Thoughts On A Sunday

Another summer weekend has come and gone, with many things have been done and experienced, and another set of summer memories made.

We enjoyed an evening out on the lake Friday evening where we enjoyed one of the better sunsets I think we’ve ever seen.

One of the events I had the pleasure of partaking was the annual island cleanup day, where island residents load all their junk and castoffs onto their boats and offload them at the town docks for disposal. We saw everything from old mattresses and box springs to refrigerators, air conditioners, electric/gas ranges, old furniture, construction demo (old wood, old bags of concrete mix, doors, windows, water pipe, electric wiring, and even a kitchen sink), sailboards, and an old rowboat. It is amazing how much junk can be carried over from the islands in a little over three hours.

*******************

President Trump is lambasted for labeling parts of Baltimore as “rat infested” in a tweet. He’s labeled a “racist” because the area of Baltimore to which Trump referred is in Elijah Cummings (D-MD) congressional district. That Bernie Sanders called that same district a “Third World country” back in 2015 is forgivable because, after all, he’s a Progressive and Progressives get a pass.

But it turns out that President Trump was right, something pest control company Orkin has confirmed – Baltimore is one of the “rattiest cities” in the US, coming in at No. 8. (That Los Angeles and San Francisco rank higher is not a surprise.)

So the Progressive media is wrong to flame Trump for telling the truth. But then, it isn’t their truth, so it’s okay to slam the President.

*******************

Here’s a more local view of how the $15/hour minimum wage will hurt businesses and workers, this time in my home state of New Hampshire.

Of course, the victims of a $15 minimum wage can be safely ignored because it is the intentions that count, not the outcome.

*******************

One would think now that Bob Mueller has been sacrificed on the Democrats’ Altar of Get Trump, that they could get back to working for their constituents as they were elected to do. But it seems that between the Mueller Report and Mueller’s “testimony” at the Congressional hearing, the Democrats have decided to double down on stupid and continue flogging a long dead horse, continuing their inquisition and wasting even more time and taxpayer money in order to “get” the President.

The Mueller investigation took 22 months and to all intents and purposes turned up nothing actionable. Millions of dollars were spent, wrongdoing by the Clinton campaign and the FBI was uncovered, yet it’s Trump who’s at fault for their wrongdoing because “Orange Man Bad”.

I expect these shenanigans to continue for years, maybe even after Trump leaves office in 2025.

*******************

Speaking of 2025, here’s a story from that year related to the posting above.

*******************

By the way, “not exonerated” means “innocent” in our legal system.

The anti-Trump forces wish that were not the case. Heck, I think even if he were exonerated they would still find him guilty…of something.

*******************

As a change of subject, it must be noted that Socialism sucks the life from everything. It can’t help but do so considering its ability to spread misery, envy, greed, and fear everywhere it goes. It destroys economies, obliterates social contracts, replaces things that work with things that sound good because it supports the narrative, and tries to sell everyone on the idea that somehow they are better off even though it is obvious to anyone paying attention that they are not.

*******************

If there weren’t double standards, they’d have no standards at all.

An Antifa student who tried to chain the classroom doors at a College Republicans meeting won’t be charged.

That’s the wrong message to be sending and will merely encourage more bad acts. What if the next Antifa activist tries to do the same thing and adds a gallon of gasoline to the mix? It would be foolish to assume some nut somewhere won’t try such a thing. After all, other Antifa ‘protesters’ have vandalized property, committed acts of arson, and have physically assaulted people they see as “not them”. Burning people alive that they see as Nazis in a room where the doors have been chained shut doesn’t seem like much of a step for some of these nuts.

*******************

I’m glad to see CBS has cancelled the execrable The Code.

I gave it a go for three episodes as I understand that sometimes it takes time for a show to find its groove. It never found that groove and if nothing else got worse with each episode. It got so much wrong in such a short period of time. CBS did the right thing in killing it.

*******************

I figure it’s only a matter of time before the Black Plague makes an appearance in Los Angeles and San Francisco. I figure Denver won’t be too far behind.

*******************

And that’s the news from Lake Winnipesaukee, where the weather is perfect, the lake water temperature is likewise, and where I wish the weekend were a couple of days longer.

Thoughts On A Sunday

It was a three-fer weekend up here in central New Hampshire with dangerously hot temperatures, NASCAR weekend, and a Jason Aldean concert at out local venue. These three factors made traffic around here very heavy, between the folks seeking relief from the heat on and/or in the lakes around here and the NASCAR/Jason Aldean fans. It certainly made getting around far more difficult.

