POLITICAL: End the Government’s Postal Monopoly

Thursday, March 12, 2015

http://www.cato.org/blog/after-eight-years-losses-end-governments-postal-monopoly

MARCH 2, 2015 4:34PM
After Eight Years of Losses, End the Government’s Postal Monopoly
By DOUG BANDOW

*** begin quote ***

The United States Postal Service lost $5.5 billion last year. That is the eighth annual loss in a row and the third highest ever. The only good news is that it remains below the red ink tsunami of $15.9 billion in 2012.

Why does the federal government deliver the mail? Why does it have a monopoly over delivering the mail?

The Postal Service one of the few government programs with actual constitutional warrant. Alas, America’s revolutionaries turned the system into a fount of federal patronage.  Local postmasters became perhaps the president’s most important appointments. The Postmaster General was a member of the Cabinet from 1829 to 1971.

*** end quote ***

Obviously, it’s a patronage boondoggle.

End the monopoly now.

Interesting that the PO is using FedEx and UPS to deliver to the PO’s and FedEx and UPS are using UPS to deliver to end Users.

Stop it all now.

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | Political | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

RANT: OU expells two students for leading a racist chant; shreds the First Amendment!

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/03/10/what-speech-is-going-to-justify-expulsion-next/

The Volokh Conspiracy
What speech is going to justify expulsion next?
By Eugene Volokh March 10 at 2:14 PM  

*** begin quote ***

Oklahoma University President David Boren has expelled two students for leading a racist chant. These students’ speech was indeed quite repugnant, but for reasons I discuss here, it’s protected by the First Amendment.

*** end quote ***

“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, ’cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say “You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can’t just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the “land of the free”.” — President Andrew Shepherd played by Michael Douglas in “The American President” (1995)

Seems pretty OBVIOUS:

(1) Oklahoma University is a Gooferment Skrule!

(2) The OU Prez punished the students and the frat for their speech.

The First Amendment has been violated!

Using the liberal’s favorite movie, “defend that”!

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TINFOILHAT: FBI declares its unconstitutional domestic spying program “secret”

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/03/no_author/the-okc-bombing-coverup/

Are FBI Informants Working Inside America’s Churches?
By Bob McCarty
BobMcCarty.com
March 3, 2015

*** begin quote ***

“The FBI argues that the discovery (he) seeks would be futile since ‘illegal’ activity by the federal government is shielded from disclosure under FOIA if covered by an exemption.”

He went on to question how the FBI can, in good faith, claim that a national security exemption allows the Bureau to declare its unconstitutional domestic spying program “secret” and, in turn, allows them to keep their illegal activities hidden from the public.

“It is an absurd — no, arrogant — position for the FBI to take,” he said

*** end quote ***

One has to assume that there are secret Gooferment programs to spy on “We, The Sheeple”.

The question is when does surveillance turn into instigation?

It’s a violation of the Fourth Amendment.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | TINFOILHAT | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Where’s the Grand Jury for HRC’s email?

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2988099/Hillary-Clinton-finally-address-email-controversy-today-reports-say-DAYS-silence.html

I’ve deleted all my personal emails and the server will remain private: Hillary Clinton reveals HALF her inbox has not been handed over and says she used one account for convenience
Clinton made peace with the public after her speech to the U.N.
Only acknowledgement of the email controversy had been through a spokesman and a single tweet
Former Secretary of State’s spokesman said Clinton had complied with in ‘both the letter and spirit of the rules’
Her tweet called on the State Department to make public the 55,000 pages of messages her team turned over
Even after the presser questions lingered about Clinton’s use of a private server, which she said would remain out of the government’s grasp
Clinton is reportedly looking to launch her presidential campaign on April 1
By FRANCESCA CHAMBERS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 08:31 EST, 10 March 2015 | UPDATED: 14:59 EST, 10 March 2015

*** begin quote ***

Hillary Clinton addressed her use of a private email system during her four years at the State Department during a news conference today in New York City, ending her days long silence on the issue.Clinton explained that she used a personal email address so that she didn’t have to carry around two phones or two devices.’I saw it as a matter of convenience, it was allowed, others had done it,’ she said during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.Clinton insisted that she had turned over all of her work-related emails to the State Department  – which constituted about half of her inbox – and suggested that she deleted messages that were strictly personal in nature so that they did not become public.  She later made it sound as her personal communications remain on a private server that she shares with husband Bill, however, and told reporters that she would not give the government access to her personal property.

