So in five days I will undergo a third spinal fusion surgery.
I could cuss, I could rant, I could snivel and whine like a spoiled brat bitch, bastard, but I will not.
Change is extremely tough for me and this surgery is about ME making changes. I have already started implementing lifestyle changes so that when I am in recovery mode I give myself the best chance possible to get the most out of this surgery. This is the main reason why I have been scarce of late and I will be really AWOL after Monday for maybe 6-12 weeks. I owe to myself, my wife, my family to be REALLY good after this fusion fix. I have started trying to get more sleep and I KNOW I have one shot here as I do not want anymore spinal surgery. These are a most nasty bit of surgery and having been through this twice before, I have to good. I was not after my first two spinal fusions and let's just leave it at that. No, I will not be going soft, or to the left (I would rather be dead than red and take as many of them as I can with me), it is about giving my spine a chance to heal and fuse. I am under no illusions of great pain relief or being pain free, that is just is not in the cards. What I do expect is some pain relief and regaining stability (no, not mental stability as the jury has already rendered it's verdict). Do not worry, I AM NOT going vegan or vegetarian, hack, spit and give me my bacon cheeseburgers please and my 44 Oz. big gulps of real Coca Cola. I have given EVERYONE permission to nag me, badger me, beat me if necessary to keep me in line. Just how it needs to be and I will gradually return, probably more grumpy than before. After all, I OWN PERMAGRUMP.
Speaking of changes, who better at changes than David Bowie. No, I am not going that way, whatever that way is. I have always liked David Bowie, especially from the 1970's.
This is just an FYI and I really hate what is upcoming but it is rapidly becoming reality. Come Monday morning around 7:30 A M, I will willingly, not gladly give over my trust to my surgeon. I will be giving up all control to my beloved wife, family and friends. I am in the best hands possible, the Lord's hands will be guiding my surgeon's hands and bless my wife as she will have her hands full. I could not be in better care. Now I just HAVE TO DO MY PART and that is the toughest part of all.
Updates will be posted when they can by me. I am NOT going anywhere and that is a for sure thing. Besides, with all this titanium in me spine holding it together, I could be worth a fortune.
Will try to do a few posts before Monday and thanks to all for your prayers and support. PatriotUSA
Tags: PatriotUSA, founder, medical update To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
John Kerry Wows' em in Berlin
Gary Fouse , fousesquawk
Hat tip PJ Media
Great choice, Obama!
John Heinz-Kerry is in Berlin where he spoke to a group of schoolkids. We'll let PJ Media pick up the story.
Kerry to Muslim teen in America. You have a Right to be stupid
“In America, you have a right to be stupid if you want to be, and you have a right to be disconnected to somebody else if you want to be, and we tolerate it. We somehow make it through that. Now, I think that’s a virtue. I think that’s something worth fighting for.”
“Sehr gut, danke. Alles gut. Deine schuhe sind fantastisch, ja?” the secretary of State said. (Translation: “Very good, thank you. All is well. Your shoes are fantastic.”) He apparently meant to say the schools were fantastic.
He could have said, "Ich bin ein Berliner", which means "I am a jelly donut".
Next time, John, you better take that multi-lingual wife of yours along.
Too bad that kid never got his question answered. The correct answer is that our Muslim teenagers tend to be more assimilated than the ones in Europe, but John couldn't have said that, could he?
Big dope!
Tags: John Kerry, Berlin, stupid To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Hat tip PJ Media
Great choice, Obama!
John Heinz-Kerry is in Berlin where he spoke to a group of schoolkids. We'll let PJ Media pick up the story.
Kerry to Muslim teen in America. You have a Right to be stupid
“In America, you have a right to be stupid if you want to be, and you have a right to be disconnected to somebody else if you want to be, and we tolerate it. We somehow make it through that. Now, I think that’s a virtue. I think that’s something worth fighting for.”
“Sehr gut, danke. Alles gut. Deine schuhe sind fantastisch, ja?” the secretary of State said. (Translation: “Very good, thank you. All is well. Your shoes are fantastic.”) He apparently meant to say the schools were fantastic.
 |
| Fantastic shoes |
He could have said, "Ich bin ein Berliner", which means "I am a jelly donut".
Next time, John, you better take that multi-lingual wife of yours along.
Too bad that kid never got his question answered. The correct answer is that our Muslim teenagers tend to be more assimilated than the ones in Europe, but John couldn't have said that, could he?
Big dope!
Tags: John Kerry, Berlin, stupid To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
What does a nuclear explosion and liberals have in common?
Snagged, I mean stolen, re-posted from a really fine site, Cry and Howl.
This picture makes my point … Liberals are more destructive than a nuclear blast.
Source is here cmblake6.
Tags: Democrats, ruin, everything To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
This picture makes my point … Liberals are more destructive than a nuclear blast.
Source is here cmblake6.
Tags: Democrats, ruin, everything To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
USA to Saudi Arabia: “Drink Oil and Eat Sand”
I know, I know … in our dreams. However, a group of very special and highly successful dreamers are putting their reputation on the line. These folks are responsible for some other engineering miracles, such as:
The P-38 Lightning : Called the “der gabelschwanz tuefel ” (fork-tailed devil) by Germans and “one man, two planes” by the Japanese, it is the only aircraft that served in all theaters of WWII—from Alaska to Africa—and remained in production from Pearl Harbor to VJ Day. Probably the most versatile plane of its time, P-38s served as fighters, interceptors, reconnaissance platforms and attack aircraft, including nighttime roles.
The U2 spy plane : Basically an F-104 Starfighter with glider wings, this jet plane flies at 70,000 feet near the atmosphere’s upper edge. It has what is probably the narrowest flight envelope of any aircraft ever built. When cruising at altitude, the difference between stall speed, where it falls out of the sky, and its “critical Mach number”, where the wings shear off, amounts to 10 knots (12 mph; 19 km/h).
The SR-71 Blackbird: Designed with slide rules and still the world’s fastest piloted production aircraft, this jet is the stuff of legends. Efforts to retire it continually run up against the fact that—flying at Mach 3.2 and 100,000 feet—this platform is, in effect, an easily launched spy satellite that can be overhead anywhere in the world on just a few hours notice.
The F-117 Stealth Fighter: Despite an “F” prefix, this jet plane is a ground-attack aircraft and not a fighter. With 75% of its intake air being used to cool engine exhaust, this elusive jet is reputed to have the infrared exhaust signature of a single engine Cessna airplane. While conventional fighter jets register on radar with some 2 – 4 square meters of reflective surface, the Nighthawk has an infinitesimal radar return cross-section of 0.025 m2 (0.269 sq ft), about the size of a small bird.
It is this group of engineering professionals that now have dedicated themselves to a task of far more importance than that of America’s military defense. A new project of theirs may soon see a major shift in our nation’s dependency upon foreign oil:
Lockheed’s Skunk Works promises fusion power in four years
America’s dependence upon foreign oil, especially stocks originating in the MME (Muslim Middle East) has become increasingly problematic. Of the $13 million per hour that we spend on foreign oil, more than $25 billion a year goes for Persian Gulf imports alone. Far too much of that money is finding its way into terrorist hands. Another portion of those same funds goes towards constructing a worldwide network of mosques where indoctrination proceeds with the violent brand of Wahhabist Sunni Islam that is native to Saudi Arabia. All of this is totally unacceptable and represents a profound vulnerability with respect to national and global security. Only a crash development program that targets America’s unhealthy oil dependence can resolve this crisis.
This is where the Lockheed Skunk Works comes in. Much like watching the Berlin Wall come down, attaining cost efficient fusion power generation was another milestone that this author had no realistic expectations of seeing in my lifetime. Sure, this world’s scientific community will eventually tease out the stellar energy process but most existing technology just hasn’t been able to withstand the devastating extremes that fusion reactions impose upon reactor vessel hardware. Exposure to simple hydrogen gas alone poses problems for metallic components all by itself even without the harsh electromagnetic environment of ongoing fusion reactions.
Aside from the intense temperature gradients and high magnetic field densities, there’s that pesky little neutron being emitted during every fusing of tritium and deuterium atoms.
As noted in, “Structural Materials for Fusion Reactors” (PDF):
The first wall, divertor, limiters and breeding blanket components are subjected not only to the high energy neutron environment resulting from the fusion reactions, but also to strong mechanical, heat and electromagnetic loadings.
…
Eighty percent of the energy released by the D-T fusion reaction are transferred by 14 MeV neutrons to the first wall and breeding blanket. The remaining 20% are carried by a-particles issued from the same reaction, that together with other low energy neutral and charged particles will induce sputtering, erosion and blistering in the plasma facing materials.
Although quite small, neutrons are the heaviest among a group of subatomic particles known as hadrons. During fusion reactions they are produced, not only in abundance, but imparted with very high energies as well. Temperatures of 90 to 180 million ° F and magnetic fields of 10,000 Gauss—the earth’s own magnetic field averages 0.45 Gauss at its surface and 25 Gauss at its core—all cause the fusion reactor’s interior to be a very hostile environment.
This powerful energy flux makes for strong particle collisions with chamber walls and other reactor surfaces. Like wood, metals have a grain structure as well and it is at these grain boundaries where voids or even hydrogen bubbles—referred to as “blistering”—can form after prolonged exposure to the fusion process. Known as hydrogen embrittlement, this manifests as a gradual weakening of commonly used stainless steel alloys to the point where they can be crushed by a human hand like an over-used, dried out pad of steel wool.
As a method of electrical power generation, nuclear fusion has many important advantages over the current method of fission-based reactions. Fission reactors use uranium isotopes that have a half-life—this term refers to how long it takes for half of the radioactive material to turn into lead—of tens of thousands of years. By comparison, tritium, the heavy hydrogen isotope used in fusion reactions has a half-life of some 12.32 years and, unlike uranium, much of it is consumed during the reaction process.
Additionally, because it can be extracted from seawater, there are essentially endless supplies of deuterium. Unlike uranium purification and enrichment—which is both energy intensive and utilizes exceptionally toxic chemical precursors—extracting this isotope of hydrogen and enriching it is a relatively benign process. Finally, unlike fission reactors, fusion sites would have much less appeal as a terrorist target, nor do they generate any byproducts that can be used to fabricate nuclear weapons.
