PermaKent Permaculture Ideas of J. Kent Hastings

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY January 16, 2012 ennouncement Happy New Year!

Bob Weber “Three Conspiracies: Two I Don’t Believe in and One I Do”

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue) in West Los Angeles (310) 645-0456. The club meets in the separate meeting room behind the main dining area.

7:00 p.m. Gathering Time [Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus $3.00 Club Cover Charge]

8:00 p.m. Dinner (Order from the regular menu)

8:45 p.m. Announcements

9:00 p.m. Guest Speaker: Bob Weber

10:00 p.m. Q & A

10:30 p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s (Please depart premises promptly)

11:00 p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling Lounge- Doubletree Hotel 1616 West Centinela Avenue Culver City

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Come join us on “The Night of January 16″ for another evening of Conspiracicity. Last month, we enjoyed

having Don Meyer give us a compelling and challenging presentation on what may have (really) happened to WTC Building 7 on 9/11, and related topics. Now comes Bob Weber with his thesis on three conspiracies.

Bob will explain why some so-called conspiracy theories are just that or even merely unfounded notions which can be debunked while other conspiracies are obvious and often not even secret. Tonight he’ll discuss two he doesn’t believe in and one he does and will suggest why and why not.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Bob has been one of the Karl Hess Club’s most devoted members, having had perfect attendance most years since 1994 and also one of our most frequent speakers. He is our “go to” guy on many subjects and if we are ever in a “pub quiz” he certainly will be the “Center” of our team (and not just because he’s tall!).

Although, to most of us reading this right now, of course, he doesn’t need an introduction, Bob thoughtfully provided these notes and they highlight his career as a Son of Liberty. By the way, he is also the most recent recipient of the Samuel Edward Konkin III Memorial Chauntecleer, our (Karl Hess Club) award for Excellence in Agorism.

“Bob Weber is a veteran of the freedom movement. In 1964, he cajoled his parents into taking him to Dodger Stadium for Barry Goldwater’s campaign speech. He registered to vote as a Libertarian in 1972 and cast a write-in vote for John Hospers. He has since run for political office many times, with a perfect record of never having been elected. He has served as L.A. County Chair of the L.P., been twice Southern Vice-Chair, and is currently a member of the Judicial Committee. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in chemistry, and spent his professional career in motion picture post production. He is a polymath, knowing many things about many things.” ~From Bob Weber.

Bob is one of our greatest assets and also one of our best friends. Please join us for a very interesting, informative and fun evening of conspiracicizing!

_____________________________

Upcoming Programs Scheduled:

212 February 20, 2012 Howard Hinman “The Secrets of MERS and the Massive Mortgage Meltdown-Latest Developments.” Note: To accommodate the speaker this program will begin at 8:30 p.m. Thank you.

213 March 19, 2012 [Award Night: The SEK3 Memorial Chauntecleer] Brad Linaweaver Sounds of Liberty radio show and Mondo Cult 3 magazine. Also the BSL scripted and co-produced (with JKH) Silicon Assassin film project in progress and other projects will be covered. N.B.: Should there be a Chauntecleer awarded this evening, the presentation will be prior to the program, so please plan to arrive a little earlier for the festivities, just in case. Thank you!

214 April 16, 2012 [8th Samuel Edward Konkin III Memorial Lecture] Paul Gibbons and Bob Weber “The Myth of the Rule of Law”

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IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles. The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456. The nearest corner is W. Centinela Avenue.

The time for dinner is anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. You may be seated in the meeting room at that time. Other restaurant patrons may be there as well until 8 p.m. The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m. The program will be from 8:45 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp). Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

Dinah’s minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00. There is a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00). Order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab. The club dues will be collected from you. Please note that KHC attendees must observe the minimum restaurant order.

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.

_________________________________

Special Note: VENUE FOR AFTERMEETING: DOUBLETREE HOTEL LOUNGE (Formerly RADISSON)

Please join us for the Aftermeeting in the lounge at the Doubletree Hotel Culver City. When we adjourn Dinah’s at 10:30 p.m., proceed to the Doubletree and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering by 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

The Doubletree is at 6161 West Centinela Avenue at Arizona in Culver City 90230-6306 (one block West of Sepulveda Boulevard). It is possible to walk from Dinah’s in about two minutes or repark your car on Arizona one minute away, but it is recommended to park in the hotel lot. N.B.: the available hotel parking is a pay lot, however the bar will validate your parking with any purchase. The lounge is immediately inside the hotel lobby adjacent to the desk.

It is not permitted to make a left turn onto Centinela from Arizona, so a good way is to turn right and go to the intersection with Sepulveda, make a U-turn and drive back to the hotel, which will be on the right hand side.

Doubletree Telephone: (310) 649-1776

_____________________________

Random End Notes:

The next Konkin-Rothbard Limited Club meeting is set for Monday January 30, 2012. Details to come.

This supperclub, an ancillary project of the KHC, is intended to present programs limited to economics, geo-politics and history subjects. It is scheduled to meet on Fifth Mondays of a month each year. The projected locus is Pasadena, with date, venue, speaker and topic TBA in the eMinder. Keep the date!

The next Karl Hess Community Technology Forum in Orange County (presented by Howard Hinman and J. Kent Hastings, your hosts of that gathering), will occur on the same date (Monday January 30) in Lake Forest. Howard Hinman will continue his revelations on the Massive Mortgage Meltdown. This sister club of ours is presented under the auspices of The Resilient Freedom Foundation.

The location is Asia Buffet (Oriental buffet) 23552 El Toro Rd., Lake Forest, CA 92630 near Raymond, behind a bank, by the public (gov’t) library branch. For more details, go to: http://permakent.com/ and for restaurant location: http://g.co/maps/hqppy

“JeffTheAlmighty,” a YouTuber who appreciates the “J. Neil Schulman and His Trolls” show on IMDB, has gone mad and invested work into the creation of a video titled “The Twelve Days of Schulman.”

Among other things, Neil does political writing (the video’s “conspiracy theories” line?). Schulman just published an attack on Bill O’Reilly for his wrongheaded criticism of Ron Paul’s foreign policy titled “Pinhead” at his Rational Review blog.

I’m “Voting For Nobody,” being a fairly orthodox Agorist, so this post should not be construed as an endorsement of Dr. Paul.

Here’s the embedded journalism, er–I mean, version of the IMDB fun video:

It’s been over a month since I wrote a blog post, but that does not mean I have not been busy. Or not. Wtf?

I worked on two movie projects, a magazine, an audio dramatization series and got a new ham radio.

First, there was the FT817ND transceiver I bought from Ham Radio Outlet. It’s backpackable, runs five watts on AM, FM, CW, SSB and digital modes. It covers all the HF (or shortwave bands) plus 6 meters, VHF (2 meters) and UHF (440). If phones and Internet go away for any reason, I’ll still have communications on solar charged batteries.

I promised myself for years not to buy such a commercially produced rig until I’d homebrewed my own shortwave circuit. I’ve since put boards inside custom enclosures like a tuna can and Altoids tin. And I’ve got a TenTec 1340 kit underway. Enough soldering to hold my oath fulfilled. And it turns out that how a really-for-real radio works is providing valuable intel for some new homebrew projects I’m planning.

I’ve been doing paperwork and publicity graphics for the Silicon Assassin web series. See me and Richard Hatch with a poster design, featuring artwork by Martina Pilcerova.

And I just finished editing an infomercial movie tie-in for Life Enhancement’s Durk and Sandy based products to be shown on TV before the airing of J. Neil Schulman’s Lady Magdalene’s movie, starring Nichelle Nichols.

I’ve got some articles appearing soon in Brad Linaweaver’s pop culture vehicle, edited by Jessie Lilley–Mondo Cult Magazine print edition issue 3. My contributions are about off-grid prepping disguised as movie reviews and praise for The Conscience of an Anarchist.

And there are exciting developments (that I can’t specify at the moment) regarding adaptations of famous works by big name authors for the Sound of Liberty audio dramatization series.

There’s a funny video titled “Magazines are iPads that don’t work,” by a parent who claims a young child is attempting to launch printed magazine photos as apps. Some dispute this, but the kid does seem to prefer a real iPad.

So I’ve been busy with all sorts of doomed old media keeping me away from this new fangled blogging and Interweb stuff.

Karl Hess Community
Technology Forum

On a Fifth Monday in a Month

August 29, 2011

Schedule:
Pre-meeting: 6:00 p.m.
Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Announcements: 7:45 p.m. Howard Hinman, Master of Ceremonies
Presentation: 8:00 p.m. J. Kent Hastings:
“Surviving the Phone and Internet Kill Switch”
Questions: 8:45 p.m. Q&A via written cards for at least the first round of questions.
Close by 9:30 p.m.

Location: Asian Buffet (Oriental buffet)
23552 El Toro Rd., Lake Forest, CA 92630
At Raymond, behind a bank, near the public (gov’t) library branch.

View Larger Map
Tel: (949) 206-9988 - Fax: (949) 206-9098

Howard Hinman of Orange County, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the event and will offer a Toast to the evening’s festivities.

J. Kent Hastings is a writer, video editor, audio and film producer, computer programmer, agorist and ham radio hobbyist.

Hastings wrote columns about RSA encryption, spread-spectrum radio, and secure privacy-protected off-grid banking transactions in his regular “Techtics” column for SEK3’s Tactics of the Movement of the Libertarian Left during the 1980s.

Kent also wrote an article for the first issue of Agorist Quarterly, published in 1995, titled “The Information Underground Railroad,” after attending the RSA Data Security conference in 1994.

Kent has returned to an early interest in tinkering with homebrew electronic gear, partly because he finds it fun, and also thanks to recent threats that have resurfaced from government authorities worldwide to cut off private communications on the Internet and cell phones “for our safety.”

He will have equipment on hand to demonstrate various ways around the Internet and cellphone outages that have been imposed during protests (just when you might need rescue from violence the most).

If the power grid goes down, many would lose phone and Internet service because of their reliance on cable company devices. A portable battery with AC inverter will also be demonstrated at the meeting. Solar recharging in the field and other preparedness resources and activities in case of evacuation will be discussed.

Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are being more closely scrutinized by police with each passing year. Users have been jailed for organizing relatively harmless “flash mobs,” including celebrities simply inviting fans to the local mall.

Hastings will share his thoughts on how watchdog groups like Cop Block could avoid trouble by using stealthier recording devices and immediate streaming to remote undisclosed storage media, even if Internet access is being blocked.

For the first round of questions, audience members are asked to submit their questions in writing to the Master of Ceremonies, so that they may be presented to the speaker most effectively.

Cost is dinner (approximately 15.00 FRNS) plus a 5.00 room charge per attendee. (Cash only for the room charge please.) MasterCard and Visa accepted by the restaurant. Beer and wine available at an additional charge.

Good food. Some vegetarian dishes available.

For this meeting, leave a reservation message with the subject “OC KHCTF” on the web at http://permakent.com/contact/ or email: permakent@gmail.com

If you have additional questions contact Kent Hastings toll free at 1.877.867-8209 or leave a voice mail message.

Future dinner talks at the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum are still to be determined. We will keep you posted.

