Understanding Eli

Why I Love Crypto Faucets

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 21:03:00 +0000

It's certainly not because of some wild belief that I'm going to get rich quick clicking these buttons, but there is something to the earning for the minimal effort that does indeed appeal to me - even if it is for smaller quantities at a time. The thing about crypto for me at this point in my life is that I'm less likely to spend what I earn with this simple effort of visiting a site and claiming free rewards. If it were traditional money, I'd have spent it all on candy or some shit by now. But with the crypto assets I'm gaining daily, all funneling into FaucetPay, I can just leave it alone and watch it rise and fall with the crypto market, in addition to what I'm contributing to it. I in no way feel tempted to spend a cent of it. It's more just a bit of fun speculating on the smaller coins, all using free assets I get from these wonderful little faucet funnels. From there, who knows?

I'm playing with lesser known crypto coins at the moment, ones that are way way cheaper than Bitcoin, but still could be promising. Earning the small amounts on all these faucet sites and then investing in those less expensive options, makes sense to me with the microtransactions. It's still a gamble, sure, but it feels better than just going all in on the big dogs. So now all I have to do is keep returning to the faucet sites, click some buttons, and keep withdrawing what I'm claiming.

I think the whole process works for my mind, the steady action, keeping busy. I spend a lot of time at the computer anyway, taking care of other areas of my life. Why not cycle through some faucet sites every hour, or whenever I want really. The timer span on all the places I've so far visited, go from 4 minutes to an hour, and some are even manual, meaning you can just keep on clicking and claiming. Options are endless really, and the faucet itself is not the only way to earn on all these sites. Every one of them has their own unique way to keep you there; from gambling, to games, to paid to click programs, to surveys, to staking - you name it, the earning potential is plentiful. What you put into each one is totally up to you.

Most of them have bonus ladders and levels you can climb as well, grabbing higher and higher earnings based on loyalty and activity. I'm really starting to focus on the ones I really like, but it's tough, because they all have great stuff. Some standouts at the moment are Cointiply, FireFaucet, AutoFaucet, FaucetCrypto, and Vie Faucet for no particular reason. But I'll post a full list again at the beginning April as I keep testing all these. It's been super fun - and yeah I really wish I dug into all this way sooner in life - Oh well, not dead yet.

FaucetPay for Micropayments

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 18:30:00 +0000

When I started playing around with the free crypto faucets, I did not start with this micropayment platform called FaucetPay, but I do wish I did now that I understand things a little more. While it's still fairly new in my process, I'm finding this micropayment wallet to be a very handy tool to collect all the small transfers I'm making from the faucets. And like most of the other platforms I'm testing out, the more you use this one, the more you're rewarded - hence why I wish I started here. Most of the faucet sites allow you to withdraw with a very low minimum amount of crypto - it's one of the attractive things about the free faucet platforms. There's something about the frequent withdraws to my central location that really works for me, seeing it all accumulate in one place, instead of it staying on each individual faucet site. It helps me realize the effort I've put in everywhere. While I'm sure my pace of withdraw will slow down eventually, for now, getting everything into FaucetPay every day or two is where I'm at.

I haven't investigated around a whole lot more with the platform yet - I'll write a full review when I get more experience with it - but I do like that you can swap around your Crypto, and whenever you're ready, you can move it all into another wallet elsewhere if you want. I'm not sure what I'll do yet - we'll see how the month goes on. I do highly recommend starting with FaucetPay.io. if you're getting into the faucets though, and yes of course they have a referral program too. And yes absolutely I'd appreciate you joining through my link if you do join, and please let me know how it all goes for you! Hope you earn lots!

Coinbase Learn and Earn

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:19:00 +0000

When I first starting getting into the free crypto search a couple years ago, long before I had any clue about the faucet sites, Coinbase was always top recommended, and it's easy to see why. Their learn to earn program has actually been fairly profitable for me, and I haven't even invested all that much time in it. I actually very much regret the year or more I just stopped logging in, missing out on who knows how many free rewards. I probably would have been much further in this current journey had I continued on a couple years ago, but alas, here I am playing catch-up. And still learning so much!

Coinbase would probably still be my number one recommended space to collect free crypto at this point, even after all the new spaces I've tried. And the platform goes way further than just free ways to earn. It's what you can do with the free assets once you have them in the platform that truly makes it stand out. From the monitoring of tons of cryptocurrencies, to the buying, selling and trading, there's a whole lot you can do while learning about the crypto world along the way. It's pretty amazing, and definitely a must, especially for those who aren't that familiar with cryptocurrencies. This is the best way to learn about it in my opinion, because you can earn free coins simply while you do. All of which you can trade for any asset you want, or withdrawal into cash if that's your end goal. Even if you are well versed in the crypto world, this is still a must join - it's free. Then again, it's safe to assume those people already have Coinbase, probably.

It's free to join, free to earn, and what you do with it from there is totally up to you. This was my starting point into grabbing free crypto rewards and it all flowed from there. Highly recommend you get in there if you're not already. Head on over to Coinbase.com and off you go.

Oh, and if you're curious where else to find free rewards, I just posted my favorite sites for March 2025 here.

Newfoundland Labrador BlogRoll

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 22:18:00 +0000

Sometimes I wish life was like a Sims game, in that I could click on a tab somewhere to see just how much time I've invested in a certain area of my life. As I browse around the Newfoundland Labrador BlogRoll again over the past few days, I can't help but think about the time I put into that blog - well, blog of blogs. I started collecting all the local bloggers in Newfoundland when I started doing this thing back in 2005, mainly as a way to stay connected with others who were into blogging as well. There was a fairly large community back then, and I wanted to find a way to bring them all together, and help promote each other. It turned into something bigger, a huge database of hundreds of blogs I was trying to keep track of. A massive project really, all done in my spare time. I was even interviewed and had an article published about it in the provincial newspaper one time - I still have a clipping around here somewhere. Pretty great memories of a past time project, something I can look back on now and feel good about.

At the height of the Newfoundland Labrador BlogRoll, I was doing weekly highlights of my favorite blogs, and even held contests with the winner gaining even more promotion around my network. I wasn't making any money or anything, so I couldn't really promise any other rewards but promotion, but I always understood the value of word of mouth, and sharing each others efforts. Promoting was the best reward I could give really, for those who were trying to get readers to their own spaces. I did what I could to help with that. And I can't even begin to figure out just how much of an investment of time that was for me - hence the desire for that info tab of my life.

The blog of blogs is still there, with many active bloggers still rolling on. I enjoying visiting from time to time, to see who has popped to the top of the list with a new post, and it's always lovely seeing the names I remember from 15 years ago or more. Seeing them keeping up with their own blogs certainly inspires me to keep posting here.

It's doubtful I'll ever get back to huge updates to the the NL BlogRoll, but I'll add any new blog submissions that come in. It's been a long time since anyone has sent one to me, now that other forms of social media has dominated the online world. But the dedicated Bloggers are indeed still out there, and I love having an easy place to find the ones from back home on The Rock.

