April 17, 2011

The Erik Scott Case, Update 11: Heroism and Loathing in Las Vegas

THE LOCAL MEDIA AWAKENS:

Since the posting of Update 10.3 on April 02 (scroll down for that update), Scott Wyland of the Las Vegas Review-Journal has filed an article (here) on April 12 reporting on the story I broke about AB320, the bill filed by Assemblyman John Hambrick (R-Las Vegas) that would allow Clark County District Attorney David Roger to declare that no coroner’s inquest was necessary in any--or every--future police-involved shooting. It’s good to see that the local Las Vegas media is dealing with the issues revolving around this situation, but a bit disquieting to realize that a members of the pajamas set, a blog, keeps beating them to the story.

Before continuing, here is source material to which you may wish to refer:

For the Las Vegas Review-Journal article on AB320, go here.

For the Las Vegas Review-Journal Article on the award given two of the officers who shot Erik Scott go here.

For an additional LVR-J article on the testimony at the Committee hearing, go here.

For the National Association of Police Organizations home page, go here.

For a listing of that organization’s officers and directors, go here.

For information on that organizations TOP COPS program, go here.

For officers receiving honorable mentions, go here.

That said, Wyland also added that DA Roger is, like the Police Protective Association (PPA), pushing for the enactment of the bill. Wyland notes:

“...the police union and district attorney are now fighting in Carson City to dissolve inquests before the first case is heard under the new rules.

If the bill passes, the district attorney would investigate the deadly incidents and determine whether to file criminal charges, which he has the power to do now. Information from the investigations would be made public.”

NOTE: This post was updated on 04-17-11.

Posted by: MikeM at 01:28 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 15, 2011

History Repeating

My latest article at Pajamas Media deals with another faked hate crime at a university in North Carolina. And no, lacrosse players weren't falsely accused this time.

And yes, the community still plans to protest the faked crime.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 10:31 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 14, 2011

Obama Doubles Down On The Budget

Barack Hussein Obama, President of the United States, is truly amazing. Whenever I am certain that he has sunk to the absolute depths of mendacity and rank partisanship, whenever I have no doubt that his socialistic urges have sunk to the lowest measurable level, he digs a hole--nay, hires a dredge (with taxpayer dollars, of course)--and sinks even lower. I speak, of course, of his April 13 teleprompter reading on fixing America’s burgeoning debt.

All of the usual elements of an Obama TP reading were present: halting delivery, left-right-left head-waggling reminiscent of a fan at a tennis match, blaming nearly everything on Bush, blaming everything else on Republicans, class warfare, attacking the evil, greedy wealthy, “facts” and figures plucked wholesale from the ether, economic assumptions based on projected income or events that no sentient being believes will be forthcoming, the economic miracle that is ObamaCare, winning the future, and vision but no real, concrete details. As usual, Mr. Obama is leaving the little, niggling details to the little people.

False choices and moral hectoring, as usual, played a prominent role. Attacking Republicans, Mr. Obama said “Their vision is less about reducing the deficit than it is about changing the social compact in America.” Wasn’t it Mr. Obama who has consistently promised (threatened?) to “fundamentally change America?” Ah, but those evil Republicans are attacking “children with autism or Down’s syndrome,” favoring instead “every millionaire and billionaire in our society.”

Wasn’t it Mr. Obama who swept into office promising to change the tone in Washington and to bridge the partisan divide? There is nothing quite like accusing political opponents of intending to savage handicapped children to win friends and influence people. “You’ve just accused me of the most craven and base moral degeneracy? Why of course I’ll be happy to work with you on a bipartisan basis, Mr. Obama!”

NOTE: Sources for this article may be found here, here, here, here, here and here.

Posted by: MikeM at 06:07 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Duke LAX Rape Accuser to Face Murder Charges in Stabbing Death

Duke University's "Gang of 88" faculty members really backed a winner in Chrystal Mangum:

The man Crystal Mangum is accused of stabbing has died, Durham Police Department Chief Jose Lopez Sr. said Wednesday.

Mangum already was in jail under a $300,000 secured bond charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

"More than likely, we will be upgrading the charge to murder," Lopez said.

In 2006, Mangum, 32, falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her.

Mangum had just been in court on December in an arson case where she had threatened to stab her previous boyfriend. That trial ended in a mistrial.

Perhaps this time they'll put this psychopath in prison for life, where she belongs.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 01:00 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 13, 2011

Quick Takes, April 13, 2011

ITEM: Is This Cool Or What? Department: From Fox News (here) comes news of a GPS guided mortar round already entering service in Afghanistan. This innovation promises much greater precision at the lower levels of our order of battle, giving our ground troops a much greater margin of effectiveness and safety. Greatest nation in the history of the world? Discuss.

ITEM: Is This Cool Or What II? Department: We’ve previously reported on US Navy research into a practical ship-bourn laser weapon, but the first practical test has been completed. Go here for a video and story. For the first time, a lower powered laser fired at a moving target, a mile distant, in four-foot seas set the engines ablaze within seconds. Very cool indeed. Work is underway on a massively more powerful free electron laser that promises to be able to more or less instantly swat missiles from the sky in all weather conditions. As you watch the video, remember that lasers do not produce a visible beam, ala Star Trek and Star Wars.

ITEM: In the Same Old, Same Old, Department, Instapundit (here) reports on a trip by Mr. Obama to a wind turbine plant where he said there is nothing he can do in the short term to effect gasoline prices. When someone in the audience complained about high gas prices, Mr. Obama suggested that he trade in his car for one that gets better mileage. Uh, Mr. Obama? Saying that drilling for oil is useless because it will take several years to get production up to speed doesn’t work anymore. It’s several years later and gas is climbing rapidly to $5.00 a gallon. Oh yes, and because of your economic debacle, most folks can’t afford new cars, especially if they cost $41,000 like your Chevy Volt wonder greeniemobile. The best part is that the story by the AP, which originally reported on this issue has since been sanitized and rewritten to squelch Mr. Obama’s haughtily offensive suggestion to his questioner. Good to know our mainstream media is looking out for the interests of the public by not worrying their pretty little heads with Mr. Obama’s condescension and economic cluelessness.

ITEM: Well, it’s final. The United States Congress and Mr. Obama have agreed to cut: Wait for it...$38.5 billions dollars! That’s right, almost nothing at all. Visit John Hinderaker’s piece at Powerline (here) for his take on this non-event which staved off a government shutdown. I’m still not sure why that would be a bad thing. Anyway, Hinderaker has a balanced, rational outlook on this issue, and the Ramirez cartoon, like so much of his work, is a classic, though sure to provoke cries of “RACIST!” All the more reason to view it like the good little racists all those who disagree with Mr. Obama are.

ITEM: According to the LA Times (here), the White House is worried that rising gas prices could derail Mr. Obama’s reelection hopes. Ya think? What to do? They’re arranging a series of opportunities for Mr. Obama to give teleprompter readings! They’re going to give him the opportunity to reassure the public that he has a plan to lower prices, which have risen 30% in the last year. Ah! That explains why he’s telling people worried about high gas prices to buy more fuel efficient cars! That’ll convince folks, won’t it? Discuss.

ITEM: Continuing Tales Of The Religion Of Peace Department: Peaceful Palestinians hit an Israeli school bus with a peaceful anti-tank missile on April 7, seriously wounding a 16 year old boy and the bus driver. Fortunately. Most of the kids got off the bus only minutes earlier. And these are the people with whom President Obama reflexively sides? Sigh. Yes, they are. Go here for the whole story.

ITEM: Blasts From The Past! Department: Go here for an interesting—and sobering—analysis of our fiscal problem by former Reagan budget guru David Stockman. Yes, it is as bad as you think it is, and worse.

ITEM: In the bad old days of the Cold War, and even today, Communist regimes always talk about “The People’s” this and “The People’s” that. It is part of the inherent propaganda of communism, and an essential part of the big lie that communist governments care for their people. Mao cared so much that he killed, arguably, 100 million of his “the people.” Congressional Democrats have produced their own budget outline, and the most amazing coincidence! They’re calling it “The People’s Budget.” Anyone who is not offended—and deeply concerned—by this, knows nothing of history or of communism, or worse, is very well aware. Go here to read the whole thing. Notice that they are not afraid to tell “the people” that they intend to reduce our strategic capabilities—to greatly decrease our ability to defend ourselves and others. To what has Barack Obama—The One--brought us?

ITEM: Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-State of Incoherence) recently delivered a speech (here) wherein she observed that in 1994 Republicans were elected to defund the National Endowment of the Arts, but in 2010, they were elected to “kill women.” Uh…what?! Ladies and Gentlemen: Your Democrat representatives! (cue laugh track and rim shot)

ITEM: Louis Renault Award of the Millennium: Yes, those peaceful humanitarians of Iran are at it again. The world was recently shocked, shocked! to discover yet another previously unknown nuclear facility where the Iranians were producing centrifuge parts--according to them--for purely peaceful purposes, of course. Read the whole thing here. I’m shocked, shocked! that Mr. Obama’s smart diplomacy and serious sanctions don’t appear to be having any effect on the peaceful theocratic lunatics who run Iran and export peaceful terror around the globe. Perhaps if Mr. Obama gives another teleprompter reading to the Muslim world?

ITEM: Uh, Who Are The Children Here? Via Fox News (here), a football coach in San Diego attacked and seriously injured a man when he thought he overheard the man trying to recruit one of his players. The players were 9, 10 and 11 years old. “Get a life” comes to mind...

ITEM: Drinkin’ Good In the Neighborhood! A 15 month old toddler in a Michigan Applebee’s began to act strangely. His mother found that what she thought was apple juice was actually margarita mix. The manager of the Applebee’s called it “unacceptable.” Well, yeah. Go here for the story. LATE UPDATE: Apparently the kiddie was served booze due to a labeling mixup. Applebees plans to dispense all juices in sealed, individual containers from now on. Good idea.

ITEM: At Hot Air (here) Jazz Shaw has an article on the incredible self-delusion of progressives who cannot imagine why the Tea Party and it’s obviously stupid, horribly flawed ideals is, well, kicking their butts. Shaw takes a bit of vicarious pleasure in their misery. It’s worth reading to provide a bit of insight into what passes for thinking in progressive circles, but do not, gentle reader, begin your victory dance just yet. Thus far, we have only saved or slightly hindered a tiny portion of an ever-expanding and still out of control budget and bureaucracy. We’ve successfully fired the first signal flare in what will certainly be a very long and bitterly fought war. The live ammunition has not yet begun to fly.

ITEM: The “We’re Doing WHAT?!” Department: The Obama Administration, mired in the worst debt crisis in American, nay, in world history, is going to spend $20 million to: Wait for it...remake Sesame Street in Pakistan! There just aren’t words... Some are apparently saying, “hey, it’s only $20 million...” I dunno. Seems like a lot of money to me regardless of what it’s for. Why, I’d bet that if you started saving 20 million here and 20 million there, eventually, it would add up to some real money! Go here if you have the stomach.

ITEM: Newsmax (here) has a story on the never-ending fun in Wisconsin. As you may recall, Wisconsin Supreme Court hopeful JoAnn Kloppenburg, who all but promised to be a partisan progressive rubber stamp, declared victory with a 200+ vote margin. Then, miracle of miracles, some 15,00 uncounted votes were discovered and incumbent Justice David Prosser was suddenly up by 7500 votes, which will most likely hold and be outside the trigger for a state-paid recount. How do we know this is likely an honest mistake rather than criminal vote fraud? Easy: It benefited a Republican. Gov. Scott Walker is vowing that unions won’t be able to cheat their way to victory. Wisconsin is becoming an endless source of entertainment, and I thought that all it had to recommend it was cheese hats.

ITEM: Say, wasn’t there some sort of trouble in one of those foreign places, like last week or so. You know, like, Venezlulu, or Nobukistan, or Libya maybe? Wasn’t it Libya or something like that? Go here for Mark Steyn’s take. Apparently the non-war with a non-battle plan for non-victory is going non-well under the non-inspired non-guidance of our non-Commander-In-Chief. What a non-relief!

ITEM: Remember the multiple injunctions issued by Judge Sumi in Wisconsin on behalf of the unions? Go here to find out, specifically, why everything she did was illegal under Wisconsin law. But hey, what’s a little thing like breaking the law when public sector union pocketbooks are at risk? It’s all about the money. It always was.

ITEM: Are you a state laboring under oppressive DOJ interference? Want to take on the Holder DOJ and not only win, but kick its nether regions a considerable distance down the road? Visit here to find out how. There may be justice in the world after all.

ITEM: Even in the People’s Democrat Republic of Illinois, it seems, some sanity may yet exist. State Attorney General Lisa Madigan, determined to release the names of law-abiding gun owners to the press, has been temporarily restrained by the Illinois House which passed a bill to keep those names—remind me again why any state should be collecting the names of gun owners?—private. Go here for the whole mess.

ITEM: Signs of the Apocalypse Department: From Fox News (here) comes the tale of a man and woman who robbed a lemonade stand, taking $150 that three girls had raised for charity. The woman was arrested but the man is still at large. What, I wonder, besides lengthy prison terms, would be an appropriate punishment? Mandatory lemon sucking for life?

ITEM: Harry Reid Follies Redux: In this space, we’ve criticized Sen. Harry Reid (D-State of Delusion) for weeping over the coming cowboy poetry apocalypse. The New York Times (here), of all places (Yeeeha! Git along, little urban doggies!) has a sympathetic article on the topic. Paul Zarzyski, a cowboy poet said:

“A lot of art forms at first brush might sound peculiar,” he said. “After you learn a little bit about them and the people who perform them, you find out that they are as significant as any kind of art forms. Cowboy poetry comes out of a culture that most people don’t understand. Most of that criticism is urban and uninformed.”

Not really, Paul. We suburban, informed types just don’t believe that money falls out of the back of chuck wagons, and if it’s a choice between, for example, ammunition for our troops or, well, cowboy poetry, we’ll go for the most bang for the buck anytime.

ITEM: And You Wonder Why Public Education Get A Bad Reputation? Department: From Michelle Malkin (here) comes the story of a Chicago elementary school where the principal has decided she knows better than parents and has enacted a nanny-state policy to protect them from themselves. The policy? Kids can’t bring lunch from home; they have to eat cafeteria food. Unsurprisingly, a great many kids choose to eat nothing at all rather than the wonderfully nutritious and tasty choices provided on the school menu. Isn’t forcing kids to eat school food a violation of the Geneva Conventions? Perhaps a violation of the Constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment? Where are the human rights types when you need them? Oh, the humanity!

ITEM: Cruzin! Department: I’ve been taking General (Government) Motors to task of late for wasting taxpayer dollars, primarily with the Chevy Volt. Now, from the Wall Street Journal (here), comes news of some minor difficulties with another Chevy offering: The Cruze, which is the new small car on which Chevy is basing a significant part of its post-bailout fortunes. Apparently the proud owner of a new Cruze was making a turn and the steering wheel broke off in their hands. Boy, that’s winning the future! Chevy has issued a recall (good idea!) and said that they will fix the problem for free (that’s big of them). Hmm. Have they asked Mr. Obama about that? He’ll probably want a repair tax added. Your taxpayer dollars at work!

ITEM: Do you remember when Mr. Obama was a senator way back in 2008, a senator taking gratuitous shots at Mr. Bush for high gas prices and for having the unbelievably high unemployment rate of 5.5%? Yeah, well, Mr. Obama would like you to forget that. After all, 10% functional unemployment and gas prices shooting toward $5.00 per gallon aren’t his fault and he can’t do anything about it anyway! That’s right, the man who could stop the rise of the seas and heal the planet is helpless! Read more at Powerline, here.

ITEM: Libya Update: Kaddafi is still in power, the war continues, our planes are still withdrawn, the French say that NATO isn’t enough, and Mr. Obama—like any semblance of American leadership or resolve—is absent. Hmm. Doesn’t demonstrated weakness and irresolution encourage tribal, Islamist barbarians? But hey, we’re winning the future! Or something...

ITEM: Further News From The Religion Of Peace Department: According to Reuters, as reported in the Jerusalem Post (here), Iran has announced plans to build “four our five” new nuclear reactors “in the next few years.” Iran plans to use these reactors for research and to produce medical radioisotopes. Suuuuuuure they do. One wonders what kind of sanctions Mr. Obama will want to impose when the first Iranian nuc goes off in Israel or America. No doubt it is only smart diplomacy that has prevented Iran for already having a bomb—maybe.

ITEM: And speaking of energy, the Washington Examiner (here) reports that America has the largest reserves of untapped energy on the entire planet. Exploiting those resources would greatly increase energy supplies while greatly lowering costs, and none of this exploitation would cost a single taxpayer dollar. So let’s see if I have this straight: We have the means, at no cost to the taxpayer, to immediately stimulate the economy, greatly increase the number of solid, long-term jobs, reduce our dependence on energy from hostile foreign suppliers, increase our national security, lower prices on just about everything, and to help to pay down the budget deficit. So of course, Mr. Obama is vehemently opposed, despite his rhetoric to the contrary. Is that about it? Thought so.

ITEM: So what does the hard Left think about budget cuts? Visit a column by Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post (here) to get a glimpse into the cobwebbed recesses of the liberal brain. An example: “There’s no question who won last week’s showdown. The outcome — nearly $40 billion in painful cuts — goes well beyond the GOP’s initial demands.” To Robinson, $40 billion cut from a multi-trillion dollar deficit is painful and unreasonable. Basically, liberals actually appear to believe that the Federal Government is not nearly large enough and that it is not possible to cut even a penny from the budget, unless, of course, it comes directly out of the defense budget. That we can cut, no problem. The article is certainly informative, but probably not as Mr. Robinson intended.

ITEM: From Fox News (here) comes news of The California Federation of Teachers which has passed a resolution renewing its support for convicted Philadelphia cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal has long been a liberal icon, despite overwhelmingly conclusive evidence of his guilt, including multiple eye witnesses, his possession of the gun used to kill the officer, and a bullet fired by the officer he killed recovered from his own personal body. Despite all of this, he has become a liberal symbol of the racism and injustice of the system. Power to the people, right on! One might be forgiven for wondering what business a teacher’s union might have dealing with an issue like this—particularly where the object of their affections is so utterly loathsome--but then again, what business does a teacher’s union have being a subsidiary of and fund raiser for the Democrat party?

ITEM: Louis Renault Award for March: Remember all the mainstream media news stories about the Iranian cargo plane forced to land in Turkey by Turkish fighters in March? Remember the international outrage when it was discovered that the plane carried 600 kilos of explosives, mortars, assault rifles, rocket launchers and about $560 million in cash, all bound for Hezbollah through Syria? You don’t? I’m shocked, shocked! that you didn’t. Well, maybe not so much. Google the event and you’ll discover much Israeli and internet coverage, but otherwise? After all, all of those goodies were only destined to kill Israelis, you know, Jews. It only had the potential to inflame an entire region of strategic interest to the United States. Why would that be news? Oh, right! It would embarrass Mr. Obama. Go here for the rest.

ITEM: Remember how Obamites postulated that once ObamaCare was a fait accompli, everyone would find out what was in it and just love it up one side and down the other? Reality, fortunately, is not quite so sanguine. According to a recent AP poll (here), only 35% support ObamaCare, which is almost tied with the low of 34% during the season of entertaining town hall meetings, during which many Democrats were nearly tarred, feathered and run out of town on rails. How’s that hope and change workin’ out for yah?

ITEM: In the “Oh Goody” Department, comes the news (here) that the Magma pocket under Yellowstone National Park’s super volcano is likely far larger than had been previously suspected. The last eruption, which was about 600,000 years ago, blanketed much of North American was a thick blanket of ash. According to scientists, a super eruption occurs about once every 600,000 years…uh-oh…

ITEM: Continuing with the unceasing tradition of public employee labor union altruism and civic-mindedness, the California Teacher’s association (here) has budgeted one million dollars for protests against upcoming cuts to education in a state that is about ready, economically speaking, to slide off the map into the Pacific any day now. Among the tactics they’ve posted on their website:

“Follow targeted legislators for the entire day.”

“Have students and parents camp in front of schools all night.’

And my personal favorite:

“Work with organization[sic] like Ben & Jerry to have them create a labor-union flavored ice cream that can be sold at the rallies and in stores.”

Like what, exactly, would mouth-watering “labor-union flavored ice cream” taste? Would that be anything like “environmental-activist flavored ice cream?” The mind boggles. Discuss.

Mark Twain was right: Truth is stranger than fiction. And on that somewhat disquieting note, thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you next Thursday!

Posted by: MikeM at 08:20 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

UNC Student Falsified Hate Crimes Allegations

At least this liar was shot down before anyone was falsely accused.

I anticipate his expulsion from the university as a warning to others.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 07:45 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 11, 2011

Me? Own A Gun? Article 5: Cartridges and Carrying

In this final installment of the five part series (the first four installments may be found here, here, here and here), I’ll explore the basics of cartridge and holster choice, and add a few interesting additional tidbits. I hope this series has been useful and informative.

CARTRIDGE CHOICE:

Cartridge choices for handguns are relatively simple. For revolvers, the .38 special and .357 magnum predominate. One can also obtain revolvers in .44 special, .44 magnum and larger, specialized cartridges most commonly used for hunting, but for most people choosing a revolver, the choice is .38 special or .357 magnum. The .357 is nothing more than a .38 special with a slightly longer case which allows more powder, greater bullet velocity, and therefore, more power. Smaller revolvers like the Ruger LCR are chambered only in .38 special (there is a .357 model with a different model designation), and while any revolver chambered for .357 magnum will also fire .38 special ammunition, the opposite is not true. It would be wise to consider .38 special to be the smallest cartridge appropriate for self defense in revolvers. Smaller calibers are available, but there is no advantage in size or otherwise in such weapons. Revolvers chambered for .357 magnum and larger calibers are themselves larger and heavier, often much larger and heavier than smaller, short barreled revolvers chambered in .38 special.

Posted by: MikeM at 06:36 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Obama Recants?

And so it begins. In 2006, Senator Barack Obama voted against raising the debt limit, a vote his various spokesmen now characterize as a “mistake.” Accordingly, Mr. Obama is set to present yet another historic teleprompter reading on Wednesday wherein, on the heels of The Ryan budget proposal, he will lay out his own bold initiative. The public would be well advised to recall that for Mr. Obama, rhetoric is exceedingly cheap, and action, particularly that which would in any way displease the most ardent socialist, exceedingly hard to find.

What is Mr. Obama expected to say? According to various advisors and spokespeople:

(1) The debt limit must be raised or the effect would be “Armageddon-like” for the economy.

(2) Taxes must be substantially raised on the evil, greedy, rich, those making more than $250,000--or so, more or less--per year.

I’ll go out on a limb and predict:

(1) Taxes won’t be raised on the nearly 50% of Americans who pay nothing at all in taxes.

(2) Spending cuts, what spending cuts?

(3) Even more entitlement spending.

(4) High-sounding promises to win the future--or something.

(5) Increased spending on green energy boondoggles, high speed rail, education, anything that will waste huge amounts of money for no good purpose.

We can be absolutely sure that whatever he proposes will require far more government spending, a much larger government, and will further degrade a very shaky economy. There is, to date, no sign that Mr. Obama has changed his view that economic distress can only be addressed by means of much higher taxes and unfathomably greater spending. More after the historic teleprompter reading. Stay tuned.

Posted by: MikeM at 06:14 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 09, 2011

Fathers - Strength Under Fire

Do you ever wake up alone and not know where you are?

You sense a room, slightly cold and roll over in bed to drape your arms across the one whose form felt like gold in your hand, nuzzling the short, soft hair there at the base of the skull. But there is only cold air, and it dawns on you that side of the bed is still empty. That realization rushes you into wakefulness with a sense of fear and loss that hovers constant in the corners of the dark and you wish you weren't alone. It's not much different than when you were a little kid and you wake from a nightmare of monsters and homework, calling out to a parent who rushes to your side to let you know you are safe.

Posted by: Brigid at 05:17 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Obama and Energy

The nice folks at Pajamas Media have been kind enough to publish an essay on Mr. Obama and the falsity of his energy policy. It's called Obama's New Energy Policy: A Lesson In Stealth Socialism. I explore Mr. Obama's true political philosophy and how he has applied it in ObamaCare, and how he is applying it in domestic energy policy. To read it, go here.

Posted by: MikeM at 11:20 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 08, 2011

Me? Own A Gun? Article 4: What To Buy?

In this installment I’ll discuss the primary differences, advantages and disadvantages between revolvers and semi-automatic handguns. In the final installment, which will be posted in a few days, I’ll get into caliber choices, methods of carrying, and several other items of interest. I’m making the assumption that readers contemplating what I’ve had to say in the first three installments (here, here and here) intend to do more than purchase a firearm exclusively for home defense. After all, our lives don’t lose their value outside the home, and one is, depending on a variety of factors, arguably more rather than less likely to need to defend their life outside their home.

I’m also going to be writing for those whose knowledge of firearms and related terminology is limited. As the information I’m providing here is covered in a wide variety of magazines--print and online--and books, I’ll be providing primarily an overview rather than an exhaustive exposition of the issues. I do recommend as a basic text The Complete Book of Handgunning by Chuck Taylor. It’s available through Amazon and other sources, and contains the fundamentals necessary to develop essential basic skills. Full disclosure: I am one of a relative few certified as an instructor by Taylor’s American Small Arms Academy, and I am also certified by the NRA as a range safety and handgun instructor.

Posted by: MikeM at 11:07 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 07, 2011

Media Suppresses Leftist Violence (Again)

Michael Thomas describes himself as a liberal Democrat and communist. The police say he's mentally unstable, but that's redundant.

A Portland man charged with sending threatening letters to Gov. Paul LePage admitted to agents that he sent those and other threatening letters to national political figures, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, according to testimony Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

Authorities also found a gun and an ammunition clip in Michael Thomas' desk drawer when he was arrested Friday, FBI Special Agent Pamela Flick testified; and Thomas told her that if they had showed up later, he would have launched a shootout with police.

Thomas claims he would have carried out his death threats if he had the means. In other words, he had the intent of becoming the next Jared Lee Laughner, just not the ability to carry it out.

Because all of his targets were Republicans, and Thomas is a self-described Democrat and communist, the MSM won't give this story the front-page treatment they would if the situation was reversed.

It's far too important for them to protect the narrative.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 10:40 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 06, 2011

Quick Takes, April 07, 2011

ITEM: It is a mark of the character of the American people that this kind of story will touch their hearts and bring a tear to their eyes. Go here, and see what I mean.

ITEM: A Trip Down Memory Lane. Why are we currently at a budget impasse? Is it those evil Republicans who want to kill children and old people with their “radical” spending cuts? Not quite. Rewind to October, 2010 when the budget for this fiscal year was due. Ah, those heady days of absolute Democrat control of the White House and both houses of Congress, yet they refused to pass a budget for this fiscal year. Why? Because they were sufficiently aware of their debilitating spending addiction to know that any budget they passed would elect even more Republicans in November. Thus they set the stage for continuing resolution after continuing resolution and the government shutdown (tell me again why that’s a bad thing?) looming at midnight Friday. Keep this in mind the next time a Democrat tells you that they are protecting the public against the evils of rational spending and avoiding a global economic shutdown.

ITEM: Is This Cool Or What? Department: ABC News (here) reports on the XM-25, a weapon currently being field tested in Afghanistan. The weapon—troops call it “The Punisher”—is a programmable, semi-automatic 25mm grenade launcher. Equipped with a combination day/night/laser ranging sight, soldiers can set the smart round it fires to explode at a predetermined distance. Terrorists hiding behind a thick mortar wall? Lase the distance, set the round to explode at that distance + three feet, aim above the wall and fire. The round will travel directly to that point and explode directly above the terrorists. The weapon is still under development and all of the types of ammunition are not yet perfected and widely available, but the troops who have used it in combat reportedly do not want to give it up. It is this kind of American ingenuity some despise. The tragedy is that many of them are American politicians.

ITEM: Perhaps the best advertising strategy for the 2012 presidential election is to let Mr. Obama indict himself. Use his actions, his words, his stated intentions and their results to convince people that he must be a one-term president. It should be ridiculously easy as there has never been a president who has talked at the American people in such shallow depth, yet with such clock-like regularity and such tsunami-like volume. For a good look at what just might work, at least for people who have not had Obama implants secreted under their skin on the Obama mothership, go here.

ITEM: Tales Of The Religion Of Peace, Department: From Fox News (here) comes the story of Muslim riots in Afghanistan that in two days (April 1 and 2) have left 13 dead, including seven foreign UN employees. In addition more than 50 have been injured. Yes, once again, the most peaceful religion on Earth has murdered many innocents, including fellow Muslims. Why? Because Afghan president Hamid Karzai announced and condemned the actions of one, small Florida church in burning a copy of the Koran on March 20. And Mr. Obama thinks it’s possible to negotiate with such people because...? I guess that historic Muslim outreach speech in Cairo didn’t go as far as Afghanistan--or Egypt--or Syria--or Iran--or Libya, or, well, anywhere else in the Muslim world, but that’s hope and change for ya!

ITEM: In The Throw Away The Key! Department, from Fox News (here) we learn of two parents in Michigan who sicced their seven year old son on another boy. When a 73 year old crossing guard tried to stop the attack, the parents attacked him. They’ve been arrested and charged with assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Well, yeah...

ITEM: In the “He Did WHAT?! Department comes news (here) that Mr. Obama, in a stunning display of the kind of military acumen that has made him the Commander-In-Chief that he is, has withdrawn American attack planes, more or less, sort of so that NATO--which is actually, really us--can kind of take over. This military move, worthy of Sun Tzu’s much dumber brother Dim Duk, has occurred at the same time that Qaddafi’s forces have begun a serious push to eradicate the rebel forces, and have begun to run up a significant casualty toll. Senators on the Armed Services Committee characterized the move as “odd,” “troubling” and “unnerving,” and Senator John McCain told Defense Secretary Robert Gates “your timing is exquisite.” He was not delivering a compliment. Gates allowed that the situation was “unfortunate,” but said that our grounded aircraft could be recalled if things became so bad for the rebels that it was necessary. Senator Lindsay Graham said: "The idea that the AC-130s and the A-10s and American air power is grounded unless the place goes to hell is just so unnerving that I can't express it adequately.” And critics have called Mr. Obama’s Libya not-war policy “incoherent.” What were they thinking? It’s perfectly coherent in an utter lack of coherence sort of way.

ITEM: The Everything is Under Control! Department (here): "There is a perception that the border is worse now than it ever has been," DHS Secretary Napolitano said at the El Paso border crossing last week. "That is wrong. The border is better now than it ever has been." Unfortunately for Napolitano, and incidentally, the entire nation, Arizona’s Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever has a differing opinion. “The senior supervisor agent is telling me about how their mission is now to scare people back. He said, ‘I had to go back to my guys and tell them not to catch anybody, that their job is to chase people away. … They were not to catch anyone, arrest anyone. Their job was to set up posture, to intimidate people, to get them to go back.”

Jeffery Self, commander of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Joint Field Command in Arizona, said in a written statement. “The claim that Border Patrol supervisors have been instructed to underreport or manipulate our statistics is unequivocally false,” Hmm. Wait a minute. Mr. Self didn’t actually address what Sheriff Dever said, did he? I’m sure everything is completely under control. After all, Janet Napolitano said so!

ITEM: The Government Is Using Your Tax Dollars With the Greatest Care! Department: From Hot Air (here) comes news of the enormous sculpture of a fairy on the back of a toad which lights up and “gurgles sounds of nature.” The sculpture, to be placed at the Defense Department’s Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia to open this fall, costs a mere $600,000, pocket change to the Federal Government. Army Corps of Engineers officials, responding to charges of waste and, well, idiocy, have noted that the decision to build the enormous toad and fairy, which is due on April 1 (talk about irony), can’t be put off because it would “impact completion” of the project. I don’t know what all the fuss is about. After all, it’s not even a million bucks, and I can’t think of anything more inspiring to people working to help defend America than the kind of patriotic symbolism embodied by a ten foot fairy riding an enormous toad. After all, wasn’t it just such a vision that inspired George Washington to cross the Potomac in a wooden shoe while chopping down a cherry tree and lying to his father? It wasn’t? Oh. This is an April Fool's joke, right? Even the Feds couldn't be this dopey? Right? Right?

ITEM: And in the “So Ironic It Hurts!” Department, comes this story from Hot Air (here) about Mr. Obama recently receiving an award for—wait for it…transparency! And the best part is that he locked all reporters out of the secret White House ceremony where the award was bestowed! You can’t make this stuff up, folks.

ITEM: So Now The Republicans Want to Kill Children, Eh? Rajiv, Shas, USAID Administrator told a House subcommittee:

“… the budget plan, which would cut $61 billion in federal spending, would lead to the deaths of 30,000 kids in a malaria control program that would have to be scaled back, 24,000 from a lack of immunizations and 16,000 from a lack of skilled attendants at birth.” "’There's a way to do this that does not have to cost lives and we're very focused and very much want to work with the committee to identify a path forward that can allow us to be effective at doing so,’ he said. Shah is seeking $59.5 billion in funding for his agency, up 22 percent, or $10.7 billion, from the current level.”

Well, when you put it that way… Perhaps the Dems can come up with how many children will be killed per dollar of budget cuts. Any bets? One? 2.37? 18.82? Go here for the entire sad story and contact your Republican legislator and tell them to kill as many children as possible.

NOTE TO THE IRONY CHALLENGED/MANDATORY POLITICAL CORRECTNESS DISCLAIMER: That last comment was satirical. I am not, in fact, in favor of killing children and I am not, in fact, actually telling you to tell legislators to kill children. However, I am fond of Jonathan Swift’s modest proposal about eating them.

ITEM: We’re so far underwater in national debt that we can’t see sunlight, so one wonders on which pressing, absolutely vital national priority does Mr. Obama want to spend even more money? Buying more land for parks and conservation. The federal government already owns about 1/3 of all American lands, and Mr. Obama (here) wants to double spending next year to $900 million dollars. Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski has pointed out that the Feds cannot afford to maintain the land they already own, and would have to sell, rather than buy, land to properly maintain it. Hmm. If I was broke and owned property I couldn’t afford to maintain, wouldn’t I sell that property? But then again, I’m not Barack Obama, am I?

Another thought: How does this square with Mr. Obama’s recent speech claiming to be all about expanding American energy production? Does he want more land to open it to exploration and energy production? Isn’t private land already open to exploration and energy production? Something doesn’t smell quite right, and I’m sure it doesn’t smell remotely like oil.

ITEM: Epic Fail Department: Remember all of Mr. Obama’s bold outreach initiatives? Remember the way he was going to utterly transform not only America, but make the world love us? Remember how having a black, sort-of-Muslim-when-it’s-convenient-and-don’t-you-dare-call-me-Muslim-even-though-my-middle-name-is-about-as-muslim-as-it-gets President would change the way every nation dealt with America? How’s all of that working out? Go here for John Hannah’s take. My take? Mr. Obama couldn’t have made a worse hash of the world if he tried, and I’m not entirely sure he didn’t--and isn’t.

ITEM: Read the article here to discover one of the greatest tragedies of modern times. Oh, the humanity! Yes, California state legislators, in a state that is about to, economically and perhaps not metaphorically speaking, slide into the Pacific Ocean, may actually—gasp!—lose—wailing and gnashing of teeth—their taxpayer paid luxury automobiles! I may eat some organic vegetables in protest of the obvious violation of universal human rights such cruel deprivation would constitute. And yes, CA is the only state that provides state-subsidized rides for state legislators. And it's bankrupt. And it just elected a man it fondly (?!) calls "Governor Moonbeam" again(?!). Perhaps there’s a lesson in there somewhere? Discuss.

ITEM: Louis Renault Award of the Week: From Fox News (here) comes the tragic tale of Attorney General Eric Holder, a man who works tirelessly for his people, making a petulant April 4 appearance to announce that some of the most vile terrorists of the century will not be allowed to have star-studded media-circus trials in the Big Apple. No, NYC will be denied the world-wide attention, astronomical expense, disruption and terrorist targeting that is—according to Mr. Holder and Mr. Obama--its natural right. And it’s all the more tragic, according to Mr. Holder, because he guarantees they’d be convicted, so let’s get on with the fair, impartial trials and show the world how fair our justice system really is. But that’s not what makes me shocked, shocked!, no. I know you won’t be able to believe it either. It’s the fault of Congress and those darned American people that Mr. Holder won’t get his way. Awwww. Once again, the people--the bastards--have spoken.

ITEM: Louis Renault Award of the Week #II: I am shocked, shocked! to learn that the Nevada chapter of ACORN has pleaded guilty to one count of violating election laws in Las Vegas, NV during the 2008 campaign. ACORN, which is now defunct (I really can’t get tired of writing that!), is almost certainly operating under other names. The mainstream media might figure that out sometime after the next presidential election--or not. Go to Fox News (here) for the rest of the story. Hope. Change. Nation-wide election fraud. Community Organizing.

ITEM: From Hot Air (here) comes the news that Former Speaker of the House (I absolutely never get tired of writing that!) Nancy Pelosi is now saying that some budget bill or something or other that Republicans may or may not be proposing will make six million seniors starve to death. Sigh. On the April 5th O’Reilly Factor, John Stossel reported that his staff called Pelosi’s office and they had no idea what bill Pelosi was talking about or where she was getting her figures. Imagine that. This woman was third in line for the presidency. Contact your Republican legislators immediately and ask that they make eating old people legal. Starting with Nancy Pelosi. For the required disclaimer, see the “ So Now The Republicans Want to Kill Children, Eh?” item above and substitute “old people” for “children.” Thanks.

ITEM: I’m All For Free Speech, But…: From Hot Air (here) comes the predictably erratic Senator Lindsay Graham who says: “I wish we could hold people accountable for their actions, but under free speech, you can’t.” He speaks, of course of the killing of UN workers and fellow Afghani Muslims by Afghan adherents of the religion of peace following the burning of a Koran by an obscure Florida minister. Graham, who is actually a military (reserve) lawyer(?!), thinks that the fact that he, and apparently General David Petraeus--according to Graham--would like to ban Koran burning overrides the First Amendment because without people like the general, there would be no First Amendment. Well, I’m a teacher, and without people like me, there would be no writ…

ITEM: Delicious Irony Department: From Rob over at PACNW Righty (here) we discover that in the very heart of leftist, Global Warming, tree-hugging territory, California, The Sierra Nevada Mountains have near-record snowfalls, with some 61 feet of snow. But of course, 61 feet of snow is obvious evidence of global warming. So is rain, hail, night, day, too-tight jeans, Victoria’s Secret, little yappy dogs, Koran burning and Nancy Pelosi. Discuss.

ITEM: Who Says There Are No Happy Endings? Department: If you’d like a smile on your face and a tear in your eye, go here. Oh yes, and be glad you’re an American, one of hundreds of millions of people who would care about something so simple, so common, yet so touching.

And on that touching note, thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you again next Thursday, same bat-time, same bat-channel!

Posted by: MikeM at 10:17 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 05, 2011

Fiscal Malpractice

In recent weeks, America’s fiscal crisis has, day by day, worsened and the stark realities we face have been made more and more clear. Yet in the face of disaster, Congressional Democrats scream about cutting a few billions, accusing Republicans of wanting to kill 70,000 children when we are facing deficits in the tens of trillions. President Obama has been essentially absent, apparently adopting the childish tactic of ignoring the deficit in the hope that it will simply go away and stop bothering him. If that was all that he did--or didn’t do--it would be bad enough, but of late, he has taken a number of policy steps that clearly indicate that he has no idea of economics, or simply could care less.

Mr. Obama has announced (here) his executive order to replace all 600,000 federal vehicles with “advanced technology” vehicles by 2015. “Advanced technology,” of course, means hybrids and electric vehicles such as the Chevy Volt, which is essentially a needly complex plug-in pseudo hybrid retailing for $41,000, but costing as much as $65,000. The costs of this bit of economic lunacy are staggering. Every Volt purchased will cost more than double the price of a comparable sedan and will also require a huge investment in charging stations at federal installations across the nation. Even hybrids commonly cost thousands more than comparable conventional vehicles.

Mr. Obama has also announced his intention (here) to double--to $900 million dollars--the Federal Government’s budget for purchasing privately owned land, ostensibly for conservation. The Feds already own 1/3 of all land in America and, according to Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, cannot come close to properly maintaining it, an assertion many Americans who have recently visited a national park can confirm. In fact, the only way the Government can possibly afford to properly maintain the land it now owns would be to sell large portions of it to raise the money necessary to maintain the rest.

There are a great many additional examples of Mr. Obama’s utter lack of adult seriousness regarding debt reduction, but these are illustrative. Certainly, there are political motivations in these two situations. Mr. Obama clearly intends to buy large numbers of Chevy Volts, in effect, to create a market where one could not otherwise exist. In doing this, he continues to put money in union coffers, and in turn, his 2012 campaign chest. It is no coincidence that Mr. Obama’s crony and advisor, Jeffery Immelt, president of General Electric, has committed GE to buying 12,000 Volts. It is likewise an amazing non-coincidence that GE manufactures the charging stations that will be necessary to support fleets of electric vehicles with limited utility and even more limited range (about 25 miles in real world experience). Mr. Obama has also recently expressed his support for an all-of-the-above energy strategy, but everything he has done to date indicates just the opposite. Putting more land under direct government control almost certainly means that much more land closed to coal, oil, nuclear and natural gas development and production.

Any rational adult serious about cutting spending would actually cut spending. Mr. Obama is manifestly not rational or serious in his non-pursuit of fiscal sobriety. But for a man who non-fights non-wars, we should be non-surprised. Unfortunately, Mr. Obama’s lack of attention to American’s welfare will result, and sooner rather than later, in all too real consequences.

Posted by: MikeM at 06:03 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 02, 2011

The Erik Scott Case, Update 10.3, Stealth Legislation and Misdirection

Since the posting of Update 10.2, additional information relating to the issues it raised has come to light in the local Las Vegas media (here). Officers Mark Hatten and Timothy English, who were placed on administrative suspension following the taser death of Anthony Jones have been put back to work in unspecified jobs that allow no public contact. In addition, most of the approximately one dozen officers similarly suspended over the last five months after fatal shootings or in-custody deaths have also been placed in similar, unspecified duties.

Kathy O’Connor, Sheriff Doug Gillespie’s Chief of Staff said:

“There’s really no reason we need to leave these officers sitting at home. We’re just looking to be as efficient as we possibly can.”

O’Connor also observed that the practice of keeping officers off duty until after a coroner’s inquest was of long standing and common in law enforcement. She characterized the practice as giving the officers time for counseling and emotional recovery.

According to Clark County Assistant Coroner John Fundenberg, inquests will take place from four to six months after an incident. Two decades ago, they often began in as little as two weeks, and in recent years, within six weeks. Commenting on the changes in the process wrought by the Clark County Commission, Fundenberg, who has apparently had his sense of irony surgically removed as a condition of employment, said:

“People didn’t believe the district attorney acted as an impartial party in the past. I disagreed with that, but they were accused of being partial.”

Multiple cases awaiting a coroner’s inquest will have to wait until late May, at the earliest, though Fundenberg hopes they will be caught up by the end of the year.

Chris Collins, President of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association--the police union--did not depart from the union line. He said that participation in inquests would open officers to civil liability. Collins claimed that four unnamed attorneys came to that conclusion.

“We warned them, if you will, that if they made this process so adversarial we would not participate.” Collins added “It’s a shame. The process before worked. It was open to the public. And now, in my opinion, the tail wagged the dog and the small vocal minority has taken away what was once an open process.”

Posted by: MikeM at 08:19 PM | Comments (13) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

March 31, 2011

Together or Alone

"The true measure of the patriot is steadfastness. We all have small moments of wanderlust in us, tearing off on solitary paths that others may not follow, testing limits, testing ourselves. That is the nature of man. Yet when we strive to hold true, to stand firm to our beliefs as free men, together, to carry our weapons and defend our land, the weak become strong, and the wandering hold together as one. For then we are united in something much greater than the elemental whims of man. Together as patriots, we are much more of the courageous and less of the selfish, we are brothers in arms."- Brigid

Posted by: Brigid at 10:19 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Quick Takes, March 31, 2011

ITEM: In Maine, a major international crisis is brewing. From Hot Air (here) we discover that Governor Paul LePage has ordered that the state’s Department of Labor building be redecorated after receiving” feedback” that that building isn’t 
“perceived as equally receptive to both businesses and workers.” The remodeling, has been removing a 36-foot mural of the state’s labor history and renaming conference rooms which have to date been named for Cesar Chavez (picking fruit in Maine?) and other big labor icons. As one might expect, the usual suspects have proclaimed this provocative, immoral brutality by governor LePage to be, well, provocative and immoral. Even Robert Reich, Clinton Labor Secretary weighed in on the Christian Science Monitor site (here), asking “Are we still in America?” Hmm. So let me see if I have this straight: Anything relating to labor must not only be laudatory toward unions, must not only be displayed and celebrated, but it must remain in place forever, even if potential changes will be essentially neutral. Seems reasonable. But as for Mr. Reich: “The Horror; the horror!” (Repeat in Elmer Fudd voice until everyone in sight is laughing themselves silly)

ITEM: In the SIGNS OF THE APOCALYPSE? Department comes news from the Telegraph of London (here and here) that in an ABC News and People Magazine poll, Forrest Gump was rated the greatest film character of all time. James Bond came in second, followed by Scarlett O’Hara, Hannibal Lecter (?!) and Indiana Jones. The comedy was “Airplane!, followed by “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
Check the links for additional categories. “Airplane!” and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” but of course, but Forrest Gump?

ITEM: What do you do with a person who was a key advisor to AG Janet Reno during the Branch Davidian disaster in Waco, TX, who was singlehandedly responsible for keeping our intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies from communicating, directly leading to 9-11, who served on the 9-11 commission investigating herself, who also worked at Fannie Mae, making 26 million in just seven years, also earning a $800,000+ bonus based on falsified data from its management in 1998, who also received preferred a rate loan from the discredited Countrywide Mortgage? If you’re the Obama administration, you put her--Jamie Gorelick--on the short list for FBI director! Oh, by the way, she has no actual law enforcement experience whatever--unless you count helping to immolate innocent men, women and children--obviously making her the perfect candidate for the Obamites. More here.

ITEM: In the Flying The Sleepy Skies Department, we learn (here) that Reagan National Airport’s control tower went off the air early March 23rd when the sole Air Traffic Controller on duty went to sleep. Despite repeated radio, phone and alarm calls, the ATC remained in sleepy land and two passenger jets had to land without any direction or clearance. FAA officials had no idea that the tower was apparently regularly manned with only a single controller. Of course, it’s all the fault of George W. Bush (here), who when last I checked has not been president for more than two years. Reliable sources indicate that it is unlikely that he will be president again at anytime in the near future. But that’s OK, because the nation is in the very best of hands.

ITEM: In the “You’re Kidding, Right? Nobody’s That Politically Correct! Department, we travel (here) to Pottawattamie County and Treynor High School where a terrorism scenario drill will take place. The scenario? Two teenage white supremacist/ “firearms enthusiasts” shoot up the school because they’re upset about illegal immigration, of course! Those Californians! What would you expect from such...what’s that? It’s not in California? It’s where?! IOWA?! Iowa. According to the DesMoines Register, Doug Reed, “lead exercise planner” for the County emergency management agency said “the exercise is not intended to be political and shouldn’t be interpreted as criticizing gun owners or opponents of illegal immigration.” Reed, whose obfuscatory rhetorical skills obviously belong in the White House, also noted “This is purely the backdrop and the setup, if you will, to help create a perception of reality for the responders.”

Ah yes, a perception of reality! So let’s see, how many school shootings have been perpetrated by anti-immigrant firearms enthusiasts? None, so obviously this scenario represents the most currently realistic threat of attack on a school in a town with a population of 919 people. Here’s my scenario: An attack by federal bureaucrats who sue the school for violations of the ADA, the Clean Air Act and an obscure treaty protecting a rare ant. That’s arguably more realistic. Discuss.

ITEM: And This Week’s Louis Renault Award goes to: Anyone who ever thought a progressive’s brain could contain a rational, economic thought. I’m shocked, shocked! As I’m sure the ridiculously smart and lovely Michelle Malkin (here) is, and from whom comes news of Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich on Chris Matthews--our national leg tingler’s--Hardball show presenting his solution to the nation’s economic woes. To wit: “You don’t want government to hold back, you want government right now, yes, the deficit’s a long-term problem, but right not you don’t want to cut government spending, yet Eric Cantor and the Republicans are indulging, you hear it over and over.” You just can’t make this stuff up, folks.

ITEM: Regular readers know that I’ve been following the dubious fortunes of the Government Motors Chevy Volt. Now, from autobloggreen (here) comes news that Washington, Texas and Oregon are considering levying a special tax on electric vehicles! Why? They don’t generate gasoline taxes yet use the same roads as those who do. There is justice in the world after all. And irony, loads and loads of irony. This is just electric (ar, ar) with irony!

ITEM: I think the headline of this article says all you need to know about Joe Biden and the Democrats: “Biden Aide Apologizes After Reporter Kept In Storage Closet During Fundraiser.” According to Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander, the closet wasn’t really a closet, it was a “hold room.” Yeah. Sure. Hope. Change. Transparency. Tell me again why reporters have to wear drool buckets whenever they’re around Obama or his lackeys? Imagine the media outrage if this had been done by a Republican? And no, I’m not making this one up, honest.

ITEM: You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up: In a Media Myth Alert (here) we find this actual correction from the paper of record, the New York Times:

“An article in The Times Magazine last Sunday about Ivana Trump and her spending habits misstated the number of bras she buys. It is two dozen black, two dozen white, not two thousand of each.” Uh, don’t they actually employ any editors at that paper? To normal folks with a normal number of breasts, 2000 is just a bit larger than 24, and a bit more obvious.

ITEM: This headline says it all too: “US: most energy resources in the world and most incoherent energy policy.” Well yeah...read the whole thing from Hot Air (here). Oh well. At least we’re helping Brazil with their oil industry...hey!

ITEM: I know you’ve asked yourself this question: Why are Russians so unsmiling? Find the answer at Pravda, (here). Well, if you’d lived under Communism for a century--just a guess, mind you...

ITEM: Mr. Obama failed to get a poll bounce after his Libya attack that wasn’t an attack with clear goals that weren’t and with a victory plan that wasn’t clearly led by America but not really led by anyone... From the New Republic, via The Daily Caller (here), we discover that the reason for this lack of bounce is (drum roll please, Maestro!) John Boehner didn’t praise it! That’s right, the Republican Speaker of the House’s praise is apparently responsible for the popularity of Democrat presidents. And I thought it was just because Mr. Obama was late and incoherent, but what do I know?

ITEM: Something To Think About Department: What happens to American unity when enough major companies and businesses move to states that actually recognize that businesses and productive citizens are preferable to boarded up storefronts and non-productive entitlement takers? Explore one of the indicators of this potential future divide in a post by Doug Powers at Michelle Malkin’s blog (here). Caterpillar is currently telling the government of the Democrat People’s Republic of Illinois that if they don’t get business friendly in a hurry, Caterpillar is going to move elsewhere. Will the Dem. machine pols that run Illinois listen? Will they listen in other Dem-controlled states? What happens to a state when everyone is taking and there is no one left around to produce?

ITEM: Doesn’t Work and Play Well with Others! Department: At Michelle Malkin (the blog, not the charming Michelle), Doug Powers (here) notes a dust up between Secretary of Defense Gates and Secretary of State Clinton. More evidence of the utter incoherence and disarray of Obama foreign policy, as if you needed any more. Interesting and telling nonetheless.

ITEM: Sharia Goes To School! At National Review Online (here), the highly competent Mona Charen has a nice article about a Muslim teacher who demanded three weeks off in the middle of a school year to perform the Hajj, which is a pilgrimage to Mecca all observant Muslims are expected to make--if possible--once in a lifetime. Why is this noteworthy? Because the school reasonably refused, the teacher resigned and did it anyway, but she also contacted the Justice Department, and guess what, Holder’s boys and girls are suing the school district! By the way, I covered this issue for Pajamas Media back in December. Go here for that article.

ITEM: When someone gets shot by a shotgun in the movies, they fly backwards 20 feet. That’s the way it really is, right? To find out about some great movie/gun myths, go here. And no, getting shot by a shotgun doesn’t fling people any distance. Basic physics: Any firearm that could, from the energy delivered by its projectile, fling someone 20 feet would have the same reaction on the shooter. People fall down and/or backwards when shot out of surprise, shock, and the “Oh s**t! I’ve been shot!” reaction.

ITEM: LOUIS RENAULT AWARD OF THE MONTH! We are shocked, shocked! to learn (here and here) that in a letter to Congress delivered on March 19, Eric Holder’s Department of Justice noted that it had diligently investigated Eric Holder’s DOJ and concluded that Eric Holder’s DOJ is absolutely blameless, blameless! in dismissing the infamous voter-intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party, one of the leaders of which has been immortalized on video exhorting fellow blacks to kill white babies. C’mon, what’d you expect? Eric Holder knows were all cowards because we don’t obsess sufficiently about race, so his DOJ and he are filling the race gap all by themselves. Hope. Change. Race-baiting.

ITEM: President Obama has spent substantial time bragging about his “coalition” of which we’re not really a leader, no, that NATO, sort of, maybe is the leader, and how we’re protecting Libyan lives, except maybe they could be virulent terrorists, and it’s the right thing to do and all, and Qaddafi has to go, except we’re not going to do anything to make that happen, except he knows he has to go, and he didn’t talk to Congress, but if they, you now, want to talk about this, that’s OK with him, and Hillary Clinton is talking to just bunches of people, you know, just bunches. Hmm. Let’s see if I have this straight: Both Bushes had much, much bigger coalitions for their wars--which they actually called wars--and both got Congressional resolutions for their wars. If it’s so morally right, why do we need a coalition to act in the first place? Aren’t we the good guys anymore? And what the hell is Mr. Obama talking about anyway? And don’t get me started on Hillary Clinton. Discuss.

ITEM: Black Flight! No, I’m not talking about levitating black people, but about blacks moving, in record numbers, out of the blue states where decades of social experimentation have devastated the black family. Read this article by Walter Russell Mead. A significant shift in political reality may well be underway. Guess where most are moving? The South. Hope. Change. Cosmic irony.

ITEM: GREAT MOMENTS IN SMART DIPLOMACY! Department. Visit NewsBusters (here) to see the post-Obama Libya speech reaction by Libyans as reported by NBC. In a nutshell: They’re enormously relieved and emboldened. But wait a minute, shouldn’t a speech by the POTUS in wartime make our enemies quake with trepidation and fear instead of making them want to party? I’m sure, being one of those cloddish God and gun clingers, that I’m just too dense to appreciate the nuance inherent in Mr. Obama’s foreign policy. No doubt Sen. John Kerry (D, John Kerry) could explain it in an appropriately nuanced fashion.

ITEM: We’re All Disabled Now! From Fox News (here) comes the news that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, following the Obama Administration’s practice of getting through regulation what it can’t through legitimate means, has redefined “disability” under the Americans With Disability Act. If Congress doesn’t act, the new regulations, which could actually result in most Americans being able to claim disabled status, will take effect in May. More disabled Americans equals more demands on business, equals less profit, equals fewer jobs, equals less business, equals higher unemployment, equals less tax revenue, equals greater reliance on the all-powerful government, equals our continuing descent into third world status. Hope. Change. Obama domestic policy.

ITEM: Just A Thought: Pundit after pundit is writing that Mr. Obama’s Libya speech was “eloquent,” but contradictory, confusing, and/or made little or no sense. Hmm. If a speech is contradictory, confusing and made little or no sense, is it really eloquent, or was it, at best, a reasonably competent teleprompter reading? Can saying essentially “blah, blah, blah, and more blah” be eloquent?

ITEM: Cash For Clunkers II: This Time It’s Personal! Yes, gentle readers, Cash For Clunkers was so successful the first time around, it wasted $3 billion dollars, depressed the numbers of vehicles available on the used car market and increased the cost of those remaining so much that it only makes sense the Obamites would try it again--sort of. And as you suspected, it’s tied into the ridiculously unpopular Chevy Volt. According to The Blaze (here) the Obamites are planning to change the current $7500 tax credit for green cars--the only two currently available are the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf--to a rebate immediately available at the point of sale. Who is excited about this--apart from the Obama Administration? General Motors, another subsidiary of the Democrat party. So let’s see, Volts are currently selling for as much as $65,000, so with the rebate, that’s only $57,500! Buy one for each day of the week! Meanwhile, Nissan’s Leaf sales are, to put it mildly, uninspiring, perhaps even more uninspiring than Volt sales.

ITEM: Here’s a delightful bit of history about the Slinky! Yes, as you always suspected, it was originally intended to be a tension spring in the engine horsepower meters of battleships! Go here.

ITEM: Yes, Once Again, I’ve Read Your Minds! I Know Exactly What You Want to See! Go here for a video on a slingshot/crossbow hybrid that shoots--wait for it--machetes! The video reveals that no piece of cardboard within two feet is safe. Nor is the maker’s arm.

And with that bit of whimsy, I’ll bid you adieu for this week. Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you again next Thursday!.

Posted by: MikeM at 12:16 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

March 29, 2011

Erik Scott Case at Pajamas Media

The good folks at Pajamas Media have been kind enough to post my recent article on the Scott case, available here. Regular readers who have been following the case on Confederate Yankee will find it to be a summary of recent developments for those who have not been regular readers. Even so, the comments are entertaining, and PJM is a fine site that is worth your while.

I'll be posting another update--10.3--on the case at CY within a day or two as some additional information has been made available on some of the newer developments.

Posted by: MikeM at 07:25 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

March 28, 2011

Courting Armageddon

I've been warning of the apocalyptic Hojjatieh sect that rules Iran for the better part of four years now. They believe that the end of the world is imminent, which isn't too dissimilar to factions and cults within religions dating from the beginning of time until now. What separates the Hojjatieh from all other cults is that they believe they have a duty to help bring about the end of the world, and they very nearly have the capacity to do so.

The Hojjatieh are a sect within Shia "Twelver" Islam in Iran that rules the terrorist state, which either has nuclear weapons capability, or are on the edge of developing that capability.

The cult has not been shy about its beliefs, nor has it sought to hide its presence. Its most fierce advocate is none other than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, acting on the orders of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Now the world's only nuclear cult has released a film alerting Muslims to the imminent return of the Madhi and the end of life on Earth.

One of the most important keys to securing the reappearance of the last messiah — as called for in the Hadith — is the annihilation of Israel, and the conquering of Beitol Moghadas (Jerusalem). They state with conviction that Islam will soon conquer the world, and that all infidels will be destroyed.

The pursuit of nuclear bombs by the radicals ruling Iran is directly connected to this belief: war, chaos, and lawlessness must engulf the world to pave the way for Imam Mahdi's reappearance.

This movie has been produced in Iran by an organization called Conductors of The Coming, in collaboration with the Iranian president's office and the Basij (Iranian paramilitary force). Also, reports indicate that Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, President Ahmadinejad's top adviser and chief of staff, was directly involved with this project. The movie was completed a few months ago and was recently screened for the high clerics by the Iranian president’s office, with one of its high-ranking official analyzing it.

For the past few years, Ahmadinejad has been telling everyone who would listen that Iran intends to wipe Israel off the map. If Iran launches such an attack, the resulting retaliatory strike—the so-called Samson Option—would destroy the Muslim Middle East that has attempted time and again to destroy the Jewish state. Tens of millions will die in the carnage. The region will be uninhabitable, and the fallout will circle the globe and affect us all.

The Iranian leaders are preparing their followers for this end of days that they plan to initiate. Our leftist Western leaders stand silent, unwilling to believe that madmen with the means to destroy the world intend to do just that if they feel the time is right.

Watch the film for yourself.

With the creation of The Coming, the Iranian leadership indicates that they are in the final preparatory stages prior to launching an attack on Israel in hopes of triggering the cleansing fire their Madhi's return demands.

Our leaders will beg forgiveness if the world burns, but they will do nothing to prevent it.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 10:10 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Down to the Final Four

Kentucky, UConn, and... Virginia Commonwealth and Butler?

Oh, well. I'm sure that screwed up a ton of office brackets, but if you bet on sports you know that momentum is a fickle thing, and it enable the most unlikely of underdogs to shine as giants (what, Duke?) unexpectedly collapse.

I'm one of a small number of native North Carolinians immune to "March Madness," but that is certainly a product of going to a school (East Carolina) that has always been more focused on the gridiron and the diamond than the court. Now that Carolina has fallen, most of my fellow Tarheels will settle back down to work.

It will be all over a week from today in Houston and the rest of the nation will turn their attention eslewhere.

They maybe someone will inform President ESPN that we're at war in Libya. I'm sure he'll be surprised.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 08:02 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

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