Monday, August 30, 2010

Pig In a Poke

The phrase, "Pig In a Poke", dates back to the late Middle Ages. It refers to a practice that today would be called a "scam". At that time in history, meat was in short supply. An unwary customer would be sold a "suckling pig" that was placed in a "poke" (paper bag). The customer would not see the "suckling pig" because the bag was closed so as to prevent the "suckling pig" from escaping. On the journey home, the customer would feel the wriggling in the bag, thereby assuring a live "suckling pig". Upon arrival home, the customer would open the bag only to discover a cat.

Two other phrases that came into use much later are: "Let the Cat Out of the Bag"; and "Left Holding the Bag". The first implies that a ruse was revealed, perhaps inadvertently or prematurely. The second refers to a situation in which a "customer" may discover a ruse / scam while in the presence of the perpetrator in which case, both the "cat" and the perpetrator would escape, leaving the customer "holding the bag".

For a moment, allow me to divert your attention from the information above and further down the page, we'll return to the "pig in a poke".

Over the past nine months, I have been working on behalf of a gentleman who was running for a political office here in Pennsylvania. One of the tasks in such an endeavor is to educate the public about the attributes of the candidate. In fact, I discovered I was the one who received an education. It was, and is, amazing to me how my fellow citizens view the political process and their thoughts regarding their part in the process. They do not seen to realize how much their lives are affected by political decisions. They can be catagorized into three groups. I am not sure of the percentage of each of the three groups, but they are significant for the first two.

One of the groups is those folks who do not vote at all. They may "justify" their decision by saying, "All the politicians are crooks, so why should I vote for any one of them". Or they may simply state that, "I'm too busy".

Another of the groups is comprised of folks who, for whatever reason, always vote a "straight party ticket". Perhaps their parents did the same and somehow they feel they would be "dishonoring" their parents if they voted for the opposition or for individual candidates!! Another reason they may vote a "straight party ticket" is that it's quicker to do so rather than vote for individual candidates. Yet another reason is that they feel it is too time consuming, before going to the polls, to research the record(s) of individual candidates in order to be able to choose the best candidates based on their past performance.

The third group is comprised of dedicated folks who take the time to "do their homework" and research the candidates' records. The effort allows them to identify which of the candidates are worthy of their vote. This group can be relatively assured that the candidates for whom they vote will dispatch their responsibilities in a truthful, ethical, and honest manner.

The first two groups are chiefly responsible for decisions made by politicians who should never have been voted into office. Decisions made by them may be described as "mean spirited", selfish, and certainly not in favor of the total population. Those who do not vote at all fail to take the opportunity to rid the ranks of politicians who demonstrate disregard for their constituents. Those politicians are known by their deeds, or more appropriately, their misdeeds.

Those who vote a "straight party ticket" are in fact, voting for a "pig in a poke". While some of the candidates on the ticket may be qualified, upstanding politicians, there may just as well be some who will "show their true colors" once they get into office. By that time, it's too late to ferret out the incompetents, the ne'er-do-wells, and the "hooray for me and the H _ _l with you" candidates.

Such was the case with the primary election on 18 MAY 10 when the majority of voters failed to do their homework. As a result, the gentleman for whom I had worked lost his bid for the Governorship of PA. He had attempted to run a grassroots campaign secondary to the party having endorsed his opponent. That automatically gave his opponent all the finance and advertizement he needed to capture the election. Apparently, folks who did vote, voted for the candidate chosen by the party. They were led like sheep to slaughter.

The man who lost the election clearly should have won. The reason the party endorsed his opponent is clear. They evidently felt they would not have been able to "control" Samuel E. Rohrer. Mr. Rohrer is "cut from a different cloth". He was the only candidate, of both parties, who had introduced a plan six years previously to do away with the most divisive tax imposed on property owners. But all is not lost!!

There is still an opportunity for Mr. Rohrer to become our next Governor. Hopefully, voters from all parties will do their homework and realize that he is the only man eminently qualified for the position. You can learn more about the effort on his behalf at www.samrohrerwritein.org Do a favor for all of us by setting a good example for your children and "do your homework" as you expect them to do.

If we allow either of the other two candidates, running for the Governorship of our State, to win the election, we will be left "holding the bag". The only problem with that scenario is that the "perpetrator" (candidate) who wins the election will not have escaped. He will have retreated to the inner sanctum of the Capitol and set up shop with the "special interest" folks and other jerks who managed to stay in office or get into office because of the registered voters who didn't bother to vote.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Down from the top or Up from the bottom?

This writer has worked as a draftsman and usually draws scale drawings of any project before starting to build. When studying architecture, it is a forgone conclusion that the first of the drawings for any structure will be of the foundation. As each drawing of the set is drawn, the structure rises up from the foundation. So it is in Naval architecture, the keel, the "backbone of the ship" is laid first. The hull, decks, bulkheads, and overheads follow in order with the superstructure last.

Apparently Mr. Robert Gleason does not have any knowledge of construction. Rather than building (or rebuilding) the Republican party from the bottom up, he chose to start from the top down. As he will soon see, the structure he is attempting to build will fall like a "house of cards".

The top with which he started to build is with someone who definitely has "name recognition" but absolutely no experience in the day to day system of government. It is interesting to note that Tom Corbett, our Attorney General, someone who supposedly knows the law, would allow his campaign to lower their, and his, level by attempting to torpedo his competitor with negative rhetoric. Does he not realize that by doing so, he is in effect torpedoing himself?

