roman's musings

No more hacks, please.

2009-12-28T17:57:00.008-05:00

Can we conclude that it is NOT SAFE to fly?
Our political system of granting political favors to supporters is at fault. Case in point... Obama makes Napolitano chief of homeland security. The problem... she has absolutely no experience.
Napolitano was recently criticised for making the statement that, "The system worked" when referring to an amateurish terrorist attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 near Detroit on 12/25/09. She later corrected herself on a morning TV show by admitting to host Matt Lauer that the security system had in fact failed.
This political appointee should resign as soon as possible because she seems to have absolutely no idea what she is doing. She's a political "hack" who can't even give an accurate accounting of events and make basic conclusions.
The fact that an amateur wannabe terrorist was on a plane with an incendiary device over a large city in the US should never be construed as a security "success". She must think the general public is so gullible and dumb as to be incapable of making a logical conclusion based on the facts. Evidently Rahm Emmanuel or someone else who was able to make logical inferences had to clue her in and convince her to make a correcting statement. Obviously, she's over her head.
Had this been a REAL trained terrorist, we would have experienced a tragedy with 300 or so passengers and unknown number of Detroit residents dead.
It's time to end this dangerous political game of appointing inexperienced "hacks" (political supporters) to positions of critical security responsibility. Politicians should never again be allowed to gamble with the lives of their constituents.
Obama, where is the change?

Mind your business!

2009-12-05T20:34:00.003-05:00

WOW, I have not been away from my blog this long since I started blogging so many years ago. What has kept me away so long?
In a word.. WORK! Lots of work crammed into not enough time.
The ongoing financial crisis is global and it has affected many in a negative way. It has not spared me although I think I have a handle on it.
My workplace has had a severe drought of activity which has lasted over a year now. Lay-offs have decimated the company's workforce and we, the blessed working survivors, are trying to be the modern day gods of productivity now that some semblance of economic activity has gradually returned.
In short, activity is up but no new hires!
I guess that's why they call it a "jobless recovery".
If you have ever left your house and had that nagging feeling that you left the back door wide open or left the gas on, you know how I feel each day when I'm driving home from work.
What have I left undone and will it be a problem?
I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm just wondering how wide spread this condition is? If it is widespread, what are the implications concerning the state of mind of all those maxed-out, stressed-out workers out there?
I can't help thinking that there will be some lasting changes even after the economy recovers.
This prolonged state of workplace anxiety must be having some kind of effect on those who truly believe that the buck does stop with them. There is a well known workplace maxim that "if you want something done give the job to the busiest worker".
Where is that busiest worker's breaking point?
Should we be concerned?
I've read someplace that a prolonged state of stress and anxiety in an entrapped environment can cause permanent changes in the way our brains function with results that may irreversably alter one's state of mind. Posttraumatic stress disorder does not present itself on 100% of combat veterans but with the few that it does, the suffering goes on for a very long time with devastating effects on themselves and their loved ones.
Time will tell if this C-PTSD will play out in the same percentile of workers that are asked to do the impossible as in those combat troops.

Obama... Nobel Laureate?

2009-10-09T17:01:00.008-04:00

I really thought it was a joke.
I heard that the Nobel Peace prize was actually awarded 12 days after BHO took office. He hadn't even warmed the chair in the oval office yet and already he is bestowed this honor. This jaw-dropping move by the Norwegian parliamentarians enforces what I have been saying all along. Our new president is stealthily following a course which will turn our nation into a socialist one ala EU. Those EU politicians voted not for what Obama did but what he will, they hope, in time deliver. Massive government with a stifling choke-hold on the economy that will secure a more socialist and anti-capitalist mindset in the populace. Thus steering our nation into a kind of economic malaise typically found in the EU and other left- of-center governments.
Their action of awarding this prize seems to be a direct political intrusion by way of a foreign entity to lobby and influence a sitting POTUS to form and make decisions regarding foreign policy. The award has actually "cheapened" the value and symbolic worthiness of the prize.
I know that some readers might scoff at my insistence that BHO is a closet socialist.
The proof? here's just a few:
*His gift of bailing out the auto makers union with stimulus money.
*His backing of freer rules of unionizing procedures.
*His sacking of a corporate CEO. Govt meddling in private industry, a first by a president, ever!
*His obvious support, despite waffling rhetoric, about a "public health option" which everyone knows, will over time, kill off the private insurance industry due to its inherent competitive edge (gvt financed non-profit).
Yes, even his ardent supporters who were convinced he is a "centrist" are now readily admitting his far left leaning (AKA socialist) agenda.
If you're like me and want to see actual enforcement of the laws on the books by our public employees instead of their ignoring them and blaming their shortfalls on the free enterprise system, start to vote accordingly. Let's not throw out the system that made this nation the most prosperous, free, educated and powerful to ever have existed in human history.
Remember to vote the "career political" bums out next election regardless of party affiliations.. I just hope it's not too late.

