Pass
Hey all. I have a splitting headache, which is unusual. You will need to give me a pass tonight. I do have up some new Youtube material, though. Anyone want me to post my rant on Inflation (that I wrote earlier but have not posted because it’s really too much).
–Shawn
Trampled
“But Shawn, this has nothing to do with Blue Table Painting or with Wargaming!”
I beg to differ. This has everything to do with both of those things. I openly invite thoughtful and polite discussion of this topic.
“First, consider the effects of inflation by which we mean the Fed’s increase in the supply of money, on the value of the dollar. By increasing the supply of money, the Federal Reserve lowers the value of every dollar that already exists. If the supply of Mickey Mantle baseball cards were suddenly to increase a million fold, each individual card would become almost valueless. The same principle applies to money: the more the Fed creates the less value each individual monetary unit possesses. When the money supply is increased, prices rise—with each new dollar now worth less than before…
“All right, some may say, prices may indeed rise, but so do wages and salaries, and therefore inflation causes no real problems on net. This misconception overlooks one of the most insidious and immoral effects of inflation: its redistribution of wealth from the poor and middle class to the politically well connected. The price increases that take place as a result of inflation do not occur all at once and to the same degree. Those who receive the new money first receive it before the prices have yet risen. They enjoy a windfall. Meanwhile, as they spend the new money, and the next wave of recipients spend it, and so on, prices begin to rise throughout the economy—well before the new money has trickled down to most people. The average person is now paying higher prices while still earning his old income, which has not yet been adjusted to account for the higher money supply. By the time the new money has made its way throughout the economy, average people have all this time been paying higher prices, and only now can begin to break even. The enrichment of the politically well connected—In other words those who get the newly created money first: government contractors, big banks and the like—comes at the direct expense of everyone else. These are known as the distribution effects, or Cantillon effects, of inflation, after economist Richard Cantillon. The average person is silently robbed through this invisible means and usually doesn’t’ understand what exactly is happening to him. And almost no one in the political establishment has an incentive to tell him.
“When the value of Americans’ savings is deliberately eroded through inflation, which is a tax, albeit a hidden one. I call it the inflation tax, a tax that is all the more insidious for being so underhanded: most Americans have no idea what causes it or why their standard of living is going down. Meanwhile, government and its favored constituencies receive their ill-gotten loot. The racket is safe as long as no one figures out what is going on.
— Ron Paul, “The Revolution” pages 143-144
Here is an article that suggests something different.
It’s my opinion that my party (the Republicans) have betrayed me. They didn’t stay in budget. They weren’t honest. They told me the taxes would be low, but they didn’t reign in spending. They just printed money to make up the difference. Well, at least my congressman (Chris Cannon) went along with this. And I say good riddance to him! (Chris Cannon was ousted in the recent Republican primary in Utah).
Did your congressman and senator go along with this? Did they betray your trust?
Did they sign off on the printing of $4,000,000,000,000 of new money over the last four years? As follows:
So, do you really care about this?
New Release Vampire Counts- on the block
Hey all, I have for your consideration today the following lot of unpainted, unassembled, new models:
2x boxes Blood Knights
3x boxes Crypt Ghouls
1x box Dire Wolves
1x Winged Vampire Lord
1x Vampire Noble/Aristocrat female
1x Wight Standard Bearer
1x Vlad
1x Varghulf
3x boxes Crypt Ghouls
1x box Dire Wolves
1x Winged Vampire Lord
1x Vampire Noble/Aristocrat female
1x Wight Standard Bearer
1x Vlad
1x Varghulf
1x Corpse Cart
Retail of $424.
Offer is half price, $212 plus $9 ship. I’ll ship them out to you just like that OR you can commission them.
Cost for a L3/5 split (everything assembled and painted) is $850 plus cost of models.
Cost for a L2/4 split (everything assembled and painted) is $590 plus cost of models.
If anyone cares to commission them (sending in a half down deposit) by June 27 2008, I would give a $50 credit towards the project (for early setup).
You can get a full set of movement trays (four of them magnetized and painted/based, and metal plates on all the figures) for $95.
You’ve Got that Orky Feeling
Shawn,
Thank you so much for the over nighting of the Ork minatures. They look so awseome. Whats even kooler, is I played in a rogue trader today and won first place overall and ALSO first place for themed army.
