Flashpoint

Flashpoint n. def: The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture in air.

The word "flashpoint" is also used in describing the mood of a group, at the exact point when a group becomes a mob. Usually a catalyst of some sort incites a group into action as a mob, and that catalyst may be natural or artificial.

In the course of events in our modern political arena, we are reaching a flashpoint. We have a Federal Leviathan aggrandizing ever more power unto itself, in direct contravention of its Constitutional authority to do so. We have citizens attempting to air grievances with their representatives, only to be told that their concerns are not valid. We have those same representatives creating theater for the media by importing false constituents into scripted meetings, to arrive at pre-determined outcomes, in order to salve their consciences as they sell their souls.

To what end?

In any society, there can only be two choices as to the direction of the populace: Liberty, or Slavery.

Those who would enslave you do so incrementally, a thousand small cuts at a time, until you are bloody and weakened and wondering where the final death cut came from that subjugated you completely. Until you are nothing less than a complying drone begging for alms from an indifferent master, while the master lives a life of ease paid for by your misery.

This is the choice of those who would gladly beg comfort from their government, paid for by the labor borne on the backs of their neighbors and by the sale of their children into the never-ending servitude of runaway taxation. This is the dreary reality of totalitarianism, under the guise of benevolent socialism for the greater good.

Liberty, on the other hand, requires effort. Liberty requires vigilance. Liberty demands the self-sacrifice of excellence, given for the benefit of self, to the greatness of individual achievement, and personal freedom. Only a person sworn to Liberty, and willing to sacrifice their labor for the singular purpose of excellence, will be truly free. Only a person committed to Liberty, can truly give to Charity, because only that person understands the true cost of the gift that they give, which was earned, and is rightfully theirs.

Only the person who demands the best of himself and others is going to understand this fully. Only that person will be able to fight for Liberty, because they know the value, and the cost.

The people who understand this, know that the struggle for liberty is a struggle against slavery in all guises. They understand that this is a battle of polar opposites. They understand that this is a battle to the death, for the two systems are incompatible with one another. We have been slouching toward this confrontation between these two ideologies for almost 100 years now.

The proponents of slavery are now in control of our government, with a smiling figurehead in the Oval Office to misdirect the debate. Make no mistake: Socialism, Progressivism, Communism, Fascism, they are all cut from the same cloth. The cloth that will bind you as a serf to the needs of a political class. A class which exempts itself from the mandates it passes down to the subjects. A political class which no longer feels the need to be honest with its subjects constituents, because they are doing these things for the "greater good of society".

We are reaching a flashpoint. We are coming to the point when the body of the citizenry will be forced to choose sides based on ideological ideals. Those who would enslave their fellow citizens and sell their children into servitude for "health care" or "social security" or guaranteed housing, food, and other basic necessities, are not your ally if you treasure Liberty.

When the flashpoint is reached, you will know. When the flashpoint is reached, you too will have to choose. Know your allies. Choose wisely.

Newbius
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Open Carry Adventures

So, I had to run to the store for a few things and decided to Open Carry instead of carrying concealed as per my custom. First stop, that Fancy French Department Store "Le Target". I couldn't find what I was looking for and so enlisted the help of one of the stock clerks. She was very friendly and helped me out (no luck on the item), with nary a glance at the holster or the sidearm.

Cool.

Next stop, the grocery store. Received a couple of sideways glances from a couple of patrons, but no issues from anyone. While in the meat section, I had a young boy slide up behind my cart (I saw him out of the corner of my eye) and as I turned, I almost bumped him with it. Thankfully, I stopped the cart without bumping him. As I was apologizing to him (while smiling the whole time), he blurted out loudly "Wow! Cool gun!".

Heh.

I said "Thank you!" (almost as loudly) and smiled at his parents who returned the smiles. The boy was all excited to tell me about his guns, but the dad kind of eased him back under control with a slightly embarrassed expression. The other shoppers kind of glanced over to see what was up, but nobody paid any real attention to us after that. I finished my shopping and checked out. I love kids.

All in all, a pleasant shopping trip. I am happy to say that, at least in my little corner of the world, Open Carry is just another way to go about your business.

Pax,

Newbius

More changes

Number 2 child is at College and Number 1 child is doing well also. Number 3 is about to start Senior Year! It is starting to get kind of lonely at Casa Newbius.

