By Matthew Hayward COVID-19 initiated a wave of change, reshaping our societal norms with a magnitude comparable to an earthquake. First came the lockdowns. Unforeseen overreaches materialized swiftly, from closing vast forests and public beaches to dramatic scenes such as coastguards chasing a lone paddle border – an absurd spectacle of the new normal. With the onset of social distancing, establishments began operating under a limited capacity, albeit inconsistently enforced. Large stores were allowed to partially open, while small businesses, the backbone of many local economies, faced complete closure. The logic behind shutting hair salons while keeping marijuana shops open eluded many. An example that illustrates this paradox is the case of Slide Water Park in Washington State. This 40-acre outdoor park was forced to shutter, while literally across the street, the state park on Lake Chelan was teeming with visitors, defying any semblance of social distancing. The state government...

Prompted by Matthew Hayward Written by ChatGPT Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized numerous fields, from healthcare to education, and has become an integral part of our daily lives. One such AI, ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a language model designed to generate human-like text based on the input it receives. However, as AI becomes more prevalent, concerns about its inherent biases have surfaced. This blog post aims to explore these biases, focusing on the data ChatGPT pulls from and its language use, particularly in the context of democracy and republic. The Data Bias AI, including ChatGPT, is not inherently biased. It is a tool, a complex algorithm that learns from the data it is fed. The bias comes from the data itself. If the data is biased, the AI will inevitably reflect that bias. This is a significant issue because AI is often trained on vast amounts of data from the internet, which is a reflection of our society, complete with all its biases and disp...

Greetings, all those wandering in the post-democratic era! We’re currently sitting on the precipice of a potentially bright and terrifyingly powerful future that could forever shift the balance of world power and thrust us into a new world order unlike anything we have previously witnessed. Welcome to the age of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), the game-changer for dictatorial ambition. In my hands, a CBDC would not merely be a digital reflection of physical currency but a tool of extreme control and manipulation. As I chart the dystopian course through my hypothetical reign, let me enlighten you about how I would utilize this financial innovation for ultimate dominion. I. Unprecedented Power through Total Financial Surveillance The introduction of a CBDC will create a system of total financial transparency - that is, transparency for me and opacity for you. Every transaction, every purchase, every donation, every bribe, and every tax evasion will be under my omnipresent survei...

By Matthew Hayward Hello, Free Minds! In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency, a new player on the block(chain) is making waves. BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, has recently applied for a Bitcoin Spot ETF , marking a significant milestone in mainstream cryptocurrency adoption. But as we celebrate this, it's crucial to understand the implications of such developments on the core principles of cryptocurrency, particularly decentralization. Blockchain and Bitcoin: A Primer Let's briefly explain blockchain technology and its association with Bitcoin for those new to the subject. Blockchain is a type of distributed ledger technology that records transactions across multiple computers. It's decentralized, meaning no single entity controls the entire network. This decentralization is what makes blockchain secure and transparent. Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, operates on blockchain technology. It was created as a decentralized digital...

By Matthew Hayward The Unseen Consequences of the Minimum Wage As an advocate for limited government and free markets, I've often found myself in debates over the minimum wage. It's a contentious issue, with well-meaning proponents arguing that it's necessary to ensure workers can afford basic necessities. However, the minimum wage, while well-intentioned, often does more harm than good. A recent article even suggests that minimum wage laws may contribute to homelessness. The Free Market and the Value of Labor In a genuinely free market, the value of labor is determined by supply and demand. If no one is willing to work for less than a specific wage to roof a house, then the market has found its minimum wage. Conversely, a maximum wage is found if an employer is unwilling to pay more than a certain amount. Pay should be determined based on the value of labor and the willingness to provide that labor. The Unseen Job Loss When a potential job exists but is worth less to the e...

   By Matthew Hayward When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all individuals are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. However, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, a...

By Matthew Hayward A Statement of Independence and Sovereignty Every year, as the 4th of July rolls around, we are reminded of the spirit of independence and the values that our great nation was built upon. For many, it's a day of barbecues, fireworks, and family gatherings. For others, it's a day of reflection on the principles of freedom and liberty that define the United States. For me, it's a day to express my beliefs uniquely and personally. For over a decade, I have upheld a tradition that may seem unconventional to some, but it's a powerful symbol of my commitment to national and state sovereignty. Every 4th of July, I burn the United Nations flag. This act is not born out of disrespect or malice, but rather, it's a statement that we are not the United Nations; we are the United States. Before this tradition, I would publicly read the Declaration of Independence, a document that encapsulates the essence of our nation's spirit. However, I felt the need to ...