S. Jersey / Philly Prager Discussion Groups

Great Turnout at Ponzio's

2008-03-12T21:34:00.002-04:00

Diana M., local organizer, had a great idea when she thought of arranging to have a dinner meeting at Ponzio's for our latest local Prager Discussion Group get-together.

Eleven (actually twelve - but one couldn't stay) people showed up - including Joe, Chad, Gloria, Joe, Diana, Randy, Alan, Lynda, Steve, Matt, and Joan - for some lively and stimulating discussions.

Next Prager Discussion Group Meeting

2008-03-09T23:46:00.001-04:00

The next Prager Discussion Group Meeting will be held this coming Wednesday, March 12th at Ponzio's on Route 70 in Cherry Hill, NJ at 6:30 pm.

Temperature Monitors Report Widescale Global Cooling

2008-02-27T01:27:00.000-05:00

Twelve-month long drop in world temperatures wipes out a century of warming

Over the past year, anecdotal evidence for a cooling planet has exploded. China has its coldest winter in 100 years. Baghdad sees its first snow in all recorded history. North America has the most snowcover in 50 years, with places like Wisconsin the highest since record-keeping began. Record levels of Antarctic sea ice, record cold in Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Mexico, Australia, Iran, Greece, South Africa, Greenland, Argentina, Chile -- the list goes on and on.

No more than anecdotal evidence, to be sure. But now, that evidence has been supplanted by hard scientific fact. All four major global temperature tracking outlets (Hadley, NASA's GISS, UAH, RSS) have released updated data. All show that over the past year, global temperatures have dropped precipitously.

A compiled list of all the sources can be seen here. The total amount of cooling ranges from 0.65C up to 0.75C -- a value large enough to wipe out nearly all the warming recorded over the past 100 years. All in one year's time. For all four sources, it's the single fastest temperature change ever recorded, either up or down.

Scientists quoted in a past DailyTech article link the cooling to reduced solar activity which they claim is a much larger driver of climate change than man-made greenhouse gases. The dramatic cooling seen in just 12 months time seems to bear that out. While the data doesn't itself disprove that carbon dioxide is acting to warm the planet, it does demonstrate clearly that more powerful factors are now cooling it.

Let's hope those factors stop fast. Cold is more damaging than heat. The mean temperature of the planet is about 54 degrees. Humans -- and most of the crops and animals we depend on -- prefer a temperature closer to 70.

Historically, the warm periods such as the Medieval Climate Optimum were beneficial for civilization. Corresponding cooling events such as the Little Ice Age, though, were uniformly bad news.

What Libeeral Jews Should Know About Barack Obama

2008-02-20T17:51:00.002-05:00

Debunking Barack Obama
by Naomi Ragen (18 February 2008)

In an election year, we need to be really careful about what we send out and what we say about all candidates who might become the next leader of the free world. But we also need to arm ourselves with information.

I was very interested in the e-mail circulating quoting Newsweek and Snopes about the "lies" being spread about Mr. Obama. I investigated. Interestingly, the debunkers debunk all kinds of things I never heard of, like Obama not saying the Pledge of Allegiance, or using a Koran instead of a Bible in his swearing in ceremony. I never even heard those, and I am glad to hear they are lies.

But there are a number of other things circulating that haven't yet been "debunked" and these are far more worrying because they are true. Like the fact that Mr. Obama's church gave an award to the notorious anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan. As Richard Cohen wrote in the Washington Post on January 15, "Barack Obama is a member of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama's spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright's daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said "truly epitomized greatness." That man was Louis Farrakhan."

Huh?! Say what? You mean the Farrakhan who said "The real anti-Semites are those who came out of Europe and settled in Palestine, and now they call themselves the true Jews, when in fact, they converted to Judaism," as Farrakhan told Al Jazeera on March 18, 2007. The Farrakhan who said in a Swing magazine interview: "Until Jews apologize for their hand in that ugly slave trade; and until the Jewish rabbis and the Talmudic scholars that made up the Hamitic myth - that we were the children of Ham, doomed and cursed to be hewers of wood and drawers of water - apologize, then I have nothing to apologize for." Or as he said in the Mosque Maryam, Chicago, 3/19/95,

"German Jews financed Hitler right here in America... International bankers financed Hitler and poor Jews died while big Jews were at the root of what you call the Holocaust... Little Jews died while big Jews made money. Little Jews [were] being turned into soap while big Jews washed themselves with it. Jews [were] playing violin, Jews [were] playing music, while other Jews [were] marching into the gas chambers..."

