A Sovereign Speculator

Hacker Interviews Government Puppet-Master

2010-08-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

Most of you have read the free online novel Hacktivism End Game - Complicit Simplicity. Many have read the short story prologue, *hacktivist*.

Some of you have even purchased, and said you've enjoyed, the cyberhug.me trilogy. Thank you for sharing it, I wrote it for you.

It seems right to add an interview as an epilogue to Complicit Simplicity: here is A Hacker Interviews A Tyrant:

"Human Rights bless all through their complicit simplicity, by placing people above unjust law." - Allan R. Wallace

Avoiding Drudgery & Routine

2010-05-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

Twelve Years Of School, and up to a decade more school after. Now you have a proven ability to follow orders and complete useless tasks.

A top job opportunity follows, your future secure.

Then you train for the job, because your primary qualification was your degree, not your knowledge or abilities. Don't believe me, be better than everyone, but have dropped out of school. Will you still get the job?

The job you qualified for after all those decades of classwork, homework, and on-the-job -training: more of the same.

Drudgery And Routine

Life in a cubical. Escaping the box for weekends and holidays, then willingly returning to captivity.

The title of this post, Avoiding Drudgery & Routine, has the emphasis on that first word -- avoiding. Perhaps you are already out of school, beyond training, and now overseeing others as they labor in drudgery and routine. Has your life improved?

I didn't think so.

Ever see the picture of the donkey with the carrot dangling from a stick, permanently in front of his face? Is that you? Feeling motivated?

It took a life time to learn how to run inside that hamster wheel. Turn off the TV, spend an hour or two each day learning how to run your own life instead.

You can do it.

Start small, play and learn, but develop something that works for you. Find what income generating style works for you, the way you work best.

Some suggestions:

Learn to invest differently from zombies following talking heads. This and this advisory groups have free services where you can learn investing, and of course paid services where you can acquire valuable insights. Start free.

Start an internet business, something that can travel the world with you, while challenging your creativity.

Travel to other countries and notice what you miss most, then supply it.

There are other ideas, but you can find them yourself if you look.

So look.

Business Ethics - Integrity Matters

2010-03-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

I read a blog post the other day, and just went back to read it again.

It was titled Ethical Internet Marketing. The writer made the point that good ethics pay large dividends. Small minded people cheat, lie, and use black hat techniques to skim the suckers, once.

As P.T. Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute, and two to take him."

From a purely investment return aspect, that blog post stressed that you make more money, more consistently, by building a list of folks you have treated well. Their satisfaction with a first purchase leads them to trust you with more frequent purchases of higher priced items. You become a business person, not a con man.

I've found that business people I've worked with, not those that buy legislators to create favorable regulations and hide tax loopholes, but real business people -- are honest. Their hand shake is worth more than any contract drawn by any attorney. The don't flash brightly in the flame, but they aren't moths brainlessly flying toward easy money. Their businesses last.

Here is one reason why.

Instead of always hunting for new money to steal, they create long term relationships and value. They end up as wealthy as they wish.

And have no trouble looking at themselves in a mirror.

Integrity Pays!

Government's Irrational Exuberance

2010-03-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

When Alan Greenspan Declared there was irrational exuberance in the Stock Market around 1995, the boos and hisses soon got him to change his tune.

The lyrics were right, and we are now ready for another chorus of "It's different This Time."

It's not sock puppets and cannon fired hamsters this time. The silliness that had people proclaiming "the metrics of eyeballs looking at screens have changed the value equation," now has people believing that government is not a hindrance to progress. It's Irrational Exuberance for politics.

The enthusiasm for all projects governmental is a nice rhyme to the dot.com boom. Somehow ignorant and vain stooges with executive hair in Washington are authorities, specializing in everything. And people believe this is a good and enduring thing, negating history. "The metrics of ego enhancement have changed the bureaucrats are wasteful equation."

Not 'arf likely, says I.

Hacker's Eye View Of The World

2010-03-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

I had written my hacker novel, spread it's name all around, and yet hadn't really thought about what the name meant.

Complicit Simplicity

Kind of funny for a marketing type guy to use something 'cause it felt right, no market testing, no analysis. So I decided to write a creed for my Hacker Hero that explained it.

I have long appreciated The Apostles' Creed, but have also felt a need for a creed of my own, a personal hacker's creed:

"Without consistent ethics: Thousands of laws create theater portraying protection of the weak, while covertly rewarding the powerful.

With consistent ethics: Ten commandments are enough.

Most laws are enacted, most agencies and departments created; to legally legitimize immoral, unjust, and unethical practices.

I will pursue freedom instead. By placing people above law, freedom blesses all free people through complicit simplicity." - my creed

Laid Off? Start A Business

2010-03-03T18:12:00.000-08:00

If you've been laid off, you are in a world of pain.

Just because a slow business climate created by high taxes and increasing regulation has given you cause to sing those laid-off blues does not mean you need to suffer. In fact, in a few years you may realize it was the best thing that could have happened.

Don't shoot me!

The job you were laid off from was doomed anyway, now you have time to prepare for a future where those sort of jobs won't exist -- at least not in a way that could keep you above starvation. There is a reason jobs have disappeared:

The economy has changed, permanently.

The coercive education system that trains cogs for factories and political parties has prepared you for exactly the wrong future. The educational system of the last couple hundred years answered a request for standardized humans. Governments needed compliant citizens, corporations needed obedient workers, and wealthy elites needed worker drones trained to consume and not save.

So they sought to train you to fit their needs. It worked. Over and over again, it worked. But the new economy does not need drones, they will be shoved to the bottom of the heap. But YOU have a head start on becoming successful in this economy. Why? Because you are not bent over a desk or machine continuing in patterns you were trained to call success.

A new future has started. Good jobs are disappearing, good businesses are closing. Middle class cogs are being replaced. A third or more of the country is lying in rusting piles of cogs, cogs buried under the sand, and cogs being used as paper weights (if the government still used the same statistical measures it used during the last depression).

It's nobody's fault the world is changing, but the response governments are making will hurt even more people. Extending unemployment benefits beyond two years for people waiting for jobs that will never return - insane. They should have retained the original 28 weeks of unemployment coverage, offering job seekers training to join the new middle class: technology empowered individuals.

There are lots of reasons to start your own business. You not only have a reason to succeed, you now have the opportunity to advance away from the heap toward individual accomplishment. You may even become wealthy.

Go take a look at some of these real opportunities to Start Your Own Internet Business, compare and choose what best suits you. Being laid off may be the biggest opportunity you've ever had. And it was given to you.

Some people have all the luck.

Speculation Rules Part Deux - Free Markets

2010-02-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

I relish freedom. In fact the last few years while this blog and Speculation Rules have set idle I've given much thought to the future of liberty.

Free markets enable sound investments. On the other hand, manipulated markets encourage gambling. Over the last few decades government controls on trade, interest rates, business formation, and other intrusions of liberty have created high returns for those willing to take risky bets based on the effects of government interference. Sadly this casino attitude, backed by protection of the well connected, has caused major disruptions in discovery of fair pricing.

Some call that speculation and condemn it. It is not speculation for banks to take risky bets if they know that risk will be underwritten by bailouts. That is corruption.

I am considering once again blogging here regularly, come back if you want a taste of the truth. You can also follow this link to Speculation Rules , it is quite likely that there will regularly be profitable ideas for you to research.

The world is likely in for a couple of very bad decades. But I am optimistic for the future. The pendulum has stalled at an extreme, it is time for it to start a return toward sanity. It will not be governments leading the way, it will be individuals (hackers) empowered by technology. Individuals like us.

The future belongs to prepared (your responsibility) and adaptable (your opportunity) minds.

Get Free! Free the markets, free your life.

The Purpose of Elections

2008-07-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

We elect government officials to referee a game; they have come to believe this means they own the teams, the stadiums, and the sport. - Allan Wallace

Obama and McCain are the same vile liquid, just in different bottles. Obama will be elected (unless something unexpected happens) because he is more charming; voting for either is wasting your vote. Make your vote irritate the lesser of two evils, vote third party.

If enough of us vote third party - maybe we will really get some change.

A vote for the lesser of two evils is still a vote for evil.

Vote Third Party!
any third party

On another note, I wrote this at the BFU college blog, but it probably applies here also.

As you've seen in recent post I keep writing more and more on Squidoo, and less and less here.

Squidoo has more tools than a blog, and each entry grows in readership over time, instead of disappearing into the archives. I've tried various archiving methods on other blogs, but with few exceptions, older post just sit there unread. If you want to try Squidoo too, there will be a link on my "lens."

It does take more time to build a quality Squidoo page, but over time readership increases. It is fairly easy to find and improve what I've written, something that rarely happens to these journal posts.

Here is the new style I'm going to test for a while. I have a Squidoo lens that lists what I've written there. At the top of the page I will list my most recent pages, the others will be grouped by category. If you want to treat it like a blog, just look at the most recent entries.

If you find something interesting, say about education, scroll down to the education module and find more on the subject. I will be playing with the format - over the next few months it may change occasionally.

Go take a look, the page is (currently) titled:

"An eccentric old fellow who trains visionaries." - a lensography

The Morphing of the World Map

2008-05-29T05:47:00.000-07:00

Many countries are offering greater freedoms and opportunity, just as other are becoming more draconian.

Huge nations have a tendency to believe they exist to regulate their societies. Any activity or particularly any profit must need new laws written to control it.

"The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates." - Tacitus

Some small nations believe this is the way to get big and powerful - by copying the huge nations. This is like a start up company looking at General Motors and deciding they need 100 boards to make decisions, and constant meetings to operate "like the big boys."

There is a third group, Singapore, Panama, Hong Kong, and others that realize their economies will prosper, and hence their people, if they attract intellectual and monetary capital by being supportive of the creators of wealth.

Unlike petty despots that drain their countries to please themselves in the name of the people; some locations free their people and their economies to excel. The result is greater liberty, and greater wealth within these countries. The countries prosper, and so do their leaders.

These are the sort of countries that tend to be the flags in three flag theory. These are the locations people look to first when considering becoming a PT, or starting a new business.

There is a growing cadre of expatriates, or expats, from every nation. Some are just employees that are stationed outside their home country. Others have gone native and found a new home. Many however, are discovering greater freedoms and opportunities as Perpetual Tourists and are pursuing their personal sovereignty.

Wise countries are courting these individualists, realizing the productivity and creativity they infuse into the societies where they live. Tax incentives, economic citizenship, and improved communications infrastructure are some of the inducements being offered.

Expect the competition between countries for expat attention to expand as more netrepreneurs and knowledge workers (the netcohort) go P.T. Also expect a backlash of resentment from over regulated, highly taxed, repressive regimes suffering from "brain drain."

With the bureaucratic age ending, huge nations will have to adapt or they will dissolve and disappear. Smaller and more flexible nations are emerging as the transition to the new era begins.

Don't leave yourself, your family, or your wealth where it might be stomped on by the struggling giants of an age gone by.

What's Happening Now

2008-05-21T00:48:00.000-07:00

This is a bit of a test. I have been doing much of my writing over at Squidoo.

They now have a voting widget that might just allow me to show off what I have there. If this works you will be able to look at my Squidoo pages and vote on which page you like most.

Click through to see the plexo

give it a try.

The pages with material most like what you have found here will be scattered throughout the list (perpetual tourist, seeking a cure for the common education, that kind of stuff). Read the titles and the brief summary and pick what you would like to review. Read it and then vote.

Your vote on any connected page should show in all locations that have "grabbed" my list.

I will soon be adding more pages to the list, called a plexo, and they should also be added to the list available here. If you haven't given squidoo a try, it's both easy and fun - especially once you get used to their module page construction tools. They keep trying creative ideas - that keeps it interesting. It also has a web 2.0 community type of feel if you go for that.

Here is an invite to try Squidoo.

Squidoo is better than free - they have an ad share program that kicks back a small amount of money on each page. If you make $15.00 there we both get another $5.00 (mine goes to Bastiat Free University).

Squidoo is also a Google loved site - links from there will help your other web operations. Link your pages, or "squidoo lenses," together and multiply the effects.

Go for it - It's what's Happening now.

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Can Americans Achieve Individual Sovereignty?

2008-05-06T01:02:00.000-07:00

I heard from a reader of my PT- perpetual Traveler Squidoo lens. She had several folks trying to sell her "sovereignty packages," she wanted my help. I'm not a professional in this field so this was my reply.

I know of no absolute sovereignty available for individuals, that would be recognized by the United States.

Effective sovereignty is found using three flag theory and other strategies, but even this is quite difficult for Americans. The USA claims to own you wherever you live, and reserves some "rights" even if you renounce citizenship.

Of course the constitution says citizens have rights, not the government; it was written to protect those rights from government. In reality the Constitution is no longer used in America, it is the bureaucrats and the elites that rule by decree.

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." - Benjamin Franklin

You can be right, and still end up in jail.

In fact if you have enough money or status to be a public relations object lesson, they will come and get you in any country in the world. A bureaucratic nation is inherently unjust.

The most effective, and severe, method is to move to another country and become a citizen there. You can then enter an American embassy in that country and renounce your American citizenship. Very few do this.

Americans can legally have dual citizenship, but America will still claim you. Many do this, then keep a low profile as a way to avoid the very real dangers of being an American.

Get the free Sovereign Society newsletter mentioned at Speculation Rules. Get a few good books such as those listed in my PT lens. The Sovereign Society can put you in touch with lawyers that will answer your questions better than I can - they will be good lawyers with good current information. You will want to join their club eventually, perhaps attend a few of their weekend seminars in nice spots like Switzerland or Panama. There you can talk face to face with knowledgeable experts; no commitments required. No hard sell.

Make no sizable commitments until you have returned home and had time to think about the consequences.

I would avoid anyone promising you a passport or sovereignty papers - almost all are scams. A few countries, Uruguay for one, have procedures to acquire a passport for legal residents. Other countries, like Panama, can accelerate citizenship if you invest in the country - say a managed tree farm.

There have been groups that tried to set up independent countries with sovereignty for their citizens - much time and money has been spent, no luck so far. A few claim to have succeeded - but if other governments won't recognize their efforts, they are worthless.

There are now countries more free than the USA, but no place is guaranteed to remain free - including the US. Becoming a perpetual tourist is one solution.

You can acquire more freedom than you now have, but it will require effort to achieve it. It is up to you to decide if it is worth your time and effort. True individual sovereignty - liberty, freedom, privacy - is for now only a dream if you were born, and wish to remain, American.

Get good professional advice.

The Revolution: A Manifesto - Get This Book By Ron Paul

2008-04-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Amazon Books description and review:

This Much Is True: You Have Been Lied To.

The government is expanding.
Taxes are increasing.
More senseless wars are being planned.
Inflation is ballooning.
Our basic freedoms are disappearing.

The Founding Fathers didn't want any of this. In fact, they said so quite clearly in the Constitution of the

United States of America

. Unfortunately, that beautiful, ingenious, and revolutionary document is being ignored more and more in Washington. If we are to enjoy peace, freedom, and prosperity once again, we absolutely must return to the principles upon which

America

was founded. But finally, there is hope . . .

In THE REVOLUTION,Texas congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul has exposed the core truths behind everything threatening

America

, from the real reasons behind the collapse of the dollar and the looming financial crisis, to terrorism and the loss of our precious civil liberties. In this book, Ron Paul provides answers to questions that few even dare to ask.

Despite a media blackout, this septuagenarian physician-turned-congressman sparked a movement that has attracted a legion of young, dedicated, enthusiastic supporters . . . a phenomenon that has amazed veteran political observers and made more than one political rival envious. Candidates across

America

are already running as "Ron Paul Republicans."

"Dr. Paul cured my apathy," says a popular campaign sign. THE REVOLUTION may cure yours as well.

I'm about to order my copy of The Revolution: A Manifesto. I expect to disagree on some elements, but to hardily endorse the whole. I'll let you know more soon. If you want some free info on freedom (pro Ron Paul video); you can also check out the Bastiat Free University College of Liberty.

Ron Paul has said so much of value, and been so avoided by The Powers That Be (PTB), it will be nice to read his views.

The Future In One Lesson

2007-01-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

You have known me to write of fads like panics or poker, realities like business, potentials like speculations, and of course the value of approaching your life as an individual with you in charge.

