Words and Phrases which I do not like.

As a virgin blogger - I thought I might introduce you to how my brain works. (Well - at least to the limits of my self awareness) by listing some words and phrases that, if they don't piss me off, at least annoy me.

1. Sensitivity (or any variation of 'sensitive'). We are way to hung up on people being 'sensitive' to other's malfunctions. We should all toughen up - and stop worrying about my lack of sensitivity.

2. Self esteem. This is worse than sensitivity. We are killing our kids motivation and personal initiative with this misguided notion that 'I breathe, therefore I should have self-esteem'. We should be teaching them that 'I work hard, try my best, and push myself' - then you DESERVE self-esteem. Sitting around bitching about not having self-esteem - or blaming your low self-esteem for every stupid decision you make is 'way' lame.

3. 'Deal with the past' - a.k.a. 'Closure'. You get 'closure' and 'deal with the past' by realizing that it is that 'the past'. Learn from it, realize it IS the past, and move the hell on. Life is unfolding in--front of you ..... the past-it is the rear-view mirror.

4. 'Man-made global warming'. This whole concept is bull-shite. There may be global warming - but man did NOT cause it. It is part of the natural ebb and flow of the planet. It is hubris of enormous proportions for us to think that our aerosol deoderant, automobiles, and cow farts (caused by us eating meat) has more effect that the sun, natural weather patterns, and volcanoes have on the climate.

5. 'Sustainable' - as 'sustainable energy supply'. This is the misguided notion that we can find some way of powering our economy without: gasoline, oil, natural gas, coal, ..... or nuclear. Which leaves solar, wind, and biofuels - none of which has the energy density, combined with a workable technolgy, sufficient to do the job. Nuclear is the clear long term answer. Jeez the FRENCH can do it --- and if we can just run the enviro-weenies out of the country - we could too.

6. 'Sharing' - as in 'I have something to share with you'. This is polly-anna crap. I do not 'share' - I tell you things. It is an information exchange - not an excercise in personal growth. If you think you have something to 'share' with me -- do me a favor, and just 'tell' me instead.

7. 'Rights' that impose burdens on others. Things like a 'right to health care', a 'right to a college education', or a 'right to retirement security'. These things are not rights. RIGHTS, as outlined in the constitution, DO NOT place burdens on others. My right to free speech does not burden you with having to listen to me. My right to pursue my own happiness does not burden you with the obligation to provide said happiness. If someone else has to fund your 'right' - it is no longer a right. It has become your attempt to pick someone elses pocket.

8. 'Zero Tolerance'. This is a brain damaged attempt to control behavior that we deem offensive by saying that we have 'zero tolerance' for it. This policy has led to some interesting results. My favorite - kids (2nd graders) getting suspended for drawing a picture of a cowboy holding a gun. This, of course, violates the zero tolerance policy on firearms at school. Or, an honor student getting suspended for bringing a plastic knive to school to cut her apple. This is an obvious and grave violation of the zero tolerance policy as it applies to weapons. What 'zero tolerance' actually applies to is 'zero tolerance for making lame-brained school administrators exercise even an iota of something we used to call 'judgement'. If you have a blanket policy - then the morons that run the schools can wrap themselves in the warm blanket of zero tolerance - and hence avoid having to make value judgements about the intention of a 2nd grader.

Ok - I think you get the idea!!