A-fraking-men

John Quincy Adams on U.S. Foreign Policy (1821)
October 2001

And now, friends and countrymen, if the wise and learned philosophers of the elder world, the first observers of nutation and aberration, the discoverers of maddening ether and invisible planets, the inventors of Congreve rockets and Shrapnel shells, should find their hearts disposed to enquire what has America done for the benefit of mankind?

Let our answer be this: America, with the same voice which spoke herself into existence as a nation, proclaimed to mankind the inextinguishable rights of human nature, and the only lawful foundations of government. America, in the assembly of nations, since her admission among them, has invariably, though often fruitlessly, held forth to them the hand of honest friendship, of equal freedom, of generous reciprocity.

She has uniformly spoken among them, though often to heedless and often to disdainful ears, the language of equal liberty, of equal justice, and of equal rights.

She has, in the lapse of nearly half a century, without a single exception, respected the independence of other nations while asserting and maintaining her own.

She has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to the last vital drop that visits the heart.

She has seen that probably for centuries to come, all the contests of that Aceldama the European world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging right.

Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be.

But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.

She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.

She is the champion and vindicator only of her own.

She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example.

She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom.

The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force....

She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit....

[America's] glory is not dominion, but liberty. Her march is the march of the mind. She has a spear and a shield: but the motto upon her shield is, Freedom, Independence, Peace. This has been her Declaration: this has been, as far as her necessary intercourse with the rest of mankind would permit, her practice.

Stereotypes exist for a reason

Today I was stuck on the freeway behind an old man going 45 miles an hour with his turn signal on for the entire time. I'm just saying.

Amusing things in the news

An NHS trust has spent more than £12,000 on private treatment for hospital staff because its own waiting times are too long.

Is this somehow a surprise to anyone? I love this line from the article: "They need to appoint more physiotherapists and bring the waiting lists down."

"Appoint" more doctors. How very telling, and unintentionally so.


"Sovereign" couple uses the courts to file liens

I think this qualifies for a "you're doing it wrong." We all know how I feel about taxes, but you don't get to declare yourself sovereign from the government and use government courts to collect money.

Amen

http://www.justfuckinggoogleit.com/

Look, it's a poster about my blog

*snort*

It's not that hard

Wrong: Your an idiot.
Right: You're an idiot.

Wrong: You're shoes are on the wrong feet.
Right: Your shoes are on the wrong feet.

Wrong: Who's book is this?
Right: Whose book is this?

Wrong: Whose going to the party tonight?
Right: Who's going to the party tonight?

Wrong: Their still at school because they left there books they're.
Right: They're still at school because they left their books there.

Wrong: Its a nice day.
Right: It's a nice day.

Wrong: The cat is chasing it's tail.
Right: The cat is chasing its tail.

There should be some kind of law that allows me to punch people who make these errors repeatedly.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM SARA'S BLOG: IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO USE A CONTRACTION IN A SENTENCE, DON'T BE AN IDIOT! MAKE SURE THE SENTENCE WILL STILL MAKE SENSE IF YOU USE TWO WORDS INSTEAD OF A CONTRACTION. (e.g. "you are" instead of "you're," "it is" instead of "it's") IT'S NOT THAT HARD.