Legacy of a Patriot- Dr. Ron Paul

Mocked, pushed aside, misunderstood, lied about...cheated. All of these words convey the way Mitt Romney, the GOP, and misinformed Americans everywhere have treated Doctor & Congressmen Ron Paul (name any politician you know who actually has a profession other than lawyer, liar, or corporate lobbyist?) for the last 20 years.

As stated in an article written on August 29, 2012, by Robin Koern, entitled Ron Paul Won:


"In all fields of human endeavor, winning by cheating is losing.

In a competition, when someone cheats, he gets disqualified. The disqualification does not make the runner-up the winner. Rather, it reveals that the man who appeared to be the runner-up had in fact been the winner all along.
In the race for the GOP nomination for president, therefore, Ron Paul won.

As the New York Times wrote yesterday,

Delegates from Nevada tried to nominate Mr. Paul from the floor, submitting petitions from their own state as well as Minnesota, Maine, Iowa, Oregon, Alaska and the Virgin Islands. That should have done the trick: Rules require signatures from just five states. But the party changed the rules on the spot. Henceforth, delegates must gather petitions from eight states.

When Mr. Romney and the RNC cheat so blatantly, they make the game no longer about politics: they make themselves ineligible for the vote of anyone who cares about his own morality, his own honesty or his own integrity — regardless of his politics. And from a purely practical standpoint, they invite Americans to ask if they want to live in a nation thus governed ."


It truly is a disgrace and sad story for this country to have had someone who most resembles what a modern day founding father might have been like, only to see him get thrown under the bus by the old guard and their party cronies; people who praise the founding fathers ideals but have no sincere interest at all in seeing them put into practice or taken seriously. Now before any of you stop reading this because you say to yourself "Oh, here we go again, another Paul-Bot rant" or "C'mon, you know his foreign policy makes him totally unelectable; we need a strong AHHMERICA!" Please, just give me a few minutes of your time to explain my opinion and what I like to think is common sense.

Air Force

First, Dr. Paul is the only candidate who actually served in the military. For all you NRA, gun-totting war hawks out there, that alone should have you all screeching like Peregrine Falcons swooping down on their prey, which is probably a terrorist. Secondly, he was a damn doctor for over 20 years. So Romney Care or Obama Care, who gives a crap because both plans stink. Why not elect someone who knows the health system, positives & negatives, who could also probably bring together some good health care advisers to his Cabinet as well. Nah, we should probably stick to the business man or community organizer/professor for health care ideas. Finally, his powerhouse characteristic is his knowledge of money and economics. Yes, the subject we all slept through in high school and college- Dr. Paul actually paid attention. He is a student of Austrian Economics, unfortunately not the type of economics taught in most schools and practiced by most nations, that would be Keynesian. Keynesian economics basically encourages governments taking the active role in running the economy when private sector tendencies lead to "undesireable" conditions. It is basically central planning folks. And once it gets a hold, it usually doesn't go away. Just ask the Soviet Union, oh wait...they don't exist anymore. It also believes spending money is the way out of debt, or better known as the famous phrase we all have come to know and love "economic stimulus." Does that make any sense at all? If my family was going broke, the bank wouldn't dream of giving us more money. We would be forced to buckle down, get rid of some cars, maybe even lose the house...all of this until the debt is paid. So why is our country any different? Because all we are doing is kicking the can down the road by printing more money through the Federal Reserve. As Arnold Schwarzenegger would say after hitting the Predator in the face with a log "...bahhd ideaa."

