College Students Create Incredible Coke Machine

Recently, Coca-Cola asked engineering students at Purdue University to come up with the most outrageous way to share a coke.  The enthusiasm and initiative of these self-proclaimed "nerds" will lift your spirits.  Our college kids are still the best and brightest!  Check out this short, fun video.

[My thanks to Don Klein for forwarding this video]

Gun Control for Dummies

As efforts increase on Capitol Hill to limit the types of firearms and the number of rounds a citizen can own and carry, it becomes vital for Americans to understand why our Founding Fathers felt so strongly about our right to bear arms.  They were very fearful of a Federal Government that could take away its citizens' right to bear arms and drafted the Second Amendment to ensure it would never happen.  If we understand what is at stake should we lose that right, we can be vocal and strong and let our elected officials in Washington know that we will not stand for any impingement on the rights guaranteed to us under the Second Amendment.  The dangers and threats to our freedom if we let this happen are very serious.

The video below gives an explanation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution in the context of the entire Bill of Rights and lessons from history.  There is much more to the Second Amendment than hunting, target shooting and personal defense.  You see, an oppressive government needs to disarm its citizens and make them defenseless.  The need for the citizens the United States to be able to protect themselves from a tyrannical government dates back to our very experience with Britain that led to the American Revolution.  Be wary of any attempts by the Federal Government to impinge on your Second Amendment rights.

[My thanks to Tom Nick for forwarding this video]

Gun Control: The Australian Solution?

As Americans search for ways to prevent the repeating of violent crimes like those that occurred in Aurora, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut, we must be careful not to choose the wrong solution.  Restricting the right of Americans to bear arms is not the answer.  In fact, a well intended attempt in Australia in 1997 had the exact opposite effect.  The result was a frightening increase in violence and crime.

In the 1997 attempt to curb crime and violence, the Australian government required its citizens to turn in semiautomatic and assault weapons and created requirements for private citizens to keep their remaining weapons unloaded and locked up in their homes.  The result was a staggering 69% increase in armed robberies, 28% increase in assaults with guns, 19% increase in gun murders and 21% increase in home invasions.

As I write this article, Vice President Joe Biden is heading up a commission to find ways to curb gun violence.  In his first public statement today, Mr. Biden stated that the White House could take "unilateral action on gun control."  Executive action by the President would completely circumvent the Congress, and President Obama has been trying to erode our Second Amendment right to bear arms since he took office.

The video, below, gives chilling testimony to the Australian attempt gone wrong.  Don't let this happen in the United States.  Protect your Second Amendment rights.  Join or donate to the National Rifle Association, and write your congressmen.  Our right to bear arms is seriously under attack.

[My thanks to Leslie Pellegrino for forwarding this video ]

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.