Debt, I mean.

Sit in traffic and look around. Probably no more than 20 or 30 percent of the cars around you are paid-for. People routinely buy more car than they can really afford via the seductive mechanism of debt-financing. It is the keystone of our economic life – which is arguably why our economic health is pretty poor.

Debt allows artificially rapid progress – sort of like shooting some nitrous oxide into a car’s engine. It will go much faster than it otherwise would, but the catch is – not for long.  It is not sustainable. When the nitrous (or the creative financing) runs out, there is a severe and sudden slowdown – kind of like what we’ve been experiencing these past few years.

With debt-financing, people can “afford” a car with six air bags, more computing power than the Apollo 11 rocket, with 17 inch wheels and 300 hp, swathed in leather and fitted with the finest 12 speaker stereo. Well, they can drive it around for awhile – so long as they can keep up with the payments.

Which amounts to an economic sword of  Damocles hanging over the head of the debtor – who probably also has  mortgage debt and credit card debt and some other debts on top of that. Multiple that by 300 million and you have a picture of the American economic system as it currently exists.

That’s bad – but worse is the way debt-financing hides the cost of government from the average person. Consider vehicles. It is no coincidence that the pile-on of government mandates that started small in the late 1960s with seat belt requirements and a few basic emissions controls that rapidly upticked to increasingly global requirements that began to necessitate the wholesale redesign of entire systems, then entire cars, during the ’70s and ’80s and right through to now tracks exactly with the rise in debt-financed vehicle “purchases” and also the ever-increasing length of the payment plan.

Three years has become five years – even six years.

And as every sharpie salesman knows, extending the loan decreases the monthly payment – creating the illusion of affordability. Innumerate people think if they’re paying “only” $250 a month for six years they are doing so much better than their neighbor who pays $340 a month for three years.

And not only salesmen count on this shuck and jive. The government does, too. In fact, it is the Obi Wan Kenobi – no, the Yoda – of financial deception. It is masterful at fleecing the public by preventing the public (most of it) from even being aware that it has just been fleeced. Consider withholding as just one example. You never miss it if you never actually had it.

If debt-financing weren’t so readily available – or the terms less “generous” than they are – it’d be interesting to see how much tolerance the average car buyer would have for a new mandate that adds another $1,000 to the price of the car he wants. For instance, Obama’s recent fuel economy mandates. How nice to think about a car that will deliver a government mandated 54.5 MPG. It’d be much nicer if people were forced to think about the cost of achieving that.

It’d be a salve for our economic and political health if the cost of all government mandates were made more obviously painful by confronting people with the cost up front rather than down the road.

First, why not demand that the cost of government-required add-ons be listed on the window sticker just as factory-added equipment is? For example, an automaker lists the extra cost of equipment such as air conditioning. Why shouldn’t government be forced to do the same?

* Dual air bags: $1,500.

* Traction control: $500.

* Emissions equipment: $2,000.

* 54.5 MPGs: $1,200.

And so on. Call it truth in advertising.

Next, pay for it up front, not on time. The Germans may have had a not-bad idea here. VW people will know about this. When the original Beetle came out in the 1930s, you bought a book of stamps, not the car. You made payments first – and got the car later. No debt, no finance flim-flam. True, under such a system most people would not be driving $40,000 crossover SUVs. But they would own whatever it is they’re driving.  And ownership is a tonic, or rather, a talisman (like garlic or a cross) that is very effective at warding off government. Because the more you own, the less government owns you.

And that’s hard to put a price tag on.

Throw it in the Woods?

Excerpted from an article by Brandon Smith published by SHTF Report:

If the shithead chickenhawks on both sides of the aisle get us into a war with Iran, here’s what to expect -

Exploding Oil Prices

The U.S. has had a ban on Iranian oil imports since 1979, however, Iran still supplies about 5% of the global oil market. This might not seem like much, but Iran also has the means and ability to shut down the Straight of Hormuz, which is one of two major petroleum choke points in the world. Around 17 million barrels of oil per day are shipped through the Straight of Hormuz, or about 20% of all oil traded worldwide.

In 2006, during the last major Iran war scare, experts predicted gasoline price increases in excess of $10 a gallon if Iran was invaded.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/07/news/international/iran_oil/

This would devastate the U.S. economy, which is already hanging by a thin thread. Iran has announced this past weekend it will cease all oil shipments to Britain and France in protest of their support of economic sanctions. This alone is causing oil to spike today. A global energy crisis will financially decimate average citizens who will have their savings sapped by extreme price inflation, not just in gasoline, but in all goods that require the use of gasoline in their production and shipping. If you like this idea, then by all means, support an invasion of Iran.

War Domino Effect

In January of 2010, I wrote an article for Neithercorp Press entitled “Will Globalists Trigger Yet Another World War”. In that article, I warned about the dangers of an invasion of Iran or Syria being used to foment a global conflict, in order to create a crisis large enough to distract the masses away from the international banker created economic collapse:

http://www.alt-market.com/neithercorp/press/2010/01/will-globalists-trigger-yet-another-world-war/

In 2006, Iran signed a mutual defense pact with its neighbor, Syria, which is also in the middle of its own turmoil and possible NATO intervention. Syria has strong ties to Russia, and even has a revamped Russian naval base off its coast, a fact rarely mentioned by the mainstream media. Both Russia and China have made their opposition clear in the case of any Western intervention in Iran or Syria. An invasion by the U.S. or Israel in these regions could quickly intensify into wider war between major world powers. If you like the idea of a world war which could eventually put you and your family in direct danger, then by all means, support an invasion of Iran.

