Sunday Rant – 0615

PN:

Welcome to the World, Zoey Mae!
On February 4, 2015, Katy and Mike Hewitson became the proud parents of Zoey Mae Hewitson.  Here she is, wide awake, not quite one day old –

Here she is with her tired and happy parents, Katy and Mike –

Zoey Mae is an early birthday present for Mike from Katy – born the day before Mike’s birthday!
Statistics: Born 7:30 p.m. February 4th, 2015, weight at birth 8 pounds even, height 52 cm. (hope I remembered correctly).
Grandfather Bob Hewitson was at the hospital.  This is his 4th grandchild.

I haven’t a picture of Ricky D. and Ella Mae with Zoey yet.
Congratulations Katy and Mike!  What a beautiful child!

 

Book Review

Only a few historians in the crowd will be able to identify this flag.  It is called “The Grand Union Flag“.  Other names it has are “Continental Colours”, “Congress Flag”, and “First Navy Ensign”.  This was the flag the British colonials flew during the early years of the American revolution.  Why?  The revolution was British colonists fighting British Regular army.  Paul Revere DID NOT ride through the countryside shouting “The British are coming!” because most EVERYONE was British.  What he said was “The Regulars are coming out!”, meaning the British Regular army.
Joe and I have long been suspicious that the language you speak is very important to your ability to form and analyze abstractions, to describe and categorize the surrounding world, to express yourself.  We believe all languages are NOT created equal.  In the pursuit of data to substantiate or dismiss this idea, we found a fabulous book written by Daniel Hannan that tangentially touches this theme.  The book is called “Inventing Freedom: How the English-Speaking Peoples Made the Modern World“.   It is an historical review of the birth and development of the British Common Law, the birth of Liberty, the acceptance of the interdependence between freedom and personal property, the rights of the individual, the English speaking people..
Daniel Hannan outlines the concepts included in his book via a video linked in the “Sunday Sermon” section of this rant (below)….. He ends his presentation quoting Joseph Warren (the man who dispatched Paul Revere) “On your decision hangs the happiness and liberty of millions unborn; act worthy of yourselves”.  A very engrossing video well worth investing one hour of your time.  The book is a fabulous read.

 

Joe Mekanic Takes Off the Gloves

No more Mr. Nice Guy, hiding behind a thin veil of propriety.  Not much time left to “tell all”.  No mincing around the subject(s).  Joe’s Sunday Rant will have a few changes of import in future releases.  Let’s start now, with this brief reply to cousin Delsie (in Ontario) regarding Putrefied Politicians, or, Why Doing the “Right Thing” Goes So Wrong…..

• With no exception, “Law” is the most dominant prior occupation. 
• “Business or Banking” is second
• Third place is “Education“
• “Agriculture” has declined as a former occupation over the time period
• “Public Service / Politician” appears in 1987 as an “occupation”, and increases to challenge and exceed “Law” – those pesky bureaucrats!
• Overall, more Democrat “Law”, more Republican “Business or Banking”
• Former occupations requiring a hard science education i.e.”Engineering“, “Medicine” are woefully underrepresented throughout the time presented
• Professionals from the “Military” category are low, although there are plenty of “Veterans“
• Very low “Labor Leader” and “Clergy” representation as former occupations

Couldn’t find any such information about Canadian politicians, either federal, provincial, or rural.  Although my lefty / progressive friends bitch a fit when I say so, there ain’t much difference until you prove it – the Americans are our brothers and sisters (until the little brown people manage to dilute the demographic).
The decisions made by Ontario governments past and present regarding technology leave the politicians open to charges of “crony capitalism” or just plain “cronyism”.  Not saying it is or isn’t so, but having a bunch of lawyers, bankers, and teachers make law and sign inflexible binding contracts about technology without being accountable to their “bosses” (the people of the province) will always be “de rigueur”.  A banker will understand the problem in terms of profit / loss; a teacher can teach any nonsense and do a good job (let’s not go there); and a lawyer,… a lawyer,…. well, a lawyer will argue until their jaw falls on the floor and have a warm feeling of accomplishment over dotting an “i”.  I’m saying you solve problems with the tools you have.  And the correct tools are absent, along with the forum and medium to use them.
Personally, I don’t see that having more hard science advocates would allay the possibility of future fuck-ups, either.  For example, David Suzuki (there!  I said it!)  The “Global Warming®” idiocy is a prime example of my scientists can beat your scientists.  How about the North American auto industry in the ’70’s?  Destroyed by impossible technological challenges (at the time) imposed by a political culture of rainbows and unicorns.  Countless examples abound.
Delsie dear, the closest thing to a solution or answer to un-muddle the mire is a well educated, objective, noncompromised,  uncoerced and noncoercible electorate.  Good luck finding that.  Remember the Mensa joke: “did you realize half the population is below average in intelligence?”  When half the electorate is gushing over Justin’s hair, thinks Harper is “out of control”, believes that government needs MORE control (ask the folks in High River AB or Caledonia ON how that works for John Q Public), we don’t need shades when looking to our future.
A democracy is mob rule.  Simple as that.  My thugs can beat your thugs.
My dear friend Jimmy B. once said about me I wouldn’t join any club that would accept me as a member.  And so it goes….  The solution, if there is any approach to a solution, is to become involved with the political process.  Beak off.  Tell all.  Write your representatives.  Broadcast your views, your concerns, your questions, and most importantly, your solutions.  Contrary to Mr. Robert Zimmerman’s assessment (“the answer my friend is blowing in the wind”) getting involved is a legitimate and sanctioned method to effect and affect change.  A few terse quotes from Charles Krauthammer make the case –
“We grow justly weary of our politics. But we must remember this: Politics – in all its grubby, grasping, corrupt, contemptible manifestations – is sovereign in human affairs. Everything ultimately rests upon it. Fairly or not, politics is the driver of history.”
“You can have the most advanced and efflorescent cultures. Get your politics wrong, however, and everything stands to be swept away. This is not ancient history. This is Germany 1933.”
“Politics is the moat, the walls, beyond which lie the barbarians. Fail to keep them at bay, and everything burns.”

CANADA

Another terrific contribution from cousin Delsie that Joe and I endorse most heartily –

 

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Demographic reality for Canadians is 80% of us live within 100 miles of the American border.  What about America?  Seems they have a similar phenomenon –

 

 

POLITICS, POLITICIANS, WACKJOBBERY, HUMOROUS, STUPID

The following graphic is included for all people suffering the delusion that only their “passions” are worthy of focus in making your way in life –

And the corollary –

 

 

 

 

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, SUPER STUFF

Once more, with feeling – how were the pyramids constructed?

 

 

GUNS, GUNNERS, GUNNERY

 

THE RELIGION OF PEACE (ON ALL OF US)

 

SUNDAY SERMON

Daniel Hannan wrote an excellent book called “Inventing Freedom: How the English-Speaking Peoples Made the Modern World“.  Joe and I found this book fascinating and informative; a companion to Winston Churchill’s “A History of the English-Speaking Peoples”.  For this Sunday sermon here is Daniel Hannan on the subject of Inventing Freedom:

 

WEATHER (OR NOT)

This week was more of the same cloudy, rainy, mildly cold (around freezing) gray grey grim sky.  Except today, Sunday the 8th.  An unbelievable day of sun and warmth with no wind.  You could hear the snow melting.  Oh how I wish it were here to stay.  Weather is fickle.

 

Joe (Tanned) Mekanic
p.s.  Ramirez is never fickle –