Friday, March 30, 2007
None of their business
... if people play poker or gamble but that didn't stop the cops from busting up a poker game in Cary this week. I guess the state doesn't want anyone encroaching on their gambling monoploy.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
No More Smoking in Tabacco Country?
Hugh Holliman has introduced a bill that would ban smoking in ALL restaurants, bars and indoor workplaces in all of North Carolina. Supposedly, the bill is aimed at protecting the workers from secondhand smoke.
I'm not a smoker, nor am I a big fan of being around a lit cigarette, but this is NOT the government's call to make. Whether or not a business allows smoking is the business owner's perogative. As far as the worker's go, if you don't want to be around smoke, tell your boss you only want to work in the "No-Smoking" section. Or, better yet, find onw of the MANY bars and restaurants that don't allow smoking and work at one of those. No one is forcing you to be around smoke if you don't want to be there. We don't need to add another stupid law to the ever-growing list.
Sometimes people ask me why I am so quick to defend smokers when I am not "one of them". If they go after cigarettes, what's next? I love to enjoy a glass of wine after work, the same way that some people enjoy their cigarette, or cigar. If the NC Government wants to take away someone's cigarette, who's to say they won't come after my glass of wine? One aspect of being a Libertarian is defending people, behaviours or speech that is unpopular. I may not like to be around smoke, but far be ot from me to stop someone from smoking in a business that allows it.
I'm not a smoker, nor am I a big fan of being around a lit cigarette, but this is NOT the government's call to make. Whether or not a business allows smoking is the business owner's perogative. As far as the worker's go, if you don't want to be around smoke, tell your boss you only want to work in the "No-Smoking" section. Or, better yet, find onw of the MANY bars and restaurants that don't allow smoking and work at one of those. No one is forcing you to be around smoke if you don't want to be there. We don't need to add another stupid law to the ever-growing list.
Sometimes people ask me why I am so quick to defend smokers when I am not "one of them". If they go after cigarettes, what's next? I love to enjoy a glass of wine after work, the same way that some people enjoy their cigarette, or cigar. If the NC Government wants to take away someone's cigarette, who's to say they won't come after my glass of wine? One aspect of being a Libertarian is defending people, behaviours or speech that is unpopular. I may not like to be around smoke, but far be ot from me to stop someone from smoking in a business that allows it.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
School Choice: Why is This So Hard?
This gem of statist reasoning, from the Raleigh NEWS AND OBSERVER, got me thinking about school choice:
Some excerpts from the story by Samiha Khanna, Staff Writer for N&O, with my most insightful comments in caps:
DURHAM - ...The opening of Durham's eighth charter will expand a $6 million dent in the school system's budget.
Though charter schools are public schools, they operate independently from the local school district. They receive money from the state, and for each student from the Durham school district who enrolls in a charter, a certain per-student allowance follows him. (BUT...BUT...BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO DOESN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE A SEAT FOR THAT STUDENT, OR SCHOOL BUS SERVICES! AT A TIME WHEN SCHOOLS ARE OVERCROWDED, HOW CAN THIS BE A COST? UNLESS...UNLESS YOU JUST THINK THE LOSS OF CONTROL OVER CITIZEN CHOICE IS A COST, RIGHT?)
This will make difficult several projects coming up for Durham Public Schools, including the opening of a new middle school and three small high schools in the fall. (AGAIN, THEY ONLY NEED TO DO THAT IF THEY ARE OVERCROWDED. AND SENDING KIDS TO CHARTERS RELIEVES OVERCROWDING. FURTHER, CHARTERS SAVE THE STATE MONEY, BECAUSE THEY DON'T PROVIDE LUNCH, OR BUS SERVICE, AND GET MUCH LESS PER STUDENT THAN THE STATE-RUN SCHOOLS.)
"We're trying to do a lot of things that require revenue," said Hank Hurd, associate superintendent of administrative services for Durham Public Schools. "Charters are depleting some of the resources that we need to address the student population at large." (STOP DOING THOSE THINGS! THAT'S NOT "REVENUE!" THAT'S MONEY TAKEN AT GUNPOINT FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DESPERATE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO BETTER SCHOOLS!)
When it opens in the fall, Voyager will serve about 320 students in grades four through seven. Its home will be the 40,000-square-foot former Little River Elementary School in the northern Durham town of Bahama. (NO NEW BUILDING, AND NO STATE COSTS, EXCEPT THE RENTAL. LESS THAN HALF AS EXPENSIVE FOR TAXPAYERS, AND HIGHER QUALITY EDUCATION.)
The school will expand to eighth grade the following year, and eventually cap growth at 500 students, according to a plan the school's board of directors submitted to the state.
As of this week, the school received about 400 letters of interest from parents in Durham and as far away as Hillsborough and Roxboro....(GOSH, SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THE DURHAM SCHOOLS AREN'T REALLY DOING THEIR JOB. AND THEIR PROPOSED SOLUTION IS...PREVENT PARENTS FROM HAVING ANY CHOICES? IT IS TRUE THAT WITHOUT CHOICES, THE DURHAM SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE MORE STUDENTS. WHY NOT PURSUE THAT A LITTLE FURTHER? IF WE CRIMINALIZE READING, WE CAN JUST USE THE PRISONS FOR SCHOOLS, AND THEN WE CAN REALLY MAKE SOME REVENUE! USE THE SCHOOLS MONEY TO BUILD NEW PRISONS!)
