Month: October 2011

How Much Did This Acronym Cost

The amount of time that is spent by our government coming up with retarded acronyms must be astounding. If you thought Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism, or USA PATRIOT, Act was bad wait until you get a load of the new name for the formerly PROTECT IP Act:

Oh, and because PROTECT IP wasn’t enough of a misleading and idiotic name, the House has upped the ante. The new bill is called: “the Enforcing and Protecting American Rights Against Sites Intent on Theft and Exploitation Act” or the E-PARASITE Act (though, they also say you can call it the “Stopping Online Piracy Act”).

Emphasis mine. Somebody in Washington D.C. is getting paid to come up with this shit. Our tax money is being spent to come up with catchy fucking names to make bills sound more appealing and thus get popular support when it goes to pass. These are probably the same fucks who were paid to come up with the PROTECT Act which is a backwards acronym for Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today.

If those idiots in Washington spent half as much time educating themselves on the subjects they’re passing laws against as they do coming up with stupid acronyms we may have a free country built on liberty instead of a fascist state.

Oh, and you know what else? The PROTECT IP E-PARASITE Act is still a horrible piece of shit. You can’t polish a turd and expect anything other than a turd when you’re finished.

Be Realistic in Equipment Selection

While I love most aspects about the gun community, the handful of people advocating the utterly ridiculous really annoys me. On this week’s episode of Chris Rants About Random Members of the Gun Community we’re going to talk those who say weapons lights and laser sights are bad news when it comes to tactics. Over at Gun Nuts Media Caleb has a good post covering how absurd some people are when it comes to illumination and target verification. Caleb points to the following quote by a member of the gun community:

Given the warning of the light, and knowing the gun’s aiming point, this is a perfect setup for an armed intruder to edge up to the wall in a crouch, then reach around and shoot upwards. If t’were I doing the intruding, I would aim a little low, in case the gentleperson upstairs was also crouching. Even if not, a pelvic or thigh hit would ruin the defender’s day, and probably give me the chance for a few more shots.

Far better for the defender to wait around the edge of the stairwell, out of sight, listening for footsteps. [I’ve never run into a set of wooden stairs that didn’t creak somewhat.] Flashlight OFF, laser on, but covered by support hand until last moment. Even without a well-aligned laser pointer, a quick snap-shot or two at point-blank range would resolve the issue quite favorably. An added precaution would be for the defender to be crouched as low as possible [prone would reduce maneuverability excessively].

I completely agree on Caleb’s take of this quote:

I see comments like this all the time, and they drive me up the freakin’ wall every time I see them. I don’t know about you, but my position is going to be pretty effectively given away by me screaming at the 911 operator that someone’s in my house and that they need to get cops here most ricky-tick before I have to shoot this guy.

Now comes the harsh reality, while thinking up random tactical scenarios is fun it’s not at all practical. I enjoy sitting down with friends, drinking a few beers, and coming up with outrageous self-defense scenarios. Yet I know better than to take those alcohol induced scenarios and applying them to real life.

Let’s do some advantage to disadvantage weighing. Being able to see your target and verify it’s a bad guy is a great advantage. Giving away your position by emitting light that allows you to see and verify your target holds litte disadvantage. You likely won’t be dealing with Spetsnaz invading your home and if you are then you’re way in over your head and likely died before realizing anybody broke into your home.

Your aggressor is also going to be in the dark so the light that telegraphs your location and harms your night vision is also going to blind that fucker. Here’s the thing though, as his eyes will be adjusted to total darkness while yours are adjusted to the light he’ll be totally blind for a bit while you can see him perfectly. Having a blind opponent greatly increases your odds of winning a fight, just saying.

If you’re that concerned about using a weapons light because you feel it will give away your position while your loud footsteps and yelling as you bang into things while stumbling around a dark house won’t then you’re an idiot.

