Tag: Painful Truths

Perhaps to dispel the gloom of the previous post, your feel-good story for today, lifted from the Bleat:

Prior to relocating Online Insurance Brokerage World Headquarters to it’s new swanky digs last October, I had seen a middle aged fellow on a a rather routine basis near our old building from 2006 through 2011. Every time I saw him, he was pan handling. I always declined to donate to his situation. Every time, for almost five years. The last time I saw him pan handling, he seemed near death. It was just heart-breakingly horrible to witness it. I finally relented, and gave him the $40 from my wallet, on the conditions that  he go get some food, and then get to an emergency room: And that if I he drank the $40 or got a $40 high, that I would summarily beat the tar out of him. Saw the fellow again in December as we removed the last of our surplus network gear from the old building. Did not recognize him. He had gone to the ER – found he had pneumonia, got treated for three weeks, got himself into a shelter, and was working on staying sober. He was doing the sign spinner gig for cash on the barrel for a sandwich joint a block over.
I normally never give anything to panhandlers – We all make choices in our lives, and I don’t want to contribute to self-destructive behavior, for anyone’s sake, theirs’ or mine. But something about that moment called me to do things differently. Haven’t seen the fellow again since that last week in December, as our new offices are about eight miles away. Hope he’s doing okay.

And I still don’t give anything to panhandlers.

So there. And yes I am that wierdo that actually reads the comments on a blog post.

I’ve been reading Roger Kimball for many years now, and I have always found his blog to be a refuge of calm and well-considered discourse. The commentariat there has always been well-read, intelligent, and bone-deep supporters of our Grand Experiment, the United States of America. So it troubles me that I find the following within a comment thread on a post about Enoch Powell, the now-discredited British politician and statesman. I quote the comment in full, but the italics are my own:

I sense a certain unforgiving mood right now – I know I recognize it within myself.

The other side as a group has sold us all into slavery to the state, and did so with a smile on their faces content in their opinion they have not only done right but have succeeded in doing right in their own minds, and even now take a great deal of joy in their victory.

To them, they have won and now all is well and they think things will just go on, that no negative repercussions will occur, and that the losing side (us) were wrong in our warnings. They will smile and think to themselves that we will just get over it, that no grudges will be held. It’s just politics. We’ll come around to their way of thinking if it is just forced down our throats far enough.

In their happy world, they cannot imagine how furious we are.

My perplexity at how brother could fight brother with deadly intent 150 years ago has now been resolved.

I don’t think we are going to have a hard and sudden cultural collapse, but in the long run I fear we may end up at the same place. As prognostications of the end of the world as we know it do not clearly and concisely come to pass, they will point to this as proof of our error in judgement and laugh at those preparing for the future.

Just like the ant and the grasshopper.

It may now just be a matter of time, and there will be no clear physical borders or battle lines to distinguish one side from the other, though certain states/areas will be more predominantly one side or the other.

This time it will be literally neighbor against neighbor, and it will devolve over a period of years into a hot mess. Those of like political views will begin to associate more exclusively based on those views, furthering the divide.

With such a diametric opposition in views, how can it be any other way?

Those who dragged the rest of us kicking and screaming into their darkness will refuse to accept responsibility for what happens, and indeed will likely blame us as society becomes ever more unpleasant for being “obstructionist”.

Some of those who are preparing for the worst will become complacent when no sudden negative shift happens, or will question their own judgement and believe the other side was correct after all, and will therefore find themselves ultimately just as unprepared as those who are blind to what is happening when the ultimate end game begins.

I suggest we prepare for the worst anyway, yet begin planning our lives for this shift as it occurs to ride it out to it’s inevitable conclusion over a period of years. We cannot withdraw from society because there is no realistic place to withdraw to, therefore we must figure out how to survive within the chaos that will occur.

I think I need to read up on Enoch Powell some more- it sounds as if he may have been an uncomfortable prophet, who naturally enough was crucified by his contemporaries. Perhaps I’ll start with the Rivers of Blood speech. Perhaps Mr. Powell’s time in the desert is coming to an end.

