RANDOM SHOTS - Toby Keith's Great Bar & Grill, The National Hotel, Democrats Behaving Badly, Payoffs, and More!

FIRST SHOT!

Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar & Grill"

Last Thursday, my wife and I took my mom to the doctor's for a follow up appointment after  she had an asthma attack on Wednesday that landed her in the emergency room at Kaiser in Sacramento.

After her appointment at the Kaiser facility in Folsom, we decided to check out the new Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar & Grill" that just opened a few months ago.

Folsom, California, is an old cowboy town that has a great deal of history attached to the 1849 California Gold Rush. And of course, to Johnny Cash singing about the time he spent in Folsom Prison.

I'd say Folsom is most commonly known for its famous Folsom Prison, but there is a lot more to the city. With a city of over 72,000 residents, Folsom is building up, modernizing, and yet at the same time holding on to its historical roots.

It's "downtown" hasn't really changed in over a hundred years, its parks celebrate its building of a power plant to bring needed services to folks, and each year it puts on a pretty darn good professional rodeo.

The Folsom Pro Rodeo starts out days before the actual rodeo with an annual Folsom Pro Rodeo Cattle Drive right there in downtown on historic Sutter Street of Old Town Folsom. 

It is always wonderful to see the expressions on the faces of the people there as the cattle are moved through town. Mostly their faces show a combination of wonder and curiosity - but enjoyment for certain.

The city of Folsom is turning into a hub of sorts for folks up around here in my area who want a little more than what our biggest town of Jackson can offer. Jackson has a population of about 4,600 residents, so that's our big town for us.

Jackson is a great town, but Folsom just has more to offer in the way of more stores and restaurants and such - much much more.

And yes, that includes the new Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar & Grill." 

When we walked in, immediately, you can't help but notice how nice it is. On the walls, there are pictures and Toby memorabilia.

Among the pictures were one's of him with our troops overseas.

Now I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything that Toby Keith has done for our troops overseas.

By him going over there and entertaining them when possible, he has given them something from home that they will never forget.

Being in the military once upon a time, I can tell you that that is a big deal to them. So to me, Toby is as good as they come for doing such a thing.

As for the gals serving us, well they were right there to help and very friendly. Our server was a real nice gal named Kendall - and was very nice to talk with. Polite, friendly, personable, goes a long way with me when I go out to a restaurant. She was all of that.

I told my wife and mom that they could have an adult beverage if they wanted since I'm the designated driver. They laughed and ordered Cokes, I had ice tea.

After she brought our drinks, I found out that Kendall was born and raised in Folsom. She is a Cowgirl!

She has had a horse all her life, and in fact she has a 16 year old gelding named Cody that she first got when she was 10 years old. She confessed to enjoying her job and loving her work there at Toby Keith's.

It was good to see, there is nothing worse than going somewhere and being waited on by someone who doesn't like their job or being their. Kendall is a nice gal with a great attitude.

Kendall, like all the gals, was dressed in denim shorts, tank tops, rhinestone belts, and cowboy boots. She said during Football Season they'll probably wear NFL Jerseys and during the Winter months wear flannel shirts. Either way, the gals are all country and easy on the eyes to say the least.

As for the food, well my wife, my mom and I all ate well. The portions were big and the food was excellent.

We were there during the day, and it is a comfortable place. It has TVs everywhere you look. Country music being played, but certainly not too loud where we couldn't talk among ourselves and not hear each other.

And that's saying a lot, after years of target shooting my hearing is pretty shot - pardon the pun - so being somewhere where the music is too loud drives me nuts.

Now on the other hand, concerts should be loud if old hard of hearing guys like me want to hear the words. And yes, if you've been following my blog very long - then you know that I think Country Music is going down hill because bands drown out the vocals.

Toby Keith has a great voice and it's always a pleasure to listen to his music because I can hear the words to his songs. I wish I could say that about others in Country Music these days because good voices are becoming harder and harder to find.

After we were told they have concerts there, and line dancing. My wife immediately checked out their dance floor. I'm willing to bet that we'll probably make a run out there at least once a month for her to line dance if she likes it.

The Line Dancing is on Wednesday Nights and from what we were told the place gets pretty crowded. We were also told that the same can be said for their concert nights.

Phil Vassar was there last Friday night, and in October they will have Joe Nichols there in Folsom. My wife and I really like the place and will probably try to see the Joe Nichols concert on Wednesday October 24th.

Now, I'm really not one for Bars. My days of going to some place to drink and raise hell are pretty much gone, but that doesn't mean I'm dead. We both like Country Music, and my wife likes dancing. And yes, I admit that I do too on occasion.

So yes, we'll probably drive out to Folsom and see how things go.

Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar & Grill" is a nice place with friendly folks, we'll check out how it is at night when it comes alive with a concert and get back to you. Until then, I recommend that you find out if there is one of the 11 locations near you - and check it out. http://countrybarfolsom.com/locations

Besides the good food and nice atmosphere, Toby Keith supports our troops by going the extra mile, I take great pleasure in supporting a man like him.

SECOND SHOT!

The National Hotel, Jackson, California

At the heart of the California gold country was the National Hotel.

The original building was constructed in 1849 at the joining of two streams that were supposedly sacred to local Indians. Most used the spot to water cattle.

Around 1849, three men, Ellis Evans, D. C. White and Armstrong Askey felt that the growing town of "Botileas", which was named for the great number of whiskey bottles found around the springs, needed a hotel. They built a two-story frame building and named it "The Louisiana House".

The town was renamed "Jackson" after Col. Jackson. Then in 1862, what was known as the "great fire" destroyed most of Jackson along with the hotel. Resolved to have it there, after the "great fire," the same three men rebuilt the hotel.

The National Hotel has seen the heyday of the California Gold Rush when gold was discovered and floods of people from all over the world came to the California Gold Country.

My grandpa once described historic buildings like "The National" as a beautiful woman that just needed some help. Over the 150 years, she has been through a lot. Now though, she has been refurbished and modernized and improved.

Yes, the National Hotel is again open for visitors to come and stay. 

It is said that every California governor has been in the hotel, along with a number of Presidents and movie stars such as John Ford and John Wayne.  When you walk through the doors you feel you have stepped back into California history.

Like most who live in the area, I watched the work go on. And like most, I can testify to the fact that the National Hotel is more beautiful than ever. The workmanship, the detail, the time spent to get things right were all worth while.

The National Hotel's website says, "Come to savor the sumptuousness of our wines, our Wild West history, the treasure of our rivers for rafting or fishing or to simply recharge your spirit in the sanctuary of the hotel with your family, or for a romantic weekend- all your expectations will be exceeded. You will find it all at….The National.

At The National, we will provide the indulgence all discriminating land barons and rich scalawags came to expect; sumptuous meals prepared by our executive chef, dream your dreams in the cocoon of exquisite beds and luxuriate in the opulence of the entire property.

Stroll through our lobby, listen to the baby grand and be spoiled by our staff, dressed in period costume. Our wine cellar offers Bacchus’ best from our extensive wine cellar or linger over your favorite cocktail at our fully restored original bar."

The National Hotel in Jackson is a piece of history that is now a modern beautiful getaway for the person who wants to come to the Gold Country and enjoy life. 

I love that fact that someone took the time to invest their money in a great old historic building like The National Hotel. Especially, when they do it with the desire to see the hotel regain her glory.

There were a lot of men and women who worked very hard to make The National into the beauty that she is. 

I agree with their website when they say, "As we re-open this grand structure, our guests will find it’s been transformed to its former glory; honoring its past while embracing all the modern luxuries.

The gold today comes from the vineyards, the jaw dropping beauty of the landscape and the richness of the history of the true old west."

And yes, The National Hotel is the Old West! 

THIRD SHOT!

University of Virginia declines Obama request to speak on campus

August 25, 2012

The University of Virginia declined President Obama’s request to speak on campus next week, citing security costs and the disruption of classes.

University officials said the Obama campaign wanted to use one of two outdoor venues – the school’s Amphitheater or the Harrison-Small Library plaza – when the president visits Charlottesville on Wednesday, according to NBC affiliate WVIR-TV.

School officials said more than 186 classes would have to be cancelled, in the first week of the fall semester.

The president is scheduled next week to visit three battleground states with a focus on wooing college voters, as the Republican Party holds its national convention in Tampa, Fla.

On Tuesday, Obama is scheduled to hold a rally at Iowa State University, in Ames, Iowa, then one at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, Colo.

Virginia's top Democrat is playing down the snub. Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Brian Moran told the station, "We're proud that he's coming. We're very excited that he's coming to Charlottesville, regardless of where in Charlottesville."

University spokesperson Carol Wood confirmed to the TV station that President Obama will not be speaking at the university.

And the university’s communications office said Friday, school officials offered John Paul Jones Arena, but were told it "was not academic enough" by the Obama for America campaign.

To me, if it's all about location than it seems that backdrop and stage design are more important to the Obama campaign that the actual message itself.

But that's nothing new!

FOURTH SHOT! 

News Media Doesn't Report Democrats In Trouble With The Law

I know folks are hearing a lot about a Republican who said something he wishes he hadn't, but you probably hadn't heard about a few Democrats in trouble.

The House officially reprimanded California Democrat Laura Richardson for conduct violations this month.

The House has officially reprimanded California Democrat Laura Richardson for forcing her congressional staff to do campaign work and for violating codes of conduct for government service.

The official reprimand comes with a $10,000 fine. It's another blow to the three-term lawmaker's uphill re-election race against fellow Democratic Rep. Janice Hahn.

Richardson has admitted to all seven counts levied against her and agreed to accept the reprimand.

The Ethics Committee report said Richardson forced employees in her Long Beach office to do campaign work after their workday had ended - and then sought to tamper with and influence the testimony of staff members by suggesting they tell the committee their campaign work had been "voluntary."

Imagine that!

Here's another story that has been overlooked in the News:

Illinois State House expelled Democrat Rep. Derrick Smith over bribery charges.

On August 17th, it was barely reported anywhere that Illinois State lawmakers kicked out a West Side Democrat accused of taking a $7,000 bribe, marking the first expulsion from the Illinois House since 1905.

Rep. Derrick Smith failed to show up to defend himself or hear his fellow House lawmakers condemn his alleged actions before the 100-6 vote was taken. Three lawmakers voted present - the same way that Obama used to vote present on matters that he didn't want to commit to when he was in the Illinois State House.

Here's another one:

Minnesota Democrat lawmaker urged to step aside after rest-stop liaison with 17-year-old boy

A Minnesota state lawmaker, a democrat, who authorities say admitted having a liaison with a 17-year-old boy at a rest stop faced calls from party leaders to give up his re-election bid.

Democrat Rep. Kerry Gauthier, 56, hasn't been charged in the July incident, and authorities said he wouldn't be because the boy was older than 16, the legal age of consent, and no money was exchanged.

Police say the teenager responded to the lawmaker's Craigslist ad for "no strings attached" sex.

Gauthier admitted to the liaison, according to police reports made public late last week. The teen told police the two had oral sex, according to the reports.

Gauthier hasn't commented to reporters on the incident. A call to his cellphone rolled to voicemail on Monday. Thissen's statement said he expects Gauthier to "address these issues publicly and soon."

Gauthier was elected in 2010 with 73 percent of the vote. He is not married.

I can't help but wonder how many more Democrats are doing things either improper or illegal that the liberal News Media isn't reporting or burying? I'm willing to bet there are others!


FIFTH SHOT!

Texas judge warns of "civil unrest," UN troop presence if Obama re-elected

It was reported on August 23, 2012, that a local Texas judge says his county should beef up security in preparation for "civil unrest" if President Obama is re-elected.

He is worried Obama may try to "hand over sovereignty" to the United Nations.

Lubbock County Judge Tom Head told MyFoxLubbock.com that he wants his county to be prepared, which is why he's backing a new tax hike to pay for extra deputies and attorneys.

"(Obama is) going to try to hand over the sovereignty of the United States to the U.N., and what is going to happen when that happens?" Head asked, according to MyFoxLubbock.com. "I'm thinking the worst. Civil unrest, civil disobedience, civil war maybe. And we're not just talking a few riots here and demonstrations, we're talking Lexington, Concord, take up arms and get rid of the guy."

Head went on to predict that if that happens, Obama will "send in U.N. troops."

"I don't want 'em in Lubbock County. OK. So I'm going to stand in front of their armored personnel carrier and say 'you're not coming in here,'" he said, adding he wants "trained, equipped, seasoned veteran officers to back me."

Head clarified Wednesday that the remarks referred to a "worst-case scenario" that "probably" won't happen.

County Commissioner Gilbert Flores scolded Head for the comments, reportedly saying he was "ashamed" at what he said.

Head reportedly made the remarks Monday before an interview with the Fox affiliate in Lubbock, Texas.

MyFoxLubbock.com says the mics picked up the remarks and the judge gave the channel permission to use them, though he reportedly has said they're out of context.

I don't even know what to say to that other than that I don't think Obama is that stupid to try something like that. It would lead to chaos.

SIXTH SHOT!

Labor Department spent $500G in Stimulus Funds on green-job ad blitz on Olbermann, Maddow at MSNBC

August 22, 2012

Stimulus cash spent to air green jobs ads on MSNBC

Labor Dept. Uses Stimulus Spending to Promote...

The Obama administration paid a PR firm nearly $500,000 in stimulus funds to run a barrage of ads on White House-friendly cable programs promoting its green job training program.

According to government records, the Labor Department paid the money in late 2009 to a company that negotiated a media buy on MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" and "The Rachel Maddow Show." The ad was set to run more than 100 times -- 14 times a week for two months.

It's unclear how many people might have gotten involved in the green job training program because of the ads. But in terms of direct economic impact, the official online entry on the contract listed zero jobs created as a result of the payment.

"On the surface, this doesn't pass the basic sniff test," Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who sits on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told Fox News.

Chaffetz, who said he's writing a letter to the Labor Department seeking more information about the contract, complained that the federal government already spends "way too much" on advertising as it is.

He said the targeting of these ads also raises questions about "political motivations."

The $495,000 contract was awarded to McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations.

Two department spokesmen also told The Washington Times that Larry King's former CNN show was considered for carrying the ad but was dropped because MSNBC was thought to be able to reach more viewers.

But Rick Manning, a spokesman with Americans for Limited Government who used to be chief of staff in the Labor Department's public affairs office in the George W. Bush administration, took issue with the department's explanation of the purchase.

"The fact that they claim that they delegated this spending authority to a consultant without oversight is outrageous," he said.

The Maddow and Olbermann shows - the latter of which is no longer on MSNBC - have been two of the friendliest programs toward the Obama administration on cable TV.

Maddow herself cut an MSNBC ad last year touting government investment in infrastructure - an Obama priority.

The official "award summary" on the Labor Department contract explained that the ads were meant for "raising awareness among employers and influencers" about the green job training program and to move a "target audience" to contact the Job Corps Call Center to ask about enrolling.

The summary cited "existing and new training initiatives in high-growth and environmentally friendly career areas."

According to the Labor Department, the Job Corps committed more than $9 million in stimulus funds toward growing its training program and brought in more than 60,000 students to participate in the process.

The department reported that it was adding training programs "for an emerging green economy" - by developing concentrations for such careers as weatherization technician, smart meter technician and other fields.

This was really hard to believe at first, then it made more sense. It must be nice to get repaid for supporting Obama. No wonder the News Media is in his pocket.

For a long time, I've questioned the motives of the liberal media. For a long time, I've wondered if their support of liberal ideals could really be based on some altruistic notion passed along by some Communist professor in college.

I wondered because I know that altruism and Communist do not go hand in hand, they are in fact opposites. Altruism is the opposite of selfishness. It is selflessness. Communism is selfishness because it is about gaining control and power over others.

Altruism is the concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures. It is the core of various religions. As a boy, I learned that the concern for the welfare of others is at the heart of being a Catholic. It is about what motivates us to help others without wanting anything in return for ourself.

The liberal media has tried to pass themselves off as this all caring entity when in reality it is just pretentious bullshit.

This report is just more proof that the liberal media is like a hooker. More and more people are seeing what it is, the only thing left is negotiating price.

Story by Tom Correa

Voters To Uncle Sam: "Leave Me Alone!"

The Tenth Amendment ensures that liberty belongs to the people and when government oversteps the Constitution and limits our liberty, the states and “We The People” have the right to take action.

Fox News poll: Voters want Uncle Sam to "Leave me alone"

August 23, 2012

A Fox News poll asks which of two messages voters would send to the federal government. A 54-percent majority would tell Uncle Sam to “leave me alone,” while 35 percent would ask Washington to “lend me a hand.”

That’s just one of the findings from the poll, released Thursday, that asks likely voters about the role of government, the Democratic and Republican tickets and the future of the nation.

Democrats (59 percent) are nearly four times as likely as Republicans (15 percent) to say they would tell the government to “lend me a hand.”

Likewise, Republicans (80 percent) are about three times as likely as Democrats (27 percent) to say “leave me alone.”

Among independents, the message would be “leave me alone” for more than twice as many as it would be “lend me a hand” (63 percent and 25 percent respectively).

Meanwhile, the poll asks voters whether or not some of the criticisms being said about the presidential and vice presidential candidates are fair.

A 53-percent majority thinks it’s fair to say President Barack Obama wants to “change the country in a way that makes people more dependent on government.” Some 44 percent think that’s an unfair description of him.

Views are more evenly divided on whether Republican challenger Mitt Romney wants to “change the country in ways that will make the rich even richer but will not help everyone else.” Some 47 percent say it’s fair to say that, while 49 percent say that’s unfair.

By a 14-percentage point margin, more voters (51 percent) think it’s unfair to say Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan has “extreme views and doesn’t care if he hurts seniors with his budget cuts” than think it’s fair to say that about him (37 percent).

And by an 11-percentage point margin, voters (52-percent) think it’s unfair to say the number of embarrassing gaffes Vice President Joe Biden’s made shows he’s not smart enough to be president. Forty-one percent say that’s fair.