Dollar Collapse

Make no mistake, the U.S. dollar is already on the verge of collapse, along with the U.S. economy. Bilateral trade agreements between BRIC and ASEAN nations are sprouting up everywhere the past couple months, and these agreements are specifically designed to end the dollar’s status as the world reserve currency. An invasion of Iran will only expedite this process. If global anger over the resulting chaos in oil prices doesn’t set off a dump of the dollar, the eventual debt obligation incurred through the overt costs of war will. Ron Paul has always been right; it doesn’t matter whether you think invasion is a good idea or not. We simply CANNOT afford it. America is bankrupt. Our only source of income is our ability to print money from thin air. Each dollar created to fund new wars brings our currency ever closer to its demise.

This combination of disastrous economic policy and disastrous foreign policy has actually been used before. Great Britain once sat in the position of economic authority that the U.S. sits in today, and the pound sterling was once considered the world reserve because it was required in the global trade of oil, just as the dollar is now. However, British intrigues in the Middle East, and more specifically in Egypt, led them into extreme debt. In the 1940’s and 1950’s, international banks led by America and France threatened to dump British Treasury Bonds in response to their efforts to dominate Middle Eastern oil. Does any of this sound familiar?

This ultimately led to considerable devaluation of the pound. In 1967, the death blow was finally delivered when Prime Minister Harold Wilson artificially reduced the British exchange rate by 14% overnight. Meaning, in the span of a single evening, British citizens lost 14% of their buying power, and every product they went out to buy the next day would cost them 14% more.

It would be practical to mention that the move to destroy the British pound came right in time for the implementation of new programs for the construction of the European Union, and the Euro, the new supranational currency which would later become the standard. The EU and the Euro never could have come about while the Pound Sterling remained a world reserve. Just another amazing coincidence I’m sure, and one that couldn’t possibly have any relation to what is happening to the dollar in 2012, right…?

So, if you like the idea of losing 14% or more of your buying power overnight, and having that financial loss blamed on the tides of war, rather than on the corporate bankers who actually created the mess, then by all means, support an invasion of Iran.

Civil Liberties Destroyed

Do you like being able to walk down the street without having to suffer through constant pat-downs by low wage brain-dead cretins in blue gloves? Does it make you feel good to know that if you are ever arrested, whether you are guilty or not, you are guaranteed by law to receive a fair trial by your peers in a civilian court with a lawyer by your side? Do you enjoy taking a long drive with the family without facing check points, and predator drones constantly overhead every time you put the top down to feel the wind in your hair? Don’t get too comfortable, folks! These “luxuries” will soon be a thing of the past, especially as the U.S. financial situation deteriorates and war escalates. Think of all the new threats the elites in our government can use to rationalize the usurpation of Constitutional protections when war with Iran, or Syria, or Russia, or China, or all of them at once, breaks out.

The term “terrorist” will take on a whole different dynamic. Great national dangers often facilitate broader definitions of who is and who is not an “enemy of the state”. Crisis gives wings to legislation like the NDAA. In this kind of despotic environment, no one, even those citizens who support the state in nearly all of its enterprises, is safe. Maybe you love the idea of war with Iran, but at the same time, hate the idea of having a TSA goon manhandling your wife or daughter in a train station or on a street corner. Good luck with that. Speaking out could be treated as disruption of national security measures. Off to the gulag with you!

The “greater good” somehow always entails the dissolution of civil liberties for the common man. Invariably, the establishment in power favors no one, save a highly connected few. Being pro-establishment does not necessarily protect you from a government given free reign to do whatever it pleases in wartime. In the end, everyone is fair game.

If this is the kind of America you want to live in, by all means, support an invasion of Iran.

The relentless drive for war in the Middle East is not about “spreading democracy”. It is not about terrorism. It is not about oil (at least for the most part). It is not about Israel (at least, not the Israeli people). It is not even about corporate profiteering by the Military Industrial Complex. War in the Middle East is about changing the way our country and our world operates, culturally, socially, financially, and politically. War opens doors to social re-engineering that could never be accomplished otherwise. War creates fear, panic, rage, and allows dystopian fallacies to reign supreme. War, unjust and dishonorable war, makes countries weak, and ripe for violent change.

Iran is not a threat to our way of life, and never has been. But, war in Iran could easily upset the core of our entire country, and leave us wayward strangers in the land we were born.

While much of the rhetoric of preemptive invasion that America has been awash in these past few months is carefully crafted and disseminated by government entities whose intentions are far from honest, its effectiveness is mute without the helping hand of a thoughtless subsection of the public. Every decade or so, a new generation of idiot spawn comes of age to be willingly sacrificed on the chopping block of globalist conquest. This new decade brings with it the promise of not just more of the same, but perhaps the most costly tithe to the gods of war ever made in our country’s history. This is not our fight. This is a fight we are being conned into undertaking for the profit of others, and thus, it is a fight we cannot win. Perhaps when the blind mobs of this nation feel the abrupt sting of their foolishness in their narrow day-to-day existence, they will finally understand…

Full text here: http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/consequences-to-expect-if-the-u-s-invades-iranconsequences-to-expect-if-the-u-s-invades-iran-consequences-to-expect-if-the-u-s-invades-iran_02202012

But, weekend camping expeditions aside, how to be prepared in situ? In your home? For when the SHTF?

