Freedom means peaceable, responsible, adult choices are left to individuals to make.
We talk big about freedom - “The Troops are fighting to protect our Rights and Freedoms”, etc. but we are very guarded- in many cases- when people want to take delivery on that freedom.
Guilty Until Proven Innocent is too often the General Rule
You are invited to leave a comment at the bottom of any blog page.
Just kicking around some ideas here.
Working on the site May 11th 2009 and lost all previous comments- I apologize for that.
Camper & Barbie by Monica
Don’t encourage them
Cat House
In The News
Something Positive-
A local scene:
Deciding what is right for me is not good enough.
I want to use the authority of government as some kind of totalitarian enforcement tool to prohibit the choices of others.
“Land of the Free” - Another Update
Our culture is very much about symbolism and appearances-
We talk big about freedom. We have the
Just starting to learn and experiment with something much more interesting than fast food- slow food.
Pulled pork was the goal and I was happy with the result first time out, but I will continue to study and play around with it.
I set up a Webber kettle like this: Start charcoal using the newspaper chimney method. Pour coals in a pile to one side of the grill and leave them for a few minutes to really get going. Set a pork roast on foil (maybe foil isn’t necessary) on the grill as far away
Washington State Liquor Stores
How about we chop the government middle-man out of liquor sales?
Let retailers handle this- 7 days a week. It has been done elsewhere.
The government version of retail management in Washington State prevents us from buying a bottle of booze at Safeway, Costco, Tom’s liquor, etc.
Most State operated stores are closed on Sundays and holidays- some of our state stores feature a 7:00 PM "last call" on Saturdays. If Monday is a federal holiday your next chance to shop would be sometime on
Post 911 Militarism-
“The troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms”- Urban Legend
Military service is honorable- promoting it under false pretenses is not good for the nation.
If we take off our thinking caps, we might forget that physical security and freedom are not the same thing- and that the US Armed Forces protect our physical security in some cases- and in some cases they do not.
When we are told our concealed carry permit is void on National Parks lands- can we have The Joint Chiefs of Staff send out "The Troops" to somehow restore our freedom?
If I want
Enabling Criminals - Not Consumers
Maybe someday the federal government will outlaw the use of the social security number for ID purposes, until then, consumer safeguards should be in place - this is not the case in 2009.
What prevents the use of a bogus SSN?
An Honor System.
The "quantity vs. quality" administrative methods used by business and government make consumers vulnerable.
It should be just as hard to use a fake social security number as it is to use a fake lottery ticket-
Try passing a fake lottery ticket
National Forest Fees Rants
I took a drive up to Collins Campground the other day (June 2009). Collins is along the Duckabush River near Hood Canal. I was headed up to the campground to check things out for a trip later this summer.
The road on the way in is heavily potholed. I noticed this area requires a federal parking pass for day use. (Web info makes it look like passes are required at trailheads only.) At the campground there was a sign that said camping fees had recently gone up. At least one of the camp sites
TRICARE Rants
It’s all about trying to use healthcare benefits you have already earned and paid for.
It seems like the system is meant to be confusing.
When you are confused- you call in to try to get an explanation. The person you are talking to will speak in codes. The codes may not make sense to the average person. The explanation may create more confusion and frustration.
I was once authorized to see a provider- but only for a limited number of visits. How did I find out about the limited number?
A Creeping Police State?
Reporting to you from Jefferson County, Washington
If we have done nothing wrong- if we are not crossing the border- we should not expect to stop and explain ourselves to federal agents.
We recently observed Memorial Day-
Our popular culture believes "The troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms"
If the troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms- should we contact the Joint Chiefs of Staff in order to stop these
My time on social networking sites
Over the past couple of years I have been a member of several social networking sites.
I decided to pull my membership from all of these.
The internet is for instant information.
Beyond regular e-mail, there should be very few requirements for user name and password, registration, account sign up, reminders to upgrade membership, be a good consumer, buy more stuff, go look and see who tried to check you out, etc.
It’s not just social networking sites- we have a local (Seattle) TV
Westsound & Olympic Peninsula Newspaper “Blog” formats
Kitsap Sun- Articles come with comments, no need to click to see comments.
No need to click to go through multiple pages of comments. All comments appear together with article on one page.
Reader comments are posted instantly after using a preview feature.
Readers may post links.
A record of user comments is viewable by any reader.
The Sun provides my favorite local format.
Port Townsend Leader- Articles come with comments, no need to click to see first page of comments.
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Military Healthcare Fee Increases
Welcome Home Troops
USMC Okinawa 1980
..."What medical plan in the nation has not had a single increase in the premium or co-pays in the last dozen years?"
What other plan has been earned by people who volunteer to go to far away places and maybe never come back again?
Notice Secretary Gates does not demand
Green Friendly?
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAN OPENER
The manufacturing of an environmental can opener requires very little in the way of raw materials.
The environmental can opener is very small and light weight. It takes less big, smoky trucks to transport it from the factory.
The environmental can opener almost never breaks or wears out, so the big, smoky trucks can leave the factory less often.
The environmental can opener does not plug into the wall, it runs on people power, so it saves energy.
The
Random Thoughts
The best beer requires the least advertising.
Over at the local military base, children of every color under the sun play together at the daycare center, women are paid the same as men, and the potential of an individual is not limited by the job they applied for. It has been that way for a long time.
We don’t hear too much about all this good news because it would stunt the political energy that is taken from dividing people into groups and making various appeals to group members rather
