Libercontrarian

Crushed between the wheels of capitalism and big government.

Home » June 2005
Tuesday, 28 June 2005
Souter To Be First Victim Of His Own Malfeasance

In a feat of unprecedented irony, a hotel developer has proposed to the Selectmen of the Town of Weare, NH, that some land be reclaimed under the banner of "better public good" because it will increase tax revenue to the town.

The rub?

It's Supreme Court Justice David Souter's land.

Looks like the second victim of this ruling following Suzette Kelo and her misfortunate neighbors will be the Chief Jackass who, from the judicial bench, exceeded his authority to "enact" it into law.

Here's a paragraph from the article at NewsMax:

"Clements indicated that the hotel must be built on this particular piece of land because it is a unique site being the home of someone largely responsible for destroying property rights for all Americans."

I always thought that the funny thing about karma is the way it describes how those that do evil get it back upon them, and not in the abstract "after you die, you get your punishment" sense - but right up close and personal-like, and in short order, too.

Oh, well - better to have ruled and lost, than never to have ruled at all, hey Justice Souter?

posted by: underwhelmed at June 28, 2005 21:46 | link | comments |

Careful Scientific Testing Concludes I Am A Nerd

This just in:

I am a nerd, as proven by the Nerd Test. My score is 72% out of 100%.

Yeesh.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 28, 2005 21:05 | link | comments (3) |

Monday, 27 June 2005
Jobs, Guns, and Plans

I notice that I failed to tell of my fine luck - I found employment with a national telecom company. This took about 10 days. There's something to be said about knowing people in the right places. Whew! That shortened the job search - there was prayer involved; the Savior answered my request for a quick and productive effort.

It's a great job and I have a terrific team and a wonderful boss. I have been truly blessed, both with a fine home, a wonderful wife, friendly pets, and a great career.

Brendon, following several exposures to my AR15, contracted an ailment known as Evil Black Rifle Disease. It's a disorder of the soul, in which you feel a giant hole gnawing its way into your heart until you buy an AR15, an AR-180B, an AK-47 or AK-74. Many of the afflicted also find relief in the purchase of an HK-91 or FAL, or one of the myriad "generic" or "store brands." Symptoms tend to reappear if the medication is ceased.

Brendon's relief came from Rock River Arms - a great manufacturer, but the very same shop (Mega) that made my Mega lower and upper are the folks that RRA contract from for the manufacture of their components. The fit between the upper and lower is so frippin' tight that you don't need an Accuracy Wedge to shim out the difference and prevent motion between the receiver halves.

I am trying to organize a BloggerShoot with FreedomSight and Publicola; we are going shooting this Saturday unless work intervenes, and I will begin my Padawan Learner's training on the finer points of the Black Rifle - stay tuned for the after-action report.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 27, 2005 21:47 | link | comments |

Sunday, 26 June 2005
New Community

Life, Liberty, Property is a Libertarian-based group of bloggers who, feeling the challenge of declining freedoms in a modern age, are banding together under the aegis of the TTLB Ecosystem to make our voice heard. I encourage you to go to the site and read around; we are planning a "touring carnival" of sorts, like the Carnival of Cordite.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 26, 2005 08:43 | link | comments |

Take The Test

Eric, my blogmeister buddy from Eric's Grumbles Before The Grave has turned me on to the Belief-O-Matic. It's a test you can take online to show you what kind of religion out of 20 or so choices is the most well-aligned with your religious beliefs.

I took the test, and laughed out loud at the result: 
 1.  Eastern Orthodox  100%
 2.  Roman Catholic  100%
 3.  Mainline to Conservative Christian  88%
 4.  Orthodox Quaker  80%
 5.  Orhtodox Judiasm  77%
 6.  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) 73% 
 7.  Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants 70% 
 8.  Sikhism 70% 
 9.  Islam  66%
 10.  Seventh Day Adventist  66%
 11.  Hinduism  60%
 12.  Baha'i Faith  54%
 13.  Jehova's Witness 52% 
 14.  Liberal Quakers 49% 
 15.  Reform Judiasm 43% 
 16  Mahayana Buddism  38%
 17.  Unitarian Universalism 37% 
 18.  Neo Pagan 35% 
 19.  Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist)  34%
 20.  Jainism 31% 
 21.  Theravada Buddhism 29% 
 22.  New Thought  27%
 23.  New Age  26%
 24.  Scientology  26%
 25.  Nonthiest  21%
 26.  Secular Humanism  18%
 27.  Taoism  17%

