tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76526084820750756092024-03-13T18:26:01.818-07:00Apopka Snake Ranch-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-76173237091630653012011-09-29T07:07:00.000-07:002011-09-29T07:12:58.589-07:00Blatant dishonesty...just a means to an end<span class="Apple-style-span" >This video made the rounds earlier this week--a law student at GWU who was "protesting" on Wall Street and claiming that Chase Bank took his parents' home, even though they "played by the rules." His story is a complete lie. How stupid do these people think the rest of us are? Did he really think no one would check out his story?</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2011/09/26/video-liberal-protestor-chokes-on-silver-spoon/">Liberal Protestor Chokes on Silver Spoon</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >For these enemies of the Founders' Republic, the end always justifies the means.</span></div>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-88417625187538521452011-09-28T12:41:00.000-07:002011-09-28T13:54:00.487-07:00UA's naive children protest HB 56<span class="Apple-style-span" >After lunch I happened across a group of students protesting Alabama HB 56 (the immigration law). It was about what I expected. I was amused by one sign which read "Down with this sort of thing!" (visible at the :04 mark of the video below). The others were the typical racism-based arguments, rooted in emotion rather than logic. I hope these kids grow up to use their brains rather than their bleeding hearts.</span><div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxU738pIPdnI2wS3qeIf2zCs1ajmvOoD5q35xqACxq9L9R7ScYwlcRv8uudLKyNHhBZCfUTp2FR1XsGTQOwqg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I got a couple of decent photos, too:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2QHcNXVNcqagUsNerAM8CpTqfovrjCUBP-ui6hqqMZpHsGL_kvJJesnWNnj8W5H5jnLNAk0RyOm1gUg48LpIbCMBtraLau__VY8OqBFkJG5KkfD1Ns4hk81WUd21l5ocYZk5eNINsp6v/s320/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657514595564302370" style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Very original.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpxl7ABVAacnN36-2XgkiWZGsXa0cZ4FCGa0Olz4MwewxQNv4BZjD6uvyOy6yFudp5ZR6nEdQTtuaum-iJmg36ukzH_9Hbh7Hap1wDs4dduNQ70SWTW9GzFBU0bxxqw4WI9XRU5qdgWrX/s1600/photo.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpxl7ABVAacnN36-2XgkiWZGsXa0cZ4FCGa0Olz4MwewxQNv4BZjD6uvyOy6yFudp5ZR6nEdQTtuaum-iJmg36ukzH_9Hbh7Hap1wDs4dduNQ70SWTW9GzFBU0bxxqw4WI9XRU5qdgWrX/s320/photo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657514911359836482" style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >This one says "Illegals create more jobs than Republicans."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Hmm...I don't remember the last time I heard about an illegal immigrant hiring a legal one to do a job. That would be the definition of an illegal creating a job. But don't try explaining that to this protester.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I sort of hoped that some of the real wackos like CODEPINK, A.N.S.W.E.R., etc. might show up, but I guess Tuscaloosa isn't big enough to have those folks who just show up at any protest with a sign for their (unrelated) cause. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >WVUA was on location, and there was at least one other news camera on site, but I'm not sure who they were with. Hopefully they'll provide commentary from supporters of HB 56 as well.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >At the end of the day, though, we got some good news: Judge Blackburn <a href="http://www.whnt.com/news/whnt-what-the-judge-upheld-alabamas-immigration-law-20110928,0,6889304.story">upheld most of the law</a> today. I'll post more later about what was struck down.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-75840981879304291492011-07-14T12:58:00.000-07:002011-07-14T13:09:18.783-07:00A chilling comment by the president<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In a press conference yesterday, President Obama said something that I think reveals a lot about what he and others on the left believe:</span><br /><br /><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <blockquote>...in fact, I'm able to keep hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional income that I don't need, while a parent out there who is struggling to figure out how to send their kid to college suddenly finds that they've got a couple thousand dollars less in grants or student loans.</blockquote></em><div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So anyone who brings in more money than they spend doesn't "need" it? It's not up to government to decide whether I "need" any of the money I make. Indeed, this is a recipe for economic disaster, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/07/12/obama-unneeded-income-belongs-to-the-government/#ixzz1S6zko0hz">as John Steele Gordon puts it</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">:</span><br /><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Take away the income the rich “don’t need” and spend it on social programs, and capital formation in this country drops to zero.</span></blockquote>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-51700582472358762832011-06-27T07:08:00.000-07:002011-06-27T07:10:26.953-07:00An interesting perspective<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">on the police state.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://mises.org/daily/5317/The-Police-State-Is-Personal">The Police State is Personal</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">The American government exerts extreme control over society, down to dictating which foods you may eat. Its economic control borders on the absolute. It politicizes and presides over even the traditional bastion of </span><a style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://mises.org/daily/5300/Paranoia-Is-Good-for-You">privacy</a><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> — the family. Camera and other surveillance of daily life has soared, with the Supreme Court recently expanding the "right" of police to perform warrantless searches. Enforcement is so draconian that the United States has more prisoners per capita than any other nation</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">...</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-66911751664215203412010-04-19T20:29:00.000-07:002010-04-19T21:57:40.844-07:00Leaving Lake View<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My wife and I have lived in Lake View since August 2005. When we moved here, she had just started a job at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, and I was about to start graduate school at UA. We were fortunate to find a new house in a great location, with the best neighbors we could have asked for.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My wife left Children’s Hospital in the winter of 2008 to take a new job in Tuscaloosa, where I was already working for UA. After a year of commuting, we decided that we were tired of the drive, and we began looking around to see if there were any houses we liked in town.