Around The Blogs 2014-03-16

Plenty of interesting stuff this week.

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Fred Reed has some very rude things to say about contemporary standards of education in a Manhattan school.  He concludes:

What am I, and people my age, supposed to feel other than raw contempt for pig-ignorant, self-righteous, utterly useless illiterates whom society will have to feed and house like barnyard animals for the next fifty years?

Based on the examples he provides, it's hard to disagree.

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What happens when a Glock 19 pistol burns in a house fire?  Everyday No Days Off brings us photographic evidence.

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Cats come in for their fair share of attention this week.

• Earthbound Misfit brings us 'The Ten Catmandments'.
• Outrider cautions us about a risk associated with cats.
• Borepatch illustrates one of the difficulties cats encounter in certain households.

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Mr. Garabaldi gives us a profound illustration of the folly of redistributive economic policies (such as those practiced by the present Administration).  He concludes:

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

Word.

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The 'surveillance state' came under intense scrutiny at a Maryland House Judiciary Committee hearing the other day.  As Offnow.org put it on their blog:

"It was a vivid divide between those most concerned with the Constitution and basic civil liberties, and those most concerned about their own self-interest."

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ARTICLE for everyone who loves this country, supports and upholds its constitution, and values civil liberties and freedoms, whether you're on the left or the right of the political spectrum.  Go read the whole thing.  Please.  When you've done that, spread the word about it.  This encapsulates in one state the problems we're facing nationwide.

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Rev. Donald Sensing brings us a series of two-sentence horror stories.  I don't like horror, and normally refuse to read or watch it, but these caught my interest.  I might try using the technique in my own writing sometime.  An example:

She asked why I was breathing so heavily.  I wasn't.

More at the link.

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Wesley Morrison illustrates the sad fate of retired tentacle porn stars.

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Og, our favorite Neanderpundit, has a couple of thought-provoking articles on our present political mess.  He points out the fallacy of failing to vote, and links to an excellent article at another blog, The New Rebellion University, titled 'Thoughts On the Coming Revolution'.  In an earlier article from last month, Og goes into more detail about the choices available to us, and why we need to make them.

All three articles are highly recommended reading.

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While on the subject of political shenanigans, the Outrider has an astute observation that sums up things nicely.

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Just in time for Lent, Mark brings us tales from the confessional - with tongue firmly in cheek.  An example:

There once was a religious young woman who went to Confession. Upon entering the confessional, she said, "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."

The priest said, "Confess your sins and be forgiven."

The young woman said, "Last night my boyfriend made mad passionate love to me seven times."

The priest thought long and hard and then said, "Squeeze seven lemons into a glass and then drink the juice."

The young woman asked, "Will this cleanse me of my sins?"

The priest said, "No, but it will wipe that smile off of your face."

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XBradTC brings us news of the 'roll corrected' guided mortar round - a terminally guided mortar bomb that promises to greatly increase the lethality of this indispensable light support weapon.  He links to another article with some interesting video material about them.  All I can say is, I wish we'd had something like that available during my days 'up the sharp end'!

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Borepatch demonstrates why we're losing the battle for internet security, pointing out that a credit agency gave a fraudster full subscription access to its files.  If it's happened once, it's bound to have happened more than once . . .

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A reluctant dad documents in photographs the life of the baby he didn't want . . . and comes to love her.  It's a heart-warming story.  Go read.

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Finally, an Australian blogger discovers the 'Narcissist' burger at a restaurant in the Mohave Desert in California.

He adds, "Hungrier folk could opt for The Mannimal, which uses grilled cheese sandwiches in place of buns."

Is it just me, or does the mere sight of that thing give you chest pains?

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That's all from the blogosphere for this week.

Peter