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RAPID RESPONSE (Archives)...Daily Commentary on News of the Day
This is a new section.  It will offer fresh, quick reactions by myself to news and events of the day, day by day, in this rapid-fire world of ours.  Of course, as in military campaigns, a rapid response in one direction may occasionally have to be followed by a "strategic withdrawal" in another direction.  Charge that to "the fog of war", and to the necessary flexibility any mental or military campaign must maintain to be effective.  But the mission will always be the same: common sense, based upon facts and "real politick", supported by a visceral sense of Justice and a commitment to be pro-active.  That's all I promise.
GS

Click here to return to the current Rapid Response list


TUESDAY, September 30, 2014

RR#1

POPE FRANCIS MAKES A REQUEST
 
Weep not for what you have lost, fight for what you have.
Weep not for what is dead, fight for what was born in you.
Weep not for the one who abandoned you, fight for who is with you.
Weep not for those who hate you, fight for those who want you.
Weep not for your past, fight for your present struggle.
Weep not for your suffering, fight for your happiness.
With things that are happening to us, we begin to learn that nothing is impossible to solve, just move forward.
 
THE HOLY FATHER MAKES A REQUEST FOR PRAYERS THAT GOD PROTECTS HIM AND GIVES HIM FORCES TO MEET THIS DIFFICULT TASK ... SO BE IT!!
 
Our goal is to reach ten million Hail Mary's for Pope Francis.
This campaign started today. Send this message to all Catholic friends or even to those who like him
We pray for the Holy Father that the heavenly Mother intercedes for him and protects him in his ministry:
 
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

RR#2

THIS IS SPECIAL.

Change Your Thinking
 
It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking..
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service,
where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.

Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall..

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present .'


MONDAY, September 29, 2014

RR#1

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND "EXCELLENT": two words never before seen in in the same remark in this section.

Steve Croft's extended interview on "60 Minutes" with President Obama, Sept 28, was an excellent job of substance, notwithstanding what may have been left on the cutting room floor.  No teleprompter (that we could see), no excessive deference to "the most powerful man on earth"...and very good questions and answers.  Does this mean that Barack Obama is actually educable, at least insofar as "world order" is concerned.  And/ or did he receive an advance copy of "World Order" written by the world's most experienced living statesman: Henry Kissinger?  Stay tuned.

GS

RR#2

A Hong Kong movie theater asks its patrons to leave their cellphones ON when they enter the movie.

Using that, Volkswagen made an eye opening ad...

More than 1.5 million views in 3 days!





SUNDAY, September 28, 2014

RR#1

"My Old Lady"
, a movie review...

...with Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas.  You can't go wrong with these three superb actors.  But there is too much dialogue and monologue - and even operatics - which impair the flow of the story.  Thus, a failure in the cutting room, despite a movie of just 103 minutes.  Worthwhile, but could have been better.

A "B".

GS

RR#2

OBAMACARE: "A CAMEL IS A HORSE DESIGNED BY COMMITTEE".

GS

On its one-year anniversary, ObamaCare gets an ‘F’ - New York Post


SATURDAY, September 27, 2014

THE NATURE OF ISLAM: PAST AND PRESENT...BUT NOT FUTURE in our connected world.

GS

The Islamic State and ‘Religion of Peace’ - American Center for Democracy


THURSDAY and FRIDAY, September 25 and 26, 2014

"IN MEDICO PIETOSO FA LA PIAGA VERMINOSA".
"The soft-hearted doctor produces an infected wound".

GS


MONDAY through WEDNESDAY, September 22 through 24, 2014

"A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS".

GS

President Obama Gesture to Marines Dubbed 'Latte Salute' - Yahoo! News


SATURDAY and SUNDAY, September 20 and 21, 2014

ENOUGH SERIOUS STUFF FOR A WHILE.  ENJOY THIS!

GS




THURSDAY and FRIDAY, September 18 and 19, 2014

FEE FOR SERVICE: GETTING A BAD RAP FROM THE BEAN COUNTERS.  BUT ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE WRONG.  READ THIS.

