Mom grew up in a somewhat more honest age, where the guy that fixed your furnace might pad the bill a little, but he didn’t plant smokebombs in the cold-air return or cameras in the registers. It ain’t that way any more. — Roberta X, on her experiences in dealing with Internet hucksters.

She makes an excellent point.  Even the more established, respected companies on the net are only a few notches above guys selling Ralex watches on the street corner, at best.  When my senior-citizen next door neighbor asked me to help him set up his new laptop so he could email with the great-grandkids, I had to explain that the Internet was full of places that were just bad neighborhoods that he wouldn’t want his mother catching him in, and that anyone he didn’t know, but tried to get to know him, on the Internet was probably a thief.  Luckily, he got my point and has been smart about how he uses his magic elf box, because I haven’t been called over to fix it, yet.

Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true. Give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. They will need thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard, for the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed. But we shall return again and again. And we know that by thy grace and by the righteousness of our cause our sons will triumph. They will be so tried by night and by day, without rest until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war. For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise and tolerance and goodwill among all thy people. They yearn, but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return. Embrace these, father and receive them thy heroic servants into thy kingdom. And for us at home, fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them, help us, almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in thee, in this hour of great sacrifice. — President Franklin Roosevelt, announcing the D-Day invasion to the country, June 6, 1944.

“Just so you know, hon:  If you break her heart, I’m gonna eat yours.” – Weerd Beard, on the Squirrel Report, in reference to Nancy R.’s birthday present from Sweet Daughter.

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. — Patton

In case of civil unrest, rioters would be well served to stay away from people with rings on their fingers. A single person might choose to retreat, but those who can’t maneuver due to kids would be more inclined to make a stand. They won’t feel guilty about removing any perceived threats to the kids and spouse. — Oleg Volk

I tend to agree with Oleg on this one.  I am not much of a runner all by myself.  I’m under no illusions about how far and how quickly I could run if I had to try to carry/shepherd my brood in an emergency.  I drive more carefully when my wife and kids are in the car than I do when I’m alone, I’m more attentive to where everyone is when we’re out and about, and I’m much more likely to fight than to flee if someone scares me when it comes to my kids.

We’ve got to quit stabbing ourselves in the eye with an ice pick and then complain we can’t see. —Ted Nugent, in the Washington Times, discussing the “War on Poverty”

H/T to MaddMedic for the link

Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country’s Constitution be thought of as “extremists.” — John Hawkins, townhall.com, “20 Only In America Ironies“

I can think.
I can talk.
This morning I woke up above ground.
You know what? Everything else is just gravy.

— Lawdog

“Selfish isn’t keeping what you earn. It’s demanding what you don’t earn.” – Andrew Wilkow