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02/01/2004 Archived Entry: "The Atheist and Other Poems"

Cartoons! Cartoons! Cartoons! Mike Luckovitch's "Biological Material Found"; Joel Petts' "As Simple as That"; and, Steve Sacks' "Baloney 100%".

Check out a new addition to the Queen Silver Page that links directly off my main site. The entire pamphlet entitled "The Atheist and Other Poems" is now available online as part of a painstakingly slow but continuing effort to make all of Queen Silver's Magazine and its publications available to the public for free. To finance the effort, I am selling issues of this extremely rare freethought periodical which, as Queen's best friend, I acquired directly from the estate several years ago. To view the covers of individual issues, click here. Issues are $15 each individually or $10 each with the purchase of as full a run as is available.

Disturbing news about long-time libertarian, gold advocate and friend Jim Davidson. Jim was arrested and apparently roughed-up rather badly by the police with what seems to be little to no provocation. Now released, he plans to sue the police department in question. I'll keep people updated on the situation.

Thanks to Dale Lowdermilk for emailing me a link to his satirical article "The Order" which was originally published in 1981 in that exquisite spoof periodical, the "Journal of Irreproducible Results." His dystopian article opens, "The use of experimental human Tracer Implant Microtransmitters (TIM) as a means of tracking escaped prisoners, convicted felons and high-risk parolees was upheld in the Supreme Court Decision (Bakhous v. State of California, 9-18-85, #49005,4) several years ago. Despite the arguments of invasion-of-privacy, the overriding benefits for society and assistance to law enforcement officials was deemed a greater good." Now read an article that appeared in the BBC two days ago and opens, "Imagine being able to pinpoint someone's location anywhere in the world simply by typing a few keywords on your PC."

The last time I raised a red flag about the technological invasion of privacy (RFIDs), various libertarians labeled me "Luddite!" Since even the addition of Brad's technological insights to McBlog are unlikely to deter such zealous critics, let me be pre-emptive. I am a megafan and beneficiary of technology; I am in awe of its power to transform the world...but that power is for good or evil. On the evil side, I am scared to death of a tech-wielding government and of corporations who act as de facto arms of the State whenever it is in their business interests - e.g. by happily turning over every scrap of data on customers to whom they have offered assurances of privacy. If this be Ludditism...then, I'm guilty as accused.

LIFE ON THE FARM:

It has happened again: Sam has returned with a large but not deep gash over his left eye, probably delivered by the same raccoon that gave him scars in the same region a while back. At least, there is only one gash this time. Bush-like, Sam undoubtedly declared Victory and left the raccoon in the barn to set up its own government.

Best to all,
mac