Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Thursday, March 12. 2015Thursday morning linksDepartment of Corrections: Those Carville boxed quotes which we linked to yesterday were not real - but they are truthy Image of America's favorite convenience store via Never Yet Melted The Millennial’s Guide To Reaching Adulthood - Here are seven ways millennials can reach adult milestones such as paying off student loans, getting married, buying a house, and starting a family. American Millennials are among the world's least skilled But the most self-confident The Greatest (Party) Generation - Raising children wasn’t always an all-consuming job. Humorist Dave Barry on his parents’ wild parties and the grown-up escapades of the ‘Mad Men’ era Why are van Gogh's paintings slowly turning white? Cannot possibly process this: The Galaxy May Be Way Bigger Than We Thought Medical Ed Goes Online and Ivy League 100% of America’s current eighth graders have not lived a day of global warming, as temperatures haven’t peaked since 1998 Cool: First photographs emerge of new Pacific island off Tonga Girl Coders, Patriarchy, and Despair - More Social Engineering Why Do Circus Elephants Get All the Sympathy? Author makes the case that all farm animals should be let loose in the woods or something. Bring popcorn. Facing facts on the pill and the poor Study: Being Nice to Women Is a Sign of Sexism I hold doors for both ladies and gentlemen. Some women can never be happy Is David Brooks "evolving"? Jay Leno Hates Ethanol - And so should you. Well, in cars I hate it Six Years Of Bull Market Bull When the law does not apply to the lawmakers and law-enforcers, you are not being governed: You are being ruled. And we are ruled by criminals. Boxer: GOP Should Leave Hillary Alone So “We Can Hear What She Has To Say About This Great Nation”… Bruni in the NYT:
Hillary acts stupid when she plays dumb Nurse Ratched's press conference Obama Considers Allowing Student Loans to Be Wiped Out in Bankruptcy That would be ok with me - except that the taxpayer is in most cases the guarantor In retrospect, it was an error. Iraq is over, done finished. Does suffering make Russians happier? The Historical, Legal, and Political Contexts of the Russian Annexation of Crimea Trackbacks
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Why Do Circus Elephants Get All the Sympathy?
Because in the marxist coup of our country (and the world) it's elephants this moment and will move onto other domesticated animals and so on down the line, as they achieve success in their endeavors to social engineer us. The eradication of private property rights is what this is all about, not any concern over the treatment of animals in captivity or domestic animals. Otherwise they wouldn't kill 99.9% of the animals that get sent to their shelters. Otherwise they wouldn't have a nazi inquisition over potential adopters when they just want a pet. When we domesticate animals we remove their ability to survive in the wild or without our care/intervention. Removing elephants from the circus will ensure their eventual eradication by extinction. Who is going to PAY for feeding/medical/housing such large animals that eat 100's of lbs of food a day with no reciprocation? The bleeding heart environmental animal rights people? Not a chance. Chaining elephants is cruel? Have you ever been stomped on by a horse or a cow? Something that is 1/10th the size of an elephant? What should be spoken clearly and concisely when this is brought up in argument with them is that those livestock and animals that we raise for our consumption/labor/companionship would not exist without the express drive to receive something in return. Cow herds were not scooped up out of the wild and incarcerated in barns with the express interest of torturing them and forcing them to give us milk/meat. THe breeding program is a human endeavor that benefits both species. The domestic animal has a life of ease for a certain amount of time in return their slaughter benefits their keeper. The actions of a few who "abuse" animals is the collectivist mindset that all are guilty of the sins of a few. So a trainer or farm owner hits a 2,000 or 20,000 lb animal with a stick. Do you think this really hurts them? It's a means of discipline. And the entire country is not going to go vegan because of the temper tantrum of a few. NOt going. to. Happen. My daughters were having an online argument with one of these and the oposing side was insisting that the domestic animals could be set free and survive quite well in the wild without our intervention. RIdiculous. ON smalldeadanimals is a post about the seals that are dying in massive numbers due to hypothermia. So researchers and animal groups are "saving" them. Basically weakening the gene pool and ensuring their eventual demise. If an animal can't adapt to it's environment without our intervention then I thought that was survival of the fittest? Inability to adapt to the environment is a way of culling the herd. The environment doesnt' adapt to YOU, you adapt to the enviroment. Of course it's all a big bogus bunch of crap due to taxing us to death over the scam of global worming. Unfortunately it doesnt' work that way in humans, we care for the sick, weak, diseased because we have empathy. Because we don't have to sacrifice our weakest member to the predator to keep our herd strong. This ensures mental midgets like PETA and HSUS can siphon off huge amounts of money to their real causes by using our sympathy/empathy as a weapon, as a way to open our wallets. from the article: This is called the denial of mind, or the dehumanization of animals. "They are here for our use" is an argument you’d likely hear under this umbrella. Uh yeah. They ARE here for our use. Get over it. If we didn't want chickens for meat and eggs, there'd be no chickens.
