I know, I know: "Ron Paul can't win and this'll just help Hillary. The perfect is the enemy of the good. Politics is the art of compromise."
How's that working out for us?
From David.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Quote of the awesome
David reminds us that when you compromise on principal you can only lose.
From David.
From David.
Friday, September 14, 2007
When You Shouldn't Own a Gun
The Armed Canadian has a post up on when you shouldn't own a gun.
I can't say I disagree with his logic.
A gun is not a magic talisman. It does not resolve any situation by its mere presence, in fact, it escalates situations. This story speaks to the self-defense mindset. Having the mindset of self defense will do more for you than replacing it with a gun. If you're not prepared to use your gun in a defense situation, don't pick it up.
If you don't have the mindset, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to learn it.
I've said it before; buying a gun doesn't make you safe.
Learning how, when, and why to use it does.
I can't say I disagree with his logic.
A gun is not a magic talisman. It does not resolve any situation by its mere presence, in fact, it escalates situations. This story speaks to the self-defense mindset. Having the mindset of self defense will do more for you than replacing it with a gun. If you're not prepared to use your gun in a defense situation, don't pick it up.
If you don't have the mindset, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to learn it.
I've said it before; buying a gun doesn't make you safe.
Learning how, when, and why to use it does.
Zero Punctuation video on Bioshock
This is hilarious and awesome. Perhaps so hilarious and awesome that I may have to make a new word.
Hilarisome? Awesarious?
It's all good. Just watch it.
Hilarisome? Awesarious?
It's all good. Just watch it.
Journalistic malpractice, caught in the act
There ought-a be a law.
David lays out some unfortunate facts to an "investigative" reporter. That is to say; the facts are unfortunate if you happen to be on the side of the argument that flies in the face of reality.
Facts are a funny thing; they don't have emotion, they don't have any agendas, they don't have any bias. They're just facts. They're the truth. You can't argue with them unless you have other facts.
This misguided person is convinced that stopping the legal sale of guns in high-crime areas will have a positive effect. In reality it will just make it harder for high risk victims (law-abiding citizens who must live in high-crime areas) to obtain the means to protect themselves and their families from those who would do harm.
David goes one step further. He points out that there are a number of points no reporter worth the name could possibly ignore. This is willful ignorance. When minds are already made up, and the "truth" is clear, who can be bothered to check the facts? It's not like it's her-- oh wait...
David lays out some unfortunate facts to an "investigative" reporter. That is to say; the facts are unfortunate if you happen to be on the side of the argument that flies in the face of reality.
Facts are a funny thing; they don't have emotion, they don't have any agendas, they don't have any bias. They're just facts. They're the truth. You can't argue with them unless you have other facts.
This misguided person is convinced that stopping the legal sale of guns in high-crime areas will have a positive effect. In reality it will just make it harder for high risk victims (law-abiding citizens who must live in high-crime areas) to obtain the means to protect themselves and their families from those who would do harm.
David goes one step further. He points out that there are a number of points no reporter worth the name could possibly ignore. This is willful ignorance. When minds are already made up, and the "truth" is clear, who can be bothered to check the facts? It's not like it's her-- oh wait...
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Invisible lulz
EDIT: fucking blogger.com... I don't feel like resizing those images. Just click on them.
First, the classic;
And for PDB;
First, the classic;
And for PDB;
Evil, baby killing, assault steel
Fashion statement for gun control
Designer Melanie C. Brandon has made jewelry from a machine gun and pistols seized in Phila. and melted down.
emphasis added
So, this "something" had power? The power to bend wills, and corrupt innocents? The power to destroy the very heart of man!
...Or maybe, just maybe...
a gun is just a tool
an inanimate object
incapable of hate, anger, or vengeance
unable of any action at all...
unless it is actually used by a sentient being that actually IS capable of all those things.
