THANK YOU

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As this year of scandals comes to a close, I'd like to thank you for your readership.  In growing numbers, you have been following all of my blogs and it's indeed heartwarming to know that what I have to say and the opinions I have to give mean something to someone.  

My objective in posting these blogs is to keep people aware of what is going on around them in this country, not only from a political standpoint, but also with respect to important stories of every kind that do not make the daily news.  Of course, it is incumbent upon me to add my incredible wit, sarcastic as it maybe at times, sprinkled with a few puns and plays on words to try and put a smile on people's faces when we are living in times that make it difficult to smile.  

With your permission, I'll keep writing and blogging along... It's the American thing to do. 

... The Unknown Scribbler

N.Y. RESOLUTION: GET RID OF ESTABLISHMENT

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Everything that is wrong with this country today can be attributed to two things: (1) the Progressives and (2) the "Establishment."  Essentially, they go hand-in-hand.  

They're the ones who have been in charge and presided over the debacle of declining American prominence and democracy ever since Ronald Reagan left office.  They are mostly Democrats with a growing number of Republicans, elitists if you will.  They think you and I have abrogated our positions as citizens and that we have ceded over our Constitutional powers to them.  They plan to cement their "authorities" and positions and lead us fully into the path of socialism and they are of the opinion that we cannot stop them.  

They are the people who have been in the saddle in Washington for so long that they believe they are God's gift to the leadership of the nation.  They do not listen to you unless you are one of them.  If you disagree, you get marginalized.  If you start to grow your own power base, they cut your legs out from underneath you.  Just ask Herman Cain or Mike Huckabee about these dudes.  

These are the people who determined that John McCain and Mitt Romney should run against Obama and then set out to cut the legs out from underneath anyone else who started to gather a little steam in the primaries.  These are the people who got ObamaCare passed, and the so-called "stimulus" and bailouts.  These are the people who are facilitating the N.S.A. domestic spy program, the I.R.S. attack on conservative and religious organizations and the Benghazi cover-up.  They are all complicit with their "smoke and mirrors" and "shadow government."  

They are destroying our country from within, fulfilling Krushchev's prediction. 

When we stand up, and stand up we must and get started on routing out the Progressive Establishment, we have to be careful not to choose candidates who are equally progressive.  I think we would be wise to concentrate on electing people who have little or no experience in politics; I don't know of any better way to dig the corruption out of Washington and to return the power of government to the people.  

One thing is for certain: incumbents need to ship up or let us ship them out.  The "old guard" has to be extricated from its entrenched encampments.  Let's all head on down to the feed stores and buy up some cattle prods to get this show on the road.  Let us all be steadfast and righteous in our goals and purpose.  

Illegitimi non carborundum.   

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

AT LAST! THE END OF THE YEAR IS NEAR!

Here I squat in front of the keyboard, intent on writing the year's biggest philosophical post and I find myself perplexed.  It's not writer's block... It's disgust. 

I can't think of one piece of good news that we got last year, unless you want to count the intervention of Putin into Obama's Syria debacle as being good news.  And the bad news permeated every realm... entertainment, foreign relations, health care, national security, finances, justice, religion... 

People continually ask, "When is Jesus going to return?"  Who in His right mind would want to leave the beauty of heaven and come back to this mess?   If there are really all of those millions of solar systems out there supporting life, and 1% or 2% of them are in the same world of hurts we are in, Jesus has probably been locked up in a psycho ward someplace... maybe in the constellation of Orion. 

We have arrived at the abyss.  We stand on the verge of World War III.  Our economies are close to collapse.  Nations are governed by those who are corrupt.  Religion is barely treading water, unless you are an Islamic extremist.  I could go on for hours in this vein, but is anyone out there listening to what I'm saying here?

This year was worse than last; that year was worse that its predecessor.  Things on this planet have been getting progressively worse each year for decades.  If next year is to be worse than this year, just what horrors are we in store for?  

As for New Years' resolutions, I had thought about quitting drinking.  Now that I'm nearing the finish of this post, I can see that resolution doesn't stand a chance of being kept. 

