The Berlin Wall provided an omnipresent reminder that life on the eastern side was different from life on the western side. The wall was a tangible symbol that millions of innocent people were being held under oppressive, socialist rule on one side while we on the other side enjoyed life as free (relatively) capitalists. This stark contrast demonstrated the obvious advantages of political and economic freedom every day for the world to see. If only the wall would be torn down then the whole world would rush to freedom!...Right?
In our arrogance, Americans believed that tearing down the Berlin Wall would unleash the capitalist spirit and yearning for freedom upon the crumbling socialist countries of eastern Europe and the USSR. It didn’t occur to us that the evils of socialism, totalitarianism and the desire to be controlled by the government would spread westward just as quickly.
The Berlin Wall represented all that was evil in the “evil empire” and by contrast all that was good in the West. Americans don't shoot innocent civilians in the back as they race to freedom. Now it’s gone and it’s getting harder to see the distinction between East and West, good and evil. It seems America may have needed this cold war relic to continue appearing "good" even as it strengthens government control over its people, strips away fundamental freedoms and marches towards socialism.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Curfew Averts Riotous Mayhem In Hunterdon County?
Raritan Twp. General Ordinance Chapter 9.12 establishes a Halloween curfew. Minors are not allowed outside anywhere in the township unless accompanied by an adult between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Oct. 26th - Nov. 2nd subject to arrest. Both parent and juvenile offender to be penalized with community service hours and are subject to the provisions of Chapter 1.08.010. From a quick Web search, I have not been able to figure out what those penalties may be (this is not an investigative journalism piece). It turns out that Halloween curfews are quite common in America today. Cities like Detroit and Newark have a riotous history that makes it seem perfectly reasonable - even prudent - to enact preventative curfews. But Raritan Twp., NJ? The median income for a family is $126,663.00. I haven't seen too many teens flipping over the neighbor's minivan. Clearly, young people in Raritan Twp. are no great threat to the community. In fact, according to 2003 Police statistics (the current year available) there were 827 Adult Arrests (not including drunk drivers) and 154 Juvenile Arrests. It seems the people under 18 are far less of a threat than the adults who voted (or at least didn't oppose) to confine their own children to their homes.
But what disturbed me most about these curfews is that they are clearly in violation of the First Amendment. Yet depite that, and despite that there really is no threat of a riot in Raritan or in most towns, people think it's ok to enact curfews anyway - just in case. Many even welcome curfews...lest roaming hoards of travel soccer players and their Nintendo DS-wielding siblings terrorize the neighborhood.
As a friendly reminder, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law...abridging the right of the people peaceably to assemble...". The First Amendment trumps local ordinances. The less people resist when our freedoms are being taken away, the more we invite our remaining freedoms to be trampled upon and eventually dismissed. But why teach kids about Washington, Jefferson and Franklin and the freedoms they secured for us when we have Marx, Mao and Castro to admire?
But what disturbed me most about these curfews is that they are clearly in violation of the First Amendment. Yet depite that, and despite that there really is no threat of a riot in Raritan or in most towns, people think it's ok to enact curfews anyway - just in case. Many even welcome curfews...lest roaming hoards of travel soccer players and their Nintendo DS-wielding siblings terrorize the neighborhood.
As a friendly reminder, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law...abridging the right of the people peaceably to assemble...". The First Amendment trumps local ordinances. The less people resist when our freedoms are being taken away, the more we invite our remaining freedoms to be trampled upon and eventually dismissed. But why teach kids about Washington, Jefferson and Franklin and the freedoms they secured for us when we have Marx, Mao and Castro to admire?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Moral of the Story: Hidden Taxes Always Go Up
With today's update, this story is now in its third year of life:
I had to pay $19.62 today as an “annual assessment levied on New Jersey Employers by the New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development according to various statutes.” Talk about a hidden tax. Last year, when my assessment was about $9.00 (my first such assessment), my accountant advised me to “just pay it” since there’s nothing we could do about it.
