This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Who knows

  • Rationality in Spades

    These are possibly the 5 best sentences you’ll ever read
    1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

    2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

    3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

    4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

    5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

    Someone sent me this. I simply can’t find any argument with the ideas.

    There IS merit in striving to negate each idea, mind you, but the simple truth is that none of them works in real life… if you need to read about the failures then you won’t get it.

     

  • Ruminations on Sheep

    Been invested in The New Forum for the last few days…

    But someone over there stirred up a thought.

    Here’s a point of reference (thanks Matt): Sheep.

    There’s a flaw in the good Colonel’s paradigm that I have been ignoring; in  the real world the sheep control the purse strings!

    I’m sure most of you have seen his observation and were certain he was talking about YOU?

    I certainly did. Mind you his observations are ‘right on’, but I’ve read, and re-read his words with a certain glee until today.

    Sheep don’t vote on what Sheep Dog saves them!

  • Strange Bedfellows?

    Senators move to authorize Libya mission

    Sen. John F. Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat, who is Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, and Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, who is the ranking GOP member on the Senate Armed Services Committee — and, coincidentally, the last two losing presidential nominees — are co-sponsoring the resolution, which would grant Mr. Obama “limited” authorization to continue using force.

    A curious development, to be sure. The House seems to be  moving, however slowly, to cut off funds for the non-hostilities in Libya while at the same time these two are attempting an end run.

    I don’t understand the reasoning behind this move at all.

    “This is not a blank check for the president. This resolution authorizes the limited use of American forces in a supporting role,” Mr. Kerry said in a floor speech to the Senate. “It says specifically that the Senate does not support the use of ground troops in Libya. And it authorizes this limited use of American forces for a limited duration — it would expire in a year.”

    The White House has rather pointedly gone to great lengths to avoid even dealing with Congress and now this?

    The White House has not actually sought congressional approval but repeatedly has said it would “welcome” it if Congress acted, and has pointed to Mr. Kerry’s resolution as a good step.

    Sure! “I don’t much care what you think, but if you want to agree with me that’s a good step.” The Great Unwashed will never understand anyway.

  • The CINC Knows Best

    The 1973 War Powers Resolution was passed during the era of the Vietnam War to set out the powers of the president and Congress regarding U.S. military actions. It prohibits U.S. armed forces from being involved in military actions for more than 60 days without congressional authorization.

    It seem that there actually has been some discussion about the “Kinetic Military Action” ongoing in Libya.

    President Obama rejected the views of top lawyers at the Pentagon and the Justice Department when he decided that he had the legal authority to continue American military participation in the air war in Libya without Congressional authorization, according to officials familiar with internal administration deliberations.

    One quote struck me in particular:

    “It should come as no surprise that there would be some disagreements, even within an administration, regarding the application of a statute that is nearly 40 years old to a unique and evolving conflict,” Mr. Schultz said. “Those disagreements are ordinary and healthy.”

    Damn them old laws!

    If simply calling something “unique and evolving” means an old law doesn’t apply is that The Benchmark now?

    I won’t argue that there aren’t archaic and outdated laws on the books here and there, but this standard is more than a little troubling. The 21st century is unique and evolving compared to back around 1776.

  • What could go wrong?

    TSA conducting security exercise

    The exercise will cover approximately 5,000 square miles throughout Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. The participating teams are composed of a variety of TSA assets including federal air marshals, canine teams, inspectors and bomb appraisal officers. They will be joined by state and local law enforcement officials to supplement existing resources, provide detection and response capabilities. The exercise will utilize multiple airborne assets, including Blackhawk helicopters and fixed wing aircraft as well as waterborne and surface teams.

    “The exercise not only enhances security throughout the region; it gives TSA and our security partners the opportunity to work cooperatively,” said TSA Columbus Federal Security Director Donald Barker. “This work increases our preparedness to respond in case of an emergency.”

    I have NO IDEA why the TSA is doing this exercise? Maybe at a seaport, or an airport, but THREE states?

    This is enough to overwork my inner paranoid.

  • Cadet pounded by Patti LaBelle’s body guard

    Three people have sent me a link to this story about a West Point cadet, Richard C. King, 23, a senior at the U.S. Military Academy, having his ass handed to him by Patti LaBelle’s body guards.
    I saw the article and the video last week;

    I know everyone is upset because he’s a cadet, but, like a typical cadet, he was wandering around preoccupied with something other than walking around. When the body guard pushed him, King pushed the guy back – probably not something I’d not do to someone twice my size, especially if I wasn’t sure why.

    Obviously, the guards or Patti LaBelle didn’t pick on him because he is a cadet or because he’s a football star, or because of anything else. He was just not very aware of his surroundings because he had that idiot box glued to his ear yammering about his favorite lace panties or something.

    So flame me if I don’t take the cadet’s side.