July, 2016 archive
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Parents, be polite to your children.
(snip)
“After firing a round, the spent shell casing struck the wall causing it to deflect and fall into the back of (the elder) Mr. Brumby’s shirt. Brumby then used his right hand, which was holding the handgun, in an attempt to remove the casing. While doing so, he inadvertently pointed the firearm directly behind him and accidently fired,” a police statement reads.
“Accidentally”: the new negligently.
The Elusive Butterfly of Happiness 0
Timothy J. Shannon, writing at the Inky, muses on the meaning of one of the most nebulous phrases in America’s mythology: “the pursuit of happiness.” He looks to historical concept to extrapolate what Thomas Jefferson may have meant when he wrote the phrase and how the Continental Congress may have interpreted it when they accepted Jefferson’s draft. Here’s just a bit:
With that context in mind, Jefferson’s “pursuit of Happiness” becomes much more than a pleasing turn of phrase. It was a remarkably succinct expression of the American dream, a confident look to the future rather than a backward nod to Locke. As such, it remains foundational to how we define ourselves as a nation.
In this election year, the pursuit of happiness sometimes appears to be in full retreat. Donald Trump has ridden a tide of fearmongering to his party’s nomination, and his campaign promise to “make America great again” cynically swaps hope for nostalgia. By many measures, Americans have lost their faith in the pursuit of happiness . . . .
Patriotism and Citizenship 0
Herb Rothschild, Jr., muses on the meaning of patriotism in the Ashland, Oregon, Daily Tidings. Here’s a bit; follow the link for the rest:
You Get What You Vote For* (subtitles) 0
Spain’s comedian, yclept** “Giggles,” on Brexit:
Via The Local.
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*Remember that come November, dammit.
**Hehe. I used “yclept” in a blog post.
The Galt and the Lamers 0
One more time, in Wingnut World, there is no such thing as the common good.
The “Trump Effect” 0
Werner Herzog’s Bear explains how Donald Trump has given white supremacists license.
Stray Question 0
Have you noticed that, when it’s black folks, the drug is heroin and usage is a crime wave; when it’s white folks, the drug is “opioids” and usage is a health emergency?
Just sayin’.
Mail Bagman 0
No doubt you’ve seen stories about Donald Trump’s campaign soliciting money from foreign politicians (which directly violates US law, by the by).
Now comes Driftglass with the text* of one of those emails.
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*Purported text, to be accurate.