All Roads Lead to Rome

The Eternal City


Rome the eternal city. The center of the world for centuries. The empire that controlled the western world. The mighty power of Rome that ruled with an iron hand. Showed no mercy to those who opposed it and crushed them with their legions.  Modern republics are based on the Roman political structure. The contributions to western civilization are numerous. Architecture, law the arts and certainly government. Known for their ability to organize. They created a military that was second to none.  The ability to rule and keep order in the far reaches of their empire was facilitated by their system of roads.  Thus prompting the saying, " all roads lead to Rome ".

Rome goes back to perhaps the tenth century B.C. From a kingdom to a republic to an autocracy. It evolved until it was no more. The western empire reaching it's peak about the fourth century A.D. and well into the thirteenth century. The power base being centered in Constantinople until it was and split up by the Turks and others of the region.  Today you will find remnants and the influence of the Romans in Great Briton to the north. Such as Roman baths and Hadrian's wall. And cities like the ancient Ceasaria built on the shores of modern day Israel and Alexandria in modern Egypt. As well as the cities of Cologne in Germany and London England. Where the Romans built the original Tower of London.  Originally a wooden structure it was constructed as a defensive structure.  Even today the titles of Kaiser and Czar are derived from the name Julius Ceasar. Used to denote a great and all powerful leader. 

 The history of ancient Rome and even modern Rome is long and entwines the the history of much of the world. Still the center of one of the great and influential religions. The Roman Catholic Church. That still occupies the city of Rome today as the autonomous Vatican City. A city within a city.

Rome's social structure was a hierarchy. With slaves at the bottom and the patricians at the top. Those being the ancestors of the original 100 that began Rome. the nobility if you will that is still represented today by the Colonnas an ancient family that still holds the position in society as Princes. It is known as the first family of Rome. There were those in between that were considered plebeians, the free born and the feed men.  As time went on this structure developed a military class, political and merchant class. There was a voting system. Women had rights and could own property.

Unfortunately the empire did deteriorate eventually do in part to moral decay, including greed, gluttony and sloth. The leaders who took power did so more with the wealth they accumulated than with character.  Giving the people sporting events and free bread. To lull them into a trap of euphoria. The borders became porous and elements of neighboring tribes entering the empire were un-checked. Allowing other peoples to enter an empire that could not support the influx.  It is tempting to draw parallels to a present times and of the situation now facing another great civilization.  That being America.

U.S Flag changed 26 times since inception

American Flag


Historically changed 26 times. The American flag was first made and sewn
by Bettsy Ross. It was completed and then introduced as the flag of what is now the, United States of America.  It's stars and stripes represented the 13 original colonies that signed the Declaration of Independence. A document of important significance. Not only for the United States, but also as a model for future democracies. The flag that was flown at the time of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, in 1812.  Had 15 stars and 15 stripes. Representing three new states that were susequently added to the union. As the new states were added. Either singularly or in groups. Stars were added as statehood was applied for and ratified. At present 50 stars adorn the field of blue, but only 13 red and white stripes. Representing the original 13 colonies. The addition of only stars and not stripes was started in 1818.  The flag of the United States follows a practice going back almost 3000 years.  The first true flags were first used by the Roman legions to identify one from another. They were known as vexilla.  Our flag like those of many other countries.  Is a strong patriotic symbol.  As well as representing national pride. Flags have been used as a rallying point in battle. Or as a symbol of conquest. As in the flag being hoisted by 5 U.S. Marines over Mt.. Surabachi  Iwo Jima. in WW2, depicting victory in a long and deadly struggle against the Japanese.  Each U.S. state has it's own flag. As well as flags of municipalities and government agencies. The flag of the United States is never dipped in recognition of anyone or any country. Rules for displaying the flag of the United States are defined in the U.S. Flag Code. 

Money Has No Value

WHY IS MONEY VALUED ?

