In order to use some different features and make my fancy new map fit right, Random Rambling has been renamed and moved to a new location - here
I know some of you have just updated your links .. sorry about that (poor timing is one of my super powers).
Thanks for linking me up btw and I hope y'all will keep stopping by.
Those of you linked to the MENTOR LIST will find the new and improved version here.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Rule #37
I was thinking a bit about "what if": what if someone tries to take our guns?
Booze was outlawed and people found a way. Drugs are outlawed and people find a way. Are they going to do away with our tools and workbenches? If not, I'm thinking someone will find a way.
This is what people come up with as hobbies.... unite the gunnies, machinists, and engineers and you're gonna have your hands full.
Doc's Machine
Crazy ideas and beer go together like crackerjacks and little prizes.
(There's one at the bottom of each can)
Here’s a tiny bit of a LawDog story
[all 6 parts are listed here :The Ratel Saga]
Some folks are even growing their own ammo... lead free, vegetarian ammo.
Punkin' Chunkin'
Home grown - Made in the USA
Booze was outlawed and people found a way. Drugs are outlawed and people find a way. Are they going to do away with our tools and workbenches? If not, I'm thinking someone will find a way.
This is what people come up with as hobbies.... unite the gunnies, machinists, and engineers and you're gonna have your hands full.
Doc's Machine
Crazy ideas and beer go together like crackerjacks and little prizes.
(There's one at the bottom of each can)
Here’s a tiny bit of a LawDog story
[all 6 parts are listed here :The Ratel Saga]
…Chris and I constructed a trebuchet out of 2 X 4 timbers and a bucket of concrete which flung croquet balls an impressive distance, for all that it stood about four feet tall.
Our efforts and subsequent activities were watched with great interest by the horde of not-quite-drunk-yet engineers who were more-or-less permanently encamped at our house.
Whom, once Chris and I decided to upgrade our trebuchet, began to give us advice. And maybe some guidance. A little oversight. And a lent paw here-and-there.
Of course, they wound up taking over.
Not that we minded so much -- especially after someone fired up the arc welder….
Some folks are even growing their own ammo... lead free, vegetarian ammo.
Punkin' Chunkin'
Home grown - Made in the USA
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
empty suit
via Moral Compass
'nuff said ?
Written by Dr. Jack Wheeler
'The O-man, Barack Hussein Obama, is an eloquently tailored empty suit. No resume, no accomplishments, no experience, no original ideas, no understanding of how the economy works, no understanding of how the world works, nothing but abstract empty rhetoric devoid of real substance.'
'nuff said ?
Monday, September 1, 2008
small state
I've heard some people on the idiot box talking about how Gov. Palin is unqualified to be VP Palin due to the fact she was Gov. of a small state.
m'kay... we'll go ahead and figure they are talking about population rather than acreage.
so [via wikipedia cuz I'm too lazy to find a better source]
ok so the part of our government which is based on the state's pop. for representation is the House. AK and DE both get 1 REP. ... count it 1 seat.. so the US government measures their population as equal.
m'kay then 864,764 - 683,478 = 181,286 and the US pop is a bit over 300million
if my math is right 181k is roughly equal to 0.06% of the nation's population.
that's um like HUGE.
oh yeah .. people in Alaska make more money per year too....
fyi Wyoming is listed at 52... behind Washington D.C (51) and Puerto Rico (27)
Wikipedia list of states & territories by pop
m'kay... we'll go ahead and figure they are talking about population rather than acreage.
so [via wikipedia cuz I'm too lazy to find a better source]
| Delaware Population Ranked 45th in the US - Total 864,764 (2007 est.) - Density 442.6/sq mi 170.87/km² (Ranked 6th in the US) - Median income $50,152 (12th) | Alaska Population Ranked 47th in the US - Total 683,478 (2007 est.) - Density 1.2/sq mi 0.46/km² (Ranked 50th in the US) - Median income US$54,627 (6th) |
ok so the part of our government which is based on the state's pop. for representation is the House. AK and DE both get 1 REP. ... count it 1 seat.. so the US government measures their population as equal.
m'kay then 864,764 - 683,478 = 181,286 and the US pop is a bit over 300million
if my math is right 181k is roughly equal to 0.06% of the nation's population.
that's um like HUGE.
oh yeah .. people in Alaska make more money per year too....
fyi Wyoming is listed at 52... behind Washington D.C (51) and Puerto Rico (27)
Wikipedia list of states & territories by pop
just one thing
I've been pacing around the house for a couple months now with an idea just kinda bouncing around in my noggin'.