*** end quote ***

Sounds like she has committed two felonies and perhaps perjury.

Federal Records Retention Act — twice.

Swear on the State Department exit form under oath?

Argh!

If David Petraeus convicted for classified leaks, then it’s only fair to treat HRC the same?

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | GOVEROTRAGEOUS | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TINFOILHAT: Why MH370 hasn’t been found?

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/02/jeff-wise-mh370-theory.html?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits

How crazy am I to thinkI actually know where that Malaysia Airlines plane is?

** Kinda crazy. (But also maybe right?)

*** begin quote ***

In the year since the vanishing of MH370, I appeared on CNN more than 50 times, watched my spouse’s eyes glaze over at dinner, and fell in with a group of borderline-obsessive amateur aviation sleuths. A million theories bloomed, including my own.

*** and ***

The International Business Times headlined its story “MH370: Russia’s Grand Plan to Provoke World War III, Says Independent Investigator” and linked directly to the Putin part. Somehow, the airing of my theory helped quell my obsession. My gut still tells me I’m right, but my brain knows better than to trust my gut.

Last month, the Malaysian government declared that the aircraft is considered to have crashed and all those aboard are presumed dead. Malaysia’s transport minister told a local television station that a key factor in the decision was the fact that the search mission for the aircraft failed to achieve its objective. Meanwhile, new theories are still being hatched.

*** end quote ***

This writer seems to make a cogent case why MH370 hasn’t been found.

But, I’m sure anyone who has any theory will be labeled a tin foil hat!

So far, this seems the most reasonable explanation.

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | TINFOILHAT | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

GUNS: Why shouldn’t Americans be able to defend themselves?

Monday, March 9, 2015

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/02/24/guns-and-new-york-times-why-shouldnt-americans-be-able-to-defend-themselves/?intcmp=ob_homepage_opinion&intcmp=obnetwork

SECOND AMENDMENT
Guns and the New York Times: Why shouldn’t Americans be able to defend themselves?
By Dr. John R. Lott Jr. Published February 24, 2015 FoxNews.com

*** begin quote ***

Gun control advocates just can’t accept the fact that concealed handgun permit holders are incredibly law-abiding.  The New York Times’ recent attack on permit holders is typical.  It is filled with triple-counting of legitimate self-defense cases. Murders or suicides by permit holders are blamed on guns, even when no gun was involved.  In point of fact, permit holders are incredibly law-abiding.  Some new evidence puts things in perspective.

*** end quote ***

Indeed, why does the Gooferment get to decide who can defend themselves?

And, permit holders are more law abiding than police!

That’s a interesting factoid.

Of course, the liberal media spins, slants, and misreports to propagandize “We, The Sheeple”.

That’s to be expected.

Hence, one becomes extremely cynical of everything and everybody.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | GUNS | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: The Seventeenth turned the USA from “these United States”

Sunday, March 8, 2015

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/03/who-should-select-senators/386489/

Who Should Select Senators?
A century after the Seventeenth Amendment transferred that power to the voters, legislatures and governors are devising new ways to retain it for themselves.
GARRETT EPPSMAR 1 2015, 9:18 AM ET

*** begin quote ***

There are a lot of reasons that I love the Seventeenth Amendment, which transferred the power to elect senators from state legislatures to ordinary voters.

Its passage was one of the most sweeping progressive victories in American history—public fury so intimidated reactionary lawmakers in the Senate that, by approving the Amendment, they in effect voted their own body out of existence.

A second reason is that in the past two decades, new redistricting techniques have allowed state legislatures to create unshakably safe House districts for their members. (Because Republicans controlled a majority of legislatures after the 2010 census, most Republican seats are as safe as Brezhnev’s old spot on the Politburo.) But those techniques are useless when elections must take in the entire state; as a result, a small group of Senate candidates must at least pretend to represent both red and blue voters.

*** end quote ***

I OTOH would like to repeal the Seventeenth completely.

Why?

Unintended Consequences!

By removing the State Legislatures from the “State’s Senate choice”, it eliminated a critical feedback loop in the Federalism design of the Dead Old White Guys.

And, as is true with most “improvements” to the Dead Old White Guys’ design, this too is flawed.

Remember, the Dead Old White Guys wanted government as close as possible.

(That movie quote caught the spirit: “Would you tell me please, Mr. Howard, why should I trade one tyrant three thousand miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away? An elected legislature can trample a man’s rights as easily as a king can.” Mel Gibson as the character Benjamin Martin in the movie The Patriot http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/quotes)

So, the Seventeenth permitted unfunded mandates on the States.

And, basically turned the USA from “these United States” into “the United State”.

Argh!

In addition, the conduct of Senators was closely monitored by the the States. Do something undignified and you were recalled. Do something criminal and you were recalled. Do vote for something that hurt your State and you were recalled.

And, guess what? Hillary becomes the Senator from Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerk. Corzine pays of the D party bosses and becomes the Senator from the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee. Carpet bagging par excellence. All of course voted for by the pee-pull.

Give me a break.

The Seventeenth, like most “progressive” legislation, has given us tyranny!

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | Political | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

GUNS: The Best Gun For Women? One she’ll have with her to use

Saturday, March 7, 2015

http://www.thedailysheeple.com/best-gun-for-women-some-things-to-consider_032015

Best Gun For Women – Some Things To Consider

# – # – # – # – # 

IF you’re afraid, then some practice should help.

IF you think you’ll never need it, then I pray you’re right.

IF you think no one should ever have a gun, then you just don’t understand that it’s a dangerous world out there.

“Victim disarmament is the view that it is somehow better to see a woman raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose, than see her with a gun in her hand.” — T.D. Melrose

From your hopefully favorite little L libertarian tin foil hat.

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | GUNS | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

JOBSEARCH: Don’t be a “source of inconvenient truth”

Friday, March 6, 2015

Surviving (and Thriving) After a Layoff
8 things to know and prepare for–emotionally and professionally
Jan 8th 2015 1:35PM

# – # – # – # – # 

I saved this, because I knew it was coming sooner or later.

# – # – # – # – # 

*** begin quote ***

1. It is personal. Despite what others may tell you, it really is about you. If you were so essential to the survival of your organization, you wouldn’t have been let go. Accept this as fact and move on.

2. It probably had to do with income. It’s possible that some part of the reason you lost your job is your age, but more than likely it’s because you made more money than your junior colleagues. Employers often figure: Why let go of two lower-paid employees when we can get rid of just a single, senior one? That doesn’t make the loss any sweeter, but it does allow us to keep more of our sense of dignity.

3. Work friendship is fleeting. After you leave the workplace, you’ll miss not only the place and the work (not to mention the steady income and benefits), but also the people. It’s likely that you and your co-workers formed close relationships, especially if you were there for a long time. Be forewarned: often those close relationships are close only through the workplace. You’ll feel ditched by these former friends when they don’t call, write or keep in touch. It happens more often than we like. Two years after my layoff, I still felt hurt when my former friends didn’t reach out or even respond to my calls.

*** end quote ***

I think it is MORE than personal.

If you are viewed as a threat to the “establishment” or a more powerful fiefdom, then “downsizing”, “RIF”, or “job elimination” are great excuse to eliminate an “source of inconvenient truth”.

Keep that in mind, and it hurts a little less.

Very little.

If you are, keep your resume updated. And, your eyes clear.

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | JOBSEARCH | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INSPIRATIONAL: Bishop Egan reminded me of Bishop Sheen

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Cardinal Egan, Former Catholic Archbishop of New York, Dead at 82
Edward Michael Egan, the ninth archbishop of New York, died Thursday afternoon of cardiac arrest, according to the Archdiocese of New York.

He was 82 years old. From 1985 to 1988, he served as auxiliary bishop and vicar for education of the Archdiocese of New York. He served as bishop of Bridgeport, Conn., for 12 years before becoming Archbishop of New York in May 2000.

# – # – # – # – # 

I’m not a big Church guy.

I literally ran into him by Saint Pat’s as we were crossing the street by Saint Pat’s.

I immediately recognized him with the simple gold chain.

I sputtered “I’m most sorry Your Eminence”.

He smiled and said: No problem, my child, I am sure we were both absorbed in our Rosaries.” 

To which, I replied: “Fraid not; although do I get partial credit for having mine.” As I whipped mine out of my suit jacket. 

His response: “Well, I think it;s like car keys, you have to use it.”

He touched my forehead with the Bishop’s cross as was on his way.

He was the second Bishop I’d ever met that did that. Do they learn that in “bishop school”?

Funny the things one remembers.

Requiescat In Pacem

With sadness.

# – # – # – # – # 

1 Comment | INSPIRATIONAL | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” causes accidental poisonings or overdoses

Thursday, March 5, 2015

http://cafehayek.com/2015/02/quotation-of-the-day-1277.html

Quotation of the Day…
by DON BOUDREAUX on FEBRUARY 28, 2015
in DINNER TABLE ECONOMICS, NANNY STATE, SEEN AND UNSEEN

*** begin quote ***

… is from page 16 of Jeffrey Miron’s excellent 2004 monograph, Drug War Crimes:

Under legalization, the incidence of accidental poisonings or overdoses would not be zero, just as it is not zero for currently legal goods such as alcohol. But the rate of such incidents would decline significantly, since consumers would know the potency of the drugs they consume and have far greater confidence that the drugs contained the desired ingredients rather than unknown contaminants.

*** end quote ***

What is imho the biggest Unintended Consequence of the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” is that “children” die.

Yeah, I know they are sort of “young adults”, but in so many ways they are like “children”.

They have been denied the “experiences of life” by our over-protective infantilization of their “life’s non-experiences”. 

Think about what life was like for the American “youth” from the Dead Old White Guys to say 1980’s.

Life was tough. Hard work. Discipline — either self or externally imposed. Dirty work for any wages was valued. 

Now think about since then — undereducated in Gooferment Skrules where feelings count more than results. Virtually unlimited food for just being there. Entertainment to the exclusion of any “earnings”.

So why are we surprised when they die of overdoses and “rat poison” in “kool illegal drugs”?

Ending the war on drug, just as when (Alcohol) Prohibition ended, makes what was “illegal and kool” not so much any more.

Going to buy your “drugs” at Walmart, Walgreens, or RiteAid does quite feel the same. It’s equivalent to in the 50’s going to a strange drug store where no one knew you to buy condoms. (Not that I ever had to do that.) 

But think about “safety”. Do you think that your local Walmart pharmacy will give you “hot shots” or a drug cut with strychnine?

And imagine that it would come with a “health safety warning” that list where you can go for free help to get clean?

And, imaging that it will cost about as much as aspirin. You can have a “habit” and keep a job, just like the pre-drug war days.

Of course, it does bring about the unemployment question — drug lords, drug gangs, police, prison guards, politicians, and bureaucrats will all have to find new lines of work. 

But what’s wrong with that?

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

1 Comment | Political | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Hilary’s emails

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton made the following statement regarding potential criminal violations of law in Hillary Clinton’s conducting official State Department business using a private email account:

“The latest news that Hillary Clinton, while serving as Secretary of State, conducted all of her official business on a private account may impact nearly a dozen of our Freedom of Information Act lawsuits now active in federal courts as well as dozens of pending FOIA requests. As with what happened when Judicial Watch forced the disclosure of the ‘missing’ IRS emails, I am convinced that these emails would never have been disclosed but for our FOIA lawsuits that broke open the Benghazi scandal and first exposed the scandal of her and Bill Clinton raising money illicitly while she was Secretary of State.

“We are concerned that the Obama administration may have withheld material information and may have purposely misled and lied to Judicial Watch, as well as at least one federal court about these emails.

“One key concern is that these emails must be immediately secured so that they can be searched in response to our lawful FOIA requests. In addition to violations of the Freedom of Information Act, laws governing the preservation of federal records and the handling of classified information also may be implicated in this latest Clinton scandal.”

# – # – #

Interesting that these emails are not “public records”?

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | Political | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Politicians lie — DUH!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/weekly-updates/big-benghazi-news/

DOCUMENTS OBTAINED BY JUDICIAL WATCH REVEAL TOP HILLARY CLINTON ADVISERS KNEW IMMEDIATELY THAT ASSAULT ON BENGHAZI WAS ARMED ATTACK

Documents Obtained by Judicial Watch Reveal Top Hillary Clinton Advisers Knew Immediately that Assault on Benghazi was Armed Attack
FEBRUARY 26, 2015

First “OpsAlert@State.gov” email at 4:07 PM on September 11, 2012, reports, “… diplomatic mission is under attack … 20 armed people fired shots; explosions have been heard as well … Stevens in the compound safe haven”

Email at 6:06 PM September 11, 2012, states terrorist group, “Ansar al Sharia Claims Responsibility.”

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that on February 11, 2015, it uncovered documents from the U.S. Department of State revealing that top aides for then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, including her then-chief of staff Cheryl Mills, knew from the outset that the Benghazi mission compound was under attack by armed assailants tied to a terrorist group. The documents were produced as a result of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the State Department (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State ((No. 1:14-cv-01511). The documents make no reference to a spontaneous demonstration or Internet video, except in an official statement issued by Hillary Clinton. Judicial Watch lawsuit focused on Mrs. Clinton’s involvement in the Benghazi scandal: Any and all records concerning, regarding, or related to notes, updates, or reports created in response to the September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S, Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. 

# – # – # – # – # 

SO they lied to protect the BHO reelection campaign.

Did you really believe, do you really believe, ANYTHING they tell you?

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | Political | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

SECURITY: Hillary violated the Records Act

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/03/02/hacked-emails-indicate-that-hillary-clinton-used-a-domain-registered-the-day-of-her-senate-hearings/

Hacked emails indicate that Hillary Clinton used a domain registered the day of her Senate hearings
By Philip Bump March 2 at 10:15 PM

*** begin quote ***

The New York Times reported Monday night that, during her tenure at the State Department, Hillary Clinton never used her official email account to conduct communications, relying instead on a private email account. As the Times notes, only official accounts are automatically retained under the Federal Records Act, meaning that none of Clinton’s email communication was preserved.

*** end quote ***

Who goes to jail?

# – # – # – # – #  2015-Mar-03 @ 09:50  

1 Comment | SECURITY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Where are the tire shredders at the entrance ramps?

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

http://7ny.tv/17DgFBb

WABC-TV Channel 7 Eyewitness News·

BREAKING UPDATE: Wrong-way driver caused crash that killed another driver on Sprain Brook Parkway in Greenburgh.

# – # – #

Why don’t “we” have those tire shredders that, while they can “prevent” wrong way entry to roadways, you are not going very far or very fast after running through one? Seems obvious to me!

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

RANT: The demise of “the land of opportunity”

Monday, March 2, 2015

http://www.wired.com/2015/02/silicon-gender-bias-trial-kleiner-perkins-says-ellen-pao-skills-succeed/

Nah, it’s not about gender; nor is it about age; nor is it about skills; nor is it about accomplishing stuff.

It’s about who’s “in the club” and who’s not.

Sadly, it’s about our demise as “the land of opportunity”.

imho!

# – # – # – # – # 

 

Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: “Sproinging”?

Sunday, March 1, 2015

2015-Mar-01

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIPiIMth8WM

Published on Jan 10, 2013

*** begin quote ***

Sproinging is the act of bouncing on all four legs at the same time. It is believed that sproinging allows the animal to see further afield while moving fast. Deer frequently sproing when fleeing potential predators. Llamas use sproinging as a way of showing off; displaying their ability to lead the herd. Llamas also use play as a means to show off. The Llama Sanctuary

*** end quote ***

Hmmm, maybe that what I should be doing more of “spronging”?

Never heard of that word before. You?

# – # – # – # – # 

Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

Next Entries »