Actor Harry Morgan dies at 96, video clips from his best movies

I remember when Morgan was in all those funny Walt Disney movies!! He passed away today at age 96.

Below is a story from the LA Times:

Harry Morgan dies at 96; star of TV’s ‘MASH’

Emmy Award-winning Harry Morgan played LAPD Officer Bill Gannon opposite Jack Webb in ‘Dragnet’ and Col. Sherman T. Potter in the hit series ‘MASH.’ He also appeared on the Broadway stage and in more than 50 films.

Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan arrives for the “M*A*S*H*” cast party at a restaurant in Los Angeles (Lennox McLendon / Associated Press / April 2, 1983)

By Stephanie Stassel, Special to The TimesDecember 7, 2011, 10:23 a.m.
 
Emmy Award-winning actor Harry Morgan, who played the crusty yet sympathetic Col. Sherman T. Potter in the sitcom “MASH” and the hard-nosed LAPD Officer Bill Gannon in the television drama“Dragnet,” died Wednesday. He was 96.Morgan died at his home in Brentwood after a bout with pneumonia, his daughter-in-law, Beth Morgan, told the Associated Press.Morgan’s eight–year run on “MASH,” the pinnacle of his seven-decade acting career,began when he was 60 and had already appeared on the Broadway stage, in dozens of television shows and more than 50 films.Three years after it debuted, he joined the show in 1975 as commanding officer of the unorthodox 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, which patched together the wounded during the Korean War.When the 21/2- hour “MASH” finale aired in 1983, 77% of the people watching television were tuned in, making it the most widely watched show in history.Shortly before the final episode was broadcast, Morgan told The Times, “There’ll never be another ‘MASH.’ There’s nothing in the way of doing your best work on this set, absolutely nothing.”Although he set out to be a lawyer, Morgan fell into acting and stayed. The son of an auto mechanic, he was born Harry Bratsberg in Detroit on April 10, 1915. He grew up in Muskegon, Mich., played high school football despite his small stature and was a member of the school’s champion debate team.

Morgan attended the University of Chicago but left in the 1930s to sell office equipment in Washington, D.C. As a salesman during the Depression he had free time, so he joined a theater group. Performing on a hotel stage he experienced success in “The Front Page” and “The Petrified Forest.”

He left his office equipment job to appear in summer stock. In the fall of 1937 he went to New York City and appeared in several Broadway productions, using the name Harry Bratsburg.

“In my ignorance, I thought to myself, ‘Hey, this acting business is a great life!’ Little did I know! Things got rougher from then on. If I had had to struggle at the beginning like most actors … I’d never have stuck it out. But having such complete success at the beginning, I was stuck with being an actor for life,” Morgan said in the 1983 book ” ‘MASH’: The Exclusive, Inside Story of TV’s Most Popular Show.”

In 1941 he and his actress wife, Eileen, headed for Hollywood, and Morgan did hit a rocky patch of sorts – he didn’t work for five months.

After appearing in a one-act play in Santa Barbara titled “Hello Out There,” he was offered a contract with 20th Century Fox and, going by Henry Morgan, promptly made six movies, starting with “To the Shores of Tripoli.”

 

Morgan went on to appear in such films as “High Noon” (1953), “The Glenn Miller Story” (1954), “Inherit the Wind” (1960), “Support Your Local Sheriff!” (1969) and his personal favorite, 1943’s “The Ox-Bow Incident.”

One of his early TV credits was “December Bride,” in which he played Pete Porter, the wry-humored, henpecked neighbor who cracked jokes about his wife, the never-seen Gladys. At this time Morgan started using Harry as his first name to avoid being confused with television comic Henry Morgan.

After seven years on “December Bride,” Morgan appeared opposite Cara Williams in an early 1960s spinoff, “Pete and Gladys.” His TV career continued with the anthology series “The Richard Boone Show” and with “Kentucky Jones,” in which Morgan played a ranch handyman who works for the title character, portrayed by Dennis Weaver.

Until “MASH” Morgan was best known for his role as Officer Bill Gannon in “Dragnet”, a show that he had first appeared on in the 1940s on the radio. In 1967, Morgan replaced Ben Alexander as the partner of Jack Webb‘s Sgt. Joe Friday in the show that lionized the Los Angeles Police Department. He remained a fixture for four seasons.

The intense two-day shooting schedule challenged Morgan, as did Webb’s insistence that they speak in a flat monotone so they wouldn’t appear to be emotionally involved with the other characters. (Morgan later had a cameo in the 1987 Dan Aykroyd–Tom Hanks “Dragnet” spoof and provided the voice of Gannon for a 1995 episode of “The Simpsons.”)

In the early 1970s Morgan worked on another Webb creation, the courtroom drama “The D.A.,” and appeared opposite Richard Boone in “Hec Ramsey,” a western that was part of “NBC‘s Sunday Mystery Movie” series.

The role of Col. Potter in “MASH” came along when the fictional surgical unit needed a new commanding officer after McLean Stevenson left the show in 1975. It was not Morgan’s first appearance on the program — his portrayal of a demented general on the show earned him an Emmy nomination the same year he joined the series.

The antiwar comedy, based on the 1970 film starring Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould, debuted in 1972. The TV series, starring Alan Alda, had already won an Emmy for outstanding comedy series and had long been declared a “smash” by The Times.

Even so, Morgan was nervous about replacing Stevenson’s Lt. Col. Henry Blake, who was “one of the boys.” Morgan’s Col. Potter was much more spit and polish, yet had a sentimental side that was evident in his oil paintings and interactions with others at the base outside Seoul at the height of the Korean War.

Harry Morgan | 1994

 

( CBS-TV )

Walter Matthau, left, and Harry Morgan in the television movie “Incident in a Small Town.”

He received eight Emmy nominations for the role and won once, in 1980, the same year he was nominated for directing an episode of “MASH.”

Morgan also costarred in a spinoff sitcom, “AfterMASH,” which was set in a stateside veterans hospital and aired from 1983 to 1984.