Crypto Crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 21:20:00 +0000

As I focus on my latest craze, I'm reminded of the early days of the internet. I was always an active one in the online world, creating my first website during my initial year of University back in 1996. I hadn't even seen the internet before that, but I loved the creative and informative potential it possessed. I can remember the first time I saw an ad for a website on TV, back when we had to dial up clogging our telephone lines. The Internet has come a long way, and as I sit here and remember all the many areas I invested time in, I see things haven't really changed. I do wish I kept up with a good many of those investments in time though. This crypto thing is a great example.

I remember when Bitcoin first emerged as well, and remember loving the idea, having an understanding of how the world financial system works and seeing the benefit of having this currency competition. If I had of dug in harder in understanding and mining and collecting back then, I would probably be in a far different place today. It's only within the last year or so I really got into all this, and now I'm hooked on finding ways to earn some crypto for free while learning along the way. And yeah, all this reminds me of back when the internet was first evolving, all similar money making opportunities that popped up back then. These crypto earning platforms all operate the same way - but now using today's technology. It's quite remarkable. And I'm absolutely hooked.

I've decided to create a list of the top platforms that I'm using and I plan to update this at monthly at least with what I discover along the way. All of these below are ways to earn free cyrpto for simple tasks, perfect for those who at the computer anyway, for anyone really. The list below isn't quite ranked as of yet, mostly just in order of how I joined but some I do like more than others based on semi early investments of time. Most of the ones I really like have a faucet system where you can claim free crypto every so often by just clicking a button, albeit very small amounts. They all have varying other ways to earn crypto for simple actions as well, however, and combined you do end up with something valuable.

Coinbase Learn and Earn program is a little different, but I absolutely recommend it first as it's where I've earned the most. You get rewarded free crypto for going through simple learning slideshows, all of which you can then swap for any other crypto if you wanted. Coinbase is great all around.

For the list below, it's more about the faucets and other free ways to earn. I'm currently using FaucetPay.io as my temporary holding place for all the daily microtransactions from the other platforms. It's an awesome place to keep track of things.

So, here's my first list of places to earn free Crypto.

Of course use caution when joining any sites but I'm enjoying my time on these so far. I plan to post about them all individually later, and give an updated list in April. Enjoy, and let me know how it goes for you. Hope you earn lots!

20 Years Of Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:40:00 +0000

This year marks 20 years of blogging for me, but don't get the wrong impression; that is not at all a reflection of commitment to a project, as there have been several years in-between posts at times along the way. This return to posting again now actually, is after a long long period of neglect - years. And the last journey in updating this space back in 2018 to 2020 is not even something I kept in the end, removing a dozen or so more personal posts about my adventure moving to PEI. I ended up telling those stories elsewhere, and wanted to refocus this place. And that's what I'm here doing now, trying to anyway.

Every single time I come back to blogging here, I massively regret not sticking with it in a more dedicated way - a post a week even, a month! The process of writing is healthy for my mind, and I really enjoy this project of mine, so really feel dumb for not just doing it. Blogging has always fascinated me though, as has social media and the whole internet all around. I joined Blogger back in 2005 when there wasn't any big social media platforms out there. These spaces were the start of what would later become Facebook and Twitter and all the rest really. But it all started with blogging in my opinion. And I really wish I kept at it. Ugh. Same goes for the many many other platforms or programs I've tried along the way.

In this iteration of my obsessions, I'm going to focus more on the internet itself, online activities, and social media specifically, with some podcast talk mixed in. I've always been an active person online, trying out many new promotion projects for blogs or otherwise, or taking a stab at ad networks, or affiliate programs to help make a few dollars for the efforts. I feel this space could be a place for me to explore all that way more, as I have other areas to release my political side elsewhere. Not to say I wont dive into that from time to time too, because I will. This blog has always been a mixed bag of my mind, and I think the many things I've talked about is in itself a reflection of how my brain works. Extreme dedication to something until a period of exhaustion, and then I move on to the next thing I'm working on. I really hope to not fully move on from this place again, not for so long certainly. Maybe after 20 years, this time saying that will stick. We shall see.

Faith & Liberty Podcast

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 19:49:00 +0000

The newest obsession - Faith & Liberty Podcast.

This is a weekly podcast based in PEI, Canada, hosted by Chris Burke & Stephen Harris (me). With a deep desire for freedom, we discuss the world from our island point of view, with a clear focus on community building in this 'new normal' we are both so opposed to, while enjoying live music breaks throughout the 2 hour stream.

Faith is Chris Burke's liberty.

Liberty is Harris' faith.

Faith & Liberty - Thur 6-8pm EST

The podcast began in 2021 and is now completed 137 episodes as of today. We'd love to have you join us for the journey.

Blog: https://faithlibertypei.blogspot.com/

Website: https://faithandliberty.ca/

Links: https://linktr.ee/faithlibertypei

Watch us on:

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/c/faithandliberty

Bitchute:

https://www.bitchute.com/channel/s7R8DzoZCRoI/

Odysee:

https://odysee.com/@faithandliberty:8

Bastyon:

https://bastyon.com/faithlibertypei

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1TJ48fdl0WMQpbBzdnXRwp?si=eUmbuH9eRXaAvvb13kxIVg

Follow us on:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559754711251&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Twitter X:

@faithlibertypei

@chriswtburke

@seliharris

On Gab:

Faith & Liberty Gab Group

@thechriswtburke

@stepheneliharris

Thanks to all those tuning in, and for all the love and support over the years!

Today I Am Wise

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 11:33:00 +0000

Just a tease really, but a perfect summary for this time in my life...

Rumi with the quote - Quote Fancy provided the image.

Poo-Pooing Party Politics

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 17:17:00 +0000

My disdain towards party politics extends back many years. The thoughts first gestated in my early 20s when I looked back at my university days. My girlfriend at the time had some connection to some guy running in an election and was helping out, so I figured I'd pitch in. I ended up joining some sort of 'Young Liberals' association, and for a few weeks I was raw-raw Red all the way. There was no other reason for me jumping in other than that personal connection, but I was still propagating that our guy was better than their guy, you know, just because - raw-raw Red!

I started thinking deeply about political parties and the whole system after that, but it wasn't until after my experiences with the Green Party in 2006 that I swore off any direct involvement with any political party ever again. It's not that I had any magnificently horrible experiences with that particular party. I interacted with some very lovely people in fact, and I gained a tremendous amount of experience running as a federal candidate. My split initially came with the seal hunt. I'm not going to rehash all the details, but it can be summed up quite simply; they were against it, and I was for it. I didn't toe the party line on that one, not at all. And let me tell ya, it's not fun attempting to run a campaign for a party that was barely visible at the time, while at the same time infighting with members about a foolish position that I refused to support. It wasn't long after the election that I decided to walk away from the party, and swore off branding myself all together.

