PRINCE PHILIP’S DEATH

A great deal of ignorance was expressed on television over the death of Prince Philip.   Many comments were along the lines of “I don’t see the point of it all,” a view of the monarchy that shows appalling ignorance.   I remember an article in Newsweek magazine twenty years ago, on the occasion of the Queen’s 5oth anniversary.  It was written by an American and claimed that the Queen had done more to advance the cause of democracy than any other personage on the global stage.   Whereas Americans had sent thousands of troops to their deaths, with little or nothing achieved, the queen went everywhere preaching that democracy is best and nudging countries in the right direction.   She did this in Ghana to great effect in November 1999, successfully facing down the dictatorship of Ft. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.   She constantly pushes Commonwealth nations to follow the democratic path.  The Commonwealth comprises 54 of the world’s 195 nations.   (Admittedly, she never went to Afghanistan and I doubt she would have gotten very far!)  She could not have done this without the support of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years.

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STEYN ON PHILIP

Mark Steyn is one of my favorite commentators.   He is often interviewed on FoxNews (which we don’t even get, as we don’t have cable) and replaced Rush Limbaugh frequently as host of his radio program.  Mark Steyn is a native of Canada, but now lives in New Hampshire.   As a Canadian, he retains a soft spot for constitutional monarchy, claiming that it’s a good thing for the politicians to have somebody over them.  (Amen to that!)   I remember a story he told of a dinner he had at Buckingham Palace.   During the course of the evening, he and Prince Philip discussed the merits and otherwise of the Canadian and Australian political systems.  It should be remembered that the Queen is Head of State of both countries.   He was amazed that the Prince was so well versed in the subject.   Could there possibly be any other person in the world who would be that knowledgeable?   Prince Philip will be greatly missed.

YouTube showed an excerpt from a Germen television program in which the late prince spoke fluent German.    He also spoke French and English.  

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TRUMP ON PHILIP

“Prince Philip defined British dignity and grace. He personified the quiet reserve, stern fortitude, and unbending integrity of the United Kingdom,” Mr. Trump said.

The former president lauded Prince Philip for “serving Britain honourably and courageously as a naval officer in the Second World War” and for “putting his life on the line for God, country, and the values of freedom and self-government that forever unite America and the United Kingdom.”

Mr. Trump added that Prince Philip’s “greatest legacy” will be “his exceptional example of service, constancy, and patriotism.”

He also mentioned the duke’s wartime efforts with the Royal Navy during battles in the Mediterranean and “the pivotal Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943.”   “For seven decades, Prince Philip brought the same sense of duty and purpose to his role as consort and husband to the Queen.  He was admired by his fellow citizens, and respected by everyone around the world,” Mr. Trump said.

The de facto leader of the Republican Party said that the Duke of Edinburgh was “a man who embodied the noble soul and proud spirit of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.”

The 45th president of the United States said that during their visits to the UK, he and former First Lady Melania Trump “saw firsthand how the Monarchy epitomizes and carries on the virtues of the British People – and no one did so more than Prince Philip.”

The statement concluded:  “As we grieve his loss, we celebrate his memory and rededicate ourselves to the values to which he devoted his extraordinary life. He will be greatly missed.”   (Gustav Kilander, Independent, 4/9/2021)

LINGUISTIC RIVALRIES

Not for the first time the EU is upset with the Brits.  They are insisting that all forms be in one of Europe’s four languages.  It has been suggested that the British require all forms to be in the 300 languages spoken in the UK!!!

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AUSTRALIAN MP TRIES TO REIN IN POWER OF FACEBOOK

Barely a day after being banished from Facebook, Australian MP Craig Kelly has acted swiftly to propose a new bill that will seek to rein in the power of Big Tech companies like Facebook.

The Independent Member for Hughes is basing the Bill on a similar law passed overnight in Florida that will penalize social media companies if they remove political candidates from their platform, a practice also known as de-platforming.

According to the Florida law, tech giants like Google, Facebook, or Twitter face fines of around $100,000 per day for each day a state-wide candidate is banned from their platform, and $10,000 fines for other candidates.

“The market power of the foreign controlled tech-giants and their ability to censor political speech is an immediate and direct threat to our democracy,” Kelly told The Epoch Times.

