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*** October 2012 low content thread ***

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Yes but how could you exercise something like that? By creating a 'dictatorship of the yeoman?'

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What? No.  Simply by disallowing special privileges.

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Could you expand on that please?

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If there is a blanket prohibition against any special funding from state revenues or special contracts, there is no prize to be won by controlling the state.

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Hmm. So what's the deal with placing the yeoman at the forefront of all of this? Is it really revolving completely around tradition?

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Probably because the yeoman is fairly far removed from any possible state privileges, and so naturally guards against them.

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Do you think it could work if implemented?

(I feel like I'm interviewing you.)

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Sure, if it stuck to its principles.  But again, that depends on the character of those that make up the particular society.  Unfortunately I have to go do some work.  You can ask me more questions but I won't be able to answer right now.

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Jargon replied on Mon, Oct 8 2012 10:21 PM

SM - History teachers often say that Federalists were pro-industry whereas democratic-republicans were pro-agriculture, but what are they really saying? That is this: D-Rs were against the tariff whereas Federalists were for it. This is no way means that D-Rs are against industry, they just don't want their own money to be used to enforce higher prices against themselves, whereas Federalists do want their money to be used to enforce higher prices on them. D-Rs were 'agrarian' in that that they weren't pushing special privileges for different classes of people. Since most people back then would have been farmers, it works out that the D-Rs were 'agrarian', but there weren't domestic economic policies enforcing some agrarian vision.

This seems to actually be a way that leftists control debates, by implanting the notion that economic privilege means industrial development and wealth, whereas freedom means a bunch of buffoons pickadillying their days away without a robust national plan. To paraphrase Hazlitt: the savings incurred by spending less on consumption goods are then directed toward further consumption or toward further production goods via banking, producing an equal amount of economic activity but directing it towards purposes that are actually more highly needed by consumers.

Land & Liberty

The Anarch is to the Anarchist what the Monarch is to the Monarchist. -Ernst Jünger

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And Jargon, thanks very much for the info.

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US panel: China tech giants pose security threat

http://news.yahoo.com/us-panel-china-tech-giants-pose-security-threat-233519668.html

American companies should avoid sourcing network equipment from China's two leading technology firms because they pose a national security threat to the United States, the House Intelligence Committee warned Monday.

Lol.

 

To paraphrase Marc Faber: We're all doomed, but that doesn't mean that we can't make money in the process.
Rabbi Lapin: "Let's make bricks!"
Stephan Kinsella: "Say you and I both want to make a German chocolate cake."

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Continuing the Jeffersonian democracy discussion...

I just found these listings on Wikipedia that document the core ideals of Jeffersonian democracy. If these are what Jeffersonian democrats believe in, then it is truly contrary to libertarian thought.

