There's a lot of whining going on now over the use of Tasers by law enforcement agencies in this country. The largest and best known of the whiners is the ultra-left Amnesty International.
An Amnesty International report titled "USA: Less than lethal?" records 334 people have died after being stunned by Tasers in the U.S. between 2001 and August 2008, including 55 in California and 52 in Florida. What it does not say is how many times the Taser was brought into action. If it was only used 334 times then it is undoubtedly a deadly weapon. If it was used 33,400 times then the accidental death rate is 1%.
Regardless of the number of times Tasers were used to control a critical situation, it is far less deadly than a bullet penetrating flesh, bone and organs. Death is a relative certainty when a firearm is used. The purpose of a policeman's firearm is to cause disabling injyry or death, and is only used in the most dire of circumstances. A misplaced blow from an impact weapon, such as the police baton, can easily result in serious injury or death.
Of the defensive arsenal available to law enforcement agencies, the Taser - when properly applied - is the least likely to cause lasting or terminal injuries. Tasers incapacitate by sending high voltage through wires into the subject's body. Voltage is not a killer - amperage is the electrical unit that kills, and Tasers are low amperage units.
Somebody, somewhere, will probably die if you throw chocolate ice cream on them! It is unfortunate when a life is lost to a Taser strike, but stuff happens. How many lives have been saved because the police weren't forced to SHOOT the person? Think about that! Amnesty International should mind their own business. I could be wrong ........ but I'm not!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
AND WHERE'S THE SURPRISE IN THIS?
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), is in hot water over attempting to sell President-elect Barack Hussein Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder. Is this really a surprise to anybody? Blagojevich is a product of the same corrupt political machine as Obama.
The most straightforward way to measure corruption is to check the number of convicted local officials. Between 1995 and 2004, 469 politicians from the federal district of Northern Illinois were found guilty of corruption. Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan received a sentence of six and a half years in prison, after being convicted on charges of racketeering, mail fraud, filing false tax returns, and lying to investigators. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that in the last three decades, at least 79 local elected officials have been convicted of a crime, including three governors, one mayor, and a whopping 27 aldermen from the Windy City.
Illinois political corruption of of a magnitude not seen since the days of New York City's Tammany Hall. For those of you unfamiliar with Tammany Hall, an offshoot of the Tammany Society, in 1830 Tammany Hall became the city affiliate of the Democratic Party, controlling most of the New York City elections afterward. From about 1830-1834 the Loco-Focos comprised a democratic, anti-monopoly faction that appealed to workingmen. Throughout the 1830s and 1840s the Society expanded its political control even further by earning the loyalty of the city's ever-expanding immigrant community, which functioned as a base of political capital. The Tammany Hall "ward boss" served as the local vote gatherer and provider of patronage. New York City used the designation "ward" for its smallest political units from 1686–1938. Tammany is forever linked with the rise of the Irish in American politics.
Beginning in late 1845, millions of Irish Catholics began arriving in New York. Equipped with a knowledge of English, very tight loyalties, a proclivity for politics, and what critics said was a propensity to use violence to control the polls, the Irish quickly dominated Tammany. In exchange for votes, they were provided with money and food.
By 1854, Tammany's lineage and support from immigrants had made it a powerful force in New York politics. Tammany controlled businesses, politics and sometimes law enforcement. Businesses would give gifts to their workers and, in exchange, tell the workers to vote for the politicians that were supported by Tammany (usually a straight Democratic ticket). In 1854, the Society elected its first New York City mayor. Tammany's "bosses" (called the "Grand Sachem") and their supporters enriched themselves by illegal means. The most infamous boss of all was William M. "Boss" Tweed, whose control over the Tammany Hall machine allowed him to win election to the New York State Senate. His political career ended when he was sent to prison along with his partner Francis I.A. Boole, after his ousting at the hands of a reform movement led by New York's Democratic governor Samuel J. Tilden in 1872. From 1872 onward, Tammany had an Irish "boss." They played an increasingly important role in state politics, supporting one candidate and feuding with another. The greatest success came in 1928 when a Tammany hero, New York Governor Al Smith, won the Democratic presidential nomination.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped Republican Fiorello La Guardia become mayor on a Fusion ticket, thus removing even more patronage from Tammany's control. La Guardia was elected in 1933 and re-elected in 1937 and 1941. He was the first anti-Tammany Mayor to be re-elected and his extended tenure weakened Tammany in a way that previous "reform" Mayors had not. Tammany depended for its power on government contracts, jobs, patronage, corruption, and ultimately the ability of its leaders to swing the popular vote. The last element weakened after 1940 with the decline of relief programs like WPA and CCC that Tammany used to gain and hold supporters.
Although lacking the public notoriety of Tammany Hall, the relatively low-key Illinois political machine is equally corrupt. How do such things happen in a supposedly free democratic republic? People are easily misinformed through the use of political "smoke and mirrors", and misdirected by political sleight of hand. Who is to blame? Those people who are impressed by empty words, awestruck by political theatrics, and foolish enough to believe what they see and hear in our equally corrupt print and broadcast media.
I could be wrong ........................ but, I'm NOT!
