Monday, December 28, 2009

DECEMBER MORON OF THE MONTH

It's the Christmas season. It is not a time for harsh words or criticism. This should instead be a time for finding the good in people not the faults. Even the most ridiculous among us have some good, don't we? I have therefore decided not to select a moron for this month. This was not a hard decision because I am by nature non-judgmental (???). So it is indeed a good thing that I have made this choice. If I did pick though, there would surely be a vast collection of candidates.

Consider those people who, in their haste to go about their Christmas shopping, feel the need to leave their grocery carts standing in the parking lot. Never mind that in order to park, someone has to get out of their car and put the cart in its proper place. Never mind that that same cart could begin rolling and damage some unsuspecting car in its path.

It is good that I am not writing about morons this month. If I was, I might pick Harry Reid. You know Harry who explained that
sweeteners are just a part of business as usual in the Senate. If a Senator's vote is needed for a particular piece of legislation all that Senator has to do is hold out and the sweeteners will suddenly appear. Never mind that the rest of the country has to pay the bill for Nebraska or Louisiana. Hey, it is just the way it is done in Washington. Still it seems a little sleazy to me, so it is good that I am not picking morons this month.

We all know that Catholic priests are not capable of being morons, so I would not be able to pick the priest in England who declared from the pulpit that shoplifting was perfectly okay in God's eyes as long as you are in need and as long as you only steal from big chain stores who it seems can better afford the loss. Never mind that all those who actually pay for the goods they purchase have to pay more to cover the losses the stores experience. No, the only important thing is that you might be in need so everything is okay. I wonder what would happen if someone decided that they needed say a million dollars. Should they only steal from a big bank? I'm glad I am not writing about morons this month because that guy would surely get honorable mention at least.

Are there any other morons out there that I am not considering this month because of my unwillingness to tarnish this season with harsh rhetoric? The cop who pulled his gun because someone hit his car with a snow ball? The people who tail gate on icy roads because they think they need to get someplace faster than the law allows? So many morons, so little time. I have discovered another thing about morons in general. They all seem to think of no one but themselves. Consider the morons you know and see if this isn't the case.

No, this is the season of good. This is the season of tolerance. This is the season of love. Let's face it. There will be morons a plenty next month. As I have said before, my problem is never a shortage but rather an abundance.

This will be my last posting for this year and so I wish you and yours a Happy and Prosperous New Year. May all your hopes and dreams come true. May you have good health. Thank you for visiting this site this past year and I hope you will continue to be my guest in the years to come. HO HO HO!

Ron Scarbro December 28, 2009





Thursday, December 24, 2009

A CHRISTMAS POEM

(The following was published in the Newsleader on December 24, 2009)

Christmas means different things to different people. For some it is toys and gifts. For some it inspires charity. For others it is a family time when Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and others gather together for meals and just plain being together.
It was certainly my favorite time of year when I was a child. We always had a decorated Christmas tree and there was always family and great food. I can still remember the stockings that were filled with treats and fruit from Santa. My father would play Christmas carols on the record player while we opened our stockings. We waited until Christmas morning to open our presents. It was a very exciting time, but even then we all knew the religious significance of the Holiday.

As I grew older my Christmas changed some but the meaning for me has never changed. For one thing I joined the Army and experienced my first Christmas away from home. My memory of that first Christmas away from home was brought back to me recently when my wife and I were going through some papers that my late mother had kept. One of the items we found was a poem I wrote as a gift for her in 1959 while stationed in Europe. I had forgotten it but she had had it published in our local newspaper and kept it in her papers. Reading it flooded me with memories.