Money by itself is not wealth. It is just a means where goods  and services can be exchanged.  Money is form of trust passed from hand to hand.  It can easily be kept. Without degrading  it's original form.  It only has value as long as the trust lasts.  In order for that value to last it must be trusted.  For that trust to last it must be in a limited supply. If too much is printed or coined, it not trusted and will garner less in the way of goods or services. Too much of it can make it worthless. Inflation will occur. Too little and people cannot expand their investments in new ventures because of limited credit. Less money in peoples pockets means less demand for goods. This is what we call recession. Limited employment will result. History has shown this to be a conundrum. The problem is keeping a balance.

De-value Money De-value Morality   
Economics has always been the driver of politics and political  ideology.  Rather than seeing political change through the lens of social changes and morality. It should be viewed through the lens of monetary value. Money and the value of it, determines what happens in modern societies.  No money less work. Less work more time to do the "devils work".  Or as the saying goes,  " idleness is the devils work shop".  Giving away money or printing it, making it easy for goods and services to be obtained or provided.  Can also effect morality and tends to lead to gluttony.  As evidenced by the proceeding events that led to the fall of many great cultures. The Roman Empire being the prime example. Are we as a nation coming close to that fateful end.  Only time will tell.

Obama's Failures Results From Blaming Others

It is time to examine yourself and your government

Failure....  Try looking in the mirror.

Ninety Nine Percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses or blaming others.
                                                                                                      George Washington Carver

1.The unemployment rate is still at almost 8%.

2. GDP is woefully sluggish.  Hovering only above 1% growth. Foreclosures still at all time high.  No outrage. 

3. Fed is printing money like S&H Green Stamps. No outrage.  

4. Poverty is on the rise. No outrage. 

5. The debt is $ 16.7 trillion and rising day by day.  No outrage. 

6.No budget submitted by Senate for 4 years. No outrage. 

7.President's Budget still not submitted as of today.  In violation of the law. No outrage.  

8.Two thousand illegals let out of jail. To roam our streets, blaming sequester. No outrage.

 9. People on food stamps rising each year since Obama took office.  Even after spending trillions on the poor.  No outrage.

10. Bengazi murders blamed on video. No outrage.

11. Efforts to abort and go around Constitution. No outrage.

12. Billions and billions in wasteful spending.  No outrage.

13. Affordable care act misrepresented (Obama Care)  and misnomer.  The bill is now over 30,000 pages of new regulations. No outrage. 

14. Government consistently and methodically obfuscate, defer and blame others for the conditions that they can't fix or are making worse. No outrage.  

15.  Democrats pass bill in Senate that provide free health care for people who break the law and come to U.S. illegally. No Outrage

The list just goes on and on and on.  Still no outrage.  Where does the blame lie.  It rests upon our selves. Not the former President, not the former administration.  Not the rest of the world.  No it rests with ourselves.  This is a very hard concept to come to grips with.  Especially when the so called leader of the nation perpetuates the idea that it is always someone else who is at fault for his failures to get things going in the right direction.  Why? The answer to that question is simple. NO OUTRAGE, by the media and no interest by the electorate to pay attention.  Not holding to the precept of JFK's "Think not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country".   Something we have long forgotten and are refusing to do more and more. As it has no become ingrained it the American psyche for many to depend on others so that you can then blame others.  Making themselves immune to the idea of taking on responsibility for themselves.  In doing this they make themselves the new slaves.  Anti-slavery was a concept this country lost 650,000 lives in a conflict that would end it.  When you put your destiny and future into the hands of others. You give up your abilty to control what happens to you.  It is like being in prison without guard towers and barbed wire fences.  The prison is constructed in your own mind and it is maintained with your own inability to think yourself out of it.  How can you? You have become the poster person for the Ice Man Cometh.  Waiting for the calvary to arrive to help you out of a situation that only requires one soldier,  yourself.

The government shackels you with your own chain of indifference,  resulting in loss of self respect.  It is like anything else that human beings have the tendency to succumb to.  If they can they will blame another or others.  As a result we becomes like Pavlov's dogs.  The difference between animals and humans no longer apply. The line that makes us different is never crossed between the two.  That difference being,  free will.  If we lose the ability to examine ourselves and then correct the problem by being outraged at what the reasons are for our failures.  Recognizing that we can indeed fix them. We will always fail because we choose to blame others for what we ourselves can fix or modify to achieve success in our spiritual and material lives.  The present administration in Washington has created the idea of blaming others for their  own failed efforts.  It has now a precedent.  It will destroy the nation and will continue to perpetuate a different kind of slavery.  The lack of outrage,  and the will to be outraged.