What a pair, an incompetent architect and a professional who apparently knows little of the English language and the basics of ethical behavior. Yet, these two are hoping to sway the hearts and minds of the voter to rocket them into a winning position!! This writer knows not the team who are coaching Tom as he stumbles along, allowing himself to be dragged down into oblivion, but at some point, it is hoped that he will realize that he has been duped by the incompetent architect and his gang of malcontents.

On the other hand, there is hope. Another architect is in the process of drawing a set of plans for a government for our State the like of which has not been seen for many years. Unlike Mr. Gleason, this architect is starting from the ground up. His structure, when completed, will stand the test of time. His plans do not include any deviations from sound engineering principals. Rather than compromising on any detail that will have to be replanned and then rebuilt, his design will first examine every possible weak element and discard it before it detracts from the finished structure. The architect for this structure is singularly equipped to design and construct a government for our State. He is Sam Rohrer.

While the structure's design by Robert Gleason may at first appear more esthetic, this writer cautions any who may be tempted to enter. This writer therefore recommends the structure by Sam Rohrer as the better engineered and therefore the safer to enter and occupy. You are more than welcome to be one of the occupants of the Sam Rohrer state of the art of engineering principals structure. Your application to be one of the tenants is your vote on 18 APR 10.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Choices

You are soon to make a choice that will have profound consequences for whatever time you choose to make yet another choice. For a moment, let's look at a number of factors that characterize or influence the manner in which we make our choice of one item or action over one or more others. Choices that we make in our lifetime can be classified as either: smart or stupid; good or bad; easy or difficult; etc. Notice that in each case the words used to characterize our choice are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.

At the time we make a choice, we may have spent some time beforehand attempting to wrestle with the decision making process. We try to analyse every aspect that will influence our final decision so as to "make sure" that we have examined not only the expected benefits but the possible detrimental aspects as well.

On the other hand, there are times when we tend to make "snap" decisions / choices without any or very little attempt to think of the possible outcome. Hopefully, this type of choice making is used to arrive at a decision regarding not earth shattering but simple things like, "what color tie should I wear today", or "should I choose the pie or cake for dessert".

In the opening sentence of this blog, I mentioned two choices you will soon have to, or want to make. The first of those choices is, "For whom should vote on 18 MAY" or "Should I vote at all". The answer to the second part of the first choice is definitely, "YES". The first part
requires some thinking. It does not matter to which party you may swear some degree of allegiance.

If you do not spend some time attempting to examine the qualifications of each of the candidates, the choice you make can then be compared to a "crap shoot". It will be like playing "Russian roulette" in which a six chambered pistol is loaded with just one round of ammunition. The chamber mechanism is then spun and the pistol is then pointed at the head and the trigger pulled. The chance that the chamber with the one round in firing position is a one in six chance. If it is in the firing position, the "game" is over!!! The only redeeming quality of the "game" is that if the chamber with the one round is in firing position, the person holding the pistol will no longer be with us to make any other stupid choices.

The second "choice" you will have to or want to make is, if you fail to examine all the aspects of the candidates, and you make the "wrong' choice for the position of Governor, do you want to continue living in the State of Pennsylvania.

As it is, our State is in dire straights financially. I do not believe I have just told you something about which you were unaware. If you just look at those candidates who are vying for the position of Governor and what they have stated as their "platforms" (plans how they would govern our State), it should become crystal clear that there are some (in fact most) who do not have a clue how to get us out of a critical situation. Recently, there are a couple who have parroted the only one candidate who has been very forthright in his plans how he would govern our State. Gee, I wonder why the others never thought of how to accomplish it before they heard Sam Rohrer explain how he would do it???

Before you dismiss my recommendations, before you totally discount Sam Rohrer as the only candidate as the singular candidate to be our next Governor, please look at the two web sites www.samrohrer.org and www.PTCC.US . If you choose not to at least look at the two web sites, I recommend you start making plans to attempt selling your home and moving to whatever location suits your fancy. Remember, you will perhaps not only be affecting the rest of the time you spend in Pennsylvania but you famly's as well.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Friday, February 26, 2010

He Who Hesitates is Lost

In Greek mythology, the word Psyche describes a mortal woman who married Eros, the god of love and the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The Greeks were masters of stories that told of love and tragedy. In modern Psychology, the same word refers to one's soul, self and mind. The term Psyche would then be applied to describe one's behavior.

It would appear that the psyche of the majority of we Americans is such that we would rather tolerate an existence that is not beneficial to us and in fact may be detrimental to us rather than initiate steps to change the status quo. Expressed another way, we act like sheep being led to slaughter. Only when the situation strikes a chord that is construed by us as totally unacceptable, do we then rise up as one and attempt to initiate change.

In 1939 -1940, it was the belief by the military of Japan that all Americans were "soft", "not likely to resist", that led them to strike us at Pearl Harbor. They thought we would sue for peace rather than retaliate. At the time, our government had promised its citizens that we would not "go to war". Meanwhile, through the "Lend Lease Act", we were supplying England with the means by which they hoped to defend themselves against Hitler's Nazis.

The raid on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941 was the "straw that broke the camel's back" and President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on not just Japan, but Germany as well.

We were not really prepared to go to war against anyone. Our military strength was not ready in terms of numbers of men nor of equipment. It was only a stroke of luck that our aircraft carriers were not in port on 7 December. We had to "start from scratch".