This is something Ron Paul talks about in his book, The Revolution: A Manifesto. When the Fed prints money, this causes inflation. What is that? Simple, there are more dollars out there than before chasing the relatively same amount of goods and services, WHICH makes the dollar value less. However, who gets to spend this newly injected money first? Governments and their friends(bankers, politicians, special interest groups). So that means these people get to reap the benefits of all this extra money in their hands while prices are the same as they were before they got this money. You see prices don't adjust right away when new money is added, it is a process that happens after the money exchanges hands multiple times. So, by the time that money reaches the middle class after being in the cycle for some time already, prices have adjusted. So the middle class has the double whammy, higher prices combined with a less potent dollar. Now, imagine what prices are like for the poor? By the time the money reaches their pockets, prices have fully adjusted. You see, we are destroying the middle class and the poor, well they are screwed. It is a hidden "inflation" tax on all of us not in the elite club. We are told the Fed is there to control inflation...they sure do alright. NEVER will you hear Mitt Obomney or Barak O Romna talk about this. Paul's economic savvy is enough to make any other candidate go cower in a corner and cry, but you don't know that because all you and the media care about is his foreign policy, which would actually makes us richer and safer. Google the word "blowback." Maybe you'll start to understand.

I think it pretty obvious to most Ron Paul is my hero. He is retiring from politics in January, which truly does make me sad in my heart. I will continue to read his books and listen to his wisdom. There is also my hope to seem him speak in person again before he leaves this Earth, to actually shake his hand and look into his eyes and say thank you.

In closing, I think he deserved a better end than what he received, but that is not for men to judge;  "For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted" Psalm 9, Verse 12.  For over 20 years...20 YEARS folks...he has been delivering the same message of limited government, smart fiscal policy, and liberty-look on youtube, his videos from 1980 are so similar to those of today it's scary. His nickname in Congress is "Dr. No", but at same time has the gentle demeanor of a grandfather, which my good friend Bono so often likes to point out. That is the essence of a great man, one who knows when to be brave and stand up for what is right; to speak with frankness, but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deeds follows his word. A man of conviction, a man who cares about the poor and those taken advantage of...a clear cut follower of the words of Christ in my eyes. Why wouldn't we want someone like that leading us?

Good bye Ron :'(

Rotary: Building Communities, Bridging Continents

Every year, Rotary International comes up with a new slogan. The one from the title of this post was their 2010-2011 slogan. I remember that was the first year I applied for the Ambassadorial Scholarship-of which I am a current recipient-and for some reason it really stuck with me. "Building Communities, Bridging Continents"...has a nice ring to it, don't it? For me, it strikes a cord with what I am doing now in Colombia, what I did at my job in the international office of W&J College, and what I hope to continue to do in the future; bring people together through goodwill and understanding, simple as that.

When Rotary sends us to study in different countries all over the world-preferably developing ones- they also want us to get involved with some type of humanitarian aid project, which can be anything from economic development to combating disease among children to building homes for the poor. When we help out in these communities, we are establishing relationships that bridge continents and create understanding between two different cultures. Simply put, these people may never see my city or my country, but it doesn't matter because the goodwill forged between us is more than enough to supersede any geographical or political boundary. 

One of my other responsibilities other than those mentioned above is visiting other Rotary clubs while I am here in Colombia. I have to give a 10-15 minute Powerpoint presentation at every club I visit about myself, where I come from, why I am here, etc. It seems basic, but these Rotarians get real excited about it. This past week, I had the opportunity to visit the oldest Rotary Club in Medellin. They have over 90 members come to their weekly meetings! Just to put that in perspective, the club who sponsored me in the states located in Allison Park has somewhere in the teens. So yeah, I was kind of nervous, but at the same time starving. I ran out of food like the afternoon of the day before and had class til 10pm, so I never made it to the grocery store. I knew there would be food at the Rotary meeting, so as I walked in I made B line straight to the buffet line, however, before I could even fill my nostrils with the sweet smell of the creamy bisque in front of me, I was snatched away but some local Rotarians who knew I was ...well,  new. I cant complain because they seriously gave me the nicest seat in the house and treated me like one of their own. They had a big screen set up so my presentation was super nice. So, all  my family and friends reading this, there is a good chance one of your snapshots with me was supersized on a movie screen for all to enjoy. All in all, it was a great day and good chance to get my feet wet with Rotary down here. However, I was totally up-staged by a 96 year old engineer who followed my presentation. This guy was sharp, I mean wow. He showed some of his work and between his mumbled Spanish and intense graphs, I was lost. This is the type of guy who could probably draft the plans for a bridge that connects Alaska with Russia during his lunch break. I will definitely be coming back to this club soon.