That was until I found the Libertarian Party of Canada.

Having self identified as a libertarian for much of my adult life, it seemed logical to me that if I were to give another party a chance, it would be that one. Having witnessed the liberty movement grow over the years, and finally discovering the manifestation of it within our country, I thought I should do my part to help it grow. I can actually credit Norman Andrews for my decisions to be more vocal about being a libertarian. It was his decision to run as a Libertarian candidate in a Labrador by-election in 2013 that gave me the drive to 'come out'. I think it was that 'wow I'm not alone' feeling that pushed me. And here I was thinking that I'd be the first Libertarian candidate in Newfoundland and Labrador. I was certain that I'd be the 2nd one though, and since that by-election I had been mentally, and otherwise, preparing to run as a candidate in the next general election, whenever that would be.

Sometime early in 2014, a fellow libertarian who I had earlier friend-ed on Facebook wrote me a message asking if I minded him nominating me to the Libertarian party board of directors. It didn't take me long to say yes, and a couple months later I was elected to the board. From there on out I met monthly with the other board members from across the country. It was a new board, with a new leader in Tim Moen at the helm, all focused on building awareness and money for the coming election. This was perhaps the most 'in' a party I've ever been.

It's funny how quickly things change...

In debating libertarianism, I frequently propagated the fact that most libertarians respect each other, no matter any differences they may have. There is plenty of debate within the liberty movement, as the 'left' and 'right' and in-between liberty lovers push their personal positions forward. I always thought this was a beautiful thing, frankly, and it was something I commonly bragged about as I shared libertarian content. There is sometimes a limit to this, however, and that limit does not come within the movement as a whole. The limit comes within an organized group of liberty lovers with a goal. Sometimes that goal requires decisions that cannot respect all debate, all positions. If an organized party within an organized system wants to be noticed in said system, they have to play by certain rules. These rules manifest as party politics...

And back to the beginning we go - my disdain for party politics.

A few months before the election, for reasons I won't get into right now, and maybe never will, I stepped down from the board, and removed myself pretty much totally from the Libertarian Party. It was my decision, and one that, after some careful consideration, I thought was best. I haven't really looked back since. After years of prepping myself to step into the political arena again, including a long time within the party, helping where I could, I walked away, and it's most likely that I stay on the outside of any political party forever, for real this time.

I do feel pretty horrible that there was no candidate for the party at all in Newfoundland and Labrador though, and thus the option not available for anyone who may have wanted to support them. I'm sorry for that. The decision did not come easily for me, but it was definitely for the best, for me and the party. I still support them, and I hope they get millions of votes in years to come. There's some pretty incredible people involved within the organization, and I wish them all the best - moreso, I thank them for pushing the idea's of liberty forward.

What all this boils down to really, is that I've solidified the fact that I am far better off being a small l libertarian, on the outside looking in. It took a few eye opening moments for to get me back here, but it feels right. I feel good. I feel like me. Free.

FHRITP - Fuuuck Me

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Fri, 22 May 2015 02:22:00 +0000

I'll apologize now if what I'm about to say offends you. Probably not the best way to start a post, I realize, but there it is.

I waded into some particularly dangerous waters last week, and I guess I am again now. It was against my better judgement to dive in, but in the end I came to the inevitable realization that I was never one to censor myself. A friend once told me that not censoring yourself is fine, but it's really all about timing, and that's something I still probably haven't learned. Or maybe I have. Maybe last week was the perfect time... but I could analyse that to death, and have, but for brevity sake let me get to the point.

FHRITP - Fuck Her Right In The Pussy.

There, I said it. I'm sure you're having some type of emotional response to that statement. It may have even come as a complete shock to you, to see those words being presented so boldly out of nowhere. In all likelihood though, images flashed in your mind of reporters, live on the scene of whatever story they were working hard trying to cover, being interrupted by nimwits yelling that phrase. Most people have heard the story by now, and have seen at least one example of the many that are out there on the interwebs.

The conversation I waded into was the debate that surrounds this unfortunate behaviour from the aforementioned nimwits. What caught my attention was a very vocal element of society propagating a viewpoint that was becoming widely accepted: FHRITP is rape, or at the very least promotes it.

It was this that I challenged.

Okay, I fully admit that attempting to debate such big conversations on a platform such as Twitter is a horrible idea. I think everyone who uses Twitter probably knows this. Nonetheless, this is where my challenge took place - it normally does - and I did it because I think it needs to be challenged. I feel that applying something as horrible as the act of rape to this phrase, which absolutely does not suggest it, is not helpful in any way.

Just read the phrase.

Now read it again without your angry goggles on. Just read the words. Look past the perceived vulgarity in it, and just read what it says.

It's not FHRITPWC - ...without consent.

It's not FHRITPEISSN - ... even if she says no.

It's not PHDAFHRITP - Pin her down and...

It's not DHAFHRITP - Drug her and...

It's not ... I'll stop. You get the point I hope. That phrase in no way suggests rape, and those who continue to propagate that horrible accusation onto these individuals need to be challenged... in my opinion.

Is it sexual harassment, though? I don't know. What I do know is that the accusations that fly shouldn't be focused on men solely. There should not be this vocal hatred focused on the male half of the population, and their inability to control themselves, or whatever other bullshit - as I believe - surrounds the conversation. IF - and that's an all caps if - this is sexual harassment, then it should solely be applied to the individual in question, and not a gender in totality. Why? Because men have yelled the childish phrase to male reporters as well. And you know what? Women have yelled it to both male and female reporters too. It's a fact. I just like to point these things out to those who try to focus this childish prank into something much worse then what it actually is. I do this because I think it's not right to shift the focus this way, and moreso, I think it's unfair.

In my mind - call me naive, or caught in a mans bubble, all you want - FHRITP is a childish prank where individuals get their jollies out of using censored words on live TV. Yeah, it might be an extremely simple view of this situation, but that's exactly what I think it is. That's what I think it clearly is, in fact.

Do I condone this behaviour, you may ask? NO. Should people stop choosing to partake in this stupid prank? YES. I can not be any more succinct than that.

I wont even get into the conversations that followed, and how this whole conversation expanded to be people being fired, and calls for fines for the behaving like this. I just don't have the energy to tackle that mess right now. This one really took the good out of me, and I feel a lot of people viewed me as a misogynist that day, just for sharing this opinion I have. Nobody came out and directly said it, but boy did I get the feeling from the contentious tone of the tweets I was receiving. Of course, my tone is often misunderstood on the old twit box as well, so perhaps my perception was wrong. I actually hate that I feel the need - whether actually necessary or not - to defend myself, to declare that I'm not a misogynist. But simply put, as an individualist, misogyny just doesn't jive.

Some conversations really do drain me, however - the ones I know better to get involved in basically - and this one definitely was one of them. I'm sure any of you who share your opinions widely as well, have had those days of mental exhaustion. Sharing an opinion sometimes can take the good out of you - not to say my opinions should not also be challenged. That's the source of the exhaustion - and I was pretty beaten down by this one I must admit.

