http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/11/indie-kindle-author-lands-book-deal/

Indie Kindle author lands book deal
by John Biggs on July 11, 2009

*** begin quote ***

And you though self-pubished books were all rubbish. Author Boyd Morrison sold two books, the first one called The Ark, to Simon & Schuster. Boyd uploaded and sold the books himself and raised awareness for his novels by being a member of Kindle Boards and generally self-promoting.

*** end quote ***

Hope springs eternal!

http://www.itstartedinchurch.com

LOL!

# # # # #

http://hoopscoach.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/starting-line-in-coaching/

THE COACHING STARTING LINE
Posted on July 4, 2009 by hoopscoach
(Part 4 in a series on the coaching profession)

*** begin quote ***

For the past few days I have been blogging about the coaching profession. I have touched on a few different topics Improvement, Work Ethic and Why We Coach. Every experienced coach has their own personal story on how they entered the business. Most stories are very interesting. Next time you are talking with a peer, ask them how they got their start?

{Extraneous Deleted}

If you want to enter coaching at the collegiate level, you better try and get with someone who is good. You better be ready to start at the bottom and have a small pay check (if you’re lucky enough to get paid). Entering coaching, there is no surefire, direct way. Everyone has their own story (as mentioned before). You can start as a team manager and become a sponge. Learn everything you can about the business. Maybe you played for a guy in college who is a head coach and he hires you. Maybe you know someone who knows a head coach looking for someone. However you get in, it’s a growing process-don’t be in such a hurry to advance. There are no short-cuts.

Write letters to coaches, pick their brains. Ask to work their camp in the summer. Make calls, shoot off e-mails and introduce yourself. Let people know what your aspirations are. Attend clinics and try to speak with the coaches after it’s over. In the beginning of your journey, be prepared to work hard.

If you are lucky enough to get in, don’t be afraid to get down and dirty. You may have to wipe up sweat off the ground, hand water out to players and rebound for them late into the night. Look for things to do.

*** end quote ***

Seems like that’s a success formula for anyone starting out in ANY line of work. IMHO!

# # # # #

I lost content on my Jasper Jottings blog. The the free, and unequaled, wordpressdotcom is the prime suspect. But, it might be ECTO, my secondary suspect.

Only on Jasper Jottings. Happened once last week. Didn’t have time or attention to chase.

Now I do!

*** begin quote ***

Using ECTO, I posted a story on 7/10. “JBlogger: Stagnaro, Melissa [MC1997?] Cancer runner. Donate?”

*** and ***

When I looked at my FEEDBLITZ daily email collection of stories, one was blank. So I recreated and reposted it with today’s date. It was blank on the site as well (so it wasn’t feedblitz).

*** and ***

It happened last week, but I didn’t think to much of it. I thought maybe I screwed it up. Today, I’m positive, I didn’t.

I’m not sure it’s the free, and unequaled, wordpressdotcom that has a bug. It could be ecto. But, why all of a sudden, starting last week do I suddenly have a problem? I’ve been using ecto for a while and no updates. Whereas, WP being outside of my control, might have had a change last week. So I suspect, WP. No proof.

But, I’m on a “bug hunt”

*** end quote ***

# # # # #

UPDATE: The the free, and unequaled, wordpressdotcom responded that the items were store blank. This makes ECTO prime.

UPDATE: Certain posts, prepositioned, are blank. That content is lost. Argh!

# # # # #

Playing with MagicJack.

A very expensive McBa

add

MagicJack

add

Verizon Wireless Broad Band

add

a $10 Radio Shack phone

EQUALS

A phone booth?

A cell phone?

A free Local and Long Distance phone?

Hmmm?

# – # – #

Notes:

It didn’t go together as easy as they make it sound.

The user interface isn’t as user friendly as it could be.

The FAQ is difficult to navigate and may need some filling out.

Powered USB hub is fine. Although that is NOT clear, the device is labeled “no hubs”.

We’ll see if it’s useful.