  • The core political value of America is republicanism; citizens have a civic duty to aid the state and resist corruption, especially monarchism and aristocracy.
  • Jeffersonian values are best expressed through an organized political party. The Jeffersonian party was officially the "Republican Party" (although historians later called it the Democratic-Republican Party.
  • It was the duty of citizens to vote, and the Jeffersonians invented many modern campaign techniques designed to get out the vote. Turnout indeed soared across the country. The work of John J. Beckley, Jefferson's agent in Pennsylvania, set new standards in the 1790s. In the 1796 presidential election he blanketed the state with agents who passed out 30,000 hand-written tickets, naming all 15 electors (printed tickets were not allowed). Historians consider Beckley to be one of the first American professional campaign managers, and his techniques were quickly adopted in other states.
  • The Federalist Party, especially its leader Alexander Hamilton, was the arch-foe, because of its acceptance of aristocracy and British methods
  • The yeoman farmer best exemplifies civic virtue and independence from corrupting city influences; government policy should be for his benefit. Financiers, bankers and industrialists make cities the 'cesspools of corruption', and should be avoided.
  • The national government is a dangerous necessity to be instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation or community; it should be watched closely and circumscribed in its powers. Most Anti-Federalists from 1787–88 joined the Jeffersonians.
  • Separation of church and state is the best method to keep government free of religious disputes, and religion free from corruption by government.
  • The federal government must not violate the rights of individuals. The Bill of Rights is a central theme.
  • The federal government must not violate the rights of the states. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798 (written secretly by Jefferson and James Madison) proclaim these principles.
  • Freedom of speech and the press are the best methods to prevent tyranny over the people by their own government. The Federalists' violation of this freedom through the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 became a major issue.
  • The United States Constitution was written in order to ensure the freedom of the people. However, "no society can make a perpetual constitution or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs always to the living generation."
  • All men had the right to be informed, and thus, to have a say in the government. The protection and expansion of human liberty was one of the chief goals of the Jeffersonians. They also reformed their respective state systems of education. They believed that their citizens had a right to an education no matter their circumstance or status in life.
  • The judiciary should be subservient to the elected branches and the Supreme Court should not have the power to strike down laws passed by Congress. The Jeffersonians lost this battle to Chief Justice John Marshall, a Federalist, who dominated the Court from 1801 to his death in 1835.
  • The Jeffersonians also had a distinct foreign policy:
    • Americans had a duty to spread what Jefferson called the "Empire of Liberty" to the world, but should avoid "entangling alliances."
    • Britain was the greatest threat, especially its monarchy, aristocracy, corruption, and business methods; the Jay Treaty of 1794 was much too favorable to Britain and thus threatened American values.
    • France, at least in the early stages of the French Revolution, was the ideal European nation. According to Michael Hardt, ""Jefferson's support of the French Revolution often serves in his mind as a defense of republicanism against the monarchism of the Anglophiles." Napoleon, on the other hand, was the antithesis of republicanism and could not be supported.
    • Louisiana and the Mississippi River were critical to American national interests. Control by Spain was tolerable; control by France was unacceptable. See Louisiana Purchase
    • A standing army and navy are dangerous to liberty and should be avoided; much better was to use economic coercion such as the embargo. See Embargo Act of 1807
    • The militia was adequate to defend the nation. But it proved inadequate in a major War of 1812 when militia units refused to leave their state to attack the British.

"Empire of Liberty" and economic coercion? Please.

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Maynard replied on Mon, Oct 8 2012 11:51 PM

 

You may have seen this elsewhere, if not, I'm sure many of you will appreciate it. If you're not up for watching the whole thing, at least watch 6 minutes in:
 
 
 

 

 

 

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Clayton replied on Tue, Oct 9 2012 12:18 AM

Just came across these guys today:

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Princeton economist says Obama misrepresents his study of Romney's tax plan:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/princeton-economist-obama-campaign-misrepresenting-my-study-romneys-tax-plan_653917.html

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Clayton replied on Tue, Oct 9 2012 4:39 PM

Flaws allow every 3G device to be tracked.

Herp-derp-derrrrp. What do you think they're doing with all those PATRIOT Act powers and the data-center in Moab that can archive the entire Internet 1,000x over?

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@Clayton (or anyone else that may know)

Are there even any non-3G capable cell phones?

The only one worth following is the one who leads... not the one who pulls; for it is not the direction that condemns the puller, it is the rope that he holds.

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Malachi replied on Tue, Oct 9 2012 10:03 PM
New $100 note has hidden message relating to gold

http://www.roadtoroota.com/public/261.cfm

Keep the faith, Strannix. -Casey Ryback, Under Siege (Steven Seagal)
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Wheylous replied on Tue, Oct 9 2012 11:01 PM

Heaven real, confirms neurosurgeon who went to heaven during a coma:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/heaven-real-says-neurosurgeon-claims-visited-afterlife-213527063.html

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Neodoxy replied on Wed, Oct 10 2012 5:28 PM

I thought that this was... Cute

At last those coming came and they never looked back With blinding stars in their eyes but all they saw was black...
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Check this out:

https://www.facebook.com/FeudalistPartyofAmerica

Might be a joke by some left-winger, who knows. My new avatar however has expressed a desire to join.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Fetter

Hes an american austrian economist.