It is now time to write of my retirement. I will probably not continue to update this journal - there is so much to do. I must pace myself or perish under the weight of too many projects. One project I will of course continue to pursue will be Bastiat Free University. I will continue to update The BFU Journal - you will recognize the style and ideas.

There is a short e-mail just sent to students of BFU that gives an outline of what is before us; a reasoned guess at our futures. Got to the BFU login / free registration page and look at the most recent news - it is worth the read.

You can also register at BFU for no charge if you wish - you will then receive future quarterly e-mails.

May you discover the best in your life.

Sincerely,

Allan - the Tsunami Hitchhiker

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Two Financial Tsunamis

2006-12-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

This is on one of my other sites, and is well worth reading.

You know I don't toss you around this way very often, so you at least know I think it is important.

This warning may be way to early, right on time, or just plain wrong.

But is something you will want to read and to think about.

Two Financial Tsunamis.

Evolution or Creationism

2006-11-30T04:38:00.000-08:00

I can see defenses raising already, arguments are bristling like rockets.

I haven't said anything and you have already made up your mind, there goes another one leaving the page rather than consider something new.

I know, we are all experts because we believe what someone told us. Everybody since, including me, is an idiot.

That might be true. We all use a very small portion of our brain, a few percent difference in partial use is all that separates genius from moron. In fact, by definition very few of those likely to read this are more than two standard deviations from the norm.

We are all average. The bell shaped curve for intelligence has a short tail. We all fall somewhere between using zero to perhaps 14 or 15 percent of our mental capability – at least that is what someone told me -- so I believe it.

In reality, I don't know. I do know when I was younger I was told that IQ runs from around zero to around "too high to measure accurately" at about 200. If we “cypher an reckon” that into folks using less than fifteen percent of their brain, there is potential for IQ to be above 1200. Everybody is bunched at the shallow end of the pool.

Should we be surprised that almost every decision of consequence, from living room, through board room, to the oval office, is based on emotion?

What is amazing is that a handful of logical thinkers were able to create a place like America in the first place. It is not at all surprising that two hundred years of bad emotional decisions have led to a USA in critical condition.

What is needed to take the bellicose arrogance of ignorance from any issue is for everyone to say: “I sure don't have the answer.”

What I do have is another theory. Yeppers, thats what we need, another theory for someone to latch upon and use to ridicule others.

Instead read with an open mind, consider possibilities, retain your right as an individual to say “I don't know.”

Now that you are prepped, I'll let you go look at Creationism versus Evolution.

A quick note on holiday gift giving

2006-11-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Gift giving and charity, they both seem so much a part of the season.

Some of you remember when this site started as an affiliate site to raise money for charity, that is why the URL is for charityshill. This site didn't work out in that direction, but I have a new one page site that may.

Top Five Gifts For Corporations And Companies.

Any proceeds the site accrues will go to charity. This is a new site, it does need some cleaning up - and I'd better be fast if I'm going to catch any of the corporate holiday gift buying. In fact I expect many of the readers will look at the top 5 gift list to start thinking about next years holiday season.

That's ok. this site will be up for a long time.

I know some of you have your own companies, and others are executives or consultants. Here is a chance to get cool ideas for your employees, and have a bit more go to charity.

If you want to look at some nice special gifts of a more personal nature, check out the Swiss Goodies and Gifts Selection on another one page site.

One of these days I will hit that charity shill button that actually works.

Go take a look.

Thanks,

Allan

P.S. Please leave a comment or give a rating when you drop by.

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Time for a blogging vacation

2006-11-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

I should be back sometime before December, maybe.

In the meantime, check out those favorites and archives to the left. Those should be helpful today, and even more helpful after the big one.

If you want a peek at a guess on the socially interactive future....

or consider this as a warning:

"Lenders are herding creatures. They tend to think the same thoughts at the same time." - James Grant.

A Secret Step To Successs

2006-11-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

"Reaching peak performance in business or life requires a mind that elevates you. But true success also requires a place to go. That's where purpose comes in. With purpose, you're able to maintain your peak performance for a long time." -- Zig Ziglar

Even goals are not enough. What can get us through those dry periods we will all face is an over riding purpose in our life.

If you haven't yet considered your personally chosen life purpose, don't take this lightly. Maybe it is time to close your browser, grab a notebook and pen, or your pda, and take a walk.

There are bound to be trials and tribulations in your life, everyone has them. One of the greatest costs of these trials is when we let them stop us from continuing our pursuit of a goal. Once the trial is past we have to restart our life, and frequently take a different path than we were on. Starting over takes time and effort.

A powerful personal Purpose can overcome that tendency to lose the progress we have made.

Your purpose is a focal point on the horizon that you can use to guide your journey. Like goals, your purpose can change, but that should only happen when you have spent a great deal of time considering alternatives.

If your self chosen purpose is to put missionaries in the field, that is not likely to change. If your purpose is to travel around the world and teach; your meeting of a significant other and starting a family will probably re-order your priorities, your goals, and your purpose.

This is a personal choice, something that you know has the power to keep you walking when the night turns stormy.

Find a driving purpose and cherish it. If you will not relinquish it to despair it will help guide you to your journeys end.

Your well defined purpose can make the difference between a normal life spent in quiet despair, and a quality life well spent.

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A Change At Bastiat Free University

2006-11-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

Bastiat Free University has always been centered around free.

Free as in outside of government control, and free as in letting interested students have no-charge access to classes.

In many ways BFU has historically sought to deemphasize what they call their degree track option. Degree track involves a low cost approach to earning your college degree. They claim to offer both low cost and no cost, quality, self-directed, distance learning.

The emphasis has always been on learning as being more important than chasing a certificate. The ideal BFU student has been pictured as a business person that wants to learn about the world - and about improving their business. BFU has even gone so far as to state that starting your own business can be a better choice than attending college, even their college.

The two newest programs at Bastiat University run counter to this prior emphasis on no-cost learning. They now have, or are more appropriately they are creating, an Achievement Certificate Program and a new BFU idea they are calling a subscription college.

In fact in one of their recent BFU blog posts they openly discussed some of the disadvantages of distance learning, and proposed a solution to many of them. They suggest you start your own local study and support group. They even go so far as to suggest offering a discount for group study under the subscription college plan.

Interestingly they don't stress the still available no-charge college format, even though they do mention it a couple of times. It is apparent they have no intention of taking the free out of Bastiat Free University. It is equally apparent they are striving to deliver what their students say they want.

I've referred to Bastiat Free University as being student-centric a couple of times recently. Perhaps they aren't changing that much after all.

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The Entrepreneurs Expected Value (ev) & Customer Service

2006-10-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Poker players understand expected value, too few business people do.

If you watch people on TV play poker, or play poker yourself, you probably understand ev.

Most often it is expressed after a bad beat forces a player out of a game, and he states "well, that's poker," and walks away.

The difference is in business you can plan your bad beats - and your eventual triumph resulting from them.

If you play regular ring poker there will be many times the odds are in your favor, and you will still lose. If you are measuring one game or a nights play - it can look real bad. It can stay bad for a long time before you regress to the norm and things average out. The key is not to look at individual games - but at all the games you will play in your life as one long poker game.

If your odds on winning a hand are 51% and you play it to lose as little as possible if you lose and to win as much as possible if you win - then even if you lose you win. On average, over that one life long poker game.

Businessmen far to often look at each sale as a complete game. Your total product cost is ten dollars, your advertising cost to bring in 10 potential customers is fifteen dollars. If a sale results in a twenty five dollar transaction - how many customers must you convert to reach a profit?

That was a trick question.

In most businesses a current customer is far more likely to re-buy your product, or buy other products, or buy a more expensive product than someone brought in new from advertising.

Your new customer is worth whatever they will buy from you for the rest of their life. Customer service is a profitable life long business game.

It is easy to discover the ev of a poker play. To discover the value of a customer you will have to observe and measure your existing customers. There is obviously hidden value in good customer service, but what is it really worth?

You may find that on average each new customer will buy that same item from you three times a year, and one out of four will buy a seventy five dollar upgrade. Now what were those ads worth, and how many customers do you need to acquire?

You may also find that one out of twenty customers will be in the market for a several thousand dollar back end sale - what kind of customer service will that justify?

Your customer service, customer retention, and consistent customer contacts may be the easiest way to increase your revenues.

Customer service, integrity, and predictable returns are all part of looking at the entrepreneur's ev. An entrepreneur is someone that helps people for profit.

(That is usually much more satisfying than pleasing a boss for profit.)

Most businessmen never get past thinking about that one first sale. In that above question, what kind of profit will you expect in the next year if you convert one potential customer out of twenty into that first sale?

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Social Emotional or Individual logical

2006-10-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

The answer to which of these you fall under is yes.

Most can logically make decisions when they are alone. Few can make logical decisions that oppose the group, and almost none consistently.

We harbor both viewpoints within the same persona - each denying the other in turn. The rationalization process has us willingly accept information that we could with proper distance regard as foolish.

It is not so much that we don't desire to have an open mind, it is that we would have to be able to hold two contrary opinions at the same time - difficult even if both are true.

The classic demonstration is of a soldier in a foxhole being told to join the attack. He is safer if he just ducks his head and stays where he is. He is aware of the social context however. If everyone ducks their head there will be no battle - he knows that will not happen. If only some respond they will be defeated - and his side's defenses will decrease exposing him to more danger with a counter-attack. If everyone attacks - some will die, but overall his odds improve beyond the weakened attack. the combination results in most soldiers attacking most of the time.

When discussing politics most followers of the party line know their arguments are silly and emotional claptrap at best, any party line is. They chose to attack the other party with this silly tripe because it is the best trade off between admitting they are manipulated fools and accusing the other party of being manipulated fools. So they attack.

What if they gave an election and everyone stayed home? The same thing as if they gave a war and nobody came. Unfortunately it won't happen.

There is another option if you have a shade of dignity and are not a manipulated fool.

Vote for any third party

Do You Believe In Media Bias? What about Scientific error?

2006-10-21T03:34:00.000-07:00

Bias from Fox or CNN?

If you say both - congratulations. If you picked just one I know what party you back - go away, you bore me.

You know I'm not democrat or republican. I was e-mailed a historical foot note taken from material provided by the NY Times for teachers.

I went to the archive for these historical notes and glanced down the daily selection. There is obviously a bias, review it yourself. The media strives to monopolize your ears so that you will not open your eyes.

This is a try to tie together Bush & Nixon and make it seem just a historical note - it is politicking in a blatant way by a source that would claim to be neutral.

Do you see any negatives in the selected columns about Democrats? What about the years of protests and violence about the Vietnam war that Kennedy started with military advisers, and Johnson escalated with great vigor -against strident protests. There is no mention of the anti-war riots and police violence at the Democratic National convention in Chicago.

The parallels to today's growing anti-war protests would seem newsworthy. You need to maintain your disbelief but may need broaden it to contain your current opinions.

You have often seen a major media outlet pointing out the parallels of the Mideast and Vietnam. Did they ever mention that the Vietnam war was started by democrats - and ended by a republican - Nixon?

Politics is dirty - and newspapers are still used to carry out the trash.

Both parties are very dirty, both do not care about people - only the power and money they can suck out of them. Neither one will fix the problems facing our nation. We know this - why debate if one might cause a little different type of pain as they destroy the country?

To paraphrase myself:

Most political news reports, and blogs, are insidious invidious invective seemingly written by scheming fourth graders hoping to influence gullible third graders. -- Allan Wallace

In fact Geo. Washington may have been the last ethical president. George Washington held a unique political qualification, he did not want the job.

On a different note.

I was reading about Franklin's Autobiography edited by a decedent of Franklin when I remembered that Franklin had fought inoculations. I doubt the related editor spent much time on Franklin's errors - his many truly wonderful accomplishments would be much better fare. I can't complain, as a Wallace I enjoyed the movie Braveheart.

Franklin fighting small pox inoculations reminded me that Washington might have died from over bleeding - they took something like three pints of his blood trying to heal him of his fever. It is amazing that germ theory was such a recent development.

"An important scientific innovation rarely makes its way by gradually winning over and converting its opponents: What does happen is that the opponents gradually die out." - Max Planck, pioneer of quantum theory

And I would add - the opponents might have been right - and it will take generations to reverse scientific errors introduced.

We are still in the dark ages, at least I expect future historians to view us as such.

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Debt Addiction In California

2006-10-20T10:24:00.001-07:00

Not just the people -- California itself is in trouble.

Our billions of dollars of bond issues are to pay for current expenses. Billions in debt for maintenance of state vehicles for instance. Services are breaking down, and I have heard "public servants" using the word "citizen" as a swear word.

A business in money problems would cut back - Californian's could easily do better with 50% less government. Instead the government keeps growing. It now exists only to feed itself as a parasite on the taxpayers and their children.

No financial adviser would tell you to put breakfast on your credit card and pay it off with minimum payments. California is doing that - with thirty year bonds.

Politicians are not robbing from the rich to give to the poor, they are stealing the children's future life style to buy themselves votes and power.

A standard measure of the quality of an economist is how much they focus on short term results. Politics is like eating candy - quick pleasure - long term risks. Economics should be like going to the dentist - occasionally short term pain creates long term good results. A good economist focuses on the mid and long term ramifications of current actions.

There is no stomach in California for even thinking or talking about the long term - it's all about now. California's legislature is following the politicos favorite economist -- John Maynard Keynes of "In the long run we will all be dead."

A government of, by, and for the proposition "eat , drink, and be Merrie, for tomorrow we die."

We are part of an empire in rapid decline.

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Imagine There's No People - The Earth Without Man

2006-10-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

My sister is a very intelligent and well informed gal, she sent me this link to a graphic on how the earth would shape up if man were eliminated.

This is my response:

I reviewed it quickly.

But as I understand it methane is largely a by product of animal waste - so it will not be gone unless all animals are gone. I'm sure some of the other science is likewise enthusiastically presented - I know, thats not the point.

Thomas Malthus proved in the late1700s that the earth could not support its then current population - similar scientists and economists are still proving the same thing. Some century the may be right - just not this one. There is plenty of food - just lousy government controlled methods of distribution. Again - not the point of the graphic.

The point seems to be earth will be better without everyone else, I'm sure the author would like to preserve their little tribe - maybe. This may be the environmentalist religion's (I consider that graphic a partial statement of faith) version of the Jehovah Witness' 144 thousand - a few selected individuals will remain. How do they plan to de-select the rest of humanity?

If I were able I would concoct a similar time-line of what could be accomplished if people were not shackled with unreasonable societal constraints, laws, and regulations.

Man's ingenuity and God's direction can clean up this mess much faster - and all done in enlightened self interest.

A first step from my admittedly extremist viewpoint is to disassemble the too BIGS, big government, big corporations, big unions, big education, etc. I happily can be an optimist because I believe the end of the industrial age is doing this.

Individuals empowered by technology can and will define solutions to the pressing problems now faced.

Love and blessings,

Allan

Make A Decision

2006-10-17T01:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing will happen as long as you remain uncommitted to accomplishment - you have to decide to act.

"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." -- Leonardo da Vinci

You can continue to stumble forward without a goal - or you can make life happen.

Decide two things right now.

I will discover a driving why in my life that will not let me rest and evade accomplishment
I will discover a need in others that is important for me to meet.

And then decide to do what is ethically and lovingly possible to accomplish the goals you will discover.

For your life to have meaning, for you to discover fulfillment, you have to first decide and then dedicate yourself to something larger than yourself.

At our center we all are selfish - so meet your own needs and wants. Then go beyond your needs and wants to help others.

You have the power of choice, as Voltaire said "Man is free at the moment he wishes to be."

To actually exercise that choice:

Make a decision!

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Dire Predictions and the New Realities

2006-10-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

John Greer starts and ends with peak oil, but the route he takes in between exposes a dream picture hung in front of a window to hide poverty.

Greer does a great job of entertaining with analogy as he points out what he calls Hallucinated Wealth.

He got me thinking along the same lines.

The "let them eat cake" economic statistics and political pronouncements hide and disguise the unraveling real economy. Crashes of one bubble lead to the immediate inflation of the next bubble. Each bubble is of necessity created a bit larger and more unstable than the prior one.