Apparently, I'm an Eastern Orthodox Christian. This will come as a big surprise to the regular reader (me, perhaps my wife on a good day) who remembers that I am Greek. The test is not structured to reveal any religious bent, so I didn't pick my answers. It is thus a very accurate predictor of your religious beliefs. Everyone should take it!

posted by: underwhelmed at June 26, 2005 07:37 | link | comments |

Saturday, 25 June 2005
SCOTUS repeals Gas Laws

This will be next Friday's headlines:

SCOTUS repeals Gas Laws

Yesterday, the Supeme Court of the United States repealed the Gas Laws. Widely trumpted as "fact" by physicists since 1647, these laws describe the actions of gases as pressure, temperature, and volume change, and scientists have often cited the equation PV=nRT to convince the ignorant of their "religion." The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 desicion, elected to repeal the "laws" because they limit the wildly expanding powers of the Federal Government by violating provisions of the Interstate Commerce Clause.

Justice Stevens, writing in a brief, said:

"... the troubling limits the questionable field of "physics" has placed on the unlimited growth of Federal Powers must be checked. The Interstate Commerce Clause, which we have used as a standard for creating more legislation, provides the Federal Government the clever avenue by which to repeal these "laws," and set right a wrong that has been a thorn in my ass since I came on the bench in 1846 - as a Democrat, with a mission."

Dissenting was Justice Thomas, Chief Justice Rhenquist, and Justice O'Conner. In a dissent, Justice Thomas writes,

"These people are clinically insane. I'd kill myself to end the misery of working with them, but it would only encourage their liberalism."

Justice Ginsberg proposed the immediate disbanding of Congress and immediate impeachment of every other Justice who opposes her views.

I'm sorry. I thought I'd take the liberty to have a little fun with the jackasses in the SCOTUS before I break down in tears at their declaration of war on the Constitution.

 

posted by: underwhelmed at June 25, 2005 20:20 | link | comments (5) |

Further Thoughts On The Kelo Ruling

In reading around the internet about the furor over the SCOTUS decision on Kelo v. New London Township, I decided that I'd pursue this grand malfeasance further. It's not every day when a Constitutional Right, one of the Bill Of Rights, those that Madison claimed were inalienable, gets trampled into pieces right in front of your eyes. In writing to my friend Eric Cowperthwaite, from Eric's Grumbles Before The Grave, I expounded thusly:

"I've gotta tell you, the more I think about what happened, and how it was explained, the more shocked and bewildered I am. This has really woken up some folks who thought that there was a "difference" between the Republican Party and the Democrats. What's more shocking is how this decision has managed to offend and surprise everyone - liberals and conservatives alike, although the Big Gummint Lefties and the rocket-scientists who create our "Newstertainment" are strangely quiet about the topic.

"...Meanwhile, back to Aruba... Greta Van Susteren will be crawling into the Aruban Governor's mower shack to see if she can uncover any breaking news about the Trusting Pretty White Girl Who Went Strangely Missing."

Nothing to see here, move along. Move along.

I feel that this is one of the most momentous (momentously BAD) decisions the court has ever made - this is as stupid and judicially weak as Roe v. Wade, as crummy as Plessey v. Ferguson, and as morally reprehensible as the Dred Scot decision.

In retail, you can complain loud enough and long enough to get your money back on just about anything, even if it is half-used-up. Can we get our votes back on the Republican Senators who allowed, or in some cases, supported the appointments of Ginsberg, Kennedy or Stevens? How about Souter and Breyer?

The Republican Party nominated the majority of justices to the court, yet it consistently leans towards increasing governmental powers against the weakest members of our society - private citizens, who don't have access to unlimited taxpayer or corporate-funded attorneys. This doesn't jibe with the Republican Party's stand on individual rights or small government (only when the Democrats have Congress for 50 years are they for "small government"), but does jibe with the often-made accusation that Republicans wish to protect business interests above all else. This decision, which empowers collusion between local government and business interests, does precisely that. It is the worst example of "legislation from the bench" I have seen in my adult life."

Eric has created a far more intelligent post than I have (as is the usual case), and has also created a kind of a "round up," a first in a series of Carnivals (like the Carnival of Cordite, only a carnival of libertarianism instead called Life, Liberty, Property). It will likely be making rounds, hosted by each of it's members, and probably feared by leftists (and possibly by Bush supporters, who have an agenda that hardly anyone can understand) all around.