This is infuriating. (1) I don’t like paying yet another tax (2) I don’t like paying yet another tax where my earnings are simply stolen and given to others (3) I don’t like that if this tax is going to be enacted, that it falls squarely on businesses to pay for people who are unemployed (4) I don’t like how the gov’t quietly enacts numerous little taxes so that none of them individually will get enough attention to block their passage, but taken together it’s a great cost and burden on us and on our economy. (5) I don’t like that I’m being forced to pay this with no opportunity to say, “No! I’m not paying this!" I wasn’t allowed to vote against it before it was enacted and I object to being forced to pay it. Sure, in theory it was enacted by the legislative branch, whose members I helped elect. And I had access to public records of bills and votes and therefore I was given an opportunity to voice my opinion. Unfortunately, political reality differs from political science. Funny how the insignificant $9.00 tax more than doubled in one year since nobody bothered to complain about it. Looking forward to next year’s letter.
UPDATE: Just received "next year's letter" and the tax went up almost 12 percent to $22.24.
UPDATE 2009: The tax went up to $24.37, another 9.5 percent.
I had to pay $19.62 today as an “annual assessment levied on New Jersey Employers by the New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development according to various statutes.” Talk about a hidden tax. Last year, when my assessment was about $9.00 (my first such assessment), my accountant advised me to “just pay it” since there’s nothing we could do about it.
This is infuriating. (1) I don’t like paying yet another tax (2) I don’t like paying yet another tax where my earnings are simply stolen and given to others (3) I don’t like that if this tax is going to be enacted, that it falls squarely on businesses to pay for people who are unemployed (4) I don’t like how the gov’t quietly enacts numerous little taxes so that none of them individually will get enough attention to block their passage, but taken together it’s a great cost and burden on us and on our economy. (5) I don’t like that I’m being forced to pay this with no opportunity to say, “No! I’m not paying this!" I wasn’t allowed to vote against it before it was enacted and I object to being forced to pay it. Sure, in theory it was enacted by the legislative branch, whose members I helped elect. And I had access to public records of bills and votes and therefore I was given an opportunity to voice my opinion. Unfortunately, political reality differs from political science. Funny how the insignificant $9.00 tax more than doubled in one year since nobody bothered to complain about it. Looking forward to next year’s letter.
UPDATE: Just received "next year's letter" and the tax went up almost 12 percent to $22.24.
UPDATE 2009: The tax went up to $24.37, another 9.5 percent.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Paul's Economy Won't Show Up In Job Creation Reports
There's a small economy bustling outside my house. The lawn service, landscape contractor and pool company are all hard at work while relying on me to be hard at work, too.
The lawn service is a sole proprietor and former stock broker who realized he'd rather be cutting lawns four days per week and going fishing the other three, weather permitting. The landscape contractor started his company a few years ago and now has his own skid steer loader, landscape truck and work crew (freelance). The pool company fixing the sand filter housing is a local, family-owned retailer/service company who hires laborers for the summer.
None of these people waited for the government to "create" a job. And by hiring them, I get specialized services, capabilities and expertise beyond my own. I help keep them in business so their work crews have jobs and I get to keep myself in business, too. And we all provide higher quality work to our Clients because we're doing what we were meant to be doing.
Despite how clear it is to me and millions of other entrepreneurs that my economy is what drives America (and the world if given the opportunity), we're largely shunned by elected officials and the socialist academics they follow. The jobs my economy created aren't counted in the job creation statistics or at least aren't valued as highly as the jobs created at taxpayer expense.
The lawn service is a sole proprietor and former stock broker who realized he'd rather be cutting lawns four days per week and going fishing the other three, weather permitting. The landscape contractor started his company a few years ago and now has his own skid steer loader, landscape truck and work crew (freelance). The pool company fixing the sand filter housing is a local, family-owned retailer/service company who hires laborers for the summer.
None of these people waited for the government to "create" a job. And by hiring them, I get specialized services, capabilities and expertise beyond my own. I help keep them in business so their work crews have jobs and I get to keep myself in business, too. And we all provide higher quality work to our Clients because we're doing what we were meant to be doing.
Despite how clear it is to me and millions of other entrepreneurs that my economy is what drives America (and the world if given the opportunity), we're largely shunned by elected officials and the socialist academics they follow. The jobs my economy created aren't counted in the job creation statistics or at least aren't valued as highly as the jobs created at taxpayer expense.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Poor AP Reporting of Fatal Train Accident
Came across an AP story in the PD&D Design Daily email that stated the train engineer who drove his passenger train into a freight train (http://www.pddnet.com/Scripts/ShowPR~RID~25979.asp) sent 43 text messages from the cab that day and spent ample time talking on his cell phone. I was more bothered by the AP reporter, per this letter I sent to the editor of PD&D:
David, I know it's an AP story so this complaint really is with AP's reporting but since I found it via PD&D Design Daily, I'll state it for you (and your readers if you like): the AP reporter quoted only one person in the piece, a union representative who - what a surprise - wants two engineers on the payroll to perform the job of one engineer. Is there no one anywhere in the world the reporter could have quoted to comment on whether that's a good idea? Now I'm not a trained engineer but I'm pretty sure talking on a cell phone and sending 43 text messages while driving a train increases the risk of a deadly collision or other accident. How odd the union representative neglected to comment on the engineer's performance or its potential impact on the accident. And why that wasn't the lead in the story may lead one to infer the AP reporter carries a union card.
