Independence and Responsibility

We are asked each day to surrender our independence in the name of convenience. In most cases we do so gladly. We make the trade without a thought. It sounds like such a good deal after all.

Consider...

You don't want the responsibility of educating your own children... and the government offers to do so for free. Sounds like a great deal doesn't it? But set aside the issue of indoctrination and the worry of inferior education and just look at the deal you're making.

A child in school is a ball and chain. Oh... you may have 8 weeks of vacation a year... but you don't get to take them the way you want to... because your kid has to be in school. You're tied down.

Compare that to a family that takes the responsibility themselves. They come and go as they please. In the last 4 months of 2008 we spent 10 days at time in Destin/Navarre, Disney, North Georgia, and Pennsylvania. That was more than a week in each of those months that my kids would've missed school. It would've ended badly. They would've been classified as "behind" regardless of the fact that they no doubt would still be far ahead. Its just something families don't do.

Hell... work itself is a terrible ball and chain. You're trading the responsibility of earning your own money for the security of a paycheck. An illusion if ever there was one... A man that works for himself, or better still, a man that employs others to work for him, is a free man.

And lastly... I'll offer one other crippling cuff... the very possessions we cherrish.

You can't just get up and move can you? You can't just make up your mind to leave and hop on a plane to Paradise right? You have a house to sell. What would you do with all that furniture? What about all your stuff?

You see where I'm going with this? When we make a decision... we should be a little more conscience of the consequences. I'm not saying that you shouldn't take a good job because your independence is to valuable. But be aware of your options.

And what of security? That's the big one right? We're terrified of crime or terrorism... and thus we franticly look for another set of handcuffs to jam our arms into, as if it will do any good. The truth is... security from crime is something that is beyond the scope of a government to provide to an individual or even a family. That's a cold hard fact. Cops are historians. 911 operators are there to tell the cops where to go take pictures of the bodies.

In the case of security... individually... you can choose to take the responsibility... or you can choose to ignore the fact that you're a statistic in waiting.

But as a whole... as a population... the threat is just as great. We continue to leap from the frying pan to the fire... seeking salvation where there is only doom.

If your house is on fire... you cannot put it out with dynamite. Nor can you save your cherrished freedoms by surrendering them to the government.

Theory Of A Deadman - I Hate My Life *Lyrics*

Sing a long! Blogger Blaster Style!

Not Good News

At least 3 people I know have had dreams about the coming of WWIII... all three in early January. I chuckled at those dreams of course... but then... I did blink twice when I read this.

One Must Be A Man...

to admit mistakes. Women know this better than anyone.

A Merry Christmas Indeed

We're busy cooking of course... just like every other good family. The bird will be introduced to the frier soon enough... In the mean time there is hot buttered rum simmering in the crock.. smelling up the house like nothing else does.

I've tried several recipes over the last few years... I thought I'd share the most recent.

3 sticks cinammon
6 whole cloves
2 hard packed cups Brown Sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 quarts hot water
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) (real butter dammit)
heavy whipping cream
2 cups dark rum
nutmeg

Put all that in your crock pot on low. Leave it for 5 hours. If you're in a hurry... put it on high for the first hour, then low for 2 hours. Works just as well. When done stir in the rum.

Serve in a warm mug with a scoop of whipped cream and dusting of nutmeg.

As always... adjust everything to taste. Some folks my want to halve the brown sugar... others may prefer to double the rum. Hard to argue with either... or both.

Give a try boys. If nothing else... it'll smell up your house like nothing else.

VPFL Champion

I would like to say that I came into this Fantasy season convinced that I had to win the Championship. After finishing last in 2007 I wouldn't have felt good about continuing in the league that was my brainchild if I hadn't had a spectacular season this year.

Last year... everything that could've gone wrong... went wrong. I lost player after player to injury. It was amazing. It really was.

What a difference a few months makes.

This year I lead the VPFL in total points scored. I won the Championship... and I did it without a dominant QB. I did it with depth. Its a satisfying Championship because of the adjustments I made throughout the year that paid off so often.

It all culminated yesterday when I started Brandon Jacobs... while everyone else thought I should start Chris Johnson. Oh CJ did fine... but Jacobs pounded out 3 rushing TDs... providing 22 fantasy football points.

