When Watching a Movie Becomes a Patriotic Duty

With the recent hoopla over the movie ‘The Interview,’ it has become somewhat of a patriotic duty in my mind to see the film. Although I’m a fan of comedian Seth Rogan, the movie was not high on my priority list of movies to see in the near future. I agreed with the North Koreans that it was probably in poor taste to fictionalize the death of their supreme leader (I know we wouldn’t appreciate them glorifying a fictionalized death of one of our leaders either). However, after North Korean hackers threatened American theater goers, I suddenly felt myself on the side of those who feel it’s the pro-democracy thing to do to see the film. After all, who the f*** do they think they are to try to censor OUR freedoms? So Kim Jong Un, suck on this: your people are already willing to pay ten times more to see The Interview than what they regularly pay to see a normal South Korean TV show on the black market.

Don’t Feed the Bear! (Feeding Putin’s Ego)

There’s a saying about everything being big in Texas. If the size of things are directly correlated with the size of the place from which they come, then Texans better hand over the phrase to the largest of all places, Russia. Russia extends across a great percentage the largest land mass on the planet, comprising 6,592,800 square miles (compared to 3,805,927 square miles for the US) and covering about one-eighth of the world’s land surface. According to Encyclopedia of the Nations, “Russia is 60 percent larger than the world’s second-largest country, Canada.” In fact, Russia is so enormous that the only thing the rivals its size is the size of its leader’s ego.

Economy of Russia

Russia has a wealth of natural resources, but its economy is overwhelmingly driven by its main export, oil. According to Wikipedia, “The country has the world’s largest natural gas reserves, the 8th largest oil reserves, and the second largest coal reserves. Russia is the world’s leading natural gas exporter and second largest natural gas producer, while also the largest oil exporter and the largest oil producer.”

Graphic source: http://visual.ly/russian-federation-russian-exports

Because the European Union “as a whole depends on Russia for 25 per cent of its gas supplies,” Russia has been able to restrict its petroleum exports in the past to punish Western-minded countries. In particular, Russia has used its exports as a weapon against the Ukraine throughout the last decade. In 2006, 2009, and again in 2014, Russia cut exports to the Ukraine and caused major economic waves that rippled around the globe. To be fair, Russia likely did have legitimate reasons for cutting off the fuel to the Ukraine (due to gas debts). Nevertheless, with 80% of exports to Europe passing through the Ukraine, all of the European Union was affected.

Why Does the US Economy Perform Better Under Liberal Policies?

There are a number of indicators that show the US performs much better economically when liberals are in power: deficits decline; GDP increases; stock markets hit all-time highs; unemployment declines; wages increase…the positive measures are many. Why is this? Also, why don’t people realize the economy has been improving under the Obama Administration?

First Things First…

First of all, let me dispel the naive theory put forth to me by some on the right that “Democratic Administrations benefit (historically) from the awesome economic policies of the Republican Administrations that precede them.” I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea. Their argument typically relies on their (mis)understanding of recognition and decision lag as it applies to fiscal policy or monetary policy. By their thinking, the rocking economy of the 90’s is actually the product of the 12 years of Reaganomics and George H’s Bushonomics. Furthermore, they believe the crappy economy of the 2000’s is the fault of Clinton. Those theories are hogwash.

There IS a lag from the time an action by the government affects the economy. That lag is difficult to measure and can vary widely, but it is typically* measured in months. Some Republicans would have you believe that Bill Clinton, President from January 1993 – January 2001, was reaping benefits in 2000 that were sowed by his predecessor in 1992. There is absolutely zero basis to believe that notion.

Jeb and Hillary: Return of the Dynastic Struggle

It was just announced that Jeb Bush, son of President #41 and brother of President #43, is going to seek a run at the Chief Executive position himself. When I heard the news on the radio, I naturally thought to myself, “Another son of a Bush? Haven’t we had enough of that family?” Seriously. What is wrong with America that we might potentially have another head-to-head match between a Bush AND Clinton?

Juggling Fanatics

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

The first time I ever heard someone believe in the literal meaning of the Bible, I was a freshman in high school. On this particular occasion, a girl in my biology class argued with my teacher about the existence of dinosaurs. She explained that fossilized dinosaur bones have been placed on this earth by Satan to confuse mankind. Prior to that, I had mostly been exposed to a figurative interpretation of the Bible, so I thought this girl was either messing with the teacher or completely out of her gourd. I soon learned that she actually believed what she was saying and that there were others just like her. Not all of these “interesting” opinions aligned with each other though. For example, other fundamentalist Christians believed that dinosaurs did exist. In fact, they believed that dinosaurs coexisted with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The 800lb Panda in the Room

The impact of 9/11, a catastrophic banking crisis, the housing bubble, and wars on two fronts in the Middle East, have severely damaged the US economy. The gridlock in Washington has compounded those problems exponentially.  For the last decade and a half, the policies of Bush, Obama, and the divided Congress have allowed many hostile countries to spread their influence. Iran and North Korea continue to boldly flex their regional muscles in the face of the US . The old foes of the Cold War have reestablished themselves as well. Russia and China in particular have surged as the US sphere has contracted and waned.

While top US politicians have been squabbling for years and hobbling the US economy, China has been the quickest to take advantage. It’s military and economic might has been flaunted for all the world to see. While aggressively bullying its neighbors with its military strength, the country’s economy has boomed. At the beginning of this decade, China overtook Japan as the world’s second largest economy. Now, using one key indicator, China has apparently overtaken the US as well.

Tossing My Hat into the Immigration Debate

A cross-cultural wedding

While stationed overseas with the Air Force in 2002, I met the woman who I would someday marry. I quickly fell in love with her and her beautiful family. I simply knew I couldn’t let her slip through my fingers. So, I eventually worked-up enough courage to ask her to marry me and she said yes.

In 2005, we moved back to the US to tie the knot. We were careful to include elements in the wedding that expressed both of our cultures. Only one other member of my wife’s family besides her spoke English and none of my family members spoke their language, but it didn’t seem to matter. Everyone got along fabulously and there was a joy that transcended any language barriers.

Despite starting off on the right foot, it wasn’t all easy. I was working about 72 hours a week with my new salaried position in the civilian world and we still had to complete the difficult immigration process for my wife. I had begun filing immigration paperwork and paying the appropriate fees for my fiancé way back in 2004. Some people might be surprised that simply marrying a US citizen did not give her automatic rights. In fact, it took about two years before she received her permanent residency card.

The Rising Sun of Solar Power and its Nemesis, the Dark Specter of Oil

Solar plant in Abu Dhabi

Whenever there are waves in the global oil market, it always makes the news. Most recently, the falling oil prices have been a popular topic. It is only natural for Americans to be interested given our nation’s car culture. However, the media may want to start paying attention to the silent rise of solar, wind, and other sustainable energy sources.

In the past, some may have wondered how a country that claims to be the greatest nation on earth would not attempt to be the world’s foremost sustainable energy producer. They may no longer have to ponder that question though. Alternate energy is becoming more and more acceptable.