Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Why I Don't Take My Kids to the Zoo

When I was a kid, I wanted nothing more than to work with animals. Growing up on a "farm" with my parents, running a therapeutic riding clinic along side them, I could think of nothing better than being some kind of animal trainer. Then, I got a taste of what captivity is like for sentient wild animals.

Zoos, circuses, and aquariums use tactful advertising to lead consumers to believe that they are "conserving" species. These places are about profit via entertainment. I don;t want my children to grow up thinking animals are here for their pleasure. I know going to a theme park makes for a great day of fun, after all I was a child once, and my parents took me with the best intentions. However, knowing everything I know now, I couldn’t possibly bring my future child into a place that represents fun for humans and suffering for animals.


Sure, baby elephants look adorable balancing on a ball, but that poor elephant has been tied and whipped into submission in order to get that trick down. The wild cats and small mammals have been caged, overcrowded and neglected while being transported in unsanitary trucks to their next performance, or they're being kept in cages not even 1/10th of the size they might roam in the wild. Babies are ripped from their mothers far too soon to be sold off to other animal jails. The sad truth, is that these seemingly cute animals are not happy. They don’t want to perform, and they are isolated from their kind. Even when big efforts are made to fake a natural environment, their enclosures are far too small, and they have a limited and depressing life.


Despite their professed concern for animals, zoos can more accurately be described as “collections” of interesting animals than as actual havens or homes. Even under the best of circumstances at the best of zoos, captivity cannot begin to replicate wild animals’ habitats. Animals are often prevented from doing most of the things that are natural and important to them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, foraging, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to interfere with animals and keep them locked up in captivity, where they are bored, cramped, lonely, deprived of all control over their lives, and far from their natural homes.


The average child knows more about dinosaurs than they know about monkeys. You don't need to put animals in cages to educate the world about them. Live animal feeds, animal sanctuaries, wild life rescues, and safaris are all much better alternatives to tapping on the glass of some poor animals cage. You can go here for more info on how animals all over the world are suffering from captivity.


Orcas were ripped from the wild on hunts, from families that mourn them in the wild. Their pods forever miss them, and they never get over being separated from their loved ones. Once in captivity they are forcibly bred, isolated from their families, and condemned to live in overcrowded treated water tanks. Dolphins, highly sensitive creatures, are available to the public in petting pools, where they can be exposed to bacteria and stress, causing ulcers which they then need to be treated for. Their intelligence is used against them to provide cheap tricks for an audience, during which they can incur injuries, or even death. What's worse is that the majority of these dolphins are bought from Taiji. You can read more about their barbaric hunting practice in my blog post here.


I save the money I would spend on overpriced entry tickets, and will take my family to animal sanctuaries and wild life rescues. I will teach them that we should save, rescue, care for, and protect animals. I want to teach my children to be kinder than my generation is. I want them to be so selfless, that they want to stop the unnecessary suffering of an animal before they feel the need to be entertained. I want them to stand up for the defenseless, and to not buy into what media and advertisement sells them, just because everyone else does. I want them to question things before they believe it, or at least research it before they decide it’s for them.


If you feel like I do, that animals in captivity are being treated inhumanely, and a simple google search can give you plenty of proof, please join me in emptying the tanks.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Key Sites to Build Your Personal Brand

So by now you may have realized I'm huge on social networking. Channel your inner internet attention whore and get a profile up on these sites stat. Millenials have something major working in our favor here. We know how to network. Personal branding is important. Make a name for yourself on the data highways, and make sure your google search results do you justice.

Facebook:

First things first, make your profile private, logout, and view it. Go over it with a fine tooth comb. What do you "like"? Any embarrassing likes left over from Highschool/college years? Make sure you change the settings on embarrassing/incriminating photos. I know the memories may be precious to you, but a future employer doesn't want to see photos of you doing keg stands at the frat party senior year. I personally don't really use Facebook to network professionally beyond making friends with my colleagues.

LinkedIn:

If you don't have LinkedIn yet there's a problem. It doesn't matter what kind of professional you are, this one is a must.

Medium:

If you publish content at all, medium is for you.

About.me:

Your address on the web where you can direct people to what matters most to you. About.me is one of the top results on google when someone searches your name so it's worth filling out a profile.

Branded.me:

This website also allows you to publish content and connect with other users, like a more long winded twitter.