Guns (and ammo) are obviously good things to have. And every person who wants to be prepared for a possible fecal-flinging scenario ought to have them. So also food supplies and medicine. Check.

Then I got to thinking about related stuff that is arguably just as essential which some be prepared people may not have taken into consideration – but really ought to.

A heat source, for example.

Not just for cooking, either. What if  the SHTF in winter? If the utilities go down, and stay down, how will you keep from freezing? How will you keep the pipes in your house from bursting? Imagine three or four months, potentially, of freezing winter weather on your own. Some people heat with natural gas, propane or oil – the latter two of which, not being dependent upon a grid pipeline, can supply you for a few months if need be. I however prefer old school.

I prefer wood.

For one, it is free (provided you have some land – which you ought to, if you took steps to Be Prepared) and doesn’t require you to leave your place to obtain it – or even to deal with the outside world at all. For two, it is simple and (if you get a good wood stove/insert) extremely efficient. You might even look into something that’s very popular in my neck of the woods: An outdoor wood stove. It heats your home and your water, too. The other advantage to these puppies is you only have to feed them wood twice a day. They’ll slow-burn all night. And they run on other fuels, too – such as pellets. (See here for an example.)     

Provided you planned ahead and bought a least one top-drawer chain saw (I recommend Stihl) stored up a few spare chains and a sharpening tool for it, plus plenty of chain lube and treated gas (two five gallon jugs will last a long time) you’re covered – and won’t freeze or have to eat cold food.  Since we bugged out to the Deep Country, I have made it policy to cut and split wood at least one year in advance. So right now, I am working on wood for the winter of 2013-2014. I already have the winter of 2012/2013 covered.

You should, too.

Next, illumination. Lighting that’s independent of the grid.

Ordinary candles are ok (and cozy) for a normal, short-lived blackout. But what about a more severe scenario? Regular candles don’t last very long – or those that do (like those nice-smelling Yankee candles your wife probably likes) cost a fortune. Propane/gas lights (i.e., camping lights) are not a  good idea indoors. I bought a case of 100 hour (four days’ continuous use each) liquid paraffin, smokeless and ordorless emergency candles. Used prudently to provide a few hours of necessary light at night, a case of these should keep you out of the dark for six months or more. If you shop around, you shoud be able to find them for about $5 each – which is a deal compared with something like those $25 a piece Yankee candles. (See here for some more details about this.)

Next item, dihydrogen monoxide. You know… water. If the poo flies, you will need a steady source of safe water. In suburbia, where people are dependent on the grid, the water could be turned off – or worse, contaminated. This worry was among the many reasons why we fled to the country, where our water is in fact our water  – literally ours. It comes from underneath our land, from our private well. So long as we have power to operate the pump (for which we have a generator, which with a manageable amount of stored, treated fuel – say 20 gallons or so – will run the pump as necessary for six months or longer) we will have reliable – and known safe – water. Storing a few gallons  for Just in Case is fine, short term but if you haven’t got the ability to provide you and your family with safe drinking (and cooking; freeze dried food is not much good without it) water for several months, you ought to be thinking about how to do that.

Sooner rather than later.

Finally, cheap preps. It’s fine to talk about buying large cans of freeze-dried food or cases of MREs – if you can afford to spend a couple grand on that. Not everyone can. But quick oats are cheap; pasta, too. You can buy large quantities for almost nothing (example, I just added another “two pack” of Quaker Oats – 4.5 pounds each, 9 pounds total – enough to keep your belly full for 10 days or more – for less than $10).

For a protein supply, think about chickens. Live ones. A small flock of 15 or so birds will give you 6-10 fresh eggs a day on average. Do not eat the birds themselves until they  are no longer productive (about two years). If you have land enough for them to forage, they are nearly self-sustaining. (You’ll need to buy feed for winter, or at least, feed them something). But they are very inexpensive and easy to keep and will keep you supplied almost perpetually with  high-quality protein to supplement your stocks.

All this is surely far from perfect or all-inclusive. But it’s a good start – and that’s what being prepared is all about, ultimately.

Throw it in the Woods?

Asking questions as Judge Andrew Napolitano did in a recent broadcast on his now cancelled daily show may very well be the reason behind his recent dismissal from Fox. Though specific details are hard to come by because the Judge has yet to give any interviews on the matter, it’s believed that his refusal to bow to commonly manufactured media narratives is among one of several key reasons he his no longer with the network.

The following  5-Minute Speech that Got Napolitano Fired from Fox News is one that should not only be forwarded and shared with every single man, woman and child in this country, but taught and expounded upon in every social studies, civics and government class from first grade through college.

http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/video-the-questions-they-wont-let-you-ask-judge-napolitano-in-the-5-minute-speech-that-got-him-fired_02182012

You might want to spend more to get a high-performance car, or maybe a larger car, or a car that has This or That.

But for the first time in automotive history, the bottom feeder is history.

The ’12 Hyundai Accent proves the point.

WHAT IT IS

The Accent is Hyundai’s lowest priced model – but far from the Cracker Jack Box prizes of 10 years ago. It’s available in sedan or hatchback wagon versions, with the base sedan starting at $12,545 and the base hatch wagon starting at $14,695.