Finally, with less than 80 days until an election offering two different visions for the country, the poll shows 57 percent of likely voters believe the country is on the decline as a civilization. In contrast, 31 percent think the United States is on the rise.

A large 82-percent majority of Republicans and a sizable 67-percent majority of independents think the country is on the decline. Democrats tend to hold the opposite view, with a 56-percent majority saying the U.S. is on the rise.

A majority of voters backing Obama in the race for the White House believe the country is improving (57 percent), while most of those backing Romney say the opposite (85 percent).

Among the small group of undecided voters who have yet to pick a candidate, 18 percent think the country is on the rise and 60 percent say it’s on the decline.

There are reasons that Voters want Uncle Sam to "Leave me alone."

Man Arrested And Jailed For Collecting Rainwater On His Own Property

August 16, 2012

In Eagle Point, Oregon, a man has begun serving a 30-day jail sentence after he built three ponds (reservoirs) on his property to collect rainwater.

That's right! This was an apparent violation of a State of Oregon law that says "All Water Is Publicly Owned."

And yes, as completely insane as it sounds, that apparently includes any falling from the sky - in Oregon!

Gary Harrington has collected nearly 13 million gallons of water in his ponds. That's enough rainwater to fill 20 Olympic-size swimming pools. Yes, that's a lot of rain.

But Gary ran into problems when two weeks ago, he was found guilty of breaking an Oregon State Law from 1925 against private water collection. Because of that law, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail and issued a $1,500 fine.

Oregon's Water Resources Department said that though it is legal to set up rainwater collection barrels on roofs or other artificial surfaces, Harrington's reservoirs go way beyond that and required permits.

"Mr. Harrington has operated these three reservoirs (ponds) in flagrant violation of Oregon law for more than a decade," the department's deputy director, Tom Paul, told the Medford Mail Tribune.

The state initially approved permits for Harrington's reservoirs in 2003, but reversed its decision.

"They issued me my permits. I had my permits in hand and they retracted them just arbitrarily, basically," said Gary Harrington. "They took them back and said, 'No, you can't have them.' So I've been fighting it ever since."

Harrington has been ordered to drain his three reservoirs, something that he vows to continue fighting. He said that he is only using the rainwater for personal use and fire suppression and that the state is infringing on his rights.

"The government is bullying," he told CNSNews.com. "They've just gotten to be big bullies and if you just lay over and die and give up, that just makes them bigger bullies."

Harrington has set up a website, www.empoweringthejury.org, to appeal to the public for support.

The site includes videos defending his reservoirs and a petition that asks for signatures and donations. But that doesn't sway state officials.

"What we're after is compliance with Oregon water law, regardless of what the public thinks of Mr. Harrington," Paul told the Mail Tribune.

It rains a lot in Oregon. I'd be shocked to find out that people who have a little property didn't build their own ponds to catch some of the rainwater. I know people who live in rural areas who catch rainwater for all sorts of uses - and yes, including vital resource for fire suppression.

Just because it's a law don't make it right. It is a fact that there are many dumb laws in Oregon and elsewhere.

Some dumb Oregon State Laws include: Dishes must drip dry; The “Peer Review Statute” prohibits you from finding out details of any written or oral discussion about your medical treatment; It is illegal to whisper “dirty” things in your lover’s ear during sex; Ice cream may not be eaten on Sundays; It is illegal to buy or sell marijuana, but it is legal to smoke it on your own property; One may not bathe without wearing “suitable clothing;" Canned corn is not to be used as bait for fishing. All are indeed Oregon State Laws.

Gary Harrington being arrested for building ponds on his own property is a perfect example of government, in this case a State Government, gone nuts! To jail a man for putting in reservoirs to fight fires shows that Oregon is a state run by idiots and the incompetent - crazy with power.

Supreme Court Unanimously Rebukes EPA Overreach


March, 2012

"Any piece of land that is wet at least part of the year is in danger of being classified by EPA employees as wetlands… if property owners begin to construct a home on a lot that the agency thinks possesses the requisite wetness, the property owners are at the agency’s mercy… If the owners do not do the EPA’s bidding, they may be fined up to $75,000 per day…

Until the EPA sues them, they are blocked from access to the courts, and the EPA may wait as long as it wants before deciding to sue. By that time, the potential fines may easily have reached the millions. In a nation that values due process, not to mention private property, such treatment is unthinkable."

These are the words of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito rebuking the Environmental Protection Agency for an excessive attack on American citizens.

Federal court strikes down EPA overreach on air pollution rules


August 21, 2012

The Environmental Protection Agency suffered a major defeat in federal court on Tuesday, as its Cross State Air Pollution Rule was struck down.

These EPA regulations were going to cost the American energy industry, not "green energy," $2.7 billion to deliver.

The appellate court's words in its ruling, as quoted by the Washington Examiner, are clear:

"EPA seems reluctant to acknowledge any textual limits on its authority under the good neighbor provision. At oral argument, EPA suggested that ‘reasonableness’ is the only limit on its authority to use cost-effectiveness to force down States’ emissions. EPA would not rule out the possibility that under the good neighbor provision, it could require a State to reduce more than the State’s total emissions that go out of State. But such a claim of authority does not square with the statutory text – ‘amounts’ of pollution obviously cannot ‘contribute’ to a downwind State’s pollution problem if they don’t even reach the downwind State.”

The EPA has twisted the clear meaning of the statute to overstep its authority, only to receive a stinging rebuke from the U.S. Court of Appeals.

The court also cited the EPA for failing to allow state governments "the initial opportunity to implement the required reductions with respect to sources within their borders.”

The EPA is the biggest government bully in the country these days. From mandating rediculous regulations on farmers, ranchers, and energy companies, they are also responsible for stifling economic growth in financially hard hit areas of the country by refusing or stonewalling permits for companies wanting build businesses and factories that would have employeed thousands.

Oregon Couple Faces Huge Fine For Putting In Swimming Pool
Jun 11th 2012

More from Oregon!

This time it's about one Oregon couple who are determined to hold onto a pool that they built in protected wetlands faces an upstream battle against their town that could potentially wash away their bankroll.

A couple in West Linn, which several times has been rated one of the top 100 places to live by Money magazine, is staring at a huge fine for building a pool on their property without obtaining a permit, The Oregonian reports.

