By Tom Rhodes 3/27/2013
Until political correctness overtook the USA, "equality" in the legal sense generally meant that everybody was treated equally under the law, not that everybody had an equal outcome in life. The fact is nowhere in history has the utopian idea that all people are equal ever been observed. The very idea that everyone is "equal," or should be equal is absurd. The utopian thinking that tries to dictate equality of outcome for everybody has and will continue to push towards despotic rule and diminish liberty.
Are men and woman equal? Of course they aren't so they won't have equal outcomes in a variety of ways. All people are individuals and different but there are measurably more genius men than women (7 times to be exact). You can also prove that there men are far more likely than women to be idiots. On average you could argue that women are marginally smarter than men, but on the extremes it is clear that there are more overly smart men than women, and there are more overly dumb men than women. Because men exhibit more outliers at the extremes of the intellect spectrum. This means a disproportionate number of men will win Nobel science prizes than women, not because there is a bias in the Nobel prize system.
How about speed, is it fair that 95% of the top sprinting records are awarded to people who trace their ancestry to West Africa. If you are a betting person you could make a lot of money betting on the origins of professional US Hockey Players, the majority are born in either Minnesota or Massachusetts. Utopian thinkers conclude that if there is a disparity of outcome there must have been some oppression or "privilege" that created the un-equal outcomes. This is a lie, and they know it. If it weren't a lie then they would be denouncing the NBA and NFL for being biased against Asians and Hispanics. Blacks make up 13% of the US population yet comprise 90% of professional basketball teams and 80% of professional football teams and are the highest paid players in both sports, there are more Hispanics in the country than blacks, only an idiot would think that this is evidence that there is bias against Hispanics in professional basketball and football.
There are many disproportionate distributions of outcomes. How are utopian thinkers going to correct the unequal outcome between men and women when it comes to lightning strikes? Men are struck by lightning 6 times more often than women, something must be done to make things equal.
The only way to justify utopian equality of outcome thinking is to reject rational thought, observation, history and the scientific method. Expecting equal outcomes by race, sex, national origin, religion, or any other observable difference in humans is sloppy un-reasoned thinking. There is absolutely zero evidence from anytime, or anyplace, that proportional outcomes have existed as a norm under any circumstance on the earth. The idea that disproportionate outcomes of any kind is proof of inequality before the law is a purely emotional desire for equality that has never and will never exist. The best we can do and the only thing we should strive for is that every individual is given equal treatment before the law. The differences in people based on race, creed, sex, etc. will result in different outcomes, that is not evidence bias. It is only evidence that although everybody is a person, not all people are the same and that certain groups of people have consistent and similar variations in their gene pool.
If you believe or argue that there are more white male CEO's and they make more money than black male CEO's is proof of racism, but fail to make the same racist argument about there being more and higher paid black than white football players you are being intellectually and factually dishonest. The academic and lawyer arguments that different outcomes is proof of bias is not justified in fact and causes significant unequal treatment of people based on race, sex, country of origin, etc. The idea and goal should be equal treatment under the law, not equal outcomes. The only way to get equal outcomes based on race, sex, or whatever, is to eliminate individual liberty and allow a tyrannical government to dictate the outcome of everything. Reality is that all people are not equal, some are smarter, some are faster, some are stronger, some have more drive, some are prettier, punishing those who are superior in some part of their being to others is not equality it's tyranny and flies in the face of reality.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Middle Class Going Galt
By Tom Rhodes, 3/20/2013
"Going Galt" a libertarian phrase that's not familiar to a lot of people but is gaining popularity in the public lexicon. It refers to people moving or taking other actions to reduce the amount of money confiscated by government, by taking their property and business outside of the government's confiscation ability. The most famous example in the US is Phil Mickelson contemplating retiring or moving to avoid excessive taxes. The news was filled with examples are French moving to England, Luxemburg, etc. to avoid new confiscatory taxes. Even extreme lefty Bill Maher is saying the Rich Pay their fair share.
It's relatively easy, for a person like Phil Mickelson, to go Galt. He has enough assets to live out his life comfortably without ever working again. For the average middle class person it's not so easy, but it's not impossible. The middle class going Galt is why Detroit went from an industrial powerhouse to a wasteland. Those people and businesses who could, left. My parents went Galt and escaped Detroit in 1972. What do I mean by they went Galt?
My dad left a major company in Detroit working as an automotive engineer with several prominent patents to his name to working as an electrician Florida. Went debt free and stayed that way. He went from working 70 hour work weeks to 40, but by moving to a state without income taxes, and a much smaller government foot print, we lived a similar standard of living on less total money. Much of America is doing just that. Private debt has fallen significantly since the bubble burst in 2008. Although many idiots still live with excessive credit card and other debt, much of America is listening to Dave Ramsey and seriously getting debt free, no credit card debt, no car payment, not even a mortgage if possible.
