Verna said, "I hope we can get a car like this some day." Thirteen years later, in 1977, we returned to America for six months and found a 1964 Mercury Comet sitting on a car lot. The car served us well and we even got the purchase price back when we sold it.

Now we are retired and living in Malaga, NJ. Every day we walk our dog past a house with a 1964 Comet sitting in the yard. It has very little rust and the chrome still shines. If only I had some extra money....

SOCIAL NETWORKS

June 16

I have heard much about MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and other lesser known social networking sites. Some of what I learn sounds great, but I have also read and heard a few horror stories.

One of my granddaughters is on Facebook and I have been invited by her to join this growing social networking site.

It doesn't cost anything. That makes me a little suspicious.

I have also been invited to join Facebook by a myriad of other people, from a 93-year-old friend to people I never heard of. That causes me some concern.

Friends and relatives tell me that I needn't worry. Facebook is perfectly safe. You can control who gets to see whatever you want them to see.  If you are a Facebook fan and disagree with what I am writing, please tell me and I may post your response in a future blog.

Out of curiosity, I typed the name of my granddaughter into Google and got thousands of results. I added the word "Facebook" and got only 785 results.

I opened just one of those links, which is probably typical.

A girl with the same name as my granddaughter lives in Baltimore, MD. I am not on Facebook, but I can view her public profile. She is a cute girl (if that is her photo). The names and photos of seven female friends are also posted there for all to view. This girl and her friends appear to be teenagers. Another feature of her public profile is a list of what she likes and dislikes. She doesn't like thunder storms and likes morning sex. Our 13-year-old granddaughter wouldn't post either of these, but if she did, would her parents know?

Now here is what bothers me about social networking sites. If I Google the names of all her friends, I also get their Facebook pages. By Googling two or three names of her friends at the same time, I can probably find out what school they attend. You can Google the name of almost any person along with the city or town where they live and get their telephone number and often the street address. Try it yourself! Type your own first and last name in quotes into the Google search line (or any other search engine) and see what comes up. Do the same thing again and add the town where you live (without quotes).

I got tricked into signing up for Twitter. I was on TV May 14th and checked the station website to see if I could find a video of the interview. The site mentioned that the station was on Twitter, "the fastest growing social networking site". I falsely assumed that Twitter must be like YouTube and I might find a video there. When I registered for Twitter (absolutely free), I followed the online instructions and clicked "Okay". I got an error message saying that Twitter could not find my address book.

Suddenly I knew why I kept getting invitations to join Facebook and Twitter from people who said they were not aware that they had invited me to join.

I don't want all my contact addresses and information anywhere but on MY computer. A hacker could possible get the information anyway, but I don't give it to strangers willingly. I have Comcast, which also tries to persuade me to use the online address book. It is great when I go on trips and want to send email from my laptop. But I prefer to copy the addresses from my desktop computer to the laptop. I use Thunderbird for email because the contact information stays on my computer. When I signed up for Google Mail (gmail), Google wanted to import my address book. I refused to oblige. That is why Twitter complained! Many friends use Comcast, Gmail, AOL or other email services that do the same, so I must assume that my name and contact information is already on a dozen servers.

I am a fussy old man that is far behind the times. I am just being stubborn, but people who want my personal information and that of my friends will have to work for it - or let Google do it for them. I am not throwing it at them!

MORE OF THE SAME FOR NEW JERSEY

June 9

A front page headline in Monday's Gloucester County Times reads, "Corzine is set to 'fight like hell'." Those last three words are a quote from New Jersey Governor, Jon Corzine.

Now it's the Republican candidate who can argue, "More of the same?"

As a retired missionary, I think I can speak knowledgeably about hell even though I have never been there. Jon Corzine speaks from experience. Been there, done that.

I am not referring to that hellish accident that he was involved in a couple of years ago. His chauffeur was doing everything wrong and Corzine didn't protest. Nor was he buckled up.

