As usual, this morning I viewed the Sunday morning news programs and read the Sunday issue of my local newspaper (South Bend Tribune). I immediately reacted when I read Washington Post David Broder’s column titled “Chris Dodd, straight shooter, will be missed in the Senate”. When I say that I was moved I want you to know that I sent the following email directly to Broder at the Washington Post.
“I have just read your column in the South Bend Tribune and I want you to know that it will be the last one I intend to read. Why? I salute your loyalty to your friend Senator Chris Dodd, but your failure to even address his corruption and misuse of office is an example of your bias reporting. This specific column lacks any balance, and reflects your position as a loyal Democrat, not an objective reporter. Is this article a pay-off for access over the many years you have been in Dodd’s hip pocket?”
To that email I signed by real name, not my nom deplume.
It is your Commander’s opinion that journalists and even columnists should be honest and present both sides of a story, and Broder definitely only presented praise for Dodd’s many years of political service. Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) duplicity benefited him significantly. It is one thing for Broder to be Dodd’s friend, but it is another to ignore his betrayal of the public trust.
Americans are fortunate that Dodd has seen that his chances for re-election are dim at best, because the voters of Connecticut and all Americans will be better served if an honest public servant replaces him in the Senate. Tragically, Dodd will not just fade away like an old soldier. He will live in the lap of luxury on his ill-gotten gains, and fat government pension. As I have stated before, the chickens are coming home to roost in politics all across the fruited plains. We all will be the better when the voters step forward and exert their vast political influence as our brilliant Constitution guarantees.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
THANK GOD FOR NOTRE DAME
Those of us who voluntarily choose to reside in Northern Indiana should all thank God for the University of Notre Dame. Many ex-students from around the country and the world have elected to stay in the community after graduation remaining a loyal core support group, and they add significantly to the quality of life in Michiana.
Recently Forbes magazine released the results of a financial impact survey that reported Notre Dame as the second most valuable college football program in the country. The survey used a set of standardized revenue and expense criteria, and the results indicated that the Fighting Irish program generated $108 million. That was only second to the University of Texas football revenue of $119 million. The top ten schools following Texas and Notre Dame were Penn State, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
Additionally, the study indicated that Notre Dame’s dividend from funds that flowed back to the University as a whole, and to other athletic programs totaled $38 million. Most revealing was the fact that St. Joseph County was the only county in the nation in which incremental spending topped $10 million on home football weekends. When you consider the fact that Notre Dame has six home football games that is a staggering $60 million flowing directly into the local economy.
Considering the recent serious economic problems facing our nation, and specifically Northern Indiana, we should all be most thankful for Notre Dame’s presence. Unemployment remains very high in the area with the faltering automobile industry and the weak recreational vehicle business in the dumps.
Fortunately, the University is the #1 employer in the region and its economic impact is vital for maintaining the quality of life in Michiana. Just consider the additional economic impact of the salaries paid to the professors and staff, the money that flows into taxes, local retail business, and the real estate market. The University is to be commended, too, for contributing substantial dollars to support various local projects, and they willingly pay taxes for several University operations despite their tax-free status as an educational institution. Life in the local community is vastly different when the students are on campus versus when they are on vacation breaks.
Considering the appalling fiscally irresponsible political leadership in both South Bend and St. Joseph County, the existence of Notre Dame is essential and much appreciated. The economic impact of Notre Dame Football is one thing, but the over-all influence of the University to the quality of life is significant.
Notre Dame cannot and should not be expected to solve all the problems facing this community, but they have been a beacon of positive influence that impacts every person residing and working in this community. Someday the citizens of St. Joseph County will demand that their political leadership be held accountable for fiscal integrity. There is a limit to how high taxes can be raised, and that day of reckoning is just over the horizon.
