Happy 2017- The End of the Obama Era Arrives

It's been a rough year for many. In fact, it's been a rough 8 years, and I'm absolutely delighted that this will be the last New Year's eve with Barack Obama as our president.  Even though his campaign mantra was hope and change, he brought no hope, and the change he created has been abysmal. During his two-term reign, race relations have plummeted to an all-time low. He managed to divide this country on every level possible, and it's going to take a long while to recover. In all my many years, I have never experienced anything like it.

All the things people complain about Donald Trump, Obama also has in spades.  He's arrogant, mean-spirited at times, a mega narcissist (hello, Mr soon-to-be-ex President, there is no way in heck that you would have won against Trump), and yet liberals still love him. They still think he's one of the best presidents we have ever had, though I believe he will go down in history as one of the worst.Actually, he'll have to duke that title out with Jimmy Carter,

Aside from the very sad state of race relations in this country, he brought us the Affordable Care Act, which is far from affordable. Obamacare been a disaster for all but a few fortunate ones. The rest of us have suffered with skyrocketing premiums, huge deductibles, and loss of our preferred doctors. Remember he promised we would not lose them? Well, many did. Remember he said you could keep your plan. Many people lost their plans. Even many of my liberal friends are complaining

And he's doing his damnedest to cause havoc before Trump takes control. He threw our only democratic ally in the Middle East- Israel-  under the bus by abstaining on the U.N. vote condemning Israeli settlements. No-one, including Obama and Kerry, seems to realize that peace between Israel and Palestine will only happen when Palestine chooses to accept Israel's right to exist. That's not going to happen any time soon.

Then there's Russia.  What's that all about?  Yes, I'm sure Russia has been spying, just as we and probably every other nation in the world has, but blaming Trump's win on Russian hacking is ludicrous. Unless Obama has proof that Russia hacked the actual ballots during the election, starting another potential cold war over the fact that Trump beat Hillary Clinton is downright evil.  Especially since it was Hillary's fault she lost.  The presidency was hers for the taking, and she lost. So Obama sanctions Russia, and yet lifts sanctions on Iran, in spite of the fact that they still consider us the Great Satan, are steps away from nuclear weapons (whether he believes it or not), detained and humiliated 10 of our sailors.

He also plans on releasing more Guantanamo detainees before he leaves office, even though the rate of recidivism is as high as 30%.

I tried to like him, I really did, and I prayed he would prove me wrong, but I can't think of anything positive, other than Osama Bin Laden was caught during his presidency.

So, I look forward to a Trump presidency, though it won't be easy for him.  I pray he listens to those who know better, and that he can make America great again.

A blessed and prosperous New Year to you all!

Jib Jab's 2012 Year In Review- Video

From the Jib Jab crew, a look back at various events (both somber and amusing) of 2012.

Happy New Year 2012

I'll admit, 2011 was no fun, particularly regarding my finances.  2011 saw the closing of many theatres, some in my region, and with that went the acting opportunities. The year was actually quite pitiful, one of the worst I've ever had, work-wise, but ever the optimist I'm looking forward to what the new year might bring. I know I will  have some re-assessing to do, since my COBRA insurance payments are hefty and the acting work is slim to none. However, I do know that I will land on my feet whatever happens, though trying to figure out what to do next, after a lifetime of acting, is rather daunting.

I remember when I lived in Quito Ecuador (for two years as a teen), tradition was to burn the old year (Año Viejo) in effigy on New Year's Eve. We'd  head out to Amazonas Street (one of the main drags which was blocked off on December 31) and we'd walk up and down enjoying the street entertainment and the burning of effigies.  This year I wouldn't have minded a 2011 effigy to burn, but instead I spent the day cleaning my house, made some collard greens and black-eyed peas, ate a bunch of grapes, and now am good to go. I'm really not superstitious at all,  but thought it would be fun to try some new, New Year's Eve traditions.

We start every year with a new slate, and I'm looking forward to making this a good one.  I know it's just another day, but for some reason it feels different and therefore gives us the opportunity to start afresh and re-affirm our goals in life.

Though our choices for president are less than stellar, the top few (except for Ron Paul who'd be disastrous) would be a far better choice than what we currently have in office, and there's promise in that. Let's hope Americans make the right choice in 2012.

In the meantime, I wish you peace, joy, abundance and above all else good health.

Happy New Year and many blessings!

New Year's Eve Un-Islamic- Fatwa Against Celebrations In Bosnia

There's always some Muslim group taking the fun out of something somewhere in the world. In this case it's Bosnia-Herzegovina, where Muslim leaders have decided that New Year's Eve is un-Islamic and therefore no-one should celebrate.  In fact, not only should they not party they should

 “turn off the lights early and let everyone see you’re boycotting everything happening on that night”

According to a statement by the the Islamic Community, since Muslims already celebrated the Islamic New Year (when Mohammed schlepped from Mecca to Medina) on November 25, they would be violating "...God’s boundaries, and do something their master hates and despises” if they were to celebrate New Years like most everyone else around the world. Okay, so I'm in bed before midnight, but that's because I'd rather stay at home not because anyone has told me it's not kosher. 

Quoting from a book by someone you can't even find on google (Almir Dumica, “Pearls of the Sunnah in the Mosaic of Time”), at least in English, they said in a statement,

“On that night, turn off the lights early and let everyone see you’re boycotting everything happening on that night. Do not fear anyone's objections. Don’t you have a right to choose? Do not say, ‘how can I do that, I will change nothing, most people do it. I will be declared a black sheep’,” Dumica writes in the book. “On that night go to bed on time, happy and satisfied that the Allah gave you many benefits that you do not consider often, and which you would become aware of only if you lost them,” the Islamic Community said in its release. “Think about your health and family ... the peace and security you enjoy. Then, each night of the year will be much more dear to you than the New Year’s night is to any of those who eagerly await it all year, while a blessed feeling of triumph will overcome your soul and body, because piousness and reason will have won over passions and ugly customs.”

Before the Bosnian War, during the mid 1990s, the Muslim population was primarily secular. That unfortunately changed when foreign fighters came to fight alongside the Muslim Bosniaks.  Now this is what they have to deal with.