January 8, 2010

 

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I think it's interesting, especially in today's economy, that the only time our country has had zero national debt was in 1835, under the Democratic-Republican president Andrew Jackson. Even at our country's founding, thanks to the Revolution, we were in debt by about $76 million dollars, and after 1835 it has steadily increased. Many argue that it's impossible for the U.S. to ever get back there, that the best we can do is end the deficit spending and balance the annual budget. Others say that to fund the ever increasing number of rojects the government undertakes, deficit spending is the only way to go.

My take? I believe the deficit spending is going to occur but that as a nation we owe it to ourselves to change where that money goes. We need to stop funding wars in two nations and focus on protecting our home. We need to stop spending millions on the war against drugs and focus on educating our children. We need to let NASA (and yes, I am a huge fan of NASA and the valuable work they do) fall into the hands of private enterprise, let space exploration be undertaken by entrepreneurs, and use that money for other research and development projects to help make our world more efficient.  We need to spend more money on the health and well-being of our people, around the world.

Why don't we? Because the politicians are too afraid to make these choices for fear of losing the next election. Because the American people care more about their little corner of the county than they do about the nation. Because the media plays everything larger than life and out of proportion to reality, and we buy into it. We need to stop and take a real look at things, as Americans, find our place in the world stage as leaders, and show that we can care for our selves and the world, without hatred and anger. Do you think that's possible?

January 7, 2010

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On January 7, 1927, commercial telephone service began between New York and London. Using short wave radio, the first telephone conversation occurred in 1926, but only a year later it was available to the public. It's hard to imagine now when the internet and cell phones keep us connected almost anywhere in the world that there was a time when you either wrote letters or waited til you saw the person next. I wonder what the next leap will be. I certainly hope it's not telepathy. 

January 6, 2010

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SOLENNITÀ DELL'EPIFANIA DEL SIGNORE

BENEDETTO XVI

ANGELUS

Piazza San Pietro
Mercoledì, 6 gennaio 2010

 

Dear brothers and sisters!
 
Today we celebrate the great feast of the Epiphany, the mystery of the manifestation of God to all nations, represented by the Magi who came from the East to worship the King of the Jews (cf. Mt 2,1-2). The evangelist Matthew, who recounts the event, stressed that they came to Jerusalem following a star, first seen in its rising and interpreted as a sign of the birth of the King foretold by the prophets, that is the Messiah.  Joints, however, in Jerusalem, the Magi were in need of guidance of the priests and scribes to know exactly where to go, that is Bethlehem, the city of David (cf. Mt 2:5-6, Mic 5:1). The star and the Holy Scriptures were the two lights that guide the journey of the Magi, who appear to us as models of genuine seekers of truth.

They were wise men, who watch for the stars and knew the history of peoples. They were men of science in a broad sense, observing the universe regarded as virtually a great book full of signs and messages from God to man. Their knowledge, therefore, far from being regarded as self-sufficient, was open to further discoveries, and God's call.  Indeed, not ashamed to ask for directions to the religious leaders of the Jews. They might say: do it alone, we did not need anyone to avoid, in our mind now, every "contamination" between science and the Word of God But the wise men listen and accept the prophecies, and, as soon as you call on their way to Bethlehem, saw the star again, as if to confirm the perfect harmony between the human search for truth and the divine harmony of joy that filled their hearts with true sages (cf. Mt 2:10). The culmination of their journey was research when faced with "the child with Mary his mother" (Mt 2:11). The Gospel says that "they fell down and worshiped him." They might be disappointed, indeed, scandalized. Instead, as true scholars, are open to the mystery that manifests itself in surprising ways, and their symbolic gifts show to recognize Jesus as the King and the Son of God precisely in this act are fulfilled messianic oracles announcing the gift nations to the God of Israel.

A final confirmation particular, the Magi, the unity between intelligence and faith is the fact that "warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they returned by another road to their country" (Mt 2:12). It would be natural to return to Jerusalem, in Herod's palace and the Temple, giving resonance to their discovery. Instead, the Magi, who chose as their ruler and Child, keep it in secret, in the style of Mary, or rather, of God and, as they had appeared, they disappear into the silence, contentment, but also changed by the encounter with the Truth.  They had discovered a new face of God, a new royalty: that of love. We support the Virgin Mary, model of true wisdom, to be truly seek God, to live there is always the profound harmony between reason and faith, science and revelation.
 

January 5, 2010

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On this day in 1971, the body of heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, was found by his wife in their Las Vegas home. Perhaps best known for the Liston-Patterson fight of 1962, where Patterson was knocked out in the first round, the Sports Illustrated cover with Muhammad Ali towering over him is one of the most famous sports photos in the world. While Liston's' death was ruled a heroin overdose, questions still swirl around his death. Never known to abuse any drug other than alcohol, Liston was famous for his fear of needles, to the point that he refused to fly overseas to a fight when he found out he needed immunization shots.

January 4, 2010

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It was this day, in 46 BCE, that Julius Caesar lost almost a 1/3 of his men in combat to his former lieutenant Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina. According to historians, Labienus controlled a significantly larger force than Caeser's, but by maintaining an extremely tight formation, Caesar misjudged his opponent and was lured in. It would be the last defeat Caesar had during the Roman Civil War that would end with him being named dictator.

January 2, 2010

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On this day in 1920, the great science and science fiction author, Isaac Asimov, Ph.D., was born in Petrovichi in Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. During his 72 years, he wrote over 500 books, and innumerable articles and stories. His writing covered a variety of science topics, and there are few places on the library shelves where is work can't be found.

January 1, 2010

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Let the new year commence. I wish you all the best in the coming year.