Diversity!

"The United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union is the first solid turn away from globalism. Said another way, the people of Britain are taking their country back. Hand-wringing collectivists can think of it as a vote for diversity if it'll make 'em feel better." - Ol' Remus at the Woodpile Report

Slippery slope

Understand the slippery slope bureaucrats and others in government advocate in wanting to use a "no fly" list to deny Second Amendment rights.



H/T: Sipsey Street via Facebook

Conflict of interest

How can a federal judge be trusted to uphold his oath to to make decisions based on law and the Constitution, when the same judge openly declares the Constitution to be irrelevant?

From the Washington Times:

Seventh Circuit Judge Richard Posner sees “absolutely no value” in studying the U.S. Constitution because “eighteenth-century guys” couldn’t have possibly foreseen the culture and technology of today. In a recent op-ed for Slate, Judge Posner, a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, argued that the original Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the post–Civil War amendments “do not speak to today.”

Methinks the judge attempts to dismiss something the old white guy founders knew well: That societal norms may shift, that technologies may change, but human nature, and the nature of concentrated government power to become abusive are unchanging, and are much the same when this country was founded.

Just because greater technology gives greater potential power to control people does not grant government the power to diminish freedom just because it it technically possible.

Classic Kawasaki

This looks to be a classic Kawasaki Eliminator motorcycle from the 1980s. Not in running condition. Not much wear, only 166 miles on the odometer, but it's been sitting for decades in the back of a work shop.

Strikes me, it has great restoration potential, or could be used for nearly new vintage parts. The title and the key were lost or misplaced years ago.

Anyone care to venture a guess on as-is value?

The place where it's been stored in being sold as part of an estate liquidation.

Gun owning Hawaiians are now in a federal database

Hawaii's governor signs bill putting gun-owning Hawaiians on under watch across the USA for potential criminal behavior.

Reckless immigration policies come under attack in Ryan's reelection race

In Wisconsin, billboards like these have reportedly been placed by supporters of Paul Ryan's Republican primary opponent:

Meanwhile, the official Paul Nehlen campaign is making use of a "dump Ryan" dump truck.

Tabloid headline caught my attention

A good tabloid headline makes you look, makes you think, and is often intended to make you chuckle at the same time.

8 to 1

"Big Three" network news is nearly silence on gun rights arguments as it advances an anti-gun agenda after Omar Mateen's Orlando massacre, according to an MRC study.

It's not news these networks deliver. It's indoctrination.

Blunt assessment

"Until politics is taken out of national security, we’re all at risk from the enemy whose name the White House refuses to use." - Sebastian Gorka, writing at the NY Post

And the Left says AR-15s are scary?

Same President Obama who won't make a burger run unless he's surrounded by some of these...



...is the same President Obama who says letting guys like you and me have access to an AR-15 is dangerous and unnecessary.

Your government is hard at work....

... And protecting the image and reputation of Islam appears to be among the top priorities of this Obama-led government.

DID ANYONE IN THE PRESS ASK WHY?Loretta Lynch: 'Islam,' 'ISIS' to be Censored on Orlando 911 Tape https://t.co/lHC2tJBae5

— Chuck Woolery (@chuckwoolery) June 20, 2016

Would this government make similar redactions had the attacker spoken of another religion or pledged fealty to the Klan or a Tea Party?

This government is more focused on political correctness and the protection of Islam that it is about preserving openness in government, and fostering clear and honest media reporting that's supposed to be protected under the First Amendment.

Another heart breaking death at the hands of an illegal immigrant

My heart breaks for the those good folks and families who suffer loss because our government chooses to protect the "rights" of illegal immigrants over those of the people these immigrants have potential to harm.

From Gateway Pundit:

Just days after Speaker Paul Ryan said he did not want to ‘clog jails’ with previously deported drunk driving illegal aliens, 14 year-old Gianna Bartolucci, died Saturday from brain injuries caused by a twice deported drunk driving illegal alien in a head-on crash last Christmas Eve in Clarkson, New York, according to a statement by her parents posted to their church website.

Gianna and her father, a church pastor, might have died at the accident scene last December had witnesses not rushed to their aid, and pulled them from their burning car, according to a report at rochesterfirst.com.

A ten-fold increase?

In spending time in upper north Georgia a year ago, I recall seeing a few Confederate battle flags on
display. The time was within a couple of weeks of the shooting in Charleston, and followed calls by those on the political left to ban display of the flag.

Last week, in many of the same areas, I seemed to see more Confederate flags on display. Maybe a ten-fold increase. Maybe more,

One or two were flying in front of businesses. Some from poles in the beds of pick-up trucks. Most were displayed porch rails or in residential yards.

