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Saturday, June 21, 2008

The Thing That's Broken Is Barack

In announcing Friday that he would not be accepting public campaign funds, Barack Obama broke a campaign promise to the voters, a promise made to his opponent John McCain, and essentially showed that country that he lied.

Barack made a big deal out of promising to accept public funding and limitations on private fundraising by saying, 'The system is broken.' He promised McCain in a mutual agreement that he would abide by the rules of public funding because 'the system is broken.'

And now that he has raised private funds totaling 500 million dollars from who-knows-where (mainly George Soros), Barack turned his back on his promises to the voters and McCain by stating he would not accept any public funding nor the limitations associated with it.

The reason Barack gave for refusing public funding? Because 'the system is broken.'

Now let me get this straight. Barack 'I am a different kind of politician' Obama, aka Mr. Clean Hands himself, stated he would accept public funds because 'the system is broken.' But once he lays his hands on the filthy lucre of George Soros and other unknown, undisclosed sources of funding to the tune of 500 million, he refuses to accept public funding because 'the system is broken.'

A different kind of politician? Not a chance. He's the same kind of dirty-handed, scheming, corrupt politician that we've come to expect from Chicago.

Mr. Obama, it appears to me that the only thing in this campaign that's broken is you.

Friday, June 20, 2008

South Carolina Peach Festival Starts Today

Shown below: 'The Peachoid,' a symbol of what was once South Carolina's largest cash crop, the peach. The Peachoid is found along I-85 in Cherokee County near the town of Gaffney, home of the South Carolina Peach Festival, which is underway now until June 29.

The northwestern South Carolina town of Gaffney in Cherokee County comes alive each year at this time as multiple thousands of people gather for the annual South Carolina Peach Festival.

Now in it's 32nd year, the Festival is being held in downtown Gaffney near the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce office and on the campus of Limestone College.

There will be plenty of food, entertainment, sporting events, dancing, and a tribute to local military personnel.

For more information, click here:
http://www.scpeachfestival.org/

For more information about 'the peachoid,' click here:
http://www.gaffney-sc.com/Waterpeach.htm

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/20/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

David Codrea has a thorough piece that shows that simply because a politician has an 'R' beside their name is no guarantee that he/she stands for human liberty and Constitutional rights, and he has plenty of examples and links:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/scuttle-mark-kirk-its-past-time-for.html

Nicki posts commentary on some rather telling quips by Barack Obama on Osama bin Laden:
http://libertyzone.blogspot.com/2008/06/obama-on-osama.html

Robb Allen provides helpful information on the choice between John McCain and Barack Obama--a good read!
http://blog.robballen.com/archive/2008/06/20/The-2008-election-conundrum.aspx

Sebastian reports that New York Governor David Paterson is going after the guns in the state of New York:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/20/patterson-goes-on-anti-gun-offensive/

Uncle warns us of how easy it is to break federal gun laws and not even know it:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/20/careful-2/

John Lott reports the excellent news that South Carolina has enacted sweeping reciprocity legislation:
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/south-carolina-enacts-sweeping.html

And now, a musical interlude from JR. I loved that song from the Doobie Brothers, 'Blackwater,' although I am quite certain the band was high on the doobage while recording it (and by the way, I am for the de-criminalization of non-violent drug offenders--just so we have that clear):
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/musical-interlude.html

Roberta X has info on the upcoming Indy Blog Meet:
http://twowheeledmadwoman.blogspot.com/2008/06/sunday-indy-blogmeet-blogmeet-blog-meet.html

Alphecca comments on Obama's shocking about-face on public campaign financing. Of course, when you are being bankrolled by the likes of George Soros, you don't need public funds:
http://www.alphecca.com/?p=821

Armed and Safe announces the Second Amendment rally in the 'belly of the beast':
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/second-amendment-rally-in-belly-of.html

The Damsel posts a pic of her 'girl gun,' and man, is she a beauty!
http://capnbob.us/blog/2008/06/18/my-girl-gun-2/

Gateway Pundit says that Obama must have promised Hillary to pay off her campaign debt, because she is going to campaign with him next Friday:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/hillary-will-campaign-with-obama-next.html

