Bill Whittle Identifies the Problem, and the Solution | Must Watch

I have watched in horror over the past 50 years, but especially in the last ten or so, as our freedoms are simply swept away with impunity and arrogance. Bill Whittle lays it out as clearly as anyone I've ever seen. And the good news is, he has a solution. Watch & learn.

 

 So the video was taken down eh? Okay, YouTube, I'll try and find it elsewhere.

Try this... It's even bigger, longer, and uncut...

 

If that doesn't work, go here instead...

Property Rights No Longer Exist -- In the United States?!

Illegitimate means illegal. Against the law. Nobody in charge cares, and nobody who cares has the power to do anything about it. This is the most frightening time in my entire life. I have never seen anything like it. 

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

 

Nothing Would Surprise Me Anymore

They played us for a year in 2020; The state of fear is the new state of the state. Something better give, and soon. But the one thing I fear is that it won't. 

The Second Amendment & Federalist No. 29: Concerning the Militia

Federalist No. 29 (full text) was an attempt by Alexander Hamilton to allay the fears of the Anti-Federalists of the risk of a National Guard, or "Well Regulated Militia" from getting out of hand, and oppressing the citizens.

From the Daily Advertiser | Thursday, January 10, 1788 | Author: Alexander Hamilton

The Anti-Federalists were fearful of the strength and centralization that this new Constitution would bring to the federal government. The Federalist Papers were op-ed pieces published anonymously by several Federalists to support the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. The Federalist Papers give us some of the most illuminating insight into what the founders were thinking.

In Federalist 29, Alexander Hamilton appears to be arguing in favor of a militia, even as a law-enforcement body, and rejects the idea that such a militia would be of any significant risk to citizens of the United States. Hamilton argues that we need not fear our sons, fathers and brothers, even if they are commanded by an executive magistrate. In fact, Federalist 29 uses the term “well-regulated militia” and variations on that phraseology. That turn of phrase seems to be well recognized in the lexicon of the time to describe the kind of national defense being contemplated.

James Madison believed that the Constitution, with its enumerated powers, would be sufficient to limit government specifically to the functions and authority granted therein. However, many were not so convinced. James Madison and others were finally persuaded to go along with the idea of a Bill of Rights – given the very real risk that the Constitution would not be ratified without it. If we think of the Articles of the Constitution as the “white list” of powers that the federal government should have, the Bill of Rights would be the “black list” of things that no good government would ever do. The Constitution granted certain powers to the federal government; the Bill of Rights guaranteed protection to the citizens from the government.

So Federalist 29 actually reinforces my conviction that people were worried that the federal government would have a “well-regulated militia”, so much so that Alexander Hamilton felt compelled to write Federalist 29, ridiculing that concern as being unfounded. But in the end, the Bill of Rights allowed that “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” The first clause, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State”, acknowledges the need for the federal government to have armed services at its disposal, but the Bill of Rights guarantees that “the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”, lest We the People lose control of our government.

The Bill of Rights was never intended to provide more power to the government; quite the reverse. The Bill of Rights was always intended to prevent the government from ever becoming tyrannical and oppressive. So any attempt to morph the Second Amendment into an instrument of authority for mustering a national guard, would be a distortion of grave proportions. The Second Amendment was intended to protect individual citizens from government, just like all nine of the other amendments in the Bill of Rights.

We need more teachers like this one, with the guts to speak out. Even if Common Core was a great thing, she should not be threatened with loss of her job for speaking out on any political issue. This is not the same as badmouthing your employer in public.

 

Their Denials are Meaningless!

I occasionally listen to Security Now! with Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte, a tech webcast about security and privacy, because it is relevant to my profession. It is about computer security and how things like encryption work. This is not a political series. So I was quite surprised when I heard this exchange on episode SN410:

Steve: Okay. So The New York Times article, this is Bruce writing: "This article on the cozy relationship between the commercial personal-data industry and the intelligence industry has new information on the security of Skype." So now switching to The New York Times article, quoting from that: "Skype, the Internet-based calling service, began its own secret program, Project Chess, to explore the legal and technical issues in making Skype calls readily available to intelligence agencies and law enforcement officials, according to..."

Leo: This is way pre-Microsoft. This is under eBay.

