Sunday, July 29, 2007


Barbara Bouncer's Ice Cube Melts in Her Drink: "Global Warming," She Cries!

I've always thought Senator Bouncer was kind of stupid. She earned her "name" by having been caught up in the House check-kiting scandal of about 8-10 years ago when she was a Congressfool. She, and several other then-Congressfools, had a slush-fund, to which they voted plenty of cash from the general fund. They wrote checks on the fund for quick cash (like an ATM, I guess). A certain several, including now-Senator Bouncer, wrote checks for cash and never covered them.

As one might expect from a Bay Area politician, she's a complete loon (moonbat, in Australian) and is so out of touch with reality that she's actually been observed bumping into things, being unsure whether they actually exist.

This weekend, according to a story in the Orange County Register, the Honorable Ms Bouncer led a bipartisan (aren't they always?) group of ten colleagues, on a flight over Kangia Ice Fjord, a 500-mile-long glacier in Greenland, considered to be the fastest moving glacier on Earth. The fact that this glacier moves (relatively) quickly southward to where it begins to melt is somehow supposed to prove not only that the Earth's climate is warming, but that American SUV's are causing it. How do we know all this by simply flying over this 500-mile-long ice rink?

The news story gives us all the answers, from the Bouncer's mouth: Reports from (government funded) scientists and Algore's movie. I wonder how many scientific reports she has actually read.....I wonder how many times she's watched Algore's hokey movie.

Rush Limbaugh says, and I agree that in many cases, the world's history begins on the day one is born. Yet, the Honorable Ms Bouncer would have to be even more stupid that I think she is, to really not know that Greenland was far warmer during the centuries of its occupation by the early Vikings than it is now, or will likely be if I drive my hot rod all around LA for the rest of my life. But, she and the other algorians will never admit this, or they'll find trained scientists to prove that those selfsame Vikings each drove around in two Hummers, one for each foot.

The story also states that the hapless Greenlanders kneel and bow before Her Worship and beg that she will make us stop.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says that if the House sends him a Hunter-Gatherer Society Creation bill, they'll be sure to find time to debate it.

Since the Republicans seem not to want to do anything to endear themselves to their constituents and remember their past pro-property rights tradition (such as it was), the Hunter-Gatherer Bill might very well be passed in 2009 by a heavily algorian Congress.

All in the name of a hoax, begun on the muddy foundation of another hoax--the politically-inspired "pollution crisis."

There is no man-made global warming.

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California

Tuesday, July 24, 2007


Tangerines Are On The No-Fly List

The global warming insaniacs are raising the bar a mite, trying to outdo each other listing the many things we all do that are anti-algorian. According to Ben Smith, Elizabeth Edwards believes that tangerines are the new heroin--but not in quite the same way. No one claims that tangerines are un-nutritious or that they create homicidal maniacs of their aficionados, but rather that they have to be transported in carbon producing planes, trains, ships and trucks.

She says that she will "probably never eat a tangerine again," because they aren't grown locally and must be shipped. Note that she inserted the word "probably." Yet another case of the inability of politicians to make an absolute statement. Note here, where John Edwards did the same thing about a hamburger restaurant.

Well, according to Mrs. Edwards' "logic," a lot of individuals will have to severely change not only their their eating habits, but many habits. No more bananas. No more pineapples (except for Hawaiians). Very little rice (unless you live in the deep south). No more Hondas or Lexi. Or BMW's, Mercedes. No more Italian shoes. No more French wine. No more salmon unless you live in the Pacific northwest. No more caviar, fer cryin' out loud.

The list could go on for pages and pages.

Of course, what the Edwards family, and the rest of the wealthy, hypocritical algorians will do is take one of their private planes to Russia when they want caviar, and to Hawaii when they want pineapple.

Life is good when you don't have to live with the consequences of your actions.

They've killed Freedom! Those bastards!

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California

Monday, July 23, 2007

That's Not A Knife. This Here's A Knife!
Seems there's a little confusion in paradise. That is, the small part of paradise we call Stalag California. The confusion is about state law. The confusion is so all-encompassing that it even includes California's Finest, those we select to enforce the law.

According to a story in Orange County's Register, Miguel Ramos bought a knife in The Block shopping center in Orange, thinking it was a legal item. Police found the knife during a routine traffic stop, probably during an unConstitutional search, and arrested Ramos.

Prosecutors observe that it's the duty of each individual to know the law. "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" is the bromide to which we were all introduced in children's prison. I wrote an entry on that topic here.

