Fox in the Henhouse

    My wife had over a dozen hens, each morning she would go out collect eggs pulling 8 to 10, then she would leave the door to the coop open letting them have the run of the property through the day.  Each night she would refill their water dish and toss a bit of crushed grain in the coop, all of her little hens would file into the coop for the night and the door would be shut.  For my part I had little to do with them, actually I found them to be a bit of a hassle shovel the mess out of the coop ever-so-often and dodging the little deposits left around the yard.  I think the birds had it in for me, they always seemed to do their business in front of my truck door that occasionally I didn’t notice and would step in, dragging the yuck into my truck.  The hens were a PAIN in the…

    Collecting firewood early this spring I came across the carcass of a fox that had been hit by a car laying on the side of the road, while I stood there looking at it I noticed something rustling around in the brush on the roadside.  Slowly I stepped into the brush, poking around I found two very young fox pups huddled together.  Having a bit of a soft spot for the wildlife I scooped the pups up and took them home.  I put the pups in a pin in the back barn feeding them a mix of dog food and the occasional rabbit I would catch in loop snares.  I figured a couple of months of care they would be able to go it alone.

    The days, weeks, a few months passed, the pups grew quickly their coats were shiny and full, they were active and looked healthy.  With the warmer weather I figured it was time to load them up and take them to a local state park but then a bit of a devious thought crossed my mind… What if I just opened the gate and walked away… I wonder how the hens would fare.  Could these two pups be the answer to my problems with the wife’s hens?  I opened the gate and walked back to the house to get ready for work.  The next morning when I got home I peeked in the door of the back barn, the foxes were still in the pen cuddled together sleeping.

    Each day I would notice the young foxes coming out more often, venturing a bit further each day as they gained confidence and courage.  At first the wife didn’t notice anything but after a while she mentioned some of the hens were missing, there were only nine that came into the coop.  A few days later she was down to six hens.  Now she only has four hens in the coop and I don’t have any little piles of poo in front of my truck door…  I didn’t do anything to the hens, I didn’t tell anybody to do anything to the hens…  I can deny responsibility.  I have “Plausible Deniability”.

 

    This little story kind of mirrors what is going on with the Obama, Lois Lerner and the predatory practices she used against conservative groups during her time as the commissioner overseeing non-for-profit organizations dealing with the IRS.  Mr. Obama put a predator in the proverbial “Henhouse” and walked away, he knew what would happen.  With or without direction Ms. Lerner did what was in her nature… she attacked conservative organizations.  After accomplishing her goal there she was moved to the Obamacare Branch of the IRS to wreak havoc and inflict more damage on perceived “enemies” (a term liberals use to identify anyone with a dissenting opinion).

    Mr. Obama may or may not have verbally directed her (and others) actions but he had players in position to achieve an intended outcome.  The so called “Plausible Deniability” defense that Obama will certainly try to invoke just doesn’t cut it.  The IRS has become the economically weaponized arm of whatever administration that holds the Executive Branch, it is the identifying/investigation authority, the deciders of guilt and executioners in all matters of taxation.  In its current configuration any one person or group of likeminded individuals with an agenda are able to subvert the intent of fair and equitable treatment either by directly pursuing or by ignoring responsible actions.  We are well beyond the point of demanding the abolishment of home grown economic terrorist organization, the Internal Revenue Service and replacing it with a simpler coherent system.    

    Side Note:  Usually when it’s time for an “OBAMADRONE” to be tossed under the bus they go quietly awaiting future rewards… Ms. Lerner chose a different path,  is going for the reward up front $3,400 a week paid vacation and $650-$1,000 hour legal fees as long as she can drag this out.  All at the Tax payers expense.  And I did not release foxes on the chickens… I love them fresh eggs.

 

              One Year Update to The Last Monday

May 2012             39
Jun 2012               29
Jul 2012                41
Aug 2012              39
Sept 2012             19
Oct 2012              17
Nov 2012             16
Dec 2012              13
Jan 2013               3
Feb 2013              1
Mar 2013             15
Apr 2013              14
May 2013             17*
TOTAL                   263

    One year ago I wrote a little story about my thoughts on Memorial Day, since then another 263 sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and friends have been listed as Killed In Action.  For another 263 service members The Last Monday in May has become their day.  Enjoy this weekend, celebrate the freedoms you have… but reserve a moment to remember the ones who have paid the price and the ones who may be called to pay.  If you have children or grandchildren take a moment to teach them the meaning of Memorial Day, tell them of the sacrifices made. 

