Saturday, January 26, 2013

Weekend Tidbits

Herewith a few ‘curiosities’ to keep your juices flowing and your mind sharp.  Side came across this first one in the Wall Street Journal:

From an 1876 speech by Civil War veteran, orator and Republican Party figure Robert Ingersoll:

I will now give you my ideas about finance. In the first place the Government does not support the people, the people support the Government.

The Government is a perpetual pauper. It passes round the hat, and solicits contributions; but then you must remember that the Government has a musket behind the hat. The Government produces nothing. It does not plow the land, it does not sow corn, it does not grow trees. The Government is a perpetual consumer.

We support the Government. Now, the idea that the Government can make money for you and me to live on—why, it is the same as though my hired man should issue certificates of my indebtedness to him for me to live on.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323482504578226122035177756.html

This next one we saw posted on an on-line bulletin board we frequent, under the title “A Lesson In Irony.”

The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing this year the greatest amount of free Meals and Food Stamps ever, to 46 million people.

Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us

"Please Do Not Feed the Animals."

Their stated reason for the policy is because "The animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of
themselves."

Thus ends today's lesson in irony.

That’s for sure!

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