This is a comment I left on a blog I frequent. After posting it I reflected that it's representative of my views about a touchy subject dear to the hearts of many, and thus was worthy to post in its own right.
I love my country, but to be honest I lost a lot of regard for the pledge when I discovered it was penned by a die-hard socialist flag salesman. And for the longest time I didn’t pay attention to its use of the word indivisible. Yet as a Southerner who fervently believes that Lincoln was a tyrant who did irreparable damage to the Constitution, I now recognize that “indivisible” flies right in the face of the state’s right of secession. And lastly, I read Jonah Goldberg’s book Liberal Fascism not long ago, and I became enlightened to the long history of governments using patriotism to harness and redirect the devotion of the citizens in ways that would benefit the corrupt political class.
I have reached the point where I detest my government while still loving my nation. Far too many Americans can’t seem to distinguish between the two, and in my opinion the pledge helps to further that confusion. I sincerely wish that Americans would learn and be able to recite the Bill of Rights - instead of some flag salesman’s promo bit.
Thursday
Prepping Hollywood style
Ashton Kutcher predicts world collapse
Ashton Kutcher thinks the world would go mad if electricity failed.
The actor - who is married to Demi Moore - wouldn't be surprised if the world goes into meltdown during his lifetime because people rely too much on things that are convenient.
He explained: "It won't take very much, I'm telling you. It will not take much for people to hit the panic button. The amount of convenience that people rely on based on electricity alone.
You start taking out electricity and satellites, and people are going to lose their noodle. People don't have maps anymore. People use their iPhones or GPS systems, so if there's no electricity, nobody has maps."
Kutcher, 32, believes he has already had a glimpse of what could happen after being caught in a power cut late last year.
He recalled to the February 2011 issue of Men's Fitness magazine: "It was 20 below zero. I got my guns out. We made a fire. We went to the grocery store, and the doors were open because they're all electronic. People were rolling in and out, clearing out the shelves."
Earlier this year, Kutcher and wife Demi Moore embarked on a 10-day Master Cleanse diet and the screen hunk claims they choose to exist on nothing but water, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon juice for 10 days once a year in order to prepare for a potential disaster situation.
Ashton said: "If the s**t hits the fan, I like knowing I could live off water and syrup for a couple of weeks."
========================
Water and Syrup eh? Sounds like a great plan. Good luck with that! At least he has a gun. It might come in handy when he finds himself in the throes of a syrup-induced depression over the loss of his GPS.
Ashton Kutcher thinks the world would go mad if electricity failed.
The actor - who is married to Demi Moore - wouldn't be surprised if the world goes into meltdown during his lifetime because people rely too much on things that are convenient.
He explained: "It won't take very much, I'm telling you. It will not take much for people to hit the panic button. The amount of convenience that people rely on based on electricity alone.
You start taking out electricity and satellites, and people are going to lose their noodle. People don't have maps anymore. People use their iPhones or GPS systems, so if there's no electricity, nobody has maps."
Kutcher, 32, believes he has already had a glimpse of what could happen after being caught in a power cut late last year.
He recalled to the February 2011 issue of Men's Fitness magazine: "It was 20 below zero. I got my guns out. We made a fire. We went to the grocery store, and the doors were open because they're all electronic. People were rolling in and out, clearing out the shelves."
Earlier this year, Kutcher and wife Demi Moore embarked on a 10-day Master Cleanse diet and the screen hunk claims they choose to exist on nothing but water, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon juice for 10 days once a year in order to prepare for a potential disaster situation.
Ashton said: "If the s**t hits the fan, I like knowing I could live off water and syrup for a couple of weeks."
========================
Water and Syrup eh? Sounds like a great plan. Good luck with that! At least he has a gun. It might come in handy when he finds himself in the throes of a syrup-induced depression over the loss of his GPS.
Wednesday
R. Lee Ermey has some things to say about this adminstration
Skip directly to 2:35 to hear the relevant segment (unless you wish to hear the worst rendition of Paint it Black ever made)
Congress votes it down, but bureaucrats at Medicare do it anyway!
Has Regulation Put An End To Rule Of Law?
By Thomas Sowell
The Constitution of the United States begins with the words "We the people."
But neither the Constitution nor "we the people" will mean anything if politicians and judges can continue to do end runs around both.
Bills passed too fast for anyone to read them are blatant examples of these end runs. But last week, another of these end runs appeared in a different institution when the medical "end of life consultations" rejected by Congress were quietly enacted through bureaucratic fiat by administrators of Medicare.
Although Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Jay Rockefeller had led an effort by a group of fellow Democrats in Congress to pass Section 1233 of pending Medicare legislation, which would have paid doctors to include "end of life" counseling in their patients' physical checkups, the Congress as a whole voted to delete that provision.
Republican Congressman John Boehner, soon to become speaker of the House, objected to this section in 2009, saying: "This provision may start us down a treacherous path toward government-encouraged euthanasia."
Whatever the merits or demerits of the proposed provision in Medicare legislation, the Constitution of the U.S. makes the elected representatives of "we the people" the ones authorized to make such decisions.
When proposals explicitly rejected by a vote in Congress are resurrected and stealthily made the law of the land by bureaucratic fiat, there has been an end run around both the people and the Constitution.
Congressman Blumenauer's office praised the Medicare bureaucracy's action but warned: "While we are very happy with the result, we won't be shouting it from the rooftops because we are not out of the woods yet."
In other words, don't let the masses know about it.
Read the full article here
By Thomas Sowell
The Constitution of the United States begins with the words "We the people."
But neither the Constitution nor "we the people" will mean anything if politicians and judges can continue to do end runs around both.
Bills passed too fast for anyone to read them are blatant examples of these end runs. But last week, another of these end runs appeared in a different institution when the medical "end of life consultations" rejected by Congress were quietly enacted through bureaucratic fiat by administrators of Medicare.
Although Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Jay Rockefeller had led an effort by a group of fellow Democrats in Congress to pass Section 1233 of pending Medicare legislation, which would have paid doctors to include "end of life" counseling in their patients' physical checkups, the Congress as a whole voted to delete that provision.
Republican Congressman John Boehner, soon to become speaker of the House, objected to this section in 2009, saying: "This provision may start us down a treacherous path toward government-encouraged euthanasia."
Whatever the merits or demerits of the proposed provision in Medicare legislation, the Constitution of the U.S. makes the elected representatives of "we the people" the ones authorized to make such decisions.
When proposals explicitly rejected by a vote in Congress are resurrected and stealthily made the law of the land by bureaucratic fiat, there has been an end run around both the people and the Constitution.
Congressman Blumenauer's office praised the Medicare bureaucracy's action but warned: "While we are very happy with the result, we won't be shouting it from the rooftops because we are not out of the woods yet."
In other words, don't let the masses know about it.
Read the full article here
Tuesday
Questions to ask progressives
Ex-Soviet immigrant Oleg Atbashian tells of meeting a couple of moon-bat "progressives" at a book signing. After attempting (and failing) to rationally debate their points he changed tactics and began asking questions.
Here are some of his questions:
* If diversity training benefits everyone, why do those classes mostly consist of white heterosexual males?
* How come Hollywood can always find a good side in thugs, but never in businesspeople? What was the last movie that pictured a self-reliant, industrious man as a role model?
* If there are no absolutes and family is an antiquated tool of bourgeois oppression, why is having gay marriage an absolute must?
* If Hollywood types are so opposed to capitalism, why is there a warning against unauthorized distribution of their movies?
* How come those who hate humanity for its faults are called “humanists” but those who love humanity for its virtues are called “hate-mongers”?
* Can you name one person who paid the IRS more than he owed because he trusted the government to put his money to good use?
This is but a sampling of the questions he asked. I can almost visualize the moon-bats' heads beginning to spin. Be sure to read the whole article.
H/T to the folks over at Crusader Rabbit.
Here are some of his questions:
* If diversity training benefits everyone, why do those classes mostly consist of white heterosexual males?
* How come Hollywood can always find a good side in thugs, but never in businesspeople? What was the last movie that pictured a self-reliant, industrious man as a role model?
* If there are no absolutes and family is an antiquated tool of bourgeois oppression, why is having gay marriage an absolute must?
* If Hollywood types are so opposed to capitalism, why is there a warning against unauthorized distribution of their movies?
* How come those who hate humanity for its faults are called “humanists” but those who love humanity for its virtues are called “hate-mongers”?
* Can you name one person who paid the IRS more than he owed because he trusted the government to put his money to good use?
This is but a sampling of the questions he asked. I can almost visualize the moon-bats' heads beginning to spin. Be sure to read the whole article.
H/T to the folks over at Crusader Rabbit.
Monday
Take a civics quiz
Test your knowledge of civics with this 33 question quiz.
Note that the average score is 49%.
It's no wonder America is slipping so bad. We've become too stupid to pour piss out of a boot!
Btw...my score was 91%
Note that the average score is 49%.
It's no wonder America is slipping so bad. We've become too stupid to pour piss out of a boot!
Btw...my score was 91%
Saturday
The Christmas Gift from God Almighty
Luke 2
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Friday
TSA reacts to pilot's YouTube videos
SACRAMENTO, CA - An airline pilot is being disciplined by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for posting video on YouTube pointing out what he believes are serious flaws in airport security.
The 50-year-old pilot, who lives outside Sacramento, asked that neither he nor his airline be identified. He has worked for the airline for more than a decade and was deputized by the TSA to carry a gun in the cockpit.
He is also a helicopter test pilot in the Army Reserve and flew missions for the United Nations in Macedonia.
