Why I quit Facebook

Silly subject for a post I suppose, but I thought it might be good to go through my thoughts on the wildly popular internet site called Facebook. As most of my followers know, I was once a Facebook user and would occasionally peruse the various sites of friends and family. This would result in a bit of entertainment as well as being informative as to what various people were up to. Of course the pictures of the latest vacation or a young one's first steps were always fun to check out and I would take the chance to post a cleverly crafted caption for a pic if the opportunity arose. I think when I began questioning my Facebook visits was when people became so anxious to share their displeasure with each other's political views. I actually enjoy a dialogue with someone about various social and political topics, but Facebook only seemed to lend itself to a bumper sticker sort of approach. A quick comment here and there sandwiched in between all the other conversations. This easily leads to misunderstandings on both sides and leaves one turning the Facebook experience into a political forum. People with whom I have never had a political discussion with in person are anxious to offer opinions on whatever is in the news at the time. I know some people grew up with these discussions taking place over dinner and other family gathering but not our family. At least not until Facebook offered whatever it is that it offers to us to make us want to jump in with both feet to discussions we are hesitant to have in person. I mean when someone chooses a picture or icon to represent them online that is tied directly to a political or social issue it immediately says to me that there is a bent, or a filter in place. An agenda, if you will, that is not limited to updating folks on the latest family activities but is rather positioning oneself on a variety of "important issues". Yes I can, and do, interact with people daily who have a very different view of our country and the world than I have. And yes, we can interact in a civil manner. But when people you have known your whole life and with whom you have never engaged in political dialogue, decide Facebook is just the right tool for expressing such opinions it seems, I guess, a bit odd and maybe inappropriate. So there you go. If I thought "posting" my objections to abortion would stop the wanton slaughter of innocent children; or my hope that the social and political winds may be changing in favor of another shot at Prohibition to at least lessen to 10's of thousands of lives we seem willing to sacrifice so we can have that oh-so-great feeling of not feeling; or how about the government forcing all swimming pool owners to fill their pools in with concrete, which would save far more children's lives then a gun-less United States would; or how about bringing back DDT so we can significantly reduce the number of deaths due to malaria. No, I think I would rather just see that new grandbaby take his or her first steps. I'm just not willing to wade through all the crap to get there. Sorry.

Some random calendar entries

    This is my annual random calendar entry blog. Thought it might be nice to get it done before my taxes are due knowing how busy we all get around April 15. I haven't thought through this so I will be flying by the seat of my britches. So here we go.
These are not in any particular order:
1) Mental Insolvency ( a by-product of aging)
2) Allow markets to tell the truth. (If the government were not actively skewing the markets trying to "fix" inequities we would not be in our current financial mess and we would all, including those who were targeted by their good intentions, be better off.
3) A robin was spotted by Rick on Jan 5. (I've decided they don't all leave town for the winter)
4) "Sales of automobiles were up last quarter but growth was held in check by the biggest government cutbacks in years." (If you don't see the lunacy in this news report then you are most certainly a liberal)
5) Treadle Doc input 1 is the light curtain. Input 2 is the loop.
6) I've always relied on my good looks and the kindness of others to get by. Unfortunately, as I have gotten old people have become less kind.
7) An "ideological pose" is something every successful politician strikes as an election nears.
8) A loop is a proximity device. A light curtain is a precision device.
9) The left believes in cradle to grave entitlements, it's getting to the cradle that can be tricky.
10) Paying your own way is the essence of freedom.
11) I'll take your secret to my grave or the break room which ever comes first.
12) The commercial said, "take Progene and be the man you want to be" so I sent them an order stating that I wanted to be Robert Redford.
13) Hope is not deceptive when we are not deceived.
14) We should make politicians speak through a deFIBrillator.
15) 70 percent of Utah is government land.
16) A motorcyclist received jail time for going 171 in a 60 mph zone. He also lost his license. I'm thinking he should have kept it in his front pocket.
17) Incentivising non-work if not a waste of money is certainly a waste of people. (I think this is a loose translation of a Mark Styne quote)
18) Would speaking on her and my behalf be a bewhole?
19) Did you go to Occidental on purpose?
20) I was in my turnpike uniform one day when I asked an attractive young lady if it was true women swoon over a man in unform. She said, "probably".
21) (Weds. Sept. 5) Chris and Joan arrive.
22) The weatherman says, "part your hair to the south today".
23) Half of the states general fund goes to K-12 schools.
24) Globally, obesity is the cause of more deaths than mal-nutrition.
25) Regualatory agencies have the power of law.
26) Why do tax cuts have time limits but not tax increases?
27) Healthcare administration under the new healthcare law will increase over 2 fold from 28 billion to 71 billion.
28) People who rudely interject themselves in others conversations are Jaytalking.
    Hope you enjoyed reading this more than I enjoyed entering it on my eye pad :-)