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Friday, August 02, 2013

The Gun Rights and Liberty News Roundup for 8/2/2013


Mike Vanderboegh came through his surgery ok. Here he gives us a report and makes a comment or two about his upcoming mission to smuggle "forbidden" guns into Colorado.

David Codrea gives us yet another example of the double standards regarding cops and their guns vs. the citizens and theirs.

Kurt Hofmann says that in addition to demonizing concealed carry for gun owners, the Violence Policy Center also demonizes free enterprise. Yep, that's usually the way it works. Show me a rabid gun grabber and I'll show you a totalitarian Commie or Nazi. It's not just the guns they don't believe in. They don't believe in private property, free enterprise, or basic human freedom.

WRSA points to a stark message to the statists, liberal Democrats, and other enemies of human freedom -- we're gonna "roll you back."

Way Up North passes along an announcement that Alaska plans to hold a big summit to discuss federal overreach. Good.

Tam presents some insightful commentary on gub'mint spying.

Traction Control notes the latest Benghazi outrage and asks a very good question as a result.

The Wandering Minstrel provides us with some good, old fashioned common sense on guns and self-defense.

Standing By says, "It never hurts to put yourself in someone else's shoes."

Brigid shares with us a report on a night at the gun club.

From Golden Geese News: "A list of hypocritical idiots that would be complete if all other liberal celebrities were on it."

Nicki makes verbal minced meat out of RINO Chris Christie. And let's face it. Few are more deserving of it.

Days of our Trailers founds some misleading headlines for fun and profit.

Gateway Pundit has the complete scoop on the news that broke earlier today that a U.S. senator has confirmed that Obama has been hiding Benghazi survivors and changed their names.

Pamela Geller reports more breaking news from Jake Tapper of CNN, who says that CIA agents were all over the ground in Benghazi the night of the attack, but it was covered up. He further states that this cover up is bigger than that of Watergate.

Around O-Town asks, "What does the path to tyranny look like?" I would only add we are no longer on the path toward tyranny. We are already there!

Alphecca reports that an Ohio gun company has introduced a .905 caliber rifle.

Roberta X points to a Claire Wolf essay on the stupid things the anti-gun bigots say.

Karl Denninger declares that the latest government report on employment is "crap." Agreed.

Mike McCarville, long time Oklahoma journalist, has an excellent piece on why the proposal to raise taxes on small business is a lousy idea.

Republicans will cave on Obamacare, immigration

Sources in the U.S. Congress report that if the votes were taken today on funding Obamacare in the upcoming budget negotiations and on the so-called comprehensive immigration reform bill, most Republicans would vote in favor of both.

The news is ominous given that we already know that the vast majority of Democrats will march in lockstep to the House and Senate Democratic leadership. And with Republican support, both initiatives will pass overwhelmingly.

Click here to continue reading at Anthony G. Martin's National Conservative Examiner.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Workman reveals gun control playbook

Have you ever wondered how progressives manage to stay on message, using a common language with key phrases and words that are designed to give themselves the upper hand in public debates?

Gun control advocates who propose gun bans and cumbersome restrictions and registration are most active within the progressive movement. And as such, it has been revealed today that such groups use a common playbook that spells out exactly which words to use, terms to promote, and words and phrases to avoid.

Click here to continue reading at Anthony G. Martin's National Conservative Examiner.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

More about that...

Someone asked if I would answer a musical question, and of course, music being one of my favorite subjects, I am most happy to oblige.

The question concerns the symphony I posted earlier this week by Rimsky-Korsalov titled "Scheherazade." The music is so captivating that the questioner mused that there must be a story behind it.

Indeed, there is. In fact, the symphony itself IS a story depicted by music. To me, the story is most fascinating, and it perhaps explains at least part of the reason people love the piece so much. Something resonates with the listener that draws him into the sound and harmony.

Rimsky-Korsalov was a Russian composer who wrote in the Romantic period of the 1800s. Two central features of that era are depicted by Scheherazade, one, the composer is interested in lush orchestrations, captivating melodies, and emotionally marinated harmonies, all of which can be found in the work, and two, he was keenly interested in what was known at the time as "the East," or the "Orient," which today we know as the Arab world. Russians at the time, pre-Bolshevik, were known for their fascination with the Arab culture, which to them was full of intrigue, danger, and romance.

And here is where Scheherazade comes in. Rimsky-Korsalov wished to write a symphony that would set to music a story based upon The Arabian Nights. According to the story, an Arab Sultan had come to the conclusion that all women were wicked and unfaithful, and thus, he decided to kill all of his wives. Scheherazade was one of the wives whose fate rested in the hands of her Sultan lord. The symphony opens with the dark, deep bass notes that are the theme of the stern Sultan. We are then introduced to the musical theme of the wife, which is portrayed by a sultry, intriguing, and sensual violin solo, backed up by the harp.  

Scheherazade had a plan to save her own life. She would captivate the Sultan's curiosity and attention by telling him fantastic tales of sea voyages, danger, intrigue, romance, mystery, excitement, fear, and love, all as depicted in the story The Arabian Nights.

