Today, it’s a classic.
Today’s Earworm
Today, it’s a classic.
Posted by daddybear71 on August 4, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/04/todays-earworm-199/
30 Days of Abraham Lincoln – Day 1
This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it. — 1861
My Take – The government derives its powers from the people. People do not derive their rights from the government. Too many of our contemporaries have forgotten that. Our system was built in such a way that we can change our government, either tactically through elections or strategically through amending the Constitution. The latter is difficult by design, while the former is as easy as marking a ballot. When those avenues are closed to the people, all that is left for them is revolution. Politicians make peaceful change impossible at their own peril.
Posted by daddybear71 on August 4, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/04/30-days-of-abraham-lincoln-day-1/
News Roundup
- From the “Spitting on a Fish” Department – Kofi Annan has decided to resign from the U.N. effort to bring peace to Syria. Apparently he came to the realization that you cannot bring peace between people who desperately want to watch the other one swing from a lamp-post. Hopefully the U.N. will leave well enough alone, let the strongest survive, and get on with their semi-annual “Dictators of December” Holiday Special, which will be broadcast by Ted Turner on all of his cable television stations on March 27.
- From the “River in Egypt” Department – Former Senator Larry Craig, who has made using the restroom at the Minneapolis airport a strange experience for thousands of men, is contesting an FEC claim that he illegally used campaign funds to pay legal fees after his arrest for soliciting sex at the airport. His logic is that since he did what he did while he was travelling to Washington to attend the Senate, the legal costs to defend his actions were reimbursable. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, Larry Craig was tapping to the oldies on our time. Apparently his wide stance is only rivaled by his wide definition of “the people’s business”.
- From the “Skynet” Department – Our future robot masters are taking their first aerial baby steps at NAS Patuxent River. Engineers there are trying to figure out how to program an X-47B unmanned aerial vehicle how to take off and land on an aircraft carrier without human intervention. I assume that success criteria include being able to buzz the tower in even the worst of weather conditions. I for one welcome our new mechanical overlords.
- From the “Get to the Chopper!” Department – Arnold Schwarzenegger, former governor of California, actor, and body builder, has donated $20 million dollars to create a think tank at the University of Spoiled Children that will be devoted to problems with government, the environment, and other policy issues. Basically, he’s paying to have a group of smart people come together to talk about all the problems that he either caused or exacerbated during his tenure in Sacramento. Apparently, Mr. Schwarzenegger will also be teaching a class as a full professor at the university, so you freshman PoliSci majors have that going for you. As for those of you who have devoted your lives to teaching and hope someday to be awarded a professorship, good luck with that, unless of course, you have $20 million lying around to grease the skids a bit.
- From the “Dim Sum” Department – A group of Chinese tourists escaped getting into trouble for luring a mother bear and her cubs closer to their van with meat by leaving the country before the authorities could catch up with them. This one gets the DaddyBear Dumbass of the Day award. Nothing beats those vacation shots of Uncle Lu having his stump bandaged up after he thought he had run out of meat for the bear, until the bear disagreed and pointed out that Uncle Lu was made of meat.
- From the “Symbolic” Department – The mayor of London got stuck recently when he was trying out a zip line ride at the Olympics. Ironically, a massive government response was unnecessary to save him, as an old lady who remembered the Blitz was in the crowd, and convinced the nanny-state supporter that he could get himself down or at least keep a stiff upper lip and not cry like a baby until the fire brigade arrived. No word yet on how the mayor actually got down, as British first responders are known to stand by and watch instead of intervene when they encounter a situation they are not certified for, and I cannot imagine they were trained to get Socialists off of high wires.
Posted by daddybear71 on August 3, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/03/news-roundup-144/
Quote of the Day
Vegan, it’s what’s for dinner. — Weer’d, on last night’s Squirrel Report
I have to agree. Like I said a few days ago, some of my favorite dishes are made with strict vegans. Of course, omnivores are quite tasty when properly cured and smoked.
Posted by daddybear71 on August 3, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/03/quote-of-the-day-85/
30 Days of Marcus Aurelius – Day 30
Whatever is in any way beautiful hath its source of beauty in itself, and is complete in itself; praise forms no part of it. So it is none the worse nor the better for being praised. — Meditations, Book IV
My Take – A rose by any other name, would smell as sweet.
Seriously, something is not desireable because I find it desireable. It was desireable long before I came along. Also, if I’m a good person, it’s not because other people recognize it and praise me, it’s because I want to be a good person.
Posted by daddybear71 on August 3, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/03/30-days-of-marcus-aurelius-day-30/
Today’s Earworm
I guess it wouldn’t kill me….