I sometimes think that the South Bend community has never gotten over the closing of the Studebaker automobile plant in the 1960s, the Drewry Brewing facility in the early 1970s, and the Ball Band/Uniroyal plant in nearby Mishawaka in the 1990s. When change happens local government must adapt or it will perish, which is exactly what is happening. AM General, manufacturer of the military Hummer and the Hummer H-2 and H-3, is now reducing employment, and the College Football Hall of Fame is moving to Atlanta, so the necessary reductions in spending must occur immediately or South Bend will become another Detroit or Flint. Government at all levels, local, regional, and national, cannot continue to spend what they do not have. There is a limit to wanton taxation.
Seriously, let your Commander make a suggestion to solve the numerous problems facing both South Bend and St. Joseph County. With a long proven ability to administrate and raise money it would be a good idea to turn over the operation of local and county governance to the University of Notre Dame. Their record of serving the poor, strong achievements in education and financial solvency suggest that the University is the answer.
There are voices within our community that feel Notre Dame is arrogant and exerts excessive influence, but Notre Dame cannot and should not be chastised, because it does put its money where its mouth is. I do not agree with everything the University does, but I would hate to reside here without its numerous positive contributions to our daily lives. Without the University of Notre Dame, South Bend would quickly resemble Yucca Flats.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Recently Forbes magazine released the results of a financial impact survey that reported Notre Dame as the second most valuable college football program in the country. The survey used a set of standardized revenue and expense criteria, and the results indicated that the Fighting Irish program generated $108 million. That was only second to the University of Texas football revenue of $119 million. The top ten schools following Texas and Notre Dame were Penn State, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
Additionally, the study indicated that Notre Dame’s dividend from funds that flowed back to the University as a whole, and to other athletic programs totaled $38 million. Most revealing was the fact that St. Joseph County was the only county in the nation in which incremental spending topped $10 million on home football weekends. When you consider the fact that Notre Dame has six home football games that is a staggering $60 million flowing directly into the local economy.
Considering the recent serious economic problems facing our nation, and specifically Northern Indiana, we should all be most thankful for Notre Dame’s presence. Unemployment remains very high in the area with the faltering automobile industry and the weak recreational vehicle business in the dumps.
Fortunately, the University is the #1 employer in the region and its economic impact is vital for maintaining the quality of life in Michiana. Just consider the additional economic impact of the salaries paid to the professors and staff, the money that flows into taxes, local retail business, and the real estate market. The University is to be commended, too, for contributing substantial dollars to support various local projects, and they willingly pay taxes for several University operations despite their tax-free status as an educational institution. Life in the local community is vastly different when the students are on campus versus when they are on vacation breaks.
Considering the appalling fiscally irresponsible political leadership in both South Bend and St. Joseph County, the existence of Notre Dame is essential and much appreciated. The economic impact of Notre Dame Football is one thing, but the over-all influence of the University to the quality of life is significant.
Notre Dame cannot and should not be expected to solve all the problems facing this community, but they have been a beacon of positive influence that impacts every person residing and working in this community. Someday the citizens of St. Joseph County will demand that their political leadership be held accountable for fiscal integrity. There is a limit to how high taxes can be raised, and that day of reckoning is just over the horizon.
I sometimes think that the South Bend community has never gotten over the closing of the Studebaker automobile plant in the 1960s, the Drewry Brewing facility in the early 1970s, and the Ball Band/Uniroyal plant in nearby Mishawaka in the 1990s. When change happens local government must adapt or it will perish, which is exactly what is happening. AM General, manufacturer of the military Hummer and the Hummer H-2 and H-3, is now reducing employment, and the College Football Hall of Fame is moving to Atlanta, so the necessary reductions in spending must occur immediately or South Bend will become another Detroit or Flint. Government at all levels, local, regional, and national, cannot continue to spend what they do not have. There is a limit to wanton taxation.
Seriously, let your Commander make a suggestion to solve the numerous problems facing both South Bend and St. Joseph County. With a long proven ability to administrate and raise money it would be a good idea to turn over the operation of local and county governance to the University of Notre Dame. Their record of serving the poor, strong achievements in education and financial solvency suggest that the University is the answer.
