Disappointment or Anger?
http://bit.ly/1DQsBL Check this out by Peggy Noonan. I think in addition to disappointment the American people are feeling right now, there is a real sense of fear and anger. Next week there are important elections (Governors races in Virginia and New Jersey) which present the first real opportunity for the American people to communicate to our POTUS what we think of his ultra liberal administration and policies since we erred in electing him.
Facebook and Twitter–how it’s destroyed my life
Ok, well I exaggerate, it hasn’t actually “destroyed” my life yet and I’m hoping to soon gain control again, but I admit it, “my name is Rick and I’m a social- networkaholic.” Can I confess that it has an ugly grip on my time and energy? Let’s throw blogging in there as well. I mean look at what I’m doing right this minute. While I could be listening to Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson read the script for their nightly news broadcast, or while I could be preparing for a lesson I’m teaching Sunday, I’m sitting at my computer pounding away. For who? For what? Is anyone really interested in my occasional diatribes? I have enjoyed reconnecting with friends that I haven’t seen or conversed with in many, many years. It’s fun to carry on conversations with several people at once unfettered by geography or phone charges. I think blogging gives me a feeling that I’m being heard even though my audience is well below 1 million readers. Anyway Jeopardy’s on so I must go.
Have You Had Your Flu Shot?
There’s a lot of hoopla right now about the so-called H1N1 virus or as mid westerners who raise hogs for a living hate to call it, the “swine flu.” Some people are reluctant to be immunized against the flu by taking the vaccine shot or nasal spray. Today marks another anniversary of the end of small pox throughout the world. Let’s be rational and not emotional. Think about polio, measles, mumps, pneumonia, and many other diseases which have been practically eliminated by vaccines.
The Neurobiology of Addictions
Yup you read it right. Neurobiology is a big word for how the brain works. Addictions are those things we can’t stop doing because it feels good. Sexual arousal parallels that of cocaine in its relationship to “pleasure” chemicals in the brain (dopamine for those of you with inquiring minds). Studies show that as far as the brain is concerned, a reward is a reward, whether it’s food, sex, porn, gambling (gamblin for those of you in Tennessee), or shopping. Due to an impaired functioning of certain parts of the brain (frontal cortex for those of you with inquiring minds), individuals with addictions are not able to objectively judge the dangers, risks, or negative impact of their behavior.
The New Liberalism
Our POTUS has recently finished his hajj routing him through European countries from Germany to Egypt, finally culminating at the altar of the United Nations. This was an apologetic tour explaining America’s culpability in all that ails the world from war, to poverty, to ruination of the climate. The idea that the US is not exceptional in it’s history or in her positive contributions which has made the world a better place to live, seems to be the theme behind much of what the Obama administration and his Capital Hill minions promulgate. Charles Krauthammer summarizes the definition of the New Liberalism as the following:
For what might be called the New Liberalism, the renunciation of [American] power is rooted…in the conviction that America is so intrinsically flawed, so inherently and congenitally sinful that it cannot be trusted with, and does not merit, the possession of overarching world power. For the New Liberalism, it is not just that power corrupts. It is that America itself is corrupt — in the sense of being deeply flawed, and with the history to prove it.
I know we haven’t done everything right. I realize that we have corrupt officials in government. But America is different. It is exceptional in terms of freedom and fighting for freedom and justice. So when I see the bumper sticker on cars that say “God Bless Everyone, No Exceptions,” I just want to break their wind shield, (just kidding). No actually I’d like to remind them that it’s because they live in an exceptional country that allows them the freedom to drive around with the dumb sticker in the first place.
Has the NYT’s Lost It?
Usually the NYTs is left of left in their opinions, views and editorials. But this front page admission that force might be working better than diplomacy in the Mideast mess would probably make even moderates shake in their army boots. Look, no one wants war or lives to needlessly be lost, but the use of force and/or the threat of force has it’s place in today’s menacing world of loonies. These “goodists” that I wrote about last week need to wake up and realize that we live in an evil world and the US has enemies. The US has also protected and fought for freedom around the globe. Even though we get little credit these days because apparently people have short memories of what it costs for freedom to sometimes be wrenched away from hateful dictators and political war mongers. We all need a refresher course in American History (preferably from a text book that was written in 1965)
It’s Not Working
Charles Krauthammer recently wrote a great article outlining the foolishness of awarding BO the Nobel Peace prize. You can check the record, but I’m psychic in characterizing this silliness even before Charles weighed in. But let’s face it, he’s much more articulate than I am. But just to review, BO’s apologetic rhetoric has accomplished absolutely nothing. North Korea has not changed their mind, neither Russia, Iran, the Taliban or Al Queida.