Resilient Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization. Its mission is to support a resilient community, including respect for personal rights and responsibilities.

For information about this event (other than reservations) and/or future events, please contact Howard Hinman, Director of Communications, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Legal Researcher, at (714) 244-2291. His email is: Howardhinman1234@yahoo.com.

Let’s stop pussyfooting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and even the Iran invasion to come. These “nations” are quickly smashed and their occupation is hardly worth the trouble.

Egypt might take a month or so to crack if we decided to take them on for the militant Islamic extremism that hasn’t quite been revealed–yet.

But why waste time with these sideshow conflicts when we can get to the main event?

The Chinese rulers are subverting our economy by convincing the world to drop the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency.

And we can no longer ignore the humanitarian abuses in Tibet and Hong Kong.

American troops need boots on the ground to defend our vital interest in China’s recent domestic oil discoveries.

China is already the #2 greenhouse gas emitter and on the march to be #1. We need to save the planet from their growing, insatiable thirst for power from petroleum.

And the worst thing is that China has a greater villainous disregard for Israel’s sensitivities than Ron Paul.

Cowardly liberal appeasers will say that a war with China would be foolish because they have all our money, make all of our stuff, and outnumber the U.S. population almost five to one.

Greedy “deficit hawks” will complain that the war would be too expensive. But everyone knows that even with multiple fronts against such terrorist nations, the Pentagon only consumes 3% of GDP. Any more is kept conveniently off budget. The real hawks, who support our military, say that war is cheap. It must be true. Only a delusional global warring denier would think otherwise.

The Pentagon has superior technology and a bigger nuclear arsenal, but not since World War II has America faced an enemy that could match us–an enemy with a chance of winning.

As Brad Linaweaver has pointed out to me, Fox News can finally support a war that is Fair and Balanced!

Let’s defend our great nation with shared sacrifice. Report to your local draft board today.

Thank you for your service.

(From  Mike Everling)

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY  AUGUST 15, 2011     ennouncement    

Howard Hinman “The Secrets of MERS and the Massive Mortgage Meltdown.”

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue) in West Los Angeles  (310) 645-0456.  The club meets in the separate meeting room behind the main dining area.

7:00  p.m.  Gathering Time      [Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus $3.00  Club Cover Charge ]
8:00  p.m.  Dinner  (Order from the regular menu)
8:45  p.m.  Announcements
9:00  p.m.  Guest Speaker: Howard Hinman
10:00  p.m. Q & A
10:30  p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s    (Please depart premises promptly)
11:00  p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling    Lounge- Doubletree Hotel 1616 West Centinela Avenue Culver City

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

The topic for this month is a little known (outside of real estate and mortgage banking circles) system alleged to have exacerbated the real estate value crash of a few years ago, the effects which still reverberate through the economy.

Meant to facilitate the assignment and hypothecation of mortgages- a financial tool- it has instead worsened the foreclosure crisis, because its badly flawed implementation has prevented bad paper from clearing the market.

From Howard’s masterful thesis:

           The Secrets of MERS:  A Fiasco Unfolds– Or what you do not know can hurt you and many other people badly!
           In other words:  Welcome to the Massive Mortgage Meltdown.

           It is more than just the blue-gray and weatherworn house in Denmark, Maine.  As the summer of 2011 becomes the winter of 2012               the secrets – whether they involve widespread incompetence, fraud or even worse – perhaps the deliberate crashing of the                           American economy – regarding MERS  (“Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems”, abbreviated “MERS”) – and its effects – are             becoming apparent around the world. 

           Look at this incredible quote:

           ”’The whole financial system is becoming a lot less transparent,’ says Hernando de Soto, a Peruvian economist who has written                  on  the importance of well-defined property rights. ‘You can’t size up risk anymore.’”

Being able to reasonably assess risk is at the essence of practical investment.  The inability to accomplish this is a prime cause of the current stagnation.   Howard will proffer his analysis as to the why and wherefore.  As usual,  the answer to the question qui bono very often informs the answer to the question quare (why).

Please join us for an evening of relevance and revelation.  Howard will help us to understand the reasons for MERS, how this system operates, and the disturbing implications of its government “mixed economy” interference in the markets.

ABOUT THE  SPEAKER:  

Howard has addressed our club on many occasions, chiefly on economic and financial topics. He is a Mortgage Fraud Professional, the Presider of the International Property Title Alliance, and Chief Financial Officer, Senior Legal Researcher and Director of Communications of the California Legal Rights Fund, Inc.  He also hosts the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum, an independent supperclub in Orange County devoted primarily to the topic of appropriate technology.

Howard is a graduate of  California State University at Fullerton College of Business and Economics with a degree in Business Administration.  Among his many associations and achievements, Howard is a member of Toastmasters International since 1983, and is a Distinguished Toastmaster.  Howard resides in Orange County.  Join him on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Upcoming Programs Scheduled:

September 19, 2011  Karl Hess IV “Whither Conservation in the 21st Century: More Government or More Liberty?”
October 17, 2011       Richard B. Boddie “SEK3 Was Right After All”
November 21, 2011   Will Otey “Freedom is Not for Everyone: Creating a New Libertarian Country”
______________________________

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles.  The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456. The nearest corner is W. Centinela Avenue.

The time for dinner is anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.  You may be seated in the meeting room at that time.  Other restaurant patrons may be there as well until  8 p.m.  The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m. The program will be from 8:45 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp).   Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

Dinah’s minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00. There is a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00).  Order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab.  The club dues will be collected from you.  Please note that KHC attendees must observe the minimum restaurant order.

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.
_________________________________

Special Note:    VENUE FOR AFTERMEETING: DOUBLETREE HOTEL LOUNGE (Formerly RADISSON)

Please join us for the Aftermeeting in the lounge at the Doubletree Hotel Culver City.   When we adjourn Dinah’s at 10:30 p.m., proceed to the Doubletree and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering by 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

The Doubletree is at 6161 West Centinela Avenue at Arizona in Culver City 90230-6306 (one  block West of Sepulveda Boulevard).  It is possible to walk from Dinah’s in about two minutes or repark your car on Arizona one minute away, but it is recommended to park in the hotel lot. N.B.:  the available hotel parking is a pay lot, however the bar will validate your parking with any purchase.   The lounge is immediately inside the hotel lobby adjacent to the desk.

It is not permitted to make a left turn onto Centinela from Arizona, so a good way is to turn right and go to the intersection with Sepulveda, make a U-turn and drive back to the hotel, which will be on the right hand side.

Doubletree Telephone: (310) 649-1776       For More Hotel Info, see: Radisson Website:

http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_
_____________________________

Random End Notes:  Although the corporate ownership of the Aftermeeting venue has changed, its policies, for our purposes, have remained unchanged.  We invite you to join us for a congenial time after the regular meeting.
_____________________________

Wikipedia Roofs
In a new Slashdot politics post, “Bill Clinton Says “Paint Your Roofs White”,” the former U.S. President describes the benefits to job seekers, paid for by energy savings, of painting every rooftop white.

Slashdot links to a Newsweek article, “It’s Still The Economy, Stupid,” with the white roof idea as one of the Clinton’s 14 points (uh, oh–hope the rest aren’t Wilsonian).

In a 2008 post, “Be Cool, Paint the Town White,” I cited math done by Lawrence Berkeley scientists to support this notion.

To quote myself:

A Google search for high albedo paving reveals existing activity in the roof and paving industry. A link to an EPA page about urban heat islands contains this ammo for my crusade against the cities:

Compared to rural areas, cities experience higher rates of heat-related illness and death. The heat island effect is one factor among several that can raise summertime temperatures to levels that pose a threat to public health.

Gotta fight back against those city lovin’ gridheads. Now they’re saying rural residents are more likely to get into car crashes or shot with firearms. Yeah? Wait until the currency collapses. Then you’ll want NRA neighbors.

In a 2010 post, “Will A Frozen Earth Raise Earth’s Albedo,” I discuss the global temperature impact of all that reflected light.

I received the following in email, and now it’s a guest editorial blog post, somewhat in response to my write-up of Chuck’s talk at the Karl Hess Club which you can hear here, but will you listen?

“You Knew That” By Chuck McGlawn

Left means more government. Right means less government

I will bet you that all the information to verify the subtitle/statement above is already in your knowledge base. All you have to do is to put the right pieces of your knowledge together.

I think we all know that if the temperature variation on the planet Earth were only three degrees. Night or day, summer or winter, polar or equatorial the temperature only varies three degrees. Then no one would have bothered to invent or sell a thermometer. You knew that. Ask yourself would a thermometer exist on a planet where the temperature varies only three degrees. Additionally, if every woman on the planet were “drop dead gorgeous”, Hollywood would never have made the movie called “10″. You knew that. .And if it is as the “confused nicks” say that Communism and Socialism is authoritarianism on the left and Fascism and Nazism is the authoritarianism on the right, no one would have ever concocted a left/right political spectrum in the first place You knew that. Then David Nolan would have had nothing to come along and improve upon. You knew that.

Let us tap into that knowledge base of yours. Almost everyone knows that Communism and Socialism is on the left. In today’s vernacular it is “a given”. If you are one of the few that disagrees with that, any more reading of this article would be a waste of your time. However, if you are among the confused that call yourself a “left” libertarian, you definitely need to continue.

Communism, Socialism, are designated “Left” by Karl Marx. They are systems where the government makes all the decisions for individuals and business. As they own or control the major means of production. That is they own/control the Land (that is the country) they own/control the labor (that is the people) and they own/control the capital (that is the money and everything needed to make more money). Fascism and Nazism so named by Mussolini and Hitler respectively.  are the exact same. They are all systems of 100% government of the extreme left. You knew that. The West generally bundled them all together and called it Totalitarianism.

When 100% government is the extreme left end and let us make it the starting point of a political spectrum, then 0% government or anarchy would be the exact opposite or the right end of that political spectrum. You knew that.

There are four names by which overlapping segments of the Libertarian movement identify themselves. You may not be able to recall any of the names on your own. But when I list them, you are going to say, You knew that. Three of the four are Miniarchist, anarco-capitalism and Anarchy. Please note each of these words contain the word “arch”. Arch is the Greek word that means rule.

I’ll bet you know the meanings of the three names that Libertarians use to identify themselves. Miniarchist would be those Libertarians that believe in the least possible amount of government or rule. You knew that. Anarco-capitalist would be those Libertarians that believe government should have no say in the capitalist or free market system. You knew that. Lastly, the anarchy wing of libertarianism would be those that believe there should be no rule or no government at all. You knew that.

I am not going to remind you of the fourth name. You are going to have to think* of that one yourself. Perhaps if we did a little more thinking we would have never swallowed the fiction that the right is somehow fascist or authoritarian.

I want to take it one more step. If Government is the enemy of liberty or libertarian, then liberty or libertarian would be all about reducing government. I am going to say it. If total government is 100% government, and it is on the left. Then reductions of government are increases in liberty and a move away from the left towards what? Towards the right. You knew that. Now I am not suggesting that a move all the way to the right is my personal goal. At this stage of my understanding, I cannot completely embrace anarchy. Additionally, I do not think the American people could even think that a system of “no Government” is even remotely viable

Let’s tap a little deeper into your knowledge base. There are two very compelling reasons why we need to recapture and utilize the Left/Right Political Spectrum. The first is, candidate handlers and issue promoters are getting more and more adept at their craft. It becomes more and more difficult to cut through their spin to get to the real candidate or the real issue. Therefore, their tactics constantly take in the uninformed. Even the informed need a roadmap to direct them on their course. Just look around, the Liberty Movement is more split today then it has ever been in its history. The second reason to recapture the Left/Right (more government/less government) political spectrum is to use it as a roadmap. It is simple enough for all to understand. The direction signs leading to the goals that we desire are clear enough for anyone to understand regardless of the depths of their knowledge. The Left/Right Political Spectrum shortens the learning curve so that even the newly initiated advocate of Liberty can hit the ground running, You knew that

*Here is your Challenge: WHAT IS THE FOURTH WORD/PHRASE TO WHICH LIBERTARIANS REFER TO THEMSELVES THAT SAYS “RIGHT (or less government) AND LIBERTY ARE CONNECTED” Send your answers to Chuckest@aol.com, or just click the Comment Button below.

Karl Hess
Community Technology Forum

A Very Rare Sixth Monday in a Month
(So rare in fact, that it’s actually the First Monday of the next month)

June 6, 2011

Schedule:
Pre-meeting: 6:00 p.m.
Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Announcements: 7:45 p.m. Howard Hinman, Master of Ceremonies
Presentation: 8:00 p.m. Jenny Cohen:
“Gardening and Entrepreneurship”
Questions: 8:45 p.m. Q&A via written cards for at least the first round of questions.
Close by 9:30 p.m.

Location: Asian Buffet (Oriental buffet)
23552 El Toro Rd., Lake Forest, CA 92630
At Raymond, behind a bank, near the public (gov’t) library branch.

View Larger Map
Tel: (949) 206-9988 - Fax: (949) 206-9098

Howard Hinman of Orange County, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. In honor of the event, he will offer a Toast to the evening’s festivities.

Jenny Cohen’s professional background includes success in multiple fields, such as real estate sales and as a Neuro Linguistics Programming (NLP) instructor.

Drawing upon life lessons from her father; who as a closet astronomer and avid gardener taught her about the riches of the universe and the joys of nature; Jenny Cohen went on a personal quest to discover the missing element in her life. How could she achieve both financial freedom and spiritual growth and happiness? Was it possible to have both? Find out the answer at tonight’s meeting.

For the first round of questions, audience members are asked to submit their questions in writing to Master of Ceremonies, so that they may be presented to the speaker most effectively.

Cost is dinner (approximately 15.00 FRNS) plus a 5.00 room charge per attendee. (Cash only for the room charge please.) MasterCard and Visa accepted by the restaurant. Beer and wine available at an additional charge.

Good food. Some vegetarian dishes available.

For this meeting, leave a reservation message with the subject “OC KHCTF” on the web at http://permakent.com/contact/ or email: permakent@gmail.com

If you have additional questions contact Kent Hastings toll free at 1.877.867-8209 or leave a voice mail message.

Currently scheduled dinner talks at the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum include J. Kent Hastings of Pahrump, Nevada visiting us on Monday, August 29, 2011. His topic is “Survive with Ham Radio When the Internet is Set to Kill.”

While every effort will be made to adhere to this schedule, it is subject to change – with or without notice!

Resilient Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization. Its mission is to support a resilient community, including respect for personal rights and responsibilities.

For information about this event (other than reservations) and/or future events, please contact Howard Hinman, Director of Communications, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Legal Researcher, at (714) 244-2291. His email is: Howardhinman1234@yahoo.com.

Sungevity.com
I finally caught up with the May 2, 2011 episode of An Organic Conversation, “The Ecology of Energy,” which featured Sungevity founder Danny Kennedy as a guest.

Kennedy discussed Sungevity and solar lease economics and described a foreign solar panel installation in the Maldives, working next to President Nasheed on the Mulee Aage palace roof.

A PRNewswire release from Sungevity on May 16, 2011, “Lowes Selects Sungevity For Residential Solar Partnership,” announces their solar lease partnership, but says it will initially be available only in the eight states Sungevity is active in now, “Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.”

I noticed a story about Sungevity back in 2008 and tested their satellite measuring and online estimate demo on San Francisco’s Lombard Street, “the crookedest street in the world.” They were just starting out and only operating in San Francisco at the time.

Since then, they’ve expanded to the Los Angeles area and made a deal with DWP to give their customers a 20-year lease instead of Sungevity’s standard 10-year term. Also, Sungevity is in the eight states in the U.S. mentioned above, and are primed for expansion nationwide and offshore thanks to their ability to make distant estimates remotely with their satellite technology. Their system also automates the paperwork filings needed for installation.

Another advantage is their zero down lease and strong system warranty.

The Sungevity blog contains this interesting tidbit from a post titled “Lost in transmission“:

“Two new studies challenge the immediate necessity of a national supersmartgrid. The National Renewable Energy Lab announced in May that the power grid in Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada could carry 35% renewable energy by 2017 without any substantial new infrastructure.”

Take that, gridheads!

Here’s a YouTube video, “President Nasheed of the Maldives Installs Solar on the Muleeaage.”

From KHC Culver City’s Mike Everling:

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY  MAY 16, 2011    

Ben Pleasants “Erotica vs Pornography”BOOK TOUR

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue) in West Los Angeles
(310) 645-0456.  The club meets in the separate meeting room behind the main dining area.

7:00  p.m.  Gathering Time      [Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus $3.00  Club Cover Charge ]
8:00  p.m.  Dinner  (Order from the regular menu)
8:30  p.m.   Special Presentation (This meeting only)
8:45  p.m.  Announcements
9:00  p.m.  Guest Speaker: Ben Pleasants
10:00  p.m. Q & A
10:30  p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s    (Please depart premises promptly)
11:00  p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling    Lounge- Radisson Hotel 1616 West Centinela Avenue Culver City

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Our fellow member and friend Ben Pleasants has been busy writing books and one of the latest is his novel Spearmint Leaves, which we might describe politely as being an erotic novel.  That is to say there are erotic scenes in the novel.

Possibly because it contains characters who are pornographic (because of who and what they are) by definition it might be considered a novel of pornography.

Ben will explain the difference between the two terms and also in what ways they may be synonymous.  We will also explore in what ways pornography, so-called, may be socially useful, and as such may be a legitimate literary form, one which dates from antiquity.

From Amazon: regarding Spearmint Leaves:  “They were identical cousins.  One was a TV star.  One was a porn star. Each was fascinated by the other’s profession.  One day they switched places.  They exchanged their roles and their lives.  Nobody suspected a thing.  And nobody foresaw the tragedy that would ensue.”

For more information: http://www.amazon.com/Spearmint-Leaves-Ben-Pleasants/dp/1453695451

ABOUT THE  SPEAKER:  

Ben Pleasants is a noted playwright and novelist. His plays include The Gluttons (1970), Winter in Mongolia (1975), The Hemingway/Dos Passos Wars (1998), Contentious Minds: The Mary McCarthy/Lillian Hellman Affair (2002), and the upcoming The Ghosts of Pumpkin Park (2011). His next novel is The Victory of Defeat.  Ben and his wife Paula reside in Westwood. This will be Ben’s fifth appearance as a speaker.  Please make plans to join us for what is sure to be a scintillating evening!
_____________________________

Upcoming Programs Scheduled:
         
June 20, 2011          Terry Brussel ET AL. “Libertarian Relationships” [17th Anniversary KHC]
July 18, 2011           Roger Bissell “Ayn Rand and the Logic of Liberty”
August 15, 2011      Howard Hinman “The Secrets of MERS and the Massive Mortgage Meltdown.”
September 19, 2011  Karl Hess IV “Whither Conservation in the 21st Century: More Government or More Liberty?”
October 17, 2011       Richard B. Boddie “SEK3 Was Right After All”
______________________________

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles.  The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456. The nearest corner is W. Centinela Avenue.

The time for dinner is anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.  You may be seated in the meeting room at that time.  Other restaurant patrons may be there as well until  8 p.m.  The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m. The program will be from 8:45 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp).   Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

Dinah’s minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00. There is a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00).  Order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab.  The club dues will be collected from you.  Please note that KHC attendees must observe the minimum restaurant order.

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.
_________________________________

Special Note:    VENUE FOR AFTERMEETING: RADISSON HOTEL LOUNGE

Please join us for the Aftermeeting in the lounge at the Radisson Hotel Culver City.   When we adjourn Dinah’s at 10:30 p.m., proceed to the Radisson and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering by 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

The Radisson is at 6161 West Centinela Avenue at Arizona in Culver City 90230-6306 (one  block West of Sepulveda Boulevard).  It is possible to walk from Dinah’s in about two minutes or repark your car on Arizona one minute away, but it is recommended to park in the hotel lot. N.B.:  the available hotel parking is a pay lot, however the bar will validate your parking with any purchase.   The lounge is immediately inside the hotel lobby adjacent to the desk.

It is not permitted to make a left turn onto Centinela from Arizona, so a good way is to turn right and go to the intersection with Sepulveda, make a U-turn and drive back to the hotel, which will be on the right hand side.

Radisson Telephone: (310) 649-1776       For More Hotel Info, see: Radisson Website:

http://www.radisson.com/culver-city-hotel-ca-90230-6306/caculver
______________________________

Random End Notes:   Last month our speaker, Dick Boddie, was unable to attend.  He has been rescheduled
for October 17.   We apologize for any inconvenience to our members on this account.   Special thanks must go
to our member and friend J. Neil Schulman for graciously stepping in to lead a round robin discussion of the new film, Atlas Shrugged, Part 1.  It was to be a very appropriate topic as the film had just opened the previous Friday.

Neil’s incisive commentary included his professional insights into independent filmmaking and this illuminated our understanding of the movie casting, filming and marketing processes, and the ensuing conversation was extremely entertaining and informative.   It turns out that even the KHC’s “Plan B” programs are especially worth attending, so be sure to come on down whenever you can so as to enjoy your club.   Once again, Thanks, Neil!
_____________________________

Despite a warning from a skeptic of herbal medicine, “Plants are trying to kill us,” the OC Weekly paper kind of touts “Really?!?!? The Miracle Berry: A Solution to World Hunger?.” That’s the name of the cranberry-ish fruit. Miracle Berry. But it has an amazing property that you’ll have to read about in Michelle Woo’s article.

A classic Garden Girl TV video, “Lawns to Edible Landscapes,” mostly about replacing your lawn with anything else, includes edible plants and even a chicken tractor. About a month ago she did a video about “How to Make Seed Balls.” I’m currently hosting the seedball.com domain. There’s more on the subject there.

You should also watch Paul Wheaton’s video, “chicken paddock shift - chickens like greens,” as healthier for the landscape and more pleasant for the chickens than the usual chicken tractor concept.

Here’s a YouTube video of a not so new AP report on Edible Gardens.

