Lessons Learned from 9-11?

Traveling strangers, locked together inside a pressurized cabin at 33,000ft, will collectively take action to stop any and all acts of lunacy or terrorism on an airplane. The days of folks passively sitting back and doing nothing are officially over. Read More...

The Foundation for Rational Economics and Education?

If a passing visitor spends more than just a few seconds looking at the various images uploaded on this blog, it's evident that this blogger has flown around the world and back again. I've physically walked on the streets of Baghdad, Kabul, Sarajevo, and Mogadishu. I've lived and worked in Alaska, China, South Korea, Italy and Germany. I've vacationed in Berlin, Prague, Bangkok, Jakarta, and Ho Chi Minh City.

It's difficult to summarize 50 years of a life of traveling in a single post. Each uploaded image has its own story and adds just another piece to this complex puzzle called 'life'.

A beautiful sunrise. A busy street corner. A smile shared.

In 2012, the events of 9-11 are already starting to feel like a lifetime ago. However, like a lot of folks, this blogger sill vividly remembers the day itself.

I was listening to a local radio station while driving across Austria. Then, the announcer broke into the music and started talking about New York City. While I cannot speak German, I immediately knew something big had occurred back in the United States. When I finally reached a television in Germany, and the tragedy unfolded before the eyes of the world, my first thought was, "our country is going to war".

Which brings this blogger to the central theme of this post: Among other things, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights did not create traffic lights or crosswalks. The U.S. Constitution did codify slavery into public law and rejected the voting rights of women, but this blogger will leave that particular political rant "for another day".

Ron Paul raises campaign cash to 'end the TSA'?
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To quote Benjamin Franklin, a man with more personal baggage than Newt Gingrich,"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." What if the TSA had existed prior to 9-11? How different would our shared world be today? The following NBC story aired on July, 20, 2004:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The events of 9-11 illustrated how a lack of oversight in screening passengers had real economic consequences for the global economy. For those that actually remember the 1970s, believe it or not, there are reasons why governments around the world became involved in monitoring and enforcing aviation safety and security. Can you say "Entebbe"? Additionally, the U.S. Constitution created a system of government guided by the principals of the "rule of law" and NOT a country void of any form of social or economic accountability. And yes, "Liberty" comes with an actual price tag: A New Perspective on Cost of War.

Congressman Ron Paul is a soap seller. In the view of this blogger, his 2012 candidacy is NOT about what's in the best interest of the country. Paul is running for President to pave the way for his son's continued political career. The taxpayers put food on his table. Politics is the family business. That's why he repackaged himself as a Republican. He's attempting to permanently interject his misguided, 18th Century inspired, Social-Darwinistic, fantasy island idiotology into the GOP brand name.


His latest run for the White House is no different than Mitt Romney's father running for President in 1968. Or better yet, the four generations of public service by the Kennedy Clan as well as the two previous Bush Administrations (with Jeb waiting in the wings).

As far as this candidate's latest money-bomb targeting the TSA, what Congressman Paul lacks in social empathy, he more than makes up for with his record of political futility.

According to a story researched and published by the Washington Post the day after Christmas, "of the 620 measures that Paul has sponsored, just four have made it to a vote on the House floor. Only one has been signed into law." Perhaps it's just me, but something is seriously wrong with this picture. Read More...

Instead of working to fix a problem, or advocating a more responsive, efficient and effective government, Ron Paul's solution to each and every issue is a verbal ax. This man is the perfect Presidential candidate for the Twitter Generation. 140 characters of text is about all the candidate can handle. 

Suggested Reading:
Glass-Steagall Act
The Marshall Plan

Welcome to the Redundant Department of Redundancy?

Can you name the first time in American history that the government cut taxes as it went to war?

What was the original mission in Afghanistan? To find, capture and/or killed Elvis Bin Laden. What was the original mission in Iraq? WMD? Oil? Tourism? This blogger is NOT an isolationist.