While that was fifty years ago, I remember that Christmas as if it were yesterday. It was beautiful with fresh snow that seemed to hush all the noise of daily life. At the time I wrote the poem Handel's Messiah was playing on the sound system. The "Hallelujah Chorus" still sends chills up my spine. I was stationed in the land where Handel lived and wrote. For this special season I thought I would share this very personal poem with you as a greeting for Christmas. I know my mother wouldn't mind. I hope you enjoy it.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land
The world was at peace by God's mighty hand

The shepherds were watching their sheep in the night
And looked in amazement at a great shining light

When all of a sudden there came from the sky
Angels singing praises to our God on high

The shepherds were fearful and shook at the sight
But the Angels said, "Peace, for there's good news tonight

For you there's a Savior born in a city not far
You can find him by following the great shining star

The great star will lead you to the place where he lay
In a stable for sheep, He's asleep in the hay"

Then the Angels were gone but the air still did ring
And the shepherds said, "Now let us go find our King"

The shepherds did as the Angels had said
And followed the star to our Savior's bed

They knelt down and worshiped this small newborn child
Savior to the world yet so tender and mild

Then the shepherds proclaimed to all that they saw
That Jesus was born in a manger of straw

That Christmas was first with more on the way
And that's why I wish you Merry Christmas today.

Ron Scarbro Christmas 2009



Monday, December 21, 2009

YOU BREAK IT, YOU OWN IT

Some time back I was in a china shop and the sign on the wall said it all. You break it, you own it. That was very clear. There was no doubt that you had to be very careful with the goods as they would be your responsibility in the event you damaged them.

I use this analogy to describe what is happening today in the Congress. As of this writing they have finally persuaded, cajoled, and bought the necessary votes to pass their health care reform. So now to the analogy. Ever since Obama has been in office, he has blamed all of his troubles and all the troubles of the world on George Bush. The Congress has been his willing accomplice. From this day forward however, all the troubles of this country and the world for that matter, are on him and the Democrat Congress. You could say they have broken the china. They are passing a piece of legislation that is opposed by at least sixty per cent of the electorate and every Republican in the Senate. They have done this because they seem to believe that they know what is best for you. Today they own it. They cannot blame this on anyone else.

Some key things need to be discussed. First, almost no one truly knows what is in this reform bill. Harry Reid keeps saying that when we all find out what is in it, we will be happy. Wouldn't it make a little more sense to know the bill before it is voted on and becomes law? I have long commented on the need for reform, but I would never take any politician at his word. If this is such great legislation, publish the bill so everyone can read it. Let there be a real debate on its merits. Secondly, why are the Catholic Bishops so opposed to this bill? Ben Nelson assured us that abortions would not be funded by the government. Really? Apparently we are only going to know after the bill becomes law and then it will be too late. Finally, most legal scholars that I have heard are saying that this legislation would not stand the test of a lawsuit. Many of its reforms are unconstitutional.

But hey, who knows? Maybe Harry is right. Maybe we will be pleased with the result. Here is my problem. Even in the far out event that this legislation is good for America, (insert smirk here), I don't like the way it is being handled and passed. I want such major re-making of our country and its economy open to all who will have to pay for it. I don't want to have to wait until it is law to find out the quirks that were hidden from the American people.

And so it now appears that the bull, (Congress) has rumbled through the china shop and broken all the china. If that is the case, they truly own it. They own the result. They own the bankruptcy that could ensue. They own the outcry from seniors who will not be able to find doctors or hospitals that will treat them. They own the scorn from future generations who will be saddled with the debt.

There is one final ownership that will have to be borne by the Democrats. In 2010 when the votes are counted and Obama, Reid and Pelosi look up and find their majority has vanished, they will own that also. We will have new people hired to do the people's business. They will have a big job. Who knows how long it will take to restore this country to fiscal sanity? I truly pity those who will replace these big spending liberals. It is going to take a gargantuan effort to fix it.

Ron Scarbro December 21, 2009



Tuesday, December 15, 2009

THE GREEN MOVEMENT

The big shots are meeting in Copenhagen for the conference of conferences. Under the guise of the emergency of global warming I believe they intend to forward their true agenda. Finally, they believe, they will come up with enough restrictions and sanctions that the west will be subdued and brought down. Finally they will be able to balance the world's wealth by taking away from the rich to give to the poor. After all, they reason, why should one part of the world have so much while the rest has so little? I hope to share with you in this essay what, in my judgment, is really going on. This whole nonsense is a smoke and mirrors affair.