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In December 2009, we found a house that we both really liked, and we signed a contract to buy it—contingent on the sale of our house, of course. We listed our house with as low an asking price as possible, considering the market has been down—especially in our area. We waited patiently, but only a handful of people came to see it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Last Tuesday, a couple from Birmingham came to see the house, and they took a second viewing on Friday. This weekend they made an offer, and we negotiated and reached an agreement. We signed a contract to sell our house today. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We will be leaving Lake View at the end of May and moving to Tuscaloosa. Unfortunately, this means that I will have to resign my seat on the Lake View town council. This was a tough decision to make, but ultimately it is the best decision for my family. I wish we could have done more to solve some of Lake View’s ongoing problems during my time on the council; I hope I will be able to continue to work to help the town in the future, even if it is in an unofficial capacity.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-28333587426528189212010-03-25T22:15:00.000-07:002010-03-25T22:31:44.043-07:00The Democrats fear for their safety<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the wake of their passage of ObamaCare™, it seems that a </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100325/D9ELTLUG0.html">number of congressmen</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> have had threatening phone messages from constituents or vandalism at their offices (or symbolic gestures like the </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34982.html">coffin left at Russ Carnahan’s office</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">). Some Democrats now say they are </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34983.html">afraid for their safety</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. In the meantime, our </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><s>Dear Leader</s></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> president </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2522952320100325">sounds as arrogant as ever</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, mocking opponents of the bill for “acting as if (it) would lead to ‘Armageddon.’”</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />I think it is a good thing that these tyrants are afraid. It’s about damn time they were afraid. They gallivant around Washington and spend our money like there’s no tomorrow, all the while looking down their noses at we “little people” in “flyover country.” They are the political elites, the ruling class, and they have believed for too long that they are better than us—that they are above us somehow. They are drunk on power, and they think they can do whatever they want without consequence. They ought to respect the people who put them in their positions; perhaps a little fear will lead to that respect.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />I’m not advocating bloodshed, but I hope the people continue to voice their displeasure in no uncertain terms. As Sarah Palin said, “Don’t retreat…RELOAD!” Either these tyrants will get the message and start actually listening to their constituents, or they will find themselves cast out of the Capitol by the people’s pitchforks and torches (or perhaps rifles and shotguns).</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-81365645218407048132010-03-17T23:10:00.000-07:002010-03-17T23:19:58.533-07:00On the current unpleasantness in D.C.<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://apopkasnakeranch.blogspot.com/2009/11/3-possible-solutions-to-our-big.html">A few months ago</a>, I said that the health care “reform” bill, if passed, could be the catalyst that leads to real change in our system of government. (What we have now is a perversion of what our founding fathers created; it needs radical change—indeed, it may need to be destroyed and reborn from the ashes.)</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Little did we know the lengths to which our “representatives” in Washington would go in order to pass this terrible piece of legislation. What is happening on Capitol Hill right now is tyranny, plain and simple. Our Declaration of Independence stated:</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I submit that the actions of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Louise Slaughter, and the rest of them are worse than anything that George III did to the Colonies. Certainly we the people have petitioned for redress repeatedly over the last several months, but our petitions have been ignored or answered with outright arrogance and contempt. Now these despots are changing their own rules in the middle of the game and completely ignoring the Constitution: they plan to “deem the Senate bill passed” without holding an up-or-down vote on it. And for what? Do they really think we are that stupid?</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />There was a time when men loved liberty enough that they would have given these tyrants the fate they deserve: their heads would be on pikes outside the Capitol, or they would hang from the trees on the National Mall.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Instead, the bill will likely pass. And what will happen in 2010 and 2012? Will the Republicans regain power and repeal the act? Not likely; if their candidates run on the premise of repealing the health care act, Democrats will do the same thing they’ve done for years with Social Security: use scare tactics. They’ll wail “Republicans are going to take away your health care!” Entitlements are nearly impossible to remove once they are enacted, and this is the biggest and most expensive entitlement of all.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Perhaps passage of the bill will act as the catalyst I referred to previously. <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g0LSHNfmnWDnZ_JylqiFxeT5GKEQD9EGLNDO0">Thirty-seven states have pending legislation</a> that will require their attorneys general to sue the federal government if it requires the states’ residents to purchase health insurance, and Iowa just signed this into law.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But will any states go further? Many states have passed “sovereignty resolutions” over the past year, asserting their autonomy under the 10th Amendment. Will any threaten to secede? If a state does secede, will the federal government take any action?</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />If there were a legitimate threat of secession by any state, it might be enough for the federal government to begin reining itself in. Is there anything else, short of outright rebellion, that can stop the growth of this monster?</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-74779519688813040552010-01-16T17:49:00.000-08:002010-01-16T17:58:07.322-08:00Only the good die youngA friend of mine, <a href="http://www.umcmatt.com">Matt Miller</a>, passed away today. He was only 25, but he touched the lives of many people.