Mamma's boy is innocent

Being oblivious to reality is a politicians job. Not a mom's job.

Although Marcus Rawls has a criminal history, including burglary, his mother said Monday she does not believe he was trying to break into a house when he was fatally shot early Sunday morning.

"Why would he rob somebody when he had money in his pockets," Vonda Rawls said. Her 23-year-old son had been working construction jobs since being released from jail, she said
...............
Police found Rawls dead on the porch at 464 Willaman St. at 4:36 a.m. Sunday wearing a ski mask and gloves. He died from a gunshot wound to the head, Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said.

Simply sad.

New Orleans must be destroyed

It seems the heart of New Orleans still beats faintly and that must be stopped. All according to the government and it's latest regulatory fetish.

Now, the feckless mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, and some Louisiana legislators apparently want to finish the destruction of his city wrought by the Corps of Engineers and Katrina by imposing rent control (audio) on the apartments that remain. If rent controls are imposed, New Orleans landlord Edward Young points out that he and many other landlords would have to consider simply taking their insurance money and going somewhere else.

There is, however, a silver lining: Rent control is one way to make sure that the wetlands New Orleans used to occupy are restored.

Is there any hope the government cannot destroy with regulations?

Carnival Of Liberty XXII is up

A great collection of blog posts and articles that deal with liberty and freedom. So drop by the Carnival of Liberty and enjoy.

Our Founding Fathers were proud that Americans were trusted with arms because they knew that only when people are armed could they truly be thought of as free citizens. And that's where the circle closes. Those who want to deprive you of your right to keep and bear arms are intending to deprive you of your freedom, period. Like the criminals their policies encourage, these elitists know that it is always best to disarm victims before you enslave them.

Charley Reese

O'Brien's pride

The problem as I see it is that when a term is used to much in today's society it not only loses meaning, it can sometimes hide the fact that it is truthful. A good example is the term "police state". A phrase that is thrown around so much by the left, and libertarians that in many peoples mind it is put in a column of words we filter out. This column is filled with words such as "moonbat", "wing nut", "military industrial complex", and my favorite term. "Jack booted thug".

Words like these are normally filtered and ignored by most people in society, and end up labeling you as simply "the fringe". The edge of lunacy that occupies all political talk and thought.

So today I find myself pulling out one of those pre-filtered phrases because I simply cannot find a better word to use. The fact that it may hurt the message I want to give you bothers me, but I have to try.

The first article I came across that bothered me was a New York state article about getting illegal guns off the streets. A standard government reaction to crime and as always it is bound to fail. The problem for me was not the article. It was laughable. The problem was the picture that was included with it.

Officer Greg Carnes, center, secures the area in front of a store on North Goodman Street after police stopped a group for loitering earlier this month. They arrested one man wanted on a warrant.

A well composed photo. The photographer even included in the shot the image of the 'No loitering" sign next to the arch-criminal's head.

Now for me being the gun nut I immediately looked at his rifle. A nice short barreled carbine likely in 5.56 caliber. That seems a bit overkill for loitering in my opinion. Why the camouflage? What is "secured" by him standing 10 feet from the guy and looking at him. He's not securing dick. He's standing there to kill the guy if he moves wrong.

There is just so much wrong with this photo.

Then it hit me. The police, through the officer, are delivering a message. "We, the police and the state, control the streets and because of that we control you". That's what I read into this picture.

All in all I was not that surprised by the story. I did not even post on it because the state have been delivering that message every day in so many ways.

Then I read the Miami article.

(((overcoming desire to cuss loudly)))

The Miami police have decided to take the war on terror to the people.

Miami police announced Monday they will stage random shows of force at hotels, banks and other public places to keep terrorists guessing and remind people to be vigilant.

Deputy Police Chief Frank Fernandez said officers might, for example, surround a bank building, check the IDs of everyone going in and out and hand out leaflets about terror threats.

Surround building and checking ID's. (((grumble)))

I would like to be sarcastic now and say something like this "Now what does that remind me of?". But I will attempt to not do it and just include this small section of an article.

In those days in Russia your 'billet' or 'papers' were essentially an internal passport which would be registered and stamped whenever you travelled from one region to another, and sometimes at checkpoints in strategic areas and even at certain types of stores when buying certain products. You could be stopped by any police officer for an ID check and have your identity number noted

Damn. Will I have to go back into my bog archive and respell all "America"'s as "AmeriKa"?

The article delves more into the lunacy that our government has become with lines like these.

"People are definitely going to notice it," Fernandez said. "We want that shock. We want that awe. But at the same time, we don't want people to feel their rights are being threatened. We need them to be our eyes and ears."

Translated this says "We plan on scaring and intimidating the hell out of people, but will do it with a smile over the sights on the rifle/handgun. Scare the prole's so much they become our snitches in fear of becoming the target".

Now the ACLU, an organization that is on my good list and shit list at the same time, has come out as supporting the idea.

Howard Simon, executive director of ACLU of Florida, said the Miami initiative appears aimed at ensuring that people's rights are not violated.

"What we're dealing with is officers on street patrol, which is more effective and more consistent with the Constitution," Simon said. "We'll have to see how it is implemented."