Three days after he posted a series of six video clips recorded with a cell phone camera at San Francisco International Airport, four federal air marshals and two sheriff's deputies arrived at his house to confiscate his federally-issued firearm. The pilot recorded that event as well and provided all the video to News10.
At the same time as the federal marshals took the pilot's gun, a deputy sheriff asked him to surrender his state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon.
A follow-up letter from the sheriff's department said the CCW permit would be reevaluated following the outcome of the federal investigation.
The YouTube videos, posted Nov. 28, show what the pilot calls the irony of flight crews being forced to go through TSA screening while ground crew who service the aircraft are able to access secure areas simply by swiping a card.
"As you can see, airport security is kind of a farce. It's only smoke and mirrors so you people believe there is actually something going on here," the pilot narrates.
Video shot in the cockpit shows a medieval-looking rescue ax available on the flight deck after the pilots have gone through the metal detectors. "I would say a two-foot crash ax looks a lot more formidable than a box cutter," the pilot remarked.
A letter from the TSA dated Dec. 6 informed the pilot that "an administrative review into your deputation status as a Federal Flight Deck Officer has been initiated."
According to the letter, the review was directly related to the discovery by TSA staff of the YouTube videos. "The content and subject of these videos may have violated regulations concerning disclosure of sensitive security information," the letter said.
The pilot's attorney, Don Werno of Santa Ana, said he believed the federal government sent six people to the house to send a message.
"And the message was you've angered us by telling the truth and by showing America that there are major security problems despite the fact that we've spent billions of dollars allegedly to improve airline safety," Werno said.
The pilot said he is not in trouble with his airline, but a supervisor asked him to remove public access to the YouTube videos.
He does, however, face potential civil penalties from the TSA. He said he would likely go public when it becomes clear what the government plans to do with him.
===========================
Here's another article where the pilot is interviewed and explains why he did it.
I tell you with all honesty my friends, Nanny-provided "public safety" (and "officer safety" when it comes to our LEO masters) has totally destroyed ANY concept of personal liberty or individual rights in the country.
The 50-year-old pilot, who lives outside Sacramento, asked that neither he nor his airline be identified. He has worked for the airline for more than a decade and was deputized by the TSA to carry a gun in the cockpit.
He is also a helicopter test pilot in the Army Reserve and flew missions for the United Nations in Macedonia.
Three days after he posted a series of six video clips recorded with a cell phone camera at San Francisco International Airport, four federal air marshals and two sheriff's deputies arrived at his house to confiscate his federally-issued firearm. The pilot recorded that event as well and provided all the video to News10.
At the same time as the federal marshals took the pilot's gun, a deputy sheriff asked him to surrender his state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon.
A follow-up letter from the sheriff's department said the CCW permit would be reevaluated following the outcome of the federal investigation.
The YouTube videos, posted Nov. 28, show what the pilot calls the irony of flight crews being forced to go through TSA screening while ground crew who service the aircraft are able to access secure areas simply by swiping a card.
"As you can see, airport security is kind of a farce. It's only smoke and mirrors so you people believe there is actually something going on here," the pilot narrates.
Video shot in the cockpit shows a medieval-looking rescue ax available on the flight deck after the pilots have gone through the metal detectors. "I would say a two-foot crash ax looks a lot more formidable than a box cutter," the pilot remarked.
A letter from the TSA dated Dec. 6 informed the pilot that "an administrative review into your deputation status as a Federal Flight Deck Officer has been initiated."
According to the letter, the review was directly related to the discovery by TSA staff of the YouTube videos. "The content and subject of these videos may have violated regulations concerning disclosure of sensitive security information," the letter said.
The pilot's attorney, Don Werno of Santa Ana, said he believed the federal government sent six people to the house to send a message.
"And the message was you've angered us by telling the truth and by showing America that there are major security problems despite the fact that we've spent billions of dollars allegedly to improve airline safety," Werno said.
The pilot said he is not in trouble with his airline, but a supervisor asked him to remove public access to the YouTube videos.
He does, however, face potential civil penalties from the TSA. He said he would likely go public when it becomes clear what the government plans to do with him.
===========================
Here's another article where the pilot is interviewed and explains why he did it.
I tell you with all honesty my friends, Nanny-provided "public safety" (and "officer safety" when it comes to our LEO masters) has totally destroyed ANY concept of personal liberty or individual rights in the country.
Wednesday
Take time to laugh
There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses. One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God with no actual address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about.
The letter read:
Dear God,
I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension payment. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with, have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope.. Can you please help me?
Sincerely, Edna
The postal worker was touched.. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.
Christmas came and went.
A few days later, another letter came from the same old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened.
It read:
Dear God,
How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift.
By the way, there was $4 missing.
I think it might have been those bastards at the post office.
Sincerely, Edna
Tuesday
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