A fine for not getting a permit? OK, like most of us, I've heard of that. But friends, I've never heard of fines like this or the reasoning behind it.
Troy and Gina Bundy, who were issued citations by the local police department last week, have been ordered to pay a retroactive fine dating back to November 2009, when the pool was built, for every day it remains in the wetlands area, the newspaper says.

The fine is $1,000 a day, according to West Linn's assistant city manager, which means that the Bundys may be required to shell out close to $1 Million for the violation.

The Bundys pleaded not guilty to prohibited use of a water resource - in this case a protected ecological zone along a river - and a court date is set for August, where Troy, who is an attorney, reportedly will represent himself.

"I'm going to fight every last minute, and I'm not going to give up until I'm old and gray," Troy Bundy said. "And if they want to steal my kid's college fund from me, they're going to have to pull it from my cold dead fingers."

Asked if West Linn's community development code seemed a bit harsh, Assistant City Manager Kirsten Wyatt said: "I don't think this is especially stringent, but it does reflect the fact that we value our resources."

"I'd almost wager it's standard across Oregon and across other Northwest communities," she added.

"No person shall be permitted to fill, strip, install pipe, undertake construction, or in any way alter an existing water resource area without first obtaining a permit to do so," reads the town's "Water Resource Area Protection" code.

Bundy doesn't dispute that his pool builders did this, but he does say that city officials previously approved the pool's construction.

He also says that if he removes the pool without a consent agreement with the city or without receiving a court or city order, he may not sue the city for the cost of removing the pool.

To date, West Linn has not officially ordered him to remove the pool or been open to any other consent agreement than one that requires him to pay the city for its legal costs and waive his right to sue it, he says.

Seeing as he has spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $70,000 in attorneys fees and other expenses in an effort to resolve his predicament, he is not about to waive his right to sue for the cost of removing the pool, he says.

"The short story is they've never asked me to remove the pool," Bundy says. "I would have done it a long time ago ... but they never asked, so now they can't come back two and a half years later and say, well, you know, they're just going to fine me.' Fine me until what? I still can't take out the pool without a consent order or a court order."
The Bundys said they began construction after purportedly being told by the town's then-mayor, Patti Galle, to "go ahead and put in your pool" and being assured that they could obtain a permit later.

Government is supposed to work for the people - not be the tyrant that people are frightened of. Yet that's the case in more and more cities across America.

City Orders Woman To Stop Passing Out Free Water In 112-Degree Heat

August 22, 2012

Yes, this beats them all!

In Arizona, the city of Phoenix is facing a possible lawsuit after a woman claimed a city worker told her she could not pass out free water in the Arizona heat without a permit.

Dana Crow-Smith tells ABC 15 she was passing out water bottles in the 112-degree heat along with others in an attempt to share their Christian beliefs with people attending a festival downtown last month, when a city worker ordered them to stop.

She said the worker told the group they would be cited if they continued passing out the water because they did not have a permit.

“It was really hot and yeah we wanted to show God's love and a small act of kindness is a great way to do that without shoving it down someone's throat,” Crow-Smith told ABC 15

Now, a civil liberties organization is threatening to sue the city on Crow-Smith's behalf, saying her First Amendment rights to freely practice her religion were violated.

John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute told ABC 15, "It is a sad day when local government officials prohibit Americans from such charitable acts as giving water to the thirsty in their city."

Sure these are only a few of the most recent examples of government overreach. It seems lately, our government is overstepping its authority more and more frequently.  It is apparent that they need to be told who they work for - and who they're offending.

No, it's really no wonder that a majority of Americans are saying, "Leave me alone!"

This November, the message that Washington gets may be loud and clear as Voters want Uncle Sam to, "Leave me alone."


Story by Tom Correa

Sometimes Spurs Are Needed In Politics

A few years ago, I remember a city kid coming over to me and asking me about the spurs that I was wearing.

He knew they had something to do with the riding horses, but he didn't know exactly how they worked. With a sort of worried tone to his voice, he asked if it hurt the horse and why were they needed?
And
I looked at the young man and decided to tell him about spurs with horses. I went about and tried to explain to him that spurs are used to enforce what you what.

The first thing you have to decide on why you need spurs. I knew a guy who had a horse that wouldn't move an inch without spurs. He would just about wear off his heel but that horse of his would not move. Once he put on his spurs, that cowboy got an immediate response.

I have a friend out in Utah that swears by jiggle-bobs. He said his horses and mules hear them jiggle-bobs and they automatically know that that cowboy wants to ride and not just sit there.

I've known a couple of cowboys who just liked having a set of spurs just for the sake of having them. Most of them had horses who really didn't need a spur, but the cowboys just like to have them.

No, spurs do not hurt the horse. They are used to get their attention!

Choosing the correct style of spur for what you need is the trick, and it all depends on what you want. Many styles of riding, such as Dressage and Western, incorporate spurs as part of the compulsory Dress Code, which meaning that you are not demanded to wear or use them.

For English riding, the spur is generally "slim line" and is close contact, allowing for precision movements and accurate departure without the cues being noticeable.

With Western riding, the spurs are much bigger to allow to fit around a Western Boot. They are also longer to allow for accurate movements due to the position of the riders leg in a Western Saddle. The rowel at the end of the Western Spur also provides in many cases, a softer spurring, as it rolls rather than jabs the horse.

The shank of the spur is important. The shape of the shank comes into play when riding Western.

This is important because it has everything to do with the kind of riding you're doing. When you sit in a Western Saddle your leg is pushed forward and out. On the other hand, if  ride English or a Dressage saddle, your leg is almost flat against the horses side.

This will determine whether or not the spur will need to be straight or curved and to what degree. Western spurs already are curved and you can buy them in varying degrees. It is best to ride your horse with no spur and get a feel of where your leg is in reference to the horses side and how he is traveling.

This will also tell you how responsive the horse is. A general rule to go by is that if you can feel the horses side then a short shank with a lesser degree of curve is needed, and of course if you are less able to feel the horses side - then a longer shank and a higher degree of curve is needed.

