tag:www.paulieworld.com,2008:/commons//1 2008-02-09T15:00:35Z Movable Type 3.34 tag:www.paulieworld.com,2008:/commons//1.31 2008-02-07T23:22:18Z 2008-02-09T15:00:35Z

One of the local talk-radio wags was carrying on in the aftermath of Limbaugh trying to torpedo McCain as a danger to the Republican party. His name is Chris Core and he is on WMAL AM 630 here in the DC metro area, and on the internet. Conservative talk radio....

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons link to what they came up with.) You can argue until you are blue in the face about a lot of things, and the local wag and his audience did a whole bunch of that. I started listening to him in the fall of 2000, when I moved down to Montgomery County, MD, right before the 2000 election. I stayed up all night the day after I started a new job watching election results. During the rest of the fall, the tapes of the Gore vs. Bush Supreme Court debate would be hot off the burner and Core would have them on. It was really fascinating stuff. I generally have to give Core some credit, as the discussions on his show are pretty lively, and he works okay with the callers. There were two issues that had me wanting to chime in. The first, which did not make the creed, was "states' rights." "You gotta have states' rights on that list, Chris." "Oh, yeah, you can't be a conservative without believing in states' rights." He just made that statement when I dialed into the show - something I've never done, although I had a letter read on O'Reilly once - but got busy-signalled to death, then pulled into the doctor's office parking lot. (I mean, really, who listens to talk radio in the house??) The second is the first bullet listed in the so-called conservative creed they came up with: the first responsibility of government is a strong national defense. Core kept trying to figure out the best way to talk about a strong military. You see just above what he settled upon. Let's talk about "States' Rights" for a second. I'm going to go down this rabbit hole, because it's an important, pointy-headed Constitutional issue. First, only individuals have rights: the government has powers granted them by the will of the people, as enumerated in the Constitution. Let's all say "enumerated powers." Any issues with "States' Rights" are derived therefore from a discussion of power-sharing between levels of government. Neither local municipal, county, state, nor national governmental agencies have any rights, only powers. And, according to James Madison, the federal government - as delineated in the Constitution - operated directly on the individuals, with no intervening agency. One can stop the argument right here, but let's go on, because I know what you'll say: but what about individual state sovereignty? Aren't the states sovereign, and don't they have some protection from the national government? Let's define sovereignty. Here's Wikipedia on Sovereignty: "Sovereignty is the exclusive right to complete control over an area of governance, people, or oneself. A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority, subject to no other." Clearly, no state can match this definition, and, under our Constitution, can it. Here's Washington, writing during the period just before the Constitutional Convention of 1787: "Thirteen sovereignties, pulling against each other, and all struggling at the federal head, will soon bring ruin upon the whole." Surely, this most pre-eminent of our Founding Fathers must echo the intent for the national union. The states were no longer sovereign once the Constitution was ratified. Under the Articles of Confederation, "each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence;" the Preamble the US Constitution states that "we, the people, in order form a more perfect union... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Within the national framework, our establishing document does not carve out a sovereign situation for the states. If one were to make a case, I would posit that any sovereignty implied in the Preable is shared at the moment of ratification only by the individual and the national government ("We, the people," and the "more perfect union," "the United States"). In 1777, James Wilson of Pennsylvania, speaking on Congress, declared that individuals, and not states, were the object of governmental care. He amplified that statement while a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, asking whether the government was to over men, or over imaginary conglomerations named states? The concept of "state sovereignty," he further declared, was "magic over logic." However, there was a decades-long debate over the powers delegated by the people to the states by the Tenth Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." Any concept of States' Rights did not last past Reconstruction, when the national government made all of the rules for re-establishing state legislatures. Understand that at no time did the national government officially declare that any state had "left the union." The national government - Lincoln particularly - was adament that the states could not leave the union as they had no jurisdiction to do so: they had no sovereignty. Let's cut to the chase on this one: the attempt to legitimize any so-called 'states' rights' was made by the SLAVE OWNERS in order to perpetuate OWNING HUMAN BEINGS. Any other entities that joined the SLAVE OWNERS did so from a narrow, interest group, perspective. The issue was resolved in the Civil War. The modern discussion on "States Rights" is really an attempt by individuals, acting at times through state legislatures, to keep the national government from accruing non-enumerated powers to itself. Phew! Ready for a break? No chance. Let's remember a few things about our Founding Fathers in writing the Constitution. First, they were extremely capable political animals; Second, they understood a bit about grievances of the population and the recourse the people had in the face of governmental oppression; Third, they were breaking new ground in the face of foreign enemies who worked assiduously for their defeat - and knew it; Fourth they were guided by experience more than reason - they were extremely pragmatic; and, Fifth, they were mostly lawyers or businessmen who understood the power of words and contracts. Consequently, the document they wrote was pragmatic and explicit. Look at the Sixth Amendment: if the sum being contested was greater than $20 - $20! - then an individual had a right to a trial by jury. $20!!!! Washington's fortune at the time is estimated to be $500,000, making him one of the richest men in the nation. He and his bunch of revolutionaries dotted eyes and crossed tees in the Constitution to the tune of twenty bucks! Words meant a lot. So, the second issue from the wags on the radio is that "a strong national defense is the first purpose of the federal government." A strong national defense is not a purpose of our govenment, "providing for the common defense" is. "Strong" is an adjective not found in the Constitution. The Constitution is filled with nouns and verbs, Shalls and Shall Nots, not adverbs and adjectives. Neither is national defense the primary purpose of national government. The Preamble to the Constitution lists these as the functions of the national goverment: 1. Form a more perfect union 2. Establish justice 3. Insure domestic tranquility 4. Provide for the common 5. Promote the general welfare 6. Secure the blessings of liberty to [themselves] and [their] posterity These fellows made a list in certain order for a reason. The First Amendment came first for a reason, and the Second for another, but that's fish to fry on a different day. My beef with the wags on the radio was mostly about the fellow trying to explain why providing for the common defense was or is a critical function of the government, although my understanding of this being a cornerstone of conservatism is not very clear. Obviously, only a sovereign nation can perform those duties listed by the Preamble. Equally obvious is the need of guaranteeing such sovereignty, whether by crafty treaties or by carrying a big stick. So I would put on that fellow's conservative creed "Ensuring the sovereignty of the United States by whatever means available is an essential government function." The United States did not have a "strong" national defense at any time by world standards at any time other than, perhaps 1864-65; 1917-1918; or 1943 onwards. We were eyed as having a weak military throughout our history. In fact, during Jefferson's administration, we paid tribute to North African pirates! Despite an always-strong military, the United States had maintained its sovereign status, with each President taking the actions required at the time, some more successfully than others, but all of them, in the whole, successful. Which leads me back to my starting point, Conservatism, and what we call conservative today. Most folks seem to accept that "modern" conservatives are what used to "classically" be called "liberals." Whatever. Traditional conservatism means favoring gradual change and tradition. I don't see any need to go much farther than that. "A political philosophy based upon individual liberty, property rights, national sovereignty, and a strict, textual interpretation of the Constitution. Specific policy for governmental action in such a philosoply would be limited to achieving the specific purposes of the government as enumerated in the Preamble to the Constitution, and in the Constitution's Articles and Amendments." ]]> tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.30 2007-12-18T11:25:31Z 2008-02-07T23:22:08Z

Capitalism and Environmentalism: Free Markets and the Environment, Capitalism and Freedom, Milton Friedman, Free to Choose The money shot of all money shots: "The neo-hippies must be stopped, before they completely destroy our environment!" Any one of us at Paulie World could have written this article. From a new blog...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons Capitalism and Environmentalism: Free Markets and the Environment, Capitalism and Freedom, Milton Friedman, Free to Choose The money shot of all money shots: "The neo-hippies must be stopped, before they completely destroy our environment!" Any one of us at Paulie World could have written this article. From a new blog I discovered through Fark: "Arthur's Hall of Viking Manliness." ]]> tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.29 2007-12-06T13:40:48Z 2007-12-06T13:40:48Z