To be fair, I'll note that I include Georgia's former state flag, the one incorporating the Confederate battle flag on its field, in my loose count.

I'm thinking efforts to shame or ban display of this flag may have actually resulted in more people flying it.  And the further you get from urban zones of political correctness, the more of these flags you see.

Fighting back makes sense. But give 'em something to fight back with

This Florida sheriff talks sense, but seems to stop short of something that should be considered.

It's one thing for armed law enforcement to encourage those who come under attack to fight back. But will members of Florida law enforcement call for Florida to drop its prohibition on concealed carry in nightclubs and bars?

If there are sober designated drivers in the clubs who help shuttle drinking friends to and from the venue, why not allow non-drinking patrons who have carry permits to legally conceal carry. In the wake of the Orlando massacre, this seems a logical step in the right direction.

Georgia handles things this way, and I can't recall hearing of any problems caused by it.

Muslim privilege

"While the media studiously paints the image of a beleaguered population of American Muslims suffering the stigma of constant suspicion, Omar’s Muslim background actually served as a shield and excused behavior that would have been unacceptable for anyone else. Omar Mateen’s Muslim privilege shielded him until he was actually murdering non-Muslims...

"Standing in solidarity with Muslims after Orlando makes as much sense as standing in solidarity with Klansmen after the Charleston massacre. No one should be standing in solidarity with hate groups."

- Daniel Greenfield, writing at FrontPageMag

Surviving a mass shooting. Surviving an ambush

We may open this Friday's (June 17th) Don and Doug webcast with a discussion on how to defend against and survive a mass shooting or any other type ambush attack. Don brings his experiences as an Army combat vet to the table on this one.

"Freeze effect" and mass shootings

"During an attack, the chaos and sheer terror cause many people’s brains to shut down, leading them to freeze like scared rabbits, even if they’re standing in a hail of gunfire. Other people end up stuck on the X simply because they can’t sort through the bedlam fast enough to figure out that they’re in mortal danger. To avoid the 'freeze effect,' you need to cultivate an 'orienting behavior.'" - Jeff Cantor, at Money and Markets

I suspect alcohol played part in amplifying "freeze effect" in the Pulse nightclub shooting. Alcohol slows assessment and reaction. And I suspect much alcohol had been consumed by club patrons prior to an attack that began just after 2:00 am.

"The end of prayer shaming"

H/T: Sipsey Street and The Feral Irishman

Ancient concept provides new model for ISIS jihad

"The ISIS Caliphate is using online fealty as a way to recruit jihadis around the world.   It's a powerful recasting of an ancient concept that goes well beyond modern expressions of loyalty." - John Robb, writing at Global Guerrillas

Robb's earlier explanation of ISIS and its use of fealty can be found here.


H/T: My Daily Kona

Remember Hope and Change? Neither does Obama

"Forty-nine innocent people were gunned down in a gay nightclub by an Islamic terrorist, another 53 lie wounded, yet Obama feels only his own pain. Public confidence in his effort to combat terrorism on his own peculiar terms while soft-pedaling the links to Islam were among the casualties in the Pulse nightclub. The world knows he’s a failure and he can’t stand the embarrassment." - Michael Goodwin, in the NY Post

Now that gun rights are once again under attack...

"Gun Owners Must Be Calm and Smart to Prevail in Coming Challenges"

Trump going soft on 2A?

Trump going soft on constitutional protections, our right to due process?

Will bureaucrats be able to circumvent or deny citizens their rights by putting their name on some bureaucratic list?

I don't like the look of this... But it's Twitter, and sometimes meanings get mangled in 140-character brevity.

I will be meeting with the NRA, who has endorsed me, about not allowing people on the terrorist watch list, or the no fly list, to buy guns.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2016

Meanwhile, across the pond...

Seems there was some sort of naval engagement on the Thames. 

Guns are scary...

Someone sent this my way. I'd credit the original source if I knew it.

Not far afield from what emoting gun-hating celebs are trying to sell this week...

What made the Orlando shooting so deadly?

"With an ineffectual police response outside the club and no known resistance inside the club, it was sadly irrelevant which firearm the terrorist chose for his attack." - Bob Owens at Bearing Arms

Saudi vacations?

Reporting says the Orlando shooter twice traveled to Saudi Arabia in the past five years, and government officials don't have a clue why. 

At first I thought this was satire...

But apparently it's not.

Seems a writer at that the anti-gun New York Daily News took it upon himself to fire an AR-15.

His reaction?

"It feels like a bazooka --- and sounds like a cannon."


I'd love to get this guy out to a range, and let him put a clip's worth of ammo through a WWII era Garand.

Even better, how 'bout we set him up with a fire-breathing short-barreled Mosin Nagant?

I kinda doubt he could handle my Grandma's 12 gauge.

In other news...

Suspect Mohammad Moghaddam was shot and killed after hostage taking at a Texas Walmart.

Via Twitter...

Christians refusing to bake a cake= 'religious bigotry.'
Muslim slaughters 49 people=
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/hclbYfQ6nK

— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) June 14, 2016

Precious observation...

"Sales of all gold and silver products are up nearly 20% this year over last, indicating that money is truly flowing into precious metals.This has been a long-term trend that we have talked about on this blog for years. Sales keep making new records among the major mints and physical investors of the precious metals continue to accumulate as prices remain at these artificially depressed levels" - Nathaniel McDonald, writing at Sprott Money

H/T: Woodpile Report

Went to the movies the other night...

We showed up early to get a good spot.

At Blue Ridge Drive-In, Blue Ridge, Georgia.

Monday morning thoughts on Sunday's Orlando mass murder

I will not attempt any sort of comprehensive recap on what happened in Orlando over the weekend, others have done so, and we'll be saturated with additional media in the come days.

Most of Sunday, I was in rural areas, often with spotty cell service. I was focused on prospecting possible real estate purchases. Didn't even hear of the Orlando attack until a daughter made me aware late afternoon/almost early evening Sunday.

Thoughts and prayers go out to victims of Sunday's attack as well as their families. But I sincerely hope those impacted by this vile attack are not naive enough to be exploited by would-be gun grabbing activists who would like to use Sunday's attack to further infringe on the Second Amendment. I know, I'm asking a lot.

Among first things I noticed was the Orlando attack was that it happened in a 'gun free' zone, as it is my understanding that Florida residents and others with concealed carry permits are not allowed to bring guns into establishments that serve alcohol.

We're also now told the Sunday morning attacker worked as a security guard, that he'd been reported to his employer for hostile comments on the job, and had previously been interviewed by the FBI over potential ties to Islamic extremism.

Just days before the Orlando attack, ISIS vowed a major attack on Florida. Prior to this attack, the Orlando killer declared an allegiance to ISIS, apparently so there would be no mistaking his motive.

Yet, there are those in government (and elsewhere) who downplay or deny Islamic influences were at work in the Orlando attack, and are likely at work even now plotting additional attacks.

Political correctness provides no protection. In fact, it appears political correctness provides layers of cover for those seeking to commit mass murder.

It's time America loses this PC mindset when it comes to Islam, and face up to the fact there are indeed adherents to Islamic teaching who openly advocate waging a violent and bloody war on the American home front against those they see as failing to submit to societal norms advocated in the Koran.

Generation Snowflake

We' went from the 'Greatest Generation' to the Boomer Generation. Then came the Millennials.

Now?

It's Generation Snowflake. 

Affluence, self-indulgence and mollycoddling seemingly brings on societal decline in record time.

Interesting marketing pitch

Wonder what the PC crowd would say of this billboard seen in Murphy, NC.

Looking for real estate bargains?

I haven't fully vetted the site, but Georgia Public Notice looks like an awesome tool for those monitoring real estate foreclosures in multiple Georgia counties.

Foreclosure traffic looks at a snails pace compared to six to eight years ago. Then again, there are those who believe we're on the verge of another economic downturn that will again drive a foreclosure trend.

Homeland Security?

The concept of securing America has been turned on its head.

The bureaucracy that's supposed to be securing our border has been morphed into a force and infrastructure that supports and facilitates invasive migration. 

Is it a stretch to say fifth columnists now control federal bureaucracy, and openly work against the best interests, and contrary to the laws, of the nation?

Light posting, lots to do...

Expecting to close on a rental property I'm selling early next week.

And I'm scouting additional real estate for purchase beyond the bounds of the metro area.

So things are a little busy.

When traveling, I'm deliberately staying off Interstate highways. Gotta say, I seem to be seeing more closed businesses along roadsides, and there'd be more empty storefronts than there are in small town downtowns if it weren't for antique stores and thrift shops.

Even some communities without big box competitors in close proximity seem to have lost many, if not most, their new-trade retailers. Drove a stretch of state highway yesterday where I went at least 20 miles without seeing a functioning gas station.

On the flip side, suburbia's become so over-saturated with retail, it's hard to imagine many of the competitors see enough market share to make being in business worthwhile.