I suggest you Google Farrakhan, ADL or Nation of Islam and see some of the other things Mr. Farrakhan has said.

And yet, the man who would be president has a spiritual leader who has applauded Farrakhan's "depth of analysis when it comes to the racial ills of this nation." He praised "his integrity and honesty." He called him "an unforgettable force, a catalyst for change and a religious leader who is sincere about his faith and his purpose." As Mr. Cohen wrote in the Washington Post, "These are the words of a man who prayed with Obama just before the Illinois senator announced his run for the presidency. Will he pray with him just before his inaugural?"

Now, Mr. Obama is no dummy. Following the Cohen outing of this information in the Washington Post, Obama's aides issued the following statement on his behalf: "I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan. I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree."

Yes, Mr. Obama distanced himself. Even Mr. Farrakhan understands why. As Farrakhan said recently on ABC's Nightline, "I like him very much. ... He has a fresh approach... If avoiding me would help him to become president, I'd be glad to stay in the background."

Jews like Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation Committee are forgiving. "When someone close to a political figure shows sympathy and support for an individual who makes his name espousing bigotry, that political figure needs to distance himself from that decision. Senator Obama has done just that."

Well bully for Mr. Foxman! Having been in a suicide bombing attack which killed people - many of them Survivors and their children and grandchildren- at a Passover Seder in 2002, I'm a little less warm-hearted and forgiving. If I had a Rabbi, for example, who publicly supported and honored a despicable racist, I'd change shuls. Mr. Obama's distancing himself, even during a political campaign, has not included either changing churches or spiritual leaders. In light of this, the fact that Mr. Obama's father and step-father were both Muslim, and that he spent part of his childhood in a Muslim school in Indonesia perhaps should begin to concern us. Yes, indeed, depsite the fact that CNN (which we all know has tremendous credibility) has taken great pains to put our minds at rest by visiting this school, assuring us that it is not a medrassa that educates suicide bombers.

But honestly, all this wouldn't be enough for me to dismiss the very articulate and charismatic Mr. Obama if he wasn't consistently exhibiting worrisome, non-debunkable evidence that he is neither a friend either of Israel, or the Jewish people.

And please spare me the letter from the token Jew who "met him and spoke to him and is completely convinced he is a friend of Israel" blah, blah.

Actions speak louder than words.

As reported in the New York Sun, Mr. Obama has chosen Zbigniew Brzezenski to advise him on Mideast policy, sending this anti-Israel, anti-Semite, in the words of one of my list members, "this dinosaur resuscitated from the Jimmy Carter administration, a man who spent over 30 years attacking Israel, an Arabist who recently signed a letter demanding that Israel negotiate with the terrorist group Hamas, and a defender of the notorious Walt-Mearsheimer ideology that Israel and Jews have too much influence on American foreign policy against the interests of the U.S. " to ...Syria!? What, to negotiate a new peace plan?

A list-member writes: "While the terror rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel are leading up to another major conflict in that region, the Democratic Party, party headed by Sen. Barack Obama, continues its support for the "besieged" Palestinians. In a talk in Iowa, given by the contender for his party's presidential nomination, Obama called the Palestinian people "the most oppressed people on Earth." Of course, the implication was that the Israelis were the oppressors. Also, please take note that he recently stated to Paris Match (Jan. 31) that if elected, he would, "organize a summit in the Muslim world with all the heads of state, to have an honest discussion about ways to bridge the gap that grows between Muslims and the West. I want to ask them to join our fight against terrorism. We must listen to their concerns." Yes, that's what the world really needs, to "listen to the concerns" of Muslims.

Unfortunately, Obama is not alone. Recently, Dennis Kucinich and 10 other Democratic House members sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calling on the United States to exert its "influence to urge Israel to end its blockade of Gaza." They claimed the human rights of the Palestinians were being violated by Israel. As a list-member writes, "As a former 'Jewish umbilical-cord Democrat', I wonder how my fellow Jews could still consider themselves Democrats knowing the anti-Israel bias of their party?"