Bicycle Tutor site featured in Boing Boing post, “Learn the basics of bike repair at home.”

Just in time for “Ciclodia” season. What Peruvians are calling their Ciclovia, according to SF Streets Blog, “Peru’s Traffic Menagerie.”

Los Angeles is having another CicLAvia April 10, according to the Huffington Post, “CicLAvia Returns.”

The most moving account of a Ciclovia event is on YouTube here.

(From Mike Everling)

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY  MARCH 21, 2011     [Award: The SEK3 Memorial Chauntecleer]

Gary Chartier   “The Conscience of an Anarchist”                BOOK TOUR

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue) in West Los Angeles
(310) 645-0456.  The club meets in the separate meeting room behind the main dining area.

7:00  p.m.  Gathering Time      [Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus $3.00  Club Cover Charge ]
8:00  p.m.  Dinner  (Order from the regular menu)
8:30  p.m.  Special presentation  (This meeting only)
8:45  p.m.  Announcements
9:00  p.m.  Guest Speaker: Gary Chartier
10:00  p.m. Q & A
10:30  p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s    (Please depart premises promptly)
11:00  p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling    Lounge- Radisson Hotel 1616 West Centinela Avenue Culver City

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Last month, our scheduled speaker, Karl Hess IV was unable to attend due to travel difficulties. We were very fortunate that the speaker originally planned for this month, Tibor Machan, was able to provide his services in the breach.  BTW, we are happy to report that Karl will join us in September.

Although this has somewhat jumbled our carefully wrought schedule, we are again blessed in that we have gained the opportunity to present a program which perhaps otherwise would not have been brought to you and at a very propitious juncture to boot.

As it happens, our speaker this month is celebrating the publication of his third book, the title of which is reflected in our program topic: The Conscience of an Anarchist:

The train of “conscience” books in American politics, beginning with Barry Goldwater’s The Conscience of a Conservative, have focused, in varying degrees, on improving the performance of the state.  The Conscience of an Anarchist is concerned, instead, with moving beyond it.

Gary Chartier argues that anarchy happens when people organize their lives peacefully and voluntarily—without the aggressive violence of the state. This simple but powerful book, designed for everyone from constitutionalists to frustrated Obama supporters, explains why the state is illegitimate, unnecessary, and dangerous, and what we can do to begin achieving real freedom.

We wish to express our gratitude to Dr. Chartier for adding our venue to his busy schedule on very short notice.  It is much appreciated and the club members will be the happy recipients of this boon.

Please be aware that we will start the evening a few minutes early to have a special club program before our regular announcements and main speaker program.  Our guest will bring books along for your procurement and we expect that he will enjoy autographing your copies if asked.  Your attendance will be most welcome.

ABOUT THE  SPEAKER:  

Dr. Gary Chartier is Associate Dean of the School of Business and Associate Professor of Law and Business Ethics at La Sierra University. He is the author of The Analogy of Love and Economic Justice and Natural Law, and of some thirty articles in scholarly journals. He is a graduate of UCLA (JD, 2001) and the University of Cambridge (Ph.D., 1991). A member of the advisory board of the Center for a Stateless Society, he serves as chair of the Riverside County Libertarian Party.

_____________________________

Upcoming Programs Scheduled:

April 18, 2011          Richard B. Boddie “SEK3 Was Right After All” [7th Samuel Edward Konkin III Memorial Lecture]
May 16, 2011           Ben Pleasants “Erotica vs Pornography”
June 20, 2011           Terry Brussel ET AL.  ”Libertarian Relationships” [17th Anniversary KHC]
July 18, 2011            Roger Bissell “Ayn Rand and the Logic of Liberty”
August 15, 2011       Howard Hinman “The Secrets of MERS and the Massive Mortgage Meltdown.”
September 19, 2011 Karl Hess IV “Whither Conservation in the 21st Century: More Government or More Liberty?”
______________________________

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles.  The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456. The nearest corner is W. Centinela Avenue.

The time for dinner is anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.  You may be seated in the meeting room at that time.  Other restaurant patrons may be there as well until  8 p.m.  The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m. The program will be from 8:45 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp).   Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

Dinah’s minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00. There is a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00).  Order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab.  The club dues will be collected from you.  Please note that KHC attendees must observe the minimum restaurant order.

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.
_________________________________

Special Note:    NEW VENUE FOR AFTERMEETING: RADISSON HOTEL LOUNGE….

Please join us for the Aftermeeting in the lounge at the Radisson Hotel Culver City.   When we adjourn Dinah’s at 10:30 p.m., proceed to the Radisson and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering by 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

The Radisson is at 6161 West Centinela Avenue at Arizona in Culver City 90230-6306 (one  block West of Sepulveda Boulevard).  It is possible to walk from Dinah’s in about two minutes or repark your car on Arizona one minute away, but it is recommended to park in the hotel lot. N.B.:  the available hotel parking is a pay lot, however the bar will validate your parking with any purchase.   The lounge is immediately inside the hotel lobby adjacent to the desk.

It is not permitted to make a left turn onto Centinela from Arizona, so a good way is to turn right and go to the intersection with Sepulveda, make a U-turn and drive back to the hotel, which will be on the right hand side.

Radisson Telephone: (310) 649-1776       For More Hotel Info, see: Radisson Website:

http://www.radisson.com/culver-city-hotel-ca-90230-6306/caculver

______________________________

Random End Notes:

The decision was taken to try the Radisson for an Aftermeeting venue by virtue of its very close proximity to our dinner venue and also because it is quieter (pleasantly sedate) than the Back Stage.   In January and February, the reaction was good. The staff is very friendly and efficient. We find  that the validated parking works well.  It makes it much safer and more convenient to attend the Aftermeeting.

Thanks are owed to Steve Reed for his valuable suggestions regarding the ennouncements and eMinders which we are incorporating into our scheme over the ensuing months.  You will notice
more concise messages each month.  The intention is that the letter will be more quickly and
easily read.  We also thank our members for their patience and forbearance and we hope the changes as implemented will help.

Special thanks as well to Tibor Machan for his good will and patience in stepping in last month. Thanks Tibor!
_____________________________

We Also Highly Recommend:

Looking for Hugh, The Capitalist Guidebook, a novel by Leon Weinstein
2009 WAM-art.net  4780 Poe Avenue Woodland Hills, CA 91364  $12.99
For more information and to order a copy, contact: inquiries@wam-art.net or 818 716-7064

The author, who was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, started writing plays in high school, going on to direct theatre shows and films.  In 1974 he immigrated to Israel where he organized the Theatre for Youth and was twice nominated for the Best Children’s Show of the Year.  Author of numerous plays, short stories and a variety of political articles, Mr. Weinstein co-founded Weinstein Art Management, in Woodland Hills, which is aimed at providing venues for artists from ex-communist countries. He is currently on a quest to prevent socialism from taking over the United States of America.

The author says that “this book  is an attempt to apply to everyday life the philosophical principles of Ayn Rand and many other proponents of Capitalism and individual freedom. My thanks go to Antoine de Saint Exupery for writing The Little Prince, Lewis Carroll for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, L. Frank Baum for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Jonathan Swift for Gulliver’s Travels. These four authors were my guiding stars in creating Looking for Hugh.”

It is the story of a  teenage boy searching for his lost friend Hugh in a series of encounters after a ride on a kite to the “Thousand Islands Empire.”  Part fantasy and part polemic, the vignettes portray a series of situations each illustrating different facets of oppression brought about by adherence to various political philosophies.  Intended for adults but accessible to younger readers, the author hopes that this work will serve to educate and inspire those who would champion the ideals of a free society.  This book is very readable and is highly recommended.  Mike says: “****1/2“
Available at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Hugh-Capitalist-Leon-Weinstein/dp/0615304478

***************

A new institution of higher learning:  The C. S. Lewis College in Massachusetts

Dr. J. Stanley Mattson, the Founder and President of the C. S. Lewis Foundation, was inspired to use the Foundation to acquire and restore The Kilns, the home in the English countryside Professor Lewis shared with his brother Warren Lewis, and later his wife, Joy Davidman.  Fully restored and updated for practical living, it now serves as a retreat and study centre for scholars.

For more information on the C.S. Lewis Foundation and current programs along with news on the college, please visit www.cslewis.org   and  http://www.cslewiscollege.org/
_____________________________

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY  FEBRUARY 21, 2011                                      

[200th meeting]

Karl Hess IV

“Whither Conservation in the 21st Century:
More Government or More Liberty?“

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue)
in West Los Angeles (310) 645-0456.  The club meets in the separate meeting room behind the main dining area.

7:00  p.m.  Gathering Time
8:00  p.m.  Dinner  (Order from the regular menu)
8:45  p.m.  Announcements       <–(Note starting time)
9:00  p.m.  Guest Speaker: Karl Hess IV
10:00  p.m. Q & A     <–(please hold questions and comments until this time)
10:30  p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s    <–(please depart the premises
at this time)
11:00  p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling    Lounge- Radisson Hotel
1616 West Centinela Avenue Culver City (across from Dinah’s)
Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus
SPECIAL DUES: $5.00 (this month only)    Club Cover Charge

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

The role of the State in our personal, community, and business affairs has followed an upward trajectory in the 20th Century. Now, in the first decade of the 21st Century, the trajectory appears largely unchecked.

The War on Terrorism, the Great Recession, and the bold advance of new social programs suggest an unprecedented role of the State in our everyday lives. Conservation challenges these developments in unanticipated ways, and for reasons that are ultimately libertarian in nature.

Born of aggressive Federal and State action in the early 20th Century - e.g., the creation of the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the “North American Conservation Model” upon which State Fish and Wildlife agencies are financed - Conservation evolved as an activity dominated principally by the agencies of the State.

The world changed in 1970. Although the First Earth Day was ostensibly a call for more aggressive State involvement in Conservation, its long-term outcome over the past 40 years has been to slowly but irreversibly transform Conservation from an affair of government to a democratic movement of people characterized increasingly by volunteerism, cooperation, network governance and entrepreneurship.

Where once Alexis de Tocqueville declared the town meetings of New England local laboratories of liberty and democracy, Conservation is becoming and has the potential to become the 21st century equivalent. Increasingly libertarian in concept and application, Conservation is the organizing principle and activity by which contemporary people exercise control over their lives, their communities, and their properties.

Conservation carries with it, and sustains, the founders vision of a nation of equal and freely interacting individuals and communities. And it is from their spontaneous interactions and creations that will emerge the Conservation order of the 21st Century.

ABOUT THE  SPEAKER:  

We like to have Karl return every one hundred meetings to address the club…. Well, we won’t put off the next visit quite so long, but it does make for an extra special way to celebrate our two hundredth meeting!  He is, as heir and namesake of that personage for whom our organization is named, the most appropriate of associations.

Karl is a noted ecologist and champion of appropriate technology.  He and his family now reside in
Virginia after many years in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  We are very happy to welcome Karl back and
thankful that he is able to make the trip across the country to be with us.  Please take this grand opportunity to see Karl, join in the conversation, and also enjoy further reminiscences of his father.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles.  The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456. The nearest corner is W. Centinela Avenue.

