Fast & Furious: Cover-up Continues via Creating Deniability

DOJ is working hard this week to avoid responsibility once again.  They are promoting former Acting Director of ATF Kenneth Melson to a DOJ job (Senior Adviser for Forensic Science) - big turnaround from his expected resignation.  The Phoenix US Attorney Dennis Burke who guided the legal planning has resigned.  Eric Holder continues to lie about his knowledge by staying mum.  President Obama is being protected.  The Administration is playing cover-up instead of trying to find out who/why was trafficking guns to Mexico, and why people have died.

This comes on the heels of other reassignments recently. From NYT: "Two A.T.F. Phoenix division supervisors, William Newell and William McMahon, received lateral transfers to positions in Washington. Emory Hurley, an assistant United States attorney in Phoenix who worked on the operation, was transferred to the office’s civil division from its criminal division."

All of this will give all of these people excuses to play ignorant.  The Washington mantra is at work:  Screw up, cover up, move up.  Let's hope somewhere in the future the Karma gets straightened out.

See:  Heritage - The-fast-and-furious-scandal-continues    and  NYT - Gun Inquiry Costs Officials Their Jobs

Big Government Type 2: Man Kills Grizzly Near his Kids

An Idaho man killed a grizzly bear when it entered his yard where his 5 kids were playing.  I don't know the threat details, but I would assume that Jeremy Hill felt the need to protect his kids.  Mr. Hill lives near the Canadian border in between two bear management areas.  Now the Feds have charged him with an Endangered Species violation. The locals are not amused and the judge had to move the arraignment to larger quarters.  Mr. Hill faces a year in jail and $50,000 fines.

See here:  Outrage-man-charged-shooting-endangered-grizzly-bear-threatened-children
And here:  man_who_killed_grizzly_bear
And here:  Couer d'Alene Press Article

Ever wonder how many bear attacks are fatal?  The numbers amazed me.  Wikipedia provides:  List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America

Aside:  This is another case where the British papers seem to be covering North American news better than the local ones.  That is my personal poll and bears no statistical validity.

AirSwimmers

What can I say?  It's just fun!   Airswimmers

Guitars: Who knew they are a security threat?

Fish and Wildlife and Homeland Security raided Gibson Guitars for the second time this week. Think SWAT Teams with rifles and vests.  The confiscated Indian wood (rosewood and ebony) Gibson claims was properly imported the first time.  That was last year and Gibson is now suing to get their $500,000 of property back, because no charges have been filed.  It appears the suit will be a no-brainer and the government will lose, so HS staged a second raid as a warning tactic, according to many in the know.
See Gibson's president:  gibson-ceo-says-wood-is-properly-imported
gibson_guitar_facilities_raided
They couldn't just knock on the door?

Scary part for musicians:  Consider carefully whether or not you should take your antique guitar with you on vacation to another country.

Update from WSJ:   WSJ - Gibson Guitar   Now antique pianos are endangered too.  One dealer fined $17,500 for pianos that are grandfathered but for which he didn't have all the paperwork.  How do you prove wood provenance on 100 year old pianos?

And:  Michelle Obama is also guilty of a criminal misconduct because in 2009 she presented Carlos Sarkozy of France with a Gibson Hummingbird that contained rosewood.

Tee Shirt Dog

Our pooch has a sore on her leg that she keeps licking and thus it will not heal.  So for three weeks she wore a plastic collar.  She hated it.  Yesterday, the vet suggested a t-shirt.  FastKitty found one with long sleeves and a matching color.  Behold:

Big Government, Types 1 & 2 - Regulators and Their Regulations Proliferate

Type 1:
This article (Regulatory-Agencies-Staffing-Up) from IBD (Investor's Business Daily) has some damning numbers on how big keeps getting bigger.  It contains the following chart:


Type 2:
A quote from the article proves how the mindset of bureaucracy is damaged:  "Not everyone in the Obama administration sees a problem. The EPA thinks new regulations can fuel the economy and hiring.  The EPA wrote in February that "in periods of high unemployment, an increase in labor demand due to regulation may have a stimulative effect that results in a net increase in overall employment.""