The Jews who are considering voting for Obama (or Clinton) should be doing a lot more research. Even if they don't care if Israel is wiped off the map, do you really want a man whose Church gives out awards to people like Louis Farrakhan? Do you want a man whose volunteers sit under Che Guevara posters (according to the picture shown on KRIV-TV in Texas)?

How many times can a voter turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?

If I've made a mistake, please debunk me. Until then, I guess I'll have to believe what I see. Just a reminder: I am a U.S. citizen who pays taxes and I have every right to express my opinion on candidates running in an election in which I plan to vote. I don't mind telling you that it won't be for Barack Obama.

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Naomi Ragen is an American-born novelist and playwright who has lived in Jerusalem since 1971. She has published seven internationally best-selling novels, and is the author of a hit play. Naomi also publishes a regular column that deals with Jewish subjects, especially Israel.

http://www.naomiragen.com/index.htm

RJC Launches "I Used to be a Democrat" Ad Campaign

2008-02-14T14:40:00.000-05:00

Washington, D.C. (February 12, 2008) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) announced today the launch of its new national advertising campaign.

The series of ads entitled "I Used to Be a Democrat" tell the true-life, political journeys of former Jewish Democrats. While the circumstances may vary, one common theme persists among them: Each is now a Jewish Republican.

In one ad, Glenn M. Taubman of Annandale, Va says: "I don't agree with the Republicans on every issue, but the Democratic Party just doesn't represent me anymore." In another, Stephen Rosenbach of Arnold, Md says: "I couldn't stay in the party dominated by the far left who won't stand up to the threat posed by Iran, Syria and growing radical Islamic extremism." The ads also encourage other former Jewish Democrats to share their political journeys with the RJC.

"The ads reflect the movement we've witnessed for years: More and more American Jews express serious misgivings with the direction of the Democratic Party. Again and again, they are finding that the Republican Party better represents their concerns ranging from national security to the well-being of the state of Israel," said RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks.

The ads will run in major Jewish newspapers across the country through late spring or early summer.

Some Thoughts on Love - By Dennis Prager - Tuesday, February 12, 2008

2008-02-12T03:47:00.000-05:00

With Valentine's Day approaching, some thoughts on love.

1. The love relationship between a man and a woman is unique. There is no love like it for two primary reasons: First, it is the love of equals -- all other love relationships (except same-sex friends) are between unequals. Second, it is sexual.

2. Because it is the only love relationship between equals (again except for friends), it is the only relationship in which it is a good thing to seek to be loved. In other relationships, it is bad to seek to be loved. Parents who seek to be loved by their children will inevitably do a poor job as a parent. They may even damage their child. Leaders who seek to be loved by the public will be ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. One can only lead if he does not yearn to be loved. A teacher who tries to be loved by her students will likewise fail. Parents, leaders, teachers have jobs to do, and seeking to be loved compromises their ability to do those jobs properly. They should seek to do the right thing, and doing the right thing often means being not loved, even hated. If they seek any response from those they lead, it should be respect, not love.

But in the love of equals -- i.e., the love between a man and a woman and the love of friends -- it is not only all right to seek to be loved, it is a good thing. Taking the love of a spouse or friend for granted is perhaps the single greatest cause of marital divorce and the breakup of friendships. "What can I do to ensure his/her continuing love?" is a wonderful thing to keep in mind.

3. That is one reason the notion of "unconditional love" is foolish. The fact is, we all earn love, and it is a good thing to have to do so. What possible good purpose can the belief that your spouse loves you unconditionally -- i.e., no matter how you act -- serve? If we believe our spouse loves us no matter what we do, what would motivate us to be on our best behavior at all times? Why be kind even when we are in a foul mood? Why work to stay attractive if he will love me no matter how much I neglect how I look? Why continue to pay attention to her -- like regularly calling her from work -- if I know that even if I ignore her, she will continue to love me?

