"I Know a Guy!"

Have you ever heard the term "I know somebody"? It is usually used in "under the table" deals in politics. I've also heard the saying, "I got a guy"; which translates into; "I know a person of influence who can get me "special favors" (wink and nod)". Illinois and Louisiana are famous for some unusual politics: this type of "wheeling and dealing" politics is very familiar to those of us who grew up in the Chicago area. Doors close and problems go away, but nobody knows how it works. Jobs and contracts are handed out like candy on Halloween in return for political favors to be redeemed at a later date; that is all about the use of public money in a corrupt administration. What could be worse than that? Perhaps it is hiding a criminal act, or giving special privilege to someone you know is in violation of the law.

I am retired and Social Security is a large part of my income. I am not alone in this; millions of American senior citizens depend on Social Security. I believe only legitimate American citizens should be entitled to Social Security. I've been paying into Social Security for fifty years; I needed a Social Security Card to get my first job, everybody in America had to do the same thing. As I stated earlier, only legitimate American citizens should have a Social Security Card; not criminal illegal aliens!

Last week, in Framingham Massachusetts, a man was arrested for drunken driving; not just any man, his name is Onyango Obama. Yes, my fellow Americans, it is the President's uncle, who, by the way, is an illegal alien! Upon his arrest, Onyango said he wanted to call the White House! In his possession was a valid driver's license and Social Security card; not forgeries. After being charged, it was found out that previous orders for deportation had been removed (that's strange). The White House has refused comment about the President's uncle; I wonder why?

When will this unethical behavior stop? Obama will probably deny any knowledge of his uncle's special treatment, or his possession of illegal documents. Those on the left will make excuses for this type of "Chicago Politics" coming from the White House. I want America to be a place where you don't have to "know a guy" for fair and honest treatment; even if that guy is the President of the United States! I'm on a fixed income, and I don't know a guy and I won't be getting a cost of living increase this year; so I don't want any criminal illegal aliens on MY SOCIAL SECURITY!!

"He's Not So Dumb!"

Is it difficult to fly an aircraft? I've seen the inside of jet aircraft; and there are a lot of gauges and dials in there. I'll bet if you don't know what every one of those dials and gauges mean, you could be in quite a bit of trouble when something went wrong. I'll bet you'd have to be pretty smart to understand all that stuff, and I'll bet the government is pretty careful about who they allow to operate those aircraft. I'll bet you don't have much time to react when things do go wrong in a jet fighter; and I'll bet you spend a lot of time training, just in case bad things happen.

I'll bet it's not easy to get a degree from Harvard. I'll bet you can't really be stupid and slide through Harvard. Jack Kennedy went to Harvard; he was a pretty smart guy. A lot of pretty smart guys graduated from Harvard. Barack Obama graduated from Harvard; we all know how smart he is (after all ,the left keeps telling us so). Oh, by the way, George Bush is a Harvard graduate, and a qualified fighter pilot. Hmm..., George may not be as dumb as those folks on the left keep saying.

The leftists love to assassinate the character of their opponents! For eight years, those on the left made a career by criticizing the intelligence of George W. Bush. The gentleman that our former President is, prohibited him from acting in kind toward his critics; a sign of REAL INTELLIGENCE. I respect the fact that George W. Bush remained presidential even after he left office; he is a "class act".

Well, my fellow Americans, it didn't take long for the left to attack Rick Perry. What is the first thing they attacked; his intelligence! POLITICO has made the remark that Rick Perry is "dumb". This man they claim to be dumb has been the Governor of Texas since 2000, and is the longest serving current governor in the United States. Is it possible that Texas voters like "dumbbells" in office; I don't think so! Texas unemployment is currently at 8.2%, well below the national average of 9.54%. Texas has NO Income Tax; yet, they are prospering in a bad economy, regardless of the "bad luck". Maybe that "Dumb Guy" knows what he's doing; unlike a smart guy in Washington! Perry is a graduate of Texas A&M University, and was a member of the Corps of Cadets while he attended. Perry attained the rank of Captain in the Air Force; not an easy task for even a smart guy.

Rick Perry is the current front runner for the Republican nomination for President, and the left is worried. The public has taken an instant liking to Rick Perry and his straight talk and fiscally responsible approach to government. This is a major worry to Barack Obama as he tries to sell "bad luck" as a reason for his dismal failure during the last two-plus years. All that remains for the left is name calling and character destruction of opponents. It becomes more evident every day that Barack Obama is indefensible when we examine his policies. Perhaps, we need a "Dumb Guy" who is doing the right things; instead of a "smart guy" who keeps "screwing-up by the numbers!!

"Obama's Hypocrisy!"

Have any of you worked for a company that was having a bad year and you received no annual increase in your salary? I worked for a very large corporation in Chicago for many years. Over the course of my employment, the company fell on some hard times; it had its first layoff since its inception while I worked there. I remember twice during my tenure that we received no yearly increase; this was across the board, including supervisors and executives. Everybody bit the bullet during those rough patches. It is never easy to accept the fact that you aren't going to get that expected raise; food, fuel, educational cost for your children, all these things go up every year. When your salary doesn't go up, you are going to have to make some hard decisions.

I am now retired; I make a little "pin money" working as a crossing guard at our local elementary school. I like my little job; the kids are all cute and fun, and the people at the school are all friendly and helpful. I have been on Social Security for two plus years. Many of my friends have been on Social Security much longer than I. There has been no cost of living increase for the last two years; now, the Barack Obama administration has decided to freeze Social Security for three more years. The budget is busting, and we must all make sacrifices, even us "old folks".

Oddly, there are some folks who aren't making those "tough decisions" as much as fixed income seniors. Here are some people whose names you may not know, but you are paying their salaries: Matthew Vogel, assistant to Barack Obama, just got his annual increase from $71,400 to $130,500; Heather Zichal, assistant to Barack Obama, just got an increase from $100,000 to $140,000; Kevin Lewis, African American media advisor, just got an increase from$42,000 to $78,000! THIS IS A PARTIAL LIST!! This entire list shows increases from 17% to 83% in salaries to Washington "public servants". I guess they aren't having as much "bad luck" as the rest of us!