The old saying that a broken clock is right two times a days is frustrating those of clear vision. They pronounce the end of a bubble and position themselves to profit from the pop, and frequently do make huge profits.

The problem is encountered in retaining the profits. Because their clear vision has shown them the bubble rests on a house of cards, they expect the bubble's burst to blow down the weak structure supporting it. They then bet accordingly.

A new bubbles emergence lifts the weakened house of cards structure and the new imbalance comes into play.

Greer's analysis is good and worth considering. My potential disagreement would come in the effects to be wrought by the collapse of the industrial age - or as he views it the slow decline back to an agrarian society.

I think there will be disruptions along the route to the Netcohort Society. I also believe that scarcity does not have to be a cause of decline, but necessity will once more become the mother of invention. The delay of minor necessity by government intervention and reality cloaking only increases the size of disruptions along the route.

Such as price controls that lead to scarcity without a financial incentive to solve the problem.

In the late 1700s Thomas Malthus talked about earth's population overcoming its ability to feed itself. At this point the inventions and revelations leading to the industrial age were already in place. Industrial farming had the capability to feed a growing world.

While the capabilities to feed a world are in place, government interventions still prevent distribution of edible wealth.

In 1801 when Jacquard invented the first programmable production tool, the seeds were planted for an era beyond the industrial age. That this new era has been delayed so long is the result of factors buried within the industrial age itself.

Industrialization promotes the satisfaction of wants on a general scale. Specific needs are not addressed as the economies of production are in huge runs of one size fits all solutions. Huge bureaucracies became the norm, as size enabled the efficient methods of central control.

This has been a bad fit for human society as individualism and seeking of personal satisfaction is at the core of humanity. Greer's comments (remember John Greer) on peak oil correspond with the deflation, or a possible implosion, of the industrial age.

We do not have to return to a past era now that the declining age is weak.

The individual is being empowered by technology. Technology is similarly empowering small and mobile Netcohort teams to craft solutions on a small scale while retaining the incentives necessary to inspire creativity.

In is not just the industrial age that is passing, it is the age of HUGE that is dying. Internationally powerful corporations, governments, systems - they are all finally obsolete. Of course their death throes will be dangerous.

If we must have a historical model to describe the future let's return to the Renaissance.

The Netcohort will travel to the most accommodating location to practice their economic mercenary arts. These creative solution finders already function in a similar fashion just as the free lances and condotta were selected to work under their own captains.

The peak of resource based cheap energy may be upon us - but it does not necessitate a return to a drab and overworked existence.

The future may be quite bright.

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Direct To Desktop Communications

2006-10-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

I love it when a new media technology like direct to desktop communication first appears.

Read this short story on a new communications tool, perhaps even a new media. This is about communications that, unlike marketing e-mails, may get read. This is based in permission marketing, and permission marketing is powerful.

Yesterday I listened to a recorded conversation between two knowledgeable greats of direct marketing. They discussed the old pre-Internet and e-mail days, and how things had both changed and stayed the same. There was a lot of good information and some amazing insights.

The successful direct mail guy was now using print media to send leads to his web sites. He mentioned how everything is always changing, and you have to be able to adapt, he said his new marketing campaign had streaming video.

Okay so far, nothing new.

The other guy, who started on the net and was starting to expand the value of his list with off line marketing dropped a one line bomb shell. He said with the difficulties that had increasingly plagued e-mail, he was sending his clients messages direct to their desktop - and avoiding depending on e-mail. Then the conversation moved on.

What was that?

Direct to Desktop? Communications direct to a prospects or customers desktop and minimizing the hassles of using e-mail?

I wanted to know more.

I've found out a bit more, or I should say the information found me, and a program based on direct to desktop publishing starts this morning.

This may not be the whole story, but you never know everything when a new technology hits. Those who used the early TRS80 and Apple II personal computers had no idea of where it might lead - but they were well ahead of the pack when powerful change came.

Direct To Desktop communications, we may just be seeing a part of it, but the part we see may make a huge difference. This may keep growing, and you will be here on the first day. Take a look, and see what the future might hold.

A simple name - a simple concept, perhaps a powerful new, new, thing.

Desktop Lightning

Take a look at direct to desktop communications, this is worth moving on.

enjoy,

Allan

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Do As I Say - Not As I Do

2006-10-03T00:21:00.000-07:00

It always seems easier to give advice than to take that advice and apply it to yourself.

I don't think it is just me, one definition of an expert is "a know-it-all from out of town."

We usually won't listen to someone we know well , or to ourselves.

A case in point, and what caused me to think about this. I've just finished creating an e-course for entrepreneurs about Internet niche marketing.

The course is for Bastiat Free University, and includes many great ideas. The summary points out what you need for a profitable business niche. The profitable niche list went something like this - but with more explanation:

A niche populated with highly enthusiastic prospects
that have a serious problem
that no one is addressing properly
that you are enthusiastic about
and that has money they will spend for your product or service

The e-course is more involved than that, but you get the idea. In fact I've talked about and taught these basic concepts for years. That is the rub - I ignore them when they are inconvenient. Like now ....

Bastiat Free University is a case in point.

it's a niche mainly populated with unenthusiastic students
who are burned out by public schools
that no longer trust educators (with cause)
that I am enthusiastic about
and that I'm offering for free

and it may take decades before individuals are really ready for a better educational system.

Bastiat Free University needs a purple cow, any suggestions?

I know how to create great cash flow with applied knowledge in areas like niche marketing. Yet I am putting in my time on a project that may not succeed in my lifetime. As someone said " I would rather spend my life working without success for a good cause that will eventually prevail, than succeed supporting a lesser cause that is doomed to eventual failure."

I guess it comes down to how I personally define success -- not by dollar signs, but by positive action.

and I'm having a great time.

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The Battle For Liberty

2006-09-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

Historically freedoms were almost always achieved by battle - fights to achieve liberty, and fights to keep it.

The instances where people have been granted more freedom without a violent struggle are very difficult to find. Those in power always seem to want more power - until those under their power become slaves. America was founded by those leaving a powerful government.

Slaves are poor producers and not at all creative - but who cares when you have hundreds of millions of them?

In America for instance confiscatory taxes from all governing bodies keep growing, and are now over 50% of income. In the 1950's one person in the couple worked - and they did well, with taxes of under 5%. Now both parties work, and increasingly one of them works two jobs. Earnings adjusted for inflation are down so the lifestyles of the couples will continue to fall.

The couples incomes taxes, fees, social security, penalties, employer's required matching fees, and unfunded government debt, etc are well over half their combined income. One of the two is a slave to taxes - and receives scant benefit for their slave labor - they are working for the big bureaucratic government - for free.

America has a debtor's prison still, don't pay your taxes - you can go to jail.

All government is basically managed by violence, or the threat of violence. "Get out of line, the man comes and takes you away." was a Vietnam war protest song - it is now the way of American life.

Actually there are several problems with any large government.

Once you get above the size of a tribe there is no less efficient way to meet individual needs than to create a bureaucracy.

There is also no less ethical way to meet a perceived need than to create a bureaucracy and force others to fund it.

Those that have a greed in mind rather than a need have no better tool to escape responsibility for reprehensible acts than get a bureaucracy to order them done.

That unfortunately is how all modern governments work.

Big government is now forcefully removing liberty from the country. Both major parties are ready to lie, intimidate, and physically fight to keep government and their power growing.

Is the only way to restore liberty another battle? Or has the battle already been lost by a people too cowed to protest? "A nation of sheep begets a government of wolves." - unknown

Read up and study a bit of history - see if you can find that rare instance where powerful interests willing gave freedoms back to a people once they were taken.

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Tough Choices For Your Business

2006-09-21T03:14:00.000-07:00

.

If you want to profit from direct marketing, and in particular Internet marketing, you need to build a list of "opt in" folks that want to hear from you.

I have an e-book on Internet marketing that includes a couple of months of lessons, and it gets me a bit larger list. Those that like what I write, and enjoy all that free information, may learn that they can trust my recommendations. That is good for me and for them.

Those that don't like my writing "opt out."

I have also just found a group of products offered by an experienced and successful direct marketer that are honestly far more powerful than my single e-book.

That presents me with two problems, to recommend his product firstly, and to build his list secondly. Not my list, his list.

Here is the best solution I can come up with since I know my Internet marketing e-book also has value.

Absolutely get his products - they are almost free - they are very professional - they can make you a lot of money.

Consider getting my e-book also. It is free - follow the course and you will learn the Internet marketing business.

For your own sake get them both, but sadly, if you only get one - get his.

Allan

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A Nebulous Distinction

2006-09-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

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The various groups of our society use self descriptives of inclusion while their actions are exclusionary.

To appeal to the whole of society -- affiliations carry tags that state their purpose which are in sharp contrast to their reality.

If they say they are in favor of diversity - their membership is made up of minorities that shun association with the majority. If they say they are in favor of tolerance - they are singularly intolerant of any group they consider exclusionary. If they say they are seeking freedom of expression - they are likely a vocal group that will try to drown out and insult others.

Their selected descriptive names end up being a baseball bat to strike at societies head. They want an action extended to them that they would not consider extending to others.

To pick a positive attribute for your groups name is a marketing ploy to raise guilt free donations - but is is even more deceptive than any marketing ploy you may despise from other interests.

Is there a solution, or should there be one?

As in most mass communications the proposed answers are in mass controls - regulations and laws. Almost every regulation and law creates the exact opposite effect of the intended consequence - and a host of unexpected side effects which are mostly detrimental. These effects inspire more laws - and more difficulties.

The answer is not societal at all. An alert individual will laugh at the silly pronouncements of these self styled liberating gangs with an exclusionary agenda and move on. You can be such an individual, but society and their institutions will not teach you how.

Define yourself.

Define yourself not by the group you belong to, or the groups your group excludes, but by your own decisions and choices. Don't go looking for someone to teach you how to be an individual - just start being one today.

Right now.

"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." - Voltaire

Both Sides Of Your Business Tapestry

2006-09-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

Consultants love great words like synergy.

Talking about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts creates an attractive picture. The tapestry we weave is one where benefits blend with interrelationships and make a beautiful presentation.

Have you ever looked at the back of a tapestry?

It is a mess of strings and strange shapes.

Our neat projections sound terrific. The reality is that it is impossible to unravel all of the relationships and their consequences when we make a change. Most of the time we end up winging it.

We know product A and product B both sell better when they are displayed next to each other. Thats the beauty of synergy.

In reality though how do we make our decisions when product A has to be reworked for competitive reasons. We normally test market various versions of A.

It gets too messy to try and consider all the versions also against product B, even though the existing synergy may be a significant part of our profits. Throw a few dozen - or even hundreds of products into the mix and cost effective testing of all options is virtually impossible.

For large organizations this becomes even trickier. With different profit centers bearing unequal costs and benefits - whats best for the whole is frequently ignored.

Perhaps the best we can do is to remind ourselves that there will be unforeseen consequences tied to our actions. After each change - we need to evaluate the effects on the whole operation.

When we stand back to admire the change - we have to remember to keep testing.

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Changing course

2006-09-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

If I have veered away from my normal rants for a while don't be disappointed. You can still review them from the side bar - most of the topics that excite a rant will not improve.

Public schools will keep getting worse - no matter how much taxpayer money is thrown at them.
Politicians of every stripe will still lie, cheat, and steal. Their fully owned junior high cheerleaders will still use doublethink to root for their political team and dis the other party.
Bureaucracies are like balloons - they will continue to expand to the detriment of society, until the collapsing industrial age pokes them with a sharp corner.
The too big four - government, corporations, unions, and education are doomed just like other bureaucracies. They are dragging society down with them in a vain effort to perpetuate themselves.
Just as England in its high tax socialism prior to Margaret Thatcher experienced a brain drain as the most talented Brits left home - so there is now a quiet exodus of talent from huge organizations toward technologically empowered individualistic achievement. (the merely competent and worse will remain)

That list is the basis for many ranting posts.

I tend to rant here when I find myself ranting in more sedate venues - A Sovereign Speculator is my release valve.

So expect more rants in the future - for now I'm loving producing new things instead.

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A Money Making Internet Business

2006-09-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

It has been many years since I've written powerfully effective copy.

Much of what I have done recently has been soft sell and almost apologetic.

At one time I was capable of the "do you really love your wife" close - although I seldom used it. The "who wears the pants in your family" style only seemed occasionally appropriate. I prefer to use facts and positive emotions to help someone make a decision in their own best interest, a decision they are frequently afraid to make alone.

I tend to write the same way I sell.

The Internet is full of scams promising to make you rich tomorrow if you give them money today. Reasonable people will respond to reasonable projections - not hype. But what do we do to direct the others to real opportunity rather than disaster?

Money Not Made Can Be Money Lost Forever

We use the old negative sell. Fear of loss is a greater motivator than hope for gain.

You don't get much response by telling folks that with hard work, determination, imagination, and persistence they can be successful entrepreneurs - within five years. Maybe.

That is the truth. The learning curve of entrepreneurs dedicated to their own success is a steep climb to the entrance of a roller coaster or a rocket. It is fun for those that pursue it with gusto - fearsome to a bureaucratic wage slave in a cubicle ~~hell~~ cell.

I need to write stronger copy to distract the moths from the candle flame of instant wealth. I don't know if I was ever good enough to do that with just logical reasoning. I am certainly not that good now.

So I write short sharp copy: money making Internet business ideas

Or I write long explanations hoping to coax a reader into a decision that is in their own best interest: Recommended By A Business Opportunity Consultant

What I have not done - that would surely be most effective, is fight fire with fire, hype with hype: Learn how a normal Joe earned three million dollars in two years - you can do it too.

It may even be ethical to use such tools, for the suckers benefit, directing them to a real opportunity rather than the scam they will otherwise surely choose. But the suckers wont stay and do the consistent work real opportunity demands. Either way they still lose.

For the suckers it is their own greed and sloppy thinking that condemns them, not the offers of the scam artist. Heck, the suckers even believe politicians.

For me I guess I will have to keep it long or keep it strong - but I can see no long term gain for anyone in shoveling hype.

Allan Wallace

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Leaving Money On The Table

2006-08-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

Money not earned can be money lost forever.

As a small business person or an entrepreneur you may have a one dimensional view of yourself.

I created the product.

I run the company.

I am a marketer.

Leadership is my forte.

We are frequently forced to wear many hats - but if we are not willing to learn about new techniques outside our specialties - we may be leaving money on the table.

Those other hats may need to fit better.

There are a lot of good books for folks that want to understand a field without going in too deep. A single basic online college course may provide all the information you will ever need about finance or marketing.

It is your business - the more you know about different disciplines, the more opportunities you will uncover.

To remain specialized may be leaving money on the table.

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The Bully

2006-08-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

Think back a few years.

Do you remember a big kid grabbing a small toy you were enjoying and holding it behind his back?

He would then put both hands behind his back and say "guess which hand it's in, right or left, and you can have it back."

Both of you knew it didn't matter which hand you chose - he would pull out the hand empty - keeping your toy in his other hand behind his back.

We are in a position like that now.

Governments around the world have snatched your freedom and are saying "guess which political party will provide liberty and safety to your land, right or left, and you can be free of stealing, intrusive, arrogant government."

Pick your hand or party -

it will be empty.

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Have You Considered Your True Value?

2006-08-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

By now most have realized there is no security in a job.

Downsizing, political plays, takeovers, and cutting of costs for competitive reasons have changed the old equation. No longer is loyalty to an employer repaid by loyalty and rewards for the employee.

It is time for an inventory, a personal inventory. Jay Abraham suggests three areas to list in your inventory.

Your Skills

Your Knowledge

Your Relationships

Get away. Get far away.

Find a quiet place and have at least three blank sheets of paper - one for each component of your personal inventory. Start and keep writing.

You will be amazed at all the attributes you possess - attributes that you may not have properly valued before.

Jay Abraham talks about some amazing ways to monetize your attributes, but let's approach it from a different angle.

As a business owner you may need to hire staff to accomplish specific goals. There are no guarantees when you hire, the new employees may be great - or they could be worthless or worse and harm your business.

Once your personal inventory is complete you will see that you posses many skills and a great deal of knowledge that you will not have to recruit.