After that he appeared in about 20 more TV productions, including a few episodes of “3rd Rock from the Sun” in the late 1990s.

Harry Morgan | 1988

 

( Associated Press )

Harry Morgan and his wife, Barbara, arrive for the People’s Choice Awards.

When “MASH” was ending in 1983 he told The Times: “The sadness will fade after a while. The cup is so damn full that you can’t really be sad that you don’t have any more. We’ve all gotten so much more than we ever would have doing anything else. That will last a long, long time.”

With his first wife, Eileen, Morgan had four sons. She died in 1985 after 45 years of marriage. A son, Daniel, died in 1989.

Survivors include his second wife, Barbara; his sons Christopher, Charles and Paul; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Stassel is a former Times staff writer.

Harry Morgan | 1957

 

( CBS-TV )

Harry Morgan, as Pete Porter, appears skeptical when Barbara Eden tries to sell him a new kiss-proof lipstick in a scene from the television series “December Bride.”
December 7, 2011 – 2:47 pm Categories: Current Events | Post a comment

Tagged , , , |

Van Jones liberal alternative movement doomed to fail

Van Jones liberal alternative movement doomed to fail

There is such an angry response to the message of the Tea Party, but is there any choice but to cut spending?

Brandon Stewart

June 24, 2011 at 4:47 pm

He talks about “rebuilding America,” but his ideas will do nothing of the sort.

Last night, Van Jones launched what he’s calling the “American Dream Movement.” Jones, as you may remember, was President Obama’s Green Czar before he resigned amidst controversy. He was hired last year by Princeton University as a visiting lecturer in the Center for African American Studies.

In his almost two-hour, live-streamed event launch—which was heavily promoted by the liberal group MoveOn.org—Jones laid out the liberal vision for America. He called the simple truth that our country has a major debt and deficit problem “a dangerous lie” and led the crowd in chants of “America is not broke!”

In one particularly shocking part of his speech, Jones seemed to compare conservatives to terrorists, saying, “Paul Ryan’s budget would knock out more critical American infrastructure than our sworn enemies ever dreamed of knocking out.” This is specially dangerous territory for one such as Jones, who has found himself in trouble before for signing a petition suggesting that America was at fault on 9/11 or complicit in al-Qaeda’s attacks on our nation—the so-called truther movement.

Throughout his speech, he repeated many of the same tropes of the left that we’ve heard before: that America is not broke, that the wealthy don’t pay their fair share, that union membership is the foundation of the middle class, that wages have remained stagnant, etc.

Jones ended by questioning the patriotism of the Tea Party movement. With a nod to Vice President Joe Biden, he discussed the patriotism of paying higher taxes and took to calling his fellow progressives the “deeper patriots,” as if patriotism is determined by how much of other people’s money you can spend.

But perhaps the major conceit in Jones’s address was the notion that the economy is a zero-sum game where the success of one person hinders your ability to succeed. If you’re not doing well, it’s because someone else is getting ahead at your expense. “We’re not broke,” Jones said early on in his presentation, “We’ve been robbed.”

As Rachel Weiner over at The Washington Post notes, this isn’t the first attempt at a sort of anti–Tea Party, and not even the first attempt by Jones:

A coalition of liberal and civil-rights groups united under the “One Nation” banner last year and held a rally on the National Mall in October. After the election, the group—in which Van Jones was involved—fizzled.

We will see in the coming weeks whether this newest movement fares any better. But ultimately, it’s doomed to fail. There’s a reason the Tea Party movement wasn’t launched with a slick website or a webcast. The Tea Party was the result of a growing feeling in this country that things aren’t on the right track, that we weren’t being told the truth by our leaders.

The Tea Party is the small business owner struggling under the weight of more and more regulations, the senior citizen wondering how the government can possibly afford to keep its promises, the parents concerned that their child will be worse off than they. In short, the Tea Party is a selfless movement driven by the desire to save our country before it’s too late.

This new effort by Van Jones is something else entirely. It’s supported by those who, like AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, know they have a vested interest in keeping government big and are trying to convince the rest of us that we do, too. This “American Dream Movement” is about fostering jealously and class warfare to justify expansive social programs and bigger government in order to, as President Obama explained, “fundamentally [transform] the United States of America.”

There are two important lessons from Jones’s presentation for conservatives.

First, conservatives need to keep educating the public, because we have real solutions to the nation’s most pressing issues. The left knows they have to do something because, as Charles Krauthammer explained earlier this year, “they’ve lost the American people” and are struggling with serious Tea Party envy. After all, liberals control the Senate. They control the White House. But they know they’re losing the public.

Secondly, while we explain the importance of reducing government and righting our fiscal house, we can’t forget to explain the other half of our message—how taking these steps not only keeps us from going off the cliff but can help stimulate growth and create jobs. In one of the videos played during the event, a woman says, “The American dream is worth fighting for.” Heritage agrees, which is why we launched an actual plan to preserve that dream and ensure that it exists for future generations. We call it “Saving the American Dream,” and you can learn about it here.

December 7, 2011 – 2:40 pm Categories: spending out of control | Post a comment

Interview with Tea Party Senator Mike Lee of Utah

Here is an excellent interview above with Senator Lee with a fine article below from the Heritage Foundation.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) came to Washington as the a tea-party conservative with the goal of fixing the economy, addressing the debt crisis and curbing the growth of the federal government. It’s an uphill battle for the youngest member of the U.S. Senate, but one he’s prepared to fight.

Lee’s recent book, “The Freedom Agenda: Why a Balanced Budget Amendment is Necessary to Restore Constitutional Government,” outlined his goals for changing Washington. (Listen to our recent podcast.) Yesterday at Heritage, he delivered the annual Helms Lecture, detailing his opposition of the Law of the Sea Treaty — a measure supported by the Obama administration that awaits Senate ratification.

