Make The Connection?

Massive FBI raids -"Operation Southern Sweep" - Over 450 agents and local police involved after TWO years "investigations" while millions of dollars are reportedly involved, if the amount they say they recovered is true.

Over at the Humboldt Herald today we find, "Code enforcement news unreported" with the following: "It’s been rightfully pointed out that local media — including the blogs — are dropping the ball on keeping up with the Code Enforcement Task Force. The meetings are not being televised and last we heard, Task Force member and HumCo Supervisor Chair Jill Geist didn’t want the meetings broadcast because of financial burden."

You can read the rest of the article and the following post: "Editor's Note" here.

So, you apparently have warrantless searches under the guise of "Code Enforcement" and rubber stamp "warranted" searches based upon someone's use of electricity as an excuse to look for what?

Now, after you get all of that wonderful information under your belt and mull that question, take a look at this:

Police, Firefighters, Utility Workers Among Hundreds Trained as "Terrorism Liaison Officers"

"Colorado is one among of handful of states where hundreds of firefighters, paramedics, police, and even corporate employees are being trained to hunt down and report a broadly defined range of “suspicious activities.” They’re called Terrorism Liaison Officers. The federally supported initiative trains them to look out for “observed behavior that may be indicative of intelligence-gathering or pre-operational planning related to terrorism.”
Read the followup Denver Post article, "Terror Watch Uses Local Eyes."

You don't suppose that all you folks who were at those meetings, Code enforcement meeting draws 600 and County code enforcement actions draws hundreds have more to worry about than code enforcement issues do you?

Did someone actually believe that these elected county representatives were seriously looking after everyone's best interests? Or, did they all get a pass on January 1, 2000?

The Patriot Perspective

“The Constitution shall never be construed... to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.” —Samuel Adams

"Second Amendment Security"
“The People” narrowly prevail, 5-4
By Mark Alexander

“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.” —Second Amendment to the United States Constitution

Yesterday, in a narrow 5-4 vote (Scalia, Alito, Roberts, Thomas and Kennedy), the Supreme Court reaffirmed, in District of Columbia v. Heller, that the people’s inherent right to keep and bear arms is plainly enumerated in our Constitution. The Court ruled that the Second Amendment ensures an individual right, that DC could not ban handguns, and that operable guns may be maintained in the homes of law-abiding DC residents.
However, the ruling still leaves open the question of whether the Bill of Rights has legal precedence over state and municipal firearm restrictions.

As UCLA Law School professor and constitutional scholar Eugene Volokh points out, “The Heller decision only involved the Second Amendment’s effects on federal laws (including laws of federal enclaves, such as DC). Whether the Constitution limits state and local gun bans—which is to say, whether the Second Amendment is ‘incorporated’ against states and their subdivisions by the Fourteenth Amendment—will have to be decided in a future case.”


...Continue Reading »


I'll never forget the cartoon by Vip that showed this great big giant of a bully with this great big chip of wood on his shoulder, looking down at this ematiated little guy with disgust and scorn telling him: "Go ahead. Knock it off." The next picture showed the little guy with a great big Colt 45 shooting that chip right off his shoulder.

So, bring it on bullies!

--Joe

Save The Little Children

Once again the precious lives of our children are used to justify trashing the law and eliminating Constitutionally protected rights. This is what a major portion of Americans are hoping in: Senator Barack Obama. Here is his response on the latest Supreme Court ruling on gun ownership:

"I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun ban went too far, Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe. Today's ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country. "

"As President, I will uphold the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun-owners, hunters, and sportsmen. I know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact common-sense laws, like closing the gun show loophole and improving our background check system, so that guns do not fall into the hands of terrorists or criminals. Today's decision reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe."

Sounds good, use our "common sense," "keep our communities and our children safe," "act responsibly." Lord forbid a gun should fall into the hands of "terrorist" or a "criminal"!

The practical reality of acting responsibly is, despite the fact the Court ruled Americans can keep guns at home for self-defense is something altogether different. Now that gun ownership is legally protected don't let a police officer see you holding that gun. Today the mere presence of someone packing a weapon, whether it be a gun, a knife or a club, makes them feel threatened. That act alone, feel threatened, grants all police officers the right to defend themselves. It grants them a license to kill. All they are required to do is act "in good faith."

