government has too much money

Not quite galley slaves, but getting there

I posted this in 2012, and five years later it sparked a lively discussion.

The Biggest, Baddest Monster of Them All

Of course, this was all before China launched its “social credit” regime, in which the government keeps tabs, 24/7, on each and every citizens. They keep a running score on you which fluctuates up and down, depending on what you say and do; and whether you are allowed to do certain things–like ride a bus, for instance–depends on your current score, as compiled by the government. And it’s all done by robots, so you can’t defend yourself, you can’t appeal–might as well argue with a chair.

Government is able to do things like that because it has too much money.

Kumquats–somebody’s idea of politically incorrect fruit

Further proof that government, at all levels, has too much of our money, can’t think of constructive uses for it, and needs to be cut back:

A woman in North Carolina with a vanity license plate that said KUMQUAT, as in the fruit, was warned by the state’s Motor Vehicle Dept. that they had received “complaints”–note the plural–“that the plate is offensive and in poor taste.” ( http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/20160908/in-reference-to-personalized-license-plate-kumquat- ) The driver was given 30 days to notify the state, in writing, “what the word ‘kumquat’ means to you,” and it had better be good or else we’ll revoke your license plate.

The state has a policy of threatening anyone whose plate is the object of a complaint, no matter how idle, frivolous, baseless, moronic, or unfounded the complaint may be. “Policy” is bureaucrat-speak for “We check our brains at the door.”

In this case the state of North Carolina withdrew the threat when it was proved to them that “kumquat” really is just a fruit, and not a term of racist or homophobic or whatevuh abuse.

Actually, they do taste pretty bad.