Chinese imports: No one gets real like Dr Walter E Williams

[Donn]

Thanks for bringing that up - if you want to find out whether what her story about Koch Industries is true, why obviously, their COO would be the one to ask about that. One wonders why she didn't just do that herself - obviously, she cares nothing for the truth!

[bisontuba]

Read the new book 'Dark Money'......a lot of things come to light.....

Here's a look at Jane Mayer's agenda. Do you smell a rat? If so, where?

I smell a big rat...lawyer John Hinderaker of powerlineblog has been a long time defender of the Koch Brothers....I mean, no kidding he criticizes the book...he has to protect his clients, the Kochs....their father, Fred Koch, besides all of his other actions, was a founding member of the John Birch Society...that kind of tells all....

[Three Valves]

What about the people who see freedom as the ability to putt around on the lake without obtaining a license, or ride a motorcycle without a helmet to take another example? That is, as something completely inconsequential that might be enjoyed once in a while.

Exactly!!

Most people I know assume they need a license for a gun or boat because they are trained to need one for their car or to build a fence in their own yard or cut even down a tree!!

Now, if your Local or State Nannies say you need one, that's on them.

I have a bigger problem with bigger government.

The further away, or bigger it gets, the less it should be trusted.

The same could be said for Big Businesses//Big Banks that are cozy with Big Government.

[Donn]

What about the people who see freedom as the ability to putt around on the lake without obtaining a license, or ride a motorcycle without a helmet to take another example? That is, as something completely inconsequential that might be enjoyed once in a while.

Exactly!!

Most people I know assume they need a license for a gun or boat because they are trained to need one for their car or to build a fence in their own yard or cut even down a tree!!

I don't really understand how we got off on this tangent, but where I am, you are not "free" to do any of those things purely on your own initiative. And a lot of other things. I'm not "free" to keep a horse in my yard and ride it around, but we are not the middle of Montana here and there are plenty of practical reasons for this - it's a case where common practice and civil policy overlap so thoroughly that the policy is practically immaterial. People are in the habit of getting all frothed up about the marginal cases, but the practical benefit to anyone from this is that those people are distracted from what's really going on. Yeah, motor boat whoopee, guns, yeah! Economic opportunity? Ooh, sounds like we got a lefty here! But as long as you're sweating about paying your bills, your "freedom" ain't worth talking about.

[Three Valves]

Economic opportunity?...but as long as you're sweating about paying your bills, your "freedom" ain't worth talking about.

Oh, it's worth talking about.

While our thoughts, worship, the stars and the moon are free, money makes us more free.

Money gives of voice, influence (free speech) and more Liberty than if we had none, if just to buy a car or take a week off from work.

I don't see my employer as a threat to my Liberty, they make it possible for me to enjoy more.

They don't make me do anything I find objectionable.

The Government, however, does threaten my Liberty. It threatens to take more of it (money) away and use it to do objectionable things.

[Donn]

You're being hoodwinked.

[Three Valves]

Exactly.

I am free to be bamboozled!!

[alfredr]

Has this thread been locked yet? I think it is slightly political.

What can I do to derail it? Dorothy killing the wicked witch of the west didn't do it.

Do they have tornadoes in China? It is tornado season in Kansas.

[Donn]

Dorothy could step in as moderator?

[alfredr]

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

In many ways, the person with nothing is freer than one with possessions.

Mankind tends to become a slave to his creations,

Two of the worst are money and clocks.

[Three Valves]

I've been free with no money.

I've been free with money.

I'll take the money!!

[alfredr]

"Religion" or politics, I guess it comes down to what one chooses to believe to be true, or to be a reasonably good explanation at the time.

But this thread was started with a quote that started off talking about 'political angst about trade deficits'.

I went through/past Memphis last weekend going to visit my brother in hospital in Jonesboro, Ark. Will probably be making the trip more in the near future.

[alfredr]

Bloke, Thanks for the kind thoughts, words and the invitation, but so far (one trip) it has just been a passing-through. Eight hours road time, visit late afternoon, evening and early morning,and then eight hours home again. I would be glad to come and meet you, but this schedule would make it hard to fit in a side trip. Things could change in the future, though.

He, my brother. has gotten better since we visited. They will probably give him another shot of chemo soon which will probably slow him down again, if my understanding of what's going on is anywhere close. I understand the prognosis is good though; it usually responds well to chemo.

I should also work in a visit to Lee Stofer sometime when I get home to visit my parents. They live a hop, skip and a jump as the crow flies from him and I'm usually there for a couple of days, but haven't been able to do that either.

[alfredr]

I will have to check out alternate routes; what they might look like for distance and time. We went across northern Alabama and Mississippi on US 78/ Interstate 22. That takes us past Oxford, Miss, where they had a tornado recently (Dec. last year, I looked it up) and there are lots of trees down and tangled on both sides of the highway. It must have crossed the highway there. Redbud trees were in bloom along both sides of the highway; that was pretty.

[alfredr]

A couple of corrections: Looking at a map, or at least a digital representation of one, my route (I 20 to Birmingham, then northwest) really doesn't go through northern Alabama and angles northwestward through Mississippi.
Also, apparently Oxford Miss. is a long way off the Interstate, but the exit was labeled for Oxford. A tornado still did damage there.

[ginnboonmiller]

[quote="bloke]

below: American-made B-grade crap from "America's greatest days"...


[\quote]

Huh. I hadn't realized there was a Harmony factory in Korea, NJ that recently.

[Donn]

below: American-made B-grade crap from "America's greatest days"...

I don't know about the models pictured, but there's a market for some of that crap. Harmony archtops on local craigslist right now for $550, $650, $300; a nice looking big flat top for $450, parlor guitars, electrics, a lap steel ...