Obama and FDR Both Take Oath Four Times

Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Barry Hussein Obama 
Take Oath 3 Times Too Many


It may be of interest to all of you people who are in so enamored with Barry. That he is the second President that has taken the oath of office four times. The first was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. That due to the fact that he was elected to the Presidency four times. But dropped dead before he could finish his fourth term.  The Lord works in strange and mysterious ways.  He also had an ongoing super high un employment rate all the way up to 1939 when WW2 was in full swing in Europe and when we entered the War after Pearl Harbor in 1941. Mr. Obama took it 4 times as well. This due to the fact that the first time it was given it was not done in accordance with custom and the law. So it was taken again in a private ceremony. This time the oath was taken on Jan. 20th the day designated by the Constitution. Yeah, you remember that piece of paper. The one he and is left wing cohorts would like to shred.  It fell on a Sunday and the big shindig was scheduled for a Monday the 21st. So  he had to take the oath again. You would think that a man who had to take it 4 times would hold to the oath instead of trying to violate it every time he is given an opportunity. Well you know the Lord works in strange ways. So let's hope for the best.  Perhaps Mr. Obama will follow in F.D.R.'s foot steps. In more ways than one. Except that of  being elected four times. Which he very well  might try to be. I wouldn't put anything passed this guy.

Inauguration of a man we still don't know

When Will This Nightmare End ?

Today was inauguration day. It is a shame the newly elected President is Barry Hussein Obama.  Be afraid America, be very afraid.  He took the oath of office and is once again at the helm of the government that has lied and covered up the four murders at Bengazi. Now we will have to watch as out beloved U.S.A. goes down the tubes and stand by as a radical megalomaniac does his dirty work. Stripping us of our dignity and forcing us into ever greater debt.  The era of American exceptionalism is dead. We now are equal with the third world countries. The man will lie to us again and the media will never press him for any answers as he sells us down the river. Usurps the second amendment and inculcates our children with a socialist mind set that gets you no where fast. It is a sad day and an even sadder future for all of our children and theirs. How a man so radical and incompetent got elected twice is easy to figure out . He appealed to the miss fits, illegals and selective misanthropes. He divided and conquered all of us. Now we all have to live with an America that is last on the list of respected nations. Now the UN will call the shots for us and we will sink lower than a pregnant sows belly. 

Historical Tid Bits

Here are a few historical tid bits you might be interested in

DID YOU NOW THAT ?

President Franklin Pierce 1853-1857 Democrat,  is a great great uncle of G.W. Bush on his mothers side. As a matter of fact Pierce is the name of one of his nephews.That makes three, as the number of Presidents in the Bush family tree. "The storm of frenzy and faction must inevitably dash itself in vain against the unshaken rock of the Constitution." Franklin Pierce

President Gerald Ford 1974- 1977 Republican, was the only President who was never elected to President or Vice President. He resigned his congressional seat and was appointed to the Presidency. Spiro Agnew, the Vice President under President Nixon had already resigned his office after being accused of taking bribes prior to his election as V.P. President Nixon resigned after the Watergate scandal.

An astounding number of Presidents have been assassinated while in office. In all there were four. Lincoln, Garfield, Mc Kinley, Kennedy.  Reagan, Ford and Theodore Roosevelt were victims of attempted assassinations.

John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected President at age 43 but was not the youngest to hold that office. Theodore Roosevelt assumed the offices at age 42. This resulted from the killing of  Pres. Mc Kinley.

The S in President Harry S Truman's name is just that, an S. It does not stand for any name. It simply stands for S. This was done in order to satisfy both grand fathers on his mother's and fathers side. Each of their names started with S.

