Hot Date
The lil’ lady and I haven’t been out to movie alone since Star Wars I. So tonight we are going to the Vintage Theater in the next town over to watch Sherlock Holmes after a quite dinner for two.
In other happy news I hear there are hundreds of thousands of bureaucrats in DC stuck in the cold and dark.
Ratings
I’ve enabled rating so go head and tell me what genius/moronic insights/dribble I’m providing.
The Witch is Dead!
I really needed some good news today. I’ve been dealing with the tax assessor and county clerk over getting our property tax reductions and filing our Homestead Exemption the last couple of days. On top of all that bureaucratic bullshit, statist “you don’t want to pay taxes?” looks and lazy government employee mentality it seems like the racists are crawling out of the woodwork in every area of my life too.
So this news came like a cool breeze carrying a cold beer into my lap in July.
Faced with stiff resistance from ranchers and farmers, the Obama administration has decided to scrap a national program intended to help authorities quickly identify and track livestock in the event of an animal disease outbreak.
Free State Project RIP
We have a political activist from New Hampshire visiting our little mountain town this week. Last night while I helped participate in trying to right the latest outrage to take place out there; I came to the happy realization that something like that wouldn’t happen here. That cop wouldn’t be able to show his face anywhere in town without being ridiculed. There is a positive aspect for the small town gossips. It’s not the fact that if you get a thrown in jail for DUI everyone in town knows within twenty four hours, (THIS WAS NOT ME) even if this happened in a town thirty miles away. It’s not the fact that if you get drunk and are playing grab ass with someone weighing three hundred pounds (ALSO NEITHER BEING ME) everybody knows within a few days. It’s not the fact that if you get laid off, have Mono, diarrhea, marriage troubles, erectile dysfunction, don’t kill your elk, go home to the wrong house (I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OF THESE) or need to put disclaimers after any possible rumor source in a blog post. The nice part of the local rumor mill is that everybody knows if a cop or politician (or anyone) is trying to get away with something. In fact I have a friend who when drunk becomes the meanest ninety pound chick I’ve ever known. Not that long ago one night after the bar closed she took a swing at someone missed and cold-cocked one of the local deputies who was trying to disperse the crowd. The cop didn’t charge her with assault since it was an accident. Or maybe he didn’t like the prospect of having to explain to everybody how a ninety pound girl managed to punch him. Another nice aspect of the small town rumor mill is its primary function of dispersing entertaining stories (like the last one) to all members of the community.
The political activist visiting us is a member of The Free State Project. I also was a member of the FSP until the state vote chose New Hampshire about six years ago. The Project was a brilliant plan to move lots of libertarian activists to one small state and basically take over the political system. I have since evolved to Anarcho-capitalism from libertarianism and can see the flaw in their plan; voting is a use of force. The FSP members wish to force their beliefs upon those living there who may not share those beliefs. I do happen agree that their beliefs (dissolution of most government) are nobler; however, it still doesn’t justify the use of force. Their plan is no better than the plans of those they fight since they all use the method. Spooner said it best:
The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two bodies of men, as to which of them shall be masters, and which of them slaves; a contest, that — however bloody — can, in the nature of things, never be finally closed, so long as man refuses to be a slave.
Putting aside the ethics of voting let’s take a comparative look at their results versus right here where I live.
I went back to 2000 instead of 2004 because of how difficult NH makes it to find results for anyone except the R’s or D’s. Anyone who wants to spend more time than the hour I spent can gather the data and post it as a comment. I also included Ron Paul.
New Hampshire 2000 Harry Browne 2757, 0.48%
Montana 2000 Harry Browne 1,718 or 0.4%
New Hampshire 2008 Bob Barr (Lib.) 2,173 .3%
New Hampshire 2008 Ron Paul 1,092 votes .15%
Total of “Freedom oriented” votes cast .45%
Montana 2008 Bob Barr 1,300 votes 0.3%
Montana 2008 Ron Paul 10,230 votes 2.2%
Total of “Freedom oriented” votes cast 2.5%
I did not save links on these, as I said it took forevar to find the ones for NH. If you think you have a reliable source that differs on the data feel free to post it as a comment.