I have never seen normal street patrols just surround building and do mass ID check for no obvious reason. Well the ACLU just got moved back to the shit list again.

Finally this is said. What is sad is the spokesman seems to believe it

"We want people to feel they can go about their normal course of business, but we want them to be aware."

In my entire normal course of life I have never been surrounded and ID checked once. Never. I have never seen a building surrounded. There aint nothing normal in the course you are setting for us.

To say the article has upset me would be an understatement. I find that I can use the term "police state" and not feel the guilt of using a filtered word in normal conversation.

Two articles and I feel pushed over the edge.

I feel sad for the Cubans who left their homeland for freedom and ended up surrounded and checked...just like their old home.

Do we live in a police state? Most would say no. I would agree with you for the most part. I do believe that right now we are living in a Niemöller period of history. You better figure out real fast people how many lines down the tale you want to go before you act, or are acted on.

Now I want to take a moment and ask you if you know why I labeled this post O'Brien"s pride. 10 points on the final exam if you can figure it out.

UPDATE:
A Washington post article on the subject using much of the same material seems to show a different side of the police effort against Miami's terrorist problems. The whole "surrounding buildings" part is missing and the random ID checks have been withdrawn.

As an example, uniformed and plainclothes officers might surround a bank building unannounced, contact the manager about ways to be vigilant against terrorists and hand out leaflets in three languages to customers and people passing by, said police spokesman Angel Calzadilla. He said there would be no random checks of identification.

I simply do not see how the press could create a line "surround buildings" out of thin air. So I plan on trying to get a copy of the police press conference and see what was really said.

Fined for not breaking the law.

A small error in South Africa has caused some sad words to be spoken by the police.

In recent weeks two cases have been brought to the attention of The Star where motorists were fined R100 for travelling more than 80km/h on the M1 North between the Glenhove and Eleventh Avenue offramps.

The speed limit, in fact, is 100km/h.

Irate motorist Ronnie Frank said he was surprised when he received his ticket.

"I know the area well and travel that highway almost every day and have never noticed an 80km sign. I went back and checked and there is no such sign.

"I then spent hours phoning every department. None was helpful until I spoke to Johannesburg metro police department spokesperson Wayne Minnaar, who confirmed that the speed limit there was 100km

Of course when the press got ahold of the information the reporter who did the story found that a ticket they had was also wrong.

But all is not lost. The cops have a reply

"If this is happening on the M1, it could be happening on all the highways and everywhere that cameras are used."

Minnaar denied that the camera had been incorrectly set and claimed both cases were administrative mistakes.

"We issue 100 000 fines a month, and 98,9 percent are correct. If this happens, motorists are entitled to ask for the fine to be cancelled," he said.

Only 1,100 bad tickets a month, according to them, and at about 100 rand each that's 110,000 rand a month and 1,320,000 rand a year. All for not breaking the law.

When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is a left boot or a right boot is of no consequence. — GARY LLOYD

Sick

Why is it so many people will perform shameful and illegal acts when supposedly under the orders of authority?

Summers said later that "Officer Scott," who stayed on the telephone, giving his orders, sounded authentic. He said he had "McDonald's corporate" on the line, as well as the store manager, whom he mentioned by name. And she thought she could hear police radios in the background.

Summers shook each garment, placed it in a bag and took the bag away. "I did exactly what he said to do," Summers said of her caller.

It was just after 5 p.m., and for Ogborn, hours of degradation and abuse were just beginning.

So many follow order blindly in this TSA/Patriot act/etc society that I have little hope for the future.

If it has a badge that simply means you nicely say "Go fuck yourself. Sir!" as the "sir" shows respect to his position. If no badge is present or shown you have my permission to drop the "sir".

TEST

The whole of the Bill of Rights is a declaration of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals. It establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which consequently, no majority has a right to deprive them of.

Albert Gallatin of the New York Historical Society, October 7, 1789.

Good reporting from Tennessee

A Memphis reporter has a short video series on gun ownership, how to get carry permits, and safety. Unbiased and well done.

When I went to Andy Wise's bio on the stations website it had the same general history as others I have seen, but then it ended with this.

FAVORITE SPORTS: Basketball, Mountain-biking, sports-shooting (handguns)

FAVORITE HANDGUNS: Beretta 92FS Brigadier, SIG-Sauer P226

I just emailed Mr Wise with a few questions and if he answers I will post them here.

UPDATE:
I emailed him with this question.

Did you have to push hard to get this on air? Maybe my bias colors my view of the media but normally firearm reports all include standard catch phrases to scare people. Your's did not. So how free were you to write this and report it as you did?

He quickly replied with this.

Thanks for your interest!

No, I did not encounter a single objection when I pitched this series idea. My editors trusted my judgment and also understood my conviction as someone who believes in my right to protect myself and my family...and my OBLIGATION to know how to do that responsibly and safely.

So once again. Go take a second and view the three segments on the first link in this post.

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German philosopher

Strange story about hacking from Canada.

On Cryptome I found this strange little story of a Canadian hacker group being approached by a person claiming to be a member of the US army. The person, who used a military address to try to get information sent to him, asked for hacking help. The story is interesting to say the least.

They are all around.

