The Cheap Thrill of Libertarianism

Rand Paul, by Carl Bork.

Today’s Washington Post has an in-depth article on how libertarian scion Rand Paul, with the support of Sarah Palin and the Teabaggers, is leading the race for the Republican nomination for Senate in Kentucky.

There’s something for everybody in today’s libertarianism. Everytime something shouldn’t be “somebody else’s business,” whether it’s an unfair parking ticket, the hassle of getting a building permit for that bathroom upgrade, medical marijuana, or the income tax. Libertariansim today is NIMBY-ism made literal. You stake your flag — or your teabag or whatever — and it ain’t nobody’s business but your own.

But in the end, libertarianism is a cheap out, and joining forces with the teabaggers will be the political death knell for both movements. “He who governs best governs least” is brilliant rhetoric, but less than stellar logic. Are you really willing to have no recourse when your neighbor starts raising goats, the kids down the block are having an all-night party, and the local policeman is just the local bully with an arsenal and no rules? Haul your own trash down to the river-side and personally negotiate with the local mafia before dumping it in? Educate your own children, sure, but do you really want to do your own research on which brand of ibprofen or interferon is manufactured to clinical standards? Lug a wheelbarrow of bullion and your gun down to the corner to bargain for bread? Withdraw all troops from all overseas engagements, disband the CIA and the FAA? Don’t worry — if the plane stays in the air at all, we’ll just ‘roll’ on them ‘trr’sts.’ Get real.

This is all just a sideshow to the difficult task of self-governing that our American system tasks us with — a cop out. Rhetoric’s easy; governing’s hard — isn’t that one of the standard criticisms leveled at the current administration? And the Obama administration answers it honestly: ‘yep, it’s hard — are you going to join us in trying?’ Or just scream bloody murder for a term or two in Congress, and then go piss off to your guest appearance on Dancing with the Stars?

Grow up folks: you want to live in the ‘liberteabag’ paradise about as much as you want to become a Tibetan monk. It may be an attractive fantasy on a day when the hassles of real life seem insurmountable. But it’s no answer for a real country with real problems and a broad population that deserves serious politics, a serious polity, and a serious society.

My last boss…

“At the flower shop, which was a mom-and-pop operation as opposed to a massive multinational corporation, the harassment from the two bosses was awful. I was working with immigrants from Mexico and Honduras, and all of us were yelled at — all day. No breaks, no overtime, nothing. If they hadn’t fired me after two days, I doubt I could have survived much longer. It’s exhausting to have someone shouting at you all day and not being able to punch them in the face or at least talk some shit back. It also showed that sweatshops can be hidden in plain sight.”

Add in the psychotropic side effects of Chantix, and you’ve got a perfect description of my last boss.

From the excellent new book, Working in the Shadows: A Year of Doing the Jobs Americans Won’t Do (Nation Books), by Gabriel Thompson.

New concept? It’s a bloody ice cream shop, a-hole!

Um, someone thinks a college student, in his or her free time, is going to provide the professional services described here?

New Concept Start-Up Seeks Interns (Soho Office)

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Date: 2010-01-28, 11:38AM EST
Reply to: gigs-yxcqp-1574690818@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}

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February, March & Spring Internship Program Seeking 4 interns; 10-20 hours per week.

Pop Bar, LLC is traditional handcrafted gelato served in a unique way. We are a start-up restaurant and will be opening our first location in mid-April 2010. Our office is based in Soho (5 blocks from NYU).

We offer year-round semester long internships.

The internship is unpaid. Interns will have the opportunity to apply for paid part-time positions at Pop Bar once the internship is completed.

Description of the internship:

The focus of the internship is to assist the founders with tasks associated with the opening of our first Pop Bar location.
Sample tasks include:
• collaborating on PR campaigns
• assist with marketing brochures
• conduct product research
• prepare strategic analysis of competitors
• plan, strategize and conduct off-site sampling
• conduct market research
• managing social networks
• conduct financial modeling
• assisting with manual creation (experience with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Publisher and Illustrator)

Interns will have continuous interaction with senior level management and the intern will be directly supervised by the founders and director of operations allowing for consistent face-to-face meetings at the top level of the company. This internship is a great training ground for students in business, finance, marketing, human resource management, entrepreneurial studies, English and pre-law.
Qualifications: A strong interest in hospitality, business, customer service and a resourceful mind.