I don't know anyone .. I mean personally, (met, shook hands with, saw with my own eyes, etc), who plans to vote for Obama/Biden.
I could go on about what I think of McCain/Palin but I've got nothing new. I'd just be re-posting the same stuff. And I suspect, on my site, I'm probably preaching to the choir anyway.
So, I'm tossing out a lil' challenge. If you know someone (or know someone who does) planning to vote for Obama send 'em here. I would like to know 1 good reason, just one, to vote Obama.
Now I mean a good reason. He's a politician and if his mouth is open he's lyin. So don't spend your time typing in some poop that came out of his mouth. The only way to predict what WILL happen is to look at the record and see what HAS. I can look at any encyclopedia and find me a quick dozen politicians who didn't come through on their promises after the ballots were tallied. Don't waste my time with that crap. Look at the record and tell me something Obama's done that's good for us.
WHAT HAS HE DONE?
just one thing.
waiting.....................
oh yeah, don't gimme any junk about how a vote for Obama is a vote against Bush either.
NEWS FLASH -BUSH AIN'T RUNNIN'
I don't know anyone .. I mean personally, (met, shook hands with, saw with my own eyes, etc), who plans to vote for Obama/Biden.
I could go on about what I think of McCain/Palin but I've got nothing new. I'd just be re-posting the same stuff. And I suspect, on my site, I'm probably preaching to the choir anyway.
So, I'm tossing out a lil' challenge. If you know someone (or know someone who does) planning to vote for Obama send 'em here. I would like to know 1 good reason, just one, to vote Obama.
Now I mean a good reason. He's a politician and if his mouth is open he's lyin. So don't spend your time typing in some poop that came out of his mouth. The only way to predict what WILL happen is to look at the record and see what HAS. I can look at any encyclopedia and find me a quick dozen politicians who didn't come through on their promises after the ballots were tallied. Don't waste my time with that crap. Look at the record and tell me something Obama's done that's good for us.
WHAT HAS HE DONE?
just one thing.
waiting.....................
oh yeah, don't gimme any junk about how a vote for Obama is a vote against Bush either.
NEWS FLASH -BUSH AIN'T RUNNIN'
I want a bona fide positive reason to vote FOR him, not some negative crap about someone else.
Friday, August 29, 2008
good discussion
There's a thought provoking discussion going in the comment section over here:
Monster Hunter Nation -- politics-makes-my-brain-hurt
It's nice to see intelligent people can disagree without insulting each other.
Monster Hunter Nation -- politics-makes-my-brain-hurt
It's nice to see intelligent people can disagree without insulting each other.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
working class politicians
some nice lil tidbits from www.senate.gov
on a personal note, their raise will be approximately equal to my income for 6 months.
Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. Prior to 1969, Congress did so by enacting stand-alone legislation. From 1789 through 1968, Congress raised its pay 22 times using this procedure. Congressional salaries initially were $1,500. By 1968, they had risen to $30,000. Stand-alone legislation may still be used to raise Member pay, as it was most recently in 1982, 1983, 1989, and 1991, but two other methods — including an automatic annual adjustment procedure and a commission process — are now also available.no one ... and I mean NO ONE who makes 169k / year understands the working class American citizen.
