As IF Times

link; https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/11/maricopa-county-supervisors-meeting-tomorrow-wednesday-az-patriots-sign-speak-8/

On the heels of another remarkable series of  “wins” by Democrats in the recent US elections, many sports leagues will be implementing a new cost saving measure for their contests.  They will eliminate referees. While the amount saved is actually quite small, the efficiencies this measure brings to sports events is enormous and will make games highly entertaining.

Let’s consider the case of the NFL as an example.  The tedious hi definition replays of contentious plays will be omitted, speeding up significantly the pace of play. The two sides will battle as if they were true warriors, no holds barred with only the final results mattering.   Naturally this win at any cost mindset will translate into even more competitive contests as teams will create innovative means by which to win.

Here are some ideas.  Teams could choose to field extra players on the field if they think they may be outmatched by the opposition.  While this may cross the lines of sportsmanship, their victories will eclipse any criticism.  Teams could choose to go 5 or even 6 downs if 4 aren’t enough.

Teams could bring their own sets of goalposts which will be erected at a manageable distance for their kicking efforts.  There’s an idea being floated about allowing players to have a can of paint to create their own yard markers as needed….but that’s silly.

Teams can decide to use as many balls as they want in order to make scoring that much easier.

Teams could enlist groups of operatives at the sidelines who could trip players up or even throw barrels of Gatorade at them if it looks like an opposition player may score.

In the matter of scoring, one team will just assign a favorable number to give them an advantage, so that a touchdown is now worth 36 instead of 6 points.  Naturally, this can’t be contested because, you know, no referees.

Teams will be allowed, even encouraged, to have players camouflaged as opposing members to subvert the other team.  Naturally, you can’t complain because, you know, sportsmanship.   No one wants to be a sports denier.

During the half time break, scores will be allowed to change on the scoreboard depending on whether or not it’s a home game; and in fact final scores may not be totaled until 3 or 4 days after the game is over.

As in politics, these measures will bring a high degree of certainty to games so that no one gets disappointed by the results.  It fosters ingenuity and is not considered cheating because these measures are true to the spirit of win by any means.  Rules are for losers.

link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Soup

There’s a classic old European fable about stone soup. Different cultures have their own iterations on the idea, but the essential story is as follows:

Some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the very hungry travelers. Then the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making “stone soup”, which tastes wonderful and which they would be delighted to share with the villager, although it still needs a little bit of garnish, which they are missing, to improve the flavor.

The villager, who anticipates enjoying a share of the soup, does not mind parting with a few carrots, so these are added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which has not yet reached its full potential. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient, like potatoes, onions, cabbages, peas, celery, tomatoes, sweetcorn, meat (like chicken, pork and beef ), milk, butter, salt and pepper. Finally, the stone (being inedible) is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by travelers and villagers alike. Although the travelers have thus tricked the villagers into sharing their food with them, they have successfully transformed it into a tasty meal which they share with the donors.

The way the story is spun according to Wikipedia, it seems as if the tale is all about sharing.  In fact, the story is more about the naivete of people once they are convinced of an idea, and the entrenchment of that idea once others confirm that view.  It struck me that this is an apt parable for what’s been happening over the past 2 plus years in (mainly) western societies.

Recall that a ‘deadly virus’ had emerged which was a grave threat to civilization.  A simple 2 week period of sequestering would resolve this; then four weeks, then masks; then vaccines for the elderly; then for kids, then travel restrictions; then job curtailment, then fines, etc etc etc. Lo and behold, the people are convinced that the figurative soup is wonderful.

We should all understand why history repeats, or at least rhymes, over periods of human history.  People don’t change and the same formulas work over and over again.  There will always be purveyors of stone soup, but sadly there are even more people willing to consume it. It’s too bad that the lessons of history can only be seen with clarity in hindsight.