(updated to correct incorrect links and attribution)

Overheard on a comment thread at Ace of Spades:

Part of it needs to involve new and inventive ways to finance them
without the Mrs. finding out about it, making your life miserable for a
week, and finally clubbing you to death with it in your sleep.

Among the many inventive ways quilters hide their purchases from their husbands: when you buy groceries, use your debit card and get $20 cash back. It goes in your financial records as “groceries” (the line in the online checking only says “purchase at Food Store”) and you get $20 to spend as you see fit.

Then you drive around with your new fabric in the trunk of your car for awhile before you sneak it into the house, and then when your husband asks if that’s new fabric, you truthfully answer, “No, I’ve had it for awhile.”

Or you could just be an adult and talk to your spouse about what you’re doing, but I’m told that’s an unrealistic view of the world held only by women too defective to be married, so what do I know.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at November 20, 2012 12:57 PM (ZKzrr)

I like it!

Instapundit links to a Forbes article that has a wonderful capsule description of an affliction that has grown up in this country, one that started long before I ever thought it had:

… people who live in cities are relatively insulated from how difficult and challenging it can be to produce the food, energy, equipment, devices, etc., that comprise the affluence that urbanites enjoy. In their urban cocoons, city-dwellers take for granted the abundance and availability of the economic goods that they consume. For instance, many well-to-do, educated urbanites see no downside to supporting stricter regulations and higher taxes on energy producers, because to them, energy is something that is always there at the flip of a switch (except during the occasional hurricane, as some New Yorkers recently discovered). Life in the city for affluent Americans creates the illusion that all they have to do is demand something and—presto!—it will be there when they want it.

~

Rose Wilder Lane, the daughter in the “little house on the prairie” stories who later became a globetrotting journalist (even traveling alone to Vietnam to report on the Vietnam War when she was 78 years young) remarked on the illusions that can beguile urbanites long ago. In her 1943 book, “The Discovery of Freedom,” Lane blasted urban greens and liberals, writing:

Anyone who says that economic security is a human right, has been too much babied. While he battles, other men are risking and losing their lives to protect him. They are fighting this CD, fighting the land, fighting diseases and insects and weather and space and time, for him, while he chatters that all men have a right to security in it some pagan God–Society, The State, The Government, The Commune—must give it to them. Let the fighting men stop fighting this in human Earth for one hour, and he will learn how much security there is.

Lane perceived that liberals suffer from a self-satisfied delusion about how the world works. Like the ivory-tower academics who enthuse about socialism because they have never experienced the harsh realities of socialism, so today, many denizens of our big cities are afflicted with a “metropolitan blind spot” that causes them to support irrational, ultimately self-destructive policies. Thus, America’s metropolises will continue to be painted blue at every election unless the people there awaken from their smug delusions.

It’s a little hard to argue with this- look at any (honest) map of the last election’s results and it becomes strikingly obvious. What is not so obvious is what is to be done about it- though the phrase “take off and nuke ’em from orbit- it’s the only way to be sure” comes to mind…

I jest, I jest.

I think.

Gaza being lit by Israeli retaliation. (click to embiggen)

A gallery of shots from Israel/Gaza, reasonably balanced for a refreshing change. I knew if the Arabs kept poking at the Israelis there would be hell to pay. After a certain point the most patient of people (and I count the nation of Israel as a most patient bunch) say, “Enough!” , and strike back. Looks like Israel went to Gaza and Hell went with ’em.

Brought to you as a public service:

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The World’s Toughest Bridge, Durham NC

via

Obviously a fun place to live.

(click to embiggen)

“We will have peace,” said Théoden at last thickly and with an effort. Several of the Riders cried out gladly. Théoden held up his hand. “Yes, we will have peace,” he said, now in a clear voice, “we will have peace, when you and all your works have perished – and the works of your dark master to whom you would deliver us. You are a liar, Saruman, and a corrupter of men’s hearts. You hold out your hand to me, and I perceive only a finger of the claw of Mordor. … A lesser son of great sires am I, but I do not need to lick your fingers. Turn elsewhither.”