Americans aren't afraid of some "belt tightening" during a bad time; but this obvious disparity of treatment for Washington insiders is unconscionable and hypocritical on the part of the Barack Obama administration. Every day, we go to the grocery store or filling station and face a new challenge as to how we will make ends meet, and Barack Obama makes sure his political machine gets "their end " of public money!

America, we should not turn a blind eye to this "unscrupulous and unethical" practice by the Obama administration. If you are over 62,you should remember this action next November; if you are planning to get older than 62 some time in your life, you should remember this next November. If you don't want to enforce hypocrisy, you need to remember this next November! I'm sure happy everybody doesn't have to suffer from America's "BAD LUCK"!

"Back- Door Amnesty Back-Fires on Obama!"

I have done many articles about my family. My grandparents came through Ellis Island in New York at the turn of the 20th century, as did their sisters and brothers. I have written articles about the pride my family had in becoming American citizens and about how they felt about being able to vote for the President. At the turn of the 20th century, there was no welfare; no public assistance and no food stamps. The government had no system of loans to immigrants for starting their own business; there was no ACLU telling people what they shouldn't do in a public meeting; you know, like praying. When these people came to America they risked everything on the possibility of success in this great nation. They couldn't get public housing; they usually ended up in an ethnic neighborhood with cold water plumbing and a shared bath. Some, like my grandparents, left a sunny agrarian community to go to a smoky and polluted city where few understood their words. Most of them did their best to become good Americans; some turned to lesser endeavors. The main thing they all did was to enter this country legally; and respect its laws!

America has been under an infestation from our southern border for several decades. Drug dealers are holding parts of our southern border hostage; border agents and police officers have been and are being murdered regularly by these animals. Private citizens must live in an armed camp on their own property because of the fear of attack from these criminal illegal aliens. Beyond the drug dealers, we also have been infected by the worst elements of the rest of those illegals; drunks and gang members who wreak havoc all across America. They have come across the border with zero job skills to become a drag on our welfare system, and our tax dollars are being used to send their children to our schools. There are, at last estimate, approximately 20 million criminal illegal aliens in America.

Here is one example of what is happening in the United States on a daily basis: Nicholas Dutan Guaman, an illegal alien, got drunk in Milford, Massachusetts last week. While this criminal was driving around, he ran down a young man, Matthew Denice, 23 years of age. He was hit and DRAGGED near to a quarter of a mile to his death. Mr. Guaman did not have a driver's license, but he did have open liquor in his vehicle. It is unclear as to whether he was employed; he is here illegally from Ecuador. Nothing has been said about a previous criminal record.

I would like to take this time to thank Barack Obama for making it easier for people like Mr. Guaman to remain in the United States. I'm sure the parents of Mr. Denice would also like to congratulate our President, on once again taking the needs and wants of criminals over those of legitimate citizens. The blood of this young man belongs to Barack Obama! Every time this happens, it is because our President thinks less of legal citizens than he does of border jumping criminals; or perhaps, he sees them as potential voters!

"It's Time to Act!"

How many chances does someone get before the chances run out? In baseball you get three strikes; then you're out! In football; you get four downs, then you turn the ball over! There is a limit to the amount of chances we are allowed in sporting contests. In a boxing match, you must get up before the referee counts to ten or the fight is over! When we were little kids, we would always plea for another chance when we were caught doing something wrong; "Please, Please, Please!!" was a pretty common request from all of us as we were growing up. My parents were unrelenting; your last chance was your last chance.

Before WWII, Hitler was allowed to walk into Sudetenland; then he walked into Austria and all of Czechoslovakia; he was given quite a few chances before he marched into Poland. Only after multiple acts of aggression did the world decide to do something to stop him. Some clicked their collective tongues, but little else was done to slow down the march of the THIRD REICH! Had some of the world leaders done something early; and this includes the United States, Herr Hitler would have been vanquished years before the deaths of millions of innocents.

Over the last several years, Iran has been pursuing nuclear weapons under the cloak of trying to achieve more domestic power plants. George Bush knew about Iran's nuclear ambitions, and he was concerned; little was done AGAIN. The United Nations has also been concerned; once again, little has been done!

This week, Iran has shown U.N. inspectors their advanced nuclear equipment; much more sophisticated than equipment needed for power plants; more suited for nuclear warhead production! This was Iran's way of GIVING THE FINGER to the U.N. and the United States. This is also a gigantic red flag for Israel. Remember that statement by their lunatic leader; "Try to imagine a world without Israel!"; he is on his way to accomplish that!

Sanctions are CRAP; they don't work against a lunatic religious zealot! It may be too late to stop this fanatic, and Israel is in imminent danger. We have been tepid in our support of Israel; this is a huge error on our President's part. The only way to calm those waters is to present a show of force in support to our only real friend in the Middle-East. If we don't, one morning we will wake up to headlines about a nuclear attack against Israel from Iran: THEN IT WILL BE TOO LATE!!

"He Just Plays The President!"

As a nation, we assign a certain air of wisdom to people in the entertainment industry. We watched Martin Sheen on the "West Wing", and many people thought he was more qualified to be president than the man holding the office. Many of you might have seen Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", and thought he was the man you would like to see in Congress (in this case you may be right). Spencer Tracey starred in "The Last Hurrah", about a machine politician who finds integrity in his final campaign; a victory of conscience. Broderick Crawford won an Academy Award for his role in "All the Kings Men", a veiled biography of Huey Long. Crawford was compelling as the young politician who was corrupted by the system, and ultimately became the greatest corrupter of all. We have watched these performances and enjoyed them. What many of us fail to understand is the words spoken on the screen don't belong to those actors; they belong to the writers. It seems the actors of today have taken their screen influence and used it to promote some pretty bad choices. A little knowledge is a bad thing; Michael Moore is proof of that. Sean Penn and Danny Glover are also examples of people who really don't know who they are supporting. These two screen icons are huge fans of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela; an oppressive dictator that masquerades as a democratic leader. I'm sure there are many people in America that believe what Glover and Penn are endorsing as good.