It competes in the same class as other economy-priced compact sedans/hatchback wagons like the Ford Fiesta, Chevy Sonic and Mazda3, among others.

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2012

The ’12 Accent is all new.

WHAT’S GOOD

Lowball price – but still really nice.

Strong for the class standard engine (138 hp).

Class-leading fuel economy (40 highway) with standard engine.

WHAT’S NOT SO GOOD

AC not standard in base sedan.

Not as quick as turbo Chevy Sonic, which also matches its 40 MPGs.

Corporate cousin Kia Rio sedan is a bit snarkier-looking, sportier handling, gets the same 40 MPG – and only costs slightly more ($13,400) to start.

UNDER THE HOOD

The ’12 Accent has an all-new 1.6 liter, direct-injected four rated at 138 hp – a class leading figure matched only by the Chevy Sonic (also 138 hp).

But the Sonic’s standard 1.8 liter, 138 hp engine can’t match the Accent’s standard 40 MPG highway economy. The Chevy falls short at 35 MPG. You can get 40 MPG in the Sonic, but not without springing for the higher cost optional 1.4 liter turbo, which means buying the higher cost LT ($15,065 for the sedan) or LTZ ($16,665) trim and then paying extra on top of that for the turbo 1.4 engine.

It’s a similar story with the Fiesta. It, too, is capable of 40 MPG – if you buy the extra-cost Super Fuel Economy (SFE) package. The Fiesta’s also packing only 120 hp – and without the SFE package, gives you 29 city, 38 highway. That’s good – but only good enough for second place.

If you check out other competitors, including the new Mazda3 SkyActiv, you’ll discover more of the same. They’re all good – but the Accent is better – for less.

The Accent’s standard transmission is a six-speed manual (a few competitors, including the more expensive Sonic, only give you a five-speed) with a six-speed automatic optional. Here again, pick of the litter – for the dollar and for less than the dollar.

Acceleration is also good for the segment – though not the best. Zero to 60 with the manual transmission takes about 9.7 seconds. Both the Fiesta and the turbo 1.4 Sonic are just slightly quicker.

ON THE ROAD

I am old enough (mid 40s) to remember when economy cars were miserable cars. Pathetic looking, obviously shoddy and dangerously slow on top of that. If you are in your 20s or have never driven something like an early ’80s Chevette or a Plymouth Champ you have no frame of reference to appreciate just how good you have it today.

If anything, the Accent is too good. It will cruise all day at 80-plus without sweating and still give you 30s-something MPGs. Fifth gear is easily skipped over; just go direct from fourth into sixth and save a little fuel. There is power to spare on top and down low, the direct-injected engine has a 7,000 RPM redline and you’ve got six gears to work with in a car that weighs just under 2,400 lbs. You can have a lot of fun with that – and more to the point, you’ll never feel you brought a (rubber) knife to a gun fight.

Handling, too, is a high point. As in the other areas already mentioned, the latest economy cars handle better than some sports cars used to – and only if you’re SCCA autocrossing (or driving like that on the street) will you be able to discern any meaningful difference in maximum grip, the extent of body lean or how quickly you can drift the thing through an S turn relative to others in this class. It is nothing like Back in the Day, when a Chevette would make it real clear real fast you were pushing it by going into a corner at 5 over the posted speed limit. You have to be really moving to induce any tire screech (let alone slip). The bar is that high – not just for the Accent but generally. Even the more conservative econo-boxes of today – like the Toyota Corolla, say – will surprise you with how far and how hard they can be pushed, if you happen to be so inclined.

The quality that’s more relevant to the discussion is ride quality – which will startle you if you haven’t test-driven an economy car in a few years. Because it’s that good – meaning, quiet, well-damped and just comfortable. The old POS economy cars made you suffer. The seats were cheap and hard – and so was everything else. You felt every pothole (twice, if you  counted the reverb), heard the wind whistle – and often, felt the rain drip.

You had to be young and tough – or older and with a high pain threshold – to take a car like an old Chevette out on the highway for any length of time. Or frankly, to spend any more time in the stinking thing than you absolutely had to.

But I’d take an Accent (or a Sonic or a Fiesta) across the country – and enjoy the trip.

AT THE CURB

I wish I did have a circa ‘early ’80s Chevette (or any other economy car from that era) to park next to the Accent and give you a side-by-side look-see. It’s really the only way to appreciate how much has changed in 25 years – hell, in 10 years. Go back to 2000 and park the 2002 Accent next to this one. Sad-looking. Bleak. Really slow (0-60 took 15 seconds or more). It was a car you bought because you had to – not because you wanted to.

Well, forget all that.

Instead, think: Cushy, comfortable seats. Full gauge package, housed in a nice-looking pod that’s just as nice looking as the gauge pods in cars with $10k higher sticker prices. iPod hook up, nice stereo. Aluminum-finished and “piano black” trim plates (in my tested $15k-ish wagon). Back seats roomy enough to comfortably fit my 6ft 3, 200-plus pound self – knees not hunched up against the front seatbacks, head not scrunched down so as to avoid scraping up against the roof.

Now, other cars in this class are similarly nice, comparably fitted out. But they do cost a bit more – and in a few key categories such as standard hp and/or standard MPGs, don’t give you quite as much for your bucks.