After spending over $1,300,000,000,000s for two wars (with follow up military occupations of 7 & 10 years respectively), perhaps it's time to seriously reevaluate the economic, geopolitical & military wisdom of maintaining the rhetorical status quo. At least during World War II, the federal government sold WAR BONDS to build the factories required to support America's "arsenal of democracy". This time around, beyond those who serve in uniform (along with their families), what real sacrifices were the American people asked to make?

A New Perspective on Cost of War:
Have you seen the bumper sticker "Freedom is NOT Free"? It's true. Freedom has an actual price tag. Funding the Department of Defense requires real pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters.

The money for Iraq & Afghanistan has already been spent. So, how will this BILL get paid? Wishful thinking? Prayer? The Free Market? More Corporate Tax Breaks? The next generation? I guess asking folks to do the right thing for the right reasons is asking too much.


Photos of Afghan Soldiers & Burger King Sign by Peter Rimar
The Iraq War (History Channel DVD)

This week in American History?

Poor Rick Perry & Michele Bachmann. Who actually remembers the Presidential Election of 1936? Alf Landon? Or his running mate Frank Knox? The latter of which went on to serve under FDR as Secretary of the Navy during World War II, but I'll leave this feel good political story for another bipartisanship kind of day.

So, what else happened THIS WEEK? The approval rating for the U.S. Congress, the bedrock of this country's democratic principals and ideals, is now in single digits. According to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll, only 9% of the American people think our representatives are actually doing a decent j-o-b. While GOP voters are still searching for a Presidential candidate to support, Congressional incumbents from both parties are wondering if they'll still have a j-o-b after the next election.
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Beyond Lindsay Lohan posing nude for Playboy, the #Occupy Wall Street Movement and the ongoing trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, one story got this Blogger's attention. While it's a story which will never appear as some future newspaper sidebar highlighting this week in American History, it's a story which reminds us all, that during this specific week, the United States is still a country at war:

CBS News
Soldier in Afghanistan killed during
14th deployment
October 25, 2011
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...reflections...

IUC Nurse at the bedside of Medal of Honor Recipient 
Marine Corporal Jason Dunham 

Ibn Sina Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq

April 2004

Photos by Peter Rimar.

What is important?

If you're a Ron Paul supporter, stop reading this post. Once again, if you plan to vote for Texas Congressman Ron Paul for President in 2012, stop reading this post. Why? Well, no matter what I write regarding his position on FEMA, I understand there's little chance I'll change a single Libertarian mind.

Ron Paul is NOT a Republican. Ron Paul is a repackaged Libertarian. On the issue of FEMA, Ron Paul is an idiot. Period. No one can control the power of Mother Nature. Not even the so-called Free Market. 
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Since 9-11, this country has spent over $1,300,000,000 to fund two wars of occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq. This dollar amount does not include the Department of Defense or Homeland Security's yearly budgets.

Yes, I realize that Ron Paul has been a vocal advocate against these specific military operations. But the fact remains, at some point, this country needs to pay the bill for these wars.


If a husband goes on a $10,000 shopping spree with the family credit card, the wife is equally responsible for paying off the bill. The credit card companies don't care which spouse spent the money, as long as the bill gets paid.

Once again, no one can control Mother Nature. Drought and wild fires hit Texas and New Mexico. Tornadoes strike Missouri and Oklahoma. Hurricanes come ashore in Florida and Louisiana. Earthquakes shake California. This year, flooding washed away communities in Vermont and North Dakota. It's not complicated. IF it's important, people find the time, energy and money to do IT (i.e. whatever IT is). Helping fellow Americans during times of need will ALWAYS be important to this blogger. IF that means paying higher taxes to fund FEMA, so be it. If that means paying higher taxes to FINALLY pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, so be it.  

In terms of helping Americans impacted by natural disasters, Vermont Senator Bernard Sanders put it best, "to say that the only way you can come up with funding to rebuild devastated communities is to cut back on other desperately needed programs is totally absurd. Historically in this country we have understood that when communities and states experience disasters, we as a nation come together to address those. That is what being a nation is about."

Sadly, people will believe want they want to believe about anyone or anything. Over the years, I've learned to display a lot more patience with individuals who are ignorant rather than stupid. Ignorance can be fixed. The roots of stupidity are deeply embedded in 'Pride and Prejudice'. The latter of which is nearly impossible to overcome or change.

Ron Paul would NOT have ordered the Bin Laden Raid?

While the use of military force to achieve a political objective opens the door to other unforeseen consequences, in the case of ordering the raid into Pakistan, President Obama made the right decision. Period. If President Obama had choosen a different course of action and Osama Bin Laden had escaped, the GOP would have had a non-stop media driven field day attacking this President. The following radio interview with the candidate was recorded on May 10, 2011. 



Photo of Door Gunner somewhere over Iraq (April 2005).
YMCA photo of Peter's Grandmother (Back Row, 3rd from Right), Concord State Teachers College, Athens, West Virginia (Circa 1934).
How Americans Can Buy American: 
The Power of Consumer Patriotism - Third Edition

Another Milestone ~ 10 Years at War

"We're here so that Afghanistan does not once again become a sanctuary for transnational extremists the way it was when al-Qaeda planned the 9/11 attacks in the Kandahar area, conducted the initial training for the attackers in training camps in Afghanistan before they moved on to Germany and then to U.S. flight schools." ~ David Petraeus

Pew Research Center 
War and Sacrifice in the Post-9/11 Era
The Military-Civilian Gap (Released: October 5, 2011)
Read More...

United in Remembrance, Divided over Policies
Ten Years after 9/11 (Released: September 1, 2011)
Read More...

Afghan Boy in downtown Kabul, Afghanistan (June 2003). Photo by Peter Rimar.
Afghanistan 101 (Hardcover) (See all Early Civilization History Books)

Election Update: Buddy Roemer, the only GOP candidate who has made corruption in Washington the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, has been locked out of yet another televised debate:
Read More...

Newt Gingrich SUCKS?

It's sad that in 2011, candidates still use racism to score cheap political points. 


During the first GOP Presidential Debate in New Hampshire (June 13, 2011), Newt Gingrich used the HATE & FEAR card to describe America's GOD & the tradition of separation of church & state. To illustrate his point, he described Faisal Shahzad's (the 30-year-old Pakistan-born, U.S. citizen who attempted to bomb Time Square on May 1st, 2010) response to the judge for his reasons behind his attempted terrorist attack. 

What Gingrich FAILED to mention was that Aliou Niasse, the street vendor who ALERTED the authorities & saved countless lives is a MUSLIM immigrant. Prior to 9-11, Timothy McVeigh (angry about Waco) carried out the single, largest terrorist attack on American soil. No wonder Newt's staff quit. He got way too much sun on his Greek cruise.

This country's founding fathers DID NOT create a NATIONAL religion. They created the BILL of RIGHTS to PROTECT Freedom of Religion. 
Why?
Can you say Church of England & the Vatican? Can you say "religious tolerance"? AND, oh by the way, state rights DO NOT & CAN NOT supersede the BILL of RIGHTS. PERIOD. This country fought a bloody civil war to sort out the original sin of "state rights" created by our Founding Fathers.

It's OK for a person to be black, white, red, green, blue, pink or GAY!
REALLY!
It's OK for a person to be a Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist or Atheist!
REALLY!

Update: Newt wins South Carolina Primary?


Small note to readers: Politically, I'm an Independent. When I feel myself getting sucked into simplistic PARTY rhetoric, I force myself to READ & LISTEN to ALL sides of an issue. With that said, no matter what side of the political fence someone sits, I will NEVER accept the politics of HATE & FEAR. Period.

10th Anniversary of 9/11 ~ I Am An American

e pluribus unum ~ "Out of many, one."


American Passage:
The History of Ellis Island (Paperback)

...view from inside a HMMV...

Photo taken by Peter Rimar on the highway to Baghdad, Iraq (March 2005).
Click on image to open in a new window.