Fourth Grade Patriot

Posted on 16/04/2013 by Grumpa Joe

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As a child in grammar school I read a lot of books. Once I discovered the local library my world opened immensely. I lost myself in reading books about early American life, the frontier life. I especially enjoyed reading about colonial America. The Revolutionary war held my interest and I reveled at the exploits of our Patriot Citizens who formed an army to fight the mighty British.

As an adult, I often bad mouth the French for their attitude toward the US, but when I read accounts about the founding of America, I realize just how critical French help was to making victory possible.

This winter I have read a few books more than I have in the past, and on my last trip to the library I spotted a book that piqued my interest. The author’s name did it, Newt Gingrich. Gingrich has been somewhat controversial in recent years He served in Congress and was Speaker of the House during the Clinton Administration. He is largely responsible for Clinton’s successful second term as President. Clinton is often praised for leaving a budget surplus for the next president. The truth of the matter is that Gingrich as Speaker orchestrated legislation that Clinton very wisely signed into law.

Newt Gingrich is a historian. Before entering politics he taught history. His love of history is clear in “Victory at Yorktown.”  Reading this story brought back memories of my fourth grade début into the world of history. Gingrich with co-author William R. Forstchen have crafted a fictional story of George Washington’s leadership to end the war and to solidify the USA. Within the story depicting the factual accounts of Washington’s strategy and the hardship his army endured for six long years there unfolds a personal account as well. Two friends growing up side by side in the colonies find themselves working as spies. One worked for the Loyalists (England) the other for the Patriots. They share a love for a single woman who has her own allegiances. Who will she wind up with, or will she survive the rigors of war? Throughout the story of the war, the authors cleverly weave the love story into the plot just often enough to keep it a fascinating read.

It infuriates me when I read news accounts about modern educators dumbing down America by  rewriting history books to push their ideological spin on our kids. As a child, I developed a love for my country by learning about the hardships endured by those who fought to make it happen. It filled me with pride to know I was born into that effort. The authors of the new history books want to re-direct our children into learning to love ideologies which are contrary to those of the Founders.

As parents and grandparents, we must stay ever vigilant to the material being fed to our  kids at school and to take action to remove offensive material, and to banish politically motivated teachers from the system.

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A Detail Spoiled It For Me

Posted on 15/04/2013 by Grumpa Joe

The movie Trance is for viewers who love mystery, and suspense. Filmed in England with British actors, this film is different from USA made films.  The story revolves around the theft of an original Rembrandt painting from an auction. The inside man who actually takes the painting suffers a head injury which leaves him with amnesia. His fellow thieves torture him to learn where he hid the painting, but he does not remember. Finally, they hire a hypnotist to delve into his brain to show the whereabouts. The director cleverly weaves the story in and out of reality. Just when the viewer thinks the protagonist is revealing the hiding place, the scene shifts back to reality inside the hypnotist’s office. The ending finally reveals a surprise no one could have suspected.

A simple detail in this film spoiled it for me. Before I reveal what that was let me explain that Britain has very strict gun possession laws. Basically, no one in England can own a gun. The penalty for possession is ten years in prison. Recently, I read a story about a man in England who defended his home from an intruder with a shotgun he secretly kept. The robber got off, the man with the gun went to jail for ten years. Back to the spoiler, the Trance robbers used a shotgun to pull off the theft. Later in the story   a handgun shows up in the home of the mastermind thief. Eventually, several of the gang members die by bullets. I guess the British film industry isn’t very different from Hollywood when it comes to using guns to tell a story. I guess my message is this: even in a country where guns are not controlled but forbidden, people get killed with guns. Bad guys still have guns, and good people kill with their bare hands.

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I spite of the spoiling detail, this movie had me riveted to the seat for the duration.

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Just Maybe It Is . . .

Posted on 12/04/2013 by Grumpa Joe
Growing Free Money on Flowers

Growing Free Money on Flowers (Photo credit: epSos.de)

Maybe it is me, but filing my tax return this year was not a particularly happy time. Why is that?

Maybe it is because I paid $2000 more this year than last, and I am lower than the middle class

Maybe it is because I got wildly confused about the forms required.

Maybe it was because it is my yearly review of what I spent.

Maybe it is because even though I paid more tax, I spent less than last year.

Maybe it is because it reminds me of how little fun I had this year because my expenses were mostly housing, food, and gasoline, and not for wine, theater productions, vacations, and great dinners out.

Maybe it is because I gained weight from eating low-cost pasta meals.

Maybe it is because I see what I pay and then hear about the forty-seven percent of the employed who don’t pay taxes.

Maybe it is because I see the élite 535 of our country spending it like it comes from a bottomless pit.

Or, maybe it is because I read a news article about the 9.8 million federal workers who are delinquent  paying their taxes.