      Its here, the official start of summer, Memorial Day weekend.  Grills will be lighting up, drinks will be flowing and couches will be tested as fans enjoy the race on Sunday.  Some may take the opportunity to visit friends and relatives over the long weekend.  Others could be going to a ballgame.  Baseball in early summer… What could be better?

    In all the excitement of the weekend, in all of the planning, something may be forgotten, something is starting to be lost… 

Memorial Day.  Its meaning, its history, its significance.

    After the Civil War in the late 1860’s a movement began in the northern states to honor fallen Union soldiers, this became known as Decoration Day.  There was no specific date set but usually took place in May on a day decided by the local community.  By the early 1900’s the practice was extended to all American soldiers that had paid the ultimate price during war and was designated as Memorial Day with a set observance on the last Monday of May.

    Traditionally in national cemeteries the fallen are remembered by a flag being placed on each grave. Locally, veteran’s organizations or family members visit community cemeteries to honor lost comrades and loved ones at their grave sites.  For myself, I have a reminder to remember these fallen heroes each day.

    Some years back my girls gave me a framed art print and placed it above our home computer desk.  The picture is called Vietnam Reflections by Lee Teter.  His painting is of a man standing with his hand upon the polished black granite of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, his head down in a moment of pain, loss and grief.  Within the cold stone wall are the faint reflections of his brothers in arms that did not return from the war.  One of the soldiers within the wall has his hand raised to meet the hand of the grieving man in an attempt to comfort him…  The first time I saw this painting my throat tightened as the tears began to well up.  Even as I write this, those same feelings come over me.  It is a very powerful painting.

    So on this Last Monday of May please take a moment to think of those who gave all in the service of our  country during times of war.  If you have children take a moment to explain the meaning, the history, the significance of this day.  Finally, take a moment to say a little prayer for the safe return of those in far off lands serving today, in the hope future Last Mondays in May will not be their day.

Grandfathers Grandmothers Fathers Mothers Of Past, Brothers Sisters Of My Time, Sons Daughters Of Future, Thank You… I Miss You.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCtfBCQCJ30&feature=player_embedded

The TOMCAT

Side Note: The proceeds from the sales of Mr. Teter's Vietnam Reflections go entirely to veterans groups, millions of dollars so far… Mr. Teter, Thank You for your service to those who served.  

If you are interested in a copy of the print visit Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 172 web site. http://www.vietnamreflections.com/

My Friend The REASONIST

    Ya never know who life’s going to toss across the path in front of you.  Some people will be interesting, others not so much, some nice, others as wicked as the day is long, some jolly, some angry…  You just never know. 

    A few months back I stumbled upon an interesting individual on Twitter @TheReasonist, after a few pokes and jabs were sent back and forth on of all things, I think it was on a 3/8” bullet hole causing a Hollywood style rapid decompression on commercial aircraft in flight (won’t happen, aircraft have lots of holes and lots of pressurization leaks) either way, “Follows” were exchanged.    Every now and again TheReasonist will pop in on Twitter with a comment on one of my stories, normally with an opposing view, he/she, I don’t know which but I’ll go with he (in the hopes its she, just to give a razzing), he has a definite left leaning view on subjects and me… well I’m hard right (could be considered an understatement).  TheReasonist desires managed equal end result for all regardless of ability or effort, myself, I choose the independence to succeed or fail on my own merit and have little sympathy for those not willing to work for what they want.  As different as we are I enjoy the banter, he isn’t the traditional liberal, resorting to personal attacks and name calling when confronted with facts that contradict his feelings and assumptions (he will use the “subject jumping” tactic now and again).  That not to say he will automatically accept the facts neither, when I see @TheReasonist come up on the screen I know I’d better clear the next hour (plus) for the upcoming debate.  

