If the Mayan calendar is correct, this is the final LibertyGibbert thread ever, so farewell.
If it is wrong, then it’s simply the last thread for 2012. I’ve been so swamped with work lately, I need a month at least before I’ve caught up. Plus I’m quarantining a week or two for family and Christmas. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get out more threads on topics like religion and children, gun law and thermageddon; hopefully in a couple of months, if work subsides.
2013 promises to be an interesting, if not a watershed year, in the cause of Liberty. Here in Australia, unless something really odd occurs, we will have a conservative government by the end of the year. And while they can’t possibly be worse than the current lot, they will bear close scrutiny to ensure the Liberal government actually runs a liberal democracy, and not just a crony plutocracy.
In America, the debt will continue to spiral although, according to most analysts, the day of reckoning will occur sometime towards the end of Obama’s second term, rather than next year. In Britain, the government appears set to do all it can to ensure that the United Kingdom becomes increasingly a client state—ultimately, a vassal state—of the self-combusting EU. Some bloggers maintain that Her Maj broke her coronation oath by allowing her realm’s government to sign the Treaty of Lisbon, and I’m starting to wonder the same thing. The whole countryside is being transformed into a gigantic propellor-art display which, while it doesn’t actually produce much in the way of useable energy, at least enriches a few wealthy landowning aristocrats, and makes the totalitarians feel good about themselves.
Maybe China is the place we should look to for optimism. True, as a communist dictatorship they are starting from a pretty low baseline, but it’s always the case that with increasing wealth and education, people will seek out greater political freedom. The much-vaunted Asian desire for harmony cannot forever prevail over the desires of ordinary people to determine the course of their own lives, and take their fate into their own hands. Those who oppose this will, sooner or later, find themselves in the minority.
I’ll leave this thread open till about December 20, then re-open probably the second week of January. Meantime, my very best wishes to all of you for the festive season, and for the New Year ahead.
Update: I’ve decided to hold an End Of The World party here in the Bar and Grill. The Mayan apocalypse is scheduled for sunrise Friday (0511 Mexican Time = US CST) so we’ll kick off at 0200 CST (0800 UTC, 1900 AEDST). Drinks are, needless to say, on the house.
Be Responsible - Be Free! 
Well since 2013 will bring more of Gay marriage on the agenda….
Anyone interested in being a participant in my annual Wickerman festival contact me and don’t bother to pack much.
Thank you for all your efforts in 2012 Oz’, have a good Christmas and come back refreshed in the New Year. (always supposing that darned Mayan Calendar isn’t correct )
Kitler, Thanks for the invitation but I don’t think I’ll be joining you. Wicker cages and Fire give me the creeps!
I’ll settle for Up Helly Aa instead.
Hi (and bye) Oz,
Actually I don’t think the Mayans predicted the end would come via nuclear armageddon…wasn’t that Nostradamus :).
I think the Mayans simply saw time petering out. On the other hand I think the Vogons would be just perverse enough to turn up on Dec 21. and consequently I intend to have a good supply of towels on hand.
Oz: You be back in the new year — OR ELSE!
Do we have to talk about New Year already? It drives me mad that some Floridians couldn’t even wait for the end of Thanksgiving (22 Nov.) to put their Xmas decorations up! My street right now looks like Christmas Eve, with the lights festooning the houses!
Thank you my dear; Mayan miscalculations permitting, I’ll still be here.
Any particular requests for thread topics, just drop me an e-mail sometime. While I do have a bit of a thread backlog to clear as you’re all aware, I should have a bit more time from February onwards – Oz
Amanda may Florida have a white Christmas, is that waycist of me?
Doesn’t time fly….Is it the end of the world already? I’m never going to get everything done. I was going to do so much too. Oh well, that’s it…. Goodbye everyone…..I guess that global warming never happened then. What a waste of resources that was.
How does it end exactly? Did they give any clues? Something involving a giant flying snake perhaps? Jaguars? Floods are traditional, it has been raining a lot. It must be pretty instant, perhaps the sun explodes? (Hope I get to see the Hobbit first.)
For those who truly believe, Golgafrincham “B” Ark is being readied, even as we speak – Oz 😉
K: You are incorrigible and irrepressible — but we knew that! White Christmas, indeed. It’ll be the white of the sun glinting on the water and glazing the palm fronds. If I want to see white whiter than that, I have to get out the Colgate Optic White toothpaste!
Hmmm, we get to think about thread topics… how interesting. Will do.
K re: 3rd December post: Eh? :^o
One of the more remarkable essays I’ve read this year, referenced in today’s Mises Daily:
A Sociological View of Obama’s World of Social Justice
And a fond farewell to my good mate Ric, who passed away peacefully at his home in Sydney this morning at the age of fifty-three. You may remember I referred to Ric last year back here. Ric was a locally famous musician down here in Australia in the 1980s, even supporting Stevie Wonder on tour, but in the last fifteen years multiple sclerosis progressively robbed him of his ability to play, walk or even care for himself. It’s a rotten disease and I pray one day soon a cure is found.