The most beautiful blond on earth, Blonde Sagacity, comments on the McCain and Obama energy plans:
http://mobyrebuttal.blogspot.com/2008/06/which-energy-plan-would-work.html

The Volokh Conspiracy has an excellent article on the controversy at the University of Chicago
concerning the ideological intolerance of academia:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_06_15-2008_06_21.shtml#1213929178

Volokh also provides a thorough analysis of the pronounced intolerance shown toward Christian evangelicals in academia:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_06_15-2008_06_21.shtml#1213962836

Dark Storm Clouds Gather Over America

As never before since World War II, America faces one of her darkest hours as the storm clouds gather from a myriad of sources intent on destroying the notion of a free, constitutional Republic.

The problem is that this time around, the threat is much worse.

During WW II the threat was from the outside as totalitarian forces pressed against us from both the East and the West. Europe and Japan were a formidable foe, but Americans stood fast upon the principles of liberty.

Today, however, the threat is two-fold. The threat is both from the outside and the inside.

At the same time that terrorism poses a significant threat to the stability and existence of the West, America is faced with the prospects of being forced to fight some of its own citizens who are infected with the single-headed notion of subverting the Constitution and declaring that no right is absolute or guaranteed.

Numerous free speech cases prove the point, as well as the current national debate on Second Amendment rights about which the U.S. Supreme Court will issue a decision this month.

As the nation fights for its survival on these crucial fronts, we are hit broadside simultaneously with a brazen attempt by Democrats in Congress to embark upon a course of action which we as a nation have always rejected outright as antithetical to freedom and human liberty--the attempt to nationalize the oil industry.

America was founded upon the principles of a free society. This means that markets and business and industrial enterprises are to be free. Government has never been viewed in this country as an acceptable proprietor. Rather, government has always been viewed as an impartial referee to private enterprise, making sure that all business interests play by the same rules.

Central to the concept of a free society is the importance of the limited role of government. Men and women through the centuries who sought liberty after having suffered from the cruel and inhuman oppression of powerful government insisted that the only legitimate role of government was to protect the liberties inherent to human beings--liberties that are God-given.

For government to become involved in the ownership and operation of what private enterprise can do on its own has always been considered illegitimate. When government gets into the business of proprietorship, human liberty always suffers in the end.

Yet some of the major leaders in the majority Party in Congress insist that this is precisely where they wish to take the country. They want government to get into the business of owning and operating business.

This overt socialistic notion is echoed by many in modern academia. In fact, this has been their goal since the 1960s when radicals decided that private enterprise is evil and government is good.

Not only that, but some voices within academia, in addition to a few major columnists that publish in the mainstream media, have openly called for limitations on free speech. As a member of the Canadian Human Rights Commission in British Columbia said in the Mark Steyn trial, 'Freedom of speech is an American concept and thus, I have no interest in it.'

This was in Canada, true enough. But some Americans are echoing these sentiments by stating that perhaps our country is worse off because it allows freedom of speech, and thus, we would be much better off placing restrictions upon it, just as our Canadian and European neighbors are doing.

It is not mere chance that at the very same time we face these significant threats to our very way of life, along comes a political candidate with rock star status, the followers of whom often compare to a heaven-sent Messiah.

This candidate has embraced positions throughout his short career in Illinois and the U.S. Senate that fall perfectly in line with the various schemes launched by other members of his Party to restrict human liberty and downplay the significance and preeminence of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution.

It is not coincidental that Barack Obama is bankrolled by one George Soros, the atheistic billionaire and Democrat party operative. Soros is a one-man dark cloud machine in his own right, casting a long shadow of foreboding on all that he touches. He is anti-free markets, anti-liberty, anti-Constitution, anti-Christian and Jew, and anti-American.

And with regard to Obama, Soros is the power behind the throne.

If Obama is elected, Soros will have completed at least 75% of what he set out to do--control the Democratic Party, get one of his gophers elected to the Presidency, and make sure his foot soldiers in the American version of the Bolshevik Revolution stay in power in Congress.

At that point all he has left to do is to use his comrades in the government to ram through Congress the single largest shift in ideology and policy to take place in America since founding of the Republic. And he will have absolutely no opposition from the President or the minority Party since the GOP is expected to lose even more seats in both the House and Senate.

