on the Discovery Channel that claims that the bones of Jesus Christ and his family have been found. (See here.) Bunches of people are foaming at the mouth in opposition. As an atheist, of course, I know that Jesus never "arose" anywhere, no how. Religion sucks, regardless of type, denomination, or variant. Anything claiming to be a source of knowledge that places itself outside the realm of logic, reason, and evidence is ultimately anti-life, destructive, and a fantasy. One need only look at the religious terrorists of the world to see the ultimate end-game for that nonsense.

1-04-07

1. It has been quite awhile since I published an issue of Atlas. Last September I upgraded my Macintosh computer to something that actually is able to handle today's Web graphics and video. The extra screen real estate has been a plus, as well. Unfortunately, in migrating to an Intel-based Apple, I had to abandon my old (very old...) Claris HomePage program that I used in constructing these simple pages. I thought iWeb might work, but after trying to convert my home page to this new program, I discovered iWeb treats links as graphics. With the hundreds and hundreds of links I have, the program ballooned the size of my index page to multi-megabyte size, far too large to expect people to routinely load my Web site. Additionally, just trying to figure out how to construct a page using the new program has been very frustrating. In the past, I could simply insert a document into a blank page, make a few adjustments, add a few links, and I was done. Now there are text boxes and graphics boxes and a lot of other "helpful" tools that operate in the most whimisical ways whenever I try to change anything. So much for "easy" use. For the present, I'm plugging along with Netscape's Composer, the closest thing I've found to how HomePage worked (but with it's own lovely quirks, of course).

2. Time also passed as I more fully delved into the world of podcasts, iTunes videos, and a plethora of similarly diverting attractions. Adding a video iPod to my iPod Nano also succeeded in keeping me busy. On the business side of things, I added a communication class to my English writing courses. Nice to have the extra income, of course, but more time consumed.; 3. A large part of my lethargy in returning to writing, though, has been my overall exhaustion with the endless statism and politics immersing me in a smothering, collective embrace. The election, Iraq, new laws, fresh regulations, increasing restrictions, and a general acceptance by the citizens of this country that, hey, what's the big deal? Even the increasing disenchantment with the war has done little to cheer me since I realize the underlying attitudes that led us into that morass have not changed. Nor are they likely to in the near future.; 4. People do more of what they are rewarded for doing. If even one percent of those who visit my Web pages purchased either my novel or my essay collection, I might have more of the emotional fuel needed to push on through the swamp. But sales have been slow, as they usually are for self-published work. Nevertheless, I hope to begin another novel soon. Hope springs eternal...; 5. As for the stupid flap over a video of a hanging of heinous politician; the banning of trans fats and goose liver; the harping on global warming; and all the rest: who cares? Screw 'em. I'm too tired to bother. Maybe next time.

