Weekend Update, No. 15

The Tale of the Slave, by Robert Nozick
The brief, nine point thought experiment that's destined to become an annoying email forward phenomenon.  Relish it now before your next encounter is prefaced with at least 5 ">"s.  If this doesn't wake you up to your sorry state, nothing will.  Brilliant, leaves me longing to read more from Nozick. 



The Nature and Morality of Government, by Jarret Wollstein
Fantastic, plain language exposition on why even "limited" government is in fact immoral.  For "it is irrelevant whether a man steals by his own authority or with the sanction of a million others, whether he takes money for himself or for 'the poor,' or for any other group which did not earn it."  Amen, brother.  Lengthy article, but if read in full will provide you with all the intellectual ammunition you require to explode statist rhetoric.

Foreign Aggression, by Morris and Linda Tannehill
Dismantles one of the primary objections to the conclusions reached in the previous article.  Persuasively agues that only governments are capable of waging warfare as it exists today, and also that their territorial absence will not result in conquest by other governments.

To say that we must have a government to protect us as long as these products of government [missiles, chemical & nuclear weapons] are around is like saying that a man should keep his cancerous tumor until sometime in the future when he gets better, because it would be too dangerous to remove it now!

The only solution is margin-free surgical excision.  Again, a lengthy article, but one that will steel you to all statist objection.

A Declaration of Separation, by The Free and The Unashamed
It's time for me to admit, for my "Core Philosophy" I borrowed heavily from this document.  What's so wrong with their primary objective that "we merely wish to be left alone."  Can't think of one?  If so, you already must be outside of the American political mainstream, both Democrat & Republican.  Neither would ever accede to such an apparently simple request.  Neither can fathom true freedom.  Despite this woeful fact, true freedom is the natural state of man, and it will be achieved as more and more come to this realization.  Are you free and unashamed?

2010 Outlook: When Hope Turns to Fear: Part II, by Ty Andros
Financial advisor with his eyes and ears open.  If he strikes you as loud, panicky, or exaggerated, think again.  The situation here in the USA demands such extremes.  Andros puts it all together.  If you've been out of the loop, this article will catch you up.  If nothing else, you must see the included graphs on the purchasing power of major world currencies and even more striking, the "Real Average Weekly Earnings," which have plummeted roughly 2/3 since the early 1980s!  Our declining standard of living, the requirement of women (rather than option) to enter the workplace, all explained in one graph.  Why?  Inflation.  Andros quotes the chief enabler of government spending, Lord Keynes himself:

By a continuous process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens. The process engages all of the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner that not one man in a million can diagnose.

Read on for his conclusions, which include the fact that "PAPER IS POISON." Paper = cash, CDs, money market accounts, and bonds. The refuge is tangibles, i.e. precious metals and commodities, particularly energy and agriculture. Real estate remains in a government-sponsored bubble nightmare.

Daily Kos/Research 2000 Poll
Wow!  The situation on the ground is way more favorable than our wildest dreams.  Data compiled by this liberal institution ending January 31 beautifully illustrates the large numbers who have completely had it with our government.  As a whole, men and women, all age groups, all regions except the northeast (and then by only 1%) believe that Obama should be impeached.  A majority of men and southerners believe Obama wasn't born in the US.  Even among women and northeasterners, 53% either believe he wasn't or are not sure.  More than 60%, including both men and women, whites, all age groups, and all regions except the northeast believe that Obama is a socialist.  Poll respondents are equally divided whether Obama is a racist who "hates White people."  But here is the best finding of all... 42% either believe their state should secede or are not sure!  In the south, it's 48%, with 33% a definite "yes."  Moving on, 59% of all respondents are against amnesty (another 15% unsure), even if illegals pay a fine and learn English.  To any politician who cares (who doesn't take their orders from the elite), that's 3/4 who do not support amnesty (in the south it's 4/5).  Sorry to end on a downer, but a very large majority also do not support gay rights.  Here at PB, we're of the opinion that gays have the same rights as everyone else (shocking, I know).  Even more shocking to us is that 3/10 Americans support a ban on contraception?  Sorry, but that's beyond reason.  Repeat after me, "sperm are not sacred."  Very large majorities believe that abortion is murder (>3/4).  The largest majorities of all (>90%) support the death penalty, even as it's outlawed in more and more states.  Despite the overwhelming support of the citizenry, PB hereby strongly objects on moral grounds.  If we can't trust the state to send our mail efficiently, properly maintain our roads, or other seemingly simple tasks, how do we expect them to justly decide to take one's life?