Alarmist nonsense, you say? Just wait until you see the next installment in this series which will examine Barack Obama's ties to George Soros and extremist Muslim Jihadists, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

Top News from the Western Carolinas for 6/20/08

Top News From the Western Carolinas--a periodic look at major news stories from the Piedmont and mountains of western North and South Carolina:

Let's start with some good news today. A Dorman High School student who graduated this year has been given the Steve Sanders scholarship to attend Vanderbilt University. Read all about Spartanburg's Hanna Chapman here:
http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080618/NEWS/304433986/1112&title=Dorman_s_Hanna_Chapman_wins_Steve_Sanders_Scholarship

An Oconee County, SC man was arrested after police discovered pipe bombs and over 100 guns buried in his backyard. Police were alerted to the buried treasure by the man's brother following a fight:
http://www.wyff4.com/news/16652468/detail.html

News Channel 7 has the complete history of Edwardo Wong, the man accused of killing a North Carolina Highway Patrol officer in Haywood County, NC:
http://www.wspa.com/midatlantic/spa/news.apx.-content-articles-SPA-2008-06-18-0003.html

WLOS-TV in Asheville, NC recounts the history of state trooper killings in Haywood County:
http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/wlos_vid_882.shtml

WBTV in Charlotte, NC takes a look at the various viruses and illnesses going around right now in the Charlotte metro area:
http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8517521&nav=menu1434_3

Each Thursday evening Greenville, SC hosts an event called 'Downtown Alive.' Here are some good pics of last week's event:
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=BS&Dato=20080612&Kategori=LINK07&Lopenr=806120803&Ref=PH

News Alert! Israel Plans to Bomb Iran?

U.S. officials state that military exercises conducted by Israel earlier this month appear to be directed at Iran, and that it seems likely that Israel plans to launch bombs against nuclear facilities in Iran.

If this indeed is the plan, then good for them. Such a move is long overdue. With the squeamishness of the West in dealing directly with the danger a nuclear Iran poses to the entire world, then perhaps Israel can do what we have not had the courage to do.

The key will be keeping the Bush administration, particularly Secretary Rice, out of the picture. With Bush now focused on his 'legacy' and with Rice making ridiculous assertions about dividing Jerusalem, we can be assured they will do all in their power to pressure Israel not to conduct the bombing.

But Israel needs to stick to its guns. History shows that when we turn the Israelis loose, they get the job done when it comes to their own security as a nation.

Thus, I say to Israel, let the bombs fly.

Here is more on the story:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/20/america/20iran.php

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/19/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Gateway Pundit states that the Democrats are continuing with their sickening and disgusting calls for the government seizure of the oil industry. What Commie Bastards!
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/rep-hinchey-d-ny-calls-for-government.html

Further, remember Commie-Dictator Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, you know, the man who seizes private industry and nationalizes private enterprise? Well, our Demo-Commies in Nancy Pelosi's House are copying the tactics of their good buddy and mentor, Hugo Chavez. Michelle Malkin reports:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/06/18/the-chavistas-in-our-backyard/

JR has a good one from the 'dumb crook' files, and he has plenty of links for you to see:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/sometimes-dumb-crooks-file-intersects.html

Roberta X comments on the Associated Press flap and suggests some great alternatives:
http://twowheeledmadwoman.blogspot.com/2008/06/great-ap-flap.html

Roberta also blogs about her discontent with the choices this year--Obama, McCain, and Barr:
http://twowheeledmadwoman.blogspot.com/2008/06/voting-for-prexi-plesi-big-guy.html

Armed and Safe writes about the ban of the .50 rifles in New Jersey, that state where all Constitutional rights go to die:
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/banning-50-in-new-jersey.html

Blogonomicon has an excellent read on 'right and duty'--the obligation to carry a gun:
http://blogonomicon.blogspot.com/2008/06/right-and-duty.html

Congrats to Breda on this great milestone. She has an excellent blog, and yes, Breda, we like you!
http://thebredafallacy.blogspot.com/2008/06/you-like-me-you-really-like-me.html

Nicki provides excellent commentary on John Lott's 'No Profits, No Oil':
http://libertyzone.blogspot.com/2008/06/john-lott-no-profits-no-oil.html