What’s come from the new-respect-for-Muslims Cairo speech and the unprecedented pressure on Israel for a total settlement freeze? “The settlement push backfired,” reports The Post, and Arab-Israeli peace prospects have “arguably regressed.”
And what’s come from Obama’s single most dramatic foreign policy stroke — the sudden abrogation of missile defense arrangements with Poland and the Czech Republic that Russia had virulently opposed? For the East Europeans it was a crushing blow, a gratuitous restoration of Russian influence over a region that thought it had regained independence under American protection.
Please Lord, help America to wake up.
Carrot Juice
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has just finished up talks with the Russian Foreign Minister and failed to get an agreement that would put more pressure on Tehran. You know, diplomacy, negotiations, talks, carrots for Russia to increase sanctions against Iran because of their nuclear ambitions. The highest Russian diplomat refused to take a harder stance labeling the actions against Iran “counterproductive.” Why? Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said they want to engage in additional diplomacy, negotiations, talks, and carrots for Iran to dispense with their production of nuclear weapons. Notice that the UN has passed sanctions against Iran for the past 3 years to no avail. Sound familiar? Remember Iraq? Remember the accusations against W that he rushed to war even though the UN had passed sanctions and chided Iraq for the past 13 years? Diplomacy and carrots is the cornerstone of the BO administration. I know its early in his administration and I truly hope that diplomacy and sanctions are effective but history demonstrates that strength through force is more effective to deter bad behavior.
Rejectionists
So apparently any time we disagree with the administration’s policies we’re called names. Oh, I’m sure there’s enough name calling on both sides, but we have to be able to disagree with the POTUS without being labeled racists, homophobes, right-wing kooks, and even Nazi’s (Nancy Pelosi called some of the “tea-party” gang Nazi’s). Eugene Robinson in his latest opinion column in the Washington Post now call those who disagree with Obama, “rejectionists.”
Hallelujah! And Mop My Floor!
Beware of Sunday television. As you know, I faithfully visit the the gym each day as soon as it opens for my physical workout. I alternate running 3 miles a day or 2 miles depending on how much sleep I got the night before. If you’ve ever ran on the treadmill you know it can be boring. Usually I can watch one of 4 overhead flat-screen TV’s which helps to pass time as I merrily gallop along. As luck would have it this past Sunday, I found myself trapped to watch the channel which just happened to come up when the power button was pressed. The remote control (up and down channel-er) was not working. So on one TV I’m face to face with a puffy eyed overweight tele-evangelist expounding not for 15 minutes, no, not for 30 minutes, but for a solid hour selling his wares. On the other TV within my view was a 30 minute infomercial on some state- of- the- art mop that could clean floors instantly upon contact with grime and grease then rinse out good as new. I honestly don’t know which was more distasteful or boring. I’d have to say the most irritating of the 2 was the 1 hour infomercial on God (although his name was seldom mentioned.) Now don’t misunderstand me. I’m a believer, I believe in prayer and miracles, and I want God’s Kingdom to be advanced. But really. For one hour I was encouraged (OK begged and harangued) to phone the 1-800 holy help line with any affliction that I or my ancestors might possess. If I hadn’t been running on the treadmill, and afraid that I’d trip trying to dial into heaven’s gate, I would have called just to see how much a new body would cost me. The entire hour was filled with offers and descriptions of items ranging from new Bibles (with the preacher’s name on the spine of the book as if he had authored it), music CD’s, sermon CD’s, Larry Gatlin CD’s, books, bible maps, maps which could accurately interpret the entire book of Revelations, healing cloths, and other memorabilia all in the name of Jesus. These commercials of course were interspersed with other clarion calls for me to send in seed offerings to keep the ministry (infomercial) trucking along.
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