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Firefly, Ep. 4, Bushwacked-

Alliance Commander: “Seems odd you’d name your ship after a battle you were on the wrong side of.”

Mal: “May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.”

I aim to misbehave.

…And I don’t mean a commenter here. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t really matter who Davenport is. Here I present a most righteous rant, a stinging smackdown of the clowns who have saddled us with 4 more years:

Do you want to know why the power is STILL off on Long Island, Davenport? Read this here: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Sandy-LIPA-Outages-Power-Long-Island-Defense-Military-178115341.html

In it you will find reference to a report from 2006, SIX YEARS AGO, which found that Long Island Power Authority had not done the basic maintenance required to secure the power grid from weather damage. The maintenance they’re talking about here is tree cutting mostly, and replacing bad power poles.

I lived in New York in the 1990’s. I could have written that report. The f-ing power went off every time it snowed because they didn’t cut trees and the trees ripped the lines down. They also didn’t plow the roads, but that’s a story for another day.

You want to know why they don’t cut the f-ing trees Davenport? It isn’t because they are stupid, it isn’t because they don’t know, it isn’t because private enterprise is inherently corrupt, it isn’t even because union workers are a bunch of rent-seeking layabouts. It’s because every time they go to cut down a tree, some local Greenies get up a petition or a court order to make them stop. So they stop. So the trees break and knock down the power lines. Same thing all over the North East until you get up into snow country, where even the f-ing tree huggers know better.

Well -this- time it all came home to roost the same day, and every overhanging branch from New Jersey to Connecticut took out a line.

But don’t get me wrong, there’s a ton of corruption and scamming going on too. Paying off inspectors, hockey tickets for town council, that sort of thing. That’s why all those flooded switching stations were within reach of a flood in the first place, because the money to move them was skimmed off by graft. That’s why FEMA didn’t have any forward located stuff, because it all either vanished or was never there to start with except on paper.

But now that there’s been a disaster the LIPA wankers are screaming for crews. And they aren’t getting them. You know why Davenport? Because volunteer crews from as far away as Florida showed up Monday -before- the storm and cooled their heels until Friday, didn’t get any assignments because they WERE NOT UNION, and then those volunteer crews went the hell back home.

And FEMA didn’t say jack about it, did they? Nor did anyone else. One phone call from Barack “The Golfer” Obama to the head of the union could have fixed that. Just one, single phone call. Didn’t get made, did it? He made a speech on Wednesday and then flew to Vegas.

It gets better. Read it all here and marvel at the breadth of the anger and disillusionment. Too bad more folks like him didn’t speak up BEFORE the election, isn’t it? It’s just too damn bad.

Me? I’m considering taking up golf. It seems to be the thing all the successful people are doing.

Miz Weasel has a thoughtful post up about our current, er, debacle:

What’s throwing me about this election is that my judgment was so far out. I got all the signs and portents wrong.

We owned the enthusiasm gap. We had, for the first time going into a presidential election, more registered R than registered D. We were easily walking the bumpersticker and yard sign wars. Our guy was happy, their guy was cranky. Our crowds were growing, theirs were shrinking. The issues were all breaking our way (epically lousy economy…erupting Middle East). We had an attractive candidate with, for once, the perfect skill set for the problems at hand.

And you’re telling me every single one of the Republican issues went down in flames? Alan West? Mia Love? Gay marriage? Legalized marijuana? Everything?

What really bothers me are the comments on that post, which I urge you to read in full. I’m finding myself agreeing with people that two weeks ago I would have blown off as, well, wearers of the tinfoil hat. Now, gawd help me, I’m looking for one that fits. That scares me deeply.