    Inevitably he’s going to drift into gun control, that’s fine by me, the arguments, facts, points and counter points are almost second nature now.  Liberals never bothered to send out new talking points after their first set had been discredited.  With the same tired emotional calls “to save one child”, “no one needs large capacity magazines” or “just point the single shot shotgun at the door and pull the trigger” (nice suggestion Biden), I could cut & past a rebuttal with my eyes closed.  This past week I had just that kind of a debate with my friend… The Reasonist

 

@ The Reasonist

                Some aren’t capable or rational choices….
                It’s a numbers game.  The gun murder
                Numbers are simply too high to ignore.

 

“The gun murder numbers are simply too high to ignore” that was my cue… especially with “It’s a numbers game.”
I love numbers, cold hard FACTS.  I craw through government reports, statics and .pdf files as a hobby, if you know where to look you can find out all kinds of information but that’s a story for another time.  I came back with a stack of replies to his statement. 

@TheTomcatBlog

                So condemn, limit, withhold from those

                that are capable of making rational choices?

@TheTomcatBlog

                Society can only advance as far as its

                lowest common denominator?

Then I tossed in an apple and orange set of numbers to see if they were really “simply too high to ignore”.

@TheTomcatBlog

                “1300 lives lost and 120,000 injuries caused” Farm Accidents…

                Is this acceptable so you can have your corn flakes? Lowest
                common denominator?
 

@TheTomcatBlog

                “it’s a numbers game”

There was a significant delay followed by some subject jumping but he came back to my reply, for the most part I got the response I expected.  The numbers weren’t too high to ignore after all.  Even at many times higher. (By the way I didn’t say farming should be stopped, I asked a question…) after all 132,000 deaths and injuries is a big number.  Too big to ignore?

@ The Reasonist

                 Just don’t get where you get the “farming should be stopped” bit…

                  Farming feeds people.  More would die w/o it… not so of guns.
 

 

 

Here are the cold raw numbers, the stats in “the numbers game” if you will.

Farm related deaths are 26.1 per 100,000

            Gun related homicides are 0.65 per 100,000

But to add a wrinkle to the story, consider removing the gang on gang homicides the drug activity (deal gone bad) homicides… How likely is it that John Q. Public will be involved in a gun related homicide?  The number drops to 0.216 per 100,000.  John Q. Public is 120 times more likely to be run-over by Massey Ferguson than get lead poisoning from Smith & Wesson, but that’s not the story that fits the agenda, not the story promoted by the main stream media.  Gun violence numbers are padded to make it look like a crises.  When a criminal is justly shot by a police officer it’s counted in the gun death stats reported by the news.  When a home invader is shot by a mother protecting her children, same, added to the gun death stats reported by the news.  

    According to a Department of Justice study, 2/3 of gun homicides are related to gang violence and drug activity.  Let’s say the most stringent gun control measures that could be imagined were passed today, would the groups involved in illicit activities say “Yes, we smuggle drugs… OK, we’re involved in human trafficking… But GUN’s, NO WAY! We draw the line at getting involved with guns.”  Will John Q. Public be safer?  Or will John Q. Public now be easy picken’s for some really evil effing people?  Will gun related homicides drop below 0.65 per 100,000 when only the most evil and violent of our society are armed?  I think it possibly could decline but John Q. will be answering to new found MASTERS…

    But if its really all about the “numbers” and “saving just one child” here’s a fresh statistic for you, Researchers at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park estimate more than 3,000 annual teen deaths (age 15-18) nationwide from texting while driving and 300,000 injuries.  According to the Children’s Defense Fund, gun related homicides of teens between the ages of 15-19 (a larger sampling) came in at 1,621 and injuries from gun assaults amounted to 12,932.

 

After all it is… “a numbers game” and “simply too high to ignore.”   

Sometimes you have to compare

Apples to Oranges to gain perspective
Hope to hear from you soon
My Friend

The TOMCAT

 A Trailing Note:  I don’t mind if people live their lives guided by their “Feelings”, I don’t mind if people make their choices based on their “Assumptions”…  But when they feel the urge to tell me what I should be able to do (or not), when they decide to dictate limits to me or place demands on me… They best be armed with the facts, not feelings.