Anywho, 1 Rotary Presentation down, 9 more to go. (And any local news coverage they swing my way, eat your heart out Patrice King Brown)

Feria de las Flores (Festival of Flowers)

So last week I wrote about how amazing the plant life is here and if I were a botanist I'd probably be skipping my way through the valley. Well the people here of Medellin take a week out of the year to celebrate their claim to fame, which is their ability to cultivate a wide range of beautiful flowers. Not only is it a celebration for those forms of life that get their grub on through photosynthesis, but for those forms of life without cell walls. That's right; it's a celebration for the workers who toil and sweat in the fields to bring us some of nature's most aesthetically pleasing eye candy. The first year the festival was staged in 1957 that included the Medellin Gardening Club as the primary sponsor- careful you don't show this to your moms if they have green thumbs-and the idea actually corresponds to the end of slavery here in Colombia. Back when the Spaniards ran the joint, they used to have slaves or silleteros to carry their officials and their belongings across the mountain passes in the Colombian Andes. So during the festival, instead of carrying men or women on their backs in their wicker saddle chairs, they have a parade and carry artistically designed flower arrangements  to the various exposition sights in the city.

And that is the first day.

Now, the rest of the week is filled with various expositions and musical acts, along with other festivities. However, I arrived mid festival to Medellin, therefore I didn't get to enjoy as much due to the fact I was trying to get my life in order. No worries though, because I prefer to go out with a bang on most occasions and the last day of the festival, the Cabalgata (horse parade), gave me that opportunity. During the Cabalgata, the whole city fills the sides of the major highway that runs North to South. The sides are lined with tents where families and businesses set up their own private tents. Luckily, my buddy Jorge works as an event coordinator for a beer company down here, so I got VIP access to his tent. Sometimes, "It's Good to be the King." Anyway it's basically a day long party where you watch a parade like any other we have here in the US but then is followed by 12,000 cowboys and their horses marching down the highway. It is quite a sight. (see pictures) Anyway, beer was cheap and we drank steadily all day. I met many of Jorge's friends and they kept making me dance salsa, which is fine because I need to learn. But we had a private DJ who also spun other tracks,from reggeaton to hip hop imported from the good ole USA.

Now the night ended with a special Colombian tradition, Trovas, or in relative U.S. terms: Rap Battle. Two people stand up and to a constant beat that is looped in the background proceed to make fun of each other, the crowd, the country, and whoever or whatever else gets caught in their crossfire. Something you have to see to really grasp I guess, but it was hilarious and put everyone in a great mood. The chorus they break up every few turns is "Estamos pasando bueno" repeated mutiple times, which means "We're having a good time!" I attached a small clip, please watch.

After the party closed down, we went to park and ordered some of the best chicken crepes I've ever tasted. Then a Taxi ride home and bed. I mean cmon, it was Sunday, I had class the next day...at 6:00pm.

Flower Power

So Medellin is called the City of Eternal Spring and after being here for a week, I'm going to have to say if Mother Nature made a permanent home on Earth, it would be here.  You can find a different flower growing every few blocks and there are actual parts of the city where whole plots of vegetation are dominated by one type of flower. It's almost like stepping into a painting and every walk to class or the park is a new one. The hues that play off of each other are indescribable and words don't do these surreal scenes justice. However, I will try to with a few pictures here.


After growing up in Pittsburgh and not seeing green or sun for months at a time, it's quite a nice change. It is summer here now, Colombia is on the same schedule as the Northern Hemisphere, which is something I thought would be reverse after studying in Argentina a few years back. (Is 5 years considered way back yet?) Although, because we are situated between mountains the rain can and will fall at any moment. The other day it was 1pm with sun blazing, then withing 15 minutes dark and raining. Another half hour later the sun was shining again. I'm thinking an umbrella would be a wise investment in the near future.