Maybe I'll start by cleaning my guns and buying some more ammo. 

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

CYBER CRIME'S FINANCIAL HORRORS

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The theft of credit card information on 40 million Target customers was a real shock to most Americans, who seem to forget that their own computers at home and at work also connect to the very same Internet that was the source of the Target heist.  Operating mainly out of Romania, a group of cyber hackers is gaining access to thousands of U.S. business bank accounts and emptying their contents, usually on weekends when nobody is monitoring bank or business computers.  

The scheme generally starts with the insertion of malware into a business PC, often arriving as an advertisement by email.  The malware is able to shut down internal virus protection and firewalls.  It moves to other PC's in the business as internal emails are sent back and forth and then monitors keystrokes as one or more users access company bank accounts.  Eventually, the "spyware" is able to determine the exact keystrokes of bank account passwords.  

A small amount, usually under $15.00, is then transferred out of the company bank account as a test.  If successful, the next move is to start transferring large amounts out of the account on a weekend.  The money will usually be transferred through several banks in the U.S. before going through several overseas banks and ending up in Romania.  This overall process often takes place over several months; the thieves are patient in obtaining the necessary passwords and bank information before they pull the trigger.  

In most cases, the business itself is at fault for having security holes in its internal computer systems.  Many businesses have their computers hooked up to the Internet 24/7, a practice that allows hackers to work on their prey for extended hours.  In fact, most businesses are actually using the Internet, or transmitting data on the Internet for very brief periods of time; they would be wise to disconnect their main accounting system from from the Internet unless they are actually engaged in sending or receiving data. 

Bank account and credit card passwords should be changed frequently.  Bank accounts should be monitored daily for any unrecognized transactions in any amount.   Even at home, I disconnect from the Internet when I am away from my computer or when I am through for the day.  I have my WiFi Internet Router located where I can see it and the flashing lights lights indicate data is being transferred when it is not, I turn the router off immediately and shut down my computer.  

I keep all of my protective software up to date every day and run frequent scans to detect any viruses, malware, spyware or other anomalies.  You cannot be too safe regarding your computer systems when there are literally thousands of hackers out there looking to explore any and all vulnerabilities. 

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.  

IN THE MIDDLE OF CHRISTMAS, POISONOUS VENOM STRIKES OUT

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It's Christmas Day as I sit here and write this post and I was going to make it a nice, sweet post about the great things in life to be thankful for in the country when my eyes fixated on a piece of news that really yanks my chain. 

There's a Veterans Administration hospital down in Texas.  There's also Grace Academy in Prosper, Texas, where a group of elementary school kids worked up a bunch of Christmas cards to thank the vets for their service and to wish them a Merry Christmas.  Each card was personalized.  The cards had drawings of things like the American flag, military insignia and Christmas trees.  Fifty-two of those creations, coming from the hearts and minds of children, reached the hospital and fifty-two of those creations were, I presume, tossed in the garbage can; at least, the hospital refused to accept them or to pass them out to the vets because they mentioned the word "Christmas" by name.   

I'm downright speechless.  I don't know what to say.   Never in my lifetime did I ever expect such mean-spirited anti-religious venom to surface in this country.  How can you possibly explain this on a rational basis to those kids?  How can you possibly explain this on a rational basis to those vets who didn't get the cards?  

To be blunt, this is really pissy.  

HOW IN THE SAM HELL CAN YOU POSSIBLY EXPLAIN THIS ON A RATIONAL BASIS ANYWHERE IN AMERICA?  Are we so consumed by the leftist socialists in this country that we don't have the balls to stand up and put a stop to this horseshit?  

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, angrily submitted.  

A CHRISTMAS WISH

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I sure wish a could hug and kiss a liberal for Christmas.  

I sure wish I could have a beer in the Rose Garden with Barry and Joe.  

I sure wish Nancy Pelosi would get a few facelifts.  

I sure wish Harry Reid would have lunch with Rush Limbaugh.  

I sure wish Debbie Whatzhername Schultz would get her jaws wired shut. 

