BARNEY FRANK RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS TO PURSUE HIS DREAM JOB WITH THE TSA.

A Tale of Two TSA Videos

I love watching MythBusters on the Discovery Channel.  On that program the two hosts conduct experiments to prove or disprove popularly held urban myths.  Co-host Adam Savage recently inadvertently tested the myth that the TSA's infringement upon our liberty via enhanced pat-downs and electronic strip-searches actually makes the flying public safer.  Check out this video of Savage telling about his experience at an event in Seattle.



Sure, maybe grown men can sneak 12" razors onto airplanes, but give the TSA some credit: No little boys are going to get onboard without getting stripped and getting a hand in their underwear by some very friendly men from the government.



God help this country... or maybe He shouldn't.

Gun Nut Roundup Nov. 2010

Lawsuit Against Misdemeanor Gun Ban

The Second Amendment Foundation has filed suit against Eric Holder and the FBI over the feds prohibition on gun ownership by certain people who have only committed misdemeanors.  The case involves a Vietnam veteran denied the right to keep and bear arms.  In July 1968 a young enlistedman in the Navy named Jefferson Wayne Schrader got into a scuffle with a street gang that attacked him for walking in their "territory."  Schrader gave as well as he got and was arrested and had to pay a $100 fine.  Shrader went on to serve in Vietnam and was eventually honorably discharged.

Fast forward 40 years.  In 2008 and again in 2009, Schrader was denied the ability to take possession of a firearm.  The FBI advised him to ditch any firearms he may already own, or face jail time.  “Schrader’s dilemma,” explained SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb, “is that until recently, Maryland law did not set forth a maximum sentence for the crime of misdemeanor assault. Because of that, he is now being treated like a felon and his gun rights have been denied."

Hopefully, SAF will be able to straighten this out for Schrader and all others who get caught in this legal loophole.  Since SAF is the group that has given Second Amendment supporters the Supreme Court legal victories in DC v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago, the smart money is on them.  (Smart money also says the NRA will take credit for it all again anyway.)

Judge Strikes Down Wisconsin Concealed Carry Ban

There are only two states left that don't permit any type of concealed carry: Wisconsin and Illinois.  This may soon change in Wisconsin, however.  Citing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in McDonald v. Chicago as precedent, a Wisconsin county judge recently ruled the state's ban on concealed carry to be unconstitutional and rapped his Leinie on the bench authoritatively, in lieu of a gavel.  While this will no doubt be appealed, it is an important first step in the legal process.

Also, in this month's elections, the cheddarheads elected a new governor and Republican majorities to their legislature who appear more willing to advance concealed carry.  The previous governor, Democrat Jim Doyle, was a festering anti-gun pus gut who had vetoed previous concealed carry legislation.  Anyway you slice it, the future for concealed carry looks brighter than ever in "America's Dairyland."

Anti-Gun Obama Picks Anti-Gun Thug To Head ATF

President Obama's pick to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has riled gun rights supporters.  On November 15th, Obama nominated Andrew Traver, who's currently in charge of the agency's Chicago office, to head the whole shootin' match.

Traver has supported requiring state and local licensing of gun dealers (in addition to their federal licenses), gun rationing laws, laws stifling gun shows, bans on sport-utility rifles, and bans on .50-caliber rifles, among other things to make gun owners miserable.

Not everyone is upset with Traver's nomination, however.  Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Center to Control Gun Violence (formerly Handgun Control Inc.) said, “[W]e were very happy that he nominated Traver.  Everything we hear of Traver is very positive.” 

With a recommendation like that, why shouldn't gun nuts hate him?

WE'RE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE HERE TO GROPE YOU

Ben, this is what your kids are getting for Christmas, to prepare them to be good servile American sheeple.



