Interesting News, Articles & Stuff

[florduh]

As someone who passed through right libertarianism on my journey, I would point out not all of them are feudalists. Especially in principle; there’s a fairly stark divide between the idealists and the pragmatists in libertarianism generally (see Charles Johnson’s ‘Libertarianism, through thick and thin.’)

Even the most right leaning of libertarian scholars Murray Rothbard famously opined of the lunacy at declaring titled property valid. For if that is our argument surely the Lords would simply declare their land titled and at once not be not only “just” in their property, but perversely to do so in a way that honors the ‘libertarian’ complaint.

In college, I attended a talk by a Libertarian professor and author. During Q and A I asked "so when do you reckon 'private property rights' began? Can you put a date on it?" And he bumbled around with some answer about how in North America, property rights began some time after Europeans "conquered" the continent.

That's when I began to realize this philosophy is kind of arbitrary nonsense. Also describing what happened with Native Americans as "conquering", like it was some sort of epic Lord of The Rings battle between two armies to decide who owns the continent, is ridiculous. Europeans engaged in centuries of mendacity, scamming, making treaties just to almost immediately break them etc.

I call Right Wing Libertarians kneelers because they have no coherent critique of corporate power. They have no critique of oligarchy either. Yes, our governments are corrupt. But they're corrupt because they're totally bought by the wealthy and their corporations.

In a Libertarian Fantasy World where the government is small enough to drown in a bathtub, the wealthy and corporations would still use their capital to lord power over the rest of us. To maintain the hierarchy and their place in it. There would still be a court system to maintain the sanctity of contracts. It would just be "The Justice Department, Presented by Amazon".

But at the end of the day, Libertarians have no problem with the Rich having more power than the rest of us. The Just and Infallible Free Market has determined they are fit to rule. I firmly believe if Milton Friedman was alive 1500 years ago, he'd be droning on about The Divine Right of Kings, instead of "The Free Market is Magic". Maintaining unnatural hierarchies is the point of both concepts.

At least Feudal peasants kneeled because the Creator of the Universe said their Lord deserved to rule. Modern kneelers pledge themselves to whatever rich kid becomes the biggest scam artist.

 

[Timps27]

Completely understand where you are coming from, but as usual the vocal minority has convinced people it’s the majority. What you are describing is one very recent, and very vocal minority of a much broader and more storied tradition. And, importantly for me, it was the perfect vehicle to unshackle myself from the statist system I had been blindly supporting. But for me it was just that, a gateway and a quick stop on what is a lifelong journey. But I think it can serve a purpose as a transitional house for those on the right who are hungry to learn more, you can’t jump them straight to what they understand as “left” ideas, they need a transitional base that they can support while not completely eroding the philosophical ground under their feet.

If I had to tag myself with one “group” of thinkers today, it would be the libertarian left:

The Alliance of the Libertarian Left is a multi-tendency coalition of mutualists, agorists, voluntaryists,
geolibertarians, left-Rothbardians, green libertarians, dialectical anarchists, radical minarchists,
and others on the libertarian left, united by an opposition to statism and militarism, to cultural
intolerance (including sexism, racism, and homophobia), and to the prevailing corporatist capitalism
falsely called a free market; as well as by an emphasis on education, direct action, and building
alternative institutions, rather than on electoral politics, as our chief strategy for achieving liberation.

ETA:

 

[florduh]

Completely understand where you are coming from, but as usual the vocal minority has convinced people it’s the majority. What you are describing is one very recent, and very vocal minority of a much broader and more storied tradition. And, importantly for me, it was the perfect vehicle to unshackle myself from the statist system I had been blindly supporting. But for me it was just that, a gateway and a quick stop on what is a lifelong journey. But I think it can serve a purpose as a transitional house for those on the right who are hungry to learn more, you can’t jump them straight to what they understand as “left” ideas, they need a transitional base that they can support while not completely eroding the philosophical ground under their feet.

If I had to tag myself with one “group” of thinkers today, it would be the libertarian left:




ETA:

Oh I'm sorry I should be clear. I'm only talking about Right Libertarians. None of what I said applies to Left Libertarians!

I'd probably consider myself a Left Libertarian as well. Though, to be honest, I haven't gotten too deep into political philosophy.

Just two years ago, I watched Senator Bernard Sanders run for President on a platform of "why don't we give American citizens some of the benefits and services other modern countries give their citizens". And the entire Machine of this country...every corner of Power moved to slime him as a dangerous radical leftist.