: 7-31-06

: 1. Once again, the Feds intrude where they have no business sticking their big noses. If and/or when the Republicrat rodents achieve their goal of getting abortion banned in more and more states, they want to build legal walls preventing any pregnant teenager from escaping the prison that is her home and crossing state lines to a less-enslaved state that does perform abortions. More precisely, the Feds seek to outlaw anyone taking such a teen across those artificial boundaries. Egads. This smacks of those old laws seeking to punish folks for driving to a different state for any behavior whispering of sex. No amount of control is ever enough for the moral midgets in D.C.; 2. Thomas DiLorenzo has yet another article (and upcoming book) discussing Ol' Abe Lincoln's true colors. Seems the Tall One was all in favor of adding a Constitutional amendment forbidding any future amendment from outlawing slavery. Nice trick, pretending to bind folks yet unborn to such a screwy idea. But racist though he was, his worst evil was destroying the validity of secession in the minds of Americans. There are plenty of bums who contributed to the demise of the Republic, but he ranks near the top.; 3. A Muslim idiot walked into the Jewish Federation in Seattle last week and killed a woman and wounded five other folks. (See here.) Too bad so many Jews are in favor of victim disarmament. Pretty ironic given what happened to so many Jews in WW II. When will more Jews wise up and support organizations like Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership? Heck, it's only their lives that are at stake...; 4. And speaking of Jews... Ol' Mel Gibson got himself into some hot water after being arrested for driving while intoxicated. (See here.) (He should have gotten the speeding ticket for going 87 miles/hour in a 45 mph zone, but his .12 blood alcohol level should not have been illegal. The extorted .08 level is too low and should be restored to the .15 level.) The big "scandal," of course, is not his law-breaking but his (admitted) "despicable" comments about Jews. Despite some talking-head buffoons on TV, his slurs against Jews have zippo to do with the case of speeding or drunk driving. Sheriff Baca is precisely right about that and about charges of a "cover-up." Yeah, yeah, ol' Mel copped out and talked alcoholism as a "disease" rather than a choice, but the gleeful witch-hunt of Gibson promoted by some commentators is just a bit too much like "gotcha!" for the controversies surrounding his movie "The Passion of Christ" to be taken seriously.; 5. As for anti-Semitism as a subject for discussion, well, I am pro-reason. If one wishes to be negative, I am thus anti-religion and, since Judaism is a kind of religion, I suppose I am "anti-Jewish" (in terms of Jewish beliefs). If that makes me "anti-Semitic" in some eyes, well, there you have it. But the deeper issue of Jews (in a religious rather than a cultural sense) is the erroneous belief too many Jews promulgate that the Holocaust was a Jewish issue because the Nazis primarily scapegoated them. The false implications of this view is that the answer, of course, is to be "tolerant" of others' beliefs. But the real problem was not "intolerance" of a particular group or groups. The fundamental issue that is still ignored by Jews and Gentiles and most everyone else is that of collectivism from which arises the sickness that is statism. Instead of promoting what is Jewish above all else, Jews should focus on individualism and abandon a religion that is false (as are all religions, of course). But people cling to their delusions the more they are threatened. Until people abandon their primitive clutching at reified groups for the source of their identity and security, all the problems of the Mideast, all the problems plaguing statist societies around the world will only continue and intensify into the foreseeable future.; 6. I read an article this weekend about that unconstitutional body, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) going after the folks running Ernest Hemingway's old home in Key West, Florida. The nincompoops in D.C. want the Hemingway folks to get a license (!) to "exhibit" the fifty or so multi-toed cats prowling the place (cats descended from ones Hemingway owned). Not only does this illustrate the absurdity and immorality of any licensing laws, it's stupid even if one accepted licensing's validity! I've been to that place, and the cats are no more on "exhibit" than are the people who give the tours or run the bookstore. Those cats have it sweet: sleeping on the beds; free passage anywhere they like, including the bookstore; doted on by cat-loving visitors; nice climate (minus the hurricanes...)... The cats are not "in commerce"! No one is buying or selling them. Good grief. A bunch of State assholes who have nothing better to do with their time than harass people. Yet another expected consequences from the nonsense that is licensing and laws designed to protect animal "rights." A pox on them all.
: 7-25-06; 1. Now come on. Is anyone really surprised that the Feds wasted $400 million of the funds allocated to aid Katrina victims? Is anyone really surprised that Feds with charge cards in their hands acted like little kids in a candy store and purchased such "essential" items as iPods and beer-making kits? Or is anyone really surprised that the miscreants who spent their ill-gotten booty, i.e., your money, on such nonsense were not immediately fired and then arrested for fraud? Come on. In today's realpolitik, screwing up is the road to honors and advancement. Start a war. Kill a few hundred thousand innocent civilians. Destroy a country's infrastructure. Cripple and kill thousands of our soldiers. Do all that and get a medal from the prez and billions more added to your agency's budget. It's the New American Dream! Really.; 2. And, by a show of hands, how many of you out there are really surprised that the folks in Israel find themselves once again in a fighting war and invading a neighboring country? How many of you are really surprised that the people suffering the most in this latest conflict are civilians on both sides of the border? Who can possibly be surprised when a semi-enslaved country that forces involuntary servitude on all its citizens via a draft (i.e., Israel) finds rockets raining down on its collective head from a bunch of nut-job religious idiots who think a good time is dying for a fantasy-figure like Allah? Talk about the "lesser of two evils"! While Israel no doubt qualifies as the "lesser," their society runs on the basis of irrationality and evil, not reason and value. Ditto in spades the Islamic cretins who think all who disagree with them should be fitted with a casket...after you gather all the little bits of the bodies that have been blown to smithereens. Crazy. But no crazier than our own destructive, evil government spreading its black tentacles through every crevice of society, not only our own but the entire world's. And, please, no one talk to me about "necessary" evils. There ain't no such animal. Evil is never necessary. It's only way too damned easy to find. Everywhere. Really.; 3. After becoming a Firefly fan, I decided to purchase the entire seven seasons of Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in one collector's set for a price under $130. (Not a bad deal.) I am slowly making my way through the DVDs. I'm into season two, at the moment. So far, I'm enjoying it. I still much prefer Firefly and its more adult orientation and set of characters, but I can see Buffy's appeal. Maybe the day will come when I will move on to the "Angel" series, as well, preferrably when the special box set available in Britain goes on sale here in the U.S.
: 7-18-06; 1. Seems to be a lot of roosters coming home to roost lately. While none of this is a surprise, of course, to freedom-lovers, I imagine many statists and collectivists are scratching their heads because they just can't figure out what the hey is going on...; 2. In that hotbed of rationality, Washington, D. C., rape, robbery, and murder are going full-bore for the throat. (Amazing, isn't it, just how effective banning guns can be for ~~helping criminals~~ protecting innocent citizens?) Not only are murders occurring at a record pace, but the crooks have the temerity to leave their own neighborhoods where their victims have little money and venture into upscale communities such as Georgetown. The bastards! The crime levels were acceptable as long as the "right folks" were on the end of the hammer, but robbin', rapin', and murderin' tourists on the national Mall....Uh! How dare they! Of course, the "official" response is that "more cops" will solve everything. Riiiiggghhhtttt.... And none of my readers will be surprised that not a single talking head ever mentioned the elephant in the room: that victim disarmament laws leave victims, well...disarmed. Most "law-abiding" citizens aren't going to risk imprisonment by flouting the law against concealed weapons carry...even though they have the right to ignore such an unconstitutional and immoral travesty. So the jackals come sniffing around the helpless sheep knowing they are safe to attack virtually anyone they so desire. If the obvious answer were implemented, i.e.,let those who so choose arm themselves, I can guarantee this "epidemic of violence" who be cured pronto. A few bullets in the chests of a few miscreants would get the word out: seek less dangerous pickin's.; 3. Another clucker flappin' in for a landing is in the Southwest. Farmers there were able long ago to grow crops where few folks would do so only because the Feds agreed to subsidize the cost of irrigating the land, bringing in cheap water for these thieves. Now, of course, there is a build-up of salt in the soil from all that evaporatin' goin' on. For a few measly billions of dollars, the Feds are now offering to wean these schmucks off the State teat; let the land lay fallow. If any farmers subsequently desire to grow crops, the water will be on their own dime. Again, no one in the news commented on the impropriety of the government being involved in such a project, in the first place. The rest of us, however, still have to pay for this boondoggle.; 4. Another chick-chick is headed home on the health care front. Seems one employer demanded that his employees quit smoking, not just on the job but at home, too. If they failed to do so by a certain deadline, they would be fired. Pretty nasty, huh? What a jerk, the fired folks said. They tried to sue, but the courts stated that employment in this country is (with numerous statist exceptions) "at will." Employers can fire employees for all kinds of reasons, good or bad. (The horrors!) But again, unfair or not, such results would not even be an issue if not for State interference. The employer interviewed on TV made this intrusion into his employees private lives because the cost of employer-provided health care continues to zoom upward. He wanted to save his company money. But the primary (the only?) reason employers "provide" health insurance coverage is because of changes in the tax laws post-WW II that do not tax such benefits. Since all "benefits" ultimately are shifted from salaries, the employees supposedly did better by having their dollars go farther as benefits rather than as money given directly to them from which they would purchase their own, private medical insurance. But such "benefits" from non-taxed salaries long ago evaporated under State-induced health care cost increases. What should be done is to give employees all their income (rather than pretending the employer "pays" for certain benefits) and let them decide what health coverage, life insurance, retirement plans, unemployment insurance, and so on, they want and then have them buy it themselves. For anyone who brings up the value of pooled business resources for negotiating terms with insurance companies, long before the State distorted the market, individuals could join with others in mutual aid societies and bargain as a group for better terms. But no one anywhere ever mentioned that this problem would probably have never arisen in the first place if the State hadn't mucked things up sixty years ago by interposing itself between employer and employee.; 5. Then there is the prez's promised (first!) veto if Congress passes a bill to increase federal funding of stem cell research. Some Republicrats have abruptly gotten religion and stated that those who oppose such research should not have to pay for it. Whoa! Ring the bell! Hold the bus! Too bad these yahoos don't apply their own reasoning to the rest of the State's shenanigans. We'd eliminate 95+% of what the State steals our money to fund. So, again, if the State hadn't assumed long ago that it had the "right" to fund everything from highways to museums to advertising for corporations, those who oppose tax-funded research on stem cells would not have to argue against it: the issue would be moot. But no one, of course, bothers to apply this principle to all else the State does.; 6. Finally, the political hypocrites not only want to keep Internet gambling illegal, they want to ban credit card companies from allowing you to use their cards to spend your own money on your own computer in your own home on anything that smacks of "gambling." After all, as my asshole state representative, Jim Leach, R-IA, says, such gambling is destructive and immoral and horrible for anyone to do...unless the gambling is done and/or approved by the State. Screw these jerks. Stay out of my life! Arrogant, condescending pricks who... Oh, well. Don't get me started...
: 7-07-06; 1. It has been a number of months since I've written an Atlas article. No real excuse, but by way of explanation, there was the end of the semester teaching; two weeks touring Colorado finishing up at a ranch in Wyoming; and a month selecting, designing, editing, and publishing a collection of what I consider my best essays. Borrowing from the Atlas logo, I entitled the book, Freedom, As If It Mattered. One hundred essays, two short stories, and a screenplay. Over 700 pages, a quarter-of-a-million words. All for $24.95. (Or less, if you want to go digital.); 2. In the collection, I cover a wide range of topics in philosophy, ethics, politics, economics, art, and current events. I examine the foundations of liberty and individual rights; give an overview of Ayn Rand and Objectivism; present a series of academic papers on communication, mass media, and abortion; explore the contentious view that the United States is already a police state; ponder the foundations and rationales for war and terrorism; champion self-defense and a proper understanding of crime; and plunge into such cultural controversies as animal "rights," smoking, education, discrimination, hate "crimes," flag burning, and voting. In these essays, I deplore the growing Nanny State and offer objective personal values we all should share. I also discuss an overlooked cautionary film and the careers of writers Edgar Rice Burroughs and F. Paul Wilson.; 3. It's difficult to know what to focus on here. I've accumulated a lot of notes on subjects that have come and gone over the past few months. The examples all chronicle the irrationality, collectivism, and statism that continue to plague the world. Remember these: Texas yahoos arresting guests in hotel bars for being tipsy...even if they had no plans to drive anywhere. A suggestion to outlaw male businessmen taking their clients to strip clubs: unfair to female employees, of course. Gas "gouging" made illegal: no such thing as "gouging," of course, just what individuals agree to pay for goods they want. More boohooing about gas mileage standards not being tough enough. Plans to have the State seize private land and build a Flight 93 (9/11) memorial in Pennsylvania. State interference in the building a new structure on the site of the World Trade Center. French students rioting because someone dared to suggest that they should not have guaranteed employment for life. A growing movement to ban soft drinks and candy from schools. Asinine seat belt ads telling us in no uncertain terms that the State "has had enough" and will ticket your ass if you dare do anything the State believes will endanger your life by your own free choice. Massataxits mandating health insurance for everyone. Massive fraud in tax-funded Katrina relief: nearly 10% of funds or $400 million dollars down the tubes. Collectivists whining about the heirs of Martin Luther King actually making money from the sale of his papers with NBC television dickheads posing the question whether the items belong to the heirs...or "to history"!!! Such crap never ends.; 4. A woman on NPR said if she had her way, she would outlaw food marketed for kids: prevent TV ads and the placing of cartoons on packaging. Gosh. Guess she never heard of the First Amendment.; 5. There was recently more garbage about "second-hand" smoke and how many people it "kills" annually. That any amount -- any amount -- was "deadly." All "proved," of course, by people who wouldn't understand cause-and-effect or the notion that the dose makes the poison if it bit them on the ass. All designed, of course, to lend more support to State violations of property rights and individual choices. Horse hockey. Gag me with a cigarette...; 6. What can I say about Al Gore and global warming hysteria? Ignore history. Ignore facts. Ignore rationality. Ignore the weighing of costs and benefits. Ignore what the true motives are of the anti-technology, anti-capitalism, anti-individualist eco-fascists.; 7. The jerk Warren Buffet with his holier-than-though B.S. about what others should do with their money; what money means; and his rampant hypocrisy about it all. And the cloying crap from all sides about "giving back" to the "community." Screw the community. They're the jerks actively seeking my enslavement.; 8. And last but not least, "Lady Liberty" showing her/his true colors by claiming that animal abuse should be illegal. Some friend of freedom.