Below is a superb chart that provides a snapshot of America’s energy usage and which resources contribute to what extent: (Click on image to expand.)
Clearly, petroleum is the proverbial “elephant in the henhouse”. In political terms, it is also the “elephant in the parlor” that everyone ignores and no one wants to talk about. Consider this; if the overall costs of America’s gasoline supply—such as, pollution-related health issues like emphysema or asthma, the astronomical expense of our stabilizing military presence in the MME, along with environmental clean up, etc.—were accurately calculated into the real price of gas, its price would likely hover in the $5.00 to $10.00 range, if not well above that.
For the moment, let’s attempt the impossible and put aside issues related to how special interests—be they military or industrial—benefit from perpetuation of existing technologies or entrenched policies that reinforce America’s detrimental dependence upon foreign oil. Automakers, oil refiners, parts manufacturers and a host of other ancillary support industries all have a vested interest in maintaining the current status quo. And remember, all of these relatively wealthy enterprises donate heavily to various political reelection campaigns, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Having, for the nonce, gotten that out of the way, there still exists a significant degree of cultural inertia. After all—if fusion reactors were the norm—how many people would immediately vote for the imposition of non-oil-powered vehicles? Autoworkers for Detroit’s Big Three could hardly be expected to vote their own jobs out of existence.
What confronts us is a paradigm similar to that of Homeland Security. Rather than engage in politically unattractive or heavy-handed diplomacy, America’s federal government has decided it is preferable to have more people die in terrorist attacks than instigate measures that could genuinely alter Islam’s continuing ability to wage jihad. A campaign of targeted assassinations costing no more than a few billion dollars could bring Islamic jihad to its knees in less than a year. Barring that, if America, Australia and Canada were to simply halt all further exports of wheat to the MME, mass starvation would begin in just a few short weeks.
Clearly, there are readily available alternatives to enduring more terrorist atrocities. Just as clear is how those who hold power exhibit an irrational resistance to implementing these readily available measures. Fortunately, Political Correctness contains the seeds of its own destruction. In the name of environmental responsibility, there is no way that advocates of sustainable energy policies can possibly shrug off the advent of viable fusion power generation.
As it is, even Greenpeace co-founder, Patrick Moore has finally had to admit that fission-based nuclear power generation is the cleanest existing alternative. Few people are aware that—due to naturally occurring traces of uranium and thorium in coal deposits—coal-burning power plants release more radioactive emissions than any nuclear reactor does during normal operation. None of which prevented Moore from spending decades intentionally conflating nuclear power generation with nuclear weapons in the public’s mind. The monumental deceit of this disingenuous schmuck contributed to our continued dependence upon foreign oil a massive outflow of wealth from America to the MME and a concomitant increase in financial support for Islamic terrorism. Nevertheless, don’t count on Moore issuing an apology to relatives of the nearly 3,000 dead in the 9-11 Atrocity anytime soon.
It is also important to keep in mind that Lockheed’s fusion program is not the only one that shows promise. There is also the NIF (National Ignition Facility), located in California and it is investigating a technique known as "inertial confinement" that uses high power lasers to confine and fuse hydrogen. Also, as his lifetime’s last project, ramjet inventor, physicist Robert W. Bussard, delivered plans for a boron–hydrogen-based fusion reactor that is being funded and studied at this moment. Called the Polywell Nuclear Reactor, it is an approach that differs significantly from current tritium–deuterium-based chemistry. It is well worth visiting the Polywell site, if only to read through their energy calculations page. The straightforward mathematical analysis there shows why the bulk of “renewable energy” is a dangerous myth and how those technologies are absurdly expensive when compared to fusion power generation.
Most ordinary people are unaware of the severe limitations that constrain “clean energy” sources. Terrestrially based solar power only works during the daytime and even then weather conditions (e.g., clouds or rain), can severely limit the output of ordinary photovoltaic solar panels. Beyond that, nighttime electrical usage constitutes a major portion of grid demand and, at present, the ability to store energy generated during the daytime for later use is almost totally limited to staggeringly expensive battery arrays that can provide only very short periods of mains power.
Wind turbines suffer from many of the same limitations and recent studies are indicating that the actual operating lifetime of these costly generators may be much shorter than was previously expected. The Polywell site does an excellent job of deconstructing many of the misconceptions that surround “clean energy”. Bearing that in mind, there still remains the fact that much of our world depends more upon electricity than petroleum. It is the prevalent use of petroleum—in the form of oil or natural gas—to generate electricity that continues to be problematic.
In this respect, hydrogen and electricity are much alike. They do not exist separately, apart from other elements and, instead, must be viewed as energy carriers, much like a common battery. While most people have a rudimentary understanding of electricity, hydrogen is another matter entirely.
If water—with its ability to erode or corrode stone and metal alike—is the universal solvent, then hydrogen is the universal element. As the creationist joke goes; “Hydrogen is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas that, given enough time, turns into people.” With a single electron orbiting a sole proton nucleus (unlike any other element, there are no neutrons involved), it is the simplest, lightest and—at 75% of normal matter by mass along with an abundance of 99.98%—is the most predominate element in the entire universe. Even in the deepest intergalactic voids there are a few hydrogen atoms per cubic meter of space.
With these interesting properties also come some serious issues. Being the most simple element and smallest, stable atomic form, hydrogen gas is very “slippery” in that it will find its way through the tiniest of leak paths. It also burns with an almost invisible flame—hydrogen-oxygen flames emit ultraviolet light—and the discovery of a hydrogen leak can often require a flame detector. In its gaseous form it burns at concentrations between 4% and 75% by volume. Hydrogen has many industrial uses, such as in the manufacturing of ammonia—a major ingredient in fertilizers—and also, ironically, in the “upgrading” of petroleum distillates to create gasoline and other lighter fractions of crude oil.
Hydrogen gas also shows great promise as a replacement for gasoline. Many automobile engines can burn hydrogen gas as a fuel. The central issue is not one of engine compatibility but storage. Containing a volume of high-pressure hydrogen requires substantial tank wall strength. The ideal form factor for such a tank is a sphere, a shape totally at odds with automotive designs. Recent approaches have centered on “sequestering” hydrogen gas in metallic “sponges” or foam-like structures. These have their own problems in that liberating the hydrogen gas from those high surface-area structures requires temperatures in the hundreds of degrees, something that is undesirable in a moving vehicle and also not the best thing to have around hydrogen itself.
Recent advances in valve technology are making it possible for consumer operated filling of hydrogen tanks, much like at your present day service station. Additionally, existing natural gas distribution systems might be usable in delivering hydrogen to points of use. All of this is pertinent because of what is implied by a conversion over to fusion-generated power.
With lots of fusion reactors providing huge amounts of inexpensive electrical power, the energy intensive process of electrolysis—a reaction that breaks down water into hydrogen and oxygen—becomes feasible. This represents one way of “bridging” between our existing petroleum-fueled automotive culture and, eventually, migrating over to an electrically based transportation system.
The central problem in all of this is that gasoline is relatively inexpensive to extract and refine. It also liberates an astonishing amount of energy per volume. These two basic characteristics conspire to keep the planet firmly addicted to petroleum. Another aspect of transportation infrastructure also operates in favor of gasoline. As an example, in order to begin operation, railroads had to construct—not just engines, rolling stock and fueling facilities—but the rail beds themselves.
The automotive industry faced no such obstacles. Fuel taxes and other government subsidies paid to construct the interstate highway system while commercial enterprise rose to meet the demand for gasoline and other automotive lubricants. This lowered the market-entry barriers for automobile manufacturers in ways that almost no other industry could ever hope for. It is also a mechanism that keeps the automobile firmly fixed in its almost indispensable role today.
Changing this will eventually require a shift over to electric vehicles. However, a close examination of the limitations and complications of electric transportation reveal a host of significant problems.
One issue that continues to dog electric cars is their limited range. What makes that limited range an issue is the amount of time required to recharge a typical automotive battery pack. Electric car manufacturer, Tesla, is a good example of the problems involved. According to their own website, recharging from a 110 VAC 15A outlet, yields 31 miles of range per hour of charge. Using a 240 VAC 30A utility circuit doubles that to 62 miles of range per hour of charge. Additionally, Tesla is currently working on a supercharging technology that will allow 300 miles of range per hour of charge. This will be furnished at a chain of nation-wide charging stations.
The point still remains that your typical Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powered vehicle can be refueled for a 300 mile drive in just a few minutes.
Now, imagine attempting to transfer the full 85 kWh of Tesla’s largest battery pack in just a few minutes. For the sake of argument, let’s stretch the entire “pumping” cycle to ten minutes. At the EPA mandated maximum of 10 gallons per minute for commercial public self-serve fuel dispensers, a full refill of a 20-gallon tank takes two short minutes.
Disregarding the damaging battery overheating issues related to high-speed recharging, transferring 85 kWh in two minutes equates to 42.5 kW per minute. That represents the energy needed to illuminate 425 100W light bulbs for one hour or almost 400 amps of current at 110 VAC running for an entire hour. Even extending that two minute refueling to ten minutes still implies a power management problem of serious dimensions. Arcing, conductor and contact degradation, even electrocution are all important concerns when attempting to transfer such a large amount of charge.
However discouraging these facts may seem, this is where America currently stands with respect to reducing its dependency upon foreign oil and carbon-based fuels in general. Between Lockheed, NIF and Polywell, there are definitely some bright spots on the horizon. Still, the proper utilization of such assets brings with it a number of serious technical issues but none of them are insurmountable.
One thing snaps all of this into focus. There is a limited supply of oil. Yes, vast new petroleum reserves are being discovered on an almost daily basis but none of that changes how, at some future time, civilization will be forced to migrate away from oil as its principal energy resource. Be it due to “climate change” or “peak oil”, that migration will happen. Probably the most daunting task of all will be changing the way we think and, more importantly, the way our politicians think. For all the money that changes hands within that tightly knit circle of military-industrial and political interests, this one paradigm shift alone promises to be traumatic, at the very least. America's financial elite game this system with an ease and facility that does not promise any convenient transition.
The one thing to remember is that humanity has the brains and skills to overcome these issues and build a better world; one that we can hand down to our children with pride.
Tags: USA, Saudi Arabia To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
The P-38 Lightning : Called the “der gabelschwanz tuefel ” (fork-tailed devil) by Germans and “one man, two planes” by the Japanese, it is the only aircraft that served in all theaters of WWII—from Alaska to Africa—and remained in production from Pearl Harbor to VJ Day. Probably the most versatile plane of its time, P-38s served as fighters, interceptors, reconnaissance platforms and attack aircraft, including nighttime roles.
The U2 spy plane : Basically an F-104 Starfighter with glider wings, this jet plane flies at 70,000 feet near the atmosphere’s upper edge. It has what is probably the narrowest flight envelope of any aircraft ever built. When cruising at altitude, the difference between stall speed, where it falls out of the sky, and its “critical Mach number”, where the wings shear off, amounts to 10 knots (12 mph; 19 km/h).
The SR-71 Blackbird: Designed with slide rules and still the world’s fastest piloted production aircraft, this jet is the stuff of legends. Efforts to retire it continually run up against the fact that—flying at Mach 3.2 and 100,000 feet—this platform is, in effect, an easily launched spy satellite that can be overhead anywhere in the world on just a few hours notice.
The F-117 Stealth Fighter: Despite an “F” prefix, this jet plane is a ground-attack aircraft and not a fighter. With 75% of its intake air being used to cool engine exhaust, this elusive jet is reputed to have the infrared exhaust signature of a single engine Cessna airplane. While conventional fighter jets register on radar with some 2 – 4 square meters of reflective surface, the Nighthawk has an infinitesimal radar return cross-section of 0.025 m2 (0.269 sq ft), about the size of a small bird.
It is this group of engineering professionals that now have dedicated themselves to a task of far more importance than that of America’s military defense. A new project of theirs may soon see a major shift in our nation’s dependency upon foreign oil:
America’s dependence upon foreign oil, especially stocks originating in the MME (Muslim Middle East) has become increasingly problematic. Of the $13 million per hour that we spend on foreign oil, more than $25 billion a year goes for Persian Gulf imports alone. Far too much of that money is finding its way into terrorist hands. Another portion of those same funds goes towards constructing a worldwide network of mosques where indoctrination proceeds with the violent brand of Wahhabist Sunni Islam that is native to Saudi Arabia. All of this is totally unacceptable and represents a profound vulnerability with respect to national and global security. Only a crash development program that targets America’s unhealthy oil dependence can resolve this crisis.
This is where the Lockheed Skunk Works comes in. Much like watching the Berlin Wall come down, attaining cost efficient fusion power generation was another milestone that this author had no realistic expectations of seeing in my lifetime. Sure, this world’s scientific community will eventually tease out the stellar energy process but most existing technology just hasn’t been able to withstand the devastating extremes that fusion reactions impose upon reactor vessel hardware. Exposure to simple hydrogen gas alone poses problems for metallic components all by itself even without the harsh electromagnetic environment of ongoing fusion reactions.
Aside from the intense temperature gradients and high magnetic field densities, there’s that pesky little neutron being emitted during every fusing of tritium and deuterium atoms.
As noted in, “Structural Materials for Fusion Reactors” (PDF):
The first wall, divertor, limiters and breeding blanket components are subjected not only to the high energy neutron environment resulting from the fusion reactions, but also to strong mechanical, heat and electromagnetic loadings.
…
Eighty percent of the energy released by the D-T fusion reaction are transferred by 14 MeV neutrons to the first wall and breeding blanket. The remaining 20% are carried by a-particles issued from the same reaction, that together with other low energy neutral and charged particles will induce sputtering, erosion and blistering in the plasma facing materials.
Although quite small, neutrons are the heaviest among a group of subatomic particles known as hadrons. During fusion reactions they are produced, not only in abundance, but imparted with very high energies as well. Temperatures of 90 to 180 million ° F and magnetic fields of 10,000 Gauss—the earth’s own magnetic field averages 0.45 Gauss at its surface and 25 Gauss at its core—all cause the fusion reactor’s interior to be a very hostile environment.
This powerful energy flux makes for strong particle collisions with chamber walls and other reactor surfaces. Like wood, metals have a grain structure as well and it is at these grain boundaries where voids or even hydrogen bubbles—referred to as “blistering”—can form after prolonged exposure to the fusion process. Known as hydrogen embrittlement, this manifests as a gradual weakening of commonly used stainless steel alloys to the point where they can be crushed by a human hand like an over-used, dried out pad of steel wool.
As a method of electrical power generation, nuclear fusion has many important advantages over the current method of fission-based reactions. Fission reactors use uranium isotopes that have a half-life—this term refers to how long it takes for half of the radioactive material to turn into lead—of tens of thousands of years. By comparison, tritium, the heavy hydrogen isotope used in fusion reactions has a half-life of some 12.32 years and, unlike uranium, much of it is consumed during the reaction process.
Additionally, because it can be extracted from seawater, there are essentially endless supplies of deuterium. Unlike uranium purification and enrichment—which is both energy intensive and utilizes exceptionally toxic chemical precursors—extracting this isotope of hydrogen and enriching it is a relatively benign process. Finally, unlike fission reactors, fusion sites would have much less appeal as a terrorist target, nor do they generate any byproducts that can be used to fabricate nuclear weapons.
Below is a superb chart that provides a snapshot of America’s energy usage and which resources contribute to what extent: (Click on image to expand.)
Clearly, petroleum is the proverbial “elephant in the henhouse”. In political terms, it is also the “elephant in the parlor” that everyone ignores and no one wants to talk about. Consider this; if the overall costs of America’s gasoline supply—such as, pollution-related health issues like emphysema or asthma, the astronomical expense of our stabilizing military presence in the MME, along with environmental clean up, etc.—were accurately calculated into the real price of gas, its price would likely hover in the $5.00 to $10.00 range, if not well above that.
For the moment, let’s attempt the impossible and put aside issues related to how special interests—be they military or industrial—benefit from perpetuation of existing technologies or entrenched policies that reinforce America’s detrimental dependence upon foreign oil. Automakers, oil refiners, parts manufacturers and a host of other ancillary support industries all have a vested interest in maintaining the current status quo. And remember, all of these relatively wealthy enterprises donate heavily to various political reelection campaigns, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Having, for the nonce, gotten that out of the way, there still exists a significant degree of cultural inertia. After all—if fusion reactors were the norm—how many people would immediately vote for the imposition of non-oil-powered vehicles? Autoworkers for Detroit’s Big Three could hardly be expected to vote their own jobs out of existence.
What confronts us is a paradigm similar to that of Homeland Security. Rather than engage in politically unattractive or heavy-handed diplomacy, America’s federal government has decided it is preferable to have more people die in terrorist attacks than instigate measures that could genuinely alter Islam’s continuing ability to wage jihad. A campaign of targeted assassinations costing no more than a few billion dollars could bring Islamic jihad to its knees in less than a year. Barring that, if America, Australia and Canada were to simply halt all further exports of wheat to the MME, mass starvation would begin in just a few short weeks.
Clearly, there are readily available alternatives to enduring more terrorist atrocities. Just as clear is how those who hold power exhibit an irrational resistance to implementing these readily available measures. Fortunately, Political Correctness contains the seeds of its own destruction. In the name of environmental responsibility, there is no way that advocates of sustainable energy policies can possibly shrug off the advent of viable fusion power generation.
As it is, even Greenpeace co-founder, Patrick Moore has finally had to admit that fission-based nuclear power generation is the cleanest existing alternative. Few people are aware that—due to naturally occurring traces of uranium and thorium in coal deposits—coal-burning power plants release more radioactive emissions than any nuclear reactor does during normal operation. None of which prevented Moore from spending decades intentionally conflating nuclear power generation with nuclear weapons in the public’s mind. The monumental deceit of this disingenuous schmuck contributed to our continued dependence upon foreign oil a massive outflow of wealth from America to the MME and a concomitant increase in financial support for Islamic terrorism. Nevertheless, don’t count on Moore issuing an apology to relatives of the nearly 3,000 dead in the 9-11 Atrocity anytime soon.
It is also important to keep in mind that Lockheed’s fusion program is not the only one that shows promise. There is also the NIF (National Ignition Facility), located in California and it is investigating a technique known as "inertial confinement" that uses high power lasers to confine and fuse hydrogen. Also, as his lifetime’s last project, ramjet inventor, physicist Robert W. Bussard, delivered plans for a boron–hydrogen-based fusion reactor that is being funded and studied at this moment. Called the Polywell Nuclear Reactor, it is an approach that differs significantly from current tritium–deuterium-based chemistry. It is well worth visiting the Polywell site, if only to read through their energy calculations page. The straightforward mathematical analysis there shows why the bulk of “renewable energy” is a dangerous myth and how those technologies are absurdly expensive when compared to fusion power generation.
Most ordinary people are unaware of the severe limitations that constrain “clean energy” sources. Terrestrially based solar power only works during the daytime and even then weather conditions (e.g., clouds or rain), can severely limit the output of ordinary photovoltaic solar panels. Beyond that, nighttime electrical usage constitutes a major portion of grid demand and, at present, the ability to store energy generated during the daytime for later use is almost totally limited to staggeringly expensive battery arrays that can provide only very short periods of mains power.
Wind turbines suffer from many of the same limitations and recent studies are indicating that the actual operating lifetime of these costly generators may be much shorter than was previously expected. The Polywell site does an excellent job of deconstructing many of the misconceptions that surround “clean energy”. Bearing that in mind, there still remains the fact that much of our world depends more upon electricity than petroleum. It is the prevalent use of petroleum—in the form of oil or natural gas—to generate electricity that continues to be problematic.
In this respect, hydrogen and electricity are much alike. They do not exist separately, apart from other elements and, instead, must be viewed as energy carriers, much like a common battery. While most people have a rudimentary understanding of electricity, hydrogen is another matter entirely.
If water—with its ability to erode or corrode stone and metal alike—is the universal solvent, then hydrogen is the universal element. As the creationist joke goes; “Hydrogen is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas that, given enough time, turns into people.” With a single electron orbiting a sole proton nucleus (unlike any other element, there are no neutrons involved), it is the simplest, lightest and—at 75% of normal matter by mass along with an abundance of 99.98%—is the most predominate element in the entire universe. Even in the deepest intergalactic voids there are a few hydrogen atoms per cubic meter of space.
With these interesting properties also come some serious issues. Being the most simple element and smallest, stable atomic form, hydrogen gas is very “slippery” in that it will find its way through the tiniest of leak paths. It also burns with an almost invisible flame—hydrogen-oxygen flames emit ultraviolet light—and the discovery of a hydrogen leak can often require a flame detector. In its gaseous form it burns at concentrations between 4% and 75% by volume. Hydrogen has many industrial uses, such as in the manufacturing of ammonia—a major ingredient in fertilizers—and also, ironically, in the “upgrading” of petroleum distillates to create gasoline and other lighter fractions of crude oil.
Hydrogen gas also shows great promise as a replacement for gasoline. Many automobile engines can burn hydrogen gas as a fuel. The central issue is not one of engine compatibility but storage. Containing a volume of high-pressure hydrogen requires substantial tank wall strength. The ideal form factor for such a tank is a sphere, a shape totally at odds with automotive designs. Recent approaches have centered on “sequestering” hydrogen gas in metallic “sponges” or foam-like structures. These have their own problems in that liberating the hydrogen gas from those high surface-area structures requires temperatures in the hundreds of degrees, something that is undesirable in a moving vehicle and also not the best thing to have around hydrogen itself.
Recent advances in valve technology are making it possible for consumer operated filling of hydrogen tanks, much like at your present day service station. Additionally, existing natural gas distribution systems might be usable in delivering hydrogen to points of use. All of this is pertinent because of what is implied by a conversion over to fusion-generated power.
With lots of fusion reactors providing huge amounts of inexpensive electrical power, the energy intensive process of electrolysis—a reaction that breaks down water into hydrogen and oxygen—becomes feasible. This represents one way of “bridging” between our existing petroleum-fueled automotive culture and, eventually, migrating over to an electrically based transportation system.
The central problem in all of this is that gasoline is relatively inexpensive to extract and refine. It also liberates an astonishing amount of energy per volume. These two basic characteristics conspire to keep the planet firmly addicted to petroleum. Another aspect of transportation infrastructure also operates in favor of gasoline. As an example, in order to begin operation, railroads had to construct—not just engines, rolling stock and fueling facilities—but the rail beds themselves.
The automotive industry faced no such obstacles. Fuel taxes and other government subsidies paid to construct the interstate highway system while commercial enterprise rose to meet the demand for gasoline and other automotive lubricants. This lowered the market-entry barriers for automobile manufacturers in ways that almost no other industry could ever hope for. It is also a mechanism that keeps the automobile firmly fixed in its almost indispensable role today.
Changing this will eventually require a shift over to electric vehicles. However, a close examination of the limitations and complications of electric transportation reveal a host of significant problems.
One issue that continues to dog electric cars is their limited range. What makes that limited range an issue is the amount of time required to recharge a typical automotive battery pack. Electric car manufacturer, Tesla, is a good example of the problems involved. According to their own website, recharging from a 110 VAC 15A outlet, yields 31 miles of range per hour of charge. Using a 240 VAC 30A utility circuit doubles that to 62 miles of range per hour of charge. Additionally, Tesla is currently working on a supercharging technology that will allow 300 miles of range per hour of charge. This will be furnished at a chain of nation-wide charging stations.
The point still remains that your typical Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powered vehicle can be refueled for a 300 mile drive in just a few minutes.
Now, imagine attempting to transfer the full 85 kWh of Tesla’s largest battery pack in just a few minutes. For the sake of argument, let’s stretch the entire “pumping” cycle to ten minutes. At the EPA mandated maximum of 10 gallons per minute for commercial public self-serve fuel dispensers, a full refill of a 20-gallon tank takes two short minutes.
Disregarding the damaging battery overheating issues related to high-speed recharging, transferring 85 kWh in two minutes equates to 42.5 kW per minute. That represents the energy needed to illuminate 425 100W light bulbs for one hour or almost 400 amps of current at 110 VAC running for an entire hour. Even extending that two minute refueling to ten minutes still implies a power management problem of serious dimensions. Arcing, conductor and contact degradation, even electrocution are all important concerns when attempting to transfer such a large amount of charge.
However discouraging these facts may seem, this is where America currently stands with respect to reducing its dependency upon foreign oil and carbon-based fuels in general. Between Lockheed, NIF and Polywell, there are definitely some bright spots on the horizon. Still, the proper utilization of such assets brings with it a number of serious technical issues but none of them are insurmountable.
One thing snaps all of this into focus. There is a limited supply of oil. Yes, vast new petroleum reserves are being discovered on an almost daily basis but none of that changes how, at some future time, civilization will be forced to migrate away from oil as its principal energy resource. Be it due to “climate change” or “peak oil”, that migration will happen. Probably the most daunting task of all will be changing the way we think and, more importantly, the way our politicians think. For all the money that changes hands within that tightly knit circle of military-industrial and political interests, this one paradigm shift alone promises to be traumatic, at the very least. America's financial elite game this system with an ease and facility that does not promise any convenient transition.
The one thing to remember is that humanity has the brains and skills to overcome these issues and build a better world; one that we can hand down to our children with pride.
Tags: USA, Saudi Arabia To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Eject! Eject! Eject! - Remember?
We sat in the E3 chat room for hours discussing Bill Whittle’s essay’s on War, Honor, History, Power.
Often he was there with us. Many, many of that group were influenced
to start their own blogs, myself and three partners included. Perhaps,
if you are unfamiliar with his writings, you will understand why we
gathered there by reading an excerpt from his piece written in 2002 – Freedom
Tags: War On America; Tyranny; Let's Roll America! To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
To the many who scorn the 2nd
Amendment of the US Constitution as the dangerous plaything of
illiterate, mindless oafs who enjoy loud noises, let me simply refer you
to that great unbiased and incorruptible teacher: History.
Ask yourselves why intellectual elites
so love totalitarian states where people are unarmed and dependent
sheep. Look at the examples of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao, and Saddam,
and the horrors they have inflicted at will on their own people. And
when contemplating your ever-so-sophisticated foreign policy, ask
yourselves what compassionate and non-violent options you are left with
when facing a determined, heartless bastard like Hitler, Napoleon,
Ghengis Khan or Attila.
Some say that the time for real evil
like that has finally gone. I hope you are right, I really do. I don’t
want to go fight those bastards; I’d rather barbeque and watch the
Gators. I’m sure the Jews in 1930 Germany thought such things could
never happen again, not in the heart of European culture and
civilization. I’m sure every bound and beaten musician, surgeon,
philosopher and painter being lined up at the side of a ditch thought
exactly that.
This video found (and swiped) at CMBlake6′s WebBlog – thank you CMB!
.
Tags: War On America; Tyranny; Let's Roll America! To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
The Wolf Is Insane, Evil, or BOTH!
As it is all about him and his ROP (religion of power) by what sane logic does Hussein Obama believe that if our country loses it's capabilities to protect itself, that he, personally, will not be the numero uno target the moment he stops bowing? While that is his problem, we in America are in grave danger, and by extension our allies and the whole world.
One of America's staunchest supporters - Trevor Loudon at his New Zeal Blog - h/t @izzysroses - excerpts from -
The REAL Obama Agenda – the Destruction of US Nuclear Defense – the Long Overdue Fightback Begins
At a meeting in Seoul Korea, March 2012, with then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, US President Barack Obama
leaned toward Medvedev, thinking he was off mike and said, “On all
these issues, but particularly missile defense, this can be solved, but
it’s important for him [Prime Minister Vladimir Putin] to give me
space.” He added, “This is my last election. After my election I have
more flexibility.”
That was the single most important statement made by Obama in his entire first term of office.
The
destruction of the US nuclear deterrent and the American military has
been Moscow’s, Beijing’s and Havana’s number one dream for decades.
It is what Obama’s communist mentors such as Frank Marshall Davis, Alice Palmer and Bill Ayers, have always worked relentlessly towards. Now their protege has the power to make that hellish fantasy a reality.
He goes on - "A group of former senior military and civilian national security professionals today called on President Barack Obama to abandon his reported intention to make further, deep and apparently unilateral reductions in the U.S. nuclear arsenal."
There are twenty in that "group" but it is going to take MILLIONS of Americans to put a stop to this. Twenty will not cut it! The buck stops here folks - with YOU and ME!
Write, call, e-mail, tweet Congress - see tabs at my site with all the contact information you could hope for. WE, the people, are the only way to stop this madness and there are only two ways for us to go about it - there is a peaceful way, and there is a violent way.
If you think you can look the other way you are sorely mistaken. You will be involved even if it is just cowering behind your screen door praying. Today folks - start today I beg of you.
Tags: War on America; Tyranny; The Constitution; Let's Roll America! To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Norwegians love their firewood!
I thought I was crazy about firewood and heating with wood but Norwegians have put me out to pasture on this! People were calling in, sending messages etc. about whether the bark goes facing up or down!?!
Stacking firewood is very personal matter and says a lot about the person. My firewood HAS TO BE stacked a certain way, the split wood all fits together and the bark can up or down as what matters most is that the rows, ricks whatever you might call them can stand on their own with decent air circulation. I do not think I could watch a show like this but I sure as heck Give them credit.
Tags: firewood, stack, work ethic To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Stacking firewood is very personal matter and says a lot about the person. My firewood HAS TO BE stacked a certain way, the split wood all fits together and the bark can up or down as what matters most is that the rows, ricks whatever you might call them can stand on their own with decent air circulation. I do not think I could watch a show like this but I sure as heck Give them credit.
| Norwegian author Lars Mytting’s best-selling book “Solid Wood" inspired a TV program that nearly a million people, or 20 percent of Norway’s population, tuned in. Photo by Kyrre Lien NYTNS |
Firewood lights up Norwegian TV
By
OSLO, Norway — The TV program, on the topic of firewood, consisted mostly of people in parkas chatting and chopping in the woods and then eight hours of a fire burning in a fireplace. Yet no sooner had it begun, on prime time on Friday night, than the angry responses came pouring in.