Again when the boys and girls in Harrisburg chose to vote a hefty raise for themselves did it strike a chord with us Pennsylvanians and we responded by voting a number of the politicians out of office.

It is unfortunate that we seem unable or unwilling to take steps that would prevent, or at least lessen the blow, of the next disaster that waits in the wings to strike. I am not referring to a potential disaster!! I am talking about one that will cause much weeping and gnashing of teeth starting next year with the real bombshell coming in 2012!!!

It has been reported in the newspapers, presented on TV news shows, and talked about numerous times in town meetings. I am referring to the huge increase in school / property taxes!!! I have noted it in previous blogs. The current estimate for the increase is 25 to 30 %!!

There is a means by which we can rectify the situation. We have the power to change the course of Pennsylvania history. What are we waiting for? A "Fairy Godmother" will not materialize out of nowhere with her magic wand. The politicians, of their own volition, will not take the steps necessary to initiate the change. We the people must take charge of our own destiny, our own lives, our own homesteads, and rise up with one voice, one vote and dictate our demands or else!!!

Or else what? Or else we will stampede the polls on election day in numbers heretofore unknown in an "off year" election and rid ourselves of those politicians who have demonstrated, by their lack of performance, failure to listen to their constituants.

By that same measure, local school boards do not appear to grasp the enormity of the situation and continue to spend monies as though there was no tomorrow.

To whom can we look for leadership in our quest to lead us out of the present situation? This writer has no reservations in recommending just one person to fill that position. All other contenders either have not the insight nor the foresight to qualify. The one person to whom I refer is Sam Rohrer, the Constitutional Republican!!! To learn more about him I strongly recommend two web sights: www.PTCC.US and www.samrohrer.org . If at all possible, take the opportunity to attend one of Sam's Town Hall meetings. See his web site for one scheduled near you. It will be an eye opener. He is cut from a different cloth than just about any other politician known to this writer.

While my words of praise may sound trite, I challenge you to listen to him, check on his political performance, meet him, present questions to him, and judge for yourselves. Do not use "inductive reasoning" to discount his worthiness!!! (see the blog "Why Should I Vote" posted 23 JAN 10)

This writer has been surprised and disapointed in the comment from a number of folks to whom he has spoken about Sam Rohrer and the School / Property Tax Elimination Act. Their comment generally stated was that, "It will never happen". Do you know why it would "never happen"? There is just one answer. It would never happen because each of us who does nothing will only add to the number of "do nothings" untill NOTHING happens. The situation would only remain the same.

Food will never reach our mouth unless we lift the fork or spoon. We will never achieve the most insignificant task unless we take whatever steps necessary to make it happen. We should all thank the Good Lord that he left nothing to chance in our design. Did you ever think what a chore it would be if we had to control our own heartbeats or our own breathing for all situations? Would we be able to choose the correct rate for each when our bodies needed more oxygen? Would we remember to slow down the rate of each when it was time to retire for the night? Would we be able to speed them up in an instant when faced with an emergent situation?

I do not imagine that there are many of us who are adults and still depend on our mothers to take care of us. That means that we have to do our own thinking. If we fail to make the right choices, we have only ourselves to blame. Let's "put on our thinking caps" and make the only "right" decision not only for us but for our neighbors, our relatives, our friends and all those who already have nothing and with whom we may find ourselves in the not too distant future. 2012 is "just around the corner"!!!

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Sunday, February 21, 2010

"Threw down the gauntlet"

A "Gauntlet" is a glove that is made of metal or stiff leather and was worn in medieval times by the knights. Knights were men who usually were in the employ of the king. They acted in the role of part of a private army. They wore full suits of armor to protect themselves as they fought on behalf of the king. They are usually portrayed as riding a horse which was also protected by metal around its head and chest.

This writer is not certain when the custom originated but if a knight wanted to challenge another to "do battle", he removed one of his gauntlets and threw it to the ground in front of the one he wanted to challenge. If the one who was challenged picked up the gauntlet, it signified he accepted the challenge. Usually, a very strict code was followed that specified the time, place, and weapons to be used.

The battle usually began by the combatants riding their horses toward one another at full gallop. Each had a lance that he kept pointed at his opponent and attempted to at the very least, unseat his opponent. If successful, his opponent fell off his horse and hit the ground. It is difficult to imagine how anyone wearing a full suit of armor, and falling to the ground from his horse, was not seriously injured.

If the one who fell was able to rise from the ground and continue to defend himself, the battle continued. The other was not required to dismount and could continue to attempt to strike the one who had fallen with whatever weapon he had, e.g. broadsword, mace, ax, etc.

Again, it is difficult to believe that the one who had fallen would have a reasonable chance to overcome the obvious advantage the other had, being mounted. If you have seen such battles being shown in a movie, the one who had fallen, if the "hero", always managed to win!!!

In our case, Robert Gleason, the chairman of the State Republican Committee, has figuratively "thrown down the gauntlet" by ignoring the reasonable requests sent to him that asked for an "open primary" election. The requests were based on the fact that by his endorsement of one candidate for the governorship of our State over another, he has willfully assumed the stance of a dictator. He has not followed the will of the people (us) and is essentially forcing us to accept the candidate of his choice rather than ours.

We could not accept his challenge without a reply and so have "picked up the gauntlet"!! Given the climate of politics nationally, it would appear that Mr. Gleason, to some degree, has Masochistic tendencies or his neurons are not synapsing as they should. This writer certainly plans to provide Mr. Gleason with as much pain or embarassment as his Masochistic tendencies can stand. As far as his neurons are concerned, this writer knows of no specific cure for his problem other than to recommend he see a Gastroenterologist who specializes in assessment of and appropraite intervention to rectify the situation.

