DEMCAD's Corner

Avoiding Car Payments is Easier Said Than Done

2017-10-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

"Don't be a debt slave!" "Stop Being stupid!"

We've heard similar these lines from a myriad of self-help gurus. Dave Ramsey is one of the most well known financial gurus who offers people common sense advice on avoiding the dangers of debt. And in a general sense, I agree with most of his message. Dave Ramsey is absolutely right when he states that car loans are wealth destroyers.

He advocates that most people should avoid car payments, because most people get trapped into paying on a loan that never ends.

Dave Ramey advises people to buy a cheap car and save money. You can invest it or use the money that you save to buy a better car.

But what if the cheap car isn't actually as cheap as you think? What happens when the $1,000 car turns out to be a costly nightmare?

I saw a Youtube video by Rachel Cruze in which he advises her views to buy a $1,000 car to avoid car payments. In principle, this strategy seems frugal and wise. In reality, this strategy carries risks that she and Ramey rarely mention.

What if the car dies?

My greatest concern about the cheap car strategy is reliability.

How much money you're going to waste trying to keep that cheap car running? There's a reason why the car is only $1000. Is it because the car is ugly?

Or is it because it's unreliable and a piece of junk.

A simply solution would be to take it to a mechanic and have it inspected.

Unfortunately, a mechanic is not a psychic and can't predict when the fuel pump will die. That $1000 or $2,000 car may require a significant amount of repairs. It's not uncommon for cheap cars to possess a number of mechanical failures within a short time frame. And when that happens, you'll be stuck with the repair bill.

But paying the repair bill will still be cheaper than buying $450 per month for a car that you can't afford. Unfortunately, money is not the only factor. Another major factor is employment,
Good luck holding on to a job when your car keeps dying on you. If you live in an urban area or have a lot of family in your area, you will have secondary methods of getting to work. If you car doesn't start, you can use mass transportation (in the city).

However, if you live in a rural area, the situation will be more complicated. You can't simply jump on the bus when you live in the middle of the sticks. As of 2017, I have been living in rural Kentucky for over 3 years and I can tell you that it is impossible to hold on to a job without a reliable car.

The Dave Ramsey strategy is financially sound, but it feels incomplete. Here are some things that you should keep in mind if you employ this strategy.

Easy Vehicle
Select a low cost used car that is known for being reliable, easy to work on and has a large market for parts. This will keep the cost of repairs at a reasonable level. Hook the car up to a reader and see if the codes have been recently cleared.

Good Owner
Find a private seller and take the vehicle to a mechanic. While you're at it, ask your friends if they know someone who is selling a vehicle. If you can, try to buy that old Buick from an elderly man who retired from GM. Retirees are more likely to take care of the vehicle.

Secondary Transportation
Develop a Backup plan before something goes wrong. How a way to work that doesn't involve the cheap (I mean, low cost) car. Learn the bus schedules or get the Uber app. I recommend joining AAA. And get the premium member if you live in a rural location, because it offers 200 miles of towing.

If you're really interested in saving money, you may want to consider living close to your job site. You could even consider carpooling with family and/or friends.

Circumstances
In 2015, my piece of junk van died and I was forced to buy another vehicle. I put $1800 down on a 2004 Chevy Suburban Z71. I didn't take it to a mechanic, but I let a knowledgeable friend examine the vehicle.

After I bought the vehicle, I had a car payment of $230. But I didn't care. I pay $600 per paycheck ($1200 per month) and had the $7200 vehicle paid off in less than six months. I was able to do this, because I didn't have to pay rent. I didn't live with my parents, but I was able to avoid paying rent and utilities. I was in a very fortunate situation.

In the last two years, I have replaced a front end part, starter, front axle seal, alternator, four tires, water pump, thermostat, coolant hose, serpentine belt and front impact sensor.

I also replaced all four rotors and brakes. Some of these costs are necessary for any vehicle and others are the result of buying a vehicle with over 230,000 miles.

I prefer to avoid debt, but sometimes our circumstances limit our options.

Simply put, you have to assess your situation, add in the variables and make the best decision that you can make.

Don't buy a new car that you can't afford, but avoid buying a used car that is unreliable. Good luck finding the happy median.

Music Review: Carly Rae Jepsen's "Emotion" & "Emotion Side B"

2016-09-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Carly Rae Jepsen and Taylor Swift are the best pop acts in the world, but most people only know about the latter. The former produced one of the best pop albums of 2015: Emotion. Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion was a fusion of sophisticated contemporary pop and a 80's influenced pop. It was an 80's album that managed to provide the audience with music that perfectly utilized what we loved about the 80's, while giving us a fresh and unique sound.

I've listened to "Emotion" for months and I still love every song on the album. Frankly, any song on the album is better than anything I'm hearing on pop mainstream radio. Now, there are some standouts that I must mention.

"Run Away With Me" is a catchy, rhythmic and incredibly fun confession of love. Much of the album projects a theme of a young woman who isn't afraid of reaching for love. Sometimes it complicated, sometimes its simple, sometimes its messy.

Songs like "Boy Problems" and "I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance" are the kinds of songs I can dance to all night. The albums strike s a great balance of dance pop songs with clever lyrics and chill ballads.

The song "All That" represents everything that I love about ballads. The song is honest and beautiful. The song makes me feel like I'm watching a women strip down and bare her soul.

What's fascinating is how naturally and authentic the music comes across. Many singers pipe out love songs, but it's obvious that the songs were entirely written by someone else.

"Emotion Side B" continues where "Emotion" left off. Actually, it expands the range of "Emotion" without deviating too far from the themes of A side albums. The song "Store" incorporates the beautiful melodic contemporary/80's sound of sounds like "All That", but switches up the sound with a more high energy tempo.

The brilliance of the song is that it tells the story of a woman who clearly cares for her lover, but also includes lyrics such as "I'm just goin' to the store. You might not see me anymore, anymore. I'm just goin' to the store". The is playful, soulful and funny.

I'm not going to discuss every song on the album. But I will tell you that both "Emotion" and Emotion B" are some of the very best pop creations that I've heard in years. I highly recommend both "Emotion" and "Emotion Side B".

HARD TRUTH: The Republican Party Needs Cultural Change To WIN AMERICA!

2016-08-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

Look at the photo on the Trump rally in NC and you tell me what's lacking.

By Reginald Kaigler

I'm going to tell you what's wrong with the Republican Party. Obviously, the party has abandoned its small government/liberty ideological roots. But its inability to attracting racial minorities is making the party less and less relevant in American cities and threatens to create a situation where conservatives can't win presidential elections (or even compete in many senatorial races). I will discuss how the GOP can attract more minority voters and win the victory. But first, I must explain why the GOP is losing minority votes.

Rough Upbringing

I will use myself as an example. I am a 34 year old black Libertarian who loves guns and doesn't want to government to take over every aspect of my life.

I was born in the Motor City in 1981 during the beginning of a major economic downturn for the industrial north. The auto industry was beginning to move jobs over seas and close manufacturing plants in cities such as Detroit and Flint, MI.

I was raised by a single black mother in the industrial decaying city of Flint, MI. My mother raised my older sister and I in the heart of the Rust Belt. We were homeless when we moved to Flint in 1985.

Although my family depended on welfare and food stamps to get by, I never felt comfortable in that environment. I think this is why I've always looked for a political path that was different from the people I was surround by. As a young man in college, I didn't know a lot about politics, but I knew that I walked something different.

