DVip's Blog

A Case Against the House

dvip — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:37:25 +0000

Would it be possible to file a lawsuit against the House for gross neglect? They signed for a second time this year a bill that they will admit publicly, they did not read.

I’ve not heard anyone ask this question anywhere. Interested to hear any thoughts.

The Economy & Natural Law

dvip — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:05:14 +0000

Something that has occurred to me in the past which I have not put on paper until now is how “The Economy” is just like an Eco-system. My thought was that it might be possible to explain “The Economy” to a Liberal or anyone else who possesses no understanding of the complexity that is our economy which exists balanced precariously upon our population’s desire for the status quot to continue. Not that that statement is unique to any civilization but still something to keep in mind. Natural law exists in capitalism. Natural law IS capitalism. There are a number of ways actually that a healthy capitalist system mirrors nature. There is evolution, migration, extinction, consumption, competition, seasons, droughts, storms, both flourish when undisturbed by outside forces.

The following is an excerpt from a website discussing ballast water management:

Experts believe that, every minute, 40,000 gallons of foreign ballast water contaminate U.S. waters – likely the single largest source of foreign species invading America’s ecosystem. While, on the surface, these species may seem harmless, they wreak havoc on local ecosystems. The natural balance and controls of an ecosystem are usually not equipped to deal with these invasive species. The result of a successful foreign species invasion in an ecosystem can be devastating to local economies and, because large volumes of dangerous bacteria and viruses have been found in ballast water, it also can be a serious threat to human health.

You know I was going to illustrate my point showing how the introductions of bacteria, fish, whatever, stresses and can destroy an ecosystem. And that is a great idea but I think I can make the same point by drawing the following analogy (then y’all can contemplate the broader comparison). Look at the “Financial Markets” as a pond. Everything is going along fine. You have the fish, bugs, the odd visiting bear, moose whatever. Then one day a beaver (the Community Reinvestment Act) moves in. No big deal just doing beaver stuff the pond was actually getting bigger and looking good. Then a logger dropped by and gave the beaver a bull dozer. That beaver ran all over the wilderness building dams for any beaver with even the smallest of streams. It was a mess! The forest was becoming flooded. Beavers had dams that were too big for them to care for. As the dams fell into disrepair it began to rain (job losses, economic stress). The results were huge flash floods… yada yada yada.

You get the idea. I’m going to go ahead and post this to see if anyone has thoughts. I’ll pick it up and finish the thought after this beautifull Saterday goes by.

Homosexuality and Religion

dvip — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:49:25 +0000

OK, not that there is anything “wrong” with being gay… The way I see the question if being gay and whether or not the lifestyle can be consistent with being a Christan is fairly simple. First, there is no reason a Christian should have any problem with a homosexual person. The issue is with homosexuality, love the sinner – hate the sin. That out of the way now go read Romans 1, I’ll wait….

OK. If there is any question after that. I’ll repeat the argument I have heard the most which is – homosexuality is not a choice, people are born gay or straight. Alright, well, people are born with all sorts of self destructive impulses. I was born with a very addictive personality. Lots of substance abuse and alcoholism in my family’s history. So far though I have not found anyone that has told me to embrace and feed my addictive desires. But I was born this way! Why should I not be free to pursue all the alcohol and drugs I can consume? Yet that is exactly how homosexuality is treated.

As for gay marriage… What ever happened to the separation of Church and state? How can the same group of individuals who run around screaming about nativity scenes and other religious references in public places turn around and try to use the power of the state to force Christians to accept, condone and endorse their lifestyle? Particularly when in the Bible (Romans 1) it expressly condemns not only the people who engage in this type of sin but also those Christians that approve of these things.

I believe civil unions should grant gay couples every privilege and penalty that is afforded to straight couples they pay taxes like everybody else excluding of course most of the current administration.

So guess what. Life isn’t fair. Not everybody is created equal. Some people have more to deal with than others. Suck it up and live right!

900 Million to Hamas ~ WTF!?

dvip — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:03:29 +0000

The Obama administration has not committed 900 million dollars to Hamas. As if there is any difference the B.O. Administration has pledged 900 million dollars to Gaza. Ooohhh. Well then that’s just fine. The good people of Gaza being in complete control of the strip, of course. So, which fucking cabbie you think they’ll give the cash to exactly? Hamas is the authority there right? The only other groups, the Osloized and NGOized classes of defeatist intellectuals by definition aren’t going to fight any battles with Hamas for control. Hamas was voted into power in an election. As sure as the U.S. will soon be a broke socialist nation Gaza will remain under Hamas control and the 900 million might as well be an cash apology to Ahmadinejad for canceling their retreat.

