THE 10 CANNOTS

As promised, here is something my son placed on his blog-- wvmountainhome --.

As with him, I offer it with no further comments.


The 10 Cannots

By William J. H. Boetcker
(erroneously attributed to Abraham Lincoln)


You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.

You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.

You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

NOTHING PARTICULAR

While pursuing the election forums and blogs, I have not had time to do anything with my own for a few days. That will be the status until I find something worthwhile to write about. There is nothing particular that I feel right now, except disappointment. No shock, no recrimination, no wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Our country will survive. Mutt is right about that. Americans are resilient. And in the long term, we will survive as a nation and rise above the bitterness that many are feeling right now. This is no epiphany for me. I have always felt this way. Sure, American is for a rough ride. But we were in for a rough ride, anyway.

America will rise above the current mess and be a better land. Someday. Not soon. But I cannot be a conservative without being an optimist, too. Severe depression is ahead, at the very least. The country cannot live on these massive borrowings forever. We will not all like the remedies we are going to get. That is life. I didn't want to leave that nice warm place in order to be born, either. But you have to get on with life.

I will never give up my right to criticize. Nor praise. Nor give thanks to my God that I live in a country where I can do so and not be jailed or killed for expressing my criticism or praise.

But for today, I have nothing particular to say.

MUTT

MUTT.

I have been criticized because I referred to our revered head honcho elect as "Hybrid." But no one has given me a name which I may call him. You know, they called President Bush every name in the book and even invented a few for him.

But the answer came today, from a totally unexpected source, our revered head honcho elect himself. In answer to a question posed by a reporter during his press conference, he was giving the answer and said "...or a mutt like me."

So there it is.

MUTT.

Short Thoughts

At 6:50 pm on election night, the talking heads are still at it. But I haven't seen a political ad since about 5:50 pm--a Rockefeller ad, no less, as if he needs it.

And speaking of Rockefeller, since I seldom do, I am not a big booster of this carpetbagger. Yeah, that is what I said, carpetbagger. He came into this state, apparently as a volunteer during the war on poverty from what I hear. After leaving to go back home to his multi-million (billion?) dollar home, he apparently seized upon the idea of returning to West By God and becoming the governor. So he did, coming into the state, establishing a legal residence and running a multi-million dollar ($6 million plus) campaign and thereby buying the governorship. Serving the maximum terms he then bought a U S Senate seat and has been there ever since. Just a typical American success story. Small town boy makes good. Woo-hoo!

But, I have to hand it to Rocky Jay, he doesn't bad-mouth other people. I have never heard him make an untrue statement about an opponent. And that, my friends, is a laudable thing in these days and times. Rocky Jay does his thing and gets along.

And while he is at it, he brings foreign investment into the state in terms of new production facilities, almost one a year it seems like to me. Not $5.00 an hour jobs either, but jobs with good wages and benefits.

Damn, with all that going for him, why didn't I vote for him instead of whoever it was the impotent Republicans threw under the bus this year?

I have to admit it. The awful truth is, I am still a provincial posterior opening of the alimentary canal. He's a damned carpetbagger.


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I almost forgot--my wife just reminded me of it--"So they put it on the last page of the first section, huh? After spreading it in 20 point type on the front page when the charges were made. 'Expletive deleted' 'expletive deleted'. Just like them. And I bet you haven't heard about it on the news channels either, have you?"

"No, honey, I haven't."

"Says right here, 'Report from board clears Palin in Troopergate probe'



What else can I say? The Herald-Dispatch strikes again. Whoever makes up that section of the paper is so damned biased that that ought to be their name.

And if it were the first occurrence, it might be excused. It is not and it is not. On the day of the election and they place it on the last page of the front section. Now let's see just what was so important that it gets relegated to the very last page.

First we have to pull that damned sticker off the page so we can read it. I'd really like to get a paper some day without those stickers on it. And without all the ads on the bottom of the page too.

OK, above the logotype is the normal MU sports line, the weather brief and a reference to a retailer in trouble. Then the logotype, then another large banner for MU sports.

Then the meat of the paper--Utility upgrades on 4th Avenue-yeah, should be there. TTA service to KY--So who cares, how about TTA servicing Cabell County? Now that would be news. This item rates second or third page coverage. Big Voter turnout expected--has been on the news for weeks and weeks, why is it front page news now? Short answer, it isn't.

Hey there is plenty of room for that report on the front page when second and third page items are removed. But I did notice that Obama's picture is on the front page, as usual. So his gramma died. Sorry, but not front page news. Just a way to get his pug out there.


Oh well. The view never changes unless you are the lead dog.

An American Creed-by Dean Alfange

My son posted the following on his blog about a week ago. I will not give you all the detail surrounding the reasoning for placing it on his blog , nor will I make much comment myself. I think the item speaks for itself.

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An American Creed

by Dean Alfange

Originally published in "This Week Magazine", later reprinted in "The Readers Digest", October, 1952, p. 10, and again in "The Readers Digest", January, 1954, p. 122--

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I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon-if I can.

I seek opportunity-not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say. "This I have done."

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Make of it what you will.