Clarification

The previous post is all in the spirit of American individualism and is intended as a general statement and not a specific targeted incident or current mood or undertaking. In today’s PC environment this has to be clarified, unless I preface the statements with Alla Akubr or something like that.

Sorry folks

Sorry for the hiatus, folks. @charliesheen has rekindled some kind of ‘Mercun #tigerblood in me and all you-know-what is about to break loose. Oh yeah, shout out to the teaparty. And guns.

Two word geek tip of the day for people

Two word geek tip of the day for people who use multiple social network programs: HootSuite … manage twitter, fb, etc. Too cool!

Shazam

A “Shazam” moment:
From the Patriot Post: “[N]either the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.” –Samuel Adams, essay in The Public Advertiser, 1749
Translation: We’re screwed if we don’t ‘man up’ morally…

Incrementalism Defined

From the Patriot Post:
“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” –James Madison, speech to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788
My translation: Don’t be a frog in water, dump that water out, man!

Parasites

From the gool ol’ Patriot Post:
“I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.” –Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Ludlow, 1824
Translation: None needed, except to maybe change “parasites” to “dung beetles.” But either way works.

A penny saved…

Today’s Founder’s quote (from the Patriot Post), with translation:
“A penny saved is twopence clear.” –Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1737
Translation: If I have to translate that one for you, ya ain’t got no hope anyway. Now get savin’!

More Translations of Founding Father’s Quotes

From the Patriot Post:
“The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” –Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Taylor, 1816
Meaning: “If you spend the nation’s future into debt, your and idiot. And a swindler. And Barney Frank.”

Founding Father’s Quote with Translation, part II

From the Patriot Post:
“There is not a more important and fundamental principle in legislation, than that the ways and means ought always to face the public engagements; that our appropriations should ever go hand in hand with our promises. To say that the United States should be answerable for twenty-five millions of dollars without knowing whether the ways and means can be provided, and without knowing whether those who are to succeed us will think with us on the subject, would be rash and unjustifiable. Sir, in my opinion, it would be hazarding the public faith in a manner contrary to every idea of prudence.” –James Madison, Speech in Congress, 1790
In Other Words (mine, to be exact): “If you ain’t got it, don’t spend it, Congress! And if you do spend it, the next generations are going to call you idiots.”
Oh, wait. This generation is already doing that.

Announcing: Founding Father’s Quotes, with Translation!

Okay…beginning today, I will try to remember to render a ‘hip, modern-day’ translation to the Founding Father’s quotes that I sometimes put on this site. In the words of Coach McGinty of The Replacements, “If nothing else, they should be fun to watch.”
So here goes:
“The multiplication of public offices, increase of expense beyond income, growth and entailment of a public debt, are indications soliciting the employment of the pruning knife.” –Thomas Jefferson, letter to Spencer Roane, 1821
In Other Words: “If your elected officials act like drunken monkeys with your money, t’row the bums out!”

Resolution Time for Patriots

OK, here’s a great thought for the New Year’s Resolutions, from the Patriot Post:
“We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.” –Thomas Jefferson, letter to Samuel Kercheval, 1816

Breaking news on the Bill of Rights

‘Breaking News! The Bill of Rights is actually about the rights of the Individual, not the government!’
From The Patriot Post:
“The whole of that Bill [of Rights] is a declaration of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals… [I]t establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which consequently, no majority has a right to deprive them of.” –Albert Gallatin, letter to Alexander Addison, 1789

Disarm the People

Subject get your attention? Good. Of course we don’t want to disarm the People of our nation, the right to bear arms was a HUGE right granted by our Constitution. Good stuff from Patriot Post:
“[W]hen the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man, – who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia.” –George Mason, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788

Separation of Church and State?

So the founding fathers wanted separation of church and state?
From The Patriot Post:
“[T]he only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.” –Benjamin Rush, On the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic, 1806

Two quick thoughts on football

Two quick thoughts on football, as the year (unfortunately) is beginning to wind down:
1. Who names their kid “Atari?” Couldn’t they at least have sprung for the “Intellivision?” (Thank you, I’ll be here all week, don’t forget to tip your waitress)…
2. Fantasy Football DOES have irony and beauty. Consider this: I’m about to get my butt whooped yesterday by the stud in our league (playoffs, I’m 4th, he’s 1st place)…he’s got Brees and Peyton as his QB’s. I’ve got freaking Kyle Orton and Matt Cassel (don’t ask), and heading into tonight’s game, I’m ahead of the guy with a good chance of winning, thanks to – yep – Matt Cassel. Wow.