Right As Usual

Dalrymple has his say about the overuse of 'mental health professionals' in Britain. The bigger problem is that those people DON'T treat mental illness. Instead: They ignore the raving lunatics until their actions land them in jail. At that point, they medicate them into compliance. They use the time freed up to work with people who are MENTALLY perfect normal. Their problems fall into 2 groups - those whose family are nuts, and those whose problems stem from spiritual emptiness, and the choices (mostly bad) that they have made. Share

Astroturf, something that Democrats always accuse Republicans, Conservatives, and any non-Democrat of using, is the practice of organizing people for protest activity. It CAN be paid-for protesters, but can also include those not given money or other incentives, but willing to show up, hold signs, and shout slogans on command. Why is this a problem? Because, normally, only those who feel quite strongly about an issue or candidate will put themselves in a public arena. Someone that committed at least deserves a hearing. That supposition that the individuals involved have 'a dog in that hunt' is up-ended when the person is found to be apathetic, but appearing due to the efforts of a few 'community organizers'. One of those community organizers is Robert Creamer, who was caught on tape bragging about his efforts - which included the payment of up to $1500 a day. You can buy a LOT of protest, including a willingness to commit violence and other crimes for a lot...

In some ways, this process is not that different from that of a personal budget. If the income is not sufficient, you have to trim expenses. At first, you cut the easy stuff - the frills, the expenses that are not core. There is ALWAYS give in Americans' budget - it's a result of a standard of living, even at the margins, that includes nonessentials. Some different takes on the likely sticking points: The Atlantic  talks about a concept I'd not heard of before - the Skinny Budget. Nothing to do with cutting calories, or, for that matter, expenses. The Washington Post provides a more conventional view of the upcoming battle. USA Today focuses on the NEA battleground. And, CBS tries to explain the Progressive side. One change that was made a long time ago, in response to Government employees that gamed the system to collect MULTIPLE public pensions, as well as Social Security benefits, was WEP - the Windfall Elimination Profits provision. It was yet another WO...

As a Catholic, I'm relatively familiar with the 7 Deadly Sins. Nonetheless, this Modern Look at Them made me think - a lot. Share

[I inadvertently left off the links] ...I could believe he was wrong. Folks, this is one of the most chilling posts i read yet - but, it is NOT inaccurate. I've seen the widening divide. In my own friendships and family relationships. The hardening of positions is real. Trump wasn't the cause - he merely revealed the size of the divide. The reaction was a CHOICE on the part of the opposition - Occupy Democrats and similar groups have made their choice to declare war, and have ratcheted up their tactics to full rebellion. Don't kid yourself - the not-so Civil War has already begun, started by those that - once again - have interpreted an election as a declaration of war. Not surprising that Democrats have let their splinter group act out, engage in openly rebellious and violent actions, and pretended that the Republicans have initiated this split. They did it with Lincoln's election, now they've chosen to use Trump's election as a pretext for fracturi...

He lies - a LOT! Share

Because it's not just a symbolic gesture. It's permanent. Ergo, it cannot easily be reversed by a Democrat administration in the future, unlike all of the 'changes' that the Executive Branch periodically trots out, in response to pleas from those most affected (border states, crime victims, taxpayers, etc.). THAT'S why the pro-illegal-immigrant crowd is furious. Because they would find it harder to overcome in their next takeover of the Federal government. And, because it seems that they are unlikely to grab any of the state government controls in the future. If they can't control the spigot of illegal aliens, they cannot get the votes, or the bodies for their shock troops in the next demonstrations. The Baby Boomers (BBs) are dying off. I'm not happy about it, as I am one of them. I have reached the point where to hear of the serious illness or impending death of a friend or family member is not a rare event. I was never a Diehard Radical. I w...

I've not seen this before. I did have some education in Management Theory in college, as I started as a Business Major. However, I've worked primarily in non-profits (allegedly) since then. None of what I'd learned about efficiencies and strategic planning seemed to match what I was seeing, so I decided that the theory must not work. I was wrong. The disconnects I saw were because the money flowing in was from government, not some place where they expected your budget to make sense. If you want to know WHY Washington, D.C., became such a 'swamp', read more. Share

My ancestors fought in the last one. I'm not eager to join that club. Some say we are already there. I'm more hopeful; I think, with some rational thinking, and some willingness to back away from the precipice, we can avoid it. What has caused this level of separation? Too many have absorbed the idea that there are two ways of looking at situations - MY way, and the Wrong way. For that matter, it's not just the Wrong Way, it's considered the EVIL, H8FUL, and needs to be completely eliminated way. Some people are incapable of communicating without SHOUTING, or the digital equivalent of ALL CAPS!!!!!!!! and LOTS of !!!!!!!!!!! FEELINGS trump (sorry, Progressives) logic. If I have a logical argument supporting my point, the very least I expect is that any disagreement will be met with a counter-argument. Not tears, flailing of arms, shouting, and chanting slogans. The winner should be one that can demonstrate through logic that their viewpoint is correct, not the...

