I always try and upgrade to first class but on this particular flight there’s only 4 seats available for the privileged few.  My attempts to obtain an exit row seat which has 2 extra inches of leg room was also in vain due to the friendly and customer oriented USAir flight crew commuting to Dallas gobbling up the choice seats.  And we all know about the in – air eating experience.  I broke down and purchased a 6 oz can of Almonds for $5.  They do have chicken salad for $7.  Forget the peanuts/pretzel freebees.    Or like the guy sitting in the seat next to me who weights 275 lbs chowing down on his Colonel Sanders KFC bucket of thighs and legs, I should have brought my own.

I suspect that some airlines are flying these miniature aircraft to save on fuel and of course leave a lighter “carbon footprint.”  Somehow that becomes somewhat irritating when I think about Al Gore (high priest of mother earth and all that is green) jetting the globe in his private jet.   Oh well, I suppose I should be grateful just to land safely and with both pilots  wide awake.  Oh, wait, that looks like the Rio Grande down there! Should have known.

In addition to Virginia and New Jersey where the polls show both Republican candidates to be leading, the New York District 23 race pitted a liberal democrat, vs. a liberal republican, vs. a Reagan Conservative.  Today the liberal republican dropped out of the race because she was loosing in the polls.  The perfect trifecta would be for conservatives to win in all three races.  Let’s roll!!

What’s come from the new-respect-for-Muslims Cairo speech and the unprecedented pressure on Israel for a total settlement freeze? “The settlement push backfired,” reports The Post, and Arab-Israeli peace prospects have “arguably regressed.”

And what’s come from Obama’s single most dramatic foreign policy stroke — the sudden abrogation of missile defense arrangements with Poland and the Czech Republic that Russia had virulently opposed? For the East Europeans it was a crushing blow, a gratuitous restoration of Russian influence over a region that thought it had regained independence under American protection.

Please Lord,  help America to wake up.

There are those of us who feel like the Nobel Peace Prize is now even more of a joke than before because the left leaning Norwegians and Scandinavians awarded their highest honor to a man who has done absolutely nothing to restore peace.  Sure, he’s given apologetic speeches as he crisscrossed the globe and this soothes those who are jealous and hate the US.  But where are the results?  Where is the evidence that this kowtowing, blame US first attitude, accomplishes anything?  Has Iran decided to halt their nuclear fission program as a result of Obama’s apology?  What about North Korea?  Al Quieda? The Taliban? What about the IOC (International Olympic Committee)?  Nope.  But he can give an articulate  speech provided his teleprompter is in clear view and his Jeremiah Wright alter ego kicks  in.  Brett Stephens in his Wall Street Journal opinion piece points out that past Nobel peace award winners were what he refers to as “goodists.”

Who are the Goodists? They are the people who believe all conflict stems from avoidable misunderstanding. Who think that the world’s evils spring from technologies, systems, complexes (as in “military-industrial”) and everything else except from the hearts of men, where love abides. Who mistake wishes for possibilities. Who put a higher premium on their own moral intentions than on the efficacy of their actions. Who champion education as the solution, whatever the problem. Above all, the Goodists are the people who like to be seen to be good.

Goodists  include the likes of Jimmy Carter, and others whose names you won’t recognize.  Notables such as Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Charles de Gaulle, General MacArthur, and Franklin Roosevelt were overlooked for the peace prize even though each one increased peace around the world;  freeing  Jews from the terror of Nazi-ism and concentration camps, tearing down the Iron Curtain, and  keeping the flame alive in France.

These were the soldiers and statesmen who did more than anyone else to assure the survival of freedom in the 20th century yet never won the love and admiration of the Scandanavian Nobel decision makers.

