analogy [uh-nal-uh-jee]?

War is like smoking. It may feel good when you start but eventually your body pays the price. ~ Peter Rimar

Geiger counter with a pack of Marlboro Cigarettes at

the Manhattan Project's original Ground Zero

Trinity Site, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico (October 2009)

#Occupy Wall Street ~ Day 18:

"I'd rather be a comma then a full stop."
~ Coldplay (from Every Teardrop is a Waterfall)
V for Vendetta Mask

Another Milestone ~ 10 Years at War

"We're here so that Afghanistan does not once again become a sanctuary for transnational extremists the way it was when al-Qaeda planned the 9/11 attacks in the Kandahar area, conducted the initial training for the attackers in training camps in Afghanistan before they moved on to Germany and then to U.S. flight schools." ~ David Petraeus

Pew Research Center 
War and Sacrifice in the Post-9/11 Era
The Military-Civilian Gap (Released: October 5, 2011)
Read More...

United in Remembrance, Divided over Policies
Ten Years after 9/11 (Released: September 1, 2011)
Read More...

Afghan Boy in downtown Kabul, Afghanistan (June 2003). Photo by Peter Rimar.
Afghanistan 101 (Hardcover) (See all Early Civilization History Books)

Election Update: Buddy Roemer, the only GOP candidate who has made corruption in Washington the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, has been locked out of yet another televised debate:
Read More...

The American Worker?

Photo by Peter Rimar, East Grand Forks, Minnesota (October 5, 2011).

Why Unions Matter (Paperback) (See all Politics Books)

Herman Cain for President in 2012?
Up until today, beyond some soft humor about the candidate, I've refrained from writing anything serious about his candidacy. Indeed, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt regarding his views on the issues. This specific quote changed everything for this blogger:

"Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself."
~ Herman Cain

This man is NOT ready to be President.

When asked the same question by the Joint Economic Committee, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve was able to wrap his head around the frustration being expressed by the Occupy Wall Street Movement:

“They blame, with some justification, the problems in the financial sector for getting us into this mess, and they’re dissatisfied with the policy response here in Washington. And at some level, I can’t blame them.”
~ Ben Bernanke

Let's just pretend the whole 2008 Wall Street Meltdown didn't happen. When members of the Tea Party protested against the Wall Street Bailout they were anointed as Patriots. And now, with corporations making record profits and NOT reinvesting profits back into the American economy, all of a sudden, the protesters in New York City are so-called "anti-capitalists"? Talk about political double-speak.


Even if Mr. Cain politically disagrees with the protesters, at the very least, the candidate should have acknowledged and supported the "right to peaceably assemble" protected by the First Amendment.

Hermanator Update:
(October 9,2011)
The GOP's latest Flavor of the Month is already feeling the heat for his remarks regarding the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Additionally, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is suffering from yet another case of foot-in-mouth disease. Read More...

The Candidate's Final Chapter?
(December 3, 2011)
This message was written by this blogger for Mr. Herman Cain: 

"Don't blame the media, don't blame dirty politics, if you don't make money after running for President, blame the fact that you were caught "looking for love in all the wrong places".
~ Self

...Americana...

Mesilla, New Mexico (September 2009).

Could you pass a US citizenship test?
Read More...

Visionary: February 24, 1955 ~ October 5, 2011

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." ~ Steve Jobs

Should politicians wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers to identify their corporate sponsors?

The following is a man-on-the-street interview about the 
Occupy Wall Street Movement 
that DID NOT make it on Faux News:


Onion News: 
Rumors that Rick Perry invited Dick Cheney to go hunting are untrue?

Bachmann Update: 
Candidate runs out-of-gas in Iowa?
Read More...

Class Warfare Update: 
Buddy Roemer is the first & only GOP Presidential candidate to issue a statement offering his support for the Occupy Wall Street Movement.
Read More...

Happy World Teachers' Day!

Photo of Chinese Classroom in Changsha, PRC by Peter Rimar (July 2009).

3.5% Unemployment in North Dakota?

Over the last year, one of the few bright spots in the U.S. economy has been the ongoing Oil Rush in North Dakota. Before you load up the family van and head north, please be aware, the winters in this state are extremely ka-ka-ka-COLD. Also, there's a housing shortage in the western half of the state. It's a good idea to pack baby wipes, a sleeping bag and a tent for the trip:
Read More...
Read More...


Short video from the Aneta Turkey Barbeque Parade, North Dakota. 
Recorded by Peter Rimar (June 2010).
Silent Towns on the Prairie : North Dakota's Disappearing Towns and Farms (Paperback)

Speaking of new jobs in North Dakota...
Strippers earning up to $2,000 a night
in North Dakota town thriving amid 
oil boom
by Larry McShane (NY Daily News)

"A pair of strip clubs in Williston, N.D., are drawing exotic dancers who can earn up to $2,000 a night thanks to the influx of well-paid oil workers in the remote region, CNN Money reported."
Read More...

Thanks for the Memories Andy Rooney

"There aren't too many original thoughts in the world. A writer's job is to tell the truth. I believe that if all the truths were known about everything in the world, it would be a better place to live." 
~ Andy Rooney (60 Minutes - October 2, 2011) 
60 Years of Wisdom and Wit [Kindle Edition]

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." ~ Confucius

Changsha, PRC (May 2009).

What's Tweeting You?

After two years of tracking over 500 million messages written by 2.4 million people in 84 countries, researchers at Cornell University have discovered that the cliché Tomorrow is a New Day starts shortly after a breakfast of Cheerios.

Evidently, a majority of people wake up happy, but as the day progresses, dealing with the reality of daily life takes its emotional toll. Then, right before folks prepare for bed, individual moods generally shift back into a positive gear.

On the surface, the research study itself appears rather benign. How people feel and when they feel it adds yet another mundane piece to that complex puzzle called the human condition. However, with the dramatic rise of social networking sites like Facebook, important privacy questions need to be raised regarding how personal digital information is being collected and analyzed. Read More...

For 99.99% of human history, private correspondence between individuals took the form of an old-fashion, handwritten letter. At some point, the same level of privacy protection governing the international movement of snail mail needs to be extended to the internet. Where is the line between collecting marketing data vs. reading private e-mails?  Read More...

"I really believe that we don't have to make a trade-off between security and privacy. I think technology gives us the ability to have both." ~ John Poindexter
Nothing to Hide: The False Tradeoff between Privacy and Security (Hardcover)

...wisdom...

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it."
~ Ivan Panin

Uyghur Woman, Beijing (June 2008).

The rumors that Former Congressman Weiner is undergoing SEXUAL addiction therapy at Charlie Sheen's house are untrue?

Sometime during the late summer of 1981, I was driving my wooden bumper 1962 VW Bug from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Walking alone alongside the highway was this young, bearded man dressed like Charlton Heston in the Ten Commandments.



He was wearing a simple white linen robe, non-leather sandals and carrying a long polished wooden staff. After picking him up, he stated that President Ronald (6) Wilson (6) Reagan (6) was the Anti-Christ & the world was going to end on Christmas Eve. He said he left home when Reagan was elected President and traveled the country with ZERO money in his pocket. He trusted in God to guide his destiny. While I could have laughed, in many ways, I admired his courage of faith.

Anti-Christ Update: 
Evidently, a small segment of America's Evangelical community has passed the end-of-the-world baton to President Obama. First, the Tea Party accused this President of being a Muslim (which he's not). Then, Donald Trump stirred up the whole birth certificate controversy to score cheap political points. It backfired. Yes, President Obama was born in Hawaii and Senator John McCain was born in Panama. Yesterday, at a fundraising event in Los Angeles, a heckler accused the President of being the "Anti-Christ":

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Panorama of Sacramento Mountains, Highway 54, New Mexico (December 2009).

Help Wanted:

GOP Candidate for 2012 Election?

Requirements:
Must be able to stay awake during a grinding debate schedule, speak without a Texas accent, raise lots of corporate campaign cash, enjoy long bus rides, drink tea and somehow connect with mainstream, independent voters without sounding crazy or stupid.