Oh no, it couldn't be that. Any time any element or molecule is used for evil, that molecule carries the taint of evil no matter its form. When Hitler died and his body decomposed, any plant which absorbed this matter is evil. If this plant produces oxygen, and it is inhaled by a deer; that deer is evil. If a hunter shoots this deer, and serves it to his family, that family is evil. And so on, and so on.
Anthropomorphic inanimate objects. It's like watching a Disney movie.
This is Gunny the gun! He hates everyone and shoots people when they're not looking! Also, he eats babies and kicks puppies!
I guess some people just can't comprehend the idea of evil people. They deny reality by making excuses for the perpetrator, claiming that his evil is the result of society's ills, or that his evil is the result of a demonic possession from an inanimate object.
That's got to be some kind of mania...
Hat tip to David for the link.
Designer Melanie C. Brandon has made jewelry from a machine gun and pistols seized in Phila. and melted down.
"It was amazing seeing something that was used for so much violence, hurt and destruction, to watch its power being taken away," Brandon said. "This really hits so close to home."
emphasis added
So, this "something" had power? The power to bend wills, and corrupt innocents? The power to destroy the very heart of man!
...Or maybe, just maybe...
a gun is just a tool
an inanimate object
incapable of hate, anger, or vengeance
unable of any action at all...
unless it is actually used by a sentient being that actually IS capable of all those things.
Oh no, it couldn't be that. Any time any element or molecule is used for evil, that molecule carries the taint of evil no matter its form. When Hitler died and his body decomposed, any plant which absorbed this matter is evil. If this plant produces oxygen, and it is inhaled by a deer; that deer is evil. If a hunter shoots this deer, and serves it to his family, that family is evil. And so on, and so on.
Anthropomorphic inanimate objects. It's like watching a Disney movie.
This is Gunny the gun! He hates everyone and shoots people when they're not looking! Also, he eats babies and kicks puppies!
I guess some people just can't comprehend the idea of evil people. They deny reality by making excuses for the perpetrator, claiming that his evil is the result of society's ills, or that his evil is the result of a demonic possession from an inanimate object.
That's got to be some kind of mania...
Hat tip to David for the link.
9/11, 6 years later
An act of war such what was perpetrated on 9/11 should have been more than enough to galvanize the people to fight back. Americans are known (and sometimes hated) for their "can do" attitude, and their resolve. This can no longer be the case.
It seems that most Americans had their anger at the 9/11 attacks redirected, and placated.
Instead of being angry at the man who orchestrated the attacks, we were told that we should blame the president's administration. That our president and vice president were the ones who mismanaged everything, and overextended their reach, and caused this to happen. That we should hate George Bush and Dick Chaney, because they said so.
Instead of being angry at the group that orchestrated the attacks, we were told that we should blame ourselves. That we were the ones who brought this upon ourselves by sending aid to countries that other countries didn't like. That we were the bully of nations, and that we got what we deserved. This perversion of ideas didn't come from some other country, this came from within our population, and even from within our government.
Instead of being angry at the extremists who orchestrated the attacks, we were told that we should blame our own government, because they were the ones who murdered thousands of Americans, and they did it so they could start a war and give money to their friends.
The sport of blaming the victim has been rising in this country of late.
But with all that blame going around, we barely had enough for the people who needed it; us.
We allowed our resolve to be distracted, dissuaded, and divided. The threats against our country were marginalized by many even after 9/11. Blame was tossed around like a hot potato. But for every shrill cry, handful of mud slung, finger pointed, political advantage sought, and agenda driven, only the tiniest percentage of effort was placed on actually destroying the perpetrators of the heinous crime that everyone was talking about without actually talking about.
Instead of being a nation of action, we've been hobbled from the top down. We've taken our national interests, and submitted them for the approval of a conglomeration of nations that couldn't pick their collective nose without losing a finger.
We've allowed this country to become a nation of apology, appeasement, and anticlimax.
All in the name of partisanship.
