Thor’s Hall

There was a big event in DC over the weekend, in case you missed it.  I am still kind of digesting the event, and the contrasts that I have seen.  Perhaps I will get a more thoughtful post up later in the week.  In the interim, consider these two items.

The first is off of Hot Air.  The money quote:

We have listened too long to the poisonous whispers of those who say we’re too old and feeble to stand up and deal with our own problems.  The doom they have written for us can be swept aside like so many cobwebs.  Honorable people do not fear risk and challenge.

The second item is from Michelle Makin’s site, written by Doug Powers.  There are a lot of interesting points within the article.  What I found most interesting is the crowd estimates.

Lowball crowd size estimate of the day: CBS News reports about 87,000 attended (apparently they got the rally figure mixed up with the total of how many Democrats are in CBS, NBC and ABC’s newsrooms). NBC reported 300,000, and if you don’t hear event organizers saying there were more than that, it’s because 300,000 was the limit of their permit.

It still amazes me how very easy it is to look at the writings of history, and apply them to current events.  Somewhere along the line, we have forgotten this message of forty or fifty years ago.

The folks in the Great State of Texas are entering the ring, to fight with the Federal government and it isn’t about immigration.  The folks over at Energy Watch have been watching the developments pretty closely so, they are not surprised by the latest.

It’s no secret the Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are at odds with each other right now. But the language in a letter from Attorney General Greg Abbott and TCEQ head Bryan Shaw complaining about EPA’s efforts to regulate greenhouse gases via the Clean Air Act gets pretty snarky.

How snarky is it getting? Well…

Inorder to deter challenges to your plan for centralized control of industrial

development through the issuance of permits for greenhouse gases, you have called upon each state to declare its allegiance to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently enacted greenhouse gas regulations-regulations

that are plainly contrary to United States law. 75 Fed. Reg. 31,514, 31,525&. 31,582 (June 3, 2010) (hereinafter, the “Tailoring Rule”).

To encourage acquiescence with your unsupported findings you threaten to usurp state enforcement authority and to federalize the permitting program of any state that fails to pledge their fealty to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

On behalf of the State of Texas, we write to inform you that Texas has neither the authority nor the intention of interpreting, ignoring, or amending its laws in order to compel the permitting of greenhouse gas emissions.

So, I am not really keeping score but I am starting to look at some trends:

1. Montana (and others) are asserting that firearms manufactured and sold in that state are not subject the Federal law.
2. Arizona (and others) are asserting that the Federal government cannot address immigration as they are required to, by law. So the state will help out a bit.
3. Virginia (and others) are asserting that Obamacare is unconstitutional in the courts.
4. Missouri just voted to “opt out” of Obamacare.
5. Texas is asserting their sovereignty as it applies to EPA rules.

I think a day or two ago, someone mentioned “pre-revolutionary”.  November elections are going to be interesting.

I think I have posted about this gentleman before. It was likely several months ago when he was just getting started. Mr. West is a Congressional Candidate in Florida, who would get my enthusiastic vote if I was a resident there.

It’s all about character.

An interesting piece on American Thinker today, likening the current “States Rights” movement to the build up of pressure prior to the Civil War.  Are we headed that direction?  I think that the circumstances are different, and that we are not.  However, the build up of displeasure with the Federal government, and in some cases the judiciary, is real and it is taking form.  These things tend to snowball very quickly and the next few months could be most interesting, with elections and a lame duck period that could be very interesting.

Now, I understand that the government feels that we cannot look after ourselves.

I understand that they think people will constantly manipulate situations, to take advantage of others and the .gov needs to step in as the referee.

I don’t agree but, I understand.  Now, they have taken a step beyond the realm of reality and are considering a new regulation.

the Justice Department is proposing revising regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to require audio descriptions in movie theaters on half of all showings so that blind people can go to the movies.

So. Blind. People. Can. Go. See. A. Moving. Picture. Show.

I think we have an issue, and this is a fine illustration of passing that boundary from a good idea to Bizzaro world.

H/T to Tam

Ok, I lifted this one whole from Stormbringer. It was too good to pass up, even if the Arizona part is really from a true story about Rick Perry, the Gov. of Texas.

CALIFORNIA

The Governor of California is jogging with his dog along a nature trail. A coyote jumps out, bites the Governor and attacks his dog.

1. The Governor starts to intervene, but reflects upon the movie “Bambi” and then realizes he should stop; the coyote is only doing what is natural.

2. He calls animal control. Animal Control captures coyote and bills the State $2000 testing it for diseases and $5000 for relocating it.

3. He calls a veterinarian. The vet collects the dead dog and bills the State $2500 testing it for diseases.

4. The Governor goes to hospital and spends $35,000 getting checked for diseases from the coyote and on getting his bite wound bandaged.

5. The running trail gets shut down for 6 months while Fish & Game conducts a $1,000,000 survey to make sure the area is free of dangerous animals.

6. The Governor spends $500,000 in state funds implementing a “Coyote Awareness” program for residents of the area.

7. The State Legislature spends $20 million to study how to better treat rabies and how to permanently eradicate the disease throughout the world.

8. The Governor’s security agent is fired for not stopping the attack somehow and for letting the Governor attempt to intervene.

9. Additional cost to State of California: $125,000 to hire and train a new security agent with additional special training re: the nature of coyotes.

10. PETA protests the coyote’s relocation and files suit against the State.

ARIZONA

The Governor of Arizona is jogging with her dog along a nature trail. A Coyote jumps out and attacks her dog.

1. The Governor shoots the coyote with her State-issued pistol and keeps jogging. The Governor has spent $0.35 on a .380 hollow point cartridge.

2. The Buzzards eat the dead coyote.

And that’s why California is broke.

For today’s lesson we turn once again to the wisdom of Barkley.  In clear and concise terms, Barkley explains socialism in a nutshell and provides you with his opinion of socialist politicians.  Go Read it.

Over at “American Thinker” today they had post titles “President Dogbert”.  Now being a fan of Dilbert, and seeing many parallels between Dilbert’s daily adventures and my professional experience I was naturally intrigued by the title.  The article is a little slow to start with and then it hits the accelerator.  Go give it a read.

Here’s a bit to wet your whistle:

At one time we had a pretty clear mission statement for Afghanistan.  According to The Washington Post, it fit neatly on a viewgraph.

“Defeat the Taliban.  Secure the population.”

But as the Post reported, such clarity caused consternation within the Obama administration.  So they changed it.  Here is the new mission for the International Security Assistance Force, according to the Pentagon.

“ISAF, in partnership with the Afghan Government, conducts population-centric COIN operations, enables an expanded and effective ANSF, and supports improved governance and development in order to protect the Afghan people and provide a secure environment for sustainable stability.”

This is one of those “D’Oh” moments.  A case where the symptoms point directly to the root cause.

The Democrats are not even bothering to write a budget this year.  If they did, we could calculate the deficit and determine government priorities.  Too damn much clarity.

If you want “to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math,” try showing them that objectivity matters.  “Science, math and engineering” are endeavors where not every opinion and cultural behavior is equally valid.  Hypothesized scientific relationships have to square with physical observations.  Math must follow rigid, unforgiving logic, with right answers.  Engineers must design bridges that don’t fall down.

Clarity and Objectivity.  The do make a difference in our world.

Over at Flopping Aces, the folks have an interesting view on the current administration’s approach to the hard problems it is facing.  It is, I think, a nice companion to my post yesterday.  Go read it.

Now, let’s contrast that to this 5 point tutorial on how to get things done over at Major Pain’s.

See any differences in the approach to getting things done?