The next morning, however, I was shaken out of it by - stick with me here - Penn Jillette. As if the almighty internet knew I was blue, I just happened to come across this Penn quote. It was perfect. I have to be true to myself, and part of me is sharing my opinion. It's jumping in those troubled waters to see what calm can be found. It's challenging things that I feel the need to be challenged. None of this comes from hate though, and none of it from anger, nor any other dark side influence.

It's just a joy of being alive.

Canada Strong and FREE

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 19:32:00 +0000

I could have written the plot to what's unfolding in Canada at the moment a month ago. Some parts of me wishes I did post these thoughts back then... but better late than never, I guess. Let me back up to the point this was all heavily on my mind, and get these thoughts out there now.

I was visiting a good friend not long ago when his partner, who was also there having a gab with us, asked him what was up with all the news about possible threats to Canadians. My friend fairly quickly directed the question at me, knowing I'd likely have something to say about the topic - he knows me well - and of course I did. I'm not sure if I ranted or not, but I did express some clear thoughts that evening about what was happening, and what I thought could possibly happen in the near future.

Before jumping into geo-political analysis, I immediately suggested to her to not let herself live in fear, at all, ever. I was actually taken aback when she mentioned that a lot of her acquaintances were worried about these threats. I hadn't up to that point realized how strong the fear campaign was, not really being affected by such tactics. Not that she was overly worried herself, but I did want to try and calm any part of her mind that was fearful, being a huge believer that we never should live in fear, as nothing good can ever come from it.

It wasn't long after that suggestion that I turned to the topic at hand, and asked her to consider the fact that our government was just about to wage war in Iraq or Syria - SyrIraq - joining the coalition forces that were being gathered to fight the threat that known as ISIS, or ISIL, or IS - those evil bastards on the other side of the planet. This was before there was really any discussion in our parliament, but I knew it was coming from the rhetoric I was reading from officials. Sure enough, before the week was through, the debate began... which of course really didn't matter. Though it was nice to hear the opposition's views on this new war, as soon as it was announced it was clear we were indeed going to go. The majority government solidifies it before any challenge to joining this new war could have been made.

So, what did this have to do with the threats we were hearing about? Well, I know how propaganda works, and I know that if I wanted to sell an idea, fear is a strong motivator to do just that. I asked her to just consider the possibly that the threats which we were being told about was information being spread, massively highlighted if nothing else, by the very people who wanted to join the war, in effort to sell our need to join it. I just wanted her to consider that possibility.

I switched gears at this moment, saying "Not to say we will not be attacked. In fact, I think it's a real possibility"...

On October 22nd, a lone gunmen shot a soldier standing on ceremonial guard at the national war monument in Ottawa, before storming the parliament building and firing shots in there as well. Nobody was hurt during that later incident, but it was a dramatic scene of gunfire, eventually ended by Sargent at Arms Kevin Vickers.

The very second this happened, I knew exactly what was to follow; it was going to be blamed on ISIS, giving reason to not only expand the war beyond the air involvement we've already dedicated, but also to give excessive powers to police and surveillance infrastructure here in Canada. The expansion of the war has not yet come, but attack on our civil liberties is very much in the forefront. This horrific act of violence in our capital was indeed nearly immediately blamed on Muslim radicals, and the following days saw much promotion of new powers being fast tracked for our law enforcement agencies; terror bills which would drastically expand police powers, including preventative detentions; and online surveillance and anti free speech bills. This is surely just the start, and again due to a majority government, there is very little we're going to be able to do to stop it... and this concerns me more than any extremist, or lone mentally unstable individual, can.

The fact of the matter is this: even if this attack was a man radicalized by IS**, then we have to realize we had it coming. I put full blame on Stephen Harper for creating an enemy by joining 'coalition forces' in not only this recent foray into attack missions in Iraq and Syria, but also for hopping onto the incredibly destructive war on terror train we've seen rapidly evolve over the past 13 years or so.

Blowback is a bitch.

If I were to dive into the world of alternative media, as I often do in effort to gather as much information as I possibly can, I'm sure they are picking apart this moment to figure out if this event was a false flag - a generated event, used to further an already desired agenda. They will look for similarities to other suspected events; things like war games taking place which are eerily similar to events that eventually unfold; things like multiple suspects that eventually turn out to be nonexistent; things like false information being presented by officials; any strange connections overall. They will pick apart every single detail of this event to determine if this obviously unstable man was not pushed by ISIS to carry this attack out, but instead by our own intelligence agencies...

Then again, groups like ISIS were funded, armed, and trained in some cases by western democracies anyway... but that's a post for another time.

Regardless of which angle you wish to tackle this event on, Canada's future remains the same. In my mind, this is one individual who made some horrible choices in life, and obviously suffered from some sort of mental illness. The event is no doubt being used for political gain, however, and I saw this coming during that conversation that one random night. I wish many more could have prepared themselves for what eventually has come. Maybe then we'd have a chance to stop this fast moving train towards a world I do not want to be a part of. It truly breaks my heart that Canadians are gong to fall for this same tired terror plot, like so many others have. But as broken-hearted as I am at the moment, I refuse to give up. I will not live in fear, and I will not let my liberties be stolen from me out of fear. I can only hope many more of my fellow citizens feel the same way.

'True north STRONG' yes absolutely, but let's not forget 'and FREE'!

Oh, by the way...

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 20:19:00 +0000

... the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup this year!

It's rather unfortunate that I wasn't in blogging mode at the time, because it was a spectacular run through four teams to win their second cup in three years. This years accomplishment was even more incredible than them being the first team ever to be an eighth seed cup winner, which was the case for their first championship win, just two years prior. Had I been in blog mode, there would have been several excited posts, but this one mini recap is equally fun for me as I look back.

It was almost all over before it really began when the San Jose Sharks took a commanding lead of the series, winning the first three games. Knowing how hard the Kings battle every single game, I didn't really ever count them out - I remember replying to a San Jose fan on twitter with "Don't be foolish" when they suggested the Kings were done. Even in my insane amount of faith at that point, I don't think I really expected them to become only the fourth team in history to come back to win a series after being down three games. They did though, and on they went to Anaheim!

Ahh, the Anaheim Ducks. Finally, these two conference, division and State rivals face off in the playoffs, this year being the first time ever. It took another seven games, but the Kings did manage to gain bragging rights with their victory, and this was a very sweet win for the Kings and their fans. But things were not about to get any easier...

In the conference finals the Kings met the Chicago Blackhawks, who eliminated Los Angeles in last years playoffs at the same place. The Hawks couldn't do it this year however, as Los Angeles again were the stronger team, and in seven games they finished them off, moving on the the Stanley Cup finals.

