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By Ted Dunlap, on October 26th, 2007 It is interesting how a word or three can mean such different things while we think their meaning so obvious. America means the USA flag… and if you are a Brazilian? It happens that they think they live in America and call us “North Americans”. Is the flag flying over US military barracks in 130 countries America? It is to the people living near these enclaves of foreign troops. To them, Americans are storm troopers, armed with machine guns, backed by bombers and nuclear weapons. I was thinking more along the lines of sea to shining sea, purple mountains majesty and amber waves of grain. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 24th, 2007 While the California fire dominating mainstream news is a horrible tragedy to hundreds of thousands of people, bringing FEMA in is an even worse tragedy – to hundreds of millions of us. I know it gives Gee Wiz an opportunity to show, his kind and gentle side, and that he too has studied at the Ted Kennedy school of charity, able to generously give away other people’s money. But that is not reason enough to lavish federal tax money on San Diego County. Again, I don’t want to make light of the human suffering of those people who lost their homes and sometimes generations-worth of cool stuff. But I don’t want to pay for it either. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 24th, 2007 As California fires dominate the news across our nation, most media musicians whip out their global-warming instruments to play a familiar tune. Again science takes a back seat to the message they want to send. No opportunity to sing the praises of living barefoot in mud huts can be passed by. But what made these fires into a disaster? Is “man” to blame or are some specific men to blame? […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 23rd, 2007 We met again a week after we agreed to a vision statement for our town. It was time to divide into groups forming action plans in the areas we had declared needed work. This is exciting. By just changing what we say and feel about our community, we will create employment opportunities, stimulate economic growth and enable families to grow together through all phases of development. Heady stuff. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 21st, 2007 More than 230 workers who make Vincent Bach brand brass instruments went on strike, rejecting concessions Conn-Selmer says it needs to remain profitable. Those concessions include an average wage cut of about $6 per hour, less vacation time and a frozen pension plan. The average wage at the Bach plant is $21.01 per hour, or $36.40 when benefits are factored in. Consumers decide what will be produced, what money is available, what manufacturing processes will be rewarded and what will go broke. Business managers don’t decide what gets produced and sold at what price. They merely offer it for sale while the market determines if they got it right. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 19th, 2007 People bristle when someone attacks our government as fascist. But is that an unfair assessment – an incorrect name for our society? Fascism is: nationalism, statism, militarism, totalitarianism, anti-communism, corporatism, populism, collectivism, and opposition to economic and political liberalism. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 17th, 2007 In an impressive turnout, over 200 townsfolk met for 3 hours Monday evening to help develop a vision for Grangeville. Early in the process, we ranked how ours was doing in 10 areas that are key to successful communities. Our self-examination finds us weak in developing young leaders, but strong in self-reliance and in the positive influence of our churches, schools and service clubs. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 15th, 2007 Are people unique? Can one system fit them all? Would you like to have a simplified life where government agents design THE car that we all get to drive, and THE clothes that we all get to wear, and THE store where we buy the selection of foods government planners put there. I assure you it would be a drab world bereft of choices, absent innovation and backward in the extreme. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 12th, 2007 Ten Benefits of School Liberation by Marshall Fritz and Cathy Duffy When government involvement with education is ended, we can prudently predict at least ten changes in America’s schooling systems: 1. Choices. Parents who feel like their children are “trapped” at the local government school will now have a vast array of learning opportunities to choose from, ranging from traditional schools through online classes. Parents can choose schools or classes that are most convenient for them and their children. They can select more reading instruction and less science or vice versa. All of the major decisions return to where they rightfully belong–with parents. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 6th, 2007 Gasoline has been selling around $3 a gallon, threatening to go higher and, hovering in the “denial” areas of our brains, is the possibility it could go A LOT higher. Though we avoid dwelling on it, darn near everything in our daily lives relates to the cost of fuel. If it changes too much too fast we will DEMAND government DO SOMETHING about it. What we ask and what they do is just about guaranteed to be wrong. […]
By Ted Dunlap, on October 4th, 2007 It’s the most interesting presidential campaign in decades. Ten-term Republican Representative Ron Paul reported 3rd quarter contributions of $5,080,000. This puts him in the neighborhood with the big names in the 2008 presidential race. While Romney, Giuliani and McCain are reporting fundraising declines of 29%-55%, Ron Paul’s fundraising increased 114%. […]
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