All of this depends on the response you're getting, or want to get. Some need more spur than others. The young man realized that spurs are just like the accelerator pedal in a car. You use it to get things moving.

In July, 2012, the Democratic leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee said that the White House appears to be responsible for the leaks of classified information that surfaced recently.

"I think the White House has to understand that some of this is coming from their ranks," Sen. Dianne Feinstein told a World Affairs Council forum.

The California lawmaker said she was certain that President Barack Obama, who receives a daily intelligence briefing, isn't disclosing secret information, but she was uncertain about others at the White House. "I don't believe for a moment that he goes out and talks about it," she said.

Republicans have criticized the disclosures, arguing that members of the Obama administration were intentionally leaking classified extremely sensitive material to enhance the president's reputation in an election year.

Attorney General Eric Holder has appointed two attorneys to lead the investigation into who leaked information about U.S. involvement in cyber-attacks on Iran and about an al-Qaida plot to place an explosive device aboard a U.S.-bound airliner.

Those leaks are still currently under investigation by Justice Department attorneys. But then again, some wonder who impartial Attorney General Eric Holder can be since he was just convicted of Contempt of Congress and works for the President.


Today, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, who is America's top military official, criticized a group of former military and intelligence operatives for their campaign against President Obama.
He actually told Fox News that he is "disappointed" by such political activity, going so far as to call it "not useful."

The group of former CIA agents, Navy SEALs, and other military members, recently released a long political ad blasting Obama for security leaks on his watch, as well as suggesting he has taken too much credit for the SEALs raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden.

This seems to have gotten to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey sort of upset.

You can tell by the comment he made, "If someone uses the uniform, whatever uniform, for partisan politics, I am disappointed because I think it does erode that bond of trust we have with the American people."

General Dempsey is the most senior military officer to publicly condemn the group, which calls itself Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund. 

"Is their criticism valid? I won’t comment on that," Dempsey said on board a C17 military aircraft en route back from the Middle East. "Is it useful? No, it’s not useful. It’s not useful to me."

Dempsey said as the steward of his profession - the military - he thinks it imperative that the military remain "apolitical."

He went on to say, "That’s how we remain our bond of trust with the American people. People don’t want us to be another special interest group. They don’t want that. In fact I think it confuses them."
Now Scott Taylor, one of the former Navy SEALs behind the campaign, responded to General Dempsey's comments in an interview Tuesday night with Fox News' Greta van Susteren, saying that they consciously excluded active-duty military because of restrictions on such political activity.

This group, however, intends to speak out.

"We have our First Amendment rights," Taylor said. "We fought for them, and we're going to continue to do so."

Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund unveiled its 22-minute video on its website last week and pledged to go on air with a TV ad sometime in September.

The Obama administration has been leaking security details for political gain.

In the video, an array of retired CIA agents and other intelligence personnel suggest the administration has been leaking security details for political gain, and specifically criticize President Obama over his public handling of the Osama bin Laden raid.

"Mr. President, you did not kill Osama bin Laden. America did," Navy SEAL Ben Smith said in the video. "The work that the American military has done killed Osama bin Laden. You did not."

The group seems to be most focused on the controversy over security leaks.
The narrator in the video says former military and intelligence operatives who understand the importance of operational security "have had enough."

"Their mission - stop the politicians from politically capitalizing on U.S. national security operations and secrets," the narrator says, as a picture of Obama flashes on screen.

So about now, you've probably already guessed why I talked about spurs before entering into this article.

It bothers me when I hear the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff being political while saying he hates politics. He has no right to use his position to criticize civilians about taking the White House to task.

He should be applauding them!

Someone should explain to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey that civilians are making up that group of Patriots. Men and women who have given of themselves no more or less than he has.

But unlike the constraints placed upon our troops while in uniform, by God these people are Americans and former military and CIA personnel - now civilians.

It's a damn shame that anyone has to put on spurs to get investigations moving. To get an investigation that seems to be dragging along with no result and no non-political investigator looking into it.

This is a case of violating our national security. Yet, Obama just brushes it off as no big deal.

Yesterday, President Obama said he doesn’t take the Navy SEALs group "Too Seriously".


In an interview with the Virginian-Pilot, Obama said he isn't bothered by charges from a political group called the Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund which accuses him of overseeing leaks which put lives at risk.

President Obama's response was in itself an attack on the group, "I don’t take these folks too seriously. One of their members is a birther who denies I was born here, despite evidence to the contrary. You’ve got another who was a tea party candidate in a recent election. This kind of stuff springs up before election time."

His answer is typical of the standard Obama behavior of slander and discredit anyone who questions his policies or his deeds. Too bad really, fact is that he won't be able to smile and joke out of this.

This is a case of violating our national security and putting lives at risk.  
Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund has picked the right spurs for the task of getting a response from Congress and the Justice Department. Media attention and talk will help spur things along.

I really believe that they will get answers to who is responsible for this, whether Obama wants it to go away or not.

Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dempsey should be praising their efforts instead of criticizing them. Of anyone in government, I would think he'd be the first one to answers as to who is intentionally leaking classified extremely sensitive material. Why isn't he?

I honestly don't care how hard these folks put the spur to the Obama administration, we need to punish those responsible been leaking sensitive material.

Whoever is responsible for this is a traitor willing to sell out our troops and America, all just for political gain.


Story by Tom Correa

RANDOM SHOTS - Obama Behind The Times, The EPA Ethanol Mandate, Food Up, and More!

FIRST SHOT!

Obama Behind The Times In His Attack On Paul Ryan's 2012 Medicare Plan

The Big Lie: the Obama campaign would like voters to believe that Paul Ryan's Medicare plan would "end Medicare as we know it" - privatizing the whole system and costing seniors more than $6,000 extra a year.

Fact-check site Politifact rated the oft-repeated claim that Republicans voted to "end Medicare" as the "Lie of the Year" for 2011.

Fact Check: Obama fighting outdated 2011 version of Paul Ryan Medicare plan - not the recent 2012 version.

Fact is that the Obama campaign, even before Paul Ryan was selected as Mitt Romney's running mate, has effectively been running against the wrong Paul Ryan Medicare plan.

