MY First Attempt at Fiction

Everything I need to know about foreign policy I learned from my grandfather.

I grew up in the same house my father grew up in. One of our neighbors had an apple tree that produced the most delicious looking apples I’d ever seen. One day I told my dad I was going to go into their yard and get one of the apples. He said, “I’d think twice if I were you. We’ve got plenty to eat here. Let me tell you a story about when I tried to get an apple out of that tree.” Continue reading “MY First Attempt at Fiction”

The American Experience — Alexander Hamilton

Last night I recorded this program on PBS.  It is a nice warm-up to the debates tonight.

I’ve often wondered what Thomas Jefferson would think about our current situation, but this program makes me wonder what Hamilton would think.  Hamilton pushed hard for a strong central government, but I wonder if he would have wanted it this strong.  Would he agree with the current “aristocracy” that is running our governement?

It’s not tyranny we desire; it’s a just, limited, federal government.

Is that what we have now?

Ron Paul is the Only Candidate Making Sense

Becky C.’s post has me fired up.

I saw USA Today this morning and their poll listing the front runners.  They didn’t even have Ron Paul listed among the “also rans”.

If Hillary, Obama, McCain, Romney really do make more sense to the American public than Dr. Paul, we are in deep, deep trouble.  Honestly, I don’t think this is the case.   Ron Paul needs to stay in the debate, stay on topic, and eventually they’ll have to acknowledge him.

Crackpots don’t even register in polls, much less lead in them.

Ron Paul up to #4 on Technorati

Ron Paul is currently the 4th most searched term at technorati.com.  He’s the only candidate in the top 10, and is *gasp* ranked higher than Paris Hilton.
I’m sure he’s a big fan of the internet right about now.   That’s the great thing about free speech and free markets–the best ideas and products really do win out.

Positives Of Rezoning

Well, I’ve complained a couple of times that parents have every right to be angry with the Knox County school board, but they are mad about the wrong thing.  The quality of even the best schools in the county aren’t where they should be, especially with the amount of money spent every year.

Maybe this will light a fire under the taxpayers to hold the schools more accountable.  I doubt it, but maybe.

Knox County Property Tax Increase?!

WHAT?!?!!? Wasn’t it the threat of a property tax increase the used to strongarm the public into voting to approve the doubling of the wheel tax a couple of years ago?!?!!? By the way, that money was supposed to go for the new downtown library. If you haven’t been, take a trip downtown and check it out. It is truly a beautiful building. And the books–you’ve never seen books such as these.

Right.

Here’s my favorite quote from the KNS story:

“We’ve had very solid economic growth, but I don’t think anybody anticipated the impact of the pension plan on the budget,” the mayor said.

Actually, I think there were quite a few of us who anticipated this impact. That’s why we voted against it! I don’t need access to the accounting records of the county to know that spending a ton of money that wasn’t spent previously is going to impact a budget.

Why We Keep Having So Many Babies

Kathering Mangu-Ward at Reason has blogs about Wilkinson, who cites a Harris Poll.  Mangu-Ward says that Wilkinson claims that the Harris Poll numbers point to optimism as the reason that we keep having kids.

I guess that’s a reasonable explanation, at least for the rest of you.

My friends and I are all having babies at the same time. In our cases it’s because we’re so damn sexy our women can’t keep their hands off of us.