RE: the CI link to Prager University on invading Iraq and your comment...
It was what it was. Iraq would be much different if starting in 2004 the Democrats hadn't decided to be against it... leading ultimately to 2009 and a new POTUS and the abandonment. Utter trash to use 20/20 hindsight. No one can see the future. Once a decision is made, you make it work. We could have made it work and could have evolved a sustainable solution to the known issues there.. but the Democrats were determined to make it a failure and they sure did. Nice job turning the M.E. into a vast hellhole for someone else to clean up. One of the ironies of this whole situation is that the weenies on the left, who revere the UN, were happy to pass all those UN resolutions but it took W. to enforce them. If you pass resolutions and don't do anything about them, then what's the use of them or the body that passes them. So W. actually added more legitimacy to the UN than those who love it so much.
At the time of the invasion, there were many reasons to do it - laid out pretty well in the video - though I wondered at the time why Iran was not the target instead. Both were evil and both had a history of supporting terrorism. My guess was that Iraq, being more centrally located, was hoped to influence more of the Middle East. I think it was a valid choice though it was a bit of a long ball. But hindsight is 20/20. If there was a functioning democratic ally in the middle of the Middle East today, we would be saying how brilliant W. was. "One of the ironies of this whole situation is that the weenies on the left, who revere the UN, were happy to pass all those UN resolutions but it took W. to enforce them. If you pass resolutions and don't do anything about them, then what's the use of them or the body that passes them."
This, in a nutshell, is the raison d'etre of the left - they use these sorts of things as an outward sign or indicator of their "concern" for an issue - but only insofar as it furthers some other larger goal. In that, it calls to mind the traditional Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday concerning the hypocrites who stand in the square making a show of their fasting in sackcloth and ashes. Case in point, sex-trafficking. I read an interesting article yesterday about how this issue is a cause for lefty feminists, but only in that it advances their position on the evils of "the patriarchy". There's really no interest at all in doing the dirty work necessary to end the vile practice and bring the victims a modicum of justice. Enter an evangelical Christian group. They see the issue for what it is, and instead of empty hashtags and Instagram pics, they undertake the dangerous work of battling the traffickers, getting results from their efforts. And what do they get? Nothing but scorn and derision from those self-same lefty feminists. Why? Because the Christian group essentially took away a perfectly good platform for spouting off about the evil "patriarchy". That's all it was to them. The Christian group saw a need and paying in heed to the Gospels ("what you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me") performed acts of mercy and justice. Agreed! The left is always more interested in the issue and making noise about it than in fixing the problem.
For fifty years, blacks have been voting for Democrats because they were supposed to fix their plight. Except that they still have their plight. Even sadder, statistics indicate that between 1940 and 1960, blacks were making significant inroads into the middle class; rates of literacy and graduation from high school increasing, all without benefit of any governmental interference.
#3.1.1.1.1
kellym
on
2015-03-12 15:45
(Reply)
That's right! Chalk up the destruction of another few generations of people to leftist policies!
#3.1.1.1.1.1
mudbug
on
2015-03-12 17:38
(Reply)
Rob: Utter trash to use 20/20 hindsight. No one can see the future.
The Bush Administration had a free hand for years. They disbanded the Iraqi army. They watched as the country fell into anarchy. They allowed a sectarian government to take hold. It was an obvious debacle from the moment the U.S. invaded with no plan for what would come afterwards, and they had complete ignorance of the internal divisions within Iraqi society. They were ideologues, and led the U.S. and Iraq into a disaster. "An inch is a unit of distance, and a degree is a unit of temperature, but a 'page' is not a unit of email."
- Mark Steyn on what "55,000 pages" might or might not actually represent. QUOTE: David Steinberg: 100% of America’s current eighth graders have not lived a day of global warming, as temperatures haven’t peaked since 1998 What he means is that 100% of Americans younger than 38 years old have never seen a year that wasn't warmer than average. Nine of the 10 warmest years in the 135-year period of record have occurred in the 21st century. Last year had the record warmest instrumental surface temperature anomaly. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/13 Zach you know or should know that the historical data and current data has been intentionally manipulated in a fraudulent attempt to make it appear that AGW is still taking place. Your weak attempt to ignore this and stil clam that based on that fraud that AGW is real is dishonest. The data is a lie, a fruad, probably the biggest science fraud in human history. The computer models were wrong, always have been wrong and the fraudulent manipulation of the historical and current data was a misguided attempt to salvage the whole AGW meme once the models were proved to be dishonest and useless.
