A keen grasp of the obvious

Greece isn't a European style welfare state like the major EU countries.  It's an odd little middle eastern country that happens, due to its location on the European side of the Bosporus and the historical accident that it's Christian rather than Muslim (unlike some other countries physically closer to the rest of Europe), to be technically European. This Vanity Fair article by Michael Lewis is the best explanation I've seen of the utter dysfunction of Greek society:

www.vanityfair.com/business/features/2010/10/greeks-bearing-bonds-201010

The first 90% of the work takes the first 90% of the time.

Then, the other 90% of the work takes the other 90% of the time.

Details now available here: jl.ly/2011/06/27#nomorev4

1. Check the label on the jar, to ensure that it says Applesauce.
   NOTE: If the jar does not say applesauce, you can still open it, but it may contain something else.
2. Place the jar securely on a table or counter
   NOTE: A water-resistant non-slip surface is preferred.
3. Grasp the jar firmly with your right hand.
   NOTE: If you are left handed, you may instead grasp it with your left hand.
4. Inspect the lid to ensure that the jar is still sealed, and that its security dimple has not popped up.
   NOTE: If you or another person have opened the same jar on a previous occasion, you may skip this step.
5. Grasp the lid firmly with your left hand.
   NOTE: If you have grasped the jar with your left hand, you may grasp the lid with your right hand.
6. In a smooth motion, use the pressure of both hands to rotate the lid counterclockwise while keeping the jar motionless..
   NOTE: If you have grasped the jar with your left hand and the lid with your right hand, you may find it difficult to exert enough pressure in a counterclockwise direction. If that happens, you may release the jar and lid, grasp the jar with your right hand, grasp the lid with your left hand, and repeat this step.
7. Continue rotating the lid to the left until it is free of the jar.
8. When the lid is free of the jar, stop rotating, lift the lid off the jar, and place it upside down on the table or counter.
   NOTE: Placing the lid upside down lessens the chance of spilling applesauce on the table or counter.
9. When the lid is securely on the table or counter, let go of it.
10. Let go of the jar.
11. You may now use a spoon or other utensil to serve the applesauce. See Content farm: How to Serve Applesauce from a Jar

Did you celebrate May Day by
a) dancing around the may pole?
b) singing the Internationale ?
c) singing the Internationale while dancing around the may pole ?
d) something else?

Some politicians pride themselves on never flip-flopping, or otherwise changing their position. This is an extreme form of politics, but we have a perfectly good term for a set of beliefs that one holds without, or in the face of, evidence: a religion.

Successful religions tend to have beliefs that aren't susceptible to checking against evidence (reincarnation, salvation) and precepts for the faithful that have long term social value (honesty, kindness, fidelity.)

Unsuccessful religions tend to have beliefs that are easily found to be false (creationism, global warming denial, supply side economics) and sociopathic precepts (draconian punishment for minor crimes, torture for political prisoners, tax cuts for the rich, hunger and death for the poor.)

While successful religions have often formed the backbone of long lived cultures, religion is a really bad form of government, at least if you think that a government should deal with the events it faces. So a politician who prides him or herself on never ever changing has basically self-identified as incompetent.

This is not a new problem. One of my favorite examples is Hiram Johnson, who after saddling California with the disasters of initiative and referendum spent decades in the Senate as a rigid isolationist, fighting all attempts to prepare for WW II. Dunno if he'd come around by the time he died in August 1945.

So here are two quotes about the merits of flexibility:

"Oh, Master, make me chaste and celibate - but not yet!" -Augustine
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" -Keynes