The MUST-read of the day is by David Codrea. Canada, Britain and the rest of Europe have no Constitutional guarantee of Free Speech, and now they are taking advantage of it much to the detriment of the citizens. As David reports, there are voices RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA who are urging that we emulate Canada and Britain, and thus limit Free Speech. BASTARDS!
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/freedom-of-speech-within-reason-and-as.html

Dr. John Lott points to the John Kass piece on the inequities of the Chicago handgun ban:
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/chicago-tribunes-john-kass-on.html

The Volokh Conspiracy has a run-down on the five Supreme Court decisions handed down today:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_06_15-2008_06_21.shtml#1213883362

House Democrats Call for Socialism

House Democrats on Wednesday showed their true colors by calling for 'the nationalization of the oil industry.'

The classic definition of 'socialism' is 'a system where the government owns the means of production.'

Thus, when Adolf Hitler nationalized certain industry within the Third Reich, he was implementing socialism within Nazi totalitarianism. When Lenin and Stalin forbade private ownership of property, business, and industry, they were implementing socialism within Communist totalitarianism.

Socialism as an economic system will forever be associated with totalitarian regimes of one sort or another. We know for sure that its proponents are anti-freedom, anti-capitalism, and anti-free markets.

And if the truth were known, they probably don't want you to own private property or engage in any form of free enterprise either.

On the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, one by one the Democrats called for the nationalization of the oil industry so that 'we can better control the flow of the oil supply.'

Balderdash. The reason they want to own the oil industry is because they don't believe in private enterprise, and the current skyrocketing gasoline prices give them a convenient excuse to seize what is not theirs.

The oil companies and oil refineries do not belong to the government but to the stockholders who invest in them. For government to take private enterprise is stealing, and anyone who attempts to do such a thing should be arrested on the spot, charged with the crime, and taken immediately to jail pending trial.

Read the following sickening and disgusting account of the statements on the floor of our illustrious U.S. House of Representatives, lead by the chief Commie herself, Nancy Pelosi, and her Democrat foot-soldiers in the American version of the Bolshevik Revolution:
http://www.foxnews.com/urgent_queue/index.html#a54ef44,2008-06-18

Associated Press: Getting Their Just Desserts

Along with other bloggers who are livid that the Associated Press would have the audacity to suggest that we pay them per word for quotations from their articles, I am interested in seeing the AP get its just desserts.

Several have suggested (Michelle Malkin was the first, I think) that we bloggers begin to charge the Associated Press, per word, for quotations they use from us.

The AP would love to have everyone think that only they have original news material. This is far from the truth. The AP has been known to quote from bloggers on a regular basis.

They quoted from Michelle Malkin, without her permission of course, because of the fair use provisions of the law which allow quotations of a certain length, provided credit is given to the original source.

But the AP wishes to go far beyond the provisions of the law and mandate harsh restrictions on the use of quotes from their stories. They will allow us 9 words. Beyond that, we have to pay them a 'per word' fee.

In response, bloggers across the country are boycotting and banning any story from the Associated Press.

This should continue. But in addition to the ban, bloggers who have been quoted by the AP should send the agency what Michelle Malkin refers to as a 'joke bill,' detailing how much money they owe the blogger in question for using their material.

In fact, since most bloggers do not make money from blogging, unlike the Associated Press, which rakes in millions from those who use the service, our 'per word' fees should be much, much higher than the AP's.

Say Uncle, a blogger in Knoxville, TN, quipped that perhaps he should charge the AP multi-thousands per word. Sounds like a good idea to me.

But alas, I don't think the AP has ever quoted anything from my little peon blog. That's too bad. All I would need is just a four-word quote. And since I would be charging them $250,000 per word, I would be a freakin' millionaire.

Sometimes life sucks...