We do have to remind folks first that it was George W. Bush who gave us the Department of Fatherland, er I mean Motherland, er I mean Homeland Security. A big part of that useless, over-reaching, and unnecessary bureaucracy of despotism is the TSA, which, in itself, is becoming more monstrous everyday. Although they “missed” the Underwear Bomber, who waved more red flags than the Chinese Olympics, and whom Barney Fife could had nabbed even on a bad day, they are making sure they get to “Play with your junk.”

Even the airline pilots are getting fed up.

Also in recent news, the valiant Blue Shirts protected us from this gal in the name of “Public Safety”, “National Security” and “for the children."

“As the TSA agent was frisking plaintiff, the agent pulled the plaintiff’s blouse completely down, exposing plaintiffs’ breasts to everyone in the area,” the lawsuit said. “As would be expected, plaintiff was extremely embarrassed and humiliated.”

TSA workers continued to laugh and joke about the incident “for an extended period of time,” leaving the woman distraught and needing to be consoled. After the woman re-entered the boarding area, TSA workers continued to humiliate her over the incident.

“One male TSA employee expressed to the plaintiff that he wished he would have been there when she came through the first time and that ‘he would just have to watch the video,’” the suit said.

The incident bears similarities to a 2002 case involving a pregnant woman who had her breasts exposed by TSA agents in public. Her husband was thrown in the airport jail for complaining about the treatment of his wife.

Or the incident in which a single mother traveling with her baby was subjected to a little groping in the name of “National Security”.

Never mind the fact that if anyone “searched” a 15-year old girl on the streets the way TSA does, they would wind up in prison and on the Sex Offender Registry. This is National Security, peasants, so shut up and get back in line. Or else get in that other line, the one leading to the cattle cars.

Civil rights groups contend the more intensive screening violates civil liberties including freedom of religion, the right to privacy and the constitutional protection against unreasonable searches.

"The Transportation Security Administration says airline passengers won't get out of body imaging screening or pat-downs based on their religious beliefs.

"That person is not going to get on an airplane," [TSA Chief ]Pistole said in response to a question from Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., on whether the TSA would provide exemptions for passengers whose religious beliefs do not allow them to go through a physically revealing body scan or be touched by screeners."

Um, well, unless the religious person in question turns out to be a member of the Religion of Peace. You know, the folks who’ve knocked down more airplanes around the world than the RAF. They get special privileges and a big pass.

"However, Muslim women will not have to face such worries. CNSNews.com has reported that Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) — which is frequently tied to domestic terror plots — has been guaranteed that TSA officials will only pat down Muslim women in the head and neck area."

The Constitution of these United States does not take precedent over TSA regulations, but Sharia Law does.

Thank God we’ve sacrificed freedom for security. Well, the illusion of security. And a growing police state. Orwell would be proud.

.

Quantitative Easing Made Easy

On election day the U.S. Congress, which had about a 12% approval rating, had a reelection rate of about 86%.  (My, what a revolution!)  The day after the election, as the American people waved their little flags and celebrated the enormous influence they had excerpted over the federal government by "throwing the bums out," a cabal of wealthy bankers known as the Federal Reserve, who really excerpt power over the federal government, met quietly to control the economy.

At their meeting "the Fed" decided to pursue another round of "quantitative easing" (QE2).  What is quantitative easing?  Watch the video below that explains it all in terms so simple that even members of Congress (and bloggers) can understand.

SOAKING IT TO THE RICH IN MONTANA

Back to the Future, Death Tax Style.

So, I’m fresh back from a week in hunting camp, pursuing some of the most expensive meat on the hoof you can possibly find. It was, as always, more about wall tents and wood-stoves, starlight and sunrise, campfires and companionship than it was about snuffing Bambi. Although that was fun too. Along with the farting contests, dirty jokes and the eternal “mine’s bigger” firearms debate.

The experience of hunting camp which struck me the most and which still remains with me, though, was having a very long talk to a rancher who let us hunt deer on his land. The guy was exactly my age, with three kids ranging from junior high school to a college freshman. The ranch was only average sized by Montana standards, and had been in his family since his great grandfather first came to Big Sky country from the Ould Sod (North Dakota). In the beginning, there was a log cabin of Douglas fir from the mountains, and then a barn built of rough planks ripped out of Cottonwood trees with a crosscut saw, a raised platform, a neighbor man and a lot of sweat and blisters.