GoneWithTheWind: the historical data and current data has been intentionally manipulated in a fraudulent attempt to make it appear that AGW is still taking place
We were using the same data that the original post did. But sure, every major scientific organization, in different countries, under different political systems and cultures, using different methodologies, are all wrong frauds. Over the past few years considerable evidence of tampering and fraudulent alteration of the historical and current temperature data. Here are some documented examples:
https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/before-they-could-make-the-hockey-stick-they-had-to-remove-the-1940s-blip/ https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2015/03/10/ushcn-data-tampering-update/ There is a lot of documented examples of this fraud as well as admissions by NASA and NOAA to this data tampering to enhance the AGW meme. There is no way you could possibly be as informed about global warming as you claim to be and not know these facts. SO at this point in time anyone who continues to push the global warming meme is part of the conspiracy to manufacture the global warming theory. GoneWithTheWind: Over the past few years considerable evidence of tampering and fraudulent alteration of the historical and current temperature data.
Can you point to any legal finding to that effect?
#5.1.1.1.1
Zachriel
on
2015-03-13 16:49
(Reply)
That is a copout. The data is there, the facts are the facts. So faced with the obvious fraud now you want a legal proceeding before you will acknowledge that there was fraud.
If the warmies hadn't decreased the temperatures in the historical record than 1934 would be the warmest year since temperatures have been recorded. Additionally over the last 90 years the actual temperature change would be zero. The warmies were forced to make the past seem colder so that there could be a phony dramatic increase in temperatures in continue the fraud that is AGW. If the warmies had not increased temperature records over the last dozen years there would have been a actual decrease in global temperatures not an increase. Without the temperature adjustments there simply is no global warming to blame on SUVs.
#5.1.1.1.1.1
GoneWithTheWind
on
2015-03-13 19:46
(Reply)
GoneWithTheWind: The data is there, the facts are the facts. So faced with the obvious fraud now you want a legal proceeding before you will acknowledge that there was fraud.
In other words, no. Meanwhile, virtually every scientific institution in the world agrees that humans are having a profound effect on global climate. "Climate change is real ... It is likely that most of the warming in recent decades can be attributed to human activities. This warming has already led to changes in the Earth's climate." —National Academies of Science, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan Russia, United Kingdom, United States. http://nationalacademies.org/onpi/06072005.pdf American Scientific Societies "Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver." http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/
#5.1.1.1.1.1.1
Zachriel
on
2015-03-14 10:24
(Reply)
Re: Student loans and bankruptcy.
The bankruptcy laws are inadequate. They encourage fraud and irresponsibility. A true bankruptcy should not leave the person filing bankruptcy better off than they were before they file bankruptcy while simultaneously leaving the creditor with nothing. Individual bankruptcy should consist of: 1. An initital disposition of the individual's property to convert assets to cash to pay down the loan. Right now the law favors the debtor and allows them to hold substantial assets and still walk away from the debt. 2. A mandatory plan for 5 years or 10 years for the debtor to make structured payments to the loan holder with real and effective enforcement such that failure to abide by the program would result in reinstating the rights of the lendor to recover the full loan amount. The government, Federal, state and local, should not be in the loan business nor be in the loan guarantee business. This is especially true if we are going to allow legislators and presidents to allow the borrowers to walk away from these obligations and leave the tax payers on the hook. I think student loans were a mistake from the very beginning but the recent events have convinced me that they were even worse than I thought. End federal student loans. Stop meddling in what should be a private action. ending government-backed student loans would quickly lower the cost of higher ed
Re: Ethanol
There is only one good thing about ethanol in gasoline and that is that it is an octane boosting agent. Unless you are a corn farmer (and not a corn eater) there is nothing else good about it regardless of the vintage of your car. It is more expensive than gasoline, it is more difficult to transport, and it decreases your mileage. All that is before you talk about the bad things it does to your car if it is not set up to use ethanol. Still driving a 2003 Honda. From the first I always tracked my MPG, especially on trips. On a trip to Florida I got 28-29 MPG with three adults in the car.
