Tag Archives: No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

Feeding The Birds

 

I have grown up to be my father.  I enjoy, hell, I LOVE to enjoy, feeding my birds and watching ’em play around the feeders, trees, shrubs and nesting boxes.  I love this.

And in the true economic spirit, I take much glee in pointing out to my birds there is no such thing as a free lunch.

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I labor for the money that I use to buy the food the birds eat.  For them, this represents  free lunch.  However, the birds live in a world that’s not always so nice.  See, the birds are subject to the predators that feed on them.  And in several cases I’ve been resting on my deck when all of a sudden there’s a horrible racket in the bushes off to the side.  I look over and see Mr. Hawk fly away with a very sad little bird in his mouth.

The other morning I came down stairs to find ‘ol Mr. Hawk resting ON MY DECK!  I ran to get the camera and I was actually able to get a pair of shots as he was waiting around for his next breakfast meal.

Now, I am conflicted.  I like my birds and when the hawk is around they fly away and hide.  On the other hand, if what I’m doing is faatening up hawk food so that I am able to enjoy my pet hawk….well, that’s pretty cool too.

There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

This is why we need to be leery of government.

It’s not because government is always “evil”.  It’s not because all people working in government are self absorbed power hungry influence brokers.  It’s not because of man’s natural desire to rule their own world; whatever world that is.

Now, to be sure, some or all of that exists, but the vast majority of the people who make up government are honest hard working folks.

The problem with government is that it creates the wrong incentives.

And the North Carolina State Parks is no exception.

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