Let's say that you have leadership ability - that would require at least $100k a year to hire.

Perhaps you can train others - that is another 50k or more to employ

Your computer skills may be worth another 50k or so if you needed to use someone else.

You have writing skills, knowledge of various specialties, and good relationships with your banker and others in your industry.

To replace you in your business could easily cost a quarter of a million dollars a year or more - and you already know your work habits and strengths and weaknesses.

In your own business your personal value to the business could be greater than a million dollars - and you haven't even opened the doors yet.

Want to work with me?

;>)

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Death Throes Of The Industrial Age

2006-08-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

The industrial age is fading. Creating "one size fits all" solutions was once the most profitable and most direct way of benefiting the greatest number. Industry, education, unions, religion, government; in fact all institutions developed on this precept -- large size is more efficient.

The needs of the individual were pushed aside as the needs of greater society were addressed.

The industrial age and capitalism have eliminated plague and famine in much of the world. Sadly once open societies are becoming more closed and less individualistic as the crumbling dynasties of the industrial age seek to perpetuate their existence.

In many cases that is all most governments have become – dangerous and injured leviathans on a blind rampage of destruction as their power slowly diminishes. Their denial of already inflicted mortal wounds will cause them to seek greater power while striving for illusionary immortality.

It is a time to be cautious and to prepare emergency plans.

Learning The Internet Marketing Business

2006-08-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to put the pieces together on this internet marketing business conundrum.

I know how to operate a small brick and mortar business - start up to profit.

The last year or so I've gotten deeper into the internet, and all the potential it holds. This is not your grandfather's business.

This is fun.

This is a lot like speculation in the investment markets - there are a million ways to make a million dollars, and all of them are seemingly very hard to find and quite short lived.

I have an integrated internet business that will reach positive cash flow soon, and I have learned a bunch doing it. I fully expect to have a reasonable stream of income from it within a year or two - with almost no cost.

The primary cost of what I have been doing is time - but it has been time well spent. On top of a growing internet business I have been receiving an internet marketing education. The money made from my current internet business will be nice, but I think there is a lot more to be made by creating and marketing the product others need and will use.

I am committed to a project until the end of October, then I will dig in and see what I have really learned.

I plan to create an investment book for people that want to profit in the markets.

This will not be an exciting investment scheme. In fact for the investor the tough part will be in controlling their own psychology and sticking to an investment plan they will understand works very well.

You can see the basic investment information here: A Futures Trading System Can Make You Rich!

When the marketing starts I will really start to learn.

The fun part is that others will learn and gain also.

I'm smiling just thinking about it - my own fully functional and operating internet marketing business.

And

A whole bunch of people discovering that we control our own future.

Allan

A Top In The Poker Market?

2006-07-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I enjoy exploring fads - like the poker fad that has spread around the world.

In fact this blog started as a poker blog - The Tsunami Hitchhiker. I played in games, read the books, immersed myself in the early stages of mania.

I won some tournaments and became fairly proficient as a "rounder." I even ended at the final table at a couple of larger events. One tournament I particularly enjoyed was one in Vegas for poker bloggers. Some had turned pro, most were quite good - it was a lot of fun, and the last tournament I played.

The Fad was in full swing - and growing quickly.

One method of spotting a fad's top is to watch magazine counters. When I started playing poker, the only magazine was filled with ads, and given away in poker rooms. I mentioned early on in this blog, when you find many poker magazines - the fad will probably be topping.

We are there.

This also brings up a sad point, this may be one of the last fads where my magazine indicator will work. Print media is withering as instant in depth information is increasingly accessed on the Internet.

In fact many new fads are going to be Internet based.

A fad starts because a few leaders start in a direction - and with insufficient information others follow to try and discover the attraction. Motion breeds more motion - and the fad takes on a life of its own.

While poker has been a fad, I think it will diminish like baseball card trading more than like pogs or bennie babies. It will continue at a slower pace, but those that have discovered poker - including grade school kids, will not abandon poker in a wholesale way.

Expect flurries of revival in poker playing, it will be around for a long time.

Unless

During a slow period politicos may seek to find favor with some vocal constituents and ban it altogether. They have made threats for years during the fads growth - and done nothing - once the poker boom subsides however - they may suddenly see a chance for publicity.

Did you know that slavery was banned in England before the American civil war? The industrial age destroyed the economics of slavery in developed nations - that is when the powers that be felt secure in banning it - after it was weak and dying anyway.

Poker may fall to the same fate.

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As The Netcohort Society Emerges

2006-07-20T04:32:00.000-07:00

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You may have noticed that there have been fewer posts to this journal over the last week or two.

I've been working on updating the Speculation Rules site. Some of the information I normally would write into A Sovereign Speculator has ended up there.

Some of the topics I've discussed here have been moved to Speculation Rules. PT or permanent Tourist and information on the Netcohort have found their way there.

You will also find a growing section on why long term investment is dangerous - and speculation may be the best tool for creating and preserving your wealth.

I'll be back soon with more of my normal rants, but this would be a good time to look at Speculation Rules and see if any of the resources it provides may be of use to you.

Enjoy life,

Allan

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The Varb Rank - Do You Realllly Love Me?

2006-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Occasionally I surf blogs using Blogmad - they have a Varb ranking system that is basically a popularity test.

The varb rankings are 1-5 with 5 being the highest. Some of my blogs get well above four, almost a unanimous five. These are blogs with challenging topics, it is nice to be appreciated.

Not this one.

A Sovereign Speculator gets a 1.67

It is easy to understand why, this is the blog where I stick the rants I don't want to inflict on my main site readers. I consider this journal a pressure relief valve.

While some folk's tongues are fine sharp swords, here I prefer using a journalistic bludgeon on those I feel deserve it.

Political bloggers of any political stripe or spot that think by writing lies they will convince someone of the truth of their position. For some reason they never realize that no one reads their tripe but folks that already agree with them. I am sure they therefore get high Varb rankings - cheers from fellow knaves.

Bureaucrats that love to make decisions for others, folks they don't even know.

Perhaps it is a educator deciding I need to read a certain book or think a certain way. Maybe its a politico that decides to take my money to build a road in his home town, they all feel they are smarter and wiser than myself. They make decisions for me and my future based on their perceptions - and their own best interests.

There are others I have subjected to study - probably too many to mention. I will mention myself - some things I write here are really idiotic and poorly structured - emotion can do that.

But here is the reason I mentioned that Varb rating system - it shows folks read what I write - and it irritates many of them unto the action of clicking the thumbs down button.

Every time I realize I'm communicating with a bludgeon to fools and knaves about how shallow, obvious, and oblivious they are I have to smile.

Varb 1.67

That acknowledgment is worth a realllly big grin.

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Vertically Integrated & Optimized Internet Business

2006-07-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

Say that fast three times: vertically integrated & optimized internet business.

Hopefully your tongue does not get as tangled as my typing fingers.

This may not be for you - but I'm giving it a try.

It includes all the expected goodies, splash pages, squeeze pages, auto-responders, follow up, and lots of potential for up-sales at the back end - and a host of other goodies.

There is one complete website, and an empty one to play with that you can name and use for whatever you want. There are lead generation, list creation, and traffic building tools all included - and each is a best of type.

Entry cost = US$00.00

Monthly fixed overhead $10.00, and declining from $10.00 almost immediatly.

Potential?

Thats what I'm in it for - to see how much I can learn about internet specific marketing, and how much I can earn while learning.

Also included is a free to you e-book that you can republish with your information.

The story is in the e-book. (will require Adobe or Foxit PDF reader)

Read more in the free e-book itself:

Seven Super Strategies

by David MacGregor

What Generation Y is Not

2006-07-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

Various labels have been dropped on Generation Y ( Gen Y).

(A Baby Boomer tries to explain his nebulous understanding of Gen Y)

Generation Y – generally accepted to be the last generation of the prior Millennium – would be the technologically aware cohort born somewhere around 1980 until the year 2000.

They have been called The Milliennials, The Google generation, and even the Entitlement Generation. I have even coined a phrase for independent technology workers - the majority of whom will be Gen Y -- the Netcohort.

If you look at the issues that have sprung up around Generation Y you will see a pattern. Web 2.0, frequent job switches, indie rock, and a much wider variety of dress and activities than prior generations – all are influenced by Gen Y's primary characteristic.

Where the Baby Boomer's lives were influenced by wars, WWII, Korea, Vietnam -- the Gen Y existence is primarily influenced by their personal relationships.

Generation Y is perhaps best defined as The Relationship Generation.

The web sites that stress relationships are what web 2.0 is all about. Gen Yers instant message, exchange pictures and bios on My Space, and experiment with new trends based on trusted recommendations.

The formalities of prior generations are vanishing. If this is just the result of fifty years of increasing prosperity or a full cultural shift will be discovered as we leave the next depression. My feeling is that as the industrial age and its economies of scale collapse before empowered individuals – formalities may decline even further.

If you work for an old line bureaucracy – you will have noticed the difficulty in retaining your promising Gen Y new hires. They entered your environment with certain promises, when those promises are not fulfilled – they leave.

Relationships are built on trust.

Trust is difficult to win and easy to lose. Generation Y understands this – they will readily recommend what they have found pleasing. If a Gen Ys recommendations have been sound – they develop an audience. Trust therefore becomes the basis of interaction and migration to new experiences.

If you are part of Generation Y – The Relationship Generation – you may be best served by developing your own passions and creating your own company.

If you are working with Gen Y, don't over promise and under deliver. Don't hire a Gen Y by talking about the challenges of the work – and expect them to be happy running your errands.

The dues paid by Generation Y are different than those paid by Boomers and Generation X.

Gen Y has paid for credibility in their cohort – let them use the flexibility and power of trusting relationships to everyone's advantage.

You will eventually have to trust Generation Y – they and their relationships carry our future.

A Bit Too Real

2006-07-09T20:52:00.000-07:00

A bit too gloomy.

A chapter not included in the latest version of the Jonathan Gullible book.

"From time to time, we wish to reward our website fans of Jonathan Gullible with some material that was excluded from the latest edition of the book. One chapter that was somewhat too gloomy to be included was called "Chapter 12: Opportunity Lost."

The short excerpt on this page lets you know what to expect from the rest of the book.

This is an excellent story for kids, but the truth is right there staring at the adults.

This is a book that is fun to read for anyone - but serves its highest purpose in unlearning those that have fallen prey to the easy lies.

If you have not yet had a chance to read The Adventures Of Jonathon Gullible, now would be a good time to pick it up. You can try it in many languages - it has world wide popularity.

Light summer reading yes, and also challenging thoughts for cooler summer evenings.

Best,

Allan
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Everything You Thought You Knew About Politics Is Wrong

2006-07-06T01:19:00.000-07:00

Liberal, Labor, Conservative, Republican, PRI, Democrat, Left, Right - all of it is wrong.

In every country, to every person in that country - these words mean different things.

These descriptions hide the simple truth. There is another continuum that explains the relationship of people and their governments far better.

You are free.

or

You are a slave.

or

Perhaps you are somewhere in between headed one direction or the other.

Think of it as being an individual totally in charge of your own life at one extreme and a totalitarian government totally in control of everything but your thoughts at the other end.

A totalitarian government can be democratic or communistic - but what counts is not the label but its power over your life.

America was founded by visionaries that knew all of us were created with inalienable rights - meaning these rights can not be removed. The U.S, Constitution and the Bill of Rights were written to protect those inalienable citizen's rights from government usurpers. A government has no rights or powers - except those that are stolen or surrendered.

Every action, by every government in the world, can be judged by this simple test. Does it make the government stronger - or does it increase liberty for the individual?

If it will make a government stronger - fight it tooth and nail.

several days after this posted I've come back to change this last line. It was too strong with my opinion - I think it would be better if you thought about what I've said and formed your own opinion.

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Happy Fourth of July In The Land Of Immigrants

2006-07-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

America is a land of immigrants - the statue of liberty stands as a beacon to a once open society.

Today, now that they are secure, America asks that you keep your poor and your huddles masses at home.

I live in America, and also in the Peoples Republic Of California. In a similar move folks in many California cities seek to limit growth - after they have bought their house. The fact they are stealing the plans and dreams of land owners is of no consequence - morals no longer hold sway in the land once know of as free.

Perhaps if I have a chance I will drop in a bit of personal family history in another post. I suppose we are not specifically immigrants - we were probably tossed out of our country in 1704 and forced to come to America.

The only consolation was that just a few generations latter we fought and helped toss out the folks that had sent us here.

I suspect that the next generation of my family will be leaving America after our three hundred year stay. It is now managed worse than it was by the British government that proceeded it.

I don't hold much hope for just tossing the scoundrels out.

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Two Years Away

2006-06-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

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Start a business today and it will probably take a couple of years for it to mature.

Start a new job today and it will probably take six months to understand the job, another year and a half to grow into it.

If you are looking at business opportunities - don't waste time on promises of instant wealth, look two years or more down the line and see if the cash flow will provide the income you desire.

I have recently started a network marketing business - after swearing off of them years ago. They have changed, and the right vehicle can provide a reasonable income compared to the effort expended. I was enticed into this one by David MacGregor - an already successful Internet entrepreneur with a lust for freedom.

I'll give you my basic thoughts, and I'll report back occasionally on the actual results.

My goal is simple, have at least one person a month join me in this Internet business. At the end of two years that would be twenty four associates - all of us working toward a common goal. Allowing for attrition - perhaps twenty will still be with me at the end of the second year.

I'm a bit ahead of plan right now, but this is still early days, I suspect from current limited efforts I should be able to exceed that twenty associate target. If my associates hit the networking average of just over two associates each - I should have a reasonable cash flow from this project in two years - and it should keep growing.

My daughter started when I did and has been adding an associate a week - she is of course above average. ;-)

Right now my startup costs for a turn key Internet business have been zero, monthly cash flow should be positive before the end of July.

Total start up costs: -- a couple of afternoons doing setups - and less than ten dollars US.

Risk vs. potential reward this is already a winner - in six months I'll understand more about the procedures, in two years I expect to be quite happy that I spent the time now and initiated the free trial.

For you poker players - this business has a positive ev (expected value).

This is a business that will travel with me, an added plus.

What will you be doing in two years if you do not try new opportunities?

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Is Wealth The Problem?

2006-06-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

Wealth in a corrupt society is often a badge of shame - wealth earned in a free society benefits all.

This is what Deng Xiaoping of China meant when he said "To get rich is glorious."

Deng knew the way to raise his entire nation out of poverty was for a merchant class to promote exchange. China is communist only as it represents a repressive one party powerful state - they are now decreasing world wide poverty -- as capitalists.

In contrast the USA is devouring its inheritance as it sinks into the socialism China is seeking to escape.

In which direction is the nation that you are living moving?

We often hear how the distance between the poor and the rich is expanding - it probably is. The key however is are the poor better off than they were before?

In China before Deng there were two classes - the privileged communist party members - and the poor. Today China has the poor, a spread from middle class to wealthy, and privileged party members. In many areas the poor are less poor than before - and all have profited from the increased opportunity for deciding how to live their own lives - and with a potential to become rich.

As free markets expand, what is regarded as poverty will also change. The poor of the USA would be regarded as at least middle class in much of the world and as wealthy in many areas. If they wish America's poor can change their position - although it may require many uncomfortable and unfamiliar actions.

China has given more choice to it's citizens in the financial area. Perhaps capitalism is unfair - but so is life. If the choices you are allowed to make won't effect your future - find another country.

"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

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George Said It Best

2006-06-23T22:50:00.000-07:00

No -- not that George W.

Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. - George Washington

If I were wise enough I might end the post here. We could spend the day just thinking of what the original George W. said. Since I can't stop now - I'll let others carry the ball:

In fact there have been many Georges that could remind the current George that this country was founded on the principle that citizens have all the rights - and government must be tied down and chopped up to protect those rights - from the government.

It is not the business of government to make men virtuous or religious, or to preserve the fool from the consequences of his own folly. Government should be repressive no further than is necessary to secure liberty by protecting the equal rights of each from aggression on the part of others, and the moment governmental prohibitions extend beyond this line they are in danger of defeating the very ends they are intended to serve. - Henry George

The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the Republican model of government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people. - George Washington (and we fumbled)

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always count on the support of Paul. - George Bernard Shaw

Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it. - George Bernard Shaw

I am convinced that we can do to guns what we've done to drugs: create a multi-billion dollar underground market over which we have absolutely no control. - George L. Roman

When government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves. - George Pataki

If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face -- forever. - George Orwell, 1984

People never believe in volcanoes until the lava actually overtakes them. - George Santayana

This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector. -- Plato circa 400 B.C. (what you didn't know Plato's first name?)