There are voices within our community that feel Notre Dame is arrogant and exerts excessive influence, but Notre Dame cannot and should not be chastised, because it does put its money where its mouth is. I do not agree with everything the University does, but I would hate to reside here without its numerous positive contributions to our daily lives. Without the University of Notre Dame, South Bend would quickly resemble Yucca Flats.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Friday, January 8, 2010
HOW GREEN IS GREEN?
I do not know about you, but I am becoming more and more skeptical about the Green Movement. As a matter of fact there is enough proven erroneous information floating around to require me to suspect a vast conspiracy within the entire environmental sector of our country.
A segment of our population has made vast sums of money despite the fact that they have been spewing out false information. One specific individual is ex-Vice-President Al Gore, who once claimed to have invented the internet, and who has profited from a Nobel Peace prize based upon proven phony allegations. His Oscar-award winning movie “An Inconvenient Truth” has made him a millionaire many times over, and many claims of the movie are false. He also refuses to participate in a public question and answer forum. While Gore calls for all of us to conserve, he flies around the world in his carbon spewing private jet, and lives luxuriously on a fat government perked pension in an energy glutinous Tennessee mansion.
Special interest groups like the Sierra Club exert inappropriate influence on state and federal governments to restrict water distribution, logging, mining, and oil exploration, to name a few, which curbs employment and substantial tax revenue to large portions of our country. Lawmakers in our government have frequently been swayed by special interest political contributions to restrict fairly controlled commercial interests and projects.
It appears to your Commander that most special interest groups are supported by well-healed individuals, and foreign governments who have a selfish personal objective to protect, such as their own personal property values. Numerous foreign governments, such as Saudi Arabia, spend vast sums of money with Washington lobbyists. The Saudi Royal family does not want our domestic oil production to increase by one barrel. In addition, all too frequently eminent domain has been inappropriately applied as a result of political contributions by various special interest groups.
Your Commander supports conservation, and strongly urges government to protect our natural resources. However, I support appropriate use of our domestic natural resources as opposed to foreign imports. Unfortunately, money talks, and decisions are reached which are forced upon innocent citizens, because they do not have the clout of Mr. Big. While I once worked closely with NBC, I am now gravely concerned about their misuse of its network airwaves to promote the Green Movement, which also happens to be directly aligned to greatly profit their parent company, General Electric. News stories appear within their news programs that urge aggressive Green actions that result in vast profits for GE products, and cause negative economic consequences to the general public. You would be shocked to learn how many of those GE products are manufactured overseas and not domestically, creating a negative impact on U.S. employment statistics.
Conservation is an important objective, but false use of the subject is nothing short of criminal corruption and the misuse of the public’s trust. Is climate change true? I do not know, but I am becoming more and more suspicious and you should be too. Don’t be gullible just because someone says it is so. There are an increasing number of experienced academic minds raising suspicions to the Green Movement. Anyone who takes the word of our government without solid honest proof or questions is just naive, and will be candidates to be taken to the cleaners with increased taxation to support the special interests of someone else.
COMMANDER GRANGER
A segment of our population has made vast sums of money despite the fact that they have been spewing out false information. One specific individual is ex-Vice-President Al Gore, who once claimed to have invented the internet, and who has profited from a Nobel Peace prize based upon proven phony allegations. His Oscar-award winning movie “An Inconvenient Truth” has made him a millionaire many times over, and many claims of the movie are false. He also refuses to participate in a public question and answer forum. While Gore calls for all of us to conserve, he flies around the world in his carbon spewing private jet, and lives luxuriously on a fat government perked pension in an energy glutinous Tennessee mansion.
Special interest groups like the Sierra Club exert inappropriate influence on state and federal governments to restrict water distribution, logging, mining, and oil exploration, to name a few, which curbs employment and substantial tax revenue to large portions of our country. Lawmakers in our government have frequently been swayed by special interest political contributions to restrict fairly controlled commercial interests and projects.
