Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. — Thomas Paine, Common Sense, published January 10, 1776
Quote of the Day
Posted by daddybear71 on January 10, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/10/quote-of-the-day-148/
Truths
- Nobody owes you a darned thing. You owe a lot to many.
- There are evil people in the world. Not “I’m down on my luck and need to steal to put food on the table”, nor “The little green platypus who lives in my earlobes told me to hurt you” or even “Mumsy and Dadsy didn’t buy me the yellow pony and give me hugs when I was a kid.” I mean “I know that what I’m doing is wrong and hurts other people, but I don’t care” evil. Plan accordingly.
- In life, you will feel absolute ecstasy and the deepest depths of depression, and everything in between. Unless your emotional state is a permanent state, deal with it. If it is, then get help and deal with it.
- If you can’t remember the last time someone or something made you happy, or at least content, then it’s time evaluate the necessity of trimming the dead wood from your life.
- You are going to be insulted, offended, belittled, marginalized, and ignored. It’s a fact of life.
- Nothing is permanent. Few things should be. Find joy in the rare things that you will miss when they are gone.
- The more I have to pay for things I don’t want, given to those who don’t deserve it, the more I’m going to push back when the opportunity presents itself.
Posted by daddybear71 on January 9, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/09/truths/
Blogs Roundup
- Miguel brings the truth, Loonie Toons style.
- Captain Tightpants has good advice – take every situation based only on the situation, not colored by past issues.
- OldNFO had an adventure. I had a similar problem my first week in Helsinki. Luckily, I can read just enough Swedish (Finland is bi-lingual) to read street signs.
- Christina has graduated!
- This is the conversation that Irish Woman and I have every time I try to work on a project.
- Front Sight Press discusses using lethal force to defend another.
- Rhino Den weighs in on being a dick on the Internet, both as a giver of crap and a reporter of it.
- On The Console talks about being the new guy.
- The Cornered Cat discusses taking your time when reholstering. Remember, there’s no point for looking like the Lone Ranger when you put your gun away.
- I couldn’t have said this better myself.
Posted by daddybear71 on January 8, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/08/blogs-roundup-56/
Thought for the Day
Posted by daddybear71 on January 7, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/07/thought-for-the-day-222/
The Light Upon the Grass
A coat the color of sunshine
A soul the essence
of a glorious sunbeam
A smile the musings
of a brilliant sunrise
She laughed and played
like a curious sprite
with an everlasting smile
dancing across her face
to make the days bearable
to make the days bearable
in the best kind of way
She snored peacefully
amidst her fun-filled dreams
Her love coursed our veins
as she stamped her nose
as she stamped her nose
in loving approval
But her smile
finally evolved into a sunset
and the soul
and the soul
like all sunbeams
had to recede
as day turned to night
Her sunshine got clocked
in for ever darkness
Our beloved Bluegrass
— Girlie Bear
Posted by daddybear71 on January 6, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/06/the-light-upon-the-grass/
Musings
- Thanks to J.K. Rowling and Peter Jackson, my youngest son says words like “dwarves” and “potter” with a fake English accent.
- I saw a trailer for the new Peanuts movie this afternoon. Yep, check that off on the list of things from my childhood that I hope Hollywood doesn’t screw up.
- A bourbon ball melted into a hot cup of coffee is quite tasty. I now have a new treat.
- When the little black dog drops the squeaky bone into your lap, then nudges your hand, that’s a sign that maybe you’ve been working long enough.
- Derby is the most athletic dog I’ve ever had. From a complete halt, she can leap up high enough to go over the top of Moonshine, and he’s not a small Lab, and then go forward far enough to get to the couch two feet beyond. Her philosophy seems to be “Why walk when you can gallop?”. I’m going to have to re-evaluate the fence in the back yard when it gets nice enough to put them out again.
- I made chili-mac for dinner. Now I’m craving peanut butter on saltines and Charms.
- Conversations you never thought you would have #81274 – “Son, please don’t sign your homework with Viking runes.”
Posted by daddybear71 on January 6, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/06/musings-106/
Today’s Earworm
I’m watching the first season this morning. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Posted by daddybear71 on January 6, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/06/todays-earworm-594/
News Roundup
- From the “Had Enough” Department – A reindeer at a park in Nova Scotia decided to hold a pre-Christmas labor demonstration when it took out its frustrations with working conditions on Santa’s sled. The jolly old elf was overheard remarking on how he could replace Rudolph with a Maglite and some gaffer’s tape. Prancer was unavailable for comment.
- From the “Logical” Department – A man in New Jersey was arrested after the car he was riding in was pulled over by police and a gun and drugs were found in it. He, along with the other occupants of the vehicle, was charged with ‘constructive intent’. However, the man is suffering from ALS, and has no use of his arms. I guess Deputy Dawg must have thought he would use the gun and the codeine with his teeth, toes, and eyelashes.
- From the “Safe Storage” Department – A man in Wyoming was wounded when he was shot by his dog. He had placed his loaded hunting rifle on the back seat of his truck, and when the dog climbed in back, he stepped on the trigger, discharging the rifle. Stay tuned to the DaddyBear News Network for exclusive pictures of the taxidermy.