This is how the middle class go Galt. When the middle class decides to buy a $2500 clunker instead of plopping $2500 down on a new car and paying $400/mo to service that new debt, it changes the game. Banks don't make interest and the government is denied taxes from the sale of a new car. The more people do this the more it hurts the WallStreet-Kstreet cabal. It helps out your local garage, and smaller business.
The most common example of going Galt is Retirees, who do it all the time. Work and live in NY or Wisconsin for 40 years, then take your toys and move to Florida to retire, avoiding the property, income, and other taxes of those socialist states. Yes the weather is better, but more importantly the government no longer gets significant parts of your retirement income. Moderate homes in low crime areas are available in Florida for less than $75K, and have less than $1000/yr property taxes. Sell your Appleton Wi, home for a quarter million, move to Florida, pocket $150K, and reduce your annual tax burden by $4K/year. Put that money you profited from the sale of your home into a modest investment account, and it will return $6K a year. Thus moving from Appleton to a small town in Florida nets Grandma and Grandpa $10K a year and they don't have to shovel the sidewalk.
Taking your money out of the bank, buying silver or gold, or other tangible assets is also part of going Galt. Using cash and barter are all going Galt. Living smaller than you have too and saving is going Galt. Small businesses that decide to stay under 50 employees when they could expand but the owner decides the extra government intrusion isn't worth the effort is going Galt.
The fact is, like every similar society in history before us, our society is degrading and disintegrating economically, politically, socially, morally and spiritually. America is in permanent decline, period. Statists and leftists want to erode private property rights to prolong the illusion that our society is still stable and viable. The statists depend on a "dependent" society. Being independent, able to farm your own yard, fix your own car, live within your means, trade and barter and avoid the government is all part of going Galt. Those actions are make you independent, they are also biblical; 1ST Thessalonians 4:11-12 says, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
You don't have to be rich to go Galt, just quit playing the statist game.
"Going Galt" a libertarian phrase that's not familiar to a lot of people but is gaining popularity in the public lexicon. It refers to people moving or taking other actions to reduce the amount of money confiscated by government, by taking their property and business outside of the government's confiscation ability. The most famous example in the US is Phil Mickelson contemplating retiring or moving to avoid excessive taxes. The news was filled with examples are French moving to England, Luxemburg, etc. to avoid new confiscatory taxes. Even extreme lefty Bill Maher is saying the Rich Pay their fair share.
It's relatively easy, for a person like Phil Mickelson, to go Galt. He has enough assets to live out his life comfortably without ever working again. For the average middle class person it's not so easy, but it's not impossible. The middle class going Galt is why Detroit went from an industrial powerhouse to a wasteland. Those people and businesses who could, left. My parents went Galt and escaped Detroit in 1972. What do I mean by they went Galt?
My dad left a major company in Detroit working as an automotive engineer with several prominent patents to his name to working as an electrician Florida. Went debt free and stayed that way. He went from working 70 hour work weeks to 40, but by moving to a state without income taxes, and a much smaller government foot print, we lived a similar standard of living on less total money. Much of America is doing just that. Private debt has fallen significantly since the bubble burst in 2008. Although many idiots still live with excessive credit card and other debt, much of America is listening to Dave Ramsey and seriously getting debt free, no credit card debt, no car payment, not even a mortgage if possible.
This is how the middle class go Galt. When the middle class decides to buy a $2500 clunker instead of plopping $2500 down on a new car and paying $400/mo to service that new debt, it changes the game. Banks don't make interest and the government is denied taxes from the sale of a new car. The more people do this the more it hurts the WallStreet-Kstreet cabal. It helps out your local garage, and smaller business.
The most common example of going Galt is Retirees, who do it all the time. Work and live in NY or Wisconsin for 40 years, then take your toys and move to Florida to retire, avoiding the property, income, and other taxes of those socialist states. Yes the weather is better, but more importantly the government no longer gets significant parts of your retirement income. Moderate homes in low crime areas are available in Florida for less than $75K, and have less than $1000/yr property taxes. Sell your Appleton Wi, home for a quarter million, move to Florida, pocket $150K, and reduce your annual tax burden by $4K/year. Put that money you profited from the sale of your home into a modest investment account, and it will return $6K a year. Thus moving from Appleton to a small town in Florida nets Grandma and Grandpa $10K a year and they don't have to shovel the sidewalk.
Taking your money out of the bank, buying silver or gold, or other tangible assets is also part of going Galt. Using cash and barter are all going Galt. Living smaller than you have too and saving is going Galt. Small businesses that decide to stay under 50 employees when they could expand but the owner decides the extra government intrusion isn't worth the effort is going Galt.