# # # # #

*** begin quote ***

Jury sees videos of La. congressman accepting cash

By MATTHEW BARAKAT – 17 hours ago

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal jury has seen video of a former Louisiana congressman accepting a suitcase filled with $100,000 in cash outside a northern Virginia hotel.

The videos played Tuesday are a key piece of evidence in the bribery trial of William Jefferson, a Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans. He’s accused of accepting more than $400,000 in bribes to broker business deals in Africa.

*** end quote ***

This bozo did not have the decency to conceal his corruption. ALL politicians and bureaucrats are the same. Some are just a little more circumspect than others. BUT they all are feathering their own nests at our expense.

Anarchy, not chaos, is the only solution. Government, as a meme, can NOT be controlled.

# # # # #

A French doctor says, “Medicine in my country is so advanced that we

can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him

looking for work in six weeks.”

A German doctor says, “That is nothing; we can take a lung out of one

person, put it in another, and have him looking for work in four

weeks.”

The Russian doctor says, “In my country, medicine is so advanced that

we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and

have them both looking for work in two weeks.”

An American doctor, not to be outdone, says, “You guys are way behind!

We recently took an unknown man with no brain out of Illinois , put him

in the White House, and now half the country is looking for work.”

# # # # #

“everyone must give voluntary service to the community. its mandatory.”

+++++

The Homeland Service Corps was a measure designed to give “work” to disadvantaged “yutes”. It was formulate as a para-military organization. It had fatigue pants, heavy dark blue shirts, a blue web belt, and combat boots. Pants were bloused; on formal occasions, it was topped off with a red beret.

It reminded the thinning fat old white man of what he’d red about the red shirts, the brown shirts, and the black shirts. Now we had the blue shirts.

+++++

He was swept up in one of the night time street sweeps. There was a curfew, but it was mostly ignored. Like the myriad of laws, regulations, rules, and diktats, there wasn’t much respect for anything administrative. Everyone was poor. Everyone was hungry. Everyone was subsistence. He was one of the lucky ones; he had a niche. He was a licensed web designer. Couldn’t just allow anything to be put on the web. He’d fooled them; pretended to believe all their drivel. Had to; he and his family needed to eat. He was the support of what had been three families in the old days. He wondered what they’d do now without him. While he still had his passport, he now be missing critical attendance stamps. That verified that you had overnighted on your “block”. Without those stamps, he’d be arrested when he came or went from his block. Anne Frank’s attic came to mind. But would this ever end. But those were future problems, he was here and now. He smiled at all the web sites that would display different content when he wasn’t there to reset their timers.

They were herded into trucks one afternoon. World War Something Deuce and a half. A dozen. Since he was out of the compound, he was looking for a chance. It might kill him. But he had no illusions. He was white as were all the other “campers”; Homeland Service was all “ethnic”. He’d talked to WW2 Death Camp survivors. Never stop looking for a crack. As was his custom, he was wearing his thin blanket as a “roll” under his shirt. Losing weight meant he had space under and ever too big shirt. They were all dirty and smelly. The ride went on for an hour. THey were allowed to dismount. THey weren’t really “guarded”. As a matter of fact the guards were all grouped together getting instructions. He saw his chance. He slipped under the frame. He’d read about GIs rigging hammocks under their trucks to get shade in the dessert. His blanket made a U for his hips. His hands and feet had loops to hold. He was expecting a rough ride. If no one saw him!

They rode for another hour. It was dirty dusty and at times excruciating. A few times he almost lost it. But the blanket held. So did he! For dear life. The convoy stopped and the cargo was herded off to the side. He waited until it was quiet. Then he slipped off the other side. He could not free the blanket; the knots were tugged tight. Taking a chance he peeked in the truck cab. It smelled of something. He couldn’t place it. On the seat was wicked looking fixed blade knife; he stole it. He moved as quickly way from the convoy as he could. There was no real cover so he had to improvise. He mentally outlined a grave and with the knife sliced the brush and turf. Using the knife like a spatula, he peeled back the “cover”. He laid down and pulled it over him. Had no idea what it looked like but it was the best he could do. It was getting dark. He had to hope it covered. Then he heard thunder.

