Archive for the 'reference' Category

23
Aug

Moloch’s Holy Ground

By libertyvini 0 Comments
Categories: Constitution, Ron Paul, US Constitution, comedy, commentary, economics, education, fascism, liberty, mercantilism, monetary policy, police state, politicians, politics, protectionism, recommendations, reference, regulation, socialism, technology, terrorism and war

I LOVE THIS.

Stephen Budiansky’s Liberal Curmudgeon Blog: Steve’s guide to Ground Zero.

Also see Ron Paul.

19
Aug

When Is Charity Not Charitable?

By libertyvini 1 Comment
Categories: Austrian Economics, Constitution, autarky, comedy, commentary, economics, education, energy independence, environment, fascism, liberty, mercantilism, monetary policy, politicians, politics, protectionism, reference, socialism and terrorism

Full of Something

Full of Something

“The Giving Pledge is the brainchild of billionaire businessmen Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. The two of them have teamed up to ask the world’s wealthiest people to donate at least 50% of their fortunes to charities. They believe that the richest people in the world can eradicate many of the world’s problems through philanthropy. The pledge is not a binding contract but more of a “moral commitment”. Individuals are free to donate money to whatever cause they would like. So, far about 40 billionaires have accepted the giving pledge challenge. That’s not a large number when you consider that there are nearly 1,000 billionaires in the world, according to Forbes. So, who hasn’t signed up and for what reason? “

Gates and Buffett will not give away ONE DIME.

Instead, they will put all of their billions into foundations they and their heirs control, to lobby for things THEY believe in, at everyone else’s expense.

Also, they are both HUGE proponents of letting the estate-tax cut expire, because then, when small businessmen die, their heirs will have to sell their companies, at a huge discount, to pay the estate tax.

And who will buy these companies at a huge discount?

Uh-huh, people like Buffett and Gates. Screw them.

Also, it is turning the concept of (Christian) charity on its head - proclaim your “giving” as loudly and ostentatiously as you can, and bullyrag others to do do likewise;

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Matt 6:5,Matt 6:16,Matt 23:5

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Luke 6:24

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. Jer 17:10, Matt 6:6, Matt 6:18″

(Thanks to my wife for bringing this to my attention)

Billionaires Who Havent Taken The Pledge.

19
Aug

Of Allah, and Moloch

By libertyvini 2 Comments
Categories: Constitution, US Constitution, comedy, commentary, economics, environment, fascism, liberty, mercantilism, police state, politicians, politics, protectionism, recommendations, reference, socialism, terrorism and war

Not The Only Bull-God Here

Not The Only Bull-God Here


Isn’t there a rule against putting one church (the Muslim mosque) on the grounds of another (the Nationalist “Ground Zero”)? Seriously, when do “we”, meaning the public, let this ridiculous miasma of a grotesque nationalist mausoleum go, and let the people who live and work in this long-stricken area get their property rights and their lives back? Do our elites really plan to reserve their hideous ‘holy ground’ for a temple to Moloch, alone?

BTW, another of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse has arrived - the NJACLU is lauding NJ governor Chris Christie for defending Cordoba House (mass e-mailing, not that they could be bothered to post it on their site or anything).

And never mind that the area also contains restaurants, bars, offices, hotels, , Christian churches, and several, er, OTHER businesses.

Manhattan has been suffering from this statist deformity since way before 9/11/2001. I can’t find the contemporary (New Yorker?) article, but Wikipedia also mentions that acres of property were stolen, and a hundred residents evicted to make way for Nelson Rockefeller’s monstrous, diplopic, evidently flammable penis extension back in 1964;

I don’t need to remind you that this entire controversy is a classic PR-lying campaign, and that to the extent that ordinary America even knows about what is being proposed, it is through the distorted lens of said PR-lying campaign. Previously, the average American would either have had no opinion, or have just assumed that, it being NYC, a half-dozen mosques already existed in the area. Now, that most dangerous and muddle-headed species, Boobus Americanus, has had its consciousness ‘raised’ by its ‘betters’.

At any rate, the fact that 10 years later there is still relatively zero rebuilding progress is a sad testimony to the weakness of the elites, as is this pathetic ‘controversy’. Thank God.

