The Appleseed Project

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A Nation of marksmen? (Ruger Mini 14~ official ‘Grok "ranch rifle")

Given the events in India, and the general downward spiral of public safety in an era of terrorism, this is something that merits some thought and attention. Says the Second Amendment,

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.

Indeed. As has been demonstrated time and again, when certain tragedies occur in which people get killed with safety and security forces "en route," had there been armed citizens on the scene– trained and able to shoot back– perhaps the final tolls might have been less. It goes without saying that when an entire populace of honest law-abiding folks are well-armed and practiced in their use, any potential intruder must take heed. And sometimes, such weapons can become the instruments of freedom…

According to their website, The Revolutionary War Veterans Association (RWVA)  pays tribute to the events of April 19, 1775 (the "shot heard round the world")

"through awareness, learning & marksmanship."

To that end, they have created the Appleseed Project:

The Appleseed Program is designed to take you from being a simple rifle owner to being a true rifleman. All throughout American history, the rifleman has been defined as a marksman capable of hitting a man-sized target from 500 yards away — no ifs, ands or buts about it. This 500-yard range is traditionally known as "the rifleman’s quarter-mile;" a rifleman can hit just about any target he can see. This skill was particulary evident in the birth of our country, and was the difference in winning the Revolutionary War.

This country was founded and won by riflemen who fought and beat British forces. We invite all interested marksmen to learn the skills and techniques necessary to shoot proficiently; and then hope you’ll participate in teaching and practicing with others so that together we can save this great land. Why you? Well, that’s simple: if you’re on this page we’re betting you’re a patriot, and we hope you answer the call.

What’s a rifleman?

In short, a rifleman is an armed American, trained in the tradition of American Liberty. It’s a man who has learned to shoot a rifle accurately — accurate enough to score "expert" on the Army Qualification Course. Until you can do that, you’re considered a "Cook," unprepared and unqualified to carry a rifle on the firing line of freedom. But after attending an Appleseed AQT shoot, you’ll have the credentials necessary to be a true rifleman, and will understand the critical need for defending freedom in this country.

The RWVA is dedicated to the Appleseed Program and encourages every American to learn to shoot.

I absolutely couldn’t agree more. They have even gone so far as to define exactly the qualifications each and every "rifleman" should aspire to attain:

 

 

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The face of America?

. This is a Youtube I made over a year ago when Hillary Clinton was still in the hunt for the presidency. While she was dispatched with by Democrats voting in the primary, it’s all but given she will be named Secretary of State tomorrow by President-elect Obama. Little did I know at the time … Read more

“By the goodness of God”

Signing the Mayflower Compact The Mayflower Compact has always been one of my personal favorite American documents. I always like to read it around Thanksgiving. It is a short and simple statement that life should be ordered by mutually-agreed to laws. Written by rational, thinking, and consummately civilized persons, The Mayflower Compact is universally considered … Read more

Who killed the electric car?

EV1

GM EV-1

So our friend Jorge sent us an email:

Guys,

I’ve just seen this movie “Who Killed the electric Car?”   I was familiar with part of the story but did not have all the information presented here.  It covers the period 1970 to 2005 and surveys the status of batteries, hydrogen, fuel cells, solar panel films as alternate sources of automobile fuels/sources and the role of government and car industries in their development  and suppression.

If you have 1 ½ hours, please watch it.  You won’t regret it.  Then, make up your mind as to whether it’s bunk or truth.

Let’s talk after you see it. Watch it by clicking here.

Jorge

I’m an hour into it, and had to pause a bit. Aside from the standard global warming stuff, it is an intriguing movie. This is what I sent to Jorge:

I’ve watched 55 mins so far. This story is similar to the sad story of the Tucker automobile.
 
I don’t really understand the length of time it’s taking to bring out the Volt car, yet all this history exists. I’m to the part about the battery inventor.
 
I’m not prone to conspiracies, but this movie really bothers me. I like to think as an American, I am free, but then you see something like this, and feel manipulated…

To which he replied:

Precisely, Doug, just like the Tucker.

Keep going.  The end will confirm your deduction and wonder what the hell is happening and why we are helping the auto industry survive.

Jorge

Hmm. But then, reminding us that there is more to the story, and that the premise of the film is debatable, Skip noted

 

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What is a Conservative?

Conservatives are portrayed as a lot of things nowadays – right now, as losers, dispirited, and irrelevant.  Their opponents decry that they only have the same old rhetoric that dates from the Reagan era and is no longer applicable.

And sometimes, we fall for it.  But that is not what Conservatism is.  Rather, it is a way of thinking, of believing, and most of all, activating.  I was going to say acting, but that seems to be what a lot of faux conservatives seem to have been doing for a while – merely acting.  That is to say, they mouth the proper words, they debate with the right phrases, but then act like liberals when proposing legislation or "what to do next".

I saw this post over at RedState a while that tries to define what a Conservative is, does and believes and I’d thought that I’d share an abridged version – I highly suggest that you wander on over and read the full text.  Remember, when engaged in any action, being able to name, articulate, and defend one’s position is important.  Yes, that "gut" feeling is important ("I know this is right") as it shows one is centered correctly, but now we face the situation that we have to communicate often, well, and persuasively in order to once again have the opportunity to lead and govern. I have taken the liberty of adding my emphasis and formatting.