I sure wish Obama had the fleas of a thousand camels in his armpits.    

I sure wish all of the toilets would back up in the Capitol.

I sure wish I didn't have nine frickin' fruitcakes in my refrigerator. 


And, I wish you a very MERRY AND SAFE  CHRISTMAS!

... The Unknown Scribbler

AN UNCONSCIONABLE OBAMA ACT

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Here it is, they day when many Americans have to be signed up for ObamaCare.  Millions got kicked of their preferred, but "substandard" policies and can't get signed up for ObamaCare, either due to the website or due to the cost.  Obama has been turning those unfortunate Americans and their insurance companies every way but loose, saying first that we'll do this, then that we'll do that.  As a parting shot before he headed off to Hawaii, he allowed that such people could keep their damned policies after all, but he provided no clue as to how the insurance companies could accomplish this miracle within just a few days. 

Obama does not care one iota about the fact that 70% of Americans hate ObamaCare and want it done and over with.  He's made it abundantly clear that he is willing to sacrifice the Democratic Party in 2014 in order to jam his agenda down American throats.  If that isn't the true mark of a dictator, I don't know what is. 

This country has suffered too long under this misguided, deranged fool's Presidency.  He said that he would never allow ObamaCare to be repealed as long as he is President.  Then, he needs to be removed from office, post haste.  There are plenty of grounds to impeach him, and given the atmosphere in America right now, I believe that if the House voted Articles of Impeachment against him, the Senate would have no choice but to convict. 

He threw down the gauntlet.  Let's meet the challenge.

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.  

SHORT SHOTS

It’s time for another laundry list of short shots, always pertinent and certainly politically correct. 

It’s entirely possible, all things considered, that the industry will deliver a stocking stuffed with lumps of coal to Hawaii for Obama’s Christmas present. 

Nancy Pelosi is now almost four years in the “fog of controversy.”  There’s no truth to the rumor that she’s signed up for ObamaCare, probably because she’s not yet read the bill she voted to pass… which, in her case, is similar to passing gas commonly referred to as a fart in a whirlwind.    

My pal John McCain reportedly told America’s pal Harry Reid that he was going to “beat the crap out of him” over Reid’s invoking the “nuclear option” in the Senate.  Now, I’d pay good money to see that.  Maybe they could duke it out at Tonopah, Nevada’s Mizpah Hotel, where the story goes that Jack Dempsey won a major prize fight there.  The truth is that Dempsey never fought there, although there were prize fights in Tonopah.  So, that story is just as full of hot air as McCain and Reid, but it’d still be a good fight.  Maybe we could get a Tea Party to sponsor it. 

When is Obama going to sign up for ObamaCare?  Yeah, I know: dumb question. 

If you’re sitting in front of your computer reading this, remember that N.S.A. could be watching you through your webcam.  Now, the liberals are blaming Edward Snowden, as if to say that if Snowden hadn’t spilled the beans the N.S.A. would NOT be watching you.  I always hang a picture of Alfred E. Neuman in front of MY webcam…

The government spent well over $37 billion on foreign aid and just trimmed military pay increases and Veteran’s benefits.  So, why does Brazil rate higher than our own military? 

So here it is as I write this, the 19^th of December and there are only a few days left in the year; once you deduct the holidays, it’s very few.  So His Holiness Obama edicts that insurance companies can issue “bare bones” insurance policies to those who lost their insurance due to the onset of ObamaCare… almost 7 million people.  Now, what companies can possibly design such a policy, get it approved by their state insurance commissions, and offer it to the unfortunates before the end of the year?  I’d call Obama a jackass, but I don’t want to denigrate the poor animals.  Thank God the day has come when Americans can read right through him.  

40 million shoppers at Target have had their credit cards compromised.  I don’t know why everyone is raising a ruckus over that.  How many millions of Americans can lose their identity and confidential health and financial information through the ObamaCare website?  Oh, I’m a racist for mentioning it, right? 

DUCK DYNASTY may duck out.  When it comes to A&E, I’m ducking out; those A&E guys are not quacked up to be what they’d like you to believe they are. 

