DECEMBER 19, 2010
December 19 is … Oatmeal Muffin Day.
The Northern Illinois Huskies were rather impressive against Fresno State in the UDrove Humanitarian Bowl came on Saturday afternoon. Congratulations to the entire Athletic Department and the University’s administration for supporting the football program.
What is all this talk about the weapons treaty in the news for? How much money do we spend on research and development in coming up with these new-age weapons? How much do we pay defense contractors?
We never use the weapons of mass destruction we develop. The other guys never use the weapons of mass destruction they develop. It is all a game played by the military industrial complex President Eisenhower warned us about during his farewell address on January 17, 1961. He was as prophetic as he was accurate.
So we spend trillions of dollars on developing weapons we know we will never use. We do not test most of them other than in controlled laboratory conditions. We are not entirely sure they will work in practice but they are scary in theory.
Our perceived enemies spend trillions of dollars on similar weapons, we think. In reality, we are the only nation with the knowhow and financial wherewithal to develop these weapons. President Reagan proved that when he spent the Soviet Union out of existence, as they once were, in the late eighties.
Now we are having an internal political fight over the ratification of a treaty that is insignificant. Doesn’t this country and most of the world owe their existence to the fact the United States had bigger and better weapons, people, ideas and finances enabling us to defeat the enemies in WW I, WW II, The Revolutionary War and many other examples throughout history. Why do we want to give up this advantage?
The White House is making it a top priority to get the lame-duck Congress, now in progress, to pass the new SALT agreement. The agreement would shrink the U.S. and Russian arsenals of strategic warheads. That means it would shrink our expensive arsenal since the nearly broke, non-existent and irrelevant Russians are not devoting much of their budget to strategic warheads any more. The agreement would also revive on-the-ground inspections that ceased when a previous treaty expired nearly a year ago. I don’t recall any nuclear wars or threats of any nuclear wars since that treaty expired.
This Cold War game continues and will continue after this treaty like it has after previous treaties. We know what they have. They know we know what they have. We know they know we know what they have and so forth. The insanity continues. Neither side will ever use one of these weapons. Everybody knows that. The last one to pull the trigger wins, if you call dying first winning.
Sen. Jon Kyl, takes the Republican position on the issue. He and fellow Republicans are seeking more money; focusing on maintaining and modernizing the remaining arsenal we already have rather than destroy it. If we destroy what we have now, it seems obvious we will just develop new weapons. We have a lead over every other country in the world in this area, why give up a strategic lead? That just allows those trailing us to catch up. Why not just enter into an agreement not to develop more weapons than we now have? Both sides can break that agreement as easily as any other at a much lower cost to the United States.
Notable births on this date:
1753 John Taylor Virginia, philosopher (Jeffersonian Democracy)
1778 Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte daughter of King Louis XVI & Marie-Antoinette
1778 Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte daughter of King Louis XVI & Marie-Antoinette
1916 Mervyn Wallace cricketer (13 Tests for New Zealand, latterly as captain)
1920 David Susskind New York NY, TV host (Open End, David Susskind Show)
1920 Jimmy Dickens Bolt WV, country singer (Grand Ole Opry)
1920 David Susskind New York NY, TV host (Open End, David Susskind Show)
1920 Jimmy Dickens Bolt WV, country singer (Grand Ole Opry)
1926 Jeanne Kirkpatrick US ambassador to UN. Made famous on SNL as a slut.
1945 John McEuen rocker (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). Mr. Bojangles
1957 Liz Glazowski Chicago IL, playmate (April, 1980)
1960 Mike Lookinland Mount Pleasant UT, actor (Bobby-Brady Bunch
Notable deaths on this date:
1930 Johnny Douglas cricketer (soccer int, boxing gold medal), drowns. Good athlete but he couldn’t swim.
1959 Walter Williams claimed to be last survivor of Civil War, dies at 117
Notable events on this date:
1686 Robinson Crusoe leaves his island after 28 years (as per Defoe)
1732 Benjamin Franklin (under the name Richard Saunders) begins publication of "Poor Richard's Almanack"
1776 Thomas Paine published his 1st "American Crisis" essay, in which he wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls"
1777 Washington settles his troops at Valley Forge PA for the winter
1776 Thomas Paine published his 1st "American Crisis" essay, in which he wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls"
1777 Washington settles his troops at Valley Forge PA for the winter
1843 Charles Dickens publishes "A Christmas Carol" in England
1910 Rayon 1st commercially produced, Marcus Hook PA
1913 Jack Johnson fights Jim Johnson to a draw in 10 for hw boxing title
1913 Jack Johnson fights Jim Johnson to a draw in 10 for hw boxing title
1918 Robert Ripley began his "Believe It or Not" column (New York Globe)
1941 German submarine U-574 sinks
1941 Hitler takes complete command of German Army
1941 US Office of Censorship created to control info pertaining to WWII
1941 Hitler takes complete command of German Army
1941 US Office of Censorship created to control info pertaining to WWII
1958 1st radio broadcast from space (recorded Christmas message by President Eisenhower: "To all mankind, America's wish for Peace on Earth & Good Will to Men Everywhere")
1960 Frank Sinatra's 1st session with Reprise Records (Ring-A-Ding-Ding)
1971 CBS airs "Homecoming - A Christmas Story" (introducing the Waltons)
1995 Queen Elizabeth askes Prince Charles & Diana to divorce
1997 MTV drops video "Smack My Bitch Up" by Prodigy
1997 MTV drops video "Smack My Bitch Up" by Prodigy
“To save one life is better than to build a seven story pagoda.” I don’t know what that means but someone probably does.
Today is a great day to buy my book. It makes a great gift for anyone including, yourself. Buy it while you still have money. There are just six shopping days before Christmas; buy now and beat the rush.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2010
Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com
www.brucebrennanlaws.com
www.lawyerbruceabrennan.com
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search, Check this site out.
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