Obama move would eliminate 8 of 10 pocketknives

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency is proposing a new definition that could be used to eliminate 8 of 10 legal pocketknives in the United States

right now, according to activists who are gearing up to fight the plan.

The federal bureaucracy is accepting comments – written only – that must be received by June 21 before its planned changes could become final, but Doug Ritter of KnifeRights.org, says the implications of the decision would be far-reaching, since many state and federal agencies depend on the agency's definitions to determine what is legal in the United States.

For a long time, those switchblades that have long stiletto blades that are spring-ejected powerfully from the side or end of the handle have been illegal in the United States, but now a review by the agency of its own approval in 2008 of a particular type of knife for import is raising serious alarms. USC15, C29, Section 1241...

Sec. 1241. Definitions

-STATUTE-
As used in this chapter -
(a) The term "interstate commerce" means commerce between
any State, Territory, possession of the United States,
or the District of Columbia, and any place outside
thereof.
(b) The term "switchblade knife" means any knife having a
blade which opens automatically -
(1) by hand pressure applied to a button or other device
in the handle of the knife, or
(2) by operation of inertia, gravity, or both.

That took care of the "switchblade" knives. Now the CBP wants to include any folding knife that can be opened using only one hand in the category of "switchblade". They say the agency change came in a case involving a knife called the "VanHoy Assist," which knives first were approved by the agency in 2008. But only a few weeks ago, Frederick McCray of the agency's Intellectual Property Rights

and Restricted Merchandise Branch did a review. Obviously it didn't come from that case, since that case had already been resolved! What it came from was a change in the political administration! It was a change in political climate and political attitude that caused the review.

The VanHoy Assist is an import... but don't believe for a second that the proposed CBP restriction will sto p at imports only - that's just where CBP controls end! United States Code Title 15, Chapte r 29, sections 1241-1245 of are written in such a way that:

-STATUTE-

Whoever, within any
Territory or possession
of the United States,or
within Indian country(as defined in section 1151 of title 18),
or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction
of the United States(as defined in section 7 of title 18),
manufactures,sells, or possesses any switchblade knife, shall
be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more
than five years,or both.

Neither Obama nor his administration are friendly towards gun or knife manufacturers, nor to the tens of millions of American owners of guns or knives! And, if the fear is that a knife blade can be presented quickly, why have they not included fixed blade knives, which blade is always extended? Probably ONLY because there is no button to press, and even the village idiot could understand that without a button there is no "switch" for the blade to classify it as a switchblade. Isn't a blade that is concealed less dangerous than one that is omnipresent, regardless of the method of opening? Fixed blade knives are probably next on the elimination agenda.

I can understand the prohibition against "ballistic knives" (USC15, Sec. 1245 - those from which a detachable blade is ejected from the front of the knife when a button is pressed) which would never have a useful function as a "tool", any more than a dart could be considered a "tool". But, both pocketknives and fixed blade knives have been used as tools for centuries!

There are roughly 140 million people walking around America with pocketknives in their pocket - and, of that 140 million, approximately 112 million (80%) would be legislated into the status of criminals by this Draconian change in policy.

Isn't it interesting how quickly the boots of tyranny trample the rights of "free people"... and how little resistance there is to it?

I could be wrong about this I suppose...

U.S. war funding bill brims with unrelated extras - Reuters

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A $100 billion bill to fund U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is rapidly accumulating extra items such as money for military aircraft the Pentagon doesn't want and possibly a scheme to jump-start sagging auto sales.

The cars and planes are not directly linked to the U.S. war effort. But they are typical of Congress' penchant for loading bills with unrelated spending in hopes the funds will sail through on the strength of the main legislation...

Democratic Representative John Murtha, who heads the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, managed to get $3.1 billion for eight C-17 and 11 C-130 military transport planes included. However, that has been pared back by four C-130s.

The Pentagon did not request the aircraft but lawmakers want them to preserve jobs in their home states and Murtha disputes the military's contention that they are not needed."

OINK!! Talk about PORK! We're expected to pay for military aircraft that the military neither wants nor needs?? And "Murtha disputes the military's contention that they are not needed." How would Murtha know better than the end-user what they need or don't need? Murtha's military experience is limited to 3 years of active duty - at the end of which he was probably a 1st Lieutenant - and a career in the USMC Reserves (with one year of voluntary active duty during the Vietnam conflict) from which he retired as a Colonel in 1990. He's been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1974! How would he have any idea what the military needs? His practical military knowledge is 40 years old! What a DB! Murtha seems to have donned the mantle of Assistant Messiah.