I was openly hoping for the Montreal Canadians to be in this match up, just to have a rematch from 1993, but alas New York Rangers put that team out in the round prior. So, it was LA vs NY, Broadway vs Hollywood, in I'm sure a dream match up for the NHL. Needless to say at this point, but Hollywood won. For the first time in the 2014 playoffs, LA didn't need seven games, but up to that point it was one of the most gruelling runs to a championship, having taken more games to do so than most any other cup run. In fact, the final series was probably their easiest, which is not normal for this round... but awesome nonetheless.

The Kings have now won two cups in the last three seasons. All this time being a fan, that very difficult time, is finally paying off, you know in purely entertainment ways - we all have something. My thing includes cheering for the Los Angeles Kings... current Stanley Cup Champs, and future back to back champs! The 2014-15 season starts in just over a week.

Go Kings Go!

Climate Change ChitChat

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:19:00 +0000

I consider myself an environmentalist. I don't know what that means for anyone else, if anything, but for me it means I feel a deep connection with the planet, and more-so, a responsibly to protect it as best I can. I'm sure this side of me was developed from being born and raised in an isolated community in the middle of Labrador, or the fact that I was a Boy Scout until I was nearly 17 years old, which I'm sure also helped lead me in this direction. Regardless of where this side of me came from, it carried on into my later life, remaining with me today.

In 2006, I felt so strongly about ensuring our natural environment was remembered and protected as much as possible, that I ran as a Green Party of Canada candidate for the federal election in January of that year. Needless to say I didn't get elected, but I was one of 308 candidates, a full slate of environmentally conscious individuals standing up for what they believe in on a political stage. None of us were elected that year, but the leader of the party, Elizabeth May, did manage to win a seat in the following election, one in which I did not run as a candidate. In fact, I've since parted ways from that party totally due to some major differences in our outlooks and solutions...

But all that was just a primer really, as I attempt to sort out my thoughts on the topic at hand; Climate Change. I bring this up now because there is massive worldwide action taking place today, and I've not been able to stop thinking about the topic for days now. It really began when I went to watch a documentary/call to action a few days ago, called 'Disruption', which was followed by a general discussion between those who participated. I was left with many emotions, and the wild debate within flared ferociously again.

At this point, let me be clear: I have no doubt that climate change is happening. That's obvious. I just question, for the sake of thoroughness if nothing else, whether we're missing something. I've honestly not totally accepted the fact that it's human activity, carbon emissions precisely, and solely that, that is causing our climate to change. I am in no way saying that carbon emissions are wonderful, or that they should not be immediately reduced as much as possible; of course I want that. I just do not want it because I fear the earth is in implosion mode, about to wipe humanity off the face of it. In fact, the fear-mongering I hear from the climate change movement is a personal turn off. I realize that fear is motivator, but I despise it's use as a manipulative tool, whether it's for something as good as making our environment cleaner or not.

More-so however, I worry that if we put all our focus on one possibility, we may choose incorrectly and fail in preparing for all possibilities. What if it's the combination of the carbon, and say the increased solar activity we've seen over the 20th century? What if it's the pole shift that is happening, constantly, that's aiding in the ice cap shift - the melting of the Arctic, and the growing of the Antarctic - or simply causing climate change altogether? What if it's countless other possibilities from the realities yet known from the vast universe we exist within? What if it's something we've missed totally and we, as an entire planet, go down one solo path to some promised land of rainbows and butterflies, by only forcing a full stop to emitting massive amounts of carbon. What if...?

As I've debated this topic with myself for years now, one thing I've always done - like many things I debate within - is 'follow the money'. We've reached a point in the climate movement where real possibilities of change exist. There is no doubt many important, well-connected, people who are aware of this, and have been before the majority of the public were perhaps. I remember how the public reacted to me in 2006, just with minor discussions on environmental issues, but things are vastly different now, as more and more hop into the climate change chat - once called global warming, by the way. Regardless, those who know change is coming, have invested in that change, and anyone invested will surely push for that change to happen no matter what.

Here's where my main concern comes into play; incentive. Who has the most incentive to push the 'climate change agenda'?

At this point, the solutions I hear most revolve around government solutions: I hear much talk about nationalized energy resources; I constantly hear about full subsidization of green technology; and we know all about the carbon taxes proposed already. Basically, all I hear are demands for government to grow considerably as a means to take care of this potentially massive issue - whether we can fix it ourselves or not. So, I ask myself; who has incentive? People who want government to grow even more first and foremost, and people invested in green or clean technology second - I'm sure there are others. It will be very difficult, damn near impossible, to change these peoples minds, even when you find countering information to their claims. To me, it is these very people who would use manipulative tools like fear-mongering, in fact, as they have full incentive to push this agenda. And it is these people I cannot ignore as I debate this issue in my head.

At this point, you're probably asking what then is my solution. Well, it's a good question, and for me, it starts with the individual. Everyone's choices matter when we're dealing with the environment, from the products you choose, to the activities you do, to anything in between and beyond. Nearly 7 billion people making better choices would do a lot for this world.

For me personally, I've made the choice to:

- consume conservatively, and respectfully recycle.

- buy locally as much as possible.

- not have a car (until I buy an electric one).

- use my voice to denounce the oil wars. I speak out against all wars in fact, not only for the needless murder, but also for the massive amount of energy wasted, and environment destroyed.

- purchase and promote more environmentally friendly products, like green or clean technology. Also, though I do not support subsidization, I do support individuals choosing green technology. In fact, if it weren't for the massive subsidization of Big Oil, we would be in much better shape right now.

- promote alternate ways to protect the environment, via a different role of government, that being one which fully protects property rights, which would extend to air and water. This would give individuals, and groups of individuals, far more power to protect themselves from other people, industries, and even government harm, and also add more incentive for everyone to act better.

There is definitely much more I could be doing, and I'm sure there will be as life continues, but I feel that as an individual I'm doing something. I think that if we all made similar, or even better, choices, we'd be that much closer to protecting our planet. In the jungle, the strong survive. Economics is much the same. If we all made the right choices, the weak - old, tired, dirty, destructive companies, for example - will die. I understand we're a long way from inspiring that type of shift, and I in no way suggest the climate change movement stop what they are doing, but I feel the need to keep reminding my peers that forcing the world to change, and growing government even more, is not a requirement to saving the planet. Individuals choosing to change is.

Nobody has really said this better than Gandhi: 'Be the change that you wish to see in the world.'

13 Years Of Deceit

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:11:00 +0000

It was in 2005 that I was first introduced to some alternate theories about the horrific attacks that occurred on September 11th, 2001 - the day forever known as 9/11. That first exposure poked at my natural curiosity, and what began as a harmless attempt to disprove some of that information, became an obsessive digestion of all things 9/11... for months. It was years really, considering I've never in fact stopped consuming whatever I could find surrounding this topic, and probably never will.

Coming to the realization - no, acceptance - that the conspiracy theory actually contains conspiracy fact, set me on a life altering path. From depression, to feelings of solitude, to eternal anger, came an activist - a 'Truther'.

