Got an email from a friend that relayed a story that made me think of Republicans and Democrats. Which wolf would you assign the Republicans to? Maybe we should stop feeding it!

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."



 

It is kind of amazing how US politics can make other more important things disappear from the headlines.

While we have been watching the clowns called Republicans Syria has gone south, al-Qaeda has taken over Yemen, Myanmar is about to have an election, the Seals have rescued two kidnapped people in Somalia, Greece is still sending chills throughout the markets, and the Academy has announced the candidates for the Oscars.

Very little of these and many other really interesting and important things have been missing from the front page...

Look, Romney will win the nomination in August. Newt and Paul will remain in it to the bitter end, then Paul will declare for a third party. Rick will be gone after Florida. So lets get with the program and examine if Obama's economic plan is the right way to go and if it is lets get behind the Democrats so they can regain control of the House.

Fact is in the first two years the Democrats did quite a bit when they had a majority. With health care out of the way they could do a lot more!
 

The Onion just put out an article by "scientists" stating that we need to get rid of 2.3 billion people if the planet is to survive the plague of humans.
It was a tongue in cheek article as it concluded by asking the question how would you go about reducing the population.

Well Hitler had some concrete ideas about that subject.... Personally I have seen Mother Nature take care of that problem time in again. As a one time hunter I noticed that an increase in the rabbit or deer population was soon followed by an increase in the coyote or wolf population and then as they increased their numbers things like mange affected them. If there was no increase in the coyotes population the rabbits came down with a virus of some sort. Hasn't anyone noticed the increase in Cancer or heart related problems and the new problems like AIDS and now the flesh eating bacteria? Hell you can catch something quit deadly just by GOING to a hospital.

I know that given enough time we are capable of finding out how to handle new medical problems, just like we did with AIDS. Trick is having enough time, what happens if we don't have the time? There was a fiction book called "Earth Abides" written on this very subject where mankind was hit by a fast moving virus that knocked civilization back to the stone age! An interesting read and maybe we are not far off to that time as we rapidly head for 10 billion people on the planet.

Any way I hope we never get to the point where we have to consider deliberately reducing the population as a means for survival Though I do believe there are certain groups that would not hesitate to put such a plan into operation.
 

Recently I have sent the Canada Party video to my friends in the states. One of them has enjoyed it and asked for more. One began to rant about the weakness of the Canadian military, from an experience he had thirty years ago. Then he went of a short rant about the greatest of America ending with a "God Bless America" comment. I had to respond to some of his comments and after I finished I thought it might be of interest to you.

I came to Canada in 1967 for two years and stayed , for the most part, a lifetime. Here are some of the reasons:

Without a doubt the United States is the best thing that has ever happen to mankind. The United States is the light that shines brightly and draws people from all over the world to it.

It is that very reason why I fear for its ability to continue that role. Proverb 16:18 comes to mind "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

Too many Americans have come to the conclusion that if things are not done the "American" way then it is wrong or evil!

The reality is that America has come under the control of what Eisenhower warned us about, the military/industrial complex. America is no longer doing what is right for its people but what is right for big business. Our forefathers saw federal government service as something you did for a few years then went back to their regular job, not something you did as a career. With a population of 300 million surely we have enough people who could volunteer their time for six years and then go back home instead of staying a life time!

Currently Congress is made up mostly of MILLIONAIRES! Is it little wonder why our health care is in the hands of Insurance companies more interested in making a PROFIT over providing you with care? Americans are so brainwashed that they believe that their health should be allowed to be controlled by health insurance companies than a government designed to serve them! If the government fails to deliver they can replace it at the next election rather than try and fire a CEO, who will walk away with a multimillion dollar payoff regardless!

Can't have government get involved, after all! By the way has the government ever fail to provide you with your social security check, failed to remind you about your taxes, or defend our country? I believe what Obama said in his State of the Union address: "That government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more." Health care is one of those issues.

What makes me sad is to watch from Canada and see America decline. When I first came north the US led the world in just about every measure you could mention. Today not so much. In education, health, standard of living, value of the dollar, manufacturing, transportation, housing, communication, and countless other ways the US is less than what it was. Yet too many Americans go around beating their chest saying we are the greatest and do nothing about addressing the problems that are leading to the decline.

You wonder why I stayed in Canada? Well since I have been here Canada has provided a health care system where I can work anywhere in the country and have health care coverage. I do not need to worry about having a preexisting condition or losing my job and lose my health care. I have had an achelies tendon repaired, an open heart operation which required me to stay in the ICU for 10 days and 4 days in recovery, two trips to the hospital to remove kidney stones, while my wife has delivered two children and had major surgery. Yesterday I visited the hospital for major blood tests. Total cost? $0.00! Sure I pay more taxes than you, but not having to worry about medical expenses as I get older is well worth it!

Obama's health care is a vast improvement over what was, but it is miles from what is needed, but too many Americans have been brained washed by the health insurance companies to knock the Canadian system.