Well, my fellow Americans, guess who is upset about the impending ouster of Moamar Qadaffi; yes, it is Hugo Chavez. Chavez says the United States and NATO had no business interfering in Libya's political turmoil; therefore, we must surmise that Glover and Penn also disapprove of America's involvement in aiding the rebel forces in the removal of this backer of terrorism and murder.

We must be very careful about who receives our trust. Most, not all, actors are engaged in a giant game of "Let's Pretend"; that is what acting is! Some actors are legitimate students of our Constitution, most are not. We are better served listening to historians rather than actors when making informed decisions. Actors do make some impact on history; remember John Wilkes Booth?

"Alone in Iran!"

One of the worst feelings we can have is loneliness: that feeling of abandonment; when you have no one around you, and no one seems to care about you, is something none of us desire. I remember sitting on a listening post in the middle of the night; all you have for company is the sky and animal noises in the trees; if you're lucky, you will have a full moon to give you some light; otherwise, it is blackness. The next post may be 200 meters away, and your base camp just as far; but it feels like miles. You became a prisoner of your thoughts; countless scenarios go through your mind, and thoughts of home are dreamlike.

I don't know what it is like in prison; I imagine it must be horrible. You are never alone, yet those who surround you cannot be trusted and are extremely dangerous. You are alone in a crowd. Sometimes innocent people are sent to prison by mistake; their terror must be multiplied a hundred fold. The self knowledge of innocence, yet being trapped must be agonizing. The mind set of no one will help me, is enough to push an innocent person to the edge of sanity.

Imagine yourself on a vacation; on a hiking trip in an area so primitive you cannot find any identifying landmarks to guide you as to your location. Suddenly, you are arrested as a SPY! You are powerless; at the mercy of a hostile government. This took place in July of 2009, as three young people who were hiking the hills in Iraq were captured by Iranian troops, when they accidentally crossed the border. One young girl and two young men were imprisoned.

The two young men have been convicted of espionage; Shane Baur and Josh Fattal were sentenced to a total of eight years in Iranian prison. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said she was "deeply disappointed" by the prison sentences. She added "We continue to call and work for their immediate release...". I remember the 444 days when Jimmy Carter had hostages in Iran; I remember the frustration of many Americans over Mr. Carter and his limp-wristed attempts to resolve that situation. I know these young people feel abandoned; this cannot be allowed to drag on. I hope Mr. Obama has it in him to be more forceful than Jimmy Carter on this issue. Those are young Americans, surrounded by hatred, with nowhere to turn but him. We need a little more Reagan, and a lot less Carter, Mr. Obama. Show us some strength!

"Unlucky?"

I like baseball, as many of you already know. I watch the Chicago White Sox with a passion; I have done so since the mid-1950s. I've seen good teams, and I've seen bad teams, but I've stuck by them for a long time. Recently, I was in Chicago visiting my young and beautiful daughter, Gina; she has the White Sox addiction too. She thought it would be fun to go to the ball park and see the Sox; we had a wonderful time; well, until the first half of the ninth inning. The Sox were winning, and they looked good all night; until two outs and two strikes and suddenly the game fell apart. My daughter and I left a little unhappy as my White Sox threw one away. Their ace short reliever, Santos, just gave it away with a poor pitching performance. I heard some folks saying, as they walked down the long ramps out of the park, it was "bad luck". I'm not a great believer in luck, good or bad. Bad luck is the excuse used by every loser in Las Vegas; not poor decision making. If you are a gambler, these are the people who hit on seventeen when the dealer is showing a six! Bad things do happen, cars breakdown, people trip and fall, and we all look for somewhere to place the blame. It's never our fault, we NEVER MAKE A BAD DECISION. The word I'm talking about here is responsibility; it has to be somebody's fault!

Recently, President Barack Obama has been going across America in his bid for re-election; he is now on vacation. While he has been traveling, he has been speaking about America's economic woes, and he has faced some pointed, if unexpected, questions from ordinary citizens. At times, Mr. Obama has been caught "flat-footed", and seemed ill prepared for those questions. For those who watch Mr. Obama speak, he is very good when speaking from a text or prepared statement, or a teleprompter. When Mr. Obama is caught off guard, he will slightly stammer, and at times, become visibly uneasy and irritated. Sometimes his responses are not the best. Remember when he said "The police acted stupidly", not his best moment. Not long ago, in a speech about the economy, he said we have run into some "bad luck"! This is the most asinine remark I've heard from Barack Obama thus far in his administration. This man has authorized an immense amount of government spending on "bail-outs" and stimulus spending to try to revive our plummeting economy; none of his policies have done anything of substance about unemployment; and he has the audacity to say it was "BAD LUCK". He has yet to take responsibility for any of his failed economic debacles; it is never his fault! In a way, he may be correct; the voters are ultimately responsible for having him in the White House. Not me though (sorry)!

Well, America we need a "lucky streak" pretty badly! We can't continue to back this loser anymore; he's used up most of our bankroll, and he continues to throw "snake eyes". Come November 2012, America needs to "Change Our Luck!"

"Abandon Ship!"

Remember the "Unsinkable Titanic"; when it was built, the designer bragged loudly that no power on earth could send her to the bottom. Well, we all know how that turned out! On the Titanic's maiden voyage, she struck an iceberg and sank like a rock, killing a multitude of passengers in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. There have been several movies and documentaries about the ill-fated ship. The most famous film starred Leonardo Di Caprio, and it was the first film to break the "Billion Dollar Mark". All of the movie treatments showed different dramatic stories of romance and courage, and they were very entertaining. I'm sure the actual event was not nearly as romantic as any of the movies. I'll bet that when that ship struck that iceberg, there was a sudden boost in prayers on God's hot-line. This huge edifice was ill-equipped for this emergency; it even had a shortage of life boats; as the builder believed it could not sink. Arrogance and stupidity caused those innocent deaths. The Captain did go down with his ship; not that it made a difference to those drowning around him.