As far as the recommendation noted above, this writer does not intentionally infer any sarcasm but makes the recommendation based on documentation that anyone who's feet "smell" and who's nose "runs" must therefore be built backwards. Given that observation, it then follows that their neurons must reside in a different location than other folks. It is then hoped that Mr. Gleason will be able to identify a professional who will be able to intervene and provide the necessary care that will result in his recuperation and return to the mainstream of society.

In the meantime, Mr Sam Rohrer's followers who began as a squad, have grown exponentially to a platoon, then a company, a regiment, a brigade, a division, a corps, and finally an army!!! We have an army every individual of which has the resolve to achieve victory. It is therefore that this writer extends the invitation to Mr. Gleason, after receiving the appropriate intervention for his problem, to join our ranks in order to provide the most ethical decision making process for the people of our State. That decision being to choose the one who the people (us) want to represent us in the political arena.

Let the games begin!!!

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Real McCoy

The general understanding of the phrase "The Real McCoy" is: The best quality; Not a fake; the genuine article; etc. The phrase can be used to describe a person or an object. If one has the option of buying an object, and money is of no consideration, it is assumed one would choose "The Real McCoy". The reason you would choose it rather than any other is that one can be assured one would "get their money's worth". The item will: operate without problems; give the longest service; look the best; etc. When used to describe a person, it would convey the thought that the person was: of enviable qualities; could be trusted in their speech and actions; not pretentious; etc.

With the knowledge of the meaning of the phrase, should one be offered the opportunity to have an example of "The Real McCoy", would they "jump at the chance"? This writer certainly believes they would. Or would one look more closely to determine if there may just be some hidden catch to the offer? There are some who may not be able to distinguish the "wanna-be" from "The Real McCoy". Neither would they spend what time and / or effort may be required to tell the difference. Oh well!! They will just have to put up with the "wanna-be" object or person and the poor service either will assuredly demonstrate if it or they were chosen rather than "The Real McCoy".

Unfortunately, there are a significant number of folks who, given the current financial climate, are not able to afford an object that is "The Real McCoy" and so are forced to make do with a "wanna-be". But what if we could have "The Real McCoy" with no reduction to our meager finances? How about being able to have "The Real McCoy" and, after getting it, are able to increase our financial status because we got "The Real McCoy" and not a "wanna-be? How can that be?

Remember, the "wanna-be" does not give as good service as "The Real McCoy"!! So, it stands to reason that if we had "The Real McCoy" instead of a "wanna-be", we would get better service!! Better service = saving $. Saving $ = increased financial status!!! Still not convinced? What if one could have "The Real McCoy" for nothing? That's right, "nuttin, zip, zilch, zero, squat, etc.!!! No, this writer has not "gone off the deep end".

Keep reading, you'll understand what I'm talking about in just a minute.

On Friday, 12 FEB, the State Republican party held a gala affair at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel. Sam Rohrer had a debate with Tom Corbett, both of whom are candidates for the Governorship of our State. What was most interesting during the debate were the number of times that Tom Corbett made a comment relative to a statement made by Sam Rohrer and one, regarding a principal held by Sam. Tom's comments went something like this:"I agree with you Sam", and "I'm like you Sam".

AS soon as I heard of Tom's comments to Sam, I immediately thought of the phrase, "The Real McCoy". Now, in this writer's mind, it appears that Tom Corbett "would like to be like Sam Rohrer", given his comments. Gee, that sure sounds similar to what a "wanna-be" would say to "The Real McCoy". This writer has nothing personal against Mr Corbett, but his comments say volumes about Sam Rohrer. Why would Tom want to be "like Sam"? Could it be because, in Tom's mind, Sam is "The Real McCoy"? If so, what does Tom think of himself?

After eight years of what could only be described as dysfunctional leadership, we surely do not need nor want a "wanna-be" at the helm of our State to steer an erratic course. We want and need a captain with exceptional piloting skills who will lay a course that will: get us through foul weather safely; steer clear of shoals; take into account changes in current or wind direction; etc.

There is only one "Real McCoy" who has stated the legs of the course he will follow to get us to port safely. All other applicants for the position of Captain may be able to serve as crew but, there can and must be just one Captain. The only applicant who qualifies for that position is Sam Rohrer.

This writer does not believe any of us would look forward to descending into the briny deep to Davy Jones' locker. Make no mistake about it. If we fail to support the only qualified applicant, "The Real McCoy, Sam Rohrer for the position as our Captain, we will surely join the creatures of the deep. See www.samrohrer.org to learn more of our choice for Captain

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Friday, February 5, 2010

Eeny, Meeny, forget Miny or Moe

The "nonsense" words in this week's blog's title have a history dating back to the mid 18oo's. The phrase was and is used by children to determine who should be"it" or who should go first in a game. When faced with making a decision among a number of choices, the phrase is sometimes used to arrive at the one choice that will selected. Notice that this method of arriving at a decision is most often used by children, not adults. The reason adults do not rely on this method is because they supposedly are able to utilize their ability to reason.

Well, you sure could have fooled me!! There have been countless times witnessed by this writer when a co-worker, friend, neighbor, or family member seemed to have great difficulty when, faced with a situation that required in depth thought processing, were not able to arrive at a reasonable decision. Of course, depending on the circumstances, one may simply not have an adequate knowledge base on which to draw thereby hampering their scope of reasoning abilities.