It wasn’t thunder but automatic weapons. Massacre? He thought of the “Great Escape”. It didn’t last long. He tried not to think about it. He heard voices coming in his direction. He heard water pouring. The voices departed.

It had been a while now. It was dark. He “arose from the dead”. The trucks were still there. At the back of the convoy, he could see a large fire. The Homeland Service goons were there. Most were sitting silently. A smell was reeking form their direction. A sweet smell. He moved away from them. He slipped up in the dark to the lead truck. He was hoping to score anything from the cab. There was a guard asleep. In his best commando movie style, he crawled up. Got a hand over the mouth and slit a throat.

He was up into the cab. Found a pack. And was off running. It was dark. It was rough. It was dangerous. He wanted to put a mile between them and him. It was exhausting. No water. No direction. No idea but to flee.

At the false dawn, he could see lights ahead. The city. A city. His city? No likely. He rested and examined his prize. Passports. Money. Watches. Rings. Ears!? And, packs of green oregano with the sweet smell.

He’d bury this a the next milestone. Maybe it was evidence.

+++++

The bag with its contents was presented to the Grand Jury. There was DNA reports from the human tissue. A few of the passports aligned with the DNA. Most did not. There were 800 or so documents. As the Great Leader stood in the dock, these murders were charged to him. They were specific.

The gaunt drawn old man testified to the terror. To the camps. To the result. To the authenticity of the bag.

The Great Leader was hung.

The nation was never the same. And, not surprisingly, the nation never returned to its former greatness. It dissolved into little warlord states. Constantly fighting and bickering. Along clan lines.

The old sickly white man, thin and frail, died in his sleep. He’d taken down the Great Leader. Avenged his fellow campers. But never did find his family. Sad to the end, he just passed quietly.

# # # # #

Just had the happenstance to watch the last fifteen minutes of the movie Grease. There’s a certain elemental joy in it. Carefully constructed, of course. ONJ is beautiful; we know about her health problems coming. JT is virile; we know about his personal sadnesses in the future. And, the countless actors and actresses in the cast; we don’t know what happened to them. There’s a line in the song “We’ll always be together”. Unfortunately, that is NOT true. We only have the briefest of times for joy and lifetimes of separation. Still it’s nice to suspend belief and pretend.

# # # # #

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/07/sarah_palin_all_in.html

July 05, 2009
Sarah Palin — All In
By Jay Valentine

*** begin quote ***

What an irony if the only American President who can make a 3 point shot were taken out by a point guard who came up to his shoulder. And if the guard was a chick — who went to a no name school?

*** end quote ***

ROFL! What a hoot. And, I think she’s just the gal that could do it.

# # # # #

*** begin quote ***

Hi. I wanted to let you know that WindowsSecrets.com was unavailable on July 3 and the early part of July 4. A serious electrical fire shut down the Web hosting company in Seattle that we and hundreds of other sites rely on. Windows Secrets came back online at approximately 9:15 a.m. Pacific Time July 4.

{Extraneous Deleted}

It is ESPECIALLY important that you enter an alternate e-mail address. This is your own personal “disaster recovery” plan. Companies change their filtering policies every day, and sometimes readers stop getting the newsletters they’ve subscribed to or paid for. When we receive a bounce notification, we send a short alert to your alternate address. This is the ONLY use we make of this information, and many people have thanked us for informing them of a problem affecting their inbound mail.

Our own disaster-recovery plan consisted simply of switching to a maintenance server, which displayed a message about the hosting company’s fire. As a small gaggle of writers, we found the cost of buying and synchronizing two servers in separate data centers too great. Instead, we chose to locate our equipment at a “hardened” data center, with dual diesel generators that could power the hardware indefinitely in case of any power outage.

When the blaze started, however, fire marshals ordered the evaculation of the entire building, and the generators could not be run. This knocked out some very big Web sites, not just our own. Authorize.net, one of the world’s largest credit-card gateways, couldn’t process transactions online for its 238,000 clients for about 12 hours. Bing Travel (a component of Microsoft’s new Bing search engine) was dark for even longer.