Lee spoke to us afterward about President Obama’s jobs plan, the mounting federal debt and his solution to saving Social Security.

In the days following Obama’s speech to Congress, Lee sharply criticized the president’s ideas for raising taxes and hiking spending to spur economic growth. As he explained to us, “We need to not be doing more of the same things that made the problem worse. We need to refocus on getting the federal government out of the way rather than making the federal government part of the problem.”

The interview runs a little more than 4 minutes. Hosted by Rob Bluey and produced by Brandon Stewart, with help from Hannah Sternberg.

December 7, 2011 – 2:38 pm Categories: spending out of control | Post a comment

Republican mainstream candidate Romney slips behind Gingrich and Paul

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich appears at a news conference before a tea party rally in New York Saturday. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Who would have thought that the mainstream candidate Mitt Romney would fall to third in the polls in Iowa behind Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul?

I am not too happy with Newt because of his womanizing ways of the past which are pointed out by the liberal columnist Gene Lyons in the current issue of the Arkansas Times.  Another reason I oppose Newt is because of his liberal tendencies of the past.  I am more inclined to support Ron Paul who is vastly more conservative than Gingrich.

Many like Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times Blog claim that these candidates can not win because they are out of the mainstream. In fact, Brantley is pulling for Gingrich to win the Republican nomination because he believes he will lose in the general election to President Obama. I am hoping that he is wrong.

Recently Peyton Hillis got on the Ron Paul bandwagon. (According to the Arkansas Times earlier this year Hillis was  named the cover star of Madden NFL ’12, the latest edition of the most enduringly popular sports video game on the market which has indicated that his stardom has risen in the last few years.) Take a look at the video below:

Evidently a close friend of Peyton Hillis has convinced him that Ron Paul is the candidate that he should support.

 

December 7, 2011 – 8:17 am Categories: Uncategorized | Post a comment

Tagged , , |

Pearl Harbor 70 years ago (Part 2)

Uploaded by on Dec 7, 2009

At 06:05 on December 7, the six Japanese carriers launched a first wave of 183 planes composed mainly of dive bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters. The Japanese hit American ships and military installations at 07:51. The first wave attacked military airfields of Ford Island. At 08:30, a second wave of 170 Japanese planes, mostly torpedo bombers, attacked the fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor. The battleship Arizona was hit with an armor piercing bomb which penetrated the forward ammunition compartment, blowing the ship apart and sinking it within seconds. Overall, nine ships of the U.S. fleet were sunk and 21 ships were severely damaged. Three of the 21 would be irreparable. The overall death toll reached 2,350, including 68 civilians, and 1,178 injured. Of the military personnel lost at Pearl Harbor, 1,177 were from Arizona. The first shots fired were from the destroyer Ward on a midget submarine that had surfaced outside of Pearl Harbor; Ward did successfully sink the midget sub at approximately 06:55, about an hour before the assault on Pearl Harbor.

___________________

Here is a portion of an article from Pittsburgh Tribune-Review :

Dwindling number of Pearl Harbor survivors recall that fateful day

By Rachel Weaver and Richard Robbin, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Read more: Dwindling number of Pearl Harbor survivors recall that fateful day – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Most Western Pennsylvanians who survived the “date which will live in infamy” are in their late 80s or early 90s. Here are a few of their stories about that day:

Alexander Dyga of Kilbuck

Pvt. Alexander Dyga of Kilbuck awoke to the familiar sound of his superior pounding on the door of the room he shared with three men at the Army’s Schofield Barracks on Oahu. They worked early to clean mule stalls, before the temperature climbed to 80 degrees.

He was eager to get to the mess hall for breakfast. Instead, he would spend two days helping to move bodies.

“A lot of men had been blown apart,” said Dyga, 88. “It didn’t bother me. I was too young then.”

They carried men from Wheeler Field, site of the first attack, to doctors at Schofield. Dyga saw dead sailors whose burned bodies floated to the ocean surface after ship explosions.

He has returned to Hawaii more than 10 times. He’s there this week, observing the anniversary.

He filled his home with souvenirs marking his trips. Some are fun, such as the plastic hula dolls that line a dining room shelf. Others are meaningful, such as framed photographs of Dyga with other survivors.

A Dravosburg native, Dyga served in the Army and Air Force for a combined 20 years, and worked in utilities and maintenance. He and his wife, Annamarie, whom he met in Germany, married in 1948; she died in 2005. They have a son, three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Pearson Harkema of Monessen

Seaman 1st Class Pearson Harkema of Monessen assumed the aircraft flying toward the USS Oklahoma was a U.S. plane, until he saw the red dot on its side.

Then the first of nine torpedoes hit the battleship, causing it to tilt. Harkema slid over the side, hitting his knees on the way into the water. He swam a short distance to shore and thought the rest of the crew would reach safety. More than 400 did not.

A rescue crew found Harkema sitting in oil-soaked clothes. When a Marine offered his clothes, Harkema took them. Years later, Harkema realized that if he had died, wearing clothes with another man’s name stenciled inside, the wrong family would have received notice that their son was dead.

“You never think about things like you do in later years,” said Harkema, 91, seated with his wife of 60 years, Marion.

He never returned to Pearl Harbor.

“I had my fill on Dec. 7,” he said.

Harkema went on to serve with the Navy aboard the USS North Hampton and battleship USS Indiana. He worked in steel mills for 30 years. He and Marion have two children and two grandchildren.

Related posts:

Veterans Day 2011 Part 9:Roy “Roxy” Oxenrider survived Korean War’s Toughest Battle

Picture of Roy after he had recovered at the hospital. Picture of Roy below in the hospital recovering from his injuries followed by a picture of Roy encouraging another soldier who was in the hospital:  Below is an article that was published in November of 2010 in the Saline Courier: Saline County War Hero Bryant […]

Veterans Day 2011 Part 8 Leon McDaniel of World War II (second post)

Okinawa – At the Emperor’s Doorstep” episode from “WWII: GI Diary”….. This old 1978 TV docu-drama was narrated by Lloyd Bridges and told the stories of real soldiers/sailors/pilots and their first-hand experiences in battle. Archival footage and good background music really made the stories come alive…..about 25 episodes were made. Video converted from really old […]

Veterans Day 2011 Part 7:You have heard of Jimmy Doolittle, but what about Leon A. McDaniel?