Personally, I prefer the hatch-wagon layout because of the additional room (21.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the second row and 47.5 if you fold them flat vs. 13.7 period for the sedan). You also get more equipment standard in the hatch-wagon, including keyless entry and trim upgrades.

But, if the object of the exercise is to spend less – not just up front, but also down the road, go for the sedan. It comes with 14-inch steel wheels – which means next-to-no worries about potholes hurting them and also dirt-cheap replacement tires, when the time comes for that.

Or, on the other hand, order the whole menu – the top-trim SE deal and 16 inch alloys, leather trim, premium upholstery, Bluetooth, steering wheel mounted secondary controls, the six-speed automatic. You’ll still have a tough time spending more than $16k – sticker. That’s the number ($15,925) on the Monrony that came with my loaded-with-nearly-everything Accent SE wagon.

I had a Mazda3 wagon last week – also very nice. Also 40 MPG capable. But it started at $19,300. A top-of-the-line Fiesta SES hatch-wagon lists for $17,500. A Sonic LTZ is about the same at $17,365 – and mind that’s before you pay extra for the 40 MPG engine.

THE REST

What else is there? The only negative I could come up with is the lack of AC – and lack of a radio, period – in the base sedan.

But this is equally true of others in this class (at least as regards AC) and there are probably still people out there who can live without AC and who prefer to pay less for a car without one.

If you do want AC, you can get it as a part of a comfort package that also adds power windows and locks, plus a decent stereo.

However, the base car’s pre-wired, so you could save some coin and buy your own aftermarket head unit if you wanted and probably end up with a better system for less than the factory piece.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Today’s Accent is a car that makes you feel good the next morning. You buy it and are happy with it. No one laughs at you. If anything, you laugh at them – because of how little you paid to get so much car.

Again, all the cars in this class are really nice. But the Accent wins, to my way of thinking, because it costs the least but gives you the most.

Throw it in the Woods?

To understand why, it is necessary to make a distinction between aggressive violence (almost always morally wrong) and defensive violence. Most of what the government does today falls into the category of aggressive violence; e.g., taxing us to redistribute money for myriad purposes, controlling otherwise peaceful human interactions, etc. Therefore, we who oppose aggressive violence would like to see most of what government does done away with and society returned to a voluntarist basis; that is, people dealing with one another freely and openly as they desire (or not) with the only rule being, the prohibition against aggressive violence.

The original Constitution tried to put all that into words, but failed in part because of vague, imprecise language (examples include the clumsy wording of the Second Amendment, and of course the infamous “general welfare” clause, which has been the source of endless mischief) and also because it did not explicitly state, among other things, that the federal compact among the states was voluntarily entered into and could be voluntarily left if the people of  any state decided the compact no longer functioned as intended or in the best interests of their state, as they defined those interests.

Anarchists usually favor the elimination of all government, which they see as the primal evil that inevitably escapes whatever shackles (such as the Constitution) are placed upon it. While I tend to agree with that, and wish we could exist with no government at all, I also accept that the only way that will ever work in the real world is when everyone is both committed to and practices the doctrine of the non-initiation of force. Which of course, will probably never happen. What I mean is, laws against murder or theft and the need of a system to statutorily define such criminal actions, investigate criminal offenses, pursue, try convict and incarcerate criminals, etc., would not be necessary at all in a hypothetical village comprised of the people who live the principle of no first-use of violence. Anarchy – the absence of any government at all – would work. There would be no crime, hence no need for criminal laws and so on. Everything else could be handled by discussion and mediation.

Wouldn’t it be nice?

But the reality is there are and probably always will be bad people – grifters and criminals. Hence, I concede the need for a minimalist government – that is, for what I call “the rule of law.” A bare-bones mechanism, explicitly defined, for dealing with those who commit aggressive violence. I also concede the need for some sort of organized defense against other nations. Nothing like we have now – which is a sick parody of “defense.” Just a viable mechanism for warding off aggressive violence directed our way by other nations (see Switzerland).

But how would this be funded without resorting to aggressive violence and so obviating the whole exercise?

I see two possible ways.

First, equalizing trade tariffs applied to the goods produced in un-free countries such as China. “Free trade” with un-free countries is an oxymoron. Libertarians, among whom I count myself, often have a blind spot on this one. But they should object to “trading” with countries (and companies) that exploit people – that is, countries and companies that use aggressive violence against citizens and workers. Imposing a tax (a tariff) on the goods produced thereby to take the profit out of the exploitation of slave (or semi-slave) labor is both a sort of admonishment against such practices as well as a way to make the aggressor pay to fund a genuinely free system (our hypothetical one) while also providing an inducement to encourage them to become more free, too.

Second, a general sales tax. While I agree it’s not perfect and does impose a few infringements on absolute liberty, it is orders of magnitude preferable to an income tax  (or tax on property) since there is no personal obligation to pay and even when one does pay, the burden is very light and also anonymous. The government no longer demands an accounting of your income; you are free to pay as little as you like – or nothing, if you like.

We would once again be free to actually own our homes and land.

Provided the operations of government are strictly limited to the maintenance of the rule of law and legitimate national defense, the amount of money necessary would be trivial relative to the cost of government today. I doubt it would amount to more than (at most) 5 percent of average person’s income.

