I wonder if the War on (some) drugs is in violation of the 21st Amendment?
If you made an 'intoxicating liquor' using extracts of, let's say, cocaine, cannibus, opiates, etc., would they be protected?
Just asking...not advocating.
Showing posts with label Questions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Questions. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Who are they?
I have long assumed that the people actually pulling the strings and shifting the levers of power are few in number. I believe that they include Billionaire financiers, Labor leaders, Crony Capitalist industrialists, and ideologues at various think tanks and foundations around the country.
I suspect that the actual number is around 100 people. My questions for you:
Who do you think are the most influential 100 people in the USA right now? Who are the people pushing the policy decisions, legislation, and popular opinion? Who are the One Hundred people most harmful to our Founder's Republic?
Newbius
I suspect that the actual number is around 100 people. My questions for you:
Who do you think are the most influential 100 people in the USA right now? Who are the people pushing the policy decisions, legislation, and popular opinion? Who are the One Hundred people most harmful to our Founder's Republic?
Newbius
Monday, August 22, 2011
A Different Plantation
There has been some discussion recently about how the black population in America is being taken for granted by the Democrat party. They are irrelevant to the political process because roughly 95% vote Democrat every election. "Why bother with courting a demographic that's already sold their collective souls to you?" is the basic premise.
I wonder...have gun owners sold themselves onto a different plantation? Are we taken for granted by the Republicans?
Given the choice between Statists who hate all individual liberty (except for abortion and gay rights), and Statist-lites who 'go along-get along' (but are good on guns), do we choose the wobbly Republican most times?
Discuss...
Newbius
I wonder...have gun owners sold themselves onto a different plantation? Are we taken for granted by the Republicans?
Given the choice between Statists who hate all individual liberty (except for abortion and gay rights), and Statist-lites who 'go along-get along' (but are good on guns), do we choose the wobbly Republican most times?
Discuss...
Newbius
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Questions
If Justice is truly blind, then why the need for politically-correct enhancements to existing crime laws? Is the assault, robbery, murder any more tragic if the victim is a member of a protected class? Is the crime any less tragic if the victim is not?
Are some people more equal than others?
Does enhancing the penalty for a crime today atone for the misdeeds of the distant past?
What passes today for Justice is not. The system is perverted to the will of those who are in, and those who are connected. It is the law of the jungle. As it ever was, except for a brief time in our history. This has to change of we are to survive and thrive.
Question: Do we as a nation have the fortitude, the will, the courage, to restore our Nation to the ideals of its founding? Do we have the courage to face Liberty, in all her messy guises, and declare ourselves a Free People once more? Or, would we rather suffocate slowly in our warm and comfortable prisons of Apathy and American Idolatry? Sadly, my guess is the latter.
Anybody care to prove me wrong?
Newbius
|||
Are some people more equal than others?
Does enhancing the penalty for a crime today atone for the misdeeds of the distant past?
What passes today for Justice is not. The system is perverted to the will of those who are in, and those who are connected. It is the law of the jungle. As it ever was, except for a brief time in our history. This has to change of we are to survive and thrive.
Question: Do we as a nation have the fortitude, the will, the courage, to restore our Nation to the ideals of its founding? Do we have the courage to face Liberty, in all her messy guises, and declare ourselves a Free People once more? Or, would we rather suffocate slowly in our warm and comfortable prisons of Apathy and American Idolatry? Sadly, my guess is the latter.
Anybody care to prove me wrong?
Newbius
|||
Monday, February 7, 2011
Random Thought
How come a citizen can be thrown in jail for lying to Congress, but when Congress lies to the Citizens we just re-elect them?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Federal Attention
Should I be at all fussed that, beginning recently, someone at the CIA thinks my blog is worth reading daily (and is also reading it from the counter-terrorism-office location)?
Just asking...
Newbius
Just asking...
Newbius
What do you say?
What do you say, when it is all being said by others? What topic should be dealt with, what insight can I give?
Such are the questions that run through my mind when blogfodder is thin. I run through Drudge, and PuffHo, and the Daily Kooks, and I wonder. How much more of the same we can talk about and still remain sane?
When Woodward and Bernstein were exposing the crimes of the Nixon administration, it was good for the country. When I was old enough to appreciate it, I saw the value of an inquisitive press. When the same press was trying to generate scandal against Ronald Reagan, I saw the destructive force of ideology attempting to use the same power of the press to bring down a great man.