Two Abraham Lincolns were shot and killed. Abraham Lincoln's grandfather was shot and killed by a raider on his Kentucky homestead. Abraham Lincoln's future uncle and his father's older brother, then shot and killed the raider.

T.R. A Mans Man

Sagamore Hill

 The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt

Thomas sitting on porch at Sagamore Hill

Oyster Bay N.Y. is a town on the north shore of Long Island. The town itself is actually very large and expansive.  It  encompasses many villages. One by the same name, was incorporated into the Greater Town Of  Oyster Bay. It stretches from the  shore of Long Island Sound. A body of water that runs between Long Island and New England.  Down to the south shore of Long Island to the Atlantic ocean. A quaint little town that has both the look and feel of New England and that of the more beach flavored Long Island itself.  There are few hills on L.I. other than on the northern part.  South of a certain point the topography is a plain leading to the sea shore. The reason is that when the ice advanced during the ice age it terminated and then receded . Leaving behind earth, rocks and  debris that the Ice Age pushed onto that area. Sagamore Hill is one of those high points of elevation.  

Sagamore  Hill was the former home of one of our most famous Presidents. Theodore Roosevelt. or as he is commonly referred to, TR.  A large wooden framed house that is in true reality a mansion, was his home. Known best for leading the charge up San Juan Hill on the Island of Cuba, during the Spanish American War.  He became President after the assassination of  William Mc Kinley in 1901. TR was the serving V.P at the time. He was born in New York City in 1858 and died in 1919.  Though sickly as a child he overcame the condition by strenuous excises and was able to improve his health. He was an avid outdoors man. Spending most of his early years in the west. He would learn to ride shoot and hunt.  He was a former Police Commissioner of N.Y.C.  He organized a group of volunteers to fight in the war against Spain and was commissioned as a Lt.Col. He had many accomplishments and was a prolifent writer penning many books. One was a book on naval strategies and served  for a time as the assistant Sec. of  the Navy.


He served in the N.Y. State legislature both as majority leader and minority leader of the Republican party.  He was  elected to the office of Gov. of N.Y.  Prior to becoming the 26th President. For two terms although elected to only one. Dynamic and forward looking in words and deeds. He was the first sitting President to travel abroad while in office.  First to ride in a plane. He was  instrumental in the building of the Panama Canal.  He was nominated to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor but was denied the honor until 100 years later.  He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his leadership in negotiating the end of the Russo Japanese War. Unlike a future President. He earned it. 

I have visited that house and have stood on the porch where he stood looking out over the sound. He gave many a press conference and political speech from that porch.  He was also know as the trust buster. Reflecting his efforts to break up corporate monopolies. He was shot while on his way to deliver a  speech and continued on to  give the speech. Which in those days were rather long. Ironically the bullet was prevented from doing great bodily harm because it was retarded in it's effect by the speech he had written in his pocket.  I guess it was a long, long speech and many sheets of paper were required. He is also known for his foriegn policy of,  "walk softly but carry a big stick".  The house is now a musem and  I have visited it many times. It is quite impressive. His hunting trophies hanging on walls all around. Of water buffalo, elephants and big cats. I imagine the dignitaries of the era meeting with him in the house  It was the first Presidential home to have a telephone installed. Oddly it was in the kitchen.  The first lady objected to it's installation and it's ringing.  So that is where it was installed.  Sounds familiar except now it goes with us where ever we are.  

I have visited the house not only with my sons but also with my grandsons and each time my awe of the man is reinforced. Although his progressive policies would have caused me not to vote for him at the time.  He was an athlete and diplomate. A soldier and states man and avid conservationalist. Many of the national parks and hunting reserves were the result of his passion for the out doors and the need to preserve them.  He was a visionary and a man of action.

Unlike the President we now have in office. He deserves the accolades heaped upon him by his peers and history.  He was a man of principal and honored the writings and ideas of the founding fathers.  He held the Constitution and Declaration of Independence as the rudder that would keep this country proud, strong and glorious. The founding principals were respected and adhered to.  A great man, of character and substance. I doubt the present holder of the office would have even been allowed to curry his horse or shine his riding boots.