Her plan worked, at least temporarily. As long as Scheherazade could keep the Sultan captivated by her fantastic tales, he would put off killing her. And that led to the subtitle of The Arabian Nights, "One Thousand and One Nights," meaning that Scheherazade kept her lord's murderous rampage at bay by entertaining him with fascinating tales for a thousand and one nights.

But on the final night of this protracted encounter, an internal war ensues within the mind and heart of the Sultan, which is portrayed by the intensity of the music of the fourth and final movement of the piece. He is torn by what he swore to do and what his heart tells him to do. Finally, there is a great breakthrough as Scheherazade wins him over and melts his heart. Not only does he allow her to live but he goes further to rescind his vow to kill his wives. It is at that point, at the end of the piece, that we find a stunning climax, the pounding throbbing music depicting the Sultan's conversion to a compassionate mindset, and finally the movement into the soothing, peaceful coda at the end where the music takes us to the easing of Scheherazade's mind where she can now fall into a deep and peaceful sleep, assured that she had finally won over the hardened heart of an Arab Sultan who was bent on murder.

Is this the reason Eugene Ormandy, conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, is seen in the video of the piece with tears at the point that the Sultan is overwhelmed by the internal conflict and finally gives in to his heart to the point that he decides to allow all of his wives to live? We don't know for sure. But we do know that the fourth movement of the piece is one of the most moving musical climaxes in the history of serious symphonic music. And let's be honest about it. Nobody, no conductor, no orchestra ever came close to captivating the sheer emotion of this piece outside of Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra...not to mention that they played the piece to perfection, which is rare.

Perhaps Ormandy was overwhelmed by the fact that he was able to produce the sound he wanted to this degree of utter perfection. But I like to think that he was moved by more than just the music. As a musical genius and child prodigy, Ormandy was well aware of the story behind the music. The story, you see, becomes part of that music if one is aware of it. Perhaps it was that as much as the music that moved him. And of course, the music perfectly captures the climax of the story.

As one person wrote on YouTube, "The conductor is so brilliantly passionate that just watching him alone makes this worth favoriting." 

So, that is my take on this wonderful symphony, and yes, it is one of my very favorite pieces of music. If you missed it earlier, here is the YouTube link to Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra playing the fourth and final movement.

The Gun Rights and Liberty News Roundup for 7/31/2013


Way Up North reminds us of the importance of forging ahead with courage while at the same time remembering and honoring the past.

Mike Vanderboegh notes that the NRA is selling us out yet again. By the way, keep Mike in your prayers. He goes to the hospital tomorrow for a procedure to correct some glitches from his ongoing illness.

Kurt Hofmann blasts a federal judge in Illinois for what he just did to the self-defense rights of the people.

The Wandering Minstrel points out a possible loophole in the Illinois CCW law.

Days of our Trailers says that Chicago is simply Detroit 2.0.

WRSA informs us of the latest tyranny coming out of 'Bamaville.

David Codrea reports the latest news out of Mississippi in the court case where a judge has overruled the will of the people concerning gun rights.

Archer Garrett's Sentinel has all the news of importance to conservatives and libertarians.

Tam shows us how Detroit is similar to the country of Colombia.

Alphecca reports that an Arkansas school is going to buy CCW guns for their teachers!

Around O-Town says that America's teens are on a violent rampage.

Pamela Geller calls our attention to the growing practice of schools in firing cafeteria workers who accidentally give Muslim students food containing pork. I hope these workers are suing the pants off of the schools who did that.

Gateway Pundit notes that the Obama 2nd Quarter growth rate is the worst since the Great Depression.

A Geek With Guns provides provocative commentary on the Bradley Manning case.

The Price of Liberty comments on the news from a libertarian perspective.

The Daily Smug says that John McCain has admitted that amnesty is more important than additional Border Patrol agents.

Standing By posts a must-read on energy sources and "environmental professionals."

Nicki identifies the point at which she becomes politically incorrect.

The Stiletto reports that Obama has thrown black people under the bus.

Stand Up America rips into Barack Obama for referring to the series of scandals rocking the administration as "phony."




Republican turncoats: naming the names


Excerpt:

"Conservatives and libertarians have stated both privately and publicly that they are so livid about the current Republican leadership that they are willing to turn to desperate measures to get rid of them, such as voting for Democrats in districts such as John Boehner's in Ohio.

"Most people involved in the liberty movement would be loathe to resort to such a tactic for the simple reason that in most instances the Democratic candidate is much worse than even the elitist Republican. However, most also believe that since everything that has been tried up until now to browbeat the GOP leadership into sanity has failed and that more severe measures must be implemented.

"One thing we can do initially is to name the names and then shame them publicly..."

Click here to read the whole thing at Anthony G. Martin's National Conservative Examiner.


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Sorry about that...

I am way behind on my postings this week. You may have noticed there has been no Gun Rights and Liberty News Roundup yet. I will get back to it as soon as I can.

Sickness has prevented me from doing what I normally do here. So bear with me.

The best way you can help, other than your prayers, is to be sure to read and pass along to others my National Conservative Examiner articles.

Also, there is a ton of information at your fingertips here through the numerous links I have provided in the left column. There are some mighty fine bloggers, alternative news sources, and the like for your reading pleasure. Visit some of them.

I hope I will have the Roundup back up and running tomorrow. If I begin to feel better, I may post an Examiner article this evening. I need the money. If don't write and if only a few read my articles, I don't get paid. So, I am totally at the mercy of my own wits and the many friends who visit these pages regularly.

Thank you!

Monday, July 29, 2013

'Scheherazade'

Some of the finest serious music ever written came out of the Romantic period in pre-Bolshevik Russia. Tchaikovsky is one that comes to mind with his famous and beloved 1812 Overture.

But another was Rimsky Korsakov, who in the late 1800s wrote an enduring symphony titled, "Scheherazade." The composer himself was the first to conduct this work in St. Petersburg, and the audience loved it. Audiences around the world still do.

I had heard this work before, but one of the pleasures of living in this present era is YouTube. Someone has managed to capture the entirety of Korsakov's lovely and striking piece, in all four movements.

And fortunately for me, it so happens that this work is preserved on video and audio on YouTube for posterity, as performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and its late, great conductor, Eugene Ormandy.

I have made no secret of the fact that my favorite orchestra and conductor of all time is the Philadelphia Orchestra with Eugene Ormandy at the helm. Ormandy's 44-year tenure as musical director and conductor in Philly stands as the longest tenure of any conductor in history. He also sold more records in the "classical" genre than any other conductor or orchestra in history.

This made him an easy target, however. Now, understandably, all musicians and music lovers have their personal preferences. This is to be expected. But much of what has been said about Ormandy is simply untrue -- blatantly untrue and frankly, uncalled for and unbecoming of serious musicians.

He was criticized for lacking imagination and creativity. Yet he is known for perfecting the lush, full, and velvety orchestrations emphasizing strings for which the Philadelphia Orchestra became known. He was criticized for lacking passion. Yet when one watches a video of Ormandy directing the orchestra it immediately becomes clear that he was an impassioned conductor who was able to get into the emotion of the music and draw out the musicians to communicate that emotion in an effective fashion. And all of this was done without the overly dramatic antics of someone like Leonard Bernstein, who often acted as if he did not know anyone else was on the stage but him.

Korsakov's music was a perfect fit for Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in that it allowed them to showcase the style for which they had become well-known all over the world.

I have embedded part of the piece below so you can enjoy it. If you have never delved into the pleasures of Korsakov, this will give you an opportunity to do so in a brief fashion. And if you like it, I have posted the links to the other portions of the piece below.

Here I start with the fourth and final movement of "Scheherazade" because it allows you to see and hear the perfection of the Philadelphia Orchestra at its peak. You also see the great "little maestro" at work. As he did on most of the works he conducted, Ormandy did so from memory. Only on occasion did he have the musical score in front of him when he conducted. He didn't need it.

And as for "passion," pay close attention to Ormandy at 4:04 or so and beyond. He is obviously deeply moved by the sound he was getting from the orchestra on this, which moved him to smiles and even tears...later you can see the tears on his cheeks if you look closely. Believe me, a musician knows when his group, ensemble, band, or orchestra "nails it" head on and emits to perfection the sound it is supposed to create.

I know that not all of you are into this kind of music. But give it a try. You might be surprised. This is good stuff. Good music takes you to places you never imagined.

Remember, this is the ending of the piece. If you like it, try out the rest of it at the links I provide below the embedded video.




Movement 1

Movement 2, Part 1

Movement 2, Part 2

Movement 3

Movement 4, Part 1

How gov't tyrants will try to destroy liberty movement

Once power hungry men get a taste of power it is as if a demon is released within them that knows no bounds. Presidents break the law, claiming they are above it. Elected representatives claim the laws they pass for the electorate as a whole do not apply to them. Supreme Court justices make up laws out of thin air.

And this is only the beginning. The government begins to spy on citizens who are not suspected of crimes nor charged with any wrongdoing, in clear violation of the Constitution. That same government targets political groups for harassment and delays merely because they oppose the current "ruling class." Foreign diplomats are killed in cold blood due to the ineptitude and/or malevolent devices of public servants who then exclaim, "What difference does it make?" Members of the press are attacked and harassed by an administration that is raging out of control.

This, however, is not even the beginning of the worst of the government's offenses...

Click here to continue reading at Anthony G. Martin's National Conservative Examiner.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

'Moderate' Republicans killing the party

Excerpt:

"The contentious Obamacare debate between the conservatives and the elitists in the Republican Party is indicative of a much wider and deeper rift within the Party. Conservatives charge that in spite of the fact that they represent most Republicans in the country, they are the ones who are ignored and expected to capitulate to demands made by the Party leadership in the House and Senate represented by personalities such as John Boehner, Eric Cantor, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, and Kevin McCarthy, among others. The conservatives also charge that the more moderate stance of the leadership is killing the Party and leading to significant losses in key elections.

"The presidential election of 2012 is a case in point..."

Click here to read the whole thing at Anthony G. Martin's National Conservative Examiner.