An Old Acquaintance Rekindled

By Richard Nikoley Free The Animal | February 13, 2004
I recently got wind of a new Blog via Billy Beck. Well, turns out that I also know Bruce McQain from way back, '95 or '96. Bruce and I once teamed up on Usenet in thread called "Taxation is Theft." It was us against a slew of lawyers and tax professionals. Their claim: that taxation is not theft because it's a "lawful taking" (fancy words that mean it's Ok, because Uncle Sam says so). Ok,…Read More

Arnold, Arnold, Arnold…

By Richard Nikoley Free The Animal | February 10, 2004
Dear Mr. Schwarzenegger: I just heard your spot on the radio drumming up support for your program to solve California’s fiscal problems. A word of advice; stop using phrases such as: “after all, it’s your money.” This kind of talk just won’t fly politically. Have you any idea at all of the implications of that phrase, and what sort of a moral condemnation it represents for the government and “constitution” you have sworn to uphold?…Read More

Come Again?

By Richard Nikoley Free The Animal | February 9, 2004
In my last entry, here, I proposed an inelegant choice: fraud on the part of Republicans or dishonesty on the part of Democrats. I’ve received some curious input from several sources, so I’m motivated to elaborate. The main thrust of that post was to express my stern disapproval over the very real lack of a sound and concise moral foundation amongst Republican politicians. The result is that they are continually waving in the wind, standing…Read More

Fraud or Dishonesty: Take Your Pick

By Richard Nikoley Free The Animal | February 7, 2004
I must admit to being somewhat seduced by the Revolution of 1994. Oh I’m sure you remember it, don’t you? The election of that year marked the exact moment in time of our great Republican rescue—the moment when the scope, influence, and cost of government began its sharp decline owing to the power shift in Washington after decades of a Democrat stranglehold. After all, that was the whole point of it, wasn’t it? Had not…Read More

Worker Exploitation is Real!

By Richard Nikoley Free The Animal | February 4, 2004
Those who know me best know that in spite of my market-anarchist leanings, I have a soft spot for labor, of the downtrodden, the exploited at the hands of greedy capitalists {uncontrollable grin}. So, here's a rhetorical question. Suppose a company locates overseas in your typical third-world cesspool, with the obvious reason for doing so being that they can buy labor at a cheaper price there than here, just like you can buy a pair…Read More

Just Simply Beautiful

By Richard Nikoley Free The Animal | February 4, 2004
This is a brand new rigid-wing hang-glider designed and manufactured by Aeros, of, of all places, the Ukraine. Apparently, after the fall of the USSR, some ex-aeronautical engineers became entrepreneurs. In both the flex and rigid wing categories, it is quite well known the world over that Aeros delivers the best in performance for the money. Their wings are always near the top of the stack in all national and international X-C competitions, and they…Read More