Obama: Hoping Away Reality
By Lee Culpepper
Monday, February 25, 2008
When the competitive edge begins to dull, successful organizations and individuals often regroup and reevaluate their methods. In sports, when a gifted-new talent contributes extensively to upsetting a dominant team, a wise coach frequently refocuses his athletes on the fundamentals of the game.
Practicing the basics requires self-discipline, hard work, and modesty – particularly for anyone who has tasted success or accomplished lofty goals. Discipline, work ethic, and fundamentals are what separate dynasties from novelties.
Shooting stars are often gifted, as well as timely. They unveil spectacular talent, dazzle fans, and savor the limelight. More often than not, though, over-night sensations are nothing more than the latest fad. Such superstars habitually fall to competitors who remain focused and committed to solid fundamentals.
Though fads rarely possess enduring value, they naturally capture the imaginations of immature, shallow, and fickle people. They also fizzle swiftly the moment the next craze ignites.
Barak Hussein Obama is the epitome of this phenomenon. Obama represents the romantics who wish to dream away reality.
Obama is a gifted speaker. But what will he call upon when his big government theories encounter the real world and begin to crumble? His superb speaking skills dangerously conceal his most sobering weakness – his void of proven substance.
Talent becomes a liability when one depends on it and neglects a solid foundation in the basics. And Obama’s adroit oration will never compensate for his disregarding America’s fundamental principles.
Contrary to Obama’s soothing message, America was not built on the audacity of wishful thinking or pleasant-sounding rhetoric. America was built on valuing the sanctity of human life, individual freedom, limited government, lawful order, and supreme justice.
Nevertheless, Obama continues beguiling star-struck fans with abstract references to hope and change. But do Obama supporters hope that Islamic terrorists will also swoon when Obama levels his smooth and intangible words at them? What happens when the Muslim sociopaths don’t faint? Do we blame Obama’s followers for not having enough audacity in their hope?
Seriously, Obama’s eloquent words are in fact “just words.” His mantra has no concrete substance. If he ever clarifies the murkiness of his enchanted language, we all would likely faint at the deftness of Obama’s verbal irony.
Obama’s hypnotic message reeks of hopelessness -- not hope. He promises change, but what he means is that he has no faith in Americans’ ingenuity. Obama believes his government programs -- not America’s principles of freedom and self-reliance -- will come to our rescue.
Sadly, Obama ignores why so many Americans came to this great country. They were eager to escape the trademark despair that Obama’s disarming melody is threatening to impose. Many hard-working Americans once fled countries that suffered under governments that inflicted the same oppressive brand of misery that Obama conceals in his silver-tongued proclamations.
Consider the Cuban Americans who escaped Fidel Castro’s charismatic rhetoric regarding “socialist hope.” Obviously, facts about socialism don’t matter to many on the Left. Plenty of liberals are passionate about tagging Castro a hero simply for defying America. But what does that mean – “defying America”? It’s almost as vague as Obama’s repetitive chorus about hope and change.
Despite reality, Obama continues peddling government programs while trying to hope away authentic consequences to his brand of “wishful thinking.” Not surprisingly, the Left adores Obama similarly to how it adores Fidel Castro. To the Left, Castro provided “excellent” government healthcare to Cuban citizens. But only foolish and spoiled liberals -- who do not have their government dictating what medical care they do or do not need -- believe such nonsense. Try selling Obama’s wishful thinking to Cubans and everyone else who have actually endured the anguish distributed by socialist idealism.
Americans are indeed frustrated. But frustration often leads to desperation. Desperation can lead to poor judgment, and poor judgment almost always leads to bad results. Accordingly, Barak Hussein Obama is posing a serious threat of becoming the next President of the United States.
Right now, America needs a leader -- not a politician with slick rhetoric, a debonair appearance, and wishful thinking. We need a leader who understands the edge that made hard-working Americans and this great country successful. We need a leader capable of refocusing all of us on the fundamental principles of life, liberty, independence, and limited government.
Let’s all return to the real world where the Left’s latest rock-star is just a swanky politician elegantly singing monotonous lyrics.
Lee Culpepper is a former Marine and high school English teacher. He is currently working to complete his first book, Alone and Unafraid: One Marine’s Counterattack Inside the Walls of Public Education. Visit Lee’s website at www.leeculpepper.com.
(from Townhall.com)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Farrakhan Praises Obama as ‘Hope of Entire World’
This story should not surprise anyone. It is no secret that Obama has a number of NOI thugs on his staff. - Grumpy
CHICAGO — In his first major public address since a cancer crisis, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the “hope of the entire world” that the U.S. will change for the better. The 74-year-old Farrakhan, former leader of the black Muslim group, never endorsed Obama outright, but spent much of his nearly two-hour speech Sunday to an estimated crowd of 20,000 people praising the Illinois senator.
“This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better,” he said. “This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow. If you look at Barack Obama’s audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed.”
Farrakhan compared Obama to the religion’s founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.“A black man with a white mother became a savior to us,” he told the crowd of mostly followers. “A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall.”
Farrakhan also leveled small jabs at Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama’s rival for the Democratic nomination, suggesting that she represents the politics of the past and has been engaging in dirty politics.
Said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton: “Sen. Obama has been clear in his objections to Minister Farrakhan’s past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister’s support.”
Farrakhan rebuilt the Nation of Islam, which promotes black empowerment and nationalism, in the late 1970s after W.D. Mohammed, the son of longtime leader Elijah Mohammed, moved his followers toward mainstream Islam.
Farrakhan has drawn attention for calling Judaism a “gutter religion” and suggesting crack cocaine might have been a CIA plot to enslave blacks.
In recent years, however, officials with the Nation of Islam have promoted unity and tolerance among religions. Farrakhan now often quotes the texts of other religions, such as the Bible, in his speeches.
Farrakhan’s keynote address at McCormick Place, the city’s convention center, wrapped up three days of events geared at unifying followers and targeting youth.
It had a different tone from a year ago, when Farrakhan made what was called his final public address at a Saviours’ Day event in Detroit. The 74-year-old was recovering from complications from prostate cancer and months earlier had temporarily passed on leadership duties of the organization’s day-to-day activities to an executive board.
CHICAGO — In his first major public address since a cancer crisis, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the “hope of the entire world” that the U.S. will change for the better. The 74-year-old Farrakhan, former leader of the black Muslim group, never endorsed Obama outright, but spent much of his nearly two-hour speech Sunday to an estimated crowd of 20,000 people praising the Illinois senator.
“This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better,” he said. “This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow. If you look at Barack Obama’s audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed.”
Farrakhan compared Obama to the religion’s founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.“A black man with a white mother became a savior to us,” he told the crowd of mostly followers. “A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall.”
Farrakhan also leveled small jabs at Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama’s rival for the Democratic nomination, suggesting that she represents the politics of the past and has been engaging in dirty politics.
Said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton: “Sen. Obama has been clear in his objections to Minister Farrakhan’s past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister’s support.”
Farrakhan rebuilt the Nation of Islam, which promotes black empowerment and nationalism, in the late 1970s after W.D. Mohammed, the son of longtime leader Elijah Mohammed, moved his followers toward mainstream Islam.
Farrakhan has drawn attention for calling Judaism a “gutter religion” and suggesting crack cocaine might have been a CIA plot to enslave blacks.
In recent years, however, officials with the Nation of Islam have promoted unity and tolerance among religions. Farrakhan now often quotes the texts of other religions, such as the Bible, in his speeches.
Farrakhan’s keynote address at McCormick Place, the city’s convention center, wrapped up three days of events geared at unifying followers and targeting youth.
It had a different tone from a year ago, when Farrakhan made what was called his final public address at a Saviours’ Day event in Detroit. The 74-year-old was recovering from complications from prostate cancer and months earlier had temporarily passed on leadership duties of the organization’s day-to-day activities to an executive board.
Durka Durka Obama Jihad!
A picture is worth a thousand words, aint it?"Barack Obama’s campaign is expressing outrage at a new photo attributed to Clinton campaign sources that depicts the Democratic presidential candidate dressed in Somali garb.
The picture, which appeared at the top of Monday’s Drudge Report, says Clinton staffers circulated the 2006 photo over the weekend."
It shows the Illinois muslim senator fitted as a....... surprise........MUSLIM elder, during his visit to northeastern Kenya that was part of a five-country tour of Africa.
We posted awhile ago about Obama's being a muslim. Read it here: http://grumpysgunblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/obama-is-muslim.html
Grumpy
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Election Update! Obama Likes Hunters But Dislikes Handguns?
Election Update! Obama Likes Hunters But Dislikes Handguns?
This story is from the Gun Digest the Magazine Web site forums.
While campaigning in Idaho the weekend before Super Tuesday, presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told a crowd, "There are people who say, 'Well, he doesn't believe in the Second Amendment,' even though I come from a state — we've got a lot of hunters in downstate Illinois. And I have no intention of taking away folks' guns."
Yet according to Jake Tapper, ABC News' senior national correspondent, "In 1996, however, Obama said in a questionnaire that he 'supported banning the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns' — a fairly extreme position. However, it should be pointed out that this appears to be yet another example of Obama not being able to get good help. You guessed it — his campaign says this questionnaire was filled out incorrectly by a staffer.
This story is from the Gun Digest the Magazine Web site forums.
While campaigning in Idaho the weekend before Super Tuesday, presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told a crowd, "There are people who say, 'Well, he doesn't believe in the Second Amendment,' even though I come from a state — we've got a lot of hunters in downstate Illinois. And I have no intention of taking away folks' guns."
Yet according to Jake Tapper, ABC News' senior national correspondent, "In 1996, however, Obama said in a questionnaire that he 'supported banning the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns' — a fairly extreme position. However, it should be pointed out that this appears to be yet another example of Obama not being able to get good help. You guessed it — his campaign says this questionnaire was filled out incorrectly by a staffer.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Supporting our troops the Liberal Way.
'Supporting the Troops'
By Thomas Sowell
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Berkeley city council has made national news by telling Marine Corps recruiters that they are unwelcome in that bastion of the academic left.
It is a shame that Berkeley is not on some island in the South Pacific, because then they could be given their independence and left to defend themselves.
As it is, members of our armed forces who put their lives on the line to defend America are also defending people like too many in Berkeley for whom the very word America, and the American flag, bring only sneers.
Unfortunately, Berkeley is not unique. A professor at Harvard who put an American flag on his car after 9-11 provoked looks of astonishment from his colleagues. They wondered what was wrong with him.
All across the country, there are professors who push for keeping military recruiters off campus and for banning ROTC. Apparently if they don't like the military, then other people -- such as students -- should not be allowed to make up their own minds whether they want to join or not.
Liberals in general, and academics in particular, like to boast of their open-mindedness and acceptance of non-conformity. But they mean not conforming to the norms of society at large.
They have little or no tolerance to those who do not conform to the norms of academic political correctness. Nowhere else in America is free speech so restricted as on academic campuses with speech codes.
In Berkeley, as elsewhere, the left has learned to cloak their anti-military intolerance with the magic words, "We support the troops." The liberal media use the same line when they undermine the military.
In this, as in other things, the flagship of the media is the New York Times. Unsubstantiated charges against American troops in Iraq are front page news but incredible acts of heroism in battle are seldom reported there, if at all.
Although things go wrong in every war, things that went wrong in Iraq -- whether large or small -- have been front page news in the New York Times. But when the military surge was followed by things going right, the Iraq war was suddenly no longer front page news.
Back during the Vietnam war, the media criticized the American military for their emphasis on enemy casualties or "body count." Today the media have been fixated on American body count.
What has been accomplished by the troops who lost their lives in battle has been of no interest to those who claim to be "supporting the troops."
That thousands of Iraqis who fled the country during the height of the violence and turmoil are now returning is no big deal to the media.
Those in the military who made this possible by putting their own lives on the line are not heroes to the media. Indeed, one of the consistent patterns in the liberal media has been to depict the troops not as heroes but as victims.
The financial problems of some reservists who were called away from their civilian jobs were front page news in the New York Times. So were sorrowful goodbyes from family and friends.
All these things made the troops victims. So does body count.
Just last month, the New York Times found yet another way to portray the troops as victims. They ran a very long article, beginning on the front page of the January 13th issue, about killings in the United States by combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In many of those cases," it said, "combat trauma and the stress of deployment" were among the factors which "appear to have set the stage for a tragedy that was part destruction, part self-destruction."
As with so many other things said by liberals, the big question that was not asked was: Compared to what?
As the New York Post reported a couple of days later, the murder rate among returning military combat veterans is one-fifth that of civilians in the same age brackets.
So much for "supporting the troops" by depicting them as victims.
Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute and author of Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy.
By Thomas Sowell
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Berkeley city council has made national news by telling Marine Corps recruiters that they are unwelcome in that bastion of the academic left.
It is a shame that Berkeley is not on some island in the South Pacific, because then they could be given their independence and left to defend themselves.
As it is, members of our armed forces who put their lives on the line to defend America are also defending people like too many in Berkeley for whom the very word America, and the American flag, bring only sneers.
Unfortunately, Berkeley is not unique. A professor at Harvard who put an American flag on his car after 9-11 provoked looks of astonishment from his colleagues. They wondered what was wrong with him.
All across the country, there are professors who push for keeping military recruiters off campus and for banning ROTC. Apparently if they don't like the military, then other people -- such as students -- should not be allowed to make up their own minds whether they want to join or not.
Liberals in general, and academics in particular, like to boast of their open-mindedness and acceptance of non-conformity. But they mean not conforming to the norms of society at large.
They have little or no tolerance to those who do not conform to the norms of academic political correctness. Nowhere else in America is free speech so restricted as on academic campuses with speech codes.
In Berkeley, as elsewhere, the left has learned to cloak their anti-military intolerance with the magic words, "We support the troops." The liberal media use the same line when they undermine the military.
In this, as in other things, the flagship of the media is the New York Times. Unsubstantiated charges against American troops in Iraq are front page news but incredible acts of heroism in battle are seldom reported there, if at all.
Although things go wrong in every war, things that went wrong in Iraq -- whether large or small -- have been front page news in the New York Times. But when the military surge was followed by things going right, the Iraq war was suddenly no longer front page news.
Back during the Vietnam war, the media criticized the American military for their emphasis on enemy casualties or "body count." Today the media have been fixated on American body count.
What has been accomplished by the troops who lost their lives in battle has been of no interest to those who claim to be "supporting the troops."
That thousands of Iraqis who fled the country during the height of the violence and turmoil are now returning is no big deal to the media.
Those in the military who made this possible by putting their own lives on the line are not heroes to the media. Indeed, one of the consistent patterns in the liberal media has been to depict the troops not as heroes but as victims.
The financial problems of some reservists who were called away from their civilian jobs were front page news in the New York Times. So were sorrowful goodbyes from family and friends.
All these things made the troops victims. So does body count.
Just last month, the New York Times found yet another way to portray the troops as victims. They ran a very long article, beginning on the front page of the January 13th issue, about killings in the United States by combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In many of those cases," it said, "combat trauma and the stress of deployment" were among the factors which "appear to have set the stage for a tragedy that was part destruction, part self-destruction."
As with so many other things said by liberals, the big question that was not asked was: Compared to what?
As the New York Post reported a couple of days later, the murder rate among returning military combat veterans is one-fifth that of civilians in the same age brackets.
So much for "supporting the troops" by depicting them as victims.
Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute and author of Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy.
The Latest From The Civilian Marksmanship Program
CHANGE TO CARBINE SALES DATES: Inspection & Repair and grading of M1 carbines has progressed faster than expected. CMP will now accept mail orders for Saginaw, Saginaw S'G', and National Postal Meter carbines on 28 April, 2008. Order acceptance date for Standard Products and IBM has now been set as 7 July, 2008. For operational reasons, we have set a limit of one carbine per customer per manufacturer for each of these manufacturers until further notice. A small quantity of these manufacturers will be available at both CMP stores. For additional details, please see http://www.odcmp.com/rifles/carbine.htmNORTH STORE RENOVATION: The Grand Re-Opening of the CMP North Store is still scheduled for 12 march, 2008. HRA GARANDS NOW AVAILABLE: CMP is now accepting orders for HRA Service and Field Grade Garands. For additional details, please see http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/m1garand.htmPRICE REDUCTION - NATIONAL MATCH M1 GARAND STOCK SET: CMP price for Item #085 has been reduced from $124.95 to $94.95. This stock set is listed under the 'commercial parts' tab on our estore http://estore.odcmp.com/Store/catalog/catalog.aspx
Monday, February 18, 2008
Democrats Harm National Security
Here is a another example of how the democrats are invested in being defeated by the terrorists.