The time for dinner is anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.  You may be seated in the meeting room at that time.  Other restaurant patrons may be there as well until  8 p.m.  The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m. The program will be from 8:45 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp).   Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

Dinah’s minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00. There is a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00).  Order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab.  The club dues will be collected from you.  Please note that KHC attendees must observe the minimum restaurant order.

Please remember: Special Dues of $5.00 this meeting only! Thanks!

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.

Upcoming Programs Scheduled:
     
March 21, 2011       Tibor Machan “Is Democracy for Everybody?” [Award Night: The SEK3 Memorial Chauntecleer]
April 18, 2011         Richard B. Boddie “SEK3 Was Right After All” [7th Samuel Edward Konkin III Memorial Lecture]
May 16, 2011         Ben Pleasants “Erotica vs Pornography”
June 20, 2011         Terry Brussel on Line Marriage  [17th Anniversary KHC]
July 18, 2011          Roger Bissell “Ayn Rand and the Logic of Liberty”
August 15, 2011     Howard Hinman “The Secrets of MERS and the Massive Mortgage Meltdown.”
_________

Special Note:    NEW VENUE FOR AFTERMEETING: RADISSON HOTEL LOUNGE….

Please join us for the Aftermeeting in the lounge at the Radisson Hotel Culver City.   When we adjourn Dinah’s at 10:30 p.m., proceed to the Radisson and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering by 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

The Radisson is at 6161 West Centinela Avenue at Arizona in Culver City 90230-6306 (one  block West of Sepulveda Boulevard).  It is possible to walk from Dinah’s in about two minutes or repark your car on Arizona one minute away, but it is recommended to park in the hotel lot. N.B.:  the available hotel parking is a pay lot, however the bar will validate your parking with any purchase.   The lounge is immediately inside the hotel lobby adjacent to the desk.

Radisson Telephone: (310) 649-1776

For More Hotel Info, see: Radisson Website:  http://www.radisson.com/culver-city-hotel-ca-90230-6306/caculver

It is not permitted to make a left turn onto Centinela from Arizona, so a good way is to turn right and go to the intersection with Sepulveda, make a U-turn and drive back to the hotel, which will be on the right hand side.
_____________________________

We Also Highly Recommend:

Looking for Hugh, The Capitalist Guidebook, a novel by Leon Weinstein
2009 WAM-art.net  4780 Poe Avenue Woodland Hills, CA 91364  $12.99
For more information and to order a copy, contact: inquiries@wam-art.net or 818 716-7064

The author, who was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, started writing plays in high school, going on to direct theatre shows and films.  In 1974 he immigrated to Israel where he organized the Theatre for Youth and was twice nominated for the Best Children’s Show of the Year.  Author of numerous plays, short stories and a variety of political articles, Mr. Weinstein co-founded Weinstein Art Management, in Woodland Hills, which is aimed at providing venues for artists from ex-communist countries. He is currently on a quest to prevent socialism from taking over the United States of America.

The author says that “this book  is an attempt to apply to everyday life the philosophical principles of Ayn Rand and many other proponents of Capitalism and individual freedom. My thanks go to Antoine de Saint Exupery for writing The Little Prince, Lewis Carroll for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, L. Frank Baum for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Jonathan Swift for Gulliver’s Travels. These four authors were my guiding stars in creating Looking for Hugh.”

It is the story of a  teenage boy searching for his lost friend Hugh in a series of encounters after a ride on a kite to the “Thousand Islands Empire.”  Part fantasy and part polemic, the vignettes portray a series of situations each illustrating different facets of oppression brought about by adherence to various political philosophies.  Intended for adults but accessible to younger readers, the author hopes that this work will serve to educate and inspire those who would champion the ideals of a free society.  This book is very readable and is highly recommended.  Mike says: “****1/2“
Available at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Hugh-Capitalist-Leon-Weinstein/dp/0615304478

***************

A new institution of higher learning:  The C. S. Lewis College in Massachusetts

Dr. J. Stanley Mattson, the Founder and President of the C. S. Lewis Foundation, was inspired to use the Foundation to acquire and restore The Kilns, the home in the English countryside Professor Lewis shared with his brother Warren Lewis, and later his wife, Joy Davidman.  Fully restored and updated for practical living, it now serves as a retreat and study centre for scholars.

Over the years the Foundation’s mission has grown and developed to include OxBridge, a tri-ennial convention of those devoted to Lewis and the Inklings which spans a two week period at locations in and around Oxford and Cambridge Universities. In the United States each year there is a series of regional quarterly workshops and retreats held in such locations as San Antonio, Austin, and Navasota, TX; Nashville, TN; San Diego, CA; and Asheville, NC.

The Foundation’s latest project is the C.S. Lewis College which will commence Fall 2012 in its recently purchased campus (the former Northfield Mount Hermon School located in Northfield, Massachusetts), on the site of a college for Christian women founded by evangelist Dwight L. Moody in 1879.

The new institution is the culmination of a four decade long quest of the Foundation to establish a Christian Great Books College somewhere in the United States.

Dr. Mattson, in an article in the Spring 2010 issue of the Chronicles of the C.S. Lewis Foundation, its quarterly newsletter, stressed that C.S. Lewis College will be distinctive in a number of areas, first and foremost in its frank and robust embrace of Christian thought and life.

The curriculum areas envisioned for this fully accredited institution are Great Books, and Visual and Performing Arts. The Great Books curriculum, under development now, will encompass the seminal writings of the greatest thinkers of Western civilization, ranging from physics to politics to poetry and everything in between. A school of Visual and Performing Arts will follow within a few years.

Based on the classical curriculum found in British universities, modified to include the works of some modern writers including C.S. Lewis, Great Books will be one course of study, all works read by each and every student, and individually defended in discussion-based seminars and tutorials.

“This means that students who choose C.S. Lewis College will do so because they desire to assume primary responsibility for their own education,” according to Dr. Mattson.

Initial funding of the school is primarily by Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. which had purchased the campus for the Foundation and provided funds for its operation and capital improvements. Following start up, the College will be funded by a combination of tuition, private donations and grants.

For more information on the C.S. Lewis Foundation and current programs along with news on the college, please visit www.cslewis.org   and  http://www.cslewiscollege.org/
__________________________________

Random End Notes:

The decision was taken to try the Radisson for an Aftermeeting venue by virtue of its very close proximity to our dinner venue and also because it is quieter (if not downright sedate) than the Back Stage.  Last month, the reaction was good. The staff is very friendly and efficient. We found out that validated parking is available. That makes it safer and more comfortable to attend the Aftermeeting.

__________________________________

Recommended Local Event:

ANNOUNCEMENT: V-50 Live Lectures Again!

The Freedom Chamber is “The Freedom Chamber” is the name of our first live lecture series in Long Beach, CA, where we’ll be presenting the builders of freedom.  You’ll meet people and hear topics like:     Jay Snelson - on the influence of Robert LeFevre on Andrew Galambos and volitional science Alvin Lowi — on the hidden history of volitional science Spencer MacCallum - on private cities Michael Shermer - on The Believing Brain; from ghosts to gods to politics and conspiracies. Chas Holloway - on the nature of networks and the shape of the future And more… Each event costs only $15.00 per ticket!   And by the end of 2011, a full-length live course on the science of freedom will be up and running, again.  Updated.  Faster-paced for modern audiences.  With detailed photos, animations and videos.     We’re building freedom again!   But to do all this, we need your help - we need you (and everyone you know) to become a Freedom Chamber member.

How Can You Become a Freedom Chamber Member?

To become a member, contact us with your credit card information which we’ll keep on file and bill you $15.00 per ticket only on the months when we have a live event.   There will be seven live events during 2011.   Call us at one of these phone numbers now:         Chas or Kim Holloway:  760-522-2480 Debbie Burruel:  714-401-8203   And hurry! The Van Dyke Auditorium only seats 200, so  join now while seats are still available.

What Are the Befits of Becoming a Member?

Discount ticket price!    As a member, your tickets will cost only $15.00 each.  (Non-members pay $20.00)   Also:   You’ll get a free  audio recording on mp3 CD of every live lecture.        Also:   You’ll get periodic discounts on products, such as The V-50 Lectures.   Also:   You’ll get a 10% discount on Libertopia, October 20 through 23, 2011.   * You can cancel your membership at any time.

More Information

Article Subheading The Freedom Chamber live events will be held at the Van Dyke Auditorium in Long Beach, California, which is part of the Long Beach Memorial Hospital campus.    For dates, times, directions and more information, please visit:   The Freedom Chamber   After each live event, audience members and speakers will meet at a local restaurant called Nino’s Italian.  It’s located about a mile away from the Van Dyke Auditorium.      For directions and more information, please visit:   The Freedom Chamber

Some hardcore wilderness experts and other traditionalists scoff at depending upon battery powered mobile devices in the bush (”Calling Technology’s Bluff“), despite things like backpack solar cells for recharging them in the field.

Others embrace the new capabilities, many of which will work just fine even without online access.

For example, here are some iPhone apps for preppers from Survival Spot, “11 iPhone Apps That Could Save Your Life.”

In a long term off-grid situation, where market shelves are empty due to worthless money, fuel shortages, disease outbreaks, or civil unrest, critics of robotics applied to local agriculture, “Do we really want robots planting our gardens?” might reconsider their prejudice against automation given the large numbers of untrained, aged or disabled people who still need to eat.

Robotic Pest Control Experiment.

Revealed by Brad Linaweaver:

The scales have fallen from my eyes. It is now perfectly clear that anarchists, minarchists, Objectivists, constitutional conservatives, right wing radio and the Tea Party are all in on a secret Islamic conspiracy.

Agorism is the worst of all.

Of course, I have an unfair advantage. As one of the culprits myself, let me be the first to admit we are all bought and paid for in gold dinars.

But the jig is up. A few honest Republicans have seen through the scheme, patriots like Duncan Hunter and John McCain. You see, any freezing or cutting in military spending makes us part of the World Caliphate (arriving by Tuesday)! Actually, we need to increase military spending, right now.

Our Islamo-libertarian propaganda is very clever. Any suggestion that America could ever run out of money is Jihad propaganda. The Muslim Brotherhood must all be fans of Atlas Shrugged and Alongside Night.

The most pernicious secret agents of Islam in America may be found in the Off Grid movement. These immoral hoodlums won’t even pretend that they should pay their taxes.

The evil Neil Boortz has actually made patriotic Americans question their duty to pay income tax. The only guarantee in this dangerous world that the Pentagon will have enough is through the IRS and the income tax. It is shockingly naive to think that anything else is reliable.

Naturally, Ron Paul and Rand Paul are high level traitors. A more subtle infiltration is courtesy of Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann. They pretend to support America and yet lend tacit support to small government movements that could limit the amount of tax revenue essential to propping up Western Civilization in this war of survival.

Clearly, the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Queda and MSNBC must secretly approve of the gold bugs in the right wing who would take money away from the American State in this time of peril. Every day is the Alamo is Pearl Harbor is 9-11.

But who would be diabolical enough to be running the whole scheme? He would have to pretend to oppose the World Caliphate, while actually persuading Americans to opt out of the system. Imagine using international gold instead of patriotic National Scrip to support the troops, God bless them.