To add a bit of anxiety to the mix, we ‘misplaced’ one of the feline contingent here at The Gulch, with Pip disappearing and nowhere to be found. We thought that at one point that she had gotten out, something for which she was ill prepared as she has been an indoor cat since we took her and her brother Henry in as kittens. Fortunately she had merely found a new place to hang out and announced her ‘return’ some time after the cats’ regularly scheduled dinner time.

It’s amazing how they can work their way into your heart.

*******************

It looks like an ancient mystery has finally been solved, that mystery being the components of Roman concrete which is better, stronger, and far more durable than modern day concrete.

Roman concrete, particularly that used in water, and more specifically seawater, is stronger than any concrete being used to day. It can last for centuries, with some examples of it dating back over 2000 years that show little or no deterioration. Modern concrete starts deteriorating from the moment it is exposed to the environment. (All you have to do is look at the concrete paving or steps leading up to the door of your house or business to see how quickly it starts spalling and crumbling away.)

Roman concrete may revolutionize construction, particularly along seacoasts.

*******************

Now that Tom Steyer has entered the race for the Democrat nominee for president, I think we should remind him at every turn that the United States is not a democracy. He talks about wanting to preserve our democracy and to expand it.

But we aren’t a democracy. We are a republic. The last thing we want to be is a democracy because true democracies are dangerous and are more akin to mob rule. Mob rule is nothing we want or should desire as they tend to turn on the very people it is supposed to represent. One of the proofs of that is the aftermath of the French Revolution which replaced the monarchy with a true democracy and whose motto was “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” – Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. But the true democracy went too far, particularly under the influence of the Jacobins, and devolved into the Reign of Terror which killed thousands because the democratic mob demanded their deaths. One such death was that of one of Jacobin instigators - Maximillian Robespierre.

Mister Steyer had best learn the lesson of history lest he repeat it.

*******************

How hot has it been up here in New England this weekend?>br>
This hot:

BRAINTREE (CBS) — The Braintree Police Department had some fun explaining to residents that they should “hold off” on any crimes they are planning this weekend.

In a Facebook post, they wrote, “Folks. Due to the extreme heat, we are asking anyone thinking of doing criminal activity to hold off until Monday.”

They said doing so would be dangerous because of the hot temperatures.

Instead, police provided alternatives: “Stay home, blast the AC, binge Stranger Things season 3, play with the face app, practice karate in your basement. We will all meet again on Monday when it’s cooler.”

The post was signed, “Sincerely, The PoPo. PS: please no spoiler alerts. We’re just finishing season 2.”

See, the police don’t want people, even criminals, to suffer from heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

*******************

From the Just When I Thought They Couldn’t Get Any Stupider Department comes this gem:

18 Ridiculous Bias Complaints Filed On College Campuses

Some of these folks should seriously consider checking themselves into a mental hospital.

*******************

Is Oberlin College going to be able to pony up the cash it owes to Gibson’s Bakery? Gibson’s is owed $32 million, between damages and attorney’s fees and they are concerned that Oberlin is maneuvering to delay payment for three years. Gibson’s attorneys are having none of that.

Reading the motions of both parties it is quite evident Oberlin is stalling, putting together an appeal that may take up to three years to make its way through the courts, and as such, they want to forego having to post a bond for the amount they owe. This is something required under Ohio law for those who have been found liable and ordered to pay plaintiffs damages and attorney fees. That they are asking for relief from posting a bond tells me Oberlin doesn’t have the cash to spare.

It doesn’t help that Oberlin “has experienced a ‘significant’ and ‘steady’ decline in enrollment” over the past 4 years. That doesn’t surprise me much seeing as how other ‘woke’ liberal arts colleges have been experiencing similar enrollment declines. They still haven’t learned the “Get Woke, Go Broke” reality and it seems they won’t before it’s too late.

It couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of ‘woke’ administrators.

*******************

And that’s the news from Lake Winnipesaukee, where people are using every trick in the book to stay cool, NASCAR is running the Cup race today, and where I am looking forward to going into work on Monday in order to get some rest.

Thoughts On A Sunday

It’s been another great weekend here at Lake Winnipesaukee. Good weather, good food, and not too many Cap’n Boneheads to deal with out on the lake. (That’s always a good thing.)

