It's Walt's fault.

Do you think that animal rights activists decided at a young age that animals were cute furry adorable and "personable" because they have been personified over the years? Walt's Mickey, Warner's Bugs, Mr's Ed, MGM's flipper, may have been the downfall of animals in their place (ie. my plate, at my feet). Where do people get these idea's that animals have the right to sue people. I am an advocate of animal welfare, but animal rights are taking it to an extreme. Is it because "important" and rich people are on the wagon? Do people just want to fit in? All I know is that fighting for the rights of animals by infringing on the rights of people doesn't make sense. I was recommended a book recently, "A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy". The title of the book was taken for a quote by Ingrid Newkirk, the founder and president of PETA, the money behind the "rage" and "injustice" of the animal rights endeavors. I don't think I'd take Alec Baldwin's advice on how to raise a daughter, so why would I take his advice on how to treat an animal as an equal? I'm all for cute cuddly animals, but I'm all for cute cuddly animals in their place, at my feet.

RWE elitist... Eh?

I must have missed something. Did the Canadian women's ice hockey team finish last? They must have. I mean, why chastise their celebration, except that maybe they didn't win. I suppose if they had thumbed their collective noses at the losers, mooned them, or sang some less savory Queen lyrics, that would be unsportswomanlike, but champagne, beer and cigars? I don't get it (just for Julia). When a baseball team wins a championship, they douse each other with champagne, they don't even drink it. When a football team wins they waste gallons upon gallons of gatorade. These "girls" smoked a bit, drank a bit and just generally "whooped it up". Where's the problem? There weren't droves of gigolos (Julia, ask your mom... sorry Donna) waiting for them (at least that was televised), and as far as I can tell, no bongs or other forms or illegal substances involved in their celebration. Let them be. How old are they? College aged? Probably. Would we expect any less of an American team? Would any less be expected of any winning team in any major sport in the world? This was the world's largest stage and these young ladies proved themselves the best, so let them celebrate. I do however believe that driving the zamboni drunk may have be over the line, eh?

J-

Circles of Socialism...

Don't be fooled. Please don't. The only reason we're not living in a socialist dictatorship now is because our benevolent "despot" can't get the troops to agree on which circle of socialism to progress to. If all of the minions and imps and the head devil himself agreed on taking this country to the ninth circle of socialism, we'd be communist. The health care summit meeting (farce) just proves it. Is anyone else worried? If I have a meeting with my boss because he wants to get my input and opinions on something, then he wants to incorporate my ideas, great, I'm all for it. However, if I have that meeting with my boss, then at the very end he says, oh, well, do it my way or I'll just do it without you, I think I'd be pretty upset. I guess in the next three years we just have to find out which circle we end in. I'm pretty sure we're in the eighth currently... FRAUD (barrators [or politicians?] in boiling pitch anyone?)

J-

In ten years will we repeal everything he does?

I'll be pro-socialism IF...

Snow will be doled out equally to all parts of the country.

Hurricanes will be divided equally for everyone. (Why should Florida have all the rights?)

Every state in the union has oceanfront properties, and everyone owns one.

Earthquakes will be moderated equally among the states. (No damage that way I'd think)

Tornadoes are divvied out over all the land. (Once again, no damage)

Rain and heat and cold likewise are shared equally (No more driving to Florida in January)

Mountains are also shared. (Lancaster County would be a "have not")

Freshly caught seafood is available everywhere, not just "down the shore".

Every national monument is within reasonable driving distance of everywhere,

I want to see them, but It's a lot of driving.

Every "politician" is available (in person) for angry tirades when anyone feels it's necessary.

Every person is an "A" list movie star.

I could go on for hours. I'll stop.

If you live in Iowa, you're not getting, or going to get, seafood caught ten minutes ago.

If you live in Kentucky, you're not going to get the plains in Oklahoma.

If you live in Texas, you won't have the mountains of Colorado.

If you don't live in PA, good luck getting Yuengling Lager.

If you live in PA, good luck getting Yuengling Lager at the grocery store.

If you want any of the things you don't have, go get them, that's your freedom. It's not the government's job. If you can't afford them, work harder. If you feel entitled, tough sh t, work harder. If you still can't afford them or feel entitled, you still didn't work hard enough.

I guess I'm not, nor ever going to be, pro-socialism.

J-

Social, Commune, ism...

I was at a meeting last night, the speaker was old, but relevant and amusing. One statement resonates with me.

"We pretended to work for them, they pretended to pay us."

It was the words of a person he met in his travels and work among the former Union of Soviet Socialist Repulics. An interesting way to describe utopian life in a socialist atmosphere isn't it?
Working toward the common good isn't something that can be forced upon a people, it is something that must be felt. If a person has faith, believes in the greater good, and acts upon it, we would call it philanthropy, which is in fact a great idea. So, rather than force "goodwill and sharing" upon us, let's strive to ingrain philanthropic ideals into our population. Church and many other community organizations live these principles everyday. The various clubs in your towns, ie. Kiwanis, Lions, Optimist, etc. have mission statements to better their respective communities. So, rather than restrict the "common good" to our government(s) perhaps we should encourage philathropic organizations within our government(s).

I'll leave you with this thought:

Milton Hershey, the late founder and prorpietor of Hershey Foods, Inc. and his wife Katy started a philathropic organization in 1909. After his death in 1945 he left the lion's share of his fortune to this organization. And now, in 2010 the Milton Hershey School still exists, has a student body of approximately 1800 students, as well as the controlling interest in the Hershey Company and more than 6 billion dollars in its coffers.

Would that have been possible under communism? socialism? You be the judge.

J-

Congress pisses me off...

In keeping with the theme for the last week, congress pisses me off. *small c for congress is purposeful, they don't deserve a title* Did you know that there has been a bill introduced to make TV commercials less intrusive? The essence of the bill is that if you're watching a somber episode of American Idol (rolls eyes), there cannot be an "explosive" commercial immediately following that segment. I suppose conversely we may want to explore having wild, loud, annoying commercials following performances by "alternative" past american idol winners. Is this what congress is for? I don't remember this in the constitution, and I think its quite a stretch to consider invasive loud commercials a "threat foreign or domestic". So please congress, don't worry about TV, football, or baseball, worry about our economy, our safety, and our sacred constitution. Better yet, worry about nothing, let the constitution stand as law like its done for hundreds of years, and allow our country to thrive once again, and to lead this world to new heights as we've done for hundreds of years. Thank you Anna Eshoo ;-) from California of course, those pols are so out of touch.