Or do we really mean “Allah”?

Who is the Benedict Arnold in America? He couldn’t be an out and out Muslim. He couldn’t be a conventional Christian. He couldn’t be a Jew. Who could he be? He couldn’t even be a secular humanist.

If only a religion existed that was sort of half Muslim; a religion in which Jesus Christ is a miracle worker from God — like in the Koran — but not a manifestation of the actual godhead. Such a religion could confuse everyone: It could breach the Judeo-Christian wall around America and let in the bad ideas that must lead ultimately to the Caliphate. If only a representative of such a religion could preach the Gospel of Gold, and trick Americans into not paying their essential taxes.

Let’s see. What is such a religion? The Mormons! Well, is there a gold bug leader? Glenn Beck!!!

Beck is the secret leader of radical Islam in the USA! He brings together the elites into a strange alliance for a radical new world order.

Don’t trust me. Do your own research. You’ll see the truth on your own.

Karl Hess Community Technology Forum

A Rare Fifth Monday in a Month
January 31, 2011

Location: Asian Buffet (Oriental buffet)
23552 El Toro Rd., Lake Forest, CA 92630
At Raymond, behind a bank, near the public (gov’t) library branch.

View Larger Map
Tel: (949) 206-9988 - Fax: (949) 206-9098

Schedule:
Pre-meeting: 6:00 p.m.
Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Announcements: 7:45 p.m. Howard Hinman, Master of Ceremonies
Presentation: 8:00 p.m. Anthony L. Hargis:
“Who shall we save … banks … or you?”
Questions: 8:45 p.m. Q&A via written cards for at least the first round of questions.
Close by 9:30 p.m.

Howard Hinman of Orange County, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. In honor of the event, he will offer a Toast to the evening’s festivities.

Anthony L. Hargis ran a “bank that wasn’t a bank” in Orange County using “transfer orders” to allow account holders to pay others with mass units of gold (example: 100 mg) instead of checks using fractional reserve fiat currency units (like the U.S. dollar). He will discuss the state and The State of the current economy and what to do about it.

For the first round of questions, audience members are asked to submit their questions in writing to Master of Ceremonies, so that they may be presented to the speaker most effectively.

Cost is dinner (approximately 15.00 FRNS) plus a 5.00 room charge per attendee. (Cash only for the room charge please.) MasterCard and Visa accepted by the restaurant. Beer and wine available at an additional charge.

Good food. Some vegetarian dishes available.

For this meeting, leave a reservation message with the subject “OC KHCTF” on the web at http://permakent.com/contact/ or email: permakent@gmail.com

If you have additional questions contact Kent Hastings toll free at 1.877.867-8209 or leave a voice mail message.

Currently scheduled dinner talks at the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum include Jenny Cohen of San Diego County on Monday, June 6, 2011. Her topic is “Gardening and Entrepreneurship”.

While every effort will be made to adhere to this schedule, it is subject to change – with or without notice!

Resilient Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization. Its mission is to support a resilient community, including respect for personal rights and responsibilities.

For information about this event (other than reservations) and/or future events, please contact Howard Hinman, Director of Communications, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Legal Researcher, at (714) 244-2291. His email is: Howardhinman1234@yahoo.com.

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY  JANUARY 17, 2011                                          

Geo. McCalip Update on “Fomenting Revolution for Fun and Profit”

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue) in West Los Angeles
(310) 645-0456.  The club meets in the separate meeting room behind the main dining area.

7:00  p.m.  Gathering Time
8:00  p.m.  Dinner  (Order from the regular menu)
8:45  p.m.  Announcements                   <–(Note starting time)
9:00  p.m.  Guest Speaker: Geo. McCalip
10:00  p.m. Q & A                                 <–(please hold questions and comments until this time)
10:30  p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s    <–(please depart the premises at this time)
11:00  p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling    Lounge- Radisson Hotel 1616 West Centinela Avenue Culver City

Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus $3.00 Club Cover Charge

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

In December 2009 Geo. gave a very well received presentation at the Karl  Hess Club wherein he declared that nine years on defense was enough.  In his speech that evening, “Fomenting Revolution for Fun  and Profit,” he laid out a strategy for going on offense with a goal of putting an end to the tickets for revenue scam.

Since then, California Legal Rights Fund has received funding from  various sources and is beginning to put his plan into action.  Geo.’s  speech will give us an update on the latest developments in the battle
to reclaim our rights.  Be there to hear the latest report from the front.

ABOUT THE  SPEAKER:  

Geo. McCalip is a long time libertarian activist and former resident of AnarchoVillage.  For almost ten years he has run HelpIGotATicket.com, a  pro bono web site dedicated to helping people fight the California  traffic tickets for revenue scam. This experience led him to found California Legal Rights Fund (CalRights),  an educational non-profit (501(c)(3)) dedicated to educating the people of California as to  their legal rights. (http://CalRights.org)

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles.  The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456. The nearest corner is W. Centinela Avenue.

The time for dinner is anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.  You may be seated in the meeting room at that time.  Other restaurant patrons may be there as well until  8 p.m.  The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m. The program will be from 8:45 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp).   Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

Dinah’s minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00. There is a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00).  Order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab.  The club dues will be collected from you.  Please note that KHC attendees must observe the minimum restaurant order.

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.

Upcoming Programs Scheduled:

February 21, 2011    Karl Hess IV  “Wither Conservation in the 21st Century: More Government or More Liberty?“  [200th meeting] SPECIAL DUES: $5.00 (this month only)
March 21, 2011       Speaker and Program TBA [Award Night: The SEK3 Memorial Chauntecleer]
April 18, 2011          Howard Hinman “The Secrets of MERS and the Massive Mortgage Meltdown.”
[7th Samuel Edward Konkin III Memorial Lecture]
May 16, 2011         Ben Pleasants “Erotica” (Tentative topic)
_________

Special Note:    NEW VENUE FOR AFTERMEETING: RADISSON HOTEL LOUNGE….

Please join us for the Aftermeeting in the lounge at the Radisson Hotel Culver City.   When we adjourn Dinah’s at 10:30 p.m., proceed to the Radisson and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering by 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

Park on the street or in the lot at Dinah’s (after hours and at your own risk).  Radisson Telephone: (310) 649-1776

For More Hotel Info, see: Radisson Website:  http://www.radisson.com/culver-city-hotel-ca-90230-6306/caculver

We will try this a time or two to see how we like it.  It is always possible to return to the Back Stage at a later date.
_____________________________

Upcoming Local Event We Highly Recommend:

INFO BLURB provided by Howard Hinman:

Karl Hess Community Technology Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2011

Karl Hess Community Technology Forum

Date:  Monday January 31, 2011

Location: Asian Buffet (Oriental buffet)
23552 El Toro Rd., Lake Forest, CA 92630
(At Raymond, behind a Chase Bank, near the government library).
Tel: (949) 206-9988 - Fax:  (949) 206-9098

Schedule:
Pre-meeting:  6:00 p.m.
Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Announcements:  7:45 p.m. Howard Hinman, Master of Ceremonies
Presentation: 8:00 p.m. “Who shall we save …  banks … or you?”
Questions: 8:45 p.m. Q&A via written cards for at least the first round of questions.
Close by 9:30 p.m.

Howard Hinman of Orange County, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the event.  In honor of the event, he will offer a Toast to the evening’s festivities.

For the first round of questions, audience members are asked to submit their questions in writing to Master of Ceremonies, so that they may be presented to the speaker most effectively.

Cost is dinner (approximately 15.00 FRNS) plus a 5.00 room charge per attendee.  (Cash only for the room charge please.)   MasterCard and Visa accepted by the restaurant.  Beer and wine available at an additional charge.

Good food.  Some vegetarian dishes available.

For this meeting, leave a reservation message with the subject “OC KHCTF” on the web at http://permakent.com/contact/ or email:  permakent@gmail.com

If you have additional questions contact Kent Hastings toll free at 1.877.867-8209 or leave a voice mail message.

Please reserve by 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 30, 2010 so that the restaurant may properly prepare for this Monday evening event.

Currently scheduled dinner talks at the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum include Jenny Cohen of San Diego County on Monday, June 6, 2011.  Her topic is “Gardening and Entrepreneurship”.

While every effort will be made to adhere to this schedule, it is subject to change – with or without notice!

Resilient Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization.  Its mission is to support a resilient community, including respect for personal rights and responsibilities.

For information about this event (other than reservations) and/or future events, please contact Howard Hinman, Director of Communications, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Legal Researcher, at (714) 244-2291.  His email is:  Howardhinman1234@yahoo.com.

###
____________________________

We Also Highly Recommend:

Looking for Hugh, The Capitalist Guidebook, a novel by Leon Weinstein
2009 WAM-art.net  4780 Poe Avenue Woodland Hills, CA 91364  $12.99
For more information and to order a copy, contact: inquiries@wam-art.net or 818 716-7064

The author, who was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, started writing plays in high school, going on to direct theatre shows and films.  In 1974 he immigrated to Israel where he organized the Theatre for Youth and was twice nominated for the Best Children’s Show of the Year.  Author of numerous plays, short stories and a variety of political articles, Mr. Weinstein co-founded Weinstein Art Management, in Woodland Hills, which is aimed at providing venues for artists from ex-communist countries. He is currently on a quest to prevent socialism from taking over the United States of America.

The author says that “this book  is an attempt to apply to everyday life the philosophical principles of Ayn Rand and many other proponents of Capitalism and individual freedom. My thanks go to Antoine de Saint Exupery for writing The Little Prince, Lewis Carroll for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, L. Frank Baum for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Jonathan Swift for Gulliver’s Travels. These four authors were my guiding stars in creating Looking for Hugh.”

It is the story of a  teenage boy searching for his lost friend Hugh in a series of encounters after a ride on a kite to the “Thousand Islands Empire.”  Part fantasy and part polemic, the vignettes portray a series of situations each illustrating different facets of oppression brought about by adherence to various political philosophies.  Intended for adults but accessible to younger readers, the author hopes that this work will serve to educate and inspire those who would champion the ideals of a free society.  This book is very readable and is highly recommended.  Mike says: “****1/2“
Available at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Hugh-Capitalist-Leon-Weinstein/dp/0615304478

***************

A new institution of higher learning:  The C. S. Lewis College in Massachusetts

Dr. J. Stanley Mattson, the Founder and President of the C. S. Lewis Foundation, was inspired to use the Foundation to acquire and restore The Kilns, the home in the English countryside Professor Lewis shared with his brother Warren Lewis, and later his wife, Joy Davidman.  Fully restored and updated for practical living, it now serves as a retreat and study centre for scholars.

For more information on the C.S. Lewis Foundation and current programs along with news on the college, please visit www.cslewis.org   and  http://www.cslewiscollege.org/
__________________________________

Random End Notes:

The decision was taken to try the Radisson for an Aftermeeting venue by virtue of its very close proximity to our dinner venue and also because it will almost certainly be quieter (if not downright sedate) than the Back Stage.  However, the drinks are likely to be more expensive, so we will want to assess whatever trade off this represents.  Join us, throw in your opinion, and we will listen.
…

The Karl Hess Club wishes you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year in 2011! Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you often in the new year, and in those that follow.