Unconditional love is not a good idea. I don't know where it originated, but I am quite certain it's relatively recent, a product of an age that has put primary importance on feelings. With the possible exception of a parent's love for a young child, unconditional love is not a good idea among people, and it's probably not a good idea concerning God's love for us. I am familiar with no biblical basis for the notion that God loves us no matter how much cruelty and evil we engage in (God's love of His Chosen People, Israel, is specifically depicted as conditional upon Israel's behavior), or for the notion that God loved Adolf Hitler and Mother Teresa equally. Frankly, I would be disappointed in such a God. It renders Him a love machine whose love cannot be affected by our behavior, not a loving being who is affected by how we act. It renders His love amoral. And it prevents us from growing up.

4. "God is love" is a half-truth. God is many things, and love is only one of them. One can just as accurately say "God is punishment" or "God is justice" or "God is truth."

5. We show love to those we love by doing what they consider loving, not necessarily by what we consider loving. A young man once called my radio show and told me he was not planning to give his girlfriend flowers or even a card, or to do anything special for her on Valentine's Day. His reason was that he considered Valentine's Day a creation of American capitalism -- just another way to sell cards, flowers and gift items and increase companies' profits. I asked him if his girlfriend agreed with him about the insignificance of Valentine's Day. He said she didn't, that, in fact, she thought it important that he do something special for her on Valentine's Day.

I then asked him if he considered birthdays special and expected his girlfriend to do or get something special for him on his birthday. He said he did. How would he react, I then asked, if his girlfriend dismissed the significance of birthdays the way he dismissed the importance of Valentine's Day and ignored his birthday? He acknowledged that he would be hurt.

Just as his girlfriend should make his birthday special whether or not she believes in the importance of birthdays, he should make Valentine's Day special for her whether or not he deems the day special. We show love to the other in the way he or she understands it, not the way we do.

6. Finally, to the extent that emotions can be measured, it may be difficult to say whether love or hate is the stronger emotion. But this can be said with certainty: Among the psychologically healthy and morally decent, there is no comparison. Love is the most powerful force in our life. And the more the merrier.

Dennis and Alan - 2/7/08

2008-02-09T05:45:00.001-05:00

Dennis Prager GIANT Hit At Congregation Beth El, Cherry Hill, NJ - Several Standing Ovations

2008-02-08T00:13:00.000-05:00

If you've never been to a talk that Dennis has given, do yourself a big favor, and make arrangements to attend.

Extremely personable, and gigantically tall, Dennis Prager is everything you imagine him to be from listening to his show, and much, much more.

Aside from the sort of common sense, clarifying speech that one would expect to hear from Dennis, he managed to earn the kind of belly laughs that one would expect to hear only in a comedy club.

He is an extraordinary speaker. I forgot to find out how to get the recorded tape of this particular presentation (Thursday, February 7, 2008). My wife and I will always cherish this evening.

Dennis pulled no punches when he explained to the liberal Jews in the crowd why many of their most firmly held beliefs regarding religion in politics and Jewish "fear" of Evangelical Christians are based upon incoherent thinking.

Dennis also announced that he will be speaking in Philadelphia in mid-March. I'm sure that details will be available soon.

At the event, I had the opportunity to reunite with folks that I've met at various local Prager discussion groups. I also finally met in person a most lovely woman (Lynda) whom I "know" from both this site and from a Prager fan discussion website.

For anyone who lives in South Jersey, Philadelphia, or Philly suburbs who would like to use this site to write posts, plan meetings, etc. - please send your email address to amillermd@comcast.net so that I can arrange for you to be a co-author on this site.

Reprise - Dennis Prager's "Are You A Liberal" Test

2008-02-04T00:36:00.000-05:00

You say you are a liberal.

Do you believe the following?

Standards for admissions to universities, fire departments, etc. should be lowered for people of color.
Bilingual education for children of immigrants, rather than immersion in English, is good for them and for America.
Murderers should never be put to death.
During the Cold War, America should have adopted a nuclear arms freeze.
Colleges should not allow ROTC programs.
It was wrong to wage war against Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War.
Poor parents should not be allowed to have vouchers to send their children to private schools.
It is good that trial lawyers and teachers unions are the two biggest contributors to the Democratic Party.
Marriage should be redefined from male-female to any two people.
A married couple should not have more of a right to adopt a child than two men or two women.
The Boy Scouts should not be allowed to use parks or any other public places and should be prohibited from using churches and synagogues for their meetings.
The present high tax rates are good.
Speech codes on college campuses are good and American values are bad.
The Israelis and Palestinians are morally equivalent.
The United Nations is a moral force for good in the world, and therefore America should be subservient to it and such international institutions as a world court.
It is good that colleges have dropped hundreds of men's sports teams in order to meet gender-based quotas.
No abortions can be labeled immoral.
Restaurants should be prohibited by law from allowing customers to choose between a smoking and a non-smoking section.
High schools should make condoms available to students and teach them how to use them.
Racial profiling for terrorists is wrong -- a white American grandmother should as likely be searched as a Saudi young male.
Racism and poverty -- not a lack of fathers and a crisis of values -- are the primary causes of violent crime in the inner city.
It is wrong and unconstitutional for students to be told, "God bless you" at their graduation.
No culture is morally superior to any other.