Not the old kind of partisanship that which argued "I feel your direction for America is the wrong one.", this new kind of partisanship which argues "You don't agree with me, so you are evil and I will stop at nothing to destroy you." Politicians fell over each other to personally attack their opponents with privately funded organizations, private eyes, and cash prizes for proof of personal problems. Anyone who did not march in lock-step was the enemy, no distinctions were made. Anger, hate, and vendettas were the new political arena.
The only thing that saved this nation was the resolve of our president who knew that if we sat on our hands and debated action, it would result in no action. No other leader had the stomach to do what he did, and to power through the voices of the detractors denouncing, disparaging, and demanding. When everyone around him faltered, floundered, and fell, he was firm. He has suffered greatly for it, but I am confident that history will remember him positively.
I think we're through the worst of it, and I think people are starting to get their resolve back, but one more thing still has to happen before we return to our former strength;
...the next attack.
The next attack will solidify and unite the nation. It will tell the people that 9/11 was not a fluke, and that there are people in the world who want them, their children, their neighbors, and their coworkers dead. Americans will understand that these people don't want to talk about who's on who's land, or sending aid to this guy or that guy, they just want non-muslims to die. I hope that when this happens people will get over their borrowed personal hatred of George Bush they were told to carry. Otherwise the cycle will start again until he leaves office.
So I wait in anticipation and anxiety for the reunification of America.
In the meantime, head over to DI's place and remember. Remember the loss, the sorrow, the hate, the tears, the anger, and most of all, remember the resolve.
It seems that most Americans had their anger at the 9/11 attacks redirected, and placated.
Instead of being angry at the man who orchestrated the attacks, we were told that we should blame the president's administration. That our president and vice president were the ones who mismanaged everything, and overextended their reach, and caused this to happen. That we should hate George Bush and Dick Chaney, because they said so.
Instead of being angry at the group that orchestrated the attacks, we were told that we should blame ourselves. That we were the ones who brought this upon ourselves by sending aid to countries that other countries didn't like. That we were the bully of nations, and that we got what we deserved. This perversion of ideas didn't come from some other country, this came from within our population, and even from within our government.
Instead of being angry at the extremists who orchestrated the attacks, we were told that we should blame our own government, because they were the ones who murdered thousands of Americans, and they did it so they could start a war and give money to their friends.
The sport of blaming the victim has been rising in this country of late.
But with all that blame going around, we barely had enough for the people who needed it; us.
We allowed our resolve to be distracted, dissuaded, and divided. The threats against our country were marginalized by many even after 9/11. Blame was tossed around like a hot potato. But for every shrill cry, handful of mud slung, finger pointed, political advantage sought, and agenda driven, only the tiniest percentage of effort was placed on actually destroying the perpetrators of the heinous crime that everyone was talking about without actually talking about.
Instead of being a nation of action, we've been hobbled from the top down. We've taken our national interests, and submitted them for the approval of a conglomeration of nations that couldn't pick their collective nose without losing a finger.
We've allowed this country to become a nation of apology, appeasement, and anticlimax.
All in the name of partisanship.
Not the old kind of partisanship that which argued "I feel your direction for America is the wrong one.", this new kind of partisanship which argues "You don't agree with me, so you are evil and I will stop at nothing to destroy you." Politicians fell over each other to personally attack their opponents with privately funded organizations, private eyes, and cash prizes for proof of personal problems. Anyone who did not march in lock-step was the enemy, no distinctions were made. Anger, hate, and vendettas were the new political arena.
The only thing that saved this nation was the resolve of our president who knew that if we sat on our hands and debated action, it would result in no action. No other leader had the stomach to do what he did, and to power through the voices of the detractors denouncing, disparaging, and demanding. When everyone around him faltered, floundered, and fell, he was firm. He has suffered greatly for it, but I am confident that history will remember him positively.
I think we're through the worst of it, and I think people are starting to get their resolve back, but one more thing still has to happen before we return to our former strength;
...the next attack.