The fact is, like every similar society in history before us, our society is degrading and disintegrating economically, politically, socially, morally and spiritually. America is in permanent decline, period. Statists and leftists want to erode private property rights to prolong the illusion that our society is still stable and viable. The statists depend on a "dependent" society. Being independent, able to farm your own yard, fix your own car, live within your means, trade and barter and avoid the government is all part of going Galt. Those actions are make you independent, they are also biblical; 1ST Thessalonians 4:11-12 says, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
You don't have to be rich to go Galt, just quit playing the statist game.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Best Money I Ever Spent.
By Tom Rhodes, 3/18/2013
A little over 2 years ago I replaced my antique thermostat with a programmable digital thermostat that cost me $25 from the local hardware store. I set the cooling program to only cool to 85 degrees from 7AM to 3:30PM, and from 3:30PM to 7AM cool to 80 degrees. I set the heating program to only heat the house to 60 except from 5:30 to 7 am and from 3:30PM to 10PM where I heat to 70 degrees. Although weekend programs can be different this is the schedule for every day. If I’m home during the hot part of the day on weekends I override the program. The results were excellent. Heating and cooling are weather dependent, so results will vary and this is not a savings for anybody whose house isn't consistently empty for significant parts of the day; but I’ve averaged using about 250KWH less electricity every month (right at 25% less electricity). It’s an important 250KWH as it keeps me under 1000KWH/month and they charge more for every KWH over 1000/month. The results since installing it are that I’ve saved over $750. My bank account isn't $750 bigger but I have more motorcycle farkles.
So an investment of $25 and 30 min of my time resulted in an average of saving $30/month every month. Even if I paid an HVAC company to replace the thermostat and paid 5 times as much, a modern digital thermostat correctly programmed can be a huge savings. The studies show that this isn’t typical and programmable thermostats don’t make a difference. Because most homes don’t sit empty for 9-12 hours a day to take advantage of programming less heating and cooling while a home is empty, this should be no surprise.
I know it's not the usual political subject, but think of it this way, the results are by reducing my electric usage by 25%, not only did save money but I denied the government about 25% of the tax dollars they would have collected based on my electrical consumption. So by reducing my spending on a federally taxed product, I’m starving the beast, and starving the beast is good. It's also an example of how efficient the voluntary free market can work to lower costs and put more money in everybody's pocket.
On a personal note, I work for the power company, so don’t any of you follow my example, it might cut into my 401K.
A little over 2 years ago I replaced my antique thermostat with a programmable digital thermostat that cost me $25 from the local hardware store. I set the cooling program to only cool to 85 degrees from 7AM to 3:30PM, and from 3:30PM to 7AM cool to 80 degrees. I set the heating program to only heat the house to 60 except from 5:30 to 7 am and from 3:30PM to 10PM where I heat to 70 degrees. Although weekend programs can be different this is the schedule for every day. If I’m home during the hot part of the day on weekends I override the program. The results were excellent. Heating and cooling are weather dependent, so results will vary and this is not a savings for anybody whose house isn't consistently empty for significant parts of the day; but I’ve averaged using about 250KWH less electricity every month (right at 25% less electricity). It’s an important 250KWH as it keeps me under 1000KWH/month and they charge more for every KWH over 1000/month. The results since installing it are that I’ve saved over $750. My bank account isn't $750 bigger but I have more motorcycle farkles.
So an investment of $25 and 30 min of my time resulted in an average of saving $30/month every month. Even if I paid an HVAC company to replace the thermostat and paid 5 times as much, a modern digital thermostat correctly programmed can be a huge savings. The studies show that this isn’t typical and programmable thermostats don’t make a difference. Because most homes don’t sit empty for 9-12 hours a day to take advantage of programming less heating and cooling while a home is empty, this should be no surprise.
I know it's not the usual political subject, but think of it this way, the results are by reducing my electric usage by 25%, not only did save money but I denied the government about 25% of the tax dollars they would have collected based on my electrical consumption. So by reducing my spending on a federally taxed product, I’m starving the beast, and starving the beast is good. It's also an example of how efficient the voluntary free market can work to lower costs and put more money in everybody's pocket.
On a personal note, I work for the power company, so don’t any of you follow my example, it might cut into my 401K.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Is VP Responsible?
By Tom Rhodes, 3/1/2012
Does Brian Szymanski living in Green Acres Delaware have a case against VP Joe Biden. Taking Delaware's Favorite Son and Vice President Joe Biden's advice Mr. Szymanski discharged his shotgun outside his back door. The result was the New Castle County Police arresting him and charging him with reckless endangering in the first degree and discharging rifles or other explosives. No injuries or property damage were reported.
