Sunday, March 3, 2013

DHS: Security for whom?

Via NC Renegade

dhs 


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Via David G.


The Department of Homeland Security (through the U.S. Army Forces Command) recently retrofitted 2,717 of these ‘Mine Resistant Protected’ vehicles for service on the streets of the United States.

Although I’ve seen and read several online blurbs about this vehicle of late, I decided to dig slightly deeper and discover more about the vehicle itself.

The new DHS sanctioned ‘Street Sweeper’ (my own  slang due to the gun ports) is built by Navistar Defense (NavistarDefense.com), a division within the Navistar organization. Under the Navistar umbrella are several other companies including International Trucks, IC Bus (they make school buses), Monaco RV (recreational vehicles), WorkHorse (they make chassis), MaxxForce (diesel engines), and Navistar Financial (the money arm of the company).

Medieval coins found buried in a shoe in Rotterdam

Via Daily Timewaster




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Archaeologists surveying the construction site of the former City Hall in Rotterdam have unearthed a collection of 477 coins stuffed inside a 16th century shoe. The oldest coin in the hoard dates to 1472 and the most recent to 1592. The shoe, its leather still in quite good condition, is a 16th century style. 

Experts believe it was buried in 1592 or shortly thereafter, under the floorboards of a house by the owner, either as a standard savings practice (like the proverbial keeping your money in y
our mattress) or out of fear that they might be lost or stolen during turbulent times. 

Most of the coins are Netherlands nickels, half pennies and double nickels. There are also English and Spanish pieces. At that time, foreign currency was just as usable as local coin. It was the quality and weight of the silver that counted. Some of the coins show signs of having been tested for value; they’ve been pierced to see if they’re real silver through and through. The total worth of the hoard in 1592 would have been around 50 guilders. To give you an idea of the buying power, a skilled craftsman earned a little less than one guilder a day, so this collection amounted to about two month’s pay. 

More with video @ The History Blog

NC Gun Legislation Analysis

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GRNC offers apologies that the intense activities surrounding state and national legislation have delayed our legislative update to members. In particular, we have been inundated with emails regarding SB 124:
"Shoot Gun From Inside/To Harm or Incite Fear.” A more detailed analysis is below, but the short answer is that although the bill does not present a danger to Castle Doctrine or lawful self-defense, it is still a bad bill as written.

GRNC-initiated legislation:

We have been working hard with sponsors and leadership of both chambers to introduce legislation which will:

   (1) Expand concealed carry onto campuses more completely than   any of the bills thus far introduced;
   (2) Expand concealed carry into restaurants and other areas
   (3) Put “teeth” into our statewide firearms preemption law, which local governments seem to think they are free to ignore;
   (4) Clean up flaws in concealed handgun application procedures; and finally
   (5) Two other significant advancements which we will not announce before introduction.

Several of the bills have been sent to drafting and will be filed next week. We will be asking you to contact your state House and Senate reps to encourage them to cosponsor the bills as they are filed, so please keep an eye on GRNC alerts.

Senate:

SB 17: "Concealed Handgun Permits/Validity” (Bingham). This bill would stop non-resident permits from being recognized in NC. For example, a resident of Vermont, which has constitutional carry but does not issue CHPs, who gets a permit from Florida in order to carry in other states, would not be able to do so in NC.

Introduced by Sen. Stan Bingham in response to complaints by the sheriff of Davidson County that Virginia permits, issued via online procedures, were being used in his county, GRNC opposes the bill as potentially damaging our concealed handgun reciprocity agreements with other states. Additionally, while some procedures are accomplished online in Virginia, criminal background check requirements are being done.

We have met with Sen. Bingham, and he expressed that he was not interested in running a bill which would damage reciprocity, suggesting he will not push for a hearing on the bill. If it is scheduled for a hearing, we will issue appropriate alerts. Meanwhile, please contact Sen. Bingham and POLITELY express that unintended consequences mean this bill should be shelved.

SB 27: "Public School Protection/Firearm Amendments” (Bingham). Establishes a procedure for local school board to opt for armed “school safety marshals” who would apply and be trained under standards set by the school board. Due to the limited nature of the bill, GRNC takes no position at this time but could eventually support it if more extensive measures cannot be passed.

SB 28: "Gun Permit Information/No Publication"(Bingham). Removes concealed handgun permit and handgun purchase permit records from public record, preventing abuses of the information by media outlets such as those by the “Journal News,” WRAL-TV and “The New York Times.” GRNC supports the bill.

SB 59: "Armed Security Guards in K-12"(Rabin). Would establish statewide standards for armed security guards in schools. Due to its limited nature, GRNC takes no position on the bill at this time but could eventually support it if more extensive measures cannot be passed.

SB 124: "Shoot Gun From Inside/To Harm or Incite Fear" (Brunstetter). GRNC has received numerous emails from gun rights supporters opposing the bill. When it was introduced, we passed it to our “gun-friendly lawyer” network for review. Although a casual glance would suggest it undermines lawful self-defense, the “willfully and wantonly” language actually exempts such cases. For an analysis, go here. There are, however, serious problems with the bill which could criminalize otherwise lawful firearms activities. In its present form, GRNC opposes the bill.

As Sen. Brunstetter notes, the bill originated from an incident in which an individual shot televisions inside a Kernersville Wal-Mart, narrowly missing customers, but due to statutory peculiarities, could only be prosecuted under misdemeanor statutes. We had a cordial meeting with Brunstetter and staff on Wednesday to give him our requirements for the bill. He agreed to several immediately, and is reviewing others. We expect to have word this week. At that point, we will decide what further actions, if any, are necessary.

SB 146: "Private Schools/Firearms Amendments” (Brock, Bingham, Hise). Would enable governing bodies of private schools to authorize employees or volunteers who have concealed handgun permits and take an additional 8 hours of NRA training to carry firearms. Because this is a broader bill than the others so far introduced, GRNC supports the bill.

House:

HB 17: "Gun Permits/Restaurants & Confidentiality" (Burr, Hager, Hollo, Bell). The restaurant carry language of the bill is identical to what GRNC drafted in HB 111, which failed to pass the Senate last year. The second section removes handgun purchase permit and concealed handgun permit information from public record. GRNC supports the bill.

HB 49: "Firearm in Locked Motor Vehicle/Parking Lot" (Shepard). This bill is identical to language drafted by GRNC and others which was stripped from HB 650 in the last session and would enable concealed handgun permit-holders to keep firearms in locked motor vehicles at places of employment. GRNC supports the bill.

Summary:

This week will see the introduction of GRNC-initiated legislation, so please monitor alerts. Depending on Brunstetter’s changes to SB 124, we might also demand action on the bill.

"Straight-up White Trash, God bless 'er"

Via Knuckledraggin' My Life Away

The Bible: The New, Epic, 10-part Television Miniseries on the History Channel

VERBATIM 

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From Executive Producers Roma Downey (Touched by An Angel) and her husband Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor, The Apprentice) comes The Bible, an epic 10-part miniseries retelling stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation. Breathtaking in scope and scale, The Bible features powerful performances, exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation. Premiering March 3rd on the History Channel and airing weekly through Easter Sunday, this historic television event is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family.

The series is based on the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version of The Bible, and here is the series' Board of Advisors. The series will be narrated by Emmy award-winning actor/vocalist Keith David (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Platoon, Crash) and will feature a musical score by the world renowned Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer. Leading the outstanding international cast is Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress and series’ co-executive producer Roma Downey, who plays Mary. Joining her are Portuguese TV star Diogo Morgado as Jesus, as well as an array of acclaimed UK-based actors including Sean Teale (Skins), David Rintoul (The Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn), Amber Rose Revah (The Borgias), Peter Guinness (an accomplished long time film/theatre actor), Greg Hicks (one of the UK’s best-known Shakespearean actors), and Simon Kunz (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Parent Trap, Matchpoint).

“A must see!”—Movieguide
“Living history at its best!”—Rick Warren, Author, The Purpose Driven Life
“This series is going to evoke a significant and important discussion and I feel deeply indebted to Mark and Roma for their courage and their commitment to authenticity and essential truth.” —Andrew K. Benton, President, Pepperdine University
“Truly reflects the masterpiece that is the Holy Bible.”—Joel Osteen, Senior Pastor, Lakewood Church
“…Great passion, exquisite skill and cinemagraphic triumph.”—Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington
“A unique opportunity to convey God’s redemptive message.”—Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family
"Mark Burnett and Roma Downey's mini-series The Bible is an unqualified success. It rises above its forebears, shining with cinematic artistry, dramatic creativity, and essential biblical fidelity."—Frank Wright, President, National Religious Broadcasters

Part 1: In the Beginning/Exodus: Noah endures God's wrath; Abraham reaches the Promised Land but still must prove his faith in God; Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt, and his faith in God is rewarded when the Red Sea parts to allow the Israelites to escape Pharaoh's chariots; Moses delivers his final message from God--the Ten Commandments.

March 3, 2013 (8:00-10:00 pm ET) 

March 4, 2013 (12:02-2:02 am ET)

March 6, 2013 (9:00-11:02 pm ET)

March 7, 2013 (1:01-3:03 am ET)

March 10, 2013 (6:00-8:02 pm ET)

The Confederate Greys: Students of Franklin Military Institute, Faison, NC


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The “Confederate Greys” of Duplin County, originally students of Captain Claudius B. Denson’s Franklin Military Institute near Faison, North Carolina and commanded by him, was mustered into the 20th North Carolina Regiment in 1861 as Company E. As part of the 20th Regiment, its commanders then were Col. Alfred Iverson and Lt. Col. Frank J. Faison, the latter killed at Cold Harbor; the regiment was later commanded by Col. Thomas F. Toon of Columbus County.

Thin Grey Line of North Carolinians:

“About the middle of June, 1864, Gen. [Jubal] Early was detached from Gen. Lee’s army, and sent on the famous Early and Sheridan Valley Campaign. The company was a part of Gen. Early’s troops that was at Harper’s Ferry on July 4, 1864, and captured and enjoyed the Federal’s Fourth of July dinner.

From there across the Potomac to Williamsport into Maryland for the third time, and assisted in defeating Gen. Lew Wallace at Monocacy Bridge, then on towards Washington City near enough to see the dome of the capitol, thence back across the Potomac river into the valley, and participated in the battles of Winchester, Strawsburg, Cedar Mountain and other battles of that noted campaign.

The company was part of the “thin line” of North Carolina moving off in retreat that Gen Bradley T. Johnson saw at Winchester on the 19th of September, 1864, and went to its assistance. He gives a thrilling account of what he witnessed:

“There was not a fence, nor a house, nor a bush, nor a tree to obscure the view. Away off, more than two miles, we could see the crest of the hill covered with thousands of Yankee cavalry, and five hundred yards in front of them was a thin grey line moving off in retreat, solidly and with perfect coolness and self-possession. As soon as I got to realize what was going on, I quickened our gait and when within a mile broke into a gallop. The scene was plain as day. A regiment of cavalry would deploy into line, their bugles would sound a charge, and they would swoop down on the thin grey line of North Carolinians.

The instant the Yankee bugles wound sound, North Carolina would halt, face to the rear rank, wait until the horse got within one hundred yards and then fire as deliberately and cooly as firing volleys on parade drill.

The cavalry would break and scamper back and North Carolina would “about face” and continue her march in retreat as solemnly, stubbornly and with as much dignity and discipline as if marching in review. But we got there just in time. Cavalry aids the Tar Heels.

Certainly half a dozen charges had been made at this thin grey line in retreat, and each and every time the charging squadrons had been driven back, when the enemy sent his line with a rush at the Brigade of Tar Heels and one squadron overlapped the infantry line and was just passing it as we got up.

In another minute they would have been behind the lines, sobering the men from the rear, while they were held by the fight in front; but we struck a headlong strain and went through the Yankees by the flank of North Carolina, and carried their adversaries back to the crest of the hill, back through the guns of their battery, clear back to the infantry lines.

In a moment they were charging us in front and on both flanks and back we went in a hurry, but the thin grey line of old North Carolina was safe. They had gotten back to the rest of the infantry and formed a line at right angles to the pike west of Winchester.”

(Flashes of Duplin’s History and Government, Faison Wells McGowen & Pearl Canady McGowen, editors, 1971, pp. 230-231)

 North Carolina’s War Between the States Sesquicentennial
www.ncwbts150.com
“The Official Website of the North Carolina war Between the States Sesquicentennial Commission”

Anti-Gun Protester Says She’d Rather Be Murdered Than Use a Gun in Self-Defense

Reich: Tea Party 'Conspiracy to Undermine the Government of the United States'

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Democrats and the media have accused Tea Party favorite Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) of "McCarthyism" merely for posing tough questions to and about Chuck Hagel during the latter's confirmation as Secretary of Defense. Yet a recent column by former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich reveals who the real McCarthyites are in U.S. politics today, as Reich likens the Tea Party to a conspiracy "to undermine the government of the United States."

Reich, who has steadfastly supported President Barack Obama's big-government, tax-and-spend agenda, wrote that the Tea Party had "infiltrated" the government at every level, and had used the budget cuts in the sequester to begin "dismantling pieces of it." He outlined the rest of his conspiracy theory at the left-wing Salon.com:

Imagine a plot to undermine the government of the United States, to destroy much of its capacity to do the public’s business, and to sow distrust among the population.

Imagine further that the plotters infiltrate Congress and state governments, reshape their districts to give them disproportionate influence in Washington, and use the media to spread big lies about the government.

Finally, imagine they not only paralyze the government but are on the verge of dismantling pieces of it.

Far-fetched?  Perhaps. But take a look at what’s been happening in Washington and many state capitals since Tea Party fanatics gained effective control of the Republican Party, and you’d be forgiven if you see parallels.

More @ Breitbart

Pundit Piers Morgan’s Ratings Plummet


The First Amendment in America guarantees our right to free speech, perhaps the only right the Left clings to and champions.

And chief amongst those who tout their right to their free speech (not necessarily those with whom they disagree), is Main Stream Media (MSM). And standing on the bully-pulpit screeching more derogatory invectives about America and her good patriots than any other MSM outlet is CNN.

Anyone that has been in, say O’Hare Airport, or a myriad of other airports around the country, has heard the CNN regiment of (leftward only) opinion journalists blathering on about America’s shortcomings. And the pundit colonel of the CNN regiment might have been Brit Piers Morgan.
Unfortunately for pundit Piers, his ratings are now at an all-time low for 2013–down 27% to 87K viewers in the prime 27-54 demographic. But wait…isn’t it hip to question authority and criticize America? Isn’t an English accent the epitome of cool?  One would think Piers would be a smash hit with his targeted “Millennial+ Generation” audience!

It would appear even with Piers’ attack on the Second Amendment, or perhaps because of said attack, he cannot scrounge up viewers. Morgan has been very vocal on his pro-gun control, anti-right to have and bear arms stance. He proudly voiced on his lack-luster show:

A great day for British justice: Theresa May vows to take UK out of the European Court of Human Rights

Via avordvet

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Britain is set to pull out of the discredited European Convention on Human Rights that has allowed dangerous criminals and hate preachers to remain in the UK.

It marks a triumph for The Mail on Sunday’s campaign against the ludicrous abuses of justice carried out in the name of human rights.

The historic move, to be announced soon by Home Secretary Theresa May, would mean foreign courts could no longer meddle in British justice. 

The European Convention has led to such hugely controversial decisions as banning the deportation of radical cleric Abu Qatada and giving British prisoners the right to vote. 

Mrs May’s bold proposals to include the move in the next Tory Election manifesto reflect the party’s growing hostility towards Europe. If enacted, her policy would leave British judges free  to interpret the law without interference from the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). 

Republican Stampede to Amnesty? Nothing Could Be Dumber

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Mike Scruggs

New academic research from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) confirms previous studies over more than two decades that Republicans cannot win more Hispanic votes by supporting amnesty and other liberal immigration legislation. Moreover, voting for liberal immigration policies hurts them with non-Hispanic conservatives. Hispanics have a strong tradition of Democrat Party loyalty and support because they favor big government and liberal social-welfare and healthcare spending. According to a 2011 Pew poll, 75 percent of Hispanics favor big government with more services versus only 41 percent for the general US. population. Support for big government runs to 81 percent among immigrant Hispanics.  Pew research indicated that 69 percent of Hispanics favored Obamacare, and 71 percent voted for Obama.

In October, Pew Research also found that while 34 percent of Latino (Hispanic) registered voters say immigration is extremely important them, immigration ranks only fifth in their priority of issues. Education, jobs and the economy, and healthcare all ranked much higher with over 50 percent seeing them as extremely important.  Even the Federal budget deficit was more important at 36 percent. Only taxes, a Republican issue, ranked lower at 33 percent.

The recent CIS research paper, Pro-Immigration Congressional Republicans Do Not Perform Better Among Latino Voters, by Dr. George Hawley of the University of Houston, was also published in the academic journal, Social Science Quarterly. Hawley used the 2006 Congressional elections to study the relationship of voting records, based on NumbersUSA grading of incumbent House Republicans with the percent of the Latino vote they received in the 2006 General Election. NumbersUSA grades range from F- to A+.  The average Republican grade was B. (The average Democrat grade is now D-.) Many other factors were considered in this highly sophisticated statistical analysis, but the most understandable presentation for non-statisticians can be seen in a simple comparison of  Republican incumbents’ NumbersUSA immigration grade with their share of the Latino vote. Here are the Table 1 results for five grade ranges:

Grade A=27.2% Latino support; Grade B=26.5% Latino support;
Grade C=27.9% Latino support; Grade D =19.9% Latino support
Grade F, representing only a few Republicans got 25.7% Latino support.

The results were slightly the reverse of what one would expect but not statistically significant. However, the small reverse effect may reflect a consistent conservative Republican support of 20 percent or more among Hispanics. Many in this conservative Hispanic minority have strong negative reactions to amnesty. One bottom line of the study is that a conservative immigration voting record did not hurt Republican incumbents with Hispanics. More importantly, those with liberal voting records were not helped one whit. Although many Hispanics describe themselves as independents, overwhelming loyalty to the Democrat Party is an enduring cultural fact.

The Hispanic vote is primarily determined by this traditional loyalty and strong Hispanic preference for generous big government welfare and healthcare policies. They are also unresponsive to Republican calls for lower taxes.

On the other hand, the study indicates that Republican support for amnesty and other liberal immigration policies hurt them with non-Hispanic whites at a level that is not only statistically significant but potentially disastrous. Simplifying and condensing Table 2 of the report, my own comparison of Republicans with A and B grades with those with C and D grades suggests a substantial penalty for Republicans going liberal on immigration. The drop from A & B to C & D indicates an almost 10 percent drop in the support of non-Hispanic whites or 4.0 percent of the total vote. In a close election that would be equivalent to dropping from 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent of the vote. The statistics in Table 2 of the report seem a bit low to me, but the message is clear and perhaps understated. The penalty for Republican support for amnesty and other liberal immigration policies is significant. Institutional Republican leadership support for amnesty and other liberal immigration policies risks massive Republican defeats and long-term alienation of the Party’s conservative base.

The new CIS report supports three highly probable results of Republican support for amnesty and other liberal immigration programs. (1) Republicans would not gain Hispanic votes. (2) It would result in millions of new voters leaning three to one or better toward the Democrat Party, compounding annually with new illegal immigration encouraged by amnesty. (3) It would significantly diminish conservative support for Republicans, resulting in millions of conservative voters staying at home.

An August 2001 CIS report by Karen Kaufmann and James G. Gimpel reached similar conclusions. This report, entitled Impossible Dream or Distant Reality? Republican
Efforts to Attract Latino Voters, should have been sobering news for the Bush administration, which formulated its immigration policies based on anecdotal myths rather than statistical reality. The Bush policy of negligible internal and workplace enforcement earned no Hispanic respect, resulted in a doubling of illegal immigration, hurt American workers and taxpayers, and accelerated the growth of a strongly Democrat voting bloc that threatens eventual Democrat dominance in national elections. 

One of the myths is that Hispanic voters are social conservatives receptive to Republican appeals. This is about three generations out of date as a result of the increased secularization of both the Hispanic and American cultures and the massive inflow of largely un-churched new immigrants.

According to Pew Research, Hispanics are more conservative on abortion with only 43 percent thinking it should be legal compared to 54 per cent of all Americans. But according to the Guttmacher Institute, they have more of them, 28 percent, versus only 11 percent for whites.

According to Manhattan Institute Scholar Heather MacDonald, a majority of Hispanics now accept gay marriage. In addition, the Hispanic out-of-wedlock birth rate is 53 percent, about twice that of whites. Moreover, conservative Hispanic social opinions do not translate into conservative votes.

Republicans cannot out-liberal Democrats. So why are Republicans stampeding to vote for an amnesty worse than the disastrous 1986 amnesty? It is Republican suicide—stupid Republican suicide.

Armed Services Chair: Never Seen Such Lack of 'Truth-Telling' from Commander in Chief

 

Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) said on Friday that he has never seen such a lack of honesty from President Barack Obama over the sequester budget cuts, adding, “I don’t know what extent this White House will go to, but it’s got to end.”

“I have never in my lifetime seen such a lack of leadership and truth-telling emanating from the White House and from our commander-in-chief,” McKeon said during a press conference on Capitol Hill as the across-the-board spending cuts, known as the sequester, apparently were going into effect.

The cuts, which constitute $44 billion less in increased spending in 2013, constitute about 1.2 percent of the federal budget for this year.

More with video @ CNS News

Virginia Flaggers Montage 2013


Two For Two?

Via Bill 


NC: Nooherooka 300th Commemoration

 Hope I'm wrong, but it's probably a Left-of-Lenin feel good conference about how the Tuscaroras were wonderful and the whites evil.


  

My sixth great grandfather, his wife, and five of his six children were killed in battle with the Tuscarora Indians at Core Creek, NC.

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Via Cousin John
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Neyuheruke 300 is the official commemoration of a tragic battle that occurred on March 21-23, 1713—thirty miles from East Carolina University. The commemoration is a collaborative venture  between the University and the sovereign Tuscarora Nation now located in the State of New York. East Carolina University’s campus is located at the heart of what was for a thousand years the Tuscarora homeland.
More @ ECU