Send a resume and cover letter to: PopBarInterns@gmail.com

Tell us:

1. Why you want to be a part of this exciting new concept?

2. Your perception of italian gelato and how it fits into the American Culture.

3. What are you passionate about?

• Location: Soho Office
• it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
• Compensation: no pay

PostingID: 1574690818

Craiglist asshole? You get what you pay for

I’m not quite sure whether I think this one fully qualifies by our normal Craigslist asshole criteria. But a combo “experienced” designer and help desk pro for $15/hour? Please get serious.

Marketing and Design (Maspeth, NY)

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Date: 2010-01-28, 2:39PM EST
Reply to: job-sza5z-1575045626@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}

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We are in need of a full time designer / desktop support person. Our organization owns 7 companies and manages 25 different business trades. We are looking for an imaginative person with experience designing business brochures, business cards, web sites, email blasters and forms. When the marketing work slows down this position would double as a “light” IT position providing desktop support for our windows users. The more exp you have the more you make. $15.00 to $20.00 per hour. Full time employees are eligible for paid vacation, paid sick time, 401 K and participation in our medical program. Send us your resume and samples of your work. Include what programs you work with. Candidates must have the ability to work with:

Mac and a PC

Adobe or comparable design tools

Macromedia or comparable

Windows XP and 7

MS Office applications.

We look forward to hearing from you. Remember to send us samples of your work.

• Location: Maspeth, NY
• Compensation: 15.00 – 20.00 per hour
• Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
• Please, no phone calls about this job!
• Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID: 1575045626

For all the terrible things I say about Apple…

…this terrific video shows an upcoming New Yorker cover being created exclusively on an iPhone, using the Brushes app.

…when you cross an iPod with Depends?

Introducing! The iPad!

Other People’s Money 5 — Sell, sell, sell your financial stocks

All for one, and one for all -- if you're a major bank or brokerage employee.

The New York Times’ Eric Dash has an excellent story today on the outrageous compensation ratios at the biggest banks and brokerages. $1.50 in employee compensation for every $1.00 of profit, for instance, at Citigroup. At the expense, especially, of shareholders.

Guys and gals — there’s only one answer if you’re mad at these banks. Sell any shares you hold in them. Call your mutual fund company, your 401(k) or pension manager, and urge them to sell. If they won’t, sell your funds and invest in China.

Shareholders are getting the short end of the stick every day, and this is the most egregious example. But hey, it’s your wealth, your retirement. Do what you like.

This is what “I’ve reached the end of the Internet” sounds like

Hi Lillie, Hi Lillie, Hi Lo… from David Burnett on Vimeo.

Hey — Back from Sunny Palm Beach

I know it’s been a quiet week here at Lake Fleisig, but I was away, and the hotel’s WiFi was so slow, I couldn’t bear to post. And now, of all things, I’m writing two admissions essays in pursuit of a New York City Teachers’ Fellowship. When the utmost seriousness is called for, I find I don’t much like writing about myself. But I’ll be back to fascinating you with my Craigslist travails, and those idiosyncratic tidbits of cycling and political gossip you’ve come to expect, just as soon as the aspirin kicks in.

Revenge of the Craigslist Assholes!

Someone who obviously shares some of my delight at the cheap bastards looking to get free work:

Housecleaning Internship (Everywhere)

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Date: 2010-01-15, 9:58AM EST
Reply to: ramlowgarry@aol.com ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}

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Housecleaning Internship
I hate cleaning, so I’m looking for a highly motivated individual who can hit the ground running.
I have a large two floor apt. on the west side that is just too large for me to clean on my own.
So, I would like to find a student or recent grad; specifically someone, who can engage me in interesting conversation; as I like to talk while you’ll be working. Your duties include, cleaning kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, toilets, washing and putting away dishes, doing the laundry and preparing school lunches for my two boys. You must be able to devote at least 4 full days a week. This is non negotiable. Also, please be white.
Although this is a non paying position, I know a lot of very wealthy people who just might be willing to pay several dollars an hour; if you do a bang up job. Plus I can arrange for school credit, especially if you have Home Ec classes.
Must have own cleaning supplies and a strong desire to satisfy others. I will supply the coffee (Gourmet; so only 2 cups max) and I have an endless supply of Nutter Butter cookies; my kids love them, so feel free to endulge. I’m not in a position to cover transportation but there is a future possiblity of splitting travel expenses.
If you feel you’re a good match then email me asap, as this place is getting filthy.

• Location: Everywhere
• it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
• Compensation: no, silly. Its an internship

PostingID: 1553721833