The Importance of Property Rights

It looks as through many of the occupiers in Zuccotti Park have decided to live the Marxist dream and eliminate the concept of private property. This decision has lead to predictable results that demonstrate once again the necessity of private property rights to create a peaceful society:

All belongings and money in the park are supposed to be held in common, but property rights reared their capitalistic head when facilitators went to clean up the park, which was looking more like a shantytown than usual after several days of wind and rain. The local community board was due to send in an inspector, so the facilitators and cleaners started moving tarps, bags, and personal belongings into a big pile in order to clean the park.

But some refused to budge. A bearded man began to gather up a tarp and an occupier emerged from beneath, screaming: “You’re going to break my fucking tent, get that shit off!” Near the front of the park, two men in hoodies staged a meta-sit-in, fearful that their belongings would be lost or appropriated.

Major problems arise when you remove the concept of property from a society. Humans are like any other creature on this planet when it comes to being territorial. Some people are more territorial than others but nobody likes to have their shit taken. Two humans living next to each other are likely to do well if one respects the property of the other. When one of the neighbors decides he really likes the product of his neighbor’s labor and takes it problems being to appear.

When you purchase a vehicle you like you’re not likely to be happy if somebody takes it and gives you another vehicle. Sure, the new vehicle may get you from point A to point B but it may not serve your other desires. A small care isn’t going to help a construction working haul bricks from a warehouse to the construction site. Different people have different needs and that prevents consumer goods from being universal (for instance a tent isn’t just a tent, it may have many properties that make it ideal for one person but less than ideal for another).

The concept of communal property also introduced the concept known as the tragedy of the commons. When nobody is defined as an owner of a resource and everybody utilizes it then everybody is going to grab as much of it as they can. After all they’re competing for the use of that resource with many others so it becomes in everybody’s best interest to grab up as much of if as quickly as possible. A private property owner doesn’t have this problem and actually has a strong motive to utilize the resource in as sustainable manner as possible. Farmers rotate crops to prevent damage to topsoil because having no topsoil means no crops will grow and thus no income will be made. Protecting your investment is natural because it allows you to obtain more out of the investment.

This harsh truth became readily apparent when the Soviet Union enacted their program of agriculture collectivization. After collectivization the Soviet Union went from being one of the largest exporters of grain in the world to a small player in the grain export market that also had rampant starvation to boot. Farmers had no motive to ensure land was going to be used in a manner that produces the largest yield of crops as any crops they grew were confiscated. As those crops were collective property the state decided on how to distribute them and that usually meant those in cities got a larger portion than those in rural communities (which further demotivated them from growing crops).

I hope the clashes started by establishing communal property rules in Zuccotti park remind everybody why we need strong private property rights.

House Judiciary Passes HR 822

Snowflakes in Hell Shall Not Be Questioned informs us that HR 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, passed the House Judiciary Committee. That’s good news for those of us who carry and hate having to diarm because some random state government doesn’t recognize our right of self-defense. It’s not like the states have any grounds to prohibit an individual from carrying to start with.

I Christen Emperor Obama

Well it appears Obama’s illusions of grandeur are continuing. He’s once again come and basically said, “I don’t give a fuck what Congress and the people want, we’re doing things my way!” Apparently it’s time to get the President a crown and change his title to emperor because those spineless fucks in Congress aren’t doing anything to reel in his rampant threats and abuses of executive orders:

President Barack Obama told an audience in Nevada on Monday that he will be regularly announcing “executive actions” his administration will take to “heal the economy” without the “dysfunctional” Congress.

“I’m here to say to all of you and to say to the people of Nevada and the people of Las Vegas, we can’t wait for an increasingly dysfunctional Congress to do its job. Where they won’t act, I will,” Obama said.

Just like you acted in Libya by sending our military over without even consulting Congress? Here’s the kicker Obama, you’re plans to “fix” the economy have failed and you’re latest plan is nothing more than a continuation of your previous plans. Pumping more money into a system already overstuffed with money isn’t going to improve the situation, it’s going to cause continued destruction.

