Thursday, November 26, 2009

Possible Turkey Disaster

We are eating ribs today.  We have had plenty of turkey and ham on previous holidays.

When I was a kid, my family would often cook non-traditional holiday meals.  We would have rabbit stew on holidays, for instance.  We were among the first to fry a whole turkey.

Back in the 1990s, I fried a turkey for my family.  On the patio, the oil was heated on the outdoor cooker when I lowered the insert containing the turkey into it.  The oil bubbled up, overflowed, and caught fire.  I turned the gas off quickly, to avoid disaster.

Then I could not figure out what to do.  I removed the big pot from the cooker and set it down on the concrete of the patio.  The turkey continued to fry.  I let the pot set there for 40 minutes, frying all the while.  Then the turkey was done.

It was delicious.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Guys With Guns

Adam says to Karl, "I'll trade you two steaks for 10 pounds of potatoes."

Karl replies, "I'll take two pounds of steak in exchange for two pounds of potatoes because that is fair."

Adam says, "I don't think so.  It's not worth it to me."

Karl slots a clip into his AK-47 with a clack and says, "Think again."

Under capitalism, we trade voluntarily.  Nobody pulls a gun.  Everyone has the right to withhold from everyone else if they do not think they're getting a fair deal.

Under socialism, trade is structured according to someone's conception of what is fair?  Who decides what is fair?  The guys with guns decides what is fair.

We now have a bill passed by our representatives that proclaims that it is fair that everyone should be forced to buy health insurance if they can afford it.  Suppose you do not want to buy it?

You can be sentenced to five years in prison.

Enforced by guys with guns.