Dinner With Anthony Munoz

On Monday, I made an eight-hour round trip to Cincinnati to hear former Bengals offensive tackle and NFL Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz speak to the Blue Chip Young Republican Club at Molly Malone's. I have been a Bengals fan since 1985 and yes I stuck with them through all these years.

He spoke for about 30 minutes covering a variety of topics from his childhood in Southern California growing up with a single mother and several siblings to his work with the Anthony Munoz Foundation.
He mentioned that his experiences over the course of his lifetime in combination with his Christian faith and work ethic have given him the passion for his work and compassion to share it with others.

On the general issue of politics, he expressed dismay at the notion that government can act with impunity confiscating people's money through taxation which he says leads to more waste and less money for people to have for paying bills, investing, and using to build a business. He states he believes that the economic bailouts being initiated in Washington D.C. will ultimately make the situation worse and delay any possible recovery for some time.

Why The "Pig Flu" is Pig Dung

“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”
Joseph Goebbels, Nazi minister of propaganda

Did you notice all the talk last month about the evil Chinese and Koreans? Then it was the "evil" people of Somalia for the past few weeks?
Have you noticed the recent news about the "Pig Flu"? Basically for the next week or so, we are going to be indundated with stories about people getting pig flu, virus or whatever word you want to use.

It could be the Reichstag Fire. It could be the evil Jews on Monday and the evil Arabs on Friday. Next week, it could be you. So what is going on?

I've worked in television and newspapers, so I know first-hand how public information can be manipulated in order to produce a desired result or response. People who work in government are efficient in the sense they can rationalize their responses to a crisis and get the talking points out to the public. The talking points from the memo get repeated around the water cooler, from the talk shows, cook-outs, so on and so on.

This does not mean that every single reporter, newspaper editor or camera man is "in on it". The media can be used for good purposes as well as bad purposes. It is just that many people in the position to call the shots these days as in the past are agenda driven, adhere to loyalty to political parties or are rather friendly with the people who run the power structure thus ensuring access for exclusive interviews, feeders on stories and invitations to awards dinners among other things.

Nothing gets run unless it has approval. Now it can be anything from football scores, a 5 year old girl winning a spelling bee, to this. The fact of the matter is that we are dealing with nothing more than constant repeating of the same story. Ever notice that all the major media outlooks say the same thing? That is a clue that you are being mislead or lied to. This is called Media Manipulation. Specifically, this is Distraction by phenomenon. Think "Wag The Dog".

It is also important to keep in mind that it isn't what they are telling you that is the problem as much as what they are NOT telling you. Hence, lying by omission. Ask yourself this: what other events were going on Saturday? I think it has something to do with the Federal Reserve.

What is going on is that various governments have been keeping core samples derived from lab experiments and at a pre-determined time, they would release it hence the timing of all this aka the anthrax scare. What is also happening is that all the reported cases of pig flu are in fact not pig flu at all, but nothing more than cases of common colds. Essentially a non-event. Keep in mind this is all happening less than a week after Hitler's 120th birthday.

This "crisis" is all designed to create a crisis and further erode the economy or at least explain why corporate profits are down (other than the corporations own mismanagement), trampling of civil rights, inducing a mass panic, etc... The CDC, FEMA and other agencies in the alphabet soup will claim there is a crisis of "epic proportions" and then use their own manufactured crisis to justify more powers to do these things. Can you say internment camp? Look up H.R. 645 sponsored by Alcee Hastings of Florida.

This particular "crisis" is livestock-related, so expect more push for government oversight of farms. Big industrial farms will welcome this, because they have big lobbies to get exemptions just as Monsanto is welcoming the oversight of seeds and you guessed it, pigs. As in the "Pig Patent". In 2005, Monsanto had filed two patents for processes which controlled the breeding and the herds of pigs. This resulted in Monsanto being under scrutiny for ownership rights over pigs and their offspring. Monsanto was planning to create improved designer animals for human consumption using special breeding techniques. Monsanto was able to control breeds with specific characteristics as per the patent, and disallowing other breeders and farmers from doing so. The patent, being broad, remained unclear about the ownership of the proceeds from the sale of the pigs by farmers. It did not mention the royalties involved when a food producer produces sausages (as an example) using those pigs which are bred using Monsanto’s process. This was a source of royalty for Monsanto. Monsanto wanted to cash in on the growing consumer demand for meat products globally and many activists question the ethics of Monsanto’s actions.

