Monday, August 31, 2009

from Don Boudreaux

Truly Productive People

by Don Boudreaux on August 30, 2009
The letter below, to the New York Times, is an expansion of a comment that I made on this post:
Ted Kennedy’s canonization is too much.  Every day brings the deaths of thousands of people, the vast majority of whom are known only to their families and friends.  These people aren’t mourned by politicians, reporters, or the general public.
Yet almost every one of these unheralded persons has been more productive than has Ted Kennedy – or Chuck Grassley, Nancy Pelosi, the Georges Bush, or any other politician you name, whether he or she be still breathing or buried.
Who installed the windows in my house?  I don’t know.  Yet he provided value to me and never forced his hand into my wallet or his nose into my eating habits.  Who will fly the plane that will carry me home tomorrow from Michigan to Virginia?  I have no idea.  Yet that pilot will render unto me (and dozens of others) a valuable service in exchange for funds that I voluntarily paid to his or her employer.  That pilot doesn’t force me to fly.  Nor does he or she presume to know better than I do what is best for my family and me.
Who caught the fish that I will eat tonight?  Who trucked it from the sea to my hotel?  Who will cook that fish?  Who designed the dishwasher that cleaned the plate and utensils that I will use?
I know almost none of the millions of people whose daily efforts make possible my life and that of countless other Americans.  These people don’t hatch grand plans for arrogantly re-working society.  They offer only to deal voluntarily with me and with others, never pretending – unlike Mr. Kennedy – to be endowed with a mysterious genius and a saintly inspiration justifying haughty intrusions into the affairs of others.
Politicians are mortals.  But as their greedy lust for power and glory reveals, they are mortals especially flawed.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
http://cafehayek.com/2009/08/truly-productive-people.html

Friday, August 28, 2009

Cash For Coolers

After observing via MSNBC and Krugman et al, along with many and varied "I worship SATA the STATE" blogs, I have come to the inescapable conclusion that I too should implement a program similar to Cash For Clunkers.

Unveiled....  

                            CASH FOR COOLERS

Specifications, Codes, Rules, Regulations, Resolutions, Statutes, Laws, Canons, Precepts, Ordinances, Absolutisms, Fundamentals, Formalities, Guidances, Bossisms, Auspices, Conventionalities, Observances, Guidelines, Suggestions, Orthodoxies, Codes, Caveats, Commands, and the occasional Assumption and/or Generalization regarding CASH FOR COOLERS.  (this is how the damn program works)

===================


You bring me a cooler full of beer.  The size or type of cooler does not matter as long as it is filled with ice and beer.


I give you a dollar.

The beer is removed from the cooler.  

Beer removal time varies, depending on several factors -- 
  
Quantity of beer 
Ambient temperature
Barney from The Simpsons
Weekday 
Weekend
Is the grill hot or cold?

  

You take your empty cooler with you when you leave 


================================


Explanation of Benefits (that's the beauty of the thing)



Leaving with an empty cooler is the goal to set for yourself.  This will insure that you are able to add more beer to your cooler.  If you do not empty your Cooler using CASH FOR COOLERS, you cannot re-fill it full of beer and ice.  You will be able to add new beer and new ice to your cooler sooner rather than later because you sold your old, cold beer to me.  The $1 payment you receive for your old beer will enable you to buy new beer to fill up your empty cooler.  Aren't you happy we helped you to empty it ?? This is a Win/Win program.  You get a cooler full of ice cold beer and all it costs is one dollar.





Not every cooler will qualify.
Coolers with greater than 50% by volume of these types of beers will not qualify --

Lite
Light
Lit
Litesky
Tomato flavored
Clam flavored
any thing referred to by the term "chiller"

=================================


  

No beer will be accepted which has undergone the unnatural process depicted in the picture below.   ( That's my nephew Jacob )






To the right, NOT nephew Jacob

Google Street View

Standing on Elm Steet. My (rented) house is just over the fence.