“We received about 60 text messages from people complaining about the stacking in the program," said Lars Mytting, whose best-selling book “Solid Wood: All About Chopping, Drying and Stacking Wood — and the Soul of Wood-Burning" inspired the broadcast. “Fifty percent complained that the bark was facing up, and the rest complained that the bark was facing down." He explained, “One thing that really divides Norway is bark."
One thing that does not divide Norway, apparently, is its love of discussing Norwegian wood. Nearly 1 million people, or 20 percent of the population, tuned in at some point to the program, which aired on the state broadcaster, NRK.
In a country where 1.2 million households have fireplaces or wood stoves, said Rune Moeklebust, NRK’s head of programs in the west coast city of Bergen, the subject naturally lends itself to television.
“My first thought was, ‘Well, why not make a TV series about firewood?’" Moeklebust said in an interview. “And that eventually cut down to a 12-hour show, with four hours of ordinary produced television, and then eight hours of showing a fireplace live."
There is no question that it is a popular topic. “Solid Wood" spent more than a year on the nonfiction best-seller list in Norway. Sales so far have exceeded 150,000 copies — the equivalent, as a percentage of the population, to 9.5 million in the United States — not far below the figures for E.L. James’ Norwegian version of “Fifty Shades of Grey," proof that thrills come in many forms.
“National Firewood Night," as the program was called, opened with the host, Rebecca Nedregotten Strand, promising to “try to get to the core of Norwegian firewood culture — because firewood is the foundation of our lives."
Various people discussed its historical and personal significance. “We’ll be sawing, we’ll be splitting, we’ll be stacking and we’ll be burning," Nedregotten Strand said. But the real excitement came when the action moved, four hours later, to a fireplace in a Bergen farmhouse.
It would be very foolish to confuse Norway’s eight-hour fireplace extravaganza with the yule log broadcast in the U.S. at Christmas. While the yule log fire plays on a constant repeating loop, the fire on “National Firewood Night" burned all night long, in suspensefully unscripted configurations. Fresh wood was added through the hours by an NRK photographer named Ingrid Tangstad Hatlevoll, aided by viewers who sent advice via Facebook on where exactly to place it.
For most of the time, the only sound came from the fire. Hatlevoli’s face never appeared on screen, but occasionally her hands could be seen putting logs in the fireplace, or cooking sausages and marshmallows on sticks.
“I couldn’t go to bed because I was so excited," a viewer called niesa36 said on the Dagbladet newspaper website. “When will they add new logs? Just before I managed to tear myself away, they must have opened the flue a little, because just then the flames shot a little higher.
“I’m not being ironic," the viewer continued. “For some reason, this broadcast was very calming and very exciting at the same time."
To be fair, the program was not universally acclaimed. On Twitter, a viewer named Andre Ulveseter said: “Went to throw a log on the fire, got mixed up, and smashed it right into the TV."
But Derek Miller, an expatriate American and author of the novel “Norwegian by Night," said the broadcast appealed to Norwegians’ nostalgia for a simpler time as well as demonstrating the importance of firewood in their lives. “The sense of creating warmth, both symbolically and literally, to share conversation, to share food, to share silence, is essential to the Norwegian identity," he said in an interview.
“Solid Wood," the title of Mytting’s book, has a double meaning in Norwegian, signifying also a person with a strong, dependable character. Its publication appears to have given older Norwegian men, a traditionally taciturn group, permission to reveal their deepest thoughts while seemingly discussing firewood. In this way they are akin to passionate fishermen roused from monosyllabic interludes by topics like which fly to use and how to really understand what a trout is thinking.
“What I’ve learned is that you should not ask a Norwegian what he likes about firewood, but how he does it — because that’s the way he reveals himself," said Mytting. “You can tell a lot about a person from his firewood stack."
The book has proved particularly popular as a gift for hard-to-shop-for men. “People buy it for their dads, their uncles — ‘I don’t know what to get him, but he has always liked wood,’" said William Jerde, a clerk at the Tanum bookstore in downtown Oslo.
Tobias Sederholm, a clerk in a different store, said that one customer came in after Christmas having received copies from seven different family members.
Source is here from our local daily fish wrapper.
“We received about 60 text messages from people complaining about the stacking in the program," said Lars Mytting, whose best-selling book “Solid Wood: All About Chopping, Drying and Stacking Wood — and the Soul of Wood-Burning" inspired the broadcast. “Fifty percent complained that the bark was facing up, and the rest complained that the bark was facing down." He explained, “One thing that really divides Norway is bark."
One thing that does not divide Norway, apparently, is its love of discussing Norwegian wood. Nearly 1 million people, or 20 percent of the population, tuned in at some point to the program, which aired on the state broadcaster, NRK.
In a country where 1.2 million households have fireplaces or wood stoves, said Rune Moeklebust, NRK’s head of programs in the west coast city of Bergen, the subject naturally lends itself to television.
“My first thought was, ‘Well, why not make a TV series about firewood?’" Moeklebust said in an interview. “And that eventually cut down to a 12-hour show, with four hours of ordinary produced television, and then eight hours of showing a fireplace live."
There is no question that it is a popular topic. “Solid Wood" spent more than a year on the nonfiction best-seller list in Norway. Sales so far have exceeded 150,000 copies — the equivalent, as a percentage of the population, to 9.5 million in the United States — not far below the figures for E.L. James’ Norwegian version of “Fifty Shades of Grey," proof that thrills come in many forms.
“National Firewood Night," as the program was called, opened with the host, Rebecca Nedregotten Strand, promising to “try to get to the core of Norwegian firewood culture — because firewood is the foundation of our lives."
Various people discussed its historical and personal significance. “We’ll be sawing, we’ll be splitting, we’ll be stacking and we’ll be burning," Nedregotten Strand said. But the real excitement came when the action moved, four hours later, to a fireplace in a Bergen farmhouse.
It would be very foolish to confuse Norway’s eight-hour fireplace extravaganza with the yule log broadcast in the U.S. at Christmas. While the yule log fire plays on a constant repeating loop, the fire on “National Firewood Night" burned all night long, in suspensefully unscripted configurations. Fresh wood was added through the hours by an NRK photographer named Ingrid Tangstad Hatlevoll, aided by viewers who sent advice via Facebook on where exactly to place it.
For most of the time, the only sound came from the fire. Hatlevoli’s face never appeared on screen, but occasionally her hands could be seen putting logs in the fireplace, or cooking sausages and marshmallows on sticks.
“I couldn’t go to bed because I was so excited," a viewer called niesa36 said on the Dagbladet newspaper website. “When will they add new logs? Just before I managed to tear myself away, they must have opened the flue a little, because just then the flames shot a little higher.
“I’m not being ironic," the viewer continued. “For some reason, this broadcast was very calming and very exciting at the same time."
To be fair, the program was not universally acclaimed. On Twitter, a viewer named Andre Ulveseter said: “Went to throw a log on the fire, got mixed up, and smashed it right into the TV."
But Derek Miller, an expatriate American and author of the novel “Norwegian by Night," said the broadcast appealed to Norwegians’ nostalgia for a simpler time as well as demonstrating the importance of firewood in their lives. “The sense of creating warmth, both symbolically and literally, to share conversation, to share food, to share silence, is essential to the Norwegian identity," he said in an interview.
“Solid Wood," the title of Mytting’s book, has a double meaning in Norwegian, signifying also a person with a strong, dependable character. Its publication appears to have given older Norwegian men, a traditionally taciturn group, permission to reveal their deepest thoughts while seemingly discussing firewood. In this way they are akin to passionate fishermen roused from monosyllabic interludes by topics like which fly to use and how to really understand what a trout is thinking.
“What I’ve learned is that you should not ask a Norwegian what he likes about firewood, but how he does it — because that’s the way he reveals himself," said Mytting. “You can tell a lot about a person from his firewood stack."
The book has proved particularly popular as a gift for hard-to-shop-for men. “People buy it for their dads, their uncles — ‘I don’t know what to get him, but he has always liked wood,’" said William Jerde, a clerk at the Tanum bookstore in downtown Oslo.
Tobias Sederholm, a clerk in a different store, said that one customer came in after Christmas having received copies from seven different family members.
Source is here from our local daily fish wrapper.
Tags: firewood, stack, work ethic To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
A Society Of Wolves
.
"We live in a society of wolves. You do not fight back by creating more sheep!"
One of best citizen speeches I've heard. Pure gold. If we are not actively helping to defeat the people control (Do not co-op the language 'gun control' - when they own the language they own the argument!) elements - in particular in our government - then WE are the problem.
Arm Chair Warriors - PLEASE tweet (call, e-m, or fax) to these twenty senators. It's easy! Just copy/paste the below or edit message as you will but just do it! Do it every day - once is not enough! Take action or be a part of the problem. It's that simple. And why specifically this group - see my post yesterday generated as a result of e-mail from NRA's Chris Cox.
NO To ALL of BHO gun (people) control agenda!!! @MaxBaucus @SenatorBegich @SenatorCollins @SenDonnelly @SenatorHagan #NRA #tcot #2ANO To ALL of BHO gun (people) control agenda!!! @Heinrich4NM @Heidi4ND @SenJohnsonSD @timkaine @SenAngusKing #NRA #tcot #2A #sot
NO To ALL of BHO gun (people) control agenda!!! @SenLandrieu @Sen_JoeManchin @clairecmc @SenMarkPryor #NRA #tcot #2A #militarymon
NO To ALL of BHO gun (people) control agenda!!! @SenatorReid @SenadorReid @SenatorShaheen @jontester @MarkUdall #NRA #tcot #2A #Vets
NO To ALL of BHO gun (people) control agenda!!! @SenatorTomUdall @MarkWarner #NRA #2A #Vets #TGDN #teaparty #mil #SOT #militarymon
"Our revolution was one of the only revolutions in human history, where those who defeated our enemies, and took power, created a document that dis-empowered them."
Let's roll America!
Tags: War On America; 2nd Amendment; Tyranny; Let's Roll America! To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
NO To ALL Of BHO Gun Ban Agenda!!!
In my in-box yesterday a message (truncated below) from Chris Cox, Executive Director of the NRA, saying there are 20 Senators who need to be targeted on the gun-control issue. He suggests calling, and calling often, even if you are not in that Senator's state. My experience has been they will NOT take calls, or emails, from anyone other than their own constituents. Perhaps that has changed. Regardless, I have added twitter addresses on each. These folks are back in session on Monday!