Present day, it is a beautiful ranch. The guy takes pride in it, and in the assets, and it clearly shows. All the buildings were neatly painted; the yards immaculate. The well-watered hayfields still showed green alfalfa despite the lateness of the season. The machinery was probably well kept, too. I couldn’t tell as it was all neatly put away from the weather behind closed doors in a big pole building. The stackyard had the big round hay bales lined up dress-right-dress like soldiers on parade. The fenceposts were straight and solid, with the wire all stretched tight as a drum, a job that takes a great deal of time and work (and makes it hard on hunters’ crotches).

The Black Angus cattle were fat, dumb and happy. As were the mule deer, whitetails, coyotes, beavers, muskrats, jack rabbit, waterfowl and all the other critters we saw in our hikes across the ranch lands. He said the elk come down when the weather turns bad to feed on the hayfields and grain stubble. Some of the old wooden fenceposts sported nesting boxes for Western bluebirds, and no doubt furnished perches for meadowlarks in the spring.

It would sure be a heart-breaker to lose a place like that, especially after it had remained in family hands for so many generations.

But the rancher, you see, is “rich” and the politics and politicians of socialism and class envy demand that we must “soak it to the rich”.

Last January, the estate tax or, as it is commonly known, the Death Tax, was temporarily eliminated last January, but is scheduled to come back with a vengeance this January. An arbitrary limit of a one million dollar exemption is followed by a 55% tax on all remaining assets. The liberal elite and their media lackeys are all for this as a just and equitable scheme, making those rich bastards pay “their fair share”.

The problem with farms and ranches is that they are “rich” in assets but actually quite poor in the way of cash. The land is only worth real money to the farmer when he sells it to raise capital; some temporary cash, but the asset is now gone forever. That American-made John Deere combine in the shed may technically be worth $200,000 but is only of value to the ranchers for a couple short weeks in the fall Just a few pieces of modern farm machinery can hit that million dollar limit real quick, but like a new car driven off the lot, just try to get blue book price on that tractor if you have to sell it to pay taxes. Those Angus out in the slough grass are worth a lot on the ground and on paper, but not too damn much at the grocery store. The time, the purchase of sterile seed from a monopoly, the equipment, fertilizer, work and spraying required for a healthy crop of wheat works out to waaayyyy less than minimum wage when the profits are realized at harvest time.

The man in question has already had to deal with the death of his 52-year-old cousin and his father this past year. The ranch reverted to his mother, who still lives in her own original house on the place, where she can see her children and grand-children and the land she has lived for the past fifty years. When she passes on, well, despite lawyers and estate planning, the government still demands 55% of what the son hopes to continue ranching with, and to pass on to his own children. He must sell his assets to raise the cash to pay the government its blood money, leaving him with neither cash nor assets, and the prospect of selling out what remains because he won’t be able to make a living from it.

We talked for quite some time, three of us leaning on the hood of the pickup truck. As we bid farewell, he said, “I’ll let you guys hunt again next year…if I’m still here.”

So, to the remaining 3% of the American population still engaged in feeding the world, with a dozen USDA employees “serving” each one of you, I urge you to care for your land, be frugal, and work hard. The government wants to confiscate some real good stuff, you rich bastards.

I don't think even ol' John Wayne could have stopped these modern day rustlers and land barons operating under the guise of government.

AS IF ATTACKING AMISH MILKMEN AND ORGANIC FOOD STORES WASN'T ENOUGH...THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW COMING TO STOP THE THREAT OF RUNAWAY UNLICENSED BARBERS!

According to the FBI, in 2003 the city of Orlando, Florida experienced 21 murders, 136 forcible rapes, 849 robberies, 2,316 burglaries, 11,511 larcenies or thefts, 1,920 auto thefts, and 48 cases of arson.