Lately there seems to be a lot of confusion as to what a Conservative is and is not. Some seem to think it has to do with abortion or taxes or national security. Well the truth is that conservatism is not about any given issue, rather conservatism is about principles.

Before we go any further I believe it would behoove us to go over a bit of terminology that is thrown about too often without people understanding thier meanings. the terms I am refering to are Issues, Policies, and Principles.

First let’s deal with Issues.  An Issue, for the purpose of Politics, is something that is a cause of dispute. Issues come and go, some last longer than others, but all issues are fleeting in the long term. Some issues we deal with today are abortion, international terrorism and slowing or failing markets.

Next we have Policies. Policies are the constructs that we create to deal with any given issue.  Policies of today include ESCR Ban, GWOT, and TARP.

Last but not least we have Principles. Principles are what guid us in the formation of Policy on any given Issue.  All political groups have their set of principles that guid them, but not all principles are equal.

So now we can move on a bit further having defined Issues, Policies, and Principles in their broader sense.

To be a conservative you must follow the Ten Conservative Principles written by Russell Kirk when constructing Policy for any given Issue. Below are the 10 principles.

  • First, the conservative believes that there exists an enduring moral order. 

Moral order is the foundation to self governance…

Note that the key is internal and not external.  Given a sufficient level of internalization, there is (as Doug puts it) a self-governor.  Given that, there a less of a need for externally given governance – less laws.  Liberals like to pass laws – their belief is that we are unable to control ourselves.

  • Second, the conservative adheres to custom, convention, and continuity.

Tradition and history shows what has worked.  Change may be good but only when consequences, as possible, can be determined.  Change for the sake of change often invokes the Law of Unintended Consequences with negative results.

  • Third, conservatives believe in what may be called the principle of prescription.

…our minds should not run to the contrary of these established truths which allow us to better understand why we have government and why we believe it must be limited in order to secure liberty.

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Self Government in Danger?

The following guest post is by Americans for Limited Government’s Bill Wilson, who also supplied the cartoon. The City of Concord does not want its residents—or those of any other city in New Hampshire—to be allowed to vote to limit taxes and spending. That is the real truth. It is the only real reason the … Read more

New Hampshire Advantage Coalition Vows to Fight for Tax Cap

Our friends at the NH Advantage Coalition forwarded their reaction to the news that the City of Concord wants the Courts involved in the successfully petitioned tax cap proposal: Concord, NH-Despite being reviewed and approved by 3 state agencies, and the ballot group who put the initiative up for referendum bending over backwards to oblige the … Read more

When life becomes subordinate to the state. My what a brave, new world!

A couple of days ago, I received an email newsletter from Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council recounting a rather chilling story about the horrific power of government to kill when life becomes insubordinate to the state rather than to God: Newspapers from cities as far away as Melbourne, Australia are anxiously awaiting word … Read more

GOD vs Science

A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, ‘Let me explain the problem science has with religion.’ The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

‘You’re a Christian, aren’t you, son?’
‘Yes sir,’ the student says.

‘So you believe in God?’
‘Absolutely. ‘

‘Is God good?’
‘Sure! God’s good.’

‘Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?’
‘Yes.’

‘Are you good or evil?’
‘The Bible says I’m evil.’

The professor grins knowingly. ‘Aha! The Bible!’ He considers for a moment. ‘Here’s one for you. Let’s say there’s a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?’

‘Yes sir, I would.’

‘So you’re good…!’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’

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Ted Nugent: “My name is Davy Crockett”

As regular readers know, in addition to being a HUGE fan of Ted Nugent’s music, I also find his views on various issues like guns and illegals logic-filled and worth repeating. He has long advocated for and celebrated the quintessential self-reliant traits of the rugged American individual that made our country great. He doesn’t suffer … Read more

The first step to improving math education in NH is changing the math standards

Why is this not a priority of the Lynch Administration or the Democrats who now control the legislature in New Hampshire?

I wonder how many parents are sitting around the kitchen table trying to  help their children with their math homework.  It used to be that children in elementary school could come home and if they needed help, they could turn to their parents.  With the infusion of New or Fuzzy mathematics in many of the New Hampshire classrooms, many parents have no idea how to help their kids.

First let’s look at WHY this seems to be sweeping this state like the plague.  For those who do not know how the No Child Left Behind Act works, essentially schools are now held accountable to state standards.  Not a bad idea to have accountability among our public schools.  The problem is that many of our states have set poor academic standards, mathematics included.  The NH assessment (NECAP) is based on poor math standards per the Mathematicians at the Fordham Foundation.

New Hampshire set the math standards and geared them in a New/Fuzzy direction.  Another name for this approach to learning is: Constructivism.  This is an ideology where the student essentially is left to discover math rather than giving them direct instruction.  In addition to believing children can discover math on their own, these programs introduce children to confusing and time consuming algorithms that many parents never learned.  There was no need to learn them, the traditional algorithm worked well.  What changed?  Some people think that learning four different ways to add, subtract, multiply and divide is a good idea.

