Wednesday, August 28, 2024

The Federation of the World, an early puff piece on globalism

Sometimes, the best way to highlight an ugly fact is simply to let them speak about the things they love most. There were not many microphones in 1910, but that's ok we can make up the difference.

In 1910, Journalist Hamilton Holt wrote traces the history of getting to a place where international government is a mainstream idea. Some guys hundreds of years ago had some nebulous thoughts about it, among others mentioned are Kant, and also Hugo and Burritt, but Holt really spends most of the meat of his article discussing the much-less-theoretical. First, the Hague, and second, President Theodore Roosevelt's call for globalism.

A lot of people want to avoid this. It's really not avoidable. Globalism is as old as progressivism itself and goes right back to the two original progressive globalist presidents in the early 20th century, Woody and Teddy. The fact just is, and facts are stubborn things.

Hamilton Holt is pretty clearly in love with the speech Roosevelt gave in 1906 when he accepted his Nobel Prize lauding world government, and as a reminder you can read/listen to that speech here, along with listen to or read Holt's article here.

We cannot hide from the history of those who wanted to foist global government against us, we should not hide from it.

Thursday, August 22, 2024

New audiobook release: Patrick Henry; life, correspondence and speeches, by W.W. Henry

Some people don't like it when I'm activist. But if I was just sitting around and only complaining, how would things like this get completed?

Today, a "big fish" has arrived. For many, Patrick Henry is the GOAT. All I can say is please download and please share. This work is free to access, it is open source in the public domain. Patrick Henry; life, correspondence and speeches

Monday, August 19, 2024

New audiobook release: Elementary catechism on the Constitution of the United States: for the use of schools

Today I am happy to show off another audio book release, Arthur J. Stansbury's Elementary catechism on the Constitution of the United States: for the use of schools, a book as it says, was always intended for young children in schools.

This book is written as a catechism form, which for those Christian readers need no introduction here, a catechism form is often used in religious instruction. The book's author, Arthur Stansbury was an American Presbyterian minister and newspaper reporter who was also a noted lithographer, poet, and children's author.

It's important to understand the context here. This is a book that was written in 1828 and was designed to be consumed by students in the late 1820s, 1830s and beyond which were all religious schools at that time. Government hadn't taken over schools yet. The process of the government takeover of schools wouldn't begin until about 1840 in Massachusetts, and federally at the turn of the 20th century. So these were schools which were eager to teach love of God, and at the same time, teach love of God's gift of individual liberty and the Constitution which was established to respect that God-given gift.

This book came to my attention through Wallbuilders, and you can see a video of David Barton briefly discussing this book here with his very old copy in hand.

From the LibriVox description:

Elementary Catechism on the Constitution of The United States was written in 1826 by Arthur J. Stansbury (1781-1865) a New York Presbyterian minister who was known for his sermons that discussed political events. It was written in a unique question and answer format for usage in grade schools to introduce the concepts of the US Constitution to elementary School children. He was unabashedly patriotic in his writings and sermons. This book is an important cultural marker written at the time of the Jubilee Anniversary (50 years) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July 1826 was approaching. There was a great deal of interest in the US Constitution, more so given that two former U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826-the day of the Jubilee, within hours of each other.

Thursday, August 8, 2024

New audiobook release: The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science, by Ludwig von Mises

Ludwig von Mises is a man who needs no introduction, with ideas that need no introduction.

Today I'm happy to point out that The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science is now ready to go as a freely downloadable open source audio book. If you're a fan of either classical economics or Friedrich Hayek, an author we recently released for, then Mises is right up your alley.

Saturday, August 3, 2024

What more can I do culturally? Realistically speaking what can I do?

From time to time, I like to re-evaluate things and see if there is something I am missing. Mostly, this is a lengthy process of elimination based off of the realities of life. I usually do this in quiet where nobody can see. But let's examine it openly this time.

For example, I'm not a billionaire. I'm lucky to have more than $1000 in the bank at a lot of times which does perhaps put me ahead of a lot of people, but the reason I mention the money means I don't have a future creating a movie. So culturally, this isn't something I can do. I also don't have an exceptional idea for a movie so my motivation to do some cross-country stint, leaving my family behind while raising excitement and awareness and money is a non-starter.

Ok, maybe something less expensive is the best bet. Music certainly doesn't require cubic money like making a movie does, but musical instruments aren't exactly cheap and setting up a proper built-for-music sound room does not sound appealing. Further, my interests would not make for great listening. Also, I do not even sing in the shower nor do I currently play any instruments so the years of experience required for either side of the music just isn't there. A movie is out, and music is out.

Now, I could write a book. But I have questions as to if what I would write would be totally new and unique when compared to two really good books already out there that I am aware of, both of which were not very well received. My main interest is in the beginnings and evolution of Progressive ideology which could make for a book that would be loaded with footnotes. But is there actually an reason to do this when it isn't something anybody wants? The first of those books is Theodore and Woodrow, but the real star of the show was produced by the scholars at Hillsdale College. That book is called America Transformed: The Rise and Legacy of American Progressivism and it is a tour-de-force that lays down some very irrefutable evidence about the evils of progressivism, as well as progressivism's origins.

If nobody is going to trust Hillsdale, I don't have a chance. They aren't going to trust me when they're looking at the book shelf or Amazon dot com. Writing a book is definitely out, plus the origin book I would want to write exists (in a lot of ways) anyways. There is nothing for me to do here.

How about a blog! Surely that would work. Except, you're reading my blog right now which I don't use all that much anymore. When big-tech went rogue and political I watched my readership numbers dwindle due to the censorship. Now I mainly just use the blog for occasional musings and as a clearing house to announce new audio books. So the blog has lost its value when nobody will see it anyways no matter what I put on here. Which gets to the last one:

Audio books. In the last year, I've fostered the creation of about a dozen collaborative audio books. I say fostered, because I had to change my role at LibriVox for the time being. I lost my ability at home to do my own recordings in the short term (which has already been longer than I had hoped for) and at the soonest opportunity I do plan to get back to recording again. However, with roughly one new audio book a month I think I'm doing really well. As for my reach? It is not uncommon for a new audio book to get 10,000 downloads/listeners in the first few months as the books get established.

I never got numbers like that with the blog.

And recording audio books only cost me a microphone and some minor sound deadening for a nominal quality boost. Not a bad investment at all for a very measurable return on my personal time, giving me great value.

So, realistically, I'm in the best or most strategic place I can currently be in.

But wait! What about as an influencer with a YouTube VBlog/VLog? Or Rumble. Nah. Takes too much time and I get more hits through LibriVox anyways. Why would I accept less when I already have more?

Well, there you have it. If you think I overlooked an item, feel free to suggest it. Perhaps I'll re-evaluate in a few years or something. Now do I think I'm moving the Himalayan mountains or anything? Nope. I'm simply looking for what one single person can do, what's the maximum that I personally can do to have an impact on the culture. Through a process of elimination, I think I have reached the available height.