3-23-06

1. Congress and the Prez pass the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act (*ack, ptuie!!*) permanent extension. They pretend to pass "safeguards" and most citizens pretend to believe them. What a crock. Don't forget that this monstrosity is an acronym: "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism," i.e., the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act. Ri-i-i-g-g-h-t.... "Terrorism." As in hookers and drug users and anyone they damned well please. "Strengthening America." Ri-i-i-g-g-h-t.... As in gutting what little remained of the Fourth Amendment. As in expanding State power. As in turning citizens into compliant mice bowing and scraping for the "privilege" of flying or assembling in protest or living. "Appropriate tools." Ri-i-i-g-g-h-t.... As in forbidding those who are f*ck*d by the feds from even telling anyone they have been violated. As in warrantless search and seizures. As in turning the president into a dictator by claiming he can ignore -- at will -- any law he thinks "interferes" with his power grabs. Too many apologists claim wrongly that the prez's position as commander-in-chief gives him the authority to do anything and everything he wants to wage this (undeclaread and unconstitutional) "war," so there, nyah-nyah-nyah. These tin Nazis are the kind of slime who emerge whenever power becomes available to those so low in self-esteem and value that they only feel complete when running the lives of innocent others. I hope they all rot in hell.

2. Headed out to see "V for Vendetta" this afternoon. I never read the graphic novel that formed the basis for the film and have zero desire to wage any debate on the relative merits of the two. A film is not a book, not even a comic one. Different standards. I just hope the flick gives me a chance to experience -- for a little while, at least -- a place and time where the bastards get what they have coming.

3. I am currently compiling a collection of my work for publication. It's entitled (appropriately enough; see logo above) Freedom, As If It Mattered: A Hundred Essays, Two Short Stories, and a Screenplay. It will be about 750 pages, nearly a quarter of a million words long, and available for about $25. When it is ready to go, I'll post the table of contents here.

4. Every time I turn around, I see some idjit yammering on about "meth" and how horrible it is and how we have to turn our drug stores into informers, all to save people from themselves. Of course, these nimnulls never bother to show the "before" and "after" pics of alcoholics or rant about the horrible effects this drug has on children who use it or who suffer because their parents use it. No. Then they would either have to call for banning booze (again) or admit that mere horrific possible consequences from abuse of "X" does not justify prohibiting "X" or that it is entirely possible to use recreational drugs without abusing them. Sometimes I just want to shake these sanctimonious SOBs and tell them to butt the hell out of my freedom.

5. I'm eagerly awaiting the real arrival of spring here in Iowa. We've been teased a few times, but winter is ignoring the calendar and hanging on by its fingernails. I am definitely a warm weather person. Given the right circumstances, I would joyfully move somewhere south of here and never look back. At the very least, count me in as a wannabe Snowbird.

6. My favorite shows this seasons: Veronica Mars, 24, Lost, Prison Break, House, 2 1/2 Men, and Scrubs. And who says there's "nothing good on TV"? (Oh, regarding 24 and the gross violations of rights that occur on a regular basis there. Such in no way justifies similar abuses in the real world. We have an omniscient point of view in the show and know [most of the time, anyway] when someone is an actual bad guy. There is no such presumption in dealing with purported terrorists or criminals we must actually face everyday.)