While explaining that you don't "need" and assault weapon, and are better off with a double barreled shotgun, Joe Biden publicly said he had advised his wife, Jill, "if there's ever a problem, just walk out on the balcony here, walk out and put that double-barrel shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house." Joe Biden is part of the ruling elite; he knows that if he or his wife had done as he recommended she would not face any criminal charges. What he and the other ruling elite in Washington forget is that unlike them, everybody else is expected to follow the law.
Not only was Biden's advice bad advice, he recommended something that is clearly illegal. In Joe Biden's home state, Delaware, the law is clear; it is only legal to use deadly force if there is reason to fear imminent loss of life. As Mr. Szymanski found out shooting a gun in the air results in felony reckless endangering and other charges. Mr. Szymanski is obviously not all there, he probably didn't even know that his actions were the exact actions Vice President Joe Biden advised his wife and all of America to take. Biden has once again proven himself to be a gaff prone idiot, unless of course he's a sneaky cunning Machiavellian manipulator who is trying to dupe law abiding gun owners into illegal in order to forfeit their gun rights. . . . Can't be; you know the old expression, if it walks like an idiot, talks like an idiot, then it must be an idiot; Biden's an idiot.
Shooting anytime you don't know exactly what you're shooting at is irresponsible and a clear violation of the most fundamental firearm safety rules. These rules are part of every set of rules at every shooting range, or rules recommended by any gun organization, or any group that uses guns for any reason. Nobody who owns a gun and has bothered to read any owner's manual or taken any concealed weapons course hasn't heard or read them in some form or another.
Joe Biden's recommendation was not only ill advised and contrary to the most basic gun safety rules, and illegal in his home state, they clearly demonstrate his ignorance. His ignorance makes him dangerous, as are most of the ignorant ideas uneducated anti-gun leftists spew regularly.
Too bad we don't actually hold politicians accountable. If we did then Brian Szymanski would have a case against VP Joe Biden. But the reality is that both the rule of law and equality under the law are dead in the USA. The laws that apply to you, me, and most everybody else do not apply to the elitists in Washington. Follow the advice of the ruling elite at your own peril.
Does Brian Szymanski living in Green Acres Delaware have a case against VP Joe Biden. Taking Delaware's Favorite Son and Vice President Joe Biden's advice Mr. Szymanski discharged his shotgun outside his back door. The result was the New Castle County Police arresting him and charging him with reckless endangering in the first degree and discharging rifles or other explosives. No injuries or property damage were reported.
While explaining that you don't "need" and assault weapon, and are better off with a double barreled shotgun, Joe Biden publicly said he had advised his wife, Jill, "if there's ever a problem, just walk out on the balcony here, walk out and put that double-barrel shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house." Joe Biden is part of the ruling elite; he knows that if he or his wife had done as he recommended she would not face any criminal charges. What he and the other ruling elite in Washington forget is that unlike them, everybody else is expected to follow the law.
Not only was Biden's advice bad advice, he recommended something that is clearly illegal. In Joe Biden's home state, Delaware, the law is clear; it is only legal to use deadly force if there is reason to fear imminent loss of life. As Mr. Szymanski found out shooting a gun in the air results in felony reckless endangering and other charges. Mr. Szymanski is obviously not all there, he probably didn't even know that his actions were the exact actions Vice President Joe Biden advised his wife and all of America to take. Biden has once again proven himself to be a gaff prone idiot, unless of course he's a sneaky cunning Machiavellian manipulator who is trying to dupe law abiding gun owners into illegal in order to forfeit their gun rights. . . . Can't be; you know the old expression, if it walks like an idiot, talks like an idiot, then it must be an idiot; Biden's an idiot.
Shooting anytime you don't know exactly what you're shooting at is irresponsible and a clear violation of the most fundamental firearm safety rules. These rules are part of every set of rules at every shooting range, or rules recommended by any gun organization, or any group that uses guns for any reason. Nobody who owns a gun and has bothered to read any owner's manual or taken any concealed weapons course hasn't heard or read them in some form or another.
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET
Joe Biden's recommendation was not only ill advised and contrary to the most basic gun safety rules, and illegal in his home state, they clearly demonstrate his ignorance. His ignorance makes him dangerous, as are most of the ignorant ideas uneducated anti-gun leftists spew regularly.
Too bad we don't actually hold politicians accountable. If we did then Brian Szymanski would have a case against VP Joe Biden. But the reality is that both the rule of law and equality under the law are dead in the USA. The laws that apply to you, me, and most everybody else do not apply to the elitists in Washington. Follow the advice of the ruling elite at your own peril.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