View Larger Map

Thursday, August 27, 2009

on Ted Kennedy

http://cafehayek.com/2009/08/ted-kennedys-appetities.html

I'm asking this question in all seriousness.
Why did they not kill Ted like they killed his brothers ?
Who killed JFK ?  We're still not 100% sure, or why.
Who killed RFK ?  We know who but don't have the real why or do we ?
Whoever, Whatever killed his brothers.... EMK continued living or....was allowed to live.  Perhaps an answer to this question will help answer the questions remaining regarding the assassinations of JFK and RFK.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

You'se got two choices. 'Give me money and I give you this product' OR 'Give me money'

Extortion? Naw, couldn't be.
Copy/Paste from here.
and here.

Daytime Juvenile Curfew
The Dallas Police Department The truant officers are incompetent? will begin enforcing a daytime juvenile curfew as of August 24, 2009, the first day of classes for area government public schools.
Gotta be stressful. On the same day we send kids back to the internment camps AND the daytime curfew becomes effective.

What it means for students…

The ordinance, adopted by the City Council in May, prohibits students under age 17 We can't legally control adults yet from being in a public place or non-public business doesn't the smoking ordinance define all businesses as public? between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. when school is in session. Violators will be returned to the reservation school, and can be given a citation if REO want to deal with the hassle. The Class C misdemeanor carries a maximum fine of $500 this'll show Mom and Dad who's boss. Teens in school
What it means for everyone I don't think so

The ordinance has three aims:
  1. Keep students in school where they belong Disagree. School sucks.
  2. Protect minors from becoming victims of crime "Hey, I've got an idea. Let's lock up the good guys to protect them from the bad guys." "Ooley, You're a genius."
  3. Protect the public from juvenile offenders "Why didn't you just say so. You're locking up potential criminals, kinda like that movie."
How will it work?

Upon encountering a possible violator, the police officer Judge, Jury, Executioner is obliged to determine if the student has a legitimate versus illegitimate reason to be off campus, as allowed in the ordinance. For example, the student’s school may not be in session, or the student is on an approved field trip or he's playing hooky because government schools suck. If one of the numerous exceptions applies, and no other reason exists to detain the student, he or she is free to go.
Recognizing that the goal is to change truant behavior, City of Dallas prosecutors plan to recommend to the courts that most minors and their parents or guardians be given the opportunity to take relevant courses or workshops in lieu of paying a fine. It wasn't enough to let this be an issue for school's and parents. Now the City Council has added the District Attorney and the Courts into this. Forget about getting your stolen property back, the DA is chasing a couple of kids who cut classes to see the President. Of course this is nothing new - government schools are just an extension of the Court/Prosecution system.


Owners, operators or employees of a business can also be cited for knowingly allowing a minor to be on the premises during curfew hours. Violators will be warned first, and only cited after repeat offenses. I could be in trouble when a kid walks into my place of work ??


Find out more about the daytime curfew...


Or call 311, the City of Dallas Customer Service Helpline.

Another example of the Jeenyusss of the Dallas City Council.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Leo Babauta of Zen Habits writes on hyperparenting.

I've been parenting myself for over 40 years and finally I get some good advice.
Like the boots too.
http://zenhabits.net/2009/08/how-to-let-go-of-hyperparenting-and-learn-to-relax-with-your-kids/



President and Mrs. Grover Cleveland

I can almost here his Mother calling the lad home for supper, "Steeeeephen Groooooover!"
He grew up to be Sheriff (and executioner) of Erie County New York, Mayor of Buffalo, Governor, and President.
This guy totally rocked facial hair and the bow tie in addition to marrying his buddy's daughter in the White House. Very cool. Cleveland lost his reelection bid but it was the lovely Mrs. Cleveland,

who channeled a young Douglas MacArthur and said, "We shall return".
Read below the President's 1887 message to Congress regarding the Texas Seed Bill. He tells them 'No', 'No', and 'take some of the charity you've already been given and distribute it to the Texas farmers. This way you will have to be an adult and explain your actions to your own constituents.'
http://mises.org/story/3627
Grove makes me proud.

Learn more here.
http://www.aboutfamouspeople.com/article5022.html

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Guy Finley

Beware of those who do nothing constructive with their precious few moments on this earth, for they seek to squander your allotted time with the same reckless abandon. -- Guy Finley