2-08-06

1. Certain Muslims have demonstrated that they do not belong in civilized company. Simply because a Danish newspaper published some cartoons that are "disrespectful" of Mohammed, these Muslims "think" (more accurately: "feel") an appropriate response is to throw stones and fire bombs, destroy property, threaten murder, and otherwise reveal themselves as the religious nut-job fanatics they are. It is such over-the-top actions that help reinforce Western stereotypes about Muslims. Any Muslims who think they have a right to initiate violence against others merely because they are "offended" by a cartoon -- or whatever -- reveal themselves for the savages they are. Fine, boycott Danish products if they so desire (though even this response demonstrates collectivistic thinking at its core: punishing innocents merely because they share the nationality of those who "offended" them), but anyone demanding death as the price for presenting an unpopular idea deserves death in return. Muslims storming an embassy with rocks or flames or climbing the walls: shoot them. That's better than they deserve.

2. The Safety Nazis are at it again. This time their target is Britney Spears, a vapid music star who had the temerity to hold her baby in her arms while she was driving her SUV. While perhaps not the wisest choice of actions on her part, in no way was she directly harming or endangering her infant. The very notion that the State can dictate to parents how they must or must not raise their children is repugnant. Preemptive laws -- prior restraint, in effect -- violate the essence of proper legality. The State has no business forcing parents to place their babies or toddlers or children in seat X or Y for Z years. If the child is injured and if the State can prove that the parent was negligent, then fine, charge her with something. But otherwise butt out and let the woman raise her kid the way she wants.

3. There has been a lot of hype promoting the movie Crash. While I agree that the film is technically well-done, I did not find it particularly "brave" or "enlightening." Yeah. There is racism in America. And the sun rises in the east. Whoop-deedoo. Hardly a message designed to shock or reveal anything we didn't already know. These guys remind me of teenagers who think they were the first ones to discover sex. If, however, the filmmakers had been truly insightful and courageous, they would have focused on why there is still racism in this country. How about exploring class-warfare promoted by a paternalistic State? Affirmative action? Collectivist thinking? Disparagement of individualism? Avoidance of personal responsibility? That would be a start.

4. We have a new Supreme by the name of Samuel Alito. More of the same or worse, I suspect. What was sadly funny during his confirmation hearings was his ardent insistence that he was no "ideologue." In other words, he does not believe in principles and has none. This passes for leadership these days?

5. A recent news story on ABC television revealed the shocking fact that people in this country are still able to buy and use some phones anonymously (like the Tracfone I own). Why, our wiser cousins to the north require identification to make such purchases! What is wrong with us?!? Well, maybe we still cling desperately to a few shreds of freedom and privacy in this nation. As a country, Canada abandoned that a long while ago. Because "terrorists" might, might use such phones to commit crimes, the rest of us are supposed to blithefully surrender one more piece of our liberty. Screw that.

6. The fascists are at it again, this time in Maryland trying to force that bad ol' debbil WalMart either to provide health care coverage to their "underpaid" employees or fork over some money to the State to "pay" for medical care these employees get for "free" from their government, i.e., stolen from their fellow citizens. A lawsuit is underway. Who knows if it will succeed? But the very fact that such a law could be implemented does not bode well for avoiding nationalized health "care" in this country.

7. Hillary Clinton recently garnered headlines by claiming the Republicans were like masters running a plantation. From the mouths of babes... Of course the Republicrats treat the rest of us as slaves, to be "cared" for and commanded. But so do the Demicans! And the Emperor has no clothes!

8. I laughed awhile ago when I heard some dolt on television state with obdurate certainty that "Everyone agrees this is a good first step." This idiot was talking about laws requiring citizens to sign their names and provide ID when buying certain cold medicines containing methamphetamine precursors. Like hell "everyone" agrees. Maybe statists and assholes. Those of us who retain an ounce of respect for freedom recognize this violation of rights for what it is: B.S., and I ain't talkin' baloney sauce... The Drug War is an abomination. Those who support it are knowingly or unwittingly supporting tyranny. For now, I guess it is either laugh or cry for the rest of us.

9. Along the same lines, that bastion of reason -- ha! -- Singapore continues its fine tradition of imprisoning or hanging people for drug or firearm use. If that were not bad enough, they used to ban chewing gum. But, golly, now all one has to do is register and one can then buy and chew gum. Gee. Ain't freedom grand?

10. The Fearmongers are attacking Teflon again. Horrible, horrible Teflon. Even though the chemical used to make it does not show up in the final product, they want to -- guess...! -- ban Teflon. Why, each and every one of us has traces of the bad chemical in our blood. Aiieee!!! We're all gonna die! Well, yeah. Eventually. Some day. But not from Teflon. Good grief.

11-29-05

1. It's a symptom of the altruistic poison coursing through the veins of this country that some of the residents of New Orleans continue to complain that the rest of the country is "not doing enough" to rebuild their ravaged city. In a recent television story I saw, one of the folks interviewed said that if America truly is a great country, then there should be no question but that the citizens will spend whatever is necessary to rebuild the Crescent City. Now, I love New Orleans as do millions of others who have fond memories of visits there. But to presume that anyone has a moral duty to spend their money so New Orleans can rise again from the muck is to claim that the rest of us are nothing more than slaves to be used as others see fit. I truly do hope New Orleans is able to recover. But...only those who voluntarily choose (and how sad is it that that redundant adverb must be added here...)...that any money spent to rebuild the city must come from private sources. Let people via the free market decide what deserves to be resurrected and what does not. Let businesses decide how to rebuild the levees...or whether they should be rebuilt, at all. Let individuals work together in recasting their lives in Louisiana or elsewhere. Those who live along the Gulf must be the ones who accept and bear the risks involved in being in such a pleasant environment. The costs -- the subsidies -- should not be imposed upon the rest of us.

2. Another story I saw lamented the disappearance of marshlands south of New Orleans. With the river contained within the levees constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers, the floods that used to spread silt from the Mississippi River have largely become a thing of the past. With the supply of raw materials choked off, the marshlands that helped buffer the city from the full effects of hurricanes have been drastically reduced. Estimates on rebuilding these marshlands run into the billions. Without them, one researcher claims that within fifty years, New Orleans will become an island. Whether this prediction is accurate of not, I don't know. What I do know is that this is yet another example of how State interference and "benevolence" has wreaked far greater havoc than the original danger ever could. Compare this to State subsidies that helped drain much of the Everglades; that bring subsidized water to deserts for people and crops; that damage the environment far more than any privately-funded projects ever could. But no one on television that I saw made the connection between problem and solution. Instead -- as usually happens -- the problems created by the State lead to cries for even more State involvment...that will lead to yet more unforeseen difficulties and more State involvement and...

3. A recent story on National Public Radio discussed the slaughter of horses for meat that occurs in this country. Now, I would never knowingly eat horse. Indeed, I cringe at the very thought of killing a horse for its flesh. But I would never, ever think to legally prohibit the right of owners to use their animals in such a fashion. Unsurprisingly, such a course of action was precisely what was advocated on NPR. But banning any peaceful behavior to assuage the ruffled feelings of those who object is a gross violation of rights. Property rights are sacrosanct. Doesn't matter if the property in question is a horse or a dog or a cat or a car or a cheeseburger. No one but the owner has a say! Accept "exceptions" to that principle, and you have destroyed the principle. The next property they come after may be yours.