A personal website:
Having a personal website for yourself is one of the best ways to rank for your name on the search engines. It doesn’t need to be robust. It can be a simple two to three page site with your resume, link to your social platforms, and a brief bio. You can always expand on the website with time. GoDaddy and other hosting sites frequently offer deals on domain names. These guys are currently offering 50 cent domains.

knowem:

It’s a tool that searches for how your name or brand is being used by others on social media, domain names and even in the USPTO trademark database.

Twitter:

There are a lot of plug-ins that allow you to auto-generate statuses and link content thru Twitter. The more you post the more people pay attention.

Google:

Google yourself and setup alerts for your name on a regular basis. Have a fairly common name? Consider using your middle initial or middle name to differentiate. Cultivating a strong personal brand is just as much about being responsive to what is being said as it is about creating intellectual property.

An additional note here is to join Google+ groups.

Additional notes:

1. Stay active
2. Create a consistent look and feel.
3. Reserve your name everywhere (even if the site isn't of use to you right now)
4. Develop a strong positioning statement. 
5. Store links of all your social media profiles in a spreadsheet.
6. Limit your areas of "expertise" to around 3 key items. 
7. Define and pursue an objective.




BattleBorn Review

Introduction

So since it's launch, BattleBorn has been my husband and I's favorite game to play together. I love everything about it (except for the split screen map). The graphics are awesome much like Borderlands, gory comic-book style. The catch phrases shouted by the playable characters are amazing. "INAPPROPRIATE GESTURE". The character selection is awesome regardless of your playing style.

Characters

My husband is a huge Oscar Mike fan. Seriously he's played atleast 95% of the game as one character. I have more eclectic taste and have taken to Mellka, Alani, and Montana as well as a few others. The aptly named "heroes" are all unique and have great backstory's to keep you enthralled. Here are a few of my favorites. You can see a complete overview here.

Alani:

Raised as a healer, but forced to be a warrior, Alani is all that remains of her order after Rendain’s Imperium stole the oceans from her world. Through meditation, intense focus, and warranty-breaking
misuse of water-soluble nanotech, she can summon tidal waves with the flick of a finger.


Galilea: 

Warped by a corruptive agent in a mission against the Jennerit, Galilea endured hundreds of years of
self-imposed exile on Bliss before joining the Battleborn. The darkness within her is both her greatest strength and most profound struggle.


Mellka:

Born as a refugee, Mellka was raised and trained among an aggressive Eldrid commando group known as the Vigilant.  Proficient at several combat styles, but prefers exotic weaponry such as her biologically-active Eldrid gauntlet, now permanently fused with her left hand.


Montana:

When he’s not clotheslining bears for fun, Montana can be found suppressing enemies with his fearsome minigun and soaking up industrial-sized buckets of hurt on behalf of his comrades. Self-appointed morale officer of the Battleborn and friend to all.

Oscar Mike:

A discarded clone soldier from a long-forgotten war, Oscar Mike is a capable front-line fighter,
engaging enemies at range with his assault rifle, cloaking for quick exits from tight spots, and inspiring his allies with his... unconventional
personality.


The Story

Set in space, Battleborn tells the story of a number of different alien species, all of which have fled to Solus, the last star in the galaxy. Though divided at first, the different species are forced to unite against a common enemy, the Varelsi. You play as any one of the "Battleborn" they've sent out as a last resort to save the universe. 

Battleborn is a "genre-fused" game—infused with several elements from FPS and MOBA games. I was a little hesitant about the genre fusion, because the last time I got my hopes up about an FPS with a storyline, Destiny happened, I was sorely disappointed, and bored. I'm happy to announce that this time was completely different. 


The Visuals

The game may look familiar to fans of Gearbox's last game franchise, Borderlands. That's because it has a very similar visual style. The cartoon/graphic novel style worked perfectly for Borderlands, and it works the same for Battleborn!

Battleborn's visual style also takes inspiration from the CGI used in Pixar movies. Unsurprisingly, the Borderlands style mixed with the Pixar-ish style blend wonderfully, creating a very good looking game!


Co-Op

My dearest gearbox, thank you thank you thank you. We all remember the good old days, when you and a friend or family member could sit on the same couch and go head-to-head in viscous "no screen-cheating" local combat! It was even better when you and the person next to you could work together and take on your mutual enemies,

Not a lot of games have that anymore, focusing solely on online multiplayer, and leaving local splitscreen completely out. Playing online is fun and all, but it doesn't even come close to the type of intimate gameplay that comes with being right next to your opponent and/or teammate!

