"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." ~ H.L. Mencken
Recent comments
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James Clayton 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinAn excerpt from ‘Language and Genetic Self-Interest’: “those who advocate for free market capitalism do so because free market capitalism serves their genetic interests. They intuitively know that they will outperform most others in this system. They will then justify this intuition of genetic self-interest using language, decrying wealth transfers as ‘violations of the NAP’ or violations of religions tenets against theft, etc. Those who intuit that they will not be as competitive in a free market capitalist system will create arguments which defend wealth transfers or outright theft.” https://poseidonawoke.wordpress.com/2016/03/13/language-and-genetic-self-interest/
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Samarami 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinOne more comment to Mr. Paul Hein (before my time runs out on the government ["public" ha ha] library compooter): This is one of your better articles, Paul. It shows that you are not frustrated over the fact that those lunatics who hide under the mantle of that brainless abstraction called "state" are stupid at best, asinine on down the scale; yet powerless to extract much in the absence of "voluntary compliance". I don't think Marc Stevens has ever claimed much in the way of "success" at quelling the robbery that is "Internal Revenue Service". He has helped execute their tendency to be "...hoist by their own petard..." a few times. But being associated with that outfit means one need never be embarrassed by being exposed to her own stupidity. Their stock in trade is in the eternal hope by the ignorant masses that someday, some way, government -- the state, "Our Great Nation", "our Beloved Country" -- will make sense. The enormity of the truth is incredible. Sam
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Samarami 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinRobbing the conquered is the prime axiom in the science of rulership. That is much more easily accomplished when the masses -- especially the ever-growing "libertarian" masses -- use language of serfdom. "The-Rulers" falls into that category. "Our Betters", or "our leaders" (even in jest) much more so. "Our Representatives" written by "libertarians" causes me nausea. "Taxpayer" is the first requiem in the composition of state. The masses must be propagandized to think of themselves as "taxpayers". By the psychopaths who hide under the obfuscation called "government", that is an absolutely essential ingredient. I was once labeled by those lunatics as "Illegal Tax Protestor". Due to classical "legal" folderol, they've changed that designation to "tax resistor". So, Mark -- call yourself what you like. I, for instance, am a "non-robber", a "non-murderer", etc etc. You could also call me a "state denier" if you like. It won't change what I am -- a free, sovereign state. And, for Mr. Davies' sake, it won't change the fact that my door could be broken down by crazy, dangerously armed bastards in state costumes at any moment. And, of course, that could also be done by private entrepreneurs engaging in the business of robbery. "Jurisdiction", for the practicing anarchist, exists only with force of arms. There is no other authority in existence, other than that of the loving parent for her child. Sam
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James Clayton 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinPaul, “The Rulers” (a term they would appreciate) will certainly try to take money from you, but it’s not really “your” money. As you know, state-sanctioned monetary and taxation systems are both designed to rob you.
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Darkcrusade 5 years 42 weeks agoWhen the Sunshine State(s) Said 'Cut'Page Kevin M. Patten"but a level of white privilege is unavoidably true." ??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phPXTWJhnYM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC1gRZ6pEko
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Alex R. Knight III 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinI realize your question is rhetorical, Mark, but for the benefit of the uninitiated (if there are any such here), one means precisely zero to the political class, the other is part of their vampire lifeblood.
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Darkcrusade 5 years 42 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportAll very unnecessary when considering the genesis of NAP. Matthew 7:12 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 12 [a]Therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: even so do ye to them: for this is the [b]Law and the Prophets. This, The Law and the Prophets. Notice the active imperative of the sentence structure in Christ Jesus's words? Not, Don't do to others? Matt.7:12 Encompasses Christian Charity. Christians have built more Hospitals ,more Orphanages ,more universities and charitable organizations than any. Yet some deviations from the teachings of Christ and the Bible(the fallen wolves in sheep clothing that are in all institutions.) are overwhelmingly countered by the Christians good works and novel institutions of care, compassion, and justice. Carlton Hayes wrote, “From the wellspring of Christian compassion, our Western civilization has drawn its inspiration, and its sense of duty, for feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, looking after the homeless, clothing the naked, tending the sick and visiting the prisoner.” The State even attempts to Replace Charity. Our Enemy the state> "We can get some kind of rough measure of this general atrophy by our own disposition when approached by a beggar. Two years ago we might have been moved to give him something; today we are moved to refer him to the State's relief-agency. The State has said to society, You are either not exercising enough power to meet the emergency, or are exercising it in what I think is an incompetent way, so I shall confiscate your power, and exercise it to suit myself. Hence when a beggar asks us for a quarter, our instinct is to say that the State has already confiscated our quarter for his benefit, and he should go to the State about it."
