Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 15, 2011

12

LEFT TURN/RIGHT TURN

 Mountain Views News Saturday, October 15, 2011

GREG Welborn

PETER Funt 

THE THIRD APPLE AND THE AMERICAN WAY

CAIN’S HALF-BAKED CANDIDACY


I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Steve 
Jobs’ death and what his life meant to all of us. 
As the title of this article implies, I’ve come to the 
conclusion that Steve’s Apple was one of three 
which dramatically changed the course of human 
history. This is not my own idea; I borrow it 
from an unknown admirer who, according to 
the columnist Fouad Ajami, penned it on a short 
note left at Apple’s store in Palo Alto, California. 
The note read, “Three apples changed the world: 
Adam’s apple, Newton’s apple and Steve’s Apple”. 
It’s as true a historical statement as one is liable to 
find, but what lesson to draw from it is another, 
and more important, issue altogether.

Much of the popular press would attach 
significance to Steve’s Apple through the lens of 
his apparent Arab ethnicity. For those who don’t 
know the story, Steve Jobs is the biological son of 
the Syrian-born Abdulfattah Jandali. Mr. Jandali 
travelled to America early in his adulthood to 
earn a PhD at an American University. During 
this time of his life, he met and fell in love with a 
woman. Their union resulted in a pregnancy and 
birth. Given their circumstances, they lovingly 
decided to put their son up for adoption, and Paul 
and Clara Jobs adopted the boy who would be 
named Steve Jobs.

Steve never met nor talked with Mr. Jandali, 
and to his great credit he was steadfast in his 
statements that Paul and Clara were his true 
parents. Mr. Jobs wanted no part in the politically 
correct mantra that our identity is only truly 
complete and fully realized when we “identify 
with” our biological cultural or ethnic heritage. 
Steve was, and remained, clear in the knowledge 
that he was the son of the Jobs family and as 
American as apple pie. 

With his death, however, the Arab world has 
been quick to claim him as one of their own, 
with one Arab newspaper referring to him as 
the “grandson of Homs” in reference to the 
Syrian town of his father’s birth. But if credit 
for all that Steve Jobs created is to be attributed 
back to his Syrian/Arabic ancestry, then we have 
to be honest in asking why is it that Apple was 
created in America? Furthermore, why is it that 
no substantive economic, scientific, cultural or 
political development has sprung from the Arab 
world’s geography in the last several hundred 
years? The answer to these questions go to the 
heart of the nature vs. nurture debate, answering 
them in a way that is strikingly uncomfortable 
for today’s fashionable, liberal, politically-correct 
formulations.

You see, if Steve’s genius was attributable to his 
Syrian ancestry – his blood or nature, in popular 
parlance – than why haven’t there been more such 
geniuses from the Arab world? Why haven’t we 
seen computer, medical, or financial innovations 
of the quality and magnitude of Apple come 
from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, 
Iran, or Iraq? When one looks at the miraculous 
innovations of the last several decades, or even 
further back over the last several centuries, 
one finds that geniuses of all ethnicities and 
nationalities exist. More importantly, though, 
one also finds that regardless of the ethnicity or 
nationality of the inventor, the invention most 
typically springs from American soil. That is 
to say, the geniuses 
of all ethnicities and 
nations typically 
come to America to 
pursue their passions 
and dreams, and in 
so doing create the 
marvels of the modern 
world in America.

There is no way 
escaping the conclusion 
that nurture is the key 
ingredient. Nature supplies ample and fairly 
equal genius to all ethnicities and nationalities. 
But not all cultures are the same. Many cultures 
don’t appreciate, encourage, or even allow their 
geniuses to flourish. It is American culture which 
nurtures the genius, the maverick, the inventor, 
and the dreamer. It is here that we tell people to 
pursue what drives them, and we give them the 
freedom to follow that. Some fail – that’s the price 
of dreaming – but many succeed and make the 
world a better place far beyond the fortunes the 
inventor often amasses in the process. 