President Reagan and Senator Barry Goldwater present the fourth star to General Jimmy Doolittle during a White House ceremony in the Indian Treaty room, OEOB. 6/20/85. I love the movie “Pearl Harbor” with Ben Affleck and it tells the story of Jimmy Doolittle.  He was born in 1896 and died in 1993. He is pictured […]

Veterans Day 2011 Part 6 (A look back at Okinawa)

This portion below appeared in an article I did for the Saline Courier about 18 months ago: I went to the First Baptist Church in Little Rock from 1983 to 1997, and during that time I became friends with Walter Dickinson Sr. In fact, we used to attend a weekly luncheon together on Thursdays.  Just […]

Veterans Day 2011 Part 5 (A look back at the “Battle of the Bulge”)

The Lost Evidence: The Battle Of The Bulge (1/5) This article was published in the Saline Courier about 18 months ago: When we celebrate July 4th we are focusing on the freedoms that so many soldiers have fought for over the last 234 years. That focus has been highlighted for me since my son Hunter […]

Veterans Day 2011 Part 4

  This is taken from an article that appeared in the Saline Courier about a year ago: Bravery is not just limited to one generation, but Americans have had it in every generation. It makes me think about those who are currently serving in our military. Jon Chris Roberts who is graduate of Benton High […]

Veterans Day 2011 Part 3 (A look back at World War 1)

I was born in Tennessee and everyone in Tennessee knows the name of Alvin York. Above is a clip about his accomplishments in War World I. Cara Gist of Shannon Hills tells me that her grandfather Herbert S. Apple of Salado, Arkansas (near Batesville) fought in World War I. He served in France and fought […]

Veterans Day 2011 Part 2 (Bataan Death March)

My longtime friend Craig Carney is originally  from Jacksonville, and  he told me a couple of years ago about a friend of his parents from Jacksonville, Arkansas named Silas Legrow. Legrow  was going to speak at the Jacksonville Museum of Military History on April 17, 2008 about his experience in the March of 1942 when […]

Veterans Day 2011 (Black Hawk Down and North Little Rock’s Donavan “Bull” Briley)

The Background Facts of The Black Hawk Down (1/7) Uploaded by WarDocumentary on Feb 14, 2011 The movie Black Hawk Down was based on an actual event that took place in Mogadishu, Somalia. This documentary explains the event. _______________________________ On October 3, 2003 my son  played quarterback at the Arkansas Baptist High School Football game […]

War Hero Joe Speaks and D Day pictures

 Below I have the story of Joe Speaks who fought in Europe and was captured twice by the Germans. Photo by Associated Press American GI’s clamber into a landing craft as they prepare to hit the beaches along France’s Normandy coast in June 1944. The World War II operation was part of the massive Allied […]

December 7, 2011 – 6:57 am Categories: War Heroes | Post a comment

Tagged , , , , |

Woody Allen interviews Billy Graham (Woody Wednesday)

A surprisingly civil discussion between evangelical Billy Graham and agnostic comedian Woody Allen. Skip to 2:00 in the video to hear Graham discuss premarital sex, to 4:30 to hear him respond to Allen’s question about the worst sin and to 7:55 for the comparison between accepting Christ and taking LSD.

___________________

The Christian Post > International > N.America|Sun, Nov. 20 2011 03:41 PM EDT

Woody Allen, The Faith Behind the Films (VIDEOS of Allen With Billy Graham)

By Kayla Amadis | Christian Post Contributor

American filmmaker, Woody Allen, will be starring in an exclusive two-part documentary film beginning tonight. The “Annie Hall” director and actor is notorious for his privacy. However, this three-and-a-half hour film claims to be a right of entry into the life and art of Woody Allen.

The works of Allen have always been a peculiar one for most viewers throughout generations. He has a touch for making artful flicks with the just enough humor included. His films, sometimes controversial, have also been unique in that they are driven by his distinctive vision and artistry. Allen has never been an artist to succumb to altering a script so it would appeal to mainstream audiences.

Therefore, many have noted reoccurring themes throughout Allen’s work over the years. He often integrates pop culture and religion sub-textually into the content of his writing.

Allen, now 75, grew up in a Jewish household. Now, as an agnostic, many of his films including “Crimes and Misdemeanors” and “Match Point” have subject matters concerning forgiveness, how to handle sin, finding meaning in life without God, or religious figures.

Many evangelicals including Chuck Colston and Southern Baptist leader, Richard Land are devoted fans of Allen. Although the filmmaker remains disclosed, he continues to be one to speak openly about deep issues in life even outside of his films. Allen has always been honest enough to ask many questions about morality and religion, but never has any of the right answers, Land suggested.

In the archives of Woody Allen appearances, one can find an old talk show video (below) in the 1960’s in which he interviews Billy Graham. Of course, Graham, clearly anchored in his beliefs in God, shared completely different views on life compared to the wisecracking Allen.

The conversation sounds undoubtedly tense upon first hearing. However, both counter-parts handled their discussion with much composure and the heart to agree to disagree.

Allen: “If you come to one of my movies or something, I’ll go to one of your revival meetings.”

Graham: “Well now that is a deal.”

Allen: “You could probably convert me because I’m such a pushover. I have no convictions in any direction and if you make it appealing and promise me some sort of wonderful afterlife with a white robe and wings I would go for it.”

Graham: “I can’t promise you a white robe and wings, but I can promise you a very interesting, thrilling life.”

Allen: “One wing, maybe?”

The dialogue was both light and deep all at once. “I find Woody over the years, and of course this is true of people as they get older, there is more resignation,” Land said to the Washington Post.