The most straightforward way to measure corruption is to check the number of convicted local officials. Between 1995 and 2004, 469 politicians from the federal district of Northern Illinois were found guilty of corruption. Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan received a sentence of six and a half years in prison, after being convicted on charges of racketeering, mail fraud, filing false tax returns, and lying to investigators. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that in the last three decades, at least 79 local elected officials have been convicted of a crime, including three governors, one mayor, and a whopping 27 aldermen from the Windy City.
Illinois political corruption of of a magnitude not seen since the days of New York City's Tammany Hall. For those of you unfamiliar with Tammany Hall, an offshoot of the Tammany Society, in 1830 Tammany Hall became the city affiliate of the Democratic Party, controlling most of the New York City elections afterward. From about 1830-1834 the Loco-Focos comprised a democratic, anti-monopoly faction that appealed to workingmen. Throughout the 1830s and 1840s the Society expanded its political control even further by earning the loyalty of the city's ever-expanding immigrant community, which functioned as a base of political capital. The Tammany Hall "ward boss" served as the local vote gatherer and provider of patronage. New York City used the designation "ward" for its smallest political units from 1686–1938. Tammany is forever linked with the rise of the Irish in American politics.
Beginning in late 1845, millions of Irish Catholics began arriving in New York. Equipped with a knowledge of English, very tight loyalties, a proclivity for politics, and what critics said was a propensity to use violence to control the polls, the Irish quickly dominated Tammany. In exchange for votes, they were provided with money and food.
By 1854, Tammany's lineage and support from immigrants had made it a powerful force in New York politics. Tammany controlled businesses, politics and sometimes law enforcement. Businesses would give gifts to their workers and, in exchange, tell the workers to vote for the politicians that were supported by Tammany (usually a straight Democratic ticket). In 1854, the Society elected its first New York City mayor. Tammany's "bosses" (called the "Grand Sachem") and their supporters enriched themselves by illegal means. The most infamous boss of all was William M. "Boss" Tweed, whose control over the Tammany Hall machine allowed him to win election to the New York State Senate. His political career ended when he was sent to prison along with his partner Francis I.A. Boole, after his ousting at the hands of a reform movement led by New York's Democratic governor Samuel J. Tilden in 1872. From 1872 onward, Tammany had an Irish "boss." They played an increasingly important role in state politics, supporting one candidate and feuding with another. The greatest success came in 1928 when a Tammany hero, New York Governor Al Smith, won the Democratic presidential nomination.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped Republican Fiorello La Guardia become mayor on a Fusion ticket, thus removing even more patronage from Tammany's control. La Guardia was elected in 1933 and re-elected in 1937 and 1941. He was the first anti-Tammany Mayor to be re-elected and his extended tenure weakened Tammany in a way that previous "reform" Mayors had not. Tammany depended for its power on government contracts, jobs, patronage, corruption, and ultimately the ability of its leaders to swing the popular vote. The last element weakened after 1940 with the decline of relief programs like WPA and CCC that Tammany used to gain and hold supporters.
Although lacking the public notoriety of Tammany Hall, the relatively low-key Illinois political machine is equally corrupt. How do such things happen in a supposedly free democratic republic? People are easily misinformed through the use of political "smoke and mirrors", and misdirected by political sleight of hand. Who is to blame? Those people who are impressed by empty words, awestruck by political theatrics, and foolish enough to believe what they see and hear in our equally corrupt print and broadcast media.
I could be wrong ........................ but, I'm NOT!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
OJ Gets His Day In Court - Wins Free Room And Board!
There is a word for the results of the recent Las Vegas trial of OJ Simpson - can you say KARMA? Although he was found "not guilty" of the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in 1994, over 80% of Americans polled believe him guilty of the crimes. A "not guilty" verdict is not the same as him being found innocent - it simply means the state's case was not convincing enough for the jury to find him guilty. But, I believe that the real reason OJ walked out of that Los Angeles courtroom a free man was because:
1. The State of California, and specifically the County of Los Angeles, could see major race riots on the horizon if this black sports-hero/success story/actor/role model (a relative rarity at that time) was convicted. The black community would see such a conviction as another attempt by "Whitey" to "keep the black man down". How sad is that? It is sad from the standpoint that, regardless of the truth of the matter, such feelings among blacks could easily be justified - and understandable - based upon black history in our country.
2. The State of California's case was weak because the State wanted it to be weak based on the above. Administrative procedures and protocols were violated by both the LAPD and the District Attorney's Office. Significant evidence at the crime scene was either mishandled or ignored as irrelevant, as was evidence at the Brentwood home of OJ. Either of these conditions, when brought to the attention of Judge Lance Ito's court, would have created a crippling blow to the State's case. And, at the same time, justified a "not guilty" verdict for technical reasons. Then there was defense lawyer Johnny Cochran's side show of OJ trying to put a glove on over a glove. That's much like trying to slip a shoe over a shoe!
There's no doubt in my mind that OJ will not serve the minimum of his 16-to-life sentence. He'll be out of prison in 3-4 years, and justice still will not have been served upon him.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong .......... but, I'm not!