I will be placing an order for my Championship Ring today. It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for such things to arrive. Rest assured... many photos will be shared when it shows up.

What's Broken?

There is a line of reasoning that claims that the economy is all in our heads. According to the subscribers bad news breeds fear which negatively affects investment patterns, which leads to more bad news. Good news works in precisely the opposite manner...

The people would have you believe that you can walk into a burning building and ask, "Fire? What fire? Everything is excellent!" and suddenly... poof... the buildign would cease to burn.

I can hardly imagine a more childish or... simplistic... view of the world around us.

But... since it is simplisity that is desired... I have desided to provide it. Tonight... I should very much like to take the opertunity to explain what's broken in terms everyone can grasp.

Imagine if, you will, an island. On this island are several cast aways. There is japanese man, a chinese man, a french man, a german, an indian, and an american.

Each morning the Japanese man goes fishing. He fishes all day. The chinaman gathers fruits and nuts. The german crafts utensils. The indian hunts wild game for meat. The frenchman cooks all day.

At the end of each day... all of them present their well crafted products to the American who has done nothing all day. The American eats virtually all of it... leaving only the barest scraps for the others.

The next day it starts over.

Now... Keynesian economic theory... or... as you may prefer to think of it... American economic theory... the economic theory that our government has used to make all of its decisions for the last hundred years or so... would have you believe that the American is vital to that island's economic stability.

I mean... Look at all the jobs the American is creating by providing all that consumption.

Only a harvard educated politician would actually believe such insanity... but believe it they do. With such faith that they risk the very survival of their nation upon it.

Any idiot can see the American is a drag on the economy of the island... The other castaways would be far better off without the american at all. There would be more for them. They would have more wealth... and more free time.

And you wonder why the world loathes Americans?

The problem is not perception. The problem is not in our heads. We are not facing tough economic times because we're not happy enough.

We are facing tough economic times because we've stopped producing. No. The problem is not in our heads.

Its in our hands.

Naughty Santa

We're all laughing... but Jamie is a little turned on.

Christmas at Nate's

I'm sure you'd be suprised to know that music is important to Dr Who and I. Since 1997 we've marked the Christmas season with a traditional collection of Christmas songs performed by the Cheiftans and several guest singers. On it can befond everything from traditional Irish Jigs to, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, to Jackson Brown's Rebel Jesus. There is an angelic performance of Oh Holy Night that I've never heard rivaled... and this one particular gem that inspired me to blog today... Elvis Costello's "St Stevens Day Murders".

I don't know if you've ever heard this song or not... but the song is so lyricly brilliant I couldn't help but share it. See for yourself... see if doesn't describe a holiday gathering of extended family to near perfection.

I knew of two sisters whose name it was Christmas,
And one was named Dawn of course, the other one was named Eve.
I wonder if they grew up hating the season,
The good will that lasts til the Feast of St. Stephen
For that is the time to eat, drink, and be merry,
Til the beer is all spilled and the whiskey has flowed.
And the whole family tree you neglected to bury,
Are feeding their faces until they explode.

There'll be laughter and tears over Tia Marias,
Mixed up with that drink made from girders.
’Cause it's all we've got left as they draw their last breath,
Ah, it's nice for the kids, as you finally get rid of them,
In the St Stephen's Day Murders.

Uncle is garglin' a heart-breaking air,
While the babe in his arms pulls out all that remains of his hair.
And we're not drunk enough yet to dare criticize,
The great big kipper tie he's about to baptize.
With his gin-flavoured whiskers and kisses of sherry,
His best Chrimbo shirt slung out over the shop.
While the lights from the Christmas tree blow up the telly,
His face closes in like an old cold pork chop.

And the carcass of the beast left over from the feast,
May still be found haunting the kitchen.
And there's life in it yet, we may live to regret,
When the ones that we poisoned stop twitchin'.

There'll be laughter and tears over Tia Marias,
Mixed up with that drink made from girders.
’Cause it's all we've got left as they draw their last breath,
Ah, it's nice for the kids, as you finally get rid of them,
In the St Stephen's Day Murders.