Travel Log # 13 Copenhagen to Reykjavik to Boston

2009-09-27T19:10:00.003-04:00

Monday, June 29, 2009

Our flight leaves at 2PM. Big breakfast in the hotel followed by a lot of careful packing due to all the gifts we bought.
Today is Linda's birthday but we'll be traveling most of the day. Linda did some more shopping at the duty-free shoppes in the airport to get rid of most of our remaining Danish Kronen. She bought a lot of liquor and other small items.
The flight back did not seem as long and I guess it's because we were both ready t come home after all this time.
Our little puppy Remy was literally shrieking with joy when we arrived. It practically brought tears to my eyes. We just could not calm him down for the longest time.
It was good to be home again.

Travel Log #12 Copenhagen

2009-09-27T18:01:00.004-04:00

Sunday, June 28, 2009

After a big hearty breakfast, courtesy of the hotel, we had the whole day free to do as we please. This is the last full day here in Europe and we decided to do some serious souvenir shopping.
The first thing we noticed is that a lot of young people are wearing black T-shirts with the words Michael Forever printed in white. We assumed this meant that Michael Jackson had met his demise and it turned out to be the case.
We stopped at an open air flea market nearby and then went shopping downtown.
There were a lot of high school graduates riding around in open air trucks everywhere and making noise and being rowdy but all in good fun.

In the evening we visited the world famous Tivoli Gardens. It is a very old (the oldest?)continuous amusement/ entertainment/ flower gardens/ light show park situated right in the middle of the city. We ate dinner there (a bit pricey but good food). There were some orchestras and music bands playing at different venues. When it got dark, what seemed like tens of thousands of colored lights came on everywhere. It was very festive, indeed.

Travel Log # 11 Copenhagen

2009-09-27T15:33:00.005-04:00

Saturday, June 27, 2009

As you can see, Linda met up with a Viking who, fortunately for us, was friendly and did not brandish his broadsword at us.

We joined our panoramic city tour at city hall square in the morning and saw all the important sites in and around Copenhagen including Christiansborg Palace, Rosenborg castle and of course, "the Little Mermaid".

Later, at 1:30 after lunch, we joined another tour to North Sealand to see the Fredericksborg and Fredensborg castles and also the famous Hamlet (Kronborg) Castle.

Travel Log #10 Hasselt to Brussels to Copenhagen

2009-09-27T13:18:00.012-04:00

Friday, June 26, 2009
Since we had to be at the Brussels airport for a flight to Copenhagen at 10 AM and had to turn in our rental there, we had little time to linger in Hasselt. We left early enough but soon ran into rush hour traffic outside Brussels. This caused us a little worry because as we inched along in painstakingly slow traffic we were running out of time fast. After turning in the car at the airport rental office we scurried to our gate and just made our flight with only minutes to spare. The SAS flight was short and Linda was soon in lively conversation with a young gentleman who was seated next to her. He was Danish but was employed in Brussels and spoke excellent English. He turned out to be a fount of interesting information in reference to Danish customs and the history and character of his countrymen. Since Linda's maiden name is Christensen and her father was Danish, the conversation was non-stop until we landed. We had to exchange Euros and dollars for Danish Kronen and this was quickly done inside the airport. Our driver mentioned that the city hall offices would not be open on the weekend so Linda's ancestry research needed to proceed immediately after our hotel check-in. The Hotel First Vesterbro was centrally located within steps from the Tivoli Gardens and City Hall Plaza.