Under the annual adjustment procedure, Members are scheduled to receive a 2.8% adjustment in January 2009. Members originally were scheduled to receive a 2.7% increase in January 2008. The increase was revised to 2.5%, resulting in a salary in 2008 of $169,300, to match the percent increase in the base pay of General Schedule (GS) employees. By law, Members may not receive an increase greater than the increase in the base pay of GS employees. Congress voted to deny the scheduled January 2007 adjustment. Members previously received a pay increase (1.9%) in January 2006, increasing their salary to the rate of $165,200.[emphasis mine]
now 174,000 - 169,000 = 5,000Projected January 2009 Member Pay Increase of 2.8%Under the formula established in the Ethics Reform Act, Members may receive a pay adjustment in January 2009 of 2.8%. This adjustment — if not revised by Congress or constrained by provisions of the Ethics Reform Act related to the pay increase for General Schedule employees — would increase salaries for Members of Congress to $174,000.
on a personal note, their raise will be approximately equal to my income for 6 months.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Rookie Evolution & the Buddy System
I don't really have mastery of the gun hobbyist vocabulary yet so I listen more than I talk.
I walked into the local Cabela's a few months back and stood near the gun counter for a while watching and listening. I soaked up a full load of new info and decided I'd take a break to mull over some concepts and ideas, so I strolled up to the deli for a snack. A while later I had all my questions lined up and went back to the gun counter to select a victim. After about 4 questions he got tired of me and passed me off to a coworker with a higher level of newbie skills.
All in all not a bad day. I got 2 cards and some contact info for basic handgun classes, concealed carry instructors & local ranges; some good poop on eye/ear safety (you may shoot different stuff over time, but you'll always need eye and ear protection, so quality gear is a good investment); and the standard allotment of personal preference advice about caliber and ammo.
Being new to the shooter scene is a lot like being in a foreign country. It's hard to put your questions into a form people can understand when you don't have a good working vocabulary of the local lingo. It slows my learning curve that I'm not good with nomenclature; if someone says "I just bought a glock 29", I hear "I just bought a handgun". So a good bit of the info shooters send my way goes right over my head. But I'm learning. Having lotsa free time to do research helps.
Now several months later; I've been to a couple local gun shows, visited online with a couple gun-bloggers, chatted up some of the guys behind the counter at the local ranges and gun shops and managed to spend some $$. But as I'm still not part of the 'in crowd' or a bona fide regular customer, I still get that 'new kid' feeling when I walk into a serious firearm environment.
During my Army years I bounced around a lot and usually there was someone assigned to meet the newbie at the airport and show him the ropes. The buddy system works; adjusting to the new place is waaaay easier with a buddy. I didn't realize how much of a difference it makes until I showed up at a new duty station and there was no assigned buddy. Lucky for me it was west Texas and the first guy I ran into was bored and a vet. Needless to say, when it was my turn to be the assigned buddy, I took the duty seriously.
In the interest of fighting firearm ignorance, and easing first timers into the environment while minimizing the social stress, I thought about the old army buddy system. Wouldn't it be easier if you had a buddy to show you the ropes; range rules, driving directions, how to avoid range rush-hour, someone to introduce you and keep you from making too many of those embarrassing rookie mistakes?
During my web-wanderings I've run across a few bloggers who have open invites for first timers to come out and shoot. Some offering to supply everything; targets, ammo, a variety of firearms, etc.
idea: lets make a list and get all the info in one place.
so
I started with the handful of volunteer bloggers and an outdated link list I found where someone had already started the same project. I sent out a few emails and the replies started coming back. I added a MENTOR section to my sidebar and replied with vague promises of future creativity and sophistication for the upcoming versions.
I was hoping for a dozen; so far I have more than half that and it's only been a couple weeks. If I can keep up with it we might have something. I suspect a great number of the anti-gunners are motivated by fear of the unknown. If we can educate them 1 at a time by making sure their initial experience is fun and informative and SAFE; we stand a chance.
I've seen people get turned off by bad initial experiences with dogs, motorcycles, sushi, and half a dozen other things. I hope we can make your first range visit a good one.
I walked into the local Cabela's a few months back and stood near the gun counter for a while watching and listening. I soaked up a full load of new info and decided I'd take a break to mull over some concepts and ideas, so I strolled up to the deli for a snack. A while later I had all my questions lined up and went back to the gun counter to select a victim. After about 4 questions he got tired of me and passed me off to a coworker with a higher level of newbie skills.
All in all not a bad day. I got 2 cards and some contact info for basic handgun classes, concealed carry instructors & local ranges; some good poop on eye/ear safety (you may shoot different stuff over time, but you'll always need eye and ear protection, so quality gear is a good investment); and the standard allotment of personal preference advice about caliber and ammo.