Shock: Corruption in Illinois Politics

The governor of Illinois has been arrested on corruption charges. Apparently the fella was attempting to sell a senate appointment. In equaly shocking news... oxygen has been found to be important to sustaining human life... and water is reportedly "wet".

Jacob's Ladder: 500kV Switch Opening

So a buncha guys came into walmart recently... urgently seeking new underwear.

How Worthless is the Dollar?

Well.. its worthless enough that some yankees are considering printing their own money. This is of course little more than isolationism. I mean... if you have money that's only good in your town.. folks have to buy local right?

Ya don't hear about this stuff in a recession people. This is the kind of thing you find when a country has a year or two of recession... which means now we just have to wait till the bankers start jumping out their windows and splattering all over wall street... then we can officially call it a depression.

Who says there's nothing to smile about?

I Should Blog Something

But what? I mean surely I have something to say don't I?

Not really. I've been gravely ill... and thus... useless. Consequently my blogging has been reduced to near vacation levels.

Anyway... its friday...

so I have a rather important question relating to protocol.

In america... we drink beer. But historicly speaking... we originally drank Cider. The other day... I has happily mocking a friend for drinking cider... when he pointed out that he was enjoying the cider as a historical ethnic preference.

The english wrote songs about cider. Ever heard Johnny Jump Up?

Now... don't get me wrong... I continued to mock him.. and to insist that he was drinking an alternative Zima.

What say you lads?

Cherished Illusions Lost

So now we know that we're going to see an addition 20,000 military troops working on US soil... we see yet another of our illusions flushed unceremoniously down the toilet. Oh sure... Posse Comitotus has been irrelevant since WACO anyway... but it was nice to pretend wasn't it?

Amazingly enough... the american public will shrug. Its a different world today right? All those stuffy rules have no place in today's america.

I agree completely.

Which is why I've come to loathe what America has become.

The Devil's Paintbrush

Tonight I'd like to tell you the tale of one of histories great inventors. So great in fact... that Thomas Eddison paid him to move to Europe and stop working on new designs.

Tonight... we're going to talk about Hyram Stevens Maxim... and what happened after Eddison made him that deal.

One never knows how even the most flippant remarks may effect world history. There is no greater example... than this one.

While he was in Europe Hyram was visited by an old friend from America. His friend said to him... "Look.. drop all this chemistry nonsense. If you want to make real money... give the Europeans something to cut each other's throats with."

Flippant as it may seem... that statement rocked Maxim to his core.

By 1886 he had his first working prototype. It was accurate. It was ultimately reliable... and at a time when the finest soldiers in the world could fire 26 rounds per minute with a bolt action rifle... you could put a moron behind this weapon and tell him to pull the trigger... and fire a symbolic 666 rounds per minute.

Maxim invented the worlds first machine gun... in 1886. When americans were still using Gatlin Guns.

The Crash

What you are looking at is a graph of the Baltic Dry Index. Now most likely you have no idea what that is. Basicly its a tool that estimates the demand for shipping world wide. It estimates the price of a standard cargo shipment, and tracks the cost change over time. The higher the cost of the shipment, the higher the demand for shipping.

Now this is important... because when economies are working... things are moving around. Stuff has to go from factories to stores... from country to country. Dig? These types of tools tell us a lot about the state of the economy world wide.

Now take a good look. From a high of 12,000 a few months ago... to 1000 today.

Ya know what that means? It means stuff ain't moving around. It means... factories aren't selling goods. It means factories aren't even making goods.

Consider as well... Its Christmas people. This is supposed to be the busiest time of year for shipping companies. Look at the graph. At the end of each year there is a spike. Not this year.

Not good.

Not good at all.

A New Tool

In many situations I've taken to carrying two steyr m40's. After all... the quickest way to reload is to draw another weapon. Still... even a gun nut like me has to admit that a firearm is only one tool. It is not the answer to all personal security questions.

So... I've indugled myself a bit... and picked up a few stun guns.

I went with Black Cobra... 600,000 volts. They're very small... think cigarette pack... and believe it or not... they are powered by a 9-volt battery.

Unfortunately there is not a lot of info on individual stun guns. You can't go read reviews of them... because lets face it... test subjects aren't easy to find... and lets face it.. cats look far to flamable for something like this.