...At Voyager, the emphasis will be on hands-on projects and other interactive activities, said Christy Whiteside, a contractor who worked with the school's board to create its education plan.
Teachers also will focus on character education and public speaking. Directors are still trying to solidify a partnership with the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, Forsyth said.
Parents and students won't know until March 31 who will attend Voyager. If the school gets more applications than there are spaces available, it will choose by lottery. (I'M GUESSING THEY ARE GOING TO NEED A LOTTERY. SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD EXPERIMENT IN EDUCATION, AND IT WILL CUT COSTS TO TAXPAYERS.)
Most of Voyager's students are likely to come from Durham, so administrators with the school system can expect to send at least an additional $800,000 to the new school in per-student allowances, plus state resources allotted based on enrollment, Hurd said. (AAARGH! WHERE DO YOU START HERE? IT IS NOT DURHAM'S MONEY TO LOSE! THAT IS TAXPAYER MONEY. CHARTER SCHOOLS JUST LET PARENTS MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES WITH THEIR OWN MONEY! HOW DARE DURHAM BUREAUCRATS TALK ABOUT "LOSING" MONEY? THEY HAVE LOST THE SENSE THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE LOST!)
....Durham administrators tried to drive home the point last fall, when enrollment in traditional public schools in Durham increased less than 1 percent and charter enrollment soared by almost 22 percent.
***********
And, remember, charter enrollment is capped by capacity. That's not the number of people who WANT to send their kids to charters. That is the actual number of seats filled by parents who are going crazy with worry about how their kids are treated in the schools runs by teachers' unions and indifferent, revenue-maximzing bureaucrats.
Anything that improves choice, improves education. Charters, and vouchers, are a good start. Let's get started!
Some excerpts from the story by Samiha Khanna, Staff Writer for N&O, with my most insightful comments in caps:
DURHAM - ...The opening of Durham's eighth charter will expand a $6 million dent in the school system's budget.
Though charter schools are public schools, they operate independently from the local school district. They receive money from the state, and for each student from the Durham school district who enrolls in a charter, a certain per-student allowance follows him. (BUT...BUT...BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO DOESN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE A SEAT FOR THAT STUDENT, OR SCHOOL BUS SERVICES! AT A TIME WHEN SCHOOLS ARE OVERCROWDED, HOW CAN THIS BE A COST? UNLESS...UNLESS YOU JUST THINK THE LOSS OF CONTROL OVER CITIZEN CHOICE IS A COST, RIGHT?)
This will make difficult several projects coming up for Durham Public Schools, including the opening of a new middle school and three small high schools in the fall. (AGAIN, THEY ONLY NEED TO DO THAT IF THEY ARE OVERCROWDED. AND SENDING KIDS TO CHARTERS RELIEVES OVERCROWDING. FURTHER, CHARTERS SAVE THE STATE MONEY, BECAUSE THEY DON'T PROVIDE LUNCH, OR BUS SERVICE, AND GET MUCH LESS PER STUDENT THAN THE STATE-RUN SCHOOLS.)
"We're trying to do a lot of things that require revenue," said Hank Hurd, associate superintendent of administrative services for Durham Public Schools. "Charters are depleting some of the resources that we need to address the student population at large." (STOP DOING THOSE THINGS! THAT'S NOT "REVENUE!" THAT'S MONEY TAKEN AT GUNPOINT FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DESPERATE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO BETTER SCHOOLS!)
When it opens in the fall, Voyager will serve about 320 students in grades four through seven. Its home will be the 40,000-square-foot former Little River Elementary School in the northern Durham town of Bahama. (NO NEW BUILDING, AND NO STATE COSTS, EXCEPT THE RENTAL. LESS THAN HALF AS EXPENSIVE FOR TAXPAYERS, AND HIGHER QUALITY EDUCATION.)
The school will expand to eighth grade the following year, and eventually cap growth at 500 students, according to a plan the school's board of directors submitted to the state.
As of this week, the school received about 400 letters of interest from parents in Durham and as far away as Hillsborough and Roxboro....(GOSH, SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THE DURHAM SCHOOLS AREN'T REALLY DOING THEIR JOB. AND THEIR PROPOSED SOLUTION IS...PREVENT PARENTS FROM HAVING ANY CHOICES? IT IS TRUE THAT WITHOUT CHOICES, THE DURHAM SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE MORE STUDENTS. WHY NOT PURSUE THAT A LITTLE FURTHER? IF WE CRIMINALIZE READING, WE CAN JUST USE THE PRISONS FOR SCHOOLS, AND THEN WE CAN REALLY MAKE SOME REVENUE! USE THE SCHOOLS MONEY TO BUILD NEW PRISONS!)
...At Voyager, the emphasis will be on hands-on projects and other interactive activities, said Christy Whiteside, a contractor who worked with the school's board to create its education plan.
