How Free Are You?

Woodcut: “The Ship of Fools”

What happens if you live off-grid?
If you live independent of utilities, water, and sewer, and provide your own energy through solar panels, have your own sewer system, and use rainwater, you may run into problems with your local government. Robin Speroni of Cape Coral, Florida, was sued by local officials that her off-grid home was illegal, citing the International Property Maintenance Code. She was found guilty of not being hooked to the water supply. Continue reading

Inese’s Story of Pain and Triumph

Inese as an 8 year old Inese before the fire
Our paths have crossed in 1998. I was looking for an elegant but inexpensive dress in Parisians, a department store in the newly opened mall in the neighboring town. The stylishly dressed blonde, blue-eyed associate seemed out of place; she certainly did not look southern, did not dress southern, she belonged in a chic boutique in Europe. Continue reading

The Three Americas of Your Dreams

Popesti sunset from the sheep farm Photo: Ileana Johnson 2015
Michael Savage made an interesting and profound statement on his radio show that struck a chord with me because I believe it to be true, based on my past experience with socialism and communism, my present knowledge of crony capitalism, and my research.
“We have three Americas – the America that was, the America that is, and the America that will be.” Continue reading

America the Broken Beacon?

Cape Meares Lighthouse Cape Meares Photo: Wikipedia
America used to be the country of freedom where people dreamed of immigrating to if only they could get a passport, a visa, enough money to fly or sail across the ocean, if only the border guards would not arrest them in the U.S. if they had no papers, if only the military guards in their own countries would not shoot them on sight. Continue reading

“If they are not Islamic fanatics, what are they, Martians?”

Judge Jeanine Pirro

Judge Jeanine Pirro

The keynote speaker at the ACT for America conference on September 11, 2014 was Judge Jeanine Pirro. ACT for America is a non-profit organization led by Brigitte Gabriel, author and terrorism expert.
Judge Pirro’s speech centered on the threat of ISIS, mirroring the non-profit organization’s goal of fighting Shariah Islamic Law in the United States and maintaining our freedoms and our Judeo-Christian foundation as intended by our Founding Fathers.
Echoed by many speakers during the three day conference, Judge Pirro challenged the deliberate misrepresentation that ISIS, the Islamic terrorist army alleged to number 30,000 in Iraq and Syria, is not about Islamic fanaticism. “If they’re not Islamic fanatics, what are they, Martians?” asked Pirro. Continue reading

What Is the Price of War?

Several years ago Mike, a Vietnam veteran, took my Macro and Microeconomics classes. He always came on time, hopping on his crutches with speed, expertly avoiding anything that might trip him. You could tell he was in pain –he winced occasionally and sweated profusely from the effort to stay upright. He was missing his right leg above the knee.
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Flying South for Spring

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA Princess, the adopted kitty
From the moment I left the house, I did not know what I was going to find on my journey. This time I left at 3 a.m. and I discovered that, even at such an early hour on Easter Sunday, the roads were not exactly clear in the suburbs of Virginia, the capital of congestion and perennially clogged highways and interstates.

On my way south, my airline ticket offered a convoluted route via the windy city. Once aboard the plane, having escaped the unnecessary frisking of the TSA, I started perusing the in-flight magazine – they’ve never disappointed me, bursting with colorful ads, magnificent stories of faraway romantic places that look so much more fascinating in glossy photographs than in reality, and the usual environmental propaganda. This time it was all about “green” coffee, sustainability, community gardens, and U.S. Airways’ one world alliance (part of the merger with American Airlines) that is supposed to compete with Delta Sky Team’s. The name “one world alliance,” meant to help “international travelers better connect with their world locations,“ gave me shivers.
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Leave Your Secularism at the Door

The atheist minority in this country is challenging everything the majority holds dear in their traditions, faith, and beliefs in order to satisfy their agenda of fundamentally changing America in their view of “social justice” promised by the hollow “hope and change.”

Merchants have caved in afraid to say Merry Christmas anymore. We now have Happy Holidays. Nativity scenes, Christmas trees, and decorations seem to offend liberal atheists more and more each year. Frivolous and vindictive lawsuits are filed to remove crosses that have been in place for decades, honoring those who served in the military and gave their lives to our country.
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