When they started putting ethanol into my gas tank I had to wonder if this sh&t actually burned? My mileage went to 20-21 MPG and I didn't understand how changing 10% of the volume of the gasoline to ethanol could result in a worse than 25% decrease in my fuel economy. My mechanic explained to me that since none of the companies in the supply chain wanted ethanol in their pipes or tanks or trucks it is separately delivered and stored and is mixed at the pump. Hence the precise percentage of ethanol can vary with each tank, this drives the engine's fuel computer crazy. It's like disconnecting the battery and resetting the engines computer for each fill-up. A couple of years ago I went on a long car trip, in one state (that didn't mandate ethanol) I filled up with real gas. And lo and behold, my MPG shot back up above 25 mpg for the first time in years. It didn't last long, I had to go home eventually. If the GOP does nothing else, kill the Ethanol Mandate and let the marketplace decide. and the irony is that they've mandated removal of sulfur from diesel fuel, making it a requirement for farmers and Big AG to manually apply sulfur along with PKN because it's a requirement in the soil, driving up the cost of production. Making the production of fertilzers -that are derived from petroleum increase.
Not to mention that ethanol corn is being blamed for the algae blooms and fertilizer runoff from so many acres in production, that were previously not farmed. Industrial engines are also taking a crap after very few hours due to emissions standards in fuel. the ethanol mandate has been a progressive success: higher global food prices negative environmental impact shorter engine life water shortage increased soil erosion I concur with a friend who refuses to burn other people's food in her car. Most ethanol comes from corn: corn prices have risen as a consequence, and those for whom corn is a staple (think tortillas and friends) are suffering.
When your friend either has a diesel or a owns a horse. Unless they never leave the house.
That 10% is put into the gas all over the country, it's mandated, compulsory. You, me, your friend didn't get a vote. Most the stuff I object to today is like that; the mandatory trash recycling with individual city provided trash barrels with individual serial numbers on them so that when they are emptied if recyclable material is detected a computer generated fine can be mailed out. The new trash trucks with the robotic arms (so the guys that used to empty the barrels into the truck lost their jobs) didn't work so well this winter. The winter winds blew the barrels over and the robot arms can't pick them up. Previous winters the old trash-men had no problem but I'm told that "The Town is saving money with the new system", and obviously that's the important thing. The winters snow buried the barrels overnight and the trucks just drove on pass. The town and state plows buried the barrels and didn't leave enough space on the side of the road for the top heavy new barrels to perch so all together I went four weeks without a trash pickup. But the new trash contractor is the Mayors biggest contributor so it seems we're stuck with it. Yes, this is a rant. Thankyou I feel better. Study: Being Nice to Women Is a Sign of Sexism
Feminism is a means to destroy the family and civil order. Period. For all that blathering about inequality and being separate but equal, I don't see any women that are getting payments from govt to support them instead of a husband, refusing them. Or any of them protesting to remove welfare payments to single mothers. You go girl, as long as somebody else is paying the bills. And the real freaks who scream PATRIARCHY at everything, are resorting to walking naked, painting themselves or dressing up as genitalia and doing porn in order to get noticed. Because they've effectively scarred men and scared them off. Basically come full circle and are identifying themselves AS their feminine body parts. The bloodthirst for more baby sacrifice. Disgusting. I have three daughters and we are a traditional, conservative home, probably one of the only intact families that they even know (besides my parents) and I have had to work diligently everyday to counteract the propaganda and brainwashing that the gender inequality cult is spewing. It's insidious and caters to the selfish,narcissistic direction of our society today. Say it ain’t so!
“ …many artists like van Gogh were swept up by the industrial revolution and it's (sic sic sic) impact on the art world.” Yes! Public Radio International does not know the difference between “its” and “it’s.” Amazing!! Absofnglutely amazing. Re, Girl Coders, Patriarchy, and Despair.
Years ago the University of Texas decided there weren't enough female engineers. To let in more females they reduced the math SAT requirement. To become an engineer you needed at least a 650 on the math SAT but that requirement has a disparate impact on females so it was reduced. That math requirement was so unfair. Word. If women wanted to code. They would code. Let's face reality people. As guys/ men we don't really care what other people do. We do what we like to do. We don't worry much about what others do. If chicks want to code more power to them. Have at it. WE DON'T CARE! We don't hold you back. Society doesn't hold you back. YOU hold you back.
re The Historical, Legal, and Political Contexts of the Russian Annexation of Crimea
A good read, especially if you are not up to speed on the history of the region. Elephants: Ah, the Mother Jones connection, as in "Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner is Racist".
Hillary! used to be "The Smartest Woman In The World (TM)". #10 Ray, those women should have been sooooooooo insulted. While I don't trust official Russian polling, the average Russian accepts misery as a part of daily life which is incomprehensible to the chattering class.
I see the Clinton Reality Distortion Field is working at full efficiency. Its troublesome, I know, for the USAF to do its duty of intercepting/escorting Russian bombers but, I think squeezing Vietnam isn't the answer. Maybe they would like the Navy to do it for a while. "Truthy..."
Truthy is good these days. We have to get over a foolish swoon over "accuracy" and push the myths. |