One Red Bug

One little red bug said,

"I need a hug.

I'm very lonely and very needing love."

 Two little yellow bugs in the yard

pulling a string out of a plug.

Little red bug said,

"I need a hug."

Little yellow bugs said,

"Go away.

Come again some other day.

We're too busy unplugging the yard today."

Three little pink bugs sitting in a tree.

Little red bug said,

"I need a hug."

Little pink bug said,

"Go away.

I'm too busy today."

Four little blue bugs sat upon a chair,

Crawling under the cushion,

 And having fun to fair.

Red bug said,

"I need a hug."

The blue bugs said,

"We can't play very long.  Please go away.

We might give you a hug some other day."

Five little purple bugs went to a circus.

Red bug said,

"I need a hug."

"We're too much having fun.

Please come and have fun with us another day."

Six orange bugs eating on a leaf.

Red bug said,

"I need a hug."

Orange bugs say,

"We're eating today.

We can't hug you right now."

So red bug went and stayed on the tree, crying,

"I need a hug.

I need a friend, please."

One red bug came and said,

"I'm lonely too and I need a hug.

I'll only give you a hug if you give me a hug."

So the other red bug said,

"I'll give you a hug."

And so he did.

And then he had a friend.

And the other red bug had a friend too.

The end.

 By Kyrie (1996? I just found it in a box we unpacked)

'Tis the Season

It's started. We're barely out of Halloween, but already the "War on Christmas" has begun.

I refer, of course, to the mass hysteria that we have had to endure every year lately, when large groups of people, spurred by a tiny group of right-wing pundits, get totally freaked out whenever someone wishes them "Happy Holidays."

Everyone, please, chill the fuck out. No one has declared war on Christmas. No one.

There's a very long article on the subject here, but that's the gist of it.

Don't believe me? Here's your assignment for the day.

Greet twelve people with the phrase "Merry Christmas." Count how many are offended.

Then greet twelve people with "Happy Holidays." Compare results (and be ready to duck).

Did anyone make a wish today?

Does it nullify the wish if you tell me about it?

The corruption of pure capitalism

Business is, by its very nature, corrupt

The purpose of business is to make a profit. Personal gain. And businessmen will do anything, moral or not, for personal gain.

That is not the purpose of government. The purpose of our government is pretty well spelled out in the preamble to the constitution. To form a more perfect union. To establish justice. To ensure domestic tranquility. To provide for the common defense. To promote the general welfare. To secure the blessings of liberty.

Nothing in there about profit.

Men become corrupt when considerations of personal gain take precedence over considerations of right and wrong.

Capitalism does not include any precept of right and wrong. Its stated goal is profit. Personal gain.

Government becomes corrupt when the people running it put personal gain over the stated goals of the government.

Now, who has the means to provide personal gain to Congress? The Supreme Court? The President?

I'll tell you. It is the wealthy and powerful.

It is not the poor, the teachers, the police, the firefighters. It is not the unions, the truck drivers, the office peons. None of these people have anything with which to tempt anyone in a position of government power.

It is leaders of business who corrupt the leaders of government.

Think about that the next time you kneel at your Ayn Rand shrine and kiss the cover of Atlas Shrugged.

Shameless family promotion

My son has entered a contest sponsored by Neil Gaiman. The grand prize is a part in the full-cast reading of American Gods, being released later this year for the novel's 10th anniversary.

On the off-chance that anyone reading my paltry words has not yet heard of this, please consider heading over and giving him your vote. The guy's really good.