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Jim Davies 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinAn accurate summary of the sad situation. "The problem with making legal arguments is that the parties making the laws also administer, enforce, and adjudicate them..." nails it. Marc Stevens does excellent work. Has he taken his innocent and penetrating questions into court opposing the Infernal Robbery Syndicate?
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Mark Davis 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinI wonder if one could get away with identifying as a non-taxpayer? If a man can legally identify himself as a woman based on his own cognition, then anyone should be able to use the same legal grounds to identify as a non-taxpayer.
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emartin (not verified) 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinEvery time a member of the "den of thieves, a gang of robbers" murders, cheats or steals from me or a member of my family they are damaging my genes. I'm pretty much convinced that their genes are fair game. It seems that it's the only thing that will wake up their worthless asses.
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Alex R. Knight III 5 years 42 weeks agoA Den of ThievesPage Paul HeinVery nicely done, Paul. Worthy of sharing widely. :-)
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D. Saul Weiner 5 years 42 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportGood points here about the need for something to complement the NAP. It seems to me that one of the barriers to a "laissez faire" mindset is the lack of faith (for lack of a better term) in freedom itself. Typically, libertarians will take this to mean that people need to be educated in free market economics. And that can help, if people are open to such an undertaking. But the problem may be more spiritual in origin. Most people seem to lack the belief that life will "work out" as long as they do their part. That is why they become control freaks, or are receptive to the messages of control freaks. So there may be some need for spiritual development that goes beyond embracing kindness and compassion, as important as those 2 qualities are.
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Jim Davies 5 years 42 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportSurely, the NAP is very simple to understand. Try explaining it to any 4-year-old bully, in terms such as "Don't hurt people, and don't take their stuff." He will get it, easy as pie. If he fails to act accordingly, the reason will not be a lack of intellectual power, but a lack of will powe
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Mark Davis 5 years 43 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportI can't speak for Glen, but my view is that no single ideal or principle can exist in a vacuum. Some like to promote democracy as the fountain of liberty from which a free society must flow, but it too is obviously insufficient to bring about a free society; indeed, democracy is often used to justify the existence of the state. I agree wholeheartedly that the NAP is a solid foundation (first premise) from which to build a logical argument supporting a free society. I suppose it is my faith in the ability of logic to convince a sufficient number of people to accept the NAP as the core of their personal philosophy that is lacking in this context. Love and kindness are simple concepts that can be grasped by people who do not understand or even care about logic. People who do not believe in the power of love and kindness to improve the quality of their lives and their relationships with others will never accept the NAP because aggression is too handy of a tool for getting what they want. Self-interest too often overwhelms logical arguments on an emotional level such that intellectual considerations become secondary, at best, and irrelevant at worst. So, IMO, we need to offer arguments for a free society that make sense on an emotional level in addition to just logical arguments on an itellectual level if we are ever to appeal to enough people to accomplish our common goal.
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Jim Davies 5 years 43 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportWe may have to differ on that, Mark. If I understand Glen correctly, he's saying that the NAP is not enough; that it needs kindness to be added. I join all who very much hope it will be, but don't see it as a prerequisite to a free society; whereas the NAP certainly is. Consider an analogy with medicine. Primary principle of treatment: "First, do no harm." That's been in place for centuries (though often inadvertently violated.) That's like the NAP. Start by not aggressing. That brings peace and freedom. Then by all means build on it with acts of kindness, random and otherwise, as in medicine treatment is added to harmlessness. But the distinctive purpose of anarcho-libertarians, surely, is to stop the aggression. Today's society is full of it, starting with the major evil act known as voting. Stop hurting people and stealing their stuff, and there is a foundation on which positive good actions can be based; but as libertarians, I don't see that as part of what we're promoting.
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Mark Davis 5 years 43 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportI don't think imperative is too strong a word because it is a vital, crucial and essential ingredient in a free society. I would go further and posit that the Non-Aggression Principle would never be considered, much less discussed, in a society that does not have a culture that highly values kindness. Non-aggression is a completely foreign idea to people that do not first develop a value-laden system which includes a "Kindness Imperative".
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Jim Davies 5 years 43 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen Allport"Kindness imperative", Glen? Of course kindness is a vital element in a decent society, no argument. But "imperative" seems too strong. How does this differ from "compulsory compassion", which is the bedrock of collectivist welfare? If somehow a NAP were implemented but then the human beings making up society failed to add compassion to the mix, the result would be rather sterile. But the NAP is the enabler. Necessary, if not sufficient. Personally, it's fine to continue beyond a call for the NAP to be recognized as the foundation of an ideal society, but is it right to do so as a libertarian?