“There is a light touch and a confidence in his earlier movies – I’m not dead, I won’t die for a long time so I have a long time to figure this all out. Some of his more recent movies, you can see he’s aware of his own mortality.”

Decades later, one would hope Allen would come around to considering the true answers to all of his moral questioning. Perhaps he would think back to some of the words Graham spoke many years ago. However, Allen remains with doubtful views. “Sooner or later,” he said in a 2010 interview. “…reality sets in, in a crushing way. As it does and will with everybody, including Billy Graham. But it’s nice if you can delude yourself for as long as possible.”

“Woody Allen: A Documentary,’’ directed by Robert B. Weide, will touch on the career of Allen more intimately. Many look forward to understanding the true man behind the art and humor.

Related posts:

“Woody Wednesday” The heart wants what it wants”jh67

I read this on http://www.crosswalk.com which is one of my favorite websites. Life Lessons from Woody Allen Stephen McGarvey I confess I am a huge film buff. But I’ve never really been a Woody Allen fan, even though most film critics consider him to be one of the most gifted and influential filmmakers of our […]

“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 6)

  “Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 6) This is “Music Monday” and I always look at a band with some of their best music. I am currently looking at Coldplay’s best songs. Here are a few followed by another person’s preference: My son Hunter Hatcher’s 15th favorite song is “trouble.” Even though […]

“Woody Wednesday” Allen once wrote these words: “Do you realize what a thread were all hanging by? Can you understand how meaningless everything is? Everything. I gotta get some answers.” jh31

Woody Allen, the film writer, director, and actor, has consistently populated his scripts with characters who exchange dialogue concerning meaning and purpose. In Hannah and Her Sisters a character named Mickey says, “Do you realize what a thread were all hanging by? Can you understand how meaningless everything is? Everything. I gotta get some answers.”{7} […]

“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 5)

“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 5) This is “Music Monday” and I always look at a band with some of their best music. I am currently looking at Coldplay’s best songs. Here are a few followed by another person’s preference: Hunter picked “Don’t Panic,” as his number 16 pick of Coldplay’s best […]

Steve Jobs’ view of death and what the Bible has to say about it jh55

(If you want to check out other posts I have done about about Steve Jobs:Some say Steve Jobs was an atheist , Steve Jobs and Adoption , What is the eternal impact of Steve Jobs’ life? ,Steve Jobs versus President Obama: Who created more jobs? ,Steve Jobs’ view of death and what the Bible has to say about it ,8 things you might not know about Steve Jobs ,Steve […]

“Woody Wednesday” A review of some of the past Allen films jh32

I am a big Woody Allen fan. Not all his films can be recommended but he does look at some great issues and he causes the viewer to ask the right questions. My favorite is “Crimes and Misdemeanors” but the recent film “Midnight in Paris” was excellent too. Looking at the (sometimes skewed) morality of […]

Good without God?

(The signs are up on the buses in Little Rock now and the leader of the movement to put them up said on the radio today that he does not anticipate any physical actions against the signs by Christians. He noted that the Christians that he knows would never stoop to that level.) Debate: Christianity […]

“Music Monday”:Coldplay’s best songs of all time (Part 4)

Dave Hogan/ Getty Images This is “Music Monday” and I always look at a band with some of their best music. I am currently looking at Coldplay’s best songs. Here are a few followed by another person’s preference: For the 17th best Coldplay song of all-time, Hunter picks “42.” He notes, “You thought you might […]

December 7, 2011 – 12:58 am Categories: Current Events | Post a comment

Tagged , , , |

Is the USA heading down the same path as Greece?

Too many riding in the wagon and not enough pulling the wagon. Is the USA heading down the same path as Greece?

U.S. Should Learn from Europe’s Welfare State Mistakes

by Daniel J. Mitchell 

Daniel J. Mitchell is a top expert on tax reform and supply-side tax policy at the Cato Institute.

Added to cato.org on November 8, 2011

This article appeared in US News and World Report on November 7, 2011.

Our long-run outlook is grim, but at least we still have time to reform the entitlement programs and save America from Greek-style fiscal collapse.

The conventional wisdom among economists is that a nation gets in deep trouble when government debt reaches 90 percent of GDP. That’s generally true, but it would be much more accurate to say that a nation gets in deep trouble when debt approaches 90 percent of GDP and the fiscal outlook shows even more red ink.

But this distinction doesn’t really matter much for the United States and Europe. Thanks to a combination of entitlement programs and aging populations, both face a bleak fiscal future. A 2010 study from the Bank for International Settlement shows that government debt in most industrialized nations will soar above 200 percent of GDP (in some cases, much higher) within the next few decades.

At some point, investors are going to realize that the United States is on an unsustainable path.

The only major difference is that European nations are farther down the path to fiscal collapse. The welfare state was adopted earlier in Europe and government spending among euro nations now consumes a staggering 49 percent of economic output. This heavy fiscal burden, especially when combined with onerous tax systems, helps explain why growth is anemic.

But the United States is only a couple of decades behind. According to long-run forecasts from the Congressional Budget Office, the burden of federal spending will reach European levels as the baby boom generation retires.

At some point, investors are going to realize that the United States is on an unsustainable path. Whether that’s 10 years from now or 20 years from now is anybody’s guess.

Daniel J. Mitchell is a top expert on tax reform and supply-side tax policy at the Cato Institute.

 

More by Daniel J. Mitchell

What we do know, however, is that Greece, Portugal, and Ireland already have stuck their snouts in the bailout trough, and it’s probably just a matter of time before Italy, Spain, and Belgium are in the same category. Heck, they’re already receiving indirect bailouts from the European Central Bank, which is buying up their dodgy debt in hopes of postponing the day of reckoning.

The one silver lining to this dark cloud is that the United States still can turn things around. Greece, Italy, and other welfare states have probably passed the point of no return, but it’s still possible for American lawmakers to fix the entitlement crisis by turning Medicaid over to the states , modernizing Medicare into a premium-support system, and transitioning to a system of personal retirement accounts for younger workers.

