Big Brother Rocks On

First, they checked your speed. Next, they checked to see if you ran a red light. Now, they are checking to see if you have insurance. What will they be checking next? Where was your car at 11:40 p.m. on June 30? Were you on your way to a meeting of a group that is unfavored by the government? Where was your political enemy at that time? What was he doing?

The concerns with these cameras go on and on.

And they say gun permit holders watch too much TV

A Knoxville restaurateur had this to say about the restaurant carry legislation:

"What if his gun was taken from him and then somebody else had possession of that firearm? There are just all types of scenarios that can happen,"

What if, indeed. So, when the aggressor is trying to disarm a presumably innocent person, the presumably innocent person is therefore at fault for bringing a weapon to protect himself from people like this? How much sense does that make?

If you have to ask the question....

maybe you already know the answer.

Tax Hikes for the Middle Class

Obama won't rule it out, even though he already ruled it out. It's almost like he has forgotten that the Internet exists and that people no longer completely depend on the MSM for their information.

Class Action Suit Filed Against Municipalities for Red Light Cameras

Nineteen cities in Washington are being sued for ripping off motorists.

Schaumburg to Consider Dropping Cameras

Apparently, they have figured out that the red light cameras are not preventing collisions. Good for them.

She must be confused

I thought the media had already established that King Barry was God's greatest gift:

goodbye michale jackson,,you were the greatest gift ever given to this world bye GOD,,,we will always cherish your music,,,,you are in a better place now,,,you were too good for this world,,,now maybe they will finally leave you alone,,,we africans here in the hells of north america love you....
EMANUEL RHANES, BLACKWOOD, united states

This comment was found at a story relating to the death of Michael Jackson. How much do you want to bet this genius commenter voted for Barack Obama?

Who's the Best Liar in the Land?

Jeff Woods wants to know. Based on his nominations, I think the answer to his question may be as close to him as the nose on his face.

Losers Start Challenge to Guns in Restaurants Bill

Apparently, a group in Nashville is trying to overturn the guns in restaurants bill before it becomes effective. Their arguments are rather weak. Frankly, I am surprised that a lawyer is involved with a group that makes such weak arguments regarding the reasons a court should block the effectiveness of the bill. They claim the legislature was misled by lobbyists. While I doubt that is true, even if it were true, the buck stops with the legislature. It is the legislatures responsibility to ferret out the truth, not some third-party judge who wants to play Monday morning QB. A remedy already exists for this "problem"; if the legislature feels it has been misled, it can repeal the bill.

Also, this group apparently does not understand the doctrine of preemption. Both the legislature and the Tennessee Attorney General have made it clear that local governments cannot address the guns in restaurants issue.

This group wants to subvert the legislative process and find a friendly court to overturn the judgment of the legislature. Whether you agree with the legislature or not, this is simply un-American. It is reminiscent of the homosexuals in California who lose at the ballot box and then run to their liberal mommies at the courthouse to try and overturn it.

You lost. Get over it. If you don't like it, elect someone else.

Simple Question

If North Korea nukes the U.S., will you wish that King Barry had not been coronated? If his complete mishandling of the Iranian election matter does not give you concern, the North Koreans should. Is the much-maligned phrase "axis of evil" starting to ring any bells?

The Power of the Post-It

Could a Post-It revolution be in the making? It looks like a simple Post-It is a powerful tool for hindering the usefulness of these cameras.

Yet Another Due Process Violation

Imagine this scenario - one day you get called from a collections firm saying you owe several hundred dollars in fines. You are infuriated because you have no idea what they are talking about. As it turns out, a few years ago, you were driving through a town in another state and had your license plate photographed by a red-light camera. Without any notice to you, you were "tried" and convicted. This actually happened. Unbelievable.

The Death of the Media

Bob Krumm observes that it is no wonder that the traditional media is in the throes of death:

52 professional media outlets have asked to attend an arraignment hearing for some singer accused of beating his girlfriend . . . meanwhile the world depends on amateur footage to get honest reporting from Iran.

Indeed.