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GregL 5 years 44 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportWise advice. Very well said.
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Mark Davis 5 years 44 weeks agoKindness and Non-AggressionPage Glen AllportSuccinct, profound and spot on. Well done, Glen.
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Paul 5 years 44 weeks agoSocial Justice Warriors Are AssholesPage Paul BonneauI found this SJW Attack Survival Guide. It looks like it could be quite a help. http://www.voxday.net/mart/SJW_Attack_Survival_Guide.pdf
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Alex R. Knight III 5 years 44 weeks agoTeen Charged With Drug Trafficking Has Been Let Off. Guess Who Her Dad Is?Web link Mike PowersShe is, actually, still evidently awaiting trial. Probably just getting a slap on the wrist though. We'll see: http://www.snopes.com/furay-drug-charges-father/
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Log from Blammo 5 years 45 weeks agoIsrael Named 'Ally' Trump Shared Insignificant Intel From With RussiaWeb link WesternerdNice word-salad headline, there. Try this on for size if you're confused: Israel Named as Source of the Insignificant Intel That Trump Shared With Russia
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Jim Davies 5 years 46 weeks agoIs There a Pence Defense?Page Paul HeinPence wasn't V-P elect until November 8th. Re-phrase line 1?
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D. Saul Weiner 5 years 46 weeks agoIs There a Pence Defense?Page Paul HeinClearly, these thespians have overactive imaginations and they can conjure up all kinds of fantasies and horror stories about how government operates. That type of ability may be very useful in bringing a script into production, but in the political realm it can only serve to disconnect the actors from reality and produce a false consciousness among audience members.
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Jim Davies 5 years 47 weeks ago100% Foolproof Solution to Stop TSA from Stealing Valuables Out of Your Carry-On BagWeb link KenKIt's clever and cheap, and probably effective as claimed - to deter theft for personal gain. Trouble is, while most TSA examiners may be honest in the sense of not being personal thieves, all of them are dishonest in the sense of working for government by poking through baggage. If they detect something (like a flask of gin!) that some government rule forbids, they will steal it anyway. So, "100% foolproof"? Not quite.
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KenK 5 years 47 weeks agoIn Praise of the Toyota Tercel, Last of the Bare-Bones Economy CarsWeb link KenKYou don't see cars like this much any more because, as we discovered after the 2008 crash, the real money in auto production is in the financing of newly purchased vehicles, not in their actual sale price. GM, Ford, Chrysler-Fiat produce cars in order for Ford Credit and GMAC et al. to have something to finance and who then bundle the debt which they sell to banks, pension managers, insurance companies, mutual funds, or who ever needs a steady inbound cash flow. The actual cars are an afterthought.
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Glock27 5 years 47 weeks agoPropaganda 201Page Mark DavisThe saddest discovery for me is not the conscious deceit of national factions, collectives, but the deceit within family, people you are suppose to trust--brother against brother, father against son and etc.
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Kevin M. Patten 5 years 47 weeks agoMarch For Science Stomps Out Free ThoughtPage Carrie BurdzinskiReally great piece Carrie. Something to help motivate me to do more research on vaccines. Of course Shill Nye "The Science Guy" was there at the march, the guy who years ago said that chromosomes determine gender, and now claiming that we're all on a "spectrum" -- complete with perverted song lyrics to get his message across. He was also once skeptical of GMOs; now says they're perfectly safe. What a total fraud. As you so wonderfully said, these are the people driving this loutish "trust the science" mantra. It's a bit ironic, as these progressive scientists are appealling to collegiates, those who likely read Foucault and other postmodernists, who say ITS ALL A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT...TOOL OF THE OPPRESSOR.
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Jim Davies 5 years 47 weeks agoWhat Does It Cost?Page Paul Heinhttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health-care-cost-coverage-might-change-ev...
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GregL 5 years 47 weeks agoMarch For Science Stomps Out Free ThoughtPage Carrie BurdzinskiExcellent article! “the belief that reality is determined by social opinion” I love this way of phrasing it. I am also interested in any comments you might have related to Jim Davies’s question about the value of peer review. There seems to be a lot of value to it, but without a good grasp of the subject matter it’s difficult for a layman to evaluate whether the peer review is just “group think”.