GS

I thought you would like to read the attached article: Friday Feedback: Docs Defend Fee-for-Service Click http://www.medpagetoday.com/PracticeManagement/Reimbursement/47748 for the full story: Sign up at http://www.medpagetoday.com/updateProfile.cfm?action=register for your FREE, once-daily, Medical News Daily Headlines Email. MedPage Today(R) provides physicians and 'expert patients' real-time coverage of breaking medical news and the top stories in health and medicine. Physicians, PAs, Nurses, and Pharmacists may also receive CME/CE credit as part of our news coverage. Our content is reviewed and accredited by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Office of Continuing Medical Education (OCME). OCME is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide CME for physicians. There is no cost to use the service. Visit MedPage Today www.medpagetoday.com now. At MedPage Today, we are Putting Breaking Medical News into Practice(R).


MONDAY through WEDNESDAY, September 15 through 17, 2014

THE MIDDLE EAST CAULDRON: "Just the facts, Ma'am, just the facts".

GS

Qatar, cold shoulders for Kerry, and a mysterious offer* - American Center for Democracy


SUNDAY, September 14, 2014

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND NANCY PELOSI: BIRDS OF A FEATHER?

"Who wudda thunk it?"  The Republican Party and Mrs. Pelosi have something in common.  They are both STUPID!

Given the chasm that prevails between the fundamentalist Right and the cynical / hypocritical "Moderate" Republicans, the Grand Old Party is on target to lose the 2014 elections. STUPID! As I have written and said many times, on this site and elsewhere, the only "non-negotiable" for Republicans of all stripes should be total opposition to abortion from the moment of conception - no exceptions.  All the rest require rational compromise within the four corners of the U.S. Constitution: taxation, the budget, immigration, energy policy; "marriage"; sexual orientation; defense; foreign policy....

Now comes the Pelosi, declaring that a Republican victory would thrust the nation back to the Stone Age.  STUPID, especially given the high likelihood that she believes it!  "Get thee to a nunnery".

GS


SATURDAY, September 13, 2014

ON, AND ON, AND ON...

GS

5 lies that have shaped the Obama presidency -New York Post


FRIDAY, September 12, 2014

RR#1

THE WAR ON WORLD-WIDE TERRORISM.

This statement reminds me of the statement of Winston Churchill, made shortly after the end of WW II, describing an "Iron Curtain" dividing Europe.

GS

The Five Strategic Failures in President Obama’s ISIS Speech - Gingrich Productions

RR#2

AT SOME POINT, "YA GOTTA BELIEVE"!

GS

Here's How Little Time We Have Until Global Warming Is Out Of Control - Yahoo! News

RR#3

The Statue of Liberty

For some reason, people have difficulty structuring their arguments when arguing against supporting the currently proposed immigration revisions. This lady made the argument pretty simple. NOT printed in the Orange County Paper ...
Newspapers simply won't publish letters to the editor which they either deem politically incorrect (read below) or which does not agree with the philosophy they're pushing on the public. This woman wrote a great letter to the editor that should have been published; but, with your help, it will get published via cyberspace!
 
From: "David LaBonte"
 
My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined. Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:
 
Dear Editor:
So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed throughEllis Island and other ports of entry.
 
Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get
down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.
 
They had waved good-bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity.
 
Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought alongside men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France and Japan. None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people.
 
When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German-American or the Irish-American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.
 
And here we are with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that'snot what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.
 
And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.
 
(signed)
Rosemary LaBonte

RR#4

...and we'll also give them the two coasts, where most of them live.  Those areas are disappearing anyway.

GS

DIVORCE AGREEMENT- -
WRITTEN BY YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENT
The person who wrote this is a college (law) student. Perhaps there is hope for us after all.

DIVORCE AGREEMENT

THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY WELL PUT AND I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT'S BY A YOUNG PERSON, A STUDENT!!! WHATEVER HE RUNS FOR, I'LL VOTE FOR HIM.

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al: We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.

Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right for us all, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a our separation agreement:

--Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

--We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them.

--You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.
--Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.

--We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and the coal mines, and you can go with wind, solar and biodiesel.

--You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell. You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them.

--We'll keep capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street.

--You can have your beloved lifelong welfare dwellers, food stamps, homeless, homeboys, hippies, druggies and illegal aliens.

--We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks.

--We'll keep Bill O ' Reilly, and Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood .

--You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us.

--You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

--We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.

--You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, political correctness and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill.

--We'll keep the SUV's, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Volt and Leaf you can find.

