Holiday Thoughts Worth Pondering

Some time ago, actor, writer, lawyer and commentator Ben Stein published some thoughts about the holiday season. I submit them for your consideration.*

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart:

I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is, either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.

Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

*Note:  I was informed by some of my readers that the version of Ben Stein's article that I originally posted had been modified and added to.  As my readers were correct, I replaced the original article with the actual article from Ben Stein's website.  I believe his thoughts are still worth pondering this holiday season.
--Ralph

[My thanks to Jennie Montoya for forwarding this]

Support Our Vets this Veterans Day

Veterans Day is upon us, once again.  This Sunday we remember and honor those who have served and those who still serve our country.  You've heard it before.  These men and women put themselves in harm's way and put their lives on the line to defend our country and keep us safe.  They have given up the comfort of a warm home to go to the ends of the earth.  Many of them suffered serious injury and death in the performance of their duties.

After ten years of war in the Middle East, hundreds of our servicemen and women have paid the ultimate price, and thousands have returned home with life changing injuries.  This year I would like to extend a challenge to all of my readers to make a donation to one of the many organizations that help our Veterans in need.  The Disabled American Veterans and Wounded Warrior Project are just two.  This year I donated funds to the Wounded Warrier Project and pledged a monthly contribution to help those veterans who need our help.  I hope you will do the same.

I have included below, for your entertainment, the video I posted last year honoring the men and women of our armed forces.  It has been viewed by nearly 16,000 people since last year and received rave reviews.  Turn up your volume, select full screen and take a few moments to enjoy it.

Election 2012 Final Thoughts

The election of 2012 is now history.  This election, I believe, was the most important election of our lifetime, and I can't help but believe that the outcome of this election is the death knell of our country as we know it.

By the end of Obama's next term, we will have DOUBLED OUR NATIONAL DEBT from 10 TRILLION DOLLARS when he was first elected to an unsustainable 20 TRILLION DOLLARS by 2016.  I don't see how our economy can survive.  We are certain to follow in the footsteps of Greece and the other European nations that were fiscally irresponsible.  We will see hyperinflation, where our dollar will be nearly worthless.  And, I fear, we may see TOTAL ECONOMIC COLLAPSE.

We built a great nation and became the envy of the world by harnessing the initiative and effort of the individual.  FREE ENTERPRISE encouraged entrepreneurship because any American could prosper from his own initiative and hard work.  President Obama continues to vilify the successful and create obstructions to entrepreneurship with excessive regulation and government interference.  He continues to enact his SOCIALIST AGENDA where the government controls everything.  He will continue to waste billions of our taxpayer dollars investing in private companies that will go bankrupt.  By vilifying free enterprise Obama is taking away the incentive of the populace to work.  And he is making scores of additional people dependent upon the government for their very survival.  We do not want, nor can we afford a welfare state.  With four more years of Obama, we will join Europe in fiscal collapse.  President Obama wants the government to control our healthcare and, even, tell us what we can and can't eat!  In his war on conventional energy, Obama continues to block the construction of the oil pipeline from Canada that would significantly aid our progress toward energy independence and, at the same time, create thousands of jobs.

Our borders will become unsafe.  They already have.  We don't protect our borders.  The attacks of 9/11 were the loudest possible wake-up call.  The Obama administration refused to call it what it is:  terrorism perpetrated by Extremist Islamic Fundamentalists around the world.  By doing so, and by pandering to all our enemies, we have shown weakness.  This will encourage further violence.  Even worse, we have turned our backs on our allies.  The Obama administration pulled its support from Israel, dissed the British, coddled Hugo Chavez, and the list goes on!  Most recently, we have shown that we will allow terrorists to kill Americans without even employing our military might to save them.  Afterward, we don't express outrage or attempt to bring the perpetrators to justice.  The Obama administration, then, lies to the people to hide its role in its failure to protect our citizens.  Our allies don't believe we will support them, and, so, they will no longer support us.  The tide is already turning in Iraq and Afghanistan.  They are abandoning us in favor of the Muslim extremists because they know we are pulling the rug out from under them, and they will be left to deal with the remaining Muslim extremists we promised to eradicate.  Four more years of this foreign policy will be disastrous!