James Lileks, in reaction to certain events of the near past:

I see the world through skewed eyes, I know. It strikes me from time to time that this is an exceptional nation, as flawed as any human endeavor, but unique in human history: a society whose foundational concepts are not rooted in blood or clan, or impossibly airy proclamations of transnational brotherhood and human rights granted by, and subject to revision by, a council of our betters who regard the governance of man as a blade that scrapes everyone level. Rather, we were devoted to something rare in human history: liberty. (I use the past tense because the word’s been replaced by Freedom, which has come to mean The Fun Things, and also means freedom from being judged for any reason.) Because I am blinded by this false light I fail to see the rot and filth in the marrow of the American bones, how it’s mostly always been bad until a few years from now, and how perilously close we just came to letting Robber Barons waddle out of their gilded carriages on their gouty limbs, stagger to the gutter, and pee a stream of petroleum on the orphans who sit on the curb with upstretched palms.

We were so close to going back to that. What did the President say in the debate? He believed that Romney wanted to take us back to the economic policies of the 20s, the social policy of the 50s, and the foreign policy of the 80s. All these being bad. (Note: the systemic racism of the 50s – enforced by the State, of course – was an aspect of society so grotesque that it must taint any salutory aspects of the era. Nothing about the 50s was any good, except for some hamburger stands and the rise of youth culture. Otherwise, a swamp of murk and oppression.)

Somehow we’ll survive, I’m too damn optimistic to not feel that way. I just don’t see how right now, but Hope! and Change! I’m sure will see us through.

Hey kids- reefer is legal in two states now!

Hey ladies- free birth control! Hands off those ladyparts!

And when the bill comes due, well, the grandkids can cover that.

What a brave new world, that has such people in it.

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Here we go, folks-

The first day of the “next 4 years” is starting in a very auspicious fashion. First, the market crashes. Then, a major blue chip company, Boeing, just announced it would cut 30% of management jobs from 2010 levels. And finally, the US Treasury justadded $24 billion in debt, or enough to fund Greece for over one year, sending the total debt load (the US is now at 103% debt/GDP) ever closer to the debt ceiling breaching $16.4 trillion. But don’t worry: over the next 4 years, the US government will add another $6-8 trillion in debt, so those who didn’t get their allocation in this auction will have more than enough opportunity.

Forward!

via 

Some thoughts from our more military-oriented citizens:

Rantburg

The people have spoken.

Posted by: Flinert Clunk9181 Or, at least, the 47% of them. Posted by: g(r)omgoru Bush got elected with a minority of the vote. Its a shitty system for sure, but it does give us the right to go round preaching to the rest of the world about what a great system it is. Posted by: PlaneSPeeker The American people have voted for the government they want, and they’re gonna get it…good and hard Posted by: Frank G A win for the Main Stream Media spinmeisters and the debate moderators. A loss for freedom. Posted by: JohnQC I agree Frank. I know you will appreciate this: this a.m. at a morning P.T. run I asked my peers – “are we the crazy ones or is it the 51% of adult electorate that are fucking idiots?”. All of them, highly educated, sharp, family men, patriots to the fucking core, men who have been in combat, Iraq, Afghan, etc – they know what a leader is, they know what it is to lead companies or battalions in CONUS or overseas — to a man — we are dismayed at last night’s results. We don’t get it. I don’t get it. Actually, that’s wrong, I do get it. We have a society of non-stoic, poorly educated, history-challenged, what’s-in-it-for-me types that can now vote. 40yrs of piss-poor indoctrinated public schools are bearing fruit. And as you so aptly said – the American electorate will get what they wanted. The road to serfdom will just continue unabated. I fear for our constitution and the country my children will fall in on. Posted by: Broadhead6 Many years ago, my late father-in-law – who was in Illinois politics for a while – told me the American people get a much better level of government than they deserve. I thought it pretty cynical, at the time, but have come to understand what he meant. Broadhead 6 explained it. Posted by: Bobby  Yes America has changed. It’s far more urban, not just in the civic boundaries, but in attitude. When Detroits go belly up, the people just displace to another urban area, they don’t go back to the old homesteads. It’s an environment of delicate balance held in place by myriads of systems, just like the body. How fragile that system was amply demonstrated by Katrina and now by Sandy. Humans seek to bring control over their environment and in doing so will trade freedoms with its vagaries for promises that in the long run won’t be able to be kept. Carpe diem. When the light switch doesn’t magically come on, when the toilets won’t flush, when the refuge won’t disappear, when the fuel doesn’t appear at the pump, when the food vanishes, they really can’t comprehend why. It’s one big Cargo Cult. There is no cause->effect connection. Their solution is to scream louder, throw tantrums, and find someone who’ll bring back the magic. Urban dependency. Posted by: Procopius2k

BlackFive

Mr Wolf said…

Ruck up? WHAT fight?

