Five Hundred Words

Ed Martin called it right.

In my view, there is an enormous overburden of crap that the GOP could be criticizing about the Democrats.  They spend too much, they have a warped view of what freedom is, they are bullies.  Every one of their policies have the opposite effect of what they are supposed to do.  With such a target-rich environment, you would think that everyone in the Republican Party would have more than enough to complain about long before they made their way down the list to another Republican.

You would think wrong. Continue Reading

If an American is specifically targeted by President Obama with a missile fired from a drone, and the press ignores it, does it make a sound? The President has taken it upon himself to draft his own guidelines for when it is appropriate to target American citizens on foreign soil. During his administration, a number of American citizens – and the unlucky individuals within the blast radius – have been killed in strikes authorized by the White House.

The reality is that traitorous Americans are going to engage in activity that threatens the US. I feel no particular sympathy for a dead terrorist that just happens to be an American by birth. In World War Two, a large number of Americans went to Nazi Germany to fight, and ended up being killed by GIs, bombed by the Army Air Corps or sent to the deep by the Navy. That’s what happens when you choose sides against your countrymen – your countrymen may kill you in the heat of battle. Continue Reading

My friend posted to his Facebook wall an example of odd things agnostics say:

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” ― Marcus Aurelius

I say that this is odd because it has a number of flawed suppositions that I would think would be self-evident. Continue Reading

Ed Martin is now Chairman of Missouri’s Republican Party.

Let that sink in for a minute.

The former chairman and the choice preferred by the GOP Establishment lost Saturday to Ed. The entire GOP delegation to Congress lined up behind the other guy. Normally when you are the head of an organization that puts up an epic fail like that suffered in 2012 here in Missouri you are politely invited to find another way to serve. Instead, the GOP-E backed the loser, which goes a long way to explaining how Speaker Bohener still has his job.

See, the establishment is not about winning, they are about not losing and so long as they have a seat at the table, they don’t seem to care about how wrecked everything surrounding the table gets. Continue Reading

I look up at a TV monitor while working out at the gym and saw a news report on “Meggings” – men’s leggings. These are skin-tight stretchy pants that cling to the legs. My first thought was, “Why are gay men no longer content to design clothes and shoes for women?” Then I asked “How in the hell is this news? Did the world suddenly get it’s shit together?” Then I thought…“damn!”

Brothers, hear me. Your wife or girlfriend may come to you with a pair of meggings and will say something like “Put these on, you’ll look hot in them!” If dumping her on the spot is not an option, you need to look that chick in the eye and say “No.”

Better yet, do not say “No” but rather “Hell No.” Make sure you say “Hell No” like Samuel Jackson being asked for a drink of water in the desert by a Klansman. Continue Reading

Quick question – do you know who the chairman of the Missouri GOP is?

Neither do I, and that’s a huge problem. At the Federal level, progressives run the show. Establishment GOP is spineless, the media are mendacious and the people are deeply confused about what should be done by the Feds. Part of the problem, candidly, is a moral failing of the electorate. Too many of us have our hand out and are wanting the government to do those things that ought to be done in our communities and families or by ourselves. Another part is a lack of leadership. Continue Reading

In spring of 2012, I visited with a group of men and women on a remote piece of property in rural Missouri.  They called themselves “Three Percenters”, a reference to the fact that the American war for independence was waged by only three percent of the colonists.

I went with my wife to meet with a family member who helped organize the meet-up.  I was going to talk about making and using a rocket stove, an innovation that allows third world residents cut their consumption of fuel. My wife was going to demonstrate canning. Continue Reading

This year, the pending holiday season found me feeling out of sorts. Black Friday turned into Black Thanksgiving Day, a sure sign we are losing our balance. Then came a raft of bad news, sad news, and outright horrific news that made this December feel bleak and ugly.

The economy is performing worse than was reported in the runup to the election. The president seems determined to run us over the fiscal cliff. Then reports came in from Newtown that broke our hearts. Continue Reading

As calls for a ban on “assault rifles” ring out, a little knowledge about the most popular “assault rifle” is in order.

The AR-15 replaced the heavier M1 Garand rifle that fired a powerful 30.06 (pronounced thirty ought six) cartridge, in Missouri, the 30.06 is a favorite among deer hunters. The weapon that ultimately became the main battle rifle of US forces fired a much lighter, higher velocity 5.56 mm cartridge.

There is a long spring in the back of the AR-15 that is compressed by a metal cylinder when the gun is fired. This spring and buffer soak up recoil from the fired round. This in turn keeps most of the “kick” of the rifle off the shooter’s shoulder. This innovation makes the AR-15 a relatively painless rifle to use. Being easier to shoot makes it easier to master shooting accurately. A combination of synthetic parts and sturdy, aluminum made the AR-15 rifle much lighter than equivalent firearms. Continue Reading

For many in America – myself included – the “fiscal cliff” is a forgone conclusion. We are going over. Exit polls in November showed a substantial number of Obama voters still blame President Bush for economic troubles and America voted for more of Obama’s medicine. The GOP was wrecked by FDR for decades, even though the Great Depression ground on despite (or because of) the New Deal. Post-cliff deprivations might be worth it to the President for a new Progressive hegemony. It’s not like any of his friends will go hungry.

Continue Reading