If those reforms don’t take place, the consequences won’t be pleasant. To be blunt, there won’t be an IMF to bail out the United States.

December 7, 2011 – 12:56 am Categories: Cato Institute, spending out of control | Post a comment

Tagged , , , |

Great Christmas songs (Part 3)

—-

——

—-

——

—-

Paul McCartney “Wonderful Christmas Time”

Uploaded by  on Dec 16, 2007

http://andykazie.com/
********************************************
A music video of Paul’s great Christmas song to the scenes of Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center in Manhattan.

From Wikipedia:

“Wonderful Christmastime” is a 1979 Christmas song by Paul McCartney. It enjoys significant Christmas time popularity around the world.[1] The notable synthesiser riff was played on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5. The song was later added as a bonus track on the CD reissue of Wings‘ Back to the Egg. Although the song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, it reached #6 in the United Kingdom Singles Chart.[2] The video was filmed at the Fountain Inn in Ashurst, West Sussex.[3]

McCartney recorded the song entirely on his own during the sessions for his solo project McCartney II. Although the members of Wings are not on the recording, they do appear in the video.[4]

Fellow ex-Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison had already released festive singles, and Ringo Starr made a Christmas album in 1999. Of all of the former Beatle seasonal offerings, Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” and McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” have become two of a large number of popular Christmas songs played year after year. “Wonderful Christmastime” can be heard in the 1998 animated film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie during Santa’s takeoff on Christmas Day. Wings performed the song during their 1979 tour of the UK,[5] and McCartney included the song as an encore during his Good Evening Europe tour.[6]

McCartney has since gone on to state that he is now embarrassed about this record,[citation needed] yet it continues to receive substantial airplay every year. Including royalties from cover versions, it is estimated that Paul McCartney makes $400,000 per year from this song, which puts its cumulative earnings for this song at near $15 million.[7]

[edit] Cover versions

_______________________

One of my favorite Christmas songs from Evie:

Uploaded by on Apr 26, 2011

Evie Tornquist-Karlsson was Christian Music’s greatest sweetheart , she took the world by storm with her sweet angelic face & voice that touched everyone’s heart with her love for Jesus. She will forever be known as the girl who sang her songs for Jesus Christ. She was born 1957 in Rahway, New Jersey, professionally known as Evie, is a Contemporary Christian music singer who was known in the late 1970s and early 1980s for songs such as “Say I Do”, “My Tribute”, “Live For Jesus”, “Pass It On”, “Never The Same”, “Mirror”, “Born Again”, “Come On Ring Those Bells”, “Step Into The Sunshine” and “Four Feet Eleven”.

Born in the United States to Norwegian immigrants, Evie began her singing career as a young teenager while visiting her parents’ homeland. She released her English language debut album at the age of 16 in 1974, and went on to release more than 30 albums, including several in various Scandinavian languages. Evie was recognized as the Dove Award recipient of Female Vocalist of the Year for 1977 and 1978. She married Swedish pastor and musician Pelle Karlsson in 1979 and retired from performing music in 1981 to pursue other avenues of ministry, such as Sky Angel.

In the early 1980s Pelle and Evie Karlsson felt the Lord’s leading to join the “SKY ANGEL DOMINION NETWORK”. The Lord used them both in a might way for the Lord’s glory. While there, they recorded a few other albums. Evie and her husband has since left the SKY ANGEL NETWORK a number of years ago. Although Evie is “officially” retired from performing and doing concerts all the time on a regular basis since 1981 – she is still pursuing her music ministry with White Field Music, (owned by Pelle and Evie Karlsson) in Florida and very much involved in missions work with Back to Jerusalem. A vital, encouraging work. They also produce a wonderful outstanding 30 minute weekly series for Back To Jerusalem which can be viewed online. The weekly broadcast can be viewed her which is hosted by Pelle & Evie – http://www.backtojerusalem.com/video/latestBroadcast.html
All of the past episodes of the broadcast can be featured for downloading / viewing here –
http://www.backtojerusalem.com/btjPages/broadcast.html

Evie still does some concerts in Churches and in other venues and is also still on tour. She also tours to different venues with Rebecca St. James in a Mother and Daughter outreach series of programs they put on called, the “SHE” events. The SHE event tour with Evie for dates, and locations and more info please visit the SHE event tour dates – http://www.sheevent.com/events.html

Evie currently resides with her husband Pelle in Florida. Their two children, Kris and Jenny Karlsson are now out of high school. Jenny is already now very recently married and is a school teacher. Evie and her music is still loved today more then ever, and Evie albums are still being hunted down and collected by her fans. I had the wonderful privilege of having a very special invitation to a Concert that Evie was able to take part of, in September of 2005. Earlier, that year in February Evie was officially inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame on February 22, 2005.

December 7, 2011 – 12:19 am Categories: Current Events | Post a comment

Tagged , , , , |

Ken Aden: Social Security is not a Ponzi Scheme and those who want to cut it are criminals

Ken Aden is running for Congress against Steve Womack in Arkansas’ third district. He believes Social Security is not a Ponzi Scheme and those who want to cut it are criminals. I was reading on the leftwing blog “Blue Arkansas” about Ken Alden and I got this video clip which is below:

It is my view that the wise thing would be to allow people to invest in personal retirement funds with a portion of the money that is going to Social Security now.

Saving Social Security with Personal Retirement Accounts

Uploaded by  on Jan 10, 2011

There are two crises facing Social Security. First the program has a gigantic unfunded liability, largely thanks to demographics. Second, the program is a very bad deal for younger workers, making them pay record amounts of tax in exchange for comparatively meager benefits. This video explains how personal accounts can solve both problems, and also notes that nations as varied as Australia, Chile, Sweden, and Hong Kong have implemented this pro-growth reform. http://www.freedomandprosperity.org

____________________

Governor Rick Perry got in trouble for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and I totally agree with that. This is a series of articles that look at this issue.

