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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Spare some change, sir?

I switched to another cel phone carrier about 6 months ago. Apparently, my previous carrier’s final bill wasn’t correct because they intermittently send me a new bill with the following information:

image

So the question is “How hard do I have to work to get my $1.98?”

I wonder what they would say if I just walked into the local retail store (corporate owned, mind you) and just asked for it.

CDC Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse

How did I miss this entry on the official CDC Public Health Matters Blog!?

Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse

Oh yeah, the Center For Disease Control is on the case!

If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation.

What they fail to recognize is that in all zombie literature to date, the CDC performs its useless analysis task in vein until the military finally shoves them aside and implements some form of cataclysmic “quarantine” while the humble hero stumbles into his role as the Great Zombie Killer and saves the day.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Libertarians and Compassion

This discussion nails the reason libertarian concepts have a hard time getting mainstream appeal. Those holding the ideas are assumed to be cold uncaring individualists who worship Ayn Rand.

Short-ish version: Compassion does not equal Government handouts. Who says the only way to be compassionate is via the government? I’d argue that government forced distribution is explicitly not compassionate. It also takes away the responsibility to help your fellow man in need that we naturally share. “Oh, I don’t need to help my neighbor. FEMA will take care of him.”

Long version: Click through to read the comments and become enlightened

Libertarians and Compassion | The Agitator

Texting while walking

Seriously Hawaii, is this really a pressing need? For such a laid back culture, the local government seems pretty uptight.

A bill introduced at the city council on Wednesday would make it illegal to hold a cell phone or other mobile electronic device when crossing a street or highway.

If I’m walking in a school zone is the fine doubled?  Smile with tongue out

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Government keepers, finders weepers

A teenager found $2000 in an envelope at a shopping center. To her credit, she contacted the bank and the police who attempted to find the owner. After three months they failed to locate anyone so the city told her

"We appreciate your honesty," said Dallas police spokesman Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse. "We're going to put the money to good use. It's not going to be wasted, but put to good use for the City of Dallas."

or as they described someone else in the same situation

I hope she takes some solace in the fact that the money will be put to use in Dallas in the most efficient way we know how

Translation: Thanks little girl, that will pay for a few nice coffee makers for our offices.

Apparently the city changed their policy two years ago to assume that anything left lying around the city was their property by default. Most other cities in the area follow the common practice that if you can’t find the owner, the finder gets to keep it. This actually encourages people to turn in found property.

Lesson learned: When in Dallas, please do report that you found lost property, but don’t actually hand it over to anyone except the actual owner.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

LEGOLAND and Murder

This weekend we took the boys to the local LEGOLAND Discover Center. They enjoyed it but I found the most interesting bit the mini model of Dallas/Ft Worth all made out of Legos. Very cool!

While I know it’s a big part of Dallas history and mythology, I was still surprised to see a Lego replica of the infamous former Texas School Book Depository and Dealey Plaza. But they left out one of the more important details – the white “X marks the spot” on the street. Without that spot, its just an average building and a street.

Did I say inches? I meant centimeters!!

That would be the new cry of fishermen caught exaggerating their claims in Texas fishing tournaments if the governor signs HB 1806. This bill, passed by both houses already, makes it a potential felony if someone

alters the length or weight of a fish for the purpose of representing that the fish as entered in the tournament was that length or weight when caught

And from my reading of the definition of “fishing tournament”, that crime also applies to just me and my buddy who agree that whoever hooks the smaller fish buys the beer.

Instead of yelling “You cheated! I’m calling the cops!” you should just disqualify the cheater and publicly shame him (or if its your buddy, punch him and knock him out of the boat).

As much as Mr .Borepatch likes to visit us down here and admires our freedoms, apparently we may not have the freedom to do what all good fishermen do so well - lie about their catches.

Please Mr. Perry, veto this one as “too silly to consider.”

<HT: Grits for Breakfast>