I can tell you.. the little bastard makes a very loud pop... and throws an impressive spark.

I don't know that I can recommend relying on something like this as your own and only line of defence. Not until I can actually see it used. Still... no more than they cost... It certainly seems like a good option.

And lets face it... a stun gun may save you some legal bills.

Glocks Suck

I thought I should take some time to explain my disdain for Glock... and to provide some contrast... I'll also explain why the Steyrs I own are demonstratably superior in every way.

First.. you need to understand that the Glock was designed as a 9mm. When they decided to offer it in .40... they had a choice... redesign the whole weapon... or find some way to rig it.

Guess what they chose?

That's right. They simply rebarrelled, modified the breech face, and dropped in a stiffer spring... and called it a Glock 22... or 23... depending. In fact... many manufacturers have done this... including S&W... with the S&W 99.

We call this bastardization an Unsupported Chamber. If that sounds bad... its because it is. In unsupported chambers brass expands far to much... and is even mishapen... most commonly expanded oval.. pushed down in the 6 o'clock position. Brass fired from an M40 measures between .428 and .430. Brass fired from a Glock 22 measures .431 to .433. That's a huge difference... as anyone who reloads can tell you.

Look inside a M40 sometime. Side by side with a Glock 22 you'll notice right away how much beefier the Steyr is. Because again... the Steyr was designed to be a .40. Not a 9mm.

The simple truth is... you don't want to reload brass that was fired from an unsupported chamber... and you want to be very careful about what loads you put in that chamber... lest you learn first hand why we use the term KaBoom.

I'm not trying to panic you here. If you're shooting factory tested ammo... you're obviously fine. But you should think long and hard before you start rollin' your own for your Glock. Glock isn't interested in making sure your brass lasts. They apparently only give a damn about rigging up half-assed designs that function... sort of.

The only good thing about glocks is the fact that you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one. Consequently ammo manufacturers have beefed up their cases to attempt to deal with the flaws in the 22 and 23.

How pathetic is that?

And now for a little background. The Steyr M4o was designed by a former employ of Glock... Wilhelm Bubits. He was around at the begining... and was extremely critical of the 22 and 23 designs for the reasons listed above. He was so frustrated with Glock's designs he actually became a designer himself and presented his copyrights to Glock. Glock didn't like the M40... so he took it across the street to Steyr.

They loved the design... and after some tweaking put it into production. The result was the most impressive modern pistol that no one gave a chance.

What Would You Do?

You wake up.. and the internet is buzzing. While you slept last night... by executive order... martial law has been declared and all firearms are to be confiscated. The government says you have 24-hours to turn in all weapons and ammunition at the nearest police station. Anyone caught with so much as one bullet will be imprisoned without trial.

There are pictures and videos of huge fenced areas where violators will be taken. The government refers to these concentration camps as "Gun Court".

You have 24 hours.

No time to wait for a trial or an injunction. Federal judges have refused to accept any challenge to the orders.

What do you do?

At 11:00 an army general holds a news conference where he explains that this is a military mission and it will be handled as such. The membership records of the NRA have already been siezed... along with the records of all pro-gun organizations. He states plainly that the homes of every NRA member will be searched. They have begun searching digital pictures from public survielence systems searching for hints of fire arms ownership like bumperstickers or t-shirts. He announces that the FBI has turned over the background checks on every firearm purchase made in the last decade.

At 4:00pm the President announces that you have 12 hours left to turn in your weapons. People have started leaving work to turn in their guns. Police are everywhere... soldiers are everywhere. They aren't doing anything... they are just... around.

What do you do?

This is all fantasy right? This can't happen. It never happens like this. Its just nuts.

Well consider... this is exactly how it happened in Jamaica in 1972.

OWNED

Please watch this particularly entertaining clip on Youtube.

You will hear Peter Schiff (Ron Paul's chief economic advisor) explain in specific terms exactly what happened to the market this year... and why... and he did so in 2006 and 2007. Pay particular attention to the buy recommendations given by the other so called experts. They are telling you how cheap Merril Lynch is at 58 bucks a share.

Everyone that listened flushed that money down the toilet.

Who's laughing now bitches?