Social Security Demagoguery from Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann: Economically Wrong, Politically Wrong

Posted by Daniel J. Mitchell

Governor Rick Perry of Texas is being attacked by two rivals in the GOP presidential race. His sin, if you can believe it, is that he told the truth (as acknowledged by everyone from Paul Krugman to Milton Friedman) about Social Security being a Ponzi scheme.

Here’s an excerpt from Philip Klein’s column in the Examiner, looking at how Mitt Romney is criticizing Perry.

Mitt Romney doubled down on his attack against Texas Gov. Rick Perry this afternoon, warning in an interview with Sean Hannity that his critique of Social Security amounted to “terrible politics” that would cost Republicans the election. Romney’s decision to pile on suggests that he’s willing to play the “granny card” against Perry if it will help him get elected, a tactic more becoming of the likes of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz than a potential Republican nominee.

And here’s a Byron York column from the Examiner looking at how Michele Bachmann is taking the same approach.

…another Republican rival, Michele Bachmann, is preparing to hit Perry on the same issue. “Bernie Madoff deals with Ponzi schemes, not the grandparents of America,” says a Bachmann adviser.  “Clearly she feels differently about the value of Social Security than Gov. Perry does.  She believes Social Security needs to be saved, that it’s an important safety net for Americans who have paid into it all their lives.” … “She strongly disagrees with his position on that…”

Shame on Romney and Bachmann. With an inflation-adjusted long-run shortfall of about $28 trillion, Social Security is a Ponzi scheme on steroids.

But as I explain in this video, that’s just part of the problem. The program also is a terrible deal for workers, particularly young people and minorities.

Here’s what’s so frustrating. Romney and Bachmann almost certainly understand that Social Security is actuarially bankrupt. And they probably realize that personal retirement accounts are the only long-run answer.

But they’re letting political ambition lure them into saying things that they know are not true. Why? Because they think Perry will lose votes and they can improve their respective chances of getting the GOP nomination.

Sounds like a smart approach, assuming truth and morality don’t matter.

But here’s what’s so ironic. The Romney and Bachmann strategy is only astute if Social Security is sacrosanct and personal accounts are political poison.

But as I noted last year, the American public supports personal accounts by a hefty margin. And former President Bush won two elections while supporting Social Security reform. And election-day polls confirmed that voters supported personal accounts.

I’m not a political scientist, so maybe something has changed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Perry benefited from the left-wing demagoguery being utilized by Romney and Bachmann.

P.S. This does not mean Perry has the right answer. As far as I know, he hasn’t endorsed personal accounts. But at least he’s telling the truth about Social Security being unsustainable.

Related posts:

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 12)

U.S. Senator Rand Paul Speaks at Cato University 2011 Uploaded by catoinstitutevideo on Sep 6, 2011 http://www.cato.org/multimedia/subscribe.php U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) spoke at this year’s Cato University on everything from national healthcare and the commerce clause to spending cuts and social security reform. Cato University is the Cato Institute’s premier educational event of the […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 11)

Dan Mitchell on Social Security Uploaded by catoinstitutevideo on Aug 19, 2010 Discussing the troubles facing social security, with Mark Walsh, Left Jab host and Dan Mitchell, Cato Institute. Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 4) Governor Rick Perry got in trouble for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and I totally agree with […]

 

Milton Friedman discusses Reagan and Reagan discusses Friedman

Uploaded by YAFTV on Aug 19, 2009 Nobel Laureate Dr. Milton Friedman discusses the principles of Ronald Reagan during this talk for students at Young America’s Foundation’s 25th annual National Conservative Student Conference MILTON FRIEDMAN ON RONALD REAGAN In Friday’s WSJ, Milton Friedman reflectedon Ronald Reagan’s legacy. (The link should work for a few more […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 10)

Milton Friedman – The Social Security Myth Uploaded by LibertyPen on Mar 5, 2010 Using Social Security as his prime example, Professor Friedman explodes the myth that the major expansions in government resulted from popular demand. In a speech delivered more than 30 years ago, he directly relates this dynamic to today’s health care debate. […]

 

Rick Perry’s answer in Republican debate of October 11, 2011 (with video clip)

I really like Rick Perry because he was right when he called Social Security a “Ponzi Scheme” which it is. How did he do in the last debate? You be the judge by watching his response above. Rick Perry’s Moment Posted by Roger Pilon Last night POLITICO Arena asked: Who won the Reagan debate? My […]

 

Cain’s 9-9-9 plan center stage at Republican debate of October 11, 2011 (with video clip)

Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan did steal the show at the Republican debate of October 11, 2011. Take a look at this article below: The Republican presidential debate in Hanover, N.H. (AP) There was one clear winner from Tuesday’s Republican presidential debate, based on the simple metrics of name recognition: businessman Herman Cain’s “9-9-9 Plan.” Virtually […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 9)

Sen. Hutchison Speaks at the Heritage Foundation Forum on Saving Social Security Uploaded by SenatorHutchison on Jun 21, 2011 Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison delivered remarks regarding her landmark proposal on entitlement reform, the Defend and Save Social Security Act at the Heritage Foundation’s “Saving Social Security” event. Sen. Hutchison announced that Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 8)

IOUSA Solutions: Part 1 of 5 Uploaded by LibertyPen on Jan 8, 2009 Professor Williams explains what’s ahead for Social Security Governor Rick Perry got in trouble for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and I totally agree with that. This is a series of articles that look at this issue. The Case for (Carve-Out) […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 7)

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 7) IOUSA Solutions: Part 2 of 5 Governor Rick Perry got in trouble for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and I totally agree with that. This is a series of articles that look at this issue. Personal Accounts Build More Than Just Assets by Andrew Biggs This article […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 6)