--You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors.

--We'll keep "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "The National Anthem."

--I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute "Imagine", "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "Kum Ba Ya" or "We Are the World".

--We'll practice trickle-down economics and you can continue to give trickle up poverty your best shot.

--Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like-minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you might think about which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,

John J. Wall
Law Student and an American

P.S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Sean Penn, Martin & Charlie Sheen, Barbara Streisand, ( Hanoi ) Jane Fonda with you.

P.S.S. And you won't have to press 1 for English when you call our country.


WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY, September 10 and 11, 2014

RR#1

"ARTICULATE, ARROGANT, ASININE" in full view.

GS

Jay Carney Spent His First Night on CNN Being Called a Liar by John McCain - Yahoo! News



RR#2

AMERICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST: The importance of knowing the past and the present of what could be the beginning of an irregular World War III.

That includes the justified  "pre-emptive self-defense" of March, 2003, the failed implementation by then - Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and the gross negligence of President Obama in the region since 2008.

GS

No end in sight for U.S. war duties - TheDay.Com


TUESDAY, September 9, 2014

RR#1

I MUST KEEP REMINDING MYSELF:
'"JUSTICE IS MINE.  I SHALL REPAY", sayeth The Lord".  (Romans)

GS

September 10, 2:00 a.m.
Dear Friend of the Unborn,
Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare. In a single day 51,000 men lost their lives.
Here’s a statistic you may not know. Those 51,000 deaths totaled the horrific 31% of the 157,289 men who fought on both sides that day.
Now consider this.
If those men had Down syndrome diagnosed in the womb, the death toll would have been 141,560. That is because 90% of children diagnosed in utero with Down syndrome are aborted.
The chances of living through childbirth with Down syndrome are substantially less than living through the horrors of Gettysburg.
Why?
Because folks are scared. They live in fear of seeing that knuckle fold on the ultra-sound pictures.  I remember my wife and I were scared. You wonder, what if we get that diagnosis? We have faith in our lives and would have viewed it as a gift from God.
But others are not so blessed with faith and they will think immediately of having the child killed, torn limb from limb, more brutal than the deaths at Gettysburg.
We can fix that. How? By letting people know that children with Down syndrome are like all children, gifts from God send here to teach us about love, even more so!
On October 18, my friends and I are climbing on our bikes and riding 100 kilometers for a wonderful group founded precisely to make people know they have nothing to fear from a child or an adult with Down syndrome.
Best Buddies International is that group and they have my personal and my organization’s full endorsement.
Best Buddies is not pro-life like we are, that is explicitly pro-life, shouting it from the rooftops pro-life. They are quietly pro-life, helping people with Down syndrome live fuller and more meaningful lives and helping families come to know God’s gift that has been given to them.
We are an explicitly pro-life group and we take the pro-life message to these people.
Each year I make a pledge that if I win the individual fundraising title that I will make a pro-life speech. Each year for the past three years I have come in second place! I can’t seem to beat out a very wealthy banker! A good guy! But, I want to win so I can say this:
“My team and I ride for all those with Down syndrome and most especially we ride for with Down syndrome who never make it out of the womb. 90% of those children diagnosed in utero with Down syndrome are aborted. Best Buddies was founded to chase out fear and replace it with love. We ride for all of them.”
Short, simple, pro-life. I guarantee those good people do not know the deadly statistic I will tell them that day. It may change lives.
So, please help me raise money for this good charity. My immediate goal is $20,000 and I am halfway there. I suspect I will need to raise more like $30,000 to win.
In the mean time, will you please go to…
http://mydc2014.bestbuddieschallenge.org/austinruse and give as much as you are able! Fives, tens, and twenties get the job done. If someone has the means, $500 would be amazing and even more, if you can.
Help me make that pro-life speech on October 18. Go to
http://mydc2014.bestbuddieschallenge.org/austinruse and give. And please send this note to you mom and dad, your daughter and son, your grandma and grandpa. Don’t forget to send it to your neighbor, too.
Many many thanks. Pray for us, too!
Yours sincerely,
Austin Ruse
PS After my first letter last week something amazing happened. I received a letter from a congregation of poor nuns living in South America and they are praying for this ride! Let’s let them know that God hears them:
http://mydc2014.bestbuddieschallenge.org/austinruse


- Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute

RR#2

The Buffet Rule

We must support this...pass it on and let’s see if these idiots understand what people pressure is all about.
 