It appears to your Commander that most special interest groups are supported by well-healed individuals, and foreign governments who have a selfish personal objective to protect, such as their own personal property values. Numerous foreign governments, such as Saudi Arabia, spend vast sums of money with Washington lobbyists. The Saudi Royal family does not want our domestic oil production to increase by one barrel. In addition, all too frequently eminent domain has been inappropriately applied as a result of political contributions by various special interest groups.
Your Commander supports conservation, and strongly urges government to protect our natural resources. However, I support appropriate use of our domestic natural resources as opposed to foreign imports. Unfortunately, money talks, and decisions are reached which are forced upon innocent citizens, because they do not have the clout of Mr. Big. While I once worked closely with NBC, I am now gravely concerned about their misuse of its network airwaves to promote the Green Movement, which also happens to be directly aligned to greatly profit their parent company, General Electric. News stories appear within their news programs that urge aggressive Green actions that result in vast profits for GE products, and cause negative economic consequences to the general public. You would be shocked to learn how many of those GE products are manufactured overseas and not domestically, creating a negative impact on U.S. employment statistics.
Conservation is an important objective, but false use of the subject is nothing short of criminal corruption and the misuse of the public’s trust. Is climate change true? I do not know, but I am becoming more and more suspicious and you should be too. Don’t be gullible just because someone says it is so. There are an increasing number of experienced academic minds raising suspicions to the Green Movement. Anyone who takes the word of our government without solid honest proof or questions is just naive, and will be candidates to be taken to the cleaners with increased taxation to support the special interests of someone else.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE
Every now and then a nice little book comes along that warms the heart and enhances the joy of reading. Recently I came across just such a book when I read “May I Have Your Attention Please…Wit & Wisdom from the Notre Dame Press Box” by Mike Collins, and Sergeant Tim McCarthy.
Since moving to Northern Indiana working in the broadcast business I met and now consider Mike Collins a friend. He recently retired, but was one of the best news anchors in the business. Mike is one of those valuable voices, and influences, in the community that makes living here most rewarding.
Sergeant Tim McCarthy is a veteran Indiana State Police Officer and has been the unseen voice of both wit and wisdom safety announcements at every home Notre Dame Football game for many years. A “Domer” (graduate of Notre Dame) relative of mine gave Tim a wonderful compliment when he said, “Only Tim McCarthy could bring 80,000 roaring fans to silence every Saturday afternoon.” Over the years Tim’s humorous traffic alerts no doubt have saved many lives traveling home from the games.
I suggest you read this wonderfully humorous book that provides a behind the scenes peek into the Press Box high about the crowd at Notre Dame home football games. Locally copies are available in local bookstores or, if you are out of town, through Corby Books, Box 93, Notre Dame, IN 46556 at a cost of $14.95 (plus shipping). A little book at the price, but a fun read!
COMMANDER GRANGER
Since moving to Northern Indiana working in the broadcast business I met and now consider Mike Collins a friend. He recently retired, but was one of the best news anchors in the business. Mike is one of those valuable voices, and influences, in the community that makes living here most rewarding.
Sergeant Tim McCarthy is a veteran Indiana State Police Officer and has been the unseen voice of both wit and wisdom safety announcements at every home Notre Dame Football game for many years. A “Domer” (graduate of Notre Dame) relative of mine gave Tim a wonderful compliment when he said, “Only Tim McCarthy could bring 80,000 roaring fans to silence every Saturday afternoon.” Over the years Tim’s humorous traffic alerts no doubt have saved many lives traveling home from the games.
I suggest you read this wonderfully humorous book that provides a behind the scenes peek into the Press Box high about the crowd at Notre Dame home football games. Locally copies are available in local bookstores or, if you are out of town, through Corby Books, Box 93, Notre Dame, IN 46556 at a cost of $14.95 (plus shipping). A little book at the price, but a fun read!