When I say he's "been there, done that," I am referring to his past record of "fighting like hell." Most people know what hell stands for even if they don't believe in its existence. The devil tries to lure people by promising them anything they want. He tempts them to choose his party line by offering treats and promises that there will be no uncomfortable consequences - like higher taxes.

If you want more of the same, you know who to vote for in November!

OUR DOG IS A LIBERAL

June 8

We are now raising a puppy named Venita. It didn't take us long to figure out where she stands politically.

Venita is biologically a Labrador/Golden Retriever mix, but politically, she is a thoroughbred liberal socialist. She lays around most of the time and lives the good life at others' expense. She is pampered, petted, well-fed and cared for by hard-working, tax-paying citizens.

And she never lifts a paw to help with the housework. The Mrs. has to vacuum hair off the carpets and pick up pieces of toys and other items that Venita gleefully tears to shreds. I have to watch where I step when mowing the lawn. When we take her for walks, we are constantly cleaning up after her. That is something she could do herself. If given the chance, she will eat excrement of cats, rabbits, ducks, geese and other dogs. That is another typical characteristic of liberals. They never seem to get enough of shows like "Sex in the City", "Dirty Dancing" and "Swapping Housewives." They believe anyone should have the freedom to marry or cohabitate with anyone or anything they want - with all the legal benefits. They are pro abortion and call anyone who doesn't think it's right to murder unborn babies terrorists whose protests are called "hate crimes." Freedom of speech only relates to filthy language.

Venita is going to be a guide dog someday. Our job is to make a good citizen out of Venita. That is not easy, but we are working hard at it. We are already making good progress in some areas. She now follows many of the rules without getting treats, and she no longer protests when we put her in a cage or on a leash. Best of all, she only barks when she is supposed to, like the other day when a stranger jumped over our fence instead of coming the proper way to read our gas meter.

 When we are finished raising her, she goes to a finishing school for intensive harness training. After that, Venita will be a productive member of society, earning her way in life by guiding the blind. We look forward to attending her graduation when she becomes a full-fledged conservative.

The big unanswered question is, what party will she belong to?

TOMORROW IS JUNE 4TH

June 3, 2009

Tomorrow is June 4th. So what?

June 4th is a special date for Muslims around the world. It is not only the date on which Ayatollah Kholmeini died, but it also marks the birth of the Muslim Brotherhood. The MB was founded in Cairo, Egypt, on June 4, 1928 and is the most powerful political force in the Muslim-Arab world. The Muslim Brotherhood is the parent organization of Hamas, Al Qaeda and every Sunni based terrorist organization in the world. Founder of the MB, Hassan al-Banna, was best friends with Adolf Hitler and his follower, Sayyid Qutb, hated America and everything it stood for. The Muslim Brotherhood is anti-Israel, anti-American and anti-everything that is not Arab Muslim.

Barack Hussein Obama has chosen Cairo and June 4 as the time and place where he gives his much anticipated conciliatory speech to the Arab Muslim world.

During the presidential election, Obama slipped up and spoke of "the 57 States". This is understandable for someone who was born and raised a Muslim. All Arab Muslims know that there are 57 Arab states. What concerns me more are his subtle and even blatant moves to placate Muslims who openly declare America to be an enemy that must be destroyed.

Within days of taking office in January, Obama launched his effort to engage the Muslim world by granting an interview with the Al-Arabiya television network. Last month, Obama stretched out his arms to Muslims in the Turkish parliament.

At a dinner for news correspondents, on May 9, Obama joked about doing his next 100 days in just 72 days (by July 20), and rest on the following day (July 21). Mohammad purportedly ascended into heaven on July 20, and Muslims like to institute laws and major programs on that date. On July 21, 2009, Obama will have fulfilled his destiny and will "rest."

The Dems and liberal left are doing all they can to muzzle Christians, calling their religious convictions based on the Bible "hate crimes." Obama refused to attend the annual Prayer Breakfast, but he is reaching out to radical Muslims who openly despise everything America stands for. Something is terribly wrong!
 