More Reports of How Red Light Cameras Increase Accidents and Insurance Rates

Of course, the bureaucrats who approve these devices will handily ignore this information in favor of more revenue:

We would all like to believe red-light cameras will make our intersections safer. However, a large study at the North Carolina Urban Transit Institute concluded "The results do not support the view that red-light cameras reduce crashes. Instead, we find that RLCs are associated with higher levels of many types and severity categories of crashes."
In a study of six cities, the Virginia Transportation Research Council reported an average increase in rear end, angle accidents, and injuries at RLC intersections of 42, 20, and 18 percent respectively. At multiple intersections in Winnipeg, Canada, accidents doubled, with broadside accidents and fatalities up 30 and 81 percent
respectively.
In Anne Arundel County, Md., RLCs "caused an immediate 40 percent increase in rear-end collisions. Overall accidents were up between 25 percent and 41 percent for the next three years." And a 2008 study in the journal of the Florida Public Health Association found that contrary to common assumptions, the use of red-light cameras leads to increases in insurance rates and injury accidents." There are many such studies.

So, not only do you get ripped off by paying a fine where the state cannot prove your personal guilt, your insurance rates go up. What a system!

Just Pay the Fine and Move Along.

If you got the ticket for running the red light, you must be guilty, right? Here is another example of why these cameras should be banned.

Do you want the people who run education to run healthcare?

This is old news, but bears repeating in light of the full-court press on a government-run healthcare system. U.S. falls in education rank compared to other countries--
The United States ranked No. 18 out of 24 for educational system effectiveness, according to a 2003 UNICEF study.

Some Property is More Valuable than Others

If you call the police to report that someone has just vandalized your home, how long do you think it would take them to respond? Minutes? Hours? Days? Compare your response to how long it took the Phoenix, Arizona Department of Public Safety to dispatch someone to catch the vandal of one of their revenue-generating photo radar cameras. They actually sent a helicoptor to try and catch the "vandal." While I do not advocate vandalizing property, to paraphrase Reuters, one man's vandal is another man's freedom fighter.

Tennessee AG to Nashville Metro: No Dice.

Nashville councilmen want to use their beer permitting laws to overturn the will of the People. When the People's legislature said that it will soon be legal for a permit holder to carry a gun into a restaurant that serves alcohol, the folks in Nashville thought they knew better. Tennessee's attorney general says the Nashville councilmen are out of luck. Here is a word that localities should learn: preemption.

The True Victims of Red Light Cameras

Truth and fairness.

Restaurants and Guns

Roger Abramsom is content to let those with irrational fears do all the work on maintaining a list of restaurants to boycott.

Let's Hope ACORN Doesn't Find Out

AC Kleinheider links to a story that details how a Brentwood hotel will be used as a polling place for the Iranian elections. If ACORN learns of this, I expect we will see multiple instances of dead people voting for Ahmadinejad.

It's a "news"paper.

Linda Noe has taken to calling Morristown's pathetic rag of a paper a "news"paper. I love that convention and I would say that is about right, as the Citizen Tribune has deserved that title (or worse) for as long as I can remember. Still, the Tribune doesn't frustrate me as much as the Johnson City dePressed, a "news"paper that all thinking people should consider boycotting, as I have done for several years. Notwithstanding their liberal views which are reason enough to boycott them, I just don't like paying good money for what, in my opinion, is a bad product.

Help is on the way!

When Bush said it regarding Hurricane Katrina, the media meme was that it was too little, too late. When King Barry says it regarding the economy, the media will buy it hook, line and sinker.

Restaurant Posting for Handgun Carriers

Various statements (both pro and con) have been made about restaurants who "post" a statutorily permitted prohibition on handguns in their establishment. This posting is permitted under Tennessee law. Now that the law allows (as of approx. July 14) handgun permit holders to carry into restaurants that serve alcohol, how many restaurants will post? My best guess is that it will be very few, particularly among large national chains.

First, let's look at the restaurants where it is currently legal to carry under current law (i.e., those restaurants that don't serve alcohol). How many of them post? McDonalds? Nope. Taco Bell? Nope. KFC? Nope. Arby's? Nope. I can happily say that in East Tennessee, I don't recall seeing a single sign on any of these restaurants and they have had the ability to post for years.

Second, let's look at the restaurants in other states where carrying where alcohol is served has been legal for years. My admittedly anecdotal experience is that I haven't seen them in any of the restaurants. I am reasonably well-traveled and think there is a good likelihood that I would have seen postings somewhere. I was in Florida within the past few months and probably did not go to a single restaurant that did not serve alcohol. I did not see any of them posting. I know Florida allows carrying, but I'm not sure if it allows posting, so the comparison may not be apt. I would love to hear from folks in other states regarding there experiences.

My guess is that there will be very few national chains that post and fewer mom & pop restaurants that post. Most postings will likely be at bars and those will be the kind of bars that most sane people would not want to go to in any event.

Yes, I will boycott

I will boycott any restaurant in Tennessee that voluntarily posts signs that prohibit the carrying of a handgun. The restaurant owners are worried that they now have to take a stand and can no longer depend on the government to do their bidding for them. SayUncle has started a list and I will post anyone in the Tri-Cities that I become aware of. Bring them to the comments when you see them.

To me, it is a deeply personal matter. It is not about retailiation or intimidation as the left-wing loonies contend. I simply refuse to knowingly support anyone who disfavors freedom or that otherwise supports the left-wing agenda. I try to be as consistent as possible in this. I don't subscribe to the Johnson City dePressed because of their liberal agenda. I have never purchased anything from Ben & Jerry's because of the causes they support. The list could go on, but with handguns, it is even more personal. I don't go to any business that posts a prohibition on handguns. No one else will defend me if I need defending. I must be able to defend myself and my family. I choose to patronize the businesses that allow me that opportunity to the expense of those who do not.

Will Bredesen Be Consistent on Guns and Alcohol?

Now that the Tennessee Legislature has overridden his ill-advised veto of the Restaurant Carry Bill, Stacy Campfield asks if he will veto similar legislation that gives special carry rights to off-duty police officers.

Tennessee's Mythical Speed Camera Ban

Legislators have no shame. Under the guise of banning the cameras, they will actually increase their usage.

Imagine if Bush had said this

As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam – at places like Al-Azhar University – that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

Some student of history... religious tolerance? racial equality? One does not have to be a student of history to know that those two points alone deserve raucous laughter and riducule; one merely needs to have been alive over the last ten years to realize that is pure BS. Bush would have been crucified for such ignorant comments. (Via Instapundit)

King Barry "treated like king"

So sayeth the AP with this headline: "WHITE HOUSE NOTEBOOK: Obama treated like king". Apparently, it is a big deal with the king of Saudi Arabia welcomes Obama. "His first visit to Saudi Arabia as president was filled with, well, pomp and pageantry fit for a king." Well, the media has been treating him like a king for quite a while now, so I don't see why King Abdullah should be any different.

It's not about safety!

Now some want to use the red light cameras to send tickets to those who do not have insurance. I thought the cameras were supposed to be about safety.

Young Conservative Rap

Here's a "Young Con" rap that came to me today via email. As of now, it has around 151K views and looks like it is going viral. Interesting line: "Jesus - Ronald Reagan - Atlas Shrugged."

Guns in Restaurants Bill

The Blue Collar Muse rightly makes note of Phil Bredesen's use of the deceptive phrase "guns in bars" with respect to the bill which allows guns in restaurants that serve alcohol. Being in Nashville, it's almost like Bredesen has taken whatever the the Tennessean says as gospel. So sayeth the Muse:

Of what value is the right to self defense if it is taken from you depending on where you are sitting? What protection do you have when your right to protect yourself is taken from you because someone believes firearm safety tenets supercede your unalienable rights? The right to self defense is not limited by our Constitutions to place and time. We are able to defend ourselvesat all times. If we abuse that right that we ought to answer to Government. But leaving us defenseless because something bad might happen and claiming to support self defense is hardly common sense.