Given the shootings in Arizona, it’s timely to publish a link to the audio for Jay Stuart Snelson’s talk at our Orange County, CA supper club.

(The name of the club is the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum. Karl Hess was a political speechwriter for Barry Goldwater who became a noted Libertarian activist. Karl was also known for promoting off-grid renewable energy, housing and food systems. Congratulations to Make Magazine’s Green Project Winner: The Global Village Construction Set. The GVCS leader is a fan of the appropriate technology work as described by Karl Hess and I support their project.)

The audio mp3 file khc2010nov29.mp3 is of Jay Stuart Snelson’s talk at the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum Nov. 29, 2010. I recorded it with the iTalk app on my iPod Touch and did what I could in Audacity and Levelator. Howard Hinman was MC. He is heard bringing the club to order and providing the speaker introduction.

A film released this year, Countdown To Zero, by the makers of An Inconvenient Truth and Food, Inc., confirms Jay Stuart Snelson’s assertion that nuclear weapons are still a very significant threat even if supposedly “the Cold War is over.”

Here’s the trailer for Countdown To Zero at YouTube.

This is remarkable.

Today, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested, on December 7th, a date that will. . .well, you know. Also today, the State Department announced that the U.S. will host a World Press Freedom event on May Day, 2011.

Are you calling me a liar? I saw it on Facebook (thanks Jason Seagraves), how could it not be true? But in the slim chance that something incorrect could be posted on the Internet, I noticed the link in question is the actual “state.gov” U.S. Department of State domain, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/12/152465.htm.

Who knows how long this embarrassment will remain online, but in case it goes away you could always check the Internet Wayback Machine to see the way it was. Excerpt:

Press Statement
Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
December 7, 2010

The United States is pleased to announce that it will host UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day event in 2011, from May 1 - May 3 in Washington, D.C. UNESCO is the only UN agency with the mandate to promote freedom of expression and its corollary, freedom of the press.

May 1st a.k.a. May Day, may celebrate other things throughout the world, but in the U.S. it’s “Loyalty Day,” originally “Americanization Day” in 1921. Perhaps Hillary Clinton will preside over that Witches’ Sabbath next Beltane. Have a happy Walpurgis Night!

A NEW Orange County, CA Supperclub!

THE
Karl Hess Community Technology Forum

A PROJECT OF THE
RESILIENT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

The Resilient Community Foundation (“Rescomm.org”) is pleased to present Jay Stuart Snelson at the inaugural meeting of the Karl Hess Community Technology Forum.

Mr. Snelson is a California native, UCLA graduate and nationally noted lecturer who will speak on the topic of “Taming the Violence of Faith:  Win-win solutions in a win-lose world” on Monday evening, November 29, 2010 at the Newport Beach Golf Course Tee Room restaurant located at 3100 Irvine Avenue, Newport Beach, California  92660.

Howard Hinman, also of Orange County, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.

In honor of the event, Howard will offer a Toast to the evening’s festivities at 7:45 p.m.

6:00 p.m. Cocktails, Gathering Time

7:00 p.m. Dinner (Buffet style)

7:45 p.m. Announcements <–(Note starting time)

8:00 p.m. Guest Speaker: Jay Stuart Snelson
For a cost of $25.00 (cash only, please) per person, attendees will enjoy a buffet dinner with their choice of chicken, tilapia (a tasty fish), or roast beef.  For our vegetarian guests, beans and cheese will be available as well.

Coffee and tea are included at no additional cost with your meal.  Salad and vegetables will also be provided.  Alcoholic beverages are available at additional cost through the adjoining bar.

If you have any questions about the meeting, contact Kent Hastings toll free at 1.877.867-8209 or leave a voice mail message. To contact the Tee Room restaurant directly, call Hamid at (949) 756-0121.

Show your support by bringing others to this special dinner event. 

About The Karl Hess Community Technology Forum

This club is a project of the Resilient Community Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c) 3 corporation in formation managed by Mary Christensen, J. Kent Hastings, and Howard Hinman (who will preside over the meetings of this club). It honors Karl Hess who believed in, and was a practitioner of, appropriate technology.

Please note that the Karl Hess Club, an unincorporated, not for profit literary association, and Resilient Community Foundation, are under separate ownerships and management.

The Karl Hess Club (Culver City) contacted us. They “extend their heartiest congratulations and best wishes for the success of this new venture of our sister club in Orange County!”

At Boing Boing, Cory Doctorow posted “Indie Band Survival Guide: soup-to-nuts, no-BS manual for 21st century artistic life.” The post clearly explains how the success of the authors with their band (named there) makes them “in the scene” and qualified to write on the topic. (Nobody can say I hijacked this “hot news,” even though it’s not really news, is it?)

Be entertained as Cory slugs it out with clueless haters in the comments section who didn’t understand the initial post. He wins by quoting sentences from himself that they ignored in their knee-jerk complaints.

While the Internet and electricity is still available, the IndieGuide can be downloaded as a free ebook and maybe you should store it on a thumb drive or other external local storage device just in case.

If the Net goes down and looks like it may be that way for a long time, maybe you should learn to play unplugged or even make your own instruments during the outage. A place to start for that is this Planet Green page, “Handmade Music: Make Your Own Instruments From Scratch: 5 DIY musical instruments to make from upcycled and recycled materials (with videos).”

Here’s a video not listed there, Annoying Vuvuzelas Explained.

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY  OCTOBER 18, 2010                       BOOK TOUR

Sharon Presley  “Standing Up to Experts and Authorities: How to Avoid Being Intimidated, Manipulated, and Abused.”

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue) in West Los Angeles
(310) 645-0456.

7:00  p.m.  Gathering Time
8:00  p.m.  Dinner  (Order from the regular menu)
8:45  p.m.  Announcements                   <–(Note starting time)
9:00  p.m.  Guest Speaker: Dr. Sharon Presley
10:00  p.m. Q & A                                 <–(please hold questions and comments until this time)
10:30  p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s    <–(please depart the premises at this time)
11:00  p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling    Backstage Bar & Grill 10400 Culver Boulevard Culver City

Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus $3.00 Club Cover Charge

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Our speaker will address the issues covered in her latest book which relate to the subjects of resistance to authority and empowerment of the individual. She asks:

“What’s the most effective way to ask for a raise? How can I get my doctor to take my complaints seriously? How can I learn to separate the valuable wheat from the bogus chaff in media reports?

“These are just some of the questions I answer in my new book Standing Up to Experts and Authorities.

“It offers a practical toolkit, with specific techniques to help people stand up to and deal effectively with experts in a wide range of contexts, including the workplace, bureaucracies, and schools. It shows you how to deal with lawyers, contractors, police, customer reps, and much more.

“A blog is coming soon. I welcome your questions and comments. At the website for the book there is a way to sign up for information on coming events.”

If you can get there, Sharon will be making a presentation at Libertopia. In any case, we hope you will avail of the opportunity to meet Sharon at the Karl Hess Club, the evening after the conclusion of the conference, in a relaxed and comfortable setting. We are pleased and honored to welcome her again.

ABOUT THE  SPEAKER:  

Dr. Sharon Presley has a Ph.D. in social psychology from the City University of New York Graduate Center where her mentor was Dr. Stanley Milgram, author of the classic study, Obedience to Authority. Her Ph.D. dissertation was a study of political resisters to authority. She recently retired from teaching psychology and critical thinking courses at California State University, East Bay in Hayward. Her research specialties are obedience and resistance to authority, women resisters to authority, and gender issues.

Dr. Presley is the co-editor of Exquisite Rebel: The Essays of Voltairine de Cleyre published in 2005 by SUNY Press. This book won an American Library Association Choice award for Outstanding Academic Title 2005. She is currently working on an anthology of American women resisters to authority in the 19th century.

Dr. Presley’s practical book on dealing with authority, Standing Up to Experts and Authorities: How to Avoid Being Intimidated, Manipulated, and Abused, was published by Solomon Press on May 5, 2010.

To order the book, go to: http://www.standuptoauthorities.com/ 

For more information about Sharon Presley, go to: http://www.sharonpresley.com/index.html

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles.  The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456.

The program will be from 9 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp). The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m.  Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

The deal at Dinah’s is: The minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00 plus a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00). FYI: Dinah’s has an all-you-can-eat Chicken Dinner on Mondays which costs $10.95, and everyone may order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab. The club dues will be collected from you.

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.

Upcoming Programs Scheduled:

November 15, 2010  Ray Acosta  Revolutionary Days: A Chronology of the Mexican Revolution  BOOK TOUR
December  20, 2010  Brad Linaweaver “The Fabulous Fifties in Film: How Hollywood Changed the Political Cultural Landscape in Time for the Incredibly Mixed Up Sixties”
January 17, 2011      Geo. McCalip Update on Fomenting Revolution for Fun and Profit
_________

Special Note:

Please join us for the Aftermeeting at the Backstage Bar & Grill!  When we adjourn at 10:30 p.m.,
proceed to the Backstage and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering after 11 p.m. until whenever.
The Backstage is at 10400 Culver Boulevard Culver City 90232 ( two blocks East of Overland Avenue at Motor Southeast side of Sony MGM Studios). 310 839-3892  http://www.backstageculvercity.com/

Penn State research
During the recent heat wave in L.A., in which the local radio stations neglected to report 11,000 homes in various cities were without power for hours, I decided to look into alternative cooling technologies online.

The goal was to find examples that use solar heat directly or consume much less power instead of overburdening the electric grid.

I found a few candidate designs and link to them in the resulting Resilient Freedom blog post, “Hot Temperature Shuts Down L.A. Power.”

One story I just read is old news but interesting. It seems Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company paid for research into freezers that don’t use CFCs, including a thermoacoustic design by Pennsylvania State University. It was written up in the New York Times, “Thermoacoustic Freezer, The.”

Another example I neglected to mention was the lithium-bromide absorption solar cooling system installed at the Audubon nature center at Debs Park in Los Angeles. According to the Audubon website, “Audubon Center at Debs Park: a truly green building“:

“The 5,023 square-foot building is the first in the city of Los Angeles to be entirely powered by on-site solar systems – functioning entirely “off the grid.” The building also uses significantly less water than a conventional building of its size.”

Now that’s getting serious about the issue!

From Mike Everling about the L.A. area “Libertarians of all factions” meeting:

KARL HESS CLUB MONDAY  SEPTEMBER 20, 2010              

Leon Weinstein  “Up from Socialism”

Dinah’s Family Restaurant 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela Avenue) in West Los Angeles
(310) 645-0456.

7:00  p.m.  Gathering Time
8:00  p.m.  Dinner  (Order from the regular menu)
8:45  p.m.  Announcements                   <–(Note starting time)
9:00  p.m.  Guest Speaker: Leon Weinstein
10:00  p.m. Q & A                                 <–(please hold questions and comments until this time)
10:30  p.m. Adjournment from Dinah’s    <–(please depart the premises at this time)
11:00  p.m. Afters: Mixing and Mingling    Backstage Bar & Grill 10400 Culver Boulevard Culver City

Dinner stipulations: $10.00 order minimum plus $3.00 Club Cover Charge

For information on the Karl Hess Club: http://www.karlhessclub.org/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: [incorporating material provided by Leon Weinstein]

Leon is on a quest to prevent Socialism from taking over The United States of America.