NEW JERSEY LOST AT THE PRIMARY YESTERDAY

June 3, 2009

We have been on the campaign trail trying to get Steve Lonegan selected as the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey in the November election.

The NJ-GOP came out very strong for Chris Christie, who won handily by 55% over Lonegan's 42% of the votes yesterday.

Christie normally prides himself in being a "moderate," but Lonegan forced him to campaign as a conservative pro-life candidate. Christie campaigned against Lonegan instead of the incumbent Democratic Governor, Jon Corzine.

Chris Christie doesn't show many signs of being a better Governor than the former Republican Governors, but he has a good chance of unseating the unpopular Corzine.

NJ and Virginia are the only states electing a Governor this November and the national parties are expected to throw lots of money and influence behind their candidates. I am disappointed, but will continue to fight for what I believe to be right, no matter who it may offend.

ROBBING THE CRADLE

June 1, 2009

Many robbers are armed, so we are advised to give them our money and hope that they leave without using their weapons.

Robbing little children is different. You can steal a baby's pacifier and all it can do is cry. You don't need a weapon.

Robbers are facing tough times these days. They can't rob banks because they are broke and have become recipients of generous bailouts. Many hard-working Americans have lost their homes and retirement money, and not a few have lost their jobs. Big businesses, like General Motors and Chrysler, are facing bankruptcy. Small businesses are closing because of high taxation. People are making their purchases on line or shop at Wal-Mart and Target. Customers pay with plastic cards, so there isn't much money in the till for robbers.

That leaves the kids. Stealing from babies is not in good taste, however, and anyone who does so risks incurring the wrath of the general populace. Adding to this problem, small children don't normally have much to steal.

Fortunately for robbers, children can be taken hostage and held for a large ransom. And if the parents won't or can't pay, you can always sell them into slavery for the rest of their lives. Private citizens can not buy and keep slaves of course, but the government can own as many as it pleases. That is the great advantage of socialism, and who can doubt that our nation is rapidly becoming or has already become a socialist state. Much has changed since America turned to socialism. Some of that change crept in almost unnoticed during past administrations, but in keeping with Obama's campaign promise, change has come quite rapidly during his first 100 days in the White House.

One big change is that what was formerly called "taxation" is now called "spreading the wealth." The emphasis is on giving and receiving rather than on taking. Somehow that terminology has a more positive ring to it. Last month, for example, we received notice from Mr. Barack Obama, that he was depositing a $500 gift in our bank account. He didn't say where he got the money, but it certainly didn't come from his personal assets. Nor could it have come from banks, mortgage or insurance companies, all of which are broke and begging for bailouts. And least of all, could it have come from tax money or government reserves.

The truth of the matter is, that the money we received is from our grandchildren. They were too young to understand, but Obama actually promised to rob our children and grandchildren while campaigning for the presidency. He didn't use that exact language, but any thinking adult must have understood what he meant. When you spend money that you don't have, you either spend stolen money or you create a debt. If you have no intention of paying the debt yourself, you are stealing. Millions of Americans cheered and voted for Obama when he promised to fix our present economy by stealing from babies. And it didn't take him long to fulfill that promise. Our grandchildren are being held for ransom (over a trillion Dollars) and because our children can't afford to pay, they will become slaves of the state.

That is what socialism is all about. Democracy is government of the people and in socialism, the government owns everything including the people. The US government is rapidly assuming ownership of banking institutions, mortgage companies and auto manufacturers. Soon it will own the people as well. How to create this situation in America is the basic concept of the Cloward-Pivan Strategy that was taught at Columbia University while Obama studied there.

Social Security recipients (grandparents) were given $250 to keep them from protesting. As you can see, it didn't work with me! Now I am trying to figure the best way to give our grandchildren their money without the government finding out and stealing it again. We wouldn't get it a second time because Obama said this was a one-time payment.