I started reading this, because Francis Porretto of Bastion of Liberty told me to (and, I have a long acquaintance with him - he has earned my trust). I got about 1/2 way down the post, and felt like I was reading my story. I’m going to be  very  real with you for a moment, and take off my hat has a blogger, an author, and whatever else I may be, and just speak to you as a man. This could have been me. Does that surprise you? There was a time I skirted so close to falling under this spell, it would shock you. I felt the guilt, the social pressure, the desire for conformity. Despite the terrible weight such ideology carries on the mind, it is absurdly easy to fall into it. Every day we are assaulted by the agitprop. It is so easy to just say “yes, it’s all my fault, I will submit and obey.” It will bring momentary relief, because you will no longer have to fight a narrative that is bombarded upon you 24 hours a day. That mental effort is, itself, rather exhaus...

I do understand that, sometimes, people become incensed about something they consider an injustice. At times, they may take that into the streets as a protest. What I'm having trouble with is shown below: So, Actual violence is just free speech. However, speech that you find offensive is NOT protected by the Constitution, because it's REALLY a form of violence. Unlike ACTUAL violence, which is protected. You can see why my head is spinning. Ironically, their violence is to protest another person's Freedom of Speech, presumably protected by the 1st Amendment. Using masks while committing violence may be prohibited by laws that originally targeted the KKK. Can't wait to see if these laws will be enforced against the SJWs. Share

Fearless Girl is not a bad statue, but it IS pointless. It shows a small child 'bravely' facing down the bull, which represents a stock market that is rising. So - are girls against money? Share

I gotta state this right up front: I don't have a dog in this hunt. In other words, no longer being a kid, or even a pre-teen, I don't dress up for Halloween. Or concerts. Or Burning Man (I've never attended). I dress like a grown-up. Clothes that cover my private parts, clean and without holes (at least, intentional ones). If I'm dressed down, I'm doing physical labor. If I'm dressed up, it's because the occasion demands it, or because I'm on a date with my man, who just about ALWAYS looks good. My hair is styled to keep it the heck out of my way, and not require on-the-go primping. It seldom takes more than 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to get my hair clean, dry, and complete. My make-up is mascara, eyebrow pencil, and lipstick - occasionally more, but more often not. No Bindis, which is that dot worn by Indian women (NOT Native Americans, unless, like Nikki Haley, they are). I don't generally do hats or head-coverings (they smoosh my hair...

What I find so bizarre about the Obama Spying on Trump story is that each time the Media and the Progressives (but, I repeat myself) manage to twist the truth to convince their people that the story is OVER, another facet of it pops up. And, then, The Donald tweets about it. Leading to another frenzied rush to pretend that this is just business as usual, nothing to see. For those not satiated with the news coverage, here is a link to a roundup of posts/articles about it. ...and coming, and coming, and... ...and coming - in case you've forgotten some of the abusive actions, here they are. But, but, but... Obama had a Scandal-Free Administration! No, he did not. He had a Journalist-Ignoring-Scandals Administration. Just like the Old Watergate Days, when Entitled Elites (trademark pending) were appalled - not at the abuses of power, but that non-elites would Question their decisions - Who Did Those Peasants Think They WERE! Share

The Spying on US Citizens is looking more and more like Business as Usual, and less like a one-time thing for Obama's administration. There are many ways to deal with this besides prosecuting it as a crime. There is administrative - investigate, and if there is a finding that Rice abused her powers , yank her pension, right to use her former position as a reference, and allow those persons injured to sue and collect damages from her. Put her under subpoena, and order her to testify - under oath - who knew about this abuse, besides her. How can we determine whether this was an abuse? ...how do we know whether unmasking is a massive abuse of power or a perfectly appropriate exercise of discretion? We apply common sense. Was the questionable unmasking a single, isolated instance, or was it part of a pattern? Obama's time in office was FULL of patterns of behavior, almost all unacceptable in a republic of citizens. There is much evidence of a pattern: In Mideast n...

...do so, today, and urge them to support the change in rules (the nuclear option) that would shut off a filibuster with less than 2/3 votes. I just sent such a note to Sen. Graham, and hope he is paying attention. Even if your Senator is not one of the 'on the fence' Senators, making your voice known will allow them to apply pressure on the squishy ones that don't want to have conflict with the other Senators. The site to go to is here. Enter your state or Senator's name in the Search Box, and make your feelings known. Share

Reading this, I was struck by something he said - all that energy and time expended on 'the cause' - and nothing to show for it. On another note, Trump is facing a strong resistance - and, according to some observers, he is not acting effectively to combat it. I'm on the fence. He seems not to care that his opponents are being funded by the very same people that want them OUT. An immediate downsizing of the bureaucracy (say, by about 1/5) would do a lot to starve the resistance. However, I have to allow that he is experienced in working around government to achieve his ends. So, there may be an end game here, that isn't immediately obvious. What I do know is: For most of those who elected him, it's a HELP that he is rolling back the regulations, but it isn't a CURE. They need a CURE - to wipe out the cancer of too much government interfering in the concerns of sovreign citizens. In a short reference to ANOTHER ill in the world, I give you a lucid ...

There is a directed effort to effectively disarm police. The means used to to aggressively fight EVERY police shooting, claiming that the ONLY reason the cop used his/her gun is because that cop is a racist. The media are actively assisting this effort with their unwillingness to ask reasonable questions of the spokespersons and activists. Here is a link to Bookwormroom, who addresses this issue, asking questions the media should have, and including a very interesting interactive video. Share

I'm not the first to suggest this. But, it does fit the practice. Share