You guys rock, and my army was a great advertisment, I built a 2′ X 2′ carrying board as well so prety much there was a blue table painted army up all day on display at our local Warhammer shop.
Also, please thank the artist personally. He did a tremendous job and the second batch looked identical to the first. So kool. I wont have money for another order for several months. So, if that artist was thinking about leaving any time in the future could you give me an advance and I would try and get some models into him before he were to leave. That seems highly unlikely but just in case.
Thanks Again,
M. Cross
Saturday June 21 2008 Saint George
Wonder where we’ve been?
Friday morning my wife and I dropped of the kids with a good family from the ward (friends of ours) and headed south to Saint George on Friday morning. We shared a car with Tamara’s sister and her two older kids. That was a fun family adventure, talking about childhood camping trips and what the world might be.
We whiled the day away on Friday. Tamie and Kathryn headed out to do some bargain-hunting (they pride themselves on that*) or was that Saturday? In the late afternoon we went to the St. George Temple. That’s an old building (see above), but kept in pristine condition. And I do mean pristine. Temples are kept in immaculate order down to the square millimeter. Being with family, everyone dressed neck to to wrist to toe in white, temple workers smiling (and meaning it), and a blissful quiet… it’s what I imagine the afterlife to be. Or at least part of it.
The human spirit is in every way as intricate and marvelous as the human body. And the spirit world every bit as diverse and wondrous as this Earth. I decided to stick around for a while longer. I’m really looking forward to raising my children.
We all went swimming in the hotel pool that night. The sandstone cliffs looming, palm trees hissing in the temperate night air, crickets droning in the nearby grass. That was a bit of magic.
I am usually a little embarrassed to take a trip or spend money. I guess I feel answerable to my clients, like you all are collectively my boss and might show up at the hotel room and ask me why I’m not at work! For the record, I did spend a half day on both Friday and Saturday clearing out the Inbox and taking care of the day to day operations.
In fact, that seven magical hours in the hotel room, enjoying the good smell and the air conditioning (we stayed at a newly built hotel), was the best part of the trip. Just being left alone, no stimulus. I also got to spend some time setting up my D&D campaign. To recap: air conditioning, silence, peace, food (a BLT and a shake) and new fourth edition D&D books equals paradise.
I’m an easy man to please.
*for you young men looking for a wife, near the top of your list should be how she uses, spends, earns, handles and thinks about money. There’s nothing worse than a woman who blows your hard-earned cash like it was nothing. My wife, fortunately for me, is quite frugal and actually has a mental block against spending too much money on any given item.
Thursday June 19 2008 Rabbit Stew
Picture: a blast from the past– my Tomb Kings army from 2001. This is a huge 10″ tall mammoth that I counted as a unit of Chariots. I think Tomb Kings are one of the best armies for beginners. I had a great time playing them. They’re tricksy.
See the other pics.
Today I was hard at “work” making characters with four staffers for our D&D game. Yeah, go ahead and roll your eyes, I know the Dark Heresy thing only made it six sessions. We’ll see if this gets any farther. But I’m excited beyond belief.
I love everything about Fourth Edition D&D. And best of all, they made it into a miniatures battles game, effectively. Sweet.
I have yet to figure out what use the new DMG is, though. The good and useful parts are gutted. Experienced DMs don’t really need it.
The following projects are up for attention this week, and should be completed in 5-10 days:
Bretonnians 01 BA
Witch Hunters 05 DM
High Elves 04 CA +plating
Winter Eldar 01 PP er
Emperor’s Children 08 EB
World Eaters 07 DM
Chaos Daemons 01 TT
Sa Cea Tau 01 PP
Vampire Counts 01 MS locked
Female Commissar JS
Karandras 01 SN +assembly
Vampire Boyar JB
Dark Angels 02 MC sol. Lok +assembly
Dark Angels 02 JM er
Black Templars 01 DG
Dwarfs 01 KF
Menoth 01 DM
The following projects are up for Assembly attention this week, and should be completed (and ready to paint) in 5-10 days:
Biel Tan 01 CH
Ghost Warriors 05 AS
Chaos Daemons 01 PR
Greenskin Spirits 01 JF +conv
Black Templars 01 DG er
Aliens and Ducks AK
Hell Talon 01 NG
Amazons 01 BC
Vampire Boyar 01 JB
Ultramarines 01 JW
Emperors Gauntlets 01 SM
Marauder 01 GF Repairs
Ulthwe Skyhost 01 JB
Emperors Children 08 EB
I have one golden slot open for mid July. Let’s get going soon and fill that one!
