So true. In a world of double-standards, how are we supposed to know right from wrong any more?
**NOTE - for any of you ignorant fools that think this is a rant against anybody liking a movie, I have a bridge in New York I'll sell you on the cheap.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Land of the Free, Home of the... oh, wait...
There are so many small things that we take for granted right? Think about it for a minute. Running water, electricity, food on the table, legal rights. Right? Hello? There are a ton of such things that we don't even think about on a daily basis. Well, not most of us. I for one, have to think about many of the above due to my choices in life. The simplest of things are brought into focus when you live life on the road. But for the mass of us, these are things that you just think will always be there when you need them. Too bad they are also the things that are being taken away right under our noses. Many of them are the things we believe make us "free".
The last of those - legal rights- is a big deal right now. I posted a while back on the four retirees that are on trial in Georgia for plotting to kill federal employees and government officials. That is an ongoing story that currently sees most of the men guilty prior to even being given a day in court. All of the courtroom drawings during the bond hearing are of the men struggling to even hear the judge, because, well, they're all nearly deaf. I'm not taking a side here. I'm following the rule of the land, that people are innocent until they are PROVEN guilty in a court administered by their peers. Unfortunately, that is one of the things that we take for granted that has been taken away from us. These men are being portrayed as anti-social, militiamen who would stop at nothing to tear down the government. Prosecutors even got the judge to deny bond to the men, because they posed a serious threat to federal employees. Really? It was stated that they "had nothing to loose" and would be given the ultimate ability to galvanize their position as being threatened by the "jack-booted government" that they stood against. I'm astounded. You can read more on it HERE.
The fact that there have been no stories of the other "militiamen" that would undoubtedly make up this militia the government is blaming the men for being a part of, is in and of itself bizarre. Don't you think that if there was a serious case against these men, they would be looking for the entire group? Are they trying to tell us that four aging geriatrics were going to blow up the world? Next thing you know, they'll be saying that 19 untrained Arabs are going to fly jumbo jets into buildings with military precision. Oh, wait.
Again, I'm not making a decision. These old farts may be the second coming of Satan and have stockpiled everything necessary to Rambo their way through the entire state of Georgia. I seriously doubt it though. What I do believe, is that they are being tried for something much bigger than just disgruntled talk around the dinner table. I believe they are being put on parade to prove that the government needs better methods to stop domestic terrorism. The outcome of this simple little incident will probably take more of those things we take for granted right out of our hands.
Next thing you know, the president will issue an outcry for help to have the citizens listen for people conspiring against the government. Oh, wait one more time. They already do that? Yep, check this out HERE. I hope you click through all the links to see just what your wonderful government is spending its time and money on. Yeah, coffee cups that urge people to tell all they hear about anti-government speech on their ride to work. Seems the White House has even expanded their efforts to include people of Jewish faith. They want to add to the protection of the people by weeding out any anti-whatever thoughts. Odd. Seems like the same thing the Hitler Youth were around for. Call me silly.
Oh well, maybe we'll all wake up once the "See Something, Say Something" campaigns expand to include people narc'ing on you for using too much water, or growing your own garden (oops, that's already happening too), or keeping your lights on too long. Don't cry when it happens. You've been told.
The last of those - legal rights- is a big deal right now. I posted a while back on the four retirees that are on trial in Georgia for plotting to kill federal employees and government officials. That is an ongoing story that currently sees most of the men guilty prior to even being given a day in court. All of the courtroom drawings during the bond hearing are of the men struggling to even hear the judge, because, well, they're all nearly deaf. I'm not taking a side here. I'm following the rule of the land, that people are innocent until they are PROVEN guilty in a court administered by their peers. Unfortunately, that is one of the things that we take for granted that has been taken away from us. These men are being portrayed as anti-social, militiamen who would stop at nothing to tear down the government. Prosecutors even got the judge to deny bond to the men, because they posed a serious threat to federal employees. Really? It was stated that they "had nothing to loose" and would be given the ultimate ability to galvanize their position as being threatened by the "jack-booted government" that they stood against. I'm astounded. You can read more on it HERE.
The fact that there have been no stories of the other "militiamen" that would undoubtedly make up this militia the government is blaming the men for being a part of, is in and of itself bizarre. Don't you think that if there was a serious case against these men, they would be looking for the entire group? Are they trying to tell us that four aging geriatrics were going to blow up the world? Next thing you know, they'll be saying that 19 untrained Arabs are going to fly jumbo jets into buildings with military precision. Oh, wait.
Again, I'm not making a decision. These old farts may be the second coming of Satan and have stockpiled everything necessary to Rambo their way through the entire state of Georgia. I seriously doubt it though. What I do believe, is that they are being tried for something much bigger than just disgruntled talk around the dinner table. I believe they are being put on parade to prove that the government needs better methods to stop domestic terrorism. The outcome of this simple little incident will probably take more of those things we take for granted right out of our hands.
Next thing you know, the president will issue an outcry for help to have the citizens listen for people conspiring against the government. Oh, wait one more time. They already do that? Yep, check this out HERE. I hope you click through all the links to see just what your wonderful government is spending its time and money on. Yeah, coffee cups that urge people to tell all they hear about anti-government speech on their ride to work. Seems the White House has even expanded their efforts to include people of Jewish faith. They want to add to the protection of the people by weeding out any anti-whatever thoughts. Odd. Seems like the same thing the Hitler Youth were around for. Call me silly.