And a final quote representative of a century of declining liberty at the hand of double speaking politicians - perhaps if he expanded his concept and realized you can not federalize anything worth while.

If we have learned anything in the past quarter century, it is that we cannot Federalize Virtue. - George Bush

Unschooling For Success.

2006-06-19T02:07:00.000-07:00

The term unschool is not often used anymore, home schooling seems to have taken its place.

The problem is home schooling has in many cases taken the horrible and archaic concepts of formal schooling and forced them into the home. The DownsizeDC blog has some good info on why this is not a good choice.

A point I made with an unpopular unschooling bumper sticker is that "Your Honor Student Will Be Employed By My Homeschooled kid."

The organizational bureaucracy of formal education creates obedient assembly line workers and compliant citizens - that is the goal of universal education.

"Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire" - Yeats

Entrepreneurs are created by themselves - if they are allowed the freedom to discover and develop their own passions. Entrepreneurs create most of the new jobs, they are the backbone of a free economy. Entrepreneurs are constantly learning and discovering new ideas.

Children love to learn.

That love is crushed in a system that forces rote retention - in an over structured environment - down students throats. As adults we then have to re-learn how to enjoy discovery of knowledge, most don't succeed at unschooling themselves.

Bastiat Free University is an unschool college for adults - but you don't even need that much structure.

Think about what you love to do, then explore the knowledge that surrounds your passion.

Rediscover for yourself the pleasures of self-directed learning.

Unschool yourself.

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Freedom Technologies

2006-06-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

One definition of a freedom technology is anything that potentially puts a little distance between you and big brother.

The goal of freedom technologies is to increase options and add greater flexibility to your life.

One source of freedom information and freedom technologies has been the Sovereign Life information portal. There is good information there at an extremely low price.

I have recently followed the founder of Sovereign life into a potential freedom technology - a small business opportunity. I had been on the lookout for a portable international business, and discovered David had been on the same quest. Both of us have had success in other ventures - but we wanted something that we could recommend to business novices and know they also had a good chance of success.

David took a simple inexpensive business and added another functional layer to allow scalable growth. This Internet business can therefore be done on several levels - at no entry cost and with very low overhead.

It remains a simple yet powerful personal business.

"He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year." Leonardo da Vinci

Investigate David's freedom technology report about a transportable international business

Best,

Allan

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a quote of a quote - and some added quotes - on health care

2006-06-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

Quite honestly I usually delete the free subscription e-mails I receive from Quinlin without reading them.

There is plenty of reading material in my inbox without diving into extra stuff. This letter contained a gem that updates a historic viewpoint. I'll give you both of them, and a bit more.

The historic one will be first - made by a European that traveled the USA and compared American liberties to the social disasters that were enveloping his native soil. This was just prior to the American civil war - before a strong central government was imposed. The civil war effectively ended independent states competing for citizens, and freedom has been increasingly lost since then..

"It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights - the 'right' to education, the 'right' to health care, the 'right' to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are the rations of slavery - hay and a barn for human cattle." - Alexis De Tocqueville (1805-1859)

The second shows our current state of affairs - with politicians competing for votes by giving away other people's money. "A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul." - George Bernard Shaw

If it is not virtuous for you to steal from others to pay your bills - you can not gain virtue by asking others to steal for you - it is still theft.

Here is the second quote - politicos are stealing in the name of others - and claiming it is virtuous.

In an April 12 guest opinion piece for the state's largest newspaper, three state lawmakers argued for establishing "affordable and effective health care" as a fundamental right for every Oregonian. But what Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, gubernatorial candidate Sen. Ben Westlund, I-Tumalo, and Sen. Alan Bates, D-Ashland, are really advocating is a new, massive entitlement program where the state government, the taxpayers, should somehow be made responsible to provide health care for all.

Presumably these elected officials chose to use the language of rights rather than entitlements because "rights" are popular while "entitlements" have earned a negative reputation. Our rights define what we are free to do without interference. In the Declaration of Independence the founders list life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as among our inalienable rights.

Notice that these rights are not goods or services, not housing or health care, not education or food. The right to life, for example, does not mean that someone has to provide you with food and water; it means that you are free to work to earn your food and water and others may not steal them from you once you have them. ...The founders understood that rights are intrinsic ("endowed by their Creator" was their phrase); they belong to the people and cannot be given or taken away by the government.

The principle function of government is to recognize and secure these rights, rights that are paid for by the lives and struggles of those who established and fought for our independence and freedom. Entitlements, on the other hand, are obligations placed on one group of people to pay for benefits to another group.
http://www.cascadepolicy.org/pdf/health_ss/2006_06.pdf

A better solution would be to open the medical field to free market forces - driving quality up while lowering costs.

In reality the power and money of the American Medical Association prevents that.

I forget who said something to the effect " if you think health care is expensive now - just wait until it is free."

Take a look at a Brit's teeth if you want to see the value of a national dental plan - then consider that same disastrous approach to your overall health care.

A few closing quotes - just because I still can:

"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

"Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state. They forget that the state wants to live at the expense of everyone." - C. F. Bastiat

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators." – P.J. O'Rourke

Is The Fat Lady Singing The Dollar's Swan Song?

2006-06-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

We all know the dollar is in trouble.

The dollar has been hurting since 1913 when the Federal Reserve was created to "protect the dollar from currency fluctuations." It was placed in further jeopardy in 1933 when the value of the dollar was no longer available in gold - but was reduced to the value of a political promise.

The dollar has always suffered in war time, whether as a revolutionary continental or as Civil war greenbacks. More recently we had the guns and butter foolishness under presidents Kennedy and Johnson -- or now under the Bush and his central power grabbing thugs with their endless war for peace. (it's nice to clear out both sides of the aisle with one sentence - now that the ignorant, myopic, political automations are gone we can talk.)

I don't have a chart in front of me, but as I recall today's dollar is worth less than a 1913 nickel in purchasing power. History teaches us that some day the dollar will be worth zero - equaling the value of every politician's promise.

The question is - how soon will that day arrive? The dollar's value now depends on the kind intentions of strangers.

The USA has borrowed money from the world to purchase a temporary lifestyle, and until now the sellers have been willing to give credit and take the profits. There are signs however that the party may be ending.

The spiked dollar punch bowl still has many devotees, but their eyes are increasingly drawn toward the small exit door. As a few begin to refill their drink and then wander toward the exit, everyone gets a bit more nervous.

World wide individual country reserves are being shifted away from a primary dependency on the dollar to more regional and precious metal constituents. If a rush starts for the door this could be very messy, very quickly.

Perhaps it is time to shift your own primary dependency on the dollar in a similar fashion.

The Netcohort And Your Future

2006-06-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

I cut this out of a page I was working on about an Internet business opportunity.

This was a bit strong for average readers - but you guys should be able to understand it just fine.

The material prior to this excerpt was about the declining industrial age. The emerging information and miniaturization age should be structured quite differently.

In contrast I told my daughter about the networking cohort -- or the Netcohort. This liberating trend works through informally aligned teams of netcentric individualists. The flexibility of a transient team structure empowers entrepreneurial solutions at a personal level.

Being part of the Netcohort can be both fun and financially rewarding. Most netcohort business opportunities and special projects do not require constant effort or infusion of funds.

For questions about the Netcohort see this link.

I suppose I could edit the above to clarify my points - but I believe you can think it through and understand my points - and your possible objections to them - quite well.

I'm particularly interested in your objections.

Allan.

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A Call To Action

2006-05-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

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Liberty is normally created and sustained on a personl level - create a bit more in your own life - then help it grow and spread.

Find a collectivist bureaucracy and take a bit of its air - speed up its deflation. Use technology and your creativity to provide a better solution to just one need they currently serve poorly.

The risks and the rewards from creative entrepreneurship are greater, and of far more value to society, than illusions of security enslaving human cogs in the social machine. - Allan R. Wallace

Bastiat Free University seeks to provide a college level learning experience, for those that view learning as more inportant than a credential. It will take time, but if you listen you can hear a bt of air being sucked out of industrial age educational institutions.

The historical trends give us a back wind. The ending of the industrial age will decrease economies of scale that rewarded huge organizational size. Technology empowered individuals will shape the future.

You can shape your own future.

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Fascism And Socialism - Are They the Same?

2006-05-31T02:56:00.000-07:00

There was a bit of a debate on fascism and socialism being equal in the comments of a prior post.

Just to re-stir the pot I'll quote something I read in Wikipedia. I understand the weakness of a Wiki as a source - but I still find this an interesting way of phrasing the distinction.

This (individualism) contrasts with collectivist political theories, where, rather than leaving the individual to pursue his or her own ends, the state ensures that the individual serves the interests of society when taken as a whole. It also contrasts with fascism, where the individual is required to serve the interests of the state.

I think this is a cogent way of looking at these two government philosophies.

Yes they are different.

If history is any indicator in reality the results are the same.

The citizen is made a slave. The slavery is either directly to the state and its leaders, or to those that claim authority to represent society and "the people."

It is just a way of saying how you will sacrifice your life - supposedly for others - in a way to be chosen by a powerful third party.

Not in a way chosen by you.

Do you prefer your slavery straight up, or on the rocks?

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Rights to education, health care, and food and housing

2006-05-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is really a response, to a comment, to a prior post -Hop On The Bus Gus - about escaping from societal traps.

Xenophobia is a word because Xenophobia exists, not because it is pervasive. To avoid escaping a trap because you are afraid of the world beyond the trap is your choice - but others may see value in considering alternatives. Your comment about xenophobia and Mexicans in the US seems likely to have been based on politically inspired news. It did not fit the post - but it expressed a political viewpoint instead.

I therefore will provide you with my viewpoint on that one facet of the US immigration problem.

"It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights - the "right" to education, the "right" to health care, the "right" to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are the rations of slavery - hay and a barn for human cattle." - Alexis De Tocqueville (1805-1859)

The majority of Mexicans are poor because their government treats them like human cattle. They come to the US wanting to prosper and improve themselves - but they still expect the rations of slavery. In the capitalist system on which the US was founded - independent, mutually beneficial actions resulted in opportunity for all.

The Mexican situation in the US seems best explained by analogy.

If you own a house and invite guests to join you, it is because you will enjoy their company and will be able to share experiences with them. If they accept - it is because they also see benefit in association with you. This is analogous to a Perpetual Tourist / host country relationship.

You might own a house and advertise for a gardener, cook, and caretaker - offering occupancy of the cottage behind the house as partial payment. This is an employee / employer relationship. If capitalism is allowed to work - both parties benefit or they would not agree to the relationship. America is now great because it once allowed mutually beneficial relationships to develop without interference - value was added with each transaction - America prospered.

What if you own a house and someone climbs over the back wall, forces their way into your garage and moves in. When discovered they claim it was right to break in because you had a house and they didn't. They also demand you pay them and buy their insurance, and educate their kids in their language and culture - because they are willing to clean your kitchen. Trying to toss intruders out of your house is not xenophobia.

Tourists are almost always welcome, transient labor is frequently welcome, unlawful entry is normally punished.

except now

Several garages currently have squatters, they have joined together saying they do not have to pay their share of taxes and other burdens -- but they want to receive a share of benefits for which others have worked. They even post signs in front of your house and say they will not clean your kitchen for a day unless they get what they want. Only you remember you never asked them in to clean the kitchen - they broke in. If you went to their home town and broke into their house to clean their kitchen - you would be arrested.

Your town council is then pressured to force the intruder's demands on you and declare the law breakers legitimate "stakeholders" in your property.

It is axiomatic that if it is evil to do something - it is also evil to get someone else to do it.

It is taking the US, a former capitalist country, 250 years to destroy itself - and only then by abandoning its founding principles. The Soviet Union's coercive state died in less than a hundred years, China is prospering by rediscovering free will and capitalism - and very slowly leaving coercion behind, time will see if they succeed.

In short - mutually beneficial arrangements add value to everyone concerned. Coercive arrangements subtract from one party first, and consequently from the whole - and the losses are cumulative.

The PT proposition exists because it is mutually beneficial for the one escaping a country and the countries they visit as a tourist.

Illegal emigration stirs hostility if it avoids paying social costs, and demands social benefits.

In those areas where xenophobia does exist, and it does, few would consider being a tourist - and the offer may not be made to be an invited guest.

A PT understands this, and travels to where how he chooses to live is acceptable, and perhaps even valued.

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The Loyalty Oath

2006-05-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

Not back yet, but I have a minute to post what is on my mind.

"It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights - the "right" to education, the "right" to health care, the "right" to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are the rations of slavery - hay and a barn for human cattle." - Alexis De Tocqueville (1802-1859)

In my state a youth is not seen as having a concept of right or wrong until they are twelve years old.

In my state, unless there is compelling evidence anyone under eighteen is not considered an adult, their criminal record is sealed after they turn eighteen.

Most public schools prohibit religious education as a separation of church and state - and a protection of young minds not ready for weighty decisions. In essence - let the kids decide when they are older.

These same collectivist organizations have kids, at five years of age or younger, recite a public loyalty oath to the state every morning.

Perhaps those young minds do absorb and make choices - and that is the reason to indoctrinate children in worship of and dedication to the state.

It sure makes for a more compliant citizenry, helps recruit soldiers, and consequently creates quietly desperate wage slave employees.

Your comments?

"We've been thoroughly trained in government institutions where every day for twelve of our most impressionable years we took a loyalty oath before starting our work." - Hal O'Boyle

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Off On A Hobbit Adventure

2006-05-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Oh Bother.

Hopefully it will involve more than just being home late for dinner.

The plan is to be back in two or three weeks.

You will be among the first to know of our return if you sign up for our RSS feed; if not look for us before the calendar shows a new page.

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Some Simple Logic

2006-05-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

If the fire department warns you that you need to clean the pine needles off your roof, it is probably a good idea to clean your roof.

If at the end of the fire season you have not cleaned off the needles, and your house still stands, it does not mean the fire department was wrong.

If Warren Buffet and other great investors warn of a calamity waiting to happen due to derivatives, and it has not yet happened, don't count their insights as insignificant history.

The fact that their warning of a potential collapse has not yet occurred does not mean we are safe, in fact the danger may have increased. Folks may have just quit listening.

If people on both sides of the political aisle, lovers of big government all, are starting to worry about loss of freedoms and destruction of the American way of life - pay heed.

Yes a broken clock is right two times a day.

It's true, some folks are always looking for disaster.

But when people closely associated with a phenomena become increasingly concerned - bells and whistles should be sounding.

California will someday have its greater earthquake, but folks tend to ignore preparation except when a smaller quake has just shaken them up.

The markets have been quiet. The volatility index (VIX) is ridiculously low. Bond volatility is also extremely low, emboldening over leveraged players. Nothing really bad has happened in years -- some form of "really bad" is overdue.

Freedom has slipped, taxes have climbed, the American way of life is being exported.

When I was born in the early 1950s I have been told taxes were at about 4%, and my mom didn't have to work. That was the American way.

Today if you count all the state and ~~feral~~ federal taxes, fines, and fees your family is paying over 50% of their paychecks in taxes. Some of the taxes come out before you see the paycheck, the others assault you all day long.

Income tax, property tax, state tax, gas tax, registration fees, etc, and big hidden taxes like inflation and the compliance costs of over regulation.

A wife now has to work full time - in essence her entire income and more taken by the government.

The American founding fathers rebelled over taxes of about 2%. Our taxes today are over 50% and the average fellow once again has no representation.

The American dream is being taxed and regulated out of existence. If you start your own business the government is your instant partner. You spend the money, you fight for the permits, you take the risks, and if you succeed - the government wants at least half of your profits.

For those that hate big corporations - this is their game. In exchange for their support of politicos they get some tax breaks from the huge burden that weighs on the rest of us. With the individually empowering technology available, small business could soon kick the huge corporations tail, if small businesses were not tied up in red tape.