How does this stack up to the rest of the country?

Obviously, the city has some crime problems.

But not to worry! Big Brother and the Nanny State have swept in to save the people! How? By a crackdown on unlicensed barbers!

"As many as 14 armed Orange County deputies, including narcotics agents, stormed Strictly Skillz barbershop during business hours on a Saturday in August, handcuffing barbers in front of customers during a busy back-to-school weekend.

It was just one of a series of unprecedented raid-style inspections the Orange County Sheriff's Office recently conducted with a state regulating agency, targeting several predominantly black- and Hispanic-owned barbershops in the Pine Hills area.

In "sweeps" on Aug. 21 and Sept. 17 targeting at least nine shops, deputies arrested 37 people — the majority charged with "barbering without a license," a misdemeanor that state records show only three other people have been jailed in Florida in the past 10 years.

The operations were conducted without warrants, under the authority of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation inspectors, who can enter salons at will. Deputies said they found evidence of illegal activity, including guns, drugs and gambling. However, records show that during the two sweeps, and a smaller one in October, just three people were charged with anything other than a licensing violation."

Honestly, the government has become so absurd I can't even make up bizzare enough crap to compete.

HE'S LEAVIN' ON 40 JET PLANES

A small portion of Obama's press entourage arrives in Mumbai.

American presidents travel overseas. They've been doing it for a long time. Many great historical moments for our country and the world have come from this. Woodrow Wilson went to Versailles to help end WWI and deliver the address on his "Fourteen Points". FDR traveled to Cairo and Yalta during the midst of WWII and delivered his "Unconditional Surrender" ultimatum, as well as telling Soviet Dictator Joe Stalin, "Here, go ahead and enslave all of Eastern Europe." Eisenhower fulfilled a campaign promise to go to Korea during that war and said, "Brrrrrr, it's (expletive deleted) cold." JFK went to Berlin to deliver his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner"speech. Nixon was the first president to visit Red China despite the Cold War and Vietnam. Ronald Reagan told Gorbachev to, "Tear down this wall." Bush senior went to Japan and said, "BAAARRRFFFF!" And, of course, Teddy Roosevelt went to Cuba to deliver his legendary "CHARGE!" speech, he just wasn't president yet.

Now good old Barack "It's just money" Obama will travel with an entourage of 3,000 people on some 40 jet aircraft, the "greenest president ever" creating a larger "carbon footprint" than Memphis, Tennessee, and costing the U.S. taxpayer $200 million dollars per day. That's roughly ten times the amount Bush Junior's trip in 2006 cost. (Remember the good old days when Ben and I bitched about how much he was spending?) Just what we need in this time of the "Great Recession" and record deficits.

The purpose of the trip is, apparently, to "build important economic ties" with India, where 86% of the population makes less than $2 per day. I wonder how they'll feel about Michelle flouncing off Air Force 1 with her $6,000 handbag? Hopefully it isn't leather. Not that it would matter to the Obamas what others think, judging from the way Barack insulted just about every other Free World leader when he went to Europe. And snubbed the ceremony for the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Apparently, we can learn a lot from India then, as this is the direction America's job future is heading. Maybe Barack just wants to find out how they can have an economy like that without the peasants uprising. I guess he finally conceded that he doesn't have more important things to worry about than, "that economy stuff."
What immortal, historic lines will Barack deliver to the world on his trip? Perhaps he will imitate some of his famous campaign oratories; campaigning in 57 states, seeing dead people, his great grand uncle's liberation of Siberia, or needing a Japanese translator while there.

Perhaps the TOTUS (Teleprompter Of The United States) will break down and, while there is plenty of IT tech support in India, he might have to ad lib for a minute or two.

So, instead of "Ich bin Ein Berliner" or "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." we have have immortalized such oratory as, "Um...well...we have...um...change...and then...um...hope...for the...uh...economy thing...um...Allah Akbar."