GMcGath @[email protected]

The FDA mostly got out of the way of developing COVID-19 vaccines, which would have taken years under the normal approval process. This upsets some, who would rather people see people "safely" die for lack of vaccine than face any risk of side effects, however small.

Trump fired election security chief Chris Krebs for not backing his claims about rigged elections. He's unrelated to the well-known security blogger Brian Krebs, but I find it amusing to link to the story on the latter's blog. https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/11/trump-fires-security-chief-christopher-krebs/

Massachusetts' governor has issued an order which would require a wall along the NH border to enforce. It has created only confusion. https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2020/08/we-dont-have-the-capacity-nor-should-we-be-enforcing-this-officials-question-how-mass-travel-order-fines-will-be-carried-out.html

It's Monday, and that means I have a new book discussion post: Ilya Somin's _Free to Move_. https://garymcgath.com/wp/free-to-move/

A Reuters article on how cops get away with murder. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-police-immunity-guns/

From my research so far, the US is in the minority among "free" countries in having (sort of) direct election of the chief executive and unique in having two parties sharing virtually complete control of the political system.

On this day in 1963, authors C. S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley died.

Well, isn't this fun. If I visit my closest friends 11 miles away, I have to stay for 14 days. https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/coronavirus/mass-takes-nh-maine-off-covid-19-exempt-travel-list/article_cc6aaf4a-7af1-5645-9fe9-4db64f102eeb.html

Calling 911 got her sentenced to 43 years. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/21/us/tyra-patterson-wrongly-imprisoned-honorary-bachelors-degree-trnd/index.html

I've often argued with other libertarians on this. When "conversion therapy" consists solely of counseling, it's speech. Laws against conversion therapy for minors that include a ban on counseling simply can't be justified. https://reason.com/2020/11/20/federal-circuit-court-rules-bans-on-conversion-therapy-for-minors-unconstitutional/

New Hampshire has awful civil forfeiture laws. It's fallen behind neighboring states in legalizing marijuana. The feds claim the entire state as a "border zone" where they can stop vehicles without cause.

So what are people outraged at? That the governor has "mandated," without imposing a penalty, that they wear a mask to reduce the chance that they'll spread disease.

That's not libertarianism. It's narcissism.

There could be a silver lining to the nonsense that Biden didn't win legitimately. He may not get a "honeymoon period" where he can get away with anything. Even so, widely believed lies and misinformation do more damage than good. He needs a principled opposition, not a paranoid opposition.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/20/opinions/trump-election-lies-worry-gergen-cohen/index.html

The Salvation Army says you're depraved and will burn in Hell if you don't believe in Jesus. At the same time, they pretend to be a nice, harmless charity. https://medium.com/@gmcgath/why-i-dont-support-the-salvation-army-f48021b0bb87

Chicago's mayor has banned protests in the area of her house, saying, "I have a right to make sure that my home is secure." (You peasants don't.) https://thefederalist.com/2020/08/21/chicago-mayor-who-cant-contain-rioting-elsewhere-bans-protests-from-her-block/

The Chicago Teachers' Union likes threatening people with guillotines. Maybe they could compromise by putting a guillotine in front of the mayor's house?

Yow. Msn.com is down.

Disney is reportedly stiffing Alan Dean Foster and perhaps other writers who are owed royalties. https://garymcgath.com/wp/disney-is-reportedly-stiffing-writers/

War crimes, specifically murders, by Australian elite forces in Afghanistan are reportedly routine.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/australia/australia-afghanistan-war-crimes-report-intl-hnk/index.html

Today's CNN news feed also has an article claiming it would be "reckless" to end the two-decade Afghanistan war. Got to keep killing!

Jesus and Mo is often insightful and almost always fun. https://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/shreds/