The next attack will solidify and unite the nation. It will tell the people that 9/11 was not a fluke, and that there are people in the world who want them, their children, their neighbors, and their coworkers dead. Americans will understand that these people don't want to talk about who's on who's land, or sending aid to this guy or that guy, they just want non-muslims to die. I hope that when this happens people will get over their borrowed personal hatred of George Bush they were told to carry. Otherwise the cycle will start again until he leaves office.
So I wait in anticipation and anxiety for the reunification of America.
In the meantime, head over to DI's place and remember. Remember the loss, the sorrow, the hate, the tears, the anger, and most of all, remember the resolve.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Burnout.
I used to think burnout was just another word for lazy.
It's not.
Burnout affects people in different ways, and is often misdiagnosed. It's basically a feeling of discomfort that won't go away. People think they need to get more sleep, drink more caffeine, relax all weekend, or worse; take pills.
It seems to affect people who enjoy their jobs, because people who don't enjoy their jobs remember to take vacations, and are less likely to work long hours, and to work at home when "off the clock".
As with most personal problems, it's very difficult for someone to realize they have the problem. Hard workers are more likely to attribute their apparent lethargy to personal failings. Tasks or projects that used to be effortless now take effort and time to complete. Work gets pushed to the side in favor of semi-work-related diversions that you can rationalize (to yourself) are still work and accomplishments. Your work level may still stay the same, but your expended effort and personal discomfort steadily increase.
I didn't realize I was burned out until I was getting excited about a new personal technical project that involved learning new technologies and tough challenges. When I thought of it, I was pretty excited about the prospect, and did some searching around to find out what my first step was. Normally I'd be all over something like this, but weeks later I'm still excited about the project, but just can't bring myself to do even some light research on my starting point. I was chatting with a friend about my problem, and he said it was burnout. Right when he said that, I knew it was the case, and was surprised I couldn't see what was so obvious now.
For months now, I've been pining for some nature. Looking up backpacking and camping information, but never getting to the planning phase. I was dragging my feet, and didn't know why.
Well, not anymore! I'm going to set some goals for relaxation that keep me clear of computers physically, and mentally. I'm going to pick a week and just detach. I'm going to go read a book under a tree, and when I get tired, I'm going to sleep.
I feel better already.
It's not.
Burnout affects people in different ways, and is often misdiagnosed. It's basically a feeling of discomfort that won't go away. People think they need to get more sleep, drink more caffeine, relax all weekend, or worse; take pills.
It seems to affect people who enjoy their jobs, because people who don't enjoy their jobs remember to take vacations, and are less likely to work long hours, and to work at home when "off the clock".
As with most personal problems, it's very difficult for someone to realize they have the problem. Hard workers are more likely to attribute their apparent lethargy to personal failings. Tasks or projects that used to be effortless now take effort and time to complete. Work gets pushed to the side in favor of semi-work-related diversions that you can rationalize (to yourself) are still work and accomplishments. Your work level may still stay the same, but your expended effort and personal discomfort steadily increase.
I didn't realize I was burned out until I was getting excited about a new personal technical project that involved learning new technologies and tough challenges. When I thought of it, I was pretty excited about the prospect, and did some searching around to find out what my first step was. Normally I'd be all over something like this, but weeks later I'm still excited about the project, but just can't bring myself to do even some light research on my starting point. I was chatting with a friend about my problem, and he said it was burnout. Right when he said that, I knew it was the case, and was surprised I couldn't see what was so obvious now.
For months now, I've been pining for some nature. Looking up backpacking and camping information, but never getting to the planning phase. I was dragging my feet, and didn't know why.
Well, not anymore! I'm going to set some goals for relaxation that keep me clear of computers physically, and mentally. I'm going to pick a week and just detach. I'm going to go read a book under a tree, and when I get tired, I'm going to sleep.
I feel better already.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Those Finns sure knew how to make 'em.