Hawkeye Honors His Owner, Navy Seal Jon Tumilson

The best and the brightest fall first.  This young man proves the point.  His dog Hawkeye gave his respects to the end.   Navy-seal-funeral-dog-lays-by-casket and Devoted-dog-guards-navy-seal and Jon-Tumilsons-dog

Get the Goats out of Government

Okay, maybe we'll never get the government goats off our backs...but real goat people don't need the government breathing down their backs...and that is just what is now occurring as new federal regs for goat herders have been found in the Federal Register...needless to say, some of them show an astounding lack of understanding of the real world.  Just Google it to see.

Meantime, check out these folks for a story of real people, real goats, real dogs and real life:  Goats-R-Us

Doorbell

Powerline Blog held a contest.  The People's Choice Award went to:  Doorbell

There are other entries that are also great. 
I like this song:  Don't You See?
And these three little girls:  Fiscal Child Abuse 
And then there is this litlle number game:  Weight

Big Government: Reg Reduction - Real or just Politics?

Cass Sunstein, Obama's regulatory czar, announced today that they are reducing or simplifying rules and regulations.  For instance, electronic filing of certain reports will now be allowed.  Supposedly this will save $10 Billion over 10 years for individuals and small businesses.

The US Chamber wasn't very impressed.  Consider that Obamacare is creating 159 new agencies and boards.  Or that Dodd-Frank creates 447 new rules and regulations for the banking and credit card industry to work under.  As reported in a previous post, estimates show that rules and regulations cost the U.S. consumer over $1.5 Trillion a year.

Fairness Doctrine: FCC Finally Does the Right thing

The Fairness Doctrine, a bane to freedom loving people everywhere and a darling of the Type 2 Big Government bureaucrats, has been dropped by the Federal Communications Commission.  Now, one might think this has been done because the Doctrine is basically anti-freedom and anti-1st Amendment.  But, the FCC being one of those federal agencies that loves regulations, has been pushing the Fairness Doctrine for years.  No, the Doctrine has been dropped because President Obama has asked for fewer regulations and the FCC has used the opportunity to scrap 83 rules and regulations that they have been unsuccessfully pushing for years, perpetually scaring freedom-lovers and wasting copious amounts of time, energy and money with hearings.

Hooray!  See here:  FCC-to-drop-fairness-doctrine

FCC Chairman Genachowski:  "The elimination of the obsolete Fairness Doctrine regulations will remove an unnecessary distraction...The Fairness Doctrine holds the potential to chill free speech and the free flow of ideas and was properly abandoned over two decades ago. I am pleased we are removing these and other obsolete rules from our books."

BUT:  Has the Obama Administration also dropped the efforts put forward by the Diversity Czar to produce a "Localism Doctrine?"  Smoke and Mirrors is one of the central tenets of the BO Administration...

Dreams: Shooter One-Three

Bill Whittle is a journalist and small plane pilot.  He is one of the founders of the Commentary web site called Pajamas TV.  I like the site for its commentary and tell-it-like-it-is attitude.

Bill is also a student of history and a great orator about simple concepts.  He uses a lot of historical reference to make his points.  This story is not about history or politics particularly.  It is about joy of life and living to the max.  Click the link and look for the video entitled:
Afterburner: Shooter One-Three

And for a rousing clebration of American ingenuity and optimistic belief in the power of private enterprise watch this one about the new space race.  Again, look for the video with this title:
One Small Misstep for a Man, One Giant Leap for Private Enterprise

Obama Tours Minnesota on the Big Canadian Bus

Obama Tours Minnesota   
Big black bus for the Big Guy.  27 vehicles in the motorcade.  At least 13 State Troopers.

I like the patter from gal who is filming. Also note how few people are on the street to watch.

Fast & Furious: Eric Holder Feeling Guilty?

Eric Holder is now stepping in to do his department's work.  Maybe he is feeling somewhat guilty?  Maybe he feeling the heat of Issa and Grassley knocking on the door with information that shows he really did know about F&F?

From Daily Caller:  "In their Tuesday letter, Grassley and Issa also ask Holder to provide complete and full answers to all of the questions they sent him on July 22. Issa and Grassley say Holder failed to do so in his most recent response. They say “perhaps the most troubling reply” Holder gave them was that the ATF did not have detailed information available on 11 instances ATF admits being aware of that Fast and Furious weapons were recovered inside the United States in “connection with violent crimes.”"

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/08/17/holder-requests-fast-and-furious-docs-from-issa-grassley-for-independent-investigation/#ixzz1VLVr5Dwt

Kitty Scans - What Fun!