So it's hard for me to focus on actual radical political philosophy given what the horizons seem to be right now. Which is a shame because I believe this country and world are in dire need of radical change.

 

[macbill]

Tesla Drivers Are Getting Fed Up With Elon Musk's Twitter Meltdowns

Surveys find Tesla's brand image is sinking, while sales people say "a lot" of cancelling customers blame Musk's Twitter behavior.

www.cnet.com

 

[florduh]

Tesla Drivers Are Getting Fed Up With Elon Musk's Twitter Meltdowns

Surveys find Tesla's brand image is sinking, while sales people say "a lot" of cancelling customers blame Musk's Twitter behavior.

www.cnet.com

Yeah, the world's biggest business genius decided to alienate Tesla's target market: wealthy Libs. He could've avoided this by just shutting the fuck up. I don't even know who the CEO of Toyota is. That's how it should be.

Tesla to freeze hiring, lay off employees next quarter - Electrek

Another wave of layoffs are coming at electric-car maker Tesla Inc in the next quarter, news website Electrek reported on Wednesday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

www.reuters.com

Once again, working people will pay the price for the idiocy of the Executive and Shareholder Class.

Police provide first official details of Elon Musk’s alleged stalker incident

Police say a member of Elon Musk’s security team is currently a suspect in their investigation, not a victim

www.theguardian.com

It turns out Musk concocted a bullshit story about a stalker using the Twitter account that tracks his private jet to attack him and his family. Musk used that complete lie to ban a slew of journalists who have been critical of him over the years.

Not only that, but it looks like Elon's security goons assaulted a random dude.

In more decent times, someone caught in a ridiculous lie like this would simply disappear from public life.

Keep in mind, this guy made his ridiculously high offer to buy Twitter so he can SAVE FREE SPEECH. Then he made up a Jussie Smollett story to give him an excuse to ban journalists he didn't like.

 

[Timps27]

Afghanistan: Taliban ban women from universities amid condemnation

The move further restricts women's education, after girls were already excluded from secondary schools.

www.bbc.com

“Walking Around the Paddock Doesn’t Deserve a Cover”: Fans Rip Apart Kelly Piquet Vogue Feature For Snubbing Women in Motorsport

The fans showcase their anger towards Vogue nl's decision to put Kelly Piquet on the cover of an issue talking about "women in motorsport".

www.essentiallysports.com

The Western world is not the Taliban’s Afghanistan, but have we really come as far as we think? Choosing to highlight the lack of diversity in Motorsport is a beautiful choice to make; opting to use a fashion girl whose only connections to racing is that her father is an F1 legend, she has a child with a former F1 driver, and is currently dating the WDC, rather than any of the many talented and hard working young women actually racing (or even controversial groundbreakers like Danica) is not.

 

[Planck]

He could've avoided this by just shutting the fuck up.

But he can't, he's an attention whore, reminds me of a off leash 4 year-old in many ways. It's all good though, the more he exposes himself in public the more people will realise what and empty pathetic lying narcissistic sack of shit he is.

What pisses me off is the MSM giving him any oxygen in the first place! It's not difficult to determine his "big humanity saving ideas" as dumb shit that he stole. All of it considered and abandoned, often decades ago, by people far smarter than this dickweed.

Tesla was and is so overvalued it can't help but crash.
What a crazy world.

 

[macbill]

Researchers find 168 more ancient images at Peru's Nazca Lines

The new findings add to the 190 previously discovered geoglyphs at the UNESCO World Heritage site. The discoveries are thought to date to between 100 B.C. and A.D. 300.

www.npr.org

Sam Bankman-Fried ex Caroline Ellison, FTX co-founder Gary Wang plead guilty to fraud

The walls appear to be closing in on fallen crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried as two former executives connected to FTX have pleaded guilty to fraud charges that led to the company’s sudden collapse.

nypost.com

Tesla offers discounts in Canada/Mexico, raising demand concerns

Tesla is now offering a $5,000 CAD/$74,750 MXN credit on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles purchased in Canada and...

electrek.co

 

[macbill]

Tesla 'full self-driving' triggered 8-car crash on Bay Bridge, driver tells police

The driver told police their Tesla's "full-self-driving" software braked unexpectedly and triggered the eight-car pileup that led to nine people being treated for minor injuries last month, according to a CHP traffic crash report.

abc7news.com

Bankman-Fried out on $250 million bail, agrees to home detention

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried can be released on a $250 million bail and placed on home detention as he awaits trial in a sprawling fraud case, a New York judge ruled on Thursday. At the request of…

thehill.com

FCC proposes largest robocaller fine in history

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday proposed a record-breaking fine of nearly $300 million for an alleged robocall scheme that involved billions of calls about auto warranties.…

thehill.com

 

[Timps27]

I’m waiting for the “I made Nazca Line drawings at night for years” expose to come out like back in the 90’s with crop circles.