1. The State of California, and specifically the County of Los Angeles, could see major race riots on the horizon if this black sports-hero/success story/actor/role model (a relative rarity at that time) was convicted. The black community would see such a conviction as another attempt by "Whitey" to "keep the black man down". How sad is that? It is sad from the standpoint that, regardless of the truth of the matter, such feelings among blacks could easily be justified - and understandable - based upon black history in our country.
2. The State of California's case was weak because the State wanted it to be weak based on the above. Administrative procedures and protocols were violated by both the LAPD and the District Attorney's Office. Significant evidence at the crime scene was either mishandled or ignored as irrelevant, as was evidence at the Brentwood home of OJ. Either of these conditions, when brought to the attention of Judge Lance Ito's court, would have created a crippling blow to the State's case. And, at the same time, justified a "not guilty" verdict for technical reasons. Then there was defense lawyer Johnny Cochran's side show of OJ trying to put a glove on over a glove. That's much like trying to slip a shoe over a shoe!
There's no doubt in my mind that OJ will not serve the minimum of his 16-to-life sentence. He'll be out of prison in 3-4 years, and justice still will not have been served upon him.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong .......... but, I'm not!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
When Will The World Unanimously Say "ENOUGH!"
Islamic terrorists have now endeared themselves to yet another nation - India. The Indian government responded quickly and decisively, yet exercised reasonable caution to protect the hostages entrapped in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. People from around the world were lodged at the "Taj", concentrating on enjoying vacations and holidays, conducting international trade meetings, and visiting relatives ... in a nutshell, they were just being. They bothered nobody, but were brutally and indiscriminately murdered by this group of well-trained, well-organized, and well-armed lunatic Muslim fanatics. Apparently the world of Islam has initiated a philosophy of "conversion through fear, intimidation, and mindless wholesale slaughter".
Sadly, in some cases, it seems to be working for them - specifically France and England. Both countries seem to have all but turned over the government to them, by practicing Political Correctness to the same extreme that the lunatic Muslims practice the enforcement of the Will of Allah! It further appears that we in the USA are the next in line to kowtow to their demands for special recognition, treatment, and accommodation. We've already begun!
The word terrorist is rarely used in media reporting of such activities. Instead, these poor, misunderstood, kill-you-in-a-New York-second, supremely evil bastards are generally referred to using the euphemism "militants". I may be wrong, but my understanding of the term "militant" is that it has historically been applied to citizens/subjects of the country in which they are conducting civil demonstrations. And, yes, I did emphasize the term "civil demonstrations", although frequently these demonstrations are considerably less civil than most people would like. They tend to devolve into acts of civil disobedience and civil disruption - which is when the rock throwing, window smashing, automobile destruction, vandalism and looting begins. But it is extremely rare that these "militants" commence firing automatic weapons and lobbing hand grenades at civilians ... or at anybody else, for that matter!
Terrorists are maniacal cowards, who murder unarmed civilians for no other reason than this - they can. They choose civilians because terrorists lack the courage to face armed opponents. For those of you with a religious bent, terrorists are a manifestation of the legions of Satan. For the rest of you, terrorists are Evil (with a capital E) incarnate - the physical embodiment of all that which can be corrupt and twisted in the mind of a human being.
WHEN WILL THE WORLD - IN UNISON - CRY OUT "ENOUGH!", and tell the masters of these rabid dogs the following:
"If a terrorist can be traced to your country, we will attempt to determine which town he or she came from ... and FLATTEN IT! If we cannot determine his or her point of origin, we will immediately assume it was the capital city ... and FLATTEN IT! If you would not like to see either of these things happen, keep your fanatics inside your own borders.
Warmest regards,The Rest of The World"
Maybe that would slow down the terrorist activity a bit. Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out!
The world needs to stop puckering up every time the Muslims demand something from us! I could be wrong ........................... but I'm NOT!
Gil
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Automotive Industry Bailout? The UAW Should Bail Out!
We have the UAW to thank for the decreasing revenues of the Big 3 U.S. automakers. Some illiterate Bozo pushing a broom in a Detroit auto plant is making $20+ per hour! Here's a breakdown of actual labor costs per hour at the Big 3, this is for hourly workers only, and does not include extremely overcompensated white-collar salaries -
Labor cost per hour, wages and benefits for hourly workers, 2006. (Correction to the below information: I have just discovered on Nov 19, 2008 that, since 2006, the average laborer's compensation package for American owned automobile manufacturers has increased to slightly over $81 per hour! Therefore the following figures for the "Big 3" are about 12% low.)
Ford: $70.51 ($141,020 per year)
GM: $73.26 ($146,520 per year)
Chrysler: $75.86 ($151,720 per year)
Toyota, Honda, Nissan (in U.S.): $48.00 ($96,000 per year)
(source: Forbes)
Is it any wonder that American auto manufacturers cannot compete in the open market? They're being strangled by labor costs! That, coupled with the fact that, across the board, Chrysler, Ford and GM produce an inferior product, when compared to the quality and durability of competing Japanese imports.
