tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post2425264957249658246..comments2024-03-23T17:29:56.224-05:00Comments on Stilton's Place: Two Arms! Two Arms!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-65544946103685329722022-09-07T16:25:23.762-05:002022-09-07T16:25:23.762-05:00@Coffeypot- Yeah, I miss me too. Regarding the int...<b>@Coffeypot- Yeah, I miss me too. Regarding the interview, it will air on the Peacock channel (some streaming NBC thing) in mid-October. I'll be more specific when I know. And let me be clear, I was one of <i>many</i> people interviewed so it's definitely not focused on me. Exactly. And as long as I'm doing updates I'll mention that work is coming along nicely on the <i>humorous</i> writing project I'm working on that celebrates a particularly silly side of Kathy. I hope to have that in everyone's hands before year's end!</b>Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-34045149873676043382022-09-07T16:15:52.347-05:002022-09-07T16:15:52.347-05:00I miss you, man. I know there's time to adjus...I miss you, man. I know there's time to adjust to being alone, I sure did when my wife passed. I still am at times. And I know you will make the adjustments in time. But until then, what happened to the interview/recording you were involved in? I'd like to see it.Coffeypothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02944074653548750642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-42085188002113199992022-09-06T09:24:03.529-05:002022-09-06T09:24:03.529-05:00@Patrick, the older I get, the better socialism lo...@Patrick, the older I get, the better socialism looks to me. As I tell the youngins who think that socialism is such an awesome idea, <i>"You can steal every penny of my accumulated and saved wealth. But what you can't take from me is the lifetime of opportunities that I enjoyed in a (relatively) free marketplace that respected my property rights. By striving to socialize (steal) the economy, all you will really be doing is depriving yourself of the opportunities that I enjoyed in life. You will remain poor as everyone is incentivized in a race to the bottom.</i><br /><br />Look at what just happened in academia: People who strove to achieve and experienced a rigorous academic regimen and got high-paying jobs are being made to pay for the intellectual slackers who studied phony subjects. Even worse, people who didn't even go to collect, but are now employed in back-breaking manual labor are being made to pay. What does that teach the next generation?<br /><br />@Stilton, I put it this way: Even slaves were allowed some private property and a portion of their labors for themselves and their families. The effective tax rates for many Americans is already well above 50% of their labor taken to be dispersed for the benefit of others. At what point can those people be considered slaves?<br /><br />@JustaJeepGuy, I think Bernie Sanders or that Fetterman guy in Pennsylvania are great socialist icons. Total fails at working in the real economy. So much easier to get rich on the backs of the people you claim to be in service of.<br /><br />I totally get why Sanders and Fetterman do what they do; it beats a normal day job. What I'll never understand is why people keep falling for it.<br /><br />Happy Birthday, @Stilton.<br />John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-81167673091551140892022-09-04T22:01:23.715-05:002022-09-04T22:01:23.715-05:00@Maoz, and number one was a honeymoon baby, worse ...@Maoz, and number one was a honeymoon baby, worse yet. Nine days after our nine month anniversary.mamafroghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13215031912797290210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-70976689420103577602022-09-04T22:00:18.433-05:002022-09-04T22:00:18.433-05:00@Maoz, you are too funny! My oldest was due on Lab...@Maoz, you are too funny! My oldest was due on Labor Day in 1979. She did not make, she was late! (All of them were, worse yet.) Number 4 was born almost two weeks late at the very end of August, lol. Both pregnancies were miserable thanks to weather, extremely hot both years and I was "excessively" pregnant. I'm very short and the waddle was strong for this one!mamafroghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13215031912797290210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-16967293115543579492022-09-04T13:40:33.339-05:002022-09-04T13:40:33.339-05:00@JustaJeepGuy- In fairness, the booger-eating moro...<b>@JustaJeepGuy- In fairness, the booger-eating morons will be the only ones who don't starve. But I agree that all of these pro-socialists think, erroneously, that they'll be in the ruling class. Hey, tyranny needs a lot of mid-level supervisors, right?