The Political Jungle: Another Racial Attack On American Flag

Why Grandpa carries a gun

Why Grandpa carries a gun

PEOPLE ASK WHY?
Why Carry a Gun?
My old grandpa said to me 'Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass whoopin.'

I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry. I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police protection is an oxymoron.  Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police do not protect you from crime, they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)
**********************************************

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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In 1911, Turkey established gun control. >From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

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China established gun control in 1935. >From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

---- ------------- -------------

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

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You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!

The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.

With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are 'subjects'.

During WW II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

If you value your freedom, please spread this anti gun-control message to all of your friends.

The purpose of fighting is to win.  There is no possible victory in defense.

The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either.

The final weapon is the brain.

All else is supplemental.


SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!
SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE.
SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

IT'S A NO BRAINER!
DON'T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.

I'm a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment!

If you are too, please forward.

Apologies and Excuses

I've really dropped the ball on keeping up with this blog. I'm sorry. I really have to keep up on technologies like Twitter, and figure out how to record my thoughts out loud while I'm driving in order to make the best use of my time. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I might as well give everyone an idea of what I was doing:
Prepping a rental. This was very involved. The renter was several months behind, and eventually ended up owing nearly $10,000 in back rent. Most of this is my fault. She had a habit of falling behind and catching up, so I let it go too far. I had to replace all the flooring and repaint the place. The place was so dirty that it was easier to sand down the cabinets, instead of cleaning them (now there's a helpful hint for any landlords who have wasted hours trying to scrub cabinets). I did a mosaic tile pattern in the bathroom out of some left overs. It's pretty (imo) and I get to use up some old stock instead of throwing it away.

Working on election "stuff". High Desert Tea Party newspaper. You can go here to read a few issues. My wife and I are on the cover of issue 6 below the fold. Four of us did a 400 mile (both ways) drive to Sacramento, CA and dropped off 1000 issues of #5. Approximately 10 to each state assemblyperson and senator. We also hung flyers for candidates and got advertising for the paper. I worked on the computers; fixed some bugs, loaded some programs and updated others and upgraded the memory.

We started a new business. We went to Free Enterprise Day in Denver, CO over the Halloween weekend. We drove from CA as we can carry more stuff, and we don't have to deal with all the BS with the TSA. We can usually make the drive in about 16 hours. We also checked on the rental in Colorado Springs.

And I've been having recurring car problems, so things have been challenging.

We are still moving in. I also helped one of the wife's old friends move into one of our rentals.
Questions, comments, suggestions? Please email me or look me up at James C. Foy on Facebook.

A little late for Veteran's Day

Here's a good reminder that lots of countrymen have lost their lives in support of freedom. Please consider taking a moment to give thanks to all those of who have and do serve our country. Remember, we don't take a single breath without their lives being on the line.



JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.

Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"

DeGuale did not respond.

You could have heard a pin drop.



When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for
in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?"
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries.
Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that
we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?"
Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."

You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AND
THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...
Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.

At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.
"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. "Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."
The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible..
Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."
You could have heard a pin drop.

Open Letter to the Tea Party

We must be worthy of the freedom given to us by our Founding Fathers.


As a committee member, participant in the voter registration drive, and videographer for the local Tea Party,
I am disturbed by the number of people who advocate for unconstitutional controls by the government.

I have watched as people who claim too much unconstitutional government involvement in our lives
has caused us all manner of ills, then call out for unconstitutional actions by the government
when it will (they hope) benefit them:

I just seen 2/3 of a Tea Party assembly support Prohibition; despite prohibition failing time and again,
and law enforcement agencies becoming better armed, and our own personal and property rights
being whittled away, time and time again, there are Tea Partiers who think that the government can
somehow stop private citizens from ingesting whatever manner of chemical they desire.

I come from a family with a history of alcoholism and all of it's attendant woes. I lost my father to it
in 1995. I've seen physical and emotional abuse, relationships ruined, and lives destroyed by alcohol.
But not for a moment, do I believe that alcohol should be outlawed.

Do you think that government approval makes a substance safe? Do you think tobacco regulation makes
tobacco any safer? Do you know about the tens of thousands of people who die every year from medicines
deemed safe by the FDA? Have you heard commercials on radio and TV that list the "known side effects"
of medications approved by the FDA? Then why would you believe what the government tells you about
any substance? Especially when government agencies have so much to gain monetarily from controlling
a substance?

Has it occurred to members of the Tea Party, that the reason we need organizations such as the
Oathkeepers, is that our law enforcement agencies have been acting in a manner inconsistent with
the freedoms enumerated in our Constitution? If our police forces are consistently trained to deny our
ability to behave in ways that harm no one but ourselves (seat belts, speeding on a highway in the
middle of nowhere, violating a red light camera, etc.) how can we expect them to respect our rights
as put forward in the Constitution?

I have witnessed people calling out for government control of our financial transactions. Members have
called out for restrictions on credit card interest rates, and help with their mortgages.
Simply put, if you don't want to pay high credit card rates, don't borrow on credit. Live within your means.

I'm a real estate agent and have been an investor even longer. I made and lost a million dollars in the
real estate boom and bust of the last ten years. I lost one house (my residence) to foreclosure, and am
fighting to keep the investment properties that I have, as they are not as far underwater as my house had been.

It is not the government's job to protect me from my own bad decisions. Nor should it be. However, as
an investor, it would be easier to operate my business if I was not bombarded by higher fees and regulatory
costs at all levels--higher utility bills, higher licensing costs, higher costs from suppliers brought on by
increased regulations in their industries, code enforcement agents citing me for a recliner on a renter's
porch--that lead me to believe, as do most Tea Party members, that less government at all levels would
help the economy recover.


As nearly every business owner can attest, Every time the government gets involved with business, the costs
of doing business go up. Let the free market work, and quit petitioning the government to slant things in your
favor. There's a name for that, it's called Welfare.

If, Tea Party Members, you truly love Freedom, then you must love all of it, not just the parts that you
are comfortable with. We must decide whether or not we are truly lovers of Freedom, or merely another
special interest group wrapping ourselves in the Flag and merely pretending Patriotism.