But that’s not Important

    Something’s been nagging at me for a couple of weeks now, Obama said something that I partially agreed with.  After the Boston Bomb Bros were identified as “Radicalized Muslims”, he said;

 “… take care not to rush to judgment – not about the motives of these individuals; certainly not about entire groups of people.”
 
   Mr. Obama’s reason for making this statement and my agreement with (some of) the words are on different levels and different basic understanding of the meaning of the words he spoke.  Clearly, he was completely off base on the part;

“- not about the motivation of these individuals”

Radicalized Muslims motivation equals terrorist activities; they simply await the means and opportunity to commit acts of terror.
 
   The words I agreed with were “certainly not about entire groups of people.” But as I said, on a different level.  Mr. Obama was speaking strictly about one group of people, Muslims and one instance of terrorism.  Myself, I take the statement to apply to all groups of people, in all instances.  I consider the individual responsible for their actions and their choices; it’s not a burden to be shared by their race, nationality, religion, etc…  Yes it requires heavy lifting to hold the individual accountable; yes it requires focused vigilance to stop an individual bent on destruction.  A nation that fails to do the heavy lifting ends up with the internment camps of WWII.  A nation that fails to be vigilant suffers the horrors of 9/11.

    On the other hand, Obama speaks the words but fails in his actions.  He lack the capacity to do the heavy lifting, in the same breath that he rightly defends one group of people he will just as quickly and unjustly condemn another group. With the mention of the names Adam Lanza (Sandy Hook Shooter) or James Holms (Aurora Theater Shooter) and anyone that fails to agree with his agenda driven measures or points out that his proposals would not have stopped either are painted as bitter clingers or uninformed simpletons… “Common sense gun control must be passed… even if to save the life of one child.”

    He also lacks the vigilance necessary to secure the nation and its people.  At his direction, references to Jihad, Islamic Extremist and Radicalized Muslims are being scrubbed from the vocabulary.  To fill the gaps they have been replaced with Evangelical Christian, Catholic, Mormon, etc…  To ignore an actual threat only to replace it with an imaginary threat can only lead to further violence and loss of life.  Name the Catholic that placed a ball-bearing and nail laced explosive next to an eight-year-old child…  Doesn’t “even if to save the life of one child” apply here equally?

    The history of terrorism is well documented, the history of gun violence is equally well documented.  The established profiles of those most likely to commit these acts are alarmingly accurate when applied after an incident. 

It’s time to set aside the “Political Correctness”.

It’s time to abandon the pursuit of imaginary threats.

It’s time to focus time and resources on the true threats.

    I just don’t see the benefit in groping a five-year-old child, scaring a wheelchair bound little girl to the point of tears or publically humiliating an eighty-year-old Grandmother under the guise of heightened security.  I can’t find one instance of a terrorist act or a mass shooting being committed by them.  They don’t fit the PROFILE, don’t waste the time and resources!

    Now we have Democratic minions trying to tie the Boston bombing to the failed gun control vote.

“A background check could have caused problems for the Tsarnave brothers.”

    REALLY?  I’m serious, REALLY?  The FBI did an interview with the older brother after warnings from the Russian Government, they ignored their own profile (why? Could it have something to do with the scrubbing of the vocabulary), they gave him an all clear with no need to follow-up or monitor.  Along with more explosives the brothers had a hand gun and a rifle, Cambridge police and state law requires persons to obtain a license to possess a gun, neither brother had applied for one…EVER!  Criminals don’t seem to follow the law very closely, Duhaaa… that’s a shocker.

But that’s not Important. 

    This past weekend I stopped in at a yard sale and one of the items the little old lady had laid out was a pressure-cooker ($20) it was unregistered and she didn’t even bother doing a background check before she sold it (and I think she was a Catholic).  I’m thinking that may spark some interest down at Homeland Security, but then again the Russian Government couldn’t seem to light a fire under their @$$ with a credible threat warning.

Searching for Sanity in

An Insane World

The TOMCAT

All Disturbed… All Fit the Profiles…

Warnings Were Given…

And Ignored!