Why doesn’t some enterprising soul start a cable channel that represents family values, honest and unbiased news reporting and solid investigative journalism reminiscent of the Drew Pearson days?  Well, outside of Hobby Lobby and Ivory Snow, there are probably no advertisers out there willing to support such a network. 

One thing about future Presidents: They can always, forever, claim that they were not the worst President this country has ever had.  (Sorry, Mr. Carter, you’ve been bumped to second place,).  It seems to me that this country is going to pot, in more ways than one. 

How any of you folks out there would vote for Obama again?  Don’t be embarrassed… there’s no reason to hide under your bed.  We know who you are…

That’s MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.  

DEMS REVOLT AGAINST OBAMA

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Ever since President Barack Hussein Obama and Secretary of State John Forbes Kerry shouted in triumph that they had secured a "deal" with Iran, things have been going downhill.  First, Iran said that the context of the agreement as being released by Obama and Kerry was NOT what they agreed to.  Second, it was disclosed that the "deal" allowed Iran to pick which sites could be inspected.  Third, the I.A.E.A.stated there was no workable way for them to verify Iran's compliance with the terms of the "deal."  Fourth, the international community, especially Israel, announced their displeasure with the "deal."  

At home, Republicans and Democrats alike challenged the intentions of Iran and expressed doubt Iran would comply.  Congress began to talk about adding sanctions against Iran instead of reducing them as Kerry had negotiated.  Obama made it clear to Democrats that they sure as hell had better not be voting for more sanctions on Iran... or else.  He had Kerry go to The Hill to plea the case that the "deal" would be scuttled by Iran if they tried to add sanctions.  Now, 26 Senators, including top Democrats, have introduced a bill to add sanctions against Iran. The White House immediately announced it would veto the legislation if passed.  

Good.  Let it happen.  You can bet your sweet potatoes that the veto will easily be overridden.  From an international security standpoint, this is the worst "deal" to come out of an administration since the country was founded.  

The promising thing to come out of this is that it appears to me Obama no longer rules the Democrats with an iron fist and they are starting to think for themselves.  

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

AND SCREW THE VETERANS THEY DID!

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Regardless of the fact that there was growing criticism of the new budget bill because it provides for cuts to military retirement benefits in order to pay for new spending, the Senate refused to discuss any changes to the legislation.  Yesterday, they voted in favor and started the back slapping.  

Just as in ObamaCare, rushing through legislation before heading out of town for vacation has proven to be disastrous.  Frankly, I've had enough of every damned member of Congress.  Every damned one of them has participated in the raping of our pocketbooks, our medical system and our military.  No incumbent will get my vote in 2014... period.  

My guess is that as soon as the Senate gets out of town, we'll discover how much pork they managed to add in at the last minute, again at the expense of our military. MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS!

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.  

JAPANESE RADIATION POISONS U.S. NAVY SAILORS

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December 12, 2013 -- (TRN http://www.turnerra/ dioNetwork. com ) -- Crew members in their mid-20's from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan are coming down with all sorts of radiation-related illnesses after being deployed less than 3 years ago to assist with earthquake rescue operations off the coast of Japan in 2011. It looks as though the onboard desalinization systems that take salt out of seawater to make it drinkable, were taking-in radioactive water from the ocean for the crew to drink, cook with and bath-in, before anyone realized there was a massive radiation spill into the ocean.

Charles Bonner, attorney representing sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan said "the crew members were not only going to the rescue by jumping into the water and rescuing people out of the water, but they were drinking desalinated sea water, bathing in it, until finally the captain of the USS Ronald Reagan alarmed people that they were encountering high levels of radiation."

Bonner says that as a result of this exposure, the 51 sailors have come down with a host of medical problems, "They have testicular cancer, they have thyroid cancers, they have leukemias, they have rectal and gynecological bleeding, a host of problems that they did not have before ... people are going blind, pilots who had perfect eyesight but now have tumors on the brain. And it’s only been 3 years since they went in." Bonner pointed out that these service men and women are young people, ages 21, 22, 23 years old and no one in their family had ever suffered any of these kinds of illnesses before.