Another reason that some folks seem unable to arrive at a reasonable answer to a given situation is that they are prone to demonstrate the "knee jerk" syndrome or the "shoot from the hip" response. In other words, they respond to some stimulus with little or no forethought. Very often, folks with this type of response discover that their decision does not result in a positive outcome. There have been a number of phrases that speak to this phenomenon e.g.: "Put mind in gear before putting mouth in motion; Think before you act".

There are some within our society who are expected to react in a "split second" to a situation but at the same time, act with accuracy and appropriately. They are those folks who function within the world of emergency medicine. Whether they work outside a medical facility or within, they must have a large body of knowledge regarding the human body and its functions in order to respond in a manner that will have positive results for whomever and in whatever condition. There is no room for error.

So then, how do we explain the actions, or lack thereof, of our politicians who must certainly be aware of our rather dismal situation but yet seem bent on not responding in an appropriate manner to our plight? Do they consciously or unconsciously employ the "Knee jerk" or "Shoot from the hip" response? Or do they simply lack a sufficient body of knowledge in order to arrive at a solution to the problem? It may even be supposed that they resort to using the "Eeny, Meeny, Miny and Moe" technique to solve what to them, seems an unfathomable situation!!

But wait a minute!! They are not children. They are adults. At least, they have existed within our society for the required number of years to qualify for the position they hold. But just what other qualifications are they expected to posses in order to function appropriately on our behalf? If any of the readers of this blog know of a specific list of qualifications by which an applicant for a position within the political arena must demonstrate an acceptable level of knowledge/understanding, please, please let this writer know where it may be found.

It is generally known that for any position within any organization that provides a product or service, an applicant for any position within that organization must demonstrate a measurable level of understanding of the responsibilities for that position in order to be hired. If he or she fails to demonstrate the expected level of skills, they are simply culled from the list of applicants. If they manage to demonstrate the expected level of skills, they are usually put "on probation" for some period in order to convince the employer they are able to function at an acceptable or superior level within that position. If they fail to "measure up" to expectations, they may be given a "warning" and their probationary period extended. If, after a second
review of their abilities/achievements they are again found to be wanting, they are then sacked.

Unfortunately, within the world of politics however the steps of: "hiring", probationary period; being fully accepted; or being sacked are lacking or at least different than in the "real world" of employment. We may think that we "hire" the political applicant but other than making a mark on a voting form or pulling a lever, do we have any input into the "hiring" process? After being "hired", are we able to look in on our new "employee" to determine if they "measure up" to our expectations? It seems that the only way we are able to obtain even a glimpse of the "employee" is when some article appears in a newspaper that mentions his/her name. Other than that, we remain oblivious to their daily routine. Do they show up on time for work each day? Do they show up at all each day? Are they required to "report" to anyone on some schedule? Does anyone at their location check to see if they are accomplishing anything?

For now, the answers to the above questions will be unanswered. This writer will attempt to ferret out some details on the routine(s) of a newly "hired" political employee and provide some insight so as to allay or alert the reader(s) of the effort. Until then,

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Timing Is Everything

How many of us are there who think about "time"? It is one of the things in our lives we cannot change. Some of wish we were able to "go back" in time and change something we said or did not say, something we did or did not do. Historically, much effort has been expended by many to develop various means by which we could just measure time. There have been scores of devices invented to allow us to keep track of time. Some events in history may have occurred differently if only time had not been a factor. Our daily lives are dictated by time. We may arise at a specific time to accomplish a task, eat at a specific time, retire at a specified time, etc.

Our introduction to time begins with our conception and ends when we take our last breath. What we do with the time between those two events defines who we are. Some of us are very conscious of time and others seem to take very little notice of it. Regardless of our awareness, or lack thereof, time marches on. Second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, and so on. We cannot change the speed that time passes us by. When we were children, we could not wait until we were "old enough" to be granted a particular privilege. As we grew older, again we looked forward to attaining a certain age when we were old enough to drive, to date, etc.

Although we continued to grow older, it may have seemed that we had "run out of things" to which we could look forward. Finally we reached that time in our lives when we began to reflect
and perhaps wished we "had more time available" to accomplish goals that had gone undone.

It is said that, "Timing is everything"!! And so it is!! I chose to draw your attention to time given the relative speed with which time appears to escape our notice and too late we realize that we should have, could have, would have, but failed to remain aware. For example, how many days do we have until the primary election on 18 MAY? Only 107 days left!!

So what?? What's the big deal?? The "big deal" is that we may just become the big winner or the big loser on that day. The choice is ours. For some of us, there may be others we should consider however. Some of us have families who will have to bear the result of our choice if we fail to consider the possible ramifications. The winner's choice will be the one who chooses to "earn" anywhere from $2,000 to $15,000 for about 15 minutes "work"!!!

How can one "earn" that much for just 15 minutes work? Each and every one of us who votes for Sam Rohrer on that day will be a winner. Only he has offered us that chance of all the candidates for Governorship of our State.

If, for whatever reason, we choose to vote for anyone else, we'll find ourselves weeping and gnashing our teeth in the months and years that follow. One can only hope that each and every one of us make the right decision.


Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Why Should I Vote?

