Allied Liberty News

Cartoons from the UK...

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:15:00 +0000

HOME - Dierks Bentley

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:43:00 +0000

It can't be said much better than this:

West, on a plane bound west I see her stretching; out below
Land, Blessed Mother Land The place where I was born
Scars, yeah she's got her scars
An' Sometimes it starts to worry me, Cause lose, I dont wanna lose Sight of who we are
From the mountains high To the wave-crashed coast
There's a way to find better days I know
It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
Free, nothing feels like free
Though it sometimes means we don't get along
Cause same, no we're not the same But that's what makes us strong
From the mountains high
To the wave-crashed coast
There's a way to find better days I know
It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go But this is still the place
That we all call home
Brave, gotta call it brave to chase that dream across the sea.
Names, then they signed their names For something they believed
Red,how the blood ran red
We laid our dead in sacred ground Just think, wonder what they'd think If they could see us now
It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
This is still the place That we all call home
It's been a long hard ride
And I won't lose hope
This is still the place That we all call home.

Chinese developing EMP weapons to neutralize US Pacific Fleet!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:29:00 +0000

By Bill Gertz

The Washington Times (thanks to Lizzy Belle @ Facebook)

China's military is developing electromagnetic pulse weapons that Beijing plans to use against U.S. aircraft carriers in any future conflict over Taiwan, according to an intelligence report made public on Thursday.

Portions of a National Ground Intelligence Center study on the lethal effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and high-powered microwave (HPM) weapons revealed that the arms are part of China’s so-called “assassin’s mace” arsenal - weapons that allow a technologically inferiorChina to defeat U.S. military forces.

EMP weapons mimic the gamma-ray pulse caused by a nuclear blast that knocks out all electronics, including computers and automobiles, over wide areas. The phenomenon was discovered in 1962 after an aboveground nuclear test in the Pacific disabled electronics in Hawaii.

The declassified intelligence report, obtained by the private National Security Archive, provides details on China’s EMP weapons and plans for their use. Annual Pentagon reports on China's military in the past made only passing references to the arms.

“For use against Taiwan, China could detonate at a much lower altitude (30 to 40 kilometers) … to confine the EMP effects to Taiwan and its immediate vicinity and minimize damage to electronics on the mainland,” the report said.

The report, produced in 2005 and once labeled “secret,” stated that Chinese military writings have discussed building low-yield EMP warheads, but “it is not known whether [the Chinese] have actually done so.”

The report said that in addition to EMP weapons, “any low-yield strategic nuclear warhead (or tactical nuclear warheads) could be used with similar effects.”

“The DF-21 medium-range ballistic missile has been mentioned as a platform for the EMP attack against Taiwan,” the report said.

According to the report, China’s electronic weapons are part of what are called “trump card” or “assassin’s mace” weapons that “are based on new technology that has been developed in high secrecy.”

“Trump card would be applicable if the Chinese have developed new low-yield, possibly enhanced, EMP warheads, while assassin’s mace would apply if older warheads are employed,” the report said.

According to the report, China conducted EMP tests on mice, rats, rabbits, dogs and monkeys that produced eye, brain, bone marrow and other organ injuries. It stated that “it is clear the real purpose of the Chinese medical experiments is to learn the potential human effects of exposure to powerful EMP and [high-powered microwave] radiation.”

The tests did not appear designed for “anti-personnel [radio frequency] weapons” because of the limited amounts of radiation used.

However, the report said another explanation is that the Chinese tests may have been research “intended primarily for torturing prisoners,” or the tests may have been conducted to determine safety or shielding standards for military personnel or weapons.

The medical research also appeared useful for China's military in making sure that EMP weapons used against Taiwan and “any vulnerable U.S. [aircraft carrier] would not push the U.S. across the nuclear-response threshold,” the report said.

Viral of the Day: Just Why California is Bankrupt ?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:08:00 +0000

Just Why California is Bankrupt ?

Here's a list of all CA government agencies

California Academic Performance Index (API) * California Access for Infants and Mothers * California Acupuncture Board * California Administrative Office of the Courts * California Adoptions Branch * California African American Museum * California Agricultural Export Program * California Agricultural Labor Relations Board * California Agricultural Statistics Service * California Air Resources Board (CARB) * California Allocation Board * California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority * California Animal Health and Food Safety Services * California Anti-Terrorism Information Center * California Apprenticeship Council * California Arbitration Certification Program * California Architects Board * California Area VI Developmental Disabilities Board * California Arts Council * California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus * California Assembly Democratic Caucus * California Assembly Republican Caucus * California Athletic Commission * California Attorney General * California Bay Conservation and Development Commission * California Bay-Delta Authority * California Bay-Delta Office * California Biodiversity Council * California Board for Geologists and Geophysicists * California Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors * California Board of Accountancy * California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology * California Board of Behavioral Sciences * California Board of Chiropractic Examiners * California Board of Equalization (BOE) * California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection * California Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind * California Board of Occupational Therapy * California Board of Optometry * California Board of Pharmacy * California Board of Podiatric Medicine * California Board of Prison Terms * California Board of Psychology * California Board of Registered Nursing * California Board of Trustees * California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians * California Braille and Talking Book Library * California Building Standards Commission * California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education * California Bureau of Automotive Repair * California Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair * California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation * California Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine * California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services * California Bureau of State Audits * California Business Agency * California Business Investment Services (CalBIS) * California Business Permit Information (CalGOLD) * California Business Portal * California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency * California Cal Grants * California CalJOBS * California Cal-Learn Program * California CalVet Home Loan Program * California Career Resource Network * California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau * California Center for Analytical Chemistry * California Center for Distributed Learning * California Center for Teaching Careers (Teach California) * California Chancellors Office * California Charter Schools * California Children and Families Commission * California Children and Family Services Division * California Citizens Compensation Commission * California Civil Rights Bureau * California Coastal Commission * California Coastal Conservancy * California Code of Regulations * California Collaborative Projects with UC Davis * California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth * California Commission on Aging * California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers Compensation * California Commission on Judicial Performance * California Commission on State Mandates * California Commission on Status of Women * California Commission on Teacher Credentialing * California Commission on the Status of Women * California Committee on Dental Auxiliaries * California Community Colleges Chancellors Office, Junior Colleges * California Community Colleges Chancellors Office * California Complaint Mediation Program * California Conservation Corps * California Constitution Revision Commission * California Consumer Hotline * California Consumer Information Center * California Consumer Information * California Consumer Services Division * California Consumers and Families Agency * California Contractors State License Board * California Corrections Standards Authority * California Council for the Humanities * California Council on Criminal Justice * California Council on Developmental Disabilities * California Court Reporters Board * California Courts of Appeal * California Crime and Violence Prevention Center * California Criminal Justice Statistics Center * California Criminalist Institute Forensic Library * California CSGnet Network Management * California Cultural and Historical Endowment * California Cultural Resources Division * California Curriculum and Instructional Leadership Branch * California Data Exchange Center * California Data Management Division * California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission * California Delta Protection Commission * California Democratic Caucus * California Demographic Research Unit * California Dental Auxiliaries * California Department of Aging * California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs * California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board * California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control * California Department of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating) * California Department of Child Support Services (CDCSS) * California Department of Community Services and Development * California Department of Conservation * California Department of Consumer Affairs * California Department of Corporations * California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation * California Department of Developmental Services * California Department of Education * California Department of Fair Employment and Housing * California Department of Finance * California Department of Financial Institutions * California Department of Fish and Game * California Department of Food and Agriculture * California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) * California Department of General Services * California Department of General Services, Office of State Publishing * California Department of Health Care Services * California Department of Housing and Community Development * California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) * California Department of Insurance * California Department of Justice Firearms Division * California Department of Justice Opinion Unit * California Department of Justice, Consumer Information, Public Inquiry Unit * California Department of Justice * California Department of Managed Health Care * California Department of Mental Health * California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) * California Department of Personnel Administration * California Department of Pesticide Regulation * California Department of Public Health * California Department of Real Estate * California Department of Rehabilitation * California Department of Social Services Adoptions Branch * California Department of Social Services * California Department of Technology Services Training Center (DTSTC) * California Department of Technology Services (DTS) * California Department of Toxic Substances Control * California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) * California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVets) * California Department of Water Resources * California Departmento de Vehiculos Motorizados * California Digital Library * California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certification Program * California Division of Apprenticeship Standards * California Division of Codes and Standards * California Division of Communicable Disease Control * California Division of Engineering * California Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control * California Division of Gambling Control * California Division of Housing Policy Development * California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement * California Division of Labor Statistics and Research * California Division of Land and Right of Way * California Division of Land Resource Protection * California Division of Law Enforcement General Library * California Division of Measurement Standards * California Division of Mines and Geology * California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) * California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources * California Division of Planning and Local Assistance * California Division of Recycling * California Division of Safety of Dams * California Division of the State Architect * California Division of Tourism * California Division of Workers Compensation Medical Unit * California Division of Workers Compensation * California Economic Assistance, Business and Community Resources * California Economic Strategy Panel * California Education and Training Agency * California Education Audit Appeals Panel * California Educational Facilities Authority * California Elections Division * California Electricity Oversight Board * California Emergency Management Agency * California Emergency Medical Services Authority * California Employment Development Department (EDD) * California Employment Information State Jobs * California Employment Training Panel * California Energy Commission * California Environment and Natural Resources Agency * California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) * California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES) * California Executive Office * California Export Laboratory Services * California Exposition and State Fair (Cal Expo) * California Fair Political Practices Commission * California Fairs and Expositions Division * California Film Commission * California Fire and Resource Assessment Program * California Firearms Division * California Fiscal Services * California Fish and Game Commission * California Fisheries Program Branch * California Floodplain Management * California Foster Youth Help * California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) * California Fraud Division * California Gambling Control Commission * California Geographic Information Systems Council (GIS) * California Geological Survey * California Government Claims and Victim Compensation Board * California Governors Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons * California Governors Mentoring Partnership * California Governors Office of Emergency Services * California Governors Office of Homeland Security * California Governors Office of Planning and Research * California Governors Office * California Grant and Enterprise Zone Programs HCD Loan * California Health and Human Services Agency * California Health and Safety Agency * California Healthy Families Program * California Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau * California High-Speed Rail Authority * California Highway Patrol (CHP) * California History and Culture Agency * California Horse Racing Board * California Housing Finance Agency * California Indoor Air Quality Program * California Industrial Development Financing Advisory Commission * California Industrial Welfare Commission * California InFoPeople * California Information Center for the Environment * California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank) * California Inspection Services * California Institute for County Government * California Institute for Education Reform * California Integrated Waste Management Board * California Interagency Ecological Program * California Job Service * California Junta Estatal de Personal * California Labor and Employment Agency * California Labor and Workforce Development Agency * California Labor Market Information Division * California Land Use Planning Information Network (LUPIN) * California Lands Commission * California Landscape Architects Technical Committee * California Latino Legislative Caucus * California Law Enforcement Branch * California Law Enforcement General Library * California Law Revision Commission * California Legislative Analyst's Office * California Legislative Black Caucus * California Legislative Counsel * California Legislative Division * California Legislative Information * California Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Caucus * California Legislature Internet Caucus * California Library De velopment Services * California License and Revenue Branch * California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program * California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board * California Maritime Academy * California Marketing Services * California Measurement Standards * California Medical Assistance Commission * California Medical Care Services * California Military Department * California Mining and Geology Board * California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts * California Museum Resource Center * California National Guard * California Native American Heritage Commission * California Natural Community Conservation Planning Program * California New Motor Vehicle Board * California Nursing Home Administrator Program * California Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board * California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board * California Ocean Resources Management Program * California Office of Administrative Hearings * California Office of Administrative Law * California Office of AIDS * California Office of Binational Border Health * California Office of Child Abuse Prevention * California Office of Deaf Access * California Office of Emergency Services (OES) * California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment * California Office of Fiscal Services * California Office of Fleet Administration * California Office of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Implementation (CalOHI) * California Office of Historic Preservation * California Office of Homeland Security * California Office of Human Resources * California Office of Legal Services * California Office of Legislation * California Office of Lieutenant Governor * California Office of Military and Aerospace Support * California Office of Mine Reclamation * California Office of Natural Resource Education * California Office of Privacy Protection * California Office of Public School Construction * California Office of Real Estate Appraisers * California Office of Risk and Insurance Management * California Office of Services to the Blind * California Office of Spill Prevention and Response * California Office of State Publishing (OSP) * California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development * California Office of Systems Integration * California Office of the Inspector General * California Office of the Ombudsman * California Office of the Patient Advocate * California Office of the President * California Office of the Secretary for Education * California Office of the State Fire Marshal * California Office of the State Public Defender * California Office of Traffic Safety * California Office of Vital Records * California Online Directory * California Operations Control Office * California Opinion Unit * California Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) * California Park and Recreation Commission * California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) * California Performance Review (CPR) * California Permit Information for Business (CalGOLD) * California Physical Therapy Board * California Physician Assistant Committee * California Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services * California Policy and Evaluation Division * California Political Reform Division * California Pollution Control Financing Authority * California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo * California Postsecondary Education Commission * California Prevention Services * California Primary Care and Family Health * California Prison Industry Authority * California Procurement Division * California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) * California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) * California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) * California Real Estate Services Division * California Refugee Programs Branch * California Regional Water Quality Control Boards * California Registered Veterinary Technician Committee * California Registrar of Charitable Trusts * California Republican Caucus * California Research and Development Division * California Research Bureau * California Resources Agency * California Respiratory Care Board * California Rivers Assessment * California Rural Health Policy Council * California Safe Schools * California San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission * California San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy * California San Joaquin River Conservancy * California School to Career * California Science Center * California Scripps Institution of Oceanography * California Secretary of State Business Portal * California Secretary of State * California Seismic Safety Commission * California Self Insurance Plans (SIP) * California Senate Office of Research * California Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certification Program * California Small Business Development Center Program * California Smart Growth Caucus * California Smog Check Information Center * California Spatial Information Library * California Special Education Division * California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board * California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) * California Standards and Assessment Division * California State Administrative Manual (SAM) * California State Allocation Board * California State and Consumer Services Agency * California State Architect * California State Archives * California State Assembly * California State Association of Counties (CSAC) * California State Board of Education * California State Board of Food and Agriculture *California Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) * California State Children's Trust Fund * California State Compensation Insurance Fund * California State Contracts Register Program * California State Contracts Register * California State Controller * California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) * California State Disability Insurance (SDI) * California State Fair (Cal Expo) * California State Jobs Employment Information * California State Lands Commission * California State Legislative Portal * California State Legislature * California State Library Catalog * California State Library Services Bureau * California State Library * California State Lottery * California State Mediation and Conciliation Service * California State Mining and Geology Board * California State Park and Recreation Commission * California State Parks * California State Personnel Board * California State Polytechnic University, Pomona * California State Railroad Museum * California State Science Fair * California State Senate * California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) * California State Summer School for the Arts * California State Superintendent of Public Instruction * California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) * California State Treasurer * California State University Center for Distributed Learning * California State University, Bakersfield * California State University, Channel Islands * California State University, Chico * California State University, Dominguez Hills * California State University, East Bay * California State University, Fresno * California State University, Fullerton * California State University, Long Beach * California State University, Los Angeles * California State University, Monterey Bay * California State University, Northridge * California State University, Sacramento * California State University, San Bernardino * California State University, San Marcos * California State University, Stanislaus * California State University (CSU) * California State Water Project Analysis Office * California State Water Project * California State Water Resources Control Board * California Structural Pest Control Board * California Student Aid Commission * California Superintendent of Public Instruction * California Superior Courts * California Tahoe Conservancy * California Task Force on Culturally and Linguistically Competent Physicians and Dentists * California Tax Information Center * California Technology and Administration Branch Finance * California Telecommunications Division * California Telephone Medical Advice Services (TAMS) * California Transportation Commission * California Travel and Transportation Agency * California Unclaimed Property Program * California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board * California Unemployment Insurance Program * California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission * California Veterans Board * California Veterans Memorial * California Veterinary Medical Board and Registered Veterinary Technician Examining Committee * California Veterinary Medical Board * California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board * California Volunteers * California Voter Registration * California Water Commission * California Water Environment Association (COWPEA) * California Water Resources Control Board * California Welfare to Work Division * California Wetlands Information System * California Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch * California Wildlife Conservation Board * California Wildlife Programs Branch * California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) * California Workers Compensation Appeals Board * California Workforce and Labor Development Agency * California Workforce Investment Board * California Youth Authority (CYA) * Central Valley Flood Protection Board * Center for California Studies * Colorado River Board of California * Counting California * Dental Board of California * Health Insurance Plan of California (PacAdvantage) * Humboldt State University * Jobs with the State of California * Judicial Council of California * Learn California * Library of California * Lieutenant Governors Commission for One California * Little Hoover Commission (on California State Government Organization and Economy) * Medical Board of California * Medi-Cal * Osteopathic Medical Board of California * Physical Therapy Board of California * Regents of the University of California * San Diego State University * San Francisco State University * San Jose State University * Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy * State Bar of California * Supreme Court of California * Teach California * University of California * University of California, Berkeley * University of California, Davis * University of California, Hastings College of the Law * University of California, Irvine * University of California, Los Angeles * University of California, Merced * University of California, Riverside * University of California, San Diego * University of California, San Francisco * University of California, Santa Barbara * University of California, Santa Cruz * Veterans Home of California