Moving on up

Okay...where was I? Oh yeah, sorting my freak'n life out down here. Well the good news is I found a temporary place to live for a month while I gain my bearings here in the city. I completed my first week of classes and even made a friend or two. It all sounds so easy after the fact, meanwhile doing all this took so much time and energy, I feel totally wiped of energy by 11pm. Also,  I should mention I am developing mountain man lungs because all this walking around thousands of feet above sea level has been pretty daunting, especially when I prefer to walk most places instead of take a taxi.

School is great actually. My teacher got his PHD from UMass so his English is bomb, but the class is taught and conducted in Spanish. Internacional Cooperation in Development is the program. I have to say, the rumor of Colombians being very intelligent rings true. The discussions held in class are pretty intense and remind of some of the better course I took while in college, you know, the ones that actually stimulated your brain and critical thinking? I know, I know, for some of us they were far and few between. I cant complain because the classes have great content and help me improve my Spanish, but there is some challenge; classes are four hours long! haha It takes some getting used to, but pop an expresso at the mid mark and you're good to ride. I also went to the main campus today of the University and it is beautiful. It makes me sad to know I wont be taking classes there, but with over 35,000 students attending, I'm sure I can attend some school events. It was a bit strange meeting with the people who have the job I had for the past two years...a weird kind of role reversal. It is a bit humbling actually.

The best pineapple I ever sank my teeth into.

Anyway, the new place is great. I have my own apartment with a loft and kitchen and bathroom. I will be searching for apartments better situated in the city and closer to school over the next month, but this will do for now. Safe, quiet, and green. I'm starting to like this place.

New Beginnings South of the Border

August 5, 2012...almost a year to the date when I found out I was receiving a scholarship from the Rotary Foundation to be a student ambassador for an entire year in any place of my choosing. I don't listen to my gut often, but for some reason I did when I was applying for this award. Colombia kept dancing on my brain waves and I had to heed the call. Fast forward a year later and here I am sitting in a hotel room in Medellin, Colombia with tropical vegetation and sunlight pouring through my window. In a way, I am kind of grateful that I had to wait a year and work some crumby part time jobs. Now, that patience has paid off and the savoring has begun. So, the point of this blog for the next 12 months or so will be to update, inform, and entertain my friends and family, along with anyone else interested in my South American year.

Traveling down here was a breeze. I somehow got two direct flights-Pittsburgh to Miami, Miami to Medellin-that were quick as lightning compared to the usual trips across the pond. Even better, one of the travel sights I booked on offered first class for the Miami to Medellin leg. It had to be an error on their side because it cost as much as an economy seat on every other airline! See, to all those haters out there that yell at me for waiting to the last minute, well, sometimes it pays off...BIG. I mean I am small to begin with, but the leg room is unbelievable and hot towels? I thought that was a myth. This could also pose a huge problem, I don't know if I can ever travel in anything but business class now.

Anywho, getting through Customs was a breeze; asked me what I was doing, where I'm staying, yadda yadda yadda then boom, stamp. Grabbed my luggage and walked out to the taxis where the nicest smallest little old man you've ever seen comes up with his big gray mustache and says "you need taxi?" I thought my bronze coat from a week at the beach before I left would help cover up some off my Americaness, but to no avail...the jig was up as soon as I stepped into the terminal, judging by all the glances.

So I got in the taxi and we sped off to Medellin. Piece of advice for all you travelers out there, research how far the airport is from your final destination. I usually am good about putting together itineraries, but occasionally I slip. The airport was a 30 minute drive from Medellin, so lets just say the Taxi driver and I got to know each other better because awkward silence can only last so long.

Me taking a siesta after arriving.

I pulled into the hotel, paid the cabbi  $80,000 Colombian Pesos. WOW. This difference in ratios between the US dollar and Peso will take some time to get used to. I am sick the whole time I am traveling mind you, so the first thing I do is Skype my gente and hit the sack with some nyquil. However, I just had some breakfast and am feeling 100 times better. Now I just need to take care of some simple things: Find an apartment, find my way to the University, Enroll in classses, start classes at 6pm. Yeah, I'd say I dont have a lot to worry about.