Witness the press actions through Clinton and GWB, and you see this ideologically-driven press get more biased, more divisive, and begin the process of institutional lying to promote agendas.
And now, we have Obama as president. What started out 40 years ago as independent journalism (yes, even then with a bias, but with a willingness to tell the story regardless of outcome) has now become dependent propagandism. Journalists are no longer even pretending to offer fealty to journalistic ethics, or unbiased story-telling. They no longer seek to hold the government accountable to the people. They no longer care about truth. Nowadays, they only care about access.
Access? Really? Come on, guys. Any government which attempts to bribe or coerce reporters with promises of (or threats to withhold) access to them is corrupt. Any journalist which falls for the ruse is corrupt, and lazy.
Think about this. If the government needs to get information out, it either must co-opt the airwaves, or announce a press briefing. In either case, the government will tell its side of whatever story is breaking. The real journalists will ask the uncomfortable questions of these mouthpieces and get them to comment on the real workings or issues. We are not seeing this any more. The editors are protecting their access, at the expense of their integrity.
The truth of the matter is this: The government needs access to the reporter, and will seek them out if they need a story told. The reporter does not need the government mouthpiece. They seem to have forgotten this.
Chris Muir puts out a comic strip with insightful political commentary called 'Day by Day' (over there on the sidebar). With immense clarity, Chris has accurately portrayed the White House Press Corps during the briefing. A fine example of this is HERE. Instead of an independent press asking insightful questions in order that the people can get the real skinny on the workings of our government, we get fawning empty-headed acolytes bowing to their masters.
So I am left with the question: What do you say? What do you say to your kids when they ask why everybody on TV is shouting at each other? What do you say when the reportage and the reality have an obvious disconnect? What do you say when the policies being proposed have a history of failure and worse, yet they are reported with no hint of irony as the solution to our ills? What do you say when you see agencies of your government exempt themselves from the laws that they impose on the People? What do you say?
What would Patrick Henry say?
And, Patrick Henry also said this: "For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and provide for it." These are words to live by.
Open your eyes and look for the truth. For objective truth is, and no amount of dissembling will make it less so. The Truth shall set you free.
Newbius
Such are the questions that run through my mind when blogfodder is thin. I run through Drudge, and PuffHo, and the Daily Kooks, and I wonder. How much more of the same we can talk about and still remain sane?
When Woodward and Bernstein were exposing the crimes of the Nixon administration, it was good for the country. When I was old enough to appreciate it, I saw the value of an inquisitive press. When the same press was trying to generate scandal against Ronald Reagan, I saw the destructive force of ideology attempting to use the same power of the press to bring down a great man.
Witness the press actions through Clinton and GWB, and you see this ideologically-driven press get more biased, more divisive, and begin the process of institutional lying to promote agendas.
And now, we have Obama as president. What started out 40 years ago as independent journalism (yes, even then with a bias, but with a willingness to tell the story regardless of outcome) has now become dependent propagandism. Journalists are no longer even pretending to offer fealty to journalistic ethics, or unbiased story-telling. They no longer seek to hold the government accountable to the people. They no longer care about truth. Nowadays, they only care about access.
Access? Really? Come on, guys. Any government which attempts to bribe or coerce reporters with promises of (or threats to withhold) access to them is corrupt. Any journalist which falls for the ruse is corrupt, and lazy.
Think about this. If the government needs to get information out, it either must co-opt the airwaves, or announce a press briefing. In either case, the government will tell its side of whatever story is breaking. The real journalists will ask the uncomfortable questions of these mouthpieces and get them to comment on the real workings or issues. We are not seeing this any more. The editors are protecting their access, at the expense of their integrity.
The truth of the matter is this: The government needs access to the reporter, and will seek them out if they need a story told. The reporter does not need the government mouthpiece. They seem to have forgotten this.
Chris Muir puts out a comic strip with insightful political commentary called 'Day by Day' (over there on the sidebar). With immense clarity, Chris has accurately portrayed the White House Press Corps during the briefing. A fine example of this is HERE. Instead of an independent press asking insightful questions in order that the people can get the real skinny on the workings of our government, we get fawning empty-headed acolytes bowing to their masters.
So I am left with the question: What do you say? What do you say to your kids when they ask why everybody on TV is shouting at each other? What do you say when the reportage and the reality have an obvious disconnect? What do you say when the policies being proposed have a history of failure and worse, yet they are reported with no hint of irony as the solution to our ills? What do you say when you see agencies of your government exempt themselves from the laws that they impose on the People? What do you say?
What would Patrick Henry say?
"The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them."
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined."
"I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience."
"I know of no way of judging the future but by the past."
"Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense?"
"When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object."
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
And, Patrick Henry also said this: "For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and provide for it." These are words to live by.
Open your eyes and look for the truth. For objective truth is, and no amount of dissembling will make it less so. The Truth shall set you free.
Newbius
Monday, January 31, 2011
Computer Bleg
I am seriously considering purchasing a Apple Macbook (Probably Pro 15") but am concerned about PDF support. Specifically, there will be times when I need to do large print jobs of mixed legal and letter-sized paper to a multi-tray printer. My concern is this: I have read reports online where the PDF support is less-than-satisfactory for Apple compared to PC, and that the ability to have a print job auto-select the correct paper tray from Mac is an issue.
My belief is that this is really a case of improper driver selection. I hope that this is the case. as the business usage is an important aspect to me.
Hey you Apple fanboys: care to weigh in on your real-world experience?
Newbius
My belief is that this is really a case of improper driver selection. I hope that this is the case. as the business usage is an important aspect to me.
Hey you Apple fanboys: care to weigh in on your real-world experience?
Newbius
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Question to the Left
Why is it that every "solution" the Statist Left comes up with requires me to give up my treasure or my Liberty?
Fact: Equality of opportunity does not equate to equality of outcome, no matter how much you try to take from me. Quit trying to normalize failure.
Fact: Equality of opportunity does not equate to equality of outcome, no matter how much you try to take from me. Quit trying to normalize failure.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Jurisdiction Question
In Virginia, do County Sheriffs have jurisdiction for speed enforcement on the Federal Interstate highway system? How do I prove one way or the other?
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Mystery missile
The people who know are not saying anything. The people who are saying things, don't know.
IF this is a missile, then there are very few possibilities. Either: We screwed up and sent something up we should not have. Or, We sent a message to someone. Or, Someone sent a message to us.
If this was a mistake, then usually the news gets it out in pretty short order. The fact that there is a dearth of reporting lends credence to the theory that this was intentional.
If this was intentional, then the symbolism is pretty stark. The real question is this: Whose message is being sent, and to whom? Only time will tell.
Pax,
Newbius
IF this is a missile, then there are very few possibilities. Either: We screwed up and sent something up we should not have. Or, We sent a message to someone. Or, Someone sent a message to us.
If this was a mistake, then usually the news gets it out in pretty short order. The fact that there is a dearth of reporting lends credence to the theory that this was intentional.
If this was intentional, then the symbolism is pretty stark. The real question is this: Whose message is being sent, and to whom? Only time will tell.
Pax,
Newbius
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Intellignorance
The ignorance of the intelligentsia.
The crass stereotyping of us "rubes" and "wing-nuts" as "racist hate-mongers" is beginning to wear a little thinly with me. The fact that I am a champion of civil rights for all people makes me unacceptable to them, because I am not sufficiently guilty about being white. That I decry their own policies as racist makes me a target, because reverse-racism is just reparations-lite.
Sorry. Not going to feel guilty.
How about my Pro-Second Amendment stance? Well, in their eyes, that makes me an uneducated, redneck, cousin-humping Neanderthal who wants to give machine guns to pre-schoolers and rocket launchers to high school kids. Because then they can all settle their differences in glorious gunpowder-fueled orgies of lead and destruction.
Seriously. Go read the comments at Politico, The Puffington Whore, or the Daily Kook. If the disdain shown for white, Christian, gun-owning America doesn't scream at you loudly, then you might just be one of them and are blinded to your own bigotry.
You know, when I was young, I was taught that two wrongs do not make a right. I was taught to fight evil whenever I found it. I was taught that the Golden Rule meant we had to do what was right, regardless of who the person was, or their station in life. I was taught that skin color didn't matter, that character mattered. I was taught tolerance for people who were different than I. And, I was taught to look at actions and not listen to words. I was taught Live and Let Live. I was taught that our level of achievement was directly attributable to our level of industry and drive to succeed. I was taught that the American Dream was something that was within the grasp of anybody who was willing to work to make it happen. And, that each person's idea of that dream was their own and not to be defined by any outside party.
In short, I was taught classic Liberalism.
Where has my country gone? Why is my government trying to destroy everything that America once stood for?
Is this the last, best gasp of the 1960's? Are the radicals now in power? Are the Marxist corruptocrats just puppets on a string, controlled by some faceless power-broker behind the curtain? Will we ever know?
One thing is for certain. My views are now belittled by the intellignorant. The MSM conspires to control the narrative. The Polital class seeks to stifle dissent. The Liberal Elite looks down their noses at us poor schlubs in Middle America, and the top 1% uses every trick in the book to ensure that they are favored while they rob us blind.
Are we still in Claire Wolfe's "Awkward phase"? If so, until when?
Will we get another engineered event like Oklahoma City, designed to discredit the Patriots and garner sympathy for the Establishment?
I don't know. I don't have any answers today, only questions. In the meantime, I will keep on doing my best to do what is right. And, I'll keep praying for my country. G_d knows we could use His help.
Pax,
Newbius
The crass stereotyping of us "rubes" and "wing-nuts" as "racist hate-mongers" is beginning to wear a little thinly with me. The fact that I am a champion of civil rights for all people makes me unacceptable to them, because I am not sufficiently guilty about being white. That I decry their own policies as racist makes me a target, because reverse-racism is just reparations-lite.
Sorry. Not going to feel guilty.
How about my Pro-Second Amendment stance? Well, in their eyes, that makes me an uneducated, redneck, cousin-humping Neanderthal who wants to give machine guns to pre-schoolers and rocket launchers to high school kids. Because then they can all settle their differences in glorious gunpowder-fueled orgies of lead and destruction.
Seriously. Go read the comments at Politico, The Puffington Whore, or the Daily Kook. If the disdain shown for white, Christian, gun-owning America doesn't scream at you loudly, then you might just be one of them and are blinded to your own bigotry.
You know, when I was young, I was taught that two wrongs do not make a right. I was taught to fight evil whenever I found it. I was taught that the Golden Rule meant we had to do what was right, regardless of who the person was, or their station in life. I was taught that skin color didn't matter, that character mattered. I was taught tolerance for people who were different than I. And, I was taught to look at actions and not listen to words. I was taught Live and Let Live. I was taught that our level of achievement was directly attributable to our level of industry and drive to succeed. I was taught that the American Dream was something that was within the grasp of anybody who was willing to work to make it happen. And, that each person's idea of that dream was their own and not to be defined by any outside party.
In short, I was taught classic Liberalism.
Where has my country gone? Why is my government trying to destroy everything that America once stood for?
Is this the last, best gasp of the 1960's? Are the radicals now in power? Are the Marxist corruptocrats just puppets on a string, controlled by some faceless power-broker behind the curtain? Will we ever know?
One thing is for certain. My views are now belittled by the intellignorant. The MSM conspires to control the narrative. The Polital class seeks to stifle dissent. The Liberal Elite looks down their noses at us poor schlubs in Middle America, and the top 1% uses every trick in the book to ensure that they are favored while they rob us blind.
Are we still in Claire Wolfe's "Awkward phase"? If so, until when?
Will we get another engineered event like Oklahoma City, designed to discredit the Patriots and garner sympathy for the Establishment?
I don't know. I don't have any answers today, only questions. In the meantime, I will keep on doing my best to do what is right. And, I'll keep praying for my country. G_d knows we could use His help.
Pax,
Newbius
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Those who fail to learn from history
...are doomed to repeat it.
When Carry Nation and the Temperance Movement gained sufficient traction in the US to get the 18th amendment passed, we were plunged into a period of lawlessness from which we have never fully recovered. As a result of Prohibition (ended by the ratification of the 21st Amendment), several other liberties were infringed (notably firearms - NFA34 passed after repeal but ostensibly as a result of the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre).
Why bring this up now? Because we have been in a hot war for the last couple of decades with gangs over a different prohibition. Namely, the War on Drugs. As a nation, we didn't learn the lesson of Prohibition. As a result of Drug Prohibition, we are now looking at more infringements on our 2nd Amendment rights. As a result of Drug Prohibition, the drug cartels are in open warfare over turf and profits, and at the expense of our liberties.
One only has to look at the citizen abuse by SWAT teams, and the excesses of ATF and DEA to know that it is only a matter of time before the citizens say "enough!". If you couple the illicit drug trade with the human trafficking component of illegal immigration, you will see that our open border is a siren-song invitation to turn a fast buck in America, laws be damned.
Karl Denninger hits one out of the park in this essay on this topic and I encourage you to go read it.
While you are at it, go and review the Militia Clause in light of the article. I believe that we are being invaded from the south. As a member of the unorganized Militia myself, I wonder if I'll be called into service by Congress to support my nation?
Silly me. What was I thinking?
We need to think long and hard about the War on Drugs and the cost to society for continuing it. Not just the cost in treasure, but also the cost in lost Liberty. Think about the injustices we are currently subjected to as citizens now. Things like no-knock entries where a diligent citizens might get killed by LEOs for reasonably defending his property from attack. Things like asset-forfeiture provisions which disregard the 4th and 5th amendments. How about corrupt public officials? Or open warfare on our southern border?
How much of the above would disappear if we declared the War on Drugs a failure and treated drugs like we do alcohol today? Tax and regulate, but do not prohibit. How much of our crime problem would go away like the prohibition-related crime did post 21st amendment? Anybody? Bueller?
Something to think about.
Pax,
Newbius
When Carry Nation and the Temperance Movement gained sufficient traction in the US to get the 18th amendment passed, we were plunged into a period of lawlessness from which we have never fully recovered. As a result of Prohibition (ended by the ratification of the 21st Amendment), several other liberties were infringed (notably firearms - NFA34 passed after repeal but ostensibly as a result of the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre).
Why bring this up now? Because we have been in a hot war for the last couple of decades with gangs over a different prohibition. Namely, the War on Drugs. As a nation, we didn't learn the lesson of Prohibition. As a result of Drug Prohibition, we are now looking at more infringements on our 2nd Amendment rights. As a result of Drug Prohibition, the drug cartels are in open warfare over turf and profits, and at the expense of our liberties.
One only has to look at the citizen abuse by SWAT teams, and the excesses of ATF and DEA to know that it is only a matter of time before the citizens say "enough!". If you couple the illicit drug trade with the human trafficking component of illegal immigration, you will see that our open border is a siren-song invitation to turn a fast buck in America, laws be damned.
Karl Denninger hits one out of the park in this essay on this topic and I encourage you to go read it.
While you are at it, go and review the Militia Clause in light of the article. I believe that we are being invaded from the south. As a member of the unorganized Militia myself, I wonder if I'll be called into service by Congress to support my nation?
Silly me. What was I thinking?
We need to think long and hard about the War on Drugs and the cost to society for continuing it. Not just the cost in treasure, but also the cost in lost Liberty. Think about the injustices we are currently subjected to as citizens now. Things like no-knock entries where a diligent citizens might get killed by LEOs for reasonably defending his property from attack. Things like asset-forfeiture provisions which disregard the 4th and 5th amendments. How about corrupt public officials? Or open warfare on our southern border?
How much of the above would disappear if we declared the War on Drugs a failure and treated drugs like we do alcohol today? Tax and regulate, but do not prohibit. How much of our crime problem would go away like the prohibition-related crime did post 21st amendment? Anybody? Bueller?
Something to think about.
Pax,
Newbius
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Not Democracy
For those Statist-Collectivist whiners out there, I have a suggestion. Since you believe that majority rule is the acceptable law of the land in our Republic (hint: it isn't), what would you do if the 13th Amendment was repealed by majority rule??.
Would you then crow about how more than half the people voted for it so it must be right? Or, would you acknowledge that the tyranny of the majority is capable of truly abhorrent things and sometimes we need to adhere to our founding principles?
Democracy is three wolves and a sheep voting on the dinner menu.
Freedom is an armed sheep defending against the predations of the majority.
Think about it.
Pax,
Newbius
Would you then crow about how more than half the people voted for it so it must be right? Or, would you acknowledge that the tyranny of the majority is capable of truly abhorrent things and sometimes we need to adhere to our founding principles?
Democracy is three wolves and a sheep voting on the dinner menu.
Freedom is an armed sheep defending against the predations of the majority.
Think about it.
Pax,
Newbius
Monday, April 19, 2010
Circular reasoning
Birther Alert!
< snark >
If Obama signs the amnesty legislation, does he then become a "Natural-Born Citizen"?
< /snark >
Someone please clarify for me why a 14th Amendment Citizen is different than a Natural Born Citizen. I believe that I know the answer, and I am not sure that the rest of the country does. It is too bad that the people in charge of curricula nationally no longer think it important to teach Civics the old fashioned way, with emphasis on the Constitution.
The comments section is now open...
< snark >
If Obama signs the amnesty legislation, does he then become a "Natural-Born Citizen"?
< /snark >
Someone please clarify for me why a 14th Amendment Citizen is different than a Natural Born Citizen. I believe that I know the answer, and I am not sure that the rest of the country does. It is too bad that the people in charge of curricula nationally no longer think it important to teach Civics the old fashioned way, with emphasis on the Constitution.
The comments section is now open...
Monday, April 5, 2010
Thought for the Day and a call to action
Dear Donkey,
When all of the anger and frustration have subsided, and you look out and observe the wasteland of lost hopes, stifled aspirations, and crushed dreams; when you see that there is no justice in Social Justice, and no Peace in a brokered peace among opposites, remind yourself that you asked for this.
When you discover that you raised a man upon a pedestal of hope, but that the change he promised was more empty slogans, but with an extra helping of tyranny, remind yourself that you asked for this.
When the tattered remnants of a once great country decline into another social dystopia of central planning and decentralized intelligence, remind yourself that you asked for this.
When you have achieved the pinnacle of the grand vision that you are grasping for, ask yourself: Was it worth it? Was it worth all of the pain and suffering that was required to implement your schemes? Was it worth the shed blood? (Note: if you continue to push all of these central planning and control measures through, there will be shed blood.) Was it worth enslaving your neighbor to assuage your conscience? Was it worth destroying a Constitution to spread consolation? Blaming Bush won't work any longer. You own this one now.
Dear Elephant,
You were complicit and complacent. You thought you could negotiate in the interest of comity with an ideology that brooks no compromise. You were merely a lumbering accomplice in the dismantling of the Republic, slowing but not reversing the damage being done to it. Your hypocrisy is astonishing. Your reckoning will be painful. Don't claim you weren't warned. Firing Michael Steele would be a good first step. Declaring Open Season on RINOs would be a nice follow up.
Patriots,
It is soon going to be time for restoration. The people will demand it. Stay ready. Get active. Go to rallies and demonstrations. Make your voice heard and your presence felt. Have an impact in your community. Volunteer. Vote.
The time is short. The odds are long.
Newbius
|||
Saturday, March 20, 2010
What? Me worry?
Alfred E. Neuman I am not. You won't see my grisly visage gracing the cover of MAD Magazine any time soon. And that is worth something...
However, I see what is going on in the US today and I do wonder. I wonder about what the power elite currently in charge knows that we ordinary citizens do not. I wonder because the overwhelming opposition to the policies being rammed through right now doesn't seem to matter to them at all. They know that continuing down this path is political suicide, yet they continue on anyway.
What is the secret?
Is it impending martial law due to economic collapse?
Is it massive voter fraud because of Motor Voter and the Illegal Alien vote?
Is it massive conscription as a result of the SERVE Act?
Is it incompetence?
Is it the unconstrained vision of Liberal Utopianism and the belief that all will be made right with the passage of this, for our own good?
Is it animus against the individualist because they don't want to be held up at gunpoint and forced to pay for their neighbors' troubles?
Is it that they just think they know what is best and want to be the ones administering the changes?
Is it that they know they are looters and think they can continue to get away with the looting a little while longer?
Is it all of the above? Or none of the above? Or something else entirely?
Whatever it is that is the driving force behind all of this HopenChange, I am not worried. Because my Savior lives.
Let the chips fall where they may.
Pax,
Newbius
However, I see what is going on in the US today and I do wonder. I wonder about what the power elite currently in charge knows that we ordinary citizens do not. I wonder because the overwhelming opposition to the policies being rammed through right now doesn't seem to matter to them at all. They know that continuing down this path is political suicide, yet they continue on anyway.
What is the secret?
Is it impending martial law due to economic collapse?
Is it massive voter fraud because of Motor Voter and the Illegal Alien vote?
Is it massive conscription as a result of the SERVE Act?
Is it incompetence?
Is it the unconstrained vision of Liberal Utopianism and the belief that all will be made right with the passage of this, for our own good?
Is it animus against the individualist because they don't want to be held up at gunpoint and forced to pay for their neighbors' troubles?
Is it that they just think they know what is best and want to be the ones administering the changes?
Is it that they know they are looters and think they can continue to get away with the looting a little while longer?
Is it all of the above? Or none of the above? Or something else entirely?
Whatever it is that is the driving force behind all of this HopenChange, I am not worried. Because my Savior lives.
Let the chips fall where they may.
Pax,
Newbius
Friday, March 12, 2010
Curious...
Over the past week, I have gotten numerous hits (more than a dozen) from the same IP address in Washington, DC. All of the hits have been to THIS page on my Blog, and no other identifying information is available (like domain name) about the visitor. In fact, the hits all look like this:
A WHOIS search of the IP yields the following:
This IP range is Verizon's FIOS network, but I find it curious that all identifying information is "Unknown". The typical network gateway for a Class C network would be x.x.x.1, and a TraceRoute of assumed gateway 173.79.114.1 resolves to Hostname "L100.WASHDC-VFTTP-91.verizon-gni.net". A Google search of gni.net associates to "GNILINK.net", which discovers a company called MarkMonitor, an internet brand watching and fraud prevention security company.
Which I find a little odd...
My questions for you, Mr. Anonymous Visitor, are: "Who are you?", "Why do you keep coming back to THAT PARTICULAR post?", and "What is your goal in doing so?"
Is there a networking professional among my scant few readers who can shed some light on how a domain user can mask itself to prevent source location from providing backtracking information? If so, who are the most likely people to use such a mask?
I am getting more curious by the day on this one...
Pax,
Newbius
A WHOIS search of the IP yields the following:
OrgName: Verizon Internet Services Inc.
OrgID: VRIS
Address: 1880 Campus Commons Dr
City: Reston
StateProv: VA
PostalCode: 20191
Country: US
NetRange: 173.64.0.0 - 173.79.255.255
CIDR: 173.64.0.0/12
NetName: VIS-BLOCK
NetHandle: NET-173-64-0-0-1
Parent: NET-173-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS1.VERIZON.NET
NameServer: NS3.VERIZON.NET
NameServer: NS2.VERIZON.NET
NameServer: NS4.VERIZON.NET
NameServer: NS5.VERIZON.NET
NameServer: NS6.VERIZON.NET
Comment:
RegDate: 2008-08-11
Updated: 2009-10-14
OrgAbuseHandle: VISAB-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: VIS Abuse
OrgAbusePhone: +1-214-513-6711
OrgAbuseEmail: security@verizon.net
OrgTechHandle: ZV20-ARIN
OrgTechName: Verizon Internet Services
OrgTechPhone: 800-243-6994
OrgTechEmail: IPNMC@gnilink.net
# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2010-03-11 20:00
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.
#
# ARIN WHOIS data and services are subject to the Terms of Use
# available at https://www.arin.net/whois_tou.html
This IP range is Verizon's FIOS network, but I find it curious that all identifying information is "Unknown". The typical network gateway for a Class C network would be x.x.x.1, and a TraceRoute of assumed gateway 173.79.114.1 resolves to Hostname "L100.WASHDC-VFTTP-91.verizon-gni.net". A Google search of gni.net associates to "GNILINK.net", which discovers a company called MarkMonitor, an internet brand watching and fraud prevention security company.
Which I find a little odd...
My questions for you, Mr. Anonymous Visitor, are: "Who are you?", "Why do you keep coming back to THAT PARTICULAR post?", and "What is your goal in doing so?"
Is there a networking professional among my scant few readers who can shed some light on how a domain user can mask itself to prevent source location from providing backtracking information? If so, who are the most likely people to use such a mask?
I am getting more curious by the day on this one...
Pax,
Newbius
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Haiti
First, let me state very clearly that the Haiti earthquake is a genuine tragedy. My heart goes out to all of the victims and their families. It is my sincere desire that as much relief be made available to the island as humanly possible.
Got that?
OK. Good.
For you patriots out there, please watch Haiti very closely. What is happening there, especially in Port-Au-Prince, is illustrative of what will happen in any kind of societal breakdown. There is already looting, pockets of anarchy as the government scrambles to retain control, instances of military patrols limiting access to certain areas, supply shortages in food and medicine, and difficulty getting relief to where it is needed due to communication failures and road conditions. Dysentery and other diseases are going to be an issue very shortly as sanitary conditions deteriorate further.
Additionally, the airports there are clogged, so needed supplies are stalled in the US awaiting access. Please note that the US is the largest supplier of aid so far (per our usual history). Also note, without the US Military taking over the air traffic control functions, whatever supplies that ARE making it into Haiti would otherwise be stalled.
Now, think about what would happen if the disaster was the collapse of the US Dollar, or a major natural disaster affecting an entire region, or a major disruption of electrical power, oil, natural gas, or water distribution. Who would provide aid to us? How would your town, city, county, or state react? How long could you and your family go without any of these basic supplies of our modern world? How about your neighborhood? Are you ready to go without new supplies of groceries and gasoline for a month or more? Really ready?
If the Federal Government took over supply distribution, how would they allocate resources? Would their Continuity of Operations plans take precedence over you and your family's survival needs? Would the Constitution still be in effect? Would martial law be declared until the crisis is over? What are your plans?
Think about it.
Pax,
Newbius
Got that?
OK. Good.
For you patriots out there, please watch Haiti very closely. What is happening there, especially in Port-Au-Prince, is illustrative of what will happen in any kind of societal breakdown. There is already looting, pockets of anarchy as the government scrambles to retain control, instances of military patrols limiting access to certain areas, supply shortages in food and medicine, and difficulty getting relief to where it is needed due to communication failures and road conditions. Dysentery and other diseases are going to be an issue very shortly as sanitary conditions deteriorate further.
Additionally, the airports there are clogged, so needed supplies are stalled in the US awaiting access. Please note that the US is the largest supplier of aid so far (per our usual history). Also note, without the US Military taking over the air traffic control functions, whatever supplies that ARE making it into Haiti would otherwise be stalled.
Now, think about what would happen if the disaster was the collapse of the US Dollar, or a major natural disaster affecting an entire region, or a major disruption of electrical power, oil, natural gas, or water distribution. Who would provide aid to us? How would your town, city, county, or state react? How long could you and your family go without any of these basic supplies of our modern world? How about your neighborhood? Are you ready to go without new supplies of groceries and gasoline for a month or more? Really ready?
If the Federal Government took over supply distribution, how would they allocate resources? Would their Continuity of Operations plans take precedence over you and your family's survival needs? Would the Constitution still be in effect? Would martial law be declared until the crisis is over? What are your plans?
Think about it.
Pax,
Newbius
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Brutal is as brutal does?
Or, alternatively, if your enemy is using asymmetric warfare against you, then killing him quickly and publicly becomes an effective deterrent. Because then there are fewer of them.
If a "knicker-bomber" tries to kill me, my initial gut response is to want to take him out onto the tarmac and put one between his eyes in front of about 100 media cameras. Because the point will be made much more effectively that barbarous acts deserve barbarous responses. This we don't do.
If a regular, garden-variety thug attempts to forcibly enter my home, steal my stuff, or threaten my life, I have a legal and moral right to defend myself and stop the attack. Even if stopping the attack means that I stop the thug's life in the process. Because, actions have consequences. Why should our national policy towards terrorist thugs be any less direct?
"They" have declared war upon us and our way of life. At what point do we acknowledge this and react appropriately? At what point do we respond in a manner that they understand, and give them a response that they will respect? Do we really want to stop this war upon our way of life and act like a real country, a superpower? Or, should we just continue to arrest them, let them lawyer up, and then spend the next two or three decades going through our civil appeals processes as if this is a law-enforcement issue?
Does continuing down this current path serve another purpose than "keeping us safe"? Is it really, instead, about power over our citizens by our elected officials? From something far more sinister from within? Think about it.
Pax,
Newbius
If a "knicker-bomber" tries to kill me, my initial gut response is to want to take him out onto the tarmac and put one between his eyes in front of about 100 media cameras. Because the point will be made much more effectively that barbarous acts deserve barbarous responses. This we don't do.
If a regular, garden-variety thug attempts to forcibly enter my home, steal my stuff, or threaten my life, I have a legal and moral right to defend myself and stop the attack. Even if stopping the attack means that I stop the thug's life in the process. Because, actions have consequences. Why should our national policy towards terrorist thugs be any less direct?
"They" have declared war upon us and our way of life. At what point do we acknowledge this and react appropriately? At what point do we respond in a manner that they understand, and give them a response that they will respect? Do we really want to stop this war upon our way of life and act like a real country, a superpower? Or, should we just continue to arrest them, let them lawyer up, and then spend the next two or three decades going through our civil appeals processes as if this is a law-enforcement issue?
Does continuing down this current path serve another purpose than "keeping us safe"? Is it really, instead, about power over our citizens by our elected officials? From something far more sinister from within? Think about it.
Pax,
Newbius
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