Congress won’t do anything though because that would require taking responsibility. When Obama does something and fucks up Congress laughs and points their fingers claiming they knew the outcome all along. If you knew the outcome and said nothing then you don’t get to claim moral superiority, especially when stopping bad presidential ideas is your fucking job. Things won’t change though because taking responsibility would mean taking blame when something goes wrong and Congress is made up almost entirely of cowards who would rather see their opponent fail than our country succeed.

The Catholic Church Should Stick to Theology

That quote by Rothbard is the first thing that pops into my head whenever somebody completely ignorant of economics brings forth an economic plan. Needless to say that’s the thought that entered my head when the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Church brought for their opinion on how the current economic mess should be fixed:

The Vatican called Monday for radical reform of the world’s financial systems, including the creation of a global political authority to manage the economy.

A proposal by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace calls for a new world economic order based on ethics and the “achievement of a universal common good.” It follows Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 economic encyclical that denounced a profit-at-all-cost mentality as responsible for the global financial meltdown.

After reading that I can say with certainty that the Catholic Church should stick to theology and leave economics to the Austrian school. What their plan entails is basically doing the same thing that got us into this mess but harder. Hell they didn’t even get the cause of the meltdown correct, it wasn’t some mythical “profit-at-all-cost mentality” but government constantly meddling in the free market.

The government’s attempt to boost up the housing market was just another failure in a long line of economic idiocy. Let’s also not forget labor laws put into place that makes many laborious tasks in the United States outrageously expensive. Then there are the endless Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that make the construction of a manufacturing facility within the United States almost impossibly expensive. Cheap credit was granted to those who obviously couldn’t pay back the loans which did a huge number of the financial market. I could go on listing various government failures that got us into this mess but I think you get the point.

I believe it is a sign of insanity to try the exact same thing again and expect different results. If you place your hand on a hot stove it’s going to burn every fucking time, and if you allow central planners to meddle with the free market the economy is going to collapse every fucking time. Central planning is what ultimately destroyed the economy of the Soviet Union which caused the entire state to come crashing down. European Union central planners are in a real mess right now hoping the economy of Germany is strong enough to bailout the other member countries. China had to create Special Economic Zones which allow more free market practices to advance their economy.

Creating a “world economic order” is going to take the problems currently facing most developed countries around the world, amplify them, and cause far more widespread destruction than we’re experiencing now.

When you lack knowledge in a specific subject it is best to not offer advice regarding that subject.

Wisconsin Releases List of Recognized Out-of-State Carry Permits

Starting November 1st those who live in Wisconsin will be allowed to obtain carry permits and exercise their right to self-defense. In addition to that, those holding carry permits from many other states will be able to exercise legal armed defense. Wisconsin’s Attorney General released their reciprocity list and I’m glad to say Minnesota made the cut:

  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Nebraska
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
  • Puerto Rico
  • U.S. Virgin Islands

That’s a fairly inclusive list, which is good to see. I’m also glad this law came into play before the Christmas season as that is when I end up entering Wisconsin with some frequency.

The Dog I Want

I’ll admit it, between cats and dogs I genuinely prefer cats. Cats are mostly self-sufficient and don’t require the constant attention that dogs do. Give a cat some food, a clean place to shit, and some attention when it wants it and it’ll be happy.

With all of that said if I were to get a pet it would be a dog because when you want quality companionship that will defend you and yours a cat isn’t going to cut it:

Nine-year-old Buster fought so hard to protect his home that he shattered several teeth as he chomped on his attacker’s hunting knife. He also suffered gashes to his throat, shoulder and jowls.

[…]

A thief (or thieves) broke in by smashing two windows of the house on the 1800 block of E. Maryland Avenue. Cash, computers, a hunting bow, three rifles and Wagaman’s corrections uniforms were stolen. The invader turned Wagaman’s own 6-inch hunting knife on Buster, then left the bloody weapon on the kitchen table.

