Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
RESPONSIBILITY
Random thoughts from Thomas Sowell:
I've been complaining of this ever since my son was in middle school - nearly 30 years ago. It's gotten steadily worse.
We seem to be moving steadily in the direction of a society where no one is responsible for what he himself did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did, either in the present or in the past.
I've been complaining of this ever since my son was in middle school - nearly 30 years ago. It's gotten steadily worse.
Monday, May 25, 2009
BIG-ASSED FAN
The only problem I can see with such a big (6-24 foot diameter) fan is the need for a really big room to fit around it.
Via Instapundit.
WHY TRUST THE MEDIA?
Edmund Andrews has a nice sob story in the New York Times about his "personal credit crisis" - buying a home he couldn't afford.
Edmund Andrews is a Times financial reporter promoting a new book claiming to detail his personal journey through the dark underside of easy mortgages. The Times gave him space in the NY Times magazine to talk up his story and his book.
"But missing from the story is any mention of the fact that his wife has filed for personal bankruptcy not once, but twice."
So is this a story of greedy mortgage brokers or nearly fraudulent mortgage applications? The former may be newsworthy; I'm pretty sure the latter is not.
I know a lot about the curveballs that the economy can throw at us. But in 2004, I joined millions of otherwise-sane Americans in what we now know was a catastrophic binge on overpriced real estate and reckless mortgages.
Edmund Andrews is a Times financial reporter promoting a new book claiming to detail his personal journey through the dark underside of easy mortgages. The Times gave him space in the NY Times magazine to talk up his story and his book.
"But missing from the story is any mention of the fact that his wife has filed for personal bankruptcy not once, but twice."
So is this a story of greedy mortgage brokers or nearly fraudulent mortgage applications? The former may be newsworthy; I'm pretty sure the latter is not.
REMEMBERING ME ON MEMORIAL DAY
This video has received something over 27 million views on You Tube. Make it a few more.
With thanks to Gateway Pundit.
With thanks to Gateway Pundit.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
THOUGHTS ON SAFETY
Take a look at this photo.
The city safety nannies must have decided the construction fence was “unsafe” and required that a stair rail be installed for the concrete stairs (which have been there for years without a rail).
But take a careful look – in fact, two careful looks.
The rail is only in place where there are three or more steps in succession. Two or less steps don’t require a rail.
And on the other side of the fence, the construction workers’ “stairs” are simply dug out of the dirt. “Stairs” dug out of loose dirt are safe enough for them. I guess that’s because they have safety helmets and steel-toed shoes.
Another reason for limited government.
The city safety nannies must have decided the construction fence was “unsafe” and required that a stair rail be installed for the concrete stairs (which have been there for years without a rail).
But take a careful look – in fact, two careful looks.
The rail is only in place where there are three or more steps in succession. Two or less steps don’t require a rail.
And on the other side of the fence, the construction workers’ “stairs” are simply dug out of the dirt. “Stairs” dug out of loose dirt are safe enough for them. I guess that’s because they have safety helmets and steel-toed shoes.
Another reason for limited government.
TAXES, TAXES, AND MORE TAXES
“No new taxes; not one thin dime.” So spoke presidential candidate Barack Obama in September 2008: “Barack Obama and Joe Biden will cut [federal] taxes for 95% of working families, and provide at least three times as much tax relief for middle class families as John McCain and Sarah Palin.”
Instead he left it to the states to increase taxes: “Facing mounting budget deficits and seeing few areas left to cut spending, states increasingly are turning to the only option they have left: raising taxes.”
And guess who the states are passing it to?
Instead he left it to the states to increase taxes: “Facing mounting budget deficits and seeing few areas left to cut spending, states increasingly are turning to the only option they have left: raising taxes.”
And guess who the states are passing it to?
HE’S BAACK ...
Mike Baker, that is, with a review of Nancy Pelosi and her recent fabulous performance as the wronged woman in the CIA’s surprise hit musical “The Speaker’s Missing Briefs.”
Thank God for small favors ....
Thank God for small favors ....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
THE WINGNUT EXPLAINS
"Our undercover conservative answers a tough question: If socialized medicine is so awful, how come no country that's adopted nationalized healthcare has ever gotten rid of it?"
Right. Dead people can’t vote no.
"It's a bit perverse," the American think tank director added, "but if the system treated everyone worse but didn't kill anyone, there would be a lot more pressure from voters seeking reform."
"The fact is that the system [nationalized healthcare] kills quite a lot of people -- but that's still only a tiny percentage of the overall population -- so it reduces the pool of people who are dissatisfied," she said.
Right. Dead people can’t vote no.
DOESN’T CONGRESS HAVE SOMETHING BETTER TO DO?
Good news! Responsible credit card users to subsidize deadbeats.
"Congress is moving to limit the penalties on riskier borrowers, who have become a prime source of billions of dollars in fee revenue for the industry. And to make up for lost income, the card companies are going after those people with sterling credit."
"Banks are expected to look at reviving annual fees, curtailing cash-back and other rewards programs and charging interest immediately on a purchase instead of allowing a grace period of weeks."
So now I’m going to get to pay the deadbeats’ credit card bills ....
For God’s sake, Congress, please stop helping. Take a vacation. Go on a junket. Watch Oprah. Just don’t vote.
"Congress is moving to limit the penalties on riskier borrowers, who have become a prime source of billions of dollars in fee revenue for the industry. And to make up for lost income, the card companies are going after those people with sterling credit."
"Banks are expected to look at reviving annual fees, curtailing cash-back and other rewards programs and charging interest immediately on a purchase instead of allowing a grace period of weeks."
So now I’m going to get to pay the deadbeats’ credit card bills ....
For God’s sake, Congress, please stop helping. Take a vacation. Go on a junket. Watch Oprah. Just don’t vote.
OVERTAXED AND UNDERWORKED
The average state government worker makes $50,350. The average private sector worker makes $43,889.
And we wonder why taxes are too high?
And we wonder why taxes are too high?
ELECTION RECOMMENDATIONS
Found on Michelle Malkin’s comments page ...
Hangfire: “I think all of the U.S. House and Senate should wear NASCAR-type uniforms, with stickers and patches showing who their ‘sponsors’ are.”
b-cat: “That’s brilliant! Then we can reelect them based on brand loyalty, which is more to recommend them than we have now.”
Truesoldier: “I dont think there would be enough room.”
walterc: “But there’s all that room on the limos and airplanes for stickers also.”
The only thing I would add would be to insist that the stickers/patches have the contribution amounts prominently displayed.
Hangfire: “I think all of the U.S. House and Senate should wear NASCAR-type uniforms, with stickers and patches showing who their ‘sponsors’ are.”
b-cat: “That’s brilliant! Then we can reelect them based on brand loyalty, which is more to recommend them than we have now.”
Truesoldier: “I dont think there would be enough room.”
walterc: “But there’s all that room on the limos and airplanes for stickers also.”
The only thing I would add would be to insist that the stickers/patches have the contribution amounts prominently displayed.
MIND-NUMBINGLY STUPID
”With two of Detroit's Big Three automakers no longer able to resist, the Obama White House will announce sped-up fuel economy standards that will require all auto-makers, including Detroit's foreign competitors, to increase fleet fuel efficiency by 5 percent per year starting in 2012. The new rules will require a fleet fuel efficiency standard of 35.5 miles per gallon by model year 2016, a big jump from the 2009 model year requirement of 25 mpg.”
I simply don’t get it. The U.S. is in a recession, two of the three U.S. automakers are in bankruptcy, new car dealerships are being closed right and left; and the solution is to force production of cars that people don’t seem to want (at least judging from the number of vans and SUVs on the road)?