Is America on the same voyage as the Titanic? We have been sailing on this ship for 2 1/2 years; the "Captain" has assured us we are on the proper course, yet the fog has gotten deeper and thicker, and none of the corrections that have been made have given us any more light. Over a week ago, this "great ship" hit an economic iceberg that has shaken our economic stability to the point of submersion, and the Captain has described it as "bad luck". Oddly, it seems the "Captain" is the one who sailed directly into this "iceberg" with a failed economic theory of massive government spending and added gigantic entitlements. Unlike the Captain of the Titanic, our "Captain" has "gone fishin" while this deluge is sweeping through the American economy.

When S&P warned us about this "economic iceberg" well over a year ago, our "Captain" and his crew chose to ignore them. Now that we are "taking water", our Justice Department wants to investigate S&P! Is this the Obama blame game again? Why wasn't there an investigation a year ago, when S&P was warning the administration of the coming threat? Only now that Barack Obama is "neck deep", is the government interested in persecuting; oops, prosecuting S&P! Sorry America, the "Captain" isn't going down with our ship; he's watching it sink from Martha's Vineyard!

( A note to my friend Bernie: Did you peek into my brain today?)

"New Face; Same Poison"

I remember when I would ask my parents about Pearl Harbor; they would have vivid memories of where they were, and what they felt. I vividly remember where I was and how I felt on November 22, 1963 when I found out President Kennedy was senselessly murdered. I remember where I was when the Towers were destroyed by murderous and cowardly radical Islamists. Certain things stick in your head, some are bad things, and some are good things. I remember my first date with my wife, a good thing, and I also remember my 2 year old daughter running down our hallway and splitting her head on a door frame; this was a bad thing. Many years have gone by since all of these things have taken place, yet they remain forever etched in our minds.

I like recalling good memories, they bring a smile and a laugh into my heart; I hope all of you can do the same thing. If we only remember the bad things, we will fall into state of depression; I believe this is why God lets certain things fade from memory.

I remember all the videos of Usama bin Laden that were released after his criminal followers destroyed the lives of 3,000 innocent Americans. He was no better than Adolph Hitler, or Josef Stalin; I'm glad he's dead; the world is a BETTER PLACE! His body was cast into the sea, no marker is left to memorialize this piece of human excrement; I hope his memory will be erased from the minds of all of the people who he poisoned with his teaching. Bin Laden is gone!

Ayman al-Zawahri is the new "chief murderer in charge" for Al Qaeda, and he wants to pick up where Bin Laden left off. He wants to give America new memories; more death, more terror and more radical Islamist garbage. He believes that Egypt and Tunisia are ripe for a movement into the radical Muslim camp; and he may be correct, if groups like the Muslim Brotherhood are embraced by new regimes. This comes at a time when Israel is in imminent danger from Iran and that lunatic who pledges a "world without Israel". These are certainly the rumblings of things that are in the realm of possibility; these are not the memories we want to have.

The death of Bin Laden is now a memory, yet his cause is alive. Ayman al-Zawahri is now a real threat to us, and the rest of the free world. We cannot falter now; he must be pursued with the same vigor that we used against his predecessor. I hope this is still our current agenda; believe me, those that follow his venomous philosophy are still "On fire for Allah".

"Just The Facts Please!"

What is an abuse of power? In the private sector it could be defined as a person or persons who use their position for self enrichment in an unethical manor, or use their authority in a way that it wasn't intended for. We have Bernie Madoff as a perfect example of an abuse of power for self enrichment; thousands now suffer because of Bernie's greed and unscrupulous financial machinations. There are almost daily complaints in America's workplace about sexual harassment, when a supervisor uses his or her authority to take unfair sexual advantage of a subordinate; this is also an abuse of authority. In government, abuse of authority is using public office as a personal platform outside of the will of the American people, or using an office for unethical self enrichment; perhaps acting as an unofficial lobby for any industry, be it big business or organized labor. Elected officials are elected for the good of the entire population.

We all own a television, and we spend many hours watching shows for entertainment and news programs to know what is going on, and to help us in making informed decisions. There are regular newscasters who give us information about the latest events around the world and around the nation; plain factual reporting is all they are supposed to be doing. We have commentators, who give us opinion pieces about current situations and news stories. We all hope those commentators are truthful and honest in their opinions, and base whatever they say in fact. Before Glenn Beck left FOX NEWS, he made it a point to question everything he said and never to blindly follow him, or any other person's point of view; make sure you are being told the truth. Television personalities have quite a bit of authority to use when they speak in the public forum, and Mr. Beck's warning about following anyone blindly is well taken; some people tell lies!

Rick Perry is now in the race for President of the United States, and he has rocketed into the front runner's position. He has already made rousing speeches criticizing President Obama, and he has been well received, albeit by partisan crowds. He seems to be a real concern to Barack Obama and those who support him.

I don't know how many of you have heard of Ed Schultz. Ed is a master bloviator of the left, and has lauded people like Alan Grayson on his show. Ed, it seems, isn't above "altering" a speech to help Mr. Obama. There are some allegations about Schultz editing a speech by Rick Perry to make it appear that Governor Perry is a "racist"! If this proves to be true, it is the worst type of "yellow journalism" and should not be tolerated. Mr. Schultz has never reached as many people as Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh have, but his practice of altering facts is still poisoning those few who do listen. Mr. Schultz is an "abuser of power". I don't know what his employer has planned for him? If his employer wants to remain a credible news source, I have a suggestion; GET RID OF HIM, HE IS A LIAR! As much as the left has criticized Beck and Limbaugh, lies are not present; altering of facts are not present. Can you say this about Ed Schultz?

"A Question of Faith!"