Would your kitty sit still?
The Cat Scan

Lead Law: Victory! Lead law fix signed, sealed, delivered

In a victory for families who enjoy responsible motorized recreation, President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill to allow the sale of kids' off-highway vehicles (OHVs) to continue. On Aug. 12, Obama signed into law H.R. 2715, introduced by Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.). The measure exempts kids' OHVs from the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, known as the lead law.

The CPSIA, which went into effect on Feb. 10, 2009, banned the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under, including kids' dirtbikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), that contained more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part that might be ingested.

The new law is a victory that is the result of nearly three years of intensive efforts by the AMA and its partner organization, the All-Terrain Vehicle Association (ATVA), their members and millions of advocates of responsible OHV recreation. 

Be sure to see more at:  Obama_signs_lead_law-exemption_bill_for_kids_off-highway_vehicles

To see the law itself: Lead Law Fix    It is instructive to read this bill, HR 2715, as it clearly illustrates the complexity of laws these days.  The real fix is done in the first few pagers, but the full bill uses 29 pages to cover all the minutiae needed to cover all the complexity that legislators and lawyers create.

Big Government: Type 2

Now we come to the more insidious big government, which I believe is the root cause of Type 1 Big Government.  It is also the force that may soon drag this country into a socialist type economy and an atheistic type of moral condition where no one has any respect for anything.

Type 2 Big Government is the concept of government that exists in the mind of those who like Type 1 Big Governments.  It is a mindset in which the individual is secondary, in which the government comes first, in which the rule of bureaucrats must be respected above the will of citizens, in which citizens exist to perpetuate the state.

Type 2 disrespects the Constitution, believing that the Constitution must be a "living" document that can be constantly changed to allow more effective and pervasive State rule.

Type 2 disrespects the Individual, upon whose wisdom the Founders based the Constitution.  And upon whose will and work the nation was born and grew great.  Type 2 believes that the State should direct work effort, commerce and belief.

Big Government: Type 1

I often use the term "Big Government" when complaining of the problems facing the nation.  In talking to FastKitty, I realised that more specific descriptions are needed, since the term can be intrepreted several ways.  So here-in my thoughts on Type 1 Big Government:

Type 1 Big Government is the way most people think about the word "Big."  It means big in size and scope.  Some examples:

Departments:  The Federal government has 16 Departments, up one this year with creation of the pretty much autonomous Consumer Protection Agency developed by Elizabeth Warren.
2010 Federal Employees:  2.78 million Civilians, 1.6 million Military, 64 thousand Legislative
New Employees since 2008:  250,000 or 10%
Code of Federal Regulations:  135,000 pages in 1998, 165,000 pages in 2011
Federal Felony Crimes:  4,500
2010 US Tax Code:  75,000 pages

Cost of Regulations to Public:  $1.75 Trillion per year
Scope:  Almost everyone and everything, thanks to overly-broad interpretations of the Commerce Clause starting in 1913.
2011 Budget:  $3.7 Trillion, with $1.6 Trillion deficit

See:  Regulation - The Hidden Tax

Socialists: 70 Congressmen Profess to be so

A lot of people have spent a lot of talk in calling Barack Obama a socialist.  I won't fight that appellation, but I can't prove it either.  But new info shows that 70 members of Congress do profess to that political theology, as listed on the Democratic Socialists of America website (from the 111th Congress, so not quite up to date):
DSA-Members-American-Socialist-Voter-Democratic-Socialists-of-America-10-1-09

Now some of them are pretty obvious, such as Sheila Jackson-Lee, Bernie Sanders, Lynn Woolsey and Dennis Kucinich.  But some may surprise, like George Miller from near here in Martinez. 

Theo Jansen: Kinetic Scuplture or Fascinating Engineering?

My sister sent me this link to Dutchman Theo Jansen who builds amazing machines that walk the beaches of Holland.  Is he an artist, a sculptor, an engineer, or just a skilled observer of the natural world?

Beach Sculptures Walk with the Wind

Fast & Furious: David Codrea's Anthology of Reporting

One of the prime investigative reporters on the F&F case has been David Codrea, the National Gun Rights Examiner, who has covered F&F from the beginning.  David has, more than most, helped to expose F&F as the major scandal that it truly is. 