As credit availability has tightened - to the point that it should always have maintained - consumer spending has slowed to a crawl. As a result, major U.S. automakers have seen their profits fall. Severe adjustments must be made in order to bring this industry back from the brink of extinction.
1. American auto manufacturers must return to the business of building a durable product. It seems that competitors in foreign countries produce products that can last for years with little need for maintenance. Many American made vehicles often have major mechanical problems within the first year or two of usage. In order to remain competitive in an emerging global market, the auto industry must produce vehicles that are more reliable and can attain optimum gas mileage.
2. Our auto industry must not continue to give in to the crushing demands of the auto workers union. A key advantage that foreign auto makers have is they do not have to pay outlandish wages and benefits when they can simply expand or relocate to areas that do not bow to union pressures. Foreign auto makers have consistently surpassed their American counterparts in production and profitability. It is now time that the auto behemoths stand up to the unions and demand their employees work for a fair wage and competitive benefits without jeopardizing the life of the company. How does it profit the unemployed worker to say, "I used to work for Chrysler (or Ford, or GM) when they were in business." Or the underemployed worker to ask, "Would you like fries with that, sir?"
3. They need to control spending at all levels of the corporation. Many auto executives revel in lavish luxury compensation packages, fail-safe "Golden Parachutes," and outlandish bonus incentives. The only people deserving of a Golden Parachute are those who save a failing corporation, not those who failed to save it! This is true for ALL industries, not just automotive.
The average UAW worker with a high school diploma earns 57.6% more total compensation than the average university professor with a PhD (who earns about $93,000 per year), and 52.6% more than the average worker at Toyota, Honda or Nissan.
The true bailout won't come about until the UAW either renegotiates the contracts to a reasonable level of compensation, or the UAW is eliminated as the bargaining entity for those employed within the automotive manufacturing industry.
I could be wrong .............................. but I'm NOT!
Labor cost per hour, wages and benefits for hourly workers, 2006. (Correction to the below information: I have just discovered on Nov 19, 2008 that, since 2006, the average laborer's compensation package for American owned automobile manufacturers has increased to slightly over $81 per hour! Therefore the following figures for the "Big 3" are about 12% low.)
Ford: $70.51 ($141,020 per year)
GM: $73.26 ($146,520 per year)
Chrysler: $75.86 ($151,720 per year)
Toyota, Honda, Nissan (in U.S.): $48.00 ($96,000 per year)
(source: Forbes)
Is it any wonder that American auto manufacturers cannot compete in the open market? They're being strangled by labor costs! That, coupled with the fact that, across the board, Chrysler, Ford and GM produce an inferior product, when compared to the quality and durability of competing Japanese imports.
As credit availability has tightened - to the point that it should always have maintained - consumer spending has slowed to a crawl. As a result, major U.S. automakers have seen their profits fall. Severe adjustments must be made in order to bring this industry back from the brink of extinction.
1. American auto manufacturers must return to the business of building a durable product. It seems that competitors in foreign countries produce products that can last for years with little need for maintenance. Many American made vehicles often have major mechanical problems within the first year or two of usage. In order to remain competitive in an emerging global market, the auto industry must produce vehicles that are more reliable and can attain optimum gas mileage.
2. Our auto industry must not continue to give in to the crushing demands of the auto workers union. A key advantage that foreign auto makers have is they do not have to pay outlandish wages and benefits when they can simply expand or relocate to areas that do not bow to union pressures. Foreign auto makers have consistently surpassed their American counterparts in production and profitability. It is now time that the auto behemoths stand up to the unions and demand their employees work for a fair wage and competitive benefits without jeopardizing the life of the company. How does it profit the unemployed worker to say, "I used to work for Chrysler (or Ford, or GM) when they were in business." Or the underemployed worker to ask, "Would you like fries with that, sir?"
3. They need to control spending at all levels of the corporation. Many auto executives revel in lavish luxury compensation packages, fail-safe "Golden Parachutes," and outlandish bonus incentives. The only people deserving of a Golden Parachute are those who save a failing corporation, not those who failed to save it! This is true for ALL industries, not just automotive.
The average UAW worker with a high school diploma earns 57.6% more total compensation than the average university professor with a PhD (who earns about $93,000 per year), and 52.6% more than the average worker at Toyota, Honda or Nissan.
The true bailout won't come about until the UAW either renegotiates the contracts to a reasonable level of compensation, or the UAW is eliminated as the bargaining entity for those employed within the automotive manufacturing industry.
I could be wrong .............................. but I'm NOT!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
OPEC Tries Leveraging Non-OPEC Oil Producing Countries!
The following was extracted from a Reuters News Service article dated November 15, 2008 -
"TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran's OPEC governor said on Saturday talks were underway on cooperation between OPEC and producers outside the cartel to reduce oil output, following tumbling crude prices in recent months.
"Now there are negotiations that non-OPEC countries cooperate with OPEC to lower output to some extent because if they don't ... or if they increase output, they have neutralized OPEC's action," Mohammad Ali Khatibi said in an interview broadcast live on Iranian state television."
OPEC's obvious intention is to attempt to further damage a struggling world economy, while OPEC members continue to bathe in money. The question then becomes: How can the United States protect itself from energy banditry by OPEC? OPEC is made up of people who would have no petroleum industry had it not been for western exploration, organization and technology.