4. The prohibitionists are not content to rest there, of course. There are calls again to ban Internet gambling. I expect such inexecrable crap from politicians, but it is even sadder to hear owners of such sites beg to be regulated. A television story on this topic featured the sorry spectacle of an owner asking to be regulated so those "other guys" won't be able to do bad things to their customers. Heaven forfend that people should actually do research before they hand over their credit card information. This guy gasped in horror and told the interviewer that, wow, imagine what would happen if people were "allowed" to do whatever they want! Disaster! Chaos! Anarchy!

Or maybe just "freedom."

5. What can one say about the recent handgun ban voted in San Francisco? Idiots. Tyrants. Fools. Bah.

6. So it was little wonder what I saw on an episode of the Fox television show, "Bones." The female lead in this series asked the FBI agent with whom she works to help her get a gun carry permit. After all, she said, she faced dangerous criminals on a regular basis and might need to defend herself. After summarily rejecting her application, the FBI guy cavalierly said, in effect, "You have a Constitutional right to apply for a permit to carry." No right to purchase and carry firearms. Just a right "to apply" for a "permit." What can one do other than shake one's head?

If this is the state of rights and freedom in this country today, I'll take peppermint.

10-27-05

1. How much sympathy can you have for people when they act like idiots? I see the people in Florida (and earlier in New Orleans) who did not leave the area before Hurricane Wilma came roaring across the state. Why is it that the loudest complainers did little to nothing to prepare ahead of time? Why did they not fill up their bathtubs and other containers with water? Stock the freezer with extra ice? Fill up their grill tanks or their cars with gas? Buy charcoal? Lay in extra nonperishable food supplies? Buy a generator? No. These whining infants prefer to clamor like so many baby birds for Mama State to drop what they need into their mouths. Heaven forfend such folks should look first to themselves and their own resources for sustaining their lives. How tragic if they should pay the price for all those other months of great weather rather than forcing the rest of the country to subsidize their insurance, their housing, their lives. I am bled dry of sympathy for anyone who expects as a right help from the State, i.e., their fellow citizens. I am not a sacrificial lamb, to be offered up for their serving whenever they grow hungry through their own ignorance, stupidity, or greed.

2. Even though most people -- fans and non-fans alike -- have highly rated Joss Whedon's Serenity movie (based on his series Firefly), some people have attacked it. Arguing with some of these people who don't like Serenity; who don't understand the differences in the requirements between episodic TV and a movie; who drop the context of the making of this film; who focus on trivialities instead of a movie's essence; arguing with such folks is a waste of time. Nothing will convince them they are wrong since what they are complaining isn't what they really think is wrong.

I'm sick to death of people who simply don't like what happened in this movie (or any movie, for that matter) and who then use their negative reactions to claim the movie was "poorly" made, that there was "bad lighting," "lazy writing," "cheap special effects," "choppy editing," "too much exposition," that it was a "TV movie," etc. etc.

If someone does not like this story, then, fine, just say so. But I get the impression that many negative critics have trashed the film because they were expecting Firefly and got Serenity instead. It's akin to someone wanting a mild green pepper and finding a hot pepper, then attacking the hot pepper as being a "bad" pepper. Come on! I see a lot of movies I dislike because of a story's theme or approach or philosophy. But I don't confuse my rejection of such values with the quality of the film's production itself.

Serenity is a well-crafted, well-written, well-acted, well-produced example of good film making.

(As for those who attack Serenity because it actually celebrates freedom, such people are truly hopeless.)

Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. No one is entitled to his own reality.

8-09-05

1. Trying to select from among the daily assaults on our freedom for special scrutiny is akin to focusing on a single water droplet from the falls crashing down upon your head. Hardly seems worth the effort given the "reward." The undeclared war in Iraq. The "PATRIOT" Act extensions and additions. The Supreme Court's repudiation of property rights. The ever-expanding war on Americans via the convenient excuse of "drug" usage. The stark inhumanity of denying sick people an effective means of keeping down their medicine. Requiring prescriptions for over-the-counter cold medicine. The arrogance of Transportation "Security" Administration petty thugs who presume themselves to be above the Constitution as they assault travelers, free speech, and due process. Random bag searches of NYC subway passengers in a pointless attempt to be seen "doing something" regardless of the action's effectiveness or morality. The REAL ID card that is a real threat to federalism and freedom. The push to bond religion with education and government. The expansion of Big Lies such as "A-bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified" or that any national politician (except Ron Paul) believes in freedom. The inane notion that steroid use should (a) be illegal or (b) any of Congress's friggin' business. Forcing those with moral objections to pay for stem-cell research. The shuddering fact that we even have a governmental agency with "Homeland" in its name. The astonishing belief that accusations of criminal activity constitute proof of guilt; that such individuals are not covered by the Constitution and have no rights; and that torture is perfectly acceptable. The frightening prospect that so many ~~idiots~~ citizens of this country seriously consider Hillary The Witch Clinton as a viable and desirable presidential candidate. The self-contradictory statement that free trade requires even more laws and regulations (see CAFTA). The criminal cooperation of Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo with the Chinese dictatorship in its attempts to censor the Internet. The likelihood of a Islamic state being established in Iraq for which thousands of our soldiers have died or been maimed. Even the NCAA "banning" Indian names for athletic teams. (And screw that stupid nonsense of calling American Indians "Native Americans." Christ. I was born in America. I am a "native" American. I sure as hell did not immigrant here)...

A pox upon them all. And upon all who support them, even a little bit.

2. On a more intimate front, I had a fun encounter with a student. In a free-wheeling discussion about admitting women to a military academy, I said that the purpose of the military is to kill people and blow things up. Well...! One student found this statement absolutely beyond the pale. After class (I'll call the student X), X told me that s/he was "offended" by my remark and that I should "watch" what I said in the future (with an implied "or else..."). Needless to say, I was rather astounded at this response.

When told that the military does other things, I said, yeah, sure, but its primary purpose, the fundamental reason -- when push comes to shove -- we have an army is for our soldiers to kill the enemy and destroy their property. I hardly saw that as an insult. I want our military to do such things when and if we are unjustly attacked by others. But, no. Still not good enough for X who proceeded to tell me with all the wisdom of a typical college student that the military does other things during peacetime. Uh. Hello? I said, sure, but I didn't think I had to specify that the killin' and blowin' up referred to times of actual war. Who in his right mind would suggest the military should kill and destroy during times of peace? I hardly thought pointing out the obvious was necessary.

But, of course, I was wrong. Student X kept harping on the fact that s/he was "offended" by what I said and that simple fact alone should suffice to convince me never to utter anything in the future that s/he or another student might find "offensive." Anyone remotely aware of my beliefs can guess how I reacted to such a statement. I told X that I was offended at X's being offended; that I saw such a remark as an assault on my academic freedom; that I was not responsible for X's misinterpretation of my words; that it was hardly reasonable to expect me to stop an open discussion to explain in excruciating detail the entire context and limitations of each and every thing I said. Student X focused very little on the issue of whether my claim was true or false, something that could actually be debated. No. The real bone of contention was X's being "offended," the magical word that is designed to stifle and trump all objections and make the self-proclaimed "victim" deserving of apology or worse. The mere charge that I said something "offensive" was supposed to convict me.