People like this. Enjoyment killers.

The Grinch that stole hampered Thanksgiving.

That's the phrase that came to mind when I read this story. A corporate grinch in Boston.

It was heavily promoted as a helpful move for the modern, constantly working, frenzied shopper: Whole Foods, the health-oriented supermarket chain, planned to open all 14 of its stores in Massachusetts for the first time on Thanksgiving Day. Shoppers could buy organic, free-range turkey hours before family arrived.

But the brash attempt to accommodate harried holiday shoppers ran smack into the state's 17th-century blue laws and Whole Foods' 21st-century competitor, Shaw's.

Having spotted a Whole Foods banner advertising Thanksgiving hours, Shaw's officials wrote to Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly and, citing Colonial blue laws, asked him to block the turkey-day openings. On Tuesday, Reilly issued a sternly worded legal opinion telling Whole Foods that it would have to keep its doors closed on Thanksgiving or risk criminal charges.

A local store line decided to stay open to help people. A nice act and pretty smart. I cannot count the times I hear my wife yell "What do you mean we are out of (insert pie/stuffing ingredient)?" as she rushes out the door to get it. An act like this would get some store loyalty here.

But never fear. Rule lawyers are near.

Into this steps Shaws. In a rather strange act they go way overboard to hurt their competition.

But Shaw's, a 200-store supermarket giant in New England, wouldn't have it. Some of its employees had spotted a banner fluttering at a Bellingham Whole Foods proclaiming that the store would be open on Thanksgiving. Before long, the chain based in West Bridgewater had composed a letter of complaint to Reilly.
''We believe that allowing Whole Foods to open on Thanksgiving Day will create an unlevel playing field for all other retail grocers," Shaw's legal department wrote to Reilly on Nov. 4. ''Besides disadvantaging competitors, a Whole Foods opening would harm consumers, due to lack of choice in the marketplace for consumers to shop and compare prices for the best deal."

According to them having that store open would "harm consumers". Talk about Orwellian logic. Freedom is slavery and such. When my wife is rushed to get an ingredient she cares less if the price on the Pets milk is .30$ in one store and .32$ in the other. She simply wants the darn milk. Comparing prices in a cooking panic is the last thing that occurs.

But wait! It gets better. To make sure they cause as much trouble for the store as possible they send the letter all over.

The letter concluded with a request to Reilly ''that you investigate this matter and prevent the potentially anticonsumer and anticompetitive behavior from occurring this Thanksgiving holiday."

Shaw's sent copies to Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen M. O'Toole and the chiefs of 10 other police departments.

Wow! Grinch sent it to 11 police departments. Talk about anal.

The whole point of the store intent on staying open that day was to help the customers. Shaws seems to think the otherwise. No choice is better then one.

There are no Shaws in my area so I went to their website. That's when I really started to laugh. There, up in the left hand corner of the Shaw's website, was the ultimate in ironic humor.



Somehow the trademarked line "Helping make your life easier" has different meaning in New England.

I have never understood why Blue laws still exist in this country. Holidays are so transient in today's society. A good example is my family. My wife's mom plans on their big Thanksgiving tomorrow night, my mom is having her's Sunday and we still have not heard when her dad's household is having theirs. With families the way they are today I, and many others, would have no problem working on a holiday for more pay. I honestly do not think this year I will have any of my three thanksgiving dinners on Thanksgiving.

Why are they discussing it at all?

What is shocking, but not surprising, is the government is talking about the implications of the "No torture" ban that was just passed.

The White House and senators are discussing the implications of a Senate-passed ban on the torture of suspected terrorists in U.S. custody and what part, if any, of the proposal the administration might find acceptable, the Pentagon chief said Sunday.
..........
"There's a discussion and debate taking place as to what the implications might be and what is supportable and what is not," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said. "But the fact of the matter is the president from the outset has said that he required that there be humane treatment."

If anything is an example of how broken the system is then this is it.

The White hat wearing good guys just don't do this.

Quote related to the Patriot act

The government is right now in theory debating whether to renew or make permanent certain sections of the patriot act. Civil libertarians are up in arms about the whole bill. I came across a small quote that seems to be appropriate to the situation.

You do not examine legislation in light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered.
LYNDON B. JOHNSON

If not for the fact the quote is from the past it could have been spoken with the patriot act in mind.

When human worth becomes less then human

An interesting viewpoint was brought to my attention at Stop the Bleating on how one society looks at humans verses birds.

They allow abortions and retroactive abortions (i.e. infanticide) - they even create guidelines for killing new born babies.

But kill a sparrow at a Domino show - and you are in big trouble.

A few judges on the supreme court have made statements that we should look outside of our borders to judge our own laws. I hope that one day my life holds more meaning then a sparrow. This Euro outlook on life is rather bothersome to say the least.

So the next time someone gushes on the liberal nature of Europe and how bad things are here ask them what value do they place on their children. Then ask them to speak with love on Europe's enlightened laws.

A military unit that never should have been made in the first place.

In California the military unit created to spy on Americans who protested the war has been dismantled. Why with all of the other alphabet agencies out there spying on us was it needed will never be explained, but at least it is gone......They say!

The California National Guard has dismantled an entire domestic surveillance division inside state military headquarters and dismissed the colonel who was tapped to set it up.
In a memo Wednesday, Adjutant General Maj. Gen. William Wade wrote: "Effective immediately, I have discontinued the Civil Support Division to include its functions of Domestic Watch Center, Information Synchronization Center and Combined Intel Fusion Group."

Those units and the overarching division were the brainchild of Wade's predecessor, Maj. Gen. Thomas Eres. Eres was ousted in the summer after news accounts about his efforts to create a kind of mini-FBI for California under the authority of the National Guard.

Of course the article includes the standard sound bites from politicians about "reform" and other political phrases of no consequence.

"I am very encouraged by the steps General Wade has taken," said state Sen. Joseph Dunn,

D-Santa Ana, who is leading an investigation of Guard improprieties. "This is the start of real reform."

Santa Ana is obviously not in touch with "the system" and how it protects itself. The article has this to say on what steps towards reform have occurred.

In August, the National Guard announced that Pentagon investigators cleared California's Military Department of spying on residents.

"There was never the intent, desire or decision to ever collect intelligence information on an U.S. citizen," said Brig. Gen John Alexander at the time, without releasing the report from the Army's inspector general that allegedly exonerated the department

You heard it from the Pentagram pentagon right here. The group described as an "intelligence outfit "on steroids."" and was found spying on one group already never collected anything on anyone and never would have. HONEST! Would they lie?

Are there more?

No kingdom can be secured otherwise than by arming the people. The possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman and a slave. He, who has nothing, and who himself belongs to another, must be defended by him, whose property he is, and needs no arms. But he, who thinks he is his own master, and has what he can call his own, ought to have arms to defend himself, and what he possesses; else he lives precariously, and at discretion. — James Burgh, Political Disquisitions: Or, an Enquiry into Public Errors, Defects, and Abuses [London, 1774-1775].

This one will make you think.

Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Why do men's hearts beat
quicker, go weak in the knees,
They get dry throats and think
irrationally when a woman
wears leather clothing?
**
**
**
**
**
**
**

BECAUSE
SHE SMELLS

LIKE A NEW TRUCK

Knee jerk reaction to call the government.

A mom in Oklahoma got tired of her daughter messing up so she figured out an interesting way to deal with it.

Tasha Henderson got tired of her 14-year-old daughter's poor grades, her chronic lateness to class and her talking back to her teachers, so she decided to teach the girl a lesson.

She made Coretha stand at a busy Oklahoma City intersection Nov. 4 with a cardboard sign that read: "I don't do my homework and I act up in school, so my parents are preparing me for my future. Will work for food."
.............
In fact, Henderson has seen a turnaround in her daughter's behavior in the past week and a half. But the punishment prompted letters and calls to talk radio from people either praising the woman or blasting her for publicly humiliating her daughter.

Unique is an understatement when it comes to this punishment. It works but the horror felt by some and their comments are way overboard.

"The parents of that girl need more education than she does if they can't see that the worst scenario in this case is to kill their daughter psychologically," Suzanne Ball said in a letter to The Oklahoman newspaper.

psychological murder?

This all became news when the police were called.

While Henderson stood next to her daughter at the intersection, a passing motorist called police with a report of psychological abuse, and an Oklahoma City police officer took a report. Mother and daughter were asked to leave after about an hour, and no citation was issued. But the report was forwarded to the state Department of Human Services.

"There wasn't any criminal act involved that the officer could see that would require any criminal investigation," Master Sgt. Charles Phillips said. "DHS may follow up."

If there was no criminal act then why were they asked to leave? Just flexing your muscle officers?

Cruel yes, but punishment is not always a "time out".

Sometimes a person has to exercise personal judgement and take the chance of being mistaken, or stop calling himself or herself free. —POUL ANDERSON

“weren’t terribly helpful”

I'm not sure how Hawaii does it's bail system but this seems rather sad in my view.

A 30-minute videotape shows a uniformed Wackenhut Security guard cursing and spitting at a Pacific Wings employee and threatening to kill him with another guard’s gun.

The Sunday incident at Kahului Airport, which is the latest altercation between a Wackenhut security guard and a Pacific Wings employee, stemmed from a dispute over an airline employee parking in a loading zone.

It led to the arrest of Eric Brown, 49, of Makawao. He was charged with second-degree terroristic threatening and was released from the Wailuku police station after posting a $200 bail.
......
In the video shown to Maui News reporters on Monday afternoon, Brown is shown spitting, swearing at and threatening Gabe Kimbrell, a Pacific Wings pilot and general operations manager, who captured the incident on tape.

“I going kill that (expletive deleted). I no care. No take picture of me,” Brown is heard saying on the video.

Shortly afterward, in words somewhat difficult to make out, Brown can be heard demanding the gun of another security guard, telling him: “I going shoot this (expletive deleted) in the head.”

The other security guard could be seen trying to steer Brown away and calm him down.

Here we have threats and an attempt to arm himself for a proclaimed killing gets him a 200$ bail. That's pretty damning in my view.

The problem is if I go and complain to the police of threats and a physical altercation I would expect more reaction then what he did get from the police.

