"Atlas Shrugged" - a review

Rand, in "Atlas Shrugged", makes the case that because "the people" (corporate leaders, maybe under employee pressure, AND government) wanted to let lazy and incompetent people get paid BY COMPANIES IN JOBS (kind of like the old USSR, not part of a welfare system), and Also tell the Competent that THEY MUST work harder and longer (AND THEIR PAY be reduced to "help those who can't do, or aren't as good, but have mouths to feed) to make up for the others, that The Entire World should be forced back to the "pre-industrial age" rather than "Steal the Minds of Those That "CAN".

I agree with that basic idea - and unions, welfare, and more, are DOING THAT to some degree. (Note - unions are NEEDED to fight against companies creating near-slave-labor wages, to fight for safety, and more. But they also protect people that Should be fired.)

However, the OTHER MESSAGE in the book was "Those That DO SEE, Should LET IT HAPPEN", from paying bums to STEALING Patents, Bribery, TONS of "ideas" by those 'in charge' that Can Not Work - the rich industrialists in this case, with ALL of the bright ideas - Should LET IT HAPPEN instead of Exposing The Wrongs, getting the corrupt out of office, open Newspapers that print TRUTH, etc.

Ayn Rand makes the case that these highly intelligent people SAW what was happening for about 10 years, and they decided Not Just to LET it happen, but to Help It Happen by saying nothing and going into hiding!

And it is THOSE IDEAS - Being a PART of the lies, bribes, theft, shutting down education - that "the right wing" In OUR WORLD have embraced.

Get Money by ANY means, let the country go down - as long as MY FAMILY has enough to last; which will be forever because they keep taking from "those without a voice" (meaning the non-millionaires) to fatten their own wallets. 

And when America fails (and under their control, IT WILL), THEY will have the money to buy the protection they need to keep the rest of us from ripping them apart.

I AM NOT saying we need more welfare; I am saying WE NEED HONEST people in charge with HIGH MORALS (NOT 'christians (or insert religion) in name only', as we mainly have now) to run things. We need Government Spending CUT; War Spending CUT; All WASTE Spending Eliminated;  BETTER Education; and on and on.

Survey by a Jesuit Priest, 2012

ZOMGitsChriss posted that a Jesuit professor was doing a survey. Below are the questions, and my responses after each.

I confirmed that this is a real survey BY that priest, so here is the download link and contact info. Unzip and follow instructions.

THE VARIETIES OF IRRELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

A QUESTIONNAIRE

Thanks for taking time to respond to these questions.  Note that there are no “correct” answers we are looking for and your responses to this questionnaire will be kept strictly confidential.  Also, please feel free to provide as much information as you’d like.  In other words, we encourage you to provide specific examples in your responses, recount stories from your past, and go into as much detail as necessary to give us a thorough understanding of your experience.  We’re more than happy to read all of this because we want to provide the most detailed and most balanced snapshot of American atheists that we possibly can.  Thanks again for helping us to do this.

Background Questions: 

• Were you raised atheist or did you have a religious upbringing of some sort?

Yes, "loosely" Methodist. I remember having some "Sunday School", but that was I think finished before I was 10. (now 59) We went to services almost every Sunday until I was about 14. Dad was even a "Lay Minister" - and that was part of why we Stopped going (I found out after he died); he saw that the church was very interested in how much money was in the plate, and I am told that turned him off.

BTW, Methodist was Dad's religion - I found out Mom was Episcopalian AFTER she died! (because the service was held in that church)

• If raised religious – When and why did you become an atheist?  What was this transition from religion like for you, for your family, etc.?  Was this a quick transition or a slow one?  Was it easy for you or difficult?  

I went through a long process; though never attended church after about 14, I still believed, and even for a while didn't even want to donate organs because I didn't want to go to heaven "not whole" (early 1980's) But I was getting less religious. My cousin's suicide didn't change things, though I DO believe religion may have contributed (working in stuff related to biology may have conflicted with his religion), along with fear of disappointing his parents.

Even DREAMING that I was about to go face to face with the Devil didn't hold my life to religion. I just kept looking at all the BAD things happening, and thinking "contradiction" to the "love all" teachings. 

Later, Having some "very religious people" (Mormons in the 1990's ) cheat me, steal from me, and a Catholic threatening to Kill me in 2007 -- and BOTH claiming their church would still support THEM, didn't help.

So, Slow? yea. Difficult? NO.

• If raised atheist – Have you ever been drawn to religion at any point in your life?  Why or why not?

Thinking About Atheism: 

• Do you identify yourself as an atheist?  If so, what does being an atheist mean to you?  Also, how does it feel to be an atheist . . . optimistic / pessimistic, hopeful / cynical, happy / sad, connected to / isolated from other people, etc.?

Yes, I was leaning more agnostic, but think I am now 'full' Atheist. It is NOT ACCEPTING the un-reasonable, contradiction-loving views of an "ALL loving god" that hates SOME people, allows murder and rape of babies, burns people alive, and so much more.

This IS starting to isolate me from others - I was just starting to connect more with old High School folks, but as I tired of their "I have cancer, but it is slowed down right now, so I am SO Blessed" crap, and Voicing that on Facebook (sometimes very strongly) is attracting comments, but it also seems I am getting FAR fewer responses to MY comments.

Being Atheist ALSO means being a REALIST - and looking at what all of these 'Religious' people have done to SCREW this country, I am NOT optimistic about almost everything.

• Why do you think most people in the United States believe in God, practice some form of religion, and do not identify themselves as atheists?

Indoctrination from birth, and FEAR - fear of death, delusion about "how the earth formed", fear of 'not fitting in' with all the others who are still religious.

• Do most people who know you – family, friends, co-workers, etc. – also know that you’re an atheist?  Why or why not?