The problem is, many students become confused and often times, never fully master one of those concepts, leaving them deficient in basic math skills.  In addition to these common problems and because this is so time consuming, these student begin falling behind their peers who use a more traditional systematic approach to learning math.  Of course you also have the issue of parents who are unable to help their children with their homework.  This is even more of an issue for children who maybe in a situation where parental involvement is lacking or simply not there.

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Gas pains…

.. You knew it was only a matter of time. The one area these days where ordinary people are finding a little relief that helps economically, and the taxman wants a piece of the action. From Newsnine: CONCORD, N.H. — Penny-pinching at the gas pump now could lead to higher prices in New Hampshire as … Read more

“The casualty will be the entrepreneurs”

Just got the latest "Common Sense" email from Paul Jacob, who paints a rather dismal picture of our times… and the baby boomers in general. Of course the boomers are wrecking things. Isn’t that what they’ve always been doing? From the "Greatest Generation" that saved freedom for America and the world to the one that … Read more

The Constitution is not just “a body of suggestions that can be disregarded when expedient.”

Constitution

 

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” George Washington

I am not going to talk about how Mr. Obama stole the nomination from Hillary Clinton. I am not going to talk about widespread voter fraud involving Acorn in the Obama camp, both in the primaries and general election. I am not going to talk about how all the Obama’s men either had influence in his life or helped him to his meteoric rise to power. I am not going to talk about Obama’s pre-paid Credit Card Fraud problem. I am not going to talk about how Radical Muslims paid Obama’s way through college. I am not going to talk about Obama’s Middle East Studies Mentors. I am not going to talk about Obama’s Voodoo Economics. I am not going to talk about the Logan Act when Mr. Obama did not speak responsibly when he went to Europe, Iraq and also a trip in 2006 to Kenya to meet with Odinga.

No, I am not going to talk about any of them, since none of those issues apparently mattered to those who voted for him. They elected him despite knowing those facts. So, I concede, he won the election by receiving more votes than Senator McCain who seemed he desperately wanted to wrap things up and throw in the towel.

However, I am truly disturbed. I do want to talk about the fears that are rampantly mounting, concerning the question of Mr. Obama being a natural born U.S. citizen, as required by the Constitution, to run for the office of the presidency of the United States. These fears are based on three elements:

  • The failure of the DNC to execute a thorough vetting
       process, ensuring Mr. Obama is a Natural Born U.S Citizen.
  • The failure of Mr. Obama to provide a Vault Birth Certificate.
  • The failure of big media to perform its function as the
       watchdog "Fourth Branch" of the government.

This issue led Philip J. Berg, a long time Democrat and attorney, to file suit against Barack H. Obama, (Lawsuit Continues) challenging Senator Obama’s lack of  "qualification" to serve as President of the United States. He filed a Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court on October 30, 2008, requesting a review of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Judge Surrick’s dismissal of Philip J. Berg’s lawsuit against Barack H. Obama, Jr., the DNC and the other co-Defendants.

According to Berg, Obama is not eligible to be president. He says Obama was born in Kenya and he carries an Indonesian passport and became an Indonesian citizen when his stepfather adopted him while going to school in Indonesia. In addition, Mr. Obama’s parental grandmother in Kenya, has publicly stated that she attended his birth at a hospital in Mombosa, Kenya, in 1961.

Ironically, Linda Lingle, the Governor of Hawaii, ordered to seal his birth records shortly after Mr. Obama’s recent trip to Hawaii. That begs the question:  What is he hiding?  Why not just open his records, if there is nothing to hide? In an extraordinary gesture, honorable U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick tossed out the suit claiming citizens do not have any standing to challenge the constitutionality of the chargers.

 

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Beating the drums for an income tax in NH? Why would anyone be surprised?

From our friends at the New Hampshire Advantage Coalition (NHAC): Is an Income Tax coming to N.H.? Speaker Norelli and other Portsmouth Reps. seem to be heading that way. Manchester, NH – Just days after the November election, the once off in the distance dull drumbeat for an income tax here in New Hampshire is … Read more

As the ‘Grok hometown goes, so goes NH?

We’re just back from the local polls here in Gilford, NH. Typically, this town has been a GOP stronghold. In the 2006 election, the Republicans won most seats here with very small margins, which translated into losses statewide. Sadly, it looks like a rerun of 2006, which means a good night for Democrats. Here are … Read more

A couple thoughts on the aftermath

When the dust settles from this election, no matter the outcome, there will be some large, rather unnerving stories that will continue to haunt the day, and perhaps our Nation, for some time to come. It will be revealed (like it already hasn’t?) that there was massive vote fraud committed in many urban areas of … Read more

Triumph of the Will, redux?

This quote from Michelle Obama creeps me out. She’s talking about a guy that, when you really think about it, has never done ANYTHING in life, save run his mouth and point fingers… "There’s this beautiful thing about my husband," she said. "He thinks he can really do everything, he does, with his own power and … Read more

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