Fred Speaks Candidly

Or

"The Media Lies like a Wet Rag"

Here's an interesting article from Fred Thompson, A Message from the Campaign Trail. Here are some salient excerpts:

Every once in a while I am more thankful than ever for today’s technology which allows me to talk to you directly instead of having to go through the filter of the main stream media.

Some of them are intent on making the outcome of the campaign dependent upon their pre-conceived notions. Every once in a while their incomplete and slanted coverage makes this clear.

Today I had this story written about me regarding what I said at a Town Hall event in Burlington, Iowa by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event. Incidentally, I declined to be interviewed by this particular reporter yesterday for reasons which will soon be apparent.

and

As for me I am going to continue to say exactly what is in my heart and is on my mind and give straight and honest answers to those who ask straight and honest questions.

Incidentally, the audience in Burlington broke into applause in the middle of my answer. The reporter wouldn’t know that because she wasn’t even there.

AFAIAC, this is definite proof that the MSM is actively working to sabotage Fred's campaign by not covering it, or covering it in a biased and inaccurate manner. If the MSM is afraid of him, then I'm for him.

Go Fred!

Pakistan to Go Up In Smoke

Pakistan's Bhutto killed in gun, bomb attack

Some quick research leaves it quite unclear to me whether she was a socialist kleptocrat riding the coattails of her family name, or a persecuted populist politician seeking democratic reforms, or both. Regardless, she was popular with a significant groups of Pakistanis. In a feudal tribal society like Pakistan her death will IMNSHO be a spark for significant civil unrest, maybe even civil war. Let's hope neither side gets a-hold of any of their nukes; that could get really ugly.

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me,
You ask me how old I am,
It's four more than forty three.

Permamnent Telecommuting Look So Nice Some Weeks

I love living out in the country, and actually like to drive, so my normal the 53 mile commute, one way, each day is not a big deal. This week however that 70 minute commute home has turned into 90 to 115 minutes of pure frustration.

Monday was an accident, unseen. It wasn't the one where someone was killed, that happened later that night, but people need to learn to pay attention and drive.

Tuesday was a truck pulled over (broken-down or impounded?) in the break-down lane: Truck, police car, tow truck; people, you've seen them all before, now move along.

Tonight was bumper-to-bumper 35 MPH average, stop and go at times, from I495 to I190. Reason unknown. There were a few sand trucks around but the roads were only wet, not icy or snowy; certainly no reason to dawdle.

It's weeks like this that make me wish my job was such that I could telecommute all the time.

In Memorium: Wanda Fae Miller

As I mentioned in my last post my mother passed away on December 5th. Here the obituary write-up we provided for publication:

Wanda Fae (Fankhouser) Miller, 73, passed away following a long illness Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at her home in Roque Bluffs, Maine. She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Robert E. (Bob) Miller; two sons, Kevin J. Miller and his wife, Tricia, of Winchendon, Massachusetts, and Robin J. Miller and his wife Kym, of Savannah, Georgia; and nine grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters, Gwen (Fankhouser) Tustin, New Martinsville, West Virginia, and Ruth Fankhouser, of Mingo Junction, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two brothers, Marion and George Fankhouser.

Wanda was born in New Martinsville, West Virginia February 7, 1934, daughter of Marion Rollier and Ida Irene (Prunty) Fankhouser, the youngest of 5 children. Wanda graduated from Magnolia High School in 1952, and then from Shepherd College in 1955 with a B.S. in Business Administration. She married Bob Miller of Xenia, Ohio in 1957. Following the completion of Bob’s military service in 1960 they lived in New Mexico, where their eldest son was born. They moved to Ellicott City, Maryland in 1962, and raised their two children while Wanda was employed as a bookkeeper for various medical offices. They enjoyed traveling and participating in church Missions projects. They also spent many vacations in Maine together. Following Bob’s retirement in 1996, they moved to Roque Bluffs, Maine, where they built a house together. She loved quilting and reading, and was active in the Ellsworth Church of the Nazarene.

I learned much from my mother. She taught me to read and instilled a love of reading that continues to this day. I'm a voracious reader and that has helped me in many ways.

I learned to appreciate music from her. My brother and I took music lessons, he in french horn and I in trombone, at her insistence. She loved to sing, even though she could not carry a tune in a bucket. Hence I learned that true appreciation of music comes not from the skill of it's performance but from the heart of the performer and it's connection to others.

My mother taught me to stand up for what was right. She didn't always get along with some because she spoke her mind plainly and would not compromise on her principles. Being right was, and is, more important than being liked. I also learned that a little tact helps in expressing one's opinions.