Oh well, maybe we'll all wake up once the "See Something, Say Something" campaigns expand to include people narc'ing on you for using too much water, or growing your own garden (oops, that's already happening too), or keeping your lights on too long. Don't cry when it happens. You've been told.
Monday, November 21, 2011
I love how...
This freakin' "super committee" assigned to come up with a way to cut the budget of the country can't even figure itself out. Now that they've had all this time to come up with a means to kill a couple trillion bucks out of our obese spending habits, they are saying they can't come to an agreement. Really? You mean a dozen bi-partisan idiots who can't make good laws in the first place can't come to an agreement on how to cut spending? Wow. I'm shocked. Maybe we should send them all back to grade-school economics classes for a month or so.
Now that they will probably miss the deadline to get the cuts approved, an automatic $1.2 trillion in cuts will kick in. You see, this is a "law" that congress put into place to ensure that the committee did its job. 1.2 trillion bucks that comes half from defense spending and half from domestic entitlement programs. THEY WROTE THIS LAW PEOPLE. Now that it looks like it will have to actually be used though, congress is struggling to come up with new laws that allow them to not follow the original cuts they lobbied for. Seriously.
ARE YOU FUCKING LISTENING? Congress wants to overwrite what they fought so hard to get enacted in the first place. Back then, it was a stick to get the White House and the Senate to get off their asses and get a budget that would cut spending and make the "people" better off. Now that it's not going to happen, the same congresspeople are clamoring to back off from their original fight. They never intended to follow through, just like they never intend to follow any of the laws they force down our throats. What's amazing, is that the 1.2 trillion is just a drop in the bucket, since it's actually taken out over 10 YEARS! Yes, you read that right. They have 10 years to cut that much out of the over 40 trillion they plan to spend in that same timeframe. This is basic math here. A fraction of the uncontrolled spending does not fix anything, whether it is forced or agreed upon. We need real solutions.
This is not a joke people. This is not a small thing. This can't be allowed to go on. This will basically be an end-around by the government to actually do the same nothing that it does so well all the other days they actually go into "session". We need to recall the entire freaking thing. All of them. It's beyond ridiculous, and we all just sit and let it happen. Every single one of us deserves exactly what we are about to get.
Now that they will probably miss the deadline to get the cuts approved, an automatic $1.2 trillion in cuts will kick in. You see, this is a "law" that congress put into place to ensure that the committee did its job. 1.2 trillion bucks that comes half from defense spending and half from domestic entitlement programs. THEY WROTE THIS LAW PEOPLE. Now that it looks like it will have to actually be used though, congress is struggling to come up with new laws that allow them to not follow the original cuts they lobbied for. Seriously.
ARE YOU FUCKING LISTENING? Congress wants to overwrite what they fought so hard to get enacted in the first place. Back then, it was a stick to get the White House and the Senate to get off their asses and get a budget that would cut spending and make the "people" better off. Now that it's not going to happen, the same congresspeople are clamoring to back off from their original fight. They never intended to follow through, just like they never intend to follow any of the laws they force down our throats. What's amazing, is that the 1.2 trillion is just a drop in the bucket, since it's actually taken out over 10 YEARS! Yes, you read that right. They have 10 years to cut that much out of the over 40 trillion they plan to spend in that same timeframe. This is basic math here. A fraction of the uncontrolled spending does not fix anything, whether it is forced or agreed upon. We need real solutions.
This is not a joke people. This is not a small thing. This can't be allowed to go on. This will basically be an end-around by the government to actually do the same nothing that it does so well all the other days they actually go into "session". We need to recall the entire freaking thing. All of them. It's beyond ridiculous, and we all just sit and let it happen. Every single one of us deserves exactly what we are about to get.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Some Speedmetal to keep you warm!
Just got back to the ranch after jaunting down to Denver on ol' faithful for some riding and shenanigans with the Speedmetal crew. Hadn't had a chance to really hang with Dave much before this. Seems like we were always doing the show thing and only had time for handshakes and "hellos". This time, we got down to business and blitzed through some good scenery, good food, and better tequila! Dave's knuck is a site to see on the road and gets zero nice-guy treatment from its owner. It's all business and butt-hauling. Great meeting Justin, Sam, Jeff, Chuck and all the other guys too. Denver is loaded with some good folks and it all made the hour trip down through snow and sleet worthwhile. Have to make sure we make this a regular occurrence for sure. I'll be better off next time after stopping at the Army surplus shop on the way home for some gloves that actually keep the cold out at 100 mph. California takes away your ability to remember how to keep warm, I guess.
Go check Dave out on his Speedmetal blog and show him some support. He's turning out some killer projects!
Go check Dave out on his Speedmetal blog and show him some support. He's turning out some killer projects!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Hmmmm...
So, in a practice-what-you-preach sorta way, I came across this little tid-bit. 4 Georgia boys (all over 65 years of age by the way) are arrested in that state on charges of domestic terror plotting. You can read what is known at this point on the New York Times - HERE.
What are your thoughts on this? The video link on Veterans Today shows a poor, hapless local saying that a lot of people will be "praying to God" if this is really this close to their home. She seems to already believe what she's being told. That these geriatric gentlemen were going to somehow produce enough Ricin to deliver it on the HIGHWAYS of Atlanta in a concentration suitable for killing people in their CARS.