Posted by daddybear71 on August 3, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/03/todays-earworm-198/
Don’t You Dare
Against my own better judgement, I signed up for Facebook a while ago. It took my wife, several family members, and a plethora of friends to convince me that I needed to “connect” with everyone. To be honest, it’s been a good place to exchange pictures of the kids and exchange pithy but non-consequential comments. I’ve refrained from using it to play games and annoy people, but I’m aware of the many applications available.
I’ve also restricted the amount of information I give Facebook, because a wise man once told me that if I’m not paying to use a service, then I’m not the customer, I’m the product.
But you do have to give a few things, like name and location. I gave those so that family would be able to find me on the service, but now I’m starting to regret not doing a bit of fibbing.
You see, in their infinite wisdom, Facebook is allowing a company to mine the information on Facebook so that the Democratic Party can figure out who they can bother looking for donations. The way it works appears to be that people can allow the company to download their list of ‘friends’ and their locations, compare that list to the list of people already donating to the party, then hit the ones with more sense than to give money to the Democrats up for a donation.
So, let me say this: Don’t any of you individuals with a sick sense of humor even consider it. I swear, if I get a single phone call from a Democratic operative looking for me to open my wallet, I will find out who clued them to my existence, and I will find you. You’ll be lucky if I just get you drunk and leave you naked and penniless in Tegucigalpa. If I’m feeling charitable, I might not write “Your mother’s a whore” in Spanish on your forehead before I leave you in that drainage ditch.
What would induce someone to give their list of friends to a political spammer? Just when I think I can’t be surprised anymore, this kind of thing climbs out of the sewer of slime to kick me in the butt.
Posted by daddybear71 on August 2, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/02/dont-you-dare/
30 Days of Marcus Aurelius – Day 29
Think on this doctrine,—that reasoning beings were created for one another’s sake; that to be patient is a branch of justice, and that men sin without intending it. – Meditations, Book IV
My Take – If there is a purpose for us to be here, it should be to be of use to others. I’m not saying that every person ought to devote their lives to serving the poor and tending the sick in the third world, but I feel it is my place to be a support to those in my life who need it. I’m not the most touchy feely guy, but I do feel an obligation to be there for someone when it’s necessary.
Patience is one of the hardest things to teach a child, and it’s one of those things that as an adult I continually find myself having to redevelop. I look at being patient as payback for all those who have been and continue to be patient with me. It’s not easy, but it’s part of being polite.
As for other’s doing wrong without knowing it, that’s pretty much self explanatory. A lot of people, even those who try to be observant of the world, do wrong without realizing it or setting out to follow that path. Maybe it’s incidental to what they do, maybe it’s incidental to what they don’t do. The difference between a good person and a twit is that when it is brought to their attention, the twit doesn’t apologize and finds a reason to say they were in the right.
Posted by daddybear71 on August 2, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/02/30-days-of-marcus-aurelius-day-29/
Today’s Earworm
Posted by daddybear71 on August 2, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/02/todays-earworm-197/
Thoughts on the Day
- Lord, please spare me from people who can’t stand silence, especially when I’m trying to work.
- Apparently I’m going to be building both an AR-15 and a porch/deck in the near future. Ouch, my wallet.
- Seriously, no conversation with a spouse that starts with “Honey, how much do you think it would take to ……..” can end well.
- Also, when she asks me what a bottle jack is, I know it’s not going to be simple.
- To the semi driver who had a blowout on the freeway at 60 miles an hour this afternoon, thank you so very much for not tipping over, jackknifing, or running over those two twits in sub compacts who passed you on the right as you tried to get over. Being a witness to all that would have messed up my entire evening.
- Leftover homemade macaroni and cheese topped with hot salsa may be the food of the gods.
- Listened to the latest Hardcore History today. Now I have a strong urge to chuck it all and go live on the plains in a yurt.
- Listening to West Coast urban types who claim to be libertarian leaning prattle on about how we need gun control for the evil black rifles and how I don’t need as much ammunition as I darn well want is not good for my blood pressure. Thank God for the off button on a radio.
- My arthritis medicine arrived in the mail today. I’ve been out for about 10 days while I waited for the pharmacy to fill the prescription which I mailed to them 23 days ago. Apparently Irish Woman was as happy to see it come as I was due to my sparkling personality these past few days.
- I guess I should be honored to be at the cutting edge of the way all health care will be taken care of in a couple of years.
- Why is it that whenever Boo comes home with a note from his teacher asking that one of us call her, I get “The Look”?
Posted by daddybear71 on August 1, 2012
https://daddybearsden.com/2012/08/01/thoughts-on-the-day-41/
DaddyBear
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