Stumpy
Democrats’ Inaction on FISA Harms America’s National Security
By John Boehner
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Earlier this month, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle came together to pass an economic growth package to help get our economy moving again. I hoped this same spirit of bipartisanship would extend to other critical issues, with our national security our first and foremost priority. Sadly, this was not to be.
On Thursday, House Democratic leaders left Washington for a 12-day break after failing to pass critical legislation designed to ensure that our intelligence officials are able to monitor foreign communications of suspected terrorists overseas, such as Osama Bin Laden and other key al-Qaeda leaders, while also adding critical liability protections for third parties who helped us defend our country. This measure had received strong bipartisan support in the Senate, and was on the verge of passing by a wide bipartisan margin in the House until Democratic leaders blocked it from coming to the floor for a vote.
Because of the Democrats’ inaction, the Protect America Act expired last night at midnight, forcing our intelligence officials to revert to the same terror surveillance laws that failed to protect America from the al-Qaeda terrorist attack on 9/11. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups are still plotting against the United States and our allies, but now our intelligence officials don’t have all the tools they need to protect us. These laws didn’t safeguard America in 2001, so why would House Democrat leaders place our nation at risk by putting them back into effect now?
Some members of the House Majority believe there is no sense of urgency to address this crisis. But the New York Post recently reported a heartbreaking story about U.S. forces in Iraq having to wait 10 hours last May before they could begin searching for three American soldiers taken hostage by al Qaeda because lawyers here in the United States were hammering out the proper documents to get emergency permission for wiretaps. One of our soldiers was found dead, two others remain missing.
These unconscionable delays had real consequences. It should take exactly zero lawyers to rescue our troops. A strong bipartisan majority in the Senate understood this fact. The Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller, put it this way:
“What people have to understand around here is that the quality of the intelligence we are going to be receiving is going to be degraded.” (Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Floor Remarks, 02/14/08)
The liability protections included in the bipartisan Senate bill are intended to ensure that patriotic third parties are not subject to frivolous lawsuits when they cooperate with our intelligence officials to help track terrorists. But already some trial lawyers are seeking millions of dollars, and now some third parties who have cooperated to help defend our country have indicated they can no longer do so voluntarily. This is wrong and we must fix it.
Much has been said about the U.S. Senate being the world’s most deliberative body, but in this case our colleagues proved that they can work quickly to pass good legislation that will keep America safe.
The consequences of inaction in the House and the failure to send a bill to the President are real. U.S. intelligence officials will not be able to begin new terrorist surveillance without needless and dangerous delays. If a previously unknown group were to attack or kidnap American soldiers tomorrow, U.S. forces would have to wait – again – for the lawyers to get permission before a search could begin. The families of the three soldiers abducted in May by al Qaeda can attest to how devastating waiting can be.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was written and passed during the Cold War era, and in August Congress updated it to reflect the sophisticated and adaptive nature of the terrorist threat. We worked in a bipartisan manner to close a gaping loophole, one that had prohibited our intelligence officials to monitor all foreign communications of terrorists overseas. The only ones preventing us from working together in a bipartisan way again are House Democratic leaders and trial lawyers.
What was true then remains the same today: instead of shielding terrorists, we should be working to prevent future attacks. Refusing to give our intelligence officials all the tools they need to keep America safe is unacceptable. Refusing to extend protection from frivolous lawsuits to third parties that cooperate with the government to protect American lives and then leaving town for 12 days is also unacceptable.
The question now for House Democratic leaders is, how much longer are they prepared to protect their trial lawyer allies at the expense of our national security?
John Boehner is the Republican Minority Leader for the House of Representatives.
Stumpy
Democrats’ Inaction on FISA Harms America’s National Security
By John Boehner
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Earlier this month, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle came together to pass an economic growth package to help get our economy moving again. I hoped this same spirit of bipartisanship would extend to other critical issues, with our national security our first and foremost priority. Sadly, this was not to be.
On Thursday, House Democratic leaders left Washington for a 12-day break after failing to pass critical legislation designed to ensure that our intelligence officials are able to monitor foreign communications of suspected terrorists overseas, such as Osama Bin Laden and other key al-Qaeda leaders, while also adding critical liability protections for third parties who helped us defend our country. This measure had received strong bipartisan support in the Senate, and was on the verge of passing by a wide bipartisan margin in the House until Democratic leaders blocked it from coming to the floor for a vote.
Because of the Democrats’ inaction, the Protect America Act expired last night at midnight, forcing our intelligence officials to revert to the same terror surveillance laws that failed to protect America from the al-Qaeda terrorist attack on 9/11. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups are still plotting against the United States and our allies, but now our intelligence officials don’t have all the tools they need to protect us. These laws didn’t safeguard America in 2001, so why would House Democrat leaders place our nation at risk by putting them back into effect now?
Some members of the House Majority believe there is no sense of urgency to address this crisis. But the New York Post recently reported a heartbreaking story about U.S. forces in Iraq having to wait 10 hours last May before they could begin searching for three American soldiers taken hostage by al Qaeda because lawyers here in the United States were hammering out the proper documents to get emergency permission for wiretaps. One of our soldiers was found dead, two others remain missing.
These unconscionable delays had real consequences. It should take exactly zero lawyers to rescue our troops. A strong bipartisan majority in the Senate understood this fact. The Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller, put it this way:
“What people have to understand around here is that the quality of the intelligence we are going to be receiving is going to be degraded.” (Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Floor Remarks, 02/14/08)
The liability protections included in the bipartisan Senate bill are intended to ensure that patriotic third parties are not subject to frivolous lawsuits when they cooperate with our intelligence officials to help track terrorists. But already some trial lawyers are seeking millions of dollars, and now some third parties who have cooperated to help defend our country have indicated they can no longer do so voluntarily. This is wrong and we must fix it.
Much has been said about the U.S. Senate being the world’s most deliberative body, but in this case our colleagues proved that they can work quickly to pass good legislation that will keep America safe.
The consequences of inaction in the House and the failure to send a bill to the President are real. U.S. intelligence officials will not be able to begin new terrorist surveillance without needless and dangerous delays. If a previously unknown group were to attack or kidnap American soldiers tomorrow, U.S. forces would have to wait – again – for the lawyers to get permission before a search could begin. The families of the three soldiers abducted in May by al Qaeda can attest to how devastating waiting can be.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was written and passed during the Cold War era, and in August Congress updated it to reflect the sophisticated and adaptive nature of the terrorist threat. We worked in a bipartisan manner to close a gaping loophole, one that had prohibited our intelligence officials to monitor all foreign communications of terrorists overseas. The only ones preventing us from working together in a bipartisan way again are House Democratic leaders and trial lawyers.
What was true then remains the same today: instead of shielding terrorists, we should be working to prevent future attacks. Refusing to give our intelligence officials all the tools they need to keep America safe is unacceptable. Refusing to extend protection from frivolous lawsuits to third parties that cooperate with the government to protect American lives and then leaving town for 12 days is also unacceptable.
The question now for House Democratic leaders is, how much longer are they prepared to protect their trial lawyer allies at the expense of our national security?
John Boehner is the Republican Minority Leader for the House of Representatives.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Finnish Marksman - Simo Hayha
Simo Hayha has always been a personal hero of mine.
His example of Patriotism, sense of purpose and self sacrifice are something we can all take a lesson from. - Grumpy
Brief Background On Simo Häyhä :
Simo Häyhä was born in 1906 or 1905 (there seems to be two dates of his birth depending on the reference materials) in Rautajärvi, Finland. The town was in the shadow of the Soviet Union and as was the case with many border areas, the home of Mr. Häyhä was lost to the Soviets in the spoils of the Winter War. Like many of the towns and villages of this region the area was rural,and Mr. Häyhä was what people here in the US would call an outdoorsman spending much of his time outside letting his skills sharpen.
In 1925 Mr. Häyhä joined the Finnish Army for his one year of mandatory service. He must have been suited well for the Army in some regards as when he left he had achieved the rank of corporal. Later Simo Häyhä joined the Suojelskunta (Finnish Civil Guard) serving in his home district. The Civil Guard is a difficult organization to explain to those in America but putting the Civil Guard in US terms it is much like a very well trained National Guard Unit. Even this description is far from perfect but should suffice for the purposes of this article.
Simo Häyhä was called into action during the Winter War with his service under the 6th Company of JR 34 on the Kollaa River. The Finnish stand at Kollaa is often referred to as "The miracle of Kollaa," as the Finnish action here was most heroic. The Finnish forces in the region were under the command of Major General Uiluo Tuompo and they faced the 9th and 14th Soviet Armies. At one point the Finns at Kollaa were facing 12 divisions, some 160,000 men. The Red Army losses in this arena were staggering as the brave Finns took their toll on the communist invaders. There have been those that called the Finnish defense of this key region "fanatical", and it was in the Kollaa area were the famous battle of "Killer Hill" took place with 32 Finns battling 4,000 Soviet soldiers. These were the hunting grounds of Simo Häyhä and it should be noted that even against massive odds the Kollaa positions were still in Finnish hands at the end of the war (March 1940).Mr. Häyhä was credited with over 500 kills with his Mosin Nagant M28 in his service during the Winter War with his service cut short as he was wounded on 3-6-40 by a Soviet sniper. He is also credited with over 200 kills with the Finnish Suomi K31 9mm submachine gun. Simo was shot in the face with what turned out to be an expanding bullet and he was taken out of action due to these wounds. The total time that Simo Häyhä served in the Winter War was 100 days with more than 700 kills credited to him. His last action as a soldier was to recover his rifle and kill the Soviet sniper who had shot him. His record is truly remarkable and is long since remembered in the nation of Finland. During his post-war life he was considered to be a national treasure. As a signal honor, after the Winter War ended, Marshall Gustav Mannerheim spot promoted him from Corporal to Lieutenant, something rarely done in the Finnish military.
Many remember Simo Häyhä only as using the Mosin Nagant M28 rifle with open sights and only credit his high kill total to his role as a sniper; however, this is not entirely correct as Häyhä was also an expert with the Suomi K31 SMG and a large number of the Soviets that he felled were from his K31.
Above are examples of the tools of Simo Häyhä in his hunts in Kollaa.
Salient factors:
1: Hayha was a small man. He believed this was a factor in his survival.
2: Hayha used iron sights only, making most of his kills with the M28 at ranges over 400 meters. He said that the use of a scope had two problems. The shooter has to raise his head and expose himself to counter fire. The scope inevitably created a reflection and drew counter fire. He was issued a scoped Swedish Mauser but did not use it.
3: Hayha always operated with a small, highly mobile team of marksmen/spotters and soldiers armed with submachine guns.
4: Hayha's total time in the field was 100 days. This means he averaged 7 kills a day during a time of year when daylight was less than 7 hours, the daylight time increasing in length in the latter months.
5: He chose the M28 as it's length was more suitable for a man his size.
6: Over 200 of his kills were made at short range with a 9mm submachine gun.
7: Hayha was a skilled woodman, having spent most of his life in the Karelian forests. He hunted with the same M28 rifle he had been issued by the Civil Guard and used in the Winter War.
His example of Patriotism, sense of purpose and self sacrifice are something we can all take a lesson from. - Grumpy
The following is excerpted in part from an article written at the time of the death at age 96 of Simo Hayha, purported to be the all time high scoring sniper/marksman.
Brief Background On Simo Häyhä :
Simo Häyhä was born in 1906 or 1905 (there seems to be two dates of his birth depending on the reference materials) in Rautajärvi, Finland. The town was in the shadow of the Soviet Union and as was the case with many border areas, the home of Mr. Häyhä was lost to the Soviets in the spoils of the Winter War. Like many of the towns and villages of this region the area was rural,and Mr. Häyhä was what people here in the US would call an outdoorsman spending much of his time outside letting his skills sharpen.
In 1925 Mr. Häyhä joined the Finnish Army for his one year of mandatory service. He must have been suited well for the Army in some regards as when he left he had achieved the rank of corporal. Later Simo Häyhä joined the Suojelskunta (Finnish Civil Guard) serving in his home district. The Civil Guard is a difficult organization to explain to those in America but putting the Civil Guard in US terms it is much like a very well trained National Guard Unit. Even this description is far from perfect but should suffice for the purposes of this article.
Simo Häyhä was called into action during the Winter War with his service under the 6th Company of JR 34 on the Kollaa River. The Finnish stand at Kollaa is often referred to as "The miracle of Kollaa," as the Finnish action here was most heroic. The Finnish forces in the region were under the command of Major General Uiluo Tuompo and they faced the 9th and 14th Soviet Armies. At one point the Finns at Kollaa were facing 12 divisions, some 160,000 men. The Red Army losses in this arena were staggering as the brave Finns took their toll on the communist invaders. There have been those that called the Finnish defense of this key region "fanatical", and it was in the Kollaa area were the famous battle of "Killer Hill" took place with 32 Finns battling 4,000 Soviet soldiers. These were the hunting grounds of Simo Häyhä and it should be noted that even against massive odds the Kollaa positions were still in Finnish hands at the end of the war (March 1940).Mr. Häyhä was credited with over 500 kills with his Mosin Nagant M28 in his service during the Winter War with his service cut short as he was wounded on 3-6-40 by a Soviet sniper. He is also credited with over 200 kills with the Finnish Suomi K31 9mm submachine gun. Simo was shot in the face with what turned out to be an expanding bullet and he was taken out of action due to these wounds. The total time that Simo Häyhä served in the Winter War was 100 days with more than 700 kills credited to him. His last action as a soldier was to recover his rifle and kill the Soviet sniper who had shot him. His record is truly remarkable and is long since remembered in the nation of Finland. During his post-war life he was considered to be a national treasure. As a signal honor, after the Winter War ended, Marshall Gustav Mannerheim spot promoted him from Corporal to Lieutenant, something rarely done in the Finnish military.
Many remember Simo Häyhä only as using the Mosin Nagant M28 rifle with open sights and only credit his high kill total to his role as a sniper; however, this is not entirely correct as Häyhä was also an expert with the Suomi K31 SMG and a large number of the Soviets that he felled were from his K31.
Above are examples of the tools of Simo Häyhä in his hunts in Kollaa.Salient factors:
1: Hayha was a small man. He believed this was a factor in his survival.
2: Hayha used iron sights only, making most of his kills with the M28 at ranges over 400 meters. He said that the use of a scope had two problems. The shooter has to raise his head and expose himself to counter fire. The scope inevitably created a reflection and drew counter fire. He was issued a scoped Swedish Mauser but did not use it.
3: Hayha always operated with a small, highly mobile team of marksmen/spotters and soldiers armed with submachine guns.
4: Hayha's total time in the field was 100 days. This means he averaged 7 kills a day during a time of year when daylight was less than 7 hours, the daylight time increasing in length in the latter months.
5: He chose the M28 as it's length was more suitable for a man his size.
6: Over 200 of his kills were made at short range with a 9mm submachine gun.
7: Hayha was a skilled woodman, having spent most of his life in the Karelian forests. He hunted with the same M28 rifle he had been issued by the Civil Guard and used in the Winter War.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Gun Control Advocates Introduce 'Microstamping' Bill
(CNSNews.com) - A gun control group is hailing Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) for introducing legislation that would require gun microstamping in all fifty states.
The National Crime Gun Identification Act, introduced in both the House and Senate on Feb. 7, "will help law enforcement track down armed criminals and solve gun murders," the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said.The National Rifle Association calls such legislation "incremental gun control." Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign, said microstamping will help police trace guns that are used in crimes.
It's "the common sense thing to do," Helmke said in a news release on Monday."Last year, California passed a bill to take advantage of this new microstamping technology. Governor Schwarzenegger signed that legislation into law. I want to commend Senator Kennedy and Congressman Becerra for introducing these bills to put this technology to work nationwide," Helmke said.
California's microstamping law, which is supposed to take effect in 2010, would require all semiautomatic pistols to have "microstamped identifiers" -- tiny internal markings that transfer themselves onto bullet cartridges fired from a gun. In theory, microstamped cartridges found at crime scenes might help police identify the make, model and serial number of the gun used in the crime -- and perhaps trace the criminal who used it as well.At least one gun manufacturer, STI International, stopped selling firearms in California as soon as Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the state's microstamping bill into law."We will be suspending all shipments of guns to California effective October 13, 2007.
This includes everyone from civilians to Law Enforcement," STI says on its Web site.Sen. Kennedy said his bill would amend federal law by prohibiting licensed federal firearms dealers from manufacturing, importing, or transferring certain semi-automatic pistols that are not capable of microstamping ammunition. According to Rep. Becerra, "Gun microstamping is a simple and effective technology that promises to save lives and keep violent criminals off the streets. It is inexpensive for gun manufacturers to implement, does not infringe on personal ownership rights, and provides a powerful investigative tool to our law enforcement officers."But the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action has outlined the "numerous and varied problems" associated with microstamping.Microstamping has repeatedly failed in tests, the NRA-ILA says. Moreover, the microstamped etchings are easily removed or altered.Beyond the technological questions, the NRA says most gun crimes do not require micro-stamping to be solved; and most criminals who use guns don't get them through legal channels.In fact, the NRA-ILA warns that micro-stamping may increase gun thefts, home invasions and other burglaries, since criminals would rather steal guns than buy them legally and thus leave a trail in a microstamp database.The NRA-ILA says many guns do not automatically eject fired cartridge cases. And given the fact that there are some 250 million guns in the U.S. already, only a small percentage of guns will be micro-stamped if the law is passed.Micro-stamping wastes money, including that which is better spent on traditional crime-fighting and crime-solving efforts, the NRA-ILA said.And finally, the NRA-ILA mentioned the costs associated with microstamping that will be passed along to gun buyers.A database to track micro-stamped handguns will be expensive, the group said; and the handgun manufacturing process will have to be redesigned to accommodate microstamping. And then there are the anticipated licensing fees that would have to be paid to the sole-source micro-stamping patent holder.
"Mandating microstamping will dramatically reduce the product selection available to law-abiding consumers in California and prices for available guns will skyrocket," the National Shooting Sports Foundation says on its Web site.
The National Crime Gun Identification Act, introduced in both the House and Senate on Feb. 7, "will help law enforcement track down armed criminals and solve gun murders," the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said.The National Rifle Association calls such legislation "incremental gun control." Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign, said microstamping will help police trace guns that are used in crimes.
It's "the common sense thing to do," Helmke said in a news release on Monday."Last year, California passed a bill to take advantage of this new microstamping technology. Governor Schwarzenegger signed that legislation into law. I want to commend Senator Kennedy and Congressman Becerra for introducing these bills to put this technology to work nationwide," Helmke said.
California's microstamping law, which is supposed to take effect in 2010, would require all semiautomatic pistols to have "microstamped identifiers" -- tiny internal markings that transfer themselves onto bullet cartridges fired from a gun. In theory, microstamped cartridges found at crime scenes might help police identify the make, model and serial number of the gun used in the crime -- and perhaps trace the criminal who used it as well.At least one gun manufacturer, STI International, stopped selling firearms in California as soon as Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the state's microstamping bill into law."We will be suspending all shipments of guns to California effective October 13, 2007.
This includes everyone from civilians to Law Enforcement," STI says on its Web site.Sen. Kennedy said his bill would amend federal law by prohibiting licensed federal firearms dealers from manufacturing, importing, or transferring certain semi-automatic pistols that are not capable of microstamping ammunition. According to Rep. Becerra, "Gun microstamping is a simple and effective technology that promises to save lives and keep violent criminals off the streets. It is inexpensive for gun manufacturers to implement, does not infringe on personal ownership rights, and provides a powerful investigative tool to our law enforcement officers."But the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action has outlined the "numerous and varied problems" associated with microstamping.Microstamping has repeatedly failed in tests, the NRA-ILA says. Moreover, the microstamped etchings are easily removed or altered.Beyond the technological questions, the NRA says most gun crimes do not require micro-stamping to be solved; and most criminals who use guns don't get them through legal channels.In fact, the NRA-ILA warns that micro-stamping may increase gun thefts, home invasions and other burglaries, since criminals would rather steal guns than buy them legally and thus leave a trail in a microstamp database.The NRA-ILA says many guns do not automatically eject fired cartridge cases. And given the fact that there are some 250 million guns in the U.S. already, only a small percentage of guns will be micro-stamped if the law is passed.Micro-stamping wastes money, including that which is better spent on traditional crime-fighting and crime-solving efforts, the NRA-ILA said.And finally, the NRA-ILA mentioned the costs associated with microstamping that will be passed along to gun buyers.A database to track micro-stamped handguns will be expensive, the group said; and the handgun manufacturing process will have to be redesigned to accommodate microstamping. And then there are the anticipated licensing fees that would have to be paid to the sole-source micro-stamping patent holder.
"Mandating microstamping will dramatically reduce the product selection available to law-abiding consumers in California and prices for available guns will skyrocket," the National Shooting Sports Foundation says on its Web site.
They're Coming After You
If the government succeeds in telling us what we can and can not eat on the discrimination of a persons size, then taking our firearms will be easier done. And if both of these or even one happens then "death camps" are not out of the question, just ask a survivor from such a camp from WWII. Extreme conclusion, yes, but the ramifications are not.
Stumpy
They're Coming After You
By Walter E. Williams
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
My February 2002 column, "They're Coming After You," warned that Americans who enthusiastically supported the anti-tobacco zealots' attack on smokers were, like decent Germans did during the 1920s and '30s, building the Trojan Horse that would one day enable a tyrant to take over. The whole issue of tobacco smoke nuisance is really a private property issue where the owner should decide how his private property shall be used, whether it's an office building, restaurant, bar or home. That's unless one group of people wishes to use the coercive powers of government, in the name of health or some other ruse, to impose their preferences upon others.
Anti-tobacco zealots don't have a monopoly on tyrannical designs. There are those who wish to control what we eat, and the successful attack on smokers has provided a template for their agenda. Chief among the food tyrants is the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). These tyrants want taxes on foods they deem as non-nutritious. They've even proposed a 5 percent tax on new television sets and video equipment and a $65 tax on each new car or an extra penny per gallon of gas. Why? They see watching television and videos, riding instead of walking, as contributing to obesity. Thus, in their view, just as tobacco companies were responsible for people smoking, television and video manufacturers are responsible for people being couch potatoes. Automobile companies are responsible for people riding instead of walking. The restaurant industry is responsible for American obesity.
Some people have told me that these tyrants would never get away with controlling what we eat. Here's the Mississippi Legislature House Bill 282, introduced this year by Rep. W.T. Mayhall, that in part reads: "An Act to prohibit certain food establishments from serving food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the State Department of Health; to direct the Department to prepare written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese and to provide those materials to the food establishments; to direct the Department to monitor the food establishments for compliance with the provisions of this act." The bill proposes to revoke licenses of food establishments that violate the provisions of the act.
You shouldn't believe that if this measure is successful in Mississippi that it will stay in Mississippi. Moreover, it will be expanded upon because most people who are obese don't become so by eating at restaurants; mostly, it's food eaten at home. Thus, the food tyrants won't be satisfied with restaurant restrictions, just as the anti-tobacco zealots weren't satisfied with warning labels on cigarettes. They will push for legislation restricting the sale of foods at supermarkets. Since an obese person can get a svelte person to do his grocery shopping for him, legislators might propose sting operations to fine or arrest people giving an obese person high-calorie food.
The food tyrants have a compatriot in the person of Yale University's Professor Kelly D. Brownell, director of the Center for Eating and Weight Disorders. He thinks Americans eat too many hamburgers and French fries. Professor Brownell, who is fat himself, wants government to tax fatty foods and those with little nutritional content and use some of the tax proceeds to build bike and hiking trails. Suppose not enough Americans bike and hike. I bet he and his ilk would call for legislation that mandated some form of exercise.
Most evil done in the world is done in the name of promoting this or that supposed good. Americans turning away from rule of law and constitutional government are following in the footsteps of other people around the world who discovered their liberties gone and recovering them was next to impossible. But, what the heck. You might be among those Americans who don't smoke and are not obese, so why sweat it?
Dr. Williams serves on the faculty of George Mason University as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics and is the author of More Liberty Means Less Government: Our Founders Knew This Well. (from Townhall.com)
Stumpy
They're Coming After You
By Walter E. Williams
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
My February 2002 column, "They're Coming After You," warned that Americans who enthusiastically supported the anti-tobacco zealots' attack on smokers were, like decent Germans did during the 1920s and '30s, building the Trojan Horse that would one day enable a tyrant to take over. The whole issue of tobacco smoke nuisance is really a private property issue where the owner should decide how his private property shall be used, whether it's an office building, restaurant, bar or home. That's unless one group of people wishes to use the coercive powers of government, in the name of health or some other ruse, to impose their preferences upon others.
Anti-tobacco zealots don't have a monopoly on tyrannical designs. There are those who wish to control what we eat, and the successful attack on smokers has provided a template for their agenda. Chief among the food tyrants is the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). These tyrants want taxes on foods they deem as non-nutritious. They've even proposed a 5 percent tax on new television sets and video equipment and a $65 tax on each new car or an extra penny per gallon of gas. Why? They see watching television and videos, riding instead of walking, as contributing to obesity. Thus, in their view, just as tobacco companies were responsible for people smoking, television and video manufacturers are responsible for people being couch potatoes. Automobile companies are responsible for people riding instead of walking. The restaurant industry is responsible for American obesity.
Some people have told me that these tyrants would never get away with controlling what we eat. Here's the Mississippi Legislature House Bill 282, introduced this year by Rep. W.T. Mayhall, that in part reads: "An Act to prohibit certain food establishments from serving food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the State Department of Health; to direct the Department to prepare written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese and to provide those materials to the food establishments; to direct the Department to monitor the food establishments for compliance with the provisions of this act." The bill proposes to revoke licenses of food establishments that violate the provisions of the act.
You shouldn't believe that if this measure is successful in Mississippi that it will stay in Mississippi. Moreover, it will be expanded upon because most people who are obese don't become so by eating at restaurants; mostly, it's food eaten at home. Thus, the food tyrants won't be satisfied with restaurant restrictions, just as the anti-tobacco zealots weren't satisfied with warning labels on cigarettes. They will push for legislation restricting the sale of foods at supermarkets. Since an obese person can get a svelte person to do his grocery shopping for him, legislators might propose sting operations to fine or arrest people giving an obese person high-calorie food.
The food tyrants have a compatriot in the person of Yale University's Professor Kelly D. Brownell, director of the Center for Eating and Weight Disorders. He thinks Americans eat too many hamburgers and French fries. Professor Brownell, who is fat himself, wants government to tax fatty foods and those with little nutritional content and use some of the tax proceeds to build bike and hiking trails. Suppose not enough Americans bike and hike. I bet he and his ilk would call for legislation that mandated some form of exercise.
Most evil done in the world is done in the name of promoting this or that supposed good. Americans turning away from rule of law and constitutional government are following in the footsteps of other people around the world who discovered their liberties gone and recovering them was next to impossible. But, what the heck. You might be among those Americans who don't smoke and are not obese, so why sweat it?
Dr. Williams serves on the faculty of George Mason University as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics and is the author of More Liberty Means Less Government: Our Founders Knew This Well. (from Townhall.com)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Hippies wrong again.
This gentleman says it all. God Bless this man and his family, and God Bless all service men and women, keeping me free and safe to do this and may I not take this freedom for granted. Thank you to all that have served our country in any capacity.
Stumpy
My Choice
By Sgt. Seth Conner
Monday, February 11, 2008
Like my Marine brothers who fought alongside me in the Battle of Fallujah, I know a little something about choices.
When the nosecones of 767 passenger jets punched into the Twin Towers, my choice was simple to make. My choice was not, as the patchouli-smelling Berkeley hippies would have you believe, the duplicitous work of “salespeople known to lie to and seduce minors and young adults into contracting themselves into military service with false promises.” By that rationale, car salesmen are responsible for the 40,000 Americans who will die this year on the nation’s highways.
Nice try.
No, as shocking as it may be to radical anti-military haters, the overwhelming majority of young soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines like myself are deeply proud of the choice we made. As shocking as it may seem to the Code Pink crowd, we feel blessed to have been given the chance to defend our nation and be steeled and shaped by those charged with leading us.
Ironically, for people who claim to be “tolerant,” “open-minded,” and “peace-loving,” theBerkeley protestors and their ilk proved just what a sham their operation truly is. If they were really interested in saving the lives of innocents, they would listen to the countless stories veterans bring back from Iraq about pivotal moments of decision that saved lives—both American and Iraqi.
I remember standing in the blinding sun looking through a sweat-drenched brow at the mortars exploding all around. We were the only unit with a view of the mortars’ suspected origin. I had a choice to make. As a young corporal, it was my job to decide whether or not to unleash our firepower at the suspected source of the incoming mortars. Make the wrong choice, kill innocent civilians. Hesitate, watch Marine brothers die.
I made my decision: hold fire. I could not get a clear look at the area. Later, we learned the area had only farmers and schoolchildren.
Much to the chagrin of the Code Pink crowd, we Marines are not blood-thirsty warmongers bent on killing innocents. Anyone who experiences combat comes away with a deeper and more pure understanding of just how sacred and special human life truly is. You don't walk away from the battlefield with the same perspective you brought to it. And you don't hold the lives of your brothers—and of innocent civilians—in your hands and continue to see life in the same way.
No, like most Iraq veterans, I didn't find broken promises serving with the Marines. I found the courage and discipline to become the man I always wanted to be. That man has a strong streak of peace within him, something the Berkeley peace-loving hippies should appreciate.
I fell in love with the people of the Middle East while fighting for them, and my heart goes out to them. I plan to move to Egypt next year as a Christian missionary to reach out to their needy, and when the war's over I plan to return to Iraq, this time without my M-16.
But if Berkeley has its way, the young men and women of their city won't have the freedom to make one of the most honorable choices they could ever make—the right to defend their country. Instead, they would rather make the decision for them, imposing their will upon their people. That does not sound like the freedom I fought for.
While in Iraq, I wrote an “Open Letter to America” that was aimed at the very people who make up Berkeley's city council. I supported their right to free speech; after all, I was fighting for it, not to mention losing friends for that cause. But I strongly questioned their so-called support-the-troops-but-not-the-war stance. Angry, I called them ignorant, naïve, hippie puppets.
After my tour of duty ended I hoped I was wrong, that I had written that letter out of my own ignorance. But the Berkeley city council proves everything I said in that letter was true. Thankfully, the American Legion and Move America Forward stood up and said “Enough.”
Groups like Code Pink and the Berkeley city council don't care about freedom. They only care about saddling another generation—my generation—with their hippie-loving propaganda.
Only 25, Seth Conner is an Iraq War combat veteran and a current student at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California. After serving a tour in Japan and a combat tour in Iraq with the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, the United States Marine Corps relieved Sgt. Seth Conner from military service in 2005 with an honorable discharge. In addition to pursuing his studies and writing career, Conner works part time at the Orange County Rescue Mission and also attends Nouveau Riche University in Scottsdale, Arizona, and works part time as a real estate investor. An active member of Saddleback Church, Conner takes semi-annual missions trips around the globe to minister to others and serve the less fortunate. Born and raised in Parker, Colorado, Seth Conner currently lives in Lake Forest, California. Boredom By Day, Death By Night is Conner’s first book. (fron Townhall.com)
Stumpy
My Choice
By Sgt. Seth Conner
Monday, February 11, 2008
Like my Marine brothers who fought alongside me in the Battle of Fallujah, I know a little something about choices.
When the nosecones of 767 passenger jets punched into the Twin Towers, my choice was simple to make. My choice was not, as the patchouli-smelling Berkeley hippies would have you believe, the duplicitous work of “salespeople known to lie to and seduce minors and young adults into contracting themselves into military service with false promises.” By that rationale, car salesmen are responsible for the 40,000 Americans who will die this year on the nation’s highways.
Nice try.
No, as shocking as it may be to radical anti-military haters, the overwhelming majority of young soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines like myself are deeply proud of the choice we made. As shocking as it may seem to the Code Pink crowd, we feel blessed to have been given the chance to defend our nation and be steeled and shaped by those charged with leading us.
Ironically, for people who claim to be “tolerant,” “open-minded,” and “peace-loving,” theBerkeley protestors and their ilk proved just what a sham their operation truly is. If they were really interested in saving the lives of innocents, they would listen to the countless stories veterans bring back from Iraq about pivotal moments of decision that saved lives—both American and Iraqi.
I remember standing in the blinding sun looking through a sweat-drenched brow at the mortars exploding all around. We were the only unit with a view of the mortars’ suspected origin. I had a choice to make. As a young corporal, it was my job to decide whether or not to unleash our firepower at the suspected source of the incoming mortars. Make the wrong choice, kill innocent civilians. Hesitate, watch Marine brothers die.
