Special to L. Neil Smith’s The Libertarian Enterprise

I'm glad 2022 is over. War in Ukraine. Mr. Putin is now ten months into a three day effort to flatten Kyiv. Food and energy costs greatly increased due to said war. Biden — enough said about that. The US gets more and more polarized (which might be a good thing).

On the plus side, the Covid follies appear to be ending, even in China. But the ill effects of those follies will remain with us for decades. A few bright spots in the November elections, but not enough. The government education system is hemorrhaging students. But all that the educrats can think to do is ask for more money from suffering taxpayers to pay for fewer students to get worse educations.

TLE took on a new editor, who at least hasn't been fired. Or canceled. Nor has he canceled anyone, which these days is cause for celebration.

In This Issue

L. Neil Smith applies for a job by telling someone what he did wrong. For a number of reasons, he didn't get it.

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote that "Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay." And sometimes it's the small acts of government that bring the darkness on. Patrick Carroll explores some recent small acts of government.

You may recall the late unlamented Cash for Klunkers program of the Obama Administration. Same thing: that program drove up the cost of used cars, thereby hitting the poor the hardest. Welcome to Obama Administration Version 3.0.

Is it inherent in the nature of free market capitalism for the most wealthy individuals and/or corporations to capture government power? L. Reichard White say no, and make a socio-biological case for his position.

Charles Curley finds that the left is correct: racism is alive and well in America. But not the way the left means it.

Links! Have we got Links!

Surveillance Self-Defense (SSD) is EFF's online guide to defending yourself and your friends from surveillance by using secure technology and developing careful practices.

The Greater Reset:

"We offer an alternative to the WEF’s top-down, centralized, authoritarian vision. Our desire is to help all people find community and liberty by providing practical steps and knowledge for co-creating a world that respects individual liberty, bodily autonomy, and choice.

"We invite you to join us for 5 days of discussion about the diverse opportunities available for those who seek to live in harmony with humanity and the planet, while respecting our innate freedom."

January 18-23, 2023

Ian Freeman guilty on all counts. Freeman vows to appeal all counts. Crypto6 Day 10: Closing Statements, Hater Off Jury, & Guilty All Counts

"The “Chicago statement” has become the rallying point for schools resisting the anti-free speech movement sweeping over our university and college campuses. Now both the University of Oklahoma and entire University of Texas system have joined almost 100 schools in signing on to the statement. It remains a minority of schools but the ranks are growing (though often due more to boards than votes of the faculty)." Oklahoma, Texas, and Other Schools Join UChicago Alliance on Free Speech

Secession Support Explodes! 10 minute video. Some interesting analysis of recent votes in Texas, Washington and Oregon. More information: Several Pacific Coast Counties Signal Their Support to Secede

The coming crash of the Climate Cult I sure hope so. Lots of interesting links, too.

Biden Fires Kinky They/Them Luggage-Stealing Nuke Official The article suggests that there will be claims of discrimination and transphobia, and there may well be. But is not Brinton entitled to a presumption of innocence?

Association of Liberty State Parties Announces Formation; Names Three State Affiliates.

Now this is sick. A dark online Sandy Hook subculture is growing

Get ready for more supply chain shocks. Tech supply chains brace for impact as China shifts from zero-COVID to rampant COVID

The Righteous Certitude of the Disease Mitigators reminds me of the righteous certitude of the Inquisition, of the commissars, Nazis, and others.

Speaking of righteous certitude, Stanford releases guide against ‘harmful language’ — including the word ‘American’ Two alumni reply. Stanford Fails to Master Clear Thinking Well, that was quick: CTRL+Z: Stanford’s IT Department Walks Back Plan to Purge ‘Harmful Phrases’ Like ‘Blind Study’

Japan reverses nuclear energy phase-out policy amid global fuel shortages, climate change