<br /><br />@Rod- Here's the thing, my birthday was yesterday (wild coincidence - it was also my twin brother's birthday) and many years ago I counted backwards nine months and figured out that my parents must have had a fun New Year's Eve. It's a short hop to align that number with Labor Day. And gee, I really should make that a Johnny Optimism cartoon. <br /><br />Interesting about August birthdays in Alaska. It makes sense!</b>Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-53773156262194500882022-09-04T13:17:23.559-05:002022-09-04T13:17:23.559-05:00@Stilton: Thanks for that good laugh about settin...@Stilton: Thanks for that good laugh about setting the date of Labor Day. I don't know how I messed that all these years unless you just invented it. <br /><br />I do know that Alaska babies born in August have a lot to do with November being when the winter cold really starts getting serious up there. Once in the habit: We have all three August-born kids. Rodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-86450776871206730322022-09-04T13:16:40.185-05:002022-09-04T13:16:40.185-05:00@Stilt, I think you're right about that mournf...<br />@Stilt, I think you're right about that mournful country song; I sense lots of potential there!<br /><br />Regarding the socialists, I have seen that there are only two kinds of people who want socialism: the worthless booger-eatin' morons who think they're going to get everything free, and the wannabe tyrants who think they're going to be in charge. Things usually don't work out for either group.JustaJeepGuynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-44327021134388842792022-09-04T11:13:28.790-05:002022-09-04T11:13:28.790-05:00@Patrick- For those who are pushing for socialism ...<b>@Patrick- For those who are pushing for socialism "done right," I'd like to ask them if they're personally willing to work hard for those who choose not to work at all. Or, does "socialism done right" mean you'll <i>compel</i> those other people to work and just take the fruits of their labor? It's been tried before although we used to call it slavery.<br /><br />@NaCly Dog- The more the merrier. Thank you.<br /><br />@Maoz- I'm pretty sure the date of Labor Day was chosen to be exactly nine months after "Get Drunk and Screw on New Year's Eve" Day.<br /><br />@Linda Fox- You've had to deal with some awfully hard challenges and I'm glad you're doing better. Your advice is good, even though at this very moment I should be outdoors instead of sitting at a computer, barely awake at 11am. I'll put a little of the blame on Texas summers, but hopefully when things cool a bit I can be better about getting out. And I don't think I can bring myself to try NA beer, but currently my drink of choice is a white wine spritzer (soda water) and not much of it. Although I treated myself to a little scotch last night; it was my birthday and not much fun turning 70 in an empty house. Say, maybe I can turn that into a mournful country song... </b>Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-76697017950877718892022-09-04T09:45:43.944-05:002022-09-04T09:45:43.944-05:00Never lost a spouse. That it all happened in such ...Never lost a spouse. That it all happened in such a dreadful time seems unfair, as the normal ways to plow your way through grief are missing, and it’s hard not to give in to despair. <br />My suggestions, derived from a time when I coped with marital issues, 3 moves in a short period of time, isolation from other people, and coping with a child with multiple disabilities, is this:<br />- Get out in the sunshine early in the day. If you have no energy, just sit there.<br />- IF you have the energy, go for a SHORT walk. Try to go little further every couple of days. Take different routes, and smile and say, “hi” to other people on the street. If they respond, talk to them.<br />- Cut out caffeinated beverages after late afternoon. Get some herbal teas (Celestial Seasonings have some good choices), and drink a cup or two every evening. No booze (or, trick yourself with some decent NA beers).<br />You can do it. Life does get better, although you will have a wife-sized hole in your heart till you also pass.Linda Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15024201252345608291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-26679174267438289982022-09-04T05:47:00.146-05:002022-09-04T05:47:00.146-05:00Stilt, thanks for the Happy Labor Day email. Wavin...Stilt, thanks for the Happy Labor Day email. Waving back at ya! Something I've never figured out -- how do they manage to coordinate all those pregnant women to start the birthing process on the same weekend?Maoznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-13771678381594458842022-09-03T00:11:04.063-05:002022-09-03T00:11:04.063-05:00Piling into the group hug.