*** end quote ***

Interesting.

What’s your “disaster recovery” strategy?

# # # # #

You have to be kidding me!

# # # # #

Just Junk DNA (An Index Card Novel)

“If science could invent a genetically modified common cold virus that would sterilize everyone on the planet with effectiveness E (where 90% < E < 100%), then maybe, just maybe, someone would have the courage to release it in the atmosphere.”

+++++

It was the killer genetic modification. All plants share a common DNA. He was the genius that could “dead end” evolution. In the DNA, in the “junk” DNA, just like in humans, he found “it”. In corn, he was able to develop “it”. It was the “stop sign”. The corn was for all intents and purposes perfect. Except it couldn’t reproduce. He had it.

Riches galore.

As an “independent researcher”, no corporation had the patent. He did. No “works for hire”. He owned the Midas touch.

+++++

“Comparative genomics studies of mammalian genomes suggest that approximately 5% of the human genome has been conserved by evolution since the divergence of those species approximately 200 million years ago, containing the vast majority of genes. Intriguingly, since genes and known regulatory sequences probably comprise less than 2% of the genome, this suggests that there may be more unknown functional sequence than known functional sequence.”

+++++

The Genetically Modified Food Companies beat a path to his door. He had the better mouse trap. Seeds that would not sprout. He controlled it. Winded and dined. His process was his.

Venture capitalists fronted the money for a 25% share. It was such a unique opportunity. They bid the price down among themselves. To get a share. Usually they’d get 95%, but he was smart!

+++++

“Some types of non-coding DNA are genetic “switches” that do not encode proteins, but do regulate when and where genes are expressed.”

+++++

His factories “processed” seeds of any type and quality. Trucks poured in one side and 30 minutes later sterile seeds poured back in.

The seed sellers were in hog heaven.

Testing showed that “processed” seeds would germinate but not reproduce.

Finally, they had the farmers locked in. No seed saving to compete with their sales any more.

+++++

“Vertebrates have essentially the same genes and regulatory gene sequences as humans, but with only one-eighth the “junk” DNA.”

+++++

The process had an unintentional side effect.

Don’t they always?

The “regulatory signal” had been activated. Airborne, undetectable, an almost mystical property.

Never since a grazillion years ago had evolution had it’s clock turned back. That “junk DNA” was from eons ago when it had served a purpose. Avoiding this bug or that.

Now, humans, puffer fish, and many other species stopped reproducing.

Humans could have sex without children now. Just as the feminists and the “free love” hippies had always wanted. But no one was having any children any more. Ever.

We’ve genetically modified ourselves out of existence.

+++++

“If you’re reading this, greetings. I’m the last person alive, don’t make out mistake. Don’t mess with the Lord’s handiwork.”

# # # # #

http://ncc-1776.org/tle2009/tle525-20090628-04.html

Exodus From Reality
by Wayne Grantham
Attribute to The Libertarian Enterprise

*** begin quote ***

Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

*** end quote ***

Why do people feel they don’t need to defend themselves?

A gun is the “great equalizer”.

Maybe if we armed women, maybe if we taught “guns 101″ in school, maybe if we forced people to take responsibility for their own safety … then just maybe crime would be miniscule.

# # # # #

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090704/D997DI2G1.html

Venezuela assumes control of Spanish-owned bank

Jul 4, 12:22 AM (ET)

By FABIOLA SANCHEZ

*** begin quote ***

(AP) Venezuela’s Finance Minister Ali Rodriguez Araque, left, shakes hands with former president of…

*** begin quote ***

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – President Hugo Chavez’s government assumed control of Venezuela’s third-largest bank on Friday – making the state the largest player in the nation’s banking system.

*** end quote ***

And this is different than what Bush43 / Obama44 did?

Chavez = bad communist dictator!

Bush43 / Obama44 = “good guys”.

Why because they are “ours”?

Argh!