That being said, fix the co-op map. Seriously, it does not need to take up this much of my screen. I'd like to see what I'm doing instead. Did your developers learn about opacity in their programming schools?


Online Multi-Player

Ok I'll be honest, I only played the online multi-player once. Sorry, I don't like human beings very much and the douchecanoes I got matched with re-enforced my belief that the world is full of scum. But my husband plays it sometimes and seems to enjoy it so... I don't know, play for yourself and make up your own mind I guess. Or read this article at IGN.


Conclusion

Battleborn is awesome. Absolutely worth buying and playing. The way the characters level up and the rate at which gear drops makes the competitive aspect just as great as the storyline. Enjoyable for everyone age 12 and up!



5/5

The Libertarian Party Gains An Elected State Senator & State Rep

Breaking into the bi-partisan race is tough for a lot of reasons, not least of which being that no one wants to go first. If a libertarian gets elected running as a Republican or Democrat there is enormous pressure to stay with the party. Defecting isn’t even an option for many elected representatives. Partially because it would be seen as a betrayal of the party that financed their bid. Deciding to change party registration and join the Libertarian Party is a big deal. Now, for the first time in its history, the Libertarian Party has an elected State Senator and State Representative.

This year John Moore, a Nevada State Representative, left the Republican Party to become a Libertarian formally. He had already been voting libertarian and was one in all but name. However
the new label is extremely important because it conveys that libertarians are more than just an ideology. We are a viable political party. Having elected representatives at the state level is a major hurdle that only one non bi-partisan party has made it over. Moore became the first Libertarian statewide elected official in 20 years. In November he'll be up for re-election as a Libertarian.

Shortly before the LP National Convention, Nebraska State Senator Laura Ebke also left the Republican Party. Although the Libertarian Party has had an elected State Representative in New Hampshire in the past, this is the first time they can lay claim to a State Senator. In her statement, Ebke cited her frustration with her Republican colleagues for ignoring civil liberties. She was first elected in 2014 and is currently serving a four year term. She will be up for re-election as a Libertarian candidate in 2018.

The courage of these 2 individuals in risking their seats by switching to the Libertarian Party lays the groundwork for a historical shift in American Politics. The Republican and Democrat parties will not take this lightly and will surely run intense campaigns against these third party insurgents as they begin to take the LP more seriously. They do not want other representatives to follow in Moore and Ebke’s footsteps, for obvious reasons. With this precedent, and the two parties unfavorable nominees, Gary Johnson's polling at 10% nationally, may make this the year that dozens of representatives change their political affiliation.

Why 2016 Could Be The Big Break Through for Libertarians

I've been voting Libertarian as long as I've been legal to vote. From a very young age I looked at the bipartisan system and knew that it didn't serve me. I saw that it was broken, and that it was essentially "circe et panem", bread and circuses. The system we currently empower is divisive. The parties and their candidates seem to only hurl mud and point fingers. Everyone is so concerned laying blame on anyone else, they never take the time to look in the mirror. The problem with America, is the American people. All of us, collectively. Some in different ways than others. I could go over the minutiae of how each group and sub-group is negatively impacting our country but instead I'm just going to point out the one major flaw we all share: we keep supporting a corrupt, broken government. I think it starts in our education system, but that's another post entirely. The important thing is that we can still change it. We still have the right to vote, and we don't have to fall for the circulating propaganda telling us to vote against the worst candidate, rather than FOR the best one.

Gary Johnson is the best candidate.

Along with his running mate, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, he exemplifies fiscally conservative and socially liberal practices.  They believe in lower taxes and fewer economic regulations, but also feel government shouldn’t interfere with personal issues like gay marriage, legal marijuana and a woman’s right to choose.

How many of you reading this really want the government to be MORE powerful? Don't they interfere with enough of our rights as it is?

So why is this our year?

The Libertarian Party is on track to be on the ballot in all 50 states in this election. I can't say for certain that we stand a chance at WINNING this election, but they do offer voters a viable alternative to the amazingly unfavorable Trump and Clinton, along with a message the majority of Americans could possibly like. In 2012 Johnson won 1.3 Million votes, which is a drop in the bucket compared to what he would need to WIN an election, but it's the largest non bi-partisan showing anyone has ever made. He can do this. With Weld by his side they can at the very least scare the pants off Clinton and Trump. Johnson pulled 8 percent of the vote poll by Rasmussen Reports, which included him in a three-way match-up with Clinton and Trump. In a similar poll by Monmouth university, Gary jumped into the double digits at 11%. These same polls reflect that more of the democratic and republican parties look unfavorably on their own candidates than favorably.

