Father’s Day

Well we are coming up on another Father’s day. My favorite time of the year. I get reminded of the wonders of parenthood by my lovely and talented daughter. It’s a reminder of the hard work and dedication that goes into “making” a child.

They don’t just come out and grow up into who they are, that’s our job. Apparently I did well.

My daughter is a glowing example of humanity. Thoughtful, hard working, beautiful, smart and funny. All characteristics that in and of themselves are impressive, but when they are rolled into a single package, they are fantastic!

I love you sweetpea!

Pops

Health Care is NOT a right!

The first thing that has to happen is define rights. There are numerous definitions for rights. Civil rights are defined roughly as “: the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to United States citizens…” A right is defined as ” : something to which one has a just claim.” These two definitions together are good but not complete. I will add that a right is something to which you have independent of anyone or anything else.

Your right to life is a right because no one has to provide it for you. Parents procreate and thus you have existence. Life on the other hand is much more. You have the right to go to work; not a specific job. If you earn your job, someone is willing to pay for your services; providing of course that you perform the assigned tasks according to the standards of the payer, then you have a job.

You have a right to drive providing you can purchase or obtain transportation.

You do not have a right to something someone else is forced to provide. The provider is then a slave to you. Since slavery has been abolished for more than 150 years, and most believe that slavery is/was bad, we should avoid new instances.

Here’s what I mean…

If you own your life completely, no one has a claim on a single second of your life. If your life is yours and no one can take it away from you legally, then forcing you to work for something that benefits someone else, with little to no direct benefit to your life, they are forcing you into slavery. Think about the slaves of old and figure out what the difference is between them and us today. Is there? I mean of course, we are free to roam about and they weren’t. That is a big difference. But didn’t they work for their master? Didn’t the master benefit to a much greater extent than the slaves?

Yes of course they did. Slaves were given a roof and clothes and food that they had to grow and prepare themselves… Isn’t that where we are now? We work until after the middle of the year for the government (slave master). The government then metes out the fruits of our labor. If we’re lucky we can receive a mere pittance of what we produced.

It’s a shame that people don’t get this on their own.

Juxtapose Liberalism & Conservatism… part 1

This is a theory that I’ve pondered for quite a while. Getting to spend hours walking dogs, gives one time to think about things. Being the contemplative person that I am, I choose some of the most obscure things.

Liberals and Conservatives have internally conflicting positions. Within each ideology, they contradict themselves creating quite the juxtaposition.

Liberals believe in Darwinism, Socialism/Communism and equality in outcome. Conservatives believe in Christianity, Capitalism and the inevitable inequality of mankind.

Herein lies the twist. Darwinism and Capitalism are roughly the same. Survival of the fittest and Natural Selection. The strong pick off the weak, sick and stupid, thus ensuring the progression and advancement of the species. Socialism/Communism and Christianity are roughly the same. A benevolent being (God or Government) metes out justice, grants wishes and overall sees to the betterment of mankind.

Both the left and right are inconsistent in their beliefs, creating a problem for all members of each camp.

To avoid TLDNR, we will end today’s lesson here. More later…

Health Care

Okay… The current health care boondoggle is at least incompetent and at most illegal. There is no interstate commerce allowed with regard to health insurance so the government has no right to enact legislation regarding it’s use.

Enough said? No?

Ask yourself these questions… 1) To how much of your life am I entitled? 2) Should goods or services be provided at the barrel of a gun?

If you answered none to question one, good for you. You’re right. I have no claim on your life. To not one minute of your life am I entitled. So when government forces you to give me part of your life, you then are a slave to me. No thank you. That was abolished over 150 years ago and government has worked consistently to enslave us more.

If you answered no to question two, bravo! You’re right. At no time should a gun be used to force goods or services. If government forces businesses to provide insurance with taxes, fines or imprisonment as a result of non-compliance, then a gun is being used to a contrary means. Guns are meant for self-defense, sport and every other peaceful use. It should not be used to provide a good or service.

If someone comes up to you on the street and says “Give me $200” you can say no. If that same person comes up with a gun and says “Give me $200” you will be less inclined to deny. If that person then turns around and gives that money to a homeless family, is that person any less a thief? No.