I will post further on this topic as I attempt to get my tiny intellect to wrap around this huge issue.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 25, 2005 15:12 | link | comments (3) |

Friday, 24 June 2005
Susette Kelo and the Supremes

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS, or as we are calling them in the gun forums, SCROTUS) made a world-class boo-boo yesterday when they ruled in favor of the the New London township in Kelo vs. New London. I'm sure you've heard of the ruling - it empowers local government to utilize Eminent Domain to claim land that can be given to other private parties and corporations, if it "serves the public good." Other private parties? Like companies that take their millions and contribute to the local elected officials' campaigns?

First, a couple of months ago, it was "cops can have a dog crawl up your asshole while looking for contraband - that's not illegal search," then "the Interstate Commerce Clause says we can do and claim anything where any article of clothing or molecule of air could have been passed by a truck that was ever made or travelling through any other state than the one you're in," now, it's "we can steal your private property and give it to some other entity so that we can tax them a hell of a lot more than you, and they only have to pay you 'fair market value' (that we set, <chuckle chuckle>."

Soon, the Supremes will somehow find a way to twist the 14th Amendment to come into your house and tell you that you can't worship the God you want, and to "ensure the safety of the officials," they'll be sending men to collect any guns or particularly sharp kitchen knives you don't have a registration permit to own.

All for the children - no, too " '90s" - greater public good, of course.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 24, 2005 08:57 | link | comments (2) |

Tuesday, 21 June 2005
Back In The News: The Zetas Are Firming Up Control In Northern Mexico

A few weeks ago, I did a post about the Zetas, a group of vicious mercenaries that were trained by U.S. Special Forces - they were to work for the government of Mexico to interdict drug dealers. Many have since left the service of their government to seek more lucrative employment in the field of smuggling - both flesh and narcotics. In other words, they've become the very people they were trained to defeat.

This makes them doubly dangerous; these are not a bunch of sombrero-wearing banditos. They're a tough, professionally trained paramilitary organization, and have murdered over 600 people in Mexico and the US since this year. In fact, they've expanded their operations in six U.S. States, reports World Net Daily founder Joseph Farrah.

Some of you sharper readers are now immediately discounting my reference - Joseph Farrah is widely known in the internet community for his publishing of wild-eyed stories of impending doom - indeed, he has become the Chicken Little of the internet.

In this case, however, Farrah's simply reporting from another source - KPHO (Phoenix, AZ) is the CBS affiliate there, and they broke the story. It's being followed by WND, and the story is spreading around the internet.

These people are killers, who are happy to murder their own clients if they don't promptly receive the 10% transfer fee they place upon any human or narcotic cargos they transport into our country. Apparently, innocent bystanders have gotten in the way of these animals, and are mowed down without remorse.

Vicente Fox had better do something about this problem, or the snap-back may cost him his primary source of income to his country - U.S. funds diverted into illegal workers' hands. It looks as if these men have created training camps to spread some of their knowledge around and increase their numbers. This may cause a situation like the 1916 raids by Mexican bandits into sovereign US territory; hopefully the citizens there would be able to defend themselves if they were attacked.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 21, 2005 08:00 | link | comments |

Wednesday, 15 June 2005
Rap Lyrics, Translated From Ebonics

Here's a funny, funny little web page which translates the lyrics from a "song" by the Notorious BIG (this is apparrently a of rap "musician" of some regard). The beauty of this is that the translator is an Oakland High School student:

Lyrics:

First things first, I poppa, freaks all the honeys

Dummies - playboy bunnies, those wantin’ money

Those the ones I like ‘cause they don’t get nathan’

But penetration, unless it smells like sanitation

Garbage, I turn like doorknobs

Heart throb, never, black and ugly as ever

However, I stay coochied down to the socks

Rings and watch filled with rocks

 

TRANSLATION:

As a general rule, I perform deviant sexual acts with women of all kinds, including but not limited to those with limited intellect, nude magazine models, and prostitutes. I particularly enjoy sexual encounters with the latter group as they are generally disappointed in the fact that they only receive penile intercourse and nothing more, unless of course, they douche on a consistent basis. Although I am extremely unattractive, I am able to engage in these types of sexual acts with some regularity. Perhaps my sexuality is somehow related to my fancy and expensive jewelry.

 

There's more, much more, and it will leave you rollicking. Purely funny stuff!

posted by: underwhelmed at June 15, 2005 16:18 | link | comments |

Thursday, 09 June 2005
Another Militiaman in the Nation of Riflemen

On Tuesday, I took a friend shooting.