Most importantly I learned about priorities. My priorities of faith, family, health, work and church reflect what I have seen and learned from her and my father. Always first is our relationship with God; everything else flows from that. Family and health come next. Work and church come after all that, and for me there is a gap between the first 3 and the next 2.

I learned that faith and church are not the same. Churches are human organizations intended to help one develop and practice their faith. We must be careful not to let the conflicts and disagreements that arise between fallible human people regarding the church negatively affect our relationship with God.

In the end I learned love. Though she seldom expressed it in words, I know she loved me by her actions and deeds; and I loved her as a son, who was raised the best way she knew how and who learned as much as I could from her.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor 13:13

Posting To Be Light Due To Family Issues

Not that my posting here has ever been consistent or prolific. My mother passed away today and I'm dealing with family issues. Yes it is a sad time, but she had been in failing health for several years due to PSP, so in some ways it was a relief for her and us: Besides, I know she is in a better place now. Will post more on this at some point.

Winter Driving Tips for Massachusetts

I have a few tips for those of you not used to driving in the winter in Massachusetts:

1. Just because you've lived here all your life doesn't mean you actually know how to drive;
2. Learn the difference between "salt" and "snow".

   If the road looks white but is dry that is "salt". This means that the road crews have been doing their job and the road is safe to drive on relatively normally. Keep an eye out though for icy patches.

   If the road has a layer of white stuff on it, and you cannot see the lane markings, that is "snow". It is slippery. You should not try to drive at high speed, tailgate, cut in and out, or otherwise drive normally for Massachusetts. Recognizing ice is an advanced topic, to be saved for a future post.
   

3. Back off! 4 Wheel Drive only helps your truck move; it will not help it stop in the snow. When I have to slow down to turn into my driveway I don't want you ramming into the back of my car. I don't care whether you slide off the road, but I suspect you wouldn't like that either.

Thank you for your attention to these tips.

Serial Rat

This is a continuation of the "I'll Say It" post:

It turns out that the rat who busted Bass Pro to the Massachusetts Attorney General office, Ted at Northeast Trading Company, has a history of doing this. He's a serial rattist who will sell the gun owners of this state down the river for the almighty buck:

"Well, I do know the dealer in question. This is the third time I know of where he called the AG's office to 'complain'. First time was several years ago about duly licensed MA residents buying ammo out of state and having it shipped to them. The AG's stings followed and you know the rest of the story. Second time was a few months after the first call - complaining about duly licensed MA residents purchasing ammunition components out of state, etc. We all know what happened next. I know about these 2 calls because this dealer told me that he made them (actually the first 'call' was a meeting with the AG himself...). His reason? He was angry that he was losing sales to out of state vendors. Thats right folks. It was all about the U.S. Dollar. Had nothing to do with right or wrong. Nothing to do with integrity, etc. It was, is and always will be about the mighty $$ with him." (posted by qmmo at NES forum)

Because of his actions the legal gun owners of Massachusetts find it very difficult to purchase reasonably priced ammunition. Because of him components are even harder to find. Because of him a chance to fight the extortionate practices of the MA AG was likely squashed.

I was not calling for a boycott before, just making the info known so people could make their own decisions: Now I am. Boycott this scum-of-a-dealer. Anyone who does business with this outfit is no friend of mine. Just so you know who he is here is the address and contact information:

Northeast Trading Company
Rt. 152/580 Kelley Blvd.
North Attleboro, MA 02760
508-695-4852 or 800-473-3006
sales@northeasttrading.com
http://www.northeasttrading.com/

With friends like Ted at Northeast Trading Company MA gun owners need no enemies.

UPDATE: Check out this site for more commentary on this affair:
http://northeastratting.bravehost.com/
Thanks Producer for posting it in the comments.

I'll say it

Here's the background:

Bass Pro-On the wrong side of the AG already?
Thank You LenS

And the answer I have been told is:

Ted at North East Trading

This info was initially received third hand, was confirmed by a second independent party who claimed to have written proof from the individual in question, and is consistent with hints dropped by other people who claim to have been told by this person as well. That is good enough for me.

Said shop is a ways away from me. I have never been there, but if I did happen to be in the area you can bet I will not darken their door while it is under current management.

YMMV

Update: The cat is out of the bag (or shall I say the rat is out of the hole), finally:

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=343144&postcount=289
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=343169&postcount=295

For those of you who don't want to go read the details referenced above here's the summary of what happened:

"A dealer allegedly called CHSB to let them know what BP was doing. CHSB allegedly had the AG's office call said dealer to get further details. From what I could understand of the BP side of things (I went back there ~1PM yesterday), the AG contacted BP early yesterday morning and told them to "cease and desist", retrieve ALL guns sold that were non-compliant or face a $5K/gun fine for those sold. BP contacted all the Glock buyers yesterday morning and I was told that all were "recovered" by afternoon." posted by LenS

and

"I am NOT going to out the dealer who did this, as I don't care to face any potential legal repercussions in doing so.

The dealer told me to my face that he did it and is proud of what he did. So yes, I think that if anyone broaches the subject with dealers and strikes up the conversation with the right one, he is likely to admit it.

Said dealer also told me that he was reading the NES posts on the Glocks as fast as some of the NES folks were posting them. He also told me that the AG's office was upset with ME and NES for "covering up for BP" by deleting the posts and telling folks not to post that stuff here. So perhaps (my speculation) the AG's office was reading the stuff Wed. night too (we'll never know)?

Yes, we all knew that this wouldn't last very long before being shut down, but some of us had hopes that BP was intentionally doing this to face down the AG, refuse to pay the fines which would necessitate the AG trying to file a lawsuit in a civil court, and having the court perhaps tell the AG to pound sand." also posted by LenS

then almost a week later:

"Here is Ted's post [email actually]:

'Thanks Bill, I appreciate your comments.

Just so you know I wasn’t the first to call, nor was I the last to call. They (management at BP) were notified by more then one person and it was their decision to continue to sell. No, they were not going to and never were going to fight the good fight with the AG. As surprising as it may seem the first notification to the AG was via NES, as NES members came home after their purchase at BP they posted on NES. Lens tried as hard as he could to remove the post but the cat was out of the bag very quickly.

I’m not a member or registered user of NES, if you want to post this on my behalf I have no problem at all.

Again, thanks for your memo.

Ted' "

posted by depicts

Trifecta of Political Correctness

"Is it a game or a gamble?" via No Looking Backwards:

Two weeks ago, a state inspector shut down cribbage games and tournaments at American Legion Post 4 in Gardiner.

No cribbage for you!

The Gardiner Legion wasn't the only veterans' organization visited by a state inspector.

Al Michaud, quarter master at the Waterville Veterans of Foreign War, said cribbage is no longer played at that post since a state inspector stopped in.

Or you, or you, or you!

Hanley said he will be working with his legislative aide to craft emergency legislation that will exempt veterans' organizations from licensing fees so their members and spouses can play cribbage at their posts.

This looks like the law of unintended consequences at work, but it really is the law of the big brother nanny-state moving faster than the sheeple are currently willing to accept. It will come back, trust me.

Via Northeast Shooters Forum:

"Ski school’s good deed gets punished"

Last winter, the parents of an 11-year-old boy signed him up for group ski lessons. At the first session, the boy was late and the class had already left for the slopes, so he was linked with a certified instructor who worked with him one-on-one.

then

After that session, Mr. Gaetz met the boy’s mother. She told him that her son had special needs and expressed her gratitude that he was receiving individual attention, said Mr. Gaetz, who also had determined that the boy couldn’t function safely in a group lesson. So the staff decided that one-on-one attention was the way to go.

So far so good. A business really trying to help their customers, right?

By the second or third lesson, the boy’s father called Richard Patrick, assistant director of the ski learning center, and said he wanted his son mainstreamed into a group lesson. Mr. Patrick told the father that he’d observe the boy’s behavior on the slopes, but by the time he got to the class, the boy had already gone out again with Mr. Gaetz. After that, he said, the boy never showed up for another ski lesson.

Not so right, but it gets better:

But things were about to go downhill. In March of this year, the boy’s father filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, saying Wachusett Mountain subjected his child to “unlawful discrimination” by refusing to provide him with reasonable accommodations for his handicaps, which include Attention Deficit Disorder, learning disabilities and neurobehavioral disorder.

Huh?? Discrimination because they provided individualized instruction appropriate for the boy even though they had not been told the whole story about his challenges? I feel sorry for this boy and his mother; the father truly is wacko.

But the staff would get another shock — last week, Wachusett Mountain was notified that the MCAD found probable cause to believe that it had discriminated against the boy. Both parties and their lawyers are required to attend a “conciliation conference” Jan. 23 in Springfield to explore “voluntary resolution.”

And the state is too! One wonders what kind of lies were spread by the father, and why.

And, "Dog Bite and Being Put Down":

In Princeton, a family dog, Congo, has been declared "vicious" by municipal Judge Russell Annich Jr.. Because of this, he may be ordered put to sleep, this coming Tuesday. His crime? A landscaper came onto the property of the dog's owner, Guy and Elizabeth James, after being told to wait. Congo and the family's other dogs started to bark. One of the landscapers' started hitting the dogs with a metal rake. Elizabeth James started to yell at him to stop. So, the landscaper grabbed Elizabeth, from behind, and pulled her to the ground. Congo, thinking that his owner was being attacked, did what ANY good dog should do. He tried to protect his owner. The landscaper was bitten, and injured, as he should have been. Now, for being a good dog, Congo might be put to sleep.

Judge Annich is totally wrong and out of control, right up there with Judge Pearson: Maybe he too will get his comeupance.

More Hillary'ness

Consider this article, "Bunker Hillary", from the New Republic via the World Magazine Blog.
First this quote:

Reporters who have covered the hyper-vigilant campaign say that no detail or editorial spin is too minor to draw a rebuke.

Yet then followed by this:

Despite all the grumbling, however, the press has showered Hillary with strikingly positive coverage.

All I can think of is : "Thank you sir, may I have another"

[sigh]The ends justify the means.

BONUS UPDATE:

The Hillary Free Pass

The double standard of the MSM continues to dismay me. For example, when an organization of the current administration, FEMA, faked a press conference the media circled on that for days. Yet, when "Hitlery" Clinton is reported to have planted questions in at least 2 campaign events the MSM buries those stories as quickly as possible.

Need evidence? Go to each of the MSM news web sites today; ABC News, CBS News, MSNBC, CNN and Fox News. None but Fox News has a story on this on their front page.

Now search for "Hillary Clinton" on each of those sites. Count how many titles mention this scandal. Here are the links for my searches and the scores:
MSNBC: 0
CBS News: 0
CNN: 0
ABC News: 1
Fox News: 1 (but only in video section)
Remember this is 24 to 48 hours after the first report broke, and there have been reports of a second incident since then. The stories are there, they are just buried.

Here we have an issue that points right to the honesty and integrity of a person who is asking to be President, the presumed front-runner for the Democratic nomination, and the media apparently doesn't want us to know about it. More evidence to me that MSM establishments have moved from reporting events to trying to shape them. Sad.

Rudy, Rudy, Rudy (Not)

From IMAO via the evangelical outpost:

THE SOCIAL CONSERVATIVE CASE FOR RUDY GIULIANI

* Giuliani has never gay married.

* Despite people claiming he's hostile to social conservatives, Giuliani has never (directly) killed one.

* He's promised to appoint Supreme Court Justices like Roberts and Alito and to stop greedily rubbing his hands together and asking, "You wanna abort that baby?" every time he sees a pregnant woman.

* In a display of family values, he won't have a public mistress for at least the first term.

* While not as religious as some other candidates, God has never felt the need to smite him.

* Giuliani will only gun grab to admire the gun and promises to hand it back afterwards.

* He will continue to beat to death drug dealers with a tire iron as always.

Go Fred!

Idiot Drivers Rant

What is about women drivers in dark blue sedans early in the morning in heavy rain that causes them to refuse to turn their lights on? Do they think that if nobody can see them that they are invisible?

ANATRO Rant

I've been hearing the radio ads for this "A Night At The Rock Opera" for weeks now. Looking through their site has re-enforced my initial opinion: This "performance" is better titled "Great British Rock Music Covered By Dweebs Who Can't Sing" (GBRMCBDWCS).

p.s. Beware opening their site in Firefox. It crashed my copy of Firefox.

What he said! Ya'know?

via the evangelical outpost

Schulz Smear

I came across this so-called news report via Yahoo: Peanuts creator Schulz led secret life of misery. It reports on a so-called biography (aka. a smear job) by David Michaelis. Disgusting. A quick Google of Mr. Michaelis along with a perusal of the reviews of his books on Amazon makes it clear to me that he is a charlatan who makes his living projecting his own insecurities into his psuedo-psychological scribblings and obsessions then claiming that that he has written so kind of deep analysis of his biographical subjects. His biography of N.C Wyeth is apparently similar. Avoid these books and anything else Mr. Michealis has written; they are all junk.

Experts Agree :)

From Northeastshooters.com by DoctorDrew:

No Bell PC Prize

Al Gore shares Nobel Peace Prize
What a crock. With this award the Nobel Foundation has jumped shark down the slippery slope into the cesspool of political correctness. The link between the false science, fear-mongering and hypocrisy of the Global Warming moonbats, Al Gore in particular, and the advancement of the cause of peace among mankind totally escapes me.