Here’s a sample of the talent that is now lost to us:
Ricky’s guitar
Well ozboy my condolences on the passing of your friend that really is too young to go.
Thanks mate.
Tommy Emmanuel (who with Ric studied guitar over in the States under Chet Atkins thirty years ago) send me an e-mail:
So he is – Oz
Here’s Ric back in 1988 with the late, great Jackie Orszaczky:
Oz’ I’m so sorry to hear about your friend.
I had some sad news myself this morning, my half-sister died yesterday.
She had a long and happy life though, unlike your friend.
My sincere condolences Mel. First thread next year will be relevant – Oz
Sorry to hear about Ric, Ozboy, and the disease he had to come to terms with (somehow). Life deals dreadful hands with alarming frequency.
Thanks Amanda; I’m sketching out a thread on voluntary euthanasia for next year sometime – Oz
Condolences to you, Meltemian.
My dad expects to live to 100 — barring the unforeseen. I think in his state of fitness, relative wealth, and freedom from trouble, that is a reasonable ‘goal’. For myself, I am not so optimistic. But then I’m a bit peculiar. I have what might be called a tragic view of life so I do think there are fates worse than death, and I believe that life always comes at a price. On The Spectator recently, I jokingly asked Rod Liddle why he was afraid of lightning, since ‘life is a vale of tears, a fail of fears, a trail of jeers’. So: ‘What do you want to live for?’ But then I’m deeply attached to life, even in a pre-rational way.
In any case: however long we live, the end comes soon enough.
Paging crown armourer
did you send me an email?
If not, your yahoo account has been hacked
Mel and Oz,
Sorry to hear your news.
Luton Ian yes I know I’ve had a case of arseholes effing with my account and my wife’s new site, it’s a long story. If I should meet the gentleman and I know his name a case of severe reprogramming ala North East style will result and they will enjoy a liquid diet for many months. I’ve changed my password etc and set up some blocks to stop it happening again.
Just checked my spam pile – I got that e-mail too mate – Oz
Happy solstice holiday to all that are celebrating the annual astronomical event. I look forward to returning in the new year to put my ideas into an antagonistic, but intelligent ecology! {grin}
P.S.
The Mises essay is interesting, the type of cooperative, collective social organisation that is described as a political or ideological option by Rawls looks very like the sort of reciprocal cooperation that empirical and theoretical research indicates emerges from complex social communities, whether they are ants, budgies, horses or humans.
It is always wise to double check science used to defend the status quo or that is advanced in support an ideological position; but the findings of systems research are robust that reciprocal cooperation is an evolutionary stable strategy. That is it emerges inevitably as the best and most successful logistical strategy when many social agents interact. It will prevent the large scale success of other strategies like individual self-interest, although it may be unable to eliminate entirely all individuals who are parasitical on the social system. The percentage of defectors from the dominant strategy depends on the balance of reward/punishment that cooperation engenders.
The point is that the sort of reciprocal cooperation that is the key feature of collective or communal social systems is not an ideological choice, it is an empirical inevitability as an emergent property of interacting intentional agents.
P.P.S.
I see JD has just made a fool of himself again by re-blogging the nonsense on solar influence being acknowledged in the latest leaked IPCC draft. May play with the ‘devout’ denialists, but makes him a laughing stock with the knowledgable.
Season’s greetings to you too Izen.
If the “knowledgable” you refer to were more honest about the uncertainties inherent in their field, revelations like this could hardly embarrass them. But then, if they admitted their uncertainties to any but each other (as the Climategate e-mails revealed), politicians and big business would not find their work so useful, eh? And there goes their funding – Oz
My email account got hacked a while ago and sent out Viagara adverts to some of my contacts, apparently from me. I sent out an apology to everyone, which was when I discovered not everyone had received them. One of my friends was a bit miffed he hadn’t received it and was considered ‘past it’ ?????
There was a joke a while back about viagra being given to the inmates of an old folks home
It was cheaper than fitting bars to stop the old men falling out of bed
Re the Cnnecticut School shooting and the blood dance being performed by the usual statists
Michael Moore is spouting that the US NRA is “Anti Freedom” (I’d tend to agree but for the opposite reasons- the NRA prags are all too willing to cooperate with the statists in putting sugar on the shit of restrictions to sweeten them up) – like being forced to depend on the state monopoly for your protection is a liberating experience?
Liberating from what? Samsara? this mortal coil of suffering?
When your life depends on split seconds, the doughnut munchers will be finished their coffees in about forty five minutes.
Here’s a detail about a recent mall shooting which won’t make the lamestream: http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=4000
The mutant took his own life after being confronted by an armed citizen, both were in defiance of the mall’s “Gun Free Zone” stickers
H/T; Firehand
Also, at Both; Pearl Ms and Appalachian Law School in Va
School shootings were stopped and the mutants were disarmed by armed civillians who were at the scene.
If we all look after our own personal safety, then there is no role left for the monopolist of force, and the monopolist knows that.
alternately, if we are defenceless before a monopolist of force, then there is no limit to what the monopolist can perpetrate:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=holodomor&hl=en&client=opera&hs=pzE&tbo=u&channel=suggest&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=YsPNUPPxFeak0QWXv4DICg&ved=0CFYQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=635
Malcolm Muggeridge and Gareth Jones were the two journalists who eventually managed to get the story of the Holodomore out and printed by a very unwilling lamestream press (the Manchester Grauniad).
Those who denied the holodomore were, as today, rewarded by the lamestream; Walter Durranty with a Pulitzer prize for his lies.
I’d better add, Gareth Jones was abducted and murdered by communists in china, a year after his and Muggeridge’s reports exposed Stalin’s policy of enforced famine in the Ukraine.
There are some statements comparing the Connecticut school shooting to a recent stabbing spree at a school in China.
The 20 stabbed children are still alive (if the mutant had known what to do – they wouldn’t be, thank goodness he was ignorant) but this is being used as an argument for the safety aspects of citizens being denied guns;
Rudy Rummel’s figure for murders of citizens by the Chinese Communist state 1947 to 1989 are 76,702,000
-some safety argument in favour of making the plebs defenceless in the face of the state, and making america more like China
http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/20TH.HTM
Gary Mauser’s 2006 paper “Would banning Firearms…” (third paper down here http://www.garymauser.net/papers.html) compares homicide rate to gun laws
Reducing availability of guns does reduce the use of guns as a means in murder and suicide, but it does not reduce the murder and suicide rates, means other than shooting are used to achieve those ends of murder and suicide instead.
Unless someone has a particularly morbid phobia about the idea of death by shooting as compared to death by any other means, what is the benefit of reducing* guns as a means?
There is arguably a negative benefit, as those who use violent confrontation (rape robbery and sucker punching sadists) are emboldened, as they are less likely to encounter prey or passers by who can fight back.
Note that the Aurora Cinema shooter did not go to the nearest cinema to his home, nor did he go to the one with the biggest screen, of the 7 or 8 cinemas within 20 minutes of his home that were showing Batman that night, he went to the only one which banned guns – naturally he didn’t comply with the notices, but the honest viewers whom he preyed on did, and the fat blue line who were at the cinema in force, were about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
Simillarly, if it is availability of guns which cause such events, why do they occur in schools (where guns are usually banned) rather than at firing ranges, where people with guns abound?
Also, what is the profile of those on the receiving end of homicide in places where defensive use of guns is allowed or encouraged, compared to those places where it is banned?
Are those “Gun Death” numbers going to consist more of ordinary, honest citizens, or are they going to be predatory individuals who got whacked by honest citizens in self defence?
_______________________________-
*I use the word “reduced” rather than “removed” as the only guns which can be confiscated are those which are known about, and by definition, only an honest (or foolish) person will leave a paper trail. The violent crimminals, those whose guns many would want to remove, will not leave a trail, and likely have very good contacts in the black market for getting more guns, whether stolen from cops and army, imported or clandestinely made.
To see how disgustingly simple the last option is and to dispel any illusion that a law will somehow “make guns go away”, search Amazon with the terms “expedient” and “Paladin”, the late author received a five year prison term (served with the hard boys in high security) for the subject of that publication, then later was “disappeared” for 3 months under British Terror laws, after some Asian youths were found with a copy of one of his books. All of those who’d bought e-books from his website received armed raids, and he was denied access for the remainder of his life to internet or computer. That is the extent to which his message pisses off the monopolist
Here’s John Lott, being shouted down before he can speak, on Piers Morgan’s show on the Collectivist News Network http://johnrlott.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/video-of-my-appearance-on-piers-morgans.html
Collectivism is the cyanide of the masses.
Google “Twentieth Century Motor Company”
Or here’s the excerpt – Oz
If you missed the update at the top, I’ve decided to hold an End Of The World party here in the Bar and Grill. The Mayan apocalypse is scheduled for sunrise Friday (0511 Mexican Time = US CST) so we’ll kick off at 0200 CST (0800 UTC, 1900 AEDST). Drinks are, needless to say, on the house.
I THINK CST is 6hrs after GMT and 8hrs after us here in Greece so that makes it about 10:00 in the morning. I’ll be watching (unless the Mayans have already got me).
