The Peloponnesian War

I have been studying the Peloponnesian war (431 BC-404 BC) and I cannot help but notice the similarities between that war and the full scale NATO-Warsaw Pact scenarios that children of the Cold War grew up with.

The Spartans, products of a militarized culture and somewhat slow to react to events, fit into the role of the Soviet Union. Their fairly backward economic model certainly helps in any comparison to Moscow.

The Athenians are a more vigorous naval power with widespread interests that the Spartans want to desperately keep out of their sphere of influence. Athenian emphasis on commercial endeavors give the future capital of the modern state of Greece a more "American" feel.

I have all ready mentioned that Sparta's land power and Athens' naval might further empahized the Soviet-US comparison but it is Spartan treatment of freed prisoners that have fallen into Athenian hands that reminds me of Joe Stalin.

Spartan prisoners, having seen the outside world, were kept from the population in general while in a "deprograming" mode until the authorities deemed them fit to mix with their comrades again. That is a lot like what Soviet POWs went through after 1945.

The Athenian-Spartan confrontation is complete even with a "Cold War" after teaming up to defeat the great Persian invasion. Substitute "Athenian-Spartan" with "US-Soviet" and do the same with "Persia" and "Nazi Germany" and you will see what I mean.

I would not want to carry the comparison too far though. No, not because of the Athenian imperialist tendencies or even some of the things both sides did to each other.

It is because Sparta won...

...not exactly the way Red Storm Rising ended!

March 25, 1821

Happy Greek Independence Day!

Go out and get some gyros and speak with a bad Greek accent!

America in distress

Or maybe I should title this "Countdown to Civil War."

The "health care" no one, Republican and quite a few Democrats, liberals and conservative, and at least 75% of America does not want was barely passed in the House of Representatives last night.

This is very bad legislation.

At least ten states are planning lawsuits against what they are calling, "a tax on living."

The most upsetting part of this "bill" is the part REQUIRING Americans to buy life insurance. This is illegal. It is a tax and something that is not needed in a time of economic depression, out of control gas prices and nearly 10% unemployment.

The good thing is that onerous practices such as denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions will be outlawed. The bad news is that we know what the insurance companies will do in response: hike up the rates dramatically.

The "public exchange" is supposed to regulate premiums that seem to keep increasing. If you remember, the "public exchange" was dropped without a problem by the Senate before the shocking Republican victory in Massachusetts.

I remember Candidate Obama promising to bring to America the same health plan Congress has. This is not it. So what happened along the way? It seems Obama is just another crook like Bush was.

So why not universal health care?

How can Europe and even Mexico extend care to their citizens and America can't? Is it a money issue? Possibly since $750 billion was shelled out to Wall Street in 2008, another $787 billion shoveled out in a "stimulus" that is not working and not to mention the billions wasted in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So what do we do?

Ignore Washington.

Do you really think the Supreme Court will rule against the federal government on this? Ignoring the federal government works better. The states have ignored Real ID and other federal laws including immigration laws. Time to do it again. The federal government needs to be reigned in and cut down.

The best was is to vote Republican in November.

But they better come through.

Anger is growing in America. It is directed at the government that is becoming more dictorial and overbearing. If passive resistence is met with jack booted force and the will of the people ignored, where do you think the whole process is going to go?

It is not something I want to see or even think about.

If you think it can't happen here, you are dreaming.

Washington needs to back away from the cliff.

They won't survive the fall.

Now tell me who is worse? Washington or al-Qeida?

The frightening this is is that I am not sure.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This is the anniversary of Saint Patrick driving all the snakes out of Ireland...or is it just an excuse to go out and get snockered?

If you see something like this picture, you really need to lay down!

Have fun, keep it safe and be Irish for the day!

Great hockey game!

The United States and Canada squared off for the Gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was definitely a game for the ages! The fans and people watching certainly got their money's worth!

These were clearly the two best teams in the world. They battled back and forth and it even went into overtime on a US goal with 24 seconds left! When you play teams of this caliber, you CANNOT let your guard down for a second.

Al Michaels was the broadcaster back in 1980 for the "Miracle on Ice". He kept referring back to that game. Just to remind everyone, the US beat the Soviet Union to get into the medal round. America took out Finland 4-1 to win the gold.

This was not Miracle on Ice 2. Yes, the US was an underdog on someone else's home ice but you have to remember America beat Canada a few days earlier. If anything, that was probably a mistake! :-)

A better theme probably should have been "Clash of the Titans." There was no question that the US and Canada were going to do battle for first with the Russians possibly barging in to interupt the North American party.

It was a great game and I think it created a lot of new fans. I notice people tend to watch international competition even in sports they do not follow.

And yes, I realize the irony of Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal for Canada in overtime....