COMMANDER GRANGER
Monday, January 4, 2010
I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EARS
Over the holidays I joined a gathering of friends from our community, and the evening network newscast was on a television set. As is usual for that time of the year a local station was presenting a review of major news stories of the year. What caught our eyes was a full screen of major Democrat politicians gathered to celebrate and puff about their majority power political agenda accomplishments.
One of the attendees asked me, ”Who are those people?” I was shocked by the question and responded, ”Don’t you know who they are?” FYI, the inquisitor was an adult high school graduate who has continued his education and owns and operates a service business, not an inexperienced uneducated child.
When I picked myself up off the floor, I responded that the individuals appearing on the screen were Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY). I tried to remind the person just who they all were, and their significance to our daily lives. This individual told me that politics, newspapers, books, and television news were of little interest so those individuals were not important factors to his daily life.
This experience was a very important revelation to my understanding as to just why our country is in the state of disarray that it is, because there is apparently far more disregard and less interest in the preservation of our democracy than I realized. It is just this lack of attention to what made this country the bright and shining example it is to much of the world, and it is just this complacency that will lead to our further erosion and ultimate destruction. With high school graduation rates hovering below 50% in the major cities, we no doubt will have a growing percentage of the voting public exhibiting little or no interest in the vital political process. That fact does not bode well for our country’s future.
I will even bet that similar experiences occurred throughout “the land of the free and the home of the brave” this past holiday season. It is sad, but apparently true that a growing number of our fellow citizens just do not care or even know about the important issues and people of the day.
COMMANDER GRANGER
One of the attendees asked me, ”Who are those people?” I was shocked by the question and responded, ”Don’t you know who they are?” FYI, the inquisitor was an adult high school graduate who has continued his education and owns and operates a service business, not an inexperienced uneducated child.
When I picked myself up off the floor, I responded that the individuals appearing on the screen were Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY). I tried to remind the person just who they all were, and their significance to our daily lives. This individual told me that politics, newspapers, books, and television news were of little interest so those individuals were not important factors to his daily life.
This experience was a very important revelation to my understanding as to just why our country is in the state of disarray that it is, because there is apparently far more disregard and less interest in the preservation of our democracy than I realized. It is just this lack of attention to what made this country the bright and shining example it is to much of the world, and it is just this complacency that will lead to our further erosion and ultimate destruction. With high school graduation rates hovering below 50% in the major cities, we no doubt will have a growing percentage of the voting public exhibiting little or no interest in the vital political process. That fact does not bode well for our country’s future.
I will even bet that similar experiences occurred throughout “the land of the free and the home of the brave” this past holiday season. It is sad, but apparently true that a growing number of our fellow citizens just do not care or even know about the important issues and people of the day.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Sunday, January 3, 2010
TROUBLED HORIZON CONFRONTS 2010
Since the disturbing news of a failed terrorist attack on an inbound flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, the Administration, and specifically Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and President Barack Hussein Obama, have been changing their statements and running for cover. It is your Commander’s opinion that Napolitano should be fired and replaced with a qualified expert from the security business, not a politically appointed hack. Our President should stop making “shoot from the hip,” politically correct statements before he secures all of the necessary information, but that may be excused since he and his family so are far away in Hawaii on vacation.
As we enter a new and challenging decade it is your Commander’s position that our most serious issues are caused by the continuation of excessive greed, corruption, financial debt, all caused by self-serving elected officials. On December 28, 2009 the influential Judicial Watch posted their list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” for 2009. Let me provide you with the list of names that are all quite familiar to all informed Americans.
1. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
2. Senator John Ensign (R-NV)
3. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
4. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner
5. Attorney General Eric Holder
6. Rep. Jesse Jackson. Jr. (D-IL)/ Senator Roland Burris (D-IL)
7. President Barack Obama
8. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
9. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) and the rest of the PMA seven.
10. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
How did Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) miss the list? Let me suggest that you take a couple of your valuable minutes, and read the revelations specified in the Judicial Watch announcement. You can view the entire report easily at:
http://www.judicialwatch.org - then click December 28 article
Our future will remain cloudy and in peril until we, the voters, address the transgressions committed by those listed above. Believe me, our destiny is in significant jeopardy, because of these individuals and their dangerous and devious selfish intensions and actions. The solutions to our problems are in our own hands.