Just because you're a registered democrat or republican does not mean you have to vote for whoever won the nomination of that party. You can say no. You can vote for someone you believe in. You can vote for Johnson Weld. You can vote for 2 men who have a history of standing up for their voters. Who will balance the budget AND protect your individual rights and liberties. You don't have to choose between being financially hurt, or socially hurt. You can have the best of both worlds. Don't vote on which rights you want to have taken away. (Dems: right to bear arms, Reps: woman's right to choose, etc) Vote to keep all of your rights. Say no to a government that has gotten too large, and say yes to the freedom that our forefathers fought so hard for.

The biggest obstacle facing the LP is media coverage. Not enough people know about the principles upon which the party, and these candidates stand. But this year, the electorate is HUNGRY for something DIFFERENT. So if you're with me, and I hope you are, help me spread the good word. get #GaryJohnson2016 trending. Post about him on your blog. Share relevant news articles to Facebook and Twitter. Put up a yard sign. Donate to his campaign here.

The thing is, I know sometimes the LP can come off sort of "crazy", because it's sort of a melting pot for everyone who has veered away from the bi-partisan system. Don't let them scare you away. Do a little research and discover what we stand for.





Don't tread on me.
Don't tread on anybody.





Saturday, June 4, 2016

Coming Out: My Experience

I originally posted this on my Tumblr a number of years ago but felt it was worthy of being reblogged here.

I don’t remember ever “coming out” to anybody as a teenager. My mother recently told me that she knew when I brought home my first serious girlfriend and that previously she had never thought about it because it didn’t matter to her. 12 years later and it still doesn’t matter to my family. While my father is less vocal about such things, he too could give a fuck less what gender person I choose to love or sleep with. My friends had always just… figured it out when they saw me with girls, and it’s never really been an issue with any of them. I think that’s because I chose to surround myself with people who wouldn’t be phased by any sexuality, although I do occasionally wonder what my journey would have been like had I been born male. I like to think it wouldn’t change the reactions I would have gotten from the people I care about, but I’m not so naive.


Part of the reason I'd never had any big “coming out” moments is because sexuality registers so low on my radar. Growing up I never even thought about my sexuality, other than in my teenage years, but it was just general hormonal I have sexuality type stuff. No great debates in me about what gender the person I spent the rest of my life would be. If I was dating a girl it was because I liked her. If I was dating a guy it was because I liked him. If I ended up with any of the people I dated in high school it would have been because I continued to like them. I didn’t.


It’s only recently that I’ve become more active in the LGBT community, and it’s not because of my personal preference for genders. I don’t give a fuck who knows I like girls. I’m pretty sure my entire family, and circle of friends, has figured it out and if not, well, they’re blind. I ended up marrying a man so equality in that aspect doesn’t really effect me personally very much. I feel strongly about it because I’ve seen how much it can affect those I love, and you don’t mess with the people I love. I told my mom once that I would probably end up settling down with a woman, and she pretty much said “that’s nice” and continued watching dancing with the stars. I have a great mom, in case you didn’t know.


That being said I know some people struggle with telling their parents about their gender identities. Please don’t. If somebody loves you, they will continue loving you no matter what you tell them about yourselves. Also, realize you are a PERSON. You are not a homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual. You are a person, with a name, who has views and opinions, likes and dislikes, and the people who know you won’t care who you want to bump uglies with. If they do, they’re probably shallow minded people who you don’t need in your lives, or maybe you’re a really shitty person and the only redeeming quality you had was that you seemed to be straight. If that doesn’t sound like you then don’t let it define you. Don’t let gender, or sexuality define you.


My name is Megan. I’m a mom. My favorite color is teal. I can be a huge bitch, but I love passionately and if I care about you I’ll do just about anything for you. My favorite animal is the panda, followed very closely by horses. I like to swim and take my son fun new places. I’m very opinionated, and I can be offensive. I’m socially awkward until I get to know you, and I say the wrong thing a lot. There are things I am good at, and things I am bad at. Oh, and I like girls, and sometimes I like boys too. My preference is small, thin, flexible, blonde girls, and tall, strong musically inclined, guys. I ended up married to a socially awkward, smart, nerdy, guy, who loves me for all that I am.