Backdoor Taxes to Hit Middle Class, by Terri Cullen
See the multiple ways Obama will violate his campaign pledge not to increase taxes.  This story is so hot that Reuters withdrew it the same day it was published, causing it to disappear from other mainstream news sites such as Yahoo, which we had linked earlier.  See here for more.

The Fed as Giant Counterfeiter, by Robert P. Murphy
"Once you understand the details of modern central banking, you are able to step back and see that it truly is a way for the government to use the printing press to pay its bills. All of the complicated process of targeting interest rates through buying Treasuries simply hides this essential point — and perhaps deliberately so."  Murphy explains it perfectly.  The Fed is nothing more than a government endorsed criminal syndicate, conceived in secrecy by the banking elite on a private island, confiscating our wealth for nearly 100 years.

The War on the Young, by Brian Foglia
After reading this, the question that must come to mind is "why did the young vote for Obama in such large majorities, and with such enthusiasm?"  The only answer we here at PB can conceive of is truly sad.  Namely, that they are government-schooled (i.e. brainwashed and ignorant), naive, MySpaced/Facebooked zombies.  "But he's so cool."

In Coke We Trust, by James Freeman
It's official.  Even as the untrustworthy bond rating agencies (Moody's, S&P, Fitch) maintain the US credit rating at the "rock-solid" AAA level, Mr. Market disagrees.  In fact, he finds The Coca-Cola Company to be more reliable. Yes, the very company that has induced us to pour toxic, disease-causing high-fructose corn syrup down our gullets in quantity is more financially trustworthy than our government, despite the latter's exclusive ability to confiscate the entire wealth of its citizenry under threat of death.  Is this a surprise?

The Truth About Flight 253 Has Been Revealed, by Kurt Haskell
To refresh your memories, we presented the story of Mr. Haskell weeks ago here at PB.  After more time to gather data and reflect, he reaches the inevitable conclusion.  We can't always give it away in our article summaries!  Click the link, you won't be disappointed.

What Did Israel Know in Advance of the 9/11 Attacks, by Christopher Ketcham (PDF here)
We've explored the mystery of the Israeli art students previously.  Here's even more damning information.  Easily the most explosive post this week.  Extremely strong evidence exists that Israeli spies knew in advance of the 9/11 attacks.  Not only knew, but camped out in New Jersey to witness and record them, and openly celebrated them from the moment of impact of the first plane into the WTC, long before it was even commonly suspected as an act of terrorism rather than an accident.  Despite being held in FBI custody shortly after, these spies were quietly released to Israel before the investigation concluded.  All further efforts were quashed.  All media reports were silenced.  Gee, do you think the average American might be interested?  Less obvious is whether the Israelis shared their knowledge with the US prior to the attacks.  Either way, something really stinks.

Whose War?  by Patrick J. Buchanan
Just about the most damning indictment of neocons and their pro-Israel agenda that you will ever read.  Explains how US interests have been entirely suborned.  If our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and our looming war with Iran don't make sense to you, try viewing them through the lens of Israeli interest.  A-ha!  Must reading, particularly for those who actually support our foreign policy.

9/11: Our Truth, and Theirs, by Justin Raimondo
Questions the official propaganda to great effect.  Also comes to the conclusion of Israeli involvement and cover-up facilitated by bogus claims of anti-Semitism, claims that nonetheless resulted in the loss of Raimondo's job.

Will Obama Play the War Card? by Patrick J. Buchanan
Haven't you already heard the drums?  US anti-missle ships are deployed to the Persian Gulf as the Senate pushes for sanctions cutting off Iran's gasoline.  Opinion pieces with such subtle titles as "How to Save the Obama Presidency: Bomb Iran" are appearing in greater number.  Meanwhile, Obama's popularity and approval are plummeting.  Democrats face a massacre at the midterm elections.  Do they see war as a way to boost their support?  Do politicians act primarily out of self-interest?  Connect the dots.

On the Claimed "War Exemption" to the Constitution, by Glen Greenwald
Yeah, we know that it doesn't exist.  But Constitutional "scholar" and professor Obama apparently doesn't.  We highlighted Greenwald's work on this last week, but feel it's important enough to include his latest updates.  To bring you up to speed if you've missed out, basically the administration supports a policy of "giving the President the power to impose death sentences on his own citizens without any charges or trial."  Really.  Got to give Greenwald additional credit for digging up the single non-idiotic quote from carbon-whore Gore:

If the president has the inherent authority to eavesdrop on American citizens without a warrant, imprison American citizens on his own declaration, kidnap and torture, then what can't he do?