Have any of you heard the term "speaking out of ignorance"? It means not knowing what you're talking about, but talking anyway! Some people make it up as they go along. We see ignorance on a daily basis; half-truth and bias seem to be at their apex in today's rhetoric. Character assassination has become the order of the day; taking things out of context has become an art by the media! America will be facing another Presidential election in November of 2012; we are just seeing the beginnings of the campaign, and already misinterpretation and falsehoods are becoming the standard. Obviously, the most radical factions of political groups will happily go down the path of misinformation and lies; anything goes when trying to win an election is a way of life for dedicated ideologues. I do find it disheartening when members of the media ask questions without understanding what their question means. Substance is important; know what you are asking about in relation to the person being interviewed.

Last week,the Republican "hopefuls" were engaged in a Presidential debate on FOX NEWS. I'm a regular viewer of FOX NEWS (I'm sure some of you have guessed this already). I like FOX because I believe it doesn't pull any punches, yet it tries to be "fair and balanced". I like Michelle Bachmann; I'm not a supporter of Michelle Bachmann, although I do find areas of agreement with her. Michelle Bachmann is a Christian; as I look at her life I see evidence of a Christian life, and I applaud her for this. During the debate, one of the commentators asked Ms. Bachmann about the bible phrase of "wives submit to your husbands..." in the content of Ms. Bachmann doing what her husband said in regard to holding the office of President. When I heard this question, I was flabbergasted; it was obvious to me that this commentator knew nothing of the biblical content of this verse. In a Christian home, the husband and father is the spiritual leader of the house, according to the faith a wife should submit to her husband on spiritual issues. This verse also says "husbands, love you wives as Christ loves the church"; in other words, a good husband and father gives up his life for the good of his wife and children. One of the worst things anyone can do with the bible is to pick and choose verses to bend them to their own agenda. The commentator was either ignorant of the verse's intent, or this was done to give a false impression of what the verse means. Ms. Bachmann's spiritual life should not be in question during a Presidential debate; had she been a Muslim would she have been asked about Jihad?

I believe, in the future, all members of the media, FOX included, should have knowledge of all of the aspects of their questions; if this had been the case during the questioning of Ms. Bachmann, perhaps that question would never have been spoken!

(Usually I post early in the day; starting Wednesday I will be posting in late afternoons due to a schedule change, thank you for reading my stuff!)

"Hyphen-Nation!"

Did anybody ever call you names when you were a little kid? I guess this is the first aggression we see when we are growing up. Inside the house, especially one full of kids, sisters and brothers "get into it" on a pretty regular basis; but outside the home, from other kids, it is different. I guess we expect it from our brothers and sisters, as we all seek attention and approval from our parents; you know "look at me Mom". When we are out with our friends, who we picked, or who picked us to be friends, name calling and mean treatment seems to hurt more. If you are too fat, or to thin, too short, or have a "big nose", you are an open target when you're a kid. In the early years, children seem to get past small arguments fairly quickly; a little ice cream or a soda can do wonders to mend a friendship. As we get into adolescent years, we aren't quite so forgiving; cliques in high school often separate teens for the rest of their lives, well into adulthood people refer to old classmates as "nerds" or "jocks", rather than people. Unfortunately for me, I am unable to attend an impromptu reunion this month; I feel badly about this as I have connected with several people from my youth on FACEBOOK. I've heard from some of my friends (who will remain nameless) that some people are choosey about who they will sit with. I find this amusing to think that after 45 years we still separate ourselves from one another.

Today, in America, we are seeing our nation divided into pieces that are pitted against each other in order to gain an electoral edge. Suddenly, it is bad to be successful in America, suddenly it is bad to want individual responsibility for a person's actions, suddenly it is a bad thing to follow existing laws. We are talked to as hyphenated Americans; Black-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Asian-Americans, Conservative-Americans or Liberal-Americans. Each hyphen separates us from one another, like a wedge used to pry apart our society. There are those who thrive upon division and dissension; make no mistake, these individuals exist on every side of politics, and they are "slimy snakes" who appeal to the worst in all of us. Currently these "snakes" are using our economic tribulation to divide America into opposing camps. We cannot fall into this trap; all of America is in trouble. Even if you are a billionaire, an inflated dollar will make that billion into a thousand pretty quickly; ask the Germans after WWI, a million marks for a loaf of bread! This isn't only a problem of the poor, or the working class; this is an AMERICAN problem, and Americans will have to face it together. If we fail to address this as an entire population, and continue to "name-call" and "point fingers", our nation will go in one direction, DOWN!

Let us stop being a "Hyphen-Nation", and be the UNITED States. Our unity has been our strength; don't let division become our weakness. As the bible says, "A house divided against itself cannot stand", wisdom and common sense we should follow!

"Don't Blame the Ref!"

Soon we will be back in the FOOTBALL SEASON!! I really like football; my wife doesn't appreciate it as much as I do; I don't know why. I have been a football fan for many decades and watched hundreds of games, both college and professional. I can't count the hours I've spent in front of my television glued to the screen, studying every play and re-play. In the "off season" I have the NFL NET and I do spend some time watching "games gone by". I still don't understand why my wife doesn't like football as much as I!

As I watch football,I critique each play; placing blame, and giving credit to individuals upon the outcome of nearly every play. There are times I have great praise; there are times of great rancor, football definitely has its ups and "downs" (no pun intended). Probably the most criticized people on the field are the referees; they bear the brunt of cat-calls and second guessing from most fans. Sometimes the fans are correct; the refs "blew the call", but by and large the refs are pretty good at their jobs. I believe all of the "armchair quarterbacks" make more bad calls than those refs do. They are experts in the game and its rules; it is their job to point out infractions, and assign penalties. We don't like it when our favorite team gets a penalty; we yell at the refs quite a bit!

Over the course of the last week or so, we've seen our economy take some pretty heavy hitting from S&P. Our bond rating has gone from AAA to AA+; not a very good situation for America; our stock market prices are plummeting and investors are holding on to their money.

