QotD
“How do you tell a communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone “who understands Marx and Lenin.”
-Ronald Reagan
Monday Musical
Ladies and Gentlemen, Ms. Loretta Lynn – courtesy of Memento Moron.
Musings on Michael Jackson
Unless you’ve been living in complete solitude for the last 24 hours, then you’ve obviously heard that Michael Jackson kicked the bucket yesterday. I’m not going to go into some long-winded diatribe about my opinions of his life; there’s enough of that going on on different blogs. I will, however, say this: at one time, he was the quintessential music icon.
Twenty-five years ago, Michael Jackson was literally at the top of the world. Thriller became one of the top selling records of all time. There was seemingly no limit to the heights he could achieve. Despite his vast musical talent, he was never able to fully recapture the fire that sent Thriller skyrocketing to the top.
Something else happened, too. Over the years, Jackson became famous, not for his musical talent, but for being a walking, talking freakshow. His extravagance and indiscretion led to a variety of problems – including several allegations of child molestation.
I can only guess at what caused such a dramatic and ultimately fatal fall. However, I can say that the person who died yesterday was not the Michael Jackson whose music I enjoyed in my younger years; that person died long ago, and that is the person I will choose to remember when I think of Michael Jackson.
QotD
It only stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.
-Ayn Rand
Mathematical meditation
I want you to think about something for a moment: one trillion. A million million. Ten to the twelfth power. A one with twelve zeroes behind it.
It’s an incredibly large number, is it not? Most people know the word trillion, and they know, at least on an intellectual level, what that number is. However, most people cannot fully grasp the concept behind the number.
Here’s an exercise to help grasp the concept of one trillion. Take a one dollar bill out of your wallet and feel its weight. The weight is almost negligible, right? Now, imagine how much that would weigh if you multiplied it by one trillion.
The result is 2,200 metric tons. This is the approximate weight of five fully loaded Boeing 747s.
Now, picture this: this year’s federal budget is $3.6 trillion. Of that, more than $1 trillion is deficit spending.
The previous administration racked up a debt at a previously unmatched rate, for which it was rightly criticized. Yet, those same individuals who criticized former-President Bush on his deficit spending are mum about the deficit being racked up by the current administration, despite having only being five months into the administration, and despite it being larger than previous deficits by an order of magnitude.
More than $1 trillion in debt is being added to an already staggeringly large debt, in an economy that is on shaky ground because of excessive debt, yet, for some reason, people believe this will help shrug off the economic recession in which we currently find ourselves. This is a perfect example of critical thinking skills being replaced by misty-eyed dreams of hoping for change. Only, in this case, the only change for which we can hope is spare change.
When failure is rewarded
Is anyone else as tired of the media’s orgasmic coverage of His Holiness’ 100 days of failure?
All this time, I thought I was a libertarian
…but it turns out that I’m a right-wing extremist – at least according to the Obama regime. So, to clarify this misconception, I’m putting this to a vote. I want to ask my humble (and not-so-humble) readers if they believe that I’m a right-wing extremist.
I believe the following:
- The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
- The church does not belong in government.
- The government does not belong in church.
- Schools should teach reading, writing, arithmatic, history, science, and art – not religion or politics.
- The right of freedom of speech for all people, not just those with the “correct” political views.
- Government should get out of the marriage business.
- The government should stay out of the bedroom.
- You are responsible for your own life; I am responsible for mine.
- With all rights come the duty to use those rights responsibly.
- All powers not expressly given by the Consititution to the federal government belong to the states.
- Our tax system punishes those who produce and rewards those who do not.
- The so-called “war on drugs” is merely a cover to get people to surrender their individual rights.
- War is the last resort in diplomacy.
- When it’s time to fight, the wars should be fought by the military, not micromanaged by politicians with an agenda.
So, you all decide: am I a right-wing extremist?
Random thought
I hear people saying that Jews rule the world. I also hear that blacks are ruling the world. So my question is this: if Jews and blacks are both ruling the world, does that make Sammy Davis Jr. the default ruler of all creation?
Just a quick reminder
Unless you plan to become Treasury Secretary one day, your annual tribute to the government taxes are due today. Remember, His Holiness needs you to pay your tribute taxes so that he can afford to bailout ACORN and his presidential campaign fundraisers pay for his massive budget.
FYI
Just so you all know, I happen to be a very tolerant*, albeit cynical individual. If there’s one thing that would make me get all stabby and shooty on someone, this would definitely be it. Considering what this dog, Dasy, meant to Mr. Luttrell, I have to admire his restraint. And I, for one, would certainly not have faulted him if his gun had “accidentally” gone off.
Here in Texas, “he needed killin’” used to be an acceptable legal defense. Asshats like this almost make me miss that time.
*stupidity is not something of which I am tolerant.
Added in edit 4/10/09: Please visit DASYfund to contribute to buy Mr. Luttrell a new service dog, or to donate to a charity of his choosing.
keep looking »