Here's a brief history of the development of the petroleum industry as it exists today:
1. Oil drilling began in the U.S.A. in 1859, and wasn't taken to the middle east until 1901 when the first oil concessions were contracted with Persia (now Iran).
2. 1917 - The U.S. produced two-thirds of the world's oil!
3. 1932 - The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was created as a sovereign nation, and in 1933 the first oil concessions in Saudi Arabia were granted to Standard Oil of California.
4. 1937 - Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia and, in 1945 U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and King Abdul Aziz of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, make an agreement whereby military protection of the Kingdom would be provided in exchange for oil supplies.
5. 1948 - Ghawar, the world's largest oil field, discovered in eastern Saudi Arabia.
6. 1950 - Completion of the 1,056 mile long Trans-Arabian Pipeline (TAPline). The Trans-Arabian Pipeline Company, a joint venture by Standard Oil of New Jersey (Esso), Standard Oil of California (Chevron), The Texas Company (Texaco) and Socony-Vacuum Oil Company (Mobil), was a major factor in economic development of Lebanon after independence and especially in the emergence of the south. TAPline was an important industrial adventure in global trade, the petroleum industry and American-Middle East politics.
7. 1953 - United States and Britain staged a coup d'etat against the democratically elected government of Iran's President Mohammed Mossadeq after he nationalized oil resources.
8. 1956 - Renowned Geophysicist, Dr. M. King Hubbert gave a speech outlining "the science of peak oil," in which he predicts US peak in 1970 and world peak in mid-1990s (the latter might have happened if the 1973 oil embargo had not reduced consumption).
9. 1960 - Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) formed.
10. 1961 - Iraq makes effort to seize Kuwait, stopped by British military.
11. 1964 - World oil discovery peaks.
12. 1965 - Middle East oil production exceeds that of the United States.
13. 1968 - Oil is discovered on the Alaska North Slope by British Petroleum Corp (BP).
14. 1969 - Oil is discovered in the North Sea.
15. 1971 - US petroleum production peaks.
16. 1973 - The Saudi oil embargo results in gas lines in the United States. President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger secretly contemplate seizing oil fields. The Alaska Pipeline is approved by Congressional vote, thereby exempting it from Federal law.
17. 1974 - Arab oil embargo ends.
18. 1975 - Oil drilling begins in North Sea.
19. 1977 - The Alaska pipeline opens ... President Carter gives a televised speech declaring that the energy crisis is the "moral equivalent of war."
20. 1979 - Gas lines return. On July 15th, 1979 President Jimmy Carter gave the following impassioned speech to America (emphasis added) - "What I have to say to you now about energy is simple and vitally important.
Point one: I am tonight setting a clear goal for the energy policy of the United States. Beginning this moment, this nation will never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977 -- never. From now on, every new addition to our demand for energy will be met from our own production and our own conservation. The generation-long growth in our dependence on foreign oil will be stopped dead in its tracks right now and then reversed as we move through the 1980s, for I am tonight setting the further goal of cutting our dependence on foreign oil by one-half by the end of the next decade -- a saving of over 4-1/2 million barrels of imported oil per day.
Point two: To ensure that we meet these targets, I will use my presidential authority to set import quotas. I'm announcing tonight that for 1979 and 1980, I will forbid the entry into this country of one drop of foreign oil more than these goals allow. These quotas will ensure a reduction in imports even below the ambitious levels we set at the recent Tokyo summit.
Point three: To give us energy security, I am asking for the most massive peacetime commitment of funds and resources in our nation's history to develop America's own alternative sources of fuel -- from coal, from oil shale, from plant products for gasohol, from unconventional gas, from the sun.
...In closing, let me say this: I will do my best, but I will not do it alone. Let your voice be heard. Whenever you have a chance, say something good about our country. With God's help and for the sake of our nation, it is time for us to join hands in America. Let us commit ourselves together to a rebirth of the American spirit. Working together with our common faith we cannot fail. Thank you and good night." (Point one didn't exactly come to pass, and now we're paying the price for it - again.)
21. 1988 - Alaskan pipeline production peaks - hits maximum output at three quarter billion barrels a year
22. 1990 - Iraq invades Kuwait. The United States Central Command is engaged in a war game exercise called "Internal Look" at this time that simulated Iraq invading Kuwait. In mid-August the United States starts sending troops to Saudi Arabia, Operation "Desert Shield" beings.
23. 1991 - Operation Desert Storm - US drives Iraq out of Kuwait, decimates Iraqi infrastructure.
24. 1993 - NAFTA Treaty established, which gives the United States some powers over water and fossil energy resources in Canada and Mexico.
25. 1994 - In March of 1994 Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, stated the following:
“The United States and the entire industrialized world have an enormous stake in the security of the Persian Gulf, not primarily in order to save a few dollars per gallon of gasoline but rather because a hostile regime in control of those resources could wreak untold damage on the world’s economy, and could apply that wealth to purposes that would endanger peace globally.” Wolfowitz concludes, “Given this permanent stake in the security of the Persian Gulf, the Gulf War provided an opportunity to base security on a foundation of credible commitment by the United States and its coalition partners.”