Of course, the only places they say they can cut is . . . "Police and Fire and their kid's Teachers!"
Whether youre a Democrat, a Republican or Independent, this list has to shock you.
No wonder California is BANKRUPT… and, Obamacare has yet to hit them!!

Freedom of Religion, Legislating Morality and the Constitution

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:39:00 +0000

Marriage has always historically been a religious rite. Generally, people talk about issues such as "separation of Church and State" and "religious freedom" without fully understanding the meaning of the term "religion". I hear the term "religion" constantly tossed around by people who are totally clueless to what they are saying.

Everybody has beliefs about God, the afterlife, societal norms, etc. "Religion" is what you do in your day to day life to express those beliefs. Some people are monotheistic, they believe in God. Their religion is attending church services. They have rituals and rites that vary from (individual) Church to Church, from denomination to denomination (a horrible term as a denomination is less than the whole and is used by some extremists to claim that any "denomination" is a "demon" i(c) "nation"). Others are agnostic, like KOOK. His religion is doing other things, but he has a religion. All people have a religion. Atheism is a religion. It claims not to be, yet when atheist activist groups buy signage on the sides of busses and billboards saying "there is no God", they are trying to spread their beliefs. Spreading one's beliefs, whether it be spiritual, political or nothing more than hobbies or interests is all religion.

According to some who claim not to be religious, morality cannot be legislated.

I challenge that notion! Laws are put in place to provide a moral foundation for society. Why have murder, assault, theft or vandalism been illegal since long before the founding of this country? Because those things are clearly morally wrong, but also harm others. The notion that you cannot legislate morality is a liberal concept intended to erode the moral fabric of our society. The "greens" claim to want environmental laws because it is supposedly "morally" wrong to put carbon dioxide into the air. The concepts of right and wrong, good or evil are moral concepts. What is the reason given for every law passed...it is the right thing to do...morality...

Where the legal system is overstepping it's bounds, set by the Constitution, is in trying to protect us from ourselves and shield us from taking responsibility for our actions. The founders of this nation understood that if a group of people can use the government to force the an individual to do or not do what they want, eventually there would be enough such groups that nobody would be free to do anything.

Both the "atheist left' and the "religious right" have tried to use the government to force people into behavior only acceptable to them. Both, in doing so, have grossly eroded our Constitutional rights. The "religious right" has lost much of it's appeal because prohibitions they once supported have been turned on them..such as the "war on drugs" morphing into the war on "drugs, sugar, cholesterol, etc. The "atheist left" is also losing it's appeal as it's supporters never imagined the taxes and social changes they wanted would take their freedoms away. Neither of those two sides' agendas are based on or even look at the Constitutionality of their agendas. It's all about "the greater good"...greater than WHAT??

The point here is that there is a big difference between the "gay" agenda, which is nothing more than Fascist style statism wrapped in a "rainbow" colored package, and the individual rights of all Americans no matter their lifestyle choices. Religion is not WHAT we believe, but HOW we put those beliefs into practice, therefore atheism is just as much a religion as Christianity and should be acknowledged as such and be treated as such. Religious freedom is guaranteed in the Constitution. If a religious group believes that gays should be allowed to marry, that opinion and outcome is protected by the Constitution whether we like it or not.

There is no "but what if" clause in the Constitution, such as "but what if the majority of people don't want other hardworking tax paying Americans to have the same religious freedom they do". I'm not a big fan of "gay marriage" by any means, but if somebody's religious beliefs are so, then their religious freedoms should be protected, as should everyone else's...to the point that such actions cause no harm to others. If the "Neocons" want to bash me for saying this, they are welcome to do so, but I bet they can't debate this on Constitutional grounds...

In Defense of Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:10:00 +0000

This is probably not the post you think it is.

What is Marriage, fundamentally? Do you believe that Marriage is essentially a religious ceremony or rite? I think everyone will agree that it is essentially a religious joining of two people. Can anyone explain to me why one has to have a license from a secular government in order to have a wedding?

Our Nation was founded partially on a belief that :

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

I think I can speak for everyone when I say I do not want Congress making any laws with respect to religion. I would prefer the government not try to legislate morality. They will only fail. Can you show me a more amoral group of people? Do you want them to try to create standards of morality? Ultimately an amendment defining marriage would be unconstitutional in my view, because marriage is an exercise of religion and we are protected against congress making laws governing that. We all know how good and innocent things get twisted by government. Do you really want government involved in who you will marry?