 

[vapviking]

Tortured artist and fucking weirdo van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. In the end, shot himself.

""The Starry Night," perhaps van Gogh's most famous and most critically acclaimed work, was painted in June 1889 while van Gogh was in an asylum in St. Remy, France."

And there was this part...

On this day in history, December 23, 1888, Dutch impressionist Vincent van Gogh cuts off his ear

Vincent van Gogh, the brilliant but tortured Dutch painter, cut off his own left ear on this day in history, Dec. 23, 1888, following a fight with friend and fellow artist Paul Gaugin.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Timps27]

Henrietta Lacks' hometown will build statue of her to replace Robert E. Lee monument

A statue of the woman, whose cells were taken without her consent and became integral in several major medical breakthroughs, will be built in Roanoke, Va.

www.npr.org

 

[macbill]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1606713455524081665

Head of major Russian shipyard dies suddenly, no cause given

A major Russian shipyard that specialises in building non-nuclear submarines said its general director had died suddenly on Saturday after 11 years in the job, but gave no details.

www.reuters.com

 

[macbill]

Why You Always See Bras and Panties Hanging on Trees at Ski Resorts

Visit nearly any ski resort in the United States, and a handful in Canada, and you’ll see a tree decorated with colorful undergarments.

www.thedailybeast.com

Scientists are closer to understanding the “Mandela Effect” – the bizarre phenomenon of shared false memories ｜ PsyPost

Imagine the Monopoly Man. Is he wearing a monocle or not? If you pictured the character from the popular board game wearing one, you’d be wrong. In fact, he has never worn one. If you’re surprised by this, you’re not alone. Many people possess the same false memory of this character. This...

nordot.app

 

[florduh]

Southwest paid its executives $112 million and announced a $400 million dividend to shareholders while refusing to upgrade their computer systems leading to thousands of people being stranded over the holidays.

Between 2020 and 2021 the US Government printed $3.2 Billion specifically for Southwest Airlines.

State Officials Warned Buttigieg About Airline Mess

Before the holiday travel nightmare, attorneys general begged the Transportation Secretary and Congress to crack down.

www.levernews.com

Four months before Southwest’s mass cancellation of flights, 38 state attorneys general wrote to congressional leaders declaring that Buttigieg’s agency “failed to respond and to provide appropriate recourse” to thousands of consumer complaints about airlines customer service.

One week after the letter from state attorneys general, Buttigieg said on The Late Late Show With James Corden that airline travel “is going to get better by the holidays.” He added that “we're really pressing the airlines to deliver better service.”

Former McKinsey Consultant and CIA Spook "Mayor Pete" is supposed to be the chief regulator of the airline industry. He refuses to do his fucking job. Not a single fine has been levied against airlines for their obvious corporate malfeasance.

I'm sorry, but if guys like "Mayor Pete" are the future of America's only "Left Wing" (lol) political party, we are truly fucked. The future will just be regular Americans continually getting squeezed on every front by the corpo elite until the oceans boil over.

 

[Timps27]

This is not an inconsequential event, regardless of gov intervention. Just a straight refund of the ticket cost for the cancelled flights will top $1 Billion (and growing as the cancellations continue to poor in). I wouldn’t be surprised if the final cost to SWA approaches $3 Billion.

 

[florduh]

Just a straight refund of the ticket cost for the cancelled flights will top $1 Billion (and growing as the cancellations continue to poor in)

IF Southwest is forced to do so, in cash. I have a friend who was forced to spend Christmas alone in a strange city because the second leg of his trip was cancelled. SW just offered points/a free ticket. He had to spend $1200 of actual cash to get back home on other airlines.

Southwest needs to be forced to refund every customer in actual greenbacks. Not funny money. My friend does not want to get on a SW flight ever again, and I don't blame him.

Honestly, even if the cost is 3 billion... their little gamble still sort paid off. They got 3.2 billion in free money from the government. So they broke even on this. They bet they could get away without paying to fix their computer systems. That bet failed, but the US taxpayer still paid for their losses.