The president's accusations largely refer to Ryan's 2011 plan, ignoring the fact that the House Budget Committee chairman rolled out a different version in 2012 - taking into account Democratic critiques.

Though the 2012 plan is more moderate, Obama and his surrogates have ignored the newer version as they ramp up their accusations against the Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.

Most importantly, the Obama campaign has omitted a key point.

While Ryan's 2011 plan proposes to give seniors a government payment to buy private insurance, his 2012 plan offers seniors a choice.

Under the Paul Ryan blueprint, Senior Americans could use the payment to buy private insurance or stay in traditional Medicare.

No real surprise that this distinction is conveniently lost during Obama campaign events.

Last week in Davenport, Iowa, Barack Obama again accused Romney-Ryan of wanting to "voucherize the Medicare system."

"They want to turn Medicare into a voucher system," Obama said. "That means seniors would no longer have the guarantee of Medicare - they'd get a voucher to buy private insurance. And if it doesn't keep up with costs, well, that's the seniors' problem."

Seems like President Obama like to neglect a lot, including to mention the traditional Medicare option. Under the plan, the two-tiered system would kick in a decade from now.

In what I believe is a conscious decision on the part of the Obama campaign to deceive Americans, another distinction the campaign has chosen to ignore is the average cost to seniors.

For months, Obama has cited an estimate that the Republican budget plan would cost Medicare seniors $6,400.

The Obama campaign repeats that claim in a new TV ad released Friday called "Fact."

The ad says: "And experts say his voucher plan could raise future retirees' costs more than $6,000. ... Get the facts."

But that estimate is from early 2011, and that refers to Paul Ryan's outdated plan from the same year.

Very sharp-eyed viewers would see in the latest Obama ad that there is fine print that attributes the estimate to "Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/8/11."

They are repeating something that is not true with the hope that someone will believe their lie.

SECOND SHOT!

EPA Must Drop Ethanol Mandate - Or Be Responsible For Driving Up Cost Of Food 

With record drought destroying crops across the country, corn prices are skyrocketing, and that is causing a world-wide ripple effect - including driving up the cost of the corn-derived gasoline additive ethanol.

Christopher Hurt, a Purdue University economic professor, estimates that corn prices are up 60 percent this summer.

Now Democrat governors from Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina and Arkansas have joined ranchers, poultry farmers - and the United Nations director-general for food and agriculture - in asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive the federal requirement that gasoline contain 10 percent ethanol.

"It's universally acknowledged that ethanol is raising the price of food," Kenneth Green of the American Enterprise Institute said.

"It's not lowering the price of gas. In fact, it may be raising the price of gas, and it's having a devastating environmental effect in terms of coastal pollution."

Green says coastal "dead zones" may be increasing because of the run-off from fertilizer-intensive corn crops - but the human economic costs are potentially even more severe.

The Department of Agriculture estimates that food inflation will hit 3 percent to 3.5 percent this year, then 3 percent to 4 percent next year.

The United States is the world's largest food exporter. For the poorest countries who dependent on U.S. exports of corn and grains, the impact may cost millions of lives.

Obama doesn't act!

In fact no one in the Obama administration has acted in any way to waive the ethanol mandate. 

The problem is that ethanol mandates have won favor in the corn belt - where corn prices and profits have set records in recent years.

As evidence of that, more corn now goes to the production of ethanol than to the production of food and cattle and poultry feed.

Many of those same corn belt states, including Iowa, Ohio, and Michigan, happen to be key swing states in the upcoming presidential election.

Even if there were political will to challenge the mandates, the ethanol industry has now become an entrenched player in Washington. This environmentalist scam has made many rich - and money is power no matter if food costs too much to buy.

"Once it's entrenched, you have a locked-in lobby that won't let you pry it out," Green said.

"No matter that your environmental groups have walked away from it, international groups have walked away from it. Everybody has acknowledged it's bad public policy, but it's dug in like a tick."

The only way to fix this is to get the President to act. If he will not act, then he should be voted out of office - replaced with someone who will put our nation's needs ahead of his own.

 
THIRD SHOT!

Higher Corn, Soybean Prices Seen Monday

The CME Group corn, soybean and wheat markets traded higher on Monday.

The Early Calls for the commodities on Monday, August 20, 2012, are higher.

Corn is seen opening 5-7 cents higher, soybeans 10-12 cents higher, and wheat 3-5 cents higher.

In overnight trading, the December corn futures contract traded 7 3/4 cents higher at $8.15 per bushel.

December soybean futures traded 14 1/2 cents higher at $16.60 per bushel, and December wheat traded 2 cents higher at $8.96 1/2.

For December soybean meal futures, the contract traded $4.10 per short ton higher at $504.00. December soybean oil futures traded $0.33 higher at $54.07.

The outside markets are mostly unfavorable for Monday's grain trade. The real factors driving the calls will be the higher overnight markets.

These are the results of the blistering drought that has hurt most of the Midwest, the EPA refusal to bend on ethanol mandate, and Obama failure to act.

FOURTH SHOT!

Livestock Problem Just As Bad If Not Worse

On July 10th, Jeff Caldwell wrote an entitled: Avoid Drought's 'Ttail' In Your Herd 

He is the Multimedia Editor for Agriculture.com and Successful Farming magazine, and subsequently knows what's going on in Agriculture.

His article needs a read:

The corn and soybean crops are hogging much of the spotlight when it comes to growing damage from the drought conditions around the nation this summer. But, it's the beef sector that could see the longest-lasting effects of the hot, dry weather.

In fact, producers who fail to "properly manage" their herd through the drought could be dealing with its effects for as long as 3 years, one Purdue University Extension beef specialist says.

"The tail on this can be pretty long if we don't manage things right in a drought year," says Ron Lemenager. "One thing that I think is really important for producers to consider this year is body condition. If you use condition scores of these cows as a barometer of where you're at nutritionally, we can't do much about the heat or drought, but we can make sure we don't have any nutritional deficiencies."

So, what if you do finish the year with poor body scores for your cows because of poor or altogether lacking forage stocks this summer on account of the drought? Embryo survival goes down, sperm and oocyte quality declines and overall fertilization rates go down.

