"THE PROBLEM OF MUSLIM LEADERSHIP", by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, WSJ Tuesday, May 28, 2013, Opinion, pA15.

Regarding the field of Economics, aptly termed "the dismal science", I must pull a Sergeant Schultz: "I know notttthhhhink."

But Alan Greenspan knows something, even though he had to admit after the 2008 meltdown something to the effect that "I didn't know the gun was loaded". 

Only Paul Krugman, the perpetually liberal economist of the New York Times, is absolutely and eternally secure in his pronouncements regarding the validity of this administration's economic manipulations. 

However, now come two articles worth reading suggesting that Krugman and the Obama administration have had it all wrong.

See "How Britain Returned to Growth", by George Osborne (United Kingdom's Chancellor of the Exchequer), WSJ Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, Opinion, pA17. 

See also "The Case For Repealing Dodd-Frank", by Peter J . Wallison, in Imprimis (Hillsdale College), November 2013, Volume 42, Number 11.  

ANOTHER MOVIE REVIEW: "SAVING MR. BANKS".

It has been noted that good...even great...movies get created mainly when the country is down in the dumps.  The Great Depression was one example of this.  Are we witnessing another such period, when truly good movies rise above the wasteland?

Here is yet another movie that is definitely worth the price of admission, and also the price of a box of Kleenex.  Emma Thompson is great, and is now my pick for Best Actress at the Academy Awards.  Tom Hanks is also very good.  But he may have to settle for "Best Supporting Actor", although I'm not sure of that one. 

For "Best Actor", I'm sticking - so far - with Bruce Dern in "Nebraska".  

GREAT JOB, MR. PRESIDENT

ANOTHER EDITION OF "AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY OPINIONS..."

• Pakistan.  Despite the acid, still an important ally...especially in view of the erratic behavior of India.
• India.  They made their choice between U.S. and Russia many years ago.  Important but not reliable.  However, keep trying...with a strict "quid pro quo"  approach.
• China.  Inscrutable - and dangerous.
• Russia.  "Scrutable"- and dangerous.
• The South China Sea.  Make sure that it remains "Mare Liberum".
• Japan.  A gift in a plain brown wrapper.  With Taiwan, "our man in Asia".
• South Korea and North Korea.  Stalemate. 
• Afghanistan.  We must retain a foot-hold there...for possible future action in that region.
• Iran.  A transparent "Kabuki Dance" with the Iranians and the Russians, fooling no one.  In the end, Iran will be a nuclear nation - overtly or covertly. 
• Iraq.  "If you break it, you own it"...except that the  U.S. won't pay up.  A rapidly developing failed State.
• Syria.  A "crime against humanity".  And don't give me that horse manure about not knowing which side to support.  
• Israel.  Backed into a corner partly due to its own Hutzpa.  "He who seeks equity must do equity."  It's only hope for stability would be to become our 51st State.  
• Saudi Arabia.  Starting to see the handwriting on the wall: a coming people's movement, democratic or Socialistic. 
• Egypt.  Ditto.  
• Islam, the Religion / State.  Only the overthrow of the Fundamentalists by the Moderates (where are they?) will avoid another World War. 
• Ukraine.  The West should be fighting - and bidding - hard to draw it into the Western sphere. 
• Turkey.  Years of ambiguity from the West are leading to the loss of that key player to the Muslim sphere. 
• Western Europe - or the EU if you prefer. Still very dependent on the health of the U.S. 
• Great Britain.  "There will always be an England"...on our side when needed. 
• Canada.  A reliable partner if needed, and progressively more important by virtue of its position in the Arctic - the politically heating new frontier - and as our physical buffer against Russia.
• Mexico.  Internally corrupt and still chafing over the Mexican War.  Not a reliable ally.  Control our borders!
• South America.  What happened to our "sphere of influence" there?  Mismanagement / meddling is what happened.  Needs a lot of work...but would be worth it. 

So, WHAT  TO DO?  Get back to believing that America is SPECIAL in the world...and that the unbelieving current Administration is developing a vacuum in that world.  That's very dangerous.  Wake up, folks...before it's too late.  

RR#2

A BOOK REVIEW:

"Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey Into The Afterlife", by Eben Alexander, M.D., Simon and Schuster, 2012.

Herein is proof that Dr. Alexander experienced what he describes in great detail. Here is evidence that many others have had similar experiences, all related to the innate and generally unreachable powers of our brains. Here are demonstrations that such experiences can make believers in the Spirit out of the most barnacled among us.

But it is NOT "proof of Heaven".  That reality will have to await the culmination of what we were taught in first grade by the Nuns: that life should be all about Faith, Hope and Charity.  Faith that there is One Supreme Being creating and embracing all; Hope that each of us, individually, is held within that embrace; and Charity as our means of realizing that Hope.

See the excellent summary article on this subject by Charles Krauthammer (who else?) posted in the Washington Post and in The Day  on Dec. 20, 2013 entitled: "Health Care Takeover Is Story Of The Year."  Another demonstration of the mantra of the  Liberal Far Left: Articulate, Arrogant, Asinine.              

IN THE NEW WORLD OF INSTANT COMMUNICATION AND TOTAL OPENNESS, BOTH THE RELIGION AND THE POLITICAL WORLD OF ISLAM CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT DOMESTIC AND EXPORTED VIOLENCE.  THUS: "IF YOU WANT PEACE, PREPARE FOR WAR".

GS

Who Was Haym Solomon?
Read this fascinating history of the $1 bill –
all the way to the bottom to know about Haym Solomon.
You may be in for quite a surprise!

On the rear of the One Dollar bill, you will see two circles. Together, they comprise the Great Seal of the United States.The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved. 
If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid.

Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the west or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the Capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin 's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.

'IN GOD WE TRUST' is on this currency.

The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, 'God has favored our undertaking.'
The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, 'a new order has begun.'
At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral for 1776. (MDCCLXXVI)

If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States .
It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery , and is the centerpiece of most heroes' monuments.
Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States , and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few people know what the symbols mean.

The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons:
First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it.
Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England .
Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own.
At the top of that shield there is a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation.
In the Eagle's beak you will read, ' E PLURIBUS UNUM' meaning, 'from many - one.'
Above the Eagle, we have the thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one.

Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.

An (untrue) old-fashioned belief says that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will almost never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this:

America, which relies on God (not a number) to direct and lead, boldly chose:

13 original colonies,
13 signers of the Declaration of Independence ,
13 stripes on our flag,
13 steps on the pyramid,
13 letters in 'Annuit Coeptis',
13 letters in ' E Pluribus Unum,'
13 stars above the eagle,
13 bars on that shield,
13 leaves on the olive branch,
13 fruits, and if you look closely,
13 arrows.
And finally, notice the arrangement of the 13 stars in the right-hand circle.
You will see that they are arranged as a
Star of David.

This was ordered by George Washington who, when he asked Haym Solomon, a wealthy Philadelphia Jew, what he would like as a personal reward for his services to the Continental Army. Solomon said he wanted nothing for himself, but he would like something for his people.The Star of David was the result. Few people know it was Solomon who saved the Army through his financial contributions ...then died a pauper. Haym Solomon gave $25 million to save the Continental Army, money that was sorely needed to help realizeAmerica’s –our- freedom and independence from England .
Therein lies America ’s Judeo-Christian beginning.
Most American children do NOT know any of this.
They are not taught because their history teachers do NOT know this.
[They were not taught!]
On America ’s Freedom:
Too many veterans gave up too much to let the meaning fade.
Many veterans came home to an America that did not care.
Too many veterans never came home at all.
They served, they died for you … for me.

I hope you will learn about the UNITED STATES DOLLAR BILL, and what it stands for.
America is at a critical juncture.
Let's do whatever we can to save her
while never, ever forgetting:
It is God in whom we put our trust

OBAMACARE: Washington "legislators", bureaucrats and their medical academicians have no clue about - or stomach for - really needed health care reforms.  But that doesn't prevent them from giving their citizens and the  health care providers - Mafia-like - "an offer they can't refuse". 

In case you have been vacationing on another planet, the following are some headlines and editorials you may have missed on this subject from major newspapers.