COMMANDER GRANGER
As we enter a new and challenging decade it is your Commander’s position that our most serious issues are caused by the continuation of excessive greed, corruption, financial debt, all caused by self-serving elected officials. On December 28, 2009 the influential Judicial Watch posted their list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” for 2009. Let me provide you with the list of names that are all quite familiar to all informed Americans.
1. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
2. Senator John Ensign (R-NV)
3. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
4. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner
5. Attorney General Eric Holder
6. Rep. Jesse Jackson. Jr. (D-IL)/ Senator Roland Burris (D-IL)
7. President Barack Obama
8. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
9. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) and the rest of the PMA seven.
10. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
How did Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) miss the list? Let me suggest that you take a couple of your valuable minutes, and read the revelations specified in the Judicial Watch announcement. You can view the entire report easily at:
http://www.judicialwatch.org - then click December 28 article
Our future will remain cloudy and in peril until we, the voters, address the transgressions committed by those listed above. Believe me, our destiny is in significant jeopardy, because of these individuals and their dangerous and devious selfish intensions and actions. The solutions to our problems are in our own hands.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Friday, January 1, 2010
THREE YEARS AND COUNTING
The first commentary of F. Robert's World appeared back on April 5, 2008 with the title “SPORTSMANSHIP IS DEAD,” and 73 different essays appeared through the remaining months of that year. In 2009 your Commander was surprised when he realized he had written 221 different postings; the last one was December 30th titled “THE HONEYMOON IS OVER.” It is a new decade and the blog’s third calendar year. The first blog of 2010 wishes one and all a very Happy New Year filled with good health, happiness and peace.
This blog is very rewarding to your Commander, because it provides an abiding desire to remain at least mentally active on a daily basis. The work keeps my mind probing for information, and permits me to stay up to date on current events as well as prodding my readers to consider crucial issues of our time. All too frequently politics occupies the blog, but the growing seriousness of that debate has caused the excessive concentration.
As I have stated before, it is not my intent for you to always agree with me, but I do want you to think seriously about the various issues. I intend to be a provocateur, and get more and more of you motivated to assure a strong and positive, financially secure and sane roll for the United States of America. We owe that to those who gave the full measure and our children.
Let me start the New Year with a suggestion that you read Charles Krauthammer’s latest article “War, What War?” Personally, I consider him to be one of the more important conservative commentators of our time.
http://townhall.com/columnists/CharlesKrauthammer/2010/01/01/war_what_war?page=full
Let us all join in prayer for a saner more peaceful world in this new decade. It will only happen if we all get off our backsides and demand honest, fiscally sound leadership that truly supports our Constitution, and not egotistical, elitist self-interests.
COMMANDER GRANGER
This blog is very rewarding to your Commander, because it provides an abiding desire to remain at least mentally active on a daily basis. The work keeps my mind probing for information, and permits me to stay up to date on current events as well as prodding my readers to consider crucial issues of our time. All too frequently politics occupies the blog, but the growing seriousness of that debate has caused the excessive concentration.
As I have stated before, it is not my intent for you to always agree with me, but I do want you to think seriously about the various issues. I intend to be a provocateur, and get more and more of you motivated to assure a strong and positive, financially secure and sane roll for the United States of America. We owe that to those who gave the full measure and our children.
Let me start the New Year with a suggestion that you read Charles Krauthammer’s latest article “War, What War?” Personally, I consider him to be one of the more important conservative commentators of our time.
http://townhall.com/columnists/CharlesKrauthammer/2010/01/01/war_what_war?page=full
Let us all join in prayer for a saner more peaceful world in this new decade. It will only happen if we all get off our backsides and demand honest, fiscally sound leadership that truly supports our Constitution, and not egotistical, elitist self-interests.
COMMANDER GRANGER
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