PN:
Joe’s Comment – I find solace and comfort in the words of the wise. I (of course!) reserve the right to determine who I think is wise. The wit and wisdom of Henry Louis Mencken always produces a wry smirk on my mug. It is nothing but coincidence that in my advancing years I also wear suspenders. Another coincidence: my trousers are sneaking upward to snuggle my man boobs. This week my rant salutes the memory of H.L. Mencken.
Prager U
This recent episode features Ben Shapiro discussing the success of the West, and how it happened:
As an addendum to the above, we will borrow from H.L. Mencken –
Stossel
Our favorite Libertarian is John Stossel.
In this video, Yaron Brooker and John Stossel give examples of why politicians and politics are NOT BENIGN.
The glaring example of forced “crony capitalism” they use is Microsoft.
Politicians are generally no more than mafiosi.
Joe says that government is a blight; an unfortunate necessity due to the inadequacy of human intelligence.
Ergo, if government is a blight then politicians are the enabler, the carrier, the henchmen (and henchwomen fer Christ sake). The blighters…..
The political racket forces huge successful companies to comply with political objectives. The most common objective being a wealth generator for the political elite and their bed mates.
Joe wonders what the world would be like if “free trade” actually existed:
Gads!
It’s enough to invoke an H.L. Mencken quote (or two)-
Government Debt
The following video is an analysis of the U.S.A. government debt.
Canadian “death by government” isn’t any better. In fact, a specific example (the province of Ontario) is worse than California!
In the video 10 common myths about government debt are debunked by professor Antony Davies.
Several of the graphs from the presentation forced our attention.
The above graph clearly shows that no matter the assessed tax rate, the actual tax revenue is more geared to GDP than rates paid by individuals. In the U.S. of A. since 1950 the average rate has been approximately 17%.
The next graphic is based on what people generally agree should be the rate of taxes for 5 groups of taxpayers. These rates are based on an effective rate that is calculated by the formula shown at the bottom of the chart.
If people agree that the above rates are “fair and balanced”, what then is the actual effective tax rate?
Joe choked at the actual values. WTF? was what he said –
Talk about a welfare state!!!
Joe asks the philosophical question: how many fleas can live on a dog before the dog is critically or fatally affected and effected?
I answer: not as many as want to.
Watch and ponder:
Under the video are links to complementary supportive information.
How Big Is the U.S. Debt?
How Should Governments Deal With Debt?
Debts, Deficits, and Spending Cuts.
Learn Liberty is an excellent source of conservative progressive libertarian rational thinking.
Reason TV is an excellent source of conservative and libertarian thinking.
H.L.Mencken is an excellent source of clear concise fact –
Far Right-ism
Joe and I ARE exactly what Lana Lokteff defines as a “far right extremist”.
This shocking realization came while watching her describe the behaviour and ideology of the dreaded FRE in the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvqmhl0-3Xs
All this time we identified as “theoretical Libertarian”.
How will we tell our friends?
Joe says it’s funny, but instead of feeling shame he feels justified.
And relieved.
Go figure…..
RedIce.TV has many videos of interest.
Another video at RedIce that Joe and I found reflective of our own thoughts is based on an observation of how many national / state leaders are childless. In our own thoughts this includes those who may have children but are ambivalent.
Joe and I think of the primping peacock Emmanuel Macron, who is childless and married a woman 25 years his senior. She, Brigitte Macron (nee: Brigitte Marie-Claude Trogneux), has three children with her former husband, André-Louis Auzière. Joe says Oedipus +: he is about the same age as her children.
Also in Europe, Chancellor Angela Merkel, childless ex-communist (maybe not ex). Note in the link there isn’t much info regarding her East German political career. Her “gestapo” style has frightened Joe to the point he WILL NOT work on German cars (or trucks).
How about Theresa May in England? Not barren (we assume) just childless. She and her husband were unable to conceive. Barren or no, what a cluster fuck she is making of Brexit.
In Canada, too.
Led for many years by Kathleen Wynne (a lesbian with three children), the province of Ontario has implemented sexual “education” into the provincial public school system which is highly irregular and (we think) immoral.
A doppelganger for Ms. Wynne’s closet reveal: her guilty feelings, her quest for normalcy? It is easy to influence a child. Not so easy to guarantee the effect of the influence.
After 13 years of marriage Ms. Wynne had a “sexual awakening” that led to divorce. This is not extraordinary news – in Canada about 40% of marriages end this way. The impact on her children is another story.
Joe is adamant: political leaders who don’t have children are not qualified to lead a country or state that is identified as a Nation. Some that do have children ditto.
Call him crazy.
Call him misinformed.
Call him racist, Islamist, homophobicist, whateverist.
Joe is like the honey badger. He don’t give a shit.