As usual, if you don’t see your project, just drop me a line and I can tell you what’s up.
I have a Vampire Counts army at the studio with no takers. I would do a deal for 50% off cost of materials for that one if you’d like to commission it. What’s in it? I think something like this:
Varghulf 1
Konrad Von Carstein 1
Vlad Von Carstein 1
Winged Vampire Lord 1
Wight King on Foot BSB 1
Vampire Lord- foot 1
Corpse Cart 2
Crypt Ghouls (box of 10 models) 2
Grave Guard (box of 10 models) 2
Dire Wolves (box of 10 models) 2
Black Knights 10
Blood Knights (box of 5 models) 2
Fell Bats (blister of 2 models) 2
Angela was in today. We were talking and I was eating this bowl of fruit chunks. Super-healthy stuff. When I was done, I slowly got out a huge-normous king-size Snickers and started chawing huge bites off. She fairly well cracked up.
Personal Stuff
When I got home today I found that one of the rabbits had got out and was savaged beyond description by a neighborhood dog (spine ripped out, face half eaten off). The kids found it first and I think the sight of it really messed with their little minds. “Daddy, we need to find Brownie’s head and put it back on her.” Soooo, I headed down to clean that up.
Back at 2pm on Thursday
I’ll be working late on Thursday and I will take care of all business. I will be out until 2pm Mountain time though.
Gods of War
Thought this little snippet might get your blood pumping this beautiful morning.
What a Joke
Warning: 100% pure political stuff forthcoming. Sorry, I couldn’t restrain myself. This eclipsed every other event today
Today I had the stomach churning task of calling the IRS (to request a copy of my incorporated status… thing). After waiting a half hour, I heard this little gem:
“Please be patient, our representatives are assisting other customers.”
Really? Because I thought customers were what you earned by competing on the open market. Not by using threats and force on your own citizens.
I almost swallowed my own tongue in disgust and amazement.
Case in point: about a month back I got a notice from The State saying, effectively, “You owe us $15,450 and if you don’t pay it in nine days we’re going to seize your possessions, bank accounts and maybe throw you in jail if we please.” Turns out it was more like $36. And probably even then a mistake on the part of the humongous bureaucracy that a notice was sent at all. When asked, the response was that they had simply assumed I was a giant toy manufacturer.
(PS- this little gem arrived on a Friday so I got to wring my hands about it over the weekend).
I wasn’t even worth a phone call, or even sixty seconds of consideration.
This is the contempt the tick has for the dog.
To all those that are within the sound of my voice I say this to you: You are being taken care of by your government. The same way cattle are cared for by the farmer. Make no mistake, you have been numbered and tagged and the stockades are in place.
I have been treated worse as a small businessman than (I imagine) a petty criminal. Case in point: the maximum fine for a Class A Felony is $15,000.
So, when I see them smile broadly or call me “friend” my heart swells with contempt. These are my fellow men who are complicit in a system that loots the common man.
When I watch “the news” I only see dancing jesters and men with white-tipped batons.
And what is almost worse is to think that for many, many years I was at home playing video games instead of getting informed. I’m still working on it. I don’t pretend to know everything, but the more pieces I get into place the more revolted I am at the picture.
We’ve got to do something, anything. Rebellion can’t manifest as non-involvement. Vote Independent. Vote Libertarian. Get a book, any book.
Don’t shrug your shoulders. Go do something!
I recommend this book. Ron Paul’s “Revolution: a Manifesto”. And by the by this is in reference to the American Revolution. I have read it straight through twice and the good parts three or more times.
Sneek Peeks for June
Dark Elf Cold Ones that *don’t* suck. What I presume is a Dark Elf Hydra, which I imagine is on a chariot base. That jump pack Ork special character. And some other stuff I can’t remember now. Brought to you by secret agent Raptor Talon.
