Neanderpundit

Over here Mrs D is talking about retrofitting- and it makes me want to talk about pressure.

As an engineer, I look at the world and I see pressure. Pressure is an interesting thing. Pressure turns carbon into diamonds, bursts dams, moves mountains. And as strong as geological pressure is, the pressure created by humans is infinitely stronger.

Pressure, if not adequately contained, will cause flow from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. For instance: When prohibition was forced upon the Americas, it took seconds before people started thinking of ways to get alcohol into one another’s hands. A thriving industry grew out of the need for the average American to have a brew, or a snort, or a nice glass of gin. That industry, because it was by nature illegal, was operated by criminals, and bankrolled a criminal enterprise that continues today. One of many examples of people who had the best of intentions creating a clusterfuck. Before prohibition, lots of people drinking. After prohibition, lots of people drinking AND an incredibly powerful mob. The same is true of drugs today- and while I’m not a fan of legalization of recreational drugs, I frankly wish the “war on drugs” money was being spent on other things.

The bottomline, as far as this post is concerned, is that it doesn’t matter what you sell, if someone wants it, they will find a way to get it. And if you have bricks of gold you’re selling for nine cents a pound and nobody wants them, your business will turn belly up. If the government makes guns illegal, then people who want them will still find ways to buy/make/steal them, and nothing will ever stop that; in fact, it will, like drugs and prohibition, create an entire criminal subclass which did not exist before. And they won’t be the kind of fine sportsmen and shooters who currently hold the vast majority of firearms in the country. Where unwanted things- like Air America- have to be propped up in order to survive, the Rush Limbaughs of the world aren’t enough.

The internet- and the airwaves before it (yes, Ham was the ORIGINAL internet) will always provide a media, and it cannot be silenced, no matter how hard anyone tries. While it can be legislated out of existence, like free speech is being, little by little, it cannot be done away with. We’re out here, we’re embedded now, and we aren’t about to stop. Now that I’ve brought you from Mrs D, go read what the Mr has to say here

I’m napping after getting home, waiting for dinner to be ready, and the dog comes in, nuzzles into my armpit, and rests his head on my shoulder. I can feel his breath against my cheek, and as I drift off almost to sleep, the dog makes the special preparedness to nap sound: Breathe, breathe, Breathe, SIGHHHHH…

So I nap.

And the daughter walks in the door.

And the dog goes from full-blown napping to “BROWWWWW!” in 0.08 seconds. IN my ear. Without even lifting his head.

Them select comfort matresses hurt when you clench your buttcheeks around ’em.

I think I got all of it out. Still itches a little.

Sox fans will remember my comment about their chances, here.

Any cubs fans who want to see their boys win this year, I can make a similar prediction, for the right amount of cash. And of course I will still need those lederhosen- though much smaller ones than previously required.