(PHOTO: www.moloch.us)

04
Aug

Americas Ruling Class — And the Perils of Revolution

By libertyvini 3 Comments
Categories: Constitution, commentary, economics, education, energy independence, environment, fascism, liberty, mercantilism, monetary policy, police state, politicians, politics, protectionism, reference, socialism, technology and terrorism

The nut of this very long, but very worthwhile essay by Angelo Codevilla on our emergent ruling class;

“Its attitude is key to understanding our bipartisan ruling class. Its first tenet is that “we” are the best and brightest while the rest of Americans are retrograde, racist, and dysfunctional unless properly constrained. How did this replace the Founding generations paradigm that “all men are created equal”?”

via The American Spectator : Americas Ruling Class — And the Perils of Revolution.

23
Jul

Psychopathy Legitimized by Fred Reed

By libertyvini 0 Comments
Categories: Austrian Economics, Constitution, US Constitution, autarky, comedy, commentary, economics, education, energy independence, environment, fascism, foreign oil, liberty, mercantilism, monetary policy, police state, politicians, politics, protectionism, recommendations, reference, regulation, socialism, technology, terrorism and war

Today, on LRC, Fred Reed ticks almost all the boxes (categories) with this one;

“Perhaps the US should recognize that it has a second-rate military at phenomenal cost – an enormous, largely useless national codpiece. It is embarrassing. The Pentagon’s preferred enemies are lightly armed, poorly equipped peasants, which makes for a long war and thus hundreds of billions of dollars in juicy contracts for military industries. Yet the greatest military in history (ask it) gets run out of Southeast Asia, blown up and run out of Lebanon, shot down and run out of Somalia, with Afghanistan a disaster in progress and Iraq claimed as an American victory rather than Shiite. Do the aircraft carriers intimidate North Korea? No. Iran? No. China? No. For this, a trillion dollars a year?”

via Psychopathy Legitimized by Fred Reed.

19
Jul

The Real U.S. Government - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com

By libertyvini 1 Comment
Categories: Constitution, autarky, commentary, economics, education, fascism, liberty, police state, politics, protectionism, recommendations, reference, socialism, technology and terrorism

“By casting the net so wide and continuing to collect on Americans and aid organizations, it’s almost like they’re making the haystack bigger and it’s harder to find that piece of information that might actually be useful to somebody.  You’re actually hurting our ability to effectively protect our national security.” - Adrienne Kinne, NSA whistleblower

via The Real U.S. Government - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com.

16
Jul

Is Social Security An Annuity? Justice Harlan Said No, And Who Am I To Question It?

By libertyvini 2 Comments
Categories: Constitution, Ron Paul, US Constitution, commentary, economics, education, fascism, liberty, monetary policy, police state, politicians, politics, recommendations, reference and regulation

I got involved in a Facebook discussion of Social Security (I know, I know) with a Social Security Disability recipient. He argued against my assertion that SS is not an entitlement, insurance, or investment (but rather is a transfer / welfare scheme) by claiming that SS is an annuity.

took me two minutes, but I came up with the Supreme Court decision FLEMMING V. NESTOR (363 U.S. 603 - 1960) (on the Social Security Admin WEBPAGE) which states ,I think, unambiguously;

…2. A PERSON COVERED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT HAS NOT SUCH A RIGHT IN OLD-AGE BENEFIT PAYMENTS AS WOULD MAKE EVERY DEFEASANCE OF “ACCRUED” INTERESTS VIOLATIVE OF THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE OF THE FIFTH AMENDMENT. PP. 608-611.

(A) THE NONCONTRACTUAL INTEREST OF AN EMPLOYEE COVERED BY THE ACT CANNOT BE SOUNDLY ANALOGIZED TO THAT OF THE HOLDER OF AN ANNUITY, WHOSE RIGHTS TO BENEFITS ARE BASED ON HIS CONTRACTUAL PREMIUM PAYMENTS. PP. 608-610.

(B) TO ENGRAFT UPON THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM A CONCEPT OF “ACCRUED PROPERTY RIGHTS” WOULD DEPRIVE IT OF THE FLEXIBILITY AND BOLDNESS IN ADJUSTMENT TO EVER-CHANGING CONDITIONS WHICH IT DEMANDS AND WHICH CONGRESS PROBABLY HAD IN MIND WHEN IT EXPRESSLY RESERVED THE RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND OR REPEAL ANY PROVISION OF THE ACT. PP. 610-611.”

I guess I should have expected it, but he SAVAGELY attacked me ad-hominem, again and again, while never substantiating his argument with even ONE contrary cite.