FOXNews.com - Nebraska Mall Shooter Broke Up With Girlfriend, Lost Job Before Massacre - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News Kid breaks up with girlfriend, loses job, breaks out the shooting irons. Media types wonder "what made him do it?" Man, within 24 hours, the...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons FOXNews.com - Nebraska Mall Shooter Broke Up With Girlfriend, Lost Job Before Massacre - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News Kid breaks up with girlfriend, loses job, breaks out the shooting irons. Media types wonder "what made him do it?" Man, within 24 hours, the shooter becomes the victim. How about: he was possessed by demons? As our God is a living God, so too must then be Satan. How about the egging-on the media circus imparts? Suicide note says: "Now I'll be famous." Ain't that something? Of course, this is what the media really wants, to create horrific news that coerces everyone to watch. Take a gander at the weather teasers every day. What made him do it? How about "He's crazy." Can't people be crazy anymore? A friend of mine recently expressed difficulty in adjusting to suburban life after a year in Baghdad. He's a good pal and I feel for him. Better him than me putting himself in harm's way. (I am a veteran army officer, by the way, who has had enough near misses with live bullets than most of my pre-9/11 generation.) God Speed, my erstwhile colleagues. But, my response was basically: Any guns in your lunch pail? Any dogs talking to you? Truck full of ammonium nitrate in the driveway? If you can answer No to all three questions, keep on chooglin'. Some people are just crazy, just like some people are just dumb, and some people have all the luck while most of us have none of it. "Now I'll be famous." Sheesh.]]> tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.28 2007-11-09T23:09:45Z 2007-11-09T23:17:16Z

Hi, the Swamp Fox again, I mentioned that there are three types of malfunctions, but I only described the first type. I apologize for this. So, let me start this post with that. The other two types of malfunctions are what the instructors called High Brass; commonly know as...

The Swamp Fox www.paulieworld.com/commons Hi, the Swamp Fox again, I mentioned that there are three types of malfunctions, but I only described the first type. I apologize for this. So, let me start this post with that. The other two types of malfunctions are what the instructors called High Brass; commonly know as a stove pipe. For those of you who may not know what this is, it is when a spent shell fails to eject properly and is caught in the ejector port causing the gun to not chamber another round as it prevents the slide from returning to battery, or to the proper position for firing. One must then looks at the gun to identify the malfunction, and lifting the muzzle up slightly tap the bottom of the magazine, roll the gun to the right as one racks the slide to eject the spent shell, and any round in the chamber to make sure one has a round properly seated in the chamber. Type three is what is called Low Brass; where a spent shell fails to eject even though the ejection sequence went as planned. This allows a shell to attempt to seat in behind the spent shell. In this case one lifts the gun to identify the malfunction, locks the slide back, strips the magazine from the gun, and racks the slide 3 times, to remove the contents of the chamber, do not lose contact with the slide during this procedure. The one inserts a fresh magazine and racks the slide again to chamber a round. Sorry for the omission of this in the last post Day Two at Front Sight, again one is to arrive at 7AM to be checked in although they know who you are, even the guard at the gate remembers each car, because when I rolled up he just waved me through the gate, whereas the first day he stops everyone and checks to make sure they are supposed to be there. After entering the compound it is in to the Pro Shop for the gun. One still has the hearing, and eye protection, holster, and magazine holders that one rented the day before so all one has to do is again hand over ones drivers license to obtain the rented gun, I checked the serial number and it was the same gun as before. This time they hand one the gun instead of placing it in the holster. There is time allotted for extra dry practice starting at 7:30 AM for anyone who wants to take part in it, which most of the class did. Then at 8 AM we were called to order and they started with the morning lecture about how one has to learn to draw and shoot in quickly, and how we will start with the turning targets. First the targets were turned and we slowly drew and pointed our guns at the targets, but every time something new was introduced we went through the steps with an EMPTY chamber and no magazine, this was true of the malfunctions too. Also, we didn’t work on the malfunctions with a loaded gun on Saturday that would come later. As one becomes familiar, and at ease with the situation the instructors had us proceed with a loaded weapon. Now, I am not one who is worried being around guns, however I must say that some of the people in the class did worry me. We were called to the firing line and told this is a DRY FIRE exercise, each time we were told something about the gun it was in a distinct and audible voice. We then knew to check out guns by that point in the class. So, after the chamber and magazine check that had become the norm we SLOWLY drew our guns and “fired” at the targets. Finally when the instructors were satisfied we were not going to shoot ourselves, we were told FIRING DRILL, they used these two different terms so we could more easily distinguish between the two types of exercise. The targets turned and we drew and fired, the targets faced us for a few minutes so everyone could draw and fire at their own speed. Then the targets started to turn at a faster rate, so that one had to pick up their speed, until it got to the point where one had to draw and fire in a matter of seconds, and while it seemed to be only about 3 seconds I am sure it was a little more, although I would say it was not more then 5 seconds one had to put the two shots in the target. One also had to be aware of how many rounds one had in ones gun. After we were to the point in the class where the instructors were confident that we could be trusted not to shoot ourselves they started sending groups of eight to the shoot house. Although some who went weren’t allowed to take a loaded weapon on the walk to the house, most were. This is the fun part. One goes to the shoot house and there is a concrete wall about eight feet high in front and ten foot high earthen mounds around the “house”. Everyone waits in front of the “house”, and they took us in one at a time. Although the person who went in prior was able to stay and watch the next person, and sometimes they would have that person pull the pop up targets. As one enters the area one sees generally what will happen, and although one knows what is coming one is still rather apprehensive. One stands there as the range master, while telling you what he is doing connects a carabineer to ones belt in the back, and asks if one is ready. If one says yes the range master sets up the scenario of a home invasion, he says something like you are sitting home watching TV when suddenly you hear, there is a bit of a wait, I guess to throw ones timing off. Then the instructors start to bang on and kick the walls around you, while shouting rather profanely, this is to obtain some semblance of reality. Then everything kicks in and the “front” door fails in and a picture of a guy holding a shotgun, pointed at one is there. This is when the adrenalin really kicks in, even though one could feel it building as one waited. Now one puts everything one has learned into action. One automatically, probably because it is fresh in ones mind, goes through the steps of pulling the gun and firing. As soon as one shoots this guy in the door they holler “what is all this noise over here” and a man holding a drill moves into the doorway. Followed by the shout of “you shoot my brother and another guy “steps” up to the window one shoots him, each time it is 2 shots to the thoracic cavity, to make sure one puts him down. Then there is a few seconds before the third individual moves into a window saying something along the lines of you “killed my friends”. As one shoots him he moves back. I decided at this time to do a tactical reload, and just as I got the magazine out of my gun the third guys stepped back up to the window, which meant I had to shoot him in the head. As we were taught, two to the chest, and if that doesn’t put them out of the fight then one to the head the area of which is from the top of the eye brows to the bottom of the nose. This will stop them like a light switch was flipped to off. So, with an unloaded gun I did something I don’t think they wanted me to do, or expected me to do, I squatted down and move towards the wall, if only to make a smaller target. The man on the carabineer was pulling on my belt to get me up, but I resisted until I had reloaded. At which point I stood and shot this target twice in the head. Now the scene that all the parents said held a particular horror arose. In a child’s voice one of the instructors shouted mommy or daddy as the case was, the bad man said he is going to hurt me. Now I don’t have kids but this still bothered me more then anything else in the shoot house. The picture in this target is of a man holding a child in front of him, with a knife to the child’s throat. So the only thing one can do s to shoot the bad guy in the head, but with only the head to see one has to be much more careful in ones aim. I shoot the guy in the mouth, which they told us in a very low chance of hitting anything vital, and once along the line of the eyebrows just over the bridge of the nose. After one is finished with the shoot they walk one through all the targets and critique ones performance. I was happy with my shooting and their critique of it. After the shoot house I went back to the range and the instructors ran anyone who wanted to through some firing drills, again like the practice sessions that morning, almost everyone took part for the extra practice. As the sun began to set they sent us into the main building for the closing ceremonies, where they give out the certificates to the people who in the other courses earned Distinguished Graduate, for the course I took one was given a certificate of accomplishment. Around 7-7:30PM we were done. The instructors asked us to evaluate the course we took and give any complaints or suggestions on how to make it better. I thought it was excellent and told them so; this is done by writing down what one thinks anonymously. In between all the shooting we still had lectures, which talked about how even when one is correct in shooting, based on what they are seeing. Even though a group of ones peers would consider it reasonable to shoot, it is not always the right thing to do. The example given came from an instructor, who was a cop before he started to teach at Front Sight. He told the story of one his way home from work he stopped at the 7-11 to buy milk. As he tuned from the dairy case he hears the door open and sees a two guys in trench coats run in wearing ski masks with shotguns and yell at the clerk “GIMME THE MONEY, OR I’LL KILL YOU!” Now a reasonable person would think it is a robbery, as did he. He told us how if he had knocked over a can of soda they would have turned and he would have shot them, as it were he said he was pulling 5 pounds on a 5 ½ pound trigger. He told us he would have been justified in shooting as it was a reasonable belief that they were robbing the store. He was extremely relieved that someone stopped him, but also angry that they didn’t have better checks on whom came into the store while filming. That is the thing REASONABLE, did you have a reasonable belief that you or another innocent was in danger of death or serious bodily injury? Would a group of your peers have had the same belief? This is what it all comes down to. If one is going to carry a gun one must be prepared both mentally and physically to pull the trigger on another human, and kill them. So, one has to decide right now, is it worth fighting for? If it is it is worth killing for, and if it is worth killing for, it is worth dieing for, and draw the line in the sand that one will not let another cross without consequence. We were also instructed in the procedure for dry practice. In a quiet house alone, make sure the gun and magazine are unloaded. Then practice for 15 – 20 minutes, they told us after that time period one starts to loss concentration, and nothing is gained. When done say out loud I am done with dry practice and put the gun away. NEVER aim at anything other then the target you use to practice with so as not to try it when not in practice mode, and put a bullet through the family portrait, or whatever. We were told to practice because if one is in a situation where one has to pull the gun one will be, at best, only 50% of what one is on their best day on the range, and they said that was an optimistic estimate. I know Paulie at least will understand this. There was certain camaraderie at the school. Everyone talks to each other like they are a friend, sort of like a Dead show. I think it is because one has something in common with all the other people there, even though that may be the only thing we had in common. It was also the same type of camaraderie I found when I went sky diving, everyone joking at the new guy’s expense but all in good fun, and trying to scare him. Saying things like “remember pull before impact”, while patting the where ones rip cord was, as others would say don’t worry everyone lands, at which pint they would all laugh, while you stand there filled with apprehension about jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. Only at Front Sight there was no joking it was all serious business. Just friendly conversation about where one was from and what one did. How did one hear of Front Sight? What kind of gun one had. Did one shoot often? Was one going to get a CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) Permit? Things such as that. So, with the light failing everyone said their good byes, and left. Some of us were driving, home. Others were headed to the airport for flights home some went into Vegas for the night and the trip home in the morning. I headed into Vegas for a week of relaxation, and checking out the town. I will post my wanderings and such in another post in a few days. Check back if you think you might like to find out what I did. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope it was informative and entertaining. The Swamp Fox tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.27 2007-11-01T23:43:52Z 2007-11-02T16:29:03Z