Application Deadline:
October 1st, 2011 (or as soon as possible)

GOP Flavor of the Month Update: 
"Now is not my time." ~ Governor Chris Christie (October 4, 2011)
And Sarah Palin? NOT. (October 5, 2011)

The New Big Book of U.S. Presidents: Fascinating Facts about Each and Every President,
Including an American History Timeline (Hardcover)

Πολιτικά?

"It's so easy for propaganda to work and dissent to be mocked."
~ Harold Pinter






Photo of a DPRK Painting, 798 Art District, Beijing, PRC (May 2008)

Photo of peaceful government protest in Seoul, R.O.K. (July 2009).

$1,000,000 Peccadilloes Bounty?

In case you missed it, Larry Flynt (a.k.a. Mr. Hustler Magazine) has offered a seven figure payday for anyone with sexually unsavory information involving the current GOP front runner for El Presidente. The following is a digital copy of a full-page paid advertisement which appeared in the Austin Chronicle (August 19th, 2011):

If the Koch Brothers can quietly spend over $100,000,000 marketing a repackaged brand of Libertarian soap, this blogger has no problem with Mr. Flynt offering $1,000,000 of his own money to uncover hidden dirt on the Texas Governor.

Why?

Honestly, I'm less concern with Perry's private life and more alarmed by the cozy business connections he's fostered as Governor of Texas. For this blogger, while most journalists focused on Perry's poor performance during the recent debates, considering Gary Johnson was allowed to join the GOP's Florida Beach Party, I questioned why Buddy Roemer was once again kept off the debate schedule:

Until the voters in this country demand real campaign finance reform, laws which actually limit the power of corporate money and influence, the politically-motivated pornographic paralysis being played out in Washington D.C. will continue.

After cutting taxes in 2001 and then spending $1.3 trillion for two ongoing wars, the GOP threatened to shut down the government over $3.65 billion designated for disaster relief? Playing politics with people struggling to rebuild their lives is just plain WRONG!

Observation: It appears that Karl Rove's GOP campaign strategy for the 2012 Election is to STOP the government from functioning while slowly driving the economy off yet ANOTHER financial cliff.
Read More...

"Politics is the art of postponing decisions until they are no longer relevant." ~ Henri Queuille

The slow death of the U.S. Postal Service?

When was the last time you wrote a handwritten letter?

Remember when kids collected postage stamps instead of Facebook friends and families mailed off vacation postcards instead of updating Twitter?

Related Update:(9/26/11) Mark Zuckerberg and Lady Gaga on a postage stamp? It could happen. In a bid to promote stamp collecting (and increase revenue), the U.S. Postal Service will now allow living Americans to be featured on its stamps. To submit a proposal for your favorite musician, actor, sports star, writer, artist or Snooki, send your recommendation via snail mail to:

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Stamp Development, Room 3300
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington DC 20260-3501

The Saga of the Pony Express (Paperback)

"The finest clothing made is a person's skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this." ~ Mark Twain

The beauty of simplicity?

Working Title: Two and a Half Brains?

Chuck Lorre & CBS in negotiations with Bachmann, Huntsman & Roemer for a new political sitcom? Rick Santorum slated to play the stalking neighbor and Herman Cain as the pizza delivery guy?





First Episode [Rough Draft]: Roemer helps Bachmann study for a test on the Founding Fathers. While delivering a pizza, Cain catches Santorum spying in Huntsman's bathroom window.

Winners Never Cheat: Even in Difficult Times, New and Expanded Edition [Hardcover]

Possible Definitions of Globalization?

A Collage of Posters for Sale on a Fence

July 2009

Jakarta, Indonesia

Street Music

July 2009

Jakarta, Indonesia

Photo & Video by Peter Rimar
A History of Modern Indonesia (Paperback) 
(See all 20th Century World History Books)

When your house is on FIRE, it's absurd to argue with your wife about how to rearrange the furniture.

“God gave men both a penis and a brain, but unfortunately not enough blood supply to run both at the same time.” ~ Robin Williams

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow:
The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking (Paperback)

Campaign Psycho Talk Update: Bush 3.0

Governor Rick Perry now says his understanding of Galileo comes entirely from the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen?

"If there were only one truth, you couldn't paint a hundred canvases on the same theme." 
~ Pablo Picasso




Artists of the 20th Century: Pablo Picasso (DVD)