A Perfect Example ...

of what transpires when you replace a facet of what was considered traditional education, with something more "diverse" and "well rounded". In this case, we are talking about the lack of what used to be called "civics". This has been replaced with what is currently called "Social Science Survey" (at least at the High School level). I doubt anything approaching civics is even broached at the seventh or eighth grade levels.

Why bring this up you ask? Well, as evidenced by his empty suit and lighter then helium campaign, the Chicago political machine production, otherwise known as Barack Obama, still "won" the election, thanks in at least part to the lack of anything resembling civics being taught in our schools. This would be the case for say the last 30 years or so.

Need more "proof". Then my friends, go here. And by all means, take the 33 question test. See how you score. But more importantly, look at what the average scores were for the rest of the test takers ...

Are you more knowledgeable than the average citizen? The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%. Can you do better? Questions were drawn from past ISI surveys, as well as other nationally recognized exams.

Oh, and for what it was worth, yours truly " answered 30 out of 33 correctly — 90.91 % ". Not too bad for one who hasn't cracked a book in some 53 years. (The spirit may move you ... but has a duce of a time turning a page.)

For those of you old enough to remember civics, perhaps this last election should be proof enough to seriously consider bringing it back into the curriculum. But I fear it may be too little too late.

I remain, rapidly rotating,

The Col.

Office of the President-Elect???

I can understand and appreciate the individual who either holds the titular title of "Leader of the Free World" must have a strong sense of self-worth, and a thick hide. I don't know of a single President (and I have met with most
on the other side of the vail) regardless of their personalities, that didn't. But not even FDR, for all that man's callus disregard for the Constitution, and his ego driven socialistic demagogary, would have had the hubris to come up
with an "Official Office of the President Elect".

Yes, I am well aware there is "The Presidential Transition Act of 1963", and it does spell out what the federal government allows for regarding the smooth transition of power between the current holder of the office, and those who will be assuming same. In this day and age this is a smart and prudent thing to do. One would have hoped it would have been kept relatively low keyed, and done with a modicum of decorum/respect for the current holder of the office.

That this man has no class is becoming more self-evident with each passing day. This empty suit of nebulous ideas has already besmirched the wife of a late President. That President-Elect Obama, takes liberties with the Presidential Seal, which might be excused if done by a satirist, or perhaps someone putting on a production in ones barn somewhere, only goes to show his showboating mentality, and is tacky at best.

If I were still a thing of this earth, of flesh and blood, I would require a large glass; occupied with a good single malt scotch, brought to me forthwith. My blood pressure, state of mind, and my nerves would be in dyer need of calming.

I remain, spinning quite rapidly still,

The Col.

Predictions

As my first entry was more or less an introduction as to who I am (or rather, who I used to be) I felt it only right and proper to provide a legitimate commentary as well.

I guess one should feel somewhat charitable toward the new office holder, especially when his winning of the largest political brass ring only came about this morning. And so to start this bit of oratory, I , the Col. , wish President-elect Obama well ... and may he be able to quickly melt said brass ring as soon as possible, turning it into a very large set of brass balls. Heaven knows with all that he has promised, and with how the enemies of this great nation view him, he is going to need them!

This bit of prose should be quite interesting as I am fresh from the other side of the vale, so perhaps my "enlightened viewpoint" may be of some worth. Shall we take a look into the crystal ball?

1. Okay, I am fudging on this one a bit. After all our Vice President-in-waiting, Joesph Biden, has probably let this cat out of the bag already.

"Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking," ... "Remember I said it standing here. if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. And he's gonna have to make some really tough -- I don't know what the decision's gonna be, but I promise you it will occur. As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it's gonna happen,"

My guess is, the good Senator Biden was really doing one of two things:

A) He was being that "master of foreign policy" that he is well known to be, and in so many words "throwing down the diplomatic gauntlet". In reality (I never expected to be using the word "reality" in the same sentence with the words "Senator Biden", but there is always a first time, even for this ol shade.) challenging our advisaries to do their damnedest against that shinning knight of hope and change President-elect Obama. Surely Biden knows more then most the true mettle of the man or he would not have been so cavalier.

OR

B) Mr. Biden, in fact, has some information which he is not at liberty to share with (the rest of) us. Of some skulduggery waiting to be foisted on our newly minted Commander-in-Chief. And need I remind you all President-elect Obama has no military training/experience what so ever. John F Kennedy served his country with distinction in World War II, and he struggled mightily with the Communist horde. Even that craven coward of a man Jimmy Carter, had not only military schooling (the best the country offered) and a chance to learn under the best of them, in the Navy (for what very little good it did him or the country). Obama has nothing, and our enemies (and fair weather friends abroad) know it.

But as much as it pains me to do so (And hope to never do so again!) I have to agree with Senator Biden on this one. Obama will be tested ... if not in the first 60 days in office, positively before his first year is out.

2. The price of oil will never see 3 dollars a gallon again. (How do you Americans put up with this? Back when I was driving if it was above 15 cents a gallon ... there would have been a blistering editorial in a certain Chicago daily you could have bet on that!!) Harrumph... As I was saying, you all will never pay 3 dollars a gallon at the pumps. Because we will have either destroyed most of the middle east or will be hostage to the same part of the world which provides the crude. If you are lucky you might see it fall below 5 dollars a gallon !!

3. Marijuana will become legal. This will be "by degrees". First stage will be medicinal use only, followed by out and out you can grow your own with no penalty as "the masses" realize the government pills are not "potent" enough. The final stage will be the allowing for existing tobacco companies to produce it and the government to tax same at all levels. Sadly, this will become the "opiate of the masses".

It would appear my crystal ball is fogging up. Or perhaps it is over heating. Heaven knows my blood pressure would be sky high about now were I still in corporeal form.

And as always when dealing with prognostications of any sort, remember the following. This is only, as Charles Dickens (Sigh, heaven must be causing me to mellow somewhat. This is the second quote from a socialist in the same day!!) mentioned in "Scrooge";

"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge. "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me!"

Thus it is so with mine. You have the power within you all to bring about a different course of action(s), then those foretold. Even now. Perhaps we will re-visit this again at some future point in time.

As always, I remain,

The Col.

Hello America and all the ships at sea!

Once one leaves "this mortal coil" and reunites with the Divine for all eternity, a span of 54 years counts as nothing. Indeed, at the time of my passing, I was at least somewhat comforted in knowing the main stream of America seemed to share in the majority of my (published) world views. My newspaper was a beacon of conservative light. Based on the bellowing of my rival publishers (in Chicago alone) I must have been doing something right, to have caused so much acrimony. Though I hoped things would remain more or less the same for some time after my passing, the wisdom gained as one grows older knows things never really remain the same.

Sadly, even I would never have guessed how much has changed. Nor how far our nation and civilization appears to have fallen. Still, I gave little if any thought to the affairs of man, as I took part in heaven's delights. That is until what would be the morning of your November 5th.

At first I wondered what would cause the strong desire in me to return to my final resting place. And why dear Lord, was my mortal remains rotating at such a high rate of speed? I looked, as one might suspect, to my first choice in news, the Chicago Tribune.

It can't be the new president elect ... after all he was endorsed by my beloved Tribune, so he must be of sound mind and upstanding character. Then I researched into this Barack Obama fellow. (It only took but a second of your earthly time ... we operate on a far different standard here.) What I found out ... made my soul cry out in angush !! My wonderful paper ... has willingly gotten behind the one man who for all intent and purposes is the reincarnation of that most vile of Presidential office holders, Franklin Delano Roosevelt!!

And so I have returned. Though it be only as a spirit. Perhaps my words can help return this great nation back to it's rightful path toward greatness. The path divinely granted to it and it's citizens. (What, you think your Constitution was entirly the product of man? Pray tell, where did their collective thoughts come from ? Divine inspiration is not just a flight of fancy!)

Those who would countenance rampant statism. Or others who willingly embrace the godlessness called Communism are nothing more then useful tools of the Dark one and his many agents. They must be stopped. This Obama must have a light shined upon him by any and all free thinking, freedom loving people which still exist in this great nation. I resolve not to return to peaceful slumber until this comes to pass.

I remain respectfully,
The voice of the people,
Hereafter known as,
"The Col."