Yale Professor Charles Hill writing Nov. 30 at The Caravan, a blog of the Hoover Institution: The mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler prophesied that “We shall not get through this time without difficulty, for all the factors are prepared.” Kepler was predicting the Thirty Years’ War of 1618-1648 that would launch the modern international state system […]
September 1, 2012
The Roman Statesman and Philosopher Lucius Anneaus Seneca believed that ingratitude should be a crime dealt with and punished by the State. Although most all today would disagree that the former should be the case, most today would agree that we live in a time where ingratitude is certainly rampant. Seneca in his book on […]
June 9, 2010
Recently Zogby International conducted a survey to measure which group of voters were more knowledgeable about the economic policy choices facing the United States. Those questioned were asked if they considered themselves to be Liberal, Moderate or Conservative. They were also asked their political affiliation or party choice either Democrat, Republican or Independent. They were […]
May 25, 2010
The people who are part of the Tea Party come from many perspectives on the political spectrum and are not all lock step in their ideas of what needs to be done about our national economic dilemma, however an inordinate number of individuals in the Tea Party seem to be of a Libertarian bent and […]
May 8, 2010
It would seem that the recent economic crisis enveloping Greece is merely a preface to what is to come in many of our States and eventually to the U.S. as a whole. Our deficits are staggering and unsustainable. As I see it we have three choices, none of which are ideal. Solution 1. We raise […]
March 5, 2010
In 1961 I enlisted in the United States Army. It seemed like the thing to do because, at that time, to say that my life was going nowhere would be a definite understatement. I was 17 years old and no one could tell me anything because I knew it all. When I arrived at Fort […]
January 27, 2010
I just finished reading James Michener’s “The Drifters”. This is not one of his best works, but does engage one to think about the preponderance of the underclass in a society as wealthy and upscale as the United States. Michener follows six youth in the late 1960’s as they drift from their comfortable homes to […]
January 20, 2010
In the 18th century the philosopher Voltaire commented on the Health Care of his day. ” It would seem that the Doctor’s function is to amuse the patient while Time and Nature cure the disease”. Sounds like an HMO to me.
January 9, 2010
A Senior Discount, by definition, is a 10% Bonus for being unproductive. Conversely it is a 10% Value Added Tax on those unlucky enough to be young.
January 9, 2010
When dealing with folks at the Social Security office, remember that bureaucrats work from a long established code: WHEN IN CHARGE – DELEGATE WHEN IN THE WRONG – EQUIVOCATE WHEN IN DOUBT – MUMBLE Knowing this code will give you an advantage, but you may still have to resort to going ” Postal ” in […]
January 9, 2010
If you are talking to someone who says, “I don’t know why anyone would want to retire’? “I have to stay active and productive”, “I’ll always have a job”. You are talking to some middle management type who has no pension.
January 8, 2010
The newest outrage in Washington has to be the coming together of the House and Senate to finish the job of impoverishing and endangering the welfare of America’s Seniors. Cutting the amount of funding from Medicare that is envisioned by those elected to protect our interests is going to do two things for certain. 1. […]
January 8, 2010
As an astute Retiree you should have two things and two things only in your Financial Portfolio. 1. Cash 2. Series I, Inflation Indexed Savings Bonds. As regards Stocks: If you had been heavily invested in Stocks, you wouldn’t be retired.
October 24, 2009
The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote a parable about a fire breaking out backstage in a theater. The Clown came out to inform the public. They thought it was just a joke and applauded. He repeated his warning and they just laughed and clapped louder. The point of the parable is that the greatest of disasters […]
October 23, 2009
In Greek myth the river Styx ran through Hades. The river, it was said , was so foul that to drink of it brought instant death. It was a crossroads where the world of the living met the dead. To cross the river Styx was usually a one way trip. As I read about the […]
January 9, 2013
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