The Rational Argumentator

A Journal for Western Man

Issue CLIII 

May 4-17, 2008

Art
Cube of Cubes:
G. Stolyarov II
May 4, 2008
In this work by Mr. Stolyarov, some spatial depth is depicted in the array of cubes on each face of the larger cube. On the front face, the top cubes appear to be farther back than the bottom cubes, and the right cubes are farther in than the left. Yet for all of its three-dimensionality, each cube array is also part of a single planar face of a larger cube.

Culture
Read a Book, Get Charged With Racial Harassment:
Selwyn Duke
May 17, 2008
The May 9 edition of the New York Post carries a short article by an Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis student named Keith John Sampson. He tells a story of being charged with "racial harassment" simply because he was "caught" reading an anti-Ku Klux Klan book. Selwyn Duke exposes the utterly vile, absurd, and dangerous behavior of many affirmative action officers on American college campuses.

Music
March #8, Op. 52:
G. Stolyarov II
May 4, 2008
Mr. Stolyarov composed this march in one sitting at a piano, aided by Anvil Studio, a computer program that enabled him to easily record and effortlessly play back passages that sounded appealing. As a result, the march was completed at a much faster pace than any of Mr. Stolyarov's prior musical works. The wonders of technology! Length: 2:22. Right-click to download.

Politics
Big Government Responsible for Housing Bubble:
Ron Paul
May 16, 2008
Rep. Ron Paul writes that many in Washington fail to realize it was government intervention that brought on the current economic malaise in the first place.  The Federal Reserve’s artificially low interest rates created the loose, easy credit that ignited a voracious appetite in the banks for borrowers.  People made these lending and buying decisions based on market conditions that were wildly manipulated by government.

Big Government Responsible for High Gas Prices:
Ron Paul
May 16, 2008
Rep. Ron Paul writes that the free market can meet the American people’s demand for a reliable supply of gasoline as long as government does not distort the market through excessive taxation and regulation. Therefore, Congress should lower  gas prices by pursuing an agenda of low taxes, regulatory relief, and sound money by passing legislation such as Rep. Paul's Affordable Gas Act.

Politicizing Pain:
Ron Paul
May 16, 2008
Currently  the federal government sees fit to use our tax dollars to raid state sanctioned healthcare clinics, to imprison and fine patients and operators, in order to compel people whose standard of living can be improved by medical marijuana to be bedridden and overmedicated at great taxpayer expense every single day. Rep. Ron Paul argues that the legalization of medical marijuana should be left to the states, without intervention from a draconian federal government.

Ten Simple Truths About Oil:
Alan Caruba
May 17, 2008
The Democrat Party has long made “Big Oil” their favorite punching bag, confident that the public has no idea what influences the price and supply of oil. Saying anything favorable to Big Oil is immediately deemed evidence that one is in their pay and whatever facts are offered are therefore invalid. There are, however, some simple truths about Big Oil that cannot and should not be ignored. To do so leaves everyone at the mercy of energy policies that have created the situation in which the United States finds itself today. Alan Caruba describes these essential facts.

Forecasting Hurricanes. Not!:
Alan Caruba
May 17, 2008
Predicting hurricanes because it is largely a question of gaming odds on how many. What no self-respecting meteorologist, whether in private forecasting or working for the U.S. government’s weather service, wants you to know is that their highly sophisticated computer weather models quite simply cannot factor in a whole range of factors, not the least of which is clouds. Yes, clouds. Alan Caruba writes that it is virtually impossible to accurately predict how many hurricanes will occur in any given season -- much less to assign blame for these hurricanes on human activity. 

Living on the Edge of Destruction: Israel's 60th Anniversary:
Alan Caruba
May 17, 2008
Since its very founding over 60 years ago, Israel has been threatened by hostile neighbors. Alan Caruba summarizes a bit of this history and discusses the importance of Israel's future survival as well as the cultural roots of its inhabitants.

When Candidates are Dangerously Wrong:
Alan Caruba
May 17, 2008
Americans have painted themselves into the corner on energy, and the two presumptive candidates for President are ready to finish off the nation with the worst possible “solutions.” Alan Caruba explains why the views of both John McCain and Barack Obama on the current energy situation would lead to disastrous consequences if implemented in policies.

"Government is beating into submission, imprisoning, and killing... The authority of man-made law is entirely due to weapons of the constables who enforce obedience to its provisions." 
~ Ludwig von Mises

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