Kahlstorf said police “weren’t terribly helpful” when they arrived until they saw the incident was being videotaped. Brown was arrested by police shortly thereafter.

Police demanded the videotape as evidence, according to Kahlstorf, who refused despite a warning that not giving police the original might break the evidence chain of custody.

It seems the cops would not have reacted if he had not kept taping. Does this say more about the protective power of the modern video tape, or the inefficient nature of the cops.

Video keeps cops on the straight and narrow and doing their jobs.

There is no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.

Ayn Rand in her must-read novel, Atlas Shrugged

If we can't think for ourselves, if we're unwilling to question authority, then we're just putty in the hands of those in power. But if the citizens are educated and form their own opinions, then those in power work for us. In every country, we should be teaching our children the scientific method and the reasons for a Bill of Rights. With it comes a certain decency, humility and community spirit. In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness.
Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)

The red coats are coming, the red coats are coming.

That has to be it. The senate has cast down the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus for some and it seems to be a sign of troubles I did not know about.

CrimProf Blog goes into some detail why I think it is the red coats

On November 10 the Senate, in what may not be its final vote on the matter, approved an amendment to a military budget bill that would deprive the enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay of federal habeas corpus. The bill would overturn the June 2004 Supreme Court opinion in Rasul v. Bush, 542 U.S. 466. This action of the Senate has excited much interest as a possible violation of the Suspension Clause of the Constitution, Article I, Section 9, Clause 2:

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

I know we are not in rebellion. Why? Because I would be loading my magazines for one thing and heading towards the nearest federal building with everyone else.

Since it is obviously not rebellion I would say those damn red coats have attacked us again. Damn Brits. Never should have saved their ass in the last war. Maybe we can get Canada this time.

Sadly the blog post falls into the use of esoteric law issues that lost me just after the quoted material.

Bribing yourself

The government is performing one of the slickest acts I have ever seen. An act of political power usage that boggles my mind. What is this deed that they do so well?

Tax free churches. On the surface an item that may seem rather shallow. I would like you to take a moment and look at it from my viewpoint.

Churches throughout the history have been a power unto themselves. Not just social powers, but military, economic, and political. Some churches even have lead and torn down some governments. The government, due to history, has a love-hate relationship with the churches out there.

This has lead to a strange situation that we enjoy today. Tax free churches. Think about it. To be tax free churches have to stay outside of the political arena. They can discuss issues, but the hardcore nature of picking who should, and should not be voted for is forbidden.

The governments deed that I find so awesome to know about is the fact that the churches are tax free, if they keep their mouths shut. The government has bribed them....with their own money. That is the only way I can truthfully look at their tax free situation. Self bribery to keep quite.

In California one church has run afoul of the "bribe for silence" laws and is being investigated.

The Internal Revenue Service has warned a prominent liberal church it could lose its tax-exempt status because of an anti-war sermon a guest preacher gave on the eve of the 2004 presidential election, church officials say.

The Rev. George F. Regas did not urge parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena to support either President Bush or John Kerry, but he was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts.

The IRS warned the church in June that its tax-exempt status was in jeopardy because such organizations are prohibited from intervening in political campaigns and elections.

Maybe they did not bribe themselves with enough money.

The sad thing is the fool at the church does not understand what is going on.

Bacon later said he chose Sunday to inform the congregation because Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in attendance and because he believes a decision from the IRS is imminent.

He called the IRS threat "a direct assault on freedom of speech and freedom of religion."

There is no assualt here. You sold your free speech and freedom of religion for 30 pieces of silver and now you don't like it. I have no sympathy with him or the church.

Nice headline, don't mean squat though

It reads

Congress May Curb Some Patriot Act Powers

Sounds great! I love it. Can we also impeach Bush and fire most of the alphabet soup heads as an encore?

The article seems good at first.

Congress is moving to curb some of the police powers it gave the Bush administration after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, including imposing new restrictions on the FBI's access to private phone and financial records.

A budding House-Senate deal on the expiring USA Patriot Act includes new limits on federal law enforcement powers and rejects the Bush administration's request to grant the FBI greater authority to subpoena records without a judge's approval

I will say it is about time. The patriot act has been one of the main scare factors in my view that society and out government is in the crapper. Thus when I read articles like this I start to thing that maybe things can change. The problem is that I start to think things can change, then I read the next paragraph.

Even with the changes, however, every part of the law set to expire Dec. 31 would be reauthorized and most of those provisions would become permanent.

People. I'm losing hope here. The games in Washington where our rights are being used as chess pieces in their political games are hurting me. I find myself with less and less hope with every bill they pass. When I hear of them "fixing" the laws I just know that somehow it will get screwed up, or it is all a smoke and mirror situation.

The system cannot be reformed until the ones doing the wrongs are removed from office. Sadly the one thing the two parties can agree on is that they like, and will fight to keep that power. Remember their unity when Perot and others threatened to tip the cart?

This is National Ammo Week. Buy lots of ammo. Deliver a message they may hear.

Growing a society of victims, one whine at a time

This article on USNews is a nice roundup of some of the sadder victims of today's society. The first two victimized groups are simply delicious to read.