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Jim Davies 5 years 47 weeks agoMarch For Science Stomps Out Free ThoughtPage Carrie BurdzinskiThanks, Carrie, for this blockbuster! The archists have penetrated most other traditional fields of study such as history and economics in order to ruin young minds and their grasp of what's up; it's enormously sad to see them distorting even science as well. It appalls me that a phrase like "correspondence theory of truth" even has to be used. A mere single lifetime ago, science had only to do with observing, theorizing and testing and then repeating the cycle; nobody questioned the necessity of relating to fact and reality in every part of that. A couple of questions, if you have time: (a) The "peer review" system appears to have merit. How do you see it relating to the "consensus theory of truth"? (b) You mention that "HIV affects 1.2 million Americans, [and] has a known cause and simple prevention." Does it then actually exist, Dr Duesburg's findings notwithstanding? Oh, and for good measure, why not put "Progressive" inside quote signs? - all that your article tells about the Marchers is large-scale regression.
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D. Saul Weiner 5 years 47 weeks agoMarch For Science Stomps Out Free ThoughtPage Carrie BurdzinskiAnyone with a functioning brain ought to recognize that a slogan like "Vaccines work" has nothing to do with science. Think about it for a minute. What does that even mean? Does it mean that a particular vaccine might protect certain people against a risky infectious agent, for a certain period of time, at an acceptable level of risk? That would be a scientific claim, right or wrong. But that is not what "Vaccines work" means in practice. It means that we are to assume that whatever recommendations the CDC comes up with are to our benefit and should be mandated. It doesn't matter which (or how many) infectious agents they are recommending vaccines for, what quality the vaccines are, what evidence exists for their safety, etc. The whole slate of vaccines gets a stamp of approval to be used on everyone, simply by virtue of a government committee voting in favor of it. This is how absurd decision-making becomes when it gets politicized.
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D. Saul Weiner 5 years 47 weeks agoMarch For Science Stomps Out Free ThoughtPage Carrie BurdzinskiIn the U.S., progressives have long used their conception of science as a weapon against their enemies. They brand people who are less than 100% persuaded by the theory of evolution by natural selection as neanderthals who would take us back to the dark ages if they had the opportunity to do so. They use support for the environmentalists' agenda as a litmus test for whether or not one is scientific-minded. In their hands, science is a powerful device for creating and maintaining monopolies that determine which research gets funded, how medicine is to be practiced, and which viewpoints are to be taught. But perhaps most of all science is a tool to create a political monopoly for progressive politicians and their supporters.
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Mark Davis 5 years 48 weeks agoPropaganda 201Page Mark DavisI'd bet my bottom dollar that Goebbels was a proud admirer of Bernays. Goebbels certainly used Bernays' marketing strategies, methods and techniques in his propaganda campaigns; that were very effective, it should be noted. Thus the scope of the danger that is increasing due to the electronic cyber-grid encompassing the lives of more and more people everyday; the search and find capabilities of surveilance systems have gone from very limited to nearly universal (in population centers) within the past 20 years. The rate of increase in these capabilities is also increasing. Fortunately, liberty is a formidable force in the world as it resides in the hearts of many.
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Mark Davis 5 years 48 weeks agoPropaganda 201Page Mark DavisMore people are waking up as the "fake news" accusations getting thrown around alerts people to be more skeptical of what they read, see and hear; you are certainly not alone. The glaring consistant feature of hypocrisy in the actions of liberals/post-modernists/Marxists/progressive (alt-left), in spite of their apparent need to point out anything that resembles irony, is totally ignored as if they are completely blind to it. When grown people resort to violent temper tantrums in lieu of using reason and discussion to formulate an agreeable resolution to perceived differences in the matter, it reveals that 1) they realize that they do not have a valid argument and must resort to an emotional appeal to in a desparate effort to win the argument or 2) they do not realize that they do not have a valid argument and have only considered the matter in an emotional manner. The zealots that shun logic as irrelavent, or even a way for the male patriarchy to oppress women, are of the latter group and much more difficult to reason with because they are on a Mission From God.
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Douglas Herman 5 years 48 weeks agoPropaganda 201Page Mark DavisImagine Mark: If Edward Bernays wasn't born, hadn't written his brilliant book about the Truth of propaganda, would Joseph Goebbels have been inspired? "The best propaganda is that which, as it were, works invisibly, penetrates the whole of life without the public having any knowledge of the propagandistic initiative." Could have been spoken by either man. And remains true today. More so even.