EDIT: When I moved to Florida, a little over 2 years ago now, I had a very different experience. When I "came out" to co-workers by mentioning an ex-girlfriend who lived in the area, they told me to "be careful" who I mentioned it to, and that "since I'm with a man it's not worth getting in trouble over". I went to a "girls night out" and when I dropped a similar reference, the conversation around the table literally stopped, and everyone looked at me like I had 2 heads. I'd never had my sexuality diminished before. I'd never had any reason to feel nervous about "coming out" and being honest with those around me. I now have a better understanding of how something that should be just a piece of who you are can become all consuming when you are afraid to mention it to those around you. 

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Why I'm Voting For Gary Johnson

I'm tired of political "business as usual". I'm sick of having my rights stripped away one at a time while the people around me don't seem to notice or care.

Because of his tax code: 

"Today’s federal tax code does all the wrong things. It penalizes productivity, savings, and investment, while rewarding inefficiency and designating winners and losers according to political whim. For far too long, tax laws have been used not just as a means to collect needed revenues, but as a weapon with which to manipulate our behavior, create and destroy industries and fulfill politicians’ dreams of social engineering. The result is a tax code that is more than 70,000 pages long enforced by a government agency with almost 100,000 employees.
It is nothing less than a massive deployment of government force on our lives, our finances, and our freedom.
Governor Johnson advocates the elimination of tax subsidies, the double taxation embodied in business income taxes, and ultimately, the replacement of all income and payroll taxes with a single consumption tax that will allow every American and every business to determine their tax burden by making their own spending decisions. Taxes on purchases for basic necessities would be “probated”, with all other purchases taxed equally regardless of income, status or purpose.
Many leading economists have long advocated such a shift in the way we are taxed, and Gary Johnson believes the time has come to eliminate the punishing tax code we have today and replace it with a system that rewards productivity, investment, and savings. The IRS as we know it today would no longer be necessary, and Americans would no longer need to live in fear of the force of government being wielded under the guise of tax collection."

Because of his proposed term limits:

"Americans are increasingly frustrated, even angry, that — regardless of which political party is in control — nothing really changes in Washington, DC. The spending continues unchecked. The wars continue. The government keeps taking away more freedom. This disastrous allegiance to the status quo by career politicians is a direct result of the reality that those politicians are more concerned about keeping their jobs than about doing what needs to be done. That’s why Gary Johnson is a strong advocate of term limits. Run for office, spend a few years doing the job at hand and then return to private life. That’s what Gary Johnson did as Governor, and that’s what Senators and Representatives should do."


Because he wants to stimulate job growth:

"During the 2012 campaign, Gary Johnson was lauded for having the best “job creation” record of all the former governors running for President. His response: “As Governor, I didn’t create a single job.” His point, of course, being that government doesn’t create jobs — except for itself. Entrepreneurs, growing companies, and a robust economy create jobs.
Government’s role is to create and maintain a regulatory and tax environment in which private job-creators can prosper. Gary Johnson did that as Governor, and would do so as President. Government regulation should only exist to protect citizens from bad actors and the harm they might do to health, safety and property. Regulation should not be used to manipulate behavior, manage private lives and businesses, and to place unnecessary burdens on those who make our economy work. Eliminating unnecessary regulations and applying common sense to those rules that are necessary will free up capital and allow those who want and need to create jobs to do so.
Likewise, adopting the tax reforms Governor Johnson advocates will literally create millions of jobs. While most politicians, Democrats, and Republicans alike, suggest that modest reductions in business taxes might create jobs, Gary Johnson believes eliminating income taxes on businesses will transform the U.S. into the “job magnet” of the world. Why would any corporation move its operations off-shore when the best tax “haven” on the planet is right here at home?"

Most importantly because of his take on personal freedom:

"When you ask Americans today what the greatest threat to their individual liberties is, far too often the response is: “The government”. That is simply unacceptable in a nation that was literally founded on the notion of liberty.
Imagine the disgust of the Founding Fathers if they were to see the national government spying on citizens’ private communications, monitoring financial transactions, photographing license plates, and even demanding to know what a person is doing at a public library — all without warrants or due process of law.
Imagine their shock to learn that the government has decided it is appropriate to tell adults what they can put in their bodies — and even put them in jail for using marijuana, while allowing those same adults to consume alcohol and encouraging the medical profession to pump out addictive, deadly painkillers at will.
The list goes on, but the point is clear: Decades of ever-more-intrusive government has steadily eroded personal freedom in this country. Adults are no longer free to make their own decisions, and virtually no part of Americans’ private lives are today safe from government scrutiny and regulation.
Gary Johnson believes the government should be truly limited — limited in the way the Founders envisioned. Responsible adults should be free to marry whom they want, arm themselves if they want, make their own decisions about their bodies, and lead their personal lives as they see fit — as long as no harm is done to others. And they should be able to do so without unconstitutional scrutiny by the NSA, the ATF, the DEA or any other government agency."

