Right As Usual - The Next Generation
Musings from a Retired Teacher of Science. Eclectic, meandering, and not aligned with any organized school of thought. Or, organized anything.
Monday, July 4, 2022
Thoughts Inspired by the Dobbs Decision
Saturday, July 2, 2022
The Hysterical Media Continues
Jeez, you’d think that at least a few of them could find something more worthy to occupy their time.
Like running room to room in a hooker’s hotel, delivering wet wipes between customers.
But, no.
Never happened. But, thanks to Congress and the Media, it will enter the Halls of Infamy, and become Truthy.
But WAIT!
There is a rare voice of sanity in the media.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
The Coming Grid Failures
Avoidable - almost completely avoidable. And, likely to cause many deaths.
A working energy system - NOT powered by unicorns and fairy tales - is essential to a modern society. We have hit a crisis point.
- The supply system is trashed. Both the shipping screw-ups, and the diesel shortages/ridiculous prices are the major contributors to that mess. ALL have been allowed to happen by political and corporate action. The politicians have bent their knees to the Enviro-Nuts, and corporate has attempted to go around barriers to American manufacture and sales by outsourcing everything except their own bodily functions. As a result, when these delicaely balanced systems fail - as they almost inevitably will - chaos ensues.
- Deliberate "shortages" of essential inputs to American business - power, people to move goods, stockpiles of essential goods without punitive taxes being imposed on them, raw materials mining/manufacture at a competitive price, and a host of other government-imposed barriers to Free Trade within American borders, have all contributed to thte mess. The Enviro-Nuts provide the EXCUSE for regulations and legislations; the problem is that too many people in a position to impose a stranglehold have gained power, and are loath to lose it.
- Hardening the grid against physical or cyber-attacks is a program that Trump tried to get moving. In the future, when a president identifies a security risk, and the bureaucrats/placeholders refuse to implement it, those obstructionists need to be FIRED. Immediately. That is why I'm increasingly supporting DeSantis for 2024 - Trump talks a good game, and certainly had some successes, but DeSantis has a track record that is better.
ONE City. 800,000 Potentially Eligible Foreign Nationals Could Have Voted
How Access to Abortion and the Sexual 'Revolution' Happened
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Whittling Away at 2nd Amendment Rights
Funnily enough, advocating or promoting violence against the 'dreaded White people' - who apparently pose a grave threat to other's existence, just by living, never seems to quality as hate.
Even the mildest expression of concern or even dislike of viewpoint - for example, saying that bringing in sexually related discussion to K-3 classrooms is inappropriate, or that people possessing a penis, however they dress or present themselves, are men - is "Evidence" of hate.
And, therefore, a reason to deny a citizen their 2nd Amendment rights (no, NON-citizens do not have that right).
Properly, 2nd Amendment protections for carrying a gun (whether openly or concealed, depending on the laws in that state), are best described as "you have the right to own and use a gun, unless you present a CLEAR and GRAVE danger to the public". That's the idea behind "SHALL issue" vs. "MAY issue" when it pertains to issuance of gun permits. In the first case, barring a clear and grave reason for denying the permit - such a SERIOUS mental illness (not just mild depression or anxiety), a CRIMINAL record - conviction, not just an arrest, or demonstrated threats against others or violent actions in public (like the people calling for Justice Thomas' assassination, or the guy that assaulted Rand Paul), the authorities must issue the gun permit.
A person should have a way to appeal a denial, in court, using evidence. They might point out that the crime they were convicted of was many years in the past, for example. Or that, despite some physical actions during a marriage, or near its end, they have healed the relationship with the ex, and that person is willing to state so in a notarized form.
The VAST majority of gun crimes, whether involving property or threats/acts against a person, are committed by persons who wouldn't qualify to buy a gun or get a license. They have records, they are too young, they are addicted to drugs or alcohol (I prefer to refer to both as chemical addictions - there really is little difference, other than possibly the legality of buying one type).
The other category is suicides. Many of them will commit suicide, no matter that they cannot own a gun. They may choose other methods. They may obtain a gun from some other person, either by borrowing/taking it, or stealing it.
The gun doesn't kill a suicidal person. Their mental/emotional state DOES.
Sunday, June 26, 2022
The Sudden Concern About the Gerontocracy in America
Now, after President Trump had the opportunity to appoint Justices who would return the Supreme Court to their original (Marbury v. Madison) focus on assessing the Constitutional legitimacy of legislation and regulation, the Dems are SUDDENLY concerned about old folks in elected or appointed seats.
They were fine about doddering old Diane Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Maxine Waters, Bill Pascrell, Grace Napolitano, and Eddie Bernice Johnson. All are in their 80s or older. There are Republicans on the list, too, including Chuck Grassley, among others.
But, look to younger, potential competitors to spread "concern" about them in anonymous comments to reporters, and, with luck, clear the way for younger players. THAT'S what is behind the push to get rid of the old people in government. They are afraid that, should that incumbent run against a younger, more energetic opponent, the Dems could lose that seat. They want to shove that long-serving member out before that happens.
Now, is Di-Fi really losing it? Very likely. But, the right way to remove her is to get the leadership to pressure her to retire. For many of these geezers, not gonna happen.
So, take the sudden "concern" about senility or health of an aging politician with a heavy dose of salt. It's not that they care about the old person's functioning. It's that they care how it affects their chances of staying in power.
However, I would be thrilled to have a mandatory retirement age for government paid workers of around 80. Yes, there are a few who stay alert and able well into their 80s and 90s - but not many. And, the decisions need to be made by people who are young enough to have skin in the game.
I would also like a cap on post-retirement income for military, Congress, and people who can affect administration of government funds. For 2-5 years, they should NOT be able to take jobs with those who could have been affected by their actions. That's not the case, currently.