Don't Be Lulled By Detroit!

When I heard the news reports of the attempted act of terrorism about a Detroit bound airliner, something did not sit right with me. After a few days of looking up some information, I am now quite certain that the incident was fake. By fake, I mean it was planned to bring about a desired consequence.

For most of the year, there was a desire by the current Administration to implement new screening technology in airports all across the nation. The first official endorsement I can recall would have been on February 25th, 2009 by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. However, there was a hitch in the Administration's plans. Many, including organized privacy advocates, stood against what was believed to be an unnecessary and overly intrusive invasion of people's privacy. Incidentally, these new machines that would do the scanning cost approximately $200,000 each. Lets not even consider the cost associated with operating and maintaining them or even upgrades that will certainly be needed on an annual basis.

Now, months later, we have an incident which has scared people in believing that something must be done. Unfortunately, many fail to realize that problems such as this cannot be solved by government. Instead, they tend to only make things worse.

The machines that many want to place into our airports are of a relatively new technology making use of millimeter waves which tend to give a very detailed image of a person's body even underneath their clothing. This technology was developed by Farran Technology which is based out of Ireland. Imaging technology is not all that Farran is involved in. They also develop equipment in the fields of wireless broadband, satellite, defense and radar technologies. All fields likely to thrive on government contracts.

In 2005, Farran Technologies was acquired by the UK based company Smiths Detection. Smiths Detection is a global company with a long history of technologies involved in the sensing and detection of chemical, narcotic, biological and explosive agents. In other words, they thrive on defense contracts. Smiths Detection is a part of a much larger entity know as Smiths Groups.

Smiths Groups is another global entity that has a presence in many ways that most of us would not even be aware of. They have the standard government contracts that would be expected. However, they also do a great deal of technology based work within the medical, communications and engineering fields.

In 2007, many of Smiths Groups components were acquired by or merged with various portions of General Electric. Smiths Aerospace was bought outright by GE. Smiths Detection was merged with GE's Homeland Protection to form Smiths GE Detection. In regards to the merger, GE CEO Jeff Immelt had the following to say. “We are delighted to bring our detection assets to the Smiths GE Detection joint venture. Under the leadership of Stephen Phipson and the combined executive team, there is no doubt that our complementary capabilities will enable us to bring new enhanced detection solutions to customers more rapidly. We look forward to a long-term relationship with Smiths to create a dynamic and innovative business to serve the growing global detection market.”

Some will bring up the point that in less than a year, plans for this proposed merger of GE Homeland Protection and Smiths Detection collapsed. However, the circumstances that surrounded the collapse could easily allow one to believe that the break-up was more mutually planned than an actual collapse. First, Smiths Detection was not made to pay the $70M break fee that it was obligated in the event of a breakdown in the merger. I am not aware of many business people that will just walk away from that amount of money for the sake of being a nice guy. Also, both Jeff Immelt, GE CEO, and Keith Butler Wheelhouse, Smiths Detection CEO, are on record saying that both companies would maintain a strong working relationship in the screening business regardless of the status of the merger. This can be evidenced by seeing the many links to GE on the Smiths Detection website.

By now, anyone should be able to see the conflict of interest involved here being that Jeff Immelt was named to President Obama's Economic Advisory Board and has a direct link to the President on a daily basis.

Now, that people are likely to be fearful of someone being on their plane with some manner of homemade explosive, there will be far less resistance when the attempt to implement this new screening technology is again made. As a matter of fact, many groups and networks are now calling for immediate action to prevent another similar occurrence in the future. So, thanks to one man, which I believe to have been planted, we can only count the days until yet another multi-billion contract is announced so that government may keep us safer. I will not be surprised when the contract is awarded to Smiths Detection. Neither will I be surprised when the merger attempt is renewed between GE and Smiths.

Many will think I am paranoid and crazy as usual. Some may even agree with my thoughts on this. Only time will tell. Either the fear and panic will settle and we will be allowed to go on with our lives. Or, we will begin to be forced to this new invasion into our privacy and health at any airport if we continue to try to fly. I am willing to bet the $200,000 machine will be bought in bulk and will become a daily part of people's lives to the point that it will simply be accepted. I am also willing to bet that I will never fly again. Of course, a suspended license may be a factor there also!

Yet another reason to justify my personal desire to be completely detached from government and shun what has become considered as the standard American way of life. Many may be content with being controlled and coddled....but I am not. Fuck government and it's criminal ways!

Limited Government and Unicorns

When I was a small child, I believed in Unicorns. Being that I was from the country, what could be better than a horse that could spear you with a sharp horn projecting from it's own forehead? I know, not the typical reason people like Unicorns. But, then again, I have never been your typical person.

During the majority of my adult life, I believed in a concept called limited government. This being the form of government where our elected officials actually serve our interests and the State is held in check by the Constitution. In striving for this idea of limited government, I supported libertarian candidates that best represented my believes. Plain and simple, if they advocated for government growth and expansion, I was against them.

Now that I am getting close to middle age, I have come to a profound conclusion. Unicorns may very well be real and limited government is a myth! After all, if limited government was a realistic possibility, the State would not have grown as powerful as it has and we would not be in our current situation.

After many years of supporting libertarian candidates, I have finally realized that I have done nothing but waste my time in a futile attempt. The few electoral successes that I have experienced have resulted in no increase in my own freedom. No matter who has been placed into office at any level, the State has continued to grow and expand at our expense.

Many may criticize my choice to withdraw from this system, but it is my choice. However, when you consider the make-up of our system, not participating makes perfect sense. Would you ask a child to choose which physically abusive parent he or she wants to remain living with? Would you choose which burglar would be allowed to rob your home on a daily basis? Hopefully, you would answer no to both. So, why should I be expected to continue choosing which criminal will be allowed to control my life?

I am a responsible, grown adult and only I know what is best for me. The idea of giving consent to the State to control my life just makes no sense. Instead of continuing this game of politics, I will continue on the path of finding ways to expand my liberty and enjoyment of life on my own at the expense of no one but myself.

This path will not be without obstacles. At times, it most likely will bring me into conflict with the State and the established powers. When this occurs, I will have to choose the most appropriate course of action to take. Of course, once one gets a taste of freedom, one rarely wishes to give it up. So, the eventual outcome may not be pleasant to some. But, that is my choice and mine alone to make.

So, while others will continue to fight for this mythological concept of limited government, I will be living my life on my own terms. On my path, I may even spend time looking for the Unicorns I loved as a child. At least that will be a far more worthwhile pursuit than continuing the illusion that the State has my best interests at heart.

Screwed Again! Can I Get a Cigarette?

There is only one thing worse than being bent over and raped. That is being bent over and raped by someone that expects you to not only be grateful to them but to also believe it was for your own good! That is how I have grown to see government and it's desire to control and regulate our lives and productivity. One big sexual predator running around forcing itself upon any person it deems necessary in the goal of spreading decay and poverty...err, I mean safety and prosperity.

Once again, government has stepped in to do economic harm to the very people it claims to protect all under the very stale guise of looking after the little man. As you may recall, the Consumer Product Safety Act of 2008 was passed last year in response to numerous cases of unsafe toys being sold in America. It brought about tighter regulations that required manufacturers of goods geared towards children to be tested for various toxic ingredients by independent and government approved labs. This law went into effect earlier this year.

For the sake of this piece, we will have to make one huge assumption being that the majority of the goods covered under this regulation are plastic. We will assume there is a safe and non-toxic manner to combine multiple toxic ingredients and run them through the toxic process that results in plastic. If we ignore the idiocy of this belief that plastic can even be safe in the first place, we will be able to move on.

If we go back into the recent past and study the cases that brought about this new law, we will see that many of them had something quite significant in common. Whether we consider the recalls of Barbie, Cars, Dora the Explorer or Sesame Street toys, we see that the majority of them were manufactured by either Mattel or one of it's subsidiaries. In fact, Mattel was such a large offender that they were issued a $2.3 million fine in 2007 over the use of lead based paint.

Now, considering that Mattel was responsible for the bulk of the tainted toys found, you may think they were the target of the new legislation. Of course, considering the corrupt nature of government, you would be wrong. As of now, toy manufacturers are required to submit their toys to government approved labs for testing at hefty prices. Recently, a new provision has been approved that renders an exemption to this requirement.

For large corporations such as Mattel, these added costs may be of only minimal concern. However, consider the numerous small companies that manufacture goods aimed at children. Think of your favorite educational toy that is not made by a mega-corporation. These small, often family owned, operations have one of two options when faced with these unplanned for expenses. Downsize and risk going out of business or raise prices and still risk going out of business. Nice set of choices!

Now that it is the holiday season, many of you are surely shopping around for toys. Perhaps you have noticed an increase in toy prices. A quarter here and a dollar there. Many companies are being hurt by the restrictive new law which of course eventually trickles down to both the employee and the consumer. Ironically enough, one company will no longer be suffering courtesy of a new provision that was recently added to the regulation.

After spending over $1 million in lobbyist fees, Mattel is now exempt from having to have it's products tested by independent and government approved labs. They, and only they, are now able to do their own testing internally. Labs have been authorized and established in Mexico, China, Malaysia and California. So, the very company that caused the crisis that gave us this new regulation will now be exempt from it. Like they say, money talks!

So, now Mattel will be able to sit back and watch as many small competitors are slowly ran out of business. Yet another case of the true purpose of government regulation being exposed for what it essentially is....corporate welfare. Small companies will likely go out of business which will result in increased unemployment and us consumers will have fewer options on the shelves and higher prices. On the bright side, our children will be safer! Wait, the company that caused all this will still be doing it's own safety testing. Testing that is now government approved and indisputable. Well, I am sure there is a bright side somewhere.

If you are as pessimistic about government as I am, you may actually consider this to have been planned out between Mattel and the bill's sponsoring politicians. However, considering the initial sponsor of this regulation was Congressman Bobby Rush, I would say that was unwarranted. I doubt that much foresight was used and this was nothing more than the result of good old fashioned corruption. If nothing else, there are two things government excels at, coercion and corruption.

Well, now that I have been screwed once again by government, I am still wondering where that cigarette is! Then again, maybe they are looking out for my health and are waiting until the next screwing to give it to me.

Would You Pay To Drive On A Road?

Unfortunately, the answer for everyone is yes whether you like it or not. If you buy gas, own property or a number of other actions depending on where you live, you already do pay for roads.

The next question to consider is what are you getting for your investment. Are the roads you use on a daily basis well maintained? Does traffic always flow in a smooth manner? Are they secure so that you would feel safe on them at any time of the day? Chances are, your answer to all of these questions was “No”. As an educated consumer, I believe it is my obligation to give my financial support to only those that give me the best value for my money. If a business gives me poor service, I move on to a competitor. If I receive exceptional service, I remain with that provider until the service goes down. Shouldn't this idea also apply to services I use every single day?

How would you feel if the roads you drove on were always maintained at a level of high quality? Imagine never having to dodge another pothole or struggle to see the painted lines on a rainy day! How would you feel knowing that roads would be extended when the growing traffic volume demanded it and the construction was actually done in a timely manner? Imagine no more traffic jams and congestion! How would you feel knowing your roads were always safe and sound at any time of the day with security present to actually prevent crime as opposed to investigating crime after the fact? Imagine no longer having to be worried about your loved ones when they are out on the town either alone or at late hours! Also imagine no more nitpicking law enforcement officers looking to meet quotas!

Since so much money is taken from us to provide funding for road construction and maintenance, why is it that we cannot have these very simple things? I believe it is because we have allowed and continue to allow the most inept group of people to handle this very necessary need. Namely, government. If the roads were privatized, then we would have a number of companies striving to earn our business in a free market environment. Their success and failure would solely be determined by where we were willing to spend our money. That is simply how a true free market works and is not the case with government. They take with or without our permission and spend as they see fit. There is no regard to quality because how could there be when they get their money whether we are satisfied or not? Poor service is not going to run the government out of business. Otherwise, there would be no governments.

There will be those who argue that many services have to remain in the public sector or everything will devolve into chaos (as if things are not already chaotic!). However, lets briefly examine a few industries in both the public and private sectors. Home electronics is a prime example of how successful the free market could be when allowed to freely compete for your hard-earned dollars. Consider back to your childhood and think of how various items such as radios, televisions and possibly computers were. They were bulky, of lower quality and very expensive. Now, consider those same items today. In a short 20 years, you can visit any number of stores and get state of the art equipment for a fraction of the previous price that will easily outperform your older televisions, radios or computers. Now compare these to various public sector fields such as education, the Post Office and the topic of this piece, roads. All have gotten more expensive while decreasing in both quality and efficiency. Schools are now riddled with crime, the Post Office raises its rates almost annually while managing to actually get slower and roads are...well, just horrible.

Why is it that we cannot have what certainly would be a far better option? Unfortunately, until more people begin to see that government is not what George Washington labeled as a “necessary evil” but more simply an “unnecessary evil”, we will not have this option. For years, I have been a libertarian who advocated for limited government. It wasn't until recently that even I began to finally realize that this concept of “limit government” was a fantasy and simply is not possible. Sure, we may render government to a limited state. But, for how long? After all, did we not begin with a limited government and where did that get us? Anyway, what is the difference between being beaten a limited amount of twice a week or being beaten every day of the week? Your still being beaten! As long as there is an organization that attracts the lowest moral element of society and places them in a position of control over the rest of us and renders them unaccountable for their actions, we will never see an improvement in our condition.

In the end, you just have to ask yourself which you prefer. Would you rather pay for something voluntarily and have some say in how your money is spent? Or, are you happy going along with the status quo and having money taken from you by force and with no regard to your input? Basically, do you want to finally have a taste of true liberty or do you want to go on being a mindless slave working away for the benefit of others? This argument holds true to any function that is performed by the government since there is nothing that could not be done better by a free market than a system of coercion.