In order to provide some basis on which to answer the question posed above, it is necessary to look at a number of "reasons/excuses" most often used to "explain/justify" why so many folks do not take advantage of a right that is denied to peoples of other lands

The first of the "reasons/excuses" involves the use of two different terms that will reveal an answer. The two terms are forms of "reasoning", something that is elusive for some of us but is essential if we wish to arrive at a decision that will benefit us. I'll give a simplified example for each of the terms and then give an explanation to the question above.

Deductive Reasoning

If I was to say that I had observed that all 65 year old women who were grandmothers rocked in green rocking chairs, I could then say that if my mother becomes a grandmother and reaches 65 years of age, she will rock in a green rocking chair.

Inductive Reasoning

If I was to say that I had observed that when my mother became a grandmother and reached 65 years of age, she rocked in a green rocking chair. I could then imagine that when all mothers become grandmothers and reach 65 years of age, they too will rock in green rocking chairs.

In the first hypothetical scenario, the reasoning that was applied used the data based on the general observation (all 65 yr old grandmothers) and applied it to a specific example (my mother). in the second hypothetical scenario however, the reasoning used the data based on a specific example (my mother) and applied it to the general (all mothers). If mathematics was used to compare the two forms of reasoning, it would be discovered that "Deductive reasoning" will provide results that most often are correct while "Inductive reasoning" will most often provide results that are not correct.

Quite often, when attempting to influence folks to cast their vote for Sam Rohrer, they will reply,"He's just another one of those politicians who make promises and then, after being elected, never deliver what they promised. Why should I waste my time voting for him?" Or they may say, "They're all just a bunch of crooks, taking my money and stuffing it in their own pockets".

The folks who may make either or both of those statements are using Inductive Reasoning. They are using data from just a few examples and applying it to the general population of politicians. Their conclusion is then flawed and results in their decision not to vote at all.

The second of the reasons/excuses folks use to explain/justify not voting is a form of a pathologic physiological condition in which the individual is unable or unwilling to attempt to arrive at a decision regarding any situation in which they feel they are not able to influence the outcome. As a result, they appear to accept the world around them even if the circumstances result in causing them any degree of physical discomfort, monetary loss, etc.

A third reason/excuse is that demands on and/or interests in other activities leave little or no time for them to even consider voting. Those folks usually have some difficulty in prioritizing what should be most important to them.

There are perhaps quite a number of other reasons, real or imagined, why some folks do not vote the result of which is they are subject to whatever the outcome. Some of them are satisfied with the result of the election and others are not. Those who are not will then spend the next period of time (years) complaining about the outcome of the election in which they chose not to participate. Do they have Masochistic tendencies? Did they perhaps feel so uninformed about the candidates they were "afraid" to cast their vote thinking that they may accidentally choose the "wrong" candidate?

At this point, I refer you to a previous blog "Habit", Something Good or Bad? (30 OCT 09). It gives the reader guidelines how to identify their local politicians. Once they are identified, their names will be able to be compared with a list of those politicians who have "signed on" to support the School/Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA). I will provide the names of those who have "signed on" in the next blog. If you do not see your politician's name on the list, they did not "sign on". Gee, I guess that means if you don't see your politician's name on the list I provide, they are either "against" the SPTEA concept or they were just too lazy (indifferent) to "sign on" but either way they ain't with us so they must be agin us!!

The act is formally known as House bill 1275, and was introduced by Sam Rohrer (R) of Berks Cnty. Sam Rohrer has not been successful in his attempts over the past five years to have the bill passed into law because of "wrong - headed" thinking by his fellow politicians in Harrisburg. Mr. Rohrer is now a candidate for the Governorship of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Rohrer is running a "grassroots" campaign. He is running against Tom Corbett, the State's Attorney General. Mr. Corbett has been endorsed by the State's Republican Party. It is believed by this writer the Republican Party has totally ignored Sam Rohrer because he is not one of the "good old boys". Since Mr. Corbett has the party's "blessing", he has access to all the party has to offer including funding for his campaign. Meanwhile, Mr. Rohrer will receive no help from the party because he is "cut from a different cloth" and doesn't march in lock step with those "good old boys".

Scott Brown carried Massachusetts, Chris Christie won in New Jersey, and Bob McDonnell won in Virginia!!! None of them were expected to win anything. So why did they carry the day? Because of a grassroots movement of "fed up" folks who have not had their politician's ear for too long. Those folks were and are sick and tired of broken promises, unethical behavior, and a lack luster history of a bunch of "do-nothings" supposedly looking out for their constituents.

It's time we Pennsylvanians picked ourselves by the bootstraps and took charge of our broken State government!! We should do it!! We can do it!! We must do it!! All we have to do is get rid of those "good old boys" who have lost touch with reality and who don't give a whit about us, the people who put them into office to lead us and to look out for our welfare.

The moment of truth is here!!! Only 104 days left until the primary election on 18 MAY 10. Please, please, please, spread Sam's name to one and all: relatives, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and anyone else you can tell about Sam's plans for the return of truthfulness in our State's government. Make sure you give them his web address, www.samrohrer.org . While you're at it, why not give them the web address of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition www.PTCC.US . Between the two addresses, they will be able to learn why they should not only vote but for whom they should cast their vote.

In order to assure Sam wins the MAY primary over the party's "anointed" Tom Corbett, I'm asking you to do something that some of you would rather commit Sepaku rather than do what I'm asking. Think of the goal and be ready to prioritize!! OK, here goes. I'm asking all the folks who are registered Democrats, of which I was one, to re-register as Republican before the MAY primary. You can change back, if so disposed, after the primary.