Well, apparently nothing, including murdering them.  Powers claimed by governments and trialled during "wartime" routinely bleed over into domestic policy.  If the g-men can explode a car full of Muslim Americans in Yemen merely for voicing support of taking action against Americans, what's the difference in dropping a smart bomb from a drone on us here at PB HQ?  After all, we take an openly anti-government stand, as do numerous bloggers and websites.  And after the 2010 Census, they'll have the GPS coodinates to our front doors.  When some nut goes and assassinates a politician or bombs a government building (obviously, neither of which we advocate), is PB guilty and deserving of the ultimate punishment?  Doesn't seem like a stretch.  We've gone on long enough on this issue, but Greenwald rightly won't let it rest.

The Secessionist Campaign for the Republic of Vermont, by Christopher Ketcham  Leftists (!) have more than 13% popular support for secession and they've got the political candidates who will push for it in Vermont.  As the polling data cited above reveal, the number may be considerably larger.  It's become a movement so noteworthy that even the statist Time must acknowledge it.

Has Forbes Gone Psychotic or Taken the Blue Pill? by Dr. Mercola
The natural health proponent has had it, feeling that he's living in some alternate reality or bizarro world.  Like we here at PB, he questions the "oxymoronic honors" of Obama's Nobel and Bernanke's Man of the Year, viewing Monsanto being named Company of the Year by Forbes to be equally outlandish.  Read the catalog of horrors engaged in by the prize-winner.  He goes on to the big picture questions, none more important than "who taught you what you know?"  Unfortunately, he fails to to arrive at the appropriate conclusion.  The outlandish propaganda is a deliberate power elite promotion.  Skeptical?  Read more at The Daily Bell, as we have oft encouraged.

The Forfeiture Racket, by Radley Balko
"Police and prosecutors won't give up their license to steal."  Read the incredible tales of lawsuits brought against inanimate objects, then attempt to reconcile this with your conception of justice.  Unable to do so, conclude that we live in a corrupt police state where citizens have no rights.

Thousands Protest in Tokyo Against U.S. Military Presence in Japan
Sixty-five years after the war concludes, popular attention is finally brought to the facts that the natives don't want us there and we have no business being there.  Case closed, right?  Nope.  There are those who believe the global empire must be maintained at any price, even if it extends to the quadrillions.

UN Climate Change Panel Based Claims on Student Dissertation and Magazine Article, by Richard Gray and Rebecca Lefort
We all knew it was garbage.  Now we know just exactly where they scavenged it.  In the popular magazine Climbing, and in a master's level student thesis.

The Fateful Geological Prize Called Haiti, by F. William Engdahl
Yet another update of a topic broken over the past few weeks here and here at PB.  More and more are coming to the conclusion that our "humanitarian" military invasion is designed primarily to establish control as a prelude to securing their incredible oil and mineral reserves.

This Is A Man: The Defiance of Omar Deghayes, by William Grigg
Grigg details the heartbreaking story of the British citizen detained and tortured for years without ever facing charges at Guantanamo, then recently released.  His unbreakable spirit will inspire you, if you can manage inspiration while reading a detailed account of the abuses your government regularly condones.  Former US military corroborate the depravity and horror.

Are You Ready for Some Government-Approved Football?  by William L. Anderson
The laughable intrusion of our federal government into yet another sphere of the private sector not even remotely Constitutionally authorized.  Our rulers truly believe everything is subject to their whims.

Questioning Wakefield Lancet-Vaccine Retraction, by The Daily Bell
Explores the power elite-Big Pharma relationship and its drive to profit through ever more "mandatory" childhood vaccinations.  "There is no doubt, so far as we are concerned, that Big Pharma and the power elite are taking aim at every other medical and health care discipline available in the world today."  That is, natural, homeopathic, and alternative medicine.  One of their key tools will be the Codex Alimentarius (Wikipedia article here), based on the Napoleonic Legal Code, where "anything not explicitly permitted is forbidden."  Can you see where this is going?  "For instance, Vitamin C would be restricted to a few milligrams per dose. Although this is not technically a ban, this does restrict its usage to a point where it becomes a ban."  Say goodbye to your supplements.  Say hello to yet more state-enforced Big Pharma profit.

Evangelical Christians Celebrate Victory over 'Embarrassed' Germany, by Christoph Titz and Carola Padtberg
Even the crumbling US is still superior to socialist European jurisditions when it comes to liberty, at least for now.  Here, the State that birthed the public education nightmare is rightfully shamed.  Look for our own overlords to clamp down on the practice in the very near future.  Governments simply cannot bear it when the serfs attempt to break free.  Free-thinking individuals are their downfall.  Accordingly, strongly consider homeschooling, or at a minimum, private schooling.