Bottom line is that we should throw off the shackles of slavery once and for all and learn that while the playing field is level, not every player is equal. There will be winners and losers. It’s called survival of the fittest and natural selection to the evolution crowd and it works every time!

Or am I wrong? :-)

Funny how Government works!

http://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2010/McChesneypensions.html

It seems that if you are a government employee, you are entitled to be made whole for just about everything under the sun. I think it’s time to throw them ALL out and start over. What do you think?

Time to start Saving!

It’s funny how economists, especially the liberal/socialist ones, can’t seem to get past “spending our way” out of the recession. Let’s be clear. If spending; read government spending, worked like they say, we would indeed be in bountiful times, right? George W Bush spent money like a drunk democrat and lo and behold, we’re in a recession. It didn’t work for that dimwit, and it won’t work for the current crop of dimwits.

It is time to start saving, America! Tighten restrictions or rather re-implement credit restrictions that were in place prior to Dimwit #42 changing them… that’s right Bush 43 didn’t start this, he was just too stupid or cowardly to change it. Stop excess government spending and encourage people to save. How is this going to work?

People who can borrow money — the ones who will actually be able to pay it back, will have the money to borrow and invest. Hopefully taxes will be held in check, if not then all bets are off. Allow those with vision and courage to grow the economy like it is supposed to. It will grow slowly but surely.

Government is so inept at anything important, they MUST stay out of the way for it to work correctly. Barry, get out of the way. Go back to community organizing and let the visionaries get the economy back on its feet!

Underage drinking is good!

Okay so maybe it’s not “good” but it’s not bad either. Locally in Parker, AZ, there are people who are law abiding (the law is the law and we must follow it no matter what) folks who are not getting their heads around the difference between right and wrong or moral versus immoral.

Ayn Rand defines morality this way:

Judgment to distinguish right from wrong. Vision to see the truth. Courage to act on it. Integrity to stand behind that which is right at all costs. There is another part to the quote that I can’t find, but you get the idea.

Right is moral. Wrong is immoral. What happened in Parker was 19 adults (people ranging from 18-20) were arrested for underage consumption. There are those in the community who believe that this is horrible. I of course, disagree. These adults were doing what adults do; enjoying themselves and their friends in a social setting. No one was hurt. The party was under control. No one was driving. Essentially the only victim in this situation were the arrestees. They were deprived of their rights to engage in adult behavior that hurt no one, not even themselves.

Governments role in our lives should be to protect us from the harm from others, not ourselves. Providing that we are reasonable and rational in our activities; take responsibility for ourselves and our own actions, we should be allowed the peaceful enjoyment of our lives in whatever that means to us. Providing of course, that no one else is harmed. Think “pursuit of happiness” and you will get the gist.

Abolish all “victimless” crimes… Prostitution, drug use, ALL gun ownership and the like. Stop oppressing the people and allow us the freedom to pursue happiness to the degree we wish establish for ourselves.

Wow… 46

I never imagined making it this far. Don’t ask me why, but when you’re a kid 40 seems so old. Now that I’m here, I’m just amazed. The complexity of the universe, et al the diversity of everything. How everything is intertwined whether you realize it.

I’m thankful for wonderful friends, wife and a loving, caring, beautiful daughter. It just keeps getting better every day…

Elena Kagan… Who cares?

I am so tired of people in politics constantly referring to one’s sexual preference/inclinations. This happens mostly from the left but the right is guilty too. Who cares if this woman is gay? There are so many more reasons to care about one’s background. It has nothing to do with; or at least it shouldn’t, how they are going to decide things. If someone will decide things based on their background and not the facts, they are wrong for the bench, period.

Too many times, there are litmus tests that must be passed before one is confirmed for the Federal bench. “How is she/he going to vote on abortion?” “How will they decide an issue if a Black or Hispanic or Woman is involved?” If one will allow their “life experiences” to cloud their judgment, do we want them on the Supreme Court?I for one do not!

Look at the statue of Lady Justice. She’s blindfolded and holds a scale. It’s a metaphor for how justice should be meted out. Does it happen that way all the time? No. But do two wrongs make a right? No.

Judge these folks on their abilities to separate themselves from their past and utilized sound and reasoned judgment. If they can’t do that, then send them on their way. That applies to everyone; liberal or conservative!

Juxtapose Liberalism & Conservatism… part 2

Liberals:

Liberals are nice people. I believe they really want everyone to be equal. They deem the treatment as equals as equal in results. That is not possible. There are too many varieties in lives to allow for equality of results across the board. On top of which, it is just unnatural.

Laws of nature as defined by the standard of today are Natural Selection and Survival of the Fittest. It works very well in nature. The predators pick off the weak, sick and stupid of a prey species; thus ensuring the progression and advancement of the affected species. Killer Whales, Great White Sharks, Lions, Tigers and the list goes on, plays a vital role in the advancing of Seals, Sea Lions, Zebras, Ibex and this list goes on as well.

Without the predators picking of the weak, the weak would procreate, creating a problem for a prey species. If there were no sharks feeding on seals, the seal population would go out of control. Instead of the strong elevating the species to a survivable level, overall the animals would run the risk of extinction.

This is where the liberal position fails. We are not equal. There are strong people who advance our species. That should be encouraged and not punished. For all of mankind, the smart and strong should be encouraged to produce. We will all be better off for it.

When Michael Jordan laced up his sneakers, everyone on the floor had to be at their best game. If he were limited in his time, or the rules were changed while he was on the floor to make it “fair” for the other team, the other team could bring their “B” or “C” game and compete. That bodes well for no one. If we are all playing on a level playing field, we must realize that there will be players who are better than we are.

Oil

Watching the news this morning, I saw where there was a foiled attempt to blow-up or severely inhibit an oil distribution center in Saudi Arabia. Can you imagine what would happen to the price of oil? Gasoline at the pump? Heating oil prices? That’s right! As Ralph Cramden would say “To the moon, Alice!”

It’s time to tell the environmentalists to get lost.

While I understand the importance of preserving and protecting the environment, the poorest in our country and ultimately around the world, can’t afford the regulations foisted upon American businesses.

The Alaskan Pipeline was to be the “death knell” to Caribou and Elk along the affected line. Did that happen? No. Both species are thriving. Why? The pipeline helps to keep the area warmer which ultimately aides in the procreation of these wonderful animals. The numbers of these animals have quadrupled instead of waned as was predicted.

Regulations can be placed on the new drilling structures that will ensure that the environment is protected. So before gasoline is $7-10 per gallon because Al Quaeda decides to cripple the world economy by blowing something up, we need to drill here and drill now.

hilarysiegel:

(via mikehudack:ilovecharts:anabiznich)

The problem with the above cartoon is that the premise is flawed. A 40% tax rate on the upper classes does not Socialism make. It’s the redistribution of funds that makes Socialism.

It relies on the belief that everyone is entitled to the spoils of their neighbors. They are not. Look at it this way…

If you were held up at gun point and the bad guy got away with $200, you would consider him a thief. If he takes your money and gives it to a homeless family, is he any less a thief? No.

No matter the altruistic intentions, stealing is indeed stealing. Every minute of your life is yours, period. If someone decides arbitrarily that you have too much and wants to give your “extra” to someone else, they are stealing the time out of your life you used to earn that extra. They are stealing your life and it is wrong. End of story!

It’s also interesting to note that when the tax rate was 28%, revenues to the government doubled in part because the economy doubled. Funny how that works isn’t it? Allow more money to stay in the economy and it grows… Interesting…

Tom Brokaw needs to stop!

I watched about 30 seconds of the Tom Brokaw show on USA network. I watched him breathlessly speak with some folks about their current situation. “These people walk a fine line every day. They live without health insurance. ‘Do you have insurance?’ he asked, ‘No sir we don’t,’ replied the man.”

Very captivating stuff right? Of course after about 15 seconds I’m yelling at the TV… <pointing at the woman in bed> “You weigh 400 lbs! You don’t have money for health care but you can eat yourself into morbid obesity?” <pointing at the husband/boyfriend — after all, who knows right?> “You have tattoos all over your body! They go all the way up to your neck! You can spend money on tattoos but not health insurance? And you want me to foot the bill for you!?!?!”

