The Raging Capitalist has a great perspective on 'anarcho-capitalism' in somalia.  Two things of note.  1) Anarcho-capitalism is something of a contradiction if you really think about it.  Its more like stateless capitalism than anything.  Its a fundamental paradox to think that anarchy can exist inside a hierarchical economic system.  2) I've been using Somalia as an example of the needless state for a little while now, and I'm glad to see that I'm not alone. 

There is a gross misperception that Somalia is a shithole that was sucked into the nether regions of hell after the U.S. pulled out.  The government collapsed, and the ensueing power vacumn brought a lot of tribal war.  From the Raging Captalist:

It is a land that has not had a functioning government in 13 years, and is moreover carved up by a pack of thuggish clan warlords, yet is has the following:

*Fast-growing cellular and internet services with the lowest fees in Africa.  Even land line telephone service has expanded: under the Siad-Barre government (overthrown in 1991) Somalia had only 17,000 telephone lines, while today it has 112,000.
*An expanding electrical grid, water supply, and informal banking network
*Functioning private hospitals... operating on a pay-per-service basis, and which contrary to the mythology about capitalism, offer of their own volition, free services to the poor.
*Thriving goods markets, including imports and exports, and even bigger ticket items like cars
*A literacy rate that, without public schools, is comparable to that of its neighbors
*A mixture of informal and tribal law to resolve disputes

Now I wouldn't argue that Somalia is beacon for anarchism, or even a good example.  But this does prove that a LOT of the things we imagine to be necessities of the state really aren't.  People are more than capable of taking care of themselves without the artificial structure of government. 

I do disagree with the Raging Capitalist on one important point though: "While they may need a government to keep thugs from plundering or destroying what they have achieved, they do NOT need some self-appointed pack of would-be economic philosopher kings (whether white liberal American Ivy Leaguers or third world pseudo-Marxist intellectuals) to tell them how to run their lives"

I disagree.  First, the government is a thug.  Taxes are legalized extortion and I think you'd be hard pressed to tell me there is an organization that has plundered and destroyed more then the state.  Personally I'd rather deal with a thug than a politician who shakes my hand while fucking me in the ass (sans lube).  More importantly, the only person that can protect you is you.  Not the state.  And frankly I'm disappointed that any self-respecting, gun-toting, NRA-loving Republican wouldn't believe the same.  The state cannot protect you, and frankly, its not under any legal obligation to do so anyway.  If you want to defend yourself, do it yourself. 


In other news...

I am the talk on everbody's mind.  Me and my love life. 

I've met This Girl.  (Names have been changed to protect the innocent).  She rocks my socks.  I could probably go on at great length about it, but I that's neither here nor there right now.  I am saving that entry for another day, reader.  Right now, it'll just have to be enough to say that I have this strange feeling that whatever happens, its going to be one hell of a thing.

Anyway.. we are the talk of the town, apparently.  All attempts at discretion are pretty much useless at this point.  Its not like I have anything to hide, but I also don't want to grease the wheels of the local rumor mill (if I can borrow that phrase, Edd).  All well. 

Honestly, I'm flattered that out of the millions of things people could talk about in their spare time, they choose me.  Nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than knowing that somebody is talking about me when I am not around.