Further Reforms to Modernize Social Security — Saving the American Dream Uploaded by HeritageFoundation on May 24, 2011 http://www.savingthedream.org | Currently deep in debt, America’s Social Security program doesn’t look very secure. Today there is a new plan to get it back on track. David John, Senior Research Fellow in Retirement Security at The Heritage […]

 

Republicans need to tackle runaway entitlement spending

Republicans need to tackle runaway entitlement spending Uploaded by NatlTaxpayersUnion on Feb 15, 2011 Dan Mitchell, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, speaks at Moving Forward on Entitlements: Practical Steps to Reform, NTUF’s entitlement reform event at CPAC, on Feb. 11, 2011. __________________________ I am disappointed in some of the Republicans who do not want […]

 

Ron Paul, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney have the money coming in

I really like Ron Paul and Rick Perry. Only three Republican presidential candidates are worth any money _ campaign money, that is. Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Ron Paul have banked millions. But the other GOP candidates are struggling or broke, putting their candidacies in question four months before the first nominating contests take place. […]

 

Rick Perry says Social Security is a Ponzi scheme

Rick Perry says Social Security is a Ponzi scheme Rick Perry and Mitt Romney went after each other at the debate over this term “Ponzi scheme.” Over and over Rick Perry has said that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme and I agree with him. John Brummett asserted,”Rick Perry was last week’s savior, but then he […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 5)

 IOUSA Solutions: Part 3 of 5 Uploaded by IOUSAtheMovie on Aug 25, 2010 The award-winning documentary I.O.U.S.A. opened up America’s eyes to the consequences of our nation’s debt and the need for our government to show more fiscal responsibility. Now that more Americans and elected officials are aware of our fiscal challenges, the producers of […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 4)

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 4) Governor Rick Perry got in trouble for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and I totally agree with that. This is a series of articles that look at this issue. Trains, Pensions, and Economic Freedom by Timothy B. Lee This article appeared on Forbes.com on August 17, 2011. recently […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 3)

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 3) Governor Rick Perry got in trouble for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and I totally agree with that. This is a series of articles that look at this issue. Personal Accounts and the Savings Rate by Timothy B. Lee This article appeared on Forbes.com on September 11, 2011 […]

 

Rick Perry’s Ponzi-scheme claim is in no way unprecedented

Rick Perry and Mitt Romney went after each other at the debate over this term “Ponzi scheme.” Janet M. LaRue   Romney’s Ponzi Phobia 9/19/2011 When it comes to Social Security, Republicans should stop treating seniors like the feeble-minded demographic portrayed in commercials written by 13-year-olds on Madison Avenue. It’s like the home security commercial […]

 

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 2)

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 2) John Stossel – Government’s Ponzi Scheme Uploaded by LibertyPen on Apr 21, 2010 A look at the Social Security system. By contrast, Bernie Madoff seems like a shoplifter. http://www.LibertyPen.com Uploaded by LibertyPen on Jan 8, 2009 Professor Williams explains what’s ahead for Social Security ______________________________ Governor Rick […]

 

Only difference between Ponzi scheme and Social Security is you can say no to Ponzi Scheme jh2d

Is Social Security  a Ponzi Scheme? I just started a series on this subject. In this article below you will see where the name “Ponzi scheme” came from and if it should be applied to the Social Security System. Ponzi! Ponzi! Ponzi! 9/14/2011 | Email John Stossel | Columnist’s Archive Ponzi! Ponzi! Ponzi! There, I […]

 

Despite Brantley’s view,Social Security really is a Ponzi scheme (Part 1) (jh1d)

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (Part 1) Governor Rick Perry got in trouble for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and I totally agree with that. Max Brantley wants to keep insisting that this will be Perry’s downfall but  think that truth will win out this time around. This is a series of articles […]

December 6, 2011 – 3:06 pm Categories: Cato Institute, Milton Friedman, Social Security | Post a comment

Tagged , , , |

How much of our pay should we be allowed to keep?

Liberals want to spend our money and they think that government should get more of our money.

Brandon Stewart

September 14, 2011 at 11:16 am

In a interview with Chicago’s Don Wade & Roma radio show this morning, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky claimed that Americans aren’t entitled to all of their own money.

Toward the end of a wide-ranging interview, the hosts played a clip from this week’s Republican Presidential Debate where California teenager Tyler Hinsley asked, “Of every dollar that I earn, how much do you think I deserve to keep?” Co-host Don Wade asked Schakowsky to answer the same question.

After some initial back-and-forth, she replied, “I’ll put it this way, you don’t deserve to keep all of it. It’s not a question of deserving, because what government is, is those things that we decide to do together.”

Despite the hosts’ persistence, Schakowsky declined to answer what percentage of a person’s income they deserved to keep. “I pay at a 35% tax rate, happy to do it,” she explained when the hosts persisted with their question. She again declined to say how much more she would personally be willing to pay.

But Rep. Schakowsky is not alone. Her views are sadly typical of a liberal worldview that sees a person’s earnings as belonging first to the state. In fact, the left is now doubling down on this misguided belief, with the President pushing for more stimulus spending despite the failures of earlier “stimulus.”

But while the left continues to promote the same failed policies—more taxes, more regulation, more big government—conservatives need to trumpet the benefits of low taxes, sensible regulations, and small government. As Heritage’s Dubay explains:

The best way to grow revenues is to promote faster economic growth, which will increase the number of taxpayers and taxable income more rapidly. Tax hikes—whether through higher tax rates or slashing credits, deductions, and exemptions without offsetting reductions elsewhere—will not do the job. Under President Obama’s current policies, spending will continue to grow at a faster rate than can be paid for by tax hikes—even assuming the huge tax increases the President insists upon. To add insult to injury, as history has shown, tax hikes would slow economic growth and make it even harder for unemployed Americans to find a job.

Listen to the full interview here:

WLS 890 – Don Wade & Roma’s interview with Jan Schakowsky

December 6, 2011 – 2:35 pm Categories: spending out of control | Post a comment

Tagged , , , , |