# # # # #

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/06/breakthrough_on_the_authorship_1.html

June 28, 2009
Breakthrough on the Authorship of Obama’s ‘Dreams’
By Jack Cashill

*** begin quote ***

Within days of my going public last September with the speculation that terrorist emeritus Bill Ayers helped Barack Obama write his acclaimed memoir, Dreams From My Father, I learned that I was not alone in that intuition.

*** end quote ***

I remember a day in High School. I don’t remember THE day. Or even the year. But it was in High School. We had extensive “reading lists” that we were expected to conquer. It wasn’t part of any course; it just was to “magically” get done. A relatively fast reader, I polished them off by the end of the sophomore summer.

I remember a class discussion (The Brother teaching monologued about the book. The students got few chances to put in a penny’s worth.) The good Brother concluded with a “knock your socks off” question. (He was known for these!)

“Do you REALLY believe that Jack Kennedy wrote this book? And, why do you believe that? Because it’s printed on the cover.”

That was the end of my naiveté in politicians!

Does anyone really believe that Obama wrote “Dreams”?

Sorry, doesn’t pass the sniff test.

IMHO.

And, if that’s a fraud, what else is?

Kennedy conceal his Addison’s and his whoring. As a Catholic, that’s a terrible scandal. (Like pro-abortion CINO republican and democratic “catholic” politicians!)

Just can’t trust any of them.

# # # # #

The problems all started with the international collapse of the dollar. Dollars could no longer buy anything internationally. It wasn’t long before those dollars couldn’t buy much inside the US either. Oh they were still handy to pay taxes with! The government was really screwed. The more the value of a dollar collapsed; the more they could easily collect taxes. People brought the dollars to pay their taxes in wheelbarrows of dollar bundles. Just as in prisons, cigarettes or sardines are currency. In the “free world”, barter became fashionable. Silver and gold began to allow commerce to resume. While the “official” world market price of gold or silver was 7,000 yuan to the ounce, there was no dollars that could buy gold. You could buy a yuan for 2,700 dollars; you might even find some one silly enough to sell it to you. Any way, that made the price of an ounce of gold about 20 million Federal Reserve Banknote dollars. Why anyone would do that is incomprehensible? Funny, thing was that any tailor would make you or any clothing store would be happy to sell you their finest suit for two gold ounces. After the total collapse of the economy, a subsistence economy resumed based on barter and small transactions in silver coins.

+++++

It was cold last night. The thermostat for the house was set at 40 degrees. It was the house that he had inherited from his uncle. Before the latest round of death taxes made the rate 95% from dollar one. No one would be inheriting this house again. Forty degrees! That’s all the heat that we could afford. Just enough to keep the pipes from freezing.

He, his wife, his beloved twins, and the two younger children lived in the Master Bedroom. He’d build the bunk beds himself out of scrap lumber they found and scavenged. His sister, her husband, and their three kids live in the second bedroom. His cousin, his husband, and their two children live in the third small bedroom. The garage was occupied by another pair of cousins and their children. The house was over occupied by anyone’s standard.

The township bureaucrats were still trying to handle the influx of all sorts of double ups. Multiple generations of families were living together. Only if there was no “blood” relation, could they “red tag” the building and force everyone out. Where people go in that case, they assert is not their problem. The bureaucrats would then move to seize the house as a participant in an “economic crime”. Some one would but it to rent out. People had to live somewhere. Amazing how the bureaucrats always seemed to be landlords.

+++++

The Department of Homeland Security using Google’s seized technology, was overflying the country with its scanners. When “threats” were found, local agents were dispatched to arrest the trouble makers.

The agents barged into the Uncle’s house demanding to see him. The nephew took them to a corner of the backyard. A small wooden cross marked it. The agent cited him for an unlicensed cemetery. Another bill to be paid. But they had lots of dollars. No heat, but lots of paper.

The agent showed him the ariel picture taken with ground penetrating radar. In the backyard, there was random buried junk. But in the front yard, the slogan was clearly visible on the scan. “Sic Semper Tyrannis” Unmistakable. The agent gave him a day to dig it up and correct the problem. And, another citation for an unlicensed advertisement. The nephew bit his tongue. Several of the folks in the house were cited for various violations. They’d total it up tonight. And, see who had what that could be hocked to pay for their “freedom”.