When we talk of Marriage it MUST be understood that we are discussing two concepts that have been artificially intertwined.

Who thinks that Abraham went to the Courthouse to get a marriage license to wed his wife?

A Marriage is religious. That is what happens at the church. A ‘marriage license’ is a license to form a civil partnership which can be executed by a judge or a preacher or the captain of a ship. Right now it is a ‘special’ civil partnership, and differs from a civil union. But it shouldn’t in the eyes of government.

Does everyone agree?

Then how can anyone be in favor of congress making a law in defense of marriage?

Just because a law happens to protect something you or I might agree with does not mean we should be for it!

What we need is a repeal of ANY law the government has made that affects marriage. That is the only way to truly protect “Marriage” from the Government.

I am in favor of moving any benefits or penalties the government has on Marriage, to Civil Unions. Let anyone who wants a Civil Union have a Civil Union for their Civil Rights. Marriage is a religious institution, let churches and congregations decide who they think God wants to be joined together in matrimony.

I watched the Republican Primary debates and every one of the candidates except Ron Paul is in favor of an amendment to define marriage. THAT IS WRONG, PEOPLE! Let the government define it, and in short order they will be regulating WHO can Marry. Remember You Can Only Be For The Government Being as Involved In Someone Else’s Life the Amount You Want the Government Involved In Yours. Keep that in mind and you will see things differently.

-KOOK

Lower Gasoline Prices Predicted–Why?

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:14:00 +0000

The average price of gas nationally has declined to $3.67 ($3.34 this weekend in my area)a gallon from nearly $4 a gallon last month, and some forecasters predict prices will continue to fall through summer. Nonetheless, prices remain $1 higher than a year ago.

In a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, 69% of respondents said they had been affected "a great deal" or "quite a bit" by an increase in gas prices this year, compared with 55% hit by a jump in food prices, 28% by an increase in the unemployment rate and 22% by a rise in the number of home foreclosures.

Wallace Tyner, an economist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., said the volatility—and visibility—of gas prices have a great impact on consumer psychology. "Every gas station has the price posted in big numbers that are a constant reminder of the changes," he said

Okay, everyone who thinks that the big players in the market are nudging the price down in a play to help Obama’s approval ratings raise your hand…

Lower gas prices will certainly be better for the economy this summer. It is probably the single best thing that could happen to our economy right now- helping everything from tourism to grocery prices. Since this governments policy is not to allow more drilling here, and instead to continue to buy oil from the same people who are funding those trying to kill us – it is the only viable choice to help flagging political ratings.

And why is gas dropping in price? Summer blends are usually more expensive, aren’t they? Are we not still in Afghanistan and Iraq? Did Israel and the PLO suddenly reach a settlement? Are they no longer fighting in Syria? Yemen? Did achmadinajihad step down and a Israel/USA loving president take control of Iran? Did India and China cut Oil Imports?

You mean that the flooding in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri and the fires and drought in the Southwest aren’t enough of an excuse to keep prices high?

What do you think?

Everything wrong with Progressivism in a post!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 11:37:00 +0000

I found this Gem at Teresa's blog. http://teresamerica.blogspot.com/ What better way to lay out everything that is wrong with progressivism that to simply lay it all out. That is what Teresa did and that is why this is cross posted here as well.

AD33

Progressivism 101

1) They consistently abet and defend the criminal rather than the victim.

2) They promote moral relativism and immorality.

3) They promote "diversity" and "equality" while being intolerant of anyone who has a differing point of view

4) Progressives enable the poor to be and stay poor, and promote permanent dependence on the government.

5) They persecute, marginalize and censor (at least attempt to) any person who espouses any traditional, Christian, or conservative point of view.

6) They resort to name calling when the facts do not support their agenda. This happens quite a bit since the facts usually don't support their arguments.

7) Progressives distort history in order to advance their agenda.

8) There are many instances where progressives simply omit either partial or complete segments from history.

9) Progressives are oblivious to reality.

10) They promote indoctrination of our youth

11) Progressives have anti-Semitic sympathies

12) Progressives themselves have been so desensitized and indoctrinated by the MSM or Left-wing extreme news that they see any fair & balanced news as a "right-wing" distortion of facts.

13) Progressives think that they represent the mainstream of America because they have people like George Soros (Spooky Dude) aggressively promoting their point of view when in fact they don't represent mainstreet America.

14) They encourage class warfare.

15) They believe in the rights of union employees but not the employers.

16) They are ignorant and sympathetic with our enemies when it comes to foreign policy.

17) Progressives believe in "spreading the wealth". They believe that they have a "right" for the government - taxpayers- to take care of them so they don't have to take responsibility and take care of themselves.

18) Instead of truly fixing medicare, medicaid, and the cost of our health care, progressives would rather demagogue the issue and advocate rationing or euthanasia for the vulnerable - sick and elderly.

19) They prey on the most vulnerable and innocent, promoting the murder pre-born children because of what they call "choice".

20) Progressives promote the "you are a racist" or racism meme.

21) They promote statism - strong, big centralized government, communism, socialism, welfare state

22) Progressives promote a mob-like mentality.

23) They demonize the wealthy, the job creators.

24) Progressives believe in power, and in obtaining an enormous amount of power and control over our lives.

25) They believe in racial reparations when those who are in existence today have no history of keeping blacks as slaves.

26) Progressives believe in forcing taxpayers to relinquinsh funds - i.e. their earnings - over to the government instead of true charity from the heart.

27) They don't believe in the Constitution, but see it as an outdated paper which is interfering with their endgame.

28) They ONLY use the Constitution when it fits with their agenda.

29) Progressives are anti-God, anti-prayer in the public sphere, and promote separation of church and state when that is seen nowhere within the Constitution.

30) Simply stated, they're WRONG!

"No one would dream that three people should “vote” to make the fourth person pay for them. Why does it become right when done through the government"

noreply@blogger.com (Left Coast Rebel) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:36:00 +0000

By the Left Coast Rebel

The quote in the headline of this post was taken from "What is "Fair"?" at Liberty Unbound, which got me a-thinking this morning.

Just What is This Fairness I keep Hearing About and Where can I get Some?

Any of the numerous times that I have heard the chief collectivist in the White House proclaim how much the United States values "fairness" in our tax system, markets, "national" income, etc., I cringe, wince, yell and throw things at the television and/or perform repeated face palms.

I get so irritated by the uses of a anti-concept like "fairness" because it is an incredibly subjective term dependant upon one's worldview.

How Can a Guy as "Smart" as Obama Believe in Such a Fallacy?

Bringing up "fairness" (specifically in taxes and the iron fist of government power) begs several questions. Every time you hear King Obama mention it, think of a few simple scenarios and questions:

Fair to whom? A Republican-appointed bean counter? A Democrat-selected Czar? A committee that has control over your life, public life, a city or state? Fairness determined by a compromised President? Your neighbor? A Che Guevera-lusting college professor that thinks communism is fair? An idiotic, brain-cell-challenged teenager that is just lazy and likes to think that "fairness" is an 24/7 X-Box-playing government-subsidized lifestyle? A union-thug demanding the overwhelming majority of your income simply because they wake up in the morning? (pictured at right).

Isn't it so much better for markets and individuals to be the final arbiter in deciding that which is fair? For instance, I don't think that it is "fair" for me to pay progressively higher tax rates on my personal income simply because I work 12 hours-a-day and put a lot more effort into my career than my fat, lazy 12-pack-a-day neighbor does. I think that progressive taxation limits my income potential, choices and liberty. I, as a responsible adult individual should be allowed to pursue my career without fear of penalization via. progressive overlord concepts of that which is fair. My income is my property and without it, I am deprived of my personal freedom.

Again, "fairness" is an anti-concept, paraphrased by the Ayn Rand Lexicon site, as:

An anti-concept is an unnecessary and rationally unusable term designed to replace and obliterate some legitimate concept. The use of anti-concepts gives the listeners a sense of approximate understanding. But in the realm of cognition, nothing is as bad as the approximate . . . .

I've Seen Fair and Her Name is Socialism

Effectively used by our progressive overlords, fairness replaces and obliterates the unyielding, uncompromisable, nearly forgotten concept that this nation was founded upon: liberty. That's why a government focused on such a non-tangible subjective credo is so dangerous. There is literally nothing in its path to keep it in check. From Barack's psuedo communism to Fidel Castro's real deal, collectivist notions to rob you of your pay check, life and liberty at gunpoint always begin with selling "fair" to a non-thinking public unwilling or unable to weigh the tradeoff of socialism versus human freedom.

For further reading on this topic, please read, "What is "Fair"?" at Liberty Unbound and "C’mon Time to Give Something Back" at Allied Liberty News.

Cross posted to LCR, Libertarian Patriot, Allied Liberty News and Rational Nation.

We Failed This Generation

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:05:00 +0000

“Our Daddies won the war, then they came home to our moms
They gave 'em so much love that all us kids were born.”

They say the strongest steel is formed from the metal that has been hammered and folded the most. If this is true the two generations that preceded the Baby Boom: The Greatest Generation, and the so called Silent Generation, were strong steel indeed. The earliest of the Greatest Generation were born around 1901. Their parents and grandparents were children of the Civil War. They saw the end of the horse and the rise of the automobile. (And we think the transition from Dial up to Broadband was a big deal). They came of age during WWI, and were becoming adults at the start of the Great Depression. By this time the weak and the lazy had been weeded out. They knew hardship, they knew pain, and yet they believed in freedom. After the attack on Pearl Harbor the whole generation went to war. More death, more suffering, and the strong survived. The group slightly behind them were children during the Depression, too young to go and fight, they are called the Silent Generation. They saw and dealt with, as children all the things their older brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles went through. They also knew hardship and pain, and loss. They lost family during the war, they dealt with the rationing at home, they read the news reports, and watched the news at the theater.
These two generations are probably the toughest ever born in our nation. They had inner and outer strength and they were patriotic and knew America held a special place in the world. They were also the first generation of Americans who were wealthy enough to be able to give their kids the things they did not have as children. Our culture became very Child-centric. If the returning soldiers could have been warned that they needed to guard their families every day from the cultural rot that would take place in the schools and if they would have talked to their chidren about why they fought in the war and what it meant the story would be different. But it seems many of them chose to just move on with their lives and shield their children from the evils of tyranny. I recently heard of a man who waited 37 years to tell his family what he did in the war and what it meant to him. He was a Silver Star recipient and knew first hand the evils of Statism.

“We all grew up on Mickey Mouse and hula hoops.
Then we all bought BMW's and brand new pick-up trucks.
And we watched John Kennedy die one afternoon.
Kids of the Baby Boom.”

But if the strongest steel comes from being forged under pressure, what does that say about the steel that never was put through the trials and heat? Their parents seeking a better life for their kids than the ones they had gave them more than any generation of children before had ever had. It was a time of stupendous growth in the USA. Suburbs were born, many families had two cars, food was bought at the store, and nearly everyone had a television and a phone. People took vacations on the new highways that were built. Route 66 became famous. RVs were invented. People began to use Dishwashers, & Clothes Washers, we put a man on the moon. It was magical.