I told the student that I regretted s/he took my words the wrong way, but I maintained that X's reaction was X's responsibility. Not mine. I had said nothing wrong.

Gah! Nee ta ma duh!

3. Speaking of which... I've been enjoying the trailers for the upcoming "Firefly" movie, Serenity. Like a lot of Browncoats, I've been hoping the film will have a big box office and long legs to ensure the reality of the two sequels the actors have signed to do. If you haven't watched the DVDs, what are you waiting for??? The first two comic books designed to bridge the time from the end of the series to the beginning of the movie are out; one to go. The entire Firefly movement, if you will, is a needed antidote to the kind of crap I discussed in point 1 above. Go for a bit of emotional fuel. You'll thank yourself.

4. I just finished the new Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Unlike one asshole who revealed the book's big secret in the first line of his review and thus spoiled any suspense for me, I'll just say it was interesting but not as good or freedom-leaning as the last novel, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I would still recommend it, though, and look forward to book seven and the climatic battle between Harry and Voldemort.

6-14-05

1. On a recent vacation, my wife and I camped in northern Minnesota and Michigan, traveled through Ontario, Canada, twice, camped in upper New York state, and visited friends in Burlington, Vermont. In Ontario along the upper shore of Lake Superior, radio stations are infrequent. A few times I listened to the Canadian version of the U.S.'s National Public Radio. The biggest news seemed to be a politician who "defected" and threatened the government. Gee. An unfaithful politician. Who woulda thunk it? But what caught my attention more was a story dealing with a U.S. situation. The station spent nearly half an hour covering the controversial subject of hunting for game via the Internet. Live-Shot offers people -- for a large sum of money -- the opportunity to shoot and kill contained animals by remotely controlling (via the Internet) a gun set up in Texas. It's touted as a chance for handicapped people to hunt or a way for those in cities to hunt that they otherwise might not have. Man. The way some folks carried on, you'd have thought these guys were targeting human babies crawling about the bush. The reporter interviewed some state-level, Midwestern politician who wanted to ban the practice in his state. Oh, heavens! He saw this Internet hunting as oh-so-terrible! Even a paraplegic they interviewed who had used the service had his reservations about "normal" folks hunting game in this fashion. To no one's surprise, that grand defender of freedom, the National Rifle Association, [*urp* Excuse while I try to keep my lunch down...] called for prohibition of this heinous activity.

Give me a friggin' break.

The way these people were beating their breasts, you'd have believed this was a major societal problem, that hunters were abandoning the woods wholesale to sit in their shorts in their living rooms, swilling beer, and banging away at helpless animals thousands of miles away. But according to the company spokesman, most people simply use the site for target practice. Five -- count 'em: five -- customers had gone the whole magilla. Good grief. What a tempest in a teapot. I hardly think an animal cares if its killed via the Internet or in person. In neither case is anyone's rights being violated. While not my cup of tea -- heck, I don't hunt, at all -- I don't care if a handful of folks want to hunt this way. (One interviewee twisted himself into logical knots when asked about hunts where the shooter was there in person but the game was confined, anyway. This dolt didn't want to ban this, even though there is little functional difference between that type of "hunting" and Live-Shot.)

When will people learn that the way to stop behavior with which you disagree is not through laws? Haven't these yo-yo's ever heard of persuasion? But that, of course, would require some real work, some real time. To hell with freedom. Ban it!

2. Another lovely story on this Canadian radio station involved an American woman who moved to China. Talk about sick. Not that she moved to China. No. Her considered opinion was that democracy was highly overrated. (Well, it is. But not for the reasons she cited.) She much preferred a simple dictatorship (!) (I kid you not...). That way she would not have to worry about studying up on the candidates, learning what they believed (supposedly), and going to the voting booth. Heck. Let the dictator decide all that and keep the country running smoothly and without all that arguing! If anyone deserves to be shot, this idiot would be at the top of the list.

3. Speaking of idiots...the Supremes keep on with their sterling record by ruling that the Federal Drug Thugs trump any laws states might pass to "allow" sick people to smoke that evil marijuana to alleviate their symptoms and, ya know, maybe continue living. Better to die than be seduced by the evil Weed!!!! Bwahahaha! And checks-and-balances? State's "rights"? Ha! Funny joke. Why, that ol' Commerce Clause in the Constitution -- that was designed to prevent states from putting up barriers to trade among the states -- can, in fact, be twisted all around to prohibit trade...even within a single state! I hope the cretins who voted to keep the Drug War thriving will one day contract the most virulent form of cancer imaginable; that they suffer intractable pain; and that they have no avenue available to them to soften their daily torture.

Incredible.

5-12-05

1. Notice how the media and their audience obsess ad nauseum about a woman who runs out on her fiance and on a musical superstar accused of pedophilia while the State passes a national ID card with barely a ripple in the cultural or news firmament; and passes a law that gives the director of Homeland Insecurity (seig heil!) carte blanche to ignore any and all laws without review on our "border" in order to catch those wascally immigrants intent on doing jobs most Americans find beneath them.

2. Here are some representative links to the "REAL ID." Here. And here. And here. And here. And here. And here.

3. I'm simultaneously unsurprised and amazed that so few people in life or in the media have even reported -- let alone been upset -- that we now have a national ID card in this country. I can just hear some of the comments: "Oh. It'll be really convenient!" Or: "Oh. If you have nothing to hide, why should you worry?" Or: "Oh. I'll do anything if it will make me safer." Gag me with a knife. A NID, from the folks who promised that a SS # would "never" be used for identification purposes; that the income tax would "never" affect more than 2% of the richest folks in America; that War X would make the "world safe forever." Mission creep. (And I mean creep...) Abuse. Control. It's all there in a NID. An internal passport, without which you will be unable to fly or do anything that involves the feds. Or eventually any aspect of life touched by the State...which today is (in principle, if not yet in practice) every aspect of life. Police State USA. Apparently, nobody cares. One day, though, (I predict) they will. A lot.

4. Which brings me to literary news: I just received my reviewer's copy of F. Paul Wilson's latest Repairman Jack novel, Infernal, from Gauntlet Press. Here is a man -- RJ -- whose whole raison d'etre is staying under the State's radar in order to maintain a bit of freedom. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to yet another nail in the coffin that is "privacy" in America. My review will appear in the next issue of Atlas Magazine. (It will be print-published in July in the Prometheus newletter published by the Libertarian Futurist Society.) (As an ironic footnote: the package arrived yesterday mangled as though a dog had ravaged it: holes in the envelope, the spine of the book torn, the cover bent, the edge of the paper discolored. The Post Awful had wrapped the whole mess in a plastic wrap with a "Oh, dear. We're so sorry," note attached...but no offer of compensation.)