I made my decision: hold fire. I could not get a clear look at the area. Later, we learned the area had only farmers and schoolchildren.
Much to the chagrin of the Code Pink crowd, we Marines are not blood-thirsty warmongers bent on killing innocents. Anyone who experiences combat comes away with a deeper and more pure understanding of just how sacred and special human life truly is. You don't walk away from the battlefield with the same perspective you brought to it. And you don't hold the lives of your brothers—and of innocent civilians—in your hands and continue to see life in the same way.
No, like most Iraq veterans, I didn't find broken promises serving with the Marines. I found the courage and discipline to become the man I always wanted to be. That man has a strong streak of peace within him, something the Berkeley peace-loving hippies should appreciate.
I fell in love with the people of the Middle East while fighting for them, and my heart goes out to them. I plan to move to Egypt next year as a Christian missionary to reach out to their needy, and when the war's over I plan to return to Iraq, this time without my M-16.
But if Berkeley has its way, the young men and women of their city won't have the freedom to make one of the most honorable choices they could ever make—the right to defend their country. Instead, they would rather make the decision for them, imposing their will upon their people. That does not sound like the freedom I fought for.
While in Iraq, I wrote an “Open Letter to America” that was aimed at the very people who make up Berkeley's city council. I supported their right to free speech; after all, I was fighting for it, not to mention losing friends for that cause. But I strongly questioned their so-called support-the-troops-but-not-the-war stance. Angry, I called them ignorant, naïve, hippie puppets.
After my tour of duty ended I hoped I was wrong, that I had written that letter out of my own ignorance. But the Berkeley city council proves everything I said in that letter was true. Thankfully, the American Legion and Move America Forward stood up and said “Enough.”
Groups like Code Pink and the Berkeley city council don't care about freedom. They only care about saddling another generation—my generation—with their hippie-loving propaganda.
Only 25, Seth Conner is an Iraq War combat veteran and a current student at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California. After serving a tour in Japan and a combat tour in Iraq with the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, the United States Marine Corps relieved Sgt. Seth Conner from military service in 2005 with an honorable discharge. In addition to pursuing his studies and writing career, Conner works part time at the Orange County Rescue Mission and also attends Nouveau Riche University in Scottsdale, Arizona, and works part time as a real estate investor. An active member of Saddleback Church, Conner takes semi-annual missions trips around the globe to minister to others and serve the less fortunate. Born and raised in Parker, Colorado, Seth Conner currently lives in Lake Forest, California. Boredom By Day, Death By Night is Conner’s first book. (fron Townhall.com)
Sunday, February 10, 2008
McCain Stop dodging the issues!
Here is an article from Michael Reagan and some advice for McCain on how to get in touch with the voters. He Should start telling us what he realy stands for on the issues that are important to us. It is a few days old but still relevent.
Stumpy
Show Us The Shining City On The Hill
By Michael Reagan
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Thanks to Mitt Romney, John McCain has all but wrapped up his party's presidential nomination.
So where does the Republican Party stand at this point in a crucial election year? Well, consider that none of the potential nominees of the party -- except maybe McCain to some extent -- has ever gone out and helped any Republican get elected to anything.
Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., smiles at reporters at a press conference the morning after the Super Tuesday primary elections Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz. After his Super Tuesday victories in California, New York and other major states, McCain, an underdog for months, proclaimed himself the front-runner at last to cheering supporters and said, "We've won some of the biggest states in the country," and added, "I don't really mind it one bit." (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) Now that he's suspended his campaign and is out of the race, if Mitt Romney still wants to be president of the United States some day let him call me up and I'll give him the road map he needs to follow to become the GOP nominee in another year.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, the three men have all been working from the top down and not from the bottom up. As a result, the voters -- the grass roots -- are all over the landscape, and the primary results showed there's no real consensus. They were with Huckabee, they were with Mitt Romney, they were with McCain, and some were with Ron Paul.
Mitt Romney didn't do anything to gain the trust of the base, while McCain -- who hasn't yet won the trust of the base -- is a familiar old face.
The bottom line here is that John McCain had better start giving better speeches and tell us what his vision is for America, and how he plans to get us there, and how he needs our help. If he needs any pointers how to do that -- how to electrify an audience -- he should watch a few of Barack Obama's speeches.
If I'm going to vote for someone solely on the basis of what they say when speaking to the voters, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will get my vote. At least they have a message and a direction. That direction may take me over a cliff, but at least they're telling me where they want to take me, where the Republicans haven't shown me a single road map.
You haven't heard McCain spell out the kind of future he wants to create, or give us any idea of how he means to get there. One of the main issues in this election year is the widespread belief among the voters that America is adrift in a sea of uncertainty and utterly without direction.
Yet none of the three Republican candidates gave any indication as to how they would steer the ship of state. Voters haven't heard a word from them about an issue at the top of their concerns.
All three have been so afraid of talking about George Bush that they seem to be afraid of talking about anything that really matters to the voters. All they spent their time talking about was "vote for me because I'm better than the others," and that doesn't win elections.
Elections are won by those who have plans and ideas, and have the ability to put those plans and ideas into words that not only explain the plans and ideas, but inspire the voters as well.
What wins elections is vision, telling the voters that there is that shining city on the hill my dad Ronald Reagan spoke about, and explaining what America needs to do to get there.
The Republicans had no plans and no ideas. They were all over the place and as a result, so were the voters.
If John McCain wants to be president of the United States, let him show us his vision. Let him level with the voters by telling them what needs to be done to stop the drifting and how he plans to do it.
He should explain that he will not solve our problems by creating a lot of expensive new programs financed on the backs of the taxpayers, as Hillary and Barack want to do, but instead get the government's hands out of their pockets and set the economy and the people free from the deadly hand of Washington.
Let him show us the shining city on the hill, and tell us how he'll get us there.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of Ronald Reagan, is heard daily by over 5 million listeners via his nationally syndicated talk radio program, “The Michael Reagan Show.” (from Townhall.com)
Stumpy
Show Us The Shining City On The Hill
By Michael Reagan
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Thanks to Mitt Romney, John McCain has all but wrapped up his party's presidential nomination.
So where does the Republican Party stand at this point in a crucial election year? Well, consider that none of the potential nominees of the party -- except maybe McCain to some extent -- has ever gone out and helped any Republican get elected to anything.
Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., smiles at reporters at a press conference the morning after the Super Tuesday primary elections Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz. After his Super Tuesday victories in California, New York and other major states, McCain, an underdog for months, proclaimed himself the front-runner at last to cheering supporters and said, "We've won some of the biggest states in the country," and added, "I don't really mind it one bit." (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) Now that he's suspended his campaign and is out of the race, if Mitt Romney still wants to be president of the United States some day let him call me up and I'll give him the road map he needs to follow to become the GOP nominee in another year.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, the three men have all been working from the top down and not from the bottom up. As a result, the voters -- the grass roots -- are all over the landscape, and the primary results showed there's no real consensus. They were with Huckabee, they were with Mitt Romney, they were with McCain, and some were with Ron Paul.
Mitt Romney didn't do anything to gain the trust of the base, while McCain -- who hasn't yet won the trust of the base -- is a familiar old face.
The bottom line here is that John McCain had better start giving better speeches and tell us what his vision is for America, and how he plans to get us there, and how he needs our help. If he needs any pointers how to do that -- how to electrify an audience -- he should watch a few of Barack Obama's speeches.
If I'm going to vote for someone solely on the basis of what they say when speaking to the voters, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will get my vote. At least they have a message and a direction. That direction may take me over a cliff, but at least they're telling me where they want to take me, where the Republicans haven't shown me a single road map.
You haven't heard McCain spell out the kind of future he wants to create, or give us any idea of how he means to get there. One of the main issues in this election year is the widespread belief among the voters that America is adrift in a sea of uncertainty and utterly without direction.
Yet none of the three Republican candidates gave any indication as to how they would steer the ship of state. Voters haven't heard a word from them about an issue at the top of their concerns.
All three have been so afraid of talking about George Bush that they seem to be afraid of talking about anything that really matters to the voters. All they spent their time talking about was "vote for me because I'm better than the others," and that doesn't win elections.
Elections are won by those who have plans and ideas, and have the ability to put those plans and ideas into words that not only explain the plans and ideas, but inspire the voters as well.
What wins elections is vision, telling the voters that there is that shining city on the hill my dad Ronald Reagan spoke about, and explaining what America needs to do to get there.
The Republicans had no plans and no ideas. They were all over the place and as a result, so were the voters.
If John McCain wants to be president of the United States, let him show us his vision. Let him level with the voters by telling them what needs to be done to stop the drifting and how he plans to do it.
He should explain that he will not solve our problems by creating a lot of expensive new programs financed on the backs of the taxpayers, as Hillary and Barack want to do, but instead get the government's hands out of their pockets and set the economy and the people free from the deadly hand of Washington.
Let him show us the shining city on the hill, and tell us how he'll get us there.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of Ronald Reagan, is heard daily by over 5 million listeners via his nationally syndicated talk radio program, “The Michael Reagan Show.” (from Townhall.com)
Islamic "Justice"?
Recently, three people have been informed that they will soon be sentenced to death in Iran. These individuals, one man and two women, are not to be hanged, but sentenced to death by stoning. Under Iran's Penal Code, Article 104 - the size of the stones is specified. They must not be as small as a pebble, and be large enough to cause pain, though not large enough to kill with one strike. In effect, the killing must be prolonged, and the victim is legally obliged to be tortured before death.Article 102 specifies: "The stoning of an adulterer or adulteress shall be carried out while each is placed in a hole and covered with soil, he up to his waist and she up to a line above her breasts."
Amnesty International stated on January 15, 2008 that there were then nine women and two men in Iran who were waiting to be stoned to death.
On February 1 this year, Italian news agency AKI stated that a man from the city of Sari in the north of Iran had been sentenced to death by stoning. This man was a 29-year old music teacher called Abdollah (Abdullah) Farivar. He is married with two children. He was convicted of adultery.
In this case, it is doubtful whether under Shia jurisprudence he had actually committed adultery. He had signed a "short-term marriage contract" with one of his students. In Iran, such a contract is called "sigheh" or "sighe". Usually, such short-term marriage contracts are called "Mut'ah". Iranian sociologist Amanollah Gharaii Moghaddam said in 2006: "Short-term marriages are a form of legalised prostitution. A state must not and cannot legitimise prostitution."
Farivar had been arrested in December 2006. According to Human Rights Watch, a year after his arrest, Branch Two of the Penal Court of Sari had sentenced him to death. This sentence was approved by the Supreme Court, and his family were told by local authorities last week that the execution will be carried out imminently.
Abdollah Farivar's family claimed that he had signed a "sighe" contract. According to AKI, the only known case of a man being stoned to death for adultery took place in Tekestan (Takistan) in the Qazvin province in the north of Iran last year. It involved a man called Jafar Kiani who lived for more than ten years with a married woman, by whom he had two children. Jafar Kiani was stoned to death on July 5 2007 in the village of Aghche-kand, outside Takistan, though another source places the date at July 27, 2007.
In 2002, the practice of stoning had been officially suspended by Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashermi Sharoudi, who headed the judicial authority. the stoning of Jafar Kiani had officially ended the moratorium on stonings.
Despite this, the anti-Ayatollah website Iran Focus claimed that in May 2005, a man and a woman were said to have been stoned to death in a cemetery in Mashad, in the northeast of Iran. Their crime was claimed to have been the murder of the woman's husband.
The recent case of the two women who have been warned they will soon be stoned to death again involves a dubious claim of adultery. The news on this is reported by the Telegraph, Agence France Presse, AKI, Human Rights Watch and NCR-Iran.
Zohreh Kabiri, aged 27 and her sister Azar Kabiri, 28, were arrested ini February last year. They were accused of having "illegal relationships". The accusation had been made by the husband of Zohreh Kabiri. In March 2007, Branch 128 of the General Court in Karaj, north of Tehran, sentenced them to receive 99 lashes.
Jabbar Solari, the lawyer for the two sisters, said that the sentence was carried out. Instead of being freed, the women were kept in jail and then tried again. They were sentenced to death by stoning. The evidence against the two sisters is said to be contained in a video. Mr Solari said he did not have access to this video.
Zohreh's husband had placed a camera in his house to catch his wife in the act of adultery. He said, according to the newspaper Etemad: "She did not treat me well and her actions made me feel she did not want to live with me any more. To make sure I planted a camera in the house... When I watched the tape two days after, I found out that she and her sister brought over men after I left and had relationships with them."
Zohreh, a teacher, said: "I was a teacher and loved my job but my husband did not let me work... he was always suspicious of me and thought our differences were because I had an affair. I do not approve the confessions that I made in the investigation phase and I deny what I said."
Azar's husband, according to Etemad, had not filed any complaint against his wife. The women claim that though they are seen in the video, there is no scene on the video to show that they were engaging in sexual relations.
If anyone has any doubt about the sheer barbarism of stoning, then click to watch this video (warning - extremely disturbing scenes).
The issue of Iran's injustices is complex. Iran still sentences people to death for crimes committed before the age of 18, despite signing agreements to the contrary. According to a 2007 Amnesty International report, in 2006 one person under the age of 18 and three people who had committed crimes while still juveniles were executed. A total of 177 individuals were put to death in Iran in 2006.
Would Hillary?
Question: Stumpy would you vote for Hillary Clinton?
Well let Stumpy think about this.
Would Hillary as president fight for Stumpy's right to keep and bear arms and make it easier for me to carry a concealed weapon what ever that weapon maybe in any state anywhere so that I may protect myself and family? NO, she would do everything possible to disarm the law abiding citizen so only criminals would be armed then give them more rights after we defend our selves if we live through the confrontation.
Would Hillary as president fight to lower taxes so that I would have more money in my pay check to spend on my family? NO, she would fight to raise taxes and by raising taxes she would say that she is taxing the RICH and companies because they make to much money and the she knows what is best to do with other's money. And by raising taxes on my company that I work for, it means less money that my company can spend on it's employees and benefits and new technology to stay competitive. And when a company has less money and needs to make more out of what money is left over after being taxed it downsizes not grows. And by downsizing I do not mean a smaller place but less people.
Would Hillary promote conservation so as to keep the hunting tradition alive in the USA? NO, she would promote the global warming religion that is infecting our nation right now. She would tell the auto industries what cars to make and tell us what we can and cannot drive. She would try to put Big Auto out of business in the name of conservation.
So the answer is no I can not and will not vote for someone whom will try to take my rights and stomp on them in the name of the greater good. I know you are thinking McCain is not much better but one can only hope that McCain sees the light and calms his left wing tendencies.
By Stumpy
Well let Stumpy think about this.
Would Hillary as president fight for Stumpy's right to keep and bear arms and make it easier for me to carry a concealed weapon what ever that weapon maybe in any state anywhere so that I may protect myself and family? NO, she would do everything possible to disarm the law abiding citizen so only criminals would be armed then give them more rights after we defend our selves if we live through the confrontation.
Would Hillary as president fight to lower taxes so that I would have more money in my pay check to spend on my family? NO, she would fight to raise taxes and by raising taxes she would say that she is taxing the RICH and companies because they make to much money and the she knows what is best to do with other's money. And by raising taxes on my company that I work for, it means less money that my company can spend on it's employees and benefits and new technology to stay competitive. And when a company has less money and needs to make more out of what money is left over after being taxed it downsizes not grows. And by downsizing I do not mean a smaller place but less people.
Would Hillary promote conservation so as to keep the hunting tradition alive in the USA? NO, she would promote the global warming religion that is infecting our nation right now. She would tell the auto industries what cars to make and tell us what we can and cannot drive. She would try to put Big Auto out of business in the name of conservation.
So the answer is no I can not and will not vote for someone whom will try to take my rights and stomp on them in the name of the greater good. I know you are thinking McCain is not much better but one can only hope that McCain sees the light and calms his left wing tendencies.
By Stumpy
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Ron Paul has left the Building
This may well be todays top news.
The man's stance on gun related issues is abosutley perfect.
He is one the only congressmen to have never voted for an increase in taxes.
However, his stance on the war and foriegn policy is what turned conservatives off right
from the start.
- Grumpy
Title: Ron Paul has left the building
Source: Baltimore SunURL Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/ron_paul_has_left_the_building.htmlPublished: Feb 9, 2008Author: Mark SilvaPost Date: 2008-02-09 11:35:43 by Burma ShavePing List: *Ron Paul for President*22 Comments
Ron Paul is not here.