Being new to the shooter scene is a lot like being in a foreign country. It's hard to put your questions into a form people can understand when you don't have a good working vocabulary of the local lingo. It slows my learning curve that I'm not good with nomenclature; if someone says "I just bought a glock 29", I hear "I just bought a handgun". So a good bit of the info shooters send my way goes right over my head. But I'm learning. Having lotsa free time to do research helps.
Now several months later; I've been to a couple local gun shows, visited online with a couple gun-bloggers, chatted up some of the guys behind the counter at the local ranges and gun shops and managed to spend some $$. But as I'm still not part of the 'in crowd' or a bona fide regular customer, I still get that 'new kid' feeling when I walk into a serious firearm environment.
During my Army years I bounced around a lot and usually there was someone assigned to meet the newbie at the airport and show him the ropes. The buddy system works; adjusting to the new place is waaaay easier with a buddy. I didn't realize how much of a difference it makes until I showed up at a new duty station and there was no assigned buddy. Lucky for me it was west Texas and the first guy I ran into was bored and a vet. Needless to say, when it was my turn to be the assigned buddy, I took the duty seriously.
In the interest of fighting firearm ignorance, and easing first timers into the environment while minimizing the social stress, I thought about the old army buddy system. Wouldn't it be easier if you had a buddy to show you the ropes; range rules, driving directions, how to avoid range rush-hour, someone to introduce you and keep you from making too many of those embarrassing rookie mistakes?
During my web-wanderings I've run across a few bloggers who have open invites for first timers to come out and shoot. Some offering to supply everything; targets, ammo, a variety of firearms, etc.
idea: lets make a list and get all the info in one place.
so
I started with the handful of volunteer bloggers and an outdated link list I found where someone had already started the same project. I sent out a few emails and the replies started coming back. I added a MENTOR section to my sidebar and replied with vague promises of future creativity and sophistication for the upcoming versions.
I was hoping for a dozen; so far I have more than half that and it's only been a couple weeks. If I can keep up with it we might have something. I suspect a great number of the anti-gunners are motivated by fear of the unknown. If we can educate them 1 at a time by making sure their initial experience is fun and informative and SAFE; we stand a chance.
I've seen people get turned off by bad initial experiences with dogs, motorcycles, sushi, and half a dozen other things. I hope we can make your first range visit a good one.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
it figures .....
if you page down you can see a really super happy sugar coated yummy review of the Apple Tech support service
I called them today about a couple small issues with the latest software update and a guy named Mohamed picked up the phone ......
sigh
I called them today about a couple small issues with the latest software update and a guy named Mohamed picked up the phone ......
sigh
not allowed to be good ?
from ESPN
9-year-old boy told he's too good to pitch
no kid left behind was bad enough, now you're not allowed to excel ?
Give. Me. A. Break.
Words fail me. My brain is stuck on the fact some people think this is right.
9-year-old boy told he's too good to pitch
no kid left behind was bad enough, now you're not allowed to excel ?
Give. Me. A. Break.
Words fail me. My brain is stuck on the fact some people think this is right.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
apple a day...
I recently took the plunge and bought a cell phone. Not just any cell phone, I went full out and got the I-Phone. I-Phone is the Leatherman of phones imho.
**Note: at the time of my purchase the I-Phone came bundled with AT&T phone plan. No optional providers.
I got:
-watch
-alarm clock with multiple alarms
-portable internet/maps/weather
-camera
-remote email/addressbook
-ipod/music
-movies
-text
-notepad
-rollover minutes
ok, ok. Other brands will do some of that stuff too. Plus, the 'jack of all trades master of none' rule applies to things like the camera which doesn't really dazzle a true photographer; but it meets MY needs pretty well.
Blissful harmony for about 10 days. ATTN: I-Phone is not gravity or impact resistant.
Much sadness.
I-Phone #2 was not from this reality. It was from our ANTI-REALITY. Everything #1 did #2 didn't do.
Sadness x2
#3 fell someplace in the middle. I got it after a trip acrooooooosssss the metro area to the only Apple store around. It didn't cost me anything; they tested #2 and handed me #3 after about an hour.