The final nail in the coffin of our national defense is the Obama administration's emaciation of our military with devastating budget cuts, some of which it has already enacted.  If SEQUESTRATION goes through we will have no military left!  Since World War II we have kept our country safe through the use of DETERRANCE, which is the threat of overwhelming military action against adversaries who would do us harm.  The two required elements of deterrence are MILITARY MIGHT and THE WILL TO USE IT.  Thanks to four years of an Obama administration, we now have neither.  In the next four years of a second Obama administration, I believe increased and massive attacks on Americans around the world AND AT HOME are inevitable.

Lastly, I believe our nation has prospered for over 200 years because we were a nation of principle and moral fiber.  We have always stood for truth and justice.  Though politics has always been dirty, I believed, in the end, our government stood for integrity.  The last four years of the Obama administration have bombarded us with so many lies that we can't believe anything that comes from inside the beltway.  The partisan divide Obama has created has left the Congress impotent.  They haven't passed a budget during the four years Obama has been President!   The strength of our nation springs from its origin.  We are one nation created from many. The Seal of the United States contains the phrase, E PLURIBUS UNUM (Out of Many, One).  In his first four years, President Obama has divided this nation in a way we have not seen since the Civil War!   He has pitted rich against poor, man against woman, spiritual against secular, employer against employee, and he as reignited the division between black and white!  Unless we regain our integrity, principles and moral fiber, our friends and enemies will never know when to believe us and we will decay from within.

This article is an attempt at closure for me.  You see, I love this country.  I dedicated my life to protecting it, and I fear that four more years of Obama will destroy our country.

Regardless, I cannot and will not give up the hope that we, as Americans, can come back despite the results of yesterday's election.  The video, below, is the beginning scene of the new HBO series "The Newsroom".  It explains why AMERICA IS NO LONGER THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.  It is difficult for Americans to accept this truth.  But if we allow ourselves to recognize it, I believe we can fix it and, once again, become the greatest nation the world has ever known.

 [My thanks to Lois Garliech for forwarding this video]

"Who Has Touched the Sky" Pilot Training Video

This video is for anyone who loves flying.  But if you are one of the thousands who went through Air Force pilot training over the last five decades, this will take you back.  From PT and the T-41 to the Link trainer, the T-37 and T-38, this seven minute video filmed at Laredo AFB in 1972 documents the entire program.  It culminates with a breathtaking T-38 training flight, formation and single ship, with the song, "Who Has Touched the Sky" in the background.  I obtained a 35mm film of this movie after I graduated from pilot training in 1976 and played it until it fell apart.  I have been looking for it in video for 35 years.  I guarantee this will leave you inspired!

The Upcoming Election Simplified

We are less than six weeks from the upcoming presidential election on November 6th.  As we approach Election Day, we continue to be inundated with information in unprecedented volume.  With political ads, the major networks, 24 hour cable news, television talk shows, talk radio and the Internet, it is nearly impossible to separate facts from spin and truth from deception.  But most importantly, the critical issues on which our votes must be based have become obscured.  Of course this happens every election.  But this year is different.  I believe the survival of our country as we know it hangs in the balance.  It is my opinion that all the critical issues of this election fall under two areas: the economy and international affairs.  In this article I will attempt to simplify the decision we have to make.

THE ECONOMY

We have been inundated with endless plans, facts and figures, most of which cannot be validated or confirmed.  This confusion can be eliminated with the answer to one simple question:  Is our Federal Government spending more than it takes in?  I believe every rational person in this country, regardless of political philosophy, can answer this question with a resounding, Yes!  In the end the Federal Government is no different than you.  If you spend more than you earn, you will eventually go bankrupt.  Sure, you can take out loans and charge your credit cards to delay the inevitable.  But, eventually, the day of reckoning arrives, and the bills come due.

Our government has been doing the same.  It has been spending more than it takes in.  Just as individuals put off their day of reckoning by borrowing uncontrollably, our Federal Government has been doing the same by floating bonds.  When the government floats bonds, it is borrowing money just as an individual borrows money from a bank when he secures a loan or purchases with a revolving credit card.  When it floats bonds, our government is simply borrowing from those who purchase them with a promise to pay back the principal with interest in an agreed time, exactly as an individual does when securing a loan.  As we all know, if we fail to pay those loans and interest on time, we default.

Our Federal Government has another tool it can use to put off the inevitable.  It can print money.  This process is called Quantitative Easing (QE).  As an individual, you cannot print more money to pay your loans if you spend more than you earn.  The Federal Government, however, prints money to keep interest rates artificially low and to buy back bonds it cannot pay for.  On the surface this may seem like a very clever plan.  However, eventually, the rest of the world realizes that rather than paying its loans (bonds), the Federal Government has just flooded the international market with more paper, thus devaluing the dollar.  Since the purchasing power of the dollar is decreased, more dollars are required to purchase products and services, resulting in inflation.   On September 13th, our Federal Government authorized QE3, a third round of Quantitative Easing.  This round will flood the international market with 40 billion newly printed dollars per month!  QE1 and QE2 established fixed limits for the billions of dollars printed.  But, alarmingly, QE3 was passed open ended, allowing the Federal Government to print as many dollars as it wishes for as long as it wishes!

When a country continues following this path, eventually the international community loses complete confidence in its currency.  The result is economic collapse!  Several European countries have reached this point.  Greece and Spain have overspent to this point.  Since these countries have merged their currencies with the Euro, things are different.  The remaining European countries, in an attempt to save the Euro (their common currency) from failing, have demanded Greece and Spain reduce their spending to stay within their income.  This has resulted in huge cutbacks in government programs and very painful adjustments by their citizens.  So where does this leave the United States of America?

If we continue to overspend as we have, the international community will lose confidence in the dollar.  Hyperinflation will result, and the dollar will be nearly worthless, resulting in economic collapse.  We have gotten away with this so far, because our economy is so large that the rest of the world economy would be hurt if we collapsed.  Sooner or later, however, our day of reckoning will come.  If you don't believe this can really happen, note that, for the first time in history, two credit agencies have downgraded the debt rating of the United States!  And a lowered credit rating will require the Federal Government to pay higher interest on our debt (bonds), further accelerating the accumulation of our debt.  If we don't want this to happen, we must get our spending under control!

This brings us back to the choice of the upcoming election.  Since our government is spending more than it takes in, we must find ways to reduce spending.  Our overspending has been going on so long that it will require reductions to all government programs.  We simply cannot afford them in their current forms.  This will be painful to all Americans.  Social Security, Medicare and other programs are bankrupt.  We must find ways to reduce spending in these and all government programs or face certain disaster.  President Obama has not only continued these programs, but he has immensely increased our spending and plans to continue to do so.  He has increased our debt from the 10 trillion dollars accumulated by all the presidents before him to 16 trillion dollars in just 4 years!  This pace cannot be sustained!  It will result in Total Economic Failure!

Governor Romney, on the other hand, is a businessman and, therefore, understands the perils of continuing to overspend.  He and Congressman Ryan will reduce our spending to save the dollar and our economy.  Make no mistake.  Should they win this election they have a very difficult road ahead to reduce our spending.  All Americans will feel the pain.  But one thing is certain.  If President Obama is reelected our economy will surely fail!

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

We are living in complicated and dangerous times, perhaps the most complicated and dangerous in our history.  With the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the United States for the first time in its history became vulnerable to attacks within its borders.  The situation in the Middle East is extremely complicated and dangerous.  Millions of extremist Muslims believe it is their duty to take over the world, impose Sharia Law and kill all infidels!  That means anyone who is not a Muslim (Christian, Jew, Buddhist, etc).  Their tactics include attack from without as well as attack from within (sleeper cells within our borders).  If there were a time in our history when we needed a clear, strong international strategy, now is the time.  Its absence only encourages our enemies.  Our allies need to be certain the United States will stand with them, and, equally importantly, our enemies need to know we have the will as well as the capability to deliver overwhelming destruction to those who would harm us.  The radical slashing of our military budget by our President threatens our very ability to defend ourselves.

Since he took office nearly four years ago, Barack Obama has shown weakness to our enemies and confusion and nonsupport to our allies.  He went on a world tour where he apologized for 220 years of U.S. transgressions.  He bowed to foreign dignitaries.  He failed to define any international policy.  He failed to support a democratic uprising in Iran where the people were begging for our support.  Instead, he pandered to the Iranian leaders.  He insulted our British allies when after his inauguration he returned a statue of Winston Churchill from the White House that was given as a gift.  He has withdrawn support from our staunchest ally in the Middle East, Israel.  He supported the ousting of Egypt's Mubarak, paving the way for the takeover of Egypt by the Muslim extremist group, the Muslim Brotherhood.  Our allies have seen the intentional leaking of top secret information for political gain that embarrassed them and put the lives of their people and ours in danger.  The examples are countless, and I will not discuss all of them here.