“We have seen in Australia Facebook acting as a media thug and bully, who believes they are above the law and are arbiters of truth.  Governor De Santis of Florida has acted to hold these social-media giants to account.”  (The Epoch Times, 4/27/2021)

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UK FOREIGN AID CUT

Somebody once defined foreign aid as money taken from poor people in rich countries and given to rich people in poor countries.

The UK has released the first details of how it intends to impose £4bn worth of cuts to international aid, with critics complaining the vague plans were “slipped out at the end of the day.”

The “long awaited statement” on the government’s international aid spending for 2021-22, which was set out by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in a written statement on Wednesday, did not fully outline cuts or future spending commitments to specific countries or programmes.  But, says The Guardian, “its new classifications for how it plans to distribute £8.1bn in aid imply massive reductions in key areas.”

The government is acting on plans to temporarily cut its spending commitments on foreign aid from 0.7% of the national income to 0.5%, in order to mitigate economic pressures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.  This is a reversal of a manifesto spending commitment made by the Conservatives in 2019. (The Week, 4/27/2021).

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INDIAN REALITIES

The British are persisting in seeing India as a poor country, when its GNP is actually higher than the mother country.  Note the following statistic.

The report said, “India’s economy is the fifth largest in the world with a GDP of $2.94 trillion, overtaking the UK and France in 2019 to take the fifth spot.”   The UK economy amounts to $2.83 trillion and France with $2.71 trillion.   … Since 1995, the country’s nominal GDP has jumped more than 700 per cent.”   (Feb 23, 2020)

So why then the frantic push to give them foreign aid?  Do we want them to remain poor forever?

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KERRY BETRAYS ISRAEL

Former Secretary of State John Kerry was a disaster during the Obama administration for many reasons. One of his flaws was his disastrous handling of relationships in the Middle East, which is now reportedly worse than previously thought.

“Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif claimed in recently leaked audio that John Kerry, when he was serving as Secretary of State during the Obama administration, informed him of more than 200 Israeli operations in Syria,” Fox News reported.

It doesn’t take a foreign relations expert to see the issue with that. Israel is an ally of the United States, while Iran is not.   (Western Journal, 4/27/2021)

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BIDEN RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

US President Joe Biden has ended decades of US appeasement of Turkey by recognizing the genocide carried out 106 years ago against Armenians by a previous Turkish government.

The symbolic recognition comes decades too late for any survivors. It is a testament to the will of Joe Biden and his administration that the blackmail Ankara has imposed over just using the term “genocide” has finally ended.

For many years, Turkey not only was able to prevent the US leadership from using the word genocide, but was able to threaten US soldiers in Syria, kidnap and detain Americans, harass US consular employees, even possibly get security clearance revoked for Americans, and get people banned from the US as “terrorists.”   (Seth Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post, 4/25/2021)

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MCDONALDS PAYS PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW

McDonald’s in Florida is finding it so hard to get new employees they are paying people $50 to come to an interview.  This is not unique to the golden arches.  Apparently, thousands of companies cannot find employees as people are finding that staying home is a preferred option.  Government handouts are so generous ($600 a week was mentioned) that it’s just not worth working.

What’s going to happen when we all live on “welfare?”   Wait and see!

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UNSUSTAINABLE SYSTEM

Whenever I watch an old movie (old is defined as black and white), I marvel at some of the differences between then and now.   But one thing always stands out and that is the difference between families then and families now.  We have destroyed the family in the last sixty years.   Perhaps it would be closer to the truth to say that we “deliberately” destroyed the family.  I believe it started with welfare, designed to mitigate failings in the family but which, rather, helped lay the foundation for a post-familial system.

Thomas Sowell has written about this in the context of African-American families, how women started to find they could get more on welfare than by living with their husbands.   The result is the increasing violence we see in our cities.

The problem is that the whole system is ultimately unsustainable.

The book “1965” by James T. Patterson looks back at the year the Great Society started.

“At the beginning of 1965, the U.S. seemed on the cusp of a golden age.  Although Americans had been shocked by the assassination in 1963 of President Kennedy, they exuded a sense of consensus and optimism that showed no signs of abating.“

Then we got the Great Society and the massive deterioration in every aspect of our culture.

