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CIFTA, and the NRA

April 18, 2009

CIFTA is yet another attempt by those that hate American freedom and liberty to undermine our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The NRA acts yet again like a broken clock. I can’t wait for the G.O.A. assessment…

During an official visit to Mexico on April 16, President Obama announced his support for Senate ratification of an inter-American treaty on firearms trafficking. In response, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox issued the following statement:

“The NRA is well aware of the proposed Organization of American States treaty on firearms trafficking, known by its Spanish initials as CIFTA. The NRA monitored the development of this treaty from its earliest days, but contrary to news reports today, the NRA did not ‘participate’ at the meeting where the treaty was approved.

“The treaty does include language suggesting that it is not intended to restrict ‘lawful ownership and use’ of firearms. Despite those words, the NRA knows that anti-gun advocates will still try to use this treaty to attack gun ownership in the U.S. Therefore, the NRA will continue to vigorously oppose any international effort to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding American gun owners

SOURCE

Well, I didn’t have to wait long! 😀

President Obama Continues Assault on the Second Amendment
By John Velleco
Director of Federal Affairs

President Obama is determined to eradicate the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding American citizens.

In recent meetings with Mexican President Felipe Calderón, the American President promised to urge the U.S. Senate to pass an international arms control treaty.

The treaty, cumbersomely titled the “Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials” (known by the acronym CIFTA), was signed by President Bill Clinton, but never ratified by the Senate.

President Obama is hoping to capitalize on an increased Democrat majority and push its quick ratification.  The U.S. is one of four nations that have not ratified the treaty.President Obama with Mexican President Felipe Calderón

If ratified and the U.S. is found not to be in compliance with any provisions of the treaty — such as a provision that would outlaw reloading ammunition without a government license — President Obama would be empowered to implement regulations without Congressional approval.

Supporters of CIFTA claim the treaty is not a threat to the Second Amendment, but only a “symbolic” gesture.  But symbolic of what?  That America really is to blame for problems of violence and drug gangs in a foreign country?  That the American government can be pressed by a foreign country to alter the Second Amendment?

If the kind of “change” that Obama wants is for the United States to take its marching orders from third world countries regarding our gun rights, we’re in big trouble!

The fact is, this treaty will do NOTHING to combat the violence in Mexico, but it will go a LONG WAY toward eroding our ability to protect the right to keep and bear arms through our elected officials. [Read more about CIFTA]

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Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Law, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

Tea Party’s frivolouness?

April 18, 2009

From what I have seen, at least so far. The mainstream media has branded the “Tea Party’s” as being orchestrated by Washington insiders or right wing extremist hate groups, if they mentioned them at all that is.

When the reality is that they were grass roots initiated and led by people that actually do care about this nation, and the Constitution that it is based upon.

What follows is one mans response to the various accusations. Well done sir!

In response to “Tax protests were fake outrage being aimed at invisible issues” (op-ed, April 16): The April 15 Tea Parties, in which I proudly participated, were not led by Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck or any other talk radio/Fox News personalities. These were grass-roots efforts, started locally by people who are fed up with the federal government overstepping its constitutional powers, spending our tax dollars and mortgaging our children’s/grandchildren’s futures bailing out private industries that should be allowed to fail like any other business that does not provide goods or services that people want or need. Fox News simply chose to cover them, while the other networks either ignored or ridiculed them.

I am not opposed to taxes; the government needs money to perform its essential functions. However, propping up failing industries is not an essential function of government. I challenge anyone to cite the article and section of the U.S. Constitution that empowers the federal government to do this. And don’t try the old “general welfare” statement in Article I Section 8, either. As James Madison, primary author and widely regarded “father” of the Constitution stated: “If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions.”

As for Kelly Miller’s statement about wasting our money on military operations and hardware, the Constitution does specifically authorize these expenditures in Article I, Section 8. I agree that Bush and Cheney did waste our money and trample on the Constitution. They are not “my heroes.” I left the Republican Party long ago when it became the party of big government after Republicans took control, first of Congress and then the White House. In fact, I resent the Republicans of today who are complaining about big government and preaching fiscal conservatism now that they are on the outside looking in.