For those who use twitter - I have also set up five tweets for you to copy/paste which in very short order communicates to all twenty, added some attention getting hashtags, and left a little space if you wish to edit.
Folks, our so-called representatives of the people go back to work on Monday after a nice ten day vacation. Let's give them something - like a landslide of communication - to return to!
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @MaxBaucus @SenatorBegich @SenatorCollins @SenDonnelly @SenatorHagan #NRA #tcot #2A
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @Heinrich4NM @Heidi4ND @SenJohnsonSD @timkaine @SenAngusKing #NRA #tcot #2A #sot
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @SenLandrieu @Sen_JoeManchin @clairecmc @SenMarkPryor #NRA #tcot #2A #militarymon
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @SenatorReid @SenadorReid @SenatorShaheen @jontester @MarkUdall #NRA #tcot #2A #Vets
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @SenatorTomUdall @MarkWarner #NRA #2A #Vets #TGDN #teaparty #mil #SOT #militarymon
Tags: War On America; 2nd Amendment; Tyranny; Let's Roll America! To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
For those who use twitter - I have also set up five tweets for you to copy/paste which in very short order communicates to all twenty, added some attention getting hashtags, and left a little space if you wish to edit.
Folks, our so-called representatives of the people go back to work on Monday after a nice ten day vacation. Let's give them something - like a landslide of communication - to return to!
Chris Cox - Last week I asked you to call your senators and tell them to vote against every element of President Barack Obama's gun ban agenda. Your calls are working! I've received numerous reports that NRA members are lighting up the phone lines and our senators are definitely hearing from us. HOWEVER, now we need to take our phone campaign to the next level.
There are 20 U.S. senators, in particular, who hold the fate of your freedom in their hands. These senators represent states where gun ownership is respected and our Second Amendment freedoms are revered. But right now, they're facing huge pressure from the gun ban lobby and Barack Obama to support Obama's extreme gun control agenda! So please, call each of the senators below and tell them to vote NO on any gun ban...NO on any magazine ban...NO on criminalizing private firearm transfers...and NO on any gun registration scheme.
Spread your calls out over several days if you need to. And remember: It doesn't matter if you do not live in these senators' states - YOU NEED TO CALL THEM. After all, the votes they cast will affect you no matter where you live!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @MaxBaucus @SenatorBegich @SenatorCollins @SenDonnelly @SenatorHagan #NRA #tcot #2A
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @Heinrich4NM @Heidi4ND @SenJohnsonSD @timkaine @SenAngusKing #NRA #tcot #2A #sot
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @SenLandrieu @Sen_JoeManchin @clairecmc @SenMarkPryor #NRA #tcot #2A #militarymon
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @SenatorReid @SenadorReid @SenatorShaheen @jontester @MarkUdall #NRA #tcot #2A #Vets
NO To ALL of BHO gun ban agenda!!! @SenatorTomUdall @MarkWarner #NRA #2A #Vets #TGDN #teaparty #mil #SOT #militarymon
| Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) @MaxBaucus | 202-224-2651 |
| Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) @SenatorBegich | 202-224-3004 |
| Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) @SenatorCollins | 202-224-2523 |
| Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) @SenDonnelly | 202-224-4814 |
| Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) @SenatorHagan | 202-224-6342 |
| Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) @Heinrich4NM | 202-224-5521 |
| Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) @Heidi4ND | 202-224-2043 |
| Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) @SenJohnsonSD | 202-224-5842 |
| Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) @timkaine | 202-224-4024 |
| Sen. Angus King (I-ME) @SenAngusKing | 202-224-5344 |
| Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) @SenLandrieu | 202-224-5824 |
| Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) @Sen_JoeManchin | 202-224-3954 |
| Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) @clairecmc | 202-224-6154 |
| Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) @SenMarkPryor | 202-224-2353 |
| Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) @SenatorReid @SenadorReid | 202-224-3542 |
| Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) @SenatorShaheen | 202-224-2841 |
| Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) @jontester | 202-224-2644 |
| Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) @MarkUdall | 202-224-5941 |
| Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) @SenatorTomUdall | 202-224-6621 |
| Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) @MarkWarner | 202-224-2023 |
Tags: War On America; 2nd Amendment; Tyranny; Let's Roll America! To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
DEMOCIDE: Socialism, Tyranny, Guns And Freedom
This video highlights the relationship between socialism, tyranny, the right to keep and bear arms and American freedom from 1776 until today.
Steer In: iOwnTheWorld
Tags: DEMOCIDE: Socialism, Tyranny, Guns And Freedom, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Steer In: iOwnTheWorld
Tags: DEMOCIDE: Socialism, Tyranny, Guns And Freedom, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
March 4th - Date With The Neurosurgeon
This is why I have been a bit AWOL from here and will be down the road. This is long overdue and I actually ran out of options well over a year ago but gave it what for just in case I could avoid surgery, sigh.....no such luck.
My last slip on our stairs has resulted in such a dramatic increase in my back, leg pain, numbness, weakness and other 'fun' symptoms that an MRI was approved in less than 12 hours. The MRI had to wait a week until I could get things in order, mostly at work. I had the MRI this past Monday, saw my neurosurgeon Tuesday morning and by late today, spinal fusion surgery had been approved. The doctor wanted to do surgery the 25th but I begged and groveled for one more week and this will now be done March 4th. This is the third spinal fusion for me. There is a peace and calm about it this time that all will be all right. Not easy mind you but the Lord never told our lives would be easy. We just know everything will somehow be OK. These are not pleasant to undergo in any way shape or form.
AJ, bless his awesome love, kind, caring nature, knows something big is up. He has been a true buddy and he is doing well. His latest blood work came back with 'normal' thyroid levels and functions which is really good news but still leaves us in the dark as to what caused his seizure. A bit disconcerting to say the least but all we can do is watch him closely and let him be AJ. He is a really fine 'nurse' and I am 100% sure he will be with me at all times through my next 'adventure'. I would take him to the hospital me if I could.
I was also FINALLY given adequate pain medication after the surgeon finally understood how badly my 'pain' doctor had treated me not to mention the other doctors involved with my care. What a blessing to get a bit of pain relief, not totally, as that will never happen, but enough to make a difference. My neurosurgeon felt quite bad about it all and had tears in her eyes as we talked. This is a surgery to give me back some stability and perhaps a bit of pain relief. I am not expecting much there as the MRI revealed drastic changes in my entire spine, pretty severe degenerative arthritis with several other vertebrae badly damaged. There is permanent nerve damage and to what extent is anyone's guess. Only time will tell if this will get better, if it does at all. My last day of work is March 1st and I will be off for at least 12 weeks. I may not have a job to return to as I am a temporary state employee with no rights or benefits. As the union is the SEIU, which I loathe, I am all right with this and the Lord will open other doors as this one is probably closing. My wife's job is also coming to an end right about when I get sliced and diced as she is also a temporary employee for the state. Things will be extremely tough on us financially but I am pretty sure the Lord set it up this way, so she can be home with me the first few weeks and kick my a$$ when needed. Historically speaking, I am not a model patient after any surgery.
I will be in the hospital for at least three days, probably four and will be house bound for at least six weeks. One of our very good friends is selling me an older laptop so I will be able to keep on writing, posting, emails etc. He has agreed to let me pay whatever we can swing and he does not need the money. It is a very nice laptop. I will not be allowed to sit for very long for probably six to eight weeks and I have to be REALLY a good patient this time around. Too much is at stake and I am no good to anyone, for anything if I do not take care of me first. This is something I have a 'slight' problem with, and always have struggled with, putting me first. I have received quite a few 'threats' from friends, family if I misbehave.
So here it is and prayers always are appreciated. I really dislike writing about 'me' but it is very humbling to me and I am honored to know so many folks care.
As always, I am your most obedient and humble servant. PatriotUSA
Tags: Date With The Neurosurgeon, Patriot USA To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
NRA Stand and Fight: We Are America
A very timely ad from the NRA and most here know that I am not 100% NRA but this is a great ad. NRA is right in the mix as they should always be.
Tags: NRA, Stand and Fight, 2nd Amendment, gun rights To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Tags: NRA, Stand and Fight, 2nd Amendment, gun rights To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
George Galloway Runs From a Debate With an Israeli
Gary Fouse, fousesquawk:
Hat tip Dusty and Cherwell.org
Your friend and mine, British comedian George Galloway, was supposed to engage in a debate on Israel Wednesday night. That is until he (supposedly) learned that his debate opponent was an Israeli. At that point, he got up and left. Cherwell.org has the video.
http://www.cherwell.org/news/uk/2013/02/20/george-galloway-in-antiisrael-storm
I suspect George was afraid his adversary would prove to be more than his match.
Well, at least George didn't call him a liar like he did me at UC Irvine in 2009. (That's the night he was taking up a collection for Hamas.)
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2009/05/george-galloway-meets-liar-himself.html
George Galloway is a despicable apologist for Muslim extremists and Palestinian terrorists, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Galloway receiving his honorary Gazan diplomatic passport from Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh
He was a friend and supporter of Saddam Hussein and his murderous sons.
He has been a supporter of the murderous regime in Syria and has heaped praise on Bashar Assad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMWJlDo2wn4
In May of 2009, he demonstrated to me that he is the very thing he called me-a liar. This week, he demonstrated that he is a coward.
Hat tip Dusty and Cherwell.org
 |
| George Galloway (in red) |
Your friend and mine, British comedian George Galloway, was supposed to engage in a debate on Israel Wednesday night. That is until he (supposedly) learned that his debate opponent was an Israeli. At that point, he got up and left. Cherwell.org has the video.
http://www.cherwell.org/news/uk/2013/02/20/george-galloway-in-antiisrael-storm
Well, at least George didn't call him a liar like he did me at UC Irvine in 2009. (That's the night he was taking up a collection for Hamas.)
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2009/05/george-galloway-meets-liar-himself.html
George Galloway is a despicable apologist for Muslim extremists and Palestinian terrorists, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
He was a friend and supporter of Saddam Hussein and his murderous sons.
He has been a supporter of the murderous regime in Syria and has heaped praise on Bashar Assad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMWJlDo2wn4
In May of 2009, he demonstrated to me that he is the very thing he called me-a liar. This week, he demonstrated that he is a coward.