Everything else would be handled on the basis of free exchange; of individuals working together by mutual free agreement to pursue happiness as they each define it – free of any threat of coercive violence. It would not be anarchy – that is, free of all government. But we would be free of most government – the bad part. For most people – that is, people who do not commit aggressive violence – government would be almost invisible. A near non-presence. It would play next to no role in our lives; more precisely, it would play no negative role in our lives. It would not be watching us, threatening us or controlling us in any way – so long as we continued to refrain from committing aggressive violence ourselves.

This is, essentially, the vision of Ron Paul. A society based, not on coercion and its threat but on voluntary cooperation and peaceful persuasion. A society in which each of us would be free to pursue happiness as we each defined it, so long as we don’t cause harm to our neighbors.

A society of live – and let live. 

It might not be absolutely perfect but it’d be a damn sight better than what we have now. It is the tragedy our times that so many Americans reject this vision – and prefer to live in a society strictly controlled and regimented, based on violence and its threat. One in which each of us views our fellow man as the wolf views  a sheep – or as the sheep views the wolf.

Where we are not free to really live – let alone to pursue happiness. And will never be, until we reject the fundamental evil of human history – the urge to control and dominate.

The acceptance of violence as a tool for human interaction and the basis of human societies.

Throw it in the Woods?

These flyers also specifically target political speech and the belief that the CIA and others had a part in 9/11 in order to justify, among other things, multiple foreign wars.

That’s right, our government is teaching state and local law enforcement nationwide that 9/11 truthers should be immediately looked at as possible terrorists.

In an FBI, Bureau of Justice document on spotting potential sleeper cells within the United States it specifically states that someone may be a terrorist sleeper agent if they believe that the CIA had a hand in 9/11. (A fact that has been heavily documented by thousands of experts. Rogue elements does not mean the entire CIA)

Late last week Intel Hub contributing writer Madison Ruppert wrote an extensive article that highlighted the details of all the 25 flyers that were sent out:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has routinely released their “Communities Against Terrorism” advisories in the form of fliers which encourage the public to report suspicious activity, something which the DHS has heavily promoted under their “See Something, Say Something” citizen spying program.

Through releasing these fliers, the FBI has effectively made most activities possible indicators of terrorism. Many of these are so innocuous it is almost laughable to think of them as hints of terrorist activity.

These are intended to make the people of the United States live in a constant state of fear, constantly on the lookout for non-existent terrorists lurking behind every corner.

This also helps create a culture of citizen spying in which neighbors are reporting each other for what would otherwise never be considered noteworthy activities.

Thus, it makes it much easier for the government to track down supposed dissidents since just about everything they do is likely to be considered suspicious when applying all of the absurd guidelines promoted by the FBI.

Although all the supposed possible terrorists indicators are absolutely absurd, the fact that the FBI chose to specifically target 9/11 truthers shows how important, even after ten years, covering up the truth of the horrendous 9/11 attacks is to the powers that be.

Ok, the pace of change is not quite as rapid – but it has upticked tremendously over the past 20 years. Even more so over the past five years. For example, most 2012 transmissions (manual or automatic) have at least six speeds now – and seven and eight-speed transmissions are becoming common – even in mid-priced, family type cars (the 2012 Chrysler 300, for example).  They were almost unheard of just five or so years ago – even in the most exotic and high-priced cars. Within five years, they will be as common as six speed transmissions are now.

What else has changed? Here are a few important ones to know:

* Tire inflation pressures are often much higher now than they used to be -

If you haven’t looked at a sidewall (or new car owner’s manual) recently, you might be surprised to find out that it’s common for new cars to have tires that want 40 pounds of air (or even more) as opposed to the formerly typical 28-32 PSI or thereabouts.  The reasons for this include low-aspect-ratio (short sidewall) tires, the trend toward ever-”sportier” handling (even as regards family-type cars) and also the automakers’ quest to find ways to decrease rolling resistance and so increase fuel efficiency. This week, I am test-driving a 2012 Hyundai Accent – an entry-level economy-compact. It has 16-inch, low-aspect-ratio ratio tires that want 44 psi. Such high inflation pressures were uncommon (at least, in common cars) 10 or 15 years ago; almost unheard of 25 or so years ago. The bottom line is, check your owner’s manual. You might be surprised how much more air your new car’s tires need.

* An automatic-equipped car may be your best bet for  a higher-mileage car -

In the not-so-distant past, if you wanted best-case mileage from a given car, you wanted the manual-equipped version of that car. The direct physical link between the engine and the drive wheels (this is why manual-equipped cars will stall if you don’t push in the clutch as the car rolls to a stop with the transmission in gear) was more efficient. Automatics – which transmit power to the drive wheels hydraulically, via the pressure of fluid – experienced a degree of slippage, even when in top gear, at steady-state cruise, that resulted in a measurable loss of efficiency – which resulted in a noticeable drop in fuel economy relative to an otherwise identical car with a manual transmission. But all modern automatics have a “lock-up” feature that physically connects the engine/transmission to the drive wheels once you’re cruising along (reducing the slippage losses characteristic of older automatics) as well as more gears (and tighter gear spacing) which makes them extremely efficient. They also have almost-conscious computerized intelligences controlling them that tell them to shift at just the right moment, every time – which not all human drivers can do most of the time and few can do all the time. This is why you’ll discover that the EPA fuel economy ratings often list the automatic-equipped version of the car you’re looking at as much as 2-3 MPGs higher than the same car equipped with a manual transmission. It’s getting rare to find a new car with an automatic that gets noticeably less gas mileage than the same car with  manual – the opposite of what used to be the case not so long ago.