The problem in this case, and many others like it is this: The law in question, 653k of the Penal Code, has been revised several times in recent years. Most police officers aren't up to date. If the police can't figure it out, along with the hundreds of thousands of other laws on the books in our once-free collection of states, how are we to expect, let alone require, the average young man, just out of high school, to know them all?

More important by far, is the fact that 653k stands in violation of Amendment the Second to the US Constitution. "....The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms shall not be Infringed." is a pretty absolute phrase. Nowhere within is it specified what kind, caliber, range, length, weight, composition nor configuration the arms must be.

My recommendation is that 653k, and all the other tens of thousands of laws designed to make self defense all but impossible, be scrapped and forgotten, but not before their proponents are removed from positions of civil responsibility and publicly labelled Criminal Enablers.

"Every human being, by his nature, is free." --Rose Wilder Lane

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California

Wednesday, July 18, 2007


Does Not Compute


Sadly, at least for me, there will be a few days' delay until my next entry: my computer is ailing and will be on sick leave until I can get it to a geek store and have it repaired. I'll return as soon as I can--probably just a few days.


Warm regards,


Col. Hogan

Stalag California

Friday, July 13, 2007


Algorians Sealing Their Own Doom

I've just finished reading probably the best description of the theories of global warming (remember, they are just theories!) as seemingly espoused by the Chicken Little Squad. According to Gary Jason, in his Liberty Magazine article, Global Warming, Stifling Debate, there are two theories.

The first is the "Narrow Theory," which is basically the facts as presented by partisan "scientists," which are rationally plausible, but which I largely disagree. Since I'm no expert in this area, my opinion is subject to modification as more is learned and corroborated.

The other, with which any rational individual must disagree vehemently, for a host of reasons, Jason calls the "Grand Theory." The Grand Theory not only contains the Narrow Theory, but also includes the moral assumptions and the policy prescriptions, that is, the Religion of Global Warming. The Grand theory is the source of almost all of the contention, since it also includes an assault 'pon the American system, 'pon the relative liberty enjoyed by the people of most of the industrialized world, and, indeed, 'pon sentient life on this planet.

The logical result of the application of the tenets of the Grand Theory would be a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. As recorded in ancient history--mostly through archaeological examination--the planet can only support a few million very hardy individuals in this way. None of them will enjoy very long lifespans.

Interestingly, the transitional period between the adoption of the wishes of the algorians and the beginning of a stabilized hunter-gatherer world, in which current technology is gradually used up and forgotten, is called the "die-down." There'd be hoarding, robbing, killing, hiding, cannibalism, slavery and epidemics. It would not be a very enjoyable time to try to exist.

What's the worst thing that would probably happen if the tenets of the Narrow Theory actually occurred? Some useless land might be flooded by changes in the level of the seas, and there'd be a more-or-less equal increase in land that would be arable.

Algore, in his self-styled holiness, has not thought far enough ahead to realize that should his world-wrecking dreams come to fruition, he will be one of the early victims.

The Ice Age cometh.

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California

Tuesday, July 10, 2007


Hey, Rube!

Just the other day, I started getting Turner Classic Movies Channel on my cable. I really like old movies, and with AMC moving toward newer movies and other programming, I wasn't getting my fix. I've wanted the station for a long time, and finally called the evil cable company to get it (there are easily twenty-five channels I'd give up for that one--hands down).

The other night, I watched an old romantic comedy, Road Show (1941, Hal Roach) a kind of obscure movie about a rich playboy who, afraid of marring a gold digger, has an attack of catatonia. He wakes up in a loonie bin.

Unable to talk his way out, he soon runs into a resourceful manic with whom he escapes to a down and out travelling carnival. They work at the carnival while our hero and the young blonde carnival owner fall in love. It was a nice, if light and predictable movie.

What all this leads to is the recollection conjured up by this movie, of a traveling carnival that came to my town, many, many years ago.

I grew up on North Dakota. While we were all aware of tv, and wished we had one, there was not yet a broadcasting station close enough to send a signal we could receive. Thus, there were no tv's in our town.

Dad was a telegraph operator for the Great Northern Railroad. He was still paying his dues at the time, so we moved from one town to another from time to time. I went to second and third grade in a little farm town called Larimore, North Dakota.

We kids were pretty free, in those days, to run around and get into any trouble we could. One summer day, I was walking on a street near the edge of town, I noticed some unusually frantic activity. There were several trucks being unloaded by more than a dozen men, and a few women. Huge stakes were being pounded into the ground, in an orderly manner.