He is nowhere in this posting, not to be seen in the halls of the Washington hotel where the Conservative Political Action Convention wraps up today.
Mike Huckabee is here, along with a few dozen mostly young supporters waiting with signs at the door to greet the former governor of Arkansas, the last of the Republican candidates for president to speak here. Paul spoke the other day. So did Mitt Romney, as he was quitting the race, leaving the contest for the party's nomination, apparently, to Sen. John McCain.
The question is, when the contest is finished, where will these people go?
Where will the people who conspired to raise $6 million for Ron Paul in one record day of Internet-fundraisng in December go? Will they settle for McCain, who drew boos among the cheers as he appeared here this week, his party's nominee-apparent?
Will they stay with their party? Or will they move to the third or fourth presidential candidate on the ballot in November? The candidate like Paul, in 1988, when he ran as the Libertarian. He appeared on the ballots in 46 states and drew 431,750 votes, less than one percent.
Will these people who have campaigned so fervently for the Huckabees and Pauls of the party become one-percenters in November? Or will they rally to their party's cause?
Their candidates may be gone, but the decisions they make in November will have a significant bearing on the outcome of the election on which everyone is so focused here, this cold grey morning in Washington on which Mike Huckabee will take the last candidate's stand at the CPAC, the place where so much doubt about John McCain resides.
The man's stance on gun related issues is abosutley perfect.
He is one the only congressmen to have never voted for an increase in taxes.
However, his stance on the war and foriegn policy is what turned conservatives off right
from the start.
- Grumpy
Title: Ron Paul has left the building
Source: Baltimore SunURL Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/ron_paul_has_left_the_building.htmlPublished: Feb 9, 2008Author: Mark SilvaPost Date: 2008-02-09 11:35:43 by Burma ShavePing List: *Ron Paul for President*22 Comments
Ron Paul is not here.
He is nowhere in this posting, not to be seen in the halls of the Washington hotel where the Conservative Political Action Convention wraps up today.
Mike Huckabee is here, along with a few dozen mostly young supporters waiting with signs at the door to greet the former governor of Arkansas, the last of the Republican candidates for president to speak here. Paul spoke the other day. So did Mitt Romney, as he was quitting the race, leaving the contest for the party's nomination, apparently, to Sen. John McCain.
The question is, when the contest is finished, where will these people go?
Where will the people who conspired to raise $6 million for Ron Paul in one record day of Internet-fundraisng in December go? Will they settle for McCain, who drew boos among the cheers as he appeared here this week, his party's nominee-apparent?
Will they stay with their party? Or will they move to the third or fourth presidential candidate on the ballot in November? The candidate like Paul, in 1988, when he ran as the Libertarian. He appeared on the ballots in 46 states and drew 431,750 votes, less than one percent.
Will these people who have campaigned so fervently for the Huckabees and Pauls of the party become one-percenters in November? Or will they rally to their party's cause?
Their candidates may be gone, but the decisions they make in November will have a significant bearing on the outcome of the election on which everyone is so focused here, this cold grey morning in Washington on which Mike Huckabee will take the last candidate's stand at the CPAC, the place where so much doubt about John McCain resides.
Smith and Wesson Unveils 71 New Products at SHOT Show
Smith and Wesson has unveiled a ton of new stuff at the SHOT Show this year.
Amazing! This is one American owned company that we should all try to support. - Grumpy
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation , parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 156-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, unveiled 71 new product models and extensions at the 2008 Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show held in Las Vegas, Nevada, earlier this week. The new product lineup featured extensions to the Company's Military & Police (M&P) Pistol and Rifle Series and a stainless steel variation of the i-Bolt bolt-action rifle. Smith & Wesson also introduced the new Night Guard Series of revolvers designed for personal protection as well as a number of new models and extensions from the Performance Center and Thompson/Center Arms.
Sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the four-day SHOT Show is the largest trade show of its kind in the world. Featuring 1,948 exhibiting companies encompassing more than 715,000 net square feet of space, the 30th annual SHOT Show attracted more than 50,000 industry professionals representing all 50 states and 75 foreign countries. Among the firearms launched at the trade show event were:
Smith & Wesson
-- M&P45 pistols -- one compact and one mid-size pistol, available with
or without a frame-mounted ambidextrous thumb safety
-- M&P15 Rifle Series -- three new carbine rifles
-- i-Bolt bolt-action rifle - in a new stainless steel configuration,
including 300 Win. Magnum and 7mm Rem. Magnum with black and
camouflage finish
-- Night Guard Series -- six mid-size revolvers covering three frames
sizes and six calibers, designed for concealed carry and home
protection
-- Performance Center models -- new V-Comp and Carry-Comp configurations
-- Pro Series -- new competition pistols and revolvers
-- Classic Series -- four new retro revolvers
Thompson/Center Arms
-- ICON bolt-action rifle -- 10 new variations of the bolt-action rifle
in long action calibers featuring .270, .30-06, 7mm Rem. Magnum, and
300 Win. Magnum
-- Encore Endeavor -- two new models available with Speed Breech XT(TM)in
black and camouflage finishes
"The SHOT Show is always an exciting time for our company because it serves as a launching platform for a variety of innovative Smith & Wesson and Thompson/Center products each year," said Michael Golden, Smith & Wesson President and CEO. "This year, our list of new products included a compact version of our highly popular M&P45 polymer pistol. The M&P45C is our response to customer demand for a compact version for concealed carry by both law enforcement professionals and consumers seeking personal protection."
Golden added, "We also launched ten new variations of our award-winning Thompson/Center ICON bolt-action rifle and we expanded the Smith & Wesson i-Bolt rifle lineup with the addition of a stainless steel version to supplement the existing carbon steel models. We remain committed to building on the strength of our Smith & Wesson and Thompson/Center brands by continuing to deliver on our commitment to innovation, and by remaining alert and responsive to consumer demand while we grow our business and expand into new areas of safety, security, protection and sport."
In addition to a variety of activities at the Smith & Wesson booth, the company hosted a special media day before the opening of the convention. Held at American Shooter's Supply, the event was co-sponsored by Thompson/Center Arms, Walther(R), Hornady(R), SureFire(R), Crimson Trace(R) and Trijicon(R). During the event, industry media were given the opportunity to speak one-on-one with product managers and executive staff as well as test new models from each sponsor. The event, which was attended by over 150 industry professionals, included representatives from radio, television and print media.
Throughout the day, several media professionals gave positive critiques on the Smith & Wesson new product lineup. The company cited Patrick Sweeney, Handgun Editor for Guns & Ammo magazine, saying, "Out of all the new products introduced by Smith & Wesson this year, I'm really looking forward to testing the new Night Guard Series. The combination of features that these scandium revolvers offer, in particular the Extreme Duty fixed rear sight and XS front sight, make these handguns a nice fit for personal protection."
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, a global leader in safety, security, protection and sport, is parent company to Smith & Wesson Corp., one of the world's largest manufacturers of quality firearms and firearm safety/security products and parent company to Thompson/Center Arms, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting rifles, black powder rifles, interchangeable firearms systems and accessories under the Thompson/Center brand. Smith & Wesson licenses shooter protection, knives, apparel, and other accessory lines. Smith & Wesson is based in Springfield, Massachusetts with manufacturing facilities in Springfield, Houlton, Maine, and Rochester, New Hampshire. The Smith & Wesson Academy is America's longest running firearms training facility for law enforcement, military and security professionals. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to http://www.smith-wesson.com. For more information on Thompson/Center Arms, log on to http://www.tcarms.com.
Industry Contact: Gary Giudice
Blue Heron Communications
(800) 654-3766
gary@blueheroncomm.com
Liz Sharp, VP Investor Relations
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp.
(480) 949-9700 x. 115
lsharp@smith-wesson.com
Sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the four-day SHOT Show is the largest trade show of its kind in the world. Featuring 1,948 exhibiting companies encompassing more than 715,000 net square feet of space, the 30th annual SHOT Show attracted more than 50,000 industry professionals representing all 50 states and 75 foreign countries. Among the firearms launched at the trade show event were:
Smith & Wesson
-- M&P45 pistols -- one compact and one mid-size pistol, available with
or without a frame-mounted ambidextrous thumb safety
-- M&P15 Rifle Series -- three new carbine rifles
-- i-Bolt bolt-action rifle - in a new stainless steel configuration,
including 300 Win. Magnum and 7mm Rem. Magnum with black and
camouflage finish
-- Night Guard Series -- six mid-size revolvers covering three frames
sizes and six calibers, designed for concealed carry and home
protection
-- Performance Center models -- new V-Comp and Carry-Comp configurations
-- Pro Series -- new competition pistols and revolvers
-- Classic Series -- four new retro revolvers
Thompson/Center Arms
-- ICON bolt-action rifle -- 10 new variations of the bolt-action rifle
in long action calibers featuring .270, .30-06, 7mm Rem. Magnum, and
300 Win. Magnum
-- Encore Endeavor -- two new models available with Speed Breech XT(TM)in
black and camouflage finishes
"The SHOT Show is always an exciting time for our company because it serves as a launching platform for a variety of innovative Smith & Wesson and Thompson/Center products each year," said Michael Golden, Smith & Wesson President and CEO. "This year, our list of new products included a compact version of our highly popular M&P45 polymer pistol. The M&P45C is our response to customer demand for a compact version for concealed carry by both law enforcement professionals and consumers seeking personal protection."
Golden added, "We also launched ten new variations of our award-winning Thompson/Center ICON bolt-action rifle and we expanded the Smith & Wesson i-Bolt rifle lineup with the addition of a stainless steel version to supplement the existing carbon steel models. We remain committed to building on the strength of our Smith & Wesson and Thompson/Center brands by continuing to deliver on our commitment to innovation, and by remaining alert and responsive to consumer demand while we grow our business and expand into new areas of safety, security, protection and sport."
In addition to a variety of activities at the Smith & Wesson booth, the company hosted a special media day before the opening of the convention. Held at American Shooter's Supply, the event was co-sponsored by Thompson/Center Arms, Walther(R), Hornady(R), SureFire(R), Crimson Trace(R) and Trijicon(R). During the event, industry media were given the opportunity to speak one-on-one with product managers and executive staff as well as test new models from each sponsor. The event, which was attended by over 150 industry professionals, included representatives from radio, television and print media.
Throughout the day, several media professionals gave positive critiques on the Smith & Wesson new product lineup. The company cited Patrick Sweeney, Handgun Editor for Guns & Ammo magazine, saying, "Out of all the new products introduced by Smith & Wesson this year, I'm really looking forward to testing the new Night Guard Series. The combination of features that these scandium revolvers offer, in particular the Extreme Duty fixed rear sight and XS front sight, make these handguns a nice fit for personal protection."
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, a global leader in safety, security, protection and sport, is parent company to Smith & Wesson Corp., one of the world's largest manufacturers of quality firearms and firearm safety/security products and parent company to Thompson/Center Arms, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting rifles, black powder rifles, interchangeable firearms systems and accessories under the Thompson/Center brand. Smith & Wesson licenses shooter protection, knives, apparel, and other accessory lines. Smith & Wesson is based in Springfield, Massachusetts with manufacturing facilities in Springfield, Houlton, Maine, and Rochester, New Hampshire. The Smith & Wesson Academy is America's longest running firearms training facility for law enforcement, military and security professionals. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to http://www.smith-wesson.com. For more information on Thompson/Center Arms, log on to http://www.tcarms.com.
Industry Contact: Gary Giudice
Blue Heron Communications
(800) 654-3766
gary@blueheroncomm.com
Liz Sharp, VP Investor Relations
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp.
(480) 949-9700 x. 115
lsharp@smith-wesson.com
Dont Lose Sight of 2nd Amendment Rights
Here's a great bit of commentary by Linda Turley-Hansen - Grumpy
With Super Tuesday coming at us, we best adhere to the doctrine of “caveat emptor,” Latin for “let the buyer beware.” Perhaps a simpler idiom describes the potential pitfall: Bush backlash could render “a pig in a poke.” Turn your attention to the deafening silence in regards to the Second Amendment. Where do the presidential front-runners stand concerning private ownership of firearms? No matter their view on immigration, health care, the economy or the war, no matter which party they belong to, if they cannot support the Second Amendment as it has been interpreted since its conception, then they don’t qualify.For this writing, I go to the expert, the much-maligned National Rifle Association. Its research shows it’s “the most mainstream group in American culture today.” NRA President John Sigler said in the January issue of America’s 1st Freedom. “Almost 40 million Americans consider themselves to be current or former NRA members.” So folks, this organization is the watchdog for a huge American segment and whether you like its ways or not, it’s willing to fight a fight that potentially could create, heavens forbid, the next civil war.My views on gun ownership are locked into my DNA. My forefathers and mothers are among those who settled the West; they are noted peace-makers; their guns secured in their wagons or on their saddle horses gave them equity in the wild and opportunity to build unity among factions. Without arms, they were underdogs, vulnerable and subject to death. Today’s world offers realistic comparisons. It cannot be an accident that gun control is virtually non-existent in the election debate, nor is it possible that guru interviewers have forgotten there’s a globalist movement to disarm U.S. citizens. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re the big game. We’re in the sights of well-funded activists. You’ll want to remember the name Rebecca Peters, who is in bed with the United Nations. Look up IANSA at www.answers.com.Peters has enjoyed George Soros’s funding on this matter and most likely still does. The bunch uses all the right words, but their intent can be found in places they’ve been. They’ll tell you that Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom are safer now that the citizens have been disarmed. Those would be the good, not the bad citizens. However, Media Research Center and countless others point out their numbers simply are not factual. Check out Newsbusters.org/node/9663.Back to our candidates: Executive Vice President Wayne La Pierre, in America’s 1st Freedom, Feb. 2008, says, “Both Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama are lying in saying they support the Second Amendment.” Then, he recounts their incriminating views and predicts if either one wins, “Peters and her boss, George Soros, will be writing the gun control agenda.”Isn’t it strange that this basic civil right splits the party lines with only a few exceptions? On the other side, Republican front-runners support the Second Amendment and insist sufficient laws are already in place to address gun crimes, they just need vigorous enforcement.Several ASU coeds, anxious to understand the political process, asked me this week: “How can government actually take citizen guns away?” I explained: “It’s easy once everyone has registered their weapons.” That’s how it happened in Australia. When the call came for guns to be handed over, the authorities knew where to find them. Supposedly innocent, allegedly well-intended rules closed the deal.Look, in a perfect world there should not be one weapon. We should be able to lie down with the lions, next to the lambs; pluck food from trees and vines. We should love one another and never speak a harsh word. But, until that day, only a fool would give up his personal protection. Every living thing has the right of self-preservation.One last truth: As a woman, whose vote is coveted, I innately desire to protect myself and my family if I must. As noted in past columns, I’ve taken my adult daughter to gun camp and side-by-side we’ve learned safety measures and skills to hit our targets. My granddaughters will one day join us.The next step is to make sure our votes support a candidate who values our rights to own and carry just as much as we do.
With Super Tuesday coming at us, we best adhere to the doctrine of “caveat emptor,” Latin for “let the buyer beware.” Perhaps a simpler idiom describes the potential pitfall: Bush backlash could render “a pig in a poke.” Turn your attention to the deafening silence in regards to the Second Amendment. Where do the presidential front-runners stand concerning private ownership of firearms? No matter their view on immigration, health care, the economy or the war, no matter which party they belong to, if they cannot support the Second Amendment as it has been interpreted since its conception, then they don’t qualify.For this writing, I go to the expert, the much-maligned National Rifle Association. Its research shows it’s “the most mainstream group in American culture today.” NRA President John Sigler said in the January issue of America’s 1st Freedom. “Almost 40 million Americans consider themselves to be current or former NRA members.” So folks, this organization is the watchdog for a huge American segment and whether you like its ways or not, it’s willing to fight a fight that potentially could create, heavens forbid, the next civil war.My views on gun ownership are locked into my DNA. My forefathers and mothers are among those who settled the West; they are noted peace-makers; their guns secured in their wagons or on their saddle horses gave them equity in the wild and opportunity to build unity among factions. Without arms, they were underdogs, vulnerable and subject to death. Today’s world offers realistic comparisons. It cannot be an accident that gun control is virtually non-existent in the election debate, nor is it possible that guru interviewers have forgotten there’s a globalist movement to disarm U.S. citizens. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re the big game. We’re in the sights of well-funded activists. You’ll want to remember the name Rebecca Peters, who is in bed with the United Nations. Look up IANSA at www.answers.com.Peters has enjoyed George Soros’s funding on this matter and most likely still does. The bunch uses all the right words, but their intent can be found in places they’ve been. They’ll tell you that Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom are safer now that the citizens have been disarmed. Those would be the good, not the bad citizens. However, Media Research Center and countless others point out their numbers simply are not factual. Check out Newsbusters.org/node/9663.Back to our candidates: Executive Vice President Wayne La Pierre, in America’s 1st Freedom, Feb. 2008, says, “Both Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama are lying in saying they support the Second Amendment.” Then, he recounts their incriminating views and predicts if either one wins, “Peters and her boss, George Soros, will be writing the gun control agenda.”Isn’t it strange that this basic civil right splits the party lines with only a few exceptions? On the other side, Republican front-runners support the Second Amendment and insist sufficient laws are already in place to address gun crimes, they just need vigorous enforcement.Several ASU coeds, anxious to understand the political process, asked me this week: “How can government actually take citizen guns away?” I explained: “It’s easy once everyone has registered their weapons.” That’s how it happened in Australia. When the call came for guns to be handed over, the authorities knew where to find them. Supposedly innocent, allegedly well-intended rules closed the deal.Look, in a perfect world there should not be one weapon. We should be able to lie down with the lions, next to the lambs; pluck food from trees and vines. We should love one another and never speak a harsh word. But, until that day, only a fool would give up his personal protection. Every living thing has the right of self-preservation.One last truth: As a woman, whose vote is coveted, I innately desire to protect myself and my family if I must. As noted in past columns, I’ve taken my adult daughter to gun camp and side-by-side we’ve learned safety measures and skills to hit our targets. My granddaughters will one day join us.The next step is to make sure our votes support a candidate who values our rights to own and carry just as much as we do.
Gun Rights Groups Ask Candidates to Sign Pledge
The Second AmendmentFoundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms todayare transmitting to each of the Republican and Democratic presidentialcandidates the "2008 Presidential Gun Rights Pledge." In a letter to the candidates, SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb and CCRKBAExecutive Director Mark A. Taff note, "It is not enough for a candidate forthis nation's highest political office to merely mouth 'support' for theSecond Amendment. Whoever occupies the presidency must be someone who holdsthe Second Amendment to be as important to individual liberty as all theother tenets of our Bill of Rights." "We're asking each of the candidates to sign this pledge and go on therecord in stating that the Second Amendment affirms a fundamental,individual civil right," Gottlieb said. "We've heard them all claim tosupport the Second Amendment, but an individual civil right should not beinfringed, and 85 million American gun owners have a right to know whetherpeople who want to be trusted with the nation's highest office are firmbelievers in the concept of liberty and individual freedom." "Our Presidential Gun Rights Pledge," Taff added, "gives each candidatea one-time-only opportunity to either unconditionally embrace the SecondAmendment or reject it. There is no middle ground, no alternative position,and no second chance. We believe the candidates will have ample time tosign or reject this pledge by Friday, February 29." "It is time to cut through the rhetoric," Gottlieb observed. "With aSupreme Court ruling on the Second Amendment due in June, every candidatehas an obligation to tell American gun owners just where they stand onfirearms civil rights. Gun owners deserve a definitive answer from thecandidates so that they can make their own decisions on who best willrespect and protect their rights." A sample pledge is available athttp://www.saf.org/sample.2008.presidential.gun.rights.pledge.pdf The Second Amendment Foundation (http://www.saf.org) is the nation's oldestand largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal actiongroup focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately ownand possess firearms. Founded in 1974, the Foundation has grown to morethan 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed tobetter inform the public about the consequences of gun control. With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the CitizensCommittee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (http://www.ccrkba.org) is one ofthe nation's premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profitorganization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearmsfreedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitatinggrass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communitiesthroughout the United States.
Critics of staying true to your values.
Here is a good article by David Limbaugh on McCain and Conservatives. Now that McCain is almost the GOP nominee for president, I will not say that I will vote for Hillary or Obama, I just wish that we were able to nominate someone who would represent our party better. Someone who holds our values in every thing that they would do in office, now I wont even say Conservative values. I mean just good moral values that most Americans hold in their own life.
Holding up and defending the U.S. Constitution, not using other countries to decide how to interpret our Bill of Rights. No Nanny state we want less gov't in our lives let us decide what is good or bad for ourselves. More government only in the form of strength to defend our country whether abroad or on our borders from terrorist's attacks. Less taxes so that we may spend more of our income to keep the economy going strong, local and state.
Stumpy
Critics of McCain's Critics Should Chill
By David Limbaugh
Friday, February 8, 2008
Isn't it ironic that GOP moderates are harshly criticizing GOP conservatives for being harshly critical of GOP presidential frontrunner John McCain?
What mortal sins have conservative McCain critics committed? Oh, they've stuck to their conservative principles, fighting for the values they believe in and refusing, prematurely, to surrender. What good would they be if they so readily threw in the towel of defeat?
"Enlightened" moderates are shocked at conservatives, tagging them as uncompromising extremists who represent the very fringe of the Republican Party.
John Dilulio, a principal architect of President Bush's arguably non-conservative, faith-based initiative, is among those making these arguments.
Writing for the Weekly Standard, Dilulio says that only 3.6 percent of Republicans identify themselves as "very conservative." Is Dilulio making the unwarranted leap of implying that McCain's critics come from this 3.6 percent fringe and that mainstream conservatives have no problem with McCain?
If so, and with due respect to Mr. Dilulio, I emphatically reject that only 3.6 percent of Republicans have great difficulty swallowing McCain -- ideologically and personally. McCain isn't winning a majority of Republicans, much less conservative ones, and is relying heavily on Democrat crossovers and independents, not to mention a little help from his friends Mike Huckabee and the mainstream media.
It's easy for moderates to argue that critics of moderates are extreme. That's what moderates always say. They have been complaining about conservatism since I was wearing a "Goldwater for President" T-shirt.
They've said for years that the only way Republicans can win elections is to move to the center. Their opinion is not based on convincing data but wishful thinking. History is not their friend. Republicans win big with conservative ideas, provided they have inspiring candidates. Moderate ideas dilute the message and deflate the movement, zapping it of its verve and enthusiasm.
I have read the reasonable arguments of my friend Bill Bennett and others disputing that John McCain is a liberal. They argue he is a conservative with some liberal positions and that, in any event, he's far more conservative than Hillary or Barack.
Fair enough, though the McCain critics grossly underemphasize the differences and McCain's untrustworthiness. For the record, I can't see myself as ever voting for either Hillary or Barack, two unreconstructed socialists who are soft on defense and enemies of the unborn. But hold your horses. We're not there yet.
We're in the primary season, and there's nothing wrong with all sides advocating their respective positions. If conservatives can't hold John McCain accountable now for all his apostasies, apostasies he committed with utter delight amid mainstream-media adulation, what chance will we have of doing so later?
The idea that our party can't recover from vigorous debate during the primaries is unserious, to wit: Reagan vs. Ford. In the meantime, rumors of the death of mainstream conservatism are greatly exaggerated.
McCain's relative success is not a sign of the end of Reagan conservatism as a dominant political force. It's just temporarily dormant, the victim of a confluence of factors, waiting to be re-ignited.
One factor is that we have had a weak GOP presidential field, though I think some of the candidates ultimately proved themselves to be quite inspiring. McCain has slipped in largely by default, like John Kerry in 2004.
Another factor is that Republicans have been in control of the executive branch for seven years. Though Democrats have recaptured Congress, they still haven't been able to accomplish many of their legislative initiatives, including obstructing funding for the Iraq War. Even their reprehensible character assassination of President Bush has lost steam since the surge began yielding fruit.
Nothing unites conservatives like Democrats in power and working their mischief, or out of power and maliciously but effectively obstructing good government -- excuse the liberal-sounding oxymoron.
And then there's the war, which originally united conservatives but admittedly has led to the ascendancy of the neoconservative influence with its willingness to accept all kinds of economic and social liberalism. I believe that's unnecessary. All three stools -- and more -- of mainstream conservatism can thrive simultaneously. Nevertheless, these factors and others have coalesced to dampen, temporarily, the fires and energy of conservatism.
Sometimes conservatives become more unified out of power. Of course that doesn't mean we should allow Democrats to regain the White House, either because we would unite while out of power or because we are seriously disappointed about the prospect of John McCain as our candidate.
But would the critics of McCain's critics please quit trying to marginalize mainstream conservatives and redefine mainstream conservatism? Just admit your guy is not that conservative and let us hold his feet to the fire, especially since his success to this point will give him all the more temptation to pander to liberals. You're the ones who need to chill out.
David Limbaugh, brother of radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, is an expert in law and politics and author of Bankrupt: The Intellectual and Moral Bankruptcy of Today's Democratic Party.
(From Townhall.com)
Holding up and defending the U.S. Constitution, not using other countries to decide how to interpret our Bill of Rights. No Nanny state we want less gov't in our lives let us decide what is good or bad for ourselves. More government only in the form of strength to defend our country whether abroad or on our borders from terrorist's attacks. Less taxes so that we may spend more of our income to keep the economy going strong, local and state.
Stumpy
Critics of McCain's Critics Should Chill
By David Limbaugh
Friday, February 8, 2008
Isn't it ironic that GOP moderates are harshly criticizing GOP conservatives for being harshly critical of GOP presidential frontrunner John McCain?
What mortal sins have conservative McCain critics committed? Oh, they've stuck to their conservative principles, fighting for the values they believe in and refusing, prematurely, to surrender. What good would they be if they so readily threw in the towel of defeat?
"Enlightened" moderates are shocked at conservatives, tagging them as uncompromising extremists who represent the very fringe of the Republican Party.
John Dilulio, a principal architect of President Bush's arguably non-conservative, faith-based initiative, is among those making these arguments.
Writing for the Weekly Standard, Dilulio says that only 3.6 percent of Republicans identify themselves as "very conservative." Is Dilulio making the unwarranted leap of implying that McCain's critics come from this 3.6 percent fringe and that mainstream conservatives have no problem with McCain?
If so, and with due respect to Mr. Dilulio, I emphatically reject that only 3.6 percent of Republicans have great difficulty swallowing McCain -- ideologically and personally. McCain isn't winning a majority of Republicans, much less conservative ones, and is relying heavily on Democrat crossovers and independents, not to mention a little help from his friends Mike Huckabee and the mainstream media.
It's easy for moderates to argue that critics of moderates are extreme. That's what moderates always say. They have been complaining about conservatism since I was wearing a "Goldwater for President" T-shirt.
They've said for years that the only way Republicans can win elections is to move to the center. Their opinion is not based on convincing data but wishful thinking. History is not their friend. Republicans win big with conservative ideas, provided they have inspiring candidates. Moderate ideas dilute the message and deflate the movement, zapping it of its verve and enthusiasm.
I have read the reasonable arguments of my friend Bill Bennett and others disputing that John McCain is a liberal. They argue he is a conservative with some liberal positions and that, in any event, he's far more conservative than Hillary or Barack.
Fair enough, though the McCain critics grossly underemphasize the differences and McCain's untrustworthiness. For the record, I can't see myself as ever voting for either Hillary or Barack, two unreconstructed socialists who are soft on defense and enemies of the unborn. But hold your horses. We're not there yet.
We're in the primary season, and there's nothing wrong with all sides advocating their respective positions. If conservatives can't hold John McCain accountable now for all his apostasies, apostasies he committed with utter delight amid mainstream-media adulation, what chance will we have of doing so later?
The idea that our party can't recover from vigorous debate during the primaries is unserious, to wit: Reagan vs. Ford. In the meantime, rumors of the death of mainstream conservatism are greatly exaggerated.
McCain's relative success is not a sign of the end of Reagan conservatism as a dominant political force. It's just temporarily dormant, the victim of a confluence of factors, waiting to be re-ignited.
One factor is that we have had a weak GOP presidential field, though I think some of the candidates ultimately proved themselves to be quite inspiring. McCain has slipped in largely by default, like John Kerry in 2004.
Another factor is that Republicans have been in control of the executive branch for seven years. Though Democrats have recaptured Congress, they still haven't been able to accomplish many of their legislative initiatives, including obstructing funding for the Iraq War. Even their reprehensible character assassination of President Bush has lost steam since the surge began yielding fruit.
Nothing unites conservatives like Democrats in power and working their mischief, or out of power and maliciously but effectively obstructing good government -- excuse the liberal-sounding oxymoron.
And then there's the war, which originally united conservatives but admittedly has led to the ascendancy of the neoconservative influence with its willingness to accept all kinds of economic and social liberalism. I believe that's unnecessary. All three stools -- and more -- of mainstream conservatism can thrive simultaneously. Nevertheless, these factors and others have coalesced to dampen, temporarily, the fires and energy of conservatism.
Sometimes conservatives become more unified out of power. Of course that doesn't mean we should allow Democrats to regain the White House, either because we would unite while out of power or because we are seriously disappointed about the prospect of John McCain as our candidate.
But would the critics of McCain's critics please quit trying to marginalize mainstream conservatives and redefine mainstream conservatism? Just admit your guy is not that conservative and let us hold his feet to the fire, especially since his success to this point will give him all the more temptation to pander to liberals. You're the ones who need to chill out.
David Limbaugh, brother of radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, is an expert in law and politics and author of Bankrupt: The Intellectual and Moral Bankruptcy of Today's Democratic Party.
(From Townhall.com)
Friday, February 8, 2008
The Clinton Body Count
It’s no secret that Hillary Clinton is a Marxist. Her early writings and her work on behalf of the American Communist Party not only prove this fact, but say more than a little about where the mind (or lack of it) of this country is at.
There is also the bodies that litter the trail to the Clinton rise to power. Am I calling Hillary a murderer? No, but she is an accessory to murder. That is, she either knew or should have known that people who disagreed with her husband or the long list of her husbands body guards that knew to too much were being killed by Clinton henchmen. Lets list them, shall we?
Here is the latest body count that we have. All of these people have been connected with the Clintons in some form or another. We have not included any deaths that could not be verified or connected to the Clinton scandals. All deaths are listed chronologically by date. This list is current and accurate to the best of our knowledge as of August 1, 2000.
Susan Coleman: Rumors were circulating in Arkansas of an affair with Bill Clinton. She was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head at 7 1/2 months pregnant. Death was an apparent suicide.
Larry Guerrin: Was killed in February 1987 while investigating the INSLAW case.
Kevin Ives & Don Henry: Initial cause of death was reported to be the result of falling asleep on a railroad track in Arkansas on August 23, 1987. This ruling was reported by the State medical examiner Fahmy Malak. Later it was determined that Kevin died from a crushed skull prior to being placed on the tracks. Don had been stabbed in the back. Rumors indicate that they might have stumbled upon a Mena drug operation.
Keith Coney: Keith had information on the Ives/Henry deaths. Died in a motorcycle accident in July 1988 with unconfirmed reports of a high speed car chase. Keith McKaskle: McKaskle has information on the Ives/Henry deaths. He was stabbed to death in November 1988. Gregory Collins: Greg had information on the Ives/Henry deaths. He died from a gunshot wound to the face in January 1989.
Jeff Rhodes: He had information on the deaths of Ives, Henry & McKaskle. His burned body was found in a trash dump in April 1989. He died of a gunshot wound to the head and there was some body mutilation, leading to the probably speculation that he was tortured prior to being killed. James Milam: Milam had information on the Ives & Henry deaths. He was decapitated. The state Medical examiner, Fahmy Malak, initially ruled death due to natural causes.
Richard Winters: Winters was a suspect in the deaths of Ives & Henry. He was killed in a "robbery" in July 1989 which was subsequently proven to be a setup. Jordan Kettleson: Kettleson had information on the Ives & Henry deaths. He was found shot to death in the front seat of his pickup in June 1990. Alan Standorf: An employee of the National Security Agency in electronic intelligence. Standorf was a source of information for Danny Casalaro who was investigating INSLAW, BCCI, etc. Standorf's body was found in the backseat of a car at Washington National Airport on Jan 31, 1991.
Dennis Eisman: An attorney with information on INSLAW. Eisman was found shot to death on April 5, 1991. Danny Casalaro: Danny was a free-lance reporter and writer who was investigating the "October Surprise", INSLAW and BCCI. Danny was found dead in a bathtub in a Sheraton Hotel room in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Danny was staying at the hotel while keeping appointments in the DC area pertinent to his investigation. He was found with his wrists slashed. At least one, and possibly both of his wrists were cut 10 times. All of his research materials were missing and have never been recovered.
Victor Raiser: The National Finance Co-Chair for "Clinton for President." He died in a airplane crash on July 30, 1992. R. Montgomery Raiser: Also involved in the Clinton presidential campaign. He died in the same plane crash as Victor.
Paul Tully: Tulley was on the Democratic National Committee. He was found dead of unknown causes in his hotel room on September 24, 1992. No autopsy was ever allowed. Ian Spiro: Spiro had supporting documentation for grand jury proceedings on the INSLAW case. His wife and 3 children were found murdered on November 1, 1992 in their home. They all died of gunshot wounds to the head. Ian's body was found several days later in a parked car in the Borego Desert. Cause of death? The ingestion of cyanide. FBI report indicated that Ian had murdered his family and then committed suicide.
Paula Gober: A Clinton speech writer. She died in a car accident on December 9, 1992 with no known witnesses. Jim Wilhite: Wilhite was an associate of Mack McClarty's former firm. Wilhite died in a skiing accident on December 21, 1992. He also had extensive ties to Clinton with whom he visited by telephone just hours before his death.
Steve Willis, Robert Williams, Todd McKeahan & Conway LeBleu: Died Feburary 28, 1993 by gunfire at Waco. All four were examined by a pathologist and died from identical wounds to the left temple. All four had been body guards for Bill Clinton, three while campaigning for President and when he was Governor of Arkansas.They also were the ONLY 4 BATF agents killed at Waco.
Sgt. Brian Haney, Sgt. Tim Sabel, Maj. William Barkley, Capt. Scott Reynolds: Died: May 19, 1993 - All four men died when their helicopter crashed in the woods near Quantico, Va. - Reporters were barred from the site, and the head of the fire department responding to the crash described it by saying, "Security was tight," with "lots of Marines with guns." A videotape made by a firefighter was seized by the Marines. All four men had escorted Clinton on his flight to the carrier Roosevelt shortly before their deaths.
John Crawford: An attorney with information on INSLAW. He died from a heart attack in Tacoma in April of 1993.
John Wilson: Found dead from an apparent hanging suicide on May 18, 1993. He was a former Washington DC council member and claimed to have info on Whitewater.Paul Wilcher: A lawyer who was investigating drug running out of Mena, Arkansas and who also sought to expose the "October Surprise", BCCI and INSLAW. He was found in his Washington DC apartment dead of unknown causes on June 22, 1993.
Vincent Foster: A White House deputy counsel and long-time personal friend of Bill and Hillary's. Found on July 20, 1993, dead of a gunshot wound to the mouth -- a death ruled suicide. Many different theories on this case! Readers are encouraged to read our report in Strange Deaths.Jon
Parnell Walker: An investigator for the RTC who was looking into the linkage between the Whitewater and Madison S&L bankruptcy. Walker "fell" from the top of the Lincoln Towers Building. Stanley Heard & Steven Dickson: They were members of the Clinton health care advisory committee. They died in a plane crash on September 10, 1993. Jerry Luther Parks: Parks was the Chief of Security for Clinton's national campaign headquarters in Little Rock. Gunned down in his car on September 26, 1993 near the intersection of Chenal Parkway and Highway 10 west of Little Rock. Parks was shot through the rear window of his car. The assailant then pulled around to the driver's side of Park's car and shot him three more times with a 9mm pistol. His family reported that shortly before his death, they were being followed by unknown persons, and their home had been broken into (despite a top quality alarm system). Parks had been compiling a dossier on Clinton's illicit activities. The dossier was stolen.
Ed Willey: A Clinton fundraiser. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on November 30, 1993. His death came the same day his wife, Kathleen, was sexually assaulted in the White House by Bill Clinton.Gandy Baugh: Baugh was Lasater's attorney and committed suicide on January 8, 1994. Baugh's partner committed suicide exactly one month later on February 8, 1994. Herschell Friday: A member of the presidential campaign finance committee. He died in an airplane explosion on March 1, 1994. Ronald Rogers: Rogers died on March 3, 1994 just prior to releasing sensitive information to a London newspaper. Cause of death? Undetermined. Kathy Furguson: A 38 year old hospital worker whose ex-husband is a co- defendant in the Paula Jones sexual harassment law suit. She had information supporting Paula Jone's allegations. She died of an apparent suicide on May 11, 1994 from a gunshot wound to the head. Bill Shelton: Shelton was an Arkansas police officer and was found dead as an apparent suicide on kathy Ferguson's grave (Kathy was his girl friend), on June 12, 1994. This "suicide" was the result of a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Stanley Huggins: Huggins, 46, was a principal in a Memphis law firm which headed a 1987 investigation into the loan practices of Madison Guaranty S&L. Stanley died in Delaware in July 1994 -- reported cause of death was viral pneumonia. Paul Olson: A Federal witness in investigations to drug money corruption in Chicago politics, Paul had just finished 2 days of FBI interviews when his plane ride home crashed, killing Paul and 130 others on Sept 8 1994. The Sept. 15, 1994 Tempe Tribune newspaper reported that the FBI suspected that a bomb had brought down the airplane.Calvin Walraven: 24 year on Walraven was a key witness against Jocelyn Elder's son's drug case. Walraven was found dead in his apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. Tim Hover, a Little Rock police spokesman says no foul play is suspected.
Alan G. Whicher: Oversaw Clinton's Secret Service detail. In October 1994 Whicher was transferred to the Secret Service field office in the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City. Whatever warning was given to the BATF agents in that building did not reach Alan Whicher, who died in the bomb blast of April 19th 1995.
Duane Garrett: Died July 26, 1995-A lawyer and a talk show host for KGO-AM in San Fransisco, Duane was the campaign finance chairman for Diane Fienstien's run for the senate, and was a friend and fundraiser for Al Gore. Garrett was under investigation for defrauding investors in Garrett's failed sports memorabilia venture. There was talk of a deal to evade prosecution. On July 26th, Garrett canceled an afternoon meeting with his lawyer because he had to meet some people at the San Fransisco airport. Three hours later he was found floating in the bay under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Ron Brown:. The Commerce Secretary died on April 3, 1996, in an Air Force jet carrying Brown and 34 others, including 14 business executives on a trade mission to Croatia, crashed into a mountainside. The Air Force, in a 22-volume report issued in June of 1996, confirmed its initial judgment that the crash resulted from pilot errors and faulty navigation equipment At the time of Brown's death, Independent Counsel Daniel Pearson was seeking to determine whether Brown had engaged in several sham financial transactions with longtime business partner Nolanda Hill shortly before he became secretary of commerce.
Charles Meissner: died: UNK - Following Ron Brown's death, John Huang was placed on a Commerce Department contract that allowed him to retain his security clearanceby Charles Meissner. Shortly thereafter, Meissner died in the crash of a small plane. He was an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Economic Policy.
William Colby: Retired CIA director was found dead on May 6,1996 after his wife reported him missing on April 27,1996. Apparently, Colby decided to go on a impromptu canoeing excursion and never returned. Colby who had just started writing for Strategic Investment newsletter, worried many in the intelligent community. Colby's past history of divulging CIA secrets in the past were well known. Strategic Investor had covered the Vince Foster suicide and had hired handwriting experts to review Foster's suicide note.
Admiral Jeremy Boorda: Died on May 16,1996 after he went home for lunch and decided to shoot himself in the chest (by one report, twice) rather than be interviewed by Newsweek magazine that afternoon. Explanations for Boorda's suicide focused on a claim that he was embarrassed over two "Valor" pins he was not authorized to wear.Lance Herndon: Herndon a 41 year old computer specialist and a prominent entrepreneur who received a presidential appointment in 1995 died August 10, 1996 under suspicious circumstances. He appeared to have died from a blow to the head. Police said no weapons were found at his mansion, adding that Mr. Herndon had not been shot or stabbed and there was no evidence of forced entry or theft.
Neil Moody: Died -August 25, 1996 Following Vincent Foster's murder, Lisa Foster married James Moody, a judge in Arkansas, on Jan 1, 1996. Near the time Susan McDougal first went to jail for contempt, Judge Moor's son, Neil died in a car crash. There were other reports that Neil Moody had discovered something very unsettling among his stepmother's private papers and was threatening to go public with it just prior to the beginning of the Democratic National Convention. He was alleged to have been talking to Bob Woodward of the Washington Post about a blockbuster story. Witnesses said they saw Neil Moody sitting in his car arguing with another person just prior to His car suddenly speeding off out of control and hitting a brick wall.Barbara Wise: Wise a 14-year Commerce Department employee found dead and partially naked in her office following a long weekend. She worked in the same section as John Huang. Officially, she is said to have died of natural causes.
Doug Adams: Died January 7, 1997- A lawyer in Arkansas who got involved trying to help the people who were being swindled out of their life savings. Adams was found in his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head in a Springfield Mo. hospital parking lot.Mary C. Mahoney: 25, murdered at the Georgetown Starbuck's coffee bar over the 4th of July '97 weekend. She was a former White House intern who worked with John Huang. Apparently she knew Monica Lewinsky and her sexual encounters with Bill Clinton. Although not verified, it has been said that Lewinsky told Linda Tripp that she did not want to end up like Mahoney.Ronald Miller: Suddenly took ill on October 3rd,1997 and steadily worsened until his death 9 days later. (This pattern fits Ricin poisoning.) Owing to the strangeness of the illness, doctors at the Integris Baptist Medical Center referred the matter to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office. The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office promptly ran tests on samples of Ron Miller's blood, but has refused to release the results or even to confirm that the tests were ever completed.
Had been investigated by authorities over the sale of his company, Gage Corp. to Dynamic Energy Resources, Inc. was the man who tape recorded Gene and Nora Lum and turned those tapes (and other records) over to congressional oversight investigators. The Lums were sentenced to prison for campaign finance violations, using "straw donors" to conceal the size of their contributions to various candidates. Indeed, Dynamic Energy Resources, Inc. had hired Ron Brown's son Michael solely for the purpose of funneling $60,000 through him to the Commerce Secretary, according to Nolanda Hill's testimony.
Sandy Hume: On Sunday, February 22nd, 1998, Sandy Hume, the 28 year old son of journalist Britt Hume, was reportedly found dead in his Arlington, Virginia home. Aside from the statement that this was an "apparent" suicide, there remains in place a total media blackout on this story, possibly out of concern that the actual facts will not withstand public scrutiny. Worked for Hill magazine, about Congress for Congress.
Jim McDougal: Bill and Hillary Clinton friend, banker, and political ally, sent to prison for eighteen felony convictions. A key whitewater witness, dies of a heart attack on March, 8 1998. As of this writing allegations that he was given an injection of the diuretic lasix has not been denied or confirmed.Died on March 8, 1998
Johnny Lawhon: 29, died March 29, 1998- The Arkansas transmission specialist who discovered a pile of Whitewater documents in the trunk of an abandoned car on his property and turned them over to Starr, was killed in a car wreck two weeks after the McDougal death.. Details of the "accident" have been sketchy -- even from the local Little Rock newspaper.Charles Wilbourne Miller: 63, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head on November 17, 1998 in a shallow pit about 300 yards from his ranch house near Little Rock. Police found a .410 gauge shotgun near Miller's body and a Ruger .357-caliber revolver submerged in water. Investigators concluded the Ruger was the weapon used by Miller to kill himself. Yet, two rounds in the handgun's cylinder had been spent.He had long served as executive vice president and member of the board of directors for a company called Alltel and was deeply involved in his own software engineering company until the day he died. Alltel is the successor to Jackson Stephens' Systematics, the company that provided the software for the White House's "Big Brother" data base system and that was behind the administration's plan to develop the secret computer "Clipper" chip to bug every phone, fax and email transmission in America.
Carlos Ghigliotti: 42, was found dead in his home just outside of Washington D.C. on April 28, 2000. There was no sign of a break-in or struggle at the firm of Infrared Technology where the badly decomposed body of Ghigliotti was found. Ghigliotti had not been seen for several weeks.
Ghigliotti, a thermal imaging analyst hired by the House Government Reform Committee to review tape of the siege, said he determined the FBI fired shots on April 19, 1993. The FBI has explained the light bursts on infrared footage as reflections of sun rays on shards of glass or other debris that littered the scene.
"I conclude this based on the groundview videotapes taken from several different angles simultaneously and based on the overhead thermal tape," Ghigliotti told The Washington Post last October. "The gunfire from the ground is there, without a doubt."
Ghigliotti said the tapes also confirm the Davidians fired repeatedly at FBI agents during the assault, which ended when flames raced through the compound. About 80 Branch Davidians perished that day, some from the fire, others from gunshot wounds.
Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the congressional committee chaired by Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., said that police found the business card of a committee investigator in Ghigliotti's office. Corallo said Ghigliotti's work for the committee ended some time ago.
Tony Moser: 41, was killed as he crossed a street in Pine Bluff, Ark on on June 10, 2000. Killed 10 days after being named a columnist for the Democrat-Gazette newspaper and two days after penning a stinging indictment of political corruption in Little Rock.
Police have concluded that no charges will be filed against the unnamed driver of a 1995 Chevrolet pickup, which hit Moser as he was walking alone in the middle of unlit Rhinehart Road about 10:10 p.m
Police say they have ruled out foul play and will file no charges against the driver because he was not intoxicated and there was no sign of excessive speed."Published originally at EtherZone.com : republication allowed with this notice and hyperlink intact."
There is also the bodies that litter the trail to the Clinton rise to power. Am I calling Hillary a murderer? No, but she is an accessory to murder. That is, she either knew or should have known that people who disagreed with her husband or the long list of her husbands body guards that knew to too much were being killed by Clinton henchmen. Lets list them, shall we?
Here is the latest body count that we have. All of these people have been connected with the Clintons in some form or another. We have not included any deaths that could not be verified or connected to the Clinton scandals. All deaths are listed chronologically by date. This list is current and accurate to the best of our knowledge as of August 1, 2000.
Susan Coleman: Rumors were circulating in Arkansas of an affair with Bill Clinton. She was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head at 7 1/2 months pregnant. Death was an apparent suicide.
Larry Guerrin: Was killed in February 1987 while investigating the INSLAW case.
Kevin Ives & Don Henry: Initial cause of death was reported to be the result of falling asleep on a railroad track in Arkansas on August 23, 1987. This ruling was reported by the State medical examiner Fahmy Malak. Later it was determined that Kevin died from a crushed skull prior to being placed on the tracks. Don had been stabbed in the back. Rumors indicate that they might have stumbled upon a Mena drug operation.
Keith Coney: Keith had information on the Ives/Henry deaths. Died in a motorcycle accident in July 1988 with unconfirmed reports of a high speed car chase. Keith McKaskle: McKaskle has information on the Ives/Henry deaths. He was stabbed to death in November 1988. Gregory Collins: Greg had information on the Ives/Henry deaths. He died from a gunshot wound to the face in January 1989.
Jeff Rhodes: He had information on the deaths of Ives, Henry & McKaskle. His burned body was found in a trash dump in April 1989. He died of a gunshot wound to the head and there was some body mutilation, leading to the probably speculation that he was tortured prior to being killed. James Milam: Milam had information on the Ives & Henry deaths. He was decapitated. The state Medical examiner, Fahmy Malak, initially ruled death due to natural causes.
Richard Winters: Winters was a suspect in the deaths of Ives & Henry. He was killed in a "robbery" in July 1989 which was subsequently proven to be a setup. Jordan Kettleson: Kettleson had information on the Ives & Henry deaths. He was found shot to death in the front seat of his pickup in June 1990. Alan Standorf: An employee of the National Security Agency in electronic intelligence. Standorf was a source of information for Danny Casalaro who was investigating INSLAW, BCCI, etc. Standorf's body was found in the backseat of a car at Washington National Airport on Jan 31, 1991.
Dennis Eisman: An attorney with information on INSLAW. Eisman was found shot to death on April 5, 1991. Danny Casalaro: Danny was a free-lance reporter and writer who was investigating the "October Surprise", INSLAW and BCCI. Danny was found dead in a bathtub in a Sheraton Hotel room in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Danny was staying at the hotel while keeping appointments in the DC area pertinent to his investigation. He was found with his wrists slashed. At least one, and possibly both of his wrists were cut 10 times. All of his research materials were missing and have never been recovered.
Victor Raiser: The National Finance Co-Chair for "Clinton for President." He died in a airplane crash on July 30, 1992. R. Montgomery Raiser: Also involved in the Clinton presidential campaign. He died in the same plane crash as Victor.
Paul Tully: Tulley was on the Democratic National Committee. He was found dead of unknown causes in his hotel room on September 24, 1992. No autopsy was ever allowed. Ian Spiro: Spiro had supporting documentation for grand jury proceedings on the INSLAW case. His wife and 3 children were found murdered on November 1, 1992 in their home. They all died of gunshot wounds to the head. Ian's body was found several days later in a parked car in the Borego Desert. Cause of death? The ingestion of cyanide. FBI report indicated that Ian had murdered his family and then committed suicide.
Paula Gober: A Clinton speech writer. She died in a car accident on December 9, 1992 with no known witnesses. Jim Wilhite: Wilhite was an associate of Mack McClarty's former firm. Wilhite died in a skiing accident on December 21, 1992. He also had extensive ties to Clinton with whom he visited by telephone just hours before his death.
Steve Willis, Robert Williams, Todd McKeahan & Conway LeBleu: Died Feburary 28, 1993 by gunfire at Waco. All four were examined by a pathologist and died from identical wounds to the left temple. All four had been body guards for Bill Clinton, three while campaigning for President and when he was Governor of Arkansas.They also were the ONLY 4 BATF agents killed at Waco.
Sgt. Brian Haney, Sgt. Tim Sabel, Maj. William Barkley, Capt. Scott Reynolds: Died: May 19, 1993 - All four men died when their helicopter crashed in the woods near Quantico, Va. - Reporters were barred from the site, and the head of the fire department responding to the crash described it by saying, "Security was tight," with "lots of Marines with guns." A videotape made by a firefighter was seized by the Marines. All four men had escorted Clinton on his flight to the carrier Roosevelt shortly before their deaths.
John Crawford: An attorney with information on INSLAW. He died from a heart attack in Tacoma in April of 1993.
John Wilson: Found dead from an apparent hanging suicide on May 18, 1993. He was a former Washington DC council member and claimed to have info on Whitewater.Paul Wilcher: A lawyer who was investigating drug running out of Mena, Arkansas and who also sought to expose the "October Surprise", BCCI and INSLAW. He was found in his Washington DC apartment dead of unknown causes on June 22, 1993.
Vincent Foster: A White House deputy counsel and long-time personal friend of Bill and Hillary's. Found on July 20, 1993, dead of a gunshot wound to the mouth -- a death ruled suicide. Many different theories on this case! Readers are encouraged to read our report in Strange Deaths.Jon
Parnell Walker: An investigator for the RTC who was looking into the linkage between the Whitewater and Madison S&L bankruptcy. Walker "fell" from the top of the Lincoln Towers Building. Stanley Heard & Steven Dickson: They were members of the Clinton health care advisory committee. They died in a plane crash on September 10, 1993. Jerry Luther Parks: Parks was the Chief of Security for Clinton's national campaign headquarters in Little Rock. Gunned down in his car on September 26, 1993 near the intersection of Chenal Parkway and Highway 10 west of Little Rock. Parks was shot through the rear window of his car. The assailant then pulled around to the driver's side of Park's car and shot him three more times with a 9mm pistol. His family reported that shortly before his death, they were being followed by unknown persons, and their home had been broken into (despite a top quality alarm system). Parks had been compiling a dossier on Clinton's illicit activities. The dossier was stolen.
Ed Willey: A Clinton fundraiser. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on November 30, 1993. His death came the same day his wife, Kathleen, was sexually assaulted in the White House by Bill Clinton.Gandy Baugh: Baugh was Lasater's attorney and committed suicide on January 8, 1994. Baugh's partner committed suicide exactly one month later on February 8, 1994. Herschell Friday: A member of the presidential campaign finance committee. He died in an airplane explosion on March 1, 1994. Ronald Rogers: Rogers died on March 3, 1994 just prior to releasing sensitive information to a London newspaper. Cause of death? Undetermined. Kathy Furguson: A 38 year old hospital worker whose ex-husband is a co- defendant in the Paula Jones sexual harassment law suit. She had information supporting Paula Jone's allegations. She died of an apparent suicide on May 11, 1994 from a gunshot wound to the head. Bill Shelton: Shelton was an Arkansas police officer and was found dead as an apparent suicide on kathy Ferguson's grave (Kathy was his girl friend), on June 12, 1994. This "suicide" was the result of a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Stanley Huggins: Huggins, 46, was a principal in a Memphis law firm which headed a 1987 investigation into the loan practices of Madison Guaranty S&L. Stanley died in Delaware in July 1994 -- reported cause of death was viral pneumonia. Paul Olson: A Federal witness in investigations to drug money corruption in Chicago politics, Paul had just finished 2 days of FBI interviews when his plane ride home crashed, killing Paul and 130 others on Sept 8 1994. The Sept. 15, 1994 Tempe Tribune newspaper reported that the FBI suspected that a bomb had brought down the airplane.Calvin Walraven: 24 year on Walraven was a key witness against Jocelyn Elder's son's drug case. Walraven was found dead in his apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. Tim Hover, a Little Rock police spokesman says no foul play is suspected.
Alan G. Whicher: Oversaw Clinton's Secret Service detail. In October 1994 Whicher was transferred to the Secret Service field office in the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City. Whatever warning was given to the BATF agents in that building did not reach Alan Whicher, who died in the bomb blast of April 19th 1995.
Duane Garrett: Died July 26, 1995-A lawyer and a talk show host for KGO-AM in San Fransisco, Duane was the campaign finance chairman for Diane Fienstien's run for the senate, and was a friend and fundraiser for Al Gore. Garrett was under investigation for defrauding investors in Garrett's failed sports memorabilia venture. There was talk of a deal to evade prosecution. On July 26th, Garrett canceled an afternoon meeting with his lawyer because he had to meet some people at the San Fransisco airport. Three hours later he was found floating in the bay under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Ron Brown:. The Commerce Secretary died on April 3, 1996, in an Air Force jet carrying Brown and 34 others, including 14 business executives on a trade mission to Croatia, crashed into a mountainside. The Air Force, in a 22-volume report issued in June of 1996, confirmed its initial judgment that the crash resulted from pilot errors and faulty navigation equipment At the time of Brown's death, Independent Counsel Daniel Pearson was seeking to determine whether Brown had engaged in several sham financial transactions with longtime business partner Nolanda Hill shortly before he became secretary of commerce.
Charles Meissner: died: UNK - Following Ron Brown's death, John Huang was placed on a Commerce Department contract that allowed him to retain his security clearanceby Charles Meissner. Shortly thereafter, Meissner died in the crash of a small plane. He was an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Economic Policy.
William Colby: Retired CIA director was found dead on May 6,1996 after his wife reported him missing on April 27,1996. Apparently, Colby decided to go on a impromptu canoeing excursion and never returned. Colby who had just started writing for Strategic Investment newsletter, worried many in the intelligent community. Colby's past history of divulging CIA secrets in the past were well known. Strategic Investor had covered the Vince Foster suicide and had hired handwriting experts to review Foster's suicide note.
Admiral Jeremy Boorda: Died on May 16,1996 after he went home for lunch and decided to shoot himself in the chest (by one report, twice) rather than be interviewed by Newsweek magazine that afternoon. Explanations for Boorda's suicide focused on a claim that he was embarrassed over two "Valor" pins he was not authorized to wear.Lance Herndon: Herndon a 41 year old computer specialist and a prominent entrepreneur who received a presidential appointment in 1995 died August 10, 1996 under suspicious circumstances. He appeared to have died from a blow to the head. Police said no weapons were found at his mansion, adding that Mr. Herndon had not been shot or stabbed and there was no evidence of forced entry or theft.
Neil Moody: Died -August 25, 1996 Following Vincent Foster's murder, Lisa Foster married James Moody, a judge in Arkansas, on Jan 1, 1996. Near the time Susan McDougal first went to jail for contempt, Judge Moor's son, Neil died in a car crash. There were other reports that Neil Moody had discovered something very unsettling among his stepmother's private papers and was threatening to go public with it just prior to the beginning of the Democratic National Convention. He was alleged to have been talking to Bob Woodward of the Washington Post about a blockbuster story. Witnesses said they saw Neil Moody sitting in his car arguing with another person just prior to His car suddenly speeding off out of control and hitting a brick wall.Barbara Wise: Wise a 14-year Commerce Department employee found dead and partially naked in her office following a long weekend. She worked in the same section as John Huang. Officially, she is said to have died of natural causes.
Doug Adams: Died January 7, 1997- A lawyer in Arkansas who got involved trying to help the people who were being swindled out of their life savings. Adams was found in his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head in a Springfield Mo. hospital parking lot.Mary C. Mahoney: 25, murdered at the Georgetown Starbuck's coffee bar over the 4th of July '97 weekend. She was a former White House intern who worked with John Huang. Apparently she knew Monica Lewinsky and her sexual encounters with Bill Clinton. Although not verified, it has been said that Lewinsky told Linda Tripp that she did not want to end up like Mahoney.Ronald Miller: Suddenly took ill on October 3rd,1997 and steadily worsened until his death 9 days later. (This pattern fits Ricin poisoning.) Owing to the strangeness of the illness, doctors at the Integris Baptist Medical Center referred the matter to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office. The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office promptly ran tests on samples of Ron Miller's blood, but has refused to release the results or even to confirm that the tests were ever completed.
Had been investigated by authorities over the sale of his company, Gage Corp. to Dynamic Energy Resources, Inc. was the man who tape recorded Gene and Nora Lum and turned those tapes (and other records) over to congressional oversight investigators. The Lums were sentenced to prison for campaign finance violations, using "straw donors" to conceal the size of their contributions to various candidates. Indeed, Dynamic Energy Resources, Inc. had hired Ron Brown's son Michael solely for the purpose of funneling $60,000 through him to the Commerce Secretary, according to Nolanda Hill's testimony.
Sandy Hume: On Sunday, February 22nd, 1998, Sandy Hume, the 28 year old son of journalist Britt Hume, was reportedly found dead in his Arlington, Virginia home. Aside from the statement that this was an "apparent" suicide, there remains in place a total media blackout on this story, possibly out of concern that the actual facts will not withstand public scrutiny. Worked for Hill magazine, about Congress for Congress.
Jim McDougal: Bill and Hillary Clinton friend, banker, and political ally, sent to prison for eighteen felony convictions. A key whitewater witness, dies of a heart attack on March, 8 1998. As of this writing allegations that he was given an injection of the diuretic lasix has not been denied or confirmed.Died on March 8, 1998
Johnny Lawhon: 29, died March 29, 1998- The Arkansas transmission specialist who discovered a pile of Whitewater documents in the trunk of an abandoned car on his property and turned them over to Starr, was killed in a car wreck two weeks after the McDougal death.. Details of the "accident" have been sketchy -- even from the local Little Rock newspaper.Charles Wilbourne Miller: 63, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head on November 17, 1998 in a shallow pit about 300 yards from his ranch house near Little Rock. Police found a .410 gauge shotgun near Miller's body and a Ruger .357-caliber revolver submerged in water. Investigators concluded the Ruger was the weapon used by Miller to kill himself. Yet, two rounds in the handgun's cylinder had been spent.He had long served as executive vice president and member of the board of directors for a company called Alltel and was deeply involved in his own software engineering company until the day he died. Alltel is the successor to Jackson Stephens' Systematics, the company that provided the software for the White House's "Big Brother" data base system and that was behind the administration's plan to develop the secret computer "Clipper" chip to bug every phone, fax and email transmission in America.
Carlos Ghigliotti: 42, was found dead in his home just outside of Washington D.C. on April 28, 2000. There was no sign of a break-in or struggle at the firm of Infrared Technology where the badly decomposed body of Ghigliotti was found. Ghigliotti had not been seen for several weeks.
Ghigliotti, a thermal imaging analyst hired by the House Government Reform Committee to review tape of the siege, said he determined the FBI fired shots on April 19, 1993. The FBI has explained the light bursts on infrared footage as reflections of sun rays on shards of glass or other debris that littered the scene.
"I conclude this based on the groundview videotapes taken from several different angles simultaneously and based on the overhead thermal tape," Ghigliotti told The Washington Post last October. "The gunfire from the ground is there, without a doubt."
Ghigliotti said the tapes also confirm the Davidians fired repeatedly at FBI agents during the assault, which ended when flames raced through the compound. About 80 Branch Davidians perished that day, some from the fire, others from gunshot wounds.
Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the congressional committee chaired by Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., said that police found the business card of a committee investigator in Ghigliotti's office. Corallo said Ghigliotti's work for the committee ended some time ago.
Tony Moser: 41, was killed as he crossed a street in Pine Bluff, Ark on on June 10, 2000. Killed 10 days after being named a columnist for the Democrat-Gazette newspaper and two days after penning a stinging indictment of political corruption in Little Rock.
Police have concluded that no charges will be filed against the unnamed driver of a 1995 Chevrolet pickup, which hit Moser as he was walking alone in the middle of unlit Rhinehart Road about 10:10 p.m
Police say they have ruled out foul play and will file no charges against the driver because he was not intoxicated and there was no sign of excessive speed."Published originally at EtherZone.com : republication allowed with this notice and hyperlink intact."
Anti-Gun Policy Still Being Practiced By Two Credit Card Companies
THIS JUST IN FROM GUN DIGEST - grumpy
As Gun Digest the Magazine previously reported, Citi Merchant Services and First Data Corporation have refused to process any “non-face-to-face” credit card transactions involving firearms, including business-to-business transactions between federally licensed firearms retailers, distributors and manufacturers. After the National Shooting Sports Foundation alerted gun owners about this situation, Citi Merchant Services and First Data Corporation sent an e-mail to NSSF which claimed the companies were not anti-gun-industry nor anti-gun, and asked NSSF to remove such information from its Web site. In a Jan. 10 letter to the credit card companies, NSSF wrote, “Regrettably, your e-mail serves to confirm the antigun corporate policy of First Data and Citi Merchant Services, and that the article in our publication Bullet Points and subsequent posting to our Web site was based on a correct and accurate understanding of that policy. “It is perfectly legal — in fact commonplace — for a federal firearms licensee in one state to sell a firearm to a non-licensee (consumer) from another state. What you fail to appreciate is that the firearm is not shipped in interstate commerce directly to the consumer. Rather, as required by federal law, the firearm is shipped by the selling licensee to another federal firearms licensee in the state of residence of the consumer who is purchasing the firearm. ... Furthermore, the policy of First Data and Citi Merchant Services interferes with the receiving and shipping of inventory from and to federally licensed firearms retailers, distributors and manufacturers. This inventory supplies not only law-abiding Americans, but military and law enforcement agencies as well. “NSSF will not remove its Web posting, nor will we rescind or alter our story. However, if we receive written confirmation from you that, after having researched the law, First Data and Citi Merchant Services have changed their corporate policy, we will consider publishing that fact in a follow-up story.” Gun owners who want to voice their discontent to senior management at Citi Merchant Services or First Data can find the contact information at the NSSF Web site: www.nssf.org.
As Gun Digest the Magazine previously reported, Citi Merchant Services and First Data Corporation have refused to process any “non-face-to-face” credit card transactions involving firearms, including business-to-business transactions between federally licensed firearms retailers, distributors and manufacturers. After the National Shooting Sports Foundation alerted gun owners about this situation, Citi Merchant Services and First Data Corporation sent an e-mail to NSSF which claimed the companies were not anti-gun-industry nor anti-gun, and asked NSSF to remove such information from its Web site. In a Jan. 10 letter to the credit card companies, NSSF wrote, “Regrettably, your e-mail serves to confirm the antigun corporate policy of First Data and Citi Merchant Services, and that the article in our publication Bullet Points and subsequent posting to our Web site was based on a correct and accurate understanding of that policy. “It is perfectly legal — in fact commonplace — for a federal firearms licensee in one state to sell a firearm to a non-licensee (consumer) from another state. What you fail to appreciate is that the firearm is not shipped in interstate commerce directly to the consumer. Rather, as required by federal law, the firearm is shipped by the selling licensee to another federal firearms licensee in the state of residence of the consumer who is purchasing the firearm. ... Furthermore, the policy of First Data and Citi Merchant Services interferes with the receiving and shipping of inventory from and to federally licensed firearms retailers, distributors and manufacturers. This inventory supplies not only law-abiding Americans, but military and law enforcement agencies as well. “NSSF will not remove its Web posting, nor will we rescind or alter our story. However, if we receive written confirmation from you that, after having researched the law, First Data and Citi Merchant Services have changed their corporate policy, we will consider publishing that fact in a follow-up story.” Gun owners who want to voice their discontent to senior management at Citi Merchant Services or First Data can find the contact information at the NSSF Web site: www.nssf.org.
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