My mother and older sister were staunch Democrats, but I never cared for the Democratic Party. After all, the Democrat Party had always controlled the impoverished city of Flint and usually controlled the declining state of Michigan.

Black and Ready

Many of the people in my surroundings supported the Democratic Party, because of its support for the social programs that they depended on. I, however, never felt comfortable with the idea of becoming overly depended on the government. I remember coming home for Wednesday night bible study and only finding bread and government cheese in the refrigerator. As a young child, I was often living in unsafe neighborhoods, worried if there was going to be enough food in the refrigerator and always watched my mother struggle to provide for my sister and I. Perhaps this colored my political outlook.

I didn't want to support the white Democratic politicians who only showed up at my black church on the Sunday before election day. I remember a Sunday when three white middle-aged men marched into the church in the middle of the service. They walked onto the pulpit and the politician among them stepped up to the podium. The church was 100% black and we almost never saw white people in the church until the Sunday before Election day.

This white man (a Democrat) stood before the church and gave a short speech. The black congregation was very accepting of the man's message. And nobody seemed to question why this man thought that it would be acceptable to just march into a church in the middle of the service and give a political speech to people he had ignored for the other 364 days of the year.

After the politician finished, he marched out of the church with his lackeys. The black pastor then commented that he would like to see them stop by more often, and not just when it was time for an election. Of course, the politician never did. Because he knew that he didn't have to.

I sat in that church and realized that nobody respected us. Nobody respected black people. We (black people) just blinded supported the Democratic Party and we received nothing in return. Nothing ever improved.

So by the time I was a college student, I was ready for a change.

I realized that my people were being exploited and used. I realized that everyone that surround me was poor and black. And they all voted for the same political party. And for that reason alone, I was interested in something else. I wanted something different.

Clueless Republicans

In 2004, Bush Jr. was running for re-election. I was a college student and was very interested in politics. One Autumn afternoon, I walked through the University of Michigan-Flint's Student Life Center when I saw the tables for the College Republicans and the College Democrats. At the time, I considered myself to be a Republican. I was both socially and economic conservative. I'm more of a libertarian now.

Nevertheless, I was not interested in voting for Democrat John Kerry. Both tables were in the same reception area. There were over 150 college students around.

When I walked over to the Democratic table and was greeted by the college Democrats with smiles. They were friendly and open. Despite the fact that there were other visitors at their table, one of the representatives (a white man) took his time while explaining why I should get involved in his cause.

He provided my with literature and invited me to attend a special event. I didn't like agree with his politics, but he and the other College Democrats were very welcoming. They also had some racial minorities, which was great. Most of the College Democrats were white and some were preppy, but I didn't think much about it. They seemed like normal people. My encounter with the College Democrats was a pleasant experience.

However, when I walked over to the College Republican table, it was a very different experience.

Every single one of them were white, but they were very different from the College Democrats.They were the preppy white youth who looked at me like I was a freak. At first, they seemed to look right through me. I had to engage the College Republicans.I spoke to the young white man who I perceived to be their leader. It was clear that he didn't feel comfortable talking to me.

I asked him what his group did and he told me that they helped "Republicans get elected. All Republicans."

His delivery were flat and cold.

His statement was followed by an awkward period. That was the end of the conversation. He didn't invite me to any event and the other College Republicans were just ignoring me. I couldn't believe that this guy didn't even attempt to pitch me on his political party. The most bizarre aspect of the encounter was the fact that I was the only visitor at their table.

It was one of the most awkward encounters that I've ever experienced. They clearly did feel comfortable being around me. Maybe it was because I was a big black man and I scared them. Maybe it was because I was black and they thought that I was crazy for talking to the Republicans. But I will always remember that encounter.

I have been rejected by many women before, but that rejection was an encounter that I will never forget. I acknowledge that the College Republicans were nothing more that a college group and didn't work for the RNC.

However, it really doesn't matter. The encounter was one of many awkward exchanges I had with Republican groups. Simply put, the Republican groups never wanted me. And this is why the GOP is struggling to win minority voters. Many of us feel like the GOP doesn't want us.

The Republican Party Isn't Ready

I voted for John McCain in the 2008 Presidential election, despite his flaws. I voted for Republicans in 2010, because I wanted the GOP to stop Obama. Unfortunately, it never happened. The GOP controlled Congress didn't fight Obama on his agenda and it didn't push balance the balance (or even attempted to deduce the deficit).

By 2012, I had lost faith in the GOP and certainly didn't trust Mitt Romney.

Frankly, many white voters have lost faith in the GOP. I realize that many people in the GOP sphere don't have any interest in attracting non-white voters. But the fact of the matter is that America is not becoming whiter. We are becoming more diverse. There will be more of us (non-whites) and less of you (whites). If the GOP doesn't find a way to adapt to this change, the party and the principles that it espouses will be come irrelevant.

How the GOP Changes and WINS

They need a change at the grassroots level. The Grand Old Party can't just select a few minorities for key posts. They need to focus on recruiting minorities from the bottom up. They need to get minorities involved in every aspect of the conservative movement and Republican organization.

Think: blood transfusion. Many older white voters will die off. The party needs more voters. Young white voters, Minorities, definitely more young women.

The GOP doesn't just need a black or Indian or Korean candidate running for public official. The GOP needs a black or Indian or Korean person knocking on doors. Otherwise, it just looks like the GOP is putting a black face on the Republican Party. Black and Indian and Korean people need to see members in their community speaking out for the candidates.

The GOP needs a culture change. Stop talking about preventing gay people from getting married and start talking about protecting the second amendment. There are a lot of black, Jewish, Indian, Chinese, Korean, Cuban, Mexican, and gay people who can relate to that. Many of them also want to a more reason tax rate and not get dominated by an overbearing government.

There are minority voters that will support a conservative party, but the GOP can't win the voters if it's not conservative. And it definitely can't win the voters if it doesn't try.

The GOP needs to compete for votes.

I have a strong interest in the second amendment and many other conservative causes. It would be nice if I had a political party in this country that was both competent to attracting voters and willing to fight for the causes.

MUSIC REVIEW: Jason Derulo's "Everything is 4"

2015-06-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Review by Reginald Kaigler

Jason Derulo's 2015 album "Everything is 4" seem crafted for the pop charts. Many of the songs can be play in nightclubs as originals or as a remix of some kind. Many of the songs make my head rock, but there isn't much substance. In a year that has given up albums such as Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly", I expect more from hip hop (and pop).

At times, Jason Derulo's music shines as bright as his "So You Think You Can Dance" persona. When he sings, he projects a charisma that pulls you into the music. The album is more pop than r&b and is perfect for a drive to work. His song with JLo is a wonderful, breezy pop track ("Try Me") that's worth replaying over and over.

Many of the songs are catchy and upbeat, but a few songs seem awkward and immature. For example, his duet with K Michelle in "Love Like That" feels silly and forced. Listening to him sing about sleeping with his best friend's girlfriend feels insincere.

His duet with Julia Michael in "Trade Hearts" is a joy to hear. It's a beautiful duet that belongs on the Top 40 Charts. It also makes me want to break out and dance one of those breath-taking Mia Michaels' contemporary dance number, except I have no dancing abilities and I would probably look like a flopping whale.

By the way, Mia Michaels is a choreographer on the TV show "So You Think You Can Dance".