It was a harmless beginning, posing questions to friends, and then to message boards as I became somewhat ashamed to discuss this non-anonymously - some of those boards I was eventually outright banned from. Soon after, when I realized there was no real Canadian focus of 9/11 Truth at that time, I turned to creating a blog, and eventual collection of embedded documentaries; 100 of them. I sent emails - so many emails; to most every politician in Canada, in every level of government; every major journalist in Canada; every architect or engineer I could find in my Province; every friends email I had; everyone. And the more people ignored it, or got angry with me, or made fun of me, the more determined I was to get this truth out there.

It was a couple years into this before I started hitting the streets with my activism. Come 2008 people all over the world were being local activists on the 11th of every month - I have no doubt this still goes on in some places - pulling off random awareness initiatives in ever creative ways. I too joined this awareness campaign, inspired by those fearless citizens reaching out to their own communities. I began walking the streets, wearing my t-shirt and holding my signs demanding 9/11 Truth. I postered poles with messaging - some of which I later saw ripped down, or written upon with extremely hateful messages. I even wrote chalk messages all around the city asking St. John's to 'Investigate 9/11'. This eventually turned into face to face dissemination of information: I handed out DVDs which I earlier burned, held screenings of documentaries, and just simply asked questions to random strangers on the street. Yes, I was that 'crazy' person.

Fast forwarding to this year, I reached a pinnacle moment of 9/11 Truth activism, when I had the incredible opportunity to help bring an important figure in the '9/11 Truth Movement' to this Province for a presentation. This all came about when I noticed on a random website that a 'Rethink 9/11 Canada Tour' was about to happen, and I immediately wrote the organizers, practically begging to have them add Newfoundland to the tour. They obviously did, and the rest is now history...

It was during the months preparing for and promoting this event, that I realized I was about to retire from being a '9/11 Truther'.

Words cannot begin to describe how amazing it was to meet Richard Gage, to shake his hand, and to personally thank him for all the work he's done for this extremely important cause. I will never forget the conversations we had, and moreso, the fun we had as he experienced much of St. John's; from our cultural places like The Rooms, to our entertainment centre known as George Street. While extremely unfortunate that a snow storm caused the original date to be cancelled, I feel extraordinarily lucky to have had that extra time with this wonderful human who chose to stay here for a couple days to do the presentation. This was all indeed a pinnacle moment in my 9/11 truth life, and I'm still quite in shock that it even happened.

It is my deep desire, my eternal hope, that the exposure of Richard Gage's visit to MUN that wintery day in April, and consequent exposure to the entirely of the Province, sparked something in somebody, somewhere, to do what they can to spread 9/11 truth. I'll forever keep dreaming of the day that I walk past a chalk messages or posters that I didn't put there. When that day happens, you'll know who I am by the incredible smile I'll have on my face.

Until that day comes, I forever implore you, dear reader, to investigate thoroughly the topic of 9/11, and from there demand truth as you see it - moreover, demand that those truly responsible be found, and held accountable in a massive way.

After 13 years of deceit has now passed, and nearly as many years of research, pain, and even hope, this Truther is now signing off. I haven't given up, and truly feel we are closer than ever to reaching critical mass, but I'm changing directions in my fight for peace and freedom. This was not an easy post to write, nor an easy personal reality to accept, but the time has indeed come to refocus. I feel we've reached a point where I no longer have that extreme urge, that deep need, to be a voice for 9/11 Truth.

From the bottom my heart, I want to sincerely thank all the Truthers who came before me, and all those who will no doubt come after.

Peace. Love. Truth.

Rethink911 in St. John's April 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 14:18:00 +0000

On March 13th 2014, Richard Gage AIA - representing 2100+ architects and engineers - set out on a mission to educate as many Canadians as he could about the explosive evidence of controlled demolition of the three high rise buildings on 9/11. The Rethink911 Canada tour - a 17 city whirlwind ride in just a few weeks - ends in St. John's NL on April 1st!

This is the first of it's kind presentation in the beautiful province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and is truly one event not to be missed.

April 1st 2014 at 7PM

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Bruneau Lecture Theatre (IIC 2001)

Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation (building 13 on campus map)

Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door

Richard Gage called into VOCM Backtalk last week to discuss his presentation, and he had a great interview with host Pete Soucy. Have a listen:

I for one am super excited about this first of its kind thing in Newfoundland and Labrador, and I can't thank Mr. Gage enough for adding St. John's to this vitally important tour. Just 2 more days!

ReThink911 in Newfoundland

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 23:37:00 +0000

Those who know me best - and some who know me very little - know that I have a deep interest in the topic of 9/11, specifically the alternate theories - suppressed facts - surrounding that day. You could say that I'm a 'Truther', and have been for many years. It was mid 2005 that I was first introduced to some of the alternate information surrounding that horrific day, but it wasn't until the extreme push back I received from just discussing it, that I became obsessed. I say obsessed because I did spend countless hours - days, weeks, months - researching every aspect of the topic, at first to try and debunk some of it myself, but later in effort to better prepare myself for the battle I knew I was waging. You can't even imagine how many hours I spent not only researching all those many aspects of that day, but also debating it, and then merely spreading awareness. It really was an obsession for a while in my life, but I've since toned it down. I've come to realize that I no longer need to debate any more, as most people have set their minds to whatever side they want to align themselves with. Instead, I mainly focus on reaching out to those who may not even be aware there is opposing information, let alone what it actually is.

In this quest of mine, at this point in my life, I personally tend to stick mostly with information regarding the WTC complex, buildings 1, 2 and 7. I've weeded through more information than any one person probably should, and even if I pass off everything else as just coincidence or misinformation or disinformation or whatever, I cannot get past the towers and their destruction. Moreover, I find it difficult to understand how anyone can accept the official story when it comes to these buildings. So, my quest continues, as it does for many others.

This past fall, a wonderful awareness campaign was launched called ReThink 9/11, which focused on bringing attention to Building 7. This continues to be the biggest smoking gun regarding that day, and is still something that many people don't have the slightest clue about. In Canada, this awareness campaign was met with some controversy, which lead to a bigger focus from the activists to raise more awareness. Ultimately this led to the development of a cross Canada tour next spring featuring Richard Gage, founder of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, and his dynamic presentation regarding the destruction of the three WTC buildings.

When I first came to learn about the tour, Newfoundland was not on the list of locations, but because I was lucky enough to be part of a conversation, I reached out to see if we can get them to add it... and they did! It took a couple of days work to solidify a venue, but the Bruneau Lecture Theatre at MUN was finally booked for March 29th, and St. John's was officially added to the tour. Let me tell you; I can barely contain my excitement.

