Some thoughts on Thanksgiving and the Occupiers

My Mother and Father were sharecroppers. In case you don't understand, that was the lowest rung on the economic ladder in the US. They worked on a shares basis and the owner could throw you off the land when they wanted and for whatever reason, or non-reason.

Cash almost didn't exist so goods were charged at stores usually owned by the landowners. Quality was low and prices were high and yet complaints were few. If the customer didn't like it they could take their business someplace else.

Of course someplace else, if it existed at all, was miles away and with horse drawn wagons as the majority transportation it was very difficult to get there. And then you needed cash.

I grew up in that world.

It had improved by the time I was a teenager and my parents made it out by working two jobs and buying their own farm. I worked on the farm all my life, and in other jobs from age 14 onward. My parents couldn't afford college for me and there were no loans and I could never quite get a scholarship. If the school had three I would come in fourth. I was a Baptist at Baptist schools, a Methodist at Methodist schools and thankfully there were no Buddhist schools.

I tried some factory work but that didn't set well so I joined the Navy and it finished my education and gave me a grand old time of immense fun and some terrible frights. Along the way I grew up, married the best woman in the world and we had two children. I finished my working career in corporations advancing from sweeping the lab floor to having a business card saying, "Senior Vice President."

I note these things not to brag, but to establish who I was and what I became. And the further point is what motivated us?

In all of this my parents generation and my generation had goals. They knew where they where and where they wanted to go. I was much the same.

As a country we fought WWII and then the Cold War while, at the same time, enjoying economic growth and living conditions improvements unparalleled in the history of the world.

It wasn't easy and much can be credited to what FDR started and the unions and later the civil rights struggle. And even the Vietnam demonstrators seemed to have mostly good intentions although the presence of "fellow travelers," "useful idiots" and people such as Bill Ayers and wife hurt much more than they helped. Whether the Leftie demonstrators like it or not thousands died because of their actions.

But through all of this we had "goals." We knew what we wanted and we stated them and we worked towards them.

We also learned that when people couldn't tell you what they wanted it meant that they didn't know or they knew but wanted to conceal it from you. The former meant they would likely cause more harm than good. The latter meant they wanted to change society to their vision and they knew that their vision would be rejected by the majority.

I think the Occupiers are made up of both types. And I think the latter is controlling and directing the former.

I see them as people who, instead of wanting to expand, want to control. They are of a group that thinks government can fix all things and that someone in DC will know how much electrical power will be needed at some point. In other words, they are basically socialists, Marxists and communists.

They represent people who take a good thing and then destroy it by demanding that we "do more."

They typify "Best is the enemy of Good."

And instead of attacking the cause, a government that has been co opted at all levels by speculators... Wall Street gave more money to Obama than McCain....They attack the effect.

We let people like this nearly destroy the country in the 60's. I've gotten old despite my plan to live forever and my energy is more directed to hearth, home and family than it ever was. And I confess that I am very worried.I'm not sure we can survive their types again.

So when you say thanks at your Thanksgiving table today add a little prayer for the country. It surely needs it.

(Partially posted on TalkLeft.)

"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” - William Pitt

"Logic. There is little logic among the cultural elite, maybe because there is little omnipresent fear of job losses or the absence of money, and so arises a rather comfortable margin to indulge in nonsense." - Victor Davis Hanson

Abbott and Costello explain the stimulus package

A hat tip to whoever sent me this. I'm having a Senior Moment and can't remember!

"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” - William Pitt

"Logic. There is little logic among the cultural elite, maybe because there is little omnipresent fear of job losses or the absence of money, and so arises a rather comfortable margin to indulge in nonsense." - Victor Davis Hanson

Can you say "Limousine Liberal, Boys and Girls?"

These are the people that lecture us.

Hell no, we won’t go — unless we get goose down pillows.

A key Occupy Wall Street leader and another protester who leads a double life as a businessman ditched fetid tents and church basements for rooms at a luxurious hotel that promises guests can “unleash [their] inner Gordon Gekko,” The Post has learned.

The $700-per-night W Hotel Downtown last week hosted both Peter Dutro, one of a select few OWS members on the powerful finance committee, and Brad Spitzer, a California-based analyst who not only secretly took part in protests during a week-long business trip but offered shelter to protesters in his swanky platinum-card room.

“Tents are not for me,” he confessed, when confronted in the sleek black lobby of the Washington Street hotel where sources described him as a “repeat” guest.

Spitzer, 24, an associate at financial-services giant Deloitte, which netted $29 billion in revenue last year, admitted he joined the protest at Zuccotti Park several times.

Link


I wonder if he knows that he would be one of the first to be removed should the ideals, socialist, comminist, Marxist, of the Occcupiers.

