Maggie's Farm

We 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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Saturday, June 29. 2019

Saturday morning links





Every one of these Democratic candidates is promising a vision of a vast central government administering almost every aspect of American life. They are gambling on persuading the nation that government alone can make life better and that, somehow, only the government is able to create cost-effective and efficient solutions. They are promoting a massive, administrative state when, at no point in history, has such system produced efficiency, economic prosperity, more freedom, and less corruption.


When all is said and done, the Democratic message to the American people is: “Your life sucks and your country is awful, so get your revenge by giving us all the power.” Moreover, Americans traditionally do not get enthusiastic about the idea of the government telling them it knows better than they do how to run their lives.






What Trump Really Just Told The Iranians: He’s Out Of Ideas


What Kind of State Is Vladimir Putin Building?






Posted by Bird Dog in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 06:15 | Comments (26) | Trackbacks (4)

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Re: yoga as relaxation vs baseball. When I was a kid in high school in the early 1960’s, I went to the library to find out about yoga. There were a couple of books with photos of things like a skinny little guy pulling a rag through his nose and out his throat to clean his sinuses. There were other practices that were even more disgusting. Bleh! I later learned that it was considered a very degenerate practice in India. It’s been significantly sanitized for the ladies.
#1 Paul in Boston on 2019-06-29 09:35 (Reply)
As far as I can tell, identity politics is almost nothing but denial of personal agency. The idea of "intersectionality" is based on the idea that all blacks think and act alike, all gays think and act alike, all women think and act alike, etc. And since they can't help being black or gay or female or whatever, criticism of any member of any given group amounts to racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamaphobia, xenophobia, or some other such form of bigotry.

I say "almost" nothing but denial of personal agency because as a straight white middle-class male redneck, I'm fair game for reviling for my choice to be a straight white middle class male redneck, it's simply not the case that I was born this way and had no choice in the matter the same way everybody else was.

But I do have to wonder, if I and my kind are the only ones endowed with free will and the ability to deliberately choose how to think and act - and are therefore open to criticism over the choices we make - doesn't that make us a higher life form than the lesser humans who are compelled by their nature to think and act in certain ways, the ones who are not open to criticism because they just can't help being the way they are?
#2 Jerryskids on 2019-06-29 10:17 (Reply)
That my friend, is a brilliant thought. You should immediately turn yourself in to the authorities. Thinking these type of thoughts, is exactly what the woke are referring to when they discuss the patriarchy. There may be no hope for you.
#2.1 B. Hammer on 2019-06-29 12:53 (Reply)
Identity politics is nothing but racism or sexism used to pander to racists and sexist for their votes. It isn't deep thinking or anything requiring deep thinking to understand it in fact is a hate crime pure and simple.
#2.2 Anon on 2019-06-29 20:54 (Reply)
"Out of ideas".
I think that what Trump did with Iran was brilliant. He put a retaliatory attack into action and then at the last minute pulled it back. It sent a message to Iran that they were vulnerable and an easy target and it sent a message to the world that we would not simply be reactionary. It also blunted Iran's effort to create a crisis that would allow them to pull some other world leaders to their side as a result of a over reaction by the U.S. Simply put Iran lost and are facing even more sanctions and the U.S. is not embroiled in a Mideastern war.

Brilliant.
#3 Anon on 2019-06-29 10:20 (Reply)
Yep...Trump is a nationalist and unless you think like a nationalist (MAGA) you are not likely to understand his strategies. The national socialists and international socialists will always look like the roadrunner at the end...doomed.
#3.1 indyjonesouthere on 2019-06-29 12:33 (Reply)
Jimmah Carter is a bumbling fool who’ll go down in history as America’s worst president, outside of Obummer.
#4 Scullman on 2019-06-29 10:30 (Reply)
Debate
If you are nostalgic for the debates of decades past, YouTube carries many of the Intelligence Squared debates (aka IQ2). I prefer the UK version, but there is an American counter part. I particularly enjoyed Boris Johnson facing off with Mary Beard. (Greece vrs Rome).
#5 Exasperated on 2019-06-29 10:41 (Reply)
re Say Goodbye to Texas

Yep.

The author is quite correct.

Not too long ago I read that over half of Texas school children are Latino. The ethnic domination will only grow larger.

10s of millions of unskilled immigrants, with 10s of millions more on the way, a major political party embracing irrational ideas for policy, out of control deficit spending. . .

The long term future looks disheartenly bleak.
#6 feeblemind on 2019-06-29 10:55 (Reply)
Just seems like the Reconquista going on. As he puts it in the end, Demographics are destiny. But I wonder how many Texans, regardless of race really want to be part of Mexico.
#6.1 grant1863 on 2019-06-29 11:15 (Reply)
It’s an interesting - if discouraging- dynamic. The other demographic of incomers is the group of young, well credentialed, social freewheelers overwhelmingly working in tech. They are super liberal and they and their peers are slow to marry (if they do) and have few or no children. And the education set up is similar to the rest of the US - led by poorly educated teachers with mostly radically liberal administrators setting a so-called Justice agenda. As I said, discouraging. I lived in Texas at the beginning of my career, loved it, and still have family there.
#6.1.1 Annie on 2019-06-29 11:46 (Reply)
I remember Jimmy Carter and used to think he was just incompetent but later concluded he is evil.
#7 Ray on 2019-06-29 11:15 (Reply)
The obsession with BMI is more about a religious like belief or a diversion from reality. There are many people with poor BMI scores who are healthy and live long lives.

