Iran pledged to deliver a "final reponse" to the U.S and other supporters of Israel during a religious ceremony next month, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported Thursday.

In light of this, we're allowing the president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to visit ground zero. 

WTF is wrong with this nation??? I cannot believe that there is a secret service detail to protect this hitler in a turban... 

What we need is a crazy whackjob who has nothing to lose that has good marksmanship skills to blow this guy's head clean off his shoulders when he attempts to desecrate that space.

I think the add should go like this.

Wanted, SWM preferably christian fundamentalist or Mormon with long range marksmanship skills.   Once in a lifetime oppurtunity to change the world for the better with one pull of the trigger.  Must be willing to spend the rest of your life in prison, but be hailed as a hero in patriotic circles.

Surely by now everyone has heard the story of the college student who was tasered after taking too long asking Sen. John Kerry a question.  The video is amazing to say the least...  But what I really want to know is who deemed it appropriate to call in the cops in the first place.  Sure maybe he was a bit unruly, but nobody was really being hurt by his run on questioning.  We do have something called the 1st amendment that used to guarantee freedom of speech.  This guy was a scheduled questioner, he wasn't some crazy protestor who was shouting the Senator down.  He was just asking questions, when it became his turn, much like journalists do at a presidential press conference.  I see no difference between what he did and what reporters at the white house do on a daily basis.  The proper course of action would've been to let him finish, then ban him from future speaking engagements if this behavior is not acceptable to the University.   But instead of handling things in a civil matter, somebody had to call upon the power of the police department to forcefully remove this student in a VERY public manner.  THIS was completely uncalled for.  How can you NOT expect the police to cause a scene in the middle of a very public speech while the police surround this guy, then attempt to arrest him apparently for no proper reason, then taser him while surrounding students videotape the entire event.  It is abuse of power at it's worst.  To have the power of the state come in use what in some cases has been lethal force, to remove a "disruption" of a senator's speech.  In the end, they caused an even bigger disruption and the senator's speech will be totally forgotton, but this incident will not be for some time.

How have we as a nation become so intolerant that the police are used in such a manner.  A police state is coming, and this is only a first glimpse of what is to come unless we do something to change it.

How tired are you of hearing about this war???  I am sick and tired of hearing war war war.... Candidates talk about how they're going to end this war, how they'll bring home the troops faster than the next guy... And all that gets us is a bigger mess in Iraq and Afganistan...  It's basically 15 different used car salesmen all trying to sell you the same car but telling you how much faster they can drive it...  It makes me wish MOVEON.org actually meant what it's name suggests...  Let's move on... The war isn't going to be over until either militant islam is defeated, or it decides to grow up and live peacefully with the rest of the world...

But on the the REAL point... Again we're being told that ths election is "the most important election ever".  And I doubt that very highly.  Even though this election is important in the sense that it may determine once and for all whether the US becomes an overtly socialist nation or not, NOBODY is talking about that... The war and candidates' positions on the war are first and foremost in the minds of voters who will choose the next president.

Let's take the republicans for example.  The only candidate who distinguishes himself by being antiwar is Ron Paul, who takes a constitutional approach as to why he is anti(this)war.  He argues (properly) that the congress has abdicated their duty in NOT declaring war on Iraq and Afganistan.  Instead we have an open ended conflict that basically hinges on the will of the president to conduct however he chooses.  His point of view is overshadowed by the fact that so many see him as just Antiwar... and that somehow makes him unacceptable as president.  Despite him wanting to dismantle the ATF, the Department of homeland security, Energy, Education and kill the federal reserve.  Many things that are pipe dreams of freedom/liberty loving americans who always whine at the republican candidates for president because they are NOT in favor of gutting these agencies...