I have been quiet about it for the past nearly 20 years, but I am getting "louder" about it. I have not 'yelled it from the roof' because I don't want to piss others off, don't want to lose friends, I don't want fights. But I am getting louder about it.

My letting a co-worker know (because he kept pushing religion on me, so I was forced to nicely ask him to back off) helped to have him work with the local manager (they were buddies) to force me out. They even tried to get me to Volunteer for Iraq/Afghanistan (it was a DoD job) so I would be out of the computer shop.

A few relatives also know, but as we rarely talk, it is "in the background" of our relationship.

• Are most of your friends atheists?  Why or why not?

Except a few I have met through a Humanist FB page, I don't think ANY others are atheists. Some are "in the religion business". 

My friends are not atheists because I have very little access to non-theists, and because the people I grew up with, and worked around, are theists. While this was fine 20 years ago, as I profess MY beliefs, it seems fewer friends are tolerant of MY beliefs (like they want to pray before a meal, and if already seated, I will do nothing (if I can find a way to be out of the room, I now will) out of respect for their beliefs.

While I found this Humanist group about a year ago, I have attended very few of their functions; partly out of lack of funds (like for conventions), and that some things are simply reinforcement of my already held 'belief' - Like seeing a movie for the 10th time, I don't need that "input". Maybe I should change that, if only for the social interactions.

• Have you ever been treated differently by people because you’re an atheist?  If so, please describe this in detail.

I was in a bar, talking to a woman and she had some reason to bring up religion; I nicely said I don't believe (don't remember exact exchange), and within a minute, she moved to the far end of the bar.

Also, I LOST A GOVERNMENT JOB because of it. Bad management was a contributing factor, but when I had to Speak Up because I didn't want a SECOND DAY of the 'office TV' being tuned to an "ALL RELIGION CHANNEL", that finished me there, and I lost the last 'friend' I thought I had at that job site.

Thinking About Religion:

• Overall, would you say that other people’s belief in God is a good thing, a bad thing or something you’re indifferent about?  Why?

It IS BAD, because it means they want to Force Their Version of Religion on others, and it means they Live in Delusion - making it too hard to figure out How to FIX America. They say "we can do ANYTHING, and leave it to god to fix it' when they screw up.

• Overall, would you say that organized religion is a good thing, a bad thing or something you’re indifferent about?  Why?

This is worse than 'being spiritual' (belief in god alone), because then they fall into the 'crowd mentality', having to 'conform to the majority' (or at least the loudest portion of it).

• If not a religious person, do you consider yourself to be a spiritual person?  Why or why not? 

NO, 'spiritual' still believes in the nonexistent god, expecting to 'go to heaven', and ONLY DOING GOOD TO AVOID HELL.

Living as an Atheist: 

• Many people say that belief in God provides a foundation for their morality.  As an atheist, on what do you base your morality?  How do you decide what things are good or bad, whether you’re behaving rightly or wrongly, etc.?

Our morality DOES come from the religions of the world; but we would have gotten 'there' anyway based on ONE thing - "I don't want you to do that to me, and you don't want it done either" -- the basis of "The Golden Rule" - and that is THE ONLY RULE YOU NEED.

• Many people consider belief in God and religious practice to be essential for raising well-rounded children with a connection to a tradition that helps them to see meaning in the world.  What’s your opinion about this viewpoint?

You can do many other traditions without bringing in belief in a delusion.

• For many people, belief in God provides an explanation of how the world came into existence and why we’re here.  As an atheist, do you have answers or insights pertaining to these questions?  If so, what are they?

We are HERE simply because the Universe DOES Exist. Putting 'faith' in something that has NO basis in reality is stupid.

• For many people, belief in God provides hope or comfort with respect to suffering in the world and to the inevitability of death.  As an atheist, how do you come to terms with these things?

You are born, you die -- in between, you should LEARN and try hard to do Good. 

Want to see why we have religion? "The Invention of Lying" is a good movie to start with. Religion comes from Not Knowing, and FEAR.

Conclusion: No questionnaire could possibly cover all dimensions of this topic.  So, do you have any additional information or any further reflection that could help us to understand your experience as an atheist better?  If so, please feel free to add this now.

First, your SURVEY does not ask the same question as your CONSENT FORM - how Atheists "find meaning in their everyday lives".

Meaning? As in "you don't have a relationship with 'god', so I expect you feel worthless, wonder why you get up each day and don't simply put a bullet into your head? HOW FRIGGING CONDESCENDING OF YOU!! 

In general, WE ATHEISTS and AGNOSTICS have jobs we like, friends that understand us, and support us. WE have children that we LOVE. WE care about what happens in the world, do not advocate killing for some 'false religion", don't think that by merely not hurting others that believe the same as us that we will go to some heaven where we (depending on the religion) meet up with anyone we knew in the past, or get 72 virgins to mistreat as we please, or have powers like "Star Trek's Q entity".

WE want to use SCIENCE to Benefit the world; from clean air and water, to eliminating sickness, save the unborn (i.e. transfer unwanted fetus to another woman, or an artificial womb), explore space, and so much more.

I would consider that We have MORE meaning in our lives, because WE don't live in Delusion.

Now to your "additional information" invitation -

Theists basis "of fact" is a bunch of very old stories, that changed for thousands of years, and eventually got written down as "the word of god". And because using that "god", and the FEAR of what it will do to you For An ETERNITY if you didn't follow what these stories related, keeps "the sheep" under control.

Now, MANY of these stories are good things, promoting 'fairness' in treatment of others, not killing unless that is the last resort (and some say not even then, just lock up the killer until they die, and let "god" handle punishment -- how frigging INSANE is that?), but the SAME stories are used as the basis of "they aren't like us, so do what you want to them; they are not even HUMAN, so treat them worse than you do your dog and have not "fear of god" because "his rules don't apply to non-human interaction."