Linda took off after dropping her luggage and took care of her research at city hall. Judging by the uniforms of some of the guests, the hotel is a favorite of crewmembers employed by some of the world's major airlines. Later in the evening, we strolled into the downtown shopping district and enjoyed a leisurely dinner al fresco near City Hall Plaza. It is here that our guided tours will be leaving from tommorow morning. This large open plaza seems to be a gathering place for huge crowds of tourists, mostly young people, who linger and listen to free outdoor music concerts. Short video here...

Travel Log # 9 Antwerpen,Rotterdam & Amsterdam

2009-09-26T14:12:00.005-04:00

Thursday, June 25, 2009

We left our hotel in Hasselt early for a day trip in our rental car. The drive took us through Brussels and Antwerpen and into Holland. We encountered a lot of small cars moving very fast on the highways. We also encountered some traffic jams especially near the outer centrums of the large cities.
We stopped in Rotterdam and walked into the central downtown shopping area. Sitting outside in the pedestrian plaza, we enjoyed a good-sized American-style cup of coffee while conversing with a couple of young 20 somethings locals. It was warm and sunny and even the locals were surprised at how pleasant the weather was. There was a large food wagon in the middle of the square that sold french fries in paper cones. I had not seen this since leaving Belgium back when I was just a boy. I asked the two locals where the old historical part of city was and they replied there was none. They then went on to explain that during WWII, the German Luftwaffe bombed this strategic port city day in and day out until there was nothing left standing. Hence, Rotterdam had to be rebuilt from scratch.

After a short stay, we drove further up the coast and made it to Amsterdam in about an hour and a half. Amsterdam is not a car-friendly city as there are few places to park in the heart of the city. Bicycles rule! The majority of the inhabitants we saw were young and the scene resembled that of a university town.

We finally parked the car in the outlying business section and walked about but we were too far away to get to the historic city center. After a momentary scare, we did finally find our way back to our car and decided just to tour the city from our car as it was getting late and we had a long drive back to Hasselt. As usual, we wished we had more time to explore this beautiful old city.
The drive back was long and we stopped at a roadside restaurant in Nederweert just north of the Belgian border. The food was good and plentiful and reasonably priced.
We got back late and exhausted.

Travel Log #8 Genk, Waterschei & Gelieren

2009-09-24T17:30:00.012-04:00

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Well, I'm finally back where it all started for me so many years ago. The two places where, as a young boy, I developed an awareness of the world around me.

We left Hasselt and drove the short distance to Gelieren but could not locate the old straw-thatched farmhouse my family left behind to emigrate to the USA when I was just ten years old. Everything was different. After spending what seems like hours driving around and studying maps, we simply could not locate the street called Hoogsij in Gelieren. We then decided to regroup and get our bearings back in Genk and to visit my birthplace and first home in Waterschei in a small coal-mining town called Texas. Unfortunately, Texas was gone! I suspected as much since I used Google Earth and saw only the faint outline of the streets but no buildings. All that was left was a gravel parking lot for a large football (soccer) stadium. I stood at the exact spot where the old house once stood on what was once Fazantstraat #1. We parked the rental car and walked through a small section of woods at the far end of Fazantstraat. I remember many happy days at play here as a child. The mountain of coal tilings, the small pond with lilly pads, and the trail through the woods were still there. It was sunny and warm. There were young children swimming and cavorting in the little pond while others were climbing the mountain which now was overgrown at its crown with trees of every variety. The children looked like they were on a school outing because there were three adults and about 30 children of approximately the same age. We spoke to a caretaker and a couple of local hikers who were happy to share some history about the surroundings. We learned that the little coal mining town was dismantled and removed.

It then was rebuilt as "New Texas' in another location back in the mid-seventies after the coal mines were shut down. After taking a few pieces of coal as mementos from the mountain, we jumped back in the car and made our way to the old railway station on the other side of the stadium. It looked exactly the way I remember it with the same white concrete fence in the picket style and gravel open space in front. We then drove back to downtown Genk where we had lunch in an outside setting and made use of the local laundromat. We then drove back to Gelieren and finally found Hoogsij which is a long winding street. Gelieren is not a town but only a named section of criss-crossing roads. Nothing was familiar. What used to be a very rural area with old farmhouses and wide open fields was now a densely populated street with modern brick homes one after another on both sides. The house that was at the exact number where our old farmhouse stood looked nothing like what I remember. Alas, I guess it is true what they say. You can't go home again. We took some pics at both locations.

For some years before this visit, it was important to me to make this pilgrimage. It was a kind of longing to justify the happy but vague fragments of youthful remembrances. This was supposed to be the centerpiece of this trip. While driving back to Hasselt, I felt a somewhat melancholy and somber mood. I realized then that this place is just a long-lost and faded memory and occupies a much lower prominence in my mind that it had before the trip. Maybe I felt a little disappointed in that there wasn't much left. I am glad, however, that we came to this place even though it is no longer my place.

Travel Log #7 Paris to Brussels to Hasselt

2009-09-20T00:05:00.010-04:00

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

We left Paris in the morning on a Thalys train bound for Brussels, Belgium. This was, without a doubt, the most comfortable ride and meal service I ever had. Coffee and breakfast was excellent. When we got to Brussels there was a momentary state of confusion. It was a huge station and we had to hustle and figure out how to find our connecting train to Hasselt. We did, however, after a few miscues. Note: Always check with the conductor to make sure its the right train as some of these trains arrive within minutes of each other on the same track.

The local train was clean and comfortable but almost empty. After about an hour and a half we arrived in Hasselt. Our rental car office was nowhere in sight and after some inquiries we found out that the office was on the other side of town. The bus dispatcher was kind enough to get us on the right bus and had the driver notify us when to get off. The Eorocar office was a short walk from the bus stop and we must have looked odd walking down the side of the highway on the grass with suitcases in tow. We did get new Mercedes MB with a deisel engine which was perfect because we were going to do a lot of touring.

We soon checked into the Holiday Inn on Kattegatstraat. Later, we had a leisurly dinner at the Blue Olive restaurant a few blocks away. It was a warm evening so we dined in the open air section near the street.

The food was great and went well with a couple of bottles of Cristal.

There was a working cigarette machine in the restaurant which was quite a novelty for us as this has been outlawed at home for quite some time now.

Travel Log #6 Paris

2009-09-19T22:25:00.008-04:00

Monday, June 22, 2009

We ventured down to the Miromesnil Metro station at the corner and were able to figure out how to get to the Citirama tour office in plenty of time for our excursion.
Our trip began with a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral with its huge stained glass windows. It was interesting to tour the interior because it was very crowded with tourists but yet very quite inside. After a sight seeing tour of the Latin Quarter it was time for lunch at the brasserie accross the street from the tour office.
Since we were just across the street, we walked to the Louvre and began an escorted tour. Underneath the building, there were extensive archeological digs which uncovered and preserved the original ancient castle and its many defences.
After spending a short time in the Louvre we took a ride accross town and visited the village of Montmartre with its famous Sacred Heart Bassilica on top of the hill. I am glad we took the funicular up because it is quite a hike to the top. There is a spectacular view of Paris from this high point and a lot of things to see with its famous artists coop and ancient walled vineyard. We did about nine and a half miles of walking up and down cobblestone streets. Thank God for sneakers.
We left the tour around 5 o'clock and took the Metro back to our hotel.

Travel Log #5 Paris

2009-09-01T10:45:00.018-04:00

Sunday, June 21, 2009.

Since we had to be at the Place des Pyramides tour office at 8:30AM and we did not have enough time to figure out the local Metro underground map maze, we took a taxi and made it there a half hour early. The problem was that we were still on London time and thus were informed that we were instead a half hour late. Our scheduled city tour had already left and the Cityrama clerks were very kind and rescheduled us for the afternoon.

Fortunately, this gave us the opportunity to visit the Louvre, which happened to be just across the street, for the rest of the morning. After a quick snack inside, we were able to spend a couple of hours roaming the huge Denon wing of Italian art masters. Yes, we were able to push ourselves, literally speaking, through the crowds to view that mysterious smile of the Mona Lisa. We were also able to catch a glance at some impressive statuary such as the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace and then rush back to pick up our afternoon tour. Even a cursive appreciation of the endless treasures of the Louvre, the finest art museum in the world in mho, one needs at least a couple of weeks.
Note to myself: On a double decked coach, being early and snagging the front seats on the second level is a prime requisite for quality picture taking and a spectacular panoramic view.

Our city tour took us on a cruise of the River Seine with a river view of the Ille de Cite with its famous Notre Dame Cathedral. All around the Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

It was a warm and sunny day but when we went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower it was very windy. The lifts were fast and the ride smooth. They did charge an extra 5 euros a head to ride to the top but it was worth it.

Travel Log #4 London to Paris

2009-08-29T22:46:00.011-04:00

Saturday, June 20, 2009
NOTE: Be sure to click on these photos to enlarge... to get the true impact of color and scale...

From St Pancras International Terminal, after changing some currency to Euros, we took the Eurostar train via the chunnel to Paris.
We could not ask for a more comfortable ride and before long we were at the Garre du Nord, Paris. A short while later our driver dropped us off at the Arioso Hotel on Rue D'Argenson. The hotel is a traditional 19'th century establishment and as such is very small with five floors and only three rooms per floor. We were at the top and the view was terrific. Light cream colored limestone buildings with tarnished copper rooftops with that distinctive faint patina could be seen all around.
After we settled in, we took a stroll down to the Galeries Lafayette on Blvd Haussmann. This is a huge shopping destination situated in some very historic and architecturally beautiful buildings. It is just about the only place on earth where the perfume counters are located under an amazingly ornate stained glass dome with massive opera size wings on all sides. Breathtaking.
When we got back, it was very late and we ordered room service and were pleasantly surprised by the delicious toasted breads, camemberts and variety of cold cuts. It all went very well with a couple of Carlsbergs.

Travel Log #3 Windsor, Stonehenge & Oxford

2009-08-29T19:31:00.018-04:00

Friday, June 19, 2009 After a quick breakfast in the hotel, we jumped on the tube and retraced our route to pick up our Evans tour. Windsor Castle was spectacular.
I never saw such an accumulation of wealth all in one place.
We could have spent a month in there and not seen all of it.

Then it was off to Stonehenge.
It happens to be the day before the Summer Solstice and all sorts of witches, druids and new age types were clogging the roads leading there.
When we finally got there, it was very windy.
The people around me spoke in hushed tones as if this was a holy place. They spoke in different languages but I could tell they all were in awe of the place.
One could not help but feel humbled by such a very profound experience as to be standing in the presence of such an ancient and mysterious landmark.

Oxford with its many institutions of higher learning was our final stop.
The fascinatingly historical colleges date as far back as the 13'th century.
It was such a visually interesting place with its extremely old schools connected by small cobblestone alleys and lanes.
Our guide made it a point of adding the connection of this place to current popular film with inspired architecture for the recent Harry Potter films.

Travel log #2 London

2009-08-29T16:53:00.016-04:00

Thursday, June 18, 2009 We had to be at the Victoria Coach station to join the Evan Evans city tour at 8:45AM so we had to hustle to get there. We took the London Underground, aka "tube", at Oxford Circus and were pleasantly surprised by how efficient, comfortable and clean the system was. The other riders (full train) were most likely on their way to work and looked pretty much bored. Most were reading about the latest Parliamentarian involved in the housing allowance scandals. No one spoke. A few stops and short walk later and we were there.