At present, 51 sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan are named as Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and Bonner says he anticipates adding twenty additional Sailors soon, bringing the total to 70 to 75 because "The Japanese government is in a major conspiracy with TEPCO to hide and conceal the true facts."

In an utterly shocking admission at a meeting of the Japan Press Club on December 12, 2013, the former Prime Minister of Japan, Naoto Kan, who was in-office when the Fukushima disaster took place, told assembled journalists "[People think it was March 12th but] the first meltdown occurred 5 hours after the earthquake." This means that the government of Japan KNEW there was horrific radiation being released, but did not tell the U.S. Navy which had deployed the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan to assist with rescue efforts. Our story covering this new aspect of the Fukushima incident is available HERE.

According to "Stars and Stripes" one Plaintiff in the lawsuit is Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Hair. When the earthquake struck, Hair and his Reagan shipmates were en route to Korea. They immediately turned around and steamed to the affected area. “There were people in distress,” he said. “This is what we signed up for.”

The Reagan passed through debris as far as the eye could see: wood, refrigerators, car tires, roofs of houses with people riding on them. Hair was told they were five to 10 miles off the coast from Fukushima, which had been damaged by a massive tsunami spawned by the quake.

Sailors were drinking desalinated seawater and bathing in it until the ship’s leadership came over the public address system and told them to stop because it was contaminated, Hair said. They were told the ventilation system was contaminated, and he claims he was pressured into signing a form that said he had been given an iodine pill even though none had been provided. As a low-ranking sailor, he believed he had no choice.

The Navy has acknowledged that the Reagan passed through a plume of radiation but declined to comment on the details in Hair’s story.

Shortly after the disaster, Senior Chief Mike Sebourn was sent from his home base, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, to Misawa Air Base, 200 miles from the faltering power plant. As a designated radiation decontamination officer, he dealt with aircraft and personnel that had flown into the area.

Sebourn, with only two days of training, was tasked with testing seven points on an aircraft’s skin for radiation. He and others crawled all over the crafts for months, he said, with only gloves for protection. At one point, he said, they took the radiator out of one aircraft and tested it. The radiation was four times greater than what should have required them to wear a suit and respirator, he said.

The level of radiation “was incredibly dangerous,” Sebourn said. “Navy aviation had never dealt with radiation before. Nobody knew what to do. Nobody knew what was safe. It was a nightmare.”

Sebourn said he suffered nose bleeds, headaches and nausea in the immediate aftermath — symptoms consistent with radiation poisoning. Months later, he felt weak in his right arm; excruciating pain followed. He said the command fitness leader in charge of physical training at Atsugi watched as his arm atrophied to about half its size.

“I have issues that can’t be explained,” Sebourn said. “It just seems like I am deteriorating.”

Sebourn said he went to doctors more than a dozen times, but no one knew what had caused the former personal trainer to lose 70 percent of the strength in the right side of his body. He retired after 17 years in Japan.

Sebourn is alarmed that the word “radiation” doesn’t appear anywhere in his service record, even though that was his job and he was exposed to it. He believed troops exposed would be red-flagged in their service records and be tracked for medical problems.

According to "The Huffington Post" another Plaintiff in the lawsuit is former Navy Quartermaster Maurice Enis.

Enis says it was more than a month after arriving off the coast of Japan -- and circling at distances of one to 10 miles from the crippled reactors -- when sailors aboard the carrier got word that a nuclear plant had been affected. "Even then, it was rumors," he said. And it wasn't until the USS Ronald Reagan had left Japan and sailors were scrubbing down the ship that they were offered radiation protection. Enis said the enlisted sailors were never offered any iodine. He said he later learned the "higher ups" -- officers and pilots -- had received the tablets to protect their thyroids from radiation damage.

"They had us sign off that we were medically fine, had no sickness, and that we couldn't sue the U.S. government," Enis told The Huffington Post, recalling widespread anger among the sailors who saw it as "B.S." but who also felt they had little choice.

(EDITOR' S NOTE: Despite the facts above, the mass-media in the U.S. has said nothing about this story. One more example of how the Turner Radio Network "provides facts the mass-media won't." )

RELATED STORIES:
RADIATION REACHES U.S.A. FROM JAPAN NUKE DISASTER
RADIATION EFFECTS IN U.S. FROM JAPAN NUKE ACCIDENT
U.S. SENATOR ADMITS: NO FEDERAL AGENCY CHECKING FOR FUKUSHIMA RADIATION IN OCEAN; AND DON'T EXPECT ANY DUE TO BUDGET CUTS!
http://www.stripes/. com/in-growing- lawsuit-servicem embers-fault- tepco-for- radiation- related-illnesse s-1.230512
http://www.huffingt/ onpost.com/ 2013/03/11/ fukushima- navy-health- problems_ n_2855529. html

Good God, what has our country come to?  This should be headline news.   

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

ANIMAL HOUSE: TIME TO SCREW THE DAMNED VETERANS

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A carefully kept secret of the new budget deal is that increased spending will be charged to the Veterans.  Never mind the fact that they put their lives on the line for this country; never mind that many of them are disabled from war-time activities; never mind that they were promised certain retirement provisions in order to entice them to re-enlist... screw them.  

The Obama White House has made it abundantly clear from day one that they despise the military and the veterans.  Their first move was to try and force the military to pay for their own medical expenses.  The next move was to try and change the terms of their retirement, so that they could not draw retirement pay until they reached 65.  Now the cads in Congress have climbed onto the "screw the vets" bus and are trying to cut retirement pay and benefits in order to accommodate their more lavish spending in Washington.  

Once again... Never mind that this government just pissed away nearly $1 billion for an ObamaCare website that still doesn't work; never mind Solyndra or other failed energy projects costing billions; never mind the mindless waste that goes on everyday in Washington.  Screw the vets.  Screw 'em good.  

Yes, I'm on a rant.  John Boehner should be ashamed of himself for letting this budget deal pass the House; he's a lizard!  McCain and all the rest of those who slapped each other in the back and gleefully coerced the rest of the House into voting for this bill need to be retired; they're total toads!  Paul Ryan obviously never served in the military or he would not have participated in authoring such a monstrosity; if he were ever elected President, how could the military respect and serve him?  He's a worm! 

This is the most despicable legislation ever drummed up.  May the fleas of a thousand camels infest all of their armpits. 

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

AMERICANS STILL CARE

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The VFW Memorial Hall in the small town of Burney, California, was packed to the gills; American Legion Post 441 was holding its annual Community Christmas Ham Dinner.  Christmas music was playing in the background as friends hugged and told stories to each other about what they had been doing with themselves since last year and what their plans were for the holidays.  

Legion members had been preparing the dinner for two days, laboring in a hot kitchen baking potatoes, deserts, and fourteen extra-large gourmet hams.  The hall had been decorated with traditional festive colors; the tables had decorative centerpieces.  The Burney High School football team was busing the tables.  It was a great night, filled with the American spirit of friendship and the season.  

Small-town America... Yes, Otis, there are still some things and values left in America that not even this President or his goons can manage to kill. 

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

OUR ANGRY AMERICA

Let's face it: Our country is in a bad mood.  People are ticked off about the costs of ObamaCare, about losing their health choices, about learning their President is an out-and-our liar, about Benghazi, Fast & Furious, I.R.S., N.S.A., D.O.J. E.P.A., Congress... The list arrears to be endless... jobs, the economy, on and on.

Well, if we play our cards right, by this time next season our troubles will essentially be over.  It's just as simple as ABC.  Where we need to be at this time next year is looking at a Congress with two Houses being controlled by American patriots.  In other words, we need to boot everybody we can out and replace them, regardless of party. 

We have to promise ourselves not to be swayed by tons of political ads, unions, Hollywood or any other big money and high falutin' promises.  We have to start now, right now, picking those American patriots who, regardless of political affiliation, will do what is really best for the country.   Then we have to get behind them and make sure they win.  

Now is the time for all good men to get off their couches and re-assert the rights of the people.  

