Archive for June, 2009

Erin Pizzey is a genial woman with snow-white hair, cherubic cheeks, and an easy smile. It wasn’t always that way. The daughter of an English diplomat, she founded the world’s first shelter for battered women in 1971. To her surprise, she discovered that most of the women in her shelter were as violent as... »

The authors of The Pink Swastika, Scott Lively and Kevin Abrams, would have us believe that homosexuality was the driving force behind the rise of Hitler’s Third Reich. Near the beginning of chapter three of The Pink Swastika, “The Homosexual Roots of Fascism,” Lively and Abrams state this thesis: In seeking the roots of fascism... »

There will always be swindlers masquerading as investment advisors. You can learn to recognize such people by their over-the-top lifestyle. Avoid them at all costs. The differences between the manager of a Ponzi scheme and a model citizen are almost imperceptible, which is not surprising. Those who would perpetrate a Ponzi scheme are usually not... »

Over the last two decades, some amazing things have happened in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Governments have been pouring money into AI and robotics, yielding meaningful progress. Some powerful AI systems have gone commercial; others are on the brink. But these accomplishments are sometimes being overshadowed by commentary on robot emotions, robot... »

(The author is the force behind www.menandmarriage.com)    “I just don’t get it,” said my friend John.  “We’ve had a million fights over this, and nothing changes.”  John and Melissa have been married for over twenty years. In that time they’ve had a million fights over the same thing. “She thinks the money I earn (75% of the... »

The remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) was quite a disappointment to sci-fi fans. Viewers gave it just over 2 stars at Amazon.com. That’s slightly worse than Assignment: Outer Space (1960) and more than a point and a half behind Kronos (1950). If you haven’t heard of either, don’t worry about... »

Who won the Cold War? That’s a no-brainer. The United States prevailed while the Soviet Union collapsed, and the People’s Republic of China dumped Marxism; capitalism (free markets and private property) triumphed over socialism (centrally planned markets and state-owned property); an ethos of individual rights proved to be more resilient and healthy than collectivist... »

      Health Report:        Air Pollution & the Risk of Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)           “A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers…”       By, Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS       Last Updated: 06/28/2009 The information in this column is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice or recommendations by the author. Please consult with... »

My freedom is yours. You won’t be free unless you help me to get my freedom. Don’t remain silent while in the dark of night you hear screams of mothers for the lives of their kids. Don’t cover your ears when you hear the cries of the children for their mothers and fathers who have... »

Breaking the strongholds of darkness depends upon developing spiritual disciplines in our lives. Sunday’s sermon by Pastor Dan Gardner at the Cohocton Assembly of God Church was on the message of Matthew 17:14-21: 14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he... »

A rational person in a rational world should be able to say that the premise and storyline of the latest book by author Gary Wolf is silly, ridiculous, and prone to flights of fancy. Unfortunately, in the first decade of the 21st century the subject matter and conjecture found in the pages of The... »

Dear Family and Friends, A few months ago a friend was approached by a vendor who had a large walnut -sized transparent stone. The vendor didn’t want to say where he’d got the stone from but claimed it was a diamond and he was trying to sell it. The stone had a sharp edge which... »

It makes no difference why Obama and his kind are so intent on lowering the quality of American healthcare to levels reflective of nightmarish and dysfunctional Euro-socialist states. Their willingness to employ fraud and overreaches of power speaks volumes in itself. The results of this approach are entirely predictable. Any program that is implemented... »

For giant corporations such as Ikea, size means that the price extracted for doing business becomes an impossible number to cap in Russia. »

Neda’s graphic entry into martyrdom will have put an end to the placating of ruling Iranian thugs by a European leadership which has enjoyed business as usual for a generation, sanctions or not. »

Safeguard 7: Avoid Investment Advisors Who Sugarcoat Reality (2009-06-22) by David John Marotta We’ve already discussed the many ways you can safeguard your money. But these methods cannot protect you from an unscrupulous advisor. My brother, who is a lawyer, has a saying we must all take to heart: “You can’t do a good deal with... »

Supreme Court opinions are words for the generations that can affect the lives and welfare of millions. No one doubts that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has a compelling life story. But more to the point, we need to inquire about her aptitude to draft thoughtfully-reasoned, well-crafted legal opinions. On this count, there is reason... »

    Health Report:   Red Yeast Rice, Statins & Cholesterol               “A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers…”       By, Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS Last Updated:  06/21/2009   The information in this column is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice or recommendations by the author.  Please consult with your physician before making any lifestyle or medication... »

Obama's silence on this matter is the most shameful action (or, in this case, inaction) by the supposed Leader of the Free World since Jimmy Carter twiddled his thumbs while 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days 30 years ago by the same group of terrorists now running Iran. »

Investment Strategies Part 4: Don’t Rebalance at the Sector Level (2009-06-15) by David John Marotta Rebalancing between asset classes boosts returns and decreases volatility. But setting your asset classes based on sectors of the economy is not an effective strategy. You can rebalance your investment allocation at three levels: stocks and bonds, between asset classes and among... »