Anyway, Derulo proves that he can still carry his own weight with "Cheyenne". The song "Painkiller" is awful. The lyrics in the song are tasteless and pedestrian. The tracks "Pull Up" and "Get Ugly" almost demand that you get off your ass and dance. Overall, the album is a strong effort. "Everything is 4" deserves a score of 7 out 10. If you enjoy "Want to want Me", you'll enjoy the album.

Connecticut Gun Law Turning Armed Citizens into Criminals?

2014-03-04T00:34:00.002-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

What's happening in Connecticut is not only unconstitutional, but downright irresponsible. Following the Sandy Hook shooting in December 2012, the CT legislature decided to ignore the second amendment and restrict gun rights by creating a state registry system that would require every so called "assault rifle" and high capacity magazine in the state to be registered by the end of Dec. 31st, 2013. This draconian law was passed by Democrats under the claim that it would make the public safer.

But there was never any evidence that such a law could ever increase public safety. For years, gun control advocates claimed that the pro-second amendment crowd was 'paranoid' to assume that registration would lead to confiscation. Despite the fact that there's a long list of historical precedents that show that governments often use registration as a perquisite to confiscation, the gun control crowd often lied about the ramifications of government forcing people to register their rifles.

Connecticut Gun Owners Ignore Registration Deadline

In Connecticut, gun owners have been forced to into a corner. The government has made it clear that they have two options: register their firearms or risk being charged with a felony. Remember, the new law requires that every magazine that held over 10 rounds must be registered. The deadline has passed and many people registered their guns. But the registration is very low. Thousands of gun owners were late in registering and therefore received letters from the State Police warning them to turn in their guns. Because the registration letters arrived late, the government now knows that they have unregistered rifles and this puts these particular gun owners into a very bad spot.

What should they do?

This maybe a good time for them to visit an attorney. Some people may choose to hide their weapons. And if the police come looking for these gun owners, we could see the beginning of a very nasty trend. No one wants to see a confrontation at someone's doorstep. The police may decide to go after these people or just ignore the list. Whatever these gun owners do, they shouldn't break any additional laws. For example, although it is legal for the police to lie to you, it is illegal for you to lie to the police. So don't provide false statements to the police.

CT: Those who missed gun registration deadline getting letters from state police

The U.S. Constitution vs. Legislative law

I came across an interesting video on Youtube that featured a citizen of CT calling an officer and asking if he was going to enter gun owners homes and confiscate their weapons if a GUN OWNER REFUSED TO TURN IN AN UNREGISTERED GUN.

The most fascinating aspect of the phone conversation was the officer's declaration that he didn't want to talk about the constitution. the offficer insisted that he would follow the law and would only consider it unconstitutional if the U.S. Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional. This is interesting because officers are sworn to unhold the U.S. Constititution. Here's my question to that officer and any officer: If Congress passed a law ordering the indefinite detaining of all Black Americans and the U.S. Supreme Court declared it constitutional, would you still support such a measure?

It seems to me at some point, the police must decide that protecting the people is a higher priority than serving politicians. I understand that most officers are not psychotic assholes on a power trip. Most are normal people who just want to do their jobs. But I think the law enforcement community needs to have this very important discussion.

Prediction

I doubt the Sate Police will start to target gun owners, but if there's a domestic violence call, the police may have a reason to search a home and therefore use the gun law against a gun owner.

How do you think this law will be enforced?

Shocking ATF Gun Running Allegations!

2013-12-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Remember the ATF gun running scandal?

The scandal centered around the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco and Firearms) program Operational Fast and Furious which began in 2009. Based in the Phoenix, AZ field office, the ATF encouraged American gun dealers to sell guns to Mexican criminals so the bureau could track them and take out a cartel. Yet, there was no method of tracing the weapons and they ended up being used in a myriad of murders in Mexico. Thanks to ATF, 2,000 weapons hit the streets of Mexico and two of them were used at the murder scene of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.

ATF agent and whistleblower, John Dodson blew the lid off of the entire situation in 2011. The ATF even stopped him from releasing a book on the topic. Now, Dodson is saying that the Mexicans thugs that killed Brian Terry, were sent to the border to do a drug rip off with information provided by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency). But it all went bad. According to Dodson, these guys were known criminals who were armed by the ATF and directed by the FBI.

And this is the government that wants more gun control?

Questions.

1. Why hasn't Attorney General Eric Holder been fired?
2. Why was the DEA, FBI and ATF supporting these murderous criminals?
3. Why didn't we find this out sooner?

Read the article...

‘Duck Dynasty’: Phil Robertson FIRED for Anti-Gay Remarks

2013-12-19T13:15:00.000-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

I maybe the only man in America that hasn't seen the hit A&E reality television show "Duck Dynasty." But I really don't watch as much TV as I used to. Recently, one of its stars, Phil Robertson, was removed from the show after blasting an anti-gay rant in GQ magazine.

“...start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men... It seems like, to me, a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical...”
From GQ Magazine.

Needless to say, A&E released a statement rejecting Robertson's ignore rant. The man wantonly used his religion to justify his anti-gay rhetoric and I completely disagree with his message. I'm heterosexual, but I don't think any of us should be judging anyone based on their sexual orientation. If someone wants a dick up their ass, so be it. it's none of my business.

Now the question is should Robertson be fired for expressing an opinion that his employer fully rejects? A lot of people are calling this a violation of the second amendment. But it's clearly not. Robertson has the freedom to say whatever he wants, but the network reserves the right to fire him for whatever legal reason they want. And in this case, the network executives felt that he embarrassed them and hurt their brand.

If I were the head executive, would I have fired Robertson? If I were a corporate office manager, I would fire an employee for making a public statement like this.
However, in this case, they made a deal with him for a reality show. They knew what they were getting. They hired him so they could make money off of Roberston being himself. And now they're firing him for being himself.

So in this context, no, I wouldn't fire him. The comment was more ignorant than hateful. He's a reflection of what is preached about throughout the bible.

“...don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers — they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right...”

I'm not a Christian, but most Americans claim to be. So why is political correctness is such contrast with what's written in the bible?

The producers had to know that putting devoted Christians on the network would mean that at least some of them would share this viewpoint. And if so, why fire one for speaking out. Did the network hope that they would be politically correct, because of the large sum of cash they were making?

Probably so.

But it didn't happen. So why did they really fire him? Did they fire him because of what he said or because he actually said it publicly.

Although, I don't agree with his foolish comments, I definitely respect the fact that he wasn't willing to sell out. He spoke his mind and didn't seem to care if it was politically correct. And with this much money on the line, he may have been the only guy in America who was willing to do that.

Retail Sales Up in November, Down on Black Friday Weekend!

2013-12-17T07:06:00.000-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Although, the media is still celebrating strong retail sales in November, the numbers are clear that the most important shopping days were indeed a disaster.

Census Bureau said November sales rose 0.7% throughout November (which includes Black Friday), but the biggest shopping days of the year were very disappointing.

Retail sales raise hopes for 2014

Retail sales in the brick and mortar stores during the Black Friday weekend (including Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Saturday and Sunday) were down nearly 3% nationwide with a loss of $1.7 billion from last year. the average amount of money spent by an American during the four day weekend dropped to $407.02 from $423.55. The total sales dropped to $57.4 billion, drop 3% from last year’s $59.1 billion.