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.  

IS THIS OUR DESTINY?

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We have to realistically admit that our country is moving toward Socialism and beyond.  The "change" in America seems to be removing free and democratic ideas and ideals from our everyday life.  Instead of withdrawing from the ideologies that make North Korea, Cuba and Iran tick, we seem to be moving closer to becoming their styles of government. 

North Korea announced Thursday it had executed the uncle of leader Kim Jong Un, declaring him  a traitor who tried to overthrow the state. Once considered the number two guy in North Korea, Jang Song Thaek was removed from all his posts because of allegations of corruption, drug use, gambling, womanizing and leading a "dissolute and depraved life." 

I don't know that there was any trial, any defense... just an execution.   Do we really want our government to evolve to that kind of barbarism?

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

DAMNED SPIES ARE EVERYWHERE

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An international group of 500 writers is petitioning the United Nations to enact a sanction against government spying on citizens, saying that such spying takes away the freedom of citizens.  This news comes as it is revealed in the U.S. that the N.S.A. is now able to determine who you associate with by determining your position using GPS pings from your smartphone and gathering information from other pings in your immediate vicinity.   That was topped off by yesterday's revelation that the N.S.A. is using cookies to infiltrate our computers and determine what websites you are visiting, who you are emailing and what your keystrokes are.  

This spying business has got to be brought to a screeching halt.  It is oppressive.  They're recruiting 15-year-old kids to spy for them.  N.S.A. employees are disgruntled that we Americans are finding out about their nefarious activities.  Obama insists nothing is wrong, but out of the other side of his mouth he says he's going to rein N.S.A. in.  I'm afraid to take my tablet to the bathroom and read the news because I don't know if Pelosi is watching me. 

I would not, however, join the group of writers who are petitioning the U.N. because I do not believe we Americans need to be subservient to such a rogue collection of international thugs.  Besides, I wasn't asked.  

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.  

CRUMMY CUSTOMER SERVICE

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As bad as the economy and business have been in this country, it is amazing to me to see how many major companies have stiff-armed their customers when it comes to getting complaints resolved.  Technology has made it possible for such companies to virtually prevent you from talking with a live body; you either get the voice-mail runaround or are relegated to sending chats back and forth on your computer if you have one.  A national survey by Arizona State University's W.P Carey School of Business found the number of households saying they were very or extremely upset about companies’ response when they complained escalated from 60 percent to 68 percent in only two years, since 2011.  98 percent of customer service outrage stemmed from dealings with private companies, not with government agencies.  

You can bet that this attitude starts in the company executive suites.  If you're a company employee with a problem, you probably can't even begin to discuss it with your management.  Many of these companies are facing plummeting bottom lines and management is quick to blame the economy, the unions, the taxes, government regulation or anything else they can blame their poor management skills on.  

If you are considering a major purchase, I strongly suggest you try to contact someone in the company customer service department first.  Find out for yourself how difficult it is going to be to get help or service if you need  it.  Check CONSUMER REPORTS to see how they rate customer service on the part of the manufacturer.  

If you encounter employees who don't seem to be interested in anything more than the sale, you need to think about taking your business elsewhere. 

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted. 

OUR ECONOMY: THE PLAIN TRUTH

SPECIAL POST

Alan Greenspan, the longtime former head of the Federal Reserve, says that the continuing interference in the business sector by the government is causing long-term uncertainty that is undermining the economy.  "The first and most important issue to recognize in the United States — and it's a problem to an extent in other countries as well — is that the level of uncertainty about the very long-term future is far greater than at any time I particularly remember," he said.  "The extent of government intervention has been so horrendous that businesses cannot basically decide what to do about the future." 


What this tells me is what I have long suspected: If we got rid of the Obama philosophy of how to run the nation's economy, we'd be one helluva lot better off.  He has highhandedly changed every tenet of successful business that I ever learned.  Nobody wants to talk about what to expect in 2014, let alone 2020.  So, long-term planning is out the door.  This kills business investment and hiring.  And therein lies the answer to our struggling economy.  

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.