When I came to Canada the education system was OK, but then the government wanted to improve it. So what did they do? They went to the TEACHERS and asked what needed to be done. Today the curriculum is developed with teachers working with specialists and technical people to develop the curriculum. In the US the changes are made by the top. Some bright people get together with politicians and you get something that just doesn't work. Leave No Child Behind, which left everybody behind. A long time ago I came to Canada, one of the reasons was that as a teacher my salary took a 24% jump in ONE year. Within three years I was making double what my friends in Colorado were making. In 2001 I took a job as Principal of a small K to 12 school in northern New Hampshire, my salary was $45,000 In 2002 I started as Principal of a 7-12 school in Alberta with a starting salary of $75,000 when I retired in 2005 my last salary was over $100,000. Today that job is worth over $122,000 while the average salary in Massachusetts is $116,000 and New Hampshire is $105,000. Basically Canada has shown the value of teachers by paying them a competitive salary!

As a result today Canada ranks in the top FIVE in the world while the US is struggling to stay in the top 25!

Today's generation have far too many people who have been brained washed by the religious right. It happen the moment we allowed various religions to run their own schools. We seem to be too dumb to realize that America's decline began the moment we gave everyone the right to run their own schools and degrade the public school system.

My Dad fought to prevent America from being taken over by tyrants little did he realize that the tyrants within the country would be more dangerous!

Our fathers were part of the great generation and unfortunately we have failed to pass on the values they defended to our children.

Unfortunately too many of us refuse to recognize the obvious: "If we keep pounding our chest saying WE ARE THE GREATEST", we will soon discover the world has passed us by. Fact is it already is. Yes the US has the greatest military the world has ever seen, but why did it take us ten years to defeat an uneducated ill armed opponent when it took only four years to defeat two of the most powerful militaries,to invade another country?

Most Americans see the system as broken! The problem is that everyone is running around with different ideas and not prepared to sit down with others and listen to each other. America is rapidly become as extreme as some of the Muslims. God Bless America??? Does God not bless Norway (the country with highest living standard in the world), Germany, Japan, Fiji, Australia??? Give me a break! What happen to Tebow? Did God go on vacation?

My comments are not because I think less of America, but because I still believe it is the greatest country in the world, but if it does not soon change and improve it will continue to decline. We need to fix it not just beat our chest!
 

Finally someone has presented the truth about the current election processes. And wouldn't you know it came from Canada!

Recently two gentlemen from BC (British Columbia for those that don't know anything about Canada) have formed the Canada Party and indicated that Canada should be considered as the next US President. They have presented two ads promoting Canada for consideration and they are hilarious! The first ad was given some time on CNN and personally after watching both ads I have found something that even the Daily Show hasn't been bold enough to address. I expect that Jon Stewart will have them on his show in the near future if they continue to hit the nail on the head. You can find their YouTube ads by just googling Canada Party. If you want a few minutes of cheer do it.

The following is the Canada Party's reasoning for being.

We are the Canada Party.

If you have been watching the elections -- and we've seen you watching -- maybe you've noticed the long, slow descent into rhetorical chaos, the doomed glares on the faces of voters, the parade of candidates that resembles an all-chimp revue of CATS.

We love you, America. And we're here to help. That's why we're running for president of the United States.

Our campaign promises:

- We will build the Keystone pipeline, but it will carry maple syrup. If there's a spill, at least the animals will be tasty.

- All recess appointments will include one hour of actual recess. #canadiankickball #wearacup

- We will change the phrase "job creators" to "job creationists," and give them seven days to actually create some.

If these values carry the same value as your values, then join us. Over the next ten months we will create more campaign videos, publish a book, construct a website, and design a series of campaign materials to be released into the creative commons to help spread the word and secure Canada as the new leader of the free world, by proxy.

We are Canada. Join the Party.
 

I see the Republicans have started the lies about the Oil Sands and China.

The real truth is that SEVERAL years ago China invested in an oil sands project to develop the resource. This has of course resulted in plans to build a pipeline to the west coast. It is NOT a sudden thing because of Obama's refusal to go along with the Republican's ransom of tying the decision to the payroll reduction tax!

Fact is the major debate in Canada is why we don't build oil refineries in Alberta instead of shipping the jobs to the States. If Alberta wasn't already in a labor SHORTAGE developing the resource they would be building the refineries. Instead it makes more sense to upgrade refineries already developed in Texas.

Canadians, unlike Americans, do not put all their eggs in one basket. It is true that Canada and the US are the biggest trading partners for each other, including China. This does not mean that Canadians are going to ignore other markets. Both China and India have shown interest in the oil sand resource. This has not, like the Republicans would like to tell you, because Obama has delayed the development of the pipeline. Trans Canada, the company building the line is well aware of the problems and when Obama did what he did they IMMEDIATELY presented an alternate route for consideration. H'mmm think they already knew what was coming?

Truth is you can't believe anything coming from the Republicans. Here we have a known liar in Gingrich leading the pack as of today and the best example of a true Republican being slammed because he used the principles supported by Republicans to make money!

In a time when the current President is the most likely to be a one term president since Jimmy Carter the Republicans can not put up a viable candidate. The candidates that could attract American voters are staying on the sidelines. Why? Because they are very aware that the economy is in such bad shape that whoever becomes President in 2012 is in for one big world of hurt! So if Obama gets re-elected so be it. The Republicans can come forward in 2016 and put ALL the blame on the Democrats. If the Republican candidate gets elected chances are his own party will dump him in 2016 as the economy will still be in the pits!

Today there are four possible individuals who become president in 2013. Obama, whose record really isn't that bad considering what he inherited. Gingrich, as the candidate for the party that values morals?? Romney whose wealth puts him in a class that has been distained for avoiding their fair share of taxes and admits he is paying at a 15% rate while Joe Citizen pays in the 20% range. Then there is Ron Paul the man of the 18th Century, who will most likely become a Third Party candidate.

Who would you choice?


 

During the first stages of public education each student had a slate to practice their writing and numbers. As time went by the chalkboard replaced the slates and then smart boards replaced the chalk board.

Today Apple has introduced the most innovative tool since the slate!

Today it is not uncommon to find textbooks costing up and over $100.00 this cost has limited school boards who have faced budget cuts. Apple's iTextbooks will cost around $15.00 each, a considerable savings. Not only that a student will be able to carry them all home without having to take a weight lifting course!

These are not just textbooks, they are interactive. You are reading about cells and you touch the photo showing a cell and all of a sudden you are in the cell with all its parts! The cell comes alive and you see what each part does for the cell. Can't understand what you are seeing? Touch the photo of an expert and he comes alive and tells you what you are seeing!

Have trouble with textbooks becoming dated and need replacement? iPad textbooks will be updated with a touch of a button!

What goes around comes around. We started with students carrying a slate so they could work on the things they had to learn and today we see them returning to carrying a slate like item that will allow them to learn at a rate never dreamed off by their parents! This will probably put Steve Job at the same level of Horace Mann for his contribution to education. Horace gave us public education and Steve has allowed us to bring education to everyone. It has just become that more difficult for certain societies to prevent women and minority groups access to knowledge!
 

Seems like the American consumer has been dipping into their retirement funds in order to keep their heads above water. It appears that many Americans have taken the attitude that the current economic down turn is temporary and by dipping into their retirement funds they think they can weather the bad times.

As a result Americans have not altered their life style and continue to buy things they can't really afford. Just wait and see what is going to happen when Americans figure out that things are not going to get better and that none of the individuals running for President, on either side , have the answers.

Once that reality hits home look out!

Seventy is about to become the new retirement age and for the first time in American history the youth will have a lower standard of living than their parents. More will be renting than buying, use public transportation at a higher rate, and live in areas that can provide for their needs without traveling large distances.

The housing market will take decades to recover, retirement age will be extended, unemployment rates will remain high, and the market will crash to levels equal to the Great Depression.

All of this will begin in 2012, maybe the Mayans had it right after all!
 

Last night the temperature dropped to -48F and then the power went out for two hours followed by a house fire just down the street!

Just last week the temperature hit 62F, that's a one hundred degree drop in six days.

Looks like the US will soon be catching up to Canada in the near future regarding the price of gas. Currently the Canada price is in the mid $4 range and I see the word is $5 gas by summer.

So nine countries in Europe were downgraded, Look for that to affect North America in the near future. Looks like the downturn is going to occur before the November elections, not good news for Obama.
 

With Huntsman out Romney now has a clear shot. Seems like it will be a Paul vs Romney final with Romney getting the nod.

I give Romney a 45/55 chance to defeat Obama with his chances to improve as the economy continues to decline. I just don't know if I want a multimillionaire running the country during this time. He just might fire all of us for the bottom line.

Should Obama win in 2012 I think Huntsman may very likely be president in 2016.

I see they are talking about $5/gallon gas by summertime. Currently Canadians are paying between $1.03 and $1.10 a liter that works out to $4.37 to $4.67 a gallon. Prices were in the $1.20 range a few months ago or over $5.00 a gallon. So get use to it! A tank of gas use to cost around $30.00 is now over $50.00!

Congress has an 11% approval rate, little wonder that so many of them have decided to retire! It would be interesting to see how that carries over to individual members. Are people upset about their member of Congress or towards a particular party and their actions. If this is the case and people are annoyed at the Republicans we could see a major upheaval and a solid Democrat majority. If the they are annoyed at their member then we could see a lot of shifting, but in the end we could end up with a Congress still in gridlock.

Remember the old saying: "Cheer up things could be worse, so I cheered up and sure enough things got worse?" Well we are about to see things get worse in 2012. We are about to see the ugly head of inflation and when it shows up sooner or later interest rates will rise. When that happens the weak recovering housing market will take another tumble. It will put more people in danger of losing their houses even after successfully refinancing them. there will be a drop in new car and major appliance purchases and more people being thrown out of work. Unemployment will return to the 9% or better level. The stock market will drop like a rock and it will take ten years or more to recover as the bear market goes into Phase Three.

It's really too bad that the Supreme Court decided that Bush won the general election instead of Gore back in 2000!