December 2018 – The Government is a Platypus

Being your “Authentic” Self – According to Dolly Parton

Posted on 12/24/2018 by Platypus

Find out who you are and do it on purpose

There's a concept that is one I dislike greatly. It's the idea of "the authentic self" or the "true self". I dislike the notion because it is a lie. I'm not sure why the lie exists. Perhaps it's a means by which people can excuse the behavior in themselves they don't like. "I don't know why I did that, that's really not me." Well - yes it is. Each moment of each day you are you. The real you, the ...
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A seven-year-old Guatemalan girl died. What for?

Posted on 12/17/201812/17/2018 by Platypus

When I first read about the death of the 7-year-old migrant girl I read that she died from dehydration. Everyone was blaming the government for letting her die. I thought at the time - It's clear the child was dehydrated before being taken into custody. Her father signed a paper that she didn't have any medical issues. That left me wondering if he was paying attention or not. Dragging children out...
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Who is a criminal vs who is a terrorist? Why does it matter?

Posted on 12/14/2018 by Platypus

This is one of those cases where the attached article linked below isn't so very important. I don't need to know if the people mentioned in it were really "wrongly ensnared" or not. The notion that someone could be is enough for me to ponder. I think, based on experience, that the idea of letting suspected terrorists go is a very unpopular idea. Right now we have people being held in perpetuity...
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The Census: Who Counts?

Posted on 12/13/2018 by Platypus

The census is part of the US Constitution. In a government by the people the original intent of the census was to make sure the people were represented. Some argue that asking about more than just a simple head count is against the Constitution. That's not the case actually. The Constitution says Congress is to decide how the census is carried out. If, then, someone in Trump's administration is us...
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Taxation is…

Posted on 12/11/2018 by Platypus

America was founded largely on a protest against taxes. We celebrate a group of men that dressed up as natives and threw tea in the harbor. I have said it many times that fuel is vital, more vital than tea ever was. When fuel prices go up, all other prices go up. People who once could pay their mortgage suddenly can't because they are now pumping more into their tank. Some silly people love to say...
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Victim Shaming and Situational Awareness are not the Same

Posted on 12/03/2018 by Platypus

We're told "don't blame the victim" and for the most part I agree with that. No one really asks to be robbed or burglarized or assaulted. Where I do have an issue with that phrase is when someone tries to understand how the victim might not have become a victim in the first place they get accused of "victim shaming" or "blaming the victim". I don't think we are doing that when we dissect a scenari...
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War on Christmas – One Man Wins – Or Does He?

Posted on 12/01/201812/01/2018 by Platypus

I know a lot of people hate HOA's and in some cases that is warranted depending on the law. Where I live you must be informed before buying a house that an HOA exists and you must agree to abide by the bylaws and there are limits in state law to the HOA's power. There's no change, unless it's your fault, that you could buy a house with an HOA where I live and not know it before you plunked down an...
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