Those are all liberal positions. How many of them do you hold?

Join The Discussions!

2008-01-27T14:08:00.000-05:00

Join a variety of extremely interesting discussion with Prager fans from all over the country.

Click Here

Also, if you would like to be a co-author and have the ability to post on this site, please send an email to: amillermd@comcast.net

South Jersey Prager Meeting

2008-01-23T22:43:00.000-05:00

A meeting is planned for Tuesday, January 29th, 7:30 pm at the Barnes & Noble on Route 70 in Marlton, NJ.

The Sky’s Not Falling! -- Why It’s OK to Chill About Global Warming

2008-01-22T20:53:00.000-05:00

Read about a book that is aimed at 8- to 12-year olds to counteract all the hysteria and propaganda about global warming.

Click Here

Dangerous Demagoguery

2008-01-22T20:38:00.000-05:00

This is a very good article by Thomas Sowell. It expands on the points that Dennis Prager has made about Barack Obama's rhetoric. Sowell writes, "Barack Obama says that he wants to "heal" the country while at the same time promoting the idea that all sorts of people are victims for whom he will fight."

Click Here

Dennis Makes Persuasive Case For Supporting Giuliani

2008-01-22T20:10:00.000-05:00

Click Here

The Ayaan Hirsi Ali Interview

2008-01-12T20:23:00.000-05:00

I just had a chance to watch the Ayaan Hirsi Ali interview on the CBC, and I was blown away by the hatred of the United States that was expressed by the interviewer, Avi Lewis. His incredulity over her positive statements about the United States was fascinating, and he tried to correct her by telling her about our "broken democracy," our "stolen elections," and the fact that Christian fundamentalists have taken over the U.S. government and are imposing Christian law! He wanted her to see that there is no difference at all between the terrible U.S. and the kind of oppression she was describing under sharia law in Muslim countries. He abruptly ended the interview when she said (paraphrasing), "You've been raised in freedom, so you spit on it."

Signing on as a new blogger

2008-01-08T21:58:00.000-05:00

This is my first visit to a blog ever. Thank you Alan Miller wherever you are for the wonderful new lyrics to the happiness hour theme song and for creating this blog. I hope to make it to a Prager Meet-up soon but I will definitely look for everyone on February 7 at Beth El. I am arranging a Prager Devotee table for interested parties to sign up. Gloria

Congratulatory email from Allen Estrin!!

2008-01-04T21:05:00.000-05:00

Dear Alan:

Congratulations. I wish you could have seen Dennis when he first played on his computer in the studio. He just exploded with laughter. He loved every moment of it. Can you make an MP3? I'd like to have a better recording. We will definitely play it again. Who knows? It might really catch on.

Also, the blog is very impressive. Great work. I'm sending the link to Dennis. He'll get a big charge out of that, too.

You must introduce yourself to Dennis when he comes to New Jersey.

All the best,
Allen Estrin
Executive Producer
The Dennis Prager Show

Congratulations to Alan

2008-01-04T18:27:00.000-05:00

Dennis Prager played Alan's Happiness Hour theme song today at the opening of the Happiness Hour. I think that's pretty exciting, and we heard it first!

How Things Went At Cherry Hill Area Meeting Tonight

2008-01-03T21:07:00.000-05:00

Well, there were 4 of us in attendance, 2 of whom had not previously been to any meetings.

We spoke about a variety of issues including (but not limited to) the effect that Prager has had on our lives, Jewish ethics, liberal mentality, education, Thomas Sowell, Milton Friedman, the consequences of being in college these days, Prager's phenomenal ability to articulate issues in such a way that he can change minds, and a variety of "Pragerisms."