Small business is the engine of America and could, to all of our benefit, run circles around bureaucracies - if they didn't have that huge government tumor weighing them down.

It would be nice to shrink the government by 95% or so, and give us citizens back our money. While we are at it let's make a constitutional amendment that no new laws may be made, and no new agencies formed, unless two laws or two agencies are retired.

Financial asset markets are perhaps ready to fall. America has for decades been descending ever deeper into a Romanesque despotism trap. And you still haven't cleaned those pine needles off your roof.

Perhaps it is time to prepare some safety measures in your life - just in case the experts are right.

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Don't Be Discouraged

2006-05-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

In the continuing march forward it is easy to become fixated on the two steps back - rather than anticipate the three steps forward.

Something is always failing, most efforts never seem good enough, destruction looms menacingly.

Overall however mankind continues to progress.

Growth is not steady, forward, upward progression. It is instead a switchback trail; three steps forward, two back, one around the bushes, and a few simply standing, before another forward leap. - Dorothy Corkville Briggs

It is normal for the first implementation of a technology to be easily surpassed by the old technology. The first calculators were slow compared to a skilled user of a slide rule or an abacus. Steam was more efficient than internal combustion - for a while.

Oil has been better than energy alternatives - but that too is failing.

This progress of three steps forward and two steps back seems to be programmed into our universe. Visit here to view a free documentary by an award winning director -- History's Hidden Engine.

The key is - don't get discouraged enough to quit.

Bastiat Free University has a great concept, but the industrial age colleges still have the lead. The old educational bastions will eventually be surpassed by individually empowering learning institutions, but for now the archaic bureaucracies hold an edge.

Whatever you are pursuing - if the goal is worth the effort - the goal is worth the wait.

Hang on, the ride is bumpy, but the trip is in the right direction.

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Investing For The Short Run

2006-04-27T02:39:00.000-07:00

As John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946) said - "In the long run we're all dead."

Of course Keynes said that as a response to the reasonable assertion that economists of his type focus on the short term effects of their manipulation and ignore the potentially disastrous long term effects.

Keynesian economics has had a long run, if there are disastrous effects we should be feeling them now.

Keynes in a nutshell suggested that government had the key to economic stability -- in manipulation. In good times government could do little - in bad times they could prime the pump with spending.

Politicos of all types loved his theories - especially the spending part.

The trouble was doing little in good times - spending has always increased instead. To those that believed a lie about declining spending - take a look at the Official Treasury history of debt - it just keeps going up. By playing Enron type games with the balance sheets political types claim to balance the books - but the debt just keeps climbing - that is the reality.

In fact the government showed Enron how to do it.

I am particularly disappointed with a site I read frequently. They took down the debt page I refer to above and put on a private page that claims Clinton had a surplus. They wanted to support a political agenda rather than the truth. (they have changed back to a real page since this was posted. -ed)

The truth is that almost all government policies that have a short term beneficial effect have long term consequences that are not considered. The result is that government programs almost always have the opposite long term effect from that desired.

Central government planning killed the Soviet Union, the same socialist agenda is now choking America.

Today we are living at the end of the long run.

If you plan on investing for the long term - it is probably already too late.

Inflation, real inflation not government statistics, is probably around 10%. Unemployment, real unemployment not with cooked books, is probably over 10%.

The dollar is in trouble, the best of the economy is moving offshore, excessive regulation and high taxes have destroyed the internationally competitive stance of American business.

It is time to protect yourself and your own.

The return of your principle is now far more important than the return on your principle.

Tighten up your stop losses, research all your ventures again, think of the short term.

Buy some gold.

It may be time to switch to short term investing and keep your losses small.

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Hop On The Bus, Gus -- Get Yourself Free

2006-04-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

Of all 36 ways to get out of trouble, the best way is -- leave. - Chinese Proverb

I have recently had discussions with folks fed up with where they lived - and they were afraid.

I have quoted them one piece of wisdom - regardless of what country they lived in.

A country will always treat tourists better than citizens.

If you are increasingly uncomfortable as a citizen -- leave.

Keep your money or business in a safe and low tax country, keep your citizenship in a country that values freedom, keep yourself a PT -- perpetual tourist.

(As an example ; America and the UK are offshore tax havens to the world - except their own citizens.)

If you live in a country that believes you are its property - just because you were born there - find some place that will let you own yourself.

From the Simon and Garfunkel song, 50 ways to leave your lover:

just slip out the back,Jack
make a new plan,Stan
don't need to be coy,Roy
just listen to me
hop on the bus,Gus
don't need to discuss much
just drop off the key,Lee
and get yourself free.

If you are staying for a few special benefits - count their true cost. Cattle feeding at a government trough must expect to be herded, penned, branded, milked, and/or slaughtered.

I can't help but believe a lean elk wandering free is more fulfilled than a calf being fattened in a stall.

You may have to walk out of the slaughter house - but it can be your life.

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Insidious Invidious Invective

2006-04-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Not that I feel bad about it.

Sometimes we write just to discover that rare phrase that is a pleasure to turn.

I could write a rant about political blogs - of stripe or spot - that are always on the attack, but only have supposition and rumor to back up their "facts."

This phrase might be a good start to a rant:

"Most political blogs are insidious invidious invective seemingly written by scheming fourth graders hoping to influence gullible third graders." - Allan Wallace

In reality though I just liked the sound of that phrase as it crossed my mind.

Insidious Invidious Invective

I'm sure it will fit in somewhere -sometime.

Feel free to borrow it if you wish - just let me know where you used it.

As a contrast to political blog buffoonery - lets hear a cogent thought:

Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal. - Martin Luther King Jr..

Allan

How Deep Is Our Ignorance?

2006-04-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

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I hang around with some financial quant types that love to talk about, what I regard as silly, mathematical formulas they are using to project markets. Most of the models assume so much that they are in fact dangerous - providing comfort where a reasonable fear of loss would be more appropriate.

If you talk with real scientists (rather than science professors) they are always seeking to narrow the error of their projections, but are very aware of the limitations of their efforts:

They may know what will happen with a fair degree of certainty and be able to explain the interaction - but the why and the how frequently escape them. The Nobel prize winner Dick Feynman even stated something to the effect that - why may not matter.

Real science is often a matter of educated trial and error - scientific method involves taking a guess, and then guessing how to disprove it.

If an experiment's results are outside the borders of expectation - there is a tendency for new tests to slowly converge results toward an acceptable solution.

Seldom is a proof sufficient to sway the established order, proof and counter proof are more the functional norm.

"An important scientific innovation rarely makes its way by gradually winning over and converting its opponents: What does happen is that the opponents gradually die out." - Max Planck, pioneer of quantum theory

This brings us to an interesting article on climate sensitivity. Check out James Empty Blog to read a current issue honestly and scientifically discussed.

Now to the why of my post, if it matters. I keep seeing references to scientific proof displayed with almost religious fervor. The user ignoring the methods employed in the test - the results are seized upon to confirm the hearer's bias.

I admit to the same fault - but more tongue in cheek. I collect studies that confirm my life preferences, studies in favor of meat, coffee, and an occasional glass of wine. I choose to ignore the equally scientific studies that expose the other view.

Science is still in its infancy - we at best try to isolate and measure one or two parts of extremely complex systems - our results should be nice building blocks for real research in the distant future.

We may still be in the dark ages.

When someone quotes science or a scientific study to prove their point -- remember the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA requires multi-billion dollar studies to prove the efficacy and safety of new drugs - and after a year or two has to recall some of those drugs as neither safe or effective.

"If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson

If the study cost billions and has had years of research applied - it may be useful.

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Why Political Consulting Is Better Than Business Consulting

2006-04-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

I may have to change my profession.

I came to that realization after finding this fine poster at Despair Inc.

If you give bad advice to a business they go broke, and you have to start over.

If you give bad advice to a politician they just raise taxes and excuses and keep going.

Bureaucrats are like cockroaches, they are a bit less than real life, but they can survive almost anything. After a bit more than two thousand years Cicero still rings true:

"A bureaucrat is the most despicable of men, though he is needed as vultures are needed, but one hardly admires vultures whom bureaucrats so strangely resemble. I have yet to meet a bureaucrat who was not petty, dull, almost witless, crafty or stupid, an oppressor or a thief, a holder of little authority in which he delights, as a boy delights in possessing a vicious dog. Who can trust such creatures?" - Cicero

You can probably make a good living just telling the DMV to change the color of its buildings every couple of years.

As an example of the coming opportunities in government consulting:

National health care will be like combining the cost efficiency of the post office with the organizational efficiency of the DMV. Of course it will be administered with the love and affection of the Marines and the assured selflessness of congress.

That will be a life long consulting post.

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"Perhaps The Morning Will Bring Fresh Counsel"

2006-04-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

I don't remember where that quote came from - perhaps LOTR?

I am refreshed this morning and recovered from the troll like honesty that inspired the prior post.

It is not their fault that they were never taught how to think for themselves.

It is kind of like the bachelor that proclaims proudly that he is not married just like his daddy and grand daddy - and he intends to raise his kids the same way. He has placed a barricade before one prospective avenue of life.

Folks that have minds like steel traps are quite common - but most minds are rusted shut before they reached the age of consent.

I need a rest from the pablum that is fed political followers. It is my responsibility to avoid their damp diaper blogs.

In the meantime I will enjoy life.

That is good fresh counsel - and solid food.

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Start A Blog - No Brains Required

2006-04-09T04:02:00.000-07:00

"He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice." - Albert Einstein

The majority of blogs are repetition.

Recycled is not new.

"A sect or party is an elegant incognito devised to save a man from the vexation of thinking." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have not seen the elegance - all I've seen is ignorance.

The way political bloggers rush to line up behind their party's propaganda is worthy of insecure first graders. They can't all be being paid to lie - some have to believe the absurdities.

I've just seen one too many sites with the same pictures and the same arguments - all herd emotion - no individual thought.

I'm going to bed.

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America Redefined By Its Roots

2006-04-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

There once was a very different America.

Initially here was debate on Federalism and its value. A phrase might have been: The united States of America are seeking unity on the mater of defense.

With the civil war the independence of state governments was vanquished. The freedoms enhanced by competing independent states have slowly vanished. Liberty has been squeezed by an ever stronger central government for the last 150 years or so.

After the Civil War that American phrase would read: The United States Of America is focused on defense.

Notice the difference? What was a group of independent states united for self defense had become one central state to rule them all.

Today an American statement might even read: The President declares that a strong internationally proactive offense is being activated to ensure an adequate defense of the American Homeland.

That is a huge difference.

What then does it mean to be an *American, and can we even use the term without confusion?

I'll refer you to a nicely written post at two-four (the blog's title is taken from the Hanoi Hilton prisoner's tap communications code) where he uses an older definition of American to illuminate the current immigration debate.

The first American revolution was needed to dump strong central government and elevate personal liberty. Those that cling to personal political power today will consider any move to return freedoms a second revolution.

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A Caution On Offshore Investing

2006-04-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you don't need to be reminded, but I sure do.

A primary Speculation Rule:

No one cares more about your money than you do, unless they plan on stealing your money.

If you go offshore it gets even worse, if that is possible.

Other countries have other laws, giving you two headaches, and crooks two sources of leverage.

Offshore investing is worth it in terms of protecting your assets, just be sure to follow reasonable defenses offshore.

The standard rules apply, don't give extra information, use quality referrals, get second and third opinions, and others.

I would add one more.

Start small.

Trust your referred adviser with just a bit and see how he handles it. Grow the amount trusted to them slowly.

Use several advisers in several locations, diversification protects wealth.

To be effective in protecting yourself - start your offshore financial research today.

Your knowledge and your experience are both important wealth protectors - grow them as quickly as possible.

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Going Offshore With Your Assets

2006-04-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Bob Bauman is the editor of the excellent Sovereign Society Offshore A Letter.

You can subscribe for free.

As much as I dislike the word should, maybe it fits here. Let's just say instead that there is great benefit for intelligent people to be derived from reading the A Letter.

today's newsletter was a "back to basics" missive.

What is offshore?

Offshore is another jurisdiction that affords asset protection from frivolous law suits and sometimes provides lower taxes. Here is a quote from the most recent A Letter:

Just as some American states (Florida, New Hampshire, Alaska et al) offer their citizens an escape from other states' income taxes, offshore tax havens do the same for foreigners. These are tax breaks local citizens can only dream about, but the locals do profit from better jobs and higher incomes. (The two largest tax havens in the world are the USA and the UK -- but only for non-citizens who choose to invest there; locals pay taxes, lots of them).

As an example California residents frequently incorporate their companies in Nevada to avoid harsh taxes and regulations. Even selecting your new home based on the quality of the school district is a localized "offshore" approach.

Abe Lincoln mentioned America as a government "created of - by - and for the people." Many see that quote as only a historical observation. Over the last hundred and fifty years American government has increasingly treated citizens like cattle.

America started free and wanted to stay free.

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." - Benjamin Franklin

America, and the western world, has traded their liberty for government programs. You can now see the cattle mooing in protest around the world because they don't receive government guarantees.

"Government is the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else." - Bastiat

Those that feed at a government trough must expect to be herded, penned, branded, milked, and/or slaughtered. I can't help but believe a lean elk wandering the mountains is more fulfilled than a calf being fattened in a stall.

Back to the A Letter.

A certain few nations and places have got it figured out. They have set up a legal system that makes them stand out as places that attract money -- truly desirable offshore financial centers. Detroit and Japan are known for making autos for the world, (at least Detroit used to be), offshore centers protect cash and make money for the world. They cater to foreign folks and foreign cash with laws that guarantee privacy, asset protection, ease of doing business and profitable investments -- with little or no local taxes. That international tax competition is great for those wise enough to take advantage of it.

That was just part of an interesting article.

I present an idea to you, one contrary to the years of conditioning you received in public schools. In feudal times when a knight pledged to his baron - the baron also pledged back to the knight - it was a mutually agreeable exchange of dedication, not a one sided deal.

If you are married - you are mutually pledged to your spouse. Make all your commitments on this basis. Do not be more dedicated to your baron, your job, your school, your country - than your baron, job, school, or country is dedicated to you.

It is not disloyal to move elsewhere, when where you are treats you like branded cattle.

Subscribe to the free A Letter.

The information may help you discover some personal liberty in a world that increasingly believes you are property.

"The risks and rewards for you from creative entrepreneurship are greater, and of far more value to society, than illusions of security that enslave a human cog in a social machine." - Allan R. Wallace

Now, let's go out and wander some mountains.
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Snubster Me - Isolator Me - Just Don't Ignore Me

2006-03-31T11:10:00.000-08:00

I annoy a lot of people.

I've been told I'm arrogant, elitist, and I make folk's brain itch.

You now have a couple of ways to retaliate.

One is isolator - a self proclaimed ASNS (anti-social networking service). You can't call me names there yet - but you will get a face full of fun FAQ.

Up and running is snubster, a chance to send me to the penalty box - or even write me off entirely. You can even tell folks what about me annoys you.

For those of you that want to write down my name - just so you can draw a line through it - there is a way to do it at your computer.

Share the annoyance with Wallace (STAWW).

Snubster me.

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This Is A SheepleTest

2006-03-31T10:08:00.000-08:00

You will probably fail.

Most sheeple have already stopped reading.

The vast majority of sheeple read only information that agrees with them.

Sheeple refuse to read something that does not align with their viewpoint.

I did a post recently on how alarmists gain funding by screaming about the panic du jour.

Here then is the test.

Are you willing to follow this link to a short article that disagrees with what alarmists have been shouting?

Most sheeple are not honest enough to listen to the other side.

Statistically over 90% of you will ignore even compelling evidence that contradicts sheeple beliefs.

I'm not even convinced the other 10% will listen - if they do they may be willing to consider an alternative view however.

(by the way the article is not compelling evidence - it just contradicts the majority view.)

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An Extremist Position

2006-03-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

I know you love your country - so this must be for all the other countries out there.

A natural basis of relationship is family and tribe , a tribe acting as an extended family. Normally these relationships operate under known rules that are accepted by the group's members.

As group size increases, rules are created that support the dominance of the few. An early stage might be a city state - we can use Rome as an example. Some families will dominate - rules to support and perpetuate that dominance are put into effect.