• "INSURERS FIGHT FOR THE HEALTHY."
• "THE HYPOCRISY OF CONGRESS'S GOLD - PLATED HEALTH CARE."
• "CARVE-OUTS FOR CONGRESS."
• "15,000 OBAMACARE SIGNUPS DIDN'T TRANSMIT, IMPROVEMENT SEEN."
• "BACKDATING OBAMACARE:A LAST-MINUTE RULE ORDERS INSURERS TO PAY FOR THE LAW'S BLUNDERS."
• "ERRORS STILL PLAGUE HEALTH-CARE SITE."
• "UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS TO STRAIN SAFETY-NET HOSPITALS IN CONNECTICUT."
• "NO, YOU CAN'T KEEP YOUR DRUGS EITHER UNDER OBAMACARE."
• "OBAMACARE'S PERILOUS PROTECTION PLAN FOR DEBTORS."
• "WHEN CONFIDENCE IS BROKEN...PROMISES NOT FULFILLED CAST A PALL ON AFFORDABLE CARE ACT."
• "DEDUCTIBLES FUEL NEW WORRIES ABOUT HEALTH-CARE STICKER SHOCK."
• "TOP TIER HOSPITALS EXCLUDED FROM OBAMACARE."
• "OBAMACARE'S PLANS ARE WORSE:HOW THE NEW LAW RAISES PRICES AND LIMITS MEDICAL CHOICES."
• "INSURANCE AGENTS FEELING LEFT OUT OF "OBAMACARE"."
• "DOCTOR, NURSE VACANCIES SOAR AMID OBAMACARE ROLLOUT."
• "HEALTH CARE ENROLLMENT ON WEB PLAGUED BY BUGS."
• "SMALL BUSINESS AND OBAMACARE: A NEW SURVEY SHOWS THAT EMPLOYERS WILL DROP COVERAGE AND CUT HOURS."
• "MANIAS, PANICS AND OBAMACARE CRASHES: A READER'S GUIDE TO THE COMING AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TRAUMAS."
• "THE  MEDICARE-FOR-ALL DIVERSION."
• "SUPREME COURT WEIGHS NEW HEALTH LAW DISPUTE."
• "THE NEXT OBAMACARE MIRAGE. THE NEW LINE IS THAT THE HEALTH-CARE LAW WILL SAVE MONEY.  THAT'S ALSO NOT TRUE."
• "NO BAILOUTS FOR OBAMACARE: THE HEALTH-CARE LAW'S 'RISK CORRIDORS' COULD RESULT IN A HUGE TAXPAYER BURDEN."
• "OBAMACARE BOMBSHELL:IT OFFICIAL SAYS HEALTHCARE.GOV NEEDS PAYMENT FEATURE."
• "OBAMACARE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE MAY BE NEXT."
• "OBAMACARE EXPOSED FOR THE WORLD TO SEE."
• "OBAMA'S DESPERATE PLOY: MORE OF THE SAME."
• "PRESIDENT OBAMA CLEARLY NEVER WORKED FOR GOLDMAN SACHS."
• "THE LIBERAL PANIC ABOUT OBAMACARE."
• "APOLOGIZING, OBAMA YIELDS TO AFFORDABLE CARE ACT CRITICISM."
• "'AFFORDABLE CARE' OR A RIP-OFF? WE'RE STARTING TO FIND OUT IF OBAMACARE WILL DELIVER AT MANAGEABLE PRICES."
• "THE OBAMACARE AWAKENING:AMERICANS ARE LOSING THEIR COVERAGE BY POLITICAL DESIGN."

ANOTHER MOVIE REVIEW.  My streak of good luck continues.

NEBRASKA.

As another real movie reviewer said, sounding hyperbolic, "Almost Perfect".  This story is filmed in black and white; and both that and the story itself are  "black and white".  No shades of grey here.  And yet it turns out to be, in a strange way, a Christmas story...without any merriment. 

ONCE AGAIN, WITH FEELING:

REGARDING GUN VIOLENCE. 

Now here's an example of thinking outside the box:

"Philomena", with Judy Dench and Steve Coogan, is Grade A all the way...despite or because of the terrible subject matter: the Irish Magalena Laundries.  But, to the movie reviewer who suggested that it might have started out as a comedy, I award a consultation with a psychiatrist.

GS

RR#2

AMEN.

GS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_guns_per_capita_by_country

[David]

David,

are these figures accurate?  If so, Admiral Yamamoto - who lived for a time in America, was right on target when he cautioned against invading the U.S.  "There is a gun behind every blade of grass".  

If accurate, I'll post it.