So several of the adults were out digging. With the one real shovel and several improvised tools. The nephew’s wife got some salt. “For replanting!” Grass, or rather the absence of, would make a political statement. The metal was only a few inches down. Easily removable.

But under the metal was a little surprise. A plastic tube. Sealed at both ends. Printed on the tube, in a shake handwritten letters, “Sic Semper Tyrannis”. The tubes were brought back to the house quickly and quietly. Who new which of the neighbors was the Homeland Security snitch?

+++++

The children were sent to bed. The adults gathered in the living room. The first tube was opened.

A block of old FRB dollars came tumbling out.

The nephew involuntarily exclaimed: “Stupid, Old Man, stupid!”

Another shake and out came some heavy plastic cylinders and a note. The note said: “I’m old; not senile! Here’s some stuff I think you might need.”

In the cylinders, gold coins. Another tube held a rifle. Pistols. Ammo. Knives.

+++++

The nephew and the other men went out that night. The Homeland Security patrol was goofing off behind the strip club where honest women had to degrade themselves to support their families. The patrol would get free sex to allow them to proceed home. The men crawled up. The patrol never knew what hit them.

+++++

Newspaper and internet ad: “The Department of Homeland Security is please to announce that due to promotions there are openings in the Patrol Division. All that is required is a certificate of political correctness. blah, blah, blah”

No one applied.

# # # # #

*** begin quote ***

A federal judge approved the sale of G.M.’s assets to a new government-run company, removing a major hurdle to the auto maker’s plan to exit bankruptcy.

http://online.wsj.com#mod=djemalertNEWS

*** end quote ***

As a GM bodholder getting screwed, why would I expect justice from the government’s court? THe government seized my propoerty violating the rule of law. And, the government’s court approved the government’s plan in violation of the government’s law.

Tyranny!

But not a surprise.

Who protects the serfs from the “King”?

# # # # #

http://tinyurl.com/lxh83p

SCOTUS: No right to DNA tests for convicts
MSNBC

*** begin quote ***

“The Supreme Court said Thursday that convicts have no constitutional right to test DNA evidence in hopes of proving their innocence long after they were found guilty of a crime. The decision may have limited impact because the federal government and 47 states already have laws that allow convicts some access to genetic evidence. Testing has led to the exoneration of at least 232 people who had been found guilty of murder, rape and other violent crimes.” (06/18/09)

*** end quote ***

Guess we can cross out “with justice for all”!

# # # # #

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/local_wpri_massachusetts_is_housing_homeless_in_motels20090624bcm

Mass. is housing homeless in motels
Costing tax payers around $2 million per month
Updated: Wednesday, 24 Jun 2009, 9:24 AM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 24 Jun 2009, 9:15 AM EDT
Bruce Morin

*** begin quote ***

MASSACHUSETTS (WPRI) – A record number of families are being put up in motels in Massachusetts. High unemployment and the rising number of home foreclosures is the reason the state is taking this action.

Housing Massachusetts’ homeless is costing tax payers around $2 million per month. It costs an average of $85 per night to have families, including nearly 1000 children, stay in motels.

The Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness admits that the use of motels for the homeless is not ideal, but is the best that can be done at this time.

Homeless advocates are worried that families are not getting the support of shelters with living rooms, kitchens, and play areas.

*** end quote ***

MY COMMENT

Is it the role of the State Government to “shelter”? Is shelter a “right”? Remember where you say someone has a “right” that says you’re going to take a gun and force someone else to pay for it. As a little L libertarian, this is a function of families, churches, charities, fraternities, sororities, and other institutions. The  government becomes the gooferment when it tries to be all things to all people. It forces out “charity” with it’s high taxes. AND, the first thing it does is create a bureaucracy with a union. Note at the end: “homeless advocates” want shelters with living rooms and kitchens. Argh! And, who pays the “homeless advocates” for all this “advocating”? Am I the only one who has a problem with this?