So tell me. am I reading this wrong? Do we have a contractual and property right in a Social Security annuity after all? Do I owe this jughead an apology?;

Vince Daliessio: ‎”(A) THE NONCONTRACTUAL INTEREST OF AN EMPLOYEE COVERED BY THE ACT CANNOT BE SOUNDLY ANALOGIZED TO THAT OF THE HOLDER OF AN ANNUITY, WHOSE RIGHTS TO BENEFITS ARE BASED ON HIS CONTRACTUAL PREMIUM PAYMENTS.”

Unless you can show that this has been reversed or modified by jurisprudence or statute, I rest my case.

Scott (name witheld): “you never had a case as you can not read! That paragraph states that it IS an annuity! What a fool! If you had a 12 th grade reading level you would understand the meaning of the sentence.

Vince Daliessio: Read Justice Black’s dissent, if you want to know the history of the case, the clear violations of Article 1, Section 9 of the constitution, which prohibits the passing of bills of attainder and ex-post-facto laws.

Scott: I have no need to cite anything, YOU are sitting here spewing untruths based on your inability to understand what you obviously can not read. You interpret the fact that congress is the final governing body of the Social Security Administration as congress can limit who can get benefits, yet Scotus stated otherwise, that they only can set ..

Vince Daliessio: Where does it state that? It clearly states the opposite.

Scott: Again you display more nonsensical garbage… you can opt out of Social Security therefore there is no constitutional violation. Do you argue with the wall when you are taking a dump?do you argue with a brick? You ARE NOT a Lawyer, Nor are you anywhere close. Stop trying to act like one

Vince Daliessio: You don’t cite it because you can’t. Congress can set the benefit level at zero. It can set the retirement age at 200. It can set the tax rate at 200%. It can, according to Flemming, pass a law today outlawing behavior that occurred 15 years ago, and use that to invalidate benefits, since they have pronounced that you have no legal property right in SS. No insurance company can do this with a real annuity - they would be sued for treble damages and lose.

Scott: Look IDIOT I suggest you research Schoemann v Social SecurityAdministration of the United States and try your fucking bullshit then. YOU know absolutely Nothing about what you try to speak… you sit here spreading lies and pretending to be the authority. You’re nothing but a know it all punk without an education. Now say good bye boy

Vince Daliessio I CAN’T opt out. I don’t know where you get that idea. Only certain tightly-defined groups under the statute can opt-out.

Scott: Title 26 learn it live it love it

Scott: Gotta love know it alls and troll

Vince Daliessio: You made a statement - that SS is an annuity. Flemming clearly contradicts that. Your argument isn’t with me, it’s with the Supreme Court. I don’t know why you have a beef with me. I stipulated that if you are dependent on the program, you should be taken care of.”

via Social Security Online History Pages.

14
Jul

Balding Gracefully: Tips and Hairstyles for Balding Men | The Art of Manliness

By libertyvini 2 Comments
Categories: commentary, economics, liberty, recommendations and reference
Shiny, but not TOO Shiny

Shiny, but not TOO Shiny

http://artofmanliness.com/2010/07/14/balding-gracefully-tips-and-hairstyles-for-balding-men/

Coming from a long line of baldies on my mother’s side, I knew well in advance it was a possibility, but the process didn’t become noticeable until one summer Saturday in 1992 when a 3-hour ride to the shore with the top down resulted in a nasty scalp sunburn.

I kept trying to deny it, Rogaine worked for a while, but ultimately it was a losing battle. The buzz cut helped, but did not totally work because I have patchy, uneven tufts at the front of the scalp, probably as a result of a gruesome but not serious scalp wound (30 stitches!) I got years ago.

So I started shaving the irregular islands off completely. At first my glowing-white scalp betrayed it as a half-measure, but eventually I got enough sun exposure to induce some nascent pigmentation, enough to do the job. I tried a full shave, but it didn’t feel like ‘me’, plus I still had some extra weight at the time which detracted from the “badass” look. I still might give it another whirl when I reach my goal weight.

But shaving the front, combined with a ‘power donut’ on which I use a #1 clipper, I have created a look I can live with. I feel it is the best approach to a dignified hairstyle for me. And the maintenance cost is a fresh pack of blades every 3 or 4 years in the old Norelco, and a few drops of oil on the clippers.

PLUS, the missus digs it.

WHEW.

via Balding Gracefully: Tips and Hairstyles for Balding Men | The Art of Manliness.