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Top News From the Western Carolinas

Top News From the Western Carolinas--a periodic look at major news stories from the Piedmont and mountains of western North and South Carolina:

A Spartanburg, SC mail carrier was caught red-handed allegedly dumping mail into the trash--an act for which he could face significant federal charges:
http://www.wspa.com/midatlantic/spa/news.apx.-content-articles-SPA-2008-06-17-0011.html

A Greenville County, SC woman who was once a victim of sexual assault is now a major advocate for women who are attacked:
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080617/NEWS01/80616023/1004&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

A North Carolina state trooper who was shot on I-40 in Haywood County has died:
http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/wlos_vid_874.shtml

Charlotte, North Carolina education officials issue a report on disciplinary actions within the area's public schools:
http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8514477&nav=menu1434_3

A report issued by the National Association of Homebuilders shows how crucial new home construction is to the economy of Spartanburg County, SC:
http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080617/NEWS/806170309/1112&title=Home_building_crucial_to_jobs__county_tax_base__report_finds

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/18/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Sebastian provides a most interesting assessment of the mass corruption in Philadelphia, beginning with the labor unions:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/18/philly-last-union-town/

Sebastian also has this follow-up to the negotiations between bloggers and the Associated Press. So far, the news isn't good:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/17/ap-licensing-terms/

Jonah Goldberg weighs in on the Mark Steyn free speech case in totalitarian Canada--a MUST-read:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Mjk5MmE4YjdmZjFkNzZlOWY0ZTFiZTEwNTQ1ZjlmYTA=&w=MA==

Get a load of these losers and has-beens who have been named to Obama's national security team. The only one with any real gravitas is Sam Nunn, and I have lost all respect I once had for him due to his support of Obama. Mike McCarville has the story:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2008/06/obama-taps-david-boren-sam-nunn.html

Ahab found some neat stuff out in California and reminds us of what's coming up once he gets back from his trip:
http://www.nrahab.com/2008/06/17/checking-in/

JR says that a gun blogger in Texas got some good air time on HD-TV, and he posts the video:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/local-gun-bloggers-in-news.html

Freedom Sight has an excellent definition of privacy:
http://freedomsight.net/?p=2589

Freedom Sight also has more follow-up info (mentioned above) on the Associated Press' vendetta against bloggers:
http://freedomsight.net/?p=2588

Further, Michelle Malkin is turning the tables on the Associated Press. They owe HER over one hundred thousand dollars! And if the AP has ever quoted YOU as a blogger, then they owe YOU money! The AP is not the only one that can play that game:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/06/17/hey-associated-press-you-owe-me-at-least-132125/

algore, the energy hypocrite, uses enough electricity at his Tennessee home to provide energy to 232 U.S. homes for a month. John Lott has the story:
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/drew-johnson-former-intern-of-mine-does.html

Communism is alive and well in America (they just don't have sense enough to know that their views are Communistic), and Nicki shows us the dreadful poll numbers to prove it:
http://libertyzone.blogspot.com/2008/06/were-all-so-monumentally-screwed.html

Ha! Take THAT you imbecile! Breda has a very appropriate response to an Obama boneheaded numbskull:
http://thebredafallacy.blogspot.com/2008/06/pooh.html

Uncle has an excellent read on regional patterns of ATF enforcement:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/18/atf-at-work-regional-patterns-in-enforcement/

Methinks Obama is hyper-sensitive about the Muslim thing. NOW look at what the idiot has done:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/obama-bans-muslim-women-from-stage-in.html

McCain Signs Onto 'Drill Here, Drill Now'

Reversing years of opposing such measures, GOP Presidential nominee John McCain stated Tuesday that he supports drilling in the oil-rich regions off the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

McCain indicated that he still opposes drilling in ANWR, which he describes as 'pristine,' but that he now supports the idea of drilling off of the Gulf Coast in order to ease dependence of foreign oil and providing a break for consumers.

Barack Obama stated once again that he is opposed to all new oil drilling anywhere in the country.

With well-over 65% of the American public supporting offshore oil drilling, McCain has positioned himself as the one Presidential candidate who takes a rational approach to our current energy problems, particularly in light of the fact that Communist China, Brazil, and several other nations are drilling for oil right in our own backyard in the Gulf.

We have the environmentalist wackos and their lapdog Democrat submissives to thank for the bans on U.S. drilling. But of course, it is perfectly fine for Commies to travel halfway around the world to get the oil right out from under under our noses.

McCain is to be applauded for his change of policy on oil drilling in the U.S. But Obama, the environmentalist wackos, and the Democrats who do their bidding need to strung upside down by their heels, allowing the blood to flow back into their heads. Perhaps this is the only remedy for the brain-dead cells that occupy the space between their ears.

Taliban Gearing Up for Siege to Re-take Country

Intelligence reports from Afghanistan, including those of observers on the ground, indicate that the Taliban has regrouped and is gearing up for a massive siege, the goal of which is re-taking control of the country.

U.S. forces and NATO had forced the Taliban from power in the early days of the War on Terror, and many top Taliban operatives were either killed or jailed.

But those who remained jailed were freed from prison over this past weekend by a series of explosions planted by Taliban fugitives. The prison escapees were known Taliban operatives who had been trained as suicide bombers and head-choppers.

Since the prison-break, news reports from the region indicate that the Taliban has retaken areas in southern Afghanistan and is now gearing up for a massive, concerted effort to seize control of the country.

The State Department is denying these reports. Yet sources outside the U.S. and within NATO indicate that the U.S. and its allies are monitoring these developments with a wary eye.

Deposing the Taliban was a vital and important first step in fighting the War on Terror. And if this dangerous, extremist group comes back to power in Afghanistan, it would be a significant setback in the West's attempts to keep the lid on terrorism around the world.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/17/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Dr. John Lott reports that a battle is a-brewing in Georgia over concealed handgun permits:
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/concealed-handgun-opponents-focus-on-no.html

Breda's latest post for the Buckeye Firearms Association is up at the website, and it's entitled, 'Of Mice and Men':
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/5763

As a follow-up to yesterday's story on the boycott of the Associated Press, Yahoo News says that a group of bloggers is negotiating an agreement with the AP, but there is a problem that could be a deal-breaker:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080616/ap_bloggers.html?.v=4

JR has excellent signage for would-be intruders:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/fits-has-sign-that-lisa.html

Alphecca posts pics from Charlton Heston's gun vault:
http://www.alphecca.com/?p=817

Armed and Safe writes that one of the Bastard's foot soldiers in Congress has introduced another gun ban:
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/yet-another-bill-to-ban-so-called.html

The Counterterrorism Blog has a frightening assessment of the growing terrorist nuclear network:
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2008/06/the_nuclear_network.php

Gateway Pundit show us just how wrong John Murtha and Barack Obama were about our soldiers who were charged with crimes in the War:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/cleared-charges-dismissed-on-haditha.html

Gateway also reports that Brazil has discovered a massive offshore oil deposit in the Gulf, which other countries are going after in our own backyard, but which the U.S. is forbidden from doing due to the moronic policies of the Democrats and their extremist environmentalist cohorts:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/brazil-discovers-new-offshore-oil.html

Speaking of offshore drilling, Instapundit has a link that shows Americans overwhelmingly support it, in defiance of their elected officials (Democrats in particular):
http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/archives2/020569.php

Gun Pundit has info and a link to info about the 2009 2A blog bash in Phoenix:
http://www.gunpundit.com/646.php

Uncle comments on algore's endorsement of the Obamessiah:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/17/boy-that-was-a-nail-biter/

Sebastian points to the unbelievable garbage at the Huffington Post:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/17/unbelievable-garbage-at-huffpo/

Squeaky issues a special alert for Tennessee gunnies about a new bill introduced in the legislature:
http://www.squeakywheelseeksgrease.com/blog/2008/06/17/listen-up-tennessee-gunnies/

Well, the ATF is up to more shenanigans. They barged in on a gun store in Cleveland, Georgia and confiscated their records. David Codrea has the story:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/for-records.html

Robert Spencer has written a riveting piece at Human Events on 'the jihad against free speech,' which contains updated commentary on the plight of NRO reporter Mark Steyn in totalitarian Canada:
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=27027

Obama's 'Stop the Smears' Website Angers Muslims

A group of moderate Muslims is calling for Barack Obama to remove negative references to the term 'Muslim' on his new website called 'Stop the Smears.' The candidate had started the website as part of his Internet rapid response effort to stop the so-called 'smears' and rumors about him that have been circulating around the Internet and the electorate.

The problem is that one of the main 'smears' listed on the site is the rumor/falsehood that 'Obama is a Muslim.' And herein is the root of the moderate Muslims' discontent.

It isn't that it is not true that many in the electorate believe Barack Obama to be a Muslim but that the website refers to that rumor/belief as a 'smear,' the connotation being that to be called a Muslim is tantamount to being libeled or defamed.

Thus, the moderate Muslim group, which calls itself 'Muslims Against Sharia,' is demanding that Obama remove from his website the inference that to be called a Muslim is a 'smear.'

This seems to be a reasonable request.

As the group states, most terrorists are Muslims but most Muslims are not terrorists. Most Muslims do not belong to the extremist Jihadist movement--the 'Islamofascist' segment-- within Islam. Terrorists come from this minority segment in the Muslim religion.

But for Obama to depict being falsely described as a Muslim as a 'smear' seems to indicate that the candidate has trouble differentiating between moderate Muslims and terrorists. If this is not the case, then the candidate has made a glaring error that portrays a shocking lack of forethought for someone who would be President.

For more on this controversy, click here to go to the website of 'Muslims Against Sharia':
http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/06/senator-obama-is-not-dirty-muslim.html

Monday, June 16, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/16/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Michelle Malkin reports that the mainstream media in its entirety is slamming conservatives and conservative bloggers with half-truths and innuendo, and she shows us how we can attack it:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/06/16/fight-their-smears-abc-news-bob-beckel-time-ap-guardian-and-nyt-slime-the-right/

Armed and Safe has an excellent piece on open carry--recommended reading!
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/shame-of-liberty.html

As we have been reporting all along on The Liberty Sphere, John McCain keeps Joe Lieberman at the top of his list for potential running mates...and now according to Bob Novak, he has admitted it, but he doesn't think he can get away with it. Born Again Redneck reports:
http://bornagainredneck.blogspot.com/2008/06/robert-novak-reports-sources-close-to.html

The Democrats are still lying about the War in Iraq, and Clayton Cramer has this timely reminder:
http://www.claytoncramer.com/weblog/2008_06_15_archive.html#9103244583211733273

The NRA has issued another grassroots alert on Barack Obama (hat tip to Dustin's Gun Blog):
http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx

The MUST-read of the day is a very thought-provoking one, entitled, 'The Reset Button,' and Freedom Sight has it:
http://freedomsight.net/?p=2582

Gateway Pundit is reporting that President Bush has announced the withdrawal of 30,000 U.S. troops from Iraq by July, after U.S. forces experienced a resounding success in the surge:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/bush-announces-withdrawal-of-30000.html

Gateway also reports that Barack has another major problem on his hands--one of his top supporters and contributors 'wants American troops in Iraq dead.' Read it all:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/obama-excon-supporter-rezko-buddy-wants.html

Uncle posts a link to an illustrated guide to the guns Barack Obama wants to ban:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/16/obama-on-guns-2/

The Associated Press is the subject of a boycott. And here's why (hat tip to Sebastian at Snow Flakes in Hell):
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/16/heres-our-new-policy-on-ap-stories-theyre-banned/

Breda says there's something rotten in the state of Denmark:
http://thebredafallacy.blogspot.com/2008/06/something-is-rotten-in-state-of-denmark.html

The War on Guns links to an interview with David Olofson by Larry Pratt of the GOA:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/olofson-on-live-fire.html

Xavier has an interesting read today on the 'Fitz Special'--a revolver made by Colt:
http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2008/06/fitz-special.html

Could There Be a Personal Bias Here, Gentlemen?

The Associated Press via AOL News headlined a story on Sunday which indicates that a group of history professors seem to think that John McCain's chances of winning the White House in '08 are about as strong as the Reverend Jeremiah Wright's chances of being elected the national grand wizard of the KKK.

The professors offered a variety of explanations as to why they see a landslide victory for Barack Obama in the Fall.

But it seems the gentlemen and scholars forgot one simple fact that shapes their opinion. The latest survey of professors of history and English in U.S. colleges and universities shows that the overwhelming majority--over 90% in fact--are liberal Democrats.

So why, pray tell, did their latest 'political opinion' make headline news?

Pin On, Pin Off, Pin On...

It reminds me of the scene from the movie The Karate Kid--'wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off.' Barack Obama can't seem to make up his mind about whether or not he wants to wear a pin of the American Flag on his lapel.

The last time I saw him he was commenting on the death of NBC newsman Tim Russert. Obama was wearing the flag pin on his lapel that day, after having made such a big deal a few months back about taking if off.

One remembers Obama 'waxing' eloquent (no pun intended) as he defended his decision to remove the pin because 'wearing a lapel pin of the flag doesn't make one patriotic.'

But now, apparently, the decision has been made, for one reason or another, to put the pin back on.

If the candidate is attempting to squelch the perception that he is unpatriotic by putting the flag pin back on, it is too late. The damage has already been done.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Melissa Scott--A Different Kind of TV Preacher

One of the more interesting television preachers you will find anywhere is Pastor Melissa Scott, who is Senior Minister at the University Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles, California. Scott can be seen in the late evenings on ION and other cable/satellite TV networks five days a week, Monday through Friday.

Apart from Scott's stunning beauty, she ministers with a style that is totally unique among so-called 'televangelists.' In fact, one would be hard pressed to define her as an 'evangelist' at all, given the fact that she never uses emotion, guilt, or psychological techniques to 'win converts.'

Instead, Scott's presentations are scholarly, pedagogical, well-researched, and relying on her extensive knowledge of the ancient Biblical languages, in addition to up to 15 modern languages.

Watching Melissa Scott in action is a fascinating study of the innovative manner of presenting timeless truths. Against the backdrop of three massive white marker-boards, which she uses to translate ancient Bible passages from their original languages into English, Scott unfolds a message that represents an appeal to the rationality of the human mind.

It would be a big mistake, however, to assume that Scott's message is purely an intellectual exercise. Her own story is one that demonstrates the power of the Christian Gospel to so deeply move the human heart that a person who comes under its soul-stirring influence is changed dramatically and irrevocably.

Scott's past is one of which she is not particularly proud, yet she has not attempted to hide it from her congregation. Before she embraced Christianity and became a minister she was involved in the world of pornography.

It was during this time that she met and formed a relationship with the late Dr. Gene Scott, the founder of the University Cathedral.

Dr. Scott possessed an earned Ph.D. and was fluent in Biblical languages, and it was he who implemented the unique teaching style at the Cathedral which Melissa continues to use to this day.

One of the most colorful figures in modern-day Christianity, Dr. Scott had used a variety of techniques to connect with the average non-church-going person, often to the dismay and disapproval of fellow ministers and others within the Christian community.

At one time not only did Gene Scott televise the Sunday teaching service at the University Cathedral, but he hosted an informal talk-show format during which he would sometimes puff on a cigar while discussing religious issues.

It is difficult to determine just how effective Gene Scott was in his methodology, but we do know that it worked with at least one person--Melissa Scott. Not only did she embrace Christianity but she became Gene Scott's wife, in spite of the fact that he was significantly older.

Eventually the Scotts became a ministry team at the University Cathedral. Melissa would sing and Gene would teach. In time, Melissa herself began to take some of the teaching responsibilities, particularly as Gene grew older and fell into poor health.

As the Founding Pastor, Gene Scott had the power to determine who would be his successor once his chronic and fatal illness overtook him, and that person would be Melissa Scott.

Dr. Gene Scott died in 2005, and since that time Melissa Scott has held the role of Pastor.

While there have been rumors along the way of discontent among some of the members of the University Church, apparently the ministry barely missed a beat as Melissa Scott assumed the duties of Senior Pastor/teacher of the church. The congregation is the largest in the downtown Los Angeles area, and it would appear that her television teaching ministry has not only survived but flourished.

Of course, periodically Pastor Scott is forced to fight off rumor and innuendo concerning her past. There are those, unfortunately, who refuse to allow the woman to move on with her life and would rather expediently focus on her past life in order to make a buck or two.

But there is absolutely no credible evidence that Pastor Melissa Scott is anything but a genuine Christian and an effective teacher who is a living testimony to how the Christian Gospel can mold and shape a life--and put us in places we had never dreamed.

While none of this is in any way to be construed as an endorsement of the Scotts or the University Church (I simply don't know enough about the Church's doctrine and polity to comment), I do find the Melissa Scott teaching phenomenon to be fascinating and refreshingly different.

For more information on Pastor Melissa Scott and the University Cathedral, click here:

http://www.pastormelissascott.org/

http://www.pastormelissascott.com/