Over at Don Surber’s place, commenter alanstorm nailed my reaction:
If I was trying to destroy the U.S. economy, this is exactly how I would go about it.
I simply don’t get it. The U.S. is in a recession, two of the three U.S. automakers are in bankruptcy, new car dealerships are being closed right and left; and the solution is to force production of cars that people don’t seem to want (at least judging from the number of vans and SUVs on the road)?
Over at Don Surber’s place, commenter alanstorm nailed my reaction:
Carol Browner was on TV early this morning, claiming that this would force automakers to “produce the cars Americans want”. My jaw ’bout hit the floor. Can she really be so mind-numbingly stupid? (I find myself thinking that a lot these days)
My DOGS are smarter than that - and they’re not that swift.
If I was trying to destroy the U.S. economy, this is exactly how I would go about it.
WHERE’S MY VIOLIN?
My personal credit crisis. While I appreciate his candor, my sympathy meter hovers at zero.
Via Megan McArdle, who writes:
Now I like Megan McArdle. She’s intelligent, and an excellent writer.
But. What she writes about was called “keeping up with the Joneses” in my time. I did my time living paycheck-to-paycheck, squirreling away enough money away to (hopefully) retire reasonably comfortably instead of “keeping up”, and I don’t like being taxed to death to pay for those who weren’t willing to live within their means.
The sympathy meter is still hovering around zero.
Via Megan McArdle, who writes:
[For writers] this is what David Brooks calls "status-income disequilibrium" .... Everyone you write about makes more than you. Most of the people you know make more than you. And you come to feel that shopping at the farmer's market, travelling to Europe, drinking good coffee, are minimum necessities. Your house is small, your furniture is shabby, and you can't even really afford to shop at Whole Foods. Yet you're at the top of your field, working for one of the world's top media outlets. This can't be so.
And so the debts creep up, one happy hour or Colorado backpacking adventure at a time.
Now I like Megan McArdle. She’s intelligent, and an excellent writer.
But. What she writes about was called “keeping up with the Joneses” in my time. I did my time living paycheck-to-paycheck, squirreling away enough money away to (hopefully) retire reasonably comfortably instead of “keeping up”, and I don’t like being taxed to death to pay for those who weren’t willing to live within their means.
The sympathy meter is still hovering around zero.
GOING GOLISANO
Billionaire B. Thomas Golisano decides to save nearly $14,000 a day in state income taxes by moving from Rochester, N.Y., to Naples, Fla.
Blue states are chasing folks out according to the Wall Street Journal.
Capital and people are mobile. Abuse them and they will move - to Texas, Florida, and other states without income taxes.
Blue states are chasing folks out according to the Wall Street Journal.
Capital and people are mobile. Abuse them and they will move - to Texas, Florida, and other states without income taxes.
GUN CONTROL?
The Washington Post editorializes on gun laws.
Clayton Cramer, a Second Amendment historian, responds that it isn’t a Second Amendment issue.
For Cramer’s personal story, go here.
IN THE PAST few months, some 50 people have been slaughtered in the United States in mass attacks involving firearms. Police officers in Oakland, Calif., and Pittsburgh were mowed down by gunmen using assault weapons.
Asked at that news conference whether he planned to keep his campaign promise to reinstate a U.S. ban on assault weapons, Mr. Obama said he still supports the measure. He then proceeded to ease away from the promise by arguing that enacting such a ban would not be easy ....
Clayton Cramer, a Second Amendment historian, responds that it isn’t a Second Amendment issue.
Mentally ill homeless people wander big city streets, unless they freeze to death, or die of tuberculosis, or of violent crime. A small fraction of them become headlines when they go on a rampage, as happened in Binghamton, N.Y., in Colorado Springs, in an Amish school last year, and dozens of other tragedies the last few years.
We can make all of America like a mental hospital, where we don't trust anyone with anything dangerous. Or we can hospitalize those who are severely mentally ill--before they become a headline.
For Cramer’s personal story, go here.
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