Readings and thoughts through Jan 12, 2016

Note: Many of these blocks of text actually are the link to a story or a web page that I am commenting on. Click on that text and it will take you to the page being referred to.


Once again, the old editorialist sallies forth into the breach ... I hope you find this collection of essays and random commentaries/thoughts interesting ... or at least thought provoking.

I begin tonight by stating: No, I did not watch President Obama's  State of the Union Address this evening. Being a news junky, I normally endeavor to do so, just to see what he has to say. Unfortunately, at this point in his career, the cognitive dissonance and absolute conflict with reality he presents when he talks has reached the point that I no longer can stomach watching him spout rhetoric that basically contradicts with what he says before it even leaves his lips. His dissemination and disingenuous has reached the point with me that he has no, absolutely none, credibility with me. This is a totally political divergence and any effort to impugn any other motive on my part ... well, I will treat it with the disdain it deserves.

Having said my opening statement, let us embark on our journey through my Random Thoughts.

For those who try to divorce science from religion, I offer this counter-argument ... for it coincides closely with my own views.

This story explains who the true winner of the Power Ball drawing will be ... of course, at the same time, I have to admit I bought my one ticket - you can't win if you don't play - because if I do win, even one of the minor prizes, much less the jackpot, then it will pay off. As for the rest, this article is spot on. It is why lotteries, at least in the US, really are not a great idea, but one can always dream and what price can you put on the few moments of fantasy when you dream "What if"

I guess the kid running North Korea was feeling a bit neglected ... still H-bomb or not, the day will come when the threat - if it is not already - will be quite real and I, for one, have no clue how far the little smuck will go to get attention.

Now, this was - or should have been expected - but what good did it really do ... I don't know. The question is is the US "speaking loudly while carrying a little stick (will to act)" or is this speaking "softly while carrying a big stick"?

An interesting take on the standoff in Northeast Asia ... who or what will move first

This article struck me as an absolutely useless discussion ... it doesn't seem to recognize that not everyone thinks like we do, and therefore the inducements that might be attractive to us, hold no attraction to the the DPRK.

Victor David Hanson once again writes a rant that I totally agree with. I guess that makes me a privileged white man oppressor of all around me.

If you don't have a major problem with this liberal talking point ... well, I fear there is little hope for you, us or the republic. Sorry, but when 77 percent of the people say the president should do something that legally and constitutionally he is prohibited from doing (like making the law, rather than enforcing the law), then that is where you and I part company. If you accept this then there is nothing that stands between the president making any executive order that strips the constitutional rights away from any citizen that happens to hold a view that is unpopular. That, folks, is the principle that needs to stand inviolate..

I hope this essay in the Atlantic is wrong in its conclusions as it is wrong in its conclusions about the history of the 19th and 20th Centuries

Of course, then there is this article that offers a totally different conclusion ... the question is which one is correct? I don't know ... you are welcome to your own opinion

Victor David Hanson, again, with a worthy essay - in my opinion - on immigration and assimilation. 

An interesting article on the politics of gun control ... or gun ownership restrictions ... it seems we have a big debate on that these days ... I just keep referring back to Constitution and the 1794 Militia Act as my baseline

Words from an immigrant on why her right to keep and bear arms is important to her ... given her background ... probably worth considering

Back to the Oregon standoff - I just hope nobody starts anything foolish

Oregon Standoff: Even the NYTimes recognizes that the issues really are larger than the Bundys ... or the Hammonds ... and is a long running cancer out west where so much land is under federal control

An interesting article offering the differing perspectives capitalism - not the crony type encouraged by progressives - and central planning ... of course, if the grid goes down, how are all those progressive urban dwellers going to be fed?

The charts in this say it all ... but it raises the question why are we all upset about the 1 percent. It really is silly and non-productive from my point of view (and mind you, I definitely am not part of the 1 percent ... or even in the top 50th percentile)

I read this article and all I could think of was "woulda, shoulda, coulda" ... well it didn't happen that way ... and even if the "realists" had prevailed, there is no guarantee that things would have gone the way they think. Sorry, but the world isn't that tidy and neat ... it is one big mess in a constant state of churn and chaos ... get used to it.

I suspect I will start following this columnist ... he makes a host of salient points about the current government in Washington (ringing in all parties)

This is the fear I have ... effectiveness to fall victim to some false, ephemeral goal of diversity. Is it really what we want?

Here we have the Iranians pushing the envelope ... the question is: What is the proper response? I guess that depends on what your objectives are.

And last, but not least, on the day of the President's big speech ... the Iranians go and do this? Granted, we don't know the whole story, but it is not good.