A blog about Business & Finance, Politics, and Schools & Education.
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I was just treated to the sight of an F-22 and a second plane flying escort (chase) over Bakersfield; headed ESE. Anyone else see it? 4:48 PM MP The shuttle Atlantis is likely to land at Edwards tomorrow morning but the base will be closed. Does anyone know of any locations where the shuttle might be observed on its way in? Thanks! Lo, hellfire is upon us! After voting down the latest round of tax increases and denying our politicians raises, I am afraid we're about to see just how dysfunctional our state really is. We certainly haven't endeared ourselves to our governor or politicians. Not that we should have to--mind you, but while in office, they have the gold, so they make the rules... Fact is, as a society we're a spoiled bunch, and our political system is mismatched for the times we live in. We are so ridiculously prosperous as a state and nation, that we ought to be able to guarantee minimum standards of quality of life for all. That means sustenance level food and housing and medical care, a modest degree of civil and criminal defense (protection), and appropriate schooling for all residents. In other words, we should guarantee a modicum of basic human rights to all people, especially and including our own citizens. But government (read: OUR) economic obligation ends there. I don't feel we have ever understood this. Indeed, we behave to this day as though everyone is entitled to the same upper-middle class standard of living as everyone else. Furthermore, our politicians, who are more interested in their careers than good policy, are passing inane law after inane law, desperately trying to keep the popularity they need to remain in office, while we as fools, obligingly take the bait every time, then whine when we find ourselves victim to their (read: OUR) excesses. Term limits would be a start. Removing the money and the power would be a second step. After providing for basic human needs, anything extra should be up to the will of the people who will pay the increased taxes for the privileges and benefits they desire. And if it can't be afforded--then oh well--it isn't a right.
I hope our impending crisis leads people to take stock of the system and to consider what we've been doing to ourselves. I hope we become the first state to guarantee basic human rights to all, and recognize all else as luxury. Expensive luxuries at that, in the hands of our elected officials.
Of course, we will not learn this lesson until some great calamity brings us to face, and compels us to open our eyes. How nice it would be that I die before that day; how much nicer it would be that we avoid that day altogether because we finally got smart about government and economics.
I'm looking for more information regarding land clearance for fire season. I already mailed the KCFD. Does anybody have any information or know how I can get more information on properly clearing land in anticipation of fire season? Does anybody know how much these services run-if professionally hired? |