Full story here

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Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Law, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

Global Warming, and other acts of idiocy…

April 16, 2009

Fresh from the golden dome on Colfax Avenue Greg Brophy keeps us up to date on the shenanigans of the saviors on the left that will “save” Colorado from itself…

Global Warming

A couple weeks ago the Colorado Senate passed a global warming joint resolution. It’s titled “Concerning Recognition of Colorado’s Cool Cities”, but it was really an Al Gore would be proud sop to carbon dioxide caused global warming.

As a side bar, I think Wray, Colorado (my home town) is the “coolest city” in the state. We have our own little stream running through town, nice hills and bluffs surrounding town, a couple of good places to eat, a nice swimming pool and the best coffee shop on the planet.

Back to the farce: Senator Rollie Heath from, you guessed it, Boulder, introduced the resolution.

Apparently he missed the memo from the eco-commies who changed the term “global warming” to “climate change” when it became apparent that while CO2 emissions continue to rise, global temperatures are going down. They have been for ten years.

Senators Renfroe and Lundberg had fun pointing out the facts about global warming. Senator Heath said, “I don’t want to get into an argument about global warming”.

At that point I went up and pointed out that he should at least make the case for his resolution, but I’d be voting against it because “anthropogenic global warming is a farce”.

End of debate: the resolution passed on a straight party line vote.

Blatant Disregard

We see another attempt by the Democrats to exert their will over the will of the people in HB09-1299.

It’s a bill that would lead to tossing out the electoral vote for President in return for a national popular vote.

It’s not that it would happen overnight. First more states would have to pass a similar bill; enough states to reach the magic number of 270 electoral votes have to pass bills to join the movement for it to go into effect.

So far four states have passed bills enacting this agreement into law. Colorado is poised to become a fifth.

I’m not sure if the Democrats are still sore about the 2000 election or what.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why anyone in Colorado would throw away our swing-state status in favor of a national popular vote. Right now, Presidential candidates come to Colorado because there is some question where our nine electoral votes will go and through most of the election cycle, you can draw a scenario where our nine will make the difference in determining who will win.

Take away our nine and no one will care about our votes; no one will come here to campaign. The candidates will stick to the major population centers on the coasts and ignore “fly-over country”.

It’s really a horrible idea that has so many unintended consequences that everyone on the left seems to ignore.

Just like they ignore the will of the voters. In 2004 Coloradoans roundly rejected a change to our electoral college system 66-34.

That’s the blatant disregard.

Pinnacol Raid

Here’s the problem: state revenues are down, expectations for state spending are up (sounds like my family budget situation too).

So what are we going to do? Rob a bank? No, lets seize the money in an insurance company’s accounts, after all it looks like the insurance company, Pinnacol Assurance has more assets than liabilities.

Pinnacol is a workers compensation insurance company that was originally created by the state and then finally turned loose in 2002. At the time, their liabilities exceeded their assets by about $200 million. Now, their assets exceed their liabilities by about $600 million.

They are paying big dividends and have cut premiums by 42% over the past four years.

So the Democrats in Colorado (and two Republicans) have decided to take their “extra” money. That’ll teach them for being successful.

Two other states have tried the same thing in very similar situations and the courts in those states have sided with the insurance company. No telling what our activist Supreme Court will do, but I am positive the insurance company won’t just write the check because the Governor signs the bill that steals their money.

Expect a long protracted battle so ensue. The majority party has no plan for dealing with the defeat, except to close have of the colleges in the state.

I expected more from them.

The Budget

The Colorado Senate will pass a budget on Monday.

For the first time in my memory, it will be a pure work of fiction.

Colorado’s Constitution requires a balanced budget for each year. This one will be balanced by taking money $500 million from an insurance company. Money that will never show up because the insurance company won’t just hand the loot over.

I won’t bug you with all the details of the budget. It’s really a mess with Constitutionally mandated spending increase requirements in some areas, Constitutionally protected revenues in other areas and everyone wanting more.

The key take away is this: the money from the insurance company (Pinnacol Assurance) is never going to materialize. They aren’t just going to hand it over and I don’t think the court will let the state take it. Ultimately, we’ll have to come back and balance the budget again and this time truly hard choices will have to be made.

