Tom Kratman, Again.

"...I considered for a moment taking some of the tanzitree fruit that grew in her garden as well.  Green on the outside, red on the inside, sweet and deadly poisonous...."

------The Amazon Legion, Tom Kratman, Baen Books, Riverdale NY 2011------

"Tranzi", of course, comes from "Transnational Progressive".  Those who wish to subsume Nations and Governments under a Bureaucracy of Professionals, a bureaucracy that would be largely self selecting and self appointed through who chooses to make such an entity their career path.  NGOs, Alenskyite Oraganizations, the UN....we see them all the time.  But do we really think of the implications in them?

Kratman's stories are fun.  Anyone who has served a couple of years in the military will get them right off the bat.  But more than being fun stories, they are didactic narratives, that serve to warn us against our would be masters.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my Trust in You.

Random Outbreaks of Common Sense

Lap Dancing:  A New York State Appellate Court has ruled that lap dances are not art, they are a service.  This means that they are subject to sales tax in the State of New York.  It also means that cover charges to businesses specializing in lap dances are subject to sales tax.  It's about time.  Regardless of whether you think lap dances should be legal or illegal, calling them art is just a dishonest dodge.  Too bad that Nite Moves, and adult juice bar in Latham new York owes $125,000  in back taxes and interest.  The decision was unanimous, and the court is a branch of the New York Supreme Court.  Just because art can give some people erections doesn't mean that giving erection to some people is art.


Teens, Free Speech and MySpace:  The 3d US Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that MySpace parodies of faculty by teenagers isn't something the school can discipline the students for.  It occurred off campus, and was not likely to disrupt the school, no matter how offensive the principals of the Schools involved found it.  Again, it's about time--schools have beentrying for decades to regulate the life of students off campus, and to restrict their expression of opinions the school administrators and faculty did not like.  it is a situation where students can become accustomed to having their rights violated by authority figures, and therefore lose track of their rights.

Free Speech, Dhimmitude and Justice:  The Court of Amsterdam acquitted Geert Wilders of all counts of hate speech.  he was charged with four counts, all stemming from his criticism of Islam and Islamic law in the Netherlands.  it was a courageous stand against the limitation of speech by militant Muslims, who try and use hate speech laws to silence criticism of their agenda and activities.  An even better victory will be the one where people overturn Hate Speech laws in favor of free speech.

Banning Censorship and upholding Parental Rights:  SCOTUS struck down a 2005 California Law concerning the sale of video games the state considered to be violent to those under 18.  The court ruled that laws concerning pornography and erotica do not apply to violence.  Their reasoning included the observation that there was no legal or social tradition of such restrictions in the US.  It also included the observation that it was up to the parents to decide and control what their children see, not the Government.  In essence, this ruling simply refuses to allow an expansion of governmental power.  We need more rulings that halt such expansion.  And for the record--I don't like video games, ans wouldn't allow my kids to play them.

POP! And Part of an Aura of Idolatry Bursts:  Stefani Germanotta is the subject of a class action lawsuit.  If the name isn't familiar, you might know her under her stage name:  Lady GaGa.  It seems that her reputation as a politically engaged philanthropist is more than a promotion--it's alleged to be a cash cow.  Specifically the suit charges that her charity selling "We pray for Japan" wrist band wasn't quite as advertised--the suit maintains she took a cut from each $5 band sold, while claiming all proceeds went to relief efforts, as well as inflating the cost of shipping to pocket the difference.  She is also accused of not reflecting the money that ended up in her pocket in the totals of donations.  Among other things, the suit calls for a RICO Act investigation.  How is it that we have these performers whose main talent is self promotion and exhibitionist costume, yet we expect them not to be narcissists and selfish?  It is beyond reason.

Disrespect

I am sick of the current climate of disrespect.  I am especially fed up with the political cartoons comparing congress to a Whorehouse.  it doesn't matter to me whether this is partisan in nature--"It's the GOP!" "It's the DEMs"--or general disgust at our elected officials.  It's pejorative, contemptuous and contra-productive.  This comparison is unjust, prejudicial and insulting to the institution.

It has to stop, because frankly, we know there are lines that won't be crossed.

We know this, because it is a fact that there are somethings you just can't pay a whore to do.

Government Transparency

I'm so glad that we have an Administration that is commited to transparency in government.  After all, with all the statements about it, it makes sense that the White House would move to eliminate access to about half of the 2000 or so US government websites.   Joe Biden is taking the lead, so we can all imagine how well this is going to go!  They say that eliminating access or suppressing the sites will improve peoples ability to find information, and how can we doubt that?  With the White House overseeing the project, with an eye towards content, I"m sure we will all have access to exactly what the Crypto-Fascist Cabal in Power  the progressive administration wants us to know--no more, no less.  They say it will cut waste and duplication, and we can tell from other activities just how committed they are to eliminating waste, and duplicated efforts and muddled structures:  just look at all the Czars.

This commitment to transparency is filtering down into Federal law enforcement people as well.  Take the case of Vince Cefalu.   This guy is a Special Agent for the ATF, and has been handed walking papers after 24 years of service.  He is being fired for his connection to Project Gunrunner, the operation that let large numbers of firearms into Mexico and the hands of the drug cartels.  He didn't participate, he was one of the whistle blowers.  Yep. a Federal Law Enforcement Officer exposed criminal acts, and was fired for it.  Cefalu, with 24years of service, first encountered difficulties in 2005, when wiretaps were used illegally to gather evidence.  he had an unbroken string of outstanding evaluations.  now his evaluations are not outstanding, and he has even been criticized for "hygiene".   At least two members of congress have complained in writing to the ATF about retaliation.  Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa has noted to the ATF, and publicly, that one agent was accused of misconduct for talking to a Senator about the Gunrunner operation! 

Now the FBI quietly--until the New York Times found out and publicized it--expanded the powers of it's agents.  The FBI, not the Federal Courts or Congress. They now have wider authority--from their own Agency, of course, to search, surveille, go through trash etc.  They are using guidelines from the Attorney General--the same guy who will not prosecute cases of voter intimidation and racial intimidation by groups felt to be sympathetic to the Crypto-Fascist Regime Current Progressive Regime we all enjoy. This is under a category of investigation called "assessment"--a proactive form of investigation that allows the FBI to investigate groups and individuals with no evidence or reason to suspect criminal activities on the part of those under scrutiny.  In other words, fishing expeditions against those the Administration of the Bureau dislike.  i wonder how many of us remember the outrage the Democrats expressed over this sort of thing when directed towards the Radical Left in the 60s and 70s, and towards liberal and progressive elements by Director Hoover.   They don't like equal protection, that's for damned sure.  (Don't forget they have tried to convince law enforcement that pro-lifers, gun owners, conservative tax protestors, TEA Party activists and free speech proponents who are not liberal are potential terrorists.)

This is trickling down fast!  A recent hack of the Arizona State Police showed them preparing documents and advising street cops to prevent Cell Phone apps from recording their conduct, to provide a record independent of the police of the actions of the police.  This is a clear violation of civil rights--because it is a settled point of law that if you are in a place it is legal for you to be, seeing things happening in public, you have right to photograph or record.  In one case, a New Jersey high school girl was arrested for recording the activities of the police on a public bus.  In another case in Valejo California, and man was arrested for recording video of the police arresting a man from inside his own home.  In Rochester New York, a woman was arrested for videotaping police from her front yard.  The police told her that she was "very anti-police" for "what she said" before she started taping them.  They then said that they felt threatened by her  (with a video camera?) and ordered her to stop and to go into her house.  Then they arrested her.   Let's be clear about something--the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that exercising your rights isn't and cannot be incriminating, or a crime, consistently since 1845, and that photographing or recording from a location you are lawfully in, of events in public, is a First Amendment right.  (without that, photo journalism and Broadcast journalism could not exist!)  Such transparency in America! 

Of course,TSA is famous for being responsive to concerns of the people about privacy, and the need for transparency in it's selection and training, and in it's equipment safety.   That's why Napolitano insists that the enhanced pat downs are 'discrete'.  Because she says so.  (Facts? Why use facts! We have her statements!)  Odd, they are so open that it turns out that their assurances of the safety of airport scanners are not factually correct, and that they didn't pass rigorous safety evaluations.  In fact Johns Hopkins found that the field around the scanners exceeds the General Public Dose Limit, and that one researcher, who runs an X-ray lab at Johns Hopkins Department of Biophysics (Michael Love) has stated that statistically, people are going to get skin cancer from the scanners.  TSA workers are told to stand as far from he machines as possible.  Other scientists agree, and the EPA as well.  The dose is over 200 times what we were told.  I'm very glad they were open about this.

I'm so glad the the Government and Law Enforcement aren't developing a culture of concealment and intimidation.

I just wish I still had my Enumerated Liberties and didn't have to be afraid of the Feds because of my Blog.

Cabbage with Noodles

NOODLES:

                        2 cups flour

                        3 eggs

                     1/4 tsp salt

                           cold water

Beat the eggs well, and add to the flour with the salt.  Mix with a fork until it looks like course meal or fine pebbles.  Add water, a very little at a time, until you get a stiff dough--stiffer than you would use for biscuits of dumplings.  Turn this onto a floured surface dust with four and spread the flour evenly, roll out until about 1/2 inch thick, then turn it over and repeat.  Do this until it's about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  let sit and dry for two hours.  using a french spatula loosen from the surface and turn it over--using flour liberally to keep it from sticking to its' self.  When turned over, dust exposed side liberally with flour, and smooth it our evenly, then re roll to about 1/8 inch thick.  Let sit for two more hours then cut into noodle and let finish drying--about two more hours.  cook in boiling broth, stock or bouillon of choice, to which a little oil is added to prevent them sticking together for five minutes--just barely cooked.

THE REST;

1 1/2 large onion, diced

   1/2 lb bacon, chopped

       1 small cabbage, sliced to 1/4 and cored.

Take a BAS* and bring it to medium hot, add the bacon and the onion, when the bacon is a little more than half way to crispy, add the cabbage and stir. As the cabbage is approaching done, add the noodles (that have been boiled!) and gently stir.  Season with salt pepper powdered or minced garlic to taste and paprika to taste. When the noodles are cooked dry (don't forget--the bacon drippings will disguise this a bit) but not crispy, it's done.  Serve with grilled sausage or Ziguener style cutlets or chops--the main course is the cabbage and noodles though, so moderate to small portions.  Alternativly, this can be prepared in one skillet, with kielbasa or similar sliced into it. 

This goes well with a good Pilsner, a Kristal Weizen or a dry Red Wine.  Desserts on you, I can't make dessert to save my skin, except fruit pies.

*BAS = Big A**ed Skillet

Corpus Christi

Ecce panis angelorum, factus cibus viatorum: vere panis filiorum, non mittendus canibus.

Lo! the angel's food is given to the pilgrim who has striven:  see the children's bread from heaven, which on dogs may not be spent.

Hey Liz--if you read this, the translation is the 2d edition of the Roman Missal in English--due to be replaced in November--I don't think it's particularly accurate, or euphonious.  Feel free to give you own version.