Children of witches are victimized by Halloween. Coming to class dressed as a witch on Halloween is a violation of "equitable schools policies," according to the Toronto district school board. The board said it feared "traumatic shock" if children treat "the Christian sexist demonization of pagan religious beliefs as 'fun.' "

British Muslims are victimized by Piglet and piggy banks. Novelty pig calendars, toys, and even a tissue box featuring Winnie the Pooh and Piglet have been banned in the benefits department at Dudley Council, West Midlands, out of deference to Muslim sensibilities.

I think the phrase "grow a f*ing backbone" should come into play.

I had to read the line two times to appreciate it.

From Instapundit I was lead to a quote that is lovely for what it says. I recently hammered on some fool senators for voting to give powers to the FBI, then not liking it when the FBI used the powers. This is in the same arena of that post.

Now Instapundit quoted this from Power Line.

SEN. ROCKEFELLER: Chris, there's always the same conversation. You know it was not the Congress that sent 135,000 or 150,000 troops.

WALLACE: But you voted, sir, and aren't you responsible for your vote?

SEN. ROCKEFELLER: No.

WALLACE: You're not?

Now this is damning in so many ways. What is sad is the political two step that occurred in the next line that was not quoted.

SEN. ROCKEFELLER: Chris, there's always the same conversation. You know it was not the Congress that sent 135,000 or 150,000 troops.

WALLACE: But you voted, sir, and aren't you responsible for your vote?

SEN. ROCKEFELLER: No.

WALLACE: You're not?

SEN. ROCKEFELLER: No. I'm responsible for my vote, but I'd appreciate it if you'd get serious about this subject, with all due respect. We authorized him to continue working with the United Nations, and then if that failed, authorized him to use force to enforce the sanctions. We did not send 150,000 troops or 135,000 troops. It was his decision made probably two days after 9/11 that he was going to invade Iraq. That we did not have a part of, and, yes, we had bad intelligence, and when we learned about it, I went down to the floor and said I would never have voted for this thing.

So he is, and at the same time he isn't, responsible for his vote.

If ever there was a better example of a politician speaking out of both sides of his mouth I have not found it.

Dear Pat Robertson.

Shut the hell up! You embarrass your lord and yourself.

Gunner

The gun-control movement is driven by raw emotion. Facts are irrelevant. Logic is spurned. Utter nonsense is solemnly intoned. It's little wonder that our most emotive president has made gun control his signature domestic issue.

Don Feder

Rosa Parks. Tough lady.

Anyone who reads my blogs know that I consider most politicians at a social level that is several steps below street walkers. At least street walkers deliver a service for the money they take. Politicians like to stop half way and demand more money due to the bad economy or some other nonsense. Political teases.

So with that in mind I will now call Senator Frist sub-street scum.

I have found that there is no better email newsletter then one from a politician. From it you can foretell what BS is about to occur, even better then using tea leaves or chicken entrails.

Last week I received Frist's newsletter and the first part made me smile at his cheapness and smarmy nature.

There was a lot of activity in Washington, DC this week, both on and off the Senate floor. One critical story that I fear may have been a bit overlooked in the shuffle was the passing of one America's legendary heroes, Mrs. Rosa Parks. This week America lost a brave and principled individual whose simple act ignited the Civil Rights movement and altered the course of American history. Her life was a powerful illustration of the capacity of one person to change the world.

Rosa? Rosa who?

He must really have a bad opinion of his constituents to think that the death of someone so important would be overlooked. We all do not live under rocks.

Then he panders to the lowest form of political activities.

And I was honored to join with my colleague Senator Reid to introduce a Senate resolution to allow the remains of Mrs. Parks to lie in honor in the rotunda of the Capitol so that Americans may have one final opportunity to honor her impact on our nation's past and future.

The best translation can be this. "Lets drag her dead body out to Washington so we can set up a fashion runway and vogue for the cameras like fashion models in front of her 'remains'".

Why he said this is important

Americans may have one final opportunity to honor her impact on our nation's past and future

No. To honor her we do not use her as a political backdrop for your sound bites. We remember what she did that day on the bus, we remember the fight for our rights then, and now. We don't use her body for gain. Every politician who was there that spoke in "honor" of her should be ashamed.

The galaxy of notables paying tribute was like a page from The Stargazer's Guide to the Democratic Firmament: Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, Barack Obama, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton. President Clinton too was there, briefly, weaving words as only he can.

I think Senator Frist just moved down even further on my list below street walkers due to this 'honor"..

Remember her acts and life. That is the highest honor we can give her.

A good politician

Not even sure of his party but I like him for this one reason.

Despite recent criticism, Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright says he still recommends that citizens fight back against crime with guns. And it appears that at least one man is following the mayor's advice.

Police say the man was moving his belongings from one vehicle to another Thursday night when two other men approached him. That's when the man went for his gun.

Several shots were fired. And in the end, the man got shot twice in the thigh. But the mayor says by getting his gun, the man did the right thing.

"I want to thank him and encourage him and others to continue their fight for their protection and the protection of others," Mayor Bright said.

Cool.