Testing Drug Testing

dvip — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 04:59:48 +0000

Considering the approach most contemporary corporations take dealing with their drug testing policy(s). It seems to me to be a system trying to punish employees who test positive rather than trying to stop employees from using drugs. The war on drugs was brought into the workplace, entering through the HR department just like everybody else. What happens when an employee tests positive? Any number of repercussions are possible, more and more corporations are offering help to employees. But the organizations engaging in random testing I think are missing an opportunity.

A different approach:

An employee is notified confidentially, 30 business days prior to the date he will be requiered to be tested. Accompanying the notice would be all pertinent information to drug cessation, drug use, everything available to that employee should he or she need it. The employee then has the next 30 business days to… get clean, and have a period of time to experience the benefits of being clean. The people around them wives, husbands, children would also have the see the positive changes and hopefully would become a active motivating factor in the employee’s recovery. AND the employer gets to keep an employee, a healthier employee. All of this could happen without anyone getting busted, without anyone loosing their jobs, being humiliated. If the employee chose not to clean up then do what you will with them.

Thoughts?…

Thomas Jefferson… Brilliance

dvip — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:15:29 +0000

My sister forwarded an email to me the other containing a selection of quotes from Thomas Jefferson. Really great examples of the timelessness of applied logic and wisdom. But, I never believe anything that is forwarded to me so I thought I would do some reading. I found on the a resource through the University of Virginia Website that I decided was pretty credible. The following quotes deserve to be shared;

“I fear, from the experience of the last twenty-five years, that morals do not of necessity advance hand in hand with the sciences.” –Thomas Jefferson to M. Correa de Serra, 1815. ME 14:331
“The nation who [has] never admitted a chapter of morality into her political code,… [will] boldly [avow] that whatever power [she] can make hers is hers of right.” –Thomas Jefferson to John Langdon, 1810. (*) ME 12:375
“I may further say that I have not observed men’s honesty to increase with their riches.” –Thomas Jefferson to Jeremiah Moor, 1800. FE 7:454
- I would exchange men’s with political entity, be it a politician, office or agency.
“The sheep are happier of themselves than under the care of the wolves.” –Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XI, 1782. ME 2:129

Those are just a few. Look up Thomas Jefferson. Comment a quote.

Thanks

Hopeful for right-wing government in Israel.

dvip — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:21:01 +0000

There is a link off of the Drudge Report right now to an article in the Jerusalem Post explaining how the U.S. administration is “worried over the prospect of right-wing government” in Israel. THIS U.S. is hopeful for a right-wing government for Israel! The ridiculousness of the any middle east peace process is that there even is one. Islam calls for the extinction of the Jewish people. It is in the Hammas charter to work to that end. The arrogance of the U.S. as I see it is to think we can do anything about it but get behind Israel in a meaningful way. Why does anyone think western society can peacefully coexist with a culture who would sentence victim of a gang rape who became pregnant and attempted an abortion to a year in prison and 100 lashes? WTF! And that was in Egypt which isn’t even at the most extreme end of the Islamo-fascist scale. Why would we desire peace with these people? They have given no indication they have any intrest in peace. So anyway I hope Israel votes in the mosr right-wing government they can muster. Our sword has obviously gone flacid. Lets hope Isreal is’nt afraid to hold theirs up and use it!

Stimulus Crap!

dvip — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:50:49 +0000

I have labored through one particular section of the bullshit stimulus bill. The section I studied concerned health care and creating a central authority to which M.D.s will have to register with and whose reccommendations will be heeded or? Docs will be required to be “meaningful users” or? “Meaningful Users” is not defined, they will decide if you are a “meaningful user” or not. Tell me how creating a government agency = one more drain on the economy in the way of taxes to cover this crap, plus the extra cost to medical practices to attempt to conform to vague guidelines. How much more of this bullshit is buried in there? Sorry needed to vent.

Whose Stimulus?

dvip — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:10:11 +0000

I haven’t read the stimulus bill, don’t care to. Some thoughts on the situation as a distracted observer. They voted in B.O. because he is a great leader – he is leading nothing. Why in the hell would he let anyone else be the architect of the economy’s recovery. B.O. is saying pass this or ALL may be lost!? All what?

Most people in this country who are employed work in the private sector. Leave more money in the private sector (lower taxes and less costly regulation) and there will be more money to pay salaries.

If you “stimulate” a business with a large investment without a viable business plan to sustain itself that business is going to need to be stimulated again and again, each time there will be more employees counting on that “stimulus” check.

In the private sector businesses do not grow (gain employees) artificially. If the business can not support or sustain an employee that business does not hire. If the business is successful, jobs are created and the economy grows naturally.

Whatever, just some thoughts that keep rattling around in my head. Don’t people see this? Why does anyone think more government is better? If we use up all our dollars and max out our credit what will we do when/if a real disaster/war hits us?

What’s a Dollar Worth?

dvip — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:15:49 +0000

Great video showing what we are doing to our dollar.