Steve: Yes. Years, years. Yes, yes, "...according to people briefed on the program who asked not to be named to avoid trouble with the intelligence agencies. Project Chess, which has never been previously disclosed, was small, limited to fewer than a dozen people inside Skype, and was developed as the company had sometimes contentious talks with the government over legal issues, said one of the people briefed on the project. The project began about five years ago, before most of the company was sold by its parent, eBay, to outside investors in 2009. Microsoft acquired Skype in an $8.5 billion deal that was completed in October 2011. "A Skype executive denied last year in a blog post that recent changes in the way Skype operated were made at the behest of Microsoft to make snooping easier for law enforcement. It appears, however, that Skype figured out how to cooperate with the intelligence community before Microsoft took over the company, according to documents leaked by [none other than] Edward J. Snowden, a former contractor for the NSA. One of the documents about the PRISM program made public by Mr. Snowden says Skype joined PRISM on February 6, 2011." So about six months prior to Microsoft's closing their acquisition deal.

So back to Bruce Schneier, who continues his blog, saying, "Reread that Skype denial from last July, knowing that at the time the company knew that they were giving the NSA access to customer communications. Notice how it is precisely worded to be technically accurate, yet leave the reader with the wrong conclusion." And this is Bruce speaking, saying, "This is where we are with all the tech companies right now. We can't trust their denials, just as we can't trust the NSA - or the FBI - when it denies programs, capabilities, or practices. Back in January, we wondered whom Skype lets spy on their users. Now we know."

Leo: He points out, he says, Bruce says, you can't trust the NSA, and you can't trust these companies. Their denials are meaningless. So we just don't know what's going on.

Steve: We just, yeah, we don't know. In that article, as I mentioned before, was a quote from Dan Auerbach, who's a technology analyst with the EFF, the Electronic Frontier Foundation. And I thought this was the best thing I read. He said, "We reached a tipping point, where the value of having user data rose beyond the cost of storing it. Now we have an incentive to keep it forever." And I think that's just exactly it. We know what's happened to the cost of storage in the last few years. It's just - it's ridiculous how large drives have become and how inexpensive per byte storage has become. At some point the cost to store drops so low that the perceived value of keeping everything outweighs it. And as he says, we've crossed that tipping point.

There is a lot more detail. You can read the entire show transcript here, or listen to the entire podcast here. Here is more information about Project Chess.

Now, what's really important to me is that this isn't just about Skype. Skype is just the one smoking gun. As the article says, "Their denials are meaningless." Until (if and only if) this is all really sorted out - with the transparency We the People all deserve, we can't trust anybody.

The Dummy Speaks -- Bill of Rights

This dummy knows his stuff. All the parts of the Bill of Rights are intertwined, and they all matter. Break one, and they all fall down.

Urgent! Action Needed -- Protect Your Inalienable Rights

Breaking news:

OLYMPIA — Gun-control advocates are launching a weekend lobbying blitz on seven members of the state House who may control the fate of a contentious bill to require background checks for all gun purchases. 

State Rep. Jamie Pedersen, a Seattle Democrat organizing the push for universal background checks, said Friday that his bill now has 47 supporters — 46 Democrats and Lake Stevens Republican Mike Hope. 

It needs 50 to pass. (Continue reading...)

“I fully believe in the Second Amendment, but our top priority needs to be children’s safety,” said Kochmar, one of the seven key lawmakers.

What the hell kind of thinking is that? Those who would trade liberty for safety deserve neither. This simply adds one more burden on us (an infringement), while having zero effect on the already lawless criminals. I can't believe it -- I'm losing to a rug!

Action Item: Phone calls should be focused on speaker of the House Frank Chopp, 360-786-7920, and all pro-1588 legislators in this article (contact info...). Please act now. More contact info:

• Frank Chopp
• Linda Kochmar 
• Maureen Walsh 
• Steve Kirby 
• David Sawyer 
• Jamie Pedersen 
• Mike Hope 

Gun Control: Come And Get It (μολὼν λαβέ)

Little did I know that this song would be so appropriate when I first heard it in 1970. I'm sure Paul McCartney didn't have gun control in mind when he wrote it, but hey, I will repurpose anything.

 

This is actually a pretty good live performance by Badfinger (I can't tell if it's lip-sync - Mike is hammering pretty hard on the drums to be faking).

μολὼν λαβέ

Okay, one of my cohorts tells me that "come and get it" isn't as provocative as "come and take it". I'll grant you that. But until we raise a generation of good classical liberal songwriters, we have to repurpose and make do. Ray Stevens is good, but he isn't exactly tearing up the airwaves these days. 

Don't Take The Law Into Your Own Hands

We have to get rid of that stupid statement, "taking the law into your own hands". Of course, you can't walk up and down main street, arresting people at gun point, willy-nilly. But you can't rely on the police to be everywhere at once, either.

When seconds count, the police can be there in minutes – and it doesn't matter if you live in the city or the country. There is no law between the time you call 911 and when help finally arrives. If you don’t take responsibility for yourself, you're going to have a chalk outline drawn around you, or your kid's dead body. Of course you have to take the law into your own hands. It's called, "responsibility".

I keep a loaded fire extinguisher under my kitchen sink, in case a fire starts in my home, because I know that it would be most likely out of control by the time the fire department arrives. I don't consider the use of a concealed fire extinguisher to be "taking fire prevention into my own hands". I consider it taking responsibility for my own family, our lives and our property.

Free Country

What does it mean to live in a free country? Does anybody remember? Does the next generation have any idea?

The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits. ~ Thomas Jefferson to M. L'Hommande, 1787.

We are citizens to be free, not subjects to be managed.

SB 5737 and The Fourth and Second Amendments -- Oops!

Democrat Senators Adam Kline, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, and Ed Murray said in effect, “We just didn't know that Fourth Amendment infringement was right in there next to our Second Amendment infringement – our bad!”

Nice try, Poindexters! So not only can’t you read, but you can’t remember the exact same wording in a bill from three years ago? If you’re going to lie, you need to hire a better fact checker. I know you think we citizens are an inferior breed that are just not capable of self-government, but we were smart enough to catch this one, weren't we?

But while I have your attention, let me lay some natural rights on you. Rights are something we have, not something government grants. My rights, including self-preservation and self-defense exist even without the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment says, “... the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” It is written with the acknowledgement that the right already exists. It doesn't say, “...the right to keep and bear arms is hereby granted.”

Even if illiberal control freaks in Washington (State or D.C.) manage to decimate the Bill of Rights, I still have all the rights I was born with. To exercise them would merely put me at odds with a tyrannical regime. Sadly, I would not be the first human to suffer that fate. It’s very disquieting to see it gaining momentum in these United States.

Drones are taking to the skies in the U.S.

...is the headline at The LA Times. I do not like the idea of the government flying over my airspace, monitoring whether I'm having a Tea Party meeting, or digging in a wetland (the bottom of my property is kinda boggy). Of course, we have satellites taking high resolution pictures of us all the time now.


View Larger Map

Zoom in to see my son's red car parked in our driveway. I wonder why he wasn't at school. Is that me in the back yard, smoking a joint? No, I don't do that. But the EPA hauled one hapless citizen in our county up before a committee for digging a ditch on his property. Oh no! A ditch?! If he was only cooking meth, or burying dismembered corpses, I could look the other way, but a ditch is just too much. He should be punished for selfishly modifying his own property to suit his needs like that.

But another thing that gives me pause about these drones is that they're imperfect mechanical devices, designed and maintained by imperfect humans. They're going to crash if their controllers lose control of them, because of a bird strike, or if an engine fails, or the fuel runs out (or whatever it is they use to stay airborne -- I don't see solar panels). If these aircraft come down, I can see them leaving a trail of death and destruction.

Of course the regime probably dismisses this as merely a liability issue, the cost of doing business, and not as any kind of an imposition on our life, liberty or pursuit of happiness.

Senate Bill 5737: Banning the sale of assault weapons

Here's the latest politically correct infringement on our Second Amendment rights in the Washington State Legislature:

Introduced by Sen. Ed Murray (D) on February 13, 2013, provides that no person in this state shall manufacture, possess, purchase, sell, or otherwise transfer any assault weapon, or any assault weapon conversion kit. This act defines assault weapons as semi-automatic or pump action rifles and pistols which can accept a detachable magazine with a capacity of more than 10 rounds, and features any of the following: a pistol grip, folding or thumbhole stock, barrel shroud, muzzle brake, or protruding forward grip. As defined, “assault weapon” also includes any semiautomatic with a fixed magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds, any firearm with a threaded barrel, shotguns with detachable magazines or revolving cylinders, and assault weapon conversion kits. Assault weapons legally owned when the bill is enacted must be safely stored and may be inspected by the sheriff once a year.
http://www.washingtonvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154195

Ridiculous. That description covers a whole range of firearms, not associated with assault. Besides, I’ll need more than 10 rounds in a clip if I’m being attacked by some goblin hopped up on PCP. They can’t feel the bullets, so to stop them, you basically have to perforate them to the extent that they can no longer physically function. They’re like Reavers.

Regarding the grandfather clause at the end, the sheriff is going to need a search warrant. Because even if this law passes; even if they repeal the Second Amendment, it doesn't remove my right to keep and bear arms for my personal protection and my right to self-preservation. It merely puts me at odds with a tyrannical government. Sadly, it appears that America is on The Road to Serfdom.

No Trespassing Sign Causes Local Furor

A contractor friend of mine is remodeling his house. A couple of months ago, about $400.00 worth of building material was stolen from the job site. So, he posted a "No Trespassing" sign, with a twist:

Simple: to avoid getting shot, don't steal from this job site.

Now, you would think that sensible, logical people would see the humor in this, and the annoyance with the theives, and say, "Good on ya!" But noooo... The Bellingham Herald hysterically shrieks this headline from the front page: Trespassing sign across from Bellingham school makes gun threats (read some of the comments).

Oh yeah, I didn't mention, the job site is across from Fairhaven Middle School. SO WHAT?! From what I can tell from this sign, you have nothing to worry about if you're not a thief. In fact this sign doesn't say what the owner will do with the guns, only that they will be there, four days a week. It seems the students and their babysitters are not able to discern the difference between a mass murderer and a responsible citizen promising to protect his property.

People complained. Well, my friend caught the attention of national radio host Lars Larson, and thus began the legendary fifteen minutes of fame.



Good on ya, Elliott.

Update from Elliott: Sign was up last night @ 2200, received call from Gary @ 0647 this AM that it was missing. They took the pole as well. New sign already being made with the addition of two words: MOLON LABE (If you don't already know what that means, look it up!)

Further update from Elliott:

Small print says, "If you can read this, you are being videotaped!!!" Click to view larger image...

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/02/06/2867260/trespassing-sign-across-from-bellingham.html#storylink=cpy"Onlythattheywillbethere.



Update from Elliott: Sign was up last night @ 2200, received call from Gary @ 0647 this AM that it was missing. They took the pole as well.
New sign already being made with the addition of two words: MOLON LABE (If you don't already know what that means, look it up!)

Quote of the Week

If we can win this debate, maybe the left will get around to asking why so many people are shooting each other in Chicago and Los Angeles, rather than obsessing over which particular guns they’re using to do it. ~ Newt Gingrich

Reactionaries in Action

I guess in response to a growing number of skeptics about his claim that he goes skeet shooting all the time, The White House released this photo of the prez blasting away at something near the ground. That would be some low-flying skeetage right there, Mr. President.

President Barack Obama shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David, Md.,
Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

According to The Weekly Standard, The White House admonished,

"This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House."

In part, that's in direct conflict with personality rights for images of well-known figures. Which of course prompted Sondrakistan (Knowledge is Power) to double down on the above warning, with the following image:

President Barack Obama intimidates clay targets on the range at Camp David, Md.,
Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012. (Obvious Photoshop by Reactionary Artist)

This of course also mocks the ridiculous Department of Homeland Security suggestion that scissors may annoy a crazed mass murder bent on mayhem, into not killing everyone in the building. Left implied in the DHS message was the obvious, if you don't have a gun handy, you might try scissors (may God have mercy on your soul).

P.S., Ever notice how, when someone gets too overbearing and oppressive, people go all reactionary?
P.P.S., Can someone explain why there's a second plume of smoke from that shotgun going off to the president's right? I don't shoot enough skeet, ducks or intruders to know firsthand.
P.P.P.S. Then there's this...

Update: Now this is funny, I don't care who you are!

The Official Specification for The United States

I used to think The Constitution would protect me. It will, but only if We the People insist on it. That hasn't been happening lately. The Constitution can't uphold and defend itself. Americans need to hear 365 days a year, something like The Pledge of Allegiance. It goes like this:

1. The United States Constitution is still the official specification for the United States of America. 
2. It is the binding contract between We the People and The US Government. 
3. The Constitution lists the specific services that the US Government agrees to provide for its citizens. 
4. We the People agree to pay taxes to cover the cost of those specific services, nothing more, nothing less. 
5. The Bill of Rights lists the ten things that must always be observed, period. 
6. The terms & conditions of The US Constitution can only be changed by following The Amendment Process. 
7. Any regime that distorts or disregards The Constitution is untrustworthy and dangerous. 

It is my contention that the majority of social and political problems in this country could be avoided if everyone understood and observed these seven points. 

We the People must insist that our elected representatives live up to their oath of office to uphold and defend The Constitution.

Emergency! Emergency! Java 7 Could Kill You!

The people at www.us-cert.gov tell us there is a Java exploit that might allow some attacker to take over your computer (if you're insanely stupid about your browsing and email habits). They say, "Web browsers using the Java 7 plug-in are at high risk."

Yes, it could be serious, if the attacker steals your identity and all your money. They say, "To defend against this and future Java vulnerabilities, disable Java in web browsers". Future Java vulnerabilities? Why not disable everything? In fact, you should just stay in bed.

In another story, President Obama is poised to impose an executive order that would infringe on The Constitution (the second amendment, but it really doesn't matter which), and ... (crickets). It's too bad we can't simply disable Barack Obama in our browsers, to prevent this and future threats. This is much more serious. It isn't mere trifles such as your computer, your identity and all your money; it's your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness!

Perspective, perspective, perspective...

-----Original Message-----
From: US-CERT Alerts [mailto:technical-alerts@us-cert.gov] 
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2013 2:53 PM
To: technical-alerts@us-cert.gov
Subject: US-CERT Alert TA13-010A - Oracle Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

National Cyber Awareness System

US-CERT Alert TA13-010A
Oracle Java 7 Security Manager Bypass Vulnerability

Original release date: January 10, 2013
Last revised: --

Systems Affected

     Any system using Oracle Java 7 (1.7, 1.7.0) including

     * Java Platform Standard Edition 7 (Java SE 7)
     * Java SE Development Kit (JDK 7)
     * Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE 7)

     All versions of Java 7 through update 10 are affected.  Web
     browsers using the Java 7 plug-in are at high risk.


Overview

   A vulnerability in the way Java 7 restricts the permissions of Java
   applets could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on a
   vulnerable system.


Description

   A vulnerability in the Java Security Manager allows a Java applet
   to grant itself permission to execute arbitrary code. An attacker
   could use social engineering techniques to entice a user to visit a
   link to a website hosting a malicious Java applet. An attacker
   could also compromise a legitimate web site and upload a malicious
   Java applet (a "drive-by download" attack).

   Any web browser using the Java 7 plug-in is affected. The Java
   Deployment Toolkit plug-in and Java Web Start can also be used as
   attack vectors.

   Reports indicate this vulnerability is being actively exploited,
   and exploit code is publicly available.

   Further technical details are available in Vulnerability Note
   VU#625617.


Impact

   By convincing a user to load a malicious Java applet or Java
   Network Launching Protocol (JNLP) file, an attacker could execute
   arbitrary code on a vulnerable system with the privileges of the
   Java plug-in process.


Solution

   Disable Java in web browsers

   This and previous Java vulnerabilities have been widely targeted by
   attackers, and new Java vulnerabilities are likely to be
   discovered. To defend against this and future Java vulnerabilities,
   disable Java in web browsers.

   Starting with Java 7 Update 10, it is possible to disable Java
   content in web browsers through the Java control panel applet. From
   Setting the Security Level of the Java Client:

   For installations where the highest level of security is required,
   it is possible to entirely prevent any Java apps (signed or
   unsigned) from running in a browser by de-selecting Enable Java
   content in the browser in the Java Control Panel under the Security
   tab.

   If you are unable to update to Java 7 Update 10 please see the
   solution section of Vulnerability Note VU#636312 for instructions
   on how to disable Java on a per browser basis.


References

 * Vulnerability Note VU#625617
   

 * Setting the Security Level of the Java Client
   

 * The Security Manager
   

 * How to disable the Java web plug-in in Safari
   

 * How to turn off Java applets
   

 * NoScript
   

 * Securing Your Web Browser
   

 * Vulnerability Note VU#636312
   


Revision History

  January 10, 2013: Initial release

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Feedback can be directed to US-CERT Technical Staff. Please send
   email to  with "TA13-010A Feedback VU#625617" in
   the subject.
 ____________________________________________________________________

   Produced by US-CERT, a government organization.
 ____________________________________________________________________

This product is provided subject to this Notification: 
http://www.us-cert.gov/privacy/notification.html

Privacy & Use policy: 
http://www.us-cert.gov/privacy/

This document can also be found at
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA13-010A.html

For instructions on subscribing to or unsubscribing from this mailing list, visit http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/signup.html
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