So, remember the little children. They just might save your life some day!

--Joe

Some Pride - A Little Peace

Mining in the swamp of worthless opinions contained in the myriad of words Joe occasionally finds a valuable gem. "Guernica has lessons for the present" doesn't sound like much of a prize jewel does it? Well, it is!

This is a thoughtful, well-written commentary by Ellen Taylor in the June 24, 2008, Times Standard's "My Word" that addresses something every American needs to deal with. That "something" is absolution.

Read what she says here

This countries legitimate right to exist is founded, not on men preaching trust and hope, but on law; law supported and justified by The United States Constitution. A simple truth that is lost on a country that practices anarchy, mob rule and enforces chaos within and abroad. That Law makes every registered voter responsible and accountable for what their government does and does not do, whether they like it or not. In other words, their failure to enforce the law makes everyone complicit in the crimes of the lawless whether it be the government or some thug beating his wife. More importantly, killing innocent people in the guise of war is murder regardless the intent or motivation. If there was ever a time for the American people to stand up, be accountable and justify their legitimate right to exist it is now. Otherwise, everyone could find themselve beyond absolution.

--Joe

No Shame - Just War

Addendum to the Lunacy

Preparing the Battlefield
The Bush Administration steps up its secret moves against Iran.
by Seymour M. Hersh
June 30, 2008

More lunacy?
Is Israel preparing to bomb Iran?
Read this interview (June 23,2008):
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/6/23/is_israel_preparing_to_bomb_iran

House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
America’s powerful pro-Israel lobby pressures the US Congress
by Andrew W Cheetham
http://www.globalresearch.ca/
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9377

A US House of Representatives Resolution effectively
requiring a naval blockade on Iran seems fast tracked for passage, gaining
co-sponsors at a remarkable speed, but experts say the measures called for
in the resolutions amount to an act of war.

H.CON.RES 362 calls on the president to stop all
shipments of refined petroleum products from reaching Iran. It also
"demands" that the President impose "stringent inspection requirements on
all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains and cargo entering or
departing Iran."

Analysts say that this would require a US naval blockade
in the Strait of Hormuz.

Since its introduction three weeks ago, the resolution
has attracted 146 cosponsors. Forty-three members added their names to the
bill in the past two days.

In the Senate, a sister resolution S.RES 580 has gained
co-sponsors with similar speed. The Senate measure was introduced by
Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh on June 2. In little more than a week’s time, it
has accrued 19 co-sponsors.

AIPAC's Endorsement

Congressional insiders credit America’s powerful pro-Israel lobby for the
rapid endorsement of the bills. The American Israel Public Affairs
Committee (AIPAC) held its annual policy conference June 2-4, in which it
sent thousands of members to Capitol Hill to push for tougher measures
against Iran. On its website, AIPAC endorses the resolutions as a way to
''Stop Irans Nuclear Proliferation" and tells readers to lobby Congress to
pass the bill.

AIPAC has been ramping up the rhetoric against Iran over
the last 3 years delivering 9 issue memos to Congress in 2006, 17 in 2007
and in the first five months of 2008 has delivered no less than 11 issue
memos to the Congress and Senate predominantly warning of Irans nuclear
weapons involvement and support for terrorism.

The Resolutions put forward in the House and the Senate
bear a resounding similarity to AIPAC analysis and Issue Memos in both its
analysis and proposals even down to its individual components.

Proponents say the resolutions advocate constructive
steps toward reducing the threat posed by Iran. "It is my hope that…this
Congress will urge this and future administrations to lead the world in
economically isolating Iran in real and substantial ways," said Congressman
Mike Pence(R-IN), who is the original cosponsor of the House resolution
along with Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Chairman of the sub committee on Middle
East and South Asia of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Foreign policy analysts worry that such unilateral
sanctions make it harder for the US to win the cooperation of the
international community on a more effective multilateral effort. In his
online blog, Senior Fellow in the Middle East Program at the Center for
Strategic and International Studies Ethan Chorin points out that some US
allies seek the economic ties to Iran that these resolutions ban. "The
Swiss have recently signed an MOU with Iran on gas imports; the Omanis are
close to a firm deal (also) on gas imports from Iran; a limited-services
joint Iranian-European bank just opened a branch on Kish Island," he
writes.