But what might be the worst thing for the 'modern world' is the refusal to accept SCIENCE; by sticking to words written by a people with NO KNOWLEDGE of the physical world beyond their immediate experience, and even more so, their TOTAL acceptance of Impossible Things as "fact" (like Noah getting ALL of the world's creatures on an Ark smaller than a very large private yacht) is holding back the general advancement of the world. They had NO concept of other continents beyond the Atlantic Ocean (and most didn't even know THAT existed, and didn't care), they accepted magic tricks (like sticks into snakes) as true magic, and if done by a religious promoter (Moses) they accept it as "god did that", and not the TRICKS they really are, and think that, when MAN totally screws up this planet, "god" will simply come a fix it all "by the magic of 'his will'". Some even believe that they have "magic underwear" and that when they die they will be able to Create Their Own Universe and RULE IT AS GOD !! (I got this last thing straight from a Mormon in his spiel to try to convert me.)

Seems Very Clear to me, with these FACTS, that Religions are BAD, even Dangerous, for the world. When you have a religious NUT ready to detonate Multiple Nuclear Bombs based on his idea that his "faith" will fix everything later (either "his people" will survive the bombs, or that he will enter a paradise because of his actions), a RATIONAL person will see that we need to eliminate ALL religions.

Education under Attack by Educators

While reading a NY Times article (The 150 Year War, about the Civil War and that it's reason for being fought is still being fought today) there was a mention about Virginia school systems having a textbook with a 'gross inaccuracy' - that "thousands of blacks fought for the South".

I checked their source - roanoke.com - and it has the source as the textbook by Five Ponds Press, (the publisher of "Our Virginia: Past & Present"), which apparently has no business printing books. 

The publisher can't get pictures right either. "The publisher plans to replace a photo of a brown bear that is not native to Virginia. The photo and caption were found to be of a brown bear, instead of a black bear."

 "The book's author, Joy Masoff, defended her work to The Washington Post, saying she found the passage on the Internet."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????? This IDIOT woman found something on the internet, and without checking such an outrageous comment, decided it belonged in a School Textbook !!!!!

Now, some blacks DID fight for the Confederacy, but as I was taught in the 1960's, it was under duress and in "support roles" only as they were not trusted with rifles (umm, because they might shoot their white 'master' oppressors). 

But look at what you can find on the internet - (Christianity, or Islam) is the only true religion; white men are supreme over all life; Atlantis was a city with flying machines; China launched rockets over several thousand years ago; there are buildings on the Moon that NASA has 'blacked out' in photographs.

So, sure, you will find stupid stuff like "there were black battalions fighting under Stonewall Jackson". Stuff like that is on white supremacy sites, trying to claim that even the blacks knew that the whites were superior and therefore should be followed and obeyed. What a bunch of crap! Apparently, Joy Masoff uses such sites for her personal knowledge source - scary that any education company would hire someone like that.

This brings up other education worries, namely that the states California and Texas have, for decades, been given the de-facto role of determining what the rest of the country will be taught, and that Texas and other states are calling for "intelligent design" (another name for "creationism", or "God did it from nothingness") to be mandatorily taught in all schools. These people are trying to state that both "Intelligent design" and "Darwinism" are theories, and therefore should be given equal weight in thought.

Well, the many aspects and conclusions of Darwinism are theories; we look at fossils, make conclusions about what other fossil was its ancestor, and say "this is it". BUT when someone comes up with evidence that an earlier conclusion is wrong, changes to the thinking are made.

But with "intelligent design", there is no evidence to see, no trail to follow, and therefore no way to dispute or modify it's conclusion. It is simply someone saying "this is it, no questions allowed".

America is getting behind in education - there IS NO DISPUTING THAT. Schools that don't give homework because parents complain "my kid has not time to do homework because of all the other activities" the parent drags them to. Our kids are told they don't have to memorize multiplication tables. Schools worry more about how many computer they can get instead of being sure kids can read what is on the PC. Colleges graduate athletes because they don't want the public to know that they are only there to play football (or whatever) and really could not, upon graduation, even pass a qualification test to enter the school.

America is in a mess. Republicans (mainly) want to abolish the Dept. of Education, and want each local school district to decide what, and how, to teach. Yet we live in a Global Work Environment, and so need to have ALL kids learn the SAME stuff - there MUST BE A NATIONAL STANDARD FOR EDUCATION. Until we make education a National Imperative, we will fall further behind.

Election Money - Questionable Sources

In the New Your Times (10/2/2010) article "The Secret Sponsors" it is revealed that the SOURCE of money to challenge people running for, or defending current political post (does not matter if I like the person or not), is coming from totally un-knowable sources. 

The companies placing advertisements (online, billboard, radio, television) are hiding who is hiring them. THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE BAD SUPREME COURT DECISION EQUATING COMPANIES TO PEOPLE.

It was practically "foretold" that secret accounts and organizations would be formed in order to do everything from legitimate sponsoring of candidates, to "attack ads" and such where they say "we don't like what this guy has done, stands for", etc, though they really don't have anything positive. It amounts to slandering people, and not being held responsible.

Thanks, SCOTUS, for undermining our republic once again.

Economy Falters? Maybe Because ......

REUTERS - July home sales hit 15-year low - 8/24/10 - response to other commenters

GARY 54 minutes ago Report Abuse
Don't know how to break this to you folks, but there will be no coming out of this collapse this time.... the banks, and the media with all of their focus on doom and gloom
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You follow the MSNBC Kudlow way - the market should always go up, the economy will be fine if people will just keep buying things BEYOND their means, etc.