Influence mises.

Funny i havent heard of him in this forum b4. Found out about him by reading a book.

Skeptical-  i like your other avatar better.

“Since people are concerned that ‘X’ will not be provided, ‘X’ will naturally be provided by those who are concerned by its absence."
"The sweetest of minds can harbor the harshest of men.”

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Gero replied on Wed, Oct 10 2012 11:11 PM

Soldiers claim illness after guarding KBR in Iraq

2 US scientists win Nobel chemistry prize

US report highlights unease about Chinese firms

Court lets stand telecom immunity in wiretap case

End of the line for returnable Coca-Cola bottle

26 testify against Lance Armstrong in doping case

Feds: Owner tried to hide complex Russian scheme

Experts: Global warming means more Antarctic ice

Report challenges beliefs on sexual attacks in war

New book digs into Netflix's origins, evolution

Netflix pledges to caption all content by 2014

Obama on debate with Romney: 'I had a bad night'

Mother of former SEAL asks Romney to stop

HOT Rand Paul: Romney's Wrong on Middle East, Defense Spending

How to Start Protecting Your Privacy on the Internet

Harvard Study Suggests that Fluoride Lowers IQ

HuffPo’s 11 Myths About the Fed, Refuted

Patent Evil Grows

Good for Lady Gaga

Triumph of Gold

Quotation of the Day…

Selfless Crusaders for Justice Strike Again

Mitt’s Advisors: He Has No Clue on Foreign Policy

Intelligence Effort Named Citizens, Not Terrorists

How lawmakers and lobbyists keep a lock on the private prison business

Privatize Sesame Street!

Ignore Syrian Rebels’ Threats

Why Sebelius Campaigns So Hard for Her Boss — and Why He Won’t Fire Her

Growing Up Locked Down: Youth in Solitary Confinement

Newest Video Analytics Technique “Product Recognition” Aims to Judge You By What You Wear

US supreme court finalizes gift of immunity to the telecom giants

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And why is that, Kelvin Silva? Don't tell me that you don't have a love for the Japanese dictator Tokugawa! What a guy!

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Neodoxy replied on Wed, Oct 10 2012 11:53 PM

Your other avatar was more stylish. Just sayin.

At last those coming came and they never looked back With blinding stars in their eyes but all they saw was black...
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Seriously? I'll change it to somebody else then, if nobody likes the shogun.

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There. I changed it to Emperor Go-Daigo of Japan.

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Heather replied on Fri, Oct 12 2012 1:44 AM

 

Was scrolling down my YouTube subscription newsfeed and this one caught my attention. It's Dr. Block's only 'like' in all of his YouTube history:

 

 

 Gotta love him :p

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skylien replied on Fri, Oct 12 2012 3:26 AM

I post an interesting statement from someone who fell into a depression (not the economic depression). It is from “Liquid-Nony” who is now a Starcraft 2 Pro gamer. He was once the No.1 in Starcraft 1 Brood War. When he won the most important tournament at that time he fell into a hard depression. He now wrote the following:

 

"There is no point to life. If you ask someone "why?", over and over, until the only thing left to explain is the common reason for doing anything at all, for living, for being happy, you will be met with irrationality. No one has ever given a good reason. Motivations get reduced to feelings, not reasons. All of our reasoning begins with premises of (1) feeling a will to survive and (2) feeling a desire to be happy. Rational justification for every act begins with "Assuming you want to live and be happy..."

Depression, in my experience, is the diminishment of these feelings. When you do something that should make you happy by all reasonable measures, you aren't happy. When you do something that should make you sad, you don't feel any worse. When you do nothing, you don't feel any different. A lack of those fundamental feelings is to blame.

There is no way to think yourself out of it because the solution is irrational. They are feelings that healthy humans have, nothing more than that. Willpower is your only tool here. You can irrationally will yourself to seek solutions. You can practice clever ways to coax those feelings back into existence. You can take medicine to promote those feelings. In any case those feelings will probably return, as depression is typically episodic, and you can start being happy again by doing what's good and doing what's right and being successful.