The immediate fall back provision is to cut colleges by another $300 million. That’s on top of the $100 million reduction in the rate of growth that they’ve already taken. A $300 million dollar cut would be a real cut and would probably lead to the closure of several schools. That’s completely unacceptable; we offered rational alternatives, but the other side turned them down.

This won’t be over for a while.

I have decided to join the world of FaceBook. I am not the most professional politician in the world, so I am actually using mine as it was intended – almost strictly for social purposes. If you want to “friend” me, search FB for Greg Brophy. I think this link will work: http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/profile.php?id=1192617444&ref=profile

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Posted in Domestic Violence, Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Humor, Immigration, Law, Local Politics Colorado, Men's Issues, mysandry, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 5 Comments »

Propaganda 60 minutes style, Goebbels would be proud

April 16, 2009

This past Friday 60 Minutes knock off, 20/20 engaged yet again in propaganda that would put a smile on the face of  Joseph Goebbels. Talk about a set up! This supposedly scientific escapade was in fact an anti gun smear of the worst sort.

David Rittgers of the Cato Institute blows the cover off one of the worst examples of poor journalistic ethics that has been seen in quite some time. I used to really enjoy the program years ago. Now? I wonder how anyone with an I.Q. above room temperature can believe anything that they broadcast.

H/T to Opposing Views

Be sure to check the link for excellent comments!

By David Rittgers

ABC’s 20/20 did a hit piece on the Second Amendment and armed citizens on Friday night. The show responded to the growing sentiment that “if I only had a gun,” maybe an armed citizen could make a difference in a spree shooting such as the incidents at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University. In reality, it ought to be called “if I had ONLY a gun.” Picking people without concealed carry permits to represent the armed citizen and rigging the scenario to ensure that they don’t defeat your narrative is propaganda, not journalism.

Several college students are selected to represent the “armed student” hypothetical, given some marksmanship training, and armed with training guns that shoot paint bullets. The firearms instructor who trained them plays spree shooter and storms the room. All of the students are hit before they can effectively engage the mock spree shooter.

The show handicaps this scenario in favor of the attacker in several ways. First, none of the students selected are actual concealed handgun permit holders who carry daily and practice regularly. Those with more experience get it from shooting Airsoft guns or from a form of shooting that does not involve drawing from concealment. The poor performance of the students in hitting the attacker is supposedly explained by the lack of law enforcement firearms training.

The simulation is too narrowly construed to show the full impact of an armed response. First, the experiment is limited to one armed student in the first classroom that the spree shooter hits. At Virginia Tech, the spree shooter entered several rooms, so a student in any room other than the first would be able to draw, find a position of cover and concealment, point the gun at the door, and wait for the assailant to enter. Second, the experiment supposes that an intended victim pulling a gun and shooting back, even if not immediately effective, does nothing to stop the attack.

These results don’t reflect the reality of an armed citizen responding to a spree shooter. Contrary to what the firearms instructor says, it is not “too much for a normal person” to deal with. Often, the mere confrontation with an armed response takes them out of their revenge fantasy and derails the killing spree.

Some examples:

1997, Pearl, Mississippi: A 16-year old boy stabs his mother to death, then goes to the local high school to continue his rampage with a rifle.  An assistant principal hears the gunshots, retrieves a pistol from his truck, and confronts the assailant. The boy surrenders.

1998, Edinboro, Pennsylvania: A 14-year old boy opens fire at a high school graduation dance being held at a local restaurant. The restaurant owner confronts the boy with his shotgun, who surrenders.

2002, Appalachian Law School: Two law students with law enforcement and military backgrounds run to their cars, grab handguns, and stop an expelled law student on a rampage.

2005, Tyler, Texas: A distraught man ambushes his estranged wife and son as they are entering the courthouse for a child support hearing. After killing his wife and wounding several deputies, armed citizen Mark Wilson intervenes with his handgun and shoots the spree shooter. The shooter is wearing a flak jacket and kills Wilson with return fire. Wilson’s actions broke up the attack and gave law enforcement officers time to organize a response that ended with the shooter’s death. Wilson is later honored by the Texas legislature.