The fact that Steve’s biological father came 
from the town of Homs is also prophetic. Homs 
in many ways has become the center of opposition 
to the regime of Syrian dictator, Bashar al-Assad. 
In response, Assad has subjected this town to 
an unrelenting and wilting military siege. One 
Arab writer stated that “if you want another Steve 
Jobs, stop killing Syrian children”. Herein lies the 
critical difference between how we do things and 
how so much of the rest of the world does things, 
and thus what is liable to spring forth from each 
culture.

If Steve’s parents had been in Syria and if Steve 
had been born in Homs, Syria, he still would have 
been Steve Jobs in the quality of his intellect. His 
future, however, would have been dramatically 
different. The odds overwhelmingly inform us 
that his parents would at some point have had 
to retrieve their son from a Syrian jail or the 
morgue. That is the typical fate of Syrians who 
are smart, courageous, willing to question the 
status quo, and who stay in Syria. Those who do 
all these things, but do them in America, live full 
and productive lives. 

Steve Jobs has changed the world at a level 
commensurate with Adam and Newton. He 
did this, however, not because he was Arab, 
not because of his nature, but because he was 
American and lived in a culture which encouraged 
and rewarded the risk-taking, swashbuckling, 
outlandish dreaming that geniuses pursue. The 
world should thank America that it nurtured 
Steve “Jandali” Jobs.

About the author: Gregory J. Welborn is a 
freelance writer and has spoken to several civic 
and religious organizations on cultural and moral 
issues. He lives in Arcadia with his wife and 3 
children and is active in the community. He can be 
reached at gregwelborn@earthlink.net.

Barack Obama has 
a permanent place in 
history as the man who 
proved Americans would 
elect, and likely re-elect, a 
black president. Whatever 
else historians conclude 
about Obama, the racial 
breakthrough is certain to grow in significance 
over time. 

Herman Cain’s legacy, although lesser, will 
also be noteworthy because he has morphed into 
the nation’s first truly post-racial presidential 
candidate. Despite his meteoric rise in the polls, 
Republican voters will ultimately reject Cain 
without any nagging concerns that they are doing 
so because he’s black. 

Obama proved he is smart enough, 
compassionate enough and - despite the 
destructive partisanship of the moment - 
politically savvy enough to lead the nation, 
regardless of his race. Cain, on the other hand, 
is so unqualified and so lacking in the expertise 
needed to lead the nation, that he can be easily 
dismissed without any hint of racial bias. 

Herman Cain has no chance whatsoever of 
being the Republican nominee for president. His 
surprising poll numbers reflect the deep division 
within the party. By telling pollsters they favor 
Cain, few voters mean they want him as president 
- they mean they’re unhappy with a remarkably 
lackluster field. 

In the early stages, every presidential campaign 
has its share of pretenders. Some, like Donald 
Trump, flirt with running to exercise their egos. 
Others, like Michelle Bachmann, are angling for 
face-time in the national spotlight and, perhaps, 
a shot at the vice presidency. In Cain’s case, 
the pizza executive launched his campaign to 
promote his book. He had no serious political 
organization, and his schedule was tailored more 
to selling books than winning primaries. 

Numerous factors disqualify Cain from serious 
consideration as a presidential candidate, but 
there’s little need to look beyond his centerpiece 
tax plan known as 9-9-9. Cain would replace the 
current system with a 9 percent income tax, a 9 
percent corporate tax, and a 9 percent national 
sales tax. There would be few exceptions in any 
of the three categories - although Cain’s handlers 
are already adding them, such as an exception for 
selling “used” things, including houses. 

As widely noted on both sides of the aisle, Cain’s 
oversimplified plan would wreck the already 
troubled economy. It would, incredibly, serve to 
further reduce the tax obligations of the wealthy, 
while dramatically increasing the burden on the 
poor and middle class. 

Cain’s tax plan, like his entire candidacy, is 
only relevant to the extent that it underscores 
the nation’s problems. The current tax system 
is unjust and sorely in need of simplification. 
Beyond that, however, the nation will never adopt 
a 9-9-9 formula, nor will it have a President Cain. 

Even most conservatives will reject Cain after 
fully digesting the fact that he opposes abortion 
in cases of rape and incest, plans to privatize 
Social Security, and has said that Muslims 
would have to take a loyalty oath to serve in his 
administration. 

Referring to his unexpected jump in the polls, 
Cain wondered, “Will I be the flavor of the week?” 
Then, answering with a quip that sounded as 
half-baked as his campaign, he said: “No, because 
Haagen-Dazs black walnut tastes good all the 
time.” (The company has discontinued the flavor, 
saying it failed to meet expectations.) 

In an interview with CNN, Cain said black 
voters have been “brainwashed” into voting for 
liberals and are not “open minded” when it comes 
to considering a conservative point of view. The 
remark is calculatingly designed to attract white 
support. 

Cain is merely a token of the frustration 
Republican voters feel with the state of the nation 
and the state of their party. 

If nothing else, it’s a sign of progress that 
Herman Cain can be referred to as a “token” 
without even a hint of racism. 

Peter Funt is a writer and speaker and can be 
reached at www.CandidCamera.com.


BUSINESS TODAY

The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques

Working Together for the Greater Economic Good 

CHRIS Nyerges

CRISIS OR OPPORTUNITY? 

FINDING THE REAL WORLD BEYOND 

THE MONETARY WEBBERY

by La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA

With all of the talk about stimulating the 
economy and creating jobs, the time is ripe for a 
conversation about what can be done on the local 
level. In addition to large venues like the Annual 
Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl 
in Pasadena, and Santa Anita Race Track in 
Arcadia, the adjacent cities clustered along the 
foothills north of Los Angeles basin have a lot 
to offer tourists throughout the year. However, 
the other remaining cities and unincorporated 
areas of Altadena, Duarte, Monrovia and Sierra 
Madre are not benefitting as much as they could, 
individually or collectively. Travel and tourism is 
the largest industry in the world, with consumers 
shelling out more than $1 trillion annually – 
and it is a simple matter of will, planning and 
cooperation to bring more of those dollars to 
these communities.

Increasing revenue by focusing on tourism 
opportunities is a no-brainer. The only thing 
preventing this is the lack of fresh perspective, 
coupled with a seeming reluctance of city leaders 
and resident to collaborate with neighboring 
cities for mutual financial benefit. Each city has a 
list of annual homegrown events and community 
activities, with some steeped in its unique, rich 
individual history – Altadena’s Summer Concert 
Series in Farnsworth Park; Duarte’s Route 66 
Parade & Classic Car Show; Monrovia’s Summer 
Art Walk and their weekly Family Festival & 
Farmer’s Market every Friday; Sierra Madre’s 
Wisteria Festival and the Mt. Wilson Trail Race 
– this is a mere sampling of activities hosted 
throughout the year. 

In terms of the financial success and viability, 
each community stands to gain more by 
considering the untapped marketing potential 
of a collaborative travel and tourism plan. This 
local region has the infrastructure in place 
to establish a combined presence as a travel 
destination for tourists from Southern California 
and beyond. Three commercial airports are 
within close proximity, LAX, Ontario and 
Burbank. Amtrak and the Metrolink stop at the 
regional transportation hub in El Monte and at 
Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, with 
options for shuttle service or transportation to 
the Pasadena-Foothills area. The Metro Gold 
Line that now stops at the Sierra Madre Station 
at the 210 and Madre Blvd. is being extended 
to include stops in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, 
Irwindale and Azusa, with scheduled completion 
in 2015. Eight hotels with more than 1,200 rooms 
are located adjacent to the 210 Freeway and 
Huntington Drive exit.

Guests at the Double Tree, Sheraton Four 
Points, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, 
Marriott’s Residence Inn and other hotels can 
choose from brightly colored brochures touting 
regional attractions like Disneyland, Universal 
Studios, Hollywood Wax Museum other venues 
well-travelled, but what do they know about the 
great restaurants, wine shops, family-friendly 
activities and other amenities 
just a few minutes away? Unless 
they’re familiar with the area, Café 
322 in Sierra Madre won’t benefit 
from the jazz fan who’d welcome 
the opportunity to dine and listen 
to music right up the hill from 
the hotel, or to enjoy a tasting 
at California Wine & Cheese in 
Monrovia. A spouse brought along 
on a business trip could have a great 
time strolling, window shopping and 
purchasing clothing, jewelry and 
unique gift items in the pedestrian 
friendly downtown areas of Arcadia, 
Monrovia or Sierra Madre.

There’s gold in these here hills, but 
the question is, “Do the leaders or 
residents of these cities have interest 
in collaborating to develop and mine 
it for the greater economic good?” 


Money. Greed. Fear. 
The three horsemen of the 
new apocalypse. Everyone 
wants a scapegoat – the 
bankers, Bush, Obama, 
The Fed, the highly-
paid CEOs. But in our zeal to find someone to 
crucify, we forget that all of us played a role in 
this economic crisis. Greed fueled the “housing 
boom” that had to inevitably crash. 

An acquaintance told me during the height of 
the dizziness, “I can’t afford to NOT use all that 
equity in my home,” as he refinanced his way to 
debt. “That’s MY equity,” he assured me, not even 
realizing that “home equity” is a phantom asset. 
Where did we lose the notion that it is sound and 
wise to pay off our loans? 

In our book “Extreme Simplicity: 
Homesteading in the City,” we shared in the 
last chapter some of the illusions of money that 
most of us carry around with us every day in our 
brains. We shared our perspective of something 
called “the four illusions of money,” which 
we originally read about in the 1979-80 Co-
Evolution Quarterly.

One of these illusions is that if we have a lot of 
money, we will be free to do whatever it is that we 
feel we want to do. Of course, few people who are 
victims of this mental illusion ever define what 
they mean by “a lot” of money, and – amazingly – 
few take the time to specifically define those things 
that they “want to do.” I say amazingly, because 
how can one ever achieve any goal if you have 
not carefully and specifically defined the goal? 
And the reason this idea is an illusion is because 
when we focus upon money – an abstraction – we 
tend to then lose sight of the fact that money is a 
tool to achieve some other goal. How and when 
did the acquisition of money become a goal in 
itself? 

Of course, in a modern society, everyone has 
daily needs which are most readily met by money: 
paying rent or mortgages, buying food, medical 
needs for the family and children, insurance, 
gasoline for the car, clothes, etc. These are not the 
things I am speaking about. 

I am referring to the need for us to define, 
personally, our short-term and long-term goals. 
Also, we should – perhaps even daily – continue 
to ask ourselves: What is the meaning of life? 
Why do I do what I do all day? Am I fulfilling 
whatever it is that I was born to do? If not, what 
can and should I do?

I strongly urge you all to read these details 
in the “Extreme Simplicity” book – and you 
can get the book from our store at www.
ChristopherNyerges.com, or you can get it at 
Amazon, or any bookstore which can (or will) 
order it.

But here is one way to break free from this 
particular monetary illusion. List several of your 
important goals in life. You cannot list “making 
more money” as one of your goals. Yes, money 
may help you to achieve your goals more quickly, 
but you cannot list earning more money as a goal. 
List those things that you want to do, or achieve, 
or those skills that you want to master. 

List each of these goals on a separate piece of 
paper. Next, write a simple series of steps that you 
can see yourself actually doing that leads you in 
the direction of achieving that goal. Do not list 
money on this list.

Your steps for achieving your goals should 
include some of the following: Asking others 
to work with you to achieve your goals. Asking 
others to give you things that you need to achieve 
the goal, or barter with you for objects you need. 
Consider ways to trade your time or labor so 
that someone else can give you things or trade 
consultation or labor so that you might achieve 
your goals. See? 

Begin to see the real world, apart from the 
webbery of money, and see the people in your life 
who can work with you to achieve your goals. 

Those of you who take these steps, and move 
forward towards your goals, will find that world 
seems like an entirely 
different place. 
You will discover 
your brother, and 
you will find that 
when two or more 
of you are working 
cooperatively 
towards a meaningful 
goal, your life will 
be richer, more 
meaningful, and 
your fulfillment will 
come in the journey.

Nyerges is the 
author of “How to 
Survive Anywhere” 
and other books. 
He writes a current 
events blog on www.
ChristopherNyerges.
com. His schedule of 
classes can be seen on his 
website or by writing to 
Box 41834, Eagle Rock, 
CA 90041]