Interested, I moved closer to watch.

It soon became apparent that they were erecting a huge, colorful tent. There was also a row of booths going up alongside and much other activity, the nature if which I didn't understand. Turned out, it was the midway, through which you had to pass to get to the big top. There would be attractions, such as games of chance and sideshows along the midway.

A short, chubby man saw me and waved me over.

"Kid, I'm Oscar." I told him my name. "This is a carnival. You want some free tickets to the show?" "Sure." He took me over to a big tank in the back of a truck. "Here's a bucket, here's a dipper. Fill the bucket with water from this faucet and carry it around to the men, so they can get a drink." "Ok." "Don't get too close to the work, and watch the hammers."

I carried the bucket from one work area to another and let the men drink, refilling it as it emptied. The men were kind of rough, but friendly, as were the women. I worked for two or three hours, all the while watching the big tent go up. When the tent was finally up, Oscar stopped me and said that was good enough. The workers were going to break for dinner.

Oscar handed me a handful of tickets. "Give these to all your friends, and one for yourself. They're for the show tomorrow night at seven. And here's a dollar for your work."

Now, at the time a dollar was a lot of money. I left there a happy kid.

I now know that the tickets were a ploy to get us to bring our parents, who would have to buy tickets, and that was ok with me. It was a good show (though not nearly to Barnum & Bailey standards, as I later learned), with a trapeze act, horses, a couple of elephants and a lion act. There were clowns and acrobats, etc.

My friends and I had a great time. I think I spent the whole dollar there in the midway.

The carnival was called "Little Oscar's" and I've never heard of it since. I've seen the big circuses several times but, even though they were bigger and slicker, none has been quite as exciting as Little Oscar's.

That time.....is past.

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California

Addenda:

After thinking about my memories of this incident, I spent a little time pondering. I haven't thought about it in a really long time until the viewing of this film brought it back.

Freedom. This was a time when you could travel freely about and ply your trade without needing permits, licenses and permissions. Presumably, the principals of the carnival paid taxes and chatted with the local police in each town, but I suspect that the only permission they needed was from the owner of the field 'pon which they planned to set up.

The roustabouts probably came and left as they pleased, hooking up with a carnival as they needed money. Because this casual kind of work is no longer available, many of these are among those we currently call "the homeless." Carnival owners probably picked their schedule strictly according to where they thought they could make money--subject to a sort of coordination with their competitors.

These carnivals could never exist, given the nature of local government corruption and intervention--not to mention the evil and unConstitutional Homeland Security thugs.

Thoughts on my personal danger: In the 1950's midwest, harming children was unheard of. It was for New York and other big cities. My recollection of detail is sketchy, but I recall some of the men were pretty rough and rowdy. It was, though, broad daylight in the middle of a wide open field.

Today, parents would shudder over such a thing.

This is one of many recollections that make me think I grew up in the best possible time in history.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Dr Ron Paul's Anti-Tax Amendment

Dr Ron Paul (R-Texas), a candidate for President of the United States, has written and submitted HJ Resolution 23, Proposing an amendment the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.

I'm not optimistic enough to think this resolution will become an actual Amendment to the Constitution, but I applaud Dr Paul for introducing it and I'll watch to see who supports and opposes this Resolution. So far, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Maryland) and Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Florida) are co-sponsoring the Resolution.

The Catholic church, with its opulent cathedrals around the world, its little churches in small towns, its monasteries and convents, its missionary programs and the extravagance that is the Vatican, are all maintained by the donations of its members. No one can convince me that a reasonable government can't be financed the same way.

Define a reasonable government: well, a reasonable government would contain a defensive military, defensive being the operative word. It would operate higher courts--lower courts should be private and financed by those who use them on a fee for service basis. Government would, in the US, do absolutely nothing that isn't specifically authorized in the Constitution. Nothing.

Taxation is theft. By definition. Since "government derives its power from the consent of the governed," how can the governed give government powers that it does not have--like the right to extort money/property from others, at the point of a gun?

I wasn't aware of Dr Paul's proposed Constitutional Amendment to abolish the income tax, the gift tax and to prohibit government from competing with the private sector. That's more than cool. I'm mulling the possibility of sending Dr Paul a campaign contribution--something I haven't done for any political candidate since the early years of the Libertarian party.

George Bush's greatest failure is that he declared war on terror, and didn't include IRS on the enemies' list.

Tip of the battered grey fedora to Aurora at The Midnight Sun .

They've killed Freedom! Those bastards!

