November, 2015 archive
American Taliban 0
Megan Phelps-Roper, a granddaughter of Fred Phelps, the founder of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, left that “church” a few years ago. Recently, she read an article about ISIS in the Atlantic. Here’s part of what she had to say.
Follow the link to learn why she says that.
The Mything Piece 0
Despite the assurances of Hollywood, the that “we only use 10% of our brain” is crap somewhat lacking in veracity. At Psychology Today Blogs, Keven Bennett tries to track down who perpetrated the lie. A snippet:
Have you ever met anyone who is missing 90% of their brain? Probably not. If you have you could ask them what congressional district they represent. Whammy.
You’ve never heard of anyone with that much brain missing because pretty much all areas of the brain are active. They wouldn’t be able to function with that tidbit of grey matter. Even the regions of cortex in blind people that normally process vision are co-opted for other functions. Everyone makes use of the entire brain.
And the Beat Goes On 0
Dan Simpson points out that making war doesn’t make peace. A snippet:
(snip)
Our ability to even incrementally ease back from our global policy of confrontation that invites attack at home is probably nonexistent. There would instantly be squealing about “surrender.” Employing “wisdom” or even “careful, farsighted calculation” would not be welcome to America’s arms manufacturers and salespersons, certain deep-pocketed campaign contributors and loud-mouthed, small-brained, cupidinous politicians.
Do please read the rest.
QOTD 0
Penelope Keith as Agatha Raisin in the BBC production of M. C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet:
Some things are too important to be left to the professionals.
A Nation of Scaredy-Cats 0
I am ashamed of my country and of its having a major political party that panders to, stokes, and relies on bigotry.
I shall stop now, because all I have left is profanity.
Addendum, the Next Morning:
Crank Bear has the profanity so I don’t have to.
Thoughtlessness 0
If there is one thing the United States of America has done well, from internment camps for Americans of Japanese descent to HUAC to demonizing ladies named after an ancient Egyptian goddess to cowering at the sight of a child, it is to violate its stated ideals when it’s a-skeert, even when what it’s a-skeert of is based on a hoax.
Just look around. It’s the Land of the Fee and the Home of the Knave.
I am ashamed of my country.
The Privatization Scam 0
Public functions should be handled by public entities.
Public entities may from time to time perform in a less than optimal manner, but so too do private ones. Any one who thinks private companies don’t make mistakes and waste money has never worked for a private company.
When private companies screw up, though, it is seldom news unless someone dies, maybe lots of someones, and maybe not even then, because it’s a “proprietary situation” being “dealt with internally” by “application of improved processes and controls.”
When private companies screw up and make a profit from it, though, that’s a whole nother thing. That is “privatization,” which is a good thing because someone’s country club membership is being paid by private profit made from screwing the public up a public function.
Pfui.