Form Troopers wa sbril...Piling into the group hug.<br /><br />Form Troopers wa sbrilliant. NaCly Dognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-8509933064248138572022-09-02T09:12:50.041-05:002022-09-02T09:12:50.041-05:00@John the Econ: it’s called socialism. And, by the...@John the Econ: it’s called socialism. And, by the declining number of producers we’re already witnessing how it has failed again and again. But the morons have the hubris to think that no one else has “done it right”, but they somehow are better than them and will…<br /><br />I read Ayn Rand’s works rather late in life. Immediately afterward, The Øne was elected. I’ve always guiltily felt the two events were connected.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03008404022705943658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-37418257778058564642022-08-31T14:07:46.810-05:002022-08-31T14:07:46.810-05:00@John the Econ- Very well put, even if depressing....<b>@John the Econ- Very well put, even if depressing. Giving away money and rewarding Exactly The Wrong Things are the only things Democrats are good at...and it's killing our nation. <br /><br />@Colby Muenster- These days I have a wild mane of flyaway white hair and more than one person has labeled me "Doc Brown." Adding two sponge-covered electrodes to the mix doesn't do much to make me look more sane. Still, I noticed an uptick in mood the same time I started using the device, so I'm going to stick with it for a while. And you only use the device for 20 minutes per day (30 max) so it's not really an inconvenience outside of having a burning forehead and looking more idiotic than usual. (grin)</b>Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-464353420140551492022-08-31T11:32:31.259-05:002022-08-31T11:32:31.259-05:00Stilton,
When you told us about the brain electro...Stilton,<br /><br />When you told us about the brain electrode treatment, I immediately thought of the Dr. Emmet Brown "mind reading" device. I hope your device works better than his!<br /><br />Stilton and Mr. Econ,<br /><br />Yep, the student loan crap is very obviously a ploy to buy votes, and it's illegal as hell for the executive branch to do, and it will eventually get shot down, but... the students that will be upset that "evil Republicans shot it down" would have voted Democrat anyway. If anything, I believe this bullship will help the Republicans by further energizing voters on the right. The Mar-A-Lago raid will do the same thing.<br /><br />John Galt, come out, come out, wherever you are!Colby Muensterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16910666550508273829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-10027373442721843922022-08-31T10:05:24.583-05:002022-08-31T10:05:24.583-05:00@Stilton, roughly a decade or so ago I noticed tha...@Stilton, roughly a decade or so ago I noticed that we'd passed the Rubicon where at least 50% of the population of the US was getting a check or some form of aid from government. That's wealth transferred from the roughly 50% (and shrinking) of us who are still working to pay for such largesse.<br /><br />Over the last decade, the Democrats have firmly and undeniably entrenched themselves as the party of social & economic elites, rent seekers, and welfare recipients scheming to steal from the shrinking pool of people who don't want to be.<br /><br />Since the Obama era, we're literally living "Atlas Shrugged" in realtime.John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-10598076104163399552022-08-30T21:36:35.804-05:002022-08-30T21:36:35.804-05:00@JustaJeepGuy- Well done!
@John the Econ- There&#...<b>@JustaJeepGuy- Well done!<br /><br />@John the Econ- There's a lot to be said for just letting the "news" blow by. I catch enough to know vaguely what's happening and that's more than enough. <br /><br />The college loan plan is indeed infuriating. I paid off my college loans working on assembly lines, working as a landscaper, and waiting tables for $1 an hour. I paid off my daughter's college loans so she could repay me without interest (before forgiving the loan entirely). So yeah, there I am with SUCKER stamped on my forehead, too.<br /><br />I have spent my life living frugally so as to never be a burden on others and to provide for my family. Punishing me for my responsibility is another insult I don't need.</b>Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-52868559847190296912022-08-30T17:25:34.692-05:002022-08-30T17:25:34.692-05:00@Stilton, just went a week off of news. Was wonde...@Stilton, just went a week off of news. Was wonderfully refreshing. Only to come home to find that Biden had wiped at least another half-trillion off the books with his totally illegal "loan forgiveness". (Not that this wasn't unexpected; Democrats need a lot of votes bought before November)<br /><br />Yes, indebted Democrat kids can be bought for cheap. But I think the silent majority is fuming at this. Even some "moderate" Democrats are not pleased. And as more people start to connect it with the ongoing inflation (and this will be very inflationary) people will be ready to take their wrath out on Democrats. Nothing motivates people like their own pocketbooks getting swiped before their eyes.<br /><br />Yes, I miss my dog. Nobody will love me as much as he did.<br /><br />@JustaJeepGuy, that video is a hoot. And right on. But it's not just blue-collar people who feel that way. There are lots of us (myself included) who worked their way through school and didn't get the free 4+ year vacation from reality that kids today expect. Years ago Mrs. Econ quit her very high-paying job to go back to school for her MBA. Instead of borrowing to the limit, we went on a "austerity program" which precluded vacations, eating out, new cars, home improvements that cost much more than my sweat, and etc for several years. I feel like <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1562131578460987392" rel="nofollow">this guy who asked Liz Warren about the loan bailout</a>:<br /><br />Father: <i>"I've saved all my money. [My daughter] doesn't have any student loans. Am I going to get my money back?"</i><br /><br />Warren: <i>"Of course not."</i><br /><br />Father: <i>"So you're going to pay for people who didn't save any money and those of us who did the right thing get screwed."</i><br /><br />Then he speaks of his neighbor who makes more than he does who's daughter racked up the debt while he spent his spare cash on vacations, cars, etc that will get a bailout. He feels like I do, a sucker.<br /><br />So this is part of the "fundamental transformation" Democrats have been working for: Freebies for deadbeats at the expense of those of us still bothering to work.<br /><br />Sorry. Done now.John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-32126012199219325802022-08-29T22:53:55.595-05:002022-08-29T22:53:55.595-05:00Here's an ad referencing Gropey Joe's &quo...<br />Here's an ad referencing Gropey Joe's "college loan bailout plan":<br /><br />https://chicksonright.com/blog/2022/08/28/incredible-ad-shows-hardworking-middle-class-americans-mocking-bidens-300b-handout-plan/<br /><br />JustaJeepGuynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-57323327498928362752022-08-29T13:01:20.848-05:002022-08-29T13:01:20.848-05:00@Colby Muenster- I had a string of really bad days...<b>@Colby Muenster- I had a string of really bad days recently, though am currently working on a string of days that have sucked somewhat less. And while writing this, I'm honest to gosh wearing electrodes with saline pads tethered to my noggin to run electric current through my brain as an anti-depressant. It's a treatment called tDCS and it leaves little burn marks on my head. Fun!<br /><br />Part of the reason that the news frustrates me so much now is that I feel impotent to change it, which is too reminiscent of our hospital experience. <br /><br />And per your point, what makes a student loan different than any other kind of loan? Car, home, business...? Although my theory is that the students won't actually get the $10k knocked off because the Republicans won't let it go through - which may be the Democrats plan. They can buy votes for free if they convince kids that the Republicans took $10k out of their pockets.</b>Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-350174851189991032022-08-29T11:31:27.059-05:002022-08-29T11:31:27.059-05:00Stilton,
I hope things are improving in your univ...Stilton,<br /><br />I hope things are improving in your universe at least a little bit. The news angers and depresses me as well, so I basically stopped watching... even Fox News.<br /><br />I did want, however, to state for the record that my car loan now identifies as a student loan.Colby Muensterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16910666550508273829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-78391782130909538312022-08-29T09:27:41.414-05:002022-08-29T09:27:41.414-05:00@mamafrog- Yikes, I'm sorry you needed surgery...<b>@mamafrog- Yikes, I'm sorry you needed surgery and am glad that it's had a good outcome! This is probably a good reminder to me that doctors can, on occasion, actually be useful. Glad the noise machine is helping, too!<br /><br />@Gee M- I love dogs but am hesitant about adopting a new one. Fortunately, I've got Ladybug (Daughter J's pooch) here with me for now. <br /><br />@John the Econ- At the moment, the "news" does nothing but anger or depress me and neither of those things is desirable just now. And I'll absolutely cop to some brain fog related to losing Kathy, but the real problem isn't my head so much as my heart. <br /><br />I'm so sorry about your dog and hope that when the time is right for you you'll get another. For now, I'm pretty well dogged-up but when Ladybug moves to the apartment I'll likely adopt another dog to continue keeping me safe from the Amazon delivery people.</b>Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-74657165787947408162022-08-29T09:14:03.608-05:002022-08-29T09:14:03.608-05:00Been off-grid for a bit, so catching up here.
@Ge...Been off-grid for a bit, so catching up here.<br /><br />@Geoff King, I agree with you, but our host is currently not in that headspace at this time. I don't blame him. Current events at this juncture is no place for people who are not up to intellectual speed, as so few of the most vocal these days appear to be. <br /><br />@Stilton needs a dog.<br /><br />We lost our dog a few months ago. There were so many healthy aspects of my routine that he was part of that are now gone, like being a reason to get away from my desk and the daily multi-mile walk about the neighborhood. Without Mrs. Econ to be accountable to, my lifestyle would not be very healthy. So I vote for a new dog for @Stilton, for no other reason that for him to be accountable to someone. Other than us, anyway.John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-86004535545068058122022-08-25T09:53:27.765-05:002022-08-25T09:53:27.765-05:00(Is there a punctuation robot?)(Is there a punctuation robot?)Gee Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11389188396426534147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7492406791849373430.post-25458712872682568102022-08-25T09:50:03.699-05:002022-08-25T09:50:03.699-05:00Reason #3 why NOT to get a dog, Stilton
https://...Reason #3 why NOT to get a dog, Stilton <br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3VLqLLWxbQ<br />The other 2 might be they like to chat with another dog 6 miles away at 3am, and cleaning up smelly stuff all over the Yard.<br />Better you should spend your time in the shade observing Mother Nature (you DO live in Texas, after all - even the Devil preferred Georgia.LOL <br /><br />Mama Frog<br />That might actually be a small burglar, casing your house..look for telltale signs, like a backpack full of burglar tools, a getaway driver, and a pile of cigarette butts. :)<br />On a lighter note, I replaced most of my trash can liner yesterday, but left my "re-elect Joe Biden" flyer at the bottom. I will change it when DJT or Ron DeSantis is in the White House. And several others are in the Big House...(is that political enough?)lol<br /><br />(I wish I could get that darned robot to do my Spellchck!)Gee Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11389188396426534147noreply@blogger.com