* Clutch adjustments are often not necessary (and clutches last forever, or almost) - 

If you’ve driven a late-model car with a manual transmission, you may have noticed how easy it was to drive. Part of the reason for this is the adoption, industry-wide, of hydraulically assisted clutches. Even very powerful, ultra-performance cars with manuals are pretty easy to drive now as a result of this (unlike in the muscle car days, when working the clutch was like working the leg-press machine at the gym). But the other, less well-known benefit of hydraulic-assist clutches is that they auto-adjust, which increases the longevity of the clutch itself. Back in the Day, it was routine service to periodically adjust, by hand, clutch take-up. That job now sits with typewriters and cassette tapes in history’s dumpster. And it’s why clutches now routinely last as long as the car – or almost that long. It is not common to go 150,000 miles or more on the factory-installed clutch. That would have been a near-miracle in the ’70s. Most people can expect to get at least 100,000 miles out of a clutch (assuming they know how to drive a manual transmission and don’t abuse it). Back in the ’70s, 100k was a pretty good lifespan for a transmission.

* Gas-burning cars are approaching the fuel-efficiency (and longevity) of diesel-powered cars -

Diesels used to routinely give 50-plus MPGs – which was vastly better than any gas-burning car could manage – but don’t anymore because of recent government regulations that have resulted in reduced the fuel-efficiency of diesel engines. They still have the edge when it comes to max mileage – but not by such a large margin anymore. For instance, I recently reviewed the 2012 Mazda3, equipped with the new “SkyActiv” gas engine. Mazda got 40 MPH (highway) out of it – which is only about 5 MPG behind the reported highway mileage of the soon-to-be-here “Sky-D” diesel engine that Mazda will offer in the 2013 Mazda3.  Now, the Sky-D looks to be an impressive engine, combining excellent economy with excellent performance – but a 5 MPG improvement on the highway (and maybe 8 or so MPG in city driving) may not be sufficient to negate the higher per-gallon cost of diesel fuel – as well as the probably higher cost of the diesel engine itself. Another example, higher up the food chain: The BMW 330d (diesel) is rated 23 city, 36 highway. Its MSRP is $44,150. The comparably equipped (gas burning) 335i rates 19 city, 28 highway and costs $42,050.  Unless you drive a lot, there’s probably not much savings to be had here – by buying the diesel. Of course, diesel engines can usually be counted on to last for a very long time – potentially several hundred thousand miles. On the other hand, it is no longer uncommon to find gas-engined cars with 200,000-plus miles on them that still run great. 

* Oil is more car (and engine) specific -

It used to be safe to use pretty much any oil you found on the shelf in any engine in any car. Maybe not ideal – but it probably wouldn’t hurt anything. That’s not always true now. Some new car engines demand very specific oil – and other fluids, such as coolant – and if you don’t use them, you run the risk of problems with the engine (or the cooling system) … or the warranty. That goes for the transmission, too. You may not trigger a mechanical problem simply by using other-than-recommended fluids (and filters) but if a problem does crop up, you may end up with a warranty problem. Us of non-recommended lubes/fluids/filters may give the automaker an “out” in the event a failure  crops up that can be attributed to use of other-than-recommended stuff.

Throw it in the Woods?

NEW YORK — MSNBC dropped conservative commentator Pat Buchanan on Thursday, four months after suspending him following the publication of his latest book.

The book “Suicide of a Superpower” contained chapters titled “The End of White America” and “The Death of Christian America.” Critics called the book racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic, charges Buchanan denied.

MSNBC President Phil Griffin said last month that he didn’t think Buchanan’s book “should be part of the national dialogue, much less part of the dialogue on MSNBC.”

The network said on Thursday that “after 10 years, we have decided to part ways with Pat Buchanan. We wish him well.”

Buchanan, in a column posted on Thursday, called the decision “an undeniable victory for the blacklisters.”

The former GOP candidate had seemed increasingly out of place on MSNBC as it emphasized liberal commentary in recent years. But he kept a regular presence, even forging an unlikely chemistry with talk show host Rachel Maddow despite disagreeing on most issues.

Buchanan wrote that advocacy groups like Color of Change and the Anti-Defamation League brand people as racists or anti-Semites if they dare “to venture outside the narrow corral in which they seek to confine debate.” They seek to silence and censor dissent while proclaiming devotion to the First Amendment, he said.

“I know these blacklisters,” he wrote. “They operate behind closed doors, with phone calls, mailed threats and off-the-record meetings. They work in the dark because, as Al Smith said, nothing un-American can live in the sunlight.”

The liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America said that MSNBC made the right decision in letting Buchanan go.

The book “was not his first, nor his worst offense,” said Ari Rabin-Havt, executive vice president of Media Matters. “He’s been making the same racially insensitive, anti-Semitic and homophobic statements for the past 50 years.”

Dear Car Owner,

You may have noticed the dent on the left side of your car. If not, allow me to draw your attention to it now. As you can see, it is there, and so is this note, and now two and two are getting put together in your head. Allow me to confirm your suspicions: The dent and note are connected. I have dented your car and wish to apologize for it.

Got it pretty good there, didn’t I? You get that kind of denting action from your core muscles; that’s where the power is.