The saddest epitaph which can be carved in memory of a vanished liberty is that it was lost because its possessors failed to stretch forth a saving hand while yet there was time. — JUSTICE GEORGE SUTHERLAND (1938)

Idiot politicians and their Yea's

A few politicians are starting to openly complain about the abuses of the FBI. They are saying that the FBI is acting overly aggressive in their usage of them.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers expressed concern Sunday that the FBI was aggressively pushing the powers of the anti-terrorist USA Patriot Act to access private phone and financial records of ordinary people.

"We should be looking at that very closely," said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., who is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "It appears to me that this is, if not abused, being close to abused."

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, agreed, saying the government's expanded power highlights the risks of balancing national security against individual rights.

"It does point up how dangerous this can be," said Hagel, who appeared with Biden on ABC's "This Week."
.......................
Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the expanded use of security letters was a "clear concern" and that information gathered on citizens should be destroyed if it does not lead to a criminal charge.

There is so much that could be said on this issue but for me it all comes down to this. The senate voted for the patriot act and put little real limits so they have no right to act surprised when they use the powers without limits.

So when I think of the senate who gave them this power and the ones who are now complaining a question comes up. How did they vote for it?

Biden (D-DE), Yea
Hagel (R-NE), Yea
Kennedy (D-MA), Yea

I'm going to say it simply and openly. Bullshit on their comments. They give a rat's ass about our rights. What they are doing is noticing that the wind is blowing against the patriot act. As politicians are known for one things and that is getting on the latest bandwagon, these are performing the ancient act of following the polls.

If you give the FBI almost unlimited powers you have no right to complain or acting shocked when they use them. Politicians at their best.

I do like this one point.

"The Department of Justice inspector general in August 2005 found no civil rights violations with respect to the Patriot Act," he said.

Thieves checking up on thieves. How nice.

Now they may be honest in their shock at the abuse of our rights. I don't believe it, but it is just possible. To show they are honest they can do one small simple act. Put forth a bill to releash the FBI and remove the oppressive laws and then, and only then, will I hear anything more then political poll chasing when they speak.

Quote for the day

This one turned my stomach when I read it. We seem to be living this nightmare.

After having thus successively taken each member of the community in its powerful grasp and fashioned him at will, the supreme power then extends its arm over the whole community. It covers the surface of society with a network of small, complicated rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.

Alexis de Tocqueville

Now say that is not what is happening today and I will call you a liar.

Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue. — Senator Barry Goldwater, 1964 (1909-1998)

"He told me that wasn't the appropriate way to talk about the president,"



Well pardon some people for having bad taste in political messages. That line was spoken by the person in this story.

When Destiny Corkle walked into the Social Security Administration office in Joplin last week to get a new Social Security card, she wasn't surprised when the security guard approached her.

After all, the guard, James Talley, approaches everyone for security reasons. But this time, Corkle said, that was not the case. He wanted her to leave.

The Joplin woman was wearing a shirt with photos of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, with the words "Meet the f------" below the photos.

"He told me that wasn't the appropriate way to talk about the president," Corkle said.
A First Amendment attorney says that even though officials at the office did eventually serve Corkle, they didn't have the legal right to question the language on her shirt, let alone the message.

They did not kick her out of the government office, but did make it uncomfortable for her. After all free speech has repercussions.

Karen Brown, the Social Security Administration's district manager, said Corkle's claims that she was served outside the building were untrue.

"It's not like she was out in the lawn or anything," Brown said. She would not comment further on the incident.

"not like she was out in the lawn" pretty much says to me that they did treat her differently and like a leper. Separate but equal is considered wrong, but for people that do not follow in step I guess it is just ok.

How true is this story. Likely 50-50. The problem is that any grief due to free speech is worth getting upset at.

Social securities new motto
Good government service to all those that keep a civil tongue about them.

Seven years for protesting down under

Seems the Australian government has decided to go all out and attempt to make their own patriot act.

ANTI-war demonstrators could be jailed for seven years under the Federal Government's proposed anti-terror laws, a doctors' body said today.

As the Commonwealth and states negotiate on a final draft of the laws, the Australian Medical Association for the Prevention of War has urged them not to be pressured into supporting the Bill in its present form.
.................
"A section of the proposed laws would make it an offence for any Australian to 'urge support' for any organisation that the Australian Defence Force happens to be fighting.

"This means that ... the anti-Iraq war protests could be illegal and all Australians liable for seven-year jail (terms) for expressing opposition to actions of the Australian Defence Force."

Eevn with this bad news there is a silver lining to the whole thing.

Under pressure from the premiers, Mr Howard has already agreed to amend the controversial shoot-to-kill provisions of the Bill.

Amend, not remove. How nice of them.

Who gets due process in this country?

Another website brought up a side of the whole Libby, rove, Plame affair that most may have missed.

When President Bush was confronted by reporters as he left the White House for Camp David following the announcement of the five indictments of, and the resignation of Vice President Dick Cheney chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, he offered up a lame comment, which at the same time exposed him as a grotesque hypocrite.

` "In our system," he said, "each individual is presumed innocent and entitled to due process and a fair trial."

Sure. That's what will happen with Scooter, and with Karl Rove if he gets indicted when the other shoe drops.