If the military says they don't need something, take their word for it. Perhaps they would rather have more/better armor for their HumVees! Here's a revolutionary idea... ASK them what they need and give that to them instead of slicing off more bacon! This little piggy went to Congress...

I could be wrong about this... and Murtha could have a bit of common sense, but both assumptions are incorrect!

Suspect in Kan. Doctor's Death Warns of Violence - Associated Press

"WICHITA, Kan. – Abortion providers say that threats of more slayings from a man accused in the shooting death of a high-profile Kansas abortion doctor proves the existence of a "violent, terrorist movement" coalescing around the issue.

Scott Roeder called The Associated Press Sunday from the Sedgwick County jail, where he's being held on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault in the shooting death of Dr. George Tiller last week at the doctor's church in Wichita.

"I know there are many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal," Roeder said. When asked by the AP if he was referring to another shooting, he refused to elaborate.

"He is a terrorist — there is no question about that. I don't believe he is an isolated terrorist," said Dr. LeRoy Carhart, a Nebraska abortion provider who also practiced at Tiller's Wichita clinic." My guess is that the only terrorism being perpetrated is inflicted by Carhart's conscience.

Terrorist? From what I have heard about the case so far, Roeder is probably no more a terrorist than the Pope. But, if he is not a part of a vast nationwide conspiracy to kill baby killers, what is he? Can you say NUTJOB? Roeder is a psychological anomaly among the ranks of the anti-abortion crowd. I read a statistic today, that claimed 3-4% of our population could be classified with some degree of psychopathology. For the sake of a number, let's say that the anti-abortionists have an active membership of 10,000 across the country. That would give them roughly 300-400 seriously mentally disturbed members... or, about the same number of mentally deranged members as we have serving in our Congress.

Maybe it's time to re-think "hate crimes" and include profession as one of the specially protected categories. We can reach that conclusion through the process of elimination: if somebody willfully takes the life of another human being - a person that they don't even know - and the taking of that life wasn't during the commission of robbery, or other felony or capital crime, then it must be a "hate crime" since all other motives have been eliminated. And the legislature will certainly include attorneys in that special protections group. After all, what profession is more despised than lawyers? And lawyers comprise 90% of our legislators.

"Reality TV": It's More than Just An Oxy... Moron!

Big Brother... Survivor... The Great Race! Interesting, somewhat entertaining concepts being presented to television audiences as "Reality TV". Everybody that believes there's such a thing as "Reality Television" please raise your hand. (Put your hand back down, Billy Jim-Bob! Y'all ain't been right in the head since you peed on that electric fence.) Okay, the short bus will be along to pick you 4 people up tomorrow morning. (Strangely, these shows - for the most-part - have been quite successful, with repeated renewal contracts for several consecutive seasons.)

There's as much "reality" in Reality TV, as there is in professional wrestling. Why do you think the "World Wrestling Federation" had to change its name to "World Wrestling Entertainment"? There's probably more reality in a Spongebob Squarepants cartoon than there is in "Reality TV"! Anybody who hasn't figured out, after how long now - 5 years? - of "Reality TV", that the programs are fully scripted and choreographed should be made a ward of the courts.

Personally, I watched the first episode of Big Brother and Survivor, and haven't watched another show of that type since. Perhaps they should rename that genre of entertainment to something like "Simulated Reality TV", or "Pseudo-Reality TV". But don't give me a bowl of BS and tell me it's ice cream!

Unpleasant as it may have been to watch, "Reality TV" is what was broadcast on September 11, 2001, live, from New York City. THAT was reality! Even our documentaries are modified to meet the expectations of the producer, just as our news is adjusted to support the political views of the publisher or station owner. That which we call "reality" is our own personal perception of the interaction between man and his environment. If your reality includes a hopping rodent with large floppy ears and a basket full of goodies, or a fat man in a red suit whose M.O. is to enter homes under cover of darkness via the chimney, then you are a prime candidate for "Reality TV". I have no quarrel with entertainment television. In fact, I LOVE entertainment TV! But, let's call a spade a spade - it's not a manually operated personal soil removal and entrenchment device - regardless of what it says on the US Government Bill of Lading!