“It was a time of new prosperity in the USA.
All us fortunate offspring never had to pay.
We had sympathy for the devil and the Rolling Stones.
Then we got a little older, we found Haggard and Jones.
A generation screaming for room.
Kids of the Baby Boom.”

The Baby Boomers, and the mini-generation behind them, the so called Generation Jones, grew up in a culture, the speed of advancement and wealth of which had never been seen before in the world. Then we were drawn into the Vietnam Conflict and these kids were called upon to go and fight as their parents and grandparents had done. The stated goal was to contain Communism, but the threat to our society was intangible to most and the war was fought literally from the oval office. Many of their parents were shocked that their kids would question answering the call. They would have never done so. But these kids were different and most assuredly this war was different. We won it on the battlefield and lost it in public opinion and the media. All of this of course spawned the counterculture, the summer of love, Woodstock, “I’m OK, You’re OK”; Tuning in and Dropping out, Free Love, Open Society, the SDS & The Port Huron Statement, The Black Panthers, & the Weather Underground.
And the communists and socialists smiled.
People began to fear the government instead of the other way around. The Culture had changed, moral relativism and a turning away from core beliefs had begun. History was seen as irrelevant at best, and untrue at worst.

“Kids of the Baby Boom,
We have freedom, we have money.
Baby Boom, here in the land of milk and honey.
Counting our chickens way too soon.
Kids of the Baby Boom.
Now we all can run computers and we all can dance.
We all have Calvin Klein written on our underpants.
And at 6 o'clock like robots we turn on the news.
And watch those third-world countries deal out more abuse.
Remember the first man on the moon.
Kids of the Baby Boom.”

The economy turned sour, the middle east began to be a concern, terrorism began its rise. The cold war was in full swing and the Boomers and The Jones’ began having their babies. Reagan was elected. The economy got better, a new time of prosperity in America. They thought they had seen hardship because of the Gas Crisis and Stagflation. Boomers are known as being a bit self involved. It was the generation where Sociology and Psychology really came to prominence. Self-Esteem was born as a concept. Their children grew up at the Dawn of MTV (as opposed to now, where MTV is dead; youtube taking its’ place) . We of Generation X grew up as children of the hippies. We lived in a very real time of fear of communist takeover and nuclear war. Our generation was the first raised by divorced parents, where both parents worked outside the home, we were left alone much of the time. The television and the Atari, later NES, were our baby sitters. Computers began to be used in the home. We grew up watching movies from the video store. We are the so-called latch-key kids. The drugs and the music that a lot of the kids of this generation were hooked on seemed far less fun and happy than the drugs and the music of their parents.   Schools were pressured to discontinue punishing students and parents wanted teachers to “like, quit hassling my kids, man”.
The kids born to the X generation wanted to be friends with their kids more and more instead of being parents. Competition began to be seen as something less than good. Political Correctness began its’ march to prominence. Teachers began to teach to tests. A generation of students raised under the Great Society Welfare Boom, did their own version of “dropping out.”   We quit saying the Pledge, and Prayer was outlawed in school. Being a Christian began to carry a stigma.
Things like “New Math” and “Small Group work” (little more than music circles themselves) took over from “Readin’, Ritin, and Rithmatic”.
Children were no longer held back for failure, indeed by the end of the Nineties, there was almost no way to actually Fail. College began to be seen not as something to aim for, but something that was expected. A Degree was turned from something indicating a certain level of learning to a “gimme a job” certificate. Teachers were encouraged not to use red ink because it was hurtful to self esteem.
Gen Y went through high school, (the ones that went, and the ones that were not already being home or private schooled) under this system.
Now, Gen Y is having children.
A generation of kids who had little clear direction and parental guidance, who all got ribbons and trophies just for being on a team that they didn’t even try out for having kids.
But the kids aren’t stupid, they are ignorant. They were raised believing lies and half truths peddled by the spin doctors of the liberal media, the liberal education system and the nanny state.
Thus is the state of Education in this country, and the failure is not the kids’ failure to learn. It is the older generations failure to teach and guide. It is the Boomers, Jones and X’s not understanding proper role of government and the importance of character. It is an increasingly liberal government subsidizing birth rates, divorce, and encouraging welfare and dependency.
We have lost our way; and we haven’t really given our kids a map. If our society’s light goes out, it will not be their failure, but ours.

Marco...Marco...Marco (Rubio) doesn't listen very well.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:06:00 +0000

Do you or do you not support the FY2012 Federal Budget Known as the "Ryan Plan"? This is what was asked of Senator Rubio, and here's his response

Dear Mr Uninformed Voter,

Thank you contacting me in regards to Paul Ryan's budget proposal The Path to Prosperity which was passed in the House of Representatives. Our nation is facing a crossroads; the decisions we make today will have long-lasting effects on our economy, debt and deficit. Washington must enact a responsible, cost-conscious budget that accomplishes both short and long-term financial security.

The United States' government's exorbitant spending must stop. This fiscal year, our federal deficit has reached an unsustainable $1.65 trillion. President Obama's budget proposal for FY 2012 falls far short of tackling our national debt in a serious way. Although we face a staggering deficit, the President's proposal would add $9.5 trillion of new debt over the next decade. This is why I have continued to fight against President Obama's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2012. While the President insists he would take the commendable step of vetoing earmarks, his silence on entitlement reform, the absence of meaningful spending cuts and his reliance on anti-competitive tax increases will cause more economic uncertainty, stifle job creation and keep America on a path toward a diminished future.

In contrast, Chairman Ryan's budget plan offers an important first step toward tackling our debt crisis and boosting our economy. It is a pro-growth proposal that significantly cuts spending by $6.2 trillion and outlines fundamental policies that will help create jobs—an essential component to reining in our debt. Also contained in the Ryan budget is the repeal of Obamacare, and the creation of 1 million new private-sector jobs next year which would bring the unemployment rate down to 4 percent. The budget also reforms our tax code and prevents any new taxes proposed by the President. Furthermore, non-security discretionary spending will be returned to levels prior to the 2008 economic crisis and deficits will pay off the deficit and debt in the near future.

The Ryan plan also addresses Medicare and its insolvency. This program is currently facing substantial financial challenges which must be addressed in order to protect current and future generations of Americans. This year, Medicare expenditures amount to approximately $491 billion of net government spending, or about 3.8 percent of our nation's gross domestic product. We must confront the reality that Medicare is on an unsustainable path and changes must be made. Individuals currently receiving Medicare benefits and those who are approaching retirement age (55 or older), should not and will not be subjected to any changes. However, Congressman Ryan's budget plan saves Medicare by creating a new premium support plan for future beneficiaries, much like the plan members of Congress currently have, where low-income beneficiaries and those with higher health costs receive greater support.

Our fiscal problems today are due to decades of profligate spending by both parties. We have a job-crushing debt because Washington has repeatedly postponed the tough decisions. The American people have every reason to be disappointed by the President's federal budget. Chairman Ryan's budget proposal comes close to what we need in order to get our fiscal house in order. As Florida's Senator, I will keep your thoughts in mind as I work with my colleagues to enact a responsible budget for FY 2012 that addresses the long-term fiscal problems we face as a state and nation.

So..I take from this that he kind of sort of maybe supports something not unlike the "Ryan Plan" as long as blah blah... blah blah blah and bipartisan blah blah blah blah. Oh sorry, I must have been daydreaming again. Not unlike Marco who apparently thinks he is John Edwards as now as he talks out of both sides of his mouth.

MARCO?!?!?!?!? IT WAS A YES OR NO QUESTION, NOT A REQUEST FOR A COLLEGE STYLE THESIS ON THE MERITS AND PITFALLS OF THE FY2012 HOUSE BUDGET. APPARENTLY, YOU THINK VOTERS ARE AS STUPID AS THE OTHER SOON TO BE FORMER SENATOR FROM THIS STATE. I cant wait until all the folks who think you belong in the oval office see you for the RINO you really are.

UN "small arms treaty" set up to bypass 2nd Amendment

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:20:00 +0000

Anti-terror Treaty Seen as 2nd Amendment Threat
Thursday, 09 Jun 2011 10:44 AM
By Henry J. Reske (Via Newsmax)

A “Small Arms Treaty” currently being considered by the United Nations could end up infringing on American Second Amendment rights. While the measure must first pass the U.N. and then manage to secure U.S. Senate ratification, it could result in firearms licensing and confiscation, University of Houston professor Larry Bell writes in an Op-Ed for Forbes.

The treaty is aimed at fighting terrorism, insurgency and international crime syndicates but “you can be quite certain that an even more insidious threat is being targeted – our Constitutional right for law-abiding citizens to own and bear arms,” Bell writes.

While noting the terms have yet to be made public, Bell argues the measure could force the United States to enact tougher licensing requirements, confiscate and destroy all “unauthorized” civilian firearms, ban the trade, sale and private ownership of all semi-automatic weapons, and create an “international gun registry, clearly setting the stage for full-scale gun confiscation.”

“Former U.N. ambassador John Bolton has cautioned gun owners to take this initiative seriously, stating that the U.N. ‘is trying to act as though this is really just a treaty about international arms trade between nation states, but there is no doubt that the real agenda here is domestic firearms control,’” Bell wrote.

He concludes, “Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to stick by our guns in demanding that all Constitutional rights be preserved. If not, we will surely lose both.”

© Newsmax. All rights reserved.

Separated at Birth: Anthony Weiner's Long Lost Twin!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:22:00 +0000

Well, we finally know what butt-head's last name is.

AD33

Bill Nelson (D) FL Responds!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:58:00 +0000

I called Bill Nelson's office and made it clear which way he should have voted on the "Ryan Plan". He didn't listen and sent me a well worded, and totally overworded response. Apparently Mr. Nelson thinks that if he uses lots of really big words, us stupid people won't understand him. So, I rewrote his response so the really stupid people (his supporters) can better understand him. Feel free to pass this on:

Dear Mr. Worthless Taxpayer,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the long-term budget plan put forth by the House of Representatives in H.Con.Res.34, which the Senate rejected by a vote of 40 to 57. I voted against the bill because I was not satisfied with the scope and nature of the plan. However, I believe it is an important first step in dismantling the effort to put us on a more sustainable path.

One of the main features of the House’s budget plan is the conversion of Medicare into a voucher-like program that funds private insurance plans without any safeguards for the maintenance of coverage. This would progressively increase the out-of-pocket costs for seniors as prices rise and coverage shrinks unlike the "affordable" health care act, known by Nazi goons as Obamacare which cut a private voucher system known as medicare advantage in favor of forcing senior citizens to either take basic medicare OR DIE. To further reduce Federal spending, Obamacare relies heavily on cuts to health care services that help seniors afford nursing home and home health care. Altogether, these cuts will severely shortchange seniors on the investment they made over their entire working lives. Seniors paid into Medicare as a promise made to them by the Federal government and we all know the federal government keeps it's promises. We should allow the government to now break its promise and deny seniors the benefits they earned because "elections have consequences, deal with it"(Barack Hussein Obama, 2009).