Gloomy Numbers for Holiday Shopping’s Big Weekend

Even the seemingly optimistic report was misleading. Here's a section of USAToday's article,

"....A "temporary reprieve from pump prices, and a lingering wealth effect from rising home prices and record-high equity markets have helped support consumer confidence and consumer spending,'' Piegza wrote in a note to clients. "Going forward, however, temporary factors can only do so much.''
The growth was highly unbalanced, said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial. Cuts in food-stamp benefits held down food sales, and apparel sales are so weak that clothing prices are falling amid a highly promotional holiday season.
"People are buying big things — but they aren't buying clothes,'' Swonk said. "Grocers are complaining.''..."

Tim Mullaney, USA TODAY

These numbers can't be used to justify Dow 16,000.

Last week, jobless claims surged by 68,000 to 368,000 new people filing for initial unemployment benefits. I don't find this to be very alarming, because the only reason why the numbers drop is because of seasonal jobs. Simply put, there weren't any jobs to begin with.

Initial jobless claims surge to 2-month high amid holiday volatility

NEGATIVE Lending Rates? What happen is going on?

2013-11-20T16:56:00.001-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Are they serious? According to market Watch, central banks are considering a negative deposit rate. Basically, the banks store their money in central banks such as the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank and get pay an interest rate. At least, that's the way it works now. With a negative rate, the banks would have to pay to park money in the central banks.

"The European Central Bank is reportedly considering such a move, and officials at the Federal Reserve keep bringing up the idea.... That means banks would have to pay the ECB to lend to it overnight, an unprecedented move for the bank..."

So the rate for the European Central Bank would go from 0.1% to NEGATIVE 0.1%. What the hell is going on in the financial markets?

http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2013/11/20/whats-a-negative-deposit-rate-anyway/

Census Cooked Job Numbers to Help Obama Win Election?

2013-11-18T20:39:00.002-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Remember when the unemployment rate dropped sharply in August of 2012? He really helped the Obama campaign distract the voters from the awful economic reality. There was no economic recovery. And now The NY Post is reporting that government has been actively falsifying the unemployment numbers. Gee, you think?

"Just two years before the presidential election, the Census Bureau had caught an employee fabricating data that went into the unemployment report, which is one of the most closely watched measures of the economy. And a knowledgeable source says the deception went beyond that one employee — that it escalated at the time President Obama was seeking reelection in 2012 and continues today."

John Crudele NY Post.

The New York Post lost a lot of credibility with me when they reported a lot of false information after the Boston bombing. However, they are now claiming that the Census actually produced fake jobs reports during 2012 to help Obama win re-election. They're claiming that employees conducted fake interviews and lied about the data.

If this can be verified by another news outlet, this will be one hell of a scandal.

Census ‘faked’ 2012 election jobs report

George Zimmerman Charged With Aggravated Assault of Girlfriend! Another Alleged Gun Threat!

2013-11-18T20:07:00.002-08:00

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More World News from ABC

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

It's November 18th, 2013 and George Zimmerman is in trouble again. This time, he has been arrested for allegedly threatening his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, was a shotgun.

Let's see, this is the third time George Zimmerman has been accused of domestic violence. This is the second time a woman has claimed he threatened her with a gun. There was an incident in 2005 with his fiance, the alleged pistol threat to his estranged wife this year (charges dropped) and now this allegedly shotgun threat with his girlfriend. Not to mention the fight with the cops in 2005. He was able to take a class to reduce the “resisting officer with violence" charge. That was the year his fiance filed a restraining order siting domestic violence. I'm not even going to go into details about his cousin accusing him of molesting her.

What's important is that there is a clear pattern. This guy has far too many red flags.

Now does his criminal history and charges mean that he is guilty of murder? No.

I think it is fascinating how George Zimmerman's supporters could bash a teenager with no criminal history, while upholding George Zimmerman as a hero when he had such a questionable story and a controversial past.

And even now, many people claim that he was a hero for shooting Trayvon Martin.

Here's my question: How many red flags does it take to wake people up to the fact that this asshole is unstable. He's becoming the media's poster boy for conceal carry and the Stand Your Ground laws.

Race was always a big undertone in the media's coverage, but I was always concerned about how this character would be used to paint conceal carry permit holders as crazies.

Frankly, I think it's embarrassing that so many people in the gun community are continuing to support him. I think the gun community would have been wise to distance themselves from this man.

With that said, I wonder if these charges have changed some people's view of George Zimmerman? After all, they are only charges and he seems to be good at getting charges dropped and sentences reduced.

And it's possible that all three women were lying. Every defendant is innocent until proven guilty.

The question is do you think George Zimmerman is unstable?

George Zimmerman’s relevant past

George Zimmerman Charged With Aggravated Assault of Girlfriend

House Republicans to Impeach Eric Holder?!

2013-11-14T03:34:00.001-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Finally, the House Republicans are going to at least attempt to impeach Attorney General Eric Holder. This man has continued to violate federal law. I've spoken repeatedly about his involvement and coverup in ATF gun-running disaster "Operation Fast and Furious" that lead to 2,000 illegal guns flooding the streets of Mexico. Many of these guns were used by criminals to kill innocent people.

This man should have been fired years ago.

House Republicans to try to impeach U.S. Attorney General Holder

Enrollment in Obamacare is a Complete Failure!

2013-11-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Obamacare

According to the Health and Human Services Department, Obamacare enrollment stands at a mere 106,185. And it gets worse. Most of these plans are state run programs.

"The actual number of those who have selected plans through the glitch-ridden federally run marketplace is about one-fourth of that, or 26,794, HHS figures show."

The federal government expected 500,000 new members for the first month, but obviously the real numbers are no where near the expectations. Interestingly enough, 396,000 people have been deterred to Medicare.

Obamacare enrollment at 106,185, HHS says

Typhoon Haiyan! Obamacare!

2013-11-12T10:49:00.001-08:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Obamacare

Obamacare When if the U.S. government created a healthcare program and no one should up? Well, we will soon find out very soon. Here's how bad the situation is at this point. The U.S. government expected 1.4 million enrollees for the year 2014. So far, in 12 states where the system is running, only 49,100 people have signed up. That's less than 3%. The percentage is 11% in Vermont, but only 2% in New York. But here's the real issue. It doesn't matter. The problem is that there will not be enough young healthy people enrolling into the system to pay for the new sick people. Premiums will rise and the middle class will take a huge hit. They will have less money and spend less. This will impact retail and the entire economy.

State Obamacare exchanges enroll 3 pct of target so far -report

Typhoon Haiyan

One of the worst natural disasters in history has left more than 10,000 people dead as bodies are piling up in the streets of Philippine cities. With winds traveling around 235 miles per hour, Typhoon Haiyan has created a devastating amount of destruction. The government suspects that at least 10,000 people may have lost their lives in the city of Tacloban, Leyte. The number is likely to grow as many more bodies are discovered in the wreckage across the city. Let me just say that I hope the government gets as much help from the international community as it needs. But as always, we can learn from this situation.

Right now, people are desperately looking for food and water in the affected area. I understand that many of you will donate money and supplies to help the victims. And if it reaches the people in the Philippines, that would be great. However, don't forget that this could happen to us. Please take time to seriously assess what your household may need in an emergency.

Typhoon Haiyan survivor: 'I thought it was the end of the world'

Bodies piled in the streets as makeshift mortuaries are overrun and Philippine typhoon rescue teams warn death toll will 'rise sharply' from the 10,000 already confirmed

Update: President Benigno Aquino is now declaring the Typhoon Haiyan death toll to be closer 2,000.

Typhoon Haiyan death toll closer to 2,000, Philippine president says, amid 2 American casualties

When Will the Economy Collapse?

2013-10-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Every once in awhile a stranger pops up in the comment section of my youtube channel and asks, "When will the collapse happen?" It always strikes me as a very strange question to ask given the current economic environment. After all, Rome wasn't built in one day and it didn't collapse in one day either. It was process that spanned over decades. Granted, I thought we would have entered the final phrase much sooner, but history is our best guide.

Many of the same problems that plagued the British Empire, Roman Empire and the Soviet Union are present in the current American Empire. Over-expansion, unnecessary (and damaging) wars, excessive spending, devaluation of the currency, rising poverty, over-the-top cronyism, extreme corruption in government, breakdown in law, lack of respect for leadership and decaying infrastructure are all classic signs of empire decline.

There are plenty of examples of these issues in the U.S. We currently have a record 90.6 million Americans not working, 47.7 million of food stamps, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have cost us trillions without any meaningful results, both the TARP bailout, IRS scandal and bank scandals highlighted the increasing corruption and fraud, the income gap between the top 1% and the lower 50% is growing to record levels, we have no hope of paying back the $17 trillion federal debt, credit card debt is near $1 trillion dollars, student loan debt is even greater at $1.2 trillion, our mortgage debt is $7.78 trillion and total household debt in $13 trillion.

Detroit and Flint were among the wealthiest cities in America with vast industrial sectors that fueled the great American middle class. Now, Detroit is bankrupted, tens of thousands of good paying automotive and industrial jobs have left the cities and the country. We have major U.S. cities like Chicago and New Orleans with less than 10 days of cash on hand. New York City and Philadelphia have dangerously low reserves.

The NSA's increasing, obsessive, expansive, paranoid surveillance programs just shows how desperate the U.S. government has become. The American leadership (if you want to come it that) has become so incompetent that the mainstream media can't even attempt to protect it without losing all credibility. The Affordable Care Act is being exposed as anything but affordable.

The law is fundamentally flawed because it is created with a series of unsupported assumptions. The plan requires more Americans to get a government approved health insurance plan. The problem is that many Americans don't want health insurance, others can't afford it and the law actually encourages the very people the system needs most to withdraw from the system.

Why would a young, healthy adult pay high premiums for a health insurance plan they will not likely use? They could save money by avoiding insurance and simply get insurance when they get sick. Young and healthy Americans will simply take the 1% fine and avoid paying for the pricy government plans, which means many of the new health insurance users will be the older and less healthy Americans. As a result, there will be less people contributing to the system and more users using more services. This will destroy both state and federal deficits. But don't worry, the federal government will just have the Federal Reserve create more money. This will cause the current record $17 trillion federal debt and the $50 trillion debt in liabilities to grow at an even faster rate.

The employee mandate forces businesses to provide insurance for all employees who work over 30 hours. So how will businesses respond? They will layoff full-time workers and replace them with part-time workers. No surprise here.

So by this point is should be obvious that the system is collapsing. The Federal Reserve's money pumping scheme clearly didn't help the economy recover. Existing home sales for Sept 2013 when down 1.3%. The unemployment rate is down, but that's because millions of Americans have given up and dropped out of the workforce. Is that a sign of an economic recovery? In September 2013, the labor-force participation hits 35-year low. Sure, many of the record 90.6 million Americans not working are high schoolers, college students and retired folks, but let's get real. The jobs are not there.

So this brings us back to the question: When Will the Economy Collapse?

A friend of mine had a cabin in Northern Michigan. We went up north and discovered a huge tree with a massive crack leaning over his cabin. Now, anyone who looked up could tell that the tree was going to collapse and slash the cabin. Nobody knew the exact hour and minute, but it was clear that it was going to happen. Needless to say, we hired someone to safely cut the tree down before it collapsed and destroyed the house.

Well, look at the economy as a large bridge severely damaged by an earthquake. Let's call the earthquake, the Federal Reserve. Although, there were many entities that damaged the bridge. Nevertheless, the mayor calls an engineer out to examine the bridge. After a few hours, the engineer's verdict is dire. he declares that the damage to structure of the bridge is catastrophic. He tells the mayor and his staff how they can put in some temporary structures to keep the bridge up.

The mayor then asks the engineer, "If we can't get the equipment, how long do we have until the bridge collapses?"

The engineer sighs, turns to the mayor with a heavy look and says,

"I can't tell you the exact second the bridge will collapse, but you need to call the fire department, alert the federal government and evacuate the area."

Not Looking for Work: Labor-Force Participation Hits 35-Year Low
September existing home sales fall 1.9%
The Ten US Cities With Less Than Ten Days Of Cash On Hand
It's back with a vengeance: Private debt
How the $1.2 Trillion College Debt crisis is Crippling Students, Parent and the Economy
American Household Credit Card Debt Statistics: 2013

Questions about AK Rifles and Ammo

2013-08-30T21:34:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Viewer Question

"I overheard a conversation at my local gunshop and wanted to know your thoughts on the subject. Two gentlemen were discussing cheap 7.62x39 namely tul ammo and wolf, they said that due to the cheap metals that are used to make this ammo that by roughly 4,000 rounds said ammo will ruin the barrel in your ak47. Being that it is not an easy task to replace a barrel in an ak, what are your thoughts."

My Response,

This is why I tell people to conduct their gun research before going into a gun shop. I've never heard so much bullshit and false information as I've heard walking into gun shops. The salesmen often don't know what they are talking about. Frankly, if the salesman is under 50, I would ignore him. I'm kidding. Well, not really. Generally, the old guys tend to be the ones who know what they're talking about.

As far as the customers, too many people repeat crap they've heard from people who know nothing about the product. Last year, I walked into a gun shop, asked a 20 something salesman about the AKs and he gave me some dumb joke about the AKs and talked about the superior accuracy of the AR. The idiot then showed me a rifle he referred to as a Czech AK. There's no such thing. It was a Vz-59. Despite having the same caliber, he had no clue that the guns had two very different designs and they didn't even accept the same magazine.

Now it's true, you will need a gunsmith to get the new AK barrel replaced. However, it will take a hell of a lot of ammo and usage to wear a barrel out. Unless you rapid fire with corrosive ammo for two hours 7 days a week for the 10 years and never clean it, I doubt you'll have to worry about it. It's okay to repeat fire sometimes, but keep in mind that excessive heat is what helps the friction wear the barrel out over time. Few people have the money to wear a barrel out.

As far as Russian ammo, just clean the rifle after you shoot it. I prefer to stick with non-corrosive ammo as it is easier to clean the rifle after shooting. I've shot Wolf (Military Classic and Black box), Golden Bear, Brown Bear and Golden Tiger with absolutely no problems. Just clean the rifle and you'll be fine.

The Suburbanite Who Bugs Out!

2013-08-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

I think too many people assume that moving out of the city will guarantee or dramatically improve their safety if a societal breakdown situation. If a nationwide emergency causes the power grid to fail, some places will be safer than others, but no one will be as safe as you think. I've heard many people say over the years that I need to get out of the city and that I won't have a chance if the shit hits the fan.

But I'm starting to get the impression that these people don't use the nuances of environment and how it relates to emergencies. People often point out the cities will be more dangerous because of the people. And although I agree that in the short term, the cities will be very dangerous, I also think that a lot of the people in the cities will drive to the surburbs, while the suburbanites will try to move into the country. There's a lot of people living in the suburbans around Detroit with cabins in Northern Michigan.