"The environmental conditions we are experiencing have ratcheted stress forward into the heart of the breeding season for those that calve in the spring, meaning it's very probably we'll see more open cows than normal this fall," Lemenager says in a university report.

If you're in a droughted area and have doubts about how your herd's faring, be sure to preg-check your cows and consider marketing non-productive animals. And, consider the implications of keeping back all your pregnant cows. They may be able to calve okay, but the drought's likely been hard enough on them to make it tough to keep a young calf healthy.

"If we're short on forage we have the option of sliding by, but if cows are thin going into the fall, fewer will be bred, calves will be lighter at weaning time this year and fewer calves will be born next year," Lemenager says. "Then, if cows are thin heading into next breeding season, fewer cows will be bred and colostrum quality will be lower, meaning a lower calf survival rate which affects productivity in years 2 and 3."

Avoiding that 3-year "tail" can be best done by supplementing feed as early as you can to ensure your cows' health doesn't slide too much. And, Purdue Extension forage specialist Keith Johnson advises the following steps to help your cows manage heat and drought stress:

•Avoid overgrazing and employ rotational grazing.
•Creep-feed calves to create near normal weaning weights.
•Early-wean calves to take pressure off of both cows and pastures.
•Identify and manage poisonous plants in pastures and hay fields.
•Establish summer annuals to increase late-season forage production.
•Pregnancy-check and market cull cows earlier than normal to reduce feed needs.
•Inventory hay and other feed resources.
•Analyze feeds for nutrient profiles to help determine supplemental feed needs.
•Use alternative feeds to supplement and stretch forage supplies.
•Limit hay access time to stretch forage supplies.
•Limit-feed a high-concentrate diet to stretch forage supplies.
•Graze crop residues and stockpiled forages to reduce harvested feed needs.
•Use drought-stressed corn for grazing, green chop or silage.
•Make sure cattle have access to a clean, cool water supply.
•Moisten the soil around ground rods of electric fences.

This is all smart advice from a man who knows what is taking place today. It is getting bad out there, and to me, any information to help our producers is well worth passing on.

FIFTH SHOT!

Virginia bakery owner turns down Biden visit over Obama's "You didn't build that" remark

The owner of a Virginia bakery gave Vice President Biden's advance team an answer they probably don't hear too often: No.

Chris McMurray, owner of "Crumb and Get It" bakery in southwestern Virginia, reportedly refused to let Joe Biden stop by his store Wednesday because of concerns he had about President Obama's "you didn't build that" remark.

The president made the controversial comment last month in Roanoke, Virginia, just miles from McMurray's bakery.

"This is an opportunity of a lifetime, but essentially I said, 'No offense to you or the campaign but I just decline you guys coming in here,'" McMurray told WDBJ7.

He said the Biden staffer asked if he was sure, since there would be lots of press and activity. Biden was wrapping up a tour of southern Virginia Wednesday.

But McMurray reportedly said he objected to the "you didn't build that" line.

"Speaking of small businesses and entrepreneurs all across this country, and actually last night my wife was up all night. No sleep, she's worked a full 24 hours," he said.

He and his wife Kelly run the shop.

Democrats have tried to deflect Obama's comment as merely saying small businesses didn't build our infrastructure, but the American people aren't buying it. They know exactly what he said and what he meant by it.

Americans across the nation are angry that the President of the United States would say such a thing - nevertheless think it. It goes against everything American.

SIXTH SHOT!

Racist Liberal Name Caller!

In July of this year, I published an article that talked about the news that President Obama's books were getting another look. Obama's Book Faces New Scrutiny 

Barack Obama: The Story, was the trigger for my article. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Washington Post editor David Maraniss did a great deal of research to produce the 600-page study of the president's ancestry and early life.

In my article, I wrote about my impression, my take, my understanding of Obama's life through his own words in his book - and that of the new revelations about Obama's life.

I state what others have to say about Obama's life story, most notably David Maraniss and David Remnick.

Bottom line: I do not believe that Barack Obama's life story is one of a lost under-privileged black man in America.

I really believe that President Obama's life story is one of smoking pot, doing drugs, and living the life of a spoiled rich kid -  privileged beyond his imagination.

On August 18, 2012, 6:29 AM, I received a comment about my article from Anonymous.

Anonymous wrote:

"Wow, redneck shit-for-brains like yourself can barely hide their contempt for the lives and experiences from people of different backgrounds than your own white-bread, god-fearing, cousin-marrying, gun-shooting, country-boy roots, huh?"

Well, yesterday I posted my reply - which was a little harsh. Last night, I resubmitted my reply to Anonymous the jerkweed.

Here it is: 

"A racist liberal name caller? That's the best that you can do? It is no great surprise that you're too cowardly to put your name to your comment. It is no great surprise that some coward would write me such a racist hate filled comment.

Whoever you are, you are typical of liberals and Democrats who support and cover up for Barack Obama. You are extremely common. Yes, there is nothing special or smart about you. You have your head up your ass and there is no possibility that you will find a way to pull it out and see another side of things.

Calling me "cousin-marrying" is a stereo-type of Conservatives that is worn out. Next time, be more creative.

You should write and let me know how it feels to be enslaved by lies and ruled by those who tell you how to think. Write to me, and please explain to me why you're so afraid to get off your knees and find out the truth about your idol?

Ask yourself, since in his book he admitted to doing drugs frequently, how does Obama qualify for a Classified or Top Secret Clearance with the U.S. Government? Clearances are void and not handed out to people with prior drug use.

At least that's the way it is for the rest of the country! He must be "special" like he says in his book.

Ask yourself, why doesn't he release his college transcripts to show his grade point average, who paid for his education, or if he indeed registered as a Foreign born student?

Ask yourself, why is there no record of Barack Hussein Obama's doctoral thesis? What qualifies him to "teach" Constitutional Law?

Fact is, that beyond being a racist liberal name caller, besides being nothing but a coward who would call a person like me with a Latin ancestry "white-bread", you've proven yourself to be just another dumbass jerkweed!"

I think the problem that Obama has is that he has never had to lead a regular life as a regular everyday American. He has always had things handed to him on a silver platter.

LAST SHOT!

Great Cartoons!

   

Story by Tom Correa