JUST SOME POSTS

Before I start the "real" post, first let me remind you all of the primary lesson - THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT MONEY! If you have a question on that statement, I have many posts where I expound upon it. Now for today's post: I have never considered myself an alarmist. I do not think we need to immediately do or not do something as a people. (one exception I can think of however is cut government spending - NOW!) I do have a subject that I have been doing a bit of study on which is alarming me a bit; genetically modified crops and animals. Now there are people that are up in arms about this subject for many reasons. My reasons are not religious, ethical, or moral in nature. I will admit that one can make a good argument from an ethical standpoint; and religion and morality can be used (or misused) to argue almost any point. My argument is stated in the title of this post - unintended consequences. Let me give you some background and expound a bit. Genetic manipulation has...

This is going to be a hodgepodge of thoughts (as you should have known from the title). But before I get into it I wanted to do some political stuff. But as I showed here - http://justsomeposts.blogspot.com/2012/01/reprise.html  (this is a link to a post I did at the first of the year with links to some other political posts.) There, political posts done, except for some of the thoughts below. I guess I am turning more and more into the crotchety old curmudgeon that will be running people off of the grass soon. I find myself getting so angry and perplexed at the "stuff" that is passed off as fact now in news, entertainment, and casual conversation. Now, I am not naive enough to think that everyone should think like me or even that these subjects are conclusively the way I see them. But, they are not conclusively the way they are presented. As I have stated here in many posts, (variations ) have been attributed to Goebbels, Hitler, Stalin, and various Chinese leaders) it is ...

I have soooooo much I want to comment on. (in fact, as I have said before - my lack of posts is usually not because I have nothing to say, but that I have too much to say) I am going to try to do a few posts to address these issues over the next week or so. I have decided to first comment on another timely issue, the Chick-Fil-A, gay marriage/rights issue. I can sum up my thoughts in a few words - acceptance and tolerance are not the same as approval and support. Neither are disapproval and lack of support the same as hate and condemnation. Although I said I could sum things up in those few words, you know there is more... It seems that today if one does not take a position that totally and unequivocally supports a position of alternative lifestyle, you are a "hater", an uneducated dolt, or worse. You are subject to disdain and ridicule by those that have the position (typically a minority position/opinion) and in a majority of cases, by the established media. Our s...

I am writing this in the aftermath of the horrible, senseless shooting at the Aurora, Colorado premier of the new Batman movie. As the news media does, it has covered every aspect of this tragedy. One of the things that always pops up after a shooting like this is the calls for gun control and gun laws. I am always amazed that there are actually sane and rational people out there that think more gun laws and/or bans will solve things like this. We cannot "put the genie back in the bottle", as it were. Unless there was a way to eliminate all the guns on the planet (and wouldn't the armies of the world look cute with their shiny spears) and the knowledge on how to build them, gun violence will never go away*. I think even the most adamant gun control nut would agree that is not possible. For those of you still with doubts, here are some examples - after billions of dollars and millions of arrests, is marijuana still available? How about cocaine, heroin, etc? Has pros...

I have put off posting for so long I thought I would do one this evening. As I have mentioned before, I have not had a lack of ideas, but too many. I was going to do politics (and some will consider this politics, but I am talking "pure" politics - this is political, but not politics), but I have done so much of it in the past that it would be redundant. I ask you to go read some of the from 2008 and 2010 if you wish to know more. They all still apply. This post is about the idiotic notion that is out there about taxing the rich, and how they are not "paying their fair share". I have done posts about this subject in the past as well, but I think this is a bit of a different take on the subject. Why "idiotic"? Here are some facts - as you should know (and again, I have posts on this prior to this) the top 5% of people based on income pay over 50% of federal income taxes. The top 1% pay over 35%. Now, they have a large percentage of the income, so maybe ...

All human beings are creatures of habit. Some of us are more a slave to their habits than others, but we all base a lot of what we do on habit. Now I have expressed this thought to people over the years, and I get an argument out of some of them - "I am not a slave to my habits" or similar is exclaimed. I ask if they shave, most say yes to at least some part of their body. I then ask do you have a starting point and a pattern you follow? Some then looked shocked as they realize they do. I can also ask about brushing their teeth (dentures, I am not so sure- not there yet). Most start in the same place and go approximately the same way through their mouth. There are many, many other examples that we all have, but these two usually get people. Now I know, having ritualistic movements and behaviors are one of the way we get through the mundane parts of our lives. I actually don't know anyone over the age of two or three that enjoys brushing their teeth. We do it because it ...

To all mothers everywhere, espcially my mother Edna Lou Poole, my mother-in-law Marlen Condon, and the mother of my children Carol Poole. May you always have someone to hold your hand when you have trouble walking and to pick you up if you fall; to celebrate your successes and help accept your defeats, and to salve your wounds and hold you close whenever needed. Happy Mother's Day! We all literally would not be here without you.