Hey, Paulieworld, The Swamp Fox was in Nevada, for a fun week. First on the agenda was Front Sight, a world class shooting school. I took the two day defensive handgun course. But first, I got into Las Vegas about 12:30 local time 19 October, about a half hour ahead...

The Swamp Fox www.paulieworld.com/commons Hey, Paulieworld, The Swamp Fox was in Nevada, for a fun week. First on the agenda was Front Sight, a world class shooting school. I took the two day defensive handgun course. But first, I got into Las Vegas about 12:30 local time 19 October, about a half hour ahead of schedule which is always nice. After collecting my luggage, and rental car I drove to Pahrump about an hour away, I got to tell you, if you ever get to Vegas you MUST take a ride out into the country side. It is absolutely beautiful, there are some mountains, although not really big mountains, and it is a stark beauty. It’s a place like this where one can see what is meant by the stanza “Purple Mountains Majesty”. The landscape is sort of like Iceland, but different, if you know what I mean. There is that monochromatic look, in Iceland it is a yellow, and gray, well varying shades of yellow, and gray, Nevada is a tan and seems to be more uniform. However I could be wrong I was trying to take it in while driving. On the way to Pahrump along Highway 160 there were signs telling one to be aware of the wild horses and burros that may be in the road, I bet that would mess up your day, if you hit one of those bad boys. Also, there is a lot of open range, and signs that warn of it. The speed limit is 70 in some places but most people seemed to be going about 75 or 80, I went about 70. If anyone travels a lot especially to other states, if you rent a car, take my advice get a GPS. Man, are those things invaluable, no need for a map, never stop for directions. It will take you turn by turn to your destination right on the money, well, they say within 25 feet plus or minus, but hey, if you can’t find where you are going if you are within 25 feet, you shouldn’t be out wandering around outside by yourself. Further, one can program it for shortest route, no highway, or whatever, and even if you miss a turn it will still get you where you want to go. So, I get into my hotel about 2:00 after about an hour ride and I laid down for about an hour, to relax, got up and went out. I took a little ride around about 4PM or so I went to the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and casino, which is just down the street from my hotel. They have a nice restaurant in there called Stockman’s Steakhouse; it doesn’t open till 5PM. So, I did a little gambling, and threw some dice, Paulie told me he loves to throw dem bones. Well, not knowing what I was doing I asked guys running the show what I was doing, they were very helpful. Told me why I won and why I lost. I played while waiting for Stockman’s to open; it was only about 30 minutes, so I only cashed ten dollars to play while waiting and to learn. I was up about five or ten dollars, but man did it disappear fast, when the dice turned on us. Of course I could have played longer but I kept letting everything I won ride. Being the new guy, they gave me the dice, when I said I would just watch and bet, the guys running the table would have none of that, everybody shoots they said. Threw a seven on the first roll then had six as my point. Threw a few rolls and one guy was betting everything and making some cash. But, after abut ten rolls, CRAP, eleven. So I was done. Still had about five dollars so I bet on someone else rolling and was good for a while till they crapped out. Very nice, my meal was a salad with a raspberry vinaigrette, Filet Mignon, medium, and a Baked Potato, with a glass of Casa Lapostolle, a Merlot, and for desert I had cheesecake with espresso. It was all very good, and my waitress Ann was excellent. She said she would give the address for Paulieworld to her boss so he could read my review of dinner, so if he is reading this make sure you give her some props. The entire dining experience was very good, best steak I’d had in a while. Saturday, awoke at 5:30, quick shower, down to breakfast, and then off to Front Sight. One has to be there by 7:00AM so they can check in and go through the Dressing Station, where their equipment is checked, if they brought their own. If, however you are renting your equipment then you check in go to the Pro Shop rent a weapon, holster, magazine holder, hearing and eye protection, buy three hundred rounds of ammunition, then it is out to the Dress Station where THEY attach the holster and magazine holder. They put the gun in the holster, and tell you DON’T TOUOCH THE GUN UNTIL, YOU ARE TOLD TO! This is something they are adamant about. They are very, very safety conscience, and very professional about everything. I would expect no less when dealing with firearms. I counted in the course I took 44 students, there were about 6 different classes going on that weekend, not all the same class. There was rifle, shotgun, and a few other handgun classes. I was expecting a class on marksmanship, this is not the case, this school is on a certain level a survival school. This is not to mean that there area bunch of survivalists running around in camouflage, but there was a lot of camouflage, desert and woodland mostly. The people attending this school were normal citizens who just want to be able to defend themselves and their families in a dangerous situation. There were a lot of Police Officers, and some Military, a few of the instructors were former Police Officers. So, holstered up, I headed into the lecture hall, were we filed out a form stating they we knew the risks and didn’t hold Front Sight responsible for anything that happened, and they listed all of the anticipated and unanticipated, such as malfunctions and mishaps. Then there was a lecture about how we were going to learn how to defend ourselves and our families. At Front Sight the first thing they do is give us the sobering information that even if we do defend ourselves, and do it correctly and in accordance with the law does not mean we get to go home and go on with our lives. Then is was out to the range, were we were given another lecture this one on the proper handling of a gun. Then we got a demonstration on this handling, and one on how, if we trained and practiced, we would be able to shoot, and boy could those people shoot. At 45 feet they can put 2 rounds in an area the size of a quarter. The first lesson is how to aim, one lines the sights up, and they put a magazine on top of the rear sights and ask if you can still see the front sight. They stress that one focuses on the front sight, and keeps it aligned with the rear. The difficulty is to not look at the target or over the sights. Next they teach how to fire the weapon; however this is not done with any rounds in the gun. One is also taught to check the gun, chamber check, and magazine check. These consists of placing the support hand under the gun which is close to the chest for leverage, and push the slide back, just a enough to see in the chamber. Next one checks the magazine by operating the magazine release, and checking if one doesn’t drop out by feeling with a finger into the magazine well. They teach one how to stand to shoot; feet shoulder width, turned at a 30 degree angle to the target, knees bent a little, and a leaning slightly forward in an aggressive posture, this is called the Weaver Stance. When we were finally allowed to handle our guns, we stood on the firing line and SLOWLY went through the steps of pulling from a holster, presenting, and pointing a handgun. One would think this is a rather uncomplicated exercise…well one would be wrong, as was I; there are 5 steps they use and teach. Step One, firing hand establishes a solid grip the stock high on the tang, trigger finger straight and pointed down along the holster and the support hand goes to the mid-section. Second, the gun is lifted straight up and out, until the gun clears the holster trigger finger is along the frame of the gun. Third, close contact, elbow drops down, and the shoulder rotates the weapon to close contact, where the guns finds a point on the ribs where it should always go to in this step, finger remains along the frame. Fourth, support hand meets the firing hand as the gun moves towards the target, safety is removed, and trigger finger is still along the frame. Step Five, isometric pressure is applied and the ready or point position is achieved, the finger remains along the frame in ready, or on the trigger if pointing. To holster the gun one goes through these steps in reverse, one should be able to holster the gun without looking, or feeling, as it is at close contact, and just rotate the muzzle down and the gun should slide right into the holster. Also, one seats the gun in the holster firmly before one lets go of the gun. If one fires his gun there is what the instructors called the after action drill, this consists of one step to the side, either side it doesn’t matter except to move out of any possible line of fire. As one steps to the side one quickly checks to each side for other threats, then one checks on the attacker to make sure they are down, and out of the fight, at which time one scans for other threats, and determines whether it is safe or not. We were paired up with what is called a