My 111 year old M39 arrived a bit ago, snugly packaged within a long cardboard box. Removing it from the box proved to be problematic because as soon as it was freed of its confinement, it was in danger of being crushed by the dense field of awesome that surrounded it.
It was in better shape than Pat had let on (I've read this is usually the case when dealing with her), the wood was well finished, and it had small spots of cosmoline throughout. It was looking forward to a detail cleaning.
I grabbed my leatherman, patches, and cleaning kit (including my universal cleaning stick)(BTW, FUCKYEA!) and prepared to get acquainted with my new rifle.
A couple hours and a hand full of soiled patches later, my appreciation for my new rifle had grown into reverence. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but everything about the rifle just fit perfectly. The weight, the length, the stock, the balance, the everything. It all just fit. The trigger was smooth and even through the break, and with the weight of the rifle, a quick pull wouldn't pull the sights off target. After seeing the barrel serial number I considered nicknaming it "Lucky". That night I admired the rifle until late, and put it away. The next morning I picked it up again. This was the longest it would stay put away for a week.
The reason it took me so long to write this should come as no surprise. Whenever I came home, instead of blogging I was shouldering my rifle, working the action, and achieving an unexpected trigger break. After a week of practicing (practicing sounds so perfunctory, I should say "after a week of enjoying my rifle") the sights align right where I'm looking automatically after I shoulder the rifle.
For all this talk of how much I love my new old rifle, I still have yet to actually shoot it. Details, details... You will get an update when I get a chance to visit the desert.
Until then; more high res pictures here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Enjoy!
This beautiful moon.
There was a Zen master who lived in a small hut at he base of a mountain. One evening while he was away on a walk, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing to steal. The Zen master returned and saw him within his hut. "You have traveled a long way to visit me," He said to the thief, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes." The confused thief took the clothes and ran off. The Zen master sat naked outside his hut and looked up at the moon. "Poor fellow, I wish I could have given him this beautiful moon."
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Quote of the awesome
Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
~Ronald Reagan
~Ronald Reagan
Zen of the day
One day while walking through a forest a man found he was being stalked by a tiger. He ran as fast as he could, but found himself at the edge of a cliff. Hearing the tiger approach, he climbed down a short vine that dangled from the cliff. He could still hear the tiger when he noticed two mice crawled out of their nearby holes, and started gnawing on the vine. Then he noticed a small strawberry bush next to where he hung, and saw the most perfectly shaped and colored strawberry he'd ever seen. He picked it, and ate it. It was delicious!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Well look at that...
Not long after I post this about earthquakes in SoCal, than I find the following through an unrelated page...
L.A. in 1,000-year Earthquake Lull
Hat Tip to SurvivalBlog.
L.A. in 1,000-year Earthquake Lull
Hat Tip to SurvivalBlog.
Anyone got a candy?
Anti-gun Jodi Foster talks to Variety about her new movie in which she plays a pistol-packing vigilante.
Sorry Ms. Foster, for those of use who don't live in cartoons, taking a life isn't like popping a candy into your mouth.
Gun control advocates usually suffer from projection, and clearly, Jodi Foster is no different. Perhaps she should try to work out her mental issues and see if her perspective changes.
Additionally;
Of course! Every time a gun owner gets emotional they just start shooting at whomever is closest! Although which legal gun owners topping 80 million, it's surprising we don't read about this more often...
Of course you don't believe a human being should have that option. You obviously don't trust yourself with that kind of responsibility, so it's inconceivable that anyone else could. I do like how you fit that straw man argument in. Certainly a woman who uses a gun to defend herself from a rapist is not "a human being who feels". I guess it's possible she's just not "a human being who feels" she should be at the mercy of anyone stronger than she is.
I think the most infuriating thing about this, is when these arguments are broken down, they just don't make sense. Words just fall out of these peoples' mouths without being processed. If they stopped jawing about what they think they believe for more than 30 seconds, and actually thought about the implications of what they're saying, they'd understand.