First and foremost the so-called green movement which they represent is not about the environment at all. It is instead a religion. A Godless religion to be sure, but a religion none the less. We are learning on a daily basis that much of the data used to sell the global warming philosophy is fraudulent at best and probably a criminal conspiracy.

As you know, I am not a scientist. I do believe, however, that the climate is changing to be sure, but to say it is man caused is laughable. The climate has been changing for the entire time the earth has existed. We have had cooling periods and we have had warming periods. Who among us knows what the temperature is supposed to be? Has our climate for the past few hundred years been normal? What is normal? Who is supposed to decide? It is just possible that we are coming out of a cooling period and will warm considerably in the next few years. Oh and by the way, a few hundred years does not even register on the scale when one considers the age of the earth. To believe that climate change is man caused is the height of arrogance. Man's presence on this rock we call earth is minuscule in time compared to the age of the planet, and if you think you could have some effect on nature, try stopping rain from falling. How about changing the tides? Maybe you could change the direction the wind is blowing or stopping the wind period. Across this planet great deserts used to be oceans. Mountain ranges used to be swamps. Did man cause that?

What really is happening is an attempt by some on the world's liberal left to stop the growth of the west. They see this as an opportunity to bring us down and they have many aides in the liberal media. This is to be the great wealth re-distribution that will once and for all time slap the west down. These morons apparently don't realize that the wealth created by the west benefits the entire world and if that wealth is compromised, the world will suffer. No doubt the movement has had some success in making their nonsense common thinking. Just look at what the word green has come to mean. Wasn't it Hitler who said in "Mein Kampf", "Tell a lie, tell it often, and soon it becomes the truth"?

To see just how bad it has become, an administration official recently told reporters that unless Congress passes "Cap and Trade" they (the administration) will have the EPA issue punitive regulations and rules that will have a terrible debilitating effect on our economy. What country do they think they live in? Do they truly believe they can pull off this blackmail? Here's a news flash for the administration. You govern with and by the consent of the governed. The moment that consent is withdrawn, you cease to govern. We have elected representatives who do the bidding of those to whom they are responsible. It would serve this administration to read up on the rules (The Constitution).

Global warming is just a catch phrase. It and other similar nonsense being perpetrated by the green movement is designed as an attempt to control those in the world who produce and to re-distribute that wealth, period.

Most thinking people love the earth and do what we can to preserve our natural resources. We do not waste nor squander the gifts we are given by our Creator. As for me, I don't need another man-made religion. I want to leave to my children and grandchildren a clean and productive place to live and prosper. The earth is our home, it is not our mother. It was here for millions of years before humans inhabited it and will be here for eons after we are gone.

Ron Scarbro December 14, 2009


Sunday, December 13, 2009

A WITNESS TO HISTORY

(The following was published in the Newsleader on November 27, 2009)

General Dwight D. Eisenhower said upon discovering the Nazi death camps, bring in the film crews, record these facts, gather up the witnesses. 
Somewhere down the road some SOB is going to stand up and say this never happened. That was one of the messages I recently learned as I sat through a presentation by St. Joseph, MN resident and WWII veteran Larry Tillemans. Larry was a clerk typist/stenographer during the Nuremberg trials.
He was a witness to history. He looked into the faces of the Nazi monsters who perpetrated the Holocaust and caused the death of 6,000,000 Jews as well as millions of others during their arrogant and failed attempt to rule the world. He listened to their rants and their excuses as they tried to explain away their murderous activities.

I have been a history buff for sometime and I have had a special affinity for the study of World War II. It was a great treat to sit and listen to one who was there. His presentation made the whole scene come alive. We are truly blessed to have such a witness in our midst. Yet as blessed as we are, we must also be aware that the march of time is claiming these heroes daily and their ranks are diminishing at a rapid rate. Soon enough they will all be gone. What then will happen to the history? Will it be forgotten? Will it be rewritten, revised? Will the images that burned into our memories just be forgotten?