While the dog wasn’t successful in stopping the attackers he gave them a Hell of a fight but the sounds of it. The best part about this story though is that the dog lived:

The dog spent Thursday night at the University of Minnesota veterinary hospital and spent the weekend at home, where Wagaman fed him soft food, kept him warm and medicated with painkillers.

Buster’s Monday surgery was to repair his face wounds and to extract broken teeth.

The dog’s care exceeded $3,000 — before the latest surgery. “That’s a lot of money, but I don’t care. He’s a hero,” Wagaman said.

Employees in the St. Paul emergency communications center, who heard the initial emergency call, have already raised $500 to help. A fund has been set up for Buster’s care in his name at any Wells Fargo branch. The “Buster Fund” is account No. 642-89-22-071.

If I had a dog that fought that hard to defend my home you can bet I’d have little trouble spending $3,000.00 to return it to health. Stories like this are why I want to own a dog some day. While they’re a decent amount of work and expensive they’re still called man’s best friend for a reason.

Loaded Gun Makes it On a Plane

Congratulations Transportation Security Administration (TSA), your goal of ensuring no firearms make it onto the plane has failed spectacularly:

Airport security officials at Los Angeles International Airport failed to detect a loaded handgun that was contained in a traveler’s checked bag Sunday, according to several law enforcement sources.

An airport ramp crew discovered the loaded .38-caliber handgun Sunday after it tumbled from an unzipped compartment in a duffel bag they were loading onto Alaska Airlines Flight 563, according to the sources. The aircraft was leaving the terminal at LAX at 8:15 a.m. Sunday, bound for Portland, Ore.

Workers called Los Angeles Airport Police to report the discovery. The owner of the gun was questioned at the LAPD’s Pacific station and released and allowed to board a later flight to Portland. The gun was turned over to Los Angeles police, the source said.

Bang up job boys. Even with your metal detectors, luggage scanners, pat downs, naked body scanners, water bottle confiscators, and other pointless security theater you missed a loaded firearm that would set off any cheap metal detector. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with firearms being in airplanes and in fact I advocate pilots, at the bear minimum, be armed. But when your mandate is to prevent weapons from getting onto planes and you’re trying to further crawl up our asses by establishing checkpoints on highways I’m going to call you on being complete fuck ups.

By the way a tip of the old hat goes to Victoria for sending me this story.

Soviet Inspired Checkpoints Around the Corner

You know what this country needs? Another program that seems inspired by good old Mother Russia. Since we already have a Soviet approved central bank, public indoctrination education system, and rampant imperialism why not move on to establishing checkpoints:

If you thought the “Transportation Security Administration” would limit itself to conducting unconstitutional searches at airports, think again. The agency intends to assert jurisdiction over our nation’s highways, waterways, and railroads as well. TSA launched a new campaign of random checkpoints on Tennessee highways last week, complete with a sinister military-style acronym–VIP(E)R—as a name for the program.

As with TSA’s random searches at airports, these roadside searches are not based on any actual suspicion of criminal activity or any factual evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever by those detained. They are, in effect, completely random. So first we are told by the U.S. Supreme Court that American citizens have no 4th amendment protections at border crossings, even when standing on U.S. soil. Now TSA takes the next logical step and simply detains and searches U.S. citizens at wholly internal checkpoints.

Remember that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was originally restricted to airports, but now they’re moving into truck and bus stops. This is classic government agency creep; these agencies are generally started with a narrow mandate in mind and expand their powers to cover more and more previously mundane and well-running activities. If left unchecked, I wouldn’t be surprised if the TSA started doing random checkpoints when you try to travel from one state to another. I can see myself running into a random checkpoint on Interstate 90 when I cross from Minnesota into Wisconsin.

We aren’t on the road anymore to tyranny, we’ve reached the destination. Let’s go through the checklist shall we?

Attempts by the government to generate a strong sense of nationalism? Check.

A marriage between corporations and the state? Check.

An ever increasing authoritarian state? Check.

Government controlled checkpoints that hassle innocent travelers? Check.

Congratulations everybody, we’ve reached fascism!