- From the “Follow-Up” Department – The family of the little boy who was horribly injured by a flash-bang grenade in a botched “no-knock” drug raid last year is currently at $1 million in medical bills and counting. The little boy required multiple surgeries after the grenade, thrown into his crib by police, injured his chest and face. Interestingly, several of the officials involved in setting up and executing the raid have resigned or retired. Here’s hoping that the family gets some satisfaction in court, and that the people who caused are brought to justice.
- From the “RIFfing on a Theme” Department – The Department of Defense has decided that several officers, who rose through the enlisted ranks, will be allowed to retire at their highest officer rank. Previously, these soldiers were going to be retired at their highest enlisted rank unless they had 8 years in as an officer, which would have robbed them of money, prestige, and benefits. In related news, Pentagon personnel officers did not wake up on December 25 to find a lump of coal in their stockings.
- From the “Bad Things” Department – A cyberattack on a German steel mill caused extensive damage to the plant after a blast furnace refused to shut down. If you’ve ever thought about worst case scenario for a workplace, I’m thinking that “malfunctioning blast furnace” is pretty high up on the list.
- From the “Interesting” Department – A scientist in Nebraska is trying to invent a working warp drive in his spare time. His garage is stuffed to the gills with equipment, and if his claims are true, then he appears to be onto something. NASA says that this technology may not be feasible for decades or more. If this works, I hope his first mission is to fly over Cape Canaveral and moon mission control.
- From the “Geniuses” Department – A couple in Florida recently spent two days in a closet they believed was locked. Tweedledee and Tweedlestoned were let out after they called police, who traced them to the closet. No word yet on what these two crazy kids will do for their next trick.
- From the “Four Rules” Department – A Kentucky police officer recently shot himself while in an elevator in the Cincinnati area. It appears that he was removing it from his holster so that he could carry it in his hand while he and his wife walked to their car in a parking garage. Somehow, the gun went off, the bullet ricocheted off the wall of the elevator, and struck the officer in the stomach. You know, if I’m parking in a place where I think I might need to be at low ready when we come back, I’m going to park somewhere else. Here’s hoping that the officer recovers quickly.
- From the “Funky Music” Department – A species of clam has been shown to use small spheres of silica on its lips to both fend off predators and attract prey. In addition, the “disco clam” excretes sulphuric acid when threatened. When a predator is nearby, the clam vibrates its shiny lips at a higher rate. The same phenomenon was found when scientists exposed the clams to songs sung by Donna Summer. The Village People were not available for comment.
- From the “I Found Sand!” Department – Archeologists in Egypt have unearthed the tomb of a queen who lived almost 5000 years ago. Artifacts found include funerary instruments and urns, a sarcophagus, and a Mitch McConnell election button.
- From the “Collectibles” Department – Elvis Presley’s jets, the “Lisa Marie” and the “Hound Dog II” are up for sale. The agreement between Graceland and the jets’ owners expires soon, and bidding is brisk to own these pieces of rock and roll history. Rumor has it that an unnamed Asian airline is in the running to win the bidding, and plans to rename the larger of the two jets the “Hunka Hunka Burning Plane”.
Posted by daddybear71 on January 5, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/05/news-roundup-239/
A Request
I received the following news release from my Congressman, Thomas Massie:
U.S. Representative Thomas Massie Announces He Will Not Vote to Re-elect
Speaker BoehnerWASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Massie issued these reasons to support a new candidate for Speaker of the House:
For years I watched Washington from afar and suspected that something was broken. Why is it that so many people approve of their congressman, yet they consistently disapprove of Congress? During my first two years as a congressman I discovered a significant source of the dysfunction. I watched the House Leadership:
• Schedule a fiscal crisis in a lame duck session on the last legislative day before Christmas to get maximum leverage over rank and file members,
• Mislead members into thinking that a vote on an unpopular bill was postponed, only to then conduct a rushed voice vote on the $10 billion unfunded spending measure with fewer than a dozen members present,
• Give members less than 72 hours to read bills over 1,000 pages long, and
• Remove members from committees simply because they voted for the principles upon which they campaigned.
With a process this broken, is it any wonder that Washington no longer works for the people? My constituents expect better and America deserves better. On January 6th, 2015, I will vote for a new Speaker who will consistently articulate a constitutional vision for America and facilitate an inclusive and orderly legislative process that allows Congress to truly reflect the will of the people.
I’ve met Congressman Massie, and both the impression that I got from the short time I spent talking with him and what I have seen in his actions in Congress lead me to believe that what he is saying is true and that he is doing this out of a concern for the welfare of the Congress and the nation. He goes into more detail in an op-ed, published this weekend.
I ask each of you to read what Congressman Massie says in both pieces, and to consider whether you want John Boehner to continue as Speaker of the House. If you agree with me that it’s time he was replaced, or if you believe that to do so would not be in our best interest, please reach out to your Representative and let them know. They need to hear from us in order to do our bidding. Remember, apathy denotes acceptance, and silence denotes permission.
Posted by daddybear71 on January 4, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/04/a-request-2/
Today’s Earworm
Posted by daddybear71 on January 2, 2015
https://daddybearsden.com/2015/01/02/todays-earworm-593/
DaddyBear
DaddyBear’s Den 