Off to see my baby sister as she prepares for a big move to Noo Yawk State with her husband and my adorable nephew.

More fun stuff tomorrow, I promise.

Pax,

Newbius

Getting Ready - Part Two

No, not the collapse of social order. College - part deux.

Middle child goes off to George Mason tomorrow. I hope he does as well with his studies as he does with steel plates at 200 Meters.

Son, I know you will do well. Never forget that I love you.

Dad

I can't say something nice

So I am not going to say anything at all about the passing of Edward Kennedy.

Newbius
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Excellent essay on Gun Control

From Marko, The Munchkin Wrangler. Go, READ!

It is too bad that people like Paul Helmke would rather have willing victims and low-levels of officially-sanctioned violence, than allow people to defend themselves against predation. Of course, people like him are of the same political stripe as those who would deprive you of your choice - in life in favor of governmental mandates infringing upon your Liberty.

It amounts to the same thing, really. Either way you are the victim. The only difference is whether the perpetrator is a hardened criminal, or a hardened politician.

Is that redundant?

Newbius
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Unintended consequences

The change in the Administration's policy on "torture" looks to be an attempt to appease the President's left-wing base. It also looks like a shameless attempt to distract the pundits from the policy failure that is the Health Care Reform debate. Like all policy changes, this one will have unintended consequences.

I expect that the CIA will now look with disdain on any "terrorist" who is captured on the battlefield. I expect that anybody captured in Afghanistan might present a personal liability to the soldier doing the capturing. As such, the outcome of these encounters might bode very ill for the intelligence gathering efforts going forward, as well as for the health of any potential information sources.

Why?

Because if the choice is between a live source of information (which carries with it a very real possibility of prosecution if he claims abuse), and a dead enemy combatant, the dead combatant option wins every time.


Think about that one...

Newbius
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Blogroll Addition

Adding JR Shirley to my blogroll. He is a very complex individual with lots of interesting things to say about life. You can read him HERE. Enjoy!

Pax,

Newbius

Good times

My middle child goes off to college in a couple of days. I wanted to get him some range time with the EBRs before he left so we hooked up with OldNFO at FRGC.Click for full-view picture

The day was going to be hot and muggy, it was 85 degrees at 0700 with mist in the air. Felt like we were breathing underwater. Not ideal, but at least there was little wind and what we did have was in our faces.

OldNFO let my son shoot his 1911 while I was setting up the rifles. This is probably the nicest 1911 I have ever been privileged to shoot. Sight picture is perfect and the trigger breaks like a glass lab slide with what feels like mere ounces of pressure. Think about the shot - the shot happens. Click for full-view picture NICE!

Here's my son's last shot of the magazine:Click for full-view picture

After we got "Beauty" back on paper with the iron sights, I gave the 200 yd plates a go. Click for full-view picture

Those things make a nice satisfying sound when you hit them, especially when using standard A2 Battle sights. The sound is even sweeter when it is your kid hitting them consistently, on his first outing with the rifle. He only had about 45 rounds total experience with the .223 before he started tagging those plates. That grin was great to see!

Finally, the LR-308 that I recently completed was out for its maiden run. Barrel break-in was tedious, but the results were gratifying. After doing the "shot-clean-shot-clean-shot-clean" cycle for about 30 rounds, we changed over to match ammo and began zeroing the scope. Final results below:

Click for full-view picture

We had to go "Cold Range" twice for wildlife. The first time, a small buck came out from the woods behind the plates on the 200yd line and trotted towards us before exiting stage right. The second time, we had a MONSTER tom turkey come out from the woods about 30 yards from the line. He just walked out, looked around, displayed his plumage, stretched a couple of times (to about 4' tall to the top of his head), then returned to the woods on the right whence he came. Cool. (Sorry, no picture). Oh, and we had a fearless dragonfly:
Click for full-view picture

All in all, it was a great day to be alive. Thanks again to OldNFO for hosting us at FRGC. You are truly a great person to know. I am honored to call you friend.

Pax,

Newbius

Breaking Stereotypes

I have been remiss in not sharing this with my readers (all nine of you) sooner. Please bookmark THIS page and also THIS one. Pastor Kenn Blanchard blogs about Christianity, Firearms, Fatherhood, and general Life stuff and is worth a read. His "Black Man with a Gun" page is devoted to his exploits as an Urban Shooter.

I have added both links to my page.

Pastor Kenn, I salute you.

Pax,

Newbius

Are your eyes open yet?

What will it take to open them?

Newbius
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H/T Mike

Political Open Carry

Robb Allen says it better than I could...

Newbius
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Wow. Just Wow.

Read it, weep, then ACT!

Newbius
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Getting Ready - Part One

No, Silly, not the apocalypse! College!!

Oldest son goes back to college tomorrow and today is Pack and Party day. I hope he does at least as well this year as he did last year. Making the Dean's list again would be cool...

Someone remind me to tell him how proud I am of him.

Pax,

Newbius

Slavery, or Liberty?

In the ongoing march toward Socialism that we are engaged in, one thing has become clear to me. That is:

People are much more willing to accept a Slave Master than to achieve Self Mastery.

A chained and beaten slave at least has his basic needs met, so long as he is willing to let another lay claim to the output of his labor. Funny how the organizations pushing enslavement the hardest are the same ones who would decry it, if it went by its true name instead of being disguised as "Hope-n-Change" from a Socialist Utopian dream.

Samuel Adams said it best:

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."

May your chains rest lightly upon you...

As for me, I choose Liberty.

Pax,

Newbius

Camille Paglia gets it right

I am no fan of Camille Paglia. That said, recognize that I will happily forward to my readers links to the truth when I see it-no matter the source. So, in the interest of promoting balance to my page, I give you the committed left wing gadfly, Camille Paglia, in a brilliant essay on the ineptitude in handling the health care reform debate.

Her motivations may differ from mine, but her assessment is spot-on.

Pax,

Newbius

Astro-truth

Sorry. I didn't get in to the conference call with Axelrod.

It isn't like there were going to be any bombshells going off, though. We have read the playbook and seen it in action. It goes something like this:

Protesting "Teabaggers" are un-American and are tools of the insurance lobby.

The protesters are the violent ones, and our purple-shirted goons union enforcers volunteers are just victims who want what's best for the people.

Violent right-wing extremists are now bringing guns to peaceful gatherings. So we need to demonize and marginalize shine the light of truth on them to show how they are out of the mainstream.

Even though we are paid-for tools of Soros and the Pharmaceutical industry (of which Soros owns a pretty chunk), we only want power over you you to have the best choices possible for your health care.

Right.

And the beat goes on.

The Truth? Real citizens are getting active and the more they learn about what's REALLY in the bill, the less they like it. Heck, even I can take a few days to read the bill. Unlike John Conyers... So, the obvious truth is that the Democrats are trying to frame the message, and are lying brazenly and openly to our faces, and the enabling media is white-washing it and covering for them.

I can tell you this much. If I go to a town hall myself, I can understand the logic of carrying a means of self-defense with me. The last thing I want is a confrontation with 2 or 3 or 6 300-pound goons trying to intimidate me into compliance with their views or silence about mine. This is America, for God's sake! If you Dems cannot get your message across in a manner that makes the people support you, then you deserve to lose the next election. Bringing in thugs to beat up the opposition only invites violence in return. And if your thugs continue to escalate, you might find you have a real fight on your hands.

All this over power you are not even authorized to wield in this Republic. Think about that one Nancy and Steny. Think about that one Mister President. Your constitutional authority does not extend into mandatory government-run health care.

Try respecting that.

Pax,

Newbius

Astroturf, Part 3

The latest email from "Organizing for America", the DNC front group pushing health care "Reform" onto the people. Unlike HCAN (which is ALSO a DNC Front Group made up primarily of Unions like SEIU and Community Organizer groups like ACORN), this one is straight from the DNC and the President/Community Organizer-In-Chief himself.

(Newbius) --

I just talked with David Axelrod, former Obama for America strategist and current Senior Adviser to the President.

David knows that with the fight over health insurance reform at a fevered pitch, the organizing we're doing is more important than ever. So he asked to be able to speak with a few of our most active supporters to update them on the state of the fight -- what we'll need to do to make sure real reform passes.

I've set up a conference call for Tuesday night, and I'd like to invite you to join us.

What: Health Care Conference Call with
David Axelrod

When: Tuesday, August 11th
8:00 p.m. Eastern Time

RSVP

http://my.barackobama.com/AxelrodCall


The call will be led by Jeremy Bird, OFA's Deputy Director. David will give an overview of the debate in Washington, discuss the strategy for passing reform, and answer questions that you can submit when you sign up. It's a great opportunity to hear from one of the smartest minds in politics at a critical time. I hope you can make it.

Talk to you soon,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- Please make sure to register by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow (the day of the call), so that we can make sure your information is entered in time and you're able to join.

Donate

I intend to attempt to register. I suggest that all patriots do the same. Since this is an open forum and does not appear to be limited to Brand D or Brand R (you just have to pretend to drink the Kool-Aid in order to register), everybody should try and get in, and ask a reasoned question as well.

I fully expect that the opponents of Socialized Medicine will be demonized as fear-mongers, but you have to try to be heard. It is your First Amendment duty to participate. The First Amendment is about political speech first and foremost, so participate in the process!

Good luck!

Pax,

Newbius

Astroturf, Part 2

Received from "Organizing for America" from BarackObama.com and re-printed in its entirety here:

(Newbius),

Thanks for answering the President's call to support health insurance reform.

All throughout August, our members of Congress are back in town. Insurance companies and partisan attack groups are stirring up fear with false rumors about the President's plan, and it's extremely important that folks like you speak up now.

So we've cooked up an easy, powerful way for you to make a big impression: Office Visits for Health Reform.

All this week, OFA members like you will be stopping by local congressional offices to show our support for insurance reform. You can have a quick conversation with the local staff, tell your personal story, or even just drop off a customized flyer and say that reform matters to you.

We'll provide everything you need: the address, phone number, and open hours for the office, information about how the health care crisis affects your state for you to drop off (with the option of adding your personal story), and a step-by-step guide for your visit.

According to our records, you live near Sen. Jim Webb's office in Richmond, VA.

Sign up now to visit Sen. Jim Webb's office in Richmond this week.

(Not your representative, or think there might be another office that's easier for you to get to? Click here to find a different office.)

As you've probably seen in the news, special interest attack groups are stirring up partisan mobs with lies about health reform, and it's getting ugly. Across the country, members of Congress who support reform are being shouted down, physically assaulted, hung in effigy, and receiving death threats. We can't let extremists hijack this debate, or confuse Congress about where the people stand.

Office Visits for Health Reform are our chance to show that the vast majority of American voters know that the cost of inaction is too high to bear, and strongly support passing health reform in 2009.

Don't worry if you've never done anything like this before. The congressional staff is there to listen, and your opinion as a constituent matters a lot. And if you bring a friend, you'll have more fun and make an even greater impact.

Click below to sign up for an Office Visit for Health Reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/OfficeVisit

Wherever you live, these visits matter: Many representatives are pushing hard toward reform, and they are taking a lot of heat from special interests. They deserve our thanks and need our support to continue the fight. But those who are still putting insurance companies and partisan point-scoring ahead of their constituents must know that voters are watching -- and that we expect better.

Earlier this week, the President wrote that "this is the moment our movement was built for" and asked us all to commit to join at least one event this month. This is the way to answer that call, and rise to the challenge of this moment together.

Thank you for going the extra mile when it matters the most,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America



Donate

Now, I don't know about you, but I am no tool of the insurance industry, nor am I a lobbyist from "K" Street, nor am I a part of any paid special-interest group advocating for "change". Actually, I liked things pretty much as they were, except for the intrusive government intervention in the free marketplace that should be Health Care. So, I will make an effort to be heard by Senator Webb, even if I have to resort to subterfuge by enrolling through the opposition's tools. If I am successful, I'll let you know how it went.

Pax,

Newbius

List me as "Opposed"

Just sent to flag@whitehouse.gov, the email address that you snitch report your dissenting neighbors to:

Dear President Obama,

There is no need to request that my neighbors spy and snitch on me. I will tell you myself that I am opposed to your Health Care plan, as currently envisioned, and as currently being shepherded by Henry Waxman. If this opposition places me on one of your private "watch lists", so be it.

As a Liberty-loving American individual, I oppose all efforts to centralize power in the hands of a few. Especially if they are faceless, nameless bureaucrats reporting to "czars" and not answerable to the people. My personal life is my own. My body is my own. And, my actions, so long as they remain lawful, are my own. Criminalizing dissent is what fascist dictators do, not freely-elected representatives of the People.

Please desist in your attempt to take over the health care industry. If you insist on reforming the industry, try removing burdensome regulations and anti-competitive laws and mandates instead. You might find the results more in line with your stated goals of making health care more affordable for everybody. Unless that isn't really your goal...

Just so we are clear, I reiterate the following: I oppose your health care reform plan and will actively campaign and lobby for its defeat.

Regards,

(Newbius)

1,000 words

Astroturf???

I've got some Astroturf for you, and it didn't come from the back of Bill Clinton's El Camino.

As highlighted by Michelle Malkin here, the Democrats are accusing the REAL grassroots of doing what THEY do with impunity. Except this time I think it will backfire. The conservative backlash against both Democrats and Republicans who are pushing for Health Care "reform" as envisioned by Henry Waxman is a true "grass roots" effort, not some top-down push for activists to engage like the President is doing.

However, in accordance with the President's directive, I DO plan to get involved. So, I followed the link in the article to "Organizing for America", the DNC website for volunteers to engage in advocating the health care plan.

I have registered, and I hope to be contacted by the DNC advising me where the next dog and pony show will occur. I suggest that you do the same.

As an aside, the email came from the President (someone I would consider as falling under the category of a "Candidate or Candidate's Committee"), and I believe that it is in direct contravention of the disclaimer at the bottom of the page, reprinted here in its entirety:

Paid for by Organizing for America
A project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C., 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee

Once you sign up with your name, email address, phone number and zip code, you are then dropped right into a fundraising page with a request for donation to Barack Obama's campaign.

Since the letter came from the president, and the action button to "volunteer" takes you right to a donation request page, is this in violation of any campaign finance laws? Just askin'...

Anyway, get involved and make your voice heard. Let's use the tools that the left has put into place for our own purposes and get the inside scoop on upcoming plans. I can guarantee you that the Democrats will get press coverage at THEIR town halls. So let's show up and remind them whom they work for.

Pax,

Newbius

I will write it, just not yet

I can be an emotional guy. I have been known to let my passions get away from me at times. Sometimes, my boss will advise me to keep my cool. Sometimes the dog looks at me when I come in the door and just hides.

I will shed a tear watching a Disney movie. I enjoy a good laugh, and always have a shoulder ready if someone needs to unload. I understand both empathy and sympathy.


I was not ready for this one...


I've been trolling through the archives of Ambulance Driver's blog. That, right there, is some amazing writing...pithy and funny and heart-wrenching. Good stuff, all of it.

And then I came across this post and I cried.


For five solid minutes.


You see, I am not yet ready to write that story. I don't yet have the words. Whenever I think about it, I lose my voice and can't see my keyboard because of the tears.

I miss my dad.

On October 22, 2001 I lost him to a heart attack. He was just a week past his 65th birthday. I hadn't seen him for a year. I had moved my family across the country in 2000 to seek a better life than the one California offered. The last time I saw him alive was contentious. We stayed in touch by phone.



And then he was gone.



It still hurts.



AD, thanks for your post. One day, when it hurts a little less, I will post one of my own.

I promise.

Newbius

Politics of Personal Destruction

Have you ever wondered why the Statists seek to destroy people like Sarah Palin or Clarence Thomas? Do you wonder why they represent such a threat to the Statist agenda? Have you wondered why the Statists are so anti-Capitalist and seek to villainize the successful entrepreneur?

Is it because these people expose the lies that must be spread in order for Statism to succeed?

Think about that one.

Pax,

Newbius

It only looks like Cancer

Senator Chris Dodd (D-Countrywide) announced that he is undergoing early treatments for prostate cancer. I suggest that his oncologist remove the impacted cranium first and run another scan. It is entirely possible that what was diagnosed as a tumor was actually the senator's brain, especially given the size depicted.

Pax,

Newbius

Calling Winston Smith...

A small item on the Drudge Report: "The government plans big revisions to historical economic data... Developing... " was accompanying this bit of news from Bloomberg.

So, are we just going to make the history match the rhetoric now? The article describes how the Commerce Department (works for the prez) revised historical figures to show that the Bush recession was not really as bad as previous reports (making Bush look bad +1) and that the Obama recession is twice as bad as previously thought (making Bush look bad +1). Double-Bonus!! I mean, really!

< Jedi hand wave>< Jedi voice>
That was not the economy you thought it was..
< /voice>< /wave>

Who is going to be working the Memory Hole at the Ministry of Truth?

Maybe we are going to be getting a "Truth Czar" next...

What do you think??

Newbius
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