So live your life and don't listen to the naysayers. Likewise, be diligent in protecting your rights and liberties.

2009 Tennessee Libertarian Party Convention

NEWEST LPTN OFFICERS: (L-R) Izaak Standridge, Vice Chairman; John Sebastian, Chairman; Ray Ledford, Secretary; J.R. Enfield, Treasurer.

"A flourishing libertarian movement, a lifelong dedication to liberty can only be grounded on a passion for justice."
Murray Rothbard, Egalitarianism As a Revolt Against Nature

I attended the 2009 Tennessee Libertarian Party Convention on Saturday, April 25 at the Best Western Inn off N. Peters Road in Knoxville, Tennessee.

We had around 40 people in attendance including representatives from Maryville College, East Tennessee State University as well as several other local colleges in addition to long-time activists.

The morning session dealt mostly with business such as amending the party by-laws, going over the treasurer's report and electing new officers.

During the afternoon, we heard from a variety of speakers.

The first one to speak was Matthew Jeffers. Matthew is a former Army veteran, student at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and co-founder of the Students of American Liberty. He talked about his time in the military and how he transitioned from being just another soldier who followed orders to being a full-fledged activist for liberty. He commented he was frustrated with George W. Bush, the neo-cons and the general direction of the country. His transition started when he came across a sign on the ETSU campus a few years ago that said "Google Ron Paul".

Allan Wallace, secretary of the Knox County affiliate of the Libertarian Party and co-founder of Outright Libertarians spoke next about his time as a political activist and the importance of advocacy groups that share common themes with the Libertarian Party as well as discrimination that occurs against bi-sexuals, gays, lesbians, and transgendered individuals.

Fred Childress, co-founder of the Tennessee Liberty Alliance spoke about his time as a political activist in Oak Ridge with his most recent cause being against RedFlex cameras.

R. Lee Wrights, a long-time political activist and editor/publisher of Liberty For All talked about the recent fight going on within the Libertarian Party particularly as it pertains to Libertarian National Committee. He expressed dismay over his removal from the committee over the "expiration" of his membership. Technically, his wife paid for his membership on her credit card, but supposedly Federal election law says that another person can't pay for your membership in a political party. He chalks it up to a difference of personalities between him and another member on the committee and that this argument is hog-wash.

Angela Keaton, Development Director of Antiwar.com spoke about Anti War's reason for being and mentioned that the mainstream media generally only reports on a sanitized version of war particularly in the Middle East.

Ernest Hancock was the keynote speaker. He spoke for several hours about his transition over the course of his life from the events of his childhood like the Vietnam War, Watergate, to the 1988 election cycle when he first started to understand the bigger picture of how the world works. He followed through with the central question: "How Many Minds Can We Free?" particularly as it relates to younger people being involved in political activism.

He expressed his dismay about how the Libertarian Party particularly at the top had not figured out that the top-down approach is not effective and that liberty has no central planning committee therefore, it is best to let people on the ground determine how to run things.

The meeting concluded around 7 p.m. and the rest of the night was essentially social event. I left around 8 p.m. since I had been up since 5 a.m. and looking forward to getting some sleep.

If you are on Facebook, more pictures can be viewed here.

What Fast Food Are You?

You Are Pizza

You are friendly, popular, and outgoing. You find it easy to get along with anyone. You can be casual and carefree or fancy and upscale. You fit in anywhere. You are a giving person, and you love to share. Sharing comes naturally to you. You always liven up a party and attract a big crowd. There's just something about you that people love!

What Kind of Fast Food Are You?

"Controversy" over Miss California Obscures The Real Issue

Who has noticed all the "talk" about Carrie Prejean's answer on gay marriage? Well guess what? Conversion of rights into privileges and political correctness happen to be two of the 16 signs of tyranny.

The real issue is not whether people can be allowed to live together as they always had that right. The real issue is that tyrants are attempting to yet again blind us as they continue their campaign to impose tyranny.

For the record, Perez Hilton is a shock jock. The fact that so many people act as if he is credible on anything goes to show you how sad and trivial Americans truly have become.

1. The definition of a "license" demands that we not obtain one to marry. Black’s Law Dictionary defines "license" as, "The permission by competent authority to do an act which without such permission, would be illegal." We need to ask ourselves- why should it be illegal to marry without the State’s permission? More importantly, why should we need the State’s permission to participate in something which God instituted (Gen. 2:18-24)? We should not need the State’s permission to marry nor should we grovel before state officials to seek it. What if you apply and the State says "no"? You must understand that the authority to license implies the power to prohibit. A license by definition "confers a right" to do something. The State cannot grant the right to marry. It is a God-given right.

5 Reasons Why Christians Should Not Obtain a State Marriage License

Orange and White Game

I went to the Orange and White game yesterday. I was a little bit sunburned, but no complaints.

This was the first O&W game I've been to in five years. I should go more often. LOL.

How To Treat Ant Bites and Bee Stings

The first thing especially if you are allergic is to see a doctor.

When you get the chance, stop by and pick up some organic raw honey, preferably local honey which can be found at farmer's markets or food co-ops. Honey has natural antioxidant and anti-microbial properties that help to protect the skin from the damage of the sun's rays, supports the skin's ability to rejuvenate and refresh depleted skin, leaving it feeling silky soft and supple. One of the most common skin benefits of honey is related to minor acne treatment.

Also get some yogurt. It adds enzymes and oils to the skin, working as a natural moisturizer. It can also reduce pore size, improve overall skin texture, and give you that healthy glow. You determine how much honey and yogurt you would need. I would suggest in the neighborhood of a 2-3 pounds of each to start off with.

First of all, rinse off completely before applying. You don't want dirt, body oil or what not getting caught up in the honey and yogurt. It would be a nightmare otherwise.

Using your hands, slather the honey on the body part(s) where you were bitten.
Rest for about an hour. Don't overdo it. A thin layer is good.

The yogurt is applied on top of the honey. Make sure the yogurt is of a creamy consistency; freeze in a bowl for about 20-30 minutes. Slather the yogurt on the affected area for another 30 minutes to an hour. Think of it like applying sunscreen or lotion. Don't worry about it feeling cold. That is what helps relieve the itching. Then take a warm shower and completely dry off afterwards.

This should help. It did wonders the few times I was bitten by ants as a kid. Being a Boy or Girl Scout teaches you a thing or two about nature.

Are Allergies Bothering You?

Allergies are essentially an attack on the immune system. Modern medicine has proven ineffective at treating it as with most illnesses because it is based on drugs and machines. Not to mention they provide "treatments" that are not attainable due to cost. They do not address the root cause of what causes allergies in the first place. As a rule of thumb, stay away from anything that is FDA-approved. They are political hacks for the drug companies, not scientists or doctors.

Some natural supplements that help are Vitamin A, B12 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Ginger and Eyebright also work well. Another reason people have so much trouble with allergies is likely due to a deficiency in magnesium (found in spinach, pinto beans) or zinc (such as chicken or turkey).

You can try any of these or a combination for treating allergies:
fruit juices, except citrus
brown or white rice
turkey
White fish: halibut, sole, swordfish; salmon is rich in Omega-3 (no shellfish)
almonds, walnuts or sunflower seeds
fresh garlic
cayenne pepper
spinach
local honey
colon and liver detox supplements
drink lots of water

If you really have it in bad for allergies, for maximum effectiveness, it is best to start on a program of taking or eating several of these on a regular basis by no later than mid-winter (early to mid February) so you can have time to build up your immunity.

Tea Party Pictures

You can view more pictures here.

Parties Aren't Exactly My Cup of Tea

I've been helping with organizing the Knoxville Tea Party which is one reason why I've not blogged as much lately.

While I've been generally sympathetic to the concept of the Tea Parties, it is not without it problems.

A lot of people incorrectly assume Rick Santelli kicked off this whole movement. No! It would be Ron Paul who just happened to be speaking about issues that have been ignored for a long time. Personally, I've been talking about these issues since 2001 when I first came to understand what fractional reserve banking was. Michael Badnarik himself during a visit to Knoxville during his presidential campaign in 2004 specifically stated in 2008, things were going to start to get bad.



The GOP is all of the sudden claiming to be conservative so as to create the false impression that they are in opposition to Obama. The fact of the matter is that nothing has changed in Washington. How come they weren't complaining when they were the ones who were running up massive deficits, leaving our borders open or acting no better than the Democrats?

Sorry for spilling the beans. But I'm still not sure what to make of it when of all of the sudden people are wanting to claim credit for something when these issues are hardly new.

Happy Birthday, Thomas Jefferson

Ever since I was a boy, I have been interested in history. But of all the times in history, no period in time interests me more than the War for American Independence. The only other event that would rival it would be World War II and that largely draws from talking to veterans such as my grandfather who served as a medic in Burma, great uncle who was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge, and a number of others who have told me their experiences.

I would read the history textbooks in class and we would talk in general about the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, and other events of that time. However, I wanted to know more. So, I would walk down to the library and read more books. I began to admire the accomplishments and failures of the men we come to know as the Founding Fathers and Founding Mothers like Martha Washington and Abagail Adams. One man in particular of interest was Thomas Jefferson. I can't pinpoint exactly what was appealing about him. Perhaps the fact that he penned the Declaration of Independence. Maybe it was his superb writing or maybe how he was able to make his writing come alive by arrangement of words and speaking from the heart. Perhaps it was simply his passion for freedom. Then again, this is a universal trait.

Virginia is one of my favorite vacation spots particularly those of colonial times like Monticello and Williamsburg. Sadly, very few people know history nor plan for the future. Comfort has become synonymous with liberty. Even slaves can be comfortable. I can only hope that we will reignite the spirit of liberty that inspired people from that certain time in history.

So with that being said: Happy Birthday, Thomas Jefferson!

Looking At Some Opportunities

I've been on the job-hunt over the past two months while doing some work on the side. One possible opportunity among others that I'm looking at is becoming a independent representative for ACN. ACN provides among other products Voice over Internet Protocol and a video phone.

I'm also seeking to further the development of the Liberty Dollar.
The U.S. "Dollar" which is actually neither a dollar as defined by law nor is it lawful tender has loss nearly all of its value since the Federal Reserve Act was enacted on December 23, 1913. The stockholders in the Federal Reserve are the families of Rothschilds, Morgan, Rockefeller, Goldman Sachs, Brown Brothers-Harriman among others. It is a privately owned corporation with member banks in each district. It is going to be critical to develop a value backed currency or a system of bartering to counteract it. For more info, go to "Your dollar may not be worth all you think it is".

Baseball Isn't What It Used To Be

I've been reading "The Worst Team Money Could Buy: The Collapse of the New York Mets"

Being a Mets fan back in the 1980's-early 90's, this book brought back some fond memories. Now I know what they mean when they say the good ole days. My dad was a big Yankees fan during his youth. He grew up on Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and all them. I grew up on Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Howard Johnson, etc... Gooden and Strawberry were Hall of Fame talents in their day. Sadly, it was not to be.
I was also a big fan of the Reds and A's during that time. I liked Chris Sabo, John Franco, Mark McGwire, Don Mattingly, Nolan Ryan to name a few. I could name the entire rosters of all the teams and stats. I enjoyed the movies "Major League" and "Field of Dreams".

I fell out of interest with baseball to a large degree during my college years as many of these players retired or moved on in some other capacity. They just don't make em like they used to. I also think many people will agree with me that Bud Selig is bar none the worst of commissioners. Of course, the owners and historians love him for obvious reasons.

Well, that is all I need to say about my thoughts on Major League Baseball. I will grab a few Tennessee Smokies games this year though.

What Part of Spring Are You?

You Are Chirping Birds

You are a very caring person. You especially feel for innocent beings, like animals and children. You are keyed in to the world and very peaceful. You believe that everyone is connected. You remain focused and in the moment. You are not easily distracted. You have a good memory, especially for things that you hear. You listen carefully.

What Part of Spring Are You?

Proof Of A Recession (to put it mildly)

Yes, the recession/depression has hit Knoxville too. These were taken around the Cedar Bluff area in West Knoxville.
Formerly occupied by Circuit City

Formerly occupied by Goody's

Formerly occupied by Food City. I was working at this store around ten years ago. In a way, those were the good ole days. Sad huh?

Another Sign Of The Times

Help Out A Dog In Need

Click here for more information.

Does The IRS Exist?

In 1861, Congress enacted the Revenue Act of 1861.

This particular income tax was in its nature a direct tax. Direct taxes are taxes on real and personal property via means of ownership. "Taxes on real estate being indisputably direct taxes, taxes on the rents or income of real estate are equally direct taxes." Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., 158 U.S. 601 (1895)

On the other hand, "Duties and imposts are terms commonly applied to levies made by governments on the importation or exportation of commodities. Excises are 'taxes laid upon the manufacture, sale, or consumption of commodities within the country, upon licenses to pursue certain occupations, and upon corporate privileges.' Cooley, Const. Lim. 7th ed. 680." Flint v. Stone Tracy Co., 220 U.S. 107 (1911)

Read more on the Legislative History of the 16th Amendment.

The Revenue Act of 1862 was enacted the following year and within it, created the office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. This is the official name of this particular revenue collecting agency. Likewise, any official actions brought against this agency such as a lawsuit would be against the "Commissioner of Internal Revenue". For example, see Penn Mutual Indemnity Co. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 32 T.C. 653 (1959)

Among other duties, the Commissioner can "recommend to the President a candidate for appointment as Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service when a vacancy occurs, and recommend to the President the removal of such Chief Counsel."

Supposedly, in 1953, in Treasury Decision 6038, the name was changed to "Internal Revenue Service". This raises the question "Who made the final decision on this?" and "Did Congress authorize this particular tax collection agency to operate under this name". If this particular mystery individual, presumably an undersecretary in the Treasury Department changed the name, did he or she have such authority? Several letters to the "IRS" about these questions have yielded insufficient answers. Therefore, unless legal documentation can be provided, it is presumed that "Internal Revenue Service", "IRS" or any derivative are aliases. This is akin to a person claiming to be a police officer when they are not (perhaps they are just a desk clerk at one of the precincts) or someone going around claiming to have been "in Vietnam" when they weren't even born until 1963.

If you go to Title 31 under "Chapter 3 - Department of the Treasury", it lists a Federal Financing Bank, Fiscal Service, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network among others. No "Internal Revenue Service" is listed, yet letterhead received from this agency claims it is an agency in the Department of the Treasury.

So what happens if someone comes to your door, flashes a badge and claims to be from the "Internal Revenue Service" (as opposed to the Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue)? They would be operating without proper authority. Likewise, if you are harassed, threatened or your property is damaged, you would sue the particular individual in civil court or perhaps have charges pressed. You would not sue the Commissioner in U.S. District Court because this individual was not operating within the scope of employment.

This is why you need to keep the horse before the cart. The issue of how taxes are levied and how they are accessed is one issue. Only Congress has this authority. The issue of tax collection and who has the authority to collect those taxes is another issue.