I doubt it. He reminds me of gays and women defending Islamic radicals who will cheerfully kill them if they can seize control.

As Forest said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

“It’s the presumption that Obama knows how all these industries ought to be operating better than people who have spent their lives in those industries, and a general cockiness going back to before he was president, and the fact that he has no experience whatever in managing anything. Only someone who has never had the responsibility for managing anything could believe he could manage just about everything.” - Thomas Sowell in Reason Magazine

Wanna dance??

An old prospector shuffled into the town of El Indio, Texas leading a tired old mule. The old man headed straight for the only saloon in town, to clear his parched throat.

He walked up to the saloon and tied his old mule to the hitch rail.

As he stood there, brushing some of the dust from his face and clothes, a young gunslinger stepped out of the saloon with a gun in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other.

The young gunslinger looked at the old man and laughed, saying, "Hey old man, can you dance?"

The old man looked up at the gunslinger and said, "No son, I don't dance... never really wanted to"

A crowd had gathered as the gunslinger grinned and said, "Well, you old fool, you're gonna dance now!" and started shooting at the old man's feet.

The old prospector, not wanting to get a toe blown off, started hopping around like a flea on a hot skillet.

Everybody standing around was laughing.

When his last bullet had been fired, the young gunslinger, still laughing, holstered his gun and turned around to go back into the saloon.

The old man turned to his pack mule, pulled out a double-barreled 12 gauge shotgun and cocked both hammers.

The loud clicks carried clearly through the desert air. The crowd stopped laughing immediately.

The young gunslinger heard the sounds too, and he turned around very slowly.

The silence was deafening. The crowd watched as the young gunman stared at the old timer and the large gaping holes of those twin 12 gauge barrels.

The barrels of the shotgun never wavered in the old man's hands, as he quietly said;

"Son, have you ever kissed a mule's ass?"

The gunslinger swallowed hard and said, "No sir... but... I've always wanted to"

There are a few lessons for all of us here:

*Don't be arrogant.
*Don't waste ammunition.
*Whiskey makes you think you're smarter than you are.
*Always make sure you know who is in control...
*And finally, Don't screw around with old folks; they didn't get old by being stupid...

I just love a story with a happy ending, don't you?

"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” - William Pitt

"Logic. There is little logic among the cultural elite, maybe because there is little omnipresent fear of job losses or the absence of money, and so arises a rather comfortable margin to indulge in nonsense." - Victor Davis Hanson

Stupid is as stupid does

Proving again that our education establishment is embedded with people who shouldn't be trusted out alone.

A school administrator in Florida called the sheriff after a pair of consenting 12-year-olds shared a kiss on the playground.

Lee County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Orange River Elementary School after two female students were debating over who liked a 12-year-old boy more. At that point, one of the girls walked over and kissed the boy – leading an assistant principal to call authorities.

Link



"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

“It’s the presumption that Obama knows how all these industries ought to be operating better than people who have spent their lives in those industries, and a general cockiness going back to before he was president, and the fact that he has no experience whatever in managing anything. Only someone who has never had the responsibility for managing anything could believe he could manage just about everything.” - Thomas Sowell in Reason Magazine

Gonorrhea Lectim { deadly disease }

The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent
strain of this old disease. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim. It's
pronounced "Gonna re-elect 'em," and it is a terrible obamanation.

The disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior
involving putting your cranium up your rectum. Many victims contracted it in 2008....

But now most people, after having been infected for the past 1-2 years, are
starting to realize how destructive this sickness is.

It's sad because Gonorrhea Lectim is easily cured with a new drug just
coming on the market called Votemout. You take the first dose now and the
second dose in 2012 and simply don't engage in such behavior again; otherwise, it could become permanent and eventually wipe out all life as we know it.

Several states are already on top of this, like Virginia and New Jersey ,
and apparently now Massachusetts , with many more seeing the writing on the
wall.

Please pass this important message on to all those bright folk you really
care about.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Hat tip to Jimmy M!

"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” - William Pitt

"Logic. There is little logic among the cultural elite, maybe because there is little omnipresent fear of job losses or the absence of money, and so arises a rather comfortable margin to indulge in nonsense." - Victor Davis Hanson

Thanksgiving turkeys from WKRP!

Seriously funny. If you ever saw it, you'll want to see it again.
If you've never seen it, ya just gotta.

Click here.

"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them." - Karl Popper

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” - William Pitt

"Logic. There is little logic among the cultural elite, maybe because there is little omnipresent fear of job losses or the absence of money, and so arises a rather comfortable margin to indulge in nonsense." - Victor Davis Hanson