Regards,
Paul Entin
www.eprmarketing.com
David, I know it's an AP story so this complaint really is with AP's reporting but since I found it via PD&D Design Daily, I'll state it for you (and your readers if you like): the AP reporter quoted only one person in the piece, a union representative who - what a surprise - wants two engineers on the payroll to perform the job of one engineer. Is there no one anywhere in the world the reporter could have quoted to comment on whether that's a good idea? Now I'm not a trained engineer but I'm pretty sure talking on a cell phone and sending 43 text messages while driving a train increases the risk of a deadly collision or other accident. How odd the union representative neglected to comment on the engineer's performance or its potential impact on the accident. And why that wasn't the lead in the story may lead one to infer the AP reporter carries a union card.
Regards,
Paul Entin
www.eprmarketing.com
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Day The Earth Stood Still
I always liked the original so when I heard a remake was in progress I couldn't wait to see it with my son. Then I saw the trailer and became almost nauseous. See, in the original, an alien comes to Earth with an ultimatum that if we earthlings don't stop our wars and don't halt nuclear proliferation then his planet will destroy our planet because we'd become a threat to their existence.
Given the dire reality of the threat of nuclear war and the potential for the weaponization of space at the time, it was a compelling message. Plus Gort the robot was great as the precursor to the Cylons of the original Battlestar Galactica.
Today, the threat of nuclear annihilation is probably greater than in the 1950's and 1960's due to the sheer number of nuclear arms, the increasing number of countries that deploy them, the ready availability of nuclear material and the instability of the nuclear powers. But nukes don't get the press coverage anymore. No, the media thinks that the slow encroachment of global warming is a far more dangerous and alarming threat than the immediate destruction via global thermonuclear war.
For the remake to have Klaatu the alien descend from the sky bearing a message that humanity must be eradicated for failing to properly care for the planet is just disgusting and a slap in the face to the writer Harry Bates. It's also ridiculous to equate the theoretical threat of global warming with the actual and ready threat of nuclear destruction. And just how would our wayward environmental ways be such a threat to another planet as to attract the attention of an alien race? Just ridiculous.
I downloaded the original from Netflix and watched it with my son so he could see how the story is supposed to be. Now if he ends up seeing the remake with his friends he'll understand why it's such a silly and uninspiring film.
Given the dire reality of the threat of nuclear war and the potential for the weaponization of space at the time, it was a compelling message. Plus Gort the robot was great as the precursor to the Cylons of the original Battlestar Galactica.
Today, the threat of nuclear annihilation is probably greater than in the 1950's and 1960's due to the sheer number of nuclear arms, the increasing number of countries that deploy them, the ready availability of nuclear material and the instability of the nuclear powers. But nukes don't get the press coverage anymore. No, the media thinks that the slow encroachment of global warming is a far more dangerous and alarming threat than the immediate destruction via global thermonuclear war.
For the remake to have Klaatu the alien descend from the sky bearing a message that humanity must be eradicated for failing to properly care for the planet is just disgusting and a slap in the face to the writer Harry Bates. It's also ridiculous to equate the theoretical threat of global warming with the actual and ready threat of nuclear destruction. And just how would our wayward environmental ways be such a threat to another planet as to attract the attention of an alien race? Just ridiculous.
I downloaded the original from Netflix and watched it with my son so he could see how the story is supposed to be. Now if he ends up seeing the remake with his friends he'll understand why it's such a silly and uninspiring film.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
When is an overview just dumbing down?
At Saratoga National Battlefield, I watched the 20-minute film in the visitor's center and having read the book, Saratoga, by Richard Ketchum, among others, I was full of details and background and context. But the film was not. I gave the park service a pass since they were just trying to provide a brief overview suitable for anyone and everyone to get a feel for what had happened.