We now see dozens of fathers killing their children, thanks to divorce and the subsequent custody arrangements.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.  And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”  (Malachi 4:5-6)

If you watched any of the Covid reports from India, you will have noticed the strong family connections that exist in that country, in stark contrast to us here in the West.

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COVID – PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Michigan is reportedly going through a surge in Covid cases.   I became the latest statistic when I was admitted to the hospital on Friday April 16^th from severe dehydration because I was coming down with a cold and malaria jumped in there (as it usually does) and dehydrated me.  This had gone on for three days.  Of course, they tested me for Covid and I did test positive (rapid test).  My oxygen hovered around 90 but they decided to admit me to get it up to 94.  I was in ER for 15 hours waiting for a room, which I finally entered just before 4am.   I remained there for four more days and was not allowed to see anybody, including my wife.  I was put on Remdesivir and a steroid and my oxygen level got back up to 94-95.  I was released at noon on the fourth in-patient day.

One week later, I’m still a bit weak and occasionally have some difficulty being winded.  I’m also trying to stabilize blood pressure/blood sugar.  I never thought I would die while I was in the hospital, but the whole experience literally knocked the wind out of me and I hope it never happens again.  Also, a week later I’ve received a letter from the local health department telling me to self-isolate, which I had already done anyway.

BIDEN TO BETRAY BRITAIN

REJECTED, ISOLATED, CUT OFF AND PLAGUED BY THE VIRUS, BIDEN THRUSTS IN THE DAGGER

President-elect Joe Biden has dashed hopes of a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and US when he succeeds Donald Trump in January. As he outlined his vision for his first few days in the White House, the former vice-president confirmed it does not involve a trade deal with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Instead, Mr. Biden has said he will adopt a similar “America First” policy as US President Donald Trump, fighting “like hell” to invest in US firms and employees.  (Daily Express, 12/18/2020)

CHRISTMAS ABOLISHED IN UK

For the first time since 1643 England has basically banned Christmas.   Then, it was the Puritan influence that banned it because of the wild parties and sensuality that surrounded it.  The ban remained until the Restoration of the monarchy that followed Cromwell’s death, in 1660.  Now, it’s because of a new strain of the coronavirus, which is spreading alarmingly.   The government has told people they must stay in place, in their own homes, isolated from others.   Travel has ceased between the UK and many European countries as well as nations further away.  

On the website “Historic England” is the following:

“On 19 December 1643, an ordinance was passed encouraging subjects to treat the mid-winter period ‘with the more solemn humiliation because it may call to remembrance our sins, and the sins of our forefathers, who have turned this feast, pretending the memory of Christ, into an extreme forgetfulness of him, by giving liberty to carnal and sensual delights’. The rejection of Christmas as a joyful period was reiterated when a 1644 ordinance confirmed the abolition of the feasts of Christmas, Easter and Whitsun. From this point until the Restoration in 1660, Christmas was officially illegal. Although Cromwell himself did not initiate the banning of Christmas, his rise to power certainly resulted in the promotion of measures that severely curtailed such celebrations. Nevertheless, the Puritans’ prohibition of Christmas proved very unpopular, and pro-Christmas riots broke out.”  

Note especially the words” “Pretending the memory of Christ.”

THERE REALLY WAS A WAR ON CHRISTMAS, MR. PRESIDENT.  IT WAS WAGED BY CHRISTIANS.
The Washington Post, 23 Dec 2020, by Gillian Brockell 

It’s that time of year again. No, not Christmas. The War on Christmas. And the war on the claim that the War on Christmas even exists.

President Donald Trump invoked the alleged war yet again this week after signing an executive order giving federal employees the day off for Christmas Eve. “This is a HUGE victory in the Democrats’ pathetic WAR ON CHRISTMAS, and I want YOU to be a part of it,” Trump announced in a fundraising letter.

One 16th-century Anglican bishop complained that “men dishonor Christ more in the twelve days of Christmas than in all the 12 months besides,” Christmas misrule was largely tolerated.  After all, the birth of Jesus had been tacked onto pagan traditions that had existed for centuries. 