In effort to kick off promotions for the tour, specifically the stop in St. John's, I decided to call Paddy of VOCM BackTalk fame, to officially announce the presentation. Special thanks goes to the host for his time, and also Dave Adey for providing a copy of the call, which you can listen to below:

There is one moment in the call where Paddy references anti-government minded people, saying information such as this is often jumped on and supported because it helps their own cause, whether there is reason to believe it or not. While I agreed with his assessment, I could have built upon it, but from the other side, saying that pro-government people reject this alternate information for the very same reason. Because these types of people absolutely trust their governments, and the institutions governments run, they don't or can't believe any conspiracy is even possible. Well, they are. We have several examples of such throughout history. I'm not saying that 9/11 was absolutely a government conspiracy, however. I don't know that. I don't know who is responsible. What I do know is that there is plenty of contradictory evidence to suggest that the official story is indeed a fairy tale, specifically where it comes to the twin towers...

... But I'll let Richard Gage fill you on that. I hope to see you at the March 29th presentation, which promises to be a unique evening, as this is the first time for such a thing in our Province. If you would like to get your tickets immediately - there are limited seats available after all - you can do so by going here - BUY TICKETS. Check out the 9/11 Justice Canada website for more information as well, and I'll have much more to come on this in the coming months. Stay tuned.

Hayek vs Keynes

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 17:28:00 +0000

Not long ago I read a wonderful book entitled 'Keynes Hayek: The Clash That Defined Modern Economics' by Nicholas Wapshott. I happened to notice this lovely contribution to the literary world while browsing one of my favourite corners of Chapters and just had to pick it up, and then devour immediately. The economic debate between these two men has gone on well past the lives of both of them, and is something I'm extremely interested in, being the dork that I am. The book goes well beyond just the debate itself, however; it also focuses on the men themselves, their lives, and how they interacted with each other as ideas spread during a rough period in history, and beyond. I honestly could not put it down when I started it, and I do recommend it for anyone who is also interested in such things.

Being a believer in Austrian economic thought myself, I do side with Hayek in the debate, but I wont go into the details of that at the moment. What I did want to do was share these highly entertaining videos from John Papola and Russ Roberts of EconoStories, who found a fun way to share this debate with the world. Check them out below:

"Fear the Boom and Bust" a Hayek vs. Keynes Rap Anthem:

Fight of the Century: Keynes vs. Hayek Round Two:

Be sure to check out http://econstories.tv/ for more from these guys.

Monarchs at Mile One

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 14:38:00 +0000

While I am a big fan of the home team, the St. John's IceCaps, there is one other team in the AHL that I keep a close eye on each year. It probably wouldn't take much guessing for anyone to know that other team is the Manchester Monarchs, farm team of the Los Angeles Kings.

This past weekend the Monarchs came to our lovely city to face off against our beloved IceCaps, and I was lucky enough to catch the action of both games. It's always a blast being about to check out some of the kids who may at some point in the future be on the Kings roster. Take for example Linden Vey and Tyler Toffoli, who last year I got to watch play a game and this year are playing in the big leagues, having been called up just last week. While I was sad to not see those two again, I did watch the other players closely, trying to pick out who might be next to be called up. The Kings have a deep roster at the moment, but you never know when somebody from the farm team may be needed, and it looks like a bunch of the Monarchs are ready to fill any voids.
The games this weekend were super fun to take in, as both teams are competing pretty hard this season, both having good starts to the year. The Monarchs up to Friday night had only lost one game this season, and that was against the IceCaps. Their second loss came against them as well, this one on Friday night. The team wasn't about to lose another game against the IceCaps, however, and they managed to pull off a 3-2 win in their second game of the weekend at Mile One Stadium. I was probably the only one in the building smiling when Brian O'Neill scored that unassisted, shorthanded goal with only 13 seconds remaining in the game, but smile I did. What an incredible finish to a wonderful game.

Now that the baby Kings have left town, I can go back to fully cheering on the home team... well, that is until January when the Monarchs come back to town.

Amazon.ca Widgets

Opening Weekend For 'Carrie'

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 17:26:00 +0000

Two days ago, the remake - or retelling of Stephen King's classic novel; however you wish to look at it - of 'Carrie' opened in theatres. I haven't seen the movie myself yet, and while I've not read any reviews or much else about what others thought, in effort to remain unbiased before seeing for myself, I do know that Rotten Tomatoes currently gives it a freshness of 51% - that is 51% for critics, but it is 64% for users - and IMDB's user rating has it listed at a 6.6/10 right now. I also know that according to BoxOfficeMojo.com, 'Carrie' has so far managed to rake in $17 million in ticket sales. That's about half of it's production budget made in the opening weekend, which ain't half bad.

I'm looking forward to going to check this out myself next weekend, which is likely when I'll get a chance to do so. Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore both look good in the roles, from what I saw in trailers, and I already know that the story is great. I doubt I'll be able to stay away from of the discussions and reviews for a week, however. There's no doubt I'll be reading and hearing what people thought, not being able to keep my curiosity in check. I'm okay with that though, because no matter what I read, I'm still going to check out the flick for myself. I'll let you know my thoughts when I do!

'Lightning Bolt' Hits Stores Today

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 11:40:00 +0000

Well, this is it Pearl Jam fans. After making it through four years of waiting since the band's last studio album, and a ninety day countdown since the album was first annouced, release day is finally here - 'Lightning Bolt ' hits stores today! Some of you fans out there may have already heard the album, considering the band made it available on iTunes for free streaming this past week. I've listened to a few of the songs myself, and of course very much love what I've heard thus far. I cannot wait to get out to my local record store today though, to pick up my own copy, to hold it in my hands, to have that first full listen through from beginning to end. It's going to be a great day. You be sure to get out there and get your copy too!

My Year In Books

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 17:44:00 +0000

This year was a successful year of book reading for me. By that I mean, I was able to tick off from my list quite a few of the ones I has stacked up on the table next to my bed. I keep them there as I generally only read before I sleep, and the stack continuously grows due to not being able to say no to buying more. Nonetheless, the stack did get smaller over the past year, and that makes me smile.

Besides two Stephen King books, and the 'true story of Newfoundland's Confederation with Canada' as told my Greg Malone - I've discussed both of those already - I read a few more delightful books, mostly non-fiction, over the past several months. I dove head on into a lot a economic and political writings in fact, which all kind of lead into each other as I became more and more fascinated with the discussion being had.

It all sort of began with a book I randomly picked up one day while I browsing Chapters - 'Freakonomics'. It was a book I had heard much about before actually buying it, but I had no idea how good it was until I cracked it open. Economist Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen J. Dubner explore the hidden side of everything, and basically come to the simple conclusion that economics is truly a study of incentives. It doesn't take a huge leap to get you there, but the the Steve's take you there in an fun way.

At the same time I purchased 'Freakonomics', I picked up a great book by James Rickards called 'Currency Wars: The Making of the Next Global Crisis', which I couldn't put down when I started it. I became quite enthralled by the topic of how countries manipulate their currencies, and how that behaviour affects the world all over. It was because of this book that I then turned to John Perkins and his tale of the Corporatocracy via his hit novel entitled 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man'. This was another very quick read for me, as became more and more engrossed in John's tale of how big business, banking, and governments have become so entwined that we no longer really have real democracies any longer. I highly recommend both these books to anyone.