<br /><br />The "About Me" section on Matt's Facebook page said:<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I strive to live life different. When I die I want people to say that I had a positive impact on the lives of the people that I came into contact with because I was willing to do things, say things, and give things other only dreamed about, and I want to have have fun while I do it.</span></blockquote><br />I for one am sure that he succeeded. The world is worse off without him.<br /><br />Godspeed, Matt.-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-90166892507968495542009-11-08T23:12:00.000-08:002009-11-08T23:17:50.839-08:003. Possible solutions to our big-government problem; their viability; and How the health care debate factors in.<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A few weeks ago I mentioned what I believe are the three basic options we have for saving our Republic. Now I will expound on them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I. Overthrowing the federal government via armed revolution.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">There are numerous problems with this approach, not the least of which is that it essentially constitutes treason. Even conspiring to overthrow the federal government is treasonous, so orchestrating such a rebellion would be very difficult. Some would point to the overwhelming military might of the United States Army as another obstacle; however, I personally believe that if a group of patriots were able to plan and execute such a revolution, they would actually meet with little resistance, as I think most of our military personnel would refuse to comply with orders to fire on American citizens.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Of course, victory (should such a plan be carried out) would mean that the tyrants who presently rule us would be removed from power. But what then? If a coup d’état were successful, what would we do after seizing power? The blueprints are there—the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—so there is no reason to reinvent the wheel. We’d just need to actually follow them this time—which would require electing a completely new slate of representatives to serve in government. Fortunately, there is a way to achieve this without the violence of revolution…</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">II. Elimination of ALL current elected officials from office</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We could get back on the path our founding fathers intended by voting out every last elected official at our first opportunity. We would also need to eliminate the politicians’ primary motive—reelection—by imposing term limits via a Constitutional amendment. As I mentioned recently, the halls of government are filled with career politicians, many of whom have served for decades. Their first priority is to get reelected, and the surest way to do this is to increase the number of people who are dependent on government—and this is exactly what they have done. I believe we should vote out every incumbent, regardless of party affiliation, in the next election—and replace them with candidates who have not previously served. By limiting them to only two terms, we can remove their incentive to increase the size and scope of government, since they know they will have to eventually return to private life—and be governed by the laws and policies they put in place.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Unfortunately, I do not believe our electorate has either the will or the intelligence to accomplish this. Apathy is rampant, and so many people who do vote are terribly uninformed. Voters also lack the resolve to vote out their own representatives—they may agree with these calls for action, but when they go to the ballot box, they say to themselves, “534 of these people need to go—but mine has been doing a good job.” Simply electing a handful of new representatives scattered across the nation will not accomplish anything—they ALL need to go. Since I don’t believe our voter base is competent enough to accomplish this, I present the third option…</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">III. Dissolution of the Union, and reorganization into regional governments.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I believe this is the most feasible solution for the future of these United States. It is more likely to occur than a complete turnover of elected officials, and it can be accomplished without violence. Were one state to secede from the Union, others would surely follow—and I do not believe that the federal government would attempt to preserve the Union by force as it did in 1861.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Why did the original 13 states decide to unite under a central federal government? As expressed in the Constitution, it was to “insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare…” Certainly three or four regional governments could accomplish this better than the single behemoth we have today. The fifty States are spread across the continent, and their interests vary a great deal. Regional alliances of States could accomplish the same goals more efficiently than the current union.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I believe the current “health care reform” proposal in Congress may play an important role in determining the direction our Union goes. It provides a galvanizing issue for those, like myself, who would like to put an end to the continuous growth of government and return to the limited government intended by our founding fathers. Such a rallying point is essential if we are to convince the citizenry to take action. If this proposal passes in its worst form, it may indeed spur secession. However, if a weakened or significantly altered proposal (perhaps one without a “public option”) is signed into law, then not only will it work further damage to our economy and strike another blow against liberty, but it will also pave the way for future passage of the worst version. Unfortunately, those future changes would have a much smaller chance of galvanizing resistance the way the current version has over the last few months.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-10446258852916547482009-09-29T22:06:00.000-07:002009-09-29T22:20:19.717-07:002. 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67698715;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:roman-upper; mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; margin-left:.75in; text-indent:-.5in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">Our founding fathers envisioned a nation where citizens would live free of government intrusion into their daily lives.<span style=""> </span>Men were supposed to be able to engage in commerce without interference from the state, with the court system resolving matters that could not be worked out between citizens.<span style=""> </span>Government was not supposed to get involved with contracts between private citizens.<span style=""> </span>Today, the federal government regulates the size of the toilets we install in our houses, and mandates that we use a certain kind of light bulb (the incandescent bulb <a href="http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59298">will be illegal beginning in 2014</a>).<span style=""> </span>I think we can all agree that there are areas where regulation is necessary, but we’ve been beyond that reasonable level of government involvement for a long time.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">Now our federal government is designing a plan they call health care “reform” that will result in government control over citizens’ access to health insurance, and by extension, to health care.<span style=""> </span>Our representatives insist on passing some form of this legislation, even though a majority of the citizenry is opposed to it.<span style=""> </span>Somewhere along the line, our political class decided that they don’t answer to “we the people” any more; in fact, many of them <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/aug/16/video-rep-massa-i-will-vote-against-interests-my-d/">think they know what’s best for us</a> (and that we don’t know what is best for ourselves).<span style=""> </span>This is tyranny—make no mistake about it.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">The current administration is making radical policy proposals, but our government is already redistributing wealth at levels that will be difficult to sustain.<span style=""> </span>Obama’s policies, if enacted, will push us over the brink.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">From the nonprofit, nonpartisan <a href="http://www.taxfoundation.org/">Tax Foundation</a>:</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">In Fiscal Year 2010, before Obama's major policies on taxes, health care and climate change are enacted:</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Collectively, families in the bottom 60 percent of the income scale (those with market income below $86,000) will receive more back in government spending during the upcoming fiscal year than they pay in taxes. The top 40 percent of families will collectively pay more in taxes than they receive in spending.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Overall, federal tax and spending policies will redistribute $826 billion from the top 40 percent of families to the bottom 60 percent. In other words, the majority of American families currently receive more in federal spending than they pay in taxes.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">More than 70 percent (or $592 billion) of the total amount redistributed is paid by the roughly 5 million families comprising the top 5 percent, those with market incomes above $280,000. At the other end of the income scale, more than half of redistributed benefits flow to the nearly 34 million families in the bottom two income groups—those with market incomes below roughly $23,500. Fully 80 percent of the redistributed benefits flows to families earning under $50,000, a total of 66 million families overall.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">…</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">In 2012, after all of Obama's policies are in place, the amount redistributed from the top 5 percent of families will grow in real terms to $770 billion, a 34 percent increase over current levels. Every other income group will benefit from the increased amount taken from the top 5 percent of families and the group of families who, on average, get more back in spending than they pay in taxes will jump to 70 percent of all families.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">(More in-depth explanation, including charts and graphs, can be found <a href="http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/25196.html">here</a>.)</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">We cannot continue along this path.<span style=""> </span>What happens when the highest income earners, who already shoulder so much of the load, decide to leave—or, like John Galt, just cease to be productive?<span style=""> </span>The whole house of cards will come crashing down.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">We cannot abide the continued arrogance of our elected officials, and we must put a stop to this growth of government, which—like a malignant tumor—continues to spread into every aspect of our lives.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">Our own Declaration of Independence certifies our right—indeed, our duty—to revolt when government becomes oppressive.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family: trebuchet ms;">We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, <b style="">deriving their just powers</b> <b style="">from the consent of the governed</b>, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…But when a long train of abuses and usurpations…evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, <b style="">it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government</b>, and to provide new Guards for their future security.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">What is our current station, if not Despotism?<span style=""> </span>What, then, are we to do?</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">I do not know if it is possible to save our Republic.<span style=""> </span>I do believe we have three basic options:</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">I.<span style=";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Overthrow our federal government via armed revolution.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">II.<span style=";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Eliminate ALL elected officials at the federal level, and implement term limits via a Constitutional amendment. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">III.<span style=";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Secession and reorganization of the states into regional governments.</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">I will examine each of these options, and their viability (or lack thereof), in my next post.</p>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-15028344623015887002009-09-23T21:20:00.001-07:002009-09-23T21:23:26.095-07:001. The Monster; its Origins and Effects<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I am quite concerned about the state of our Union. We have drifted so far away from what our founding fathers intended that I fear we may not be able to right the ship. What I mean is that our federal government has grown into a monster that is almost completely beyond the control of the people it purports to represent.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I believe it all began with Lincoln’s use of federal force to conquer the states that seceded in 1860. Each state had decided to join the Union because it believed that its interests would be better served as part of the Union rather than standing alone. Many states believed that, just as they had entered the Union of their own volition, they were free to leave it if circumstances warranted. While Lincoln made his decision because he truly believed otherwise, he nevertheless set a precedent for what has become a very powerful central government. Not the least of his precedents was the income tax, which was later declared unconstitutional before the 16th amendment made it permanent.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Franklin Roosevelt made things worse with the sweeping changes of his “New Deal.” His programs drastically expanded government to the point where it reached into the private lives of citizens for the first time. It’s hard to figure the worst thing FDR did, but establishing mandatory tax withholding has to rank among them. (Before 1943, citizens had to actually pay the government every year—so they knew exactly how much they were paying. By withholding tax from workers’ paychecks, the taxpayer never sees it—and so many people have no idea how much they actually pay in taxes. With taxes “out of sight and out of mind,” most people are less inclined to pay attention to how their tax dollars are being spent.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Lyndon Johnson added to the federal behemoth with his “Great Society,” which included the creation of Medicare and Medicaid—the two biggest entitlement programs (both of which are insolvent, just like Social Security). Now Barack Obama’s administration is attempting to further increase the size and scope of government at an almost unprecedented pace. In just eight months, he has passed massive “bailout” spending, and the other proposals he is pushing (cap-and-trade legislation and health care “reform”) will not only cost trillions of additional dollars, but they are also radical changes to our society that will move us closer and closer to becoming a European-style socialist democracy. (Contrary to popular belief, we are not a democracy; we are a constitutional republic. But I digress.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Further complicating our situation is the fact that our Congress is filled with career politicians. Some of these people have served for decades. (Of the 535 senators and representatives, 82 have served at least 20 years; 24 have served 30 years; and three have been there for 40 years or more. 131 have served at least two terms.) Many of these people are corrupt, and nearly all of them are drunk on the power and prestige that come with their position. They have no incentive to reduce the reach of government (or even to stop its growth), because that would jeopardize their positions of power. Their priorities are severely misplaced, and they have lost touch with the people they are supposed to serve. Our founding fathers never intended for government service to be a career; it was supposed to be a sacrifice. How far we have fallen from their ideal!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The combined effects of this expansion of government have been deleterious to the American people. Unfortunately, many citizens are unaware of the erosion of their liberty because the process has been incremental. Like a beaver (or perhaps termites?), our ever-growing government gnaws away at the tree of liberty. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The recent acceleration of government growth (since the latter part of the George W. Bush administration) has seen the federal government take over significant portions of the American economy. From the automotive industry to the mortgage business, the Obama administration is sticking its fingers into as many pies as it can. The health care industry is next on their list. If it continues to grow, this government interference in the market will inevitably lead to the collapse of our economy. The result will be either a socialist state (where the government owns the means of production outright) or a fascist state (where the means of production are privately owned, but controlled by the government).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What would be the result of such an economic collapse? Would the United States be in danger of being conquered by a foreign power? Or would we just have to suffer through a prolonged depression?</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-23627696154175003632009-09-18T13:49:00.001-07:002009-09-18T14:04:44.386-07:00On federalism, the health care debate, and its implications for our Union<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've been thinking a lot lately </span>about the state of our Union. For over half a century, our federal government has been growing almost constantly. As its size and scope increase, it reaches farther and farther into our lives. We are a long way from what I believe our founding fathers intended when they wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As Patrick Henry said, "the Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government--lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Over my next few posts, I plan to examine the idea that the federal government has grown beyond any semblance of controllability by the people. I'll look at the causes of this growth, and its effects on our nation and our society. I'll propose some possible solutions to the problem, and discuss their viability. After that, I'll talk about how the current debate over health care factors into the equation.<br /><br /></span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-57890535050800136682009-08-03T21:53:00.000-07:002009-08-03T21:57:47.666-07:00In their own words<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">An eye-opening compilation of quotes from the Messiah, Slobbering Barney, and Jan Schakowsky (for those who still have their eyes closed and their fingers stuck in their ears) that reveal their true intentions for health care in America:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p-bY92mcOdk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p-bY92mcOdk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">(Hat tip: </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.michellemalkin.com">Michelle Malkin</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.)</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-49346140392846810972009-07-08T11:51:00.000-07:002009-07-08T12:00:13.851-07:00Celebrity worship<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I am continually both amazed and disgusted by the way people worship celebrities in our culture. I am proud to say that I did not watch or read any of the coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral yesterday, unlike the untold millions who stopped what they were doing for most of the day to mourn a man who did nothing but sing songs. Some of the grief was particularly over the top. Take, for instance, this Facebook status post by a girl I went to elementary school with:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"I thought I was done mourning over Michael...I really feel as though I have lost a part of my family...."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Seriously?! I would wager that two weeks ago, before he died, most people hadn't even thought about Michael Jackson for months. (Granted, this girl is black and liberal, but still.) I almost left her a comment ("Give me a break!") in reply, but I refrained.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I hate the fact that Us Weekly, People, InTouch, and other celebrity gossip rags are among the best selling magazines, while Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood continually draw millions of viewers, along with vapid garbage like American Idol and Dancing With The Stars. Contrast this with the fact that the vast majority of Americans can't tell you who their Congressional representative is--and a significant number can't tell you who is currently vice president. Nor do most people have the foggiest notion of how government works (or is supposed to work), or of how their liberty is constantly being eroded in Washington. Then again, too many of these people don't want liberty--they want security, provided by the government teat.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As my friend </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://umcmatt.blogspot.com">UMCMatt</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> wrote earlier this week, the media might not report on so much of this rubbish if there weren't so many people consuming it. We are being led like sheep to the slaughter, and we don't even know it because we're too busy reading about Britney Spears' latest embarrassing antics or trying to see photos of Brad Pitt and what's-her-face on the beach. Americans worship these people like gods, and so many of them aren't even worth pissing on. I wish there were some way to get the dumb masses to wake up and become aware of all the things that are in desperate need of our attention.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-47162830760020083212009-06-24T19:07:00.000-07:002009-06-24T19:58:00.533-07:00My lame attempt at live-blogging the ObamaCare infomercial...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here we go...I'll see if I can keep from throwing up on the TV (or throwing something at it).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">His grandmother died recently...yeah, from injuries suffered when he threw her under the bus during the campaign.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">He gets letters every day from people who can't afford insurance...yeah, I believe that about as far as I can throw him with one arm.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I would like to punch Diane Sawyer in the face.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Who decides what coverage is adequate, Mr. President? You and your government bureaucrats? I want to decide for myself, thank you very much.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Damn right they're paid fees for services. IT'S A BUSINESS. Changing the incentive structure is going to chase good doctors away. Why invest in medical education and training if you can't make a good living by it?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The initiative HAS been forthcoming, you twit. It's called profit.<br /><br />There's a difference between "access to care" and "ability to pay for care." People have access to care. They can choose to pay for it directly or to pay for medical insurance; unfortunately, some people choose to pay for cars and houses they can't afford, or for cell phones, cable TV and big-screen TV sets and other toys they don't need instead. It's a matter of priorities.<br /><br />Back from commercial...<br /><br />Government bringing down costs. HAHA! I almost fell off the couch just then.<br /><br />Medical students with large student loan debt making practice decisions based on how much they can make...So they're going to make more money under your socialist system? Right.<br /><br />Goverment is the answer...blah...blah...starting to run together...<br /><br />46 million uninsured only comes to about 15% of our population. 15 percent! We're going to completely wreck the system for 15 percent of the people. And a sizable number of them are uninsured by choice! (More on that later or tomorrow.)<br /><br />Remember when the AMA booed our Dear Leader last week?<br /><br />Sorry, AMA prez, he's not going to answer that question...after the break they'll just pretend it was never asked.<br /><br />Maybe he'll answer it after all.<br /><br />You keep saying people will get to keep their plans...but what's going to happen to private insurers when their customers defect in droves to take advantage of free ObamaCare? Many of them may fold, or raise their prices. What happens to my private plan then? Also, you forgot to mention that you're planning to tax my insurance premiums.<br /><br />So, Mayo Clinic Guy, we'll just kill them off rather than continue treating them? Did you forget about the Hippocratic Oath?<br /><br />If you think for one second that a 99-year-old woman would get a pacemaker under this plan...you're dumber than you look.<br /><br />Mr. President, my living will is going to say "you better not think about pulling the plug on me."<br /><br />He says "I don't want bureaucracies making those decisions." How else are government decisions made? Do you have any idea how our enormous federal monster works?<br /><br />No rational, non-kool-aid-drinking person honestly believes that a government program is going to be able to eliminate any kind of waste. If you believe that, there's a nice bridge in San Francisco I'd like to sell you.<br /><br />After the break...should there be government insurance for people? Well, how the hell else are you going to provide insurance to all those uninsured folks?<br /><br />If the CBO estimates $2 trillion over the next 10 years, it will end up costing $10 trillion.<br /><br />He keeps saying the same thing over and over. "If you're happy with your plan, you keep it."<br /><br />Eliminating preexisting conditions...basically, he is going to force insurance companies to take risks they wouldn't otherwise take. Just like the mortgage lending industry took risks they shouldn't have taken (partly thanks to pressure from liberal groups who wanted to increase minority homeownership). They never learn, do they?<br /><br />Good Lord. Spend, spend, spend. It's not money we're already spending. It's money you're going to have to either borrow, raise through taxes, or print out of thin air. Why can't they just keep their grubby hands off it?<br /><br />BHO asserts that government intervention is going to help the health care industry be more profitable and save more money. And, as Wayne Campbell once said, maybe monkeys will fly out of my butt.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hat tip to @mkhammer: "</span></span><span class="status-body" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="entry-content">O shifting to say he'd like everybody to keep their HC, but last week he said, "No one will take it away. No matter what."<br /><br />Of course there are "some" who want to tax benefits "at certain levels." You're one of those "some," Mr. President.<br /><br />Yes, we've taken a "body blow" to the economy. So how is government intervention in a significant sector of the economy--the health care industry--going to help things? Government intervention sure hasn't helped any other sector of the economy.<br /><br />Taking another break. I think I've had enough of this. It comes down to the fact that PrezBO and his ilk think that America is great because of its government, rather than because of our (seemingly forgotten) commitment to personal liberty.<br /></span></span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-88153306151174569602009-06-22T19:46:00.000-07:002009-06-22T20:09:31.748-07:00Sort of like a meteor game<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">(In case you're curious about the definition of "meteor game," the Georgia Sports Blog has a nice explanation </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://georgiasports.blogspot.com/2005/09/rooting-for-cataclysm-meteor-game.html">here</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I have a deep-seated loathing for the Black Eyed Peas "band" (after all, they are responsible for one of the worst "<a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2131640/">songs</a>" in the history of music--recorded or otherwise). I also abhor the very existence of Perez Hilton. So when I read earlier that </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D98VS5RG1&show_article=1">the two of them clashed in Toronto last night</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, my first hope was that a "meteor game" sort of event had occurred. Unfortunately, that was not the case.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">However, I found it curious that Hilton--an in-your face homosexual who is apparently quite proud of the fact that he lets other men pack his fudge--admitted to provoking the assault by calling Peas "singer" will.i.am a faggot. Interesting, isn't it, that a gay person would attempt to insult someone else by...calling them gay! I imagine the irony is lost on him, though.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-70529867907981768622009-06-19T14:34:00.000-07:002009-06-19T14:39:16.234-07:00Rhode Island to allow marijuana sales<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Rhode Island </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2009/06/16/ri_becomes_3rd_state_allowing_marijuana_stores_1245192510/">just became the third state in the Union to allow chronically ill patients to purchase marijuana</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, despite the governor's opposition to the bill.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">State lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to override a veto last week from the Republican governor, who warned the system could put people at risk of federal prosecution, would encourage illegal drug use and send conflicting messages to children about substance abuse.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I can understand his concerns--look what the Imperial Federal Government has done to people using medicinal marijuana in California in the past. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has said the Obama administration will not target dispensers that follow state law.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I wish I believed him, but I don't. Still, it is good to see these states' rights issues coming to the forefront.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-37956050638188876052009-06-11T11:48:00.000-07:002009-06-11T11:56:52.576-07:00Holocaust musem shooter a Mensan?<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yesterday I was reading </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.theneweditor.com/index.php?/archives/9686-Shooting-at-National-Holocaust-Museum.html">The New Editor's coverage of the shooting at the National Holocaust Museum</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">, and they had a link to the (alleged) shooter's Web site. On the site was a link to the guy's bio, where he claims (among other things) to be a member of </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://us.mensa.org">Mensa</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This made me curious, so I searched the member directory. I did not find any listing for a James W. von Brunn (or any other variation of his name). I'm not sure if the directory lists only current or active members, or if it includes both active and inactive members. I'd guess that the former is true, and that the guy was just trying to play up his "qualifications." However, he did claim to be a combat veteran and a college graduate, so it's conceivable that he could have been telling the truth. After all, the only qualification for Mensa membership is this IQ score--they don't test for sanity or extreme political beliefs.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-8044648044339941412009-06-11T11:12:00.000-07:002009-06-11T11:18:39.141-07:00On dogs and statues in islam<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">By Hugh Fitzgerald of </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.jihadwatch.org">Jihad Watch</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/026534.php">On dogs and statues in islam</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Ibn Warraq once told me that while both Jews and Muslims do not eat pork, Jews are completely relaxed about it. No Jew would run rushing out of a restaurant screaming if he happened to discover that pork was on the menu. But Muslims would, and do. And it is the same with dogs. The hatred of dogs is not rational. It is simply based on the slavish acceptance of Muhammad’s strictures, in a well-known Hadith, in which he is reported to have said: “I will not enter a house in which there are statues and dogs.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Be sure to read the account of Mary Boyce's observations of muslim treatment of Zoroastrians and their dogs in Iran. These people are blind automatons. Their "religion" is not morally equivalent to Christianity, or any other. I can hardly sit still, so hot does my blood boil when reading what these savages do to innocent dogs...all because they believe their "prophet" declared the animals to be "unclean."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I will be sure to give my own dogs a little extra affection when I get home today.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-17203999638311339092009-05-07T11:17:00.000-07:002009-05-07T12:36:12.827-07:00Montana draws a line in the sand<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The state of Montana is challenging the federal government under the 10th Amendment. This week, Montana's governor (a Democrat, by the way) signed into law the "Montana Firearms Freedom Act," which essentially declares that federal regulations will no longer apply to firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition that is (a) manufactured in Montana, (b) sold in Montana, and (c) remains in Montana. The rationale is that since the weapons do not cross state lines, there is no interstate commerce, and therefore the federal government has no authority to regulate them.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Feature-Article.htm?Info=0056132">Here's a good summary, along with the complete text of the new law (from freedomsphoenix.com).</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This is exciting. I'm glad to see the states beginning to remember that this nation is not a kingdom divided into 50 regions; it is a union of 50 sovereign states who agreed to join together under a set of conditions that have been steadily eroded for the last 150 years.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's rumored that </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6367553">Utah may follow Montana's example</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. I hope other states will do so as well.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-42888038744956103922009-05-06T09:37:00.000-07:002009-05-06T09:44:40.872-07:00Albertville mayor wants signs to include translations<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> The mayor of Albertville, Ala. </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/local.ssf?/base/news/1241514961307210.xml&coll=1">wants the city's sign laws to require all signs in Spanish to include English translations</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As much as it irritates me to see signs in Spanish everywhere, I have to disagree with the mayor. Government--even local government--should stay out of the business owners' way. He claims it's a public safety issue: </span><br /><p style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Because police officers and firefighters cannot read Spanish, he said, it could take them longer than necessary to answer a 911 call at a Hispanic business if its sign is only in Spanish. </p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Well, if that happens, maybe next time the owner will have a translated sign, or perhaps one that's entirely in English. It's a similar principle to consumers voting with their wallets. For example, I refuse to patronize businesses that advertise primarily in a language other than my own.</p>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-65288927300899578652009-04-16T09:25:00.000-07:002009-04-16T09:40:01.890-07:00Tuscaloosa Tea Party<span style="font-family: arial;">I went to the Tuscaloosa Tax Day Tea Party yesterday after work. I had to leave around 6:15, unfortunately. But it was a good experience, and I'm looking forward to the next one.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are just a few photos from the afternoon.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHFf8dtMqWpoTmHkVot34vg6j8FhQUz0nruKaw-10bdoyEzFOht-xGsmifQKOk_oaO8RxnbrRlHh-rewgO2cyW8DC0EK0JPcmxszCA11RyQos-ghP0aElBDeADRS-15yhR_vTP06JXD0P/s1600-h/DSCN3391.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHFf8dtMqWpoTmHkVot34vg6j8FhQUz0nruKaw-10bdoyEzFOht-xGsmifQKOk_oaO8RxnbrRlHh-rewgO2cyW8DC0EK0JPcmxszCA11RyQos-ghP0aElBDeADRS-15yhR_vTP06JXD0P/s320/DSCN3391.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325326890949188162" border="0" /></a>This kid is going to have a lot of federal debt to pay off. So will his kids.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJeBj7VhpReAAg8frB-GRGThJTrl9L4JnLLnozxu7fdUSefc2NVmYHbi2zUxtIGwHpRrpqHronfM_LX6iOkewBbY7Rl64_4PUwCMJTccxxBN8bu6sF2ERWVJ41Xb2aWnJLgCcNhz-DwoiZ/s1600-h/DSCN3394.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJeBj7VhpReAAg8frB-GRGThJTrl9L4JnLLnozxu7fdUSefc2NVmYHbi2zUxtIGwHpRrpqHronfM_LX6iOkewBbY7Rl64_4PUwCMJTccxxBN8bu6sF2ERWVJ41Xb2aWnJLgCcNhz-DwoiZ/s320/DSCN3394.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325327304014843042" border="0" /></a>Gadsden Flags and related apparel were common at Tea Parties across the country.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTol8w2WfrD984xwp2bfj_M3G_wb__MHl01FutiDBjPPqCvkg5ySbkqKKiH6kNDoWKlx5j1ksIpKS9fPrzUK-H4ClhF5pJk3423-zZs3YqopF-xI7vnElCMa8rXveZEno704KWknQFVZR/s1600-h/DSCN3397.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTol8w2WfrD984xwp2bfj_M3G_wb__MHl01FutiDBjPPqCvkg5ySbkqKKiH6kNDoWKlx5j1ksIpKS9fPrzUK-H4ClhF5pJk3423-zZs3YqopF-xI7vnElCMa8rXveZEno704KWknQFVZR/s320/DSCN3397.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325327626440995490" border="0" /></a>The one on the right was one of my favorites.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOIeQLkNWr4_bOrz5aXWgqASg54JAaYiz0pcUyDpepbeKCbBH_50TfXyL0aq1ODDgNdwzf0x-iQONAN8mrKmbWDqRiDMtfqMex1Jtsf_SV_d7m3MHCfEumWOiN1gECIF0hkv0R5jw6-ke/s1600-h/DSCN3399.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOIeQLkNWr4_bOrz5aXWgqASg54JAaYiz0pcUyDpepbeKCbBH_50TfXyL0aq1ODDgNdwzf0x-iQONAN8mrKmbWDqRiDMtfqMex1Jtsf_SV_d7m3MHCfEumWOiN1gECIF0hkv0R5jw6-ke/s320/DSCN3399.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325327806958234690" border="0" /></a>My friend Adam came prepared.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ_11Yi2f73DHVrHOn2A7a_pQMbTX6NkZ-VCzzFa5R7wpuim6N8BHa1MftvTcRVxcPNt8xBOA1URr39MUBhQDQrxb423sYJyhIjhPTTfQt63QYGfbxKt_xE_9U5mAYZxKHBgE8F4Nykox/s1600-h/DSCN3401.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ_11Yi2f73DHVrHOn2A7a_pQMbTX6NkZ-VCzzFa5R7wpuim6N8BHa1MftvTcRVxcPNt8xBOA1URr39MUBhQDQrxb423sYJyhIjhPTTfQt63QYGfbxKt_xE_9U5mAYZxKHBgE8F4Nykox/s320/DSCN3401.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325327891865555122" border="0" /></a>Another good one on the left.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqSwb0wVATQ1fuo6avATwa4JMqu939ViPshBx2cs2pMxYSfZ3mGd_FJkEl_qMdcvWC_JjWy-37g3fbaChyettLSKIBf4lBz6oySjKDZheFlVrkCFiXrAqAGTn9TwnSRBtbb_RlomqOeNo/s1600-h/DSCN3403.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqSwb0wVATQ1fuo6avATwa4JMqu939ViPshBx2cs2pMxYSfZ3mGd_FJkEl_qMdcvWC_JjWy-37g3fbaChyettLSKIBf4lBz6oySjKDZheFlVrkCFiXrAqAGTn9TwnSRBtbb_RlomqOeNo/s320/DSCN3403.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325328022825033106" border="0" /></a>There's no justification for this out-of-control spending.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">There were a few media members there, and I noticed one guy standing maybe 100 feet behind the crowd (toward Gorgas Library). He had a professional-looking camera, and I stopped to see the logo on his shirt so I could find out what media outlet he was with. Turns out he was from the Tuscaloosa Police Department. I half-jokingly asked if he was taking pictures for DHS. He didn't really seem to want to talk. Now I wish I had taken his picture; I'm going to wonder if some of us are going to be in a database or on a watch list now.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-11832738879667973012009-04-15T21:21:00.000-07:002009-04-15T21:28:07.621-07:00I just might have to move to Texas.<a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D97J48IO2.html">Perry fires up anti-tax crowd</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;" class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody">Later, answering news reporters' questions, Perry suggested Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to secede from the union, though he said he sees no reason why Texas should do that. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Some people are going to say Perry is an idiot for making this remark. They'll say it's political suicide, or they'll call for </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm">DHS</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> to keep a closer eye on him. But he's right. Every state entered the union voluntarily, reserving the right to leave the union if it became tyrannical. The War Between the States (it wasn't a civil war) did not change that.</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-84657583581695846902009-04-14T14:58:00.000-07:002009-04-14T15:00:32.344-07:00We need to ban swords!<span style="font-family: arial;">This senseless swordfight killed two people.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.theindychannel.com/news/19167424/detail.html">Man dies days after swordfight that killed woman</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">How long will we have to wait for the Indiana legislature to take action?!</span>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652608482075075609.post-50150508296729615132009-03-30T09:29:00.000-07:002009-03-30T09:31:49.048-07:00No touchy!<span style="font-family: arial;">Here's another ridiculous no-tolerance policy in a government school.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://wcbstv.com/local/school.bans.hugs.2.969949.html">Connecticut School Bans Physical Contact</a>-D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032608604245134588noreply@blogger.com0