Another question we pondered is how would one describe Dennis Prager to someone who doesn't know who he is.

All of us plan to attend Prager's presentation in Cherry Hill on February 7th.

Once again, it was great to be able to sit down and have stimulating conversations with like-minded people.

Prager Meetings on Thursday Night

2008-01-02T23:51:00.000-05:00

There are different area meetings at Barnes & Nobles scheduled for tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. I'll be attending the meeting in Willow Grove, and I hope some of you will drop in, if you're in the area.

There will also be a meeting at the Marlton store.

A Very Good Prager-Fan Discussion Forum

2008-01-01T15:50:00.000-05:00

There are always great discussions going on at this site where some folks from various parts of the country participate.

Prager Fans

The Happiness Hour Theme Song - Lyrics by Alan Miller

2007-12-31T04:48:00.000-05:00

Just for the hell of it, I decided to write some lyrics to the Happiness Hour Theme Song ("Apples and Bananas" by Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra - 1965).

I'm not really a singer, so I had to change the key. I added video captions to help you understand the words.

How Modern Liberals Think

2007-12-31T01:04:00.000-05:00

This was done last March, but if you haven't seen it, it's well-worth seeing.

Evan Sayet gave this presentation at the Heritage Foundation. Ironically, he used to be a comedy writer for Bill Maher.

Click Here

For Anyone Who Cares About Israel - This is a "MUST-SEE"

2007-12-29T12:32:00.000-05:00

Although this link is listed in the sidebar on the right, it doesn't stand out and can easily be missed.

This is a video (or you can just listen to the audio if you prefer) of a panel discussion that took place at Temple Emanuel in San Francisco on December 9th just a few weeks ago.

If you have the time, it's really worth experiencing.

The topic is entitled, "American Foreign Policy in the Middle East / Dangerous Times in a Dangerous Neighborhood."

Moderated by Michael Medved, panelists include Dennis Prager, John Podhoretz, and Mona Charen.

Click Here

In case you haven't heard - Dennis Prager will be in Cherry Hill, NJ on February 7th

2007-12-29T01:52:00.000-05:00

"An Evening With Dennis Prager"

Topic: Does G-d Have A Vote? A Healthy Mix of Religion and Politics in 2008

Date: February 7, 2008

Location:
Congregation Beth El
2901 West Chapel Avenue
Cherry Hill, NJ

7 pm Reception - 8 pm Program

$36 General Admission / Event Only

$118 Reserved Seating and Reception with Dennis Prager preceding event

For more information:

email: PragerEvening@gmail.com

or

Call 856-675-1166 ext. 137

The Latest Poll

2007-12-28T01:10:00.000-05:00

According to the latest poll, 2 entire people will be showing up at Congregation Beth El to see Dennis Prager on Febuary 7th.

A word to the wise: This is why you cannot trust polls. I personally know at least 20 people who will be in attendance.

And several of them are bringing guests.

And that's not even including Jeff Epstein and his wife and his sister.

And one of the members of the local Prager Discussion Groups happens to be co-chairperson of the event.

Happy New Year.

The Elephant in the Living Room

2007-12-27T00:09:00.000-05:00

Everyone seems to be getting caught up in the 2008 presidential election campaigns. We’ve all seen some of the Democratic and Republican debates. It’s politics, politics, politics, but has anyone noticed what politicians have done that will have a huge impact on the lives of Americans? I’m not talking about taxes; I’m talking about the mandated requirement that in 2009 all television transmissions will HAVE to be in high definition (HDTV). This means that, one day soon, all non-HD televisions will stop receiving a signal. We’ll turn on our televisions, and there will be nothing but snow.

Ignoring HDTV is like trying to ignore an elephant in your living room. The media, politicians, and most Americans are ignoring this issue. What is not being discussed is the fact that, in order to even be able to receive television broadcasts, all of us are going to be forced to spend hundreds of dollars on an HDTV or an HD tuner. Gone will be the days when we were able to have television sets in the family room, the kitchen, and various bedrooms. My husband did some online HDTV pricing today, and the best price he found was around $700. The only alternative to an HDTV will be an HD tuner, which will connect to a standard definition television, allowing it to receive the signal. Unfortunately, HD tuners are not readily available, and the only one my husband could find cost $200. Many of us will be lucky to have one television set in the entire house.