# # # # #

I invoke my right to remain silent.

I do not give my consent to search

Live free or die!

# # # # #

And, of course, my backups are less than perfect. Argh!

# # # # #

FROM FACEBOOK

FJohn Reinke can’t wait to see everyone with “milk coming out of their noses” over their Cheerios tomorrow morning when they see Sarah Palin announce for President in 2012. (Give a buck to see Hilary’s face.) No one is ever as good as the seem (i.e., O) or as bad as the seem (i.e., B41). This should be fun. I love seeing the liberal media with their collective shorts in a knot. (BTW FWIW, I called Palin for VP long before it was!

>What? you really think she will announce that she’s running for pres three years from now?

No, I think she’s running NOW! To soon to “announce”. She’s got “star power”. She needs to raise lots of money. Now she can without the restrictions on a guv. I think she has a real shot at doing it. She HAS to harness the inet but she’s shown no facility with that yet. As far as the R’s, she’s the darling of the Taft Republican wing. If she starts raising big bux for the 2010 congresscritters, she’s a leading candidate for the nodd. Who else? She’s pro-life, pro-gun, and an unabashed pro-American. We could do a lot worse.

# – # – #

As a little L libertarian, I’ll be closely watching her for “big government” tendencies. But, she seems to have been “interesting” in the things she spoke about. Maybe I should set up a PALIN category.

And, anyone who has dabbled in the Alaskan Secession Party, may actually have a lot of “libertarian” in them?

# # # # #

http://www.lewrockwell.com/spl/abolish-cash.html

To Fight Deflation, Abolish Cash
Could Japan Make Reality of ‘Science Fiction’?
by Leo Lewis

*** begin quote ***

With recovery elusive, a population doddering into old age and perhaps a decade of deflation in prospect, Japan may start mulling the most radical monetary policy of all – the abolition of cash.

Unorthodox, untried and, said one Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi strategist, “in the realms of economic science fiction”, the recommendation has nevertheless begun floating around Tokyo’s corridors of power and economists have described Japan as particularly suitable as a testing ground.

The search for more outré economic policies continues, despite the recent surge in the Nikkei 225 index. The market may be reflecting soaring Chinese investment, rising consumer confidence and other cheerful data but economists see few long-term beacons of hope for Japan.

*** end quote ***

There’s no doubt that the gooferment would love to eliminate cash.

It could really track and control the People then.

How can we think that we are “independent”?

The gooferment manipulates us into thinking we’re in charge. Just try and change anything. They don’t even follow their own rules!

# # # # #

Ready, Aim, Fire! (An Index Card Novel)

Obeying a direct order to fire on fellow Americans has not been seen since the 1860s. So, this dynamic is a wild card. How many law enforcement and military personnel will obey such an order?

+++++

He was a young high school graduate. The local high school was average at best. The teacher’s union ran the State. Education was a secondary consideration. That didn’t matter to his Mom. She was a naturalized citizen. Engrish was not her first language. But everyone knew the sacrifices she made to get to the land of opportunity. And, having made it here, every opportunity would be her child’s. She badgered his teachers, her minister, their neighbors, and even her postman. She had reading lists galore. She would sit with all the children as they did their lessons. She was a hard taskmistress. There was no goofing off; no “breaks”. She’d ask questions. Hard ones. As someone who just didn’t understand, he had to explain everything. It helped him learn.

+++++

He had a nice entry level job. A part-time job. And he joined the State Guard as another adder. Within a year he was a squad leader. It wasn’t hard, but he was busy. He was saving money. Part-time at the local community college had him on his trek to “education”. He was amazed how “stupid” his class mates and workmates. They were just oblivious to everything they could have if they just tried.

+++++

A flood led to the call. The Guard was called out. His squad was detailed to “looter suppression”. The Captain looked him straight in the eye and said: “Curfew violations: shoot them!” Then, later he was told: “Seize any weapons. Before they can be used against us.” Finally, he heard: “Round up anyone left and put them on the trucks to the camp. For everyone’s own good.”