When Rome first expanded beyond to include local conquered groups it afforded them the opportunity to join with Rome under their rules. As growth continued oppression increased with each new victory, the increasingly harsh rules at the edges of empire enshrined the ruling class of Rome.

Beyond a certain size groups will be inherently unequal. Democracy changes the structure but does not change the facts, the majority is now the ruling class making rules to their benefit. Consider three lions and one sheep voting on what is for dinner.

My view is that government originally sprang from roving tribes of criminals that stole from early agrarians. These bands eventually settled down and stole in one convenient location - offering "protection" in exchange for support. A government would then be the first form of organized crime, one reason it fights all other organized crime that tries to muscle into its territory.

Into this admittedly extreme position I will, with apologies to the author, insert a quote by a brilliant man - who I am reasonably sure did not expect to have this quote applied in this manner.

"Look at the tyranny of party--at what is called party allegiance, party loyalty--a snare invented by designing men for selfish purposes--and which turns voters into chattles, slaves, rabbits" - Mark Twain

I regard this as what it appears to be - a condemnation of ignorantly and automatically supporting your vastly extended political tribe in elections.

But since Samuel Langhorne Clemens is no longer here to defend his hard work, I will paraphrase it and put it to my own uses.

Look at the tyranny of country--at what is called patriotic allegiance, patriotic loyalty--a snare invented by designing men for selfish purposes--and which turns citizens into chattles, slaves, rabbits.

allegiance can be a virtue.

Supporting and defending yourself, your family, and your friends when they are in the right is both natural and to be applauded.

Commitment to a just cause is a hallmark of rational beings.

Connection with a local team or institution can enrich your life. Cheering for a team is a harmless identity projection.

However -- following a faction or group of loosely defined causes without reservation is ignorant tribalism.

Roving criminals still exist, and will settle into any group that folks follow blindly. From a position of authority they will then abuse power and seek to perpetuate their dominance.

The good news is that society is changing - technology is empowering thoughtful individuals to reclaim their personal freedom.

It may not happen soon enough for you, unless you take control for yourself.

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Americans - Vote For Any Third Party

2006-03-23T00:36:00.000-08:00

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When was the last time your party paid attention to your views?

It was probably when there was a strong third party candidate.

A Ross Perot or a Ralph Nader gets real debate going, and activates the single democratrepublican party to accomplish something. It even moves the extremes of that single party a bit further apart.

There can be an argument made that in some states, Florida and Ohio in the last election, there is some logic in voting for the lessor of two evils that are your primary choices.

In all other cases, for instance New York or Texas, the results are known before the election.

"The old parties are husks, with no real soul within either, divided on artificial lines, boss-ridden and privilege-controlled, each a jumble of incongruous elements, and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly on what should be said on the vital issues of the day." -- Theodore Roosevelt

As I've said elsewhere the American two party system is "like professional wrestling, but throwing sound bites instead of chairs. Both parties scream, moan, groan, and shout to keep ignorant party faithful convinced they are fighting a righteous battle."

Vote for someone that represents you, not for someone that is already sold out to the existing system of abuse.

"Look at the tyranny of party--at what is called party allegiance, party loyalty--a snare invented by designing men for selfish purposes--and which turns voters into chattles, slaves, rabbits" - Mark Twain

Not voting is not a protest, it is submission to those that will rule over you to their own ends.

Vote, but don't vote for the big two.

"Not voting is just as bad as voting for evil men because it allows evil to succeed by default. Take a stand with people who support what you really support. Stop cowering and merely complaining about America's pending demise and act in such a way as to truly make a difference." -- Tom Ambrose

Vote for any third party.

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Why Not You?

2006-03-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to a daily quote service that comes in my email.

On Fridays they send an inspirational story or poem rather than a short quote.

I remember Jimmy Carter, the ex-president of the USA, saying he rearranged his life to seek success when someone told him to ask himself something like "Why not me? Why not my best?"

This weeks story was a short essay Why Not You?

I have copied the whole of Why Not You? - including the author information - into the Partner Charity site.

By the way I have also sent an email to the author, Steve Maraboli, telling him I would remove the piece if he objects to this use. he wrote it - he owns it - it is reasonable to both acknowledge his effort and respect his authorship. The Internet is frequently awfully sloppy about that type of respect.

If he does object - I will remove it.

We have the same relationship with those creative doers that have designed Master's Courses at Bastiat Free University. We will change or delete the class any time they request.

We are allowed to study what helped form these wonderful successes by their assistance - they deserve the respect of control. It is worth our flexibility to be able to study an international financier like Jim Rogers or a serial entrepreneur like Dottie Walters. To succeed - study successful people.

We all need inspiration to get us going - and motivation to keep us going - sometimes we need a lot of it.

You may be at a point where reading Why Not You? and spending some time thinking about - why not - may help you to profitably rearrange your life.

This has been the long way around to ask you to go and read Why Not You?

It is well worth your time.

Of course you may want to sign up for the free daily inspirational quote service sponsored by BFU while you are at Partner Charities.

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Business Is A Self Sovereignty Issue

2006-03-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

"Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains." - Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson seems to have said the above out of admiration.

In similar fashion the Internet does not care where you live; it offers an approach to liberty that empowers all of us within it's reach.

Personally empowering Technologies may well signal the end of those huge artificial tribes, the nation states.

A much more manageable governmental structure may develop, perhaps city states competing for valuable citizens.

Develop a business that can move with you. Mobility may be a key to personal success.

Governments will change as information technology continues to shrink the size of an organization required for efficiency. Society no longer needs to carry the expensive burden of remote central planners.

We don't know when the four bigs will deflate or implode; inevitable is not the same as immediate.

The change that is coming to the world could be very messy in some spots. Perhaps it is time to consider preparing to change spots.

Our origin as members of small nomadic tribes, frequently moving to where life had the potential to improve, may also be our future.

Mobility may also be a key to personal survival.

The netcohort already exists as protean teams opportunistically forming for specific ventures. They will likely provide the more efficient solutions we need to move into a more abundant future.

You are your business - Join the Netcohort.

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The Police - A Private Market Solution

2006-03-11T21:13:00.000-08:00

When folks talk about why we need government - one of the first arguments is - to provide services.

We have seen over and over again, education comes to mind, how private enterprise solutions are less expensive and produce better results. Of course in the case of education, bureaucrats are not willing to give up their control and their profiteering just to benefit students.

It is the same with other services. Arbitration works better and cheaper in many cases than the court system - yet remains under used.

In many cases private solutions would work better, but are so subject to regulation that they end up even more inefficient than government. Electrical service is one example. In California the government had screwed up power supply so bad they pretended to privatize it. They left power under so many rules and regulations they could claim privatization failed and then take it back after some fixes were applied. Private enterprise never had a chance.

Here is one to think about.

competition for policemen and police forces.

The pressure to provide good service, and not use excessive force, would impel competing teams to provide balanced protection. The best teams would get the best contracts, and seek to be even better.

Poor police teams, violent teams, and arrogant teams would not keep their jobs. The best officers would be sought for competing teams - and without tenure would strive to stay the best.

The biggest problem would be in who gets to choose and oversee the teams. Politics is a corrupting influence. There are remedies for political corruption, such as term limits, that go beyond this discussion.

Of course politics is corrupt without police team competition already. Over time many police departments develop their own subculture of corruption. It would be nice to be able to toss them both out and start over.

There are answers out there - most begin with less regulation and smaller government. Private solutions can be created to keep control out of the hands of the four bigs.

To stand this argument on end I will quote Harry Browne - a hero of the efficient government battle. Harry died March first and will be greatly missed for many reasons, his insight into personal freedoms is one.

Read Harry Browne's books if you can find them, How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World, is one - a classic well worth the high used book prices. Maybe your library has a copy.

Harry asked a question that went something like this:

"Would you give up your favorite government program to pay no taxes?"

I doubt if police departments are many people's favorite government program.

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I'm Not Republican Or Democrat - you can leave now

2006-03-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

I almost made this a comment on a political blog.

It is too versatile to waste for one comment that would probably be deleted anyway.

The sad part is - all the comments made to the blog agreed with the one sided absurdity posted.

My comment would have been deleted or ignored - it did not meet their party's doctrine.

Republicans write for republicans - recycling the same biased message. Democrats write for democrats - and are applauded for slanted rewrites of moot issues. They won't read each other - the purity of their political religion might be defiled.

The USA is a theocracy.

The religion is the single party - Democratrepublicanism.

Here is my comment, left here as a general garment - see if it fits your blog .

I'm not republican or a democrat.

I'm sure you have noticed that only people that agree with you read this tripe.

I'm equally sure they would not read something balanced.

It says something about those folks that only seek to reinforce their probable error.

The ignorant eagerly sharing their ignorance - but only with those equally and agreeably ignorant.

I read a blog the other day where they author bragged she could tell if a blog was the other party in the first sentence - and she would read no further.

My guess is she was proud that her political faith was pure.

It also indicates any position slightly different than her position was "the others," - strangers, and enemies.

That is willful ignorance.

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An Arab Woman Takes A Risk

2006-03-04T17:02:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post about freedom and violence.

Considering the way the world is now - this intelligent woman takes a huge risk for civilization.

I have written about the conflict between ignorance and civilization several times - most recently here at the Sovereign Speculator and also at a soon to be general investment site.

The Uncommon Sense blog has posted a similar - but very different - video by a woman that takes an extreme risk to share her viewpoint on an Al-Jazeera news show.

This is well worth the few minutes it will take to watch it.

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The Magna Carta - The Rebirth Of Freedoms

2006-03-02T00:02:00.001-08:00

The Magna Carta was created in 1215 AD and was an important limitation on governmental oppression.

The liberties that became part of the western world were founded in this first step of individual freedoms. In part:

No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, or in any way destroyed, except by the lawful judgment of his peers.

Please join me in a moment of sadness that these liberties for which the west was once famous have joined the Magna Carta as a historical footnote.

More recently we received this warning:

"The power of the Executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgment of his peers, is in the highest degree odious, and is the foundation of all totalitarian government whether Nazi or Communist." - Winston Churchill

If you are thinking you are not part of the problem because your party is pure as driven snow; this is not a Conservative vs. Liberal issue - it is a totalitarian vs, freedom issue.

Be part of a solution.

One final quote:

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." - Thomas Jefferson

- Including your freedom.

Mind in wander mode

2006-02-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

Back from vacation, but still to mellow to rant.

As most of you know, I now use the Sovereign Speculator to display my most venomous rants, thereby saving my other sites like BFU and the new business e-learning site from my mental depredations.

I did come across an idea while perusing the Dilbert Blog that caught my attention, and I would like to fine tune it.

" Leadership is a form of evil. No one needs to lead you to do something that is obviously good for you."

The difference I would point out is that there is no evil in a leader we pick for ourselves to improve our effectiveness. The key of course is the ability to quit following when any advantage derived from the leader dissipates.

A corresponding principle is that if I do not have a right I can not delegate it to a leader, even if I am in the majority. If it is evil for me to take your money, it is evil for me to chose a leader to take your money.

If I have made this concept confusing - you might enjoy this short flash presentation at the Bastiat Free University on-line campus.

enjoy life,

Allan

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Educationists Are The Morons

2006-02-12T23:46:00.000-08:00

Educationists are the morons, not our children.

A note from the Opinion.Telegraph in merry old England.

Educationists are the morons, not our children
A Cambridge don told me a few years back that even those lucky enough to get into our top university were so incapable of learning once there that he wanted to start a sandwich course for them. Of course, it is not our young people who are thick; it is the "educationists" who deem what they are taught. For decades basic grammar has been spurned as elitist, so even those with four A-levels are illiterate. Basic numeracy was discouraged once the electronic calculator was invented.

And general knowledge - indeed, any form of reading outside the curriculum, or spirit of independent inquiry, curiosity and thought - was squashed by schools focusing on what does well for the league tables. Add to that parents being dissuaded from having an intellectual life with their children - not that many need much dissuasion - and you have a nation of morons in the making. What have our children, many of whom could be very clever, done to deserve this treatment?

A fine rant, and a scathing indictment of public education.

For a bit more balanced look at what a teacher encounters- stuck between educationists and students the Right Wing Nation blog takes a shot at the final result of the avoidance of absolutes, even in math studies.

Myself I rather favor what C. F. Bastiat had to say:

" We cannot but be astonished at the ease with which men resign themselves to ignorance about what is most important for them to know; and we may be certain that they are determined to remain invincibly ignorant if they once come to consider it as axiomatic that there are no absolute principles."

If you want your kids to be mindless cogs in a bureaucratic machine - leave them in public schools. Public schools are very good at their job - indoctrinating compliant future citizens and bureaucracy employees.

Separate school and state.

Your kids will have more and better options in carefully selected private schools or with home schooling.

That and when they grow up you can have interesting conversations with your kiddos.

If you went to public schools - maybe you can get a home schooled kid to teach you how to converse.

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On Vacation

2006-02-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

.
I should be back about February 20.

Enjoy life.

You will probably enjoy my prior post - take a look.

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Of Cosmic significance - Of Comic Significance

2006-02-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

In primitive cultures the word for stranger and enemy can be the same word.

In the west, led by a sensationalist media looking for customers rather than truth, we have become myopic.

What is deemed important by media is last night's political protest or family murder. We demand no real news and analysis - the media provides none.

Public schools teach worthless blather, and ignore history and its lessons. I talked recently with a public school teacher - he teaches junior high history. World history in his class is limited to ancient Egypt. His students are building him a burial chamber. He said that will give them a love of history.

While I might have enjoyed building a burial chamber for a teacher - a whole course dedicated to that construction is less than worthless. The students have studied no great minds, no conflicts, no principles that separate the ignorant from the civilized.

These students have learned - as fact - vague guesses on an ancient "acceptable" religion. That is their world history course. They are more ignorant than prior generations - reflecting their society slowly reverting to its primitive roots.

I received a subscription e-mail from Bob Bauman today. He writes well, he understands civilization, he has a wide view of history. He talks of the fourteen centuries of battle between some parts of Islam and the West.

Put simply, certain Muslims don't like us, not because of what we do, (which is provocative enough; Iraq, oil, Israel) but because too many Muslims reject the West's love of freedom and perhaps because they have been on the losing side for 300 years. Muslims' refuse to be ruled by infidels and to many of them all non-believers are infidels. Read history and you will understand why these street riots are another stark symptom of a much deeper, chronic problem that will torment the world for a long time.

That battle will not end as long as the west prefers freedom. As we can see from the reaction to a few cartoons - that battle is not going to end this century.

As we also can see in Iraq - even the conversion of the world to Islam would not stop the violence. Different flavors of Islam are more than willing to blow each other up.

This is not primarily a religious issue - this violence against "others" or strangers is a primitive cultural reality.

I saw a placard held up by one of the rioters for the media to record; the placard read something like: "behead the enemys of Islam."

You are likely an "enemy of Islam" to this person. You believe in liberty - you are a stranger. They will not be satisfied until you are beheaded.

That person will probably not change their view. If their children are raised the same way - their children will probably think you need to die also. The west is becoming more primitive, large parts of the world are not advancing from the primitive, we are all becoming more wary of strangers.

I can remember a time when Lebanon was a land of peace and prosperity. Jew, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, and others were treated well by each other. An element entered the country that was violently divisive. Lebanon is now a primitive war zone.

Because you are comfortable today - does not mean the dark ages won't re-start tomorrow. Perhaps we have never really left the dark ages.

We are strangers.

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Elliott Wave International - Reports and Tutorial - No Charge

2006-02-04T23:11:00.000-08:00

The Elliott Wave International market forecasting group will be offering a full week of free access.

They will not always be right, but their projections can have great value.

I have moved most of my finance posting over to Speculation Rules, but many of you may not read that journal. Some of you that don't read Speculation Rules may benefit from the information that Elliott Wave International provides.

You won't know if you don't look.

You might not know to look if I didn't tell you.

To get the free week you will need to sign up for Club EWI - it is free also. There are many benefits to Club EWI - one of the more important for an investor is their free tutorial. An example of other Club EWI tools:

Five Keys to Spotting Trade Setups: A Free Trader's Classroom Video

It's a rare and valuable gift to learn trading lessons without the hard knocks of the markets.