It's like watching a monkey trying to put a round peg into a square hole. After hours they finally put the round peg in the round hole, and you fill with pride for their accomplishment! But then they remove it from the hole, and beat themselves in the head with it. I used to think it was willful ignorance or cognitive dissonance, but now I'm beginning to think these people simply lack the mental faculties.
Playing this character felt good, Foster says.
"There's something gratifying about holding a 9 millimeter in your pocket," she admits, "to have the power to know that with less calories than it takes to put a candy in your mouth, you can make a decision that says, 'I live, you die.'"
Sorry Ms. Foster, for those of use who don't live in cartoons, taking a life isn't like popping a candy into your mouth.
Gun control advocates usually suffer from projection, and clearly, Jodi Foster is no different. Perhaps she should try to work out her mental issues and see if her perspective changes.
Additionally;
"Isn't it possible that we all have that bit of insanity in us?
"That's why I'm for gun control. Absolutely. I don’t believe that people should have access to life-or-death situations at any emotional time in their life.
Of course! Every time a gun owner gets emotional they just start shooting at whomever is closest! Although which legal gun owners topping 80 million, it's surprising we don't read about this more often...
"I don't really believe that a human being who feels [things] should have the option at their fingertips."
Of course you don't believe a human being should have that option. You obviously don't trust yourself with that kind of responsibility, so it's inconceivable that anyone else could. I do like how you fit that straw man argument in. Certainly a woman who uses a gun to defend herself from a rapist is not "a human being who feels". I guess it's possible she's just not "a human being who feels" she should be at the mercy of anyone stronger than she is.
I think the most infuriating thing about this, is when these arguments are broken down, they just don't make sense. Words just fall out of these peoples' mouths without being processed. If they stopped jawing about what they think they believe for more than 30 seconds, and actually thought about the implications of what they're saying, they'd understand.
It's like watching a monkey trying to put a round peg into a square hole. After hours they finally put the round peg in the round hole, and you fill with pride for their accomplishment! But then they remove it from the hole, and beat themselves in the head with it. I used to think it was willful ignorance or cognitive dissonance, but now I'm beginning to think these people simply lack the mental faculties.
Earthquakes in SoCal
There was an Earthquake in Southern California last Sunday.
To many of you this probably sounds like a common occurrence, but we actually felt this one in Huntington Beach. I haven't felt any earthquakes for years down here, and the next day there was a smaller one near the same area.
I'm pretty well prepared for earthquakes or interruptions of services, but this got me a little bothered. I started looking at a site that tracks earthquakes and was surprised to see quite a few fair sized earthquakes happening in southern California.
I was ready to get worried, but then I remembered that I'm a bit sensitive to things like this, and decided I should take the time to really crunch the numbers and figure out if there's really something to worry about.
A few crunchy hours later, I could find nothing out of the ordinary, and left with the same conclusion I had drawn prior to my study; We're overdue for a big one.
This is, of course, no secret. We've been overdue for quite some time, and everyone living here still has that notion somewhere in the back of their minds. I just wish they'd have the notion somewhere in their cabinets in the form of water and canned goods.
But, since stats are always open to interpretation, let me relate to you the findings of my short study of the numbers...
Conclusion: WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!
But seriously, I haven't found the recent shake-up to be anything but par for the course for southern California. The only difference was, it happened to be in a place I could feel it. It still seems pretty clear that our faults are overdue for a magnitude 6 quake, but hopefully all that heavy shaking going on in the Joshua Tree area is relieving pressure on our weary faults.
I'm still using it as an opportunity to talk to friends and coworkers about getting their earthquake kit ready. What I don't tell them that it could also be used for human-created disasters. They can figure that out on their own. Though sometimes I can't help but drop a hint like mentioning that my "earthquake" preparedness kit contains potassium iodide.
To many of you this probably sounds like a common occurrence, but we actually felt this one in Huntington Beach. I haven't felt any earthquakes for years down here, and the next day there was a smaller one near the same area.