REALITY is that economies generally go up, but when irrational spending goes wild, the economy JUMPS, but when the debt starts to 'hit home' people pull back. They realize that paying 30% of their income to a credit card company is STUPID.

House prices in some markets went up 2%/yr, but other's 10%-20% per yr or more -- an unrealistic increase fueled by speculation, house flipping, low ARM % with owners planning to sell before the rate increased. Add to that the ones buying with no hope of ever paying because 'brokers' made loans that should have been illegal, and you had a condition that had to die. These 'brokers' made money on every 'closed deal', with no connection to the house, bank, or anything else.

It goes on and on -- if you can't follow, blame your "representatives", parents and schools. A BASIC education should have taught you that "what goes up must come down" and "bubbles break". That includes the results of bad banking, etc.

The WORLD has an "Extremist" Problem

In response to Mosque Controversy: Does America Have a Muslim Problem?

I posted there -

Not Just the USA, but the WORLD has a Muslim problem. Look at the many times Britain has either been attacked, or found some about to attack. AND they have groups actively (though "peacefully" for now) promoting imposing Sharia 'law' there. Scandinavian countries are having problems too. Plus Somalia, Yemen, and others being pushed around by radicals.

But it is NOT ALL Muslims. Just like the many times 'christians' started wars to impose their beliefs, and the many different countries imposing rule (Spanish or Portuguese over the Incas and Mayans, etc) or the Pope to push his religion around the world, some group has decided they are better than the rest and want to force others to go along, or die. SOME group will always try this - ‘today’ it is Muslim extremists. ‘Tomorrow’ it might be Baptists, skinheads, or Russia.

We DO need to be careful about generalizing - but Muslims too MUST start preaching, openly, AGAINST RADICALS in their midst, and against those on web sites, etc. MUSLIMS need to get in front of this problem, because the most effective way to effect change is always from INSIDE a group. From outside, all you get is oppression, or annihilation. Both of those harm the innocent. Including American patriots.

We ARE still in Trouble, America

I POSTED in comments for 
AP Exclusive: CIA whisked detainees from Gitmo --- 8/6/2010


America has been taken by radicals of both parties. If you ever watched CNN "Crossfire" you saw the manipulation. One side makes a good point, then tosses in some stupid comment, so the other side can jump on that instead of having to agree on the good idea.

It was designed just to keep the two parties fighting, screaming that the 'others' were destroying America.

Maybe both were right.
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This was brought out because of comments 'dissing' someone for a fairly clear argument, but someone else called 'rambling' or 'incoherent' (well, they didn't put it that way -- they didn't have the education).


All of us need to look at the decisions being made about America's schools; we constantly hear that they are not teaching our kids and that something has to be changed. Worse yet, they keep wanting to add some 'off the wall' class because of some new 'problem' (race relations, gender relations, or whatever).


But I think the real problem is that we have left behind what GOT US HERE - the education style done in the 1950's and 1960's. Those schools, and maybe better yet the decades before them, produced some fairly well educated people. We made cars, bridges, computers, and so much more, and we could, for the most part, tell when a politician was lying to us.


Today, the 'right' and the 'left' scream "doesn't care about America" and no one looks beyond that to the issue on the block.


Sad. Very sad. Americans just can't think clearly anymore.

BP Mess proves that the USA may soon collapse

FROM THE NY TIMES, June 21 article "Between Blast and Spill, One Last, Flawed Hope" - "Transocean said that BP, as the rig's operator, would have determined the blowout preventer's configuration. ''Operators select B.O.P. stack configurations based on their anticipated operating environments, including water depths, seismic data, anticipated well conditions and the like.'' "
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SO, THEY BASE ALL REQUIREMENTS ON THE 'BEST CASE' . MEANING, "WE WILL NOT SPEND A PENNY MORE THAN THE LOWEST PRICE, AND WE KNOW DAMN WELL THAT EVERYTHING WE DO IS BASED ON A  "FANTASY" OF HOW THINGS WILL GO."

Hang 'em High. The MMS folks too.

ALSO from the NY Times - "In 2001, just as BP and Transocean were pressing the Deepwater Horizon into service, the Minerals Management Service was being warned against allowing deepwater rigs to operate with only one blind shear ram. The agency had commissioned a study that documented more than 100 failures during testing of blowout preventers. "
BUT the MMS did nothing. They 'signed off' on drilling without EVER checking documents, because that way they have "plausible deniability".

Like I said, the MMS folks too.

***************

THIS is what we get when we have a government that is 'in bed with big business', and don't force out the bad apples. 

We are in DIRE STRAIGHTS, PEOPLE !!! Not only are the shits in Congress in the pocket of big business, but the people doing the "low level control" of big business is either being paid 'under the table', waiting to quit to go work for them, or JUST PLAIN CROOKED and are collecting paychecks (OUR TAX MONEY) while sitting with their thumbs up their butts, playing video games on government PC's, and downloading / copying porn with OUR money.

The Beatles -- "say you want a Revolution". Beginning to sound "better all the time".

2nd Amendment

There have been, of course, many comments in response to stories in the press. I have made several comments myself.

I decided to pull out the sections relating to "Militia" from the Constitution, surrounding text, etc. Below is what I found. My 'parts' are in bold italic.

Article. I.      - Congress, House and Senate
Section. 8.    - Reads, in part

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

[[ Sounds to me like the Militia is doing the work of the National Guard; because the Army and Navy are listed separately, these are clearly NOT the same thing. Therefore, we probably should treat the two entities (Militia and N.G.) as the same. However, in those days, the Militia was ‘average people’, bringing to the battle their personal arms. That has not been done for many decades, but instead we use the National Guard. However the intent of the comment is clear, and I think we do still have on the books the right of the state to draft individuals into a ‘posse’, or similar ‘organization’; if that is a ‘fact’, it would mean that all people MUST be allowed to own guns, in whatever form that would be useful to the state, including (maybe especially) AK47, AR15, or similar weapons. ]]

Article. II       - President
Section. 2.      - Reads, in part
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

[[ Again, the Militia is listed as a separate entity, and belonging to the “several States”; and so again it falls into the category of ‘National Guard’ or other ‘called up’ force. ]]

Amendment II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

[[ The people must have arms so they can be called up to serve as needed. ]]


Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

[[ Here again the Militia, and the Army and Navy, are listed as separate. Also note that the Militia has ‘special entity status’ when “in actual service in time of War or public danger”. Clearly denotes that the government expects to use the Militia and therefore that is should be ready to serve. You can’t serve (hold and shoot a gun effectively) if you don’t own a weapon first. ]]



While some may try to say I am using the Constitution’s Sections “out of context”, I have included the complete text, including surrounding text, for completeness and to allow full context to be gleaned. I summarize:

In addition to the National Guard, the Militia is ‘average people’ who own and can bring to battle their own weapons. As the people could be used in War, the weapons should be similar to those used in War; such weapons include everything from handguns to AR15 and AK47. Therefore, any law suppressing the ownership of any gun, or causing undo restrictions (such as NC demanding that the police act like a ‘character reference', and that without it you can’t get a gun), is unconstitutional. Even if the Government is willing to supply weapons at the time of 'call up', there is no provision in the Constitution for such action, and therefore no allowance for restricting weapon ownership.


This 'no restriction' would also include local governments, like Chicago (D.C. was recently changed to 'allow'), telling people inside City limits that they can't own handguns, and that "no guns within 'x feet' of schools", because the Constitution explicitly states that we can own weapons.

The only exceptions that could be allowed is ownership by criminals, and the mentally infirm, though even those exceptions may need an Amendment to affirm them.

Drill, Baby, Drill -- but do it safely.

While I agree that you must go after BP, freezing assets would mean they could not operate the business, therefore NOT be able to pay for cleanup, pay workers, businesses hurt by all of this. Better would be to pressure them to not pay but a minimal (if any) dividend, and divert any other money possible to Americans hurt by their actions. Further, hit them too hard and they will declare bankruptcy, and then we get only a few billion from asset sales - years later.

Then we need to prosecute officials for unsafe practices, or whatever else we can, including 'wrongful death' since the shortcuts caused 11 people to die. That would INCLUDE MMS people who didn't do their job, took bribes, etc.

Last (and needs to happen ASAP) is to pass laws that mandate procedures for operation, record keeping, etc, so this never happens again.

We MUST drill offshore. But we need to have the utmost care in how it is done. Sen. Sanders (VT) is saying "no" to offshore. But that is where the oil is, and all other options are either too costly (including enriching our enemies) or decades away from being enough to power America.

(Sent to Rep. Kissell, D, NC on 6/15/10)

OBAMA Admisistration -- just how STUPID ARE THEY?

Let me first say -- I would have voted for someone ELSE if there was a decent candidate. 

TODAY (6/10/10) the news reports say that President Obama says British Petroleum (BP)  must pay for ALL other laid off workers, even those out of work because Obama has placed a 6 month moratorium on all oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

WHAT? I can't agree that any company be forced to pay for something the Government 'decrees' like this. Should there be a moratorium? YES - until ALL of the rigs are checked thoroughly for all safety procedures, that ALL 'blow out preventers' (BOP) are fully TESTED and verified by regulators, and the same with all other things related to the drilling platforms, AND the production platforms, performing "as claimed". And that all procedures are FILED with the government, and that they meet the highest possible standards worldwide.

BTW - lawyers say that the filing requirement "as built" is NOT the same as filing the actual AS IS on the platforms. BULLSHIT. Any common sense would say that they MUST file paperwork for AS THINGS ARE, not as they "might be."

But for the GOVERNMENT to stop a company (in this case, multiple companies) from doing it's work for months, and then demand another company PAY ALL THE WORKERS -- THAT IT NUTS. It might sound OK to some radicals, but will NEVER stand up in a court.

Is BP at fault for the disaster in the Gulf? YES - 100% YES. Should they pay for cleanup, for other businesses like shrimpers, deep sea fishermen, hotels, etc, that can't work while the oil pollutes the waters? YES.

But for them to pay the workers of Anadarko, Shell, and ANY other because OBAMA said 'you can't drill here for whatever random time period I declare' will NEVER be done.

If this Administration keeps making up crap like this, BP may well declare bankruptcy and walk away from the entire thing. The Obama administration needs to GET REALISTIC about this situation.

Now that I think about it - maybe they WANT all this to fail. If they are 'in cahoots' with the oil industry, by making these demands, they are forcing the bankruptcy, and therefore the NON-payment by BP. All of this will cost about 5-10 years of profits. Few companies could ever sustain this, and none will do so willing.

Long-Term Unemployment: No Help For The 99ers

A response to the 'Titled" HuffintonPost story about Unemployment Benefits running out.


The country has been run into the ground. Give away things while the economy is good, lower taxes while it is good. And waste - waste more than you put to use. That is the mantra of the 2 parties.

But then when things are bad, there are no reserves to get you through the rough times. Sorry that schools stopped teaching economics decades ago, and replaced it with "keyboarding" (typing on computers that do the formatting for you). Sorry that we encouraged americans to spend more than they make.

"Lower taxes" on the people so they will spend more. "Lower taxes" on companies so they will make more, but when you can't buy with the air you breathe, the companies go under.

We are in this fix because they ruined the schools - most can't count change much less balance their living expenses. Because they kept tempting us with 'pretty things' instead of teaching the lessons that our earlier generations learned the hard way - work, save, buy with some and save for a 'rainy day'.

Today, we are getting drenched, and few are prepared.

To some less educated, it may sound like I am blaming those out of work. I am not. I am blaming a system that taught us all the wrong lessons. I am blaming "the rich get richer" and "let them eat cake" crowd; and the people who taught us not to care.

"Stuff Happens" - thanks Rand Paul (racism), Don Rumsfeld (war), etc

What a nice quote, cleaned up from "Shit Happens" for TV. Rumsfeld said this about the Iraq war not going well, I think.

NOW Harry Shearer, on Huffington Post, puts it in context for comments made by Republican Rand Paul that appear to be his supporting racism (in the name of personal freedom), blame shifting from BP, and other things. ---

Was the explosion on the oil rig in the Gulf an accident? YES
Was the plan for handling what happened next an accident? YES

UUMMM -- well, let me take that back. There was no REAL PLAN, just a bunch of people in government positions who let BP and all the other oil companies do whatever they wanted, government workers who took home their large paychecks, went on family vacations, and when they went to their government office used the day to download porn, make copies of porn onto DVDs that YOU paid for with tax dollars, and in every other way possible did exactly what big businesses want them to do - which is nothing that interferes with them making billions of dollars.

SO -
You get what you PAY (and VOTE) for - in this case, Americans have voted repeatedly for the same bastards to be in power, answering to the dollars, and power, thrust into their pockets. And for "workers" who (while a 'minority in number') have a huge, negative, impact on our lives.

AND - Was it a stupid comment by Rand Paul? YES. 

And I hope he is defeated in the general KY election for thinking that racism should be allowed because of "freedom". What some idiot does in his house, we can not and should not control. But when his actions affect others (like "you can't eat here", "you can't sleep here", "you can't pee here"), then Government, and BETTER PEOPLE, need to step in and stop it.

Oil Spill may be Impossible to Clean

For article in USA Today --  on Yahoo -----

IN WIKI - search for "oil spill" and you find ---
Dispersants act as detergents, clustering around oil globules and allowing them to be carried away in the water.[12] This improves the surface aesthetically, and mobilizes the oil. Smaller oil droplets, scattered by currents, may cause less harm and may degrade more easily. But THE DISPERSED OIL DROPLETS INFILTRATE INTO DEEPER WATER and can lethally contaminate coral. Recent research indicates that some dispersant are toxic to corals.[13] ******* (I put in the CAPS section)*******
*****************
NOTE that the dispersants do EXACTLY as I speculated over the past few days in other posts - the "plumes" underwater are a direct result of huge amounts of the chemicals used at the source of the spill.

So if it is a known fact, why are they "surprised" to find that oil released into the water as a steady stream will clump together in "plumes"?

It is clear that NO ONE in government (because industry certainly would not want to do it) ever did a decent study of what happens when you use dispersants at the source instead of places like beaches (like Alaska where it was so hard to clean it all up) and other already contaminated places. And if they never studied it, why have the OK'ed the use of massive amounts?

This is not just an Obama problem; it comes through 60-70 years of governments not wanting to interfere with big oil. Great job Washington Bureaucrats.

The AMT is UNFAIR To All

I got a newsletter from "my" senator, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), the other day. It read, in part -

On Monday, I introduced the Children of Fallen Warriors AMT Relief Act, a bill that will remove the punitive burden that is currently imposed on the children of fallen servicemembers by our outdated tax code. Under our current tax laws, the children of a fallen servicemember who receive an annuity from the Uniformed Services Survivor Benefit Plan can unintentionally become subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). This bill recognizes that the children of fallen soldiers have already sacrificed enough for their country, and ensures that they are not subject to the AMT. 


SO I SENT HIM A MESSAGE BACK, (and sent it to "my" Representative) as follows -

In your latest newsletter, you mentioned that you introduced an Act to keep children of fallen soldiers from being subject to the AMT.

That may be a good thing, but you could have saved EVERYONE ELSE along with them by simply changing the AMT to be indexed to inflation, with the RATE INDEX ONLY retroactive to when the AMT started, and any "refund" to taxpayers good only to 2008 (even though I would get money back if it went back to 1999, I recognize that the country needs the income from the past decade).

SO - how about it? How about introducing a BILL to make this a law?"

Catholic Bishop Convicted for Denial of Holocaust

Recently a PRIEST from Germany DENIED THE HOLOCAUST !!! It made news because, though he did an AP interview in a different European country (AND asked that it NOT be shown in Germany because of "Non-Denial" laws there) it was shown on TV, and on the internet, in Germany.

"The interview was conducted near Regensburg and was granted shortly before Williamson's excommunication was lifted by Pope Benedict XVI, along with that of three other bishops from the anti-modernization movement of the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre."

MY RESPONSE to the many comments made after the post - many also saying that either people were not mass-murdered, or that "we need an investigation" :

It is nearly 100% -- that every person who denies the Holocaust is also one who would do today if they could.

So if YOU want to kill millions, why deny that Nazis DID IT ??? The PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE, SURVIVORS (though very few now) ARE AVAILABLE (as is video of their stories).

I guess the main reason to deny it is so when they do it, no one will believe it, and they won't have to face JUSTICE.

It is probably illegal to deny it in Germany for this reason - that given the chance, many would do it again.


I ALSO posted that the Priest should be excommunicated -- then I went back and saw that HE WAS (by Pope Paul II ?) but that the current pope lifted that order. (And people wonder why I hate religions -- they are two-faced, and prey on the ignorant)

The 'church' should be demanding that all services this week include comments that the Holocaust DID happen -- fat chance that will happen; looks like Pope Benedict wants to deny it too, if he lifted the order.

Rape of the American Electorate by The Supreme Court - again

“the court’s opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the American people, who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self government since the founding, and who have fought against the distinctive corrupting potential of corporate electioneering since the days of Theodore Roosevelt.”
Justice John Paul Stevens, about the Jan. 21, 2010 ruling that corporations may spend all they want to get people elected in the USA. The Court has effectively ruled that corporations are more important than individuals in voicing, by money contributions, running advertisements, and all other election-related procedures, their "opinions and desires". There are still LIMITS ON PEOPLE giving money - but no longer on corporations!

This is just added to the already unconstitutional ruling that any municipality may force you out of the house you have owned (even without a mortgage) for 1 year or 100 years, because a rich person is willing to pay more in taxes than you currently pay (they are taking by "eminent domain", thought that is supposed to be strictly reserved for instances of public safety, public progress, and where no other reasonable alternative exists (such as building a court complex elsewhere). [Wiki says "The property is taken either for government use or by delegation to third parties who will devote it to public or civic use or, in some cases, economic development." BUT I have to point out that personal housing is NOT economic development, as "pubic housing" would be construed.] [[They took thousands of people's homes in NYC and Chicago, and elsewhere, so apartments could be built. As a kid that sounded fine, but now I question it because some company (person) got very rich building and renting apartments.]]

Back to the issue at hand -- This is a severe taking of our rights and we should be screaming the streets, but Americans have become too complacent. We watch places like Poland in the 80's, and Iran today, and say "way to go! Fight for your freedom! Down with totalitarian regimes!" But here we sit - most Americans are not even aware that their freedoms are being taken, many others are apathetic (the old 'there's nothing we can do about it' attitude), and the rest just are too stupid to understand what is being done to them by the Supreme Court. (I see this in many comments on USA Today, where people support "indefinite holding of terrorists", but that also means that THEY can be accused, grabbed, and held, sometimes for months before anyone knows [people reported as "missing" because no one knows] where they are or even what they are charged with. HOW DUMB they are to think that tossing the Constitution for someone else will never come back and affect them! The 'Bush era renditions' are another example of this - here a President acted like a King; or tyrant.)

There is a saying - "the constitution is what the Supreme Court says it is"; meaning that the Supreme Court is the final, and "correct", interpreter of what the Constitution means. But just as any law can be overturned when a court says it violates the constitution, so too can any ruling of the Supreme Court by a later court (as they have done here, taking TWO rulings from before 1950 that have limited corporate money in elections). I hope people wake up and start demanding the return of their individual rights.

WE ARE ON THE ROAD TO -- THE BEST CORPORATION (uh - Country) MONEY CAN BUY !!!

Not all Crooks are Americans - but this one needs a Bullet !

An article found on my Yahoo page, by BBC News - 'Bomb detector' maker Jim McCormick arrested

Here is another account of government "buyers" being too stupid to hold the job they get paid for. While this guy and everyone in his 'company' is a fraud, the buyers are also at fault for purchasing these devices. They are noted as the "ADE-651"

Look at what was reported - "The device consists of a swivelling aerial mounted to a hinge on a hand-grip. It does not operate by battery, instead promotional material says it is powered only by the user's static electricity." Now, can someone tell me how much static is generated in a high-humidity environment, or in a swamp, or a rain? (Hint - NONE. Static is bled-off by the moisture before it can build to any usable level.)

It also took a special investigation by BBC Newsnight which paid a computer laboratory to find out that the "device" is simply a store security/theft-prevention device, which sends out a signal to a large 'sensor' to detect items being shoplifted! It could no more detect bombs than your average doorknob!

Now just who has bought these devices? What government official "signed off" on millions of dollars worth useless "bomb detectors" -- as they posted - "The Iraqi government has spent US$85m (£52m) on the hand-held detectors, now used at most checkpoints in Baghdad." Now most likely, that is US TAX DOLLARS spent; and US SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS BEING KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS FRAUD. The article mentions that "no western government uses" these worthless things, but because Iraq is using them, certainly the US is involved in some way - purchase, promotion, and "protected by".

Nothing short of a trial to find all of the conspirators and then a bullet in each person's head is called for here. I am not far from also saying that the decision-makers for purchasing these bogus devices should be included in the lineup. At the least, anyone involved in any testing phase (they did more than read some one else's report) should be fired and jailed, and barred from collecting any pay, pension, etc. AND the "report reader" needs to be fired - the description provided should have raised "red flags" throughout the industry.

Has anyone been killed because of this? They don't say outright, but certainly that MUST be the case; so everyone of the conspirators should be tried for MURDER, because they knew what the purpose of the device "is" and where it would be used, and that people would die because they sold / were involved in selling a non-functioning piece of crap.

Making a case for "Life After Death" -- but false claims won't make it real

In CSM online version, 12/10/09  --- http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20091209/cm_csm/ydsouza

my letter to editor/CSM
Concerning Dinesh D'Souza, "Life After Death: The Evidence."  [His words are in italics]

First, you print an "opinion" piece by him, but it is more like a testimonial for his latest book. Opinion too? Yes, but really.... it is more of a ‘buy my book, make me rich” piece.

Second, he, like ALL religionists, twists facts, or uses only the part that might support his opinion, rather than using everything available to reach a valid conclusion.

So that I am not accused of taking comments ‘out of context’, below are excerpts and my comment.

He takes facts from several sources and mixes them together, then draws a conclusion. But since he didn’t keep the facts straight, the conclusion is false:
Alarmed by the obvious implication of near-death experiences, atheists have been laboring assiduously to explain them away. Today, the best atheist explanation is that near-death experiences are the result of a dying brain. When the brain irreversibly breaks down, psychologist Susan Blackmore contends, it generates special effects that closely track the near-death experience.
There are several problems with this theory but one fatal one is that many survivors of clinical death are now going to work, looking after their families, and functioning just fine. So much for an "irreversible" breakdown.

NO ONE claims that near-death experiences are the result of “irreversible” breakdown. Here he OUT RIGHT LIES. The actual claim is that it results from oxygen levels being so low that people are close to, or in the process of, passing out. Just as several things can cause “tunnel vision”, low oxygen being a major cause, so too can it cause “a white light” as the eyes shut down, or the brain shuts down. “Irreversible” is just that - death of at least part of the brain; any later recovery of the person is because other parts of the brain can take over some functions, as shown BY SCIENCE.

He further states:
I don't claim to prove my case beyond a reasonable doubt, but I do claim to prove it by a preponderance of the evidence.

Well, at least the statement is rational, though I doubt he really means it. And he has NO evidence, but merely claims to have it.

He further states:
"Is it good for me to believe?"  [His quotes, not mine]

For me, the clear answer is yes. If there is no life after death, we are like passengers on the Titanic: We can rearrange the deck chairs and turn up the music, but we are ultimately doomed. By contrast, if there is life after death, we can face death with serenity, viewing it is a gateway to another life. Also we have reason to hope that good will eventually be rewarded and evil held accountable. Moreover, recognizing that our terrestrial existence is part of a larger drama, we can forge a sense of lasting purpose in our lives. So not only is belief in an afterlife reasonable; it is also good for us.

He is making the case for “hey, what could it hurt?” or “let’s CLAIM to believe just to be on the safe side”. In other words, he ADVOCATES HYPOCRISY. He is clearly saying that you should attend church, and tell all your friends, and AT LEAST GIVE LIP SERVICE to “I Believe”, because IF there is an afterlife WITH GOD then you will be safe.

But that assumes that “God” would not know what is really in your heart - that you are doing it “just in case”. IF there is a god, and your bible tells you that making false claims is wrong, don't you think that you would be sent to ‘hell’ by your ‘god’ for false testimony? Face it, to claim all is OK is hypocrisy. (I had a co-worker claim to be a good Catholic, but daily he threatened to kill me, and said he would sleep fine afterwards. He even wanted me to attend his church so I could 'meet a nice girl'; I pointed out the hypocrisy - he said it was not, but soon after started down the hate road. Yea - typical christian.)

And he also try’s to put in some science by claiming that “Heaven” could be another dimension. Again, hypocrisy; Nothing in the bible, written by MEN with the “direction of God”, brings up alternate dimensions or anything even close to the concept. Here D'Souza is trying to trick non-believers and followers of science into “belief” by a ridiculous claim with no substance behind it.

His comment:
One of the direct implications of the Big Bang is that not only did the physical universe have a beginning, but space and time also had a beginning. Space and time are properties of our universe. This means that in realms beyond our universe, if such realms exist, there might be no space and no time. Suddenly the Christian idea of eternity is rendered intelligible.

Again, selecting various facts out of context to support an invalid conclusion. Science states that other dimensions will almost certainly (we have not been there so there is no proof) have different qualities, including the passage of time. Perhaps a what would feel like a week to us there could be 1,000 years here (much like the Einstein equation shows that moving fast will make your timeframe be different from a person on Earth), but to claim that might be ‘heaven’, in fact he practically outright states so, is again just stupid.

To cut this short -- if you think “God” wants a bunch of hypocrites who give lip service to “believing”, go with his “proof”. But don’t expect “God” to forgive you. If you want to go with the REAL EVIDENCE, then do like I do: accept that THIS is all there is, and look for your “rewards” here in this 'plain of existence', do good, follow the “Golden Rule”, and refuse false claims.

Global Warming - Debate, not Politics

Posted on Global Warming FACEBOOK page (12/06/09)
Many doubt that GW is happening at all -- even with pictures of glaciers melting that are over 10,000, even millions, of years old. So for them - there is no stupidity quotient that can measure your brain function.

BUT - what is the main cause? Is man 95%, or 5%, of the problem? There are too many 'scientists' being paid to fit data to political agendas. Liberals want to paint man as the main cause, conservatives don't.

Other groups want to jump to action now, even though there is no solid evidence showing where to even start, beyond lowering emissions in general will help.

Face it - the whole thing can be looked at as a job creation exercise. Make jobs studying; jobs controlling pollution, etc.

So let's get some jobs done by scientists to provide real FACTS -
what are temp controlling gases and OTHER factors in GW?
what sources generate them, and at what amount per year / decade?
what part is man-made?
what part of animal"
what part is 'natural' (volcano, water, frozen methane underwater)?
what can be done about EACH SOURCE, even if totally natural?
what JOB can be created to fight each source?

"Conservatives" need to get behind the job aspect. They are always screaming about "private sector jobs", so they SHOULD be BEHIND all the debates, and pushing for answers so they can create jobs.

Of course, who would be the ultimate employer? YOU!! Because even though you will pay for a filter, or bottled water, etc, NONE of you want to pay for the air you BREATHE. Governments will be forced to TAX the COMPANIES that create (NOT barter like coal pollution) the problems, then dole out the money to companies that clean it up.

Maybe someone will find a good analogy  -- how about garbage pickup? You pay a company directly, or through local taxes, to clean up the things produced by another company that you purchased.

Now you need to PAY TAXES TO BREATHE, and to not get FLOODED OUT on the coastal plains areas, to have DRINKING WATER in interior parts of the country (snow-melt provides a lot to the rivers), and much, much more.

But to claim it is not happening at all -- your education system failed you. Ask for a refund because your IQ is still that of a 5 year old.