Looking at it from this perspective, it makes perfect sense that Barack Hussein Obama was awarded the peace prize based on apologetic rhetoric and good intentions.  I’m sure you’ve all heard of the southern cliche, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Sometimes we lack self-confidence because  we tell ourselves things about ourselves that are not true which contributes to a lack of confidence.   “I can’t do this,” “Others are smarter than I am,” “I’ll never be able to succeed.” And it goes on and on.  But the truth is, we can do it.  We live in the greatest country on earth that allows opportunity for everyone.  Clint may not have been the smartest, the richest, and he wasn’t born into a family line of lawyers.  I was the first member of my family (uncles, and cousins included) to graduate from college.  Clint’s accomplishments speak to the potential that all of us have to excel and achieve if we put our mind to it; and if we walk humbly before the Lord.  Congratulations to Clint who has worked very hard to achieve his success.  He responded to school as he would a 9-5 job.  He faithfully went everyday and attended class, studied in the library, studied more at home, and continued to lead and participate in church prayer groups.  But as you can see, I don’t really care at all.  I’m not the caring type.

First of all they all spoke English as their first language.  I had an appointment with someone at the “Genius” Bar who would help answer my questions and solve my connection problems.  The guy was truly a genius.  He ran through my iPhone in fast motion.  I had answers in about 5 minutes.  Personal attention to detail.  What really struck me was the crowded store.  It was 11:30 am and the store was packed.  They had a “concierge” and a host to help direct the traffic.  There was a waiting line to receive assistance.  Every display computer was busy and occupied by an eager customer. 

Why the fascination?  In a time of so-called economic “crisis” and depravity, capitalism was working.  Someone has money to drop on a computer with prices that START at $1200.  I think attentive, competent, customer service and quality of the product is the key factor.  No government takeover, no rescue plan, no stimulus, no Obama needed, just quality service and a great product.  Perhaps General Motors  and the airline industry could learn a lesson.

First let me start by defining a narcissist.  Narcissism is a state of excessive,  inflated self-adoration.  There is a layer of superiority which masks a layer of inferiority and sense of worthlessness.  The narcissist seeks excessive praise and attention from others, tends to be arrogant and condescending, displays an inflated sense of self-worth, fantasizes about fame, fortune, and power, is sensitive to criticism, manipulates others to achieve his/her ends, associates with “special” people.  The believe they can never be “brought down.”   For the more successful narcissists, especially those who engage in politics (BO and M) or entertainment (David L.) manipulation and exploitation are common themes.  They often gather around them a brainwashed team of adoring followers who are afraid to provide real and true feedback.  There’s no reality check.

Now consider what George Will pointed out in his recent Washington Post article about their presentation to the International Olympic Committee:

In the 41 sentences of her remarks, Michelle Obama used some form of the personal pronouns “I” or “me” 44 times. Her husband was, comparatively, a shrinking violet, using those pronouns only 26 times in 48 sentences. Still, 70 times in 89 sentences conveyed the message that somehow their fascinating selves were what made, or should have made, Chicago’s case compelling.

And by now you know the results of their poorly written speeches.  The Olympics will be held in Rio.

Now consider Letterman.  I’ve always failed to see his humor.  Whatever.  His largest following is women just under the age of 55.  Get it?  So now his clear admission of sexual harassment by having sex with subordinates will go unchecked by usually  loud mouthed women’s rights groups like NOW (National Organization for Women).  I know this happens every day in the business world across America, but it’s still unethical and considered sexual harassment by most companies I’m familiar with.  If this had occurred at Wyeth where I am employed, my wife would have shot me first and then Wyeth would have  promptly taken disciplinary action up to dismissal.  But hey, I’m no Dave Letterman.  I’m just a little guy with a blog.

“the infant and young child should experience a warm, intimate, and continuous relationship with his mother (or permanent mother substitute) in which both find satisfaction and enjoyment”

This formed the basis of his attachment theory.  The theory basically says that children develop a framework of thinking about their self worth, about others, about their trust in others, and trust in themselves as a result of the child’s ability to have basic needs met by the parents (and mother in particular).

There are four basic attachment styles or ways in which we enter relationships.  The secure, the avoidant, the ambivalent, and the disorganized.

I’ll address one of these today and others to follow.

The secure attachment style says “I am worthy of love, I am capable of love, and others are willing and able to love me.”  The truth is, regardless of how well your needs were met as a child, you are still are worthy of God’s love, you are capable of love, and others can love you.

People that struggle in relationships probably are acting out the other styles of relationship, ie. the avoidant, ambivalent or the disorganized.    More tomorrow.