The raw milk debate

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/raw-politics-drive-milk-wars-105163.html

People should be free to make responsible choices. I have been drinking raw milk my whole life. I detest processed milk, it tastes awful to me. When I moved away from the farm, I pretty much stopped drinking milk because I couldn't tolerate the watery store bought stuff, it's just not what I'm used to. Given the chance I would have happily bought raw milk. I'm happy now to be back near my dad's farm and have easy access to "farm milk" again, but as a consumer,  I should be free to choose whom I buy milk from and how I buy it. I understand the risks of raw milk, I won't say everyone should drink it, but should be free to choose to do so. There is a fine line between safety and control.

The Local Spot: Anthony Scott and Falconry

The Local Spot; Small towns, Big ideas

I head out with a friend of mine who is into falconry to learn more about what falconry is.  Didn't get any good hunting shots like I was hoping because it was a pretty windy day and his hawk Malice took some time to adjust to a new person, but got to ask him some questions and find out some more about the sport.

Sorry about the wind, hope you enjoy!

New York State Falconry Association

NYS DEC Falconry page

Anthony Scott on Facebook

The FDA is keeping us safe again...

Image from Commodity Specialist Company


It's a longstanding relationship, brewers use cereal grains to make beer and other malt products, and are left with a byproduct, brewers grain.  This is essentially waste to the brewer, but still has a use as an animal feed.  Farmers and monasteries in Europe used to use grain to brew, and then fed the grain after to livestock.  In more recent times, many breweries, especially smaller microbreweries that looked to keep costs down, developed a relationship with farmers.  The farmer got a low cost source of quality feed, the brewer got a cheap, low cost way to get rid of a waste product.  Well, the FDA has decided that won't do, we must be protected after all!

  

Small business folding because it can't afford higher minimum wage, Obamacare costs

"Waterford-based Yankee One Dollar stores will be gone within the next five months, as the regional retail chain launches a going-out-of-business sale.
The retailer, which began operating in the early 1990s, has cut the price of its items to 75 cents each, with many items priced at two for 75 cents or even three for 75 cents.
Owner Keith Flike couldn't be reached for comment Friday, but he told the Glens Falls Post Star this year that rising costs, including a hike in the state's minimum wage and the Affordable Care Act, were to blame. Each store has six to 10 employees, according to the story."

Image and quote from the Times Union

Another local small business going under because it cannot afford the increased cost of government meddling.  It's ok though, because WalMart is big enough it can, and will save us by snatching up stores...yea, that makes me feel better.  Regulation, minimum wage, and government meddling are not the friends of the people, or of small business, but of corporate interests.  Where would you rather shop, a big box store, or a local store where the money goes back into the local economy?  Small business is being killed off, and yet we sit back and watch it happen, content that the government will take care of us, convinced that the free market is a scary place, free enterprise between individuals must be controlled by our betters. I guess we deserve it after all, we as a people put the likes of Obama and Cuomo in power.

"The Tyranny of Niceness"

Statement from the Libertarian party on Common Core and education:

As a number of state governments struggle with Common Core education rules, the Libertarian Party (LP) cites Common Core as a reason to get government out of education.

Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict commented, "Since Democrat Barack Obama took office, some conservatives have switched positions on Common Core. But conservatives were for it before they were against it. Republican George W. Bush paved the way with No Child Left Behind, and he helped double the budget of the federal Department of Education. Common Core was created by the bipartisan National Governors Association."

Benedict continued, "Republicans like Chris Christie and Jeb Bush have not flip-flopped, however. They still support Common Core."

Benedict continued, "Common Core is one more reason why government should not be involved in education. Government programs generally grow more centralized, bureaucratic, and one-size-fits-all. As the Cato Institute's Neal McCluskey said, Common Core 'treats students like soulless widgets.'"

Earlier this year, libertarian commentator John Stossel pointed out, "Common Core, like public school, public housing, the U.S. Postal Service, the Transportation Security Administration, etc., are all one-size-fits-all government monopolies. For consumers, this is not a good thing."

Full statement

NYSP will not enforce 7 round limit

"Following a federal judge’s ruling in December that the seven-round magazine limit imposed under the New York SAFE Act was “tenuous, straitened, and unsupported” and therefore unconstitutional, state police have updated their filed guide on the controversial law to urge officers not to enforce the arbitrary magazine limit. 

The announcement on the revisions to the New York State Police NY SAFE Act Guide was made on Wednesday and came via the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association."

Photo and quote source:

http://www.guns.com/2014/03/27/ny-state-police-update-ny-safe-guide-will-enforce-7-round-mag-limit/

A step in the right direction, but the state is still trying to have scary evil "assault weapons" registered by April 15th

2014 Governor's race: Howie Hawkins

Howie Hawkins

Green party

2010 Candidate for governor

active in the anti-aparthied divestment movement in the 1970's and 80's

Socialist party member

2005 candidate for Syracuse mayor

wants a $15 minimum wage

wants education available in all prisons:
http://cnyvision.com/fullstory/fullstory.php?id=1810

In that same article, he also states he wants to end the practice of SUNY using criminal history to screen applicants

he also states he wants to reduce the prison population and reduce prisons in NY, and is a proponent of ending the failed war on drugs:

“We need to reduce the number of prisoners in New York. The biggest reform to do that would be to end the war on drugs that has targeted community of color and resulted in people of color comprising three-quarters of the prison population. Drug abuse should be treated as a medical problem, not a criminal problem. Drug treatment on demand should be part of a public single-payer health plan providing full medical services to all New Yorkers. Drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed, starting with marijuana,” Hawkins said.

On taxes:

"A better way to cut property taxes would be for the state to pay for its mandates and let us, through our local governments, decide how much to cut property taxes and how much to fund our schools and services,"

Source: syracuse.com

Interesting guy, I rather like his take on property taxes, but overall to far left for my tastes

2014 Governor's race: Chris Edes

Chris Edes, Libertarian Party

State chair in 2009

Founder and chair of the Greater Rochester Libertarian party

Candidate for Senator in 2012

His site is not entirely clear on all of his ideas, other than that he has ideas.

Some he does mention:
 ending corporate welfare
 cutting personal income taxes in half, ending the use tax
 dropping the drinking age to 18: "If young adults can be trusted to fight and die in combat, they can be trusted to drink responsibly."

 He also states
"Fraud should be prosecuted as it is an act of aggression. When fraudulent actions threaten the stability of the free market, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Exceptions cannot be made for persons or corporate entities which have political influence or are “too big to fail”. The only thing we should consider “too big to fail” is the American people.
If the federal government will not hold Wall Street accountable, then New York State must do so."

Interview from his 2012 Senate campaign, I include it because it gives pretty good insight into his views, he seems very articulate and knowledgeable.




Personally, of the 3 Libertarians running, I like him the best, they are all 3 interesting, but my personal choice of the 3 is this guy.

Speaking of the 2012 race, his campaign raised around $2000, and spent around $700 of that, and he still managed 28,000 votes.  For a third party candidate, thats saying something.

2014 NYS Governor's race: Nate Lebron

(I could not find a website for this candidate, if you know of one, please let me know so I can add it here)

Libertarian

Candidate for mayor in Albany in 2009, as well as candidate (sort of) for Albany county executive in 2011

plans to focus on opposing the safe act, opposing common core, reducing government waste, and focusing government economic efforts on small, local business instead of corporate welfare.

Interesting ideas, I particularly like the last one, I'll be keeping my eye on this guy if he survives April....

Times Union article

Sidenote: you would think a guy with a masters in IT from Harvard who owns his own tech consulting firm would bother to have a website?