I got only one recommendation to all of you- if you are in the military now, get out. OUT NOW. You are NOT going to like what it is going to become. Having lived thru the ’70’s force, and seen the absolute dreck, you are going to become demoralized, de-fanged, and de-railed.

Go. Do something else. Because being a ‘soldier’ isn’t going to be career-enhancing adjective any longer.

Robert Darefsky said…

@Mr Wolf

The timing on your post is pretty amazing. I am supposed to meet with the Retention NCO this morning I ETS in AUG. I can’t bring myself to serve under him for another 4 years.

Thejumpschool.wordpress.com said…

I think you may find the rugged individualist types may start dropping out now. We gave a lot to this country and have been told time and again, “We don’t want to be like you.” It’s about time we got the message and stopped contributing to a system that takes the best years of our lives, takes our resources, and threatens us if we march to a different beat.

I’m not saying to take active steps to accelerate the decline. Far from it. I’m saying that when the system comes for our sons or our help, we tell it to go eff itself.

Me? I have a plan in the works to live off the grid. I need to close the sale with some others, but it’s a workable plan.

Nine37 said…

If Romney won, I was headed to the military to join SF. SF is something I have always had this deep desire to do. I am currently a state trooper, happily serving and protecting those in my state, but after last night, I have a real hard time with the idea of willingly making him my CIC. We learned last night that half the country does not want to be responsible, they want free stuff and couldn’t see evil if it looked them in the eye.
Not a quitter but I feel sick this morning.
Got my ready ruck sitting in the corner ready to roll…call me crazy but you won’t call me dead.

Mr Wolf said in reply to Nine37…

Nine- keep the day job. We’re gonna need tons more like you. CO passed legal mary-jane last night, so now our roads are going to be twice as nice. Your job descrip is gonna change with it. The only real change is, in SF you would likely have been SAFER.

It’s gonna get worse before it gets better…

Patriot said…

Whew… what a load off! Since according to the vote last night I’m in the minority now…so where do I line up for my free stuff? Huh? I have to quit my job? Ok. What next? Yes, I’m white, oh..that won’t work? I want my Obamaphone, free medical care, free food, free house… uh, what? Now I apparently I have to renounce my citizenship, migrate to Mexico then sneak back in? Ok, I can do that.

On the other hand maybe I’ll continue being an actual asset to society and keep my job so I can help support the other 51% of the population… and pay O’s higher taxes, Ocare, O shit! Either way there won’t be anything left of me.

Hey at least Texas carried Romney 57%…. I wonder if that’s enough for a vote of splitting the state up and seceding??? Hmmm…

Better get the ammo order in fellas… shelves will be bare by end of day. And no Barry, you can’t have my guns, none of them. I’m sure you will try anyway.

Mr Wolf said…

Oh- here are some examples of what 70’s ‘initiatives’ got us-

Dodge trucks for tactical vehicles (which begat us Chevy trucks- in DIESEL form)

Gamma Goats.

Disco-collared uniforms.

One prediction? Those coming thru the ranks now, who will not get a chance to deploy, will get all whiney because they don’t have patches and shiney objects to wear. So, they will come up with a ‘participant’ patch to wear on the right. Just so they look ‘even’. All those standing in a formation without a patch on the right- some SGM or commander will not like it. I mean hey, it’s just a stick-on, right?

You can bet on it.

In 2015, the ‘final tour’ will begin. Everything bolted into the ground, everything you can convey on, every public building with a door will be named after BO the First. There will be naming ceremonies like MLK and Geo Washington could only dream about.