*******************

What is it about pushing a destructive hike in the minimum wage to $15 that appeals so much to the Left? Is it that by destroying jobs that they can take more control over the populace? Do they believe they can bring about True Socialismsup>TM by damaging or destroying the pillars of our economy?

One commenter proves to be one of those who looks at things based entirely upon the numbers and chooses to ignore the human element.

You know, if I didn't graduate as finance major and had written numerous business plans and then moved on to work in the finance industry, I might think you had some idea what you were talking about with all of the stupid crap you are saying.

First off, economics and supply and demand are a model and do not work in every situation. For instance monopolies so government intervention is required as a check to the system. So yes, government mandates are REQUIRED as part of our economic model.

Moving on from that, yes minimum wage was never defined as that, until recently. People want it to be that. The reason is that all of the money in our economy is coming out of the hands of the workforce to the point where people can't survive. People have about 40% less discretionary income than they used to and there are numerous factors that contribute to that, a large amount is that automation is allowing companies to do without a large number of employees which is resulting in wages going down for the remaining people competing. As such, people are unable to get jobs, so businesses have to adjust for that. As a result whatever state government of the jurisdiction you're in, passed a law mandating that people be paid $15 and hour, ensuring the remaining people received a living wage. If the company didn't suck, it would have been able to afford to pay the employees a living wage before that.

Regardless, it's possible and not only that it's needed and it is a natural function of a capitalist society that relies on economic models that rely on government intervention for corrections.

“…rely on government intervention for corrections.” Yeah, we’ve seen how well those work and how, in many cases, the intervention dragged out economic recovery, or worse, caused the economic problems to worsen. He’s the type that I believe would have no problem mouthing the words “It’s not personal. It’s business,” as he destroys a business because he sees more worth in destroying it rather than letting it continue and provide jobs and chances for advancement by employees. That he can damage or destroy lives while doing so does not concern him. All his decisions are based on the spreadsheet. He’s a friggin’ bean counter and from my experience bean counters are the worst people to run any business. (Yes, I know it’s a bit off topic, but this particular bean counter pissed me off.)

It all boils down to this: Fifteen dollars an hour for a minimum wage will cause far more harm than it will ‘fix’. We’ve seen that harm everywhere it’s been implemented yet the proponents ignore it and assume it won’t happen when they do it.

I ‘m not sure whether that’s arrogance or hubris…if not both.

*******************

Mark Robinson, a man who vigorously defended the Second Amendment before the Greensboro, NC city council back in 2018, announced his candidacy for Lt. Governor of North Carolina.

*******************

More people should use Jon Gabriel’s response to offended snowflakes.

“You’re offended? So what?”

Here’s an interaction I had on Twitter, the Algonquin Round Table of the digital age. One interlocutor noted that vaccinations might cause autism. (They don’t.) Another wondered if a government can mandate immunization. (Sure.) But shouldn’t parents have the right to say no? (Not if they put the community at risk; at least that’s how I see it.)

All fair questions and a fine debate to have. And on it went until one person replied with what he felt was the trump card: “That really offends me!”

To which I said, “So what?”

A brusque response, but the anonymous stranger’s taking of offense is not my or anyone else’s concern; public health is. Harrumphing “that offends me!” has no bearing on any argument, pro or con. It’s a non sequitur revealing naught but a delicate constitution.

I don’t intend to argue the pros and cons of vaccination; that specific debate isn’t the point. As our culture has slid to the so-called “social justice warriors” of the left and the trolls of the “alt-right,” activists on all sides believe that their being offended carries some sort of moral authority as a victim. Does their sense of grievance make their arguments more compelling? It does no such thing.

I have never had problems offending people who so richly needed or deserved it. I have no problems making someone uncomfortable, particularly about something that no one in their right minds would ever be offended over. As Mr. Gabriel has stated, the Progressives and their snowflake dupes use the “I’m offended” line to shut down discussion or debate, particularly if it is about a subject that is near and dear to their alleged hearts. It is time we ignore their claims of offense and push the limit, get them to fess up about their true motives.

*******************

I’ve always liked Scarlett Johansen, particularly in her roles as Black Widow in The Avengers movies and in Lucy. I like her even more now after her un-PC comment in regards to roles she should take, stating “You know, as an actor I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal because that is my job and the requirements of my job.”