By this time, my lovely wife comes in and turns off the television. I don’t blame her really, when I yell it can be pretty scary. I can not believe the gall that some people have. I mean really! Everyone chooses to live their lives the way they want to. I have no problem with that. After all, I want to live my life without anyone telling me what to do. But come on people! How is it that you can live your life the way you want and THEN have the nerve to come tell me that I have to put into a system so that YOU can access health care when you clearly are making the decision to opt out?

People making bad decisions does not an emergency make for me. It sounds callous and it probably is. After all we should all work together to make the place better right? Doesn’t that assume that everyone works for the common goal of making it better?

The basic premise of socialism is that everyone works and puts into a pool for the “common good,” correct? The primary flaw of socialism is that once people figure out that they don’t have to work as hard to get the benefits, they won’t. Human beings like every other organism on the planet will take the path of least resistance. They will work to get the greatest amount for the least amount of effort. That is common throughout the universe; or the world since we don’t really know how ET would do it.

Think about it for a minute. You want a boat or car or motorcycle. You will give the least amount of effort to achieve your goal. That doesn’t mean you’d give up. It means that if you have to work 3 jobs and that represents little effort for you, that is what you will do. Everyone will do what they feel the effort is “worth.” For me, I would do that if I had the time. I easily put in 50+ hours each week and receive commensurate compensation. In order for me to have what I have, I could have easily gone to college and had an easier life. I didn’t. Myl life and I have to live with it.

That does not mean, by any stretch of the imagination, that I am entitled to drive a 4 wheel drive truck and ride a Harley Davidson and own a 30’ Eliminator boat. It means that my life is not your fault. You have no say in how I live my life and therefor have no stake in it. I should not be able to go to anyone and make you pay for the life I want. Does that sound about right?

The bottom line is that we all should take ownership of our life. We should take the appropriate steps to ensure that we protect ourselves from whatever dangers there are in the world whether real or perceived. We can not and should not expect the world to provide our “pursuit of happiness.” That is for us to do and us alone as individuals. If you want to weigh 400 lbs and be tattooed head to toe, then so be it. But don’t come crying to me when you don’t have the means to provide for yourself.

Things that just make you say hmmmm?

Okay there are several things about which I find amusing. None the least of which is the seemingly disparate positions that people take on issues important to them. The overwhelmingly inanity of taking a side because it’s on the side on which you believe you are… (People who ignored the idiot Bush because he was a republican and so were they and those who think Obama hung the moon because they are democrats) Folks, it is really simple. Issues are issues. There is right and wrong. Moral and immoral. When “your side” is on the wrong side; the immoral side, step up and say something or shut the hell up!

President Obama is doing the opposite of what he said he was going to do. He is closing the health care debate to the public. Holding meetings “informally” and thus no need for coverage. A far cry from the transparent government he campaigned for, right? He has claimed while running for President, that his opponent (glad that moron didn’t get elected too!) would handle health care in “this” way and it would be bad. Exactly what he said was bad, is what he is doing! Where are the democrats on this? I don’t mean the establishment types who are going to tow the line no matter what. I am talking about everyday average American democrats who believe in helping the less fortunate. This isn’t helping them in the least.

The same argument goes for the republicans who stood idly by while the “dunce-in-chief” spent money like a drunk democrat! They said nothing. Now though, they are decrying Obama’s spending as though it’s the worst thing since the plague. Give me a break. It’s bad, don’t get me wrong. The country is on the fast track to second class status quick, fast and in a hurry! You just can’t have it both ways.

911essentials.com has a snippet that says “The right is wrong and the left is stupid.” That about sums it up for me. No one is talking about the essence of freedom any longer. Those who wish to have security in their life because they can’t be bothered to work hard and “sacrifice” (the term doesn’t really exist, but I’ll use it nonetheless) to make their own way in the world. They are relying on the force of the government to shore up their own life so that they can still have their 7 color TV’s, 4 cell phones, 3 gaming consoles and a new car. How is it that anyone can ask someone else to help ensure their quality of life? Just amazing to me.

If someone were to rob you at gunpoint and then hand the money to a homeless person or shelter, or animal rights organization or a church, would they be any less a thief? No matter what the moral position is, stealing is stealing. Taking from those who have and giving to those who don’t while altruistic and at least on the surface moral, in nothing less than legal theft. It sets a dangerous precedent if we allow someone to steal on our behalf because we don’t or won’t handle our own affairs proportionally.