Boycott

Every week or so, it seems, someone suggests we boycott someone - some business entity - because of a disagreement with the ideology of the business' owners.. I never participate in one of these boycotts, because I think they are un-American.

You might look at it this way: What if the proposed boycott is against someone who holds beliefs closely aligned with your own? (Can you say Chick-fil-a?)

If you are an adherent to the First Amendment, you must hold that Americans' free speech is protected. The Supreme Court of the United States memorably stated “[i]t is firmly settled that . . . the public expression of ideas may not be prohibited merely because the ideas are themselves offensive to some of their hearers.”

Assuming the business is offering a product or service you want or need; a quality product or service at a fair and competitive price. You may not punish that business because the owners hold political views contrary to your own, and still say you will obey the U.S. Constitution.

That does not mean that, at the time of your purchase, you cannot express your disagreements. Remember, however, that if you are talking to a sales clerk, they will probably wonder what the heck you are talking about!

The genius of Facebook

I am still not sure how Facebook works, but it is easy to see why it works, and it is a stroke of genius. Genius that has earned founder Mark Zuckerberg over three billion dollars a year, for a decade. Three billion. That is one million dollars, three thousand times over! Each year!

Having just made Facebook connection with a couple of old friends, we are expressing our gratitude to Mr. Zuckerberg. In all reality, the connectability of his web site is not the point of his genius.

Imagine, for example, people praising television for providing us commercials to view. For the most part, we hate the TV interruptions for commercials, yet think of the amount of money spent to get you to sit in front of your TV. All that expensive programming, expensive studios, towers, etc.

Or, imagine our being overjoyed to open our mailbox and find it is crammed full of advertising flyers. Did you ever stop to think how much it costs to print those things, then address them, and finally, pay the postage to get them crammed into your mailbox? Surely the cost doesn't make you hate them any less.

But with Zuckerberg's invention, we are delighted to add our eyes to his web site, and we urge our friends to do the same.

You say you never thought of Facebook in the same class with TV commercials or advertising flyers? That's the genius.

Zuckerberg has designed Facebook to attract as many "friends" as possible. It beckons your friends, and their friends, and their friends friends... all around the world. Each pair of eyes carefully counted to prove to advertisers the "reach" of their ads. The greater the "reach", the greater the charge.

Even television promotes Facebook... for free! TV News programs invite their viewers to join them on Facebook and become part of their broadcast. That is amazing! That is part of the Zuckerberg genius!

Thoughts

The big hassle over Hobby Lobby's employer-provided health insurance is a farce. No employer is required to provide insurance. That practice began as an effort to avoid wage and price controls.

It is hard to believe the extent of the disconnect between the Obama Administration and the American Public. When a majority of Americans believe the country is on the "wrong track", is it still a "Government by The People"?

Why is there support for the Palestinians by Americans? Even American Jews? After Japan struck the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, in 1941, The U.S. engaged in a war with Japan and demanded unconditional surrender. After Islamists struck a blow at the American homeland on September 11, 2001, the U.S. declared war on Afghanistan and rooted out the stronghold of the enemy. But, when Hamas rains rockets on Jewish civilian targets, Israel faces condemnation for defending itself.

Why are there such gross misinterpretations of recent Supreme Court rulings? Like The Constitution itself, the SCOTUS rulings are easily understood by any literate American. Yet, people who surely know better, twist the meaning to the opposite of what The Court says.

What is it called when someone shoots down an airliner with 280 passengers and 15 crew members, killing all aboard? If true, it is murder, 295 counts. Let's see if Mr. Putin and Mr. Obama can do the right thing and bring someone to justice.

 

Adorable or Abominable

The offspring of most living creatures are adorable. Young cubs of the big cats are cute and cuddly. Unlike their parents, they pose no threat to humans. The same is true of essentially all mammals. And for reptiles and amphibians.

Tadpoles may be an exception, but as soon as they become frogs, they're cute. Very young marsupials may start out ugly, but as soon as they acquire their identifying fur coat, they are adorable.

Sea turtle hatchlings, scrambling from the sand to the sea, are also cute. Even fish fingerlings are miniature versions of the adults of the species.

But, what is true for all these creatures, is not true for birds. Featherless baby birds are well endowed with ugliness. Even when they fledge, most birds are awkward looking to say the least. It isn't until they are full grown adults that birds acquire their beauty.

And many birds are the most beautiful of all living creatures. No mammals acquire the colors of our most beautiful birds. With the exception of a few tropical frog species and a few tropical snakes, all reptiles and amphibians are green. Sort of.

We live in a fascinating world!