Strangely, since early last year, the TEA Party has been preaching fiscal responsibility, the same message that S&P has been sending to our present administration. It seems those messages fell on "deaf ears" until our "economic back was against the wall". Now we are seeing statements flowing in like flood waters, accusing the TEA Party of being responsible for America's economic downgrade. Such fiscally responsible people like John Kerry and Barney Frank are casting blame on the people who said to rein in spending and cut entitlements before there is an economic consequence that would rock the nation. It certainly sounds like "armchair quarterbacks" looking at the penalty, and "yelling at the refs". All of their rantings and ravings can't change the fact that runaway spending and huge entitlements have multiplied under their watch; and they don't like to have those facts put under a spotlight.

I believe America is smarter than Kerry and Frank; I believe America can see the "play on the field", and they know whose fault it really is. The "flag has been thrown", and the penalty rests on those who drove us into this situation; not the TEA Party, it is the taxers and free spenders. Well,I wonder if Mr. Obama and his "team" can hear the "whistle" and see the "flag"? His game is getting "out of reach"; like that old football axiom says "PENALTIES KILL YOU!"

(I will be off on Friday with some appointments; have a good week-end! T.P.)

"Who Reads This Stuff!"

Everybody I know eats at McDonald's once in a while. "Mickey 'D's" has been in business for a long time, selling hamburgers to America by the "boatload" on a daily basis. I remember when they started to list the number of people served on their signs. It was a very big deal when they listed "Over 1 Million Served"; this was a large number back in the day. The sign today lists BILLIONS SERVED, WOW! That's quite a bit of hamburger to digest! The New York Times lists their circulation on their front page, after all it does have "all the news that's fit to print" within its pages. Actually, the "TIMES" circulation isn't what it used to be, people can change their habits when your product loses its relevance. The entertainment industry keeps a close eye on the attendance of all of the new releases, and it uses the numbers to judge the success or failure of each new film. We like to count things in America; we like to see how we are doing.

I'm pretty much like everybody else; I like to see how I'm doing too! I have been writing this blog for a little while now, so I thought I would take a look back. As I have said in previous blogs, I have strong opinions, and some people I respect told me I should start this blog, so I did. I've been at this on a daily basis, and I enjoy it very much. I receive some feedback from some of my readers, and I appreciate every comment; even those that don't agree with me.

Recently, I've become curious as to who reads this stuff. Well, I thought my readers might be interested too, so I have decided to list where my words are going; even I was surprised!

Here is a list of countries that have been reached: United States, Britain, Singapore, Canada, Israel, Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan, Germany, Italy, Russia, China, Brazil, Venezuela, Thailand, India and Norway. I have to admit, that when I started this, I had no idea where it would go, and I am pleased with what I have accomplished thus far. I hope my work here has been of help and pleasing to my readers. I have tried to be as factual as I could be in everything, and there have been some mistakes, which I have corrected, with the help of my wife, and my readers. I always wish to tell the truth; propaganda serves no one but the writer. I will continue to write the facts as I see them, and continue to give you a small view of my life as I have up until now. Thank you all for reading my stuff. All comments are helpful and welcome; God bless!

"We Can All Worship"

Throughout our lives, we have different people telling us what we can and cannot do. Our first supervisors are our parents, who from our first day of life until "we leave the nest" exert authority over our lives. We have teachers in grade school, high school and college who hold authority over us in the classroom; they assign our daily work-load in each subject and expect it to be completed in order to be successful in their classes. When we get into the "real world" we enter the employment market, and that is where the real submission to authority weighs heavy on some of us. Some of us have been under bosses who abuse their authority, some of us have been fortunate and been supervised by men and women who were supportive and knowledgeable, and used their position wisely. Each of the "supervisors" in our lives have a limit to their authority; boundaries which they are not allowed to cross. In many instances, we are protected by "company policies" and government regulations. Our most basic protection comes from our own Constitution in its first ten amendments; the Bill of Rights. We should be very proactive when it comes to our Constitutional rights; we need to know what can and cannot be done to us, by individuals, companies and our own government. Knowledge is power! Our freedom to worship is a cornerstone of our freedoms, and we should be jealous in our protection of that freedom. Nobody has the right to interfere with your religious freedom (as long as you harm no one else).

Rick Perry is the most popular "unannounced candidate" on the Republican scene right now. Governor Perry participated in a prayer event on August 6th. Prior to this event, Governor Perry had a lawsuit filed against his appearance by the Freedom From Religion Foundation; they believed that the Governor's appearance was a government endorsement of religion. This foundation did not want Governor Perry to participate in any active part in this prayer event.

Governor Perry was an American citizen before he was Governor of Texas. Because Rick Perry was elected to the governorship doesn't mean he must surrender his constitutional rights. As a Christian, I believe Governor Perry is doing what the bible directs him to do; pray and spread the gospel of Jesus. This expression of faith is a basic right and our government isn't allowed to infringe upon it. I'm sure Mr. Perry was introduced as Governor; I don't believe anyone was converted because the governor prayed. In fact, I'm sure that was a pretty partisan crowd to begin with; not too many atheists.

The really bad part about all of this is that it had to be addressed in a court ruling. Why must any American be put in a position where they must ask permission of the court to express their faith? Neither I, nor any Christian I know, wish to force our beliefs on anyone. Real Christians don't ever say "CONVERT OR DIE"; unlike some other belief systems. If I were an atheist, I would be more concerned with those other folks, and a little less concerned with Evangelical Christians.

"Fair and Balanced, or Shut Up!?"

Every couple of years in America, we go to the polls and have elections. Most of us hope those elections are conducted in an ethical and honest manner. We have processes for getting on the ballot; major parties have conventions where they elect a candidate to run for the prospective offices. Independent candidates can get petitions with a sufficient number of signatures to secure a place on the ballot. We have the ability to have our voices heard in America; thank God we live in a place that allows all voices to be heard. I don't agree with everybody; just ask my wife. I am a man of strong opinions, and I'm not afraid to voice them. Not everyone I know appreciates my opinions, as I don't always appreciate theirs. This is good, as the bible says "steel sharpens steel"; we need to hear from everybody or we will learn nothing. In the past, there have been countries that weren't so sympathetic to diverse opinions. The Soviet Union wasn't especially forgiving when a diverse opinion was voiced; ask those who still remember Stalin! The Soviet Gulag was the final destination for many political adversaries; or a "mysterious disappearance" took place, never to be seen again. The NAZI regime wasn't too happy about criticism either. Goebells and Himler weren't too thrilled when somebody said something not complementary about Adolph and his boys. All they did was send you to camp, CONCENTRATION CAMP! That free speech idea didn't work very well in NAZI Germany, or the communist Soviet Union!