But as the day wore on and we drove and walked all over the sprawling battlefield, it occurred to me that there is a fine line between an overview and simply dumbing down the material. For one example, the Hessian soldiers were referred to simply as Germans. I don't recall any mention of the soldiers that came from Brunswick. Why does this trifle matter? Well, there was no Germany at the time. Hesse and Brunswick were independent states. It would be almost 100 years before their unification as Germany the way we know it today. Some may find this a trivial point and suggest it is a necessary revision for the unitiated to understand. Wrong. This could easily have been accomplished by stating "soldiers from Hesse, what is now Germany...".
In the Junior Ranger Gazette available free at national parks, a quarter page item about Thaddeus Kosciuszko and his national monument stated "his job was to secure important areas around Pennsylvania...to protect the soldiers and citizens of Pennsylvania." Omitting his substantial contribution in engineering at the battle of Saratoga minimizes his true contribution to the Revolution.
This issue is all the more important because the source is the U.S. government via the National Park Service and they are perceived as the authority on the subject. If they are presenting the material as factual and educational then they should at least get the facts correct. That includes errors of omission.
Further, these two examples demonstrate precisely how historical facts become distorted over the years then questioned and eventually lost - discarded like the last name of the last partner of a law firm.
But as the day wore on and we drove and walked all over the sprawling battlefield, it occurred to me that there is a fine line between an overview and simply dumbing down the material. For one example, the Hessian soldiers were referred to simply as Germans. I don't recall any mention of the soldiers that came from Brunswick. Why does this trifle matter? Well, there was no Germany at the time. Hesse and Brunswick were independent states. It would be almost 100 years before their unification as Germany the way we know it today. Some may find this a trivial point and suggest it is a necessary revision for the unitiated to understand. Wrong. This could easily have been accomplished by stating "soldiers from Hesse, what is now Germany...".
In the Junior Ranger Gazette available free at national parks, a quarter page item about Thaddeus Kosciuszko and his national monument stated "his job was to secure important areas around Pennsylvania...to protect the soldiers and citizens of Pennsylvania." Omitting his substantial contribution in engineering at the battle of Saratoga minimizes his true contribution to the Revolution.
This issue is all the more important because the source is the U.S. government via the National Park Service and they are perceived as the authority on the subject. If they are presenting the material as factual and educational then they should at least get the facts correct. That includes errors of omission.
Further, these two examples demonstrate precisely how historical facts become distorted over the years then questioned and eventually lost - discarded like the last name of the last partner of a law firm.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Journey to the Center of the Earth Movie
I read the book in 7th grade and couldn’t wait to read it with my son then take him to see the new version of the movie – until I saw the trailer. Isn’t there some kind of “Movie Lorax” who speaks for the dead authors when Hollywood insists on dumbing down, denuding and otherwise butchering a great book during the conversion to a movie?
According to the trailer, it’s a wild and crazy ride when a family vacation goes wrong. Sounds like A Night at the Museum set in a cave. Sounds like crap. I may take him anyway because he’ll like it and we like 3-D but I’ll be trying hard not to be bothered and bitter about the film itself.
According to the trailer, it’s a wild and crazy ride when a family vacation goes wrong. Sounds like A Night at the Museum set in a cave. Sounds like crap. I may take him anyway because he’ll like it and we like 3-D but I’ll be trying hard not to be bothered and bitter about the film itself.
Beware Unity
Even at the peak of the American Revolution, barely 1/3 of the colonists were unified behind the fight for independence. In fact, during no time in American history was there ever a period where a super-majority of Americans joined together as a unified nation sharing common goals and beliefs. So why do some presidential candidates and journalists keep harping on the dire need for unity? What’s so great about unity? I don’t want a president who “reaches across the aisle” to pass bills into law that compromise important economic and political principles. Sure, it would be nice if everyone could just get along. But that’s not what the unity people want.
These people define unity as everyone unified under a single belief system - their system. No room for other views, thoughts or opinions. Since the word conformity seems to have lost its edge, I’ll use a better word to describe what the unity people want for America: totalitarianism.
Anyway, beware unity.
These people define unity as everyone unified under a single belief system - their system. No room for other views, thoughts or opinions. Since the word conformity seems to have lost its edge, I’ll use a better word to describe what the unity people want for America: totalitarianism.
Anyway, beware unity.
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