About 3 weeks ago #3's battery went T-U (military term) and decided not to hold a charge.
sigh, additional sadness, and I picked up the land-line to call support once again.
**Note: I spout off about what I think or believe a lot. I try to keep my mouth shut when the topic is something I don't know well. I have worked tech support, in person, over the counter, over the phone, via chat, for the military, for civilians. I know a bit about good tech support and bad tech support.
So far, I can complain about the consistency of the product (I-phone).
I can complain (and did, loudly and often) about the local AT&T store that sold me the original product and accessories.
I can complain about AT&T customer service, phone support, billing, website etc.
I can complain about the line at the local Apple store and the traffic to and from said store.
However, Apple tech/phone/customer service support is FREAKIN' AWESOME!
I'm never on hold more than a few minutes. By 'few' I mean a SINGLE DIGIT number.
I always get a REAL PERSON.
I always get someone who speaks ENGLISH and if they have any accent at all its an accent FROM THE USA.
I don't get treated like I'm an idiot.
They are POLITE and RESPECTFUL.
They LISTEN.
They are KNOWLEDGEABLE.
They talk WITH you instead of AT you.
I have changed phones 3 times and have had ZERO data loss.
I could go on, but I don't want to gush at a level that destroys credibility.
btw, #4 is on site and working well.
total down time:
7/31 1150pm (2350 if you prefer) -- 15 min phone call
8/1 am -- Fed Ex shipping box delivery attempt (I was at the doc so I missed it)
8/4 am -- Fed Ex shipping box arrived
8/6 -- packed up #3 / applied label / dropped at Fed Ex shipping center
8/7 7:15 am -- email notification of #3's arrival at service center
8/7 5pm (yeah, same day) -- email notification #4 packed and issued a shipping # by Fed Ex.
8/8 #4 in hand. (no charge)
**hats off to Fed Ex, I think the package spent more time on my desk than it did in their trucks.
8 days. Including:1 Saturday, 1 Sunday and the 3 days I farted around packing up #3. that's unreal.
oh yeah, and Apple called AT&T .. got my monthy phone bill pro-rated for the outage time....
Suffice to say THIS IS THE WAY CUSTOMER SERVICE TECH SUPPORT IS MEANT TO BE DONE.
**Note: at the time of my purchase the I-Phone came bundled with AT&T phone plan. No optional providers.
I got:
-watch
-alarm clock with multiple alarms
-portable internet/maps/weather
-camera
-remote email/addressbook
-ipod/music
-movies
-text
-notepad
-rollover minutes
ok, ok. Other brands will do some of that stuff too. Plus, the 'jack of all trades master of none' rule applies to things like the camera which doesn't really dazzle a true photographer; but it meets MY needs pretty well.
Blissful harmony for about 10 days. ATTN: I-Phone is not gravity or impact resistant.
Much sadness.
I-Phone #2 was not from this reality. It was from our ANTI-REALITY. Everything #1 did #2 didn't do.
Sadness x2
#3 fell someplace in the middle. I got it after a trip acrooooooosssss the metro area to the only Apple store around. It didn't cost me anything; they tested #2 and handed me #3 after about an hour.
About 3 weeks ago #3's battery went T-U (military term) and decided not to hold a charge.
sigh, additional sadness, and I picked up the land-line to call support once again.
**Note: I spout off about what I think or believe a lot. I try to keep my mouth shut when the topic is something I don't know well. I have worked tech support, in person, over the counter, over the phone, via chat, for the military, for civilians. I know a bit about good tech support and bad tech support.
So far, I can complain about the consistency of the product (I-phone).
I can complain (and did, loudly and often) about the local AT&T store that sold me the original product and accessories.
I can complain about AT&T customer service, phone support, billing, website etc.
I can complain about the line at the local Apple store and the traffic to and from said store.
However, Apple tech/phone/customer service support is FREAKIN' AWESOME!
I'm never on hold more than a few minutes. By 'few' I mean a SINGLE DIGIT number.
I always get a REAL PERSON.
I always get someone who speaks ENGLISH and if they have any accent at all its an accent FROM THE USA.