David has posted a series of five anthologies of his and others reporting about F&F and related stories.  See them here:    A Journalist's Guide to 'Project Gunwalker'

NOTE of explanation by David:  “Project Gunrunner” is the name ATF assigned to its Southwest Border Initiative to interdict gun smuggling to Mexico. “Project Gunwalker” is the name I assigned to the scandal after allegations by agents that monitored guns were allowed to fall into criminal hands on both sides of the border through a surveillance process termed “walking” surfaced.

Fast & Furious: To be an Attache or Not?

I am slowly trying to get caught up on F&F happenings over the past week.  Because Congress is on vacation (and hopefully getting their butts kicked by constituents over their total failure on the total debt crisis) not too much has gone on officially.

One interesting development is that William Newell, the Phoenix agent ion charge of F&F, and who worked so hard to obfuscate his answers during the House hearings a few weeks ago, will be taking a special assistants job in Washington.  This is not the job he was supposed to go to:  ATF Attache to Mexico in Mexico City.


Given the anger that F&F has generated in Mexico in both official and and press circles, and given Newell's role in F&F, it is highly likely he would have been subject to arrest in Mexico if he had gone.

A couple moRe recent links for F&F:
Mexican Lawyer Murdered
A Fast and Furious Assault On Private Gun Sales

Exploring: CA, NV, OR and a bit of ID

FastKitty and I went on a trip of exploration last week.  We talk about possibly settling in a new place that has beauty and more space for our toys, so it was off to the big sky country of the states listed. 

We first went to Sonora, but FastKitty was quickly sure that would not be the place to live.  But she loved the trip over Ebbett's Pass on CA 4 for the mountain scenery and fresh air.  A stop in Markleeville was fun.  Then on to Minden and Gardnerville in Nevada.  We found some just-right-for-us houses in a subdivision off Johnson Lane.  We wanted the ones with separate 3-car garages and a studio and bounded by BLM land where I could ride for miles.  They had great views of the green valley floor and the mountains toward Tahoe.  We'll dream on them a bit.

Next up, we found ourselves back to Soldier Meadows Ranch for a night.  As usual, a magic place, and new to FastKitty who found it wonderful.

Tuesday morning, the rough road north to Denio was the usual adventure. Then it was a short drive to Fields where the french fry cooker was down for cleaning - drat!  So we high-tailed it to the Frenchglen Hotel for the evening, driving past the Roaring Springs Ranch on Hwy 205 under the Catlow Rim.  We even tried the south entrance to the Steens Mountain Loop, but the construction is still proceeding and we had to stop at the South Campground.  Fastkitty wants to return to this lovely spot in a camper.

In the morning, a quick trip up to the Steens Mountain top became a slow trip because the scenery is so breathtaking.  We hiked right to the top, where 6 guys were working on antennas.

Then we were off to the north via Burns and John Day, on our way to Joseph.  But we got sidetracked in Seneca, a little town just south of John Day where the Bearcat Lodge resides.  This is a motorcycle oriented place, and since I had talked to two guests on KTMs the day before, we got invited to join the front porch group for a little special rum punch.  Soon, after a tour of this unique building, which is a private residence cum lodge, we were invited to stay the night.  It was truly a unique experience and we were glad we stopped.  J.W. and his wife Carol are good hosts and the renovated rooms are each creations of their passions for cats, music and motorcycles.  Here is FastKitty at the wheel of J.W.'s Arctic Cat side-by-side in which she proved her mane.

Continuing north on the big roads we stopped briefly at the Hot Lake Springs Resort and bronze gallery in Hot Lake.  The artist seems to have created a thriving business, but we didn't much like the art.  Our goal was to see Enterprise and Joseph where several bronze foundries exist, although we were told at Hot Lake all the foundries had closed.  So we made our way through wonderful twisty roads over to Joseph and assumed our booked room at the Wallowa Hotel at the south end of Wallowa Lake.  A magical place with no phones or TV, just a nice room and very good food.

We visited Valley Bronze Gallery next day and had a lovely chat with Malcolm the manager who confirmed the four foundries are thriving still.  Instead of beating feet in the direction of home via Winnemucca, we decided that a side trip to Imnaha was in order.  It is the gateway to the Hell's Canyon lookoff at Hat Point, but we saved the winding dirt road for another time.  We did drive the gravel Lower Imnaha Road down to Hell's Gate which we found enchanting - don't let the rough road sign discourage you.  A lot of pretty, winding road eventually got us to Ontario for the night.  The next day concluded the trip with a 615 mile blast down US 95 and I 80 back to home.

Imnaha Post Office is on the list for possible closure - Sad!