Why am I asking this? The first step to have Sam win the election in November is to have him win the primary election on 18 MAY. If we can't successfully get him through the primary election, he is not the only one who will have lost!! We all will have lost!! It will be "business as usual" in Harrisburg and we will only have ourselves to blame!!!

You will not be able to vote for Sam in the primary election if you are registered as a Democrat. If you would write his name in, it would not count!!! You must be registered as a Republican to vote for Sam in the primary election on MAY 18th. If you want to change back to a Democrat registration after the primary election, it's OK. You will be able to vote for Sam in the general election in November even if you are registered as a Democrat. But, you won't be able to vote for him in November if his name is not on the ballot!!! It's only in the primary election you need to be registered as a Republican.

Changing your registration is not difficult. Go to the www.PTCC.us web address and look on the right of the monitor screen. You'll see a small block with the text "VOTE - register to vote or change your party affiliation - click here". When you click on the "click here, a text will be shown. The fourth paragraph up from the bottom begins "Registering to vote" - - . The next sentence states "Download the voter registration application here . Click on the word "here". An official registration form will appear on your screen. You can then print it and fill it out. Make sure to mail it out no later than 30 days before the election. To be safe, I'd mail it no later than 14 APR. That gives you a 4 day cushion

Last, but not least, a Town Meeting is offered on 11 FEB at 6:30 PM at the Firehouse in Christiana, PA. Sam Rohrer will be there to explain his plans for his leadership as the Governor of PA. All are welcome.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Sticks and Stones Will Break My Bones but _ _ _

The remaining words of the phrase shown in the title of this blog are: "Names Will Never Hurt Me". I can remember hearing my mother tell me that phrase when I told her that some of my peers had taunted me with words that felt like I was crushed.

It is a well known tactic used by some to divert others' attention from the true facts. An example that demonstrates that phenomenon follows. In a court case, either the defense or prosecuting attorney may make a statement that immediately plants a mental picture in the jurors' minds. Even though the judge may order the statement stricken from the record, it is impossible to erase it from the jurors' minds. Do you know anyone who always, or at least most often, blames others for situations that in truth were caused by the one who initiated the accusations?

We are about to witness many examples of political negativism that are intended to plant an idea in the prospective voters' minds that the candidate about whom the accusations are made is not fit to be in the office for which they are running. The spot ads we will soon see on our TV's paint a very gloomy picture that at some point become almost nauseating. The end result is that we have no clear idea for whom we should cast our vote, if we vote at all.

In the 2010 Pennsylvania race for the Governorship, it promises to be a one sided contest because one of the two Republican candidates has stated that, "You'll never see a private investigator, staffer or intern who works for us, sifting through our opponent's personal or professional life in search of that backdoor to victory". What a refreshing idea!! It speaks volumes about the man and his ethics. It then remains for the other candidate to appear as though he "walks on water" as he and his staff manage to dig up or manufacture what they consider will be "believable facts" that are designed to influence the voters to vote for them.

What we all must consider is what the past record of accomplishment(s) is for each in comparison to what the demands of the office of governor are. In addition, we need to look at what the candidates stated plans are if they are voted in. As it is, only the one who has stated that they will not run a "negative" campaign has outlined what his plans are. His competitor seems to be depending on "name recognition" alone to carry him to victory. Perhaps you are swayed by that but for me, name recognition alone is not sufficient to expect my vote.

Another thought you should consider is that "We the People" are supposed to choose who we want to lead us. It would seem however that the Republican party big wheels are attempting to tell us for whom we should cast our vote!! We should have learned our lesson from past experience but one can only hope that history does not repeat itself. We definitely do not need, nor can we afford to retain the "good old boys" in office or we better know how to swim or we'll surely sink.

How many days are there until the primary election? Just 122 days until the primary on 18 MAY!!! We better get cracking and do all we can to make sure the man who has demonstrated, not just talked, a truhful and ethical political career gets our vote. Both in Florida and Massachusetts, the people have shown that they will prevail and have voted for the Conservative contestant. This promises to be a very big year for those politicians who have demonstrated their true concern for their constituants.

Until next week, Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Revolutions, Riots, Uprisisngs

Let's start with a little trivia quiz. How many revolutions, riots, or uprisings occurred in the United States since and including the American Revolution? (see last page for the answer) What prompted the people to band together in a common cause and rise up in protest against their government, or their employer(s) or class within their society?

Some of the uprisings that have occurred in the US have resulted in armed conflict with horrendous loss of life of those protesting and those against whom they were protesting e.g. the American Revolution and the Civil War. Others have resulted in great loss of life within just one group, usually the protesters. Still others have resulted in only a few deaths or no loss of life.

Subsequent to virtually all of the uprisings however, changes were instituted via new laws written, new business practices adopted, social mores changed. As usual, it is far easier to reflect and understand or at least provide some "reasonable" explanation why the uprising occurred than it is to recognize that another uprising is possible or even imminent.

The folks who eventually banded together to attempt to change what they felt was a gross injustice to their way of life, may have individually worked to accomplish the same goal but without success. After being rebuffed by the person / agency to whom they may have gone for assistance, they may have attempted to seek out a different approach. In the process of their attempts to find relief, they probably met other folks who were faced with the same or similar problem(s). Therein is the basis in which a group is formed who then are able to "join forces" the result of which is a collection of "voices of discontent" that has far greater effect to reach the common goal.

