A man who dares to waste an hour of time
has not discovered the value of life.
Charles Darwin
Pro-Liberty Thought of the Day
Political Scumbags of the Month
NY Mayor in Name Only de Blasio declared war on public charter schools in winning the political support of corrupt, anti-competitive teacher unions. Illinois Governor Quinn has basically sold out his modest commitment to education choice in yet another sellout of kids sentenced to unacceptably failing public schools and an uncertain future. For that, they join the year's already long list for this year's mock Jackass of the Year.
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| Courtesy of Eric Allie via IPI |
Fathers and Daughters
From this video's notes:
A US mother had her labour induced early so her terminally ill husband could see their baby daughter before he died. Mark Aulger, 52 was diagnosed with colon cancer in April last year, which later led to pulmonary fibrosis. On January 16, the couple learned the condition was fatal. Their daughter wasn't due for another two weeks, so they decided to have the labour induced. Mark Aulger held his daughter Savannah for about 45 minutes after her birth. Soon after Mr Aulger fell into a coma.... Her husband died five days later with his daughter Savannah in his lifeless arms.
Facebook Corner
(IPI). CTA has effectively fired the blue line operator who fell asleep and crashed a train into the O’Hare International Airport terminal. The agency also announced it is changing how rail operators are scheduled as a result of a review of the crash.
Wait a minute. they make the guy work a gazillion hours because they don't want to hire more people.
then when there is an accident because of employees physical condition they ream the poor bastard and say oh we will change that.
Stop making excuses for someone whom knowingly went to work in a tired state; your first professional responsibility in that role is public safety. Suppose an airline pilot was on call but had a buzz (too much alcohol): it's better to scrub the flight than gamble on the public's safety over the pilot's performance. I do agree both union and management should not have let her work, especially after she had been written up earlier over a related issue.
(Drudge Report). Japan orders military to strike any new North Korea missile launches...
We need cooler heads to prevail--the last thing we need is an Asian regional war. And no more American blood and treasure getting in the middle of disputes out of this hemisphere. This thread seems full of war-mongering neo-cons.
(Independent Institute). Professor J. Huston McCulloch: "Although corporations should (under the Freedoms of Association and of Petition) have the right to lobby concerning legislation or regulations that will directly affect their business, it does not seem unreasonable to block publicly traded corporations with an explicitly commercial purpose from overt political contributions to candidates or political parties, so long as their shareholders are free to contribute to explicitly political organizations directly and without limit."
I disagree. What is the fundamental difference between lobbying and having a voice in promoting the candidacy, say, of a politician whom promotes win-win free free market and free trade policies, downsizing/decentralization government, lower/flatter tax policies and regulatory burden? Why should a small shareholder be deprived of a voice that larger shareholders may individually have? Are their rights attenuated simply because they are a stakeholder in a corporation? Isn't it an arbitrary, unconscionable distinction that mocks the principle of equal protection that some free associations are more equal than others in having a political voice?
There is little, if any evidence behind the urban legend of corporations buying elections after SCOTUS rightly ruled the arbitrary ban on corporate political speech was unconstitutional. I am so sick and tired of this feeble-minded bogeyman of the country being run by corporations, the most ludicrous conspiracy theories. No corporation has a vested interest in this country running up a $17.5T debt, a budget that spends almost two-thirds on individual benefits, not on so-called common defense and judicial protection of negative liberties, and at least another $85T in unfunded liabilities.
(Independent Institute). "Fear is in almost all cases a wretched instrument of government, and ought in particular never to be employed against any order of men who have the smallest pretensions to independency." —Adam Smith
I like it. I would replace the word "government" with religion to make the statement even more poignant. Incidentally, the later is used as an effective tool by the former to bring people in line, despite their interests. Give to God what is God's, Give to the government what is the governments. A more terrible sentiment, or perscription for human wellness has not arisen to take the place of that.
What a load of garbage! Religions do not hold a government's monopoly on force. Authoritarians have, of course, co-opted religion. And a perverse interpretation of one of my favorite verses makes it worse; I see it as promoting the independence of religion and state. Virtue is response to a higher moral code; it cannot be legislated by the State but is a freely chosen response by the believer.
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of Michael Ramirez via Townhall |
Joan Osborne, "One of Us". Not a fan of tatoos, piercings and face/tongue jewelry, but Joan had one of the truly brilliant singles of the 90's, and the opening song for the mid-2000's award-winning family fantasy series, one of my favorites, Joan of Arcadia; the series featured an American teen Joan of Arc to whom God appears in various personas and gives missions.