If there's a national emergency, almost everyone in Southeast Michigan is going to be trying to move up North I-75. That means if you're a suburbanite who thinks you're safe, you will likely get stuck in traffic if you try to bug out in the early stages of a crisis. Your best bet maybe to wait until the first wave of violence and panic ends. Personally, I'm not bugging out until I run out of resources and/or facing an imminent threat with overwhelming force. Until that day, I plan to stay in my home and bug in for the long term.

Keep in mind that if you live in the suburbans, a lot of desperate people will be forced to leave the highways and major roads to find resources your suburban area.

Simply put, the city will have more desperate people, but the it will also have many more resources. The rural areas will have less desperate people, but less resources. When you go from the city to the country, you're leaving one set of challenges for a different set of challenges. My ideal scenario would be to locate in a rural area with trusted family and plenty of my own resources.

Remember if you are a suburbanite planning on bugging out, please have resources already at the location. And it would be best to have a trusted family member at the location who can guard it until you arrive. You don't want to show and find strangers in your cabin. if the situation is grave, I doubt a man would be willing to give up shelter for his family without a fight.

Here are the things you will want to have in your vehicle.

1) 4 Wheel Drive
If you have to abandon the major roads, this could can in handy. But also beware that 4x4 makes the vehicle more complicated and if it breaks, it could expensive to repair.

2) First Kid (and knowledge of how to use it.)

3) Fire extinuigisher (and knowledge of how to use it)

4) Water (this includes water bottles and water filters)

5) Lighters and matches

6) Two Way Radios.

7) Spare tire, spare auto parts and tools.

8) A Plan (that all household member are aware of.)

5 Ways To Improve the GOP Presidential Primary! SC GOP Primary Indicates Winner in General Election!

2013-08-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

In the 2012 presidential race, the GOP had two big problems 1) They had a terrible candidate (with a liberal record) and 2) The primary seemed to drag on for months longer than it needed to. Obama had two major liabilities (Obamacare and the economy). Republican nominee Mitt Romney failed to capitalize on either. Not only did the former Massachusetts Governor sign Romneycare (which is the predecessor to the Affordable Care Act), but he failed to created any transparent economic ideas.

The GOP was stuck with a closet big government, corporatist who declared his supported for banning semi-auto rifles (in 2007) and a primary schedule that wouldn't quit. In 2016, the GOP will have to utilize its election schedule to weed out anti-gun liberals like Chris Christie and Over-the-top religious nutjobs (aka sleazy politicians preparing to be hardcore Christians to get elected).

Here's how I would fix the GOP Presidential Primary schedule.

1) Primaries, not Caucuses
Caucuses are too damn easy to rig. Remember Ron Paul being robbed in Maine.

2) Liberty loving States First
Force the candidates to appeal to voters in states with a strong culture of independent thought and liberty.
Say what you will about Sarah Palin, but she is a long way from a closet liberal (e.g. Mitt Romney) or a fascist (e.g. George Bush). As stupid as Palin seemed in 2008, I still trusted her more than McCain. And frankly, states such as Vermont, Alaska and New Hampshire are more likely to take a risk on candidates with fresh ideas. Putting these states first would limit candidates ability to become too depend on using religion to manipulate voters and therefore strengthen the eventual winner for the general election.

3) Red States before Blue States
Weed out the fake conservatives but forcing candidates to actually win over their base in the South, the American West and prove themselves in the Midwest. Why would you have the New York and D.C. Primary before Texas and Utah? And why in the hell is anyone voting in June?

The GOP is not going to win D.C. or NY, why not let Texas play a bigger role in deciding the nominee for a party is is supposedly conservative?

The answer is simple. The DNC and GOP serve the same masters and therefore the entire system is a fraud. But let's assume that it could be reformed.

4) Winner Takes ALL
Enough with letting Scrub#2 win some delegates with only 15.2% of the vote in Alaska. This models forces the weaker candidates out sooner so the better ones can gather up delegates and wrap up the nomination.

5) Shorter the schedule
Remember when Obama was bashing Romney in May 2012 and he was still stuck in the primary. By the way, with my conservative-states-first schedule, Romney would have had a harder time winning the primary and if he did, he would have been done by April 30th. In 2012, it ended on June 26th. What the hell?

Winner takes ALL

Jan. 3     Alaska
Jan. 10 Vermont, New Hampshire, Virginia
Jan 17 South Carolina
Jan. 31 Texas
Feb. 4 Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana
Feb. 14 Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana
Feb. 22 Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas,
Feb 28 Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania
March 6 Ohio, Iowa
March 13 Florida
March 20 Colorado, Wyoming, Missouri, Miss,
March 27 North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana
April 3 West Virginia, North Carolina,
April 10 Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico
April 17 California, Oregon, Washington,
April 30 Minnesota, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Conn., Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, Massachusetts, Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, District of Columbia

6) Common Sense

Is it realistic to expect Republicans never do well when there's 5 presidential candidates in the race after the South Carolina primary? Not really.

In 2008, McCain, Huckabee, Romney, Thompson, Paul and Giuliani were all in the South Carolina Primary. If you have six guys in the race at this point, you have a problem. it means the field is weak.

And this is why the GOP nominee lost in the general election. Remember McCain?

In 2012, Gingrich, Romney, Paul, Santorum and Perry were in the South Carolina Primary. The general election results were the same. Remember Romney?

What about 2000? Sure Bush stole the election in Florida, but I do remember there only being three candidates in the South Carolina Primary. Alan Keyes, John McCain and eventual presidential winner (and cheater) George W. Bush. Too be fair, Obama recieved plenty of votes via fraud in 2008 and 2012. but when the GOP field was small, the nominee won the general election.

In 1996, there were three GOP candidates in South Carolina: Bob Dole, Pat Buchanan and Steve Forbes. However, the economy was strong and Dole was a terrible candidate.Plus, Ross Perot running as an independent didn't help. So he actually had more than three opponents.

In 1992, there were only two GOP candidates in South Carolina. But George H.W. Bush was an incumbent president. It's never a good sign to have a president being challenged by someone in his own party. One challenger is too large of a field when you're an incumbent. This only happens when you piss your own party off.

In 1988, George H. W. Bush, Bob Dole, Pat Robertson were in South Carolina and big surprise, the GOP nominee won.

In 1984, there were no GOP challengers to Ronald Regan.

In 1980, there were only three candidates within the GOP presidential field: Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and John B. Anderson.

Bottomline: Shorten the primary schedule to allow GOP nominee to battle the Democrat, use conservative states to weed out the RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), use winner-take-all to weed out the scrubs and use common sense. If you have more than three candidates in a GOP presidential primary in South Carolina, the field is weak and the Republican Party is going to lose in the general election. When you have candidates that appeal to most of the conservative base, there is no need for 6 guys. Therefore, if you have 4, 5 or 6 guys, the candidates are failing to appeal to the base.

Side note: Here's a clue. If a country club Republican born into a wealthy family named Willard declares the certain guns should be banned, DON'T NOMINATE HIM. Conservative love guns, period! There's nothing wrong with being rich. In fact, I want a candidate who is successful, but if you lack charm, you can't afford to make yourself appear more out of touch by bashing the gun owners you need to win the damn election.