Corporations do this type of satanic arithmetic all the time. Right now airlines are lobbying to only have one pilot per aircraft. My guess is they've figured out that even if this leads to an extra crash or two over the next few decades, they'll still come out ahead financially after all the settlements are paid.

Airlines Are Pushing to Legalize One-Pilot Cockpits

Amid pilot shortages and high operating costs, airlines are pushing the FAA to permit single-pilot cockpits, eliminating co-pilots.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Planck]

I'm sorry, but if guys like "Mayor Pete" are the future of America's only "Left Wing" (lol) political party, we are truly fucked.

Probably lube up. I saw dis guy Pete waxing ecstatically about the epically stupid solar roadways idea. It was at that moment I knew who he was.

 

[florduh]

Probably lube up. I saw dis guy Pete waxing ecstatically about the epically stupid solar roadways idea. It was at that moment I knew who he was.

You can take the boy out of McKinsey but you can't take the McKinsey out of the boy. Mayo Pete did produce one of my favorite moments of the 2020 Presidential campaign though.

Man, the look on his face, lol. He wanted to send that NYT guy to a CIA blacksite.

 

[Timps27]

The vibes are off at Tesla

“It’s losers across the board,” one analyst said.

www.theverge.com

“You’re talking about a modern-day Thomas Edison who’s going through a Howard Hughes moment.”

Ironically, I believe this statement was intended as some form of flattery. I find it a fairly apt comparison to a patent whore who stole any idea he could get his hands on.

 

[Planck]

There's nothing wrong with the cars, it's the cup holders. Elon's confident they will implement the "cool and awesome" AI designed cup holders from the semi early 2nd quarter 2023. Maybe some thermonuclear explosion proof glass too depending on what the tweet poll decides. It's going to epic.

 

[florduh]

Saint Reagan legalizing stock buybacks was a major fuck up.

Southwest Airlines Spent $5.6 Billion on Shareholder Gifts in Years Ahead of Mass Cancellation Crisis | Common Dreams

As travelers and airline workers reel from mass flight cancellations, a corporate watchdog noted Wednesday that Southwest spent nearly $6 billion on stock buybacks in the years ahead of the coronavirus pandemic instead of spending that money technological improvements.

www.commondreams.org

"Southwest Airlines made a risky gamble that mass layoffs and spending billions of dollars on handouts to investors rather than fixing infrastructure would pay off with record profits," Kyle Herrig, the president of Accountable.US, said in a statement. "The airline lost that bet badly and now it's their customers left paying the price including the thousands stranded in the middle of holiday season travel."

 

[florduh]

Nice to see some data backing up a phenomenon I've long suspected is playing out.

Millennials are shattering the oldest rule in politics​

Millennials are shattering the oldest rule in politics

Western conservatives are at risk from generations of voters who are no longer moving to the right as they age

www.ft.com

Well, well, fucking well Neoliberals/Right Wingers. If it isn't the inevitable result of your shitty policies.

That old bullshit line about how everyone turns into a Conservative as they age only works if young people eventually become part of the status quo and want to preserve (or conserve) it.

Right Wing policies pushed by both parties over the past 40 years have lead to a world where millennials can't afford home ownership or higher education. We have either unaffordable healthcare, or none at all. Pensions are a thing of the past. Employment opportunities become worse every year. Most young people believe the future is bleak. Why the fuck would we want to ***conserve*** literally any of this?

 

[Timps27]

Stinky smells reportedly wafting around Twitter's SF HQ

Twitter CEO Elon Musk is disrupting the tech sector by cutting janitorial costs and making offices smell bad, according to the New York Times.

www.sfgate.com

On Friday morning, Musk posted a cryptic meme on Twitter: "What if I told you the only way to escape the Matrix is to unlearn everything that you have been taught and rebuild your entire belief system based on critical thought and analysis."

This guy is barely 1° of separation from a FLERF, and he’s in charge of two multinationals with tens of Billions in valuation. Humanity has learned nothing in 10,000 years, at least insofar as which humans can be trusted.

 

[Grass Yes]

Stinky smells reportedly wafting around Twitter's SF HQ

Twitter CEO Elon Musk is disrupting the tech sector by cutting janitorial costs and making offices smell bad, according to the New York Times.

www.sfgate.com

On Friday morning, Musk posted a cryptic meme on Twitter: "What if I told you the only way to escape the Matrix is to unlearn everything that you have been taught and rebuild your entire belief system based on critical thought and analysis."

I assumed that was a reference to the misogynist/rapist that just got arrested for human trafficking.