26. 2008 - The world sees oil prices top $140 per barrel, and watches as gas pump prices skyrocket.
Okay - I did say a brief history (covering 150 years in 26 points isn't excessive), and that pretty much brings us up to date. Prices have dropped significantly in October-November, but that will change if/when OPEC gets its way. What we need to do in order to protect our interests is to DRILL NOW! However, with the radical left taking control of our government in January of 2009, we undoubtedly will not do anything we need to do to insure our Nation's security - physical-, military-, economic -, or energy-security.
I could be wrong .............. and I HOPE I AM!
(but, I seriously doubt that I am ... )
Standard Liberal Voting Position
Thursday, November 13, 2008
It's Official - White Guilt Is Dead!
Sadly, I cannot take credit for the following opinion piece. I received it via email today, and was so impressed by the originality of the perspective, I felt compelled to share it with you all. I really couldn't find anything out about the author, Tom Adkins, nor could I make contact with him to get his permission to post this - so, all credit goes to him, and any blame should come to me.
Look at my fellow conservatives! There they go, glumly shuffling along, depressed by the election aftermath. Not me. I 'm virtually euphoric. Don 't get me wrong. I'm not thrilled with America's flirtation with neo socialism. But there's a massive silver lining in those magical clouds that lofted Barak Obama to the Presidency. For today, without a shred of intellectually legitimate opposition, I can loudly proclaim to America : The Era of White Guilt is over.
This seemingly impossible event occurred because the vast majority of white Americans didn't give a fluff about skin color, and enthusiastically pulled the voting lever for a black man. Not just any black man. A very liberal black man who spent his early career race-hustling banks, praying in a racist church for 20 years, and actively worked with America-hating domestic terrorists. Wow! Some resume! Yet they made Barak Obama their leader. Therefore, as of Nov 4th, 2008, white guilt is dead.
For over a century, the millstone of white guilt hung around our necks, retribution for slave-owning predecessors. In the 60s, American liberals began yanking that millstone while sticking a fork in the eye of black Americans, exacerbating the racial divide to extort a socialist solution. But if a black man can become President, exactly what significant barrier is left? The election of Barak Obama absolutely destroys the entire validation of liberal white guilt. The dragon is hereby slain.
So today, I 'm feeling a little 'uppity,' if you will. From this day forward, my tolerance level for having my skin color hustled is now exactly ZERO. And it 's time to clean house. No more Reverend Wright 's "God Damn America ", Al Sharpton's Church of Perpetual Victimization , or Jesse Jackson ' s rainbow racism. Cornell West? You 're a fraud. Go home. All those " black studies " programs that taught kids to hate whitey? You must now thank whitey. And I want that on the final.
Congressional Black Caucus? Irrelevant. Maxine Waters? Shut up. ACORN? Outlawed. Black Panthers? Go home and pet your kitty. Black separatists? Find another nation that offers better dreams. Go ahead. I'm waiting.
Gangsta rappers? Start praising America . Begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. And please; no more Ebonics. Speak English, and who knows where you might end up? Oh, yeah; pull up your pants. Your underwear is showing. You look stupid.
To those Eurosnots who forged entire careers hating America; I'm still waiting for the first black French President.
And let me offer an equal opportunity whupping. I've always despised lazy white people. Now, I can talk smack about lazy black people. You're poor because you quit school, did drugs, had three kids with three different fathers, and refuse to work. So when you plop your Colt 45-swilling, Oprah watchin' butt on the couch and complain "Da Man is keepin' me down." Allow me to inform you: Da Man is now black. You have no excuses.
No more quotas. No more handouts. No more stealing my money because someone's great-great-great-great grandparents suffered actual pain and misery at the hands of people I have no relation to, and personally revile.
It's time to toss that massive, obsolete race-hustle machine upon the heap of the other stupid 60s ideas. Drag it over there by the wife swapping, next to dope-smoking with plenty of room right between free love and cop-killing. Careful, don 't trip on streaking. There ya go, don 't be gentle. Just dump it. Wash your hands. It's filthy.
In fact, Obama's ascension created a gargantuan irony. How can you sell class envy and American unfairness when you and your black wife went to Ivy League schools, got high-paying jobs, became millionaires, bought a mansion, and got elected President? How unfair is that??? Now, Like a delicious O'Henry tale, Obama 's spread-the-wealth campaign rendered itself moot by it's own victory! America is officially a meritocracy. Obama's election has validated American conservatism!
So, listen careful - Wham!!!
That's the sound of my foot kicking the door shut on the era of white guilt. The rites have been muttered, the carcass lowered, dirt shoveled, and tombstone erected. White guilt is dead and buried.
However, despite my glee, there 's apparently one small, rabid bastion of American racism remaining. Black Americans voted 96% for Barak Obama. Hmmm. In a color-blind world, shouldn't that be 50-50? Tonight, every black person should ask forgiveness for their apparent racism and prejudice towards white people. Maybe it 's time to start spreading the guilt around.
