Random Thoughts for December, 2018.
By
Robert A. Hall
Feel
free to post or forward.
I
voted for Governor Scott Walker, but I’m not surprised he lost.
Wisconsin
has the lowest tax rate and lowest unemployment in decades. How long
did he think voters would put up with that?
Now
that Nancy Pelosi is going to be Speaker again, I think in her honor
we should all start using clean natural gas instead of fossil fuels
as she suggested several times. (Until some spoilsport explained to
her that natural gas is a fossil fuel.)
Nancy
Pelosi as Speaker may actually help Trump in 2020. She will be unable
to restrain the actions and pronouncements of the far left elements
of her caucus, especially as she is one of them.
Culture
is destiny.
The
VA says I have Asperugillis, a fungus which my learned friend George
told me is mildew. So I’m a moldy oldie. The tests are
inconclusive, so they have decided
to wait and see. Another CT scan in two months. And on we go...
I
read that Nike stock has soared since they picked Kaepernick as their
mascot. Too bad Benedict Arnold wasn’t available.
To
paraphrase Ben Franklin, “Those who would trade freedom for
promises of a future utopia will get, and will deserve, neither.”
That
terrible shooting at Mercy Hospital in Chicago couldn’t happen at
the VA Hospital where I work. The VA is a “gun-free zone.”
I
read that in 2017, 200 people died every
day
due to drug overdoses. This seems to me to be a self-inflicted
epidemic. I know the accepted wisdom is that drug addiction is a
disease. But every addict at some point made the decision to try
drugs. Unless they were somehow slipped to them unknowingly, which
I’d guess is rare. I have met a couple of former addicts who made
the decision to get clean and have lived fairly productive lives
since then. I know a guy who says drug addiction improves the gene
pool by removing idiots. I don’t think I’d go that far, but I see
the appeal of the viewpoint.
The
problem with this world is that few people have the strength to do
what is needed. And
fewer still have the will.
Saw
a bumper sticker: “I feel much better now that I gave up hope.”
The
Bible stories tell us that Jesus was very humble. Which makes it
ironic that so many of his most fervent devotees are so arrogant and
self-righteous. And
so often jerks.
People
get fired for doing the right thing as often as for doing the wrong
thing.
It’s
always the party out of power that rails against gerrymandering.
Your
life will be much happier if you are slow to take offense.
People
who see themselves as victims may get many short term benefits from
that status. But they seldom have happy lives or
successful careers. Convincing minorities to always see themselves as
victims for political gain is one of the great crimes of the Democrat
party.
At
one of the associations I managed, my Membership Director said I must
feel like the guy with the shovel who walks behind the elephant in
the parade. Association management can be like that, probably
especially that job, but all jobs have it from time to time. Just do
a good job with your shovel and carry on.
More
than a third of Americans surveyed by the Annenberg Center for Public
Policy in 2017 couldn't name a single freedom enumerated in the First
Amendment. Only 26 percent could name all three branches of
government, and 33 percent couldn't name a single branch. --Jonah
Goldberg
And
about
a quarter of American adults (24%) say they haven’t read a book in
whole or in part in the past year, whether in print, electronic or
audio form.
This may include our president, who administration insiders report
doesn’t—or can’t—read his daily security briefings. As has
been said, people who don’t read have no advantage over the
illiterate who can’t read.,
I’m
72, and seem to have three modes: Tired, Really Tired, and Asleep.
Don’t know if it’s the age or the meds for my lung transplant.
Probably a combination. But I continue to march.
In
many places in this sick world, you can now be charged with hate
speech, racism
or Islamophobia
for telling the truth.
Our
cupboard (and fridge and freezers) are never bare. Okay if you get
picky and take out everything past its sell-by date….
In
today’s elections, the people have not spoken until the lawyers
have exhausted every technicality.
You
can run away from almost everything except yourself. For that
problem, there is no geographical solution.
When
politicians say they want to work with the opposition, what they
usually mean is they want the opposition to abandon their principles
and support their
agenda.
\When
someone means you well, even if they are clumsy or you are offended,
don’t be a jerk and return good with ill.
The
fanatic Trumpers who had been baying to get rid of the “RINO”
John McCain got their wish when God removed him from the playing
field. And they cheered that. And
they cheered when Jeff Flake quit.
In
Flake’s
place,
they got a loyal Democrat who will vote to block Trump’s judicial
and other nominations, and given a chance, will vote to impeach Trump
and to make Chuck Schumer Majority Leader,
putting the committees and flow of senate business in the hands of
liberals. I assume they are delighted at the result.
To
presidents who never wore the uniform, the military are tools, not
flesh and blood people with families and dreams. And tools break or
wear out. It’s part of the cost of doing business.
My
grandmother always
said,
“Never tell people your business.” She’d be appalled by
Facebook and other social media.
I
recent read that people who drink their coffee black are more likely
to be sociopaths. I’ve been drinking it black since the Marines and
haven’t detected any tendencies. But it might be best not to
trigger me.
If
you are a lousy human being, it doesn’t matter if you’re a
successful businessman, a popular
elected
official, or great with a football, basketball or baseball player.
You’re still a lousy human being.
I
just read that it’s now considered racist to say, “Long time, no
see.” Apparently in might, might,
come from Mandarin or one of the thousands of Native American
languages. So I propose, “Long time, no offend” as a substitute.
Just trying to help.
Habit
can save your life, or cost it. Depends on the habit.
It
would be hard for the average person in Georgia, not besotted by
partisan zeal, to look at the actions of Stacy Abrams since the
election and not think, “We dodged a bullet.”
Choose
your friends with care and your enemies with greater care. It is
truly said that there is no such thing as a small enemy.
“Men
only care for science so far as they get a living by it, and that
they worship even error when it affords them a subsistence.” —
Goethe
Here’s
a psychology
experiment you can do. Ask
people how they
are doing and when they say, “Fine,” you
say,
“Oh, that’s too bad.”
Ironically,
many people misuse the word ironic.
Stealing
is a risky way to make a living. Unless you can get a group of people
together and get the government to do it for you. Of course, you
can’t call it “stealing.” You need a catchy name, like “”Social
Justice.”
People
used to pray to get a job. Or maybe a better job. Now too many pray
to be able to live without working.
Get
the collection! My “Random
Thoughts” from 2008 through July, 2013 are collected in this book:
The Old Jarhead's Journal: Random
Thoughts on Life, Liberty, and Leadership by Robert
A. Hall
The
Old Jarhead’s Journal is a collection of Random Thoughts on
politics and life and Conservative Political Essays, mostly published
on the author’s blog, including the essay “I’m Tired” which
went viral on the Internet in 2009, “The Hall Platform,” “This
I Believe,” and “Why I’m a Republican.” While they will be of
interest to conservative thinkers, they are collected here in book
form as a service to readers who wish to give a copy to favorite
liberals and watch their heads explode. All
royalties are donated to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.
*****
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