Columbine Student Survivor to Obama: "Whose Side Are You On?"
Via Jim Campbell at DancingCzars - Columbine Survivor Pens Bold Open Letter to Obama Rejecting Gun Control: ‘Whose Side Are You On?
As a student who was shot and wounded during the Columbine massacre, I have a few thoughts on the current gun debate. In regards to your gun control initiatives:
Universal Background Checks
First, a universal background check will have many devastating effects. It will arguably have the opposite impact of what you propose. If adopted, criminals will know that they can not pass a background check legally, so they will resort to other avenues. With the conditions being set by this initiative, it will create a large black market for weapons and will support more criminal activity and funnel additional money into the hands of thugs, criminals, and people who will do harm to American citizens.
Second, universal background checks will create a huge bureaucracy that will cost an enormous amount of tax payers dollars and will straddle us with more debt. We cannot afford it now, let alone create another function of government that will have a huge monthly bill attached to it.
Third, is a universal background check system possible without universal gun registration? If so, please define it for us. Universal registration can easily be used for universal confiscation. I am not at all implying that you, sir, would try such a measure, but we do need to think about our actions through the lens of time.
It is not impossible to think that a tyrant, to the likes of Mao, Castro, Che, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and others, could possibly rise to power in America. It could be five, ten, twenty, or one hundred years from now — but future generations have the natural right to protect themselves from tyrannical government just as much as we currently do. It is safe to assume that this liberty that our forefathers secured has been a thorn in the side of would-be tyrants ever since the Second Amendment was adopted.
Ban on Military-Style Assault Weapons
The evidence is very clear pertaining to the inadequacies of the assault weapons ban. It had little to no effect when it was in place from 1994 until 2004. It was during this time that I personally witnessed two fellow students murder twelve of my classmates and one teacher. The assault weapons ban did not deter these two murderers, nor did the other thirty-something laws that they broke.
Gun ownership is at an all time high. And although tragedies like Columbine and Newtown are exploited by ideologues and special-interest lobbying groups, crime is at an all time low. The people have spoken. Gun store shelves have been emptied. Gun shows are breaking attendance records. Gun manufacturers are sold out and back ordered. Shortages on ammo and firearms are countrywide. The American people have spoken and are telling you that our Second Amendment shall not be infringed.
10-Round Limit for Magazines
Virginia Tech was the site of the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Seung-Hui Cho used two of the smallest caliber hand guns manufactured and a handful of ten round magazines. There are no substantial facts that prove that limited magazines would make any difference at all.
Second, this is just another law that endangers law-abiding citizens. I’ve heard you ask, “why does someone need 30 bullets to kill a deer?”
Let me ask you this: Why would you prefer criminals to have the ability to out-gun law-abiding citizens? Under this policy, criminals will still have their 30-round magazines, but the average American will not. Whose side are you on?
Lastly, when did they government get into the business of regulating “needs?” This is yet another example of government overreaching and straying from its intended purpose.
Selling to Criminals
Mr. President, these are your words: “And finally, Congress needs to help, rather than hinder, law enforcement as it does its job. We should get tougher on people who buy guns with the express purpose of turning around and selling them to criminals. And we should severely punish anybody who helps them do this.”
Why don’t we start with Eric Holder and thoroughly investigate the Fast and Furious program?
Furthermore, the vast majority of these mass murderers bought their weapons legally and jumped through all the hoops — because they were determined to murder. Adding more hoops and red tape will not stop these types of people. It doesn’t now — so what makes you think it will in the future? Criminals who cannot buy guns legally just resort to the black market.
Criminals and murderers will always find a way.
Critical Examination
Mr. President, in theory, your initiatives and proposals sound warm and fuzzy — but in reality they are far from what we need. Your initiatives seem to punish law-abiding American citizens and enable the murderers, thugs, and other lowlifes who wish to do harm to others.
Let me be clear: These ideas are the worst possible initiatives if you seriously care about saving lives and also upholding your oath of office. There is no dictate, law, or regulation that will stop bad things from happening — and you know that. Yet you continue to push the rhetoric. Why?
You said, “If we can save just one person it is worth it.” Well here are a few ideas that will save more that one individual:
First, forget all of your current initiatives and 23 purposed executive orders. They will do nothing more than impede law-abiding citizens and breach the intent of the Constitution. Each initiative steals freedom, grants more power to an already-overreaching government, and empowers and enables criminals to run amok.
Second, press Congress to repeal the “Gun Free Zone Act.” Don’t allow America’s teachers and students to be endangered one-day more. These parents and teachers have the natural right to defend themselves and not be looked at as criminals. There is no reason teachers must disarm themselves to perform their jobs. There is also no reason a parent or volunteer should be disarmed when they cross the school line.
This is your chance to correct history and restore liberty. This simple act of restoring freedom will deter would-be murderers and for those who try, they will be met with resistance.
Mr. President, do the right thing, restore freedom, and save lives. Show the American people that you stand with them and not with thugs and criminals.
Respectfully,
Severely Concerned Citizen, Evan M. Todd
Tags: Columbine Student Survivor, War On America; 2nd Amendment; Let's Roll America! To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Muslim Accused of Beheading 2 Christians in U.S.
by Bob Unruh, WND: Authorities in New Jersey allege a Muslim man beheaded two Coptic Christians, burying their bodies and heads and hands in separate graves near Philadelphia, bringing the horror of the persecution of Christians in Islamic nations to the United States.
According to New York’s WABC-TV, the Muslim was identified as Yusuf Ibrahim, 28. He was taken into custody after the bodies were found.
The report said investigators alleged Ibrahim killed the victims then severed their heads and hands, and buried the remains in the back yard of a home in Buena Vista, N.J.
The report said the victims were from the Coptic Christian community in the area. One of the victims had come from Egypt not many years ago.
While the report said police did not indicate a motive, friends of the victims wondered if it was something to do with religion.
WABC reporter Jeff Pegues wrote: “To members of the close knit Coptic Orthodox church the pain is real.”
“It’s a shock, something like this doesn’t happen to people like that,” one resident told him.
The report said police described the suspect as “ruthless” and “calculating” and said he belongs behind bars.
Pamela Geller, who blogs about Islam at Atlas Shrugs, said it “appear have been a ritual killing, religious in nature.”
“The victims were Coptic Christians and the murderer was Muslim (and we are painfully aware of the status and treatment of Coptic Christians under Muslim rule in Egypt),” she wrote.
“The killing evokes this passage in the Quran: ‘When thy Lord was revealing to the angels, ‘I am with you; so confirm the believers. I shall cast into the unbelievers’ hearts terror; so smite above the necks, and smite every finger of them!” – Quran 8:12.”
Samy Hohareb, a friend of the victims, said, “I leave it for the police and the investigation.”
The New York Daily News reported Ibrahim was nabbed by detectives on Sunday after the bodies were found.
Authorities said the suspect was found driving a white Mercedes Benz that belonged to one of the victims.
Ibrahim was being held at the Atlantic County jail on charges of murder and desecration of human remains. ... Read Rest of Story
Tags: United States, Muslim, beheading, Christians, desecration, human remains To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
According to New York’s WABC-TV, the Muslim was identified as Yusuf Ibrahim, 28. He was taken into custody after the bodies were found.
The report said investigators alleged Ibrahim killed the victims then severed their heads and hands, and buried the remains in the back yard of a home in Buena Vista, N.J.
The report said the victims were from the Coptic Christian community in the area. One of the victims had come from Egypt not many years ago.
While the report said police did not indicate a motive, friends of the victims wondered if it was something to do with religion.
“It’s a shock, something like this doesn’t happen to people like that,” one resident told him.
The report said police described the suspect as “ruthless” and “calculating” and said he belongs behind bars.
Pamela Geller, who blogs about Islam at Atlas Shrugs, said it “appear have been a ritual killing, religious in nature.”
“The victims were Coptic Christians and the murderer was Muslim (and we are painfully aware of the status and treatment of Coptic Christians under Muslim rule in Egypt),” she wrote.
“The killing evokes this passage in the Quran: ‘When thy Lord was revealing to the angels, ‘I am with you; so confirm the believers. I shall cast into the unbelievers’ hearts terror; so smite above the necks, and smite every finger of them!” – Quran 8:12.”
Samy Hohareb, a friend of the victims, said, “I leave it for the police and the investigation.”
The New York Daily News reported Ibrahim was nabbed by detectives on Sunday after the bodies were found.
Authorities said the suspect was found driving a white Mercedes Benz that belonged to one of the victims.
Ibrahim was being held at the Atlantic County jail on charges of murder and desecration of human remains. ... Read Rest of Story
Tags: United States, Muslim, beheading, Christians, desecration, human remains To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Mooch Goes Skiing at Aspen
Thanks to iOWNTHEWORLD:
Tags: Mooch, skiing, Aspen To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Tags: Mooch, skiing, Aspen To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Maher Hathout in 2012 and 2000
Gary Fouse, fousesquawk:
Hat tip to Joe
Maher Hathout of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is a figure celebrated as a moderate man who is engaged in bridge-building:. He speaks at many inter-faith meetings, where he wins the hearts of gullible Christians and Jews. I have spoken with him on a couple of occasions and asked him specific questions, such as why he will not sign the Freedom Pledge letter from Former Muslims United asking 200 of the top Muslim leaders in America to sign a simple statement that apostates in America should not be harmed. On July 13, 2012, I personally gave him his copy of the letter, which he stated he had never received.
On December 15, 2012, Hathout was featured at the MPAC annual convention held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, where I had a chance to speak to him as did a local KTLA reporter. The below video, which has been provided to me by the producer, shows Hathout being interviewed by KTLA about his past associations with the Muslim Brotherhood as a young man in Egypt. Hathout denies any recent association since he left Egypt many decades ago. On this day, he also explained to me why he has not signed the Freedom Letter.