(https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/There-really-was-a-war-on-Christmas-Mr-15824044.php)

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Buckle up for the ugliest election Israel has ever known – analysis
Two big differences from the previous elections will set the tone for the rhetoric we are going to hear over the next few months. Jerusalem Post, 22 Dec 2020

The first difference is that Benjamin Netanyahu is facing for the first time two strong adversaries to his right.  While Benny Gantz put up a formidable fight over the last three elections, it was mostly from the Center-Left. He had very few right-wing voters, and it was fairly easy for Netanyahu to depict him as weak and as a “leftist,” messages that played well with his own Likud voter base.  This time, though, not only has Naftali Bennett built up a strong following – mostly due to his championing of small businesses during the coronavirus crisis – but there is now a party led by former longtime Likudnik Gideon Sa’ar that is looking more and more like a newer and cleaner version of Likud. 

According to polls, the two parties could bring in as many as 33 seats in a future Knesset, more than the Likud’s 28. Matched with partners from the Center, that could be enough to deny Netanyahu a return to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The second difference is Netanyahu’s trial, which is set to shift into high gear in February when the Jerusalem District Court begins to hear testimony in the three cases against the prime minister for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.  Netanyahu will likely try to use the election to get the court to delay proceedings. But if he fails and the court insists on starting, the public will see its prime minister in court on almost a daily basis, not exactly the images Netanyahu will want circulating just weeks before an election.  Because of this, Netanyahu will go as negative as possible. He will, of course, play up his success in bringing vaccines to Israel (he does deserve a lot of credit for that), and he will want those vaccines to be what people remember when they vote. More>>  https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/buckle-up-for-the-ugliest-election-israel-has-ever-known-analysis-652926)

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Swedish king says nation has ‘failed’

Sweden’s king has added his voice to the growing chorus of criticism of the country’s Covid response, telling his people that “I think we have failed.”

Addressing the nation as part of an annual TV review of the year, King Carl XVI Gustaf said that the Swedish people had “suffered tremendously in difficult conditions.”  (The Week, 12/18/2020)

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CHINA “WINNER IN CORONA CRISIS”

German government advisors see China as the “winner in the Corona crisis” and call for a “strong and consolidated stance by the EU” in relationship to the People’s Republic. With “effective crisis management,” Beijing has enhanced its global economic and political influence, according to a recent analysis published by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). Having long been accustomed to dominating international politics, the West must now expect China to play a more “assertive” role, the SWP writes. The People’s Republic has, in fact, been successful in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic at home, thus laying the groundwork for the economic recovery that is now enhancing its clout vis à vis the EU and the USA. With its Covid-19 vaccine supply, it can now also strengthen its position in various Asian, African and Latin American countries, whose plight has widely been ignored by the like-wise pandemic-stricken Western powers. The new free-trade RCEP agreement is also perspectively helping to shift the center of gravity of the global economy toward Asia.   (German Foreign Policy, 12/18/2020)

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FRANCE UNDER ATTACK

“If nothing changes, in a few decades, France will have submitted to Islam, and Islamic violence will probably be even greater than today. It is already almost impossible for the country’s leaders to react. They are hostages of a Muslim population that is less and less integrated and whose anger they do not want to arouse. They are under the gaze of groups that immediately denounce any criticism of Islam and under pressure from many countries in the Muslim world that France does not want to offend.” — Alan Wagner, “L’Europe face à l’islam,” interview on Tepa, August 2, 2020

“For Muslims, Islamic law has God as its author. Any other legislator is illegitimate.” — Mohammed Hocine Benkheira, historian, Le Point, March 21, 2016 

“France still does not understand the reality it is facing. It believes that it has been struck by terrorists . . . but it is suffering a guerrilla war that is gradually gaining momentum . . .” — Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, lexpress.fr, October 18, 2020.

(“France is still under attack,” Guy Milliere, Gatestone, 12/6/2020)

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HUNGARIAN BORDERS TO REMAIN INTACT

“Hungary will only be a Hungarian country as long as its borders remain intact. Therefore, not only our thousand-year-old statehood but also the future of our children obliges us to protect our borders.” — Judit Varga, Hungarian Justice Minister, December 17, 2020.   (“Hungary:  “Europe’s borders must be protected,” Soeren Kern, 12/18/2020)

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This is a deeply religious message that not all Christians would agree with. I have included it in this blog because it has been neglected by the media. Religious sentiment is not something they would understand. It does help you understand the mind of the outgoing president.