Lastly, I want to address the touchy issue of religion. First, my statement of faith: I believe that Jesus Christ
was crucified, died, and rose on the 3rd day in accordance with Messianic Jewish law and prophecy as the final atonement for humanity's shortcomings. This being said, my wish is for others to come to a saving knowledge of Christ. However, I do not endorse any type of coercion to religion nor the establishment of any religion by government.

If you believe that Christianity is The Way, then you should be able to defend your faith with more than
"It's in the Bible, so it's true" to non-believers and your walk should be a witness that points to Christ. If
you can't do that, I will remind you that according to Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger" and we are called to humility. God's Grace is a gift that must be recieved
freely; Christians are not made by forced conversion. You are no more than a recipient of a gift and have
no cause to be angry with those that have chosen not to accept that gift, and furthermore you will only
alienate them from both Christ and supporting candidates that support freedom.

A Christian nation can not be made by political decree, nor should we try to advocate that, but win the
hearts, minds, and souls of others by application of the Word of God to our own lives. This is not
just a struggle of flesh and blood.

One last thing regarding any government mandated religion; If you believe that they rarely do anything else right, why would you want them mandating a religion? Wouldn't they then have to codify and cannonize your beliefs? Would you trust anyone to do that?

Just some gun stuff

Thomas Jefferson
President 1801 -1809
Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not Thomas Jefferson



Those who trade liberty for Security have neither
John Adams
John Adams

President 1797 - 1801




An armed man is a citizen.



An unarmed man is a subject


Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

Free men do not ask permission to bear arm


You only have the rights you are willing to fight for.


Know guns, Know Peace, Know Safety.


No Guns, No Peace, No Safety.


Guns have only two enemies;


Rust and Politicians

You don’t shoot to kill, you shoot to stay alive


Assault is a behavior, not a device.


64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday


When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.


The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control


American Revolution Era Flags


Only a government that is afraid of its citizens
tries to control them.


The United States Constitution
The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.

What part of 'shall not be infringed' do you NOT understand?


The Founding Fathers on the Second Amendment
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people.


To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."

George Mason

Co-author of the Second Amendment

during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution, 1788


“ Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the
American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence … from
the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable … the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that's good."

George Washington - First President of the United States

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the
people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially
when young, how to use them."
Richard Henry Lee -American Statesman, 1788

A Reminder about the History of Social Security

With the elections just a little over 4 months away you'll soon be hearing some Democrats running for political office, warning how the Republicans want to take away the old people's Social Security.

Here are some facts you can pass along to all friends in your book. Education is a good thing and these facts can be easily proven, look them up for yourself!









Subject: History Lesson on Your Social Security Card









Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn't know this. It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it. Be sure and show it to your family and friends. They need a little history lesson on what's what and it doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are Facts.

Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message, NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION, was removed. [9]

image001.jpg

An old Social Security card with the "NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION" message.

Our Social Security



Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social

Security (FICA) Program. He promised:



1.) That participation in the Program would be

Completely voluntary,



No longer Voluntary





2.) That the participants would only have to pay

1% of the first $1,400 of their annual

Incomes into the Program,



Now 7.65%

on the first $90,000





3.) That the money the participants elected to put

into the Program would be deductible from

their income for tax purposes each year,



No longer tax deductible





4.) That the money the participants put into the

independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the

general operating fund, and therefore, would

only be used to fund the Social Security

Retirement Program, and no other

Government program, and,



Under Johnson the money was moved to

The General Fund and Spent





5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.



Under Clinton & Gore

Up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed



Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are

now receiving a Social Security check every month --

and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of

the money we paid to the Federal government to 'put

away' -- you may be interested in the following:



------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----



Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the

independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the

general fund so that Congress could spend it?



A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically

controlled House and Senate.



------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --



Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax

deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?



A: The Democratic Party.



------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -----



Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social

Security annuities?



A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the

'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the

Senate, while he was Vice President of the US



------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -



Q: Which Political Party decided to start

giving annuity payments to immigrants?



AND MY FAVORITE:



A: That's right!



Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party.





Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65,

began to receive Social Security payments! The

Democratic Party gave these payments to them,

even though they never paid a dime into it!



------------ -- ------------ --------- ----- ------------ --------- ---------



Then, after violating the original contract (FICA),

the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!



And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of

awareness will be planted and maybe changes will

evolve. Maybe not, some Democrats are awfully

sure of what isn't so.

Wayne Allyn Root calls Obama a Job Killer

The motivation from this blog comes from an article in the Las Vegas Review Journal by Wayne Allyn Root. He's dead on.
I think I've mentioned in a few places and to several people how government is a wealth consumer, not a wealth producer. I have also mentioned how  the taxation is going to drive people out of business. I've been watching all this trend since 2006.
The housing bubble created a lot of vaporwealth. (For those of you who (don't) remember the tech explosion of the 80's/90's, check out vaporware ) That wealth was used as the basis for raising taxes to fund a lot of government programs and capitol improvements. Now that wealth is gone, but the programs are still there requiring funding. During the housing boom, we were all pretty flush, and anyone complaining about soaring government costs was shushed and told that all this wealth should be used to help the government and we should all pay our "fair share". Will the government be giving us back our fair share, now that we can't afford its out-of-proportion spending?
No, wealth producers are going to get milked even more. There will be a lot of rhetoric about paying your fair share. Already, there are the health-care taxes, the cigarette tax, and any of the other taxes that Obama is "agnostic" about. I've already said that I think he's a polytheist on taxes.
One thing I keep sharing with my friends, is that, in addition to the taxes, are the costs of compliance. You have to take time to calculate these taxes, and pay someone to interpret any new laws, or take the time to read them yourself. All of this takes away time from actually running a business. And that destroys even more wealth (or at least the chance to generate wealth) or perhaps more correctly(and importantly), it destroys freedom--any time you spend on compliance, is time that can't be spent on your business, leisure, education, or whatever YOU want to do.
This is a great disincentive to having employees. We're going to be seeing a lot of small businesses decide they don't need employees. In fact, I keep seeing more positions being advertised as independent contractor positions. One of the pitches of multi-level-marketing (MLM) is that you don't have to have any employees. We'll probably be seeing an increase in MLM businesses, and I won't knock them.
The government has been in size and scope for nearly 100 years now. There have been some slow downs in the acceleration of  the expansion, but no reversals. No departments shed/pruned/lopped off/disbanded. The various administrations send money to their well connected (and generously donating) friends.
I guess the real question, is, " What are we to do?" At this point, I think it's wise to look into look for jobs with large companies that are in favor with the current administration (and hopefully the next), create your own job/business, get involved in an MLM (either energy or basic commodity--I wouldn't get into luxury fruit juices, or something that wasn't a necessity), get a government job, and hope that our "leaders" will get out of the way and allow the American people to recover, and the American economy to recover with them.
Other things to consider:
Why is the administration doing what it's doing?
Who does it benefit?
Where is this wealth going?
What is the purpose of any piece of legislation? (Not what they tell you on the news, but the real purpose--I'm skeptical about anything the government tells me--if we expect the campaing promises to be lies, why should we believe what they tell us about any piece of legislation?)
It's time for all of us to think like detectives or investigative jounalists.
I really hope you had a happy 4th of July.

State and Municipal Meltdown?

I wanted this one to be large. After writing about an economic collapse a couple days ago, I decided to read a bit more.

One of the things I remember hearing over the last couple of years (I think it was on KFI's John and Ken show) was that during the real estate boom, California's spending went up 90% over ten years.

Now that our property tax revenues are going to decrease to mid-90's levels again, do you think that the state will be wiping out some of that spending? Or do you think California and the other states will start looking for more revenue in the form of higher taxes or a federal bailout (which will result in higher taxes for everyone)? Or will they just default. And, btw, where is the Federal government getting their money?

I have personally seen rising rates in municipal water and sewer charges due to overspending. Connection charges some of my rentals went from $78 to $215 per unit, which only further decreases the  value of the rental. This has happened because jurisdictions flush with increased property tax money went on spending sprees.
States and municipalities cannot print their own money. I wouldn't be investing in any state or municipal bonds. In fact, it would probably be a good idea to get out of them, or find out who insures them and short their stock (much like it would have been wise to short AIG at the appropriate time). Find out the fiscal year and plan accordingly.
There are still nearly a million homes that are in default that haven't made it back onto the market, yet. Deutschebank estimates that houses that are worth less than the mortgage on them will increase from 25% to 50% in the US.
I think we're in for a world of hurt by the end of the year, as states and cities scramble for money.

This just came in on Drudge:

(10:52 AM PST)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/business/economy/03illinois.html?_r=2&partner=MYWAY&ei=5065

Heads on a Stick

This was taken last year at the "Heads on a Stick" rally hosted by John and Ken of KFI AM 640. It was at Maxwell's in Apple Valley. I like the place, but evidently the reviewer on Google Maps couldn't read the prices on the menu. It's not the cheapest place in town, but has one of the best pastrami sandwiches around.

The Collapsing Economy

It seems that every where we look today, the economy is stagnant or declining. Companies are worried about what new laws are going to be passed that must be complied with. Look at the new requirements in the Gulf Coast--due to new regulations, no shallow water drilling permits have been issued, putting thousands out of work, and perhaps bankrupting some of the smaller businesses.
Obamacare is over 2000 pages long. If you're a small business, you're not even going to be able to interpret it without a lawyer. You'll probably either carry on as usual, and then get hit with fines, or start shedding employees until you have none. Go here for an article on the 20 or so new or increased taxes brought on by Obamacare. And, no surprise, just like in the UK, high risk patients will probably not be worth the government funds it would take to cover them.
Many businesses are either keeping positions unfilled or eliminating them. The city of Maywood in California is going to contract out its services.
There is growth in the government. But we know that government is a consumer of wealth, not a producer, so there must be growth in the private sector to support it, but there isn't any to speak of. Can we say Cloward-Piven strategy?
So we are well down the road to oligarchy in the US, with banks and the favored politicians benefitting from the work of entrepreneurs and their employees. If you want to read a more detailed analysis, you should read this article by Zubi Diamond, and his book, Wizards of Wall Street & Washinton Lapdogs. His article talks about the Dow going to 2000. I had recently talked to a friend about the Dow going to 1900, and then there is this article from the UK.

Remembering the First Patriots, Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men


who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,

and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. ... See More

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;

another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or

hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,

and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.

Eleven were merchants,

nine were farmers and large plantation owners;

men of means, well educated,

but they signed the Declaration of Independence

knowing full well that the penalty would be death if

they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and

trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the

British Navy. He sold his home and properties to

pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British

that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.

He served in the Congress without pay, and his family

was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,

and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General

George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,

and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.

The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.


So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free! God Bless!

Theirs

As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice: When you put the two words 'The' and 'IRS' together, it spells


'THEIRS'?

A WARNING TO ALL AMERICANS

(Something forwarded to me. He who has eyes to see, let him see)




From Naval Aviator, Commander Jerry Wilson

May 15, 2010

We lived in California during the winters of 2007 and 2008. We became addicted to Fox News and watched O'Reilly and Hannity and Colmes every night. When we got back home, we upgraded our cable to get Fox. I watched the Presidential campaign very closely. Initially, because I thought the Democrats would nominate Hillary Clinton and then, in astonishment, when they chose an even more hard-left candidate. All of last year, I told everyone I could that Obama was not a Democrat; he was a Marxist. He is far to the left of any European leader and even our far left party, the NDP.


I read Saul Alinsky when I was in University. I studied him and his writing carefully. When Bill Ayers and his idiot wife were bombing and killing people at random in the Weather Underground. Weather Underground and the Black Panthers were closely allied. I read David Horowitz's account of changing from a Marxist to a conservative after seeing that the government was afraid to prosecute members of the Panthers for murdering his personal assistant. He suddenly understood the evil that Marxism really was.

After the student radicals failed in creating a Marxist revolution in the United States by violent means, they embraced Alinsky. You would be wise to read "Rules for Radicals," because it outlines how Hillary and Obama planned to get into power, and what they intended to do when they got it.

Socialism is not the correct descriptor for what Obama and the Democrats are doing. They are going to be much more far-reaching than anything Sweden has ever been able to do. Obama is following Alinsky's plans, those set out in "RULES FOR RADICALS" and his other writing. The Democrats are attempting to create one-party rule in the U.S. , and, in achieving that, will create crisis after crisis by their own actions and use those crises to nationalize the means of production in the U.S. You are in the middle of a communist revolution, and few in the U.S. can actually see it for what it truly is.

The U.S. is now on the path of financial destruction. The Constitution has been shredded, and individual human rights are being trampled. In less than 8 months, Obama has used a recession to take over the two largest industries in the U.S. He will debase the Dollar and is on the road to creating an incredible energy shortage that will allow him and Congress to take over the energy industry.


But, by and large, I think that by the 2010 elections, the Democrats will have gerrymandered electoral districts to the point that it will be impossible for them to lose control of both houses of Congress. The incredible increase in the money supply is going to create Zimbabwe- and Venezuela-style inflation, and with it, controls on the currency and the amount of money that can be taken out of the country.


I love America . I cannot believe how the ignorance of the American public has created a situation whereby they are going to lose their Republic and slip into an age of repression and tyranny.


I may be nuts, but, so far, I have been 100% in my predictions of what Obama was going to do, because I merely had to look at "Rules for Radicals" to see what was coming next.


I read Glenn Beck's book, "Common Sense" and in it re-read Thomas Paine’s pamphlet with the same name. I recommend the book.

When the storm finally hits (and it will), those of you who supported the Obama administration will be affected as well. It won't just be us gun owners, or Flat-Taxers, or Pro-Lifers that get hit. You'll be right there next to us.


You all thought the Conservatives were nut cases. You know, all of us who believe in God, small government, the Second Amendment, etc. You thought that you could just go back to sleep after the election was over. In your world, America will continue as before. You'll still have the same rights, the same nice house, the same big-screen television. After all, your high school football team won, and the other team lost – go team! Even if you have bothered to look up from the daily grind since Nov 4th, you dismissed everything that has occurred as "politics as usual -- the same old stuff."

In the end, it'll all be OK, won't it? Not this time.


There are a growing number of citizens in the US who are ready to fight to shut down the government's grab of personal freedom, its blatant abuse of the Constitution, and its attempt to replace the American way of life with socialism. You have to listen carefully to hear them, but they are there. I won't start that fight, but, when it goes down, I will join it.


As for you, why, you'll be shocked because you didn't see it coming. And eventually you'll be saddened when you see that we have truly lost the way of life in which you grew up. You'll be saddened that your children and grandchildren live in a socialist, government-controlled gulag where their every movement from cradle to grave is tracked by the government. But, most of all, you'll be saddened by the death of friends and relatives who are brave enough to fight and die for something they believe in.


You know, McCain wasn't much of a candidate. I'll give you that. He was the lesser of two evils for most of us. I don't blame you for not voting for him since, at the time, you didn't know what we all know now. But, at least John McCain was an American. He was a supporter of the American way of life, and he understood that you can't negotiate with terrorists. He understood and appreciated the sacrifice made by my father and other members of the Greatest Generation.

Mark my words, friends. All across America , groups are forming. They are forming out of anger and out of desperation at the thought of losing America .


They're not militia groups, terrorists as the Department of Homeland security would have you believe; THEY ARE AMERICANS, loyal to the Constitution. They are mothers and fathers and grandparents. They belong to groups like the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, the Peaceful Resistance, the Constitution Party, the Young Conservatives, the 9/12 Project, and Grassfire. Right now, they are fragmented, each focused on its own cause.


But, sometime in the next two years, our government is going to do something really stupid, and these groups will come together. Watch for it, wait for it -- get ready. It will happen.
When that event happens, whatever "it" is, our great country is going to plunge into chaos for a while. I pray to God that we make it through that time and emerge a stronger, smarter country.


Naval Aviator, Commander Jerry Wilson,

jerrywilson@centurytel.net

Live Free or Die Fighting

Think we'll be hearing this speech anytime soon?

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?
'My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed.
Since Congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.
This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq . This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.
Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short . The United Kingdom , Spain , Bulgaria , Australia , and Poland are some of the countries listed there.
The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.
Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER It'll GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WONT GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.
Need help with a famine ? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France .
In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.
Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China .
I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France , and Russia . Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATOas well.
I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located inManhattan with more than two unpaidparking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.
A special note to our neighbors:Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not upsetting us for a change.
Mexico is also on List 2. Its president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple thousand extra tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.
Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.
We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska -which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.
It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, 'darn tootin.'

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America . It is time to eliminate homelessness in America . To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.
To the nations on List 2, a final thought : You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America .. Thank you and good night.'

If you can read this in English, thank a soldier.

RINOs

This is the reason for the Tea Party.

Organic Vs Non-organic food.

Of course, what this cartoon doesn't cover is all the government subsidies (welfare) for agribusiness that enable them to feed us the garbage for cheap.

In reality, one might say that organic food prices are the "real" price of food, while the cheaper GMO's and subsidized foods are, in fact, a way of keeping us fat and happy (or, at least, put in a sugar induced stupor).

That being said, I do love me some corn dogs. Or just about anything with a corn flour breading. And corn bread. Yes, I'm my own worst enemy.

Maybe that just points to the fact that most of us know deep down inside what we should do, but find it easier to take the easy path.

That is one of the reasons that I'm growning a garden.

Bacon for the Win!

The Patriot Act, Obamacare, and Loss of Liberty

About 10 years ago, when the Patriot Act first came out, I was naively, in favor of it. I started having misgivings about it in W's second term, as I watched the Republican party continue to expand government. But watching this sham "War on Terror" continue without bothering to secure the borders or even make a meaningful attempt to do so, leaves all of us with the simple truth it was about laying the groundwork for controlling more Americans.

When you combine the Patriot Act and it's expansion with Obamacare you have a framework for further controlling the American people. You'll have wiretapping with the government regulation of YOUR body. Have you seen or read about the control of salt in food in NYC? When the government says it's going to protect you from harming yourself for the public good (whichever reasons you wish to cite) then it is effectively giving you notice that the government owns you. You are no longer your own property.

That being said, I just wanted to post a link to research on the Patriot Acts, I and II. There are links by CATO, ACLU and others.
http://www.lib.washington.edu/Suzref/patriot-act/

Victory Garden!

First off. I apologize for the long absence. I was just exhausted. I've been working with locals in a fight against annexation and with the High Desert Tea Party. I am over involved.

During WWII, our forebears planted gardens to cut costs and help this country achieve victory. hence they were called Victory Gardens.
http://equityguy.blogspot.com/2010/06/gardening-part-deux.html
Above is the link to my most recent post on my real estate oriented blog. As I've mentioned in the past I think it would behoove us all to be able to grow our own food, or at least a good portion.
With the BP Oil spill, and the Cap and Trade (or Cap and Tax) bills that our government keeps trying to push through, we are likely to see much higher fuel prices. This will result in increased shipping costs (I know, duh, right) which will cause groceries to go up. I live in California, one, if not THE, biggest producers of produce in the country, so I'm not sure how this will play out here, as we're close to the crops, and close to Mexico, from which we get much of the produce on the shelves. Mexico's fuel is subsidized.
Keep in mind that the BP Oil Spill is killing a lot of seafood. That will drive up other food prices.
California did not irrigate much of the Central Valley this year, so I'm looking to higher food prices from this as well.
There's also legislation in the work that would eliminate the use of manure as fertilizer for food crops. This will make farmers buy petro-chemical fertilizers, or make them buy or make their own compost. If they buy it, that's another expense they have to pass on to us, as well as the increased shipping costs of the fertilizers.
Can you see the spiraling costs for farmers? If oil prices go up(due to scarcity or more regulation and taxes), they have to pay more for fuel. The costs of chemical fertilizers (or even plastic bags for any type of fertilizer) go up, in addition to the costs of the transportation of the fertilizer going up. So that's at least three stages of price increase to our food supply.
That is one of the reasons I am starting the big garden. I have some other little things like strawberries and green beans planted around the house. I also have a couple of small peach trees given to me by my grandma. I have only planted organic seeds.
I'm hoping that the garden gives me a financial victory and a bit more freedom.

Not Following Through

I was reading this article by Kevin Hassett of Bloomberg News in The Wichita Eagle. His points out that the new taxes are just more of the same from Washington DC. He is basically asserting that Obama's policies are going to be an increase of 3% on the rich. He is right, as far as he takes it, but he doesn't follow through to the logical and real life effects.

What most people never bring up, and I'm not sure whether it's short-sightedness or an unwillingness to discuss it, is that tax increases do not simply affect the people taxed. That tax is passed on, much like a game of hot potato--or musical chairs; last one standing gets stuck with the bill, to whomever they can. So any tax increase results in higher bills down the line.

Hassett is right in that wealth is redistributed from the 'rich' to the 'poor'. He neglects to tell you who the rich or the poor are or what the net effect of the taxes are. The rich are going to be composed of businesses and businesspeople in this case, as they are the target of the bills that target mainly employers. Do you really think businesses (or the stock owners in corporations) are going to simply absorb the cost? Of course not, they are going to pass as much as possible on to consumers.

As the middle class consumes the majority of products out there, the bill is going to get passed on to them. The truly rich are not likely to be hurt at all. They will pass the costs to the middle class, who will be notice the higher prices in the stores (but probably never guess why the costs are higher).

In a slow economy, the higher prices are going to make people reconsider whether or not to make unnecessary purchases. Sharper Image won't be doing so well financially.

The poor who may get the benefits of the redistributive nature of taxes, will also end up paying higher prices, so they will have more services provided to them by other tax payers (primarily the middle class-despite what Washington is telling you) but will simply be made more comfortable in their poverty. These across-the-board increases in product costs brought about by the taxation will make it that much harder for those that want to move out of poverty to do so.

Another part of the health care bill is the assault on property ownership through the capital gain 3.9% increase. Real estate investment and, more recently,  mutual funds have been the primary way by which the middle class and poor have been able to leverage themselves into the upper class. But now there will be an extra burden on them, that will take more of there hard earned money away.

So, while I applaud Hassett's points in the article, and think he and I are on the same page, I wonder why he hasn't pointed out what should be obvious. Unless, of course, it has to do with working for Bloomberg News.

Obama is not agnostic on taxes, he's a polytheist.

Obama said he's "agnostic" on taxes on the middle class. I'm betting that he's actually a polytheist when it comes to taxes on the middle class--he believes in the whole pantheon of taxes, he's just not admitting it.

Health Care Parody on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2scxJNXjMI

I'm scraping by financially. I don't want you to pay for my healthcare. In fact, I will refuse to take your money. I will, make arrangements to pay for any healthcare I receive. I will figure it out.

I also don't want any program enforced by the IRS or any taxing agency. I sold a motorcycle to a guy who didn't register it. The CA Franchise Tax Board then billed me for the registration. They took the money straight out of my bank account. Yes, I should have sent in the release form. But we all know how hard it is to straighten out a government mistake.

Some questions that I have:

If a government agency is given the responsibility for our health, and must take our money to do it, then could the agency which depends on tax dollars deny treatment to people who do not pay enough in taxes? Comments anyone?

Will the government eventually encourage or require the abortion of those that are "unfit" or genetically inferior?

Why is homeopathy or oriental medicine not in the health care bill?

Why are we required to buy anything? Is my life my own? Or, does it belong to the state? If it belongs to the state, then do I have any "rights" at all? Or do I only have revocable privileges that any administration may take as they wish? To me, that hardly seems like citizenship, but more like serfdom.

Haiti's quake survivors making due.

In this article on Yahoo a man has built a temporary shelter that's 8'x9'. A 40' container could be made into 4 such shelters that would be much more water proof. There are lots of empty containers in the US thanks to our trade deficit with China and others. These containers could be made into permanent shelters later on.

To paraphrase Jefferson, "If the people wait for the government to build their housing they'll be drowning in the rain"

Well Trained Dog

Financial Freedom

Friends and friends of friends have been bragging on Facebook about paying off credit cards.

I just got repaid some money I lent out and paid off a card myself.

Why can't our government quit borrowing, reduce expenditures, and pay down it's debt?

Freedom entails doing what you want to without hurting others. You can't be free if you're a slave to your credit card companies.

I've embarked on a journey to pay off my credit cards by the end of the year. I have approximately $25K on 3 cards. I have a rental with some equity, and that will pay off most of it, so it's up for sale. I will probably need to spend $500 on paint and landscaping (maybe more) and will need to put it on the Home Depot card. At least they offer interest free financing for 6 months on purchases over $299.