Sure enough today there are morons who happen to be in positions of leadership in their third world countries who already deny the Holocaust. Even Great Britain has eliminated the teaching of the Holocaust from their school's curriculum. It would appear that such teaching is inconvenient to the  political correctness they wish to practice. General Eisenhower was right. He knew that eventually the deniers would come forth and continue their particular type of hatred by trying to revise history.

What then is the lesson to us? What should we take from this denial? Do you think this could never happen again? Consider if you will just the past few years. Consider Iraq under the murderer Saddam Hussein. How about North Korea? Then there is Africa and South East Asia. All over the world today millions of innocent people are being eliminated by various dictators. Entire races and ethnic groups are being purged by those in power. These are all just new Holocausts. In Nazi Germany Jews, Gypsies and others were inconvenient so those in power just decided to eliminate them. What is happening now is the same deadly game just with different players. 

Well you say, "Sure that is happening in other parts of the world. It could never happen here." Don't bet your freedom and your life on that. Don't bet your freedom of expression on it. Don't bet your freedom to own guns on it. Don't bet your freedom of religion on it.

The facts are clear. Our way of living is under continuous attack from outside forces as well as forces from within our own country. Do you think the German people wanted their country to fall into the hands of murderers and thugs? Do you think that when they looked the other way as their neighbors were rounded up and hauled away to concentration camps, they didn't know what was happening? Was their complacency actually an aid in allowing this to occur? You be the judge. I have my opinion.

My message, and I think Larry's message, is simple. DON'T FORGET. DON'T EVER FORGET. It can happen again. Never let complacency allow us to be taken over as was Germany. Our freedom is precious and dear, but it is also fragile. Never take it for granted.

Thank you again Larry Tillemans. I hope all those who have heard your presentation will take your message to heart.

Ron Scarbro November 20, 2009



RECENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS

(The following was published in the Newsleader on December 11, 2009)

A news story appeared in the Star Tribune on November 9 that brings up many questions. The story, written by Amy Forliti of Associated Press, relates an incident that should concern us all.

According to the report ABM Industries, a New York based company, issued a ruling that all workers in their company had to prove their eligibility to work in America. In the Twin Cities alone, approximately 1,250 workers were terminated. In this instance all appeared to have been janitors and, according to the news item, all appeared to be "undocumented workers". It would further seem that Immigration and Customs Enforcement are now beginning to require that all workers show proof that they are eligible to work in this country.

The act by ICE and this particular employer raises a n
umber of questions. First, is this a response to the fact that we are experiencing 10% unemployment? I know of no new law having been passed that suddenly requires legal eligibility to work here. That has been the law for many years. So what has changed? Are we now going to try to retain our jobs here for legal residents? According to published reports, there are over 25 million illegals in this country and you can be assured that most of them are holding down jobs that would otherwise be available to unemployed legal citizens. If ICE were to get serious about making sure that American jobs were held for Americans, our unemployment problem would disappear overnight.

The second problem that has arisen by the firings in the Twin Cities is very troubling. According to reports, none of these illegals has been arrested or deported. If that is true, what are they doing now? How are they paying for their groceries? How are they paying their rent? How are they paying for their health care? I think it is reasonable to assume that they have not just picked up and returned to their own country. Will they now just become a drain on our welfare system? Our emergency rooms? Our criminal justice system? These are fair questions and questions we should be asking our elected leaders. I read an item recently which reported that over 30% of babies born in California are born to illegals and paid for by Medi-Cal, medical care for poor people of California. All of those babies are suddenly US citizens with illegals as parents. It is no wonder that California is bankrupt.