Read up on the creation of Ricin and it's potency to see what you think about that. They are painting these men as professionals in these matters and linking them to some militia that they won't name. Maybe more information of a substantial type will surface, but don't bet on it.
If they were planning on killing numerous people in Atlanta, and did, in fact, have the means to do so, then bravo to our intelligence agencies for nabbing them.
if, on the other hand, this is a way to get people to allow further rights-snatching to "protect" us from "domestic terror", then shame on all of us for allowing it.
Don't believe what they feed you until they provide the real, hard evidence, but pay attention.
I for one am afraid of any report of supposed "domestic terror", because it appears that they are staging for a day when anyone can be labeled a terrorist for standing up against the government. It's happening, and it's all around you. Remember, our president just ordered the killing of another US CITIZEN in the middle east without due process of law taken into account, just because they labeled the man a terrorist.
The time has come and passed us by where the label of terrorist gives the government cause to hide all information about their actions with regards to the suspect, and to do whatever they wish to said person without repercussions on a domestic or international basis. Pretty soon, they'll have us all watching the shadows for anything we may do that could be considered "subversive".
Remember the American Revolution? Yeah, the one that got you to where you are right now? That one. Realize that under our current government rules, those involved would have been "terrorists" and would have been murdered without trial most likely. Pretty scary when you put it like that ain't it?
Just keep paying attention.
What are your thoughts on this? The video link on Veterans Today shows a poor, hapless local saying that a lot of people will be "praying to God" if this is really this close to their home. She seems to already believe what she's being told. That these geriatric gentlemen were going to somehow produce enough Ricin to deliver it on the HIGHWAYS of Atlanta in a concentration suitable for killing people in their CARS.
Read up on the creation of Ricin and it's potency to see what you think about that. They are painting these men as professionals in these matters and linking them to some militia that they won't name. Maybe more information of a substantial type will surface, but don't bet on it.
If they were planning on killing numerous people in Atlanta, and did, in fact, have the means to do so, then bravo to our intelligence agencies for nabbing them.
if, on the other hand, this is a way to get people to allow further rights-snatching to "protect" us from "domestic terror", then shame on all of us for allowing it.
Don't believe what they feed you until they provide the real, hard evidence, but pay attention.
I for one am afraid of any report of supposed "domestic terror", because it appears that they are staging for a day when anyone can be labeled a terrorist for standing up against the government. It's happening, and it's all around you. Remember, our president just ordered the killing of another US CITIZEN in the middle east without due process of law taken into account, just because they labeled the man a terrorist.
The time has come and passed us by where the label of terrorist gives the government cause to hide all information about their actions with regards to the suspect, and to do whatever they wish to said person without repercussions on a domestic or international basis. Pretty soon, they'll have us all watching the shadows for anything we may do that could be considered "subversive".
Remember the American Revolution? Yeah, the one that got you to where you are right now? That one. Realize that under our current government rules, those involved would have been "terrorists" and would have been murdered without trial most likely. Pretty scary when you put it like that ain't it?
Just keep paying attention.
Somebody explain why...
Americans are so f'ing blind to what's going on around them. Must be so much easier to just wander through life not paying attention and using the famous "can't do anything about it" or "doesn't affect me" slogans. I get told I'm too serious lately. Too "down" about things. Too angry.
No, not really. I'm not down at all. I'm exactly where I want to be and I'm doing the things that actually focus on making life better with regards to a bigger picture rather than focusing on happy hour or weekend getaways. Those things are cool for sure, but don't fix anything in the long run.
Call me crabby, or a hermit or whatever you want, but it's not about being pissed off as a goal. It's about being pissed off as a catalyst to change things for the better.
Here's one for your nugget - Good comes from the cancellation of bad. The cancellation of bad does not necessarily come from the doing of good.
What I mean here, is that you have to focus on the bad in order to actually change it. You can't just go around helping old ladies cross the street and think that the bad shit in the world will go away. That's the hippies' world peace movement way of thinking. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. You have to become more "radical" in your actions. You have to be deliberate and target the bad things that set you back. Do what counters these "bad" things long enough and you'll eventually achieve your "good". Seems like common sense to some, but I'm surprised at the enormous amount of people who just ignore the tough stuff.
I guess working all day and having stress from traffic, job, relations, whatever, gives everyone the excuse to say "fuck it, I'm tuning out". At least until you have to just go do it all over again tomorrow. Sad existence people. Get over yourselves. The world is coming knocking on your door whether you like it or not, and right now, it's not delivering girl scout cookies. It's delivering flaming bags of turds.
Might be a good time to start spending some time during your day to educate yourself on extinguishing flaming bags of turds, so your porch is inviting enough for cookie deliveries in the future. If you don't, don't come crying to me when your house burns down and you need a place to stay.
Just sayin. It's time to set aside an hour of each day to educate yourself on the tough stuff. Go find news other than Entertainment Weekly, US, ESPN, or whatever other distractions pass for "information" these days. Spend an hour forgetting about the celebs and all the gossip. Forget about "reality" TV that isn't real at all. Forget about your favorite sports team. Forget about local news distracting you with tales of shootings and incorrect weather reports. Forget about the song that makes you cry since your girlfriend/boyfriend left you. Forget it all.
