Flag Burning

Check out Scott (Dilbert) Adams blog, about the Flag Burning Amendment idea. It's very funny, although it (and the posts that follow) miss out on the most important, and ironic aspect of the entire issue. So I posted the following response to his blog.

Nice use of humor to address a subject that goes deeper than Congressmen trying to get their tator in front of the cameras during an election year. It's very (and I mean very) ironic that an amendment to make it illegal to burn our symbol of freedom would take more of our freedom away. The very basic foundation of freedom is property rights, which includes your person. If you do not have property rights, such as choosing what to do with your own body, or things you own because of your labor (cars, houses, guns, TV's, etc), then it is impossible to be free. Property rights are just that, rights to your property, and that is what the government is here to protect. Instead, they offer up the idea that if you buy a flag with your own money (which is nothing more than your previous labor saved up), that you are not free to do with it as you please? Surprising this would come from the pinheads in DC? No. Ironic? Absolutely.

ESPN Insider

I used to head to ESPN.com for my sports info, but their belief that I would actually pay to hear some self-labeled sports expert in their ESPN Insider has forced me to go elsewhere. I'd be interested in how many people actually have signed up for the Insider, as if they get some special knowledge a few hours before everybody else does. People can't be that gullible, can they? After all, there is Fox Sports, CBS Sportsline, Sporting News, CNNSI, not to mention every newspaper online today. Of course, these same folks continue to vote for Republicans and Democrats, so I guess the answer is yes.

As far as I am concerned, and something advertiser's should be aware of, I no longer use espn.com because more than half of their articles are reserved for the insiders.

Energy: The Master Resource

A very interesting read, this book, "Energy: The Master Resource." Finally, a scientist who also understands free-markets! I really enjoyed the chapter on the economics of energy, and how oil, and most energy, is now a global marketplace. The author's point is if OPEC decides not to sell oil to us, some say we will have a huge energy crisis and economic collapse, but they show how this is simply more economic ignorance. Instead, if OPEC sells to others, such as European countries and clients, most likely be undercutting the prices those folks are paying, then the oil exploration companies who had been selling to them will need a new client, such as us. And it could actually drive down prices. Worldwide prices tend to be the same, whether or not a country is self-sufficient (England) or not (Japan) for the simple economic reason that if Japan paid more for oil, then companies would shift their sales to Japan to get the highest price for their work. In turn, this would drive prices down there. That is what globalization is all about.

The Difference Between Democrats & Republicans

Check it out today. The best-selling book is now a documentary short. Only on You Tube

Present Day HyperInflation

An article in NY Times today highlights the pain caused by printing a lot of money. And I'll give the journalist (Michael Wines) some credit as he sees the tie between printing a lot of money (more than $21,000,000,000) and toilet paper priced at $145,000 per roll.

Will their be a revolution? The last time there was inflation this bad (and worse) created the rise of Hitler and launched WWII. Will the government realize the errors of their ways? Doubtful if this is any indication:

"On Friday, the government said it would triple the salaries of 190,000 soldiers and teachers. But even those government workers still badly trail inflation; the best of the raises, to as much as $33 million a month, already are slightly below the latest poverty line for the average family of five.

This will only worsen inflation, for printing too many worthless dollars is in part what got Zimbabwe into this mess to begin with. Zimbabwe fell into hyperinflation after the government began seizing commercial farms in about 2000. Foreign investors fled, manufacturing ground to a halt, goods and foreign currency needed to buy imports fell into short supply and prices shot up."

Or this:

"But the government says it has a plan to revive the economy. That plan, the latest of perhaps seven in 10 years, would quickly raise billions of American dollars to end a chronic foreign currency shortage, cut the inflation rate to double digits by year's end and an end to the recession that has gripped Zimbabwe, halving its economic output, since 1999.

Mr. Robertson, the economist, says that is unlikely. Zimbabweans can and probably will endure greater hardship, he says. As a whole, the nation has only now sunk to standards common elsewhere in Africa. But the government may have reached the limit of its ability to do anything about it. Cutting spending seems impossible, and raising taxes further is unthinkable.

That leaves one option: "much more inflation," he said. "Because this government is always going to be printing its way out of its current difficulty."

My prediction? The USSA will come to the rescue with money from my wallet (and yours). And it will only make it worse.

Hurray! Republicans Solve Gas Price Puzzle

So our amazing leaders have solved the problem of high gas prices. They will give every family a check for $100. What a solution, why didn't anybody else think of that?

Some questions . . .

1. Will we be taxed on that $100 of income?
2. Will that $100 be worth $100 by the time it gets to us in the mail?
3. Is everybody stupid enough to fall for this crap?

A Bet I Want to Lose

I've never entered a bet to lose it, nor has most others. But I just bet a friend that we will have invaded, bombed or are at war with Iran by the end of the year.

I will gladly buy my friend a bottle of wine if he wins. I'd even promise to buy a bottle a year if it means never being at war with Iran or anybody else.

Price of Freedom

I've seen it on bumper stickers, and have heard it hundreds, if not thousands of times, especially from those who are trying to defend the war regime. But I'm bewildered. What exactly is the price of freedom? If anybody knows, please email me and let me know so I can start saving for it.

But my guess is that magical price is actually freedom itself, which is rather ironic. So, in order to be truly free, you can't be truly free. Hmmmm . . .

Bush 'magically' Moves to Ease Oil Prices

So President Bush will waive his magic wand and solve the high gas prices we are experiencing. Bill O'Reilly must be thrilled, along with the other economically ignorant folks in this country.

Here's an interesting quote from Bush though, and something that sums up his entire presidency:

"Mr. Bush alluded to the issue in his speech today, saying for the first time that some countries play on what he termed America's "addiction" to oil, and he said "that reduces our influence" in the world."

Very honest of Mr. B to admit his desire of power to have 'an influence' on the world. That influence includes bombs, imperialism, economic hit men to name a few . . .

Competition Drives Down Prices, You Don't Say?

So AT&T had to hire an economist from UC Berkely to discover that competition drives down prices? I could have saved them a ton of money, as I believe my 12-year old could have filled them in.

I'm referring to the lobbying and negotiating that AT&T, Verizon and the other 758 lb gorilla's are doing in Washington regarding competition in cable TV. Now I'm all for competition, but I prefer the free-market variety and I'm doubting very much that what AT&T and Verizon have in mind is that. Instead, my guess is they want the right to be part of the State-granted monopoly along with the cable companies. And while this will most likely result in lower prices, it can't compare to a completely free-market, where prices would be even lower and quality even higher.

Thankfully, by the time the pinheads in DC calculate who's paying the most to their PAC committees, and granting the rights accordingly, TV as we know it may be done in by the internet and other distribution mediums. I love it when the free-market prevails.

Prison Population in Colorado

Nice article today about overcrowding in Colorado prisons. A crisis is at hand if taxpayer's don't pony up for extra prisons. Written by Mike Krause of the Independence Institute, more than 72% of the 21,000 inmates are of the non-violent variety and 22% were drug offenders. Now non-violent doesn't mean those prisoner's didn't violate other people's property rights, but the 1,300 drug-related prionsers violated nobody else's rights. The irony, if you can stomach it, is they are guilty of not violating anybody's rights until they are actually in prison, at which time our rights are violated to the tune of $36,400,000 per year. Thank you nanny-state.

How Far Conservatives Have Fallen

Our President, Dumbed-Ya, at a speech yesterday:

"I think the role of government is to shape the future, not fear the future."

Hmmm, just like something Thomas Jefferson would say. Maybe W should stop thinking and save us all.