Thursday morning roundup

Codependence on your pet is still codependence; the same people who think it's not a problem for their kid to scream up a storm in a plane (yes, I know most parents can't help it, but some just don't care) don't see why people prefer not to have a dog defecate near their food.

Exploiting people is not okay.

I don't know about ignoring all the dissenting voices, but I'd welcome ignoring the lobbyists.

The false promise of moral certainty, brilliantly stated:

[Eisenhower] explained to Biggs that Hoffer “points out that dictatorial systems make one contribution to their people which leads them to tend to support such systems — freedom from the necessity of informing themselves and making up their own minds concerning these tremendous complex and difficult questions.” The authoritarian follower, Eisenhower suggested, desired nothing more than insulation from the pressures of a free society.

Alluding to Senator McCarthy and his allies, Eisenhower pointed out that cold war fears were distorted and exploited for political advantage. “It is difficult indeed to maintain a reasoned and accurately informed understanding of our defense situation on the part of our citizenry when many prominent officials, possessing no standing or expertness as they themselves claim it, attempt to further their own ideas or interests by resorting to statements more distinguished by stridency than by accuracy.”

Remind you of anything?

Losing a mullet is never a bad thing.