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

The Declaration of Independence

Today is Independence Day. We celebrate Independence on July Fourth, as the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the thirteen American Colonies.

The fight for independence from the British Crown was initiated by a resolution presented by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. He presented a resolution proposing a Declaration of Independence on June 7th, 1776. The resolution follows:

Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.

That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.

The Declaration of Independence was actually adopted by the Continental Congress on July 2nd, 1776. The final text of the Declaration, as written (primarily) by Thomas Jefferson, was adopted on July 4, and off we went.

The interesting thing about the full text of The Declaration is that it details a large number of grievances against atrocities committed by the British Crown against the Colonies. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that every one of these atrocities has been perpetrated against the people of the United States of America by the various layers of our own government.

It's a sort of backward tribute to America's children's prison system that the vast majority of the public has been dumbed down to the extent that they not only aren't aware of government's disregard for their rights, but are utterly apathetic about that disregard. In fact, a significant minority of Americans aren't even aware of their loss of freedom and the way their rights are being trampled by an out-of-control government.

I've though for many years that we're due for a second Declaration of Independence--a declaration that today's several layers of government have rendered Americans slaves to a system whose oppressiveness is only diminished by its ponderous incompetence. Unfortunately, a general apathy on the part of television-mesmerized America leaves me in the role of Lone Revolutionary.

All I'd really like to see is that those in government who fail to uphold their Oath of Office--you know, the one in which the appointee/electee promises to uphold the Constitution of the United States--are removed from office for failing to do so, and are replaced by individuals who will.

I'd also like to see any government employee, convicted of lying during the performance of his duties, face a mandatory public execution for his crime.

These are some of the things I think about while pondering the meaning of Independence Day each year. I'm at once thankful for the bravery and uncompromising desire for liberty of the individuals involved in attaining independence from the British Empire, and angry that we've let it largely slip away.

They've killed Freedom! Those bastards!

Col. Hogan
Stalag California

Tuesday, July 03, 2007


At Last! An End To Global Warming!

If an individual is going to accept the algorians' assertion that the actions of human beings is causing the climate of the planet to warm, one has first to conclude that human action, of the sort of which mankind is currently capable and in which we are involved, can cause climate change. If we are capable of causing global warming, we should also be able to cause global cooling.

According to Vin Suprynowics, a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, in this column, we need first figure out how global cooling was achieved in the past. Suprynowics begins by deftly deflating the comic seriousness of the algorians thusly:

"If warming continues at the present rate, the most significant impact is likely to be a small increase in the amount of previously frozen ground on which people could grow wheat."

He then continues onward to point out the circumstances which have caused planetary cooling in the past:

"How about examining the historical record for the approximately 200 years for which we have reliable weather data? Look to see if there was a period when the weather cooled down, all of a sudden, and what caused it.

"Google "Year Without a Summer." From April 5 to 15, 1815, Mount Tambora on the island of Sumbawa in the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) blew up, ejecting 40 cubic kilometers of volcanic ash (more than twice as much as the 1883 explosion of Krakatoa) into the upper atmosphere."


And the result:

"That stuff stayed up there, in the jet stream, for more than a year. Sunlight was reflected off that orbiting cloud of crap and had trouble getting through. The 'Year Without a Summer,' known colloquially as 'Eighteen hundred and froze to death,' was 1816, in which severe summer climate abnormalities destroyed crops in Northern Europe, the American Northeast, eastern Canada and even China."

The solution is obvious:

"Clearly, if anyone believes Earth is warming catastrophically and that we need to do something, the only proven solution is to start throwing as much crap into the atmosphere as we possibly can, right now.

"Clean nuclear and natural-gas-fired power plants must be shut down and immediately replaced with coal plants burning the softest, dirtiest coal -- peat would be better -- that can be found. "Smog inspections" will take on a new meaning as our cars will be checked regularly to make sure each is pouring out the densest possible cloud of carbon particulates and lifesaving black soot.

"Since every little bit counts, we may also have to make tobacco smoking mandatory for everyone above the age of 10."


Obviously, Suprynowics is taking the entire algorian hoax with the entire grain of salt it deserves, as am I. This is why I drive a big old pre-smog device V-8 station wagon and use only incandescent light bulbs in my house. I'd even take up smoking, if I could afford it after buying thirty-six gallons of gas a week.

One must do his part in the war against global warming.

Tip of the battered grey fedora to Rush Limbaugh, who observed that "a columnist from LVRJ" wrote the column, but never credited Mr Suprynowics by name.

Remember, you can't trust any air you can't see.

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California