2005, Tacoma Mall: A spree shooter with a criminal record and five days’ worth of meth in his system opens fire at the Tacoma Mall. Concealed carry permit holder Dan McKown intervenes, but gives a verbal warning instead of shooting. McKown is shot and receives a spinal injury that leaves him paralyzed, but the shooter retreated into a store and took some hostages after being confronted. After complaining about life’s travails to his hostages for several hours, he is taken into custody and sentenced to 163 years in prison.

2007, New Life Church, Colorado: Volunteer security guard Jeanne Assam shoots a spree shooter as he enters the foyer of a church. The spree shooter’s blaze of glory is over, so he shoots and kills himself.

2008, Israel: A Palestinian man goes on a killing spree in the library of a seminary. Police officers stop at the door and do not go in after him.  Student Yitzhak Dadon draws his gun and engages the shooter, wounding him. Part-time student and Israeli Army officer David Shapira blows past the cops, demanding a hat to identify him as a police officer and not the assailant, before entering the building and killing the spree shooter.

2009, Houston, Texas: Distraught woman enters her father’s workplace and shoots one man with a bow and arrow. She points a pellet gun at two employees, both concealed handgun permit holders, who shoot her. Police show up and she points the pellet gun at them. They shoot her again and take her into custody.

The scenario is also unrealistic in that the student is seated dead center in the front row, a bad move for someone trying to conceal a gun on their hip under a T-shirt; far better in the back of the room in a corner. Plus, the spree shooter is expecting resistance and knows where the armed student will be, advantages that will not be replicated in the real world. In one iteration of the scenario, a second assailant is placed a couple of seats away from the armed student. When the armed student draws to shoot at the assailant, he is blindsided by the co-conspirator. This isn’t a result of “tunnel vision,” as the program would tell you. This is a rigging of the experiment. A second assailant in placed practically next to the armed student, while our amateur is wearing a face mask that restricts vision? No one, not even the firearms instructor playing spree shooter, would win in that situation.

There are no magical powers that accrue to a sworn officer, contrary to the anti-concealed carry propaganda this piece puts out. A recent NYPD Firearms Discharge Report shows that hit percentages for a major metropolitan police department never rise above the 50% mark, even within two yards of the assailant. Unsurprisingly, people who carry a gun and train with it consistently outperform those who do not. The FBI’s report “Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation’s Law Enforcement Officers” shows that criminals who beat cops in gunfights practiced regularly while their victims only averaged 14 hours of firearms training a year.

The only thing that stops a spree shooter is a bullet, either from their gun when they commit suicide or from someone else who intervenes to stop further loss of life. Law enforcement responses that quarantine the shooter compound the problem, while aggressive “active shooter” protocols that push police officers into the scene in small teams or as individuals tend to reduce casualties. The police response is moving toward being on the scene as fast as possible with a gun; we ought to follow their reasoning and allow people to have a fighting chance, not advise them to play dead and call the cops on their cell phone. When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

On the bright side, 60 minutes had a more balanced segment on the recent surge in firearm sales and prospects for a revival of gun control in Congress.

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Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Law, Men's Issues, mysandry, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

Disinformation: Stupid is as stupid does redux

April 15, 2009

Ah, the better than thou crowd. At least they are consistent; Stupid is as stupid does on steroids, or crack, or maybe both? Such is the logic!

This week’s “Leftmedia Buster” Award: “David Shuster, filling in for MSNBC loose-cannon Keith Olbermann on his April 13 broadcast, and his writers probably thought they were pretty clever when they pieced an item denigrating the tax protests by using the [dirty] term ‘teabagging.'” –Jeff Poor of NewsBusters (to read the text of Shuster’s puerile dirty jokes if you dare, click here — Warning: Graphic puns.)

Doesn’t get it: “Republicans have become embarrassing to watch. And it doesn’t feel right to make fun of crazy people.” –New York Times columnist Paul Krugman on the tea parties taking place across the country today

Poor (but accurate) choice of words: [I]t’s fair to give the new kids on the block a chance to get their learner’s permits first.” –CBS’s Katie Couric on the Obama administration

Capitalism? Oh my!: “I’m worried if you think if [Goldman-Sachs paying back its federal loan early is] a good thing. Are they doing this because of financial stability or might they be talking about that, simply to get out from under the thumb of the federal government and be allowed to go back to running the business the way they want to run it as opposed to the way the government wants them to run it?” –NBC’s Matt Lauer to Christina Romer on Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers

Twisted blame: “That weekend tragedy [of the murder of three Pittsburgh police officers] involves a man who allegedly shot and killed three police officers in cold blood. Why? Because he was convinced, after no doubt watching Fox News and listening to right-wing radio, that quote, ‘Our rights were being infringed upon.'” –CNN’s Rick Sanchez

Oddly enough!: “If anything, the recent shootings have inspired more Americans to buy guns, recession or no recession. In fact, all over the country they are stocking up on as many pistols, rifles, and shotguns as possible before the Obama Administration bans or taxes them. … Interestingly, however, violent crime rates have at the same time been falling in Los Angeles, New York and other big American cities. The experts are at loss as to explain why this should be happening.” –London Times Los Angeles correspondent Chris Ayres

SOURCE

And then we have:

We Blame Global Warming: “Thaw Seems Near for U.S., Cuba” –St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Breaking News From 1980: “Thousands Demonstrate Against Georgian President” –The New York Times

Everything Seemingly Is Spinning Out of Control: “Cows With Gas: India’s Global Warming Problem” –Time.com

News You Can Use: “Obama Not the New Messiah: Archbishop” –ABC News Web site (Australia)

Bottom Stories of the Day: “Fewer Disney Employees Whistle While They Work” –CNN.com

(Thanks to The Wall Street Journal’s James Taranto)

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Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Law, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »

More on taxes

April 15, 2009

From today’s Patriot Post. (See sidebar) Some commentary on taxation as it is today, and a few ideas having to do with the subject.

“I say let’s have Election Day on tax day. Let’s get what we’re paying for. Sign the check — for the full amount — and write in your preferred candidates on the back of the same check. Abracadabra … smaller government, here we come.” –columnist Jonah Goldberg

“Rampant redistribution of wealth by government is now the norm. So is this: It inflames government’s natural rapaciousness and subverts the rule of law.” –columnist George Will

“Inflation also means that all the talk about how higher taxes will be confined to ‘the rich’ is nonsense. Inflation is a hidden tax that takes away the value of money held by everyone at every income level.” –economist Thomas Sowell

“[W]e need to return to a taxation system similar to the one established by our Founding Fathers. They did not penalize productivity through taxes the way we do today. They had no Internal Revenue Service. They believed in minimal taxation.” –columnist Chuck Norris

“Today American taxpayers in more than 300 locations in all 50 states will hold rallies — dubbed ‘tea parties’ — to protest higher taxes and out-of-control government spending. There is no political party behind these rallies, no grand right-wing conspiracy, not even a 501(c) group like MoveOn.org. So who’s behind the Tax Day tea parties? Ordinary folks who are using the power of the Internet to organize.” –author Glenn Harlan Reynolds

“[I]s there any limit to this administration’s intentions to interfere and perhaps control large swaths of our economy? … That’s the real message of the homegrown Tea Party revolt against bailout nation and the higher taxes, deficits, and debt being used to finance it. Folks are trying to tell Washington on Tax Day, April 15, that enough is enough. They can’t take it anymore.” –economist Larry Kudlow

“The cry at these tea parties should be ‘not a penny more’ until governments get their houses in order, just as we must do. Most people have been forced to reduce spending during the recession, but not the federal government, and likely not the government in your home state.” –columnist Cal Thomas

“President Obama’s own budget numbers show that Social Security this year will take in $654 billion in payroll taxes and dole out $662 billion in benefits and expenses — a negative cash flow of $8 billion. Uh oh.” –columnist Stephen Moore

“Today is tax day, and across America, taxpayers are holding tea parties to protest out-of-control government spending. Their concern is no tempest in a teapot. The tax burden on American families is growing increasingly heavy. According to the Tax Foundation, tax-freedom day came on April 13 this year. That day marks the point of the year when taxpayers have earned enough money to pay off their federal, state and local taxes. It takes Americans about 3 1/2 months of labor to cover their tax obligation. That time will increase as government continues to grow. President Obama’s current budget proposal admits to plans to raise taxes by almost $1 trillion over the next 10 years. Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) estimates that hundreds of thousands will turn out to protest this tax servitude. … Today’s tea parties are carrying on a noble American tradition of protesting unfair taxation. Mike Allen, co-author of ‘A Patriot’s History of the United States,’ explained to us: ‘America was born out of hatred of a strong centralized government. The Boston Tea Party (and a half dozen other concurrent tea parties from New York City to Charleston) protested government subsidies to create monopoly status for a corporation, the East India Company. From that point onward, tax protests have peppered American history.’ The first tea party to protest taxes occurred on Dec. 16, 1773, when patriots called the Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawk Indians, boarded ships in Boston Harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. Other colonials followed the lead of Sam Adams and his fellow Bostonians by tossing tea into the sea. Today’s tea-party movement is building steam because taxpayers are steamed. As ATR’s anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist explained … ‘These are real people with real lives taking the time and effort to do this in reaction not to a tax increase yesterday, but in reaction to too much spending that will lead to tax increases and inflation years from now.’ These modern Mohawks are angry because they fear the future is being poured down the drain. This kind of activism is our cup of tea.” —The Washington Times

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Science is beyond dispute?

April 15, 2009

Fake “scientists” are still at it. Seems they have always been around though actually. Don’t allow facts to get in their way though! They will have a hissy fit and go off on their politically correct agenda’s. This is in fact the norm for to so-called “soft sciences.” Sociology, Psychology, and the like. Not from fact based sciences, such as geology or climatology. At least that is not the norm. Remember global cooling..? I do, and no to the Chicken Little’s of that bygone time, the sky has not fallen. I would say the same to the alarmist’s of today…

Read on.

“President Obama has said that the science of global warming is ‘beyond dispute,’ and therefore settled. This is the justification for the imposition of a carbon cap-and-trade system that will cost $2 trillion. But Obama does not understand science. ‘Settled science’ is an oxymoron, and anyone who characterizes science as ‘settled’ or ‘indisputable’ is ignorant not only of science, but also history and philosophy. Aristotle, who lived and wrote in the fourth century B.C., was one of the greatest geniuses the world has ever known. He invented the discipline of logic, and founded the sciences of ecology and biology. Aristotle’s physics were accepted as correct for nearly two thousand years. … Aristotle taught that heavy objects fall faster than light ones. Over the centuries, a few unreasonable persons expressed skeptical concerns. But the consensus was that the physics of motion were described by Aristotle’s dicta. The science was settled. Around the year 1591, an irascible young instructor at the University of Pisa demonstrated that Aristotle was wrong. He climbed to the top of the tower of Pisa and dropped cannonballs of unequal weight that hit the ground simultaneously. Aristotelean professors on the faculty were embarrassed. The university administration responded by not renewing Galileo’s contract, thus ridding themselves of a troublemaker who challenged the accepted consensus. … President Obama, a lawyer and politician, would now have us believe that the process of history has stopped. For the first time, scientific knowledge is not provisional and subject to revision, but final and settled. Skepticism, which has been the spur to all innovation and human progress, is unacceptable and must be condemned. But in fact, it is our awareness of what we do not know that determines our scientific level. … Knowledge begins with skepticism and ends with conceit.” –University of Oklahoma geologist David Deming

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Kitchen sink politics; It’s not just about a tea bag

April 15, 2009

“Tea Party’s” will be held across the nation today, and the issue is not just about taxes either. My good friend and fellow blogger Texas Fred really hits the nail on it’s head, and no, he didn’t even touch on Second Amendment issues. Be sure to watch the video of Texas Governor Perry. It is very inspiring, to say the least. At least to all of us that still believe in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Supporting the things that at one time made this a great nation involves more than boiling some water, placing it in a sink, and tossing in a few bags of Earl Grey or Lemon Lift. One needs to stand up for our core beliefs in the strongest way that the person can. If you can make it to a march today then be there!

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COLORADO COYOTES HAVE LITTERS DURING APRIL AND MAY: Living with wildlife

April 14, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – It is becoming more common to hear about coyote sightings in residential areas in Colorado, including neighborhoods in Colorado Springs, Monument, and other communities in the Pikes Peak region.  People call the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) with questions about their safety, their children’s safety, and the safety of their pets.

“Most conflicts between people and coyotes occur when coyotes are able to find food near human residences,” explained Sabrina Schnelker, a district wildlife manager with the DOW.

Coyotes have litters during April and May, delivering an average of five or six pups. During this time of year, adult coyotes need to travel farther and forage more to feed their young.  This can lead to increased aggressiveness, especially near a den site, said Schnelker, who has seen an upswing in sightings.

Food left out for other animals often gets eaten by opportunistic coyotes.  These adaptable predators have learned that in addition to rodents and other small mammals, they can hunt domestic pets in residential neighborhoods.  In either case, the result is that when coyotes lose their natural wariness of the human environment, they can become aggressive towards people.

The DOW strongly discourages feeding wild animals, including coyotes.  In fact, feeding coyotes and foxes is illegal in urban areas.

Schnelker reminds people to maintain awareness around their yard when letting pets out, or when children are playing.  When walking pets, residents should keep dogs on a short leash.  Use of longer, retractable leashes is discouraged in areas frequented by coyotes.

If dogs are left outside during the day, it is recommended a fully enclosed kennel (sides and a top) be used to exclude wild animals.  Installing motion detector lights or floodlights is encouraged in areas where pets frequently go in the low light hours.

Children should be taught that coyotes and foxes are wild animals and they should never attempt to approach them.

What to do if a coyote approaches you:

–Be as Big, Mean, and Loud as possible
-Wave your arms and throw objects at the coyote
-Shout in a deep, loud and authoritative voice
-DO NOT RUN or turn your back on the coyote
-Face the coyote and back away slowly
-If attacked, fight back with your fists and feet

The DOW encourages people in the Colorado Springs area to call (719) 227-5200 if they encounter an aggressive coyote.  If the incident occurs after business hours, contact your local law enforcement agency or the Colorado State Patrol Dispatch Center at (719) 544-2424 and they will notify a wildlife officer.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, News, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

GUNNY BOB SKYPES FOX NEWS MONDAY MORNING

April 14, 2009

The scuttlebutt comes out on the rescue care of Gunny Bob.

GUNNY BOB SKYPES FOX NEWS MONDAY MORNING

Breaks Wild ‘n Crazy Inside Scoop On Rescue of Captain Phillips

Using Skype technology from his home library, the Gunny appeared live on FOX News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” program with hosts Bill Hemmer and Megyn Kelly.

The Gunny’s awesome connections to the highest tiers of the Department of Defense allowed him to tell the real story of how one pirate ended up on the Bainbridge, why the pirates really allowed the lifeboat to be towed away from shore by the Bainbridge, the details of the 007-style MCADS insertion used by the SEALs, and more.

SOME INSIDE SCOOP ON THE RESCUE OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

Mere hours after the rescue, the Gunny got a call from a very trusted source who had the inside scoop on some fascinating events:

The pirate who lived was not brought aboard the Bainbridge for negotiations, as some media outlets falsely reported; he asked to come aboard so he could make a phone call to his family. The ship agreed and sent a RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) for him. He got in and was brought to the ship, where he was drinking and eating and using the phone and waving at his pals. This was a tactical decision, i.e., one less pirate to deal with if the shoot order was given.

The ship asked the pirates via LRAD (long-range acoustic device) loudspeaker if they could send a RHIB over to tie the lifeboat to the ship. The pirates agreed. Why did they agree? The pirates were told that the region of Somalia they were drifting toward was not their clan area and that the other clansmen were waiting to kill them and take the hostage. The pirates agreed.

The other pirates who were coming in 4 motherships with 60-70 hostages called the Bainbridge and actually asked if the ship would give them a bearing and range to the lifeboat! The ship said no, of course.

The SEALs inserted via flawless MCADS (maritime craft aerial delivery system). They fired from the ship’s fantail, were hard-wired in for the shoot command, and did so when they all got shot opportunities simultaneously.

SOURCE

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