The government of Gong'an, a county in China, is ordering its employees to smoke 230,000 locally made cigarettes. (Is their pension fund out of money?)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090504/lf_afp/healthchinatobaccooffbeat;_y...

Also, an article on Obama's tax plan, which will PRESUME GUILTY of tax violations anyone who engages in business with a foreign bank that does not "cooperate" with the Treasury Department. Expect other laws that preemptively presume guilt to follow soon...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090504/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_taxes

Please take a look at this story. Not only does it reflect how socialists look at private earnings, painting the issue as if it's US government money, and it's out of the good graces of DC that people get to keep their money, but it shows how biased the reporters are.

The term "raise revenue" being used for "taking peoples' money", the way the writers embrace a nativist "tax break for US research" that will discount a tiny fraction of money compared to the higher taxes proposed overll -- and only if the companie behave the way Obama wants them to -- and the way the tax increases are termed "savings" for the government. Incredible.

Unless one steps back from the first interesting facet of the story -- that a man was successful in helping his wife deliver their child thanks to watching videos on Youtube -- one might miss the underlying story. That is this: the UK medical system was unprepared to handle these people.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23684595-details/YouTube+...

Remember, you can re-vote for Gard to appear on Andrew Napolitano's "Freedom Watch" Fox Online program! Here's the link if you're so inclined!!

http://freedomwatch.uservoice.com/pages/freedom_watch_guest_suggestions?...

Be Seeing You!

Is it just us, or would it be nice if the facile "insight" of pop media figures never, EVER included the word "diversity" in it again?

Will Obama appoint a woman? Ohh, so exciting! An hispanic? Gosh! A black man (be he of African decent or some other)? An Irishman? A Welshman? A member of the Alarm? We're all a-quiver with anticipation! Hit that ketchup bottle and play Carol King!

How about this? Perhaps people should recognize the ethical problems of having an appellate body's decisions act as new law, and they ought to question the problem of the power that those written laws pose in the first place.

Interesting. The politicians call it a "Bankruptcy", but you're having your pocket picked just like the people to whom Chrysler owes money!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090501/ap_on_bi_ge/us_chrysler

Be Seeing You!

Here is a great article on why government insurance for bank deposits is a BAAAAAAD idea!

As Gard mentioned in the production for 4-29-09, this is the kind of thing about which free market economists have tried to warn people for years, and yet the gubment wants to EXPAND the purview of the FDIC to have them cover municiple debt and take over hedge funds and insurance companies!

Scary, Count Floyd, scary!

http://www.thefreemanonline.org/featured/do-we-need-deposit-insurance/

Be Seeing You!

As has been discussed in the Liberty Conspiracy Audio, there is no ethical justification for government involvement in so-called "protection" against viral pathogens, or any naturally occurring threat. In fact, there is no ethical justification for government at all.

Here is a good example of how reliance on government to "protect" against sickness makes the decisions anti-economic, and not as responsive as the private market responses would be.

KILL THE PIGS could be the motto for this kind of nonsense!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090430/ap_on_he_me/eu_swine_flu_drastic_mea...

Be Seeing You!

Take a look at this. The WSJ and other news agecies are trying to say that a DECREASE in GDP concurrent with an INCREASE in consumer spending relative to the quarter before is somehow GOOD.

The only thing this indicates is lower productivity during a time when central banking an government spending are starting to inspire changes in consumer behavior that will lead to higher prices. Duh.

In addition, note that the consumer spending numbers are LOWER than a year ago at this time, they are just 3 % NOT AS LOW as the last quarter. OH, BICYCLE REPAIRMAN, WE'RE SAVED!

Here are two reports to see, from the WSJ. Note how they are presented:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124100763955368325.html

In a free society, no non-participant to transactions and investments would be able to interfere with private contract. Private arbiters would be utilized, and companies that were in financial trouble would not be so easily "forgiven" of their debt by artificial government rules. Basically, bankruptcy laws alow debtors to defraud those who are owed money.

God forbid that anyone engaged in free enterprise should become successful!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/technology/internet/29google.html?_r=1...

Great going, Declan!

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/28/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry...

In a stinging blow against not only the principle of free speech, but against the original intent of the interstate commerce clause of the US Constitution, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of FCC fines for "indencent speech" on television broadcasts.

They would do it in the US if they could get away with it. As it stands, your productive income is stolen to the tune of 40% in some cases in the States.

Here's the story of Gordon Brown, you know, the PM who looks uncannily like Terry Jones, of Monty Python.

"LONDON, April 27 -- Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber called it "the final nail in the coffin" for the British economy. Actor Michael Caine threatened to move to the United States because of it, and one of Britain's top soccer coaches said it could undermine the national sport.

The NY Times Reports:

"The chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Sheila C. Bair, said in a speech on Monday that her agency should have broader powers to take over and close a variety of financial institutions to prevent taxpayers from shouldering the losses on firms deemed too big to fail."

For moah, go here, if you DARE!!!!!

Compare the reporting by the "Washington Post" and the incisive writing of Larry Kudlow.

First, the Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/27/AR2009042700872.html

Then, see what's really happening, the bond holders are being screwed in favor of unions in a patently unconstitutional move by the feds. Kudlow reports on it:

"Monday, April 27, 2009

Geithner: The Fox Guarding the Henhouse?    [Larry Kudlow]

Quick Update: We caught this nice piece, and wanted to share it. Besides the writer being unnaturally gorgeous, she's smart! http://girlinshortshorts.blogspot.com/

AND! Thanks to so many of YOU, Gardner Goldsmith is rising up the list for prospective guests on FreedomWatch, the online program of Judge Andrew Napolitano, of Foxnews!

It's pretty cool to see, and you can vote to help garner the attention of the producers! Drop three votes for El G Grande (AKA Gardner!), and help get the free market ideas of the Liberty Conspiracy on with the Judge!

Here is the link! Be Seeing You (hopefully on the Judge's show!)

http://freedomwatch.uservoice.com/pages/freedom_watch_guest_suggestions?...

Read on, MacDuff!

http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north708.html

Be Seeing You!

Take a gander at this piece from Louisiana, this paper chosen to highlight how one Dem Congressman uses the phrase "WE shouldn't be penalizing..." One wonders: Since when did Charlie Melancon become an executive at a credit card company?

WE, indeed. Anyone ever read the novel of the same name, which was banned in the USSR? The "we" here is the state, which is always opposed to individual sovereignty.

Yep. Since the World Bank runs off the backs of taxpayers, we hope you'll enjoy the warm feeling of having your cash taken to "improve" the world.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR200904...

Here's a great piece by James Bovard about what the World Bank does to "developing nations":

http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/the-world-bank-vs-the-worlds-poo...

Here's one by Jude Blanchett, back when he was an economics student at Loyola:

http://mises.org/story/1212

Anyone think their "Investment" in GM (IE the tax money taken from them by the feds) will be repaid?

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/04/20/daily69.html