“Presented by a person who lived half of his life in the former USSR and who fears that the US is heading toward becoming The United Socialist States of America: AMERICA NEEDS HELP, OUR HELP!”

“I call on my dear ex-compatriots who once lived under the socialist regimes of the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Cuba, China, Albania, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Venezuela of Chavez,  the Argentina of Peron, and others of similar life experience!

“Without a strong America we will soon see China establishing its hegemony over Asia; Russia will strengthen its muscles and take back Eastern Europe; Hugo Chavez and the Brothers Castro will run Latin America; and a wide swath of the globe stretching from North Africa through the Middle East to Indonesia and perhaps the Philippines will become radically Muslim - fanatically massacring “infidels.” ”

Leon will discuss his various projects dedicated to fighting Socialism and to alerting Americans and those who love Freedom around the globe, including Weinstein Art Management (WAM), and his Letter to America.

ABOUT THE  SPEAKER:   [incorporating material provided by Leon Weinstein]

Leon Weinstein is an author of hundreds of political articles about socialism, its disguises and means of creeping into lives of unsuspecting people. He is also an author of numerous children’s plays and stories, including his recent novel Looking for Hugh: The Capitalist Guidebook which can be read by children ages 8-14. Currently Leon is working on a non-fiction book that will teach children the science of Liberty and Capitalism. One of the sources for his inspiration he cites is Capitalism for Kids by Karl Hess.

Leon was born in 1949 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Starting from high school Leon was writing and staging plays and feature films. In 1972 he graduated from the St. Petersburg Culture University majoring in Performing Arts .

In 1974, Leon immigrated to Israel where he organized the Theater for Children & Youth, directed six of his own plays and was twice nominated for the Best Children’s Show of the year. He is the author of numerous short stories published in American, Russian and Israeli periodical publications, and a variety of political articles.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Leon began to take active part in establishing relations between Post-Soviet Russia and his adopted homeland, the United States of America. He co-founded several companies, including Weinstein Art Management (WAM), aimed at providing venues for artists from ex-communist counties to be seen and heard in the West.

In 1990 Leon initiated sister city relations between St. Petersburg and Los Angeles. Currently Leon is managing Weinstein Art Management, and continues with his writings, most notably his recently published  novel “Looking for Hugh: The Capitalist Guidebook.”

This will be Leon’s first presentation to the KHC aside from a brief introduction of his novel earlier this year. Please join us for what is sure to be an interesting and uplifting evening.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our regular venue is Dinah’s Family Restaurant in West Los Angeles.  The address is: 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (at Centinela) (310) 645-0456.

The program will be from 9 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. (the restaurant’s doors close at 11 p.m. sharp). The club will have exclusive use of the room between 8 and 10:30 p.m.  Please exit promptly after 10:30 p.m.

The deal at Dinah’s is: The minimum for our diner/attendees is $10.00 plus a $3.00 cover to the club (which, with notice, may vary upward by program but will be at least $3.00). FYI: Dinah’s has an all-you-can-eat Chicken Dinner on Mondays which costs $10.95, and everyone may order off the regular menu. Individual cheques. Pay your own tab. The club dues will be collected from you.

Thank you to our loyal members for your continued support.

Upcoming Programs Scheduled:

October 18, 2010      Sharon Presley  “Standing Up to Experts and Authorities: How to Avoid Being Intimidated, Manipulated, and Abused.” BOOK TOUR  [Sharon also will be presenting at Libertopia]
November 15, 2010  Ray Acosta  Revolutionary Days: A Chronology of the Mexican Revolution  BOOK TOUR
December  20, 2010  Brad Linaweaver “The Fabulous Fifties in Film: How Hollywood Changed the Political Cultural Landscape in Time for the Incredibly Mixed Up Sixties”
January 17, 2011      Geo. McCalip Update on Fomenting Revolution for Fun and Profit
_________

Special Note:

Please join us for the Aftermeeting at the Backstage Bar & Grill!  When we adjourn at 10:30 p.m.,
proceed to the Backstage and we’ll reconvene for an informal gathering after 11 p.m. until whenever.
The Backstage is at 10400 Culver Boulevard Culver City 90232 ( two blocks East of Overland Avenue at Motor Southeast side of Sony MGM Studios). 310 839-3892  http://www.backstageculvercity.com/
_____________________________

We Also Highly Recommend:

Chuck McGlawn’s Liberty ViewsLetter  a weekly compendium of items of interest to libertarian activists. Emanating from Orange County, California, this e-magazine has been published continuously for over six years. Subscription is at no charge. To subscribe and for info, contact chuckest@aol.com  

**************

Looking for Hugh, The Capitalist Guidebook, a novel by Leon Weinstein
2009 WAM-art.net  4780 Poe Avenue Woodland Hills, CA 91364  $12.99
For more information and to order a copy, contact: inquiries@wam-art.net or 818 716-7064

The author, who was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, started writing plays in high school, going on to direct theatre shows and films.  In 1974 he immigrated to Israel where he organized the Theatre for Youth and was twice nominated for the Best Children’s Show of the Year.  Author of numerous plays, short stories and a variety of political articles, Mr. Weinstein co-founded Weinstein Art Management, in Woodland Hills, which is aimed at providing venues for artists from ex-communist countries. He is currently on a quest to prevent socialism from taking over the United States of America.

The author says that “this book  is an attempt to apply to everyday life the philosophical principles of Ayn Rand and many other proponents of Capitalism and individual freedom. My thanks go to Antoine de Saint Exupery for writing The Little Prince, Lewis Carroll for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, L. Frank Baum for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Jonathan Swift for Gulliver’s Travels. These four authors were my guiding stars in creating Looking for Hugh.”

It is the story of a  teenage boy searching for his lost friend Hugh in a series of encounters after a ride on a kite to the “Thousand Islands Empire.”  Part fantasy and part polemic, the vignettes portray a series of situations each illustrating different facets of oppression brought about by adherence to various political philosophies.  Intended for adults but accessible to younger readers, the author hopes that this work will serve to educate and inspire those who would champion the ideals of a free society.  This book is very readable and is highly recommended.  Mike says: “****1/2“
Available at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Hugh-Capitalist-Leon-Weinstein/dp/0615304478
___________________________________

Upcoming Local Events of Interest:

Libertopia: http://www.libertopia.org/home/

October 14 through 17 in Universal City, California

Libertopia is a movement and a community and, therefore, more than just the invitation to attend the annual celebration. Annual membership starts with attendance at Libertopia 2010 and access to all speeches, panels, the exhibitors’ room, and networking activities, but also includes access to the Community section of this website, where ideas about promoting the Libertopia ideal as well as inputs about the celebration are shared by members.

  NS-40 Board
After being thrilled connecting up a Pixie 2 based QRP Miniwat ham radio transceiver circuit board purchased on eBay to random switches and plugs I had around my room (see the Resilient Freedom post about my “Bumble Bee transceiver“), I’ve been rereading some classic QRP books (low power designs–great for backpacking and solar off-grid use).

I’ve also been surfing the web for new projects.

One that looks simple for beginners to mess with is the NS-40. The initials stand for “None Simpler” on the 40 meter shortwave band, which helps confirm my hope of it being quick and easy to build. But it also has some innovative elegance.

“Why is it called the None Simpler? Because there are only 14 electronic components, and NO TOROIDS or COILS of any kind to wind - NONE! All inductors are incorporated directly on the PC board as etched spirals.”

Before ordering the NS-40, I plan to finish the Ten Tec 1340 kit at hand first. That will give me more power, tuning range and better reception than my Bumble Bee. But it’s still only 3 watts output.

To get an old-timey feel for radio history, here’s a tour of the AWA Radio Museum of gear that’s been in use up to 80 or 90 years, including a 5,000 volt spark gap transmitter.

Aviation Business reports “Cri-Cri: The All Electric Aircraft Gets Airborne.”

The news of the Paris flight was also published in the L.A. Times Environment “Greenspace” blog on Sep. 3, with the headline, “Up in the air…in an all-electric plane.” The story says the plane was made by Airbus parent corporation EADS. The pilot for the all electric flight said it was quiet compared to older fuel designs and seemed stable, safe and responsive.

The Cri-Cri is one of the smallest powered manned airplane designs and has been around since 1973, according to this web article, “History of the most famous French Homebuilt Cri-Cri.”

See the linked stories above (lest their publishers grow angry at me for swiping their hot news) for details about the impressive plane’s range and the goals of the project.

There’s no video of the electric flight yet, but I found this YouTube clip of a flight from 2007 of an older Cri-Cri design with noisy fueled propellers. It looks like a toy (and I want one).

Here’s a link to an article at the Marijuana Policy Project by way of a Facebook friend’s link, “Netherlands to Close Prisons: Not Enough Criminals.”

MPP makes a logical argument against the bogus drug war claim that legalization increases drug related crime. Quite the contrary. During alcohol prohibition, the murder rate doubled and gangsters flourished. After repeal, the murder rate fell but the gangsters remained.

Last night’s Konkin-Rothbard Supper Club talk about the sorry state of the State of California’s legal system by CalRights.org founder Geo McCalip, resonates with this paragraph from the MPP article:

“Just for fun, let’s compare the Netherlands to California. With a population of 16.6 million, the Dutch prison population is about 12,000. With its population of 36.7 million, California should have a bit more than double the Dutch prison population. California’s actual prison population is 171,000.”

Must be nice to have limitless money for the prison industry to burn in California. That cash couldn’t be used for anything more productive.

  Agorism.info  
Here’s a link to the complete transcript on the C4SS site of a speech delivered at Drexel University by an Agorist news analyst, “Darian Worden on Practical Anarchy.”

The following excerpt from Worden’s talk asserts that advocating anarchy is easier than selling “minarchy” (SEK3’s coinage) :

“Advocating anarchy is more practical than advocating minimal government.”

“To say that government should only be involved in matters of force gives off the perception that you want to use government only as a club, and never as a crutch – to hurt people, not to help them. You’ll be seen not as a principled individual, but as someone who wants to make oppression run more efficiently and cares most about keeping people in line. It will be easier to confuse you for the conservative reformers who wish to keep forcing people to obey and support coercive monopolies, while giving them less in return besides a politician’s promise of eventual lower taxes. And if you say that you believe that a free market will enable the poor to advance themselves and the sick to be cured more easily, a critic might wonder why you believe a government is necessary to provide security and arbitration.”

“Challenging these perceptions is probably just as difficult as challenging the idea of government itself. And keeping a small government from growing when politicians and administrators are incentivized to expand their power is a bigger challenge than keeping states from growing out of a society in which there is broad participation in consensual organizations of freedom.”

Just to prove there are other Agorists out in the world, here’s a YouTube video of Darian Worden being interviewed by Motorhome Diaries about the subject of Agorism: