Month: June 2015

GUNS: Nuetered Brits Fear Terrorists

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://bearingarms.com/nuetered-british-fear-terrorists-may-attack-smuggled-guns/

Nuetered British Fear Terrorists May Attack With Smuggled Guns
Posted by Bob Owens on June 29, 2015 at 5:21 pm

*** begin quote ***

The British people long ago gave up their natural right to own firearms, and are now fearful that they may stand nearly defenseless against homegrown Muslim terrorists armed with obsolete Cold War-era submachine gun:

Fears of a Tunisian style attack on the streets of Britain have been raised after it emerged that criminal gangs have been smuggling powerful submachine guns into the country.

Security chiefs are concerned that the weapons, capable of firing 1,000 rounds a minute, could fall into the hands of would be jihadists.

A report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) published last week into serious and organised crime in the UK, found evidence of an “increased threat” of Czech made Skorpion submachine guns being imported into the UK by street gangs in London and the south east.

The fear is that these weapons could then find their way into the hands of extremists, intent on carrying out a terror attack.

There isn’t apparently any direct evidence that any terror cells have acquired Skorpions, but more a general fear that if they do acquire some of the weapons criminal gangs are sneaking into the country, that a Mumbai-style attack is possible. In that 2008 attack in similarly disarmed India, ten Islamic terrorists slaughtered at least 164 and wounded hundreds more over the course of a four-day assault.

*** end quote ***

What do “sheep” aka “steeple” expect?

That bad guys will obey their laws!

Insanity — that’s why they are bad guys.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

RANT: Some things are “different” depending upon your bias

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://cafehayek.com/2015/06/sauce-for-the-progressive-goose-is-sauce-for-the-free-market-gander.html

Sauce for the Progressive Goose Is Sauce for the Free-Market Gander
by DON BOUDREAUX on JUNE 28, 2015

*** begin quote ***

Here’s a letter to a gracious, learned, and smart long-time correspondent whose view of the world differs greatly from my view of it:

Mr. Claude Knowlton, Esq.

Dear Mr. Knowlton:

Thanks for your e-mail.

You think me “wooden” and “unrealistic” for criticizing the majority opinion inKing v. Burwell.  Unsurprisingly, I disagree.

You are, of course, correct to note that the meanings of words and phrases are often ambiguous and, thus, require interpretation.  And reasonable people can and do frequently disagree about the best interpretations of ambiguous words or phrases in their specific contexts.  Recognition of this reality, however, is no license for a court to give to words and phrases meanings that those words and phrases plainly do not have.

*** and ***

This controversial interpretation of the statute is then challenged in court.  If Chief Justice Richard Epstein accepts – as he surely would – the administration’s claim that a minimum hourly wage of $7.25 harms many of the workers who Congress insists it meant to help, why should he and other like-minded members of the SCOTUS not use the logic of King v. Burwell to uphold the Paul administration’s reasonable argument that, to make the Fair Labor Standards Act work as Congress intended, “$7.25” must be read as meaning “$0.01”?  I certainly now can see no good reason for any such “wooden” and “unrealistic” restraint on the part of the Court.

Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Professor of Economics

*** end quote ***

Of course, “liberals” (aka socialist Big Gooferment types), would insist that laws they favor mean what they say; not what a “classical liberal” (i.e., little L libertarian like the Dead Old White Guys) would want them to mean!

Argh.

–30–

POLITICAL: Reaction to SCOTUS on same sex “marriage”

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://survivalblog.com/letter-re-a-dark-day-for-america-by-hjl/

Dear Survival Blog,

Thank you for such a great service as Survival Blog. I am writing to comment on the above captioned article the Blog posted on June 27, 2015.

The problem we have is 501c3 tax exempt status, that is, a tax exempt certification issued by the IRS to the Church in exchange for surrendering certain freedoms. The freedoms surrendered are listed in IRS Publication 1828 on page five. This publication is freely available to anyone with an Internet connection. Everyone should read it and understand it for themselves. The publication title is “Rules for Churches.” Rule five on page five states that the Church cannot “violate fundamental public policy”. After yesterday’s Supreme Court decision, do I need to point out whether homosexual marriage is now a “fundamental public policy” of the United States? Do I need to spell out what the future holds for all “government registered” churches?

So why have very nearly ALL churches in America registered with the IRS (see IRS Pub 78) and surrendered their freedom to preach the Gospel? I can tell you why. It’s to get that last little bit of tax exemption, that last little bit of money, namely the ability of the attendees to deduct their church contributions. That’s it. We gave it ALL away for a little bit more money. The Church itself was never taxed, and can never be taxed so long as the First Amendment of the Constitution still stands.

Let me state it this way; if the Church at large was not registered and therefore beholden to the government, would we be having a vigorous debate in this nation about God’s laws regarding sexual deviancy and the utter corruption of the family through government mandates? I think we would because the Church would be FREE to do so, and in keeping with its duty under the Great Commission, it would do so vigorously. Instead, we have the Supreme Court and politicians for gods.

Okay. So how to fix it? UNREGISTER. Throw off the chains, stand up in freedom, and speak the truth to power. It would cost us though. Standing with the Maker of all things always does.

We need to face this. This is us. We did this, or at least allowed it. We need to get ourselves free again and then fight this evil from a position of strength, not beholden to any government except God’s.

That’s my piece. Thanks for providing your email address, and keep up the good work of the Survival Blog. – D.F.

#####

This is an interesting reaction.

But will the “churches” give up the tax advantage? Will their “parishioners” put their money where their mouths are?

Or will everyone cave to “inertia” and the “cant’ fight city hall” mentality.

Personally, as a little l libertarian, I find Gooferment “licenses” for anything appalling. The fact that you have to seek permission from any group to exercise your fundamental rights is abhorrent.

So how will “We, The Sheeple” react?

What’s on the latest reality show? How is “my” sports collective doing? Is there a shortage of beer and pizza?

THey won’t see the problem sadly until they are being loaded on the trains!

Molon Labe.

Can’t wait to be in New Hampshire.

–30–

RANT: Texas Gooferment Skrules jump to the leftist tune

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/06/29/texas-schools-jump-on-bandwagon-to-dump-historic-confederate-ties/

TEXAS SCHOOLS JUMP ON BANDWAGON TO DUMP HISTORIC CONFEDERATE TIES
by MERRILL HOPE 29 Jun 2015 474

*** begin quote ***

Texas public schools are jumping on the bandwagon to shun symbols and dump historical figures that memorialize the Confederate South in a politicized push around the state that follows the tragic hate crime shooting of nine African-American church parishioners during a Bible study in Charleston, SC.

*** end quote ***

Like they don’t have any more serious concerns?

Quality of education, results, costs … …

No, let’s spend time on “names”.

Anyone think that “Stonewall” Jackson was not an inspiring figure. Or Lee.

Will the Leftists want them renamed to Che, Fidel, Stalin, Mao?

Argh!

Let’s keep our eye on the ball here.

Not the balloons.

# – # – # – # – # 

RANT: Misdirection from Tyranny to Triviality

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

 

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/06/thomas-dilorenzo/the-real-reason-for-flag-hysteria/

The Real Reason for the Anti-Confederate Flag Hysteria
By Thomas DiLorenzo
June 27, 2015

*** begin quote ***

Every couple of years the totalitarian socialist Left in America (a.k.a., the Democratic Party and all of its appendages) pretends to be indignant about the existence of the Confederate flag somewhere. The lapdog cultural Marxist media fall in line, treating the siting of the flag in the same way they would treat the siting of an Ebola victim in a large crowd. Americans are reminded once again by the New York/New England/Ivy League-educated presstitute class that they should hate Southerners and all things Southern. As Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart recently whined in faux horror, Southerners “waged war against the United States” government! Waaaaaaaaah!

The anti-Confederate flag hysteria is only one small part of the Left’s general strategy, however. It is part of their overriding strategy of diverting the public’s attention away from all the grotesque failures of leftist interventionism, from the welfare state to the government takeover of education to the war on drugs and beyond. The neocons who run the Republican Party are usually complicit in all of this.

*** end quote ***

When this whole flag flap started, I immediately suspected “misdirection”. Like a magician or a scammer, they seek to divert attention from what they don’t want you to notice to something trivial.

In this case, I suspected the R’s fast tracking the TTP “trade deal”. Another secret — pass it to know what’s in it — deal!

Argh!

Yes, they seek to distract from the huge Gooferment failures, but in this case I suspect it was the TPP and the perfidy of the R’s.

Argh!

–30–

POLITICAL: Police ticket man holding sign warning drivers of speed trap

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/06/24/police-fine-man-holding-sign-warning-drivers-of-speed-trap/21200754/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl18|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D-655136560?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000058&

Police fine man holding sign warning drivers of speed trap
Jun 24th 2015 4:24PM

*** begin quote ***

Police gave a Seattle man a $138 ticket for holding up a sign warning drivers of a nearby speed trap. The issue for the police, though, was in the language of the sign –– not the message.

*** end quote ***

Sure!

Not just doing anything but “protecting and serving” the politicians’ bottom line.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

RANT: That Berkeley balcony

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Rotten-to-the-core-Berkeley-balcony-covered-in-dry-rot-say-report.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=The%20Best%20of%20IrishCentral&utm_campaign=Best%20of%20IC%20%2F%20Merged%20-%20June%2024

Rotten to the core: Berkeley balcony covered in dry rot says report
Cathy Hayes @irishcentral June 24,2015 01:45 AM

*** begin quote ***

Officials from the City of Berkeley, near San Francisco, have confirmed that the eight wooden beams supporting the fourth-story balcony that collapsed killing six students were massively compromised due to dry rot.

The report, compiled by City of Berkeley engineers, stated, “The deck joist ends protruding from the exterior wall appeared to be severely dry rotted.”

*** and ***

The preliminary ten-page report found that the balcony, in the Library Gardens complex on Kittredge Street, completed in 2007, should have been able to support up to two tonnes. Last Tuesday morning the balcony collapsed under the weight of the Irish and Irish American students and dropped 40 feet to the sidewalk.

A full report on the balcony’s condition will be completed over the coming months.

*** end quote ***

As a fat old white guy injineer, I’m always interested in “engineering failures”. Sounds like everyone was doing everything correctly. Eight years for a wood deck doesn’t sound unreasonable.

BUT, (and there is always a BIG butt), this deck appears to have a different design than the others.

That strikes me as unusual. 

Now I am sure that the politicians and bureaucrats will huff and puff, but adding more controls, licensing, and permits aka taxes are locking the barn after the horse.

Seems like the engineering and construction “fraternity” have to “solve” this.

People have a great propensity to use stuff beyond its design life and abuse the heck out of stuff in ways never planned for by the designers. (Hence a small deck designed to hold 2 tons!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot_proof

*** begin quote ***

Several Murphy’s law adages claim that idiot proof systems cannot be made.

“Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool”

and

“If you make something idiot proof, someone will just make a better idiot.”

Along those lines, Douglas Adams wrote in Mostly Harmless, “a common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”

So maybe there is nothing more to say about this sad event, other than “stuff happens”.

# – # – # – # – # 

VETERANS: Monsanto’s Agent Orange; the truth finally

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

US Government Finally Admits Agent Orange Poisoned Troops
http://www.thedailysheeple.com/us-government-finally-admits-agent-orange-poisoned-troops_062015

*** begin quote ***

Decades after the Vietnam War, the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledged this week that Monsanto’s Agent Orange—a dangerous herbicide sprayed over 4.5 million acres across Vietnam during the  conflict—is responsible for health ailments in a group of as many as 2,100 veterans. It had previously denied such allegations.

The United States government will pay out $45 million in disability benefits over ten years to compensate Air Force reservists and active-duty forces who were exposed to Agent Orange left over from the Vietnam War. The exposure came from residue on Fairchild C-123 aircraft, which were used to spray millions of gallons of the chemical, and, evidently, affected soldiers in the United States who later handled the planes from 1969-1986. According to ABC, the VA’s decision to compensate the 2,100 veterans follows a January Institute of Medicine study that found “some C-123 reservists stationed in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts had been exposed to Agent Orange residues in the planes and suffered higher risks of health problems as a result.”

Further, “the VA said it subsequently determined that pilots, mechanics and medical personnel who served at seven other locations in the U.S. and abroad also were potentially affected – Florida, Virginia, and Arizona, as well as Taiwan, Panama, South Korea and the Philippines.”

*** end quote ***

The Gooferment only eventually will admit the truth.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

McKay66

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

 

Date

page1image3264

Customer

page1image3872

1. Name Nickname

2. Company name

3. Address Home address

4. Telephone: Business Home::

5. Birth date: Place Hometown

6. Height (approx.) Weight (approx.)

Education

page1image10208

7. High school Year graduated

8. College Degrees Year graduated College honors

9. College fraternity/sorority Sports

10. College extracurricular activities

11. If customer didn’t attend college, is he/she sensitive about it? _________

12. Military service Discharge rank Attitude toward being in the service

Family

page1image17304

13. Spouse’s name and occupation

14. Spouse’s education

15. Spouse’s interests

16. Anniversary

McKay 66 file:///Users/reinkefj/Desktop/mckay66w.htm

34. Clubs, fraternal associations or service clubs (masons, kiwanis, etc.)
page2image23248

35. Politically active? Party Important to customer?

36. Active in community? How?

37. Religion Active?

38. Highly confidential/sensitive items not to be discussed with customer (i.e.: Divorce, aa member, etc.)

39. On what subjects (outside of business) does the customer have strong feelings? 

Lifestyle

page3image7312

40. Medical history (current condition of health)

41. Does customer drink? If yes, what and how much?

42. If no, is customer offended by others drinking?

43. Does customer smoke? If no, object to others?

44. Favorite places for lunch: Dinner

45. Favorite items on menu

46. Does customer object to having anyone buy his/her meal?

47. Hobbies and recreational interests

48. Vacation habits

49. Spectator sports interest: sports and teams

50. What kind of car(s)

51. Conversational interests

52. Whom does the customer seem anxious to impress?

53. How does he/she want to be seen by those people?

54. What adjectives would you use to describe the customer?

55. What is he/she most proud of having achieved?

56. What do you feel is the customer’s long-range, personal objective?

57. What do you feel is the customer’s immediate personal goal?

The Customer and You

page4image6552

58. What moral or ethical considerations are involved when you work with this customer?

59. Does the customer feel any obligation to you, your company or your competition? If so, what?

60. Does the proposal you plan to make to him/her require the customer to change a habit or take an action that is contrary to custom?

61. Is he/she primarily concerned about the opinion of others?

62. Is he/she very self-centered? Highly ethical?

63. What are the key problems as the customer sees them?

64. What are the priorities of the customer’s management?

65. Can you help with these problems?

66. Does your competitor have better answers to the above questions than you have?

— 30 —

 

POLITICAL: VAT – the end of Rand Paul’s candidacy for me

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2015/06/exposed-rand-pauls-call-for-value-added.html

FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015

EXPOSED Rand Paul’s Call for a Value Added Tax (In addition to a Flat Personal Income Tax)

*** begin quote ***

Much focus has been put on Rand Paul’s call yesterday for a 14.5% flat personal income tax. The reporting often stops there, As in: The tax would be 14.5% across the board flat personal income tax, down from as much as 40%, but there is much more to the story,

In addition, to the flat personal income tax, Rand, in his WSJ op-ed that revealed his plan, also called for a value added tax on top of the flat personal tax.

*** end quote ***

That’s the end of Rand Paul’s candidacy for me.

Remember the income tax was originally supposed to replace all tariffs.

And for FOUR years there were no tariffs.

Then BANG! Tariffs were reimposed.

No new taxes. No shell games to give “District of Corruption” more spending money.

Argh!

Rand is NOTHING like his Dad Ron.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – #  

TINFOILHAT: There would have not been a 9/11 if … …

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.newsweek.com/saudi-arabia-911-cia-344693

FBI Agent: The CIA Could Have Stopped 9/11
BY JEFF STEIN 6/19/15 AT 6:07 AM

*** begin quote ***

Updated | Mark Rossini, a former FBI special agent at the center of an enduring mystery related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, says he is “appalled” by the newly declassified statements by former CIA Director George Tenet defending the spy agency’s efforts to detect and stop the plot.

Rossini, who was assigned to the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center (CTC) at the time of the attacks, has long maintained that the U.S. government has covered up secret relations between the spy agency and Saudi individuals who may have abetted the plot. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers who flew commercial airliners into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon, and a failed effort to crash into the U.S. Capitol, were Saudis.

*** and ***

Over 30 pages relating to Saudi Arabia in the report were blacked out. The Obama administration has also refused to declassify 28 pages dealing with Saudi connections to the hijackers in a joint congressional probe of the attacks.

As has been previously reported, Rossini and another FBI agent assigned to the CTC, Doug Miller, learned in January 2000 that one of the future hijackers, an Al-Qaeda operative by the name of Khalid al-Mihdhar, had a multi-entry visa to enter the U.S. By mid-summer of 2001, the CIA was repeatedly warning President George W. Bush and other White House officials that an Al-Qaeda attack was imminent. But when Miller and Rossini attempted to warn FBI headquarters that al-Mihdhar could be loose in the U.S., a CIA supervisor ordered them to remain silent.

Rossini says he is “deeply concerned” by how the agency continues to suppress information related to contacts between the CIA and Saudi Arabia, particularly when the spy agency is declassifying other portions of documents to show that it did everything possible to thwart the September 11, 2001 plot.

“There would have not been a 9/11 if Doug’s CIR [Central Intelligence Report] on al-Mihdhar was sent,” he told Newsweek in an email. “Period. End of story.

*** end quote ***

And so the story continues to dribble out. A leak here, a fact there, and retirement loosens tongues!

Why can’t “We, The Sheeple” know “the truth”?

Who’s covering what up and why?

Argh!

Where’s WIKILEAK on those 28 pages?

Argh!

“Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.” Colonel Jessep in A Few Good Men played by Jack Nicholson

I think we ARE entitled to the truth.

# – # – # – # – #  

RANT: Alex Rodriguez’s milestone

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2015/06/20/baseball-collector-not-giving-up-alex-rodriguez-milestone-ball/?intcmp=latestnews

Baseball collector not giving up Alex Rodriguez’s milestone ball | Fox News

“professional home run ball catcher”?

If I was the Yankees, then I’d politely ban him from Yankee stadium.

Even if he didn’t like Alex, he could donate it to Cooperstown.

Argh!

It’s always all about the money.

I’m surprised he didn’t try to sub in one of the batting practice balls.

# – # – # – # – # 

GUNS: Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church was a “gun free zone”?

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/06/18/gun-free-zones-easy-target-for-killers.html

OPINION
Gun-free zones an easy target for killers
By John R. Lott
Published June 18, 2015

*** begin quote ***

The horrible tragedy last night that left nine people dead at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., probably could have been avoided. Like so many other attacks, the massacre took place in a gun-free zone, a place where the general public was banned from having guns. The gun-free zone obviously didn’t stop the killer from bringing a gun into the church.

*** and ***

Time after time, we see that these killers tell us they pick soft targets. With just two exceptions, from at least 1950, all the mass public shootings have occurred in these gun-free zones. From last summer’s mass public killers in Santa Barbara and Canada, to the Aurora movie theater shooter, these killers made it abundantly clear in their diaries or on Facebook how they avoided targets where people with guns could stop them.

*** and ***

The gun control debate would probably be dramatically different if even some of the news stories would occasionally mention that another attack has occurred in a gun-free zone. I have been able to find just one Associated Press story that mentions an attack occurred in a gun-free zone — a recent attack at a mall this year in Pittsburgh.

*** end quote ***

Yet, BHO44, Hillary, and the leftist liberal media all want more gun control.

Never let a crisis go to waste?

Argh!

Concealed carry saves innocent lives at zero cost.

It’s predictable.

# – # – # – # – # 

INTERESTING: Robot grocery store

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/06/19/robot-grocery-store-gives-high-tech-upgrade-to-food-shopping/?intcmp=obnetwork

Robot grocery store gives high-tech upgrade to food shopping | Fox News

*** begin quote ***

Des Moines, Iowa is planning to build a first-of-a kind robotic grocery store as an experiment to offer food and necessities to locals anytime at their convenience.

A partnership between the nonprofit Eat Greater Des Moines and the business equipment firm Oasis24seven will see an automated, vending machine-style unit come to the area.

“Throughout Des Moines, there are areas of town where access to quality food is limited,” said Aubrey Alvarez, the nonprofit’s executive director. “We would love for a full service grocery store to move into these areas, but until that time the robotic unit will address the gap in the community.”

*** end quote ***

No security risk.

No staffing issues.

No worry about raising the minimum wage.

No “bodega” for “electronic benefits fraud”.

If this becomes “profitable”, then where will it end?

# – # – # – # – # 

POLITICAL: “illegal immigrants” versus the “welfare state”

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/06/patrick-j-buchanan/is-a-3rd-world-america-inevitable/

Is Third World America Inevitable?
By Patrick J. Buchanan
June 18, 2015

*** begin quote ***

Writes Coulter, “Roe v. Wade can be overturned. Obamacare can be repealed. Amnesty is forever.”

Anyone concerned for the future of this country as one nation and one people should find a candidate who will commit to secure the border, enforce immigration laws against businesses that hire illegal immigrants, and pledge no amnesty for the duration of their presidency.

*** end quote ***

This “immigration” is nothing more than a “Democratic” party’s attempt to pack the ballot box forever in their favor.

And, the key issue is the “welfare state”.

As long as we have a “social safety net” and the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs”, immigration will be a problem.

We need all the hands and brains that come here to work and create. We don’t need more takers and criminals.

The “Republican” party is complicit because they think that cheap labor is good for their donors.

Both “parties” are wrong.

The “welfare / warfare” empire will collapse like all empires on a funeral pyre of paper money.

Argh!

Glad I’m too old to see the result.

# – # – # – # – # 

LIBERTARIAN: End the “Selective Service System”

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://cafehayek.com/2015/06/no-conscription-never-unconditionally.html

No Conscription. Ever. Unconditionally.
by DON BOUDREAUX on JUNE 16, 2015

*** begin quote ***

This market method of recruiting workers works for every other sort of business. When convenience stores (which are very dangerous places to work) need more workers, no one frets about the nation being “underserved” because of a shortage of convenience-store clerks – and no one proposes that the government, to protect against this possibility, conscript people to work in convenience stores. Instead, the pay of such store clerks rises. Problem solved. Ditto for fishing boats (also very dangerous places to work). And ditto for local police, fire-fighting, and EMS forces. Ditto for every other job you can name.

If every job other than those in a national-government’s military is routinely filled without problem or concern by market forces, I see zero reason to worry that jobs in the U.S. military cannot continue to be filled in the same way.

*** end quote ***

So why does the USA keep the “draft” aka “selective service” (meaning if you’re not rich and politically connected you’ll get “selected”!)?

Jobs for politicians’ relatives and bureaucrats!

And if we ever do have to mount a defense, then there be more than enough patriots.

# – # – # – # – # 

POLITICAL: Off-Grid Living Illegal

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.offthegridnews.com/current-events/another-court-in-the-u-s-has-ruled-off-grid-living-illegal/

Another Court In The U.S. Has Ruled Off-Grid Living Illegal
Written by: Daniel Jennings Current Events June 16, 2015

*** begin quote ***

Green living and sustainable energy are encouraged in Huntsville, Alabama, just as long as you do not practice such an off-grid life within the city limits.

Marine veteran Tyler Truitt discovered that the hard way when the city condemned his off-grid retreat because he chose not to use city utilities – and a judge subsequently upheld the city’s decision.

This year he installed solar panels in the front yard, a composting toilet in the trailer, and placed a 550-gallon plastic tank outside his trailer home to catch rainwater. But the city said he can’t live that way, and it has placed a yellow “unsafe building” sticker on the outside of the trailer.

The home sits on two acres of land at the end of a road.

*** and ***

“The purpose behind these requirements is public safety,” Kelly Schrimsher, the communications director for Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, told Al.com. “This includes ensuring that occupants of a residential dwelling have safe, potable, running water and electricity, particularly in the wintertime. The city has posted the property as ‘Unsafe’ for this reason.”

The city of Huntsville owns Huntsville Utilities.

“We encourage green environmental living, and we request interested citizens go through proper channels,” Schrimsher said. “Our departments stand ready and willing to guide them through theappropriate permitting process.”

*** end quote ***

What a coincidence!

The gang, claiming the title ‘City of Huntsville’, controls the Gooferment and just happens to own the utilities.

No conflict of interest there.

And, who owns the land?

The “owner” or the “city”?

Argh!

Hope the fellow can stand his ground.

# – # – # – # – # 

GOLD: Gold enabling secession?

Published on by reinkefj2 Comments

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/06/tyler-durden/one-step-closer-to-secession-2/

Writing’s On The Wall: Texas Pulls $1 Billion In Gold From NY Fed, Makes It “Non-Confiscatable”
By Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
June 15, 2015

*** begin quote ***

The lack of faith in central bank trustworthiness is spreading. First Germany, then Holland, and Austria, and now – as we noted was possible previously – Texas has enacted a Bill to repatriate $1 billion of gold from The NY Fed’s vaults to a newly established state gold bullion depository…”People have this image of Texas as big and powerful … so for a lot of people, this is exactly where they would want to go with their gold,” and the Bill includes a section to prevent forced seizure from the Federal Government.

 *** end quote ***

This is interesting to me.

I obviously follow the “secession movement”. There are active groups in many states and parts of states. 

I still think North Dakota is the most prepared because of the State Bank of North Dakota. They can “clear” checks and have the infrastructure in place to be a “central bank” for the State.

This “repatriation” of gold moves Teas into second place.

Many State could go on their own when the American Empire fractures. Just like everyone before them. The USSR being the latest.

Like the Soviet Union, the American Empire is going to go broke from corporate / personal welfare and too many foreign wars. It’s inevitable on their current track.

So what does an individual do?

After all opinions are like anal sphincters, everyone has one. It has be “actionable”.

  • Prepare for a “crash” by being a prepper (i.e., bullets, beans, band aids, bullion).
  • Get in shape. Use the poor man’s gym by just walking. (It’s sad that so many arm chair preppers are coach potatoes.)
  • Practice skills that you’ll need in the future (i.e., make fire; improvise solutions; eat basics).
  • Grow a garden. Real preppers create wild no-till forest gardens.
     

What are you doing? 

It’s going to be a rough time and many of “We, The Sheeple” aka “Clovers” aka “Mundanes” are not going to make it.

# – # – # – # – # 

ECONOMICS: No surprise — no growth in the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://patch.com/new-jersey/ridgewood/new-jerseys-economic-growth-among-worst-usa?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=politics%20%26%20government&utm_campaign=alert

New Jersey’s Economic Growth Among Country’s Worst: New Report
New Jersey’s gross domestic product grew a mere 0.4 percent in 2014, ranking 46th in the nation.
By TOM DAVIS (Patch Staff)June 13, 2015

*** begin quote ***

New Jersey’s economy is barely ticking upward, with its growth ranking near the bottom in 2014 – and falling far below the national average.

New Jersey’s gross domestic product grew a mere 0.4 percent in 2014, ranking in a three-way tie for 44th in the nation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The nation’s real GDP grew 2.2 percent in 2014 after increasing 1.9 percent in 2013.

The state’s growth slowed from previous years, In 2012, the GDP grew 2.5 percent, and in 2013, there was 0.8 percent growth.

The state had the slowest growth of any state in the Mideast region, way behind New York’s 2.5 percent GDP growth.

Gordon MacInnes, president of New Jersey Policy Perspective, a liberal Trenton-based think tank, told NJSpotlight that the state needs to invest more in education, public transit and transportation infrastructure, as well as colleges and universities.

“You can’t create a strong economy and create jobs without a strong foundation,” MacInnes said told the publication.

*** end quote ***

“Invest” my <synonym for donkey>!

Spending more money — stolen from over taxed residents of the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee — will not spark any type of growth. Except it the taking class of teachers’ unions, other Gooferment unions, politicians, and bureaucrats!!!

Cut the minimum wage.

Cut the corporate and individual tax rates.

Convert Gooferment pensions to 401s like private businesses are doing.

Introduce a meaningful school choice voucher program.

Reduce education expenses by consolidation of the 600+ “school districts” into 21 county ones.

UNWIND the regulatory state.

End the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” and pardon all non-violent drug offenders.

Eliminate property taxes to fund Gooferment Skrules. (Eliminate Gooferment Skrules entirely!)

And, my personal favorite, end the inheritance tax.

THEN watch the Stte become a magnet for people, business, and happiness!

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

RANT: Should have been ejected for poor sportsmanship

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/06/10/what-a-high-school-softball-catcher-does-not-once-but-twice-during-a-championship-game-is-downright-dirty/

SPORTS
What a High School Softball Catcher Does Not Once but Twice During a Championship Game Is Downright Dirty
Jun. 10, 2015 4:20pm
Dave Urbanski

*** begin quote ***

A Texas high school softball catcher was caught on a now-viral video elbowing — and toppling — runners trying score during a championship game.

*** end quote ***

I think this says something about the young woman’s character.

If I was her Dad, I’d have gone down on the field and told her to “cut that <synonym for excrement> out”.

Of course, she should have been ejected for poor sportsmanship.

It’s a sad reflection on today’s social environment.

Be mad. Work harder. Be very mad — at yourself, your team, or even your luck.

“I think sportsmanship is knowing that it is a game, that we are only as a good as our opponents, and whether you win or lose, to always give 100 percent.” — Sue Wicks, tenacious Rutgers womens basketball payer

This is a disgrace to Texas high school softball. I thought better of Texans.

At the very least, the next offensive player to score should have decked her!

# – # – # – # – #  

TINFOILHAT: Am I Asking the Wrong Questions?

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://deviantinvestor.com/7070/asking-the-wrong-questions/

Asking the Wrong Questions
Posted on June 3, 2015 by Gary Christenson

*** begin quote ***

We often hear (the wrong) questions such as:

What did politicians know about that scandal?
Will the stock market rally another year?
{Extraneous Deleted}
What happened to penny candy?
How much longer can “they” hold it together?
Will gold prices ever get to $2,000?
And 101 more…

In my opinion these are often the wrong questions. Ask better questions and we receive more relevant answers.

*** and ***

Garbage in, garbage out! Ask better questions and the answers will be more useful. The same thinking that brought the world to this point will not be helpful in solving the problems that threaten our financial well-being.

Gary Christenson

*** end quote ***

I find this funny because HRC won’t answer questions, BHO just flat out lies (i.e., keep your doctor), and politicians just stall until you give up.

Sharyl Attkisson just gave written testimony how the Gooferment evades and stonewalls FOI requests.

And, everything Gooferment plans to do is either classified, secret, or redacted.

So, when the author cites Groucho, I understand.

“Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?” —Groucho Marx

It’s related to: “I wouldn’t believe you, if your tongue came notarized.” … attributed to Judge Marilyn Milian, but may have an earlier history.

I see an county that is going quickly in the wrong direction, but have no idea how to stop it.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

GUNS: Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee “kills” a woman with its “gun laws”

Published on by reinkefj1 Comment

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/04/nj-woman-stabbed-to-death-waiting-for-state-permission-to-own-gun/

NJ WOMAN STABBED TO DEATH WAITING FOR STATE PERMISSION TO OWN GUN
by AWR HAWKINS
4 Jun 2015212

*** begin quote ***

On April 21, Carol Bowne from Berlin Township, NJ, applied for a license to own a handgun, which she wanted to protect herself from a former boyfriend against whom she had a restraining order.

On June 3—while still waiting for the state to give her permission to own a gun—Bowne’s former boyfriend, Michael Eitel, allegedly stabbed her to death in her own driveway.

According to the Courier-Post, after getting the restraining order, Bowne “installed security cameras and an alarm system to her home and began the months-long process of obtaining a handgun.” Bowne’s co-workers said, “She got a restraining order about a month ago, and right after that her car windows were broken.”

*** and ***

This tragedy is one more example of the foolishness of putting a licensing requirement on the Second Amendment. Like all gun control, it empowers those with criminal intentions while making the vulnerable more vulnerable.

*** end quote ***

Back in 2006, I wrote about the uselessness of restraining orders.

I won’t repeat myself; you can read it if you want:

https://reinkefaceslife.com/2006/05/05/rant-restraining-orders-work-well-maybe-not-in-this-case-or-not-at-all/

If the politicians and bureaucrats would pull their heads out of their <synonym for donkeys>, obeyed the Constitution, this woman might be alive today.

Argh!

# – # – # – # – # 

QUOTE: Goals & commitments dictate actions

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

http://halelrod.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/AYG074.pdf

“I let my goals / commitments dictate my actions.” — Hal Elrod Achieve Your Goals Podcast #74

# – # – # – # – # 

Stunningly simple piece of advice.

Wish I’d heard it decades ago.

# – # – # – # – # 

ECONOMICS: Do “the poor stay poor, the rich get rich”?

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

FROM FACEBOOK

*** begin quote ***

Leonard Cohen – Everybody Knows

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That’s how it goes
Everybody knows

*** end quote ***

Hmm, not so sure that “poor stay poor, the rich get rich” is accurate here in America. There are economic studies that show tremendous movement between the financial strata. WHile there are some people who are born poor and die poor, but that’s not cast in concrete like in some countries. And, rarely does a “family fortune” survive three generations.Also, how does one explain the immigrants from Asia and India who arrive with nothing and wind up with thriving businesses in a few decades. #Tom Woods

http://tomwoods.com/podcast/ep-298-income-inequality-non-solutions-to-a-non-problem/

Ep. 298 Income Inequality: Non-Solutions to a Non-Problem
4th December 2014
Tom Woods
Nineteen ways income redistribution harms society.

# – # – # – # – #  

RANT: Open email to Jim Gearhart on Christie and pot

Published on by reinkefjLeave a comment

Jim:

I was listening this morning about the Guv pontificating on enforcing Federal Pot laws.

Maybe at ‘Ask the Guv’, someone should ask him where in the Constitution’s enumerated powers, the Federal Gooferment gets to “regulate” drugs.

“We, The Sheeple” learn nothing — not from VietNam, not from Prohibition and on and on.

AMERICAN PHAROAH

*** begin quote ***

I wrote this week’s KONK Life column yesterday. Got it out a day early. Don’t know where the energy came from.

The title is Portugal The Blueprint.

Portugal legalized drugs in 2001. All drugs. Even the real bad stuff like cocaine and heroin. Fourteen years later, the results are amazing. Drug problems significantly down in every area. Jails closing because there are not enough criminals to occupy them.

You will find the article interesting. Perhaps something the U.S. should consider. 

*** end quote ***

I am a little L libertarian and completely agree with ending the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs”. It’s a MEDICAL problem; not a legal problem.

My exemplar is Prohibition that created organized crime. (We got Prohibition because women regained the right to vote, but that it another rant.) Once Prohibition was repealed, there is no violence between Budweiser and Miller employees. And, “organized crime” had to move on to other prohibited substances.

Remember why Prohibition was repealed? Jury nullification.

Prosecutors could get a jury to convict any one on booze arrests; that’s why they had to get Al Capone on Tax Evasion.

So regardless of what the Gooferment, the politicians, or the bureaucrats say, American Juries can put an end to this nonsense all by themselves. No victim; no crime. Sorry. A juror doesn’t have to explain or even talk; just vote “not guilty” and this house of cards will come tumbling down. Argh!

What does an out of work Columbian or inner city drug lord do for a living?

AND, furthermore, the FDA should be in an ADVISORY role.

Leave “drugs” to the medical profession and people to figure it out themselves.

IMHO,
fjohn

p.s., I’ve left NJ because I couldn’t afford to die here. With no kids, the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee would tax my estate 30%. Ask the Guv why it’s OK to rob the dead?

# – # – # – # – #