I usually end by saying, "I could be wrong about this..." but, there's not a snowball's chance this time.

Obama Continues To Pander To Muslims, Desires Unsustainable World Conditions

In a much-touted speech delivered from Cairo, Barak Hussein Obama (NMP) outlined what he sees as the first and second greatest sources of tension between the Muslim world and the United States. Al-Qaeda topped his list, but Israel came in as the second greatest source of tension. The president said, “Israel has been depriving the Palestinians of their homeland for sixty years.”

The president made another point in his speech: “And any nation– including Iran –should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu does not believe that a state which is the center of gravity for world terrorism has the right to have any nuclear power, period.

My question is this: Is Obama's understanding of the history of the middle East that weak, or does he just choose to ignore that history it in favor of his Muslim brethren? It annoys me when people ignore - or worse, pervert - historical data to justify their own position. Everybody seems to overlook the fact that the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah were taken from the Jews by the Romans as retribution for the "Great Revolt" in 66AD. Jewish lands were seized and partitioned. The Jewish Kingdoms of Israel and Judah had existed for about 1,000 years before the Roman Emperor, Hadrian, partitioned it around 135AD and renamed the land that was Israel and Judea "Syria Palaestina". THERE WAS NO "PALESTINE" PRIOR TO THAT! True, the nation of Israel is built upon stolen land, but the Jews are not the thieves. That small plot of land called Israel was originally about thirty- five times larger than it is today, or roughly encompassing 85% of what we refer to today as the "middle East". Israel is recovered land!

His second point - in a display of absolute ignorance - supports Iran's continued nuclear development, which begs another question... why does a major oil-producing country need "nuclear power"? That is what Iranian President Mahmoud I'manutjob claims is their goal. This claim from a country whose entire national culture seems to be built around the total destruction of tiny Israel! The frothing-at-the-mouth, mad-dog leadership of Iran has frequently called for Israel to "be wiped from the face of the Earth". Not only does it show Obama's ignorance, this international kow-towing will be seen by the "Muslim world" as yet another sign of American lack of resolve and weakness.

The evolution of international relationships is based on a popular rule of triadic interaction: "the friend of my friend is my friend, the friend of my enemy is my enemy, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, the enemy of my friend is my enemy". The rule is shown to lead to the formation and preservation of unipolar and bipolar configurations of nations, with the strengths of relationships, both friendly and conflictual, intensifying through time. International alliances are also conditions of convenience for each member of the alliance. When, at some point in time, the risks of such an alliance are seen to outweigh the benefits, one or more of the parties involved will "jump ship" out of a sense of self-preservation. This may be more than just an abandonment of the alliance... your old ally may defect to the "other side", becoming the friend of your enemy.

I submit that, based upon human behavioral patterns, there is a quaternary interdiction - "the enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend". International "befriending" is based upon which of the available competing nations is best liked ... or, for those of you of the "cup is half empty" persuasion, that nation which is the least despised. Those are conditions which are subject to change at any given point in time.

As I have said before, in any negotiation, personal or international, he who negotiates from a position of strength will always walk away from the negotiating table with "the lion's share". One cannot successfully negotiate from a position of weakness (in the animal kingdom the weak are referred to as "food").

I could be absolutely wrong about this... show me.

When The Russians Can See Where We Are Headed, Why Can't Most Of Us See it?

The article below was written by Stanislav Mishin, a blogger and columnist for the Russian newspaper Pravda.

American capitalism gone with a whimper . . . . .

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.

True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.

Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.

First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather than the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas than the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us (Russia) about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blinds the foolish.

Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox (Russian Orthodox) churches are scandalously liberalized in America.

The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more than another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.

These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more than ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?

These men, of course, are not an elected panel but made up of appointees picked from the very financial oligarchs and their henchmen who are now gorging themselves on trillions of American dollars, in one bailout after another. They are also usurping the rights, duties and powers of the American congress (parliament). Again, congress has put up little more then a whimper to their masters.

Then came Barack Obama's command that GM's (General Motor) president step down from leadership of his company. That is correct, dear reader, in the land of "pure" free markets, the American president now has the power, the self given power, to fire CEOs and we can assume other employees of private companies, at will. Come hither, go dither, the centurion commands his minions.

So it should be no surprise that the American president has followed this up with a "bold" move of declaring that he and another group of unelected, chosen stooges will now redesign the entire automotive industry and will even be the guarantee of automobile policies. I am sure that if given the chance, they would happily try and redesign it for the whole of the world, too. Prime Minister Putin, less then two months ago, warned Obama and UK's Blair, not to follow the path to Marxism, it only leads to disaster. Apparently, even though we suffered 70 years of this Western sponsored horror show, we know nothing, as foolish, drunken Russians, so let our "wise" Anglo-Saxon fools find out the folly of their own pride.

Again, the American public has taken this with barely a whimper...but a "freeman" whimper.

So, should it be any surprise to discover that the Democratically controlled Congress of America is working on passing a new regulation that would give the American Treasury department the power to set "fair" maximum salaries, evaluate performance and control how private companies give out pay raises and bonuses? Senator Barney Franks, a social pervert basking in his homosexuality (of course, amongst the modern, enlightened American societal norm, as well as that of the general West, homosexuality is not only not a looked down upon life choice, but is often praised as a virtue) and his Marxist enlightenment, has led this effort. He stresses that this only affects companies that receive government monies, but it is retroactive and taken to a logical extreme, this would include any company or industry that has ever received a tax break or incentive.

The Russian owners of American companies and industries should look thoughtfully at this and the option of closing their facilities down and fleeing the land of the Red as fast as possible. In other words, divest while there is still value left.

The proud American will go down into his slavery with out a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world, how free he really is. The world will only snicker.

Stanislav Mishin

I wish I could say he was wrong... but he's not! WAKE UP AMERICA!!

$500M shipwreck treasure ordered back to Spain

"TAMPA, Florida (AP) — Florida deep-sea explorers who raised an estimated $500 million treasure from the 200-year-old wreck of a Spanish galleon should give all the loot back to Spain, a federal magistrate judge said." Here's the problem I have with that kind of thinking...

The Spanish Naval galleon, Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes y las Animas sunk in the Atlantic Ocean under unspecified circumstances in 1804. If Spain was that concerned about the loss of the ship's cargo, where was their due diligence for recovery during the last 205 years? At the very most, I would award the Spanish government the actual value of the cargo at the time of loss, and then invoke the universal law of "Finders Keepers".

Spain apparently did nothing to recover the bounty of the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes y las Animas, but instead, chose to wait until it was discovered and recovered after a great expenditure of time, effort and money, by somebody else!

The two-year tug-of-war over the 17 tons of silver coins and other artifacts from what is believed to be the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes y las Animas is likely far from over. Odyssey Marine Exploration created an international stir when it announced in May 2007 that the 500,000 silver coins and other artifacts had been raised from an Atlantic Ocean wreck and flown back to Tampa. Spain then went to U.S. District Court claiming ownership of the treasure if it is in any way connected to the country's national heritage. Odyssey said it will oppose Wednesday's written recommendation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pizzo, which will be considered by another federal judge who will issue an order later.

There is neither logic nor equity to this ruling. Rewarding 205 years of indolence and indifference by the Spanish government, versus the initiative and efforts of a publicly held corporation is obviously international politics in action. There is no justice in such a decision.

If Spain is only concerned about the treasure's connection "to the country's national heritage", let them purchase it from Odyssey at today's market value. Then Spain would have this critical link to their "national heritage" - which is apparently priceless to them - and Odyssey would be fully compensated. Or, as an alternative, Odyssey could gift Spain with one coin of each denomination, and perhaps one cluster known as "pieces of eight", and there is their "national heritage" from history.

But, as anybody with any intelligence can see, the true motivation for Spain's attempt to involve our courts in legally pirating this treasure trove from Odyssey is GREED! Odyssey did not sink the ship... nor is Odyssey responsbile for this treasure lying undisturbed at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for over 200 years! Odyssey showed initiative uninvoked by Spain, and for demonstrating this commendable American trait our government court system wishes to punish them? What's wrong with this picture?

I could be completely wrong in the way I see this issue... all I need is for somebody to explain to me the error of my line of reasoning.

Obama Declares June To Be LGBT Pride Month

Just what we needed... a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month! When is "Heterosexual Pride Month"? Which month is "I Am Comfortable In the Sexual Assignment I Was Born Into Month"? What's next... Pedophile Appreciation Month?

I believe we should have a "Common Sense In Governmental Recognition of Positive Achievements Month"? Unfortunately there is one major stumbling block for that one - common sense and Government have been proven to be mutually exclusive terms!

Why in the world should anybody's sexual dysfunctions be given recognition for a second, much less an entire month? It makes about as much sense as "Regular Bowel Movement Pride Day", or "I Haven't Wet The Bed Since I was Three Years Old Pride Day". Bodily waste removal functions are something all human beings have in common, so why not recognize them instead of peoples sexual perversions?

Yes, in the spirit of "calling a spade a spade", I said the Politically Incorrect word perversions.
With thanks to Merriam-Websters Online Dictionary, I provide the definition (for those of you who may not understand the word):

Main Entry:

per·ver·sion

Pronunciation:

\pər-ˈvər-zhən, -shən\

Function:

noun

Date:

14th century

1: the action of perverting : the condition of being perverted
2: a perverted form ; especially : an aberrant sexual practice or interest especially when habitual

In case you also don't understand the word "perverted" Here's M-W again:
1 a: turned away from what is right or good : corrupt b: improper, incorrect

Now, dictionaries (thus far, anyway) are not published by politicians or theologians of any stripe, but rather by lexicographers - people who simply deal in words and their meanings! At this point in time they have not yet been subverted by the politically correct left, who are inclined toward revisionist English (which is a good fit with their love of revisionist history).

The path down which Obama is taking our nation is the path to destruction. If our founding fathers could see what is being done to - and by - our government they would be spinning in their graves. Establishing a Perverts Pride month, bowing to foreign heathen royalty while apologizing for our existence, nationalizing corporations and financial institutions, supporting those who are unwilling to support themselves through personal effort, pushing to increase the citizens dependence upon the government for all things, are all red flags that should be warning Americans that this is not the way!

There is no free lunch. We should, through application of our individual labors and skills, earn the bread upon our table. There may be a free lunch someday though... when Obama declares a national Coprophagic Appreciation Day. As for myself... I'll eat the bologna sandwich that I brought.

I could be wrong about this... but that's just a possibility,not a likelihood.

Obama Says U.S. Could Be Seen as a Muslim Country

As President Obama prepared to leave Washington to fly to the Middle East, he conducted several television and radio interviews at the White House. In an interview with Laura Haim on Canal Plus, a French television station, Obama noted that the United States also could be considered as “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world."

He also said the United States and other parts of the Western world “have to educate ourselves more effectively on Islam.” I agree with that statement... but, unlike Barack Hussein Obama, who envisions all the world leaders sitting around a gigantic campfire while holding hands and singing "Kumbaya", I would put it under the heading of "know thy enemy".

We have no true friends in the middle east, although we do have some reasonably reliable political allies in the area. Saudi Arabia has been declared by Washington as one of our staunchest allies in the region, and that may be true - to the point that any Muslim can be a "staunch ally" of a non-Muslim. The religion of Islam prohibits befriending non-Muslims, but encourages the manipulation of political relationships to give the appearance of friendship. Essentially this is an allegiance of convenience. When the "friendship" is no longer beneficial to a Muslim, he may then terminate it, and turn upon his old "friend". And, when "the fit hits the Shan," it's the Muslims against everybody else - and there is almost 1,500 years of history which support that claim.

But then, I could be completely wrong about this... and Obama could be looking for a lost contact lens, not really bowing before King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Obama Supports Saudi Royals Immunity in 9/11 Lawsuit

In another one of his trademark "I have no idea what I'm doing." moves, the Obama administration - shortly after his last visit to Saudi Arabia, and just prior to another scheduled meeting with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah during his upcoming Middle East visit, has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to protect Saudi Arabia and four of its princes from being held accountable for their alleged role in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the United States!

Through its solicitor general, Elena Kagan, the Obama administration has asked that the Saudis be held immune under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, or FSIA, even though there is ample U.S. evidence of complicity by the Saudi government and the named princes in support of al-Qaida's attack. This action would deny American survivors of those 3,000+ killed in the attacks on the Twin Towers the right to seek court remedies for their losses.

Is there any sign of justice in this action? Is there any indication that Obama has the best interests of Americans in any of his executive actions thus far? Is it any wonder that Iran and North Korea are testing Obama's ability to lead, and that the test results continue to show his failure of those tests? "Strongly worded letter to follow" is not much a deterrent to mentally unbalanced foreign leaders. Unfortunately, Obama's failure to take immediate and strong action will also be the failure of the United States of America.

I could be wrong about this, but only if the sun fails to raise in the morning.