But what about Jose Padilla? This U.S. citizen, picked up at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport back in 2001, has been held in a military brig without charge, without access to an attorney, and in solitary confinement without any contact with family members for four years because President Bush has claimed the right, on his sole authority, to declare any American citizen to be an "enemy combatant" and to revoke their Constitutional rights and rights of citizenship.

Equal rights for me, but not for thee. The new due process for our brave new world.

There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible to live without breaking laws.

AYN RAND

Playing mind tricks on myself

A few moments ago I just had a moment of clarity I would like to share. It involves titillating mannequins and the FBI.

I saw this headline on a news site and it read this.

City tackles titillating mannequins

I started to cuss at the computer about how damned stupid is Bushes war on Obscenity is getting and how we are living an Orwellian nightmare and I'm about to......

Then I read the first two paragraphs.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Police in northeastern Iran are launching a new morality drive by confiscating alluring mannequins from boutiques and clothes stalls in the bazaar, authorities in the city of Bojnourd said on Monday.

A spokesman for the city's judiciary, who asked not be named, explained the drive would tackle problems of "public chastity". Sixty five mannequins have been impounded so far.

Iran? I had to pause because I was stunned. With Bushes war on everything I was stunned that I find myself living in a country where I expected this to have happened. It does not sound that far off from what I think the gov will do, or is planning on doing in the future.

Without any political motivation I assumed that such an act had to come from Bush and his cronies. I'm not sure if that says something negative about me, or about Bush. In my mind I now unconsciously find that I have placed Bush in the same column as Iranian clerics.

Welcome to the new America.

Good line from a non-victim

This put a smile on my face

Swita, "shaking like a leaf," said he sat down to call 911 to report the shooting. The call taker asked if the man who'd been shot was breathing. Swita said he told her he didn't care.

Ha!

Keep it simple people

I have always had a belief that when it comes to night time home defense weapons you should keep it simple. Why? The term I use is "The fumble factor".

Example

Shelley called police and grabbed a shotgun from a closet.

Paul, 52, pinned the man on the floor and Shelly aimed the shotgun at him, she said.

Paul let the man up slowly and said to him, "We've called the police. We've got a gun. Just go."

The man stared at them for a moment; the shotgun still aimed at him.

The man then rushed at Paul again, the couple said. Shelly aimed the shotgun and pulled the trigger, but the safety was still on and the gun never fired. Eventually, Paul would need the help of a neighbor to subdue the man again.

There she was with a shotgun that hopefully she was familiar with, and she fumbled.

I want to say this straight out. No matter how good you are at accuracy and target acquisition you can still fumble. The time you do not want to fumble is when your life and your families life's are on the line.

I tried to find a story I read years ago about a bankrobber out west during the 80's. He came out of the bank and was confronted by a cop. As he had a .45acp pistol in hand he aimed it and hit the safety. To his surprise the magazine popped out. In his haste to kill the cop he hit the magazine release. Major fumble for him, good fumble for the cop.

So figuring you will be awoken from a sound sleep, and some people simply do not wake up easily, please keep you firearm simple.

My bedside gun is a Smith and Wesson model 65 in .357 magnum loaded with blue tipped glazer safety slugs in .38 +p+, next to it I have two speed loaders with federal JHP in .357 magnum rounds next to it.

My revolver has no safety except my mind. I will not point it at someone unless I plan on killing them, and I will not want to fumble if the occasion occurs. The revolver has three movable parts that I can effect with my fingers. The hammer, the trigger, and the cylinder release. None of those three could be confused for another button or switch if I am stressed.

I'm not even going into the fumble thinking there is a round in the action, and all you hear is a click when you pull the trigger. Mine is always loaded and ready. How many of you have pulled the trigger at the range and gotten that silly "I would have sworn I had loaded it" look on your face when the click occurs? The range is stress free and you still fumbled.

So my untrained advice is that the revolver is the handgun with the lowest fumble rating for a bedside weapon.

Just my 2 cents.

A yawn and a smile

that's my whole response to the CIA agent Plame affair. A simple yawn, and a delightful smile. While it seems that those two descriptive words are different I think when it comes to Washington and the daily acts of idiocy they perform they are used properly.

In one corner we have the standard circus of backroom deals, lies, sacrificial lambs, and whispers of information being exchanged. In another words the standard tired deeds that occur daily. Yawn. Tell me something new people. This is the big yawn that is getting to me. Does a bear shit in the woods? Yes! Thus I am not surprised or worked up over the acts that happen behind closed doors.

Now the smile part is because of the pundits. The left is so happy that Libby is getting the charge of perjury saying things like this

Franken was in Portland Sunday promoting his newest book.

The author and comedian says the Scooter Libby resignation and the ongoing CIA leak investigation won't blow over. Franken believes that it's a turning point for the administration.

"Basically, the Libby thing is about lying their way into this war. And it was about them smearing a critic of the war, and that is quite a crime. That's not covering up sex in the Oval Office," Franken told KOIN News 6.

"Turning point". Perjury is the same charge they tried to get Clinton with. I almost want to break out into some hippy song about a circle of life or Karma.

So after a long investigation we have ONE charge. Sort of like the Starr investigation.

With a yawn and a smile I end the only post I plan to do on the Plame circus that is being performed in Washington