Observations of Columbo with my son

As a Christian I try hard to limit my exposure to the profligate life styles portrayed in the theaters and on television, preferring the less "in-your-face" shows and movies.  However, as a father, I am even more keenly aware of that to which my children are exposed.  In this regard, I strive to maintain a balance.  I neither wish to become a legalistic iron-fisted totalitarian nor the anything-goes parent.  I do not believe you can shelter your children from all evil in this world, but I strongly believe you can build a base of principles in your children by which they themselves can make wise moral decisions.


With that in mind, I found myself during this summer with my children at home all day, wanting to enjoy a good TV show with my family.  At first, we decided to watch the Monk series via Netflix.  My children were extremely amused by the obsessive compulsions of Adrian Monk.  However, after only a few episodes, it became apparent that the seemingly benign show was replete with profanity and even some occasional sexual connotations, something to which I do not want my children exposed.  It then occurred to me that there is no modern show that I could feel safe watching with my children.  It was about this time that the news came about the death of Peter Falk.  In a mood of nostalgia brought on by this news, my wife decided to Netflix an episode of Columbo and, being a show from the early 1970's, knew that it was perfectly fine for our son to watch with her.  Thus started the summer trend of watching Columbo with my son.  My daughter will even join us, but she seems less captivated by the disheveled antics of Detective Columbo than my son and I.

Last night, while engrossed in yet another murder mystery that only Columbo could solve, my son and I were discussing the differences in the life styles of today versus those portrayed in the show.  I commented on such things as: "Notice that no one has a cell phone?", "Do you see anyone wearing a seat belt in their car?", "Did you hear the price of those expensive shoes?  We couldn't buy a cheap pair of shoes for that much today.", "Did you notice how those people greeted that person right as they were getting off the plane?  That's not allowed today."

It was an engaging conversation with my son that led to comments from him such as: "Wow, you were born at a cool time.  How many freedoms have we lost since you were a kid?  I wish things were like they were back then."

The lesson from this experience is that we have lost so many freedoms over such a long period of time, that most of us fail to realize the full impact.  It is the slowly boiling frog phenomenon at work.  Only when we look back at life from a generation past and submerse ourselves in it for an hour or so that we truly begin to comprehend the full severity of our condition compared to those of our childhood.

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Potential Food Price Explosion?

As I have recently been reading various news reports concerning current world events, both natural and man-made, I get a real sense of foreboding when I consider how food prices and even availability may potentially be affected.

Here is a list of things I have come across just recently:

1. Japan has been importing U.S. beef at record levels recently
   http://www.agrinews.com/beef/exports/to/japan/are/up/dramatically/story-3542.html
2. The Federal Government has been blowing up levees around the Mississippi due to record flooding.  All this has resulted in 1000s of acres of farmland around the Mississippi being rendered unusable this year.  That means reduced crops and thus reduced supply.
   http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/levee-blast-means-lost-936392.html
3. Record dry weather and out of control fires across Europe and the Southern US are wreaking havoc on grain crops.
   http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-04/grains-may-suffer-as-dry-weather-persists-according-to-hgca.html
   http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-02/parched-kansas-wheat-boosting-prices-for-panera-bread-wheaties.html
   http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7552100.html

All of the above ongoing events coupled with the Federal Reserve's incessant money printing (they call it Quantitative Easing) and Washington DC's profligate spending appears to me to be a recipe for some very serious food price increases if not outright food shortages in the coming months as ever more dollars chase after diminishing goods.

The situation is dire and I doubt very seriously if the average American citizen is even aware of what is going on.  We are too wrapped up in weddings, reality tv, politically expedient military operations, and all the other sycophantic rhetoric being spewed by the main stream media to take notice.  I wonder what it will take for the majority to notice?  $20 milk? 10$ loafs of bread? Empty shelves?  I fear we will soon find out, but only just after it is too late.

 A hungry citizenry is an easily controlled citizenry.  Our so-called political leaders have already said "never let a good crisis go to waste".  A good food crisis would be just the thing to avail themselves of more power grabbing, freedom robbing actions.

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The Truth About Japan

In this day of watered down information being disseminated by the main stream media (MSM), it is at least relieving to find bits of real truth from some of the alternative media. I often find RT news to be far more informative than the likes of MSNBC, CNN, and FOX.

With that in mind, I could not, in good conscience, refrain from making a post on the following RT news segment covering the real truth of the situation concerning the nuclear meltdown occurring in Japan.



The situation is far more grave than most Americans realize. But lest we actually become aware of anything other than Dancing With The Stars, or Britney Spears, let us go back to sleep like good little sheeple.

Korea Buys 96,000 acres of Texas

A lowly worker, bereft of much wealth, I find the purchase of a mere 20 acres in Texas to be illusive, at least by means other than enslavement to debt, and much to my consternation, a foreign country sweeps in and consumes nearly 50,000 times as much in a single land grab. And even more diconcerting is the reason behind such an acquisition...

The purchase of 80,000 acres is located in the Eagle Ford Shale section, which is believed to have rich deposits of oil, natural gas and liquids...

Read the full article here

Does this bother anyone?

Does it at least distract from the daily frivolities of Dancing With The Stars, American Idol, and Justin Bieber?

Or, perhaps, all we sheeple have become so apathetic to events unfolding around us, that nothing shy of cataclysmic would penetrate the indifference of our mundane existences.

Japan Earthquake Good for the Global Economy?

It is a sad day in the USA when so-called leading economists actually claim that the recent earthquake/tsunami in Japan will actually help to stimulate the economy.

For example, Larry Summers, president emeritus of Harvard University and former director of the White House National Economic Council, recently told CNN...

"It may lead to some temporary increments, ironically, to GDP, as a process of rebuilding takes place."

Read the full article

Mr. Summers reminds me of another wacko with an evil slant...

Internet Freedom Under Fire

The Obama Administration is currently pushing forth an agenda to take away internet freedom under the guise of "security".

The following article gives some light into the push for a new centralized Internet ID for American citizens...
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20027837-501465.html

One particular quote that I found interesting:

"We are not talking about a national ID card," Locke said at the Stanford event. "We are not talking about a government-controlled system. What we are talking about is enhancing online security and privacy and reducing and perhaps even eliminating the need to memorize a dozen passwords, through creation and use of more trusted digital identities."

What a bold faced lie! This is all about centralizing government control of the last bastion of freedom coupled with big government's dream of a National ID. If you think I am paranoid, just consider the fact that your Social Security Card was never supposed to be used as a form of identification. In fact, early cards plainly stated on the front, "FOR SOCIAL SECURITY PURPOSES * NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION"



Just like social security cards, any attempt to centralize identification of American citizens will ultimately be absorbed and used by government to control the populace. It is not a matter of if they will do it. It is only a matter of when.

It is also my opinion that centralizing identification is a policy that criminals will absolutely salivate over. If you think identity theft is bad now, wait until this is in place.

EPA Power Grab in Texas

I personally consider the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be an out of control, power hungry agency of the Federal government that is bent on violating the US Constitution at every available opportunity.

In yet another power grab, the EPA tells Texas to go shove your 10th Amendment rights where the sun doesn't shine...

"The unwillingness of Texas state officials to implement this portion of the federal program leaves EPA no choice but to resume its role as a Clean Air Act permitting authority in the state."

Read the full article: EPA takes over Texas pollution permits

The EPA will not stop until they have complete and utter control over every single citizen. You won't be able to sneeze without a permit from the EPA if this power grab continues unabated.

The EPA is a job destroying, wealth consuming, freedom robbing juggernaut that must be stopped!