My regular reader (you know who you are, self!) will not find anything out-of-sorts, here. So, what's the big deal?

Well, instead of lumping over to Cherry Creek to go to the organized, predictable, sane rifle range, I dragged Vito to my favorite haunt, Left Hand Canyon. Taking several long guns in hand, I decided to teach him about the unpredictable fun of plinking.

We shot a wide variety of targets, and Vito was so impressed by the action effect of nailing a metal plate with my AR, that he decided right then and there to become a Rifleman. Since he already has a handgun, he felt that he should get a long gun to enhance his preparedness for the Chinese (or Zombie) Invasion that is certainly crossing Kansas right now, so we had to embark on that most fateful of choices that face a prospective long-gun buyer: What do ya get?

Lever-gun? Everybody wants a lever-gun. It fulfils some deeply held need every American feels to get a Piece of the Cowboy Life. Nothing says "Western! Giddyup! YAAA!" like the clacking of .30-30 shells into the breech of a Winchester model 94. Semi-auto? Large capacities and modern styling don't usually go along with that other requirement of the first-time long-arm buyer, low price. However, there's a few that will work. Bolt gun? Nothin' says "lovin'" like a Ruger M77 in .270 from 300 yards away (that kind of shooting is a reality here in Colorado - Easterners need not apply), but you run into the same price hurdle. That gun retails for $819!

We thought, and we thought, and we brainstormed. Brendon, one of my charges, said, "What about an SKS?" I responded, "Cheap, 10 round box mag of 7.62x39, gas-operated, moderate kicking, parts and cheap ammo everywhere, mods coming out of the woodwork, sufficiently scary to the Left, soldier-proof... What's not to like?" Since Vito recognized my enthusiasm, he decided on the SKS.

And a better choice for a first gun he couldn't have made - For $209, Vito picked out a cherry unissued Yugoslavian model M59/66, with grenade launcher attachment and sights, a heavier stock with longer pull, and a bayonet. The unit came with a cleaning kit, an oiler, and pouches for clips. The stock is a true beauty, with a gorgeous grain, albeit a little rough on texture. The rifle was so completely soaked in Cosmoline, that gooey petroleum protectant so favored by our old Communist enemies, that it took Vito and I six hours of rubbing, soaking, and brushing to get to the lovely, unfired rifle beneath. It was almost like finding a shipwreck's treasure under mounds of sludge.

So Vito's fulfilling his obligation to American independence and the Brotherhood of the Rifle, and I have fulfilled my personal goal for the next two months - one new member in the Nation of Riflemen every two months, six per year, 'till I roach.

Now, I've got to work on Brendon... He's been talking about buying an AR15 lower, which is the first stage of BRD (Black Rifle Disease), for which there is... NO CURE.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 09, 2005 18:37 | link | comments (3) |

Conservatives Anonymous

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new addition to the blogroll, and he's a Must Read: Conservatives Anonymous.

His writing style is fresh and professional, and his ideas are so well presented that you will find yourself nodding in agreement to what he's saying.

Welcome abord, Mate, and God Bless. I'll be a regular reader.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 09, 2005 17:38 | link | comments |

Saturday, 04 June 2005
Libercontrarian Looking For A New Job

Your Libercontrarian, your Sergeant Major of the Armchair Commando Brigade of Aurora, Colorado, is looking for a new position in Wireless. His employer has lost the contract with their primary vendor, and will likely not have any work for him.

Say a prayer for me, I am looking for a real job in Wireless - and I hope that the search is not too long or difficult.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 04, 2005 12:19 | link | comments |

Email Address Has Changed

My email address has changed. You may email me at nhorianopoulos AT (replace the AT with an ampersand) comcast.net.

It was a bitch getting everything transferred over, but I got the job done.

posted by: underwhelmed at June 04, 2005 12:16 | link | comments |

 

About me

User: underwhelmed

This is The Libercontrarian:

Gun owner. Married. Ex-Navy.

A Christian, but not too sinless. Foul-mouthed, sarcastic, a little self-righteous. Sometimes angry. Jocluar. A bit of a crusader. A great friend. A pretty decent American.


  • Contact me
  • My profile
  • Linkme

  • RSS 2.0
  • ATOM 0.3
  • Powered by Mo'time

 

 My profile Contact meunderwhelm...
 My profile Contact menub

Counter

visited *loading* times