No one really knows how many people are here illegally. If they are employed, they probably have stolen identities, stolen social security cards. Many cannot speak English. Most have no driver's license or automobile insurance. All have already shown a disdain for our laws by illegally entering our country. It is extremely unlikely that these illegals will suddenly realize their error and return to their own countries.

This brings me to my final questions. What are we going to do about it? Are we just going to continue to look the other way? When the compost hits the fan with all the stolen identities, are we just going to say, "Oh Well"? Can you imagine the mess that is facing the IRS with all of these unknowns? Do you care? Are you one whose potential job is being held by an illegal?

Just yesterday a report from the Federal Reserve stated that our unemployment problem could extend for many years. I think it is past time for us to take care of ourselves. Let Mexico and the other countries that regularly chase their citizens out to come to America figure a way to deal with their own problems. We have enough on our plate.

Ron Scarbro November 11, 2009






Sunday, December 6, 2009

MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES

In my lifetime I have come to understand a lot of things. I also have come to accept a lot of things that I cannot understand. I think I am no different than most people in that regard. There is, however, one thing that I just cannot understand or accept. That enigma is the thinking of wealthy and ultra wealthy people. What brought about this essay are the current troubles of the world's greatest golfer, Tiger Woods. You have all heard the stories and rampant speculation of his latest trials and tribulation so I will not waste this space rehashing the story, but the issue brings me to the theme of my lack of understanding.

First of all, I do not choose to pick on Tiger. I am a huge fan of his golfing ability. That having been said, I do not know him personally and probably wouldn't care to. I understand that he has a net worth in excess of a billion dollars. Good for him, I guess. Money and fame, it would seem though, have also brought him troubles and troubles on steroids. Because of his "star" status, he is a magnet for young ladies wanting to get their hands on some of that money. Recent reports state that he has a prenuptial agreement with his trophy wife that guarantees her several million dollars if she stays married to him for a certain period. If she produces children she is in for some more money. Now that the compost has hit the fan, she is apparently renegotiating that agreement. Instead of just getting maybe fifty million dollars, she seems to be asking for half of his net worth, something to the tune of five hundred million. Is their marriage based on love or money? Did Tiger marry her or buy her? Just a question.

This is part of my lack of understanding. Do you know how much money a million dollars is? Do you have any concept then of what fifty times that amount is? That is what I am talking about in this column. How on earth could you spend it? It would multiply faster than you could dispose of it. Does money at that level have any value to those who pursue it, or is it just a way of keeping score?

It seems that some millionaires and billionaires, whether in business or sports, are driven not to enjoy their accomplishments, but instead to continue to make even more money. It appears that they can never have enough. Many drive themselves to early graves pursuing unknown and unattainable satisfaction that always seems just out of reach. Some would say that is their satisfaction. If so, I don't understand that either. Do they then qualify for the best grave site in the cemetery? Is that as ridiculous sounding to you as it is to me?

This is my understanding of life. Once you have housed, clothed and fed yourself, the only thing left is more of the same. You can only have one wife at a time. Any more is bigamy or, as my brother once said, pigamy. You can only live in one house at a time. You can only wear so many clothes. You can only eat so much. How many cars can you drive? I know of people who have garages full of different cars. I wonder in their most private moments what do they think about? Do they worry that their neighbor might have a dollar or two more than they? I knew of a gentleman who, at a point in his life, sold his company and realized a net profit of twenty-five million dollars. I asked him now that he had all that money, what could possibly worry him? His reply stunned me. He said that when he visits his friends who have more than twenty-five million, they look down their noses at him. What a sad state of affairs.

I know that many wealthy people do wonderful things with their money and I say good for them. Many charities benefit from their benevolences. Marvelous. To my way of thinking, that is the way it should be.

To any millionaires and billionaires who might stumble upon this blog, I have just this bit of counsel, money is a terrible way of keeping score. Another friend once told me that there is no U-Haul trailer on the back of a hearse. Enjoy your life and your wealth but remember your days are, as are mine, numbered. Spend them wisely.

Ron Scarbro December 4, 2009