One question you’re certainly asking by now is, “How can this note be so long?” Or perhaps, “How can this fucking note be so long?” depending on your level of anger. The note’s length is due to the fact that this is not just a simple note of apology, nor an offer to pay for the damages, nor an attempt to identify myself, nor really an endeavor to do anything concrete about this situation at all. Those are simple matters, briefly explained. I’ve got different motives, which I’ll get in to in due time, but first and foremost, I guess I just wanted to explain myself so that you don’t hate me forever. I have this thing where I can’t be hated. Who likes being hated? I bet you don’t. You see? We already have something in common.

(I also like puppies and chocolate ice cream and vaginal sex. See? More things we have in common. These things forming right now? They’re called bonds. They may be awkward, uncomfortable bonds, like an uncle hugging you from behind, but they’re real. Don’t try to struggle.)

Where was I? Oh right, the dent. That actually has a funny story, and I encourage you to sit down while reading it, if only to brace yourself for the deluge of mirth that’s about to spray all over your face like a dirty mouthwash commercial. Sit down in the car, maybe put the seat back a couple of notches and relax. Also put the key in the ignition and have a look at the gas gauge. How’s that look? Please keep relaxing, it’s critical to keep relaxing; that deluge of mirth will shatter you if you remain tense.

Some gas is missing, isn’t it? Previously I have noticed that your car was parked here unattended for hours every day, I guess because you work nearby. Congratulations! In this economy, having steady work is good news. I certainly don’t have that luxury, as you may have gathered by my ability to stake out parked cars for entire days. Truly, you are one of the lucky ones, and I hope you remember your fortune throughout this, as your dent is repaired, and your gas tank is refilled, and your car is seized by the police.

About that coming seizure: Having noticed the car was available from late morning throughout the early afternoon every weekday, I decided to borrow it. You might say that I stole it, and the courts would probably agree, but with the car back in your possession (not withstanding the fact that the police will shortly be seizing it from you), I think that morally what I did can’t be considered stealing. “Nah, he’s OK,” I imagine Jesus saying, with a dismissive hand wave.

So, having not stolen your car, I proceeded to drive it into the deep woods, where my cousin makes bootleg Louis Vuitton goods out of this massive roll of LV-branded leather he bought off a shady Chinese guy a few months ago. We distribute these fine, cheap goods through a network of dealers who are, as you can imagine, all incredibly unethical. You try getting a Corporate Social Responsibility report from a guy whose entire operation is a blanket and a fast pair of shoes. That’s why I needed your car in the first place. Given the absolute surety I have that my distribution chain will snitch on me the second they’re busted — which they are, at an amusingly high rate — I have to disguise my identity using borrowed cars and a variety of not-borrowed wigs. I can’t really return the wigs for hygiene reasons, and if I’m being honest, that probably should have stopped me from stealing the wigs in the first place as well.

Anyway, after loading up the trunk with Louis Vuitton Slankets and codpieces and car bras, I left the deep woods and returned back to civilization, or at least the kind of civilization that buys fake LV Slankets and codpieces and car bras.

But just as I completed my last delivery, flashing lights filled the rearview mirror. I presumed at the time that the cops had finally gotten wind of me, but now I wonder if they were looking for your car specifically. Is it possible you are yourself a wanted felon? You might not even know; I kind of just fell into felony myself. Have you perjured yourself, perhaps? That’s an easy one to miss.

The resulting chase was fantastic, and if you are at all curious what your car can do at the edges of its performance envelope, I highly encourage you to check out the evening news tonight. Big dirty old four-wheel drifts around hairpins, and bootleg turns, and this one insane jump off of one of those car-transporting trucks over a school bus full of clapping children. You will shit, as will, I suppose, your insurance company.

The dent! I almost forgot about the dent, that beautiful dent that started this whole note-reading journey. Well, after my escape, I returned the car here, unmolested. And then deliberately smashed the door with a tire iron. “Fuck you, door,” I said, meaning every word of it.

You see, I needed some visible damage to the car, something beyond the horrendous but unseen suspension damage I’d already caused. I needed something you’d notice, something to make you angry, and something to make you read the note under your windshield. The entire note. Including the longer words that you probably had to read twice. I’m guessing it took you between three to five minutes to read this, which turns out to be the average response time for our city’s finest for high-priority calls. If I’ve timed this right — and I’ve put in a lot of effort on this point — then you should be hearing the sirens now, coming to arrest the faux-couture Slanket deliveryman who, thanks to a lot of evidence I’ve left in the trunk, they will think is you. It turns out that I’ve actually been watching you this whole time — Hi there! — waiting for you to find the note, before I called the po-po.

Why would I do such a thing, you ask? Because of the dent, man, because of the dent. Not this dent. The first dent. The dent that YOU made six months ago, when you levered your enormous ass out of your tiny car, smashing the door into the side of MY car. It took me that long to hunt you down, that long to set up a fake designer leather goods racket, that long to save up for and attend a three-day stunt driving school. That long to concoct just the right delay in a batch of disappearing ink. Are the words getting fainter now? Well hopefully you’ll have just enough time to read this last sentence, a homily of sorts, admonishing you to leave a fucking note the next time you dent someone’s car.

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Read more: Greatest Note Ever Left On a Dented Car | Cracked.com http://www.cracked.com/blog/greatest-note-ever-left-dented-car/#ixzz1mcovuDf8