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.
The number of so-called "expediters" is a valuable signal for how complex and damaging a city's regulations have become. These middlemen manage the constantly changing rules and endless delays in processing that come with doing business with the city. New York City's expediters once numbered between 300 and 400; today they total more than 8,300 strong. This complexity generates a new business opportunity for regulatory experts. Larger, incumbent businesses can manage to navigate this process, but it is much harder for the small businessman, particularly if he is working a 9-to-5 job or if English is his second language.
In Germany, the Autobahn between Stuttgart and Munich is used by the auto industry for their high speed test tracks. The Germans have three types of divided highways, limited access, freeways, and the Autobahn. All have speed limits except the Autobahn. The thing that surprised me was, at least the last time I was there, you are not allowed to pass on the right, which both the motorcycles and the Audi did in the video. The highest speed traffic is to be in the left lane and if you are overtaking another vehicle you are to flash your lights and the other vehicle is to move to the right allowing you to pass.
This will give you your Go Fast high for the day. The guy in the Audi is nuts and the guy on the bike makes the Audi guy look sane. It's worth visiting Germany just to enjoy the freedom of the Autobahn, but you can do the same in Italy if you feel like it.
In Italia, you ignore the speed limits and all of the other rules. Nobody cares. In fact, the road is considered a place for fun.
Why do jerks like Obama jump on a tragedy to try to score political points? It is disgusting. My prayers for the families and for the congregation of the church.
A few suggestions from a reader on what things to promote to reduce material poverty around the world:
work ethic showing up on time frugality saving investing for profit enforceable contracts freely entered independent arbitration of disputes rule of law in which all persons are equal secure private property rights good education to high standards
All the same, I believe the Pope' s job is to worry about spiritual poverty, not material. St. Francis took a vow of poverty and rejection of secular matters to assist his spiritual development and preaching mission.
Were I to dare to write a note to His Holiness, it would include some phrases like these:
...putting aside your concerns about nature and the weather, which I think the Creator may control in some way which is beyond our comprehension...
...instead of trying to be an amateur meteorologist or amateur economist, why not focus on Christ and His offer of salvation? That's what people need.
...if money is one of your major interests in this transient earthly existence, one constructive path of inquiry would be to focus on and to promote what makes people prosperous instead of blaming others...not that has anything to do with your job or your expertise, but the sources of prosperity and material abundance are well-understood...while the sources of religious abundance always need instruction, guidance, support and help.
If touching is assault then I have been assaulted by hundreds of women who have amiably touched my arm in conversation, and hundreds of men who have given me pats on the back. On a few occasions I have even had the experience of women tentatively touching me under the table and, for a guy, that is difficult to resist but it is not sexual assault.
Rape is violent, forceful assault with sexual intent. It is a felony. It is not equivalent to hand-holding, to a touch, or to a try for a good-night kiss on the porch. Equating normal social behavior with assault can only trivialize the reality of true assault.
Why would anybody waste precious life time and money to go this completely phony craphole? Real life is free and far more interesting. Heck, Disney movies are pretty darn good though.
Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade Magic Kingdom. They do this twice daily.Theater, I suppose, so fine. The recorded music (sounds like modern evangelical church music) comes out of loudspeakers like North Korea. How do they find enough stoner losers to work at this place? Well, it is Florida, and stoner losers with jobs is better than without them however retarded the jobs are. Our lefty friend Carl Hiassen captured the reality of it perfectly. He did not overlook the air-conditioning units inside those suits.
Good grief. Has any single model prediction been realized? NYC and San Francisco real estate has never been more insane, so clearly nobody is frightened by water. Al Gore's new San Fran mansion is only a couple of feet above sea level but maybe it's an investment in future valuable ocean bottom. Nobody really believes any of this. Pure fear tactics for the low-information citizens who do not read.
Living in the Northeastern US, we pray for globalistical warmening but it never comes. Nice and warm today though, with a coolish breeze.
Via Pirate, a fearless human female (a climate model) daring to approach a beach:
ABC's ’08 Prediction: NYC Under Water from Climate Change By June 2015 -
See more at:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2015/06/12/flashback-abcs-08-prediction-nyc-under-water-climate-change-june#sthash.rnRtVJyK.dpuf
I greatly enjoy the Marine Corp boot camp posts as we did yesterday, or any other of the US military boot camp Youtubes. "Customs and courtesies"? For sure. Some people do not seem to learn these at home.
I do understand that it is a form of rapid, rigorous education and job training but it is also man- (or woman-) building. I could have needed that, but my Dad was my DI in life. Tough SOB and never satisfied. Tough love all the way. That creates a love-hate thing, quite normal and good. Have to be tough and demanding to make a boy a man and a girl a woman. Even if they hate it, it's a life-long inner support system.
Should our high schools and higher ed instill more demands and discipline instead of more comforts and leisure pools? I think so. American ed could learn a lot from the USMC. American education pampers the kids with sensitivity and comforts, leaving them unready for tough demands of the real world and with little knowledge of the customs and courtesies of adulthood.
Is it too triggering? Few college profs have the satisfaction that those DIs have.