From there I became caught up in the topic of globalization, and as luck would have it there were a couple of books regarding that very subject on my night stand, which I recently bought at a local second hand bookstore: 'A Brief History Of Globalization ' by Alex Macgillivray , and 'The Collapse of Globalism: And the Reinvention of the World' by John Saul. Both of these were pretty dry, I must say. There was some great information contained within, but I just wasn't all that interested, or perhaps not a fan of how it was all presented... not to say I won't ever read anything by those authors again. It wasn't that bad. Just not amazing reading, that's all.

I fell into libertarian land after those globalization books were complete, starting with Ron Paul's book 'The Revolution: A Manifesto'. That was a nice primer on the topic from a man who I admire for his contribution to spreading liberty, not only in the U.S. but, all over the world. I then dove into economics with a fascinating look into the economic clash of the century between John Maynard Keynes and Friedrich von Hayek, with a book simply entitled 'Keynes Hayek' by Nicholas Wapshott. This I followed up with Hayak's much beloved 'The Road to Serfdom'. Those books, combined with Milton and Rose Friedman's 'Free To Choose' which I read next, helped solidify my basis in libertarian thought of truly free market ideals. I highly recommend all these if interested on the topic.

I've now taken a break for the economic and related topics however, and am instead reading 'Marvel Comics: The Untold Story' by Sean Howe. I'm about half way through and really am having a hard time putting it down. The inner workings of the comics industry from the early days to present time is pretty great reading. It's a must for Marvel fans.

Oh, and I almost forgot about 'Lies They Teach in School: Exposing the Myths Behind 250 Commonly Believed Fallacies ' - a fun little book that I read between all the ones mentioned above. It was basically a book of mini articles on popular fallacies throughout history. Pretty fun stuff.

Kings Go 82-0

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 21:28:00 +0000

Yes, I do realize how ridiculous of a statement that is - the Los Angeles Kings ending this season with a record of 82-0, I mean. Of course this will never happen, but I do think it's fun to fascinate about. I also believe that, if any team could achieve this herculean feat, it would be the Kings - I would say that though, being a big fan and all.

The team has their starting roster set, and they kick off their 2013-2014 season tonight, facing off against the Minnesota Wild on the road. Both of the teams begin their seasons tonight, and I'm sure both want to come out strong. With that in mind, it should be a good game. I'll go ahead and predict that the Kings don't crush my hopes for a season long win streak on night one. That would be swell.

Lightning Bolt - A Short Film

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 23:27:00 +0000

With just over 17 days to go in their several month long countdown, the greatest band on earth - Pearl Jam, of course - continues to promote their forthcoming 10th studio album, 'Lightning Bolt'. This time the lads are shaking things up a bit by releasing 'Lightning Bolt - A Short Film by Danny Glitch'. It's a fun little film that lasts about 9 minutes, and in it you can hear snippets of a few new songs - 'Mind Your Manners', 'Sirens', 'Lightning Bolt' and 'Getaway'. Apparently there will be more segments like this to come in the near future, also taken from the conversations partially had in this video, but for now you can check out the first one below. It's just past the information on the video that I borrowed from from YouTube.

Pearl Jam sat down with Judd Apatow, Carrie Brownstein, Mark Richards, and Steve Gleason to talk about the band's new studio album, Lightning Bolt ... Longtime friend, filmmaker, and photographer Danny Clinch captured these conversations and the band's rehearsals in their hometown of Seattle.

Municipal Elections

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 16:08:00 +0000

I've not long returned from voting in the St. John's Municipal Elections - Ward 2. I didn't bother to vote via mail this time around, but I did get out there today. There's something I like about going out to vote on election day anyway, and it was super simple. I even had to register, and that was quick too. In and out in a jiffy.

I'm not going to tell you who I voted for, however, I will encourage all the locals, wherever you are in the Province, to get out there and vote if you haven't done so yet. The polls are open until 8pm local time, so there should be plenty of opportunity to get out there some time today. This is the most important level of Government afterall. These people who we elect today will make decisions that affect our lives most directly, on the micro level. This micro level, I believe, is the most important level. Yes, we live in a globalized world, a nationalized world, and many central macro decisions affect us all greatly. But on a micro level, it's the closest to home decisions that affects day to day lives the most. With these local elections, we have a chance to choose who can best represent the needs locally. It's pretty important stuff I think.

I personally continue to hope that maybe, just maybe, these people we chose to represent us will help inspire macro level changes. To maybe help institute better decision making methods - ones that focus more on participatory democracy? Or, maybe those we choose this time around will help bring focus to the principle of adjacency, giving the most power, the most decision making responsibility, to those who are most affected locally? Perhaps these people we choose today can help shift focus to decentralization, to try and gain more power locally, for those people they most directly represent?

Or, you know, whatever it is that you all desire. Those are just my thoughts at the moment, as I ponder about democracy. All I really think currently, is that it all starts with a vote. This is our system. We should put it to use.

When we are done choosing, however, we should not stop there; we should then continue to participate with the people we chose, to help them better our most micro level needs and desires. Participatory democracy begins with participation, afterall.

Congratulations and good luck to all candidates!

Image from stjohns.ca.

'Under The Dome' Done

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Eli Harris) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 19:27:00 +0000

By done, I mean that the show has ended for this season, not forever. As I mentioned in a previous post, the hit series has been expanded from a one season mini, into at least a two season series. There's no doubt that news is pretty exciting for all those involved, and for their fans, but at this point I'm personally not sure it was a smart decision. I mean, the show is good, but it's not amazing. The characters and the plot are good, but again, they aren't amazing, and I'm curious if it suffers from not sticking to the source material more. I haven't read the book yet - I likely wont do that until the series is totally done with - but I do know that it has been changed significantly for the TV adaptation. I have a feeling that most of the changes were put in place to extend the story, to drag it out in effort to ensure another 13+ episodes, at least. Is this extension of the story the cause of me thinking that the show is just OK? I have no idea. What I do know is that something is definitely lacking for me personally.

I admit that perhaps my thoughts on all this could be due to being spoiled by an increase of amazing TV shows from networks like HBO, Showtime, and AMC. I'm not sure if those awesome shows are what is causing me to not be fully addicted to this one, but I do know that something is stopping me from absolutely loving this particular show. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly that is, but there's something...

Ah well, you can't please everyone all the time, which is certainly evident from the huge success this series has found so far. Many people do indeed very much enjoy this show, and to be fair, it's not as if I hate it completely. I just have not fallen totally in love with it. Either way, I'll still be back next year to see how everything turns out, there is no doubt about that. And it could very well just get better and better from this point on. Stephen King himself is writing the first episode of next year afterall, so that in itself should be a good enough reason to tune in. Who knows what comes from there on? I guess we'll find out in 2014!

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