I don't get treated like I'm an idiot.
They are POLITE and RESPECTFUL.
They LISTEN.
They are KNOWLEDGEABLE.
They talk WITH you instead of AT you.
I have changed phones 3 times and have had ZERO data loss.
I could go on, but I don't want to gush at a level that destroys credibility.
btw, #4 is on site and working well.
total down time:
7/31 1150pm (2350 if you prefer) -- 15 min phone call
8/1 am -- Fed Ex shipping box delivery attempt (I was at the doc so I missed it)
8/4 am -- Fed Ex shipping box arrived
8/6 -- packed up #3 / applied label / dropped at Fed Ex shipping center
8/7 7:15 am -- email notification of #3's arrival at service center
8/7 5pm (yeah, same day) -- email notification #4 packed and issued a shipping # by Fed Ex.
8/8 #4 in hand. (no charge)
**hats off to Fed Ex, I think the package spent more time on my desk than it did in their trucks.
8 days. Including:1 Saturday, 1 Sunday and the 3 days I farted around packing up #3. that's unreal.
oh yeah, and Apple called AT&T .. got my monthy phone bill pro-rated for the outage time....
Suffice to say THIS IS THE WAY CUSTOMER SERVICE TECH SUPPORT IS MEANT TO BE DONE.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
range visit
Went down to the JCSSA range today. It was much closer and easier to find than I had anticipated. Which means I can go more often (if they let me join someday).
Arrived just as they were starting to finish up the competition for the day. Which means everyone had their range fix and were pretty much standing around/packing up. Ideal for the rookie to strike up conversations and soak up info.
Picked up some basic club info, read the range rules, met a few of the regulars, and got to watch a couple guys adjust the sights on some new purchases.
Today's lesson -- Binoculars are handy. Walking down range to check the target after every 3 rounds sucks bad when its 95 degrees. Sittin' in the shade is better.
Arrived just as they were starting to finish up the competition for the day. Which means everyone had their range fix and were pretty much standing around/packing up. Ideal for the rookie to strike up conversations and soak up info.
Picked up some basic club info, read the range rules, met a few of the regulars, and got to watch a couple guys adjust the sights on some new purchases.
Today's lesson -- Binoculars are handy. Walking down range to check the target after every 3 rounds sucks bad when its 95 degrees. Sittin' in the shade is better.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
word association
outage
phone call
[grumble]
AT&T
[curse]
[yell]
yahoo
[grumble]
internet 'service'
[grumblegrumble yell]
diconnect
[shout/stomp]
we've been playing this game for a week :(
phone call
[grumble]
AT&T
[curse]
[yell]
yahoo
[grumble]
internet 'service'
[grumblegrumble yell]
diconnect
[shout/stomp]
we've been playing this game for a week :(
Thursday, August 14, 2008
BlogList addition
I've been reading the stuff over at The Smallest Minority for a couple weeks now. I like what I see so I'm adding him to my BlogLinks.
I'm not the type of guy who jumps on a bandwagon, but if I had to pick a side I'd join that Minority. I read a lot of stuff and since I'm naturally contrary I can usually find a way to disagree or point out a flaw. After reading TSM posts my first reaction is: "Well, I can't say it any better than that".
I'm not the type of guy who jumps on a bandwagon, but if I had to pick a side I'd join that Minority. I read a lot of stuff and since I'm naturally contrary I can usually find a way to disagree or point out a flaw. After reading TSM posts my first reaction is: "Well, I can't say it any better than that".
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
hearing voices
Digging through my RSS feeds today I read a couple posts from different places that sorta fit together, and I heard that little click in my head as the pieces fell into place.
and then I heard my Dad's voice loud and clear:
Well today I was reading this: Jovian Thunderbolt
immediately after which I read this: CowTown Cop
I can't leave that alone...... gotta poke it ........I'll need a stick.......
word for the day: SEGUE
and then I heard my Dad's voice loud and clear:
"Leave it alone son. It's not bothering you"Now I know Dad is at least 800 miles away, but occasionally situations spark memories of my childhood and I get little verbal flashbacks. This particular memory centers around a varmint sittin' in a sunny patch, a stick and a kid [me] with no fear of getting bitten or scratched. Y'all are already laughing at me aren't ya? Dad was one to let the punishment fit the crime. He's funny that way. He figures I'm gonna get what I deserve; random varmints don't have a 3 strike justice system.
