Realpolitik and compromise

So, as this US presidential election cycle is the Democrat party's turn in the Thunderdome, there's all the talk of accepting the nominee, whoever she may be, and not standing on principle, as defeating the orange menace is all that matters. This is the type of moral cowardice that keeps perpetuating the election of bozos. Rather than making choices to improve the system (i.e., restore constitutional limits on power) people are voting based on promises that the opposition will take it up the ass harder than you do, with the unsupported hope that the ass reaming will go away later, if we just put up with it a little longer, just enough to fix things. There are candidates who base their entire platform on the premise that NOBODY should get fucked by the government. Check it out.

Attention European visitors. ..

I'm not collecting a damn thing, this host better not be collecting a damn thing. If you read anything here, your real concern should be your own government and the EU putting you on an asbo list.

All the bullshits

When will I get done the bullshit you asked me to do? Well, first I have to do their bullshit, then the other person's bullshit, then this other bullshit, and after re-prioritizing everything for the urgent new bullshit, thus pushing back the bullshit for the other bullshit, your bullshit has a chance.

Well, so much for Audi

I like Audi's cars, I've wanted an Audi for a long time. But if Audi is going to spend SuperBowl advertising rates to tell me that they follow US law dating to 1963, I don't have confidence in their competence. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/epa.cfm

Took you long enough

There are many things in life which are a low-down dirty shame. Of recent relevance is that while people are capable of annoyance at the powers that be for general cluelessness and ridiculous behavior, most people are only outraged when the "wrong" people have power. The anatomical gyrations necessary to break your arm patting yourself on the back over pulling your head out of your ass are remarkable, but on public display by the millions.

North Carolina, the new South Africa

Dear Children, Once upon a time in America, there were places where there were laws enforcing different treatment for different groups of people for arbitrary reasons. There were also attitudes held by those responsible for creating and enforcing laws, that a blind eye would be turned towards citizens committing illegal acts against the group(s) discriminated against. Naturally, the people being discriminated against were not happy about the situation. In addition, a lot of people not in the affected group(s), who lived far away from the places where discrimination occurred, thought that it wasn't very nice, and should stop. Strangely, however, some of these originally uninvolved people felt strongly enough to go to the affected areas, to protest, march, and ride buses in support, even though they had nothing to gain, would get little to no public adulation for their actions, and put themselves at risk of bodily harm. Many years later, a tempest in a teapot occurred, in which a law was passed that many felt was discriminatory against certain group(s), by not making them special enough. A lot of people, both in the affected and unaffected areas felt this was a bad idea. A lot of other people wished everyone would just shut up and act like adults, so stupid laws didn't have to keep being passed to regulate the behavior of adults. A variety of entertainers decided that somehow it made sense to not perform in this area, in some sort of solidarity with the affected parties, forgetting that many of the attendees might be the affected, and that by coming to the heart of the aggravation, at no personal risk (beyond the inherent risks involved in traveling), they could speak to their fans, the press, and the wider public, saying what was on their minds, and possibly affecting the behavior of many. But apparently the days of traveling to protest are done, and it's easier to stay home and call that a protest.

Safety, Efficacy, Parity

Suppose that FDA type rules requiring safety and efficacy were applied to government.