I am also selling off projects and collectibles around the house on Etsy, Ebay, and Craigslist. As I'm in the middle of a move, I wish I'd done more of this sooner. I need to be out by the 27th, so I'm not going to be able to sell a lot of it. Luckily the place has appliances, so I can sell my kitchen appliances.

It's a bit ironic that I started investing in real estate in order to give myself financial freedom. I now believe I did it the wrong way. Instead of leveraging, I should have paid off properties and used the income to buy one property at a time and pay it off as fast as possible. Then you just carry a really good insurance policy.

Corruption in Government

Maybe I'm biased, living in San Bernardino County, California, but I realize, and perhaps suspect, that politicians are even more likely to be dishonest or crooked than your average person. When you have power there is more opportunity to exercise your power for personal gain, or have people who need favors to frankly, try to bribe you. I was asked, as a building inspector, "what do we have to do to make this go easier?" to which I replied, "Comply with the building code."

There are a lot of scandals in SBC at the municipal and county levels. They are not hard to find if you use a search engine. In fact, it's a long running joke, that Louisiana is almost as corrupt as SBC, but has a better reputation for it.

Yet, people all over, hope that their government is a good one. The fact is that people are people all over the world and most of the government employees I know are looking for a secure long term job that they can't be fired from. Which is sort of an indicator that they doubt their own worth in a free market. Most of them talk about getting past probation and coasting for twenty years until they retire, with perhaps the exception of public school teachers who I don't envy at all. So, most public employees, are smart enough to see a good deal when they see it, and the public employees unions have made it so that any 'customer service' or notion of 'public service' or any concept of 'going the extra mile' for the people they supposedly work for has gone right out the window.

You can go to my real estate blog for a current example of incompetence here and here. I still have to take care of this. But, I'm always puzzled by the people who think that government involvement is going to make things better. There is a point to which the government is helpful, but I think our various levels of government are way past that.

The latest SBC scandal is with Bill Postmus, the former Assessor, being arrested again. Here's the link. Maybe, I'll start a "Wall of Shame" just for SBC.

Funny Pics

I've been moving and while I've had a lot on my mind, I haven't had the energy to blog. So here are some funny (or perhaps just thought provoking) pictures I've collected off the net.

Gonorrhea Lectim

Gonorrhea Lectim.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ

The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new

virulent strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease.

The disease is contracted through dangerous and high-risk behavior.

The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim..And pronounced

"gonna re-elect 'em."

Many victims contracted it in 2008, after having been screwed for the

past two years.

Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed at how this

destructive disease has become since it is easily

cured....by voting out all incumbents!

Taking the Red Pill, the Misesian Vision and what it means for people everywhere.

I was reading this article online at Lewrockwell.com. It gave me pause, to think about, how even in my own life, I fear things spinning out of control. I am a fairly confident and competent person and I am empathizing with those that live there lives in fear, a kind of quiet desparation, where they need the government to tell them everything is going to be OK.
So much of governance is, to paraphrase Mencken, the creating of bogeymen to scare the populace. The fear of the unknown and unknowable leads the populace down a road of dependency. I visualize a multitude of Americans crying like kids at a grocery store for a toy or candy, "I want my certainty" as if the government has the power to give them that.

To quote the article:
The goal of both the left and right is that we make our political choices based on these fears. It doesn't matter so much which package of fear you choose; what matters is that you support a state that purports to keep your nightmare from becoming a reality.

I've had friends claim that our lives our better due to the FDA. The government "seal of approval" makes it easy for us to put aside our own powers of observation and trust that things are OK. Then we get truck loads of spinach, or tainted meat, etc., etc., and we get massive numbers of people sick. We trust the government more than ourselves to determine what is safe to eat, and everything that is specialized beyond our knowledge.
While specialization improves our efficiency as a society, it reduces our self-reliance. Governments benefit the most from specialization. Increased efficiency produces a larger surplus. Government lives off of society's surplus. So, a society that is less capable of taking care of itself is both more productive for and more dependent on the government.
We become expendable drones while government officials dictate (ever increasingly) the details of our lives.

Just another reason to love the USA

Borrowed from "The Patriot Post"

"This isn't the Democratic party of our fathers and grandfathers. This is the party of Woodstock hippies. I was at Woodstock -- I built the stage. And when everything fell apart, and people were fighting for peanut-butter sandwiches, it was the National Guard who came in and saved the same people who were protesting them. So when Hillary Clinton a few years ago wanted to build a Woodstock memorial, I said it should be a statue of a National Guardsman feeding a crying hippie.actor John Ratzenberger


If you haven't before, go to the Patriot Post

Rambo Granny of Australia

The Rambo Granny of Melbourne , Australia

Gun-toting granny Ava Estelle, 81, was so ticked-off when two thugs raped her 18-year-old granddaughter that she tracked the unsuspecting ex-cons down... And shot off their testicles.

The old lady spent a week hunting those men down and, when she found them, she took revenge on them in her own special way, said Melbourne police investigator Evan Delp.

Then she took a taxi to the nearest police station, laid the gun on the sergeant's desk and told him as calm as could be: 'Those bastards will never rape anybody again, by God.'

Cops say convicted rapist and robber Davis Furth, 33, lost both his penis and his testicles when outraged Ava opened fire with a 9-mm pistol in the hotel room where he and former prison cell mate Stanley Thomas, 29, were holed up..

The wrinkled avenger also blew Thomas' testicles to kingdom come, but doctors managed to save his mangled penis, police said. 'The one guy, Thomas, didn't lose his manhood, 'but the doctor I talked to said he won't be using it the way he used to,' Detective Delp told reporters. 'Both men are still in pretty bad shape, 'but I think they're just happy to be alive after what they've been through.'

The Rambo Granny swung into action August 21 after her granddaughter Debbie was carjacked and raped in broad daylight by two knife-wielding creeps in a section of town bordering on skid row.... 'When I saw the look on my Debbie's face that night in the hospital, 'I decided I was going to go out and get those bastards myself ''cause I figured the Law would go easy on them,' recalled the retired library worker.. 'And I wasn't scared of them, either - because I've got me a gun and I've been shootin' all my life. 'And I wasn't dumb enough to turn it in when the law changed about owning one.'

So, using a police artist's sketch of the suspects and Debbie's description of the sickos, tough-as-nails Ava spent seven days prowling the wino-infested neighborhood where the crime took place till she spotted the ill-fated rapists entering their flophouse hotel. 'I knew it was them the minute I saw 'em, but I shot a picture of 'em anyway' and took it back to Debbie and she said sure as hell, it was them,' the oldster recalled....

'So I went back to that hotel and found their room and knocked on the door, 'and the minute the big one opened the door, I shot 'em right square between the legs,'right where it would really hurt 'em most, you know. 'Then I went in and shot the other one 'as he backed up pleading to me to spare him..' Then I went down to the police station and turned myself in...'

Now, baffled lawmen are trying to figure out exactly how to deal with the vigilante granny. 'What she did was wrong, and she broke the law, but it is difficult to throw an 81-year-old woman in prison,' Detective Delp said, 'especially when 3 million people in the city want to nominate her for Mayor.'

DEPORT HER TO AMERICA - WE NEED HER !

********************************************************************************

Australian Gun Law Update
Here's a thought to warm some of your hearts......

From: Ed Chenel , A police officer in Australia

Hi Yanks, I thought you all would like to see the real figures from Down Under.
It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new law
to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government,
a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars..

The first year results are now in:

Australia-wide, homicides are up 6.2 percent ,

Australia-wide, assaults are up 9.6 percent ;

Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!

In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent .

(Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not
and criminals still possess their guns!)
While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery
with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since the
criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.

There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the elderly,
while the resident is at home.
Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased,
after such monumental effort and expense was expended in 'successfully ridding

Australian society of guns..' You won't see this on the American evening news or
hear your governor or members of the State Assembly disseminating this information.
The Australian experience speaks for itself. Guns in the hands of honest citizens
save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens .

Take note Americans, before it's too late!
Will you be one of the sheeple to turn yours in? WHY? You will need it.

FORWARD TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST. DON'T BE A MEMBER OF THE SILENT MAJORITY..

BE ONE OF THE VOCAL MINORITY WHO WON'T BE SILENT.

Read this article on my other blog to see why the economy isn't recovering.

http://equityguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-isnt-economy-recovering.html

An idea for Haiti

It occurs to me that one of the ways we could help the Haitians is by building housing and other buildings by using the shipping containers that we ship the much needed items to Haiti in. The various charities could ship food, medicine, clothing, blankets, tents, etc in the typical cargo containers, along with the large "Big Bertha" forklifts and necessary building supplies to modify the containers into protective shelter, and eventually into decent (or better) housing. It would certainly offer better protection than the shanties that were previously built in Haiti.
The containers are cheap. They run around $1500-$2500. The various charities and government agencies will have to ship in them in any case. There are currently hundreds stacking up in LA and Long Beach harbors.

Here are a few links.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/01/shipping_contai.php

http://dornob.com/cargo-container-house-plans-continue-to-expand/

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2007/01/really_its_a_ca.php

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/look/look-kansas-citys-new-cargo-container-house-078421

http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/shipping-container-homes-460309

As Goes Venezuela....

I've written before on the failure of Venezuelan socialism to improve the lives of its citizens. Now they are devaluing their currency, the Bolivar. It's not a stretch to imagine the same for the dollar.

As we continue to plunge ourselves into more debt paying for social programs which we must borrow money for, as well as pay for wars overseas, when our own borders are not secure, we weaken our own ability to repay these debts. As our ability to repay these debts is put in doubt, and we continue economic policies that disincentivize and penalize profit making (and therefore employment) we will not be able to keep the perceived value of the dollar strong. We can see this worldwide as the Arabic OPEC countries are looking for a pan-Arab currency, China is pushing for a currency tied to the values of base metals, and musicians and models ask to be paid in Euros.

Basically, everything is going to cost twice as much in Venezuela.

Wait, update, since I started writing.

Now, Chavez has threatened businesses that raise prices. The simple explanation goes something like this: Pretend you own a store. You bought Widget A for $10. But, due to the devaluation of your currency it now will cost producers $20 to get you a replacement Widget A. The producers aren't allowed to sell you Widget A at $20, they have to sell you it at $10. Neither are you, the shop owner, allowed to sell Widget A at $20, so that you have the necessary money (capital) to buy Widget A at its new production cost. As soon as Widget A is off the shelves, producers must either lose money making Widget A, find ways to make Widget A for half the cost, stop making Widget A and make a profitable Widget, or go out of business.

So, of the 4 choices, price controls guarantee that half the options leave you with no Widget A immediately. Unless the government subsidizes Widget A producers, they will go out of business eventually, once again leaving you without Widget A. And the second choice will likely leave you with a Widget A of inferior quality. Of course, those are the legal options. In reality, as during the American Prohibition Era, you will get a black market, where prices will reflect the actual cost of Widget A, plus a substantial markup for participating in an illegal activity (which reflects the increased risk of secret transportation/incarceration/etc).

As the credit worthiness of the US declines, we will see less purchasing of our debt. Or higher interest rates will need to be paid to entice buyers. That will make it more expensive to repay our debts, just like higher rates on a credit card make it harder to pay off the credit card. As this happens, the government will likely raise taxes which will give you less money to pay for your goods and services.

Then we will be in a situation similar to Venezuela. And, of course, the fewer dollars you have, the more this hurts. If you have $10 you'll effectively have $5. Or more accurately, that $10 item will now cost $20. That $100,000 house will cost $200,000. Your utility bill will be twice as much. Your groceries will be twice as much.

This is one of the few reasons I can think of (as a real estate professional) to buy property. If we have high inflation or a devaluation of the dollar, anything you buy prior to the inflation will be worth more in total dollars than when you bought it. Any credit card debt you have could be offset by buying a house. Suppose you bought a $50,000 house, and a 50% devaluation left you with a $100,000 house. You could sell it and pay off $50,000 of credit card debt with your profit. Of course, if food becomes twice as expensive, having a place to grow your own food might be an economically feasible way to reduce your grocery bills.

Now would be a good time (if you haven't started already) to start thinking about things you'll need for a few days, weeks, months, in case there's a shortage. It's time to be an ant, not a grasshopper.

Frontsight extends training special deadline.

We have been inundated with people calling us to say that they tried to take advantage of my "Turn Back Time" Offers on Wednesday evening but continued to get a busy phone signal.




I know I warned everybody that they should not wait until the last hours or that is exactly what would happen. I extended the offer once already and encouraged people to CALL EARLY to avoid busy phone lines.



All I can do is extend the "Turn Back Time" Offer ONE LAST TIME and I mean ONE LAST TIME. I cannot provide these unbelievable offers again so if you wait until the last hours of the deadline and all the lines are busy, you will miss out as I will not, and cannot, extend these offers again.



Here is the LAST Extended Deadline: 6:00pm PST, Sunday, January 10.



Please, to save yourself continuous busy signals in the last hours on Sunday, call us TODAY or on Saturday to secure your choice of our best offers of 2009.



My assistants Jon, Kendra, and Ian are in the office from 8:00am to 6:00pm PST to assist you. Please call them early to get in on these amazing "Turn Back Time" offers and avoid the dreaded busy signals in the last hours of Sunday.



Here is what has caused all the stir...and the chronically busy phone lines...



I am "turning back the clock" to give you another shot at our "Best of 2009" offers because I appreciate the fact that you read my Monday Blog each week and forward it to all your family and friends.



Please understand Front Sight's mission, our overriding purpose, is to positively change the image of gun ownership by arming and training responsible Americans to levels that exceed law enforcement and military standards without any boot camp mentality or drill instructor attitudes.



For this reason alone, I do everything I possibly can to make that happen with all the different opportunities I create and offer you.



As so many of my Monday Blog Posts have demonstrated, there is GREAT benefit to you, your family, your neighborhood, community, and ultimately our country when YOU and YOUR FAMILY become Front Sight trained.



It seems with each passing year, the importance of being armed and trained becomes more vital. 2010 will prove it once again.



This mission is Front Sight's passion and you have an entire organization of dedicated men and women working long hours and weekends to assist you in this goal. So please take advantage of what we offer.



As the subject line of this e-mail states, I have something better than Front Sight just saying, "Happy New Year."



I'm going to "turn back time" a bit and give you and your family the opportunity to take advantage of ANY of the unbelievable training opportunities I offered during 2009 that you may have missed.



That's right! You know, the great offers that you procrastinated in responding to and missed the deadline... or were on vacation and when you checked your e-mail upon your return, the offer had come and gone... or the offer you had wanted so badly but at the time, you just could not swing it... whatever the reason, here's your chance to grab it but you must call NOW.



Again, THIS OFFER IS GOOD UNTIL 6:00pm PST Sunday, January 10. Don't miss this!



My office staff, Jon, Kendra and Ian, will be working 8:00am to 6:00pm PST so you can call and take advantage of my "Turn Back Time" offer.



Call them today at 1.800.987.7719.



To refresh your memory on some of the great offers you may have missed, here are a few of them...



Any Two Day Course Certificate for only $100. Good for new or returning students. Minimum order of 5 or more Certificates, purchase with a credit card over the phone. Call 1.800.987.7719 and Kendra or Ian will take your order.



OR



Four Day Defensive Handgun Course Certificate for only $300. Must be for student's first course. Minimum order of 2 or more Certificates, purchase with a credit card. Call 1.800.987.7719 and Kendra or Ian will take your order.



OR



ANY COURSE Certificate for only $500. Good for new or returning students. Minimum order of 1 or more Certificates, purchase with a credit card over the phone.



OR



Special Two Day Course LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP with Bonus AK-47, Mossberg Shotgun, or Pocket Pistol.



Attend the Two Day Defensive Handgun, Two Day Tactical Shotgun, and Two Day Practical Rifle courses as many times as you wish for the rest of your life and pay for it with 3 Easy Payment Options of:



____ 48 monthly credit card payments of just $25 for a total cost of $1,200 or



____ 36 monthly credit card payments of $30 for a total cost of $1,080 OR

or



____ Single payment of $995 (You Save $205!) THAT'S RIGHT! Only $995.



PLUS... As a SPECIAL BONUS, for the FIRST 500 who pay with a single payment of $995, I will give you YOUR CHOICE of EITHER a Kel Tec 9mm Pocket Pistol OR Mossberg 500 Combo 12 Gauge Shotgun OR Romanian AK-47.



Call 1.800.987.7719 and Jon, Kendra or Ian will take your order.



OR



For those of you who participated in any marches on Washington DC or Tea Party Rallies or Pro Gun events anywhere in the country here is another chance at the VERY Special Reward I offered you:



The Front Sight 9/12 Lifetime Membership provides the following benefits:



Attend the following courses Free of Charge and As Many Times As You Wish FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE:



- Two Day Defensive Handgun

- Two Day Tactical Shotgun

- Two Day Practical Rifle

- Four Day Defensive Handgun

- Four Day Tactical Shotgun

- Four Day Practical Rifle

- Two Day Handgun Skill Builder

- Two Day Advanced Tactical Handgun

- Four Day Handgun Combat Master Prep



Total cost for a Front Sight 9/12 Lifetime Membership is a single payment $912.00



That's right! Only $912 for a lifetime of training in our 9 most popular two day and four day courses, but you have to have been one of the patriots who marched on Washington DC or in any of the Pro Gun or Tea Party Rallies.



Call 1.800.987.7719 and Jon, Kendra or Ian will take your order.



There certainly were more great offers in 2009 than what is listed above, so if there was one you really wanted, but for any reason missed it, call 1.800.987.7719 and Jon, Kendra or Ian will take your order.



I hope you agree that my "Turn Back Time" offers above are better than just wishing you a "Happy New Year" and I sincerely hope that if you couldn't take advantage of any of our great offers in 2009, you can take advantage of their brief return TODAY only.



Here's wishing you and your family an "Armed and Trained" 2010.



(This may be the year you and the rest of the country really need it!)



Call 1.800.987.7719 and Jon, Kendra or Ian will take your order.



Sincerely,



Dr. Ignatius Piazza

Founder and Director

Front Sight Firearms Training Institute

P.O. Box 2619

Aptos, CA 95001

http://www.frontsight.com

info@frontsight.com

1.800.987.7719