WHITE GUILT IS DEAD
By Tom Adkins
Look at my fellow conservatives! There they go, glumly shuffling along, depressed by the election aftermath. Not me. I 'm virtually euphoric. Don 't get me wrong. I'm not thrilled with America's flirtation with neo socialism. But there's a massive silver lining in those magical clouds that lofted Barak Obama to the Presidency. For today, without a shred of intellectually legitimate opposition, I can loudly proclaim to America : The Era of White Guilt is over.
This seemingly impossible event occurred because the vast majority of white Americans didn't give a fluff about skin color, and enthusiastically pulled the voting lever for a black man. Not just any black man. A very liberal black man who spent his early career race-hustling banks, praying in a racist church for 20 years, and actively worked with America-hating domestic terrorists. Wow! Some resume! Yet they made Barak Obama their leader. Therefore, as of Nov 4th, 2008, white guilt is dead.
For over a century, the millstone of white guilt hung around our necks, retribution for slave-owning predecessors. In the 60s, American liberals began yanking that millstone while sticking a fork in the eye of black Americans, exacerbating the racial divide to extort a socialist solution. But if a black man can become President, exactly what significant barrier is left? The election of Barak Obama absolutely destroys the entire validation of liberal white guilt. The dragon is hereby slain.
So today, I 'm feeling a little 'uppity,' if you will. From this day forward, my tolerance level for having my skin color hustled is now exactly ZERO. And it 's time to clean house. No more Reverend Wright 's "God Damn America ", Al Sharpton's Church of Perpetual Victimization , or Jesse Jackson ' s rainbow racism. Cornell West? You 're a fraud. Go home. All those " black studies " programs that taught kids to hate whitey? You must now thank whitey. And I want that on the final.
Congressional Black Caucus? Irrelevant. Maxine Waters? Shut up. ACORN? Outlawed. Black Panthers? Go home and pet your kitty. Black separatists? Find another nation that offers better dreams. Go ahead. I'm waiting.
Gangsta rappers? Start praising America . Begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. And please; no more Ebonics. Speak English, and who knows where you might end up? Oh, yeah; pull up your pants. Your underwear is showing. You look stupid.
To those Eurosnots who forged entire careers hating America; I'm still waiting for the first black French President.
And let me offer an equal opportunity whupping. I've always despised lazy white people. Now, I can talk smack about lazy black people. You're poor because you quit school, did drugs, had three kids with three different fathers, and refuse to work. So when you plop your Colt 45-swilling, Oprah watchin' butt on the couch and complain "Da Man is keepin' me down." Allow me to inform you: Da Man is now black. You have no excuses.
No more quotas. No more handouts. No more stealing my money because someone's great-great-great-great grandparents suffered actual pain and misery at the hands of people I have no relation to, and personally revile.
It's time to toss that massive, obsolete race-hustle machine upon the heap of the other stupid 60s ideas. Drag it over there by the wife swapping, next to dope-smoking with plenty of room right between free love and cop-killing. Careful, don 't trip on streaking. There ya go, don 't be gentle. Just dump it. Wash your hands. It's filthy.
In fact, Obama's ascension created a gargantuan irony. How can you sell class envy and American unfairness when you and your black wife went to Ivy League schools, got high-paying jobs, became millionaires, bought a mansion, and got elected President? How unfair is that??? Now, Like a delicious O'Henry tale, Obama 's spread-the-wealth campaign rendered itself moot by it's own victory! America is officially a meritocracy. Obama's election has validated American conservatism!
So, listen careful - Wham!!!
That's the sound of my foot kicking the door shut on the era of white guilt. The rites have been muttered, the carcass lowered, dirt shoveled, and tombstone erected. White guilt is dead and buried.
However, despite my glee, there 's apparently one small, rabid bastion of American racism remaining. Black Americans voted 96% for Barak Obama. Hmmm. In a color-blind world, shouldn't that be 50-50? Tonight, every black person should ask forgiveness for their apparent racism and prejudice towards white people. Maybe it 's time to start spreading the guilt around.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Guns, Guts and ... OH MY GOD! He got elected!
Well, the election is over, and so are many of the things I had come to love as a cultural traditionalist. This is not a 'wait and see' condition, it is a given if NObama runs true to his demonstrated character. There will be a left-wing push for a Constitutional Amendment to - or revocation of - the Second Amendment, in spite of the Supreme Court's recent ruling validating the individual citizen's right to keep and bear arms.
The reaction to this possibility has been astounding! In preparation for the expected left-wing modification/elimination of our rights, gun sales have skyrocketed, applications for Concealed Firearms Permits have doubled in some areas of the country, and the availability of ammunition has become sparse in many areas across the country.
Personally, I purchased an extra 200 rounds of 5.56mm ammuntion today, and ordered three 30-round magazines for my Mini-14. This brings me up to 500 rounds and 8 magazines. Then there's my 500 rounds of .45acp, and 10 magazines, and the additional 750 rounds of 9mm, and 8 magazines - altogether about ½ of what I will eventually have on hand. Plus there's about 600 rounds of .22 long rifle ammunition. Oh - and I almost forgot! I also have 150 rounds of 12ga shotgun shells, mixed 00-buckshot and slugs. I'll need to increase that level to 300.
And now, some of you are surely wondering, "What in the hell is this guy going to do with all that ammunition?" Nothing spectacular. I will - undoubtedly - shoot some of it in the near future:
a. to insure that my guns are functioning properly, and
b. to insure that I can consistently hit whatever I may have to aim at in the distant future.
I will neither create another Ruby Ridge, nor will I start my own 'branch' of the Branch Davidians. Homey don't play that. What Homey do play is the oath that he has taken several times during his life ... I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. There's more, but as I see it, the remainder doesn't apply to me, since I am no longer a member of our active duty military, or the National Guard or Reserves - but I am, and always have been, an American citizen. And this is one citizen who takes that oath seriously! Have you noticed that in countries where private gun ownership is severely restricted - or prohibited - that their people are seldom citizens ... but, rather, SUBJECTS?
I could be wrong ....................................but I'm NOT!
The reaction to this possibility has been astounding! In preparation for the expected left-wing modification/elimination of our rights, gun sales have skyrocketed, applications for Concealed Firearms Permits have doubled in some areas of the country, and the availability of ammunition has become sparse in many areas across the country.
Personally, I purchased an extra 200 rounds of 5.56mm ammuntion today, and ordered three 30-round magazines for my Mini-14. This brings me up to 500 rounds and 8 magazines. Then there's my 500 rounds of .45acp, and 10 magazines, and the additional 750 rounds of 9mm, and 8 magazines - altogether about ½ of what I will eventually have on hand. Plus there's about 600 rounds of .22 long rifle ammunition. Oh - and I almost forgot! I also have 150 rounds of 12ga shotgun shells, mixed 00-buckshot and slugs. I'll need to increase that level to 300.
And now, some of you are surely wondering, "What in the hell is this guy going to do with all that ammunition?" Nothing spectacular. I will - undoubtedly - shoot some of it in the near future:
a. to insure that my guns are functioning properly, and
b. to insure that I can consistently hit whatever I may have to aim at in the distant future.
I will neither create another Ruby Ridge, nor will I start my own 'branch' of the Branch Davidians. Homey don't play that. What Homey do play is the oath that he has taken several times during his life ... I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. There's more, but as I see it, the remainder doesn't apply to me, since I am no longer a member of our active duty military, or the National Guard or Reserves - but I am, and always have been, an American citizen. And this is one citizen who takes that oath seriously! Have you noticed that in countries where private gun ownership is severely restricted - or prohibited - that their people are seldom citizens ... but, rather, SUBJECTS?
I could be wrong ....................................but I'm NOT!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Utah faces boycott after Mormon work for Prop 8
That's what the headline from the very liberal - and very misleading - Associated Press says. The homosexuals, homosexual bloggers, assorted homosexual supporters, and other proponents of the perverse, now claim that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka the LDS Church, or Mormon Church) should have its tax-exempt status revoked for taking a moral stand against what most people still consider to be a perverse lifestyle (this seems to be particularly true among people with strong religious convictions ... not just "Mormons"). I thought the churches of the world were supposed to be the guardians of morality - not by enforcement, but, rather, by identifcation and encouragement of moral actions! The "secular-progressives" of the world would also like to see the Ten Commandments of God, renamed "the Ten Recommendations" or perhaps "the Ten Suggestions", if not eradicated from the face of the Earth.
I am not a bible thumper, a fact to which anyone who knows me can attest, but I am familiar with the book. If the church had taken a stand for or against a particular candidate for election, I would probably agree with those who think it no longer deserves tax-exempt status. However, they came to be counted on a moral issue that had been put up for public vote, not a candidate. The Church itself had no vote! Individual Church members took individual action and voted their own conscience, based upon not just the teachings of their Church, but upon the scripture in the holy book of all Christian denominations. The word "abomination" is not used lightly, and means a bit more than "I don't like it".
I could be wrong ................................ but, I'm NOT!
I am not a bible thumper, a fact to which anyone who knows me can attest, but I am familiar with the book. If the church had taken a stand for or against a particular candidate for election, I would probably agree with those who think it no longer deserves tax-exempt status. However, they came to be counted on a moral issue that had been put up for public vote, not a candidate. The Church itself had no vote! Individual Church members took individual action and voted their own conscience, based upon not just the teachings of their Church, but upon the scripture in the holy book of all Christian denominations. The word "abomination" is not used lightly, and means a bit more than "I don't like it".
I could be wrong ................................ but, I'm NOT!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Proud We Elected A Semi-Black Man ...
The citizens of the United States of America elected a man who is black-by-choice President. Not a genuine black man, but close enough to count himself as such. He, and his Democratic handlers, knew that if he held himself up as a white man - or just a man - with no real experience, he would never stand a chance of being elected. So, they played the infamous 'race card' - which was trumped by the black pride card and the white guilt card. The result?
A totally unqualified, inexperienced, and untested man is now the President of the United States of America. May God save us from our own stupidity!
A totally unqualified, inexperienced, and untested man is now the President of the United States of America. May God save us from our own stupidity!
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