14
Jul

Marine-Killing V-22 Osprey Aircraft Sent To Iraq (2007)

By libertyvini 0 Comments
Categories: Austrian Economics, Constitution, Philadelphia, US Constitution, autarky, commentary, economics, energy independence, fascism, foreign oil, liberty, mercantilism, monetary policy, philadelphia local stuff, politicians, politics, protectionism, reference, socialism, technology, terrorism and war

v22_crash

(PHOTO: Coming To A Forward Operating Base Near You, if you are unfortunate enough to be in Iraq.)

Marine-Killing V-22 Osprey Aircraft Sent To Iraq

Time Magazine is reporting that the V-22 Osprey is being deployed to western Iraq for use by Marines there. The V-22, for those of you who haven’t been following the unfolding tragedy for as long as we have, is an aircraft that, much like one of the Transformers of movie fiction, can transform from a helicopter-like rotary-wing aircraft into a fixed wing aircraft, and back again. Except this transformer also turns into, with alarming frequency, a flaming pile of twisted metal and dead Marines.

If you have even the slightest confidence in the wisdom or utility of this, please read here, or here, or, watch this clip from CBS, then tell us with a straight face that you believe this is a good idea.

If this is anybody’s notion of how we should be “supporting the troops” I would have sincere doubts as to that person’s real intentions.

One of the prime movers of the program since its inception was Congresscritter Curt Weldon (R, Boeing Vertol) representing the district in Southeastern PA we all grew up in, who horse-traded and threatened his colleagues in order to get part of the aircraft built in the Boeing facility that dominated his district (in his mind, anyway).

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the estimable congressman Weldon, here’s a shot of him participating in a Washington D.C. ceremony where the Reverend Sun Myung Moon had himself declared the Messiah, complete with an apparent Orthodox Rabbi blowing the Shofar to announce it to the assembled politicians (Moon, er, moonlights as publisher of the Washington Times, an erratically conservative newspaper and neocon propaganda outlet).

Weldon wrangled a key part of the project into the fading Boeing plant at the behest of the unions in exchange for political support. Even though the evil Weldon’s lengthy congressional career was subsequently slain by his own greed (a probe into shady deals involving his daughter’s “consulting company”) as well as reformer-cum-”Bizarro Weldon” Joe “Sleestak” Sestak, Weldon’s pet project V-22 Osprey, aka the flying pig that wouldn’t die, wouldn’t, well, die.

The “program”, as a protracted expenditure of pelf of this nature without successful production of a working piece of ordnance is called, was abandoned long ago by the Army, which was to have shared the cost of it with the much-smaller Marine Corps. Since that time, this flying deathtrap has grown to consume 90% of the Marines’ aircraft procurement budget. We are told that the helicopter it is replacing, the venerable CH-46 (not the also-deadly Hawker Harrier, as some erroneously report, is well past its service life and must be retired, along with 40+ years of experience, improvements, and development. So why then has the army continued to upgrade its fleet of CH-47 Chinooks (sister design to the Sea Knight) rather than replace them?

30
Jun

Economics IS Hard. Especially If You Lack Self-Awareness

By libertyvini 2 Comments
Categories: Austrian Economics, Constitution, Ron Paul, US Constitution, autarky, comedy, commentary, economics, education, fascism, liberty, mercantilism, monetary policy, politicians, politics, protectionism, recommendations, reference, regulation and socialism

This guy thinks we are stupid jerks. Big surprise - he works for the Fed.

This guy thinks we are stupid jerks. Big surprise - he works for the Fed.


This is rich. Tyler Durden via lewrockwell.com points us to a rambling, anti-blogger rant from some faceless Fed functionary about how people without PhDs in economics should just shut the hell up and allow our betters to make everything all better by a heavy application of Keynsian theory (Durden’s commentary is priceless, and you MUST read the comments).

Well, forgive me if I am being impolite to even mention it, but the esteemed Lord Keynes, did he have a PhD in economics? Why, no, he did not. Did he have a PhD in anything? Why, no, he did not. Well surely he MUST have had an undergraduate degree in economics, at very least. Well, uh, also no, his Bachelor’s degree was in mathematics. Which tells you all you need to know about Lord Keynes’ facility with classical economics, e.g., virtually none.

Meanwhile, the leading figures in the late classical economics movement, Austrians Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek, along with Murray Rothbard, Hans Hoppe, Joe Salerno, and a cadre of others, who propound a body of economics colloquially called the Austrian School, are being proved right again and again (as we repeatedly have pointed out) , as stimulus after massive stimulus (as propounded by lackeys like Kartik Athreya) fails to revive the corpse of the Keynsian economy of the past century.

Oh, and all of the major Austrian School scholars had PhDs.

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