I have long supported but never voted for measures that would improve our long-term fiscal outlook, including voting in support of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, and a ban on earmarks, but none of these were made conditional on my support for the Affordable Healthcare Act that passed by only one vote.. Furthermore, I am a cosponsor to the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act (S.102), which would establish a streamlined procedure for Congress to vote on discretionary spending cuts proposed by the President, but understand that those cuts would HAVE to be proposed by the President first.

While I support reasonable cuts to discretionary spending that makes up less than 2% of the Federal Budget, we must take care to ensure that the responsibility of deficit reduction does not fall solely on the backs of illegal immigrants and poor "minorities". What we need instead is a comprehensive approach to the Federal budget that not only expands duplicative programs, but also reduces defense spending and phases-in unnecessary and outdated tax breaks that only benefit a few large corporations that have supported our great leader. Furthermore, we must continue efforts to curb the fraud that plagues programs like the department of weights and measures and the federal department of cowboy poets that costs taxpayers billions.

I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.

Sincerely,

Senator Bill Nelson

P.S. From time to time, I compile electronic data regarding the identities of non-marxist politically active Floridians (I can do that because of the Patriot Act and you cant do squat about it). If you'd like to receive this data and help bring about a new America founded on the principles of great men like Marx, Mao and Hitler, visit my Web site and sign up for them at http://billnelson.senate.gov/news/ebriefs.cfm

One year ago today:Hardworking Russian Spies Pass Up Welfare Eligibility

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:18:00 +0000

Sometimes, we need to take a trip back just to have a laugh. This this one made me laugh when I did it, a year ago.
This week, a Russian spy ring was busted in the DC area at the same time George Soros'puppet, Barak Hussein Obama was in high level meetings with Vladimir Putin's puppet, Dmitri Medev. This spy ring went to great lengths to get past our multi-layered border security then to infiltrate American businesses and then collect NON-strategic information about our great pResident. The Russians did this out of fear for our strong new leader, as they could not figure out his way of thinking regarding foreign policy.

In order to gather information, the spies disguised themselves as typical Americans. Four of the couples were married and had children. They were often seen at school events, picked their children up at the bus stops daily, and were often seen at neighborhood block parties. One couple haggled with a bank, drove a green Honda Civic, mailed Christmas Cards, and even paid their taxes. (If this didn't make them stick out like a sore thumb, what would???)

Seriously, these spies deserve our sympathy. They worked way

too hard and missed a huge opportunity to gather every classified secret the United States has. A much better option than going deep undercover would have been to cross the border from Mexico into Arizona and then make their way to DC where they could simply ask the pResident for any assistance he could give. pResident Hussein would have given them guided tours to top secret military installations, plans and specs to our most sensitive military secrets such as the F-22 Raptor, M1-A1 Abrams (now called Mohammad) tank, and even a guided tour of Area 51 along with a free rides in the flying saucers we have stored there. So, lets all shed a crocodile tear for the Russian spies who worked way too hard and got nothing but tormented suffering for their efforts.

Viral of the Day: The friends of the USA exposed

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:44:00 +0000

In the UN General Assembly:

Pakistan votes contrary to the United States 75% of the time.
Libya votes contrary to the United States 76% of the time.
Egypt votes contrary to the United States 79% of the time.
Lebanon votes contrary to the United States 80% of the time.
India votes contrary to United States 81% of the time.
Syria votes contrary to the United S'tates 84% of the time.
Mauritania votes contrary to the United States 87% of the time.

U S Foreign Aid to those that hate us:

Egypt, for example, after voting 79% of the time against the United States, still receives $2 billion annually in US Foreign Aid.
Jordan votes 71% against the United States
And receives $192,814,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.
Pakistan votes 75% against the United States
Receives $6,721,000,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.
India votes 81% against the United States
Receives $143,699,000 annually.

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Mon, 30 May 2011 04:45:00 +0000

On second thought, I do want to say something personal on Memorial day.

On this Memorial Day please thank a Veteran and remember our ancestors who sacrificed so much in order for us to be free and life in the most open society on earth.
And also keep the residents of Joplin in your thoughts, and if you are so inclined, your prayers. Remember those who have loved ones they have lost. For those who lost someone, be comforted, because God will surely know his own.
I am thankful that I was fortunate enough not to lose my home even though it was only two miles further east from where the tornado lifted off. I know many people personally who were affected and my heart goes out to them.
I also saw the faces of the people who lost everything, many who I do not know personally. I saw them for three days as I did my small part to help last week. I saw so many who lost so much and my heart goes out to them as well.
This is definitely a Memorial Day those of us in Southwest Missouri will never forget.
On the bright side, know this: We will rebuild our buildings. Because although many of them might be destroyed, our Community, which is made up of People, not Buildings...is strong, and will likely become stronger because of this tragedy.

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Mon, 30 May 2011 04:29:00 +0000

Was trying to come up with a good Memorial Day post. Then rememebered the one I posted last year from ambulancedriverfiles.com and realized there was no way I could improve on it. So here it is again. If you didn’t read it last year, read it this year; if you did read it last year, read it again.

Memorial day...

Most of us will spend the weekend grilling burgers and visiting with relatives, or lounging on a beach somewhere, or watching a baseball game in an opulent stadium, overpriced beer and hot dog in hand. And most of us will have forgotten the meaning of the day.
So when you partake in your Memorial Day festivities this weekend, try to remember a few things.
When the smoke from the grill blows into your eyes, try to imagine the terror of the young pilot as the smoke fills the cockpit of his F4 Wildcat, spiraling into the sea off Guadalcanal.
When you sample those pork ribs, remember the Iowa farm boy whose life blood stained the surf at Normandy.
When you eat a bite of potato salad, think of an Idaho preacher’s kid who died with a prayer on his lips, asking God to forgive him for the enemy soldiers’ lives he had taken.
While you enjoy the warm summer sun on your face, take a moment to think of the frozen bodies of American soldiers strapped to jeeps and tanks at the Chosin Reservoir.
When you welcome your niece’s new boyfriend to the table, remember the black kid from Mississippi who died right beside his white buddies in Vietnam, though he wasn’t even allowed to eat in the same restaurants back home.
When you scold your misbehaving grandchild, think of the little boy whose only knowledge of his father will come from stories told by family, because Daddy died on a dusty street in Fallujah while he was still in the womb.
When you fetch your wife another glass of tea, think of a young wife living in base housing at Fort Benning, as she hears the news that her husband died at Ia Drang.
When you invite Grandpa to say grace before the meal, think of young men cut down by a hail of fire from a Maxim at Belleau Wood.
When you reflect with pride on your daughter’s recent graduation, think of a young woman cartwheeling into the sea in her F14 Tomcat after a failed carrier landing.
When you look with distaste at the tattoos on her new boyfriend, think instead of the former gang kid from Detroit who found a way up and out of poverty in the Army, only to die from an IED blast in Baghdad. And remind yourself that what matters is how he treats your daughter, not the ink on his arms.
Whilst you enjoy your beer and bratwurst, remember the 19 -year-old Army private who died in a training accident in Grafenwohr in 1960, one of many young men who knew they’d be little more than a speed bump should the Russians ever come pouring through the Fulda Gap. Yet still, they served.
When you sit at the table, think of a Navy Captain, a husband and father, who died at his Pentagon desk on September 11. His death was no less honorable.
If you’re traveling today, think of the passengers of United Flight 93, for in a field outside Shanksville they became the first soldiers in our war on terror.
When your boys fight, as boys will do, remember the boys on both sides who died at Gettysburg.
If a loved one can’t make it to the gathering today, think of Mrs. Bixby and her five sons.
While your kids play in the pool this afternoon, think of other kids not much older, trapped below decks as the Arizona went under at Pearl Harbor.
If you have bemoaned the layoffs of friends and co-workers in the recent economic crisis, think of the Navy SEAL who lost every single one of his teammates on a rainy night in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
When you take a shower tonight, think of young men reeking of machine oil and sweat, desperately trying, and failing, to surface their wounded submarine somewhere in the Pacific in 1943.
**********
I tell you of these things not to spoil your appetite or your day, but to remind you that the things we enjoy in our lives are made all the sweeter when you consider what made them possible.
Remind yourself also that your sacrifice is infinitely easier. All you need do is sacrifice a moment of your time every few years to pull a lever. The way to honor a dead soldier is not simply to fly a flag on Memorial Day. Vote to preserve the freedoms they died defending. Elect leaders worthy of those rough young men and women who stand ready to do violence on your behalf.
And stop by your local Veteran’s Cemetery and put out some flowers on the grave of your choice. It need not even be the grave of someone you know.
Bring your children along, and explain to them why. It’s important.
-Kook via ambulancedriverfiles.com

Gang Green Exposed: Wind Power Coverup Revealed!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:42:00 +0000

Wind energy is just another pie in the sky promise by "gang green" statist thugs from both political parties whose real agenda is taking every viable solution for making real energy off the table. There is an inherent design problem in wind powered turbines that is impossible to fix. Wind turbines like any engine (mechanical or political) have moving parts that need to be lubricated. Wind farms use transmissions, much like a car. I got this info from an auto racing buddy who has been being paid to try to fix (and cover up) the problem. The issue is, there is no equivalent to transmission fluid that can stand the pressures created by wind turbines due to to both the inconsistent nature of wind, the weight of the turbines and the fact that wind energy is converted directly to electricity. None of the incident photos I am about to post happened in high winds or storms that exceeded normal operating conditions. The simple fact is that the best (and only) lubricants for metal parts are oil based. I don't think I need to explain the repercussions of mixing oil and electricity, but if you want to find out, pour motor oil or gasoline on the both ends of an electrical cord and plug it in and then stick a fork in it. Dow Corning recently received a huge grant of federal funding after many other companies including GE, GM and Chrysler as well as several companies who design and manufacture equipment for the military tried and failed to solve this problem. An unsolvable problem that will need endless funds to never solve in order to "save the world" is a liberal dream come true. Ironically but not surprisingly, the Obama regime and the DC insiders FROM BOTH PARTIES want to keep you in the dark about this. Either way, I don't plan on putting a wind farm in my back yard and I understand now, why "gang green" supports wind energy (or the lack thereof) so strongly!

Viral of the Day: Constitution to be suspended for 4 more years tonight!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Thu, 26 May 2011 01:12:00 +0000

I received this viral from the National Association for Gun Rights. As most of you know, I oppose the oxymoron known as the Patriot Act as strongly as any legislation passed in the last century. Bush, and any legislator who supported this slap in the face to Americans who love our country should be impeached and should be serving life in Prison for imposing this on the American people. Not to leave the European in Chief out, he was against the patriot act until he was able to use the powers granted to the government under the patRIOT act to spy on and intimidate political opponents. Suprisingly, our great leader is now supporting the law that gives him protection from his greatest enemies...patriotic Americans.

"Oh what a difference a night can make.

Senator Rand Paul fought well into the night against the big-government, anti-gun power grab of the Patriot Act (S. 1038). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had promised to allow amendments to the bill. But my capitol hill sources tell me he was livid that Senator Paul was trying to introduce an amendment to exempt all firearm records from the Patriot Act searches.

Instead of allowing the amendments, Harry Reid and his Police-state conspirators in Republican leadership DID YOU SEE THAT...REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP... are throwing out all the rules -- and their own promises to allow Paul’s pro-gun amendment -- in order to secure passage of the freedom-shredding Patriot Act. Senator Paul’s valiant defense of gun owners through amendments and procedural motions would have pushed a final vote on the four-year extension of the Patriot Act into the weekend.

This has Reid and Obamacrats scrambling to find “creative” ways to pass the bill before certain elements of the legislation expire on Friday. Reid has found a way to cheat Senator Paul and gun owners out of a vote on Paul’s pro-gun amendment while doing the bidding of the anti-gun Obama Administration. You see the anti-gunners in Washington D.C. are desperate to keep the tools of the mis-named Patriot Act to spy on “domestic terrorists” -- translate that to mean law-abiding gun owners like you and me.

Instead of allowing Paul to introduce amendments, with debate and votes that would follow, Reid is going to take the entire mis-named Patriot Act and amend it on to a small business bill that just passed the House. In simple terms, Reid has reneged on his promise and is attempting to block any amendments and stifle all opposition to extending the mis-named Patriot Act. Reid’s complicated maneuvering will result in a cloture vote to amend the mis-named Patriot Act on to a small business bill (S. 990) tomorrow.

Message to the Republican Establishment: It was your inaction, caving to unnecessary liberal spending bills and failure to get your message out along with your epic failure in embracing the values of those who voted for you in 2010 that led to you losing NY26 yesterday. If you want to keep your party at all going forward, you will quit caving to the communists on every issue that comes up. You have an opportunity to repeal the patRIOT act, and you are not only going to squander it, but you are going to make sure the federal government is able to spy on law abiding gun owners while you're at it. Do you want millions of angry gun owners protesting in DC soon? Then you have one last opportunity to get something right before election time and that is the Debt Ceiling. If you don't get either a full repeal of Obamacare or a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution with the debt ceiling increase you are going to give the marxists, you can kiss your momentum, and your political future as a party goodbye. Am I clear?

Nixa MO Family Could Face Millions in Fines from USDA for selling Rabbits without a license

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Ok, Got this on a Tip From BBCW and this needs to go viral. You can read the full sordid tale any of several places Big Government, BBCW, & Left Coast Rebel, to name a few.

Here are the salient facts of this total over reaction by the Federal Government, specifically the USDA APHIS unit.

This is mostly taken from Bob McCarty’s excellent story which originally ran on the 19th.

John Dollarhite and his wife Judy of Nixa, Mo( Pop 12,124) , have been told by the USDA that, by Monday, they must pay a fine exceeding $90,000. If they don’t pay that fine, they could face additional fines of almost $4 million. Why? Because they sold more than $500 worth of bunnies — $4,600 worth to be exact — in a single calendar year.

The backstory:

“About six years ago, the Dollarhites wanted to teach their young teenage son responsibility and the value of the dollar. So they rescued a pair of rabbits — one male and one female — and those rabbits did what rabbits do; they reproduced. Before long, things were literally hopping on the three-acre homestead 30 miles south of Springfield, and Dollarvalue Rabbitry was launched as more of a hobby than a business.

“We’d sell ‘em for 10 or 15 dollars a piece,” John said during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon, comparing the venture to a kid running a lemonade stand. In addition, they set up a web site and posted a “Rabbits for Sale” sign in their front yard. Most customers, however, came via word of mouth.

In the early stages, some of the bunnies were raised and sold for their meat. Much further down the road, John said, they determined it more profitable to sell live bunnies at four weeks old than to feed bunnies for 12 weeks and then sell them as meat.

“We started becoming the go-to people” for rabbits in the Springfield area, John said. “If you wanted a rabbit, you’d go to Dollarvalue Rabbitry.” He added that the family even made the local television news just before Easter in 2008 for a report about the care and feeding of “Easter bunnies.”

…During the summer of 2009, the Dollarhites bought the rabbitry from their son who had grown tired of managing it. They paid him what he asked for it, $200. Things kept growing, however, and the Dollarhite’s landed a pair of big accounts in 2009.

A well-known Branson theme park, Silver Dollar City, asked the Dollarhites to have them provide four-week-old bunnies per week to their petting zoo May through September. When the bunnies turned six weeks old, they were sold to park visitors. The Springfield location of a national pet store chain, Petland, purchased rabbits from the Dollarhites as well.

…By the year’s end, the Dollarhites had moved approximately 440 rabbits and grossed about $4,600 for a profit of approximately $200 — enough, John said, to provide the family “pocket money” to do things such as eat out at Red Lobster once in a while. That was better than the loss they experienced in 2008.

Then some unexpected matters began demanding their attention.

It’s an understatement to describe the Dollarhites as being “beyond surprised” when, in the fall of 2009, a female inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed up at the front door of the family home, wanting to do a “spot inspection” of their rabbitry. She said she had come across Dollarhite Rabbitry invoices while inspecting the petting zoo at Silver Dollar City.

“She did not tell us that we were in violation of any laws, rules, anything whatsoever,” John said, explaining that the inspector said she just wanted to see what type of operation they had. Having nothing to hide or any reason to fear they were doing anything wrong, the Dollarhites allowed the inspection to proceed.

John said he had to go to work at the family’s computer store, so Judy took the inspector to the back of their property where the rabbits were raised. There, the inspector began running the width of her finger across the cage and told the Dollarhites they would need to replace the cage, because it was a quarter-inch too small and, therefore, did not meet federal regulations.

Such a requirement came as a shock to the Dollarhites, because they had just invested in new cages to ensure the bunnies had a healthy amount of space to develop, John explained. Though raising dwarf breed varieties of rabbits which require less space, they had opted to purchase cages designed for “large breed rabbits” so the dwarfs would have plenty of room. All for naught.

Not only was the cage too small, according to the inspector, but she noted a small rust spot on a feeder and cited it as being out of compliance. When the Dollarhites told the inspector that rabbit urine causes the cages to rust and that they worked hard to keep the rabbits cages in top shape, she told them it didn’t matter. The rust spot would count as an infraction.

…During the course of the spot inspection, John said, the inspector asked his wife if she and John would like to have their operation certified by USDA. Judy said she wasn’t sure and asked what certification would entail and if it would help them sell more rabbits. The inspector responded, telling her it would involve monthly inspections and was completely voluntary. The inspection ended with the inspector telling Judy that the Dollarhites rabbits looked healthy and well-cared for.

After the inspection, the Dollarhites didn’t hear from the USDA again until January 2010, John said, when he received a phone call from a Kansas City-based investigator from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
“He called us and said, ‘I need to have a meeting with you and your wife,’” John recalled.

After explaining that he asked the investigator to come after the workday at the computer store had ended, John said he asked the investigator about the purpose of the meeting,

“He said, ‘Well, it’s because you’re selling rabbits and you’ve exceeded more than $500 dollars in a year,’” John said, “and I went, ‘Okay, what does that have to do with anything?’”

John said the investigator refused to discuss details over the phone and made it clear that rejecting his request for a meeting would be a costly error in judgment.

When Judy asked if they should have an attorney present, the investigator responded, saying, “Well, that might be a good thing.”

“At that point, we kind of set back, (wondering) what in the world is going on,” John said. Then he found an attorney who is also a farmer.

…a couple of days later — at the same time both met the APHIS investigator in person at John’s home.

“The first thing (the investigator) said was ‘My name is so and so, I’ve been in the USDA for 30-plus years, and I’ve never lost a case,’” John recalled, continuing. “He said, ‘I’m not here to debate the law, interpret the law or discuss the law, I’m here just to do an investigation.’”

John said the investigator went on to explain that he would ask questions, write a report based on the answers and send that report to his superiors at the USDA regional office in Colorado Springs, Colo. The entire process was suppose to take about a month, and John was told to contact the regional office if he had not heard anything in six weeks.

“At this point in time, we were still not knowing anything about the law he was talking about,” John explained, adding that his rabbitry had never had any issues with any animal welfare agencies.

Eight weeks passed, and John decided to call Colorado Springs. Immediately, he was given the number to a USDA office in the nation’s capitol. He called the new number, and the lady he reached there was blunt, John said.

“She said, ‘Well, Mr. Dollarhite, I’ve got the report on my desk, and I’m just gonna tell you that, once I review it, it’s our intent to prosecute you to the maximum that we can’ and that ‘we will make an example out of you.”

When John once again tried to determine which law he and his wife had violated, he said the USDA lady replied, “We’ll forward you everything.”

“Ma’am, what law have we broken?,” John said. “Well, you sold more than $500 worth of rabbits in one calendar year,” she replied, according to John.
Okay, what does that have to do with anything?” John countered.

The lady replied by saying there is a guideline which prohibits anyone from selling more than $500 worth of rabbits per year, John recalled, but she refused to cite any specific law and, instead, promised to send him the report containing details.
…
Soon after the meeting with the APHIS investigator and with the stress of the investigation hanging over their heads, John said he and his wife traded everything associated with the rabbit operation for other agricultural equipment.

Recently, the Dollarhites received a “Certified Mail Return Receipt” letter (dated April 19, 2011) from the USDA informing them that they had broken the law and must pay USDA a fine of $90,643. Their crime? Violating violating 9 C.F.R. § 2.1 (a) (1) [which is basically selling pets without a license]

Based on an average price per rabbit sold being $10.45, the fine comes out to more than $206 per rabbit. In addition, the letter contains the following statement:

”APHIS laws and regulations provide for administrative and criminal penalties to enforce these regulatory requirements, including civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each of the violations documented in our investigation.”

If the threat contained in the letter is to be believed, the family could be fined as much as $10,000 per rabbit beyond the first 50 bunnies that netted the family its first $500. Do the math (390 rabbits x $10,000 each) and, if they don’t pay the initial fine, they could face additional fines totaling $3.9 million.

Needless to say, the Dollarhites stopped selling rabbits in January 2010 and are considering setting up a legal defense fund.

Dave Sacks, a spokesman for the agency’s subordinate Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service located in Maryland had this to say:

"Our main focus here at USDA’s Animal Care program is to ensure that the animals covered under the federal Animal Welfare Act are being treated humanely. Animal welfare is at the heart of everything we do. So, we consider it very serious when there is an activity regulated under the Animal Welfare Act that is being conducted without a USDA license. Reason being, when individuals are licensed, USDA inspectors conduct periodic unannounced inspections of those individuals’ animals and facilities. It is during these inspections that our inspectors can see how the animals are being treated and handled. When unlicensed individuals conduct regulated activities, this hampers our ability to enforce the Animal Welfare Act and hampers our ability to ensure the welfare of their animals. If you don’t have a license, that means that we are not inspecting your facility and your animals, so we would have no idea how your animals are being treated."

Sacks closed his message to me with the following:

"USDA certainly realizes that $90,000 is a lot of money. But we’ve been called upon by Congress to enforce the Animal Welfare Act so that regulated animals are humanely cared for and treated. And the reality is that there is no way we can guarantee that this care is being provided to these animals unless all individuals conducting regulated activities are licensed."

I did a little quick research on the regulation in question and because the Dollarhites were selling the rabbits for pets and not as food and because they sold over the $500 amount and because they were not selling them directly to individuals...they are in violation. It is stupid but it is true. There are so many regulations on the books that it would make the average person's head explode, but it is the way it is, this is how most of our "Laws" are now made.

The USDA is going way overboard on this and needs to be put back on their chain. This story needs told because from the information I have read it seems the USDA is not dealing in good faith and it seems the punishment far outweighs the "crime". Our Government is running rampant.

Gingrich destroys presidential hopes...so who is the best choice?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:11:00 +0000

Newt Gingrich ended any chance of gaining "tea party" and conservative support with his interview on Meet the (de)Press(ed) Sunday. His statements resulted in headlines like this:

"Gingrich Backs Obamacare Mandate for Health Insurance"
Former House Speaker and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich told "Meet the Press" Sunday that he backs a requirement that every citizen purchase or acquire health insurance, a key component of President Obama's health care law. Gingrich described his plan as a "variation" of Obama's individual mandate. Gingrich's position undermines the key legal challenge made by 26 states against Obamacare and his comments have drawn a sharp reaction from conservatives." (from Newsmax.)

So, Newt; you have made it clear that you support government telling us what kind of healthcare we can have just like Obama and McCain. Why don't you tell the 26 States and 2/3rds of Americans who oppose Obamacare namely for the mandate that they are stupid gun toting bible thumping...oh wait, you claim to be one of them too. Let's see how your gun toting Bible thumping compatriots like your views on this. Honestly, why would anyone who wants an obamacare, cap and trade supporting RepublicRAT support you over Mutt Romney? At least Mutt can raise the funds to compete with Osama...I mean Obama (same ideology and goals just different methodology).

In the same interview, Newt said the following:
"I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering," Gingrich said. "I don't think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate."

So, Newt; undoing the damage done from the left is now "right wing social engineering"? I take this to mean that you are not that enthusiastic about undoing the damage done from the left of both parties in the last decade. So, it must be your plan then to do nothing and blame all the resulting problems on your predecessor. Why would I vote for or support you over the guy currently messing things up if you have no real intention of changing the direction of the country, you just want to slow down the current changes. That my friends is classic RINO "the party a little less government growth than the other party" politics.

So who does that leave us? I'm asking you the reader. Who do you like and why?

Personally, I like Cain (DC outsider and real business experience), Lt. Col West (More reasons than I can count) Bachmann (keeps her promises), Palin (took on big oil and the big establishment Repubs and won), and could look at a Mitch Daniels/Tim Pawlenty candidacy much more tepidly. I know I left a bunch out so the readers can fill them in.

Who Sets Gas Prices At The Pump?

noreply@blogger.com (KOOK) — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:22:00 +0000

Right now gas prices are hovering around the $3.80 mark in my area of the country. We have all heard rumors of the so far mythical $5 a gallon gas in the US. This is obviously a source of much angst in the US because we are a large country with a large suburban and rural population who have literally grown up as a nation with the automobile. What is more we like BIG automobiles because we spend a lot of time. We like big automobiles because we have active lifestyles, and we use them to work, and we like to feel safe.

So who is to blame? Is it those filthy Oil Executives? OPEC? The owner of the convenience store chain? The government? Yes. it is all of those folks. But it is way more complicated than that and unfortunately even after a lot of study the answers are not that satisfying. What is more it is so complicated that there is no easy answer.

To even begin to understand this issue you have to start at the beginning. It is the most basic Economic rule. Supply and Demand. On the Supply side is a group of countries, primarily known as OPEC, Oil Producing and Exporting Countries.

OPEC is a consortium of 13 countries: Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

Together, these 13 nations are responsible for 40 percent of the world's oil production and hold the majority of the world's oil reserves, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). More than that Saudi Arabia is way out in front. The table below is in BILLIONS of barrels of oil. Countries in red are OPEC nations.

1	Saudi Arabia	264
2	Canada	178
3	Iran	132
4	Iraq	115
5	Kuwait	101
6	United Arab Emirates	97
7	Venezuela	79
8	Russia	60
9	Libya	39
10	Nigeria	35
11	*United States*	21
12	China	18
13	Qatar	15
14	Mexico	12
15	Algeria	11
16	Brazil	11
17	Kazakhstan	9
18	Norway	7
19	Azerbaijan	7
20	India	5

Top 20 countries: 1224.5 (95%)

OPEC can affect the cost of gasoline with even a threat of producing less oil. Doing so lowers (or causes the perception of lowering) supply relative to demand and therefore increases price. They don’t even actually have to do anything because the price is set by other groups which do not always behave rationally, but we will get to that.

Another word on OPEC, if you look at that list you will notice that none of those countries has what we would normally consider warm and friendly feelings towards the United States. It is pretty much a who’s who of who hates America. Interesting, since if we were not buying their product they would mostly be afterthoughts, or never-thought-abouts on the world stage.

Lastly with OPEC it is important to note that although they used to be able to push prices all over the place by increasing or limiting demand they have even less influence now than they have historically because with the exception of a couple of countries, Saudi Arabia for one, most of the member countries are pumping it out as fast as they can now despite what they agree to do. They are making money as fast as they can, while they can.

To get back on point you also have to understand a bit about the United States’ nearly insatiable need for Gasoline and other fuels. We are large geographically and we have by far and away the worlds’ largest economy (still). We use a LOT of oil. We use a lot of oil because we have decentralized our manufacturing plants away from Rail yards and have embraced Japan’s JIT (just in time) method of purchasing and logistics. This works well in a small country but in one as large as our it necessitates a tremendous amount of trucking.

Also because we average nearly three cars per household (even our so called poor drive) and because of the social and moral breakdown of our culture no one can stand to live in the city or town center and we all migrate as far away from there as possible we are more reliant on the automobile, because we all largely still work somewhere.

Couple that with the fact that we are more rural in nature than most of the other developed countries in the world to begin with AND the fact that we have grown up with the automobile instead of the automobile being a recent addition to a city that has been around since the middle ages (London, Paris, Rome, etc.) and you can see that our love affair with automobiles is not going anywhere.

One small but increasing factor is the rise in wealth of India and China. Their demand for oil is increasing because they are not riding bicycles as much as they used to. They want to drive cars. Incidentally this is forcing a lot of Americans to look towards riding a bicycle. But this is still not the reason gas is going up. And if everyone bought a Prius it would not really help.

Next let’s look at the Oil Companies themselves. We all hated that guy from BP and we have all heard how the Oil Companies are making record profits every quarter in the multiple Billions of Dollars. They are a fat and easy target. But you have to understand how their business works.

There is no such thing as an "Oil Company". It is an oversimplification for an entire industry made up of hundreds or maybe thousands of companies worldwide with different pieces of the overall oil business.
But for an oversimplification here is one possible option where the company does everything. The oil company will gain rights to the oil from the government, it leases or buys the land, drills the oil, ships it to a refinery, refines it, ships it to distributors, then gas stations, then sells it directly to the consumer.
The problem with this scenario is that no business does the whole thing alone. Many companies only do one stage in the process. Some major oil companies never get past transportation of the crude oil. Some only refine. Some only refine for certain products

They don’t set the price of the Crude Oil. Take Saudi Arabia for instance, Exxon or BP might have spent their money to find the oil in the seventies. They probably built the drill rigs and the pumping stations, but the OIL belongs to the King. Therefore he is in charge of when it gets pumped and when it doesn’t. And it works like that for all the other nations as well. Someone owns the mineral rights to the oil and someone else drills for it and hauls it. The ShelExxonBp’s of the world make contracts with the owners of the oil to develop their fields. That is why you hear talk to “leases” and such in the Gulf. In come cases the Government owns the land and controls who gets the leases and when an oil company’s lease runs out they move on or someone else moves in. Further complicating this is the fact that just because it says BP on the side of the oil rig, doesn’t mean it is really BP’s rig, these are often times outsourced to smaller companies working on contract. This is similar to an Airline, if you fly a lot you know it may say Delta on your ticket but you may be flying a local carrier (ComAir) leased to Delta. Or a trucking company where the driver is an owner/operator leased to a larger company.

Oil companies, the major ones at least, usually pump their own oil. They have exploitation permits (contracts) from the countries that they are pumping the oil from. In every contract the case is different. In some cases they pay a fixed amount up front to take the permit (contract) in other cases they pay a fixed amount per barrel they pump. The most usual case is that in the permit they agree to some very complicated formulas that determine the amount the companies pay to the countries for each barrel. In these cases they take under consideration the cost of pumping, oil prices, investments, number of barrels pumped etc.

It is important to note they may do this YEARS in advance. So oil companies are making huge profits now because prices are up now and they agreed to contracts speculating what the overhead costs and the price of a barrel of oil would be years ago. All you have to do is look at the price of gas for the past decade to see that no one would have figured that kind of rise into a forward looking contract.

They invested in oil fields when prices were much lower, with the expectation that they could break even at, say, $50 per barrel. Since the market price is now more than $100 a barrel, the extra money is gravy. It's like a farmer who can raise corn for $1.50 a bushel. If the market price is $1.75, he makes a quarter per bushel. If the market price jumps to $2.25, his profits jump as well. (If the market crashes to $1 per bushel, the farmer loses money. That can happen to oil companies as well.) Oil companies, like the farmer, are the beneficiaries of high market prices, but they can no more control those prices than a farmer can dictate what he gets for a bushel of corn.

This may seem strange to many readers who did not grow up in a farming or mining or oil producing area. But when you are a farmer you don’t know what your profit will be at the end of the harvest because you don’t know what your beans or corn will be selling for. Again, not to get ahead of myself but this is the way it works. You are a farmer and you make a decision to raise beans. Typically you borrow the money to put your crop in, for seeds, fuel, labor the whole shebang. You know when it comes harvest time where you will be taking your beans. There are only a few buyers in any area. If you are lucky you can get a contract for X amount of dollars per bushel when you plant. This is a simple form of a “future” When you hear on the news that “Corn futures are trading up $.02” that is what they are talking about. People buys and sell contracts on prices for all kinds of things as if it were stock in a company on the “Commodity Market”. These people are “Speculators.” It gets really complicated really quick trying to make sense of all the rules and strategy of the game. There are buyers and sellers and then their are third party brokers just making money in the transaction or the trading of the contracts themselves. Basically think of “futures” as insurance against taking a severe beating at the end of the harvest, or you may buy an “Option” which is even better, you have the “Option” of selling it for this price unless you don’t want to, in which case you don’t have to. You may contract all your crop for one price or break it up or only put part of it in contract and play the wait-and-see-game with the rest. Then again you might lose the crop or not raise as much as you thought and that is bad. That is how banks get farms cheap.

But who sets the market Price? It must be the Gas Station Owners right? Well to some extent, yes, but not completely.

It goes something like this, every day a station gets emailed the wholesale cost for a gallon of gas, for reference. They use that number and then add other costs in to try to figure out what their ideal price point would be. . At most convenience stores the gas is what brings in the customers but snack sales are what keeps the lights on.

But the reality of what consumers pay at the pump has little to do with the literal cost of the gas in the tanks at the store.Here's an approximation of where each dollar you spend on gas goes:

Crude oil: 55 cents
Refining: 14 cents
Distribution and Marketing: 8 cents
Taxes: 13 cents

You know the hidden number in a gallon of gas? You know, we say that gas is 3.85 but there is that other little number that is not rounded up. gas is really 3.85^9.. That is usually the profit margin of the store itself on gas.

Back to the cost of gasoline: oil is traded just like any other commodity, by the use of Futures and Options. Both of them are financial products. Here is a generalization on how this might work. Lets say that you want to buy a barrel of oil, not right now, but in six months. You believe that in six months the barrel will cost $60 . Then you buy a future that is worth $60. In six months you go to the market to buy your barrel. If the barrel costs more than $60 you use your future and take it at that price. If it costs less you do not use your future and buy it normally. Do not take all these literally, the way futures and options work is far more complex and they are also subject to supply and demand.

Another thing that might put this in perspective is the difference you pay for ticket prices to a concert or sporting event. You can pre-purchase them cheaper than you can at the door. Now think about if you didn’t know for sure but there was a possibility that the tickets at the door might go on SALE just before showtime and also a possibility that they could go way way up . You pre-purchased ticket is a hedge against a higher price, a “Future”.

Please note that oil is not bought only by Oil companies but also countries who further complicate the process.

When the spot value, or the value “right now” goes up usually the future and options values go up. That means that when the prices increases the companies anticipate that in the future when they will need to buy more futures to buy more oil they will have to pay more money. What they do is they sell the oil they already have at a higher price to find the money to buy the new options and futures.

You can understand now why when the spot prices go up you have an immediate increase on the gas at the gas station. They will sell gas at higher prices even though they use reserves that they bought much cheaper in order to compensate for the future prices they will have to pay.

One more reason for the immediate rises at the gas-stations is the fact that the gas-station owners and gas distributors do take advantage of the situation. When all the media say that the prices go higher they find it a great opportunity to take advantage and make more money. They do this because they can, there is literally no law against it.

Please also note that the taxes on fuels, is oftentimes a percentage of its value. So the higher the price the more taxes you pay. Finally the supply chain of oil is complicated and a lot of different companies take part in it. All of them have a specific margin that they calculate it on the price they bought the oil. The gas that you buy at the pump is much more expensive than the oil that it is pumped at the well.

So, if the price is not set by OPEC, and not by ShelExxonBP, and not by the local corner station, who really slaps the price per barrel on the barrel of oil?

The Government? No. Now, the government can influence things for reasons we will get into in just a bit. Without getting off topic; opponents of increased domestic drilling say it will not affect immediate gas prices. This is patently illogical because just like with OPEC, the threat of increased supply will lower prices immediately. The other thing that always gets glossed over is that increasing our domestic drilling probably would not lower worldwide oil prices, but it could lower our domestic gas prices. to deny that is ludicrous int eh extreme, for one thing we would not be paying for shipping oil halfway around the world. Our refinieries are in the gulf. not coincidentally a lot of our vacant oil fields are within several hundred miles of the gulf coast. The withholding of permits for drilling at home and the idling of our ancient refineries (none new since ‘76 because the government will not allow it) has a definite deleterious impact on what we pay at the pump, to think otherwise is insanity. But the government doesn’t set gas prices. Oh, and opening up the strategic reserves is about like a fireman using a bottle of Evian to put out a fire. Sure it is water, but it ain’t near enough. The strategic reserves are to allow the military and necessary infrastructure of the country to survive a short term embargo or military operation. Not to make it affordable for you to take the ‘lade to starbucks. It is a mere fraction of what the public uses in a very short amount of time.

Ok, so gas prices are not completely at the whim of Government either. So WHO controls the price of Oil?

The guy we haven’t really talked about much. Not the Producer, and not the Consumer, the other guy. The guy in the system who doesn’t care whether it is oil or corn or sow bellies. The guy who makes his money trading “futures”. These folks buy futures and sell and trade them to make money in the middle of the process between producer and consumer. The so called “speculator”. Remember Enron? That was one of their gigs. But lots of other companies do it too, you can buy futures online. They might be part of your mutual fund or 401k. And the Futures on Oil are traded on the NYMEX.

NYMEX is a Commodity exchange. Commodity exchanges began in the middle of the 19th century, when businessmen began organizing market forums to make buying and selling of commodities easier. These marketplaces provided a place for buyers and sellers to set the quality, standards, and establish rules of business. By the late 19th century about 1,600 marketplaces had sprung up at ports and railroad stations. In 1872, a group of Manhattan dairy merchants got together and created the Butter and Cheese Exchange of New York. Soon, egg trade became part of the business conducted on the exchange and the name was modified to the Butter, Cheese, and Egg Exchange. In 1882, the name finally changed to the New York Mercantile Exchange when opening trade to dried fruits, canned goods, and poultry.

As centralized warehouses were built into principal market centers such as New York and Chicago in the early 20th century, exchanges in smaller cities began to disappear giving more business to the exchanges such as the NYMEX in bigger cities. Now, the NYMEX operates in a trading facility and office building with two trading floors in the World Financial Center in downtown Manhattan

The floor of the NYMEX is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, an independent agency of the United States government. Each individual company that trades on the exchange must send its own independent brokers. Therefore, a few employees on the floor of the exchange represent a big corporation and the actual employees of the MYMEX only record the transactions and have nothing to do with the actual trade. The NYMEX is one of the few exchanges in the world to maintain the open outcry system, where traders employ shouting and complex hand gestures on the physical trading floor.

Yes that is right, the cost of a barrel of oil is ultimately decided by a few people yelling and waving hand signs at each other in New York.

These traders are the ones ultimately responsible for the cost of a barrel of crude. They don’t represent Oil Companies, at least not directly, they represent Hedge Funds and Brokerage houses.

Now, I am

not economist, there are many many people who could lose me instantly in a discussion on this topic. But I am smart enough to know that there are groups and people in this scenario with enough pull to influence the market. Some of them may be big oil executives, some might be foreign governments, but by and large it is just like the stock market. It cannot really be controlled, but it can be nudged, and we know who likes to nudge everything.

-KOOK

A Warning to Republicans!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:45:00 +0000

I saw this in Newsmax and thought doesnt that tell the truth. When people vote Republican, they don't want "the party of less government growth than the other party". The want less government and all the problems that come with it. Republicans need to figure this out and quickly or the "Tea Party" could could spell doom for the Republican party as we know it. The following shows that Republicans should take this threat seriously.

Gallup Poll: 52% of Republicans Want Third Party

Tuesday, 10 May 2011 02:36 PM

By Andra Varin

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More than half of Republicans – 52 percent – say there should be a third political party, a newGallup Poll says. The poll, released Monday, also found that 33 percent of Democrats want a third party. Gallup said it’s the first time its polls have found a significantly larger number of Republicans than Democrats favoring a third party.

The poll found that 52 percent of all Americans want a third party, down slightly from 58 percent in August.

Gallup said the increasing desire among Republicans for a third party could be an outgrowth of the rise of the tea party movement. The poll found 60 percent of Americans who identify themselves as tea party members want a new party.

“Given that a majority of Americans see a need for a third party, and their level of satisfaction with the way things are going in the country is fairly low, it would not be surprising if a third-party candidate emerged” as a factor in the 2012 presidential race, Gallup’s Jeffrey M. Jones wrote.

Support among BHO's base slips...imagine that!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew33) — Sat, 07 May 2011 12:50:00 +0000

I have somewhat cryptically stated since the day BHO took office that those who supported him most would suffer most and soonest because of his policies. Now, with BHO slipping in the polls among the groups I was speaking of, I am going to specify what groups I was speaking of and why.

I will start with the group that voted for BHO by 98%. By that, I meant Blacks who would lose jobs only to find that welfare won't adjust for inflation. Blacks also (mainly for style reasons here where i live) often drive inefficient vehicles and fuel aint getting any cheaper. Housing costs arent rising here but rent is and many in our black communities rent. Unemployment among Black men in many places is over 50%. when Bush was President it was 15%....that's change you can believe in!

However, I did not mean just black people with my repeated remarks about the suffering of BHO supporters. The college kids who sobered up enough (or not) to go vote would see their parents no longer able to afford college and since college professors supported BHO, there would be pay raises for them while tuition increases would redistribute wealth from the rich parents of college kids to academia. Yes we can!

Hispanics in the American Southwest who are here to work also supported BHO and since much of what they do is construction/migrant farm work, repeated mortgage issues, an increasingly hostile American public to mexican immigrants and above all lack of jobs would hurt them. Latest stats show more illegals from Mexico are leaving than coming in. Could BHO wreck the economy to the point that he accidentally fixes the border? We can only wish.

The one group included in this statement that I think somewhat deserving of the problems BHO has brought them is big labor. How many union grunts blindly supported BHO, only to lose their job in the GM and Chrysler buyouts? How many more union govt. Workers will lose their jobs because the unions refuse to compromise on paying in 5% of their pensions themselves. The next Gov. or CEO that faces a situation like what happened in Wisconcin will simply hand out pink slips instead of fighting the unions. Iis it any wonder that given what boeing is going through building a factory in a non union "right to work" state, that so many companies and jobs are moving overseas to China? The statewide vote in Wisconcin where the vast majority of voters are unionized appears to have gone the way of the State Supreme Court Justice deemed as "conservative" who would likely side against big labor. This is a promising sign that even in the most liberal parts of the country, people are waking up.

Most of the readers here are political junkies and I don't know how many of you are sports fans but the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all have union labor contracts that expire in the next six months. Nobody else is connecting the dots here but I have good reason to think this may backfire on the establishment sports leagues, NFL especially, as the players (millionaires) and owners (billionaires)who are behind all the bickering generally live in a bubble and don't realize how much of a "3rd rail" unions are becoming in the USA. Americans aren't going to be happy when unions who have until now just rioted, burned cars and smashed windows take their favorite sport off the air.

All this thanks to BHO (hold applause please). To all who voted and the few who still support him, was massive unemployment, 10$ a gallon gas, union led riots across the country and the temporary end of your getting to watch your favorite sports team, the change you believed in? If so, you have a twisted view of prosperity and a sad view of this countries' future!