Teachers also will focus on character education and public speaking. Directors are still trying to solidify a partnership with the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, Forsyth said.
Parents and students won't know until March 31 who will attend Voyager. If the school gets more applications than there are spaces available, it will choose by lottery. (I'M GUESSING THEY ARE GOING TO NEED A LOTTERY. SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD EXPERIMENT IN EDUCATION, AND IT WILL CUT COSTS TO TAXPAYERS.)
Most of Voyager's students are likely to come from Durham, so administrators with the school system can expect to send at least an additional $800,000 to the new school in per-student allowances, plus state resources allotted based on enrollment, Hurd said. (AAARGH! WHERE DO YOU START HERE? IT IS NOT DURHAM'S MONEY TO LOSE! THAT IS TAXPAYER MONEY. CHARTER SCHOOLS JUST LET PARENTS MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES WITH THEIR OWN MONEY! HOW DARE DURHAM BUREAUCRATS TALK ABOUT "LOSING" MONEY? THEY HAVE LOST THE SENSE THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE LOST!)
....Durham administrators tried to drive home the point last fall, when enrollment in traditional public schools in Durham increased less than 1 percent and charter enrollment soared by almost 22 percent.
***********
And, remember, charter enrollment is capped by capacity. That's not the number of people who WANT to send their kids to charters. That is the actual number of seats filled by parents who are going crazy with worry about how their kids are treated in the schools runs by teachers' unions and indifferent, revenue-maximzing bureaucrats.
Anything that improves choice, improves education. Charters, and vouchers, are a good start. Let's get started!
Friday, March 2, 2007
NC's Anti-Gouging Law
Lots of people know that NC has an anti-gouging law....
But not that many people know that last August your protectors in Raleigh passed a brand NEW law.
The new version "protects" you not only from people trying to sell you stuff you need, but also makes it illegal to charge a higher price even if your supplier raised the price on YOU.
For some background, my essay on my own experience, in 1996, and the reference on the new law.
There....don't you feel safer already? Make sure and stock up on things you need in the event of a storm. Because the folks in the legislature don't want you to be able to buy anything after the storm.
But not that many people know that last August your protectors in Raleigh passed a brand NEW law.
The new version "protects" you not only from people trying to sell you stuff you need, but also makes it illegal to charge a higher price even if your supplier raised the price on YOU.
For some background, my essay on my own experience, in 1996, and the reference on the new law.
There....don't you feel safer already? Make sure and stock up on things you need in the event of a storm. Because the folks in the legislature don't want you to be able to buy anything after the storm.
Playing with Fire
Had a nice visit with two of LPNC's excellent interns today.
Leigh and Christian came over from Raleigh to meet, have some lunch, and talk some libertarian philosophy. Lots of fun, very smart young ladies.
In the car coming back from lunch, we got to talking about the "is government evil?" question. I said I had always thought of government as being more dangerous than evil. Like electricity or fire: if uncontrolled, or put in the hands of people who don't understand the dangers: POOF!
Leigh came up with a great metaphor, one I intend to use often in my campaign. She said, "Just think of all the times you have been at a bonfire. You stand around, and you may talk but you can't help yourself: You just stare at the fire. Government is the same way. Even if it is scary, it is so fascinating you just stare at it. We are drawn to government, and we can't take our eyes off of it. Politicians are the same way. We know we will get burned, but we just have to try to get close."
Wow. Very cool, Leigh.
And Christian gave a very spirited defense of the "No National ID" position. She isn't very big, but I'd hate to fight her. (The cook staff at the Armadillo put cheese on her burrito. Christian is a vegan, so that is a no-no. She went back and got them straightened out in no time. I would do what she told me, also. No nonsense for Christian). I agree that the National ID push is pretty scary, but we are almost there now, having to use driver's licenses or passports or something else to travel almost anywhere. Still, Christian was hard core. You go, girl!
Mike Munger
(Campaign Website)
Leigh and Christian came over from Raleigh to meet, have some lunch, and talk some libertarian philosophy. Lots of fun, very smart young ladies.
In the car coming back from lunch, we got to talking about the "is government evil?" question. I said I had always thought of government as being more dangerous than evil. Like electricity or fire: if uncontrolled, or put in the hands of people who don't understand the dangers: POOF!
Leigh came up with a great metaphor, one I intend to use often in my campaign. She said, "Just think of all the times you have been at a bonfire. You stand around, and you may talk but you can't help yourself: You just stare at the fire. Government is the same way. Even if it is scary, it is so fascinating you just stare at it. We are drawn to government, and we can't take our eyes off of it. Politicians are the same way. We know we will get burned, but we just have to try to get close."
Wow. Very cool, Leigh.
And Christian gave a very spirited defense of the "No National ID" position. She isn't very big, but I'd hate to fight her. (The cook staff at the Armadillo put cheese on her burrito. Christian is a vegan, so that is a no-no. She went back and got them straightened out in no time. I would do what she told me, also. No nonsense for Christian). I agree that the National ID push is pretty scary, but we are almost there now, having to use driver's licenses or passports or something else to travel almost anywhere. Still, Christian was hard core. You go, girl!
Mike Munger
(Campaign Website)
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