American Happiness

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. - Thomas Jefferson 


It looks like sad times may get sadder.


(Other posts on Government) 

Self Employment

In business for yourself, not by yourself. - William James 


At a minimum there is always you and your customer. If you don't have a customer you are not in business.


(Other posts on Business) 

Attacking Ideas

The question of who is right and who is wrong has seemed to me always too small to be worth a moment's thought, while the question of what is right and what is wrong has seemed all-important. - Albert J. Nock 


Be sure to attack ideas, not the person who holds them, because you have every right to expect the same from others.


(Other posts on Criticism) 

Lead by Being Average?

We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen. - Barack Obama 


What a novel way lower immigration rates! Make our country just as crappy as all the others.


(Other posts on Leadership) 

Coping

All living souls welcome whatever they are ready to cope with; all else they ignore, or pronounce to be monstrous and wrong, or deny to be possible. - George Santayana 


So when trying to convince someone prepare them to be able to cope with your idea.


(Other posts on Persuasion) 

Keep Going

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second. - William James 


Keep going!


(Other posts on Achievement) 

Augmented Post

Sometimes I have more to say. From a previous post:


We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable that we grapple with problems. But there are tens of thousands of years in the future. Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on. - Richard Feynman 

We are not at the apex of knowledge on any subject.


When you adopt the point of view that a particular set of ideas are the pinnacle of thought it leads to some nasty habits like incessantly quoting that source, whether it be your chosen religious text or your favorite philosopher. As soon as you do that you have moved from reason into the realm of dogma which is reason enough to ignore everything you have said (or are going to say). These quotations are invariably presented with the implication that since the source is at the apex of knowledge on that subject and they said it, it must be true and since you quoted them you must be speaking the truth. Too big a leap for me - I'll just quit listening - thank you.


Sometimes people are amazed that I present quotes here from such varied sources as Homer Simpson, Hitler and Lao Tzu. It is not that I endorse their view of the world, it is because I find truth and thoughtfulness in one of their particular statements. I am not, and never will be, at the apex of knowledge. It is not the unattainable peak I seek but the climb, so I might see further. To adopt a particular set of words as the apex means you are stuck on what may only be a hill. Progress is a journey towards higher peaks - don't get stuck on a hill.

Judges Criteria

We need somebody who's got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom, the empathy to understand what it's like to be poor or African-American or gay or disabled or old - and that's the criterion by which I'll be selecting my judges. - Barack Obama 


I thought Judges were supposed to judge according to the law - that judging by emotion was legislating from the bench.


(Other posts on Law) 

Just Starting

We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable that we grapple with problems. But there are tens of thousands of years in the future. Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on. - Richard Feynman 


We are not at the apex of knowledge on any subject.


(Other posts on Achievement) 

Spreading Wealth

I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody. - Barack Obama 


It's called Socialism.


(Other posts on Wealth) 

Hypocritical Humility

Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose the former and have seen no reason to change. - Frank Lloyd Wright 


Seems to have worked for him.


(Other posts on Honesty) 

Vacation

I have a personal relationship with reality. - Greg Perkins


This statement has so much simplicity, complexity, mirth, humor, irreverence and relevance I'm going to take some time off to integrate it. I hope, when my time comes, those around me see fit to make it my epitaph.

Doing What You Are Told

Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude. - Alexis de Tocquevillle  


In other words; "We'll be fair in how we control what you do."


(Other posts on Liberty) 

Focused

If you are deeply immersed and committed to a topic, day after day after day, your subconscious has nothing to do but work on your problem. And so you wake up one morning, or on some afternoon, and there's the answer. For those who don't get committed to their current problem, the subconscious goofs off on other things and doesn't produce the big result. - Richard Hamming 


Don't criticize those with a one-track mind - as long as their mind is on a respectable track.


(Other posts on Thinking) 

Don't Be Lunch

The scientific name for an animal that doesn't either run from or fight its enemies is lunch. - Michael Friedman 


Look out for yourself.


(Other posts on Problems) 

A fly's Sting

A fly may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still.  -  Samuel Johnson 


Don't let the rebuke of a fly cause you to doubt your stateliness.


(Other posts 0n Negativity) 

Reason as a Tool

He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave. - Sir William Drummond 


One cannot make good decisions without having principles from which to use reason to come to an honest conclusion. Principles provide a solid foundation and reason  provides the tools needed  for building.


(Other posts on Reason) 

Educate and Inform

Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.  - Thomas Jefferson 


Beware of media or schools which choose to indoctrinate and  inform with, at best,  incomplete truth. Principles, not facts, should be the basis of education.


(Other posts on Education) 

Lucky Only For Rulers

What luck for rulers that men do not think. - Adolf Hitler 


Remember that when you think about not voting or are otherwise afraid  to speak up.


(Other posts on Government) 

Speak Up About Errors

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself. - Thomas Jefferson 


If government supports errors you will get more errors which need to be supported. The Government will never do the rational thing - not support the error in the first place - unless you do your part by speaking up.


(Other posts on Government )

Learning to be Great

No man was ever great by imitation. - Samuel Johnson 


Learn from what others do so you are able to do it better.


(Other posts on Learning) 

Celebrate With Your Friends

Celebrate your successes. Find some humor in your failures. Don't take yourself so seriously. Loosen up, and everybody around you will loosen up. Have fun. Show enthusiasm - always. When all else fails, put on a costume and sing a silly song. Then make everybody else sing with you. Don't do a hula on Wall Street. It's been done. Think up your own stunt. All of this is more important, and more fun, than you think… - Sam Walton 


See if the ones around you see your accomplishment as a success as well. It will tell you who your true friends are.


(Other posts on Achievement)  

Absense of Bugs

Program testing can be a very effective way to show the presence of bugs, but is hopelessly inadequate for showing their absence. - Edsger W. Dijkstra  


It is generally impossible to prove a negative - like proving that God does not exist.


(Other posts on Truth) 

Old Time Business

Not a tenth of us who are in business are doing as well as we could if we merely followed the principles that were known to our grandfathers. - William Feather 


Provide a good quality product at a reasonable price with good service.


(Other posts on Business) 

Do Your Duty or Lose Your Right

There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences. - P. J. O'Rourke 


If you are not willing to accept the latter then the former is not your right.


(Other posts on Rights) 

God is on Our Side

If God had not been on our side
And had not come to aid us,
The foes with all their power and pride
Would surely have dismayed us; - Martin Luther 

Ever notice that God was on the winning side? Ever notice God was also on the losing side?

(Other Posts on War) 

Peace in the Middle East?

Quarrels would not last long if the fault was only on one side. - Francois de La Rochefoucauld 


Is that why it appears there will never be peace in the Middle East?


(Other posts on War) 

Democracy is Mob Rule

A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine. - Thomas Jefferson 


The majority can be wrong.


(Other posts on Government)