I get concerned when I hear that there are some people in leadership who advocate the "muzzling" of any segment of our population. The free exchange of ideas is a cornerstone of American freedom. We allow everybody a chance to speak in America. Am I disturbed when the American NAZI Party speaks; well yes, but as crazy as they are, they still live under the same Constitution that I do, thus the same rights. The New Black Panthers espouse hatred at every opportunity; is it poisonous rhetoric, obviously, yet it is protected speech under our Constitution.

We, as Americans, have the right to choose what we listen to and what we will discount as lunatic rantings. The TEA Party has done what we've been doing as Americans for generations; it has voiced American opinions, and it has the right to be heard. We should be suspect of those who wish to limit opposing opinions. What is it they don't want us to hear? Senator John Kerry (D-Ma) and failed presidential candidate said the American media shouldn't give the TEA Party equal time in the American forum. Mr. Kerry believes that a balanced budget and fiscal accountability are "wacky ideas" and shouldn't be showcased in the public discourse. I guess Mr. Kerry doesn't believe these are "legitimate ideas", to use his own words.

Well I guess I'm "Wacky", because I believe those are excellent ideas. If America had followed those precepts for the last few decades, we wouldn't be in the financial "spaghetti bowl" we are now in! If Mr. Kerry thinks this type of thought is "wacky", then I have serious doubts about his grasp on reality. I don't live in Massachusetts (thank God), so I don't have to take responsibility for electing a man who thinks like John Kerry. We, as Americans, must keep a watchful eye on men like Kerry, or he may try to legislate away our 1st amendment rights. Let's keep that free speech idea, it has worked pretty well for over 230 years!

"Any Spots Changing?"

I remember the expression "A leopard cannot change its' spots", a pretty accurate axiom. Behavior is a very tough thing to alter, especially after a number of years of a bad habit, or anti-social actions. I've heard that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" and this is also a really good observation. How many times have you seen things that were meant for good, turn into something that is the polar opposite?

In the United Nations, the United States sits on the Security Council, along with England, France, Red China and Russia. This council has the power to veto many U.N. decisions, and it was designed to maintain stability around the world; this sounds like a pretty good idea, yet it has failed to work!

Ronald Reagan helped rid the world of communism by aiding in the collapse of the Soviet Union. We now have the Russian Republic, as it is. I'm not sure a huge change has really taken place in this republic by the current leadership. Old ideas and a feeling of hatred toward the United States seem to continue in the rhetoric that comes from "Mother Russia". Russia also out-smarted the United States with the START agreement, aiding in the dismantling of our Eastern European Defense Shield, then threatening to void their acceptance of the treaty. Does this sound a little like the Soviet Union to you? I remember Nikita Khrushchev saying "We will bury you" to Richard Nixon when he was Vice-President, in regards to the American economy; and believe me, old Nikita meant it!

Vladimir Putin, the Russian Prime Minister, was speaking to some Russian youth a couple of days ago at a gathering near Moscow, and his message was all too familiar to some of us "old folks". Putin said America is like a group of parasites on the world economy, and our monetary policy is "hooliganism" and our dollar threatens markets around the planet. In all honesty, the American economy has been in better shape, but for scores of years the American economy has carried the rest of the world on its shoulders, and I don't remember too many complaints back then, with the possible exception of Communist China and the Soviet Union.

Vladimir Putin is a virtual "lock" in the next Russian Presidential election, and he certainly is making noises like "Old Nikita" in his speeches. The Republic of Russia sounds like a good idea, but I think it is having a tough time catching on. When Vladimir Putin takes over (when, not if), what will the former KGB CHIEF do? Remember what I said about "good intentions" and "leopards changing their spots", and don't be too surprised by Vladimir's actions when he takes power. "WE WILL BURY YOU!"

(I have an early appointment Friday, so I will see you on Monday! T.P.)

"Losing the Audience?"

Have you ever gone to a "comedy club", where comedians sharpen their skills at the cost of the audience? I haven't been to such a club for quite a few years now, but I remember that some of the comics were very funny; some were not. A good comedian can hold a crowd in the palm of his hand and bring about laughs and guffaws that will rock the rafters. There are "prop" comedians, who use all types of objects to evoke a humorous response from the crowd; Gallagher and Steve Martin are very good in this genre. There are "insult" comedians, who take their audience and carve them to pieces with all types of jibes about their weight, looks and even their race. These people must be very careful or their entire act could blow up in their faces; these performers walk a very narrow line between humor and "hatred". You must really know your craft to be a good "insult" comedian; Don Rickles is the master of the insult, and has done it well for decades.

When a young comedian is just breaking into this craft he (or she) will have good nights, and bad nights. On a good night, the crowd will be happy and responsive, on a bad night the performer will be put through a "meat-grinder" by the audience. It can come in the form of "hecklers" or what may be worse "DEAD SILENCE". Once a comedian loses the crowd, the evening is forfeited; or in "show biz terms", "YOU BOMBED". Too many nights of BOMBS will eventually lead to the end of a comedian's career. After all, the audience will only tolerate so much!

In 2008, it has been said that the independent voter is the one who put Barack Obama into the White House. Left-wing Democrats would have voted for anyone who the Dems put on the ticket, and the Republicans would not even consider the Democratic candidate for this high office. It seems the fate of the United States rests on the independent voter, as does the fate of prospective office holders. If you don't hold the audience, you might "lay an egg" and leave the stage crying.