The result of President Obama's naivete and lack of foreign policy is simply that no one knows where the United States stands any longer.  Apologies merely make us look weak to our enemies.  Our allies do not know if we will support them, and our enemies do not believe we have the will to retaliate or attack them if they hurt or threaten us.  This situation leads to incredible instability throughout the world and encourages aggression.  Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons unabated, and Israel finds itself on its own in its fight for its very survival.  Terrorist sleeper cells continue to propagate within our borders due to the Administration's failure to acknowledge the existence of the global war on terror and an ongoing failure to protect our own borders.  The policies of the current Administration have put us on the precipice of unbelievable carnage around the world and at home!

Governor Romney, on the other hand, has stated he will support our allies and has the will to commit our military if necessary to protect us and our allies and stay the course until we win.  He further stated he will reinvigorate our military and ensure it will remain the strongest in the world.

Once again, I believe the choice, here, is obvious.  The dangers around the world require a strong, clear leader in the White House.  Barack Obama does not provide this.  Governor Romney does.  Our country and the world cannot afford another four years of President Obama's lack of international leadership and direction.

SUMMARY

The election is less than six weeks away.  With inundation of information and constant spin, the issues can seem overwhelming and impossible to evaluate.  I do not believe the decision is that complicated.  Ask yourself who can turn around and save our economy from certain collapse and who will be a stronger leader with a clear foreign policy that supports our allies, defends us from our enemies and strengthens our military.  Then, vote carefully.  When this election is over there will be no turning back, and the survival of our nation rests on our choice!

911 Tribute: Lest We Forget

I recently visited Ground Zero with my wife and her family.  Much progress has been made since my last visit.  At that time, the remains of the attack were overwhelming.  Now that the new tower is almost complete and the rubble is gone we must take great care not to forget what occurred on that horrific day.  It was complacency that allowed the attack, and complacency can allow terrorism again.

As the anniversary of 911 once again approaches, we not only pay tribute to those that lost their lives, but also to the heroes of that day and the heroes that made our nation and who continue to sacrifice their lives for us.

NEVER FORGET!

United States Budget Dilemma

ALARMING! Washington's Dilemma!. Soaring debt and a budget Congress can't balance. In this video, retired accountant, Hal Mason, explains in simple, factual terms why our nation is on the precipice of a financial cliff and about to fall off. Every American needs to see this video prior to the presidential election.  As it stands now, it will be extremely difficult and painful for all Americans to save our economy.  After another four years of an Obama administration, it will surely be too late.  The survival of our country depends on the outcome of this upcoming presidential election!

[My thanks to Leslie Pelegrino for forwarding this video]

2016: Obama's America - A Must See

I just saw the movie, 2016: Obama's America, this evening.  It is the most disturbing movie I have ever seen.  Its telling account of Mr. Obama's history clearly explains his motivations and his intentions for the future of our country. I can't believe the people put Barack Obama into our highest, most powerful office, and so many are turning their backs on the facts.  This election is truly the most critical juncture of our country in our lifetime!  The survival of our country depends on its outcome. To view the movie trailer and find showtimes near you, click the link below. Every American needs to see this!

2016: Obama's America

Firearms Refresher Course

The right to bear arms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment of our Constitution.  The Founding Fathers were strong supporters of this right.  Its absence has been the precursor of oppression and genocide throughout the history of the world.  Check out this short, entertaining slide show which recounts the importance of our right to bear arms.

[My thanks to Phil Upman for forwading this video]

Gas Station Fire Dangers

Every year gas station fires occur when drivers refuel their cars.  These dangerous fires result in property damage, injury and death.

The video, below, has been out for some time, now, but is very important.  STATIC ELECTRICITY IS A SERIOUS FIRE DANGER for drivers fueling their cars at self service gas pumps and is the cause of most gas station refueling fires.  ALWAYS touch something metal before refueling to ground yourself (setting up the gas pump will do this).  NEVER get back in your car until you have completed fueling, have replaced the fuel nozzle and closed up your gas tank cover.