5. I continue to be amazed at the savage treatment many libertarians and even some so-called "Objectivists" afford Ayn Rand's premiere work, Atlas Shrugged. People who have not a smidgeon of her knowledge, understanding, or talent have the nerve to tell me she didn't "pay attention" to what she was doing; that having certain minor characters die from the consequences of their own irrational decisions is "wrong" and too "violent"; that she should have found "some other" to get her points across. Pardon my French, but screw these idiots. They don't understand Rand's version of Romanticism. (They prefer the "realism" of Naturalism and are "offended" by a fictional demonstration of the relationship among choices and actions and consequences.) They don't understand literary criticism. (They focus on some minor points in the book, expand their importance to the most central issues in the novel, and either misapply the principles of Romanticism or apply the wrong principles, i.e., those of Naturalism.) They confuse the "reality" of a fictional world with the reality in which we actually live. (They want a one-to-one correspondence between what the characters in this novel do and what we as individuals should do in our everyday lives.) Christ. Trying to deal with these sanctimonious, condescending, smug nobodies is pointless. But don't get me started...

6. I address some of these issues regarding the unconscionable treatment of Rand and Atlas in a book chapter -- "Fuel for the Soul" -- appearing this fall in a book edited by Ed Younkins. The chapter deals specifically with Atlas as a source of emotional fuel for those of us who are interested in advancing freedom. When the book is published, I'll post the chapter here.

7. Some people are finally waking up to the fact that WW II was not such a "noble," absolutely "necessary" conflict. See "The Imperial Mythology of World War II: An Ethical Blank Check" by Richard Drayton. See also Pat Buchanan's "Was World War II Worth It?" Add to these, books such as Thomas Fleming's The New Dealers' War and we have a good start on demythologizing WW II and, especially, FDR. When and if the day ever comes that people revile FDR, Wilson, and Lincoln as much as they now revere them, we will then be well on our way to restoring the spirit of true liberty that once animated the American soul. Don't, however, expect this turnaround anytime in the near future...

8. By now, I've viewed many times the new trailer for Serenity, coming out September 30, 2005. It looks wonderful. The energy and humor and dedication of the original Firefly series shines through. Two advance showings in multiple cities all sold out within a day.

4-21-05

1. I have to admit it. Un-PC as it is (and I know my readers realize just how PC I am...), I am completely and thoroughly sick of all the news coverage about the dying of the last pope and the election of the new one. The former reminded me of vultures counting down the days. The latter is a lot of attention paid to someone who should, in the Twenty-first Century, be nothing more than a curiosity, a footnote of mild cultural interest. As long as so many millions of people look to some guy in the Vatican to "lead" them and tell them what they should or should not be doing, we will never create a rational world. While it is encouraging that some Catholics routinely ignore the pope's edicts regarding birth control and divorce, they should just cut the ties and rely upon their own minds, their own judgments as to what is proper and what is not. An "infallible" person like the pope should be an irrelevant anachronism people long ago outgrew. (Compare to the silly notion of "royalty" and kings and queens. Who gives a flying f...?) The only redeeming feature of all this nonsense is that the pope has no way to coerce anyone into doing anything. Sadly, those who adhere to the self-destructive policies of religion, in general, and this religion in particular, do so voluntarily. But... enough already!!

2. Another anniversary passes of that prime example of (government) terrorism: the destruction of the Branch Davidian compound at Waco, Texas, and the murders of over seventy men, women, and children who had done nothing deserving such a death penalty. While the State has (surprise!) exonerated itself time and again of any wrongdoing, the fact remains that the Feds had no business being there. Of course, our government's jihad against "terrorism" does not extend to its own illicit acts. The major media outlets are complicit in this whitewash. While spending considerable time on the tenth anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, they never mention the connection with Waco nor the fact that the State's actions at Waco helped set the grounds for that later bombing. Compare this, of course, to 9-11: the interventionist State helped create the conditions that led to that infamous day yet refuses to admit its complicity. Worse, even "libertarian" supporters of the war ignore or denounce anyone who dares point out the emperor's nudity. Many of us predicted long before 9-11 what State terrorism would lead to. The chicken hawks attack us Cassandras even now -- long after all the "justifications" for the war have proven to be wrong time-and-again -- for being "unrealistic" or "rationalistic" or "appeasers." No. We are none of those. We are simply right, and that the supporters of an unnecessary and unconstitutional war cannot abide.

3. The State is "cracking down" on websites that dare to respect the judgments of individuals and sell them prescription drugs without a prescription. Citizens must be protected from themselves! But rather than importing drugs from Mexico or wherever, any adult should be able to go into any drug store and buy whatever the frig he or she wants to. No prescriptions. No "permission." Just cash. If somebody screws up and takes a drug he shouldn't, well, thems the breaks. Stupidity has its costs. (Even in a free society, I would rely upon my doctor's expertise most of the time regarding what drugs I should take. I wouldn't mess around with such things any more than I would mess around with the innards of my car. I know the limits of my ignorance.) On the heels of this, I saw a report on TV complaining about doctors basing prescriptions on appeals from drug reps. (Imagine that! A salesman encouraging a client to use his product!) If doctors didn't control the pipeline for drugs, there would be less room for shenanigans. If one didn't need State approval to practice medicine, there would be more competition for doctors and lower prices. If the State hadn't mucked with private health insurance in the first place, we'd have lower prices and more individual responsibility. If the State hadn't... Well. You get the idea. Every intervention breeds more and more interventions to "fix" the problems created by the last "fix." Basic economics. Unfortunately, people never learn the principles involved and clamor for more and more State interventions even as the situation grows worse and worse.

4. Are you ready for your internal passport? Coming anyday now. The next step is requiring passports to visit Canada or Mexico. You already need State-approved ID to fly. Are trains and buses next? No one seems to care. Too many people roll over and show their bellies, all in the name of an illusory "security" to "fight terrorism." Freedom is too much for them to handle. Threaten them with freedom, and they run screaming into the night and the waiting arms of Big Brother to "protect" them. It's sickening.

5. "Feminist" Andrea Dworkin died. They say you shouldn't speak ill of the dead.... Screw that. I say, good riddance to bad rubbish. I'm sick of those out to destroy our freedom being coddled. Politeness to our enslavers is a betrayal of honor and dignity and morality. Let them be polite to me and leave me the f... alone.

6. A lovely telemarketer witch called me today. She asked for Mr. W. I said there is no Mr. W. here. (W. is my wife's last name.) I asked her who she was with. She said, "Why are you being such an asshole?" Ahh. Yes. Arrogance and condescension from someone disturbing my peace and quiet. Lovely. You may imagine how I responded to someone lecturing me on how to behave in my own home.

7. Some states are resisting the Feds' takeover of their educational systems via the stupid "No Child Left Behind" law. (See here.) Some local governments have also rejected the misnamed PATRIOT Act. Any state, of course, has the right to engage in nullification of unconsitutional laws. Too bad they have caved in so frequently before to State blackmail. Seatbelts, speed limits, drunk driving laws are only some of the areas the Feds have usurped control. Let's bring back the Ninth and Tenth Amendments from their graves. Now.