Use your head! The reason why Romney didn't get enough votes is because he didn't give enough people a reason to show up and vote for him. The GOP needs to stop bashing gays and start focusing on solving real problems like the deficit, unemployment, underemployment, shrinking middle class and inflation. They need to focus more on protecting gun rights, stop kissing the big banks collective ass and offer the public a real choice.

What the Hell Happened? Violence and Moral Decay in Black Communities!

2013-07-29T00:41:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Four black teens (ages 16-19) brutally attack man in Little Italy. They broke his jaw. I see young black kids (usually from single parent homes) getting into a lot of trouble here in Flint. And it's only a matter of time until one of them gets shot.

Mob Of Teens Brutally Attack Man In Heart Of Little Italy

This story is not a reflection of all black youth, but clearly we have a problem. Most of our black children are being raised in single mother homes with little or no male influence. The fathers are too often not playing an active role in the children's lives. We have a large percentage of our black mothers with children from different fathers. What we have here in America is a black population that is becoming extremely unstable.

Not only is the black unemployment rate dramatically higher than whites, but we are grossly over-represented in the prison system.

According to the National Institute of Justice, although only 1 out 106 white males are incarcerate in the U.S., one out of 15 black males are incarcerated. Think about that. 1 out of 15 black males are incarcerated. If that's not a sign of instability and failure, what the hell would qualify. And before people send me messages about poverty, slavery and economic inequality, let me cut through the bullshit. Slavery, poverty and racism are terrible, but none of it justifies the violent madness in our black communities.

One Word: Murder!

According to the FBI, even though blacks only represent 12% of the general population, we consistently represent 50% of all murder offenders every year.

LOOK AT IT: Uniform Crime Reporting

Let me break it down for you. In 2011, the United States had 12,664 murders. 50% of the murder victims were black and 46% were white. It gets worse. Here's a racial break of the offenders: 52.4% were black, 45.2% were white. Again, blacks only represent 12% of the population. Houston, we have a f&*%@#$ problem!

There is no conspiracy. Although, most black males are not violent criminals, we are a serious problem. We are producing too many degenerate, thugs. They are killing one each other, they are killing innocent children and they impregnating our women and creating more instability. Our families have broken down, our communities are non-existent and we have lost control.

And the worst thing is that we refuse to admit that we are failing., Just as we refused to admit that the ultra liberal, corrupt union loving, tax-you-to-death, urban disaster known as Detroit was failing. The auto industry's decline hurt Detroit, the political class' response made the problem worse. And now we are making the problem in the black population worse by assuming we can ignore the core problems and blame it on someone else.

We can't blame white people for this madness. Yes, their is systematic and individual racism, but people deal with that all over the world. There are people in Africa who don't even have fresh drinking water. So how can we blame poverty for the the outrageous violence in black areas.

The type of insane killing in cities like Detroit, Chicago, Flint and D.C. is symptomatic of a cultural and moral breakdown.

What the hell happened to black culture? Obviously, most black are not violent loons. Is this the result of CIA operations to poison black communities with crack? Did it begin with the break down of the family? Or maybe it was a combination of factors?

What the hell happened?

Fallout from the George Zimmerman Verdict

2013-07-15T16:52:00.001-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Despite my disdain for George Zimmerman, I'm disappointed by the acts of foolishness that has followed the verdict. A 73 year old black musician was beaten after singing a song in tribute to Trayvon Martin. According to the victim's family, 43-year-old Dinalynn Andrews Potter yelled, "it's all your fault" just before rushing on stage to attack 73-year-old Lester Chambers.

Lester Chambers Attacked After Dedicating Song to Trayvon Martin: Family

In Oakland, there were huge protest in support of Trayvon Martin. There were no arrests, but one journalist claimed he was assaulted when he entered the crowd. At various points, protestors stopped traffic and police retreated. It looks like this acts are isolated incidents and there is no indication that there will be any large scale riots.

In national news, race exploitation extraordinaire Al Sharpton, declared that he will organizing protests in 100 cities nationwide. Activists are now calling for a federal inquiry into the case.They want the feds to look at the case to see if Zimmerman violated Trayvon Martin's civil rights. My guess is that this case is going to be used to push some sort of gun control nonsense. As usual, anti gun authoritarian NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is calling for an end to the "Stand Your Ground" statute. There is no way in hell I'm going to like these people use Zimmerman's actions to take away my right to bare arms and defend myself.

Bottom line: The media will continue to exploit this for as long as they can. They'll keep distracting people from the deteriorating economy, while we focus on everything but the powers that be.

George Zimmerman Prediction

2013-07-13T15:57:00.001-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

So here's my George Zimmerman prediction. I can see it going both ways, but I actually think he's closer to a guilty verdict what most people think. His story doesn't pass the smell test. He claimed to be driving in his vehicle when he spotted Trayvon Martin walking through his neighborhood. Zimmerman called 911 and claimed Martin looked suspicious, yet Zimmerman had no probable cause of that Martin committed a crime or even that a crime was committed.

In almost all states, citizens have the legal right to both conceal carry (with a permit) and make a citizen's arrest. It varies from state to state. For example, in Michigan you can only make an arrest for felonies if you have probable cause. In Colorado, you can make arrests for both misdemeanor and felony offenses. No there was no evidence that Martin committed a crime before Zimmerman followed him in his car and fought Zimmerman.

I don't know what happened that night. Maybe Zimmerman freaked Martin out by following him and Martin attacked. Although, I have some serious doubts that Zimmerman would yell her help when he was the one with a gun. And the kickboxer instructor's claim that Zimmerman couldn't fight effective, seemed very silly after learning that Zimmerman trained in kickboxing for a 18 months.

Drama at George Zimmerman trial as Trayvon Martin's parents walk out of court after jury is shown graphic pictures of their son's body

Maybe Zimmerman snapped or maybe he acted foolishly and started a fight he couldn't win. I just think when you have a jury of six women and the defendant is presenting a story this flawed, there is a real risk of conviction.

On the other hand, the defense has done a good job of creating doubt, Remember, the burden of proof is on the prosecution. They must prove Zimmerman is guilty of manslaughter or 2nd degree murder beyond all reasonable doubt. And I simply think they failed. The 911 tape is so important. Even Trayvon Martin's dad couldn't tell if the person yelling in the 911 tape was his son. That says a lot. A jury could easily conclude that its reasonable doubt.

Do I think Zimmerman is innocent? Absolutely not. He followed the kid even after being told by the 911 operator that it wasn't necessary. he claimed to exit the safety of his vehicle to see what street he was on, but how could he not know when he had been doing neighborhood watch for so long. Why wouldn't he know his own neighborhood. Especially after making over 60 calls in a gated community to 911. And why would he leave a car to find a street sign? He was already in a car. Why didn't he simply drive to the nearest sign? It simply doesn't pass the smell test.

And don't even get me started on Zimmerman's claim that Martin stood over him and said "You're going to die tonight motherf***er". Wow, that sounds like a cheesy 90s action movie line. It was wise of the defense to stop him from getting on the stand and telling this story. It's not believable and the defense has already created doubt. But is it reasonable doubt?

The defense had a witness claiming Trayvon was on top of Zimmerman. It helps support the claim that there was a struggle. But it doesn't clear Zimmerman, because he initiate the conflict by following Martin.