Maybe it is because I have become a tax-slave.

We wonder why we are such a screwed-up-country. Look at the pile of paper in my tax return. Is that really what a retired old racist white guy should face on a fixed income? Just imagine the pile of paper a Corporation must have to file, then imagine the army of IRS agents needed to analyze all this stuff.

Maybe I am being critical because Obama continues to want even more from us.

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This is what I say to you Brobama!

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The Answer to Why All the Bullets

Posted on 11/04/2013 by Grumpa Joe
Film Fun, Soldier Arms! (September 1941) .. Wy...

Film Fun, Soldier Arms! (September 1941) .. Wyoming drawing up doomsday bill to plan for fall of the United States (26th February 2012) …item 2a / 2b.. Picture – Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow … (Photo credit: marsmet511)

The Department of Homeland Security has denied reports that it purchased 1.6 billion bullets. Janet Napolitano has repeatedly stated that any orders for ammunition are in quantities to  save money. She has not explained why the orders are for the high-priced hollow point bullets prohibited for use in the military. Some of my friends have insisted that the report is just a figment of my conspiracist imagination.

Today, I received an e-mail from the American Family Association complaining about the US Military branding the AFA a “Domestic Hate Group.” They included an e-mail from LTC  Jack L. Rich to his leaders. The e-mail is UNCLASSIFIED, I assume that means it is public. He uses a term in his message which I didn’t know implied the right to investigate domestic organizations, i.e. “Army Values.” The best I can interpret the term to mean is that it defines the new Army policy to openly allow homosexuals into the ranks.

Read the full e-mail is in this link    rich_email .

It is somewhat lengthy and very explicit in its listing and description of every known “hate group ” in the USA. I’m sure you belong to at least one of the categories, because I believe everyone in the country will see themselves described in this memo, I know I saw me in there for sure.

What bothers me is that a LTC (I assume that means Lieutenant) who is responsible for protecting our country from harm by foreigners has taken the time in his busy day of conducting the war on terror to research all these domestic groups.

It is my opinion after reading this message that the Commander in Chief is afraid of his own shadow and commissioned the research. He then decided that to protect his ass from the likes of us he should have the DHS arm itself with automatic weapons, ammunition, and armored vehicles to engage in a domestic (Civil) war on hate groups (all of us). Remember his goal to initiate a domestic force bigger and better than the military?

I feel better now that the mystery of the 1.6 billion bullets is solved. However, I am very disturbed by LTC order to his leaders stating,

“. . .when we see behaviors that are inconsistent with Army Values – don’t just walk by – do the right thing and address the concern before it becomes a problem.”

Just what the heck does that mean? Do they shoot anyone who they witness exhibiting the behaviors defined in their memo?

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Curiously, I tested a few of the links referenced below and was surprised to learn that the video of the DHS armored vehicles has been removed. I wonder why?

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I’m Just a Bit Confused

Posted on 11/04/2013 by Grumpa Joe

On the day of the shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school, I distinctly remember a report stating that all the guns found inside the school were pistols and that an AK type rifle was found in the shooter’s car. Below, I have included a news clip to support my recollection.

Recently, I listened to the president’s speech from Colorado where he specifically states that the shooter used a fully automatic weapon. Here is an excerpt from the transcript of Obama’s speech given on April 3, 2013 in Colorado

Here is the quote from the White House transcript of the event.

“Now, over the next couple of months, we’ve got a couple of issues: gun control. (Applause.) I just came from Denver, where the issue of gun violence is something that has haunted families for way too long, and it is possible for us to create common-sense gun safety measures that respect the traditions of gun ownership in this country and hunters and sportsmen, but also make sure that we don’t have another 20 children in a classroom gunned down by a semiautomatic weapon – by a fully automatic weapon in that case, sadly.”

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t the president say the shooter used a fully automatic weapon?

Who is right or better yet who is lying? My guess is that Obama lied in his speech to convince us we need another one of his Constitution bashing laws passed. What sense does it make to ban assault weapons when the school shooters have used pistols? What sense does it make to ban weapons from law-abiding citizens when gang shooters use pistols purchased on the street? What sense does it make to require extensive background checks when criminals buy guns from criminals?

I am really confused folks. Does the government want to protect us by passing laws against us, at the same time it ignores laws. For instance, why do we have laws against campaigning in front of polling places if we allow thugs to stand beating a baton into their palms while we try to enter the polling place ? What sense does it make to have laws to control immigration when we totally ignore them for specific people? What sense does it make to have laws to secure the border when we open it up and let people march into our country without question? What sense does it make to create  Department of Homeland Security and then load it up with weapons and ammunition that cannot be used to protect our borders, and to keep people from crossing illegally? What sense is it to sue states that try to uphold the laws the federal government ignores?

Where is all this confusion leading?

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