Now is not the time for retreating into your little world of self-concerned BS. Now is the time to think bigger and do bigger. Even if only for an hour a day. Shit, start at 30 minutes!
Go DIG for what you think you believe in. The tough stuff. The big picture stuff. Read the news from the other side of the fence. Forget about your "party" affiliations and read it all, no matter how much your stomach turns, because in there somewhere is truth. You have to look at both sides of a dollar bill to make sure it's real before you spend it right? A one-sided argument does you about the same amount of good as that bill that's only printed on one side. None. You need to hear it all, so you realize where the shit is coming from.
After you read for a while and start forming some real conclusions of your own, rather than what the news tells you, GO SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS! Yeah, they might look at you like they look at me and tell you you're being a downer, but keep on. Don't take no for an answer. Getting just one person every so often to go delve deeper is worth it.
If you're sitting there thinking that someone else will take care of all the craziness in the world, or that none of it is important enough to take your precious time, then you, my one-time friend, are the problem. Get with the program. YOUR program, and make sure you know the real deal and are doing something about it.
See ya out there!
No, not really. I'm not down at all. I'm exactly where I want to be and I'm doing the things that actually focus on making life better with regards to a bigger picture rather than focusing on happy hour or weekend getaways. Those things are cool for sure, but don't fix anything in the long run.
Call me crabby, or a hermit or whatever you want, but it's not about being pissed off as a goal. It's about being pissed off as a catalyst to change things for the better.
Here's one for your nugget - Good comes from the cancellation of bad. The cancellation of bad does not necessarily come from the doing of good.
What I mean here, is that you have to focus on the bad in order to actually change it. You can't just go around helping old ladies cross the street and think that the bad shit in the world will go away. That's the hippies' world peace movement way of thinking. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. You have to become more "radical" in your actions. You have to be deliberate and target the bad things that set you back. Do what counters these "bad" things long enough and you'll eventually achieve your "good". Seems like common sense to some, but I'm surprised at the enormous amount of people who just ignore the tough stuff.
I guess working all day and having stress from traffic, job, relations, whatever, gives everyone the excuse to say "fuck it, I'm tuning out". At least until you have to just go do it all over again tomorrow. Sad existence people. Get over yourselves. The world is coming knocking on your door whether you like it or not, and right now, it's not delivering girl scout cookies. It's delivering flaming bags of turds.
Might be a good time to start spending some time during your day to educate yourself on extinguishing flaming bags of turds, so your porch is inviting enough for cookie deliveries in the future. If you don't, don't come crying to me when your house burns down and you need a place to stay.
Just sayin. It's time to set aside an hour of each day to educate yourself on the tough stuff. Go find news other than Entertainment Weekly, US, ESPN, or whatever other distractions pass for "information" these days. Spend an hour forgetting about the celebs and all the gossip. Forget about "reality" TV that isn't real at all. Forget about your favorite sports team. Forget about local news distracting you with tales of shootings and incorrect weather reports. Forget about the song that makes you cry since your girlfriend/boyfriend left you. Forget it all.
Now is not the time for retreating into your little world of self-concerned BS. Now is the time to think bigger and do bigger. Even if only for an hour a day. Shit, start at 30 minutes!
Go DIG for what you think you believe in. The tough stuff. The big picture stuff. Read the news from the other side of the fence. Forget about your "party" affiliations and read it all, no matter how much your stomach turns, because in there somewhere is truth. You have to look at both sides of a dollar bill to make sure it's real before you spend it right? A one-sided argument does you about the same amount of good as that bill that's only printed on one side. None. You need to hear it all, so you realize where the shit is coming from.
After you read for a while and start forming some real conclusions of your own, rather than what the news tells you, GO SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS! Yeah, they might look at you like they look at me and tell you you're being a downer, but keep on. Don't take no for an answer. Getting just one person every so often to go delve deeper is worth it.
If you're sitting there thinking that someone else will take care of all the craziness in the world, or that none of it is important enough to take your precious time, then you, my one-time friend, are the problem. Get with the program. YOUR program, and make sure you know the real deal and are doing something about it.
See ya out there!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Musings on a Friday Night...
Just got back to the ranch after pushing back a few Captain and Cokes with my Brother, and had some thoughts I figured I'd share. In these times where everything's not as shiny as it's painted to be, we still have to remember those that help us hold it all together. That said, I don't talk to my good friends and even some family near enough. Seriously, texting and all that bullshit doesn't even cut it anymore. You can text everyday, but after a year, if you see that person, you feel as if you've missed them forever. It just doesn't cut it.
I'm a sorry-assed communicator and I know it. To all of you that ever sat around a campfire, bar, show, couch, bike, or whatever with me and thought you were better for it, I not only miss you, but have a duty to let you know that I feel the same. I don't show it enough, and I let a lot of time go by where people wonder if I'm dead or whatever, but in the end, I truly do love you guys. Not in a prison sort of way, but you get the picture.
Months or years may go by, but I never forget the deeds done, or the gems passed down by my friends and fam. Every single one of you has had an impact in my life that helps me figure out more of who I am on a daily basis. I may be a loner at heart, and a wanderer in my soul, but I hope that you guys will realize that it's nothing against you. If anything, I wish I could bring all of you along for the ride. I'm truly hoping that in the coming months, I can spend the right kind of time with everyone, if even for only a few hours. Time to turn off the internet and get face to face.
You know who you are, because you'll sit there reading this saying to yourself that you "get it". You figured me out a long time ago. You're worth your weight in gold to the people around you and you should keep doing it all exactly the way you are. It means the world, absolutely. I only hope that I have been able to offer a fraction of what I've been handed back to you.
For the rest of you that don't get it, or think I'm full of shit... go die in a fire. You know who you are too.
There, I couldnl't let it all be nice and rosy could I?
See ya out there!
I'm a sorry-assed communicator and I know it. To all of you that ever sat around a campfire, bar, show, couch, bike, or whatever with me and thought you were better for it, I not only miss you, but have a duty to let you know that I feel the same. I don't show it enough, and I let a lot of time go by where people wonder if I'm dead or whatever, but in the end, I truly do love you guys. Not in a prison sort of way, but you get the picture.
Months or years may go by, but I never forget the deeds done, or the gems passed down by my friends and fam. Every single one of you has had an impact in my life that helps me figure out more of who I am on a daily basis. I may be a loner at heart, and a wanderer in my soul, but I hope that you guys will realize that it's nothing against you. If anything, I wish I could bring all of you along for the ride. I'm truly hoping that in the coming months, I can spend the right kind of time with everyone, if even for only a few hours. Time to turn off the internet and get face to face.
You know who you are, because you'll sit there reading this saying to yourself that you "get it". You figured me out a long time ago. You're worth your weight in gold to the people around you and you should keep doing it all exactly the way you are. It means the world, absolutely. I only hope that I have been able to offer a fraction of what I've been handed back to you.
For the rest of you that don't get it, or think I'm full of shit... go die in a fire. You know who you are too.
There, I couldnl't let it all be nice and rosy could I?
See ya out there!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Proper FXR...
Rubber-mount, 81 c.i., five speed shovelhead? Yes, please.
How they looked in '83...
How they looked in '83...
How this '83 looks today...
Goes under the knife shortly, but in all honesty, only a few cosmetic things are needed. Loose the signature "Colorado" bars and grips, all the "live to ride" B.S., and get a real carb on it. Even as it is, on the ride home it constantly told me to go faster.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Yes, I'm alive!
I just hate the internet right now. The mountains are too nice to let them stand around alone, so I'm outta here. Be back later.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
HAHAHA!!! Priceless!
Just ran across this review for the Death Threat EP "Lost At Sea" that made me crack up -
"Dear Skinny Jeans,
This album is what the guy who just smacked you down and tongued your sister is listening to."
Priceless!
"Dear Skinny Jeans,
This album is what the guy who just smacked you down and tongued your sister is listening to."
Priceless!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Welcome to Sturgis, SD...
Just got the rig settled in Sturgis. Drove through a sea of chaps and do-rags to get here, but the campground is pretty cool. I'll keep ya posted on things as I figure out how to navigate around. If you're in the area and wanna pitch your tent alongside the rig, give me a shout. There's only about an acre of open space in my site!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Watch what you say... I mean, what you type!
Nabbed this off the 2012 patriot blog. Sometimes he gets a little over the top, but this one is spot on and should get you riled up more than a tiny bit.
Read it, then go learn about proxy servers and the magic of making yourself anonymous on the net.
You can see more at http://2012patriot.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/wh-pentagon-coming-for-you/
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Read it, then go learn about proxy servers and the magic of making yourself anonymous on the net.
You can see more at http://2012patriot.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/wh-pentagon-coming-for-you/
Government to Monitor Social Networks For “Extremist Propaganda”
New White House plan follows Pentagon advisory targeting protests against Federal Reserve
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
Infowars.com
Thursday, August 4, 2011
A new strategy document released by the White House promises to “closely monitor…the Internet and social networking sites” in order to “counter online violent extremist propaganda” as the federal government attempts to embed itself further in local communities under the guise of preventing domestic extremism.
The document, Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States (PDF), focuses on identifying Americans who have supposedly been radicalized or groomed by Al-Qaeda to carry out attacks in the United States.
As the L.A. Times notes, the plan involves “federal departments not usually associated with national security,” and is heavily focused around increasing the federal government’s involvement with schools and the “emotional and behavioral development” of young people.
The document defines extremist propaganda as that which is used to “feed on grievances” and “assign blame.” The government vows to “aggressively” combat such ideology by “continuing to closely monitor the important role the internet and social networking sites play in advancing violent extremist narratives.”
In targeting the Internet and social networking websites for surveillance in the name of fighting domestic terrorism, the White House is continuing in the vein of the previous administration who in 2006 revealed that since 9/11 they had been pursuing a plan to diminish the role of “conspiracy theories” as a primary recruitment tool for terrorists.
The document arrives in the same week that the Pentagon also announced it would be hiring individuals to “detect and track popular ideas on social networks”.
Indeed, one such examples amidst many where the federal government monitored the Internet to counter “extremist propaganda” was before protests against the Federal Reserve in 2009 that took place across the United States. After the demonstrations were organized on social networks, the Pentagon released a “Force Protection Advisory” about “planned protests at all Federal Reserve Banks and office locations within the United States,” that was sent to Northcom and the FBI.
On November 22, 2008, Alex Jones led a rally at the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas Texas. The Dallas protest is specifically mentioned in the official Army document.
Despite the White House document’s claim that, “opposition to government policy is neither illegal nor unpatriotic and does not make someone a violent extremist,” the Department of Homeland Security has gone out of its way to characterize adversaries of big government as potential domestic terrorists.
The MIAC Report, admist a deluge of other training documents released by state and federal authorities (or leaked by whistleblowers), equates Ron Paul supporters, libertarians, people who display bumper stickers, people who own gold, or even people who fly a U.S. flag with radical race hate groups and terrorists.
The MIAC report specifically describes supporters of presidential candidates Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, and Bob Barr as “militia” influenced terrorists and instructs the Missouri police to be on the lookout for supporters displaying bumper stickers and other paraphernalia associated with the Constitutional, Campaign for Liberty, and Libertarian parties.
A recent DHS promotional video for its See Something, Say Something campaign also overwhelmingly portrayed white middle class Americans as the most likely terrorists. Bizarely, the vast majority of the people seen reporting them to authorities in the 10 minute clip were from ethnic minorities, a theme echoed in the introduction to the White House document which welcomes the “waves of immigrants” who have flocked to the United States.
There seems little doubt that the Obama administration is attempting to marginalize its most fervent critics by characterizing them as potentially violent extremists, to the point where Tea Party lawmakers are now being labeled as terrorists by New York Times writers as well as Vice-President Joe Biden.
Indeed, numerous Democratic strategists have subtly invited a domestic terror attack blamed on anti-government extremists that President Obama could exploit to rescue his sinking approval ratings.
Following Jared Lee Loughner’s shooting spree in Arizona back in January, Politico called on Obama to seize upon his “Oklahoma City moment,” adding that the attack presented a “critical opportunity” to “re-define the nation’s political debate,” a talking point endlessly repeated for weeks that merely became a euphemism for allowing Democrats to exploit the attack to silence critics of big government.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Oh the politics of it all!!
Here's a "dialogue" that just occurred on my buddy Darren's wonderful FB page. This is what I run into a lot these days. I think it's odd that so many people get angry when anything remotely political is brought up, immediately defaulting to "it doesn't matter" as an excuse to go on living vicariously through reality TV. Or, like this guy, stating their position and when they find resistance from people who like to think and debate, they just pull something like the race card and attempt to exit on their terms rather than continue the debate and actually defend their stance. Once something is said that they don't like, most people shut off and leave. Solves nothing.
This was in response to Darren posting an article about how some illegals are returning to Mexico due to an increase in the Mexican economy. Another person had posted "good riddance" as a response which brought about Bill's post -
Bill Mullinax - I am happy to see that Mexico's economy is improving, and that there are increasing opportunities for its citizens. However, I am not (and will never be) on the "good riddance" band-wagon. As this article points out, these are people who are here WORKING, whether it's in construction or the service industry or agriculture. To just say "good riddance" is not only cruel, but it doesn't take into mind that if they all leave, the next thing people will be complaining about is the high cost of produce, because "Joe American" will demand $25.00 per hour, retirement benefits, health care, and vision care to do the same job. Additionally, the only costs affiliated with undocumented immigrants is emergency medical care (which, as a humanitarian nation, I don't see what the issue is), and public education. These individuals DO NOT and CANNOT qualify for ANY OTHER public assistance programs, such as Welfare to Work benefits, or Nutritional Assistance programs (such as food stamps). I understand people's point (and I actually agree) that we need some type of comprehensive overhaul to our immigration policies, but I just try to keep in mind that these are HUMAN BEINGS. They are not all criminals, they are not "killing our economy". The hundreds of billions of dollars spent on bullshit wars, the billions of dollars in criminal mortgage lending practices, the billions of dollars in corporate bail-outs...THAT is what's killing our economy! We could feed, clothe, and educate every single undocumented immigrant with just the amount of money we are spending on these ridiculous wars and STILL have money left over. But that's just my two cents worth.
This brought about my post -
Jason Craze - Take off your blinders. They DO get entitlement payments like welfare due to the many loopholes in the system. As a matter of fact, in New York/New Jersey/PA, they can even reap the benefits of getting checks from ALL 3 states. I'm sure it's not limited to there. They DO get medical care which is not only "emergency", but every trip they take. And I love how you state that these are the "only" things they get, as if education and healthcare are cheap. Amazing how, when teaching jobs are in question, liberals argue about how much education should cost and how valuable it is. Oh, and what about uninsured motorist coverages that the rest of us pay? Last I checked, the bulk of illegals don't actually have licenses and drive with insurance. And how many are in the prison system right now? More than a few I think. I guess that's free too. We don't care if they are human beings or not. Last I checked, they either follow laws, or they don't. They broke the law. They are criminals. The laws may not be what they need to be, but last I checked, that does not give carte blanche to just break them until they are fixed. You seem to think that they will follow the laws of entitlement, yet they didn't have a problem breaking the immigration ones. I also love how you blatantly point out that you are really happy they are here, because it offers cheap produce. Perfect. I agree that it's superb that cheap workers allow us to make more and more disposable products so we can toss out over 2/3 of the food that is delivered to grocery stores just to make sure that it looks good to the buyers. How about value? Maybe if a tomato cost what it should, we wouldn't waste so much. And "Joe American" demands to be paid so he can actually pay for things like healthcare and retirement benefits rather than take them from the system without giving back like your friendly illegals. But I guess farm workers shouldn't be entitled to the same things as white collar workers right? They should be paid less to do the menial task of feeding the nation. Yes, the wars suck. Yes the bailouts suck. Yes, there are tons of other things that are wrong too, but to forget that this great nation was built on being a NATION of people who work together to achieve goals cannot be forgotten no matter which side of the political fence you sit on. If someone will not take time to become a citizen the correct way, no matter how hard that is, then they have no say and no rights. Why don't we focus on getting the home around us straightened up before tackling the world. 3rd world nations and their people should be of little concern to us until our own backyard is working as intended. Deport everyone that is here illegally and then fix the laws based on what AMERICANS want. If it is then decided to allow anyone and everyone to come here so we can provide for the universe, and that is achieved by popular vote, then so be it. I doubt you'd ever see that though. People will figure out how to pay to get cars washed, food bought, houses cleaned, and all the other wonderful things we've come to love as being so cheap due to low-cost labor. Do you support the Chinese system of child labor? It's exactly the same concept that illegals work under here, we just don't accept the blame for it. How about we create a system for them to become citizens and get paid fairly for the hard work they provide, rather than relying on it being low-cost forever? How about we get back to fair work for a fair wage and American products that hold value rather than deteriorate due to a "global economy" structure that only works toward universal mediocrity? One can only hope.
Was I angry? Not really, but I am SERIOUS about these things. Yes, I throw in some sarcasm to prove points, but I do take a hard look at what's told and respond / refute / rally around whatever I can. Bill simply responded with this -
Bill Mullinax - Can't/won't argue with hateful anger.
This is a shame. It shows that most people like Bill don't stand behind their convictions, which continues the problems we face. Nothing can be done when the arguments are broken down to things they aren't even about. Nothing was hateful about my response. I never said I "hate" anyone at all. In effect, I stated that I care quite a bit about Americans.
When I responded to Bill by stating that I wasn't hateful or angry, but just stating facts that he did not like, he simply had this to say -
Bill Mullinax - Typical stereotyping and racial profiling, indeed. You expressed your opinion, Jason, and I have expressed mine. Cheers.
There's the famous race card and exit I spoke of. Race has nothing to do with any of this. I would not agree to letting an illegal European stay in this country just as I would not agree to let an illegal Mexican stay. People like Bill forget to pay attention and jump to their conclusions well before finding out the facts. There are facts in the world. We live in them every day. To put your blinders on and act like they aren't there or that they are sugar-coated and rosy, won't fix the things that are getting progressively worse around you.
I've said it before and I'll do so again right here - Planning for the worst, will leave you that much better off if only the best comes to pass.
Get off your collective asses and start thinking things through from start to finish. Don't puss out like Bill and figure that just by saying something, that everyone should believe you and go along for the ride. ARGUE! Work on it and don't be surprised if you're wrong. I'm constantly having to change my views, due to smarter people showing me lights that were previously left dark to me. Don't pick a side, because that side won't reflect the truth in all of its forms regardless of what it calls itself. Pick the truth. Hunt it down and wrangle it to the ground without mercy. Make it yours, and then go share it.
Hold your convictions close and be prepared to defend them even when you think the people you are defending against are filled with "hateful anger". If you are true to your beliefs, then you will benefit more by proving them wrong and lessening that anger than by walking away and allowing possible ignorance to spread like wildfire. Just saying that you have shared an opinion and throwing in the towel stands about as well as the old "agree to disagree" BS. It proves one thing - you are not worth paying attention to at all, because you don't stand behind your convictions unless everyone around agrees already. Where's the fun in that?
This was in response to Darren posting an article about how some illegals are returning to Mexico due to an increase in the Mexican economy. Another person had posted "good riddance" as a response which brought about Bill's post -
Bill Mullinax - I am happy to see that Mexico's economy is improving, and that there are increasing opportunities for its citizens. However, I am not (and will never be) on the "good riddance" band-wagon. As this article points out, these are people who are here WORKING, whether it's in construction or the service industry or agriculture. To just say "good riddance" is not only cruel, but it doesn't take into mind that if they all leave, the next thing people will be complaining about is the high cost of produce, because "Joe American" will demand $25.00 per hour, retirement benefits, health care, and vision care to do the same job. Additionally, the only costs affiliated with undocumented immigrants is emergency medical care (which, as a humanitarian nation, I don't see what the issue is), and public education. These individuals DO NOT and CANNOT qualify for ANY OTHER public assistance programs, such as Welfare to Work benefits, or Nutritional Assistance programs (such as food stamps). I understand people's point (and I actually agree) that we need some type of comprehensive overhaul to our immigration policies, but I just try to keep in mind that these are HUMAN BEINGS. They are not all criminals, they are not "killing our economy". The hundreds of billions of dollars spent on bullshit wars, the billions of dollars in criminal mortgage lending practices, the billions of dollars in corporate bail-outs...THAT is what's killing our economy! We could feed, clothe, and educate every single undocumented immigrant with just the amount of money we are spending on these ridiculous wars and STILL have money left over. But that's just my two cents worth.
This brought about my post -
Jason Craze - Take off your blinders. They DO get entitlement payments like welfare due to the many loopholes in the system. As a matter of fact, in New York/New Jersey/PA, they can even reap the benefits of getting checks from ALL 3 states. I'm sure it's not limited to there. They DO get medical care which is not only "emergency", but every trip they take. And I love how you state that these are the "only" things they get, as if education and healthcare are cheap. Amazing how, when teaching jobs are in question, liberals argue about how much education should cost and how valuable it is. Oh, and what about uninsured motorist coverages that the rest of us pay? Last I checked, the bulk of illegals don't actually have licenses and drive with insurance. And how many are in the prison system right now? More than a few I think. I guess that's free too. We don't care if they are human beings or not. Last I checked, they either follow laws, or they don't. They broke the law. They are criminals. The laws may not be what they need to be, but last I checked, that does not give carte blanche to just break them until they are fixed. You seem to think that they will follow the laws of entitlement, yet they didn't have a problem breaking the immigration ones. I also love how you blatantly point out that you are really happy they are here, because it offers cheap produce. Perfect. I agree that it's superb that cheap workers allow us to make more and more disposable products so we can toss out over 2/3 of the food that is delivered to grocery stores just to make sure that it looks good to the buyers. How about value? Maybe if a tomato cost what it should, we wouldn't waste so much. And "Joe American" demands to be paid so he can actually pay for things like healthcare and retirement benefits rather than take them from the system without giving back like your friendly illegals. But I guess farm workers shouldn't be entitled to the same things as white collar workers right? They should be paid less to do the menial task of feeding the nation. Yes, the wars suck. Yes the bailouts suck. Yes, there are tons of other things that are wrong too, but to forget that this great nation was built on being a NATION of people who work together to achieve goals cannot be forgotten no matter which side of the political fence you sit on. If someone will not take time to become a citizen the correct way, no matter how hard that is, then they have no say and no rights. Why don't we focus on getting the home around us straightened up before tackling the world. 3rd world nations and their people should be of little concern to us until our own backyard is working as intended. Deport everyone that is here illegally and then fix the laws based on what AMERICANS want. If it is then decided to allow anyone and everyone to come here so we can provide for the universe, and that is achieved by popular vote, then so be it. I doubt you'd ever see that though. People will figure out how to pay to get cars washed, food bought, houses cleaned, and all the other wonderful things we've come to love as being so cheap due to low-cost labor. Do you support the Chinese system of child labor? It's exactly the same concept that illegals work under here, we just don't accept the blame for it. How about we create a system for them to become citizens and get paid fairly for the hard work they provide, rather than relying on it being low-cost forever? How about we get back to fair work for a fair wage and American products that hold value rather than deteriorate due to a "global economy" structure that only works toward universal mediocrity? One can only hope.
Was I angry? Not really, but I am SERIOUS about these things. Yes, I throw in some sarcasm to prove points, but I do take a hard look at what's told and respond / refute / rally around whatever I can. Bill simply responded with this -
Bill Mullinax - Can't/won't argue with hateful anger.
This is a shame. It shows that most people like Bill don't stand behind their convictions, which continues the problems we face. Nothing can be done when the arguments are broken down to things they aren't even about. Nothing was hateful about my response. I never said I "hate" anyone at all. In effect, I stated that I care quite a bit about Americans.
When I responded to Bill by stating that I wasn't hateful or angry, but just stating facts that he did not like, he simply had this to say -
Bill Mullinax - Typical stereotyping and racial profiling, indeed. You expressed your opinion, Jason, and I have expressed mine. Cheers.
There's the famous race card and exit I spoke of. Race has nothing to do with any of this. I would not agree to letting an illegal European stay in this country just as I would not agree to let an illegal Mexican stay. People like Bill forget to pay attention and jump to their conclusions well before finding out the facts. There are facts in the world. We live in them every day. To put your blinders on and act like they aren't there or that they are sugar-coated and rosy, won't fix the things that are getting progressively worse around you.
I've said it before and I'll do so again right here - Planning for the worst, will leave you that much better off if only the best comes to pass.
Get off your collective asses and start thinking things through from start to finish. Don't puss out like Bill and figure that just by saying something, that everyone should believe you and go along for the ride. ARGUE! Work on it and don't be surprised if you're wrong. I'm constantly having to change my views, due to smarter people showing me lights that were previously left dark to me. Don't pick a side, because that side won't reflect the truth in all of its forms regardless of what it calls itself. Pick the truth. Hunt it down and wrangle it to the ground without mercy. Make it yours, and then go share it.
Hold your convictions close and be prepared to defend them even when you think the people you are defending against are filled with "hateful anger". If you are true to your beliefs, then you will benefit more by proving them wrong and lessening that anger than by walking away and allowing possible ignorance to spread like wildfire. Just saying that you have shared an opinion and throwing in the towel stands about as well as the old "agree to disagree" BS. It proves one thing - you are not worth paying attention to at all, because you don't stand behind your convictions unless everyone around agrees already. Where's the fun in that?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
When Living in a Trailer...
Only buy what you can eat in one campground stay.
You never know when that fridge will unexpectedly stop working on the trek to your next home. Don't ask how I know this.
You never know when that fridge will unexpectedly stop working on the trek to your next home. Don't ask how I know this.
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