The prosecution for O.J. Simpson was incredibly incompetent and he walked. This team may not be as bad, but it is likely that Zimmerman will walk. But I have a feeling that there is a decent chance that this all-female jury may convict him, simply because he followed Trayvon, shot him and lied about what happened. If it was Zimmerman who was yelling help, should he be acquitted. When if he started it and simply lost the fight and then cried for help? Can you start a fight, lose and then shot someone in self defense?

Bottomline: It's clear Zimmerman shot him and lied about what exactly happened. I think he is guilty of manslaughter, but the prosecution blew the case. If the jury sticks to the law: the verdict will be NOT GUILTY (of second degree murder). If they use common sense, it will be GUILTY (of manslaughter).

Will there be riots?

If it's a NOT Guilty verdict on 2nd Degree Murder or Manslaughter, there will be NO RIOTS. A rally or protest, but no riot. I think the media is hyping this up to provoke a riot and they will fail.

Detroit Bankruptcy Imminent! 25 Shootings in 48 hours in anti-gun NYC!

2013-06-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

25 shootings in 48 hours in anti-gun NYC. Six people are dead. One guy shot an 11 year old girl (Tayloni Mazyck) and now she's paralyzed from the neck down. But hey, at least has plenty of gun laws forbiding law abiding citizens from carrying firearms. Now the city can be terrified by the low life scum. And who can forget the shootings in anti-gun Chicago over Memorial Day weekend. Criminals don't care about laws.

NYC Sees 25 Shootings and 6 Deaths in 48 Hours

11-year-old Brooklyn girl feared paralyzed by stray bullet moves arms in sign of hope

In Detroit, the Emergency Manager Kevin Orr maybe conceding to the fact that bankruptcy maybe unavoidable. He continues to desperately seek a solution to this financial mess. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Orr is organizing a meeting with creditors and unions in June to work out a deal to avoid bankruptcy.

Via The WSJ

"Kevyn Orr, appointed by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in March to take control of the long-struggling city, plans to use the meeting to present a detailed restructuring plan for Detroit's liabilities, which he says total about $17 billion...

Over the coming weeks, Mr. Orr is expected to ask the city's largest unions, pension funds, creditors and bondholders for concessions. It is unclear whether such moves could stave off bankruptcy - or pave the way for it by serving as a template for a court-supervised reorganization.

But with a declining population, shrinking tax revenue base, an already bare-bones police force and a startling high unemployment in Motor City, I don't see how they can avoid a bankruptcy.

Simply put, it's going to be the largest municipality bankruptcy in America history.

Detroit Bankruptcy Imminent

Ask DEMCAD: Young Prepper goes to College

2013-05-06T18:57:00.002-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

A younger viewer asked me what he should do when he goes off to college.

"I'm heading college next year, and not sure how I will continue to prep while in college. I prep low scale now, once I'm out of college and get a real job im going to start prepping hardcore like you do. Should I bring my small BOB/Inch bag with me to college. maybe you could make a video about this."

Whatever you do, I would focus on water. Dehydration kills fast in a crisis. I would make sure I had plenty of water and more importantly, make sure I had a way of purifying water.

Make sure the backpack (bug out bag) is light weight. And don't buy something that sticks out. Go to garage and estate sales to find flashlights and ponchos or tools. But don't go overboard, keep the cost and weight as low as you can. You can build a first aid kit with items from dollar tree. You can buy alcohol swaps, burn creme ointment, hot packs, pads, gauzes and band aids for a dollar each. You may want to buy higher end gauze, but the rest of the stuff can be acquired for a buck. Good luck.

What I've Noticed About People

2013-05-06T05:46:00.002-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

EMERGENCIES
When you warn people to prepare for a possible emergency most people ignore you. No matter how big the threat, people don't act until someone dies. And when a tragedy happens, people react. We Americans don't act, we react. New Orleans knew that their levee system was not up to par, but parades and parties were a higher priority than upgrading the levees. The so called state and city leaders didn't see the threat, so they didn't act. After Hurricane Katrina hit and left over a thousand dead, then the so called leaders reacted. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed the city with a weak design. The local and state governments failed the city.

Afterwards, they claim that they'll never let it happen again. Time passes and nothing gets done. The emotion dries up and something ever gets their attention.

MONEY
People always want to know what you do for a living, so they judge you by how much money you have. You could be the biggest asshole ever, but if you have money, people will treat you better. Even if you treat them worse.

Hell, whenever I've been in a new church (usually black), I've noticed that people are very friendly in the beginning. But after six months, they start to treat you according to your socio-economic status. If you came from a poor family, middle class folks with Cadillacs and Buicks looked down on the people who rode the church bus. I'm not saying all churches are like that, but in America, almost every one worships the all-mighty federal reserve notes some call dollars.

ASSHOLES
People who use the word “Bro” excessively are almost always assholes. They usually refer to you as bro just before they say something really offensive to you.

POLITICIANS
People who run for office are almost never trustworthy. They run with the same trite lines and the same tired rhetoric. "I'll FIGHT for you!" "HONESTY!" "INTEGRITY!"

Here's a word, "BULLSHIT!"

Politicians only look out for themselves. They don't give a damn about you. I almost think we should have a lottery instead of an election.

RATCHET FEMALES
Ratchet females will always get aggressive when they think a guy won’t hit them back.

SAGGING JEANS
Everywhere I go, I see a young black male sagging his jeans and showing his underwear. When will this idiotic trend die? How many times must I hear some young black male (sometimes white) walking down the street loudly butchering rap lyrics with his pants sagging?

ASK DEMCAD: Picking a Concealed Carry Pistol

2013-04-28T20:15:00.001-07:00

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

My name is Reginald Kaigler and I have documented my journey as a prepper on my Youtube channel(DEMCAD. I acquired my CPL (Concealed Pistol License) in the state of Michigan in the year 2011 and I've been conceal carrying my Glock 21everyday since. And by everyday, I mean, absolutely everyday. When I leave my house, I carry my Glock. I don't carry if I'm just going to the car or mowing the lawn.

Comment from Pallyforyou (on Youtube)

Demcad, I am on a budget and I would like to get a pistol. The problem is that I know a full size pistol like a sig 226 or glock 17 is better for a shtf or home defense situation but I don't think I would carry it concealed very consistantly, So is it better to buy a small compact or subcompact like a keltec pf9 or kahr cm9, or just get a full size?

I would not recommend Keltec. I'm concerned about their consistency. I would consider a (Glock 19 Gen 3, not Gen 4 because I am concerned about the consistency of that generation). It's a compact 9mm with 15 rounds. It is extremely reliable. It will shoot just about anything style of ammo. I would also recommend you go to a shooting range that allows you to rent guns out. Try some full size guns, compacts and sub-compact pistols and see what you like. Consider the Smith ans Wesson M&P compact and Springfield XD series.

I know you have a budget, but this pistol has to be reliable. Your life may depend on it. I like to conduct a lot of research on the guns before I even enter the store. You can't rely on a salesman to give you proper information.

Here is my criteria.

Reliability
Service Record
Reasonable Accuracy
Ammo Availability
Magazine Availability
Parts Availability

If you can't find the ammo in stores, how can you practice with it on a regular basis? If you have to pay 60 dollars per magazine, how many magazines will you end up buying? If it jams every other time you go to the range, how do you know it won't jam when you need it the most?

I prefer pistols that have been proven in the field of law enforcement and military. I understand that you are on a budget, but I recommend that you save your money for a gun you can really trust. Put a pistol on layaway if you want. I recommend you try the guns out for yourself. Get a CPL in your state (if you can), research the laws and enjoy.