On August 1st, the most recent Gallop Poll came out, and the figures aren't looking very confidence inspiring for Barack Obama. Mr. Obama has been in virtual free-fall for several months, with the exception of the killing of Usama bin Laden, which gave him a short term boost. Mr. Obama has had previous approval ratings of only 38% as recently as July of 2010, yet he made minor recoveries, still not retaining approval of over 50% from independent voters. The newest Gallop poll shows Mr. Obama with an approval rating of 21% from independent voters! This is an unprecedented low for Obama among independent voters; the audience is not buying his act! I don't know if Obama can win back the American people with his same tired rhetoric about George Bush; it seems to be wearing thin and stale. I don't believe Mr. Obama has any "new material" to use on the American people, and I think there is a "drop of sweat" on his upper lip. Sorry, Mr. Obama, it looks like you are "BOMBING BIG TIME", and I heard somebody say, "Get the Hook!"

"Stuck in Neutral!"

I once had a car that had this problem; it would constantly jump into neutral at stop lights. It was exasperating as I drove down the street, reaching a signal or sign, when "pop", back into neutral I would go. One can only contend with this type of problem for so long without seeking repair. I was working for an auto dealer at that time, and was able to make the necessary repairs at a reasonable cost, although at the time, it seemed quite expensive to a young guy; around $500.00. This was back when $500.00 was real money! It was kind of a "good news, bad news" scenario; I got my car back, but now I couldn't afford to go anywhere.

Over the course of the last two-plus years, America has been going through a period of economic turmoil that is worse than any that has occurred in my lifetime. Ask any of your friends, and I believe you will receive similar responses in regard to America's fiscal condition. America has attained a debt which would have seemed inconceivable only five years ago. We have accumulated a debt which adds up to four times all the debt this nation had attained since its inception in only 2 1/2 years! Our current administration has tried to "spend our way out of debt and recession", and it has failed miserably. Month after month our unemployment is barely moving in the right direction. Every town and city in America has seen business after business close their doors; homes are being foreclosed on at historical numbers and Americans are going through their life savings in an effort to combat these incompetent economic policies. Now for some good news, the economy of Mexico is on the upswing; its unemployment is going down and its GDP is going up, and it is actually drawing back some of those criminal illegal aliens back home! Of course, it doesn't help us that those who remain here are sending 22 billion dollars a year back to Mexico!

Unfortunately, on our domestic front, our GDP is not in such good shape! In our second quarter, our GDP grew only 1.3%, a snail's pace with no real relief in sight! This news has a rippling effect across the entire world; world markets look at America's growth and are quickly losing confidence in the United States' ability to lead a world economy. I have NEVER SEEN America in this position before!

Our current administration has only "amped-up" government spending with further entitlements, and made it more difficult for the small business man. No real progress has been made to allow the private sector to succeed. I'm afraid that if America continues to follow this philosophy, we are inviting a depression that will make 1929 look like a "garden party"! Mr. Obama will probably sign the new budget "grudgingly" because his wish for MORE TAX isn't included. Mr. Obama must come to the realization that America is "stuck in neutral" because of his ideology. But the good news is MEXICO IS DOING MUCH BETTER!

"Merit Increase for Harry?"

How many of you worked for places that used the "merit increase system"? Those are "dirty words", in most "union shops". Unions like across-the-board raises for everybody, regardless of performance on the job. I understand the merit system can be abused if it is unfairly implemented; favoritism can leak into the system, and the purposeful policy of holding down wages are also a possibility. I worked in both environments, so I've had the pleasure of seeing abuse in two different systems. When raises were given to everyone, the prevailing attitude was one of "why work harder when I will get the same raise as the guy who does nearly nothing"; I totally understand this mindset, as I have seen people who are bordering on useless cruise along while others pick up their slack. The result of this is a workforce that is either lazy, or resentful. I have also seen a merit system which had an unspoken policy of "never give the top raise" to anyone. The psychology behind this is to cause the hard worker to work even harder to "attain the unattainable". Oddly the results of a badly run merit system is the same as the badly run "across-the-board raise system"; you end up with those who will settle for "middle of the road" and do nothing to improve, or a group of resentful hard workers, who give up on trying harder as they see no reward. If we only rewarded people for actual "good job performance" and CANNED FOR BAD JOB PERFORMANCE; I'll bet we would see some real changes in our businesses, government and educational system!

One of the most prestigious positions in Washington is Senate Majority Leader. This position is currently held by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV). This position is usually given to a senior senator of the majority party, who has exhibited great service to his constituents and done a good job for his state. If this is the prevailing ideal for a Senate Majority Leader, I think we should take a look at the kind of job Harry Reid has done for Nevada.

Let's start with violent crime in Nevada, in relation to the rest of the United States; the national average is 4.5 per thousand of population; Nevada violent crime rate is 7.5 per thousand of population. Property crime in the United States is 32.1 and in Nevada it is 35.7 per thousand of population. Crimes committed per square mile of area in the United States are 41.8 per square mile; in Nevada it is 94 per square mile! It looks like Harry isn't doing such a great job on crime in his home state! How about home and business foreclosures, well not too good for Harry again! Nevada leads the nation in home and business foreclosures with over a million in 2010; and guess what: Nevada has been the leader in foreclosures for 52 MONTHS IN A ROW!! Once again it doesn't look too good Harry! Finally, let's look at unemployment; once again Harry, it doesn't look too good. Since last year's "summer of recovery" Nevada has an unemployment level of 12.4%, while the national average is 9.2%. Are you folks in Nevada still happy about Harry's re-election last November? Sorry folks, but the numbers don't lie; it seems that Harry is a dismal failure, and is not serving the people of Nevada very well; and he's not doing such a "hot job" as Majority Leader either; the whole country is choking on Obamacare; thanks Harry!

I don't know if Harry deserves a "merit increase" this year. Perhaps he needs to seek employment elsewhere. I hope there are people in Nevada who will read this, and check out my facts. Harry isn't getting YOUR JOB DONE!!