On the flip side of Ron Paul on domestic issues are our old friends John Edwards, and Hillary Clinton, both who want to pound the final nail in the coffin of the worlds greatest healthcare system (although it is far from perfect) by socializing it.  The burden imposed by these imbeciles will surely push us over that cliff we're teetering on and throw us into a heavy recession, possibly even a depression.  Edwards, more so than Hillary would have us go even further towards that socialist utopia that he somehow believes in for the rest of the country while bilking ravaged homeowners in New Orleans out of millions of dollars...

Socialism DOESN'T work... It has been proven time and time again over the past century... Do WE really need to be the next example???

My bottom line... DON'T let your views on the war cloud your judgement on the domestic issues.  Those domestic issues will mean so much more to you and me over the next 4-8 years than ANY war that is beyond these shores...

OK, so it's been a long time, I have been focusing on my chosen sport over the past months and have had little time for blogging after work, family, and sport...  So I have some catching up to do...

Since I am a huge NFL fan, I know Michael Vick pretty well and have seen him let his team down with his passing ability over and over since he came into the league.  Now it seems that he's either so arrogant or so stupid as to have gotten himself involved with this stupid dog fighting ring.  Some people may be able to defend dog fighting as a sport (I am not one of them) but you can concede that you could make a case,  what you CANNOT defend is the manner in which it is alleged that several of those dogs were put to death.  The hanging, beating, electrocution, ect.  cannot be defended.  But that aside,  WHAT THE HELL was Michael Vick thinking???  How can you risk your multimillion dollar contract as the star athlete of a team in one of the biggest professional sports leagues???  Did he think this was like the herpes scandal?  Where he was accused of cruising bars picking up women as his alter ego Ron Mexico, then infecting them with herpes, during the course of sexual activity.  In that case things just kind of went away in the public eye after a brief mention in the news...  Although the NFL did have to stop sales of customized number 7 "MEXICO" jerseys...

This brings us up to the current scandal plaguing the airways... Sen. Larry Craig.  Again another story in the what the hell were you thinking category...

And after watching that press conference, all I got was that Sen. Craig isn't gay...  That's great, but apparently you like to have anonymous sex with men in rest rooms...  If this was a solitary incident, I'd be willing to give Sen. Craig the benefit of the doubt, however considering that he plead guilty to charges, AND there were earlier allegations of similar behavior.  I am inclined to believe that Sen. Craig has sexual urges that can only be satisfied by anonymous men in rest rooms...

This of course doesn't make him gay...  It makes him at the very minimum bisexual (I assume he's had relations with his wife, unless she's just for show...)  And I don't necessarily see hypocrisy in Sen. Craig's anti gay rights positions...  Example, Sen. Craig is a staunch opponent of gay marriage, clearly since he is involved in a traditional heterosexual marriage, there is no hypocrisy.  Sure maybe he needs that thrill of a random stranger up against him in a cold damp restroom now and again, but he isn't in a committed relationship with a man... and THAT is what most of   "gay rights" are about, they are about men and women in same sex relationships, and how those relationships are perceived and accepted, and equivocated to heterosexual relationships.

I think we can all agree except for a few very hard right christian conservatives, that we shouldn't ban homosexual acts.  That many of us have a live and let live attitude of what goes on in your bedroom is your business, as long as it stays there... The problem comes in situations such as this, where the homosexual acts are in public.  Which is why the undercover police officer was there in the first place...

So in the end, I just cannot imagine how both of these two guys would be willing to risk everything for a few cheap thrills...  It just boggles the mind...

It's been a while, unfortunately I've been busy and haven't had much time lately... Anyway I was reading this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer today and just had to comment.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/16467986.htm

If lawmakers honestly take into account the views of most commonwealth residents, they will pass a statewide limit on the sale of handguns to one per month.

Even the most ardent gun-rights supporters admit such a limit would have little or no effect on them. It would, however, be a hardship for criminals who use a transaction known as a "straw purchase" to obtain multiple guns at one time, and then illegally sell them on city streets.

That measure would put a big obstacle in the way of criminals and kids getting their hands on guns.

Two things, First I highly doubt that a majority of commonwealth residents are ardent supporters of a one handgun a month law.  Second, I'm sure that there is a large number of residents (gun owners) who couldn't care less about handguns.  As long as their hunting rifles and their "truck" guns aren't touched, they think that they don't have a dog in this fight.

I gotta say that I am sick and tired of this type of apathy...  Gun owners of all types need to stand up TOGETHER!  Stop letting ourselves be picked apart one group at a time.   We need to stand and fight as one.  No matter how the media paints us, whether we are for machine guns, assault weapons, Handguns, concealed carry, Hunting rights and rifles, or shotguns...

If you have a stake in any one of these, you have a stake in keeping us all armed.

The second amendment isn't about hunting, or breaking clay birds.  It is about defense of self and country...  We cannot allow the government to take away those arms that are best suited for defense...

As for PA residents... We have a constitutional clause that is a bit more clear than the second amendment... 

   The right of the citizens to bear arms in defence of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.  Art. 1, § 21 (enacted 1790, art. IX, § 21).

Could this statement be any more clear???  This is the supreme law of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  It is my view that enacting a one gun a month law certainly IS questioning the right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves....

 U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) released a statement pointing out the real issues of the election.

“This election does not show that voters have abandoned their belief in limited government; it shows that the Republican Party has abandoned them. In fact, these results represent the total failure of big government Republicanism.

“The Republican Party now has an opportunity to rediscover its identity as a party for limited government, free enterprise and individual responsibility. Most Americans still believe in these ideals, which reflect not merely the spirit of 1994 or the Reagan Revolution, but the vision of our founders. If Republicans present real ideas and solutions based on these principles we will do well in the future.

“What Republicans cannot continue to do, however, is more of the same. Our short-term, politically-expedient, bread and circus governing philosophy has failed. Iraq is an important issue in the minds of voters but it is not the only issue. Our majority was severely weakened by a long series of decisions that pre-date the public’s current concern about Iraq.

Read the whole thing HERE

On this morning after the election I see some interesting possibilities ahead for the democrats.  After years of going further and further left, they finally pulled their heads from their rectums and fielded many center and center right candidates, many who are pro gun and pro life.  This seemed to be enough in a climate of major disgust over the party in power and those disgusted with the war.

While the dems were smart enough to field these candidates, now that they've got them what are you going to do?  It would be smart for them and their agenda if they chose to leave both guns and abortion alone during the next two years.  I am not sure though that the far left leadership can keep their grubby paws off them.  This will lead to one of tho things, First the dems fracture based on the beliefs of the newly elected not following along the democratic party line.  Or that those who are newly elected will succumb to the pressure and leave their beliefs behind to follow the lead lemmings off the cliff.

If the latter happens, and it happens during the next two, democratic hopes for continued control of the congress will slide.  And if the republicans realize what went wrong, and get back to their base, They will be in even bigger trouble....

So I voted, begrudgingly I voted republican... and used for the first time the new touch screen voting machines.  I had no problem with these machines, but while waiting in line I did hear a few elderly women who seemingly cast ballots for no one. 

One woman was paging through the screens and must've hit the cast ballot button prior to actually selecting any candidates.  Others were having problems erasing votes that they accidentally picked prior to casting their ballots.

I think the bottom line here is that these new machines are not any more user friendly than previous voting methods.  We will continue to see under votes and unintended votes.. The only thing they eliminate is overvoting, or the voting for more than one candidate for a particular office.  These problems will continue while opening the door to major fraud issues.  Since there is no paper record, I cannot prove that my vote is even recorded, let alone recorded for the candidate of my choice, nor can I prove that votes that are counted are legit, because they are nothing more than bits and bytes stored on smart cards or within a voting machine.  Funny thing about bits and bytes, they can be altered and/or created with little effort.

On this election day, I again have to express my frustration...  I am frustrated with a republican party who has left gunowners behind, fiscal conservatives behind, and constitutionalists behind...

The relative inaction when it comes to forwarding a pro gun agenda is my biggest disappointment in the republicans during the past six years.  I want them to feel our wrath once again and let them know that it isn't OK to do nothing.

I am disappointed in the way that the war on terror is being waged here at home, I fear that the Bush administration has opened a pandoras box of potential abuses of our 4th amendment rights, and future administrations will surely expand upon them...  I want republicans to feel the wrath of civil libertarians for this reason, that it is not OK for them to trample our protections against government abuses.

I am disappointed in how republicans have been spending like drunken sailors with little regard to fiscal responsibility.  While the deficit is decreasing, spending is not, and I fear that the legacy of Medicare part D will speed up the bankrupting of this nation.  I want them to feel the wrath of fiscal conservatives, that it is not OK to spend this nation into oblivion. 

But then I look at the alternatives... The democrats who will surely begin impeachment proceedings, who will roll back tax cuts, and surely bring back their war on guns.  And I realize I have no choice.  I have a choice between bad and worse.  No matter how much I want to punish the republicans for leaving me behind, I cannot pull the D lever (or rather the D button now) For fear of their real agenda. 

I have half a mind to write myself in for many of these offices... Just to register my disgust with the system.

I am completely and totally blown away by how Kerry's idiotic comments are being covered.  Yesterday Morning I happened to turn on our local talk radio station while driving to an appointment.  This is where I got my first dose of Kerry's comments.  On the radio was Mike Gallagher, and he was rightfully blasting Kerry for his remarks.  OK, let's move on... Kerry's comments while stupid and clearly denegrating our troops, should come as no suprise to those who know Kerry's history.  He's been trashing our troops ever since he got out of the military during Vietnam.

Next, on my way back to my office, I heard Rush Limbaugh blasting Kerry, and basically rehashing the same things that Gallagher had earlier stated...  OK, I admittedly didn't listen to Rush's whole show so I can't say it's all he talked about, but You are starting to get the idea.

Later on, while on my way to a late afternoon appointment, I heard Sean Hannity again rehashing the Kerry bashfest....  OK I get the idea... I should be outraged...  But I wasn't, because it's what I've come to expect from Kerry...

Inevitably, when I got home, I turned on Fox news and what is the overwhelming story??? DING! It's Kerry again... I am really wearing thin on this Kerry thing... IS THERE NOTHING ELSE GOING ON IN THE WORLD???

And as I sit here and write this Fox news is still beating the Kerry comment drum...  I assume when I get in the car in a few minutes, It will be more of the same there too...

The reality here is that a known idiot senator, made an idiotic comment, that is consistent with his poltical MO for the past 30 years.  There is no political hay to really be made out of this...  For lack of a better "october suprise" it seems that republicans have latched upon these comments.  I don't really see them making much difference in this election. 

 File this one under "when guns are banned only the criminals will have guns"  Where police in Calgary (that's in Canada for those who care) have raided a fellow police officers home and siezed many guns.

So far two women have come forward saying they called the amnesty program to turn over unwanted firearms.

In both cases, the women allege the officer left their homes and then returned while off duty and paid for the weapons, while leaving behind a business card for a gun dealer in Warburg.

This is probably the first step in a money making scheme by the officer in which he would sell these guns off the books and make a tidy profit.  There will always be corrupt cops and government officials.  Especially when they see a potential goldmine like illegal guns....

One of my favorite arguments that anti gunners use is that "only the police are well trained enough to handle firearms properly"

Well, here is a story that tends to prove that cops are not any better trained than the rest of us...

A mandatory round of firearms training was ordered for all Morris County Sheriff's officers yesterday after a second officer in three days accidentally shot himself in the leg, Sheriff Edward Rochford said.

And what firearm you ask was the cause of these negligent discharges...  The Glock Fotay!!

Kurdyla stored his gun when he entered the jail. When he completed his duties at 11:50 p.m., he retrieved the gun, a .40 caliber Glock, and was putting it back in his holster when it discharged, sending a bullet into his right thigh.

[sarcasm]We need to get these deadly Glock Forties off the streets, they are a menace to our law enforcement officers[/sarcasm]

Michael Schaivo is back in the news again, commenting on the PA senate race...  A year after he was partially vindicated by the results of Terri's autopsy  in which it was found that her brain was severely deteriorated and even those parts that remained in tact were damaged when examined microscopically. 

Michael brings up a point that despite Casey attacking Santorum for voting for federal legislation to allow the meddling of the federal courts.  Casey would've voted the same way.  So what I asked is this,  What is the difference between Santorum and Casey really?

Santorum recieved an A+ rating from the NRA and their endorsement, While Casey recieved an A... Hmmm not much there either...  I think I'm gonna start with Casey's web site and see what he's promising...

1. National Security

Ensuring our nation's security starts by defeating terrorism at home and abroad. Bob Casey will ask the tough questions and demand truthful answers from this or any other administration that puts troops in harm's way.

This is an interesting statement, because on the one hand he states that we must defeat terrorism, but in the next breath he states that he will not be fully cooperative with an administration that IS fighting terrorism...  Hmm... Next!

2. Fiscal Responsibility

The wasteful spending in Washington D.C. continues to go unchecked while our national debt spirals out of control. Bob Casey has proven to be a fiscally responsible leader saving Pennsylvania taxpayers over $1 billion

Fiscal responsibility good... But let's not get ahead of ourselves, the PA state constitution has severe penalties built in that cripple our higher education system if the state budget is not balanced.  And also lets remember that even though our spending in DC does continue to grow unchecked, the deficit is actually shrinking thanks to our strong economy.

3. Ethics Reform

Dismantling the culture of corruption that hangs over Washington D.C. will require a serious commitment from a strong leader. Bob Casey's ethics plan calls for just such a commitment to ensure transparency in Congress

Doesn't every challenger candidate put a statement like this into their platform???  Reality check Casey, power corrupts... that is human nature, you cannot change that with a stroke of a pen... Not that any reform legislation will actually see the light of day.  This one's out... Next!

4. Better Health Care

The first step to fixing healthcare is stopping the draconian cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. We must also fix the Medicare Part D mess, make health coverage more affordable for small business, and expand the Family and Medical Leave Act.

This is a big issue for me, and I know the workings of Medicare better than most because my wife works in healthcare for a formerly community hospital that had to sell out to a corporation in order to not close it's doors.  The primary reason of which is medicare.  When Casey is referring to cuts in medicare, he doesn't mean that benefits are cut.  What really happens is that medicare arbitrarily cuts the amount of reinbursment that hospitals and doctors recieve.  This was a major contributing factor to our local hospital losing so much money.  We live in a high medicare area, so everytime medicare decides to cut, it hurts our community...

Medicare Part D is indeed a mess which almost certainly promises to be a huge contributor to future deficits and tax increases...  While admitting there is a problem, just like social security, that doesn't mean anything will get done.

Health coverage for small businesses, good idea, but how do you intend on getting there... There are many many reasons medical insurance is so expensive for small businesses, you must address these first.

Expansion of the FMLA, expand it to what? is there really a crisis in this nation that expansion of this act will fix?  I don't think FMLA is broke, and I don't think it needs expansion... Leave well enough alone.

5. Quality Education

Quality education begins with an investment in early childhood learning. We also need to invest in school construction, reforming No Child Left Behind legislation, technology literacy, and enhancing higher education opportunities.

Throwing money at our education issues in this nation does NOT solve the problem!  Example, PA is near the top in spending per student, yet routinely scores near the bottom in performance evaluations...  How can this be??? I am not an expert in this area, but I really am interested in WHERE ALL THE MONEY GOES.

6. Cleaner Environment

Preserving our pristine natural resources is one of our greatest duties. Investments in our environment are investments in our economy, new jobs, and the quality of life for generations to come.

The needs of our fragile environment must be balanced by the needs of our even more fragile economy.  I believe that Casey has things backward.  Environmentally friendly products and programs MUST make economic sense lest we damage our economy.  We must take both into consideration before any legislation is passed in this area.

7. Secure Retirement

Every American deserves a secure retirement with affordable prescription drugs and reliable Social Security. Bob Casey has been a tireless advocate for older Pennsylvanians and will continue that commitment in the U.S. Senate.

I don't believe in entitlements, Americans are not entitled to anything but those rights guaranteed in the BoR.  Somewhere along the line social security which was supposed to supplement the retirement income of seniors, now has become their primary income.  Add to this a much extended life expectancy and we've got a crisis.  It is funny that Casey mentions prescription drugs since he already bashed the medicare part D in his earlier statement on healthcare, he must think that nobody knows what medicare part D is really about.

8. Agriculture

Bob Casey is committed to fighting for Pennsylvania’s farmers. Bob understands that reducing the cost of health care, increasing rural development, making the United States more energy independent, and land conservation are all vitally important to farm economy.

Increasing rural development is a threat to family farms.  The reason being that their land value as commercial or residential property is leaps and bounds above what it is as farmland.  Therefore giving struggling farmers a tough choice when offered large sums of money to develop their farms.  This statement really says nothing about what Bob will do about such things, just that he "feels their pain".

9. Veterans

No veteran should ever have to choose between disability pay and retirement pay. The only decision should be whether you support our veterans or you don't. When our men and women leave the military, our country's obligations continue.

I support our veterans, and those veterans who are wounded and/or disabled in the line of duty should recieve a healthy compensation for their sacrifice.  However, the majority of veterans who leave the service after their initial commitment and are honorably discharged should get a firm pat on the back and their promised college education and that's where the obligation ends.  Healthy Vets need to become productive members of society just like the rest of us.

This is going to end my fisking of Casey... I will pick up in similar fashion with Santorum in a future post. 

In the world of politics and elections, I am frustrated.  I feel that the republican party has left fiscal conservatives and civil libertarians behind.  Yet what choices do we have?  The easy answer is "throw the bums out" but how can we do that when we as voters differ so vehemently with the Democratic alternative.  The democratic alternative is far worse in many ways in most cases that many of us will reluctantly pull the R lever come november.

Third parties offer candidates that share some of these core values, yet are generally labelled as "moonbats" or extremists...  Besides that most third party candidates are really not viable as their support is usually less than 10% of the vote...

Is it really too much to ask for a candidate that is fiscally conservative, believes in the constitution and the BoR, and is generally pro liberty?  Apparently it is...

Welcome to the blogosphere... I said to myself this morning... This space will be mostly filled with posts that are rabidly pro second amendment.   What does this mean?  It means that the second amendment isn't about duck hunting, in fact it isn't about hunters at all.

The second amendment is the final check against tyrrany that a free people have.  Take that away and we are slaves.  I will be no slave.

Politicians and the MSM would have you believe that certain types of guns are evil or that there is no legitimate purpose for "civillians" to own such weapons.  "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed",  To read that statement and get anything out of it that implies that certain arms should not be owned by "the people" is a far stretch of the imagination.

But many do, many don't believe that the second amendment guarantees the rights it explicitly guarantees.  Many go even further and discount most of the other amendments in the bill of rights.  If you discount one, why not others?  It is that slippery slope that we are on.  

I believe that there is a major security before freedom movement in this great nation.  One where as long as the illusion of security is upheld, the people are willing to hand over their liberties.  Too many feel powerless, helpless in a violent and terror ridden world.  There is no greater responsibility to this nation or yourself and your family than to take up the reigns of your own security.  Buy a gun, carry a gun, train with that gun, and REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM.