The Changing World of Saint Nick

WARNING: Very political topic. Move on to the jokes if you’re not into this.

Everybody knows that the jolly, obese, white bearded man in the red suit is the American version of Old Saint Nicholas — a lanky philanthropist from Turkey … wait! Isn’t Turkey a Muslim country? Muslims don’t have saints! What’s wrong with this picture?!?

Bullies

At one time there were a lot of Christians in Turkey. In fact, the apostle Paul had planted some of the earliest churches like Ephesus and Antioch in that country which is today 99% Muslim. So where did the Christians go? Simply stated, I guess they were bullied out. In fact, the Christians and followers of other religions in Turkey are in hiding for fear of their lives. How ironic that Saint Nick would be beheaded in his own country today.

Division From Within

The war in Israel and Palestine has fed the world with genuine and fake news which has festered warring factions of sympathizers for either the Jews or Hamas. There’s no confusion where the conservatives stand — their position has remained the same since the Jewish state was established in 1948. The confusion is among the liberals. It’s interesting that the true ideologies within the liberal party are now unraveling. A recent Congressional hearing with the Presidents of Harvard, Penn State and MIT has revealed the uniform antisemitism of these ivy league schools. These universities are in panic mode because Jewish donors and other alumni are pulling out. The cancer within has finally been exposed.

We know full well that (1) leaders can be bought; (2) news can be slanted to media biases; (3) rotten apples exist in law enforcement organizations like the FBI, the CIA, etc.— so if it’s true that millions of people are easily fooled, perhaps it’s time to reconsider one’s allegiance — should one be loyal to a party regardless of how far its moral compass has drifted? Does one fear the bullies or fear being ostracized by society?

I really hope we all open our innocent eyes to current events and discern the evil, monied, powerful elites that are out to destroy our nation. Regardless of party affiliation, let the facts fall where they may. Stop defending a wrong. Legal or illegal — does the end justify any means? What if one’s belief is wrong? Afraid to discuss the issues? That’s sad.

Speaking From Experience

I grew up during the Marcos dictatorship. Believe me, It’s no fun to live where poorly educated, heartless, short-sighted buffoons rob and kill with the blessings of the powerful. I survived a judicial system where one’s connection determined who was innocent. I have friends who went missing … friends who were shot because they dared to stand up against those bullies. The longer the regime dragged, the more abusive the bullies became.

Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day — a day that awakened a sleeping America to the bullies in Japan. Will history repeat itself? If you’re still wondering who to side with, perhaps this video below might help. Let me know what you think of it.

THE MIDDLE EAST PROBLEM

Of course there are exceptions. I have good friends who are Muslims … just had a fun chat with one of them this morning. Of course I’ve made some general statements — but stop using this gaslight excuse to remain undecided. And of course, this is just my opinion. TGIF people!

Raoul

p.s.
In case you’re wondering, no matter which country or how many nations gang up on little Israel, Israel will never be wiped out. It says so in the Bible. Deservedly or undeservedly. these Jews are the Chosen People. They will never be eliminated.

“Those who believe in nothing are very, very jealous of those who believe in something.” – Dennis Praeger

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Riley of Wisconsin

Parting Shots

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre. CA

I found these

Hey, click on the picture of “Abe” to read my article of the
Ford Theatre (in Washington, DC) where Lincoln was shot.

The Traveling Boy

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

SUBSCRIBE

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Free Admission Offered to Active-Duty Military Members, Retirees and Dependents

Pearl Harbor Historic Sites will commemorate the official birthdays of each branch of the U.S. military by offering “free pass days” to active-duty, retired members and their dependents.

The Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park will all offer free admission to the service members of each respective military branch on the free pass days listed below. A valid military I.D. must be presented at the Ticket and Information Booth at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center or onsite at each of the Historic Sites.

About the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites
Welcoming approximately 1.7 million visitors each year, the Pearl Harbor attractions include several independent historic sites – some under the purview of the U.S. National Park Service and others operated by private, nonprofit organizations. Together, and in partnership with Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, they carry forth the legacies of some of our nation’s most treasured icons. Although Pearl Harbor is one historic destination, there are four distinct sites to visit, each with its own story to tell. Each attraction is as compelling as the next and none that the visitor would want to miss. For more information, visit www.PearlHarborHistoricSites.org.