These resolutions could severely escalate US-Iran
tensions, experts say. Recalling the perception of the naval blockade of
Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the international norms
classifying a naval blockade an act of war, critics argue endorsement of
these bills would signal US intentions of war with Iran.

Last week’s sharp rise in the cost of oil following
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz’s threat to attack Iran indicated
the impact that global fear of military action against Iran can have on the
world petroleum market. It remains unclear if extensive congressional
endorsement of these measures could have a similar effect.

In late May, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
reportedly urged the United States to impose a blockade on Iran. During a
meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in Jersusalem, Olmert said
economic sanctions have "exhausted themselves" and called a blockade a
"good possibility."

http://www.globalresearch.ca/
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9377

A Picture Worth 10,000 Words

Compliments of the Patriot Post and Gary Varvel

What Can Joe Say?

The dumb make the stupid look smart . . .



Compliments of the Patriot Post

Coming to Grips with Reality

Joe's first observation in the Joe Blow Report dealt with Dave Berman's expose on "Peaceful Revolution" for "Conscientious Objectors Everywhere" in his blog: We Do Not Consent. Mr. Berman contends that "peaceful revolution" can be achieved at the ballot box through legal and honest elections. How an unconstitutional and illegitimate government is going to do that is his dilemma.

Joe observed that Mr. Berman was struggling with coming to grips with reality regarding legitimate government and his followup comment served to substantiate that issue. So, from time to time Joe would check his blog to see if or how he had progressed along with his struggle to reconcile legitimacy with a bastard.

It was of interest to read his, "So-ing The Seeds of Change".

Mr. Berman concludes his commentary by saying, "I think the answer to "so?" may be an equally disdainful 'you're not the boss of me.' Think about it."

Vice-President Dick Cheney's disdainful comment, "So?" was and could be made, exactly because "they are" your boss whether anyone likes it or not. Unfortunately, that reality is about to be impressed upon everyone regardless of the new Messiah of Hope.

--Joe

. . . and The Beat Goes On!

Northern Calif. man dies after police use Tasers
The Associated Press
Last Updated 1:26 pm PDT Thursday, May 29, 2008

WOODLAND, Calif. -- A Woodland man has died after police officers fired on him with a Taser stun gun.

Police in Woodland, about 20 miles north of Sacramento, say the man became increasingly agitated as they tried to talk to him Wednesday morning. He had just left a clinic for people with mental health issues.

The man is believed to be in his 40s but his identity has not yet been released.
Lt. Charles Wilts says the man was not armed but was holding a pencil and moving closer to the officers when they fired at him.

Wilts says at least three officers deployed their Tasers, but it was not clear how many times the man was shocked. He also was struck in his arms and legs by police batons.

The Yolo County Coroner's Office planned an autopsy Thursday.
http://www.sacbee.com/114/story/974981.html

A what? A "pencil." An "important non-lethal tool"?

Joe says, Okay! So, what? So, consider this piece of brilliant blogging by Ernie Branscomb.
( http://ernielb.blogspot.com/ )

Outrageous Outrage.
Friday, May 30, 2008

Think there is any connection?

Ernie asks the question: Also, there were a great many innocent white people killed by Indians. The past needs to be “Past”.

I agree with Heraldo that what happened was horrible. I also agree with Anon.R.Mous that we really don't want to know who did it. What would that accomplish?

Joe asks, "Have you taken a good look around at our community lately, Ernie? None of us crawled out from under a rock yesterday. We all bear the burdens of the 'Past' whether we like it or not. That memory is carried in our DNA and it plays out everyday and in every way. As an example, the mentality that justifies the US assault on Iraq is the same justification used in all Indian massacres. So, 'What would that accomplish?' I reckon the answer might be in the immutable law, 'You reap what you sow.'" Heraldo has a point, even if it was August 5, 2006!

--Joe