Because of his take on immigration:

"Having served as Governor of a border state, Gary Johnson understands immigration. He understands that a robust flow of labor, regulated not by politics, but by the marketplace, is essential. He understands that a bigger fence will only produce taller ladders and deeper tunnels and that the flow of illegal immigrants across the border is not a consequence of too little security, but rather a legal immigration system that simply doesn’t work. Militarizing the border, bigger fences, and other punitive measures espoused by too many politicians are all simplistic “solutions” to a problem caused by artificial quotas, bureaucratic incompetence and the shameful failure of Congress to actually put in place an immigration system that matches reality.
Governor Johnson has long advocated a simplified and secure system of work visas by which willing workers and willing employers can meet in a robust labor marketplace efficiently and economically. Aspiring immigrants would undergo a background check, pay taxes and provide proof of employment.
Making it simpler and efficient to enter the U.S. legally will provide the greatest security possible, allowing law enforcement to focus its time and resources on the criminals and bad actors who are, in reality, a relatively small portion of those who are today entering the country illegally."

As a parent, because of what he has to say about education:

"Governor Gary Johnson was one of the first governors in the nation to propose and advocate a universally available program of school choice. He did so while governing with an overwhelmingly Democrat legislature and while facing a powerful teachers’ union. He was well aware that his proposal would not be enacted and would generate fierce opposition. However, he believed it was important to raise the issue and force the teachers’ unions to defend a clearly failing status quo.
More broadly, Gov. Johnson believes there is no role for the Federal Government in education. He would eliminate the federal Department of Education, and return control to the state and local levels. He opposes Common Core and any other attempts to impose national standards and requirements on local schools, believing the key to restoring education excellence in the U.S. lies in the innovation, freedom and flexibility that federal interference inherently discourages.
As Governor, he saw first-hand that the costs of federal education programs and mandates far outweigh any benefits, both educationally and financially."

Because we agree about abortion:

"Gary Johnson has the utmost respect for the deeply-held convictions of those on both sides of the abortion issue. It is an intensely personal question and one that government is ill-equipped to answer.
As Governor, Johnson never advocated abortion or taxpayer funding of it. However, Gov. Johnson recognizes that the right of a woman to choose is the law of the land today, and has been for several decades. That right must be respected, and ultimately he believes this is a very personal and individual decision. He feels that each woman must be allowed to make decisions about her own health and well-being.
Further, Gov. Johnson feels strongly that women seeking to exercise their legal right must not be subjected to persecution or denied access to health services by politicians in Washington or elsewhere who are insistent on politicizing such an intensely personal and serious issue. As Governor Johnson did support a ban on late-term abortions."

Because he wants to keep the government out of my internet:

"Gary Johnson has often said, “There is nothing wrong with the Internet that I want the government to fix.”
The Internet has literally changed the world and has done so largely without interference from the government. It is no coincidence that the unprecedented innovation and entrepreneurship — and the resulting improvements in our quality of life — that has occurred in cyberspace has happened in one of the last refuges of freedom.
It needs to stay that way.
Yet, there are increasing calls for government regulation and intrusion into the Internet. From some politicians’ suggestions of a government “kill switch” to recently-passed so-called Cyber Security legislation, the government is determined to insert itself into our freedom to communicate, conduct business and seek information via the Web.
The government is even demanding that it be granted special “back doors” into encrypted, private information held and moved by Internet providers. The excuse is security — a laughable concept from a government that has proven time after time to be incapable of protecting even the most basic data.
Gary Johnson has consistently opposed these attempts at government interference with the Internet, and as President would return the government to the side of freedom and innovation — not regulation."

Gary is the only candidate who I believe cares about the citizens of this country more than he cares about his own bottom line. He's the only one who points the finger at the real problem. At our overly strong centralized government. Not at the rich or the poor. Not at white people or black people. He doesn't advocate hating one another, or tearing down one group of people to lift up another. He just wants to fix the broken system.

Because this is the type of person I want representing my country:

Not either of these fools: