Category: News You Need to Know

When You Pay the State for Protection the Last Thing You Get is Protection

Many people, even minarchists, believe one of the duties of the state is to protect its people. Of course they never seem to accomplish this goal even though we keep being force to pay them. For individuals this means we have to pay the state for “protection” and purchase a means of self-defense to actually protect ourselves. For shipping companies this means they have to build a defensive fleet on top of paying the state its demanded “protection” money:

Shipping insurance companies are taking the fight against piracy into their own hands.

With plans to deploy a “private navy” in the Gulf of Aden — where Somali piracy is rampant — the Convoy Escort Program (CEP) hopes to have a fleet of 18 ships protecting merchant vessels by December, reports David Black at The National.

The $70 million private program is headed by international shipping insurer company Jardine Lloyd Thompson.
“The CEP is planning to buy seven 150-foot fast patrol boats, understood to be ex-Swedish Navy, and has already earmarked 11 former offshore supply vessels for purchase and conversion,” details Black

People often ask how one could afford defense if there was no state and this story demonstrates how. Insurance companies, having to pay out claims on lost ships, are keenly interested in protecting the ships it insures. As the problem with Somali piracy grows the insurance companies have reacted by developing a fleet of its own to protect its clients’ ships.

Every service the state provides can be done so by private entities. Unlike the state, private entities provide their services only to those who wish to acquire them through voluntary trade.

You Keep Using that Word

The state never ceases to amuse me. They attempt to turn countless philosophies, movements, religions, and other such organizations into boogeymen but have no idea what they stand for. Take anarchism for example, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) anarchists are merely “Criminals seeking an ideology to justify their activities”. That quote, along with various other entirely incorrect information regarding anarchism, was obtained through domestic terrorism training material [PDF]. Let’s take a look at some anarchist criminals who were merely looking for a cause to justify their activities:

Murray Rothbard is obviously a dangerous criminal, what with his suit and bow tie. Wait, I don’t think he was ever actually imprisoned, so much for that theory. Let’s try somebody else:

Jeffrey Tucker is obviously a criminal, look at that bow tie and smile. He’s obviously evil even though he’s only been put into jail once that I’m aware of and that was failing to pay a parking ticket (absolutely dastardly, I know). Perhaps we can find somebody else to fit the narrative:

Hans Herman Hoppe speaks German, and clear sign that he’s a criminal mastermind. Once again this mastermind has managed to avoid arrest and continues to advocate the non-aggression principle and the mutually beneficial nature of the free market. Let’s try again:

Walter Block isn’t fitting the narrative either, damn it. OK, let’s try one more time:

Lysander Spooner was obviously evil. Not only did he create a company that successfully competed with the United States Post Office until the state shut him down but he was also an abolitionist.

OK, the FBI’s narrative isn’t holding up so well. It appears they may be incorrect about anarchists, perhaps they’re not all merely criminals looking for an ideology that justifies their activities. In fact many of the well-known anarchist philosophers appear to be perfectly lawful.

Incorrect generalizations weren’t the only idiotic thing found in the FBI’s training material. The thing I found most amusing is how the training material is entirely inconsistent. Take this example, on page three it’s stated that anarchists are “Highly dedicated to specific cause / ideology.” Page five says anarchists are “Not dedicated to particular cause.” What? So anarchists are highly dedicated to a specific cause but aren’t dedicated to a particular cause?

As I explained in my Anarchism 101 post, anarchism is a vast philosophy that covers individualists and collectivists. Some anarchists are violent revolutionaries while others believe in the non-aggression principle and oppose violent revolution. The FBI doesn’t want to take the time to cover such facts through because it fails to paint anarchists as the evil boogeymen the state would want you to believe they are. Whenever you hear some state organ explain how one group or another is evil, violent, and wants you dead remember this post. If they’re willing to lie about anarchists then they’re willing to lie about anybody.

Watch the Gun Control Advocates Jump for Joy

Opponents of Minnesota’s carry laws have been jumping up and down with joy over the news that a permit holder was robbed with his own firearm:

Police said an adult male was walking home in the area when a man, later identified as Merriweather, was walking the other way and suddenly slammed the victim into a parked car.

The victim hurt his arm and wasn’t able to defend himself. Merriweather allegedly searched the victim, eventually finding a pistol, and put it to the victim’s head while demanding valuables. The victim lost the gun and his wallet during the attack, police said.

A minor detail should jump out at anybody reading this article, the victim was incapacitated and thus unable to defend himself. The attacker was searching the victim when he found his firearm, then put the firearm to the victim’s head. It seems to me that the victim wasn’t robbed with his own gun, he was already being robbed before the attacker even came across the firearm. As it’s being reported you would think the attacker was able to wrestle away the victim’s firearm and decided, after gaining control of the weapon, to rob the victim. What actually happened is the victim would have been robbed either way, the attacker had already incapacitated the victim before he came across the firearm.

Either way, opponents of carry laws are absolutely ecstatic. The only way they could be happier is if the attacker and executed the victim because then the headline would read, “Carry permit holder murdered with own gun.” To them it’s irrelevant that it’s taken almost a decade for this to finally happen or that it’s the only case out of 100,000 permit holders. They’re just happy that their claim, “If you carry a gun it’s just going to be taken from you!” finally has some form of validation, no matter how weak it is.

What this story does demonstrate is that firearms aren’t magical talismen. The mere act of carrying one won’t protect you if you’re taken out of the fight before you can utilize it. It won’t stop somebody from blindsiding you, nor will be prevent you from being incapacitated. It’s merely a tool that increases the amount of force you can use to protect yourself.

Affordable Healthcare

Many people keep demanding the state step in to make healthcare more affordable. As it turns out healthcare becomes more affordable when you cut out the middle man:

A Long Beach hospital charged Jo Ann Snyder $6,707 for a CT scan of her abdomen and pelvis after colon surgery. But because she had health insurance with Blue Shield of California, her share was much less: $2,336.

Then Snyder tripped across one of the little-known secrets of healthcare: If she hadn’t used her insurance, her bill would have been even lower, just $1,054.

[…]

Unknown to most consumers, many hospitals and physicians offer steep discounts for cash-paying patients regardless of income. But there’s a catch: Typically you can get the lowest price only if you don’t use your health insurance.

Who would have guessed that cutting out the middle man could reduce prices? Insurance is a headache for everybody but the insurance company. It’s in the best interests of insurance companies to weasel out of paying a claim so they try to find every excuse in the book to avoiding paying a claim. This takes time, while you’re fighting the insurance company the hospital you visited is waiting to get paid. Everybody loses, except the insurance company.

One of the biggest flaws in our current health system, besides the state’s involvement, is the reliance on insurance to pay for everything. Insurance is supposed to be a method of reducing risk, you pay a small amount of money into a pool at fixed time increments and if something horrible should happen you can access the pool to recover your costs. The system work well when risks are low and payouts are few, which is why renters insurance is so cheap. On the other hand when everybody is pulling from the pool constantly the system falls apart and the costs have to be jacked up to make things work, which is why health insurance costs so much now.

Since dealing with insurance companies is such a headache it’s not surprise hospitals want more money when they get involved. If you have to wait months before you get paid then you’re going to want more, it’s basic time preference. Time is money, if you pay in full now you can generally get a better price than paying later or in increments over time. There is also the added risk involved if the insurance company denies the claim. If the claim is denies the hospital has to collect the money from you, and there is a risk in the fact that you may not be willing or able to pay the bill. Therefore hospitals also have to cover their potential losses when dealing with insurance, another increase in the price.

A Dark Day Indeed

Today is a dark day indeed, or at least it is unless we’re being trolled:

Russian singer Eduard Khil who became an internet sensation two years ago is in a coma after a stroke. The 77-year-old stage star is in intensive care as he has suffered irreversible brain damage.

The Soviet stage legend who rose to international fame in 2010 when his I Am So Happy to Finally Be Back Home scooped the attention of millions around the world, is in St. Petersburg Polenov Scientific Research Institute of Neurosurgery. Medics fighting for Khil’s life say several important functions of the singer’s brain are irreversibly damaged.

Doctors suggest Trololo man’s life could be saved, but he would need urgent surgery, Gazeta.ru reports. Even if the singer survives the operation, there are no guarantees of recovery.

As a man who prides himself on practicing the ancient art of trolling this news saddens me. My only hope is that Trololo Guy is merely trolling us and is actually sitting on a beach in the Bahamas sipping vodka.

Feeling the Wrath of the State

Unions are an interesting beast. They claim to fight for the working man while demanding large tributes that end up lining the pockets of union bosses. I don’t oppose all unions, just the public ones that I’m forced to pay for. Unions, at a very basic level, are nothing more than groups of workers who come together to fight for better wages, benefits, and less hours. In this sense they are a form of voluntary association that I support.

Then there is the other side of unions, the side that tries to use the state’s gun to enforce their desires. They demand the state force employers to pay a minimum wage, provide mandatory benefits, and only allow employees to work a fixed number of hours. What these unions don’t realize is that the state is a vicious monster that lashes out against anybody and everybody. One moment the state will be your best friend, the next moment it will move against you because you no longer serve its desires:

Talks between Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd and the union representing 4,800 striking locomotive engineers have broken down, paving the way for the government to bring in legislation forcing them back to work, the company said on Sunday.

The Canadian government, concerned that a rail strike could hurt an economy still struggling with the aftermath of the last recession, had said it was prepared to introduce the legislation.

Railroad employees in Canada have gone on strike and talks between the union and employer have broken down. In a free society this part of negotiation could take several directions: the union could negotiate for less than they previously wanted, the union could except the current conditions, the employer could meet the union’s current demands, the employer could put forward a better deal that doesn’t meet the union’s current demands, or the employer could fire all the striking employees and hire people willing to work under current conditions. Unfortunately for the employees and union Canada isn’t a free society. Because of this either side can attempt to use the state’s gun to force the other party to comply. At times the unions benefit the state and they will provide the unions with benefits and protections, and at other times the unions are not useful to the state so they are struck down. In this case Canadian Pacific are more useful to the state so the state is going to enter the debate on their side and force the railroad employees to return to work.

The state is like the One Ring, it can’t be used for good. It is an entity of violence that can only perpetuate violence. While you may feel it’s doing an act of good when supporting your interests it will eventually attack your interests, devastating them.

The TSA Obviously Has a Stringent Hiring Process

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is tasked with securing airplanes from those evil terrorists. In order to accomplish this they need good men and woman to sexually molest every air traveler before allowing them to board planes, which is why this man was more than qualified for the job:

The security checkpoint between Terminals D and E is a busy place where thousands of people – including lots of kids – pass through every day. But you might not believe who the I-Team observed working as a TSA supervisor at that checkpoint this week: Thomas Harkins.

Until 2002, Harkins was a Catholic priest working at churches across South Jersey. But the Diocese of Camden removed him from ministry because it found he sexually abused two young girls. Now, in a new lawsuit, a third woman is claiming she also is one of Harkins’ victims

Who better to work as a TSA agent? He’s obviously has previous experience at sexually abusing young girls, which is a necessary job requirement in the TSA.

Why Nobody Wants to Help Anybody Anymore

It’s often said that people don’t help one another anymore. Some blame television and others blame the lack of religion but the real answer is probably because it’s illegal:

The ticket cited Section No: 613.06 of Cleveland’s Municipal Codes, which is littering from a motor vehicle.

His offense was listed as, “Throw paper out window,” and in parenthesis, “money to panhandler.”
John said he was confused because money is paper but it’s not trash.

Cleveland police can’t comment on the ticket at this time but according to a spokesperson there is another code that may have been violated.

There is a code which states that it is illegal to panhandle or give money to panhandlers near a highway or street including a berm, shoulder, treelawn or sidewalk.

Section No: 471.06 states in part that “No person shall stand on a highway for the purpose of soliciting…contributions…”

You know those Federal Reserve notes you get handed in exchange for your labor? You can use them to buy a great many things but if you give them to a panhandler in Cleveland you’re violating the law. How can giving money to somebody who is likely homeless be illegal? Probably because large cities are waging war against the poor. This is probably being done in the hopes of running the poor out of town in order to boost the average income statistic of the city so a bunch of bureaucrats can trot around and claim their leadership has lead to more prosperity for all.

Ever since the state decided to enter the welfare market they’ve made it harder and hard for individuals to voluntarily help one another. It seems new prohibitions against helping those in need are put into the law books everyday. You can’t even hand out food to the hungry without getting a stamp of approval from the state, which requires an inspected and approved kitchen staffed by state-sanctioned personell serving food that has been blessed by the state as meeting arbitrary nutritional requirements.

People haven’t largely stopped helping one another because of any societal issue, they’re just watching out for themselves because they know helping another person in need can lead to fines or being thrown in a cage.

They’re Tracking You to Protect Your Freedom

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are moving to create a database of license plates that are spotted driving down a targeted highway:

The DEA wants to capture the license plates of all vehicles traveling along Interstate 15 in Utah, and store that data for two years at their facility in Northern Virginia. And, as a DEA official told Utah legislators at a hearing this week (attended by ACLU of Utah staff and covered in local media), these scanners are already in place on “drug trafficking corridors” in California and Texas and are being considered for Arizona as well. The agency is also collecting plate data from unspecified other sources and sharing it with over ten thousand law enforcement agencies around the nation.

Why do they want this data? What do they plan to do with the data when they have it? The state does have a hardon for civil forfeiture laws and a database of license plate numbers driving on specific highways would certainly help the state increase the amount it can steal using said laws. Considering the state already claims that merely possessing “too much” cash is evidence of a drug crime it’s not stretch to imagine them claiming driving on a stretch of highway, say during your daily commute to work, would constitue evidence of drug trafficking.

But it’s OK, the DEA only wants to collect license plate numbers, not personally identifiable information:

The DEA official claimed to the Utah legislators that “we’re not trying to capture any personal information—all that this captures is the tag, regardless of who the driver is.” The idea that a license plate number is not personally identifiable information is laughable. It is true that different people can drive one vehicle, but they are usually closely related to the registered owner and their identities are rarely difficult to ascertain after the fact.

I don’t know why the state even feels the need to justify its violations of privacy anymore. Instead of trying to feed us bullshit like claiming license plate numbers, which are registered by the state to a vehicle owner, aren’t personally identifiable information they should say, “We don’t give a fuck about your privacy, due process, or your so-called rights. Now shut up slave or we’ll put you in a cage.”

You May be a Terrorist if…

With suspected terrorists being held without trial at Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) the evidence held by the state must be insurmountable right? That really depends on your definition of insurmountable:

It is cheap, basic and widely available around the world. Yet the Casio F-91W digital watch was declared to be “the sign of al-Qaida” and a contributing factor to continued detention of prisoners by the analysts stationed at Guantánamo Bay.

Briefing documents used to train staff in assessing the threat level of new detainees advise that possession of the F-91W – available online for as little as £4 – suggests the wearer has been trained in bomb making by al-Qaida in Afghanistan.

There is a list on Wikipedia of Gitmo detainees held, at least in part, because they were in possession of a Casio watch. In other words, for around $10.00 you to can become a member of Al Qaida. You would think the premier terrorist ground in the world, the organization that is so insidious and power that they have been the primary target of America’s military might since 2001, wouldn’t be such cheap bastards. The least they could do is splurge for a G-Shock.

With “evidence” like this almost anybody can be a terrorist. The Casio F91W isn’t exactly a rare watch, you can pick them up almost anywhere. It’s been in common production since 1991 and is still being produced, a demonstration of the watch’s popularity. Until now I’ve never owned one of these, I usually don’t go for extremely cheap and mass produced watches, but I’m going to order one now. Somehow I still haven’t made it on the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) no-fly list, hopefully being in possession of an F91W will finally get me on that list (then I only have a few more government watch lists to get my name on before I’ve “collected them all”).