Trump thanks God for sending Jesus to ‘redeem the world’ 
‘At Christmas, we give thanks to God and that God sent his only Son to die for us  and to offer everlasting peace to all humanity’
16 Dec 2020, Lifesite

At a time when some politicians would deem it politically incorrect to say “Merry Christmas” in public and would certainly not dare to speak about Jesus in the public square, Trump not only boldly wished Americans a “very, very Merry Christmas,” he went on to speak about the true meaning of Christmas in eloquent words that many Christians would be hard-pressed to hear from the pulpit.   Here’s what Trump said:

“To every family across our nation, the First Lady and I want to wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas.

“For Christians, this is a joyous time to remember God’s greatest gift to the world. More than two thousand years ago, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. He said, ‘Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God.’ The angel told her that she would give birth to a baby boy, Jesus, who would be called the Son of the Most High. Nine months later, Christ was born in the town of Bethlehem. The Son of God came into the world in a humble stable.

“As Christians everywhere know, the birth of our Lord and Savior changed history forever. At Christmas, we give thanks to God and that God sent his only Son to die for us and to offer everlasting peace to all humanity. More than two millennia after the birth of Jesus Christ, his teachings continue to inspire and uplift billions and billions of people all over the globe. His Divine word still fills our hearts with hope and faith. And, Christians everywhere still strive to live by Jesus’ timeless commandment to his disciples, ‘Love one another.’

“Above all, during the sacred season, our souls are full of thanks and praise for Almighty God for sending us Christ His Son to redeem the world.

“Tonight, we ask that God will continue to bless this nation. And we pray that He will grant every American family a Christmas season full of joy, hope, and peace.

“On behalf of Melania and the entire Trump family, Merry Christmas to all and best wishes for a very, very great and happy new year. Thank you.”

For some reason, Trump’s message is not available at the White House and can only be found with difficulty using Google’s search engine.

(https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/trump-thanks-god-for-sending-jesus-to-redeem-the-world-in-powerful-christmas-message-thats-gone-viral)

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TO THE POINT

• A cartoon in our local paper showed a man visiting his public library asking for something by Charles Dickens.  He was directed to “Current Events.” 
• Three hundred and seventy years ago, between 1645 and 1660, Parliamentarians completely outlawed Christmas. The Government imposed a festive vacuum each December which was underpinned by the Puritan belief that the Catholic celebration was a sinful extravagance fueled by immorality.   (Dec 19, 2019)
• Matthew Syed, reviewing the British papers on Sky News on Saturday evening made an interesting comment.  He said that in the western world we each compare ourselves to other western countries; that the number of people in a million who have died of Covid-19 is basically the same in the UK, Germany, France and the US; but we should take a look at Eastern nations like Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam, where the numbers are a lot lower.   Taiwan has only lost seven people.   Why?
• UK INFLATION SINCE 1950:  The pound had an average inflation rate of 5.19% per year between 1950 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 3,349.22%. This means that today’s prices are 34.49 times higher than average prices since 1950, according to the Office for National Statistics composite price index. (Dec 12, 2020)
• “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”  — Benjamin Franklin
• “Whites are at the back of the queue when it comes to vaccinations”  — official policy.
• “In announcing the $900 billion stimulus bill to deal with the pandemic, Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not mention that the gifts for her distressed countrymen and women at Christmas would have been twice as large had she taken President Trump’s offer of $1.8 trillion in October . . .   Rather than let Donald Trump take credit, Pelosi stiffed millions of Americans.”  (Pat Buchanan, 12/22/2020)
• Speaking of the stimulus package, this is just a portion of the “pork” . . .

• A year ago, President Donald J. Trump declared he would name Mexican Cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. He paused his decision, and then tabled it, based on assurances from Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and a reported wave of resistance from his own cabinet.   The incoming Biden administration has the cartels virtually “high-fiving” each other — they know a Biden administration will do nothing to stop cartel dominance and control of the US-Mexico border.  (“Drug Trafficking,” Chris Farrell, Gatestone, 12/23/2020 .

There will be no blog next week. My next blog will be posted on January 7th