As the data shows Montana has shown over a six fold increase in “pro-freedom” votes and New Hampshire has shown a .03 decrease in “pro-freedom” votes. If we leave Ron Paul out of the equation both states show decrease in “pro-freedom” votes but New Hampshire’s is almost 20% worse. If we leave Barr out of the equation New Hampshire show a 300% decrease in freedom votes, and Montana shows an almost six fold increase in freedom votes. I hate to say it (not really) but those of us who told them they would be out paced by Taxachusetts statists in NH appear correct.
Just to rub some salt in the wound I’ll post my own counties numbers; in 2000 Harry Browne received 0.88% of the vote and in 2008 Ron Paul received 4.60% and Bob Barr received 0.41%.
‘Shrooms!
Last summer we ended up with a windfall of lots of extra room that is dark, wet, and cold. So I’m going to add mushrooms to the milk, cheese, lettuce, radishes, potatoes, and onions I plan on marketing this summer/fall. I’m really enjoying the research, and think I’ll be growing Shiitake, Blue Oyster, Enokitakes, Chicken of the Woods and Phoenix Oysters.
Socialized Medicine
I question for all those fans of socialized medicine who claim that the quality of service won’t deteriorate. Why would this happen?
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams will undergo heart surgery later this week in the United States.
Deputy premier Kathy Dunderdale confirmed the treatment at a news conference Tuesday, but would not reveal the location of the operation or how it would be paid for.
“He has gone to a renowned expert in the procedure that he needs to have done,” said Ms. Dunderdale, who will become acting premier while Mr. Williams is away for three to 12 weeks.
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2510700#ixzz0eQDnXt3s
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One Week of Sobriety
Life is more boring sober is about the only difference I’ve noticed this time. All the people that I use to hangout with in the bar always had the better stories, adventures, problems. One more week and I can cash in the pile of drink chips I’ve accumulated.
Two Weeks Vacation
Every now and then I take a break from drinking, this time I’ll be spending two weeks on the wagon, today is the fourth day, I haven’t really craved a beer except when Mike, Kel and I went to the bar.
In other news the chickens have started laying again finally, and I’ve been making egg noodles with the extra eggs. I’m also doing the research for growing our own mushrooms in the root cellar.
House Finish Work / Done Kidding
I all but got done with the sheet rock in the house prior to the Last Log Party so I’ve moved on to finish work. We found a huge set of used cabinets at Restore in Missoula a little while back for $200. These are a darkish finish on Maple and when purchased new were top of the line, judging by the hardware and joinery. The lil’ lady wants to paint the kitchen cabs, and in fact the first set in the peninsula we bought new with a white primer finish. Unfortunately she has come to like the finish on these so I guess I’ll need to learn to do faux wood finish now. We got all the cabs in the pic, 3 other uppers for the kitchen (not in the picture but installed), a whole set of uppers for the utility/laundry room, and even had an extra upper I installed in the bath.
Before anyone asks the flag in the pics is the Bunker Hill Flag. I extended the ends of the Last Log in the railing an extra 4.5′ on either side to hang flags, garlands, hides, trophy heads, etc. The other side sports a Gadsden flag for now. The counter top (like the last one) is Gin-u-wine Colorado Pondarosa Pine (AKA Bull Pine here in MT) I and a friend milled these (and butt-loads more) from timber I bought from another friends dad. I did a hand-rubbed finish with Boiled Linseed oil (same as the other).
I finished all the shelving in the master closet this week and tomorrow we are going to finally get to the last boxes.
I think we are done with the unplanned kidding for this winter. We had 9 kids and didn’t lose a single one, even with the sub-zero temps right after they were born.