We'd like to present such a gift to you. Five Keys to Spotting Trade Setups discusses the ways in which you can accurately recognize corrective or countertrend price action in order to identify high probability trade setups.

Produced by Senior Analyst Jeffrey Kennedy, this Trader's Classroom video seeks to simplify the often difficult lessons to be learned in real-world trading.

As Jeffrey Kennedy puts it: "I began my career as an independent trader, so I know firsthand how hard it can be to get simple explanations of methods that consistently work. In more than 12 years since then, I've learned many lessons, and I don't think you should have to learn them all the hard way."

The Elliott Wave International tutorial is the best available way on the Internet to explore investing using Elliott Wave theory.

As you know by now -- I always recommend reading the book before you buy the investment. Now you can review the free tutorial before buying the book.

Start the free tutorial - get the free week of reports - then maybe buy the book(s).

Allan

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Change Across The Political Spectrum

2006-01-30T13:23:00.000-08:00

For those that want change, basically all of us, the good news is -- change is coming.

Only the bureaucrats won't like this.

If you want a way to speed change, and reverse the negative course of the four bigs, This short article, Bureaucracy Tipping, may give you some ideas.

There is needed change in the wings. As the industrial society wanes and the information and miniaturization age waxes - bureaucracies will crumble.

You can do your part and achieve a measure of success by helping dismantle the archaic artifacts of centralized bureaucracy.

Technology is the tool, liberty is the goal.

Change is in the air.

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Big Government - Big Unions - Big Corporations - Big Education

2006-01-29T23:45:00.000-08:00

These are the four bigs that run your life.

They think they own you.

Maybe they do.

"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." - Voltaire

If Voltaire was right you alone determine your liberty.

If you decide to own your own life your first step is to desire to be free.

You then must turn a critical eye toward those that claim your allegiance.

Governments, all political parties, all forced associations, your employers and educators. Ask yourself - "Am I more dedicated to them than they are to me?"

Look behind the slogans and propaganda, are their actions for your benefit or theirs?

They scream of injustice and of your needing to support them. The support they seek is for them to stay well ahead of all those they claim to help.

Sometime in the future these institutions will shrink as technology empowers the people. That brings to mind a rule of finance.

If something is going to fall - it should be pushed.

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More & Better Definition For The Spek

2006-01-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

Another split in the personality of A Sovereign Speculator.

As you may recall, A long time ago we split off the educational posts from what was then the Hitchhiker to the self directed learning journal for Bastiat Free University.

Not too long ago we split off most of the financial aspect of Hitchhiker, now renamed The Sovereign Speculator, to a new three times a week Speculation Rules.

We then moved our small business information updates to Small Business Motivation, Inspiration, & Perspiration that is updated weekdays.

We just started a new journal, Entrepreneurial Business E-Learning, where we have not yet established a frequency. This new weblog, or "blog," will concentrate on business owners and those of you that want to own a business. It will bounce around on subjects for a while, but it will find its voice soon.

Our other journal is seldom part of this business oriented crowd - that is the Junior Partner Ministries' Prayer Chapel. It is published Sunday and Wednesday every week - Lord willing. It is a quick read set up to assist those who are traveling with the feel of a home church prayer service.

This blog, A Sovereign Speculator, has its voice. This is the hen house where my opinions, guesses, and rants come home to roost. There is a bit of all the above blogs here - but with more attitude - and no schedule to keep.

Pick and choose, mix and match - there are enough blogs here for all. For a sample of that Spek attitude - pick a favorite posts link on the left.

Allan R. Wallace

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Free State Project - New Hampshire

2006-01-26T23:35:00.000-08:00

New Hampshire's Free State Project is a different approach to the problems of a bloated central government than Vermont's Secessionist Movement.

New Hampshire shares Vermont's love of liberty, and their town meeting form of local government. This group is on the other side of the aisle from the Vermont secessionists (see prior post).

The Free State Project is an attempt to have 20,000 libertarians and anrcho-capitalists living together in one state. Together they hope to help mold a statewide example of the benefits of limited government.

Taxes and state government intrusion are already low in New Hampshire, as you would expect from a state with the motto Live Free Or Die.

The mascot of the Free State Project is the porcupine, a symbol of their "leave me alone" philosophy.

Maybe you are committed to living in the comfort of the United States - but want a return to government where an individual person has value.

The Free State Project in New Hampshire may be for you.

Solutions from the bottom up tend to be far more beneficial than change forced from the top down.

Allan R. Wallace

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Free Vermont & The World Wide Secessionist Movement

2006-01-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

We have talked about technology empowered individuals creating devolutionary fractal trends.

Secession as contemplated in Alaska, Hawaii, Vermont, and Texas is a large scale, slower developing model, of smaller differentiating movements.

The monolithic nation states were spawned by the industrial age. Economies of scale allowed the overthrow of the vestiges of feudal allegiance. Diverse cultures and ethnicities were united under a single flag - Napoleon even set out to have his conquests all speak French.

A fractal is a pattern that is indistinguishable by scale. A spiral taken as a small section has the same relationship to its adjoining parts regardless of where the sample is taken. A rough fractal would be like the seacoast, broken and beaten by waves, indistinguishable by form whether measuring miles or meters.

With the opportunities supplied through technology individuals are defining their own life by their own expectations, not the crowds. This is happening quickly in developed societies at the personal level - latter marriage, religious conversions, home business, distance learning, etc.

As you move up through families, local groups, large organizations, and up to nation states the process slows, but is still apparent.

The information and miniaturization age will be defined by individuals working in association with small fluid groups - the Netcohort. This age has already arrived for numbers of information workers.

The technological future will deflate and disassemble the large bureaucracies, the marching drum has just started beating.

Most countries are now varying degrees of totalitarian, although some are happily more disorganized than others. The future should offer greater liberty.

Assets such as your resolve, knowledge, reputation, adaptability, and your willingness to contribute are easily able to move with you.

This group of Vermont citizens sounds left of green, but that may be one of the benefits of the new network society.

There will be many smaller countries competing for productive citizens; we will be able to chose a country that matches us.

Consider the current choice between socialist Sweden or capitalist Singapore -- but with hundreds more choices.

King's pawn to King four.

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A Speculator's Speculation - Blackberry 8700C

2006-01-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

Blackberry 8700c

This speculation is for fun, not for investment.

Blackberry is in a patent infringement law suit. For current status check your Google news (stock - RIMM).

Some seem to feel it is a frivolous and nuisance law suit by a company without products against Blackberry and Research In Motion or RIM.

Depending on your take the lawsuit will be thrown out, a settlement will happen, or only government approved people - all bureaucrats most likely - will stay connected.

Make your decision.

A side effect is folks have slowed down on purchasing a Blackberry so there are some very tempting deals being thrown about right now.

At Amazon you can get the normally $499.99 list price Blackberry 8700C, and get paid a penny to take it. It does require a Cingular service contract of at least $39.99.

Purchase price of the Blackberry 8700C, and several other Blackberry models have been reduced to $149.99, and there is an Amazon rebate of $150.00.

If you or your company want the best in hand held communications technology, you have until 25 January 2006 to act. If you read this after that date, still click through on the link - if the lawsuit is not settled there will probably be a new offer made.

Worst case is the Blackberry gets cut off - and then there may be more offers to get you back. Best case you make a penny and get the best quality, $499.99 communications device for the cost of monthly service.

Google that news, or - click here - for the Blackberry 8700c offer, then google the news.

A small speculation, a wonderful handful of technology.

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Socialism is paid for by taxes

2006-01-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

All those government programs are paid for by taxes.

If not now,then our kids and grandkids will pay them. A program like food stamps gives about 1/3 of the money received to the poor, the rest feeds the bureaucracy.

Bureaucrats vote, almost all of them. Those that receive government hand-outs vote. If those two groups are 20% of those that can vote - with only half of the citizens voting - that is 40% of votes will be made to support socialism - before we vote.

It ain't goin' away. (soon)

I received this in the free email from the Daily Reckoning - see if you can spot the tax invented in 1913 that is not on this list. (I'll disclose it in the comments section below)

*** Isn't this amazing? writes reader Frank Sobkowiak, from a
mountain top in beautiful corner of North Eastern Pennsylvania. He forwarded
this e-mail to us in response to our renewed interest in dismantling the
IRS.

“This is a list of the various ways in which citizens of the U S of A are taxed:

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Capital Gains Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Court Fines (indirect taxes)
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax Interest expense (tax on the money)
Inventory tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Local Income Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Septic Permit Tax
Service Charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Taxes (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Toll Booth Taxes
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and
local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage charge tax
Toll Bridge Taxes
Toll Tunnel Taxes
Traffic Fines (indirect taxation)
Trailer Registration Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

COMMENTS: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation
was
the most prosperous in the world, had absolutely no national debt, had
the
largest middle class in the world and only one parent had to work to
support the family.

What the hell happened?

The USA founding fathers rebelled over taxes of a few percent. Let the camel stick his nose under the edge of the tent, and soon he will move in. We are at the point now where we have become slaves to the camel.

A nation formed of, by and for the bureaucrats.

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Let's Play Monopoly

2006-01-19T20:40:00.000-08:00

A Monopoly game figures into a couple of interesting posts.

From the Ludwig Von Mises site is an exploration of where the Monopoly game misses the mark compared to a real economy. Are kid's learning the right lessons?

Much lighter fare, yet still with some interesting points is the Scott Pettersen story of his sister's gift to his daughter. The gift was a fine socialist game, Our Town, where players are penalized for not sacrificing themselves to community interests. (it is a bit unreal to have the government bail people out of troubles without taking half of the players' money.)

These games are more similar than opposite; just as today's Democrats and Republicans are both on the similar totalitarian end of the scale, rather than on the liberty end.

It makes me wonder what Clue says about the criminal justice system.

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Economic System Change

2006-01-17T20:46:00.000-08:00

I saw a quote on economic system change, but I don't know where I saw it, or who said it.

The gist was we have finished the battle between Austrian Economics and Keynesian Economics, and have entered the war of Keynesian Economics versus Socialist Economics. The implication was Keynes won the first battle, Socialism will win the war.

I disagree.

We are currently at a transitional fractal point between ages, and on shorter measures peaks in eras of good times. The ascendancy of both socialism and Keynes are probably over.

Socialism owes its modern application to Marx and Engels reacting to imbalances in an emergent industrial age. The industrial age is ending. The problems of the industrial age have mitigated over the decades, but socialists gained power. The feel good thought of stealing from those that have more than you, to give it to those poorer than you, was quite attractive.

Limits exist to this approach in the emerging information age; information is transportable, hence extortion as a means of theft will be limited.

Another limit is those who in the recent past embraced socialism were the educated middle class of the industrial era.

These educators and their pupils are seen as rich by 95% of the world. They are more than willing to steal from capitalists for redistribution, but if you want to take their perks and salary for the poor - they will fight.

"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

As an aside this has created the strange bedfellows of big unions and anti-globalists. The unions looking to protect their privileged status by fighting jobs for foreign poor - the anti-globalists fighting for greater privilege for foreign poor. Together they stage demonstrations against offshore sourcing by corporations.

Back on topic.

We are at the peak of several business cycles (an Austrian Economics concept) of varying dimension. These cycles have been extended artificially by government interventions, and will cause a great deal of pain when they turn down. Financial bubbles have even been mentioned in the main stream press, and they present an interesting picture of where we are.

Normally in a standard business cycle the bubble inflates and deflates, then does it again. With government intervention the deflations are avoided by constant artificial inflation. Eventually the bubble will explode.

There are several bubbles, of different sizes, nested inside each other. The inflating is continuing, the burst may be far worse than the sum of the deflations avoided.

Inevitable is not the same as immediate, I do not know when a greater depression may start, but it could be sooner rather than latter.

A depression will require Keynes to surpass socialism to preserve society. As we exit the depression the information age should gain traction, shrinking those governments that survive.
An information society will continue to cause the implosion of bureaucracies, accelerating the trend toward privatization.

This is a whole bunch of "what ifs."

My guess is probably as good as anyone else's.

So is yours.

Which economic system do you see as winner?

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Entrepreneurship and Education - Start Your Business First

2006-01-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

What and how much education is required to be an entrepreneur?

You are probably aware of the College of Entrepreneurship at Bastiat Free University.

You may have read or heard us talk about the concept of start your business first; - then start learning. You learn fast and sometimes hard with your own business. The learning will be more relevant for you as an entrepreneur than a standard business school education.

Start your business first will also be cheaper than a standard business education. Figure up the costs of four + years of your life, deferred earnings, forced to take non-applicable classes, and of course books, tuition, fees, fees, and fees.

Your first and second business may fail, keep going. If you keep learning you will find success eventually, and you will find that success for yourself. Rediscover the pleasures of self directed learning - start your business first.

What will be important are the people that you develop in your network. What they will value in you is integrity, adaptability, knowledge, and action. Notice a diploma is not part of the mix.

At Bastiat Free University you can register and monitor classes for free. If you decide to acquire a degree latter, BFU will be there to help.

In today's world a degree has become a personal marketing tool - it is no longer evidence of learning. Instead a diploma is evidence of bureaucratic compliance.

Here also is a site I recently discovered that may offer some assistance in learning, check out The Foundation Of Entrepreneurship. It looks like a news aggregatior and resource site for entrepreneurs. I'll probably add a post on them once I've checked them out.

For now:

Start Your Business First!

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Rantless in Orange County

2006-01-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

Feelin' good - down right content in fact.

Sure political pole cats and their mendacious mouthpieces are still lying on both sides of the aisle.

I'm enjoying life, so I don't want to soil my mind for a day or three.

If you want to know what is wrong in America, and a potential fix look here.

A friend and I were talking last night about how easy it is to string regrets like a chain around your neck. Many carry such a burden, displaying it to everyone they meet.

I coulda, I shoulda, just a wee bit more - or less - an' I woulda....

Regrets are in the past, facts cannot be changed by swimming in sorrows. Although the picture of that heavy chain of regrets dragging you to the bottom may be accurate.

After my friend left I realized as a Christian I have a great promise: All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

In prayer I took my past, the past is part of everything, and turned it over to God.

Today I am content.

Life is like a great chess board.

The problem for me alone is the pieces all have free will. I can think many moves ahead against a single opponent and do fine. In life each piece can and does follow their own changing set of moves, or sits and won't be moved.

God is both smarter and wiser than I am; and he loves me more than I love myself. If he has worked all things together for my good, I would be silly to continue to worry about the past.

God is my chess master, looking at the board as it is, and making moves to win.

Jesus took my half finished game of life, filled with self deterministic pieces, and developed a winning strategy. As play continues, he will guide with appropriate changes to that strategy.

I am continuing to move toward the future, but I am not burdened with the past.

I am content.

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Prepare for Change

2006-01-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

The western world is fading.

They are busy spending their inheritance on wars and the technology of control. They steal money from children by creating debt beyond their generation's ability to pay - and this is just the nation states.

The western people mimic their governments, buying SUVs and overpriced housing, destroying their savings and equity; while inflation, taxes, and conspicuous consumption pull them under water.

There will be a reckoning.

We at some point will not be able to convince those around the world who save money we are a reasonable risk. The west is headed for a greater depression, we just don't know when.

It may have already started.

These posts are usually light and informative; this is dark and real.

Prepare for the change that will come with depression - emotional, moral, and capital change.

Life is not Linear.

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New Media vs. Main Stream Media

2006-01-07T21:42:00.000-08:00

There is a battle brewing between the entrenched main stream media and a blitzkrieg of new media.

Main stream media is putting on the uncomfortable battle armor of blog warriors while their feet are stuck in clay around a big city desk.

Hugh Hewitt has an article on those that want to retain the power of media even as technology empowered individuals disperse their information sources.

Of particular interest to me was one quote of big media defender Hitzik:

"Hewitt in his blog ceded the tooth-gnashing duties to one Carol Platt Liebau, who evidently harbors a deep-seated distaste for improved roads, schools, hospitals, public safety, etc. "

This ploy was answered over 150 years ago:

"Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all. We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain." - C. F. Bastiat

The war between new media and main stream media is on. Hewitt even takes a guess on the strategy for the next few campaigns.

Read Hewitt's article, it will add one more piece to the puzzle that is media change.

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