Her comment caused the meltdown of the Liberal Gliterati. It’s Hollyweird at its worst.

*******************

Speaking of Hollyweird, and actually California, here’s one that really takes the cake when it comes to California weird: It is illegal to work on your own car in your own garage in Sacramento County, California.

What’s next? Will it soon be illegal to mow your own lawn with your own lawnmower?

I figure it will only be a matter of time.

*******************

And that’s the news from Lake Winnipesaukee, where the weather has been great, the seasonal food places have been doing a lot of business, and where Monday is yet again returning too soon.

Thoughts On A Sunday Wednesday

I don’t know what is happening, but I’ve been having problems posting to Blogger the past few days. I can enter text directly, but it hasn’t been taking the ‘copy and paste’ I usually use, and even then it seems to only take part of it. I have been working with Blogger to solve the problem.

In the mean time I have taken part of what I originally put together for a very abbreviated TOAS.

*******************

The Fourth of July weekend is winding down, with long lines of traffic leaving the Lakes Region. (I can attest to the traffic, having witnessed heavy traffic on one of our state highways while trying to leave the diner where Deb and I had breakfast late this morning.) Most of the traffic had out of state plates – Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, along with a disproportionate number of cars bearing New York plates.

The weekend really started on Wednesday, with inbound traffic picking up starting around noon. There were a lot of summerfolk up for the Fourth, much of the evidence being seen on Lake Winnipesaukee as the number of boats plying its waters was huge. (Unfortunately the increased number of boats meant there were a proportionate number of Cap’n Boneheads skippering some of them.)

The restaurants were busy as were the ice cream stands and the beaches which was not surprising because it was hot and humid all week. The only ‘cool’ day was today, which meant it was only in the upper 70’s.

Not a bad way to end the holiday weekend.

*******************

Is there nothing Donald Trump cannot do?

In this case he managed to get the Democrats/Socialists to protest against the Fourth of July, between Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley trashing the Declaration of Independence as sexist/racist/whateverist to Teen Vogue trashing patriotism as racist/sexist/whateverist to the Left trashing President Trump’s July 4th speech as racist/sexist/whateverist.

Thoughts On A Sunday - Uh Oh

I know I put my TOAS post somewhere, but I don't know where it ended up.

It appears my usual Sunday post ended up lost somewhere. Imagine my surprise when I checked it this morning and it wasn't there. Was there a hiccup at Blogger? Did I only dream that I put together my TOAS post and upload it?

I haven't a clue.

Since I am not at my usual 'compose and post' computer, I do not have the means to repost my thoughts until some time later today when I return home. (Yes, I am posting this from wor...uhh...not from home.)

Sorry for any inconveniences.

A Reminder On This Fourth Of July

It seems fitting to quote from the July 4th, 1926 Address by President Calvin Coolidge, particularly in light of the oppression we see coming to the forefront, committed by our countrymen who wish to see the freedoms we take for granted taken from us. Coolidge addressed this issue in a prescient fashion.

About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers.

“If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people.” Isn’t that exactly what the Left has been working towards for over a century?

They do not believe in the tenets of the Declaration of Independence, do not believe in the Constitution, and specifically the Bill of Rights. This isn’t conjecture on my part. They have come right out and said it and done so in a million small ways.

Free speech may include hurtful and hateful speech? Get rid of it and that hurtful a hateful speech will disappear with it. The problem is that dissenting speech also disappears, meaning no one will be allowed to speak out against any wrong being done by our purported ‘betters’.

Guns can be used to kill people? Get rid of them and people won’t use them to kill people…except those people controlled by our purported ‘betters’, and they will kill those our ‘betters’ tell then to kill.

Freedom of religion? Gone.

Due process? Gone.

Protection against double jeopardy? Gone.

Right to be secure in your Private property? Gone.

Right to remain silent? Gone.

Right to not incriminate oneself? Gone.

Right to an attorney? Gone.

All of the things that make our nation great, but that we take for granted? GONE.

They want us to be serfs and they want to be the nobles. They won’t admit to it and will couch their language to hide their intent. By they want to take us back to the past, before the freedoms we enjoy were wrested from the tyrants that ruled us. They really want to be in charge and the won’t care what they have to do so they can be in charge. And they won’t care about those who made it possible as those who did so are nothing more than disposable NPCs to be eliminated and forgotten once they are no longer needed or wanted.

We can’t say we weren’t warned 93 years ago.