Salary of retired US Presidents . . . . . . . . . .. . $180,000 FOR LIFE

Salary of House/Senate members . . . . . . . . $174,000 FOR LIFE This is stupid

Salary of Speaker of the House . . . . . . . . . . $223,500 FOR LIFE This is really stupid

Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders . . . . . . . . $193,400 FOR LIFE Ditto last line

Average Salary of a teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. $40,065

Average Salary of a deployed Soldier . . . . . .. . $38,000

I think we found where the cuts should be made! If you agree pass it on, I just did.

Warren Buffet, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2014

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/14. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Don't you think it's time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!


MONDAY, September 8, 2014

RR#1

YOU'RE WELCOME.

GS


US Bishops Publish Compilation of Francis' 'Homespun Messages' - Zenit.Org

RR#2

WOW!  Now here's an "Around the World..."  to beat all.

GS

Strategy, Anyone?* - American Center for Democracy


SUNDAY, September 7, 2014

I agree...of course.

Grandpa.


Pope Francis: Elderly Are Treasure of Society - Zenit.Org


SATURDAY, September 6, 2014

RR#1

IS SUICIDE, BURN-OUT, RETIREMENT AND CAREER CHANGE THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN PHYSICIANS?


Please read this. What a waste at every career level.


"Why Do Doctors Commit Suicide?"
, by Pranay Sinha, M.D., in NYTimes Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, pA23.

GS

RR#2

READ THIS AND GET ANGRY!
I would change only one word, the very last one, to  "...incompetence".

GS

Ukraine abandoned, bereft and ignored - TheDay.Com


WEDNESDAY through FRIDAY, September 3 through 5, 2014

President Bush Predicted In 2007 With Frightening Accuracy What Is Happening Today In Iraq - Inquisitr.Com


TUESDAY, September 2, 2014

Islam; a German view!!!

A  German's View on Islam - worth reading. His references to past history are accurate and clear. Not long, easy to understand, and well worth the read. The author of this email is Dr. Emanuel Tanya, a well-known and well-respected psychiatrist.    A man, whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II, owned a number of large industries and  estates. When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism.
 
  'Very few people were true Nazis,' he said, 'but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many  more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come.’
 
  ‘My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.'
 
  ‘We are told again and again by 'experts' and 'talking heads' that Islam is a religion of peace and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.’
 
  ‘The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the fanatics who march. It is  the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor-kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. It is the fanatics who teach their young to kill and to become suicide bombers.’
 
  ‘The hard, quantifiable fact is that the peaceful majority, the 'silent majority,' is cowed and  extraneous. Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China 's huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.’
 
  ‘The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet. And who can forget Rwanda , which collapsed into butchery? Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were 'peace loving'?
 
  ‘History lessons are often  incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason, we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points: peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany , they will awaken one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will  have begun.’
 
  ‘Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late.’
 
  ‘Now Islamic prayers have been  introduced in Toronto and other public  schools in Ontario , and, yes, in  Ottawa ,  too, while the Lord's Prayer was removed (due to being so offensive?). The  Islamic way may be peaceful for the time being in our country until the  fanatics move in.’
 
  ‘In Australia , and indeed in many countries around the world, many of the most commonly consumed food items have the halal emblem on them. Just look at the back of some of the most popular chocolate bars, and at other food items in your local supermarket. Food on aircraft have the halal emblem just to appease the privileged minority who are now rapidly expanding within the nation's shores.’
 
  ‘In the U.K, the Muslim communities refuse to integrate and there are now dozens of "no-go" zones within major cities across the country that the police force dare not  intrude upon. Sharia law prevails there, because the Muslim community in those areas refuse to acknowledge British law.’
 
  ‘As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts - the fanatics who threaten our way of life.’


MONDAY, September 1, 2014

This is about Fort Trumbull, the National U.S. Coast Guard Museum, and HISTORY.

I am pleased to report that I was an informed bystander in that saga, in no way officially involved.  The heart-felt sentiments and proposals regarding the siting of the Museum are logical and reasonable.  Unfortunately, they had and lost their time.  The following are some of the relevant facts.