I'm pretty well prepared for earthquakes or interruptions of services, but this got me a little bothered. I started looking at a site that tracks earthquakes and was surprised to see quite a few fair sized earthquakes happening in southern California.
I was ready to get worried, but then I remembered that I'm a bit sensitive to things like this, and decided I should take the time to really crunch the numbers and figure out if there's really something to worry about.
A few crunchy hours later, I could find nothing out of the ordinary, and left with the same conclusion I had drawn prior to my study; We're overdue for a big one.
This is, of course, no secret. We've been overdue for quite some time, and everyone living here still has that notion somewhere in the back of their minds. I just wish they'd have the notion somewhere in their cabinets in the form of water and canned goods.
But, since stats are always open to interpretation, let me relate to you the findings of my short study of the numbers...
- We only seem to have significant records from 1998 to present day (wtf?)
- 1999 had a lot of fucking earthquakes (80 for the year, when the average for 1998-current was 29.7)
- In 1999 there was a 7.1 in Joshua Tree area (Hector Mine Earthquake), which was in the middle of fucking nowhere, which resulted in no damage or loss, which was probably why this was the first I'd heard of it.
- Of earthquakes 4.5 or greater we've had 2, previous years have been 2, 9, 2, 5, 4, 4, 23 (1999), and 3. Nothing big here.
- Of earthquakes 5.5 or greater we had a 5.7 in 2002, a 5.8 in 1999, and the Joshua Tree 7.1 in 1999. It's been a while.
- Joshua Tree aside, we haven't had anything over 5.8 since Northridge in 1994.
- The only quake larger than Joshua Tree was Landers (south of Joshua Tree along the same fault line) at 7.3 This area seems prone to tectonic pressure...
- Since Northridge, I can't find any quakes greater than 5 recorded on the coastal faults of southern California.
Conclusion: WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!
But seriously, I haven't found the recent shake-up to be anything but par for the course for southern California. The only difference was, it happened to be in a place I could feel it. It still seems pretty clear that our faults are overdue for a magnitude 6 quake, but hopefully all that heavy shaking going on in the Joshua Tree area is relieving pressure on our weary faults.
I'm still using it as an opportunity to talk to friends and coworkers about getting their earthquake kit ready. What I don't tell them that it could also be used for human-created disasters. They can figure that out on their own. Though sometimes I can't help but drop a hint like mentioning that my "earthquake" preparedness kit contains potassium iodide.
Free health care for the unhealthy?
Something many don't think of about "free" health care is the inevitable restrictions and intrusions into your life.
After the proposed system falls under (congenital) strain, how long do you think it will be until people stand up and say that their taxes shouldn't go to pay for people who live "unhealthy" lives?
How long before people start getting tested to see if they're smokers, and are forced to pay for their "free" health care because they're being "unhealthful"?
But no one likes smokers, so that's OK, right?
Do you drink often?
Do you eat fast food?
Do you drink 8 glasses of water a day?
Do you drink more than 2 cans of soda a day?
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?
Do you work out 3 times a week?
Do you take your vitamins?
Do you go to your mandatory quarterly check up?
Do you take your government-provided "preventative" drugs?
...and so on...
Got prettybad Orwellian pretty quick, huh?
After the proposed system falls under (congenital) strain, how long do you think it will be until people stand up and say that their taxes shouldn't go to pay for people who live "unhealthy" lives?
How long before people start getting tested to see if they're smokers, and are forced to pay for their "free" health care because they're being "unhealthful"?
But no one likes smokers, so that's OK, right?
Do you drink often?
Do you eat fast food?
Do you drink 8 glasses of water a day?
Do you drink more than 2 cans of soda a day?
Do you get 8 hours of sleep?
Do you work out 3 times a week?
Do you take your vitamins?
Do you go to your mandatory quarterly check up?
Do you take your government-provided "preventative" drugs?
...and so on...
Got pretty
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