The real indicators of health problems in otherwise healthy people are: diabetes, hepatitis, smoking, alcohol, drugs, dietary fetishes, hereditary health issues.
#8 Anon on 2019-06-29 11:34 (Reply)
Jim Goad's article left me laughing. I'm a Texan and he's off. And he throws out the actual reason land is settled.. in won wars. ??? WTH? That is THE reason! Everywhere on the globe. I'd written how off he is on Texas and our history, but my comment ended up 4 paragraphs long. Delete, and here you go. He was so wrong it's like have a Texan talk about the maple syrup industry in Vermont.
#9 Uncle Max on 2019-06-29 11:38 (Reply)
The Latinos aren't the problem in Texas as much as the delusional Californians and liberal techies moving to the Lone Star State. The natives will never tolerate being run by a global government. Remember it was Ross Perot who warned America pf the "giant sucking sound" if NAFTA passed. Shoulda listened.
#9.1 jma on 2019-06-29 14:19 (Reply)
It is unfortunate that the activists choose to lump all Latinos or Hispanics together. The illegals are for the most part a problem. Even if it isn't their intent they are effectively living off the citizens. In most big cities your school funding is probably 20%-40% higher to pay for illegal students. Your health care is probably 10%-20% higher to pay for their free health care. Your crime rates are again 20%-50% higher because of them. Some cities it is a lot worse and in some less of a problem. This problem has the potential to destroy us and possibly cause a civil war.

Think about this; on average a typical illegal family gets 2-4 times more funding from your federal government than a disabled vet does. They get free and very good health care and we all know the VA health care is neither good or responsive. Yet, it is against our laws to provide them with welfare and housing etc. Why do we stand for this???
#9.1.1 Anon on 2019-06-29 21:07 (Reply)
Re: 911 victims fund.
Luis Alvarez passes away today from cancer. He was "used" to push congress into putting more money into the victims fund. Did his cancer happen as a result of his work at ground zero? Probably not. Cancer is the 2nd largest cause of death and it was before 9/11. Was his hospital care covered by insurance and other sources? Of course. So what is the victims fund for? To make lawyers into millionaires. What is the average sum paid to all those who apply for compensation? $1.8 million regardless of any health problems. Why? Because it was always a giveaway and a lawyer compensation fund. It was never about caring for the victims it was always about free stuff. Most of the 9/11 victims and families who received money are healthy and living the good life off your taxes.

Google "911 victims fund" and 90% of the results will be lawyers ads. It is almost impossible to find good information about who got paid and how much. It is and always was a scam.
#10 Anon on 2019-06-29 11:52 (Reply)
The victims fund for 911...New York needs the money. All the first responders are government employees well compensated with benefit packages. The 911 bailout and the hurricane bailout were not enough to keep them afloat. Like Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco they are equally poorly run and need outside loot to survive. None of them ever managed money any better than Lindsay and will look for another bailout from US taxpayers in the future.
#11 indyjonesouthere on 2019-06-29 12:44 (Reply)
Tampons for men: Numerous schools have installed menstrual products in men’s restrooms

This is the LGBQ Rainbow warriors' attempt to normalize the resultant bleeding of anal rape of young boys by older ghey men!

"Oh, the blood? It's just your period, son!"

NAMBLA's ways and means of defining deviancy down!!!
#12 Turret Gunner on 2019-06-29 13:42 (Reply)
Open borders = no borders.
#13 James Graham (Link) on 2019-06-29 14:00 (Reply)
I used to call watching baseball my form of meditation. I find it immensely relaxing, whether watching on TV or going to watch the local university team play other schools (we don't have a pro team here). Nothing better than watching a game in the local stadium while eating sunflower seeds. Too busy to have much opportunity to do that any more.

Best game/sport ever invented. You have to be skilled as well as smart, since you're constantly working on strategies and have to make split-second decisions once the ball is in play. And unlike football or basketball or volleyball, you don't have to have a certain physical makeup and potentially almost anyone can be good at baseball if they are willing to put in the time and have the desire. A true "Every Man" sport.
#14 Jim on 2019-06-29 14:17 (Reply)
Say what you will about Obama, and there is a lot to be said, but in my heart of hearts, Jimmy Carter will always be Worst President Ever.
#15 SteveS on 2019-06-29 16:53 (Reply)
I've been away. Is the Gang of Z still absent?
#16 Sam L. on 2019-06-29 22:00 (Reply)
I think the Borg went down in the Mueller asteroid belt.
#16.1 indyjonesouthere on 2019-06-29 22:10 (Reply)
The pushups article was great — and completely unsurprising. I’ve heard about the grip strength correlation to longevity before.

Good to know that living a long life starts with prioritizing on doing pushups, carrying heavy things, and walking at my usual 15-20 minutes per mile. I already do all of that, and more.
#17 Jeff Brokaw (Link) on 2019-06-30 09:16 (Reply)
Justice or coverup?
I have no sympathy for James Fields, the man who drove his car into a crowd in Charlottesville. But what is missing is the truth, the coverup and actual justice. This commenter touched on the issues: https://freenorthcarolina.blogspot.com/2019/06/comment-on-neither-justice-nor-mercy.html

Connect the dots to the recent lack of justice and support of violence by the left in Portland: https://www.weaselzippers.us/424623-journalist-andy-ngo-has-serious-injury-from-antifa-according-to-his-lawyer/

The left instigates and commits the violence. The politicians and the police cover it up for them and they get away with it. This is the new norm in the U.S.
#18 Anon on 2019-06-30 11:33 (Reply)

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