There are so many negative implications connected with this legislated intrusion into the airwaves. First, of course, is the burden of a large expense for every household in America that wants to be able to receive television transmission. My answer to this is that Congress, which passed this legislation, should give full tax credits for expenses related to their brilliant idea. Also negative is the fact that most televisions are now made in China. Imagine how much worse the trade imbalance will become when millions of Americans are literally forced to buy new television sets. And what about the people who can’t or won’t buy an HDTV? Since television is the main medium for communication in this country, information about a national emergency would not be available to all Americans–only the ones who have HDTV.

I would like to see every single presidential candidate from both parties asked about the HD situation at every single debate. I also want every member of Congress asked about the coming HD crisis that they have created. Everybody in the government seems to be quietly hoping that we won’t notice, including the FCC, which does not seem to be doing anything at all to help Americans understand what’s coming or make the transition to the mandated HDTV. We’re on our own.

I guess I’m very cynical, but when it comes to politicians and legislation, the old adage kicks in–follow the money. Why was this legislation passed, and who stands to make a killing from it? That’s what I really want to know.

Blog Authors

2007-12-26T04:10:00.000-05:00

So far - Kimberly, Dave Merc, Gene, Harris, Lynda B, MikeG, Robert Baker, M.D., and Mama Padawan have accepted invitations to be blog authors on this site.

I encourage all of you who haven't yet responded to the invitations to do so, because it enables you to post - not just to leave comments.

I visited one of the sites that are listed on the right-hand sidebar - the "Prager Fans Bulletin Board," and got involved in some interesting conversations with people in other parts of the country.

I'm pretty sure we can do the same on this site, so if you get the inclination and when you have the chance to do so, please start posting (topics, ideas, questions, links, etc.) and/or leaving comments.

By the way, if anyone has time to watch (the video) or listen to (the audio) of Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, Mona Charen, and John Podhoretz speaking at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco on 12/9/07 (the link is also on the sidebar), it's terrific!

Also, further down on the sidebar is a link to "Attitude and Gratitude" - the memoirs of Max Prager (Dennis' father). It's really rich - and you can find pictures of Dennis when he was a kid and a young man.

Holiday Greetings

2007-12-24T19:59:00.000-05:00

To My Republican Friends:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

To All My Democrat Friends:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

Suggestions Needed

2007-12-23T16:06:00.000-05:00

Encouraged by Diana Mitzner to do so, I adapted this blog from the "Minnesota Prager Discussion Group" blog. The Minnesota Pragerites seem to be a lot further along with regard to organization of meetings than we seem to be in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area. They even have minutes posted.

Since our local membership covers a pretty big geographic area, a variety of meeting places seems like it might be a practical thing to have. I don't even know how many meetings actually took place in the Philly/S. Jersey region on 12/17/07. On the other hand, a more limited number of meeting locations might result in bigger turnouts.

Perhaps a blog like this can serve as a means for us to better communicate and coordinate. I've never set up a blog before, so I'm not exactly sure about how to go about organizing it, but I suppose we can use it to post ideas, updates, suggestions, anectdotes, meeting and event suggestions, etc.

So, if you're interested, please feel free to start leaving comments.

(It's currently after midnight, and I re-edited this post because I just now learned how to make this a "Team Blog" so that everybody not only has the ability to leave comments, but also to post topics. If you didn't receive an invitation to be part of the "team," please email me at amillermd@comcast.net, and I'll make sure that you get one.)

- Alan Miller (amillermd@comcast.net)

First Cherry Hill area Prager Meeting

2007-12-23T14:17:00.000-05:00

On Monday, December 17th at 7:30 pm, three Prager aficionados met at the Barnes & Noble on Route 70 in Marlton, NJ. After we introduced ourselves to one another, we made great strides toward providing solutions to the many macro issues we all face. (Just kidding, but as I experienced at another Prager meetup I attended in Wynnwood in November, it's amazingly comforting to meet fellow Prager fans.)

Welcome!

2007-12-23T13:58:00.000-05:00

I'm not exactly sure how to go about constructing this thing, so for the time being please just consider this to be a work in progress ...

- Alan Miller