by Robert Farago, TTAG

Survivalism should be a stealthy business. “If people do not know you have something,” thesurvivalistblog.net points out, “then they cannot make plans to take it from you.” Or, as a non-prepper would say, “Why should I prepare for myself when I can just take it from you?” Mr. E. Evans’ article highlights the dangers of Max Max misegos raining down on loose-lipped survivalists. His piece is a genuine hoot—in a scary-ass they’re not going to mention that on tonight’sNatGeo Doomsday Preppers episode and why doesn’t he bring up the obvious (guns!) kinda way. We pick up the story about a month after an ice storm has left Mr. Evans’ neighborhood without power . . .

But the merriment dissipates. A few weeks after, the only phone calls were cries of help. “Could I borrow your generator? The one you told me about?” “My pantry is bare, and I can’t get to the store. Will you lend me some of your food?” “You have drinking water, right? I need enough for a family of six. I’m coming over to your place now. Have it ready.”

The problem was those who had supplies needed them too. The well-prepared folks stocked up in the first place to feed their own families, not to feed the neighborhood. Ice storms tend to last. Their supplies were running low, so they had no choice but to refuse aid to others. The result? Grudges were created as some neighbors refused to help. Others felt slighted. Some had the entitlement mentality: “If you have it, then you owe it to me! How dare you refuse!” Threats were made, and feelings of animosity were nurtured. These feelings were not forgotten when the storm passed, and those who made no effort to keep their preparations secret became the biggest targets for handouts.

There is a saying that goes, “If the bomb doesn’t get you, your neighbors will.” This is why.

Oh sure, we can laugh about E. Evans’ paranoia. But it stops being funny when it starts being your Internet that’s wiped out by an EMP. And you run out of 5.56. In fact, how can you have a discussion about neighbors desperately seeking sustenance without bringing up firearms’ role in any such scenario?

Meanwhile, let’s face it: NatGeo’s Doomsday Preppers’ OpSec sucks. If you know what that means you know what I mean. If you don’t, you might want to start finding out. Or not.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheMilitantLibertarian/~3/pTvig46inFc/

 ACLU

Congress is poised to give final passage to legislation that would give a big boost to domestic unmanned aerial surveillance — aka “drones.”

As we explained in our recent report, drone technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, and there is a lot of pent-up demand for them within the law enforcement community. But, domestic deployment of unmanned aircraft for surveillance purposes has largely been blocked so far by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is rightly concerned about the safety effects of filling our skies with flying robots (which crash significantly more often than manned aircraft).

As we also explained in our report, the FAA is under pressure to loosen the reins and permit broader deployment of drones by government agencies.

One result of that pressure is this legislation (H.R. 658 — see conference report for more details), which authorizes appropriations for the FAA through fiscal 2014. Unfortunately, nothing in the bill would address the very serious privacy issues raised by drone aircraft. This bill would push the nation willy-nilly toward an era of aerial surveillance without any steps to protect the traditional privacy that Americans have always enjoyed and expected.

Congress — and to the extent possible, the FAA — need to impose some rules (such as those we proposed in our report) to protect Americans’ privacy from the inevitable invasions that this technology will otherwise lead to. We don’t want to wonder, every time we step out our front door, whether some eye in the sky is watching our every move.

On Friday, the House gave final passage to the legislation. House approval came on a quite partisan vote, with most Republicans in favor and most Democrats opposing. The Senate is scheduled to take up the bill later today.

Here are details on what the bill would do in terms of drones:

• Require the FAA to simplify and speed up the process by which it issues permission to government agencies to operate drones. It must do this within 90 days. The FAA has already been working on a set of proposed regulations to loosen the rules around drones, reportedly set for release in the spring of 2012.
• Require the FAA to allow “a government public safety agency” to operate any drone weighing 4.4 pounds or less as long as certain conditions are met (within line of sight, during the day, below 400 feet in altitude, and only in safe categories of airspace).
• Require the FAA to establish a pilot project within six months to create six test zones for integrating drones “into the national airspace system.”
• Require the FAA to create a comprehensive plan “to safely accelerate the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system.” “Civil” drones means those operated by the private sector; currently it is all but impossible for any non-government entity, except for hobbyists, to get permission to fly drones (for-profit use of drones is banned). Industry groups and their congressional supporters see this as a potential area for growth. Congress specifies that the plan must provide for the integration of drones into the national airspace system “as soon as practicable, but not later than September 30, 2015.” The FAA has nine months to create the plan. The FAA is also required to create a “5-year roadmap for the introduction” of civil drones into the national airspace.
• Require the FAA to publish a final rule within 18 months after the comprehensive plan is submitted, “that will allow” civil operation of small (under 55 pounds) drones in the national airspace, and a proposed rule for carrying out the comprehensive plan.

The bottom line is: domestic drones are potentially extremely powerful surveillance tools, and that power — like all government power — needs to be subject to checks and balances. We hope that Congress will carefully consider the privacy implications that this technology can lead to.

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Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheMilitantLibertarian/~3/N9SUSanxhlI/

from AkransasFreedom

There was found an irrational fear of imaginary Witches, now we have irrational fear of propagandized terrorists. (911, preemptive wars)  Then torture was used to extract confessions, now “enhanced interrogation”( torture) is used to extract confessions (Patriot Acts). Then a person could be arrested and sent to the dungeon for undetermined lengths without due process of law, now a person can be arrested and detained indefinitely without due process (Military Commission Act nullifying Habeas Corpus and the National Defense Authorization Act 2012)

Then the military was used to enforce laws, now the military can be used to enforce domestic laws, as well as martial law (John Warner National Defense Authorization Act 2007).  Then a person could be put to death on the whim of the ruler, now a person can be assassinated on the whim of the ruler (Obama/Anwar al-Awaki).

Then the ruler had his own court and was never found guilty of anything, now the ruler is never even questioned by his court, therefore never found guilty of anything (Bush/illegal war, Obama/illegal war and eligibility for presidency).  Then the ruler lived in lavish luxury, the finest clothing, jewelry, cuisine, none of which he earned, now the ruler lives in even more lavish luxury doing nothing to earn it honestly.

Then the ruler travelled by the finest of carriages, noblest of steeds, surrounded by knights/guards of the fiercest, now the ruler flies in numerous extravagant, finely appointed Jets almost on a daily basis, surrounded by untold guards with the highest tech, expensive equipment imaginable.

Then the ruler entertained with lavish, extravagant parties and sorties, now the ruler entertains with unbelievable abandon and piles of confiscated cash.

All this was and is done with total disdain for the serfs who provide the wherewithal that makes that lifestyle possible.  The serfs were/are to ask no questions, submit to whatever indignities they are subjected (TSA), fork over their hard-earned money (IRS), send their children to fight senseless wars, and if they don’t, they will be punished severely, even unto death.

Welcome to the new Dark Ages.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheMilitantLibertarian/~3/2KEbPUTy56s/

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheMilitantLibertarian/~3/WUnHbO6KnVs/

from The Whited Sepulchre

My employer, Jukt Micronics, recently opened a west coast warehouse to serve our customers in that region.

Where did we go – L.A.?  Long Beach?  San Diego?  San Fran?
Nope.
We opened our west coast warehouse in Phoenix, Arizona.  That’s a long way from the coast, where the shipping containers come in, but it’s worth the drive.

No one in his right mind will open anything in California.  The place is a regulatory hell.  The taxes are ridiculous.

Here’s something from Bloomberg News:

California (STOCA1) Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to balance the state budget in part with higher taxes on the wealthy depends on a group of top earners that shrank by one-third from 2007 to 2009.

Tax returns with adjusted gross incomes topping $500,000 fell to 98,610 in 2009, the latest year available, from a recent peak of 146,221 two years earlier, according to data from the Franchise Tax Board, the state agency that collects income and corporate taxes.

Once again, here’s the good part:

California (STOCA1) Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to balance the state budget in part with higher taxes on the wealthy depends on a group of top earners that shrank by one-third from 2007 to 2009.

It’s called Going Galt.  May the trend continue until Jerry Brown changes his ways.

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