We’ll find out soon. If the world ends, everybody have a happy afterlife!
There’s less than two hours to go until the end of the world. How should we spend our final minutes?
Well I don’t know about you lot, but I’m still here!……..or have I got my timing wrong?
Certainly feels like we’re all still here. Yet another prediction of impending doom, gone down the gurgler…
I wonder what went wrong this time? Oz
Happy Christmas OZ….And to all who sail on her….
http://fenbeagleblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/we-see-things/
Καλά Χριστούψεννα , Happy Christmas everyone, particularly the Oz’ Family.
I’m off to do the last minute shopping before getting the house ready for Christmas Day. Eight for dinner this year, should be fun!!
Merry Christmas all!!!
And to you SGDN.
As it’s now Boxing Day here in Australia, I’m doing my patriotic duty and crashing in front of the TV all day to watch the annual Boxing Day Test from the MCG. Also today is the start of the Sydney-Hobart yacht race. In a few days’ time we’ll pack a picnic lunch and watch the competitors close to the finish – Oz
OT
an absolutely fascinating half hour intro to Iranian history and culture
RIP Gerry Anderson….
http://knottedprop.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/rip-gerry-anderson-age-83/
Also RIP Jack Klugman and Charles Durning both great character actors.
And yet another sad farewell for the year: globetrotting cricketer Tony Greig, the man we Aussies loved to hate in the 1970s, but later became one of us, died of a heart attack today at 13:45 AEDST, at the age of 66.
Tony became Kerry Packer’s right-hand man in the recruitment of non-Australian players to World Series Cricket in 1976, and opened up the way for player remuneration to match market values, and not the dictates of an elitist administration. Though he didn’t know it, he was instrumental in advancing the cause of Liberty and genuine capitalism in sports, both in Australia and across the world.
He of the pitch report and the infamous keyring. Thanks for the memories mate.
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/tony-greig-dead-20121229-2c06b.html
Also RIP “Stormin” Norman Schwarzkopf commander of allied forces during the first Gulf War.
Been a bad year end to see a lot of notable people die more so than normal.
Vietnamese Tea with special qualities….
http://knottedprop.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/tea-brands/
Happy New Year all!!!
Καλή Χρονιά everyone, Happy New Year. Let’s hope for a good 2013, although I have to say the omens aren’t looking all that good.
Never let facts get in the way of a sensationalist story:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4721772/Sandy-Hook-shooting-weapons-on-sale-legally-in-the-UK.html
The sun confuses a .22 rimfire in fancy dress
for something that fires a bullet that’s almost twice as heavy at getting on for 3 times the velocity, and that faster bullet wears a copper alloy jacket too
Oz’, just heard about the fires in Tasmania, is everything OK in your neck of the woods?
Just heard about this too Meltemain, checking in for news Oz…..How’s things?
Oz?
OZ!! Sorry to shout but we’re getting worried.
Mel.
I’ve E mailed Oz, can you reply?
Fen’ Blackswan says the fires are in the area of Oz’s home. Let’s hope he’s OK and just too occupied at the moment.
Fen’ Blackswan says that the fires are in the area of Oz’s home. Let’s hope he and his family are OK and he’s just too occupied at the moment.
Oz,
hoping you’re all ok. hoping it is just lines down or a mast out of action.
Most of the Tasman Peninsula remains without power after fires knocked out key infrastructure on Friday.
Power supplier Aurora said residents could be in blackout for up to a week.
Power could flow within days….
POWER may be restored to some Tasman Peninsula homes as early as this week.
Aurora Energy CEO Peter Davis said mobile generators would be used to restore power to more than 2000 customers on the Tasman Peninsula south of and including Eaglehawk Neck.
“This is the first time we’ve used this technology in Tasmania and it will allow electricity to start flowing on that main loop,” he said.
But he said it would be some weeks before customers north of Eaglehawk Neck had power restored because of the damage to both main feeder lines.
More than 150 Aurora workers and contractors are working to restore one main feeder line.
Five Aurora crews are also working with fire crews to help restore mobile communication networks at Lake Repulse.
Let’s hope that’s the explanation.
I never saw a veldt fire when I was in South Africa, but I spoke to guys the morning after one (it had a dry gale force wind behind it).
I hope those fires were well away from Oz Boy and his family and place.
I’m OK folks – just. Can’t talk right now, back to you all eventually. Thanks for your concern and e-mails, we really appreciate it.
Thank Heavens you’re OK. Now we can stop worrying and just wait.
Phew!
Glad you’re safe
Looking forward to hearing Oz’s account of what he’s lived through. As long as it has a happy ending.
Just thought I’d post this as it seemed pertinent. Courtesy of Blackswan.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/lets-tell-the-burning-truth/story-e6frezz0-1226552629947