coach/student, which is another student in the class who reminds one of things one may neglect and to ensure that one is safe. This helps to reinforce the lessons taught. They also teach the Five Levels of Competence, and the Color Code of Mental Awareness. Along with, Moral and Ethical Decisions of Using Deadly Force, Use of Deadly Force, Malfunctions, Drawing Ones Gun and Firing, When is Deadly Force Justified, Explanation of Risks, What Happens to One After the Use of Deadly Force, Tactics, and Dry Fire Practice Procedures and Schedule, Concealed Carry Permits, Stopping Power, categories of handgun calibers, best choice of calibers for defensive handguns, bullets shape. For this post however, I will focus on the Levels of Competence, and Color Code of Awareness. The levels of competence are Intentionally Incompetence (II), these are people who know they are incompetent, but lack the motivation to learn. Unconscious Incompetence (UI), this group consists of about 95% of all gun owners; this includes police and military personnel they just don’t know they don’t know. Consciously Incompetence (CI), these are people who have been in a deadly encounter and survived. They know to pplace the blame for their incompetence on the person in the mirror, and have gone from UI to CI and wish to obtain better training. Consciously Competent (CC), this group has had training but still needs to hone his skills. Unconscious Competent (UC), these people are at the top of the game, if they are involved in an encounter where they need their skills they don’t even think about what it is they are doing. Training takes over and they unconsciously react to the situation. The Color code of Awareness is White, Yellow, Orange, Red, and Black. Code White, in a perfect world we could live in Code White all the time. However, in Condition White if an attack occurs it will take a few seconds to register and for one to respond. One should never be in this state. In this state one has most likely lost, before the fight states. Condition Yellow, this is a relaxed but alert state one is walking head up, hands at ones sides and looking around for ANY potential threat. This is a state where it is much harder to be surprised by an attack, and one can respond to the attack as it occurs. Condition Orange, one has identified a threat, but since an attack hasn’t actually begun one can deter the attack by ones actions of changing direction or crossing the street. The attacker will know one is ready and look for easier prey elsewhere. One is also ready to defend against an attack if it occurs. Condition Red, the attack is imminent, and one has readied ones response to it, this means one must be ready to run away, or to fight. They stress that the best thing to do, if one is able to is run. The reasoning behind this is, is it worth fighting for? If it is worth fighting for then it is worth dieing for, and if it is worth dieing for then it is worth killing for. If one can not run and must defend oneself or family they teach you that a quick response may often deter the attack. This means pulling ones gun in a sure and competent manner, showing ones attacker that one knows how to handle it and is ready to use it. I will give you an example of how they put this in perspective in a bit. Condition Black, the fight is on and one must be ready, mentally and physically, to take the fight to the attacker, and when you do you use the tools one has to stop the attack as soon as possible. With a gun this is to shoot for the center of the thoracic cavity, where there is a lot of good stuff to hit which will stop the attacker, things like the heart, lungs, spleen, diaphragm, and maybe one may be able to clip the liver. If for whatever reason this doesn’t stop the attack then one shoots for the head. The area here is from the top of the eyebrows, to the bottom of the nose, which will instantly stop any attack, because the instructor said it is straight into the brain which will turn off anyone light a switch was tripped. Ones car, money, watch, camera, or whatever isn’t really all that important enough to kill or die for. To make this point they pick someone out of the class and use the scenario of you are at Sea World watching the sharks. Your Rolex watch falls in the shark tank; do you go in after it? When the person says no, they are asked “Why not? That is an expensive watch” the gentleman, said it is only a watch, and I can if need be get another one. The instructor then says, “Now you see out of the corner of your eye your 4 year old daughter go in the tank, what do you do”? This tends to put it in perspective. The man said he would go into the tank for his daughter, the instructor then asked “Why, you can always make another daughter?” The man however was unmovable on this, the instructor was using this to make the point of just what is important and what is not One may always get another watch; it just isn’t worth going in the tank for a watch. However, ones daughter, or son is an entirely different matter, and this is what they mean by is it worth dieing for? If so then it is worth killing for. After making that point the instructor said if “Joe” had said, pulling out a folding knife, I want that watch, we would probably all move to get away from this nut job. The same would be true if he said, well I can always make another daughter, or son. So, they try and put one into a position where one has to decide what is really important BEFORE the time comes. The instructors walk the class through the various malfunctions and how to deal with them. There are three types of malfunctions. Type One, a dead trigger, where one pulls the trigger and gets only a click, they say this is the loudest sound in a gun fight. For this type one simply taps the magazine, and racks the slide while rolling the gun to the right to clear any rounds in the chamber. Type Two has the same procedure except one looks at the slide to determine the malfunction. Type Three one has to strip the magazine, rack the slide three times and insert a fresh magazine. Then the class tries these maneuvers at speed with no magazine in the gun, and after, the class become comfortable they are moved up to doing them with a magazine, and firing a round after clearing the malfunction. This was about the end of the first day, and it ended with one more lecture on use of deadly force, legally morally and ethically. The lecture on the use of deadly force and the moral and ethical ramifications of it is one of the most informative. They explain that if one does shoot someone, most likely one will kill them, if only because where you shoot to stop is also the most deadly place to shoot them. One will not just go about ones business even if charges are not pressed, one now has to live with all the doubts, and what ifs that will come. Then there is depression and anger, regret, and people asking why. Why didn’t one do this, or do that, like shooting them in the leg, or shoulder, or whatever they may ask, and one has to be prepared for this. Some of the problems one may experience are, arrest for up to 48 hours, bail of at least 10,000, immediate outlay of another 10,000 for a lawyer, 5,000 for expert retention, legal cost may be a minimum of 50,000, months if not years of court cases, A criminal case followed by a civil case as your attackers family sues you for pain and suffering. Your family suffers also, because of possible harassing phone calls; they will be subject to gossip, ridicule, and insults. There is the loss of friends, and business associates. Other problems include difficulty sleeping, reoccurring nightmares, ulcers, appetite and digestive disorders, self doubt, and depression, sexual dysfunction, and impotence. Then one may start or return to abusing alcohol, and or drugs. Divorce and other family relationship problems may develop, due to the stress placed on the family. In the criminal and civil court cases one has to be able to put the jury in ones shoes at the time one fired the gun. They tell one what is the best thing to do after shooting, it is very detailed and much to long to go into here, but the crux of it is call 911, explain what happened, what one looks like, who one is, and send an AMBULANCE, and police, ambulance first as it shows concern for the person shoot, and that if ones attacker survives one wants to press charges. As for the lawyer find an ex cop or judge, and not one who is antagonistic as one doesn’t want publicity, one wants this handled in quiet and behind closed doors just ones lawyer and the prosecutor. However, that in spite of these problems one is better off alive then dead. These problems can be fixed, whereas if you lose the fight you are dead. And life is always better then death. A gun fight is a risky endeavor, one never wins anything, and one just gets to keep what one already has. This example is given on how it works. That out a hundred dollar bill, now we make a bet, if I win I get the C-Note, if you win you get to keep it. That is a gun fight you have nothing to gain and everything to lose. This is about how the first day ended, I will post two or three pages at a time about Front Sight, and after I get through with this I will tell a little of what Vegas was like. So, stay tuned for my next installment. Thanks, The Swamp Fox tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.26 2007-10-26T18:17:42Z 2007-10-26T18:18:47Z

There has been so much noteworthy activity in the political world lately, and I am now finally becoming interested in what a few of the dozens of Presidential candidates have to say. Thompson has been a big yawn. McCain will always be McCain. I like the war hero McCain very...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons There has been so much noteworthy activity in the political world lately, and I am now finally becoming interested in what a few of the dozens of Presidential candidates have to say. Thompson has been a big yawn. McCain will always be McCain. I like the war hero McCain very much, however.... Just a few random comments here prompted by your message, (in no particular order): As I recall, and for what it's worth, the Oklahoma City bombing was a protest against both the Waco massacre and the siege at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. Yes, this was during the GHWB administration, in 1992. Regarding Waco, I will never forget watching the seige on live TV, shocked that the federal government (meaning the Clintonista Regime) ordered a military attack against American citizens. If I recall correctly, the first vehicle to breach the compound was from an Army Reserve engineer unit. I tried to imagine a Connecticut National Guard unit being ordered to assault a religious cult in the woods of Danielson (or East Hampton, whatever...). Two agents had been killed, but the eventual response was beyond comprehension, and no one was held accountable. This is highly relevant today, as Co-Presidents Clinton placed all blame on Janet Reno, who was Hillary's choice (albeit her third choice) for AG. Reno was never punished, and went on to abuse the AG's office to defend the regime's perpetual scandals. We need to remind voters who President Hillary will appoint. Romney will be a much stronger candidate than a lot of people think. I agree that early primary wins will increase name recognition and he will respond well to that. I had the pleasure to meet him earlier this year after a speech in Greenwich. He is very bright and charismatic, and is very likeable. Romney is a big name in Michigan, which will be pivotal in the national election. He's winning the pro-lifers, who can sink Rudy either in the primary or in the national election by not showing up. I'm still leaning toward Rudy because of leadership. Also, he has the potential to bring in several big states that otherwise might not be in play for the GOP. The September 11th factor weighs heavy in NY, NJ, PA, VA and CT. Many of the people in these states were already aware of Rudy's transformation of NYC. No matter who the GOP candidate is, he will be attacked by the left-wing media, which have been covering up for Hillary for 15 years. Now they are mostly ignoring her illegal fundraising, as well as her 50% negatives -- unprecedented for a major party's presumptive nominee! Rudy is the best candidate to go head-to-head against her, but he might not get the chance. I know a couple of Romney's insiders and they tell me that he is the most competitive man they've ever met. He will be a great candidate. tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.25 2007-10-26T18:14:58Z 2007-10-26T18:23:55Z

In response to Mr. Adams: My dad asked me last Christmas dinner who I thought would win in 2008 and I gave him the same answer, for a lot of the same reasons. Conceding that (for the sake of the argument) it's Hillary vs Romney, whose background will rouse more...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons In response to Mr. Adams: My dad asked me last Christmas dinner who I thought would win in 2008 and I gave him the same answer, for a lot of the same reasons. Conceding that (for the sake of the argument) it's Hillary vs Romney, whose background will rouse more prejudice in the voters, Hillary the leftist woman or Romney the whacko Mormon? A lot of people are going to be voting on that issue. The press, of course, will point to all the other woman leaders out there in the world - especially Thatcher and Meir - and at the same time point back to the troubles the Mormons and Utah had in their relationship with the US. There was a front-page article in Time or Newsweek seven or ten years ago praising the Mormons for raising their kids the right way; I'm sure by next spring, Time will have forgotten that and only focus on the polygamists and gun nuts. (Hey, Swamp Fox, was Ruby Ridge in Idaho? Or New Mexico? Where?) (NB: Let's not forget that the Oklahoma City bombing was a protest againstRuby Ridge: unfortunately that was a GHWB administration, not a Clinton one, if I remember correctly.) If Hillary is the candidate, I will bang the Waco & posse comitatus drum as loudly as I can. I really don't think there's much of a chance of Hillary not being the candidate. She (and her minion, Rahm Emanuel) have had way too much control in disbursing funds to other candidates not to have coopted them and their organizations. Her status as a front-runner has none of that Willy Stark hellfire that Dean had in the winter of 2003 - 2004, although I would say that her administration would have all of that Willy Stark corruption. Hey, good to be back. tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.24 2007-10-26T18:10:21Z 2007-10-26T18:12:40Z

Just to go on record, I predict that the next POTUS will be - Mitt Romney. Here's my reasoning. Romney will likely win Iowa and NH. He has plenty of his own money. Evangelicals just won't support Rudy. Thompson just doesn't seem to be exciting anyone. McCain has no chance...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons Just to go on record, I predict that the next POTUS will be - Mitt Romney. Here's my reasoning. Romney will likely win Iowa and NH. He has plenty of his own money. Evangelicals just won't support Rudy. Thompson just doesn't seem to be exciting anyone. McCain has no chance because of his immigration position. So Mitt is going to get the GOP nomination. Hillary will get the Democratic nomination. And I still think Hillary's negatives are too high to be elected. Even though Hillary puts Ohio into play, Romney puts Michigan into play. And Mitt looks and sounds the part. I think Giuliani would be a good President, but he is not a conservative. He loses the social values voters. I think Romney can get the values voters. And I think he wins Michigan, making it pretty difficult for any democrat to win. That being said, I have not yet decided who I will vote for in the primary. I will vote for the Republican nominee in the general election, whoever it is. The Democrats have some pretty scary candidates on their side, and frankly, as much as she turns my stomach whenever I hear her speak, Hillary is the least scary. Hillary will screw up the country economically and socially, but on the foreign policy front I believe that she actually gets the Islamic fanatic threat – which is why the Kos idiots are so unhappy with her. Obama and Edwards are a joke on foreign policy as well as domestic policy. tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.23 2007-10-26T13:49:48Z 2007-10-26T18:10:10Z

Hard to believe we're only just now getting into the 2008 elections. Or, hard to believe we're actually having serious discussions about the 2008 elections. The "keep the incumbent" mentality of both major political parties has pulled the primary season all the way into College Bowl season. These anti-democratic antics...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons Keating Five. (And don't come back to me after reviewing the facts that McCain was found by the Senate ethics committee to have broken no law of the United States. Quis custodiet ipso custodes? Huh? Tough now to remember how it used to be, when early summer (Stanley Cup season) decided primaries. In 1968, Bobby Kennedy won the California primary on June 5, and the expectation that the upcoming New York primary would be a dogfight. (Only 17 states had primaries in 1968; there were 30 that had them in 1976. Most states had some sort of caucus. I somewhat miss those days of smoke-filled rooms and conventions that meant something.) I thought we had much better candidates who were able to focus on more weighty issues. Besides, it's only the partisans who vote in primaries anyway, right? Today's beauty pagent is already six months too long before the primaries; getting the primaries out of the way by March is the major parties' way of eliminating competition from the incumbents, coupled with the desire to turn the substance of a political debate into pabulum. The substantive discussion of issues has become an avoidance of making mistakes, and the general debate has devolved into background noise until the party attack machines find some bomb to drop in order to make the other guy look like a sleaze. Imagine Lincoln getting elected now with a crazy wife, whose family were slaveholders, and whose sons fought and died for the cause of the insurrection. Makes poor W's 25-year old DUI bust seem pale by comparison. Ugh. Political primaries. Even reading our old reliables over at Real Clear Politics, Free Republic, and, of course, PoliPundit, seems drab and tired. Well, we'll be back up to our old tricks soon enough. Mr. Adams, Gen'l Putnam, and myself have started cranking up the sophistry machine with a string of emails with 2008 predictions. Stay tuned. ]]> tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.22 2007-10-15T01:19:52Z 2007-10-15T01:28:18Z

PEOPLE OF THE COMMONS, THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION! I am issuing a call to action for the citizens of Paulieworld. Now, I know we all support the troops, and wish to do what we can to help them in the completion of their mission. Well, here is a...

The Swamp Fox www.paulieworld.com/commons PEOPLE OF THE COMMONS, THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION! I am issuing a call to action for the citizens of Paulieworld. Now, I know we all support the troops, and wish to do what we can to help them in the completion of their mission. Well, here is a way to help, there is a product called Bore Snake, which is a cleaning device for firearms. It is something they all can use, it’s a fairly straight forward implement, quick, and easy to use, one simply drops the weighted end down the barrel of the weapon, from the breech and pulls the Bore Snake, after treating it with cleaning solvent through the barrel. The Snake has a brass brush embedded in the cleaning cloth, and is a great, quick, one step cleaning tool. Further, there is a group on the internet taking donations for Bore Snakes to be sent to Soldiers, and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, one submits a donation and they buy the Snake and ship it to someone, or you can specify who you wish to get the Bore Snake. To check it out go to projectboresnake.org and all you need to help will be on the website. The Swamp Fox tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.21 2007-09-29T14:05:07Z 2007-09-29T14:06:36Z

Clinton: $5,000 for Every U.S. Baby And another thing that doesn't seem to hold much water: "Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that every child born in the United States should get a $5,000 "baby bond" from the government to help pay for future costs of college or...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons Clinton: $5,000 for Every U.S. Baby And another thing that doesn't seem to hold much water: "Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that every child born in the United States should get a $5,000 "baby bond" from the government to help pay for future costs of college or buying a home." Hillary calls a $20B gift from the taxpayers to babies a return to "the tradition of savings she remembers as a child." What is it about receiving a handout that equates with "saving." My remembrance of a "tradition of savings" was getting up and delivering newspapers to put $10 a week if I was lucky into a bank account. I don't think the "pay me for making babies" is anything close to working hard to learn the value of a dollar.]]> tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.20 2007-09-23T18:52:18Z 2007-09-23T18:56:59Z

From: The Swamp Fox To: The Commons Subject: GoE, OPERATION JUSTICE & A.N.S.W.E.R./MAS Rally Date: 15 September, 2007 Washington, D.C. Time: 11:00 to 18:00 Well, people, I went to the Gathering of Eagles (GoE) counter protest to the International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)/ Muslim American...

The Swamp Fox www.paulieworld.com/commons From: The Swamp Fox To: The Commons Subject: GoE, OPERATION JUSTICE & A.N.S.W.E.R./MAS Rally Date: 15 September, 2007 Washington, D.C. Time: 11:00 to 18:00 Well, people, I went to the Gathering of Eagles (GoE) counter protest to the International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)/ Muslim American Society (MAS) peace march. First I stopped at the GoE Rally Point (RP). It was basically the same as last time (17 March, 2007) very Patriotic, lots of Flags, Veterans, Parents, Gold and Blue Star, speaking. Telling us about them children, and how they parent, and child appreciated our support. A few of the A.N.S.W.E.R. people wandered through, I think they were looking for a confrontation, if only by the way they presented themselves. They moved to the center of the group in front of the stage, displaying signs in opposition to the war. They were ignored, and were, after awhile, asked, politely, to leave the area, and were escorted out, if only to insure nothing was instigated by either side. I listened to a couple of Blue and Gold Star parents speak about their sons, and daughters. They were very proud of their children, and while I know this was not the only reason, for their commitment to what they were doing. As they spoke one could hear the pride in the voice, even as it broke with emotion. The most poignant were the Gold Star parents; they stood tall, thanking us for being there, and honoring their child, and their sacrifice. If one looked around amongst the crowd the sight of bikers with their tough hard appearance wiping their eyes as these parents spoke was touching. One incident of an anti in the crowd was they arrived and stood there watching the speaker, while wearing a shirt with a saying and holding a sign, neither of which I could read. The GoE Marshalls first asked that they leave, and when they declined, four of them stood in a box formation so as to either protect, or prevent any of sort shenanigans. They were ignored, and finally seeing that they were not going to get a rise out of the GoE they left. It was not long after, that I decided to go see what the A.N.S.W.E.R. crowd was up to. As I made my way to their RP, and not knowing where it was I thought I would follow the crowd as they would be easily identified by their signs and what not. I saw none of them going to the A.N.S.W.E.R. RP from the direction of the Mall. This lack of “help” required me to ask the Police. The first police I saw were two hanging out talking, stating that I had to get to the A.N.S.W.E.R. rally, I inquired as to the location Eyeing me suspiciously, I guess thinking I was one of the protesters, one of them asked who was making me go, to which I explained my situation, they looked at each, other as if to say I would be better off to just bag it, but did give me directions. I thanked them and was on my way. As I neared the gathering area I noticed more and more police, although they appeared to be manning the intersections. When I got to the A.N.S.W.E.R RP, at New York Ave. and 15th Street, I was very aware of a whole different feeling from the police, and the crowd. At the GoE RP the police were relaxed and stayed a back from the crowd talking amongst themselves. They didn’t seem concerned with us causing trouble or problems. In fact I had to actually look for them and I could only see about six of them, gathered near the GoE RP, relaxing against their vehicles. However, at the A.N.S.W.E.R. RP, they gave off a vibe of tension, as if just waiting for someone to start something or the crowd to get out of hand. There were also A LOT more of them there. Their vehicles, pulled up near by, approximately ten to fifteen feet away, forming a cordon as they eyed anyone not carrying a camera with interest, and the police appeared to have video set up also. They were also dressed in BDU style uniforms, whereas the police at the GoE RP were in the usual uniforms one sees police wearing. The mounted police were at the GoE RP and the horses didn’t have the face guards that I saw later when the A.N.S.W.E.R. crowd was in the area. I guess the police were worried about those people trying to harm the horses. I asked one police officer, unofficially of course, what the felt about this whole ordeal, he looked at me and said “Sir, I am just doing my job. I have no opinion about all this.” But with a wink and an almost imperceptible shake of his head I knew how he felt. I chuckled and walk across the street, and into a group of what is called the “Black Block” Now here is a wacko group. They are distinguishable by their all black clothes, and the fact that they wear bandanas to cover their face. They are also supposed to be prone to violence. Well, I have hung out in biker bars, and was more worried about violence then in the midst of these kids. They were all fresh faced, and seemed to be freshman or sophomores in college, about twenty or twenty two. I asked why they wore the masks, and was told they are SDS, yes SDS, and that the mask was so the police could not target one individual for arrest, it made for more difficult identification. To which I stated that I remembered to old SDS and they put their faces out there were all could see it, and if they were proud of their work they should let everyone know who did it, and not hide behind a mask. This did not go over well. I then told them that this was just my observation, and didn’t mean to insult them. Discretion is the better part of valor, as they say, so why start a ruckus with them. I was by the way vastly out numbered, something like fifty to one, but I did chat with a group of five as we chatted others would slip into the conversation and drop little snide remarks, I guess hoping for a confrontation. There were also a few who came up trying to act intimidating, but did a poor job of it, and didn’t stay long. We chatted for a about an hour, and they told me they were anarchists. This started a debate about someone having to be in charge, or nothing would get done, something they didn’t seem to agree with, but they were respectful of my opinion. When informed that even animals have an individual in charge, they said well, that is animals, and how humans can work together and not need a leader. I told them that just because we lived in buildings and got our meat wrapped in plastic didn’t mean we were civilized, and pointed out what happens when there is a natural disaster, like a hurricane, citing New Orleans in September 2005as an example, but they seemed to discount that as an anomaly. A few talked about not paying enough taxes, and we should pay about fifty per cent, which started a whole other debate. It was not to much later that I excused my self and said I had to be going to cover more of the march. I moved to Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street to view the march as it went by. Well, as I stood there chatting with some counter demonstrators, some protesters set up a sound system, and commenced to play some “music”, same monotonous beat over and over with the same constant refrain of “George Bush is a TERRORIST”. I wanted to tell them to fire up something such as Gil Scott Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” if they wanted a revolutionary tune, but didn’t they would have any idea what I was talking about. Then the main event started, here came the march. First there were some people out front from the MAS, I guess since the women wore, while not a burka head scarves, and long formless dresses. They were spouting some anti American tripe, which caused me to lose my objectivity for a moment, and pointing at myself told them “INFIDEL” which they didn’t appreciate much. He he he he, oh, well. As the media truck came by I asked why they were focused solely on the protester, and not the patriots at which point they turned their cameras my way, but I turned my back wanting the Vets and patriots to get the attention. I stood there for a while, and watched as the crowd came by, they seemed to not like the idea of the advance teams from the GoE standing along their parade route. They became nastier as they went by the longer I stayed they more vocal became in their opposition to the GoE being there. I moved down the street to where the police had barricades set up separate the two factions. Now, here is where the A.N.S.W.E.R. crowd became enraged by the GoE, as they were mostly vets, and couldn’t be challenged as to why they didn’t go fight. The vets mostly held a patriotic signs, with a few denouncing the protesters, while the marchers had signs for End the War, War is Never the Answer, Whatever War Can Do Peace Can DO Better, I discussed this with a vet and he said it worked real well for the Jews during the Holocaust, didn’t it. There were also words thrown from both sides in anger, however the vets stood quietly until the marchers started with their taunts of “Chicken Hawk” “War Monger” and yes I did hear one yell “Baby Killer”. When this happened things got real quiet for a couple of seconds, as if everyone understood a line had been crossed. To which no one responded, I think they knew it would become ugly if they did, and one of them would probably end up in jail, and the protester in need of a medic, but no one wanted that. Although one vet did appear as if he wanted to give someone an attitude adjustment, I seriously thought someone was going to need medical attention, but the vet seemed to change his mind, he seemed saddened and disgusted, and shaking his head just walked away. Again the 911 Truthers were there, Geez, I love these moonbats. They think the government caused 11 September. I asked a truther to give me one claim about 11 Sept. He thought a minute and asked why the security camera at the Pentagon didn’t catch the “plane” and yes he put finger quotes around plane, hitting the Pentagon. Now, that was simple enough to answer, the camera was capturing one frame per second, and a plane traveling at seven hundred eighty feet per second would never have been captured even if the lens was open at the exact time, which of course he didn’t buy so we didn’t speak further. About this time I was coming to the end of the march route, but here is where I saw the one of the best things of the day, some guy in an Arab headscarf said some dumb thing about martyrs, and a vet offered to help him in his quest to become one, but this chap didn’t take the vet up on his offer, instead deciding to just slink away. It was here that everyone started to wonder over t the Capitol for the Die In. The protesters occupied the lawn in front of the Capitol and we took the walkway leading up to it, and the sidewalk and street in front. I, along with two other fellows had to cross “Indian Territory” to get to the GoE area but we were unmolested as I went through. Not long after a small group of GoE people came out of the protest area, and as we joked with them about having made it safely across enemy territory, one of the women in a pink shirt with black lettering that read NAVY SEAL MOM said “Yeah, well, I’m a Special Forces mom” to which someone quipped “heard that” It was here that I encountered “The Mad Pitbull” what a guy. This man had his face painted with a blue with stars at his chin and red and white stripes going up and over his head. This guy was hilarious. He kept us all entertained while he chided the protesters. He also led a round of applause for the Capitol Police Force, for protecting the building from the protesters. Pitbull’s chiding was not well received by some of the protesters and a few approached to engage him in a debate, but for some reason none came to close and it was hard to hear some of their comments. While others just wanted to hurl insults and invectives. We did see a few of the Die In crowd receive a pair of matching stainless steel bracelets, as they became guest of the Capitol Police, for jumping the barriers which were in place to keep people away from the building, for this the Police received taunts of Facists, and Sieg Heil for their trouble. The Pitbull taunted them with the frightening specter of having fallen into the hands of VP Dick Chenney , and Haliburton, which gave us a good laugh and a few of the Capitol police some amusement. It was about this time that we were asked by the GoE marshals to return to the GoE RP, where the organizers, the Director of Operations actually, thanked us for coming and told us that “Even though we were out numbered we KICKED THEIR ASS”, the protesters did seem to be a bit wary of the GoE, and “We (GoE) aren’t going away” and that GoE would be wherever they, the protesters, are anytime. He further told us, pointing to the protesters, “If there are twenty of those people on your street, and it is only you, call me, I will get on a plane and come join you” This was the end of the day for the GoE, and it had been a long one for them, they had arrived at about 5:30 AM, and this was now about18:00. Some of the protesters remained at the Capitol a few getting arrested for crossing the barriers, but the festivities were basically over. The operations director was losing his voice, but he was pleased with the way things had gone. He told us that if we cold make it, Code Pink was supposed to be on one of the corners at the Meet The Press studios at 8:45, but the GoE was planed on arriving at 8:00 and take every corner so Code Pink had no where to stand. I knew I was never going to get up early enough to make it so I just moseyed back to the subway and my car. Man, was I beat, I had walked from the Smithsonian subway station down the Mall to 8th Street, then to 15th Street, and New York Avenue, then back to 7th Street and Pennsylvania Ave, from there to the Capitol and back to the subway, talked to many people about a quarter them were protesters, and the rest GoE. For some reason the GoE seemed more receptive to conversation, the GoE were also more pleasant then the protesters, and would initiate a chat, whereas you had to engage the protesters in conversation, and not easily at that. It was as if they were afraid you might be some kind of law enforcement. I also listened to a man from the First Cavalry; explain about the Stetson he was wearing, which was interesting. While it isn’t regulation there are times when they are allowed to wear it, along with the spurs and other things from the old Cavalry days. To get the Stetson one has to complete a seventy two hour exercise, without sleep. Then there is a ceremony for those who complete the exercise, at which point one is presented with the hat, which is then filled with beer, and most be drained completely without stopping or, how should I put this… reverse drinking. If not successful then one must start with the seventy two hour exercise and complete the entire ritual again. When drained the hat is placed on one’s head and worn until it dries, this allows the hat to conform to one’s head and causes the distinctive drop of the brim in the front. At least this is how it was explained, by a man wearing one with the crossed swords on front and a First Cavalry pin on the back, so I guess he knows what he is talking about. I guess that is about all, there were other events, but they would take to much time to report on in this post. This is a just some highlights of what I saw. It seems that these people don’t think America ever does anything good. They hated the fact that veterans were there to challenge them on their views. They seemed to hold the most hatred for the vets, and the police, as the “Black Block” stopped near a group of police and chanted ‘No Justice, No Peace, F*** the Police”. I don’t think they actually support the military despite what they say, if they did they wouldn’t have said such things to and about the veterans who disagreed, but they thought the ex-military personnel who wearing their uniforms marched holding signs denouncing the country were heroes. They wanted us to stop our support of Israel, and to completely leave the Mid East. I hope I have given a clear picture of what it was like at the March. The Swamp Fox. Finally the quote(s): If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I chose righteousness- T Roosevelt For those that will fight for it, FREEDOM has a flavor the protected shall never know. L/Cpl Edwin L."Tim" Craft, February 1968, Khe Sahn Combat Base. tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.19 2007-07-14T18:04:29Z 2007-07-14T18:16:17Z

This was found on the internet, and they wonder why we don’t trust politicians. Why are these people such hypocrites? This guys votes not to allow citizens to protect themselves in their homes, but he does exactly that. There was before the Texas Legislature a bill called the castle doctrine,...

The Swamp Fox www.paulieworld.com/commons This was found on the internet, and they wonder why we don’t trust politicians. Why are these people such hypocrites? This guys votes not to allow citizens to protect themselves in their homes, but he does exactly that. There was before the Texas Legislature a bill called the castle doctrine, which allows a anyone with a concealed carry permit (CCW) who is any place they are legally allowed to be not to retreat when confronted by a criminal. This includes ones home, vehicle, place of business, or anywhere else. Now, obviously one may not start firing away at anyone who approaches one, but if confronted one may respond with deadly force. Further, if one is in their home, and encounters an intruder one doesn’t have to flee to the bedroom, bathroom, or wherever, because the intruder is definitely not there to make a donation to Mother Theresa. I am not advocating that the home owner start spraying lead at the first sight of some unauthorized entry, and neither does the law allow it, but it assumes that one is in mortal danger if they use deadly force to repeal an intruder. However Mr. Borris Miles doesn’t, or at least not for the average citizen, believe you should be unmolested in you own house, but retreat and show that one thought one was in mortal danger. I guess he has since altered his stance on this issue after his encounter. Representative Borris Miles was working on his new house near the intersection of MacGregor and Scott last night when he heard a noise and confronted two would-be thieves. "I did fear for my life," said Miles. That fear, according to Rep. Miles' communications officer, forced the lawmaker to fire his gun at one intruder. "When he verbally confronted the men, one took off running and the other turned and threw a knife at Mr. Miles, who fortunately ducked to avoid being hit," said Donald Fields, Rep. Miles' spokesperson. Miles, who has been advised not to talk about the actual shooting, was at the house which is under construction fixing a leak when he heard the men. He shot one in the leg and the other one got away. "The brazen nature of these thieves renders them extremely dangerous and they will stop at nothing to steak this valuable metal," said Fields. Miles, who is a former police officer and has a license to carry a concealed weapon, knew about the possibility that someone may target his home. "My neighbor who lives across the street just took his fence down," said Rep. Miles. "He had a 12-foot fence with razor wire around his house. He's had two incidents there, as well." Because of this incident, he will now fight for tougher laws and penalties for those who buy the stolen copper so no other homeowner is forced to do what he says he was forced to do. The suspect in this case is expected to make a full recovery. He has been charged with aggravated robbery and assault. The second suspect is still on the loose. (Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV) Quemadmoeum gladis nemeinum occidit, occidentis telum est ("A sword is never a killer, it's a tool in the killer's hands") — Lucius Annaeus Seneca "the younger" ca. (4 BC - 65 AD) tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.18 2007-06-19T00:38:45Z 2007-06-19T00:42:14Z

Hey, folks, sorry I haven’t had a Second Amendment update in a while, but my computer crashed, and I lost all my info. So, I had to get a new one and have just been messing around with it. But, I am back and up to speed. This is...

The Swamp Fox www.paulieworld.com/commons Hey, folks, sorry I haven’t had a Second Amendment update in a while, but my computer crashed, and I lost all my info. So, I had to get a new one and have just been messing around with it. But, I am back and up to speed. This is the next installment of my on going post about 2A (Second Amendment), with all the things I had before, and maybe if I am lucky I will be able to get a few new things in also, but I don’t think this issue. Anyway on to the first item Armed Citizen, which for those just joining us is a couple of news items, you won’t see in the Big Media. tag:www.paulieworld.com,2007:/commons//1.17 2007-04-20T11:26:46Z 2007-04-20T11:26:46Z

Reid says Bush told Iraq war lost cause�-�Nation/Politics�-�insider.washingtontimes.com Here's that patriot and troop supporter Harry Reid: "This war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday," Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat, said at a Capitol Hill press conference with anti-war state...

Paulie at the Commons www.paulieworld.com/commons Reid says Bush told Iraq war lost cause�-�Nation/Politics�-�insider.washingtontimes.com Here's that patriot and troop supporter Harry Reid: "This war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday," Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat, said at a Capitol Hill press conference with anti-war state legislators. Mr. Reid said that both Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates agree with his position, though neither has ever declared defeat. "You have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows," said Mr. Reid, who left the press conference without fielding follow-up questions. The White House said no one recalled Mr. Reid saying "the war is lost" at the meeting with the president. " I almost wish Tom Daschle was back.]]>