Quote of the Day: 30 September 2019

“Each one of us, in brief, has a multiple economic personality. Each one of us is producer, taxpayer, consumer. The policies he advocates depend upon the particular aspect under which he thinks of himself at the moment.” -Henry Hazlitt

Quote of the Day: 29 September 2019

“[B]uilding faith in Jesus Christ is the beginning of reversing spiritual decline in your family and in your home.” -Henry B. Eyring

Quote of the Day: 28 September 2019

“[I]n general, groupishness is focused on improving the welfare of the in-group, not on harming an out-group.” -Jonathan Haidt

Quote of the Day: 27 September 2019

“Obviously my body doesn’t believe a word my brain is saying.” -Calvin

Quote of the Day: 26 September 2019

“I encourage people to remember that No is a complete sentence.” -Gavin de Becker

Forest Grove Police Log excerpt, 25 September 2019

The selection from the log of local police activity for this week is about country music stars who are in need, or not.

September 13
A caller reported that their spouse had purchased and shipped five brand new phones (at $1000 apiece, plus hundreds in service fees), as well as several thousand dollars, to country singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney who was reportedly in need. Officers explained that this was a scam, however the non-deterred spouse, with ‘photographic evidence’ in hand, advised that only Mr. Chesney himself, live and in person, could change her mind.

 The likelihood of Mr. Chesney needing assistance from a resident of my small city is fairly low. The likelihood he would need assistance in the form of five flagship phones is extremely low. I am unsure how this person was convinced that this need was genuine, but that scammer is very persuasive. Hats off to him for knowing how to do that. He's still scum, but I am otherwise impressed.

Quote of the Day: 25 September 2019

“Competence is highly dependent on context.” -James Clear

Quote of the Day: 24 September 2019

“Maybe if you aren’t unhappy sometimes you don’t know how to be happy.” -Meg Murry, A Wrinkle in Time

Quote of the Day: 23 September 2019

“Burros, which are basically just wild little donkeys who freely roam federal land without paying taxes, are statutorily designated as a national treasure. That means you have to love them. It’s the law.” -Mike Chase

Quote of the Day: 22 September 2019

“The strength and moral fiber of a nation are in its families[.]” -Derek A. Cuthbert

Quote of the Day: 21 September 2019

“Society as a whole always has to pay the full costs, regardless of what prices are or are not charged to individuals.” -Thomas Sowell

Quote of the Day: 20 September 2019

“I’ve seen men die valiantly. There’s no future in it.” -Samuel Vimes (thought), Thud!

Quote of the Day: 19 September 2019

“All a kid needs is one good word from someone he believes. It’s not necessary to have anything more than that.” -Terry Crews

Forest Grove Police Log excerpt, 18 September 2019

The selection from the log of local police activity this week is about when the investigation comes to the police.

Sept 6
Two officers were outside the station chatting when they heard a loud bang and were subsequently passed by a vehicle driving strangely. Officers chased down the vehicle and determined the driver had crashed into another vehicle that had made a dangerous turn. The offending driver was issued a citation for a traffic violation; the initial driver was cited for driving with a suspended license.

 Pretty good result.

Quote of the Day: 18 September 2019

“I am fully aware of what would happen if you were allowed to make your own decisions, and that’s why you aren’t allowed to make them.” -Allie Brosh
[Originally said from a dog owner to her dogs, but equally applicable from parents to children.]

Quote of the Day: 17 September 2019

“The proposed constitution, therefore, even when tested by the rules laid down by its antagonists, is, in strictness, neither a national nor a federal constitution; but a composition of both. In its ordinary powers of the government are drawn, it is partly federal, and partly national; in the operation of these powers, it is national, and finally, in the authoritative mode of introducing amendments, it is neither wholly federal, nor wholly national.” -James Madison, The Federalist No. 39
[Happy Constitution Day!]

Quote of the Day: 16 September 2019

“Few are ready to recognize that the rise of fascism and naziism was not a reaction against the socialist trends of the preceding period but a necessary outcome of those tendencies.” -F. A. Hayek

Quote of the Day: 15 September 2019

“[D]on’t be discouraged if someone does not accept the gospel message immediately. It is not a personal failure.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Quote of the Day: 14 September 2019

“According to the real records available, barbarism and civilisation were not successive stages in the progress of the world. They were conditions that existed side by side, as they still exist side by side.” -G. K. Chesterton

Quote of the Day: 13 September 2019

“There’s two kinds of bad men in the world. I mean, there’s all kinds of ways for a man to go bad, but when you get right down to it, there’s only about two kinds of men who will hurt others with forethought. Premeditation. Men that don’t figure there’s anyone else alive who matters but them. And men who figure that there’s something that matters more than anyone’s life. Even their own.” -Bernard, Furies of Calderon

Quote of the Day: 12 September 2019

“A written constitution is neither necessary nor sufficient to develop or preserve a free society…. [I]n order for a written—or for that matter, unwritten—constitution to be effective it must be supported by the general climate of opinion, among both the public at large and its leaders.” -Milton Friedman

Forest Grove Police Log excerpt, 11 September 2019

The selection from the log of local police activity for this week involves a phantom theft.

September 4
A caller reported that her car keys had gone missing, along with tens of thousands of dollars. It was determined no such monies ever existed. Officers explained that cash can’t be stolen if there’s no cash to begin with.

This would seem to be obvious. I would not expect that this would need to be explained, but this caller felt differently.

Quote of the Day: 11 September 2019

“Despotism is unjust to everybody, including the despot[.]” -Oscar Wilde

Maine Trip Days 5-9

We finally get into the part of the trip when we got to go see things five days into the trip.
My wife is not great about getting going in the morning, so before we headed to the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden he first headed for Karen's Hideaway where we each got a lobster roll. I had the traditional and my wife had the melted butter. We both quite liked their loaded potato salad.
We did then go to the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. Which was quite nice. Here are some pictures beginning with the butterfly enclosure.

After the gardens we headed for dinner, a lighthouse, and grocery shopping so we wouldn't have to go to a restaurant on Sunday. We were also able to sit and talk with my wife's aunt and uncle for about an hour that evening.
The following day was Sunday, so we headed to church. Which is just what we do. After church we went through Demarescotta, and looked for a river where we could see the returning tide drive the flow backwards.

Day 7 was Monday. I got up at night trying to take a moonrise shot, but the darkness and my equipment weren't up to the task. I failed. Sunrise went a bit better, but I still didn't get a good picture.

 The clouds on the horizon prevented me from capturing the sunrise.

 So, I turned around and looked at what the light was illuminating.
We then headed to Camden, so we could do a bit of hiking. He climbed most of the way to the summit of Bald Peak where we got a good view of the coast.

 We were staying on an island so there was an opportunity for sunset shots. Those worked out a bit better than the sunrise ones did.

On day 8 we headed Giant's Steps. I forget the name of the island where it was located, but by the time we got there the light was fairly harsh.

Then we went to EARTHA Globe. A three story globe located in the lobby of the Garmin corporate offices.

We tried a few places, but mostly we had difficulty finding a good place to go. At this state park we were able to watch osprey flying around, but I don't have the right lenses for capturing them, so you get this shot of the island where they nest instead.

We concluded the night with an escape room. It was a difficult one, and the first in a while that we did not escape from. Part of the problem was doing it with two people when we really should have had four or more.
That night we got a hotel room somewhere in New Hampshire, and went to the airport in the morning. We made it safely home after picking up The pup from my parents in Salt Lake. Quite a long day, but very uninteresting.

Quote of the Day: 10 September 2019

“Let’s leave behind the blood soaked insanity of the 20th century. It has filled enough graves.” -Sarah Hoyt

Quote of the Day: 9 September 2019

“Never have your hair cut by somebody you’ve made mad.” -Patrick F. McManus

Quote of the Day: 8 September 2019

“[W]e either discipline our lives here, or pay the price for the undisciplined life in the world to come.” -Delbert L. Stapley

Quote of the Day: 7 September 2019

“[T]he fact that something is implausible has never stopped the federal government from banning it.” -Mike Chase

Quote of the Day: 6 September 2019

“Conspicuous symbols of wealth, such as homes and motor vehicles, are better indicators of one’s credit use than of the size of one’s investment portfolio.” -Thomas J. Stanley

Quote of the Day: 5 September 2019

“Incentives can start a habit. Identity sustains a habit.” -James Clear

Forest Grove Police Log excerpt, 4 September 2019

The selection from the log of local police activity this week includes a clown, and construction equipment.

August 23
A storage company reported that a man had constructed walls within his rented unit and appeared to be transforming the space into a small house. It was further reported that he was frequenting the location in the middle of the night dressed as a clown – which is not criminal. The man was advised that further violations of his rental agreement would result in eviction.

With housing prices what they are around here I can understand people taking an unorthodox approach to providing themselves with a residence. I'm less understanding of the clown thing. That I don't understand at all.

Quote of the Day: 4 September 2019

“But of course we can’t take any credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.” -Mrs. Whatsit, A Wrinkle in Time