Watch carefully as the young lady in this video returns to her car after initiating fueling and takes her feet off the ground.  By doing so, her body built up static electricity that was present inside her car.  Because she, then, did not touch any metal object prior to putting her hand on the fuel nozzle, the static electricity in her body discharged on the nozzle, igniting the volatile gas fumes that are always present during refueling.

Cell phone use during refueling is also a fire risk, as radio waves emitted from your phone can also ignite the dangerous gas fumes.  Although some states do not require warnings about cell phone usage during fueling, you should NEVER use your cell phone while fueling.

Gasoline is a very volatile liquid.  Because we all grow up around it and see it every day, we often don't realize how very dangerous it is.  Always handle gasoline with great care and respect!

 [My thanks to Jennie Montoya whose e-mail inspired this article]

Our Alaska Cruise Honeymoon

On July 13th, Loretta and I departed Denver for our 11 day honeymoon. We spent a day and a half in Seattle where Loretta lived for several years. We toured the area during the day, then had dinner with some of her old friends. The next morning, we took a bus to Vancouver, where we boarded our Holland-America cruise ship, the Statendam. We departed that evening for a 7 day cruise along the coastline of British Columbia and Alaska with stops at Ketchican, Juneau and Skagway. We, then, sailed through Glacier Bay where we were treated to up close and personal views of two giant glaciers. We disembarked on Saturday, July 21st, in Seward, Alaska, where we boarded a train on the Alaska Railroad for a scenic 4 1/2 hour ride to Anchorage. We spent a day and a half in Anchorage. On the second day we drove to Wasilla, Alaska, where we toured the Iditarod headquarters. We returned to Denver on Monday morning, July 23rd, with unforgettable memories of our great honeymoon.

We took some great pictures and videos that I posted on my Picasa website.  Check them out.  I suggest selecting "Slide Show" and "Full Screen" for best viewing of the fantastic scenery.

Our Alaska Cruise Honeymoon

My Wedding

On May 25th I married the girl of my dreams. We were married at beautiful Three Trees Chapel overlooking the foothills by both a rabbi and a minister in a combined ceremony Loretta and I created for our special day. Loretta and I hand picked all the music, the bridesmaids' and bride's processionals, unity candle lighting and recessional. After we exchanged rings, we sang "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera to each other as an additional set of vows. I think it's safe to say there wasn't a dry eye in the house.  We exited the chapel to "This Will Be" by Natalie Cole.

The reception was also unique to us, as we had it at Q's Pub & Grille, a special place to both Loretta and me.

We were blessed to have so many of our family and friends from all around the world attend our special day. And we couldn't have asked for better weather. The sun was shining, the sky was a beautiful Colorado deep blue and temperatures were in the 70's.

Check out the video.

A Tribute to Mom

This month has triple meaning for me this year.  As we all know, next Sunday is Mother's Day; the day we all celebrate the miracle of mothers.  In addition, May 25th is my mother's birthday.  She has been gone for some years, now, and I still miss her love, caring, devotion and friendship.  Lastly, as my mother cannot be here for our special day, to honor her, Loretta and I chose Friday, May 25th to have our wedding.

This year, my tribute to all mothers for Mother's Day is a video I created to honor the life of my wonderful mother.  I hope you enjoy it.

Obama & Afghanistan Cartoons

The following cartoons about President Obama and the recent Koran burning in Afghanistan ring true and are the saddest of satire.  Click on each to view full size.

[My thanks to Tom Nick for forwarding these cartoons]

Obama at the Bat

This clever video is a takeoff from the poem "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Thayer, often considered one of baseball's greatest writings.  If you are a fan of baseball history, you'll like this one.

[My thanks to Jennie Montoya for forwarding this video]

Government Contitutional Violation

This is a "must see" video of Judge Andrew Napolitano delivering a speech about freedom, our rights and Federal Government abuse of them. In it, the Judge explains the hard core truth about the Constitution and why we must fight to regain and retain our freedoms.  Check it out.

[My thanks to Ralph Monte for forwarding this video]

Snowmobile Adventure

Do you think you'd get a kick out of riding a snowmobile?  Check out the wild ride these two guys experienced.



[My thanks to Rick Douglas for forwarding this video]