Battleship Missouri Memorial
Since opening in January 1999, the Battleship Missouri Memorial has attracted more than 8.5-million visitors from around the world with a fascinating tour experience showcasing the USS Missouri’s unique place in history. Located a mere ship’s length from the USS Arizona Memorial, the Mighty Mo completes a historical visitor experience that begins with the “day of infamy” and sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and ends with Japan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

The USS Missouri had an astounding career over five decades and three wars – World War II, the Korean War, and Desert Storm – after which it was decommissioned and donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Association operates the Battleship Missouri Memorial as a historic attraction and oversees her care and preservation with the support of visitors, memberships, grants, and donations.

The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. General admission, which includes choice of an optional tour, is $29 per adult and $13 per child (4-12). Military, kama‘āina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For information or reservations, call (toll-free) 1-877-644-4896 or visit USSMissouri.org.

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, opened 10 years ago, is a private, non-profit organization which occupies the WWII hangars and control tower on Ford Island that still bear the scars as our nation’s first aviation battlefield. Giving visitors a front-row seat to the Pacific Theater and presenting 50 aircraft and their stories, the museum was named “one of the Top Ten Aviation Attractions” by TripAdvisor®. Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $25 per adult and $15 per child 4-12; 3 and under, free. Military, kama‘āina (local resident), school group and special events pricing are on the website. For more information, call (808) 441-1000 or visit PacificAviationMuseum.org. Tickets and a free flight simulator coupon are available online.

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park
Adjacent to the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, operated as a private, non-profit organization, is dedicated to the sacrifice of more than 3,500 submarine personnel lost in World War II. This gallant band of brothers, compromising less than 2 percent of the U.S. Navy, sank more than 5.5 million tons of enemy ships, while sustaining losses of 52 submarines that remain on Eternal Patrol. The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Combined general admission to the submarine and museum is $12 per adult and $5 per child 4-12. Military, kama‘āina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For more information, call (808) 423-1341 or visit Bowfin.org.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial
The Pearl Harbor National Memorial, part of the National Park Service, is comprised of the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, and USS Utah Memorials, in addition to six Chief Petty Officer bungalows, three mooring quays, and the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. These memorials commemorate and honor the thousands of service members and civilians who lost their lives during the Japanese attack on the island of Oahu on December 7, 1941.

The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is open seven days a week, from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission and parking are free. USS Arizona Memorial programs are also free and run every 15 minutes, from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm. Over 1,300 free program tickets are handed out daily on a first come, first served basis and visitors can also reserve.

Ignorant Yankees: Two Fifths Of Americans Do Not Know The Official Language Of Brazil

New research has revealed that 42% of Americans do not know the official language of Brazil, with Spanish and Brazilian thought to be the most common alternatives. Nearly one in five are also unaware that French is spoken in Canada, and one in ten think Australian is a language.

More than half of Americans do not think Tajikistan, Suriname and North Macedonia are real countries, and three in 10 couldn’t identify the location of Machu Picchu.

The study was undertaken by the team behind flight-comparison site www.us.jetcost.com, in which more than 4,500 people over the age of 18 were polled.

Just 26% of all respondents revealed that they had ever been on vacation outside of the US, whilst 28% of these said they had done so in the past year. Of these, only 38% said they had been on holiday outside of the Americas.

All respondents were then given a list of countries and asked which language was spoken in each of them. It was found that whilst 58% of Americans knew Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, 29% thought that it was Spanish, and a further 9% thought ‘Brazilian’ was a language. Conversely, 16% thought that Portuguese was the official language of Argentina.

It was also uncovered that as many as one in five Americans (19%) were unaware that French is spoken in areas of Canada, and 86% did not identify French as one of the languages spoken in Switzerland.

More than a quarter of Americans (26%) did not know that English was spoken in South Africa, and one in ten (10%) thought that Australian was a language. A further 4% of respondents identified ‘European’ as being a language.

Next, participants were given an extensive list of countries, both fake and real, and asked to identify which were made up, and which were not. The nations most commonly mistaken for fake were found to be:

1. Tajikistan – 68% (identified this country as fake)
2. Suriname – 62%
3. North Macedonia – 59%
4. Luxembourg – 48%
5. Gabon – 47%

Quizzed on their knowledge of famous landmarks, almost one third of respondents (29%) did not know that Machu Picchu was in Peru, with Ecuador selected second (14%) followed by Brazil (7%).

Commenting on the findings of the study, a spokesperson from www.us.jetcost.com, said:

“Given that the majority of Americans don’t have a passport, and even less have travelled abroad, the findings of this study can be somewhat justified. The fact that Portuguese is spoken in Brazil and French in Switzerland is admittedly confusing, but it should be common knowledge that areas of Canada speak French, what with them being next door.”

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