Well today I was reading this: Jovian Thunderbolt
immediately after which I read this: CowTown Cop
I can't leave that alone...... gotta poke it ........I'll need a stick.......
word for the day: SEGUE
"to make a transition from one thing to another smoothly and without interruption".... stop pokin' me DAD.
Monday, August 11, 2008
blog clock
glad i numbered those... sheesh
ironic the rant about education got out of order
i pressed the publish button at 830pm central. no clue how it got listed at 513pm
some sort of blogspot master plan
ironic the rant about education got out of order
i pressed the publish button at 830pm central. no clue how it got listed at 513pm
some sort of blogspot master plan
Laws, Safety & Freedom - Part 2
Do I think we all need formal training? Do we need driver's training or parenthood classes or firearms safety? No.
[I know half of you just heard "say again?" in your head]
What we need is a high school diploma.
If I go into the Harley dealer and throw my money on the counter, instead of asking to see a driver's license I should be able to show them my diploma.
Need a John Deere tractor? Got a diploma? yup. Sign here, come back any time Sir.
Need a Snowmobile? Chainsaw? Dynamite? Sailboat? Razor Blade? Got my diploma card right here. Sold.
OMG OMG you can't teach all that in school, there's too much to learn. shut up. I'm not done.
School (and parents) should teach how to recognize a dangerous tool when you see one. You should also get taught the ENGLISH language so you know how to READ THE F***ING INSTRUCTIONS; the one that says "Poison: do not take internally" or "Contains tobacco: May cause cancer". If you can do basic reading comprehension you should be able to buy any item you want, hazardous or not, read the label and use it at a basic level of proficiency. For advanced proficiency do some research on your own [you should learn how to do research in SCHOOL], seek out others who are proficient, to learn from, and practice.
If you are thoughtless enough to drive drunk, your ability to make decisions impacting the freedoms & rights of other citizens is suspect and as a result society has a responsibility to restrict your access to other dangerous things. Can you still buy groceries? Sure. Can you live on my street? Sure. Can you buy a car? No. You're the Mass-Transit Ranger bro. A car is a deadly weapon in the hands of a negligent driver, and you demonstrated your brain has no safety catch.
Again, we don’t need lawmakers to make more rules in an attempt to prevent stupidity from happening. We need to make the education system better. Face it friends and neighbors, stupid is gonna happen no matter what. Stupidity is a force of Nature, it’s like rain and wind.
We need less of this 'no one left behind' B.S. and a lot more 'you stay here until you learn it'. Graduating underachievers is dangerous to the public. Drivers who can't read road signs are dangerous. Parents who can't read medicine bottles are dangerous.
[I know half of you just heard "say again?" in your head]
What we need is a high school diploma.
If I go into the Harley dealer and throw my money on the counter, instead of asking to see a driver's license I should be able to show them my diploma.
Need a John Deere tractor? Got a diploma? yup. Sign here, come back any time Sir.
Need a Snowmobile? Chainsaw? Dynamite? Sailboat? Razor Blade? Got my diploma card right here. Sold.
OMG OMG you can't teach all that in school, there's too much to learn. shut up. I'm not done.
School (and parents) should teach how to recognize a dangerous tool when you see one. You should also get taught the ENGLISH language so you know how to READ THE F***ING INSTRUCTIONS; the one that says "Poison: do not take internally" or "Contains tobacco: May cause cancer". If you can do basic reading comprehension you should be able to buy any item you want, hazardous or not, read the label and use it at a basic level of proficiency. For advanced proficiency do some research on your own [you should learn how to do research in SCHOOL], seek out others who are proficient, to learn from, and practice.
If you are thoughtless enough to drive drunk, your ability to make decisions impacting the freedoms & rights of other citizens is suspect and as a result society has a responsibility to restrict your access to other dangerous things. Can you still buy groceries? Sure. Can you live on my street? Sure. Can you buy a car? No. You're the Mass-Transit Ranger bro. A car is a deadly weapon in the hands of a negligent driver, and you demonstrated your brain has no safety catch.