We believe the future belongs to the children.
It is the task of parents and adults to give children a complete history of where we (as a Nation / culture / society) came from, how we got to now, and what the future will be. That is the groundwork for discussion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOgtALakLEY
Which lends a tender credence to H.L. Mencken observing the realities of politicians. And children being abused by the public education system –
Mueller Gift to Trump
Dave Morrison of BlueCollarLogic has a thoughtful analysis of the Mueller report, and the political bottom line.
The Democrats got played. Again!:
Climate Comedy
There are four debaters.
Our hero, Dr. Patrick Moore, dominates.
Watch the video if you don’t believe us.
One of the debaters is Dr. Mann. The same Dr. Mann who sued Mark Steyn and Dr. Tim Ball.
And lost.
Listen to his “argument”. You will understand why he lost:
If this isn’t an inspiration to quote H.L. Mencken, we don’t know what. Humans are but fleas on a dog they named Earth. We no more control what the Earth does than a flea rules a dog –
Joe’s Garage
Israel Goes to the Moon
What is there to say?
A tiny country that tried.
What’s the difference?
Smarts. Drive. Determination.
The first non-government attempt at a moon landing was cheaper and smaller than any previous attempt by any other entity.
Alas, “Beresheet” crashed before touchdown on the moon’s surface.
Small country, big dreams indeed:
Natens Häxor (Night Witches)
During the Second World War the Russian people were riding the German tiger.
To capitulate to German aggression would mean the loss of their country.
To fight the German juggernaut meant immense loss of life.
Russian assets were plenty of raw materials and a huge population.
Probably vodka too.
Could they repel the German war machine?
History was, they hung on long enough to reverse the tide – with the help of the Allies.
One of Stalin’s desperate programs was to enlist women in combat.
The Night Witches was one such program.
The Russian air force established three all women units to fly harassment and precision bombing missions against the German forces.
Some of these women, flying canvas and wire biplanes, flew over 800 missions.
The Germans gave them the name “Night Witches“, for most of the bombing was carried out during the night. The witches moniker because very few of them were shot down by the Nazi forces.
Gunilla Bresky’s documentary about the Night Witches is in six parts on YoubeTube:
Part 02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeN8PnEPB4w&list=PLdpL2DKF8kOioG5ddT0580VLTfnQT7X1i&index=2
Part 03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17ZHHEQQdUg&list=PLdpL2DKF8kOioG5ddT0580VLTfnQT7X1i&index=3
Part 04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbbVc4mQ7H4&list=PLdpL2DKF8kOioG5ddT0580VLTfnQT7X1i&index=4
Part 05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOoNw8ORnr4&list=PLdpL2DKF8kOioG5ddT0580VLTfnQT7X1i&index=5
Part 06: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnW9Fbne89Q&list=PLdpL2DKF8kOioG5ddT0580VLTfnQT7X1i&index=6
Heaven (on Earth)
Joe has always loved auto wrecking yards.
Or junk yards of any sort.
The U.S. of A. armed services aircraft boneyard in Tucson would keep Joe busy for the rest of his life.
Joe and I spent many a Saturday cruising antique / second hand stores in Calgary looking for antique radios, figurines, interesting curios, old furniture.
In the following Strange Inheritance video, the old grandpa left his grandchildren his lifetime collection of cars and trucks.
Joe watched it twice. Some of Joe’s favorite Fords and Mercurys in the collection. The highlight is two Cords, one supercharged. You don’t have to be a gear head to appreciate automobile history:
POLITICS, POLITICIANS, WACKJOBBERY, HUMOROUS, STUPID
SUNDAY SERMON
Our Sunday Sermon for this week is a discussion between Dr. Michael A. Woodley and Stefan Molyneux.
This is one the most unsettling discussion Joe and I have heard this year.
Or in several years.
Dr. Woodley’s expertise is the study of intelligence in humans.
His recent book “At Our Wits’ End: Why We’re Becoming Less Intelligent and What it Means for the Future” purports the average intelligence of humans has been in decline since the Victorian Age for a variety of reasons.
An interesting thought provoking investigative conversation.
Watch and listen to Dr. Woodley and Stefan Molyneux question whether we are getting dumber:
WEATHER (OR NOT)
This week in Vernon BC continues the trend of cool and cold nights with daytime double digit temperatures.
Some rain.
Not much wind.
Lots of cloud.
Lots of “anomalous” small “weather” cells (precipitation tantrums) that roar through the valley.
The grass is greening.
The buds (trees and flowers) are budding.
Below average nighttime temperatures, but not cold enough to burst the outside water pipes.
All in all, Spring is progressing in a most acceptable manner.
Joe (busy) Mekanic
p.s. Ramirez is on duty –
