"I still regularly meet people who believe that the laws under which we are governed are the result of a deliberative process led by legislators driven by a commitment to the public good. Stay away from people like this."
- Steven Greenhut
Ayn Rand
It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.
Tao 38
A truly good man does nothing,
Yet leaves nothing undone.
A foolish man is always doing,
Yet much remains to be done.
Terry Goodkind (The Sword of Truth Book Series)
-The worse you are at thinking, the better you are at drinking.
-Evil is not one large entity, but a collection of countless, small depravities brought up from the muck by petty men.
Plato
"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." ~Plato (427-347 BC)
Benjamin Franklin:
Two beggars traveling along,
One blind, the other lame.
Pick'd up an oyster on the way,
To which they both laid claim:
The matter rose so high, that they
Resolv'd to go to law,
As often richer fools have done,
Who quarrel for a straw.
A lawyer took it straight in hand,
Who knew his business was
To mind nor one nor t'other side,
But make the best o' the cause,
As always in the law's the case;
So he his judgment gave,
And lawyer-like he thus resolv'd
What each of them should have;
Blind plaintif, lame defendant, share
The friendly laws impartial care,
A shell for him, a shell for thee,
The middle is the lawyer's fee.
Sensei Bob McCann:
Pain, is the best instructor.
Benjamin Franklin:
-Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
-Liberty, it seems, thrives best in the Woods.
Star Trek TNG - Q: The individual's rights will be protected only so long as they don't conflict with the state. Nothing is so dangerous to a society.
Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
“Limiting the freedom of news 'just a little bit' is in the same category with the classic example 'a little bit pregnant.”
Robert Heinlein - Friday
“A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.”
Star Trek TNG - Jean Luc Picard (Paraphrased):
With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably. The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged.
We think we've come so far. Torture of heretics, burning of witches, is all ancient history. Then, before you can blink an eye, suddenly, it threatens to start all over again.
Villains who twirl their moustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well-camouflaged. There will always be someone Waiting for the right climate in which to flourish, spreading fear in the name of righteousness. Vigilance, That is the price we must continually pay.
Thomas A. Edison
Everything will come to him who hustles while he waits.
Restlessness is discontent,
Discontent is merely the first necessity of progress.
Show me a thoroughly satisfied man,
I will show you a failure.
Peter Urban
If you accept rank, without actually deserving it:
You become a slave to the individual promoting you.
Your only credibility is the connection or protection of the teacher or group.
Thomas A. Edison
Being busy does not always mean real work.
The object of all work is production or accomplishment,
To either of these ends there must be;
Forethought, system, planning, intelligence, honest purpose, and perspiration.
Seeming to do is not doing.
Henry David Thorough
-He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.
-Always be ready to speak your mind, and a base man will avoid you.
Unknown
Knowing others is wisdom.
Knowing yourself is enlightenment.
Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
“A managed democracy is a wonderful thing... for the managers... and its greatest strength is a 'free press' when 'free' is defined as 'responsible' and the managers define what is 'irresponsible'.”
Barry Goldwater
"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."
TBD
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the people discover they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the canidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy--to be followed by a dictatorship.”
TBD
Church and state can't be separated when the state is the church.
Stargate SG-1 - 4x16 - "2010"
[On human civilization being exterminated due to a carefully orchestrated low fertility attack]
Daniel: Its been 10 years...why now?
Sam: We were completely taken in, this way they didn't have to fire a shot. Its slow, methodical, painless...
Star Wars - The Clone Wars 3x10 - Heroes on Both Sides
Gume Saam: This is not a matter of philosophy. More troops are needed. The Republic cannot afford to let the Separatists gain anymore ground.
Bail Organa: Our generals inform us that troops in the field continue to perform valiantly. What we cannot afford is to be irresponsible. The Republic is near bankruptcy due to the cost of the war.
Lott Dod: Bankruptcy is not necessary, my friends. If we pass Senator Saam's bill to open new lines of credit, we will gain access to the needed funds.
Mon Mothma: Won't this bill essentially deregulate the banks?
Halle Burtoni: A small price to pay to finance the war, is it not?
Padmé Amidala: Members of the Senate. Do you hear yourselves? More money, more clones, more war. Say nothing of fiscal responsibility, what about moral responsibility? Hasn't this war gone on long enough?
Gume Saam: Senator Amidala, are you suggesting we surrender to the Separatists?
Padmé Amidala: Of course not. But negotiation might be a better course of action.
Captain America - The Winter Soldier
Nick Fury: Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulser engines.
Steve Rogers: Stark?
Nick Fury: Well, he had a few suggestions once he got an up close look at our old turbines. These new long range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen.
Steve Rogers: I thought the punishment usually came after the crime.
Nick Fury: We can't afford to wait that long.
Steve Rogers: Who's "we"?
Nick Fury: After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surgeon threat analysis. For once we're way ahead of the curve.
Steve Rogers: By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection.
Nick Fury: You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff.
Steve Rogers: Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free. This isn't freedom, this is fear.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jasper Sitwell: Zola's algorithm is a program...for choosing Insight's targets!
Steve Rogers: What targets?
Jasper Sitwell: You! A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future.
Steve Rogers: The Future? How could it know?
[Sitwell laughs]
Jasper Sitwell: How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it.
[Steve and Natasha look at him in confusion]
Jasper Sitwell: Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates peoples' past to predict their future.
Steve Rogers: And what then?
Jasper Sitwell: Oh, my God. Pierce is gonna kill me.
Steve Rogers: What then?!
Jasper Sitwell: Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few millions at a time.
My Library:
Terry Goodkind - The Sword of Truth
Cory Doctorow - Little Brother
1984 - George Orwell
Robert Heinlein - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Ayn Rand - Atlas Shrugged
Continuum - TV Show
Star Trek TNG - TV Show
Captain America - The Winter Soldier
The Princess Bride
Videos:
Learn Liberty - Do Women Earn Less Than Men?
Learn Liberty - The Broken Window Fallacy
Learn Liberty - Tragedy of the Commons
Learn Liberty - Does the Minimum Wage Hurt Workers?
Learn Liberty - Rent Seeking and Why you can't Give Away Money
Andy Griffith Vs. the Partiot Act
Capitalism Is Anarchy = Anarcho-Capitalism
Judge Napolitano's speech that got him fired from Fox News.
Police shoot a dog, If citizens hit a K9 in self defense, its 5 years jail time in NJ.
How to handle a traffic stop - Would it be any different if he requested legal representation before he signed anything?
Journalist threatened with felony for publishing public servant’s office phone number
Staring down the barrel of freedom at a government checkpoint during a manhunt. - Gun Safety 101 - Don't point it at anything you don't intend to destroy.
On Personal Finance:
Financial Samurai - The Above Average Person
1) A person who went to college and believes that grades do matter.
2) Does not spend more than they make because that would be irrational.
3) Saves for the future because they realize at some point they no longer are willing or able to work.
4) Largely depends on themselves, as opposed to mom and dad or the government.
5) Takes responsibility for their own actions when things go wrong and learns from the situation to make things better.
6) Has an open mind and is willing to look at the merits of both sides of an argument.
7) Welcomes constructive criticism and is not overly sensitive from friends, loved ones, and strangers in order to keep improving.
8) Has a healthy amount of self-esteem to be able to lead change and believe in themselves.
9) Understands the mental to physical connection in everything we do so that that a healthy mind corresponds with a healthy body.
10) Enjoys empowering themselves through learning, whether it be through books, personal finance blogs, magazines, seminars, continuing education and so forth.
11) Has little-to-no student loan debt due to scholarships and part-time work.
Financial Samurai - The Above Average Married Couple
* Stays together for the long term.
* Discusses long term financial goals e.g. retirement age.
* Does not keep financial secrets.
* Knows their monthly budget like the back of their hand.
* Makes sure their net worth risk exposure is aligned with their goals.
* Shares expenses in a fair way.
* Supports each other’s careers and endeavors.
* Works together as a team to get things done.
* Seeks to understand the other side of a story during conflicts and come to a middle ground.
* Plans for the financial expense of children even if they don’t or can’t have any.
* Each spouse can financially support themselves if the relationship ends.
Financial Samurai - "Going John Galt"
People & Channels worth subscribing to:
The Foundation for Economic Education - Out of Frame Playlist
Liberty Doll's weekly updates of the "Liberty Minute" Playlist
Home RenoVision - Self explained home renovation channel
The Build Channel with Matt Risinger - Some great tips for building and renovating.
Mark Rober - Everything from crazy hotwheels tracks to backyard squirrel feeder mazes. Kid things adult sized.
FortNine - Motorcycle gear tests and reviews
The Honest Carpenter - Cool tips and tricks for things around the house.
Ivor Cummins - Facts about the corona virus
The SoHo Forum - Oxford style liberty centric debates