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chris.baden 5 years 48 weeks agoPropaganda 201Page Mark DavisGlad I'm not the only one that see these events unfold and can't help but think they are wholly fabricated by big money political operatives who have influence in the highest levels of the academic bureaucracy. A worrisome condition when the traditional liberal establishment abandons its values and behaves like the counter group they allege they are so against.
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KenK 5 years 48 weeks agoWhy Self-Help Guru James Altucher Only Owns 15 ThingsWeb link KenKGet a load of this guy. Why people hate libertarians too. Sheesh.
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Mark Davis 5 years 48 weeks agoPropaganda 201Page Mark DavisThanks, Jim. I've long been a proponent of the "remnant" that must survive every cycle of social upheaval to start a rebirth of liberty in our culture. The large number of people acting irrationally these days makes the percentage of people acting this way appear universal, but the amount of publicity they get distorts the perception of their true numbers. I agree that we must shine a light on this barbaric/animal-like behavior in order to show it up for what it is.
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Jim Davies 5 years 48 weeks agoPropaganda 201Page Mark DavisNice job, Mark. 'society has been conditioned over this time period to accentuate the emotional and obfuscate the intellectual" - yes. And that's why the "road sure looks bumpy" that leads to the triumph of liberty. For that to happen, reason must prevail over emotion. Might you agree that the present, prevalent irrationality is not universal? - it clearly applies rather widely, but not I suggest to everyone. Accordingly, the anarchist advocate can appeal to the few who do retain the ability to think, and they in turn can do likewise when convinced. The ability to reason is what most distinguishes humans from other animals, so the main - perhaps the only? - challenge we have is to revive it.
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Alex R. Knight III 5 years 48 weeks agoPeople's Republic Of Oregon Bans Speech Critisizing Red Light CamerasWeb link A. MagnusI really thought I'd seen it all.
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Paul 5 years 49 weeks agoConsent and SecessionPage Paul BonneauIf folks are wondering why I have not commented in this discussion, it is only because I did not know it was going on. Not being standoffish or anything. :-)
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KenK 5 years 50 weeks agoThose Condemning Syria Have Themselves Recently Used Chemical WeaponsWeb link WesternerdComing up on 24 years ago the USgov used chemical weapons to blind, suffocate, and ultimately burning alive over 76 people in Waco, TX. How soon we forget.
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Alex R. Knight III 5 years 50 weeks ago'We Have To Do Something'Web link Westernerdhttp://strike-the-root.com/urge-to-do-something
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mishochu 5 years 51 weeks agoStudent's Amazing Essay Gets Him Into StanfordWeb link strikeI liked your article. BLM is nonsense. I'm not a big fan of the "All Lives Matter" retort (but mainly for a nitpick of a gripe). I would say, "All Life Matters". The singular life, that of the individual, mattering before some silly collectivist categorization appeals to me.
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Jim Davies 5 years 51 weeks agoStudent's Amazing Essay Gets Him Into StanfordWeb link strikeThe article also mentions his "stellar resume'", so it may be that this "essay" was not the only reason Stanford offered him a place. Unfortunately it gives few details of that resume' beyond the news that "Ahmed is pictured above with Hillary Clinton, who he helped campaign for." The Daily Mail thus ended a sentence with a preposition and used "who" instead of "whom", so author Ashley Collman would not, I hope, have qualified for Stanford. ("He is pictured with Hillary Clinton, [for] whom he helped campaign.") He's also reported as having attended a NJ school costing an arm and leg. Possibly his parents are wealthy. Possibly they contributed to Stanford's endowment. So again, maybe he was admitted for reasons other than his monotonous essay. My own on that subject is at Why BLM Matters, and takes a different view. Perhaps fortunately, I already have a good degree so am not applying to Stanford.
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KenK 5 years 51 weeks agoConnecticut Bill Calls For Weaponized Police DronesWeb link Melinda L. SecorAbout the only way to non-violently stop a UAV is with an EMP, which presents other issues of it's own.
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KenK 5 years 51 weeks agoConnecticut Bill Calls For Weaponized Police DronesWeb link Melinda L. SecorSo lots of these forums are "honey traps" for gun owners?
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KenK 5 years 51 weeks agoStudent's Amazing Essay Gets Him Into StanfordWeb link strikeThat takes some of the shine off of Stanford's brand if that's all it takes to get in.
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Darkcrusade 5 years 51 weeks agoConnecticut Bill Calls For Weaponized Police DronesWeb link Melinda L. SecorReally?! https://www.ar15.com/forums/ Look up Project Phoenix , Nam era. Every single firearm forum is run by LEO's. All Gun shows are lousy with em.
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