lilyslore's blog

I read with great pleasure the other day that the Outer Beltway Horror may be delayed. As is expected, it's over money but not the usual "lack of funds" money problem but the "corporate greed" money problem. The state contends they can't do the project solo until some time after I'm Worm Cuisine which is fine by me. But they want to bring in a private firm to build it and maintain it in return for tolls. On the surface, as far as a business proposition goes, it makes sense for the state and the business. However, they also want the concession from the state to avoid paying their share of taxes. How Enron! How Big Oil!  On top of that, and these points I object to strenuously, is the fact they want to stack the deck further by taking away choice in the form of the Shands Bridge which is free to travelers and commuters and it appears that they may also want to sieze a state built road already purchased by us in the form of Brannon Field-Chaffee and then force us to pay even more for the privelege. I object to this thievery whole heartedly. This first link is the story in the T-U for anyone who missed it.

Foxx, I read your statement about how on occasion you have said things and later regretted them and wondered what the heck you were thinking at the time. I think you are a true diamond in the rough and see great essays from you in the future as you grow older and wiser.

 Everyone sticks their foot in their mouth at least once or as I call it, Everyone Tastes The Toe Jam Eventually. In keeping with this thought, here are examples you may or may not have seen in the past of stupid things “experts” have said. Enjoy, learn and grow. ;>)

I’m going to ask my fellow bloggers to indulge me for a few moments as I stroll down Memory Lane. I am currently working on a project assembling hundreds of my favorite songs from the Sixties. Yes, it was a controversial time and many of is suffered from misplaced idealism. Many of us grew out of it. You can tell those who didn’t. I’m referring to 60 year old men with gray ponytails and women who still think they look like Cher. Bless their hearts.  Anyway, I came across this song by Steppenwolf, (yes boys and girls, they did more than Born To Be Wild) and it hit me really hard at how those who do not recall the past are doomed to repeat it. This particular song is important for two reasons. One, I can not recall another pop song that was primarily an American History lesson (albeit an extremely abridged one) and two, I will bet you dollars to proverbial donuts that if you give these lyrics to any high school student, they would immediately think it was written in the past two years and not nearly forty years ago.  This is merely an exercise in self awareness. Take it for what it’s worth. I doubt the Powers That Be will learn anything from it but what the heck… 

Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope
Like good Christians, some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches

"The good thing is the Democratic presidential primary has absolutely no legal significance," Ysursa said.

As is my habit, I visit Dave Barry's blog site for the sillier side of the news almost daily. I have just come across this item and nearly choked with laughter at this quote from the Secretary of State Of Idaho. For clarification here is the whole news story. I just wonder if this official has any real idea of what he said. And the republican party wants to know why I left. This is just one more example.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24170686/

And now the denouement

Chapter 7 is roughly 2 ½ pages long. In what we have now come to learn is the author’s style of enhanced vagueness we are introduced to “The Birth Of The Fair Tax”. Essentially, there are no names given. I find it curious that as evolutionary as a completely new way of funding government and its services as this scheme is supposed to be, no one wants to take credit for it. The proponents mentioned are shadowy and anonymous. To me it sounds like Ken Lay, Jeffrey Skilling and the board of Enron.

So, here I am perusing the Palm Beach Post getting ready for yet another drive up the lovely I-95 corridor for two days when I spot the editorial at this link.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/04/13/a2e_nelson_edit_0413.html

Imagine my stunned surprise to see that our Senior Senator is pushing an idea exactly like the one I proposed not all that long ago concerning regional, rotating primaries. Maybe senatorial staffers are paying attention. I feel so proud of myself. I don't even care if I get credited or not, just, please, do it.

I found this website on another blog I follow.

Naked German seniors star in post-9/11 Verdi opera

Anybody else think they may have an urge to break out the old iron? :>)

Lordy, lordy, are we in for some fun now. I just had to stop reading to give you all my impressions of Chapters 5 and 6. (Yes, through an editing error I did not mention that Chapter 4 was already included in essay number two.) But I’m the one with OCD so I don’t imagine little things like that will bother those of you who are interested in the Big Picture here. Just wanted to let you know that I do err and I am not ashamed to admit it, unlike my harshest critics. As an aside, let me address one of those criticisms now. The point was nearly beaten senseless that I did not agree with the concept of the Fair Tax and that this was wrong of me because I had not read this particular book. I have, of course, read many other articles on the Fair Tax. This book is not the End All on the subject. Other people much sharper than I, whom I respect, have also weighed in on the subject and detailed points even better than I can. It is through their insight I have formed my opinions. But once the whining began that I had not read the Boortz/Linder book and that anything I said was not to be considered seriously, I decided as a lark, to read it and analyze it to the best of my ability and to entertain other readers here. Frankly, my critics are nowhere near as fair as I am trying to be. I openly admit I dislike this “plan” and I am using this pitifully written book to explain how I see it. The critics should just stop trying to censor me and reply in a point by point assessment of my conclusions, something they have thus far refused to do. All they say is “read the book” rather than actually approach the level with a serious discourse. I also have suggested those who are interested should read the book. Don’t take my word solely on the subject. That would be as foolish as taking the author’s word for it solely. How much more fair can I be? Those of you who are following this thread, PLEASE tell me how you feel about these posts and whether or not you agree and what you think.

Libertarians:

For the most part I view libertarians as essentially a quirky group but generally harmless. Their main reason for being in business seems to be to rid illicit drugs of the “illicit” label. They believe that individual freedoms trump societal convention. I would tend to agree with that belief except I believe Personal Responsibility should be at the top of the agenda. For example, if someone wishes to fry their minds with drugs, be my guest. But upon frying one’s brains don’t send me the bill for care, therapy and rehabilitation. Libertarians may very well agree with me here but you don’t see them  triumphing because as a society we do tend to want to help those who are in need even if they created the need themselves. It’s not unlike the Menendez brothers who murdered their parents and then begged for mercy on the grounds that they were now orphans. So from my point of view, we already begin with a set of unintended consequences that we may not be able to control. After all, how much “personal responsibility” do drug abusers have? They certainly don’t give a darn about how their actions affect family members. No, it’s always “just about them”.So, when the Libertarians propose a radical departure in how we fund our government, no matter how inane that government continues to be, I can not help but think that these guys have been “cheesing” way too long.

One of the fascinating things about right wing talk radio (and perhaps left wing talk radio as well) is how the hosts of these shows have so much “Personal Confidence”, by which I mean “Chutzpah”.  These shows are designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. On many of these shows the host will demagogue the concept of Rugged Individualism to their audience. What it seems to come down to is that to be a Rugged Individualist one must see the world as the host does. Does this not subvert the very concept of individualism? I recall in the sixties when my generation eschewed (although we had no clue as to what eschewing was) collegiate attire and we all donned T shirts and jeans just so we could be different. What we were, ultimately, was a ragged army impressed into service by jeans salesmen. Live and Learn. That’s what I have attempted to do for much of my life and I feel, for the most part, I have succeeded more often than failed. Which brings me to the point of today’s missive.