A similar scenario is growing in our society today. How many times have you expressed your dissatisfaction with the present financial situation to your family members, your friends, your neighbors, and your co-workers? How many times have any one of them or a combination of them expressed the same views to you? How many times have you overheard other folks, complete strangers to one another, discussing the situation? How many news broadcasts have you heard that speak to the same situation? Have you noticed that the frequency you hear the same complaints or perhaps join in verbalizing your thoughts has increased?

The Democratic and Republican political parties are and have been just about the only two "games in town". The other evening's news however introduced the viewer to a third ,fast growing, political force that may just give the other two a run for their money. It was said that the new group has grown out of many small "Tea Party" groups and if it continues to grow at the same rate, will have a great impact on both of the current political parties.

This writer is not fomenting a revolution or civil disobedience but if the current politicians in our State capitol refuse to listen to and comply with their constituents' cries for positive change, it is possible, if not probable, that the governed will, in some fashion, rise up and rid themselves of those politicians who evidently consider themselves as "untouchable".

While the Republican contenders for governorship have been reduced by one, Jim Gerlach, the party and the media continue to ignore the one candidate who alone has outlined a platform that will fulfill the voters' hopes for a government in our State that delivers leadership qualities. That candidate is Sam Rohrer. Go to www.samrohrer.org for more information about the man and his plans for a truthful, ethical form of government.

All those who are residents of Pennsylvania are invited to attend a Town Meeting at the Firehouse in Christiana, PA scheduled for 11 FEB 10 at 6:30 PM. The Firehouse is located on S. Bridge St in Christiana. The main speaker will be Sam Rohrer who will outline his 5 point platform. Hopefully, you will be able to attend.

The answer to the number of uprisings in the US since the American Revolution is 12. They are as follows:

1. 1775 - American Revolution against British rule

2. 1810 - West Florida rebellion against Spain

3. 1835 - Texas Revolution against Mexico

4. 1847 - Taos revolt New Mexico

5. 1861 - American Civil War

6. 1862 - The Sioux uprising in Minnesota

7. 1863 - The New York draft riots

8. 1898 -White Supremacists oust City government of Wilmington N.C.

9. 1914 - Ten Days War - Colorado miners vs National Guard

10. 1917 - Green Corn Rebellion in Oklahoma

11. 1921 - Battle of Blair mountain in VA

12. 1955- Nonviolent Demonstration - bus boycott in Birmingham, Alabama


Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Friday, January 1, 2010

Gung Hey Fa Choy

The title of this week's blog is a Chinese phrase that simply means "Good Wishes" or in this case, "Happy New Year"!! The phrase is spelled phonetically. I typed it as it sounds when verbalized.

Rather than focus on the rather dismal past year, let's turn our attention to this year. Let's begin planning to work on making this year a memorable and positive one!! In the past postings, I have attempted to give some insight on the major problem(s) facing those of us who are residents in Pennsylvania and how we can change our lot. In the postings to come, I will attempt to keep everyone abreast of the current happenings and shifting within the political arena of our State. It should be a most interesting year.

I presume that everyone's interest will be on the various contenders for governorship of our State. Oh, you didn't know? Our present governor, Eddie Spendell, will not be in office next year!! There are a number of contenders for his office some of whom are supported by their respective parties. Let's not make the same mistake(s) again by voting for a bunch of losers who apparently care very little for their constituents but take care of themselves very well!! It would be to your benefit to look at the web site www.pa2010.com for up to date news articles on the political scene of Pennsylvania.

As we draw closer to the Primary Election in the spring, the number of contenders for each of the political offices will have been whittled down to the real choices we all have to get some real honest-to-goodness folks in office. Let's not fritter away our time, just 4 months, till the primary to begin to become interested in the business of our decision making process relative to who we know (not guess) will lead our State in a positive direction.

In case you forgot to, or simply did not take the opportunity to tell all your family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and anyone else about the www.PTCC.US web site or the blog address www.wethefolks1.blogspot.com or the web address www.pa2010.com , please make every effort to seize every opportunity you can to be an educator. Some of us seem to be "too busy" to find the time to talk to others about how we can dig ourselves out of the bottomless hole in which our society finds itself. Borrowing from Ben Franklin, "We either hang together, or we hang separately". Let's be a "Good Samaritan" (Luke 10:30-37) and take the time to tell our "brother(s)" about the web addresses noted above. If the one(s) to whom you are talking do not have a computer, why not invite them to look at yours or at least tell them where they can see the web sites. Most libraries have computers but, because of our current leaders, are not open for business as many days or hours as they were.

Talking about libraries reminds me of a rather old movie that, if you have not seen it, would be great to watch. The title is "Fahrenheit 451". Although the story line is fictional, there are a number of factual cases worldwide when the citizens were deprived of reading materials that would have provided them with a greater sphere of knowledge. Some of those conditions exist today!!

I'll wind up this blog with a list of the blogs posted last year:

Post Date Title
9 OCT Are You Fed Up Yet?
16 OCT Receiving Objective Criticism
23 OCT Easy Come, Easy Go
26 OCT Easy Come, Easy Go (correction)
30 OCT "Habit", Something Good or Bad?
6 NOV Phase Two to Save $
13 NOV Mixed Bag of Events
20 NOV The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
27 NOV Twas the Night Before Christmas
4 DEC Sheep, Ostrich, Falcon or Owl?
11 DEC Need vs Want
20 DEC Excision - To Excise
27 DEC New Year's Resolutions

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John