+++++

His squad was in the center of the line. Citizens were outraged at the restrictions. The deportations. The attempted weapons collection. They were marching on the Military Government’s HQ. They were mad as hell. The Captain ordered: “Fix bayonets. Fire when you see the flare.” He looked at the people. Eyeballs. Big and small. A mix of races, sexes, and ages. The flare went up.

He thought of his Mom. And, all the lessons. And, gave the order!

“Safe your weapons!”

He’d joined the Revolution.

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http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/2009/06/22/truth-power-james-howard-kunstler-snake-eating-its-own-tail

TRUTH TO POWER: JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER–A SNAKE EATING ITS OWN TAIL
Submitted by Carolyn Baker on Mon, 06/22/2009 – 5:54pm.

*** begin quote ***

The current mass delusion that will go down in history as the “green shoots fugue” can’t possibly bring the credit freak show back because the credit — i.e. money borrowed from the American future — was swindled away. Something like $14 trillion worth of nominal dollars is being sucked into a cosmic vortex never to be seen again. It was last seen in the spectral forms of so many collateralized debt obligations, credit default swaps, so-called structured investment vehicles and other now-obvious frauds. That giant sucking sound we hear means the process is still underway, and the “money” disappearing into yawning oblivion will out-pace any effort orchestrated by the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury to replace it with new “money” (or credit). Therefore there is no chance between heaven and hell that the pre-2008 suburban homesteading and shopping fiesta can ever come back. The American polity is tapped out in all sectors, personal, corporate, and public.

Notice the two words largely absent from whatever public discussion exists around these matters — “swindle” and “fraud.” The reason they’re missing is because if they happened to enter the conversation, something would have to be done about them, namely investigations and prosecutions. The president is the person in the best position to set the terms of this public discussion, and by avoiding these two words he’s blowing the chance to begin the process of correcting the tragic course we’re on.

These swindles and frauds range from malfeasance at the highest levels to indecency in the lowliest cubicles — i.e. the collusion of a revolving cast of cabinet-level officials with Wall Street executives to loot the US Treasury, the probable criminal dereliction at the mid-level of agencies like the Federal Reserve’s oversight office and the SEC, to certain and outright street grifting in the traffic of securities known to be worthless at their creation. The current fiction that the public seems to be swallowing (for the moment) is along the lines of the old “mistakes were made” locution, which is an easy way to avoid holding individuals responsible for misdeeds.

*** end quote ***

At least this fellow has the honesty to call it for what it is … fraud!

A fraud on the Sheeple and the future generations.

How do we avoid this fiscal disaster?

Hard choices. Very hard choices.

On a national level, we have to begin to reestablish our moral compass.

Pay as we go. Not this “barbara streisand” that they use in Congress. But real pay as we go.

First thing that has to happen is we have to have honest money. No more FED funny fiat paper. We’re all adults. We know the situation is bad; we just have no idea how bad.

Audit the FED; strip the monopoly of its power. Redefine and dollar as some amount of gold.

(If I had to guess, FDR paid 20$ per ounce and immediately redefined it as $32. That was in the Thirties. We know that from 1970 to 2000, the dollar lost 97% of its purchasing power. Let’s guess the dollar was inflated let’s peg the dollar to gold. Let’s say the Treasure will exchange 1500 dollars for an ounce of gold and an ounce of gold will buy 500 dollars. No one will be lining up at that window to transact. But we will have fixed the number of dollars.)

(An easier idea is to repeal the legal tender laws and see what happens.)

Second, we need to “Save Social Security”. Hire that guy form Cato who did it in Chile and do something similar here. (Yup, some rich old folks may well get screwed. Sorry about that. It was a wlefare program anyway.)

Third, we need to FIX medicare, medicaid, and all the socialized medical programs (e.g., VA).

Forth, we need to prune government. (Bye bye Amtrak, post office, Education Department, and the countless bureaucrats.)

It will be painful, But what choice do we have?

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