The Eminent Domain taking of the Fort Trumbull could have proceeded without incident if it had been based on Blight.  However, then Governor Roland and others required, as "quid pro quo" for the nearly $80 million dollars given for the project, that a) the money would go not to the City but to a separate, quasi-public agency - the New London Development Corporation; and b) that the rationale to be used for the Eminent Domain taking was to be the newly passed legislation based upon Economic Development criteria, as a test case.  The other common sense requirement was that the implementation be fair and sensitive, grass-roots-up and not "command and control", as it turned out to be.

The other very important requirement, certainly as far as the initial Trial Court was concerned, was that there be a firm plan for the use of each section of the taking.  And there was...until the Coast Guard Alumni organization that had chosen the actual Kelo property for the Museum site, retracted its plan to avoid what it perceived as unfavorable publicity.  Although the Trial Court supported the City's position, its holding was weakened by this omission and enabled appeals to proceed - right up to the U.S. Supreme Court.  The City won that important case (Kelo vs New London); but the area of Fort Trumbull became "radioactive" from the mainly negative - and I believe unfair - regional and national press coverage.

And that is the status of the Fort Trumbull land, in my opinion at least insofar as plans for the National U.S. Coast Guard Museum are concerned.

The current chosen site for the Museum has itself now too much history, too much broad-based popular and political support, and sufficient good planning in its favor to be reversed.  Indeed, any serious attempt to abandon the planned site would in my opinion result in the loss of the Museum entirely to New London.  Conversely, a unified effort to support this plan should result in a restructuring of the downtown and especially of its traffic patterns that now effectively lead visitors directly out of town.  The City of New London and its people have historically not only survived but thrived on "making lemonade out of lemons".  The National U.S. Coast Guard Museum in New London will be sweet lemonade indeed.
<>

George A. Sprecace., M.D., J.D.



SUNDAY, August 31, 2014

HEREWITH, A PLUG FOR NEW LONDON MARITIME SOCIETY / CUSTOM HOUSE MARITIME MUSEUM, NEW LONDON,
CT.

Please follow us on www.nlmaritimesociety.org and via our weekly public access TV show entitled: Custom House Maritime Matters"
, Thursdays, 5PM, MetroCast Channel 25.

To get you in the maritime mood, I offer three excellent books;
GS


SATURDAY, August 30, 2014

REGARDING " RACE RELATIONS".


Please see my comment in this section for August 13-17, 2014, entitled Ferguson, Mo
.

Nothing much has changed since then: no new facts; Black "leaders" more muted, but still out there talking about "racism"; the liberal press happy to give any and all  guesses and allegations ink and column inches.  And now we read that worried Democrats are ramping up the "Black vote" as insurance for November. (see NY Times, August 31, 2014, pA1).  And in that same edition of "the newspaper of record" we find the article entitled "Are Police Bigoted?" (Sunday Rreview, p SR 1) by Michael Wines.  The first paragraph is totally conclusory and biased.  It takes reading the entire article to reach the facts, which do not support the initial statement.  And then there is the article in the same section by Nicholas Kristof entitled "When Whites Just Don't Get It", which counts off five well-known liabilities and deficiencies of many Blacks and lays them at the feet of "race relations" and lays the blame on Whites
.

All Wrong.  All the listed deficiencies are the result of disastrous Democratic / ultra-Liberal policies implemented during the last several decades that promoted a plantation mentality instead of individual responsibility and initiative.  Black "leaders" bought it as their ticket to continued relevance for themselves, and they successfully sold it to their followers.  What a shame

When will the Black community realize the folly of this experience and join the vast majority of Americans, mostly immigrants, who "made it" by their own efforts?  Slavery, Racism, Peonage and other means of discrimination were real, long-lasting and abominable.  But that is not the here and now.  Almost all Americans are waiting for Blacks to enter the fray of American life on equal terms: no entitlements; no reparations; no excuses.  To do that, they will have to unchain themselves from their self-serving "leaders" and from the grasping ultra-Left politicos.  Can they do it?  We're waiting.

GS



FRIDAY
, August 29, 2014

IT IS SAID THAT THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE:

Those who make things happen;

Those who watch things happen;

And those who are constantly saying: "Wha Hoppen?"

If you are reading this, you are definitely in one of the first two groups.