Again, we don’t need lawmakers to make more rules in an attempt to prevent stupidity from happening. We need to make the education system better. Face it friends and neighbors, stupid is gonna happen no matter what. Stupidity is a force of Nature, it’s like rain and wind.
We need less of this 'no one left behind' B.S. and a lot more 'you stay here until you learn it'. Graduating underachievers is dangerous to the public. Drivers who can't read road signs are dangerous. Parents who can't read medicine bottles are dangerous.
Laws, Safety & Freedom Part - 3
I happen to believe I have the right to buy any damn thing I want to buy. If I can't spend my money as I see fit, this country ceases to be classified as FREE. I have been to lots of places all over the world and while I have seen numerous items with DANGEROUS IF IMPROPERLY USED labels, I have yet to see the EVIL product line in any store.
I also happen to believe I can use my possessions in any manner I see fit unless my actions infringe on the rights of another citizen. If, through my actions, I harm others due to thoughtlessness or negligence (or intent) THEN I lose the right to purchase/use items.
I suggest we consider 2 concepts:
1- We need be concerned with what people DO with their possessions rather than the possessions themselves. A citizen’s decisions and actions are the issue, not inanimate objects.
2- We need be concerned with entities encroaching upon our freedom rather than forcing more limits on society.
If we blend those 2 ideas together we get people who can own anything they want and can do anything they want up to a point; THE POINT where one citizen's activity intersects another's.
Enter government regulation
1-laws
2-enforcement
3-punishment
No law keeps us safe, [LawDog posted a few months back about the power of paper armor ]. We cannot force criminals to conform. Only by removing from society those who do not respect the rules of society are we kept 'safe'.
The point of all this is: The government keeps adding to the list of things that limit rights and freedom; when will YOU draw the line. There's been lots of talk about the gun nuts who will use deadly force if society tries to disarm them. That's where they are drawing the line.
When will you say "NO MORE"? Who will hear you?
Consider this thought before you draw YOUR line in the sand: The original purpose of our constitution was to ensure the limits on the government, and the freedom of the people, not the freedom of the government to limit the people.
The right to keep and bear arms was included as a failsafe. If the populace is armed, they cannot be forced by an armed government.
Our fellow citizens are the most dangerous enemy today. Apathy and Ignorance are their allies.
The care of our freedom has been entrusted to us by our forefathers. Do not squander, through apathy or ignorance, that which was so dearly purchased.
I also happen to believe I can use my possessions in any manner I see fit unless my actions infringe on the rights of another citizen. If, through my actions, I harm others due to thoughtlessness or negligence (or intent) THEN I lose the right to purchase/use items.
I suggest we consider 2 concepts:
1- We need be concerned with what people DO with their possessions rather than the possessions themselves. A citizen’s decisions and actions are the issue, not inanimate objects.
2- We need be concerned with entities encroaching upon our freedom rather than forcing more limits on society.
If we blend those 2 ideas together we get people who can own anything they want and can do anything they want up to a point; THE POINT where one citizen's activity intersects another's.
Enter government regulation
1-laws
2-enforcement
3-punishment
No law keeps us safe, [LawDog posted a few months back about the power of paper armor ]. We cannot force criminals to conform. Only by removing from society those who do not respect the rules of society are we kept 'safe'.
The point of all this is: The government keeps adding to the list of things that limit rights and freedom; when will YOU draw the line. There's been lots of talk about the gun nuts who will use deadly force if society tries to disarm them. That's where they are drawing the line.
When will you say "NO MORE"? Who will hear you?
Consider this thought before you draw YOUR line in the sand: The original purpose of our constitution was to ensure the limits on the government, and the freedom of the people, not the freedom of the government to limit the people.
The right to keep and bear arms was included as a failsafe. If the populace is armed, they cannot be forced by an armed government.
Our fellow citizens are the most dangerous enemy today. Apathy and Ignorance are their allies.
The care of our freedom has been entrusted to us by our forefathers. Do not squander, through apathy or ignorance, that which was so dearly purchased.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