The below video then switches to October 28, 2000, when an event was held in Washington DC called "Al Quds" Day-an anti-Israel day of speeches by various Muslim figures. Hathout also spoke that day-as did Abdur Rahman Alamoudi, now in prison on terror charges, who led the crowd in chants of "I support Hamas-I support Hezbollah".(Hat tip Discover the Networks) In addition, Muzammil Siddiqi, another celebrated "bridge-builder" in Southern California, spoke that day and warned the US not to incur the wrath of God by continuing to support Israel. (Hat tip Investigative Project on Terrorism) In subsequent explanation, Siddiqi says that by the time Alamoudi spoke, he (Siddiqi) was on a plane back to Los Angeles. Yet, the notorious radical, Abdul Alim Musa (see below), can be clearly seen standing behind Siddiqi as he (Siddiqi) spoke.
In the below video, CAIR CEO Nihad Awad can be seen on the stage behind Hathout as he speaks. Most troubling, however, is the presence on stage of Abdul Alim Musa, one of the vilest, most anti-American, antisemitic, pro-Iranian figures in the country. That day, he spoke of how the "martyrs" go to Paradise when they die, while the Zionists just die (Hat tip Investigative Project on Terrorism).
Here is the problem: So many leaders like Hathout present themselves as moderates. Yet, when you look at their associations, it is alarming. I will submit that a moderate Muslim has no business sharing a stage with people like Abdul Alim Musa-anywhere, anytime.
Tags: Maher Hathout, Muslim Public Affairs Council,MPAC To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Hat tip to Joe
Maher Hathout of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is a figure celebrated as a moderate man who is engaged in bridge-building:. He speaks at many inter-faith meetings, where he wins the hearts of gullible Christians and Jews. I have spoken with him on a couple of occasions and asked him specific questions, such as why he will not sign the Freedom Pledge letter from Former Muslims United asking 200 of the top Muslim leaders in America to sign a simple statement that apostates in America should not be harmed. On July 13, 2012, I personally gave him his copy of the letter, which he stated he had never received.
On December 15, 2012, Hathout was featured at the MPAC annual convention held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, where I had a chance to speak to him as did a local KTLA reporter. The below video, which has been provided to me by the producer, shows Hathout being interviewed by KTLA about his past associations with the Muslim Brotherhood as a young man in Egypt. Hathout denies any recent association since he left Egypt many decades ago. On this day, he also explained to me why he has not signed the Freedom Letter.
The below video then switches to October 28, 2000, when an event was held in Washington DC called "Al Quds" Day-an anti-Israel day of speeches by various Muslim figures. Hathout also spoke that day-as did Abdur Rahman Alamoudi, now in prison on terror charges, who led the crowd in chants of "I support Hamas-I support Hezbollah".(Hat tip Discover the Networks) In addition, Muzammil Siddiqi, another celebrated "bridge-builder" in Southern California, spoke that day and warned the US not to incur the wrath of God by continuing to support Israel. (Hat tip Investigative Project on Terrorism) In subsequent explanation, Siddiqi says that by the time Alamoudi spoke, he (Siddiqi) was on a plane back to Los Angeles. Yet, the notorious radical, Abdul Alim Musa (see below), can be clearly seen standing behind Siddiqi as he (Siddiqi) spoke.
In the below video, CAIR CEO Nihad Awad can be seen on the stage behind Hathout as he speaks. Most troubling, however, is the presence on stage of Abdul Alim Musa, one of the vilest, most anti-American, antisemitic, pro-Iranian figures in the country. That day, he spoke of how the "martyrs" go to Paradise when they die, while the Zionists just die (Hat tip Investigative Project on Terrorism).
Here is the problem: So many leaders like Hathout present themselves as moderates. Yet, when you look at their associations, it is alarming. I will submit that a moderate Muslim has no business sharing a stage with people like Abdul Alim Musa-anywhere, anytime.
Tags: Maher Hathout, Muslim Public Affairs Council,MPAC To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Build the Keystone Pipeline and here is why
The Keystone Pipeline is in the BEST NATIONAL interest of the United States.
Few energy projects have inspired the level of vitriol surrounding the Keystone XL Pipeline, that would run 1,700 miles from Alberta, Canada through the United States to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico.
The oil sands of Alberta are estimated to hold 170 million barrels of petroleum, the largest reservoir of black gold outside of Saudi Arabia.
Because the pipeline crosses an international boundary, President Barack Obama has the final say over whether to give the project a green light.
Here are three reasons to build the pipeline:
1. The oil isn't going to stay buried.
American environmentalists oppose the pipeline partly because they oppose the burning of fossil fuels -- especially those extracted from relatively dirty "oil sands." But if America doesn't build the pipeline, that oil is still going to be processed and enter the environment. It'll just get bought by China and other countries looking for cheap and plentiful energy. And TransCanada, the company behind the pipeline, is already working on contingency plans to do just that.
2. The pipeline isn't a disaster waiting to happen.
Opponents say that the proposed route dangerously strays over part of the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska, which supplies water for 20 million people. The governor of nebraska has urged president obama to start building. TransCanada, has already agreed to redirect the pipeline to minimize hazards. It's also agreed to encase the pipeline in cement and post a $100 million bond to cover any possible cleanups.
3. It will help the economy.
Estimates for jobs related to the pipepline run everywhere from 6,000 to a quarter of a million, with TransCanada saying it will hire 15,000 workers to build the thing. The exact figures are unknowable, but once it's up and running, Keystone XL will adds billions of dollars in ongoing economic activity and tax revenues.
President Obama has the authority to stop the pipeline if he determines that it's not "in the national interest." Given the potential upsides of the project, the relative ease with which environmental concerns can be addressed, and the president's own commitment to what he calls "an all of the above energy strategy," it's hard to conjure up a strong case against building the Keystone XL pipeline.
YouTube Video courtesy of Reason TV
Produced by Meredith Bragg. Written and hosted by Nick Gillespie.
Tags: Keystone, Keystone Pipeline, oil, the economy, jobs To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
The oil sands of Alberta are estimated to hold 170 million barrels of petroleum, the largest reservoir of black gold outside of Saudi Arabia.
Because the pipeline crosses an international boundary, President Barack Obama has the final say over whether to give the project a green light.
Here are three reasons to build the pipeline:
1. The oil isn't going to stay buried.
American environmentalists oppose the pipeline partly because they oppose the burning of fossil fuels -- especially those extracted from relatively dirty "oil sands." But if America doesn't build the pipeline, that oil is still going to be processed and enter the environment. It'll just get bought by China and other countries looking for cheap and plentiful energy. And TransCanada, the company behind the pipeline, is already working on contingency plans to do just that.
2. The pipeline isn't a disaster waiting to happen.
Opponents say that the proposed route dangerously strays over part of the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska, which supplies water for 20 million people. The governor of nebraska has urged president obama to start building. TransCanada, has already agreed to redirect the pipeline to minimize hazards. It's also agreed to encase the pipeline in cement and post a $100 million bond to cover any possible cleanups.
3. It will help the economy.
Estimates for jobs related to the pipepline run everywhere from 6,000 to a quarter of a million, with TransCanada saying it will hire 15,000 workers to build the thing. The exact figures are unknowable, but once it's up and running, Keystone XL will adds billions of dollars in ongoing economic activity and tax revenues.
President Obama has the authority to stop the pipeline if he determines that it's not "in the national interest." Given the potential upsides of the project, the relative ease with which environmental concerns can be addressed, and the president's own commitment to what he calls "an all of the above energy strategy," it's hard to conjure up a strong case against building the Keystone XL pipeline.
YouTube Video courtesy of Reason TV
Produced by Meredith Bragg. Written and hosted by Nick Gillespie.
Tags: Keystone, Keystone Pipeline, oil, the economy, jobs To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
Quick update on AJ and yes, PatriotUSA-8 pin! UPDATED
UPDATED: AJ had his second blood draw yesterday for specific thyroid levels and functions. He was a super patient and extended his front leg paw to the vet so she could do blood draw. He is doing pretty well and there was an 'event' at the vet which I may write about. Involves stupid, stupid people and some bunnies.
AJ is doing well and will be getting the next specific blood work done for his thyroid functions. He is almost back to being himself and his appointment is for later this week with our vet.
PatriotUSA really dinged himself with this last slip on our stairs and my absence from here is strictly due to this last slip and I was being so darn careful but as I am reminded all the time now, not careful enough. I see the neurosurgeon this coming Monday and it is time to toss all my chips in and get the next round of fusion surgery set up, the process started, sigh.....horrible timing but when is the right time or best time?
Not sure if it will be one, two levels fused or perhaps all four of the remaining lower ones to just get it done and try to buy me another 10-15 years of better stability. A decrease in pain would be great but I have learned that surgery seldom does much for pain relief and I have way too much permanent nerve damage.
Will try to do some posts but no promises and everyone is on me case and seriously nagging me. My family is just watching out for me as I am obviously my own worst enemy. AJ is my constant companion and was with me when I slipped. He tried to block me from slipping but I was able to push him out of the way as I did not want to land on him. Our connection just grows deeper and closer.
I have to get off the computer as my absence is sure to noticed upstairs. I have been threatened with a lock up! I am so sorry for my absence and this just makes me even more grumpy, if you can imagine that. Not a pretty picture at all and trust me on this one.PatriotUSA
Tags: AJ, PatriotUSA, Update, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
AJ is doing well and will be getting the next specific blood work done for his thyroid functions. He is almost back to being himself and his appointment is for later this week with our vet.
 |
| Ever felt like an 8 pin on a perfect pocket hit? Yep, that is where I am at. |
Not sure if it will be one, two levels fused or perhaps all four of the remaining lower ones to just get it done and try to buy me another 10-15 years of better stability. A decrease in pain would be great but I have learned that surgery seldom does much for pain relief and I have way too much permanent nerve damage.
Will try to do some posts but no promises and everyone is on me case and seriously nagging me. My family is just watching out for me as I am obviously my own worst enemy. AJ is my constant companion and was with me when I slipped. He tried to block me from slipping but I was able to push him out of the way as I did not want to land on him. Our connection just grows deeper and closer.
 |
| Yes, AJ is watching me too. A damn fine dog! |
I have to get off the computer as my absence is sure to noticed upstairs. I have been threatened with a lock up! I am so sorry for my absence and this just makes me even more grumpy, if you can imagine that. Not a pretty picture at all and trust me on this one.PatriotUSA
Tags: AJ, PatriotUSA, Update, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the Patriot's Corner. Thanks!
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