Now try advancing to the first group.  If not your own, the quality of life of your

children and grandchildren may well depend in your informed initiatives.


RECOMMENDED READINGS:

1) Re. Ferguson, Mo. and "Race Relations".  Too much to post here; but see my offering one week ago.  And see this classic:

"What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July", by Frederick Douglas, July 5, 1852, as recently reviewed by Andrew S. Bibby, WSJ Thursday, July 3, 2014, Opinion, pA13.

2) "A Necessary Response to ISIS", in NYTimes Editorial recently.

3)"The Growing Threat From An EMP Attack", by Woolsey and Pry, in WSJ Wednesday, August 13, 2014, Opinion, pA13.

4) "Health Care At The VA", by Bakaeen et al, in JAMA August 6, 2014)

5) Re. The Public Education Disaster: a) "Charters Catch On Fast In Newark", by Leslie Brody, in WSJ Monday, July 7, 2014, pA13;

b) "The Legal Legal Road Map to Reform Public Schools", by Joshua Lipshutz, WSJ Wednesday, July 9, 2014, Opinion pA13;

c) "Taking The Longer View of Diversity", by Leslie Brody, in WSJ Tuesday, August 19, 2014, pA17.

6) On "Buyer's Remorse": President Barack Hussein Obama:

"The Daydream And The Nightmare", by Petty Noonan, in WSJ Saturday - Sunday, July 5,6, 2014, Opinion pA13.  

 GS



THURSDAY
, August 28, 2014

ANOTHER EDITION: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 OPINIONS...

This is a summary!  It is offered for those, including President Obama, who "don't have a strategy yet."

I am prepared to discuss / debate any of these positions in the proper forum.

PAKISTAN: Too strategic to discount.  Continue to support it...and to support India as a counter-weight.

AFGHANISTAN: We were unreliable after the defeat of Russia there; and we are still unreliable.  We must maintain a military presence there, with a "Status of Forces" agreement.  More strategic than our continuing ground forces in Europe.

IRAQ: We were right to invade in 2003...but implementation of both civilian and military forces was stupid.  Thank you Donald Rumsfeld...and thanks to the misguided "loyalty" of "W".  We must maintain a military presence there, with a "Status of Forces" agreement.  The KURDS are a separate issue, and are worthy of all our support.

SUNNI VS SHIA; SALAFISM / WAHIBISM / "FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAM".  The Muslims must resolve this for themselves. For that, they may need a "Protestant Revolution", a "Thirty Years' War" and a "Council of Trent".  But non-Muslims will not tolerate the export of this Terrorism out of the Middle East or against any of our Middle East interests.  And we will specifically not tolerate the expansion of Sharia Law beyond its unfortunate current borders. 

IRAN: A Russian surrogate, to be handled as one would handle a scorpion.  And NO Nuclear Weapons!

SYRIA AND LEBANON.  Approaching "failed State" status.  Such vacuums are never good and must be addressed.

TURKEY: Friend or foe?  They must be made to decide.  Mr. Erdogan cannot play both sides, as he is being allowed to do.

ISRAEL: There will ALWAYS be an Israel.  America guarantees it.  The Arabs and Muslims must be made to know this.  Meanwhile, the current stand-off is the best we can hope for.

ISIS: We need a "Coalition of the Willing", from both the West and the East, to degrade and destroy this cancer - by whatever means that are effective.

EXPORTED TERRORISM: Uncover and destroy, with the targeted suspension of constitutional rights where necessary.

ALLIES: Except for the U.K., duplicitous and self-serving partners - but all we have. 

THE U.N.: Fuggedaboudet.

CANADA; Close cooperation as an equal partner, especially regarding border issues and regarding the Arctic Circle.

MEXICO AND LATIN AMERICA: Apply consistent tough love, "quid pro quo". We advance future relations owing them nothing.

THE DRUG TRADE: Decapitate the drug pushers (whether users or not) here in America, the largest market.

IMMIGRATION: Comprehensive and realistic reform...AFTER CONTROLLING OUR BORDERS!

THE TEA PARTY: They must be both principled and must have a winning strategy.  So far, that's not the case. 

ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS: Not perceived as trust-worthy...just self-serving.  Not a winning perception.

ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS: Are there any left?  Or have you all been co-opted by the "AAA Party": articulate, arrogant, asinine"?

"INDEPENDENTS": A nice name for those supposedly "above the fray".  But do you really care, and do you really participate? Evidence suggests otherwise.  Wake Up!  The future of the nation is in your hands between now and 2016. 

"RACE RELATIONS": This will be the topic of a separate statement.

GS

MONDAY through WEDNESDAY, August 25 through 27, 2014

No Kidding, Folks: all this was accomplished in a two month period.  And do you know that the Custom House LighthouseTours received First Place in that category from Yankee Magazine?
THE NEW LONDON MARITIME SOCIETY / CUSTOM HOUSE MARITIME MUSEUM. (www.nlmaritimesociety.org).


GREAT WORK, SUSAN (our only employee), OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, OUR VOLUNTEERS AND FRIENDS.

MANY THANKS!!


George A. Sprecace, M.D., J.D., President

Director’s Report to Trustees
New London Maritime Society – July-August, 2014

Community The great community events here are our volunteers at the lighthouse – union carpenters and painters-yeah! The Shennecossett Yacht Club Regatta was presented to raise funds for our lighthouse programs, and they’ve given the fund $250. Our volunteers staffed welcome centers at both the train station and the museum and provided local flavor for the Australian cruise ship visitors. Nimble Arts Circus, which we hosted for a 4th year on Parade Plaza in partnership with the City of NL, was again a great success. And our many lighthouse boat tours and programs are the best positive community-relations program we could have – thank you to our many dedicated volunteers! The CH hosted the Drop-In Learn Center, Groton Seniors and other community groups at the museum. We even sponsored two chartered lighthouse tours for the NL Senior Center. Thirty Connecticut College freshmen painted & cleaned at the museum last Saturday morning. We have four teenage volunteers working with us this summer. The Amistad sails (free for NL residents) and 175th commemoration are events the museum should take great pride in.

Education/Programs – We presented a steady stream of educational programs on Sunday afternoons in July & August at the Custom House, many of them very well attended. These programs included musicians John Mock and John Roberts, talks by Jim Galagher on John P. Holland, ‘father of the submarine’, and by Ruth Ann Bramson on the History of Plum Island. Jin Hi Kim gave her last (of the series) Music Meditation Workshops to summer students from Drop In Learn Center. Lonnie Braxton is in the middle of his presentations for Created Equal, a series of films/discussions which we present at PLNL and which is sponsored by a grant from the Nat. Humanities Council and Gilder Lehrman Institute.

Events – Our most significant event was the 175th Anniversary Amistad Commemoration, but other smaller events included Nimble Arts Circus, John Roberts, etc.

Exhibitions    The exhibitions are evolving… Jake Kaeser made four new doors with plexiglass panels for use in the lighthouse gallery. The CC students polished our US Customs weights in advance of the September US Customs 225 anniversary event.

Fundraising – The Shennecossett Yacht Club donated $250 to our Lighthouse Fund. About 500 individuals bought tickets from Brown Paper Tickets for our tours & events and probably another 200 purchased tickets through the museum, but I have no final account of what the dollar amount of these transactions total. I attended two state-sponsored grants workshops. We were approached by a fund raiser, who would work on individual giving and could be a great help to the organization.

Gift shop –  New merchandise was ordered at the NY Gift Show last week. The Shop is looking a little tired but, in part, this is because a number of our more-expensive items have SOLD and things generally have been very busy!

Lighthouse – The NPS informally reports there was a positive decision with our Ledge Lighthouse application.  National Geographic left Race Rock on Monday and I examined the lighthouse today!Painting finished on the New London Harbor Lighthouse masonry. Loring still is soldering & painting the cupola and having the lightning rod replaced, as well as working on the windows. More neighbor issues…PR – Teriffic PR in the Boston Globe, The New York Times, on WTNH – where we were the main event in this year’s Freedom Train month segment! Those of you who remember back a couple of years ago, when we had to fight to be listed on the Trail, will appreciate this fact! We had a new newsletter for the end of the summer season (although as everyone knows, this weekend marks the middle of our lighthouse boat season), which featured research on the mural we’ve loaned to the railroad station.

volunteers Excellent new volunteers of all types: both high-school students and adults.

Respectfully submitted,     Susan Tamulevich, director



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