We saw and did a lot. Royal Albert Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral with it’s rich history and interned historical figures, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, a walk around the various buildings at the Tower of London (lot’s of jewels and what’s with the ravens?), Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, an afternoon cruise down the Thames to see the Houses of Parliament.

We had lunch (fish & chips, what else?) at the Silver Cross, a pub/restaurant which our capable tiger-skin-blouse wearing red haired guide suggested.

She was great, the food, not so much.

We learned a lot and had a blast.

Travel Log #1 Boston to London via Iceland

2009-07-23T16:52:00.012-04:00

Tuesday, June 16, 2009.

With carry-on luggage only, we said "so long" to Missy (the cat) and Remy (the dog). Missy couldn't care less and Remy just kept sticking his head in a Dunkin Donuts cup.
After exchanging some dollars for British pounds, our Icelandair flight left Logan at 9:30PM and arrived in Reykjavik five hours later whereupon we had to change to another flight that whisked us to London's Heathrow in another two and a half hours.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

It was an excruciatingly uncomfortable flight. Given the choice, I would have chosen root canal surgery without an anesthetic. God I hate flying.
We checked into the Hotel Rathbone in the West End, near Soho, at noon.
There was a very inviting and quaint little pub called "The Duke of York", diagonally across the street. Every evening, the pub's well-dressed patrons stand in front in large numbers and quaff down pint after pint and partake in festive conversation until the wee hours of the morning. Its all very well civilized but does tend to get somewhat louder as the evening progresses.
It was cool, overcast and raining off and on during the day. Later in the evening, after a quick excursion to nearby Oxford street in order to get our bearings, find the nearest tube stop and a look in the shops, we returned to the hotel. Being somewhat tired from our trip, we called it an early night. Its definitely a good idea NOT to schedule too much activity on a long-distance traveling day.

If its Tuesday...

2009-06-23T10:52:00.002-04:00

After spending tons of money in London and Paris, we have arrived in beautiful Hasselt, Belgium using the most efficient and comfortable rail system. Paris to Brussels and then Brussels to Hasselt. Just picked up our rental car and checked into the Holiday Inn on Kattegatstraat. It's sunny and warm today and we'll be hitting the town for some shopping and dining. Tomorrow we drive to Genk and visit the two places where I lived as a young boy. I'm charging my camera battery as I hope to bring back some updated photos of the old homestead.
Met vriendelijke groeten,
Roman

Crossing the pond.

2009-06-15T16:12:00.002-04:00

Life's been very hectic lately and about to get even more livelier the next few weeks. It's time to surrender to that restless travel bug.
Leaving for London via Reykjavik 6/16(anything to save a few bucks). Will stay in Soho for a few days (where else?). A cruise down the Thames and Stonehenge are a must. Then its a train ride through the Chunnel to Paris. After taking in some of the sights, sounds and tastes there will be a train ride to Brussels and another to Hasselt and then to my old stomping grounds in Waterschei and Gelieren by rental car. As this is where I spent my tender early years, this is the highlight of the trip. If it's not too far to drive, Amsterdam looks appealing for a day trip. Then a short flight from Brussels to Copenhagen for the remaining time. Going to need to change some dollars for some UK currency (Pounds), lots of Euros and some Kronen. A common currency? Not yet!
Will fly back on 6/29 via Reykjavik.
Plan to have mucho pics for a travel log on this site.

The 5000 Year Leap

2009-05-19T17:09:00.003-04:00

Just finished another great book and recommend it highly.
Have you ever wondered why the USA is the most successful nation in the world? Why do different folks (like me) from around the globe abandon their ancestral homes to come and live here? It's because of our Constitution! It is, by far, the most advanced and thoughtful political and societal document ever devised. This book explains the Founders' thoughts and reflections on the most important features of this document in 28 easy to understand principles.
Washington, Jefferson, Madison, John and Samuel Adams and Lincoln are the Presidents prominently featured along with a varied supporting cast which include Cicero, John Locke and Adam Smith amongst many others. I guarantee that any reader will see the political and economic events that confront us today in a totally different light.

Conservatism's CliffsNotes.

2009-04-03T17:05:00.004-04:00

Roman highly recommends Mark Levin's new book. I was sold after reading only the first few pages.
Picked it up at the local book store after enduring some taunting (but playful)remarks from the two girls at the cash register. They looked out the window after I left...probably to see if I had a gun-rack on my rear window. I'm used to it. This type of behavior is fairly common here in Massachusetts which, along with the United Socialist Republic of Vermont, aspire to join the EU as soon as they're able. Only kidding!
Remember, only by hearing BOTH SIDES can one truly understand.
OK, time to get off the soapbox.

Coming home to roost!

2009-03-01T11:42:00.007-05:00

I don't want to be the wacky guy walking around with the "THE END IS NEAR SO REPENT" sign. Yet I can't refrain from stating an obvious fact. Lately I've noticed, as I'm sure have many others, that sweeping lifestyle changes are taking place just about everywhere around us. Our fundamental core values are evolving at an alarming rate and not for the better. It's starting to have consequences that are very troubling, indeed. Signs of this change are showing up all around us and on a daily basis. There has been a virtual epidemic of so-called successful individuals that achieved positions of trust only to betray that trust for personal aggrandisement and hedonistic goals.
Yes I know that, to some extent, it has always been so but lately this phenomenon seems to have grown exponentially. No area of society has been spared. As our hard-earned savings dwindle and politicians and journalists keep telling us that everything is fine or will be fine, we cannot help thinking that it is not and never again will be. Our hearts are turning to steel and we no longer trust anyone. We have and continue to be betrayed by politicians, CEO's, financial brokers, religious leaders, professors, journalists and yes, even the local contractor who we call to fix our house or supply services.
It used to be that hard work, honesty and sacrifice were honored as virtuous ideals. On the other hand, traits like indifference, laziness, narcissism, greed, dishonesty and their resulting degradation and blight on society was considered to be shameful and thus to be avoided at all cost.
Unfortunately, not anymore.
Betrayal of the public trust has become ubiquitous and most of us are already de-sensitized to it.
Outrage when experienced on a daily basis loses its very meaning.
Many of us might point the whole blame at society's gradual abandonment of religious foundations but that's not at all the whole story. We know that secularism has been on the rise for centuries. I suspect it's more to do with today's postmodern progressive liberal ideals and a sense of moral relativism which has stealthily gained inroads into our culture. I recall a time when most responsible adults identified virtues like integrity, honesty, respect and sacrifice as extremely necessary and fundamental for good citizenship. In a general sense, the perception was that these core basic values and character traits would naturally and logically result in a happier lifestyle for their offspring. A foremost and essential instructing goal, "job one"..so to speak, for most parents was to devote the time and instill these virtues into their offspring during their formative years. Alas, it all started to unravel back in the late sixties and early seventies. In order to maintain a middle income or better lifestyle it became customary and in many cases, necessary, for both parents to be gainfully employed. The time-trusted and fundamental responsibility of child-rearing was either put on the back burner or leased out to others for the most part. Even now, many parents actually believe that our schools and child-care "professionals" have somehow fully assumed the responsibility of guiding children onto the path of good citizenship and virtuous ideals. It appears that the failure to maintain a majority of caring and responsible adults has reached and surpassed a critical mass of societal instability and no one seems to care.
Are our chickens coming home to roost?
The signs are all around us.

Gitmo slated to close.

2009-01-22T18:12:00.000-05:00

The Gitmo prisoners never had it so good. All the visitors (without an axe to grind) reported seeing prisoners treated like kings.
Three meals a day.
The meals consistent with their religious restrictions.
A Qur'an and prayer rug for each upon request.
Clean sheets and towels every day.
Restrictions on the guards to keep quiet during the six prayer periods.
Footsteps imprinted on the hallway floors for the Marines to keep them from disturbing the prisoners.
Daily periods of exercise in the balmy air of a tropical Caribean paradise.
The only thing missing is the virgins.
This fiction of Gitmo being a "stain on the virtue of America" is a disgraceful exaggeration intended for gullible intellectual posers and left wing bloggers who actually believed the fake media narrative and repeated hysterics. One can easily predict that once Gitmo is closed they will just find another excuse to hate the USA. The Bush Hate Syndrome is just another emanation of the same hystrionics.
The vitriolic stance by the press against the victims of terrorism and our efforts to insure against future attacks are both inexplicable and puzzling on many levels. Constant excuses for the perpetrators are proferred in order to stay in lock-step with the PC narrative indoctrination so prevalent in Journalism 101 throughout academia.
Sadly, victims are too quickly forgotten. The lessons of history once again are thought to be way too outdated and out of place with today’s progressive modernism.
This is just another example of moral and ethical relativism running wild. The only ray of hope is that it is a means to an end which must ultimately seal the fate of its adherents.
Side note: I know that some insecure individuals have needed to hate somebody and Bush is an easy scapegoat. Bush bashing at this juncture is like kicking a dead horse, it’s futile, vindictive and unbecoming even of far left liberal progressives.

Welcome #44

2009-01-21T17:25:00.000-05:00

Best wishes to our new commander in chief, Barack H. Obama, new President of these United States.
The inaugural speech was a pleasant surprise. The ideals expressed were much closer to mine than I expected. If the goals stated are serious and genuine, it is certain that support will follow from all decent Americans who believe in justice and equality.
Ideals such as personal responsibility, efforts to rejuvenate our economy by prudent action and accepting as real the global terrorist threat are speaking directly to the majority of thoughtfully aware citizens. Also by acknowledging "God" several times, the increasing trend of moral relativism which is so destructive to our social fiber, is finally being addressed. Not that the poison of relativism is secular in nature but as a social foundation, religion has served as an excellent antidote. Promoting this awareness is a step in the right direction.

Obama nation

2008-11-05T18:07:00.000-05:00

By a comfortable margin, Obama's well-oiled campaign machine propelled him to victory and he will lead the nation for the next four years. He faces a formidable list of expectations from his devoted followers and the money-men who made all the right connections. These same supporters and sponsors, I strongly suspect, will turn on him at the first hint of dissapointment. I can only imagine George W. Bush upon hearing the poll results having an introspective moment while chuckling to himself with the knowledge of how incredibly fickle the nation's constituancy can be.

If I could be so presumptious, my advice to the president elect is as follows:
Mr. President (to be), voting "present" will not cut it anymore. You already know that your over-the-top politically expedient promises cannot realistically be met. Time to ignore the politically partisan advice from Rahm Emanuel and start making the tough decisions because the buck cannot be passed so seamlessly anymore. Like "W", the MSM will inevitably start to ride roughshod over you. That's what they do. The promises you made of no increase(in taxes)for people earning less than $250,000 per year and 95% will see a decrease.
C'mon, really now!
The voting public "bought it" and like a herd of sheep, they responded. Like with Pavlov's dog, you rang the bell and enough of them responded with their votes.
Paradoxically, the racial component in this election was happily in your favor. Admit it, could a white junior senator from Chicago with no experience get this far?
Timing is everything. The Bush administration opened the door for you. In their zeal to safeguard the country after 9/11, they made some politically incorrect hard decisions. They, like many of us, thought them necessary to fight the war on terror. In doing so, they made some glaring miscalculations by stradling the lines of constitutionally protected rights. This honest effort to discharge their duties during a national emergency was immediatly seized upon and used by the opposition party (your party) to bad-mouth them. The Bush administration was vilified daily by a lopsided left-leaning press who had a common vision of making sure that CHANGE occurred. After a continuous barrage of negative reportage that lasted years, the desired result of turning more than half of the country against the party in power was met. This made the public wary of the Republicans, creating a fear of John McCain, a genuine American war hero, that he would continue in the same vain.
To sum it up, the reason you're the president-elect is simply that you're NOT Bush or a Republican, you're black and you have a velvet tongue and lots of charm and charisma.
For the love of this great country, please prove me wrong.

Remy the Papipoo

2008-10-19T22:52:00.000-04:00

Welcome home little puppy. Go ahead and tear up the house, it's OK.