3-05-05

1. The Supreme Court continues to demonstrate that it knows next to nothing about freedom. First, the supreme dolts refused to strike down an Alabama law that banned sex toys. (See here.) Gee. I didn't realize that people wanting to buy vibrators threatened the rights of anyone else. Second, they further eroded our rights through the obscene War on "Drugs." Now, cops can use dogs to sniff up your car, even if the stop had nothing to do with illegal drugs. (See here.) Not only are dogs hardly the infallible creatures corrupt cops pretend they are, they add yet another avenue for those who "protect" and "serve" us to throw us in jail.

I'm waiting for the Supremes to uphold the unconscionable abuse of eminent domain in seizing private property to give to other private citizens...all in the name of increasing a city or state's tax base. (See here.) (There should, of course, be no eminent domain, under any circumstances.) Let us hope they have a temporary bout of sanity and reject this heinous practice.

2. It was refreshing to see racism and political correctness alive and well at the Oscar's ceremony last month. First, the notion of singling out blacks who are honored as newsworthy simply reinforces focus on race. Then, the folks with the statue continued their silly policy of saying, "And the Oscar goes to..." rather than "The winner is..." Get real. People win. People lose. It's part of life. Get over it, already. It's no wonder so many students these days are wimpy, whiny do-nothings who think that anything that emerges from their mouth is deserving of praise. Everyone is afraid to tell them that, hey, your answer is wrong!

3. The unconstitutional usurpation of the airlines also swells. The idiots at the Transportation "Security" Administration (seig heil!), in all their glory, have banned cigarettte lighters on planes. (See here.) Cripes. If they are all that concerned with our safety, they should immediately remove all barriers to pilots carrying weapons. And, passengers, too, of course. And eliminate themselves from existence.

4. If it wasn't bad enough that we had to endure a stupid ban on "assault," i.e., scary-looking, rifles that Clinton passed, now more and more states are threatening to ban them and -- maybe -- grandfather old single-shot rifles in if you get a "permit" from your local gestapo leader. Screw 'em.

5. John Gilmore continues his battle against the unconstitutional requirement that we be legally forced to provide (government-issued) ID before we are "allowed" to fly. As the only person engaged in this important fight, he is -- despite the opinions of some -- a hero. (See here.) At issue here are:1. Secret laws; a police state tactic. (The feds claim it would violate national "security" to show him the law that mandates such ID's!) 2. Mandatory travel ID's, i.e., internal passports, another police state tactic. Seig heil! 3. Unconstitutional law; the feds have no legitimate authority to regulate the airlines or assume security duties in airports or on planes. 4. Violations of privacy; the State has no legitimate right to demand I identity myself. See the Fifth Amendment. I have a right to be anonymous (as long as I do not do so for criminal purposes [that actually violate rights]). 5. Another example of conditioning the populace to silent and unthinking compliance to the State with dissenters ridiculed, intimidated, or arrested.

6. I have no way of knowing, of course, if this story about the faking of Saddam Hussein's capture is true or not. (See here.) But it certainly is plausible. This version doesn't make SH look like such a coward. Since the State "recreates" or stages things all the time for public consumption, e.g., McArthur wading ashore in the Philippines, there's no reason it wouldn't fake this, too, for PR reasons. After all, the whole WMD thing in Iraq was a fake.

2-15-05

1. As winter winds down, we see yet again the predictable results of State interference in our lives. Earlier this season, the government announced that only people in "high risk" categories -- such as old folks, kids, hospital workers -- would be "allowed" to get flu shots. We saw long lines of folks scared by the government's dire warnings about the flu. We saw blackmarket provision of flu shots. We saw bogus flu shots offered to scam desperate souls. We saw individuals outside the permitted categories and/or their "suppliers" arrested for getting shots. And, of course, we ended up with an excess of vaccine as most people simply stayed home. Unsurprisingly, most of those shots will have to be tossed. Ain't government "compassion" great...?

2. The Supreme Court continues its unique brand of "justice" by ruling that, hey!, if you're stopped in your car for the (non-crime) of going sans seat belt or for speeding, why, the cops aren't violating your rights by bringin' out the ol' drug-sniffin' canines to give a quick once-over of your vee-hick-ul. (See here.) The Supreme idjits "justify" this nonsense by claiming that the Fourth Amendment protects property rights but not privacy...as though one of the functions of property is to provide privacy. The Drug War, a.k.a., the war on people, is a thoroughly sick abomination that should be ended yesterday.

3. The idiots of Iowa are joining the millions of idiots in other states as they prepare to enact a law placing cold pills behind a counter, require ID and a signature, and offer to hand over their info to the cops if they decide according to some arbitrary standard that you have purchased "too many" pills. (See here for an example.) And, of course, the feds -- in their total evasion of enumerated rights and the division of power -- are all set to pass a national law controlling cold pills. Even as military pilots are given speed to help them on long hauls.

So much for me "owning" my own body.

4. The insane march towards complete State-control over health care continues. Now the health fascists want to scare the bejeebers out of everyone by telling us that -- even with insurance -- a major illness can drive anyone into bankruptcy. (See here.) For most of these yahoos, of course, the "only" solution is "universal" health care...or "don't get sick." Hey. Ignore the fact that the government got us into this mess in the first place by licensing and insurance and tax laws; by creating Medicare and Medicaid; by mandating what must be covered; by creating HMO's; by taxing over half our income; by regulating us to death; etc. etc. Yet another prime example of each new intervention creating more problems and those new problems being used to justify even more interventions, ad infinitum.

5. Just received the new Reason with Rand on the cover. Sadly, some of the articles simply confirm my growing dissatisfaction with the publication. While there are some principled writers published there, too many are "pragmatic." They are quite happy to propose solutions involving the State without even mentioning what the moral and best principled solutions are to our problems.

Then there is the rather blatant anti-Rand mentality at Reason. The editor, Gillespie, makes no bones of his dislike of Rand. And Cathy Young continues her mealy-mouthed writing, castigating Rand and her philosophy as erring in its "totalism" and then slapping Atlas Shrugged as "clunky and extremist." It's been my experience that those who sneer at Atlas or Rand's writing as "clunky" or "turgid" are precisely those people who eschew principled thought; who don't realize that reality is seamless; who prefer to indulge their idiosyncratic prejudices rather than do what is right.

When my subscription to Reason runs out, I don't believe I will bother sending them any more of my money.

6. Get ready for national ID cards. (See here and here.) My novel The Guardian Project becomes more prophetic day-by-day...

7. Another danger in pretending an embryo is a person deserving of rights: suing a clinic for "wrongful death" when it accidentally destroys a frozen embryo. (See here.) Ideas matter. So does a proper understanding of morality, rights, and their proper foundations.

1-18-05

1. A change of pace this issue. "Rain on R