Category: Aggregated

Shortly after the Argentinian cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was consecrated Pope Francis in 2013, news stories reported that the new pontiff wanted to build a stronger relationship between the Catholic Church and science—one that saw science not in opposition to, but compatible with, religious belief. Some months later, the pope declared that evolution and the Big Bang theory of creation are real and don’t conflict with belief in God. Now, in the wake of the pope’s encyclical on climate change and the environment, Laudato Si (or, Be Praised), the press has exulted in the pope’s apparent effort to find even … Continue reading →

The problems we face today come from an attitude that there is such a thing as a “free lunch.” Though the majority of the people may endorse it, rarely do those who seek a free lunch bother to ask who ends up paying for it. It is not just the poor who are looking for a free lunch, the rich do so as well. It’s called welfarism. Endorsing the use of aggression to achieve this redistribution of wealth is acceptable for those who believe they’ll benefit from it. Generally that’s the majority of people. Some know that the principle of … Continue reading →

There are many variables when it comes to the best time to buy a new set of wheels.  I get this question on myradio show a lot, as people often wonder what the best time to buy is.  Years ago that was an easy answer – today it is almost impossible.  I try to alert my listeners when I feel the conditions for purchasing are better than usual.  As I write this in mid-June 2015, I see some signs that could have an effect on the final price you can get. Rebates and factory incentives ebb and flow all the … Continue reading →

The recent attack on a predominantly African-American church by a murderous racist has provoked a passionate debate about who is – and is not – a “terrorist.” According to FBI director James Comey, the perpetrator of the Charleston massacre – in which nine people were killed – doesn’t qualify: “Terrorism is act of violence done or threatens to in order to try to influence a public body or citizenry, so it’s more of a political act and again based on what I know so more I don’t see it as a political act.” Many are baffled by this, and point to … Continue reading →

Have you ever wondered how much personal information Google holds on you? The search giant has made it easier than ever before to keep tabs on what you’re sharing with it by using its services – from your Google and YouTube search and browsing histories to the places you’ve been while logged in. Read on for how to control what you’re sharing, and who can see it. My Account Google recently announced new privacy and security dashboard My Account, which brings together all user controls in one hub. It’s here that you’ll find all the information it has stored on … Continue reading →

Imagine, for a moment, that the top twelve websites devoted to libertarian thought– including LewRockwell.com–all decided to run a series of articles, on the same day, without any admitted cooperation.  Imagine these sites each released material carrying the same general theme–that “libertarianism is dead,” and “there’s no longer a reason to write to, or about, libertarians.” If you can understand the resentment that such an event might cause, then you might begin to understand the core trigger of Gamergate. —– It all started with a sex scandal… In mid-August 2014, a programmer wrote a blog post detailing how his ex-girlfriend … Continue reading →

“U.S. Poised to Put Heavy Weaponry in East Europe: A Message to Russia,” ran the headline in The New York Times. “In a significant move to deter possible Russian aggression in Europe, the Pentagon is poised to store battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other heavy weapons for as many as 5,000 American troops in several Baltic and Eastern European countries,” said the Times. The sources cited were “American and allied officials.” The Pentagon’s message received a reply June 16. Russian Gen. Yuri Yakubov called the U.S. move “the most aggressive step by the Pentagon and NATO since the Cold … Continue reading →

If you run a small business, you had better be ready for the new rules for credit card transactions. They begin on October 1.
If you are not up to date, and there is a fraudulent card transaction, you pay, not the credit card company.
I will not go int…

In Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan created one of the best shows in television history. He has followed it with a prequel, Better Call Saul!, which traces how the ethically-challenged lawyer featured in the earlier show — Saul Goodman — developed out of a perennial loser named Jimmy McGill. Breaking Bad fans are overjoyed that Gilligan has struck gold twice, and Better Call Saul! looks to become another television classic. And, although the show is not overtly libertarian, libertarians can learn from it. With only its first season completed, I’m sure the show has many surprises in store. But one thing … Continue reading →

When it comes to preventing the kind of blood loss that is caused by traumatic injury, there are only so many options to choose from. Until you get to the hospital, you’re mostly limited to applying pressure to the wound, or forming a tourniquet. Fortunately there have been some pretty impressive advances in the emergency medical field, such as QuikClot, which has proven to be a revolutionary life saver. However, there’s a new type of field dressing that will be hitting the market this year, and it may prove to be far more impressive than QuikClot. It also might be … Continue reading →

Former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is in love with another man – Alexander Hamilton.  Defending his man’s honor on his personal blog published through his new employer, the left-wing Brookings Institution, Bernanke recently said he is “appalled” that the U.S. Treasury Department is considering removing Hamilton’s mug shot from the ten dollar bill and replacing him with a woman (Bella Abzug? Elinor Roosevelt?  Oprah?  Who knows). Bernanke makes a case for “the greatest of our founders” on his June 22 blog entry, but in doing so he gets his economics and his American history exactly backwards.  He first praises Hamilton … Continue reading →

“No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that’s in the right and keeps on a-comin’.”—Texas Rangers In one swoop, on June 22, 2015, a divided U.S. Supreme Court handed down three consecutive rulings affirming the right of raisin farmers, hotel owners and prison inmates. However, this push back against government abuse, government snooping and government theft only came about because some determined citizens stood up and took a stand against tyranny. The three cases respectively deal with the government’s confiscation of agricultural crops without any guarantee or promise of payment (Horne v. U.S. Department of Agriculture); … Continue reading →