But the better you do the harder you'll fall when those feelings subside again and you're given another lesson about how all that "good" shit you did doesn't matter. One night when your happiness is in full swing, it'll just hit you. You wonder why you did any of it. And no matter what you do or think, your happiness is gone. Habits may carry you a while, but all motivation has vanished. You won't feel like pursuing your own happiness, but you'll feel a lot of other shit that's not so pleasant. You'll pretend nothing has changed, but it's just an act. You'll stretch your willpower to cover the void. If it's enough to bridge the gap, then congratulations on being functioning. If not, then welcome to the club.

P.S. I'm not suicidal. Don't worry about that. I've received a lot of messages from sufferers of depression, thanking me and wishing me well. Though I've responded to very few, I do feel a responsibility. And as I've been acting out this week, it worries me that someone may view my weakness as an excuse to indulge in their own, perhaps doing more damage to themselves than I'm doing to myself. I've willed myself to behave and focus for long enough to write this to remind you that our feelings are diminished, not gone. Even as I write this, I feel a spark, and I hope this reminder gives you one too."

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes, qui custodes custodient? Was that right for 'Who watches the watcher who watches the watchmen?' ? Probably not. Still...your move, my lord." Mr Vimes in THUD!
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The European Union wins the nobel peace prize?

Eat the apple, fuck the Corps. I don't work for you no more!
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Malachi replied on Fri, Oct 12 2012 8:18 PM
https://silentcircle.com/

promises to be secure encrypted communications

Keep the faith, Strannix. -Casey Ryback, Under Siege (Steven Seagal)
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i thought this was interesting.

and here is the police report.

Notice how there is no mention of the bus driving upper cutting the chick.

Eat the apple, fuck the Corps. I don't work for you no more!
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Malachi replied on Sun, Oct 14 2012 11:06 AM
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/09/world/army-now-says-gi-was-beaten-in-role.html
Keep the faith, Strannix. -Casey Ryback, Under Siege (Steven Seagal)
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Malachi replied on Sun, Oct 14 2012 1:14 PM
http://cool.conservation-us.org/bytopic/disasters/primer/waters.html

One librarian to another:

Once access to the collection is gained, the external appearance of each volume and group of volumes is a useful indication of the degree of water damage. Those volumes found, usually in heaps, in the aisles will naturally be the most damaged. Not only will they have sustained the shock of falling, as rapid swelling caused them to burst from the shelves, but they will also have been exposed to water for a longer period than the volumes on the shelves above them. These will need special, flat packing and the most extensive restoration. The appearance of such volumes can be a devastating, emotional experience, but one must not panic since every volume worth the cost of salvage and restoration can be saved.
as a bonus, the comforting truism at the end is praxeological!
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Clayton replied on Sun, Oct 14 2012 1:42 PM

https://silentcircle.com

Phil Zimmerman is one of the greatest humanists alive today, in terms of his actual contributions to progress in human dignity. He has not been sufficiently recognized for his contributions.

Silent Circle is typical Zimmerman: uncompromising, eminently usable communications-security solutions. I strongly suspect that Zimmerman was one of the secret authors of TrueCrypt - the open source answer to the ridiculous PGP Whole Disk suite (which Zimmerman had nothing to do with, BTW) - which has apparently stumped the crypto-weenies at the FBI (and probably the NSA too, though they will never admit it).

However, just as TrueCrypt doesn't give you cloud encryption, neither does Silent Circle give you encrypted communication in the most general sense. This is not the result of any shortcoming in the products themselves but, rather, in the general infrastructure. PGP, TrueCrypt, SilentCircle... these all give you the tools to "work around" the inherent insecurity of all digital communications systems. But they remain a workaround.

Their greatest value, I believe, lies in their potential to act as a forcing function on the infrastructure to move it to a more sane system where industry-standard encryption on all communication is the default. Here's to Zimmerman and yet another great application of computing technology and the science of cryptography to the #1 foundation-stone of human rights: the right to keep your business private.

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